[ transcriber's note: inconsistent spellings (especially in the table of contents) have been retained as in the original. corrections of spelling and punctuation are listed at the end of this file. ] the golden age cook book. henrietta latham dwight. new york: the alliance publishing company, "life" building, . copyrighted, , by henrietta latham dwight. press of the plimpton mfg. co., hartford, conn. dedication. to all who are striving to follow the golden rule, "to do unto others as they would have others do unto them," and thus express in their every-day life the christ ideal written within, in their own souls, this book is affectionately inscribed. and god said, behold, i have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, i have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.--genesis i., , . thou shalt not kill.--exodus xx., . for that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. all go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?--ecclesiastes iii., , , . he that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man.--isaiah lxvi., . then said daniel to melzar [the steward], whom the prince of the eunuchs had set over daniel, hananiah, mishael, and azariah: prove thy servants, i beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the children that eat of the portion of the king's meat: and as thou seest, deal with thy servants. so he consented to them in this matter, and proved them ten days. and at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat.--daniel i., to . preface. i send this little book out into the world, first, to aid those who, having decided to adopt a bloodless diet, are still asking how they can be nourished without flesh; second, in the hope of gaining something further to protect "the speechless ones" who, having come down through the centuries under "the dominion of man," have in their eyes the mute, appealing look of the helpless and oppressed. their eloquent silence should not ask our sympathy and aid in vain; they have a right, as our humble brothers, to our loving care and protection, and to demand justice and pity at our hands; and, as a part of the one life, to-- "life, which all can take but none can give; life, which all creatures love and strive to keep; wonderful, dear, and pleasant unto each, even to the meanest; yea, a boon to all where pity is, for pity makes the world soft to the weak and noble for the strong. unto the dumb lips of the flock he lent sad, pleading words, showing how man, who prays for mercy to the gods, is merciless, being as god to those; albeit all life is linked and kin, and what we slay have given meek tribute of their milk and wool, and set fast trust upon the hands which murder them." if the cruelty and injustice to animals are nothing to us, we have still another argument to offer--the brutalization of the men who slaughter that we may eat flesh. mrs. besant, in "why i am a food reformer," says: "lately i have been in the city of chicago--one of the greatest slaughter-houses of the world--where the slaughter-men, who are employed from early morn till late at night in the killing of thousands of these hapless creatures, are made a class _practically apart from their fellow-men_; they are marked out by the police _as the most dangerous part of the community_; amongst them are committed most crimes of violence, and the most ready use of the knife is found. one day i was speaking to an authority on this subject, and i asked him how it was that he knew so decidedly that most of the murders and the crimes with the knife were perpetrated by that particular class of men, and his answer was suggestive, although horrible. he said: 'there is a peculiar turn of the knife which men learn to use in the slaughter-house, for, as the living creatures are brought to them by machinery, these men slit their throats as they pass by. that twist of the wrist is the characteristic of most crimes with the knife committed amongst our chicago population.' that struck me at once as both a horrible and significant fact. _what right have people to condemn other men to a trade that makes them so readily take to the knife in anger; which marks them out as specially brutalized--brutes amongst their fellow-men?_ being constantly in the sight and the smell of blood, their whole nature is coarsened; accustomed to kill thousands of creatures, they lose all sense of reverence for sentient life, they grow indifferent to the suffering they continually see around them; accustomed to inflict pain, they grow callous to the sight of pain; accustomed to kill swiftly, and sometimes not even waiting until the creature is dead before the skin is stripped from it, their nerves become coarsened, hardened, and brutalized, and they are less men as men because they are slaughterers of animals. _and everyone who eats flesh meat has part in that brutalization; everyone who uses what they provide is guilty of this degradation of his fellow-men._ "if i may not appeal to you in the name of the animals--if under mistaken views you regard animals as not sharing _your kind of life_--then i appeal to you in the name of _human brotherhood_, and remind you of your duty to your fellow-men, your duty to your nation, which must be built up partly of the children of those who slaughter--who physically inherit the very signs of this brutalizing occupation. i ask you to recognize your duty as men and women who should _raise_ the race, not _degrade_ it; who should try to make it _divine_, not _brutal_; who should try to make it _pure_, not _foul_; and therefore, in the name of human brotherhood, i appeal to you to leave your own tables free from the stain of blood and your consciences free from the degradation of your fellow-men." that flesh-eating is not necessary to the perfect health of man is attested by many scientists. the following testimonies from some very prominent physiologists and anatomists may prove interesting: sir charles bell, f. r. s.: "it is, i think, not going too far to say that every fact connected with the human organization goes to prove that man was originally formed a frugivorous animal. this opinion is principally derived from the formation of his teeth and digestive organs, as well as from the character of his skin and the general structure of his limbs." sylvester graham, m. d.: "comparative anatomy proves that man is naturally a frugivorous animal, formed to subsist upon fruits, seeds, and farinaceous vegetables." professor wm. lawrence, f. r. s.: "the teeth of man have not the slightest resemblance to those of carnivorous animals; and, whether we consider the teeth, jaws, or digestive organs, the human structure closely resembles that of the frugivorous animals." dr. jozef drzewiecki: "there is no doubt that fruit and vegetable food purifies the blood, while meat inflames and is the source of many diseases, which are the punishment for breaking the natural law and command." professor vogt: "the vegetarian diet is the most beneficial and agreeable to our organs, as it contains the greatest amount of carbon hydrates and the best proportion of albumen." sir henry thompson, m. d., f. r. c. s.: "it is a vulgar error to regard meat in any form as necessary to life. all that is necessary to the human body can be supplied by the vegetable kingdom.... the vegetarian can extract from his food all the principles necessary for the growth and support of the body, as well as for the production of heat and force. it must be admitted as a fact beyond all question that some persons are stronger and more healthy who live on that food. i know how much of the prevailing meat diet is not merely a wasteful extravagance, but a source of serious evil to the consumer." the following special cablegram from london to the new york "sun," july d, , contains a practical illustration of the superiority of a vegetable diet: "the vegetarians are making a great ado over the triumph of their theory in the long-distance test of walking endurance, seventy miles, in germany, this week. the twenty-two starters included eight vegetarians. the distance had to be covered within eighteen hours. the first six to arrive were vegetarians, the first finishing in  ¼ hours, the second in  ½, the third in  ½, the fourth in , the fifth in  ½, and the sixth in  ½. the last two vegetarians missed their way and walked five miles more. all reached the goal in splendid condition. not till one hour after the last vegetarian did the first meat-eater appear, completely exhausted. he was the only one. others dropped off after thirty-five miles." there is no question of the great economy of vegetarianism. dr. alcott, in "arguments for vegetarianism," says: "twenty-two acres of land are needed to sustain one man on fresh meat. under wheat that land will feed forty-two people; under oats, eighty-eight; under potatoes, maize, or rice, one hundred and seventy-six; under the banana, over six thousand. the crowded nations of the future must abandon flesh-eating for a diet that will feed more than tenfold people by the same soil, expense and labor. how rich men will be when they cease to toll for flesh-meat, alcohol, drugs, sickness, and war!" "suffer the ox to plough, and impute his death to age and nature's hand. let the sheep continue to yield us sheltering wool, and the goats the produce of their loaded udders. banish from among you nets and snares and painful artifices, conspire no longer against the birds, nor scare the meek deer, nor hide with fraud the crooked hook; .... but let your mouths be empty of blood, and satisfied with pure and natural repasts."[ ] [ ] imputed to pythagoras. comparative tables of vegetable and animal foods. in parts. =====================+=============+=================+=========+======== | nitrogenous | hydro-carbonate | saline | water. | matter. | matter. | matter. | ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- lean beef | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- fat beef | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- lean mutton | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- fat mutton | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- veal | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- fat pork | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- dried ham | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- tripe | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- white fish | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- red fish (salmon) | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- oysters | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- mussels | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- white of egg | . | ..... | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- yolk of egg | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- cow's milk (lactin) | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- cream | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- butter | ..... | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- gruyere cheese | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- roquefort | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- dutch | . | . | ..... | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- chester | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- parmesan | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- cheddar | . | . | . | . ---------------------+-------------+-----------------+---------+-------- in parts. ========================+==============+===========+===============+=========+======= |carbohydrates.|nitrogenous|hydro-carbonate| saline |water. | | matter. | matter. | matter. | ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- beans | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- white haricots | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dried peas | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- lentils | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- potatoes | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- black truffles | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- mushrooms | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- carrots | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- sea-kale | . | . | ..... |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- turnips | . | . | ..... | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- cabbage | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- garden beet | . | . | ..... |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- tomato | . | . | ..... |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- sweet potato | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- water-cress | . | . | ..... |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- arrowroot | . | ..... | ..... | ..... | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dry southern wheat | . | . | . | . | ..... ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dry common wheat | . | . | . | . | ..... ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- oat-meal | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- barley-meal | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- rye-meal | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dry maize | . | . | . | . | ..... ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dry rice | . | . | . | . | ..... ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- buckwheat | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- quinoa-meal | . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dhoorra-meal | . | . | . | . | ..... ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dried figs | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- dates | . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- bananas | (?) . | . | . | . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- walnuts (peeled) | . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- filberts | . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- ground-nuts (peeled) | . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- cocoa-nut | . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- fresh chestnuts (peeled)| . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- locust bean | . | . | . |(?) . | . ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- cocoa-nibs } | . | . | . | . | . chocolate } | | | | | ------------------------+--------------+-----------+---------------+---------+------- the analyses are those of fresenius, letheby, pavy, church, and others. from "the perfect way in diet." "o golden age, whose light is of the dawn, and not of sunset, forward, not behind, flood the new heavens and earth, and with thee bring all the old virtues, whatsoever things are pure and honest and of good repute, but add thereto whatever bard has sung or seer has told of when in trance or dream they saw the happy isles of prophecy! let justice hold her scale, and truth divide between the right and wrong; but give the heart the freedom of its fair inheritance." --whittier. bread, biscuit, and rolls. beaten biscuit.--no. . one quart of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted with the flour, a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, a large heaping tablespoonful of butter, milk enough to make a stiff dough. beat with a rolling pin or in a biscuit-beater for ten or fifteen minutes until the dough blisters. roll out about half an inch thick or less, prick well with a fork and bake in a quick oven. beaten biscuit.--no. . two quarts of flour, three ounces of butter, a little salt and enough water to make a stiff dough. beat with a rolling pin or in a biscuit-beater twenty minutes until the dough blisters or snaps. roll out about half an inch thick, prick well with a fork and bake in a quick oven. this dough rolled very thin, cut with a large cutter, pricked well and baked in a quick oven makes delicious wafers to serve with tea or chocolate. baking-powder biscuit. one quart of sifted flour, three-quarters of a cup of butter, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt, enough milk to make a soft dough. do not handle any more than is necessary. roll thin, cut in small biscuits, prick with a fork and bake in a quick oven. cream biscuit. one quart of flour sifted, two rounded teaspoonfuls of cleveland's baking powder, two cupfuls of cream and a little salt. mix, roll out about a quarter of an inch thick, cut with a small biscuit-cutter, prick with a fork and bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a quick oven. french rolls. two quarts of sifted flour, a pint of warm milk, half a cup of butter melted in the milk, a quarter of a cup of sugar, three or four eggs beaten light, a little salt, a half cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in a little warm milk. make a batter of the milk and flour, add the eggs and sugar, beat hard for fifteen minutes. cover the pan and set to rise, over night if for luncheon, in the morning if for tea. knead well, but do not add any more flour. make them into shape and let them rise again until light. bake about fifteen minutes in a quick oven. for buns add cinnamon. sift the flour before measuring, and measure lightly. raised finger-rolls. half a pint of milk, half a pint of water, one-third of a compressed yeast cake, one teaspoonful of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of salt. dissolve the yeast cake in a little tepid water, mix as usual, make into a soft dough at night, bake for breakfast or luncheon. windsor rolls. melt half a cup of butter in three-quarters of a pint of warm milk, dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in a little tepid milk, stir together and add a teaspoonful of salt and enough flour to make like bread dough, set to rise in a warm place. it will rise in about two hours. roll out the dough, using as little flour as possible to keep it from sticking, and cut with a biscuit-cutter, or mould with the hands into rolls, put them in pans, and set on the shelf over the range to rise about ten or fifteen minutes. bake fifteen or twenty minutes. elizabetti rolls. one cup of sweet milk, half a yeast cake, an even tablespoonful of butter, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and one of salt, and flour enough to make as stiff as bread dough. scald the milk and melt the butter in it, when lukewarm dissolve the yeast cake, sugar and salt and stir the flour in until as thick as bread dough. set to rise over night. in the morning roll thin, cut with a biscuit-cutter, put a tiny lump of butter on each biscuit, fold in half, set to rise again, and when light bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. this quantity will make twenty-four rolls. rye rolls. take in the morning from rye bread dough one cupful, add to it a tablespoonful of porto rico molasses, one tablespoonful of sour cream, one even tablespoonful of butter. bake in cups, half fill them, set in a warm place to rise for three-quarters of an hour, and bake fifteen minutes. this quantity will make eight. gluten rolls. three cups of kernel flour, two even tablespoonfuls of baking powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, two cups of milk. mix the flour, salt and baking powder together, then stir in the milk, beat well. if baked in iron roll pans heat them well, brush with butter; if granite ware, only grease them. this quantity will make sixteen rolls. bake from twenty to twenty-five minutes. parker house rolls. sift two cups of flour with half a teaspoonful of salt and one teaspoonful of sugar, then add a cup of tepid water in which a cake of compressed yeast has been dissolved, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter; when mixed break in one egg and add flour enough to make a soft dough. knead well, beating the dough upon the board. set to rise in a warm place, when light knead again, adding only enough flour to keep from sticking to the board, roll out about half an inch thick, cut with a biscuit-cutter, brush with melted butter, fold in half and set to rise again. these rolls can be set at noon if for tea, or in the morning if for luncheon, or they can be made up at night for breakfast, when use only half a yeast cake. this dough can be moulded into small, oblong rolls for afternoon teas. boston brown bread. one cup of yellow corn meal, one cup and a half of graham flour, an even teaspoonful of salt, an even teaspoonful of soda, two cups of sour milk, half a cup of porto rico molasses, and butter the size of a large walnut. sift the corn meal and soda together, add the graham flour and salt, then the milk and molasses, melt the butter and stir in at the last. butter a brown bread mould, pour in the mixture, steam for three hours, keep the water steadily boiling, remove the cover of the mould, and bake twenty minutes in the oven to form a crust. boston brown bread with raisins. follow the preceding recipe, adding a cup of raisins stoned and slightly chopped. very nice for nut sandwiches and stewed bread. boston brown bread stewed. cut the bread into dice, and when the milk boils add the bread and stew gently fifteen minutes. the proportion is about a cup of milk to one of bread. graham bread. half a pint of milk, half a pint of water, a pint and a half of white flour, an even teaspoonful of salt, half a yeast cake dissolved in tepid water. scald the milk and add the half pint of boiling water, set away to cool. put the flour into the bread pan, add milk and water when lukewarm and the dissolved yeast; beat well. in the morning add half a cup of porto rico molasses and graham flour enough to knead well, let it rise for three hours, knead again, make into loaves and set in a warm place to rise. when light bake in a moderate oven nearly an hour. rye bread. dissolve half a yeast cake, two heaping teaspoonfuls of sugar and one of salt in a cup and a third of tepid water, then stir into it a pint of white flour, and when smooth add enough rye flour to make a dough rather stiffer than that of white bread. knead thoroughly about fifteen minutes and set to rise. in the morning make into a loaf and put in a crusty bread pan. quick white bread. three pints of flour, an even teaspoonful of salt, two cakes of compressed yeast dissolved in tepid water and enough milk to make a soft dough. set in the morning,--it will require about an hour and a half to rise, and, after making into loaves, about ten minutes. date bread. break the dates apart, wash and drain them in a colander, shake them well, set in a warm place to dry. stone and chop enough to make a cupful, and knead into a loaf of white bread just before setting to rise for the last time. coffee bread.--no. . one pound of flour, two eggs, six tablespoonfuls of melted butter, six ounces of sugar, a teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of cream of tartar mixed dry in the flour, and one cup and a half of milk. beat the butter and sugar together, add the eggs well beaten, a few grains of cardamom, half a cupful of raisins seeded, and a tablespoonful of citron cut fine, if liked, then add the milk and flour. bake in crusty bread pans or shallow pans, as convenient. coffee bread.--no. . half a pound of flour, one egg, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, a small pinch of salt, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, three-quarters of a cup of milk, one even teaspoonful of soda, two scant teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar. mix and bake in a crusty bread pan in a good oven, not too quick, from twenty to twenty-five minutes. norwegian rolls. two pounds and a half of flour, a pint and a half of milk, half a pound of butter, six ounces of sugar, one even teaspoonful of cardamom seeds pounded fine, and one cake of compressed yeast. melt the butter in the milk, mix the sugar, flour and cardamom together and stir the butter and milk into it with the yeast cake dissolved in a little milk, mix thoroughly and set to rise. when it is nicely raised, roll out the dough and cut with a biscuit-cutter, put in pans to rise again,--if they can be raised over steam it is better. when light bake in a quick oven. if zwieback are wanted, cut the biscuit in half when cold and set them in the oven to brown. if wanted very nice, brush each half over with white of egg and sprinkle with sugar and chopped almonds. the cardamom seed may be omitted if not liked. rice muffins. boil a scant half cup of rice in salted water half an hour, drain well, and measure out four heaping tablespoonfuls of it into a mixing bowl. stir into it while hot a heaping tablespoonful of butter. beat one egg light, add to the rice and butter with a little salt, sift half a pint of flour with half a teaspoonful of baking powder, and stir in alternately with half a pint of milk. pour the mixture into muffin rings or gem pans, which must be heated thoroughly and well buttered. bake about twenty minutes. laplands. half a pint of flour, half a pint of rich milk, a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, three eggs beaten separately and very light. mix the flour, salt and milk together, then the yolks of eggs, and lastly the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. have a gem pan very hot, butter well and fill with the batter and bake in a quick oven twelve to fifteen minutes. this quantity will make fourteen gems. english muffins. half a pint of hot milk, half a pint of hot water, half a yeast cake, an even teaspoonful of salt and one of sugar, and about a pound and a half of white flour. dissolve the yeast cake in a little tepid water and add to the batter when lukewarm. the milk and water mixed must be stirred into the flour while hot. beat the batter very hard, ten or fifteen minutes; it should be a soft dough. set to rise over night. flour the board well, drop the dough in large spoonfuls in the flour, flatten with the hands and form into shape. let them rise on the board in a warm place, and when light bake on a griddle, heated only half as hot as for griddle cakes. flour the muffins and bake slowly on one side six minutes; then turn and bake the same on the other side. they are very nice split and toasted and buttered immediately and put together again. graham popovers. beat three eggs very light, and add to them one tablespoonful of sugar, one pint of milk, a saltspoonful of salt. put in a mixing bowl half a pint each of graham and white flour, stir the eggs and milk gradually into this and beat until perfectly smooth. then add one tablespoonful of melted butter and beat again for some minutes. brush the cups over with melted butter; if they are of iron heat them, half fill with the batter and bake in a quick oven fifty minutes at least. graham gems. to one quart of sweet milk, four cups of graham flour, a teaspoonful of salt. stir together and beat well, the longer the better. have the gem pans very hot, brush well with butter, half fill them with the batter and bake thirty-five minutes. gems of kernel (middlings) and white flour. two cups of kernel flour, two cups of white flour, four cups of milk or two of milk and two of water, one egg; a little salt, a heaping teaspoonful of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, two large tablespoonfuls of melted butter. beat the egg very light in a bowl, add the sugar and salt, the milk and butter, sift the flour together and beat the batter hard for a few minutes. have the iron gem pans very hot, butter and fill, and bake them in a good, quick oven not less than thirty-five minutes. gems of rye meal. mix together three-quarters of a cup of rye meal and a quarter of a cup of white flour and a saltspoonful of salt. beat two egg yolks and stir into it a cup of sweet milk and one tablespoonful of granulated sugar, add this to the rye meal and flour, beat hard, then add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth. heat the iron gem pans, brush with butter and bake thirty-five to forty minutes. corn batter bread. pour a pint of boiling milk over four heaping tablespoonfuls of yellow corn meal, add a heaping teaspoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of sugar, and a little salt. beat the yolks of three eggs to a cream and add to the batter, then the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. butter a pudding dish, turn the mixture into it and bake from twenty-five to thirty minutes. serve immediately in the dish in which it is baked. corn bread. put half a pint of yellow corn meal in a mixing bowl, pour over it one pint of rich, sweet milk. when cold add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar and four eggs beaten separately, the whites beaten to a stiff froth and added at the last. pour into a well-buttered shallow pan and bake about half an hour in a good oven. corn griddle cakes. one cup of yellow corn meal in a mixing bowl, pour over it three cups of boiling milk. when cold add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt. sift one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and half a teaspoonful of soda with half a cup of white flour, add to the batter and at the last mix in two well-beaten eggs. white bread griddle cakes. chop as much stale bread as will measure two cupfuls, put it into a bowl and pour over it a cupful of sweet, rich milk, let it soak for an hour. when ready to bake the cakes, mash the bread in the milk with a wooden spoon, add a heaping teaspoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two well-beaten eggs, sift into the mixture a cupful of white flour and an even teaspoonful of soda, stir well together, then add a cupful of sour milk and bake on a griddle. boston brown bread griddle cakes. crumble enough boston brown bread to make two cupfuls, pour over it a cup of sweet milk, soak an hour. then mash fine in the milk, add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, an even teaspoonful of salt, two well-beaten eggs, and sift into the mixture a cupful of white flour and a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, beat well; then add a scant half cup of milk and bake as other griddle cakes. waffles. put a quart of milk to warm, melt a quarter of a pound of butter in it and stir in a teaspoonful of salt. when cold add a pint of sifted flour, four eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, and just before baking stir in two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. epicurean rolls. boil several potatoes and put them through a vegetable press or else grate them, measure one cupful, one tablespoonful of sugar, half a yeast cake dissolved in half a cup of tepid water, half a pint of milk, half a cup of butter, one egg beaten separately, half a teaspoonful of salt, and flour enough to make a soft dough. set to rise at night. pour a third of a cup of boiling water over the potato, salt and sugar. beat smooth, and when tepid add the yeast, cover and set away to rise. in the morning bring the milk to a boil, and melt the butter in it; when cool enough add the beaten yolk and stir all into the potato sponge, beat the white of egg to a stiff froth and add to the other ingredients, with flour enough to make a soft dough; knead well and let it rise again; when very light roll out about half an inch thick, cut with a round biscuit-cutter, prick them with a fork, put in pans for a short time to rise and bake from fifteen to twenty minutes. the most delicate and delicious of rolls. bread from rummer flour. two quarts of improved graham flour, half a pint of boiling water, half a pint of lukewarm water, one-fourth of a yeast cake dissolved in half a pint of lukewarm water, one tablespoonful of granulated sugar added when kneading the dough, one teaspoonful of salt. put the salt in the flour, make a hole, pour in the boiling water, then the lukewarm water, and last the yeast. knead well at night at least fifteen minutes, set to rise. in the morning mould into loaves, let it rise until very light and bake until well done. biscuits of kernel or graham flour. follow the recipe for baking powder biscuits, using kernel or graham flour instead of white flour. if graham is used sift twice before adding the baking powder. roll thin, cut with a biscuit-cutter, prick with a fork and bake in a quick oven. eggs. to soft boil eggs. cover the eggs with cold water in a saucepan, place over the fire, and when the water comes to the boiling point the eggs are perfectly cooked; remove at once and serve. to hard boil eggs. put the eggs in boiling water and boil hard for ten minutes, set them where they will boil gently for ten minutes more, then remove from the fire. eggs boiled in this way will be tender and digestible. eggs À la crÊme. boil twelve eggs fifteen minutes. line a dish with very thin slices of bread and fill with layer of eggs cut in slices, strewing them with a little grated bread, pepper and salt; rub a quarter of a pound of butter with two tablespoonfuls of flour, put it in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a little onion grated, salt, pepper and half a pint of milk or cream; when hot pour over the eggs; cover the top with grated bread crumbs and put it in the oven, let it heat thoroughly and brown. eggs au gratin. boil twelve eggs hard, shell and cut them in slices and lay them in a deep dish in close circular rows; make a sauce of a tablespoonful of butter, the yolks of four eggs, a little grated cheese, and half a pint of milk; stir this over the fire until it thickens, pour it over the eggs, strew some bread crumbs on top and bake for ten minutes. nun's toast. cut four or five hard boiled eggs into thin slices; put a piece of butter half the size of an egg in a saucepan, and when it begins to bubble add a teaspoonful of grated onion; let it cook a little without taking color, then stir in a teaspoonful of flour and a cupful of milk and stir until smooth; add pepper and salt to taste, then put in the slices of egg and let them get hot. have ready some neatly trimmed slices of buttered toast, pour the mixture over them and serve at once. eggs À la maÎtre d'hÔtel. one-quarter of a pound of fresh butter, half a pint of milk, one tablespoonful of flour, one tablespoonful of minced parsley, half a teaspoonful of onion juice, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of white pepper, salt to taste, the juice of half a lemon, and eight hard boiled eggs. stir the flour and half of the butter in a saucepan over the fire until the mixture thickens, stir in the milk; when hot add the pepper and let it simmer a minute; cream the rest of the butter and beat in the lemon, onion juice and parsley; cut the eggs in quarters lengthwise, add the creamed butter to that in the saucepan, allow it to heat thoroughly, pour over the eggs and serve. egg timbales. for six persons use half a dozen eggs, three gills of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, one-eighth of a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of onion juice, if liked. break the eggs into a bowl and beat well with a fork, then add the seasoning and beat for a minute longer; now add the milk and stir well; butter well medium sized timbale moulds, one for each person, pour the mixture into them; put the moulds in a deep pan and pour in enough hot water to come almost to the top of the moulds. place in a moderate oven and cook until firm in the center--for about twenty minutes--then turn out on a warm dish and pour cream or tomato sauce around them. eggs stuffed with mushrooms. boil half a dozen eggs hard; when done pour cold water over them, shell and cut in half lengthwise; take out the yolks, mash them and add three ounces of fresh mushrooms that have been chopped very fine and cooked tender in a teaspoonful of butter; season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in a dessertspoonful of cream, mix thoroughly. fill the whites with this mixture, rounding the top to the shape and size of a whole yolk; sift some fine bread crumbs over the top and tiny bits of butter, brown a moment in the oven. arrange on a dish and pour a white sauce around them in which an ounce of chopped and cooked mushrooms has been stirred, garnish with parsley and serve. eggs with cream. melt a small lump of butter in a shallow baking dish and break into it carefully six eggs, pour over them a third of a cup of boiling cream, place in a very quick oven long enough to set the whites of eggs and serve at once in the dish in which they are baked. two or three minutes will cook them. curried eggs. boil six eggs hard, cut in half lengthwise, make a white sauce and stir into it a heaping teaspoonful of curry powder; put the eggs carefully into this sauce, heat thoroughly, lift them out and place in the center of a dish. arrange boiled rice around them, pour the sauce over the eggs, garnish with parsley and serve. stuffed eggs. boil six eggs hard, cut in half lengthwise, take out the yolks and mash them very fine; put aside a heaping teaspoonful of it, add to the rest two teaspoonfuls of butter, three teaspoonfuls of rich cream, a few drops of onion juice, and salt and pepper to taste; mix well, fill the whites of eggs, rounding the top of each to the size of a whole egg. make a white sauce as follows: rub a heaping tablespoonful of butter into half a tablespoonful of flour, and stir into it a cup of boiling milk; when it is smooth and thick put the eggs into it carefully, when hot take them out, arrange daintily on a platter, pour the sauce around them, sprinkle the teaspoonful of the yolk reserved over them, garnish with parsley and serve. fried stuffed eggs. prepare the eggs as in the recipe for stuffed eggs, filling the cavity of the whites evenly, and pressing the two halves together so as to make it appear as a whole egg. take what is left of the mixture, add to it one raw egg beaten light, roll each egg in this, covering thoroughly every part of it, and fry in boiling fat. serve around a dish of green peas, or with a cream sauce into which has been stirred, just before removing from the fire, two slightly heaping tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese. fricasseed eggs. put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a spider, when hot add a tablespoonful of flour, stir until smooth, then add a teaspoonful of finely minced parsley and a heaping tablespoonful of fresh mushrooms chopped very fine, and a cup of rich milk or cream. cook until the mushrooms are tender, then add four or five hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters lengthwise; let it come to a boil and serve. egg chops. take five or six hard-boiled eggs, rub the yolks through a sieve and chop the whites rather fine; put a cupful of milk in a saucepan over the fire, when hot stir into it a tablespoonful of butter rubbed smooth in two tablespoonfuls of flour with one raw egg, first adding a little of the warm milk, then pepper and salt to taste, and if liked a few drops of onion juice. stir constantly until thick and smooth, remove from the fire, add the prepared eggs, mix well, and when cold form into the shape of chops, dip in beaten egg and fine bread crumbs and fry in boiling fat until a delicate brown; stick a sprig of parsley in the small end of each chop, arrange in the middle of a platter and serve with a white sauce around them, or green peas. plain omelet. beat six eggs, the yolks to a cream, the whites to a stiff froth, add three tablespoonfuls of warm milk to the yolks and then beat into the whites of eggs. put a small tablespoonful of butter in a spider, when it is hot turn the eggs into it, stirring gently all the time until the eggs are well set; let it brown, fold and turn out on a hot platter. omelet with cheese. follow the recipe for plain omelet; while it is cooking stir in three tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese and finish as above. omelet with mushrooms. make an omelet as in preceding recipe. have a quarter of a pound of fresh mushrooms chopped fine and cooked until tender in a little butter and their own juice, seasoned with salt and pepper, and add hot to the omelet just before folding it. omelet with tomatoes. a cup of tomatoes, the water drained from them, cooked and seasoned with pepper and salt, a teaspoonful of onion juice, and one of green pepper chopped very fine; have it hot and add to the omelet just before folding it. poached eggs with tomato catsup. poach some eggs in boiling water, trim nicely and place each egg on a round of toast buttered and moistened with a little hot milk. have ready a white sauce, pour it over them and put on the top of each egg a teaspoonful of tomato catsup; garnish with parsley and serve. eggs poached in cream. half a pint of cream, six eggs, salt and white pepper, and a small teaspoonful of finely minced parsley. bring the cream to a boil in a chafing dish, break the eggs carefully, to keep the yolks whole, into the cream and cook until the whites are set--about three minutes. have a delicate slice of toast for each egg on hot plates, lay an egg on each, pour the cream over them, sprinkle with pepper and salt and the chopped parsley and serve. eggs poached in tomatoes. put a quart can of tomatoes in a saucepan over the fire with half an onion, three cloves, a bay leaf, a sprig of parsley, a saltspoonful of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. cook until the onion is tender--about ten minutes--remove from the fire, press through a sieve fine enough to retain the seeds. put this in a spider; rub an even teaspoonful of potato flour with a tablespoonful of butter, add to the sauce, and when it boils break in as many eggs as required, keep them from sticking to the pan by running a tablespoon carefully around the edges; when the eggs are set remove from the sauce, place each one on a round of nice toast and pour the sauce around them; garnish with parsley and serve. eggs in a brown sauce. boil hard as many eggs as needed and cut either lengthwise in quarters or in round slices. brown a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour together, add a small onion, cut fine; when thick and smooth add enough vegetable stock to make the sauce the proper consistency, season with salt and pepper and strain. put the egg slices in the sauce, let it come to the boiling point and serve on a small platter; garnish with parsley. half a dozen olives boiled in a little water and cut from the stones are a nice addition to the sauce. soups. bran tea, made in the proportion of a pint of bran to three quarts of water, is used by many vegetarians as a foundation for soup. butter should be used generously with it. a broth made from white beans is also good where a white stock is required. pick over the beans carefully, soak over night, drain and add fresh water in the morning--three pints of water to a pint of beans--cook gently until tender. if it is to be used as a stock, strain without mashing the beans. if the water they are boiled in is hard, a small pinch of soda will soften it. cream of jerusalem artichokes. wash and peel enough artichokes to make a pint when cut in slices. put them in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, let them simmer in this for a few minutes without taking color, then cover with water and boil until tender. rub through a sieve, put back on the stove with a quart of milk, and a tablespoonful of butter rubbed into a tablespoonful--slightly heaping--of flour, season to taste with salt and pepper, let it come to a boil. remove from the fire and add two egg yolks, beaten with half a cup of cream, stir rapidly, and serve at once. cream of asparagus. prepare a bunch of asparagus in the usual way for cooking, cut off the points about an inch in length and put aside. cover the stalks and half an onion cut in slices, with boiling water, cook until tender and press through a purée sieve with the water they were boiled in. melt a good tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, and stir into it half a tablespoonful of flour, add the purée of asparagus and let it come to a boil, season with salt and pepper to taste. have the asparagus points cooked tender in a little water. have ready a pint of boiling milk, remove both from the fire and stir the milk into the soup, put the asparagus points into the tureen. beat two egg yolks with four tablespoonfuls of cream, stir quickly into the soup and pour into the tureen. cream of lima beans. put over the fire a quart of lima beans in boiling water to cover them; when nearly tender add a bay leaf, half a white onion, and salt and white pepper to taste. let them cook until very tender, remove from the fire, and mash through a colander with the water in which they were boiled. put back in the saucepan on the range, let it come to a boil, then add a heaping tablespoonful of butter and a pint of boiling milk, stir well, remove and press through a purée sieve that it may be smooth. beat four tablespoonfuls of cream, add when the soup is in the tureen and serve immediately. this soup is very nice when made from the best canned lima beans, using two cans and following the recipe as above. cream of cauliflower. cut one small cauliflower into flowerettes, reserve a tablespoonful, put the rest into a saucepan with three cups of boiling water, one small white onion, half a small celeriac cut in slices, and a bay leaf. cook together ten minutes, drain and put the vegetables into a double boiler with two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, a heaping tablespoonful of flour, salt and pepper to taste; steam for ten minutes. put the flowerettes into the water the vegetables were boiled in and cook until tender, remove and put aside to keep warm, measure the water and add sufficient from the kettle to make two cupfuls, pour this over the vegetables, cook until tender and press through a fine sieve. bring two cups of milk to the boiling point, turn the purée into this, let it boil up once, remove from the fire. beat two egg yolks and four tablespoonfuls of rich cream together, add some of the soup to this, then mix all together, turn into the tureen, add the flowerettes and serve at once. cream of celery. take of the coarser parts of celery as much as will make two heads, wash and cut in pieces, put in a saucepan with half an onion cut in slices and cover with boiling water. cook until tender and press through a sieve with the water in which it was boiled. make a roux of butter and flour as in other cream soups, add the purée to it and as much boiling milk as will make it the proper consistency. season with salt and pepper, and finish with a beaten egg yolk and two tablespoonfuls of cream, adding this after the soup has been removed from the fire. cream of chestnuts. shell and blanch a pint of large french chestnuts. put them in a saucepan and almost cover them with boiling water, cook until tender. before they are quite done add a little salt. when done remove from the fire, rub through a purée sieve with the water they were boiled in. melt a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter with an even tablespoonful of flour and add to it by degrees a pint of boiling milk, let it cook until thick, then stir in the chestnut purée and salt and pepper to taste. let it come to a boil and serve. cream of cucumbers. peel and cut into slices four cucumbers and one small white onion, put in a saucepan with enough boiling water to cover them, cook until tender, press through a fine sieve and pour into a saucepan, stand where it will keep hot without cooking. have a cream sauce ready, made by melting two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of flour, let them cook together until the mixture no longer adheres to the pan, then add gradually a quart of milk, an even teaspoonful of white pepper, a heaping teaspoonful of salt, let it boil for a few minutes until thick and pour into the cucumber purée, add two tablespoonfuls of rich cream, let it come to the boiling point, and serve at once. this is a very delicate soup, and cooking or standing on the stove after it is done will spoil it. groult's potato flour is nicer for thickening cream soups than the common flour, but, if used, only half the quantity called for in the recipes is needed. cream of summer squash. peel the squash, slice thin, put in a saucepan and add boiling water to come nearly to the top of the squash. when nearly tender add an onion, a bay leaf and several sprigs of parsley. when tender mash through a fine sieve, return to the fire, let it come to a boil, stir in a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of flour, season with salt and pepper and a tiny pinch of mace. have almost as much boiling milk as purée, remove from the fire and stir together, add two tablespoonfuls of cream, and serve at once. cream of lettuce. take two heads of nice, fresh lettuce, wash and drain and chop fine with half a small white onion, put in a saucepan with two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, cook for about ten minutes, stirring all the time, then add two heaping tablespoonfuls of rice and a quart of milk. let it boil for twenty minutes until the rice is perfectly tender, remove from the fire and press through a purée sieve, using a small potato masher, then strain and press again through a fine hair sieve; this will make it smooth. season with salt to taste and a dash of cayenne pepper, and a small half teaspoonful of sugar. put in a fresh saucepan, rub together two heaping teaspoonfuls of butter and an even teaspoonful of cornstarch and stir into the soup. let it come to the boiling point and remove from the fire, adding at the last moment a quarter of a cupful of whipped cream. serve with or without fried croutons. cream of mushrooms. wash one pound of mushrooms, skin and stem them. put the skins and stems in a saucepan with a cup of boiling water and boil ten minutes, strain and add to this water the mushroom flaps chopped very fine, and cook until tender, then press through a fine sieve. melt two large heaping tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, and stir into it two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, and when smooth add a quart of rich milk, a whole clove of garlic, salt and pepper to taste. when it boils and thickens add the mushroom stock, let it boil up once, remove the clove of garlic, turn the soup into the tureen and serve. cream of green peas. put a quart of green peas into a saucepan with a slice of white onion, cover with boiling water and cook until tender. remove from the fire and press through a purée sieve with the water in which they were boiled. return to the saucepan, set it back on the stove, let it come to a boil, add a pint of rich milk, salt and white pepper to taste, a dash of cayenne, and a large, generous tablespoonful of butter rubbed into an even tablespoonful of flour, adding a little of the liquid before stirring into the soup. let it come to a boil, and add two tablespoonfuls of whipped cream just as it is poured into the tureen. cream of rice. wash carefully a third of a cup of rice and put it on the fire in a pint of boiling water with a white onion and a stick of celery, let it cook slowly for an hour, then stir in a quart of milk and let it come to a boil, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and press through a purée sieve. put the soup back on the fire while beating an egg yolk with two tablespoonfuls of cream and a teaspoonful of parsley minced very fine. remove the soup from the fire, stir in the egg and cream, pour into the tureen and serve. cream of spinach. take two large handfuls of spinach, after it is washed and picked over, a small head of lettuce, a few sprigs of parsley, and a small white onion peeled and sliced. put in a saucepan over the fire with a tablespoonful of butter, a dozen peppercorns and two cloves, and a very little boiling water, cover and stand it where the vegetables will only simmer. when they are tender rub together a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter and a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and stir it into the vegetables. add a little boiling water, mash the vegetables smooth and press them through a fine sieve. have the purée as thick as possible, return to the saucepan. have ready a pint of boiling milk, beat two egg yolks with four tablespoonfuls of cream, pour a little of the boiling milk into them, and the rest into the purée, remove from the fire at once, then add the eggs and cream, pour into the tureen and serve immediately. carrot soup. take half a dozen small french carrots, wash and scrape them, put in a saucepan with boiling water and cook until tender, remove from the fire, mix with milk and press through a sieve. melt two ounces of butter in a saucepan and rub into it a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour, add a few grains of cayenne pepper, and stir in a little at a time the carrot purée until smooth like cream, add a few slices of cooked celery root (celeriac), and salt to taste, and pour into the purée. a tablespoonful of sherry, if liked, may be added. serve with fried croutons. celeriac soup. wash, peel and slice three celery roots, put them in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, cook until tender, and mash them through a purée sieve with the water in which they were boiled. melt a good heaping tablespoonful of butter, stir into it a small tablespoonful of flour, and add to it the celery purée, season with a little cayenne pepper and salt to taste. add three-quarters of a cup of macaroni previously boiled in water. as soon as it comes to a boil remove from the fire and add as much boiling milk as will make it the proper consistency. beat two egg yolks with half a cup of cream and stir in quickly just before pouring the soup into the tureen. care must be taken to do this off the fire, as celery soup is liable to curdle. mock clam soup. soak a pint of marrowfat beans over night in water enough to cover them. in the morning drain, and put them on the fire with a small onion and a gallon of cold water, boil until tender and strain. add to the stock a little summer savory, two ounces of butter and a cup of cream or rich milk, season with salt and pepper. when the soup comes to a boil, cut two slices of toast into dice, and four hard-boiled eggs in slices, put in the tureen and pour the soup over them and serve. corn and tomato soup. grate the corn from six ears of sweet corn. put the cobs into a quart and a pint of water and cook until all the sweetness is extracted--about half an hour. remove the cobs and add a pint of tomatoes after they are skinned and sliced, a small onion cut in slices, a french carrot cut in dice, a quarter of a green pepper chopped fine, and the grated corn. let it cook slowly until all are tender. stir in two good tablespoonfuls of butter, salt and pepper to taste, pour into the tureen and serve. soup crÉcy. take three large carrots, wash and scrape and cut them into slices, put them in a saucepan with half an onion, a stick of celery, and a bay leaf, more than cover with boiling water and cook until tender. remove from the fire, take out the bay leaf and rub the vegetables through a sieve with the water they were boiled in. put back in the saucepan. rub a generous tablespoonful of butter with half a tablespoonful of flour, and stir into the purée, add to it a cup and a half of boiling milk, stir until thick, add pepper and salt to taste. take from the fire, and stir into it one egg yolk beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream. serve at once. curry soup. prepare for cooking two small white onions, two french carrots and half a turnip cut in slices, and cook slowly in a pint of boiling water until they fall to pieces, cook with them until tender a celeriac root, remove from the other vegetables and put one side. melt two ounces of butter in a saucepan, and stir in a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour, an even dessertspoonful of curry powder, mix well together and then add a pint of milk. strain the vegetables through a fine sieve, but do not press them, and add the stock therefrom to the milk, etc., in the saucepan, and salt to taste. beat half a cup of cream with two egg yolks until light, remove the soup from the fire, mix a little of it with the eggs and cream, turn it back into the saucepan, stir well together and pour at once into the tureen in which you have already placed the celeriac cut in slices. if liked, two tablespoonfuls of madeira may be added just before the soup is turned into the tureen. serve with croutons. mock fish soup. it is better to prepare the balls for this soup first, as follows: put in a saucepan a tablespoonful of white flour and two tablespoonfuls of groult's potato flour, stir together and add a tablespoonful of butter and a cup of milk, mix all together and place on the stove where it is not very hot. stir constantly until it is smooth and no longer sticks to the pan, remove from the fire, let it cool, and beat in two eggs, one at a time, season with a dash of cayenne, a few grains of powdered mace, a few drops of onion juice, a little salt and half a teaspoonful of sugar. these balls must be seasoned very delicately. cook and drain as the spinach balls are done, using a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon. put to one side while the soup is being made. for the soup take three french carrots, half a parsnip, half a white onion and a little green pepper chopped fine, cover with boiling water and cook until tender. melt a generous tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, and when it bubbles stir into it a small tablespoonful of flour, then add three cups of milk and let it come to a boil. when the vegetables are tender stir them into the thickened milk with the water they were boiled in, together with half a teaspoonful of sugar and salt and pepper to taste. then put the balls in and let the soup come to a boil, add a teaspoonful of finely minced parsley and remove from the fire. have one egg yolk beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream and stir in carefully so as not to break the balls just before turning the soup into the tureen. a norwegian sweet soup. put a quarter of a cup of rice into three cups of boiling water with a small stick of cinnamon, and let it boil nearly an hour. about fifteen minutes before it is done add half a cup of raisins stoned. beat two egg yolks with a heaping tablespoonful of sugar until white and creamy, then stir into them about half a cup of sweet cider, remove the soup from the fire, add a little of it to the eggs and cider, stir well, and mix all together rapidly and serve at once. two tablespoonfuls of good sherry improves it. onion soup. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a spider, when it bubbles add four large onions, washed, skinned and cut in slices, let them simmer without browning about half an hour, then stir in a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour. when it thickens pour in gradually a pint and a half of boiling milk, season with salt and pepper to taste, press through a purée sieve, and return to the fire. while it is getting hot, beat together two egg yolks and half a cup of cream, remove from the stove and stir the eggs and cream into it rapidly, pour at once into the tureen and serve. soup of green peas.--no. . take from a pint of green peas two heaping tablespoonfuls and set aside. put the rest in a saucepan with half a white onion, in boiling water. cover tightly, letting them cook until quite tender, then mash through a purée sieve with the water in which they were boiled and using a little more to take out all that is good of the peas through the sieve. put back on the stove, rub a good heaping tablespoonful of butter with a small tablespoonful of flour and add to the purée of peas. have a heaping tablespoonful of turnips and two of carrots cut into dice and cooked in as little water as possible, and the two tablespoonfuls of peas cooked until tender, add to the soup with half a teaspoonful of sugar and pepper and salt to taste. let all this cook together while enough milk to make the soup the proper consistency is coming to a boil. mix together, add a teaspoonful of finely minced parsley, pour into the tureen and serve. soup of green peas.--no. . put one quart of green peas over the fire in three quarts of boiling water with three french carrots, a small turnip cut into dice and a small white onion chopped. cover tightly and let the vegetables cook until tender. rub two ounces of butter with a small tablespoonful of flour, add a little of the soup to this to thin it and then stir all together, add an even tablespoonful of finely minced parsley, an even teaspoonful of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste; let it come to a boil and then serve. potato soup. take four large potatoes, peel and boil them tender in water, mash very fine with a small tablespoonful of butter, add as much boiling milk as will make it the right consistency. boil in as little water as possible one tablespoonful of turnips and two of carrots cut into dice; when tender turn all into the soup, add a little cayenne and salt to taste. just before serving beat a quarter of a cup of cream with one egg yolk, remove the soup from the fire and stir the two together as in other cream soups, and serve at once with fried croutons. purÉe of vegetables. cut fine three onions, one turnip, two french carrots and four potatoes, put in a saucepan with four tablespoonfuls of butter and a little parsley; let them cook about ten minutes, then add a tablespoonful of flour. stir well and add two quarts of boiling milk, season with salt and pepper and a tiny bit of sugar, and when it boils take out the parsley, press the soup through a sieve and serve with croutons of fried bread. purÉe of turnips. peel and slice some young turnips, add an onion and carrot sliced, cover with boiling water and cook until tender. mash them in the water and press through a fine sieve. to a pint of the purée have a pint of boiling milk. return the purée to the fire, and stir into it a large heaping tablespoonful of butter and a small pinch of mace. take the milk from the stove and stir briskly into it two egg yolks beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream, then remove the purée from the stove and stir the eggs and milk into it, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve. vegetable soup. one cup and a half of green peas, three small french carrots, and a small cauliflower cut into flowerettes, one pint of milk, half a cup of cream, a good half tablespoonful of flour, one tablespoonful of butter, and the yolks of two eggs. wash and scrape the carrots, cut in thin slices and boil each vegetable by itself in as little water as possible. when the carrots and peas are done put them together in a saucepan with the water in which they were cooked, add the milk, put the saucepan on the fire and let it come to a boil, rub the butter and flour together, mix with a little milk and stir into the vegetables. drain the water well from the flowerettes, and just before serving put them in the tureen. beat the yolks of eggs and the cream together in a bowl, remove the soup from the fire, add a little of it to the eggs and cream, then turn them into the soup, stir well and pour it into the tureen. tomato soup. put a generous tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, when it is hot add half an onion chopped fine, let it stew gently for a few minutes, then add a pint of canned tomatoes, cook half an hour. rub a heaping tablespoonful of flour and one of butter smoothly together and stir into the tomatoes. have ready a pint of boiling milk, pour the tomatoes into a purée sieve with the boiling milk and rub through the sieve. season with salt and pepper and a very little sugar. return to the fire, make it hot, but be careful not to let it boil, as it will curdle. serve at once with croutons. barley soup. put a quarter of a cup of well washed barley with a bay leaf and a small blade of mace into a pint and a half of cold water, boil slowly for three hours. take out the bay leaf and mace and add a small onion cut fine, two french carrots cut in dice, and cook until tender, then add a pint of milk, a good heaping tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste, let it come to a boil, remove from the fire and stir into it one egg yolk beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream. black bean soup with mock meat balls. soak over night a pint of black beans in a quart of water. in the morning drain, and cover with fresh water, set the saucepan on the stove; when the water comes to a boil drain it off and add a quart of fresh water. cut fine an onion, and with a few slices of carrot and turnip and green pepper fry in a heaping tablespoonful of butter, add to the beans with a bay leaf half a dozen peppercorns, two cloves, cook until tender, press through a sieve, return to the fire, and if it is too thick add more water. have a hard boiled egg and half a lemon cut into dice, and meat balls made from recipe given for mock meat the size of hickory nuts and boiled in water as other balls are cooked. drop the balls into the soup, and when hot pour the soup over the lemon and egg in the tureen and serve. entrées. egg border with rice and curry sauce. stir four eggs together, add three-quarters of a cup of rich milk, a few drops of onion juice, and salt and pepper to taste; beat a little. have a border mould well buttered and sprinkled with finely minced parsley, pour the mixture into it, set in a pan of boiling water in the oven, cover and let it cook until firm--from five to ten minutes. have ready some rice boiled twenty minutes in plenty of salted water and well drained, and a cream sauce into which a slightly heaping teaspoonful of curry powder has been stirred. turn the egg border out on a hot platter, fill the center with rice, pour some of the sauce over it, and the rest around the border. garnish with parsley and serve at once. rice border with vegetables or hard boiled eggs in cream sauce. three-quarters of a cup of carolina rice, picked over carefully and washed. boil fifteen minutes in salted water. drain off the water and have one pint and a half of boiling milk in a double boiler, stir the rice into this and cook until all the milk is absorbed, then add a tablespoonful of butter. butter a border mould well, turn the rice into it, pressing it down so that the form will be perfect, put in the plate heater for five minutes, turn out on a platter and serve with vegetables or hard boiled eggs in a cream sauce. a border timbale of mock chicken. take three-quarters of a cup of rich milk, put half of it into a saucepan with an ounce and a half of butter, let it come to a boil, and then stir into it an ounce and a half of dried and sifted bread crumbs and a good half tablespoonful of flour. stir constantly until it no longer sticks to the pan, remove from the fire and let it cool. when cold add two heaping tablespoonfuls of finely chopped walnuts, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one teaspoonful of onion juice, one even teaspoonful of sugar, a saltspoonful of mace, two eggs unbeaten--one at a time--and the rest of the milk, salt and pepper to taste. beat hard. butter well a border mould, and sprinkle with fine bread crumbs, turn the timbale mixture into it, set the mould in a pan of boiling water, cover to keep from browning, and bake from ten to fifteen minutes. sauce.--put in a spider a good heaping tablespoonful of butter, let it brown, add a thick slice of onion cut in small pieces and a heaping tablespoonful of flour, stir constantly until it is a very dark rich brown, being careful not to let it burn, then add a quarter of a pound of fresh mushrooms, skinned and stemmed and cut into dice, let them cook a few minutes, then add a stock made from their stems and skins. have a celery root that has been pared and cut into dice and cooked until tender in very little water with a bay leaf and two cloves, remove the cloves and bay leaf and turn the rest into the sauce, season with pepper and salt. turn the timbale out on a platter, fill the center with the sauce, garnish and serve. a few truffles are a great addition. the timbale may also be served with an olive sauce. a mould of spaghettina. put three-quarters of a cup of spaghettina, broken in small pieces, into a quart of boiling water with an even tablespoonful of salt. boil half an hour. drain the water off and add a cup of milk to the spaghettina, and cook nearly half an hour, until the milk is almost all absorbed. then make a cream sauce as follows: one cup of milk in a saucepan, rub butter the size of an egg into a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour, adding a little of the warm milk, then stir into the milk on the fire, season with salt and pepper, add two even tablespoonfuls of grated cheese--the american edam cheese is nice for this--and when the sauce is thick turn the spaghettina into it, let it come to a boil, turn out on a dish, and when cool add one egg beaten light. butter a border mould which holds a little more than a pint, sprinkle it with bread crumbs, turn the mixture into it and set the mould into a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. have a pint of nicely stewed tomatoes seasoned to taste and thickened with bread crumbs and a good tablespoonful of butter. turn the spaghettina mould out on a platter, fill the center with the stewed tomatoes, garnish with parsley and serve. it makes a very pretty dish and is an excellent pièce de resistance for dinner or luncheon. spinach border mould. prepare the spinach as in recipe for spinach pudding, butter a border mould, dust it with bread crumbs, and press the spinach mixture into it, put the mould into a pan of hot water in the oven, cover it to prevent browning, and bake about twenty minutes. a filling for the center of mould of spinach. break two eggs in a bowl, add a little salt and four tablespoonfuls of cream and beat them slightly. turn into a buttered tin cup and stand in a saucepan with a little boiling water in it on the stove, cover and cook until stiff--about three or four minutes--remove from the fire, turn out of the mould and cut in half-inch slices and then into stars or any fancy-shape preferred, or into dice. make a cream sauce, turn the spinach mould out on a platter, put a little of the sauce in the center, then some of the egg stars, then the rest of the sauce, and finish with the egg stars. mock cod fish balls. six medium sized potatoes, washed, peeled and boiled for ten minutes in salted water. drain and grate them while hot and stir in two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter; mix thoroughly. season with salt, cayenne pepper to taste, and add a teaspoonful of grated onion and a saltspoonful of mace. beat two egg yolks light and stir well into it with two heaping tablespoonfuls of cracker crumbs. fry brown in small balls in boiling fat without crowding them in the basket, drain on kitchen paper and serve very hot on a platter, garnish with parsley. mock fish balls in curry or cream sauce. five ounces of plain boiled potatoes put through a patent vegetable strainer or mashed very fine. add three ounces of butter and a slightly heaping tablespoonful of groult's potato flour, two eggs slightly beaten and stirred in--a little at a time--a few drops of onion juice and salt and pepper to taste. have a saucepan of boiling salted water over the fire, dip a tablespoon in cold water and then into the mixture and take out in oblong balls as nicely and uniformly shaped as possible, and drop them carefully into the boiling water, which must not boil too violently as the mixture is tender and would cook to pieces. put them in without crowding and let them cook three minutes, taking them out one after another as they are done. put in a colander to drain while preparing the curry sauce. melt in a saucepan a heaping tablespoonful of butter and add to it a heaping teaspoonful of flour, an even teaspoonful of curry powder, stir well and add milk until of the consistency of cream sauce. put the balls into the sauce and let it come to a boil, remove from the fire, and add a tablespoonful of good madeira. serve on a platter, garnish with parsley and serve. the curry powder and wine may be omitted if not liked, and the balls served in plain cream sauce. mock fish (a norwegian dish). take three or four large white potatoes. wash and peel them and boil until only half done. grate them, and take only the part that has passed through the grater--that it may be light. then weigh out half a pound. beat the yolks of three eggs very light with a quarter of a cup of cream, mix with the potatoes and add three ounces of butter melted, half a teaspoonful of grated white onion, a dash of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. butter a mould well, sprinkle it with dried and sifted bread crumbs, put the mixture in it, and set the mould in a pan of boiling water in the oven, cover the mould and bake half an hour. turn out carefully on a platter, pour a cream or hollandaise sauce around it, and garnish with parsley. serve very hot with a cucumber salad with french dressing, as a fish course. mock meat. put three-quarters of a cup of milk and three ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire. when it boils stir in three ounces of dried and rolled bread crumbs and a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour, and half a teaspoonful of sugar. let it cook until it no longer adheres to the pan, then remove from the fire. when it is cool, add three eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth, then add one heaping tablespoonful of chopped walnut meats, salt and pepper to taste, and a few drops of onion juice. make into flat cakes, a little less than half an inch thick, like sausage cakes, dip them in flour, put them into a saucepan of boiling salted water and cook for three or four minutes. take them up, drain them from the water, dip in flour again, and brown them in hot butter in a spider. set them one side to keep hot. in another spider make a sauce. put in a heaping tablespoonful of flour, a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter, and a heaping tablespoonful of chopped walnut meats, let them all brown nicely together, then stir in a vegetable stock that has been strained until the gravy is as thick as cream. spaghettina chops. spaghettina is finer than spaghetti, and for sale at italian groceries. half a cup of milk, half a cup of spaghettina, broken into bits, three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, one tablespoonful of butter, half a tablespoonful of flour, and one egg. put the spaghettina on in boiling salted water, boil for three-quarters of an hour, drain well in a colander. make the sauce by melting the butter and stirring the flour into it until smooth, then add the cheese and milk and the spaghettina. let it come to a boil and stir in quickly the beaten egg, let it thicken, remove at once from the fire, turn it out in a deep plate, and when cold form it into chops, dip them in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs and fry in boiling fat. they are very nice served with a tomato sauce, but good without it. tomato chops. measure three-quarters of a cup of tomatoes after the water has been drained off, put in a saucepan over the fire and stir into it a cupful of mashed potatoes, a heaping tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste, half a cup of grated bread crumbs. mix thoroughly and add one egg beaten light. remove from the fire, turn into a deep plate, let it get cold, then form in the shape of chops, dip in egg and roll in dried bread or cracker crumbs and fry a nice brown in boiling fat. arrange on a platter and serve with tomato sauce, or place around a dish of stewed tomatoes. savory fried bread. cut slices of stale home-made bread about half an inch thick, shape them like chops, soak the slices in a rich, well seasoned vegetable stock until nearly saturated with it--don't allow them to become too soft--then dip in beaten egg mixed with a little milk and fry in butter in a spider until a nice brown. serve with tomato sauce, or around a dish of stewed tomatoes. mock fish chops. pare three good sized potatoes, cut fine and throw them into cold water to prevent them from turning dark. when all are cut drain them from the water and chop very fine--there must be two cupfuls. have a cup of boiling milk in a saucepan and put the potatoes into it, cook until tender, but not soft, and be careful not to let them burn; when done add two generous heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, two heaping tablespoonfuls of french carrots, previously cooked in as little water as possible, and chopped very fine, one heaping teaspoonful of green pepper, one of parsley, one heaping teaspoonful of grated onion, a heaping saltspoonful of powdered mace, a dash of cayenne pepper and salt to taste. measure two tablespoonfuls of tomatoes--after all the water has been pressed from them--chop fine and add to it one whole egg and one egg yolk beaten light, stir this into the potato mixture while on the stove, remove at once from the fire, add two heaping tablespoonfuls of cracker crumbs rolled fine, and two tablespoonfuls of fine madeira or sherry. turnout to cool and then form into chops, roll in egg and cracker crumbs and fry in boiling fat. serve with cucumber salad. fricassee of spaghettina. take a cupful of spaghettina, broken into small pieces, put in boiling salted water and cook for three-quarters of an hour. drain well, have a cupful of cream sauce and stir the cooked spaghettina into it, let it come to a boil, season with salt and pepper, and add the well beaten yolk of an egg, stir well, remove at once, and turn into a hot vegetable dish and serve. mushrooms en coquille. wash half a pound of nice, fresh mushrooms, peel them and cut off the stems, cut the flaps into dice, and put the skins and stems in a saucepan with a cup of water, and cook for ten minutes. while these are cooking put a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider, when hot add the mushroom dice and let them cook until tender, then add a dessertspoonful of flour, and when it is cooked add the water the stems were boiled in, and salt and pepper to taste. if the sauce is too thick add a little more water. stir in at the last a teaspoonful of finely minced parsley, a few drops of lemon juice and the well-beaten yolk of one egg, stir well, remove from the fire, fill the shells, sprinkle bread crumbs over the tops and a little melted butter, put in the oven for an instant to brown. ragout of egg plant. boil a small egg plant until tender. peel it thinly and set aside to get cold. cut in slices an inch thick and cover the bottom of a baking dish with them. melt a generous tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan and stir into it two heaping tablespoonfuls of fresh mushrooms, a heaping teaspoonful of parsley, a heaping teaspoonful of onion, all chopped very fine, season with salt and pepper and pour over the egg plant. when it is time to put it in the oven sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fine breadcrumbs and dot with small lumps of butter, and bake until brown in a quick oven. serve in the dish in which it is baked with the following sauce in a sauce boat. sauce.--boil the skins and stems of the mushrooms in a cup of water; while they are cooking, brown together in a spider a slightly heaping tablespoonful of butter, a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour, and a small slice of onion cut very fine. strain the mushroom skins and stems and add the water they were cooked in to the browned butter and flour, and when the sauce is thick and smooth turn it into a saucepan and add to it a heaping tablespoonful of mushrooms, one small cucumber pickle and two large olives, all chopped very fine. let all simmer together for a few minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper. if the sauce is too thick add a little water. it should be like thick cream. patties of puff paste. roll out some puff paste an inch thick, cut with a patty-cutter as many rounds as are needed, then with a smaller cutter stamp each round about half an inch deep. bake in a quick oven; when done lift the centers out carefully with a knife, remove a little of the inside. when wanted heat the patty shells and fill with spaghettina in tomato sauce, mushrooms or vegetables in a cream or savory sauce, or the filling as given for spinach border mould. a few truffles cut fine are a nice addition to tomato sauce. lay the little tops on and serve. savory rice (a mexican dish). wash half a cup of rice, drain from the water. put a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider, when hot add a small leek or white onion and the rice, fry until the rice is a golden brown--do not let it get too dark. have ready a vegetable stock, nearly fill the spider and cook twenty minutes until the rice is perfectly dry. every grain should stand alone. turn out on a platter and serve with tomato sauce. ragout of asparagus with mock meat balls. scrape and wash a bunch of asparagus, cut in pieces about an inch long as far as the stalks are very tender, put the remainder of the stalks with an onion into a saucepan, cover with boiling water and let it cook until tender--about half an hour. then mash them in the water in which they were boiled through a colander. put over the fire again, and when it comes to a boil throw in the points and cook until tender. while that is cooking make some mock meat, as given in a previous recipe, form into balls as large as a walnut. cook them in salted boiling water for five minutes, drain them from the water, also the asparagus points from the stock, put them together in a saucepan to keep hot while making a gravy. melt a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider, add to it when it bubbles a large heaping tablespoonful of flour, stir well until it becomes a dark, rich brown, taking care that it does not burn, add the asparagus stock, season with salt and pepper--this gravy should be like thick cream--turn it over the asparagus and meat balls, stir in a good half tablespoonful of butter, let it come to a boil and serve on a platter. garnish with parsley. curried rice croquettes. put three-quarters of a cup of milk in a saucepan with butter the size of an egg, let it come to a boil, and stir into it one large cup and a half of rice that has been boiled in salted water twenty minutes. add a slightly heaping teaspoonful of curry powder, a few drops of onion juice and salt to taste. when it comes to a boil add a beaten egg to it, stir a minute and remove from the fire. turn it out, let it cool, and then form into cylinders and fry as usual. mock fish croquettes. slice three medium sized potatoes, boil until tender, but not soft, chop very fine an even teaspoonful of onion with three zepherettes or small square crackers, then add the hot potatoes and chop all together, season with a dash of cayenne pepper, a saltspoonful of mace, a little salt and pepper. make a sauce with a large heaping tablespoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of flour rubbed well together in a saucepan over the fire; when smooth add three-quarters of a cup of rich hot milk, when it boils add the potato mixture, let it get thoroughly hot and stir into it a well-beaten egg, remove from the fire, turn it out to get cool. form into cylinders, dip in egg, roll in bread crumbs, fry in boiling fat, and serve with either hollandaise or tartar sauce. walnut croquettes. put half a pint of bread crumbs and a gill of milk in a double boiler, place over the fire and stir until thick and smooth, add a pinch of salt, three-quarters of a cup of chopped nuts and a tablespoonful of sherry. when the mixture is hot stir into it the well-beaten yolks of two eggs and remove from the fire at once. set the mixture away to get cold, then form in any shape preferred for croquettes; dip them in egg and then in dried bread or cracker crumbs, fry in boiling fat and serve with a sauce piquante. ragout of mushrooms. wash half a pound of fine, fresh mushrooms, skin, stem and cut them into dice. put the stems and skins in water to cover and stew them for twenty minutes; strain and put the mushrooms into this broth with a generous tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of finely chopped onion, season with salt and pepper, cook until tender; when done add two well-beaten yolks of eggs, stir briskly and remove at once from the fire, turn out on a platter, sprinkle with a little very finely minced parsley and serve very hot. mock chicken croquettes. two cups of rye bread--home-made is the best--chopped fine, one cup of chopped english walnuts. mix together and chop again with a tablespoonful of butter, an even tablespoonful of grated onion, a scant teaspoonful of ground mace. melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan with half a tablespoonful of flour and add gradually to it a cupful of rich milk; when this comes to a boil add the other ingredients, salt and pepper to taste, then stir in two well-beaten eggs, remove from the fire and add a tablespoonful of lemon juice; turn out on a platter to cool, form into cylinders, dip in egg and bread crumbs, as usual, and fry in boiling fat. vegetables. vegetables should be cooked in as little water as possible; the better way is to steam them. so much of the valuable salts are washed out by boiling in too much water. all vegetables left over can be warmed again, either in a cream sauce, or put in a double boiler and steamed, adding a little more butter. when pepper is used, it should always be white pepper, especially in white sauces and soups. never salt vegetables until they are nearly cooked; it hardens them. the water vegetables are boiled in may be utilized in making sauces and soups; the best of the vegetables goes into it. the water jerusalem artichokes are boiled in becomes quite a thick jelly when cold, and makes an excellent foundation for sauces. to boil potatoes. select potatoes of uniform size, wash and pare thinly, cover with boiling water and cook half an hour; when nearly done add salt. as soon as done drain from the water and set the saucepan where the potatoes can steam for a few minutes. they should be served immediately, and never allowed to remain in the water a moment after they are cooked. potatoes are much better steamed with their skins on than boiled, as they then retain all the potashes. when they are old they should be washed, pared and covered with cold water, and allowed to stand for several hours before either boiling or frying. potatoes baked. select them of uniform size, wash and scrub well, cut a thin slice from each end to prevent their being soggy. they require nearly an hour to bake in a moderate oven. to mash potatoes. boil the potatoes carefully, drain from the water, mash fine, and to four good-sized potatoes add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful or two of cream or rich milk and salt and pepper to taste. serve at once. they must be freshly mashed and very hot to be eatable. the mashed potatoes maybe squeezed through a vegetable ricer, when they are called potatoes à la neige. new potatoes with cream sauce. select rather small potatoes of uniform size and boil. when done drain off the water, set them back on the stove to keep hot while making a cream sauce, then put them carefully in a vegetable dish, pour the sauce over them and sprinkle with a little finely minced parsley. broiled potatoes. take some cold boiled potatoes and cut them in rather thick slices lengthwise, dust with white pepper and salt, dip each slice in melted butter, broil over a clear fire until a nice brown. serve with melted butter and finely minced parsley poured over them. potatoes À la crÊme au gratin. chop cold boiled potatoes, put them in a baking dish, pour over them a cupful of white sauce nicely seasoned, sprinkle with a tablespoonful of grated parmesan cheese or edam cheese grated, one tablespoonful of bread crumbs, and dot all over with tiny bits of butter. put in a quick oven for a few minutes to brown. do not leave it in too long, or it will become dry. stuffed potatoes. bake some medium-sized potatoes; when done cut in half lengthwise, scoop out the inside, taking care not to break the skin. mash the potato smooth and fine with butter and a little milk, season with salt and pepper to taste, heat thoroughly, fill the skins, brush the tops over with melted butter, brown in the oven and serve. potato fricassee. put in a spider a generous tablespoonful of butter and a cup of milk, when hot add some cold potatoes cut in dice, season with pepper, salt, a few drops of onion juice. let them get thoroughly hot, then add the beaten yolks of two eggs, stir constantly until thick. great care must be taken not to let it cook too long, or the sauce will curdle. pour into a vegetable dish, sprinkle a little finely minced parsley over the top and serve. potatoes À la duchesse. take cold mashed potatoes that are nicely seasoned with salt and pepper, form into little round cakes, put them on a tin, glaze over with beaten egg and brown in the oven. arrange on a platter, garnish with parsley and serve. saratoga chips. peel some medium-sized white potatoes, and slice them very thin. it is better to have a potato slicer for these, if possible, as it cuts them so quickly and perfectly. wash the potatoes in one or two waters, then cover with fresh water and lay a lump of ice on the top of them. let them stand an hour, if convenient, drain in a colander, wipe dry with a towel, and fry in boiling fat--not too many at a time in the basket or they will stick together, and will not brown. have a quick fire, and fry until brown and crisp, drain on paper, sprinkle with salt and serve. french fried potatoes. peel some potatoes and cut in finger lengths, not too thick, cover with ice water, and if they are old it is better to let them stand two hours. drain, wipe dry, and fry in boiling fat as saratoga chips--not too many at a time. when they are a nice brown lift the basket from the fat, sprinkle with salt, shake the grease from them and remove with a skimming spoon, drain on paper and serve at once. potatoes À la maÎtre d'hÔtel. cut cold boiled potatoes in round slices, not too thick, put in a saucepan with some melted butter, pepper and salt. when they are hot add some lemon juice and a little minced parsley and serve. potatoes lyonnaise. fry a little onion cut in thin slices in plenty of butter; when a delicate brown add some cold boiled potatoes cut in slices of medium thickness, mixing them with the onion by tossing them together rather than stirring, as this breaks them. cook until a nice color, drain them, put in a dish and sprinkle a little minced parsley over them. potatoes À la parisienne. peel and wash some potatoes, scoop out into little balls with a potato scoop, which is made for the purpose. boil for five minutes, put in melted butter in a saucepan until each potato is well covered with the butter, turn them into a pan, and brown in the oven. turn out on a dish and sprinkle with minced parsley and a little salt. potatoes creamed and browned. take a pint of cold boiled potatoes, cut into dice of uniform size. have ready a pint of cream sauce, toss the potatoes in this, season with salt and white pepper to taste, put in a baking dish, sprinkle with dried bread crumbs and a tablespoonful of american edam cheese. a few drops of onion juice, if liked, may be added before putting the potatoes into the dish. set it in the oven a few minutes, until it becomes a golden brown and serve. do not let it stand in the oven long or it will dry. potato puff. two cupfuls of smoothly mashed boiled or baked potatoes, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two well-beaten whites of eggs, a cupful of sweet cream or rich milk. stir the melted butter into the potato, then add the eggs and cream, season with salt and pepper, turn into a buttered baking dish, bake in a quick oven and serve in the dish in which it is baked. white potato croquettes. boil and mash very fine four medium sized potatoes. put half a cup of rich milk and a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan over the fire. when the milk comes to a boil, stir in the mashed potatoes, season with pepper and salt to taste, mix thoroughly and add the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth, remove from the fire, turn out on a plate to cool, then make up in small cylinders, dip in beaten egg, roll in cracker crumbs and fry a delicate brown in boiling fat. potato papa (a mexican dish). wash, pare and boil one dozen small white potatoes, mash while hot and add to them half a cup of raisins stoned and chopped very fine, twenty large queen olives stoned and chopped fine, one tablespoonful of parsley finely minced, an even teaspoonful of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. mix all well together, form into an oblong shape, leaving the top rough. brown a little butter in a spider, put the papa into it, and after a few moments' frying scatter little lumps of butter over the top and set in the oven to brown. garnish with parsley and hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters lengthwise. sweet potatoes fried raw. peel two or three medium-sized potatoes and cut in slices about a quarter of an inch thick, fry in boiling fat--when they are a nice brown they are done--drain on paper for a moment before serving. cooked sweet potatoes fried. take several sweet potatoes cut in slices lengthwise, not too thin. dip each slice in melted butter and then in brown sugar, and fry in a little butter. sweet potatoes mashed and browned. boil three sweet potatoes of medium size until done. peel and squeeze through the patent vegetable strainer, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and enough milk to make very soft. put in a baking dish, dot it over with tiny bits of butter and bake until brown. serve in the dish in which it is baked. if any is left over remove the thin brown skin, make the potato into small, flat cakes and brown on both sides in a little butter in a spider. sweet potato croquettes. three medium-sized potatoes baked and mashed very fine and beaten to a cream with one generous tablespoonful of butter, three tablespoonfuls of cream, one teaspoonful of sugar, a little salt, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, a saltspoonful of cinnamon and one egg yolk beaten very light, and add at the last the white of egg whipped to a stiff froth. form into cones or cylinders, dip in beaten egg and bread crumbs and fry in boiling fat. drain on kitchen paper, sift a little sugar over them and serve at once. brussels sprouts. pick off any leaves that may be discolored and wash well a quart of brussels sprouts, put into a saucepan with two quarts of boiling water and a saltspoonful of soda. boil rapidly until tender--about half an hour--just before they are done add a tablespoonful of salt. drain them in a colander, and if it is not time to serve them stand the colander over steam to keep them hot. do not let them remain in the water. when ready to serve put the sprouts in a vegetable dish and pour over them a pint of rich cream sauce. okra and tomatoes. a quart of fresh or canned tomatoes--if fresh, skin in the usual way--cut them in quarters and put over the fire, let them boil until a great deal of the water has evaporated, then add a pint of fresh okra, cut in slices, cook until tender, season with a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter, and pepper and salt to taste. beets. wash the beets carefully to avoid breaking the skin, and do not cut off the fine roots, as this will bleed and spoil them. put on in boiling water and cook from an hour and a half to three hours. test with a wooden skewer. cut in slices or dice and serve with melted butter, pepper and salt. winter beets should be soaked over night. purÉe of peas. when peas are old this is a very nice way to use them. put a quart of shelled peas over the fire in sufficient boiling water to cook them. boil until tender, drain from the water, press through a purée sieve, season with salt and pepper to taste, and a good heaping tablespoonful of butter, and if too dry a little milk or cream may be used. purÉe of lima beans may be prepared in the same way. purÉe of cucumbers. peel and slice the cucumbers and put them over the fire in as little boiling water as will cook them; when tender drain from the water, press through a purée sieve, season with salt and pepper and add a tablespoonful of butter. stuffed cucumbers. peel two large, fine cucumbers, cut in half lengthwise, take out the seeds. scrape out carefully the soft part--with a small spoon--into a saucepan. peel and core a tart apple, chop fine with a small pickled gherkin, take from this a good tablespoonful for the sauce and put one side, then add the rest to the soft part of the cucumbers in the saucepan. let it simmer until tender, then add butter the size of an egg, pepper and salt to taste, a few drops of onion juice, or the spoon used for stirring the mixture may be rubbed with garlic, three tablespoonfuls of grated bread crumbs, one egg beaten, stir all together, and remove at once from the fire. put the cucumbers in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook gently until tender--about ten or fifteen minutes; when nearly done add a tablespoonful of salt, drain from the water, when cool enough stuff them with the dressing already prepared and press into shape, brush with egg, sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and a few tiny lumps of butter, place carefully in a pan and bake a delicate brown. for the sauce, take the tablespoonful of apple and pickle reserved from the stuffing, and add a teaspoonful of capers, chop all together as fine as possible, make a cream sauce and add this mixture to it on the fire and heat thoroughly. place the cucumbers carefully on a platter and pour the sauce around them. cucumbers stuffed with mushrooms. peel two large, firm cucumbers, and cut in half lengthwise; take out the seeds. take a quarter of a pound of fresh mushrooms, skin and stem them. chop the mushroom flaps very fine, put them in a spider with four tablespoonfuls of melted butter and a very little water, cover and cook until tender. remove from the fire, stir in four heaping tablespoonfuls of grated bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, a few drops of onion juice, and the yolk of one egg. stuff the cucumbers with this dressing, put the halves together, fasten with wooden toothpicks or tie with string. place in a small dish that will fit in the steamer, cover closely, and steam until tender--about three-quarters of an hour--and serve with a brown sauce made as follows: the sauce.--put on the skins and stems of the mushrooms in boiling water. fry a few slices each of carrot, celery top, green pepper, onion and turnip in butter, strain the water from the mushroom stems into this and stew until all are tender, strain, add a generous tablespoonful of butter and enough flour to thicken the sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. place the cucumbers in a shallow vegetable dish, remove the strings and pour the sauce around them. escalloped egg plant. boil a small egg plant, cut it in half, take out the pulp, throwing away the seeds and skin, chop the pulp fine and mix with it half a teaspoonful of bread crumbs, one cup of cream or rich milk, butter the size of an egg, an even teaspoonful of finely minced parsley, pepper and salt to taste, and a few drops of onion juice. beat all together, turn into a baking dish, cover the top with dried bread crumbs and tiny bits of butter and bake until brown. serve in the dish in which it is baked. if any is left over, cut in slices half an inch thick and fry in butter for luncheon. stuffed egg plant. take half a large egg plant, boil gently until tender, remove from the fire, take out the pulp carefully so as not to break the shell, leaving it about a quarter of an inch thick. peel and stem a quarter of a pound of fresh mushrooms, chop very fine, reserve a heaping tablespoonful of this for the sauce, then add the pulp of the egg plant to the mushrooms in the chopping bowl, and one heaping tablespoonful of currants, washed and picked over, one even teaspoonful of grated onion, one even teaspoonful of chopped green pepper, five heaping tablespoonfuls of grated bread crumbs, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of rich cream. mix all well together, fill the shell with this mixture, press it into shape and bind carefully with string. bake twenty minutes, remove the string and serve on a platter with the sauce poured around it. the sauce.--put on the skins and stems of the mushrooms in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, cook until tender, drain, and into this water put the tablespoonful of reserved mushrooms, add salt and pepper to taste, boil a few minutes, then add a heaping teaspoonful of flour stirred into a heaping tablespoonful of butter, let all cook together until thick, and pour around the egg plant. green corn cakes. one quart of grated corn, one teacup of butter melted, four tablespoonfuls of flour, two eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. bake as griddle cakes and serve at once. these cakes are very good made of canned corn. pound the corn in a mortar and press through a sieve. corn pudding. four large ears of corn grated, or a can of corn prepared as for corn cakes, one heaping tablespoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of flour, one teaspoonful of sugar, one whole egg and one yolk. melt the butter and stir into the corn, beat the eggs and add with one pint of milk, the sugar and flour, and salt and pepper to taste. bake in a shallow dish in a moderate oven from twenty minutes to half an hour. if it bakes too long, it becomes watery. mock oysters of green corn. a pint of grated corn, a cup of flour, one egg, two ounces of butter, three tablespoonfuls of milk, and salt and pepper to taste. mix well and drop from a spoon in oblong cakes--to look as much like oysters as possible--into hot butter, fry brown on both sides. serve on a platter and garnish with parsley. these may also be made of canned corn by pressing it through a colander with a potato masher to separate the hulls from it. corn boiled on the cob. husk the corn and remove the silk, put in a kettle, and cover with boiling water. if the corn is young, it will cook in from five to ten minutes, as it is only necessary to set the milk. it should be served at once in a folded napkin. curry of corn. a can of corn, one good tart cooking apple, one tomato, a teaspoonful of finely chopped green pepper, a teaspoonful of grated onion, a teaspoonful of curry powder, a tablespoonful of chopped brazil or english walnuts, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. put the butter in a spider, when it bubbles add the apple cut in dice and onion, fry brown, then stir in the curry powder, the chopped pepper and tomato and nuts, let all simmer together for a few minutes, then add the corn, and cook gently for twenty minutes. if it is too thick a little water must be added. serve in a shallow vegetable dish or on a platter. fresh corn may be used. boil and then cut from the cob, cook the cobs in the water the corn was boiled in long enough to extract all the good from them, and use this broth for the curry. croquettes of salsify and celeriac. two roots of salsify and one large celeriac. wash and scrape them well. cut in pieces and cover with vinegar and water and let them stand one hour--this will prevent them from turning dark. pour off the vinegar and water and nearly cover them with boiling water, cook until very tender, mash fine and smooth, season with pepper and salt, and a few drops of onion juice, put in a saucepan over the fire, and add a tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of milk, and just before removing from the fire add a tablespoonful of cream and one egg, stir well, turn out into a bowl and set aside to cool. when cold make into croquettes, dip in egg and cracker crumbs and fry in a basket in boiling oil. indian curry of vegetables. equal quantities of cauliflower and potatoes, raw. the cauliflower cut into flowerettes and the potatoes into dice. put them into a spider with a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a rounded teaspoonful of curry powder, and let them simmer for a few minutes without taking color. then add two tablespoonfuls of tomatoes, an even teaspoonful of grated onion and one of chopped green pepper, fill up the spider with boiling water, and set it back on the stove where it will stew gently until the vegetables are tender and the water has been reduced to one-third the quantity. it should be as thick as ordinary gravy; if not, add a scant teaspoonful of flour. just before it is done stir in a heaping tablespoonful of butter. turn it into a shallow vegetable dish and serve very hot. the spider should be kept covered while the curry is cooking. it is very good without the green pepper. this may be warmed over, and is better the second day than the first. kohlrabi. peel them, cut in slices and pour on just enough boiling water to cook them. cook until tender. when nearly done add salt. make a cream sauce, season with white pepper, salt and a little grated nutmeg, if liked, toss them in this sauce, let it boil up once and serve very hot. marrowfat beans baked. pick over carefully and wash one quart of beans, soak in water over night. in the morning drain, add fresh cold water and bring to a boil, drain again, and turn them into a four-quart stone jar, put in a generous cup of butter, two large tablespoonfuls of porto rico molasses, two tablespoonfuls of salt, less than a teaspoonful of pepper, and fill the jar with boiling water. put in the oven, covering the jar with a tin cover. it must be cooked in a slow oven eight or nine hours--the water ought to last until the beans are perfectly cooked, and when done a good gravy left, about a third of the depth of the beans in the jar. beans cooked in this way are very nutritious and easily digested. keep them covered for two or three hours while cooking. serve with chili sauce. bayo or mexican beans.--no. . put one cup of bayo or mexican red beans to soak over night, in the morning drain off the water and put them in a saucepan with plenty of fresh water, let them cook for two hours, drain again, and add to them three fresh tomatoes, skinned and cut small, or a cup of canned tomatoes, and half an onion cut as small as the beans, then cover with boiling water and cook for one hour. then stir in a very generous tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. mexican beans.--no. . soak over night a pint of beans and boil as in recipe no. until soft. then melt a tablespoonful of butter in a spider; when it bubbles put in a small onion chopped very fine, and fry a delicate brown. drain the beans and turn them into the spider, add a cup of boiling water and stir until the water becomes thick like cream. emparadas (a mexican recipe). take some beans cooked as in mexican beans no. and mash them to a paste. then roll out some puff paste very thin--about the sixth of an inch--cut this into rounds with a large patty cutter, put a spoonful of the bean purée on the half of each round, wet the edges of the pastry, cover, press the edges together, making a half moon, brush them over with beaten egg and bake in a hot oven, or they may be fried in boiling oil or fat until a delicate brown. frijoles fritos. a pint of beans cooked as in recipe for bayo or mexican beans no. . rub them smooth in a mortar, put them into a spider with a quarter of a cup of butter and fry for a few minutes, then add half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, mix thoroughly and serve hot. broiled mushrooms. select large flap mushrooms for broiling. wash, skin and stem them, lay them on a dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour a little olive oil over each mushroom, let them stand one hour. broil on a gridiron over a nice clear fire. place on a dish and serve with the following sauce: prepare the stock as before by boiling the stems and skins in water and then straining. mince two or three mushrooms fine, add to the stock, with a teaspoonful of minced parsley, a few drops of onion juice, a small lump of butter, cook for fifteen minutes, then add a cupful of cream, an even teaspoonful of flour wet with some of the cream and rubbed smooth. let it all cook together for three minutes, then add the beaten yolk of an egg, stir well, remove from the fire at once and serve. mushrooms on toast. half a pound of mushrooms, wash, stem and skin as before. cut into dice, put in a saucepan with the juice of half a lemon, a tablespoonful of butter and a slice of onion, a sprig of parsley and one clove, tied together in a thin muslin bag. set the saucepan on the fire and stew gently until nearly dry, then add water almost to cover them, salt and pepper to taste, and let them cook fifteen minutes. take out the bag of onion, etc., and thicken with one egg yolk well beaten, and a small cupful of cream. have some slices of toast on a platter, buttered and moistened with a little hot milk, pour the mushrooms over them, garnish with parsley and serve hot. mushrooms stewed in a cream sauce. make a pint of cream sauce, prepare half a pound of mushrooms as in the preceding recipe, cut into dice, and stew in the sauce until very tender. have the toast prepared as above and pour the mushrooms over it. garnish with parsley and serve at once. they may be served in pastry shells as an entrée, if preferred. tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms.--no. . wash, skin and stem half a pound of mushrooms, chop very fine, add two even teaspoonfuls of finely minced parsley, a few drops of lemon juice, the same of onion juice, and salt and pepper to taste. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan and cook all together in this until the mushrooms are tender, then add a cupful of stale bread crumbs and one egg yolk, stir well and remove from the fire. have half a dozen perfectly ripe tomatoes, washed and wiped, cut a slice from the top of each, take out the core and seeds, and fill with the mushroom stuffing. bake in a moderate oven until done. the skins should be removed in the usual way before stuffing. tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms.--no. . wash and wipe the tomatoes, but do not remove the skins. cut in half, take out the core and a few of the seeds. fill with the same forcemeat as in the preceding recipe and cover the top with it, place in a pan with a little water to keep from burning, bake in a moderate oven until soft, remove carefully from the pan, place on a platter, garnish with parsley and serve. escalloped tomatoes. strain from a quart can of tomatoes one cupful of water. put a layer of the tomatoes in a baking dish, season with salt, pepper and a little sugar, cover with a layer of bread crumbs, dot freely with bits of butter, then put another layer of tomatoes, and lastly a layer of bread crumbs, with bits of butter, and sprinkle with a dessertspoonful of sugar. bake forty-five minutes, and serve in the dish in which it is baked. tomatoes with egg. drain the water from a can of tomatoes, press them through a colander, put into a saucepan over the fire, season with salt and pepper, a little sugar, if acid, and a few drops of onion juice. let them cook a little, and just before serving add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, stir well until it thickens, and remove immediately from the fire or it will curdle. french carrots in brown sauce. select the smallest french carrots, wash and scrape them and boil until tender in as little water as possible. when done drain from the water, using it to make the sauce. put a tablespoonful of butter into a spider, when hot stir in a tablespoonful of flour, stir until a dark brown, add gradually the water the carrots were boiled in, season with salt and pepper, simmer until thick and smooth, add the carrots, and when hot serve. french carrots and peas. take a pint of young peas and two bunches of french carrots, cut in slices or fancy shapes (stars or clover leaves), cook each vegetable by itself in as little water as will cook them. when they are both tender put them together into a saucepan, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter and half a tablespoonful of flour rubbed together, and if there is not enough water left, add enough to make a gravy. canned instead of fresh peas may be used; drain the water from the peas and stew the carrots in it, and follow the recipe as above. spinach pudding. make a sauce of one ounce and a half of butter, one ounce of flour, a scant half cup of rich milk, half a teaspoonful of sugar, a grating of nutmeg, if liked, and salt and pepper to taste. when this comes to a boil, add an even cupful of spinach that has been cooked and finely chopped, and from which the water has been well pressed out. remove from the stove, and stir into it two beaten eggs. grease a mould, sprinkle it with dried and sifted bread crumbs, turn the pudding into this, set the mould in a pan of hot water, put in the oven, cover it to prevent browning and bake nearly three-quarters of an hour. turn out on a platter, have ready a cream sauce to pour around the pudding, garnish with hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters lengthwise, and parsley. if any is left over, cut in slices, and warm over in a cream sauce and serve for luncheon. it will keep for days. spinach balls. put a slightly heaping tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of cream, and half a teaspoonful of sugar into a saucepan on the stove, mix well, and when it boils add a heaping tablespoonful of flour--as much as will stay on the spoon--let it come to a boil, and then add three-quarters of a cup of cooked and finely chopped spinach, beat well and remove from the fire. when cold add two eggs, one at a time, season with salt and pepper to taste and half a saltspoonful of powdered mace. have a saucepan of boiling water, slightly salted, on the stove; dip a tablespoon in cold water, and then take up enough of the spinach mixture to make an oblong cake, in shape like an egg cut in half lengthwise, then dip the spoon in the boiling water and let the cake float off. use all the mixture in this way. the balls will cook in four or five minutes, and they must not boil too fast or they will break. let them drain in a colander while making a cream sauce, and when the sauce is made put the balls into it and let them come to a boil, turn out on a platter and garnish with parsley. tomatoes and mushrooms. put on a pint of tomatoes in a saucepan and cook for fifteen or twenty minutes until nearly all the water has evaporated, season with salt and pepper, add a generous tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of bread crumbs and half a pint of fresh mushrooms chopped fine. cook until the mushrooms are tender. have some bread cut in nice slices toasted and slightly moistened with warm milk. pour the tomatoes and mushrooms over it and serve very hot. to boil rice plain. wash half a cupful of rice, drain from the water, have on the fire a very large saucepan nearly full of salted boiling water. turn the rice into this and boil hard for twenty minutes, pour all into a colander, drain well, and put the rice in a smaller saucepan on the back of the stove, where it will be kept warm, without cooking, until all the moisture has evaporated. then serve. cauliflower with drawn butter. select a nice white cauliflower, take off all the leaves, and cut enough of the stem off to allow it to stand well in the dish it is to be served in. put it into a saucepan, cover with boiling water, and when it is nearly done add salt, as cooking it long with salt turns it brown. the usual time to cook a cauliflower is about twenty minutes. try it with a fork, and if it is tender remove carefully from the water, let it drain in a colander while preparing a drawn butter. then put into a hot vegetable dish, pour the sauce over and serve. for the drawn butter.--melt a large heaping tablespoonful of butter, and stir into it a heaping teaspoonful of flour, let them cook together without browning and add by degrees a cup of hot milk. escalloped cauliflower. cut a cauliflower into flowerettes, cover with boiling water into a saucepan and cook until tender, let them drain in a colander while the sauce is being prepared. make the usual cream sauce, enough to cover the cauliflower. when the sauce is done add two heaping tablespoonfuls of american edam or grated parmesan cheese, put the flowerettes into a baking dish, pour the sauce over them, sprinkle the top with a little of the cheese, and stand the dish in the oven for a few minutes to brown. escalloped spaghettina. put a good half cupful of spaghettina, broken in bits, into a saucepan of boiling water with an even tablespoonful of salt, boil three-quarters of an hour, turn into a colander and let it drain while the sauce is being made. prepare it exactly as for escalloped cauliflower and finish in the same way. chestnut purÉe. shell some large imported chestnuts and put over the fire in boiling water, let them cook for a few minutes, rub the skins off, and cover again with fresh boiling water, boil until tender. press through a sieve, and season with butter, pepper and salt. purÉe of dried white beans. pick over and wash a pint of beans and soak over night. in the morning drain off the water, put the beans into a saucepan with cold water to cover them, and cook until tender--a little more than an hour. press through a sieve, add a generous tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste, put into a saucepan, make very hot and serve. squash pudding. a large heaping cup of hubbard squash, measured after it is baked and mashed smooth, a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter, melted and stirred into the squash, a heaping teaspoonful of flour mixed with four tablespoonfuls of milk and one egg beaten light, salt and pepper to taste. mix well and turn into a buttered pudding dish and bake about twenty minutes. serve in the dish in which it is baked. if any is left over, make it up into little round cakes and brown in butter for luncheon. squash fritters. a heaping cupful of hubbard squash baked and mashed, stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a heaping tablespoonful of flour, a cup of milk, salt and pepper to taste, and one egg beaten light. mix well and bake or fry as griddle cakes. summer squash. wash and peel two large summer squash, cut in small pieces and remove the seeds, cover with boiling water and cook until tender. drain in a colander and press gently as much of the water out as possible with a potato masher, then mash through the colander into a saucepan, put it on the stove and let it cook until the squash is quite dry, taking care that it does not burn. then add four heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. rice croquettes. put three-quarters of a cup of milk in a saucepan over the fire, with a generous tablespoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of sugar, and when it comes to a boil add a cup and a half of boiled rice, a saltspoonful of powdered cinnamon or nutmeg, if preferred, and salt to taste. mix well, let it come to a boil and add a beaten egg, remove from the fire, turn into a plate to get cold, form into cylinders and cook in boiling fat. fricassee of celeriac. wash and peel the celery roots, cut them into dice and cook until tender in as little water as possible, and when nearly done add a little salt. make a sauce of two tablespoonfuls of butter and one tablespoonful of flour cooked together until smooth without browning. then add a cup of rich milk, and when this boils turn the celery dice with the water in which they were boiled into the sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper. when ready to serve beat one egg yolk with a tablespoonful of cream and stir carefully into it, remove at once from the fire, pour into a vegetable dish, sprinkle with a little parsley minced fine, and serve. yellow turnip ragout. take one large yellow turnip, peel, wash and wipe dry, cut in oblong pieces. brown a good lump of butter in a spider, simmer the turnip slices in this until nicely browned, taking care not to burn them. put all into a saucepan with only water enough to cook them tender, cover tightly, when done, brown a little butter and flour together to make the gravy the proper consistency, season with pepper and salt and serve. tomatoes stuffed with cheese. cut six tomatoes in half, scoop out part of the inside and put this in a saucepan and cook until nearly all the water has been absorbed, then add half a teaspoonful of sugar, one heaping tablespoonful of butter, two heaping tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, two heaping tablespoonfuls of dried bread crumbs, pepper and salt to taste, and a few drops of onion juice. sprinkle the tomatoes with salt, pepper, a little sugar and grated cheese, then fill them with the dressing, dot them with tiny bits of butter and sift over them a few bread crumbs. melt half a teaspoonful of butter in a baking pan, put the tomatoes in and bake twenty or twenty-five minutes. take them out carefully when done, arrange on a dish, make a little gravy in the pan in which they were baked by adding a little more butter, half a cupful of milk, a heaping teaspoonful of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. serve in a sauceboat. jerusalem artichokes. wash and peel a dozen artichokes, selecting them as nearly the same size as possible. cover with boiling water and cook until tender, drain at once and pour over them a cream sauce, sprinkle a little finely chopped parsley over them and serve. asparagus. scrape and wash as much asparagus as is needed, cut the stalks the same length, tie in bunches and put over the fire in boiling water, and when nearly done add a little salt. boil until perfectly tender, drain, put in a dish, remove the strings and serve very hot with sauce hollandaise or a simple cream sauce. pointes d'asperges. cut off the tender green tips of asparagus about an inch and a half long, cover with boiling water and cook until tender. add salt just before they are done. drain and put the points into a saucepan with butter, salt and pepper and a few spoonfuls of cream or hollandaise sauce, mix well and do not let it cook after the sauce is added. a little nutmeg may be used if liked. serve very hot. purple cabbage with chestnuts. shred fine as for cold slaw half a purple cabbage, put half of this into a saucepan, dot with a tablespoonful of butter, sprinkle over it a heaping tablespoonful of sugar, a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour, a little salt and pepper, then the rest of the cabbage with the same quantity of butter, sugar, etc., as before, and pour over all a quarter of a cup of vinegar and a cupful of cold water. cover tightly, let it cook slowly until done, put it where it will only simmer for two hours. if not sour enough add more vinegar. be careful that it does not burn. serve in a vegetable dish and garnish with large italian chestnuts that have been boiled and blanched. parsnip croquettes with walnuts. take two good-sized parsnips, peel and cook them until tender in as little water as possible. when done press the water carefully from them and mash them smooth and fine through a colander, put them back into the saucepan over the fire again, and add to them two heaping tablespoonfuls of chopped walnut meats, a good heaping tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of rich cream, stir well together and add at the last one egg well beaten. remove from the fire and turn out on a plate to cool, then form into cylinders, dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry in boiling fat. parsnips fried. boil them until tender, cut them in slices lengthwise and fry brown in a little butter. parsnip fritters. wash and scrape them and cut in slices, cover them with boiling water, cook until tender, mash them through a colander, return them to the fire, add to two large parsnips, a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and one egg beaten well. mix thoroughly, remove from the fire, and when cool make into small flat cakes and fry in a little butter. serve hot. to cook string beans. string thoroughly, cut in half, then in half lengthwise, throw into boiling water and let them come to a boil. remove from the fire, drain, cover with cold water and let them stand in this until it is time to cook them, then drain again, cover with boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes, and when almost done add salt. when tender, drain, add a lump of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. spanish onions stuffed. take two large spanish onions, wash and skin and tie them to prevent breaking. put them into a saucepan over the fire, cover with boiling water, cook until they can be pierced with a broom straw--from two to three hours, according to size. when done, drain and carefully take out the centers, leaving about a quarter of an inch for the shell. have ready a stuffing made from a quarter of a pound of mushrooms prepared as before. put these and the centers of the onions into a chopping bowl and chop very fine. cook them together until the moisture from the onions has almost evaporated, then add a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of rich cream, and three heaping tablespoonfuls of grated bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste. fill the onion shells with this mixture, smooth the tops nicely, sprinkle with bread crumbs, brush with egg and a little butter. put in the oven and brown about ten minutes, and serve with the following sauce: rub a generous heaping tablespoonful of butter and a heaping tablespoonful of flour together. put a small teacup of milk into a saucepan on the fire, when hot stir in the butter and flour and a quarter of a pound of mushrooms prepared as before and chopped very fine, season with salt and pepper to taste. place the onions on a platter and pour the sauce around them, garnish with parsley and serve. stuffed celeriac with spanish sauce. put over the fire in a saucepan three-quarters of a cup of rich milk and three ounces of butter, let them come to a boil, then add three ounces of dried and sifted bread crumbs and an even tablespoonful of flour. let it cook, stirring all the time until it is a smooth paste and detaches itself from the sides of the pan, remove from the fire and set it aside to cool. when cold beat three eggs light, stir in a little at a time, beating well until the mixture is smooth and all the beaten egg used, then add a heaping teaspoonful of sugar, three heaping tablespoonfuls of walnut meats chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of rich cream, and salt and pepper to taste. take four large, fine celeriac roots, clean, scrub and scrape them. cut off a slice from the top of each to make a cover, then with an apple corer remove the inside, taking care not to pierce the root, leave a shell a quarter of an inch thick. fill each with the dressing, leaving fully half an inch at the top for it to swell. place the cover on each, tie well the roots to prevent breaking in the cooking, stand them in a saucepan with water to reach not quite to the top of the roots, and put in all the celeriac removed from the roots, boil gently until tender--about an hour--adding boiling water from time to time as it evaporates. when they are tender take them out of the water and put them aside, keeping them hot. strain the water they were boiled in, form what is left from the stuffing into small cylinders, boil five minutes in the strained stock, take them out and put with the roots to keep warm. then take a generous tablespoonful of butter, an even tablespoonful of flour, brown them together in a spider, add two heaping tablespoonfuls of chopped walnuts and let them brown a little, then stir in gradually the stock the roots were boiled in and cook until it thickens. arrange the roots in the center of the platter, the cylinders around them and pour the sauce over all. garnish with parsley, putting a tiny sprig of celery leaves in the top of each root. spring cabbage stewed. cut the cabbage very small, throw into a saucepan, cover with boiling water, when nearly done add salt. cook until tender, drain well in a colander. make a rich cream sauce--it must be quite thick, as the cabbage will thin it--add a saltspoonful of mace, then the cabbage, let it come to a boil and serve. spring cabbage with cream sauce. boil a young cabbage or part of one until perfectly tender, when done drain all the water from it in a colander, place in a vegetable dish and pour over it a rich cream sauce. spring turnips in cream sauce. pare and cut into dice some young turnips, cook them tender in as little water as possible, salt when nearly done. have ready a cream sauce, nicely seasoned, and after draining the turnips put them into the sauce, let them come to the boiling point and remove immediately from the fire, turn them into the serving dish, sprinkle a little finely chopped parsley over the top and serve. a tiny grain of mace added to the sauce is an improvement, but it must be used with great care. white bread balls. take four ounces of bread from which the crust has been removed, cut it into dice. put half a cup of milk in a saucepan with two ounces of butter and a teaspoonful of sugar, let it come to a boil, then stir in the bread and continue stirring until it no longer cleaves to the pan, remove from the fire. when cool stir into it two eggs, one at a time, and a little salt. cook in boiling water, as described for other balls, and serve in a cream sauce as a vegetable. (see spinach balls, page .) noodles. beat the yolks of two eggs with a little salt and one tablespoonful of cold water and stir in enough flour to make a very stiff dough. roll out as thin as paper and then roll it up; let it stand for an hour, and then cut fine with a sharp knife. these will keep any length of time, and can be used in soups, as a vegetable or in a pudding. noodles À la ferrari. prepare the noodles as above, and cook in boiling salted-water from twenty to twenty-five minutes. drain well. have ready a tomato sauce, stir the noodles into it, turn into a baking dish, sprinkle well with grated parmesan cheese and brown in a quick oven. gnocchi À la romaine. put two ounces of butter in a saucepan over the fire with two tablespoonfuls of milk. when this comes to a boil stir in four ounces of flour; then add a cup of milk, let it cook, stirring all the time until it no longer adheres to the pan, remove from the fire, let it cool and then beat in three eggs, one at a time, two heaping tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese, a saltspoonful of mace and a dash of salt. set it away to get cold, make it into small balls. have a large saucepan of boiling, salted water on the stove, drop the balls into it and let them boil five minutes, take them out with a skimmer and drain well. have ready a cream sauce, put the balls in this, and when they are hot turn into a baking dish, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake until brown in a quick oven. salads. mayonnaise dressing. one-half teaspoonful of mustard, one-half teaspoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper; then add two raw egg yolks, beat well and stir in a teaspoonful of strong vinegar; add very carefully, drop by drop, a scant three-quarters of a cup of best olive oil, and as it thickens half a teaspoonful of vinegar. this recipe never fails, if the directions are carefully followed. the eggs and oil should be kept in the refrigerator and be ice cold. lemon juice may be used, instead of vinegar, if preferred. cream salad dressing. one-quarter of a cup of strong cider vinegar, one cup and a quarter of water, one-half cup of butter, one teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful, slightly heaping, of corn starch, one teaspoonful of sugar, a dash of cayenne pepper and the yolks of four eggs. put the vinegar and water in a saucepan and when it boils add the butter. beat the yolks of eggs and the other ingredients together with an egg-beater, making it quite foamy and light; pour the boiling vinegar and water upon this mixture, which will partially thicken. the bowl in which it is mixed should be placed in a pan of hot water on the stove, beating it all the time with the egg-beater. just before it reaches the boiling point remove and turn it out into a cold bowl, beating hard for a few minutes. when perfectly cold pour it into a glass jar, fasten down the top and keep in refrigerator. french dressing. one tablespoonful of vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of olive oil, a saltspoonful of salt and one of white pepper, and a few drops of any good sauce. lettuce should be well washed in very cold water, leaf by leaf, and drained in a basket, which comes for the purpose, then placed on the ice, and at serving time put into the salad bowl. lettuce should never be cut with a knife, but torn with a fork and spoon, and it should not be allowed to stand after the dressing is poured over it. tomato ice salad. put a quart can of tomatoes in a saucepan over the fire with half an onion, a slice of green pepper, if convenient, three cloves, two bay leaves, a sprig of parsley, a teaspoonful of sugar, and pepper and salt to taste. cook until the onion is tender--about ten minutes--remove from the fire, press through a sieve fine enough to retain the seeds. when cold freeze as water-ice and mould--a melon mould is very pretty for it--pack in salt and ice in the usual way; turn it out in a nest of crisp young lettuce and serve with a mayonnaise dressing in a sauceboat. [ ]tomato jelly. one can of tomatoes put on to heat in a granite or porcelain-lined saucepan with a large slice of onion, one clove, two bay leaves, a teaspoonful of chopped green pepper, salt to taste and a little sugar. soak half a box of gelatine in a little water for half an hour, and after the tomatoes have simmered fifteen minutes let them come to a boil and pour over the gelatine to dissolve it; strain through a very fine sieve into a bowl, let it get perfectly cold, and when it begins to thicken stir well and turn into an earthenware mould. it looks prettier in a round one. set on ice. serve the jelly on a round dish in a bed of fresh, crisp young lettuce leaves, and place a spoonful of tender, finely-cut celery in each leaf, and pour mayonnaise around it. the jelly is better made the day before it is needed. [ ] we have as yet in this country no substitute for animal gelatine. i have experimented with carrageen or irish moss and the sea-moss farine preparation, and find them unsatisfactory. it is impossible to make a clear jelly with them, and by soaking in water to destroy the sea flavor, the solidifying property is lost. in england they have a vegetable gelatine (agar agar) which makes, i am told, a clear, sparkling jelly, and is said not to be expensive. i trust that before many months it may be obtainable here. i have ventured, therefore, to give a few recipes where gelatine is used, knowing that there will be something to replace it. groult's tapioca and potato flour are said to be unadulterated, and with fresh fruit juices make nice and wholesome desserts, especially for children. these preparations are made in france, and put up in half-pound packages, and sold by all of our leading grocers. spaghettina and celery salad. take some cold boiled spaghettina, chop--not too fine--and cover with a french dressing, and let it stand on the ice until serving time. have an equal quantity of fresh, crisp celery cut fine, mix with the spaghettina, cover with a mayonnaise dressing and garnish with tender lettuce leaves. salad of fairy rings and puff ball mushrooms. have both very fresh; cook the fairy rings until tender, set aside to get cold, then put on the ice. take an equal quantity of puff ball raw, chop fine, mix with the rings, turn into a nest of tender young lettuce, cover with a mayonnaise dressing and serve. salad of fresh fruit. peel and cut into dice enough fruit, peaches, tart plums, orange and banana to fill a cup and a cupful of crisp celery cut fine; have both ice cold; at serving time mix and cover with a cream dressing and garnish with celery tops. [ ]cucumber jelly. half a box of gelatine soaked for an hour in half a cup of cold water. remove the seeds from a small green pepper, peel and cut into slices two large, fine, fresh cucumbers, or three small ones and a small white onion. put in a saucepan, add a bay leaf and a bouquet of parsley, cover with boiling water and cook until tender; remove the parsley and bay leaf, add a saltspoonful of sugar, salt to taste--more than a teaspoonful will be required--and press through a fine sieve. there should be, when strained, two cups and a half. pour it over the soaked gelatine--if it is not hot enough to dissolve the gelatine place the saucepan over the fire for a moment--then run it through the same sieve again; set aside in a bowl to cool. when perfectly cold and beginning to congeal, stir it well and pour into a pretty, round mould; set it on ice until ready to serve. turn it out on a plate and arrange fresh, crisp, young lettuce leaves around it, into each of which put a spoonful of mayonnaise or cream dressing. [ ] this jelly may be colored a delicate green by using extract of spinach (see recipe, page ). its appearance is much improved thereby. walnut and celery salad. three cupfuls of fresh, crisp celery cut fine and two cupfuls of walnuts, carefully shelled that they may be as little broken as possible. put the walnuts in a saucepan with a small onion sliced, a bay leaf, a clove and twelve pepper corns, cover with boiling water, let them cook for ten or fifteen minutes, remove from the fire, drain and throw the nuts into cold water, remove the skins and let them get cold; then set on the ice until it is time to serve. mix them with the celery, add mayonnaise or cream dressing, put on a dish or in a salad bowl, garnish with the tender green celery leaves and serve. pineapple and celery salad. equal parts of celery and shredded pineapple. have the celery of the very tenderest, using only the best of the heads. select a perfectly ripe, fresh pineapple, pare it, removing the eyes carefully, and shred the fruit with a silver fork and cut into small pieces with a silver fruit knife; put the celery, cut fine, and the shredded pineapple, each by itself on the ice, that they may be very cold. when it is time to serve the salad, mix them together, put on the salad dish, cover with mayonnaise dressing, garnish with the green celery leaves and serve at once. fruit salad. equal quantities of grape fruit or oranges, bananas, apples and celery. peel the grape fruit or oranges, carefully removing all the bitter white skin, cut the pulp, the bananas and apples into small dice and the celery fine as for other salads; put the orange and apple together; the latter will absorb the juice of the orange. set all on ice;--these fruit salads must be ice cold. when it is time to serve, mix the fruit and celery together, put into a salad bowl, cover with the cream dressing into which has been stirred a third as much whipped cream as there is dressing, and add a little more salt to it in mixing. serve in a bed of tender lettuce leaves. potato salad. prepare equal parts of cold boiled potatoes and fresh, crisp celery, cut in small pieces which will look attractive when mixed with the dressing; cut in dice four cold, hard boiled eggs, and mix them in lightly with the potato and celery when adding the dressing. use mayonnaise or cream dressing with this salad, garnish with dainty celery tops and serve. salad of tomatoes stuffed with celery. select nice, smooth, firm tomatoes, one for each person; blanch them in the usual way, cut a slice from the stem end and remove the core and some of the seeds; set on the ice to get cold. prepare some celery, shredding it fine and using only the very tender part; mix it with mayonnaise dressing, stuff the tomatoes, allowing the celery to come above the top, serve each in a leaf or two of crisp lettuce and pour some mayonnaise around them. salads should be ice cold. celeriac and lettuce salad. boil two or three celery roots in water with a little salt until tender; drain and let them get cold. cut them in thin slices, make a nest of crisp lettuce and put the celery slices in the center. serve with a french dressing. raw jerusalem artichokes and lettuce salad. wash and peel the artichokes, cut in very thin slices and put into an earthen bowl with vinegar and water with a lump of ice in it. the vinegar will prevent them from turning dark. when ready to serve, place in the center of nice, fresh lettuce and serve with a french dressing. salad À la macÉdoine. take several kinds of cold boiled vegetables in equal quantities, such as green peas, string beans, flowerettes of cauliflower, asparagus points, a small potato and a french carrot cut in small dice, and a little green pepper if liked; mix together and serve in a nest of fresh, crisp lettuce with a french dressing, or mayonnaise, if preferred. asparagus salad. select very tender asparagus, cut off all the woody part and boil until tender, set aside to get cold, and then put on ice until serving time; arrange nicely on a platter or individual plates and serve with either mayonnaise or french dressing. cucumber salad. peel and cut in very thin slices, lay in a bowl, cover with water, sprinkle a little salt over them and put a lump of ice on top, let them remain until serving time, drain off the water and serve in a glass dish with a french dressing. they should be very cold and crisp. a little green pepper, chopped very fine, is an addition; also to rub the spoon used in mixing with a clove of garlic gives a piquancy to the salad. cold slaw. select a firm cabbage and shave very fine on a cutter that comes for this purpose. use the cream dressing or french dressing with a little dry mustard added. tomato salad. the tomatoes should be blanched in the usual way, and either sliced or cut in dice or served whole; or they may be cut in quarters, not quite separating them, and arranged in a bed of lettuce with a spoonful of mayonnaise on top of each tomato and the lettuce garnished with the same. endive is excellent with french dressing. egg salad. boil three eggs hard, cut in half lengthwise, remove the yolks and mash fine. mix together in a saucepan the third of a teaspoonful each of dry mustard, salt and white pepper, a saltspoonful of curry powder, a few drops of onion juice, a teaspoonful of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of egg well beaten, two teaspoonfuls of olive oil and a tablespoonful of rich cream. put the ingredients together in the order in which they are named, beat well, set the bowl over the steam of the kettle and stir constantly until thick and creamy; remove and stir in the mashed egg yolks, a little at a time, and set on the ice to get very cold. to serve, fill the whites of egg, dividing the mixture among them, put each half egg on two or three leaves of tender lettuce, with mayonnaise dressing around them. desserts. apple betty. two cups of tart cooking apples, chopped, a cup and a half of stale bread crumbs--bakers' bread is the best; four heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, one generous tablespoonful of butter, and the grated rind of one lemon. butter a pudding dish, divide the ingredients into four layers, beginning with apples and finishing with bread crumbs. sprinkle the sugar and lemon over the apples and cut the butter into tiny lumps and scatter over the crumbs. bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. serve with cream or hard sauce. apple charlotte. pare, core and quarter eight or nine good cooking apples, put them into a double boiler with two tablespoonfuls of butter, half a cup of sugar, the juice and grated rind of a lemon; cook until tender. take a plain mould that holds three pints, butter it well, line the bottom and sides with very thin slices of home-made bread. remove the crust, dip each slice in melted butter, fit them evenly together in the mould, fill with the apples, cover with the bread, dredge it with sugar and bake three-quarters of an hour in a quick oven. have a hot platter, lay it over the top of the charlotte, turn it over, and lift off the mould. serve hot with or without sauce or cream. apple croquettes. peel, core and quarter four good-sized cooking apples, cut in thin slices and put them in a granite ware saucepan over the fire with a small tablespoonful of butter, a heaping tablespoonful of sugar, the grated rind of half a lemon and a saltspoonful of cinnamon; cover tightly and cook until tender, taking care that it does not burn. when done add an even tablespoonful of groult's potato flour, mixed with a very little water, then stir in one beaten egg, and remove from the fire. turn into a deep plate to get cold, form in cylinders, dip in egg and dried bread crumbs and fry in boiling fat. sift powdered sugar over them and serve hot, with or without cream. apples stewed whole. take some nice, tart cooking apples, pare and put them into a saucepan with the juice of two lemons and the rind of one; cover with water, cook slowly until they can be pierced with a straw, take them from the water with a draining spoon. make a syrup, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, use as much of the water the apples were cooked in as will dissolve the sugar; when it comes to a boil add the apples and cook until clear. take the apples out, core them and fill with a fruit jelly, if liked, boil down the syrup and pour over the fruit. serve very cold with whipped or plain cream. bartlett pears may be cooked in the same manner, serving them whole. apple soufflÉ. seven tart, juicy apples, pared and cored, and cut fine. put them over the fire in a double boiler without any water, steam until tender, then stir into them two tablespoonfuls of butter and one cup of sugar, remove from the fire, and turn it into a bowl to cool. when it is cold beat in the yolks of four eggs, whipped very light, a little grated lemon peel, and then add alternately the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and a cup of stale bread crumbs. beat hard for a few moments and turn into a buttered pudding dish and bake in a moderate oven about one hour. cover it while baking until ten or fifteen minutes before it is done, so that it will not form a hard crust and become dry. serve warm in the dish in which it is baked. apple custard.--no. . grate some good, tart cooking apples--enough to measure one quart. beat a generous tablespoonful of butter and seven tablespoonfuls of sugar to a cream, add to this four egg yolks beaten light, then the apples and the grated rind of a lemon, and lastly the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth. it can be baked in puff paste or without. serve cold. apple custard.--no. . pare, core and quarter half a dozen fine, large cooking apples, put them in a double boiler with the grated rind of half a large lemon, cook until tender, and press through a sieve; there must be three-quarters of a pint of the purée. add an ounce and a half of granulated sugar and set it away to get cold. then beat three eggs very light and stir gradually into a pint of rich milk alternately with the apple purée, add a little cinnamon, pour it into a pudding dish and bake about twenty minutes. serve cold with a little cinnamon and sugar sifted over it. baked apple dumplings. sift a pint of flour with a teaspoonful of baking powder and half a teaspoonful of salt. put a quarter of a pint of butter into it and chop it fine with a knife; mix it well--do not use the hands; then add milk enough to moisten it, about a quarter of a pint. dust a pastry board with flour, take the dough from the bowl, roll lightly into a sheet about an eighth of an inch thick, cut into squares large enough to hold an apple. pare and core medium sized cooking apples, fill with sugar and a little cinnamon, put in the middle of the square and draw the corners up over the apples, moistening them with a little white of egg or water to make them stick. brush over the dumplings with beaten egg and bake in a good oven. the time will depend upon the apples--about half an hour. serve with cream. apple float. have a pint of apple purée, made from nice tart apples, sweetened to taste and flavored with the grated rind of lemon and cinnamon, or nutmeg if preferred. set it on the ice that it may be very cold, beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth and add to the purée of apples, and serve with cream. apples fried. wash and wipe some tart cooking apples, cut in slices a quarter of an inch thick, core and fry them in butter until tender and brown, dredge them with sugar and serve hot. apple marmalade. two pounds of tart cooking apples, one pound of sugar, one pint of water, one lemon and some blanched almonds. stir the sugar and water together and boil it until it strings from the spoon, then add the apples pared and cored and cut in small pieces, cook until very thick, flavor with the juice and grated peel of a small lemon. turn into a wet mould, when cold set on the ice. turn out on a glass dish, stick it thickly over with the blanched almonds, garnish with whipped cream and serve with cream. apple meringue. put a pint of apple sauce, made of tart cooking apples, slightly sweetened, into a pudding dish. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth and stir into it a cup and a quarter of sugar, flavor with a very little extract of lemon--a few drops only--and spread over the apple sauce, and bake twenty or twenty-five minutes. make a custard of the four egg yolks and a pint of milk, sweeten to taste and flavor with vanilla. serve the meringue very cold in the dish in which it is baked, with the custard as a sauce in a sauceboat or glass pitcher. apple pudding.--no. . take some tart cooking apples, pare, core and slice them and lay in cold water for a few minutes to prevent them from turning dark. put the apples in a porcelain lined or granite saucepan and add water as deep as the apples, but not to cover them. cover the saucepan tightly and let the apples cook until tender, then mash well, add sugar, grated lemon peel and cinnamon to taste. put it back on the stove, and when it comes to a boil add a tablespoonful of potato flour mixed with a little cold water, stir well and let it cook for a few minutes. turn it into a mould and serve the next day with cream. apple pudding.--no. . prepare the apples as for apple pudding, no. . when tender mash through a colander, and put the purée back on the stove. when it boils stir in a very heaping tablespoonful of potato flour mixed with a little cold water, and let it cook for a few minutes. remove from the fire, stir in a wine glass of sherry. turn into a mould, set it on the ice until the next day and serve with cream. apples stewed in butter. take half a dozen good, tart cooking apples--greenings or newtown pippins; peel, cut in slices about a quarter of an inch thick and core them. melt an ounce of butter in a spider, and lay in the slices of apples with a quarter of a pound of granulated sugar and the juice of a lemon, stew gently over a moderate fire. when done arrange them nicely on a dish, melt a generous tablespoonful of currant jelly in the spider, and when ready to serve mix with it half a glass of madeira or sherry; pour over the apples and serve. to steam apples. pare and core some good cooking apples, place them in an earthen or granite ware dish that fits in a steamer. have water boiling in the steamer, set the dish over it, stretch a towel over the top, put on the cover and fold the ends of the towel over it. steam the apples until tender--about twenty minutes. take the apples out, measure the juice in the pan and add to it an equal quantity of sugar, flavor with a little lemon juice, cook until thick, put the apples in a glass dish and pour the syrup over them. it will be a jelly when cold. serve with cream. scalloped apples. pare, core and cut in slices some good, tart cooking apples, put a layer in a baking dish with sugar, cinnamon and a grating of lemon rind, dot with tiny lumps of butter, then another layer of apples, sugar, etc., and so on until the dish is full. add a very little water and the juice of a lemon, and use a little more sugar and butter on top than on the other layers. bake until the apples are thoroughly cooked. cover until nearly done, when the cover should be removed to allow them to brown. serve hot with cream or hard sauce. banana fritters. half a pint of sweet milk, a scant half pint of flour, two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder and a small pinch of salt, stir all together; this should make a batter as thick as that of cake. roll the pieces of fruit in it with a fork, and drop quickly into boiling fat. the batter should be prepared just as it is wanted and not allowed to stand. cut three medium-sized bananas into three pieces each and divide each slice lengthwise so that the fruit will be thin enough to cook thoroughly while the batter is browning. this recipe will make eighteen small fritters. put them on a hot platter--do not pile up--and serve immediately with a fruit sauce. bavarian cherry cake. half a pound of fine, juicy black cherries, five tablespoonfuls of fine bread crumbs, five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, five eggs and one ounce of sweet chocolate grated. put the grated chocolate in a mixing bowl, break an egg into it and add one tablespoonful of bread crumbs and one of sugar, beat light and break another egg into it, adding another tablespoonful of bread crumbs and one of sugar. then separate the three remaining eggs, the yolks from the whites, adding one yolk at a time alternately with bread crumbs and sugar until all are used. add the cherries. beat the three whites of eggs to a stiff froth and fold it in lightly. butter thick a cake mould, sift dried bread crumbs over it, turn the cake into it and bake about three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. test it as other cake. in bavaria it is served cold, but i think it would also be nice hot with fruit sauce. cranberry bavarian cream. stew one quart of cranberries; while hot rub through a sieve; measure out half a pint, and add to it a half cup of granulated sugar. have a quarter of a box of gelatine soaked in a quarter of a cup of water one hour, set the bowl over steam entirely to dissolve the gelatine, then add the cranberries. turn it into an earthenware bowl, set in a pan of ice water and beat until it is perfectly cold and begins to thicken, then add half a cup of rich milk and beat again, and at the last add half a cup of whipped cream. beat it thoroughly and turn it into a mould and set on the ice to congeal. serve with cream. do not use a tin mould for cranberries. a mould of fresh fruit. take enough fresh, ripe currants and raspberries to make half a cupful of juice of each, and press through a sieve fine enough to retain the seeds; or the fruit may be strained and squeezed through cheese cloth. take also enough ripe cherries to make a cupful of juice and mix all together. put a quart of boiling water in a saucepan over the fire with four ounces of sugar and two ounces of almonds blanched and cut fine. mix five ounces of arrowroot or the same quantity of potato flour with the cold fruit juices, stir it into the boiling water and let it boil about five minutes, turn it into a wet mould, and when cold set on the ice. this should be made the day before it is to be served. serve with cream. a dessert of mixed fruit. peel some sweet, juicy oranges, removing all the white, bitter skin, cut in thin slices and put a layer at the bottom of a glass dish, sprinkle with sugar, then put a layer of freshly grated cocoanut and a layer of bananas, cut in thin slices, and repeat, beginning again with oranges, until the bowl is full, finishing with a layer of cocoanut. pour over it any juice that may have run from the oranges, and if liked a glass or two of sherry may be added. serve very cold. gooseberry pudding. use either ripe or unripe english gooseberries for this pudding, stem and pick off the flower, wash and cover with water and cook until tender, strain through a sieve. return to the fire, let it come to a boil, sweeten to taste, flavor with cinnamon and some almonds blanched and cut fine. stiffen with potato flour as in other fruit puddings--a tablespoonful to a quart of the purée--and mould and serve in the same way. pineapple meringue. half a large or one small pineapple grated, two ounces of butter, three of granulated sugar, an ounce and a half of grated bread crumbs, the yolks of three eggs and the whites of four. cream the butter and sugar, add the yolks and one white of egg beaten well together, then the fruit and bread crumbs; turn into a pudding dish and bake twenty minutes. beat three whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add three-quarters of a cup of granulated sugar to it, flavor with a few drops of almond extract, spread over the pudding, set the dish in a pan of warm water in the oven and bake about ten or fifteen minutes. test with a straw; when it comes out clean it is done. serve cold. prune soufflÉ. soak three-quarters of a pound of prunes in water to cover them over night, cook until soft in the water they were soaked in, drain, take out the stones and press through a purée sieve. add half a cup of granulated sugar and the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. bake in a pudding dish twenty minutes. serve in the dish in which it is baked, cold, with cream. prune mould. prepare a prune purée as above and to the same quantity have a third of a box of gelatine soaked in a little of the water the prunes were cooked in, and dissolved over the teakettle. stir quickly into the purée, then add three whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. wet a mould and pour the mixture into it; set on the ice to congeal. turn out on a glass dish and serve with cream. stewed dried figs. wash and cut in half two dozen dried figs, slice very thin one small lemon, add to the figs, put in a saucepan and pour over them cold water almost to cover. let them cook until the lemon is clear. sweeten to taste. rhubarb meringue. take three cups of stewed rhubarb, put in a saucepan over the fire, sweeten to taste, and when hot add two ounces of butter and three ounces of bread crumbs dried and rolled fine, the juice and rind of half a lemon. remove from the fire and stir in three egg yolks, turn it into a pudding dish, set aside while preparing the meringue. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, add three-quarters of a cup of granulated sugar and pour over the rhubarb. set the pudding dish in a pan of hot water in the oven and bake ten or fifteen minutes. test with a broom straw; when it comes out of the meringue clean it is done. serve cold with cream. scalloped rhubarb. a dozen large stalks of young rhubarb, washed and scraped and cut in thin slices, half a loaf of bakers' stale bread grated, four heaping tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, one generous tablespoonful of butter, and the grated rind of a large lemon. butter a pudding dish, divide the ingredients into four parts, begin with the rhubarb and finish with bread crumbs. sprinkle the sugar and grated lemon peel over the rhubarb and cut the butter in tiny bits over the bread crumbs, dredge the top with sugar. bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven and serve hot with cream or hard sauce. rice and date pudding. half a cup of rice washed and boiled in water, one pound of dates, washed first in cold then in hot water, stoned and chopped a little, one pint of milk, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, and a little salt. butter well a pudding dish, lay in half the dates, then over them half the rice, then dates again with a layer of rice on top. beat the eggs light, add to them the milk, sugar and salt, and pour over the rice and fruit and bake from twenty-five to thirty minutes. serve cold, with cream. rice and fig pudding may be made according to the preceding recipe, steaming or stewing the figs a little and chopping slightly. rice and raisin pudding. soak the raisins, seed them and stew a little, and follow the same recipe. rice and prune pudding. soak the prunes over night, stew and stone and slightly chop them and proceed as in the other puddings. any kind of dried or fresh fruit may be used for this very wholesome and nutritious pudding. rice flour pudding. take a quart of milk, leaving out enough to mix with three ounces of rice flour, put the rest in a saucepan over the fire. when it boils add one ounce and a half of sugar, one-half ounce of sweet and a few bitter almonds, blanched and pounded, or chopped very fine, one ounce of butter, and a small piece of vanilla bean if convenient, if not flavor at the last with vanilla extract. mix the three ounces of rice flour with milk, reserved from the quart, and stir into the pudding. beat one egg yolk with half a cup of cream and stir in just before removing from the fire. turn into a mould that has been dipped in cold water and serve very cold with fruit sauce. rice soufflÉ cold. put into a double boiler a quarter of a pound of well washed rice, a pint and a third of milk, a small tablespoonful of butter, and cook until the rice is so stiff that it no longer adheres to the sides of the pan. soak a heaping tablespoonful of gelatine in two tablespoonfuls of water fifteen minutes. put a pint of thin cream or rich milk in a saucepan over the fire with two ounces of blanched and pounded almonds; while it is coming to a boil beat two egg yolks and two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar together until light, then add the gelatine to the milk on the stove. when it has dissolved pour a little of the cream into the eggs and sugar, mix well, then turn it back into the saucepan, and stir all rapidly together until it begins to thicken, remove at once from the fire, add to the rice and beat until smooth. rinse a mould with cold water, turn the soufflé into it and set on ice until it is wanted. turn it out on a glass dish and serve with or without a fruit sauce. rice pudding.--no. . take a quarter of a pound of rice, wash well in cold and then scald in boiling water, drain and put on in a quart of sweet milk in a double boiler, cook one hour and a half. a little before it is done stir in an ounce and a half of butter, one ounce of sugar, a little grated lemon peel, a few sweet and bitter almonds blanched and chopped very fine or pounded in a mortar. don't stir too much, but keep the rice grains whole. when done dip a mould in cold water and turn the rice into it. set it on the ice and serve very cold with a fruit sauce. rice pudding.--no. . put a scant half cup of rice to soak in water for an hour, then boil in salted boiling water for twenty minutes. while it is cooking put three cups of rich milk and half a cup of sugar in a saucepan on the stove, mix a tablespoonful of corn starch with a little cold milk, stir with the milk and sugar and let it come to a boil, then add a cupful of the hot boiled rice and stir until it thickens like custard. turn it into a pudding dish, flavor with vanilla or anything liked and bake slowly until a delicate brown. serve cold in the dish in which it is baked, with brandy peaches or any fruit liked. rice omelette soufflÉ. boil a quarter of a pound of well-washed carolina rice in a pint and a half of milk until stiff. stir in two ounces of butter, half a pint of cream and four egg yolks beaten light with two ounces of granulated sugar and vanilla to taste, add a quarter of a pound of citron cut fine and two ounces of almonds blanched and pounded fine in a mortar. stir all well together, adding at the last four whites of eggs beaten very stiff. put in a pudding dish and bake until firm--about half an hour. serve immediately in the dish in which it was baked. strawberry shortcake.--no. . puff paste makes a delicious strawberry shortcake. roll thin, as for pie crust, and line three layer cake tins and bake. put a quart of fresh, ripe strawberries stemmed in a bowl, sweeten them, cover and stand the bowl on the shelf over the range, stir occasionally and mash slightly with the back of a spoon. when serving time comes lay one of the shells on the dish in which it is to be served, and pour a third of the berries over it, then put on a second and a third, decorate the top layer with whipped cream and serve with cream. it should be served immediately after the berries are added to the crust that it may be crisp. both berries and shells should be cold. strawberry shortcake.--no. . make a biscuit dough in the proportion of a pint of flour, a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder and half a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of butter and enough milk to mix it. roll about an inch thick, cut it round or oblong and bake in a quick oven about fifteen minutes. cut around the edge and pull gently apart, butter slightly, have the berries prepared as for shortcake no. . put the crust on the serving dish, pour half the berries over it, put on the top and pour the remainder of the berries over it. serve with cream. ladies' locks filled with strawberries. roll the puff paste thin, cut in strips an inch wide and about twelve inches long; wind these around the forms overlapping the paste as it is wound. brush over with beaten egg and bake on the forms. when baked slip the forms out, fill with strawberries prepared as for strawberry shortcake. strawberries scalloped. equal quantities of fresh strawberries and bakers' stale bread grated. begin with a layer of the berries, sprinkle well with sugar, then a layer of bread crumbs, dot with bits of butter, then another layer of fruit and sugar; finish with bread crumbs and butter, sprinkle a little sugar over the top and bake half an hour in a good oven. serve hot with cream. currants and raspberries, either separately or mixed, and blackberries also make excellent puddings. currant pudding. stem and wash some currants, mash through a sieve, add as much water as there is currant juice and sweeten to taste. to one quart of liquid take two ounces of groult's potato flour. mix the potato flour with a little of the cold fruit juice, put the rest over the fire, and when it comes to a boil stir in the flour and let it cook for a few minutes. it will become clear. turn it into a mould that has been dipped in cold water, and set it when cool on the ice until the next day. turn out carefully and serve with cream. stewed dates. break the dates apart, wash in cold, then in hot water, drain them and cover with cold water; cook until tender--a very few minutes--take out the fruit, add a little sugar to the water and boil five minutes, pour over the dates and set away to get cold. stuffed dates. wash the dates as in the other recipes, drain in a colander and shake from time to time until they are dry. stone them and fill with blanched almonds, or chopped nuts or cocoanut grated. tapioca and apple pudding. six good, tart cooking apples, three-quarters of a cup of pearl tapioca, sugar to taste and one quart of water. soak the tapioca in the water two hours, then put in a double boiler and cook until clear, sweeten to taste. it may be flavored with the rind of lemon cut very thin and removed when the tapioca is done. peel and core the apples and fill the holes with sugar, arrange them in a pudding dish and pour the tapioca over them, bake until the apples are tender. a few tiny bits of butter on the top will make it brown a little. serve hot or cold with cream and sugar. tapioca and strawberry jelly. five ounces of groult's tapioca, two cups of boiling water, two cups of strawberry juice, four heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar and a dash of salt. hull and wash the berries, mash with a spoon and strain through a fine cheese-cloth. put the boiling water in a double boiler, and sprinkle in the tapioca, stirring to prevent lumping. let it cook until clear, add the sugar and salt, and then the strawberry juice, and boil until thick--a few minutes only; turn into an earthenware mould; when cold set on the ice. it is better to make it the day before it is wanted. it should be served with cream. tapioca and raspberry jelly. follow the above recipe, using raspberries in the same proportion. tapioca and currant jelly. follow the recipe for tapioca and strawberry jelly. pearl sago and fruit jellies. soak half a cup of pearl sago two hours in a cup of cold water, then add half a cup of water and a cup and a half of fruit juice--strawberry, raspberry, or currant; boil for twenty minutes and sweeten to taste. fruit syrups may be used in winter; it will require less of the syrup than fruit juice. bread and butter pudding.--no. . cut six small tea buns in half, butter well, using two generous ounces of butter for the six, and put them together again. beat three eggs with a cup and a half of rich milk, add half a cup of almonds blanched and chopped fine, one ounce of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of sherry, let the buns soak in this for awhile. butter a mould, sprinkle with fine bread crumbs, take the buns out of the custard, lay them in the mould and pour the custard over them. set the mould in a pan of boiling water in the oven and bake three-quarters of an hour, and serve hot with a sauce. bread and butter pudding.--no. . cut some slices of home-made bread about half an inch thick, butter and lay in a pudding dish, sprinkle with currants, put another layer of buttered bread and currants. beat three eggs light and stir into a pint of milk, sweeten to taste, flavor with a little grated lemon peel or cinnamon, pour over the bread and butter and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. test with a knife; if it comes out clean it is done. if baked too long the pudding will be watery. serve cold and in the dish in which it is baked. bread custard. put a pint of rich milk in a saucepan on the fire. when it comes to a boil, add half a cup of grated stale bread crumbs, then stir in a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a little grating of lemon peel, a quarter of a cup of granulated sugar and a tablespoonful of almonds blanched and chopped fine. have two eggs beaten light, remove the saucepan from the fire, stir a little of the mixture into the eggs and then turn that into the saucepan, stir well for a moment and pour it into a pudding dish. set the dish in a pan of hot water in the oven and bake about twenty minutes, until firm in the center; test with a knife. if it comes out clean the pudding is done; if it bakes too long it will be watery. it may be eaten cold or hot. if served hot add a quarter of a cup more bread crumbs. fried bread. sweeten a pint of milk, flavor with cinnamon or nutmeg to taste. have some slices of home-made bread half an inch thick, cut off the crust and soak the bread in the custard until all is absorbed, turning the bread in it. put some butter in a spider; when hot fry the bread a nice brown on both sides. arrange the slices nicely on a platter and serve with or without a sauce. chocolate cream. soak a third of a box of gelatine in a very little cold water. put a cup and a half of milk in a saucepan with four ounces of sweet, fine chocolate grated, let it boil until dissolved and add a slightly heaping tablespoonful of sugar. take two-thirds of the soaked gelatine and put into the chocolate when melted, cool the mixture and turn into a mould, roll the mould from side to side in the hands until it is thoroughly coated with the mixture about a finger thick. when cold, even off the surface with a knife. whip about half a pint of nice, rich cream, sweeten with powdered sugar and flavor with vanilla. melt the other third of the soaked gelatine in a little boiling water and stir quickly into the cream and fill the chocolate with it. set on the ice. serve very cold. chocolate custard. put a pint and a half of rich milk into a double boiler over the fire with the third of a vanilla bean split and cut in small pieces, let it come to a boil, and stir in two ounces of fine, sweet chocolate grated and a lump of butter the size of a walnut. let it boil for a few moments, remove from the fire and beat very light four eggs, strain the chocolate gradually over them, stirring all the time, add a little salt, and sugar if necessary. rinse a plain mould in cold water, pour the custard into it, set the mould in a pan of hot water and bake twenty-five minutes. test with a knife. too long cooking makes the custard watery. it must be served ice cold and may be prepared the day before. serve with cream or soft boiled custard. chocolate pudding. beat one-quarter of a pound of butter to a cream and stir in six egg yolks, one at a time, then add a quarter of a pound of fine, sweet chocolate grated, a cup of almonds blanched and chopped fine, six tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar and one tablespoonful of citron cut very fine, beat the six whites of eggs to a stiff froth and stir in at the last. pour into a mould and boil three-quarters of an hour and send to the table hot with whipped cream poured around it, or any fine sauce served in a sauceboat. cottage pudding. one cup of granulated sugar, a cup and a half of flour sifted, half a cup of milk, a heaping tablespoonful of butter, two eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, a teaspoonful of cleveland's baking powder mixed with the flour. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the well-beaten yolks of the eggs, then add milk and flour alternately by degrees, and the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, stirred in at the last. bake half an hour. serve hot with plenty of sauce. caramel custard baked. a pint and a half of rich milk, a cup and a half of granulated sugar, the fourth of a vanilla bean. put the milk and vanilla bean cut small into a double boiler over the fire. melt the sugar without water in a spider, stirring constantly until it is all dissolved and the syrup is a rich golden brown. do not let it get too dark or it will be bitter. when the milk is at the boiling point stir in half the boiling syrup--if put in too fast the milk will boil over. let it cook until the sugar (if it hardened as it touched the milk) dissolves. have four eggs beaten very light in a bowl, pour the milk over them, add a little salt, and if vanilla bean is not used for flavoring, stir in extract of vanilla to taste. rinse a mould with cold water, pour the custard into it and set it in a pan of hot water in the oven, bake from twenty to twenty-five minutes and test with a knife. if it comes out clean it is done. add boiling water to the remainder of the syrup and let it cook gently until it is the consistency of thick cream. flavor with vanilla. serve very cold. soft-boiled custard. put a quart of rich milk in a double boiler over the fire with a third of a vanilla bean, split in half, and sugar to taste. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth, add three heaping teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, and when the milk comes to the boiling point drop the whites of eggs into it by tablespoonfuls in egg-shape, turn them over in the hot milk for a few seconds, repeat until all are done, drain them and return the milk to the saucepan. beat the six egg yolks to a light cream, turn the hot milk over it gradually and pour the custard back into the boiler; return to the fire and stir vigorously until it thickens and is smooth to the taste. remove from the fire, pour at once into a bowl, add a little salt, and set aside to cool. then put on the ice and at serving time turn into a glass bowl, arrange the whites of eggs on top and serve with sponge cake. a simple dessert. a loaf of stale sponge cake--one that has been baked in a border mould looks pretty. saturate the cake with orange juice to which has been added a little lemon. stick the cake over with blanched almonds and fill the center with whipped cream. if the cake is a plain loaf, pile the cream around it. ginger cream. soak a quarter of a box of gelatine in half a cup of milk for half an hour, then place the bowl over steam until the gelatine is perfectly dissolved. add to it four ounces of granulated sugar and a pint of whipped cream, two tablespoonfuls of preserved ginger chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of the ginger syrup and a tablespoonful of almonds blanched and chopped very fine. stir until it begins to thicken, pour into a mould and set on the ice. serve in a glass dish and powder the top with chopped almonds. graham pudding. two cups of graham flour, one cup of milk, one cup of porto rico molasses, one cup of raisins stoned and slightly chopped, one egg, one even teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful of cloves, a little nutmeg, if liked, and a small pinch of salt. flour the raisins with a little white flour, mix all the ingredients thoroughly together, butter a mould and steam three hours. serve with a sauce. if there should be any of the pudding left over, it can be used by cutting in slices half an inch thick, each piece dipped in milk, in which an egg has been stirred, fried brown in a little butter, and served hot with a sauce. nalesneky (a russian recipe). beat three yolks of eggs light, add to it half a cup of milk, half a cup of water, one cup of flour, and a little salt, mix until smooth, then stir in the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. have some melted butter, brush over the bottom of a frying pan and pour a little of the batter into it, let it cover the bottom of the pan without being thicker than paper, let it brown, turning it to brown the other side, spread with any jelly preferred, fold in half and fold again, making a wedge-shaped cake. use all the batter in this way, and serve hot. it would be well to have two spiders in use. noodle pudding. put two ounces and a half of noodles in a pint of boiling milk and cook until stiff like mush. remove from the fire, and stir in one ounce and a half of butter, one ounce of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped almonds, a few drops of extract of almond, when cool add three eggs and a quarter of a cup of cream beaten together, and turn the mixture into a well buttered mould sprinkled thoroughly with fine sifted bread crumbs. set the mould in a pan of boiling water in the oven, cover to prevent browning, and if the mould has a pipe through the center bake half an hour, if a plain mould it will require three-quarters of an hour. turn out of the mould and serve hot with a sauce. paradise pudding. melt two and a half ounces of butter in a saucepan, stir into it a quarter of a pound of sifted flour and a cup and a half of cream or rich milk, let it cook until it no longer sticks to the side of the pan, remove from the fire and let it cool. then stir in an ounce and a half of sugar, three heaping tablespoonfuls of almonds blanched and chopped and a little vanilla to flavor--vanilla sugar is better than the extract--then mix in five well beaten eggs, a little at a time. turn it into a well buttered mould sprinkled with dried and sifted bread crumbs, set in a pan of hot water in the oven, cover to prevent browning and bake about three-quarters of an hour. serve hot with a wine or fruit sauce. princess pudding. melt two and a half ounces of butter in a quarter of a cup of rich milk over the fire, stir an ounce and a half of flour into half a cup of milk and add to the boiling milk, stirring constantly until it becomes a smooth paste and no longer adheres to the pan. remove from the fire; when cold stir in one good ounce of sugar, an ounce of almonds blanched and pounded very fine with a dozen cardamom seeds, three well beaten eggs, a little at a time, half a teaspoonful of almond extract. beat well, turn into a buttered pudding mould sprinkled with fine bread crumbs, set the mould covered in a pan of boiling water in the oven, and if the mould has a pipe in the center bake from thirty to thirty-five minutes. turn it out and serve immediately with a fruit or wine sauce. english plum pudding. two pounds of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of citron, half a pound of almonds, one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of brown sugar, one teaspoonful each of ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg, half a pint of brandy and wine mixed and one dozen eggs. boil six hours. keep water boiling by the side of pudding boiler all the time and continually refill as the water evaporates. in preparing the pudding have all the fruit stoned and cut, but not too fine, the almonds blanched and chopped. incorporate all the ingredients well together before adding the eggs and spirits and beat the mixture well together for at least an hour--the longer the better. sago soufflÉ. a pint of rich milk, two and a half ounces of butter, one ounce and a half of sugar, two ounces of pearl sago, one ounce and a half of blanched almonds chopped very fine. mix all together, put over the fire and let it cook for fifteen minutes, stirring constantly, remove from the stove and let it cool. beat three eggs and add a little at a time until all is used, flavor with half a teaspoonful of almond extract, put in a pudding dish and bake half an hour. sift a little powdered sugar over it and serve immediately in the dish in which it is baked. semoulina pudding. put a pint and a half of milk on the fire to boil with two ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, an ounce and a half of sweet and two or three bitter almonds blanched and chopped very fine, sprinkle into it three ounces of semoulina or farina, and boil until quite stiff, stirring constantly. remove from the fire and turn into a mould that has been wet in cold water. serve very cold with fruit sauce or cream. serniky (a russian recipe). put one ball of pot cheese, such as is sold at a creamery for five cents, in a mixing bowl, break it up with a spoon, and add to it a heaping tablespoonful of butter, the well beaten yolks of four eggs, a little salt, a heaping dessertspoonful of currants and two slightly heaping tablespoonfuls of flour. mix all well together and let it stand an hour or more. sprinkle a pastry board thickly with flour, turn the mixture out from the bowl, cut off pieces of it and roll with the hands until about an inch and a half thick, cut in pieces about two inches long, the ends bias. have a saucepan ready with boiling water, drop the pieces into this without crowding and cook until they float--about five minutes--take them out with a skimmer. roll in dried bread crumbs, fry brown on both sides in butter, and serve hot with cream and sugar. steamed pudding. one cup of raisins stoned and chopped, one cup of butter chopped, two cups and a half of flour, one cup of porto rico molasses, one cup of sweet milk, a scant teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and a little nutmeg. steam in a mould two hours. serve hot with a sauce. sponge cake meringue. butter well a pudding dish, cover the bottom with slices of stale sponge cake about an inch thick, fit closely together. beat the yolks of three eggs with three teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, add the grated rind of half and the juice of one orange, the juice of half a small lemon, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and stir in soda as large as a pea into a cup and a half of milk, add this to the orange and egg and stir well together. pour three-quarters of this mixture over the cake, set the dish in a pan of boiling water in the oven, and when the cake has absorbed the custard and no longer floats, add the remainder of the custard. while the pudding is baking make a meringue of three whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth and three-quarters of a cup of granulated sugar, flavor with the grated rind of half an orange and a few drops of orange extract. spread quickly over the pudding and bake fifteen minutes. pudding of stale cake. almost any kind of stale cake will do for this pudding. to three cups of the cake crumbs allow a cup and a half of milk, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter and two eggs beaten light. pour the milk over the crumbs and let them soak until soft, then stir in the melted butter and the eggs, beat well and pour into a mould that has been well buttered and sprinkled with fine bread crumbs. set the mould in a pan of hot water in the oven, cover to prevent browning and bake three-quarters of an hour. serve hot with fruit or wine sauce. baked tapioca pudding. soak a cup and a half of pearl tapioca two hours in a quart of rich milk, put it in a double boiler and cook until the tapioca looks clear, remove from the fire, stir into it two slightly heaping tablespoonfuls of butter and a scant half cup of sugar. when cold add four eggs beaten light and flavor with vanilla, or the rind of a lemon grated and added when the tapioca is cooking. butter a mould, sprinkle with dried bread crumbs, turn the mixture into it and bake. turn out on a platter and serve hot with a foaming sauce. tapioca cream. a quarter of a cup of pearl tapioca, a cup of water, a pint of rich milk, three even tablespoonfuls of sugar, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, two eggs and a little salt. soak the tapioca in the water two hours, then turn it into a double boiler with the milk; when it boils, beat the yolks of eggs to a cream and the whites to a stiff froth, mix a little of the milk with the egg, then pour it into the boiler and stir a moment until thick, remove from the fire, add the vanilla extract and stir in lightly the beaten whites of eggs. the froth should show through the custard. serve very cold in a glass bowl. steamed rice. half a cup of rice, half a teaspoonful of salt and one and one-third cups of boiling water. put in small cups in a steamer, cover closely and steam three-quarters of an hour. serve with stewed fruit and cream or sugar and cream. rice cake. four ounces of rice, a pint and a half of milk, six eggs, two ounces and a half of sugar, half a cup of almonds blanched and chopped, two ounces of stoned raisins, a little citron, three heaping tablespoonfuls of dried bread crumbs, and four ounces of butter. wash the rice and scald with boiling water, drain and put it into the milk, which must be boiling on the stove, cook until it is stiff like mush; remove from the fire and stir into it the butter. when it is cool, add the eggs, one at a time, the sugar, the almonds chopped fine, the raisins, a little citron finely cut, and the bread crumbs dried and rolled fine. butter a mould, turn the cake into it and bake one hour in a moderate oven. serve cold. brown bread pudding. put in a bowl the yolks of four eggs and three whole eggs and six and a half ounces of sugar; beat together for fifteen minutes, then add six and a half ounces of almonds blanched and chopped fine, a dash of cinnamon, a tablespoonful of chocolate and four even tablespoonfuls of citron cut very fine; then add eight ounces and a half of brown bread grated and soaked in a few spoonfuls of claret or milk. butter a mould, sprinkle with bread crumbs, pour the pudding into it and set it in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven. bake three-quarters of an hour and serve with a sauce. ices. vanilla ice cream. a quart of rich milk, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, eight egg yolks and a small vanilla bean. put the milk in a double boiler with the vanilla bean split into halves; beat the sugar and eggs to a cream, stir into the hot milk and beat briskly until thick, remove from the fire, strain; when cold, freeze. coffee ice cream. a quart of rich milk, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, five ounces of coffee, eight egg yolks. grind the coffee and stir it into half a pint of boiling milk, set it one side; put the rest of the milk in a double boiler, beat the eggs and sugar together until light, stir into the hot milk, stir briskly until it thickens, add the milk and coffee, turn it into a bowl and let it stand until the last moment; strain and freeze. strawberry ice cream. a pint of cream, a pint of strawberry purée and three-quarters of a pound of sugar. mix the sugar and strawberry purée together and let it stand until the sugar is dissolved, then add the cream; pass it through a sieve and freeze. raspberry ice cream. follow the recipe for strawberry ice cream, using a little less sugar. all kinds of fresh fruit purées may be used for ice creams. walnut ice cream. follow the recipe for vanilla ice cream, adding a cup of english walnuts chopped and pounded fine in a mortar, and a little salt. when cold, freeze. orange ice. boil a quart of water and a pound of sugar together for ten minutes, skim and strain and set aside to get cold. then add the juice of twelve oranges and two lemons, put in the freezer; when it commences to freeze stir in the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth. strawberry ice. one quart of berries, one pound of sugar and three-quarters of a pint of water. sprinkle the sugar over the berries, stir well and mash with a wooden spoon, strain and press through a sieve, pouring the water over it gradually until all is used. put into the freezer; when it begins to freeze the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth may be added. white currant ice may be made the same as orange ice, using a quart and a pint of currants, mashed and put through a sieve, and a quarter of a pound more sugar. pineapple ice. one quart of water, a pound and a quarter of sugar boiled and skimmed as before, and the juice of one lemon and a large, perfectly ripe pineapple, carefully peeled and shredded fine with a silver fork; freeze. lemon ice. one quart of water, a pound and a quarter of sugar, the juice of six large, fine lemons. prepare as before, adding the beaten whites of two eggs when it begins to freeze. raspberry ice. follow the directions for strawberry ice, adding the juice of two lemons. any ripe fruit may be used, such as peaches, apricots, plums and red currants, sweetening as they require. frozen pudding. prepare a custard with a quart of rich milk, a pint of cream, a pound of sugar, and the yolks of eight eggs. set it on the fire and stir constantly until it begins to thicken; remove from the fire, and when it is cold add three tablespoonfuls of brandy, one teaspoonful of vanilla, one teaspoonful of almond extract. put in the freezer, and when partially frozen add a quarter of a pound of stoned raisins that have been cooked a little in water to soften them, a quarter of a pound of currants, a quarter of a pound of citron cut fine. freeze smooth and put in a mould and pack in ice and salt. windsor rock punch. for twenty-four persons. boil two quarts of cream; mix with it half a pound of granulated sugar and twelve eggs. freeze the same as ice cream. take one-half of the frozen mixture and add to it two wineglasses of maraschino, one wineglass of kirsch, and one-half wineglass of santa cruz rum; mix. when serving add a small lump of the frozen mixture to a punch glass of the other, or liquid. cakes. cake making. have all the ingredients measured or weighed, the pans lined with paper or oiled, the nuts or fruit prepared, and the flour sifted before beginning to make a cake. sift the baking powder and cream of tartar and soda with the flour or a part of it. use pastry flour for all cake. never put all the milk into a cake batter by itself, as it curdles and makes a coarse grained cake, but stir it in alternately with the flour. put all loaves of cake into a moderate oven, that they may rise before beginning to bake. after the cake rises the heat may be increased. angel cake. the whites of nine large, fresh eggs. when they are partly beaten add one-half teaspoonful of cream of tartar and then finish beating--the cream of tartar makes them lighter--then add one and a quarter cups of granulated sugar, stir the sugar very lightly into the whites of the eggs, and add a teaspoonful of vanilla. have flour sifted five times, measure a cupful and fold it in very carefully, not with a circular motion, and do not stir long. turn it into a turk's head mould and bake forty-five minutes. do not grease the mould, and when taken out of the oven invert it until the cake is cold before removing from the pan. never use a patent egg-beater for this cake, but a whip, taking long, rapid strokes, and make it in a large platter, not a bowl. berlinerkrands (a norwegian cake). half a pound of butter washed in two waters and beaten to a cream, two hard-boiled egg yolks mashed fine and stirred into two raw egg yolks, four ounces of powdered sugar stirred into the eggs, then mix all with the butter, add a pound of flour and a wineglass of brandy, mix well. roll under the hand and make into small jumble cakes or krunchens. beat the white of an egg, dip each cake into it and then roll in granulated sugar, bake a delicate brown in a very slow oven fifteen or twenty minutes. grease the tins. blueberry cake. half a cup of butter beaten to a cream with half a cup of sugar, one cup of porto rico molasses, one cup of thin sour cream or milk, three eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, two cups of berries, two and a half cups of flour, one teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour. bake as soft gingerbread and serve hot. cinnamon cake. one cup of granulated sugar, butter the size of an egg, one egg, one cup of milk, two cups of flour, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. mix in the usual way, but sifting the soda and cream of tartar with the flour. put in a shallow pan, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake about fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. cream puffs. one pint of water, half a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of flour, and ten eggs. boil the water and butter together, and while boiling stir in the flour. let it boil five minutes, then stir in the eggs one at a time without beating. drop into a pan by spoonfuls--not close together--and bake in a quick oven fifteen minutes. when cold cut them open and fill with the cream. filling.--one quart of milk, two cups of sugar, one cup of flour and four eggs. boil the milk, beat eggs, sugar and flour together and stir into the milk, stir constantly until thick--about five minutes--and flavor to taste. lady cake. half a cup of butter, one cup of granulated sugar, half a cup of milk, two cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, the whites of four eggs, and a teaspoonful of almond extract. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, stir the milk into one cup of the flour and add to the butter and sugar, then the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. sift the baking powder and remaining cup of flour together, add to the other ingredients with the teaspoonful of almond extract. if baked in a loaf it will require three-quarters of an hour or more. honey cake (a norwegian recipe). two pounds of strained honey, three-quarters of a pound of light brown sugar, three-quarters of an ounce of bicarbonate of potash, pounded very fine and dissolved in a little water, one cup of cream, half a cup of melted butter, ginger, cloves and pepper to taste, stir this all well together, add to it as much flour as will make it like a thick mush, set it away until the next day, then turn it into a well-greased cake mould and bake about three-quarters of an hour. simple fruit cake. three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one pound of sifted flour, one-half pound of currants washed, one-half pound of raisins stoned and chopped, one-half pound of citron cut fine, one teaspoonful each of cloves, mace, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of brandy, four eggs and one teaspoonful of soda. beat butter and sugar to a cream; add the yolks of eggs beaten light with the spices and brandy; then the fruit rolled in part of the flour; add the soda to the rest of the flour and stir alternately with the milk into the other ingredients; add at the last the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. bake two hours in a moderate oven. bavarian cake. one-fifth of a pound of blanched and chopped almonds, one-fifth of a pound of flour, one-fifth of a pound of sugar, one-fifth of a pound of butter, two eggs, a saltspoonful of cinnamon, a saltspoonful of nutmeg. put the flour in a mixing bowl, then the sugar and spices, the butter and almonds, break the two eggs over it all and beat with a spoon, form into a dough with the hands and roll out about an inch thick. cut in any shape liked, either round, square or oblong, reserving a little for strips to decorate the top. spread with jam, either currant or strawberry or raspberry, and lay the thin narrow strips of dough across the top. they should be cut with a jagging iron. bake about three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. pound cake. one cup of butter, a cup and a half of flour, a cup and a half of granulated sugar, six eggs, and half a teaspoonful of baking powder, flavor with almond extract or any flavoring to suit the taste. beat the eggs together very light, then, add sugar and beat again. sift the flour and baking powder together, beat the butter to a cream, and stir the flour into it, and then add the eggs and sugar and flavoring. sponge cake.--no. . twelve eggs, the weight of ten in powdered sugar, the weight of six in sifted flour, the grated rind and juice of one lemon. beat the yolks of the eggs to a cream, add the sugar and stir well, and then the lemon juice and rind. add the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and fold in the flour as quickly and lightly as possible. sponge cake.--no. . four cups of flour, three cups of sugar, one cup of cold water, eight eggs, two even tablespoonfuls of baking powder, the grated peel of an orange. pour the water on the sugar in a bowl, stir until almost dissolved, beat the whites to a stiff froth, the yolks to a cream, put one cup of flour with the yolks into the sugar and water, beat hard, add the whites of the eggs, mix the baking powder with the flour, and stir into the other ingredients by degrees quickly and lightly. bake in a shallow pan in a quick oven. when it no longer sizzles it is done. ice with a boiled icing while hot, flavored with almond extract. corn sponge cake (a spanish recipe). half a pound of corn meal, half a pound of butter, seven ounces of granulated sugar, seven eggs, two tablespoonfuls of catalan (brandy). beat separately the whites and yolks of the eggs; when the yolks are beaten to a cream add the sugar, then the whites of eggs, stir the corn meal in lightly, then the butter melted, and the brandy. mix well, pour into shallow pans well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven from twelve to fifteen minutes, test with a straw. best when quite fresh. spiced gingerbread. one cup of porto rico molasses, one cup of boiling water, butter the size of an egg, half a teaspoonful of ground cloves, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one egg, one teaspoonful of ginger, half a teaspoonful of soda, a light half pound of flour, a quarter of a cup of brown sugar. melt the butter and stir into the molasses, add the spices, then the water. sift the soda with the flour and add at the last. currants and raisins stoned and chopped may be added and are an improvement. the cake may be baked in a loaf or in small moulds. cream gingerbread. one cup of porto rico molasses, one cup of sour cream, two cups of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of ginger, one even teaspoonful of soda, one egg, a little cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. beat the egg, sugar and spice together, add the molasses and one cup of flour, then the cream, after that the other cup of flour with the soda sifted together. it should be a thick batter, and if not thick enough add a little more flour--not more than half a cup. bake in a shallow pan. when done the cake should be about two inches thick. ice with boiled icing. ginger sponge cake. half a cup of milk, half a cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, a third of a cup of butter, a cup and a half of flour, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a quarter of a teaspoonful of soda sifted together with the flour, two eggs, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, and half a teaspoonful of cloves. bake in a shallow pan. soft gingerbread. one cup of molasses, one cup of butter, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of sour milk, three and a half cups of flour, half a teaspoonful of soda, five eggs, ginger, allspice, cloves and cinnamon to taste. beat butter and sugar to a cream, stir in the molasses and spice, add a cup of the flour, then part of the milk, mix the soda with the rest of the flour and stir in alternately with the milk. bake in shallow pans in a moderate oven. ginger cakes. three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar, one pound of flour, one teaspoonful of ginger, two even teaspoonfuls of soda sifted with the flour. mix well together. roll out, cut in small round cakes, brush over with white of egg, and sprinkle with sugar and finely chopped almonds. bake in a slow oven. ginger snaps.--no. . rub three-quarters of a pound of butter into a pound of sifted flour and mix in half a pound of brown sugar, add six tablespoonfuls of ginger, one teaspoonful of powdered cloves, and two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, stir in a pint of porto rico molasses and the grated peel of a large lemon, add at the last a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in tepid water. beat the mixture hard with a wooden spoon, make it into a lump of dough just stiff enough to roll. cut in small cakes and bake in a moderate oven. ginger snaps.--no. . one pint of porto rico molasses, one pound of brown sugar, one pound of butter, two pounds of flour, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, two of cinnamon, half a tablespoonful of allspice, a teaspoonful of nutmeg and half an ounce of soda. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the spice and molasses, mix the soda with half of the flour and stir all together. roll thin, cut in small cakes and bake in a moderate oven. hard gingerbread. two cups of porto rico molasses, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of butter, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, flour to make the dough stiff enough to roll. it requires to be kneaded thoroughly. it is better that the dough be made the day before the cakes are to be baked that it may dry a little, as they are spoiled if too much flour is added. roll thin, cut in oblong cakes with a jagging iron, or in any way to suit the fancy. brandy snaps. one pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, three-quarters of a pound of maple syrup. mix the ingredients well together and drop on greased paper; if it runs too much add flour, if not enough add more maple syrup. pepper nuts.--no. . two pounds of flour, one and a half pounds of sugar, half a pound of butter, three eggs, two even teaspoonfuls of soda sifted with the flour, pepper to taste. beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar and beat very light, then the eggs and flour. roll out and cut in small, round cakes, bake a light brown. they will keep a long time. pepper nuts--no. . half a pound of butter beaten to a cream, then add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, three egg yolks beaten light, half a cup of cream, two ounces of almonds chopped very fine, half a teaspoonful of almond extract, a little fine cut citron, and one pound of flour sifted with an even teaspoonful of soda. mix well together, roll out and cut in small, round cakes and bake a light brown. tea cakes. one pint of cream, four heaping tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, two eggs, a little cinnamon; beat well together and stir into it enough flour to roll. roll out about a quarter of an inch thick, brush over with white of egg and sift sugar and cinnamon over it, cut into cakes about a finger long and one inch wide. bake a delicate brown. fig cake. half a cup of butter, one cup of granulated sugar, half a cup of milk, two cups of flour, two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder, the whites of four eggs. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, stir the milk and one cup of the flour together and add to the butter and sugar. sift the remaining cup of flour and the baking powder together, beat the whites of egg to a stiff froth and stir alternately with the flour into the other ingredients. grease three layer cake tins well, divide the batter evenly and bake from seven to ten minutes. filling.--boil without stirring until it is clear one cup of sugar wet with a little water; remove from the fire and stir into it three-quarters of a cup of figs chopped fine and a quarter of a cup of currants, washed and dried. spread two of the layers with this, put them together and ice top and sides with a plain icing made as follows: the whites of two eggs beaten to a froth and one and a half cups of powdered sugar stirred into it and flavored with almond extract. ginger layer cake. two cups of flour, one cup of porto rico molasses, one cup of milk, the third of a cup of butter, one egg, one slightly heaping teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour, one heaping teaspoonful of ginger, one cup of currants. beat the egg a little, add the molasses with the butter melted and stirred into it, then the currants, about half the milk, all of the flour, beat well and add the rest of the milk. bake in two cakes in a quick oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. use the chocolate filling, given for chocolate layer cake, and ice the top and the sides with the same. orange cake. beat to a cream the yolks of four eggs with one cup of granulated sugar, to which add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one-half cup of milk alternately with one and a half cups of sifted flour into which a teaspoonful and a half of baking powder has been well mixed. beat well and bake in three layers if the pans are large, or four if small, in a quick oven from seven to ten minutes, try with a broom straw, and when it comes out clean remove from the oven. don't let them bake a moment too long, or they will not absorb the icing. filling.--the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, to which add a cup of powdered sugar, pouring it in all at once and beating hard, then the grated rind of an orange--select one dark in color--and the juice. the mixture should be like a thick cream. spread thickly on the cake while hot, and to what is left add enough sugar--about half a cupful--for frosting to harden. ice the top and sides. this is a delicious cake, easily and quickly made. pineapple cake. make the cake by the same recipe as for orange cake. bake in three layers. filling.--the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth and a cup of powdered sugar. grate enough fresh pineapple to have three-quarters of a cup of fruit. strain, add the juice to the whites of eggs and sugar. divide it, and into one part add the fruit strained from the juice. use this for the filling. to the rest beat in half a cup of sugar and half a teaspoonful of almond extract, and ice the top and sides of the cake. it should be done while the cake is hot. this, as well as the orange cake, will keep in tin fresh for a week. chocolate layer cake. half a cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three whole eggs, or the whites of six, one cup of milk, three cups of flour, two even teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and one teaspoonful of soda. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs beaten together, sift the cream of tartar and soda in the flour, add the flour alternately with the milk. bake in four or five layers. chocolate filling.--take two unbeaten whites of eggs and a cup and a half of powdered sugar and beat them together. stir over the fire until smooth and glossy two ounces of baker's unsweetened chocolate grated, with half a cup of powdered sugar and four tablespoonfuls of boiling water, remove from the fire and stir while hot into the eggs and sugar, and when it is cool spread the top and sides, and set the cake in the oven for a moment to dry the icing. poor man's cake (a norwegian recipe). twenty yolks of eggs, five whites of eggs, a pound and a quarter of sugar, one pint of sweet cream or rich milk, a sherry glass of cognac, one cup of melted butter, a little pounded cardamom seed, and enough flour to roll thin. beat the eggs together until light, add the sugar and beat again, then the cream, cognac and butter. melt the butter and pour off from the salt. cinnamon may be used instead of cardamom seed. roll the dough as thin as paper, cut with a jagging iron in oblong pieces, slit one end with the iron and pass the other end through it. fry in boiling fat, drain on paper, and when perfectly cold put in a stone jar. these cakes will keep for months. venison cakes (a norwegian recipe). six eggs beaten light with three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one cup of sweet cream or rich milk, a pound and a half of flour. when these ingredients are well mixed add four ounces of well washed butter, stir well together. mix with the flour a little less than an even teaspoonful of ammonia, powdered fine--the cakes will rise better--and flavor with cardamom or cinnamon. roll the dough with the hands until about the thickness of the little finger, cut in pieces about three inches long--the ends bias--lap them and snip with scissors or a knife around the outside to make points, then fry in boiling fat as crullers. these also keep a long time. seed cakes. a cup and a half of granulated sugar, a cup and a half of butter, four eggs, one tablespoonful of caraway seed and flour to roll. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the yolks beaten light, then the caraway seed. beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add alternately with the flour--do not make the dough stiff. roll thin, cut in small cakes and bake in a quick oven. drop cakes. a cup of butter, a cup and a half of sugar, four eggs, a pint of flour, a cup of currants, half a cup of sweet milk, a teaspoonful of baking powder. drop with a teaspoon on greased pans and bake in a quick oven ten minutes. lebkuchen. half a pound of granulated sugar, half a pound of strained honey, half a pound of candied orange peel, half a pound of citron, half a pound of almonds blanched and cut fine, an even teaspoonful of bicarbonate of potash pounded very fine and a sherry glass of rum poured over it twenty-four hours before it is used, an even teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of powdered cardamom seed, the rind of half a lemon grated, and two eggs. put the honey in a saucepan and let it come to a boil, pour it over the sugar in a mixing bowl and stir well, then add the flour, mix thoroughly, and set in a cool place for twenty-four hours. then cut all the fruit fine and mix with the other ingredients thoroughly, beat the eggs and add to the mixture, put in the rum and potash last, stir well, and let it stand for an hour or two. roll the dough out about a quarter of an inch thick, cut into cakes about three inches wide and five long, bake in a quick oven ten or fifteen minutes. do not use more than two ounces of flour in rolling out the cakes. ice them while hot. icing.--half a pound of sugar and the juice of half a lemon and the same quantity of water as of lemon juice; stir together and spread on very thin. macaroons (a bavarian recipe). blanch and chop fine half a pound of almonds. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, add half a pound of sugar and then the nuts. drop from a small spoon on paraffine paper on a baking sheet and bake a delicate brown in a cool oven. chocolate macaroons (a bavarian recipe). two ounces of almonds chopped fine, the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, stir in six ounces of sugar and an ounce and a half of grated chocolate, then add the almonds. bake in a cool oven. soda cakes. three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of butter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar, and flour enough to roll. roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. bake in a slow oven. walnut wafers. beat two eggs very light and add to them half a pound of brown sugar; beat again and stir in half a cup of flour with a quarter of a teaspoonful of baking powder, a third of a teaspoonful of salt and half a cup of walnut meats slightly chopped. drop in small spoonfuls on buttered tins, not too close together, and bake brown. the dough should not be too thin; try one or two and if too thin add a very little more flour. jode cakes (a norwegian recipe). three egg yolks, a pint and a half of cream, three-quarters of a pound of butter, an even teaspoonful of soda, one pound and a half of sugar and flour enough to roll. roll very thin and cut in small cakes; put half a blanched almond in the middle of each. bake in a slow oven. frosting. three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar to the white of one egg, flavoring to taste. beat the white of egg to a stiff froth and turn all the sugar into it; see that the sugar is free from lumps, beat hard and flavor according to the cake. boiled icing. one cup of granulated sugar, five tablespoonfuls of boiling water, the white of one egg beaten to a stiff froth. put the sugar and water over the fire and boil until it threads from the spoon; then turn it into the beaten egg, beat briskly for a few minutes, flavor with vanilla, lemon or almond, according to the cake. while the cake is still warm, sprinkle with flour and spread the icing on with a broad knife. pies. plain pastry. four cups of sifted flour, one cup of butter, a pinch of salt, three heaping teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, four tablespoonfuls of ice water and the yolks of two eggs. this quantity will make two pies. rub the butter, flour, salt and sugar together thoroughly, then add the yolks of eggs, lemon juice and water and work all together into a paste. put the dough on a pastry board, divide in four equal parts, roll each part the size required for the pie plates. puff paste. one pound of flour, one pound of butter and one cup of ice water. sift the flour, weigh it and turn into a mixing bowl; pour the water gradually into it, stirring constantly with a spoon; turn the dough out on the pastry board and beat or knead it until it blisters and is so elastic that it can be stretched without tearing. then set it away on ice. wash the butter, squeeze out the salt and water and lay it on a plate on ice. roll the dough as nearly square as possible, lay the butter in the center of it, fold over one side of the paste, then the other, flatten slightly with the rolling pin, fold over the ends of the dough until they meet; turn the dough over and roll twice, fold again and put the paste on the ice; let it remain for twenty minutes. repeat this twice, allowing the pastry to rest twenty minutes each time. this makes in all six rolls and three times of rolling. press very lightly with the rolling pin, cut off each time what is needed for a pie or number of patties, that the dough will not be worked over more than is necessary. the trimmings may be used for cheese straws by cutting and sprinkling them with grated parmesan cheese and a dash of cayenne pepper; or may be baked in crescents for garnishing. in baking, rinse the pans with cold water and brush the pastry over with beaten egg. make the pastry in a cool room. to make one squash or pumpkin pie. one cup of squash, one egg mixed unbeaten with the squash, a cup and a half of sugar, one milk cracker rolled fine, half a teaspoonful each of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg, a pinch of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. after these are well mixed, add half a cup of milk. bake in either puff or plain paste. sweet rissoles. roll out some puff paste into a thin sheet, cut as many rounds with a large patty cutter as are needed; put a spoonful of any kind of jam, strawberry, raspberry, currant, etc., or mince meat or purée of apples on each, moisten the edges of the pastry with water, fold one-half over the other, making them into half moons, brush with beaten egg and bake in a quick oven. they may be varied by sifting coarse sugar and nuts over them before baking. richmond maids of honor. half a pound of dry curd, commonly called cottage or pot cheese, six ounces of butter, four eggs, a glass of brandy, six ounces of sugar, one white potato, one ounce of sweet almonds chopped fine and a few drops of almond extract, the juice of one and the grated rind of two lemons, and a little nutmeg. mix the curds and butter together, beat sugar and eggs to a cream, add the potato mashed smooth and fine, the almonds, the grated rind and juice of lemon and the nutmeg; beat well and add to the curds and butter, mix thoroughly and bake in tartlet pans or pie plates lined with puff paste. cheese cakes. put a pint of milk on to boil, beat four eggs light and stir into the milk; when it is a thick curd remove from the fire and when cool mash it very fine, add to it four ounces of breadcrumbs. beat to a cream half a pound of butter and half a pound of sugar, add the curds and bread; beat four eggs until very thick and light and pour them into this mixture; then add gradually one tablespoonful of sherry and one of brandy and one of rose-water, and a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and lastly a quarter of a pound of currants well washed. line either pie plates or shallow cake pans with puff paste, pour in the mixture and bake in a quick oven. they should be served cold and eaten the day they are baked. cocoanut pie (a southern recipe). one cup of freshly-grated cocoanut, one cup of sugar, three eggs, half a lemon, juice and grated rind, one-half cup of cream, one-half cup of butter and one-half cup of cocoanut milk. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add other ingredients, the yolks of eggs beaten very light with the cream, the lemon juice and rind and lastly the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. line a dish with puff paste, pour the mixture in and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. lemon pie (a southern recipe). the yolks of four eggs beaten to a cream with one cup of granulated sugar and the grated rind of one lemon. peel the lemon, removing every particle of white skin, cut into thin slices; have a pie plate lined with puff paste, arrange the slices of lemon on the paste, add enough milk to the eggs and sugar to fill the plate, pour it in, and bake until set. beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and stir in two large heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, put on top of the pie and bake a light brown. mince meat. one pound of granulated sugar, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, half a pound of citron, half a dozen lemons, grated rind and juice, the pulp of eight oranges, the grated rind of three, half a pound of almonds blanched and chopped, three pounds of greenings, after they are pared, cored and chopped fine, three heaping teaspoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, an even teaspoonful of allspice, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cloves, an even teaspoonful of salt, three-quarters of a pound of butter melted, a cup and a half of sherry and a cup of brandy. seed the raisins and soak them with the currants in just water enough to cover, stew until tender, and add when cold with the water to the other ingredients. mix thoroughly, stirring in the melted butter at the last. let it stand for several days. the brandy and wine may be omitted and more lemons and oranges used to flavor it. at each baking it is well to add a little sugar and chopped apple. this will keep all winter or longer in a cool place, if the brandy and wine are not omitted. candies. chocolate caramels--no. . six pounds of light brown sugar, one pound of butter, one pound of chocolate, one pint of cream, one pint of milk, paraffine as large as a walnut, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar. flavor with vanilla. put all the ingredients together and boil until it is brittle in water; flavor and pour into buttered tins and mark in squares before it is quite cold. chocolate caramels.--no. . one pint of fresh milk, three ounces of chocolate, grated, two pounds of granulated sugar, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. stir until melted, then add half a pint of cream, cook until the mixture is brittle in ice water, then turn into a pan well greased and mark in squares when almost cold. chocolate caramels.--no. . a quarter of a pound of chocolate, grated, one large cup of granulated sugar, one cup of milk and a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. boil all together, stirring all the time, until the syrup hardens in cold water, and just before taking from the fire add a teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the syrup as soon as removed from the fire, and keep it up until it is too stiff to beat any longer--if it is beaten a minute and a half it will do well. turn out of the saucepan into a greased pan and before it is quite cold cut in squares. chocolate cream peppermints. mix together two cups of granulated sugar and half a cup of cream, boil until it holds well together in cold water, or can be rolled between the fingers, flavor with oil of peppermint, remove from the fire and stir until the cream is stiff enough to mould into balls. use powdered sugar on the hands while moulding. melt an ounce of chocolate and dip the balls, which should be as large as hazel nuts, in this, using a long pin for the purpose, and lay them on paraffine paper. any flavoring may be used instead of peppermint. candy (to pull). two cupfuls of granulated sugar, half a cup of water, one tablespoonful of vinegar, butter the size of a walnut. boil the sugar and water without stirring until it is brittle when tried in cold water, add the butter and vinegar just before it is done. flavor with any extract preferred, pour into buttered soup plates, and when cool enough to handle pull until white. chestnuts glacÉ. skin the chestnuts and cover with cold water, let them cook gently until tender, when a large needle can be run through them easily. drain and drop them in cold water. after two hours drain again and put them in a bowl, cover them with a rich syrup that has been skimmed and boiled until clear. it must be boiling when poured over the chestnuts. cover the bowl with a heavy paper and let it stand for twelve hours, drain off the syrup, bring it to the boiling point and turn it over the chestnuts again and put away for another twelve hours. repeat this process three times, then drain the syrup off and the chestnuts are ready for use. use the large imported chestnuts, remove the shells and boil the nuts. the brown skin can then be easily removed with a penknife. they are very nice but very troublesome to prepare. cocoanut cakes. one pound of granulated sugar, half a pound of grated cocoanut, half a cup of water and a saltspoonful of cream of tartar. boil the sugar and water together until, when dropped in cold water, it can be rolled between the fingers into a ball. remove from the fire, stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes white and thick like cream, add the cocoanut, stir well and drop with the spoon on paraffine paper or a tin baking sheet, and form into thin round cakes. set away to dry. hoarhound candy. put a tablespoonful of dried hoarhound leaves in a cup and pour over them half a cupful of boiling water, cover and let it steep until cold, strain and pour it over a pound of granulated sugar and a tablespoonful of vinegar. boil without stirring, and if any scum rises to the top remove it. test the candy in cold water, when brittle remove from the fire and pour into a buttered pan. mark into squares before it is cold, or break into irregular pieces. marshmallows. powder very fine eight ounces of gum arabic, dissolve it in three gills of water over a slow fire and strain. simmer an ounce and a half of marshmallow roots in two gills of water, for ten minutes, closely covered. strain and reduce to one gill. add this with half a pound of sugar to the dissolved gum. boil until it becomes a thick paste, stirring constantly. add the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth and a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. remove from the fire, pour into a pan dusted thickly with cornstarch and when cool cut into squares with a sharp knife, roll in pulverized sugar and pack in a tin box. nougat. a pound of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one cup of blanched and finely chopped almonds or peanuts, or it may be made of mixed nuts. dissolve the sugar in a spider over the fire without water, stirring constantly, and when entirely melted mix in the nuts quickly and pour at once into a well greased pan, and before it is cold mark in squares. this is very nice pounded fine in a mortar or ground in a mill to sprinkle over custards just before serving. panoche (a spanish recipe). two cups of dark brown sugar, one cup of chopped walnuts, half a cup of milk, butter the size of a walnut. cook the sugar and milk together, boiling gently from seven to ten minutes, until, when tried in water, it holds well together, and can be rolled into a soft ball. remove from the fire. have the chopped nuts in a large bowl, pour over them a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, pour the candy over them and beat with long, rapid strokes until it begins to thicken--it should be like a cream wafer--turn out on paraffine paper, and break it or cut in pieces. peppermint drops. two cups of granulated sugar, half a cup of cold water, a tiny pinch of cream of tartar. boil ten minutes without stirring, let the sugar melt slowly that it may not burn. add eight drops of oil of peppermint while still on the fire. when removed from the stove beat with an egg-beater until it falls in long drops, when drop quickly on paraffine paper. pralines. two cups of granulated sugar, one-half cup of water, two cups of pecans, hickory nuts or english walnuts. put the water and sugar on to boil, let it cook without stirring until it threads, remove from the fire and stir in the nuts until they are sugared. spread on paraffine paper to cool. vassar fudge. two cups of sugar, two squares or one ounce of baker's unsweetened chocolate, a scant cup of milk, one tablespoonful of butter. boil for ten minutes until it holds well together when dropped in cold water. take from the fire, flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, beat from three to five minutes until thick and creamy, turn into a buttered pan and cut in squares. preserves. preserve of mixed fruits. five pounds of ripe currants or cherries, five pounds of granulated sugar, two pounds of seeded raisins, the pulp of six oranges cut in small pieces, and the rind of two oranges cut fine. boil three-quarters of an hour. grapes can be used instead of currants or cherries. red currant jam. pick the currants from the stems, weigh them, and allow three-quarters of a pound of white sugar to a pound of the fruit. put the currants in a preserving kettle, mash them a little to prevent them from sticking to the kettle, and boil for fifteen minutes, then add the sugar and boil rapidly for ten minutes. bottle and seal tight. red currant jelly. berries for jelly must be picked when the weather is dry. pick them over, taking out all leaves, etc., put them in the kettle and mash them a little to get enough juice to keep them from burning; stir constantly, and as soon as hot wring them dry through a cheese cloth. measure the liquid and to every pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. put the juice on the fire and boil fifteen minutes, then add the sugar and boil fifteen minutes more, skimming thoroughly. pour into glasses while hot; let them stand until the next day and cover. very often jelly is soft, and always from one of two reasons: either the berries have been picked immediately after a rain or the sugar is adulterated. red currant syrup. the currants must be fresh and perfectly ripe and picked in dry weather. wash and put them in either a porcelain-lined or a granite-ware kettle, stir until they are tender, as for currant jelly, then remove from the fire and wring them as dry as possible in a cheese cloth. measure the juice and return it to the fire, let it cook fifteen minutes, then add a pound of granulated sugar to each quart of juice, boil gently fifteen minutes, skimming as long as the scum rises. bottle and cork well and keep in a dark place. raspberry and strawberry syrup are made in the same way, only mashing and straining the fruit and measuring the juice before cooking. black currant syrup. pick from the stems and mash them, a few at a time, in a bowl or granite saucepan with a potato masher, then put them in a stone jar and let them stand for two days, stirring well each day. wring them through a cheese cloth, and if wanted sweet cook with sugar as red currant syrup. the juice can be bottled without sugar or cooking, and will keep for years. it is used for sauces or fruit soups, etc. cranberry jam. put five quarts of cranberries in a preserving kettle with two quarts of water and boil gently until the fruit is tender, then add three pounds and three-quarters of granulated sugar, boil until the fruit is clear, skimming carefully. put in glasses and when cold seal. it keeps well. gooseberry jelly. use the large english gooseberries and follow directions for currant jelly. gooseberry jam. three-quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. put the fruit on by itself in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware saucepan, mash and stir well to keep from burning, and boil one hour. then add the sugar and boil one hour more. grape jam. press with the fingers the pulp from grapes--muscat or concord grapes make the best jam--seed and measure them, allowing a cup of sugar to each cup of fruit. put the skins on and cook until tender, when almost done add the pulp, and when all is tender add the sugar and boil until thick. pineapple jam. pare the fruit and carefully take out the eyes, then grate it on a coarse grater, rejecting the cores, weigh it, and to each pound of fruit take a pound of sugar. sprinkle it over the grated pines, let it stand over night. in the morning, boil for ten or fifteen minutes over a quick fire. put in tumblers and when cold cover. raspberry or strawberry jam. allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. put the fruit in a preserving kettle over the fire and boil fifteen minutes, mashing a little to prevent sticking to the kettle. then add the sugar and boil ten minutes, skimming carefully; turn into glasses and seal when cold. orange marmalade. select smooth, thin-skinned, juicy oranges. take twenty-one, and five lemons. cut the rind very thin from a third of the fruit, and boil it in two quarts of water until it can be pierced easily with a broom straw. drain from the water and cut in fine strips with scissors, add this to the pulp of the oranges and lemons after removing all the white bitter skin and pips from the fruit. weigh and allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, put in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware kettle and cook until clear. put in glasses and when cold cover with brandied paper and seal. pumpkin chips. slice very thin and chip about four pounds of pumpkin, put in an earthenware bowl, and cover it over night with four and a half pounds of granulated sugar and the juice of one dozen lemons. boil the lemon peel until tender and cut in small thin chips and add to the juice, etc. in the morning, boil together until perfectly clear and crisp. pickles, sauces, etc. ripe cucumber pickle. pare and seed the cucumbers. slice each cucumber lengthwise in four pieces or cut it in fancy shapes, cover with cold vinegar and let them stand for twenty-four hours. drain and put them in fresh vinegar with two pounds of sugar, and one ounce of cassia buds to one quart of vinegar. boil for twenty minutes and put in jars. sweet pickled peaches. select fine, fresh, ripe, but not soft peaches, peel and weigh them. to every seven pounds of fruit take five pounds of granulated sugar, a pint of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon and one tablespoonful of cloves, tie the spices up in a muslin bag, add a few pieces of stick cinnamon and a few allspice. put the fruit in a stone jar, bring the sugar, vinegar and spice to a boil, pour over the peaches, cover and let them stand until the next day, scald the syrup again and pour over the fruit, and so on, until it has been done in all seven times. take out the bag of spice and put the fruit with the syrup into jars and seal. these are much more delicious than peaches that are cooked. sweet pickled plums. follow the recipe for sweet pickled peaches. spiced currants. take seven pounds of fresh and perfectly ripe currants, pick them over, wash and stem them and put in a granite-ware or porcelain-lined kettle, with five pounds of granulated sugar, one even tablespoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, one dessertspoonful of allspice, one pint of best cider vinegar. boil an hour and a half, put in jars and when cold seal. chili sauce. four dozen ripe tomatoes, eight green peppers, three cups of chopped onion, eight cups of cider or wine vinegar, two cups of brown sugar, two teaspoonfuls of ginger, three teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, two teaspoonfuls of allspice, two teaspoonfuls of cloves, eight tablespoonfuls of salt. skin the tomatoes and put them in the kettle over the fire; as soon as the water runs from them, take out half of it, then put in the onions and peppers chopped, boil together four hours, stir constantly the last hour to prevent burning, then add the other ingredients and simmer long enough thoroughly to mix them. put the sauce in small bottles, cork tight and seal and keep in a dark place. chili pepper sauce. twenty ripe tomatoes, six green peppers and four white onions chopped fine, two cups of best wine or cider vinegar, one cup of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of salt, two even teaspoonfuls of ground mace, two teaspoonfuls of nutmeg, two teaspoonfuls of cloves, one teaspoonful of celery seed. boil an hour and bottle while hot. very nice to serve with baked beans. mustard pickles. one quart each of tiny whole cucumbers, large cucumbers sliced, green tomatoes sliced and small button onions, one large cauliflower divided into flowerettes, and four green peppers cut fine. make a brine of four quarts of water and one pint of salt, pour it over the mixed vegetables and let it stand covered twenty-four hours. then scald it and turn into a colander to drain. mix one cup of flour, six tablespoonfuls of mustard, and one tablespoonful of turmeric with enough vinegar to make a smooth paste, add one cup of granulated sugar and sufficient vinegar to make two quarts in all. boil this mixture until it is thick and smooth, stirring constantly, then add the vegetables and heat them through. ripe tomato pickle. a peck of perfectly ripe tomatoes, two quarts of fine cooking salt, half a pound of ground mustard, one ounce of cloves, two green peppers, two or three onions and one pound of brown sugar. pierce the tomatoes with a silver fork or broom straw, put them in a stone jar with salt in alternate layers. throw away all the liquor made by standing one week. return to jar and cover with cold water, cover and let it stand twenty-four hours. drain again thoroughly, throw away the water, return the tomatoes to the jar and cover with cold vinegar, having added to the fruit, the onions and peppers sliced, with the mustard, cloves and sugar. after they have stood three weeks they are ready for use. green tomato pickles. one peck of sliced tomatoes, eight onions, one pound of bell peppers, one pound of horse radish, one pound of white mustard seed, half a pound of black mustard seed, half an ounce of whole cloves, half an ounce of stick cinnamon, half an ounce of pepper corns, one or two nutmegs and four pounds of sugar. select the tomatoes when they are beginning to turn white, slice and lay them in salt for twenty-four hours. drain and put in the kettle, which should be of granite ware or porcelain lined, with the peppers, onions and horse radish chopped, and sprinkle the mustard seeds over all. tie the spices in a thin muslin bag and cover the whole with best wine vinegar, boil until tender and clear in appearance. the peppers should have all the seeds removed. half a cup of dry mustard is considered by some an improvement. gooseberry catsup. boil ten pounds of large english gooseberries, seven pounds of coffee sugar, and three pints of vinegar together for an hour and a half. then add two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one of allspice and one of cloves and boil half an hour longer. put in jars and seal. raspberry vinegar. put a pound of fine fruit into a bowl and pour over it a quart of the best wine or cider vinegar. next day strain the liquor on a pound of fresh raspberries. the following day do the same. do not squeeze the fruit, but drain as dry as possible by lightly pressing it. the last time strain it through muslin previously wet with vinegar to prevent waste. put into a preserving kettle with a pound of sugar to every pint of juice. stir until the sugar is melted and let it cook gently for five minutes, skim it. when cold, bottle and cork well. sweet sauces. fruit sauce. put a cupful of granulated sugar in a saucepan, pour over it two and a half cupfuls of boiling water, let it boil a few minutes, then add two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, two even teaspoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed to a paste with a little cold water, then add a cupful of canned fruit or a glass of any kind of fruit or jelly liked and the juice of a lemon. press through a fine sieve and serve with fritters or puddings. fresh fruit sauce. follow the above recipe, using a cupful of pure juice of the fruit desired and the juice of either a half or whole lemon. orange sauce. beat four egg yolks, three ounces of sugar, a teaspoonful of flour and the grated rind of one orange together until light, add a pint of boiling milk and stir over the fire until thick, taking care that it does not curdle, remove from the fire and add a liqueur glass of curaçao, and beat until light and foaming. banana sauce. rub two bananas through a fine sieve. put half a cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan with one cup of boiling water, add the banana pulp to it, let it come to a boil, and skim if necessary. rub a heaping tablespoonful of butter with half a tablespoonful of flour, stir into it a little of the liquid, and then add to that in the saucepan; add the juice and grated rind of half a lemon, and it is ready to serve. foaming sauce. beat to a cream a cup of sugar and a quarter of a cup of butter, and add to it two tablespoonfuls of wine or fruit juice, or in winter fruit syrup. if the latter, use only three-quarters of a cup of sugar. at serving time add a quarter of a cup of boiling water, stir well, then add the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth. beat until the sauce foams. hard sauce. cream one tablespoonful of butter, stir in four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and beat until very light, then add a teaspoonful of boiling water and beat again. flavor to suit taste. southern sauce. beat four tablespoonfuls of brown sugar with two tablespoonfuls of butter to a cream, and add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, set the bowl in a pan of hot water on the stove and stir until thick, add a glass of sherry, stir well and it is ready to serve. vanilla sauce. put a pint of rich milk in a double boiler, sweeten with two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar. while the milk is coming to the boiling point beat the yolks of four eggs until light and creamy, add the hot milk to the eggs, stirring briskly, then turn it into the boiler, stirring rapidly until it thickens, remove from the fire, turn into a bowl, flavor with vanilla extract and serve very cold. sauce for noodle pudding. four egg yolks, four ounces of sugar, a quarter of a cup of sherry, one teaspoonful of potato flour, half a cup of water, the rind of half and the juice of one lemon. beat quickly over hot water until the sauce thickens, then serve at once. maple syrup sauce. half a pound of maple sugar dissolved in half a cup of cream, or rich milk. if the latter is used add a teaspoonful of butter. savory sauces. in making sauces great care should be taken to have the saucepans scrupulously clean and only granite-ware or porcelain-lined saucepans should be used, especially where there is any acid as in tomatoes or pickles. never use an iron spider except for browning butter and flour together as they will not brown in a saucepan. vegetable stock for sauces. take any kinds of vegetables convenient, such as parsnips, celery, carrots, turnips, green pepper, onion, leek, parsley, celery tops, celery root, jerusalem artichokes, a bay leaf, two cloves, two allspice, and cook in water until tender; strain, pressing all from the vegetables. the water jerusalem artichokes are boiled in is valuable for sauces. the liquid from canned peas is also excellent. care must be taken in putting the vegetables together not to let any one predominate, turnip especially, as it makes a sauce very bitter. coloring for sauces, soups, etc. melt a quarter of a pound of granulated sugar in a spider, cook until it is a very dark, rich brown, almost black, stir constantly. great care must be taken that it does not burn. when done pour over it a quart of boiling water and let it cook until the caramel is entirely dissolved, pour it out and when cold strain and bottle. it will keep indefinitely and a tablespoonful will give color to a pint of liquid. olive sauce. melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider and when it begins to brown stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour, let it cook until a very dark brown, but be careful not to let it burn, then add enough rich vegetable stock to make a thick cream-like sauce. have ready some olives--six or seven, that have been boiled a few minutes in water and cut from the stones, add these to the sauce, season with pepper and salt to taste, bring to the boiling point and serve. sauce hollandaise. one-quarter of a pound of butter, one-quarter of a cup of water, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, the juice of a quarter of a lemon, a dash of cayenne, and the yolks of three eggs. beat the butter to a cream and stir in the yolks of eggs, one at a time, then the lemon juice, salt and pepper. set the bowl it is mixed in in a pan of boiling water on the fire, beating constantly with an egg beater, and when it begins to thicken stir in gradually the boiling water. when it is as thick as soft custard it is done. great care must be taken not to let it remain too long on the fire or it will curdle. drawn butter or cream sauce. melt a large heaping tablespoonful of butter and stir into it a heaping teaspoonful of flour, let them cook together without browning and add by degrees a cup of hot milk. curry sauce. curry sauce is made by adding curry powder to taste to a white sauce. it may likewise be added to a brown sauce. cheese sauce. a white or cream sauce with grated parmesan cheese added to taste. tomato sauce. melt a large tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan over the fire, when it bubbles put into it a small onion and half a green pepper, if convenient, chopped very fine. simmer gently for a few minutes, then stir in a heaping teaspoonful of flour, and add four nice, fresh tomatoes peeled and cut small--canned tomatoes may be used--a gill of vegetable stock, a clove and part of a bay leaf, and pepper and salt to taste. let it cook gently for half an hour and press through a fine sieve. sauce tartare may be made by beating a small tablespoonful of butter to a cream, adding salt, pepper, dry mustard and sugar to taste and the raw yolk of an egg. add a tablespoonful of olives, small cucumbers and capers chopped very fine and a few drops of onion juice. serve with mock fish cutlets and croquettes. sauce piquante. melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a spider and when it bubbles stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour, cook until it turns a dark brown, taking care not to let it burn, add to it enough well-seasoned vegetable stock to make the sauce the proper consistency, then pour it into a granite-ware saucepan and add one small cucumber pickle, two olives and a few capers, all chopped very fine; season with salt and pepper to taste. sandwiches. cheese sandwiches. half a pound of grated cheese, one tablespoonful of butter, the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs mashed very fine and a teaspoonful of mayonnaise dressing. mix the ingredients thoroughly; butter before cutting from the loaf some slices of brown or white home-made bread; spread with the mixture and fold together. celery sandwiches. use dainty little baking powder biscuits freshly baked but cold, or white home-made bread for these sandwiches. only the very tender part of celery should be used and chopped fine and put in iced water until needed. add a few chopped walnuts to the celery and enough mayonnaise dressing to hold them together; butter the bread before cutting from the loaf, spread one slice with the mixture and press another over it. if biscuits are used, split and butter them. they should be small and very thin for this purpose and browned delicately. nut and cream cheese sandwiches. boston brown bread buttered on the loaf and cut in very thin slices; spread with a filling of cream cheese and chopped walnut meats; press a buttered slice over it. they may be cut in fingers, rounds or half-moons. the proportion is three-quarters of a cup of nuts to a ten-cent package of philadelphia cream cheese. this quantity will make a large number of sandwiches. nut sandwiches. graham, rye, and boston brown bread make very nice sandwiches. butter the loaf and cut in very thin slices, sprinkle with chopped nuts and fold together. whole wheat bread and peanut sandwiches. chop the nuts very fine, butter the bread before cutting from the loaf, sprinkle the nuts thickly over the butter, press two slices together. boston brown bread with raisins is also nice for these sandwiches. olive sandwiches. prepare the bread and butter as for other sandwiches. it may be cut in squares, rounds or triangles to suit the fancy. stone and chop as many queen olives as needed and mix with them enough mayonnaise dressing to hold together, spread half the number of bread slices with the mixture and cover with the other half. brown, rye, whole wheat or white bread may be used. home-made is preferable, but it must be twelve hours old. sandwiches may be sweet or savory, may be cut round, square, or in triangles. sundries. crackers and cheese toasted. butter some zepherettes and sprinkle thickly with grated parmesan cheese, bake in a quick oven, or toast on a gridiron; serve hot. crackers with cream cheese and guava jelly. spread zepherettes with cream cheese and dot with guava jelly. welsh rarebit. half a pound of american cheese, two butter balls, two eggs, half a teaspoonful of mustard, a saltspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne pepper, half a cup of milk and an even saltspoonful of soda. cut the cheese fine, melt the butter in a chafing dish or spider, stir the mustard, salt and pepper with it, then add the cheese and milk; when the cheese is dissolved add the eggs slightly beaten and stir until it thickens. serve on toast. cheese soufflÉ. melt one tablespoonful of butter in a spider, add to it a slightly heaping tablespoonful of flour and one cup of hot milk, half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne pepper and one cup of grated parmesan cheese; then add the yolks of three eggs beaten light, remove from the fire and let it cool; then add the whites of eggs beaten stiff, turn into a pudding dish, bake twenty-five minutes and serve immediately. cheese straws. take two ounces of flour and three ounces of parmesan cheese grated (it is better to buy the cheese by the pound and have it grated at home), and two ounces of butter. rub the butter into the flour, add the cheese and a little salt and cayenne pepper, and make into a paste with the yolk of an egg; roll the paste out in a sheet about an eighth of an inch thick and five inches wide and cut in narrow strips; bake in a hot oven about ten minutes. pÂte À chou for soups. put a gill of milk and an ounce of butter into a saucepan over the fire; when it comes to the boiling point add two ounces of sifted flour; stir with a wooden spoon until thick and smooth, then add two eggs, one at a time, beating briskly; remove from the fire and spread out thin, cut in pieces, the size of a small bean, put them in a sieve, dredge with flour, shake it well and fry in boiling fat until a nice brown. add to the soup after it is in the tureen. a filling for patties. break two eggs in a bowl, add a little salt and white pepper, a few drops of onion juice and four tablespoonfuls of cream, beat slightly; turn into a buttered tin cup, stand in a saucepan with a little boiling water in it on the stove, cover and cook until stiff--about three or four minutes--remove from the fire, turn out of the cup. when ready to use cut in half-inch slices and then into stars or any fancy shape preferred, or into dice. make a cream sauce thicker than for other uses, that it may not run through the pastry; put them in the sauce, bring to the boiling point and fill the patties just as they are to be served. gruel of kernel flour or middlings. put a pint of boiling water in a saucepan over the fire; mix two heaping teaspoonfuls of the flour with a little cold water and stir into the boiling water. let it boil twenty minutes, add a little cream to it and salt. very nutritious. koumyss. dissolve a third of a cake of compressed yeast in a little tepid water; take a quart of milk, fresh from the cow, or warmed to blood heat, and add to it a tablespoonful of sugar and the dissolved yeast. put the mixture immediately in beer bottles with patent stoppers, filling to the neck, and let them stand for twelve hours where bread would be set to rise--that is, in a temperature of or degrees--then stand the bottles upside down on ice until wanted. home-made baking powder. procure from a reliable druggist one-half pound of the best bicarbonate of soda, one pound of cream of tartar and one-half pound of kingsford's cornstarch. mix thoroughly and sift three times, put up in small tins. the best baking powder. vanilla extract. one ounce of mexican vanilla bean, two ounces of loaf sugar, eight ounces of french rose water, twenty-four ounces of alcohol per cent. cut up the bean and pound with the sugar in a mortar, sift and pound again until all is a fine powder. mix the alcohol and rose water; put the vanilla in a paper filter, pour over it a little of the liquid at a time until all is used; filter again if not all is dissolved. paper filters may be obtained at any of the large drug stores. the extract may be darkened by using a little caramel. vanilla sugar. half a pound of loaf sugar, half an ounce of mexican vanilla beans. cut the beans very fine, pound in a mortar with the sugar; sift and pound again until all is fine. bottle and cork tight and keep in a dark place. spinach for coloring. pound some spinach in a mortar, adding a little water; squeeze through a cheese cloth, put in a saucepan over the fire, bring to a boil; when it curdles remove from the stove. strain through a very fine sieve; what remains on the under part of the sieve is the coloring. it is used for coloring pistache ice cream, jellies, etc. tomato paste for sandwiches. skin and cut small three large tomatoes, cook until tender and press through a sieve fine enough to retain the seeds; return to the fire, add two ounces of butter, two ounces of grated bread crumbs and two ounces of grated parmesan cheese. when it boils stir a beaten egg quickly into it, remove at once from the fire. it must not boil after the egg is added, as it will curdle. turn the mixture into a bowl and when cold, if it is not for immediate use, cover with melted butter. cheese paste for sandwiches. boil two eggs hard, separate the yolks from the whites, mash the yolks smooth and chop the whites very fine; mix and put through a vegetable press, then add butter the size of a small egg and three heaping tablespoonfuls of grated american cheese. beat together until it is a fine, smooth paste. if not salt enough add a little, and also dry mustard, if liked. miscellaneous recipes. tooth powder. precipitated chalk, seven ounces; florentine orris, four ounces; bicarbonate of soda, three ounces; powdered white castile soap, two ounces; thirty drops each of oil of wintergreen and sassafras. sift all together and keep in a glass jar or tin box. a very valuable recipe for hardening the teeth. japanese cream. four ounces of ammonia, four ounces of white castile soap cut fine, two ounces of alcohol, two ounces of price's glycerine and two ounces of ether. put the soap in one quart of water over the fire; when dissolved add four quarts of water; when cold add the other ingredients, bottle and cork tight. it will keep indefinitely. it should be made of soft water or rain water. to wash woolens, flannels, etc., take a teacup of the liquid to a pail of lukewarm water, and rinse in another pail of water with half a cup of the cream. iron while damp on the wrong side. for removing grass stains, paint, etc, use half water and half cream. orange flower lotion for the complexion. dissolve a slightly heaping tablespoonful of epsom salts in a pint of imported orange flower water (chiris de grasse), and add to it one tablespoonful of witch hazel. apply with a soft linen cloth. very refreshing in warm weather and an excellent remedy for oiliness of the skin. bay rum. three-quarters of an ounce of oil of bay, one ounce of loaf sugar, one pint of alcohol, per cent., two quarts of new new england rum and three pints of rectified spirits, per cent. roll the sugar until fine and beat into the oil of bay, add the alcohol, then the new england rum and spirits. let it stand for several days in a demijohn, shaking occasionally; then filter through blotting paper. the filters may be purchased at a druggist's. care should be taken to buy the oil at a reliable place. fine lavender water. two ounces finest oil of lavender, one ounce essence of musk, one-half ounce essence of ambergris, one-half ounce oil of bergamot and one-half gallon of rectified spirits. mix the ingredients, keep in a demijohn for several days, shaking occasionally. then filter and bottle. good hard soap. five pounds of grease, one quart and one cup of cold water, one can of potash, one heaping tablespoonful of borax, two tablespoonfuls of ammonia. dissolve the potash in the water, then add the borax and ammonia and stir in the lukewarm grease slowly and continue to stir until it becomes as thick as thick honey; then pour into a pan to harden. when firm cut into cakes. grease that is no longer fit to fry in is used for this soap. strain it carefully that no particles of food are left in it. it makes no difference how brown the grease is, the soap will become white and float in water. it should be kept a month before using. polish for hard or stained wood floors. eight ounces of yellow beeswax, two quarts of spirits of turpentine, one quart of venetian turpentine. cut the wax in small pieces and pour the spirits over it--it will soon dissolve; then bottle. apply with a flannel or soft cloth. it keeps the floors in excellent order. contents. breads, rolls, etc. page biscuits, beaten, no. " " " " baking powder " cream rolls, french " windsor " elizabetti's " rye flour " gluten " parker house boston brown bread " " " with raisins " " " stewed graham bread rye bread quick white bread date bread coffee bread, no. " " " norwegian rolls and zwieback rice muffins laplands english muffins graham popovers " gems gems of kernel (middlings) and white flour " " rye meal corn batter bread " bread " griddle cakes white bread griddle cakes boston brown bread griddle cakes waffles rolls, epicurean bread from rummer flour biscuits of kernel or graham flour eggs. eggs, to soft boil " " hard boil " à la crême " au gratin " nun's toast " à la maître d'hôtel " timbales of " stuffed with mushrooms " with cream " curried " stuffed " " and fried " fricasseed " chops omelet, plain " with cheese " " mushrooms " " tomatoes eggs, poached with tomato catsup " " in cream " " in tomatoes " in a brown sauce soups. cream of jerusalem artichokes " " asparagus " " lima beans " " cauliflower " " celery " " chestnuts " " cucumbers " " summer squash " " lettuce " " mushrooms " " green peas " " rice " " spinach carrot celeriac mock clam corn and tomato crécy curry mock fish norwegian sweet onion green pea, no. " " " potato purée of vegetables " " turnips vegetable tomato barley black bean, with mock meat balls entrÉes. egg border, with rice and curry sauce rice border, with vegetables or hard-boiled eggs in cream sauce mock chicken, a timbale of, with sauce spaghettina, a mould of spinach, a border mould of, with filling mock codfish balls " fish balls, in curry or cream sauce " fish, (a norwegian dish) " meat spaghettina chops tomato chops fried bread, a savory mock fish chops spaghettina, fricassee of mushrooms, en coquille egg plant, a ragout of patties of puff paste rice, a savory of (mexican dish) asparagus, a ragout of, with mock meat balls rice, curried, croquettes of mock fish croquettes walnut croquettes mushrooms, a ragout of mock chicken croquettes vegetables. potatoes, to boil " baked " mashed " new, with cream sauce " broiled " à la crême au gratin " stuffed " fricasseed " à la duchesse " saratoga chips " french fried " à la maître d'hôtel " lyonnaise " à la parisienne " creamed and browned " puff " white, croquettes " papa " sweet, fried raw " " " cooked " " mashed and browned " " croquettes brussels sprouts okra and tomatoes beets peas, purée of beans, lima, purée of cucumbers, purée of " stuffed " stuffed with mushrooms egg plant, escalloped " " stuffed corn, green, cakes of " pudding " green, mock oysters of " boiled on the cob " curry of celeriac and salsify, croquettes of indian curry of vegetables kohlrabi beans, marrowfat, baked " bayo, no. " " " emparadas frijoles fritos mushrooms, broiled " on toast " stewed in cream sauce tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms, no. " " " " " escalloped tomatoes tomatoes with egg french carrots in brown sauce " " and peas spinach pudding " balls tomatoes and mushrooms rice, to boil plain cauliflower with drawn butter escalloped cauliflower " spaghettina chestnuts, purée of beans, dried white, purée of squash pudding " fritters summer squash rice croquettes celeriac, fricassee of turnip, yellow, ragout of tomatoes stuffed with cheese artichokes, jerusalem asparagus pointes d'asperges cabbage, purple, with chestnuts parsnips, croquettes, with walnuts " fried parsnip fritters beans, string, to cook onions, spanish, stuffed celeriac stuffed with spanish sauce cabbage, spring, stewed " " in cream sauce turnips, " " " white bread balls noodles " à la ferrari gnocchi à la romaine salads. mayonnaise dressing, for salads cream " " " french " " " tomato ice salad tomato jelly salad spaghettina and celery salad salad of fairy rings and puff ball mushrooms salad of fresh fruit cucumber jelly walnut and celery salad pineapple and celery salad fruit salad potato salad tomatoes stuffed with celery celeriac and lettuce salad raw jerusalem artichokes and lettuce salad salad à la macédoine asparagus salad cucumber salad cold slaw tomato salad endive egg salad fruit desserts. apple betty " charlotte " croquettes " stewed whole " soufflé " custard, no. " " " " baked dumplings of " float " fried " marmalade " meringue " pudding, no. " " " " stewed in butter apples, to steam " scalloped banana fritters cherry cake (a bavarian recipe) cranberry bavarian cream fresh fruit, a mould of mixed fruit, a dessert of gooseberry pudding pineapple meringue prune soufflé prunes, a mould of dried figs, stewed rhubarb meringue " scalloped rice and date pudding " " fig " " " raisin " " " prune " " flour pudding " soufflé " pudding, no. " " " " omelet soufflé strawberry shortcake, no. " " " strawberries in ladies' locks " scalloped currant pudding stewed dates stuffed dates tapioca and apple pudding " " strawberry jelly " " raspberry " " " currant " pearl sago and fruit jellies desserts. puddings. bread and butter pudding, no. " " " " " " custard fried bread chocolate cream " custard " pudding cottage pudding caramel custard, baked soft-boiled custard a simple dessert ginger cream graham pudding nalesneky (a russian recipe) noodle pudding paradise pudding princess pudding english plum pudding sago soufflé semoulina pudding serniky (a russian recipe) steamed pudding sponge cake meringue stale cake pudding baked tapioca pudding tapioca cream steamed rice rice cake brown bread pudding ice creams and water ices. vanilla ice cream coffee ice cream strawberry ice cream raspberry " " walnut " " orange " " strawberry water ice white currant " " pineapple " " lemon " " raspberry " " frozen pudding windsor rock punch cakes. cake making angel cake berlinerkrands blueberry cake cinnamon cake cream puffs lady cake honey cake (a norwegian recipe) simple fruit cake bavarian cake pound cake sponge cake, no. " " " corn sponge cake (a spanish recipe) spiced gingerbread cream " ginger sponge cake soft gingerbread ginger cakes " snaps, no. " " " hard gingerbread brandy snaps pepper nuts, no. " " " tea cakes fig cake ginger layer cake orange cake pineapple cake chocolate layer cake poor man's cake (a norwegian recipe) venison cakes (a norwegian recipe) seed cakes drop " lebkuchen macaroons (a bavarian recipe) chocolate macaroons (a bavarian recipe) soda cakes walnut wafers jode cakes frosting boiled icing pies. plain pastry puff paste one squash or pumpkin pie, to make sweet rissoles richmond maids of honor cheese cakes cocoanut pie lemon pie mince meat candies. chocolate caramels, no. " " " " " " " cream peppermints candy, to pull chestnuts, glacé cocoanut cakes hoarhound candy marshmallows nougat panoche (a spanish recipe) peppermint drops pralines vassar fudge preserves. mixed fruits red currant jam " " jelly " " syrup black " " cranberry jam gooseberry jelly " jam grape jam pineapple jam raspberry or strawberry jam orange marmalade pumpkin chips pickles, sauces, etc. ripe cucumber pickle sweet pickled peaches " " plums spiced currants chili sauce " pepper sauce mustard pickles ripe tomato pickle green " " gooseberry catsup raspberry vinegar sweet sauces. fruit sauce fresh fruit sauce orange sauce banana " foaming " hard " southern " vanilla " sauce for noodle pudding maple syrup sauce savory sauces. vegetable stock for sauces coloring for sauces, soups, etc. olive sauce sauce hollandaise drawn butter or cream sauce curry sauce cheese " tomato " sauce tartare sauce piquante sandwiches. cheese sandwiches celery " nut and cream cheese sandwiches " sandwiches whole wheat bread and peanut sandwiches olive sandwiches sundries. crackers and cheese, toasted " with cream cheese and guava jelly welsh rarebit cheese soufflé " straws pâte à chou, for soups a filling for patties gruel of kernel flour or middlings koumyss home-made baking powder vanilla extract " sugar spinach, for coloring tomato paste, for sandwiches cheese " " " miscellaneous recipes. tooth powder japanese cream orange flower lotion, for the complexion bay rum fine lavender water good hard soap polish for hard or stained wood floors [ transcriber's note: the following is a list of corrections made to the original. the first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. curaçoa, and beat until light and foaming. curaçao, and beat until light and foaming. salad à la macedoine salad à la macédoine nalesneky (a russian recipe.) nalesneky (a russian recipe) ] the virginia housewife or, methodical cook by mrs. mary randolph method is the soul of management preface the difficulties i encountered when i first entered on the duties of a housekeeping life, from the want of books sufficiently clear and concise to impart knowledge to a tyro, compelled me to study the subject, and by actual experiment to reduce every thing in the culinary line, to proper weights and measures. this method i found not only to diminish the necessary attention and labour, but to be also economical: for, when the ingredients employed were given in just proportions, the article made was always equally good. the government of a family, bears a lilliputian resemblance to the government of a nation. the contents of the treasury must be known, and great care taken to keep the expenditures from being equal to the receipts. a regular system must be introduced into each department, which may be modified until matured, and should then pass into an inviolable law. the grand arcanum of management lies in three simple rules:--"let every thing be done at a proper time, keep every thing in its proper place, and put every thing to its proper use." if the mistress of a family, will every morning examine minutely the different departments of her household, she must detect errors in their infant state, when they can be corrected with ease; but a few days' growth gives them gigantic strength: and disorder, with all her attendant evils, are introduced. early rising is also essential to the good government of a family. a late breakfast deranges the whole business of the day, and throws a portion of it on the next, which opens the door for confusion to enter. the greater part of the following receipts have been written from memory, where they were impressed by long continued practice. should they prove serviceable to the young inexperienced housekeeper, it will add greatly to that gratification which an extensive circulation of the work will be likely to confer. m. randolph. washington, january, . introduction. management is an art that may be acquired by every woman of good sense and tolerable memory. if, unfortunately, she has been bred in a family where domestic business is the work of chance, she will have many difficulties to encounter; but a determined resolution to obtain this valuable knowledge, will enable her to surmount all obstacles. she must begin the day with an early breakfast, requiring each person to be in readiness to take their seats when the muffins, buckwheat cakes, &c. are placed on the table. this looks social and comfortable. when the family breakfast by detachments, the table remains a tedious time; the servants are kept from their morning's meal, and a complete derangement takes place in the whole business of the day. no work can be done till breakfast is finished. the virginia ladies, who are proverbially good managers, employ themselves, while their servants are eating, in washing the cups, glasses, &c.; arranging the cruets, the mustard, salt-sellers, pickle vases, and all the apparatus for the dinner table. this occupies but a short time, and the lady has the satisfaction of knowing that they are in much better order than they would be if left to the servants. it also relieves her from the trouble of seeing the dinner table prepared, which should be done every day with the same scrupulous regard to exact neatness and method, as if a grand company was expected. when the servant is required to do this daily, he soon gets into the habit of doing it well; and his mistress having made arrangements for him in the morning, there is no fear of bustle and confusion in running after things that may be called for during the hour of dinner. when the kitchen breakfast is over, and the cook has put all things in their proper places, the mistress should go in to give her orders. let all the articles intended for the dinner, pass in review before her: have the butter, sugar, flour, meal, lard, given out in proper quantities; the catsup, spice, wine, whatever may be wanted for each dish, measured to the cook. the mistress must tax her own memory with all this: we have no right to expect slaves or hired servants to be more attentive to our interest than we ourselves are: they will never recollect these little articles until they are going to use them; the mistress must then be called out, and thus have the horrible drudgery of keeping house all day, when one hour devoted to it in the morning, would release her from trouble until the next day. there is economy as well as comfort in a regular mode of doing business. when the mistress gives out every thing, there is no waste; but if temptation be thrown in the way of subordinates, not many will have power to resist it; besides, it is an immoral act to place them in a situation which we pray to be exempt from ourselves. the prosperity and happiness of a family depend greatly on the order and regularity established in it. the husband, who can ask a friend to partake of his dinner in full confidence of finding his wife unruffled by the petty vexations attendant on the neglect of household duties--who can usher his guest into the dining-room assured of seeing that methodical nicety which is the essence of true elegance,--will feel pride and exultation in the possession of a companion, who gives to his home charms that gratify every wish of his soul, and render the haunts of dissipation hateful to him. the sons bred in such a family will be moral men, of steady habits; and the daughters, if the mother shall have performed the duties of a parent in the superintendence of their education, as faithfully as she has done those of a wife, will each be a treasure to her husband; and being formed on the model of an exemplary mother, will use the same means for securing the happiness of her own family, which she has seen successfully practised under the paternal roof. contents. soups. asparagus soup beef soup gravy soup soup with bouilli veal soup oyster soup barley soup dried pea soup green pea soup ochra soup hare or rabbit soup soup of any kind of old fowl catfish soup onion soup to dress turtle for the soup mock turtle soup of calf's head beef. directions for curing beef to dry beef for summer use to corn beef in hot weather important observations on roasting, boiling, frying, &c. beef a-la-mode brisket of beef baked beef olives to stew a rump of beef a fricando of beef an excellent method of dressing beef to collar a flank of beef to make hunter's beef a nice little dish of beef beef steaks to hash beef beef steak pie beef a-la-daube veal. directions for the pieces in the different quarters of veal veal cutlets from the fillet or leg veal chops veal cutlets knuckle of veal baked fillet of veal scotch collops of veal veal olives ragout of a breast of veal fricando of veal to make a pie of sweetbreads and oysters mock turtle of calf's head to grill a calf's head to collar a calf's head calf's heart, a nice dish calf's feet fricassee to fry calf's feet to prepare rennet to hash a calf's head to bake a calf's head to stuff and roast calf's liver to broil calf's liver directions for cleaning calf's head and feet lamb. to roast the fore-quarter, &c. baked lamb fried lamb to dress lamb's head and feet mutton. boiled leg of mutton roasted leg of mutton baked leg of mutton steaks of a leg of mutton to harrico mutton mutton chops boiled breast of mutton breast of mutton in ragout to grill a breast of mutton boiled shoulder of mutton shoulder of mutton with celery sauce roasted loin of mutton pork. to cure bacon to make souse to roast a pig to barbecue shote to roast a fore-quarter of shote to make shote cutlets to corn shote shote's head leg of pork with pease pudding stewed chine to toast a ham to stuff a ham soused feet in ragout to make sausages to make black puddings a sea pie to make paste for the pie bologna sausages fish. to cure herrings to bake sturgeon to make sturgeon cutlets sturgeon steaks to boil sturgeon to bake a shad to boil a shad to roast a shad to broil a shad to boil rock fish to fry perch to pickle oysters to make a curry of catfish to dress a cod's head and shoulders to make sauce for the cod's head to dress a salt cod matelote of any kind of firm fish chowder, a sea dish to pickle sturgeon to caveach fish to dress cod fish cod fish pie to dress any kind of salted fish to fricassee cod sounds and tongues an excellent way to dress fish fish a-la-daub fish in jelly to make egg sauce for a salt cod to dress cod sounds to stew carp to boil eels to pitchcock eels to broil eels to scollop oysters to fry oysters to make oyster loaves poultry, &c. to roast a goose to make sauce for a goose to boil ducks with onion sauce to make onion sauce to roast ducks to boil a turkey with oyster sauce to make sauce for a turkey to roast a turkey to make sauce for a turkey to boil fowls to make white sauce for fowls fricassee of small chickens to roast large fowls to make egg sauce to boil young chickens to roast young chickens fried chickens to roast woodcocks or snipes to roast wild ducks or teal to boil pigeons to roast pigeons to roast partridges or any small birds to broil rabbits to roast rabbits to stew wild ducks to dress ducks with juice of oranges to dress ducks with onions to roast a calf's head to make a dish of curry after the east indian manner dish of rice to be served up with the curry, in a dish by itself ochra and tomatos gumbo--a west india dish pepper pot spanish method of dressing giblets paste for meat dumplins to make an ollo--a spanish dish ropa veija--spanish chicken pudding, a favourite virginia dish to make polenta macaroni mock macaroni to make croquets to make vermicelli common patties eggs in croquets omelette souffle fondus a nice twelve o'clock luncheon eggs a-la-creme sauce a-la-creme for the eggs cabbage a-la-creme to make an omelette omelette--another way gaspacho--spanish eggs and tomatos to fricassee eggs sauces. fish sauce to keep a year sauce for wild fowl sauce for boiled rabbits gravy forcemeat balls sauce for boiled ducks or rabbits lobster sauce shrimp sauce oyster sauce for fish celery sauce mushroom sauce common sauce to melt butter caper sauce oyster catsup celery vinegar vegetables. to dress salad to boil potatos to fry sliced potatos potatos mashed potatos mashed with onions to roast potatos to roast potatos under meat potato balls jerusalem artichokes cabbage savoys sprouts and young greens asparagus sea-kale to scollop tomatos to stew tomatos cauliflower red beet roots parsnips carrots turnips to mash turnips turnip tops french beans artichokes brocoli peas puree of turnips ragout of turnips ragout of french beans, snaps, string beans mazagan beans lima, or sugar beans turnip rooted cabbage egg plant potato pumpkin sweet potato sweet potatos stewed sweet potatos broiled spinach sorrel cabbage pudding squash or cimlin winter squash field peas cabbage with onions salsify stewed salsify stewed mushrooms broiled mushrooms to boil rice rice journey, or johnny cake puddings, &c. observations on puddings and cakes rice milk for a dessert to make puff paste to make mince-meat for pies to make jelly from feet a sweet-meat pudding to make an orange pudding an apple custard boiled loaf transparent pudding flummery burnt custard an english plum pudding marrow pudding sippet pudding sweet potato pudding an arrow root pudding sago pudding puff pudding rice pudding plum pudding almond pudding quire of paper pancakes a curd pudding lemon pudding bread pudding the henrietta pudding tansey pudding cherry pudding apple pie baked apple pudding a nice boiled pudding an excellent and cheap dessert dish sliced apple pudding baked indian meal pudding boiled indian meal pudding pumpkin pudding fayette pudding maccaroni pudding potato paste compote of apples charlotte apple fritters bell fritters bread fritters spanish fritters to make mush cakes. jumbals macaroone to make drop biscuit tavern biscuit rusk ginger bread plebeian ginger bread sugar ginger bread dough nuts--a yankee cake risen cake pound cake savoy, or spunge cake a rich fruit cake naples biscuit shrewsbury cakes little plum cakes soda cakes to make bread to make nice biscuit rice bread mixed bread patent yeast to prepare the cakes another method for making yeast nice, buns muffins french rolls crumpets apoquiniminc cakes batter cakes batter bread cream cakes soufle biscuits corn meal bread sweet potato buns rice woffles velvet cakes chocolate cakes wafers buckwheat cakes observations on ice creams ice creams vanilla cream raspberry cream strawberry cream cocoa nut cream chocolate cream oyster cream iced jelly peach cream coffee cream quince cream citron cream almond cream lemon cream lemonade iced to make custard to make a trifle rice blanc mange floating island syllabub cold creams lemon cream orange cream raspberry cream tea cream sago cream barley cream gooseberry fool to make slip curds and cream blanc mange to make a hen's nest pheasants a-la-daub partridges a-la-daub chickens a-la-daub to make savoury jelly turkey a-la-daub salmagundi an excellent relish after dinner to stew perch preserves directions for making preserves to preserve cling-stone peaches cling-stones sliced soft peaches peach marmalade peach chips pears pear marmalade quinces currant jelly quince jelly quince marmalade cherries morello cherries to dry cherries raspberry jam to preserve strawberries strawberry jam gooseberries apricots in brandy peaches in brandy cherries in brandy magnum bonum plums in brandy pickling. lemon pickle tomato catsup tomato marmalade tomato sweet marmalade tomato soy pepper vinegar mushroom catsup tarragon or astragon vinegar curry powder to pickle cucumbers oil mangos to make the stuffing for forty melons to make yellow pickle to make green pickles to prepare vinegar for green or yellow pickle to pickle onions to pickle nastertiums to pickle radish pods to pickle english walnuts to pickle peppers to make walnut catsup to pickle green nectarines, or apricots to pickle asparagus observations on pickling cordials, &c ginger wine orgeat cherry shrub currant wine to make cherry brandy rose brandy peach cordial raspberry cordial raspberry vinegar mint cordial hydromel, or mead to make a substitute for arrack lemon cordial ginger beer spruce beer molasses beer to keep lemon juice sugar vinegar honey vinegar syrup of vinegar aromatic vinegar vinegar of the four thieves lavender water hungarian water to prepare cosmetic soap for washing the hands cologne water soft pomatum to make soap to make starch to dry herbs to clean silver utensils to make blacking to clean knives and forks soups asparagus soup. take four large bunches of asparagus, scrape it nicely, cut off one inch of the tops, and lay them in water, chop the stalks and put them on the fire with a piece of bacon, a large onion cut up, and pepper and salt; add two quarts of water, boil them till the stalks are quite soft, then pulp them through a sieve, and strain the water to it, which must be put back in the pot; put into it a chicken cut up, with the tops of asparagus which had been laid by, boil it until these last articles are sufficiently done, thicken with flour, butter and milk, and serve it up. * * * * * beef soup. take the hind shin of beef, cut off all the flesh off the leg-bone, which must be taken away entirely, or the soup will be greasy. wash the meat clean and lay it in a pot, sprinkle over it one small table-spoonful of pounded black pepper, and two of salt; three onions the size of a hen's egg, cut small, six small carrots scraped and cut up, two small turnips pared and cut into dice; pour on three quarts of water, cover the pot close, and keep it gently and steadily boiling five hours, which will leave about three pints of clear soup; do not let the pot boil over, but take off the scum carefully, as it rises. when it has boiled four hours, put in a small bundle of thyme and parsley, and a pint of celery cut small, or a tea-spoonful of celery seed pounded. these latter ingredients would lose their delicate flavour if boiled too much. just before you take it up, brown it in the following manner: put a small table-spoonful of nice brown sugar into an iron skillet, set it on the fire and stir it till it melts and looks very dark, pour into it a ladle full of the soup, a little at a time; stirring it all the while. strain this browning and mix it well with the soup; take out the bundle of thyme and parsley, put the nicest pieces of meat in your tureen, and pour on the soup and vegetables; put in some toasted bread cut in dice, and serve it up. * * * * * gravy soup. get eight pounds of coarse lean beef--wash it clean and lay it in your pot, put in the same ingredients as for the shin soup, with the same quantity of water, and follow the process directed for that. strain the soup through a sieve, and serve it up clear, with nothing more than toasted bread in it; two table-spoonsful of mushroom catsup will add a fine flavour to the soup. * * * * * soup with bouilli. take the nicest part of the thick brisket of beef, about eight pounds, put it into a pot with every thing directed for the other soup; make it exactly in the same way, only put it on an hour sooner, that you may have time to prepare the bouilli; after it has boiled five hours, take out the beef, cover up the soup and set it near the fire that it may keep hot. take the skin off the beef, have the yelk of an egg well beaten, dip a feather in it and wash the top of your beef, sprinkle over it the crumb of stale bread finely grated, put it in a dutch oven previously heated, put the top on with coals enough to brown, but not burn the beef; let it stand nearly an hour, and prepare your gravy thus:--take a sufficient quantity of soup and the vegetables boiled in it; add to it a table-spoonful of red wine, and two of mushroom catsup, thicken with a little bit of butter and a little brown flour; make it very hot, pour it in your dish, and put the beef on it. garnish it with green pickle, cut in thin slices, serve up the soup in a tureen with bits of toasted bread. * * * * * veal soup. put into a pot three quarts of water, three onions cut small, one spoonful of black pepper pounded, and two of salt, with two or three slices of lean ham; let it boil steadily two hours; skim it occasionally, then put into it a shin of veal, let it boil two hours longer; take out the slices of ham, and skim off the grease if any should rise, take a gill of good cream, mix with it two table-spoonsful of flour very nicely, and the yelks of two eggs beaten well, strain this mixture, and add some chopped parsley; pour some soup on by degrees, stir it well, and pour it into the pot, continuing to stir until it has boiled two or three minutes to take off the raw taste of the eggs. if the cream be not perfectly sweet, and the eggs quite new, the thickening will curdle in the soup. for a change you may put a dozen ripe tomatos in, first taking off their skins, by letting them stand a few minutes in hot water, when they may be easily peeled. when made in this way you must thicken it with the flour only. any part of the veal may be used, but the shin or knuckle is the nicest. * * * * * oyster soup. wash and drain two quarts of oysters, put them on with three quarts of water, three onions chopped up, two or three slices of lean ham, pepper and salt; boil it till reduced one-half, strain it through a sieve, return the liquid into the pot, put in one quart of fresh oysters, boil it till they are sufficiently done, and thicken the soup with four spoonsful of flour, two gills of rich cream, and the yelks of six new laid eggs beaten well; boil it a few minutes after the thickening is put in. take care that it does not curdle, and that the flour is not in lumps; serve it up with the last oysters that were put in. if the flavour of thyme be agreeable, you may put in a little, but take care that it does not boil in it long enough to discolour the soup. * * * * * barley soup. put on three gills of barley, three quarts of water, few onions cut up, six carrots scraped and cut into dice, an equal quantity of turnips cut small; boil it gently two hours, then put in four or five pounds of the rack or neck of mutton, a few slices of lean ham, with pepper and salt; boil it slowly two hours longer and serve it up. tomatos are an excellent addition to this soup. * * * * * dried pea soup. take one quart of split peas, or lima beans, which are better; put them in three quarts of very soft water with three onions chopped up, pepper and salt; boil them two hours; mash them well and pass them through a sieve; return the liquid into the pot, thicken it with a large piece of butter and flour, put in some slices of nice salt pork, and a large tea-spoonful of celery seed pounded; boil it till the pork is done, and serve it up; have some toasted bread cut into dice and fried in butter, which must be put in the tureen before you pour in the soup. * * * * * green pea soup. make it exactly as you do the dried pea soup, only in place of the celery seed, put a handful of mint chopped small, and a pint of young peas, which must be boiled in the soup till tender; thicken it with a quarter of a pound of butter, and two spoonsful of flour. * * * * * ochra soup. get two double handsful of young ochra, wash and slice it thin, add two onions chopped fine, put it into a gallon of water at a very early hour in an earthen pipkin, or very nice iron pot; it must be kept steadily simmering, but not boiling: put in pepper and salt. at o'clock, put in a handful of lima beans; at half-past one o'clock, add three young cimlins cleaned and cut in small pieces, a fowl, or knuckle of veal, a bit of bacon or pork that has been boiled, and six tomatos, with the skin taken off; when nearly done, thicken with a spoonful of butter, mixed with one of flour. have rice boiled to eat with it. * * * * * hare or rabbit soup. cut up two hares, put them into a pot with a piece of bacon, two onions chopped, a bundle of thyme and parsley, which must be taken out before the soup is thickened, add pepper, salt, pounded cloves, and mace, put in a sufficient quantity of water, stew it gently three hours, thicken with a large spoonful of butter, and one of brown flour, with a glass of red wine; boil it a few minutes longer, and serve it up with the nicest parts of the hares. squirrels make soup equally good, done the same way. * * * * * soup of any kind of old fowl. _the, only way in which they are eatable._ put the fowls in a coop and feed them moderately for a fortnight; kill one and cleanse it, cut off the legs and wings, and separate the breast from the ribs, which, together with the whole back, must be thrown away, being too gross and strong for use. take the skin and fat from the parts cut off which are also gross. wash the pieces nicely, and put them on the fire with abort a pound of bacon, a large onion chopped small, some pepper and salt, a few blades of mace, a handful of parsley, cut up very fine, and two quarts of water, if it be a common fowl or duck--a turkey will require more water. boil it gently for three hours, tie up a small bunch of thyme, and let it boil in it half an hour, then take it out. thicken your soup with a large spoonful of butter rubbed into two of flour, the yelks of two eggs, and half a pint of milk. be careful not to let it curdle in the soup. * * * * * catfish soup. _an excellent dish for those who have not imbibed a needless prejudice against those delicious fish._ take two large or four small white catfish that have been caught in deep water, cut off the heads, and skin and clean the bodies; cut each in three parts, put them in a pot, with a pound of lean bacon, a large onion cut up, a handful of parsley chopped small, some pepper and salt, pour in a sufficient quantity of water, and stew them till the fish are quite tender but not broken; beat the yelks of four fresh eggs, add to them a large spoonful of butter, two of flour, and half a pint of rich milk; make all these warm and thicken the soup, take out the bacon, and put some of the fish in your tureen, pour in the soup, and serve it up. * * * * * onion soup. chop up twelve large onions, boil them in three quarts of milk and water equally mixed, put in a bit of veal or fowl, and a piece of bacon with pepper and salt. when the onions are boiled to pulp, thicken it with a large spoonful of butter mixed with one of flour. take out the meat, and serve it up with toasted bread cut in small pieces in the soup. * * * * * to dress turtle. kill it at night in winter, and in the morning in summer. hang it up by the hind fins, cut off the head and let it bleed well. separate the bottom shell from the top, with great care, lest the gall bladder be broken, which must be cautiously taken out and thrown away. put the liver in a bowl of water. empty the guts and lay them in water; if there be eggs, put them also in water. it is proper to have a separate bowl of water for each article. cut all the flesh from the bottom shell, and lay it in water; then break the shell in two, put it in a pot after having washed it clean; pour on as much water as will cover it entirely, add one pound of middling, or flitch of bacon, with four onions chopped, and set it on the fire to boil. open the guts, cleanse them perfectly; take off the inside skin, and put them in the pot with the shell; let them boil steadily for three hours, and if the water boils away too much, add more. wash the top shell nicely after taking out the flesh, cover it, and set it by. parboil the fins, clean them nicely--taking off all the black skin, and put them in water; cut the flesh taken from the bottom and top shell, in small pieces; cut the fins in two, lay them with the flesh in a dish; sprinkle some salt over, and cover them up. when the shell, &c. is done, take out the bacon, scrape the shell clean, and strain the liquor; about one quart of which must be put back in the pot; reserve the rest for soup; pick out the guts, and cut them in small pieces; take all the nice bits that were strained out, put them with the guts into the gravy; lay in the fins cut in pieces with them, and as much of the flesh as will be sufficient to fill the upper shell; add to it, (if a large turtle,) one bottle of white wine; cayenne pepper, and salt, to your taste, one gill of mushroom catsup, one gill of lemon pickle, mace, nutmegs and cloves, pounded, to season it high. mix two large spoonsful of flour in one pound and a quarter of butter; put it in with thyme, parsley, marjoram and savory, tied in bunches; stew all these together, till the flesh and fins are tender; wash out the top shell, put a puff paste around the brim; sprinkle over the shell pepper and salt, then take the herbs out of the stew; if the gravy is not thick enough, add a little more flour, and fill the shell; should there be no eggs in the turtle, boil six new laid ones for ten minutes, put them in cold water a short time, peel them, cut them in two, and place them on the turtle; make a rich forcemeat, (see receipt for forcemeat,) fry the balls nicely, and put them also in the shell; set it in a dripping pan, with something under the sides to keep it steady; have the oven heated as for bread, and let it remain in it till nicely browned. fry the liver and send it in hot. * * * * * for the soup. at an early hour in the morning, put on eight pounds of coarse beef, some bacon, onions, sweet herbs, pepper and salt. make a rich soup, strain it and thicken with a bit of butter, and brown flour; add to it the water left from boiling the bottom shell; season it very high with wine, catsup, spice and cayenne; put in the flesh you reserved, and if that is not enough, add the nicest parts of a well boiled calf's head; but do not use the eyes or tongue; let it boil till tender, and serve it up with fried forcemeat balls in it. if you have curry powder, (see receipt for it,) it will give a higher flavour to both soup and turtle, than spice. should you not want soup, the remaining flesh may be fried, and served with a rich gravy. * * * * * mock turtle soup of calf's head. have a large head cleaned nicely without taking off the skin, divide the chop from the front of the head, take out the tongue, (which is best when salted,) put on the head with a gallon of water, the hock of a ham or a piece of nice pork, four or five onions, thyme, parsley, cloves and nutmeg, pepper and salt, boil all these together until the flesh on the head is quite tender, then take it up, cut all into small pieces, take the eyes out carefully, strain the water in which it was boiled, add half a pint of wine and a gill of mushroom catsup, let it boil slowly till reduced to two quarts, thicken it with two spoonsful of browned flour rubbed into four ounces of butter, put the meat in, and after stewing it a short time, serve it up. the eyes are a great delicacy. * * * * * beef. directions for curing beef. prepare your brine in the middle of october, after the following manner: get a thirty gallon cask, take out one head, drive in the bung, and put some pitch on it, to prevent leaking. see that the cask is quite tight and clean. put into it one pound of saltpetre powdered, fifteen quarts of salt, and fifteen gallons of cold water; stir it frequently, until dissolved, throw over the cask a thick cloth, to keep out the dust; look at it often and take off the scum. these proportions have been accurately ascertained--fifteen gallons of cold water will exactly hold, in solution, fifteen quarts of good clean liverpool salt, and one pound of saltpetre: this brine will be strong enough to bear up an egg: if more salt be added, it will fall to the bottom without strengthening the brine, the water being already saturated. this brine will cure all the beef which a private family can use in the course of the winter, and requires nothing more to be done to it except occasionally skimming the dross that rises. it must be kept in a cool, dry place. for salting your beef, get a molasses hogshead and saw it in two, that the beef may have space to lie on; bore some holes in the bottom of these tubs, and raise them on one side about an inch, that the bloody brine may run off. be sure that your beef is newly killed--rub each piece very well with good liverpool salt--a vast deal depends upon rubbing the salt into every part--it is unnecessary to put saltpetre on it; sprinkle a good deal of salt on the bottom of the tub. when the beef is well salted, lay it in the tub, and be sure you put the fleshy side downward. put a great deal of salt on your beef after it is packed in the tub; this protects it from animals who might eat, if they could smell it, and does not waste the salt, for the beef can only dissolve a certain portion. you must let the beef lie in salt ten days, then take it out, brush off the salt, and wipe it with a damp cloth; put it in the brine with a bit of board and weight to keep it under. in about ten days it will look red and be fit for the table, but it will be red much sooner when the brine becomes older. the best time to begin to salt beef is the latter end of october, if the weather be cool, and from that time have it in succession. when your beef is taken out of the tub, stir the salt about to dry, that it may be ready for the next pieces. tongues are cured in the same manner. * * * * * to dry beef for summer use. the best pieces for this purpose are the thin briskets, or that part of the plate which is farthest from the shoulder of the animal, the round and rib pieces which are commonly used for roasting. these should not be cut with long ribs and the back-bones must be sawed off as close as possible, that the piece may lay flat in the dish. about the middle of february, select your beef from an animal well fatted with corn, and which, when killed, will weigh one hundred and fifty per quarter--larger oxen are always coarse. salt the pieces as directed, let them lie one fortnight, then put them in brine, where they must remain three weeks: take them out at the end of the time, wipe them quite dry, rub them over with bran, and hang them in a cool, dry, and, if possible, dark place, that the flies may not get to them: they must be suspended, and not allowed to touch any thing. it will be necessary, in the course of the summer, to look them over occasionally, and after a long wet season, to lay them in the sun a few hours. your tongues may be dried in the same manner: make a little hole in the root, run a twine through it, and suspend it. these dried meats must be put in a good quantity of water, to soak, the night before they are to be used. in boiling it is absolutely necessary to have a large quantity of water to put the beef in while the water is cold, to boil steadily, skimming the pot, until the bones are ready to fall out; and, if a tongue, till the skin peels off with perfect ease: the skin must also be taken from the beef. the housekeeper who will buy good ox beef, and follow these directions exactly, may be assured of always having delicious beef on her table. ancient prejudice has established a notion, that meat killed in the decrease of the moon, will draw up when cooked. the true cause of this shrinking, may be found in the old age of the animal, or in its diseased state, at the time of killing. the best age is from three to five years. few persons are aware of the injury they sustain, by eating the flesh of diseased animals. none but the jewish butchers, who are paid exclusively for it, attend to this important circumstance. the best rule for judging that i have been able to discover, is the colour of the fat. when the fat of beef is a high shade of yellow, i reject it. if the fat of veal, mutton, lamb or pork, have the slightest tinge of yellow, i avoid it as diseased. the same rule holds good when applied to poultry. * * * * * to corn beef in hot weather. take a piece of thin brisket or plate, cut out the ribs nicely, rub it on both sides well with two large spoonsful of pounded saltpetre; pour on it a gill of molasses and a quart of salt; rub them both in; put it in a vessel just large enough to hold it, but not tight, for the bloody brine must run off as it makes, or the meat will spoil. let it be well covered, top, bottom and sides, with the molasses and salt. in four days you may boil it, tied up in a cloth with the salt, &c. about it: when done, take the skin off nicely, and serve it up. if you have an ice-house or refrigerator, it will be best to keep it there. a fillet or breast of veal, and a leg or rack of mutton, are excellent done in the same way. * * * * * important observations on roasting, boiling, frying, &c. in roasting butchers' meat, be careful not to run the spit through the nice parts: let the piece lie in water one hour, then wash it out, wipe it perfectly dry, and put it on the spit. set it before a clear, steady fire: sprinkle some salt on it, and when it becomes hot, baste it for a time with salt and water: then put a good spoonful of nice lard into the dripping-pan, and when melted, continue to baste with it. when your meat, of whatever kind, has been down some time, but before it begins to look brown, cover it with paper and baste on it; when it is nearly done, take off the paper, dredge it with flour, turn the spit for some minutes very quick, and baste all the time to raise a froth--after which, serve it up. when mutton is roasted, after you take off the paper, loosen the skin and peel it off carefully, then dredge and froth it up. beef and mutton must not be roasted as much as veal, lamb, or pork; the two last must be skinned in the manner directed for mutton. you may pour a little melted butter in the dish with veal, but all the others must be served without sauce, and garnished with horse-radish, nicely scraped. be careful not to let a particle of dry flour be seen on the meat--it has a very ill appearance. beef may look brown, but the whiter the other meats are, the more genteel are they, and if properly roasted, they may be perfectly done, and quite white. a loin of veal, and hind quarter of lamb, should be dished with the kidneys uppermost; and be sure to joint every thing that is to be separated at table, or it will be impossible to carve neatly. for those who _must_ have gravy with these meats, let it be made in any way they like, and served in a boat. no meat can be well roasted except on a spit turned by a jack, and before a steady clear fire--other methods are no better than baking. many cooks are in the habit of half boiling the meats to plump them as they term it, before they are spitted, but it destroys their fine flavour. whatever is to be boiled, must be put into cold water with a little salt, which will cook them regularly. when they are put in boiling water, the outer side is done too much, before the inside gets heated. nice lard is much better than butter for basting roasted meats, or for frying. to choose butchers' meat, you must see that the fat is not yellow, and that the lean parts are of a fine close grain, a lively colour, and will feel tender when pinched. poultry should be well covered with white fat; if the bottom of the breast bone be gristly, it is young, but if it be a hard bone, it is an old one. fish are judged by the liveliness of their eyes, and bright red of their gills. dredge every thing with flour before it is put on to boil, and be sure to add salt to the water. fish, and all other articles for frying, after being nicely prepared, should be laid on a board and dredged with flour or meal mixed with salt: when it becomes dry on one side, turn it, and dredge the other. for broiling, have very clear coals, sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the pieces, and when done, dish them, and pour over some melted butter and chopped parsley--this is for broiled veal, wild fowl, birds or poultry: beef-steaks and mutton chops require only a table-spoonful of hot water to be poured over. slice an onion in the dish before you put in the steaks or chops, and garnish both with rasped horse-radish. to have viands served in perfection, the dishes should be made hot, either by setting them over hot water, or by putting some in them, and the instant the meats are laid in and garnished, put on a pewter dish cover. a dinner looks very enticing, when the steam rises from each dish on removing the covers, and if it be judiciously _ordered_, will have a double relish. profusion is not elegance--a dinner justly calculated for the company, and consisting for the greater part of small articles, correctly prepared, and neatly served up, will make a much more pleasing appearance to the sight, and give a far greater gratification to the appetite, than a table loaded with food, and from the multiplicity of dishes, unavoidably neglected in the preparation, and served up cold. there should always be a supply of brown flour kept in readiness to thicken brown gravies, which must be prepared in the following manner: put a pint of flour in a dutch oven, with some coals under it; keep constantly stirring it until it is uniformly of a dark brown, but none of it burnt, which would look like dirt in the gravy. all kitchens should be provided with a saw for trimming meat, and also with larding needles. * * * * * beef a-la-mode. take the bone from a round of beef, fill the space with a forcemeat made of the crumbs of a stale loaf, four ounces of marrow, two heads of garlic chopped with thyme and parsley, some nutmeg, cloves, pepper and salt, mix it to a paste with the yelks of four eggs beaten, stuff the lean part of the round with it, and make balls of the remainder; sew a fillet of strong linen wide enough to keep it round and compact, put it in a vessel just sufficiently large to hold it, add a pint of red wine, cover it with sheets of tin or iron, set it in a brick oven properly heated, and bake it three hours; when done, skim the fat from the gravy, thicken it with brown flour, add some mushroom and walnut catsup, and serve it up garnished with forcemeat balls fried. it is still better when eaten cold with sallad. * * * * * brisket of beef baked. bone a brisket of beef, and make holes in it with a sharp knife about an inch apart, fill them alternately with fat bacon, parsley and oysters, all chopped small and seasoned with pounded cloves and nutmeg, pepper and salt, dredge it well with flour, lay it in a pan with a pint of red wine and a large spoonful of lemon pickle; bake it three hours, take the fat from the gravy and strain it; serve it up garnished with green pickles. * * * * * beef olives. cut slices from a fat rump of beef six inches long and half an inch thick, beat them well with a pestle; make a forcemeat of bread crumbs, fat bacon chopped, parsley, a little onion, some shred suet, pounded mace, pepper and salt; mix it up with the yelks of eggs, and spread a thin layer over each slice of beef, roll it up tight, and secure the rolls with skewers, set them before the fire, and turn them till they are a nice brown; have ready a pint of good gravy, thickened with brown flour and a spoonful of butter, a gill of red wine, with two spoonsful of mushroom catsup, lay the rolls in it, and stew them till tender; garnish with forcemeat balls. * * * * * to stew a rump of beef. take out as much of the bone as can be done with a saw, that it may lie flat on the dish, stuff it with forcemeat made as before directed, lay it in a pot with two quarts of water, a pint of red wine, some carrots and turnips cut in small pieces and stewed over it, a head of cellery cut up, a few cloves of garlic, some pounded cloves, pepper and salt, stew it gently till sufficiently done, skim the fat off, thicken the gravy, and serve it up; garnish with little bits of puff paste nicely baked, and scraped horse-radish. * * * * * a fricando of beef. cut a few slices of beef six inches long, two or three wide, and one thick, lard them with bacon, dredge them well, and make them a nice brown before a brisk fire; stew them half an hour in a well seasoned gravy, put some stewed sorrel or spinage in the dish, lay on the beef, and pour over a sufficient quantity of gravy; garnish with fried balls. * * * * * an excellent method of dressing beef. take a rib roasting piece that has been hanging ten days or a fortnight, bone it neatly, rub some salt over it and roll it tight, binding it around with twine, put the spit through the inner fold without sticking it in the flesh, skewer it well and roast it nicely; when nearly done, dredge and froth it; garnish with scraped horse-radish. * * * * * to collar a flank of beef. get a nice flank of beef, rub it well with a large portion of saltpetre and common salt, let it remain ten days, then wash it clean, take off the outer and inner skin with the gristle, spread it on a board, and cover the inside with the following mixture: parsley, sage, thyme chopped fine, pepper, salt and pounded cloves; roll it up, sew a cloth over it, and bandage that with tape, boil it gently five or six hours, when cold, lay it on a board without undoing it, put another board on the top, with a heavy weight on it; let it remain twenty-four hours, take off the bandages, cut a thin slice from each end, serve it up garnished with green pickle and sprigs of parsley. * * * * * to make hunters' beef. select a fine fat round weighing about twenty-five pounds, take three ounces saltpetre, one ounce of cloves, half an ounce of alspice, a large nutmeg, and a quart of salt; pound them all together very fine, take the bone out, rub it well with this mixture on both sides, put some of it at the bottom of a tub just large enough to hold the beef, lay it in and strew the remainder on the top, rub it well every day for two weeks, and spread the mixture over it; at the end of this time, wash the beef, bind it with tape, to keep it round and compact, filling the hole where the bone was with a piece of fat, lay it in a pan of convenient size, strew a little suet over the top, and pour on it a pint of water, cover the pan with a coarse crust and a thick paper over that, it will take five hours baking; when cold take off the tape. it is a delicious relish at twelve o'clock, or for supper, eaten with vinegar, mustard, oil, or sallad. skim the grease from the gravy and bottle it; it makes an excellent seasoning for any made dish. * * * * * a nice little dish of beef. mince cold roast beef, fat and lean, very fine, add chopped onion, pepper, salt, and a little good gravy, fill scollop shells two parts full, and fill them up with potatos mashed smooth with cream, put a bit of butter on the top, and set them in an oven to brown. * * * * * beef steaks. the best part of the beef for steaks, is the seventh and eighth ribs, the fat and lean are better mixed, and it is more tender than the rump if it be kept long enough; cut the steaks half an inch thick, beat them a little, have fine clear coals, rub the bars of the gridiron with a cloth dipped in lard before you put it over the coals, that none may drip to cause a bad smell, put no salt on till you dish them, broil them quick, turning them frequently; the dish must be very hot, some slices of onion in it, lay in the steaks, sprinkle a little salt, and pour over them a spoonful of water and one of mushroom catsup, both made boiling hot, garnish with scraped horse-radish, and put on a hot dish cover. every thing must be in readiness, for the great excellence of a beef steak lies in having it immediately from the gridiron. * * * * * to hash beef. cut slices of raw beef, put them in a stew pan with a little water, some catsup, a clove of garlic, pepper and salt, stew them till done, thicken the gravy with a lump of butter rubbed into brown flour. a hash may be made of any kind of meat that has been cooked, but it is not so good, and it is necessary to have a gravy prepared and seasoned, and keep the hash over the fire only a few minutes to make it hot. * * * * * beef steak pie. cut nice steaks, and stew them till half done, put a puff paste in the dish, lay in the steaks with a few slices of boiled ham, season the gravy very high, pour it in the dish, put on a lid of paste and bake it. * * * * * beef a-la-daube. get a round of beef, lard it well, and put it in a dutch oven; cut the meat from a shin of beef, or any coarse piece in thin slices, put round the sides and over the top some slices of bacon, salt, pepper, onion, thyme, parsley, cellery tops, or seed pounded, and some carrots cut small, strew the pieces of beef over, cover it with water, let it stew very gently till perfectly done, take out the round, strain the gravy, let it stand to be cold, take off the grease carefully, beat the whites of four eggs, mix a little water with them, put them to the gravy, let it boil till it looks clear, strain it, and when cold, put it over the beef. * * * * * veal. directions for the pieces in the different quarters of veal. a loin of veal must always be roasted: the fillet or leg may be dressed in various ways, the knuckle or knee is proper for soup or for boiling; these are the pieces that compose the hind quarter. in the fore quarter, the breast and rack admit variety in cooking; the shoulder and neck are only fit for soup. * * * * * veal cutlets from the fillet or leg. cut off the flank and take the bone out, then take slices the size of the fillet and half an inch thick, beat two yelks of eggs light, and have some grated bread mixed with pepper, salt, pounded nutmeg and chopped parsley; beat the slices a little, lay them on a board and wash the upper side with the egg, cover it thick with the bread crumbs, press them on with a knife, and let them stand to dry a little, that they may not fall off in frying, then turn them gently, put egg and crumbs on in the same manner, put them into a pan of boiling lard, and fry them a light brown; have some good gravy ready, season it with a tea-spoonful of curry powder, a large one of wine, and one of lemon pickle, thicken with butter and brown flour, drain every drop of lard from the cutlets, lay them in the gravy, and stew them fifteen or twenty minutes, serve them up garnished with lemon cut in thin slices. * * * * * veal chops. take the best end of a rack of veal, cut it in chops, with one bone in each, leave the small end of the bone bare two inches, beat them flat, and prepare them with eggs and crumbs, as the cutlets, butter some half-sheets of white paper, wrap one round each chop, skewer it well, leaving the bare bone out, broil them till done, and take care the paper does not burn; have nice white sauce in a boat. * * * * * veal cutlets. cut them from the fillet, put them in a stew pan with a piece of nice pork, a clove of garlic, a bundle of thyme and parsley, pepper and salt, cover them with water and let them stew ten or fifteen minutes, lay them on a dish, and when cold cover them well with the crumb of stale bread finely grated, mixed with the leaves of parsley chopped very small, some pepper, salt and grated nutmeg; press these on the veal with a knife, and when a little dried, turn it and do the same to the other side; put a good quantity of lard in a pan, when it boils lay the cutlets in carefully that the crumbs may not fall; fry them a little brown, lay them on a strainer to drain off the grease, do the same with the crumbs that have fallen in the pan: while this is doing, simmer the water they were boiled in to half a pint, strain it and thicken with four ounces of butter and a little browned flour; add a gill of wine and one of mushroom catsup, put in the cutlets and crumbs, and stew till tender; add forcemeat balls. * * * * * knuckle of veal. boil a half pint of pearl barley in salt and water till quite tender, drain the water from it and stir in a piece of butter, put it in a deep dish; have the knuckle nicely boiled in milk and water, and lay it on the barley, pour some parsley and butter over it. * * * * * baked fillet of veal. take the bone out of the fillet, wrap the flap around and sew it, make a forcemeat of bread crumbs, the fat of bacon, a little onion chopped, parsley, pepper, salt, and a nutmeg pounded, wet it with the yelks of eggs, fill the place from which the bone was taken, make holes around it with a knife and fill them also, and lard the top; put it in a dutch oven with a pint of water, bake it sufficiently, thicken the gravy with butter and brown flour, add a gill of wine and one of mushroom catsup, and serve it garnished with forcemeat balls fried. * * * * * scotch collops of veal. they may be made of the nice part of the rack, or cut from the fillet, rub a little salt and pepper on them, and fry them a light brown; have a rich gravy seasoned with wine, and any kind of catsup you choose, with a few cloves of garlic, and some pounded mace, thicken it, put the collops in and stew them a short time, take them out, strain the gravy over, and garnish with bunches of parsley fried crisp, and thin slices of middling of bacon, curled around a skewer and boiled. * * * * * veal olives. take the bone out of the fillet and cut thin slices the size of the leg, beat them flat, rub them with the yelk of an egg beaten, lay on each piece a thin slice of boiled ham, sprinkle salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped parsley, and bread crumbs over all, roll them up tight, and secure them with skewers, rub them with egg and roll them in bread crumbs, lay them on a tin dripping pan, and set them in an oven; when brown on one side, turn them, and when sufficiently done, lay them in a rich highly seasoned gravy made of proper thickness, stew them till tender, garnish with forcemeat balls and green pickles sliced. * * * * * ragout of a breast of veal. separate the joints of the brisket, and saw off the sharp ends of the ribs, trim it neatly, and half roast it; put it in a stew pan with a quart of good gravy seasoned with wine, walnut and mushroom catsup, a tea-spoonful of curry powder, and a few cloves of garlic; stew it till tender, thicken the gravy, and garnish with sweatbreads nicely broiled. * * * * * fricando of veal. cut slices from the fillet an inch thick and six inches long, lard them with slips of lean middling of bacon, bake them a light brown, stew them in well seasoned gravy, made as thick as rich cream, serve them up hot, and lay round the dish sorrel stewed with butter, pepper and salt, till quite dry. * * * * * to make a pie of sweetbreads and oysters. boil the sweetbreads tender, stew the oysters, season them with pepper and salt, and thicken with cream, butter, the yelks of eggs and flour, put a puff paste at the bottom and around the sides of a deep dish, take the oysters up with an egg spoon, lay them in the bottom, and cover them with the sweetbreads, fill the dish with gravy, put a paste on the top, and bake it. this is the most delicate pie that can be made. the sweetbread of veal is the most delicious part, and may be broiled, fried, or dressed in any way, and is always good. * * * * * mock turtle of calf's head. have the head nicely cleaned, divide the chop from the skull, take out the brains and tongue, and boil the other parts till tender, take them out of the water and put into it a knuckle of veal or four pounds of lean beef, three onions chopped, thyme, parsley, a tea-spoonful of pounded cloves, the same of mace, salt, and cayenne pepper to your taste--boil these things together till reduced to a pint, strain it, and add two gills of red wine, one of mushroom and one of walnut catsup, thicken it with butter and brown flour; the head must be cut in small pieces and stewed a few minutes in the gravy; put a paste round the edge of a deep dish, three folds, one on the other, but none on the bottom; pour in the meat and gravy, and bake it till the paste is done; pick all strings from the brains, pound them, and add grated bread, pepper and salt, make them in little cakes with the yelk of an egg, fry them a nice brown, boil six egg's hard, leave one whole and divide the others exactly in two, have some bits of paste nicely baked; when the head is taken from the oven, lay the whole egg in the middle, and dispose the others, with the brain cakes and bits of paste tastily around it. if it be wanted as soup, do not reduce the gravy so much, and after stewing the head, serve it in a tureen with the brain cakes and forcemeat balls fried, in place of the eggs and paste. the tongue should be salted and put in brine; they are very delicate, and four of them boiled and pealed, and served with four small chickens boiled, make a handsome dish, either cold or hot, with parsley and butter poured over them. * * * * * to grill a calf's head. clean and divide it as for the turtle, take out the brains and tongue, boil it tender, take the eyes out whole, and cut the flesh from the skull in small pieces; take some of the water it was boiled in for gravy, put to it salt, cayenne pepper, a grated nutmeg, with a spoonful of lemon pickle; stew it till it is well flavoured, take the jowl or chop, take out the bones, and cover it with bread crumbs, chopped parsley, pepper and salt, set it in an oven to brown, thicken the gravy with the yelks of two eggs and a spoonful of butter rubbed into two of flour, stew the head in it a few minutes, put it in the dish, and lay the grilled chop on it; garnish it with brain cakes and broiled sweetbreads. * * * * * to collar a calf's head. after cleaning it nicely, saw the bone down the middle of the skull, but do not separate the head, take out the brains and tongue, boil it tender enough to remove the bones, which must be taken entirely out; lay it on a board, have a good quantity of chopped parsley seasoned with mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt--spread a layer of this, then one of thick slices of ham, another of parsley and one of ham, roll it up tight, sew a cloth over it, and bind that round with tape; boil it half an hour, and when cold press it. it must be kept covered with vinegar and water, and is very delicious eaten with sallad or oil and vinegar. * * * * * calf's heart, a nice dish. take the heart and liver from the harslet, and cut off the windpipe, boil the lights very tender, and cut them in small pieces--take as much of the water they were boiled in as will be sufficient for gravy; add to it a large spoonful of white wine, one of lemon pickle, some grated nutmeg, pepper and salt, with a large spoonful of butter, mixed with one of white flour; let it boil a few minutes, and put in the minced lights, set it by till the heart and liver are ready, cut the ventricle out of the heart, wash it well, lard it all over with narrow slips of middling, fill the cavity with good forcemeat, put it in a pan on the broad end, that the stuffing may not come out; bake it a nice brown, slice the liver an inch thick and broil it, make the mince hot, set the heart upright in the middle of the dish, pour it around, lay the broiled liver on, and garnish with bunches of fried parsley; it should be served up extremely hot. * * * * * calf's feet fricassee. boil the feet till very tender, cut them in two and pull out the large bones, have half a pint of good white gravy, add to it a spoonful of white wine, one of lemon pickle, and some salt, with a tea-spoonful of curry powder, stew the feet in it fifteen minutes, and thicken it with the yelks of two eggs, a gill of milk, a large spoonful of butter, and two of white flour, let the thickening be very smooth, shake the stew pan over the fire a few minutes, but do not let it boil lest the eggs and milk should curdle. * * * * * to fry calf's feet. prepare them as for the fricassee, dredge them well with flour and fry them a light brown, pour parsley and butter over, and garnish with fried parsley. * * * * * to prepare rennet. take the stomach from the calf as soon as it is killed--do not wash it, but hang it in a dry cool place for four or five days; then turn it inside out, slip off all the curd nicely with the hand, fill it with a little saltpetre mixed with the quantity of salt necessary, and lay it in a small stone pot, pour over it a small tea-spoonful of vinegar, and sprinkle a handful of salt over it, cover it closely and keep it for use. you must not wash it--that would weaken the gastric juice, and injure the rennet. after it has been salted six or eight weeks, cut off a piece four or five inches long, put it in a large mustard bottle, or any vessel that will hold about a pint and a half; put on it five gills of cold water, and two gills of rose brandy--stop it very close, and shake it when you are going to use it: a table-spoonful of this is sufficient for a quart of milk. it must be prepared in very cool weather, and if well done, will keep more than a year. * * * * * to hash a calf's head. boil the head till the meat is almost enough for eating; then cut it in thin slices, take three quarters of a pint of good gravy, and add half a pint of white wine, half a nutmeg, two anchovies, a small onion stuck with cloves, and a little mace; boil these up in the liquor for a quarter of an hour, then strain it and boil it up again; put in the meat, with salt to your taste, let it stew a little, and if you choose it, you may add some sweetbreads, and make some forcemeat balls with veal; mix the brains with the yelks of eggs and fry them to lay for a garish. when the head is ready to be sent in, stir in a bit of butter. * * * * * to bake a calf's head. divide the calf's head, wash it clean, and having the yelks of two eggs well beaten, wash the outside of the head all over with them, and on that strew raspings of bread sifted, pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace powdered; also, the brains cut in pieces and dipped in thick butter, then cover the head with bits of butter, pour into the pan some white wine and water, with as much gravy, and cover it close. let it be baked in a quick oven, and when it is served up, pour on some strong gravy, and garnish with slices of lemon, red beet root pickled, fried oysters and fried bread. * * * * * to stuff and roast a calf's liver. take a fresh calf's liver, and having made a hole in it with a large knife run in lengthways, but not quite through, have ready a forced meat, or stuffing made of part of the liver parboiled, fat of bacon minced very fine, and sweet herbs powdered; add to these some grated bread and spice finely powdered, with pepper and salt. with this stuffing fill the hole in the liver, which must be larded with fat bacon, and then roasted, flouring it well, and basting with butter till it is enough. this is to be served up hot, with gravy sauce having a little wine in it. * * * * * to broil calf's liver. cut it in slices, put over it salt and pepper; broil it nicely, and pour on some melted butter with chopped parsley after it is dished. * * * * * _ directions for cleaning calf's head and feet, for those who live in the country and butcher their own meats._ as soon as the animal is killed, have the head and feet taken off, wash them clean, sprinkle some pounded rosin all over the hairs, then dip them in boiling water, take them instantly out, the rosin will dry immediately, and they may be scraped clean with ease; the feet should be soaked in water three or four days, changing it daily; this will make them very white. * * * * * lamb. to roast the fore-quarter, &c. the fore-quarter should always be roasted and served with mint sauce in a boat; chop the mint small and mix it with vinegar enough to make it liquid, sweeten it with sugar. the hind-quarter may be boiled or roasted, and requires mint sauce; it may also be dressed in various ways. * * * * * baked lamb. cut the shank bone from a hind-quarter, separate the joints of the loin, lay it in a pan with the kidney uppermost, sprinkle some pepper and salt, add a few cloves of garlic, a pint of water and a dozen large ripe tomatoes with the skins taken off, bake it but do not let it be burnt, thicken the gravy with a little butter and brown flour. * * * * * fried lamb. separate the leg from the loin, cut off the shank and boil the leg; divide the loin in chops, dredge and fry them a nice brown, lay the leg in the middle of the dish, and put the chops around, pour over parsley and butter, and garnish with fried parsley. the leg cut into steaks and the loin into chops will make a fine fricassee, or cutlets. * * * * * to dress lamb's head and feet. clean them very nicely, and boil them till tender, take off the flesh from the head with the eyes, also mince the tongue and heart, which must be boiled with the head; split the feet in two, put them with the pieces from the head and the mince, into a pint of good gravy, seasoned with pepper, salt, and tomato catsup, or ripe tomatoes: stew it till tender, thicken the gravy, and lay the liver cut in slices and broiled over it--garnish with crisp parsley and bits of curled bacon. * * * * * mutton. the saddle should always be roasted and garnished with scraped horse-radish. see general observations on roasting. mutton is in the highest perfection from august until christmas, when it begins to decline in goodness. * * * * * boiled leg of mutton. cut off the shank, wrap the flank nicely round and secure it with skewers, dredge it well with flour, and put it on the fire in a kettle of cold water with some salt, and three or four heads of garlic, which will give it a delicately fine flavour; skin it well, and when nearly done, take it from the fire and keep it hot and closely covered, that the steam may finish it; have carrots well boiled to put in the dish under it, or turnips boiled, mashed smooth and stewed with a lump of butter and salt, lay the mutton on, and pour over it butter melted with some flour in it, and a cup full of capers with some of the vinegar; shake them together over the fire till hot before you pour it on. * * * * * roasted leg. prepare it as for boiling, be very careful in spitting it, cover it with paper and follow the directions for roasting, serve it up garnished with scraped horse-radish. * * * * * baked leg of mutton. take the flank off, but leave all the fat, cut out the bone, stuff the place with a rich forcemeat, lard the top and sides with bacon, put it in a pan with a pint of water, some chopped onion and cellery cut small, a gill of red wine, one of mushroom catsup and a tea-spoonful of curry powder, bake it and serve it up with the gravy, garnish with forcemeat balls fried. * * * * * steaks of a leg of mutton. cut off the flank, take out the bone, and cut it in large slices half an inch thick, sprinkle some salt and pepper, and broil it, pour over it nice melted butter with capers; a leg cut in the same way and dressed as directed for veal cutlets, is very fine. it is also excellent when salted as beef, and boiled, served up with carrots or turnips. a shoulder of mutton is best when roasted, but may be made into cutlets or in a harrico. * * * * * to harrico mutton. take the nicest part of the rack, divide it into chops, with one bone in each, beat them flat, sprinkle salt and pepper on them, and broil them nicely; make a rich gravy out of the inferior parts, season it well with pepper, a little spice, and any kind of catsup you choose; when sufficiently done, strain it, and thicken it with butter and brown flour, have some carrots and turnips cut into small dice and boiled till tender, put them in the gravy, lay the chops in and stew them fifteen minutes; serve them up garnished with green pickle. * * * * * mutton chops. cut the rack as for the harrico, broil them, and when dished, pour over them a gravy made with two large spoonsful of boiling water, one of mushroom catsup, a small spoonful of butter and some salt, stir it till the butter is melted, and garnish with horse-radish scraped. * * * * * boiled breast of mutton. separate the joints of the brisket, and saw off the sharp ends of the ribs, dredge it with flour, and boil it; serve it up covered with onions--see onion sauce. * * * * * breast of mutton in ragout. prepare the breast as for boiling, brown it nicely in the oven, have a rich gravy well seasoned and thickened with brown flour, stew the mutton in it till sufficiently done, and garnish with forcemeat balls fried. * * * * * to grill a breast of mutton. prepare it as before, score the top, wash it over with the yelk of an egg, sprinkle some salt, and cover it with bread crumbs, bake it, and pour caper sauce in the dish. it may also be roasted, the skin taken off and frothed nicely, serve it up with good gravy, and garnish with current jelly cut in slices. the neck of mutton is fit only for soup, the liver is very good when broiled. * * * * * boiled shoulder of mutton. put it in cold water with some salt, and boil it till tender; serve it up covered with onion sauce. * * * * * shoulder of mutton with celery sauce. wash and clean ten heads of celery, cut off the green tops and take off the outside stalks, cut the heads in thin slices, boil them tender in a little milk, just enough for gravy, add salt, and thicken it with a spoonful of butter and some white flour; boil the shoulder and pour the sauce over it. * * * * * roasted loin of mutton. cut the loin in four pieces, take off the skin, rub each piece with salt, wash them with the yelk of an egg, and cover them thickly with bread crumbs, chopped parsley, pepper and salt; wrap them up securely in paper, put them on a bird spit, and roast them; put a little brown gravy in the dish, and garnish with pickle. * * * * * pork. to cure bacon. hogs are in the highest perfection, from two and a half to four years old, and make the best bacon, when they do not weigh more than one hundred and fifty or sixty at farthest; they should be fed with corn, six weeks at least, before they are killed, and the shorter distance they are driven to market, the better will their flesh be. to secure them against the possibility of spoiling, salt them before they get cold; take out the chine or back-bone from the neck to the tail, cut the hams, shoulders and middlings; take the ribs from the shoulders and the leaf fat from the hams: have such tubs as are directed for beef, rub a large table spoonful of saltpetre on the inside of each ham, for some minutes, then rub both sides well with salt, sprinkle the bottom of the tub with salt, lay the hams with the skin downward, and put a good deal of salt between each layer; salt the shoulders and middlings in the same manner, but less saltpetre is necessary; cut the jowl or chop from the head, and rub it with salt and saltpetre. you should cut off the feet just above the knee joint; take off the ears and nose, and lay them in a large tub of cold water for souse. when the jowls have been in salt two weeks, hang them up to smoke--do so with the shoulders and middlings at the end of three weeks, and the hams at the end of four. if they remain longer in salt they will be hard. remember to hang the hams and shoulders with the hocks down, to preserve the juices. make a good smoke every morning, and be careful not to have a blaze; the smoke-house should stand alone, for any additional heat will spoil the meat. during the hot weather, beginning the first of april, it should be occasionally taken down, examined--rubbed with hickory ashes, and hung up again. the generally received opinion that saltpetre hardens meat, is entirely erroneous:--it tends greatly to prevent putrefaction, but will not make it hard; neither will laying in brine five or six weeks in cold weather, have that effect, but remaining in salt too long, will certainly draw off the juices, and harden it. bacon should be boiled in a large quantity of water, and a ham is not done sufficiently, till the bone on the under part comes off with ease. new bacon requires much longer boiling than that which is old. * * * * * to make souse. let all the pieces you intend to souse, remain covered with cold water twelve hours; then wash them out, wipe off the blood, and put them again in fresh water; soak them in this manner, changing the water frequently, and keeping it in a cool place, till the blood is drawn away; scrape and clean each piece perfectly nice, mix some meal with water, add salt to it, and boil your souse gently, until you can run a straw into the skin with ease. do not put too much in the pot, for it will boil to pieces and spoil the appearance. the best way is to boil the feet in one pot, the ears and nose in another, and the heads in a third; these should be boiled till you can take all the bones out; let them get cold, season the insides with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg; make it in a tight roll, sew it up close in a cloth, and press it lightly. mix some more meal and cold water, just enough to look white; add salt, and one-fourth of vinegar; put your souse in different pots, and keep it well covered with this mixture, and closely stopped. it will be necessary to renew this liquor every two or three weeks. let your souse get quite cold after boiling, before you put it in the liquor, and be sure to use pale coloured vinegar, or the souse will be dark. some cooks singe the hair from the feet, _etcetera_, but this destroys the colour: good souse will always be white. * * * * * to roast a pig. the pig must be very fat, nicely cleaned, and not too large to lie in the dish; chop the liver fine and mix it with crumbs of bread, chopped onion and parsley, with pepper and salt, make it into a paste with butter and an egg, stuff the body well with it, and sew it up, spit it, and have a clear fire to roast it; baste with salt and water at first, then rub it frequently with a lump of lard wrapped in a piece of clean linen; this will make it much more crisp than basting it from the dripping pan. when the pig is done, take off the head, separate the face from the chop, cut both in two and take off the ears, take out the stuffing, split the pig in two parts lengthways, lay it in the dish with the head, ears, and feet, which have been cut off, placed on each side, put the stuffing in a bowl with a glass of wine, and as much dripping as will make it sufficiently liquid, put some of it under the pig, and serve the rest in a boat. * * * * * to barbecue shote.[ ] this is the name given in the southern states to a fat young hog, which, when the head and feet are taken off, and it is cut into four quarters, will weigh six pounds per quarter. take a fore-quarter, make several incisions between the ribs, and stuff it with rich forcemeat; put it in a pan with a pint of water, two cloves of garlic, pepper, salt, two gills of red wine, and two of mushroom catsup, bake it, and thicken the gravy with batter and brown flour; it must be jointed, and the ribs cut across before it is cooked; or it cannot be carved well; lay it in the dish with the ribs uppermost; if it be not sufficiently brown, add a little burnt sugar to the gravy, garnish with balls. * * * * * to roast a fore-quarter of shote. joint it for the convenience of carving, roast it before a brisk fire; when done, take the skin off, dredge and froth it, put a little melted butter with some caper vinegar over it, or serve it with mint sauce. * * * * * to make shote cutlets. take the skin from the hind-quarter, and cut it in pieces, prepare them in the way directed for veal cutlets, make a little nice gravy with the skin and the scraps of meat left, thicken it with butter and brown flour, and season it in any way you like. * * * * * to corn shote. rub a hind-quarter with saltpetre and common salt, let it lie ten days, then boil it, and put either carrots or parsnips under it. * * * * * shote's head. take out the brains, and boil the head till quite tender, cut the heart and liver from the harslet, and boil the feet with the head; cut all the meat from the head in small pieces, mince the tongue and chop the brains small, take some of the water the head was boiled in, season it with onion, parsley and thyme, all chopped fine, add any kind of catsup--thicken it with butter and brown flour, stew the whole in it fifteen minutes, and put it in the dish: have the heart roasted to put in the middle, lay the broiled liver around, and garnish it with green pickle. * * * * * leg of pork with pease pudding. boil a small leg of pork that has been sufficiently salted, score the top and serve it up; the pudding must be in a separate dish; get small delicate pease, wash them well, and tie them in a cloth, allowing a little room for swelling, boil them with the pork, then mash and season them, tie them up again and finish boiling it; take care not to break the pudding in turning it out. * * * * * stewed chine. take the neck chine, rub it well with salt, lay it in a pan, put it in a pint of water, and fill it up with sweet potatos nicely washed, but not peeled, cover it close and bake it till done; serve it up with the potatos, put a little of the gravy in the dish. * * * * * to toast a ham. boil it well, take off the skin, and cover the top thickly with bread crumbs, put it in an oven to brown, and serve it up. * * * * * to stuff a ham. take a well smoked ham, wash it very clean, make incisions all over the top two inches deep, stuff them quite full with parsley chopped small and some pepper, boil the ham sufficiently; do not take off the skin. it must be eaten cold. * * * * * soused feet in ragout. split the feet in two, dredge them with flour and fry them a nice brown; have some well seasoned gravy thickened with brown flour and butter; stew the feet in it a few minutes. * * * * * to make sausages. take the tender pieces of fresh pork, chop them exceedingly fine--chop some of the leaf fat, and put them together in the proportion of three pounds of pork to one of fat, season it very high with pepper and salt, add a small quantity of dried sage rubbed to a powder, have the skins nicely prepared, fill them and hang them in a dry place. sausages are excellent made into cakes and fried, but will not keep so well as in skins. * * * * * to make black puddings. catch the blood as it runs from the hog, stir it continually till cold to prevent its coagulating; when cold thicken it with boiled rice or oatmeal, add leaf fat chopped small, pepper, salt, and any herbs that are liked, fill the skins and smoke them two or three days; they must be boiled before they are hung up, and prick them with a fork to keep them from bursting. * * * * * a sea pie. lay at the bottom of a small dutch oven some slices of boiled pork or salt beef, then potatos and onions cut in slices, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley shred fine, some crackers soaked, and a layer of fowls cut up, or slices of veal; cover them with a paste not too rich, put another layer of each article, and cover them with paste until the oven is full; put a little butter between each layer, pour in water till it reaches the top crust, to which you must add wine, catsup of any kind you please, and some pounded cloves; let it stew until there is just gravy enough left; serve it in a deep dish and pour the gravy on. * * * * * to make paste for the pie. pour half a pound of butter or dripping, boiling hot, into a quart of flour, add as much water as will make it a paste, work it and roll it well before you use it. it is quite a savoury paste. * * * * * bologna sausages. take one pound of bacon--fat and lean, one ditto veal, do., pork, do., suet, chop all fine, season highly: fill the skins, prick and boil them an hour, and hang them to dry--grated bread or boiled rice may be added: clean the skins with salt and vinegar. * * * * * fish. to cure herrings. the best method for preserving herrings, and which may be followed with ease, for a small family, is to take the brine left of your winter stock for beef, to the fishing place, and when the seine is hauled, to pick out the largest herrings, and throw them alive into the brine; let them remain twenty-four hours, take them out and lay them on sloping planks, that the brine may drain off; have a tight barrel, put some coarse alum salt at the bottom, then put in a layer of herrings--take care not to bruise them; sprinkle over it alum salt and some saltpetre, then fish, salt, and saltpetre, till the barrel is full; keep a board over it. should they not make brine enough to cover them in a few weeks, you must add some, for they will be rusty if not kept under brine. the proper time to salt them is when they are quite fat: the scales will adhere closely to a lean herring, but will be loose on a fat one--the former is not fit to be eaten. do not be sparing of salt when you put them up. when they are to be used, take a few out of brine, soak them an hour or two, scale them nicely, pull off the gills, and the only entrail they have will come with them; wash them clean and hang them up to dry. when to be broiled, take half a sheet of white paper, rub it over with butter, put the herring in, double the edges securely, and broil without burning it. the brine the herrings drink before they die, has a wonderful effect in preserving their juices: when one or two years old, they are equal to anchovies. * * * * * to bake sturgeon. get a piece of sturgeon with the skin on, the piece next to the tail, scrape it well, cut out the gristle, and boil it about twenty minutes to take out the oil; take it up, pull off the large scales, and when cold, stuff it with forcemeat, made of bread crumbs, butter, chopped parsley, pepper and salt, put it in a dutch oven just large enough to hold it, with a pint and a half of water, a gill of red wine, one of mushroom catsup, some salt and pepper, stew it gently till the gravy is reduced to the quantity necessary to pour over it; take up your sturgeon carefully, thicken the gravy with a spoonful of butter rubbed into a large one of brown flour;--see that it is perfectly smooth when you put it in the dish. * * * * * to make sturgeon cutlets. the tail piece is the best; skin it and cut off the gristle, cut it into slices about half an inch thick, sprinkle over them pepper and salt, dredge them with flour, and fry them a nice light brown; have ready a pint of good gravy, seasoned with catsup, wine, and a little pounded cloves, and thickened with brown flour and butter; when the cutlets are cold, put them into the gravy and stew them a few minutes; garnish the dish with nice forcemeat balls and parsley fried crisp. * * * * * sturgeon steaks. cut them as for the cutlets, dredge them, and fry them nicely; dish them quickly lest they get cold; pour over melted butter with chopped parsley, and garnish with fried parsley. * * * * * to boil sturgeon. leave the skin on, which must be nicely scraped, take out the gristle, rub it with salt, and let it lie an hour, then put it on in cold water with some salt and a few cloves of garlic; it must be dredged with flour before it is put into the water, skim it carefully, and when dished, pour over it melted butter with chopped parsley, a large spoonful of mushroom catsup, one of lemon pickle, and one of pepper vinegar; send some of it to table in a sauce boat;--the sturgeon being a dry fish, rich sauce is necessary. * * * * * to bake a shad. the shad is a very indifferent fish unless it be large and fat; when you get a good one, prepare it nicely, put some forcemeat inside, and lay it at full length in a pan with a pint of water, a gill of red wine, one of mushroom catsup, a little pepper, vinegar, salt, a few cloves of garlic, and six cloves: stew it gently till the gravy is sufficiently reduced; there should always be a fish-slice with holes to lay the fish on, for the convenience of dishing without breaking it; when the fish is taken up, slip it carefully into the dish; thicken the gravy with butter and brown flour, and pour over it. * * * * * to boil a shad. get a nice fat shad, fresh from the water, that the skin may not crack in boiling, put it in cold water on a slice, in a kettle of proper length, with a wine glass of pale vinegar, salt, a little garlic, and a bundle of parsley; when it is done, drain all the water from the fish, lay it in the dish, and garnish with scraped horse-radish; have a sauce boat of nice melted butter, to mix with the different catsups, as taste shall direct. * * * * * to roast a shad. fill the cavity with good forcemeat, sew it up, and tie it on a board of proper size, cover it with bread crumbs, with some salt and pepper, set it before the fire to roast; when done on one side, turn it, tie it again, and when sufficiently done, pull out the thread, and serve it up with butter and parsley poured over it. * * * * * to broil a shad. separate one side from the back-bone, so that it will lie open without being split in two; wash it clean, dry it with a cloth, sprinkle some salt and pepper on it, and let it stand till you are ready to broil it; have the gridiron hot and well greased, broil it nicely, and pour over it melted butter. * * * * * to boil rock fish. the best part of the rock is the head and shoulders--clean it nicely, put it into the fish kettle with cold water and salt, boil it gently and skim it well; when done, drain off the water, lay it in the dish, and garnish with scraped horse-radish; have two boats of tatter nicely melted with chopped parsley, or for a change, you may have anchovy butter; the roe and liver should be fried and served in separate dishes. if any of the rock be left, it will make a delicious dish next day;--pick it in small pieces, put it in a stew pan with a gill of water, a good lump of butter, some salt, a large spoonful of lemon pickle, and one of pepper vinegar--shake it over the fire till perfectly hot, and serve it up. it is almost equal to stewed crab. * * * * * to fry perch. clean the fish nicely, but do not take out the roes, dry them on a cloth, sprinkle some salt, and dredge them with flour, lay them separately on a board; when one side is dry, turn them, sprinkle salt and dredge the other side; be sure the lard boils when you put the fish in, and fry them with great care; they should be a yellowish brown when done. send melted butter or anchovy sauce in a boat. * * * * * to pickle oysters. select the largest oysters, drain off their liquor, and wash them in clean water; pick out the pieces of shells that may be left, put them in a stew pan with water proportioned to the number of oysters, some salt, blades of mace, and whole black pepper; stew them a few minutes, then put them in a pot, and when cold, add as much pale vinegar as will give the liquor an agreeable acid. * * * * * to make a curry of catfish. take the white channel catfish, cut off their heads, skin and clean them, cut them in pieces four inches long, put as many as will be sufficient for a dish into a stew pan with a quart of water, two onions, and chopped parsley; let them stew gently till the water is reduced to half a pint, take the fish out and lay them on a dish, cover them to keep them hot, rub a spoonful of butter into one of flour, add a large tea-spoonful of curry powder, thicken the gravy with it, shake it over the fire a few minutes, and pour it over the fish; be careful to have the gravy smooth. * * * * * to dress a cod's head and shoulders. take out the gills and the blood from the bone, wash the head very clean, rub over it a little salt, then lay it on your fish plate; throw in the water a good handful of salt, with a glass of vinegar, then put in the fish, and let it boil gently half an hour; if it is a large one, three quarters; take it up very carefully, strip the skin nicely off, set it before a brisk fire, dredge it all over with flour, and baste it well with butter; when the froth begins to rise, throw over it some very fine white bread crumbs; you must keep basting it all the time to make it froth well; when it is a fine light brown, dish it up, and garnish it with a lemon cut in slices, scraped horse-radish, barberries, a few small fish fried and laid around it, or fried oysters--cut the roe and liver in slices, and lay over it a little of the lobster out of the sauce in lumps, and then serve it up. * * * * * to make sauce for the cod's head. take a lobster, if it be alive, stick a skewer in the rent of the tail, (to keep the water out,) throw a handful of salt in the water; when it boils, put in the lobster, and boil it half an hour; if it has spawn on it, pick them off, and pound them exceedingly fine in a marble mortar, and put them into half a pound of good melted butter, then take the meat out of the lobster, pull it in bits, and put it in your butter, with a meat spoonful of lemon pickle, and the same of walnut catsup, a slice of lemon, one or two slices of horse-radish, a little beaten mace, salt and cayenne to your taste; boil them one minute, then take out the horse-radish and lemon, and serve it up in your sauce boat. n.b. if you cannot get lobsters, you may make shrimp, cockle, or muscle sauce, the same way; if there can be no shell fish got, you then may add two anchovies cut small, a spoonful of walnut liquor, a large onion stuck with cloves--strain and put it in the sauce boat. * * * * * to dress a salt cod. steep your salt fish in water all night, with a glass of vinegar; it will take out the salt, and make it taste like fresh fish; the next day boil it; when it is enough take off the skin, pull it in fleaks into your dish, then pour egg sauce over it, or parsnips boiled and beat fine, with butter and cream; send it to the table on a water plate, for it will soon grow cold. * * * * * matelote of any kind of firm fish. cut the fish in pieces six inches long, put it in a pot with onion, parsley, thyme, mushrooms, a little spice, pepper and salt--add red wine and water enough for gravy, set it on a quick fire and reduce it one-third, thicken with a spoonful of butter and two of flour; put it in a dish with bits of bread fried in butter, and pour the gravy over it. * * * * * chowder, a sea dish. take any kind of firm fish, cut it in pieces six inches long, sprinkle salt and pepper over each piece, cover the bottom of a small dutch oven with slices of salt pork about half boiled, lay in the fish, strewing a little chopped onion between; cover with crackers that have been soaked soft in milk, pour over it two gills of white wine, and two of water; put on the top of the oven, and stew it gently about an hour; take it out carefully, and lay it in a deep dish; thicken the gravy with a little flour and a spoonful of butter, add some chopped parsley, boil it a few minutes, and pour it over the fish--serve it up hot. * * * * * to pickle sturgeon. the best sturgeons are the small ones, about four feet long without the head, and the best part is the one near the tail. after the sturgeon is split through the back bone, take a piece with the skin on, which is essential to its appearance and goodness, cut off the gristle, scrape the skin well, wash it, and salt it--let it lie twenty-four hours, wipe off the salt, roll it, and tie it around with twine, put it on in a good deal of cold water, let it boil till you can run a straw easily into the skin, take it up, pull off the large scales, and when cold, put it in a pot, and cover it with one part vinegar, and two of salt and water; keep it closely stopped, and when served, garnish with green fennel. * * * * * to caveach fish. cut the fish in pieces the thickness of your hand, wash it and dry it in a cloth, sprinkle on some pepper and salt, dredge it with flour, and fry it a nice brown; when it gets cold, put it in a pot with a little chopped onion between the layers, take as much vinegar and water as will cover it, mix with it some oil, pounded mace, and whole black pepper, pour it on, and stop the pot closely. this is a very convenient article, as it makes an excellent and ready addition to a dinner or supper. when served up, it should be garnished with green fennel, or parsley. * * * * * to dress cod fish. boil the fish tender, pick it from the bones, take an equal quantity of irish potatos, or parsnips boiled and chopped, and the same of onions well boiled; add a sufficiency of melted butter, some grated nutmeg, pepper, and salt, with a little brandy or wine; rub them in a mortar till well mixed; if too stiff, liquify it with cream or thickened milk, put paste in the bottom of a dish, pour in the fish, and bake it. for change, it may be baked in the form of patties. * * * * * cod fish pie. soak the fish, boil it and take off the skin, pick the meat from the bones, and mince it very fine; take double the quantity of your fish, of stale bread grated; pour over it as much new milk, boiling hot, as will wet it completely, add minced parsley, nutmeg, pepper, and made mustard, with as much melted butter as will make it sufficiently rich; the quantity must be determined by that of the other ingredients--beat these together very well, add the minced fish, mix it all, cover the bottom of the dish with good paste, pour the fish in, put on a lid and bake it. * * * * * to dress any kind of salted fish. take the quantity necessary for the dish, wash them, and lay them in fresh water for a night; then put them on the tin plate with holes, and place it in the fish kettle--sprinkle over it pounded cloves and pepper, with four cloves of garlic; put in a bundle of sweet herbs and parsley, a large spoonful of tarragon, and two of common vinegar, with a pint of wine; roll one quarter of a pound of butter in two spoonsful of flour, cut it in small pieces, and put it over the fish--cover it closely, and simmer it over a slow fire half an hour; take the fish out carefully, and lay it in the dish, set it over hot water, and cover it till the gravy has boiled a little longer--take out the garlic and herbs, pour it over the fish, and serve it up. it is very good when eaten cold with salad, garnished with parsley. * * * * * to fricassee cod sounds and tongues. soak them all night in fresh water, take off the skins, cut them in two pieces, and boil them in milk and water till quite tender, drain them in a colander, and season with nutmeg, pepper, and a little salt--take as much new milk as will make sauce for it, roll a good lump of butter in flour, melt it in the milk, put the fish in, set it over the fire, and stir it till thick enough, and serve it up. * * * * * an excellent way to dress fish. dredge the fish well with flour, sprinkle salt and pepper on them, and fry them a nice brown; set them by to get cold; put a quarter of a pound of butter in a frying pan; when it boils, fry tomatos with the skins taken off, parsley nicely picked, and a very little chopped onion; when done, add as much water as will make sauce for the fish--season it with pepper, salt, and pounded cloves; add some wine and mushroom catsup, put the fish in, and when thoroughly heated, serve it up. * * * * * fish a-la-daub. boil as many large white perch as will be sufficient for the dish; do not take off their heads, and be careful not to break their skins; when cold, place them in the dish, and cover them with savoury jelly broken. a nice piece of rock-fish is excellent done in the same way. * * * * * fish in jelly. fill a deep glass dish half full of jelly--have as many small fish-moulds as will lie conveniently in it fill them with blanc mange; when they are cold, and the jelly set, lay them on it, as if going in different directions; put in a little more jelly, and let it get cold, to keep the fish in their places--then fill the dish so as to cover them. the jelly should be made of hog's feet, very light coloured, and perfectly transparent. * * * * * to make egg sauce for a salt cod. boil four eggs hard, first half chop the white, then put in the yelks, and chop them both together, but not very small; put them into half a pound of good melted butter, and let it boil up--then pour it on the fish. * * * * * to dress cod sounds. steep your sounds as you do the salt cod, and boil them in a large quantity of milk and water; when they are very tender and white, take them up, and drain the water out and skin them; then pour the egg sauce boiling hot over them, and serve them up. * * * * * to stew carp. gut and scale your fish, wash and dry them well with a clean cloth, dredge them with flour, fry them in lard until they are a light brown, and then put them in a stew pan with half a pint of water, and half a pint of red wine, a meat spoonful of lemon pickle, the same of walnut catsup, a little mushroom powder and cayenne to your taste, a large onion stuck with cloves, and a slick of horse-radish; cover your pan close up to keep in the steam; let them stew gently over a stove fire, till the gravy is reduced to just enough to cover your fish in the dish; then take the fish out, and put them on the dish you intend for the table, set the gravy on the fire, and thicken it with flour, and a large lump of butter; boil it a little, and strain it over your fish; garnish them with pickled mushrooms and scraped horse-radish, and send them to the table. * * * * * to boil eels. clean the eels, and cut off their heads, dry them, and turn them round on your fish plate, boil them in salt and water, and make parsley sauce for them. * * * * * to pitchcock eels. skin and wash your eels, then dry them with a cloth, sprinkle them with pepper, salt, and a little dried sage, turn them backward and forward, and skewer them; rub a gridiron with beef suet, broil them a nice brown, put them on a dish with good melted butter, and lay around fried parsley. * * * * * to broil eels. when you have skinned and cleansed your eels as before, rub them with the yelk of an egg, strew over them bread crumbs, chopped parsley, sage, pepper, and salt; baste them well with butter, and set them in a dripping pan; serve them up with parsley and butter for sauce. * * * * * to scollop oysters. when the oysters are opened, put them in a bowl, and wash them out of their own liquor; put some in the scollop shells, strew over them a few bread crumbs, and lay a slice of butter on them, then more oysters, bread crumbs, and a slice of butter on the top; put them into a dutch oven to brown, and serve them up in the shells. * * * * * to fry oysters. take a quarter of a hundred of large oysters, wash them and roll them in grated bread, with pepper and salt, and fry them a light brown; if you choose, you may add a little parsley, shred fine. they are a proper garnish for calves' head, or most made dishes. * * * * * to make oyster loaves. take little round loaves, cut off the tops, scrape out all the crumbs, then put the oysters into a stew pan with the crumbs that came out of the loaves, a little water, and a good lump of butter; stew them together ten or fifteen minutes, then put in a spoonful of good cream, fill your loaves, lay the bit of crust carefully on again, set them in the oven to crisp. three are enough for a side dish. * * * * * poultry, &c. to roast a goose. chop a few sage leaves and two onions very fine, mix them with a good lump of butter, a tea-spoonful of pepper, and two of salt, put it in the goose, then split it, lay it down, and dust it with flour; when it is thoroughly hot, baste it with nice lard; if it be a large one, it will require an hour and a half, before a good clear fire; when it is enough, dredge and baste it, pull out the spit, and pour in a little boiling water. * * * * * to make sauce for a goose. pare, core and slice some apples; put them in a sauce pan, with as much water as will keep them from burning, set them over a very slow fire, keep them closely covered till reduced to a pulp, then put in a lump of butter, and sugar to your taste, beat them well, and send them to the table in a china bowl. * * * * * to boil ducks with onion sauce. scald and draw your ducks, put them in warm water for a few minutes, then take them out and put them in an earthen pot; pour over them a pint of boiling milk, and let them lie in it two or three hours; when you take them out, dredge them well with flour, and put them in a copper of cold water; put on the cover, let them boil slowly twenty minutes, then take them out, and smother them with onion sauce. * * * * * to make onion sauce. boil eight or ten large onions, change the water two or three times while they are boiling; when enough, chop them on a board to keep them a good colour, put them in a sauce pan with a quarter of a pound of butter and two spoonsful of thick cream; boil it a little, and pour it over the ducks. * * * * * to roast ducks. when you have drawn the ducks, shred one onion and a few sage leaves, put them into the ducks with pepper and salt, spit and dust them with flour, and baste them with lard; if your fire be very hot, they will roast in twenty minutes; and the quicker they are roasted, the better they will taste. just before you take them from the spit, dust them with flour and baste them. get ready some gravy made of the gizzards and pinions, a large blade of mace, a few pepper corns, a spoonful of catsup, a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle; strain it and pour it on the ducks, and send onion sauce in a boat. * * * * * to boil a turkey with oyster sauce. grate a loaf of bread, chop a score or more of oysters fine, add nutmeg, pepper and salt to your taste, mix it up into a light forcemeat with a quarter of a pound of butter, a spoonful or two of cream, and three eggs; stuff the craw with it, and make the rest into balls and boil them; sew up the turkey, dredge it well with flour, put it in a kettle of cold water, cover it, and set it over the fire; as the scum begins to rise, take it off, let it boil very slowly for half an hour, then take off your kettle and keep it closely covered; if it be of a middle size, let it stand in the hot water half an hour, the steam being kept in, will stew it enough, make it rise, keep the skin whole, tender, and very white; when you dish it, pour on a little oyster sauce, lay the balls round, and serve it up with the rest of the sauce in a boat. n.b. set on the turkey in time, that it may stew as above; it is the best way to boil one to perfection. put it over the fire to heat, just before you dish it up. * * * * * to make sauce for a turkey. as you open the oysters, put a pint into a bowl, wash them out of their own liquor, and put them in another bowl; when the liquor has settled, pour it off into a sauce pan with a little white gravy, and a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle--thicken it with flour and a good lump of butter; boil it three or four minutes, put in a spoonful of good cream, add the oysters, keep shaking them over the fire till they are quite hot, but don't let them boil, for it will make them hard and appear small. * * * * * to roast a turkey. make the forcemeat thus: take the crumb of a loaf of bread, a quarter of a pound of beef suet shred fine, a little sausage meat or veal scraped and pounded very fine, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to your taste; mix it lightly with three eggs, stuff the craw with it, spit it, and lay it down a good distance from the fire, which should be clear and brisk; dust and baste it several times with cold lard; it makes the froth stronger than basting it with the hot out of the dripping pan, and makes the turkey rise better; when it is enough, froth it up as before, dish it, and pour on the same gravy as for the boiled turkey, or bread sauce; garnish with lemon and pickles, and serve it up; if it be of a middle size, it will require one hour and a quarter to roast. * * * * * to make sauce for a turkey. cut the crumb of a loaf of bread in thin slices, and put it in cold water with a few pepper corns, a little salt and onion--then boil it till the bread is quite soft, beat it well, put in a quarter of a pound of butter, two spoonsful of thick cream, and put it in the dish with the turkey. * * * * * to boil fowls. dust the fowls well with flour, put them in a kettle of cold water, cover it close, set it on the fire; when the scum begins to rise, take it off, let them boil very slowly for twenty minutes, then take them off, cover them close, and the heat of the water will stew them enough in half an hour; it keeps the skin whole, and they will be both whiter and plumper than if they had boiled fast; when you take them up, drain them, and pour over them white sauce or melted butter. * * * * * to make white sauce for fowls. take a scrag of veal, the necks of fowls, or any bits of mutton or veal you have; put them in a sauce pan with a blade or two of mace, a few black pepper corns, one anchovy, a head of celery, a bunch of sweet herbs, a slice of the end of a lemon; put in a quart of water, cover it close, let it boil till it is reduced to half a pint, strain it, and thicken it with a quarter of a pound of butter mixed with flour, boil it five or six minutes, put in two spoonsful of pickled mushrooms, mix the yelks of two eggs with a tea cup full of good cream and a little nutmeg--put it in the sauce, keep shaking it over the fire, but don't let it boil. * * * * * fricassee of small chickens. take off the legs and wings of four chickens, separate the breasts from the backs, cut off the necks and divide the backs across, clean the gizzards nicely, put them with the livers and other parts of the chicken, after being washed clean, into a sauce pan, add pepper, salt, and a little mace, cover them with water, and stew them till tender--then take them out, thicken half a pint of the water with two table spoonsful of flour rubbed into four ounces of butter, add half a pint of new milk, boil all together a few minutes, then add a gill of white wine, stirring it in carefully that it may not curdle; put the chickens in, and continue to shake the pan until they are sufficiently hot, and serve them up. * * * * * to roast large fowls. take the fowls when they are ready dressed, put them down to a good fire, dredge and baste them well with lard; they will be near an hour in roasting; make a gravy of the necks and gizzards, strain it, put in a spoonful of brown flour; when you dish them, pour on the gravy, and serve them up with egg sauce in a boat. * * * * * to make egg sauce. boil four eggs for ten minutes, chop half the whites, put them with the yelks, and chop them both together, but not very fine; put them into a quarter of a pound of good melted butter, and put it in a boat. * * * * * to boil young chickens. put the chickens in scalding water; as soon as the feathers will slip off, take them out, or it will make the skin hard and break: when you have drawn them, lay them in skimmed milk for two hours, then truss and dust them well with flour, put them in cold water, cover them close, set them over a very slow fire, take off the scum, let them boil slowly for five or six minutes, take them off the fire, keep them closely covered in the water for half an hour, it will stew them enough; when you are going to dish them, set them over the fire to make them hot, drain them, and pour over white sauce made the same way as for the boiled fowls. * * * * * to roast young chickens. when you kill young chickens, pluck them very carefully, truss and put them down to a good fire, dredge and baste them with lard; they will take a quarter of an hour in roasting; froth them up, lay them on the dish, pour butter and parsley on, and serve them up hot. * * * * * fried chickens. cut them up as for the fricassee, dredge them well with flour, sprinkle them with salt, put them into a good quantity of boiling lard, and fry them a light brown; fry small pieces of mush and a quantity of parsley nicely picked, to be served in the dish with the chickens; take half a pint of rich milk, add to it a small bit of butter, with pepper, salt, and chopped parsley; stew it a little, and pour it over the chickens, and then garnish with the fried parsley. * * * * * to roast woodcocks or snipes. pluck, but do not draw them, put them on a small spit, dredge and baste them well with lard, toast a few slices of bread, put them on a clean plate, and set it under the birds while they are roasting; if the fire be good, they will take about ten minutes; when you take them from the spit, lay them upon the toasts on the dish, pour melted butter round them, and serve them up. * * * * * to roast wild ducks or teal. when the ducks are ready dressed, put in them a small onion, pepper, salt, and a spoonful of red wine; if the fire be good, they will roast in twenty minutes; make gravy of the necks and gizzards, a spoonful of red wine, half an anchovy, a blade or two of mace, one onion, and a little cayenne pepper; boil it till it is wasted to half a pint, strain it through a hair sieve, and pour it on the ducks--serve them up with onion sauce in a boat; garnish the dish with raspings of bread. * * * * * to boil pigeons. scald the pigeons, draw them, take the craw out, wash them in several waters, cut off the pinions, turn the legs under the wings, dredge them, and put them in soft cold water; boil them slowly a quarter of an hour, dish them up, pour over them good melted butter, lay round a little brocoli in bunches, and send butter and parsley in a boat. * * * * * to roast pigeons. when you have dressed your pigeons as before, roll a good lump of butter in chopped parsley, with pepper and salt, put it in your pigeons, spit, dust and baste them; if the fire be good, they will roast in twenty minutes; when they are through, lay round them bunches of asparagus, with parsley and butter for sauce. * * * * * to roast partridges or any small birds. lard them with slips of bacon, put them on a skewer, tie it to the spit at both ends, dredge and baste them, let them roast ten minutes, take the grated crumb of half a loaf of bread, with a piece of butter, the size of a walnut, put it in a stew pan, and shake it over a gentle fire till it is of a light brown, lay it between your birds, and pour over them a little melted butter. * * * * * to broil rabbits. when you have cased the rabbits, skewer them with their heads straight up, the fore-legs brought down, and the hind-legs straight; boil them three quarters of an hour at least, then smother them with onion sauce, made the same as for boiled ducks, and serve them up. * * * * * to roast rabbits. when you have cased the rabbits, skewer their heads with their mouths upon their backs, stick their fore-legs into their ribs, skewer the hind-legs doubled, then make a pudding for them of the crumb of half a loaf of bread, a little parsley, sweet marjoram and thyme, all shred fine, nutmeg, salt and pepper to your taste, mix them up into a light stuffing, with a quarter of a pound of butter, a little good cream, and two eggs; put it into the body, and sew them up; dredge and baste them well with lard, roast them near an hour, serve them up with parsley and butter for sauce, chop the livers, and lay them in lumps round the edge of the dish. * * * * * to stew wild ducks. having prepared the fowls, rub the insides with salt, pepper, and a little powdered cloves; put a shallot or two with a lump of butter in the body of each, then lay them in a pan that will just hold them, putting butter under and over them, with vinegar and water, and add pepper, salt, lemon peel, and a bunch of sweet herbs; then cover the pan close, and let them stew till done--pass the liquor through a sieve, pour it over the ducks, and serve them up hot, with a garnish of lemon sliced, and raspings of bread fried. the same way may teal, &c. be dressed. * * * * * to dress ducks with juice of oranges. the ducks being singed, picked, and drawn, mince the livers with a little scraped bacon, some butter, green onions, sweet herbs and parsley, seasoned with salt, pepper, and mushrooms; these being all minced together, put them into the bodies of the ducks, and roast them, covered with slices of bacon, and wrapped up in paper; then put a little gravy, the juice of an orange, a few shallots minced, into a stew pan, and shake in a little pepper; when the ducks are roasted, take off the bacon, dish them, and pour your sauce with the juice of oranges over them, and serve them up hot. * * * * * to dress ducks with onions. stuff the ducks as before, cut the roots off small onions, blanch them in scalding water, then pick and put them into a stew pan with a little gravy, set them over a gentle fire, and let them simmer; when they are done, thicken them with cream and flour, and when the ducks are roasted, dish them, pour the ragout of onions over, and serve them up hot. * * * * * to roast a calf's head. wash and pick the head very nicely; having taken out the brains and tongue, prepare a good quantity of forced meat, with veal and suet well seasoned; fill the hole of the head with this forced meat, skewer and tie it together upon the spit, and roast it for an hour and a half. beat up the brains with a little sage and parsley shred fine, a little salt, and the yelks of two or three eggs; boil the tongue, peel, and cut it into large dice, fry that with the brains, also some of the forced meat made up into balls, and slices of bacon. let the sauce be strong gravy, with oysters, mushrooms, capers, and a little white wine thickened. * * * * * to make a dish of curry after the east indian manner. cut two chickens as for fricassee, wash them clean, and put them in a stew pan with as much water as will cover them; sprinkle them with a large spoonful of salt, and let them boil till tender, covered close all the time, and skim them well; when boiled enough, take up the chickens, and put the liquor of them into a pan, then put half a pound of fresh butter in the pan, and brown it a little; put into it two cloves of garlic, and a large onion sliced, and let these all fry till brown, often shaking the pan; then put in the chickens, and sprinkle over them two or three spoonsful of curry powder; then cover the pan close, and let the chickens do till brown, often shaking the pan; then put in the liquor the chickens were boiled in, and let all stew till tender; if acid is agreeable squeeze the juice of a lemon or orange in it. * * * * * dish of rice to be served up with the curry, in a dish by itself. take half a pound of rice, wash it clean in salt and water--then put it into two quarts of boiling water, and boil it briskly twenty minutes; strain it through a colander and shake it into a dish, but do not touch it with your fingers nor with a spoon. beef, veal, mutton, rabbits, fish, &c. may be curried and sent to table with or without the dish of rice. curry powder is used as a fine flavoured seasoning for fish, fowls, steaks, chops, veal cutlets, hashes, minces, alamodes, turtle soup, and in all rich dishes, gravies, sauce, &c. &c. * * * * * ochra and tomatos. take an equal quantity of each, let the ochra be young, slice it, and skin the tomatos; put them into a pan without water, add a lump of butter, an onion chopped fine, some pepper and salt, and stew them one hour. * * * * * gumbo--a west india dish. gather young pods of ochra, wash them clean, and put them in a pan with a little water, salt and pepper, stew them till tender, and serve them with melted butter. they are very nutritious, and easy of digestion. * * * * * pepper pot. boil two or three pounds of tripe, cut it in pieces, and put it on the fire with a knuckle of veal, and a sufficient quantity of water; part of a pod of pepper, a little spice, sweet herbs according to your taste, salt, and some dumplins; stew it till tender, and thicken the gravy with butter and flour. * * * * * spanish method of dressing giblets. take the entrails of fat full grown fowls, empty them of their contents--open them with a sharp knife, scrape off the inner coat; wash them clean, and put them on to boil with the liver, gizzard, and other giblets; add salt, pepper, and chopped onion--when quite tender, set them by to cool; put some nice dripping or butter in a pan, when it boils put the giblets, add salt, fry them a nice brown; when nearly done, break six eggs in a bowl, beat them a little, pour them over the giblets, stir them for a few minutes, and serve them up. * * * * * paste for meat dumplins. chop half a pound of suet very fine--add one and a quarter pound of flour, and a little salt--mix it up with half a pint of milk, knead it till it looks light; take a bowl of proper size, rub the inside with butter, roll out the paste and lay it in; parboil beef steaks, mutton-chops, or any kind of meat you like; season it and lay it in the bowl--fill it with rich gravy, close the paste over the top--get a very thick cloth that will keep out the water; wet and flour it, place it over the top of the bowl--gather it at bottom and tie it very securely; the water must boil when you put it in--when done, dip the top in cold water for a moment, that the cloth may not stick to the paste; untie and take it off carefully--put a dish on the bowl and turn it over--if properly made, it will come out without breaking; have gravy in a boat to eat with it. * * * * * to make an ollo--a spanish dish. take two pounds beef, one pound mutton, a chicken, or half a pullet, and a small piece of pork; put them into a pot with very little water, and set it on the fire at ten o'clock, to stew gently; you must sprinkle over it an onion chopped small, some pepper and salt, before you pour in the water; at half after twelve, put into the pot two or three apples or pears, peeled and cut in two, tomatos with the skin taken off, cimblins cut in pieces, a handful of mint chopped, lima beans, snaps, and any kind of vegetable you like; let them all stew together till three o'clock; some cellery tops cut small, and added at half after two, will improve it much. * * * * * ropa veija--spanish. peel the skin from ripe tomatos, put them in a pan with a spoonful of melted butter, some pepper and salt, shred cold meat or fowl; put it in, and fry it sufficiently. * * * * * chicken pudding, a favourite virginia dish. beat ten eggs very light, add to them a quart of rich milk, with a quarter of a pound of butter melted, and some pepper and salt; stir in as much flour as will make a thin good batter; take four young chickens, and after cleaning them nicely, cut off the legs, wings, &c. put them all in a sauce pan, with some salt and water, and a bundle of thyme and parsley, boil them till nearly done, then take the chicken from the water and put it in the batter pour it in a dish, and bake it; send nice white gravy in a boat. * * * * * to make polenta. put a large spoonful of butter in a quart of water, wet your corn meal with cold water in a bowl, add some salt, and make it quite smooth, then put it in the buttered water when it is hot, let it boil, stirring it continually till done; as soon as you can handle it, make it into a ball, and let it stand till quite cold--then cut it in thin slices, lay them in the bottom of a deep dish so as to cover it, put on it slices of cheese, and on that a few bits of butter; then mush, cheese and butter, until the dish is full; put on the top thin slices of cheese and butter, put the dish in a quick oven; twenty or thirty minutes will bake it. * * * * * macaroni. boil as much macaroni as will fill your dish, in milk and water, till quite tender; drain it on a sieve sprinkle a little salt over it, put a layer in your dish then cheese and butter as in the polenta, and bake it in the same manner. * * * * * mock macaroni. break some crackers in small pieces, soak them in milk until they are soft; then use them as a substitute for macaroni. * * * * * to make croquets. take cold fowl or fresh meat of any kind, with slices of ham, fat and lean--chop them together very fine, add half as much stale bread grated, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, a tea-spoonful of made mustard, a table-spoonful of catsup, and a lump of butter; knead all well together till it resembles sausage meat, make them in cakes, dip them in the yelk of an egg beaten, cover them thickly with grated bread, and fry them a light brown. * * * * * to make vermecelli. beat two or three fresh eggs quite light, make them into a stiff paste with flour, knead it well, and roll it out very thin, cut it in narrow strips, give them a twist, and dry them quickly on tin sheets. it is an excellent ingredient in most soups, particularly those that are thin. noodles are made in the same manner, only instead of strips they should be cut in tiny squares and dried. they are also good in soups. * * * * * common patties. take some veal, fat and lean, and some slices of boiled ham, chop them very fine, and season it with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and a small quantity of parsley and thyme minced very fine; with a little gravy make some paste, cover the bottoms of small moulds, fill them with the meat, put thin lids on, and bake them crisp; five is enough for a side dish. * * * * * eggs in croquets. boil eighteen eggs, separate the yelks and whites, and cut them in dice; pour over them a sauce a-la-creme, _(see sauce a-la-creme,)_ add a little grated bread, mix all well together, and let it get cold; put in some salt and pepper, make them into cakes, cover them well on both sides with grated bread, let them stand an hour, and fry them a nice brown; dry them a little before the fire, and dish them while quite hot. * * * * * omelette souffle. break six eggs, beat the yelks and whites separately till very light, then mix them, add four table spoonsful of powdered sugar, and a little grated lemon peel; put a quarter of a pound of butter in a pan; when melted, pour in the eggs and stir them; when they have absorbed the butter, turn it on a plate previously buttered, sprinkle some powdered sugar, set it in a hot dutch oven, and when a little brown, serve it up for a desert. * * * * * fondus. put a pint of water, and a lump of butter the size of an egg, into a sauce pan; stir in as much flour as will make a thick batter, put it on the fire, and stir it continually till it will not stick to the pan; put it in a bowl, add three quarters of a pound of grated cheese, mix it well, then break in two eggs, beat them well, then two more until you put in six; when it looks very light, drop it in small lumps on buttered paper, bake it in a quick oven till of a delicate brown; you may use corn meal instead of flour for a change. * * * * * a nice twelve o'clock luncheon. cut some slices of bread tolerably thick, and toast them slightly; bone some anchovies, lay half of one on each toast, cover it well with grated cheese and chopped parsley mixed; pour a little melted butter on, and brown it with a salamander; it must be done on the dish you send it to table in. * * * * * eggs a-la-creme. boil twelve eggs just hard enough to allow you to cut them in slices--cut some crusts of bread very thin, put them in the bottom and round the sides of a moderately deep dish, place the eggs in, strewing each layer with the stale bread grated, and some pepper and salt. * * * * * sauce a-la-creme, for the eggs. put a quarter of a pound of butter, with a large table-spoonful of flour rubbed well into it in a sauce pan; add some chopped parsley, a little onion, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a gill of cream; stir it over the fire until it begins to boil, then pour it over the eggs, cover the top with grated bread, set it in a dutch oven with a heated top, and when a light brown, send it to table. * * * * * cabbage a-la-creme. take two good heads of cabbage, cut out the stalks, boil it tender, with a little salt in the water--have ready one large spoonful of butter, and a small one of flour rubbed into it, half a pint of milk, with pepper and salt; make it hot, put the cabbage in after pressing out the water, and stew it till quite tender. * * * * * to make an omelette. break six or eight eggs in a dish, beat them a little, add parsley and chives chopped small, with pepper and salt; mix all well together, put a piece of butter in a pan, let it melt over a clear fire till nearly brown; pour in the eggs, stir it in, and in a few minutes it will be done sufficiently; double it, and dish it quite hot. * * * * * omelette--another way. break six eggs, leave out half the whites--beat them with a fork, and add some salt and chopped parsley; take four ounces of fresh butter, cut half of it in small pieces, put them in the omelette, put the other half in a small frying pan; when melted, pour in the eggs; stir till it begins to set, then turn it up round the edges; when done, put a plate on and turn the pan up, that it may not break--the omelette must be thick, and great care must be taken in frying; instead of parsley, you may use any kind of sweet herb or onion chopped fine, anchovy minced, rasped beef, ham or tongue. * * * * * gaspacho--spanish put some soft biscuit or toasted bread in the bottom of a sallad bowl, put in a layer of sliced tomatos with the skin taken off, and one of sliced cucumbers, sprinkled with pepper, salt, and chopped onion; do this until the bowl is full; stew some tomatos quite soft, strain the juice, mix in some mustard, oil, and water, and pour over it; make it two hours before it is eaten. * * * * * eggs and tomatos. peel the skins from a dozen large tomatos, put four ounces of butter in a frying pan, add some salt, pepper, and a little chopped onion; fry them a few minutes, add the tomatos, and chop them while frying; when nearly done, break in six eggs, stir them quickly, and serve them up. * * * * * to fricassee eggs. boil six eggs for five minutes, lay them in cold water, peel them carefully, dredge them lightly with flour, beat one egg light, dip the hard eggs in, roll them in bread crumbs, seasoned with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg; cover them well with this, and let them stand some time to dry--fry them in boiling lard, and serve them up with any kind of rich, well seasoned gravy, and garnish with crisped parsley. * * * * * sauces. fish sauce, to keep a year. chop twenty-four anchovies, bones and all, two shallots, a handful of scraped horse radish, four blades of mace, one quart of white wine, one pint of anchovy liquor, one pint of claret, twelve cloves, and twelve pepper corns; boil them together till reduced to a quart, then strain it off into a bottle for use two spoonsful will be sufficient for a pound of butter. * * * * * sauce for wild fowl. take a gill of claret, with as much water, some grated bread, three heads of shallots, a little whole pepper, mace, grated nutmeg, and salt; let them stew over the fire, then beat it up with butter, and put it under the wild fowl, which being a little roasted, will afford gravy to mix with this sauce. * * * * * sauce for boiled rabbits. boil the livers, and shred them very small, chop two eggs not boiled very hard, a large spoonful of grated white bread, some broth, sweet herbs, two spoonsful of white wine, one of vinegar, a little salt, and some butter; stir all together, and take care the butter does not oil. * * * * * gravy. take a rasher or two of bacon, and lay it at the bottom of a stew pan, putting either veal, mutton, or beef, cut in slices, over it; then add some sliced onions, turnips, carrots, celery, a little thyme, and alspice. put in a little water, and set it on the fire, stewing till it be brown at the bottom, which you will know from the pan's hissing; then pour boiling water over it, and stew it an hour and a half; but the time must be regulated by the quantity. season it with salt and pepper. * * * * * forcemeat balls. take half a pound of veal, and half a pound of suet cut fine, and beat in a marble mortar or wooden bowl; add a few sweet herbs shred fine, a little mace pounded fine, a small nutmeg grated, a little lemon peel, some pepper and salt, and the yelks of two eggs; mix them well together, and make them into balls and long pieces--then roll them in flour, and fry them brown. if they are for the use of white sauce, do not fry them, but put them in a sauce-pan of hot water and let them boil a few minutes. * * * * * sauce for boiled ducks or rabbits. pour boiled onions over your ducks, or rabbits, prepared in this manner: peel some onions, and boil them in plenty of water; then change the first water, and boil them two hours: take them up and put them in a colander to drain, and afterwards chop them on a board; then put them in a sauce-pan, sprinkle a little flour over them, and put in a large piece of butter, with a little milk or cream. set them over the fire, and when the butter is melted, they will be done enough. this is a good sauce for mutton also. * * * * * lobster sauce. boil a little mace, and whole pepper, long enough to take out the strong taste of the spice; then strain it off, and melt three quarters of a pound of butter in it. cut the lobster in very small pieces, and stew it till it is tender. * * * * * shrimp sauce. wash half a pint of shrimps very clean--mince and put them in a stew-pan, with a spoonful of anchovy liquor, and a pound of thick melted butter; boil it up for five minutes, and squeeze in half a lemon. toss it up, and put it in a sauce-boat. * * * * * oyster sauce for fish. scald a pint of oysters, and strain them through a sieve; then wash some more in cold water, and take off their beards; put them in a stew-pan, and pour the liquor over them; then add a large spoonful of anchovy liquor, half a lemon, two blades of mace, and thicken it with butter rolled in flour. put in half a pound of butter, and boil it till it is melted--take out the mace and lemon, and squeeze the lemon juice into the sauce; boil it, and stir it all the time, and put it in a boat. * * * * * celery sauce. wash and pare a large bunch of celery very clean cut it into little bits, and boil it softly till it is tender; add half a pint of cream, some mace, nutmeg, and a small piece of butter rolled in flour; then boil it gently. this is a good sauce for roasted or boiled fowls, turkeys, partridges, or any other game. * * * * * mushroom sauce. clean and wash one quart of fresh mushrooms, cut them in two, and put them into a stew-pan, with a little salt, a blade of mace, and a little butter; stew them gently for half an hour, and then add half a pint of cream, and the yelks of two eggs beat very well--keep stirring it till it boils up. put it over the fowls or turkies--or you may put it on a dish with a piece of fried bread first buttered--then toasted brown, and just dipped into boiling water. this is very good sauce for white fowls of all kinds. * * * * * common sauce. plain butter melted thick, with a spoonful of walnut pickle or catsup, is a very good sauce; but you may put as many things as you choose into sauces. * * * * * to melt butter. nothing is more simple than this process, and nothing so generally done badly. keep a quart tin sauce-pan, with a cover to it, exclusively for this purpose; weigh one quarter of a pound of good butter; rub into it two tea-spoonsful of flour; when well mixed, put it in the sauce-pan with one table-spoonful of water, and a little salt; cover it, and set the sauce-pan in a larger one of boiling water; shake it constantly till completely melted, and beginning to boil. if the pan containing the butter be set on coals, it will oil the butter and spoil it. this quantity is sufficient for one sauce-boat. a great variety of delicious sauces can be made, by adding different herbs to melted butter, all of which are excellent to eat with fish, poultry, or boiled butchers' meat. to begin with parsley--wash a large bunch very clean, pick the leaves from the stems carefully, boil them ten minutes in salt and water, drain them perfectly dry, mince them exceedingly fine, and stir them in the butter when it begins to melt. when herbs are added to butter, you must put two spoonsful of water instead of one. chervil, young fennel, burnet, tarragon, and cress, or pepper-grass, may all be used, and must be prepared in the same manner as the parsley. * * * * * caper sauce. is made by mixing a sufficient quantity of capers, and adding them to the melted butter, with a little of the liquor from the capers; where capers cannot be obtained, pickled nasturtiums make a very good substitute, or even green pickle minced and put with the butter. * * * * * oyster catsup. get fine fresh oysters, wash them in their own liquor, put them in a marble mortar with salt, pounded mace, and cayenne pepper, in the proportions of one ounce salt, two drachms mace, and one of cayenne to each pint of oysters; pound them together, and add a pint of white wine to each pint; boil it some minutes, and rub it through a sieve; boil it again, skim it, and when cold, bottle, cork, and seal it. this composition gives a fine flavour to white sauces, and if a glass of brandy be added, it will keep good for a considerable time. * * * * * celery vinegar. pound two gills of celery seed, put it into a bottle ind fill it with strong vinegar; shake it every day for a fortnight, then strain it, and keep it for use. it will impart a pleasant flavour of celery to any thing with which it is used. a very delicious flavour of thyme may be obtained, by gathering it when in full perfection; it must be picked from the stalks, a large handful of it put into a jar, and a quart of vinegar or brandy poured on it; cover it very close--next day, take all the thyme out, put in as much more; do this a third time; then strain it, bottle and seal it securely. this is greatly preferable to the dried thyme commonly used, during the season when it cannot be obtained in a fresh state. mint may be prepared in the same way. the flavour of both these herbs must be preserved by care in the preparation: if permitted to stand more than twenty hours in the liquor they are infused in, a coarse and bitter taste will be extracted, particularly from mint. * * * * * vegetables. to dress salad. to have this delicate dish in perfection, the lettuce, pepper grass, chervil, cress, &c. should be gathered early in the morning, nicely picked, washed, and laid in cold water, which will be improved by adding ice; just before dinner is ready to be served, drain the water from your salad, cut it into a bowl, giving the proper proportions of each plant; prepare the following mixture to pour over it: boil two fresh eggs ten minutes, put them in water to cool, then take the yelks in a soup plate, pour on them a table spoonful of cold water, rub them with a wooden spoon until they are perfectly dissolved; then add two spoonsful of oil: when well mixed, put in a tea-spoonful of salt, one of powdered sugar, and one of made mustard; when all these are united and quite smooth, stir in two table spoonsful of common, and two of tarragon vinegar; put it over the salad, and garnish the top with the whites of the eggs cut into rings, and lay around the edge of the bowl young scallions, they being the most delicate of the onion tribe. * * * * * to boil potatos. wash them, but do not pare or cut them, unless they are very large; fill a sauce-pan half full of potatos of equal size, (or make them so by dividing the large ones,) put to them as much cold water as will cover them about an inch; they are sooner boiled, and more savoury, than when drowned in water; most boiled things are spoiled by having too little water, but potatos are often spoiled by having too much; they must merely be covered, and a little allowed for waste in boiling, so that they must be just covered when done. set them on a moderate fire till they boil, then take them off, and set them by the fire to simmer slowly, till they are soft enough to admit a fork; (place no dependence on the usual test of their skin's cracking, which, if they are boiled fast, will happen to some potatos when they are not half done, and the inside is quite hard,) then pour off the water, (if you let the potatos remain in the water a moment after they are done enough, they will become waxy and watery,) uncover the sauce-pan, and set it at such a distance from the fire as will secure it from burning; their superfluous moisture will evaporate, and the potatos will be perfectly dry and mealy. you may afterwards place a napkin, folded up to the size of the sauce-pan's diameter, over the potatos, to keep them dry and mealy till wanted, this method of managing potatos, is, in every respect, equal to steaming them, and they are dressed in half the time. * * * * * to fry sliced potatos. peel large potatos, slice them about a quarter of an inch thick, or cut them in shavings round and round, as you would peel a lemon; dry them well in a clean cloth, and fry them in lard or dripping. take care that your fat and frying-pan are quite clean; put it on a quick fire, watch it, and as soon as the lard boils and is still, put in the slices of potatos, and keep moving them till they are crisp; take them up, and lay them to drain on a sieve; send them up with very little salt sprinkled on them. * * * * * potatos mashed. when the potatos are thoroughly boiled, drain and dry them perfectly, pick out every speck, and rub them through a colander into a clean stew-pan; to a pound of potatos put half an ounce of butter, and a table-spoonful of milk; do not make them too moist; mix them well together. when the potatos are getting old and specked, and in frosty weather, this is the best way of dressing them--you may put them into shapes, touch them over with yelk of egg, and brown them very slightly before a slow fire. * * * * * potatos mashed with onions. prepare some onions by putting them through a sieve, and mix them with potatos; in proportioning the onions to the potatos, you will be guided by your wish to have more or less of their flavour. * * * * * to roast potatos. wash and dry your potatos, (all of a size,) and put them in a tin dutch oven, or cheese toaster; take care not to put them too near the fire, or they will get burned on the outside before they are warmed through. large potatos, will require two hours to roast them. to save time and trouble, some cooks half boil them first. * * * * * to roast potatos under meat. half boil large potatos, drain the water from them, and put them into an earthen dish or small tin pan, under meat that is roasting, and baste them with some of the dripping; when they are browned on one side, turn them and brown the other; send them up around the meat, or in a small dish. * * * * * potato balls. mix mashed potatos with the yelk of an egg, roll them into balls, flour them, or cover them with egg and bread crumbs, fry them in clean dripping, or brown them in a dutch oven. they are an agreeable vegetable relish, and a supper dish. * * * * * jerusalem artichokes. are boiled and dressed in the various ways we have just before directed for potatos. they should be covered with thick melted butter, or a nice white or brown sauce. * * * * * cabbage. pick cabbages very clean, and wash them thoroughly; then look them carefully over again; quarter them if they are very large; put them into a sauce pan with plenty of boiling water; if any skum rises, take it off, put a large spoonful of salt into the sauce pan, and boil 'them till the stalks feel tender. a young cabbage will take about twenty minutes, or half an hour; when full grown, nearly an hour; see that they are well covered with water all the time, and that no or smoke arises from stirring the fire. with careful management, they will look as beautiful when dressed as they did when growing. it will much ameliorate the flavour of strong old cabbages, to boil them in two waters, _i.e._ when they are half done, to take them out, and put them into another sauce pan of boiling water. * * * * * savoys. are boiled in the same manner; quarter them when you send them to table. * * * * * sprouts and young greens. the receipt written for cabbages will answer as well for sprouts, only they will be boiled enough in fifteen minutes. * * * * * asparagus. set a stew-pan with plenty of water on the fire, sprinkle a handful of salt in it, let it boil, and skim it; then put in the asparagus prepared thus: scrape all the stalks till they are perfectly clean; throw them into a pan of cold water as you scrape them; when they are all done, tie them in little bundles, of a quarter of a hundred each, with bass, if you can get it, or tape; cut off the stalks at the bottom, that they may be all of a length; when they are tender at the stalk, which will be in from twenty to thirty minutes, they are done enough. great care must be taken to watch the exact time of their becoming tender; take them just at that instant, and they will have their true flavour and colour; a minute or two more boiling destroys both. while the asparagus is boiling, toast a slice of a loaf of bread, about a half an inch thick; brown it delicately on both sides; dip it lightly in the liquor the asparagus was boiled in, and lay it in the middle of a dish; pour some melted butter on the toast, and lay the asparagus upon it; let it project beyond the asparagus, that the company may see there is a toast. do not pour butter over them, but send some in a boat. * * * * * sea-kale. is tied up in bundles, and dressed in the same way as asparagus. * * * * * to scollop tomatos. peel off the skin from large, full, ripe tomatos--put a layer in the bottom of a deep dish, cover it well with bread grated fine; sprinkle on pepper and salt, and lay some bits of butter over them--put another layer of each, till the dish is full--let the top be covered with crumbs and butter--bake it a nice brown. * * * * * to stew tomatos. take off the skin, and put them in a pan with salt, pepper, and a large piece of butter--stew them till sufficiently dry. * * * * * cauliflower. choose those that are close and white, and of a middle size--trim off the outside leaves, cut off the stalk flat at the bottom, let them lie in salt and water an hour before you boil them. put them in boiling water, with a handful of salt in it--skim it well, and let it boil slowly till done, which a small one will be in fifteen minutes, a large one in twenty--and take it up the moment it is enough: a few minutes longer boiling will spoil it. * * * * * red beet roots. are not so much used as they deserve to be; they are dressed in the same way as parsnips, only neither scraped nor cut till after they are boiled; they will take from an hour and a half to three hours in boiling, according to their size; to be sent to the table with salt fish, boiled beef, &c. when young, small and juicy, it is a very good variety, an excellent garnish, and easily converted into a very cheap and pleasant pickle. * * * * * parsnips. are to be cooked just in the same manner as carrots; they require more or less time, according to their size; therefore match them in size, and you must try them by thrusting a fork into them as they are in the water; when this goes easily through, they are done enough: boil them from an hour to two hours, according to their size and freshness. parsnips are sometimes sent up mashed in the same way as turnips. * * * * * carrots. let them be well washed and scraped--an hour is enough for young spring carrots; grown carrots will take from an hour and a half to two hours and a half. the best way to try if they are done enough, is to pierce them with a fork. * * * * * turnips. peel off half an inch of the stringy outside--full grown turnips will take about an hour and a half gentle boiling; try them with a fork, and when tender, take them up, and lay them on a sieve till the water is thoroughly drained from them; send them up whole; to very young turnips, leave about two inches of green top; the old ones are better when the water is changed as directed for cabbage. * * * * * to mash turnips. when they are boiled quite tender, squeeze them as dry as possible--put them into a sauce pan, mash them with a wooden spoon, and rub them through a colander; add a little bit of butter, keep stirring them till the butter is melted and well mixed with them, and they are ready for table. * * * * * turnip tops. are the shoots which grow out, (in the spring.) from the old turnip roots. put them in cold water an hour before they are dressed; the more water they are boiled in, the better they will look; if boiled in a small quantity of water, they will taste bitter; when the water boils, put in a small handful of salt, and then your vegetables; they are still better boiled with bacon in the virginia style: if fresh and young, they will be done in about twenty minutes--drain them on the back of a sieve, and put them under the bacon. * * * * * french beans. cut off the stalk end first, and then turn to the point and strip off the strings; if not quite fresh, have a bowl of spring water, with a little salt dissolved in it, standing before you; as the beans are cleansed and trimmed, throw them in; when all are done, put them on the fire in boiling water, with some salt in it; when they have boiled fifteen or twenty minutes, take one out and taste it; as soon as they are tender, take them up, and throw them into a colander to drain. to send up the beans whole, when they are young, is much the best method, and their delicate flavour and colour is much better preserved. when a little more grown, they must be cut lengthwise in thin slices after stringing; and for common tables, they are split, and divided across; but those who are nice, do not use them at such a growth as to require splitting. * * * * * artichokes. soak them in cold water, wash them well, then put them into plenty of boiling water, with a handful of salt, and let them boil gently till they are tender, which will take an hour and a half, or two hours: the surest way to know when they are done enough, is to draw out a leaf; trim them, and drain them on a sieve, and send up melted butter with them, with some put into small cups, so that each guest may have one. * * * * * brocoli. the kind which bears flowers around the joints of the stalks, must be cut into convenient lengths for the dish; scrape the skin from the stalk, and pick out any leaves or flowers that require to be removed; tie it up in bunches, and boil it as asparagus; serve it up hot, with melted butter poured over it. the brocoli that heads at the top like cauliflowers, must be dressed in the same manner as the cauliflower. * * * * * peas. to have them in perfection, they must be quite young, gathered early in the morning, kept in a cool place, and not shelled until they are to be dressed; put salt in the water, and when it boils, put in the peas; boil them quick twenty or thirty minutes, according to their age; just before they are taken up, add a little mint chopped very fine; drain all the water from the peas, put in a bit of butter, and serve them up quite hot. * * * * * puree of turnips. pare a dozen large turnips, slice them, and put them into a stew-pan, with four ounces of butter and a little salt; set the pan over a moderate fire, turn them often with a wooden spoon; when they look white, add a ladle full of veal gravy, stew them till it becomes thick; skim it, and pass it through a sieve; put the turnips in a dish, and pour the gravy over them. * * * * * ragout of turnips. peel as many small turnips as will fill a dish; put them into a stew pan with some butter and a little sugar, set them over a hot stove, shake them about, and turn them till they are a good brown; pour in half a pint of rich high seasoned gravy; stew the turnips till tender, and serve them with the gravy poured over them. * * * * * ragout of french beans, snaps, string beans. let them be young and fresh gathered, string them, and cut them in long thin slices; throw them in boiling water for fifteen minutes; have ready some well seasoned brown gravy, drain the water from the beans, put them in the gravy, stew them a few minutes, and serve them garnished with forcemeat balls; there must not be gravy enough to float the beans. * * * * * mazagan beans. this is the smallest and most delicate species of the windsor bean. gather them in the morning, when they are full grown, but quite young, and do not shell them till you are going to dress them. put them into boiling water, have a small bit of middling, (flitch,) of bacon, well boiled--take the skin off, cover it with bread crumbs, and toast it; lay this in the middle of the dish, drain all the water from the beans--put a little butter with them, and pour them round the bacon. when the large windsor beans are used, it is best to put them into boiling water until the skins will slip off, and then make them into a puree as directed for turnips--they are very coarse when plainly dressed. * * * * * lima, or sugar beans. like all other spring and summer vegetables, they must be young and freshly gathered: boil them till tender, drain them, add a little butter, and serve them up. these beans are easily preserved for winter use, and will be nearly as good as fresh ones. gather them on a dry day, when full grown, but quite young: have a clean and dry keg, sprinkle some salt in the bottom, put in a layer of pods, containing the beans, then a little salt--do this till the keg is full; lay a board on with a weight, to press them down; cover the keg very close, and keep it in a dry, cool place--they should be put up as late in the season, as they can be with convenience. when used, the pods must be washed, and laid in fresh water all night; shell them next day, and keep them in water till you are going to boil them; when tender, serve them up with melted butter in a boat. french beans (snaps) may be preserved in the same manner. * * * * * turnip rooted cabbage. the cabbage growing at the top is not good; cut the root in slices an inch thick, peel off the rind, and boil the slices in a large quantity of water, till tender, serve it up hot, with melted butter poured over it. * * * * * egg plant. the purple ones are best; get them young and fresh; pull out the stem, and parboil them to take off the bitter taste; cut them in slices an inch thick, but do not peel them; dip them in the yelk of an egg, and cover them with grated bread, a little salt and pepper--when this has dried, cover the other side the same way--fry them a nice brown. they are very delicious, tasting much like soft crabs. the egg plant may be dressed in another manner: scrape the rind and parboil them; cut a slit from one end to the other, take out the seeds, fill the space with a rich forcemeat, and stew them in well seasoned gravy, or bake them, and serve up with gravy in the dish. * * * * * potato pumpkin. get one of a good colour, and seven or eight inches in diameter; cut a piece off the top, take out all the seeds, wash and wipe the cavity, pare the rind off, and fill the hollow with good forcemeat--put the top on, and set it in a deep pan, to protect the sides; bake it in a moderate oven, put it carefully in the dish without breaking, and it will look like a handsome mould. another way of cooking potato pumpkin is to cut it in slices, pare off the rind, and make a puree as directed for turnips. * * * * * sweet potato. take those that are nearly of the same size, that they may be done equally--wash them clean, but do not peel them--boil them till tender, drain the water off, and put them on tin sheets in a stove for a few minutes to dry. * * * * * sweet potatos stewed. wash and wipe them, and if they be large, cut them in two lengths; put them at the bottom of a stew pan, lay over some slices of boiled ham; and on that, one or two chickens cut up with pepper, salt, and a bundle of herbs; pour in some water, and stew them till done, then take out the herbs, serve the stew in a deep dish--thicken the gravy, and pour over it. * * * * * sweet potatos broiled. cut them across without peeling, in slices half an inch thick, broil them on a griddle, and serve them with butter in a boat. * * * * * spinach. great care must be used in washing and picking it clean; drain it, and throw it into boiling water--a few minutes will boil it sufficiently: press out all the water, put it in a stew pan with a piece of butter, some pepper and salt--chop it continually with a spoon till it is quite dry: serve it with poached eggs or without, as you please. * * * * * sorrel. is dressed as the spinach; and if they be mixed in equal proportions, improve each other. * * * * * cabbage pudding. get a fine head of cabbage, not too large; pour boiling water on, and cover it till you can turn the leaves back, which you must do carefully; take some of those in the middle of the head off, chop them fine, and mix them with rich forcemeat; put this in, and replace the leaves to confine the stuffing--tie it in a cloth, and boil it--serve it up whole, with a little melted butter in the dish. * * * * * squash or cimlin. gather young squashes, peel, and cut them in two; take out the seeds, and boil them till tender; put them into a colander, drain off the water, and rub them with a wooden spoon through the colander; then put them into a stew pan, with a cup full of cream, a small piece of butter, some pepper and salt--stew them, stirring frequently until dry. this is the most delicate way of preparing squashes. * * * * * winter squash. the crooked neck of this squash is the best part. cut it in slices an inch thick, take off the rind, and boil them with salt in the water; drain them well before they are dished, and pour melted butter over--serve them up very hot. the large part, containing the seeds, must be sliced and pared--cut it in small pieces, and stew it till soft, with just water enough to cover it; pass it through a sieve and stew it again, adding some butter, pepper, and salt; it must be dry, but not burnt. it is excellent when stewed with pork chops. * * * * * field peas. there are many varieties of these peas; the smaller kind are the most delicate. have them young and newly gathered, shell and boil them tender; pour them in a colander to drain; put some lard in a frying pan; when it boils, mash the peas, and fry them in a cake of a light brown; put it in the dish with the crust uppermost--garnish with thin bits of fried bacon. they are very nice when fried whole, so that each pea is distinct from the other; but they must be boiled less, and fried with great care. plain boiling is a very common way of dressing them. * * * * * cabbage with onions. boil them separately, and mix them in the proportions you like; add butter, pepper, and salt, and either stew them, or fry them in a cake. * * * * * salsify. scrape and wash the roots, put them into boiling water with salt; when done, drain them, and place them in the dish without cutting them up. they are a very excellent vegetable, but require nicety in cooking; exposure to the air, either in scraping, or after boiling, will make them black. * * * * * stewed salsify. half boil it, cut it up, and put it in a stew pan, with a very little water, and a spoonful of butter; stew them dry, and serve them up. for change, you may, after stewing, cut them in scollop shells with grated bread, and bake them; or make them into cakes, and fry them. they are delicious in whatever way they can be dressed. * * * * * stewed mushrooms. gather grown mushrooms, but such as are young enough to have red gills; cut off that part of the stem which grew in the earth--wash them carefully, and take the skin from the top; put them into a stew pan with some salt, but no water--stew them till tender, and thicken them with a spoonful of butter, mixed with one of brown flour; red wine may be added, but the flavour of the mushroom is too delicious to require aid from any thing. * * * * * broiled mushrooms. prepare them as above directed--broil them on a griddle, and when done, sprinkle pepper and salt on the gills, and put a little butter on them. * * * * * to boil rice. put two cups full of rice in a bowl of water, rub it well with the hand, and pour off the water; do this until the water ceases to be discoloured; then put the rice into two and a half cups of cold water; add a tea-spoonful of salt, cover the pot close, and set it on a brisk fire; let it boil ten minutes, pour off the greater part of the water, and remove the pot to a bed of coals, where it must remain a quarter of an hour to soak and dry. * * * * * rice journey, or johnny cake. boil a pint of rice quite soft, with a tea-spoonful of salt; mix with it while hot a large spoonful of butter, and spread it on a dish to cool; when perfectly cold, add a pint of rice flour and half a pint of milk--beat them all together till well mingled. take the middle part of the head of a barrel, make it quite clean, wet it, and put on the mixture about an inch thick, smooth with a spoon, and baste it with a little milk; set the board aslant before clear coals; when sufficiently baked, slip a thread under the cake and turn it: baste and bake that side in a similar manner, split it, and butter while hot. small homony boiled and mixed with rice flour, is better than all rice; and if baked very thin, and afterwards toasted and buttered, it is nearly as good as cassada bread. * * * * * puddings, &c. observations on puddings and cakes. the salt should always be washed from butter, when it is to be used in any thing that has sugar for an ingredient, and also from that which is melted to grease any kind of mould for baking--otherwise, there will be a disagreeable salt taste on the outer side of the article baked. raisins should be stoned and cut in two, and have some flour sifted over them--stir them gently in the flour, and take them out free from lumps; the small quantity that adheres to them, will prevent their sticking together, or falling in a mass to the bottom. eggs must be fresh, or they will not heal well: it is better to separate the yelks from the whites always, though it is a more troublesome process; but for some things it is essential to do so: when they are to be mixed with milk, let it cool after boiling, or the eggs will poach; and only set it on the fire a few minutes, to take off the raw taste of the eggs, stirring it all the time. currants require washing in many waters to cleanse them; they must be picked and well dried, or they will stick together. almonds should be put in hot water till the skins will slip off, which is called blanching; they must always be pounded with rose or orange flower water, to prevent their oiling. when cream is used, put it in just before the mixture is ready; much beating will decompose it. before a pudding or cake is begun, every ingredient necessary for it must be ready; when the process is retarded by neglecting to have them prepared, the article is injured. the oven must be in a proper state, and the paste in the dishes or moulds, ready for such things as require it. promptitude is necessary in all our actions, but never more so than when engaged in making cakes and puddings. when only one or two eggs are to be used, cooks generally think it needless to beat them--it is an error: eggs injure every thing, unless they are made light before they are used. cloths for boiling puddings should be made of german sheeting; an article less thick, will admit the water, and injure the pudding. * * * * * rice milk for a dessert. boil half a pint of rice in water till tender, pour off the water, and add a pint of milk with two eggs beaten well, stirred into it; boil all together two or three minutes; serve it up hot, and eat it with butter, sugar, and nutmeg. it may be sweetened and cooled in moulds, turned out in a deep dish, and surrounded with rich milk, with raspberry marmalade stirred into it, and strained to keep back the seeds--or the milk may be seasoned with wine and sugar. * * * * * to make puff paste. sift a quart of flour, leave out a little for rolling the paste, make up the remainder with cold water into a stiff paste, knead it well, and roll it out several times; wash the salt from a pound of butter, divide it into four parts, put one of them on the paste in little bits, fold it up, and continue to roll it till the butter is well mixed; then put another portion of butter, roll it in the same manner; do this till all the butter is mingled with the paste; touch it very lightly with the hands in making--bake it in a moderate oven, that will permit it to rise, but will not make it brown. good paste must look white, and as light as a feather. * * * * * to make mincemeat for pies. boil either calves or hogs' feet till perfectly tender, rub them through a colander; when cold, pass them through again, and it will come out like pearl barley; take one quart of this, one of chopped apples, the same of currants, washed and picked, raisins stoned and cut, of good brown sugar, suet nicely chopped, and cider, with a pint of brandy; add a tea-spoonful of pounded mace, one of cloves and of nutmegs; mix all these together intimately. when the pies are to be made, take out as much of this mixture as may be necessary; to each quart of it, add a tea-spoonful of pounded black pepper, and one of salt; this greatly improves the flavour, and can be better mixed with a small portion than with the whole mass. cover the moulds with paste, put in a sufficiency of mince-meat, cover the top with citron sliced thin, and lay on it a lid garnished around with paste cut in fanciful shapes. they may be eaten either hot or cold, but are best when hot. * * * * * to make jelly from feet. boil four calfs' feet, that have been nicely cleaned, and the hoofs taken off; when the feet are boiled to pieces, strain the liquor through a colander, and when cold, take all the grease off, and put the jelly in a skillet, leaving the dregs which will be at the bottom. there should be from four feet, about two quarts of jelly: pour into it one quart of white wine, the juice of six fresh lemons strained from the seeds, one pound and a half of powdered loaf sugar, a little pounded cinnamon and mace, and the rind thinly pared from two of the lemons; wash eight eggs very clean, whip up the whites to a froth, crush the shells and put with them, mix it with the jelly, set it on the fire, stir it occasionally till the jelly is melted, but do not touch it afterwards. when it has boiled till it looks quite clear on one side, and the dross accumulates on the other, take off carefully the thickest part of the dross, and pour the jelly in the bag; put back what runs through, until it becomes quite transparent--then set a pitcher under the bag, and put a cover all over to keep out the dust: the jelly looks much prettier when it is broken to fill the glasses. the bag should be made of cotton or linen, and be suspended in a frame made for the purpose. the feet of hogs make the palest coloured jelly; those of sheep are a beautiful amber-colour, when prepared. * * * * * a sweetmeat pudding. make a quart of flour into puff paste; when done, divide it into three parts of unequal size; roll the largest out square and moderately thin, spread over it a thin layer of marmalade, leaving a margin all round about an inch broad; roll the next largest in the same manner, lay it on, cover that with marmalade, leaving a margin; then roll the smallest, and put it on the other two, spreading marmalade; fold it up, one fold over the other, the width of your hand--press the ends together, tie it in a cloth securely, and place it in a kettle of boiling water, where it can lie at length without doubling; boil it quickly, and when done, pour melted butter with sugar and wine in the dish. * * * * * to make an orange pudding. put two oranges and two lemons, into five quarts of water--boil them till the rinds are quite tender; take them out, and when cold, slice them thin, and pick out the seeds; put a pound of loaf sugar into a pint of water--when it boils, slice into it twelve pippins pared and cored--lay in the lemons and oranges, stew them tender, cover the dish with puff paste, lay the fruit in carefully, in alternate layers--pour on the syrup, put some slips of paste across, and bake it. * * * * * an apple custard. pare and core twelve pippins, slice them tolerably thick, put a pound of loaf sugar in a stew pan, with a pint of water and twelve cloves: boil and skim it, then put in the apples, and stew them till clear, and but little of the syrup remains--lay them in a deep dish, and take out the cloves; when the apples are cold, pour in a quart of rich boiled custard--set it in water, and make it boil till the custard is set--take care the water does not get into it. * * * * * boiled loaf. pour a quart of boiling milk over four little rolls of bread--cover them up, turning them occasionally till saturated with the milk; tie them very tight in cloths, and boil them an hour; lay them in the dish, and pour a little melted butter over them; for sauce, have butter in a boat, seasoned with wine, sugar, and grated nutmeg. * * * * * transparent pudding. beat eight eggs very light, add half a pound of pounded sugar, the same of fresh butter melted, and half a nutmeg grated; sit it on a stove, and keep stirring till it is as thick as buttered eggs--put a puff paste in a shallow dish, pour in the ingredients, and bake it half an hour in a moderate oven; sift sugar over it, and serve it up hot. * * * * * flummery. one measure of jelly, one of cream, and half a one of wine; boil it fifteen minutes over a slow fire, stirring all the time; sweeten it, and add a spoonful of orange flower or rose water; cool it in a mould, turn it in a dish, and pour around it cream, seasoned in any way you like. * * * * * burnt custard. boil a quart of milk--and when cold, mix with it the yelks of eight eggs; stir them together over the fire a few minutes; sweeten it to your taste, put some slices of savoy cake in the bottom of a deep dish, and pour on the custard; whip the whites of the eggs to a strong froth, lay it lightly on the top, sift some sugar over it, and hold a salamander over it until it is a light brown; garnish the top with raspberry marmalade, or any kind of preserved fruit. * * * * * an english plum pudding. beat eight eggs very light, add to them a pound of flour sifted, and a pound of powdered sugar; when it looks quite light, put in a pound of suet finely shred, a pint of milk, a nutmeg grated, and a gill of brandy; mix with it a pound of currants, washed, picked, and dried, and a pound of raisins stoned and floured--tie it in a thick cloth, and boil it steadily eight hours. * * * * * marrow pudding. grate a large loaf of bread, and pour on the crumbs a pint of rich milk boiling hot; when cold, add four eggs, a pound of beef marrow sliced thin, a gill of brandy, with sugar and nutmeg to your taste--mix all well together, and either bake or boil it; when done, stick slices of citron over the top. * * * * * sippet pudding. cut a loaf of bread as thin as possible, put a layer of it in the bottom of a deep dish, strew on some slices of marrow or butter, with a handful of currants or stoned raisins; do this till the dish is full; let the currants or raisins be at the top; beat four eggs, mix with them a quart of milk that has been boiled a little and become cold, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a grated nutmeg--pour it in, and bake it in a moderate oven--eat it with wine sauce. * * * * * sweet potato pudding. boil one pound of sweet potatos very tender, rub them while hot through a colander; add six eggs well beaten, three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar, three quarters of butter, and some grated nutmeg and lemon peel, with a glass of brandy; put a paste in the dish, and when the pudding is done, sprinkle the top with sugar, and cover it with bits of citron. irish potato pudding is made in the same manner, but is not so good. * * * * * an arrow root pudding. boil a quart of milk, and make it into a thick batter, with arrow root; add six eggs, half a pound of butter, the same of pounded sugar, half a nutmeg, and a little grated lemon peel; put a paste in the dish, and bake it nicely; when done, sift sugar over it, and stick slips of citron all over the top. * * * * * sago pudding. wash half a pound of sago in several waters; put it on to boil in a quart of milk, with a stick of cinnamon; stir it very frequently, for it is apt to burn: when it becomes quite thick, take out the cinnamon, stir it in half a pound of butter, and an equal quantity of sugar, with a gill of wine; when cold, add six eggs and four ounces of currants that have been plumped in hot water--bake it in a paste. * * * * * puff pudding. beat six eggs, add six spoonsful of milk, and six of flour, butter some cups, pour in the batter, and bake them quickly; turn them out, and eat them with butter, sugar and nutmeg. * * * * * rice pudding. boil half a pound of rice in milk, until it is quite tender; beat it well with a wooden spoon to mash the grains; add three quarters of a pound of sugar, and the same of melted butter; half a nutmeg, six eggs, a gill of wine, and some grated lemon peel; put a paste in the dish, and bake it. for change, it may be boiled, and eaten with butter, sugar, and wine. * * * * * plum pudding. take a pound of the best flour, sift it, and make it up before sunrise, with six eggs beaten light; a large spoonful of good yeast, and as much milk as will make it the consistence of bread; let it rise well, knead into it half a pound of butter, put in a grated nutmeg, with one and a half pounds of raisins stoned and cut up; mix all well together, wet the cloth, flour it, and tie it loosely, that the pudding may have room to rise. raisins for puddings or cakes, should be rubbed in a little flour, to prevent their settling to the bottom--see that it does not stick to them in lumps. * * * * * almond pudding. put a pound of sweet almonds in hot water till the skin will slip off them; pound them with a little orange flower or rose water, to keep them from oiling; mix with them four crackers, finely pounded, or two gills of rice flour; six eggs, a pint of cream, a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, and four table-spoonsful of wine; put a nice paste in the bottom of your dish, garnish the edges, pour in the pudding bake it in a moderate oven. * * * * * quire of paper pancakes. beat sixteen eggs, add to them a quart of milk, a nutmeg, half a pound of flour, a pound of melted butter, a pound of sugar, and two gills of wine; take care the flour be not in lumps; butter the pan for the first pancake, run them as thin as possible, and when coloured, they are done; do not turn them, but lay them carefully in the dish, sprinkling powdered sugar between each layer--serve them up hot. this quantity will make four dozen pancakes. * * * * * a curd pudding. put two quarts of milk on the fire; when it boils, pour in half a pint of white wine, strain the curd from the whey, and pound it in a mortar, with six ounces of butter, half a pound of loaf sugar, and half a pint of rice flour, or as much crackers beaten as fine as flour; six eggs made light, and half a grated nutmeg--beat all well together, and bake them in saucers in a moderate oven; turn them out carefully in your dish, stick thin slices of citron in them, and pour on rich melted butter, with sugar and wine. * * * * * lemon pudding. grate the rind from six fresh lemons, squeeze the juice from three, and strain it; beat the yelks of sixteen eggs very light, put to them sixteen table-spoonsful of powdered loaf sugar, not heaped up--the same of melted butter; add the grated rind, and the juice, four crackers finely pounded, or an equal quantity of rice flour; or for change, six ounces of corn meal which is excellent--beat it till light, put a puff paste in your dish, pour the pudding in, and bake it in a moderate oven--it must not be very brown. * * * * * bread pudding. grate the crumb of a stale loaf, and pour on it a pint of boiling milk--let it stand an hour, then beat it to a pulp; add six eggs, well beaten, half a pound of butter, the same of powdered sugar, half a nutmeg, a glass of brandy, and some grated lemon peel--put a paste in the dish, and bake it. * * * * * the henrietta pudding. beat six eggs very light, sift into them a pound of loaf sugar powdered, and a light pound of flour, with half a grated nutmeg, and a glass of brandy; beat all together very well, add a pint of cream, pour it in a deep dish, and bake it--when done, sift some powdered sugar over it. * * * * * tansey pudding. beat seven eggs very light, mix with them a pint of cream, and nearly as much spinach juice, with a little juice of tansey; add a quarter of a pound of powdered crackers or pounded rice made fine, a glass of wine, some grated nutmeg and sugar; stir it over the fire to thicken, pour it into a paste and bake it, or fry it like an omelette. * * * * * cherry pudding. beat six eggs very light, add half a pint of milk, six ounces flour, eight ounces grated bread, twelve ounces suet, chopped fine, a little salt; when it is beat well, mix in eighteen ounces preserved cherries or damsins; bake or boil it. make a sauce of melted butter, sugar and wine. * * * * * apple pie. put a crust in the bottom of a dish, put on it a layer of ripe apples, pared and sliced thin--then a layer of powdered sugar; do this alternately till the dish is full; put in a few tea-spoonsful of rose water and some cloves--put on a crust and bake it. * * * * * baked apple pudding. take well flavoured apples, bake, but do not burn them, rub them through a sieve, take one pound of the apples so prepared, mix with it, while hot, half a pound of butter, and half a pound of powdered sugar; the rinds of two lemons grated--and when cold, add six eggs well beaten; put a paste in the bottom of a dish, and pour in the apples--half an hour will bake it; sift a little sugar on the apples when baked. * * * * * a nice boiled pudding. make up a pint of flour at sun rise, exactly as you do for bread; see that it rises well--have a large pot of water boiling; and half an hour before the puddings are to go to table, make the dough in balls, the size of a goose egg; throw them in the water, and boil them quickly, keeping the pot covered: they must be torn asunder, as cutting will make them heavy; eat them with powdered sugar, butter, and grated nutmeg. * * * * * an excellent and cheap dessert dish. wash a pint of small homony very clean, and boil it tender; add an equal quantity of corn meal, make it into a batter with eggs, milk, and a piece of butter; bake it like batter cakes on a griddle, and eat it with butter and molasses. * * * * * sliced apple pudding. beat six eggs very light, add a pint of rich milk, pare some apples or peaches--slice them thin, make the eggs and milk into a tolerably thick batter with flour, add a small cup of melted butter, put in the fruit, and bake it in a deep dish--eat with sugar, butter, and nutmeg. * * * * * baked indian meal pudding. boil one quart of milk, mix in it two gills and a half of corn meal very smoothly, seven eggs well beaten, a gill of molasses, and a good piece of butter, bake it two hours. * * * * * boiled indian meal pudding. mix one quart of corn meal, with three quarts of milk; take care it be not lumpy--add three eggs and a gill of molasses; it must be put on at sun rise, to eat at three o'clock; the great art in this pudding is tying the bag properly, as the meal swells very much. * * * * * pumpkin pudding. stew a fine sweet pumpkin till soft and dry; rub it through a sieve, mix with the pulp six eggs quite light, a quarter of a pound of butter, half a pint of new milk, some pounded ginger and nutmeg, a wine glass of brandy, and sugar to your taste. should it be too liquid, stew it a little drier, put a paste round the edges, and in the bottom of a shallow dish or plate--pour in the mixture, cut some thin bits of paste, twist them, and lay them across the top, and bake it nicely. * * * * * fayette pudding. slice a loaf of bread tolerably thick--lay the slices in the bottom of a dish, cutting them so as to cover it completely; sprinkle some sugar and nutmeg, with a little butter, on each layer; when all are in, pour on a quart of good boiled custard sweetened--serve it up cold. * * * * * maccaroni pudding. simmer half a pound of maccaroni in a plenty of water, with a table-spoonful of salt, till tender, but not broke--strain it, beat five yelks, two whites of eggs, half a pint of cream--mince white meat and boiled ham very fine, add three spoonsful of grated cheese, pepper and salt; mix these with the maccaroni, butter the mould, put it in, and steam it in a pan of boiling water for an hour--serve with rich gravy. * * * * * potato paste. boil mealy potatos quite soft, first taking off the skins; rub them while hot through a sieve, put them in a stew pan over the fire, with as much water as will make it the consistence of thick mush; sift one quart of flour, and make it into a paste; with this mush, knead it till light, roll it out thin, make the dumplins small--fill them with apples, or any other fruit--tie them up in a thick cloth, and boil them nicely--eat them with butter, sugar, and nutmeg. * * * * * compote of apples. pare and core the apples, and if you prefer it, cut them in four, wash them clean, and put them in a pan with water and sugar enough to cover them; add cinnamon and lemon peel, which has been previously soaked, scraped on the inside, and cut in strings; boil them gently until the apples are done, take them out in a deep dish, boil the syrup to a proper consistency, and pour it on them: it will take a pound of sugar for a large dish. * * * * * charlotte. stew any kind of fruit, and season it in any you like best; soak some slices of bread in butter; them while hot, in the bottom and round the sides of a dish, which has been rubbed with butter--put in your fruit, and lay slices of bread prepared in the same manner on the top: bake it a few minutes, turn it carefully into another dish, sprinkle on some powdered sugar, and glaze it with a salamander. * * * * * apple fritters. pare some apples, and cut them in thin slices--put them in a bowl, with a glass of brandy, some white wine, a quarter of a pound of pounded sugar, a little cinnamon finely powdered, and the rind of a lemon grated; let them stand some time, turning them over frequently; beat two eggs very light, add one quarter of a pound of flour, a table-spoonful of melted butter, and as much cold water as will make a thin batter; drip the apples on a sieve, mix them with the batter, take one slice with a spoonful of batter to each fritter, fry them quickly of a light brown, drain them well, put them in a dish, sprinkling sugar over each, and glaze them nicely. * * * * * bell fritters. put a piece of butter the size of an egg into a pint of water; let it boil a few minutes--thicken it very smoothly with a pint of flour; let it remain a short time on the fire, stir it all the time that it may not stick to the pan, pour it in a wooden bowl, add five or six eggs, breaking one and beating it in--then another, and so on till they are all in, and the dough quite light--put a pint of lard in a pan, let it boil, make the fritters small, and fry them of a fine amber colour. * * * * * bread fritters. cut your bread of a convenient size, pour on it some white wine, and let it stand a few minutes--drain it on a sieve, beat four eggs very light, add four spoonsful of wine, beat all well together--have your lard boiling, dip the bread in the egg, and fry it a light brown; sprinkle sugar on each, and glaze them. * * * * * spanish fritters. make up a quart of flour, with one egg well beaten, a large spoonful of yeast, and as much milk as will make it a little softer than muffin dough; mix it early in the morning; when well risen, work in two spoonsful of melted butter, make it in balls the size of a walnut, and fry them a light brown in boiling lard--eat them with wine and sugar, or molasses. * * * * * to make mush. put a lump of butter the size of an egg into a quart of water, make it sufficiently thick with corn meal and a little salt; it must be mixed perfectly smooth--stir it constantly till done enough. * * * * * cakes. jumbals. put one pound of nice sugar into two pounds of flour, add pounded spice of any kind, and pass them through a sieve; beat four eggs, pour them on with three quarters of a pound of melted butter, knead all well together, and bake them. * * * * * macaroone. blanch a pound of sweet almonds, pound them in a mortar with rose water; whip the whites of seven eggs to a strong froth, put in one pound of powdered sugar, beat it some time, then put in the almonds--mix them well, and drop them on sheets of paper buttered; sift sugar over, and bake them quickly. be careful not to let them get discoloured. * * * * * to make drop biscuit. beat eight eggs very light, add to them twelve ounces of flour, and one pound of sugar; when perfectly light, drop them on tin sheets, and bake them in a quick oven. * * * * * tavern biscuit. to one pound of flour, add half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, some mace and nutmeg powdered, and a glass of brandy or wine; wet it with milk, and when well kneaded, roll it thin, cut it in shapes, and bake it quickly. * * * * * rusk. rub half a pound of sugar into three pounds of flour--sift it, pour on half a pint of good yeast, beat six eggs, add half a pint of milk--mix all together, knead it well: if not soft enough, add more milk-it should be softer than bread; make it at night--in the morning, if well risen, work in six ounces of butter, and bake it in small rolls; when cold, slice it, lay it on tin sheets, and dry it in the oven. * * * * * ginger bread. three quarts of flour, three quarters of a pound of brown sugar, a large spoonful of pounded ginger, one tea-spoonful of powdered cloves--sift it, melt half a pound of butter in a quart of rich molasses, wet the flour with it, knead it well, and bake it in a slack oven. * * * * * plebeian ginger bread. mix three large spoonsful of pounded ginger, with three quarts of flour--sift it, dissolve three tea-spoonsful of pearl-ash in a cup of water, and pour it on the flour; melt half a pound of butter in a quart of molasses, mix it with the flour, knead it well, cut it in shapes, and bake it. * * * * * sugar ginger bread. take two pounds of the nicest brown sugar, dry and pound it, put it into three quarts of flour, add a large cup full of powdered ginger, and sift the mixture; wash the salt out of a pound of butter, and cream it; have twelve eggs well beaten; work into the butter first, the mixture, then the froth from the eggs, until all are in, and it is quite light; add a glass of brandy butter shallow moulds, pour it in, and bake in a quick oven. * * * * * dough nuts--a yankee cake. dry half a pound of good brown sugar, pound it and mix it with two pounds of flour, and sift it; add two spoonsful of yeast, and as much new milk as will make it like bread: when well risen, knead in half a pound of butter, make it in cakes the size of a half dollar, and fry them a light brown in boiling lard. * * * * * risen cake. take three pounds of flour, one and a half of pounded sugar, a tea-spoonful of cloves, one of mace, and one of ginger, all finely powdered--pass the whole through a sieve, put to it four spoonsful of good yeast, and twelve eggs--mix it up well, and if not sufficiently soft, add a little milk: make it up at night, and set it to rise--when well risen, knead into it a pound of butter, and two gills of brandy; have ready two pounds of raisins stoned, mix all well together, pour it into a mould of proper size, and bake it in an oven heated as for bread; let it stand till thoroughly done, and do not take it from the mould until quite cold. * * * * * pound cake. wash the salt from a pound of butter, and rub it till it is soft as cream--have ready a pound of flour sifted, one of powdered sugar, and twelve eggs well beaten; put alternately into the butter, sugar, flour, and the froth from the eggs--continuing to beat them together till all the ingredients are in, and the cake quite light: add some grated lemon peel, a nutmeg, and a gill of brandy; butter the pans, and bake them. this cake makes an excellent pudding, if baked in a large mould, and eaten with sugar and wine. it is also excellent when boiled, and served up with melted butter, sugar and wine. * * * * * savoy or spunge cake. take twelve fresh eggs, put them in the scale, and balance them with sugar: take out half, and balance the other half with flour; separate the whites from the yelks, whip them up very light, then mix them, and sift in, first sugar, then flour, till both are exhausted; add some grated lemon peel; bake them in paper cases, or little tin moulds. this also makes an excellent pudding, with butter, sugar, and wine, for sauce. * * * * * a rich fruit cake. have the following articles prepared, before you begin the cake: four pounds of flour dried and sifted, four pounds of butter washed to free it from salt, two pounds of loaf sugar pounded, a quarter of a pound of mace, the same of nutmegs powdered; wash four pounds of currants clean, pick and dry them; blanch one pound of sweet almonds, and cut them in very thin slices; stone two pounds of raisins, cut them in two, and strew a little flour over to prevent their sticking together, and two pounds of citron sliced thin; break thirty eggs, separating the yelks and whites; work the butter to a cream with your hand-put in alternately, flour, sugar, and the froth from both whites and yelks, which must be beaten separately, and _only_ the froth put in. when all are mixed and the cake looks very light, add the spice, with half a pint of brandy, the currants and almonds; butter the mould well, pour in part of the cake, strew over it some raisins and citron--do this until all is in: set it in a well heated oven: when it has risen, and the top is coloured, cover it with paper; it will require three hours baking--it must be iced. * * * * * naples biscuit. beat twelve eggs light, add to them one pound of flour, and one of powdered sugar; continue to beat all together till perfectly light; bake it in long pans, four inches wide, with divisions; so that each cake, when done, will be four inches long, and one and a half wide. * * * * * shrewsbury cakes. mix a pound of sugar, with two pounds of flour, and a large spoonful of pounded coriander seeds; sift them, add three quarters of a pound of melted butter, six eggs, and a gill of brandy; knead it well, roll it thin, cut it in shapes, and bake without discolouring it. * * * * * little plum cakes. prepare them as directed for pound cake, add raisins and currants, bake them in small tin shapes, and ice them. * * * * * soda cakes. dissolve half a pound of sugar in a pint of milk, add a tea-spoonful of soda; pour it on two pounds of flour--melt half a pound of butter, knead all together till light, put it in shallow moulds, and bake it quickly in a brisk oven. * * * * * to make bread. when you find the barrel of flour a good one, empty it into a chest or box, made for the purpose, with a lid that will shut close: it keeps much better in this manner than when packed in a barrel, and even improves by lying lightly; sift the quantity you intend to make up--put into a bowl two gills and a half of water for each quart, with a tea-spoon heaped up with salt, and a large spoonful of yeast for each quart; stir this mixture well, put into another bowl one handful of flour from every quart; pour a little of the mixture on to wet it, then more, until you get it all in, taking great care that it be smooth, and quite free from lumps; beat it some minutes, take one-third of the flour out of the kettle, pour on the batter, and sprinkle over it the dry flour; stop the kettle, and set it where it can have a moderate degree of warmth: when it has risen well, turn it into a bowl, mix in the dry flour, and knead it on a board till it looks quite light; return it to the kettle, and place it where it can have proper heat: in the morning, take the dry crust carefully from the top, put the dough on a board, knead it well, make it into rolls, set them on tin sheets, put a towel over, and let them stand near the fire till the oven is ready. in winter, make the bread up at three o'clock, and it will be ready to work before bed time. in summer, make it up at five o'clock. a quart of flour should weigh just one pound and a quarter. the bread must be rasped when baked. * * * * * to make nice biscuit. rub a large spoonful of butter into a quart of risen dough, knead it well, and make it into biscuit, either thick or thin: bake them quickly. * * * * * rice bread. boil six ounces of rice in a quart of water, till it is dry and soft--put it into two pounds of flour, mix it in well; add two tea-spoonsful of salt, two large spoonsful of yeast, and as much water as will make it the consistence of bread: when well risen, bake it in moulds. * * * * * mixed bread. put a tea-spoonful of salt, and a large one of yeast, into a quart of flour; make it sufficiently soft, with corn meal gruel; when well risen, bake it in a mould. it is an excellent bread for breakfast. indifferent flour will rise much better, when made with gruel, than with fair water. * * * * * patent yeast. put half a pound of fresh hops into a gallon of water, and boil it away to two quarts; then strain it, make it a thin batter with flour; add half a pint good yeast, and when well fermented, pour it in a bowl, and work in as much corn meal as will make it the consistency of biscuit dough; set it to rise, and when quite light, make it into little cakes, which must be dried in the shade, turning them very frequently; keep them securely from damp and dust. persons who live in town, and can procure brewer's yeast, will save trouble by using it: take one quart of it, add a quart of water, and proceed as before directed. * * * * * to prepare the cakes. take one or more cakes, according to the flour you are to make; pour on a little warm water; when it is dissolved, stir it well, thicken with a little flour, and set it near the fire, to rise before it is used. the best thing to keep yeast in, is a small mug or pitcher, with a close stopper, under which must be placed a double fold of linen, to make it still closer. this is far preferable to a bottle, and more easily cleaned. * * * * * another method for making yeast. peel one large irish potato, boil it till soft, rub it through a sieve; add an equal quantity of flour, make it sufficiently liquid with hop tea; and when a little warmer than new milk, add a gill of good yeast; stir it well, and keep it closely covered in a small pitcher. * * * * * nice buns. put four ounces of sugar with three quarters of a pound of flour; make it up with two spoonsful of yeast, and half a pint of milk; when well risen, work into it four ounces of butter, make it into small buns, and bake them in a quick oven--do not burn them. * * * * * muffins. sift a quart of flour, put to it a little salt, and a large spoonful of yeast--beat the white of a fresh egg to a strong froth, add it, and make the flour up with cold water, as soft as you can to allow it to be handled; set it in a moderately warm place. next morning, beat it well with a spoon, put it on the griddle in a round form, and bake it nicely, turning them frequently till done. * * * * * french rolls. sift a quart of flour, add a little salt, a spoonful of yeast, two eggs well beaten, and half a pint of milk--knead it, and set it to rise: next morning, work in an ounce of butter, make the dough into small rolls, and bake them. the top crust should not be hard. * * * * * crumpets. take a quart of dough from your bread at a very early hour in the morning; break three fresh eggs, separating the yelks from the whites--whip them both to a froth, mix them with the dough, and add gradually milk-warm water, till you make a batter the thickness of buckwheat cakes: beat it well, and set it to rise till near breakfast time; have the griddle ready, pour on the batter to look quite round: they do not require turning. * * * * * apoquiniminc cakes. put a little salt, one egg beaten, and four ounces of butter, in a quart of flour--make it into a paste with new milk, beat it for half an hour with a pestle, roll the paste thin, and cut it into round cakes; bake them on a gridiron, and be careful not to bum them. * * * * * batter cakes. boil two cups of small homony very soft; add an equal quantity of corn meal with a little salt, and a large spoonful of butter; make it in a thin batter with three eggs, and a sufficient quantity of milk--beat all together some time, and bake them on a griddle, or in woffle irons. when eggs cannot be procured, yeast makes a good substitute; put a spoonful in the batter, and let it stand an hour to rise. * * * * * batter bread. take six spoonsful of flour and three of corn meal, with a little salt--sift them, and make a thin batter with four eggs, and a sufficient quantity of rich milk; bake it in little tin moulds in a quick oven. * * * * * cream cakes. melt as much butter in a pint of milk, as will make it rich as cream--make the flour into a paste with this, knead it well, roll it out frequently, cut it in squares, and bake on a griddle. * * * * * soufle biscuits. rub four ounces of butter into a quart of flour, make it into paste with milk, knead it well, roll it as thin as paper, and bake it to look white. * * * * * corn meal bread. rub a piece of butter the size of an egg, into a pint of corn meal--make it a batter with two eggs, and some new milk--add a spoonful of yeast, set it by the fire an hour to rise, butter little pans, and bake it. * * * * * sweet potato buns. boil and mash a potato, rub into it as much flour as will make it like bread--add spice and sugar to your taste, with a spoonful of yeast; when it has risen well, work in a piece of butter, bake it in small rolls, to be eaten hot with butter, either for breakfast or tea. * * * * * rice woffles. boil two gills of rice quite soft, mix with it three gills of flour, a little salt, two ounces melted butter, two eggs beaten well, and as much milk as will make it a thick batter--beat it till very light, and bake it in woffle irons. * * * * * velvet cakes. make a batter of one quart of flour, three eggs, a quart of milk, and a gill of yeast; when well risen, stir in a large spoonful of melted butter, and bake them in muffin hoops. * * * * * chocolate cakes. put half a pound of nice brown sugar into a quart of flour, sift it, and make it into a paste, with four ounces of butter melted in as much milk as will wet it; knead it till light, roll it tolerably thin, cut it in strips an inch wide, and just long enough to lay in a plate; bake them on a griddle, put them in the plate in rows to checker each other, and serve them to eat with chocolate. * * * * * wafers. beat six eggs, add a pint of flour, two ounces of melted butter, with as much milk as will make a thin batter--put in pounded loaf sugar to your taste, pour it in the wafer irons, bake them quickly without browning, and roll them while hot. * * * * * buckwheat cakes. put a large spoonful of yeast and a little salt, into a quart of buckwheat meal; make it into a batter with cold water; let it rise well, and bake it on a griddle--it turns sour very quickly, if it be allowed to stand any time after it has risen. * * * * * observations on ice creams. it is the practice with some indolent cooks, to set the freezer containing the cream, in a tub with ice and salt, and put it in the ice house; it will certainly freeze there; but not until the watery particles have subsided, and by the separation destroyed the cream. a freezer should be twelve or fourteen inches deep, and eight or ten wide. this facilitates the operation very much, by giving a larger surface for the ice to form, which it always does on the sides of the vessel; a silver spoon with a long handle should be provided for scraping the ice from the sides as soon as formed: and when the whole is congealed, pack it in moulds (which must be placed with care, lest they should not be upright,) in ice and salt, till sufficiently hard to retain the shape--they should not be turned out till the moment they are to be served. the freezing tub must be wide enough to leave a margin of four or five inches all around the freezer, when placed in the middle--which must be filled up with small lumps of ice mixed with salt--a larger tub would waste the ice. the freezer must be kept constantly in motion during the process, and ought to be made of pewter, which is less liable than tin to be worn in holes, and spoil the cream by admitting the salt water. * * * * * ice creams. when ice creams are not put into shapes, they should always be served in glasses with handles. * * * * * vanilla cream. boil a vanilla bean in a quart of rich milk, until it has imparted the flavour sufficiently--then take it out, and mix with the milk, eight eggs, yelks and whites beaten well; let it boil a little longer; make it very sweet, for much of the sugar is lost in the operation of freezing. * * * * * raspberry cream. make a quart of rich boiled custard--when cold, pour it on a quart of ripe red raspberries; mash them in it, pass it through a sieve, sweeten, and freeze it. * * * * * strawberry cream is made in the same manner--the strawberries must be very ripe, and the stems picked out. if rich cream can be procured, it will be infinitely better--the custard is intended as a substitute, when cream cannot be had. * * * * * cocoa nut cream. take the nut from its shell, pare it, and grate it very fine; mix it with a quart of cream, sweeten, and freeze it. if the nut be a small one, it will require one and a half to flavour a quart of cream. * * * * * chocolate cream. scrape a quarter of a pound of chocolate very fine, put it in a quart of milk, boil it till the chocolate is dissolved, stirring it continually--thicken with six eggs. a vanilla bean boiled with the milk, will improve the flavour greatly. * * * * * oyster cream. make a rich soup, (see directions for oyster soup,) strain it from the oysters, and freeze it. * * * * * iced jelly. make calf's foot jelly not very stiff, freeze it, and serve it in glasses. * * * * * peach cream. get fine soft peaches perfectly ripe, peel them, take out the stones, and put them in a china bowl: sprinkle some sugar on, and chop them very small with a silver spoon--if the peaches be sufficiently ripe, they will become a smooth pulp; add as much cream or rich milk as you have peaches; put more sugar, and freeze it. * * * * * coffee cream. toast two gills of raw coffee till it is a light brown, and not a grain burnt; put it hot from the toaster without grinding it, into a quart of rich, and perfectly sweet milk; boil it, and add the yelks of eight eggs; when done, strain it through a sieve, and sweeten it; if properly done, it will not be discoloured. the coffee may be dried, and will answer for making in the usual way to drink, allowing more for the quantity of water, than if it had not gone through this process. * * * * * quince cream. wash ripe quinces and boil them whole till quite tender--let them stand to drain and cool--then rub them through a hair sieve; mix with the pulp as much cochineal finely powdered, as will make it a pretty colour; then add an equal quantity of cream, and sweeten it. pears or apples may be used, prepared in the same manner. * * * * * citron cream. cut the finest citron melons when perfectly ripe--take out the seeds, and slice the nicest part into a china bowl in small pieces, that will lie conveniently; cover them with powdered sugar, and let them stand several hours--then drain off the syrup they have made, and add as much cream as it will give a strong flavour to, and freeze it. pine apples may be used in the same way. * * * * * almond cream. pour hot water on the almonds, and let them stand till the skins will slip off, then pound them fine, and mix them with cream: a pound of almonds in the shells, will be sufficient for a quart of cream--sweeten and freeze it. the kernels of the common black walnut, prepared in the same way, make an excellent cream. * * * * * lemon cream. pare the yellow rind very thin from four lemons--put them in a quart of fresh cream, and boil it; squeeze and strain the juice of one lemon, saturate it completely with powdered sugar; and when the cream is quite cold, stir it in--take care that it does not curdle--if not sufficiently sweet, add more sugar. * * * * * lemonade iced. make a quart of rich lemonade, whip the whites of six fresh eggs to a strong froth--mix them well with the lemonade, and freeze it. the juice of morello cherries, or of currants mixed with water and sugar, and prepared in the same way, make very delicate ices. * * * * * to make custard. make a quart of milk quite hot, that it may not whey when baked; let it stand to get cold, and then mix six eggs with it; sweeten it with loaf sugar, and fill the custard cups--put on the covers, and set them in a dutch oven with water, but not enough to risk its boiling into the cups; do not put on the top of the oven. when the water has boiled ten or fifteen minutes, take out a cup, and if the custard be the consistence of jelly; it is sufficiently done; serve them in the cups with the covers on, and a tea-spoon on the dish between each cup--grate nutmeg on the tops when cold. * * * * * to make a trifle. put slices of savoy cake or naples biscuit at the bottom of a deep dish; wet it with white wine, and fill the dish nearly to the top with rich boiled custard; season half a pint of cream with white wine and sugar; whip it to a froth--as it rises, take it lightly off, and lay it on the custard; pile it up high and tastily--decorate it with preserves of any kind, cut so thin as not to bear the froth down by its weight. * * * * * rice blanc mange. boil a tea-cup full of rice in a very small of water, till it is near bursting--then add half a pint of milk, boil it to a mush, stirring all the time; season it with sugar, wine, and nutmeg; dip the mould in water, and fill it; when cold, turn it in a dish, and surround it with boiled custard seasoned, or syllabub--garnish it with marmalade. * * * * * floating island. have the bowl nearly full of syllabub, made with milk, white wine, and sugar; beat the whites of six new laid eggs to a strong froth--then mix with it raspberry or strawberry marmalade enough to flavour and colour it; lay the froth lightly on the syllabub, first putting in some slices of cake; raise it in little mounds, and garnish with something light. * * * * * syllabub. season the milk with sugar and white wine, but not enough to curdle it; fill the glasses nearly full, and crown them with whipt cream seasoned. * * * * * cold creams. lemon cream. pare the rind very thin from four fresh lemons, squeeze the juice, and strain it--put them both into a quart of water, sweeten it to your taste, add the whites of six eggs, beat to a froth; set it over the fire, and keep stirring until it thickens, but do not let it boil--then pour it in a bowl; when cold, strain it through a sieve, put it on the fire, and add the yelks of the eggs--stir it till quite thick, and serve it in glasses. * * * * * orange cream. is made in the same manner, but requires more juice to give a flavour. * * * * * raspberry cream. stir as much raspberry marmalade into a quart of cream, as will be sufficient to give a rich flavour of the fruit--strain it, and fill your glasses, leaving out a part to whip into froth for the top. * * * * * tea cream. put one ounce of the best tea in a pitcher, pour on it a table spoonful of water, and let it stand an hour to soften the leaves; then put to it a quart of boiling cream, cover it close, and in half an hour strain it; add four tea-spoonsful of a strong infusion of rennet in water, stir it, and set it on some hot ashes, and cover it; when you find by cooling a little of it, that it will jelly, pour it into glasses, and garnish with thin bits of preserved fruit. * * * * * sago cream. wash the sago clean, and put it on the fire with a stick of cinnamon, and as much water as will boil it thick and soft; take out the cinnamon, and add rich boiled custard till it is of a proper thickness; sweeten it, and serve in glasses or cups, with grated nutmeg on the top. * * * * * barley cream. is made the same way--you may add a little white wine to both; it will give an agreeable flavour. * * * * * gooseberry fool. pick the stems and blossoms from two quarts of green gooseberries; put them in a stew pan, with their weight in loaf sugar, and a very little water--when sufficiently stewed, pass the pulp through a sieve; and when cold, add rich boiled custard till it is like thick cream; put it in a glass bowl, and lay frothed cream on the top. * * * * * to make slip. make a quart of rich milk moderately warm: then stir into it one large spoonful of the preparation of rennet, (see receipt to prepare rennet,) set it by, and when cold, it will be as stiff as jelly. it should be made only a few hours before it is used, or it will be tough and watery; in summer, set the dish in ice after it has jellied--it must be eaten with powdered sugar, cream, and nutmeg. * * * * * curds and cream. turn one quart of milk as for the slip--let it stand until just before it is to be served: then take it up with a skimming dish, and lay it on a sieve--when the whey has drained off, put the curds in a dish, and surround them with cream--use sugar and nutmeg. these are arcadian dishes; very delicious, cheap, and easily prepared. * * * * * blanc mange. break one ounce of isinglass into very small pieces; wash it well, and pour on a pint of boiling water; next morning, add a quart of milk, boil it till the isinglass is dissolved, strain it, put in two ounces sweet almonds, blanched and pounded; sweeten it, and put it in the mould--when stiff, turn them into a deep dish, and put raspberry cream around them. for a change, stick thin slips of blanched almonds all over the blanc mange, and dress round with syllabub, nicely frothed. some moulds require colouring--for an ear of corn, mix the yelk of an egg with a little of the blanc mange; fill the grains of the corn with it--and when quite set, pour in the white, but take care it is not warm enough to melt the yellow: for a bunch of asparagus, colour a little with spinach juice, to fill the green tops of the heads. fruit must be made the natural colour of what it represents. cochineal and alkanet root pounded and dissolved in brandy, make good colouring; but blanc mange should never be served, without raspberry cream or syllabub to eat with it. * * * * * to make a hen's nest. get five small eggs, make a hole at one end, and empty the shells--fill them with blanc mange: when stiff and cold, take off the shells, pare the yellow rind very thin from six lemons, boil them in water till tender, then cut them in thin strips to resemble straw, and preserve them with sugar; fill a small deep dish half full of nice jelly--when it is set, put the straw on in form of a nest, and lay the eggs in it. it is a beautiful dish for a dessert or supper. * * * * * little dishes for a second course, or supper. pheasants a-la-daub. roast two pheasants in the nicest manner--get a deep dish, the size and form of the one you intend to serve the pheasants in--it must be as deep as a tureen; put in savoury jelly about an inch and a half at the bottom; when that is set, and the pheasants cold, lay them on the jelly with their breasts down; fill the dish with jelly up to their backs; take care it is not warm enough to melt the other, and that the birds are not displaced--just before it is to be served, set it a moment in hot water to loosen it; put the dish on the top, and turn it out carefully. * * * * * partridges a-la-daub. truss six partridges neatly, cover them with thin slices of fat bacon taken from the top of a middling; this keeps them white, and gives a good flavour; they must be wrapped entirely in it--roast them, and when done, take off the bacon; let them get cold, and use jelly as for the pheasants. * * * * * chickens a-la-daub. roast two half grown chickens, cut off the legs and wings, pull the breast from each side entire, take the skin from all the pieces, lay it in the dish, and cover it with jelly. * * * * * to make savoury jelly. put eight or ten pounds of coarse lean beef, or the same quantity of the inferior parts of the fore quarter of veal, into a pot with two gallons of water, a pound of lean salt pork, three large onions chopped, three carrots, a large handful of parsley, and any sweet herb that you choose, with pepper and salt; boil it very gently till reduced to two quarts; strain it through a sieve--next day, take off the fat, turn out the jelly, and separate it from the dregs at the bottom; put it on the fire with half a pint of white wine, a large spoonful of lemon pickle, and the whites and shells of four eggs beaten: when it boils clear on one side, run it through the jelly bag. * * * * * turkey a-la-daub. bone a small turkey, put pepper and salt on the inside, and cover it with slices of boiled ham or tongue; fill it with well seasoned forcemeat, sew it up and boil it--cover it with jelly. * * * * * salmagundi. turn a bowl on the dish, and put on it in regular rings, beginning at the bottom, the following ingredients, all minced:--anchovies with the bones taken out, the white meat of fowls without the skin, hard boiled eggs, the yelks and whites chopped separately, parsley, the lean of old ham scraped, the inner stalks of celery; put a row of capers round the bottom of the bowl, and dispose the others in a fanciful manner; put a little pyramid of butter on the top, and have a small glass with egg mixed as for sallad, to eat with the salmagundi. * * * * * an excellent relish after dinner. put some soup or gravy from any of the dishes on the table, into the stew dish; add a good portion of pepper, vinegar, wine, catsup and salt; let it be very highly seasoned; broil the legs, liver, and gizzard of a turkey, the kidney of veal, or any thing you fancy; cut it up in small pieces: when broiled, put it in the gravy, and stew it at table. * * * * * to stew perch. lay the perch in a deep pan with the heads on; sprinkle salt, pepper, and a little chopped onion over each layer; when they are all in, take as much water as will be sufficient to fill the pan less than half full; add a gill of wine, one of catsup, a little lemon pickle and spice; cover the pan, and let it stew gently till done; take out the fish without breaking, put them in a deep dish, pour the gravy on, and neatly turn them out. * * * * * preserves. directions for making preserves. the preserving pan should be made of bell metal, flat at the bottom, very large in diameter, but not deep. it should have a cover to fit closely, and handles at the sides of the pan, for taking it off with ease when the syrup boils too fast. there should also be a large chafing-dish with long legs, for the convenience of moving it to any part of the room. the process is a tedious one; and if the superintendent be not comfortably situated, the preserves cannot be properly managed. a ladle the size of a saucer, pierced and having a long handle, will be necessary for taking up the fruit without syrup. when a chafing-dish cannot be procured, the best substitute is a brick stove, with a grating, to burn charcoal. the sugar should be the best double refined; but if the pure amber coloured sugar house syrup from the west indies can be got, it is greatly superior; it never ferments, and the trouble is very much lessened by having ready made syrup, in which it is only necessary to boil the fruit till clear. all delicate fruit should be done gently, and not allowed to remain more than half an hour after it begins to stew, before it is laid on dishes to cool; it must be put into the syrup again for the same time; continue this until it is sufficiently transparent. the advantage of this method is that the preserves are less liable to boil to pieces, than when done all at one time. it is injudicious to put more in the pan at once, than can lie on the bottom without crowding. the pan must be made bright, and nothing permitted to cool in it, lest it should canker. delicate preserves should be kept in small glasses or pots, that will not hold more than one or two pounds, for the admission of air injures them; put letter paper wet with brandy on the preserves, and cover the tops with many folds of soft paper, that will tie round closely; keep them in a dry place, and expose them constantly to the sun to check fermentation. fruit for preserving should be in full perfection, but not too ripe. * * * * * to preserve cling-stone peaches. get the finest yellow cling-stones, pare them, and lay them in a bowl; have their weight of sugar pounded, and sprinkle it over them as they are put in; let them stand two or three hours, put them together with the sugar into the pan, add a little water, and let the peaches remain till thoroughly scalded; take them out with the ladle, draining off the syrup; should there not be enough to cover the peaches, add more water, boil it and skim it, return the fruit, and do them gently till quite clear. have some stones cracked, blanch the kernels, and preserve them with the peaches. * * * * * cling-stones sliced. pare the peaches, and cut them in as large slices as possible; have their weight in sugar, and preserve them as the others. * * * * * soft peaches. get yellow soft peaches that are not quite ripe, pare and divide them, scrape the places where the stones lay with a tea-spoon, and follow the former directions. * * * * * peach marmalade. take the ripest soft peaches, (the yellow ones make the prettiest marmalade,) pare them, and take out the stones; put them in the pan with one pound of dry light coloured brown sugar to, two of peaches: when they are juicy, they do not require water: with a silver or wooden spoon, chop them with the sugar; continue to do this, and let them boil gently till they are a transparent pulp, that will be a jelly when cold. puffs made of this marmalade are very delicious. * * * * * peach chips. slice them thin, and boil them till clear in a syrup made with half their weight of sugar; lay them on dishes in the sun, and turn them till dry; pack them in pots with powdered sugar sifted over each layer; should there be syrup left, continue the process with other peaches. they are very nice when done pure honey instead of sugar. * * * * * pears. the small pears are better for preserving than large ones. pare them, and make a syrup, with their weight of sugar, and a little water--leave the stem on, and stick a clove in the blossom end of each; stew them till perfectly transparent. * * * * * pear marmalade. boil the pears till soft--when cold, rub the pulp through a sieve, and boil it to a jelly, allowing one pound of sugar to two of pears. * * * * * quinces. select the finest and most perfect quinces, lay them on shelves, but do not let them touch each other; keep them till they look yellow and have a fragrant smell; put as many in the preserving pan as can lie conveniently, cover them with water, and scald them well: then take out the cores, and put them in water; cover the pan and boil them some time; strain the water, add to it the weight of the quinces in pounded loaf sugar, dissolve and skim it, pare the quinces, put them in the pan, and should there not be syrup enough to cover them, add more water--stew them till quite transparent. they will be light coloured if kept covered during the process, and red if the cover be taken off. fill the space the cores occupied with quince jelly, before they are put into the pots--and cover them with syrup. * * * * * currant jelly. pick full ripe currants from the stem, and put them in a stone pot; then set it in an iron pot of water--take care that no water gets in: when the currants have yielded their juice, pour them into a jelly bag--let it run as long as it will without pressing, which must be reserved for the best jelly; you may then squeeze the bag to make inferior kind. to each pint of this juice, put one pound of loaf sugar powdered--boil it fifteen or twenty minutes--skim it clean, and put it in glasses; expose them daily to the sun to prevent fermentation. * * * * * quince jelly. prepare the quinces as before directed, take off the stems and blossoms, wash them clean, and cut them in slices without paring; fill the pan, and pour in water to cover them--stew them gently, putting in a little water occasionally till they are soft; then pour them into a jelly bag; let all the liquor run through without pressing it, which must be set aside for the best jelly; to each pint of this, put a pound of loaf sugar pounded, and boil it to a jelly. the bag may be squeezed for an inferior, but a very nice jelly. * * * * * quince marmalade. boil the quinces in water until soft, let them cool, and rub all the pulp through a sieve: put two pounds of it to one of sugar, pound a little cochineal, sift in through fine muslin, and mix it with the quince to give a colour; pick out the seeds, tie them in a muslin bag, and boil them with the marmalade: when it is a thick jelly, take out the seeds, and put it in pots. * * * * * cherries. the most beautiful cherries to preserve, are the carnation and common light red, with short stems; select the finest that are not too ripe; take an equal weight with the cherries of double refined sugar, make it into a syrup, and preserve them without stoning, and with the stems on; if they be done carefully, and the "directions for preserving" closely attended to, the stems will not come off, and they will be so transparent that the stones may be seen. * * * * * morello cherries. take out the stones with a quill over a deep dish, to save the juice that runs from them; put to the juice a pound of sugar for each pound of cherries, weighed after they are stoned; boil and skim the syrup, then put in the fruit, and stew till quite clear. * * * * * to dry cherries. stone them, and save the juice: weigh the cherries, and allow one pound of good brown sugar to three of the fruit; boil it with the juice, put the cherries in, stew them fifteen or twenty minutes, take them out, drain off the syrup, and lay the cherries in dishes to dry in the sun; keep the syrup to pour over a little at a time, as it dries on the cherries, which must be frequently turned over; when all the syrup is used, put the cherries away in pots, sprinkling a little powdered loaf sugar between the layers. they make excellent pies, puddings, and charlottes. * * * * * raspberry jam. to each pound of ripe red or english raspberries, put one pound of loaf sugar--stir it frequently, and stew till it is a thick jelly. * * * * * to preserve strawberries. get the largest strawberries before they are too ripe; have the best loaf sugar, one pound to each of strawberries--stew them very gently, taking them out to cool frequently, that they may not be mashed; when they look clear, they are done enough. * * * * * strawberry jam. is made in the same manner as the raspberry, and is very fine to mix with cream for blanc mange, puffs, sweet-meat puddings, &c. &c. * * * * * gooseberries. select young gooseberries, make a syrup with one pound of loaf sugar to each of fruit; stew them till quite clear and the syrup becomes thick, but do not let them be mashed. they are excellent made into tarts--do not cover the pan while they are stewing. * * * * * apricots in brandy. take freshly gathered apricots not too ripe; to half their weight of loaf sugar, add as much water as will cover the fruit; boil and skim it: then put in the apricots, and let them remain five or six minutes: take them up without syrup, and lay them on dishes to cool; boil the syrup till reduced one half; when the apricots are cold, put them in bottles, and cover them with equal quantities of syrup and french brandy. if the apricots be cling-stones, they will require more scalding. * * * * * peaches in brandy. get yellow soft peaches, perfectly free from defect and newly gathered, but not too ripe; place them in a pot, and cover them with cold weak lye; turn over those that float frequently, that the lye may act equally on them; at the end of an hour take them out, wipe them carefully with a soft cloth to get off the down and skin, and lay them in cold water; make a syrup as for the apricots, and proceed in the same manner, only scald the peaches more. * * * * * cherries in brandy. get the short stemmed bright red cherries in bunches--make a syrup, with equal quantities of sugar and cherries; scald the cherries, but do not let the skins crack, which they will do if the fruit be too ripe. * * * * * magnum bonum plums in brandy. select those that are free from blemish--make a syrup with half their weight of sugar, and preserve them in the same manner directed for apricots--green gages. the large amber, and the blue plums, are also excellent, done in the same way. * * * * * pickling. lemon pickle. grate the yellow rind from two dozen fine fresh lemons, quarter them but leave them whole at the bottom; sprinkle salt on them, and put them in the sun every day until dry; then brush off the salt, put them in a pot with one ounce of nutmegs, and one of mace pounded; a large handful of horse radish scraped and dried two dozen cloves of garlic, and a pint of mustard seed; pour on one gallon of strong vinegar, tie the pot close, put a board on, and let it stand three months--strain it, and when perfectly clear, bottle it. * * * * * tomato catsup. gather a peck of tomatos, pick out the stems, and wash them; put them on the fire without water, sprinkle on a few spoonsful of salt, let them boil steadily an hour, stirring them frequently; strain them through a colander, and then through a sieve; put the liquid on the fire with half a pint of chopped onions, half a quarter of an ounce of mace broke into small pieces; and if not sufficiently salt, add a little more--one table-spoonful of whole black pepper; boil all together until just enough to fill two bottles; cork it tight. make it in august, in dry weather. * * * * * tomato marmalade. gather full grown tomatos while quite green; take out the stems, and stew them till soft; rub them through a sieve, put the pulp on the fire seasoned highly with pepper, salt, and pounded cloves; add some garlic, and stew all together till thick: it keeps well, and is excellent for seasoning gravies, &c. &c. * * * * * tomato sweet marmalade. prepare it in the same manner, mix some loaf sugar with the pulp, and stew until it is a stiff jelly. * * * * * tomato soy. take a bushel of full ripe tomatos, cut them in slices without skinning--sprinkle the bottom of a large tub with salt, strew in the tomatos, and over each layer of about two inches thick, sprinkle half a pint of salt, and three onions sliced without taking off the skins. when the bushel of tomatos is thus prepared, let them remain for _three_ days, then put them into a large iron pot, in which they must boil from early in the morning till night, constantly stirring to prevent their sticking and mashing them. the next morning, pass the mixture through a sieve, pressing it to obtain all the liquor you can; and add to it one ounce of cloves, quarter of a pound of allspice, quarter of a pound of whole black pepper, and a small wine glass of cayenne; let it boil slowly and constantly during the whole of the day--in the evening, put it into a suitable vessel to cool; and the day after, bottle and cork it well: place it in a cool situation during warm weather, and it will keep for many years, provided it has been boiled very slowly and sufficiently in the preparation. should it ferment it must be boiled a second time. * * * * * pepper vinegar. get one dozen pods of pepper when ripe, take out the stems, and cut them in two; put them in a kettle with three pints of vinegar, boil it away to one quart, and strain it through a sieve. a little of this is excellent in gravy of every kind, and gives a flavour greatly superior to black pepper; it is also very fine when added to each of the various catsups for fish sauce. * * * * * mushroom catsup. take the flaps of the proper mushrooms from the stems--wash them, add some salt, and crush them; then boil them some time, strain them through a cloth, put them on the fire again with salt to your taste, a few cloves of garlic, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves pounded, to a peck of mushrooms; boil it till reduced to less than half the original quantity--bottle and cork it well. * * * * * tarragon or astragon vinegar. pick the tarragon nicely from the stem, let it lie in a dry place forty-eight hours; put it in a pitcher, and to one quart of the leaves put three pints of strong vinegar; cover it close, and let it stand a week--then strain it, and after standing in the pitcher till quite clear, bottle it, and cork it closely. * * * * * curry powder. one ounce turmeric, one do. coriander seed, one do. cummin seed, one do. white ginger, one of nutmeg, one of mace, and one of cayenne pepper; pound all together, and pass them through a line sieve; bottle and cork it well--one tea-spoonful is sufficient to season any made dish. * * * * * to pickle cucumbers. gather them full grown, but quite young--take off the green rind, and slice them tolerably thick; put a layer in a deep dish, strew over it some chopped onion and salt; do this until they are all in; sprinkle salt on the top, let them stand six hours, put them in a colander--when all the liquor has run off, put them in a pot; strew a little cayenne pepper over each layer, and cover them with strong cold vinegar; when the pot is full, pour on some sweet oil, and tie it, up close; at the end of a fortnight, pour off the first vinegar, and put on fresh. * * * * * oil mangos. gather the melons a size larger than a goose egg--put them in a pot, pour boiling salt and water made strong upon them, and cover them up; next day, cut a slit from the stem to the blossom end, and take out the seeds carefully--return them to the brine, and let them remain in it eight days; then put them in strong vinegar for a fortnight, wipe the insides with a soft cloth, stuff them and tie them, pack them in a pot with the slit uppermost; strew some of the stuffing over each layer, and keep them covered with the best vinegar. * * * * * to make the stuffing for forty melons. wash a pound of white race ginger very clean; pour boiling water on it, and let it stand twenty-four hours; slice it thin, and dry it; one pound of horse-radish scraped and dried, one pound of mustard seed washed and dried, one pound of chopped onion, one ounce of mace, one of nutmeg pounded fine, two ounces of turmeric, and a handful of whole black pepper; make these ingredients into a paste, with a quarter of a pound of mustard, and a large cup full of sweet oil; put a clove of garlic into each mango. * * * * * to make yellow pickle. put all the articles intended for the yellow pickle in a pot, and pour on them boiling salt and water--let them stand forty-eight hours, take advantage of a clear hot day, press the water from the articles, and lay them to dry in full sunshine, on a table covered with a thick soft cloth, with the corners pinned securely, that they may not blow up over the things--the cloth absorbs the moisture; and by turning them frequently on a dry place, they become white, and receive the colour of the turmeric more readily--one day of clear sunshine is enough to prepare them for the first vinegar. when dried, put them in a pot of plain cold vinegar, with a little turmeric in it--let them remain in it two weeks to draw off the water from them, and to make them plump--then put them in a clean pot, and pour on the vinegar, prepared by the following directions--this is the most economical and best way of keeping them--mix the turmeric very smoothly, before you add it to your pickles. * * * * * to make green pickles. put the articles you intend to pickle, in a pot--and cover them with boiling salt and water: put a thick cloth on the top, and then a plate that will fit it--let it stand till the next morning, then pour off the salt and water, boil it again, and cover them as before; do this until your pickles are a good green--then put them in plain cold vinegar, with some turmeric in it; and at the end of a fortnight, put them up, as you do the yellow pickle. * * * * * to prepare vinegar for green or yellow pickle. one pound of ginger sliced and dried, one of horse-radish scraped and dried, one of mustard seed washed and dried, one ounce long pepper, an ounce of mace, and one of nutmegs finely pounded; put all these ingredients in a pot, pour two gallons of strong vinegar on, and let it stand twelve months, stirring it very frequently. when this vinegar is used for the pickles, put two gallons more vinegar, with some mace and nutmegs, and keep it for another year. when the prepared vinegar is poured from the ingredients, do it very carefully, that it may be quite clear. pickles keep much better when the vinegar is not boiled. should the green pickles at any time lose their colour, it may be restored by adding a little more turmeric. all pickles are best, when one or two years old. * * * * * to pickle onions. get white onions that are not too large, cut the stem close to the root with a sharp knife, put them in a pot, pour on boiling salt and water to cover them, stop the pot closely, let them stand a fortnight, changing the salt and water every three days; they must be stirred daily, or those that float will become soft; at the end of this time, take off the skin and outer shell, put them in plain cold vinegar with a little turmeric. if the vinegar be not very pale, the onion will not be of a good colour. * * * * * to pickle nastertiums. gather the berries when full grown but young, put them in a pot, pour boiling salt and water on, and let them stand three or four days; then drain off the water, and cover them with cold vinegar; add a few blades of mace, and whole grains of black pepper. * * * * * to pickle radish pods. cut them in nice bunches as soon as they are fully formed; they must be young and tender--pour boiling salt and water on them, cover with a thick cloth, and pewter plate, to keep in the steam; repeat this every day till they are a good green; then put them in cold vinegar, with mace and whole pepper; mix a little turmeric, with a small portion of oil, and stir it into the vinegar; it will make the pods of a more lively green. they are very pretty for garnishing meats. * * * * * to pickle english walnuts. the walnuts should be gathered when the nut is so young that you can run a pin into it easily; pour boiling salt and water on, and let them be covered with it nine days, changing it every third day--take them out, and put them on dishes in the air for a few minutes, taking care to turn them over; this will make them black much sooner--put them in a pot, strew over some whole pepper, cloves, a little garlic, mustard seed, and horse-radish scraped and dried; cover them with strong cold vinegar. * * * * * to pickle peppers. gather the large bell pepper when quite young, leave the seeds in and the stem on, cut a slit in one side between the large veins, to let the water in; pour boiling salt and waler on, changing it every day for three weeks--you must keep them closely stopped; if at the end of this time, they be a good green, put them in pots, and cover them with cold vinegar and a little turmeric; those that are not sufficiently green, must be continued under the same process till they are so. be careful not to cut through the large veins, as the heat will instantly diffuse itself through the pod. * * * * * to make walnut catsup. gather the walnuts as for pickling, and keep them in salt and water the same time; then pound them in a marble mortar--to every dozen walnuts, put a quart of vinegar; stir them well every day for a week, then put them in a bag, and press all the liquor through; to each quart, put a tea-spoonful of pounded cloves, and one of mace, with six cloves of garlic--boil it fifteen or twenty minutes, and bottle it. * * * * * to pickle green nectarines or apricots. gather them while the shell is soft--green them with salt and water as before directed; when a good green, soak them in plain vinegar for a fortnight, and put them in the yellow pickle pot. * * * * * to pickle asparagus. pour boiling salt and water on, and cover them close--next day, take them out, dry them, and after standing in vinegar, put them with the yellow pickle. * * * * * observations on pickling. the vessels for keeping pickles should be made of stone ware, straight from the bottom to the top, with stone covers to them; when the mouth is very wide, the pickles may be taken out without breaking them the motive for keeping all pickles in plain vinegar, previous to putting them in the prepared pot, is to draw off the water with which they are saturated, that they may not weaken the vinegar of the pot. pickles keep much better when the vinegar is not boiled. * * * * * cordials, &c. ginger wine. to three gallons of water, put three pounds of sugar, and four ounces of race ginger, washed in many waters to cleanse it; boil them together for one hour, and strain it through a sieve; when lukewarm, put it in a cask with three lemons cut in slices, and two gills of beer yeast; shake it well, and stop the cask very tight; let it stand a week to ferment; and if not clear enough to bottle, it must remain until it becomes so; it will be fit to drink in ten days after bottling. * * * * * orgeat. _a necessary refreshment at all parties._ boil two quarts of milk with a stick of cinnamon and let it stand to be quite cold, first taking out the cinnamon; blanch four ounces of the best sweet almonds, pound them in a marble mortar with a little rose-water; mix them well with the milk, sweeten it to your taste, and let it boil a few minutes only, lest the almonds should be oily; strain it through a very fine sieve till quite smooth, and free from the almonds, serve it up either cold or lukewarm, in glasses with handles. * * * * * cherry shrub. gather ripe morello cherries, pick them from the stalk, and put them in an earthen pot, which must be set into an iron pot of water; make the water boil, but take care that none of it gets into the cherries; when the juice is extracted, pour it into a bag made of tolerably thick cloth, which will permit the juice to pass, but not the pulp of your cherries; sweeten it to your taste, and when it becomes perfectly clear, bottle it--put a gill of brandy into each bottle, before you pour in the juice--cover the corks with rosin. it will keep all summer, in a dry cool place, and is delicious mixed with water. * * * * * currant wine. gather full ripe currants on a dry day, pick them from the stalks, and weigh them; then crush them with your hands, leaving none whole; for every two pounds of currants put one quart of water; stir all well together, and let it stand three hours, and strain the liquor through a sieve; then, for every three pounds of currants, put one pound of powdered loaf sugar; stir it till the sugar is dissolved, boil it, and keep skimming it, as long as any scum will rise; let it stand sixteen hours to cool, before you put it in the cask--stop it very close. if the quantity be twenty gallons, let it stand three weeks before you bottle it; if it be thirty gallons, it must remain a month; it should be perfectly clear when drawn off--put a lump of sugar in each bottle, cork it well, and keep it in a cool place, or it will turn sour. this is a pleasant and cheap wine--and if properly made, will keep good for many years. it makes an agreeable beverage for the sick, when mixed with water. * * * * * to make cherry brandy. get equal quantities of morello and common black cherries; fill your cask, and pour on (to a ten gallon cask) one gallon of boiling water; in two or three hours, fill it up with brandy--let it stand a week, then draw off all, and put another gallon of boiling water, and fill it again with brandy--at the end of the week, draw the whole off, empty the cask of the cherries, and pour in your brandy with water, to reduce the strength; first dissolving one pound of brown sugar in each gallon of your mixture. if the brandy be very strong, it will bear water enough to make the cask full. * * * * * rose brandy. gather leaves from fragrant roses without bruising, fill a pitcher with them, and cover them with french brandy; next day, pour off the brandy, take out the leaves, and fill the pitcher with fresh ones, and return the brandy; do this till it is strongly impregnated, then bottle it; keep the pitcher closely covered during the process. it is better than distilled rose water for cakes, &c. * * * * * peach cordial. gather ripe cling-stone peaches, wipe off the down, cut them to the stone in several places, and put them in a cask; when filled with peaches, pour on as much peach brandy as the cask will hold; let it stand six or eight weeks, then draw it off, put in water until reduced to the strength of wine; to each gallon of this, add one pound of good brown sugar--dissolve it, and pour the cordial into a cask just large enough to hold it--when perfectly clear, it is fit for use. * * * * * raspberry cordial. to each quart of ripe red raspberries, put one quart of best french brandy; let it remain about a week, then strain it through a sieve or bag, pressing out all the liquid; when you have got as much as you want, reduce the strength to your taste with water, and put a pound of powdered loaf sugar to each gallon--let it stand till refined. strawberry cordial is made the same way. it destroys the flavour of these fruits to put them on the fire. * * * * * raspberry vinegar. put a quart of ripe red raspberries in a bowl; pour on them a quart of strong well flavoured vinegar--let them stand twenty-four hours, strain them through a bag, put this liquid on another quart, of fresh raspberries, which strain in the same manner--and then on a third quart: when this last is prepared, make it very sweet with pounded loaf sugar; refine and bottle it. it is a delicious beverage mixed with iced water. * * * * * mint cordial. pick the mint early in the morning while the dew is on it, and be careful not to bruise it; pour some water over it, and drain it--put two handsful into a pitcher, with a quart of french brandy, cover it, and let it stand till next day; take the mint carefully out, and put in as much more, which must be taken out next day--do this the third time: then put three quarts of water to the brandy, and one pound of loaf sugar powdered; mix it well together--and when perfectly clear, bottle it. * * * * * hydromel, or mead. mix your mead in the proportion of thirty-six ounces of honey to four quarts of warm water; when the honey is completely held in solution, pour it into a cask. when fermented, and become perfectly clear, bottle and cork it well. if properly prepared, it is a pleasant and wholesome drink; and in summer particularly grateful, on account of the large quantity of carbonic acid gas which it contains. its goodness, however, depends greatly on the _time_ of bottling, and other circumstances, which can only be acquired by practice. * * * * * to make a substitute for arrack. dissolve two scruples flowers of benzoin, in one quart of good rum. * * * * * lemon cordial. cut six fresh lemons in thin slices, put them into a quart and a half of milk, boil it until the whey is very clear, then pass it through a sieve; put to this whey, one and a half quarts of french brandy, and three pounds of powdered loaf sugar; stir it till the sugar is dissolved--let it stand to refine, and bottle it; pare some of the yellow rind of the lemons very thin, and put a little in each bottle. * * * * * ginger beer. pour two gallons of boiling water on two pounds brown sugar, one and a half ounce of cream of tartar, and the same of pounded ginger; stir them well, and put it in a small cask; when milk warm, put in half a pint of good yeast, shake the cask well, and stop it close--in twenty-four hours it will be fit to bottle--cork it very well, and in ten days it will sparkle like champaigne--one or two lemons cut in slices and put in, will improve it much. for economy, you may use molasses instead of sugar--one quart in place of two pounds. this is a wholesome and delicious beverage in warm weather. * * * * * spruce beer. boil a handful of hops, and twice as much of the chippings of sassafras root, in ten gallons of water; strain it, and pour in, while hot, one gallon of molasses, two spoonsful of the essence of spruce, two spoonsful of powdered ginger, and one of pounded allspice; put it in a cask--when sufficiently cold, add half a pint of good yeast; stir it well, stop it close, and when fermented and clear, bottle and cork it tight. * * * * * molasses beer. put five quarts of hops, and five of wheat bran, into fifteen gallons of water; boil it three or four hours, strain it, and pour it into a cask with one head taken out; put in five quarts of molasses, stir it till well mixed, throw a cloth over the barrel; when moderately warm, add a quart of good yeast, which must be stirred in; then stop it close with a cloth and board. when it has fermented and become quite clear, bottle it--the corks should be soaked in boiling water an hour or two, and the bottles perfectly clean, and well drained. * * * * * to keep lemon-juice. get lemons quite free from blemish, squeeze them, and strain the juice; to each pint of it, put a pound of good loaf sugar pounded; stir it frequently until the sugar is completely dissolved, cover the pitcher closely, and let it stand till the dregs have subsided, and the syrup is transparent; have bottles perfectly clean and dry, put a wine glass full of french brandy into each bottle, fill it with syrup, cork it, and dip the neck into melted rosin or pitch; keep them in a cool dry cellar--do not put it on the fire--it will destroy the fine flavour of the juice. pour water on the peels of the lemons, let them soak till you can scrape all the white pulp off, then boil the peel till soft; preserve them with half their weight of sugar, and keep them for mince pies, cakes, &c. they are a very good substitute for citron. * * * * * sugar vinegar. to one measure of sugar, put seven measures of water moderately warm; dissolve it completely--put it into a cask, stir in yeast in the proportion of a pint to eight gallons: stop it close, and keep it in a warm place till sufficiently sour. * * * * * honey vinegar. to one quart of clear honey, put eight quarts of warm water, mix it well together: when it has passed through the acetous fermentation, a white vinegar will be formed, in many respects better than the ordinary vinegar. * * * * * syrup of vinegar. boil two pounds of sugar with four quarts of vinegar, down to a syrup, and bottle it. this makes an excellent beverage when mixed with water, either with or without the addition of brandy. it is nearly equal a flavour to the syrup of lime juice, when made with superior vinegar. * * * * * aromatic vinegar. put a portion of acetate of potash, (sal diureticus,) into a smelling bottle; mix gradually with it half its weight of sulphuric acid, and add a few drops of oil of lavender. * * * * * vinegar of the four thieves. take lavender, rosemary, sage, wormwood, rue, and mint, of each a large handful; put them in a pot of earthen ware, pour on them four quarts of very strong vinegar, cover the pot closely, and put a board on the top; keep it in the hottest sun two weeks, then strain and bottle it, putting in each bottle a clove of garlic. when it has settled in the bottle and become clear, pour it off gently; do this until you get it all free from sediment. the proper time to make it is when the herbs are in full vigour, in june. this vinegar is very refreshing in crowded rooms, in the apartments of the sick; and is peculiarly grateful, when sprinkled about the house in damp weather. * * * * * lavender water. put a pint of highly rectified spirits of wine, to one ounce of essential oil of lavender, and two drachms of ambergris; shake them well together, and keep it closely stopped. * * * * * hungarian water. one pint spirits of wine, one ounce oil of rosemary, and two drachms essence of ambergris. * * * * * to prepare cosmetic soap for washing the hands. take a pound of castile, or any other nice old soap; scrape it in small pieces, and put it on the fire with a little water--stir it till it becomes a smooth paste, pour it into a bowl, and when cold, add some lavender water, or essence of any kind--beat it with a silver spoon until well mixed, thicken it with corn meal, and keep it in small pots closely covered--for the admission of air will soon make the soap hard. * * * * * cologne water. three quarts spirits of wine, six drachms oil of lavender, one drachm oil of rosemary, three drachms essence of lemon, ten drops oil of cinnamon--mix them together very well. * * * * * soft pomatum. get nice sweet lard that has no salt in it--put in any agreeable perfume, beat it to a cream, and put it in small pots. * * * * * to make soap. put on the fire any quantity of lye you choose that is strong enough to bear an egg--to each gallon, add three quarters of a pound of clean grease: boil it very fast, and stir it frequently--a few hours will suffice to make it good soap. when you find by cooling a little on a plate that it is a thick jelly, and no grease appears, put in salt in the proportion of one pint to three gallons--let it boil a few minutes, and pour it in tubs to cool--(should the soap be thin, add a little water to that in the plate, stir it well, and by that means ascertain how much water is necessary for the whole quantity; very strong lye will require water to thicken it, after the incorporation is complete; this must be done before the salt is added.) next day, cut out the soap, melt it, and cool it again; this takes out all the lye, and keeps the soap from shrinking when dried. a strict conformity to these rules, will banish the lunar bugbear, which has so long annoyed soap makers. should cracknels be used, there must be one pound to each gallon. kitchen grease should be clarified in a quantity of water, or the salt will prevent its incorporating with the lye. soft soap is made in the same manner, only omitting the salt. it may also be made by putting the lye and grease together in exact proportions, and placing it under the influence of a hot sun for eight or ten days, stirring it well four or five times a day. * * * * * to make starch. wash a peck of good wheat, and pick it very clean; put it in a tub, and cover it with water; it must be kept in the sun, and the water changed every day, or it will smell very offensively. when the wheat becomes quite soft, it must be well rubbed in the hands, and the husks thrown into another tub; let this white substance settle, then pour off the water, put on fresh, stir it up well, and let it subside; do this every day till the water comes off clear--then pour it off; collect the starch in a bag, tie it up tight, and set it in the sun a few days; then open it, and dry the starch on dishes. * * * * * to dry herbs. gather them on a dry day, just before they begin to blossom; brush off the dust, cut them in small branches, and dry them quickly in a moderate oven; pick off the leaves when dry, pound and sift them--bottle them immediately, and cork them closely. they must be kept in a dry place. * * * * * to clean silver utensils. dissolve two tea-spoonsful of alum in a quart of moderately strong lye--stir in a gill of soft soap, and skim off the dross. wash the silver clean in hot water, let it remain covered with this mixture for ten or fifteen minutes, turning it over frequently; then wash it in hot soap suds, and rub it well with a dry cloth. * * * * * to make blacking. a quarter of a pound of ivory black, two ounces of sugar candy, a quarter of an ounce of gum tragacanth; pound them all very fine, boil a bottle of porter, and stir the ingredients in while boiling hot. * * * * * to clean knives and forks. wash them in warm water, and wipe them till quite dry; then touch them lightly over, without smearing the handles, with rotten stone made wet; let it dry on them, and then rub with a clean cloth until they are bright. with this mode of cleaning, one set of knives and forks will serve a family twenty years; they will require the frequent use of a steel to keep them with a keen edge--but must never be put into very hot water, lest the handles be injured. the end. footnotes: footnote : shote being a provincial term, and not a legitimate english word, mrs. r. has taken the liberty of spelling it in a way that conveys the sound of the pronunciation more clearly than _shoat_, the usual manner of spelling it. note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/ / / / / / -h.zip) the book-lover's library edited by henry b. wheatley, f.s.a. old cookery books and ancient cuisine by w. carew hazlitt london _the book-lovers library_ was first published in the following styles: no. .--printed on antique paper, in cloth bevelled with rough edges, price s. d. no. .--printed on hand-made paper, in roxburgh, half morocco, with gilt top: only are printed, for sale in england, price s. d. no. .--large paper edition, on hand-made paper; of which copies only are printed, and bound in roxburgh, for sale in england, price £ s. there are a few sets left, and can be had on application to the publisher. introductory man has been distinguished from other animals in various ways; but perhaps there is no particular in which he exhibits so marked a difference from the rest of creation--not even in the prehensile faculty resident in his hand--as in the objection to raw food, meat, and vegetables. he approximates to his inferior contemporaries only in the matter of fruit, salads, and oysters, not to mention wild-duck. he entertains no sympathy with the cannibal, who judges the flavour of his enemy improved by temporary commitment to a subterranean larder; yet, to be sure, he keeps his grouse and his venison till it approaches the condition of spoon-meat. it naturally ensues, from the absence or scantiness of explicit or systematic information connected with the opening stages of such inquiries as the present, that the student is compelled to draw his own inferences from indirect or unwitting allusion; but so long as conjecture and hypothesis are not too freely indulged, this class of evidence is, as a rule, tolerably trustworthy, and is, moreover, open to verification. when we pass from an examination of the state of the question as regarded cookery in very early times among us, before an even more valuable art--that of printing--was discovered, we shall find ourselves face to face with a rich and long chronological series of books on the mystery, the titles and fore-fronts of which are often not without a kind of fragrance and _goût_. as the space allotted to me is limited, and as the sketch left by warner of the convivial habits and household arrangements of the saxons or normans in this island, as well as of the monastic institutions, is more copious than any which i could offer, it may be best to refer simply to his elaborate preface. but it may be pointed out generally that the establishment of the norman sway not only purged of some of their anglo-danish barbarism the tables of the nobility and the higher classes, but did much to spread among the poor a thriftier manipulation of the articles of food by a resort to broths, messes, and hot-pots. in the poorer districts, in normandy as well as in brittany, duke william would probably find very little alteration in the mode of preparing victuals from that which was in use in his day, eight hundred years ago, if (like another arthur) he should return among his ancient compatriots; but in his adopted country he would see that there had been a considerable revolt from the common saucepan--not to add from the pseudo-arthurian bag-pudding; and that the english artisan, if he could get a rump-steak or a leg of mutton once a week, was content to starve on the other six days. those who desire to be more amply informed of the domestic economy of the ancient court, and to study the _minutiae_, into which i am precluded from entering, can easily gratify themselves in the pages of "the ordinances and regulations for the government of the royal household," ; "the northumberland household book;" and the various printed volumes of "privy purse expenses" of royal and great personages, including "the household roll of bishop swinfield ( - )." the late mr. green, in his "history of the english people" ( - , vols. vo), does not seem to have concerned himself about the kitchens or gardens of the nation which he undertook to describe. yet, what conspicuous elements these have been in our social and domestic progress, and what civilising factors! to a proper and accurate appreciation of the cookery of ancient times among ourselves, a knowledge of its condition in other more or less neighbouring countries, and of the surrounding influences and conditions which marked the dawn of the art in england, and its slow transition to a luxurious excess, would be in strictness necessary; but i am tempted to refer the reader to an admirable series of papers which appeared on this subject in barker's "domestic architecture," and were collected in , under the title of "our english home: its early history and progress." in this little volume the author, who does not give his name, has drawn together in a succinct compass the collateral information which will help to render the following pages more luminous and interesting. an essay might be written on the appointments of the table only, their introduction, development, and multiplication. the history and antiquities of the culinary art among the greeks are handled with his usual care and skill by m.j.a. st. john in his "manners and customs of ancient greece," ; and in the _biblia_ or hebrew scriptures we get an indirect insight into the method of cooking from the forms of sacrifice. the earliest legend which remains to us of hellenic gastronomy is associated with cannibalism. it is the story of pelops--an episode almost pre-homeric, where a certain rudimentary knowledge of dressing flesh, and even of disguising its real nature, is implied in the tale, as it descends to us; and the next in order of times is perhaps the familiar passage in the _odyssey_, recounting the adventures of odysseus and his companions in the cave of polyphemus. here, again, we are introduced to a rude society of cave-dwellers, who eat human flesh, if not as an habitual diet, yet not only without reluctance, but with relish and enjoyment. the _phagetica_ of ennius, of which fragments remain, seems to be the most ancient treatise of the kind in roman literature. it is supposed to relate an account of edible fishes; but in a complete state the work may very well have amounted to a general manual on the subject. in relation even to homer, the _phagetica_ is comparatively modern, following the _odyssey_ at a distance of some six centuries; and in the interval it is extremely likely that anthropophagy had become rarer among the greeks, and that if they still continued to be cooking animals, they were relinquishing the practice of cooking one another. mr. ferguson, again, has built on athenaeus and other authorities a highly valuable paper on "the formation of the palate," and the late mr. coote, in the forty-first volume of "archaeologia," has a second on the "cuisine bourgeoise" of ancient rome. these two essays, with the "fairfax inventories" communicated to the forty-eighth volume of the "archaeologia" by mr. peacock, cover much of the ground which had been scarcely traversed before by any scientific english inquirer. the importance of an insight into the culinary economy of the romans lies in the obligations under which the more western nations of europe are to it for nearly all that they at first knew upon the subject. the romans, on their part, were borrowers in this, as in other, sciences from greece, where the arts of cookery and medicine were associated, and were studied by physicians of the greatest eminence; and to greece these mysteries found their way from oriental sources. but the school of cookery which the romans introduced into britain was gradually superseded in large measure by one more agreeable to the climate and physical demands of the people; and the free use of animal food, which was probably never a leading feature in the diet of the italians as a community, and may be treated as an incidence of imperial luxury, proved not merely innocuous, but actually beneficial to a more northerly race. so little is to be collected--in the shape of direct testimony, next to nothing--of the domestic life of the britons--that it is only by conjecture that one arrives at the conclusion that the original diet of our countrymen consisted of vegetables, wild fruit, the honey of wild bees--which is still extensively used in this country,--a coarse sort of bread, and milk. the latter was evidently treated as a very precious article of consumption, and its value was enhanced by the absence of oil and the apparent want of butter. mr. ferguson supposes, from some remains of newly-born calves, that our ancestors sacrificed the young of the cow rather than submit to a loss of the milk; but it was, on the contrary, an early superstition, and may be, on obvious grounds, a fact, that the presence of the young increased the yield in the mother, and that the removal of the calf was detrimental. the italian invaders augmented and enriched the fare, without, perhaps, materially altering its character; and the first decided reformation in the mode of living here was doubtless achieved by the saxon and danish settlers; for those in the south, who had migrated hither from the low countries, ate little flesh, and indeed, as to certain animals, cherished, according to caesar, religious scruples against it. it was to the hunting tribes, who came to us from regions even bleaker and more exacting than our own, that the southern counties owed the taste for venison and a call for some nourishment more sustaining than farinaceous substances, green stuff and milk, as well as a gradual dissipation of the prejudice against the hare, the goose, and the hen as articles of food, which the "commentaries" record. it is characteristic of the nature of our nationality, however, that while the anglo-saxons and their successors refused to confine themselves to the fare which was more or less adequate to the purposes of archaic pastoral life in this island, they by no means renounced their partiality for farm and garden produce, but by a fusion of culinary tastes and experiences akin to fusion of race and blood, laid the basis of the splendid _cuisine_ of the plantagenet and tudor periods. our cookery is, like our tongue, an amalgam. but the roman historian saw little or nothing of our country except those portions which lay along or near the southern coast; the rest of his narrative was founded on hearsay; and he admits that the people in the interior--those beyond the range of his personal knowledge, more particularly the northern tribes and the scots--were flesh-eaters, by which he probably intends, not consumers of cattle, but of the venison, game, and fish which abounded in their forests and rivers. the various parts of this country were in caesar's day, and very long after, more distinct from each other for all purposes of communication and intercourse than we are now from spain or from switzerland; and the foreign influences which affected the south britons made no mark on those petty states which lay at a distance, and whose diet was governed by purely local conditions. the dwellers northward were by nature hunters and fishermen, and became only by act of parliament poachers, smugglers, and illicit distillers; the province of the male portion of the family was to find food for the rest; and a pair of spurs laid on an empty trencher was well understood by the goodman as a token that the larder was empty and replenishable. there are new books on all subjects, of which it is comparatively easy within a moderate compass to afford an intelligible, perhaps even a sufficient, account. but there are others which i, for my part, hesitate to touch, and which do not seem to be amenable to the law of selection. "studies in nidderland," by mr. joseph lucas, is one of these. it was a labour of love, and it is full of records of singular survivals to our time of archaisms of all descriptions, culinary and gardening utensils not forgotten. there is one point, which i may perhaps advert to, and it is the square of wood with a handle, which the folk in that part of yorkshire employed, in lieu of the ladle, for stirring, and the stone ovens for baking, which, the author tells us, occur also in a part of surrey. but the volume should be read as a whole. we have of such too few. under the name of a roman epicure, coelius apicius, has come down to us what may be accepted as the most ancient european "book of cookery." i think that the idea widely entertained as to this work having proceeded from the pen of a man, after whom it was christened, has no more substantial basis than a theory would have that the "arabian nights" were composed by haroun al raschid. warner, in the introduction to his "antiquitates culinariae," , adduces as a specimen of the rest two receipts from this collection, shewing how the roman cook of the apician epoch was wont to dress a hog's paunch, and to manufacture sauce for a boiled chicken. of the three persons who bore the name, it seems to be thought most likely that the one who lived under trajan was the true godfather of the culinary manual. one of massinger's characters (holdfast) in the "city madam," , is made to charge the gourmets of his time with all the sins of extravagance perpetrated in their most luxurious and fantastic epoch. the object was to amuse the audience; but in england no "court gluttony," much less country christmas, ever saw buttered eggs which had cost £ , or pies of carps' tongues, or pheasants drenched with ambergris, or sauce for a peacock made of the gravy of three fat wethers, or sucking pigs at twenty marks each. both apicius and our joe miller died within £ , of being beggars--miller something the nigher to that goal; and there was this community of insincerity also, that neither really wrote the books which carry their names. miller could not make a joke or understand one when anybody else made it. his roman foregoer, who would certainly never have gone for his dinner to clare market, relished good dishes, even if he could not cook them. it appears not unlikely that the romish clergy, whose monastic vows committed them to a secluded life, were thus led to seek some compensation for the loss of other worldly pleasures in those of the table; and that, when one considers the luxury of the old abbeys, one ought to recollect at the same time, that it was perhaps in this case as it was in regard to letters and the arts, and that we are under a certain amount of obligation to the monks for modifying the barbarism of the table, and encouraging a study of gastronomy. there are more ways to fame than even horace suspected. the road to immortality is not one but manifold. a man can but do what he can. as the poet writes and the painter fills with his inspiration the mute and void canvas, so doth the cook his part. there was formerly apopular work in france entitled "le cuisinier royal," by mm. viard and fouret, who describe themselves as "hommes de bouche." the twelfth edition lies before me, a thick octavo volume, dated . the title-page is succeeded by an anonymous address to the reader, at the foot of which occurs a peremptory warning to pilferers of dishes or parts thereof; in other words, to piratical invaders of the copyright of monsieur barba. there is a preface equally unclaimed by signatures or initials, but as it is in the singular number the two _hommes de bouche_ can scarcely have written it; perchance it was m. barba aforesaid, lord-proprietor of these not-to-be-touched treasures; but anyhow the writer had a very solemn feeling of the debt which he had conferred on society by making the contents public for the twelfth time, and he concludes with a mixture of sentiments, which it is very difficult to define: "dans la paix de ma conscience, non moins que dans l'orgueil d'avoir si honorablement rempli cette importante mission, je m'ecrierai avec le poete des gourmands et des amoureux: "exegi monumentum aere perennius non omnis moriar." the early englishman and his food. william of malmesbury particularly dwells on the broad line of distinction still existing between the southern english and the folk of the more northerly districts in his day, twelve hundred years after the visit of caesar. he says that they were then (about a.d. ) as different as if they had been different races; and so in fact they were--different in their origin, in their language, and their diet. in his "folk-lore relics of early village life," , mr. gomme devotes a chapter to "early domestic customs," and quotes henry's "history of great britain" for a highly curious clue to the primitive mode of dressing food, and partaking of it, among the britons. among the anglo-saxons the choice of poultry and game was fairly wide. alexander neckani, in his "treatise on utensils (twelfth century)" gives fowls, cocks, peacocks, the cock of the wood (the woodcock, not the capercailzie), thrushes, pheasants, and several more; and pigeons were only too plentiful. the hare and the rabbit were well enough known, and with the leveret form part of an enumeration of wild animals (_animalium ferarum_) in a pictorial vocabulary of the fifteenth century. but in the very early accounts or lists, although they must have soon been brought into requisition, they are not specifically cited as current dishes. how far this is attributable to the alleged repugnance of the britons to use the hare for the table, as caesar apprises us that they kept it only _voluptatis causâ_, it is hard to say; but the way in which the author of the "commentaries" puts it induces the persuasion that by _lepus_ he means not the hare, but the rabbit, as the former would scarcely be domesticated. neckam gives very minute directions for the preparation of pork for the table. he appears to have considered that broiling on the grill was the best way; the gridiron had supplanted the hot stones or bricks in more fashionable households, and he recommends a brisk fire, perhaps with an eye to the skilful development of the crackling. he died without the happiness of bringing his archi-episcopal nostrils in contact with the sage and onions of wiser generations, and thinks that a little salt is enough. but, as we have before explained, neckam prescribed for great folks. these refinements were unknown beyond the precincts of the palace and the castle. in the ancient cookery-book, the "menagier de paris," , which offers numerous points of similarity to our native culinary lore, the resources of the cuisine are represented as amplified by receipts for dressing hedgehogs, squirrels, magpies, and jackdaws--small deer, which the english experts did not affect, although i believe that the hedgehog is frequently used to this day by country folk, both here and abroad, and in india. it has white, rabbit-like flesh. in an eleventh century vocabulary we meet with a tolerably rich variety of fish, of which the consumption was relatively larger in former times. the saxons fished both with the basket and the net. among the fish here enumerated are the whale (which was largely used for food), the dolphin, porpoise, crab, oyster, herring, cockle, smelt, and eel. but in the supplement to alfric's vocabulary, and in another belonging to the same epoch, there are important additions to this list: the salmon, the trout, the lobster, the bleak, with the whelk and other shell-fish. but we do not notice the turbot, sole, and many other varieties, which became familiar in the next generation or so. the turbot and sole are indeed included in the "treatise on utensils" of neckam, as are likewise the lamprey (of which king john is said to have been very fond), bleak, gudgeon, conger, plaice, limpet, ray, and mackerel. the fifteenth century, if i may judge from a vocabulary of that date in wright's collection, acquired a much larger choice of fish, and some of the names approximate more nearly to those in modern use. we meet with the sturgeon, the whiting, the roach, the miller's thumb, the thomback, the codling, the perch, the gudgeon, the turbot, the pike, the tench, and the haddock. it is worth noticing also that a distinction was now drawn between the fisherman and the fishmonger--the man who caught the fish and he who sold it--_piscator_ and _piscarius_; and in the vocabulary itself the leonine line is cited: "piscator prendit, quod piscarius bene vendit." the whale was considerably brought into requisition for gastronomic purposes. it was found on the royal table, as well as on that of the lord mayor of london. the cook either roasted it, and served it up on the spit, or boiled it and sent it in with peas; the tongue and the tail were favourite parts. the porpoise, however, was brought into the hall whole, and was carved or _under-tranched_ by the officer in attendance. it was eaten with mustard. the _pièce de résistance_ at a banquet which wolsey gave to some of his official acquaintances in , was a young porpoise, which had cost eight shillings; it was on the same occasion that his eminence partook of strawberries and cream, perhaps; he is reported to have been the person who made that pleasant combination fashionable. the grampus, or sea-wolf, was another article of food which bears testimony to the coarse palate of the early englishman, and at the same time may afford a clue to the partiality for disguising condiments and spices. but it appears from an entry in his privy purse expenses, under september , , that henry the seventh thought a porpoise a valuable commodity and a fit dish for an ambassador, for on that date twenty-one shillings were paid to cardinal morton's servant, who had procured one for some envoy then in london, perhaps the french representative, who is the recipient of a complimentary gratuity of £ s. on april , , at his departure from england. in the fifteenth century the existing stock of fish for culinary purposes received, if we may trust the vocabularies, a few accessions; as, for instance, the bream, the skate, the flounder, and the bake. in "piers of fulham ( th century)," we hear of the good store of fat eels imported into england from the low countries, and to be had cheap by anyone who watched the tides; but the author reprehends the growing luxury of using the livers of young fish before they were large enough to be brought to the table. the most comprehensive catalogue of fish brought to table in the time of charles i. is in a pamphlet of , inserted among my "fugitive tracts," ; and includes the oyster, which used to be eaten at breakfast with wine, the crab, lobster, sturgeon, salmon, ling, flounder, plaice, whiting, sprat, herring, pike, bream, roach, dace, and eel. the writer states that the sprat and herring were used in lent. the sound of the stock-fish, boiled in wort or thin ale till they were tender, then laid on a cloth and dried, and finally cut into strips, was thought a good receipt for book-glue. an acquaintance is in possession of an old cookery-book which exhibits the gamut of the fish as it lies in the frying-pan, reducing its supposed lament to musical notation. here is an ingenious refinement and a delicate piece of irony, which walton and cotton might have liked to forestall. the th century _nominale_ enriches the catalogue of dishes then in vogue. it specifies almond-milk, rice, gruel, fish-broth or soup, a sort of _fricassee_ of fowl, collops, a pie, a pasty, a tart, a tartlet, a charlet (minced pork), apple-juice, a dish called jussell made of eggs and grated bread with seasoning of sage and saffron, and the three generic heads of sod or boiled, roast, and fried meats. in addition to the fish-soup, they had wine-soup, water-soup, ale-soup; and the flawn is reinforced by the _froise_. instead of one latin equivalent for a pudding, it is of moment to record that there are now three: nor should we overlook the rasher and the sausage. it is the earliest place where we get some of our familiar articles of diet--beef, mutton, pork, veal--under their modern names; and about the same time such terms present themselves as "a broth," "a browis," "a pottage," "a mess." of the dishes which have been specified, the _froise_ corresponded to an _omelette au lard_ of modern french cookery, having strips of bacon in it. the tansy was an omelette of another description, made chiefly with eggs and chopped herbs. as the former was a common dish in the monasteries, it is not improbable that it was one grateful to the palate. in lydgate's "story of thebes," a sort of sequel to the "canterbury tales," the pilgrims invite the poet to join the supper-table, where there were these tasty omelettes: moile, made of marrow and grated bread, and haggis, which is supposed to be identical with the scottish dish so called. lydgate, who belonged to the monastery of bury st. edmunds, doubtless set on the table at canterbury some of the dainties with which he was familiar at home; and this practice, which runs through all romantic and imaginative literature, constitutes, in our appreciation, its principal worth. we love and cherish it for its very sins against chronological and topographical fitness--its contempt of all unities. men transferred local circumstances and a local colouring to their pictures of distant countries and manners. they argued the unknown from what they saw under their own eyes. they portrayed to us what, so far as the scenes and characters of their story went, was undeceivingly false, but what on the contrary, had it not been so, would never have been unveiled respecting themselves and their time. the expenditure on festive occasions seems, from some of the entries in the "northumberland household book," to present a strong contrast to the ordinary dietary allowed to the members of a noble and wealthy household, especially on fish days, in the earlier tudor era ( ). the noontide breakfast provided for the percy establishment was of a very modest character: my lord and my lady had, for example, a loaf of bread, two manchets (loaves of finer bread), a quart of beer and one of wine, two pieces of salt fish, and six baked herrings or a dish of sprats. my lord percy and master thomas percy had half a loaf of household bread, a manchet, a pottle of beer, a dish of butter, a piece of salt fish, and a dish of sprats or three white herrings; and the nursery breakfast for my lady margaret and master ingram percy was much the same. but on flesh days my lord and lady fared better, for they had a loaf of bread, two manchets, a quart of beer and the same of wine, and half a chine of mutton or boiled beef; while the nursery repast consisted of a manchet, a quart of beer, and three boiled mutton breasts; and so on: whence it is deducible that in the percy family, perhaps in all other great houses, the members and the ladies and gentlemen in waiting partook of their earliest meal apart in their respective chambers, and met only at six to dine or sup. the beer, which was an invariable part of the _menu_, was perhaps brewed from hops which, according to harrison elsewhere quoted, were, after a long discontinuance, again coming into use about this time. but it would be a light-bodied drink which was allotted to the consumption at all events of masters thomas and ingram percy, and even of my lady margaret. it is clearly not irrelevant to my object to correct the general impression that the great families continued throughout the year to support the strain which the system of keeping open house must have involved. for, as warner has stated, there were intervals during which the aristocracy permitted themselves to unbend, and shook off the trammels imposed on them by their social rank and responsibility. this was known as "keeping secret house," or, in other words, my lord became for a season incognito, and retired to one of his remoter properties for relaxation and repose. our kings in some measure did the same; for they held their revels only, as a rule, at stated times and places. william i. is said to have kept his easter at winchester, his whitsuntide at westminster, and his christmas at gloucester. even these antique grandees had to work on some plan. it could not be all mirth and jollity. a recital of some of the articles on sale in a baker's or confectioner's shop in , occurs in newbery's "dives pragmaticus": simnels, buns, cakes, biscuits, comfits, caraways, and cracknels: and this is the first occurrence of the bun that i have hitherto been able to detect. the same tract supplies us with a few other items germane to my subject: figs, almonds, long pepper, dates, prunes, and nutmegs. it is curious to watch how by degrees the kitchen department was furnished with articles which nowadays are viewed as the commonest necessaries of life. in the th century the increased communication with the continent made us by degrees larger partakers of the discoveries of foreign cooks. noblemen and gentlemen travelling abroad brought back with them receipts for making the dishes which they had tasted in the course of their tours. in the "compleat cook," and , the beneficial operation of actual experience of this kind, and of the introduction of such books as the "receipts for dutch victual" and "epulario, or the italian banquet," to english readers and students, is manifest enough; for in the latter volume we get such entries as these: "to make a portugal dish;" "to make a virginia dish;" "a persian dish;" "a spanish olio;" and then there are receipts "to make a posset the earl of arundel's way;" "to make the lady abergavenny's cheese;" "the jacobin's pottage;" "to make mrs. leeds' cheesecakes;" "the lord conway his lordship's receipt for the making of amber puddings;" "the countess of rutland's receipt of making the rare banbury cake, which was so much praised as her daughter's (the right honourable lady chaworth) pudding," and "to make poor knights"--the last a medley in which bread, cream, and eggs were the leading materials. warner, however, in the "additional notes and observations" to his "antiquitates culinariae," , expresses himself adversely to the foreign systems of cookery from an english point of view. "notwithstanding," he remarks, "the partiality of our countrymen to french cookery, yet that mode of disguising meat in this kingdom (except perhaps in the hottest part of the hottest season of the year) is an absurdity. it is _here_ the art of _spoiling good meat_. the same art, indeed, in the south of france; where the climate is much warmer, and the flesh of the animal lean and insipid, is highly valuable; it is the art of making _bad meat eatable_." at the same time, he acknowledges the superior thrift and intelligence of the french cooks, and instances the frog and the horse. "the frog is considered in this country as a disgusting animal, altogether unfit for the purposes of the kitchen; whereas, by the efforts of french cookery, the thighs of this little creature are converted into a delicate and estimable dish." so sings, too (save the mark!), _our_ charles lamb, so far back as , after his visit to paris. it seems that in elizabeth's reign a _powdered_, or pickled horse was considered a suitable dish by a french general entertaining at dinner some english officers. it is difficult to avoid an impression that warner has some reason, when he suggests that the immoderate use of condiments was brought to us by the dwellers under a higher temperature, and was not really demanded in such a climate as that of england, where meat can be kept sweet in ordinary seasons, much longer even than in france or in italy. but let us bear in mind, too, how different from our own the old english _cuisine_ was, and how many strange beasts calling for lubricants it comprehended within its range. an edifying insight into the old scottish _cuisine_ among people of the better sort is afforded by fynes morisoh, in his description of a stay at a knight's house in north britain in . "myself," he says, "was at a knight's house, who had many servants to attend him, that brought in his meat with their heads covered with blue caps, the table being more than half furnished with great platters of porridge, each having a little piece of sodden meat; and when the tables were served, the servants did sit down with us; but the upper mess, instead of porridge, had a pullet with some prunes in the broth. and i observed no art of cookery, or furniture of household stuff, but rather rude neglect of both, though myself and my companion, sent by the governor of berwick upon bordering affairs, were entertained in the best manner. the scots ... vulgarly eat hearth-cakes of oats, but in cities have also wheaten bread, which, for the most part, was bought by courtiers, gentlemen, and the best sort of citizens. when i lived at berwick, the scots weekly upon the market day _obtained leave in writing of the governor_ to buy peas and beans, whereof, as also of wheat, their merchants to this day ( ) send great quantities from london into scotland. they drink pure wine, not with sugar, as the english, yet at feasts they put comfits in the wine, after the french manner: but they had not our vintners' fraud to mix their wines." he proceeds to say that he noticed no regular inns, with signs hanging out, but that private householders would entertain passengers on entreaty, or where acquaintance was claimed. the last statement is interestingly corroborated by the account which taylor the water-poet printed in of his journey to scotland, and which he termed his "penniless pilgrimage or moneyless perambulation," in the course of which he purports to have depended entirely on private hospitality. a friend says: "the scotch were long very poor. only their fish, oatmeal, and whiskey kept them alive. fish was very cheap." this remark sounds the key-note of a great english want--cheaper fish. of meat we already eat enough, or too much; but of fish we might eat more, if it could be brought at a low price to our doors. it is a noteworthy collateral fact that in the lord mayor of london's pageant of there is a representation of the double advantage which would accrue if the unemployed poor were engaged to facilitate and cheapen the supply of fish to the city; and here we are, three centuries forward, with the want still very imperfectly answered. besides the bread and oatmeal above named, the bannock played its part. "the land o' cakes" was more than a trim and pretty phrase: there was in it a deep eloquence; it marked a wide national demand and supply. the "penny magazine" for has a good and suggestive paper on "feasts and entertainments," with extracts from some of the early dramatists and a woodcut of "a new french cook, to devise fine kickshaws and toys." one curious point is brought out here in the phrase "boiled _jiggets_ of mutton," which shews that the french _gigot_ for a leg of mutton was formerly in use here. like many other gallicisms, it lingered in scotland down to our own time. the cut of the french cook above mentioned is a modern composition; and indeed some of the excerpts from ben jonson and other writers are of an extravagant and hyperbolical cast,--better calculated to amuse an audience than to instruct the student. mr. lucas remarks: "it is probable that we are more dependent upon animal food than we used to be. in their early days, the present generation of dalesmen fed almost exclusively upon oatmeal; either as 'hasty-pudding,'--that is, scotch oatmeal which had been _ground over again_, so as to be nearly as fine as flour;... or 'lumpy,'--that is, boiled quickly and not thoroughly stirred; or else in one of the three kinds of cake which they call 'fermented,' viz., 'riddle cake,' 'held-on cake,' or 'turn-down cake,' which is made from oatcake batter poured on the 'bak' ston'' from the ladle, and then spread with the back of the ladle. it does not rise like an oatcake. or of a fourth kind called 'clap cake.' they also made 'tiffany cakes' of wheaten flour, which was separated from the bran by being worked through a hair-sieve _tiffany_, or _temse_:--south of england _tammy_,--with a brush called the _brush shank_." royal feasts and savage pomp. in rose's "school of instructions for the officers of the mouth," , the staff of a great french establishment is described as a master of the household, a master carver, a master butler, a master confectioner, a master cook, and a master pastryman. the author, who was himself one of the cooks in our royal kitchen, tells sir stephen fox, to whom he dedicates his book, that he had entered on it after he had completed one of a very different nature: "the theatre of the world, or a prospect of human misery." at the time that the "school of instructions" was written, the french and ourselves had both progressed very greatly in the art of cookery and in the development of the _menu_. delahay street, westminster, near bird-cage walk, suggests a time when a hedge ran along the western side of it towards the park, in lieu of brick or stone walls; but the fact is that we have here a curious association with the office, just quoted from rose, of master confectioner. for of the plot of ground on which the street, or at any rate a portion of it stands, the old proprieter was peter delahaye, master confectioner of charles ii. at the very period of the publication of rose's book. his name occurs in the title-deeds of one of the houses on the park side, which since his day has had only five owners, and has been, since , the freehold of an old and valued friend of the present writer. it may be worth pointing out, that the confectionery and pastry were two distinct departments, each with its superintendent and staff. the fondness for confections had spread from italy--which itself in turn borrowed the taste from the east--to france and england; and, as we perceive from the descriptions furnished in books, these were often of a very elaborate and costly character. the volume is of the less interest for us, as it is a translation from the french, and consequently does not throw a direct light on our own kitchens at this period. but of course collaterally it presents many features of likeness and analogy, and may be compared with braithwaite's earlier view to which i shall presently advert. the following anecdote is given in the epistle to fox: "many do believe the french way of working is cheapest; but let these examine this book, and then they may see (for their satisfaction) which is the best husbandry, to extract gold out of herbs, or to make a pottage of a stone, by the example of two soldiers, who in their quarters were minded to have a pottage; the first of them coming into a house and asking for all things necessary to the making of one, was as soon told that he could have none of these things there, whereupon he went away, and the other coming in with a stone in his knap-sack, asked only for a pot to boil his stone in, that he might make a dish of broth of it for his supper, which was quickly granted him; and when the stone had boiled a little while, then he asked for a small bit of beef, then for a piece of mutton, and so for veal, bacon, etc., till by little and little he got all things requisite, and he made an excellent pottage of his stone, at as cheap a rate (it may be) as the cook extracted gold from herbs." the kitchen-staff of a noble establishment in the first quarter of the seventeenth century we glean from braithwaite's "rules and orders for the government of the house of an earl," which, if the "m.l." for whom the piece was composed was his future wife, mistress lawson, cannot have seen the light later than , in which year they were married. he specifies--( ) a yeoman and groom for the cellar; ( ) a yeoman and groom for the pantry; ( ) a yeoman and groom for the buttery; ( a) a yeoman for the ewery; ( ) a yeoman purveyor; ( ) a master-cook, under-cooks, and three pastry-men; ( ) a yeoman and groom in the scullery, one to be in the larder and slaughter-house; ( ) an achator or buyer; ( ) three conducts [query, errand-boys] and three kitchen-boys. the writer also admits us to a rather fuller acquaintance with the mode in which the marketing was done. he says that the officers, among other matters, "must be able to judge, not only of the prices, but also of the goodness of all kinds of corn, cattle, and household provisions; and the better to enable themselves thereto, are oftentimes to ride to fairs and great markets, and there to have conference with graziers and purveyors." the higher officers were to see that the master was not deceived by purveyors and buyers, and that other men's cattle did not feed on my lord's pastures; they were to take care that the clerk of the kitchen kept his day-book "in that perfect and good order, that at the end of every week or month it be pied out," and that a true docket of all kinds of provisions be set down. they were to see that the powdered and salted meats in the larder were properly kept; and vigilant supervision was to be exercised over the cellar, buttery, and other departments, even to the prevention of paring the tallow lights. braithwaite dedicates a section to each officer; but i have only space to transcribe, by way of sample, the opening portion of his account of "the officer of the kitchen:" "the master-cook should be a man of years; well-experienced, whereby the younger cooks will be drawn the better to obey his directions. in ancient times noblemen contented themselves to be served with such as had been bred in their own houses, but of late times none could please some but italians and frenchmen, or at best brought up in the court, or under london cooks: nor would the old manner of baking, boiling, and roasting please them, but the boiled meats must be after the french fashion, the dishes garnished about with sugar and preserved plums, the meat covered over with orangeade, preserved lemons, and with divers other preserved and conserved stuff fetched from the confectioner's: more lemons and sugar spent in boiling fish to serve at one meal than might well serve the whole expense of the house in a day." he goes on to describe and ridicule the new fashion of placing arms and crests on the dishes. it seems that all the refuse was the perquisite of the cook and his subordinates in a regulated proportion, and the same in the bakery and other branches; but, as may be supposed, in these matters gross abuses were committed. in the "leisure hour" for was printed a series of papers on "english homes in the olden times." the eleventh deals with service and wages, and is noticed here because it affords a recital of the orders made for his household by john harington the elder in , and renewed by john harington the younger, his son and high sheriff of somersetshire, in . this code of domestic discipline for an elizabethan establishment comprises the observance of decorum and duty at table, and is at least as valuable and curious as those metrical canons and precepts which form the volume (babees' book) edited for the early english text society, etc. there is rather too general a dislike on the part of antiquaries to take cognisance of matter inserted in popular periodicals upon subjects of an archaeological character; but of course the loose and flimsy treatment which this class of topics as a rule receives in the light literature of the day makes it perilous to use information so forthcoming in evidence or quotation. articles must be rendered palatable to the general reader, and thus become worthless for all readers alike. most of the early descriptions and handbooks of instruction turn, naturally enough, on the demands and enjoyments of the great. there is in the treatise of walter de bibblesworth ( th century) a very interesting and edifying account of the arrangement of courses for some important banquet. the boar's head holds the place of honour in the list, and venison follows, and various dishes of roast. among the birds to be served up we see cranes, peacocks, swans, and wild geese; and of the smaller varieties, fieldfares, plovers, and larks. there were wines; but the writer only particularises them as white and red. the haunch of venison was then an ordinary dish, as well as kid. they seem to have sometimes roasted and sometimes boiled them. not only the pheasant and partridge appear, but the quail,--which is at present scarcer in this country, though so plentiful abroad,--the duck, and the mallard. in connection with venison, it is worth while to draw attention to a passage in the "privy purse expenses of henry vii" where, under date of august , , a woman receives s. _d_. for clarifying deer suet for the king. this was not for culinary but for medicinal purposes, as it was then, and much later, employed as an ointment. both william i. and his son the red king maintained, as warner shews us, a splendid table; and we have particulars of the princely scale on which an abbot of canterbury celebrated his installation in . the archbishops of those times, if they exercised inordinate authority, at any rate dispensed in a magnificent manner among the poor and infirm a large portion of their revenues. they stood in the place of corporations and poor law guardians. their very vices were not without a certain fascinating grandeur; and the pleasures of the table in which our plantagenet rulers outstripped even their precursors, the earlier sovereigns of that line, were enhanced and multiplied by the crusades, by the commencing spirit of discovery, and by the foreign intermarriages, which became so frequent. a far more thorough conquest than that which the day of hastings signalised was accomplished by an army of a more pacific kind, which crossed the channel piecemeal, bringing in their hands, not bows and swords, but new dishes and new wines. these invaders of our soil were doubtless welcomed as benefactors by the proud nobles of the courts of edward ii. and richard ii., as well as by royalty itself; and the descriptions which have been preserved of the banquets held on special occasions in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, and even of the ordinary style of living of some, make our city feasts of to-day shrink into insignificance. but we must always remember that the extravagant luxury and hospitality of the old time were germane and proper to it, component parts of the social framework. it is to be remarked that some of the most disturbed and disastrous epochs in our annals are those to which we have to go for records of the greatest exploits in gastronomy and lavish expenditure of public money on comparatively unprofitable objects. during the period from the accession of rufus to the death of henry iii., and again under the rule of richard ii., the taste for magnificent parade and sumptuous entertainments almost reached its climax. the notion of improving the condition of the poor had not yet dawned on the mind of the governing class; to make the artizan and the operative self-supporting and self-respectful was a movement not merely unformulated, but a conception beyond the parturient faculty of a member of the jacquerie. the king, prince, bishop, noble, of unawakened england met their constituents at dinner in a fashion once or twice in a lifetime, and when the guests below the salt had seen the ways of greatness, they departed to fulfil their several callings. these were political demonstrations with a clear and (for the age) not irrational object; but for the modern public dinner, over which i should be happy to preach the funeral sermon, there is not often this or any other plea. the redistribution of wealth and its diversion into more fruitful channels has already done something for the people; and in the future that lies before some of us they will do vastly more. all augaea will be flushed out. in some of these superb feasts, such as that at the marriage of henry iv. in , there were two series of courses, three of meat, and three of fish and sweets; in which we see our present fashion to a certain extent reversed. but at the coronation of henry v. in , only three courses were served, and those mixed. the taste for what were termed "subtleties," had come in, and among the dishes at this latter entertainment occur, "a pelican sitting on her nest with her young," and "an image of st. catherine holding a book and disputing with the doctors." these vagaries became so common, that few dinners of importance were accounted complete without one or more. one of the minor "subtleties" was a peacock in full panoply. the bird was first skinned, and the feathers, tail, head and neck having been laid on a table, and sprinkled with cummin, the body was roasted, glazed with raw egg-yolk, and after being left to cool, was sewn back again into the skin and so brought to table as the last course. in , at the enthronement of archbishop nevile, no fewer than peacocks were dressed. the most extraordinary display of fish at table on a single occasion took place at the enthronement feast of archbishop warham in ; it occurred on a fast day; and consequently no meat, poultry or game was included in the _menu_, but ample compensation was found in the lavish assortment of confectionery, spices, beer and wine. of wine of various vintages there were upwards of pipes, and of ale and beer, thirty tuns, including four of london and six of kentish ale. the narratives which have descended to us of the prodigious banquets given on special occasions by our early kings, prelates and nobles, are apt to inspire the general reader with an admiration of the splendid hospitality of bygone times. but, as i have already suggested, these festivities were occasional and at long intervals, and during the intervening space the great ones and the small ones of mediaeval and early england did not indulge in this riotous sort of living, but "kept secret house," as it was called, both after their own fashion. the extremes of prodigality and squalor were more strongly marked among the poorer classes while this country was in a semi-barbarous condition, and even the aristocracy by no means maintained the same domestic state throughout the year as their modern representatives. there are not those ostentatious displays of wealth and generosity, which used to signalise certain political events, such as the coronation of a monarch or the enthronement of a primate; the mode of living has grown more uniform and consistent, since between the vilain and his lord has interposed himself the middle-class englishman, with a hand held out to either. a few may not spend so much, but as a people we spend more on our table. a good dinner to a shepherd or a porter was formerly more than a nine days' wonder; it was like a beacon seen through a mist. but now he is better fed, clothed and housed than the bold baron, whose serf he would have been in the good old days; and the bold baron, on his part, no longer keeps secret house unless he chooses, and observes, if a more monotonous, a more secure and comfortable tenor of life. this change is of course due to a cause which lies very near the surface--to the gradual effacement of the deeply-cut separating lines between the orders of society, and the stealthy uprise of the class, which is fast gathering all power into its own hands. cookery books part . the first attempt to illustrate this branch of the art must have been made by alexander neckam in the twelfth century; at least i am not aware of any older treatise in which the furniture and apparatus of a kitchen are set forth. but it is needless to say that neckam merely dealt with a theme, which had been familiar many centuries before his time, and compiled his treatise, "de utensilibus," as bishop alfric had his earlier "colloquy," with an educational, not a culinary, object, and with a view to facilitate the knowledge of latin among his scholars. it is rather interesting to know that he was a native of st. albans, where he was born in . he died in , so that the composition of this work of his (one of many) may be referred to the close of the twelfth century. its value is, in a certain sense, impaired by the almost complete absence of english terms; latin and (so called) norman-french being the languages almost exclusively employed in it. but we have good reason indeed to be grateful for such a legacy in any shape, and when we consider the tendency of ways of life to pass unchanged from one generation to another, and when we think how many archaic and (to our apprehension) almost barbarous fashions and forms in domestic management lingered within living recollection, it will not be hazarding much after all to presume that the particulars so casually supplied to us by neckam have an application alike before and after. a student should also bear in mind that, from the strong anglo-gallic complexion of our society and manners in early days, the accounts collected by lacroix are largely applicable to this country, and the same facilities for administering to the comfort and luxuries of the table, which he furnishes as illustrative of the gradual outgrowth from the wood fire and the pot-au-feu among his own countrymen, or certain classes of them, may be received as something like counterparts of what we possessed in england at or about the same period. we keep the phrase _pot luck_; but, for most of those who use it, it has parted with all its meaning. this said production of neckam of st. albans purports to be a guide to young housekeepers. it instructs them what they will require, if they desire to see their establishment well-ordered; but we soon perceive that the author has in view the arrangements indispensable for a family of high rank and pretensions; and it may be once for all observed that this kind of literature seldom proves of much service to us in an investigation of the state of the poor, until we come to the fifteenth or even sixteenth century, when the artists of germany and the low countries began to delineate those scenes in industrial and servile life, which time and change have rendered so valuable. where their superiors in rank regarded them as little more than mechanical instruments for carrying on the business of life, the poor have left behind them few records of their mode of sustenance and of the food which enabled them to follow their daily toil. the anecdotes, whatever they may be worth, of alfred and the burnt cakes, and of tom thumb's mamma and her christmas pudding, made in a bowl, of which the principal material was pork, stand almost alone; for we get, wherever we look, nothing but descriptions by learned and educated men of their equals or betters, how they fed and what they ate--their houses, their furniture, their weapons, and their dress. even in the passage of the old fabliau of the "king and the hermit" the latter, instead of admitting us to a cottage interior, has a servant to wait on him, brings out a tablecloth, lights two candles, and lays before his disguised guest venison and wine. in most of our own romances, and in the epics of antiquity, we have to be satisfied with vague and splendid generalisations. we do not learn much of the dishes which were on the tables, how they were cooked, and how [greek: oi polloi] cooked theirs. the _liber_, or rather _codex, princeps_ in the very long and extensive catalogue of works on english cookery, is a vellum roll called the form of cury, and is supposed to have been written about the beginning of the fifteenth century by the master-cook of richard ii who reigned from to , and spent the public money in eating and drinking, instead of wasting it, as his grandfather had done, in foreign wars. this singular relic was once in the harleian collection, but did not pass with the rest of the mss. to the british museum; it is now however, additional ms. , having been presented to the library by mr. gustavus brander. it was edited by dr. pegge in , and included by warner in his "antiquitates culinariae," . the roll comprises receipts, and commences with a sort of preamble and a table of contents. in the former it is worth noting that the enterprise was undertaken "by the assent and avisement of masters of physic and of philosophy, that dwelled in his (richard ii.'s) court," which illustrates the ancient alliance between medicine and cookery, which has not till lately been dissolved. the directions were to enable a man "to make common pottages and common meats for the household, as they should be made, craftily and wholesomely;" so that this body of cookery was not prepared exclusively for the use of the royal kitchen, but for those who had not the taste or wish for what are termed, in contra-distinction, in the next sentence, "curious pottages, and meats, and subtleties." it is to be conjectured that copies of such a ms. were multiplied, and from time to time reproduced with suitable changes; but with the exception of two different, though nearly coeval, collections, embracing and receipts or nyms, and also successively printed by pegge and warner, there is no apparent trace of any systematic compilation of this nature at so remote a date. the "form of cury" was in the eliz., in the possession of the stafford family, and was in that year presented to the queen by edward, lord stafford, as is to be gathered from a latin memorandum at the end, in his lordship's hand, preserved by pegge and warner in their editions. the fellowship between the arts of healing and cooking is brought to our recollection by a leonine verse at the end of one of the shorter separate collections above described:-- "explicit de coquina quae est optima medicina." the "form of cury" will amply remunerate a study. it presents the earliest mention, so far as i can discern, of olive oil, cloves, mace, and gourds. in the receipts for making aigredouce and bardolf, sugar, that indispensable feature in the _cuisine_, makes its appearance; but it does so, i should add, in such a way as to lead to the belief that the use of sugar was at this time becoming more general. the difficulty, at first, seems to have been in refining it. we encounter here, too, onions under the name borrowed from the french instead of the anglo-saxon form "ynne leac"; and the prescriptions for making messes of almonds, pork, peas, and beans are numerous. there is "saracen sauce," moreover, possibly as old as the crusades, and pig with sage stuffing (from which it was but one step to duck). more than one species of "galantine" was already known; and i observe the distinction, in one of the smaller collections printed by warner, between the tartlet formed of meat and the tartlet _de fritures_, of which the latter approaches more nearly our notion. the imperfect comprehension of harmonies, which is illustrated by the prehistoric bag-pudding of king arthur, still continued in the unnatural union of flesh with sweets. it is now confined to the cottage, whence arthur may have himself introduced it at court and to the knights of the round table. in this authority, several of the dishes were to be cooked in _white grease_, which warner interprets into _lard_; others demanded olive oil; but there is no allusion to butter. among the receipts are some for dishes "in gravy"; rabbits and chickens were to be treated similarly; and the gravy appears to have consisted merely of the broth in which they were boiled, and which was flavoured with pounded almonds, powdered ginger, and sugar. the "liber cure cocorum," which is apparently extant only in a fifteenth century ms., is a metrical treatise, instructing its readers how to prepare certain dishes, condiments and accessories; and presents, for the most part, a repetition of what has already occurred in earlier and more comprehensive undertakings. it is a curious aid to our knowledge of the manner in which the table of the well-to-do englishman was furnished in the time of henry vi., and it is so far special, that it deals with the subject more from a middle-class point of view than the "regulations for the royal household," and other similar compilations, which i have to bring under notice. the names, as usual, are often misleading, as in _blanc manger_, which is very different from our _blanc-mange_; and the receipt for "goose in a hog pot" leaves one in doubt as to its adaptability to the modern palate. the poetical ambition of the author has proved a source of embarrassment here and there; and in the receipt "for a service on a fish-day" the practitioner is prayed within four lines to cover his white herring for god's sake, and lay mustard over his red for god's love, because _sake_ and _love_ rhyme with _take_ and _above_. the next collection of receipts, which exists in a complete and homogeneous shape, is the "noble book of cookery," of which an early ms. copy at holkham was edited in by mrs. napier, but which had already been printed by pynson in , and subsequently by his successor, john byddell. this interesting and important volume commences with a series of descriptions of certain royal and noble entertainments given on various occasions from the time of henry iv. to that of edward iv., and then proceeds to furnish a series of directions for the cook of a king's or prince's household; for, although both at the outset and the conclusion we are told that these dishes were calculated for all estates, it is abundantly obvious that they were such as never then, or very long subsequently, reached much lower than the court or the aristocracy. there is a less complete copy here of the feast at the enthronement of archbishop nevile. i regret that neither of the old printed copies is at present accessible. that of was formerly in the library at bulstrode, and i was given by the late mr. bradshaw to understand that the same copy (no other being known) is probably at longleat. by referring to herbert's "typographical antiquities," anyone may see that, if his account (so far as it goes) is to be trusted, the printed copy varies from the holkham ms. in many verbal particulars, and gives the date of nevile's feast as . the compilation usually known as the "book of st. albans," , is, perhaps, next to the "noble book of cookery," the oldest receptacle for information on the subject in hand. the former, however, deals with cookery only in an incidental and special way. like arnold's chronicle, the st. albans volume is a miscellany comprehending nearly all the matters that were apt to interest the few educated persons who were qualified to peruse its pages; and amid a variety of allied topics we come here across a catalogue of terms used in speaking of certain dishes of that day. the reference is to the prevailing methods of dressing and carving. a deer was said to be broken, a cony unlaced, a pheasant, partridge, or quail winged, a pigeon or a woodcock thighed, a plover minced, a mallard unbraced. they spoke of a salmon or a gurnard as chined, a sole as loined, a haddock as sided, an eel as trousoned, a pike as splatted, and a trout as gobbeted. it must, i think, be predicated of tusser's "husbandry," of which the last edition published in the writer's lifetime is that of , that it seems rather to reproduce precepts which occur elsewhere than to supply the reader with the fruits of his own direct observation. but there are certain points in it which are curious and original. he tells the ploughman that, after confession on shrove tuesday, he may go and thresh the fat hen, and if he is blindfold, kill her, and then dine on fritters and pancakes. at other times, seed-cakes, wafers, and other light confections. it appears to have been usual for the farmer at that date to allow his hinds roast meat twice a week, on sundays and on thursday nights; but perhaps this was a generous extreme, as tusser is unusually liberal in his ideas. tobias venner, a somersetshire man, brought out in his "via recta ad vitam longam." he was evidently a very intelligent person, and affords us the result of his professional experience and personal observation. he considered two meals a day sufficient for all ordinary people,--breakfast at eleven and supper at six (as at the universities); but he thought that children and the aged or infirm could not be tied by any rule. he condemns "bull's beef" as rank, unpleasant, and indigestible, and holds it best for the labourer; which seems to indicate more than anything else the low state of knowledge in the grazier, when venner wrote: but there is something beyond friendly counsel where our author dissuades the poor from eating partridges, because they are calculated to promote asthma. "wherefore," he ingenuously says, "when they shall chance to meet with a covey of young partridges, they were much better to bestow them upon such, for whom they are convenient!" salmon, turbot, and sturgeon he also reckoned hard of digestion, and injurious, if taken to excess; nor does he approve of herrings and sprats; and anchovies he characterises as the meat of drunkards. it is the first that we have heard of them. he was not a bad judge of what was palatable, and prescribes as an agreeable and wholesome meal a couple of poached eggs with a little salt and vinegar, and a few corns of pepper, some bread and butter, and a draught of pure claret. he gives a receipt--the earliest i have seen in print--for making metheglin or hydromel. he does not object to furmety or junket, or indeed to custards, if they are eaten at the proper seasons, and in the middle or at the end of meals. but he dislikes mushrooms, and advises you to wash out your mouth, and rub your teeth and gums with a dry cloth, after drinking milk. the potato, however, he praises as nutritious and pleasant to the taste, yet, as gerarde the herbalist also says, flatulent. venner refers to a mode of sopping them in wine as existing in his time. they were sometimes roasted in the embers, and there were other ways of dressing them. john forster, of hanlop, in bucks, wrote a pamphlet in to shew that the more extended cultivation of this root would be a great national benefit. venner, who practised in the spring and autumn at bath as a physician, had no relish for the poorer classes, who did not fare well at the hands of their superiors in any sense in the excellent old days. but he liked the quality, in which he embraced the universities, and he tenders them, among other little hints, the information that green ginger was good for the memory, and conserve of roses (not the salad of roses immortalised by apuleius) was a capital posset against bed-time. "a conserve of rosemary and sage," says he, "to be often used by students, especially mornings fasting, doth greatly delight the brain." the military ascendency of spain did not fail to influence the culinary civilisation of those countries to which it temporarily extended its rule; and in a venetian work entitled "epulario, or the italian banquet," printed in , we recognise the spanish tone which had in the sixteenth century communicated itself to the cookery of the peninsula, shewing that charles v. and his son carried at least one art with them as an indemnity for the havoc which they committed. the nursery rhyme of "sing a song of sixpence" receives a singular and diverting illustration from the pages of this "epulario," where occurs a receipt "to make pies that the birds may be alive in them, and fly out when it is cut up." some of the other more salient beads relate to the mode of dressing sundry dishes in the roman and catalonian fashion, and teach us how to seethe gourds, as they did in spain, and to make mustard after the manner of padua. i propose here to register certain contributions to our acquaintance with early culinary ideas and practices, which i have not specifically described:-- . the book of carving. w. de worde. to, , . reprinted down to . . a proper new book of cookery. mo, . often reprinted. it is a recension of the "book of cookery," . . the treasury of commodious conceits and hidden secrets. by john partridge. mo, , ; and under the title of "treasury of hidden secrets," to, , , , . . a book of cookery. gathered by a.w. mo, , , etc. . the good housewife's jewel. by thomas dawson. in two parts, mo, . a copy of part of this date is in the british museum. . the good housewife's treasury. mo, . . cookery for all manner of dutch victual. licensed in , but not otherwise known. . the good housewife's handmaid for the kitchen. vo, . . the ladies' practice; or, a plain and easy direction for ladies and gentlewomen. by john murrell. licensed in . printed in , and with additions in , , and . . a book of cookery. by george crewe. licensed in , but not known. . a closet for ladies and gentlewomen. mo, . . the ladies' cabinet opened. by patrick, lord ruthven. to, ; vo, . . a curious treasury of twenty rare secrets. published by la fountaine, an expert operator. to, . . a new dispensatory of fourty physical receipts. published by salvatore winter of naples, an expert operator. to, . second edition, enlarged: same date. the three last are rather in the class of miscellanies. . health's improvement; or, rules comprising the discovering the nature, method, and manner of preparing all sorts of food used in this nation. by thomas muffet (or moffat), m.d. corrected and enlarged by christopher bennett, m.d. to, . . the queen's closet opened. incomparable secrets in physick, chirurgery, preserving, candying, and cookery.... transcribed from the true copies of her majesties own receipt books. by w.m., one of her late servants.... london, , vo. the same, corrected and revised, with many new and large additions. vo, . . the perfect cook: being the most exact directions for the making all kinds of pastes, with the perfect way teaching how to raise, season, and make all sorts of pies.... as also the perfect english cook.... to which is added the way of dressing all manner of flesh. by m. marmette. london, , mo. the writer of the "french gardener," of which i have had occasion to say a good deal in my small volume on that subject, also produced, "les délices de la campagne," which evelyn excused himself from translating because, whatever experience he had in the garden, he had none, he says, in the shambles; and it was for those who affected such matters to get it done, but not by him who did the "french cook" [footnote: i have not seen this book, nor is it under that title in the catalogue of the british museum]. he seems to imply that the latter, though an excellent work in its way, had not only been marred in the translation, but was not so practically advantageous to us as it might have been, "for want of skill in the kitchen"--in other words, an evil, which still prevails, was then appreciated by intelligent observers--the english cook did not understand her business, and the english mistress, as a rule, was equally ignorant. one of the engravings in the "french gardener" represents women rolling out paste, preparing vegetables, and boiling conserves. there is a rather quaint and attractive class of miscellaneous receipt-books, not made so on account of any particular merit in their contents, but by reason of their association with some person of quality. ms. sloane , is a narrow octavo volume, for instance, containing "my lady rennelagh's choice receipts: as also some of capt. gvilt's, who valued them above gold." the value for us, however, is solely in the link with a noble family and the little touch about the captain. there are many more such in public and private libraries, and they are often mere transcripts from printed works--select assemblages of directions for dressing food and curing diseases, formed for domestic reference before the advent of dr. buchan, and mrs. glasse, and mrs. rundell. among a valuable and extensive assemblage of english and foreign cookery books in the patent office library, mr. ordish has obligingly pointed out to me a curious to ms., on the cover of which occurs, "mrs. mary dacres her booke, ." even in the latter part of the seventeenth century the old-fashioned dishes, better suited to the country than to the court taste, remained in fashion, and are included in receipt-books, even in that published by joseph cooper, who had been head-cook to charles i, and who styles his volume "the art of cookery refined and augmented." he gives us two varieties of oatmeal pudding, french barley pudding, and hasty pudding in a bag. there is a direction for frying mushrooms, which were growing more into favour at the table than in the days when castelvetri, whom i cite in my monograph on gardening, was among us. another dainty is an ox-palate pie. cooper's preface is quaint, and surely modest enough. "though the cheats," says he, "of some preceding pieces that treated on this subject (whose title-pages, like the contents of a weekly pamphlet, promised much more than the books performed) may have provided this but a cold intertainment at its first coming abroad; yet i know it will not stay long in the world, before every rational reader will clear it of all alliance to those false pretenders. ladies, forgive my confidence, if i tell you, that i know this piece will prove your favourite." yet cooper's performance, in spite of its droll, self-complacent vein in the address to the reader, is a judicious and useful selection, and was, in fact, far more serviceable to the middle-class gentry than some of those which had gone before. it adapted itself to sundry conditions of men; but it kept in view those whose purses were not richly lined enough to pay for dainties and "subtleties." it is pleasant to see that, after the countless centuries which had run out since arthur, the bag-pudding and hot-pot maintained their ground--good, wholesome, country fare. after the fall of the monarchy in , the _chef de cuisine_ probably found his occupation gone, like a greater man before him; and the world may owe to enforced repose this condescension to the pen by the deposed minister of a king. soon after the restoration it was that some royalist brought out a small volume called "the court and kitchen of elizabeth, commonly called joan cromwell, the wife of the late usurper, truly described and represented," mo, . its design was to throw ridicule on the parsimony of the protectoral household. but he recites some excellent dishes which made their appearance at oliver's table: dutch puddings, scotch collops of veal, marrow puddings, sack posset, boiled woodcocks, and warden pies. he seems to have understood that eight stone of beef were cooked every morning for the establishment, and all scraps were diligently collected, and given alternately to the poor of st. margaret's, westminster, and st. martin's-in-the-fields. the writer acquaints us that, when the protector entertained the french ambassador and the parliament, after the sindercome affair, he only spent £ , over the banquet, of which the lady protectress managed to save £ . cromwell and his wife, we are told, did not care for suppers, but contented themselves with eggs and slops. a story is told here of cromwell and his wife sitting down to a loin of veal, and his calling for an orange, which was the sauce he preferred to that joint, and her highness telling him that he could not have one, for they were not to be had under a groat. the mansion house still retains the ancient usage of distributing the relics of a great feast afterwards among the poor, as cromwell is said just above to have made a rule of his household. it was a practice highly essential in the absence of any organised system of relief. the reign of charles ii., which witnessed a relationship with france of a very different character from that which the english maintained during the plantagenet and earlier tudor rule, was favourable to the naturalisation of the parisian school of cookery, and numerous works were published at and about that time, in which the development of knowledge in this direction is shown to have taken place _pari passu_ with the advance in gardening and arboriculture under the auspices of evelyn. in we come to a little volume entitled "the young cook's monitor," by m.h., who made it public for the benefit of his (or her) scholars; a really valuable and comprehensive manual, wherein, without any attempt at arrangement, there is an ample assemblage of directions for preparing for the table all kinds of joints, made dishes, soups and broths, _frigacies_, puddings, pies, tarts, tansies, and jellies. receipts for pickling are included, and two ways are shown how we should treat turnips after this wise. some of the ingredients proposed for sauces seem to our ears rather prodigious. in one place a contemporary peruser has inserted an ironical calculation in ms. to the effect that, whereas a cod's head could be bought for fourpence, the condiments recommended for it were not to be had for less than nine shillings. the book teaches us to make scotch collops, to pickle lemons and quinces, to make french bread, to collar beef, pork, or eels, to make gooseberry fool, to dry beef after the dutch fashion, to make sack posset two ways, to candy flowers (violets, roses, etc.) for salads, to pickle walnuts like mangoes, to make flummery, to make a carp pie, to pickle french beans and cucumbers, to make damson and quince wines, to make a french pudding (called a pomeroy pudding), to make a leg of pork like a westphalia ham, to make mutton as beef, and to pot beef to eat like venison. these and many other precepts has m.h. left behind him; and a sort of companion volume, printed a little before, goes mainly over the same ground, to wit, "rare and excellent receipts experienced and taught by mrs. mary tillinghast, and now printed for the use of her scholars only," . the lady appealed to a limited constituency, like m.h.; but her pages, such as they are (for there are but thirty), are now _publici juris_. the lesson to be drawn from mistress tillinghast's printed labours is that, among our ancestors in , pies and pasties of all sorts, and sweet pastry, were in increased vogue. her slender volume is filled with elucidations on the proper manufacture of paste of various sorts; and in addition to the pies designated by m.h. we encounter a lombard pie, a battalia pie, an artichoke pie, a potato (or secret) pie, a chadron [footnote: a pie chiefly composed of a calf's chadroa] pie, and a herring pie. the fair author takes care to instruct us as to the sauces or dressings which are to accompany certain of her dishes. "the book of cookery," , of which there was a reprint by john byddell about was often republished, with certain modifications, down to , under the titles of "a proper new book of cookery," or "the book of cookery." notwithstanding the presence of many competitors, it continued to be a public favourite, and perhaps answered the wants of those who did not desire to see on their tables the foreign novelties introduced by travellers, or advertised in collections of receipts borrowed from other languages. in fact, the first half of the seventeenth century did not witness many accessions to the store of literature on this subject. but from the time of the commonwealth, the supply of works of reference for the housekeeper and the cook became much more regular and extensive. in , selden's friend, the countess of kent, brought out her "choice manual of physic and chirurgery," annexing to it receipts for preserving and candying; and there were a few others, about the same time, of whose works i shall add here a short list:-- . the accomplished cook. by robert may. vo, . fifth edition, vo, . . the whole body of cookery dissected. by will. rabisha. vo, . . the queen-like closet: a rich cabinet, stored with all manner of rare receipts. by hannah wolley. vo, . . the true way of preserving and candying, and making several sorts of sweetmeats. anon. vo, . . the complete servant-maid. mo, - . . a choice collection of select remedies.... together with excellent directions for cooking, and also for preserving and conserving. by g. hartman [a chemist]. vo, . . a treatise of cleanness in meats and drinks, of the preparation of food, etc. by thomas tryon. to, . . the genteel housekeeper's pastime; or, the mode of carving at the table represented in a pack of playing cards. vo, . . a new art of brewing beer, ale, and other sorts of liquors. by t. tryon. mo, - . . the way to get wealth; or, a new and ready way to make twenty-three sorts of wines, equal to that of france ... also to make cyder.... by the same. mo, . . a treatise of foods in general. by louis lemery. translated into english. vo, . . england's newest way in all sorts of cookery. by henry howard, free cook of london. second edition, vo, . . royal cookery; or, the complete court-cook. by patrick lamb, esq., near years master-cook to their late majesties king charles ii., king james ii., king william, mary, and to her present majesty, queen anne. vo, . third edition, vo, . . the queen's royal cookery. by j. hall, free cook of london. mo, - . . mrs. mary eales' receipts, confectioner to her late majesty, queen anne. vo, . . a collection of three hundred receipts in cookery, physic, and surgery. in two parts, vo, . . the complete city and country cook. by charles carter. vo, . . the complete housewife. seventh edition, vo, . . the complete family piece: a very choice collection of receipts. second edition, vo, . . the modern cook. by vincent la chapelle, cook to the prince of orange. third edition. vo, . . a treatise of all sorts of foods. by l. lemery. translated by d. hay, m.d. vo, . this completes the list of books, so far as they have fallen in my way, or been pointed out by the kindness of friends, down to the middle of the last century. it was probably charles, duke of bolton ( - ), who was at one time lord-lieutenant of ireland, and who in the beginning of his ducal career, at all events, resided in st. james's street, that possessed successively as head-cooks john nott and john middleton. to each of these artists we owe a volume of considerable pretensions, and the "cook's and confectioner's dictionary," , by the former, is positively a very entertaining and cyclopedic publication. nott inscribes his book "to all good housewives," and declares that he placed an introduction before it merely because fashion had made it as strange for a book to appear without one as for a man to be seen in church without a neckcloth or a lady without a hoop-petticoat. he congratulates himself and his readers on living in a land flowing with milk and honey, quotes the saw about god sending meat and somebody else sending cooks, and accounts for his omission of pigments by saying, like a gallant man, that his countrywomen little needed such things. nott opens with _some divertisements in cookery, us'd at festival-times, as twelfth-day, etc._, which are highly curious, and his dictionary itself presents the novelty of being arranged, lexicon-wise, alphabetically. he seems to have been a fairly-read and intelligent man, and cites, in the course of his work, many celebrated names and receipts. thus we have:--to brew ale sir jonas moore's way; to make dr. butler's purging ale; ale of health and strength, by the viscount st. albans; almond butter the cambridge way; to dress a leg of mutton _à la dauphine_; to dress mutton the turkish way; to stew a pike the city way. dr. twin's, dr. blacksmith's, and dr. atkin's almond butter; an amber pudding, according to the lord conway's receipt; the countess of rutland's banbury cake; to make oxford cake; to make portugal cakes; and so on. nott embraces every branch of his subject, and furnishes us with bills of fare for every month of the year, terms and rules of carving, and the manner of setting out a dessert of fruits and sweetmeats. there is a singular process explained for making china broth, into which an ounce of china is to enter. many new ways had been gradually found of utilising the materials for food, and vegetables were growing more plentiful. the carrot was used in soups, puddings, and tarts. asparagus and spinach, which are wanting in all the earlier authorities, were common, and the barberry had come into favour. we now begin to notice more frequent mention of marmalades, blanc-manges, creams, biscuits, and sweet cakes. there is a receipt for a carraway cake, for a cabbage pudding, and for a chocolate tart. the production by his grace of bolton's other _chef_, john middleton, is "five hundred new receipts in cookery, confectionary, pastry, preserving, conserving, pickling," and the date is . middleton doubtless borrowed a good deal from his predecessor; but he also appears to have made some improvements in the science. we have here the methods, to dress pikes _à la sauce robert_, to make blackcaps (apples baked in their skins); to make a wood street cake; to make shrewsbury cakes; to dress a leg of mutton like a gammon of bacon; to dress eggs _à la augemotte_; to make a dish of quaking pudding of several colours; to make an italian pudding, and to make an olio. the eye seems to meet for the first time with hasty pudding, plum-porridge (an experiment toward the solidification of the older plum-broth), rolled beef-steaks, samphire, hedgehog cream (so called from its shape, currants being used for the eyes, and cut almonds for the bristles), cocks'-combs, orange, spinach and bean tarts, custards in cups (the book talks of jellies served on china plates), and lastly, jam--the real jam of these days, made to last, as we are told, the whole year. there is an excellent prescription for making elderberry wine, besides, in which malaga raisins are to be largely used. "in one year," says our _chef_, "it will be as good and as pleasant as french wine." let us extract the way "to make black-caps":--"take a dozen of good pippins, cut them in halves, and take out the cores; then place them on a right mazarine dish with the skins on, the cut side downwards; put to them a very little water, scrape on them some loaf sugar, put them in a hot oven till the skins are burnt black, and your apples tender; serve them on plates strew'd over with sugar." of these books, i select the preface to "the complete housewife," by e. smith, , because it appears to be a somewhat more ambitious endeavour in an introductory way than the authors of such undertakings usually hazard. from the last paragraph we collect that the writer was a woman, and throughout she makes us aware that she was a person of long practical experience. indeed, as the volume comprehends a variety of topics, including medicines, mrs. or miss smith must have been unusually observant, and have had remarkable opportunities of making herself conversant with matters beyond the ordinary range of culinary specialists. i propose presently to print a few samples of her workmanship, and a list of her principal receipts in that section of the book with which i am just now concerned. first of all, here is the preface, which begins, as we see, by a little piece of plagiarism from nott's exordium:-- "_preface._ "it being grown as unfashionable for a book now to appear in publick without a preface, as for a lady to appear at a ball without a hoop-petticoat, i shall conform to custom for fashion-sake, and not through any necessity. the subject being both common and universal, needs no arguments to introduce it, and being so necessary for the gratification of the appetite, stands in need of no encomiums to allure persons to the practice of it; since there are but few now-a-days who love not good eating and drinking. therefore i entirely quit those two topicks; but having three or four pages to be filled up previous to the subject it self, i shall employ them on a subject i think new, and not yet handled by any of the pretenders to the art of cookery; and that is, the antiquity of it; which if it either instruct or divert, i shall be satisfied, if you are so. "cookrey, confectionary, &c., like all other sciences and arts, had their infancy, and did not arrive at a state of maturity but by slow degrees, various experiments, and a long tract of time: for in the infant-age of the world, when the new inhabitants contented themselves with the simple provision of nature, viz. the vegetable diet, the fruits and production of the teeming ground, as they succeeded one another in their several peculiar seasons, the art of cookery was unknown; apples, nuts, and herbs, were both meat and sauce, and mankind stood in no need of any additional sauces, ragoes, &c., but a good appetite; which a healthful and vigorous constitution, a clear, wholesome, odoriferous air, moderate exercise, and an exemption from anxious cares, always supplied them with. "we read of no palled appetites, but such as proceeded from the decays of nature by reason of an advanced old age; but on the contrary a craving stomach, even upon a death-bed, as in isaac: nor no sicknesses but those that were both the first and the last, which proceeded from the struggles of nature, which abhorred the dissolution of soul and body; no physicians to prescribe for the sick, nor no apothecaries to compound medicines for two thousand years and upwards. food and physick were then one and the same thing. "but when men began to pass from a vegetable to an animal diet, and feed on flesh, fowls, and fish, then seasonings grew necessary, both to render it more palatable and savoury, and also to preserve that part which was not immediately spent from stinking and corruption: and probably salt was the first seasoning discover'd; for of salt we read, gen. xiv. "and this seems to be necessary, especially for those who were advanced in age, whose palates, with their bodies, had lost their vigour as to taste, whose digestive faculty grew weak and impotent; and thence proceeded the use of soops and savoury messes; so that cookery then began to become a science, though luxury had not brought it to the height of an art. thus we read, that jacob made such palatable pottage, that esau purchased a mess of it at the extravagant price of his birthright. and isaac, before by his last will and testament he bequeathed his blessing to his son esau, required him to make some savoury meat, such as his soul loved, i.e., such as was relishable to his blunted palate. "so that seasonings of some sort were then in use; though whether they were salt, savoury herbs, or roots only; or spices, the fruits of trees, such as pepper, cloves, nutmeg; bark, as cinnamon; roots, as ginger, &c., i shall not determine. "as for the methods of the cookery of those times, boiling or stewing seems to have been the principal; broiling or roasting the next; besides which, i presume scarce any other were used for two thousand years and more; for i remember no other in the history of genesis. "that esau was the first cook, i shall not presume to assert; for abraham gave order to dress a fatted calf; but esau is the first person mentioned that made any advances beyond plain dressing, as boiling, roasting, &c. for though we find indeed, that rebecca his mother was accomplished with the skill of making savoury meat as well as he, yet whether he learned it from her, or she from him, is a question too knotty for me to determine. "but cookery did not long remain a simple science, or a bare piece of housewifry or family ceconomy, but in process of time, when luxury entered the world, it grew to an art, nay a trade; for in i sam. viii. . when the israelites grew fashionists, and would have a king, that they might be like the rest of their neighbours, we read of cooks, confectioners, &c. "this art being of universal use, and in constant practice, has been ever since upon the improvement; and we may, i think, with good reason believe, is arrived at its greatest height and perfection, if it is not got beyond it, even to its declension; for whatsoever new, upstart, out-of-the-way messes some humourists have invented, such as stuffing a roasted leg of mutton with pickled herring, and the like, are only the sallies of a capricious appetite, and debauching rather than improving the art itself. "the art of cookery, &c., is indeed diversified according to the diversity of nations or countries; and to treat of it in that latitude would fill an unportable volume; and rather confound than improve those that would accomplish themselves with it. i shall therefore confine what i have to communicate within the limits of practicalness and usefulness, and so within the compass of a manual, that shall neither burthen the hands to hold, the eyes in reading, nor the mind in conceiving. "what you will find in the following sheets, are directions generally for dressing after the best, most natural, and wholesome manner, such provisions as are the product of our own country, and in such a manner as is most agreeable to english palates: saving that i have so far temporized, as, since we have to our disgrace so fondly admired the french tongue, french modes, and also french messes, to present you now and then with such receipts of french cookery, as i think may not be disagreeable to english palates. "there are indeed already in the world various books that treat on this subject, and which bear great names, as cooks to kings, princes, and noblemen, and from which one might justly expect something more than many, if not most of these i have read, perform, but found my self deceived in my expectations; for many of them to us are impracticable, others whimsical, others unpalatable, unless to depraved palates; some unwholesome, many things copied from old authors, and recommended without (as i am persuaded) the copiers ever having had any experience of the palatableness, or had any regard to the wholesomness of them; which two things ought to be the standing rules, that no pretenders to cookery ought to deviate from. and i cannot but believe, that those celebrated performers, notwithstanding all their professions of having ingenuously communicated their art, industriously concealed their best receipts from the publick. "but what i here present the world with is the product of my own experience, and that for the space of thirty years and upwards; during which time i have been constantly employed in fashionable and noble families, in which the provisions ordered according to the following directions, have had the general approbation of such as have been at many noble entertainments. "these receipts are all suitable to english constitutions and english palates, wholesome, toothsome, all practicable and easy to be performed. here are those proper for a frugal, and also for a sumptuous table, and if rightly observed, will prevent the spoiling of many a good dish of meat, the waste of many good materials, the vexation that frequently attends such mismanagements, and the curses not unfrequently bestowed on cooks with the usual reflection, that whereas god sends good meat, the devil sends cooks. "as to those parts that treat of confectionary, pickles, cordials, english wines, &c., what i have said in relation to cookery is equally applicable to them also. "it is true, i have not been so numerous in receipts as some who have gone before me, but i think i have made amends in giving none but what are approved and practicable, and fit either for a genteel or a noble table; and altho' i have omitted odd and fantastical messes, yet i have set down a considerable number of receipts. "the treatise is divided into ten parts: cookery contains above an hundred receipts, pickles fifty, puddings above fifty, pastry above forty, cakes forty, creams and jellies above forty, preserving an hundred, made wines forty, cordial waters and powders above seventy, medicines and salves above two hundred; in all near eight hundred. "i have likewise presented you with schemes engraven on copper-plates for the regular disposition or placing the dishes of provision on the table according to the best manner, both for summer and winter, first and second courses, &c. "as for the receipts for medicines, salves, ointments, good in several diseases, wounds, hurts, bruises, aches, pains, &c., which amount to above two hundred, they are generally family receipts, that have never been made publick; excellent in their kind, and approved remedies, which have not been obtained by me without much difficulty; and of such efficacy in distempers, &c., to which they are appropriated, that they have cured when all other means have failed; and a few of them which i have communicated to a friend, have procured a very handsome livelihood. "they are very proper for those generous, charitable, and christian gentlewomen that have a disposition to be serviceable to their poor country neighbours, labouring under any of the afflicted circumstances mentioned; who by making the medicines, and generously contributing as occasions offer, may help the poor in their afflictions, gain their good-will and wishes, entitle themselves to their blessings and prayers, and also have the pleasure of seeing the good they do in this world, and have good reason to hope for a reward (though not by way of merit) in the world to come. "as the whole of this collection has cost me much pains and a thirty years' diligent application, and i have had experience of their use and efficacy, i hope they will be as kindly accepted, as by me they are generously offered to the publick: and if they prove to the advantage of many, the end will be answered that is proposed by her that is ready to serve the publick in what she may." cookery books. part ii. select extracts from an early receipt-book. the earliest school of english cookery, which had such a marked anglo-norman complexion, has been familiarised to us by the publication of warner's _antiquitates culinaricae_, , and more recently by the appearance of the "noble book of cookery" in mrs. napier's edition, not to mention other aids in the same way, which are accessible; and it seemed to be doing a better service, when it became a question of selecting a few specimens of old receipts, to resort to the representative of a type of culinary philosophy and sentiment somewhere midway between those which have been rendered easy of reference and our own. i have therefore given in the few following pages, in a classified shape, some of the highly curious contents of e. smith's "compleat housewife," , which maybe securely taken to exhibit the state of knowledge in england upon this subject in the last quarter of the seventeenth century and first quarter of the succeeding one. in the work itself no attempt at arrangement is offered. i.--meat, poultry, etc. _to make dutch-beef_:--take the lean part of a buttock of beef raw; rub it well with brown sugar all over, and let it lie in a pan or tray two or three hours, turning it three or four times; then salt it well with common salt and salt-petre, and let it lie a fortnight, turning it every day; then roll it very strait in a coarse cloth, and put it in a cheese-press a day and a night, and hang it to dry in a chimney. when you boil it, you must put it in a cloth: when 'tis cold, it will cut out into shivers as dutch-beef. _to dry mutton to cut out in shivers as dutch-beef_:--take a middling leg of mutton, then take half a pound of brown sugar, and rub it hard all over your mutton, and let it lie twenty-four hours; then take an ounce and half of saltpetre, and mix it with a pound of common salt, and rub that all over the mutton every other day, till 'tis all on, and let it lie nine days longer; keep the place free from brine, then hang it up to dry three days, then smoke it in a chimney where wood is burnt; the fire must not be too hot; a fortnight will dry it. boil it like other hams, and when 'tis cold, cut it out in shivers like dutch-beef. _to stuff a shoulder or leg of mutton with oysters_:--take a little grated bread, some beef-suet, yolks of hard eggs, three anchovies, a bit of an onion, salt and pepper, thyme and winter-savoury, twelve oysters, some nutmeg grated; mix all these together, and shred them very fine, and work them up with raw eggs like a paste, and stuff your mutton under the skin in the thickest place, or where you please, and roast it; and for sauce take some of the oyster-liquor, some claret, two or three anchovies, a little nutmeg, a bit of an onion, the rest of the oysters: stew all these together, then take out the onion, and put it under the mutton. _to marinade a leg of lamb_:--take a leg of lamb, cut it in pieces the bigness of a half-crown; hack them with the back of a knife; then take an eschalot, three or four anchovies, some cloves, mace, nutmeg, all beaten; put your meat in a dish, and strew the seasoning over it, and put it in a stew-pan, with as much white-wine as will cover it, and let it be two hours; then put it all together in a frying-pan, and let it be half enough; then take it out and drain it through a colander, saving the liquor, and put to your liquor a little pepper and salt, and half a pint of gravy; dip your meat in yolks of eggs, and fry it brown in butter; thicken up your sauce with yolks of eggs and butter, and pour it in the dish with your meat: lay sweet-breads and forc'd-meat balls over your meat; dip them in eggs, and fry them. garnish with lemon. _a leg of mutton à-la-daube_:--lard your meat with bacon through, but slant-way; half roast it; take it off the spit, and put it in a small pot as will boil it; two quarts of strong broth, a pint of white-wine, some vinegar, whole spice, bay-leaves, green onions, savoury, sweet-marjoram; when 'tis stew'd enough, make sauce of some of the liquor, mushrooms, lemon cut like dice, two or three anchovies: thicken it with browned butter. garnish with lemon. _to fry cucumbers for mutton sauce_:--you must brown some butter in a pan, and cut the cucumbers in thin slices; drain them from the water, then fling them into the pan, and when they are fried brown, put in a little pepper and salt, a bit of an onion and gravy, and let them stew together, and squeeze in some juice of lemon; shake them well, and put them under your mutton. _to make pockets_:--cut three slices out of a leg of veal, the length of a finger, the breadth of three fingers, the thickness of a thumb, with a sharp penknife; give it a slit through the middle, leaving the bottom and each side whole, the thickness of a straw; then lard the top with small fine lards of bacon; then make a forc'd-meat of marrow, sweet-breads, and lamb-stones just boiled, and make it up after 'tis seasoned and beaten together with the yolks of two eggs, and put it into your pockets as if you were filling a pincushion; then sew up the top with fine thread, flour them, and put melted butter on them, and bake them; roast three sweet-breads to put between, and serve them with gravy-sauce. _to make a florendine of veal_:--take the kidney of a loin of veal, fat and all, and mince it very fine; then chop a few herbs, and put to it, and add a few currants; season it with cloves, mace, nutmeg, and a little salt; and put in some yolks of eggs, and a handful of grated bread, a pippin or two chopt, some candied lemon-peel minced small, some sack, sugar, and orange-flower-water. put a sheet of puff-paste at the bottom of your dish; put this in, and cover it with another; close it up, and when 'tis baked, scrape sugar on it; and serve it hot. _to make a tureiner_:--take a china pot or bowl, and fill it as follows: at the bottom lay some fresh butter; then put in three or four beef-steaks larded with bacon; then cut some veal-steaks from the leg; hack them, and wash them over with the yolk of an egg, and afterwards lay it over with forc'd-meat, and roll it up, and lay it in with young chickens, pigeons and rabbets, some in quarters, some in halves; sweet-breads, lamb-stones, cocks-combs, palates after they are boiled, peeled, and cut in slices: tongues, either hogs or calves, sliced, and some larded with bacon: whole yolks of hard eggs, pistachia-nuts peeled, forced balls, some round, some like an olive, lemon sliced, some with the rind on, barberries and oysters: season all these with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and sweet-herbs, mix'd together after they are cut very small, and strew it on every thing as you put it in your pot: then put in a quart of gravy, and some butter on the top, and cover it close with a lid of puff-paste, pretty thick. eight hours will bake it. _to make hams of pork like westphalia_:--to two large hams, or three small ones, take three pounds of common salt, and two pounds and half of brown coarse sugar; mix both together, and rub it well into the hams, and let them lie seven days, turning them every day, and rub the salt in them, when you turn them; then take four ounces of salt-petre beat small, and mix with two handfuls of common salt, and rub that well in your hams, and let them lie a fortnight longer: then hang them up high in a chimney to smoke. _to make a ragoo of pigs-ears_:--take a quantity of pigs-ears, and boil them in one half wine and the other water; cut them in small pieces, then brown a little butter, and put them in, and a pretty deal of gravy, two anchovies, an eschalot or two, a little mustard, and some slices of lemon, some salt, and nutmeg; stew all these together, and shake it up thick. garnish the dish with barberries. _to collar a pig_:--cut off the head of your pig; then cut the body asunder; bone it, and cut two collars off each side; then lay it in water to take out the blood; then take sage and parsley, and shred them very small, and mix them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and strew some on every side, or collar, and roll it up, and tye it with coarse tape; so boil them in fair water and salt, till they are very tender: put two or three blades of mace in the kettle, and when they are enough, take them up, and lay them in something to cool; strain out some of the liquor, and add to it some vinegar and salt, a little white-wine, and three or four bay-leaves; give it a boil up, and when 'tis cold put it to the collars, and keep them for use. _a fricasy of double tripe_:--cut your tripe in slices, two inches long, and put it into a stew-pan; put to it a quarter of a pound of capers, as much samphire shred, half a pint of strong broth, as much white-wine, a bunch of sweet-herbs, a lemon shred small; stew all these together till 'tis tender; then take it off the fire, and thicken up the liquor with the yolks of three or four eggs, a little parsley boiled green and chopp'd, some grated nutmeg and salt; shake it well together. serve it on sippets. garnish with lemon. _to pot a swan_:--bone and skin your swan, and beat the flesh in a mortar, taking out the strings as you beat it; then take some clear fat bacon, and beat with the swan, and when 'tis of a light flesh colour, there is bacon enough in it; and when 'tis beaten till 'tis like dough, 'tis enough; then season it with pepper, salt, cloves, mace, and nutmeg, all beaten fine; mix it well with your flesh, and give it a beat or two all together; then put it in an earthen pot, with a little claret and fair water, and at the top two pounds of fresh butter spread over it; cover it with coarse paste, and bake it with bread; then turn it out into a dish, and squeeze it gently to get out the moisture; then put it in a pot fit for it; and when 'tis cold, cover it over with clarified butter, and next day paper it up. in this manner you may do goose, duck, or beef, or hare's flesh. _to make a poloe_:--take a pint of rice, boil it in as much water as will cover it; when your rice is half boiled, put in your fowl, with a small onion, a blade or two of mace, some whole pepper, and some salt; when 'tis enough, put the fowl in the dish, and pour the rice over it. _to make a pulpatoon of pigeons_:--take mushrooms, palates, oysters, sweet-breads, and fry them in butter; then put all these into a strong gravy; give them a heat over the fire, and thicken up with an egg and a bit of butter; then half roast six or eight pigeons, and lay them in a crust of forc'd-meat as follows: scrape a pound of veal, and two pounds of marrow, and beat it together in a stone mortar, after 'tis shred very fine; then season it with salt, pepper, spice, and put in hard eggs, anchovies and oysters; beat all together, and make the lid and sides of your pye of it; first lay a thin crust into your pattipan, then put on your forc'd-meat; then lay an exceeding thin crust over them; then put in your pigeons and other ingredients, with a little butter on the top. bake it two hours. _to keep green peas till christmas_:--shell what quantity you please of young peas; put them in the pot when the water boils; let them have four or five warms; then first pour them into a colander, and then spread a cloth on a table, and put them on that, and dry them well in it: have bottles ready dry'd, and fill them to the necks, and pour over them melted mutton-fat, and cork them down very close, that no air come to them: set them in your cellar, and when you use them, put them into boiling water, with a spoonful of fine sugar, and a good piece of butter: and when they are enough, drain and butter them. ii.--meat pies and puddings. _a battalia pye_:--take four small chickens, four squab pigeons, four sucking rabbets; cut them in pieces, season them with savoury spice, and lay 'em in the pye, with four sweet-breads sliced, and as many sheep's-tongues, two shiver'd palates, two pair of lamb-stones, twenty or thirty coxcombs, with savoury-balls and oysters. lay on butter, and close the pye. a lear. _to make an olio pye_:--make your pye ready; then take the thin collops of the but-end of a leg of veal; as many as you think will fill your pye; hack them with the back of a knife, and season them with pepper, salt, cloves, and mace; wash over your collops with a bunch of feathers dipped in eggs, and have in readiness a good hand-full of sweet-herbs shred small; the herbs must be thyme, parsley, and spinage; and the yolks of eight hard eggs, minced, and a few oysters parboiled and chopt; some beef-suet shred very fine. mix these together, and strew them over your collops, and sprinkle a little orange-flower-water on them, and roll the collops up very close, and lay them in your pye, strewing the seasoning that is left over them; put butter on the top, and close up your pye; when 'tis drawn, put in gravy, and one anchovy dissolved in it, and pour it in very hot: and you may put in artichoke-bottoms and chesnuts, if you please, or sliced lemon, or grapes scalded, or what else is in season; but if you will make it a right savoury pye leave them out. _to make a lumber pye_:--take a pound and a half of veal, parboil it, and when 'tis cold chop it very small, with two pound of beef-suet, and some candied orange-peel; some sweet-herbs, as thyme, sweet-marjoram, and an handful of spinage; mince the herbs small before you put them to the other; so chop all together, and a pippin or two; then add a handful or two of grated bread, a pound and a half of currants, washed and dried; some cloves, mace, nutmeg, a little salt, sugar and sack, and put to all these as many yolks of raw eggs, and whites of two, as will make it a moist forc'd-meat; work it with your hands into a body, and make it into balls as big as a turkey's egg; then having your coffin made put in your balls. take the marrow out of three or four bones as whole as you can: let your marrow lie a little in water, to take out the blood and splinters; then dry it, and dip it in yolk of eggs; season it with a little salt, nutmeg grated, and grated bread; lay it on and between your forc'd-meat balls, and over that sliced citron, candied orange and lemon, eryngo-roots, preserved barberries; then lay on sliced lemon, and thin slices of butter over all; then lid your pye, and bake it; and when 'tis drawn, have in readiness a caudle made of white-wine and sugar, and thicken'd with butter and eggs, and pour it hot into your pye. _very fine hogs puddings_:--shred four pounds of beef-suet very fine, mix with it two pounds of fine sugar powder'd, two grated nutmegs, some mace beat, and a little salt, and three pounds of currants wash'd and pick'd; beat twenty-four yolks, twelve whites of eggs, with a little sack; mix all well together, and fill your guts, being clean and steep'd in orange-flower-water; cut your guts quarter and half long, fill them half full; tye at each end, and again thus oooo. boil them as others, and cut them in balls when sent to the table. _to make plumb-porridge_:--take a leg and shin of beef to ten gallons of water, boil it very tender, and when the broth is strong, strain it out, wipe the pot, and put in the broth again; slice six penny-loaves thin, cutting off the top and bottom; put some of the liquor to it, cover it up, and let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then put it in your pot, let it boil a quarter of an hour, then put in five pounds of currants, let them boil a little, and put in five pounds of raisins, and two pounds of prunes, and let them boil till they swell; then put in three quarters of an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, two nutmegs, all of them beat fine, and mix it with a little liquor cold, and put them in a very little while, and take off the pot, and put in three pounds of sugar, a little salt, a quart of sack, and a quart of claret, the juice of two or three lemons; you may thicken with sagoe instead of bread, if you please; pour them into earthen pans, and keep them for use. iii.--sweet-puddings, pies, etc. _to make new-college puddings_:--grate a penny stale loaf, and put to it a like quantity of beef-suet finely shred, and a nutmeg grated, a little salt, some currants, and then beat some eggs in a little sack, and some sugar, and mix all together, and knead it as stiff as for manchet, and make it up in the form and size of a turkey-egg, but a little flatter; then take a pound of butter, and put it in a dish, and set the dish over a clear fire in a chafing-dish, and rub your butter about the dish till 'tis melted; put your puddings in, and cover the dish, but often turn your puddings, until they are all brown alike, and when they are enough, scrape sugar over them, and serve them up hot for a side dish. you must let the paste lie a quarter of an hour before you make up your puddings. _to make a spread-eagle pudding_:--cut off the crust of three half-penny rolls, then slice them into your pan; then set three pints of milk over the fire, make it scalding hot, but not boil; so pour it over your bread, and cover it close, and let it stand an hour; then put in a good spoonful of sugar, a very little salt, a nutmeg grated, a pound of suet after 'tis shred, half a pound of currants washed and picked, four spoonfuls of cold milk, ten eggs, but five of the whites; and when all is in, stir it, but not till all is in; then mix it well, butter a dish; less than an hour will bake it. _to make a cabbage pudding_:--take two pounds of the lean part of a leg of veal; take of beef-suet the like quantity; chop them together, then beat them together in a stone mortar, adding to it half a little cabbage, scalded, and beat that with your meat; then season it with mace and nutmeg, a little pepper and salt, some green gooseberries, grapes, or barberries in the time of year. in the winter put in a little verjuice; then mix all well together, with the yolks of four or five eggs well beaten; then wrap it up in green cabbage leaves; tye a cloth over it, boil it an hour: melt butter for sauce. _to make a calf's foot pudding_:--take two calf's feet finely shred; then of biskets grated, and stale mackaroons broken small, the quantity of a penny loaf; then add a pound of beef-suet, very finely shred, half a pound of currants, a quarter of a pound of sugar; some cloves, mace and nutmeg, beat fine; a very little salt, some sack and orange-flower-water, some citron and candied orange-peel; work all these well together, with yolks of eggs; if you boil it, put it in the caul of a breast of veal, and tie it over with a cloth; it must boil four hours. for sauce, melt butter, with a little sack and sugar; if you bake it, put some paste in the bottom of the dish, but none on the brim; then melt half a pound of butter, and mix with your stuff, and put it in your dish, and stick lumps of marrow in it; bake it three or four hours; scrape sugar over it, and serve it hot. _to make a chestnut pudding_:--take a dozen and half of chestnuts, put them in a skillet of water, and set them on the fire till they will blanch; then blanch them, and when cold, put them in cold water, then stamp them in a mortar, with orange-flower-water and sack, till they are very small; mix them in two quarts of cream, and eighteen yolks of eggs, the whites of three or four; beat the eggs with sack, rose-water and sugar; put it in a dish with puff-paste; stick in some lumps of marrow or fresh butter, and bake it. _to make a brown-bread pudding_:--take half a pound of brown bread, and double the weight of it in beef-suet; a quarter of a pint of cream, the blood of a fowl, a whole nutmeg, some cinnamon, a spoonful of sugar, six yolks of eggs, three whites: mix it all well together, and boil it in a wooden dish two hours. serve it with sack and sugar, and butter melted. _to make a baked sack pudding_:--take a pint of cream, and turn it to a curd with a sack; then bruise the curd very small with a spoon; then grate in two naples-biskets, or the inside of a stale penny-loaf, and mix it well with the curd, and half a nutmeg grated; some fine sugar, and the yolks of four eggs, the whites of two, beaten with two spoonfuls of sack; then melt half a pound of fresh butter, and stir all together till the oven is hot. butter a dish, and put it in, and sift some sugar over it, just as 'tis going into the oven half an hour will bake it. _to make an orange pudding_:--take two large sevil oranges, and grate off the rind, as far as they are yellow; then put your oranges in fair water, and let them boil till they are tender; shift the water three or four times to take out the bitterness; when they are tender, cut them open, and take away the seeds and strings, and beat the other part in a mortar, with half a pound of sugar, till 'tis a paste; then put in the yolks of six eggs, three or four spoonfuls of thick cream, half a naples-biscuit grated; mix these together, and melt a pound of very good fresh butter, and stir it well in; when 'tis cold, put a bit of fine puff-paste about the brim and bottom of your dish, and put it in and bake it about three quarters of an hour. _another sort of orange pudding_:--take the outside rind of three sevil oranges, boil them in several waters till they are tender; then pound them in a mortar with three quarters of a pound of sugar; then blanch and beat half a pound of almonds very fine, with rose-water to keep them from oiling; then beat sixteen eggs, but six whites, and a pound of fresh butter; beat all these together very well till 'tis light and hollow; then put it in a dish, with a sheet of puff-paste at the bottom, and bake it with tarts; scrape sugar on it, and serve it up hot. _to make a french-barley pudding_:--take a quart of cream, and put to it six eggs well beaten, but three of the whites; then season it with sugar, nutmeg, a little salt, orange-flower-water, and a pound of melted butter; then put to it six handfuls of french-barley that has been boiled tender in milk: butter a dish, and put it in, and bake it. it must stand as long as a venison-pasty, and it will be good. _to make a skirret pye_:--boil your biggest skirrets, and blanch them, and season them with cinamon, nutmeg, and a very little ginger and sugar. your pye being ready, lay in your skirrets; season also the marrow of three or four bones with cinamon, sugar, a little salt and grated bread. lay the marrow in your pye, and the yolks of twelve hard eggs cut in halves, a handful of chesnuts boiled and blanched, and some candied orange-peel in slices. lay butter on the top, and lid your pye. let your caudle be white-wine, verjuice, some sack and sugar; thicken it with the yolks of eggs, and when the pye is baked, pour it in, and serve it hot. scrape sugar on it. _to make a cabbage-lettuce pye_:--take some of the largest and hardest cabbage-lettuce you can get; boil them in salt and water till they are tender; then lay them in a colander to drain dry; then have your paste laid in your pattipan ready, and lay butter on the bottom; then lay in your lettuce and some artichoke-bottoms, and some large pieces of marrow, and the yolks of eight hard eggs, and some scalded sorrel; bake it, and when it comes out of the oven, cut open the lid; and pour in a caudle made with white-wine and sugar, and thicken with eggs; so serve it hot. _potato, or lemon cheesecakes_:--take six ounces of potatoes, four ounces of lemon-peel four ounces of sugar, four ounces of butter; boil the lemon-peel til tender, pare and scrape the potatoes, and boil them tender and bruise them; beat the lemon-peel with the sugar, then beat all together very well, and melt all together very well, and let it lie till cold: put crust in your pattipans, and fill them little more than half full: bake them in a quick oven half an hour, sift some double-refined sugar on them as they go into the oven; this quantity will make a dozen small pattipans. _to make almond cheesecakes_:--take a good handful or more of almonds, blanch them in warm water, and throw them in cold; pound them fine, and in the pounding put a little sack or orange-flower-water to keep them from oiling; then put to your almonds the yolks of two hard eggs, and beat them together: beat the yolks of six eggs, the whites of three, and mix with your almonds, and half a pound of butter melted, and sugar to your taste; mix all well together, and use it as other cheesecake stuff. _to make the light wigs_:--take a pound and half of flour, and half a pint of milk made warm; mix these together, and cover it up, and let it lie by the fire half an hour; then take half a pound of sugar, and half a pound of butter; then work these in the paste, and make it into wigs, with as little flour as possible. let the oven be pretty quick, and they will rise very much. _to make very good wigs_:--take a quarter of a peck of the finest flour, rub into it three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, till 'tis like grated bread, something more than half a pound of sugar, half a nutmeg, and half a race of ginger grated; three eggs, yolks and whites beaten very well, and put to them half a pint of thick ale-yeast, three or four spoonfuls of sack. make a hole in your flour, and pour in your yeast and eggs, and as much milk just warm, as will make it into a light paste. let it stand before the fire to rise half an hour; then make it into a dozen and half of wigs; wash them over with eggs just as they go into the oven; a quick oven, and half an hour will bake them. _to make carrot or parsnip puffs_:--scrape and boil your carrots or parsnips tender; then scrape or mash them very fine, add to a pint of pulp the crumb of a penny-loaf grated, or some stale biscuit, if you have it, some eggs, but four whites, a nutmeg grated, some orange-flower-water, sugar to your taste, a little sack, and mix it up with thick cream. they must be fry'd in rendered suet, the liquor very hot when you put them in; put in a good spoonful in a place. _a tansy_:--boil a quart of cream or milk with a stick of cinamon, quarter'd nutmeg, and large mace; when half cold, mix it with twenty yolks of eggs, and ten whites; strain it, then put to it four grated biskets, half a pound of butter, a pint of spinage-juice, and a little tansy, sack, and orange-flower-water, sugar, and a little salt; then gather it to a body over the fire, and pour it into your dish, being well butter'd. when it is baked, turn it on a pye-plate; squeeze on it an orange, grate on sugar, and garnish it with slic'd orange and a little tansy. made in a dish; cut as you please. _to make sack cream_:--take the yolks of two eggs, and three spoonfuls of fine sugar, and a quarter of a pint of sack: mix them together, and stir them into a pint of cream; then set them over the fire till 'tis scalding hot, but let it not boil. you may toast some thin slices of white bread, and dip them in sack or orange-flower-water, and pour your cream over them. _to make quince cream_:--take quinces, scald them till they are soft; pare them, and mash the clear part of them, and pulp it through a sieve; take an equal weight of quince, and double-refin'd sugar beaten and sifted, and the whites of eggs, and beat it till it is as white as snow, then put it in dishes. _to make pistachia cream_:--peel your pistachias, and beat them very fine, and boil them in cream; if 'tis not green enough, add a little juice of spinage; thicken it with eggs, and sweeten to your taste; pour it in basons, and set it by till 'tis cold. _to make white jelly of quinces_:--pare your quinces, and cut them in halves; then core them and parboil your quinces; when they are soft, take them up, and crush them through a strainer, but not too hard, only the clear juice. take the weight of the juice in fine sugar; boil the sugar candy-height, and put in your juice, and let it scald awhile, but not boil; and if any froth arise, scum it off, and when you take it up, have ready a white preserved quince cut in small slices, and lay them in the bottom of your glasses, and pour your jelly to them, it will candy on the top and keep moist on the bottom a long time. _to make hart's-horn jelly_:--take a large gallipot, and fill it full of hart's-horn, and then fill it full with spring-water, and tie a double paper over the gallipot, and set it in the baker's oven with household bread; in the morning take it out, and run it through a jelly-bag, and season it with juice of lemons, and double-refin'd sugar, and the whites of eight eggs well beaten; let it have a boil, and run it thro' the jelly-bag again into your jelly-glasses; put a bit of lemon-peel in the bag. iv.--cheeses. _the queen's cheese_:--take six quarts of the best stroakings, and let them stand till they are cold; then set two quarts of cream on the fire till 'tis ready to boil; then take it off, and boil a quart of fair water, and take the yolks of two eggs, and one spoonful of sugar, and two spoonfuls of runnet; mingle all these together, and stir it till 'tis blood warm: when the cheese is come, use it as other cheese; set it at night, and the third day lay the leaves of nettles under and over it: it must be turned and wiped, and the nettles shifted every day, and in three weeks it will be fit to eat. this cheese is made between michaelmas and alhallontide. _to make a slip-coat cheese_:--take new milk and runnet, quite cold, and when 'tis come, break it as little as you can in putting it into the cheese-fat, and let it stand and whey itself for some time; then cover it, and set about two pound weight on it, and when it will hold together, turn it out of that cheese-fat, and keep it turning upon clean cheese-fats for two or three days, till it has done wetting, and then lay it on sharp-pointed dock-leaves till 'tis ripe: shift the leaves often. _to make a new-market cheese to cut at two years old_:--any morning in september, take twenty quarts of new milk warm from the cow, and colour it with marigolds: when this is done, and the milk not cold, get ready a quart of cream, and a quart of fair water, which must be kept stirring over the fire till 'tis scalding hot, then stir it well into the milk and runnet, as you do other cheese; when 'tis come, lay cheese-cloths over it, and settle it with your hands; the more hands the better; as the whey rises, take it away, and when 'tis clean gone, put the curd into your fat, breaking it as little as you can; then put it in the press, and press it gently an hour; take it out again, and cut it in thin slices, and lay them singly on a cloth, and wipe them dry; then put it in a tub, and break it with your hands as small as you can, and mix with it a good handful of salt, and a quart of cold cream; put it in the fat, and lay a pound weight on it till next day; then press and order it as others. v.--cakes. _to make shrewsbury cakes_:--take to one pound of sugar, three pounds of the finest flour, a nutmeg grated, some beaten cinamon; the sugar and spice must be sifted into the flour, and wet it with three eggs, and as much melted butter, as will make it of a good thickness to roll into a paste; mould it well and roll it, and cut it into what shape you please. perfume them, and prick them before they go into the oven. _to make whetstone cakes_:--take half a pound of fine flour, and half a pound of loaf sugar searced, a spoonful of carraway-seeds dried, the yolk of one egg, the whites of three, a little rose-water, with ambergrease dissolved in it; mix it together, and roll it out as thin as a wafer; cut them with a glass; lay them on flour'd paper, and bake them in a slow oven. _to make portugal cakes_:--take a pound and a quarter of fine flour well dried, and break a pound of butter into the flour and rub it in, add a pound of loaf-sugar beaten and sifted, a nutmeg grated, four perfumed plums, or some ambergrease; mix these well together, and beat seven eggs, but four whites, with three spoonfuls of orange-flower-water; mix all these together, and beat them up an hour; butter your little pans, and just as they are going into the oven, fill them half full, and searce some fine sugar over them; little more than a quarter of an hour will bake them. you may put a handful of currants into some of them; take them out of the pans as soon as they are drawn, keep them dry, they will keep good three months. _to make jumbals_:--take the whites of three eggs, beat them well, and take off the froth; then take a little milk, and a little flour, near a pound, as much sugar sifted, a few carraway-seeds beaten very fine; work all these in a very stiff paste, and make them into what form you please bake them on white paper. _to make march-pane_:--take a pound of jordan almonds, blanch and beat them in a marble mortar very fine; then put to them three-quarters of a pound of double-refin'd sugar, and beat with them a few drops of orange-flower-water; beat all together till 'tis a very good paste, then roll it into what shape you please; dust a little fine sugar under it as you roll it to keep it from sticking. to ice it, searce double-refined sugar as fine as flour, wet it with rose-water, and mix it well together, and with a brush or bunch of feathers spread it over your march-pane: bake them in an oven that is not too hot: put wafer-paper at the bottom, and white paper under that, so keep them for use. _to make the marlborough cake_:--take eight eggs, yolks and whites, beat and strain them, and put to them a pound of sugar beaten and sifted; beat it three-quarters of an hour together; then put in three-quarters of a pound of flour well dried, and two ounces of carraway-seeds; beat it all well together, and bake it in a quick oven in broad tin-pans. _to make wormwood cakes_:--take one pound of double-refin'd sugar sifted; mix it with the whites of three or four eggs well beat; into this drop as much chymical oil of wormwood as you please. so drop them on paper; you may have some white, and some marble, with specks of colours, with the point of a pin; keep your colours severally in little gallipots. for red, take a dram of cochineel, a little cream of tartar, as much of allum; tye them up severally in little bits of fine cloth, and put them to steep in one glass of water two or three hours. when you use the colour, press the bags in the water, and mix some of it with a little of the white of egg and sugar. saffron colours yellow; and must be tyed in a cloth, as the red, and put in water. powder-blue, mix'd with the saffron-water, makes a green; for blue, mix some dry powder-blue with some water. _a french cake to eat hot_:--take a dozen of eggs, and a quart of cream, and as much flour as will make it into a thick batter; put to it a pound of melted butter, half a pint of sack, one nutmeg grated, mix it well, and let it stand three or four hours; then bake it in a quick oven, and when you take it out, split it in two, and pour a pound of butter on it melted with rose-water; cover it with the other half, and serve it up hot. _to make the thin dutch bisket_:--take five pounds of flour, and two ounces of carraway-seeds, half a pound of sugar, and something more than a pint of milk. warm the milk, and put into it three-quarters of a pound of butter; then make a hole in the middle of your flour, and put in a full pint of good ale-yeast; then pour in the butter and milk, and make these into a paste, and let it stand a quarter of an hour by the fire to rise; then mould it, and roll it into cakes pretty thin; prick them all over pretty much or they will blister; so bake them a quarter of an hour. _to make dutch ginger-bread_:--take four pounds of flour, and mix with it two ounces and a half of beaten ginger; then rub in a quarter of a pound of butter, and add to it two ounces of carraway-seeds, two ounces of orange-peel dried and rubb'd to powder, a few coriander-seeds bruised, two eggs: then mix all up in a stiff paste, with two pounds and a quarter of treacle; beat it very well with a rolling-pin, and make it up into thirty cakes; put in a candied citron; prick them with a fork: butter papers three double, one white, and two brown; wash them over with the white of an egg; put them into an oven not too hot, for three-quarters of an hour. _to make cakes of flowers_:--boil double-refin'd sugar candy-high, and then strew in your flowers, and let them boil once up; then with your hand lightly strew in a little double-refin'd sugar sifted; and then as quick as may be, put it into your little pans, made of card, and pricked full of holes at bottom. you must set the pans on a pillow, or cushion; when they are cold, take them out. vi.--caudles and possets. _to make a posset with ale: king-william's posset_:--take a quart of cream, and mix with it a pint of ale, then beat the yolks of ten eggs, and the whites of four; when they are well beaten, put them to the cream and ale, sweeten it to your taste, and slice some nutmeg in it; set it over the fire, and keep it stirring all the while, and when 'tis thick, and before it boils, take it off, and pour it into the bason you serve it in to the table. _to make the pope's posset_:--blanch and beat three-quarters of a pound of almonds so fine, that they will spread between your fingers like butter, put in water as you beat them to keep them from oiling; then take a pint of sack or sherry, and sweeten it very well with double-refin'd sugar, make it boiling hot, and at the same time put half a pint of water to your almonds, and make them boil; then take both off the fire, and mix them very well together with a spoon; serve it in a china dish. _to make flummery caudle_:--take a pint of fine oatmeal, and put to it two quarts of fair water: let it stand all night, in the morning stir it, and strain it into a skillet, with three or four blades of mace, and a nutmeg quartered; set it on the fire, and keep it stirring, and let it boil a quarter of an hour; if it is too thick, put in more water, and let it boil longer; then add a pint of rhenish or white-wine; three spoonfuls of orange-flower-water, the juice of two lemons and one orange, a bit of butter, and as much fine sugar as will sweeten it; let all these have a warm, and thicken it with the yolks of two or three eggs. drink it hot for a breakfast. _to make tea caudle_:--make a quart of strong green tea, and pour it out into a skillet, and set it over the fire; then beat the yolks of four eggs and mix with them a pint of white-wine, a grated nutmeg, sugar to your taste, and put all together; stir it over the fire till 'tis very hot, then drink it in china dishes as caudle. vii.--conserves, dried and can-died fruits, marmalades, etc. _to dry apricocks like prunella's_:--take a pound of apricocks; being cut in halves or quarters, let them boil till they be very tender in a thin syrup; let them stand a day or two in the stove, then take them out of the syrup, and lay them drying till they be as dry as prunello's, then box them: you may make your syrup red with the juice of red plums; if you please you may pare them. _to candy angelica_:--take angelica that is young, and cut it in fit lengths, and boil it till it is pretty tender, keeping it close covered; then take it up and peel off all the strings; then put it in again, and let it simmer and scald till 'tis very green; then take it up and dry it in a cloth, and weigh it, and to every pound of angelica take a pound of double-refin'd sugar beaten and sifted; put your angelica in an earthen pan, and strew the sugar over it, and let it stand two days; then boil it till it looks very clear, put it in a colander to drain the syrup from it, and take a little double-refin'd sugar and boil it to sugar again; then throw in your angelica, and take it out in a little time, and put it on glass plates. it will dry in your stove, or in an oven after pyes are drawn. _to candy orange-flowers_:--take half a pound of double-refin'd sugar finely beaten, wet it with orange-flower-water, then boil it candy-high, then put in a handful of orange-flowers, keeping it stirring, but let it not boil, and when the sugar candies about them, take it off the fire, drop it on a plate, and set it by till 'tis cold. _to make conserve of red-roses, or any other flowers_:--take rose-buds, and pick them, and cut off the white part from the red, and put the red flowers, and sift them through a sieve to take out the seeds; then weigh them, and to every pound of flowers take two pounds and a half of loaf-sugar, beat the flowers pretty fine in a stone mortar; then by degrees put the sugar to them, and beat it very well till 'tis well incorporated together; then put it into gallipots, and tye it over with paper, and over that leather, and it will keep seven years. _to preserve white pear plumbs_:--take pear plumbs when they are yellow, before they are too ripe; give them a slit in the seam, and prick them behind; make your water almost scalding hot, and put a little sugar to it to sweeten it, and put in your plumbs and cover them close; set them on the fire to coddle, and take them off sometimes a little, and set them on again: take care they do not break; have in readiness as much double-refin'd sugar boiled to a height as will cover them, and when they are coddled pretty tender, take them out of that liquor, and put them into your preserving-pan to your syrup, which must be but blood-warm when your plumbs go in. let them boil till they are clear, scum them and take them off, and let them stand two hours; then set them on again and boil them, and when they are thoroughly preserved, take them up and lay them in glasses; boil your syrup till 'tis thick; and when 'tis cold, put in your plumbs; and a month after, if your syrup grows thin, you must boil it again, or make a fine jelly of pippins, and put on them. this way you may do the pimordian plumb, or any white plumb, and when they are cold, paper them up. _to preserve mulberries whole_:--set some mulberries over the fire in a skillet, and draw from them a pint of juice, when 'tis strained. then take three pounds of sugar, beaten very fine; wet the sugar with the pint of juice; boil up your sugar, and scum it, and put in two pounds of ripe mulberries, and let them stand in the syrup till they are thoroughly warm; then set them on the fire, and let them boil very gently; do them but half enough, so put them by in the syrup till next day; then boil them gently again, and when the syrup is pretty thick, and will stand in a round drop when 'tis cold, they are enough; so put all together in a gallipot for use. _to preserve whole quinces white_:--take the largest quinces of the greenest colour, and scald them till they are pretty soft; then pare them and core them with a scoop; then weigh your quinces against so much double-refin'd sugar, and make a syrup of one half, and put in your quinces, and boil them as fast as you can; then you must have in readiness pippin liquor; let it be very strong of the pippins, and when 'tis strained out, put in the other half of your sugar, and make it a jelly, and when your quinces are clear, put them into the jelly, and let them simmer a little; they will be very white; so glass them up, and when they are cold, paper them and keep them in a stove. _to make white quince marmalade_:--scald your quinces tender, take off the skin and pulp them from the core very fine, and to every pound of quince have a pound and half of double-refin'd sugar in lumps, and half a pint of water; dip your sugar in the water and boil and scum it till 'tis a thick syrup: then put in your quince, boil and scum it on a quick fire a quarter of an hour, so put it in your pots. _to make red quince marmalade_:--pare and core a pound of quince, beat the parings and cores and some of your worst quinces, and strain out the juice; and to every pound of quince take ten or twelve spoonfuls of that juice, and three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar; put all into your preserving-pan, cover it close, and let it stew over a gentle fire two hours; when 'tis of an orange-red, uncover and boil it up as fast as you can: when of a good colour, break it as you like it, give it a boil, and pot it up. _to make melon mangoes_:--take small melons, not quite ripe, cut a slip down the side, and take out the inside very clean; beat mustard-seeds, and shred garlick, and mix with the seeds, and put in your mangoes; put the pieces you cut out into their places again, and tye them up, and put them into your pot, and boil some vinegar (as much as you think will cover them) with whole pepper, and some salt, and jamaica pepper, and pour in scalding hot over your mangoes, and cover them close to keep in the steam; and so do every day for nine times together, and when they are cold cover them with leather. _to make conserve of hips_:--gather the hips before they grow soft, cut off the heads and stalks, slit them in halves, and take out all the seed and white that is in them very clean; then put them in an earthen pan, and stir them every day, else they will grow mouldy; let them stand till they are soft enough to rub through a coarse hair-sieve; as the pulp comes, take it off the sieve; they are a dry berry, and will require pains to rub it through; then add its weight in sugar, and mix it well together without boiling; keeping it in deep gallipots for use. _to make clear cakes of gooseberries_:--take your white dutch gooseberries when they are thorough ripe, break them with your fingers and squeeze out all the pulp into a fine piece of cambrick or thick muslin to run thro' clear; then weigh the juice and sugar one against the other; then boil the juice a little while, then put in your sugar and let it dissolve, but not boil; scum it and put it into glasses, and stove it in a warm stove. _to make white quince paste_:--scald the quinces tender to the core, and pare them, and scrape the pulp clean from the core, beat it in a mortar, and pulp it through a colander; take to a pound of pulp a pound and two ounces of sugar, boil the sugar till 'tis candy-high; then put in your pulp, stir it about constantly till you see it come clear from the bottom of the preserving-pan; then take it off, and lay it on plates pretty thin: you may cut it in what shape you please, or make quince chips of it; you must dust it with sugar when you put it into the stove, and turn it on papers in a sieve, and dust the other side; when they are dry, put them in boxes with papers between. you may make red quince paste the same way as this, only colour the quince with cochineel. _to make syrup of any flower_:--clip your flowers, and take their weight in sugar; then take a high gallipot, and a row of flowers, and a strewing of sugar, till the pot is full; then put in two or three spoonfuls of the same syrup or still'd water; tye a cloth on the top of the pot, and put a tile on that, and set your gallipot in a kettle of water over a gentle fire, and let it infuse till the strength is out of the flowers, which will be in four or five hours; then strain it thro' a flannel, and when 'tis cold bottle it up. viii.--pickles. _to pickle nasturtium-buds_:--gather your little knobs quickly after your blossoms are off; put them in cold water and salt for three days, shifting them once a day; then make a pickle (but do not boil it at all) of some white-wine, some white-wine vinegar, eschalot, horse-radish, pepper, salt, cloves, and mace whole, and nutmeg quartered; then put in your seeds and stop them close; they are to be eaten as capers. _to keep quinces in pickle_:--cut five or six quinces all to pieces, and put them in an earthen pot or pan, with a gallon of water and two pounds of honey; mix all these together well, and then put them in a kettle to boil leisurely half an hour, and then strain your liquor into that earthen pot, and when 'tis cold, wipe your quinces clean, and put them into it: they must be covered very close, and they will keep all the year. _to pickle ashen-keys_:--take ashen-keys as young as you can get them, and put them in a pot with salt and water; then take green whey, when 'tis hot, and pour over them; let them stand till they are cold before you cover them, so let them stand; when you use them, boil them in fair water; when they are tender take them out, and put them in salt and water. _to pickle pods of radishes_:--gather the youngest pods, and put them in water and salt twenty-four hours; then make a pickle for them of vinegar, cloves, mace, whole pepper: boil this, and drain the pods from the salt and water, and pour the liquor on them boiling hot: put to them a clove of garlick a little bruised. _to pickle broom-buds_:--put your broom-buds into little linnen-bags, tie them up, and make a pickle of bay-salt and water boiled, and strong enough to bear an egg; put your bags in a pot, and when your pickle is cold, put it to them; keep them close, and let them lie till they turn black; then shift them two or three times, till they change green; then take them out, and boil them as you have occasion for them: when they are boiled, put them out of the bag: in vinegar they will keep a month after they are boiled. _to pickle purslain stalks_:--wash your stalks, and cut them in pieces six inches long; boil them in water and salt a dozen walms; take them up, drain them, and when they cool, make a pickle of stale beer, white-wine vinegar, and salt, put them in, and cover them close. ix.--wines. _to make strong mead_:--take of spring-water what quantity you please, and make it more than blood-warm, and dissolve honey in it till 'tis strong enough to bear an egg, the breadth of a shilling; then boil it gently near an hour, taking off the scum as it rises; then put to about nine or ten gallons, seven or eight large blades of mace, three nutmegs quarter'd, twenty cloves, three or four sticks of cinamon, two or three roots of ginger, and a quarter of an ounce of jamaica pepper; put these spices into the kettle to the honey and water, a whole lemon, with a sprig of sweet-briar, and a sprig of rosemary; tie the briar and rosemary together, and when they have boiled a little while, take them out and throw them away; but let your liquor stand on the spice in a clean earthen pot till the next day; then strain it into a vessel that is fit for it; put the spice in a bag, and hang it in the vessel, stop it, and at three months draw it into bottles. be sure that 'tis fine when 'tis bottled; after 'tis bottled six weeks 'tis fit to drink. _to make small white mead_:--take three gallons of spring-water and make it hot, and dissolve in it three quarts of honey and a pound of loaf sugar; and let it boil about half an hour, and scum it as long as any rises, then pour it out into a tub, and squeeze in the juice of four lemons; put in the rinds of but two; twenty cloves, two races of ginger, a top of sweet-briar, and a top of rosemary. let it stand in a tub till 'tis but blood warm; then make a brown toast and spread it with two or three spoonfuls of ale-yeast, put it into a vessel fit for it; let it stand four or five days, then bottle it out. _to make frontiniac wine_:--take six gallons of water and twelve pounds of white sugar, and six pounds of raisins of the sun cut small; boil these together an hour; then take of the flowers of elder, when they are falling and will shake off, the quantity of half a peck; put them in the liquor when 'tis almost cold, the next day put in six spoonfuls of syrup of lemons, and four spoonfuls of ale-yeast, and two days after put it in a vessel that is fit for it, and when it has stood two months bottle it off. _to make english champagne, or the fine currant wine_:--take to three gallons of water nine pounds of lisbon sugar; boil the water and sugar half an hour, scum it clean, then have one gallon of currants pick'd, but not bruised, pour the liquor boiling-hot over them, and when cold, work it with half a pint of balm two days; then pour it through a flannel or sieve, then put it into a barrel fit for it with half an ounce of ising-glass well bruised; when it has done working, stop it close for a month, then bottle it, and in every bottle put a very small lump of double-refin'd sugar. this is excellent wine, and has a beautiful colour. _to make saragossa wine, or english sack_:--to every quart of water, put a sprig of rue, and to every gallon a handful of fennel-roots, boil these half an hour, then strain it out, and to every gallon of this liquor put three pounds of honey; boil it two hours, and scum it well, and when 'tis cold pour it off and turn it into a vessel, or such cask that is fit for it; keep it a year in the vessel, and then bottle it; 'tis a very good sack. _mountain wine_:--pick out the big stalks of your malaga raisins, then chop them very small, five gallons to every gallon of cold spring-water, let them steep a fortnight or more, squeeze out the liquor and barrel it in a vessel fit for it; first fume the vessel with brimstone; don't stop it up till the hissing is over. _to make quince wine_;--take your quinces when they are thorough ripe, wipe off the fur very clean; then take out the cores and bruise them as you do apples for cyder, and press them, and to every gallon of juice put two pounds and a half of fine sugar, stir it together till 'tis dissolved; then put it in your cask, and when it has done working stop it close; let it stand till march before you bottle it. you may keep it two or three years, it will be better. _to make plumb wine_:--take twenty pounds of malaga raisins, pick, rub, and shred them, and put them into a tub; then take four gallons of fair water and boil it an hour, and let it stand till 'tis blood-warm; then put it to your raisins; let it stand nine or ten days, stirring it once or twice a day, strain out your liquor, and mix with it two quarts of damson juice, put it in a vessel, and when it has done working, stop it close; at four or five months bottle it. _to make birch wine_:--in march bore a hole in a tree, and put in a faucet, and it will run two or three days together without hurting the tree; then put in a pin to stop it, and the next year you may draw as much from the same hole; put to every gallon of the liquor a quart of good honey, and stir it well together, boil it an hour, scum it well, and put in a few cloves, and a piece of lemon-peel; when 'tis almost cold, put to it so much ale-yeast as will make it work like new ale, and when the yeast begins to settle, put it in a runlet that will just hold it: so let it stand six weeks or longer if you please; then bottle it, and in a month you may drink it. it will keep a year or two. you may make it with sugar, two pounds to a gallon, or something more, if you keep it long. this is admirably wholesome as well as pleasant, an opener of obstructions, good against the phthisick, and good against the spleen and scurvy, a remedy for the stone, it will abate heat in a fever or thrush, and has been given with good success. _to make sage wine_:--boil twenty-six quarts of spring-water a quarter of an hour, and when 'tis blood-warm, put twenty-five pounds of malaga raisins pick'd, rubb'd and shred into it, with almost half a bushel of red sage shred, and a porringer of ale-yeast; stir all well together, and let it stand m a tub cover'd warm six or seven days, stirring it once a day; then strain it out, and put it in a runlet. let it work three or four days, stop it up; when it has stood six or seven days put in a quart or two of malaga sack, and when 'tis fine bottle it. _sage wine another way_:--take thirty pounds of malaga raisins pick'd clean, and shred small, and one bushel of green sage shred small, then boil five gallons of water, let the water stand till 'tis luke-warm; then put it in a tub to your sage and raisins; let it stand five or six days, stirring it twice or thrice a day; then strain and press the liquor from the ingredients, put it in a cask, and let it stand six months: then draw it clean off into another vessel; bottle it in two days; in a month or six weeks it will be fit to drink, but best when 'tis a year old. _to make ebulum_:--to a hogshead of strong ale, take a heap'd bushel of elder-berries, and half a pound of juniper-berries beaten; put in all the berries when you put in the hops, and let them boil together till the berries brake in pieces, then work it up as you do ale; when it has done working, add to it half a pound of ginger, half an ounce of cloves, as much mace, an ounce of nutmegs, and as much cinamon grosly beaten, half a pound of citron, as much eringo-root, and likewise of candied orange-peel; let the sweetmeats be cut in pieces very thin, and put with the spice into a bag and hang it in the vessel when you stop it up. so let it stand till 'tis fine, then bottle it up and drink it with lumps of double-refined sugar in the glass. _to make cock ale_:--take ten gallons of ale, and a large cock, the older the better, parboil the cock, flea him, and stamp him in a stone mortar till his bones are broken, (you must craw and gut him when you flea him) put the cock into two quarts of sack, and put to it three pounds of raisins of the sun stoned, some blades of mace, and a few cloves; put all these into a canvas bag, and a little before you find the ale has done working, put the ale and bag together into a vessel; in a week or nine days' time bottle it up, fill the bottles but just above the necks, and leave the same time to ripen as other ale. _to make it elder ale_:--take ten bushels of malt to a hogshead, then put two bushels of elder-berries pickt from the stalks into a pot or earthen pan, and set it in a pot of boiling water till the berries swell, then strain it out and put the juice into the guile-fat, and beat it often in, and so order it as the common way of brewing. _to clear wine_:--take half a pound of hartshorn, and dissolve it in cyder, if it be for cyder, or rhenish-wine for any liquor: this is enough for a hogshead. _to fine wine the lisbon way_:--to every twenty gallons of wine take the whites of ten eggs, and a small handful of salt, beat it together to a froth, and mix it well with a quart or more of the wine, then pour it in the vessel, and in a few days it will be fine. cookery books. part iii. in appeared a thin folio volume, of which i will transcribe the title: "the art of cookery, made plain and easy, which far exceeds every thing of the kind ever yet published ... by a lady. london: printed for the author; and sold at mrs. ashburn's, a china shop, the corner of fleet ditch. mdccxlvii." the lady was no other than mrs. glasse, wife of an attorney residing in carey street; and a very sensible lady she was, and a very sensible and interesting book hers is, with a preface showing that her aim was to put matters as plainly as she could, her intention being to instruct the lower sort. "for example," says she, "when i bid them lard a fowl, if i should bid them lard with large lardoons they would not know what i meant; but when i say they must lard with little pieces of bacon, they know what i mean." i have been greatly charmed with hannah glasse's "art of cookery," , and with her "complete confectioner" likewise in a modified degree. the latter was partly derived, she tells you, from the manuscript of "a very old experienced housekeeper to a family of the first distinction." but, nevertheless, both are very admirable performances; and yet the compiler survives scarcely more than in an anecdote for which i can see no authority. for she does not say, "first catch your hare" [footnote: mrs. glasse's cookery book was reprinted at least as late as ]. mrs. glasse represents that, before she undertook the preparation of the volume on confectionery, there was nothing of the kind for reference and consultation. but we had already a curious work by e. kidder, who was, according to his title-page, a teacher of the art which he expounded eventually in print. the title is sufficiently descriptive: "e. kidder's receipts of pastry and cookery, for the use of his scholars, who teaches at his school in queen street, near st. thomas apostle's, [footnote: in another edition his school is in st. martin's le grand] on mondays, tuesdays and wednesdays, in the afternoon. also on thursdays, fridays and saturdays, in the afternoon, at his school next to furnivalls inn in holborn. ladies may be taught at their own houses." it is a large octavo, consisting of fifty pages of engraved text, and is embellished with a likeness of mr. kidder. for all that mrs. glasse ignores him. i have shown how mrs. glasse might have almost failed to keep a place in the public recollection, had it not been for a remark which that lady did not make. but there is a still more singular circumstance connected with her and her book, and it is this--that in dr. johnson's day, and possibly in her own lifetime, a story was current that the book was really written by dr. hill the physician. that gentleman's claim to the authorship has not, of course, been established, but at a dinner at dilly's the publisher's in , when johnson, miss seward, and others were present, a curious little discussion arose on the subject. boswell thus relates the incident and the conversation:--"the subject of cookery having been very naturally introduced at a table, where johnson, who boasted of the niceness of his palate, avowed that 'he always found a good dinner,' he said, 'i could write a better book about cookery than has ever yet been written; it should be a book upon philosophical principles. pharmacy is now made much more simple. cookery may be so too. a prescription, which is now compounded of five ingredients, had formerly fifty in it. so in cookery. if the nature of the ingredients is well known, much fewer will do. then, as you cannot make bad meat good, i would tell what is the best butcher's meat, the best beef, the best pieces; how to choose young fowls; the proper seasons of different vegetables; and then how to roast, and boil, and compound." dilly:--"mrs. glasse's 'cookery,' which is the best, was written by dr. hill. half the trade know this." johnson:--"well, sir, that shews how much better the subject of cookery may be treated by a philosopher. i doubt if the book be written by dr hill; for in mrs. glasse's cookery, which i have looked into, saltpetre and salt-prunella are spoken of as different substances, whereas salt-prunella is only saltpetre burnt on charcoal; and hill could not be ignorant of this. however, as the greatest part of such a book is made by transcription, this mistake may have been carelessly adopted. but you shall see what a book of cookery i could make. i shall agree with mr. dilly for the copyright." miss seward:--"that would be hercules with the distaff indeed!" johnson:--"no, madam. women can spin very well; but they cannot make a good book of cookery." but the doctor's philosophical cookery book belongs to the voluminous calendar of works which never passed beyond the stage of proposal; he did not, so far as we know, ever draw out a title-page, as coleridge was fond of doing; and perhaps the loss is to be borne with. the doctor would have pitched his discourse in too high a key. among the gastronomical enlargements of our literature in the latter half of the last century, one of the best books in point of classification and range is that by b. clermont, of which the third edition made its appearance in , the first having been anonymous. clermont states that he had been clerk of the kitchen in some of the first families of the kingdom, and lately to the earl of abingdon. but elsewhere we find that he had lived very recently in the establishment of the earl of ashburnham, for he observes in the preface: "i beg the candour of the public will excuse the incorrectness of the language and diction. my situation in life as an actual servant to the earl of ashburnham at the time of the first publication of this book will i trust plead my apology." he informs his readers on the title-page, and repeats in the preface, that a material part of the work consists of a translation of "les soupers de la cour," and he proceeds to say, that he does not pretend to make any further apology for the title of _supper_, than that the french were, in general, more elegant in their suppers than their dinners. in other words, the late dinner was still called supper. the writer had procured the french treatise from paris for his own use, and had found it of much service to him in his capacity as clerk of the kitchen, and he had consequently translated it, under the persuasion that it would prove an assistance to gentlemen, ladies, and others interested in such matters. he specifies three antecedent publications in france, of which his pages might be considered the essence, viz., "la cuisine royale," "le maître d'hôtel cuisinier," and "les dons de comus"; and he expresses to some of his contemporaries, who had helped him in his researches, his obligations in the following terms:--"as every country produces many articles peculiar to itself, and considering the difference of climates, which either forward or retard them, i would not rely on my own knowledge, in regard to such articles; i applied therefore to three tradesmen, all eminent in their profession, one for fish, one for poultry, and one for the productions of the garden, viz., mr. humphrey turner, the manager in st. james's market; mr. andrews, poulterer in ditto; and mr. adam lawson, many years chief gardener to the earl of ashburnham; in this article i was also assisted by mr. rice, green-grocer, in st. albans street." clermont dates his remarks from princes street, cavendish square. while mrs. glasse was still in the middle firmament of public favour, a little book without the writer's name was published as by "a lady." i have not seen the first or second editions; but the third appeared in . it is called "a new system of domestic cookery, formed upon principles of economy, and adapted to the use of private families." the author was helene rundell, of whom i am unable to supply any further particulars at present. mrs. rundell's cookery book, according to the preface, was originally intended for the private instruction of the daughters of the authoress in their married homes, and specially prepared with an eye to housekeepers of moderate incomes. mrs. rundell did not write for professed cooks, or with any idea of emolument; and she declared that had such a work existed when she first set out in life it would have been a great treasure to her. the public shared the writer's estimate of her labours, and called for a succession of impressions of the "new system," till its run was checked by miss acton's still more practical collection. mrs. rundell is little consulted nowadays; but time was when mrs. glasse and herself were the twin stars of the culinary empyrean. coming down to our own times, the names most familiar to our ears are ude, francatelli, and soyer, and they are the names of foreigners [footnote: a fourth work before me has no clue to the author, but it is like the others, of an alien complexion. it is called "french domestic cookery, combining elegance and economy. in twelve hundred receipts, mo, ." soyer's book appeared in the same year. in , an anonymous writer printed a latin poem of his own composition, called "tabella cibaria, a bill of fare, etc., etc., with copious notes," which seem more important than the text]. no english school of cookery can be said ever to have existed in england. we have, and have always had, ample material for making excellent dishes; but if we desire to turn it to proper account, we have to summon men from a distance to our aid, or to accept the probable alternative--failure. the adage, "god sends meat, and the devil sends cooks," must surely be of native parentage, for of no country is it so true as of our own. perhaps, had it not been for the influx among us of french and italian experts, commencing with our anglo-gallic relations under the plantagenets, and the palmy days of the monastic orders, culinary science would not have arrived at the height of development which it has attained in the face of great obstacles. perchance we should not have progressed much beyond the pancake and oatmeal period. but foreign _chefs_ limit their efforts to those who can afford to pay them for their services. the middle classes do not fall within the pale of their beneficence. the poor know them not. so it happens that even as i write, the greater part of the community not only cannot afford professional assistance in the preparation of their meals, which goes without saying, but from ignorance expend on their larder twice as much as a parisian or an italian in the same rank of life, with a very indifferent result. there are handbooks of instruction, it is true, both for the middle and for the lower classes. these books are at everybody's command. but they are either left unread, or if read, they are not understood. i have before me the eleventh edition of esther copley's "cottage comforts," ; it embraces all the points which demand attention from such as desire to render a humble home comfortable and happy. the leaves have never been opened. i will not say, _ex hoc disce omnes_; but it really appears to be the case, that these works are not studied by those for whom they are written--not studied, at all events, to advantage. dr. kitchener augmented this department of our literary stores in with his "cook's oracle," which was very successful, and passed through a series of editions. in the preface to that of , the editor describes the book as greatly enlarged and improved, and claims the "rapid and steady sale which has invariably attended each following edition" as a proof of the excellence of the work. i merely mention this, because in kitchener's own preface to the seventh issue, l mo, , he says: "this last time i have found little to add, and little to alter." such is human fallibility! the "cook's oracle" was heralded by an introduction which very few men could have written, and which represents the doctor's method of letting us know that, if we fancy him an impostor, we are much mistaken. "the following recipes," says he, "are not a mere marrowless collection of shreds and patches, of cuttings and pastings--but a bonâ-fide register of practical facts--accumulated by a perseverance, not to be subdued or evaporated by the igniferous terrors of a roasting fire in the dog-days:--in defiance of the odoriferous and calefaceous repellents of roasting, boiling,--frying, and broiling;--moreover, the author has submitted to a labour no preceding cookery-book-maker, perhaps, ever attempted to encounter,--having eaten each receipt before he set it down in his book." what could critics say, after this? one or two large editions must have been exhausted before they recovered their breath, and could discover how the learned kitchener set down the receipts which he had previously devoured. but the language of the preface helps to console us for the loss of johnson's threatened undertaking in this direction. dr. kitchener proceeded on different lines from an artist who closely followed him in the order of publication; and the two did not probably clash in the slightest degree. the cooking world was large enough to hold kitchener and the _ci-devant chef_ to the most christian king louis xvi. and the right honourable the earl of sefton, louis eustache ude. ude was steward to the united service club, when he printed his "french cook" in . a very satisfactory and amusing account of this volume occurs in the "london magazine" for january . but whatever may be thought of ude nowadays, he not only exerted considerable influence on the higher cookery of his day, but may almost be said to have been the founder of the modern french school in england. ude became _chef_ at crockford's club, which was built in , the year in which his former employer, the duke of york, died. there is a story that, on hearing of the duke's illness, ude exclaimed, "ah, mon pauvre duc, how much you shall miss me where you are gone!" about , mrs. johnstone brought out her well-known contribution to this section of literature under the title of "the cook and housewife's manual," veiling her authorship under the pseudonym of mistress margaret dods, the landlady in scott's tale of "st. ronan's well," which appeared three years before ( vo, ). mrs. johnstone imparted a novel feature to her book by investing it with a fictitious history and origin, which, like most inventions of the kind, is scarcely consistent with the circumstances, however it may tend to enliven the monotony of a professional publication. after three prefaces in the fourth edition before me ( vo, ) we arrive at a heading, "institution of the cleikum club," which narrates how peregrine touchwood, esquire, sought to cure his _ennui_ and hypochondria by studying apician mysteries; and it concludes with the syllabus of a series of thirteen lectures on cookery, which were to be delivered by the said esquire. one then enters on the undertaking itself, which can be readily distinguished from an ordinary manual by a certain literary tone, which certainly betrays a little the hand or influence of scott. but though the present is a scottish production, there is no narrow specialism in its scheme. the title-page gives a london publisher as well as an anglo-athenian one, and mrs. johnstone benevolently adapted her labours to her countrywomen and the unworthier southrons alike. i imagine, however, that of all the latter-day master-cooks, alexis soyer is most remembered. his "gastronomic regenerator," a large and handsome octavo volume of between and pages, published in , lies before me. it has portraits of the compiler and his wife, and many other illustrations, and is dedicated to a royal duke. it was produced under the most influential patronage and pressure, for soyer was overwhelmed with engagements, and had scruples against appearance in print. he tells us that in some library, to which he gained access, he once found among the works of shakespeare and other _chefs_ in a different department, a volume with the words "nineteenth edition" upon it, and when he opened it, he saw to his great horror "a receipt for ox-tail soup!" why this revelation exercised such a terrifying effect he proceeds to explain. it was the incongruity of a cookery book in the temple of the muses. but nevertheless, such is the frailty of our nature, that he gradually, on regaining his composure, and at such leisure intervals as he could command, prepared the "gastronomic regenerator," in which he eschewed all superfluous ornaments of diction, and studied a simplicity of style germane to the subject; perchance he had looked into kitchener's preface. he lets us know that he had made collections of the same kind at an earlier period of his career, but had destroyed them, partly owing to his arduous duties at the reform club, and partly to the depressing influence of the nineteenth edition of somebody else's cookery book--probably, by the way, ude's. the present work occupied some ten months, and was prepared amid the most stupendous interruptions from fair visitors to the club ( , ), dinners for the members and their friends ( , ), dinner parties of importance ( ), and the meals for the staff ( ). he gives a total of , dishes; but it is not entirely clear whether these refer to the dinner parties of importance, or to the , of inferior note, or to both. the feeling of dismay at the nineteenth edition of somebody must have been sincere, for he winds up his preface with an adjuration to his readers (whom, in the "directions for carving," he does not style gentle, or learned, or worshipful, but honourable) not to place his labours on the same shelf with "paradise lost." soyer had also perhaps certain misgivings touching too close an approximation to other _chefs_ besides milton and shakespeare, for he refers to the "profound ideas" of locke, to which he was introduced, to his vast discomfort, "in a most superb library in the midst of a splendid baronial hall." but the library of the reform club probably contained all this heterogeneous learning. does the "gastronomic regenerator," out of respect to the fastidious sentiments of its author, occupy a separate apartment in that institution with a separate curator? it seems only the other day to me, that soyer took gore lodge, and seemed in a fair way to make his removal from the reform club a prosperous venture. but he lost his wife, and was unfortunate in other ways, and the end was very sad indeed. "soyez tranquille," was the epitaph proposed at the time by some unsentimental wagforpoor madame soyer; it soon served for them both. but nearly concurrent with soyer's book appeared one of humble pretensions, yet remarkable for its lucidity and precision, eliza acton's "modern cookery in all its branches reduced to an easy practice," mo, . i have heard this little volume highly commended by competent judges as exactly what it professes to be; and the quantities in the receipts are particularly reliable. the first essay to bring into favourable notice the produce of colonial cattle was, so far as i can collect, a volume published in , and called "receipts for cooking australian meat, with directions for preparing sauces suitable for the same." this still remains a vexed question; but the consumption of the meat is undoubtedly on the increase, and will continue to be, till the population of australasia equalises supply and demand. cookery books. part iv. besides the authorities for this branch of the inquiry already cited, there are a few others, which it may assist the student to set down herewith:-- . a collection of ordinances and regulations for the government of the royal household (edward iii. to william and mary). to, . . the book of nurture. by hugh rhodes, of the king's chapel. printed in the time of henry viii. by john redman. to. . a breviate touching the order and government of the house of a nobleman. . _archaeologia_, xiii. . orders made by henry, prince of wales, respecting his household. . _archaeologia_, xiv. . the school of good manners. by william phiston or fiston. vo, . . the school of virtue, the second part. by richard west. mo, . . the school of grace; or, a book of nurture. by john hart. mo. (about .) . england's newest way in all sorts of cookery. by henry howard, free cook of london. vo, london, . . a collection of above three hundred receipts in cookery, physick and surgery, for the use of all good wives, tender mothers, and careful nurses. by several hands. the second edition, to which is added a second part. vo, london, . fifth edition, vo, london, . . the compleat city and country cook. by charles carter. vo, london, . . the compleat housewife: or, accomplish'd gentlewomans companion: being a collection of upwards of five hundred of the most approved receipts in cookery, pastry, confectionery, preserving, pickles, cakes, creams, jellies, made wines, cordials. with copper plates.... and also bills of fare for every month in the year.... by e. smith. seventh edition, with very large additions, near fifty receipts being communicated just before the author's death. vo, london, . eleventh edition. vo, london, . . the complete family piece: a very choice collection of receipts in... cookery. seventh edition. vo, london, . . the modern cook. by vincent la chapelle, cook to the prince of orange. third edition. vo, london, . . a treatise of all sorts of foods, both animal and vegetable, and also of drinkables, written originally in french by the learned m.l. lemery. translated by d. hay, m.d. vo, london, . . the housekeeper's pocket-book. by sarah harrison. sixth edition, vols. mo, london, . . professed cookery. by ann cook. third edition. vo, london (about ). . the experienced english housekeeper. by elizabeth raffald. second edition. vo, london, . there were an eighth, tenth, and eleventh editions, and two others, described as "new editions," between this date and . the compiler dedicates her book to "the honourable lady elizabeth warburton," in whose service she had been. she mentions that the volume was published by subscription, and that she had obtained eight hundred names. in the preface mrs. raffald begins by observing: "when i reflect upon the number of books already in print upon this subject, and _with what contempt they are read_, i cannot but be apprehensive that this may meet the same fate with some who will censure before they either see it or try its value." she concludes by saying that she had not meddled with physical receipts, "leaving them to the physician's superior judgment, whose proper province they are." the author of the "experienced housekeeper" tells us that she had not only filled that post in noble families during fifteen years, but had travelled with her employers, and so widened her sphere of observation. . the young ladies' guide in the art of cookery. by elizabeth marshall. vo, newcastle, . . english housewifery exhibited in above receipts. by elizabeth moxon. fourth edition. vo, leeds (about ). . the practice of modern cookery. by george dalrymple. vo, edinburgh, . . the ladies' assistant for regulating and supplying the table. by charlotte mason. vo, london, . . the compleat family companion. vo, london, (?). . the honours of the table; or, rules for behaviour during meals, with the whole art of carving.... by the author of "principles of politeness," etc. (trusler). second edition. woodcuts by bewick. mo, london, . . the french family cook: being a complete system of french cookery. from the french. vo, london, . . the british housewife; or, the cook's, housekeeper's, and gardener's companion. by martha bradley. vo. . cookery and pastry. by mrs. macivey. new edition, mo, edinburgh, . . the london art of cookery. by john farley. fourth edition. vo, london, . . the school of good living; or, a literary and historical essay on the european kitchen, beginning with cadmus, the cook and king, and concluding with the union of cookery and chymistry. mo, london, . . _culina famulatur medicina_. receipts in modern cookery, with a medical commentary by ignotus, and revised by a. hunter, m.d., f.a.s.l. and e. fourth edition, mo, york, . . the universal cook. by francis collingwood and t. woollams. fourth edition. vo, london, . . a complete system of cookery. by john simpson, cook. vo, london, . again, vo, london, . . simpson's cookery improved and modernised. by h.w. brand. vo, london, . . the imperial and royal cook. by frederick nutt, esquire, author of the "complete confectioner." vo, london, . . the housekeeper's domestic library. by charles millington. vo, london, . . the housekeeper's instructor; or, universal family book. by w.a. henderson. seventeenth edition. by s.c. schrubbelie, cook to the albany, london. vo, london, . . the art of preserving all kinds of animal and vegetable substances for several years. by m. appert. translated from the french. second edition. vo, london, . with a folding plate. . domestic economy and cookery, for rich and poor. by a lady. vo, london, . in the preface the author apprises us that a long residence abroad had enabled her to become a mistress of the details of foreign european cookery; but she adds: "the mulakatanies and curries of india; the sweet pillaus, yahourt, and cold soups of persia; the cubbubs, sweet yaughs and sherbets of egypt; the cold soups and mixed meats of russia, the cuscussous and honeyed paste of africa, have been inserted with the view of introducing a less expensive and more wholesome and a more delicate mode of cookery." . apician morsels; or, tales of the table, kitchen, and larder. by dick humelbergius secundus. vo, london, . . cottage economy and cookery. vo, london, .[footnote: reprinted from the journal of the agricultural society, , vol. iii, part i]. diet of the yeoman and the poor. the staple food among the lower orders in anglo-saxon and the immediately succeeding times was doubtless bread, butter, and cheese, the aliment which goes so far even yet to support our rural population, with vegetables and fruit, and occasional allowances of salted bacon and pancakes, beef, or fish. the meat was usually boiled in a kettle suspended on a tripod [footnote: the tripod is still employed in many parts of the country for a similar purpose] over a wood-fire, such as is used only now, in an improved shape, for fish and soup. the kettle which is mentioned, as we observe, in the tale of "tom thumb," was the universal vessel for boiling purposes [footnote: an inverted kettle was the earliest type of the diving-bell], and the bacon-house (or larder), so called from the preponderance of that sort of store over the rest, was the warehouse for the winter stock of provisions [footnote: what is called in some places the keeping-room also accommodated flitches on the walls, and hams ranged along the beams overhead; and it served at the same time for a best parlour]. the fondness for condiments, especially garlic and pepper, among the higher orders, possibly served to render the coarser nourishment of the poor more savoury and flavorous. "it is interesting to remark," says mr. wright [footnote: "domestic manners and sentiments," , p. ], "that the articles just mentioned (bread, butter, and cheese) have preserved their anglo-saxon names to the present time, while all kinds of meat--beef, veal, mutton, pork, even bacon--have retained only the names given to them by the normans; which seems to imply that flesh-meat was not in general use for food among the lower classes of society." in malory's compilation on the adventures of king arthur and his knights, contemporary with the "book of st. alban's," we are expressly informed in the sixth chapter, how the king made a great feast at caerleon in wales; but we are left in ignorance of its character. the chief importance of details in this case would have been the excessive probability that malory would have described an entertainment consonant with the usage of his own day, although at no period of early history was there ever so large an assemblage of guests at one time as met, according to the fable, to do honour to arthur. in the tenth century colloquy of archbishop alfric, the boy is made to say that he is too young to eat meat, but subsists on cabbages, eggs, fish, cheese, butter, beans, and other things, according to circumstances; so that a vegetable diet was perhaps commoner in those days even among the middle classes than at present. this youth, when he is asked what he drinks, replies, water, or ale if he can get it. the dish so deftly constructed by king arthur, according to one of his numerous biographers, exhibited that wedlock of fruit with animal matter--fat and plums--which we post-arthurians eye with a certain fastidious repugnance, but which, notwithstanding, lingered on to the elizabethan or jacobaean era--nay, did not make the gorge of our grandsires turn rebellious. it survives among ourselves only in the modified shape of such accessories as currant jelly and apple sauce. but the nursery rhyme about arthur and the bag-pudding of barley meal with raisins and meat has a documentary worth for us beyond the shadowy recital of the banquet at caerleon, for, _mutato nomine_, it is the description of a favourite article of popular diet in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. the narrative of mrs. thumb and her pudding is more circumstantial than that of king alfred and the housewife; and if the tradition is worthless, it serves us so far, that it faithfully portrays a favourite item of rustic consumption in old times. we are told that the pudding was made in a bowl, and that it was chiefly composed of the flesh and blood of a newly-killed hog, laid in batter; and then, when all was ready, the bag with all its savoury burden was put into a kettle. as we are already on the threshold of legend and myth, we may linger there a moment to recall to memory the resemblance between the description of this piece of handiwork and that ascribed to good king arthur, who lived in days when monarchs were their own _chefs_, for the arthurian dish was also prepared in a bag, and consisted, according to the ditty, of barley-meal and fat. soberly speaking, the two accounts belong, maybe, to something like the same epoch in the annals of gastronomy; and a large pudding was, for a vast length of time, no doubt, a prevailing _piece de résistance_ in all frugal british households. it was the culinary forefather of toad-in-the-hole, hot-pot, irish stew, and of that devil-dreaded cornish pasty. the elizabethan transmitters of these two apician nuggets possibly antedated the popular institution of the bag-pudding; but the ancientest gastronomical records testify to the happy introduction of the frying-pan about the era when we were under alfred's fatherly sway. it may have even preceded the grill, just as the fork lagged behind the spoon, from which it is a seeming evolution. that no reader may doubt the fact, that tom's mother made the pudding, and that tom held the candle, we refer to the old edition of this choice piece of chapman's ware, where an accurate drawing of mrs. thumb, and the board, and the bowl, and tom with the candle, may be inspected. the _prima stamina_ of the modern fruit-pudding really appear to be found in the ancient bag-pudding, of which tom thumb had such excellent reason to be acquainted with the contents. the mode of construction was similar, and both were boiled in a cloth. the material and subsidiary treatment of course differed; but it is curious that no other country possesses either the tart or the pudding, as we understand them, and as the latter has perhaps been developed from the dish, of the making of which tom thumb was an eye-witness to his sorrow, so the covered fruit tart may not improbably be an outgrowth from the old coffin pasty of venison or game, with the superaddition of a dish for the safe custody of the juice. another rather prominent factor in the diet of the poor classes, not only in scotland but in the north of england, was oatmeal variously prepared. one very favourable and palatable way was by grinding the meal a second time as fine as flour, boiling it, and then serving it with hot milk or treacle. there is something in the nature of this food so peculiarly satisfying and supporting, that it seems to have been destined to become the staple nourishment of a poor population in a cold and bracing climate. the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries unquestionably saw a great advance in the mystery of cookery and in the diversity of dishes, and the author of "piers of fulham" complains, that men were no longer satisfied with brawn and powdered beef, which he terms "store of house," but would have venison, wild fowl, and heronshaw; and men of simple estate, says he, will have partridges and plovers, when lords lack. he adds quaintly: "a mallard of the dunghill is good enough for me, with pleasant pickle, or it is else poison. pardy." we have for our purpose a very serviceable relic of the old time, called "a merry jest, how the ploughman learned his paternoster." the scene purports to be laid in france, and the general outline may have been taken from the french; but it is substantially english, with allusions to kent, robin hood, and so forth, and it certainly illustrates the theme upon which we are. this ploughman was in fact a farmer or husbandman, and the account of his dwelling and garden-stuff is very interesting. we are told that his hall-roof was full of bacon-flitches, and his store-room of eggs, butter, and cheese. he had plenty of malt to make good ale-- "and martlemas beef to him was not dainty; onions and garlic had he enough, and good cream, and milk of the cow." but in "vox populi vox dei," written about , and therefore apparently not from the pen of skelton, who died in , it is said that the price of an ox had risen to four pounds, and a sheep without the wool to twelve shillings and upwards, so that the poor man could seldom afford to have meat at his table. this evil the writer ascribes to the exactions of the landlord and the lawyer. the former charged too highly for his pastures, and the latter probably advanced money on terms. the old poem depicts in sad colours the condition of the yeoman at the same period, that had had once plenty of cows and cream, butter, eggs, cheese, and honey; all which had gone to enrich upstarts who throve by casting-counters and their pens. the story of the "king and a poor northern man," , also turns upon the tyranny of the lawyers over ignorant clients. the "serving-man's comfort," , draws a somewhat gloomy picture of the times. the prices of all provisions, among other points, had trebled since the good old days, when his father and grandfather kept house. then people could buy an ox for s., a sheep for s., a calf for s., a goose for d., a capon for d., a hen for d., a pig for the same, and all other household provisions at a like rate. the reason given by the farmer was that the landlords had raised their rent. let them have the land on the old terms, and the former prices would pay. this plea and demand have come back home to us in . the tradition is, that when queen elizabeth received the intelligence of the defeat of the armada, she was dining off a goose--doubtless about eleven o'clock in the morning. it was an anxious moment, and perhaps her majesty for the moment had thrown ceremony somewhat aside, and was "keeping secret house." the author of the "serving-man's comfort," , also laments the decay of hospitality. "where," he inquires "are the great chines of stalled beef, the great, black jacks of double beer, the long hall-tables fully furnished with good victuals?" but he seems to have been a stickler for the solid fare most in vogue, according to his complaint, formerly; and he represents to us that in lieu of it one had to put up with goose-giblets, pigs' pettitoes, and so many other boiled meats, forced meats, and made dishes. things were hardly so very bad, however, if, as he states previously, the curtailment of the expenditure on the table still left, as a medium repast, two or three dishes, with fruit and cheese after. the black jack here mentioned was not discarded till comparatively modern days. nares, who published his glossary in , states that he recollects them in use. "a meal's meat twice a week, worth a groat," is mentioned as the farm servant's portion in "civil and uncivil life," . in "a piece of friar bacon's brasen-heads prophesie," a unique poem, , we read that at that time a cheesecake and a pie were held "good country meat." the author adds: "ale and spice, and curdes and creame, would make a scholler make a theame." breton, in his "fantasticks," , observes: "milk, butter and cheese are the labourers dyet; and a pot of good beer quickens his spirits." norfolk dumplings were celebrated in john day the playwright's time. he has put into the mouth of his east-country yeoman's son, tom strowd, in "the blind beggar of bethnal green," written long before it was printed in , the following:--"as god mend me, and ere thou com'st into norfolk, i'll give thee as good a dish of norfolk dumplings as ere thou laydst thy lips to;" and in another passage of the same drama, where swash's shirt has been stolen, while he is in bed, he describes himself "as naked as your norfolk dumplin." in the play just quoted, old strowd, a norfolk yeoman, speaks of his contentment with good beef, norfolk bread, and country home-brewed drink; and in the "city madam," , holdfast tells us that before his master got an estate, "his family fed on roots and livers, and necks of beef on sundays." i cite these as traits of the kind of table kept by the lower grades of english society in the seventeenth century. meats and drinks. slender: you are afraid, if you see the bear loose, are you not? anne: aye, indeed, sir slender: that's meat and drink to me, now. merry wives of windsor, i, . the manufacture of wine and of fruit preserves, and many of the processes of cookery, could have scarcely been accomplished without a large and constant supply of sugar. the exact date of the first introduction of the latter into england continues to be a matter of uncertainty. it was clearly very scarce, and doubtless equally dear, when, in , henry iii. asked the mayor of winchester to procure him three pounds of alexandria sugar, if so much could be got, and also some rose and violet-coloured sugar; nor had it apparently grown much more plentiful when the same prince ordered the sheriffs of london to send him four loaves of sugar to woodstock. but it soon made its way into the english homes, and before the end of the thirteenth century it could be procured even in remote provincial towns. it was sold either by the loaf or the pound. it was still exorbitantly high in price, varying from eighteen pence to three shillings a pound of coeval currency; and it was retailed by the spice-dealers. in russell's "book of nurture," composed about , it occurs as an ingredient in hippocras; and one collects from a letter sent by sir edward wotton to lord cobham from calais in , that at that time the quantities imported were larger, and the price reduced; for wotton advises his correspondent of a consignment of five-and-twenty loaves at six shillings the loaf. one loaf was equal to ten pounds; this brought the commodity down to eight pence a pound of fifteenth century money. the sugar of cyprus was also highly esteemed; that of bezi, in the straits of sunda, was the most plentiful; but the west indian produce, as well as that of mauritius, madeira, and other cane-growing countries, was unknown. of bread, the fifteenth century had several descriptions in use: pain-main or bread of very fine flour, wheat-bread, barley-meal bread, bran-bread, bean-bread, pease-bread, oat-bread or oat-cakes, hard-bread, and unleavened bread. the poor often used a mixture of rye, lentils, and oatmeal, varied according to the season and district. the author of "the serving-man's comfort," , however, seems to say that it was counted by the poorer sort at that time a hardship only to be tolerated in a dear year to mix beans and peas with their corn, and he adds: "so must i yield you a loaf of coarse cockle, having no acquaintance with coin to buy corn." in a _nominale_ of this period mention is made of "oblys," or small round loaves, perhaps like the old-fashioned "turnover"; and we come across the explicit phrase, _a loaf of bread_, for the first time, a pictorial vocabulary of the period even furnishing us with a representation of its usual form. nor were the good folks of those days without their simnels, cracknels, and other sorts of cakes for the table, among which in the _wastel_ we recognise the equivalent of the modern french _gâteau_. besides march-pain or pain-main, and pain-puff, two sorts baked on special occasions, and rather entering into the class of confectionery, our better-to-do ancestors usually employed three descriptions of bread: manchete for the master's table, made of fine boulted flour; chete, of unboulted flour, but not mixed with any coarser ingredient; and brown-bread, composed of flour and rye meal, and known as _maslin_ (mystelon). a bushel of wheat, in a romance of the thirteenth century, is estimated to produce twenty loaves; but the statement is obviously to be taken with allowance. the manchet was sometimes thought to be sufficient without butter, as we now eat a scone. in the "conceits of old hobson," , the worthy haberdasher of the poultry gives some friends what is facetiously described as a "light" banquet--a cup of wine and a manchet of bread on a trencher for each guest, in an apartment illuminated with five hundred candles. there is no pictorial record of the mode in which the early baker worked here, analogous to that which lacroix supplies of his sixteenth century _confrère_. the latter is brought vividly enough before us in a copy of one of jost amman's engravings, and we perceive the bakery and its tenants: one (apparently a female) kneading the dough in a trough at the farther end, a second by a roasting fire, with a long ladle or peel in his hand, putting the loaf on the oven, and a third, who is a woman, leaving the place with two baskets of bread, one on her head and one on her arm; the baker himself is almost naked, like the operatives in a modern iron furnace. the artist has skilfully realised the oppressive and enervating atmosphere; and it was till lately quite usual to see in the side streets of paris in the early morning the _boulanger_ at work precisely in the same informal costume. so tenacious is usage, and so unchanging many of the conditions of life. the anglo-norman used butter where his italian contemporary used oil. but it is doubtful whether before the conquest our ancestors were commonly acquainted with butter. the early cook understood the art of glazing with yolk of egg, and termed it endoring, and not less well that of presenting dishes under names calculated to mislead the intended partaker, as where we find a receipt given for _pome de oringe_, which turns out to be a preparation of liver of pork with herbs and condiments, served up in the form of glazed force-meat balls. venison was salted in troughs. in the tale of "the king and the hermit," the latter exhibits to his unknown visitor his stock of preserved venison from the deer, which he had shot in the forest. the mushroom, of which so many varieties are at present recognised by botanists, seems, from the testimony of an italian, giacomo castelvetri, who was in london in , and to whom i have already referred, to have been scarcely known here at that time. i cannot say, of course, how far castelvetri may have prosecuted his inquiries, though he certainly leaves the impression of having been intelligently observant; or whether he includes in this observation the edible toadstools; but even now much unreasonable prejudice exists as to the latter, and very limited use is made of any but two or three familiar sorts of the mushroom itself. it is a pity that this misconception should not be dissipated. caviary had been brought into england, probably from russia, at the commencement of the seventeenth century, perhaps sooner. in , "the court and country," by breton, seems to represent it as an article of diet which was little known, and not much relished; for a great lady had sent the writer's father a little barrel of it, and it was no sooner opened than it was fastened down again, to be returned to the donor with a respectful message that her servant had black soap enough already. in the time of james i. the ancient bill of fare had been shorn of many of its coarser features, so far as fish was concerned; and the author of "the court and country" tells a story to shew that porpoise-pie was a dish which not even a dog would eat. the times had indeed changed, since a king and a cardinal-archbishop judged this warm-blooded sea-dweller a fit dish for the most select company. it is not a despicable or very ascetic regimen which stevenson lays before us under april in his reproduction of breton's "fantasticks," , under the title of the "twelve months," :--"the wholesome dyet that breeds good sanguine juyce, such as pullets, capons, sucking veal, beef not above three years old, a draught of morning milk fasting from the cow; grapes, raysons, and figs be good before meat; rice with almond milk, birds of the field, peasants and partridges, and fishes of stony rivers, hen eggs potcht, and such like." under may he furnishes us with a second and not less appetising _menu_:-- "butter and sage are now the wholesome breakfast, but fresh cheese and cream are meat for a dainty mouth; the early peascods and strawberries want no price with great bellies; but the chicken and the duck are fatted for the market; the sucking rabbet is frequently taken in the nest, and many a gosling never lives to be a goose." even so late as the succeeding reign, breton speaks of the good cheer at christmas, and of the cook, if he lacks not wit, sweetly licking his fingers. the storage of liquids became a difficult problem where, as among our ancestors, glazed pottery was long unknown; and more especially with regard to the supply of water in dry seasons. but so far as milk was concerned, the daily yield probably seldom exceeded the consumption; and among the inhabitants further north and east, who, as caesar says, partook also of flesh, and did not sow grain--in other words, were less vegetarian in their habits from the more exhausting nature of the climate--the consideration might be less urgent. it is open to doubt if, even in those primitive times, the supply of a national want lagged far behind the demand. the list of wines which the king of hungary proposed to have at the wedding of his daughter, in "the squire of low degree," is worth consulting. harrison, in his "description of england," , speaks of thirty different kinds of superior vintages and fifty-six of commoner or weaker kinds. but the same wine was perhaps known under more than one name. romney or rumney, a hungarian growth, malmsey from the peloponnesus, and hippocras were favourites, and the last-named was kept as late as the last century in the buttery of st. john's college, cambridge, for use during the christmas festivities. but france, spain, greece, almost all countries, contributed to furnish the ancient wine-cellar, and gratify the variety of taste among connoisseurs; and for such as had not the means to purchase foreign productions, the juice of the english grape, either alone or mingled with honey and spice, furnished a not unpalatable and not very potent stimulant. as claret and hock with us, so anciently bastard and piment were understood in a generic sense, the former for any mixed wine, the latter for one seasoned with spice. in "colin blobol's testament," a whimsical production of the fifteenth century, tent and valencia wines are mentioned, with wine of languedoc and orleans. but perhaps it will be best to cite the passage:-- "i trow there shall be an honest fellowship, save first shall they of ale have new backbones. with strong ale brewed in vats and in tuns; ping, drangollie, and the draget fine, mead, mattebru, and the metheling. red wine, the claret and the white, with tent and alicant, in whom i delight. wine of languedoc and of orleans thereto: single beer, and other that is double: spruce beer, and the beer of hamburgh: malmsey, tires, and romany." but some of the varieties are hidden under obscure names. we recognise muscadel, rhine wine, bastard, hippocras, however. on the th of december, , piers barber received six shillings and eight pence, according to the "privy purse expences of henry vii.," "for spice for ypocras." metheglin and beer of some kind appear to be the most ancient liquors of which there are any vestiges among the britons. ferguson, in his essay "on the formation of the palate," states that they are described by a greek traveller, who visited the south of britain in the fourth century b.c. this informant describes metheglin as composed of wheat and honey (of course mixed with water), and the beer as being of sufficient strength to injure the nerves and cause head-ache. worlidge, in his "vinetum britannicum," , gives us receipts for metheglin and birch wine. breton, in his "fantasticks," , under january, recommends a draught of ale and wormwood wine mixed in a morning to comfort the heart, scour the maw, and fulfil other beneficial offices. the english beer of by-gone times underwent many vicissitudes, and it was long before our ancestors conquered their dislike to the bitter hop, after having been accustomed to a thick, sweet liquor of which the modern kentish ale is in some measure a survival. beer was made from a variety of grain; oats were most commonly employed. in france, they resorted even to vetches, lentils, rye, and darnel. but as a rule it was a poor, thin drink which resulted from the operation, and the monks of glastonbury deemed themselves fortunate in being allowed by their abbot to put a load of oats into the vat to improve the quality of the beverage; which may account for peter of blois characterising the ale in use at court in his day (he died about the end of the twelfth century) as potent--it was by contrast so. the first assize of ale seems not to have been enacted till the reign of henry iii. from a glossary of the fourteenth century, inserted in "reliquse antique," , it appears that whey was then used as a drink; it occurs there as "cerum, i, quidam liquor, whey." the kitchen. in direct connection with cookery as with horticulture, are the utensils and appliances which were at the command of those who had to do with these matters in days of yore; and in both cases an inquirer finds that he has to turn from the vain search for actual specimens belonging to remoter antiquity to casual representations or descriptions in mss. and printed books. our own museums appear to be very weakly furnished with examples of the vessels and implements in common use for culinary purposes in ancient times, and, judging from the comparatively limited information which we get upon this subject from the pages of lacroix, the paucity of material is not confined to ourselves. the destruction and disappearance of such humble monuments of the civilisation of the past are easily explained; and the survival of a slender salvage is to be treated as a circumstance not less remarkable than fortunate. it seems that the practice was to cut up, if not to slaughter, the animals used for food in the kitchen, and to prepare the whole carcase, some parts in one way and some in another. we incidentally collect from an ancient tale that the hearts of swine were much prized as dainties. besides a general notion of the appointments of the cooking department, we are enabled to form some conception of the aspect of the early kitchen itself from extant representations in the "archaeological album," the "penny magazine" for , and lacroix [footnote: "moeurs, usages et costumes au moyen age," , pp , , ]. the last-named authority furnishes us with two interesting sixteenth century interiors from jost amman, and (from the same source) a portraiture of the cook of that period. the costume of the subject is not only exhibited, doubtless with the fidelity characteristic of the artist, but is quite equally applicable to france, if not to our own country, and likewise to a much earlier date. the evidences of the same class supplied by the "archaeological album," , are drawn from the ms. in the british museum, formerly belonging to the abbey of st. albans. they consist of two illustrations--one of master robert, cook to the abbey, as elsewhere noticed, accompanied by his wife--unique relic of its kind; the other a view of a small apartment with dressers and shelves, and with plates and accessories hung round, in which a cook, perhaps the identical master robert aforesaid, is plucking a bird. the fireplace is in the background, and the iron vessel which is to receive the fowl, or whatever it may really be, is suspended over the flame by a long chain. the perspective is rather faulty, and the details are not very copious; but for so early a period as the thirteenth or early part of the following century its value is undeniable. the "penny magazine" presents us with a remarkable exterior, that of the venerable kitchen of stanton-harcourt, near oxford, twenty-nine feet square and sixty feet in height. there are two large fireplaces, facing each other, but no chimney, the smoke issuing atthe holes, each about seven inches in diameter, which run round the roof. as lamb said of his essays, that they were all preface, so this kitchen is all chimney. it is stated that the kitchen at glastonbury abbey was constructed on the same model; and both are probably older than the reign of henry iv. the one to which i am more immediately referring, though, at the time ( ) the drawing was taken, in an excellent state of preservation, had evidently undergone repairs and structural changes. it was at stanton-harcourt that pope wrote a portion of his translation of homer, about . a manufactory of brass cooking utensils was established at wandsworth in or before aubrey's time by dutchmen, who kept the art secret. lysons states that the place where the industry was carried on bore the name of the "frying pan houses" [footnote: a "environs of london," st ed., surrey, pp. - ]. in the north of england, the _bake-stone_, originally of the material to which it owed its name, but at a very early date constructed of iron, with the old appellations retained as usual, was the universal machinery for baking, and was placed on the _branderi_, an iron frame which was fixed on the top of the fireplace, and consisted of iron bars, with a sliding or slott bar, to shift according to the circumstances. the tripod which held the cooking-vessel over the wood flame, among the former inhabitants of britain, has not been entirely effaced. it is yet to be seen here and there in out-of-the-way corners and places; and in india they use one constructed of clay, and differently contrived. the most primitive pots for setting over the fire on the tripod were probably of bronze. the tripod seems to be substantially identical with what was known in nidderdale as the kail-pot. "this was formerly in common use," says mr. lucas; "a round iron pan, about ten inches deep and eighteen inches across, with a tight-fitting, convex lid. it was provided with three legs. the kail-pot, as it was called, was used for cooking pies, and was buried bodily in burning peat. as the lower peats became red-hot, they drew them from underneath, and placed them on the top. the kail-pot may still be seen on a few farms." this was about . the writer is doubtless correct in supposing that this utensil was originally employed for cooking kail or cabbage and other green stuff. three rods of iron or hard wood lashed together, with a hook for taking the handle of the kettle, formed, no doubt, the original tripod. but among some of the tribes of the north of europe, and in certain tartar, indian, and other communities, we see no such rudimentary substitute for a grate, but merely two uprights and a horizontal rest, supporting a chain; and in the illustration to the thirteenth or fourteenth century ms., once part of the abbatial library at st. albans, a nearer approach to the modern jack is apparent in the suspension of the vessel over the flame by a chain attached to the centre of a fireplace. not the tripod, therefore, but the other type must be thought to have been the germ of the later-day apparatus, which yielded in its turn to the range. the fireplace with a ring in the middle, from which is suspended the pot, is represented in a french sculpture of the end of the fourteenth century, where two women are seated on either side, engaged in conversation. one holds a ladle, and the other an implement which may be meant for a pair of bellows. in his treatise on kitchen utensils, neckam commences with naming a table, on which the cook may cut up green stuff of various sorts, as onions, peas, beans, lentils, and pulse; and he proceeds to enumerate the tools and implements which are required to carry on the work: pots, tripods for the kettle, trenchers, pestles, mortars, hatchets, hooks, saucepans, cauldrons, pails, gridirons, knives, and so on. the head-cook was to have a little apartment, where he could prepare condiments and dressings; and a sink was to be provided for the viscera and other offal of poultry. fish was cooked in salt water or diluted wine. pepper and salt were freely used, and the former must have been ground as it was wanted, for a pepper-mill is named as a requisite. mustard we do not encounter till the time of johannes de garlandia (early thirteenth century), who states that it grew in his own garden at paris. garlic, or gar-leac (in the same way as the onion is called _yn-leac_), had established itself as a flavouring medium. the nasturtium was also taken into service in the tenth or eleventh century for the same purpose, and is classed with herbs. when the dish was ready, it was served up with green sauce, in which the chief ingredients were sage, parsley, pepper, and oil, with a little salt. green geese were eaten with raisin or crab-apple sauce. poultry was to be well larded or basted while it was before the fire. i may be allowed to refer the reader, for some interesting jottings respecting the first introduction of coal into london, to "our english home," . "the middle classes," says the anonymous writer, "were the first to appreciate its value; but the nobility, whose mansions were in the pleasant suburbs of holborn and the strand, regarded it as a nuisance." this was about the middle of the thirteenth century. it may be a mite contributed to our knowledge of early household economy to mention, by the way, that in the supernatural tale of the "smith and his dame" (sixteenth century) "a quarter of coal" occurs. the smith lays it on the fire all at once; but then it was for his forge. he also poured water on the flames, to make them, by means of his bellows, blaze more fiercely. but the proportion of coal to wood was long probably very small. one of the tenants of the abbey of peterborough, in , was obliged to furnish forty loads of wood, but of coal two only. in the time of charles i., however, coals seem to have been usual in the kitchen, for breton, in this "fantasticks," , says, under january:--"the maid is stirring betimes, and slipping on her shooes and her petticoat, groaps for the tinder box, where after a conflict between the steele and the stone, she begets a spark, at last the candle lights on his match; then upon an old rotten foundation of broaken boards she erects an artificiall fabrick of the black bowels of new-castle soyle, to which she sets fire with as much confidence as the romans to their funerall pyles." under july, in the same work, we hear of "a chafing dish of coals;" and under september, wood and coals are mentioned together. but doubtless the employment of the latter was far less general. in a paper read before the royal society, june , , there is an account of a saucepan discovered in the bed of the river withain, near tattersall ferry, in lincolnshire, in . it was of base metal, and was grooved at the bottom, to allow the contents more readily to come within reach of the fire. the writer of this narrative, which is printed in the "philosophical transactions," considered that the vessel might be of roman workman-ship; as he states that on the handle was stamped a name, c. arat., which he interprets _caius aratus_. "it appears," he adds, "to have been tinned; but almost all the coating had been worn off.... the art of tinning copper was understood and practised by the romans, although it is commonly supposed to be a modern invention." neckam mentions the roasting-spit, elsewhere called the roasting-iron; but i fail to detect skewers, though they can hardly have been wanting. ladles for basting and stirring were familiar. as to the spit itself, it became a showy article of plate, when the fashion arose of serving up the meat upon it in the hall; and the tenure by which finchingfield in essex was held _in capite_ in the reign of edward iii.--that of turning the spit at the coronation--demonstrates that the instrument was of sufficient standing to be taken into service as a memorial formality. the fifteenth century vocabulary notices the salt-cellar, the spoon, the trencher, and the table-cloth. the catalogue comprises _morsus, a bit_, which shows that _bit_ and _bite_ are synonymous, or rather, that the latter is the true word as still used in scotland, yorkshire, and lincolnshire, from the last of which the pilgrims carried it across the atlantic, where it is a current americanism, not for one bite, but as many as you please, which is, in fact, the modern provincial interpretation of the phrase, but not the antique english one. the word _towel_ was indifferently applied, perhaps, for a cloth for use at the table or in the lavatory. yet there was also the _manuturgium_, or hand-cloth, a speciality rendered imperative by the mediaeval fashion of eating. in the inventory of the linen at gilling, in yorkshire, one of the seats of the fairfax family, made in , occur:--"item, napkins vj. dozen. item, new napkins vj. dozen." this entry may or may not warrant a conclusion that the family bought that quantity at a time--not a very excessive store, considering the untidy habits of eating and the difficulty of making new purchases at short notice. another mark of refinement is the resort to the _napron_, corruptly _apron_, to protect the dress during the performance of kitchen work. but the fifteenth century was evidently growing wealthier in its articles of use and luxury; the garden and the kitchen only kept pace with the bed-chamber and the dining-hall, the dairy and the laundry, the stable and the out-buildings. an extensive nomenclature was steadily growing up, and the latin, old french, and saxon terms were giving way on all sides to the english. it has been now for some time an allowed and understood thing that in these domestic backgrounds the growth of our country and the minuter traits of private life are to be studied with most clear and usurious profit. the trencher, at first of bread, then of wood, after a while of pewter, and eventually of pottery, porcelain or china-earth, as it was called, and the precious metals, afforded abundant scope for the fancy of the artist, even in the remote days when the material for it came from the timber-dealer, and sets of twelve were sometimes decorated on the face with subjects taken from real life, and on the back with emblems of the purpose to which they were destined. puttenham, whose "art of english poetry" lay in ms. some years before it was published in , speaks of the posies on trenchers and banqueting dishes. the author of "our english home" alludes to a very curious set, painted in subjects and belonging to the reign of james i., which was exhibited at the society of antiquaries' rooms by colonel sykes. it is to be augured that, with the progress of refinement, the meats were served upon the table on dishes instead of trenchers, and that the latter were reserved for use by the guests of the family. for in the "serving-man's comfort," , one reads:--"even so the gentlemanly serving-man, whose life and manners doth equal his birth and bringing up, scorneth the society of these sots, or to place a dish where they give a trencher"; and speaking of the passion of people for raising themselves above their extraction, the writer, a little farther on, observes: "for the yeoman's son, as i said before, leaving _gee haigh!_ for, _butler, some more fair trenchers to the table!_ bringeth these ensuing ulcers amongst the members of the common body." the employment of trenchers, which originated in the manner which i have shown, introduced the custom of the distribution at table of the two sexes, and the fashion of placing a lady and gentleman alternately. in former days it was frequently usual for a couple thus seated together to eat from one trencher, more particularly if the relations between them were of an intimate nature, or, again, if it were the master and mistress of the establishment. walpole relates that so late as the middle of the last century the old duke and duchess of hamilton occupied the dais at the head of the room, and preserved the traditional manner by sharing the same plate. it was a token of attachment and a tender recollection of unreturnable youth. the prejudice against the fork in england remained very steadfast actual centuries after its first introduction; forks are particularised among the treasures of kings, as if they had been crown jewels, in the same manner as the _iron_ spits, pots, and frying-pans of his majesty edward iii.; and even so late as the seventeeth century, coryat, who employed one after his visit to italy, was nicknamed "furcifer." the two-pronged implement long outlived coryat; and it is to be seen in cutlers' signs even down to our day. the old dessert set, curiously enough, instead of consisting of knives and forks in equal proportions, contained eleven knives and one fork for _ginger_. both the fork and spoon were frequently made with handles of glass or crystal, like those of mother-of-pearl at present in vogue. in a tract coeval with coryat the fork-bearer, breton's "court and country," , there is a passage very relevant to this part of the theme:--"for us in the country," says he, "when we have washed our hands after no foul work, nor handling any unwholesome thing, we need no little forks to make hay with our mouths, to throw our meat into them." forks, though not employed by the community, became part of the effects of royal and great personages, and in the inventory of charles v. of france appear the spoon, knife, and fork. in another of the duke of burgundy, sixty years later ( ), knives and other implements occur, but no fork. the cutlery is described here as of german make. brathwaite, in his "rules for the government of the house of an earl," probably written about , mentions knives and spoons, but not forks. as the fork grew out of the chopstick, the spoon was probably suggested by the ladle, a form of implement employed alike by the baker and the cook; for the early tool which we see in the hands of the operative in the oven more nearly resembles in the bowl a spoon than a shovel. in india nowadays they have ladles, but not spoons. the universality of broths and semi-liquid substances, as well as the commencement of a taste for learned gravies, prompted a recourse to new expedients for communicating between the platter and the mouth; and some person of genius saw how the difficulty might be solved by adapting the ladle to individual service. but every religion has its quota of dissent, and there were, nay, are still, many who professed adherence to the sturdy simplicity of their progenitors, and saw in this daring reform and the fallow blade of the knife a certain effeminate prodigality. it is significant of the drift of recent years toward the monograph, that, in , mr. westman published "the spoon: primitive, egyptian, roman, mediaeval and modern," with one hundred illustrations, in an octavo volume. the luxury of carving-knives was, even in the closing years of the fifteenth century, reserved for royalty and nobility; for in the "privy purse expenses of henry vii.," under , a pair is said to have cost £ s. d. of money of that day. nothing is said of forks. but in the same account, under february st, - , one mistress brent receives s. (and a book, which cost the king s. more) for a silver fork weighing three ounces. in newbery's "dives pragmaticus," , a unique poetical volume in the library at althorpe, there is a catalogue of cooking utensils which, considering its completeness, is worth quotation; the author speaks in the character of a chapman--one forestalling autolycus:-- "i have basins, ewers, of tin, pewter and glass. great vessels of copper, fine latten and brass: both pots, pans and kettles, such as never was. i have platters, dishes, saucers and candle-sticks, chafers, lavers, towels and fine tricks: posnets, frying-pans, and fine puddingpricks ... fine pans for milk, and trim tubs for sowse. i have ladles, scummers, andirons and spits, dripping-pans, pot-hooks.... i have fire-pans, fire-forks, tongs, trivets, and trammels, roast-irons, trays, flaskets, mortars and pestles...." and among other items he adds rollers for paste, moulds for cooks, fine cutting knives, fine wine glasses, soap, fine salt, and candles. the list is the next best thing to an auctioneer's inventory of an elizabethan kitchen, to the fittings of shakespeare's, or rather of his father's. a good idea of the character and resources of a nobleman's or wealthy gentleman's kitchen at the end of the sixteenth and commencement of the seventeenth century may be formed from the fairfax inventories ( - ), lately edited by mr. peacock. i propose to annex a catalogue of the utensils which there present themselves:-- the furnace pan for beef. the beef kettle. great and small kettles. brass kettles, holding from sixteen to twenty gallons each. little kettles with bowed or carved handles. copper pans with ears. great brass pots. dripping-pans. an iron peel or baking shovel. a brazen mortar and a pestle. gridirons. iron ladles. a laten scummer. a grater. a pepper mill. a mustard-quern. boards. a salt-box. an iron range. iron racks. a tin pot. pot hooks. a galley bawk to suspend the kettle or pot over the fire. spits, square and round, and various sizes. bearers. crooks. in the larders (wet and dry) and pastry were:-- moulding boards for pastry. a boulting tub for meal. a little table. a spice cupboard. a chest for oatmeal. a trough. hanging and other shelves. here follows the return of pewter, brass, and other vessels belonging to the kitchen:-- pewter dishes of nine sizes (from newcastle). long dishes for rabbits. } saucers. } chargers. } silver fashioned. pie plates. } voider. } a beef-prick. fire shoves and tongs. a brig (a sort of brandreth). a cullender. a pewter baking-pan. kettles of brass. a skillet. a brandeth. a shredding knife. a chopping knife. an apple cradle. a pair of irons to make wafers with. a brass pot-lid. beef-axes and knives. } slaughter ropes. } for slaughtering. beef stangs. } in the beef-house was an assortment of tubs, casks, and hogsheads. table knives, forks, spoons, and drinking-vessels presumably belonged to another department. the dripping-pan is noticed in breton's "fantasticks," : "dishes and trenchers are necessary servants, and they that have no meat may go scrape; a spit and a dripping-pan would do well, if well furnished." flecknoe, again, in his character of a "miserable old gentlewoman," inserted among his "enigmatical characters," , speaks of her letting her prayer-book fall into the dripping-pan, and the dog and the cat quarrelling over it, and at last agreeing to pray on it! but this is a branch of the subject i cannot afford further to penetrate. yet i must say a word about the polished maple-wood bowl, or _maser_, with its mottoes and quaint devices, which figured on the side-board of the yeoman and the franklin, and which chaucer must have often seen in their homes. like everything else which becomes popular, it was copied in the precious metals, with costly and elaborate goldsmith's work; but its interest for us is local, and does not lend itself to change of material and neighbourhood. the habits of the poor and middle classes are apt to awaken a keener curiosity in our minds from the comparatively slender information which has come to us upon them; and as in the case of the maser, the laver which was employed in humble circles for washing the hands before and after a meal was, not of gold or silver, as in the houses of the nobility, but of brass or laten, nor was it in either instance a ceremonious form, but a necessary process. the modern finger-glass and rose-water dish, which are an incidence of every entertainment of pretension, and in higher society as much a parcel of the dinner-table as knives and forks, are, from a mediaeval standpoint, luxurious anachronisms. in archbishop alfric's "colloquy," originally written in the tenth century, and subsequently augmented and enriched with a saxon gloss by one of his pupils, the cook is one of the persons introduced and interrogated. he is asked what his profession is worth to the community; and he replies that without him people would have to eat their greens and flesh raw; whereupon it is rejoined that they might readily dress them themselves; to which the cook can only answer, that in such case all men would be reduced to the position of servants. the kitchen had its _chef_ or master-cook (archimacherus), under-cooks, a waferer or maker of sweets, a scullion or swiller (who is otherwise described as a _quistron_), and knaves, or boys for preparing the meat; and all these had their special functions and implements. even in the fifteenth century the appliances for cookery were evidently far more numerous than they had been. an illustrated vocabulary portrays, among other items, the dressing-board, the dressing-knife, the roasting-iron, the frying-pan, the spit-turner (in lieu of the old turn-broach), the andiron, the ladle, the slice, the skummer; and the _assitabulum_, or saucer, first presents itself. it seems as if the butler and the pantler had their own separate quarters; and the different species of wine, and the vessels for holding it, are not forgotten. the archaic pantry was dedicated, not to its later objects, but to that which the name strictly signifies; but at the same time the writer warrants us in concluding, that the pantry accommodated certain miscellaneous utensils, as he comprises in its contents a candlestick, a table or board-cloth, a hand-cloth or napkin, a drinking bowl, a saucer, and a spoon. the kitchen, in short, comprised within its boundaries a far larger variety of domestic requisites of all kinds than its modern representative, which deals with an external machinery so totally changed. the ancient court of england was so differently constituted from the present, and so many offices which sprang out of the feudal system have fallen into desuetude, that it requires a considerable effort to imagine a condition of things, where the master-cook of our lord the king was a personage of high rank and extended possessions. how early the functions of cook and the property attached to the position were separated, and the tenure of the land made dependent on a nominal ceremony, is not quite clear. warner thinks that it was in the conqueror's time; but at any rate, in that of henry ii. the husband of the heiress of bartholomew de cheney held his land in addington, surrey, by the serjeantry of finding a cook to dress the victuals at the coronation; the custom was kept up at least so late as the reign of george iii., to whom at his coronation the lord of the manor of addington presented a dish of pottage. the tenure was varied in its details from time to time. but for my purpose it is sufficient that manorial rights were acquired by the _magnus coquus_ or _magister coquorum_ in the same way as by the grand butler and other officers of state; and when so large a share of the splendour of royalty continued for centuries to emanate from the kitchen, it was scarcely inappropriate or unfair to confer on that department of state some titular distinction, and endow the holder with substantial honours. to the grand chamberlain and the grand butler the grand cook was a meet appendage. the primary object of these feudal endowments was the establishment of a cordon round the throne of powerful subjects under conditions and titles which to ourselves may appear incongruous and obscure, but which were in tolerable keeping with the financial and commercial organisation of the period, with a restricted currency, a revenue chiefly payable in kind, scanty facilities for transit, and an absence of trading centres. these steward-ships, butler-ships, and cook-ships, in the hands of the most trusted vassals of the crown, constituted a rudimentary vehicle for in-gathering the dues of all kinds renderable by the king's tenants; and as an administrative scheme gradually unfolded itself, they became titular and honorary, like our own reduced menagerie of nondescripts. but while they lasted in their substance and reality, they answered the wants and notions of a primitive people; nor is it for this practical age to lift up its hands or its voice too high; for mediaeval england is still legible without much excavation in our court, our church, nay, in our laws. there lurk our cunning spoilers! mr. fairholt, in the "archaeological album," , has depicted for our benefit the _chef_ of the abbey of st. albans in the fourteenth century, and his wife helena the representations of these two notable personages occur in a ms. in the british museum, which formerly belonged to the abbey, and contains a list of its benefactors, with their gifts. it does not appear that master robert, cook to abbot thomas, was the donor of any land or money; but, in consideration of his long and faithful services, his soul was to be prayed for with that of his widow, who bestowed s. d. _ad opus hujus libri_, which fairholt supposes to refer to the insertion of her portrait and that of her spouse among the graphic decorations of the volume. they are perhaps in their way unique. behold them opposite! another point in reference to the early economy of the table, which should not be overlooked, is the character of the ancient buttery, and the quick transition which its functionary, the butler, experienced from the performance of special to that of general duties. he at a very remote period acted not merely as the curator of the wine-cellar, but as the domestic steward and storekeeper; and it was his business to provide for the requirements of the kitchen and the pantry, and to see that no opportunity was neglected of supplying, from the nearest port, or market town, or fair, if his employer resided in the country, all the necessaries for the departments under his control. we are apt to regard the modern bearer of the same title as more catholic in his employments than the appellation suggests; but he in fact wields, on the contrary, a very circumscribed authority compared to that of his feudal prototype. one of the menial offices in the kitchen, when the spit came into use, was the broach-turner, lately referred to. he was by no means invariably maintained on the staff, but was hired for the occasion, which may augur the general preference for boiled and fried meats. sometimes it appears that any lad passing by, or in want of temporary employment, was admitted for this purpose, and had a trifling gratuity, or perhaps only his dinner and the privilege of dipping his fingers in the dripping, for his pains. warner cites an entry in some accounts of the hospital of st. bartholomew at sandwich, under :--"for tournynge the spytte, iiijd." and this was when the mayor of the borough dined with the prior. a royal personage gave, of course, more. the play of "gammer gurton's needle," written about , opens with a speech of diccon the bedlam, or poor tom, where he says:-- "many a gossip's cup in my time have i tasted, and many a broach and spit have i both turned and basted." the spit, again, was supplanted by the jack. the "history of friar rush," , opens with a scene in which the hero introduces himself to a monastery, and is sent by the unsuspecting prior to the master-cook, who finds him subordinate employment. meals. it has been noted that for a great length of time two meals were made to suffice the requirements of all classes. our own experience shows how immaterial the names are which people from age to age choose to bestow on their feeding intervals. some call supper _dinner_, and others call dinner _luncheon._ first comes the prevailing mode instituted by fashionable society, and then a foolish subscription to it by a section of the community who are too poor to follow it, and too proud not to seem to do so. formerly it was usual for the great to dine and sup earlier than the little; but now the rule is reversed, and the later a man dines the more distinguished he argues himself. we have multiplied our daily seasons of refreshment, and eat and drink far oftener than our ancestors; but the truly genteel briton never sups; the word is scarcely in his vocabulary,--like beau brummel and the farthing--"fellow, i do not know the coin!" in a glossary of the tenth-eleventh century only two meals are quoted: undermeat = _prandium_, and even-meat = _coena_. that is to say, our saxon precursors were satisfied as a rule with two repasts daily, but to this in more luxurious times were added the supper and even the rear-supper, the latter being, so far as we know, a second course or dessert and the bipartite collation corresponding to the modern late dinner. but it is one of those strange survivals of ancient manners which people practise without any consciousness of the fact, which is at the root of the fashion, which still occasionally prevails, of dividing the chief meal of the day by an interval of repose, and taking the wine and dessert an hour or two after the other courses; and the usage in our colleges and inns of court of retiring to another apartment to "wine" may claim the same origin. it is obvious that the rear-supper was susceptible of becoming the most important and costly part of an entertainment; and that it frequently assumed extravagant proportions, many passages from our early poets might be adduced to prove. in the "book of cookery," , we have the _menu_ at the installation of archbishop nevill in york in ; but the bill of fare of a feast given by him in at oxford, where he is mentioned as master nevill, son of the earl of salisbury, is inserted from the cotton ms. titus, in "reliquiae antiquae," . it consisted of three courses, which seem to have been the customary limit. of course, however, the usage varied, as in the "song of the boar's head," of which there are two or three versions, two courses only are specified in what has the air of having been a rather sumptuous entertainment. the old low-latin term for the noonday meal was _merenda_, which suggests the idea of food to be earned before it was enjoyed. so in "friar bacon's prophesie," , a poem, it is declared that, in the good old days, he that wrought not, till he sweated, was held unworthy of his meat. this reminds one of abernethy's maxim for the preservation of health,--to live on sixpence a day, _and earn it_. the "song of the boar's head," just cited, and printed from the porkington ms. in "reliquiae antiquae" (ii, ), refers to larks for ladies to pick as part of the second course in a banquet. on special occasions, in the middle ages, after the dessert, hippocras was served, as they have liqueurs to this day on the continent both after dinner and after the mid-day breakfast. the writer of "piers of fulham" lived to see this fashion of introducing a third meal, and that again split into two for luxury's sake; for his metrical biographer tells us, that he refused rear-suppers, from a fear of surfeiting. i collect that in the time of henry viii. the supper was a well-established institution, and that the abuse of postponing it to a too advanced hour had crept in; for the writer of a poem of this period especially counsels his readers _not to sup late_. rear-suppers were not only held in private establishments, but in taverns; and in the early interlude of the "four elements," given in my edition of dodsley, and originally published about , a very graphic and edifying scene occurs of a party of roisterers ordering and enjoying an entertainment of this kind. about seventy years later, robert greene, the playwright, fell a victim to a surfeit of pickled herrings and rhenish wine, at some merry gathering of his intimates falling under this denomination. who will venture to deny that the first person who kept unreasonable hours was an author and a poet? even shakespeare is not exempt from the suspicion of having hastened his end by indulgence with one or two friends in a gay carouse of this kind. the author of the "description of england" enlightens us somewhat on the sort of kitchen which the middle class and yeomanry of his time deemed fit and sufficient. the merchant or private gentleman had usually from one to three dishes on the table when there were no visitors, and from four to six when there was company. what the yeoman's every-day diet was harrison does not express; but at christmas he had brawn, pudding and souse, with mustard; beef, mutton, and pork; shred pies, goose, pig, capon, turkey, veal, cheese, apples, etc., with good drink, and a blazing fire in the hall. the farmer's bill of fare varied according to the season: in lent, red herrings and salt fish; at easter, veal and bacon; at martinmas, salted beef; at midsummer, fresh beef, peas, and salad; at michaelmas, fresh herrings and fat mutton; at all saints', pork and peas and fish; and at christmas, the same dainties as our yeoman, with good cheer and pastime. the modern luncheon or nuncheon was the archaic _prandium_, or under-meat, displaced by the breakfast, and modified in its character by the different distribution of the daily repasts, so that, instead of being the earliest regular meal, like the _grand déjeuner_ of the french, or coming, like our luncheon, between breakfast and dinner, it interposed itself between the noontide dinner and the evening supper. now, with an increasing proportion of the community, the universal luncheon, postponed to a later hour, is the actual dinner; and our under-meal is the afternoon tea. in those not-wholly-to-be-discommended days, the residue of the meal was consumed in the servants' hall, and the scraps bestowed on the poor at the gate; and the last part of the business was carried out, not as a matter of chance or caprice, but on as methodical a principle as the payment of a poor-rate. at the servants' table, besides the waiters and other attendants on the principal board, mentioned by harrison, sat the master-cook, the pantler, the steward or major-domo, the butler, the cellarman, the waferer, and others. it was not till comparatively recent times that the _wafery_, a special department of the royal kitchen, where the confectionery and pastry were prepared, was discontinued. there was necessarily a very large section of the community in all the large towns, especially in london, which was destitute of culinary appliances, and at the same time of any charitable or eleemosynary privileges. a multitude of persons, of both sexes and all ages, gradually developed itself, having no feudal ties, but attached to an endless variety of more or less humble employments. how did all these men, women, boys, girls, get their daily food? the answer is, in the public eating-houses. fitzstephen tells us that in the reign of henry ii. ( - ), besides the wine-vaults and the shops which sold liquors, there was on the banks of the river a public eating-house or cook's-shop, where, according to the time of year, you could get every kind of victuals, roasted, boiled, baked, or fried; and even, says he, if a friend should arrive at a citizen's house, and not care to wait, they go to the shop, where there were viands always kept ready to suit every purse and palate, even including venison, sturgeon, and guinea-fowls. for all classes frequented the city; and before bardolph's day noblemen and gentlemen came to smithfield to buy their horses, as they did to the waterside near the tower to embark for a voyage. one of the characters in the "canterbury tales"--the cook of london--was, in fact the keeper of a cook's-shop; and in the prologue to the tale, with which his name is associated, the charming story of "gamelin," the poet makes the reeve charge his companion with not very creditable behaviour towards his customers. so our host trusts that his relation will be entertaining and good:-- "for many a pasty hast thou let blood, and many a jack of dover[ ] hast thou sold, that hath been twice hot and twice cold. of many a pilgrim hast thou christ's curse-- for thy parsley fare they yet the worse: that they have eaten with the stubble goose, for in thy shop is many a fly loose." [footnote : a sole] but these restaurants were not long confined to one locality. from a very early date, owing perhaps to its proximity to the tower and the thames, east cheap was famed for its houses of entertainment. the dagger in cheap is mentioned in "a hundred merry tales," . the boar is historical. it was naturally at the east-end, in london proper, that the flood-tide, as it were, of tavern life set in, among the seafarers, in the heart of industrial activity; and the anecdotes and glimpses which we enjoy show, just what might have been guessed, that these houses often became scenes of riotous excess and debauch. lydgate's ballad of "london lickpenny" helps one to imagine what such resorts must have been in the first part of the fifteenth century. it is almost permissible to infer that the street contained, in addition to the regular inns, an assortment of open counters, where the commodities on sale were cried aloud for the benefit of the passer-by; for he says:-- "when i hied me into east cheap: one cries ribs of beef, and many a pie: pewter pots they clattered on a heap; there was harp, fife, and sautry." the mention of pewter is noteworthy, because the earl of northumberland ate his dinner off wood in . pewter plates had not long been given up when i joined the inner temple in . there is a still more interesting allusion in the interlude of the "world and the child," , where folly is made to say:-- "yea, and we shall be right welcome, i dare well say, in east cheap for to dine; and then we will with lombards at passage play, and at the pope's head sweet wine assay." the places of resort in this rollicking locality could furnish, long before the boar made the acquaintance of falstaff, every species of delicacy and _bonne bouche_ to their constituents, and the revelry was apt sometimes to extend to an unseasonable hour. in an early naval song we meet with the lines: "he that will in east cheap eat a goose so fat, with harp, pipe, and song, must lie in newgate on a mat, be the night never so long." and these establishments infallibly contributed their quota or more to the prisons in the vicinity. houses of refreshment seem, however, to have extended themselves westward, and to have become tolerably numerous, in the earlier society of the sixteenth century, for sir thomas more, in a letter to his friend dean colet, speaking of a late walk in westminster and of the various temptations to expenditure and dissipation which the neighbourhood then afforded, remarks: "whithersoever we cast our eyes, what do we see but victualling-houses, fishmongers, butchers, cooks, pudding-makers, fishers, and fowlers, who minister matter to our bellies?" this was prior to , the date of colet's decease. there were of course periods of scarcity and high prices then as now. it was only a few years later ( ), that robert whittinton, in one of his grammatical tracts (the "vulgaria"), includes among his examples:-- "befe and motton is so dere, that a peny worth of meet wyll scant suffyse a boy at a meale." the term "cook's-shop" occurs in the orders and ordinances devised by the steward, dean, and burgesses of westminster in , for the better municipal government of that borough. the tenth article runs thus:--"item, that no person or persons that keepeth or that hereafter shall keep any cook's-shop, shall also keep a common ale-house (except every such person shall be lawfully licensed thereunto), upon pain to have and receive such punishment, and pay such fine, as by the statute in that case is made and provided." but while the keepers of restaurants were, as a rule, precluded by law from selling ale, the publicans on their side were not supposed to purvey refreshment other than their own special commodities. for the fifteenth proviso of these orders is:-- "item, that no tavern-keeper or inn-keeper shall keep any cook shop upon pain to forfeit and pay for every time offending therein d." the london cooks became famous, and were not only in demand in the city and its immediate outskirts, but were put into requisition when any grand entertainment was given in the country. in the list of expenses incurred at the reception of queen elizabeth in by lord keeper bacon at gorhambury, is an item of £ as wages to the cooks of london. an accredited anecdote makes bacon's father inimical to too lavish an outlay in the kitchen; but a far more profuse housekeeper might have been puzzled to dispense with special help, where the consumption of viands and the consequent culinary labour and skill required, were so unusually great. in the prologue to the "canterbury tales," the cook of london and his qualifications are thus emblazoned:-- "a cook thei hadde with hem for the nones, to boylle chyknes, with the mary bones, and poudre marchaunt tart, and galyngale; wel cowde he knowe a draugte of london ale. he cowde roste, and sethe, and broille, and frie maken mortreux, and wel bake a pie. but gret harm was it, as it thoughte me, that on his schyne a mormal had he: for blankmanger that made he with the beste." this description would be hardly worth quoting, if it were not for the source whence it comes, and the names which it presents in common with the "form of cury" and other ancient relics. chaucer's cook was a personage of unusually wide experience, having, in his capacity as the keeper of an eating-house, to cater for so many customers of varying tastes and resources. in the time of elizabeth, the price at an ordinary for a dinner seems to have been sixpence. it subsequently rose to eightpence; and in the time of george i. the "vade mecum for malt worms ( )" speaks of the landlord of the bell, in carter lane, raising his tariff to tenpence. in comparison with the cost of a similar meal at present, all these quotations strike one as high, when the different value of money is considered. but in , at all events, the customer ate at his own discretion. their vicinity to east cheap, the great centre of early taverns and cook's-shops, obtained for pudding lane and pie corner those savoury designations. paris, like london, had its cook's-shops, where you might eat your dinner on the premises, or have it brought to your lodging in a covered dish by a _porte-chape._ in the old prints of french kitchen interiors, the cook's inseparable companion is his ladle, which he used for stirring and serving, and occasionally for dealing a refractory _garçon de cuisine_ a rap on the head. the dictionary of johannes de garlandia (early thirteenth century) represents the cooks at paris as imposing on the ignorant and inexperienced badly cooked or even tainted meat, which injured their health. these "coquinarii" stood, perhaps, in the same relation to those times as our keepers of restaurants. he mentions in another place that the cooks washed their utensils in hot water, as well as the plates and dishes on which the victuals were served. mr. wright has cited an instance from the romance of "doon de mayence," where the guards of a castle, on a warm summer evening, partook of their meal in a field. refreshment in the open air was also usual in the hunting season, when a party were at a distance from home; and the garden arbour was occasionally converted to this kind of purpose, when it had assumed its more modern phase. but our picnic was unknown. etiquette of the table. paul hentzner, who was in england at the end of the reign of elizabeth, remarks of the people whom he saw that "they are more polite in eating than the french, devouring less bread, but more meat, which they roast in perfection. they put a good deal of sugar in their drink." in his "court and country," , nicholas breton gives an instructive account of the strict rules which were drawn up for observance in great households at that time, and says that the gentlemen who attended on great lords and ladies had enough to do to carry these orders out. not a trencher must be laid or a napkin folded awry; not a dish misplaced; not a capon carved or a rabbit unlaced contrary to the usual practice; not a glass filled or a cup uncovered save at the appointed moment: everybody must stand, speak, and look according to regulation. the books of demeanour which have been collected by mr. furnivall for the early english text society have their incidental value as illustrating the immediate theme, and are curious, from the growth in consecutive compilations of the code of instructions for behaviour at table, as evidences of an increasing cultivation both in manners and the variety of appliances for domestic use, including relays of knives for the successive courses. distinctions were gradually drawn between genteel and vulgar or coarse ways of eating, and facilities were provided for keeping the food from direct contact with the fingers, and other primitive offences against decorum. many of the precepts in the late fifteenth century "babies' book," while they demonstrate the necessity for admonition, speak also to an advance in politeness and delicacy at table. there must be a beginning somewhere; and the authors of these guides to deportment had imbibed the feeling for something higher and better, before they undertook to communicate their views to the young generation. there is no doubt that the "babies' book" and its existing congeners are the successors of anterior and still more imperfect attempts to introduce at table some degree of cleanliness and decency. when the "babies' book" made its appearance, the progress in this direction must have been immense. but the observance of such niceties was of course at first exceptional; and the ideas which we see here embodied were very sparingly carried into practice outside the verge of the court itself and the homes of a few of the aristocracy. there may be an inclination to revolt against the barbarous doggerel in which the instruction is, as a rule, conveyed, and against the tedious process of perusing a series of productions which follow mainly the same lines. but it is to be recollected that these manuals were necessarily renewed in the manuscript form from age to age, with variations and additions, and that the writers resorted to metre as a means of impressing the rules of conduct more forcibly on their pupils. of all the works devoted to the management of the table and kitchen, the "book of nurture," by john russell, usher of the chamber and marshal of the ball to humphrey, duke of gloucester, is perhaps, on the whole, the most elaborate, most trustworthy, and most important. it leaves little connected with the _cuisine_ of a noble establishment of the fifteenth century untouched and unexplained; and although it assumes the metrical form, and in a literary respect is a dreary performance, its value as a guide to almost every branch of the subject is indubitable. it lays bare to our eyes the entire machinery of the household, and we gain a clearer insight from it than from the rest of the group of treatises, not merely into what a great man of those days and his family and retainers ate and drank, and how they used to behave themselves at table, but into the process of making various drinks, the mystery of carving, and the division of duties among the members of the staff. it is, in fact, the earliest comprehensive book in our literature. the functions of the squire at the table of a prince are, to a certain extent, shown in the "squire of low degree," where the hero, having arrayed himself in scarlet, with a chaplet on his head and a belt round his waist, cast a horn about his neck, and went to perform his duty in the hall. he approaches the king, dish in hand, and kneels. when he has served his sovereign, he hands the meats to the others. we see a handsome assortment of victuals on this occasion, chiefly venison and birds, and some of the latter were baked in bread, probably a sort of paste. the majority of the names on the list are familiar, but a few--the teal, the curlew, the crane, the stork, and the snipe--appear to be new. it is, in all these cases, almost impossible to be sure how much we owe to the poet's imagination and how much to his rhythmical poverty. from another passage it is to be inferred that baked venison was a favourite mode of dressing the deer. the precaution of coming to table with clean hands was inculcated perhaps first as a necessity, when neither forks nor knives were used, and subsequently as a mark of breeding. the knife preceded the spoon, and the fork, which had been introduced into italy in the eleventh century, and which strikes one as a fortuitous development of the oriental chopstick, came last. it was not in general use even in the seventeenth century here. coryat the traveller saw it among the italians, and deemed it a luxury and a notable fact. the precepts delivered by lydgate and others for demeanour at table were in advance of the age, and were probably as much honoured in the breach as otherwise. but the common folk did then much as many of them do now, and granted themselves a dispensation both from knife and fork, and soap and water. the country boor still eats his bacon or his herring with his fingers, just as charles xii. of sweden buttered his bread with his royal thumb. a certain cleanliness of person, which, at the outset, was not considerably regarded, became customary, as manners softened and female influence asserted itself; and even lydgate, in his "stans puer ad mensam (an adaptation from sulpitius)," enjoins on his page or serving-boy a resort to the lavatory before he proceeds to discharge his functions at the board-- "pare clean thy nails; thy hands wash also before meat; and when thou dost arise." other precepts follow. he was not to speak with his mouth full. he was to wipe his lips after eating, and his spoon when he had finished, taking care not to leave it in his dish. he was to keep his napkin as clean and neat as possible, and he was not to pick his teeth with his knife. he was not to put too much on his trencher at once. he was not to drop his sauce or soup over his clothes, or to fill his spoon too full, or to bring dirty knives to the table. all these points of conduct are graphic enough; and their trite character is their virtue. boiled, and perhaps fried meats were served on silver; but roasts might be brought to table on the spit, which, after a while, was often of silver, and handed round for each person to cut what he pleased; and this was done not only with ordinary meat, but with game, and even with a delicacy like a roast peacock. of smaller birds, several were broached on one spit. there is a mediaeval story of a husband being asked by his wife to help her to the several parts of a fowl in succession, till nothing was left but the implement on which it had come in, whereupon the man determined she should have that too, and belaboured her soundly with it. at more ceremonious banquets the servants were preceded by music, or their approach from the kitchen to the hall was proclaimed by sound of trumpets. costly plate was gradually introduced, as well as linen and utensils, for the table; but the plate may be conjectured to have been an outcome from the primitive _trencher_, a large slice of bread on which meat was laid for the occupants of the high table, and which was cast aside after use. bread served at table was not to be bitten or broken off the loaf, but to be cut; and the loaf was sometimes divided before the meal, and skilfully pieced together again, so as to be ready for use. index. acton, eliza, addington, surrey, aigredouce, albans, st., abbey of, , - ale, , --cock, --elder, --kentish, alfred and the cakes, al-fresco meals, - alfric, colloquy of, amber puddings, , angelica, anglo-danish barbarism, anglo-celtic influence, anglo-saxon names of meats, animal food, - , anthropophagy, - apicius, c., apuleius, arms and crests on dishes, arnold's chronicle, arthur, , , - ashen-keys, pickled, asparagus, assize of ale, australian meat, babies' book, bacon, lord keeper, bag pudding, - - baker, , - --parisian, - bakestone, , banbury cake, , bannock, banquet, order of a fourteenth century, barba, m., bardolf, a dish, bardolph, bartholomew de cheney, --st., hospital of, at sandwich, battalia pie, beef, powdered, --martlemas, beer, - , - --composition of the ancient, bees, wild, bellows , birch wine, bit and bite, blackcaps, - bolton, charles, duke of, book of st. albans, books of demeanour, branderi, brass cooking vessels, brawn, bread, , - , - , britons, diet of the, -- northern and southern, brittany, broach or spit turner, - broom-buds, pickled, broth, , bun, butler, ancient duties of the, butter, caerleon, caesar, evidence of, - , , cakes, , - calais, calves, newly-born --removal of, from the mother, while in milk, cannibalism, - carps' tongues, carving, terms of, castelvetri, caudles and possets, - caviary, - charlet, chaucer, g. , chaworth's (lady) pudding, cheesecakes, mrs. leed's, etc., , , cheeses, - chimney, kitchen, china broth, china earth, christmas, clare market, cleikirai club, clermont, b., - coals, - cobham, lord, cockle, colet, dean, college wine, colonial cattle, condiments, - , , confectioner, --master, confectionery, conserves, - cook, , - --master, - cookery-books, lists of, - , - --with the names of old owners, cook's-shops. - cooking utensils, great value of, --lists of, - cooper, joseph, - copley, esther, copper, art of tinning, cornish pasty, coryat, thomas, court, the ancient, cows, - crab-apple sauce, creams, - cromwell, oliver, - --his favourite dishes, _ibid._ cuisine bourgeoise of ancient rome, --english, affected by fusions of race, --old french, - cuisinier royal, le, - curds and cream, danish settlers, danish settlers, their influence on our diet, deer-suet, clarified, delahay street, deportment at table, gradual improvement in the, dishes, lists of, - , - --substituted for trenchers, --different sizes and materials of, --mode of serving up, - dods, margaret, dripping-pans, , dumplings, norfolk, earl, rules and orders for the house of an, - east-cheap, - eating-houses, public, - ebulum, edward iii., eggs, --buttered, elizabeth, queen, endoring, english establishment, staff of an, ennius, phagetica of, epulario, etiquette of the table, - fairfax inventories, , falstaff, farm-servants' diet, feasts, marriage and coronation, - finchmgfield, fireplace, , fish, cheaper, demanded, --on fast-days, --considered indigestible, --lists of, - , --musical lament of the dying, fishing, saxon mode of, florendine, flowers, conserve of, forced meat, forks, - foreign cookery, - --warner's strictures on - form of cury, forster, john, of hanlop, fox, sir stephen, francatelli, french establishment, staff of a, french gardener, the, - fricasee, fruit-tart, fruits, dried or preserved, - frying-pan, frying pan houses at wandsworth, furmety, galantine, galingale, game, , - garlic, gilling in yorkshire, gingerbread, ginger-fork, glass and crystal handles to knives and forks, glasse, mrs., - glastonbury abbey, glazing, or endoring, , gomme, g.l., goose, --giblets, grampus, grape, english, used for wine, greece, ancient, greek anthropophagy, - greene, robert, hamilton, duke and duchess of, hare, harington family, hen, threshing the fat, - henry ii., --iii., , --iv., --iv. and v., --vii., , --viii., hill, dr., - hippocras, , holborn and the strand, suburbs of, home-brewed drink, hommes de bouche, hops hospitality, decay of, - inns, want of, in early scotland, - --and taverns in westminster, rules for, italian cookery, , --pudding, italy, the fork brought from, jack, the, jacks, black, - jigget of mutton, joe miller quoted, johannes de garlandia, johnson, dr., - johnstone, mrs., - jumbals, junket, jussel, a dish, kail-pot, kettle, kitchens, --furniture of, - --staff of the, kitchener, dr., - knives, , ladies and gentlemen at table, landlord and lawyer, exactions of, - land o' cakes, laver, leveret, liber cure cocorum, - liqueurs, liquids, storage of, loaf of bread, --sugar, lombards, london cooks famous, lord mayor of london, lord mayor's pageant for , lucas, joseph, his studies in nidderdale, lumber pie, luncheon, luxury, growth of, - , lydgate's story of thebes, --"london lickpenny," malory's king arthur, manuturgium, maple-wood bowls, - marinade, marketing, old, marlborough cake, marmalade, maser, - massinger quoted, master-cook, , , - --ancient privileges of the, - meals, , - --in the percy establishment, meats and drinks, , menagier de paris quoted, merenda, a meal, - metheglin or hydromel, , middleton, john, chef, , - milk, , modern terms for dishes first introduced, more, sir thomas, morsus, morton, cardinal, moryson, fynes, quoted, - mulberries, - mushrooms, music to announce the banquet, mustard, nasturtium-buds, pickled, neckam, alexander, , , , nevill, archbishop, , newcastle coal, new college pudding, nidderdale, , noble book of cookery, - norfolk dumplings, --yeoman, norman cuisine, , - --influence on cookery, normandy, nott, john, chef, oatmeal, oblys, odysseus, odyssey, olio, --pie, omelettes, orders and ordinances of lord burleigh as steward of westminster, ordinaries, london, --parisian, oriental sources of cooking, oxford, oxford cake, parisian cook's-shops, partridges not recommended to the poor, -- passage, a game, pastry, peacocks. , pelops, pepper, peter of blois, peterborough abbey, pewter, utensils of, - phagetica of ennius, pheasants, pickles, _et seq._ piers of fulham, , , pies, , - , pig's pettitoes, ploughman (husbandman), plovers, pockets, poloe, polyphemus, pome de oringe, poor, diet of the, _et seq._ --relief of the, "poor knights," a dish, pope, alex., porcelain, pork, , porpoise, - , porte-chape, potato, pot-au-feu, pot-hook, pot-luck, poudre-marchaunt tart, poultry, , powdered beef, --horse, puddings, , _et seq._ pulpatoon, quinces, - , rabbit, radish-pods, pickled, raisin-sauce, rasher, rear-supper, , receipts of eminent persons, , --early, - religious scruples against certain food, rents, excessive, - roasting-spit or iron, robert, master, and his wife helena, , - romans, culinary economy of, --obligation to greece, roses, conserve of, rundell, mrs., rush, friar, russell's book of nurture, salt, --, fine, --cellar, sandwich, kent, saracen sauce, saucepan, sauces, - , - sausage, saxon influence on diet, scotland, want of inns in, - scots, the, , , --their early food, --their poverty, scott, sir walter, - scottish cookery, early, - secret house, keeping, , , shakespeare, w., shrewsbury cakes, "sing a song of sixpence," smith and his dame, a tale, smith, e., preface to her cookery book, , - --select extracts from the work, - soap, song of the boar's head, soups, soyer, alexis, - spanish influence on cookery, --armada, spice with wine, spinach, spit-turner, spit, turning the, a tenure, spoons, , - spread-eagle pudding, spruce-beer, squire, functions of the, at table "squire of low degree," st. albans abbey, st. john's college, cambridge, stanton-harcourt, "store of house," subtleties, - sugar, - swan, swinfield, bishop, sykes, colonel, syrups from flowers, table-cloth, table-furniture, tansies, tart, fruit, tea caudle, temse, tiffany cakes, tillinghast, mary, tinder-box, tom thumb, , , touchwood, peregrine, esquire towel, trencher, , , - --posies on the, tripe, double, tripod, , - trivet, trumpet, dishes brought into the hall to the sound of, tureiner, tusser, thomas, - ude, louis eustache, utensils, , , , _et seq._, - --treatise on, by alex. neckam, , vegetable diet, venison, - , venner, tobias, - viard et fouret, mm., - village life, early, vocabularies, primary object of, - wafery, wandsworth, warham, archbishop, westminister, - westphalia hams, whale, whetstone cakes, whey, white grease, whittinton, robert, wigs, william i., , --iii., his posset, william of malmesbury, wines, - . - --lists of, - wolsey, cardinal, wood-street cake, wormwood cakes, --wine, wotton, sir edward, yeoman, diet of the, _et seg._,_ --bad state of the, - yorkshire, young cook's monitor, the, by m.h., - dressed game and poultry +----------------------------------------------------------+ | works by mrs. de salis. | | | | | | savouries À la mode. eighth edition. fcp. | | vo. _s._ | | | | entrÉes À la mode. fourth edition. fcp. | | vo. _s._ _d._ | | | | soups and dressed fish À la mode. | | second edition. fcp. vo. _s._ _d._ | | | | sweets and supper dishes À la mode. | | fcp. vo. _s._ _d._ | | | | oysters À la mode; or, the oyster and over | | one hundred ways of cooking it; to which are added a few | | recipes for cooking all kinds of shelled fish. second | | edition. fcp. vo. _s._ _d._ | | | | dressed vegetables À la mode. fcp. | | vo. _s._ _d._ | | | | dressed game and poultry À la mode. | | fcp. vo. _s._ _d._ | | | | | | london: longmans, green, & co | +----------------------------------------------------------+ dressed game and poultry _À la mode_ by mrs de salis authoress of 'savouries À la mode' 'entrÉes À la mode' 'soups and dressed fish À la mode' 'oysters À la mode' 'sweets À la mode' and 'vegetables À la mode' 'one loves the pheasant wing and one the leg' pope london longmans, green, and co. and new york: east ^{th} street _all rights reserved_ printed by spottiswoode and co., new-street square london preface. at this the sporting season of the year, i venture to offer to the public another of my little series in the form of dressed game and poultry. no doubt many of the recipes are well known, but it has been my aim to collect from _all_ the culinary preserves such recipes that from personal experience i know to be good. all the known and unknown tomes on the gourmet's art have been consulted, and i have to thank the authors for this assistance to my work, as well as those _cordons bleus_ from whom i have practically learnt some few of them. i shall be very pleased to correspond with any of my readers who may wish to discourse on matters relative to the dinner table and its adjuncts, floral decorations among the number. h. a. de salis. hampton lea, sutton, surrey, . dressed game and poultry À la mode. blackbird pie. stuff the birds with the crumb of a french roll soaked in a little milk, which put in a stewpan with - / ounces of butter, a chopped shalot, some parsley, pepper, salt, a grate of nutmeg, and the yolks of two small eggs. stir over the fire till it becomes a thick paste, and fill the insides of the birds with it. line the bottom of the pie-dish with fried collops of rump steak, and place the birds on them neatly. add four hard-boiled yolks of eggs, and pour gravy all over, cover with puff paste, and bake for one hour and a quarter. blanquette of chicken. cut the meat from a cold boiled fowl, in small pieces. stew down the bones in one pint of water, a bouquet garni, add a little salt and white pepper to taste. then strain the stock, add to it three or four peeled mushrooms finely minced, and let them cook in this sauce; when done put in the pieces of fowl to warm through, thicken with the yolks of two eggs. add lemon juice and serve hot. blanquette of chicken aux concombres. boil a chicken and cut it into neat joints. cut a cucumber in pieces and fry in butter, put them in a little stock, which reduce; have reduced half a pint of velouté sauce with a few trimmings of cucumber in it. pour this through a tammy over the fowls, set it on the fire, and as soon as it bubbles add a liaison of three yolks of eggs, work in a little butter and lemon juice, drain the pieces of cucumber in a cloth, throw them in, and serve them in an open vol au vent, garnished with flowers of puff paste. capilotade of fowl or turkey. take the remains of a cold fowl or turkey, and cut it into neat joints. chop up three or four mushrooms, some parsley, a shalot, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and let all fry together for a short time; then moisten with a little good-flavoured stock, and thicken with flour. add salt to taste, let the sauce boil well, put in the pieces of bird for a few minutes; take them out, arrange them on a dish, pour the sauce over, and serve. chicken à la bonne femme. cut up a chicken into joints, warm up three onions and three turnips in butter; when brown add the pieces of fowl. season with salt and pepper, sauté over the fire for ten minutes. then stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour, and five minutes after add a tumblerful of stock, a wineglass of white wine, a bouquet of mixed herbs, and half a pound of peeled tomatoes, with all the pips carefully removed. cook over a slow fire for twenty-five minutes, add about half a pound of mushrooms peeled and cut up to the size of a shilling, leave it on the fire for ten minutes; take out the bouquet of herbs, season with an ounce of finely-chopped parsley, dish up the pieces of chicken in a pyramid, and pour the sauce and vegetables over. braised drumsticks of chicken. braise the drumsticks, and arrange them uprightly in tent fashion, and all around and between the drumsticks should be finely chopped salad. alternate slices of tongue and ham should be placed at the edge of the salad, and the border of the dish ornamented with thin rounds of beetroot. chickens chiringrate. cut off the feet of a chicken, break the breastbone flat, but be careful not to break the skin. flour it and fry it in butter, drain all the fat out of the pan, but leave the chicken in. make a farce from half a pound of fillet of beef, half a pound of veal, ten ounces of cooked ham, a shalot, a bouquet garni, and a piece of carrot, pepper, and salt; cook in stock, and then pass it through a sieve, and lay this farce over the chicken. after stewing the chicken for a quarter of an hour, make a rich gravy from the stock, and add a few mushrooms and two spoonfuls of port wine; boil all up well, and pour over and around the chicken. chicken à la continental. beat up two eggs with butter, pepper, salt, and lemon-juice; then cut up the fowls, dip them in the egg paste, and roll them in crumbs and fried parsley. fry in clarified dripping, and pour over the dish any white or green vegetable ragoût, made hot; grate parmesan over all. chicken à la davenport. stuff a fowl with a forcemeat made of the hearts and livers, an anchovy, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, one onion, a little spice, and a little shred veal-kidney fat. sew up the neck and vent, brown the fowl in the oven, then stew it in stock till tender. serve with white mushroom sauce. chicken à l'italienne. pass a knife under the skin of the back, and cut out the backbone without injuring the skin or breaking off the rump, draw out the breastbone and break the merrythought; flatten the fowl and put two skewers through it. put it into a marinade of oil, sliced onion, eschalot, parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf, spice, pepper, and salt, in which let them soak a few hours. broil them before the fire; when done, dish the fowls, garnish them with hot pickle, serve them with a brown italian sauce over, with a few onions in it. chicken à la matador. cut a chicken into fillets and neat joints. mince finely a spanish onion and stew it with two ounces of butter, a few drops of lemon, pepper, and salt; when it has been stewed for half an hour, pass it through a tammy, and mix in with it a good tablespoonful of aspic jelly. mask the chicken with this, and warm up the chicken in the bain-marie. fillets of chicken à la cardinal. cook some fillets of chicken in butter, and when done place them in a circle round an entrée dish, with a mushroom between each fillet. fill the centre with allemagne sauce, to which has been added some lobster and crayfish butter to make it red. garnish with crayfish tails if handy. fried chicken à la orly. cut up a chicken into joints. season with salt, pepper, parsley, a bayleaf, and lemon juice, sprinkle with flour and fry in butter; dip some sliced onions into flour and fry. when done, dish up the chicken in a pyramid, garnish with the fried onions and cover with tomato sauce. fried chicken à la suisse. roast a chicken and cut it into fillets and neat joints. sprinkle some finely minced herbs, mignonette pepper, and salt over them. let them remain for an hour, then dip them in frying batter and fry. serve with fried parsley and tomato purée. fricassee of chicken. american recipe. clean, wash, and cut up the fowls. lay them in salt and water for half an hour. put them in a saucepan with enough cold water to cover them and half a pound of salt pork cut into thin strips. cover closely and let them heat very slowly. then stew for over an hour, if the fowls _are tender_; if not they may take from three to four hours. they must be cooked _very slowly_. when tender, add a chopped onion, a shalot, parsley, and pepper. cover closely again, and when it has heated to boiling, stir in a teacupful of milk, to which have been added two beaten eggs and two tablespoonfuls of flour. boil up and add an ounce of butter. arrange the chickens neatly in an entrée dish, pour the gravy over and serve. fritôt of chicken aux tomates. take the remains of a boiled fowl and cut into pieces the size of a small cutlet. shake a little flour over them and put them aside. prepare a batter made of half a pound of vienna flour, the yolk of one egg, half a gill of salad oil, and a gill of light coloured ale. mix all these together lightly till it will mask the tip of your finger, add half a pint of purée of tomato, and mix well together. dip the chicken cutlets into this batter, masking them well, and then put them in good lard and fry, and place them on a wire sieve as they are cooked, keeping them near the fire to keep them hot and crisp. dish piled in a pyramid with tomatoes whole and tomato sauce round. chicken nouilles au parmesan. take a large fowl, and when trussed put a lump of butter inside it, and cover the breast with fat bacon. put it into a stewpan with an onion, a carrot, a piece of celery; cover with water and boil slowly for fifty minutes. garnish the dish on which it is served with a pint of nouilles boiled in a stewpan of boiling water for twenty minutes, drained, and then put into another saucepan with two ounces of butter. sprinkle in two ounces of parmesan cheese and warm up for five minutes, then garnish the fowl with them, and pour over it a pint of rich béchamel sauce, in which two ounces of parmesan cheese has been mixed. the nouilles are made by mixing half a pound of butter with three eggs till it becomes a thick smooth paste, roll it out very thin, cut it into strips an inch wide, and place four or five of these on the top of each other, shred them in thin slices like julienne vegetables, and drain them. chicken pudding à la reine. take the meat from a cold fowl and pound it in a mortar, after removing the skin and sinews. boil in light stock a couple of good tablespoonfuls of rice. when it is done and has soaked up the rice, add the pounded chicken to it, with a gill of cream, pepper, and salt. if not moist enough, add a little more cream. butter a plain mould, fill it with the rice and chicken, tie a pudding cloth closely over, and put the mould into a stewpan of hot water to boil for an hour. the water should only reach about three-quarters up the mould. when done, turn it out and serve a good white mushroom sauce round it. chicken and rice. pollo con arroz (spanish recipe). cut a fowl into joints, wipe quite dry, and trim neatly. put a wineglass of the best olive oil in a stewpan, let it get hot. put in the chicken, stir and turn the joints and sprinkle with salt. when the chicken is a golden brown add some chopped onions, one or two red chillies, and fry all together. meanwhile have ready four tomatoes cut in quarters, and two teacupfuls of rice well washed. mix these with the chicken and pour in a very small quantity of broth and stew till the rice is cooked and the broth dried up. sprinkle a little chopped parsley and serve in a deep dish without a cover, as the steam must not be kept in. chicken in savoury jelly. take a large chicken and roast it. boil a calf's foot to a strong jelly, take out the foot and skim off the fat; beat up the whites of two eggs and mix them with a quarter of a pint of white wine vinegar, the juice of one lemon, a little salt, a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a claret-glassful of sherry. put these to the jelly, and when it has boiled five or six minutes strain it through a jelly bag till clear. then put a little into an oblong baking tin (big enough for a half-quartern loaf), and when it is nearly set put in the chicken with its breast downwards; the chicken having been masked all over with white sauce, in which aspic has been well mixed, and ornamented with a device of truffles cut in stars and kite shapes. when the chicken is in, fill up the mould gradually with the remainder of the jelly. let it stand for some hours, or place it on ice before turning it out. chicken with spinach. poach nicely in the gravy five or six eggs. dress them on flattened balls of spinach round the dish and serve the fowl in the centre, rubbing down the liver to thicken the gravy and liquor in which the fowl has been stewed, which pour over it for sauce, skimming it well. mushrooms, oysters, and forcemeat balls should be put into the sauce. chicken stewed whole. fill the inside of a chicken with large oysters and mushrooms and fasten a tape round to keep them in. put it in a tin pan with a cover, and put this into a large boiling pot with boiling water, which must not quite reach up to the top of the pan the chicken is in. keep it boiling till the chicken is done, which would be in about an hour's time after it begins to simmer. remove the scum occasionally, and replenish with water as it boils away; take all the gravy from it and put it into a small saucepan, keeping the chicken warm. thicken the gravy with butter, flour, and add two tablespoonfuls of chopped oysters, the yolks of two eggs boiled hard and minced fine, some seasoning, and a gill of cream. boil five minutes and dish the fowls. côtelettes à l'ecarlate. make a stiff forcemeat from the breast of a fowl or pheasant, or the two breasts of partridge or grouse. cut some slices of tongue into cutlet shapes. take some more tongue, pound and pass it through a sieve and mix it with the forcemeat. season with a little cayenne and mushroom flavour. butter and fill up some cutlet moulds with the forcemeat, and steam them in the oven. then turn out the cutlets and place them on a baking sheet. glaze them and replace them in the oven for a few seconds. dish up alternately a cutlet of tongue with a cutlet of forcemeat; sauce the whole with chaud-froid sauce, and garnish with chopped aspic and very small red tomatoes. forced capon. cut the skin of a capon down the breast, carefully slip the knife down so as to take out all the meat, and mix it with a pound of beef suet cut small. beat this together in a marble mortar, and take a pint of large oysters cut small, two anchovies, a shalot, a bouquet garni, a little mignonette pepper, and the yolks of four eggs. mix all these well together, and lay it on the bones; then draw the skin over it, and sew up. put the capon into a cloth, and boil it an hour and a quarter. stew a dozen oysters in good gravy thickened with a piece of butter rolled in flour; take the capon out of the cloth, lay it in its dish, and pour the sauce over it. capon à la nanterre. make a stuffing with the liver of the capon, a dozen roasted chestnuts, a piece of butter, parsley, green onions, very little garlic, two yolks of eggs, salt and pepper. stuff the capon, and then roast it, covering it with buttered paper. when it is cooked, brush it over with the yolk of an egg diluted in a little lukewarm batter; sprinkle breadcrumbs over all, and let it brown, and serve with a sharp sauce. braised ducks à la st. michel. rub some flour and oil over a couple of ducks, and brown them in the oven for a short time. mix together a cup of chablis wine and a cup of broth, season with pepper and salt; braise the ducks till they are tender. chop some mushrooms, chives, and parsley; mix these in the broth in which the ducks were braised. put the ducks to keep warm before the fire whilst the sauce 'reduces.' dredge in a very little flour, and send up the ducks with the sauce round them. duck à la mode. divide two ducks into quarters, and put them in a stewpan, and sprinkle over them flour, pepper, and salt. put into the stewpan several pieces of butter, and fry the ducks till a nice brown colour. remove the frying fat, and pour in half a pint of gravy and half a pint of port wine, sprinkle in more flour, add a bouquet garni, three minced shalots, an anchovy, and a dust of cayenne. let them stew for twenty minutes, then place them on a dish, remove the herbs, clear off the fat, and serve with the sauce over them. braised duck à la nivernaise. line a braisingpan with slices of bacon, add the duck, cover it with bacon, and season with a bouquet of parsley, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves; moisten with stock and the same quantity of claret; fix the lid very tightly on the pan, and simmer over a slow fire, with hot coals on the lid of the stewpan. cut up some turnips into balls, cook them in butter till brown, drain and simmer in brown thickening, moistened with a little stock. when the duck is cooked, dish up, and garnish with the turnips. devilled duck or teal. indian recipe. take a pound of onions, a piece of green ginger, and six chillies. reduce them to a pulp, then add two teaspoonfuls of mustard, pepper, salt, cayenne, and chutney, two tablespoonfuls of ketchup, and half a bottle of claret. cut up the duck or teal, and put it into the sauce, and let it simmer for a long time--the duck having been previously roasted. duck à la provence. rub the duck over with lemon-juice, fry it in butter for a few minutes; sprinkle it with flour; then add sufficient stock to cover it, one tablespoonful of ketchup, one carrot; cut up two onions, two cloves, a bouquet garni, pepper, and salt. let this stew for an hour; then take out the duck, strain the gravy, and remove all fat, and add plenty of mushrooms. put in some stoned and scalded olives, which boil up for ten minutes and dish up with the duck. the olives should have been soaked three hours previously. duck. canard à purée perto. take a pint of freshly shelled peas, boil them in a little thin stock, and rub them through a sieve; stew a duck in stock with a little salt, a dozen peppercorns, half a clove of garlic, six small onions, a bayleaf, and bouquet garni. when done, pass the same through a sieve, and add to it the purée of peas; reduce the whole to the consistency of thick cream. serve the duck with the purée over it. salmi of duck. take the giblets of a duck and the flesh off the carcase, and the bones, and stew them in equal quantities of claret and stock, salt, pepper, and three shalots. reduce and simmer till it is thick, then pass through a sieve, and take it off the fire before it boils. cut up the duck into neat pieces and lay it in the stewpan with the gravy. squeeze juice of strained orange over it, and serve en pyramide. stewed duck and turnips. brown the duck in a stewpan with some butter, peel and cut some young turnips into equal sizes, and brown in the same butter; stir in a little powdered sugar, reduce some stock to a thin brown sauce, season with salt, pepper, a bouquet of parsley, chives, half a head of garlic, and a bayleaf. stew the duck in this sauce, and when half cooked add the turnips, turn the duck from time to time, being careful not to break the turnips, cook slowly, and skim off all grease and serve. roast goose stuffed with chestnuts. prepare a goose and stuff it with a mixture of minced bacon, the liver, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and chestnuts, which have been previously cooked and peeled. baste the goose well whilst roasting. when cooked, serve with its own gravy, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and the juice of a lemon. goose à la royale. having boned the goose, stuff it with the following forcemeat:--twelve sage leaves, two onions, and two apples, all shred very fine. mix with four ounces grated bread, four ounces of beef suet, two glasses of port wine, a grate of nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste, the grated peel of a lemon, and the beaten yolks of four eggs; sew up the goose and fry in butter till a light brown, and put it into two quarts of good stock and let it stew for two hours, and till the liquor is nearly consumed; then take up the goose, strain the liquor and take off the fat, add a spoonful of lemon pickle, the same of browning and port wine, a teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, a little cayenne and salt, boil it up and pour over the goose. game and macaroni. put some ounces of macaroni into boiling stock, then add any game cut into small joints three parts cooked. add some lean raw ham, chopped mushrooms, pepper, and salt. game pie. take ten ounces of veal and the same of veal fat, and chop it very fine, season with pepper, salt, and cayenne. arrange this as a lining round a china raised pie mould. fill in with fillets of grouse, pheasant, partridge, and hare, strips of tongue, ham, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, button mushrooms, pistachio nuts, truffles, and pâté de foie gras; cover in with more of the mince, then put a paste on the top for cooking it in. bake from two and a half to three hours. remove the paste and fill the mould up with clarified meat jelly, partly cold; let this set. ornament the top with chopped aspic and alternate slices of lemon and cucumber round. croûtons of red and yellow aspic should be arranged at the base of the mould. game rissoles au poulet à la carême. roll out very thin three-quarters of a pound of brioche paste. place upon it, two inches from the edge, minced fowl or game, prepared as for croquets, and rolled up between two teaspoons in balls the size of a nutmeg. place these an inch from each other; egg the paste all round and fold the edge of it over the balls of mince. press it firmly down, and with a paste stamp two inches wide cut the rissoles, keeping the mince balls exactly in the centre of each. lay them on a hot tin that the paste may rise and fry them in lard not too hot, turning them with a skewer. they will become quite round. when of a good golden colour drain them and serve directly, and dish up in a pyramid. salad of game à la francatelli. boil eight eggs hard; shell them, and cut a thin slice off the bottom of each, cut each into four lengthwise. make a very thin flat border of butter about one inch from the edge of the dish the salad is to be served on, fix the pieces of egg upright close to each other, the yolk outside, or alternately the white and yolk, lay in the centre a layer of fresh salad, and, having cut a freshly roasted young grouse into eight or ten pieces, prepare a sauce as follows: put a spoonful of eschalots finely chopped in a basin, one ditto of castor sugar, the yolk of one egg, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, tarragon, and chervil, and a little salt. mix in by degrees four spoonfuls of oil and two of white vinegar. when well mixed put it on ice, and when ready to serve up whip a gill of cream, which lightly mix with it. then lay the inferior parts of the grouse on the salad, sauce over so as to cover each piece, then lay over the salad and the remainder of the grouse, sauce over, and serve. the eggs can be ornamented with a little dot of radish or beetroot on the point. anchovy and gherkin, cut into small diamonds, may be placed between. grouse in aspic. roast a brace of grouse, and skin them, and mask them with brown sauce in which aspic has been mixed. cut some pistachio kernels into pretty shapes and ornament the birds. take a large square tin mould (a baking tin will do), pour in a layer of pale aspic, and when it is all but cold place the grouse on it breast downward, one turned one way and one the other, then gradually fill it up with the aspic, and put on ice. turn out and decorate the base with chopped aspic, truffles, parsley, and tomatoes. croustades of grouse à la diable. cut some fillets of grouse into cutlet shapes, also some slices of fried bread; sprinkle the latter with grated parmesan cheese. put the fillets of grouse on the cheesed bread. mask them with a purée of tomatoes and a tiny dust of cayenne, then add a little more grated parmesan, a little parsley, some breadcrumbs, and little pieces of butter. salamander over and serve hot. grouse à l'ecossaise. take a brace of grouse; put three ounces of good dripping or butter inside each, but not in the crop. put them down to roast, and baste till cooked. have a slice of toast in the pan under them just before they are cooked. parboil the liver, pound with butter, salt, and cayenne, and spread it on the toast. grouse à la financière. take a brace of grouse; boil the livers for a few minutes, and pound them in a mortar with three ounces of butter, a little salt, pepper, a grate of nutmeg, one tablespoonful of breadcrumbs, and three or four mushrooms. stuff the grouse with this, truss and roast them, and baste plentifully. take some sauce espagnole, add a few mushrooms and a dust of cayenne. let all boil up together and serve with the grouse. friantine of grouse. cut with two cutters, one larger than the other, twelve thin flat pieces of pastry, put on the centre of the largest a tablespoonful of quenelle meat and spread it out; in the centre of this put a tablespoonful of the breast of a grouse, cut up with two ounces of lean ham. mix well and put it into a stewpan with three-quarters of a pint of white cream sauce. warm up and let it get cold. cover this with the smaller sized pieces of pastry, having wetted the inside of each with yolk of egg to make them adhere to the lowest pastry, press down tightly with the smallest cutters, and cut the bottom pastry to the size of the smaller cutter. egg and breadcrumb. arrange them in a frying basket and fry in boiling lard a nice brown. serve garnished with fried parsley. grouse kromesquis. take the remains of cold grouse and mince it very fine. mix with it a couple of tablespoonfuls of grated ham or tongue. divide into small sausage shapes, dip each in batter, fry a pale golden colour and serve very hot, garnished with crisped parsley. grouse marinaded. german recipe. hang the birds as long as possible, then pluck and draw them and wipe their insides with a soft cloth. mince an onion; take about a dozen peppercorns, twenty juniper berries, three bayleaves, and put these into a gill of vinegar. let the grouse soak in this for three days, turning them two or three times daily, and pouring the marinade over them. stuff the birds with turkey forcemeat and lard the breasts. place them in front of a clear fire, baste constantly, and serve with slices of lemon round the dish. grouse au naturel. grouse should be wiped inside, but never washed. have a brisk fire, and when the bird is trussed, place it before a brisk fire, and before it is taken down the breast should be basted with a little butter, and frothed and browned before it is sent up. a good sized grouse requires nearly three-quarters of an hour to cook it. serve fried breadcrumbs and bread sauce with grouse. grouse pie. take two or three grouse, cut off the wings and legs, and tuck the drumsticks in through a slit in the thigh; singe the birds; split them in halves; season them with pepper and salt. place some pieces of very tender beefsteak at the bottom of a pie dish, add chopped mushrooms, parsley, shalot, and two teaspoonfuls of chutnee sauce, and sprinkle over the steak. place the halves of the grouse neatly on the top; add a little more seasoning; moisten with sufficient gravy made from the necks, legs, and wings. cover with puff paste, and bake for about an hour and a half. pressed grouse. boil a brace of grouse till very tender; season, and then take away all the meat and pull it out very fine, removing all skin. add to the liquor in which they were boiled a tablespoonful of gelatine for each three pounds of grouse, and keep stirring it in the boiling liquor till it is quite dissolved; place the grouse in a deep tin basin, and pour the liquor over it whilst hot; stir it well, so that the meat may become thoroughly saturated with the liquor, then turn a plate over it, put on a heavy weight, let it get cold, and turn out. it may be made ornamental by boiling eggs hard, halving them, and putting the flat side on the basin or mould in which the grouse has to be pressed. grouse salad. cut up a brace of cold grouse, and let them marinade in two tablespoonfuls of salad oil and the juice of a lemon, with a little salt and pepper, and let them remain in this for three hours. pound the yolk of a hard-boiled egg very smooth, and mix it well with the yolk of a raw egg, a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, a dust of cayenne, and half a teaspoonful of finely-chopped onion, pouring in gradually drop by drop some fine salad oil; stir constantly, and, as it thickens, add a little tarragon vinegar, then add more oil and vinegar till there is enough sauce. put some shred lettuce on a dish, place some marinaded grouse on it, pour the dressing over, and garnish with fillets of anchovies, slices of hard-boiled eggs, and sprigs of chervil. chop up some savoury jelly, and place round it like a wreath. scallops of grouse à la financière. take a brace of grouse, remove the skin, take off all the flesh, and scrape the flesh into very fine shreds. chop up all the bones and necks, and put them into a saucepan with an onion, five sprigs of thyme, three of parsley, and a small carrot; cover with water, and let it boil slowly for three hours, skimming when it boils. make a mixture of about half a pint of stock and two ounces of butter, and let boil. when the stock boils take - / ounces of fine vienna flour, and stir it well over the fire for about three minutes; then add the yolks of three eggs, stirring over the fire again. take it then from the saucepan, and place it on a plate to get cool; then pound the shredded grouse till quite fine, using a gill of cream; now pass it through a fine sieve. take a plain round mould, holding a pint and a half, butter it, and ornament with truffles cut in devices. cut up three or four mushrooms, and mix in with the grouse panada, and fill the mould. place buttered paper over it, and let it steam for half an hour; then turn out and let it get cold, and when cold cut it into a number of scallops of the same size. egg and breadcrumb them, dip them in clarified butter, and fry a pale gold colour, and serve on a border of mashed potatoes. make a sauce as follows:--boil one glass of marsala in half a pint of brown sauce for five minutes; place in the centre of them some mushrooms, truffles, and cockscombs, and pour sauce over these, but do not put the sauce over the scallops. grouse soufflé. take the breasts of two grouse already cooked, pound them in a mortar with two ounces of fresh butter and a very small piece of onion. pass them through a sieve, add four eggs, beat the whites to a stiff froth, season with a little salt and dust of cayenne. place it in a soufflé dish, and bake it in a quick oven. timbale of grouse à la vitellius. simmer a slice of tongue in a stewpan till nearly cooked. cut it up into fine dice, and put it back into the saucepan with four truffles, four tomatoes, and an ounce of butter; add a little cornflour to thicken it. moisten with half a pint of stock and a gill of claret. reduce this, skim off all the fat; then add some finely-minced grouse, a sprig of parsley, and six anchovies which have been soaked in milk. warm these over a slow fire, but do not let them boil; when done, pour into a fancy mould lined with light puff paste. bake, turn out, and serve very hot, garnished with crisped parsley. to cook hare. the great object in cooking a hare is to keep it as moist as possible, and therefore the hare must not be put too close to the fire in the first stage of roasting. prepare a stuffing of quarter of a pound of beef suet, chopped finely, two ounces of uncooked ham, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and two teaspoonfuls of dried mixed savoury herbs; add to this a quarter of the rind of a lemon, chopped very fine, a dust of cayenne pepper, salt, five ounces of breadcrumbs, and two whole eggs. pound this in the mortar. the liver may be minced and pounded in with these ingredients if fresh. place the stuffing in the hare, and place at a distance from the fire; have plenty of dripping melted in the dripping pan, and basting should go on and be continued from the very first. then as the hare is getting on, baste with good milk, and then baste well with butter; put the hare near the fire so as to froth the butter, and at the same time dredge the hare with some flour, so as to get a good brown colour, and serve good rich gravy _round_ it with half a glass of port wine in a tureen, and currant jelly should be handed with it. hare cutlets à la chef. take a freshly-killed hare, save the blood, paunch and skin it. roast it, then cut off the fillets and cut them aslant and flatten them. put the bones of the hare into a saucepan with two onions sliced, one good-sized carrot, a tiny piece of garlic, two cloves, and a bouquet garni, and one bayleaf. moisten with a glass of white wine, and let all this steep and stew for an hour; then pass through a sieve, add a quarter of a boiled spanish onion, and thicken with the blood of the hare. make some hare stuffing, and moisten with some of the sauce, and make it into cutlets. to form cutlets similar to the fillet cutlets, place them in a frying-pan, and let them poach in water. place the hare fillets and the stuffing cutlets in the pan and fry to a good colour in clarified butter. put a small piece of the small bones of the hare in every cutlet and dish them in a crown. fill the centre with a mixture of small onions, mushrooms, and small pieces of bacon, cut into dice which have been stewed in some of the sauce. hand red currant jelly with this dish. hare en daube. french recipe. the hare must not be too high; cut it into pieces as for jugged hare. rub into a stewpan a bit of bacon cut into squares; put the hare into it, together with thyme, bayleaf, spices, salt, pepper, and as much garlic as will go on the point of a knife. add a little bacon rind blanched and cut into the shape of lozenges. when the whole has a uniform colour, moisten with a good glass of white wine, put on a close lid, and stew for four hours upon hot cinders. when ready to be served, pour away the lard, the spice, and the fat, and add a little essence of ham, and send to table hot. hare derrynane fashion. take three or four eggs, a pint of new milk, a couple of handfuls of flour, three yolks. make them into a batter, and when the hare is roasting baste it well, repeating the operation till the batter thickens and forms a coating all over the hare. this should be allowed to brown but not to burn. filet de lièvre à la muette. cut a hare into fillets and stew them with a mince of chickens' livers, truffles, shalots in a rich brown gravy with a tumblerful of champagne in it. gâteaux de lièvre. mince the best parts of a hare with a little mutton suet. season the mince highly with herbs and good stock. pound it in a mortar with some red currant jelly and make up into small cakes with raw eggs. flour and fry them and dish them in a pyramid. hare à la matanzas. paunch, skin, and clean a hare marinaded in vinegar for a couple of days with four onions sliced, three shalots, a couple of sprigs of parsley, pepper and salt. after two days take the hare out and drain it. farce it with a stuffing made of the flesh of a chicken, three whole eggs, the liver, and a slice of bacon, all finely chopped, mixed and seasoned with pepper, salt, and a bouquet garni. now put the hare in a stewpan with slices of bacon all over it, some sliced carrots, two onions stuck with cloves, and half a pint of consommé. put some live coals on the lid of the saucepan and let it cook for three hours. hare à la mode. skin the hare and cut it up in into joints and lard with fine fillets of bacon; place in an earthenware pot, with some slices of salt pork, chopped bacon, salt, mixed spice, a piece of butter, and half a pint of port wine; lay two or three sheets of buttered paper over it; fix on the lid tightly and simmer over a slow fire. when nearly done, stir in the blood, boil up and serve. jugged hare. have a wide-mouthed stone jar, and put into it some good brown gravy free from fat. next cut up the hare into neat joints; fry these joints in a little butter to brown them a little. have the jar made hot by placing it in the oven, and have a cloth ready to tie over its mouth. put the joints already browned into the jar, and let it stand for fifteen minutes on the dresser. after this has stood some time untie the jar and add the gravy, with a dust of cinnamon, six cloves, two bayleaves, and the juice of half a lemon. the gravy should have onion made in it, and should be thickened with a little arrowroot. a wineglassful of port should be added, and a good spoonful of red currant jelly should be dissolved in it. next place the jar up to its neck in a large saucepan of boiling water, only taking care the jar is well tied down. let it remain in the boiling water from an hour to an hour and a half. stuffing balls, made with the same as the stuffing for roast hare, rolled into small balls the size of marbles and thrown into boiling fat, should be served with it. to roast landrail. this bird should be trussed like a snipe, and roasted quickly at a brisk but not a fierce fire for about fifteen or sixteen minutes. it should be dished on fried breadcrumbs, and gravy served in a tureen. croustade of larks. bone two dozen larks, season, and put into each a piece of pâté de foie gras (truffled). roll the larks up into a ball, put them in a pudding basin, season them with salt and pepper, and pour three ounces of clarified butter over them, and bake in a hot oven for a quarter of an hour. dish them in a fried bread croustade, made by cutting the crust from a stale loaf about eight inches long, which must be scooped out in the centre and fried in hot lard or butter till it is a good brown. drain it, and then place it in the centre of a dish, sticking it there with a little white of egg. put it into the oven to get hot; then put the larks into it, and let it get cold. garnish with truffles and aspic jelly. larks à la macédoine. take a dozen larks, fill them with forcemeat made of livers, a little veal and fat bacon, a dessertspoonful of sweet herbs; pepper and salt to taste, and pound all well together in a mortar, and then stuff the birds with it. lay the larks into a deep dish, pour over them a pint of good gravy, and bake in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour. have a pyramid of mashed potatoes ready, and arrange the larks round it, and garnish with a macédoine of mixed vegetables. lark pie. pluck, singe, and flatten the backs of two dozen larks, pound the trail and livers in a mortar with scraped bacon and a little thyme, stuff the larks with this, and wrap each in a slice of fat bacon. line a plain mould with paste, fill it with the larks, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, spread butter all over them, and add two small bayleaves; cover with paste, and bake for two hours and a quarter. can be eaten hot or cold. it must be turned out of the mould. salmi of larks à la macédoine, cold. take a dozen larks, bone and stuff them with pâté de foie gras, and make them as nearly as possible of the same size and shape. make half a pint of brown sauce, adding a glass of sherry, a little mushroom ketchup, and an ounce of glaze; boil together, and reduce one half, adding a couple of spoonfuls of tomato juice; pass through a sieve, and, when nearly cold, add a gill of melted aspic. mask the larks, and place them in a sauté pan, and cook them; take them out and remove neatly any surplus sauce, and dish them in the entrée dish in a circle. take the contents of a tin of macédoine of vegetables boiled tender in a quart of water, add a dust of salt, a saltspoonful of sugar, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut; strain off, and, when cold, toss them in two tablespoonfuls of liquid aspic jelly. this macédoine should be piled up high and served in the centre. garnish with chopped aspic round the larks, and sippets of aspic beyond this. lark puffs. make some puff paste, and take half a dozen larks, and brown them in a stewpan with a little butter; then take them out and drain them, and put into the body of each bird a small lump of fresh butter, a little piece of truffle, pepper and salt, and a tablespoonful of thick cream. truss each lark, and wrap it in a slice of fat bacon; cover it with puff paste rolled out to the thickness of a quarter of an inch, and shape it neatly; put the puffs in a buttered tin, and bake in a brisk oven for ten minutes. leveret à la minute. skin, draw, and cut a leveret into joints; toss in a saucepan with butter, salt, pepper, and a bouquet garni. when nearly cooked, add some chopped mushrooms, eschalots, parsley, a tablespoonful of flour, a gill of stock, and a gill of claret; as soon as it boils, pour into a dish and serve. leveret à la noël. take a leveret, cut off the fillets and toss them in the oven in a sauté-pan in butter; when cold, slice these fillets in shreds as for julienne vegetables. shred likewise some truffles, mushrooms, and tongue, and bind these together with two tablespoonfuls of good stock, in which a glass of port has been put, two cloves, the peel of a seville orange, and a few mushrooms; thicken with butter and flour and tammy. make some game forcemeat with the legs, and with it line some little moulds; fill up the empty space with the shredded game and vegetables and then cover with a layer of forcemeat. poach these moulds in a deep sauté-pan, and when done dish them up round a ragoût composed of truffles, mushrooms, quenelles, and cockscombs. sauce the entrée with gravy made from the bones and thickened. this entrée may be served cold, when it should be mixed with aspic, and garnished with it also. salmi of moor fowl or wild duck. carve the birds very neatly, and strip every particle of skin and fat from the legs, wings, and breasts, braise the bodies well and put them with the skin and other trimmings into a very clean stewpan. add two or three sliced shalots, a bayleaf, a small blade of mace and a few peppercorns, then pour in a pint of good veal gravy, and boil briskly till reduced nearly half, strain the gravy, pressing the bones well, skim off the fat, add a dust of cayenne and squeeze in a few drops of lemon; heat the game very gradually in it, but it must not be allowed to boil. place sippets of fried bread round the dish, arrange the birds in a pyramid, give the same a boil and pour over. a couple of wineglasses of port or claret should be mixed with the gravy. ortolans in cases. bone as many ortolans as are required, have ready about three rashers of bacon chopped fine, which must be put into a sauté-pan with two shalots, one bayleaf, a bouquet garni, half a teaspoonful of black pepper and salt to taste. these must be fried till coloured; then add half a pound of calf's liver, cut small, and fried till brown; next place them in a mortar and pound them well, add the yolks of three hard boiled eggs and some truffle cuttings, pound again, and pass through a sieve; stuff the ortolans with this forcemeat, roll them up, and place them in a well-oiled paper case, and then bake in a quick oven. pour over each case before serving a gravy made from the bones and trimmings of the birds, half a pint of rich gravy and a glass of claret, which should be reduced one half: send to table as hot as possible. ortolans à la périgourdine. cover the ortolans with slices of bacon, and cook them in a bain-marie moistened with stock and lemon juice. take as many truffles as there are ortolans, scoop out the centres and boil them in champagne (saumur will do). when done, pour a little purée of game into each truffle, add the ortolans, warm for a few seconds in the oven, and serve. ortolans aux truffes. take as many even large-sized truffles as ortolans; make a large round hole in the middle of each truffle, and put in it a little chicken forcemeat. cut off the heads, necks, and feet of the birds, season with salt and pepper, and lay each bird on its back in one of the truffles. arrange them in a stewpan, lay thin slices of bacon over them, pour over them some good stock, into which a gill of madeira has been poured, and then simmer them very gently for twenty-five minutes. dish the ortolans on toast, and strain the gravy over them. partridges à la barbarie. truss the birds, and stuff them with chopped truffles and rasped bacon, seasoned with salt and pepper and a tiny dust of cayenne. cut small pieces of truffles in the shape of nails; make holes with a penknife in the breasts of the birds; widen the holes with a skewer, and fill them with the truffles; let this decoration be very regular. put them into a stewpan with slices of bacon round them, and good gravy poured in enough to cover the birds. when they have been stewed for twenty minutes glaze them; dish them up with a financière sauce (see 'entrées à la mode'). partridge blancmanger aux truffes. boil a brace of partridges and let them get cold. melt about a pint of aspic jelly and take a plain round quart mould and pour about a gill of aspic jelly into it to mask it by turning the mould round and round in the hands till the inside has been entirely covered by the jelly, pour away any that does not adhere, and place the mould on ice at once. cut a few large truffles in slices and ornament the bottom of the mould with a star, pour on about two tablespoonfuls of a little cold liquid aspic. put into a stewpan a pint of aspic and whisk it till it becomes white as cream, then mask the mould with this; pour in enough to half fill it, then turn it round and round, covering all the inside of the mould, pouring out any superfluity. skin the partridges and cut off all the meat and chop it up: then pound it with a gill of cream in the mortar, and then rub through a fine wire sieve. place this in a large stewpan, add half a pint of cream, and mix it with the partridge meat. collect the aspic jelly, melt it, and whip it up and add it to the partridge; then fill the mould with this and pour in a little liquid aspic; place on ice. to serve this, dip it into warm water the same as a mould of jelly, turn it out, and garnish with aspic croûtons alternately with very small tomatoes; around the top arrange a wreath of chervil. partridges à la béarnaise. wipe the inside of the partridges with a damp cloth. cut off the heads, and truss the legs like boiled fowls. put them into a stewpan with two tablespoonfuls of oil and a piece of garlic the size of a pea, and shake them over a clear fire till slightly browned all over. then pour over them two tablespoonfuls of strong stock, one glassful of sherry, and two tablespoonfuls of preserved tomatoes, with a little salt and plenty of pepper. simmer all gently together until the partridges are done enough, and serve very hot. the sauce should be highly seasoned. blanquette of partridge aux champignons. raise the flesh of a cold partridge, take off the skin; cut the flesh into scallops; put some velouté sauce in a stewpan with half a basket of mushrooms skinned and sliced. reduce the sauce till very thick, adding enough cream to make it white. throw it over the partridge scallops, to which add a few mushrooms. broiled partridges. take off the heads and prepare them as if for the spit. break down the breast bone and split them entirely up the back and lay them flat. shred an eschalot as fine as possible and mix it with breadcrumbs. dip the partridges in clarified butter and cover inside and outside with the crumbs. broil them over a clear fire, turning them frequently for a quarter of an hour, and serve them up with mushroom sauce. chartreuse of partridges. boil some carrots and turnips separately, and cut them into pieces two inches long and three quarters of an inch in diameter. braise a couple of small summer cabbages, drain well, and stir over the fire till quite dry; then roll them on a cloth and cut them into pieces about two inches long and an inch thick. roast a brace of partridges, and cut them into neat joints. butter a plain entrée mould, line it at the bottom and the sides with buttered paper to form a sort of wall, then fill it up with cabbage and the pieces of partridge in alternate layers. steam the chartreuse to make it hot, turn it out of the mould upon an entrée dish, and garnish with turnips, carrots, and french beans. send good brown sauce to table with it. partridges aux choux. truss a brace of partridges for boiling, and mince about half a pound of fat bacon or pork, and put it into a saucepan on the fire; when it is boiling, immerse the birds quickly, and sauté them till nicely coloured. have ready a small savoy, which has been well washed and drained, chop it up and place it in the saucepan with the partridges, a bouquet garni, two pork sausages, pepper and salt to taste; add about half a pint of stock, and let all simmer together for two and a half hours. when ready to serve, remove the bouquet garni, and serve the chopped cabbage round the birds, and the sausages split and divided into four pieces each. cold glazed fillets of partridge. roast a brace of partridges, fillet them, pound the meat from the carcases in a mortar with truffles and mushrooms; simmer the bones in some vin de grave, with truffle trimmings, shalots, and a bayleaf, which reduce on the fire to about three-quarters the quantity; squeeze through a cloth, add two tablespoonfuls of clear stock to it, and stir half of it into the pounded meat; mix it thoroughly, and stir it until it boils; pass it through a tammy, and leave to get cold. arrange the fillets, with a tomato cut the same shape between each one, in a circle round an entrée dish; fill the centre with the purée, cover the whole with the remainder of the sauce, and garnish with croûtons of aspic jelly. partridges à la cussy. remove all the bones from the birds except the thigh bones and legs, stuff them with a forcemeat composed of chopped sweetbread, mushrooms, truffles, and cockscombs which have been boiled; sew up the birds to their original shape, hold them over hot coals till the breasts are quite firm, and cover them with buttered paper. line a stewpan with a slice of ham, two or three onions, carrots, a bouquet garni, a little scraped bacon, the partridge bones which have been pounded, salt, and pepper; moisten with stock. as soon as the vegetables get soft, add the partridges, and simmer over a slow fire. when done, dish up the birds, pass the sauce through a tammy, skim off the fat, reduce, and add a few truffles or slices of mushrooms, and pour over the partridges. partridges with mushrooms. take a brace of birds, and prepare about half a pound of button mushrooms, and place them in a stewpan with an ounce and a half of melted butter; add a slight sprinkling of salt and cayenne, and let them simmer for about nine minutes, then turn out all into a plate, and when quite cold put it into the bodies of the partridges; sew and truss them securely and roast them in the usual way, and serve either mushroom sauce round them, or they can be served up with their own gravy only, and bread sauce handed. partridge pie. cut the breasts and legs off two or three birds, sprinkle them with pepper and salt, and cook them in the oven smothered in butter, and covered with a buttered paper. pound the carcases, and make them into good gravy, but do not thicken it. take the livers of the birds with an equal quantity of calf's liver, mince both, and toss them in butter over the fire for a minute or two; then pound them in a mortar with an equal quantity of bacon, two shalots parboiled, with pepper, salt, powdered spice, and sweet herbs to taste. when well pounded, pass it through a sieve; put a layer of forcemeat into a pie-dish, arrange the pieces of partridge on it, filling up the interstices with the forcemeat; then pour in as much gravy as is required, put on the paste cover, and bake for an hour. when done, a little more boiling hot gravy may be introduced through the hole in the centre of the crust. a little melted aspic jelly may be added to the gravy. partridge pudding. take a brace of well-kept partridges, cut them into neat joints and skin them; line a quart pudding basin with suet crust, place a thinnish slice of rump steak at the bottom of the dish cut into pieces, put in the pieces of partridge, season with pepper and salt, and pour in about a pint of good dark stock well clarified from fat, then put on the cover and boil in the usual way. partridges à la reine. truss a brace of partridges for boiling, fill them with good game forcemeat, with two or three truffles cut up in small pieces, and tie thin slices of fat bacon over them. slice a small carrot into a stewpan with an onion, four or five sticks of celery, two or three sprigs of parsley, and an ounce of fresh butter. place the partridges on these, breasts uppermost, pour over them half a pint of good stock, cover with a round of buttered paper, and simmer as gently as possible till the partridges are done enough. strain the stock, free it carefully from grease, thicken it with a little flour and as much browning as is necessary; flavour with a little cayenne, half a dozen drops of essence of anchovy, and a tablespoonful of sherry. stir this sauce over a gentle fire till it is on the point of boiling, then pour it over the partridges already dished up on toast, and serve instantly. salmi of partridge à la chasseur. take a couple of cold roast partridges--they should be rather under-cooked--cut into neat joints, removing all skin and sinew, and lay the pieces in a stewpan with four tablespoonfuls of salad oil, six tablespoonfuls of claret, the strained juice of a lemon, salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. simmer gently for a few minutes till the salmi is hot throughout, then serve directly. garnish with fried sippets. scalloped partridges. take the fillets of a brace of partridges, sauté them in butter till firm, drain them, and put in some good game stock and two tablespoonfuls of allemagne sauce; when boiling put in the scalloped partridges, with two or three peeled mushrooms, a small piece of butter, and the juice of half a lemon. dish up the scallops in a circle, and fill the same in the centre. partridges à la sierra morena. take a brace of partridges properly trussed; cut into dice one inch thick a little less than half a pound of bacon, and put them in the stewpan; cut two large onions in quarters, take six whole black peppers, a little salt, one bayleaf, half a gill of vinegar, one gill of port wine, one gill of water, one tablespoonful of salad oil, and put all these ingredients into the stewpan; put on the lid, and cover the stewpan with half a sheet of brown kitchen paper; put the stewpan on a slow fire to stew for two hours; then take out the partridges and dish them and put round some of the quarters of onions which have been stewed. pass the gravy through a sieve and send to table. partridge soufflé. roast a partridge, chop and pound the flesh in a mortar with a few spoonfuls of béchamel sauce and a small piece of butter. season well; mix with this four eggs, and strain the whole through a sieve into a basin. beat the whites of the eggs stiffly, and mix lightly with the purée. put all into the soufflé dish, and let it bake in the oven for twenty minutes. cover the top with a piece of paper to prevent its burning. partridge soufflé. another way. skin a brace of cold roast partridges, cut off all the meat, and pound it in a mortar with the birds' livers; warm up in a saucepan with a little reduced stock, and pass through a tammy. break up the bones and put them into a saucepan with a good brown sauce and stock, and reduce till nearly a glaze; add the partridge purée and half an ounce of butter, two yolks of eggs, and the two whites whipped, which must be stirred in gradually; pour into a soufflé dish, and bake as soon as the soufflé has risen sufficiently. serve it _at once_. perdreaux en surprise. take two roasted partridges, cut out the whole of the breasts in a square piece, so as to make a square aperture, clean away all the spongy substance from the interior, and make a _salpicon_ to be put inside the birds as follows:--cut into very small dice the flesh taken out of the birds, also some truffles and pepper and salt. put these into a little velouté sauce, and with this stuff the birds. dip them into eggs and breadcrumbs put some bits of butter all over, and fry them of a nice colour. dish up and serve with espagnole sauce. stewed partridges. lard a brace of partridges, and place them in a stewpan with onions, carrots, rashers of bacon, a bouquet garni, and equal quantities of stock and light claret, and simmer over a slow fire, skimming constantly. when done, dish up the partridges, reduce the sauce, and pass through a sieve and pour over the birds. partridge à la toussenel. take a brace of partridges, stuff them with the livers of the birds minced up together with butter and some truffles which have been cooked in champagne; wrap each bird up in a figleaf or vineleaf, and over these place a sheet of buttered paper. then put the birds on the spit, and roast till about three-fourths cooked; then take off the spit, and under the four members of each bird spread a mixture of breadcrumb worked into a farce with pepper, butter, parsley, shalot, and grated nutmeg. replace the birds on the spit, and let them finish roasting, basting them continually alternately with broth and champagne. these drippings, to which the grated peel of one lemon and the juice of a seville orange are added, form the sauce to be served with it. partridge tartlets. bouchées de perdreaux. take the breasts of two cooked partridges, about six ounces, and cut into very small pieces. mince two ounces of lean ham, one truffle, and six mushrooms; stir this mixture into a gill of white sauce. butter nine small moulds, line them neatly with this mixture, smooth well over with a hot wet knife, fill in with minced partridge, coat them neatly over the top with the quenelle meat, steam them for twenty minutes; dish on a circle of mashed potato, pour good white sauce over and round them, and serve french beans or tomatoes in the centre. partridge à la vénitienne. put a brace of partridges into a stewpan with butter, two glasses of chablis, and two glasses of stock, add a bouquet garni, very little garlic, two cloves, salt and pepper; let them simmer gently. take them off when done, pass the gravy through a sieve, add a little butter and flour to thicken it, a small piece of glaze, a little cayenne and salt. pour the sauce over the partridges, and cover over all with two spoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese; put a few breadcrumbs and pieces of clarified butter on this, and set the whole on a baking sheet in the oven. brown the birds well, and serve with sauce espagnole or sauce piquante. pintail. this bird should be roasted at a clear quick fire, well floured when first laid down, turned briskly, and basted with butter _constantly_. it takes about twenty-five minutes to roast, and then it should be laid down before the fire for two or three more, when it will yield a very rich gravy. score the breast, and sprinkle a little cayenne on it, and send cut lemon up to table to hand with it. boiled pheasant. cover with buttered paper and simmer as gently as possible till it is done enough. pour either celery, horseradish, oyster, or soubise sauce over it, and serve more in a tureen. boudins of pheasant à la richelieu. take a cold pheasant and pick the meat from it; remove the skin and sinews, and pound the flesh in a mortar to a smooth paste. mix its weight with the same quantity of pounded potatoes or panada and six ounces of fresh butter. mix these thoroughly, pound them together, and season highly with salt and cayenne, and a trifle of mace. bind together with the yolks of four eggs, one at a time, two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, and last of all two tablespoonfuls of boiled onions chopped small. spread this mixture out on a dish, and make it up into small cutlets about three inches long, two inches wide, and a quarter of an inch thick. drop these carefully into very hot water, and poach them gently for a few minutes. the water must not boil. take them up, drain, and let them get cold; then egg and breadcrumb them, and fry them in hot butter a nice pale colour. make a gravy by peeling and frying four onions in butter till lightly browned, dredge an ounce of flour over them, and pour upon them half a pint of stock, a glassful of claret, the bones of the pheasant, and pepper and salt. simmer over fire for twenty minutes, strain through sieve, and it is ready for use. serve the boudins in a circle with the gravy round. pheasant à la bonne femme. put a well-hung pheasant in a buttered stewpan with three ounces of good beef dripping and six ounces of ham cut into dice. let the pheasant fry over fire till it is nicely and lightly browned, then add a tablespoonful of chutnee and three large spanish onions cut in rings; cover the saucepan, and let it simmer till all are cooked. take up the bird and put it on a dish, beat the onions over the fire for ten minutes, season with pepper and salt, and serve round the pheasant. pheasant à la brillat-savarin. hang a pheasant till tender, pluck, draw, and lard it carefully. bone and draw two woodcocks, keep the trail separate, throw away the gizzards, chop up the meat with beef marrow which has been cooked by steam, scraped bacon, pepper, salt, mixed herbs and truffles; fill the pheasant with this stuffing, which fix in with a piece of bread the shape of a cork and tie it round with fine thread. lay a thick slice of bread two inches broader than the pheasant in the dripping pan; pound the tail of the woodcock in a mortar with truffles, add anchovy, a little scraped bacon, and a lump of fresh butter; spread a thick layer on the bread, roast the pheasant over it so as to catch all the dripping and dish up on it. crème of pheasants à la moderne. take two pheasants, remove the skin from the breast, and cut from each the two large fillets and the two under ones; remove every particle of the white flesh that did not come away with the fillets, leaving the legs and pinions on the carcases. spread each fillet on a board and with a knife scrape the flesh from the skin of the fillet. when the flesh is removed from the four large fillets and from the four smaller ones, and little remnants gathered from the carcases, place them in a mortar and pour in a gill of cream and pound well for a few minutes, then rub through clean wire sieve, place it back in the mortar and keep adding, a gill at a time, more cream until one pint of cream is used up; now take two plain cylinder moulds, well buttered and ornamented according to fancy with truffles (or small dariole moulds may be used), fill carefully and place a piece of buttered paper on the top of the mould or moulds, and place them in a stewpan with about a pint of boiling water and let them simmer very gently for twenty minutes and turn out. make a sauce to serve with this dish of the carcases, &c., mixed with rich béchamel sauce, and when dished there should be a garnish of peas, mushrooms, or shred truffles. pheasant cutlets. take a well-hung young pheasant, cut it when prepared into neat joints. take out the bones carefully and shape the joints into cutlets; flatten these with the cutlet-bat, season rather highly and cover them thickly with egg and finely-grated breadcrumbs. put the bones and trimmings into a saucepan with a carrot, a turnip, an onion, a handful of parsley, a bouquet garni, a bayleaf, pepper, salt, and as much water as will cover them. let them stew slowly till the flavour of the herbs is drawn out, then thicken gravy and strain. fry the cutlets in hot fat till a bright brown. serve on a hot dish in a circle with one of the small bones stuck into each cutlet; pour the gravy round. galantine of pheasant à la mode. bone a pheasant, cut off the legs and press what is left of the leg inside, and cut away any sinews. take three-quarters of a pound of sausage meat, a dozen oysters, three or four truffles, a slice of tongue, and three rashers of fat bacon. cut the truffles into _small_ dice, also the tongue and bacon. mix all together with the sausage meat, adding a little cayenne pepper, half a teaspoonful of herbs mixed, half an ounce of melted gelatine, and two yolks of eggs. mix well together, and spread over the pheasant evenly. then roll it up lengthways and tightly in a cloth and place it in saucepan to boil for an hour, then take it out and remove the cloth carefully. to serve this dish, cut it up into thin slices and dish them in a circle, letting one piece overlap the other uniformly all round. place a little cress salad compressed into a ball on the top, and at the base a few croûtons of aspic jelly at an equal distance apart, and a little chopped aspic between. sprinkle a little over the salad ball at the top. fritôt of crème of pheasant. take eight tartlet tins, not too large, butter them, and fill about three parts full of crème of pheasant and place them in the oven for a few minutes. when quite firm to the touch, remove them from oven, and when cold dip each one into a light batter and fry in clean lard of a light brown. the batter should be made with half a pound of vienna flour, the half of a yolk of egg, a dessertspoonful of salad oil, and a gill of pale ale. mix all these together lightly till it will mask the point of one's finger; if too thick, add a drop or two more ale. serve with brown or mushroom sauce. send this dish very hot to table. partridge à la crème. see pheasant ditto. fritôt of partridge à la crème. see pheasant ditto. pheasant and macaroni. pull the flesh with two forks from a cold roast pheasant. put the bones and trimmings into a saucepan with enough water to cover them, and let them simmer till it is much reduced. add two shalots, a little salt and pepper, a grate of nutmeg, a gill of mushroom ketchup and the same of marsala. thicken with flour and butter, and let all simmer gently for twenty minutes; strain it, and put it back into the saucepan for it to boil up. just before the pheasant is to be served, put the meat into the gravy and let it warm through without boiling. after it is dished, place round it some macaroni made as follows:--have two pints of boiling water, into which plunge four ounces of macaroni, add pepper and salt, and simmer gently for twenty minutes. drain it, and put it into a pint of good stock, with a little salt, a teaspoonful of unmixed mustard and a dust of cayenne. let it all boil till the macaroni is tender, then add a tablespoonful of parmesan cheese and an ounce of butter. toss it over fire till all is well mixed, then serve. pheasant pie with oysters. boil a pheasant till almost done; it will finish cooking in the pie. make as much gravy as the size of the bird will require, add half a cup of milk, season and thicken it. make a good pie-crust, and then put the pieces of pheasant in a pie-dish, which must be hot. scatter some raw oysters among the pieces of pheasant, pour over all enough gravy to fill the dish to the depth of one inch, and cover it with the crust, which must be pressed against the edge so that it will adhere. let it bake for half an hour. after it is cooked, pour in remainder of the gravy in the slit in the top of the crust. pheasant des rois. have a pound of the best preserved truffles, such as can be obtained at benoist's, in wardour street, stew them in a mixture of a quarter of a pound of butter, a large tablespoonful of finest lucca oil, and half a pound of bacon fat scraped into shreds. thoroughly cook the truffles, so that a silver fork can be stuck into them without pushing hard. stuff a pheasant with them and sew it up. cover the breast with a slice of fat bacon, and put two or three slices beneath it. place round the pheasant pieces of veal and ham cut into small cubes the size of dice, add a few carrots, an onion or two, salt and pepper. pour on it a claretglassful of chablis, cover the saucepan, place it on a slow fire and use the salamander, then let it stew for an hour. when ready to serve, strain the same, removing all grease, and pour over the bird. pheasant à la sainte alliance. an expensive dish. take a well-hung cock pheasant and truss it for roasting. farce it with a stuffing made of two woodcocks' flesh and internals (or snipes') finely minced with two ounces of fresh butter, some salt, pepper, and a pinch of cayenne, a bouquet garni finely powdered, and as many chopped truffles as will be required to fill the pheasant. truss the bird and roast, basting it well with fresh butter. whilst roasting, lay in the pan a round of toast, upon which a little of the stuffing has been spread, and serve the bird on it. bread sauce and brown gravy should be handed round with it. salmi of pheasant. half roast a pheasant, and when it is nearly cold cut it into neat joints, removing the skin. put the bones and trimmings into a saucepan with an ounce of fresh butter, a bayleaf, and a bouquet garni, and stir these over a slow fire till lightly brown, then pour over half a pint of espagnole sauce and a glassful of claret. let all simmer for a quarter of an hour. strain the gravy, skim it carefully, add a pinch of cayenne and the juice of half a lemon, then put it back into the saucepan with the pieces of game. heat these up slowly. when cooked, dish up and pour the hot sauce over them and garnish with fried sippets. a little orange juice and a lump of sugar is an improvement to the sauce. pheasant stewed with cabbage. truss a pheasant for boiling. divide a large cabbage into quarters, soak them after cutting off the stalks, plunge them into boiling water and boil for about ten minutes. take them out, drain them and press all the water from them, then put them into the stewpan. lay the pheasant well in the cabbage, add six ounces of good bacon, half a pound of bologna sausage, three pork sausages, some parsley, a bayleaf, a bouquet garni, one carrot, an onion stuck with four cloves, a shalot, and some pepper. pour in as much stock as will cover the whole, and cover the pan closely and bring to a boil and let it simmer slowly for an hour. then take out the bird and the meat and keep them warm whilst the cabbage is drained, peppered, and salted, and steamed over fire till dry. then place it on a dish, arrange the pheasant on it and all the other adjuncts round it. serve poivrade sauce in a tureen. pheasant stuffed with oysters. truss a pheasant for roasting and fill it with forcemeat made of two dozen oysters pounded in the mortar, with a tablespoonful of brown breadcrumbs, half an ounce of fresh butter, a dessertspoonful of lemon juice, a boned anchovy, and a little cayenne. mix these ingredients thoroughly and bind them with the yolk of an egg. cover the bird with thin slices of fat bacon tied on securely, and roast before a clear fire. when done, dish up with clear gravy, and hand bread sauce in a tureen with it. pheasant stuffed with tomatoes. truss a pheasant for roasting, and fill it with a forcemeat made of six tomatoes pounded in the mortar, with a tablespoonful of breadcrumbs, a shalot, a mushroom, half a clove of garlic, a teaspoonful of parsley, and half an ounce of butter, pepper and salt to taste. bind together with the yolk of an egg. cover the bird with slices of bacon and roast before a clear fire. mushroom or tomato sauce may be served in a tureen with it. partridge and grouse are also very delicious stuffed in this way. pheasant en surprise. take a pheasant, remove the skin from the breast and take away all the meat, removing any gristle there may be, and place it in a mortar. have ready half a pint of good cream, and begin by pouring half the quantity over the pheasant and pound together for a few minutes, then rub it through a clean wire sieve. when passed, put it back into the mortar, add the remainder of the cream gradually into the fowl, stirring it round so that they blend together perfectly. fill a mould with this mixture and twist a bit of buttered paper round the top; then fold a sheet of paper several times and place it in a stewpan, put about half a pint of boiling water into the stewpan, or more according to size of it, and let all simmer gently for twenty minutes. add a little salt and a dust of cayenne pepper. turn this out and mix with it half a pint of white aspic jelly. have ready some very clear aspic jelly, and colour it red. take a pretty shaped jelly mould, pour in a little of the red aspic to about rather more than a quarter of the mould. when this is cool, put in the pheasant and aspic mixture, and place on ice for four hours; when properly frozen, turn out, and garnish the top with a wreath of fresh chervil leaves. serve chopped aspic in little mounds round the base alternately with mounds of mayonnaise salad or tomatoes. pheasant à la suisse. take the remains of a cold pheasant, cut it into neat joints. salt and pepper these highly, and strew over it finely chopped onion and parsley. cover them with oil, and squeeze over them the juice of a lemon. turn the pieces every now and then, and let them remain till they have imbibed the flavour, then dip the pieces in a batter made of four ounces of flour, with as much milk added as will make a thick batter. stir into it half a wineglassful of brandy and an egg, the white and yolk beaten to a froth. this batter should rest for an hour in a warm place before using. fry the pieces of chicken in the batter, and send it up piled on a dish garnished with fried parsley. pheasant à la tregothran. bone a pheasant and stuff it with the meat from four woodcocks or six snipe, cut it up, and chop up some truffles and make it into forcemeat. fry the trail of the woodcock or snipe in a little butter, and place on little rounds of fried bread and arrange round the dish. stew the bones of the woodcocks or snipe to make the gravy, reduce it, and add a glass of marsala to the broth and serve in a boat. pheasant à la victoria. take a quarter of a pound of bacon, cut it up in pieces (frying the bacon first), add a small clove of garlic, a small shalot, a bayleaf, half a carrot, half a turnip, half a dozen stewing oysters, and salt and pepper to taste. stew over the fire, and when cooked pound it all together with a few more oysters and pass through a wire sieve. stuff a pheasant with this, and place it in a stewpan with carrots and turnips; let all stew till tender, well basting it with its own stock. serve with rich espagnole sauce or oyster sauce on a croustade of potato. pigeons à la duchesse. split a couple of pigeons in halves, remove the breast bones and beat them flat, sauté them with two ounces of butter, pepper and salt. press them flat between two plates with a weight on them, and when the pigeons are cold spread the quenelle meat over the cut side of the birds; then egg and breadcrumb them and fry in fat. dish in a circle with brown sauce round and a macédoine of vegetables in the centre. pigeons à la financière. take four pigeons, truss and braise them in stock, then glaze them, dish them up against a block of fried bread. pour round half a pint of financière sauce, and garnish with small quenelles of forcemeat, truffles, mushrooms, and cockscombs in the centre. pigeons à la merveilleuse. blanch a brace of pigeons, and beat the backs so as to spread out the breasts, boil them in equal quantities of stock and chablis, season with salt and pepper, a sprig of parsley, two shalots, and two cloves; when cooked, take them out of the stewpan, and cook some mushrooms, twelve shelled crayfish, and a little flour in the sauce of the pigeons, boil for half an hour, reduce and thicken the sauce with yolks of egg and cream, season with finely chopped parsley and pour over the pigeons, and serve garnished with the heads of the crayfish. ballotines of pigeon à la moderne. take four boned pigeons, cut them lengthways in two, and make a farce of half a pound of pork sausage meat, half a spoonful of chopped truffles, the same of mushrooms, a few pieces of tongue cut into dice shapes, a bouquet garni, pepper and salt, and one yolk of an egg, all well mixed together. then divide it into eight equal parts, and fill the halves of the pigeons with it; make them into round balls, cutting off the feet. tie each piece of pigeon in a little bit of calico, and braise them till nicely tender. then let them cool, tie them up tightly, and let them get quite cold; place one of the feet in each ballotine, and arrange them on a sauté-pan. take off the calico, make them hot and glaze them, and serve with mushrooms and peas, and with a rich brown sauce over them. pigeons en poqueton. put some pâté de foie gras forcemeat, or any other forcemeat, into a small stewpan, and spread it all over at the bottom and sides, rubbing the stewpan first with butter. put in a couple of pigeons trussed for roasting, some sweetbreads and tongue cut into neat pieces, and some button mushrooms; arrange all these tastily in the pan, place some more forcemeat on the top, cover it over with slices of bacon, and bake it in a gentle oven. before closing it, pour some good gravy inside. the pigeons should be seasoned with pepper and salt, and just rubbed with garlic. when it is cooked, take it from the oven, and turn it carefully out into its dish, and pour a very rich sauce over it. pigeon en ragoût de crevettes. prepare a couple of pigeons, cut them in half, and put them in a stewpan with a glass of sauterne, half a pint of stock, a sprig of parsley, two cloves, pepper, salt, and a shalot; simmer till cooked, strain the gravy. now put an ounce of butter with a dozen button mushrooms and two or three dozen skinned prawns into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of flour and the gravy the pigeons were stewed in; simmer this for half an hour, then thicken it with a gill of cream and two yolks of eggs, add some finely chopped parsley and a grate of nutmeg. dish up the pigeons with the mushrooms and prawns in the centre. pigeons au soleil. take a couple of roasted pigeons and put them into a marinade of an ounce of butter, four shalots, an onion, and a carrot cut up into dice, a little parsley, a bayleaf, a little thyme, and a clove; put them into a stewpan and fry till they are of a light brown, then moisten with a little vinegar and water. when they have simmered for half an hour in the marinade let them cool, drain, and put them into a batter made of four spoonfuls of flour, a little salt, a little olive oil, and moisten with a sufficient quantity of water and two beaten whites of eggs; then fry them a good colour, and serve up with fried parsley in the middle, with a poivrade or piquant sauce around. pigeons à la soussell. bone four pigeons, and make a forcemeat of some fillet of veal, some ham fat, some grated breadcrumbs, mushrooms, truffles, a shalot, a bouquet garni, a little cayenne, pepper and salt, mixed with butter cooked over the fire and then pounded in a mortar; put some of this forcemeat into the pigeons and stew them gently for half an hour. take the pigeons out and mask them well with more of the forcemeat, brush some beaten egg over each, and put them in the fryingpan and fry them in good dripping. take the gravy they were stewed in, skim off all fat, thicken well with a liaison of cream and eggs, season with a little pepper and salt, and mix all together. make a mound of spinach purée in the centre of the dish, and place the pigeons around, standing up against the purée. take some very small boiled tomatoes, of a good shape, make a wreath round the base, place a few button mushrooms on the top of the spinach, and pour the sauce all round. grey plovers cooked in brandy. after trussing the plovers, flatten them and warm them in a stewpan with a little melted bacon fat, a bouquet garni, two onions, three mushrooms, and two or three truffles (the latter may be left out). as soon as they begin to colour, add half a pint of brandy and toss over a quick fire till the brandy is in flames; as soon as the flames go out, moisten with gravy and simmer over a slow fire. when the birds are done, skim off all grease, add the juice of a lemon, and serve hot. golden plover. trim, truss, leaving the inside in, cover with fat bacon, and roast or bake for twenty minutes. put a piece of well-buttered toast one-third of an inch thick to catch the trails. dress grey plovers exactly the same. golden plover aux champignons. take three golden plover, chop up the trails with parsley, shalots, salt, pepper, and scraped bacon, and stuff the plover with it; cover the breasts with slices of bacon and roast. when done, serve on stewed mushrooms. fried plover with english truffles. truss three plover for roasting, lay them breast downwards in a stewpan with plenty of butter, enough to entirely cover the breasts. put in nine or ten well-washed raw truffles pared very thin and cut into slices about the size of a florin. add a bayleaf, pepper and salt. stir over a brisk fire for ten minutes, then pour in a pint of stock mixed with a spoonful of flour and a glass of sherry. simmer by side of fire for twenty minutes, skimming carefully. dish up the birds, and then boil the sauce till it is thick and smooth, add the strained juice of a lemon, a lump of sugar, and a few drops of some xl colouring, and pour over the birds. stuffed pullet. bone the pullet, stuff with forcemeat made with minced veal, egg, ham, onions, foie gras, and mushrooms. first warm the veal, onion, and ham in melted butter, then add the mushrooms and foie gras, moisten with stock and boil. stir in two yolks of eggs and a teaspoonful of lemon juice before taking off the fire, season with a little salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. after stuffing the fowl with this mixture, sew it up, turn the skin of the neck half over the head and cut off part of the comb, which will give it the appearance of a turtle's head. blanch and singe four chickens' feet, cut off the claws and stick two where the wings ought to be and two in the thighs, so as to look like turtle's feet. stew the pullet with a little ham, onions, and carrots, tossed previously in butter, moisten with stock, skim occasionally. when done, cut the string where it is sewn, lay it on its back in a dish, garnish the breast with sliced truffles cut in fancy shapes, and place a crayfish tail to represent the turtle's tail. velouté sauce may be handed with this dish, or it may be eaten cold and garnished with aspic. quails à la beaconsfield. put, having trussed, six quails in a stewpan wrapped in slices of bacon. moisten with two spoonfuls of stock, a bouquet garni, two bayleaves and a clove, pepper and salt to taste. stew them for twenty minutes over a very slow fire. drain them well, make a purée of peas in which a tablespoonful of aspic jelly has been mixed. mask each quail with the purée, dish them in a crown shape with little rolls of bacon in front of each, have a few truffles or mushrooms cooked and placed in the centre, and pour over the quails a rich brown sauce. quails en caisse. bone six quails and halve them, take the bones and trimmings and stew them in some stock with two carrots, one onion, one shalot, a bayleaf, a small piece of lean ham, a small piece of parsley, pepper and salt. this must be reduced, and then strained. make a forcemeat of the quails' livers, a small piece of calf's liver, and half their quantity of bacon. put these into a sauté-pan with a couple of shalots and an ounce of butter, and toss them over the fire for five minutes, then pass this mixture through a sieve. have the paper cases ready oiled, and place at the bottom a layer of this farce, having already stuffed the half quails with it. the stuffed half quails, rolled, must now be put into the cases with a thin slice of very fat bacon over them. they must now be baked in the oven for about twelve minutes. remove the bacon, and pour over the gravy, which must be thickened with flour rolled in butter. strew a little very nicely minced parsley over each case. compôte of quails. take six quails, cut the claws off, and truss them with the legs inside. cut eight pieces of bacon rolled up like corks, blanch them to draw out any salt, and fry them till they are of a light brown; take them out and put in the quails, which must be stewed till they begin to be of a light brown, then remove them. make a thickening with flour and butter, and put it into a good gill of veal stock; add a bouquet garni, some small onions and mushrooms. skim the sauce well, and strain it over the quails, then dish the bacon, mushrooms, and small onions, and send up hot. quails and green peas. cook the quails in a stewpan with a slice of veal and a slice of ham, carrots, onions, and a bouquet garni; cover with rashers of bacon and buttered paper; place hot coals on the lid, and, when done, dish up the quails with green peas in the centre which have been cooked in butter. boudins of rabbit à la reine. cut the meat from a young very fine rabbit, which put into some reduced béchamel sauce. when cold, roll it into large boudins the shape of sausages, egg and breadcrumb, and fry. serve under them velouté sauce. boiled rabbit à la maintenon. cut a young rabbit into neat joints, and put them in a stewpan with enough white stock just to cover them; add a bouquet garni, a stick of celery, a shalot, an onion, a few peppercorns, a carrot, and six mushrooms. let all simmer slowly for half an hour, or it might be a little longer, then take them up and drain them; then cut as many pieces of white foolscap paper as there are pieces of rabbit, butter them, sprinkle the pieces of rabbit, and lay on each a little piece of fat bacon, then roll them in the paper and broil over a fire till the bacon has had time to cook. serve in the papers. thicken the gravy in the usual way, and serve it in a tureen. galantine of rabbit. take a couple of young rabbits, bone, and lay them on a linen cloth; lay over them a good meat stuffing seasoned to taste, putting over this stuffing, which should be laid on about the thickness of a crown, first a layer of ham cut in slices, and then a layer of hard eggs. cover these layers with a little forcemeat, roll up the meat, taking care not to displace the layers, and cover it with thin slices of fat bacon, wrapping the whole in a cloth; wind some packthread round it and let it boil three hours in stock, adding salt and coarse pepper, some roots and onions, a large bunch of parsley, shalots, a clove of garlic, cloves, thyme, bayleaves, and basil. allow this to cool, take off the cloth, and serve cold. gibelotte de lapin. cut a rabbit into pieces. sauté it in two ounces of butter, add an onion, two shalots, and a pint of poivrade sauce; put it in the oven for one hour, being careful not to burn it. small pieces of cauliflower and croûtons of fried bread should garnish this dish. fillets of rabbit with cucumber sauce. cut two cucumbers into thin slices and soak them in vinegar, with pepper, salt, and a bayleaf, for two hours, then half roast the rabbit, take the skin off, and fillet it. make a sauce of white stock, and put the pieces of rabbit into it with the cucumber until it is quite done. arrange the pieces of rabbit in a circle, put the cucumber in the middle, and pour the sauce over the fillets. fried sippets should garnish this dish. fricandeau of rabbit. take the fleshy portion of a good-sized rabbit, lard the flesh and lay it in a deep baking dish, cover it with some highly flavoured stock. place a piece of buttered paper over the dish, and bake in a moderate oven till it is tender, basting it frequently. lift the rabbit out and keep it hot whilst the gravy is boiling to thicken. spread a teacupful of good tomato sauce on a hot dish, lay the rabbit on it, hold a salamander over the larding to crisp it, and pour the gravy over all. rabbit fritters. cut the meat from a cold rabbit into small pieces, put them in a pie-dish and sprinkle over them parsley, chives, thyme, and a clove of garlic, all chopped very fine, salt, pepper, and a bayleaf; pour over all a glass of chablis and the juice of a lemon. let the pieces of rabbit soak in this for two hours, then take them out, dredge them well over with flour, and throw them into boiling fat till of a nice golden colour. remove and drain them, pile them high in an entrée dish, and pour round the following sauce. take the liquor the rabbit has been soaked in, add half a pint of stock and a little thickening of flour and butter, and let it boil well. then strain through a sieve, put in a tablespoonful of piccalilli chopped fine, or some chutnee, give another boil, and serve. rabbit klösse. take a cold dressed rabbit, mince all the meat, mix in with it an equal quantity of bread soaked in milk squeezed dry. cut two slices of bacon into small squares, and fry slowly. add the minced meat and stir in two eggs, and let it cook a few minutes. turn it out on a dish to cool, and add one more egg. form it into balls the size of an egg, then drop them into boiling water, and boil until set. lift them out very tenderly, pile them up in a pyramid on a dish, and garnish them with fried potatoes. send a sharp sauce to table with them. rabbits en papillote. mince up some parsley, mushrooms, shalot, a clove of garlic, a slice of bacon, with salt and pepper to taste. mix this in a little gravy on the fire to form a paste. cut a rabbit into neat fillets and joints. cover each with the paste, then wrap a thin slice of fat bacon and fix each piece neatly in an oiled paper. cook them slowly in the oven, and serve in papers. rabbit pie à la provençale. take two small rabbits, cut them into joints, and lay them in a saucepan with two carrots, two onions, a clove of garlic, a bunch of herbs, and a pound of pickled pork (the belly). boil in a very little water for half an hour, take out the rabbits and drain them, also drain the pork and place it at the bottom of a well-buttered pie-dish, and then lay the pieces of rabbit on it. pour on a wine-glassful of sauterne or vin de grave, and strew over it some spanish pimento. pour in some good batter, and bake in a quick oven for half an hour. reduce the liquor in which it was cooked and add the strained juice of a lemon. the sauce should be handed with it. rabbit pilau. cut up a young rabbit into ten or twelve pieces. rub each piece into a savoury pudding made as follows. extract the juice of two onions, mix a teaspoonful of salt with it, half a teaspoonful of powdered ginger, and the juice of a lemon. boil half a pound of rice in a quart of broth till it is half cooked. have ready four ounces of good dripping, and fry the pieces of rabbit in it, with two sliced onions. when they are brown remove them. place the meat into a deep jar. lay the onions on it and cover with the rice, add four cloves, eight peppercorns, some salt, and a little lemon peel cut very thinly, and pour half a pint of milk over; place some folds of paper over the jar and bake in the oven, adding a little broth when the rabbit is half cooked. when done, pile the rice on a dish, and lay the pieces of rabbit on the top and serve very quickly. rabbit pudding. cut a rabbit into ten or twelve pieces, put these into a stewpan with a little pepper and salt, pour on as much boiling water as will cover them, and let them simmer for half an hour. take them up and put in their place the head and liver of rabbit with some bacon rind and simmer for an hour, strain and skim it, and let it get cool. line a pie-dish with suet crust, and then put in the pieces of rabbit with four ounces of fat bacon cut into narrow strips, pour in a cupful of the cool gravy, lay on the cover, and boil in the usual way. n.b.--the brains may be mixed in with the liver. rabbit à la tartare. bone a rabbit, cut it into pieces, and let it marinade for six hours in parsley, mushrooms, a clove of garlic, chives, all chopped very fine, with pepper, salt, and the best salad oil. dip each piece of rabbit in breadcrumbs and broil, sprinkling the pieces with the marinade. serve tartare sauce over it or with it. the wanderer's rabbit. no. . divide a rabbit into pieces of convenient size, put them into a saucepan in which half a dozen slices of bacon are cooking. as soon as the meat is beginning to brown, pour a wineglass and a half of brandy into the saucepan, and set fire to it. when the fire has burnt out, add a little pepper, salt, a bayleaf, and a bit of thyme, and let it simmer by the side of the fire till the brandy has nearly dried up, then serve. the wanderer's rabbit. no. . divide a couple of rabbits into quarters, adding plenty of pepper and salt. slightly fry them in a saucepan in bacon fat and flour. add sufficient stock and two glasses of sauterne, and let it stew on a moderate fire. when done, squeeze an orange over the dish just before serving up. stewed roebuck cutlets. sprinkle the cutlets with salt and pepper, cook them in a saucepan with melted butter. when half done, turn them, add a little flour, moisten with equal quantities of white wine and stock, season with chopped eschalots, parsley, and blanched mushrooms; remove the cutlets when done, place them round an entrée dish, reduce the sauce, pass it through a tammy, and pour over the cutlets. snipe à la minute. pluck three snipes and truss them for roasting. put the snipes head downwards in a saucepan with two ounces of melted butter, two finely chopped shalots, a dessertspoonful of chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. shake the saucepan over the fire till the birds are lightly browned, pour over them as much good stock and sherry as will just cover them. add the strained juice of half a lemon and a small piece of finely grated crust. simmer till birds are done, dish them, and pour over them some good strong beef gravy, and serve quickly. snipe pie. take eight snipe for a moderately sized pie; cut them into neat pieces. make a forcemeat of ham, chicken, tongue, seasoned with a little sweet herbs, pepper, salt, cayenne, some breadcrumbs, and mushrooms chopped fine. mix all together with the yolks of a couple of eggs, then place in the pie-dish a layer of snipe, then forcemeat, then snipe again, and then forcemeat, till the dish is full. pour in some good gravy, and put it in the oven to bake. when it is done, raise the paste cover and pour in some more gravy. this pie may be eaten hot or cold. snipe pie à la danoise. parboil the birds in broth and chablis, seasoned with pepper, salt, a grated onion, and a grate of nutmeg. make a forcemeat of finely scraped beef, say one pound, also four ounces of fat pork. pound and mix well together with a little butter and the crumb of a roll soaked in broth, season with grated onion, pepper, mushrooms and gherkins chopped fine, and add a little broth. line a dish with this forcemeat, put in the snipe, and bake it for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes. serve with a sauce made of half a pint of good stock, a gill of chablis, a little water, and a piece of butter rolled in flour, and stirred till smooth; when it begins to boil slice in pickled gherkins. snipe raised pie (hot). cut four snipes in two lengthwise, remove the gizzards, put the trails aside, and season the birds with salt and cayenne. fry the birds in butter for ten minutes and then stand them to drain in the cool till wanted. make a forcemeat of four ounces of calf's liver, four ditto fat bacon cut small, melt the latter over a quick fire, and then add the liver and season the mixture with pepper, salt, and herbs. when these are cooked, let them get cold, and then pound them in the mortar with the trails of the birds. now pass all through a sieve. line a buttered pie-mould with raised crust paste, and put in a layer of the forcemeat at the bottom of the mould, leaving it hollow in the centre. put half the pieces of snipe in a circle upon the forcemeat, and place a little ball of forcemeat upon them, put in the rest of the birds and put a layer of forcemeat over all. fill the hollow in the centre with bread which has been covered with fat bacon, put the pastry cover on, and bake. when done, take off the cover, remove bread and fill its place with scallopped truffles. pour good brown sauce over all, pile truffles on the top, and serve. this can also be made in a china raised pie-case. snipe soufflé. roast three or four snipe, remove all the meat from the bones, put it into a mortar, and pound it well with two ounces of cooked rice, one ounce of butter, a little pepper and salt, and one gill and a half of glaze. pass through hair sieve and add the yolks of four eggs whipped to a stiff froth; put it into a mould and bake in a quick oven. serve with a good gravy round, made from the bones and trimmings, the juice of half a lemon, and a glass of port wine; thicken with butter and cornflour. snipes à la superlative. make a forcemeat of three ounces of fat bacon, three ounces of fowl's liver, and cut both into pieces an inch square. fry the bacon over a sharp fire, move it about constantly, and in three or four minutes add the liver. when it is half done, mince it with the bacon, season, and add half a clove of garlic and pound all smoothly in a mortar. pass through wire sieve. when quite cold, roll out half of it with a little flour, form it into a thick band, and arrange it in a circle at the bottom of a dish. take four partially roasted snipes, split them open down the back, and spread the forcemeat a quarter of an inch thick over the inside of each. place the birds in the middle of the dish, and cover them with some of the forcemeat, smooth with a hot knife and put the dish into a quick oven, wipe away all fat, pour truffle sauce over the snipe, and serve. teal pudding. take three teal, season the birds with salt and cayenne, and divide them into neat pieces. cut up a pound of rump steak into pieces about an inch in size, season, and dredge them lightly with flour. line a pudding-basin with good suet paste rolled out to half an inch thickness. place in a layer of steak and a layer of teal, and repeat till the dish is full, then fill in with three-quarters of a pint of good gravy, and put the cover on in the usual way. plunge it into boiling water and keep it boiling till done. serve it in the basin it is cooked in, with a napkin pinned round it. salmi of teal. put in a stewpan three ounces of butter and one good spoonful of flour, let them melt together, stirring till it becomes a nice brown; add by degrees a gill of good stock and as much red wine, two whole shalots (taken out after), a full bouquet, pepper, and a little salt; put in the body and bones of the bird, from which you have previously detached the limbs and meat. let all boil slowly for half an hour, pass all through colander, and put gravy alone back in stewpan on the fire, and just when on the point of boiling put in the pieces of teal and take the stewpan off the fire; add a little lemon juice, put the lid on, and leave it on the hob for half an hour. stewed teal. truss the birds, putting aside the hearts, livers, and gizzards, and dredge them with flour, then place them in a saucepan with a piece of butter, and let them brown equally, taking care of the gravy which oozes from them. let them get cold, then carve them in such a way that the wings and legs can be taken off with a piece of breast adhering to it. break the bodies of the birds into small pieces, and stew them with the livers, &c., in as much stock as will cover them, till the gravy becomes good and strong, then strain it, season with cayenne, salt, a glassful of claret, and a little seville orange juice. directly it begins to boil, put in the fleshy portion of the birds and let simmer till they are thoroughly heated, but do not let the gravy boil. cut slices of bread large enough for a leg and wing to lie upon, fry till lightly browned, arrange them neatly, and pour sauce over them. garnish with sliced lemon. devilled turkey drumsticks. score the drumsticks down parallel with the bone, and insert in the slices thus made a mixture made with one ounce of butter, a good teaspoonful of french mustard, a little cayenne, and a salt-spoonful of black pepper. mix all this thoroughly together and spread the mixture into the cuts, then rub the drumsticks with butter, and grill over a fierce fire. turkey en daube. put slices of bacon in a braising-pan, lard the breast and thighs of a turkey trussed for boiling, and place the turkey on the slices of bacon; put into the pan a slice of ham and a calf's foot broken into small pieces, with the trimmings of the turkey, two onions stuck with four cloves, three carrots, and a bouquet garni. put slices of bacon over the turkey, put some melted butter over, and cover with three rounds of buttered paper and let it simmer for five hours; take it from the fire and leave it for half an hour, strain the gravy and boil it down. beat an egg into a saucepan, and pour the jellied gravy into this, whip it well, then put it on the fire, bring it to the boil, and then draw it to the side of the fireplace, cover it with the lid with hot coals on it, and let it remain for half an hour; strain again, and with this jelly cover the turkey. venison cutlets. trim the cutlets the same as you would mutton cutlets, melt a little butter on a plate, dip each cutlet in the butter, and dust them slightly with flour, then in beaten egg, and roll them in breadcrumbs. fry them in hot lard for ten minutes, take them out of the lard and lay them on a flat dish covered with paper; put them before the fire for a few minutes to free them from grease. dish them up, and pour financière sauce round the cutlets. venison cutlets à l'américaine. cut the cutlets very small, and arrange them en couronne. make an espagnole sauce, and flavour it with bayleaves, garlic, half a pound of red currant jelly, and a glass of madeira. haricot of venison. take a neck or shoulder of venison, and cut the meat of the shoulder in pieces two inches square and the neck in thick cutlets. fry these pieces with two ounces of butter in a stewpan over a brisk fire until they are browned, then pour off all grease, shake in a little flour, and stir together, moisten with sufficient stock to cover the meat, season with pepper and salt, and stir over fire till it boils. remove it then to the corner of the stove to allow it to throw up its scum, which remove. wash and scrape three carrots, and with a vegetable scoop cut out all the pink from the carrots in round balls, and boil them in water for half an hour. cut out some balls of turnip in the same manner, and boil for fifteen minutes. strain the vegetables and add them to the stew, with a glass of port wine and two ounces of red currant jelly. when the meat and vegetables are thoroughly cooked, and the stew well skimmed, dish it up very quickly. venison pasty. stew the venison, remove all the bones, sinew, and skin, cutting off the fat and putting it aside. make the paste in the usual way, and cover the edge and sides of a pasty dish: then put in the pieces of venison, packing it closely together, pepper and salt it well. cover it with the paste and then bake it, which will take about four hours. pour in at the top three-quarters of a pint of venison gravy which has been made from the bones and trimmings, two shalots, a gill of port wine, and a tablespoonful of ketchup. venison puffs. cut some cold venison into very thin shavings, mix a tablespoonful of red currant jelly with some rich brown sauce, and put on the venison pieces. have ready some light puff paste, roll it out thin and divide it in pieces, put some of the meat in each, and form them into puffs. brush with white of egg, and bake quickly a delicate brown colour. salmis of widgeon. take two widgeon that have been cooked, cut them up into neat pieces, break up the bones and put them into brown stock with some minced shalots, pepper and salt, and let them simmer very slowly for half an hour, then add a glass of port wine, half a teaspoonful of clarence's cayenne sauce, and a squeeze of orange. let it all boil up for about a quarter of an hour, and add an ounce of butter into which a little flour has been rubbed; let it thicken, then strain, pour the gravy over the cold pieces of bird, and bring slowly to the boil and serve with fried sippets. some button mushrooms added to the gravy are a great improvement. widgeon may be cooked in as many ways as teal, using the same recipes, substituting widgeon for teal. fillets of wild ducks with olives. roast a couple of wild ducks and cut off the fillets in the usual way, score the skin, dish the fillets in a circle and put into the centre some stoned olives. send clear brown gravy in a tureen with them. wild fowl with bigarade sauce. roast a couple of wild fowl, cut off flesh from each side of the breast, and from sides under the wings. score the skin, and dish the fillets in a circle with a little bigarade sauce poured over them. woodcock à la chasseur. truss a brace of cocks and put them down before a clear fire for fifteen minutes, then take them away and cut them into neat joints. put the inferior pieces with three minced shalots, a bouquet garni, and half a head of garlic into a saucepan with a wineglassful of good gravy, another of wine, a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, and the strained juice of half a lemon, and let all simmer for ten minutes. remove the gizzards from the trail, and pound them in a mortar with a piece of shalot, a little butter, pepper, and salt, and then rub through a sieve and spread them upon small pieces of fried bread cut into the shape of hearts. put the joints of the woodcocks into a separate saucepan, strain the gravy on them, and let them heat gently; they must not boil. place them on a dish, put the fried bread with the trail round them, pour the gravy over all, and serve hot. woodcock à la lucullus. roast the woodcocks in the usual way, and catch the trail on a toast. whilst the birds are still under-dressed, pour over them a little melted butter with which the yolk of an egg and a little cream has been mixed. sprinkle grated breadcrumbs over, brown with a salamander, and serve with brown gravy. woodcock à la périgueux. truss a brace of woodcocks, cover them with layers of bacon and put them into a stewpan with as much richly flavoured stock as will barely cover them, and add a glassful of madeira. let them simmer till done enough, drain, dish them, and pour over some périgueux sauce. woodcock à la provençale. fillet a brace of woodcock, soak them in salad oil seasoned with black pepper, some cloves, and a pounded head of garlic. place the bones on a stewpan with some salad oil, six shalots, a head of garlic, a bayleaf, and a bouquet garni. when brown, add a dessert-spoonful of flour, a tumblerful of chablis, and a pint of stock. reduce to half the quantity, and pass through a tammy. sauté the fillets in warm oil; when done, place them in a circle on an entrée dish with a fried bread sippet between each, stir a little lemon juice into the sauce, and pour over the fillets. woodcock en surprise. take two livers of fowls and the trails of some cold woodcocks. chop very finely two shalots, a sprig of parsley, and eight flap mushrooms, and fry in butter. when nearly cooked, put in the trail and livers to fry with the vegetables. after, pound all together in a mortar, and season with salt and pepper. cut some neat slices of bread about two inches square, and fry them a pale colour, then spread on them the liver and trail forcemeat. place them into the oven to colour, then dish them up with the woodcocks made into a salmi over them, with a good rich brown sauce flavoured with claret round. salmi of woodcocks à la lucullus. take three woodcocks, which must be roasted very under-done. take out the trail, and add to it either three fowl livers or their equivalent in pâté de foie gras. make a farce with a dozen mushrooms chopped very fine, a shalot, a sprig of parsley, both chopped fine. fry these in a little butter, then add the trails and livers or pâté de foie gras to fry with them; when done, pound all in a mortar and season with salt, pepper, and a dust of cayenne. as three woodcocks will give six fillets, cut six bits of bread of the same size and fry them of a nice colour. then spread the farce equally divided over the six croustades, put them into the oven, and when of a good colour put them between each of the fillets. make the sauce from the bones and cuttings of the birds, add six spoonfuls of espagnole sauce and a glass of marsala. the fillets should be kept in the hot sauce whilst the croustades are cooking, so as to prevent their getting dry, then warm them up without boiling, as boiling would spoil the dish. index. blackbird pie, blanquette of chicken, -- -- -- aux concombres, capilotade of fowl, chicken, blanquette of, , -- à la bonne femme, -- drumsticks, braised, -- chiringrate, -- à la continental, -- à la davenport, -- à l'italienne, -- à la matador, -- à la cardinal, fillets of, -- fried à la orly, -- -- à la suisse, -- fricassee, -- fritôt aux tomates, -- nouilles au parmesan, -- pudding à la reine, -- rice, -- in savoury jelly, -- with spinach, -- stewed whole, capon fried, -- à la nanterre, côtelettes à l'ecarlate, ducks braised, -- à la mode, -- à la nivernaise, -- devilled, ducks à la provence, -- à purée perto, -- salmi of, -- stewed with turnips, game and macaroni, -- pie, -- rissoles, -- salad of, goose stuffed with chestnuts, -- à la royale, grouse in aspic, -- croustades of, au diable, -- à l'ecossais, -- à la financière, -- friantine of, -- kromesquis, -- marinaded, -- au naturel, -- pie, -- pressed, -- salad, -- scallops of, à la financière -- soufflé, -- timbale of, hare, to cook, -- cutlets à la chef, -- en daube, -- derrynane fashion, -- à la matanzas, -- à la mode, -- jugged, landrail, larks, croustade of, -- à la macédoine, -- pie, -- puffs, -- salmi of, cold, leveret à la minute, -- à la noël, lièvre, filet de, à la muette, -- gâteaux de, moorfowl, salmi of, ortolans in cases, -- à la périgourdine, -- aux truffes, partridges à la barbarie, -- blancmanger and truffles, -- à la béarnaise, -- blanquette of, -- broiled, -- chartreuse of, -- aux choux, -- cold fillets of, -- à la cussy, -- with mushrooms, -- pie, -- pudding, -- à la reine, -- salmi of, au chasseur, -- scalloped, -- à la sierra morena, -- soufflé, -- stewed, -- à la toussenel, -- tartlets, -- à la vénitienne, pintail, pheasant, boiled, pheasants, boudins of, -- à la bonne femme, -- à la brillat-savarin, -- crème of, à la moderne, -- cutlets, -- galantine of, -- fritôt, -- and macaroni, -- pie with oysters, -- des rois, -- à la sainte-alliance, -- salmi of, -- stewed with cabbage, -- stuffed with oysters, -- -- -- tomatoes, -- en surprise, -- à la suisse, -- à la tregothran, -- à la victoria, pigeons à la duchesse, -- à la financière, -- à la merveilleuse, -- ballotines of, -- en poqueton, -- en ragoût de crevettes, -- au soleil, -- à la soussel, plovers in brandy, -- golden, -- -- aux champignons, -- aux truffes, pullet, stuffed, quails à la beaconsfield, -- en caisse, -- compôte of, -- and green peas, rabbit, boudins of, -- à la maintenon, -- galantine of, -- gibelotte of, -- fillets of, with cucumber, -- fricandeau of, -- fritters, -- klösse, -- en papillote, -- pie à la provençale, -- pilau, -- pudding, -- à la tartare, -- à la wanderer, roebuck cutlets, snipe à la minute, -- pie, -- -- à la danoise, -- hot raised, -- soufflé, -- à la superlative, teal, devilled, -- pudding, teal, salmi of, -- stewed, turkey drumsticks, devilled, -- en daube, venison cutlets, , -- haricot, -- pastry, -- puffs, widgeon, salmi of, wild ducks, fillets of, wildfowl à la bigarade, woodcock au chasseur, -- à la lucullus, -- à la périgueux, -- en surprise, -- salmi à la lucullus, printed by spottiswoode and co., new-street square london +----------------------------------------------------------+ | transcriber's notes: | | left inconsistent hyphenation in place | | page : changed trail to tail | | index: corrected page number for pigeons à la financière | +----------------------------------------------------------+ distributed proofreading canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net (this file was produced from images generously made available by the internet archive/american libraries.) hand-book of practical cookery, for ladies and professional cooks. containing _the whole science and art of preparing human food._ by pierre blot, professor of gastronomy, and founder of the new york cooking academy. "if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land." new york: d. appleton and company, , , and bond street. . entered, according to act of congress, in the year , by d. appleton & co., in the clerk's office of the district court of the united states for the southern district of new york. preface. food is the most important of our wants; we cannot exist without it. the man who does not use his brain to select and prepare his food, is not above the brutes that take it in its raw state. it is to the physique what education is to the mind, coarse or refined. good and well-prepared food beautifies the physique the same as a good and well-directed education beautifies the mind. a cook-book is like a book on chemistry, it cannot be used to any advantage if theory is not blended with practice. it must also be written according to the natural products and climate of the country in which it is to be used, and with a perfect knowledge of the properties of the different articles of food and condiments. like many other books, it is not the size that makes it practical; we could have made this one twice as large as it is, without having added a single receipt to it, by only having given separate ones for pieces of meat, birds, fishes, etc., that are of the same kind and prepared alike. all cook-books written by mere compilers, besides giving the same receipt several times, recommend the most absurd mixtures as being the best and of the "latest french style." although cookery has made more progress within two or three years, in this country as well as in europe, than it had since , and although all our receipts are complete, practical, wholesome, and in accordance with progress, still they are simple. our aim has been to enable every housekeeper and professional cook, no matter how inexperienced they may be, to prepare any kind of food in the best and most wholesome way, with economy, celerity, and taste; and also to serve a dinner in as orderly a manner as any steward can do. we did not intend to make a book, such as that of carÈme, which cannot be used at all except by cooks of very wealthy families, and with which one cannot make a dinner costing less than twenty dollars a head. such a book is to housekeepers or plain cooks what a latin dictionary is to a person of merely elementary education. if we give so many different ways of preparing the same article of food, it is not with a view to complicate cookery, but people's taste is in food as in dress, differing not only in the selection of colors, but also in shape; therefore, by our variety of dishes and our different styles of decorating them; by the ease that they can be prepared in the cheapest as well as in the most costly way, we think we have met all wants and all tastes. the wealthy, as well as those in limited circumstances, can use our receipts with the same advantage. our division of cookery and the system of arranging _bills of fare_, contained in these pages, solve that great and perplexing question, especially for ladies, how to arrange a bill of fare for every season, to suit any number of guests, at a greater or less expense, as they may desire. every one knows that money alone cannot make good dishes; however good the raw materials may be, they require proper preparations before being palatable and wholesome. to housekeepers and cooks. a cook-book cannot be used like a dictionary; a receipt is like a rule of grammar: to comprehend it thoroughly, it is indispensable to understand others. the author, therefore, earnestly recommends to his readers to begin by perusing carefully the directions, etc., at the beginning of the book, and also the explanations given on and heading the different articles of food, before attempting the preparation of a dish for the first time. they will thus soon be able to prepare any dish by merely reading the receipt. if all the explanations necessary were given at every receipt, this work would have filled more than ten volumes like the present. we are aware that the study of cookery is as uninviting and dry as the study of grammar at first; so is the study of every science and even art; but it becomes comparatively easy and interesting after a while. mere flourish in a receipt would have the same effect as in a rule of grammar. to cooks. we think the following friendly recommendations will not be out of place here. they are in the interest of both the housekeeper and the cook: make use of every thing good. waste nothing, however little it may be. have no prejudices. be careful, clean, and punctual. always bear in mind that routine is the greatest enemy of progress, and that you have agreed to faithfully perform your daily duties for a certain consideration. pierre blot. new york, _august_, . contents. page cooking, directions, explanations, etc., divers receipts, potages or soups, sauces, farces and garnitures, fish, beef, mutton, veal, pork, poultry, game, vegetables, eggs, macaroni, and rice, sweet dishes, pastry, bills of fare, index, cooking. the science and art of cooking may be divided into ten principal parts; the rest is all fancy. these ten parts are: baking, boiling, broiling, frying, mixing, roasting, sautéing, seasoning, simmering, and stewing. tasting is an adjunct to all. _baking._--in baking, see that the furnace or oven be properly heated; some dishes require more heat than others. look at the object in process of baking from time to time, and especially at the beginning, turn it round if necessary, in case it be heated more on one side than on the other, to prevent burning. in baking meat and fish, besides keeping the bottom of the pan covered with broth or water, place a piece of buttered paper over the object in the pan; it not only prevents it from burning, but acts as a self-basting operation, and keeps the top moist and juicy. if the top of cakes bake faster than the rest, place a piece of paper on it. in most of our receipts, we give the degree of heat necessary to bake the different objects; it will, no doubt, be found valuable information. _boiling._--this is the most abused branch in cooking; we know that many good-meaning housewives and professional cooks boil things that ought to be prepared otherwise, with a view to economy; but a great many do it through laziness. boiling requires as much care as any other branch, but they do not think so, and therefore indulge in it. another abuse is to boil fast instead of slowly. set a small ocean of water on a brisk fire and boil something in it as fast as you can, you make much steam but do not cook faster; the degree of heat being the same as if you were boiling slowly. if the object you boil, and especially boil fast, contains any flavor, you evaporate it, and cannot bring it back. many things are spoiled or partly destroyed by boiling, such as meat, coffee, etc. water that has been boiled is inferior for cooking purposes, its gases and alkali being evaporated. _broiling._--whatever you broil, grease the bars of the gridiron first. broiling and roasting is the same thing; the object in process of cooking by either must be exposed to the heat on one side, and the other side to the air. bear in mind that no one can broil or roast in an oven, whatever be its construction, its process of heating, or its kind of heat. an object cooked in an oven is baked. it is better to broil before than over the fire. in broiling before the fire, all the juice can be saved. in broiling by gas, there is a great advantage. the meat is placed under the heat, and as the heat draws the juice of the meat, the consequence is, that the juice being attracted upward, it is retained in the meat. a gas broiler is a square, flat drum, perforated on one side and placed over a frame. broiling on live coals or on cinders without a gridiron is certainly not better than with one, as believed by many; on the contrary, besides not being very clean, it burns or chars part of the meat. that belief comes from the fact that when they partook of meat prepared that way, it was with a sauce that generally accompanies hunters, fishermen, etc.,--_hunger_--the most savory of all savory sauces. _frying._--that part of cooking is not as difficult as it is generally believed, and properly fried objects are good and do not taste greasy. to fry requires care, and nothing fried will taste greasy if it has been dropped in fat properly heated and in enough of it to immerse the object. when an object tastes greasy, it is not because it has been fried in grease, but because there was not enough of it, or because it was not properly heated; for, if heated enough it closes the pores of the object and carbonizes the exterior, so that it cannot absorb any. _directions for frying._--prepare what you intend to fry according to the directions given in the different receipts. have fat, lard, or oil in a pan, enough to immerse the object or objects intended to be fried. when the fat is hot enough (see below), place the object in a kind of wire basket made for that purpose, which drop in the fat and take off when the object is fried. it is handy, and there is no danger of breaking the object in taking it off. there are objects that require to be stirred or turned over while frying. every time you fry any thing, take the fat from the fire, let it stand in a cool place for about five minutes, then turn it gently into a stone jar or pot through a strainer; let cool and put away. in turning the fat, lard, or oil into the jar, pour so that the dregs will be kept in the pan. to ascertain with accuracy when the fat, lard, or oil is hot enough to lay the things in the pan, dip a fork in cold water, the prongs only; so as to retain but one or two drops of water, which drops you let fall in the fat, and if it crackles, it is hot enough. another way is, when jets of smoke come out of the fat. there are objects that require more heat than others, some that are more sightly when brown, and others when of a pale-yellow hue. if the object is desired brown, leave the pan on a brisk fire while it is frying; if otherwise, remove it to a slow or less brisk fire. fat is not like water, which, no matter how fast you boil it, you cannot augment the degree of heat, while you can that of fat. if water, by boiling it fast, could be heated as much as fat, it would be used to fry in its stead, being cheaper. _mixing._--in mixing, pay due attention to the quantities we give in the receipts; but as everybody has not the same taste, it is very easy to augment or diminish the quantity of salt, pepper, sugar, butter, etc., so as to suit one's own taste. when the quantity is left to the judgment or taste of the cook, that is, when the expression _about so much_ is made use of, it is not necessary then to have the exact quantity; a little more or a little less cannot spoil or partly destroy the dish. _roasting._--when an object is placed on the spit according to directions, remember that it cannot be basted too often. the time necessary for roasting a piece of meat or any thing else, depends as much upon the fire as upon the nature of the meat. meat especially requires to be placed very near the fire at first, and then put back by degrees. there is nearly as much difference between roasted and baked meat as there is between broiled and fried meat. it is generally admitted here, that english roast-beef is so superior to american roast-beef that it cannot be compared to it. it is not in the quality of the meat that the difference lies, but in the process of cooking. meat cannot be roasted in an oven, be it in an ordinary or in a patented one. that peculiar flavor in roasted meat is produced by the air coming constantly in contact with the heated meat while revolving on the spit. cold roasted meat, when desired to be served warm, is enveloped in buttered paper and placed on the spit just long enough to warm it. _sautéing._--there is no word, that we know, in the english language, corresponding to the french word _sauté_. it differs from frying in this: that to fry any object requires fat enough to immerse that object; while to _sauté_ it, requires just enough to prevent it from scorching. vegetables, omelets, etc., are _sautéd_, and not fried. meat or fish cooked in a frying-pan with a little butter or fat, is _sautéd_, and not fried; but the term fried is most generally used, the other being only known to practitioners. to _sauté_ requires a brisk fire; the quicker an object is cooked by _sautéing_ the better. _seasoning._--this is the most difficult part in the science of cooking. to season is not difficult, but to season properly is quite another thing. it is not only necessary to know well how to stew or roast a peace of meat or any thing else, but to know how to season it, to be able to judge what quantity and what kind of spices can be used to season such or such a dish, to what extent all the spices used agree together, and what taste and flavor they will give to the object with which they are cooked; for, if not properly used, they may just as likely destroy the taste and flavor of the object as improve it. some dishes require high and much seasoning, others just the contrary. with a good fire and a good spit, it is not necessary to be a thorough cook to roast a piece well, but the cook is indispensable to mix the gravy or sauce with the proper seasonings. _simmering._--simmering differs from boiling only in the amount of heat allowed under the boiler, kettle, or pan. to simmer, is to boil as gently and slowly as possible. _stewing._--to stew properly it is necessary to have a moderate fire and as even as possible. a brisk fire would cause much steam to evaporate, which steam is the flavor of the object stewed. _tasting._--this is the most difficult, and at the same time the most delicate, part of seasoning; it is by tasting that we ascertain if we have seasoned properly. in this only two of the senses are engaged, and one of those much more than the other. a person may have good feeling, hearing, and sight, and for all that would not be fit for preparing the simplest dish; the senses of smelling and tasting are the ones most required, and without which no one can cook properly. for these reasons we will take the liberty to recommend to housekeepers, when they have new cooks, to instruct them on their taste, and always let them know when they have seasoned too much or too little. to the cooks we will say, do not season according to your own taste, if the persons for whom you cook do not like it. if the housekeeper would give his or her candid and frank opinion of the dishes to the cook, and if the latter be not stubborn, the best results might be obtained and both would be benefited by it. that ought to be done every day while making the bill of fare. to taste a sauce, as well as to know if a thing is good to eat, we cannot trust either our eyes, fingers, or ears; we then have recourse, first to our smelling, and then to our tasting: so do most animals. we always commence by smelling, and when that sense is satisfied as far as it is concerned, we then apply our tasting qualities; and if that last one is, in its turn, satisfied also, we proceed, that is, we masticate, if mastication is necessary, and then swallow. directions, explanations, etc. anise. anise comes from egypt, and is used as a spice. apricot. this is a native of armenia. it is served like plums and peaches; in salad, compote, etc. bacon. never use smoked bacon or ham, except when especially directed. the smoky taste would spoil the dish. bain-marie. a bain-marie is a large vessel of hot or boiling water, in which saucepans, kettles, moulds, etc., are placed to prepare or warm food. it is also used to keep any kind of food warm, when something is ready to serve, and the time has not come; the utensil containing it is placed in hot water, and it not only keeps it warm, but there is almost no evaporation while in it. it does not boil away either. there are things that are much more delicate when prepared or warmed in hot water. one utensil made for that purpose, and of brass, with compartments, is more handy, but a large saucepan may be used in its stead. when any thing is in the bain-marie, the water should not be allowed to boil fast enough either to upset the pans or get into them. bake-pans. a bake-pan for baking meat, fish, or any other object that requires liquor of any kind, must have borders in order to hold that liquor; but a bake-pan for cakes or any other object that does not require any liquor, or that does not turn liquid in baking, is better without borders--that is, a simple piece of sheet iron of a size to go easily in the oven. bay-leaf. this is known also under its french name laurier. it is used as a spice; it is exceedingly cheap and is excellent to flavor sauces, gravies, etc. it comes especially from italy, where it is used to pack figs, oil, and different fruits. beets. the red beet is much used to decorate different dishes. it is boiled, then pickled, cut in fancy shapes, either with a knife or with paste-cutters, and tastefully placed on or around the object it is used to decorate. it is served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, pickled, and cut in slices. _to boil._--set it on a good fire in a pan, covered with cold water, and boil gently till done. the beet must not be touched at all with any thing rough, for if the skin or root is cut or broken, all the color goes away in boiling, it is not fit to decorate, and loses much of its quality. when you buy beets, see that they are not bruised, and that the root is not broken. braising. braising, in cookery, means to cook any thing with fire under and upon the pan, kettle, or other utensil. a good oven is by far more easy, and answers perfectly the purpose. an oven not only warms the under and upper parts of the utensil, but all around it also. bunch of seasonings. it is composed of parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, and cloves, and sometimes a clove of garlic is added. place the sprigs of parsley in the left hand, rather spread, lay the others on and in the middle of the parsley, and envelop them in it as well as possible, then tie the whole with twine. as all these seasonings are never served except when chopped, they are more easily taken out than if they were not tied together. buttered paper. dip in lukewarm butter a piece of white paper of the size you want, and envelop the piece to broil or roast with it. tie the paper around with twine or coarse thread. oiled paper. the only difference between oiled and buttered paper is, that it is dipped in sweet or olive oil instead of butter. catsup. beware of what is sold under the name of catsups and pickles; many cases of dyspepsia, debility, and consumption come from using such stuff. caviare. it is made with the roes, hard and soft, of the sterlet. it is imported from russia, and is served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, with slices of lemon and toast. cervelas, saucissons, etc. cervelas, saucissons, as well as smoked sausages, are pork-butchers' preparations, cut slantwise in very thin slices, and served as _hors-d'oeuvre_, with parsley in the middle of the dish. cheese. cheese is the first plate of _dessert_ to be partaken of. "a dinner without cheese is like a handsome lady with but one eye."--_brillat-savarin_. "cheese takes away all the taste that might be left from preceding dishes, and by that means prepares the palate for the appreciation of the good things, the delicate flavors of the dessert and wines." cochineal. cochineal, or carmine. buy the cochineal in powder, prepared for cooking purposes, mix some (say the size of half a split pea) with a few drops of cold water and mix that again with what you wish to color. the quantity of cochineal is according to the quantity of mixture and also according to how deep the color is desired. chervil. this comes from italy, and is used in salad and as a spice. colander. besides the ordinary colander, it is necessary to have a fine one. we mean, by a fine colander, one with holes half the size of the ordinary ones, that is, just between the colander and strainer. a colander should not have holes on the sides; it is handier and more clean with holes at the bottom only. curry. we think that curry is very good and necessary on the borders of the ganges river, and for that very reason we think also that it ought to be eschewed on the borders of the hudson, delaware, ohio, and thereabouts. we cannot describe curry better than by giving here the answer (_verbatim et literatim_) of a gentleman who has lived a few years in java, to a question on the properties and qualities of curry. he said that he thought it good and even necessary to use some there on account of the climate, but every time he had eaten it he thought he was swallowing boiling alcohol or live coals. dining-room. it must be well ventilated and lighted. the best degree of temperature is about degrees fahr. dish. a dish ought to be charming to the eye, flattering to the smell, and delicious to the taste. draining. to drain, is to put in a colander any thing that has been soaked, washed, or boiled, etc., in water or any other liquid, in order to dry it, or at least to let drop from it the water or other liquid that may be in it. salads of greens, as a general thing, are drained after being washed, before putting them in the salad-dish; they must be drained as dry as possible, but without pressing on them, as it would wilt the leaves, and give the salad an unsightly appearance. dusting. a pan, after being buttered or greased, is dusted with flour, sugar, or even bread-crumbs, to prevent the mixture that is put in it from sticking. sugar, etc., may also be sprinkled over dishes with a dredger. drinking. when weary, or cold, or warm, or exhausted, we drink in preference to eating, because we feel the effect instantaneously; while after eating even the most substantial food, we do not feel the effect for some time. when exhausted and when immediate relief is necessary, the best drinks are broth, chocolate, milk, or water sweetened with sugar. it is more than a mistake to drink wines or liquors at such a time; it is really committing slow suicide. when only thirsty, without exhaustion, we ought to drink cold water with a teaspoon. when thirsty and heated, the first thing to do is to dip the hands in cold water deep enough just to cover the wrists; then dip a towel in the water, lay it on the forehead, and then drink cold water with a teaspoon. a few drops of vinegar or lemon-juice may be added to the water. if exceedingly hot, keep your hands in cold water and the towel on your forehead at least one minute before drinking. hot weather. a remark or two on eating and drinking in hot weather are always in season. green vegetables, properly cooked, are certainly healthful in warm weather; but it is a mistake to think that meat should be excluded from summer diet. the hotter the weather, the more the system wastes, and therefore the more we must supply. in order to keep the body in a healthful condition, meat ought to be eaten at least once a day in summer-time. it would be well to vary this programme by taking one meal of fish on every other day. fat should be disused as much as possible. a very little good butter with your fresh radishes at breakfast is as much fat as is necessary. cold weather. fat meat is good in winter and is relished; so are dry vegetables and saccharine substances. food. nature has provided man with a mind, in order that he should study what kind of food suits his constitution; he who does not do it, is not above the lower animals. "good things have been made by the creator for good people, flowers have certainly not been made for brutes, either quadruped or biped."--_jefferson._ "it is from good things that, in a human point of view, we derive the strength necessary to our limbs, let us partake of the same and be thankful."--_rev._----_chadband._ have your food selected and prepared according to constitution, occupation, climate, age, and sex. waste in females is greater than in males. animals, generally, are very careful in selecting their food. a temporary bloatedness may be obtained, especially with the young, by eating much farinaceous food, such as pancakes, etc., but it does not last, and is sure to bring on disease or sickness, or both. man is omnivorous, and must be fed accordingly. extreme leanness comes from want of proper food, either in youth or old age. it is not the amount that is eaten which nourishes, but the amount that is digested; an excess of food is as bad as a lack of it. good and well-baked bread is nutritious and healthful, while unbaked bread is heavy and difficult of digestion. take at least half an hour's rest after a hearty meal, for mind and stomach cannot work at the same time. never eat when angry, or tired, or when heated; but be as cool and as gay as possible, for food being exposed to a heat of about degrees fahr, in the stomach, would ferment instead of digesting. take a hearty but by no means heavy dinner. eat slowly, at regular hours, and masticate well, but do not bolt your food, or eat any thing that does not taste good. drink slowly, moderately, and always taste before swallowing. vary your food as much as possible. always have at least one dish of vegetables for dinner, besides meat, and also ripe fruit. see that every thing you eat or drink is of a good quality, wholesome and properly prepared. economy. there is not a word so much misused in cooking as the word economy. prejudice comes for a large share in the use of it. how many things are thrown away, or wasted by mere prejudice or ignorance! it is often from economy that a woman washes meat, because some part of it does not look clean. instead of washing it, do not buy it; or, if bought, cut off a thin slice and throw it away: it is more economical than washing the whole piece, which you partly destroy by the process. it is with a view to economy, that an old, bad custom prevails of boiling coffee. what an economy of sending the best part of the coffee (the aroma) to the attic, and the rest to the dining-room. a bad drink can be made cheaper with many things than with coffee. tea is also boiled with an eye to economy. egg-beater. we have tried five different kinds in boston, before a large audience and on the demand of an inventor of one, but none could beat eggs as well as a common hand-beater. the whites of the eggs could not be raised with any of the others much more than half as much as with the common one; and besides, could not be beaten stiff. many persons do not succeed in making cakes of different preparations in which whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth are used, because the eggs are not properly beaten. any tinsmith can make an egg-beater. it is generally made with tin-wire, but may be made with brass-wire. with the cut below, as a model, it can be easily made. [illustration] the handle _a_ is of tin, into which the tin wires _b_ are fastened and soldered. errors in cooking. ignorance produces abuse or error, or both. blissful ignorance may be a fine thing in some cases, but either in preparing or partaking of food, it is certainly more than an abuse, it is a dangerous error. it is by ignorance or disease that man abuses wine or any other liquor. it is by ignorance or prejudice that many eschew the best and most healthful of condiments, such as garlics, onions, etc. they dislike them on account of their pungent taste when raw, not knowing that when cooked it is all evaporated. their pungent taste comes from the volatile oil they contain, and which evaporates in cooking; it cannot be retained, but their sugar is retained, and gives such a good flavor to gravies and sauces. fennel. this is said to be a native of the canary islands; it has a very strong taste, and is used as a spice, especially in blood pudding. the romans used a great deal of it. fig. the fig-tree comes from mesopotamia. figs are generally served as _hors-d'oeuvre_, or used in puddings, etc. fines herbes. parsley and cives chopped fine, and used for omelets, or with cold meat, sauces, etc., are called thus. flour. in cooking, new flour is not as good as old; it does not thicken as well and as fast. foies gras. _foies_, or _pâtés de foies gras_ are made with geese-livers, fresh fat pork, truffles, ham, _fines herbes_, and spices. they are always served cold as a _relevé_ or _entrée_, but most generally they are used for lunch or supper. fruit-corer. there are many sizes in the set, to core from a pineapple to a cherry. [illustration] galantine. the word galantine means a _boned bird_, or a boned shoulder of veal. glazing. glazing is generally done by means of a brush or with feathers. a beaten egg, or syrup, or jelly, or egg and sugar, etc., are used to glaze cakes, etc. it is done by dipping the brush into the egg or jelly, and by spreading it on the cake or other object before baking or before serving, as directed in the different receipts. it is also done by sifting powdered sugar on cakes which are put back in the oven for a short time--that is, the time necessary to melt the sugar. indigestion. a cup of tea and camomile, half of each, with a few drops of orange-flower water, and the whole well sweetened and taken warm, is very good after having eaten something difficult to digest. italian pastes. macaroni, vermicelli, and the like dry pastes, are called italian pastes, whatever the shape--round, oval, or star-like. isinglass. it is sometimes used instead of gelatine to make jellies. jelly-bag. make a conical bag of good white flannel, about twenty inches long, fifteen inches broad at one end when spread on a flat surface, or about thirty inches in circumference, the other end being the point. sew to it four pieces of white tape at the large end, and at equal distances, so that two sticks may be run into them. the sticks are placed on chairs or something else, in order to have the point of the bag about one foot from the floor. it is then ready to pass the jellies through it. [illustration] kitchen utensils. gastronomists use, in preference to any thing else, crockery or earthen pans; or, for want of these, block-tin pans. copper is, in the end, the cheapest of all; but american cooks do not like them because they require too much care and must be examined every day; to prevent any accident, it is necessary to keep the inside properly lined. many indispositions are caused by food prepared in copper not properly lined; even food allowed to cool in a well-lined pan would be dangerous. pans lined with porcelain are excellent, but the trouble with them is, that they crack, and after that cannot be cleaned; something will always remain between the lining and the iron, and spoil every thing cooked in them. the tin-lined are preferable, on account of being easily cleaned by means of a small birch-broom, washing-soda, and boiling water. lait de poule. mix well in a tumbler a yolk of egg and a teaspoonful of sugar; then add a few drops of orange-flower water (_eau de fleur d'oranger_); pour boiling water on the whole, little by little, stirring the while, and drink warm. the quantity of water is according to taste. a gill of water to a yolk of egg makes it thick enough. it makes an excellent drink, to be taken just before retiring, for persons with cough. lard. never buy lard ready made if you can help it, but take hog's fat, the part enveloping the kidneys, or leaf lard, and chop it fine, put it in a cast-iron or crockery kettle with a bay-leaf and a stalk of thyme to every two pounds of fat; set on a moderate fire, and as soon as it begins to melt, take the melted part out with a ladle, and put it in a stone jar or pot; be careful not to take any pieces of fat not yet melted. continue that process till it is all melted. the dry or hard part that remains at the bottom of the kettle when done is no good. lard made thus is as white as snow, and may be kept a long time. when there is water in lard, it flies all over the fire; in that case, boil it a few minutes with a cover on the pan, and then use. fat for frying. take beef suet, the part around the kidneys, or any kind of fat, raw or cooked; remove as much as possible fibres, nerves, thin skin, or bones; chop it fine, put it in a cast-iron or crockery kettle; add to it the fat you may have skimmed from the top of broth, sauces or, gravies. set the pan on a moderate fire; boil gently for about fifteen minutes, skim it well during the process; take from the fire, let it stand about five minutes, and then strain. put it in a stone jar or pot, and keep it in a dry and cool place. cover the jar when perfectly cold. it is as good as lard and more handy; it does not fly over the pan like lard. a careful cook seldom buys fat; generally there is enough coming from skimming of broth, sauces, and gravies, for every purpose. to clarify fat. set the fat on a moderate fire in a pan, and as soon as it commences to boil, place a slice of bread dried in the oven in it, boil gently for about half an hour; take from the fire, let it settle for a few minutes; remove the bread, turn gently into a jar or pot, leaving the dregs in the pan. _chicken_, _turkey_, _and goose fat._--the fat of the above birds is never used to fry, but to _sauté_ instead of butter. to make omelets it is excellent; an omelet is whiter and more sightly made with chicken-fat than when made with butter. it is clarified as directed above. game-fat. game-fat can be used instead of other fat and also instead of butter, to _sauté_, or what is generally called partly fry, game; it may also be used, instead of butter to bake game. it must be clarified longer than other fat, but in the same way. the boiling of fat with water, as indicated in some cook-books, is only a fancy and extra work, it has no effect whatever on the fat. it is the same by keeping it for hours in a _bain-marie_; it does not change it in the least. batter for frying. _for frying vegetables._--put three tablespoonfuls of flour in a bowl with two yolks of eggs, and cold water enough to make a kind of thin paste, then add salt and half a teaspoonful of sweet oil; mix well. beat the two whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and mix them with the rest. put the batter away in a cold place for at least two hours, and use. it must not be put away longer than for half a day. _another._--proceed as above in every particular, except that you use milk instead of water. _for frying fish._--make it exactly as the above, except that you do not use any oil. _for frying fritters._--mix well together in a bowl three tablespoonfuls of flour with two yolks of eggs and cold water enough to make a thin paste; add a pinch of sugar, rum or brandy, or any other liquor, according to taste, from one to three or four tablespoonfuls, mix well again, and put away for at least two or three hours, but not longer than twelve hours. _eggs and crumbs for frying._--the eggs are beaten as for omelets, with a little salt. the objects to be fried are dipped in the eggs first, then rolled in bread-crumbs and fried. _another._--when rolled in bread-crumbs as above; dip again in the eggs, roll again in bread-crumbs and fry. _another._--dip the object in melted butter, then in eggs, and roll in bread-crumbs; fry. larding. all pork-butchers sell salt pork for larding. cut it in slices and then by cutting the slices across it makes square strips or fillets. the strips must be of a proper size to be easily inserted into the larding-needle, and are about two inches and a half long. when the needle is run half way through the meat, insert the salt pork into it, pull the needle off and leave the salt pork inside of the meat, both ends of it sticking out. if it were running through, that is, if the salt pork were pulled off with the needle, most likely the strips are too small; then pull slowly, and when the salt pork is far enough into the meat, press on it with the finger and pull the needle, it will then stay in its proper place. it is better to cut a few strips first and try if they are of a proper size. if, in pulling off the needle, the salt pork does not enter the meat, the strips are too large. if the strips are of a proper size and break while pulling the needle off, then the pork is not good. _fricandeau_, sweetbreads, birds, etc., are larded in the same way. for beef _à la mode_, it is described in the receipt. larding-needle. the best are made of brass. those that are sold for steel are generally of iron, and break easily. those for beef _à la mode_ are of steel, and must be flat near the point, in order to cut the meat. leaven. knead four ounces of flour with baker's yeast, enough to make a rather thick dough; give it the shape of a rather flat apple; with a sharp knife make two cuts on the top and across, and through about one-third of the paste; put the paste in a pan of lukewarm water. in a few minutes it will float; take it off and use then after it has floated about two minutes. meat. the time it takes to cook meat depends as much on the quality of the meat as on the fire. some persons like meat more done than others; in many cases you must consult your own taste or that of your guests. beef, lamb, mutton, and game, may be eaten rather underdone, according to taste; domestic fowls must be properly cooked; but pork and veal must always be overdone, or else it is very unwholesome, if not dangerous. the following table may be used as a guide: bear and buffalo, a five-pound piece, to hrs. wild boar and woodchuck, do. do. to hrs. beef, do. do. hr. m. do. a ten pound piece, hrs. m. capon, a large one, hour. chicken, a middling-sized one, min. duck, a large one, min. do. a small one, min. goose, a large one, hours. do. a small one, hr. m. grouse, heathcock, snipe, and w'dcock, a fat one, min. do. do. do. do. a lean one, min. guinea fowl, a middling-sized one, hour. hare, an old one, hr. m. do. a young one, about hr. lamb and kid, a large quarter, hour. do. do. a small one, min. mutton, a four-pound piece, hour. do. a six " " hr. m. partridge, pheasant, and prairie-hen, a middling-sized one, to m. pigeon, one, min. pork, a two-pound piece, hr. m. do. a four " " hours. quail, one, min. sucking-pig, a large one, hrs. m. do. do. a small one, hours. rabbit, a middling-sized one, to min. robin, blackbird, fig-pecker, high-holder, lapwing, meadow lark, plover, reed-bird, thrush, yellow-bird, and other small birds, to min. turkey, a large one, hr. m. do. a small one, about hour. veal, a two-pound piece, hr. m. venison, a four " " about hour. the following table may be used as a guide to know how long meat may be kept, in a cool, dry, and dark place; and protected from flies or other insects: in summer. in winter. bear and buffalo, to days. to days. wild boar and woodchuck, to " to " beef and pork, to " to " capon, to " to " chicken, old one, to " to " do. young one, to " to " deer, partridge, pheasant, prairie-hen, quail, guinea-fowl, and turkey, to " to " duck and goose, to " to " hare and rabbit, to " to " grouse, heathcock, snipe, and woodcock, to " to " lamb, kid, sucking pig, and veal, to " to " mutton, to " to " pigeons, blackbirds, fig-peckers, high-holders, lapwings, meadow larks, plovers, reed-birds, robins, thrushes, yellow-birds, and other small birds, to " to " the time must be reduced one-half in summer, in stormy or damp weather, and one-third in winter, in thawing or rainy weather. _fish._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, place it in a crockery stewpan, cover it with cold water, add a little salt, two or three sprigs of thyme, and one or two bay-leaves. it will keep thus for some time. moulds. _mould for meat pies._--a mould for meat pies may be round or oval; it must be in two pieces, fastened together by a kind of hinge. when the pie is baked, the wire pin holding the mould is pulled, and the mould removed. [illustration] _mould for pies_, _jellies_, _etc._--this mould may be used for any thing that requires a mould; it may also be round, oval, or of any other shape. [illustration] olives. fresh and ripe they are served as dessert with other fruit. preserved, they are served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, and used to flavor and decorate different dishes. olives as well as sardines are healthful and considered one of the best _hors-d'oeuvre_. osmazome. osmazome is found in beef, mutton, full-grown domestic fowls, venison, and game; in the latter, when the bird or animal is adult. in meat soup, the osmazome is the soluble part of the meat that dissolves in boiling, and makes nutritious broth. in broiled or roasted pieces, it is that part which makes a kind of brown crust on the surface of the meat, and also the brownish part of the gravy. chicken, lamb, sucking-pig, veal, etc., do not contain any osmazome. parsley, chervil, thyme, celery, sage, etc.,--for winter use. hang in the shade, under a shed, or in a garret, and in a clean and dry place, some small bunches of parsley, chervil, celery, etc., the roots upward; leave them thus till perfectly dry, then place them in your spice-box for winter use. the best time for drying them is at the end of october or the beginning of november; dig them up in fine and dry weather, so as to have them clean without washing. soak in cold water half an hour before using. white pepper. this is black pepper decorticated. put peppercorns in a bowl, cover with cold water, and leave thus till the skin is tender; then drain. take the skin off, let it dry, grind it; place with your other spices, and use where directed. it takes many days for the skin to become tender. quality of meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, etc. the quality of meat depends entirely on the quality of food with which the animal has been fed. for fish, the taste or quality is according to the kind of water in which they have lived; fish from a muddy pond smell of mud, while fish from a clear brook are delicious. the same difference exists in vegetables and fruit; their quality is according to the quality or nature of the ground in which they have been grown. pastry-bag. a bag for pastry is made with thick, strong linen; of a conical shape, about one foot long, eight inches broad at one end when spread on a flat surface, and which makes about sixteen inches in circumference, and only one inch and a quarter at the other end, and in which latter end a tin tube is placed, so that the smaller end of the tin tube will come out of the smaller end of the bag. putting then some mixture into the bag and by pressing from the upper end downward, the mixture will come out of the tin tube. raw materials. if american cookery is inferior to any other generally, it is not on account of a want of the first two requisites--raw materials and money to buy them; so there is no excuse for it, both are given to the cooks. here, where markets rival the best markets of europe and even surpass them in abundance, it is really a pity to live as many do live. scalloped knife. this knife is used to cut beets, carrots, turnip-rooted celery, potatoes, radishes, and turnips; in slices, round, oblong, or of any other shape; either to decorate dishes, or to be served alone or with something else, or to be fried. [illustration] the annexed cuts will give an idea of what can be done with it. it is understood that the vegetables are peeled first. [illustration] shallots. shallots come from syria. shallot is stronger than garlic and onion; a real tartar sauce cannot be made without shallot. the small, green onion is a good substitute for it. skewers. the cuts below are skewers. the common ones are used to fasten pieces of meat together; to roast or bake small birds, liver in _brochette_, etc., etc. [illustration] those to decorate are only used with different flowers or vegetables, and stuck inside of different pieces of meat as a decoration. they are removed just before carving. the use of them is explained in the different receipts. they may be different from those seen in the cuts. spices. the cooks of this country generally have a queer idea of what they call french cookery and french spices. some honestly believe that to make a french dish a great deal of pepper and other strong seasonings must be put in. many other persons, who have not been in europe, really believe also, that french cookery is what is called highly-seasoned. there never was a greater mistake. if french cooks use several kinds of spices, and may-be more than american cooks, they are not the same; or if some are the same, such as pepper, they use them in much smaller proportions. they generally use thyme, parsley, bay-leaf, chervil, tarragon, etc., which are aromatic; but never use (in this climate) ginger, curry, cayenne pepper, pimento, catsups, variegated colored pickles made with pyroligneous acids, etc., and which are very exciting and irritating. some of our readers may naturally ask: how is it that french cookery is believed by many to be the contrary of what it really is? because every eating-house, of no matter what size, pretends to be a first-rate one or a fashionable one--and to be first-rate or fashionable must, as a matter of course, have french cooks, or at least cook french dishes. you enter the place, ask for a french dish; or, ask if you can have such a dish, _à la française_? you are politely and emphatically answered in the affirmative; and very often the polite waiter says that a french cook presides in the kitchen. result!--the cook, be he from the green isle or of african descent, receiving the order to prepare a french dish, puts a handful of pepper in the already too much peppered, old-fashioned prepared dish, and sends it to the confident customer as a genuine french dish. said customer never asks a second time for a french dish, and pronounces french cookery to be--abominable! stirring. never use any spoon but a wooden one to stir any thing on the fire or in a warm state. straining. to strain, is to pass a sauce or any thing else through a sieve, a strainer, or a piece of cloth, in order to have it freed from particles of every kind. broth is strained to make soup, so as to remove the small pieces of bones that may be in it, etc. sugar. sugar plays a very important part in cooking. it is added to cereals, vegetables, and fruit, many of which would almost be unpalatable without it, and which are rendered not only palatable but wholesome by its action. it is the sugar of the carrot and that of the onion, or of the garlic, that gives such a peculiar and delicious flavor to gravies and sauces, to _beef à la mode_, _fricandeau_, etc. _pulverized._--when pulverized or powdered sugar can be had pure, it saves the trouble to do it; but often there are foreign matters in it and therefore it is better to make it; you know then what you have. break loaf sugar into small lumps, pound it and sift it. with a fine sieve, you can make it as fine as you please. it was not used in europe until about the middle of the seventeenth century. for the cooking of sugar, see preserves. tarragon. the french name of tarragon is _estragon_. it is excellent in vinegar and in many fish sauces. it is aromatic, sudorific, and stomachic, and grows very well in this country. it grows at least twice as large here as in europe. tin tubes. these tubes are put in the pastry-bag, at the smaller end of it, to make _meringues_, ladies' fingers, etc.; they are of tin, and can be made by any tinsmith. they have the shape of a trapezoid or frustum. two are enough for any purpose. no. . one inch and a half long; one inch and three-eighths in diameter at one end, and nine-sixteenths of an inch at the other end. no. . one inch and a half long; one inch and a half in diameter at one end, and six-eighths of an inch at the other. truffles. truffles are found in europe and africa, where they were first discovered. the truffle is neither an animal nor a vegetable, although it has been classed among the fungi, which has root, and the truffle has neither root nor stem. the truffle is used for stuffing and flavoring only otherwise it is not of much value. on account of their scarcity, and the difficulty in finding them, they are rather costly. we think truffles may be compared to lace--both are dear, and neither has an intrinsic value. vanilla. is a native of america, extensively used for seasoning creams, pastry, etc., to which it gives a delicious flavor. although a native of america, all the extracts of vanilla, as well as others, were formerly imported; but within a few years americans have found out that they are able to distil also, and "burnett's extract of vanilla" is better known to-day all over the country than any other. vegetable spoons. vegetable spoons are used to cut potatoes, carrots, and turnips; there are different shapes, round, oval, carrot-shape, plain, and scalloped. we give here only two, being sufficient to explain their use. the first (_a_) is of an oval shape, and makes the cut _c_; the second (_b_) is round, and makes the cut _d_. [illustration] when the vegetable is peeled, place the spoon on it, the convex side up; holding the vegetable in your left hand, press on the spoon with your left thumb, and in order to cause it to cut the vegetable while turning it with the right hand, first half way or rather when the half of it is inside of the vegetable, stop, turn it the other way, causing it to cut the vegetable also, then raise it up without turning at all and you have in the spoon a piece of vegetable of the shape of the spoon, and as seen in the cuts. water. rain-water is for cooking purposes, as for other purposes, the best, but is seldom used, especially in large cities, where it is difficult to procure it. another difficulty is, when procured it soon gets foul. the next best is river-water, or water from lakes. by boiling, water evaporates its gases and alkali, and is inferior afterward for cooking purposes, especially for boiling vegetables; therefore, we earnestly recommend to use the water at the first boiling. when foul water has to be used for want of other, if no filter, charcoal, sand, or paper can be had to filter it, it will improve by boiling it and then exposing it to the air for some time. wines. native wines, when pure, are just as good as any other for cooking purposes. it is wrong and a great mistake to underrate native wines; they have a little more acerbity than foreign wines, but are not inferior. it cannot be otherwise, being grown in a virgin soil, or nearly so. the richer the soil or the younger the vineyard, the more acid the wine. cold nights during the ripening of the fruit make the wine more acid, not ripening so perfectly. wine is a healthy drink, and many invalids would recover much quicker by a judicious use of it. different wines are used in cooking, and we give the names of the best ones in the different receipts. a little vinegar may be used as a substitute for wine, but it is very inferior, and in many dishes it cannot be used at all. a few dollars spent during the year in wine for cooking purposes, makes much better and more wholesome dishes. white wine contains little tannin; it retains nitrogenous matters, and is free from essential oils; hence the superior flavor and quality of brandy made with white wines. it is more aperient and less nutritive than red wine. essential oils pass in red wine while it is fermenting. wine and sugar with certain fruits are excellent, and are known to neutralize the crudity of the fruit, such as straw-berries, pears, peaches, currants, etc. motto. the motto of the new york cooking academy is-- _since we must eat to live, let us prepare our food in such a manner, that our physical, intellectual, and moral capacities may be extended as far as is designed by our creator._ divers receipts. almonds. two kinds are used in cooking, the sweet and the bitter. they are shelled first, then by pouring boiling water on them and leaving them in it for two or three minutes, they are easily skinned. they are sometimes used as soon as skinned, and sometimes dried after being skinned and just before using. when wanted dried, place them in a pan in a slow oven with the door open, and turn them occasionally. lemonade or orangeade. put two ounces of loaf sugar in a quart of water, also the rind of an orange or one of lemon. half an hour after strain the whole, and press into it the juice of the orange, and a few drops of lemon-juice. if found too strong, add water and sugar. it is a very good drink in summer, or for evening parties. a little currant jelly may be added to make a variety. lemonade with barley. to the above lemonade or orangeade you add, instead of water and sugar, some barley-water and sugar; it is very good and very refreshing. barley-water is made by soaking in lukewarm water a pint of barley, drain it two or three minutes after; put the barley in a crockery pan, cover it with cold water (about three quarts), set it on the fire, and boil till the barley is perfectly cooked; skim off the scum during the cooking, drain, let cool, and use the water. barley sugar for children. soak a quart of barley in lukewarm water for two or three minutes, and drain. put the barley in a crockery stewpan, with four or five quarts of water, and set it on a good fire, boil till the barley is overdone, and then take from the fire, mash it as well as possible and strain, throwing away what there is in the strainer, and if the remainder does not make a kind of jelly when cool, the barley has not been boiled enough. mix that jelly with sugar and fry it; it is better than any other candy, barley being refreshing, and the principal substance of it. bavaroise with chocolate. put in a tin pan a pint of milk, with one ounce of chocolate, and two of sugar; set it over the fire, but do not allow it to boil; stir well with a wooden spoon during the process, and when the whole is well mixed, serve warm in cups. it is an excellent and wholesome drink in the evening. _the same with coffee or tea._--proceed as above in every particular, except that you put in the pan a small cup of coffee or tea instead of chocolate, and a little more sugar. bichof. put in a crockery tureen two bottles of white wine, with an orange and a lemon, both cut in slices; cover, and place it in a warm place for about ten hours; then strain into a vessel, and mix well with the liquor about a pound of loaf sugar, and a little grated cinnamon. it may be served warm or cold. _another way._--melt a pound of loaf sugar in half a pint of cold water, and then mix with it two bottles of white wine, a pinch of grated cinnamon, the juice of an orange, and that of a lemon, and use. it takes only a few minutes to make it. if found too strong, add water and sugar. to preserve birds. broil or roast, according to our directions, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, partridges, pheasants, prairie hens, quails, etc.; then carve them; take the bones out of the pieces, place them in a crockery pot, which you fill with melted butter or lard, and cover well when cold. place the pot in a cool and dry place, and they will keep for months. when you wish to eat them, take out the quantity you want, and place it in a frying-pan, with the butter or lard that is around; fry till warm, and serve. bread-crumbs. put slices of stale bread in a slow oven till they are perfectly dried up. break them in pieces and reduce them to coarse powder with a rolling pin; sift them, and they are ready for use. bread-crumbs are better than cracker-crumbs; the latter, when reduced to powder, are too floury, and besides, there is always stale bread enough in a kitchen to make crumbs. the above crumbs are rather brown. _white crumbs._--cut in rather large dice the soft part of stale bread, put the pieces in a new and coarse towel, rub between the hands so as to reduce the pieces of bread to crumbs; pass through a colander or through a sieve, according to need, coarse or fine, and use. burnt sugar. take an old tin ladle and place it over a sharp fire, with two ounces of loaf sugar in it; stir with a stick or skewer till it is thoroughly black and burnt. then add, little by little, about one gill of water; stir a little, boil about four minutes, but not fast, lest it should boil over the ladle; strain, and it is made. as soon as cold, bottle it and use when wanted. it keeps any length of time. it is used to color broth, sauces, gravies, etc. it is called _caramel_ in french. coffee. it is simple to make coffee. of course, when properly made, with good berries, the liquor is good. when good roasted coffee can be bought, it saves the trouble of roasting it, and is, or rather ought to be, cheaper than it can be done in a family. if coffee is roasted a long time before being used it loses much of its aroma, therefore a family ought not to roast more than it can use in about a week, while twenty or twenty-five pounds can be roasted at one time and by one person. three or four different kinds, roasted separately, and properly mixed, make better coffee than one kind alone. a good proportion is: to one pound of java add about four ounces of mocha, and four ounces of one or two other kinds. good coffee, as well as tea, is said to possess exhilarating properties. its use was not known in europe before . neither was the use of sugar, tobacco, and brandy. good coffee cannot be made but by leaching. the easiest utensil is what is called a filter, or coffee-pot, or biggin, according to locality, with a top to diffuse the water. [illustration] the coffee-pot called "the french balance" makes the best-flavored coffee, but it is an expensive one. [illustration] there are several good filters, but the great majority or the people find them too complicated for daily use. the bottom of the filter should be of silvered brass-gauze instead of perforated tin, as it is generally. gauze-holes being much smaller than those of perforated tin, the coffee can be ground much finer, and therefore, all the strength and aroma can be had; while if ground coarse, it is utterly impossible. good coffee cannot be made in a utensil often but wrongly called a _coffee-pot_, which is nothing but a pot, and something like a tea-pot. with such a utensil, the grounds must be boiled; and as no liquor can be boiled without allowing the steam to escape (the steam made by boiling coffee being its aroma), therefore the best part of the coffee is evaporated before it is served. never grind your coffee until ready to make it. no matter how air-tight you keep it, the aroma evaporates or is absorbed. coffee can be ground and made as soon as cool; but it is better to let it stand for about twenty-four hours after being roasted. if kept as air-tight as possible in a tin-box, it will keep very well for about a week. never buy ground coffee except when you cannot help it. by taking a pinch of ground coffee and rolling it between wetted fingers, it will remain in grains, if pure; and will form in a ball if foreign matters are mixed with it. to roast. in roasting, good coffee swells about thirty-three per cent., and loses about sixteen per cent. in weight. roast once a week or oftener. put coffee in the apparatus (cylinder, or drum, or roaster), the quantity to be according to the size of the roaster, or according to how much is needed. have a rather slow fire at first; when the coffee has swollen, augment the fire, turning, shaking, tossing the roaster, sometimes fast, sometimes slowly, and take from the fire a little before it is roasted enough; the roasting will be finished before the coffee gets cold and before taking it from the roaster, which you continue turning and shaking as if it were yet on the fire. a charcoal fire is the handiest, and more easily regulated. it is well roasted when it evaporates a pleasing odor and when of a brownish color. then take it from the roaster, spread it on a matting or on a piece of cloth, and put it in a tin-box as soon as cold. it is exceedingly difficult, if not utterly impossible, to roast coffee properly by machinery, and for two reasons: in the first place, there is too much of it in the cylinder to roast evenly, some berries are burned, others not roasted enough; the other is, that being turned by machinery, the cylinder is turned regularly and is neither shaken nor tossed; and even if there were not too much coffee in it, some berries would be much more roasted than others. to make. set a kettle of cold water on the fire. place the ground coffee in the filter, and as soon as the water begins to boil, pour just enough of it over the coffee to wet it. put the kettle back on the fire, and again, at the first boiling, pour it over the coffee rather slowly, and till you have poured enough water to furnish the quantity of coffee required. if the water does not pass through fast enough, just stop pouring for a few seconds, that is, long enough to put the kettle back on the fire and start the boiling again. as soon as the water has passed through, the coffee is made. the quantity of coffee must be according to the strength you wish it, and the quantity wanted, or according to age and constitution. four teaspoonfuls make a quart of very good coffee for breakfast. it would be rather strong for children, but can be diluted to a proper state with milk. no matter what quantity of coffee is put in the filter, the liquor must be clear; the more is used, the blacker the substance is, but it must never be muddy. if muddy at all, be sure you have not used good coffee. one pound of good coffee to a quart of water, should make black but clear coffee. cafÉ au lait. this is coffee and milk for breakfast. the milk is set on the fire in a tin saucepan, and taken off when it rises; then mixed with the coffee, either in the cup or any kind of vessel. the proportions are pint for pint. cafÉ noir. _café noir_ is the name given to the coffee taken after dinner. it is generally made rather strong. gentlemen sometimes put liquor in it--a glass of brandy, or rum, or kirschwasser; and ladies, a little cold milk. taken fifteen or twenty minutes after dinner, it helps digestion. it excites the faculties of the mind, and gives what physiologists call "agreeable sensations." coffee is nutritious, and to a certain extent prevents waste of the system. chocolate. the quantity of chocolate for a certain quantity of milk is according to taste. two ounces of chocolate make a good cup of it, and rather thick. break the chocolate in pieces, put it in a tin saucepan with a tablespoonful of water to an ounce of chocolate, and set it on a rather slow fire. stir now and then till thoroughly melted. while the chocolate is melting, set the quantity of milk desired in another tin saucepan on the fire, and as soon as it rises and when the chocolate is melted, as directed above, turn the milk into the chocolate, little by little, beating well at the same time with an egg-beater. keep beating and boiling after being mixed, for three or four minutes; take off and serve. if both chocolate and milk are good, it will be frothy; and no better or more nutritious drink can be had. choca. choca is nothing more nor less than one cup of coffee and milk mixed with a cup of chocolate, and for breakfast. cocoa. put in a tea or coffee cup one or two tablespoonfuls of ground cocoa, pour boiling water or boiling milk on it, little by little, stirring with a spoon the while; sweeten it to taste. a few drops of essence of vanilla may be added, according to taste. essence of spinach, or green essence. put two handfuls of very green and fresh spinach in a mortar and pound it well. then put it in a saucepan, set on a rather slow fire, and when on the point of boiling take it off, pass it through a sieve and use. it may be kept for some time with a little sugar. essence of beef. the essence of beef of commerce is well known. to make essence of beef used in cooking and called _glace_ in french, set three or four quarts of broth on a slow fire, in a saucepan and reduce it to jelly. keep it simmering all the time; it may take twenty hours to reduce. when properly reduced, it is of a very dark-brown color and has a very pleasant odor. when cold, it must be rather hard. when essence of beef tastes like glue and has an unpleasant odor, it is not made properly, or with good beef. if properly made, it will keep any length of time. it is used to thicken sauces, to decorate boned birds, etc.; when in a hurry, it may be used to make soup, but, like every thing preserved, is of course inferior to fresh broth. icing. put about three tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar in a bowl with the white of a small egg; and then mix and work well for at least five minutes with a piece of wood. when done it is perfectly white and rather thick. make a kind of funnel with thick, white paper; put the mixture in it, and by squeezing it out, you make decorations according to fancy, on cakes, charlotte russe, etc. you make the decorations of the size you please, by cutting the smaller end of the paper-funnel of the size you wish. the mixture may also be spread on cakes with a knife, according to what kind of decoration is desired. a charlotte russe may be decorated in the same way, with the same cream as that used to fill it. meat jellies. put in a saucepan two ounces of gelatine with three eggs and shells, a tablespoonful of salt, the rind of half a lemon, a liquor-glass of rum or brandy, or a wine-glass of sherry, port, or madeira wine; mix well the whole. add one quart of broth, twelve pepper-corns; beat the whole well with an egg-beater and set on a good fire; stir gently till it comes to a boil; then move it on a rather slow fire; boil slowly for about eight minutes and turn into the jelly-bag. have two bowls at hand to be used alternately; have one under the bag before turning the jelly into it; and when it has passed through the bag once, turn it into the bag again, putting the other bowl under; repeat this three or four times, and it will be perfectly clear. just before turning into the bag the first time, a few drops of burnt sugar are added to give the jelly an amber color. use the jelly immediately if wanted in liquid form, as to fill a meat-pie, etc., or put it on ice to congeal. _boned-turkey jelly._--as soon as the water in which you have boiled a boned turkey is cold, skim off the fat and strain it. then proceed exactly as for meat jelly, except that you take one quart of the above instead of one quart of beef broth. _boned-chicken jelly._--prepare the water in which the boned chicken has been cooked, the same as above; take a quart of it and proceed as for meat jelly for the rest. for jelly to decorate any boned bird, the water in which it has been cooked may be used, as described above. _calves'-feet jelly._--scald well four calves' feet, and split each in two lengthwise. put them in a saucepan with about three pints of water, two onions, two cloves, two cloves of garlic, six sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a stalk of celery if handy, salt, and half a dozen pepper-corns. set on the fire, boil gently till well cooked. serve the feet with a _poulette_ or _vinaigrette_. strain the liquor; put in it two eggs with their shells, salt, rum or wine, as in meat jelly; beat the whole well with an egg-beater; set on a good fire, and finish like meat jelly. _calf's-head jelly._--proceed as for the above in every particular, except that you use four eggs, having about twice as much liquor, therefore making twice as much jelly. a little gelatine may be added, if not found firm enough. meat gravy. when you are short of gravy, cut a little piece of veal, say half a pound of the breast or neck piece, or trimmings of veal-cutlets; set on the fire with about an ounce of butter, and half of a rather small carrot cut in slices; stir, and when the meat is turning rather brown, add two or three onions in slices also; stir again till the onions are nearly fried; when covered with broth or water, add salt, a dozen whole peppers, a bay-leaf, and two stalks of thyme; boil gently for two or three hours, and strain. if it is boiling away, add water to fill up. trimmings of mutton, lamb, beef, chicken, or turkey, may be added to the veal. in case of hurry, it may be done quickly and by boiling rather fast, but it is not as good, and there is less of it with the same quantity of meat. for a grand dinner, the gravy may be made one or two and even three days in advance; then simmer it for five or six hours. melons. musk-melons are always served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, but must be eaten immediately after soup, or the first thing of all if no soup is served. it is a great mistake to serve melons as a dessert. water-melons, though eaten abundantly, are considered very unwholesome by the great majority of doctors, chemists, and physiologists. musk-melons are served in slices with sugar, or with salt and pepper, according to taste. meuniÈre. mix well together in a cup one teaspoonful of flour with a tablespoonful of cold water. it is used to thicken sauces and different dishes. mint. put four sprigs of mint into a quart of brandy, cork well, or cover air-tight if in a pot, and leave thus forty-eight hours; then strain through a cloth. put half a pound of loaf sugar in a stewpan with a pint of water, set it on the fire, and, at the first boiling, pour it into the quart of brandy; cover with a cloth, let it cool, and again strain the whole through a fine cloth. bottle and cork carefully, and use when wanted. a small liquor-glass of it is very good for stomach-ache; it is also useful after having eaten any thing difficult of digestion. panade. break in pieces the soft part of a small stale loaf of bread; put it in a tin saucepan, cover it with cold water, and leave thus about an hour; then mash it well, set it on the fire, add salt, butter, and sugar, to taste; simmer about an hour, then add again two yolks of eggs beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream or milk; mix the whole well together, and serve. it makes an excellent food for infants. pap. put an ounce of butter in a tin saucepan, set it on the fire, and when melted, turn into it two tablespoonfuls of flour, thoroughly mixed with half a pint of milk; stir with a wooden spoon, boil gently for about twelve minutes, stirring the while; take off, turn into a bowl, add salt and sugar to taste, and use. if wanted richer, an egg may be mixed with the flour and milk, or a yolk of egg may be added as soon as taken from the fire. raisins. when the stems of raisins or of currants are removed, put them in a bowl, dust them well with flour, move them round a little, then turn them into a sieve and shake them well. this process will remove the sand as well as washing them, and will not take away the sweetness. sandwiches. these are too well known to require any direction. sausage-meat. butchers generally, with an eye to economy, make sausage-meat of bad or tainted pork. we recommend our readers, as far as possible, never to buy sausage-meat ready made, but to make it themselves, or have it made according to their directions. a chopping-machine costs very little, and saves a great deal of work, besides chopping much better than can be done by hand. the proportions are: one pound of lean pork and one pound of lean veal, chopped very fine, well mixed, and both very fresh. season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and clove grated, and with cinnamon, if liked. a yolk of egg may be added to a pound of meat. it may also be made with one pound of veal and half a pound or less of pork, or with veal only or pork only, according to taste. souse. put three ounces of butter in a saucepan, and set it on the fire; when melted, add two carrots and two onions sliced, stir now and then till they begin to turn brown; then add about three pints of warm water, half a pint of vinegar, one clove of garlic, four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a clove, a bay-leaf, six pepper-corns, a little grated nutmeg, and salt. simmer about an hour, strain, and it is ready for use. _another._--put two quarts of vinegar and about ten quarts of water in a stone or crockery vessel, with four cloves of garlic, a handful of parsley, six cloves, four stalks of thyme, four bay-leaves, half a nutmeg grated, three or four carrots, and three or four onions sliced, a little salt, and two dozen pepper-corns. stir and mix the whole well, and it is ready for use. pieces of mutton, beef, pork, venison, and bear-meat, may be soaked in one of the above preparations from four to six days before cooking them. a piece of tough meat will be more tender and juicy after being soaked. more or less may be made, according to the size of the piece of meat. tea. there are many ways of making tea; we might say that every one makes it in his own way; but, after many experiments and much information, we have found the following to be the best: warm the teapot either by pouring boiling water in it and emptying it, or by placing it on a corner of the range. then put good tea in it (the quantity to be according to the strength and also to the quantity you want), and pour boiling water on the leaves, just enough to wet them; leave thus about one minute, then pour on all the water you want. let it steep no longer than about six minutes, and not less than four minutes, before drawing it. if allowed to steep longer than six minutes, all the astringency of the tea is extracted, and it acts and has a bad effect on the nervous system, besides losing most of its aroma. chemists and physiologists generally recommend black tea, as not affecting the nervous system as much as green tea. tea being naturally very astringent, should never be served at breakfast. taken after dinner, instead of _café noir_, it has the same effect, and brandy may be mixed with it as in coffee. tea is excellent in damp climates and marshy countries, but it must be taken after a substantial meal. drinking warm tea while eating causes the food to pass through the system without nourishing it, or supplying its waste. toast. cut several slices of bread of even size, and spread some anchovy-butter on them; cut anchovies in small strips, lengthwise, lay them on the bread also, and then spread over some hard-boiled egg chopped fine, and on it some parsley also chopped fine, finish with capers here and there. place the toast or slices of bread on a dish, tastefully arranged all around, a few sprigs of parsley in the middle, and you have a fine _hors-d'oeuvre_. sardines, dutch herrings, or red herrings may be used the same as anchovies. welsh rarebit. this dish is not generally understood. it is thought by many to be welsh rabbit, that is, a rabbit prepared _welsh fashion_. it is not a rabbit, but welsh cheese (a certain kind only, and prepared for that purpose), melted to a certain degree, and then spread on toast of welsh bread. grate some gloucester or gruyère cheese and pepper it with cayenne pepper. fry some slices of bread with a little butter, but on one side only, until perfectly yellow, then spread a thick coat of grated cheese on the fried side of the bread, place the slices in a baking-pan, put them in a pretty warm oven, take off when it begins to melt, and serve warm. then you have as good a welsh rarebit as can be made here. the receipt was given to us by an english lady. potages or soups. potage is the modern word for soup, and is used in bills of fare everywhere. three kinds of liquor are used to make potages: broth, milk, and water. besides the liquor, meat, fish, and vegetables are used. the richest potages are made with _consommé_ and some other compounds; such as bread, italian pastes, vegetables, etc. _consommé_ means rich broth; literally, it means consumed, perfect, that is, properly reduced and partly consumed, as it is the case in making it. _consommé_ is broth reduced to a certain point, according to want or taste. _broth._--broth is to good cooking what wheat is to bread. dishes (with some exceptions) prepared without broth are, to those prepared with it, what rye or corn bread is to wheat bread. broth, and especially _consommé_, are to old age what milk is to the infant. broth is called _bouillon_ in france, and _stock_ in england. the word _pot-au-feu_ means the meat, vegetables, seasonings, spices, and the "pot" or soup-kettle itself, _i. e._, every thing made use of in making broth. the popular meaning of the term in france is, the soup and the beef and vegetables served as _relevés_; and, with the working-classes, the only thing (with bread, wine, and fruit) composing the family dinner. the french army is fed on this _pot-au-feu_ three hundred and sixty days in the year. it is a great mistake to believe that bones or veal make good broth; by boiling or simmering bones or veal, you obtain a gelatinous liquid, but not a rich broth with a pleasant flavor. when properly made, broth is clear. if milky, it has been made with bones, veal, or very inferior beef. _broth for potages._--take three pounds of good, lean, fresh beef, from any part except the shin. there must not be more than two ounces of bone to a pound of meat, and the less bone the better. place the meat in a soup-kettle or iron saucepan lined with tin, with three quarts of cold water and salt, and set it on a good fire. after about thirty minutes, the scum or albumen of the meat will gather on the surface, and the water will commence boiling. now place the kettle on a more moderate fire, add one gill of cold water, and begin to skim off the scum, which will take only a few minutes. then add one middle-sized carrot, half as much turnip, one middle-sized leek, a stalk of celery, one of parsley, a bay-leaf, one onion with two cloves stuck in it, and two cloves of garlic. keep the kettle between simmering and boiling heat for about five hours. dish the meat with carrot, turnip, and leek around it, and serve it as a _relevé_. strain the broth, and it is ready for use. if the broth is required to be richer, use more beef and less water, but follow the same process; if weaker, use more water and less beef, but still follow the same process. _broth for sauces and gravies._--place in a soup-kettle or saucepan fresh bones of beef, mutton, lamb, veal, or poultry--of either, or of all; also, bones of the same meats from roasted pieces; also trimmings of the same, if very fresh, with one quart of cold water to every pound of bones or meat; skim it like the preceding, add the same vegetables and seasonings, and simmer for at least six hours. then skim off very carefully all the fat on the surface, pass the remainder through a strainer or a sieve, and it is ready for use. this broth is certainly very inferior to the preceding one, but it is excellent for sauces and gravies, and is very cheaply made. it may be used for potages also; but, as we have said above, it is very gelatinous, and cannot be compared with the highly nutritious beef-broth. broth that is not to be used immediately must be cooled quickly after being strained, as the quicker it is cooled the longer it keeps. as soon as cold, put it in a stone jar or crockery vessel, and place it in a cool, dry, and dark place. it will keep three or four days in winter, but only one day in summer. if the weather is stormy, it will not keep even for twelve hours; it turns sour very quickly. i do not put parsnips or thyme in broth, the taste of these two vegetables being too strong. they really neutralize the fine aroma of broth. even in this nineteenth century there are some pretty good cooks who put thyme and parsnip in broth, but they do it by routine. routine is in every thing the greatest enemy of progress. ancient cookery used to put in the _pot_ (old name for soup-kettle) a burnt onion to give an amber color to the broth. this has exactly the same effect as thyme and parsnip, giving it a bad taste, and neutralizing the flavor given to the broth by the osmazome of the meat. when broth of an amber color is desired, add to it a few drops of burnt sugar, the receipt for making which will be found elsewhere. _consommé._--there are two ways of making _consommé_: one is to make broth as above, with the exception that five pounds of lean beef, instead of three, are used with three quarts of water, and simmered from seven to eight hours, instead of five, the vegetables and seasonings being the same; or by boiling broth gently till properly reduced. the other way is to roast, until they are only one-third done, one, two, or three fowls, not under two years old; then place them in a soup-kettle with three pounds of lean beef; wet with three quarts of cold water; skim off as above directed; add the same vegetables and seasonings as for broth for potages. after having simmered the whole for three hours, the fowl or fowls must be taken out of the kettle, and the rest is to be simmered for about three hours longer. the meat, vegetables, and seasonings are then taken from the kettle or saucepan; the liquor is strained, and that liquor is the best _consommé_ that can be made; or by boiling the same, gently, in three quarts of good broth, you make _consommé_ also. the reason for directing to use one, two, or three fowls is, that the more fowls used, the better and richer the broth. the fowls after having been thus used may be prepared in salad, and make a very excellent dish. one pound of beef is enough to make broth for a potage for three or four persons. always use fresh meat; meat with a venison taste or tainted would spoil if not entirely destroy the broth. _to clarify broth._--if not as clear as wanted, beat the white of an egg with a gill of cold broth, and turn into the broth; boil gently about ten minutes, and strain through a cloth or towel. any kind of potage made with broth may be made with _consommé_. it may also be made with water, adding butter. with _consommé_ it is richer, and with water much inferior, than with broth. when a rump-piece is used to make broth, it is better to bone it first, and take it from the soup-kettle after three or four hours; it is served as a _relevé_, or prepared as cold beef. the broth is finished as directed; the bones and vegetables being kept on the fire longer than the meat. chicken and turkey broth are often called _potage de santé_ (potage of health). _chicken._--roast or bake till turning yellow, a chicken over two years old. put it in a soup-kettle with three pints of water, and set it on a rather slow fire; skim off the scum, add a middling-sized onion, a leek, a few stalks of chervil if handy, a middling-sized head of lettuce, and salt; simmer about three hours. take out the chicken and vegetables, skim off the fat, strain, and use. this broth is excellent for a weak stomach, and is easy of digestion. the chicken is served in salad. _turkey._--procure a rather old turkey and roast or bake it till about one-third done; put it in a soup-kettle with about a pint of water to a pound of meat, and set it on a rather slow fire. as soon as the scum comes on the surface, skim it off carefully; then add two onions, two leeks, two or three heads of lettuce, a small handful of chervil if handy, and salt. simmer about five hours. use the broth as chicken-broth above, and serve the turkey in salad. _fish_ (also called _à la lucullus_).--slice three middling-sized onions and fry them with one ounce of butter till turning yellow; add three or four pounds of fish (bass, pike, trout, salmon, and the like), any fish having a firm and compact flesh, of one or several kinds; add also two carrots, two onions, and one leek, all sliced; four stalks of parsley, one of thyme, one clove of garlic, a bay-leaf, one clove, six pepper-corns, salt; cover the whole with cold water, set on a good but not brisk fire, boil gently for about two hours. if the water is boiling away, add some more; then strain, and use. this broth may be used for _bisque_ and fish sauces, instead of beef-broth. it may be made rich; for instance, instead of three pounds of fish, use six, seven, eight pounds, or more, and seasonings in proportion. louis xv. was on a visit to the monastery of saint denis one day during lent; after having walked all over the grounds and gardens, he was offered a cup of broth by the superior. being a little fatigued, he took the cup and drank the whole at one draught. in going back to versailles, one of his suite, who did not like the monk-superior, adroitly alluded to the cup of broth, and managed to persuade the king that the monk had done it on purpose; that is, had made the king partake of meat-broth, when it was forbidden by the church. the next day the monk-superior was sent for and brought before the king. on hearing the object of the summons, he asked the king if the broth had indisposed him. being answered in the negative, he begged to be allowed to prepare the same broth before the king himself, which he did, and from that time till his death the king used to send several hundred pounds of fish during lent to the monks of saint-denis. _frog._--skin and put the hind-legs of two dozen of frogs in cold water for an hour; drain and put them in a saucepan, and set it on a slow fire; stir now and then till they are turning yellow, then take them off and chop the flesh rather fine; put back in the pan with a carrot sliced, a stalk of celery and one leek, both chopped, a little salt, and cover the whole with water. simmer for about two hours; mash the whole through a colander, add butter which you stir and mix in, and it is ready for use. this broth, taken warm before retiring, is excellent for persons having a cough or cold. it is also excellent for consumptive persons, and is only second to snail-broth. _another._--take the hind-legs of fifty well-skinned green frogs, put them in cold water and a little salt for half an hour--drain them; then put them in a crockery kettle, with a leek, half a carrot, two stalks of celery, a middling-sized parsnip, a turnip, two onions, one clove of garlic, two ounces of fat bacon, a little salt, and white pepper; cover the whole well with cold water, set on the fire, simmer gently about four hours; strain, pour on _croutons_, and serve. the hind-legs of the frogs are taken from the strainer, placed on a dish, and served at breakfast the next day, with a white sauce, or in fricassee, as a chicken. _game._--roast or bake, till about one-third done, two prairie-hens, and put them in a soup-kettle with about one pound of lean beef, salt, and five pints of water. set the kettle on a rather slow fire, skim off the scum when it gathers on the surface, and then add half a carrot, two stalks of parsley, one of celery, one onion with a clove stuck in it, a bay-leaf, six pepper-corns, and two cloves of garlic. simmer about three hours, and take the birds out of the kettle; simmer then two hours longer; strain, and the broth is ready for use. game-broth is warming and stimulating; it may be taken alone, or prepared with _croutons_, rice, vermicelli, or other italian pastes, the same as beef-broth. the prairie-hens are served in _salmis_, and the beef is served as boiled beef. _snail._--clean and prepare twenty-five snails as directed. put them in a saucepan, with a carrot, an onion, and a head of lettuce, all chopped, a small handful of chervil, a few leaves of sorrel, and a little salt; cover the whole with three pints of cold water. boil slowly for about three hours, strain the broth, add a little butter to it, and it is ready for use. a tumblerful of this broth, taken warm before retiring, is certainly the best thing for a consumptive person. it is also excellent for a cough. just salt the snails to taste, and eat them as they are, warm or cold. _veal._--procure two pounds of veal, from the neck or breast piece. put the meat in a soup-kettle with two quarts of cold water and a little salt; set it on a good fire, and skim off the scum as soon as it gathers on the surface. when skimmed, add a head of lettuce, a leek (and a few stalks of chervil if handy); simmer for about three hours; strain, and use. this broth, as well as chicken and turkey broth, is excellent for convalescent persons. it may be made richer by putting a little more meat, according to taste; but generally the physician gives directions. _another._--soak a calf's liver in cold water for two hours, clean and wash it well; put it in a soup-kettle with about three pints of cold water, salt, boil gently for an hour and a half, and then add a handful of water-cresses; simmer fifteen minutes longer, strain and use. _another._--proceed as above in every particular, except that you use a handful of chervil instead of water-cresses. _another._--use three or four leeks instead of water-cresses, and proceed as above for every other particular. the last three especially make a very refreshing drink, and are a great relief in some cases of fever. _vegetable broth_ (called also _bouillon maigre_).--scrape, clean, and slice three carrots and three turnips, peel three onions; fry the whole with a little butter till it turns rather yellow; and then add two plants of celery cut in pieces, three or four leeks, also cut in pieces; stir and fry the whole for about six minutes. when fried, add also one clove of garlic, salt, pepper, two cloves, two stalks of parsley, a little nutmeg grated; cover with about three quarts of water. keep on a rather slow fire, skim off the scum carefully, and then simmer for about three hours. strain, and use. this liquor is called vegetable broth, and is used instead of broth in time of lent by persons who do not want to use beef-broth. _another._--proceed as above, and with the same vegetables till they are fried. then add salt, pepper, two cloves of garlic, four stalks of parsley, three cloves, a little nutmeg grated, two quarts of white beans previously soaked in cold water for twenty-four hours, and five or six quarts of water. skim it as above; simmer for about four hours; strain, and use. the beans, carrots, turnips, and leeks may be mashed through a colander and served in _purée_. _another._--proceed as above in every particular, with the exception that instead of using beans, you use peas, lentils, chestnuts, or samp. peas and lentils are soaked in water only for four or five hours. chestnuts must be shelled. some other vegetables may be added, according to taste, and also according to the nature of the vegetables. _another._--clean and put in a bowl a head of lettuce, a handful of sorrel, same of chervil, same of purslane, and all chopped fine; pour over nearly a quart of boiling water, add two ounces of butter, cover the bowl with a wet towel; leave thus half an hour, and strain. when cold it makes a very refreshing drink, and is taken morning and evening with salt, to taste. it may also be taken warm. _a la minute, or made quickly._--cut four ounces of fat salt pork in dice and set it on the fire in a saucepan; stir, and when it is turning rather brown add one onion chopped, and half a middling-sized carrot, sliced; stir, and when they are partly fried, add also two pounds of lean beef cut in small dice; stir and fry for five minutes. then pour in it about three pints of boiling water, salt, boil gently about forty minutes. strain, and use. the beef may be served with the broth, or separately as an _entrée_, with a _piquante_, _ravigote_, or robert sauce. _bisque of lobster._--boil one or several lobsters as directed, and when cold split the tail in two, lengthwise, take the flesh out of the shell, remove the black vein that is on the back, take out the meat of the two large claws, and keep the flesh of the claws and tail for the following day's breakfast. for a _bisque_, nothing is thrown away but the head, stomach, and black vein. the head is the part immediately under the eyes; the stomach is a small, round pouch immediately behind the head; and the vein runs from the stomach to the end of the tail. put all the rest, shell, small claws, all the matter found in the large shell (green, white, or yellow), in a mortar and pound well. then put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and when the butter is melted, put what is in the mortar in, stir with a wooden spoon for about ten minutes, then add one pint of warm broth, stir for about twenty minutes, and strain. put the liquor back on the fire with about four ounces of toasted bread, boil five minutes, and mash through a colander. put the liquor back again on the fire, add one quart of broth, boil gently ten minutes, and turn into the soup-dish. while it is boiling, chop fine the coral-piece of the lobster or lobsters, knead it with a piece of butter of about the same bulk, then rub both through a wire sieve; put them in the soup-dish with _croutons_ and about two or three ounces of the flesh of the lobster cut in very small dice. turn the broth into the soup-dish also, and as directed above, and serve warm. when there is no coral in the lobster or lobsters, knead a hard-boiled yolk of egg with butter in its stead. use one, two, three, or more lobsters, according to how much soup is wanted. it is not costly, because the flesh, or most of it, is kept to make a salad the next day, for breakfast or lunch. the salad might be served the same day at dinner, but lobster is a rather heavy food, and it is more prudent not to eat any late in the day. _bisque of lobster à la colbert._--make a _bisque_ as above, and while it is on the fire, poach as directed as many eggs as there will be persons at dinner; put them in the soup-dish instead of _croutons_, and serve as above. _of crabs._--proceed as for a bisque of lobster in every particular, except that you use hard-shell crabs instead of lobster. _the same à la colbert._--add to the above as many poached eggs as you have guests. _of craw-fish (bisque d'ecrevisses)._--our readers who have been in europe will certainly remember the name of one of the best soups that can be made. it is made of craw-fish the same as with lobster, and is certainly more delicate than a _bisque_ of lobster or of crabs. (see craw-fish for other particulars.) a _bisque_ of craw-fish may also be served _à la colbert_ the same as a _bisque_ of lobster. _bouillabaisse._--the real _bouillabaisse_ is made in marseilles; they make an imitation of it in bordeaux, and in many other parts of france and the continent; but, like a welsh rarebit prepared out of wales, it is very inferior to the real one. however, we will give the receipt to make it here, and as good as possible with the fish that can be procured. put a gill of sweet-oil in a tin saucepan and set it on a sharp fire; when hot, add two onions and two cloves of garlic sliced; stir so as to partly fry them, and then take from the fire. put also in the pan three pounds of fish, such as haddock, halibut, turbot, white-fish--of all if possible, but at least of two kinds; also a dozen muscles, just blanched and taken from the shell (some put them whole, properly cleaned). the fish is cut in pieces about two inches long. then add one gill of catawba or sauterne wine, a bay-leaf, two cloves, two slices of lemon, the juice of a tomato, salt, pepper, a pinch of saffron, cover with cold water, and set the pan back on a brisk fire. after about thirty minutes add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; boil ten minutes longer, and it is done. the pieces of fish are then placed on a dish and served. put in a deep dish, and to be served at the same time, some slices of bread, over which you turn the sauce through a strainer. one slice of bread and one piece of fish is served to each person, also some sauce. it is put in two different dishes, to avoid breaking the pieces of fish. there are over a hundred ways of making a _bouillabaisse_; the above is one of the best. there are also about as many ways of spelling the same. a _bouillabaisse_ is served as a soup. potages. _a la colbert._--scrape carrots and turnips and cut them in small dice or with a vegetable spoon; add green peas and string-beans, if handy, the beans cut in pieces; set them on the fire in a pan with cold water and salt; boil gently till done, and drain. put them back on the fire, covered with warm broth, salt to taste, boil gently about two or three minutes, and turn into the soup-dish, in which you have put as many poached eggs as there are or will be persons at table. a poached egg with soup is served to every person. proportions of broth and vegetables according to taste. _julienne._--scrape two carrots and two turnips and cut them in pieces about an inch and a half long; cut slices lengthwise about one-eighth of an inch thick, then cut again across, so as to make square strips. put them in a saucepan with about two ounces of butter, three tablespoonfuls of cabbage chopped fine, and half a middling-sized onion, also chopped; set on the fire and stir till about half fried. add broth to make it as you wish, thin or thick; boil gently till done; salt to taste, skim off the fat, and serve. it takes about two hours. _julienne with rice._--boil two ounces of rice in water and a little salt, till about three-quarters done; drain and put in the julienne after having added the broth; finish as above. _julienne with barley._--boil barley till done; add it to the _julienne_ at the same time the broth is added, and serve as the above. _julienne aux croutons._--put some _croutons_ in the soup-dish, and when the _julienne_ is done, pour it over them, and serve. _brunoise._--put an ounce of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted, add one carrot, one turnip, a little celery, all cut in dice; stir till they turn yellow, then add about a quart of broth, a middling-sized leek cut in pieces, a few leaves of lettuce and of sorrel, if handy, and a pinch of sugar. simmer about two hours; skim off the fat; add a few drops of burnt sugar to color. have _croutons_ in the soup-dish, turn the potage over them, and serve. _brunoise with rice._--proceed as above, except that you add from two to four ounces of boiled rice to the potage ten minutes before taking from the fire. serve without croutons. _another._--use boiled barley instead of boiled rice. _a la monaco._--put some thin slices of stale bread in the soup-dish, sprinkle pulverized sugar and orange-rind grated all over. pour boiling milk over; cover the dish for five minutes, and serve. _a la régence._--put about two dozen _quenelles_ made with chicken into the soup-dish with half a pint of boiled green peas; turn boiling _consommé_ over, and serve warm. _a la royale._--make a custard with a dozen yolks of eggs, about the same volume of good cream, season with sugar, salt, and a little nutmeg; cook, and when perfectly cold, cut it in slices and again cut in fancy shapes with paste-cutters or with a knife; place it in the soup-dish, pour boiling consommé gently over, and serve warm. _potage printanier_ (called also _jardinière_ and _à la paysanne_).--it is a potage _julienne_, to which is added the top or eatable part of six asparagus, six turnip-rooted red radishes, and two or three tablespoonfuls of green peas. they are fried, boiled, and served with the other vegetables. _velouté._--put yolks of eggs in the soup-dish and beat them a little with cold or lukewarm broth; then pour boiling broth over them, little by little, stirring the while, and serve warm. it is made thin or thick, according to taste. _with arrow-root._--set broth in a saucepan on the fire, and as soon as it boils, sprinkle some arrow-root into it, stirring the while with a wooden spoon; boil gently for about half an hour, stirring now and then the while, and serve warm, adding salt to taste. milk or _consommé_ may be used instead of broth. if you use milk, add a very little salt and sugar, to taste. the proportion of arrow-root to a certain quantity of broth is according to taste; it can be made thick or thin. _with corn-starch._--proceed as for arrow-root. _with bread._--this is the simplest of all. dry some slices of bread, either stale or fresh, in the oven, place them in the soup-dish, pour boiling broth over them, cover the dish for two or three minutes, and serve. _with fecula._--proceed as for arrow-root. being finer, it does not require more than about twelve or fifteen minutes. _with barley._--wash the barley in cold water, then drop it in boiling broth, little by little, stirring the while; when in, keep simmering till perfectly done, which you ascertain easily by tasting; add then salt to taste, a pinch of sugar, and serve warm. it must be stirred occasionally while on the fire. _with gruel_ (_french gruau_).--it is made as with arrow-root. _with indian meal._--proceed as with arrow-root. _with sago._--sago must be boiled gently about an hour; but for the rest, proceed as with arrow-root in every particular. _with semoule._--with _semoule_ it is the same as with arrow-root, except that it is boiled only about fifteen minutes. _with tapioca._--tapioca is prepared like arrow-root, but must be boiled about forty-five minutes. all the above, like arrow-root, may be prepared with _consommé_, or with milk, as well as with broth. _with giblets._--throw the giblets in boiling water and a little salt, boil for ten minutes, take off and drain. drop them in broth, boil gently till done, and turn the whole into the soup dish, in which you have some leeks, boiled and cut in pieces. serve warm. some _croutons_ may be added, and chervil chopped fine, just before turning into the soup-dish; or they may be placed in the soup-dish before pouring in the broth. _with mackerel._--clean, prepare, and cut in pieces about one inch and a half long, a mackerel weighing about one pound and a half; fry it with two ounces of butter till it turns rather brown, then cover with nearly a quart of water; add a few slices of carrot, same of turnip, a small onion, two or three stalks of parsley, salt, pepper, a clove of garlic, and a stalk of celery if handy; boil slowly for about an hour; mash gently through a colander, put what has passed through the colander back on the fire, add a little butter, give one more boil, turn into the soup dish over _croutons_, and serve. _with new carrots._--take small, young carrots, clean and wash them, then blanch them for about five minutes. set them on the fire, cover with broth or _consommé_; boil gently till done, and serve. _another._--with carrots and peas. proceed as above till the carrots are half done, then add blanched green peas; finish the cooking, and serve. _another._--make as the above, but using one or two heads of cabbage-lettuce, blanched for two minutes, instead of green peas. _fancy potage._--take twelve very small rolls; cut off one end and remove all the soft part of it; fill them with _quenelles_ of chicken; replace the piece cut off as well as possible; place them in the soup-dish; pour boiling _consommé_ or good broth over them; cover the dish for ten minutes, and serve warm. _with vermicelli._--drop the vermicelli in boiling water, and in which you have put a little salt; boil ten minutes, drain, drop again in cold water, drain again and put it in boiling broth; boil ten minutes; add salt to taste, and serve. _with macaroni._--proceed as for vermicelli in every particular, except that it takes twice as long to cook. _with macaroni and cheese._--proceed as for the above, and when done, put grated cheese in the soup-dish, turn the macaroni over it, and serve. _with italian pastes._--no matter of what shape are the pastes, proceed as for vermicelli; the only difference is in the time of cooking, which depends on the size. _consommé_ may be used instead of broth. if milk is used, sugar must be added. _with macaroni à la corinne._--set two quarts of cold water on the fire, with an ounce of salt, and two ounces of butter; at the first boil, drop into it four ounces of macaroni; boil five minutes, and drain. immediately drop the macaroni in boiling _consommé_, and boil gently till done. drain it again and place a layer of it in the soup-dish, over the macaroni; place a thin layer of parmesan cheese grated; then a layer of _macédoine_ of vegetables; then again, a layer of macaroni, one of cheese, etc.; pour _consommé_ to taste on the whole, and serve warm. _with macaroni à la médici_ (also called _à la napolitaine_).--proceed as for macaroni _à la corinne_ in every particular, with the exception that you put also in the soup-dish a layer of _quenelles_ of chicken over that of _macédoine_ of vegetables, and serve in the same way. the _quenelles_ are boiled till done, in broth in which you put a few sprigs of mignonette. _another._--add to the above about a gill of thick tomato-sauce, just before pouring the _consommé_ over the macaroni, etc. _macaroni à la romulus._--prepare eight ounces of macaroni as directed for macaroni _à la corinne_; place a layer of it in the soup-dish; then over it a layer of _quenelles_ of chicken; over the _quenelles_, a thin layer of grated parmesan cheese; then a layer of thin slices of salt beef tongue, boiled and skimmed; over the latter a layer of sweetbreads boiled in broth and cut in thin slices also; and lastly a layer of thin slices of boiled flounders. several layers of each of the above may be placed in the soup dish, in the same order; then boiling _consommé_ is poured over the whole; the dish is covered, put in a warm place for ten minutes, and served. although this dish is a regular potage, and served as such, still many italians make a meal of it. _with macaroni à la rossini._--proceed as for macaroni _à la corinne_ above, with two exceptions: first, that you add a layer of _quenelles_ of partridge; and second, that you use _consommé_ of partridge. _with macaroni à la st. pierre._--proceed also as for potage macaroni _à la corinne_ as far as placing a layer of macaroni in the soup-dish; then put over it a layer of boiled soft roe of fish; over which put a thin layer of grated parmesan cheese; then a layer of _quenelles_ of fish; another layer of macaroni; over it, a layer of boiled thin slices of salmon; macaroni again, etc. pour boiling _consommé_ over the whole, and serve. although bearing the name of saint pierre (st. peter), the above dish has not been devised by the saint; but, like all the above, save that _à la corinne_, it has been invented by monks. _with nouilles._--set broth on the fire in a saucepan, and at the first boiling take the _nouilles_ from the water with a skimmer and put in the broth, stir occasionally and boil gently till done. the proportions are according to taste. the more broth used for a certain quantity of _nouilles_ the thinner the soup will be, and _vice versa_. salt to taste, and serve. _with potatoes._--cut about half a pint of potatoes with a vegetable spoon (it is understood half a pint when cut, the rest being used to make mashed potatoes), and blanch them for three minutes, drain and put them in boiling broth; boil gently till about half done, add then two or three tablespoonfuls of green peas; finish the cooking; and just before serving add a pinch of sugar, salt to taste, turn into the soup-dish, and serve with or without croutons. _with quenelles._--drop _quenelles_ in broth; boil gently till done, and serve. the proportion according to taste. half a dozen _quenelles_ for each person, and about half a pint of broth, make a good proportion. _with rice._--put boiled rice in the soup-dish, turn boiling broth over it, and serve warm. _with turnips._--when clean, cut the turnips in slices, drop them in boiling water, add a little salt, boil for five minutes, and drain. set them on the fire in a saucepan, cover them with milk, and boil gently till done. mash them through a colander, put them back on the fire with milk, butter, a little sugar and salt; stir and boil gently a few minutes; then add a yolk of egg for two turnips, stir in also two or three tablespoonfuls of cream; stir, but do not boil; put some _croutons_ in the soup-dish, turn the turnips over, and serve. _purée of split peas._--the proportions vary according to taste; the more peas that are used with a certain quantity of broth, the thicker the potage will be, and _vice versa_. soak one pint of split peas in cold water over night and drain. put them in a saucepan with a few slices of carrot, same of turnip, same of onion and salt. cover with cold water, set on the fire and boil till done. drain, and then mash through a colander. put back on the fire with warm broth to taste--that is, to make the potage thin or thick, season with salt or pepper; boil gently for five minutes, stirring the while; turn into the soup-dish over _croutons_, and serve warm. it may be served without _croutons_. _purée of green peas._--it is sometimes called _à la chantilly_, or _à la française_. put cold water and a little salt on the fire, and at the first boiling throw the peas in; if they are very tender, leave them in only a few seconds; if large and rather hard, boil one or two minutes; drain, mash them through a colander, and finish as the above. _purée of dry beans._--white and dry beans have several names, but no matter what kind, they are prepared alike. if you are not sure that the beans are new, soak them in cold water for about twenty-four hours, and drain. cook, mash, and serve them the same as split peas. _purée of lentils._--wash the lentils in cold water and proceed as for split peas for the rest. _purée of peas._--proceed as for split peas. _with lima beans._--proceed as with green peas. _with potatoes._--steam potatoes, then peel and mash them through a colander. put them back on the fire with broth, butter, and salt to taste; stir, boil a few minutes, and serve with _croutons_. water or milk may be used instead of broth. _with pumpkins._--peel, take away the seed and cut the pumpkin in small pieces; put them in a stewpan with water just enough to cover them, a little salt and white pepper, set on the fire and take off when cooked; throw away the water, mash and strain the pumpkin, put it back in the stewpan, cover with milk, add a little sugar, set it again on the fire, and take off at the first boiling; pour a little of it on _croutons_ in the soup-dish, and keep covered in a warm place for ten minutes; then pour also the remainder in, and serve. _another._--prepare as above, throw the pieces in boiling water with a little salt for five minutes, mash and drain; put butter in a stewpan, set it on the fire; when melted put the pumpkin in, stir about five minutes; have ready in your soup-dish some slices of bread fried in butter, and dusted with sugar, pour on them some boiling milk, keep covered in a warm place two or three minutes; then turn the pumpkin on, at the same time mixing the whole gently, and serve. _with squash._--it is made as with pumpkin. _with asparagus._--proceed as for green peas. _with jerusalem artichokes._--it is made like that of potatoes. _with carrots._--when made with young carrots, it is called potage _purée crécy_, or _à la crécy_. add broth to taste to a _purée_ of carrots, turn into the soup-dish over _croutons_, and serve. _with colored beans._--when made with colored beans, it is called _à la condé_. proceed as with beans. the prince of condé devised this potage, and besides cooking the beans in broth, he used to put in one or two partridges also, to give, as he used to say, "a good taste to the beans." _with cauliflowers._--make a _purée_ of cauliflowers, to which you add broth to taste, and serve with _croutons_. _with chestnuts._--add broth and _croutons_ to a _purée_ of chestnuts, and serve warm. _with turnips._--it is made as with carrots. _with wheat._--cut ears of wheat when full, but not ripe, and put them away to dry. shell the wheat; wash it in cold water, put it in a saucepan, cover it with broth and boil gently till done. mash through a colander, put back on the fire with a little butter; add broth if too thick, stir now and then for about fifteen minutes; take from the fire, add two or three yolks of eggs beaten with a little cream and a pinch of sugar; mix them well with the rest, and serve warm. _with sweet corn._--proceed as with wheat in every particular. it makes a healthy and excellent potage. water may be used instead of broth, but it is not as nutritive. _with swallows' nests, or chinese soup._--the nests are made a mucilaginous substance of, and built by the species of swallows called _hirundo esculenta_; it would require several pages to describe them, together with their compound material, and would be out of place in a receipt book. suffice it to say, that they sell for $ a pound in london and paris (gold of course), and the cheapest potage for one person costs about three dollars. soak about four ounces of it in cold water for ten hours, drain and clean. put it in a saucepan, cover well with chicken-broth, place the saucepan in boiling water for about two hours, add salt to taste, and then drain again. place the nests in the soup-dish, pour boiling _consommé_ over them, and serve warm. the chinese are said to use very rich _consommé_ of chicken to prepare them. _with tomatoes and rice._--blanch half a dozen tomatoes, and skin them. put them in a saucepan with a quart of broth, season with an onion sliced, three or four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, half a dozen pepper-corns, a bay-leaf, two cloves, two cloves of garlic; salt and pepper. boil gently till reduced to about two-thirds, then mash gently through a colander. it is understood by mashing gently, to mash so that all the liquid part shall pass through the colander, and the seeds and spices shall be retained in it and thrown away. while the tomatoes are on the fire boiling, set four ounces of rice on the fire with cold water and salt, and boil it till tender. drain the rice, put it in a saucepan with the tomato-juice after being mashed, set the saucepan on the fire, add one ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of sugar, both according to taste; to make the potage thin or thick, boil gently fifteen minutes, turn into the soup-dish, and serve warm. the same may be done with canned tomatoes; in that case, set a can of tomatoes on the fire with the same seasonings, and proceed exactly as for the above in every other particular. _the same with croutons._--fry some _croutons_ with a little butter, put them in the soup-dish; turn the potage, or rather the same mixture as above, over them; cover the soup-dish for two or three minutes, and serve. _with tomatoes and croutons only._--fry the _croutons_ and put them in the soup-dish; turn the tomatoes only over them, after being prepared as above; cover the soup-dish for two or three minutes, and serve. _purée à la reine._--procure a rather old chicken and cut it in pieces as for fricassee; set it on the fire in a saucepan with about a quart of cold water, salt, and boil gently about one hour. then add about four ounces of rice, washed in cold water, continue boiling until the chicken is overdone and tender. take the pieces of chicken from the pan, scrape the flesh off the bones; cut the white flesh (the flesh that is on both sides of the breast-bone) in dice, and put it in the soup-dish; chop fine all the other flesh, and then mash it through a sieve or strainer, together with the rice. if it be rather too thick to mash through, moisten it with broth. a large iron spoon is the best utensil to mash through with. then set the rice and flesh back on the fire in a saucepan with broth to taste, stir and add immediately from two to four ounces of butter, a gill of cream, or, if not handy, a gill of milk. keep stirring on a slow fire for five or six minutes; salt to taste, turn into the soup-dish, and serve. there is no danger of curdling if kept on a slow fire and not allowed to boil. _the same with broth._--to make the potage richer, cook the chicken and rice in broth instead of water, and proceed as above for the rest. _the same with consommé._--the chicken and rice may also be cooked in _consommé_, and when mashed through the sieve, add _consommé_ also instead of broth, and you have an exceedingly rich soup. this is excellent for persons having throat diseases; it is easily swallowed, and very nutritious. _the same à la française._--the potage _purée à la française_ is the same as that à la reine, with the addition of _quenelles_ of chicken. _the same à la princesse._--add to that _à la reine_, the white flesh of a roasted chicken, cut in dice, and put in the soup-dish. purée of game.--proceed as for potage _purée à la reine_, with the exception that you use prairie-hen, instead of chicken. soups. _maigre, or vegetable soup._--proceed as for _julienne_ in every particular, except that water is used instead of broth. four ounces of butter may be used instead or two. _beef and mutton soup._--take three pounds of beef and two pounds of breast of mutton; put both pieces in a crockery kettle with four quarts of cold water, salt, and pepper, set on a slow fire; skim carefully, then add half a carrot, two turnips, two onions with one clove stuck in each, two stalks of celery, two leeks, one sprig of parsley, and one clove of garlic. simmer four or five hours; dish the meat with carrots, turnips, and leeks around, to be served after the soup if you choose; strain the broth, skim the fat off, put back on the fire, give one boil; have _croutons_ in the soup-dish, pour over them, and serve. _mock turtle._--put two ounces of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire, when melted, add a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and when turning brown, add three pints of broth (either beef-broth or broth made by boiling a calf's head, according to taste); boil five minutes then add a liquor glass of brandy or rum, from one to three glasses of madeira, port, or sherry wine, about four ounces of calf's-head (the skin only) cut in dice, mushrooms or truffles, or both, also cut in dice; boil five minutes. while it is boiling, cut two hard-boiled eggs and half a lemon in dice and put them in the soup-dish; turn the broth over, and serve. made with beef broth it is certainly richer than when made with calf's-head broth, the latter is gelatinous but less nourishing than the former. _mock turtle with consommé._--use _consommé_ instead of broth, and you have as rich a soup as can be made. mock turtle is an english soup, very rich and very good. _au chasseur (hunter's or sportsman's soup)._--a potage _au chasseur_ is always made with game, such as rabbit, prairie-hen, grouse, venison, wild turkey, wild pigeon, etc., but never with aquatic birds. it might be made with quail, but that bird is really too delicate to make soup with. a whole bird or animal is never used, but the bones and trimmings only. after having cut off the fleshy parts, the bones are cracked and used to make the potage. take the bones of two prairie-hens after having cut off the flesh on both sides of the breast-bone, also the legs; cut the bones in pieces about half an inch long and set them on the fire with half an ounce of butter, stir for two or three minutes, cover with broth, or game broth, and boil gently till well cooked, or about two hours. put in another pan, and set it on the fire at the same time as the above, half a head of cabbage, one carrot, one turnip, and one onion, all cut fine; about half a pound of lean salt pork; cover with cold water, and boil gently for about two hours also. in case the water or broth should boil away, add a little more. after having boiled both vegetables and bones about two hours, take off the salt pork from the pan in which the vegetables are, and turn what you have in the other pan over the vegetables, through a strainer; add some broth if it is too thick; boil ten minutes, and serve. proceed as above with the bones and trimmings of other birds. _turtle or terrapin._--cut the turtle in dice, throw it in boiling water for two or three minutes, and drain; put it in a stewpan with onions and ham, also cut in dice; season with thyme, parsley, bay-leaf, salt, pepper, and a wine-glass of madeira wine or of good brandy; wet with _espagnole_ sauce or with _consommé_, set on a good fire, boil about half an hour. ten minutes before taking from the fire, chop the eggs of the turtle, after having boiled them, and put them in a stewpan; if the turtle has none, chop and use hard-boiled eggs instead. when done, throw away parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, turn into bowls, add a little chopped chervil, and a quarter of a rind of lemon, also chopped; the latter is enough for six persons. serve warm. it may be strained before putting it in bowls, according to taste. turtle-steaks are prepared like beef-steaks. _with rice and milk._--wash half a pound of rice in cold water. set it on the fire with about one pint of milk, boil gently till done, filling with more milk, so as to keep the rice always covered. when cooked, add a little butter, milk according to taste, sugar or salt, or both, and serve. it will not take more than two quarts of milk. the french name for the above is _riz au lait_. _with okra._--okra or gumbo is little known here; yet it is good in pickles, used like cucumbers. it is much used for soup in the southern states and in the west indies. when green and tender, cut it very fine, cook it in broth, add a few tomatoes or tomato-sauce, according to taste; season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. when the tomatoes are cooked, serve warm. if dry, make a potage like that of tapioca, to which you add a little tomato-sauce and pepper. _with onions._--put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and when turning rather yellow add also four or five onions sliced, stir till fried, when you add broth to taste (about one quart); boil gently about fifteen minutes; mash through a colander, put back on the fire; give one boil, salt and pepper to taste; turn into the soup-dish, in which you have some _croutons_, and serve. more or less onions may be used, according to taste. _ox-tail._--chop the ox-tail in pieces about one inch long, set them on the fire, with about one ounce of butter, stir till it turns rather brown, and turn the fat off. then add broth to taste, boil slowly till the pieces of tail are well done; add salt, pepper, and when handy add also three or four tomatoes whole; boil gently about fifteen minutes longer, turn into the soup-dish, and serve meat and all. some add wine and liquor, the same as to the mock-turtle soup, but this is according to taste. the soup is excellent served without wine or liquor. when no tomatoes are used, it is not necessary to boil fifteen minutes longer, serve as soon as done. _simple._--use water instead of broth; season with carrot, turnip, parsley, leek, onions, cloves, salt, and pepper. serve as the above. _ox-cheek._--an ox-cheek soup is made the same as an ox-tail soup. the broth is made with ox-cheek instead of with other parts of the beef, and the potage or soup made with the broth. a little wine--madeira, port, or sherry--is sometimes added, as for mock-turtle. _sheep's-tail._--proceed as for ox-tail in every particular. _sheep's-neck._--made the same as ox-cheek soup. _sorrel._--put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and as soon as melted, put a good handful of sorrel in, stir for about one minute; then add a pint and a half of water, salt; boil two or three minutes; add again a little butter, give one boil and turn into the soup-dish in which you have _croutons_. as soon as taken from the fire, two, three, or four yolks of eggs, beaten with a tablespoonful of water, may be added. broth may be used instead of water. _oyster._--put one quart of oysters with their liquor in a saucepan, with one pint of cold water, and set it on a good fire. take from the fire at the first boil, and skim off the scum. take the oysters from the pan with a skimmer and put them in the soup-dish. by keeping the soup-dish in a warm but not hot place, the oysters will not harden. add to the juice in the saucepan a gill of white wine; give one boil, and take from the fire. mix two ounces of butter with two tablespoonfuls of flour in a bowl; turn the juice and wine into the bowl also, and mix the whole well; put the mixture back in the saucepan, and set it on the fire, adding about half a dozen mushrooms, two or three stalks of parsley, and pepper to taste. boil two minutes, turn over the oysters through a strainer, and serve. the mushrooms may also be turned into the soup-dish. _cabbage._--put in a kettle with two quarts and a half of water a pound of salted pork, same of breast of mutton; also, if handy, the remains of a roasted piece; set on a slow fire; skim before it boils, and then boil for about an hour and a half; strain, to remove the small bones, if any; put back in the kettle broth and meat, also one middling-sized cabbage, which you must have previously thrown in boiling water and boiled ten minutes; add then two carrots, one turnip, two leeks, half a head of celery, one onion with a clove stuck in it, a little salt and pepper, and about half a pound of sausage (not smoked); then boil gently about two hours, strain the broth, pour it on _croutons_ in the soup-dish, and serve. the pork, mutton, and sausage, with the cabbage around, may be served on a dish after the soup at a family dinner, or kept for breakfast the next day. _cauliflower._--clean and cut in small pieces three middling-sized cauliflowers. put in a stewpan two ounces of butter, and set it on a moderate fire; when hot put the cauliflowers in; stir now and then till it turns brown, then add a sprig of thyme, same of parsley, a bay-leaf, one onion with a clove stuck in it, salt, and white pepper; simmer gently till the whole is well cooked, throw away the onion, clove, thyme, and bay-leaf; mash well the cauliflowers, strain and put back on the fire with the broth; give one boil, pour on _croutons_, and serve. _cheese._--put four ounces of butter in a soup-kettle, with an onion chopped fine; set on a brisk fire, stir now and then till it has a yellow color, then sprinkle on it half a tablespoonful of flour, keep stirring till it turns brown; then add two quarts of water, salt, and pepper; boil about five minutes. have prepared in the soup-dish the following: a thin layer of grated cheese, gruyère or pine-apple cheese; on it a layer of thin slices of bread, then another of cheese, again another of bread, etc., three or four of each; strain, and pour the liquor in the kettle on the whole; keep in a warm place five minutes, and serve. _milk._--put a quart of milk in a tin saucepan and set it on the fire; when it begins to rise, sweeten it to taste; give one boil, pour on toasted bread, or on _croutons_, or on two ounces of boiled rice, and serve. yolks of eggs may be stirred in, just before turning the milk into the soup-dish, and when taken from the fire. _maigre_ (called _soup aux herbes_, _herb-broth_, etc.).--wash, drain, and chop fine a handful of sorrel, a dozen sprigs of chervil, and half a head of lettuce; put an ounce of butter in a stewpan, set it on a good fire; when melted, put the sorrel, chervil, and lettuce in, add salt and pepper, stir till the whole is cooked; then cover with lukewarm water; boil three minutes, beat well three yolks of eggs with a tablespoonful of water, take from the fire and put the eggs in while stirring; pour immediately on _croutons_, and serve. _with leeks._--clean six leeks; cut them in pieces about half an inch long, then fry them with a little butter till turning rather yellow; add then about a pint and a half of water, boil gently till the leeks are perfectly cooked, salt to taste, and it is ready for use. this broth may be taken warm or cold. it is a demulcent, and at the same time the most refreshing drink that can be taken. _with clams._--wash and clean the clams well. then put them in a saucepan with half a pint of water (say one quart of clams), set on the fire, and at the first boil, take off and drain. put the pan back on the fire with two ounces of butter in it; when melted, fry a chopped onion in the butter, add then the liquor drained, a pint of water, salt, pepper, parsley chopped fine, and the clams; boil two minutes, add also a little butter, and when melted and mixed, turn over some _croutons_ in the soup-dish, and serve warm. _with muscles._--proceed as for clams in every particular. _allemande, or german soup._--soak four ounces of pearl-barley in tepid water for eight or ten hours, and strain. put it in a saucepan with one quart of broth, a piece of leek, one of celery, and boil gently about one hour and a half. while it is boiling, mix well together in a bowl one tablespoonful of flour and half a gill of broth, which turn into the saucepan, also grated nutmeg and sugar to taste; boil ten minutes longer, and serve. _another, called à la maria theresa._--proceed as for the above, except that you mix in a bowl six yolks of eggs with half a gill of broth, and no flour; and finish as in the preceding. _another way._--instead of using pearl-barley, use flour that you have dried in a bakepan till it turns yellow. _indian, or curry._--put in a saucepan one ounce of butter and set it on the fire; when melted, fry in it two large onions, one carrot, and half a turnip, all sliced; also one leek, a stalk of celery, and four of parsley, all cut fine. when the whole is fried, cover with about one quart of broth, season with two cloves, a bay-leaf, half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, same of pimento, two stalks of thyme; boil gently about one hour and a quarter, and drain. put the liquor back in the saucepan and add four ounces of boiled rice, a little saffron to color, simmer about fifteen minutes longer, and serve. this soup is good and healthy for southern countries, but is too highly spiced for this climate. _polish, or barscz._--peel and clean fifteen or twenty red beets, split them in two or four lengthwise, and put them in an earthen vessel with a pail of water and about a pound of rye bread; cover the vessel as air-tight as possible, and set it in a warm place (about degrees fahr.) for about eight days. after that time the liquor is rather sour, then drain. put in a saucepan four pounds of lean beef, one pound of smoked pork, half a pound of ham, four onions, two leeks, and about four quarts of the liquor made as above. simmer till the whole is done; skim off the scum that may gather on the surface, and then strain. roast till half done, three chickens, or one chicken and one rabbit, or one chicken and one duck; put them on the fire in a saucepan with the liquor strained from the beef, pork, etc., as described above. boil gently about half an hour, strain the liquor again. then cut the beef, smoked pork, and ham, in small dice, put the whole in the soup-dish, with the strained liquor, and serve warm, as soup. the chicken, or chicken and rabbit, or chicken and duck, are generally served separately, with some of the beets used to make the liquor, and with the addition of mushrooms, parsley, celery, onions, and sausages, raw or cooked, according to taste; and salt, pepper, and spices, according to taste also. the poorer classes make this soup with water instead of beet-juice, and very often with mutton instead of beef; but proceed as described above in every other particular. _russian, or uka._--the _uka_ is made in russia with sterlets. it may be made here with the sturgeon of the lakes, or with salmon or trout. cut the fish in pieces about two inches long, and put them in salt water for one hour, and drain. cut in small pieces two roots of parsley and two of celery, throw them into boiling water five minutes and drain them. then fry them with a little butter till they turn yellow, when add a gill of broth, and boil gently till it becomes rather thick. put the pieces of fish in also, add salt and pepper, to taste, cover the whole with fish-broth, boil gently till the fish is cooked, and serve warm. some _caviare_ may be added just before serving. _another, or tstchy._--put four pounds of beef in a soup-kettle (the poorer classes always use mutton), with a chicken or a duck, half a pound of smoked pork, same of smoked sausages, four carrots, four cloves, twelve pepper-corns, salt, two leeks, two onions, four stalks of parsley, and one of celery; cover the whole with fish-broth, and set on a good fire. skim off the scum carefully, and boil gently till the whole is done. as soon as either the chicken or duck, etc., is done, take it from the kettle. when the whole is cooked, drain. put the liquor back in the kettle with a middling-sized head of cabbage cut in four, or about the same quantity of sour-krout, slices of carrots and onions, pearl-barley, _semoule_, or gruel; simmer about three hours, and it is done. it is served in two ways: first, all the meat and vegetables are cut in small pieces and served with the broth as soup; second, the broth is served with the vegetables cut up, and the meat is served after and separately, as a _relevé_. nothing is thrown away but the pepper-corns and cloves. _spanish, or olla podrida._--put four ounces of lean and fat salt pork into a saucepan and set it on a good fire; when partly fried, add half a pound of beef, same of mutton, same of veal (occasionally a chicken or partridge is added also), and four ounces of ham. just cover the whole with cold water, and skim carefully as soon as the scum comes on the surface. when skimmed, add a gill of dry peas, previously soaked in water for an hour, half a small head of cabbage, pimento to taste, one carrot, one turnip, two leeks, three or four stalks of celery, same of parsley, two of thyme, two cloves, two onions, two cloves of garlic, ten pepper-corns, and some mace; fill up with water so that the whole is just covered, and simmer for about five hours. in case the water should simmer away too much, add a little more. when done, dish the pork, beef, mutton, veal, ham, and chicken. put the peas, cabbage, carrots, turnips, leeks, celery, and onions on another dish. strain the liquor, pour it on _croutons_ in the soup-dish, and serve the three dishes at the same time. the spanish peasantry and the lower classes in cities, serve the whole in the same dish, and generally omit the beef and veal. the better class serve the soup first, and then the meat and vegetables afterward. _another._--chop very fine two onions, one cucumber peeled and seeded, a little pimento, two cloves of garlic, four sprigs of parsley, same of chervil, and mix the whole in a bowl with the juice of four tomatoes, and to which add two or three tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs. then season with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and water to taste, and serve. the spanish call it a cool and refreshing soup. sauces. there is no good cooking possible without good sauces. many excellent pieces of meat, etc., are spoiled by being served with a poor sauce. let every one bear in mind that water is no substitute for broth; that vinegar or water is no substitute for wine, etc. there is no place where the old proverb can be better applied than in the kitchen, "waste not, spare not." the _french_, _italians_, _spaniards_, and _germans_, use broth and wine in their cooking, and do not spend as much as the _americans_ for their food; they could not afford it; but they waste not, neither do they lose any thing good through carelessness or prejudice. good sauces are not as difficult to make as is generally believed. this general belief comes from the fact that many, after having partaken of a certain dish somewhere, and liking it much, ask of their own cook to prepare the same. the cook, most probably, has never heard of it, but nevertheless prepares a dish which is hardly eatable, and is to the other what a crab-apple is to a raspberry. the most important thing in making a sauce is for the cook to put his or her whole attention and care to it. most sauces must be stirred continually while on the fire, and especially white sauces, such as _béchamel_, _béchamel_ with cream or cream sauce, and white sauce. it is necessary to stir all sauces now and then, to prevent the forming of a kind of skin on the surface. the onions, shallots, garlics, and vinegar, used in sharp sauces, may be prepared as described for _piquante_ sauce. sauces can always be made to suit the taste. a thousand can be made as well as a hundred, by merely adding or subtracting one or more of the compounds, or by proceeding differently. an idea of what can be done in that line can be formed by reading our directions for supreme sauce. how to make a sauce thicker when it is too thin, and thinner when too thick. take two fresh eggs, break them gently, and separate the white part from the yolk; be careful to have the yolk free from any white (there is in every yolk a little white spot, which you cannot detach without using a fork, knife, or spoon); mix well the two yolks with two or three tablespoonfuls of the sauce that is too thin, and a piece of butter the size of a pigeon's egg; then take the sauce from the fire, pour the mixture in it, little by little, stirring all the time; when the whole is in, put back on the fire for three or four minutes, but do not allow it to boil; take away and use. when too thick, add broth. _allemande._--chop fine and fry in butter four or five mushrooms; then add a little flour, and four or five tablespoonfuls of broth; reduce it to a sauce; put a piece of butter the size of an egg in it, also a sprig of white parsley chopped fine, one of thyme, a clove, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, a little nutmeg grated fine, the juice of a quarter of a lemon, and three well-beaten yolks of eggs, boil two or three minutes, and use. if found too thick, add a little broth. _anchovy butter._--strain essence of anchovy through a fine sieve, and knead it with fresh butter, or salt butter that you have kneaded in cold water previously, and it is ready for use. _anchovy sauce._--use butter without salt; if salty, work it in cold water. set three ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and melt it slowly; then add about two teaspoonfuls of essence of anchovy; stir a few seconds, and it is done. more anchovy may be used if liked. it is served in a boat. _apple._--peel, quarter, and core four or six apples, and set them on the fire in a small saucepan, with two tablespoonfuls of water; stir now and then till done; when done, mash through a fine colander; add a little sugar, and it is ready for use. if found too thin, keep on the fire for some time. if too thick, add a little water. _cranberry._--put a quart of cranberries in a saucepan and set it on a rather slow fire; stir occasionally till done; mash gently through a fine colander, or through a strainer; add a little sugar, and use. _currant._--proceed as for a cranberry-sauce in every particular, except that it must be mashed through a strainer or through a towel. _peach._--stone about a quart of peaches, and proceed as for apple-sauce for the rest. _raspberry._--made the same as currant-sauce. the five sauces above are served with roasted game. _béchamel._--mix cold, and well together, in a tin saucepan, two ounces of butter and a tablespoonful of flour; then add a pint of milk, and set on the fire; stir continually, and when turning rather thick, take off; beat a yolk of egg in a cup with a teaspoonful of water; turn it into the sauce, and mix well again; salt and white pepper to taste, and it is ready for use. _blonde._--proceed exactly as for white sauce, using broth instead of water. _bread._--take the soft part of half a ten-cent loaf of bread; break it in pieces, which put in a saucepan with a quart of good fresh milk, six pepper-corns chopped fine, and a little salt; set on the fire and boil five or six minutes, stirring the while; take off, mash through a strainer or a sieve, and it is ready for use. a bread-sauce is really a very poor sauce. its insipidity is concealed by the great amount of pepper that it contains. _brown butter, or beurre noir._--this is butter set on the fire in a frying-pan and left till it turns perfectly brown, then a few sprigs of parsley are dropped in it, fried half a minute, and it is ready for use. it is sometimes used with vinegar, but in that case it is described in the receipts. _caper._--mix well together, cold, in a small saucepan, two ounces of butter and a tablespoonful of flour; then add a pint of broth, set on the fire, stir, and when thickening, add capers to taste, whole or chopped; give another boil, take from the fire, add salt, the yolk of an egg beaten with a teaspoonful of water, mix and serve. _celery._--proceed as for a caper-sauce in every particular except that you add three or four stalks of celery chopped fine, and then boil ten or twelve minutes, and strain it before using. _colbert._--set half a pint of meat gravy on the fire, in a small saucepan with half a dozen mushrooms and one or two truffles chopped fine (the latter, if handy), boil gently five minutes, add one ounce of butter, stir, and when the butter is melted and mixed with the rest, it is ready for use. _coulis of fish_, _or fish gravy_, is one and the same thing. boil hard four eggs, and put the yolks in a mortar. take a pike weighing about two pounds, clean, prepare, and broil it as directed; split it open, take all the bones and skin off, put the flesh in the mortar with the yolks, and pound the whole, and knead it with a little butter. place a little butter, of the size of a walnut, in a stewpan, and set it on a good fire; when melted, fry in it till of a golden color, two carrots and two onions cut in slices; after that add also a piece of bay-leaf, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a little isinglass, the eggs and fish, and cover with water; simmer gently about one hour and a half, and strain. if found too thin after it is strained, set it back on the fire, add a little more isinglass, and simmer fifteen minutes longer. _coulis of veal._--place in a stewpan about one pound of veal, fillet or knuckle, with four ounces of bacon, not smoked, and cut fine; also a carrot cut fine, a little pepper, and grated nutmeg; set on a slow fire, cover well; half an hour after augment the fire, and as soon as you see the meat sticking to the pan, subdue it, leave it so ten minutes, then take from the fire, put the bacon, veal, and carrot on a dish; put butter about the size of an egg in the pan; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, stir with a wooden spoon, then put the meat back into it. cover with warm broth and set on a slow fire for about two hours; take off, throw in it a few drops of cold water, skim off the fat, strain, and use. _cream._--a cream-sauce is a _béchamel_ made with cream instead of milk. it is often called _à la crème_, its french name. _cucumber._--proceed as for caper-sauce, using pickled cucumbers, chopped fine, instead of capers. _egg._--proceed as for caper-sauce in every particular, except that you use two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, instead of capers. _diplomat._--make a cream-sauce with one pint of cream. when made, put in it nearly half a pound of lobster butter, stir, and when the whole is well mixed, add also about a tablespoonful of essence of anchovy and mix again; pepper to taste, and use. it is a rich sauce, used with boiled fish and baked or roasted meat. _espagnole._--this sauce is very seldom made in the kitchen of a family, except of a large and wealthy family, being a rather expensive one. in the kitchen of a family, gravy or even broth is used in its stead; but, when preparing an extra dinner, it should be made, and a little of it used in all the brown sauces, either for meat, fish, or vegetables. spread about half a pound of butter in the bottom of a stewpan, lay in it lean ham and veal, partridge, wild rabbit, pheasant, or fowl of any kind, about four ounces of each, a small carrot cut in dice, one onion with a clove stuck in it, half a turnip, and a sprig of thyme; cover the pan and set it on the fire; let it simmer till reduced to a jelly, then mix in it two tablespoonfuls of flour, a wine-glass of white wine, cover with broth, add salt, pepper, a clove of garlic, a sprig of parsley, one clove, a bay-leaf, and two mushrooms cut in pieces; simmer from three to four hours, skim off the scum as soon as it comes on the surface; when done, take it from the fire, throw a few drops of cold water in, and skim off the fat, then strain and use. it will keep for some time if kept air-tight in a pot or bottle, and in a cool, dry place. _essence of spinage, or spinach._--soak in water, drain, dry, and pound well two or three handfuls of spinach, put them in a coarse towel and press the juice out, put it in a pan on a moderate fire, and when nearly boiling, take it off, strain, and add to it a little fine-crushed sugar, stir a little, and bottle when cold; it may be kept for months; use it where directed. _sauce for every kind of fish, boiled, baked, or roasted_.--boil hard two eggs, take the yolks and pound them well, and place them in a bowl. have boiling water on the fire, and put in it cives, burnet, chervil, tarragon, and parsley, four or five sprigs of each; boil five minutes, take off, drain and pound them well, then strain them on the eggs, add two tablespoonfuls of cider vinegar, two of french mustard, salt, pepper, and four tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, which you pour in, little by little, at the same time mixing the whole well with a boxwood spoon, and it is ready for use. _fines herbes._--chop very fine a small handful of parsley, shallots, and chives; and proceed as for making a caper-sauce, except that you use the chopped spices instead of capers. _génoise._--put two ounces of butter in a small saucepan, set it on the fire, and when melted, mix in it a tablespoonful of flour; stir for one minute, add one-fourth of a carrot, sliced, stir now and then, and when nearly fried, add also a pint of broth, half a pint of claret wine, a small onion, and a clove of garlic, chopped; two cloves, a bay-leaf, two stalks of parsley, one of thyme, salt, and pepper; boil gently about one hour and forty minutes, and strain. if it boils away, add a little broth. put it back on the fire with about half an ounce of butter, boil gently for about ten minutes, and it is ready for use. this sauce is excellent with any kind of boiled fish, but especially with trout, pike, and pickerel. a trout served with a _génoise_ sauce is considered a _recherché_ dish. _hollandaise._--set one ounce of butter on the fire in a saucepan, and when melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and when turning rather yellow, add half a pint of broth, stir for one minute; add also four sprigs of parsley and four mushrooms chopped fine (one truffle sliced, if handy, would be excellent), a liquor-glass of madeira, port, or sherry wine; boil gently ten minutes, stirring the while, and serve. _indian._--this sauce may be used with fish, in summer and in southern places. have a stewpan on a moderate fire, with two ounces of butter in it; when melted, add a teaspoonful of pimento, salt, a pinch of saffron, and one of grated nutmeg, also one and a half tablespoonfuls of flour--the latter you sprinkle in, little by little, stirring the while; cover with broth, boil twelve minutes and strain; afterward add two ounces of butter, stir a little, and use. _italian._--tie together two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, and a bay-leaf; put them in a stewpan with two or three mushrooms cut fine, one shallot, a small onion with a clove stuck in it, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and half a pint of white wine; set on a gentle fire, and reduce it half; then add about one tablespoonful of olive-oil and half a pint of broth, simmer forty minutes, strain, and use. _lobster._--chop very fine or pound some of the flesh of a boiled lobster. take a white or blonde sauce, and instead of taking it from the fire when done, turn the chopped flesh into it with a little piece of butter; stir, give one boil, and it is ready for use. _craw-fish, prawn, shrimp,_ and _crab_ sauces are made the same as _lobster_ sauce. _madeira._--mix cold in a saucepan two ounces of butter with a tablespoonful of flour, set on the fire and stir till it turns rather brown; when add nearly a pint of gravy, stir till it is becoming thick; then add half a pint of madeira wine, little by little, stirring the while, give one boil only, salt to taste, and then strain and use. _champagne_ sauce is made in the same way, except that it must be poured in faster and used immediately. all wine sauces may be made in the same way. we mean wine sauces for meat or fish. _maître d'hotel._--this sauce is sometimes called _butter_ _maître d'hotel_. mix and knead well together in a bowl, two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and the juice of a half lemon; salt to taste and use. pepper, grated nutmeg, and chopped chives, may be added if liked. using vinegar instead of lemon-juice makes an inferior sauce. _mayonnaise._--in warm weather it is necessary to put the bowl on ice while making it. put one or two yolks of fresh eggs in a bowl with a small pinch of salt; commence stirring with a box-wood spoon, or, what is still better, a stone or marble pestle. stir without interruption, always in the same way and describing a circle. it is more easily done if the bowl is held steady. after having stirred about half a minute, commence pouring the oil in, drop by drop, and as soon as you see that it is thickening pretty well, add also a few drops of vinegar and same of lemon-juice; then continue with the oil in the same way. every time that it becomes too thick, add a little vinegar, but continue stirring. you put as much oil as you please; two bottles of oil might be used and it would still be thick. spread it on chicken salad, etc. _tartar._--chop some capers and shallots very fine, mix them well with a _mayonnaise_ when made, and you have a tartar sauce. _mushroom._--proceed exactly as for caper-sauce, using chopped mushrooms instead of capers. _piquante._--take a small saucepan and set it on the fire with two ounces of butter in it, and when melted add a small onion chopped; stir, and when nearly fried add a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and when turning rather brown, add half a pint of broth, salt, pepper, a pickled cucumber chopped, four stalks of parsley, also chopped, and mustard; boil gently about ten minutes, add a teaspoonful of vinegar; give one boil, and serve. _another way._--set the chopped onion on the fire with one gill of vinegar, and boil gently till the vinegar is entirely absorbed, or boiled away. make the same sauce as above in another pan, omitting the onion and vinegar, and when done mix the two together, and it is ready for use. _another._--add three shallots, chopped fine, to the chopped onion, and proceed as above for the rest. _parisienne._--make a bunch of seasonings with six sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and two cloves; put it in a saucepan with half a pint of chopped truffles, and about a pint of white wine; set on the fire and boil gently till about half reduced, strain, put back on the fire, turn into it, little by little, stirring the while, nearly a pint of gravy or _consommé_; continue stirring now and then till it begins to turn rather thick, add pepper to taste, strain, and use with fish and game. _poivrade._--put a piece of butter the size of an egg in a stewpan, and set it on the fire; when melted, sprinkle in it, little by little, about a tablespoonful of flour, stirring the while; when of a proper thickness, and of a brownish color, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, a wine-glass of claret wine, a glass of broth, a shallot cut in two, a middling-sized onion, also cut in two, with a clove stuck in each piece, a sprig of thyme, one of parsley, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, a little salt, and two pepper-corns; boil about twenty minutes, strain and use. the vinegar, shallot, and onion may be boiled separately as for a _piquante_ sauce. _polonaise._--put four ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted add two or three tablespoonfuls of the soft part of bread, bruised in a coarse towel; stir for about one minute, salt to taste, and use. like the _parisienne_, it is used with game. _poulette._--set a stewpan on the fire with a piece of butter the size of an egg in it; when melted, sprinkle in it a tablespoonful of flour, stirring the while; pour gently in it also, and little by little, a glass of warm water, and a wine-glass of white wine, or broth instead of both, salt, pepper, a sprig of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, a chopped shallot, a little nutmeg, four small white onions, and two or three mushrooms (the latter cut fine and fried in butter before using them); simmer till the whole is well cooked, strain and use. in case it should be found too light, add when done, and before taking from the fire, two or three yolks of eggs, and the juice of a lemon. _princesse._--make a cream-sauce with one pint of cream and set it on a moderate fire; immediately turn into it, stirring the while, about half a pint of reduced, good meat gravy; when thoroughly mixed, add two or three ounces of butter, stir for a couple of minutes longer, strain and use immediately. it is a very rich sauce, used with boiled fish and roasted or baked meat. _provençale._--chop fine two or three mushrooms, and two shallots; put the whole in a stewpan with a clove of garlic, and two tablespoonfuls of olive-oil; set on a moderate fire, and leave till half fried; then sprinkle in it half a teaspoonful of flour, stirring the while; add also half a pint of white wine, and as much broth, and two small onions, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, half a bay-leaf, salt, and pepper; simmer about half an hour, take from the fire, and a few minutes after skim off the fat; take out the garlic, onions, parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, and it is then ready for immediate use. _ravigote._--chop fine, and in equal proportion, two tablespoonfuls of chervil, tarragon, and pepper-grass, also, in equal proportion, one teaspoonful of burnet and table celery; place the whole in a stewpan with salt and pepper, cover with broth, set on the fire, and boil twenty minutes; after which take from the fire, and strain. mix two ounces of butter with flour enough to make a paste, put it with the sauce on the fire, add a tablespoonful of cider vinegar; simmer till of a proper thickness, and use. _robert._--put about four ounces of butter in a stewpan, set it on a moderate fire; when melted, sprinkle in it about a tablespoonful of flour, stirring the while; when of a brownish color, add three small onions chopped fine, salt, and pepper; stir, and leave on the fire till the whole is turning brown, then add a glass of broth, boil about thirty minutes, and strain; mix well in a cup one teaspoonful of vinegar, one of sugar, and one of mustard, which mix again with the sauce, and it is ready to be used. _rémolade._--chop very fine a small handful of chervil, tarragon, and burnet, in equal proportion, and put them in a saucer or boat; add salt, pepper, nutmeg grated, and mustard, to taste; also one or two hard-boiled eggs cut in dice; mix the whole gently and well; then add the vinegar, and lastly the oil. the two latter ones are put in little by little, stirring gently the while. serve as it is. _another._--proceed as for the above, except that you chop fine with the chervil, etc., some parsley, shallot, and garlic; the five spices in equal proportion. when finished, add also a pinch of sugar. _roux._--set a small saucepan on a moderate fire, with two ounces of butter in it; sprinkle into it, when melted, a tablespoonful of flour; stir, and when turning brown, use. _shallot._--chop the shallots, and proceed as for caper-sauce, using them instead of capers. _soubise._--put about half a pint of good meat gravy in a saucepan; set it on the fire, and when boiling add half a gill of madeira wine; when well mixed, add also two or three tablespoonfuls of _purée_ of white onions, salt, and pepper; boil five minutes, stirring now and then, and it is made. a _soubise_ is an excellent sauce for baked or boiled fish, also for roasted meat. _supreme._--this sauce is made in several ways. we will give here the three principal ones: . make an _allemande_ sauce; and when done, add to it two ounces of butter and half a gill of _consommé_; stir and mix, and place on a brisk fire to start it boiling at once; take it from the fire as soon as it becomes thick; then add a few drops of lemon-juice, and use. . make a _roux_; add to it about half a pint of chicken gravy; stir or boil five or six minutes; then add two ounces of butter, the juice of a lemon, a pinch of parsley chopped fine; give one boil, and use. . this is made like no. , except that you use an _allemande_ sauce instead of a _roux_, and besides the pint of chicken gravy, etc., you add also half a gill of white wine. it is used especially with roasted chicken and game. _tomato._--if you use fresh tomatoes, blanch them first; if preserved, use them as they are in the can. put one pint of tomatoes in a saucepan with a small onion and a clove of garlic sliced; also two stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, one clove, six pepper-corns, and salt; boil gently till reduced about one-third, when mash gently through a strainer or sieve; all the tomato-seed and seasonings must remain in the strainer; put back on the fire, with a little piece of butter; give one boil, and it is done. _truffle._--this sauce is made like a caper-sauce, using chopped or sliced truffles instead of capers. _velouté._--this and gravy is nearly the same thing. it is gravy made as directed for gravy, with the addition of a dozen mushrooms chopped fine; and is used for sauces, like gravy, to make sauces richer than with broth. _vinaigrette._--put salt and pepper in a saucer (and mustard, if it is to be used with butcher's meat; but with fish, chicken, or birds, it is really too strong; it neutralizes the delicate flavor of the object), and pour vinegar over, little by little, beating with a fork at the same time; then pour the oil, also little by little, and while beating; a little chopped parsley is also added; and serve with cold meat, fish, or vegetables. it is quickly made, is good, and makes an excellent dish for breakfast, served as we said above. _white._--put two ounces of butter in a small saucepan and set it on the fire, stir a little, and as soon as melted, remove on a rather slow fire; add a tablespoonful of flour, stir continually till thoroughly mixed (two or three minutes); then add again about a pint of boiling water, pouring gently, and stirring the while, take off when it begins to turn thick; add a yolk of egg beaten with a teaspoonful of cold water, mix it well with the rest, and it is ready for use; after having mixed, also salt and white pepper to taste. _oyster._--add to a white sauce some oysters blanched; then stir and mix with the whole the juice of half a lemon. _muscle._--boil the muscles about one minute and make as oyster-sauce. sauces for puddings. _milk._--put in a block-tin saucepan four tablespoonfuls of sugar, one of flour, four yolks of eggs, one pint of milk; essence to flavor, and mix the whole well; set on a good but not sharp fire, stir continually till it begins to become rather thick; take off, turn over the pudding, and serve. _madeira._--set a saucepan on the fire with one ounce of butter in it; as soon as melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir till it turns rather yellow, and add also one pint of water, four ounces of sugar, and a few drops of burnt sugar; boil gently, about twenty-five minutes; add nearly a gill of madeira wine, boil again ten minutes, and serve in a boat. _rum._--proceed as for madeira-sauce, except you use half a gill of rum instead of madeira. _brandy._--proceed as for rum-sauce, using the same proportion of brandy. farces and garnitures, called also garnish and garnishing, used to decorate or ornament dishes. _with bread._--put in a tureen about a pound of the soft part of bread, and cover with broth; when it has absorbed the broth, place it in a stewpan, set it on a slow fire, and leave till it becomes a thick paste; stir now and then, then mix well with it three yolks of eggs, and it is ready for use. _with cabbage._--throw into boiling water a little salt and a middling-sized cabbage; boil it half an hour, take it from the kettle with a skimmer, throw it in cold water, and drain it, pressing it a little in the drainer to force the water out; cut off the stump, and chop the cabbage fine. have in a stewpan on the fire, three or four ounces of fresh butter; put the cabbage in when the butter is half melted, sprinkling on while stirring a teaspoonful of flour; pour on it, little by little, some broth, stirring the while, and when it has a fine brownish color, wet with broth enough to boil it; season with salt, a little grated nutmeg, and four pepper-corns; boil gently till the sauce is thick enough, take away the pepper-corns, and use. _with combs of chicken._--soak the combs over night in cold water, and then clean them well by wiping roughly with a coarse towel, wetted and salted; wash and drain them; put a dozen of them in a saucepan with two sweetbreads blanched, cover the whole with broth, and boil till done; then add salt, pepper, a few drops of lemon-juice, and it is ready for use. _with cauliflowers._--proceed as for cabbage in every particular, except that it does not require as long doing. with _croutons._--cut pieces of soft part of stale bread in different shapes, and fry them on both sides in butter or fat. for potage, they are cut in dice, but for decorating dishes, they are cut either round, square, oblong, or of a heart, star-like, half moon, butterfly, or flower shape, and about one-quarter of an inch thick. take them off with a skimmer, and turn into a colander to drain. [illustration] the cut _d_ is used for potage, and _a_, _b_, _c_, etc., are used to decorate. _duxelle._--make a _fines-herbes_ sauce, and when ready to be used, add half a gill of gravy, and give one boil; add also two or three yolks of eggs, simmer one minute, and use warm. mushrooms, whole or in slices, may be added at the same time the yolks of eggs are added. _with eggs._--mash and mix well together six hard-boiled yolks of eggs with three yolks not cooked, salt and pepper. put the mixture in parts on the paste-board, which must be previously dusted with flour; roll each part and give it the shape of a small egg (a pigeon's egg or a little larger). when the whole is thus prepared, drop in boiling water, boil till cooked, and use to decorate meat or fish. _financière._--a garniture _financière_ is the same as a garniture with combs of chicken, to which are added some mushrooms and truffles, both cut in slices. it is generally served with a roast chicken. _with livers._--geese livers are the best, being the fattest. drop two geese livers in boiling water and a little salt, boil three minutes and drain. put in a saucepan one gill of broth, same of white wine, sauterne or catawba, a tablespoonful of gravy, six pepper-corns, two or three stalks of parsley, salt, and the livers; set on the fire and boil gently for about twenty-five minutes. take off the livers, boil a few minutes longer to thicken the sauce, turn it over the livers through a strainer, and it is ready. the same may be done with the livers of poultry or any other kind of birds; the seasonings are the same, and the proportion is according to the size or to the number of livers. besides being used as garnishing, it may be served as a breakfast dish. _macédoine._--blanch a dozen of brussels cabbages. blanch also half a dozen asparagus cut in pieces about an inch long. put four ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted put it into a gill of carrots, same of turnips, both cut with a vegetable spoon, also a dozen small onions; stir now and then till the whole is about half done, when add a little over a pint of broth and the brussels cabbages; boil about ten minutes. then add again the blanched asparagus, half a dozen mushrooms, broth just enough to cover the whole, simmer till every thing is done, salt and pepper to taste, a pinch of sugar and it is ready for use. water may be used instead of broth, but is inferior. a _macédoine_ may be served with any meat--roasted, baked, or broiled. _with mushrooms._--chop fine half a pint of fresh mushrooms and two tablespoonfuls of parsley. set a saucepan on the fire with two ounces of fat grated salt pork in it, as much butter, and as soon as the butter is melted put the mushrooms and parsley in; season with salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and a quarter of a pint of white wine; let boil gently till reduced to a jelly, and use. when done, three or four yolks of eggs may be mixed with it. _with onions._--put a dozen onions in a crockery saucepan and half cover them with broth. cover the pan as well as possible, simmer till cooked, then add a teaspoonful of sugar, salt, simmer again for about ten minutes, basting now and then, and serve warm with beef, mutton, or venison. _quenelles._--chop fine one pound of fresh veal, half lean and half fat--the fat nearest the kidney is the best; then pound it well and mash it through a sieve. mix two yolks of eggs with it, and season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg grated, and powdered cinnamon. spread flour on the paste-board, put a teaspoonful of meat here and there; roll gently each part into small balls, using as little flour as possible. they may also be rolled of an olive shape. throw the balls into boiling broth or boiling water at the first boiling, boil five minutes and drain. as soon as cold they are ready for use. _boulettes_, _fricadelles_, _godiveau_, and _quenelles_ are one and the same thing. whole eggs may be used instead of the yolks only, add also a few bread-crumbs. to the seasonings above some parsley chopped fine may be added. make _quenelles_ with any kind of meat--butcher's meat, poultry, and game, also with fish well boned. to the lean meat add the same weight of fat veal, as above directed, or, in its stead, beef suet. truffles or mushrooms, or both, may be added to the mixture, either of meat or of fish. _quenelles_ are used for garnitures, etc. they may be fried instead of boiled. _salpicon._--cut in dice an equal quantity of each, and to weigh altogether about one pound and a half, calf sweetbreads, livers, or flesh of fowls, and ham--three kinds in all; also two mushrooms and two truffles; all must be nearly cooked in water beforehand. put them in a stewpan, season with salt, pepper, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, an onion, a sprig of parsley, and one of thyme; cover with half a pint of broth, and as much of white wine; set on a slow fire; it must not boil, but simmer gently; stir now and then till the whole is well cooked; take out the bay-leaf, onion, garlic, parsley, and thyme. in case the sauce should not be thick enough, add a little fecula, stir, and leave awhile longer on the fire, and it is ready for use. _with truffles._--slice the truffles and put them in a saucepan with a pinch of sugar, broth and claret wine enough to cover them, half of each, simmer for about twenty minutes, add a little potato starch, boil gently till it begins to thicken, and use. _lobster butter._--put the flesh of the two large claws of a boiled lobster with a little of the inside, about a tablespoonful, in a mortar and pound well. add about the same volume of good butter and pound again till the whole is well mixed. it is then mashed through a fine sieve, and is ready for use. when the lobster has coral, it is pounded with the rest, and gives a fine color to the butter. if the lobster has no coral, a piece of the reddest part of the shell is pounded with the rest, when the butter is to be colored. this butter may be used instead of ordinary butter for fish-sauces, or for making a _maître d'hôtel_ for boiled fish, or for garnishing the same. to clarify it, just put the butter into a bowl when made, put the bowl in a boiling _bain-marie_ for about half an hour, take off and immediately turn it through a cloth into a bowl half full of cold water. the cloth must be rather twisted, to cause the butter to run through. when it is in the bowl, stir it till rather hard; work it in a ball, and wipe it dry. thus clarified it is finer than when used merely mixed. the same butter may be made, and in the same way, with _craw-fish_, _prawns_, and _shrimps_. _horse-radish butter._--grate some horse-radish and mix it well with about the same volume of butter, mash through a sieve, and it is ready for use. _tarragon_ and _garlic_ butter are made as the above. if the butter be found too strong, use more butter and less of garlic, etc. _ravigote butter_ (called also _beurre de montpellier_).--blanch the following spices: parsley, tarragon, chives, chervil--parsley and chervil in equal proportion and about half as much of the two others, about two handfuls altogether--drain dry and put them in a mortar with two anchovies boned, one shallot chopped and bruised in a coarse towel, half a dozen capers, a rather small piece of pickled cucumber, four ounces of butter, two hard-boiled yolks of eggs, and the juice of half a lemon. pound the whole well together, then add a tablespoonful of essence of spinach, mix well, mash through a sieve, and use. this butter is excellent to decorate and to eat with cold fish. it is sometimes used with cold birds. _hazel-nut butter._--pound some hazel-nuts or filberts and then mix throughly with good butter, mash through a sieve, and use as ordinary butter. the proportion according to taste. it is easily prepared, and is delicious. do the same with _pea-nuts_, or any other nut. _melted butter._--put butter in a crockery vessel and place it above a pan of water or some other liquid, heated but not boiling, so that the butter will melt slowly and gradually. sometimes the butter may be wanted soft only, or what is called melted soft, or thoroughly melted. it is easy to obtain those different states above with heated liquor, and the butter, though melted, is more firm than when melted on the fire. _scented butter._--whenever a certain flavor is desired with butter, put a piece of firm and good butter in a bowl with a few drops of essence, knead well, and then mash through a sieve. purÉes. _purées_ are made with vegetables, but when the flesh or poultry or other birds is mashed through a sieve after being cooked, it is sometimes called a _purée_ also. the bones of a ham, after the flesh is disposed of, is the most excellent thing you can put with the vegetables to boil them in order to make _purées_. one-third of the bones of a middling-sized ham is enough for about a quart of vegetables. when you have no ham bones, use four ounces of good salt pork, as lean as possible; but never use smoked pork, it gives a disagreeable taste to the purée. _of dry beans, white or colored, kidney, lima, or any other kind._--dry beans must be soaked in cold water, or even in lukewarm water, when in a hurry. according to the nature of the beans, they must be soaked for from six to twenty-four hours. soak a quart of beans as directed above; drain and put them in a saucepan with one-third of the bones of a ham, or about four ounces of salt pork; cover with cold water, season with a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, two of parsley, two middling-sized onions, with two cloves stuck in them, and a carrot cut in pieces; when the whole is well cooked, throw away thyme, bay-leaf, onions, and cloves; mash well through a colander all the rest except the bacon. while mashing them through the colander, wet them with some of the water in which they have boiled, else it would be difficult and long. when mashed, put them in a saucepan with a little broth or water, salt, and two ounces of butter; stir now and then till the butter is melted and thoroughly mixed with the rest, and it is ready for use. the quantity of broth or water is according to how thick or thin they are wanted. the salt pork is good to eat. _of lentils._--it is made in the same way as that of beans, except that they do not require to be soaked more than five or six hours in cold water. _of peas (dry or split)._--proceed as for lentils in every particular. _of chestnuts._--remove the skin of a quart of chestnuts and drop them in boiling water, with a little salt. as soon as the under skin comes off easily, take them from the fire, drain, drop them in cold water, and then remove the under or white skin; put them in a saucepan with about one quart of broth, set on the fire and boil gently till well done, and mash through a colander. then put the chestnuts, and what is left of the broth, in a saucepan, set on the fire, stir, add a pinch of sugar and an ounce of butter; give one boil, and it is made. _of green peas._--wash a quart of green peas in cold water, and drain; put two quarts of cold water on the fire in a saucepan, with a little salt, and at the first boil throw the peas in, season with three or four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, two onions, and two cloves, a carrot in slices, salt, and pepper; boil till tender. it may take only two minutes, or it may require half an hour, according to how tender the peas are. mash through a colander, and finish like purée of beans, using either broth or water. with broth it is richer and better. _of lima beans._--proceed for green limas as for green peas. _of sweet corn._--it is made like that of green peas. _of asparagus._--cut the eatable part of the asparagus in pieces, and proceed as for _purée_ of green peas. _of potatoes._--steam a quart of potatoes, and then mash them well; put them in a saucepan with half a pint of milk, two ounces of butter, and salt; set on the fire, stir now and then, take off and use. it takes about fifteen minutes after being set back on the fire. _another way._--proceed as above, using broth or water instead of milk. _of jerusalem artichokes._--prepared as potatoes. _of carrots._--clean well, and cut in slices, a dozen middling-sized carrots; put them in a stewpan with four ounces of butter, and set on the fire; when about half fried, cover with broth or water; season with half a bay-leaf, a small sprig of thyme, one of parsley, a small onion, and a clove stuck in it; when the whole is well cooked, throw away onion, clove, bay-leaf, and thyme, mash the rest through a colander; then put back on the fire, with a little butter; simmer for about two hours, stirring occasionally, and it is made. in case it should turn too thick, add broth or water. the longer they are simmered, the better the taste. _of turnips._--proceed as with carrots in every particular. _of celery._--it is always made with turnip-rooted celery. clean the celery well, wash and cut it in pieces, and prepare as _purée of carrots_, adding a teaspoonful of sugar. _of cauliflowers._--separate the branches, and throw them in boiling water and salt; boil two minutes and drain. put them on the fire with broth or water, enough just to cover them, two or three stalks of parsley, and salt to season. boil gently till tender; remove the parsley; mash through a colander; put back on the fire with a little butter and white pepper, simmer about ten minutes, stirring now and then the while, and it is ready for use. instead of butter, some cream may be added. _of pumpkin._--made exactly the same as that of cauliflowers, after the pumpkin is peeled and cut in pieces. _of squash._--same as pumpkin. _of spinach._--clean the spinach, and cut off the stem; the leaf only is good; wash and drain it; put cold water and a little salt on the fire, and throw the spinach in at the first boil. when tender, drain and drop immediately in cold water; drain again, and then chop it very fine. after being chopped, it may be mashed through a sieve, to have it finer; put it back on the fire without any water at all, and when it gets rather dry, add a little flour; stir and mix; add again a little gravy or good broth; stir, then salt to taste, and it is ready for use. if the spinach is young and tender, it takes only two or three minutes boiling before chopping it. from the time it is put back on the fire, it takes about five or six minutes to finish it. _of sorrel._--proceed as with spinach in every particular. _of mushrooms._--clean well and cut in pieces a quart of fresh mushrooms; soak them in cold water, in which you have put the juice of a lemon; drain, and chop them fine. put a stewpan on the fire, with a piece of butter the size of a duck's egg; when melted, put your mushrooms in; when half fried, add the juice of a lemon, finish frying, then cover with some roux-sauce; let simmer till it becomes rather thick, strain and use. _of onions._--peel, quarter, and blanch for eight minutes, a dozen onions. drain and put them in a saucepan with four or six ounces of butter, according to the size of the onions; set on a slow fire, stir now and then till well done; then season with salt, a little flour, stir for two minutes to cook the flour, and mix it thoroughly with the rest; take from the fire; add cream, little by little, stirring the while. it does not require much cream to make the _purée_ of a proper thickness. mash through a sieve or fine colander, add a pinch of sugar, and it is ready for use. it makes an excellent _purée_, and is good served with nearly every kind of meat. made with white onions, and properly mashed through a sieve, it looks like cream, and is almost as white as snow. fish. the indians bleed the fish as soon as caught, because the flesh is firmer when cooked. the dutch and the french bleed the cod, which accounts for the better quality and whiteness of their cod-fish. _to select._--to be good, fish must be fresh. it is fresh when the eyes are clear, the fins stiff, the gills red, hard to open, and without bad odor. _to clean and prepare for boiling._--the sooner fish is cleaned the better. cut the belly open, take the inside out, wash well and wipe dry immediately with a clean towel, inside and out. place the eggs or soft roes inside, and tie with twine. it is then ready to be boiled. if not cooked as soon as cleaned and prepared, keep it on ice. _to clean and prepare for baking, frying, roasting, and to cut in pieces, etc._--scale the fish well, holding it by the head or tail; cut the belly open and take the inside out; trim off the fins, gills, and tail; wash well inside and out, and wipe dry immediately. keep it on ice if not used immediately. _same family, or kind._--we give only one receipt for all the fishes of the same family, or having the same kind of flesh, as they are cooked alike, and require the same spices. almost every kind of fish is boiled, broiled, fried, or stewed. some are better boiled than broiled, others better fried than stewed, etc. with few exceptions, any eatable fish may be cooked in these four ways. few are roasted. _to know when cooked enough._--it is very difficult, if not entirely impossible, to tell how long it takes to cook fish, as it depends as much on the size, kind, or quality of the fish as on the fire; but as soon as the flesh comes off the bones easily, the fish is cooked; this is very easy to be ascertained with a knife. _to improve._--clean the fish as for baking, etc., and lay it in a crockery vessel with the following seasonings under and upon it: parsley and onions chopped fine, salt, pepper, thyme, bay-leaves, and vinegar or oil; turn it over occasionally, and leave thus for two or three hours. _to bone._--slit the fish on one side of the backbone and fins, from head to tail; then run the knife between the bones and the flesh so as to detach the whole side from the rest; do the same for the other side. for a flounder, or any other flat fish, slit right in the middle of both sides of the fish so as to make four instead of two pieces. the head, bones, and fins are not used at all, and are left in one piece. _to serve, when boiled._--the fish is placed on a napkin and on a dish or platter, surrounded with parsley, and the sauce served in a saucer. _to skin._--take hold of the piece of fish by the smaller end, and with the thumb and forefinger of the left hand; run the knife between the flesh and skin, moving the knife to and fro as if you were sawing. throw away the skin, and the fish is ready for cooking. if the skin were breaking, as it happens sometimes, take hold of it again, and proceed as before. _to decorate._--fish may be decorated with jelly, but it is easier and more sightly with craw-fish. the skewers are stuck in the fish as they are in a _fillet of beef_. the craw-fish when boiled are red like the lobster, and, besides using them with skewers, some may be placed all around the fish; it is delicate eating as well as sightly. skewers are never used with fish in _vinaigrette_, or when the fish is cut in pieces. the craw-fish has only to be boiled before using it for decorating fish. _shrimps_ and _prawns_ are used the same as craw-fish. _oysters_ are also used, raw or blanched; run the skewer through a large oyster or craw-fish, then through a slice of truffle; again through an oyster, truffle, etc.; through two, three, or more of each, according to the size of the skewer or of the fish. [illustration] _fish-kettle._--a fish-kettle must have a double bottom. it is more handy to take the fish off without breaking it, and there is no danger of having it spoiled while cooking. fish-kettles are found in every house-furnishing store. _baked._--clean and prepare the fish, as directed for baking; put it in a baking-pan with salt, pepper, and butter spread all over it; just cover the bottom of the pan with water or broth; place a piece of buttered paper over it and bake. baste two or three times; take off when done, and serve warm with a sauce. while the fish is baking you prepare the sauce, put it in a boat, and serve warm with the fish. a baked fish may be served with its gravy only, adding a few drops of lemon-juice or vinegar, or with any kind of sauce, according to taste. _balls._--fish-balls are often called _fish-cakes_ or _fish-croquettes_. they are generally made with cold fish, but it may be cooked especially to make balls. fish, full of bones, like shad, is not fit to make balls; cod is the easiest. commence by chopping the flesh very fine, then chop fine also a small piece of onion and fry it with butter (half a middling-sized onion with two ounces of butter are enough for half a pound of fish); when fried stir in it a tablespoonful of flour, and about half a minute after turn the fish in with about a gill of broth or water, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg; stir till it turns rather thick, which will take two or three minutes; take from the fire, mix two yolks of eggs with it; put back on the fire for about one minute, stirring the while; then add two or three mushrooms or one truffle, or both, chopped fine. turn the mixture into a dish, spread it, and put it away to cool for two or three hours, or over night. before cooking, mix the whole well, the upper part being more dry than that which is under; put it in parts on the paste-board, roll each part to the shape you wish, either round, oval, or flat; the paste-board must be dusted with bread-crumbs or flour to help in handling the mixture, then boil or fry, according to taste. it may also be baked in cakes. when fried, they may be dipped in beaten egg, rolled in bread-crumbs, and then fried in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) _boiled._--clean and prepare the fish as directed, and put it in a fish-kettle; cover it with cold water (sea-water is the best); add the following seasonings to a pound of fish: two stalks of parsley, one of tarragon if handy, one tablespoonful of vinegar, and half a middling-sized onion sliced; salt if boiled in fresh water. set on the fire, and, for a fish weighing two pounds or under, take off at the first boiling--it is done enough. for a fish weighing five pounds, boil five minutes, etc., that is, about one minute for each pound. if it were a thick slice of fish instead of a whole one, weighing two or three pounds, it should be boiled two or three minutes longer, etc., according to thickness. _broiled._--slit the fish on the back and clean it; salt and pepper it; have a little melted butter and spread it all over the fish, on both sides, with a brush, and broil it. (_see_ broiling.) while the fish is broiling, prepare a _maître d'hotel_ sauce, spread it on the fish as soon as dished, and serve. it may also be served with anchovy butter. _fried._--any small fish of the size of a smelt, or smaller, is better fried than prepared in any other way. clean and prepare the fish as directed, wipe it dry. dip it in milk, place in a colander for five minutes, then roll in flour, and fry. it may also be fried just rolled in flour. _another way._--when wiped dry, dip in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and fry. _another._--when wiped dry, dip the fish in butter, and fry. then the fish is dropped in hot fat (_see_ frying), turned into a colander, salted, and served hot, with fried parsley around or in the middle, according to how the fish is arranged in the dish. fry the following as above: _carp_, _tench_, _frost_, _bass_, _perch_, _black and blue fish_, _gold_, _loach_, _mullet_, _porgy_, _weak_, _flounder_, _pike_, _pickerel_, _smelt_, _sun_, _herring_, and _white-fish of the lakes_. _a la orly._--if it is small fish, like the smelt, it is prepared whole; if the fish is larger, it must be boned and skinned, and cut in pieces about two inches long. roll the fish, or pieces of fish, slightly in flour; dip it in beaten egg, and roll it again in bread-crumbs; then fry it in hot fat as above. when fried, serve it with a tomato-sauce. the fish may be served on a napkin in a dish, and the sauce in a boat or saucer. _roasted._--the following fishes only are roasted: _eel_, _salmon_, _shad_, _pike_, _turbot_. clean and prepare as directed, and then tie with twine. spread salt, pepper, and melted butter (with a brush) all over the fish, and then envelop it in buttered paper; set on the spit and roast. baste with a little melted butter, and remove the paper about five minutes before it is done. when on the dish the twine is cut off and removed, and it is served as hot as possible with the following sauces, to which tarragon is added in making them, if handy: _caper_, _hollandaise_, _mayonnaise_, _piquante_, _poivrade_, and _rémolade_. a roast fish is served after roast meat. _another way._--clean, and cut in slices half an inch thick, or leave entire, as it suits you; skin it well; lay it in a crockery vessel, spread over it some chopped parsley, grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, and two gills of white wine (this is for about three pounds), leave thus two hours; then take the fish only, envelop it in buttered paper, fix it on the spit before a good fire, baste with the wine and seasonings from the crockery dish, and when nearly done take the paper off; finish the cooking, basting the while, and serve with the drippings, to which you may add a little vinegar, sweet-oil, and mustard. if there is any left, you can serve it cold the next day with an oil-sauce. _sauté._--scale, clean, and prepare the fish as directed. for one pound of fish put about one ounce of butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted put the fish in; fry it on both sides, and serve it with a _maître d'hotel_. _stewed._--clean and prepare as directed three pounds of fish, cut it in pieces about two inches long. put in a fish-kettle four ounces of butter, kneaded with a teaspoonful of flour, and the same of chopped parsley, add two or three mushrooms cut in pieces, salt and pepper, then the fish and a glass of claret wine, or a wine-glass of vinegar; cover with water, set on a good fire, boil gently till cooked; dish the pieces of fish, strain the sauce on them, spread the pieces of mushrooms over, and serve. _stuffed._--when cleansed, cut out the backbone from the head to within two inches of the tail, and fill its place with the following mixture: soak stale bread in cold water and then squeeze the water out; put one ounce of butter into a saucepan and set it on the fire; as soon as melted, fry in it one middle-sized onion, chopped fine; then add the bread; stir for two minutes, add also salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, two or three tablespoonfuls of broth; stir again two or three minutes; take the pan from the fire, add a yolk of egg, put back on the fire for half a minute, stirring the while, take off again, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and use. when full, tie the fish with twine; place it in a baking-pan, salt and pepper it; spread a little butter on it also; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, bake and serve with its gravy. if there is not gravy enough, or if it has dried away, add a little broth a few minutes before taking from the oven. _fish au gratin._--bone and skin the fish as directed. for a fish weighing about two pounds, spread one ounce of butter on a tin plate or baking-pan, spread over it half an onion, chopped; place the pieces of fish on them; add salt, pepper, a tablespoonful of vinegar or a wine-glass of white wine, and half an ounce of butter; spread over and bake. while it is baking, put in a small saucepan one ounce of butter, and set it on the fire; when melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and, when it is turning yellow, add also about one gill of broth, two tablespoonfuls of meat-gravy, the juice of the fish when baked (if the fish be not done when the time comes to put the juice in the pan, keep the pan in a warm place, and wait), salt, and pepper; boil gently about five minutes, stirring occasionally. place the fish in a tin or silver dish, spread three or four mushrooms sliced over it; turn the sauce gently over the whole, dust with bread-crumbs; put half an ounce of butter, in four or five pieces, on the whole; bake ten or twelve minutes, and serve in the dish in which it is. _in matelote._--every kind of fish is good in _matelote_, but the following are the best: _bass_, _black-fish_, _blue-fish_, _carp_, _eel_, _perch_, _pickerel_, _pike_, _porgy_, _tench_, _trout_, and _craw-fish_. a _matelote_ may be made of eels alone, but it is better with eels and one, two, or three other kinds of fish. eels tasting of mud are not good. there is a sure way of taking away the muddy taste, but it is a rather expensive one. boil them a few minutes in claret wine and a little salt, before using them. clean, and prepare as directed, one pound of eels, one pound of pike, and one pound of trout, or one pound of any of the fishes named above--in all, three pounds. cut the fish in pieces about two inches long, fry it slightly with a little butter, and put it away for awhile. put four ounces of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; when melted, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir, and, when the flour is turning rather brown, add also about a quart of broth, a pint of claret, a bunch of seasonings, composed of half a dozen stalks of parsley, two of thyme, two bay-leaves, and two cloves, also salt, pepper, two cloves of garlic, and six button onions; boil gently for about half an hour. then put the fish in with from six to twelve mushrooms, broth enough to cover the whole, if the broth and wine already in do not cover it; boil gently for about half an hour, or till the fish is cooked, tossing the saucepan now and then; dish the fish; place the mushrooms and onions all over; sprinkle the sauce over it through a strainer, and serve warm. _croutons_ may be served around. _another, or marinière._--prepare and cut the fish as for the above, but instead of frying it put it in a saucepan, into which you have put previously about half a dozen sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two bay-leaves, two cloves of garlic, twelve small onions, two cloves, salt, and pepper; when the fish is placed over the above seasonings, cover entirely with claret wine. set the saucepan on a sharp fire, and, as soon as it boils, throw into it a glass of french brandy, set it on fire, and let it burn. it will not burn very long, but enough to give a good taste to it. as soon as it stops burning, knead four ounces of butter with a tablespoonful of flour, and put it in the pan; toss the pan gently now and then till done. it takes about forty minutes with a good fire. when done, dish the fish carefully, place the mushrooms all over it, the onions all around, strain the sauce over the whole, and serve warm. _croutons_ may also be served with the rest; put around the fish one _crouton_, then an onion, and so on, all around. _another._--proceed as for the above, in every particular, except that you cover the fish and seasonings with broth and white wine, half of each, instead of claret. serve in the same way. a _matelote_ may be made three or four days in advance, and then warmed in boiling water (_bain-marie_) just before serving it. many prefer a _matelote_ made four days before eating it, and prepared in the following way: when made, put it away to cool as quickly as possible; twenty-four hours after that, warm it in boiling water; cool, and warm again in the same way once a day. if the sauce becomes thick, add a little broth. serve warm. _vinaigrette_.--boil a fish as directed, take it from the kettle and let cool; then dish it. chop fine the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs; do the same with the two whites; chop also a handful of parsley. put a string of the yolks on both sides of the fish, then along that a string of the whites, and along these a string of the parsley; along the parsley, and about half an inch apart, a string of capers. cut a lemon in sixteen slices, and in the following way: first split the lemon in two lengthwise, then split again each half in two and lengthwise also; by splitting four times, you have sixteen pieces, resembling somewhat the carpels of oranges. after the first splitting, hold the piece of lemon with the nail of the left thumb, the rind downward, and always split lengthwise and in the middle. place eight pieces on each side of the dish and along the capers, and serve cold, with stalks of parsley on top of the fish, and also two or three in its mouth. serve with it a vinaigrette, in a saucer or boat. the following fishes, _bass_, _black and blue fish_, _carp_, _cat_, _dory_, _drum_, _gar_, _gurnard_, _herring_, _king_, _lump_, _mackerel_, _parr_, _perch_, _pickerel_, _pike_, _pilot_, _porgy_, _roach_, _rock_, _scup_, _sucker_, _sword_, _tautog_, _tench_, _trout_, _troutlet_, _weak_, and _weaver_, after being baked or boiled as directed, may be served with the following sauces: _anchovy_, _caper_, _génevoise_, _génoise_, _au gratin_, _hollandaise_, _italienne_, _matelote_, _tomato_, _tartar_, and _vinaigrette_. it would be perfectly useless to have a receipt for each fish, since the preparation is the same. the same fishes are also prepared _au court bouillon_. clean and prepare about three pounds of fish, as directed for baking, etc. it may be one fish or several, according to size. place the fish in a fish-kettle, just cover it with cold water and a gill of vinegar, or with half water and half white wine; season with three or four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, one clove, one onion, half a carrot (in slices), two cloves of garlic, salt, pepper, and a little tarragon, if handy. set on the fire, and boil gently till done. dish the fish, and serve it warm with a caper or anchovy sauce in a boat, or with currant jelly. _the same--à la bretonne._--slit the fish on the back, as for broiling, and clean it. when wiped dry, lay it in a bake-pan in which there is a little melted butter, the inside of the fish under; place thus on a good fire, turn over when done on one side, and, when cooked, spread some _maître d'hôtel_ on it, and serve warm. _the same--aux fines herbes._--clean and prepare as for baking, etc., and also improve it as directed. envelop the fish in buttered paper, and also the seasonings in which it has been improved, except the thyme and bay-leaves, broil it, and serve with _piquante_ sauce. _cod-fish_, _cusk_, _haddock_, _hake_, _halibut_, _pollack_, and _torsk_, after being baked or boiled as directed, are served with the following sauces: _anchovy_, _béchamel_, _caper_, _cream_, _egg_, _hollandaise_, _maître d'hôtel_, _tomato_, _vinaigrette_. eel, conger, and lamprey. _to clean._--when skinned, clean, head, and tail them. then throw them in boiling water, in which you have put a little salt and a teaspoonful of vinegar; leave them in it about five minutes, take out, and drain. _broiled._--clean and cut two pounds of eel, or of either of the others, in pieces about three inches long. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and set it on the fire; when hot, lay the eels in, fry about three minutes, turning them over the while; then turn the whole into a crockery vessel, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and onions, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of sweet-oil, salt, and pepper; set on the fire and simmer two hours; take off, roll the pieces in fine bread-crumbs, place them on a gridiron, and on a good fire, and serve when done with _piquante_ sauce. from the nature of their flesh, eels require to be prepared thus; and, when properly done, make really a very good dish. _roasted._--prepare the eels as for broiling, and, instead of placing on the gridiron, envelop them in oiled paper and roast before a sharp fire. serve with _piquante_, _ravigote_, or tartar sauce. _fried._--prepare as for broiling as far as rolling in bread-crumbs, then dip in beaten-egg, roll in bread-crumbs again, and fry. (_see_ frying.) serve with tomato-sauce, or just as it is. _in maître d'hôtel._--clean as directed, but boil twenty minutes instead of five. serve with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce and steamed potatoes, or with muscle, oyster, shrimp, or tartar sauce. _in matelote._--(_see_ fish in matelote.) _stuffed._--clean as directed; stuff it with currant jelly, bake or roast, and serve with currant jelly. _flounder_ (wrongly called _sole_; the flounder is as good as the sole--the soles that may be found here are imported from europe or from newfoundland), _dab-fish_, and _plaice_, after being baked or boiled, may be served with the following sauces: _allemande_, _anchovy_, _anchovy-butter_, _mayonnaise_, _tomato_, and _au gratin_. _baked._--clean three pounds of the above fish. put in a crockery dish four ounces of butter, set it on a good fire, and when melted sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, stirring the while; also, a pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, a saltspoonful of chopped parsley, two or three mushrooms, also chopped, then the fish; pour on it a glass of white wine, and a liquor-glass of french brandy; cover the dish, take it from the fire, and put it in a moderately heated oven, and serve when done just as it is, and in the crockery dish. _a la normande_.--bone and skin the fish as directed. for a fish weighing four pounds, spread two ounces of butter on the bottom of a baking-pan; spread one onion, chopped fine, over the butter, and as much carrot, cut in small dice. place the fish over the whole, the pieces as they are, or cut according to the size of the pan, salt and pepper, and bake. take from the oven when done and dish the fish, leaving the juice in the pan; cut the stems of about a dozen mushrooms; place the heads on the middle of the fish, and the stems around it. mix cold a tablespoonful of flour and the same of butter in a saucepan, turn into it a pint of broth, set on the fire and stir continually; when thoroughly mixed, turn into it also, and through a strainer, the juice from the pan in which the fish has baked; stir again two or three minutes; turn gently over the fish, put in the oven for about ten minutes, and serve hot. _croutons_ may be placed around the dish as a decoration. _another normande._--bone and skin the fish as directed; butter well the dish on which the fish is to be served, spread some chopped onion all over, then place the fish over it; sprinkle salt, pepper, and white wine or vinegar (a tablespoonful to a pound of fish), all over the fish, and bake it. it takes about fifteen minutes for a fish weighing two or three pounds. wine is better than vinegar. while the fish is baking, set a saucepan on the fire with an ounce of butter in it, and when melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour; stir, and when turning yellow, add also half a pint of broth or water, salt, then the juice from the fish when baked, stir, give one boil, and turn over the fish. blanch a dozen or so of oysters, place them all over the fish also. have ready two or three potatoes, cut with a round vegetable spoon; boil till done; place them around the fish as a border for it; dust then the whole with bread-crumbs, put in a warm oven for about fifteen minutes, take off, place half a dozen _croutons_ all around the dish also, and serve. the _croutons_ are generally cut of a heart-shape. it will be easily done if the directions are followed properly and carefully. commence by cutting the bread, then cut the potatoes, and set them on the fire with cold water and salt; while they are cooking, prepare the fish and set it in the oven; while this is baking, make the sauce, fry the _croutons_, and blanch the oysters. if the fish is baked before the rest are ready, take it off and keep warm till wanted. it makes a sightly and excellent dish. _the same fried._--small flounders are fried like other small fish, and served either with or without a tomato-sauce or _à la orly_. _the same, boned and fried._--bone and skin small flounders as directed; mix together a tablespoonful of oil, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of half a lemon, and salt; dip the pieces of fish in the mixture, dust them slightly with flour, and fry. serve hot. _pike, pickerel, and trout or troutlet._--those three fish, besides being prepared as directed for bass, etc., and in all its different ways, they are boiled as directed and served warm, with a _génoise_ sauce. a more delicious dish of fish can hardly be prepared. _ray, skate, and angel or monk fish._--ray, though excellent, is very little known; there is only one place at which it can be bought--washington market, new york. it is unquestionably an excellent dish, prepared _au beurre noir_. when clean, boil the fish as directed, and dish it, sprinkling salt and pepper on it. while it is boiling, put about two ounces of butter to a pound of fish in a frying-pan, set it on a sharp fire, stir now and then, and when brown, throw into it about six sprigs of parsley, which you take off immediately with a skimmer. as soon as the parsley is taken off, pour the butter over the fish, quickly put two tablespoonfuls of vinegar in the frying-pan and over the fire, give one boil, and pour also over the fish. frying the parsley and boiling the vinegar cannot be done too fast, as the fish must be served very warm. the warmer it is served, the better it is. _salmon_, _sturgeon_, and _white-fish_, after being baked or boiled, may be served with a caper, and also with a _mayonnaise_ sauce. they may also be served in _court bouillon_, like bass. they are broiled whole, or in slices, and served with a _maître d'hôtel_ or a caper sauce. _the same in fricandeau._--cut the fish in slices about half an inch thick, and place them in a saucepan with slices of fat salt pork, carrots and onions under them; set on a good fire; ten minutes after, add a little broth, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan; after about five minutes, turn the slices over; finish the cooking and serve with the gravy strained over the fish, or with a tomato-sauce. _the same in papillotes._--fry slices of salmon with a little butter, and until of a golden color; take them from the fire. while they are frying, mix well together parsley chopped fine, salt, pepper, melted butter, grated nutmeg, and a little lemon-juice; spread some of the mixture on both sides of the slices of fish, envelop them in buttered or oiled paper; broil, and serve them hot. some mushrooms or truffles, or both, and chopped, may be added to the mixture. _the same à la génevoise._--put in a saucepan a thick slice of salmon--from five to six pounds; just cover it with broth and claret wine--half of each; season with a bunch of seasonings composed of six or eight sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two bay-leaves, two cloves, and two cloves of garlic, salt, a few slices of carrot, and a small green onion, or a shallot, if handy. boil gently till nearly done, when add about a dozen mushrooms, and keep boiling till done; dish the fish, and put it in a warm but not hot place; mix cold, in a saucepan, four ounces of butter with about two ounces of flour; turn over it, through a strainer, the liquor in which the fish has been cooked, and set on a sharp fire; after about three minutes, during which you have stirred with a wooden spoon, add the mushrooms; stir again for about two minutes, turn over the fish, and serve warm. _the same in salad._--boil, as directed for fish, some thin slices of salmon, drain, and serve cold, on a napkin and on a dish. serve with it, and in a boat, the following: half a teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of pepper, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, four of sweet oil, a pickled cucumber chopped fine, two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine also, two or three anchovies, and a tablespoonful of capers; the anchovies may be chopped fine or pounded. beat the whole well and serve. _the same in scallops._--cut it in round slices, about one-eighth of an inch in thickness; fry them with butter, and serve. the pieces should be tastefully arranged on a dish, imitating a flight of stairs. _broiled._--cut it in rather thin slices, butter both sides with a brush; broil, and serve with a _maître d'hôtel_. _shad_ and _sheep's-head_, after being baked or boiled, are served with an anchovy, caper, or tomato sauce. they are also served cold, _à la vinaigrette_. _broiled._--when cleaned and prepared, salt, pepper, and butter it; broil and serve it with a _maître d'hôtel_. it may be _stuffed_ as directed for fish. _in provençale._--clean, prepare, and cut the fish in pieces about two inches long; put about three pounds of it in a saucepan, with a pint of claret; six stalks of parsley, a small onion, a clove of garlic, and six mushrooms, all chopped fine; boil till done, when add four ounces of butter, and two of flour, well kneaded together; boil three minutes longer, and serve warm. _another way, or à la chambord._--stuff the fish with sausage-meat, envelop it in a towel, boil, and serve it with a tomato-sauce. _the same with sorrel._--broil the fish, and serve it on a purée of sorrel or of spinach. it may also be prepared _au court bouillon_, _à la bretonne_, and _aux fines herbes_, like bass, etc. _sheep's-head_ may also be prepared like turbot. _au gratin._--the shad, after being cleaned, but not split on the back (as is too often the case, to the shame of the fishmongers who begin by spoiling the fish under the pretence of cleaning it), is placed in a bake-pan, having butter, chopped parsley, mushroom, salt, and pepper, both under and above the fish. for a fish weighing three pounds, add one gill of broth and half as much of white wine; dust the fish with bread-crumbs, and set in a pretty quick oven. fifteen minutes afterward, examine it. when done, the fish is dished, a little broth is put in the pan, which is placed on a sharp fire; stir with a spoon or fork so as to detach the bread, etc., that may stick to the pan, then pour this over the fish, and serve warm. the gravy must be reduced to two or three tablespoonfuls only, for a fish weighing about two pounds. the fish must be dished carefully in order not to break it. _sterlet._--this is a fish of the sturgeon family, very plentiful in the caspian sea and in many russian rivers, principally in the neva and in lake ladoga. _tunny_ and _bonito_, after being boiled, are served cold in _vinaigrette_. _turbot and whiff._--turbot is among fishes what pheasant is among birds. rub it with lemon before cooking it. after being boiled or baked, as directed, it is served with the following sauces: _béchamel_, _cream_, _caper_, _hollandaise_, _mayonnaise_, _tomato_, and in _vinaigrette_. it is also served _au court-bouillon_ and _aux fines herbes_ like bass. _au gratin._--it is prepared and served like shad au gratin. it is also broiled and served with a _maître d'hôtel_. _bordelaise._--bone and skin the fish as directed; dip each piece in melted butter, then in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs and broil. while it is broiling on a rather slow fire, turn it over several times and keep basting with melted butter; the more butter it absorbs the better the fish. when broiled, serve the slices on a dish and place some boiled craw-fish all around and in the middle. a dish of steamed potatoes is served with it. the following sauce is also served at the same time: chop fine and fry till half done, with a little butter, two small green onions or four shallots. put half a pint of good meat-gravy in a small saucepan; set on the fire, and as soon as it commences to boil, pour into it, little by little, stirring the while with a wooden spoon, about a gill of bordeaux wine, then the onions or shallots, and also a piece of beef marrow chopped fine; give one boil, and serve in a saucer. _in salad._--proceed as for salmon in salad. when _boiled_, serve the turbot with anchovy-butter, lobster-butter, lobster-sauce, or muscle-sauce. _cold._--any cold piece of turbot is served with a _mayonnaise_ sauce, or in _vinaigrette_. _cold fish._--if the fish is with sauce, that is, if the sauce is in the same dish with the fish, warm it in the _bain-marie_, and serve warm. any other piece of cold fish, baked, boiled, broiled, or roasted, is served with a _mayonnaise_ sauce, or with a _vinaigrette_. any kind of cold fish may be prepared in salad. slice the fish or cut it in pieces and put it in the salad-dish with hard-boiled egg sliced, onion and parsley chopped fine, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. mix the whole gently and well, and serve. _anchovy._--it is imported preserved. it is used as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, to decorate or season. the essence of anchovy is used for sauce. the smallest are considered the best. to serve as a _hors d'oeuvre_, wash, wipe dry, and remove the backbone, serve with tarragon or parsley, chopped fine, vinegar, and oil. they may also be served with hard-boiled eggs, chopped or quartered. _sprats._--there are none in or near american waters; they are imported under their french name, sardines. fresh sprats are very good boiled without any grease, and without being cleaned and prepared like other fish; but when on the plate, skin them, which is easily done, as then the flesh is so easily detached from the bones that the inside need not be touched at all; they are eaten with salt and pepper only. sardines are served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, with oil and lemon-juice, and properly scaled. they are arranged on the dish according to fancy, together with lemon in slices. _salt cod--to prepare._--soak it in cold water for two days, changing the water two or three times; then scale it well and clean. lay it in a fish-kettle, cover with cold water, set on a rather slow fire, skim off the scum, let it boil about one minute, take the kettle from the fire, cover it well, and leave thus ten minutes; then take off the cod, and drain it. _in béchamel._--prepare it as above, and serve with a béchamel sauce, and as warm as possible. _with a cream-sauce._--prepare as above, and serve either warm or cold with a cream-sauce. _in brown butter._--when prepared as above, place it on a dish, and keep it in a warm place. put four ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and on a good fire; when turning brown, add three sprigs of parsley, fry about two minutes, pour the whole on the fish, and serve. you may also pour on it a hot caper-sauce, and serve. _with croutons._--prepare and cook as directed, three pounds of cod; take the bones out, break in small pieces, and mash with the hand as much as possible; put it then in a stewpan, beat three yolks of eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cream, and mix with the cod; set on a slow fire, and immediately pour in, little by little, stirring the while, about one gill of sweet oil; simmer ten or twelve minutes, and serve with _croutons_ around. _in maître d'hôtel._--lay three pounds of cod on a dish, after being cooked as directed; keep it warm, spread a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce on it, and serve. _with potatoes._--prepare about three pounds of cod as directed above. lay the fish on a dish; have a _piquante_ sauce ready, turn it over it, and serve with steamed potatoes all around the dish. the potatoes may also be served separately. _in vinaigrette._--prepare as directed, and when cold, serve with a vinaigrette. _with cheese._--prepare the cod as directed, then dip it in lukewarm butter, roll it in grated cheese, lay it in a baking-pan, dust slightly with bread-crumbs; bake, and serve warm. two or three minutes in a quick oven will be sufficient. _au gratin._--when soaked only and wiped dry, but not boiled, prepare it as directed for fish au gratin. _with caper-sauce._--prepare it as directed, and serve warm with caper-sauce. _salt salmon._--soak it in cold water for some time, the length of time to be according to the saltness of the fish; scale and clean it well, lay it in a fish-kettle, cover it with cold water, and set it on a moderate fire. boil gently about two minutes, skim off the scum, take from the kettle and drain it. put butter in a frying-pan and set it on the fire; when it turns rather brown, put a few sprigs of parsley in it, and immediately pour it over the fish in the dish; add a few drops of lemon-juice all over, and serve warm. it may also be served with a caper or _maître d'hôtel_ sauce; or, when cold, serve _à la vinaigrette_. salt salmon is also served like salt cod-fish. it may also be served on a _purée_ of celery or of onion. _smoked salmon._--cut it in thin slices; have very hot butter or oil in a frying-pan, and lay the slices in only long enough to warm them; then take out, drain them, and serve with a few drops of lemon-juice or vinegar sprinkled on them. _tunny._--this is not a good fish fresh; it is generally preserved, and served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_. it comes from holland, italy, and the south of france. fresh, it is prepared like sturgeon. that prepared in holland is the best. the dutch cure fish better than any other nation. when you serve tunny, take it out of the bottle or jar and serve it on a small plate, or on a dessert-plate. a very small piece is served, generally like every other _hors-d'oeuvre_. _salt herring._--soak in cold or tepid water; if soaked in tepid water, it does not require as long; the time must be according to the quality or saltness of the fish. wipe dry, broil, and serve like salt mackerel. _another way._--salt herring may also be soaked in half water and half milk, or in milk only; drain and wipe dry. bone and skin, cut off the head, tail, and fins, and serve with oil, vinegar, and pickled cucumbers. they are also served with slices of sour apples, or slices of onions, after being soaked and wiped dry. they may also be broiled slightly and served with oil only, after being soaked, or served with sour grape-juice. _salt pike._--it is prepared and served the same as salt herring; so is pickled trout. _red herring._--wipe or skin them, they are not as good when washed; cut off the head and tail, split the back open, lay them on a warm and well-greased gridiron, set on a slow fire; spread some butter or oil on them, turn over, do the same on the other side; broil very little, and serve with a _vinaigrette_ and mustard to taste. _another way._--clean and split them as above, soak them in lukewarm water for two hours; take out, drain, and wipe dry. mix two or three yolks of eggs with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a little melted butter; put some of the mixture around every herring, then roll them in fine bread-crumbs, place them on a gridiron on a slow fire: and when lightly broiled, serve as the preceding one. red herring may also be broiled with bread-crumbs like salt herring. it is also served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, cut in slices. _salt mackerel broiled._--if the fish be too salt, soak it for a while in lukewarm water, take off and wipe dry. have a little melted fat or lard, dip a brush in it and grease slightly both sides of the fish; place on or inside of the gridiron, the bars of which must also be greased; set on, or before, or under a pretty sharp fire; broil both sides; dish the fish, the skin under; spread butter on it; also parsley chopped fine, and serve. lemon-juice may be added if liked, or a few drops of vinegar. when broiled and dished, spread a _maître d'hôtel_ on it, and serve. _another way._--when soaked and wiped dry, dip in melted butter, again in beaten eggs, and roll in bread-crumbs. broil and serve with parsley and lemon-juice, or with a _maître d'hôtel_. frogs. the hind-legs of frogs only are used as food; formerly they were eaten by the french only, but now, frog-eating has become general, and the americans are not behind any others in relishing that kind of food. _fried._--skin well, and throw into boiling water with a little salt, for five minutes, the hind-legs only; take out and throw them in cold water to cool, and drain. have hot fat in a pan on the fire (_see_ directions for frying); lay the frogs in, and serve when done with fried parsley around. _stewed._--skin, boil five minutes, throw in cold water, and drain as above. put in a stewpan two ounces of butter (for two dozen frogs); set it on the fire, and when melted, lay the legs in, fry two minutes, tossing now and then; then sprinkle on them a teaspoonful of flour, stir with a wooden spoon, add two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, one of garlic, salt, white pepper, and half a pint of white wine; boil gently till done, dish the legs, reduce the sauce on the fire, strain it, mix in it two yolks of eggs, pour on the legs, and serve them. lobster. never buy a dead lobster. large lobsters are not as good as small ones. from about one to two pounds and a half in weight are the best. the heavier the better. lobsters are better at some seasons of the year than at others. they are inferior when full of eggs. it is from mere prejudice that the liver (also called _tomalley_) is eschewed. this prejudice may come from its turning green on boiling the lobster. use every thing but the stomach and the black of bluish vein running along its back and tail. boil your lobsters yourself; because, if you buy them already boiled, you do not know if they were alive when put in the kettle. a lobster boiled after being dead is watery, soft, and not full; besides being very unhealthy, if not dangerous. a lobster suffers less by being put in cold than in boiling water, and the flesh is firmer when done. in putting it in boiling water it is killed by the heat; in cold water it is dead as soon as the water gets warm. _to boil._.--lay it in a fish-kettle; just cover it with cold water, cover the kettle, and set it on a sharp fire. it takes from fifteen to twenty-five minutes' boiling, according to the size of the lobster. when boiled, take it from the kettle, break it in two, that is, separate the body from the tail, and place it in a colander to let the water drain. _in the shell._--when the lobster is boiled, divide it in two, taking care not to break the body and large claws. the tail is then split in two, lengthwise, the flesh taken off, cut in small dice, and mixed with the inside of the lobster. the vein found immediately under the shell, all along the flesh of the lobster, is removed as soon as it is split. the stomach, found near the head, is removed also and thrown away; all the rest is good, including the liver. when the flesh and inside are properly mixed, season with salt, pepper, vinegar, oil, mustard, and chopped parsley. place the body of the lobster on the middle of a dish, the head up, the two large claws stretched out, and the two feelers stretched out also and fastened between the claws. a sprig of parsley is put in each claw, at the end of it, in the small claws as well as in the two large ones. then the two empty halves of the tail-piece are put around the body of the lobster, the prepared flesh placed around them; hard-boiled eggs cut in eight pieces each are placed around the dish, tastefully arranged; some slices of red, pickled beets and cut with paste-cutters, are placed between each piece of egg, and serve. it makes a simple, good, and very sightly dish. half a dozen boiled craw-fish may be placed around the dish also; it will add to the decoration. two middling-sized lobsters prepared thus will fill a very large dish. they should be placed back to back, with only a few craw-fish between, and the rest arranged as the above. _in salad._--boil the lobster as directed; break and drain it as directed also. slice the flesh of the tail, place it tastefully on a dish; also the flesh from the two large claws, which may be sliced or served whole. lettuce, or hard-boiled eggs, or both, may be arranged on the dish also, and served with the following sauce: put in a boat or saucer all the inside save the stomach, with salt, pepper, vinegar, oil, mustard, and chopped parsley, to taste; beat and mix the whole well together, and serve. in case there are eggs, these are also to be mixed with the rest. _another._--boil and drain as directed; cut all the flesh in dice, and put it in a bowl with the inside, some lettuce cut rather fine, salt, pepper, vinegar, mustard, and very little oil; mix well, and then put the mixture on a dish, placing it like a mound on the middle of the dish; spread a _mayonnaise_ sauce over it; decorate with the centre leaves of the lettuce, some hard-boiled eggs cut in slices or in fancy shapes, capers, boiled or pickled red beets, cut also in fancy shapes, slices of lemon, and serve. anchovies, olives, pickled cucumbers, or any other pickled fruit or vegetable may also be added. a rose, or two or three pinks, may be placed right on the top, as a decoration. just before commencing to serve, the rose may be put on a dessert plate and offered to a lady. _in coquilles, or scalloped._--it is boiled and then finished like oysters scalloped. it may be served thus on scallop-shells, on silver shells, or on its own shell; that is, on the shell of the tail, split in two lengthwise, and trimmed according to fancy. _croquettes._--lobster croquettes are made exactly like _fish-balls_, and then fried according to directions for frying. they are served warm. it is an excellent dish for _breakfast_. _fried._--to be fried, the lobster must be bled; separate the body from the tail, then cut the tail in pieces, making as many pieces as there are joints. put these pieces in a frying-pan with two or three ounces of butter, and one onion, chopped fine; set on a sharp fire, stir now and then tin the whole is fried, then add a bunch of seasoning composed of three sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove; salt, pepper, and three gills of madeira wine; boil gently till reduced about half; dish the pieces of lobster according to fancy; add two or three tablespoonfuls of gravy to the sauce, stir it, give one boil, and turn it over the lobster through a strainer; serve warm. _another way._--proceed as above in every particular, except that you use sauterne or catawba wine instead of madeira, and, besides the seasonings, add half a dozen mushrooms, or two truffles, or both. dish the mushrooms and truffles with the lobster, then finish and serve as the above. _craw-fish._--these are found in most of the lakes, brooks, and rivers. in some places they are called _river-crabs_, or freshwater crabs. they resemble the lobster, and are often taken for young lobsters. besides being a beautiful ornament and much used to decorate dishes, they are excellent to eat and very light. they are dressed and served like lobsters and crabs. fishermen are sure to find a ready market for them, though they are, as yet, very little known. _crabs._--crabs are boiled like lobsters, and may be served like lobster, _in salad_. they are often eaten, only boiled, without any seasonings. like lobsters also, to be good, crabs must be put in the water alive. when well washed and clean, they may be prepared in the following way: put them in a saucepan with slices of onions, same of carrots, parsley, chives if handy, thyme, bay-leaves, cloves, salt, and pepper-corns; half cover them with white wine, add butter, set on a good fire, and boil till done. serve with parsley only. the sauce may be used a second time by adding a little wine. the _soft-shell crab_ is blanched five minutes, and _fried_ like fish. it may also be _sauté_ with a little butter, and served with a _maître d'hôtel_. _broil_ it also, and serve it with a _maître d'hôtel_. _muscles._--these are unwholesome between april and september. they must be heavy, fresh, and of a middling size. the very large ones are really inferior. soak them in water and wash well several times, then drain. _in poulette._--put them in a saucepan with a little parsley chopped fine, and set them on a pretty good fire; as soon as they are opened, remove the shell to which they are not attached, and keep them in a warm place. for two quarts of muscles, put two ounces of butter in the saucepan in which they have been cooked and in which you have left their liquor; set on the fire, stir, and as soon as the butter is melted, add and stir into it a tablespoonful of flour; when turning a little yellow, add also half a dozen pepper-corns, then the muscles; boil gently about ten minutes, stirring occasionally; take from the fire, mix one or two yolks of eggs with it, a little lemon-juice, parsley chopped fine, and serve warm. _another way._--when clean, put them in a saucepan with a few slices of carrot, same of onion, two or three stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, six pepper-corns, and salt. set on the fire, and take the muscles from the pan as soon as they open, then remove one shell; put them back in the pan, with as much white wine as there is liquor from the muscles; boil gently about ten minutes, add the yolk of an egg, a little lemon-juice, and dish the muscles; drain the sauce over them, add a little chopped parsley, and serve warm. _fried._--fry, and serve the muscles like fried oysters. they may also be served like scalloped oysters. _prawns and shrimps._--wash, boil in water and salt, and serve. they may be used, like craw-fish, to decorate fish after being boiled. _another way._--wash well, and put two quarts of them in a saucepan with four onions in slices, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, salt, pepper, half a pint of white wine, and two ounces of butter, just cover with water and set on a good fire; when properly cooked, drain, and serve warm with green parsley all around. the liquor may be used a second time. oysters. the american oyster is unquestionably the best that can be found. it varies in taste according to how it is treated, either after being dredged or while embedded; and also according to the nature of the soil and water in which they have lived. it is very wrong to wash oysters. we mean by washing oysters, the abominable habit of throwing oysters in cold water, as soon as opened, and then sold by the measure. it is more than a pity to thus spoil such an excellent and delicate article of food. oysters, like lobsters, are not good when dead. to ascertain if they are alive, as soon as opened and when one of the shells is removed, touch gently the edge of the oyster, and, if alive, it will contract. _raw._--when well washed, open them, detaching the upper shell, then detach them from the under shell, but leave them on it; place on a dish, and leave the upper shell on every oyster, and serve thus. to eat them, you remove the upper shell, sprinkle salt, pepper, and lemon-juice on, and eat. when raw oysters are served on a table, at which there are gentlemen only, some shallots, chopped fine and gently bruised in a coarse towel, are served with them, on a separate dish. the taste of the shallot agrees very well with that of the oyster. a tartar sauce may be served instead of shallots. _to blanch._--set the oysters and a little water on the fire in a saucepan, take them off at the first boil, skim off the scum from the top, strain them, and drop them in cold water. the skimming, straining, and dropping in cold water must be done quickly--the quicker the better. if allowed to stay in the warm water, or out of water, they get tough. in dropping them in cold water, see that they are free from pieces of shell; take them with a fork if necessary. as soon as in cold water they are ready for use, but they must always be drained again before using them. when the water used to blanch is employed in preparing them, it is explained in the different receipts. white wine may be used, instead of water, to blanch them, according to taste. _fried._--open the oysters, and put them in a colander for about half an hour. they must be as well drained as possible. then dip them in egg and roll in bread-crumbs in the following way: beat one or two, or three, eggs (according to the quantity of oysters to be fried), as for an omelet, turn the oysters into the eggs and stir gently; then take one after another, roll in bread-crumbs; place each one on your left hand, in taking them from the crumbs, and with the other hand press gently on it. put them away in a cool place for about half an hour, and then dip again in egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and press in the hand as before. it is not indispensable to dip in egg and roll in crumbs a second time; but the oysters are better, and you are well repaid for the little extra work it requires. while you are preparing them, set some fat on the fire in a pan, and when hot enough (_see_ frying) drop the oysters in, stir gently, take off with a skimmer when fried, turn into a colander, add salt, and serve hot. _roasted._--place the oysters on a hot stove or range, or on coals, and as soon as they open take off, remove one shell; turn a little melted butter on each, and serve. there are several other ways. when blanched, they are served on toast, a little gravy is added, the toast placed on a dessert-plate, and served thus. _broiled_ and roasted as above is the same thing. oysters scalloped on their own shell, and placed on the range instead of in the oven, are also called broiled. _scalloped._--place the oysters when thoroughly washed on a hot stove, and as soon as they open remove one shell, the flatter one of the two, and take them from the fire. sprinkle salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and bread-crumbs on them; place on each a piece of butter the size of a hazel-nut; put in the oven about ten minutes, and when done add a few drops of meat-gravy, to each, and serve hot. _another._--put a quart of oysters and their liquor in a saucepan, set it on the fire, take off at the first boil, and drain. set a saucepan on the fire with two ounces of butter in it; as soon as melted, add a teaspoonful of flour, stir, and, when turning rather brown, add the juice of the oysters, about a gill of gravy, salt, and pepper; boil gently for about ten minutes, stirring now and then. while it is boiling, place the oysters on scallop-shells, or on silver shells made for that purpose, two or three oysters on each, turn some of the above sauce on each, after it has boiled; dust with bread-crumbs, put a little piece of butter on each shell, and bake for about twelve minutes in a warm oven. a dozen silver shells served thus make a sightly and excellent dish. some truffles, chopped fine, may be added to the sauce, two minutes before taking it from the fire. _stewed._--procure two quarts of good and fresh oysters. set them on a sharp fire, with their liquor and a little water, and blanch as directed. put four ounces of butter in a saucepan, set on the fire, and when melted stir into it a small tablespoonful of flour; as soon as mixed, add also a teaspoonful of parsley, chopped fine, and about half a pint of broth; boil gently about ten minutes, then add the oysters, salt and pepper, boil again about one minute, dish the whole, sprinkle lemon-juice on, and serve. an oyster soup is often called a stew. _in poulette._--in adding chopped mushrooms to the stewed oysters, at the same time that the oysters are put in the pan, you make them in _poulette_. _a la washington._--fried oysters are called _à la washington_, when two, three, or four very large oysters are put together (they adhere very easily), dipped in egg, rolled in bread-crumbs, and fried, as directed above. it is necessary to have a deep pan, and much fat, to immerse them completely. _pickled_ oysters are always served as a _hors d'oeuvre_. place around the oysters some hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, and serve with oil and vinegar. serve them in the same way, with slices of truffles instead of hard-boiled eggs. they may also be served with lemon-juice only. or with shallots chopped fine, and then bruised in a coarse towel. this last one is considered of too strong a taste for ladies. they are also served with a tartar sauce. _scallops._--blanch the scallops for three minutes, drain them. put butter on the fire in a frying-pan, and when melted turn the scallops in; stir now and then, take from the fire when fried, add parsley chopped fine, salt, pepper, and serve warm. _on the shell._--chop fine a middling-sized onion, and fry it with one ounce of butter. while the onion is frying, chop fine also one quart of scallops and put them with the onion; stir for two or three minutes, or till about half fried, when turn the juice off, put back on the fire, and add one ounce of butter, one gill of white wine, stir for two or three minutes, and if too thick add the juice you have turned off; take from the fire, and mix a yolk of egg with it, add salt, pepper, nutmeg grated, and parsley chopped fine. have the scallop shells properly cleaned, or silver shells, spread the mixture on the shells; dust with bread-crumbs, put a piece of butter about the size of a hazel-nut on each, and put in an oven, at about deg. fahr., for from ten to fifteen minutes. this is a dish for _breakfast_. scallop, scollop, or escalop, are one and the same fish. clams. wash clean with a scrubbing-brush and put them in a kettle; set on a good fire, and leave till they are wide open; then take from the kettle, cut each in two or three pieces, put them in a stewpan with all the water they have disgorged in the kettle, and about four ounces of butter for fifty clams; boil slowly about an hour, take from the fire, and mix with the whole two beaten eggs, and serve warm. clams are also eaten raw with vinegar, salt, and pepper. _chowder._--this popular dish is made in a hundred different ways, but the result is about the same. it is generally admitted that boatmen prepare it better than others, and the receipts we give below came from the most experienced chowder-men of the harlem river. potatoes and crackers are used in different proportions, the more used, the thicker the chowder will be. put in a _pot_ (technical name) some small slices of fat salt pork, enough to line the bottom of it; on that, a layer of potatoes, cut in small pieces; on the potatoes, a layer of chopped onions; on the onions, a layer of tomatoes, in slices, or canned tomatoes; on the latter a layer of clams, whole or chopped (they are generally chopped), then a layer of crackers. then repeat the process, that is, another layer of potatoes on that of the clams; on this, one of onions, etc., till the pot is nearly full. every layer is seasoned with salt and pepper. other spices are sometimes added according to taste; such as thyme, cloves, bay-leaves, and tarragon. when the whole is in, cover with water, set on a slow fire, and when nearly done, stir gently, finish cooking, and serve. as we remarked above, the more potatoes that are used, the thicker it will be. when done, if found too thin, boil a little longer; if found too thick, add a little water, give one boil, and serve. _another way._--proceed as above in every particular, except that you omit the clams and crackers, and when the rest is nearly cooked, then add the chopped clams and broken crackers, boil fast about twenty-five minutes longer, and serve. if found too thick or too thin, proceed exactly as for the one above. _fish chowder._--this is made exactly as clam chowder, using fish instead of clams. _clam bake._--this is how it is made by the harlem river clam-baker, tom riley. lay the clams on a rock, edge downward, and forming a circle, cover them with fine brush; cover the brush with dry sage; cover the sage with larger brush; set the whole on fire, and when a little more than half burnt (brush and sage), look at the clams by pulling some out, and if done enough, brush the fire, cinders, etc., off; mix some tomato or cauliflower sauce, or catsup, with the clams (minus their shells); add butter and spices to taste, and serve. done on sand, the clams, in opening, naturally allow the sand to get in, and it is anything but pleasant for the teeth while eating them. beef. how to select. see if the meat is fine, of a clear red color, with yellowish-white fat. cow beef. cow beef must also be of a clear red color, but more pale than other beef; the fat is white. bull beef. bull beef is never good; you recognize it when you see hard and yellow fat; the lean part is of a dirty-reddish color. the rump piece is generally prepared _à la mode_. for steaks, the tenderloin and the piece called the porter-house steak, are the best; rump steaks are seldom tender. the roasting or baking pieces are the tenderloin, the fillet, and some cuts of the ribs. for soup, every piece is good; to make rich broth, take pieces of the rump, sucket, round, etc., but every piece makes excellent broth, and therefore excellent soup. (_see_ broth.) a good piece of rib, prepared like a fillet or tenderloin, makes an excellent dish, the bones and meat around them being used to make broth. a la mode. take from six to twelve pounds of rump and lard it. to lard it you take a steel needle made for that purpose, flat near the pointed end and much larger than an ordinary larding-needle. it must be flat near the point in order to cut the meat so as to make room for the larger part of the needle to pass, and also for the salt pork. this needle is only used for beef _à la mode_. cut the salt pork in square strips to fit the needle, (_see_ larding), and proceed. examine the piece of beef, lard with the grain of the meat, so that when it is carved the salt pork shall be cut across. if the piece is too thick to run the strip of pork through, so that both ends stick out, lard one side first then the other. we mean by one side first, this: to be easily handled, the salt pork cannot be cut longer than about four inches; as half an inch of it must stick out of the meat, it leaves only three inches inside, and if the piece of meat be six inches or more thick, of course it would be impossible to have the strip of pork stick out on both sides; therefore, you lard one side first; that is, you run the needle through the meat, leaving the salt pork stick out on the side you commence, and when that side is larded, do the same for the other. you have then the salt pork sticking out on both sides of the meat and looking just as if the strips were running through the whole piece. some like more salt pork than others in the beef; the strips may be run thickly or thinly. thirty strips may be run into three pounds of meat as well as half a dozen; but about half a pound of salt pork to five pounds of beef is a pretty good proportion. then take a saucepan of a proper size for the piece of meat; it must not be too large or too small, but large enough to hold the meat without being obliged to bend or fold it; a crockery pan is certainly the best for that purpose, and one that will go easily in the oven. put in the saucepan, for six pounds of beef, half a calf's foot, or a veal-bone if more handy, two ounces of butter, half a handful of parsley (cives, if handy), two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme, two onions, with a clove stuck in each, salt, pepper, half a carrot cut in slices, the rind of the salt pork you have used, and what you may have left of strips; the whole well spread on the bottom of the pan, then the piece of meat over, cover the pan, set on a rather sharp fire and after about ten minutes add half a gill of water; keep the pan covered to the end. after another ten or fifteen minutes, add about one pint of cold water, turn the meat over, and after about ten minutes more, place the pan in the oven, a rather slow oven (a little above degrees fahr.), for five or six hours. dish the meat, skim off the fat on the top of the gravy, give one boil and turn it over the meat and carrots through a strainer. when the meat is dished; put some carrots _au jus_ all around; serve warm. _cold._--serve it whole or in slices, with meat jelly, or with a sharp sauce; such as _piquante, ravigote_, etc. stewed. stewed beef is called also _daube_ or _braised_ beef, but it is the same. it may be larded as beef _à la mode_, or not; it may be put whole in the pan or in large dice, according to taste. the following is for five or six pounds of rump or even a piece of ribs: put in a saucepan two ounces of salt pork cut in dice, four sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, a sprig of sweet basil, two cloves, three carrots cut in pieces, salt, and pepper; put the piece of beef on the whole, wet with a glass of broth, and one of white wine (a liquor-glass of french brandy may also be added); season with six or eight small onions; place in a moderately heated oven, put paste around the cover to keep it air-tight; simmer about six hours; dish the meat with the onions and carrots around it, strain the gravy on the whole, and serve. almost any piece of beef may be cooked in the same way, and will be found good, wholesome, and economical. roasted. _how to improve it._--put the meat in a tureen, with four tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, salt, pepper, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, four onions cut in slices, two bay-leaves, and the juice of half a lemon; put half of all the above under the meat, and half on it; cover, and leave thus two days in winter, and about eighteen hours in summer. it certainly improves the meat and makes it more tender. the tenderloin may be improved as well as any other piece. then place the meat on the spit before and near a very sharp fire. baste often with the seasonings, if you have improved the meat; or with a little melted butter, if you have not. continue basting with what is in the dripping-pan. beef must be placed as near the fire as possible, without burning it, however; and then, as soon as a coating or crust is formed all around, remove it by degrees. remember that the quicker the crust is formed, the more juicy and tender the meat. nothing at all is added to form that kind of crust. it is formed by the osmazome of the meat, attracted by the heat, and coming in contact with the air while revolving. beef is more juicy when rather underdone; if good, when cut, it has a pinky color inside. roast beef may be served with the drippings only, after being strained and the fat removed. it may also be served in the following ways: _with potatoes._--fried potatoes may be served all around the meat, or on a separate dish. also, potato croquettes. _with horse-radish._--grate horse-radish, mix it with the drippings, and serve in a boat. _with a garniture._--mix a liver garniture with the gravy, add lemon-juice, place all around the meat, and serve. _with truffles._--place the garniture of truffles on and around the meat, turn the drippings on the whole, and serve. _with tomatoes._--surround the meat with stuffed tomatoes, strain the gravy on the whole, and serve. _on purées._--spread either of the following _purées_ on the dish, place the meat over it, strain the drippings on the whole; and serve: _purées_ of _asparagus_, _beans_, _cauliflowers_, _celery_, _lima beans_, _onions_, _green peas_, _potatoes_, and _mushrooms_. _with cabbage._--surround the meat with brussels cabbages, prepared _au jus_; strain the drippings on the whole, and serve. _with quenelles._--place twelve quenelles of chicken around the meat, and serve with the drippings. to decorate. when served in any way as described above, one or two or more skewers may be run through craw-fish and a slice of truffle, and stuck in the meat, or through sweetbreads _au jus_, and slices of truffles. it makes a beautiful and good decoration. the skewers may also be run through chicken-combs, prepared as for _farce_; first through a comb, then through a slice of truffle, through a sweetbread, again through a slice of truffle, then through a craw-fish, and lastly a slice of truffle, or the reverse, according to fancy. _with rice._--it is surrounded with rice croquettes, the drippings strained over the whole. we could put down some twenty or more other ways, but any one with an ordinary amount of natural capacity can do it, by varying the _garnitures_, _purées_, _decorations_, etc. cold roast-beef is prepared like boiled beef. baked. place the meat in a bake-pan, with cold water about a quarter of an inch deep; spread salt, pepper, and a little butter on the meat, cover it with a piece of buttered paper; baste often over the paper, lest it should burn; keep the bottom of the pan covered with juice; if the water and juice are absorbed, add a little cold water and continue basting; turn over two or three times, but keep the paper on the top; if it is burnt, put on another piece. the paper keeps the top of the meat moist, and prevents it from burning or drying. when done, it is served like roasted beef. fillet. the tenderloin and even the sirloin are sometimes called, or rather known, under the name of fillet, when cooked. it comes from the french _filet_--tenderloin. sirloin means surloin; like stock and several others, sirloin is purely english. the surloin is the upper part of the loin, as its prefix indicates; it is _surlonge_ in french. a fillet is generally larded with salt pork by means of a small brass larding-needle; the salt pork cut in strips to fit the needle (_see_ larding). if you use a tenderloin, trim off the fat. if it is a piece of ribs, prepared fillet-like, shape it like a fillet as near as possible; the rest is used as directed above. a piece of ribs is certainly cheaper, and can be had at any time, while the other is as difficult to procure as it is dear. _to lard it._--have a towel in your left hand and place the meat over it, the most flat and smooth side up, holding it so that the upper part will present a somewhat convex surface, and commence larding at either end and finishing at the other, in this way: run the needle through the upper part of the convex surface, commencing at about a quarter of an inch from the edge of one side, running through the meat a distance of about one inch and a half, about half an inch in depth at the middle, and the strip of salt pork sticking out at both ends; that is, where the needle was introduced into the meat, and where it came out of it. repeat this till you have a row of strips across the meat, the strips being about one-third of an inch apart. lard row after row in the same way, and till the whole flat side is covered; the ends of the strips of pork sticking out of each row being intermingled. _to cook it._--it may be roasted or baked exactly in the same way as directed above for roast and baked beef. it may also be improved in the same way. when cooked in either of the two above ways, it is served with its gravy only, or-- with fried potatoes. with potato coquettes. with truffles. with tomatoes. with quenelles. with madeira-sauce. with green peas. the same as roast or baked beef above. it may also be decorated in the same way. a fillet is also cooked exactly like beef _à la mode_, with the exception that it does not require as long; for a large one, it requires only about three hours. when cooked thus, it is served with its gravy strained, and decorated with skewers, as above. _with macaroni._--while the fillet is cooking, prepare a pound of macaroni au jus, and serve the fillet on the macaroni spread on a dish; the gravy of the fillet being mixed with the macaroni when both are done. _fillet à la brillat-savarin._--cook it in a pan as above, and serve it decorated with sweetbreads and slices of truffles, as described for roast-beef, and with a champagne-sauce. _a la chateaubriand._--this is prepared and served like the preceding one, with a _madeira_ instead of a _champagne_ sauce. _sauté._--when cooked in a pan as directed above, cook mushrooms about ten minutes in the gravy, and serve mushrooms and gravy all around the meat. a fillet _sauté_ is always made with a tenderloin. as is seen by the above receipts, all the good pieces of beef may be prepared in the ways described, ribs as well as other pieces, and from the plainest to the most _recherché_ way, from the cheapest to the most costly manner. several names are given to the different ways we have described, such as fillet _financière_ (fillet served with a ragout of chicken-combs), fillet richelieu (fillet with half a dozen skewers), etc. _en bellevue._--this is the best way to serve it cold. it may be served whole, or part of it, that is, what is left from the preceding dinner. for a supper or lunch, it is the most handy dish, as it can be prepared in advance. make some meat jelly or calf's-foot jelly, put a thickness of about three-quarters of an inch of it in a tin dish or mould, large enough to hold the fillet; then place on ice to cool, and when congealed and firm enough, place the fillet on it, the larded side downward; fill now with jelly till the fillet is covered, and have a thickness of about three-quarters of an inch above it. the fillet must not touch the sides of the mould, but be perfectly enveloped in jelly. if the thickness of jelly is even on both sides and all around, it is much more sightly. when the jelly is perfectly congealed and firm, place a dish over the mould, turn upside down, and remove it. serve as it is. as a tenderloin is very expensive and rather difficult to get, buy a fine piece of ribs, cut the fleshy part of the shape of a tenderloin, and prepare it as directed above; it makes an excellent and sightly dish. the bony part with the rest of the flesh is used to make broth. ribs. _with vinegar._--put two tablespoonfuls of fat in a saucepan, and set it on the fire; when melted, put the beef in; say a piece of three pounds, from the round, rump, or rib-piece; brown it on every side; add one gill of vinegar, salt, and a teaspoonful of pepper, cover the pan, and keep on a rather sharp fire for fifteen minutes; then add one carrot and one onion, both sliced, a stalk of thyme, three cloves, two bay-leaves, and six pepper-corns, a pint of broth, and same of water; boil gently till done; dish the meat, strain the sauce over it, and serve. ribs may also be broiled like steaks, and served either with a _maître d'hôtel_, mushrooms, potatoes, or water-cress. the low cuts of beef are generally used to make broth, or stewed. steaks. the best piece of beef for a steak is the tenderloin. what is called a porter-house steak is the tenderloin, sirloin, and other surrounding parts cut in slices. a steak should never be less than three-quarters of an inch in thickness. it should always be broiled; it is inferior in taste and flavor when cooked in a pan (_sauté_), or other utensil, but many persons cook it so, not having the necessary fire or utensil to broil; broiled or _sauté_, it is served alike. the same rules are applied to steaks of venison, pork, etc.; turtle-steaks are also prepared like beef-steaks. a good steak does not need any pounding; the object of pounding a steak is to break its fibres. a pounded steak may appear or taste more tender to a person not knowing or never having tasted a good steak, but an experienced palate cannot be deceived. it is better to broil before than over the fire. (_see_ broiling.) to cook a steak in an oven or drum, or any other badly-invented machine or contrivance, is not to broil it, but to spoil it. _to make tender._--when cut, trimmed, salted, and peppered, put them in a bowl, and sprinkle some sweet-oil or melted butter over them; turn them over in the bowl every two or three hours for from six to twelve hours. _to cut and prepare._--cut the meat in round or oval slices, as even as possible, of any size, about one inch in thickness, and trim off the fibres and thin skin that may be around. do not cut off the fat, but flatten a little each slice with a chopper. _to broil._--when the steaks are cut and prepared as directed, they are slightly greased on both sides with lard or butter (if they have not been in a bowl with oil or butter before cooking them), placed on a warmed gridiron, set before or on a sharp fire, turned over once or twice, and taken off when rather underdone. salt and pepper them, dish, spread a _maître d'hôtel_ over them, and serve very warm. cooks and epicures differ about the turning over of steaks; also about broiling them with or without salt; some say that they must not be turned over twice, others are of opinion that they must be turned over two or three, and even more times; some say that they must be salted and peppered before broiling, others say they must not; we have tried the two ways many times, and did not find any difference; if there is any difference at all, it is in the quality of the meat, or in the person's taste, or in the cook's care. when the steak is served as above, place some fried potatoes all around, and serve hot. instead of fried potatoes, put some water-cress all around, add a few drops of vinegar, and serve. the water-cress is to be put on raw and cold. when the steak is dished, spread some anchovy-butter on it instead of a _maître d'hôtel_, and serve warm also. it may also be served with lobster-butter instead of a _maître d'hôtel_. steaks are also served with horse-radish butter, and surrounded with fried or _soufflé_ potatoes. _with a tomato-sauce._--broil and serve the steak as directed above, and serve it with a tomato-sauce instead of a _maître d'hôtel_. _with a poivrade or piquante sauce._--broil and serve with a _poivrade_ or _piquante_ sauce, instead of a _maître d'hôtel_. _with egg._--when the steaks are cut and prepared as directed, dip them in beaten egg, roll them in bread-crumbs, then broil, and serve them with either a _maître d'hôtel_ or tomato-sauce, or with potatoes, etc. _with truffles._--set a saucepan on the fire with one ounce of butter in it; as soon as melted add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and, when turning brown, add also about a gill of broth; stir again for five or six minutes, when mix three or four tablespoonfuls of good gravy with the rest; boil gently ten minutes, take from the fire; slice two or three truffles, mix them with the rest; add salt and pepper to taste; give one boil, turn over the steak which you have broiled as directed, and serve. _with mushrooms._--proceed as for truffles in every particular, except that you use mushrooms. _fancy steak._--cut the steak two or three inches thick, butter slightly both sides, lay it on a gridiron well greased and warmed; set it on a moderate fire and broil it well; to cook it through it must be turned over many times, on account of its thickness. serve like another steak, with a _maître d'hôtel_, _poivrade_, potatoes, or water-cress, etc. boiled beef. this is understood to be beef that has been used to make broth--a rump-piece or a rib-piece, boned and tied with twine before cooking it. [illustration: _a,_ skewer; _b,_ carrot; _c,_ turnip; _d,_ beef; _e,_ carrots and turnips.] _with carrots and turnips._--remove the twine, and place the piece of beef on the middle of a dish, with carrots and turnips, cut with a fruit-corer, prepared _au jus_ or glazed, and arranged all around it; also, some skewers run through pieces of carrot and turnip, and then stuck in the piece of beef. (see cut p. .) serve warm. _with brussels cabbage, or sprouts._--serve the beef as above, surrounded with sprouts _au jus_, and also ornamented with skewers run through sprouts, with a piece of turnip between each. _in bourgeoise._--serve the piece of beef warm, decorated if handy, and surrounded with fried potatoes cut with a vegetable spoon or in fillets, and gravy spread over the whole. if not decorated, a few sprigs of parsley may be spread on the beef. _with onions._--serve the beef as above, and surround it with glazed onions. _with celery._--when served as above, the meat is surrounded with a _purée_ of celery. _with cauliflowers._--serve warm, with a garniture of cauliflowers all around. it may be decorated with skewers. _with chestnuts._--glaze chestnuts as for dessert; run the skewers through a chestnut first, then through a fried potato, and then through a slice of carrot, and stick one at each end of the piece of beef; put chestnuts all around, spread some gravy over the whole, and serve warm. _in croquettes._--proceed as for _croquettes_ of chicken. _hollandaise._--cut the meat in fillets and put it in a saucepan, with about two ounces of fat or butter to a pound of meat; set on the fire and stir for ten minutes. then add a tablespoonful of flour and stir about one minute, with warm water enough to half cover the meat, and boil about five minutes, stirring now and then. mix together in a bowl two yolks of eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and two or three tablespoonfuls of the sauce from the saucepan in which the beef is; turn the mixture into the saucepan, stir and mix, add salt and pepper to taste, give one boil, and serve warm. _broiled._--cut the meat in slices about one inch in thickness, broil, and serve like steaks. _au gratin._--put two ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted sprinkle into it two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs, two or three mushrooms chopped, a teaspoonful of chopped onions, same of parsley, a pinch of allspice, salt, and pepper; stir for about two minutes, add a little broth to make the whole rather liquid. cut one pound of boiled beef in slices, place them in a tin or silver dish, turn the mixture over them, dust with bread-crumbs; put half a dozen pieces of butter here and there on the top, and bake for about fifteen minutes. take from the oven when done, add a few drops of lemon juice all over, and serve warm in the dish in which it was baked. with a _maître d'hôtel_, _piquante_, _mayonnaise_, _robert_, _ravigote_, _tartar_, or _tomato_ sauce. cut it in slices, place them on a dish, spread on them some chopped parsley and slices of pickled cucumbers, and send thus to the table, with either of the above sauces in a saucer to be used with it. in miroton. put a piece of butter the size of an egg in a stewpan (this is for about two pounds), and set it on the fire; when melted, put in it four middling-sized onions, cut in slices when nearly cooked, sprinkle on them a pinch of flour, and stir till it takes a golden color; then add half a glass of white wine, and as much of broth, also salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg; boil until well cooked, and till the sauce is reduced; then add the boiled beef, cut in slices, and leave it fifteen minutes; dish it, pour on a few drops of vinegar, and serve. _hushed._--proceed exactly as for _miroton_, except that the beef is cut in strips or chopped, and that no wine is used. in salad. cut it in very thin and short slices, and place them on a dish with chopped parsley; put in a saucer sweet-oil and vinegar, according to the quantity of beef you have, two tablespoonfuls of oil to one of vinegar, salt, pepper, and some mustard; beat the whole a little, pour on the slices, and serve. corned beef. corned beef is generally boiled. soak the corned beef in cold water for some time, according to how salt it is. set it on the fire, covered with cold water, and boil gently till done. _with cabbage._--blanch the cabbage for about five minutes, and drain. then put it to cook with the corned beef when the latter is about half done; serve both on the same dish, or separately, according to taste. corned beef, when boiled as above, without cabbage, can be served and decorated, in every way, like boiled beef. it certainly makes sightly as well as good dishes for a family dinner. a piece of corned beef, surrounded with a garniture as we have described above, decorated with skewers, is very often served as a _relevé_ at an extra dinner. _cold corned beef._--a whole piece, or part of it, may be served _en bellevue_, the same as a _fillet en bellevue_; it is also excellent. tongue. clean and blanch it for about ten minutes--till the white skin can be easily removed. after ten minutes boiling, try if it comes off; if not, boil a little longer, then skin it well. _to boil._--when skinned, put it in your soup-kettle with the beef, etc., to make broth, and leave it till done. when boiled, the tongue may be served and decorated exactly the same as boiled beef, in every way. _stewed._--cut square fillets of bacon, which dredge in a mixture of chopped parsley, cives, salt, pepper, and a little allspice; lard the tongue with the fillets. put in a crockery stewpan two ounces of bacon cut in dice, four sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, one of sweet basil, two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, two cloves, two carrots cut in pieces, four small onions, salt, and pepper; lay the tongue on the whole, wet with half a glass of white wine and a glass of broth; set on a moderate fire, and simmer about five hours--keep it well covered; then put the tongue on a dish, strain the sauce on it, and serve. it is a delicious dish. it may also be served with vegetables around, or with tomato-sauce. _another way._--when prepared as above directed, put it on the fire with the same seasonings as the preceding one; simmer four hours and take from the fire; put the tongue on a dish and let it cool, then place it on the spit before a good fire, and finish the cooking; serve it warm with an oil, or _piquante_ sauce. if any is left of either of the two, put in a pan the next day, wet with a little broth, set on the fire, and when warm serve it on a _purée_; do not allow it to boil. brain. soak it in lukewarm water and clean well, so as to have it free from blood, fibres, and thin skin; then soak it again in cold water for twelve hours in winter and six in summer. put in a crockery stewpan one ounce of bacon cut in slices, one carrot cut in pieces, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, a clove, four small onions cut in slices, a teaspoonful of chopped cives, salt, pepper, a pint of white wine, as much of broth, and then the brain; set on a moderate fire for half an hour and take it off; dish the brain and place it in a warm place; then strain the sauce, put it back on the fire with the brain in it, add two or three mushrooms cut in pieces, leave on the fire from ten to fifteen minutes, and serve it, parted in two, with fried parsley around. _another way._--when the brain is cleaned and prepared as above, cut it in eight pieces. mix well together a little flour, chopped parsley and cives, also a pinch of allspice; roll the pieces of brain in it, so as to allow the mixture to adhere to them; have some butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when hot put the pieces of brain in it; fry gently, and serve with fried parsley around. heart. soak it in lukewarm water for two hours, free it from blood and skin, drain and wipe dry; then stuff it with sausage-meat, to which you have added three or four onions chopped fine, put it in a rather quick oven, or on the spit before a good fire (if on the spit, envelop it with buttered paper), basting from time to time; it takes about an hour and a half to cook a middling-sized one; serve it with a _vinaigrette_, _piquante_, _poivrade_, or _ravigote_ sauce. it may also be fried with butter, and cut in slices, but it is not as good as in the above way; it generally becomes hard in frying. kidneys. first split the kidneys in four pieces, trim off as carefully as possible the sinews and fat that are inside, then cut in small pieces. _sauté._--the quicker this is done the better the kidney. for a whole one put about two ounces of butter in a frying-pan and set it on a very sharp fire, toss it round so as to melt the butter as fast as possible, but without allowing it to blacken; as soon as melted, turn the cut kidney in, stir now and then with a wooden spoon for about three minutes, then add a tablespoonful of flour, stir again the same as before for about one minute, when add a gill of white wine and about one of broth; stir again now and then till the kidney is rather underdone, and serve immediately. if the kidney is allowed to boil till perfectly done, it will very seldom be tender. it may be done with water instead of wine and broth; in that case, add a few drops of lemon-juice just before serving it. prepare and serve it also as calf's-kidney, in every way as directed for the same. liver. cut the liver in slices a quarter of an inch in thickness, sprinkle on them salt and pepper, place them on a gridiron, and set on a sharp fire; turn over only once, and serve rather underdone, with butter and chopped parsley, kneaded together and spread between the slices. a few drops of lemon-juice may be added. _another way._--when the liver is cut in slices, as above, put a piece of butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted, lay the slices in; turn over only once, then serve, with salt, pepper, vinegar, and chopped parsley. tail. cut the tail at the joint, so as to make as many pieces as there are joints; throw the pieces in boiling water for fifteen minutes, and drain them. when cold and dry, put them in a saucepan with a bay-leaf, two onions, with a clove stuck in each, two sprigs of parsley, and one of thyme, a clove of garlic, salt, pepper, half a wine-glass of white wine, and a few thin slices of salt pork; cover with broth or water, and set on a moderate fire for two hours. dish the pieces, strain the sauce on them, and serve with a garniture of cabbage, or with any _purée_. tripe. _how to clean and prepare._--scrape and wash it well several times in boiling water, changing the water every time, then put in very cold water for about twelve hours, changing the water two or three times; place it in a pan, cover it with cold water; season with parsley, cives, onions, one or two cloves of garlic, cloves, salt, and pepper; boil gently five hours, take out and drain. in case the water should boil away, add more. you may save all the trouble of cleaning and preparing, by buying it ready prepared, as it is generally sold in cities. _broiled._--when prepared, dip it in lukewarm butter, roll in bread-crumbs, place on a gridiron, and set it on a moderate fire; turn over as many times as is necessary to broil it well, and serve with a _vinaigrette_, _piquante_, or tartar sauce; also with a tomato-sauce. _stewed._--put in a stewpan two ounces of salt pork, cut in dice, three carrots cut in slices, eight small onions, four cloves, two bay-leaves, two cloves of garlic, a piece of nutmeg, four sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, a dozen stalks of cives, six pepper-corns, the fourth part of an ox-foot cut in four pieces, salt, pepper, about two ounces of ham cut in dice, then three pounds of double tripe on the whole; spread two ounces of fat bacon cut in thin slices on the top; wet with half white wine and half water, or water only if you choose; put the cover on, and if not air-tight, put some paste around; set in a slow oven for six hours, then take the tripe out, strain the sauce, skim off the fat when cool, then put the sauce and tripe again in your pan, warm well, and serve in crockery plates or bowls placed on chafing-dishes, as it is necessary to keep it warm while eating. it is good with water only, but better with half wine. this is also called _à la mode de caen_. _in poulette._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, cut one pound of tripe in strips about one and a half inches broad, then cut again contrariwise, so as to make small fillets. put one ounce of butter in a saucepan with half a tablespoonful of flour, and mix cold; add two gills of water, mix again, set on the fire, stir now and then, give one boil, put the tripe in, salt and pepper to taste; boil two minutes and dish the whole; put a teaspoonful of chopped parsley all over, and serve hot. _aux fines herbes._--broil the tripe, and serve it with sauce _fines herbes_. tripe may be bought pickled; it is then served at breakfast and lunch. smoked beef's tongue. soak the smoked tongue in cold water for at least three hours, change the water once or twice during the process. then take off the thin skin or strip around if there is any; put the tongue in a saucepan with two sprigs of thyme, two of parsley, a bay-leaf, two cloves, six small onions, and a clove of garlic; fill the pan with cold water, and let simmer about six hours. if the water is boiling away, add more. take from the fire, let cool as it is, then take it out of the water; clean it, let dry, and serve it when cold. cut the tongue, when prepared as above, either in slices or in strips, and use for sandwiches, or serve it whole, with a cucumber, _piquante_, _poivrade_, or tomato sauce, at breakfast or lunch. it may also be served in _vinaigrette_. when prepared as directed above, serve it as a fillet of beef _en bellevue_, for supper, lunch, or breakfast. it makes a fine and delicious dish. it is used also to stuff boned turkeys and other birds, as directed in those receipts; always boil it as directed above, before using it. when served with any of the above sauces, it may be decorated with skewers the same as boiled beef. _larded._--when boiled, lard it with salt pork, and bake it for about one hour in a moderately heated oven, and serve it with the same sauces as above. cut in slices and served with parsley, it is a _hors-d'oeuvre_. mutton. how to select. you may be sure that mutton is good when the flesh is rather black, and the fat white; if the fat breaks easily, it is young. the wether is much superior to the ewe. you will know if a leg of mutton comes from a wether, if there is a large and hard piece of fat on one side at the larger and upper end; if from a ewe, that part is merely a kind of skin, with a little fat on it. roasted. a piece of mutton to roast must not be too fresh, it is much more tender when the meat is rather seasoned, but not tainted, or what is sometimes called "high." when on the spit, place it near the fire, baste immediately with a little melted butter, and then with the drippings. as soon as you notice that a kind of crust or coating has formed around the piece of meat, remove it a little from the fire by degrees; and continue basting till done. the quicker the crust is formed, though without burning the meat, the more juicy and tender it will be. roast mutton, like roast beef, is better served rather underdone, but should be a little more done than beef. when properly roasted, the meat, whatever piece it may be, either a loin or saddle, a leg, shoulder, or a breast, may be served with its gravy only; that is, with what is in the dripping-pan after having removed all the fat, also on a _soubise_ or on a _purée_ of sorrel. the above pieces may also be served in the following ways: _with potatoes._--when dished, surround the meat with potatoes, either fried, mashed, or in _croquettes_. _with quenelles._--dish the meat, place half a dozen _quenelles_ around it, and decorate it with skewers which you have run through a _quenelle_ and then through a craw-fish and stuck in the meat. _with carrots._--when dished, put all around the meat carrots _au jus_, or glazed and cut with a vegetable spoon. _with spinach._--spinach _au jus_ when done is spread on the dish, the meat is put on it, and served warm. do the same with a _purée_ of cauliflowers. baked. all the above pieces are baked as well as roasted; and when done, served exactly in the same and every way as when roasted. put the meat in a baking-pan with a little butter spread over it; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, then put in a quick oven. after it has been in the oven for about fifteen minutes, baste and place a piece of buttered paper on the top of the meat. if the bottom of the pan is getting dry, add a little more water, but it is seldom the case except with inferior meat. when you see rather too much fat in the pan, take from the oven, turn the fat off, put cold water instead, and put back in the oven to finish the cooking. if the paper burns, put on another piece; but by basting often over the paper, it will remain pretty long before burning. with a small knife or a skewer you ascertain when done enough or to your liking; never cook by guess or by hearsay; the oven may be quicker one day than another, or slower; the meat may be more tender, or more hard; remember that if you cook by guess (we mean, to put down, as a matter of course, that it takes so many hours, or so many minutes, to bake this or that), and stick to it, you will fail nine times out of ten. when done, serve as directed above. _in croquettes._--make and serve as chicken _croquettes_. _in haricot or ragout._--take a neck or breast piece of mutton, which cut in pieces about two inches long and one broad. put them in a saucepan (say three pounds) with two ounces of butter, set on the fire and stir occasionally till turning rather brown, then add a tablespoonful of flour, stir for one minute, cover with cold water, add one onion whole, salt, a bunch of seasonings composed of four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove, one clove of garlic, chopped fine. boil gently till about two-thirds done, stirring now and then; add potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut, as far as possible, of the shape of a carpel of orange. the proportion is, about as many pieces of potatoes as of meat. boil again gently till done, place the pieces of meat in the middle of the dish, the potatoes around, the juice or sauce over the whole, and serve. skim off the fat, if any, before turning the sauce over the rest. breast boiled. put the breast entire in a saucepan, with a sprig of thyme, two of parsley, a bay-leaf, a clove, salt, and pepper, cover with water, set on the fire, boil gently till cooked, and then drain. put in a frying-pan three tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper; when hot lay the breast in and fry it all around for five minutes; then take it off, roll it in bread-crumbs, place it on a gridiron, and set on a good fire for five minutes; turn it over once only, then serve it with a _piquante_, _poivrade_, or tomato sauce. it may also be served on a _purée_ of sorrel. neck broiled. prepare and serve exactly the same as a breast broiled. a breast or a neck piece broiled may be served on a _soubise_. it may also be served with a _maître d'hôtel_ or mushroom sauce, also with a _piquante_ or any other sharp sauce. chops. _broiled._--trim and flatten the chops with a chopper, sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides, dip them in melted butter, place them on a gridiron, and set on a sharp fire, turn over two or three times to broil properly, and when done, serve them around a dish, one lapping over the other, etc., and serve with the gravy. it takes about twelve minutes to cook with a good fire. _another way._--when trimmed and flattened, dip them in beaten egg, roll them in bread-crumbs and broil, either as they are, or enveloped in buttered paper, and serve them with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. _sautés._--when trimmed and flattened, fry them with a little butter on both sides; then take the chops from the pan and put them in a warm place. leave in the pan only a tablespoonful of fat, add to it three times as much broth, a teaspoonful of parsley and green onions, two shallots, two pickled cucumbers, all chopped fine, and a pinch of allspice; give one boil, pour the whole on the chops, also the juice of half a lemon, and serve. _the same, with vegetables._--put in a frying-pan a piece of butter the size of two walnuts for four chops, set on a good fire, and when hot lay the chops in, after having flattened them with a chopper, and having sprinkled salt and pepper on both sides; add a clove, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions; leave thus five minutes, turn over once or twice; then add also half a wine-glass of broth, same of white wine, and finish the cooking. take the chops off the pan and put them in a warm place. boil the sauce in the pan ten minutes, turn it on the chops, put a garniture of vegetables around, and serve. throw away the clove just before serving. _another way._--have a piece of butter the size of an egg for eight chops in a crockery vessel, and set it on a good fire; when melted take from the fire, lay the chops in, after having flattened them; then cover them with a sheet of buttered paper; place the vessel in a rather hot oven, and when cooked serve them on a _maître d'hôtel_, _provençale_, or tomato sauce. they may also be served on a _purée_ of sorrel, or one of potatoes. _the same, in papillote._--cut the chops rather thin, beat them gently and flatten them; then proceed as for veal cutlets in _papillotes_ in every particular. _financière._--broil the chops, either with or without egg and crumbs, and serve them with a _financière_ garniture. _soubise._--the chops are either broiled or fried; either broiled only dipped in lukewarm butter or in beaten egg and crumbs and then served on a _soubise_. a little lemon-juice may be added when they are on the dish. _jardinière._--cut two carrots and two turnips with a vegetable spoon and set on the fire with cold water and salt; boil gently till tender, and drain. boil also in the same way, in another pan and till tender, two tablespoonfuls of green peas, or string-beans cut in pieces, and drain also. then put carrots, turnips, peas, or beans, back on the fire, in the same pan with a little gravy and broth, enough to cover them, salt, and pepper; boil gently five minutes; then put the chops in after being fried as directed below; boil another five minutes; take from the fire, place the chops around the dish, one lapping over the other, and so that an empty place is left in the middle; turn the carrots, turnips, and peas, with the sauce in that empty place, and serve. salt and pepper the chops on both sides; fry them in a little butter till about three-quarters done; then take off and put with the vegetables as directed above. they may be broiled instead of fried, which is better. _a la princesse._--trim the chops as usual and salt and pepper both sides. chop very fine a piece of lean veal about half a pound for six or eight chops, according to size, then pound it and mix it with half a teaspoonful of flour, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, pepper, a yolk of egg, two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs and one ounce of butter. if too firm the butter must be melted so as to mix better. put the mixture in a saucepan, set on a good fire, stir for ten minutes, and take off. then grease the paste-board slightly with butter, put a teaspoonful of the mixture here and there on it, roll and make small balls of it, drop them in boiling broth or water, boiling about fifteen minutes, and take off with a skimmer. dip the chops in melted butter, then in beaten eggs, and roll in bread-crumbs; fry them with a little butter. fry the balls also. place the chops on the dish, the bones toward the edge, and the balls between the chops; serve warm. a few balls may be placed in the middle. _with mushrooms._--broil and serve them with a _purée_ of mushrooms, or with a mushroom garniture. mutton chops, broiled, may be served with every kind of butter, every garniture, and every sauce, according to taste; they may also be served with every _purée_. a french cook once said he could serve mutton _chops_ in three hundred ways, _apples_ in two hundred ways, and _eggs_ in four hundred ways. the culinary science and art is advanced enough to-day to double the above figures, and have plenty to spare. leg. besides being prepared as directed for roast mutton, a leg of mutton, roasted or baked, may be served in the following ways: boil white beans and drain them as directed, then put them on the fire with the drippings of the leg of mutton for ten minutes, stirring now and then, and serve them with it. they may also be kept in the dripping-pan for ten minutes, when boiled and drained, before the leg is done. if the leg of mutton is baked, set them on the fire for about ten minutes, with the gravy, stirring occasionally. serve either on the same or on a separate dish. _with currant jelly._--roast or bake the leg of mutton, and serve it with currant jelly or with a _purée_. _provençale._--with a sharp-pointed knife, make a small cut in the leg of mutton here and there, and large enough to stick into the cut a clove of garlic. make as many cuts as you please, from six to twenty, according to taste, and in each cut stick a clove of garlic. when prepared thus, roast or bake, and serve it with either of the following sauces: _piquante_, _poivrade_, _ravigote_, _rémolade_, robert, shallot, tartar, tomato, and in _vinaigrette_. _decorated._--a leg of mutton may be decorated the same as a fillet of beef. _stewed._--take the large bone out, leaving the bone at the smaller end as a handle; cut off also the bone below the knuckle, and fix it with skewers; then put it in a stewpan with a pinch of allspice, four onions, two cloves, two carrots cut in four pieces each, a small bunch of parsley, two bay-leaves, three sprigs of thyme, salt, pepper, two ounces of bacon cut in slices, a quarter of a pint of broth, and water enough just to cover it; set on a good fire, and after one hour of boiling add a liquor-glass of french brandy. let simmer then for about five hours, in all about six hours; then dish it, strain the sauce on it, and serve. we would advise those who have never tasted of a leg of mutton cooked as above, to try it. it may be served also with white beans cooked in water and fried in butter, or on fried potatoes. _the next day._--if you have a piece left for the next day, cut it in thin slices after dinner, place the slices on a dish, with parsley under, in the middle, and above, and keep in a cold place. a while before dinner you put in a stewpan a piece of butter (the quantity to be according to the quantity of meat), and set it on a good fire; when melted, sprinkle in, gradually, a little flour, stirring with a wooden spoon; when of a proper thickness, and of a brownish color, add a glass of broth, salt, pepper, a few pickled cucumbers cut in slices, and two or three mushrooms; boil ten minutes; lay the slices of meat in, subdue the fire, simmer twenty minutes, and serve. _the same, in another way._--chop fine the slices of leg of mutton, put a piece of butter in a stewpan, and set it on the fire; when melted, place the chopped meat in, keep stirring with a wooden spoon for about ten minutes; then add two or three tablespoonfuls of broth, salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice; simmer fifteen minutes, and serve with fried eggs all around the dish. _boiled._--set a saucepan on the fire with cold water enough to cover the leg of mutton, add salt; at the first boil put the leg of mutton in, wrapped up in a towel. boil gently till done. for a middling-sized one, it takes about two hours. remove the towel, dish the leg of mutton, spread a caper-sauce over it, and serve hot. the sauce may also be served in a boat or saucer. _cold._--what is left of it may be prepared like cold mutton in vinaigrette. shoulder. _shoulder boned._--split the shoulder just in the middle, on the inside, lengthwise and following the middle of the bones; remove the flat bone at the larger end first. this is easily done by scraping the meat off the bone on both sides, and then pulling it off. do the same with the remaining bone. spread the shoulder open on the table, the inside up, salt and pepper it, then spread on it the same stuffing as for a chicken stuffed with sausage-meat. roll the shoulder round, tie it with twine, and roast or bake it. when roasted or baked, serve with the gravy. _on a purée._--bone and roll the shoulder as above directed, but do not stuff it; roast or bake it, and serve it on a _purée_ of potatoes, beans, peas, lentils, or any other vegetable; place the shoulder in the middle of a dish, cut it in slices, and place them all around the _purée_, one lapping over the other; turn the gravy over the whole through a strainer, and serve hot. _with a sauce._--when baked or roasted as above, with or without stuffing, serve it with a _piquante_, _ravigote_, or _robert_ sauce. _boiled._--boil, and serve it with a caper-sauce, the same as the leg. saddle. prepare, cook, and serve the saddle in the same way as the leg--roasted or baked, warm or cold. cold mutton. _served cold, à la vinaigrette._--a shoulder of mutton, roasted or baked, after being boned, makes a handsome dish served cold. cut any piece of cold mutton that you may have, in thin slices, as evenly as possible. place a paste-cutter, about an inch and a half in diameter, in the middle of an oval dish; then place the slices of meat all around the dish, one slice lapping over another; the dish being oval, the slices of meat will touch the paste-cutter on two sides, but there will be two empty places on the two other sides, which you fill with hard-boiled white of egg chopped fine, and hard-boiled yolk of egg chopped fine also; they must not be mixed, and the yolk must be farther from the paste-cutter, the white touching it. put a string of chopped yolk of egg all around the meat, and outside of it one of chopped white of egg around the yolk, and one of chopped parsley around the white. remove the paste-cutter, and put a rose, or two or three pinks, in its place, or a small bunch of violets. place one or three capers on each small heap of yolk of egg that is on the middle of the dish, and also some capers here and there on the string of white of egg. place a rose at each end of the dish, as indicated in the cut opposite; six radishes around the dish, also as indicated in the cut, and you have a dish as sightly as can be made, and an excellent one, too. serve with the following sauce in a boat or saucer: put in a bowl half a teaspoonful of mustard, a little pepper and salt; then pour one or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar on, little by little, beating with a fork at the same time; again, three or four tablespoonfuls of oil, and in the same way; and when the whole is well mixed, serve. [illustration: a, two roses, one at each end; b, six radishes around; c, slices of meat; d, eggs; e, yolks of eggs; f, parsley.] sheep's brain. prepare, cook, and serve as calf's brain. feet. _broiled._--throw them in boiling water for ten minutes, clean and scrape off the hair and take out the large bone. put in a saucepan a bay-leaf, one clove, a tablespoonful of vinegar, a clove of garlic, two sprigs of parsley, two green onions, salt, pepper, a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, half a pint of broth, then a dozen feet on the whole; set on a slow fire, simmer one hour, stir now and then, take from the fire and let cool. then dip each foot in beaten egg, and roll it in bread-crumbs; place them on a gridiron; turn over to broil both sides properly, and serve them with the sauce in which they have been cooked, after having strained it. they may also be served on a _piquante_, _poivrade_, _ravigote_, or _robert_ sauce. _in poulette._--prepare and clean them as directed above. put in a saucepan four ounces of salt pork cut in dice, two ounces of lard, salt, and white pepper; when warm, add three sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, a bay-leaf, one clove, four onions, and one carrot, cut in slices, a quarter of a lemon, also cut in slices, free from rind and seed, two tablespoonfuls of flour; this last must be added by sprinkling it little by little, stirring the while with a wooden spoon; five minutes after, place the feet in, cover the whole with warm water, and let simmer gently for five or six hours. after that time see if the meat can be easily detached from the bones, and if so, they are cooked; if not, leave them a little longer, and take from the fire as soon as it is easily detached, but do not detach it. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of two walnuts; when melted, sprinkle in it a tablespoonful of flour, stir with a wooden spoon, then put the feet in, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, a little piece of nutmeg, salt, pepper, and two or three mushrooms cut in slices or pieces; wet with broth; simmer half an hour, take from the fire, and throw away the piece of nutmeg; mix with the whole two yolks of eggs well beaten and a tablespoonful of vinegar, and serve. sheep's kidneys, broiled. split them in two, and put them in cold water for five minutes; trim off the pellicle or thin skin, run a skewer through, sprinkle salt and pepper on, place them on the gridiron, and set on a good fire; turn over, and when broiled, serve them with a piece of butter and chopped parsley kneaded together, and placed on each kidney; add also a few drops of lemon-juice. you may also, when broiled, serve them on a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. _the same, in brochette._--proceed as above in every particular, except that you place the kidneys on the spit instead of on the gridiron. serve them in the same way. _the same, with champagne._--cut the kidneys in slices, each in ten or twelve pieces. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, and set it on the fire; when melted, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, same of mushrooms, a pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, and the kidneys; keep tossing till they become stiff, then sprinkle on them a saltspoonful of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon the while; add also a wine-glass of champagne, or of good white wine; subdue the fire, and let simmer till cooked; take from the fire, add about one ounce of fresh butter, and the juice of half a lemon, and serve. this is a very delicate dish. sheep's tails. put in a stewpan two ounces of bacon cut in slices, with a bay-leaf, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, one clove, six small onions, one carrot cut in four pieces, then about six tails; cover the whole with broth and white wine, half of each; add salt and pepper. place the pan in a moderately heated oven; it will take about four hours to cook them. after that time, take the tails from the pan, and put them in a warm place, then strain the sauce in which they have cooked, skim off the fat if too much of it, put the sauce back in the pan, and set on the fire; let it reduce till rather thick, place the tails on a _purée_, turn the sauce on them, and serve. sheep's tongues. soak the tongues in cold water for two hours in winter, and one in summer, and drain. throw them in boiling water, and leave till you can easily take the skin off; then skin and clean well, split in two lengthwise, and let cool. put in a stewpan two ounces of bacon cut in thin slices, a bay-leaf, two sprigs of thyme, four of parsley, two cloves, three green onions and six small red or white ones, one carrot cut in four pieces, salt and pepper, then the tongues; add also half a pint of broth, same of water, same of white wine; set in a moderately heated oven, and simmer about four hours; have the stewpan covered as nearly air-tight as possible. then take the tongues from the pan and drain them; knead well together two ounces of fresh butter, with two teaspoonfuls of chopped parsley, a little salt and allspice; spread some on each of the tongues as soon as they are cold; envelop each in oiled paper, broil them gently on a slow fire, and serve with the paper. you may also when prepared and cooked as above directed, and instead of broiling them, place a _purée_ on a dish, and serve them on a _purée_, pouring on the whole the sauce in which they have cooked, and straining it at the same time. they are really more delicate when broiled. lamb. _to select._--the flesh must be like that of mutton, rather black, and the fat white. there is no difference in the wether and ewe. the shorter the quarters are the better the meat, and the fore as well as the hind quarter. with the exception that the breast-piece is prepared also in _épigramme_, and that it is cut in quarters instead of dividing it like mutton, lamb may be prepared in the same and every way like mutton. the quarters may be prepared like shoulder, leg, and saddle of mutton. _chops_ may be cut and prepared the same as mutton-chops. _fore-quarter._--according to the opinion of a great many epicures, the fore-quarter is the best part of the lamb; but, as we have previously said, every one to his liking. lard it slightly, and envelop it with buttered paper, place it upon the spit before a good fire; when done take from the fire, and take the paper off, sprinkle on it salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; put back on the spit before a sharp fire, just long enough to allow it to take a fine color; then take off, run a knife under the shoulder to make a small hole, pour _maître d'hôtel_ sauce in it, and serve either as it is, with its gravy, or on a _purée_ of sorrel. _to bake it._--put it in a baking-pan, spread a little salt, pepper, and butter over it; cover it with a piece of buttered paper; have the bottom of the pan covered with cold water and put in a warm oven, baste often till done. if the paper burns, put on another piece. run a small knife or a skewer into the meat, to ascertain when properly done. it may be served with the gravy only, after having removed the fat, or with a _piquante_, _poivrade_, or _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. it is also served with a garniture of mushrooms or onions, or with a _macédoine_, or on a _purée_ of spinach, or of sorrel. _hind-quarter._--throw it in boiling water for five minutes, and drain. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and set on the fire; when melted, mix in it a tablespoonful of flour; after which, pour in, little by little, a pint and a half of boiling water, stirring with a wooden spoon all the time; then put the meat in the pan, add four onions, a bay-leaf, two cloves, three sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, salt, and pepper; about fifteen minutes before it is done, add two or three mushrooms cut in slices, take from the fire when cooked, place the meat on a dish with the mushrooms and onions around, or if preferred, without either; strain the sauce on the meat, and serve. if the sauce is not thick enough, mix the yolk of an egg in it just before serving. _roasted._--roast and serve the hind-quarter in the same way as directed for the fore-quarter. _baked._--bake and serve it also in the same and every way like the fore-quarter. _epigramme._--put a breast of lamb in a saucepan, cover it with cold water, season with a small onion and one clove stuck in it, two stalks of parsley, a piece of carrot, one of turnip, and salt. boil gently till you can pull off the bones easily. it may also be boiled in the soup-kettle while making broth. when the bones come off easily, take from the fire, pull out all the small bones and cut out the large one. place the breast in a large bakepan, with some weight over so as to flatten it, and leave it so till perfectly cold. then cut it in pieces of rhombic shape about four inches long and two inches broad; salt and pepper each piece on both sides; dip them in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs and fry them with a little butter, and serve on a tomato, _piquante_, _ravigote_, or _soubise_ sauce, or on any _purée_. when the sauce is spread on the dish, place the pieces of lamb all around it, one lapping over the other, and forming a kind of oblong string, and serve warm. _another._--when the _épigramme_ is prepared as above and ready to be served, have as many mutton-chops as you have pieces of meat from the breast; dish in the same way, except that you put one piece of the breast and then a mutton-chop fried in the same way as the pieces of meat; the chops lapping over the pieces of breast, and _vice versa_. _broiled._--the same may be broiled instead of fried, and served in the same way. _roasted entire._--skewer a lamb properly on the spit, envelop it with buttered paper, place before a good fire, baste often with melted butter first, and then with the drippings; when nearly done take the paper off, let the lamb take a fine color around, and serve it with the gravy. it may be served with a garniture around and decorated with skewers, the same as directed for fillet of beef; it then makes a sightly as well as a delicious dish. served with a garniture and decorated as directed for a fillet of beef, it is served as a _relevé_ at a grand dinner, and as an _entrée_ at a family dinner. _cold._--cold lamb is served in every way like cold mutton. a part left from a roasted piece may be enveloped in buttered paper, put on the spit just long enough to warm it, and served just in the same way as roast lamb. _lamb's head_, _feet_, _kidneys_, etc., are prepared and served like the same parts of the sheep, and as directed in the different receipts. kid. prepare, cook, and serve kid the same as lamb. veal. never buy too young veal. it is very easy to know it; when too young, the bones are very tender; they are more like nerves than bones; the meat is gluish, and has little or no taste. epicures say that if a calf is killed before it is two months old, or at least six weeks, it is not fit for eating. we are of that opinion, although, perhaps, very few are allowed so long a life. we will therefore recommend our readers to beware buying too young veal; many diseases, especially in children, come from eating it. when you broil or roast a piece of veal, baste often. veal is better when a little overdone; it is not good, and operates like physic, if underdone. the best veal is that of a greenish color and very fat. it is fresh when the eyes are full and smooth, and when the meat is firm. if the meat is yellowish or contains yellowish spots, it is not fresh. the veins must be red. _to improve._--chop fine a tablespoonful of parsley, a teaspoonful of shallots, same of green onions, a bay-leaf, two sprigs of thyme, two or three mushrooms, add to them, salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg; cover the bottom of a tureen with half of each, put on it the piece of veal you wish to improve, cover with the other half of the seasonings; then pour gently on the whole two tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil; leave the veal thus about four or five hours in winter and about two in summer. roasted. the pieces of veal that are roasted are the _loin_, _leg_, and _shoulder_. it may be improved as directed above or not, according to taste; but we earnestly recommend it as not a little improvement, but as a marked one, as everybody can try it and judge, veal being naturally tasteless. there are three ways of roasting veal. we will describe them, so that it can be done according to taste. . spread a thin coat of butter around the piece of veal after being salted all around, put on the spit before a good but not very sharp fire; near it, but not too much so: veal being more tender than beef, it would also burn much quicker. baste often with melted butter first, and then with the drippings, and from the beginning to the end. when done, that is, when overdone, as veal must always be, serve with the gravy only, or in the different ways described below. . lard all the fleshy parts of the piece of veal with a larding-needle and strips of salt pork, the same as a fillet of beef, but which strips you roll in a mixture of parsley chopped, salt and pepper, before running them into the meat, and proceed as above for the rest. serve also like the above. . after the piece of veal is improved as directed, spread the seasonings in which it has been improved all around it, then envelop the whole in buttered paper, which you fasten with twine, put it on the spit, and baste often with melted butter. it must be basted often to prevent the paper from burning. about fifteen minutes before it is done, remove the paper, put the meat a little nearer the fire so as to give it a fine yellow or golden color, finish the cooking till overdone, and serve also like the first, or no. . no matter which of these three ways the piece of veal is roasted, it is served in the same manner. _with asparagus._--when the roasted piece of veal is dished, put a _purée_ of asparagus all around, and serve warm. _with peas._--spread one pint or one quart (according to the size of the piece of meat) of green peas _au jus_, on a dish; place the meat on the peas, spread the gravy over the whole, and serve as warm as possible. _with quenelles._--dish the roasted piece, place around it six or eight _quenelles_ of chicken or of veal, strain the gravy on the whole, and serve warm. _with vegetables._--when roasted and dished, put any kind of vegetables, prepared _au jus_, all around the piece of meat, and serve warm. _with sweetbreads._--roast the piece of veal as directed, and when dished, place six sweetbreads, prepared _au jus_, tastefully around the meat; strain the gravy over, and serve very warm. _decorated._--every piece of roasted veal may be decorated with skewers, either served _au jus_ or in any of the above ways. the skewers are first run through either of the following and then stuck into the piece of meat: slices of truffles; chicken-combs, prepared as for garniture; slices of sweetbreads or whole ones, prepared _au jus_; _quenelles_ of chicken or of veal; slices of carrots, turnips, beets, all prepared _au jus_; and mushrooms. one, two, three, or more to every skewer; for instance: one slice of truffle, then one of turnip, a chicken-comb, then a slice of sweetbread or a whole one, and then stick in the meat. from two to six skewers may be used. on a large piece never put less than two, and no matter how many you use, always have even numbers of them. baked. all the parts of veal that are roasted, that is, the loin, leg, and shoulder, can be baked. they may be improved in the same way as to roast them. put the piece of veal in a bakepan; spread salt, pepper, and butter on it; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, about a quarter of an inch in depth; place a piece of buttered paper on the meat, and put in a warm oven. if the meat has been improved, the seasonings are spread over it before placing the buttered paper. baste often with the water and juice in the pan and over the paper, which you need not remove till about ten minutes before taking from the oven, or in case it should burn; then you must replace it by another. it keeps the top of the meat moist, and it is more juicy when done. when properly baked (overdone, as every piece of veal must be), serve either _au jus_, or with the same garnitures, the same decorations, as directed for roasted veal. the gravy in the bakepan is strained, the fat skimmed off, and then it is turned over the meat and garnitures when dished, the same as the drippings or gravy of roast meat. in case the water in the bakepan, or the juice, or both, should boil away or be absorbed, put more cold water in it, so as to be able to baste. blanquette.--(_also called poulette._) take about two pounds of neck, breast, shoulder, or any other piece, which cut in pieces, two inches square, throw them in boiling water, with a little salt, for five minutes, and drain them. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of an egg, set it on a good fire, and when melted mix in a tablespoonful of flour, stirring all the time, and when turning yellow pour gently and slowly in the pan a pint of boiling water; add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, salt, pepper, six small white or red onions, two or three mushrooms, and then the meat; boil gently about three hours, and serve. croquettes. proceed as for chicken croquettes in every particular, except that you use cold veal instead of cold chicken. ragout. the neck and breast pieces are generally used to make a _ragout_, but any other piece may be used. take about three pounds of veal, which cut in pieces about two inches square. put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and as soon as the butter is melted, lay the meat in, stir now and then till of a golden color, and then take the meat from the pan. leave the pan on the fire, and put in it a tablespoonful of flour, little by little, keep stirring about five minutes; add also half a pint of broth, same of warm water, one onion with a clove stuck in it, a bay leaf, two sprigs of thyme, two of parsley, a clove of garlic, a small carrot cut in two or three pieces, salt and pepper, then the meat, and cover the pan. half an hour after your meat is in, fry in butter in a frying-pan six small onions, which you also put in the stewpan as soon as fried. when the whole is cooked, place the meat on a dish, strain the sauce on it, surround the whole with the six small onions, and serve warm. _in scallops._--take a piece from the loin or leg of veal, cut it in pieces about three inches long, two inches broad, and one-third of an inch thick, as evenly as possible, and flatten them with a chopper. salt and pepper them on both sides, and fry them with a little butter till about half done, on both sides alike. add a little broth and chopped parsley, and boil gently till done. place the pieces of veal all around the platter, one lapping over another, turn the sauce in the middle of them, and serve. _another._--cut the veal in pieces as for the above; beat one or two eggs in a plate with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; dip each piece into it and then roll in bread-crumbs; butter a bakepan, place the veal in with a small lump of butter on each piece, and bake; turn over to bake evenly. serve as the above, with a _piquante_ or tomato sauce in the middle. breast, stewed. cut in dice two ounces of bacon, put it in a stewpan and set on a good fire; add two ounces of butter, and two onions cut in slices; when melted, lay the breast in, turn it over and leave till of a golden color on both sides; add then two small carrots cut in pieces, one teaspoonful of chopped green onions, three sprigs of parsley, half a turnip, salt, and pepper; moisten with half a pint of warm water; leave thus about three hours on a moderate fire. strain the juice in a dish, put the meat on it, and serve. the pieces of carrots and of bacon may be served with the meat, if you choose. _the same, with green peas._--cut the breast in square pieces about two inches in size. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and set it on the fire; when melted, mix in it a teaspoonful of flour, then lay the meat in, and wet with half a glass of broth, same of warm water, also two sprigs of parsley, salt, and pepper; stir now and then. one hour after add green peas, and leave on the fire till the whole is cooked, when skim off the fat on the surface, and serve. _in matelote._--to make a _matelote_ of veal any piece can be used, but most generally it is made with a breast or neck piece. cut the veal in square pieces about two inches in size; have in a stewpan and on a good fire a piece of butter about the size of an egg; when melted, put the meat in, stir now and then till of a golden color; then take the meat from the stewpan, which you leave on the fire, and in which you put half a pint of warm water, same of claret wine, same of broth, a bay-leaf, two cloves, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper; when turning brown, put the meat back in the pan, and fifteen minutes before it is cooked add also ten small onions fried in butter beforehand and four or five mushrooms, then have a brisk fire to finish the cooking; place the meat on a dish, strain the sauce on the meat, put the ten small onions around it, and serve. _broiled._--salt and pepper both sides of the breast of veal, grease it all over with melted butter, by means of a brush, and broil till overdone. serve with a _maître d'hôtel_, _piquante_, or _poivrade_ sauce. cutlets. _broiled._--when properly trimmed, they may be improved as directed for veal. salt and pepper both sides; spread a little melted butter on both sides also by means of a brush; place them on, before, or under the fire (_see_ broiling); baste now and then with melted butter; turn over one, two, or three times, and when rather overdone serve with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce spread all over. the above way of serving them is sometimes called _au naturel_. _with crumbs._--when trimmed, dip them in egg beaten with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, roll them in bread-crumbs, and then broil and serve them as the above, with a _maître d'hôtel_. _fines herbes._--broil the chops as above, either with or without crumbs, and serve them with sauce _aux fines herbes_. _a l'italienne._--when broiled as above, serve them on a layer of _macaroni italienne_. _with mushrooms._--when broiled and dished, surround them with a garniture of mushrooms, and serve warm. when there are several cutlets on the dish, and placed all around overlapping, the garniture may be put in the middle of the chops. do the same with the following garnitures: chicken-combs, _croutons_, _duxelle_, _financière_, _macédoine_, and onion. they may also be served on any _purée_. _baked._--trim six cutlets. mix well half a pound of sausage-meat with two eggs. put a piece of buttered paper large enough to cover the bottom of a bakepan in which the six cutlets may be laid easily. spread half the sausage-meat on the paper in the pan, then lay the cutlets in it; put the other half of the sausage-meat over the cutlets, and place the whole in a rather quick oven. baste every five minutes with melted butter and broth, using them alternately, and serve warm with the gravy when done. a few drops of lemon-juice may be added to them when on the dish, if liked. _sautées._--trim, and fry them with a little butter. when done on both sides, add a little broth, salt, pepper, and mushrooms and parsley chopped fine; chopped truffles may be added, if handy; boil gently for about ten minutes. place the cutlets around the dish, one lapping over the other, turn the sauce in the middle, sprinkle some lemon-juice over the whole, and serve warm. _with sauce._--when broiled, baked, or _sautéd_, they may be dished and served with either of the following sauces: _fines herbes_, _maître d'hôtel_, _piquante_, _poivrade_, _ravigote_, _tarragon_, tomato, or truffle. _en bellevue._--proceed the same as for fillet of beef _en bellevue_. _in papillotes._--trim six veal-chops, spread salt and pepper on them, and fry them with a little butter till about half done. take from the fire, and cut a small hole in the middle with a paste-cutter. while they are frying, fry with a little butter one onion chopped fine; as soon as fried, add half a pound of sausage-meat; stir now and then for about five minutes; add also a pinch of cinnamon, same of nutmeg; take off and mix with the whole one yolk of egg, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper. cut six pieces of white paper of a heart-like shape, and large enough to envelop a chop; grease them slightly with butter or sweet-oil; place some sausage-meat on one side of the paper (say half a tablespoonful), place a chop on it; put some sausage-meat on the chop and in the hole; fold the paper in two; then, by folding all around the border, the chop and seasonings are perfectly enveloped in the paper; put the chops in a baking-pan, spread a few drops of oil all over, and bake for about fifteen minutes in an oven at about deg. fahr. instead of baking them, broil them carefully turning them over often and basting them to prevent the paper from burning, and serve with the paper on. they may be served on a _duxelle_ garniture, or with a _purée_. _fricandeau._--take a piece of veal of any size, from the leg, loin, or cutlet piece, about three-quarters of an inch in thickness, lard one side with salt pork, the same as a fillet of beef. put in a saucepan (for two pounds of meat) one ounce of butter, half a middling-sized onion, and as much carrot in slices, two or three stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, six or eight pepper-corns, and rind of the pork you have used; spread all these seasonings on the bottom of the saucepan, put the piece of veal on them, the larded side up, set on a good fire for about fifteen minutes; after which you look if the under side of the meat is well browned; if so, add a gill of broth, put in the oven and baste often, if not, leave a little longer on the fire. add a little broth once in a while, to keep the bottom of the pan wet, and to have enough to baste till a little overdone, and serve with the gravy strained all over it. it is then called _au jus_. _with spinach._--prepare and cook the _fricandeau_ as above; and when done, put some broth in the pan after having taken off the meat; give one boil; turn in the spinach _au jus_; stir on the fire one minute; dish the spinach; place the _fricandeau_ on it, and serve. _with sorrel._--proceed as with spinach in every particular, except that you serve on sorrel _au jus_ instead of spinach. it makes a more delicate dish with sorrel, although excellent with spinach. it may also be served with green peas _au jus_ or _à l'anglaise_. _financière._--when prepared, cooked, and dished as directed, surround it with a _financière_ garniture, and serve warm. _jardinière._--after being cooked and dished, put a _macédoine_ garniture around it, and serve warm. shoulder. _boned._--lay the shoulder on the table, the inside up, split it just in the middle, lengthwise, and following the middle of the bones; remove the flat bone at the larger end first. do the same for the remaining bone. then spread the shoulder open, and salt and pepper it. fill the inside with sausage-meat; roll it of a round shape, and when properly tied with twine, roast or bake it, as directed for roasted or baked veal. it is then dished, decorated, and served in the same and every way as directed for roasted pieces of veal. it is an excellent dish served on either of the following purées: _beans_, _celery_, _lentils_, _peas_, _potatoes_, _sorrel_, _spinach_, or _tomatoes_. when served on a _purée_, it may be decorated with skewers, the same as when served with a garniture. it may also be served with a _piquante_ or _poivrade_ sauce. _stuffed._--bone the shoulder as directed above; spread it open, and salt and pepper it, also as directed. spread a coat of sausage-meat on it, about one-third of an inch in thickness, then put a layer of salt pork on the sausage-meat; then a layer of boiled ham; again a layer of sausage-meat; on this a layer of beef or sheep's tongue, boiled. the ham and tongue are cut in square fillets, about one-fourth of an inch broad and about two inches long. the tongues may be fresh or salted, according to taste. when filled, roll it so as to give it a round shape; wrap it up in a towel and drop it in boiling water, to which you have added salt. boil gently for about four hours, take the kettle from the fire and let cool. when cold take the shoulder off, wipe it dry and serve with meat jelly. the jelly is chopped, or cut in fancy shapes, or both. some chopped jelly may be placed all around the meat, and some cut in fancy shapes with a paste-cutter or with a knife, and placed over it. it may also be decorated with skewers, as directed for roasted pieces of veal. _en bellevue._--when boiled and cold, prepare it like a fillet of _beef en bellevue_, and serve. loin or leg stewed. have in a stewpan and on a slow fire three or four tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil; when hot put the loin in, turn it over till of a yellow color all around, then add a bay-leaf, salt, pepper, and a pint of warm water; simmer four hours, and serve with the following sauce, which you must have prepared at the same time: fry in butter till of a golden color ten middling-sized onions, then add to them half a glass of claret wine, two tablespoonfuls of broth, and two of the juice of the loin, ten mushrooms (if handy); simmer till cooked, and strain. mix the sauce with the juice of the loin, and put it on a dish, place the loin upon it, and serve with the onions and mushrooms around the meat. in case the juice of the loin should be found too fat, throw in it (and before mixing it with the sauce) a few drops of cold water, and skim off the fat. the only thing to throw away before mixing is the bay-leaf. _another way, or prepared with a garniture of cabbages._--put in a stewpan and set on a good fire a piece of butter the size of an egg; when melted, add four onions and two small carrots, cut in slices; fry them two or three minutes, then put the loin in, with half a bay-leaf, wet with warm broth; then subdue the fire, let simmer about two hours and a half; strain the sauce on a dish, place the meat on it, and serve with a garniture of cabbages around. cold veal. cut the meat in slices and serve them on a dish, arranged according to fancy, and serve with a _piquante_, _poivrade_, _mayonnaise_, _provençale_, _ravigote_, or _rémolade_ sauce. it may also be decorated and served like cold mutton, in _vinaigrette_. _another way._--put a piece of butter the size of an egg in a stewpan and set on a good fire, mix in when melted two teaspoonfuls of flour, stir till of a brownish color, when add a saltspoonful of chopped parsley, four leaves of tarragon, salt, pepper, and half a pint of broth (more or less of the above according to the quantity of meat you have left), boil the whole fifteen minutes; then, if what you have left is from an entire piece, cut it in slices, lay them in the pan, and serve when warm enough, as it is. if what you have left is in pieces or slices, you merely place them in the pan and serve with the sauce when warm. brain. _to prepare._--put the brain in a bowl of cold water and a tablespoonful of vinegar and leave it in from one to two or three hours, that is, till you are ready to use it, but do not leave it more than five or six hours and not less than one hour. take it off, remove the thin skin and blood-vessels that are all around. _to boil._--when prepared, put the brain in a small saucepan, cover it with cold water; add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, half an onion sliced, three stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, six pepper-corns, one clove, salt, boil about five minutes and take off the fire. cut each half of the brain in two, from side to side; place the four pieces on a dish, the part cut upward. _au beurre noir._--when dished as above directed, put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan and when melted turn into it two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, boil two or three minutes, then throw into it half a dozen stalks of parsley, take them off immediately with a skimmer, turn the butter and vinegar over the brain; spread the parsley around, and serve. _stewed, or in matelote._--when prepared as directed, put it in a small saucepan and cover it with claret wine; add half an onion sliced, one clove of garlic, one clove, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, salt, a bay-leaf, six pepper-corns, and boil gently for about fifteen minutes. cut and dish it as directed above; turn the sauce over it through a strainer and serve--it is understood, the sauce in which it has been cooked. _fried._--prepare as directed, cut in about six slices, dip them in batter, and fry in hot fat. (_see direction for_ frying.) _in poulette._--prepare and boil it as directed, split each half of the brain in two or four pieces, place them tastefully on a dish, spread a _poulette_ sauce all over, and serve warm. it may also be prepared and served with a _piquante_ sauce. when the _piquante_ sauce is made, put the brain or brains in, boil ten minutes, and serve as it is. ears. they are prepared in every way like calf's head. feet. _to boil._--throw them in boiling water for five minutes, split them in the middle and lengthwise after having taken off the large bone and hair, and tie them with a string. put a piece of butter the size of two walnuts in a stewpan and set it on the fire, when melted add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, half of each, a quarter of a lemon cut in slices, salt, and pepper, then the feet; wet with a glass of warm water; boil gently two or three hours, take from the fire and when nearly cold dip them in bread-crumbs, place them on a gridiron and set on a good fire, baste slightly with the juice in which they have cooked, and serve with fried parsley around. _the same, in poulette._--prepare and cook them as above. when you take them from the fire, instead of dipping them in bread-crumbs, put them in a _poulette_ sauce, simmer ten minutes, and serve. _fried._--when boiled and drained dry, dip them in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, fry in hot fat, and serve with green parsley all around. _in vinaigrette._--boil them as directed and drain them dry. when perfectly cold, serve them with a _vinaigrette_. calf's head. _how to prepare._--when the hair is off and the whole head well cleaned (this is generally done by butchers; but if not, throw the head in boiling water for five minutes and scrape the hair off with a knife immediately after taking it from the water), put it then in cold water for twenty-four hours in winter and ten in summer, changing the water two or three times. _to boil._--it may be boiled whole or after it is boned. if boiled whole, cut a hole on the top of the head and take off the brain without breaking it; put it in cold water immediately and as directed. then set the head on the fire in a saucepan, covered with cold water, salt, one onion sliced, half a lemon, four stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, two cloves of garlic, ten pepper-corns, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; boil gently till done. bone it before using it. when boiled after being boned, the brain is taken off in the same way as above and put in cold water also; then the tongue is cut out and boiled with the skin of the head, etc., with the same seasonings as when boiled whole. it is then ready for use, but leave it in the water till wanted; it would become tough if exposed to the air. _in poulette._--put about two ounces of butter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, when melted turn in one tablespoonful of flour; stir, and as soon as it commences to turn yellow add half a pint of broth, stir again, and when thickening, add the calf's head cut in rather large dice, give one boil, take from the fire, add the yolk of an egg and about a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, stir, give another boil, and serve. _in vinaigrette._--leave it in the water till perfectly cold; or, if wanted immediately, as soon as boiled, take it off and put in cold water to cool, and use. cut the head in large dice and serve it with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard, and parsley chopped. _broiled._--prepare and boil the calf's head as directed. as soon as cool, cut it in about half a dozen pieces, dip them in beaten eggs, roll them in bread-crumbs, and broil both sides till turning of a golden color; serve warm with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce, or with anchovy or horse-radish butter. _fried._--calf's head may be fried as soon as prepared and boiled; but most generally, it is only what has been left from the day before that is fried. cut it in small pieces about two inches square, dip them in melted butter, roll them in bread-crumbs, and fry them in hot fat. serve hot, adding lemon-juice when the pieces of calf's head are on the dish. _en tortue, or turtle-like._--there are two ways of preparing calf's head en tortue: . when it is prepared and boiled as directed above, drain it dry, cut it in pieces as for frying it; put them in a saucepan with one ounce of butter, set on the fire, stir for two minutes, add nearly a pint of madeira wine, simmer gently for about half an hour; dish the meat, add a little lemon-juice all over, and serve warm. some _quenelles_ of chicken may be placed all around, as a decoration; or a garniture of mushrooms. . prepare and boil the calf's head; drain it dry and cut it in pieces about two inches square. dish the pieces either mound-like, or around the dish, one lapping over the other, and turn the following over it, and serve warm: put a _financière_ garniture in a saucepan with a pint of madeira wine, set on the fire and boil gently for about twenty minutes; take from the fire, spread over the pieces of calf's head, and serve. some hard-boiled eggs cut in four or eight pieces, lengthwise, may be placed all around the dish; or some pickled cucumbers, cut in fancy pieces, or some quenelles of veal or chicken. heart. _to prepare._--soak it in lukewarm water for about three hours, trim it and free it from skin, blood, and small fibres; then drain and wipe it dry. stuff or fill it with sausage-meat, to which you add previously two or three onions chopped fine. _to cook._--when thus prepared, envelop it in buttered paper, set on the spit before a good fire, baste often, remove the paper a few minutes before taking it from the fire, then serve warm with a _piquante_, _poivrade_, or _ravigote_ sauce. it may also be served with a _vinaigrette_. _to bake._--when prepared as directed above, put it in a baking-pan; spread a little butter over, put a little water in the bakepan and set in a quick oven, baste and turn over two or three times, and when done, serve with the gravy and the same sauces as if it were roasted. _in gratin._--soak, drain and wipe it dry as directed. cut it in slices and put them in a crockery or other pan; turn a white sauce all over, then sprinkle on half a gill of vinegar or the juice of a lemon, dust with bread-crumbs, put half a dozen lumps of butter, each about the size of a hazelnut, all over; bake in a rather quick oven. kidneys. _sauté._--when prepared as directed below, cut it in pieces as directed for kidney in _brochettes_. then put a piece of butter the size of half an egg in a frying-pan and set it on the fire; when melted, sprinkle in a teaspoonful of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon the while, add half a wine-glass of white wine, a tablespoonful of broth, a pinch of chopped parsley, salt and pepper, boil ten minutes and lay the fillets in; have a quick fire, and as soon as cooked dish them, spread the sauce over, sprinkle on a few drops of lemon-juice, and serve. _to prepare._--never cook a kidney except it be very fresh. prepare in the following way, a beef, sheep, or calf's kidney. pig's kidneys are excellent if they have no disagreeable taste, but it is very often the case. the bad taste may be partly taken away by blanching the kidney, but it makes it tough and tasteless; it is better to throw it away. _in brochettes._--split the kidney in four lengthwise, and then cut it in rather small pieces. cut fat salt pork in pieces of the same size as the pieces of kidney--the fatty part of the kidney must not be used--then salt and pepper the pieces of kidney; take a common skewer and run it through a piece of kidney, then through a piece of salt pork; repeat this till the skewer is full. fill as many skewers as are necessary till the whole kidney is used; and then roast before a good fire, basting often with melted butter. serve warm. _another way._--prepare as above, and instead of roasting, put the skewers in a bake-pan, spread a little butter over the kidney and salt pork, cover the bottom of the pan only with cold water, and bake. while in the oven, turn over and baste occasionally. serve as the above, with its gravy, and warm. _another._--skewer the kidney, or rather pieces of kidney and salt pork as above; dip them in beaten egg, roll them in bread-crumbs, and fry them in hot fat. serve warm, but without gravy. lights. cut them in four pieces, soak and wash them three or four times in lukewarm water, changing the water each time; press them with the hands to extract all the blood. place the lights in a stewpan, cover them with cold water, and set on a good fire; boil two minutes, take them off, throw them in cold water, and drain them; cut the lights in dice. have butter in a stewpan on the fire, and when melted, lay the lights in, fry five minutes, keeping them tossed the while, then sprinkle on a tablespoonful of flour, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon; pour on, little by little, about a pint of warm broth, also a saltspoonful of chopped parsley, a pinch of allspice, salt, pepper, a bay-leaf, and sprig of thyme; have a brisk fire, and when about half done, add four or five mushrooms, and eight small onions. when the whole is cooked, take off bay-leaf and thyme, then take from the fire, beat two yolks of eggs with a tablespoonful of vinegar, and mix with the whole, turn on a dish, and serve. calf's liver. _how to prepare._--have water, with a little salt, on the fire, and at the first boiling, throw the liver in for about five minutes, and drain it. _how to improve the liver before cooking it._--put in a tureen two tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, a bay-leaf broken in four pieces, two sprigs of thyme, four of parsley chopped fine, a green onion also chopped fine, salt, and pepper; lay the liver on the whole, and leave it from four to six hours, turning it over two or three times. _how to cook, roasted._--envelop the liver with buttered paper, place it on the spit before a good fire, baste often with the oil from the tureen, after having taken off bay-leaf and thyme. a few minutes before it is done, take the paper off, baste continually with the drippings till well cooked, and serve it with the gravy. it may also be served with a _piquante_ or _poivrade_ sauce. it takes from thirty-five to forty-five minutes to roast it. _the same, sauté._--put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and set it on a sharp fire; when melted, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, then the liver cut in slices (after having been prepared as above); sprinkle on a saltspoonful of flour, then half a wine-glass of warm broth, same of claret wine, salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice; serve when done. it takes only from ten to twelve minutes for the whole process. _the same, in the oven._--put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on a sharp fire; when hot, put the liver in (after having been boiled as directed above, and after having cut it in pieces); fry it five minutes, turning over once only; then take from the fire, salt both sides of the slices, place them on a warm dish, putting on each slice a little butter kneaded with chopped parsley, salt, and pepper; put two or three minutes in a warm oven, take off, sprinkle on the whole the juice of half a lemon, and serve in the dish in which it has cooked. _the same, stewed._--boil the liver as directed above, and when drained and cold, lard it well. have butter in a frying-pan on a brisk fire; when hot, put the liver in for about five minutes, turning it over on every side. have in a stewpan four ounces of bacon cut in dice; set it on a good fire, and when hot, lay the liver in; then add a glass of warm broth, same of white wine, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, two of parsley, a clove of garlic, two cloves, and a small carrot cut in two; cover the stewpan, subdue the fire, and let simmer three hours; stir now and then, place the liver on a dish, strain the sauce on it, and serve. calf's pluck. put the pluck in cold water for twelve hours in winter and four in summer; change the water once, drain, and throw it in boiling water for ten or fifteen minutes; take off and throw in cold water to cool, and drain it. cut the pluck in pieces, and cook it like calf's head, and serve with the same sauce. calf's tail. take two tails, cut each in two, throw them in boiling water for three minutes, and drain. cut a cabbage in two, trim off the stump, throw the two halves in boiling water, with a little salt, for fifteen minutes, and drain it. put in a tureen the tails, cabbage, six ounces of lean bacon, two sprigs of parsley chopped fine, same quantity of green onions, two cloves, a little piece of nutmeg, a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper; cover the whole with half broth and half water, and boil gently till cooked. then take off cloves, nutmeg, and garlic, turn the remainder on a dish, and serve. tongue. prepare, cook, and serve a calf's tongue, in the same and every way like a fresh beef's tongue. the only difference is, that, being smaller, it is seldom decorated. it may be split in two, lengthwise and nearly through, opened and served thus, with slices of pickled cucumbers. sweetbreads. _to prepare._--soak them in cold water for about an hour. take off and remove the skin and bloody vessels that are all around. for two sweetbreads set about one pint of water on the fire in a small saucepan with salt, a tablespoonful of vinegar, a few slices of onion, six pepper-corns, a clove of garlic, two cloves, six sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, and a bay-leaf; boil two minutes, drop the sweetbreads in, boil one minute and take them off. drop them immediately in cold water and leave them in for from two minutes to an hour. put them on a flat surface with a board over, and leave them thus till they are perfectly cold and rather flattened. _au jus._--trim them a little, so as to give them a better appearance. lard the top or smooth side, then butter the bottom of a pan, spread a few slices of onion on the butter; add a bay-leaf, a clove, two stalks of parsley; place the sweetbreads on the whole, the larded side up, cover the pan and set on a good fire, or in a rather warm oven; about ten minutes after, add two or three tablespoonfuls of broth, baste now and then till done. if the broth is absorbed before the sweetbreads are done, add some more. dish the sweetbreads, turn the gravy over them through a strainer, and serve. _another way._--prepare as above directed; then, instead of larding it, you knead well together two ounces of butter, a teaspoonful of shallots and parsley well chopped, half a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper; place the whole in a stewpan, with the sweetbreads on it, and thin slices of bacon on the sweetbreads; set the pan on a good fire, and add then half a glass of broth, same of white wine; simmer till cooked; dish the sweetbreads, throw a few drops of cold water in the sauce, skim off the fat, strain the sauce on the sweetbreads, and serve. when the sweetbreads _au jus_ are dished as directed, place tastefully, all around, either of the following garnitures: _cauliflower_, _chicken-combs_, _duxelle_, _financière_, _mushrooms_, _liver_, _macédoine_, _quenelles_, and _truffles_. besides these garnitures, the sweetbreads may be decorated with small skewers, run through a boiled _craw-fish_ and a small _quenelle_ of chicken or of veal. one or two skewers may be stuck in each sweetbread. the sweetbreads, when several are served at a time, may be placed on the dish, either around it, forming a kind of crown, or forming a pyramid, or in any other way, according to fancy. they may also be served with a sauce _fines herbes_. pork. to select. when the rind is tender and thin, the pork is young; when thick and hard, it is old. to be good, the meat must be soft, and have a fresh and good appearance. we do not think it necessary to indicate here how to make black puddings, chitterlings, bologna, and other sausages. it is nearly, if not quite impossible, for a person having no practice in it, to make them edible; it is better to buy them ready made at pork-butchers' shops, or to hire an experienced person to make them. chine and fillet. take a good chine of pork, place it on the spit before a sharp fire, baste often with a little melted butter first, and then with the drippings; when properly cooked, serve it with a _vinaigrette_, _robert_, _piquante_, or _poivrade_ sauce. it will take from two to three or four hours to roast, according to the size of the chine. how to improve the chine of pork. place it in a crockery vessel, pour on it two tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, then sprinkle on two teaspoonfuls or chopped parsley, also salt and pepper, two onions chopped fine, four cloves, and two bay-leaves; leave thus twenty-four hours in winter, and ten in summer, turning over two or three times. the taste of the meat is much improved by that process. the oil may be used for basting instead of butter. _baked._--put the chine in a bakepan, sprinkle salt over it, coyer the bottom of the pan with cold water, and put in a rather quick oven, baste often, and in case there should be much fat in the pan, take it off and add a little cold water. when overdone, serve with any of the following _purées_: beans, lentils, lima beans, onions, peas, potatoes, sorrel, or spinach. it may also be served with the following sauces: _fines herbes_, _piquante_, _poivrade_, _provençale_, _ravigote_, _rémolade_, _robert_, _tarragon_, _tartar_, and _vinaigrette_. it is served also with a tomato-sauce. make more sauce for pork than for other dishes, and make the tomato-sauce rather thick by boiling it gently for some time; it tastes better so with pork. always use mustard with pork, if you like it. horse-radish, also, is good with it. cutlets. flatten the cutlets with a chopper (they may be improved in the same way as the chine), place them on the gridiron and set on a sharp fire; turn over two or three times, and when properly done, serve them with a _piquante_, _robert_, or tomato-sauce, adding to them some slices of pickled cucumbers just before serving. _the same, sautées._--instead of broiling them, when prepared as above, place them in a frying-pan with a little butter, turn over two or three times during the cooking, and serve as the above, or on a _purée_ of sorrel. leg, roasted. _how to improve it._--take the skin or rind gently off, put the leg in a crockery vessel, pour on it the following mixture: a pint of white wine, two tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, a bunch of sage, salt, pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg. leave it thus two days in winter and one in summer, turning it over two or three times during the process. place the leg on the spit and put before a very sharp fire, baste often with the mixture from the crockery vessel, or with melted butter, and serve when cooked, with the gravy strained. it will take about two or two and a half hours to roast it. _baked._--bake and serve the leg in the same and every way as the chine, with _purées_ and sauces. any part of pork is prepared like chine. _ham in hors-d'oeuvre._--cut the ham in small and thin slices, place the slices tastefully on a dish, either overlapping or in pyramid, or in any other fancy way, and serve with parsley in the middle or around. slices of lemon may also be served with it, either with the parsley or without it. ham. _to boil._--sugar-cured are preferred to others. scrape off the outside gently, soak in cold water for from six to twenty-four hours, take off and wipe dry. envelop it in a towel and tie it. place it in a kettle large enough to hold it without bending it; cover with cold water; season with six small onions, two carrots, four cloves, two bay-leaves, a handful or two plants of parsley, two or three stalks of thyme, two of celery, two cloves of garlic (a handful of hay and half a bottle of white wine, if handy would improve the taste); boil gently for four or five hours, according to the size (four hours for a ten-pound one, five for a fifteen-pound one). pay no attention to the old saying that "it takes half an hour to every pound." take from the fire, remove the towel, break off and remove the small bone at the larger end of it, and without tearing the meat. remove the rind also, leaving only about two inches of it near the smaller end, cutting it so that it will be dentilated. _to decorate._--it is decorated in several ways, according to taste and fancy. if the fat is not white after having removed the rind, spread a very thin coat of lard over it, place the ham on a dish, the fatty side up. cut carrots, turnips, and beets, boiled tender, in fancy shapes, with paste-cutters or with a knife; place them tastefully all over the ham; place also all over it some parsley, capers, and olives. chop some meat-jelly and put it all around the dish, and serve. in carving it, scrape back the lard and vegetables, slice, and serve. _another._--when boiled, trimmed, and the rind removed, put it in the oven for about twenty minutes, basting the while with a madeira sauce. serve with the sauce. any kind of _purée_ may be served with it. _another._--when trimmed and soaked in water as directed, boil it with half wine and half water: the same seasonings as when boiled in water. use either catawba, sauterne, or rhine wine. it makes it more expensive, but it is excellent. it is served as when boiled in water. _another._--boil it in claret wine, and when trimmed and decorated, serve it with a mushroom or a _truffle_ sauce. _another._--boil, trim, and cut off the rind as described in the above cases; place the frill, and serve with _spinach au beurre._ [illustration: a, skewers; b, carrot; c, truffle or mushroom; d, jelly; e, frill.] _another._--boil and trim the ham as above, cut the rind in the same way. what is left of the rind is cut as seen in the cut opposite: that is, some small square pieces are cut off, from place to place, so that it resembles a checkerboard; stick two or more skewers in it, glaze it with essence of beef or with sugar, and serve either on a tomato-sauce or on _peas à l'anglaise_. _ham english fashion._--soak it in water and trim it as directed. make some paste with water and flour only; spread a coat of this paste all over the ham, and then envelop it in buttered or oiled paper. put it on the spit and baste with fat while it is roasting. roast it for three or three and a half hours, according to size; remove the paper about two hours after it has been taken from the fire; cut a hole in the paste about an inch in diameter and on the lean side; pour into it, little by little, half a pint of good madeira wine, cover the hole with some paste, placing a band of paper on it to prevent it from falling; put the ham back on the spit for about twenty minutes, and serve whole with madeira sauce. we mean, by serving whole, with the paste around it, but not the paper. besides the sauce, some green vegetables, boiled only, are served on separate dishes, but eaten with the ham. it is also served like game, with currant-jelly, apple-sauce, etc. _champagne sauce._--proceed as for the above in every particular, except that you use champagne instead of madeira wine, and when done serve it with a champagne sauce. _another._--it may be boiled as directed above, and served with a champagne sauce also. _another._--when soaked and dry, put it in a crockery vessel; put on and all around it four onions chopped fine, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, a piece of nutmeg, and pour on the whole a bottle of white wine; cover the vessel as nearly air-tight as possible, leave it thus for about twenty-four hours, turning it over two or three times, so as to let every side take the seasonings. place the ham on the spit before a good fire, baste often with the seasonings from the crockery vessel, and when done take it off, dust it with fine raspings of bread, place it fifteen minutes in a slow oven, strain the drippings, boil them till reduced to a proper thickness, dish the ham, pour the drippings on it, and serve. salted pork. the best and only proper way to cook salted pork, is, to put it in a kettle, entirely cover it with cold water, boil gently till cooked, and serve it with a _purée_ or with a garniture of cabbage. any thing else that you might put with it would rather spoil than better it. pig's ears. _how to prepare._--soak them in warm water for a few minutes, then wash and clean them well, and scrape the hair off, if any. _boiled._--when prepared, you throw them in boiling water for two minutes and take from the fire; add four onions for four ears, one carrot, salt and pepper; leave just water enough to cover the whole, and when cooked, drain. serve them on a _purée_ of beans or of lentils. _the same, broiled._--when cleaned, prepared, and cooked as above, just dip them in beaten eggs, roll them in bread-crumbs, place on the gridiron and on the fire, broil for about two or three minutes; then serve them with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. pig's feet. _broiled, or à la sainte menehould._--split six feet in two, lengthwise, and soak them in tepid water for ten minutes, then envelop each in a piece of linen well tied or sewed; place them in a kettle or stewpan with four small onions, four sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two of sweet basil, two bay-leaves, two cloves of garlic, two cloves, two small carrots cut in pieces, salt, pepper, and half a pint of white wine; cover with cold water, simmer about six hours, skim them properly, fill with boiling water so as to have them covered all the time; take from the fire when cooked, and when nearly cool take the feet from the kettle, untie them, throw away the linen, and let them cool. dip each in melted butter or in sweet-oil, roll in bread-crumbs, and place on a gridiron and on a good fire; serve them as they are, when properly broiled. _stuffed._--prepare the feet and cook them as above. when perfectly cold, remove the long bone of each half, fill the place with sausage-meat; dip each in melted butter and yolk of egg, mixed and seasoned with salt and pepper, roll in bread-crumbs, and broil. while they are broiling, baste them with melted butter. serve as they are, or with meat-jelly, or gravy. _stuffed with truffles._--proceed as with the above in every particular, so far as removing the long bone of each half, so as to be ready for stuffing them. cut truffles in small dice, enough to half fill the feet, and put them on the fire in a small saucepan, just covered with madeira wine; toss and stir till the wine is absorbed and nearly boiled away, then add a little gravy, stir half a minute, take from the fire and let cool. when cold, fill each half foot till half full, and finish with sausage-meat; then dip in butter and egg, roll in crumbs, broil and serve as the above. they may be filled with truffles only, and served with meat-jelly. pig's head. soak in water and clean it well; take all the bones and flesh out; then cut the flesh and about one pound of salt pork in strips, which you put inside of the head, well mixed with salt, pepper, half a dozen middling-sized onions chopped, two teaspoonfuls of chopped parsley, half a saltspoonful of allspice, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, a little sage, and the juice of half a lemon; lay it in a crockery vessel for from four to six days. envelop the head in a towel, place it in a kettle with eight small onions, two carrots cut in pieces, salt, pepper, four sprigs of parsley, four of thyme, four bay-leaves, two cloves, and a pint of white wine; cover with water, set on the fire, and simmer from six to eight hours; take from the fire and drain, take the towel off and drain again till dry and cold. serve it with sprigs of green parsley around. _wild-boar like_.--prepare, stuff, cook, and allow it to cool as the one preceding; then place it on an oval dish, the ears up, with one or two skewers to hold them in place, and also two or three decorated skewers in the middle of the head and between the eyes--not across, but lengthwise. glaze it with essence of beef, by means of a brush; make eyes with meat-jelly, which you cut with a vegetable spoon, and imitate the tongue, teeth, and tusks with butter colored with cochineal and kneaded with flour. cover the back part with jelly and skewers ornamented with flowers or slices of truffles, or with both. some jelly, chopped, may also be placed all around, and flowers in the ears and on the eyes. it is served as an _entrée_, or for supper, lunch, or breakfast. pig's kidneys. prepare, cook, and serve like calf's kidneys. pig's tail. prepare, cook, and serve like pig's ears. pig's tongue. prepare, cook, and serve like beef tongue. _head-cheese_.--soak a pig's head in cold water for two or three hours, clean, and then cut the whole of it, ears and tongue included, in strips one or two inches long, and then put the whole with about two pounds of salt pork, cut in strips also, in a crockery bowl, season with salt, pepper, chopped onion, chopped parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, and sage, chopped also, the juice of a lemon, and leave thus for about two or three days, turning it over occasionally. then put the mixture in a mould or wrap it in a towel and boil till done. it must be immersed in the water. some beet or sheep's tongue, together with the flesh of chicken, may be added to the head. when cooked and cold, if there are any empty places, they may be filled with meat-jelly. it is served at late suppers, or at lunch and breakfast. it is always served cold, with parsley around. sucking-pig. a sucking-pig, to be good, must be fat. then properly cleaned, and hoofs off, clean the inside, leaving the kidneys; skewer it, put in it half a pound of butter kneaded with chopped parsley and green onions, four or five mushrooms, and two white onions with a clove stuck in each; place it on the spit before a good fire, baste often with melted butter first, and then with the drippings, and when done serve on a _vinaigrette_. some truffles may be added to the seasoning, if handy; it gives it a good taste. _baked_.--stuff it as the above, place it in a baking-pan with just cold water enough to cover the bottom of the pan; put it in a quick oven, baste often, and when done serve with a _rémolade_ or _vinaigrette_ sauce. when roasted or baked, place it on a dish with slices of truffles, mushrooms, and parsley all around. run some skewers through slices or truffles and whole mushrooms, and plant them in it like the one represented in the cut on the following page. a small red apple is placed in the mouth after it is cooked, to make room for which a stone is placed in the mouth before cooking it, in order to keep the mouth open. it is served as warm as possible. [illustration: a, skewer; b, slices of truffles; c, mushrooms] _boned_.--a sucking-pig can be boned and filled just the same as a turkey, and cooked and served alike also. poultry. chickens, ducks, turkeys, and geese must be killed not less than twenty-four hours, and not more than three days in summer, nor less than two days nor more than six days in winter, before cooking them. how to prepare and clean. to transport poultry, _see_ game. poulterers are of the opinion that the best and quickest way of killing poultry is by cutting the throat or the tongue. tie the legs of the bird, hang it by the legs, then kill and let bleed. some cut the head off and throw it away on the ground, but the poor things do not die so fast, and therefore suffer more. as soon as the throat or tongue is cut, if the head is held down the bird dies sooner, as it allows the blood to run more freely, preventing the bird from bending and twisting its neck, and also from swallowing its blood. it is much better to pick the bird dry. by scalding, the skin is spoiled, and very often the flesh of a young and tender chicken is spoiled also, being blanched. when picked, singe the bird carefully, in order not to burn the skin. split the skin on the back of the neck, from the body to near the head; then detach the skin from the neck by pulling it downward and the neck upward; it gives you plenty of room to pull the crop out, which you do. cut the skin off at about the middle of the neck, and the neck close to the body; that part of the skin of the neck is left to cover the place where the neck was cut off, by turning it on the back of the bird, and holding it with twine in trussing. make an incision under the rump, lengthwise, and large enough to draw the bird easily. when drawn, wipe the inside of the bird with a towel, but do not wash it, except when you have broken the gall-bladder. if that should happen, cut the bird in pieces immediately and wash well in lukewarm water; never roast or prepare whole a bird that has had the gall-bladder broken in it in drawing it. _sauté_ it or prepare it in fricassee. if there should be any thing unclean on the outside, wipe it off, if possible, or otherwise cut the place off, or wash only the unclean place. a washed bird is a very inferior article. if you see that a bird cannot be cleansed properly except by washing it, do not buy it. chicken. _to select._--buy a chicken with white flesh and pale-yellow fat. if young, the cock has small spurs, the hen has the lower part of the legs and feet rather soft and smooth; those parts are rough in old ones. if the rump is hard and stiff, they are fresh enough; but if soft, it is necessary to examine the bird carefully; it might be tainted. _to truss._--when prepared as directed for poultry, put the bird on the table on its back, and with a chopper or with a round stick flatten the breast-bone, which you break at a single blow if possible; the bird is much more sightly when served. cut the legs off just above the first joint, or cut off only half of the claws and trim off the ends of the wings. place the bird on a table, the breast up and the rump toward you. push the legs under the skin, so that, by holding them perpendicularly and pressing on them, the part from the second to the third joint is alongside the chicken, or horizontally. then run a trussing-needle, with twine attached to it, just above the bone of the leg, as near the second joint as possible, on the side (toward you) of the bone of the leg that is perpendicular, through the leg (which leg is the left one of the bird), body, and also through the bird, and at the same place, that is, as near the second joint as possible. turn the bird upside down and the neck toward you; turn the ends of the wings on the back, as seen in the cut (p. ), turn the skin of the neck on the back also, between or under the wings and in order to cover the place where the neck has been cut off, then run the needle again through the right wing, the skin of the neck and part of the body, and through the other wing. tie the ends of the twine fast together. as it is, the legs of the bird, when on its back, are pointing upward. bend them gently down till they are perpendicular and as seen in the cut, run the trussing-needle through both and also through the body, above the bones of the legs and under the end of the breast-bone; run it again the other way, but under the bones of the legs, tie the two ends of the twine together, and you have a bird trussed exactly like the one represented in the cut on next page. [illustration] another way to truss is, to cut only half of the claws, instead of cutting the legs at the first joint; but, to truss thus, the first joint must be partly cut as represented below. if the nerve were not cut, it would contract in cooking, and instead of being straight, the legs would point upward. [illustration] a bird stuffed is trussed exactly in the same way as above, with the exception that the skin of the neck must be sewed up with a trussing-needle before commencing to truss the legs, and the incision must also be sewed up as soon as filled and before trussing. the twine used to sew and truss the bird is removed just before dishing it. some experiments have been made lately, in france, to find out the best way to kill chickens and make them tender. those killed by electricity were more tender than any other, but they must be cooked immediately, as they become tainted in a very short time. _to blanch._--when cut in pieces as directed, throw it in boiling water to which a little salt has been added; boil two minutes and drain. _to cut._--to make a chicken _sauté_ or in fricassee, it is generally cut into eight pieces; the two legs, the wings, one piece of the breast-bone, and three pieces of the back-bone. the ends of the wings, the lower part of the legs after being skinned by warming them, the neck, gizzard, heart, kidneys, and head, are put in the soup-kettle. generally the bones of the legs above the second joint are removed by breaking them with the back of a knife just above the second joint. the ends of the small bones of the three pieces of the back-bone are trimmed off also. _to dish and serve._--dish the pieces in the following order: the neck, gizzard, the fore part of the back and the low part of the legs in the middle; then one leg on each side of the dish, with one wing beside each, then the breast and hind part of the back, and lastly the ends of the wings at the top. if cut in eight pieces only, place the breast-bone on the middle of the dish, the hind part of the back-bone at one end of it and the two others at the other end; the legs and wings on each side. _boiled._--a chicken is boiled only when it is an old one, whose tenderness is doubtful, and which is not needed to make broth or _consommé_. clean, prepare, and truss it as directed for poultry. brown the bird in a saucepan with about one ounce of butter, then half cover it with cold water; season with a few slices of onion, same of carrot, two cloves, two stalks of parsley, salt and pepper. boil gently about one hour and a half, and when done, dish the bird, strain the sauce over it, and serve warm. if the sauce boils away, add a little cold water; and if there is any fat on it, skim it off. an old chicken may be cooked especially to make a salad. _boned._--pick, bone, fill, cook, and serve a boned chicken exactly like a boned turkey; the only difference is, that it requires less filling, being smaller. for an extra, legs of large chickens may be boned and filled like the chicken, the rest being used for a fricassee. _broiled._--young, or what are called _spring chickens_, are broiled; an old one would not be as good. to broil, a chicken is split in two lengthwise, or the back only is split, so as to open it. salt both sides and butter them slightly, then broil on a good but not sharp fire. serve with a _maître-d'hôtel_, _piquante_, or _ravigote_ sauce. _broiled hunter-like._--when cleaned and prepared, split the chicken in two lengthwise and place it in a crockery dish with the following seasonings: a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, a middling-sized onion in slices, two cloves, salt, pepper, a tablespoonful of sweet-oil, and the juice of half a lemon. half an hour after turn the chicken over, and after another half hour place the above seasonings all around the chicken, fasten them with paper, tie the paper with twine, and broil carefully on a rather slow fire, and turning over two or three times. when done, remove the paper in which they are enveloped, scrape off the slices without scratching the meat, and serve as warm as possible with a _maître-d'hôtel_, _ravigote_, or _madeira_ sauce. when an older chicken is prepared hunter-like, it is generally served with a _tartar_ sauce. _another way._--clean and prepare a chicken as directed. cut the neck off, also the legs at the first joint, split the breast in two so as to open the chicken, and flatten it with a chopper. put about two ounces of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; when melted, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, stir for half a minute with a wooden spoon, then put the chicken in with salt and pepper; when about half fried on one side, turn it over and half fry the other side; then take off the chicken, roll it in chopped parsley and bread-crumbs mixed together, broil it properly and serve on a _tartar_ sauce. a chicken broiled either way above described may also be served on a _béchamel_ or on a _cream_ sauce. _croquettes._--the proportions that we give below are for half a middling-sized chicken. a chicken may be cooked especially to make _croquettes_, but it is generally made with cold meat. chop the meat fine. chop fine also half a middling-sized onion; fry it with one ounce of butter, then add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir for half a minute, then add also the chopped meat and a little over a gill of broth, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, stir for about two minutes, take from the fire, mix two yolks of eggs with it, put back on the fire for one minute, stirring the while; lastly you add four mushrooms chopped, or two truffles, chopped also, or both, according to taste; do not put back on the fire, but turn the mixture into a dish, spread it and put it away to cool. when perfectly cold, mix it well, as the upper part is more dry than the rest; put it in parts on the paste-board, about a tablespoonful for each part. have bread-crumbs on the paste-board, roll each part of the shape you wish; either round like a small sausage, or flat, or of a chop-shape; then dip each _croquette_ or part in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs again, and fry in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) the best way to shape them, is to roll each part round first with a few bread-crumbs, then with a knife smooth both ends, while with the left hand you roll them gently, and if wanted flat, strike gently on them with the blade of a knife. if wanted of a chop-shape, when flat, shape with the hands and strike again to flatten them. _croquettes_ are made with any kind of cold meat. _in fricassee._--clean, prepare, and cut as directed. if the flesh is not white, blanch it. put it in a saucepan, cover it with broth or cold water (broth is better than water), set it on the fire, and add one onion whole, and if covered with water, add also a bunch of seasonings, composed of three stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and one clove, boil gently till done. put about two ounces of butter in a saucepan with one tablespoonful of flour, set on the fire, stir and mix while the butter is melting; then turn the broth or water in which the chicken has been cooked into this pan through a strainer, add salt, six mushrooms sliced, then the pieces of chicken; give one boil, dish the pieces as directed, mix a yolk of egg in the sauce, turn it over the chicken, and serve with or without a border of paste. _border of paste._--knead well together, so as to make a rather thick paste, two whites of eggs with flour; spread it with a rolling-pin in a long strip about two inches and a half broad and one-fifth of an inch thick. trim the sides if not straight; cut three rows of holes in the middle with a fruit-corer, then cut the strip of paste in two, lengthwise and in the middle of the middle row of holes. cut it again across in pieces about three or four inches long. put it in a warm place to dry till hard enough to keep in shape and still be pliable; warm the dish on which you wish to place it; beat the white of an egg just a little with a pinch of sugar, glaze the straight side of the paste with it; place it all around and on the border of the dish with the dentilated side up. place the pieces of chicken inside of the border as directed above, and serve. the cut below represents the border. one, _a_, is the border before being cut in two, and _b_ when cut. [illustration] it may seem difficult to place the border at first, but it will be easily done after having tried once or twice, and following the directions previously given. it is better to try when not in a hurry and before being wanted; that is, before you wish to serve it. the border may be made and placed on a dish without a chicken, it will be better for an experiment. _in fricassée à la chevalière or parisienne._--while the chicken is cooking as directed for _fricassée_, prepare a garniture of _chicken-combs_, and, when the chicken is dished, place the garniture all around it, and serve warm. _a la française._--while the _fricassée_ is being made, prepare a _garniture_ of mushrooms or one of truffles, or both. dish the chicken as directed, place a garniture of _mushrooms_ or one of _truffles_, or both, tastefully all around, and serve warm. when a _fricassée_ is made for several persons, with two, three, four, or more chickens, three garnitures may be placed around the same dish, and, when carefully and tastefully arranged, it makes a sightly one. the three garnitures are, generally, of _chicken-combs_, _mushrooms_, and _truffles_; they may be also of _chicken-combs_, _quenelles_ of chicken, and _croutons_; or, of _financière_, _truffles_, and _chicken-combs_; or a boiled _craw-fish_ here and there, and two of any of the above-mentioned garnitures. instead of a garniture, it may be served with a border of rice. (_see_ rice in border.) _a la financière._--this is a _fricassée_ of chicken served with a _financière_ garniture. _au suprême._--chicken, or rather chickens, _au suprême_ is a _fricassée_ made with the breasts of chickens only. each side of the breast-bone is carefully detached in two long pieces called _fillets_; so that, with two chickens, there are eight pieces. to detach them properly, split the skin right on the breast-bone from the neck to the rump, then pull it off on both sides so as to have the whole breast skinned. take hold of one wing with the left hand, and, with a sharp knife in the right, split or cut the joint off carefully, we mean the third joint of the wing, or that near the body; as soon as the joint is cut, by merely raising the back of the knife, leaving the edge on the cut joint and pressing gently on the chicken, you easily pull off the larger part of the half breast; detach the end of the other half with the point of the knife and pull it off also. do the same for the other side. when the breasts or fillets are thus detached, prepare them as chicken in _fricassée_, and serve with a border of paste, or with one of rice, as directed in the receipts above, and serve warm. what is left of the chickens is put in the broth-kettle, or used to make _consommé_. _another suprême._--detach the breasts of two chickens as above directed, then prepare the eight pieces or fillets as directed for chicken _sauté_. ten minutes before taking from the fire, add and mix with the whole two or three truffles, weighing at least six ounces, and sliced; finish the cooling, and serve. _to serve._--dish the pieces tastefully and according to fancy, and put the dish away in a warm place, then mix a _suprême_ sauce with what you have left in the pan, sauce, truffles, etc., boil the whole till rather thick, stirring continually while it is boiling, turn over the pieces of chicken, and serve. the _suprême_ sauce used in that case is generally made with very rich chicken gravy. chickens _au suprême_ is considered a very _recherché_ dish, and it is a rather expensive one. for a grand dinner, the breasts of six chickens are used, and all the other parts of the chicken are used to make chicken gravy with rich broth, and that gravy is, in its turn, used to make the _suprême_ sauce that is mixed with the liquor in which the chicken has cooked. the broth used to _sauté_ the chicken is generally rich, and very often two pounds of truffles are used with six chickens. _a la bourguignonne._--this is a _fricassée_ also, but instead of covering the chicken with broth or water, it is covered with white wine. proceed, for the rest, and serve as _fricassée_. _with carrots._--while you are cooking a chicken in _fricassée_, prepare a dish of carrots _au jus_ or _glazed_, for ornamenting the dish; cut the carrots with a vegetable spoon before cooking them. dish the chicken as directed, place the carrots tastefully all around the meat, and serve warm. this dish was devised by a monk, and is often called _à la saint lambert_. _a la royale._--this is nearly the same as _au suprême_; the only difference is, that the pieces of breast or fillets are larded with salt pork, and then cooked, served and decorated the same as described for _au suprême_. _marengo._--clean, prepare, and cut up the chicken as for _fricassée_. put in a stewpan five teaspoonfuls of sweet-oil, and set on a good fire; when hot, put the chicken in with salt and pepper; turn over once in a while, till every piece is of a golden color, and nearly cooked, then add two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and one clove, tied together with twine; add also three or four mushrooms cut in slices, and if handy three or four truffles also cut in slices; when the whole is cooked, dish the pieces of chicken thus: the neck and gizzard, with the fore part of the back, and the low part of the legs in the middle, one leg on each side of the dish with one wing beside each, then the breast and hind part of the back, and the ends of the wings at the top. have an italian sauce ready, pour it on the chicken, place on the whole the pieces of mushrooms and truffles, also some _croutons_ fried in butter, and serve. _with green peas._--clean, prepare, and truss the bird as directed for poultry, then cook it whole as a stewed chicken above. when done, dish the chicken, place peas _à l'anglaise_ all around, strain the sauce over the whole, and serve. _larded with truffles._--clean, prepare, and truss a fat chicken. make about two dozen small pegs, with truffles, about half an inch long and one-eighth of an inch in diameter. take a skewer, make a hole in the flesh of the breast of the chicken, and put a truffle-peg into it. put a dozen pegs in the same way on each side of the breast-bone, and cook and serve the chicken. it is either boiled, stewed, or roasted, and served as directed for either. _with tarragon._--proceed as for a stewed chicken, with the exception that it is cooked whole after being trussed as directed for poultry, and after having stuffed it with two ounces of butter kneaded with half a dozen stalks of tarragon chopped fine. serve with a few stalks of tarragon around the dish. _roasted._--clean, prepare, and truss the chicken as directed. place it on the spit slightly salted and buttered all around, or envelop it in buttered paper, or merely cover the breast with thin slices of salt pork tied with twine. baste often, at first with melted butter, and then with the drippings. if the bird has been enveloped with paper, the latter must be removed about ten minutes before taking the chicken from the fire; do the same with the slices of salt pork. it takes from twenty-five minutes to one hour to roast a chicken, with a good fire. the time depends as much on the quality of the bird as on the size. with a skewer or a small knife, or merely by pressing on it with the fingers, anyone can learn how to tell when done, after having roasted only two or three. even by the look of it, many persons can tell. _with water-cress._--dish the chicken when roasted, put fresh water-cress all around, remove the fat from the gravy, which you turn over the whole; add salt and pepper to taste, a little vinegar or lemon-juice, and serve warm. _with sauces._--when roasted, serve with the following sauces: _soubise_, _tarragon_, _oyster_, _tomato_, and _provençale_. _with garnitures._--dish the bird when roasted as directed, and place one of the following garnitures around, and serve warm: _quenelles_ of chicken or of veal, _macédoine_, and _cauliflowers_. _with macaroni._--spread four ounces of macaroni _au jus_ on a dish, place the roasted chicken on it, and serve the whole warm. _with butter._--it may be served with its gravy and craw-fish or lobster-butter. _with chestnuts._--when dished, surround the chicken with chestnuts glazed, and serve. _with pigeons._--dish the bird, place four roasted pigeons around, one at each end and one on each side; fill the intervals with green peas au jus, and serve warm. all the above may be decorated with skewers. run the skewer in a _chestnut_ and then in a _craw-fish_; or, in a _quenelle_ and then in a _chestnut_ or _craw-fish_; or, in a _chicken-comb_, and in a _quenelle_, and stick it on the chicken. two skewers only for a chicken make a fine decoration. slices of _truffles_, of _mushrooms_, and _chicken-combs_, make fine as well as delicious decorations. _baked._--put the chicken in a baking-pan, after being cleaned, prepared, and trussed. salt and butter the breast, which must be upward, place a piece of buttered paper on it, and a little cold water in the bakepan. set it in a warm, but not too quick oven; baste often with the liquor in the pan. if the water and juice are absorbed by the heat, add a little cold water, so as to have liquor to baste with. remove the paper about ten minutes before taking from the oven. it takes about forty minutes to cook a chicken of middle size. serve a baked chicken with _sauces_ and _garnitures_, and _decorated_ the same as if it were roasted, and as described in the above receipts. _sauté._--after being cleaned and prepared as directed, cut the chicken in pieces as for _fricassée_. put it in a saucepan with about an ounce of butter; set on the fire, stir now and then till it is of a golden color and pour off the fat, if any is in the saucepan. add a tablespoonful of flour and stir half a minute, then add also broth enough to nearly cover the meat, half a pint of white wine, a bunch of seasonings composed of four stalks of parsley, one of thyme, half a bay-leaf, and one clove, the four tied together with twine; add salt, and one onion whole. boil gently till done. ten minutes before serving, add half a dozen mushrooms. dish the pieces of chicken as directed for _fricassée_, place the mushrooms over them, strain the sauce all over, and serve warm. if the chicken is done before the sauce is reduced or is rather thick, dish the meat and put it away in a warm place, boil the rest slowly till reduced, and then turn it over the meat. serve with or without a border, as in a _fricassée_. truffles may be used instead of mushrooms, if handy, or liked. water may be used instead of broth, but it is inferior. _another._--to be good _sauté_, the chicken must be young and tender. clean, prepare, and cut as directed. put about one ounce and a half of butter in a frying-pan, set it on the fire, and when melted put the pieces of chicken in, stir now and then till all the pieces have a golden hue; add a tablespoonful of flour, stir again for about one minute; then add also salt and pepper, half a pint of broth, or one gill of broth and one gill of white wine; boil gently for five or six minutes. add again a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, five or six mushrooms cut in slices, keep it boiling gently till done, and serve warm. if the sauce is boiling away, or is found too thick, add a little broth. use _champagne_, _sauterne_, or _catawba_ wine. it is much better with wine than without. _another._--clean, prepare, and cut the chicken as for _fricassée_. put it in a saucepan with about an ounce of butter, set on the fire, stir once in a while till all the pieces are of a fine golden color; then pour off the fat that may be in the pan. sprinkle a tablespoonful of flour all over it, and stir for about half a minute, then add three or four shallots, or two or three small green onions, chopped fine, parsley, and three or four mushrooms, both cut in small pieces, a bunch of seasonings composed of four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and one clove, salt, and pepper. stir often till cooked, and serve with a few drops of lemon-juice sprinkled on it when dished. dish as directed for _fricassée_. _stewed._--clean, prepare, and cut the chicken in pieces as for _fricassée_. brown them in a saucepan with about one ounce of butter, then take the pieces off, add half a tablespoonful of flour to the butter, stir for one minute, then add also three or four mushrooms in slices, a small onion, and half a dozen sprigs of parsley chopped fine, stir for two or three minutes, then cover with half a pint of white wine and the same of broth, boil for ten minutes, put the pieces of chicken back into the pan, boil gently till done, and serve warm as it is. the pieces of chicken are dished as directed for _fricassée_. _stuffed with bread._--soak stale bread in cold water, and then squeeze the water out of it. put one ounce of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; as soon as melted, add one middling-sized onion chopped fine, and stir till it turns rather yellow, then add the bread, stir two minutes; add again salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, two or three tablespoonfuls of broth; stir again two or three minutes, take from the fire, mix in it a yolk of egg, put back on the fire for half a minute, stirring the while, take off again, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and use. fill the crop (we mean the place where the crop was) and also the body or inside of the bird with the above mixture, truss it as directed; roast or bake it, and serve with the gravy. _stuffed with sausage-meat._--set a saucepan on the fire with about half an ounce of butter in it; when melted add an onion chopped fine, stir, and, when nearly fried, add also the heart and liver of the bird, chopped fine, four, six, or eight ounces of sausage-meat (according to the size of the bird), stir for about twelve minutes, take from the fire, mix a yolk of egg with it, also four or five mushrooms chopped, or one or two truffles, chopped also, put back on the fire for five minutes, stirring the while, take from the fire again, fill the prepared bird with the mixture, and as above, roast or bake it, and serve it with its gravy. _stuffed with chestnuts._--roast chestnuts and skin them, removing also the white envelope that is under the outside skin. fill the inside of a cleaned and prepared chicken till half full, add about one and a half ounces of butter, finish the filling; truss, roast or bake as directed, and serve the bird with its gravy. _stuffed with truffles._--the truffles, being preserved, do not require any preparation, half a pound is enough for a middling-sized chicken; it is not necessary to put any where the crop was. salt and pepper the inside of the bird, and put in it also about a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, then the truffles; sew the incision made to draw it; truss it as directed, and roast or bake. _the same, stewed._--when stuffed, put four ounces of salt pork cut in dice in a saucepan, with slices of onion and carrot, place the chicken on them, season with four stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and one clove tied together; half cover it with broth and white wine, of equal parts, set on the fire, boil gently till done, turning it over several times. dish the bird, strain the sauce over it, and serve warm. after being stuffed with truffles, it may be kept two days before cooking. _cold._--what is left from the previous day's dinner is known under the name of cold meat. for about half a chicken put one ounce of butter in a saucepan, and, when melted, turn into it a _financière_ garniture, and half a pint of madeira wine, boil gently about eight minutes, put the cold chicken cut in pieces in it; leave just long enough on the fire to warm it, and serve. if not a roasted or broiled chicken, or part of either, you merely warm it in the _bain-marie_ if possible, or on the fire, and serve as it is. if roasted or broiled, it is served in _blanquette_, thus: cut up the meat in slices, have in a stewpan and on a good fire a piece of butter the size of two walnuts; when melted, sprinkle in it a pinch of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon the while; then pour in also, little by little, two gills of warm broth, same of boiling water, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and two or three small onions fried in butter; boil fifteen minutes. after that time subdue the fire, place the slices of chicken in the pan, and serve as it is when well warmed. instead of onions, slices of pickled cucumbers may be used. _another way._--cut up the chicken or part of it as for _fricassée_. put a little butter in a stewpan and set on the fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a little flour, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, same of chopped mushrooms, stir with a wooden spoon the while, two or three minutes after which add two gills of white wine, boil the whole fifteen minutes; then subdue the fire, put the pieces of chicken in the pan, and serve as it is when warm. it may also, after it is cut up, be served cold, with an oil, _piquante_, or _poivrade_ sauce. _the same, in fricassée._--an old chicken that has been used to make broth, either alone or with beef, when cool, or the next day, may be prepared just as a spring chicken in _fricassée_. _in salad._--it is made with cold chicken, roasted or baked, with a whole one or part of it. cut all the meat in dice and put it in a bowl. cut just as much roasted or baked veal in dice also, and put with the chicken. cut also about as much table celery as chicken, which put with the meat also. season with salt, pepper, vinegar, and very little oil; stir and mix the whole well. add also some lettuce, and mix again gently. put the mixture then on a platter, making a small mound with it; spread a mayonnaise-sauce all over it; decorate with hard-boiled eggs, cut in four or eight pieces, lengthwise; also with centre leaves of lettuce, capers, boiled beets, and even slices of lemon. a bard-boiled egg is cut across in two, then with a sharp knife scallop each half, invert them and run a small skewer through both, so as to leave the smaller end of both halves in the middle and touching; place the egg right in the middle of the dish, when the mayonnaise is spread all over; plant the centre leaves of a head of lettuce in the middle of the upper half of the egg, with a few capers in it, and serve. some use mustard with a chicken salad; it is really wrong, because chickens and mayonnaise-sauce are too delicate to use mustard with them. capon. a caponed chicken is cleaned, prepared, cooked, and served in the same and every way as a common chicken. a capon is almost always fat, larger than an ordinary chicken, and has a more delicate and tender flesh. _roasted_ and served in the different ways described for chicken, it makes a _recherché_ dish, also when stuffed with chestnuts or truffles, as a common chicken. _boiled._--clean and prepare as directed above; rub the fleshy part with lemon, envelop it with slices of bacon, place it in a stewpan with one sprig of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, one clove, a small carrot, two onions, salt, and pepper; cover with half water and half broth, and set on a moderate fire. when cooked, take the capon off, place it on a dish, and set it in a warm place; then boil the sauce till it is rather thick, when strain it on the capon, and serve. _the same, with rice._--when cleaned and prepared as above, you place the capon in a stewpan, cover it with water, add one glass of broth, a bay-leaf, one clove, a sprig of parsley, one of thyme, a small carrot, two onions, salt, and pepper; boil ten minutes, then add also about four ounces of rice, soaked in lukewarm water before using it, and let simmer for two hours. take the capon off, and in case the rice should not be found to be cooked enough, finish the cooking of it; then take off clove, parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, carrot and onions, pour the remainder on the capon, and serve. turkey. tame and wild are prepared and served alike. the legs of a young hen-turkey are black; the cock has small spurs, and also black legs. the shorter the neck the better and fatter the bird. an old hen has red and rough legs; the cock also has long spurs. the fatter they are the better; they cannot be too fat. the broader the breast the better; the skin must be white. it is fresh enough as long as the legs are not stiff. _boiled._--clean and prepare turkey as directed for poultry. put in a stewpan, large enough to hold a turkey, a piece of butter the size of a duck's egg, also a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, same of green onions, and four or five mushrooms; set it on a good fire, and, as soon as the butter is hot, lay the turkey in; turn over now and then till of a fine golden color, then take it from the pan, cover the breast with slices of bacon tied with twine, and put it back in the pan; add a pinch of allspice, six small onions, salt, pepper, a glass of white wine, and a pint of broth; simmer till cooked, dish it, strain the sauce on it, and serve. it takes about two hours to cook a turkey of middling size. a little warm broth should be added, in case the sauce boils away during the cooking. _roasted._--clean, prepare, and truss a turkey as directed for poultry, and, if the turkey is not fat, the breast may be larded with salt pork. place it on the spit before a sharp fire, basting often with melted butter at first, and then with the drippings. it may be enveloped in buttered paper and tied with twine before placing it on the spit; the paper is removed ten or fifteen minutes before taking from the fire; serve with the gravy, after having skimmed the fat off. some fresh water-cress is placed all around it, and on which you sprinkle vinegar or lemon-juice. a turkey may be served in every way as a roasted chicken--with sauces, garnitures, and decorated with skewers. _baked._--when cleaned, prepared, and trussed, put the turkey in a baking-pan, spread a little butter on it, put a little cold water in the pan, the depth of about two-eighths of an inch, sprinkle salt all over, place a piece of buttered paper on it, and put in a quick oven. baste often and turn the bird over and round, if necessary. it takes from one hour and a half to two hours to cook a turkey, according to size, quality, and also according to the degree of heat. it is served with the gravy only, after having removed the fat, or with sauces, garnitures, and decorations, described for roasted chicken. _oyster-sauce._--when roasted or baked as directed, serve warm with an oyster-sauce. _with currant jelly._--roast or bake it, and then serve it with currant-jelly. it is also served with a cranberry-sauce. _stewed._--an old turkey is more tender stewed than cooked in any other way. the fleshy parts may be larded with salt pork, if found too lean. put in a large stew-kettle half a pound of bacon cut in slices, four ounces of knuckle of veal, three sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, a bay-leaf, six small onions, one carrot, cut in four pieces, three cloves, one clove of garlic, salt, pepper, and then the turkey; wet with a pint of white wine, same of broth, cover as nearly air-tight as you can, place in a moderately heated oven or on a moderate fire, let simmer (not boil) about two hours and a half, then turn it over, put back on the fire or in the oven for another two hours and a half, after which dish the turkey; strain the sauce and put it back on the fire to reduce it to a jelly, which you spread on it, and serve. many _connoisseurs_ prefer the turkey served thus when cold; it does not cost any thing to try it, and it is very handy for a grand dinner, as it may be prepared one or two days in advance, and is just as good, if kept in a refrigerator. _stuffed with chestnuts._--roast chestnuts enough to fill the bird. skin them and remove also the white skin under the outer one. fill the turkey with them, after having cleaned and prepared it; when about half full, put in it also from four to six ounces of butter; finish the filling with chestnuts; sew it up, truss it as directed, and roast or bake it. serve with the gravy only. _stuffed with truffles._--chop fine about four ounces of truffles, and put them in a stewpan with about a pound of salt pork cut in dice; set it on a moderate fire; add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, a bay-leaf, a pinch of allspice, and a pinch of dried thyme; when hot, add also about two pounds of truffles, boil fifteen minutes, tossing now and then, and take from the fire. when nearly cool, put the whole in the turkey and sew it up; leave it thus, if fresh, four days in winter and one or two in summer; if not fresh, leave it a shorter time. _roast_ or _bake_ it as directed above, and serve with the gravy, freed from the fat part. this dish is considered exquisite by epicures. _stuffed with sausage-meat._--proceed as for chicken stuffed, in every particular. _with salt pork._--place thin slices of salt pork on the breast of a prepared turkey, covering it entirely, and fastening the slices with twine; then the turkey is roasted or baked, and served with the gravy. the slices may be removed a little before taking from the fire, in order to color the meat. _boned._--buy a good turkey, neither too old nor too fat, and picked dry. singe the bird, but do not draw it. cut the neck off about one inch and a half from the body. cut also the wings off just above the second joint, and the legs just above the first joint; the third joint is the one nearest the body. split the skin from the end of the neck to the rump; use a small sharp-pointed knife; commence to run the knife between the bones and flesh, on one side, till you come to the third joint of the wings and legs. by twisting and raising both wings and leg, but one at a time, you easily crack the joint, and then separate it from the body with the knife. continue to run the knife between the bones and flesh, on the same side, till you come to the breast-bone. do the same on the other side. pull out the crop and cut off the rump from the body, but without touching the skin, as the rump must come off with the skin and flesh. then by taking hold of the bird by the neck with the left hand, and pulling the skin gently down with the right, you partly uncover the upper part of the breast-bone; then again run the knife between that bone and the flesh, on both sides, till you come nearly to the end or edge of the bone. then lay the bird on its back, have somebody to take hold of it by the neck, having the breast of the bird toward you. all along the edge of the breast-bone there is no flesh between the bone and the skin. the bird being held as described above, take hold of the skin of the neck with your left hand, pulling gently downward, and with the knife detaching the skin carefully from the bone, the carcass coming off whole. place the bird on the table, the inside up, pull out the bones of the wings and legs, scraping the flesh an around so as to leave it attached to the rest; pull or scrape off all the tendons of the legs; push legs and wings inside the bird; see that the rump is clean; cut off the ring under it if necessary. we warrant that anybody, with an ordinary amount of natural capacity, can bone a turkey or other bird by following our directions with care. we recommend persons doing it for the first time not to attempt to do it fast. now have at hand about two pounds of sausage-meat seasoned as directed, two pounds of boiled ham, half a dozen boiled sheep's tongues or a smoked beef tongue (but really the former is better), a pound and a half of salt pork, and half a pound of truffles sliced (the latter if handy and if liked). cut the ham, tongues, and salt pork in strips about four inches long, one inch broad, and a quarter of an inch thick. spread the bird on the table, the inside up and the rump toward you; salt and pepper it; place three or four slices of salt pork here and there on it, then a layer of sausage-meat, strips of ham and tongue and salt pork alternately on the sausage-meat, slices of truffles if used, again sausage-meat, ham, etc., till there is enough to fill the bird well; that is, by bringing the two sides of the skin together, giving the bird a round form, it is perfectly full. it is impossible to give exact proportions; it depends not only on the size of the bird, but also on the quality and degree of fatness of the bird. in two of the same weight, one may require more than the other to fill it. when filled, and when the two sides of the skin are brought together as described above, sew up the cut with a trussing-needle and twine. wrap up the bird tightly in a towel, tie the towel with a string, and run the string all around the towel to prevent it from opening at all. take a kettle or saucepan of an oval shape and large enough to hold the bird, put enough cold water in it to cover the bird, also all the bones of the bird (broken in pieces), a small piece of lean beef, say one pound, a few stalks of parsley, two of thyme, two cloves, two cloves of garlic, a bay-leaf, twelve pepper-corns, a middling-sized carrot sliced, half a turnip, and salt. set on the fire, and at the first boiling put the bird in; boil gently for about three hours if it is a turkey of middling size, two hours for a middling-sized chicken. when done it partly floats; that is, the upper part is above the liquor. take it from the pan, take the towel off and rinse it in cold water; wrap the bird up in the towel again and in the same way as before; place it on a large dish, with the seam or back under; put another plate or dish over it with a weight on it, and leave thus overnight in a cool place. the next morning the bird will be perfectly cold and rather flattened; then remove the towel, also the twine with which it has been sewed, place it on the dish on which it is to be served, the breast upward; glaze it with essence of beef or glace; decorate with meat-jelly, and serve. _how to decorate with jelly._--when the jelly is congealed and can be cut with a knife, chop some of it on a coarse towel and put it all around the bird, about half an inch thick; cut some in slices about a quarter of an inch in thickness; cut these again with paste-cutters in different shapes, according to fancy, and place it over the bird, also according to fancy; again cut some of it in slices about one inch broad, a quarter of an inch thick and of any length, and cut out of these last ones pieces of a triangular shape, which put all around the border of the dish, placed so that one point of each piece is turned toward the edge of the dish and the two other points touch the other pieces on both sides; then you have an indented border of jelly. when the jelly is fancifully and tastefully arranged, it makes a sightly dish. it is always served cold for breakfast, lunch, or supper. in summer the jelly melts, and cannot be used as a decoration. a boned bird is then served without jelly. the bird is cut in slices, and some jelly is served with each slice. _cold._--a turkey, being a large bird, is seldom entirely eaten the day it is served, and very often more than half of it is left for the next day. what is left may be prepared in different ways. _in vinaigrette._--cut the flesh in slices and serve them with a _vinaigrette_. it is not understood here for a boned turkey, which is always eaten cold, but either a roasted, baked, stewed, or stuffed turkey. _in croquettes._--proceed in every particular as for chicken _croquettes_. _in salad._--a salad of turkey is made also exactly the same as a salad of chicken, with cold meat. it is covered with a mayonnaise-sauce and decorated in the same way. besides the above ways of preparing cold turkey, it may also be prepared as directed for cold chicken in general. a caponed turkey is prepared as a caponed chicken, boiled or with rice; and also like a turkey, as described in the above receipts. they are generally larger, fatter, and more tender and juicy than others. they are very much appreciated here, and every year more and more are supplied, and, as in europe, the greater the supply the better the quality. there is a ready market for caponed turkeys in all the large cities of the united states, and they command a high price. ducks. ducks and ducklings, tame and wild, are prepared alike. to be good, a duck must be fat, be it a _canvasback_, _gadwell_, _black-duck_, _garganey_, _poachard_, _wood-duck_, _pintail_, _shoveller_, _spirit-duck_, _summer-duck_, _teal_, _widgeon_, _shelldrake_, or any other. _how to select._--a young duck has the lower part of the legs soft, and the skin between the claws soft also; you will also know if it is young by taking hold of it by the bill (the under bill only), if it breaks or bends, the duck is young. if the breast of the duck is hard and thick, it is fresh enough. _how to prepare._--a duck is cleaned and prepared as directed for poultry. _roasted._--clean, prepare, and truss the duck as a chicken, with the exception that the rump is pushed inside; the duck being much longer than a chicken, it is more sightly when so trussed. place inside of the duck two sage-leaves, two bay-leaves, and two sprigs of thyme, and leave it thus in a cool place for two or three hours, and then roast it as directed for chicken. when roasted, serve it with any of the following garnitures: cabbage, cauliflower, _macédoine_, onion, or truffles. the fatty part of the gravy or drippings must be carefully and totally removed before turning it over the duck and garniture. it takes from thirty to forty minutes to roast. _baked._--when cleaned, prepared, and trussed as directed for turkeys and chickens, put the duck in a bakepan, salt and pepper it, cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, and place it in a rather quick oven. a duck, being generally very fat, requires to be turned over and over several times and to be basted very often. it is not necessary to cover it with buttered paper. in case there is much fat in the pan, remove it while it is cooking. it is served as directed for roast duck, with garnitures. when roasted or baked, it is also served with apple or cranberry-sauce, or with currant-jelly. _with peas._--cut in dice about one ounce of salt pork and put it in a saucepan; set it on the fire, and, as soon as the butter is melted, brown in it a duck trussed as directed and take from the fire. put one ounce of butter in a saucepan and mix it cold with a tablespoonful of flour, set it on the fire, and, when the butter is melted, put the duck in with about a quart of green peas, blanched for one or two minutes only; add about a pint of water or of broth, a bunch of seasonings composed of three or four stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and one clove, salt, and pepper; boil gently till the whole is cooked, and serve warm. remove all the fat carefully before serving. if the water should boil away while it is cooking, add a little more. _with oranges._--roast or bake a young duck as directed, and serve it with carpels of orange all around; and sprinkle some orange-juice all over just before serving it. _with olives._--roast or bake the duck as directed. when done, turn the gravy into a small saucepan with about two dozen olives; stir gently, and keep on the fire for about five minutes. dish the duck, place the olives all around; turn the gravy over the whole, and serve warm. _sauté, served with a border._--when cleaned and cut in eight pieces as directed, set it on the fire with one ounce of butter, stir occasionally till turning brown, then pour off the fat from the saucepan, add broth enough just to cover the pieces of duck; also one onion with a clove stuck in it, a bunch of seasonings tied with twine and composed of four stalks of parsley, one of thyme, and a bay-leaf, salt, and pepper; boil gently till done. place the pieces of duck inside of a border of rice, strain the sauce over the duck only, and serve hot. the rice must be cooked, moulded, and placed on the dish while the duck is cooking, so as to serve the whole warm. (_see_ rice in border.) _to cut._--a duck is generally cut in eight pieces, the two legs and wings, the breast in two, and the back-bone in two. _with turnips._--truss the duck as directed for birds. put one ounce of butter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and, when melted, put the duck in, turn over now and then till it is brown on every side. then add a piece of onion chopped fine, stir, and, when turning brown also, add water enough to half cover it; also a bunch of seasonings composed of three sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove; boil gently till done, when add salt to taste. while the duck is cooking, cut two turnips in dice or in round pieces with a fruit-corer, or with a vegetable spoon, set them on the fire with cold water and salt, boil till tender, and drain them. put them back on the fire with the sauce or gravy from the saucepan in which the duck has cooked, give one boil, dish the duck, place the turnips around, and serve. _another way._--cut the duck in pieces. set a saucepan on the fire with an ounce of butter in it, when melted, add half a tablespoonful of flour, stir, and, when turning brown, add half a dozen small turnips or two large ones, cut with a vegetable spoon; stir, and, when they are all browned, take them off and brown the pieces of duck; then put the turnips back in the pan, add broth enough just to cover the whole; also two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, a clove, salt, and pepper; boil gently till cooked; dish the duck and turnips, turn the sauce over them through a strainer, and serve warm. _cold._--what is left from the preceding day's dinner is prepared in _salmis_. very often a duck is baked, especially to make a _salmis_ with it. (_see_ salmis.) _boned._--bone, fill, cook, and serve as turkey boned. cold duck may also be prepared in _croquettes_ and salad, like chicken. _stuffed._--it is stuffed with sausage-meat and chestnuts, also like a chicken. geese and goslings--tame or wild. a young goose has much down and soft legs of a yellow color; an old one has little down and rough legs of a reddish color. when fresh, the legs are soft; and stiff and dry when not fresh. geese and goslings are prepared, cooked, and served like ducks, in the following ways: roasted and baked, and served with garnitures, with cranberry-sauce, currant-jelly, apple-sauce, with a border, olives, oranges, peas, or turnips; in _croquettes_ and in _salmis_. it is boned, cooked, and served, like a boned turkey. _in civet._--clean, prepare, and cut the goose in pieces, removing most of the fat, and then cook, and serve it like rabbit in civet. it takes a little longer than to cook a rabbit, but makes a very good dish. when the civet is properly made, it does not taste like goose. guinea-fowls. a young guinea-bird is good, but an old one is hardly fit to be eaten. guinea-fowls are prepared and served like prairie-hens. pigeons. the stall-fed or squab is prepared the same as the wild one. _to select._--if the legs are not red, they are young; and if not stiff, they are fresh. when not fresh, the rump is of a bluish color. clean and prepare them as directed for fowls. _broiled._--split the backs of the pigeons so as to open them, flatten them a little with a chopper. put two ounces of butter (for six pigeons) in a saucepan, and set it on a good fire; when hot, add to it a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and green onions, salt, and pepper; then the pigeons. when half cooked, take them from the fire, roll them in bread-crumbs, place them on the gridiron and set on a moderate fire, turn over once or twice, and, when done, serve on a _maître d'hôtel_, _piquante_, or _poivrade_ sauce. _another way._--when cleaned, prepared, and split open as directed above, salt and pepper them, grease them slightly with melted butter, by means of a brush; then broil them till underdone, and serve with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. _in chartreuse._--a _chartreuse_ with pigeons is made and served as a _chartreuse_ of prairie-hens. _in papillotes._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, bake the pigeons till about half done, then split them in two, lengthwise, and then proceed as for _veal cutlets_ in papillotes. they may be fried with a little butter, instead of baked. _with vegetables._--clean and prepare as directed for poultry, four pigeons. cut them in four pieces each. put in a saucepan two ounces of butter, and set it on the fire; when melted, brown the pigeons in it, and then take them from the pan. the pigeons being taken off, put into the pan, which is kept on the fire, half a carrot and two onions sliced, half a turnip, sliced also; four or five stalks of parsley, one of thyme, one of celery, a bay-leaf, two cloves; the latter five tied together. cover the whole with broth or water; boil gently till about half done, then add the pieces of pigeons, and salt and pepper; continue boiling till the whole is done. dish the pigeons, throw away the seasonings, mash the carrot, onions, and turnips through a colander, which you mix with the sauce. place the mixture around the pieces of pigeons, and serve warm. _stuffed._--it is stuffed, cooked, and served like a stuffed chicken. _the same, stewed._--put a piece of butter the size of a walnut in a stewpan, and set it on a good fire; when hot, add two ounces of bacon cut in dice, then place in four pigeons, leave thus till of a fine golden color, and then take pigeons and bacon off the pan. put again in the stewpan the same quantity of butter as before; when melted, sprinkle in, little by little, a teaspoonful of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon, and when of a proper thickness, and of a brownish color, put the pigeons and bacon back in, add four small onions, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, a pinch of allspice, salt, pepper, half a glass of broth, same of claret wine; simmer about an hour, take off parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, and send to the table. _the same, roasted._--envelop each pigeon in thin slices of bacon tied with twine, place them on a spit before a moderate fire, baste often with the drippings, and, when cooked, serve them with the gravy, at the same time sprinkling a few drops of lemon-juice on them. it takes from thirty to thirty-five minutes to roast them. to roast or bake they are trussed like a chicken, as seen in the cut below. to carve pigeons is easy, they are merely split in two, lengthwise. [illustration] _baked._--place a thin slice of fat salt pork or bacon on the breast of each pigeon, after being cleaned, prepared, and salted; place them in a bakepan, on their back; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water and put in a hot oven, baste often, and when done serve them with water-cress and lemon-juice. the pigeons are placed on the dish the same as they were in the bakepan; place water-cress between each, also all around and in the middle of them; sprinkle lemon-juice all over, and serve warm. _with green peas._--when cleaned and prepared, truss the pigeons and put them in a saucepan with about two ounces of butter for half a dozen, stir now and then till turning rather brown all around and take off; then put in the saucepan about two ounces of salt pork cut in dice, stir, and, when partly fried, take it off also. the pan being still on the fire, put into it a good tablespoonful of flour, stir till it turns brown, when you add about a quart of broth, stir and mix; put pigeons and salt pork back into the pan, season with a bunch of seasonings, composed of half a dozen stalks of parsley, one of thyme, two bay-leaves, a clove, and one clove of garlic. boil gently till nearly half done, and then add a quart of green peas, blanched previously; boil again gently till the whole is done; remove the bunch of seasonings and the clove of garlic; dish the pigeons, turn the peas in the same dish, but in the middle of the pigeons, which can be tastefully placed all around the dish; strain the sauce over the whole, and serve warm. _with mushrooms._--prepare and truss the pigeons the same as for the above, and proceed also as for the above in every particular, except that you do not put in the saucepan quite as much broth, a pint is sufficient, and boil gently till done, but do not add peas. ten minutes before taking from the fire, add a dozen mushrooms, whole or sliced, and half a gill of claret wine, if handy. dish the pigeons, place the mushrooms in the middle of the dish, strain the sauce over the whole, and serve warm. _fried._--take four pigeons, cut each in four pieces, put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when melted, put the pigeons in with two or three sprigs of parsley, a small sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, a pinch of allspice, salt, pepper, and half a pint of broth. take the pigeons off when half cooked, and, as soon as they are cool, dip each piece in beaten eggs and roll it in bread-crumbs. strain the butter that may be left in the stewpan, and put it in a frying-pan with about an ounce more, and fry the birds for about two minutes; serve with water-cress or parsley all around. _in compote._--roast six pigeons as directed. then cut one of them in dice, put it in a mortar and pound it. put half an ounce of butter in a saucepan, and, when melted, fry half an onion chopped fine in it; then add to the pounded pigeon about a gill of gravy, a gill of good broth, salt, pepper, a bunch of seasonings, composed of three stalks of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove; also about a gill of madeira wine or white wine, boil gently till reduced about one-third, strain. put back on the fire, add butter, and when melted stir and set it on the corner of the range to keep warm while the rest is prepared. cut the other five pigeons in two, lengthwise. cut ten pieces of bread square, or of an oval shape, and about the size of a half pigeon, fry them with a little butter, and place them on a dish. while the bread is frying, put the pigeons in an oven to warm them; place half a pigeon on each slice of bread, or one lapping over the other; have the slices and pigeons so arranged that they fill the dish, leaving only a small space in the middle, into which you pour the sauce; serve the whole hot. _in crapaudine._--when prepared, split open the backs of the pigeons; cut the legs at the first joints and run them through the skin so that the ends come out on the inside; dip the bird in beaten eggs, roll them in bread-crumbs, and broil them. while they are broiling, knead butter, chopped parsley, and lemon-juice together; spread some on the pigeons when they are dished, and serve warm. giblets. by giblets are understood the gizzards, heads, legs, livers, necks, and ends of the wings of chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and other birds, tame or wild. you begin by cleaning them well, cut off the bills, take the eyes out, warming the legs on live coals, so that you can take off the outer skin and spurs; place the giblets in a tureen, turn boiling water and a little salt on them, leave them thus five or six minutes, then wash well and drain them. _in fricassée._--put a piece of butter in a stewpan (the size to be according to the quantity of giblets you have), set it on a good fire; when melted, sprinkle in it, little by little, a teaspoonful of flour; stir the whole with a wooden spoon; when of a proper thickness, and of a brownish color, add half a gill of warm broth, same of warm water, a sprig of parsley, a small pinch of grated nutmeg, two small onions, salt, and pepper; then the giblets. about half an hour after add also two mushrooms, cut in pieces. it takes about two hours to cook them properly. dish the pieces, strain the sauce, mix in it one well-beaten yolk of an egg, and a few drops of lemon-juice; pour it on the giblets, place the pieces of mushrooms over the whole, and serve. _the same, stewed._--put the giblets in a stewpan with butter, and set it on a good fire; when they are of a fine yellow color, add one or two sprigs of parsley, a clove of garlic, a sprig of thyme, one clove, half a bay-leaf, two mushrooms cut in pieces, two small onions, and a pinch of flour; wet with broth, let simmer gently for half an hour, and add also two parsnips cut in slices, and previously half fried in butter; simmer again for about an hour; dish the pieces of meat, strain the sauce, put it back on the fire to reduce it a little, pour it on the giblets, place the pieces of mushrooms at the top, and serve hot. _sauté._--they may also be prepared and served as a _chicken sauté_. aspic of meat. cut four middling-sized onions in slices, lay them in a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of bacon (not smoked); then add about a quarter of a pound of each of the following meats: chicken, game (any kind), mutton, and beef, also a calf's foot split in two, two ounces of rind of bacon, two sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, a clove of garlic, two carrots cut in two, one clove, and four small onions; wet with half a pint of water, and set on a brisk fire; cover the pan well. when nearly cooked, take the grease off with a ladle; add then boiling water enough just to cover the whole, and finish the cooking. strain the juice, skim off the fat, if any, and let it cool; if it is not found clear enough when strained, beat well two whites of eggs, put them in the stewpan with the juice, set it on a sharp fire for about ten minutes, stirring the while, and take from the fire; add to it a few drops of lemon-juice, and strain again. put in a mould some of the above juice, about two-eighths of an inch in depth; place the mould on ice, and leave till the juice has turned into a jelly. lay on that jelly some of the following meats, free from bones, and not allowing the pieces to touch the sides of the mould: chicken, game, tongues of beef, calf, and sheep, of all or of either of them (the meats must be cooked beforehand). cover the whole with the remainder of the juice, so as to have about the same thickness at the top as at the bottom. place the mould in a refrigerator to cool, and turn into a jelly; then dip the mould in very warm water, turn over on a dish, remove the mould, and you have a fine _entrée_. game. game, comparatively, is appreciated only by a few. when the country was first settled, every one was his own provider, and of course game was not sent to a market several hundred miles from the place where it was shot or caught. but settlement and civilization have the same effect on game as they have on barbarians or savages--they drive it away. our northeastern cities are now supplied by the western states with game. in winter time, game may be kept for weeks without being spoiled or losing its natural flavor and taste, when kept where it is killed; but when transported, it is very different. to transport it requires packing. as soon as packed, it naturally ferments; and even if packed when frozen, the middle of the barrel will ferment and become injured, if not entirely rendered unfit for the table. the packing of game or poultry in barrels is a bad practice. nothing requires more ventilation than game while being transported. many dealers have their game sent to them in wicker-baskets with plenty of straw, but the greater part is still sent in barrels; hence the musty taste when cooked. to keep game for some time when fresh, open the animal or bird under the rump, just enough to take the inside out, also the crop of birds, being very careful about the gall-bladder; if it bursts, it is better not to try to preserve the piece, but to clean, wash, and use it as soon as possible. birds must be left in their feathers, and animals in their skins. fill the inside with dry and clean oats, and put the piece in a heap or barrel of oats. it will keep thus for many days. another way is to envelop the piece well in a towel, and bury it in charcoal dust in a cool and dry place. _how to clean and prepare._--clean and prepare the birds as directed for poultry in general. after having carefully skinned, take out the inside, and cut the legs off at the first joint of animals; wash the inside with lukewarm water, and wipe it dry with a clean towel immediately after; wipe also the outside, but do not wash it if possible; that is, if you can clean it well by wiping only. _wild ducks_, _geese_, _pigeons_, and _turkeys_, are prepared, cooked, and served like tame ones. _bear-meat and buffalo._--the meat of all large animals is better roasted, than dressed in any other way. prepare, cook, and serve bear and buffalo meat like venison, beef _à la mode_, or stewed. bear-meat has highly nutritive qualities, and is very warming. buffalo-steaks are said to be better broiled on cinders without a gridiron, than on or before coals with one; that is, indian fashion and even hunters' fashion. indians often use wood-ashes as a substitute for salt, and never use salt with buffalo-meat; but their liking or preference comes from their habit of invariably broiling buffalo-meat on wood cinders or buffalo-chips. _bear-hams_, so well appreciated everywhere, are prepared and served like common hams. a bear-ham, tastefully decorated, is considered a _recherché_ dish at supper for evening parties. _blackbird_, _bobolink_, and _small birds_.--the cut below represents six small birds on the spit, ready for _roasting_. when the birds are prepared, cut off the ends of the wings and the legs above the first joint. instead of cutting the legs above the first joint, the ends of the claws only may be cut off, according to taste. cut thin slices of fat salt pork, of a proper size to cover the breast of the bird; place the slice on the breast of it, run a skewer through the middle of the bird, so that it will run through the two ends of the slice of salt pork also, as seen in the cut. have a skewer, or merely a piece of wire, long enough to hold six birds; fix the skewer on the spit, and roast. when the six birds are on the skewer, fasten them with twine, to prevent them from turning round, as seen in the cut. [illustration] small birds are cleaned and prepared as directed for poultry, but they are not trussed, their legs being tied while tying the salt pork. while roasting, they are basted often with the drippings. some water-cress and lemon-juice sprinkled upon them may be served with the birds. the twine is removed before serving, and they must be served hot; if allowed to cool at all, they lose their taste. it takes from ten to fifteen minutes to roast. _baked._--prepare them exactly as for roasting: place the wire or skewer across a baking-pan, turn them round and baste often; serve also as above, with the gravy, and with or without water-cress. the _bobolink_, _reed-bird_, and _rice-bird_ are the same; they are called under these different names at different seasons and in different localities; it is the american ortolan, the most delicate of small birds; the robin comes next. _to eat it à la brillat-savarin._--take hold of the bird by the bill; open your mouth wide enough to introduce the whole bird into it easily; then shut it, at the same time biting off the bill just at its base; chew properly and swallow. while the birds are roasting or baking, place as many small slices of bread in the dripping or baking pan, and serve a bird over each slice. cut the slices either square, round, or oval, about one-fourth of an inch in thickness, and large enough to hold the bird. _hunter-like._--prepare small birds as described for quails, hunter-like; it makes an excellent dish. _in salmis._--roasted or baked small birds can be prepared in _salmis_ when cold. many amateurs prefer small birds not drawn; that is, the crop only is taken off, but nothing of the inside is disturbed; they pretend that they have a better taste when cooked thus; of course, every one to his taste. _high-holders_, _lapwings_, _meadow-larks_, _plovers_, _rails_, _robins_, _snipes_, _thrushes_, _woodcocks_, _woodpeckers_, and _yellow-birds_ are prepared as above. small birds have a better flavor when cooked after being somewhat seasoned than when cooked fresh, but they must not be tainted. as long as the rump is stiff, they are good; if soft, they must be examined carefully, as they might be tainted. when young, there is no stiffness in the legs. small birds are generally put by the half dozen on the same skewer, as seen in the cut (p. ); but when a little larger, like the robin or plover, they may be trussed as directed for snipes. _grouse or heathcock._--these are good as long as the legs are flexible; if not, examine them carefully, they might be rotten inside. lard them well, envelop each in buttered paper, and place on the spit before a good fire; baste often, remove the paper after twenty or twenty-five minutes; leave two or three minutes more, basting continually with the drippings; dish the birds; mix with the drippings a few drops of lemon-juice, and a little salt and pepper, and serve with the birds. _baked._--lard the bird as for roasting; that is, the fleshy parts only are larded with salt pork, then truss them as directed for chicken, place them in a baking-pan, cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, put a piece of buttered paper on each bird, place in a hot oven, baste often till done. serve with the gravy some water-cress, and lemon-juice, or vinegar. it is also prepared, cooked, and served in the different ways described for prairie-hen, either in _chartreuse_, _salmis_, salad, or any other way. _hare._--no hares have yet been found in the united states, except in california. the reported hare of the western prairies is, as far as known, a species of rabbit. that found in the eastern markets comes from canada and europe. the canadian hare is very inferior in quality. _to select._--when young it has rather soft paws, and not much opened, and also soft ears; but if old, the paws are hard and much worn, and the ears stiff and hard. if fresh, the body is stiff; it is soft, and the flesh is nearly black, if tainted. save the blood as much as possible; it improves the sauce very much. _in civet._--when the hare is cleaned as directed for game, cut in pieces. have in a saucepan and on a good fire two ounces of butter and one of salt pork cut in dice. stir, and when the salt pork is fried take it off the pan, and put the pieces of hare in it; stir with a wooden spoon now and then, till of a fine golden color; then sprinkle on it a teaspoonful of flour, add ten small onions, four sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two cloves of garlic, a bay-leaf, salt, pepper, about a pint of claret wine, same of broth, three or four mushrooms, and a little grated nutmeg; boil gently till done; dish the pieces of hare; throw away parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, and garlic; mix the blood of the hare, if any, in the sauce, boil it about ten minutes longer, turn it on the hare, and serve warm. many epicures like a civet better when prepared one or two days in advance, and only warmed before serving. when the civet is done, and ready to serve, place the dish in a cool, dry place, and when you want to eat the civet, place the dish in a _bain-marie_, or in an oven, and serve when warm. _the same, roasted._--lard the hare well; place it on the spit before a good fire; baste often with the drippings, and when properly cooked serve it with the following sauce: put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and set it on a good fire; when melted, put in it the hare's liver well pounded, then the blood, if any, also the drippings, salt, pepper, a tablespoonful of white wine, same of broth, and one teaspoonful of vinegar; when of a proper thickness, serve with the hare. it takes about an hour to roast it well. in a small family, the hind part is roasted, and the fore part of the hare is dressed in civet. _baked._--lard it with salt pork and bake it, basting often: serve in the same way as a roasted one. _the same, next day._--if any is left from the day before, warm it and serve, if in civet; cut in slices and serve cold, with an oil-sauce, if roasted. _leveret._--cook and serve like a hare. a leveret may also be _sautéd_ like a chicken. _pheasant, to select._--when young, the claws are short and round at the end, while they are long and sharp when old. they are not fresh when the rump is of a bluish color, but some amateurs like them then; in that state, they are said to have a venison taste. some hang the bird by the feathers of the tail and leave it so till it falls; then they prepare and eat it. it does not fall until very "high," or rather when tainted. they ought not to be cooked when very fresh, as they have not as delicate a taste then as when rather "high." _pheasants_ are prepared, cooked, and served like _prairie-birds_ in every way. _crane, ostrich, peacock, pelican, or other large birds._--these birds are seldom eaten. when old, they are tough, and of a disagreeable taste. when young, they are not so bad, and may be prepared like a turkey stuffed or stewed. _prairie-bird, prairie-hen, and partridge._--an old prairie-hen has a white bill and bluish legs; when young, the bill is of a rather dark-gray color, and the legs are yellowish. as long as the rump does not turn bluish, it is fresh enough. _to prepare._--clean and prepare a prairie-hen as directed for poultry in general. _baked._--clean and prepare the bird as directed, then cut off the claws to about half their length. truss the prairie-hen as directed for chicken, and then cover its breast with a thin slice of fat salt pork, but do not cover the back of the bird. tie the salt pork with twine. place the prairie-hen on its back in the baking-pan, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut on it; set it in a quick oven (about deg. fahr.), baste often, and serve when rather underdone. while the bird is baking, prepare some fresh water-cress, place some of it all around the bird; mix lemon-juice with the gravy and turn it over the bird and water-cress, and serve warm. it may also be served after being baked, the same as directed for a roasted one. _broiled._--clean and prepare as directed, then split the back of the prairie-hen so as to open it; salt, pepper, and butter it by means of a brush; place it on the gridiron over a good fire; turn over three or four times; as soon as done, sprinkle on it a little allspice, dish the bird, spread a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce on it, and serve warm. it is also served with a _piquante_, _poivrade_, or _ravigote sauce_. _another way._--split the prairie-hen in two lengthwise so as to make two equal pieces. put one ounce of butter in a stewpan and set it on a good fire; when melted, lay the two halves of the bird in; turn over and leave them till a little more than half cooked, when take them off. envelop each piece in buttered paper, place them on the gridiron, and set it on a rather brisk fire for about fifteen minutes, turning over once only, and serve with the following sauce: put with the butter in the pan in which was the bird, about a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, same of chopped mushrooms, salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice; sprinkle in and stir at the same time a teaspoonful of flour; add a gill of white wine, same of broth; boil gently till of a proper thickness, and serve the bird with it, either on the same dish or separately. serve as warm as possible. _with cabbage._--clean and truss the prairie-chicken as directed for birds; fry it a little with butter, just enough to color it; then place a cabbage, previously blanched, cut in four pieces, all around it; also about four ounces of lean salt pork, one onion whole; just cover the whole with cold water (it requires about one pint of it if the pan is of a proper size); when the cabbage is boiled down, baste occasionally with the juice, and if it boils away add a little broth or water; keep enough to baste till done, then dish the prairie-chicken with the cabbage around, also the salt pork if liked; turn the juice all over through a strainer. in case it is not salt enough, add salt while basting. the flesh of a prairie-chicken is naturally dry, and by being cooked with cabbage it is kept moist all the time and is juicy when done. for those who have no prejudice against cabbage, it is the best way to prepare a prairie-bird. _another way._--lard two prairie-birds as directed for larding, after being cleaned and prepared as directed. put in a stewpan half a pound of bacon cut in slices, with four onions, two carrots cut in pieces, a small dried or bologna sausage, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, two cloves, a bay-leaf, a little grated nutmeg, and a cabbage cut rather fine, and which is to be previously thrown in boiling water and boiled ten minutes; then the two partridges or prairie-hens; place over the whole four ounces of bacon cut in thin slices, cover with broth, set the pan on a sharp fire, and when it has boiled about fifteen minutes, subdue the fire, or put the pan in a moderately heated oven, simmer about two hours if the partridges are old, and one hour if they are young; then take from the fire, place the partridges on a dish with the sausage cut in pieces around them, drain the cabbage and put it on another dish with the bacon, strain the sauce on both dishes, and serve. _in chartreuse._--it is made in a mould for _charlotte russe_, or in one like the cut following. clean the prairie-hen as directed for birds; put it in a baking-pan with one ounce of butter spread on it, also salt and pepper, and a gill of cold water in the pan, and bake till underdone, when cut it in seven pieces, making three slices in the breast, lengthwise. peel and slice two carrots and two turnips; cut the slices about an inch thick; then cut again in small round pieces, with a fruit-corer, about half an inch in diameter; set them on the fire with cold water and salt, boil gently till done, drain and turn immediately in cold water, and they are ready to be used. put a small head of cabbage in a saucepan with half a pound of lean salt pork, just cover it with cold water, and boil gently till done. the prairie-hen, carrots, and turnips, and the cabbage, may be cooked at the same time, but separately, as directed. when the cabbage is done, turn it into a colander, cut it rather fine with a spoon, press gently on it to get the water out as much as possible without mashing it through the colander, and it is ready to be used. butter the mould well; place slices of boiled beets on the bottom; some letters or flowers may be cut in beet, the intervals or holes filled with turnips and carrots; when the bottom is lined with beets, carrots, and turnips, lay horizontally a row of pieces of carrots all around and against the sides of the mould; place a similar one of turnips on the carrots, and so on, the last row being as high as the top of the mould. then put a layer of the cabbage on the bottom, about half an inch thick--that is, on the carrots, turnips, and beets--place a like layer on the sides with a spoon; put the pieces of prairie-hen in the middle, cover with a layer of cabbage, and bake about fifteen minutes in an oven at about deg. fahr. the meat must not touch the carrots or turnips, but be entirely surrounded with cabbage, else it would crumble down in removing the mould. as soon as the mould is taken out of the oven, place a dish over it and turn it upside down, leave it so about ten minutes to allow the juice to come out, then remove the mould carefully, and serve. the cut below represents a _chartreuse_ made exactly like the one described above, with the exception that instead of having a row of carrots and a row of turnips, they are mixed, that is, placed alternately, the white spots representing pieces of turnips and the black spots pieces of carrots--the top being decorated according to fancy. according to the size of the mould, two, three, or more prairie-hens may be prepared at one time and in the same mould. [illustration] _roasted._--rub the stomach and legs of the birds with lemon, then envelop those parts with slices of bacon tied with twine, or fixed with small skewers; after which envelop the whole bird in buttered paper tied with twine; place them on a spit before a good fire, take the paper off after twenty or thirty minutes, according to the age of the bird; leave two or three minutes longer, baste often during the process of roasting, with the drippings; dish the birds without removing the slices of bacon; mix in the gravy the juice of half a lemon, or half an orange, a little salt and pepper, and serve it with the birds. it may also be served with water-cress and lemon-juice or vinegar. when roasted or baked and dished, place carpels of oranges all around, and serve. a roasted or baked prairie-hen is also served with the following sauces: anchovy, caper, champagne, cranberry, and _ravigote_ or tomato, and currant-jelly. _with mushrooms._--when roasted or baked, serve it with a garniture of mushrooms. it is also served with a garniture of cauliflowers, _financière_, _macédoine_, and of truffles. _in fricassée._--prepare, cook, and serve it like chicken in _fricassée_. _in crapaudine._--proceed as for pigeons in _crapaudine_, the only difference being that it takes a little longer to cook. it is also prepared and served as a quail, _hunter-like_. it takes longer to cook than a quail. _sauté._--clean, prepare, cut, cook, dish, and serve the prairie-bird as a chicken sauté. _stewed._--clean, prepare, and truss the bird as directed. put about one ounce of butter and two ounces of fat salt pork, cut in dice, in a saucepan, and set it on a quick fire; toss gently, and when the butter is melted, put the bird in and brown it all around; then add four small onions, half a carrot in slices, salt, and pepper; stir till the onions and carrot are partly fried; then add half a pint of broth, same of white wine, a bunch of seasonings composed of four or five stalks of parsley, one of thyme, one bay-leaf, and a clove; boil gently till done; dish the bird, turn the sauce over it through a strainer, and serve warm. thus stewed, it may be served with the following _purées_: asparagus, beans, lentils, lima beans, mushrooms, and peas. _cold._--a whole bird or part of it left from the preceding day's dinner, if it has been broiled, baked, or roasted, is prepared and served in salad, like a chicken salad; or in _salmis_. _boned._--a boned prairie-bird makes an excellent dish and a most nutritious and warming one. persons having a phlegmatic constitution ought to partake of it at least twice a week during hunting-time. always select a very fresh and fat bird to bone. pick, bone, fill, cook, and serve it as described for boned turkey. a prairie-hen is more easily boned, when fresh, than an ordinary chicken. the addition of truffles (about half a pound for one bird) makes it still richer and warmer. _in croquettes._--prepare, cook, and serve as chicken croquettes. _quails._--a quail, like a prairie-bird, is old when it has a white bill and bluish legs; when young, the bill is of a rather dark-gray color, and the legs are yellowish. quails are just the contrary of pheasants; the more fresh they are when cooked, the better. _to prepare._--when cleaned and prepared as directed for poultry, cut off the end of the claws, and then truss it as a chicken, sprinkle salt and pepper on the breast. cut thin slices of fat salt pork, somewhat square, and of a proper size to cover the breast of the bird, but not the back. tie it to the bird with two pieces of twine, then roast or bake. _another way to prepare them._--when cleaned, prepared, and trussed as above, envelop the bird with grape-vine leaves, then in thin slices of salt-pork, and roast or bake them. they may also be enveloped in buttered paper, after being prepared, instead of salt pork or grape-vine leaves, or instead of both, but only to roast them; if baked, the buttered paper is placed over the birds. _baked._--place the birds on their backs in a baking-pan, with a piece of butter the size of a hazel-nut on each, just cover the bottom of the pan with cold water, and set in a quick oven (about ° fahr.) and baste now and then. when about half done, put the liver of the birds, well pounded, in the baking-pan, and continue basting till done. while the quails are baking, cut as many square slices of stale bread as you have quails, about three inches broad and one-fourth of an inch thick; fry them in hot fat, place them on the dish, place a quail with the breast upward on each slice; remove the twine, turn the gravy over them and serve warm. water-cress may be placed between each bird, as well as all around, and in the middle of the dish, with vinegar or lemon-juice sprinkled all over. it must also be served warm. _hunter-like (au chasseur)._--clean and prepare as directed for birds. set a saucepan on the fire with two ounces of butter to melt, then put in it four quails trussed as for roasting; turn them round in the pan to color every side; add then half a dozen stalks of parsley, salt, pepper, and nearly cover them with broth and white wine, half of each; boil gently till done. dish the quails, and put them away in a warm place. strain the sauce and put it back on the fire with a tablespoonful of _meunière_, boil rather fast till it commences turning thick, turn over the quails and serve warm. _roasted._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, envelop the birds in grape-vine leaves and salt pork, or in buttered paper, as directed above, and place them on the spit before a moderate though good fire. have slices of roasted bread in the dripping-pan, baste often with the drippings, and when done remove the twine, or the twine and paper, but neither the salt pork nor the grape-vine leaves, and serve warm. the slices of bread are placed on the dish, then a quail on each slice. water-cress may also be served as above. quails roasted with grape-vine leaves are considered one of the most _recherché_ dishes. when about half roasted, the liver of the birds, well pounded, is put in the dripping-pan, and the drippings are turned over the birds when dished. when pounded, the livers may be spread on the slices of bread before placing them in the dripping-pan. _with green peas._--when the quails are roasted or baked, they may be served with green peas _au jus_. they may also be served on a _purée_ of celery or of mushrooms. _in chartreuse._--proceed exactly as for a _chartreuse_ of prairie-bird. quails may be served in every way like prairie-hens, _stewed_, in _salad_, in _salmis_, etc. _rabbit--to select._--a rabbit, like almost every other kind of game, has a better taste when a little seasoned, but not too much so. as long as the body is rather stiff, it is good; but when soft, and when the flesh has a black-bluish appearance, it is necessary to examine it carefully, as it might be tainted. a young rabbit has soft paws, and are not much opened; but an old one has them open, hard, and worn out. the ears of a young one are very soft, while those of an old one are stiff and comparatively rough. the blood of the rabbit is a great improvement when mixed with the sauce or gravy accompanying it when served; therefore, we emphatically and earnestly ask of hunters, when they kill rabbits, to place them in their game-bags in such a position that the place where the shots have penetrated and through which the blood is escaping, be upward, and consequently stop the spilling of it. tame rabbits, unless they have been kept in a large place, well fed, free from any manure or dirt, and having also plenty of room to burrow in a dry soil, are very seldom fit to eat. _to lard._--the fleshy parts of a rabbit are larded with salt pork in the same way as described for a fillet of beef. _baked._--to bake it, it may be larded or not, according to taste. when cleaned and prepared as directed for game, place the rabbit in a baking-pan, with a few slices of onion and carrot; salt, pepper, and butter it; cover the bottom of the pan with cold water and set it in a quick oven. after ten or fifteen minutes, turn the rabbit over, baste and cover it with a piece of buttered paper. continue basting till done. when about half done, if the water and juice are boiling away or absorbed, add more water or broth, and when done turn the gravy over the rabbit through a strainer, and serve with water-cress and a few drops of lemon-juice or vinegar. it is also served with a _cranberry_, _fines herbes_, _mushroom_, _piquante_, _ravigote_, _tomato_, and _truffle_ sauce. _in chartreuse._--a rabbit is prepared in _chartreuse_ the same as a prairie-chicken; the only difference is, that it requires a larger mould; the rest of the process is the same. _in civet, or stewed._--cut the rabbit in pieces, and fry them with a little butter till turning rather brown, when add half a pound of lean salt pork cut in dice; stir and fry two or three minutes, stir in also a tablespoonful of flour; one minute after add a half pint of broth, same of claret wine, salt, twelve small onions, and a bunch of seasonings, composed of three or four sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, one clove. boil gently till done; throw away the bunch of seasonings, and serve warm. in case it is not handy to use claret wine, use a gill of madeira, or port, or sherry wine, and one gill of water. without wine at all it makes an inferior dish. a civet made three or four days in advance, and warmed in a _bain-marie_ for ten minutes, once every day, is better than if eaten as soon as made. in case the sauce is becoming too thick, after warming the rabbit several times, add a little broth, and also a little butter; stir gently, and always serve as warm as possible. _in crapaudine._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, cook and serve the rabbit as described for pigeon in _crapaudine_, with the exception that it takes a little longer to cook. _in croquettes._--what may be left from the preceding day's dinner of a baked, roasted, or stuffed rabbit, may be prepared in _croquettes_, in the same way as chicken _croquettes_. _with currant-jelly._--a rabbit served with currant-jelly makes a sightly dish, but it requires care and taste. skin the rabbit carefully, leaving the ears unskinned. cut the legs at the first joint, then dip the ears in hot (but not boiling) water, and scrape off the hair carefully. draw it and wash the inside carefully also, putting away the liver, heart, and lungs. chop fine one middling-sized onion, and fry it with about one ounce of butter; then add to the onion, and fry them also, the heart, liver, and lungs of the rabbit, after being chopped fine, when add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg grated, and a piece of clove also grated. stir for about one minute, take from the fire, mix with it two yolks of eggs and one ounce of butter. fill the rabbit with the mixture, sew up the incision made to draw it, and then truss it in the following way: put the rabbit on the paste-board so that it appears as if it were resting, lying on its belly. skewer the ears so that they seem to be naturally bent on the back of the neck. with a trussing-needle fasten the forelegs so that they look also as if naturally bent by the animal when at rest. roast or bake it, and serve it with the gravy and _currant_ or _raspberry jelly_. it is placed on the dish lying on its belly, the skewers and twine are removed, and a few sprigs of parsley are placed in its mouth. the currant-jelly may be served in a saucer and the gravy in another. _in gibelotte._--the only difference between a _gibelotte_ and a civet is that the latter is made with claret wine and the former with sauterne or catawba. other white wine may be used, but the two kinds above mentioned are the best. _marengo._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, cut the rabbit in pieces; keep the head, neck, and trimmings, to make a potage _au chasseur_, and cook and serve the rest as a chicken _à la marengo_. _in papillotes._--the four legs and two pieces cut on both sides of the backbone may be prepared, cooked, and served as veal cutlets in _papillotes_. the rest is used to make a potage _au chasseur_. _with olives._--when baked or roasted, serve it as a duck with olives, putting three dozen olives instead of two. _roasted._--it may be roasted with only a little butter spread all over it, or enveloped in buttered paper; or larded with salt pork; or larded and enveloped in buttered paper. it must be basted often, and if enveloped with paper, the paper must be removed about fifteen minutes before taking the rabbit from the fire. ascertain when done by means of a skewer or a small sharp-pointed knife. it takes about forty-five minutes to roast, according to size and fire. when roasted it may be served with its gravy or drippings only, or with a _cranberry_, _fines herbes_, _mushroom_, _piquante_, _provençale_, _ravigote_, _tartar_, _tomato_, _or truffle_ sauce. _with green peas._--when baked or roasted, serve it with green peas _au jus_. _sauté._--when the rabbit is cleaned and prepared as directed, proceed as for a chicken _sauté_ in every particular. _sportsman-like._--clean and prepare the rabbit, then cut off the neck, head, and the end of the legs, which you keep to make a potage _au chasseur_. put the rest in a crockery vessel with the juice of a lemon, salt, and pepper. leave thus for at least one day, turning it over two or three times. then bake or roast it, and serve with the gravy and water-cress. _stewed._--when cleaned and prepared, cut the rabbit in pieces. put in a saucepan three ounces of butter and set it on the fire; as soon as melted, put the pieces of rabbit in, stir now and then till they are turning rather brown, then take them from the pan but keep it on the fire. put in it a rather small carrot and two or three onions, both sliced, a few slices of turnip, half a dozen sprigs of parsley, two of celery, one of thyme, the last three tied together with twine, and two or three cloves, also half a pint of madeira or sherry wine, salt, and pepper; cover the whole with broth or water; boil gently till half done, when add the rabbit, and continue boiling till the whole is done, stirring once in a while. dish the rabbit, mash the onions, carrot, and turnip, through a colander, which you put all around the pieces of rabbit, strain the sauce over the whole, and serve warm. _cold._--what is left is warmed and served, if from a civet, giblotte, stewed, etc., and served with a _vinaigrette_, if from a roasted or baked piece. it may also be served with a _piquante_, _poivrade_, or _ravigote_ sauce. _snipe--to truss._--prepare as directed for poultry. cut the wings off just above the second joint, as seen in the cut below. the head and legs must be cleaned very carefully. by heating the lower part of the legs and the claws, the skin can be easily removed, but this is not necessary, they may be singed and washed only. fold the legs and run the bill of the bird through the two legs and the body. put a slice of fat salt pork on the breast of the snipe, which you fasten there with twine, as seen in the cut below. the cut represents the bird on the spit, ready for roasting. [illustration] _stewed._--take four snipes and pound the livers, hearts, and lungs well with about the same amount of fat salt pork; then add to them about a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, and the yolk of an egg; divide the mixture in four parts and put each part in a bird, which you sew and truss as directed. line the bottom of a stewpan with slices of salt pork and lay the snipe on them; set on a slow fire for ten minutes, add about half a pint of white wine, same of broth; simmer till done, dish the birds, strain the gravy on them, sprinkle a few drops of lemon-juice over the whole, and serve warm. snipes are served in several ways, as described for bobolinks and other small birds. _salmis._--a salmis is made with tame ducks and any kind of game birds. birds may be roasted or baked to make a _salmis_, but most generally it is made with cold birds, that is, what is left from the previous day's dinner. it is certainly the best way to make use of cold birds. the proportions of the different seasonings are according to the proportion of meat. we give below the proportions for a whole bird; it will be easy to augment or reduce. put two ounces of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; as soon as melted stir into it a tablespoonful of flour; when turning rather yellow add one pint of broth, same of claret wine, a bunch of seasonings composed of four or five sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf and a clove, also salt, pepper, and a clove of garlic; boil gently about thirty-five minutes. strain the sauce into a saucepan. cut the bird or part of bird in pieces, the same as they are generally carved; put them in the pan with the sauce; place the saucepan in a _bain-marie_ till the meat is warm, add some lemon-juice, and serve. while the meat is warming, cut some stale bread in _croutons_, fry them with a little butter. _to serve._--a _salmis_ is served in two ways: first, the _croutons_ are placed on the dish, a piece of meat is put on each, and then the sauce is poured all over; second, dish the meat and sauce, place the _croutons_ all around the dish, with a piece of lemon or bitter orange between each _crouton_. when the _croutons_ are served under the pieces of meat, you must have as many as there are pieces; when served around the dish, have enough of them, and of slices of lemon, to surround the dish. the _croutons_ and slices of lemon are always placed around the meat and on the border of the dish. the lemon or orange is first split in two lengthwise, then cut in eight, twelve, or sixteen slices, always commencing to cut on the inside and finishing by the rind. chop fine the bones, heart, and liver of the bird, and put them in the saucepan at the same time with the broth. truffles or mushrooms sliced may be added to the sauce, if liked, but only when strained. _another._--carve the bird or part of it, and serve cold with the following sauce; pound the liver of the bird and put it in a saucer; add to it a little vinegar, salt, pepper, and stir and mix the whole; then add about three times as much oil as vinegar, mix again, then lemon-juice, stir, and serve. it may be made without vinegar at all, using lemon-juice instead of vinegar to mix at first. opossum, otter, raccoon, skunk, fox, woodchuck, and other like animals. we cannot say that we have had much experience in cooking the above animals, but they are all eaten by many persons, in different parts of this and other countries. we have tasted of all or them except the raccoon, and we must say that we found them palatable. it is well known that when our soldiers retook possession of ship island, they found plenty of raccoons on it, and ate all they could catch. one day we happened to meet a sub-officer, who was there at the time, and inquired of him about it. he said he had never eaten any raccoons before, and did not know that they were eatable; but now he could eat them as readily as rabbit, as they were quite as good. the best time to eat any of the animals enumerated above is from christmas to the th of february. _how to prepare them._--as soon as the animal is killed skin it, take the inside out, save the liver and heart, and wash well with lukewarm water and a little salt, inside and out; then wipe dry with a towel, put inside a few leaves of sage, bay-leaves, mint, and thyme, and sew it up. hang it outside in a place sheltered from the sun, such as the northern side of a building; leave it thus five or six days, then take off, and cook. _how to skin a skunk._--we were hunting one day in new jersey, northwest of paterson, with a friend and two farmers living there, when one of them shot a skunk. we asked him how much he could get for the skin. he said it was not worth while to take it to town, but that he would eat the animal, as it was very good. we thought at first that he was joking; but putting his gun and game-bag to the ground, he looked at us earnestly, and said, "gentlemen, you seem to doubt; i will show you how it is done." we soon saw that we had been mistaken. we made a fire, took hold of the skunk by the head with one hand, and with a stick in the other held the skunk over the fire. he burnt off nearly all the hair, taking care to avoid burning the skin, commencing at the hind legs; then with his hunting-knife he carefully cut off the bag containing the fetid matter, and skinned and cleaned it. we then examined the skunk, and although it had not been washed, we could not find any part of it with a bad smell, and if we had not seen the whole operation we certainly would not have thought that it was a skunk, the very name of which is repulsive. the following week we dined with the farmer, ate some of that identical skunk, and found it very good. _how to cook the above-named animals._--take out the leaves of sage, etc., which you put in the animal before exposing it to the weather. pound well the liver and heart with about the same quantity of bacon, then mix that with two or three teaspoonfuls of chopped parsley, a pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper; stuff the animal with that mixture, and also with six small onions fried in butter, and a bunch of seasoning composed of four sprigs of parsley, three of thyme, two cloves, two cloves of garlic, and two bay-leaves, and sew it up again. butter it well all over, place it on a spit before a very quick fire; put three or four sage-leaves in the dripping-pan, and baste often with the drippings. serve it when cooked with the gravy, throwing away the sage-leaves. it may also be served with a _mayonnaise_, _ravigote_, or _tartar_ sauce. _squirrel._--a squirrel is prepared as a rabbit in every particular. venison. if young, the hoof is not much opened, and the fat is thick and clear; when old, the hoofs are wide open. to know if it is fresh enough, run a knife or a skewer through the leg or through the shoulder, and if it does not smell bad and stale, it is good. it is not as delicate when fresh as when it has been killed for five or six days. if fresh when you buy it, keep it from three to eight days before cooking it. _to improve._--put the piece of venison in a crockery vessel. for about six pounds put a pint of vinegar in a saucepan with two bay-leaves, two cloves, two cloves of garlic, one onion sliced, two stalks of thyme, four of parsley, and twelve pepper-corns; set it on the fire, give one boil, and turn over the piece of venison. turn the piece of meat over occasionally for one or two days, and then cook it. _another way._--lard the piece of venison and put it in a crockery vessel; spread all over two or three onions and a clove or two of garlic (both sliced), half a gill of sweet-oil, same of claret wine, a pinch of allspice, four cloves, and two sprigs of thyme; baste twice a day for two or three days, and then cook. _to bake._--put the venison in a baking-pan with the seasonings in which it has improved; spread some butter on it, and bake in a rather quick oven; baste now and then, and turn over if necessary. when baked, serve with a _ravigote_ sauce, to which you have added the gravy from the pan in which it has been baked. serve it also with a cranberry, _piquante_, _robert_, or _tartar_ sauce, or with currant-jelly. _in civet._--shoulder, neck, and breast-pieces are cut and prepared in civet, in the same way as a civet of rabbit. it may also be kept three or four days and warmed in a _bain-marie_; it improves it as much as that of rabbit. _with mushrooms._--any piece of venison, baked or roasted, may be served with a garniture of mushrooms. _cutlets, broiled._--the cutlets are much better when improved as directed. the seasonings are spread all over. they are then wrapped up in buttered paper and broiled on a quick fire. they may also be larded with salt pork, and then broiled with or without being enveloped in paper. when broiled and dished, serve them warm with a _maître d'hôtel_ or _ravigote_ sauce. _sautées._--put six cutlets in a stewpan, larded or not, with salt, pepper, eight small onions, two carrots, four sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two cloves, a bay-leaf, a gill of broth, and same of water; set it on a good fire and boil gently till cooked. dish the cutlets so that every small end or bone rests on the larger end of another, and serve with the sauce strained on them. if more sauce is desired, add to it any of the following: cranberry, _piquante_, _ravigote_, _robert_, or _tartar_. _haunch, roasted._--after being improved, if liked, remove the thin skin around it and lard it with salt pork; it may be roasted without larding, but it is certainly an improvement, the meat being naturally dry. place it on the spit before a brisk fire and near it; baste with melted butter first, and then with the drippings till done. if it is larded, it will require less butter. as soon as a kind of crust forms around the meat, remove it a little from the fire by degrees. ascertain with a skewer or small knife when done. venison is generally served rather underdone, when roasted or baked. to make the dish more sightly, the skin and hair of the lower part of the leg, together with the hoof, are left untouched. to prevent them from burning while it is roasting, envelop these parts with a wet towel, which you cover with several sheets of buttered or oiled paper. it may be necessary to dip the towel in water two or three times during the process of roasting. when roasted, serve with any of the following sauces: cranberry, _piquante_, _poivrade_, _ravigote_, _robert_, or _tartar_; also with currant-jelly. if served with the gravy only, add water-cress and lemon-juice or vinegar. _baked._--prepare it as directed for roasting; then place it in a bakepan with a little cold water, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan; sprinkle salt and pepper all over, spread some butter on the upper side and put in a quick oven. turn over and baste now and then till done. if the water is absorbed, add more. when baked, serve with the same sauces as if roasted, and also with currant-jelly and water-cress. _saddle._--roast or bake the saddle, and serve it as directed for a haunch, with the same sauces, and also with water-cress and currant-jelly. _shoulder._--cut the shoulder in fillets and lard them slightly. put in a stewpan four ounces of butter and set it on a brisk fire; when hot, lay the fillets in, and when of a golden color add the seasonings in which you have improved the saddle, or the same ones if you have not done it; then subdue the fire, wet with a little warm broth, simmer till cooked, dish the fillets, strain the sauce on them, and serve. it may also be dressed entire, with the bones off; but it is more generally done in fillets. it is boned like a shoulder of mutton, and roasted or baked, and served like a haunch, with the same sauces and with currant-jelly or water-cress. _stewed._--cut the meat in square pieces, about two inches in size. have in a stewpan, and on a good fire, a piece of butter the size of a duck's egg; when melted, sprinkle in, little by little, a tablespoonful of flour, stirring the while with a wooden spoon; when getting rather thick, add two ounces of bacon cut in dice, also half a pint of claret wine, same of warm water, salt, pepper, a pinch of allspice, two shallots chopped fine, or two green onions, four or five mushrooms, two cloves of garlic, and six onions; then lay the meat on the whole, and boil gently till cooked. dish the meat, boil the sauce till of a brownish color, skim off the fat if there is too much of it, take out the cloves of garlic, turn the sauce on the meat, and serve hot. _with truffles or mushrooms._--any part of venison, baked or roasted, may be served with a garniture of mushrooms, or one of truffles. _cold._--when you have some left for the next day, warm it before serving it, if from a stew; but if from a roasted haunch, cut in slices and serve cold with a _vinaigrette_. snails. a good many are now imported from europe. _how to clean and prepare._--throw them in boiling water, in which you have put some wood-ashes; leave them in till they have thrown their cover wide open, which will take about fifteen minutes; then take them off, pull them out of the shell by means of a fork, place them in lukewarm water, and leave two hours; next, rub them in your hands, and then soak in cold water; rub them again in your hands in cold water, two or three times, changing the water each time, so as to take away most of their sliminess. wash the shells in lukewarm water with a scrubbing-brush, and drain them when clean. _broiled._--knead together and make a paste of a sufficient quantity of butter, parsley chopped fine, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg; say about two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of parsley, a saltspoonful of salt, a pinch of pepper, and the same of nutmeg (for two dozen). put a piece of the above paste, the size of a kidney bean, in each shell, then the snails, and at the top again the same quantity of paste; lay them one by one close together, in a crockery or cast-iron kettle, the mouth of the snails up, and not one upon another; cover the kettle well; set it on a moderate fire, or in a moderately heated oven, and leave thus till cooked, which is easily seen by the parsley beginning to turn black, or as if fried. lay them on a dish in the same order, and if there is any gravy in the kettle, put a part of it in each shell, and serve hot. in eating them, be careful after having taken off the snail and eaten it, to turn down the shell, for there is some juice in the bottom of it which is delicious; the best way is to drink it as if from the bottom of a glass. they can be broiled on a gridiron, but they are not as good as in a kettle; some of the juice is lost, and also the flavor. _stewed._--put in a stewpan four ounces of butter for fifty snails, and set it on a good fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, stirring a while; then add a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, two sprigs of thyme, a bay-leaf, a pint of white wine, and then the snails, which you have previously put back into their shells; cover the whole with warm broth, boil gently till the sauce is reduced and the snails are cooked, and serve them mouth upward, and filled with the sauce. vegetables. green vegetables must look fresh, and have nothing rotten about them. _to boil or blanch green vegetables._--whatever they are, spinach, green peas, asparagus, etc., put some cold water and a little salt on the fire; clean the vegetable, wash it if necessary, then drop it in the water at the first boil; keep boiling for a time or till done; drain, and immediately drop it in cold water; drain again before using. it is impossible to tell how long it takes to boil; it depends entirely on the nature of the vegetable: for instance, spinach, as well as peas or any other vegetable, according to how tender it is, may take from three to twenty minutes to cook properly. dry vegetables, such as beans, peas, lentils, etc., are washed or soaked in cold water, drained, and then set on the fire with cold water and no salt. salt renders beans much harder and retards their cooking. other vegetables that are neither green nor dry, such as carrots, turnips, etc., are generally set on the fire with cold water and salt. if prepared in other ways, it is explained in the receipts. potatoes are generally steamed; when they must be boiled, it is explained. we recommend to drop the green vegetables in the water at the first boil, because, in boiling, water evaporates its gases and alkali, and is therefore inferior for cooking purposes. green vegetables are more acid here than in europe, on account of the newness and richness of the soil; so is some fruit. _artichokes_.--the artichoke we refer to here is the plant somewhat resembling a thistle, having a large, scaly head, like the cone of the pine-tree; the lower part of the leaves composing the head, with the broad receptacle underneath, is the eatable part. it is a native of sicily, and is an excellent and delicate vegetable. it grows well here, and the reason why it is not more generally known is because some persons who are used to live on coarse food have underrated it--their palates not being fit to appreciate its delicate flavor. we recommend gardeners and farmers to cultivate it; they will find a ready market. _how to eat them raw_.--quarter them, take off the outer leaves and choke, and serve with oil, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. _how to cook_.--clean them and take off the outer leaves, throw them into boiling water, with parsley, salt, and pepper (they are cooked when the leaves come off easily), then take from the fire and drain, taking care to put them upside down. _the same, fried_.--when cooked as above, cut the upper part of the leaves, and then cut them in eight pieces, take the choke off, dip each piece in a thin paste made of flour, sweet-oil, beaten egg, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and fry them with a little butter. serve them with sprigs of fried parsley around. _the same, stewed_.--when cooked as directed above, cut them in four pieces, and trim off the upper part of the leaves, take off the choke, and lay them in a stewpan; cover them with broth and set on a moderate fire; add then one ounce of butter for six artichokes, one sprig of parsley, and two mushrooms cut in slices; boil ten minutes, take the parsley off, and serve the artichokes with the mushrooms around; pour the sauce on the whole. _in vinaigrette._--cook, and serve with a _vinaigrette_. the jerusalem artichokes are dressed like potatoes. _asparagus._--this is thought to be a native of asia. the white asparagus sells dearer than the other kinds, but we cannot say that it is on account of its better quality, it is most likely for being more sightly when served. if it is kept for some time before boiling it, place the bunch in about half an inch deep of cold water, the top upward, and keep in a cool place. there are only four ways of preparing asparagus without changing or destroying the natural taste of the plant. the large ones, or what is called the first cut, is prepared in _vinaigrette_, _white sauce_, and _fried_; the small one, or second cut, is cooked _en petits pois_--like green peas. it is better and has more taste when boiled rather underdone, that is, taken from the water when still firm; if boiled till soft, it loses its taste and is not crisp. _to boil._--cut off some of the white part, so as to have the whole of one length if possible; then scrape the white end a little, soak in cold water for a few minutes, and drain. tie it in small bunches of half a dozen or a dozen, according to size, and drop them in boiling water and a little salt, at the first boil of the water. boil till rather underdone, take off, drain and drop in cold water immediately. drain again, and it is ready to serve. _en petits pois._--cut small asparagus in pieces about half an inch long, and blanch them for three minutes. take off and drain; then put them in a saucepan on the fire with two or three tablespoonfuls of broth, stir now and then for about two minutes, add a teaspoonful of flour; stir again, and as soon as mixed with the asparagus add also about one ounce of butter, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, stir, and, when the butter is melted, serve. _fried._--blanch the asparagus two minutes, drain it; dip each in batter and fry in hot fat. take off with a skimmer when done; and turn into a colander, salt it, and serve hot. _in vinaigrette._--boil it as directed. when cold, serve with a _vinaigrette_. (this is also called _à l'huile_.) _with white sauce._--while it is boiling, make a white sauce; drain the asparagus and serve both, sauce and vegetable, warm. the asparagus is not dropped in cold water. _with cream sauce._--it is prepared and served as with a white sauce. _in omelet._--boil the asparagus as directed, and when cool cut it in small pieces about half an inch long, and when the omelet is ready to be folded in two, a little while before taking from the fire, place the asparagus in the middle, then fold and serve the omelet as if there were nothing in it. _green or string beans_, _dwarf or snap beans_, _french haricots_, _pole beans_, _kidney beans_, _etc._--_to prepare them when green and cooked with the pods._--remove the string or thread that is on both sides, by partly breaking one end of the pod and pulling lengthwise, repeat the same for the other side; cut them in pieces half an inch long, soak them in cold water, and throw them into boiling water with a little salt. boil them till cooked, which you will know by pressing one between your fingers to see if tender; take them from the fire, throw them into cold water to cool, and drain them. _au jus._--cook a quart of beans. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when melted, put the beans in with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; stir five minutes; then add a gill of broth, salt, and pepper; simmer twenty minutes, and, just on taking from the fire, mix in it two well-beaten yolks of eggs, with the juice of half a lemon, and serve. _maître d'hôtel._--put in a stewpan two ounces of butter, and set it on a good fire; when melted, put in it a quart of beans cooked in water, with a pinch of grated nutmeg, half a pint of milk, salt, pepper, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley; keep stirring continually, boil ten minutes, take from the fire, mix in it two beaten yolks of eggs, and serve. _the same, with onions._--put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when hot, put in it two onions cut in slices, and fry them. then add salt, pepper, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a saltspoonful of chopped parsley, and a quart of beans cooked in water; also half a pint of boiling water; boil ten minutes, stir with a wooden spoon, take from the fire, sprinkle in it a few drops of vinegar, and serve. _the same, in salad._--cook the beans in water, as directed above; then put a layer of them in a crockery vessel, the layer to be about one inch thick; then sprinkle on it salt and pepper; repeat the same process till all your beans are in; cover and leave thus three or four hours; then throw away the water, or drain if convenient; place the beans in a salad-dish, with the sweet-oil, vinegar, and parsley necessary; move like a salad, and serve cold. _green, shelled, lima, or other beans._--shell the beans, throw them in boiling water with a little salt, and when cooked drain them. put two ounces of butter for a quart of beans in a saucepan, and when melted put the beans in with salt and pepper; toss gently now and then for three or four minutes, then add about a teaspoonful of vinegar, or the juice of half a lemon, and half a teaspoonful of parsley chopped. mix and serve warm. they may also be prepared as string-beans, either _au jus_, in _maître d'hôtel_, or in _salad_. _dry beans, lima, white or colored._--dry beans must be soaked in water for some time. some require to be soaked twenty-four hours, others only five or six hours. those that require to be soaked long are not from the last harvest, but have been kept for two or more years. if you are not sure that the beans (especially the white) are from this year's crop, soak them for twenty-four hours in cold water, and then drain them. _to boil._--put the beans in a saucepan with cold water, and boil gently till tender. if the water boils away, fill up with cold water, but never put any salt to boil dry beans, it prevents them from cooking. as soon as boiled tender, drain them, and they are ready for use. _au jus._--when boiled as above, set them on the fire in a stewpan with a few tablespoonfuls of gravy or broth, salt, and a little butter, stir for two or three minutes, then add a little chopped parsley, and serve warm. _maître d'hôtel._--when boiled as above, drain and put them in a saucepan with about three ounces of butter for a quart of beans, stir now and then, and when the butter is melted, add salt, pepper, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and a few drops of vinegar; just mix and serve. _with salt pork._--boil a quart of beans as directed above, and drain them. cut in dice about half a pound of bacon and put it in a saucepan on the fire; when about half fried add the beans, mix and stir for one minute, then put in a warm oven for about twenty minutes, stirring occasionally; when done, sprinkle on it some parsley chopped fine, pepper and salt to taste, if not salt enough. there are several ways of preparing "pork and beans," but the one we give above is the most general in new england. the pork must neither be too fat nor too lean. it may be done also with ham and fresh pork. _with mutton._--boil as directed about three pints of white beans and drain them. when the leg of mutton is about half roasted, put the beans in the dripping-pan, and stir occasionally till the meat is done, and serve them with it. it makes a very nourishing dish, but it would be rather heavy for persons having sedentary avocations. two quarts of beans would not be too much for a good-sized leg of mutton. it may also be prepared with any other piece of mutton; shoulder, saddle, etc. _boiled with mutton or pork._--prepare a quart of beans as directed, and then boil them ten minutes and drain them. cut in rather large dice about two pounds of breast or neck of mutton or the same of pork, and of the same pieces, and put meat and beans in a stewpan, cover well with cold water; season with a bunch of seasonings composed of five or six sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and two cloves, salt, pepper, a little nutmeg grated, a carrot cut in three or four pieces, two onions, and a piece of turnip. boil gently till the whole is thoroughly cooked; remove the seasonings, and serve meat and beans together. this makes also a nourishing dish and not an expensive one. the nutritive qualities of beans are very well known, and very much exaggerated too. even professor liebig once said that "four quarts of beans and two pounds of corned beef or pork boiled to rags, in fifty quarts of water, will furnish a good meal for forty men." we must say that we have not been able to try the experiment, but we should like very much to see what kind and how much work forty men would do, and for how long, with such a diet. there are many things that look or seem well, and even magnificent in theory, though entirely impracticable. it sounds well, especially to those who do not understand the meaning of it, to say that we feed mostly on gluten, albumen, gelatine, etc., and that we require so many ounces of carbon, oxygen, etc., in twenty-four hours. every thing that we eat may be, with the exception of salt, turned into charcoal; but no one has yet been known to feed on it. _colored beans, stewed._--soak, boil five minutes, and drain a quart of beans. put in a stewpan half a pound of bacon and set it on the fire; five minutes after, put the beans in, with four small onions, salt, and pepper, boil gently till cooked, and drain. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan on the fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, same of chopped parsley, then the beans, without the bacon and onions; toss now and then for ten minutes, then add half a pint of claret wine, the same of the water in which they were cooked, boil gently twenty minutes; then put in it also the bacon and onions, boil five minutes longer, and serve the whole on the same dish. _beets, stewed._--clean and wash well, but do not skin them. put in a crockery vessel a layer of rye straw, moisten it slightly, place the beets on it, cover the vessel, and place it in a slow oven for five or six hours; cool and skin them. when cooked, cut them in thin slices. put butter in a stewpan, and when melted sprinkle in it a pinch of flour, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, then the beets; simmer twenty minutes, add a few drops of vinegar, and serve. _cabbages--to boil._--take off the outer leaves, clean, cut in four pieces, free it from stump and stalk, and drop it in boiling water with a little salt and a piece of charcoal. boil slowly till tender, and drain. cabbage contains some sulphur, and evaporates an unpleasant odor while boiling, and especially while boiling fast. by putting a piece of charcoal in the pot, it does not smell as much. _with bacon._--when boiled and drained, put the cabbage in a stewpan with bacon, sausage, and a piece of breast of mutton; cover with cold water, season with three or four sprigs of parsley, a carrot, a clove, a little nutmeg, salt and pepper; boil till the whole is well cooked, remove the seasonings and drain; dish the cabbage, put the meat on it, and serve warm. _with milk, or à la crème._--boil and drain the cabbage as directed above. put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, set it on a good fire, and when melted put the cabbage in with salt and pepper. sprinkle on it a teaspoonful of flour, add half a pint of cream or good milk; keep stirring with a wooden spoon during the whole process; boil gently till the sauce is reduced, and serve warm. _stewed._--boil and drain two large heads of cabbage, and cut them very fine. put about three ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted put the cabbage in and stir for five minutes; then add salt, pepper, and a pinch of flour; wet with a pint of broth, boil till cooked and the sauce reduced, then serve warm. _a l'allemande._--blanch for ten minutes some white or green cabbage and drain it. put six ounces of salt pork, cut in dice, in a saucepan on the fire, and when partly fried put two or three small heads of cabbage in, stir, and when done, add a little gravy, and serve warm. _with apples._--blanch for about ten minutes a head of cabbage and drain it. put two or three ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and put the cabbage in when the butter is melted with four or five apples peeled, quartered, and cored; also a little salt and a little sugar, about half a pint of water or broth, boil gently till done, and serve as warm as possible. generally, cabbages are better when prepared at least one day in advance, and then warmed in a _bain-marie_ before serving; a little butter may be added while it is warming. any kind of cabbage is prepared as directed in the above ways. _red cabbage in salad._--take a hard head of red cabbage, and when all the outer leaves are removed, see if it is clean, but do not wash it; if a cabbage is not clean, do not use it for salad (as you want a hard one, and a hard one is always clean when the outer leaves are taken off). then cut it in four pieces, trim off the stump and coarse ends of the leaves; cut it as thin as possible, as in making sour-krout, put it in a crockery vessel, with salt, vinegar, and pepper sprinkled on, cover and leave thus from four to six hours; then throw away the water or vinegar, dress as another salad, with oil and vinegar, and serve. _the same, stewed._--blanch the cabbage for about ten minutes and drain it; then put it in a saucepan with about an ounce of butter and stir for five minutes, when add a little salt, a little sugar, a gill of claret wine, and same of broth or water. boil gently till done, and serve. _stuffed._--remove the outer leaves of either a green, white, or red cabbage, see that it be clean, then put it in a bowl, and pour boiling water on it. leave it so till the leaves are soft and pliable, when take off and drain. cut off the stump carefully, place the cabbage on the table, the top upward, then open it gently by spreading the leaves all around without breaking them; then, commencing with the centre leaves, put some sausage-meat between the leaves, finishing with the outer ones and raising them; that is, bringing the cabbage to its original shape as much as possible, and then tie it all around with twine. put in a saucepan large enough to hold the cabbage easily, but not too large, a little salt pork, cut in small dice, rind of salt pork and trimmings of butcher's meat that you may have, but if none at all, put a little lean salt pork or bacon, and cut in dice also, half a carrot in slices, two onions in slices also, and then the cabbage on the whole. half cover it with broth; water may be used instead of broth, but it makes a very inferior dish, while with broth it is unquestionably an excellent one for those who like cabbages. simmer for two or three hours, according to the size of the cabbage. a piece of sausage may be placed on the cabbage also and cooked with it. then dish the cabbage, remove the twine tying it; place the sausage around and also the salt pork if liked, strain the sauce on the whole, and serve warm. if the water or broth boils away while it is cooking, add more. _sour-krout._--soak in cold water for some time, changing the water three or four times; then put it in a stewpan with a pound of bacon, two ounces of sausages, and two ounces of lard to every quart of sour-krout, salt, and pepper; wet with broth, or with water, boil from five to six hours, and serve with the bacon and sausages on it. when cooked as above, but with water instead of broth, drain it well, put the bacon and sausages away in a warm place; then put the sour-krout in a stewpan with about one pint of white wine to a quart of sour-krout, set it on the fire and boil gently till the wine is nearly all absorbed or boiled away. serve as above with the bacon and sausages on it. it is almost always prepared with wine in many parts of germany. _cardoons._--the white part only is good to eat. clean well and scrape the sides; cut in pieces two inches and a half in length, and throw them in boiling water with a little salt; boil them till their sliminess comes off easily; then take from the fire, pour cold water in, and by means of a towel remove the sliminess; soak in cold water and drain them. lay a few slices of bacon in a stewpan, place the cardoons on them, and again lay slices of bacon on; season with two onions, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove, salt, pepper, and the juice of half a lemon; cover with water and set on a good fire; boil till cooked; take from the fire and drain the cardoons only, throwing away the seasonings. put the cardoons back in the stewpan, in which you have left the bacon; add two or three tablespoonfuls of broth, and two of espagnole sauce; set on a slow fire, and simmer till the sauce is reduced to a proper thickness. have at the same time in a pan on the fire a piece of ox-marrow, and when melted mix it with the sauce at the moment you take the cardoons from the fire, and serve hot either with or without the bacon. _carrots--how to clean and prepare them._--trim off all the small roots, wash them well, scrape them gently, taking care to scrape the skin only; then wash well, drain, and cut them either in slices a quarter of an inch thick, in fillets or strips, or with a vegetable spoon, according to fancy. _to boil._--when prepared, put them in a saucepan with a little salt, more cold water than is necessary to cover them, set on the fire, boil gently till tender, and drain. it is impossible to tell how long it takes, as it depends how young and tender they are. _in béchamel._--clean, cut, and boil about a quart of carrots as directed and drain them. mix well together in a saucepan, on the table, about two ounces of butter with a tablespoonful of flour, add about one pint of milk, set on the fire, stir slowly till it comes to a boil, when turn the carrots in, stir for about one minute, add also a little salt, same of sugar, two yolks of eggs; stir and mix well, give one boil, and serve warm. _a la crème, or with cream._--proceed as for a _béchamel_ in every particular except that you use cream instead of milk. _in poulette._--proceed as in _béchamel_ with the exception that you use broth instead of milk, and add a little parsley, chopped fine, just before serving. _fines herbes._--clean, cut, and boil as directed, about a quart of carrots. set a saucepan on the fire with two ounces of butter in it, and when melted fry in it a piece of onion chopped fine. when the onion is fried add a pint of broth or water; boil about five minutes, put the carrots in with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, give one boil, take from the fire, add a few drops of lemon-juice, and serve as warm as possible, with salt to taste. _au jus._--proceed as for _fines herbes_, except that you do not use onions, and put half a pint of broth or gravy. _glazed._--clean, cut with a vegetable spoon, and boil as directed, about a quart of carrots, and drain them. put three ounces of butter in a frying-pan and set it on the fire. as soon as the butter is melted turn the carrots in, toss gently for five or six minutes, then add a little over a gill of rich gravy, sugar to taste, toss again now and then till the gravy is half boiled away, and use. glazed carrots are seldom served alone, but most generally used as garnishing around a piece of meat. _stewed._--clean, and cut carrots in slices, and then blanch them for about five minutes, and drain them. set a stewpan on the fire with about two ounces of butter in it; as soon as melted put the carrots in with salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar, half a pint of broth; boil gently till cooked, take from the fire, add and mix with the carrots a little chopped parsley, and serve warm. _with sugar._--clean and slice about a quart of carrots, and blanch them for five minutes, and then drain them. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan, and set it on a good fire, and when melted lay the carrots in with salt, pepper, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and about half a pint of broth; sprinkle in it, while stirring with a wooden spoon, about a teaspoonful of flour, and boil gently till cooked. take from the fire, mix a good tablespoonful of sugar with two yolks of eggs, and those again with the rest, and serve. _cauliflowers and broccoli--how to prepare and cook them in water._--clean and wash them well, throw into boiling water with a little salt and a little flour, boil till cooked, and drain them. _how to serve with cheese._--put them on a crockery dish when prepared; pour on a white sauce, in which you have mixed a little grated cheese; then dust the whole with fine bread-crumbs; after which you take a soft brush or a feather, which you dip in lukewarm butter, and put a thin coat of it all over the cauliflowers; then place the dish in a quick oven for ten minutes, and serve as they are, _i. e._, in the dish in which they have been cooked. this is also called _au gratin_. _in béchamel._--boil the cauliflowers till done to your taste, drain immediately and place them on the dish, the top upward. while it is boiling make a _béchamel_ sauce and turn it over the cauliflowers as soon as dished, and serve as warm as possible. cauliflower, like asparagus, has a better taste when rather underdone; it is more crisp. _au beurre noir (with brown butter)._--when boiled, drained, and dished, turn a brown butter over them, and serve warm. _with a cream-sauce._--clean, prepare, boil, and drain the cauliflowers as directed above, then dish them also with the top upward. while they are boiling, make a cream-sauce and turn it over the cauliflowers as soon as they are dished, and serve warm. as they must be served warm, if the sauce is ready before the cauliflowers are cooked, keep it in a _bain-marie_; if the cauliflowers are cooked before the sauce is ready, keep them in a warm place. _with a white sauce._--proceed as with a cream-sauce in every particular, turning a white instead of a cream-sauce over them; serve warm. _fried._--clean, prepare, and boil them for about five minutes, that is, till they are about half cooked; then dip them in batter for frying vegetables, and fry them in hot fat. take them off with a skimmer, turn them into a colander, sprinkle salt all over, and serve as hot as possible. they are excellent fried, but they must not be allowed to cool. _with a tomato-sauce._--commence by making a tomato-sauce, as it requires longer than preparing the cauliflowers. when the sauce is nearly made, boil the cauliflower as directed, dish it, and then turn the sauce over it, and serve warm. _au jus, or stewed._--prepare, boil the cauliflowers till half done, and drain them. place them carefully in a stewpan, the top upward, and set on the fire with a little fat. the fire must be rather slow. stir gently and very carefully in order not to break them, and, about five minutes after they are on the fire, add half a gill of broth for a middling-sized cauliflower, salt, and pepper; simmer till done, stirring now and then during the process; dish them, turn the sauce all over, and serve warm. _in salad._--when boiled and drained, leave them in the colander till perfectly cold, then put them in the salad-dish with salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil, move carefully in order not to break it, and serve. a salad of cauliflowers is not served as a salad of greens, but as an _entremet_, like other vegetables, and as if prepared in any other way. it is an excellent dish for breakfast. _celery--stewed._--cut off the green part or top of about half a dozen heads of celery; cleanse and trim them, but leave them whole. set a saucepan of cold water and a little salt on the fire, and at the first boil drop the heads of celery in, boil till tender and drain. put the celery back in the pan with about half a pint of broth; boil gently about five minutes, when add two or three tablespoonfuls of good meat-gravy, a teaspoonful of _meunière_, salt to taste, give one boil, and serve warm. _fried._--cut the celery in pieces about two inches long, wash, drain, and wipe dry. dip them in batter for frying vegetables, drop in hot fat, and turn them into a colander when fried; sprinkle salt over, and serve hot. soup or turnip-rooted celery, after being cleaned and properly scraped, is prepared like table celery as above, either stewed or fried. _chiccory._--chiccory, or succory, or endive, is generally prepared as a salad, if it be that with the broad leaves, or the curled endive. _stewed._--clean, wash, and drain it. blanch it for about one minute, and drain again. then put it in a stewpan with a little broth, and simmer till cooked; then add a little gravy, salt and pepper to taste, and serve. it makes a good _entremet_. the wild chiccory is prepared in the same way. _with milk._--remove the outer leaves and see that it is perfectly clean, cut in two or four, wash well in several waters, and throw into boiling water with a little salt; boil half an hour, take it out, throw into cold water, leave two minutes, and drain; press on it the drainer so as to extract all the water from it, after which chop it fine. put about two ounces of butter in a stewpan; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, also salt and pepper; then put the endive in, say three or four heads, stir with a wooden spoon for ten minutes, after which time you beat two eggs with milk, and put them in the stewpan; keep stirring fifteen minutes longer, and serve. _corn--sweet._--the simplest and best way is to boil it, and then eat it with butter, salt, and pepper. when boiled with any meat-soup, or with _pot-au-feu_, it is delicious to eat, and gives a good taste to the broth; it is also eaten with butter, salt, and pepper, as above. _stewed._--shell it and then drop it in boiling water and a little salt, boil till nearly done; then drain and put it back on the fire with a little broth; boil gently for about ten minutes, add a little gravy, salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm. _in succotash._--this popular indian dish, is very simply made by boiling corn and green lima beans together, with salt and pepper. the two can be prepared together as stewed corn, but it makes a very inferior dish. _cucumbers._--peel them, split them in four, take the seeds out, cut in pieces about one inch long, throw them into boiling water, with a little salt; boil till cooked, drain, and put them on a towel so as to dry them well; then put butter in a frying-pan, and set it on a good fire; when hot, put in it some chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, two minutes after put the cucumbers in it, fry a few minutes, tossing them now and then, and serve. _the same, stewed._--cook in boiling water, and dry them as above; then put them in a stewpan with a little butter kneaded with flour, add salt, pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg; moisten with broth, simmer to reduce the sauce; take from the fire, mix the yolks of two eggs in the sauce; add to it a few drops of vinegar, and serve them. _stuffed._--soak a piece of bread in cold water and then squeeze the water out of it, the size to be according to how many cucumbers are to be stuffed, or how large they are. split large cucumbers in two, lengthwise, remove the seeds and some of the fleshy parts inside, by means of a small iron spoon. put a little butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted fry in it a piece of chopped onion. when the onion is fried, put in the pan what you have removed from the inside of the cucumbers, and which you have chopped a little, stir for about five minutes, and then add the soaked bread, stir and mix well with the rest; add also salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg and a little gravy; stir again for about one minute, take from the fire; fill the cucumbers, that is, each half with the mixture; place them in a pan, the mixture upward; dust with bread-crumbs, put a little butter on the top of each, and bake. before serving, a little gravy may be sprinkled all over; serve warm. _in hors-d'oeuvre._--peel the cucumbers, cut them in slices slantwise, and salt them for two or three hours. drain them, and then season with oil, vinegar, pepper, and parsley chopped fine. pickled cucumbers are served whole with small onions, also pickled, as a _hors-d'oeuvre_. _dandelion._--dandelion is a very healthy greens in the spring, either cooked or raw. clean and wash them well several times, as it nearly always contains fine sand between the leaves; leave them in cold water about two hours, and drain them; throw them into boiling water and salt; boil twenty minutes if young, and thirty minutes if full grown; then put them in a colander, press on them so as to extract all the water, after which chop them fine; put about two ounces of butter in a stewpan, for two quarts, and set it on a quick fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, salt and pepper, then put the dandelion in, stir for ten minutes, after which wet it with broth; keep stirring for about fifteen minutes longer, and serve. _egg-plant--broiled._--split the egg-plant in two lengthwise, peel it and remove the seed. put it in a crockery vessel and sprinkle salt on it; leave it thus nearly an hour, then take it off, dip it in egg beaten with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, then boil it; serve with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. _fried._--peel and cut in slices, lay the slices in a vessel, sprinkling salt over every layer, and leave thus half an hour and drain. dip the slices in batter for frying vegetables, drop them in hot fat, and turn them into a colander when fried; sprinkle salt all over, and serve. _sauté._--put the slices with salt half an hour in a vessel as directed in the above. drain them, and then fry them on both sides with a little butter in a frying-pan. serve warm, with salt and pepper to taste. _stuffed._--proceed as for stuffed cucumbers in every particular. _hominy._--hominy is prepared in different ways, some make it in cakes, others like mush. the following is, however, the general way of preparing it: boil it for about three hours with water or milk, also butter, salt, and pepper; then mix with it some well-beaten eggs, fry or broil, or even cook it in an oven, and serve for breakfast. _leeks._--clean, wash, and drain; throw them in boiling water with a little salt, boil fifteen minutes, and drain; press on them in the drainer, so as to extract all the water, then chop them fine. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, salt, and pepper, then add the leeks. stir with a wooden spoon for ten minutes; after that beat two eggs with milk, and put them in a stewpan; keep stirring fifteen minutes longer, and serve. _lentils._--this excellent vegetable, much superior to beans or peas, is not generally known. most of what we have here comes from germany; a little comes from france and switzerland. many persons think them much dearer than beans or peas, not knowing that they swell three or four times their size when soaked in water before cooking them. they are prepared like dry beans in every way. a _purée_ of lentils is excellent with almost every kind of meat, and it also makes a good potage. it has all the nutritive qualities of the bean. _lettuce._--cos lettuce, cabbage lettuce, butter lettuce, curled silesia, white or green lettuce, etc. besides being served as salad, all the above, when properly dressed, make an excellent _entremet_. _to prepare._--take off the outer leaves, that is, all those that are too green or too hard, then clean and wash well, but without cutting it off, or without detaching the leaves. to stew lettuce, select hard heads, so that they can be cleansed without detaching the leaves. when cleaned, drop the heads in boiling water and a little salt, boil about five or ten minutes, according to how tender the lettuce is, and drain dry. _stewed._--when cleaned and prepared, sprinkle on the top of each, salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg; then tie each head with a string. place in a stewpan two or three slices of bacon, put the heads of lettuce in, season with two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove, also salt and pepper; cover with water, and simmer about two hours in an oven; then take them from the pan, drain, pressing on them to extract all the water, and put them on a dish, the top upward. have butter in a stewpan, and on a good fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon; subdue the fire, add a little milk, and stir and simmer ten minutes longer; take from the fire, mix in the beaten yolks of two eggs, pour it on the lettuce, which you have kept warm, and serve. _another way._--when prepared, chop it fine. put in a stewpan, for four heads of lettuce, three ounces of butter, and set it on the fire; when melted, put the lettuce in with a little chopped chervil, stir now and then till cooked; then sprinkle in it a pinch of flour, wet with broth, boil ten minutes longer, keeping it stirred, and serve. (for a salad of lettuce, see salad.) _stuffed._--proceed as for a stuffed cabbage. _mushrooms._--preserved mushrooms are used for sauces only. the first thing to consider very attentively in mushrooms is, not to eat any that you do not know to be good to eat. there are so many kinds of good and bad ones, that it is necessary to be very careful about even the edible ones, or the ones known as such when young; it is better and safer never to use them when old; they are considered old when the comb underneath is black before picking, while when young it is of a pink color. _how to clean and prepare them._--cut off the lower part of the stem; skin them with a steel knife, commencing at the edge and finishing at the top; cut in pieces, put them in cold water, to which you have added a few drops of vinegar; leave them in it two hours, moving them occasionally; then wash well in two or three waters, and drain. when cleaned and prepared thus, they are ready to be used in sauces, or to cook. _broiled._--if you have large mushrooms, clean and prepare as above, except that you do not cut them; but when drained, put them upside down on a greased gridiron, and on a moderate fire; place a little butter around the stem upon the comb, and when done place them on a dish which you have warmed in advance, and in the same position they had on the gridiron; put again around the stem some butter kneaded with a little chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, and serve. they must be served warm. as an ornament, you may make, with common white note-paper, as many little square boxes as you have mushrooms to broil; grease them with butter, put the mushrooms in, set them on the gridiron, and on a moderate fire, and serve them in the boxes when done. _the same, stewed._--when cleaned and prepared as directed, and drained, throw a quart of them in boiling water, to which you have added a few drops of vinegar; boil five minutes, take them out, put them in cold water to cool, drain and dry them in a towel. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on a good fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a pinch of flour, add also a sprig of parsley, two small onions, a little piece of carrot, a bay-leaf, salt, and pepper, cover with broth, and boil till the onions are cooked; then take from the pan onions, parsley, and bay-leaf, and put the mushrooms in instead; boil slowly about twenty minutes, take from the fire, add to the sauce the yolks of two eggs well beaten with a few drops of vinegar, and serve warm. _mushroom catsup._--clean and wash them well, stems and all; cut them in two or four pieces; then place the pieces in a crockery vessel, sprinkling salt on every layer of mushrooms, and leave thus twenty-four hours. take them out and press them well, so as to take all the juice out, which you bottle at once, and cork. put the mushrooms back in the vessel, and twenty-four hours after press them again; and again put the juice in bottles, and the mushrooms in the vessel, and repeat this process again after another twenty-four hours. then mix well together the juice of the three pressings; add to it pepper, allspice, one clove (or more, according to the quantity) broken in pieces; boil the whole, skim off the scum as long as you see any on the surface, and strain. bottle when cool; put in each bottle two cloves and a pepper-corn, cork air-tight, put in a cool and dry place, and it will keep for years. _dried._--dried mushrooms are imported from italy, they come cheaper than the preserved ones in cans, and are as good for brown sauces. soak them in water over night; drain them, and they are ready for use. _onions à la crème.--(with cream.)_--only small white onions are prepared _à la crème_. have water and a little salt on the fire, and drop two dozen small white onions into it at the first boil. when cooked, drain, and wipe them dry carefully, in order not to bruise them. set a saucepan on the fire with about two ounces of butter in it, and when melted put the onions in, stirring gently for two or three minutes, then turn about a gill of cream in, little by little, stirring the while, and as soon as the whole is in take from the fire, salt to taste, and serve hot. _glazed._--peel a dozen of middling-sized onions and put them in a saucepan with four ounces of butter, and set them on a slow fire; stir occasionally till they are about three-quarters done, when add about two ounces of powdered sugar, stir now and then and finish the cooking. when done and well browned all around, add one or two tablespoonfuls of good meat-gravy, keep a few minutes on a rather brisk fire in order to reduce the sauce, but keep stirring and use. onions prepared that way are excellent, and generally used to decorate meat. _stewed._--clean a quart of small onions, throw them in boiling water, add two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a clove, a bay-leaf, a little piece of nutmeg, a clove of garlic, salt, and pepper; boil twenty minutes, drain the onions only, and throw away the seasonings. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan on a good fire, and when melted sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour; then add the onions, cover with half broth and half white wine, boil gently till well cooked and the sauce reduced, serve warm. it is a very wholesome dish. _parsnips.--sautées._--scrape, wash, drain, and put about two quarts of parsnips in a saucepan with cold water and a little salt, set on the fire and boil till done, then drain. cut the parsnips in slices, put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and when melted put the sliced turnips in, toss gently till they are of a fine golden color, then add salt and pepper to taste, turn over a dish, sprinkle chopped parsley all over, and serve warm. _stewed._--scrape, clean, wash, boil, and drain as above directed, about two quarts of parsnips. put them immediately into a stewpan with salt, pepper, and broth enough to about half cover them, boil gently for fifteen minutes, and serve the whole as it is. they may also be prepared in _poulette_, the same as turnips. _peas with bacon._--put in a stewpan on the fire four ounces of bacon cut in dice (for one quart of peas), and toss and fry it for about five minutes, then add the peas after having blanched them from five to ten minutes, according to how tender they are; stir for two minutes and add half a pint of broth or water, also a bunch of seasonings composed of two or three sprigs of parsley, half a one of thyme, and a piece of bay-leaf; stir again and mix, and then add also two or three small onions, salt, and pepper; boil half an hour, remove the seasonings, and serve peas and salt pork. a small sausage may be added for those who like the taste of it. _plain boiled._--put a saucepan on the fire with water and salt in it, and at the first boil drop two quarts of peas in it; boil gently till done, and then drain. as soon as they are in the colander, just toss them a little, turn them over a dish, and put four ounces of butter on the top, salt, and pepper, then place the dish in the oven with the door open, that is, just to keep them warm and allow the butter to melt, stir for one or two minutes, and serve warm. _with lettuce._--blanch a quart of peas for about five minutes, and drain them. blanch a head of lettuce for one minute. put peas and lettuce in a saucepan with one ounce of butter, stir gently on the fire for about one minute, and then add a little broth or water, two or three sprigs of parsley, salt, and pepper; boil slowly till done, and serve warm. the parsley may be served, or removed just before serving, according to taste. the lettuce is always served with the peas. _au jus._--boil the peas as directed for _plain boiled_, then put them back on the fire with a little butter, stir for one minute, add about three tablespoonfuls of gravy to a quart of peas, salt and pepper, give one boil, and serve. _with ham._--blanch two quarts of peas and drain them. put them in a saucepan with half a pound of ham, cut in dice, half cover them with water, and boil gently till done. if the water boils away, add a little more; serve warm. canned peas are prepared in the same way as above. _a l'anglaise._--if the peas are fresh, blanch them; if they are preserved, drain them only. put the peas in a saucepan with about one ounce of butter for a pint, set on the fire, stir gently till thoroughly warm, add chopped parsley and a yolk of egg, and serve. _au sucre (with sugar)._--set the peas on the fire, the same as above, add about one ounce of sugar, stir also till warm; take from the fire, stir a yolk of egg in, and serve. _dry peas and split peas._--dry and split peas are prepared and served in the same and every way like dry _beans_, with the exception that they require to be soaked only for a few hours before cooking them. _potatoes.--to select._--as a general rule, the smaller the eye the better the potatoes. by cutting off a piece from the larger end you ascertain if they are sound; they must be white, reddish, bluish, etc., according to the species. if spotted, they are not sound, and therefore very inferior. there are several kinds, and all of them are good when sound or coming from a proper soil. use the kind you prefer, or those that are better fit for the way they are intended to be served. to mash or to make a _purée_, etc., every kind is good. to serve whole or in dice, or in pieces like carpels of oranges, those called _mercers_ and the like, are preferable, because they do not bruise so easily. _to boil._--being naturally watery, potatoes should never be cooked by boiling except when wanted very white, as for _croquettes_. when boiled whole, put them of an even size as much as possible, in order to cook them evenly. they are better, more mealy, when steamed or baked, but those who have no steamer must, of course, boil them. cover them with cold water, set on the fire and boil till done, then pour off all the water, put the pan back on a slow fire for five minutes and well covered; then use the potatoes. _to steam._--place them above a kettle of boiling water, in a kind of drainer made for that purpose, and adapted to the kettle. the drainer must be covered tight. they cook as fast as by boiling, the degree of heat being the same. when steamed the skin is very easily removed. _to prepare._--if they are to be boiled, or steamed, or baked, it is only necessary to wash them. if wanted peeled, as for frying, etc., then commence by cutting off the germs or eyes; if young and tender, take the skin off with a scrubbing-brush and drop immediately in cold water to keep them white; if old, scrape the skin off with a knife, for the part immediately under the skin contains more nutriment than the middle, and drop in cold water also. if wanted cut, either in dice, or like carpels of oranges, or any other way, cut them above a bowl of cold water, so that they drop into it, for if kept exposed to the air they turn reddish and lose their nutritive qualities. _a l'allemande._--steam, peel, and slice the potatoes. cut some bread in thin slices, and fry bread and potatoes with a little butter and turn the whole in a bowl, dust well with sugar, pour a little milk all over and bake for about fifteen minutes; serve warm. _a l'anglaise._--steam or boil about a quart of potatoes and then peel and slice them. put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and put the potatoes in when melted, toss them for about ten minutes, add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and serve hot. _a la barigoule._--peel some potatoes and cook them whole in broth; when done take them off carefully, so as not to break or bruise them, and drain. have some oil in a frying-pan and on a quick fire, and when hot lay the potatoes in; move gently to fry them all around, and then dish them, sprinkling salt, pepper, and vinegar, all over; serve warm. _béchamel._--steam or boil and peel some potatoes, then slice them and place on a dish; have a _béchamel_ sauce ready, turn it over the potatoes, and serve warm. _broiled._--steam, peel and slice the potatoes. lay the slices on a gridiron, and place it over a rather slow fire; have melted butter, and spread some over the slices of potatoes with a brush; as soon as the under part is broiled, turn each slice over and spread butter over the other side. when done, dish, salt, and serve them hot. a little butter may be added when dished, according to taste. _a la parisienne._--chop an onion fine and partly fry it with butter, then put in it some potatoes cut in dice, add a little water or broth, salt, and pepper; boil gently till done, take from the fire, add chopped parsley, and serve. _fried._--to be fried, the potatoes are cut either with a vegetable spoon, in fillets, in slices, with a scalloped knife, or with an ordinary one, or cut in pieces like carpels of oranges, or even in dice. when cut, drain and wipe them dry. this must be done quickly, so as not to allow the potatoes to turn reddish. have a coarse towel ready, then turn the potatoes into a colander, and immediately turn them in the towel, shake them a little, and quickly drop them in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) when done, turn them into a colander, sprinkle salt on them, and serve hot. bear in mind that fried potatoes must be eaten as hot as possible. fry only one size at a time, as it takes three times as long to fry them when cut in pieces as when sliced or cut in fillets. _to fry them light, or swelled_.--when fried, turn into the colander, and have the fat over a brisk fire; leave the potatoes in the colander only about half a minute, then put them back in the very hot fat, stir for about one minute and put them again in the colander, salt them, and serve hot. if the fat is very hot, when dropped into it for the second time they will certainly swell; there is no other way known to do it. it is as easily done as it is simple. potatoes cut in fillets and fried are sometimes called _à la parisienne_; when cut in slices or with a vegetable spoon, they are called _à la française_. potatoes cut with a vegetable spoon and fried, make a good as well as a sightly decoration for a dish of meat or of fish. they may be fried in oil also, but it is more expensive than in fat. they may be fried in butter also, but it is still more expensive than oil, and is not better than fat; no matter what kind of fat is used, be it lard, beef suet, or skimmings of sauces and gravy, it cannot be tasted. _hollandaise._--steam or boil the potatoes, and then peel and mash them. season them with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, add also two tablespoonfuls of gravy to a quart of potatoes, then make small balls about the size of a walnut, round or of an olive-shape, dip them in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and fry in hot fat. serve hot. _another._--proceed as for the above one in every particular, except that you use milk or cream instead of broth, and sugar instead of salt and pepper. _lyonnaise._--potatoes _lyonnaise_ are prepared according to taste, that is, as much onion as liked is used, either in slices or chopped. if you have not any cold potatoes, steam or boil some, let them cool, and peel and slice them. for about a quart of potatoes, put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted put as much onion as you please, either sliced or chopped, into the pan, and fry it till about half done, when add the potatoes and again two ounces of butter; salt, pepper, and stir and toss gently till the potatoes are all fried of a fine, light-brown color. it may require more butter, as no vegetable absorbs more than potatoes. it makes an excellent dish for those who do not object to the taste of the onion (the onion can be tasted, not being boiled or kept long enough on the fire to evaporate). serve warm. oil may be used instead of butter. _maître d'hôtel._--steam or boil about a quart of potatoes, and then peel and cut them in slices. put one ounce and a half of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted add a small tablespoonful of flour; stir, and when turning yellow add also about a quart of milk, salt to taste, give one boil and take from the fire. then add the potatoes, put back on a slow fire, stir for ten minutes, mix in the whole a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, also a yolk or two of eggs, and serve warm. _another maître d'hôtel._--take two quarts of potatoes, prepare and cook them by steam, peel carefully, and cut them in thick slices; place them on a dish and keep warm. put four ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on a slow fire; add, when melted, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of half a lemon, salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice, stir ten minutes; afterward, put for five minutes on a quick fire, keep stirring, then pour on the potatoes, and serve. _mashed._--peel and quarter about three pints of potatoes as directed; put them in a saucepan with more water than is necessary to cover them, and a little salt; set on the fire and boil gently till done, drain, put them back in the saucepan, mash them well and mix them with two ounces of butter, two yolks of eggs, salt, pepper, and milk enough to make them of a proper thickness. set on the fire for two or three minutes, stirring the while, and serve warm. when on the dish, smooth them with the back of a knife or scallop them, according to fancy. _mashed and baked._--put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when hot, add a teaspoonful of parsley chopped fine, and a little salt; five minutes after, put in it a quart of potatoes, prepared, cooked, peeled, and mashed, as directed; then pour on the whole, little by little, stirring continually with a wooden spoon, a pint of good milk; and when the whole is well mixed, and becoming rather thick, take from the fire, place on the dish, then set in a brisk oven for five minutes, and serve. _polanaise._--wash well about two quarts of potatoes, put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water, season with salt, half a dozen whole peppers, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and two or three onions in slices; boil gently till done, and drain. peel the potatoes, cut them in two, dish and turn a _caper_ sauce over them. serve warm. _provençale._--peel and quarter about three pints of potatoes as directed. put in a saucepan about a gill of oil with the potatoes, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, six sprigs of parsley, two cloves of garlic, and half the rind of a lemon; the three latter spices well chopped; set on a good fire, stir now and then till cooked, dish the whole, sprinkle the juice of one or two lemons on, and serve warm. _another way._--put in a stewpan three tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, two cloves of garlic chopped very fine, a pinch of grated nutmeg, the juice of half a lemon, salt, and pepper; set on a good fire, and when hot put in it a quart of potatoes prepared and cooked by steam, and cut in thick slices; subdue the fire, simmer about ten minutes, and serve. _sautées._--take a quart of young and tender potatoes, peel them with a brush, and cut in slices. put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan on a quick fire; when hot, put the potatoes in, and fry them till of a golden color; place them on a dish without any butter, sprinkle chopped parsley and salt on, and serve. they may also be served without parsley, according to taste. _soufflées._--steam a quart of potatoes, then peel and mash them in a saucepan and mix an ounce of butter with them; set on the fire, pour into it, little by little, stirring the while, about half a pint of milk, stir a little longer after the milk is in and until they are turning rather thick; dish the potatoes, smooth or scallop them with the back of a knife, and put them in a quick oven till of a proper color, and serve. _another way._--steam three pints of potatoes and peel and mash them in a saucepan, then mix with them four ounces of butter, salt to taste, half a pint of milk, and eight yolks of eggs; set on the fire for two minutes, stirring the while, and take off. beat six whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them gently with the rest. place the mixture on a dish, smooth with the back of a knife or scallop them, according to fancy, and put in a quick oven. as soon as the top gets a little dry, which will be in two or three minutes after being in the oven, take them off and quickly spread some melted butter all over, by means of a brush, and put back in the oven for two or three minutes longer, when take off again, spread butter over the same as the first time, etc. repeat the same process two or three times, and serve warm. _stuffed._--steam two or three potatoes and peel and mash them in a bowl, then chop fine a small green onion or two shallots with two ounces of fat salt pork and six or eight sprigs of parsley; mix the whole with the potatoes; add also and mix with the rest about two ounces of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. if the potatoes are not warm enough to melt the butter while mixing, it should be melted first. clean and wash well six potatoes of an even size and split them in two lengthwise; then with a small iron spoon remove the middle part of each half, so as to leave only a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch. you have then a kind of shell, which you fill with the prepared mixture above, filling more than full, so that the top is convex, and which you smooth with the back of a knife. when the twelve halves are thus prepared, butter the bottom of a bakepan, lay the potatoes in with the mixture upward, and put in a warm oven. take from the oven when about half done, and spread some melted butter all over by means of a brush; put back in the oven, finish the baking, and serve warm. _in cakes._--prepare and cook by steam a quart and a half of potatoes, peel and mash them; mix with them the yolks of five eggs, half a lemon-rind grated, and four ounces of fine white sugar. put four ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on the fire; when melted, put the mixture in, stirring with a wooden spoon continually; as soon as it is in the stewpan, add the whites of the five eggs, well beaten; leave on the fire only the time necessary to mix the whole well together, and take off; when nearly cold, add, if handy, and while stirring, a few drops of orange-flower water; it gives a very good flavor; then put the whole in a tin mould greased a little with butter; place in a quick oven for about thirty-five minutes, and serve. _in croquettes._--peel, quarter, and boil about a quart of potatoes as directed. mash them in a saucepan and mix them with four yolks of eggs, two ounces of butter, salt, and about half a gill of milk; set on the fire, stir for about two minutes, take off, spread on a dish and leave thus for two or three hours, and even over night when for breakfast. when left over night, they may be rather too dry to work them; then mix with a few drops of milk. no matter how long they have been left on the dish, it is necessary to mix them, that is, to mix the top, which is the driest part, with the rest. dust the paste-board slightly with bread-crumbs, put the potatoes on it, in parts of about a tablespoonful each; then, with the hands and a knife, shape them according to fancy, either round, flat, or oval, etc. when shaped round they look like a piece of sausage about two inches and a half long. if wished flat, when shaped round, just flatten them a little with the blade of a knife. then dip each part in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and fry in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) take them off the fat when done, turn them into a colander, and immediately dish, and serve them as warm as possible. potato _croquettes_ are sometimes called potato-balls. when the _croquettes_ are shaped flat, they are also called "_à la duchesse_." _another duchesse._--when the potatoes are ready to be spread on the dish to cool, put them in the pastry-bag and squeeze them out of it like lady's fingers, bake, and serve warm. it makes a sightly dish. _in matelote._--prepare and cook a quart and a half of potatoes, and peel and cut them in thick slices. put in a stewpan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and set it on the fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, also the same of chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, then the potatoes, wet with half a pint of claret wine, same of broth; boil gently till the sauce is reduced, and serve. _with butter, or english fashion._--put water on the fire with considerable salt in it; at the first boil, drop a quart of washed potatoes in and boil till done, when take off, peel, and put them whole in a saucepan, with butter, salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg; set on a rather slow fire, stirring gently now and then till they have absorbed all the butter. serve warm. they absorb a great deal of butter. _with bacon or salt pork._--peel and quarter about a quart of potatoes. set a saucepan on the fire with about four ounces of fat salt pork cut in dice in it. when fried put the potatoes in. season with a bunch of seasonings composed of two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, and a bay-leaf; salt and pepper to taste, and about half a pint of broth or water. boil gently till cooked, remove the bunch of seasonings; skim off the fat if any, and serve warm. it is served at breakfast, as well as _entremets_ for dinner. _with cream or milk._--peel and mash a quart of potatoes, when prepared and cooked. put two ounces of butter in a stewpan and set it on a good fire; when melted, sprinkle in it a teaspoonful of flour, same of chopped parsley, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and salt; stir with a wooden spoon five minutes; then add the potatoes, and half a pint of milk or cream; keep stirring ten minutes longer, take from the fire, sprinkle in them half a tablespoonful of sugar, and serve as warm as possible. _with white sauce._--clean, wash, and throw a quart of potatoes in boiling water, with a sprig of thyme, two onions, a bay-leaf, two sprigs of sweet basil, two cloves, salt, and pepper; when cooked, take the potatoes out carefully, peel and cut them in two, place them on a warm dish, pour on them a white sauce, and serve warm. _sweet potatoes._--they are prepared in the same and every way like the others above. _pumpkins and squashes._--peel, take out the seed, cut in pieces, and throw them in boiling water with a little salt; drain when cooked and mash through a colander, put butter in a stewpan on the fire, when melted, add chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and the pumpkin or squash, and simmer ten minutes; after which pour in it half a pint of milk, little by little, stirring the while; leave ten minutes longer on the fire, and take off; mix well in it two or three yolks of eggs, and serve warm. the quantity of milk, butter, eggs, etc., to be according to the quantity of squash. _purslain._--clean, wash well, and drop it in boiling water with a little salt, boil till cooked, take off and drain. put butter in a stewpan on the fire, and when melted lay the purslain in, stir a little and sprinkle on it, little by little, a pinch of flour; season with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, stir and simmer about ten minutes, take from the fire, mix in it one or two beaten eggs, and serve. purslain is much more used in europe than here; there it is cultivated as other vegetables, but it does not grow as well as here. _rhubarb._--scrape and cut it in pieces about one inch long, and then blanch it for two minutes. put it in a saucepan with two or three tablespoonfuls of cold water and set it on a rather sharp fire, toss or stir now and then till done, when sweeten to taste, dish, let cool, and serve. rhubarb is very wholesome, and ought to be partaken of at least every other day. when prepared as above, it may be used to make pies. [illustration] _radishes._--the cuts below are turnip-rooted red radishes, cut with a small knife, put in cold water for about an hour, and served with butter, as a _hors-d'oeuvre_. remove the outer leaves, leaving only four or five of the small centre ones, cut off the root close to the radish, and wash clean in cold water. take the radish with the left hand holding it by the centre leaves, cut the skin from the top downward to near the leaves, in several parts, but without detaching it, and as seen in the cuts above; do the same carefully with the body of the radish, and it will look more like a rose than like a radish. after having prepared two or three, it will be comparatively easy. the centre leaves must be eaten, as well as the body of the radish; they contain a substance that helps the digestion of the radish itself. _salsify, or oyster-plant._--scrape them, and throw one by one as they are scraped into cold water, with a few drops of vinegar; when they are all scraped, move them a little, take out of the water, and throw them in boiling water with a little salt, boil till tender, and drain; place them warm on a warm dish, and serve with brown butter, a _maître d'hôtel_, or white sauce. _fried._--when boiled as above, drain them. then dip each in batter for frying vegetables, drop them in hot fat, and take them off with a skimmer when done, turn into a colander, salt them, and serve hot. _in béchamel._--while the salsify is boiling as directed above, make a _béchamel_ sauce; drain the salsify when done, and turn it into the _béchamel_ sauce as soon as the latter is finished; keep on the fire for about two minutes, stirring the while, and serve warm. they are prepared and served in the same way with the following sauces: _cream_, _poulette_, and _white_. _skirret._--prepare, cook, and serve in every way like parsnips. _sorrel._--sorrel is found in a wild state nearly everywhere; that is, where green plants vegetate. it is an excellent vegetable, good to eat all the year round, but especially in the spring and summer. it is very healthful, containing the pure oxalic acid as it is formed by nature. sorrel is the greatest neutralizer of acrid substances. a few leaves chewed, take away from the teeth that disagreeable feeling left after having eaten a tart apple or other tart, unripe fruit. cultivated in a rich soil, the leaves grow nearly as large as those of the rhubarb. it is cut to the ground several times during the spring and summer. _to boil._--take a peck of sorrel, separate the stalk from the eatable part, by taking hold of it with one hand and tearing off the rest with the other, so that only the stalk and fibres attached to it will remain after the tearing, and which you throw away. wash it well, drain and set it on the fire in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of water; stir occasionally, and when nearly done, take off, mash through a colander, and it is ready for use. _au jus._--put a piece of butter the size of an egg in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and when melted, put the sorrel in after being boiled and mashed as above, stir half a minute, add a tablespoonful of flour; stir another half minute, add also half a gill of gravy, same of broth, salt, stir two minutes, and serve. hard-boiled eggs, split in four pieces, lengthwise, may be placed around the dish, if the sorrel is served as an _entremets_. _to preserve for winter use._--when boiled and mashed as above, put it in stone or glass jars; when cold, turn melted butter or lard over it; cover as tightly as possible with paper, and when perfectly cold, put away in a dark, dry, and rather cool place, and it will keep very well during the whole winter. the best time to preserve it is at the beginning of november, just before the cold weather sets in. _purée of._--when prepared as for _au jus_, but without gravy, it is a _purée_. _spinach--to boil._--when cleaned and washed, throw it in boiling water at the first boiling, with a pinch of salt, and boil till done. it will take from one to ten minutes to boil, according to how tender it is. turn into a colander; press on it to force the water out, put on the paste-board and chop it fine. _au jus._--when chopped, set the spinach on the fire in a saucepan with a little broth, two or three tablespoonfuls for a small measure; stir, add as much gravy, an ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of flour, salt, stir two minutes, and serve. _au jus in winter._--when prepared as above, put it away in a bowl in a cool place, for one day; then set it back on the fire in a pan, add a little butter and a little broth, stir and just warm it, when put away again; repeat this for four or five days in succession, and you certainly will have an excellent dish. some hard-boiled eggs cut in four pieces, lengthwise, may be placed around the spinach when dished, also some _croutons_. spinach is generally served on a flat dish, and scalloped all around with a knife. _with sugar._--proceed as for spinach _au jus_ in every particular, except that you put very little salt, and one or two teaspoonfuls of sugar, according to taste. lady-fingers or pieces of sponge-cake may be placed all around the dish. _a la crème._--boil and chop the spinach as directed. set it on the fire in a saucepan, stir till perfectly dry, but not burnt; add two ounces of butter, and stir again for five or six minutes; then add about two tablespoonfuls of cream to a small measure of spinach; stir again five minutes, take from the fire; add again one ounce of butter, stir two minutes, and serve with hard-boiled eggs or _croutons_, or both. milk may be used instead of cream when the latter cannot be had, but it is inferior in taste. _with anchovy._--proceed as for the above, using a tablespoonful of essence of anchovy instead of cream. _spinach au beurre, or à l'anglaise._--boil and chop the spinach as directed. put it in a saucepan with butter; set on the fire, stir till the butter is melted and mixed with the spinach, salt to taste, and serve. _sprouts._--boil, prepare, and serve sprouts the same as spinach. _tomatoes_ are, like sorrel and rhubarb, very healthful. _to blanch._--after they are washed, throw boiling water over them, and then take off and remove the skin. _stewed, to serve with meat or fish._--when blanched as above, put the tomatoes in a stewpan with butter, salt, and pepper, set on the fire and simmer for about forty-five minutes; serve warm all around the fish or piece of meat. tomatoes may be eaten raw, with or without salt; in no matter what way they are partaken of, they are not yet known to have indisposed anybody. although great quantities are consumed in this and other countries, still many more ought to be used; they are so easily preserved, that every family ought to have a large provision of them for the winter and spring consumption. _stuffed._--soak in cold water one-fourth of a ten-cent loaf of bread, etc.; when perfectly soaked, squeeze it with the hands. take six tomatoes, as much of an even size as possible, cut the top off; that is, the side opposite the stem, and with a small spoon take out the inside and put it in a bowl, and then turn into a colander to let the liquid part run off. put about an ounce of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add a small onion chopped; stir, and when nearly fried add also the part of the tomatoes in the colander also chopped; stir half a minute; put in the soaked bread, stir and mix; then salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg; give one boil more, and take from the fire. fill the tomatoes with this mixture, dust with bread-crumbs, put a piece of butter the size of a hazel-nut on each, and bake. just before serving, wet with a little tomato-sauce, broth, or gravy. _turnips--to boil._--clean, scrape, and wash well, then put them in a saucepan, either whole or in slices, or cut with a fruit-corer or with a vegetable spoon, add cold water enough to boil them in, a little salt, set on the fire and boil gently till tender; then take off, drain, drop in cold water, drain again, and use. _in béchamel._--while the turnips are boiling as described above, make a _béchamel_ sauce and turn the turnips in as soon as made; boil gently about two minutes, stirring the while, and serve warm. do exactly the same with a cream or white sauce. _au jus._--boil and drain them as directed above, then put them in a saucepan with a little gravy, set on the fire, stir now and then for about ten minutes, add a teaspoonful of _meunière_, stir again for two or three minutes, and serve warm. _with sugar._--cut with a fruit-corer or with a vegetable spoon about a pint of turnips, and boil them till under done, then drain. put the turnips in a saucepan with two or three tablespoonfuls of broth, set on a good fire, toss occasionally for about ten minutes, then add two or three tablespoonfuls of sugar, toss again now and then for ten minutes longer, and serve. it may take a little longer or less time than described above, according to the state of the turnips; if young and very tender, keep on the fire five instead of ten minutes, and if old, it may take fifteen minutes. _glazed._--cut the turnips with a vegetable spoon, boil them for five minutes, and drain them. put half a gill of broth in a saucepan with about one pint of turnips and set on a good fire; toss and stir now and then till done, and till the broth is all boiled away. if it boils away before the turnips are cooked, add more and finish the cooking. when done, sprinkle about three ounces of sugar on them, stir for about one minute, dish the turnips, dredge powdered sugar all over, put in the oven two minutes, and serve. _water-cress._--this contains much sulphur, and is the greatest anti-scorbutic known. besides being eaten with salt or in salad, it may also be stewed in the following way: take only the top and the leaves around the stalk; clean and wash it well; throw it in boiling water with a little salt, and when cooked drain it well, so as to extract all the water from it. put a piece of butter the size of an egg in a stewpan; when melted, put the cress in, sprinkle on it a tablespoonful of flour (for three quarts); stir continually with a spoon, boil ten minutes, then add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and half a pint of broth; boil ten minutes longer, and serve either alone, or with hard-boiled eggs on it; cut the eggs in two or four pieces. _salads._--salads are seasoned with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, and sometimes with mustard also. the best oil is that made of olives, but much is sold for olive-oil which contains more lard than oil. it is impossible to tell which is pure by the color. pure olive-oil is of a pale-yellow-greenish color. it is very easy to tell the pure oil by tasting, but of course it is necessary to know the real taste of good oil. the best vinegar is wine-vinegar, with _tarragon_ in it (_vinaigre à l'estragon_), but it is expensive. next to it is cider-vinegar. beer makes good vinegar, but inferior to that made with cider. pyrolignic vinegar is very unhealthy. no one can be too careful in selecting vinegar. the superiority of the french mustard comes from the compounds used, and not from the way it is made, as thought by many. in the french mustard, besides _vinaigre à l'estragon_, there is white wine, and more sweet-oil than in any other kind. a good deal of mustard is made here, and often sold as french, after being carefully labelled. salad is made with every species of lettuce; chicory, cultivated and wild; cabbages, red and white; cauliflowers, celery, dandelion, corn-salad, purslain, water-cress, etc. if it were possible to clean the salad by merely wiping the leaves with a towel, it would be better than washing; but it must be washed if there is any earth or sand on it. the salad should be made by an experienced person, who can judge at a glance what quantity of salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar is necessary. the quantities cannot be given, as that depends on the quantity of salad. chopped parsley and chives are served on a small plate at the same time with the salad, as many persons like those spices. _celery._--when the celery is washed and cleaned, wipe it dry, cut the white or eatable part (the top or green part is used for soup) in pieces about one inch long, put them in the salad-dish with salt, vinegar, and mustard, stir a little, leave thus about one hour, then add pepper and oil, move again, and serve. _lettuce._--lettuce, and especially cos or roman lettuce, must be handled very gingerly, in order not to wilt the leaves while cleaning and washing. when the head of the lettuce, especially of roman lettuce, is hard, it is not necessary to wash it at all, as when the outer leaves are taken off, the rest is perfectly clean. never use the knife, but break the leaves; put them in the salad-dish; spread all over the dish, according to taste and fancy, the blossoms and petals (not the leaves) of any or all of the following plants: burnet, wild chiccory, rose (any kind), pink, sage, lady's-slipper, marsh-mallow, nasturtium, periwinkle. thus decorated, the salad is put on the table at the setting of it, and made when the time for eating it comes. of these decorative flowers, the handiest are the rose and pink, as at every season of the year they are easily obtained. in spring and summer most of the others can also be had easily. the salad, thus decorated, is placed on the table at the same time with the soup. it is made while the roast-piece is carved or eaten; the petals of flowers or blossoms are not removed, and, of course, are eaten with the lettuce. the salad is seasoned with salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. the proportions are two tablespoonfuls of oil to one of vinegar for a salad for three, four, or five persons. it is generally moved round in the dish, so as to impregnate every leaf with the seasoning. it is served immediately after the roast-piece. cream may be used instead of oil. _turnip-rooted celery (called also soup celery._)--clean, wash well, and scrape it carefully; cut it in thin slices, place it in the salad-dish, sprinkle salt, pepper, vinegar, and mustard on it, mix well the whole together, and leave thus from four to six hours. then throw away the vinegar, or most of it; add very little salt and vinegar, oil, and move well. serve as above, that is, immediately after the roast-piece of the dinner. a salad with cabbage, chiccory, corn-salad, or any kind of greens, after being properly cleaned, washed, wiped dry, and cut in pieces if necessary, is made and served exactly like a salad of lettuce described above. _nasturtium._--this is said to be a native of mexico; it makes a good salad in summer-time. make and serve like a salad of lettuce. _chervil and sorrel._--in italy, spain, and the south of france, they make salad with these two vegetables, half of each, prepared and served like lettuce. some persons like a thick sauce with salad; it is made thus: put a hard-boiled yolk of egg in a bowl, mash it, and then mix with it salt and a tablespoonful of vinegar; when these three are thoroughly mixed, add pepper and oil (about two tablespoonfuls of oil), little by little, stirring and mixing well the while; turn the mixture over the salad, and move as directed above. the mixture may be prepared in the salad-dish, and the salad put in afterward. mustard should never be used with lettuce; it is too strong to be eaten with such tender vegetables. _of salsify._--in the spring, when the top of the salsify has grown for one or two weeks only, and immediately after the frost is out of the ground, cut it off, split it in four, wash it well, drain it dry, and prepare as a salad of lettuce. the root is prepared as described for salsify, and is never made in salad. _of cucumbers._--peel and slice them, then put them in a vessel, salt every layer, and leave thus in a cool place about one hour, drain them dry and then dress them with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; slices of onion may be added, if liked. _of beans._--boil the beans in water with a little salt, drain them dry, and then dress them with parsley chopped fine, salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. _of beets._--boil the beets in water only till done, and when cool, peel and slice them, and prepare them with pepper, salt, vinegar, and oil. the beets may be baked. _of eggs._--slice hard-boiled eggs, and dress them with chopped parsley, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. _of lentils._--proceed as for beans in every particular. _of onions._--bake the onions, then peel and slice them, and dress them with mustard, salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil. _of tomatoes._--wash, wipe dry, and slice the tomatoes; slice also onions and mix with them, the quantity to be according to taste; then season with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. _of walnuts._--the european walnut only can be used, and as soon as good to eat; that is, before the outer shell dries and opens. break the nuts in two, take out the kernels with a pointed knife, and place them in a salad-dish, with some juice of grapes not yet ripe; add salt and pepper, leave thus two or three hours, moving now and then, and serve. the edible part will be found very good eaten that way. to persons who have never eaten any, it may appear a strange dish, but let them try it. _of potatoes._--a potato-salad is the one that requires the most seasonings, especially oil and vinegar. they are better served warm than cold, although many prefer them in the latter state. when steamed, peeled, and sliced, put them in the salad-dish, with salt, pepper, vinegar, oil, and parsley, to taste. mix the whole gently and well, and serve. if served very warm, butter may be used instead of oil. _another._--add to the above a few anchovies, or slices of pickled cucumbers, or capers, or pickled beets. _another._--add to the first some slices of truffles, previously soaked in madeira wine for ten hours, and also a little of the wine. _another._--put a hard-boiled yolk of egg in the salad-dish, with two tablespoonfuls of oil, and mix well so as to make a paste of them; then add two anchovies, a piece of tunny the size of a nutmeg, and half a dozen sprigs of chervil, the whole chopped fine; mix again with the rest; add also a chopped pickled cucumber, mustard to taste, vinegar, and then the slices of potatoes (warm or cold), slices of truffles previously soaked in madeira wine, a little of the wine also, salt, and pepper; stir and mix again well, and serve. _apricots, oranges, peaches, pears, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, and like berries, in salad._--dust the bottom of a dish with white sugar, put a layer of slices of apricots, oranges, peaches, or pears, or a layer of the others entire, and dust again; repeat the same till the whole is in, then add over the whole a pinch of grated nutmeg, with french brandy or rum to suit your taste, and serve as a dessert. _cocoa-nut._--peel it carefully and soak it in brandy for twenty-four hours. a little sugar may be added; serve as a dessert. _salad macédoine._--this salad ought to be called "compound salad," as it is made of a little of every thing that can be served in salad, i. e., fish, meat, green and dry vegetables, &c. when the whole is mixed, you add chopped parsley, sweet-oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper; you shake it till your arms are sore, and you have a salad _macédoine_. every one should try it; serve as an _entremets_. _salmon and turbot._--cut in slices, place them in a salad-dish, with hard-boiled eggs cut in two, or with some lettuce, and serve as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar. _of pineapple._--proceed as for that of apricots, etc., in every particular. _of anchovy._--clean and bone the anchovies, and then place them in the middle of a dish; chop fine some hard-boiled yolks of eggs and put a string of it around the anchovies; do the same with the whites, and then put a string of chopped parsley around the whites; season with oil and very little vinegar. serve as a _hors-d'oeuvre_. _pickles and preserves._--to pickle the fruit, it must be pickled before commencing to ripen, and be sound; the same for vegetables. when the fruit or vegetable is clean, and cut in pieces, if necessary, such as cabbage, have water on the fire, and drop it in at the first boil. if the fruit or vegetable is desired white, add to the water lemon or unripe grape juice. it is necessary to be very careful in blanching, for, if too much blanched or cooked, it will be soft and tasteless; if not enough, it will ferment. as a general rule, it is cooked as soon as it floats, but it can be ascertained by running a skewer or a small knife through it. by putting some fresh spinach-leaves or fresh grape-vine-leaves on the top of the fruit or vegetable, it will keep it more green than without. when blanched, take from the fire and drain. drop it immediately in cold water, and drain again. when dry, put the fruit or vegetable in jars, cover it with boiling vinegar; season with peppers, pepper-corns, cloves, and tarragon, also some rock-salt. when perfectly cold, seal the jars air-tight, and keep in a dark, cool, and dry closet. every kind of fruit or vegetables can be pickled in the same way; the only difference is in the time of blanching or cooking, which is according to the nature of the fruit: _apples_, _string-beans_, _beets_, _cabbages_, _cauliflowers_, _cherries_, _cucumbers_, _lemons_, _melons_, _mushrooms_, _onions_, _peaches_, _pears_, _plums_, _pumpkins_, _quinces_, _radishes_, _walnuts_, etc., may also be preserved in salt and water, and in the following way: when cooked as above, put them in jars and cover them with very salt water. seal when cool, and then put the jars in a boiler full of cold water, with straw or rags to prevent breaking them; set on the fire, boil from twenty to thirty minutes, take from the fire, let cool; then take the jars from the water and put away as the above. _peas_ and _mushrooms_ are almost always preserved in water and salt. _asparagus_ is also preserved, but it is so difficult to succeed, that even manufacturers of preserves have given it up. _tomatoes._--wash them and then bruise them in a boiler; set on the fire, boil half an hour, and strain, to secure all the juice. put the juice on the fire, boil till reduced about one-half, let cool, put in jars, seal them, put them in a boiler of cold water, with straw or rags to prevent breakage; set the boiler on the fire, boil twenty minutes, take off, let cool. when perfectly cold, take the jars off, place in a cool, dark cellar, and we warrant that they keep for years. no salt or seasonings of any kind are used to preserve them. when you wish to use them, season to taste. _tomato catsup._--to make catsup with the above sauce, you have only to add to it, when in jars, peppers, pimento, cloves, etc.; but it is really not necessary, being too strong for this climate. _another way._--take good and well-ripened tomatoes, clean and wash them well, put them in a stewpan and set it on a moderate fire for a while; take from the fire, throw away the water coming from them, and then strain them into a vessel. put what there is in the vessel back on the fire, and in the same stewpan, and let it reduce about one-half; take from the fire, pour in a crockery pot, and leave thus twenty-four hours; then put in bottles, cork well, and place them in a cold and dry place. _cucumbers_.--the small green ones are the best. clean them well in cold water with a brush, removing the prickles. put cold water in a vessel with rock-salt in it, and shake it to dissolve the salt; soak the cucumbers in it for about three days. take them out and immediately put them in pots or jars with small onions, a few cloves of garlic, pepper-corns, rock-salt, cloves, and a bunch of seasonings composed of bay-leaves, tarragon, and burnet; cover them with boiling vinegar (turn the vinegar on them as soon as it boils), cover the pots or jars air-tight when perfectly cold. look at the cucumbers every two or three days for the first three weeks, and after that only once in a while. according to the quality of the vinegar or of the cucumber itself, the whole may turn white after a while; in that case throw away vinegar and spices, put new spices in, the same spices as above, except the onions, which you keep with the cucumbers; cover again with boiling vinegar, and cover when cold as before. if they have not been kept too long in that state before changing the vinegar, they will be just as good as if they had not turned white. eggs, macaroni, and rice. eggs are fit to eat as soon as laid, and the sooner they are used the better. you ascertain if they are fresh with an oonoscope, or by holding them before a light and looking through. there are several ways to preserve eggs, but to do which they must be fresh; as soon as perfectly cold after being laid, they may be preserved. dissolve gum in water to the consistency of thin mucilage, and with a brush give a coat of it to the eggs; lay them in a box of charcoal dust and keep them in a dry, dark, and cool place. when wanted, they are soaked in cold water for a few minutes, and washed. they are also preserved in hydrate of lime. when boiled hard, let them cool and place them in a dry, cool, and dark place; they will keep for weeks. if wanted warm after that, put them in cold water, set on the fire, and take off when the water is warm. _with mushrooms._--cut in strips or fillets four mushrooms, one onion, one clove of garlic, and fry them with two ounces of butter, then add a tablespoonful of flour, stir for about one minute, add also half a pint of broth, same of white wine, boil gently till reduced about one-half, when put in the pan eight or ten hard-boiled eggs cut in dice, or cut the whites only in dice and put in the yolk whole, boil one minute and serve. it makes an excellent dish for breakfast. _with cheese and parsley._--put about two ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when melted fry in it a tablespoonful of parsley, chopped fine; then add a pinch of nutmeg, salt, pepper, about four ounces of pineapple or gruyère cheese, grated, and a gill of white wine; stir till the cheese is melted, when you add eight or ten eggs, one after another, stirring the whole time and mixing them with the cheese; serve when done. more cheese may be used, according to taste. _in fricassée._--put about half a pound of stale bread with one pint of milk in a saucepan on the fire and boil for two or three minutes, then mash well so as to mix the two together, put back on the fire, stir continually till it makes a rather thin paste, then take off, mix with it six or eight eggs, grated cheese to taste, salt and pepper, put back on the fire, stir, and serve when cooked. lemon-juice may be sprinkled on just before serving. _a la lyonnaise._--chop fine two white onions and fry them with two ounces of butter, then add salt, a pinch of nutmeg, half a pint of broth; boil gently and stir now and then till it turns rather thick, when you add also eight whites of eggs, chopped; give one boil, and serve. place the eight yolks, whole, all around, and between and alternately a small cake _feuilleté_, and serve warm. _a la béchamel._--slice the eggs or cut them in four pieces lengthwise, put them in _béchamel_ sauce, set on a slow fire for two minutes, and serve warm. _fines herbes._--mix well together in a saucepan, and cold, two ounces of butter with a tablespoonful of flour; set on the fire, stir, and when melted thoroughly, add a teaspoonful of parsley and one of chives, chopped fine, salt, pepper, and about a gill of white wine; stir, and boil gently for about five minutes, and turn over hard-boiled eggs in a dish; serve warm. the eggs are served whole, shelled, but not cut. _piquante-sauce._--dish hard-boiled eggs as for _fines herbes_, and turn over them a _piquante sauce_; serve warm. they may be served in the same way with any other sauce. _stuffed, or à l'aurore._--cut six hard-boiled eggs in two lengthwise; take the yolks off the whites; chop them fine with six or eight sprigs of parsley, put both eggs and parsley in a bowl; add salt, pepper, a little nutmeg grated, a piece of the soft part of bread soaked in milk and squeezed, three ounces of butter, mix the whole well. then with the mixture fill the whites, that is, the place where the yolks were; fill a little more than full, so that all the mixture will go into and upon the twelve halves. lay in a saucepan a _purée_ of spinach or of sorrel, or of any other vegetable, according to taste; lay the halves of eggs on it, the mixture upward; put for ten minutes in the oven, and serve warm. _in boxes._--fold note-paper so as to make a kind of square box without a cover; put half an ounce of butter in it with a pinch of chopped parsley; lay it on a gridiron and on a slow fire, break an egg in it, and when nearly done add salt and bread-crumbs, to taste; serve warm when done. _with cheese._--prepare as the above; add grated cheese at the same time you add salt and bread-crumbs; finish the cooking, and serve warm. _au gratin._--chop fine six or eight sprigs of parsley, a shallot if handy, or a small onion, half an ounce of the soft part of bread, an anchovy, and then mix the whole well with two ounces of butter; mix again with two yolks of eggs, place the mixture in a tin dish, place on a slow fire, and when getting rather dry break half a dozen eggs over it, dust with bread-crumbs, season with salt and pepper, and when nearly done spread two yolks of eggs beaten, with a teaspoonful of water over the whole, and serve warm. _with ham._--prepare as scrambled eggs with the exception that you put in the pan, at the same time you put in the eggs, four ounces of boiled ham cut in dice. serve the same. _with milk, water, or cream._--these three names are wrongly applied to eggs in many cook-books; they are creams, and not eggs. _ham and eggs._--there are several ways of preparing this good dish; the ham may be raw or boiled; in slices or in dice; mixed with the eggs, or merely served under. fry the ham slightly, dish it and then turn fried eggs over it; or fry both at the same time, the eggs being whole or scrambled, according to taste. _with asparagus._--cut in pieces, about a quarter of an inch long, a gill of the tender part of asparagus, throw it in boiling water with a little salt; boil as directed, and drain. beat eight eggs just enough to mix the yolks with the whites; put them in a stewpan, season with a pinch of grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper; add also a tablespoonful of warm water, set on a slow fire, stir till they are becoming thick; then add four ounces of butter, stir five minutes longer; add the gill of asparagus; simmer about five minutes longer, and serve. _boiled._--(_see_ eggs in the shell.)--put the eggs in boiling water with a little salt, as near as possible at the first boiling; leave from five to ten minutes; take out and put them immediately in cold water; then shell them without breaking them, and use. _with brown butter._--break gently in a plate or dish, and without breaking the yolks, eight eggs; sprinkle salt and pepper on them. put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and on a good fire; when turning brown subdue the fire. put also, and at the same time, the same quantity of butter in another frying-pan, and on a good fire, and when hot, place the eggs in without breaking the yolks; then spread over the eggs the brown butter you have in the other; take from the fire when you see the whites becoming hard; put them on a dish, pour on them a tablespoonful of vinegar which you have warmed in the pan after having used the brown butter, and serve. _fried._--put half a pound of lard in a frying-pan, and on a good fire; when hot, break gently, one by one (being careful not to break the yolk), the quantity of eggs you can put in the pan without allowing them to adhere together; turn them upside down once with a spoon or skimmer; take from the pan with a skimmer as soon as the white part becomes hard, and serve with fried parsley around. _scrambled, or mashed._--beat six eggs just enough to mix the whites and yolks together; put two ounces of butter in a stewpan, and set on the fire; when melted, take from the fire, add salt, pepper, and a pinch of grated nutmeg, then the eggs, also a tablespoonful of broth; put back on a very slow fire, stir continually till cooked, and serve warm. _sur le plat._--butter the bottom of a crockery or tin dish with two ounces of butter; break into the dish and over the butter, gently and without breaking the yolks, six eggs; sprinkle salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg all over, put the dish on a slow fire, or on warm cinders, and when the white is hard, serve. they must be served in the dish in which they are cooked. _in the shell._--bear in mind that some eggs cook quicker than others. put eggs in boiling water for two minutes, if liked soft or underdone; and three minutes, if liked more done. they are generally served enveloped in a napkin. _in matelote._--put a bottle of claret wine in a stewpan and set it on a good fire; add to it two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, a clove of garlic, a middling-sized onion, a clove, a bay-leaf, salt, and pepper; boil fifteen minutes; then take all the seasonings out and have your wine boiling gently; break one egg in by letting it fall gently in order to have it entire, and then take it out immediately with a skimmer, and place it on a dish; do the same with eight eggs; keep them in a warm (but not hot) place. after which put in the wine, without taking it from the fire, four ounces of butter kneaded with a tablespoonful of flour; boil till reduced to a proper thickness, pour it on the eggs, and serve. _with onions._--cut in dice three middling-sized onions and put them in a saucepan with four ounces of butter; set it on a moderate fire and stir now and then till the onions are turning yellow, then sprinkle on them a teaspoonful of flour, salt, and pepper; add a pint of warm water and boil gently till rather thick, but not too much so. put into the saucepan half a dozen hard-boiled eggs cut in four pieces each, lengthwise, boil gently two or three minutes longer, and serve warm. _with green peas._--proceed as for eggs with asparagus, except that you boil a gill of peas instead of asparagus; prepare and serve in the same way. _with cauliflowers._--blanch the cauliflowers and proceed as for the above. eggs are prepared as above, with celery, lettuce, etc. _a la tripe._--proceed exactly the same as for eggs with onions, except that you use milk or broth instead of water. _a la neige, or floating island._--beat four (or more) whites of eggs to a stiff froth. put in a tin saucepan one pint of milk and one ounce of sugar, set on the fire, and as soon as it rises put lumps of the whites into it with a skimmer, turn the lumps over after having been in about half a minute, leave them in another half minute, take them off with a skimmer also, place them on a sieve to allow the milk that may be around the lumps to drop. put in a tin saucepan four yolks of eggs, two ounces of sugar, and mix well; add the milk that has been used to cook the whites, after having strained it, and mix again. set on the fire, stir, give one boil, take off, add a few drops of essence to flavor; turn into a dish; place the lumps of whites gently on the liquor and they will float, and serve cold. if the liquor is desired thicker, use only half of the milk. _to poach eggs._--set cold water on the fire in a frying-pan, with salt and vinegar in it, a tablespoonful of vinegar to a quart of water. as soon as it boils, break a fresh egg in the water or in a small plate, and slide it gently into the water. then with a skimmer turn the white gently and by degrees over the yolk, so as to envelop the latter in the former, giving the eggs an elongated shape. they may be poached hard or soft--hard when the yolk is cooked hard; soft when the yolk is still in a soft state. _fondue of eggs._--beat well six eggs, and put them in a stewpan with two ounces of _gruyère_, well grated, and about one ounce of butter; set on a brisk fire, and leave till it becomes rather thick, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon; take from the fire, add pepper, and stir a little; turn over on a warm dish, and serve. this is a very favorite dish in italy, and also in switzerland, where it originated. _to beat whites of eggs._--have a convenient basin; break the eggs gently; allow the whites to fall in the basin and retain the yolks in the shell. this is very easily done by breaking the shell about the middle, opening slowly so as to let the white fall, and at the same time retain the yolk in one of the halves of the shell; if some white remains, turn the yolk from one half into the other, and _vice versa_, till the whole of it has fallen. then add a very small pinch of salt to prevent the curdling of the eggs; commence by beating slowly; beat faster and faster, till they form a stiff froth. they are well beaten when, placing a twenty-five and a ten-cent silver piece on the top, they are firm enough to bear them. if the pieces sink, beat again. always beat eggs in a cool place, they will rise better and faster. (_see_ egg-beater.) _basin._--pay no attention to the old prejudice and belief that metal is not good to beat eggs in. the best and easiest for family use, in which one as well as a dozen whites of eggs can be easily whisked, is of block-tin, and can be made by any tinsmith. it has the shape of an ordinary goblet or tumbler if the foot is cut off, the bottom being round. size: six inches deep from the centre of the bottom to the top; eight inches in diameter at the top, and only six inches in diameter where the bottom commences (or five inches from the top); the basin being broader at the top than at the bottom, and the bottom being one inch deeper in the centre than on the sides. _omelets--how to beat the eggs._--break in a bowl the quantity of eggs you want, or as many as there are persons at the table; beat them well with salt and pepper, by means of a fork. a little grated nutmeg may be added, if liked. the adding of milk to the eggs makes the omelet soft. _to make it._--always have a brisk fire to make an omelet; the quicker it is made the better, and the less butter it requires. if possible, have a frying-pan to make omelets only in; keep it in a clean place and never wash it if you can help it; by warming it a little before making the omelets and wiping it with a coarse towel, you can keep it as clean as can be without washing. to wash it causes the omelet to adhere to it while cooking, and injures its appearance. commence by beating the eggs, then put the butter in the frying-pan, about two ounces for eight eggs; set on the fire and toss gently to melt the butter as evenly and as quickly as possible, else some of it will get black before the whole is melted. as soon as melted, turn the beaten eggs in, and stir and move continually with a fork or knife, so as to cook the whole as nearly as possible at the same time. if some part of the omelet sticks to the pan, add a little butter, and raise that part with a knife so as to allow the butter to run under it, and prevent it from sticking again. it must be done quickly, and without taking the pan from the fire. when cooked according to taste, soft or hard, fold, dish, and serve warm. it is _folded_ in this way: run the knife or fork under one part of the omelet, on the side nearest to the handle of the pan, and turn that part over the other part of the omelet, so as to double it or nearly so; then have an oval dish in your left hand, take hold of the frying-pan with the right hand, the thumb upward instead of the fingers, as is generally the case in taking hold of a pan, incline the dish by raising the left side, place the edge of the pan (the one opposite to the handle) on the edge of the dish, turn it upside down--and you have the omelet on the dish, doubled up and sightly. cooks do not succeed in turning out a decent omelet generally, because they cook it too much, turn it upside down in the pan, or because they do not know how to handle the pan. in holding the pan as it is generally and naturally held, that is, with the palm of the hand resting on the upper side of the handle, it is impossible for anybody, cook or other, to dish the omelet properly without extraordinary efforts; while by resting the thumb on the upper part of the handle, the fingers under it, the little finger being the nearest to the pan, it is only necessary to move the right hand from right to left, describing a circle and twisting the wrist, so that, when the pan is turned upside down, the fingers are up instead of downward, as they were when taking hold of the pan. an omelet is called soft if, when you commence to fold, only about two-thirds of the eggs are solidified; and hard, when nearly the whole of the eggs are solidified. with a good fire it takes only about four minutes to make an omelet. by following our directions carefully, it will be very easy to make an omelet, and make it well and sightly, even the first time, and will be child's play to make one after a few days' practice. _with apples._--peel two or three apples, cut them in thin, round slices, fry them with a little butter, and take them from the pan; then put a little more butter in the pan, and when hot, pour in it six beaten eggs, in which you have mixed the slices of apples; cook, dish, and serve as directed above. _with asparagus._--cut the eatable part of the asparagus half an inch in length, throw them in boiling water with a little salt, drain them when cooked, and chop them fine; beat them with eggs and a little milk; have hot butter in a frying-pan on a good fire; pour the eggs in, tossing continually till done, and serve on a dish as directed. _with bacon._--put two ounces of butter in a frying-pan; when melted, add two ounces of bacon cut in dice; when turning brown and very hot, pour in eight eggs, beaten as directed above; toss the pan nearly all the time till done, and serve as directed. _au naturel._--beat five eggs, with salt and pepper, as directed. put about an ounce of butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and when melted, turn the eggs in; cook, dish, and serve as directed. _aux fines herbes._--proceed as for _au naturel_ in every particular, except that you beat with the eggs a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, or parsley and chives, when handy; cook, dish, and serve in the same way. _célestine._--beat eight eggs as directed. dip the point of a small kitchen knife in water and cut with it little lumps of butter the size of a pea and of any shape; about two ounces of it, drop them in the eggs and beat a little to mix, then melt butter in a frying-pan and cook, dish, and serve as directed. _in the oven._--when the omelet _au naturel_ or _célestine_ is cooked enough to commence folding, put the frying-pan in a quick oven for about one minute and serve. the omelet swells and does not need folding, but if it gains in bulk, it loses in taste. _jardinière._--chop fine, parsley, chives, onions, shallots, a few leaves of sorrel, and a few sprigs of chervil; beat and mix the whole well with beaten eggs; cook, dish, and serve as directed. it requires a little more butter than if made with eggs only. _with cheese._--grate some pine-apple or _gruyère_ cheese, about two ounces to four or five eggs, and mix and beat it with the eggs; then make the omelet as directed. _with kidney._--_sauté_ as directed, till about half done, part of a beef or calf's kidney, or one sheep's kidney, and mix it with beaten eggs. cook and serve as directed. it makes an excellent dish for breakfast. the kidney may be cooked till done, and when the omelet is to be folded in the pan, put five or six tablespoonfuls of the kidney on the middle of the omelet, fold, dish, and serve as directed. when dished, none of the kidney is seen, being under the omelet. _with mushrooms._--cut mushrooms in pieces, and mix them, with beaten eggs; then cook and serve them as directed. this also makes an excellent dish for breakfast, especially if made with fresh mushrooms. _with sorrel._--make an omelet _au naturel_ or _célestine_, and serve it on a _purée_ of sorrel. the same may be served on a _purée_ of tomatoes or onions. _with lobster._--cut two ounces of boiled lobster in small dice, mix it well with beaten eggs, and cook and serve as directed. _with sugar._--mix well the yolks of eight eggs with two ounces of fine white sugar and a pinch of salt, and beat well the whites; then mix well yolks, whites, and the rind of half a lemon, having the latter chopped very fine. put four ounces of butter in a frying-pan, and set it on the fire; when melted, pour the eggs in, and toss and stir as directed. then dust a dish with fine white sugar, put the omelet on, then dust again the upper side with the same; have ready a red-hot shovel, or any other flat piece of iron, pass it over the top of the omelet, so as to color it while melting the sugar, and serve warm. the whole process must be performed quickly. the sugar may be beaten with the eggs whole; both ways are good; it is only a question of taste. _with rum._--make an omelet with sugar as above, and when on the table, pour a gill or so of rum on it, set fire to it, and let it burn as long as it can, taking slowly but continually with a silver spoon the rum from the sides, and pouring it on the middle while it is burning, and until it dies out by itself; then eat immediately. _with truffles._--slice four ounces of truffles, beat them with six eggs, a little milk, and a little salt and pepper. put in a frying-pan four ounces of butter, and set it on a good fire; when melted, pour the eggs in, toss almost continually till done, and serve as directed for omelets. _with ham._--cut four ounces of ham in small dice, and set it on the fire in a frying-pan with about two ounces of butter; stir, and while the ham is frying, beat six eggs and turn them over the ham in the pan when the latter is fried; stir with a fork, to cook the eggs as quickly as possible; turn the part of the omelet nearest to you over the other part by means of a fork, and serve like an omelet _au naturel_. _with boiled ham._--proceed as for the above in every particular, except that you mix the ham with the eggs after the latter are beaten; put the mixture in the frying-pan, and finish as the above. _with salt pork (called omelet au lard)._--beat half a dozen eggs with a fork. cut four ounces of salt pork in dice, set it on the fire in a frying-pan, and when nearly fried turn the eggs in; stir, and finish as other omelets. lean or fat salt pork (according to taste) may be used, or both. if it is all lean, use some butter, otherwise it will burn. _soufflée._--put in a bowl four ounces of pulverized sugar with four yolks of eggs; then with a wooden spoon mix well and stir for two minutes; add a few drops of essence to flavor. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth in another bowl, and when you see that they are beaten enough, turn two tablespoonfuls of the yolks and sugar into them, and while still beating, but not as fast; then turn the rest of the yolks and sugar into the whites, and mix gently with a wooden spoon. butter a tin or silver dish, turn the mixture into it, smooth or scallop with the back of a knife, dust with sugar, and bake in an oven at about °. it takes about twelve minutes to bake. _another._--mix well six yolks of eggs with four ounces of sugar; beat the six whites to a stiff froth and mix them with the rest, add some lemon-rind chopped very fine or grated. put four ounces of butter in a crockery dish, set on a moderate fire, and when the butter is melted pour the eggs in; stir with a fork, and as soon as you see some of the mixture becoming hard, place the dish in a hot oven for about five minutes; take off, dust with sugar, and serve. _macédoine, or à la washington._--make four omelets of four eggs each, one with apples, one with asparagus or sorrel (according to the season), a third with _fines herbes_, and the fourth _au naturel_; you serve them on the same dish, one lapping over the other. it makes a fine as well as a good dish. this omelet, or rather these omelets, were a favorite dish with the father of his country; they were very often served on his table when he had a grand dinner. it is also served with the four following omelets: _au naturel_, with salt pork, _fines herbes_, and with cheese. _with oysters._--blanch a dozen oysters, drain, and beat with the eggs, and then proceed as directed. _with tunny, or any kind of smoked or salt fish._--beat the eggs as directed, using little or no salt; then chop the fish fine, mix and beat it with the eggs, and cook as directed. it requires a little more butter than if there were no fish. a few drops of lemon-juice may be added when dished. _with sweetmeats._--make an omelet _au naturel_, and when ready to be folded in the pan, place on the middle of it two or three tablespoonfuls of any kind of sweetmeats, then fold and serve. omelets are served as _entremets_ after the vegetables, and at breakfast. all but four are served as _entremets_, and all are served at breakfast; the four excepted are: with bacon, ham, salt pork, and kidneys. by using different kinds of sweetmeats, an infinite number of omelets can be made, and, except the _soufflée_, they are all made alike. _macaroni._--this excellent article of food is now as well known here as in europe. the harder the wheat the better the macaroni. the manufacturers of this country use michigan flour in preference to any other. _to blanch._--put about three pints of cold water and a little salt on the fire, and at the first boiling drop half a pound of macaroni into it; boil gently till tender but not soft. it takes about twenty minutes to boil it, according to quality. a little butter, about two ounces, may be added in boiling. as soon as tender, turn it into a colander, and it is ready for use. _au gratin._--blanch the macaroni, and when drained put it on a tin or silver dish, and mix with it a _béchamel_ sauce; add salt, pepper, two or three ounces of butter, a little nutmeg grated, about four ounces of grated cheese, either pine-apple, _gruyère_, or parmesan; dust with bread-crumbs, put about eight pieces of butter the size of a hazel-nut here and there on the top, set in a warm but not quick oven till the top turns rather brown, and serve warm as it is, that is, in the dish in which it is. if in a tin dish, put it inside of another dish, and serve. _a l'italienne._--blanch half a pound of macaroni and drain it. put it in a saucepan with four ounces of butter, and mix well by stirring the butter in the warm macaroni. then add also three or four tablespoonfuls of gravy; mix again half a pint of tomato-sauce and grated cheese, as for _au gratin_; set on the fire, stir, add salt to taste; keep on the fire for about ten minutes, stirring now and then, and serve warm. _napolitaine._--this is the most expensive way of preparing macaroni. wealthy italians have it prepared with beef à la mode gravy only, or gravy made especially for it, with good lean beef cut in dice, and using as many as twelve pounds of meat to make gravy for one pound of macaroni, the meat being prepared as boiled beef afterward, but it can be prepared with ordinary gravy. blanch four ounces of macaroni and drain as directed, then put it in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and set on the fire; stir till the butter is melted, and then add grated cheese as directed for _au gratin_, and half a pint of gravy; stir and mix for about ten minutes, and serve. macaroni requires much butter; the quantity of cheese is according to taste; some put weight for weight of macaroni, butter, and cheese. it is also prepared in a mould (_en timbale_) for _chartreuse_; it is macaroni _napolitaine_, when every thing is mixed with it; instead of leaving it ten minutes on the fire, put it in the mould, set in the oven for about fifteen minutes, turn over a dish, and serve warm. in using much cheese, the macaroni will preserve the form of the mould when served. _in croquettes._--proceed as for rice _croquettes_. _rice--to boil._--wash half a pound of rice in water and drain it; put it in a saucepan with one quart of broth taken from the top of the broth-kettle, and before having skimmed off the fat; set on the fire, boil gently for about fifteen minutes, or till rather underdone, and put on a very slow fire to finish the cooking. water and butter may be used instead of broth. if the broth is absorbed or boiled away before the rice is cooked, add a little more to keep it moist; add salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste, and it is ready for use. _another way._--when boiled, place it in a slow oven to dry it, and then pour over it, little by little, stirring the while, four ounces of melted butter. _another._--wash half a pound of rice in cold water and drain it. put it in a saucepan with two quarts of cold water, salt, and the juice of two lemons; boil six minutes, and drain; put it in a saucepan then with about six ounces of melted butter; mix, cover the pan well, and put it in a slow oven for about half an hour; take off and use. rice may be boiled in several different ways, or rather with several ingredients. to the above ways, in india or other southern countries, they add, besides salt and nutmeg, a teaspoonful of curry-powder to a pound of rice. in italy they add slices of ham, sausage, saffron, and even parmesan cheese. when cooked, chopped truffles may be added at the same time with the butter. oil is sometimes used instead of butter. _in border._--when thus prepared, take it with a spoon and place it all around the dish, leaving room in the middle to serve a bird, and then serve warm. _another way._--when prepared as above, put the rice in a mould for border; the rice must be rather dry and the mould well buttered. press on it so as to fill the mould well, then put it in an oven at about deg. fahr. for ten or twelve minutes. take off, place a dish on the mould, turn it upside down, and remove the mould. the inside of a mould, for border, is plain, but the outside and bottom are scalloped; the bottom makes the top of the rice when served. there is an empty place in the centre to hold a bird. _cake._--butter a mould well and then dust it with sugar. prepare rice as directed for _croquettes_, and instead of spreading it on a dish to cool, fill the mould about two-thirds full with it, and bake in a warm but not quick oven for about half an hour. serve on a dish. the mould may be prepared with sugar only in this way: put pulverized sugar into the mould, set it on a rather slow fire, and when turning rather brown turn the mould round and round, so as to have it lined all over with sugar; bake as above, turn over a dish, remove the mould, and serve hot or cold, with or without a sauce for puddings. _in croquettes._--wash four ounces of rice in cold water and set it on the fire with a pint of milk and the rind of half a lemon; when done or nearly so, the milk may be boiled away or absorbed by the rice; add a little more to keep the rice nearly covered with it. when done, take off and mix with it two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two ounces of butter, two tablespoonfuls of milk, three yolks of eggs, a little pinch of salt, and the same of nutmeg--the latter, if liked. put back on the fire for one minute, stirring the while. spread the mixture on a dish and let cool. if the _croquettes_ are for _breakfast_, the above may be done the evening previous. when cold, stir the mixture, so as to mix the upper part with the rest that is less dry. put it in parts on the paste-board, about a tablespoonful for each part. have bread-crumbs on it, roll each part of the shape you wish, either round, like a small sausage, or flat, or of a chop-shape. then dip each _croquette_ in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs again, and fry in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) to shape them, roll each part round at first, and with a few bread-crumbs; then with a knife you smooth both ends, while you roll them round with the left hand; the two must be done at the same time. when fried and in the colander, dust with sugar, and serve as warm as possible. _croquettes_ are generally served in pyramid. a napkin may be spread on the platter, and the _croquettes_ served on it. _in fritters._--when a rice-cake is cold, it may be cut in pieces, dipped in batter for fritters, fried (_see_ frying), dusted with sugar, and served hot. _soufflé._--prepare rice as directed for _croquettes_, and when ready to be spread on a dish, add a few drops of essence to flavor; have five whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and mix them gently with it; butter a mould well, fill it two-thirds full with the mixture, dust with sugar and set in a warm but not quick oven, and serve as soon as brown and raised. it takes from fifteen to twenty minutes. if the oven is warmer under the cake than on the top, it would be necessary to place something under the mould, the cake rises better and is lighter. this cake, like every _soufflé_, must be served promptly and before it falls. _with fruit._--this dish is excellent, sightly, easily made, and can be varied infinitely. the rice is prepared as for _croquettes_, and is used when ready to be spread over a dish to cool. the fruit, if it be _apples_, _pears_, _plums_, etc., is stewed. one or several kinds may be used for the same dish. it is served warm or cold, according to taste. place a layer of stewed fruit on a dish and then a layer of rice over it; another layer of the same or of another stewed fruit, and over it a layer of rice. place as many layers as you fancy, imitating a pyramid, and you have a fine dish. _rice-water._--this being often prescribed by doctors against diarrhroea, we will give the receipt for it. see that the rice is clean, but do not wash it. put one pint of rice in a pan with a quart of cold water, and boil gently till the rice is quite soft or a little overdone; if the water boils away, fill up with cold water so as to have the rice always covered by it. when done, mash it through a colander, put back on the fire, add water to make it thin or thick, according to prescription; as soon as warm, sweeten to taste with sugar or honey, and take cold or warm, also according to prescription. _nouilles._--put four tablespoonfuls of flour on the paste-board; make a hole in the middle, and break two eggs in it, add a pinch of salt, and knead well; then roll down to a thickness of one-twelfth of an inch; dust it slightly with flour; cut it in strips about an inch wide; then cut these strips across, so as to make fillets one inch long and one-eighth of an inch broad. spread the strips on a sieve for half an hour, to dry them a little. put cold water and a pinch of salt in a saucepan, and set it on the fire; at the first boiling throw the _nouilles_ in, boil two minutes, stirring occasionally; drain, throw them in cold water and it is ready for use. it may be kept in cold water half a day. _nouilles_ are used to make soup, and are prepared in the same and every way like macaroni. sweet dishes. these are served both as _entremets_ and _dessert_. many are _entremets_ at a grand dinner, and _dessert_ at a family dinner. as the name indicates, sugar is one of the most important of the compounds used to prepare them. it is used in syrup, the making of which is generally more difficult than the rest of the operation. the _father of cooks_, the great careme, divides syrup, or the "cooking of sugar," as he calls it, and as every practitioner has called it since, into six degrees; each one corresponding to the six different states into which the sugar passes, while on the fire, from the time it begins to boil to that when it begins to turn _caramel_ or burned. a copper pan is the best and handiest of all; it can be done in another, but it is more difficult; the sugar turns brown before being thoroughly cooked or reduced. always use good loaf sugar. if it be necessary to clarify it, do it in the following way: for five pounds of sugar, put the white of an egg in a bowl with half a pint of water, and beat well with an egg-beater; then turn into it nearly three pints of water, stir, put away half a pint of it to be used afterward. then add to the rest five pounds of sugar, in lumps, set on a rather slow fire, and as soon as it comes to a boil, mix with it the half pint put away, little by little, skimming off carefully the while, and when no more scum gathers on the surface, strain through a towel and commence the working. if the sugar does not require to be clarified, that is, when it is good white sugar, set five pounds of it on the fire, in a copper pan, with nearly two quarts of water, and skim off carefully as soon as the scum gathers. it may be stirred a little to cause the sugar to melt evenly, but as soon as it commences to boil, stop stirring, else it will turn white and stringy. it passes from one state or degree to another in a very short time, and must be watched closely. it is at the _first_ degree when, by dipping a piece of wood into it so as to retain a drop of it at the end, and which you touch with another piece of wood--if, by pulling them apart, slowly and immediately, instead of separating it at once, it forms a thread, but that soon breaks. it marks then at the hydrometer. it is at the _second_ degree when, by repeating the same process, the kind of thread formed does not break as easily as the first. it marks then . it is at the _third_ degree when, by dipping a skimmer in it, holding it horizontally and striking it on the pan, then blowing on it, it forms small bubbles. it marks at the hydrometer. it is at the _fourth_ degree by trying again with the skimmer after a short time, and when, instead of forming bubbles, it will fly away like threads. it marks then . the _fifth_ degree is when, by dipping a piece of wood in the sugar and quickly dipping it also in a bowl of cold water, shaking it at the same time and then biting it; if it breaks easily between the teeth, but at the same time is sticky, it has attained the fifth degree, and marks . a few boilings more and it is at the _sixth_ degree, and by trying in the same way as the preceding one, it will break under the teeth, but will not stick to them. above the mark is uncertain, the syrup being too thick; it passes from that state to that of _caramel_; is colored, and would burn immediately. when that happens, make burnt sugar with it according to direction. _apples au beurre._--peel and core the apples with a fruit-corer. cut slices of stale bread about one-quarter of an inch in thickness, and then cut them again of a round shape with a paste-cutter and of the size of the apples. spread some butter on each slice and place an apple on each also. butter a bakepan, place the apples and bread in, fill the hole made in the middle of the apple to core it with sugar; place on the top of the sugar and on each a piece of butter the size of a hazel-nut, and set in a warm, but not quick oven. when about half done, fill the hole again with sugar and a pinch of cinnamon, place butter on top as before, and finish the cooking, serve warm. when done, they may be glazed with apple-jelly and put back in the oven for two minutes; the dish is more sightly. _flambantes._--lay apples in a saucepan, after being peeled and cored, add sugar to taste, and water enough just to cover them, also a stick of cinnamon, and set on a rather slow fire, and leave till done. take them from the pan carefully and without breaking them; place them on a tin or silver dish, forming a kind of pyramid or mound; turn the juice over them, dust with sugar, pour good rum all over, set it on fire, and serve immediately and warm. as soon as on fire it is placed on the table, and the host must baste with the rum so as to keep it burning till all the alcohol is exhausted, then serve. the following cut represents either a dish of apples _flambantes_ before being in flames, or apples with rice. [illustration] _in fritters._--peel, core, and cut apples in slices, and then proceed as directed for fritters. serve hot. _with wine._--proceed as for apples _flambantes_ in every particular except that you slice the apples, and instead of pouring rum over, you pour madeira wine, and do not set it on fire. _meringués._--peel, quarter, and core half a dozen apples; set them on the fire in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of water; stir occasionally till done, then mix with them two or three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and when cold put them on a tin or silver dish; arrange them as a mound on the middle of the dish. beat three whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix three ounces of pulverized sugar with them; spread two thirds of that mixture all over and around the apples, smooth it with a knife; then put the other third in a paper funnel, and by squeezing it out, decorate the dish according to fancy. you may squeeze some small heaps of the mixture here and there, over and around the dish, or squeeze it out all around, giving it a rope-like shape. dust with sugar, and put in an oven at degrees for twenty to twenty-five minutes. serve warm in the dish in which it has been baked. _charlotte._--peel, quarter, and core six apples; put them in a pan with two tablespoonfuls of water, cinnamon, and stew till done, when add three or four ounces of sugar, mix gently so as not to mash the apples, let cool. butter a mould well, line it, bottom and sides, with strips of stale bread, about one quarter of an inch thick, one inch broad, and of a proper length for the mould. fill till about half full with some of the apples, then put a rather thin layer of any kind of sweetmeat on the apples; finish the filling up with apples; cover with pieces of stale bread, bake in an oven at about degrees for about twenty minutes, turn over on a dish, remove the mould, and serve hot. _with sweetmeats._--prepare apples _au beurre_, and when ready to be served, fill the hole with any kind of sweetmeats or with currant-jelly. serve warm. _in pine-apple._--core the apples with a fruit-corer and then peel them with the scalloped knife (the peels are used to make syrup or jelly), place them tastefully on a dish, so that they will form a pyramid, filling the place where the core was with sugar and a little cinnamon; then pour a little apple-syrup on the whole, and bake. when done, pour a little more syrup over, and serve cold or warm. _apple-syrup._--peel, quarter, and core four or six apples, of the pippin variety; cook them well in about a pint of water, a wine-glass of brandy, and a pinch of grated cinnamon; when well cooked, put them in a coarse towel, and press the juice out; put it in a stewpan and set it on a good fire; add a pound of loaf-sugar, take the foam off with a skimmer a little before it boils, and boil about five minutes; take from the fire, let cool, bottle it, corking well. it may be kept for months. syrup with pears, pine-apple, etc., is made in the same way. _blanc-mange._--set on the fire in a block-tin saucepan one quart of milk with the rind of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of sugar; stir occasionally to melt the sugar. then mix about six ounces of corn-starch with half a pint of milk in a bowl. as soon as the milk rises, take it from the fire; take off with a skimmer the rind of lemon, and the skin that has formed on the top of the milk; put the milk back on the fire; turn the corn-starch into it, stir continually and very fast till it is very thick. it will take hardly a minute to get thick. turn into a mould wetted with cold water and put away to cool. when perfectly cold, serve with the following sauce: mix well in a tin saucepan two ounces of sugar and two yolks of eggs, then add half a pint of milk and mix again; set on the fire; stir continually, give one boil; take off; let cool, and serve. _blanc-manger._--throw in boiling water two ounces of sweet almonds and the same of bitter ones, or pour boiling water over them, and then skin them as soon as the skin comes off easily. pound them well with four ounces of sugar, lay the whole in a pan with about a pint of water, set on the fire, and when on the point of boiling, take off and strain. put in a tin saucepan about a pint of milk, the strained juice, an ounce of gelatin, a little rind of lemon, and a little nutmeg, both grated; set the whole on a moderate fire; simmer just enough to melt the gelatin and mix it with the rest, and then strain. wet a mould with cold water, put the mixture in it, set it on ice, and serve when cool. it may be served with a sauce like the above. _charlotte russe._--wipe a mould well, see that it is dry, and then line the bottom and sides with lady's-fingers, or sponge cake cut in pieces about the size of a lady's-finger. commence by lining the bottom, placing the pieces so as to form a star or rosette, or plain, according to fancy. then place some of them upright all around, rather tight, and even with the top of the mould. fill with cream, well whipped, sweetened, and flavored with essence; place the mould on ice, and when ready to serve, place a dish on it, turn upside down, remove the mould, and serve as it is, or decorated. _to decorate._--make a paper funnel, fill it with cream, or icing (sugar and white of egg worked), then spread some all over the top according to fancy; it is quickly done and is sightly. the mould may also be filled with some other cream; as _crème légère_, _crème cuite_, etc. _charlotte à la chantilly._--it is a _charlotte_ made exactly as the above one, but filled with _crème à la chantilly_. _a la polonaise._--make a sponge cake, cut it transversely, dip each piece in cream (any kind) and then place them back where they were so as to give the cake its original form as near as possible. when thus re-formed, cover it with cream, dust with sugar, and decorate with any kind of sweetmeats. besides the sweetmeats that are placed here and there all around, some currant-jelly may also be used to decorate. place on ice for some time, and serve. _italian._--peel, quarter, and core about a quart of pears and set them on a rather slow fire, in a saucepan with half a pint of white wine, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon-rind. while they are cooking, line a mould as for _charlotte russe_, remove the lemon-rind, and fill the mould with the pears; place it on ice when cool, turn over on a dish, remove the mould, decorate with icing, or cover entirely with apple-jelly, and serve. it is also made with _génoise_ cake instead of sponge cake. _française._--this is prepared and served like a _charlotte russe_, with the exception that it is filled with _blanc manger_ or _fromage à la crème_ instead of cream. _of fruit._--this is made of cherries or any kind of berries; cherries must be stoned carefully. dip the fruit in wine-jelly as soon as the latter is cool, but not firm, and line a mould with it. by having the mould on ice it will be more easily done. fill the mould with cream, as for _charlotte russe_, place on ice, and serve as soon as congealed. when the mould is taken from the ice, dip it in warm water a few seconds, place a dish over it, turn upside down, remove it, and serve immediately. a _charlotte_ of fruit is sightly enough without decorations; it requires some time to make it, but it is worth the trouble, being a handsome as well as a good dish. _another._--line a mould as for the above. put one ounce of gelatin in a bowl with about three tablespoonfuls of water and leave it so for about half an hour. mix well together in a saucepan four yolks of eggs and three ounces of pulverized sugar, add about three tablespoonfuls of milk, and mix again; set on the fire and stir for about three minutes, add the gelatin, stir again, give one boil, and put away to cool a little. beat four whites of eggs to a stiff froth, turn the above mixture into them, mix gently again; fill the mould with the whole, place on ice till perfectly cold. when cold, turn upside down on a dish, remove the mould, decorate as the preceding one, and serve cold. _cheese with cream--(fromage à la crème_).--this is made in different ways; sometimes with soft curds only, or with curds and cream, or with cream only when very thick. gelatin dissolved in a little water may also be added. the curds or cream, or both, are beaten with an egg-beater, sweetened to taste with sugar, and flavored with essence. to make it more sightly, when beaten and flavored, it is moulded, placed on ice to make it firm, and then turned over a dish, the mould removed, and then served. any kind of essence may be used to flavor it, such as vanilla, _fleur d'oranger_, rose-water, violet, etc.; it may also be made with coffee, tea, chocolate, orange, lemon, etc. put a few drops of very strong coffee, or tea, or chocolate at the same time with the sugar and essence. with orange or lemon, rub them on a piece of sugar, which you pound and use to sweeten the cheese. three or more different ones may be made with a quart of curds; for instance, flavor one third of it with essence, another third with coffee or chocolate, and the other with orange. the colors will be different also. it is an excellent and refreshing _entremets_ in summer-time. cheese may also be flavored with pine-apple cut in very small dice and mixed with it instead of essence. _compotes, or jams.--how to make syrup for compotes.--common syrup._--put a pound of loaf-sugar in a crockery stewpan, with a pint of water, a wine-glass of brandy, and a pinch of well-grated cinnamon; set it on a slow fire, boil gently for ten minutes, skimming off the foam; then take from the fire and let cool; bottle it; cork it well and keep it to use when wanted. it may be kept for months in a cool and dry place. stewed fruit of any kind is called either _compote_ or jam. they are first peeled and cored and then cooked with sugar, water, and sometimes cinnamon, or cloves, both in powder and according to taste; also lemon-juice or rind to taste. cinnamon agrees well with any kind of apples, but is not liked by every one in every kind of fruit. the fruits may be cooked and served whole, in halves, or quarters, or mashed, according to fancy and taste. the proportions of water and sugar are also according to taste, or according to the nature or state of the fruit. sour apples require more sugar than sweet ones, unripe berries require more also than ripe ones. the preparation is very simple; not being prepared to keep, they are served as soon as cold. they may be served warm, but they are certainly not as good. when there is not syrup (juice) enough, pour some of the above over the fruit, or some apple-syrup. the peels and cores of the apples may be used to make syrup, together with those of pears. while peeling, coring, or cutting fruit, drop each in cold water, else it changes color and is unsightly. when cold, the _compote_ may be put in a mould; turn over a dish, remove the mould, and serve. several kinds may be served on the same dish as well as one; being of different colors, the dish is more sightly, and quite as good. loaf-sugar is the best. instead of cooking them with water, etc., as directed above, put some syrup on the fire, and as soon as it boils, drop the prepared fruit in it, and boil slowly till done. _of apples._--quarter, peel, core, and put apples in a stewpan with a gill of water for two quarts, sugar and cinnamon to taste; when done, dish them, pour the juice in the stewpan all over, and serve cold. if there is not juice enough, add some apple-syrup. _of apricots or peaches._--take two quarts of apricots or peaches and cut them in two, remove the stones. throw them in boiling water for two minutes and take off; drop in cold water and take out immediately, then skin them. put about half a pint of water in a crockery pan or in a well-lined one, and at the first boil put the peaches in, with sugar to taste; boil gently till done, turn the whole over a dish, and serve cold. if there is not juice or syrup enough, add a little common syrup. _of blackberries, currants, raspberries, strawberries, and other like berries._--prepare syrup of sugar, and when at the second, third, or fourth state, throw the berries in; boil from one to five minutes, according to the kind, take from the fire, and serve when cold. _of cherries._--cut off the stalks of the cherries about half their length, wash well and drain them. put them in a stewpan in which there is just enough syrup at the first degree to cover them; boil slowly till cooked, and serve. _of oranges._--peel four oranges, and divide each carpel without breaking it, and then throw them in syrup of sugar at the fourth or fifth degree, and boil slowly three or four minutes; take from the fire, let cool, and serve. _of pears._--peel the pears, cut the stem half its length, put them in a stewpan with a little sugar, a few drops of lemon-juice, a pinch of cinnamon, and a little water. set on a moderate fire, and at the first boiling add two gills of claret wine. simmer till cooked, then put the pears only on a dish; set the stewpan back on the fire, add to the juice in it about the same quantity of syrup of pears or of syrup of sugar at the third degree, boil fifteen minutes longer, pour the whole on the pears, and serve warm or cold. _of lemons._--peel the lemons, cut them in pieces, remove the seeds, and proceed as for that of oranges, boiling a little longer. _of pine-apple._--peel and cut in slices, put them in a crockery pan, with a little water and sugar, set on a good fire, and finish and serve like apricots. _of plums._--throw the plums in boiling water, and take them out when half cooked; put them in a crockery stewpan, with a little water and a little sugar; simmer till cooked, place them on a dish, pour some common syrup on, and serve when cold. _of quinces._--quarter, peel, and core the quinces; throw them in boiling water for five minutes; take out and drain them; put them in a crockery stewpan, with four ounces of sugar for every pound of quinces, a few drops of lemon-juice, a little water, and a pinch of grated cinnamon; set it on the fire, simmer till cooked, place them on a dish, pour some common syrup on them, and serve cold. _of chestnuts._--roast about one quart of chestnuts, remove the skin and pith, lay them in a pan with half a gill of water and four ounces of sugar; set on a slow fire, toss now and then till the sugar and water are absorbed or evaporated, turn over a dish, dust with sugar, and serve warm or cold. a few drops of lemon-juice may be added just before dusting with sugar. _cold compote._--wash strawberries and raspberries in cold water, drain dry, and place them on a dish. pour boiling common syrup or boiling currant-jelly all over; let cool, and serve. _of cranberries._--put one pint of water in a tin saucepan, with six ounces of loaf-sugar, the rind of half a lemon, and set it on the fire; boil down until, by dipping a spoon in it, it adheres to it. then throw in it about one pint of cranberries; boil about twelve minutes, stirring now and then, take off, let cool, and serve. _another._--after having boiled ten minutes in the same way as above, and with the same proportions of sugar, cranberries, etc., take from the fire, mash through a fine colander or sieve, put back on the fire, boil gently five minutes, let cool, and serve. _creams or crèmes au citron_ (_with lemon_).--put one pint of milk in a tin saucepan with the rind of a lemon; set on the fire, and as soon as it rises place an iron spoon in it and boil gently five minutes; take from the fire. mix well in a bowl four ounces of sugar with four yolks of eggs, then turn the milk into the bowl, little by little, stirring and mixing at the same time. strain the mixture and put it in small cups; put the cups in a pan of boiling water, boil gently for about ten minutes, and put in the oven as it is, that is, leaving the cups in the water. the cups must not be more than half covered with water, else the water will fly into it. it takes from ten to fifteen minutes to finish the cooking in the oven, according to the size of the cups. take them from the oven when the _crème_ is rather firm, except a little spot in the middle, and which you ascertain by moving the cups. anyone with an ordinary amount of intelligence can make creams as well as the best cooks, after having tried only two or three times. when you know how to make one, you can make fifty, just by using different flavorings. _au café (with coffee_).--the stronger the coffee the better the cream. the most economical way of making strong coffee is: when you intend to have cream with coffee for dinner, put the first drops that fall, when you make the coffee for breakfast, into a glass; put it immediately in cold water, and as soon as cool cover it with paper, which you tie around it with twine, and use when you make the cream. always use good fresh milk and fresh eggs. as soon as the whites of the eggs are separated from the yolks, put them, together with the shells, on ice, and use the next day to clarify your jellies, or to make icing, etc. a little care is a great saving in the kitchen. put one quart of milk in a milk-pan on the fire and take off as soon as it rises. while the milk is on the fire, mix well together in a bowl eight yolks of eggs with half a pound of sugar, and coffee to flavor; then turn the milk into the mixture, little by little, stirring the while; when the whole is thoroughly mixed, strain it. put the mixture in cream-cups, place the cups in a pan of boiling water--enough water to half cover them; boil slowly for about ten minutes, put the pan and cups in a moderately-heated oven, and take off when done. it takes from ten to fifteen minutes to finish the cooking, according to the size of the cups. it is done when the whole is solidified except a little spot in the centre, which, by moving the cups, will shake somewhat. serve cold. _with burnt sugar._--put two ounces of sugar in a small tin pan, with a tablespoonful of water, set on the fire, and boil till burnt and of a light-brown color; take off, and put it in a stewpan with a pint of milk, four ounces of white sugar, a few drops of rose or orange-flower water; boil ten minutes, stirring occasionally; take from the fire, beat the yolks of two eggs, and one entire, put in the pan and mix the whole well, then strain, after which you put the mixture in small cream-pots for that purpose; place them in a hot but not boiling _bain-marie_, and as soon as it thickens take them out, dust them with fine white sugar, let cool; place them on ice for about fifteen minutes, and then it is ready to be served. _with chocolate._--put in a stewpan and on a moderate fire six ounces of chocolate, three tablespoonfuls of water, three ounces of white sugar, stir now and then with a wooden spoon till melted; then pour in it, little by little, a quart of good fresh milk; boil ten minutes, take from the fire, and mix in it one egg well beaten with the yolks of five others; strain through a fine sieve, put in cream-pots or cups, place them in a hot but not boiling _bain-marie_, take off as soon as it thickens, dust with fine white sugar, let cool, place on ice for about fifteen minutes, and use. _with orange._--use orange-rind, and proceed as for lemon-cream in every other particular. _with tea._--proceed with strong tea as for cream _au café_ in every other particular. _with essence._--make cream _au café_, with the exception that, instead of using coffee to flavor, you use a few drops of vanilla, rose-water, orange-flower water, violet, cinnamon, etc.--any kind of essence, to taste. _with cinnamon._--beat well together in a bowl about an ounce of potato-starch, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, four eggs, four ounces of sugar, and milk enough to make a rather liquid batter. turn the mixture into a mould, which put into a pan of boiling water for fifteen minutes, then place in the oven till cooked. serve cold. _cuite._--put two ounces of sugar in a tin pan with two eggs, and mix well; then add an ounce of flour, little by little, mixing the while; then, in the same way, add also about a pint of boiled milk; set on the fire, stir continually till it turns rather thick; take off, flavor with essence to taste, let cool, and serve or use for filling. _frangipane._--set one pint of milk on the fire. mix well together in another pan three tablespoonfuls of sugar, two of flour, three eggs, three macaroons crumbled, and as soon as the milk rises, turn the mixture into it, little by little, stirring and mixing the while; keep stirring about three minutes; take off, add a few drops of essence to flavor; turn into a bowl, let cool, and it is ready for use. it may be made without the macaroons. _with almonds._--make as the above, with the exception that you use sweet almonds, chopped fine, instead of macaroons. _with hazel-nuts._--proceed as above, using hazel-nuts instead of almonds. _légère._--mix well together in a tin saucepan five yolks of eggs and five ounces of sugar; add four tablespoonfuls of milk, and mix again. set the pan on the fire, and stir continually till it turns rather thick; take off, and add a few drops of essence; turn into a plate or dish and let cool. when cold, beat five whites of eggs to a stiff froth; have somebody to pour in the whites, and, while you are still beating, about two tablespoonfuls of the cold mixture, and stop beating. then turn the rest of the mixture into the whites, and mix the whole together gently; do not stir too much, but move round and round with a wooden spoon, and it is done. if it is stirred too much, it may become too liquid. it makes an excellent and light cream. _patissière._--beat four whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and then mix about one ounce of pulverized sugar with them. put four yolks of egg in a bowl with half a gill of milk, and beat well till thoroughly mixed. put in a saucepan about two ounces of pulverized sugar, with a teaspoonful of potato-starch (_fecula_), and two-thirds of a gill of milk, and mix the whole well; then add the eggs and milk, and beat the whole well with an egg-beater. set the pan on a rather slow fire, stir continually with a wooden spoon till it turns rather thick, and then turn the four whites and sugar into the pan also, little by little, stirring the while, and take off when thoroughly mixed. as soon as off the fire, add essence to flavor, and about one-quarter of an ounce of gelatine, dissolved in tepid water. serve, or use to fill when cold. _renversée._--make cream with tea, coffee, or chocolate, and instead of turning the mixture into cream pots, turn it into a mould lined with burnt sugar; place the mould in boiling water for about fifteen minutes, place it in the oven to finish the cooking, turn over a dish, remove the mould, and serve cold. to line the mould, put two or three tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar in it; set it on a slow fire, and when the sugar is melted and turning brown, move the mould round and round to spread the sugar all over; then put the cream in it. _sweet cream._--we mean here the oily substance which forms a scum on milk; also called _whipped cream_. it is used to make charlotte russe, to fill _meringues_, _choux_, or cream-cakes, etc. put a pint of good thick cream in a bowl, and if the weather is warm, place the bowl on ice for half an hour, then beat the cream with an egg-beater till stiff and thick. if the cream does not become stiff after having beaten it fifteen or twenty minutes at the longest, it is not good, or it is too warm. good cream may rise and become stiff in five minutes. when beaten, add to it about four ounces of pulverized sugar, which you mix gently with it, not stirring too much; add also a few drops of essence to flavor. if wanted very stiff, add also, after the sugar, half an ounce of gelatin, melted in a little tepid water. when beaten and mixed, if not used immediately, it must be put on ice. _chantilly._--it is the above cream flavored with _fleur d'orange_ (orange-flower water), or with essence of violet. _ice cream._--made with cream it is richer than with milk. with eggs it is better and richer than without, and those that advocate it without eggs, either have no palate, or do not know how to use them in making it. the addition of starch, fecula, arrow-root, flour, meal, etc., spoils it. the proportions are, to a quart of milk or cream: from four to six eggs; from eight to fourteen ounces of pulverized sugar; essence, or chocolate, or fruit-jelly to flavor and color. our receipt is for six eggs and fourteen ounces of sugar to a quart of milk. set the milk on the fire, and when it comes to a boil, mix well half the sugar and the essence with six yolks and three whites of eggs; beat the three other whites separately to a stiff froth. as soon as the milk rises, take it from the fire, put half the sugar in it and stir to melt it, then turn the mixture into it also, little by little, beating the while with an egg-beater; set on the fire, and take off at the first boiling. while on the fire it must be beaten gently, as, if it is allowed to boil, the eggs may curdle. as soon as off the fire, mix the three whites with the rest, beating with an egg-beater, just enough to mix the whole well; put in cold, salt water to cool, and then freeze. the smaller the ice is broken and mixed with plenty of rock-salt, the quicker it freezes. _custard._--put four yolks of eggs in a bowl, then sprinkle flour on them, little by little, stirring and mixing well the while with a wooden spoon, and when the mixture is rather thick, stop sprinkling flour, but sprinkle milk, and mix again in the same way till the mixture is liquid; add sugar and essence to taste, beat the four whites to a stiff froth, mix them gently with the rest; butter a mould well, fill it about two-thirds full with the mixture, and set in a warm but not quick oven. serve as soon as out of the oven. if intended to be served cold, omit the whites of eggs. _fritters._--these are made with every kind of fruit, when ripe, peeled and stoned, or cored when necessary, and according to the kind. the fruit is used whole, such as strawberries and the like; or in slices, such as apples, pears, etc.; or in halves, like peaches, plums, etc. it may be used as soon as prepared; or may be soaked a few hours in a mixture of sugar, brandy, or rum, and lemon-rind. have _batter for fritters_ made in advance, and while you are preparing the fruit heat the fat (_see_ frying), dip each fruit or each slice in batter, drop it in the fat, stir and turn over, and when done, turn into a colander, dust well with fine white or pulverized sugar, and serve as warm (or rather as hot) as possible. even the best fritters served cold make a very poor dish. besides fruit, the blossoms of the acacia and those of the violet make the most delicate fritters. _with bread or pain perdu._--set one pint of milk on the fire with two ounces of sugar, and the rind of half a lemon, stir now and then, and when it rises add a few drops of essence to flavor, then take off and soak in it slices of bread, cut with a paste-cutter and about half an inch thick. when well soaked, drain; dip them in beaten egg, roll in bread-crumbs, and fry and serve as fritters. _glazed fruit--oranges glazed._--oranges or any other fruit glazed, when mounted in a pyramid, is called _croque en bouche_. peel the oranges; then divide the carpels and free them from the pith, and put them away in a warm place for a few hours; they may be left over night. cut very fine wire in pieces about eight inches long, bend each piece at both ends, forming a hook; then run one end or hook through the carpel of orange, and hang it on a stick placed on something horizontally. in order not to spill any of the juice, hook the orange near the edge of that part that was the centre of the orange before being divided, and as the other end of the wire forms a hook also, it is easy to hang it. prepare syrup of sugar, and when at the sixth degree take it from the fire, dip each carpel of orange into it and hang it again, and so on for the whole. as soon as dry enough to handle them, which takes hardly half a minute, pull off the wire and serve when perfectly cold. to mount them in pyramid is not difficult, but requires time. when they are cold, prepare again the same syrup of sugar as above, and take it from the fire. while the sugar is on the fire take a tin mould, a plain one, larger at the top than at the bottom, and slightly grease it with sweet-oil. a convenient size for a family is, seven inches high, six inches broad at the top, and only four inches at the bottom. place one carpel of orange, resting on the bottom of the mould, along the side and the edge upward; as soon as the sugar is out of the fire, dip one of the two ends of another carpel into it, the edge only, and immediately place it as the first one, and touching it. the syrup being hot and liquid, the two pieces will adhere; do the same with others till you have one row around the bottom. commence a second row as you did the first, but this time the first carpel you place must be dipped in sugar, in order to adhere to the first row, and all the others must also be dipped so as to adhere not only to the first piece placed, but also to the first row; and so on for each row till the mould is full, or till you have as much as you wish. as soon as cold, place a dish on the mould, turn upside down, and remove the mould. you have then a sightly dish, but not better than when served only glazed. _another way to make it._--grease with oil your marble for pastry, place the same mould as above over it but upside down, that is, the broader end down; grease the outside also with oil. then place the rows of carpels of oranges all around outside of it, and in the same way as described above. the _croque en bouche_ is more easily made this last way, but it is more difficult to remove the mould. mould and fruit must be turned upside down carefully, after which the mould is pulled off. if the syrup gets cold, it hardens, and cannot be used; in that state, add a little water and put it back on the fire, but it is difficult to rewarm it; generally it colors and is unfit. when that happens, make burnt sugar with it, or a _nougat_. it is better and safer to make a little of it, just what can be used before it gets cold, and if not enough, make some a second and even a third time. while the sugar is hot, and while you are dipping the fruit in it, be careful not to touch it, as it burns badly. in glazing the fruit first, some syrup falls in taking it from the pan to the stick; place your marble board, greased with oil, under, so that you can pick it without any trouble and use it. _chestnuts, glazed._--roast the chestnuts, skin them well, then hook, dip, and hook again on the stick as directed for pieces of oranges. a pyramid also may be made, and a sightly one it makes. _cherries._--they must be picked with their stems, and by which you tie two together with a piece of twine. see that they are clean and dry, and have two sticks instead of one, placed parallel, about two inches apart, in order to prevent the two cherries from touching, when hung, as they would immediately adhere. proceed for the rest as described for oranges. _pears._--small, ripe pears are excellent glazed; peel them, but leave the stem on, and then proceed as with cherries in every particular. _strawberries or any other berries._--the berries must be picked with the stem. wash them in cold water, drain, dry, or wipe carefully, and then proceed as for cherries in every particular. a more delicate dish than strawberries or raspberries glazed cannot be made. _grapes._--when clean, proceed as described for cherries. _plums._--take plums, well ripened and with the stems on, and proceed as with cherries. _prunes._--soak the prunes in tepid water, and when dry, hook them like carpels of orange, and finish in the same manner. _currants._--when clean and dry, tie two clusters together, and proceed as for cherries. _pine-apple._--cut pine-apple in dice, and proceed as described for carpels of orange. _iced fruit._--as a general rule, the more watery the fruit the more reduced the syrup of sugar must be. if it is not reduced enough, small pieces of ice, formed by the water of the fruit, will be found while eating it. the fruit must be ripe. it is done also with preserved fruit. it is impossible to tell exactly the degree or state of the fruit and syrup without a hydrometer. the following _preparation_ may be added to the fruit, or to _punch_, as soon as it begins to freeze; it is not indispensable, but gives it more body: put one pound of loaf-sugar in a copper pan with two gills of cold water, set on the fire, stir now and then till it comes to a boil, then boil till it is at the fifth state or °, and take off. beat four whites of eggs to a stiff froth, flavor with essence of vanilla, and turn the sugar into the eggs, little by little, but do not stop beating until the whole is in. then move the mixture gently round with a spoon for about a minute, and it is ready for use. _with peaches, apricots, or plums._--the following proportions are for one pint of juice. peel and stone the fruit carefully, then mash it through a sieve into a bowl. make one pint of syrup of sugar at °, and when cold turn it into the bowl and mix it with the pint of juice, add the juice of a rather large orange and a little of the rind grated, mix again, freeze as directed for ice-cream, and serve. _with currants, lemons, oranges, pears, pine-apples, strawberries, and other berries._--proceed as for peaches in every particular, except that you press the juice of the currants and berries through a towel instead of mashing them through a sieve, and that you use the syrup at ° for them also; the others are peeled and cored or seeded. _with melons._--proceed as for peaches, except that you add to the mixture a little _kirschwasser_. _with preserved fruit._--use the syrup at °, and proceed as for peaches in every other particular. _iced coffee._--make strong coffee, and when cold mix it with the same volume of thick cream, sweeten to taste, freeze, and serve. _iced chocolate._--break in pieces about four ounces of chocolate, and set it on a slow fire in a tin pan, with two tablespoonfuls of water; when melted take it from the fire, add a gill of warm water, and work it with a spoon for five minutes; then mix it with the same volume of syrup of sugar at °, freeze and serve. the syrup is used when cold. _iced tea_ is made as iced coffee. _sweet jellies--wine jelly._--soak two ounces of gelatin in a gill of cold water for about half an hour. put in a block-tin saucepan three eggs and shells, three ounces of sugar, one quart of cold water; beat a little with an egg-beater to break the eggs, and mix the whole together; add also a few drops of burnt sugar, same of essence, rum, according to taste, from half a gill to half a pint, then the gelatin and water in which it is; set on a good fire, stirring slowly with an egg-beater, and stopping once in a while to see if it comes to a boil, when, stop stirring, keep boiling very slowly for two or three minutes, and turn into the jelly-bag, which you do as soon as clear; the process requires from two to three minutes. while it is boiling take a few drops with a spoon, and you will easily see when it is clear. pass it through the bag three or four times, turn into a mould, put on ice, and when firm, put a dish on it, turn upside down, remove the mould, and serve. _jelly macédoine._--make the same jelly as above, and pass it through the bag also; put some in a mould, say a thickness of half an inch, have the mould on ice; then, as soon as it is firm, place some fruit on that layer and according to fancy; and, with a tin ladle, pour more jelly into the mould, but carefully and slowly, in order not to upset the fruit you have in; continue pouring till you have a thickness of about half an inch on the fruit. repeat this as many times as you please, and till the mould is full; vary the fruit at each layer, and especially the color of the different kinds. the color of the jelly may also be changed at every layer, by mixing in it more burnt sugar, some carmine or cochineal, some green spinach, a little in one layer and more in another. any kind of ripe fruit can be used: strawberries, raspberries, stoned cherries, grapes, apples cut in fancy shapes; also peaches, bananas, etc. _cold wine-jelly._--put two ounces of gelatin in a bowl with a piece of cinnamon and a pint of cold water, and let stand about an hour. then pour over about a quart of boiling water, and let stand about four minutes. after that, add two pounds of sugar, the juice of three lemons, a pint of sherry wine, and half a gill of brandy. stir to dissolve the sugar, and turn the mixture into a mould through a strainer; place on ice, and serve as the above jellies. _soufflés._--put in a bowl four tablespoonfuls of potato-starch with three yolks of eggs, one ounce of butter, and a few drops of essence to flavor. turn into it, little by little, stirring the while, about three gills of milk; set on the fire, stir continually, and take off at the first boiling. stir continually but slowly. as soon as cold, beat three yolks of eggs with a tablespoonful of cold water, and mix them with the rest. beat four whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them also gently and slowly. butter a mould well, fill it about two-thirds full, and bake in a warm but not quick oven (about ° fahr.). besides being flavored with essence, _soufflés_ may be flavored with coffee, lemon, orange, etc., according to taste. generally, _soufflés_ are served under the name of the object used to flavor them, such as _soufflé au café_ (_soufflé_ flavored with strong coffee), etc. they are all made in the same way as the above one, with the exception that they are flavored with strong coffee as above, and used instead of essence, or strong tea, chocolate, etc., or with a little jelly of different fruit, or with roasted chestnuts well pounded, instead of potato-starch, etc. a hundred different kinds of _soufflés_ can be easily made by following the above directions. _apples, fried._--peel and cut in small dice, dropping them in cold water till the whole is ready. then fry with a little butter till about half cooked, when add a little water and sugar to taste; finish the cooking, take from the fire; beat a yolk of egg with a teaspoonful of cold water and mix it with the apples; serve warm. proceed in the same way with _pears_. _peaches baked._--cut peaches in two, remove the stone, and with a paste-cutter cut some slices of bread, and place them in a buttered bakepan with half of a peach on each, the skin downward; dust well with sugar, put a piece of butter the size of a kidney-bean on each, place in a rather slow oven; dish when cooked, turn the juice over, if any; if none, a little syrup of pears, and serve warm. do the same with _apricots_, _plums_, and slices of _pine-apples_. the slices of pine-apples may be soaked in _kirschwasser_ for twenty-four hours before using them. _prunes, stewed._--wash them in cold water if necessary. soak them in tepid water for about two hours, and set the whole on the fire; boil gently till half done, when add sugar to taste, a gill of claret wine to half a pound of prunes, and serve either warm or cold when done. if the water boils away too much, add more. _currants, blackberries, or other fruit, for dessert._--beat well the white of an egg with a little water; dip the fruit in, and roll it immediately in some fine-crushed sugar; place it on a dish, and leave it thus five or six hours, and serve. a more sightly and exquisite plate of dessert than a plate of currants dressed thus, cannot be had. besides all our receipts, any kind of fruit may be served for dessert, according to the season; also any kind of cheese; also fruits preserved in liquor. _berries with milk or cream._--nearly every kind of berries, when clean, may be served with milk or cream, and sugar to taste. _with liquor._--they may also be served with brandy, rum, _kirschwasser_, whiskey, etc., and sugar. _marmalades, or preserves of fruits--of apricots or peaches._--boil two pounds of peaches for a minute, take off and drop them immediately in cold water. drain and skin immediately, cut in two and remove the stone. crack two-thirds of the stones and throw the kernels in boiling water; leave them in till the skin comes off easily; skin them well and cut them in small pieces, lengthwise. lay the peaches in a pan, with about a pound and a half of sugar, set on the fire, boil about twenty minutes, stirring the while with a wooden spoon; a few minutes before taking from the fire, put also the kernels in the pan; then turn in pots or jars as soon as off the fire. cover well when cold, and keep in a dry and cool (but not cold) closet. _of plums._--proceed as for the above. _of pears and quinces._--quarter, peel, and core the fruit, put it in a pan, and proceed for the rest as directed for peaches, except that you use sweet almonds instead of kernels. _of blackberries, cherries, currants, raspberries, and other like berries._--wash the fruit in cold water, drain, dry, and mash it through a sieve placed over a saucepan; when the juice and pulp are in the pan add the same weight of loaf-sugar as that of juice, which is easily ascertained by weighing the pan first; set on the fire, skim it carefully; it takes about half an hour to cook; then put in pots and let cool; cut a piece of white paper the size of the inside of the pot, dip it in brandy, put it over the fruit, cover the pots, and place them in a dry and cool closet. _of grapes._--select well-ripened grapes and pick the berries. put them in a thick towel, and press the juice out, which you put in a copper or brass saucepan, set on a good fire, and boil till about half reduced. skim off the scum, and stir now and then while it is on the fire. then add about half a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of juice, boil again fifteen or twenty minutes, take off, put in pots or jars, cover or cork well when cold, and put away in a dark and cool closet. _candied or comfited fruit._--the best state of the fruit to be candied is just when commencing to ripen or a little before. it must be picked in dry weather, and be sound; the least stain is enough to spoil it soon after it is preserved. _peaches._--make a cut on the side of the fruit and remove the stone without bruising it; then skin it carefully and drop it in a pan of cold water. when they are all in, set on the fire, boil gently till they float. there must be much more water than is necessary to cover them, in order to see easily when they come to the surface. then take them off carefully, with a skimmer, and drop them in cold water and drain. when drained, put them in a pan, cover them with syrup of sugar after it is skimmed and clarified. (_see_ syrup of sugar.) the syrup must be boiling when turned over the fruit. set on the fire, give one boil only, and turn the whole into a bowl, which you cover with paper, and leave thus twelve or fifteen hours. after that time, drain, put the syrup on the fire, the peaches in the bowl, and at the first boiling of the syrup, turn it over the fruit, cover the bowl with paper, and leave about as long, that is, twelve or fifteen hours. repeat the same process three times more, in all five times. the last time the syrup must be at the first state as described for syrup of sugar. inexperienced persons will do well to try at first with a few fruits, and go through the whole process, after which it will be comparatively easy. every one is awkward in doing a thing for the first time, and does not do it well, however easy or simple it may be. that is the reason why societies of farmers make better preserves than other people; they teach one another; and besides, no one is allowed to touch the fruit before having seen it done several times. candied fruit, as well as preserves, get spoiled by fermentation, if not cooked enough; by moisture, if kept in a damp place; or by heat, if kept in a warm place. when the last process has been gone through, leave the fruit in the bowl about twenty-four hours; then put it in jars, cover air-tight, and put away in a dry and cool closet. it may also be drained, dried on a riddle in a warm place, and kept in boxes. a wooden riddle or screen is better than a metal one. they may also be put in decanters, covered with brandy or other liquor, and corked well. when preserved in brandy, it is not necessary to remove the stone; they may be covered with half syrup and half brandy. _plums._--pick them just before commencing to ripen, and cut the stem half way. when clean, but neither stoned nor skinned, prick them around the stem with a fork, drop them in cold water, set on the fire, add a gill of vinegar to three quarts of water, and take from the fire as soon as they float. drain, put them in a bowl, pour boiling syrup of sugar over them, and proceed as directed for peaches, that is, cover and pour the syrup on them five times in all. they are kept like peaches also, either in jars, dried, or in brandy. _pears._--after being peeled and the stem cut off half way, they may be preserved whole or in quarters. in peeling them, they must be dropped in cold water with a little lemon-juice to keep them white. they are picked just before commencing to ripen. when ready, put cold water and the juice of a lemon to every two quarts in a deep pan, and drop the pears in, set on the fire and boil gently till well done; take off, drain and drop in cold water, which you change two or three times and without stopping; then drain again, place them in a large bowl, and then proceed as for peaches. they are kept like peaches also. _apples._--proceed as for pears, except that apples are cooked much quicker. _pine-apples._--peel, slice, and drop the fruit in cold water; add a little sugar, set on the fire and boil gently till done, when drain and drop in cold water and drain again. put them in a bowl, and proceed as for peaches for the rest, with the exception that they are kept in jars only, and not dried or put in brandy. _chestnuts._--skin the chestnuts and put them in cold water on the fire, and take off when tender; then remove the under skin or white envelope or pith. place them in a bowl, and proceed as for peaches for the rest. _oranges._--drop oranges in boiling water and take off when the rind is tender, and when a darning-needle can be run through it easily. drain and drop them in cold water. after two or three hours drain, cut in slices, and put them in a bowl; then proceed as for peaches, except that they are kept in jars only. _quinces._--peel, quarter, and core quinces just before they commence ripening, drop in boiling water; drain them when done, and drop them immediately in cold water. as soon as cold, take them off, drain and put them in a bowl. for the rest, proceed as for peaches, with the exception that they are only kept in jars, but neither dried nor put in brandy. to preserve in brandy.--besides the dried fruits above described, several may be preserved in brandy, without being cooked and soaked in syrup of sugar. _cherries._--pick them when fully ripe, see that they are clean, and put them in decanters with cloves, pieces of cinnamon, and entirely covered with brandy; cover well, but do not cork, and leave thus two weeks, at the end of which, place a colander over a vessel and empty the decanters into it; pass the liquor through a jelly-bag, mix it with some syrup of sugar at the second degree, turn over the fruit which you cover with it, and cork the decanters well when perfectly cold. keep in a dark, cool, and dry place. do the same with strawberries and other like fruit. _fruit jellies--with apples or quinces._--peel, core, and cut in small pieces two quarts of good apples or quinces, lay them in a stewpan with a clove well pounded, and the juice of half a lemon; cover with water, set on a moderate fire, and boil slowly till well cooked. turn into a jelly-bag, or a thick towel under which you place a vessel to receive the juice, and when it is all out, put it in a stewpan with three-quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound of juice; boil to a jelly. as soon as done put it in pots or jars, let cool, cut a piece of white paper the size of the inside of the pot, dip it in brandy, put it over the jelly, cover the pot well, and place in a dry, cool closet, but not too cold. what remains in the bag may be used to make a _compote_. watch the process carefully, skimmer in hand, to skim off the scum, and stir now and then, lest it should burn. _with apricots, peaches, plums, etc._--after having taken the stones out, cut them in four pieces, and proceed as for apple-jelly above in every other particular. _with blackberries, currants, grapes, raspberries, or other like berries._--put the well-ripened berries in a coarse towel and squeeze all the juice out of them, which you put into a stewpan with as many pounds of loaf-sugar as there are of juice, and finish as directed for apple-jelly. a little rum or essence of rose, or any other, according to taste, may be added just before taking from the fire. _punch._--put a saltspoonful of black tea in a crockery pot, with one clove, a little cinnamon, and the rind of a lemon cut in pieces; pour on the whole half a pint of boiling water; let it remain thus five minutes, and strain. put a bottle of rum or brandy in a crockery vessel, with twelve ounces of loaf-sugar, set the rum or brandy on fire, and let burn till it stops. then mix tea and rum together, and it is ready for use. it is drunk cold or warm, according to taste. when wanted warm, if made previously, set it on a moderate fire, in a tin or crockery kettle. it keeps very well if carefully bottled and corked when cold. another way to make it is to mix the rum or brandy with the tea without burning it. it is warmed, used, and kept like the above. the quantity of water may be reduced or augmented, according to taste, and so also the sugar. _another._--grate the rind of a lemon and of two oranges on a piece of sugar, the yellow part only, and put it in a bowl with cold water to dissolve it; then add two gills of pine-apple syrup, essence of vanilla, a pint of claret wine, a pint of catawba, sauterne, or rhine wine, a pint of champagne, and a gill of brandy; sweeten to taste; strain, put on ice for some time, and serve. _another._--put a pound of sugar in a bowl with a gill of water to dissolve it; then add the juice of three oranges, a little rind grated, a bottle of champagne and one of catawba or sauterne wine; strain, place on ice for some time, and serve cold. _roman punch._--make iced lemon with one quart of juice, same of syrup as directed, then mix with it the juice of four oranges, some lemon and orange rind grated, and about three gills of rum (or according to taste); also, if liked, the preparation used for iced fruit. then put the mixture in the freezer, stir while freezing, and serve. it must not be frozen hard, as it is better when served rather liquid and frothy. it may be made with any other liquor, if preferred. punch is served either after the _entrées_ or after the _relevés_ of fish, according to taste. pastry. of all the branches of the science and art of cooking, pastry, if not the most difficult, requires the greatest care. an inferior piece of meat makes an inferior dish, but still it can be eaten without danger: but inferior pastry can hardly be eaten; or, if eaten, it is indigestible. we will recommend our readers to be very careful about proportions; it would not make a great difference for some kinds, but for others, putting too much or too little of one or more things would certainly result in failure. it is very important to have good materials. new flour is very inferior for pastry; it must have been ground for at least three months. always keep it in bags, and in a dry and well-ventilated place. sift before using it. use fresh eggs, good butter, and good pulverized sugar. the most important of all is the oven, for, supposing that you have used good materials, have mixed them well, if not properly baked, every thing is lost, materials and labor. supposing that you have a good oven, there is still a difficulty--and if the last, not the least--the degree of heat. some require a quick oven, as puff-paste, _choux_, etc.; others a warm one, and others a slow oven, as _meringues_ biscuits, etc. by putting the hand in the oven you can tell if it is properly heated, but it requires experience, and even practitioners are often mistaken; therefore, the easiest way is to have a thermometer in the oven. it may be placed in the oven of every stove or range; it is only necessary to bore a hole on the top of the range or stove, reaching the oven, and have a thermometer with the bulb inclosed in a brass sheath, perforated, long enough to reach the oven, and of the size of the hole bored--the glass tube being above the top of the range. _pastes._--there are several kinds of paste. puff-paste is the most important; it can be made very rich, rich, and less so; and several hundred different cakes can be made with it. small cakes are called _petits fours_. the next in importance is the _pâte-à-choux_; then the paste for meat-pies, sometimes called _pâte brisée_. puff-paste requires care, but is easily made; _pâte-à-choux_ must be well worked. _puff-paste._--to make good puff-paste, good flour and butter, free from salt or sour milk, are indispensable. it must be made in a cool place. take half a pound of good butter and knead it well in a bowl of cold water; if fresh and not salt, the kneading will take the sour milk out of it; if salty, it will remove the salt, then put it in another bowl of cold water and leave it till it is perfectly firm, and then use. when the butter is ready, put half a pound of flour on the paste-board or marble, make a hole in it, in which you put a pinch of salt, and cold water enough to make a rather stiff dough. it requires about half a pint of water, knead well, make a kind of ball with the dough, and put it on a corner of your marble or paste-board. take the butter from the water and knead it on the board, to press all the water out of it. give it the shape of a large sausage; dredge the board slightly with flour, roll the butter over only once, as it must take very little of it, dredge both ends of the piece of butter with flour also, then by putting one end on the board and pressing on the other end with your hands, you will flatten it of a rather round shape, and till of about half an inch in thickness. put it thus on the corner of the board also. immediately after having prepared the butter, take the dough and roll it down, of a round form also, and till large enough to envelop the butter in it easily. remember that during the whole operation of folding and rolling the paste down, you must dust the marble or paste-board with flour, very slightly and often; do the same on the top of the paste. it is done in order to prevent the paste from adhering to the board or to the rolling-pin. it must be dusted slightly, so that the paste cannot absorb much of it, as it would make it tough. have a slab of marble or slate; it is much easier than wood, and cooler. when the dough is spread, place the butter right on the middle of it. turn one side of the dough over the butter, covering it a little more than half way; do the game with the opposite side, the dough lapping over that of the first side turned; do the same with the side toward you, and also with the side opposite. dough stretching easily when pulled, and contracting easily when let loose after having pulled it, you have now still four corners of the dough to bring over the butter and in the same way as above, and by doing which, you give to the whole a somewhat round form, and also have the butter perfectly enveloped in the dough. place the rolling-pin on the middle of the paste, horizontally, and press gently on it so as to make a furrow; do the same from place to place, on the whole surface, making furrows about an inch apart. repeat the process again, this time placing the rolling-pin right on the top of each elevated line; and again, repeat it a third time, also placing the pin on each elevated line. now do exactly the same contrariwise. then, roll the paste down, gently, evenly, to a thickness of about one fourth of an inch, and of a rectangular shape. fold it in three by turning over one-third of its length toward the other end, and thus covering another third of it; fold or turn over the remaining third, so as to cover the first third turned over. roll it down again of about the same thickness as above, but without making furrows in it; give it also the same rectangular shape, taking care to make the length of what was the width, _i. e._ extending it the longer way in an opposite direction to that of the first time, so that the ends will be what the sides were. fold in three as before, put it on a plate and set in a refrigerator for from ten to twenty minutes. take hold of it again, roll down as above, fold in the same way also, and put away for ten minutes. you roll down and fold from four to six times, not counting the time you envelop the butter in the dough. in cold weather, and when the butter is firm, fold and roll only four times; but in rather warm weather, fold and roll six times. if it is too warm, it is of no use to try with butter. puff-paste may be made without stopping; that is, without putting it away in a cool place for some time; but it is better to let it rest; it is lighter and rises better. when finished, it can be used immediately; but it is better also to put it in a plate or dish, cover it with a towel, and put it in a refrigerator for from twelve to twenty-four hours. although it must be kept in a cool place, do not put it near enough to the ice to freeze. it may be kept thus for two or three days. _puff-paste with beef-suet_.--take half a pound of fresh beef suet, the nearest the kidney the best; break it in small pieces with the hands, at the same time removing the thin skin and fibres as much as possible; put it in a bowl of cold water and knead well till it is rather soft; take it off, mash and bruise it well on the paste-board with a rolling-pin; knead it again like butter; roll it in flour like butter also, and proceed as above for the rest, and with the same proportion, weight for weight of flour and beef-suet, but it requires more salt. beef-suet being more firm than butter, puff-paste can be made with it during summer, but it must be eaten immediately, being very inferior after a while. the proportion of butter and flour may be varied. weight for weight makes the real puff-paste, and very rich. if less butter is used it will not rise as much, but is excellent nevertheless, and is more handy to make different cakes, such as short-cakes with fruit. therefore puff-paste may be made with the following proportions: to one pound of flour, use fourteen, twelve, ten, eight, or even four ounces of butter or suet. another way is to mix one or two eggs in the flour, water, and salt before rolling it down. when eggs are used, it requires less water. envelop the butter in it in the same way. _allumettes._--cut strips of puff-paste of any length, about three inches wide and about one-fifth of an inch in thickness; mix well together, and for about three or four minutes, one ounce of sugar and about half the white of an egg; spread this mixture over the strips of paste, so as to have a rather thin coat of it; then cut the paste across, so as to make small strips about one inch broad and three inches long. bake in an oven at about deg. fahr. _feuillettés._--roll puff-paste down to a thickness of from one-eighth to one-half of an inch in thickness; cut it in pieces of any size and shape, according to fancy with a knife or with a paste-cutter; glaze the top only with egg, and bake in an oven at about deg. fahr. _feuillettés à la condé._--roll and cut the paste exactly as for the above; then, instead of baking it, fry it in hot fat (_see_ frying); turn into a colander when fried, dust with sugar, and serve as warm as possible. _pommées._--line the bottom of a bakepan with puff-paste, about one-eighth of an inch in thickness; spread stewed apples over it of a thickness of one-quarter of an inch; cover these with another thickness of puff-paste; prick the cover all over with the point of a knife, and bake in an oven at about deg. fahr. when baked, cut it in square pieces, dust with sugar, and serve hot or cold, according to taste. _porte-manteaux._--cut strips of puff-paste of any length, about three inches broad, and one-eighth of an inch in thickness; spread on the middle of the strips, and lengthwise, some frangipane, or stewed apples, or any kind of sweetmeats, of the size of the finger. then turn one side of the paste over the frangipane or sweetmeats, glaze the border with egg (we mean by "the border," about half an inch in width, measuring from the edge); then turn the other side over it so that the glazing will cause the two pastes to stick together. thus it will be only a little over an inch broad and about half an inch thick. cut the strips across in small pieces about two inches long, glaze the top with egg, and then bake in an oven at deg. fahr. _tartelettes._--roll some puff-paste down to a thickness of about one-sixteenth of an inch; cut it, with a paste-cutter, of the size of small tin moulds, and place the pieces in the moulds; put about a teaspoonful of frangipane in each; place two narrow strips of paste across each, which strips you cut with a truckle; bake in an oven at about deg. fahr. _tartelettes (sweet)._--proceed as for the above in every particular, except that you use any kind of sweetmeats or jelly instead of frangipane. _cake pithiviers._--roll some puff-paste down to a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch; cut it round and place on a baking-pan; if the pan be square or rectangular, cut a round piece that will go in easily; cut a strip of paste about one inch broad, glaze with egg the border of the paste in the pan, place the strip all around, and then glaze it also. fill the middle with the following mixture: pound four ounces of sweet almonds and mix them well with half a pound of sugar, two ounces of butter, four yolks of eggs, essence to flavor, and four macaroons chopped. cut another piece of puff-paste round, and of the same size as the other; dust it slightly with flour, fold it gently in four; the piece then will have two straight sides and a circular one. with a sharp knife make three cuts in each of the two straight sides through the four thicknesses of the paste, and about half an inch in length. make another cut through the paste also, representing half of the figure , right in the middle of the piece of paste, commencing half an inch from the border of the circular side and in the middle of it, and going toward the point, so that when the paste is open there are sixteen cuts in it. place the paste still folded on the paste and mixture in the pan, the circular side on the border and the point right in the middle; open it gently, and the whole will be covered. glaze with egg, and put in an oven at from to deg. fahr. the same cake may be filled with a frangipane, and prepared as the above for the rest. _rissoles (also called fourrés)._--cut round pieces of puff-paste about three inches in diameter; wet the edge with water, put a teaspoonful of compote or any kind of sweetmeat on one side of it, then fold the paste in two, so as to cover the sweetmeat; pinch the paste around to cause it to adhere, in order to envelop the sweetmeat; you have then a cake of a semicircular shape. glaze with egg, bake in a quick oven, dust with sugar, and serve. _galette du gymnase._--make puff-paste with half a pound of butter to a pound of flour, and when done as directed, knead it. then roll it down to the thickness of about one-fourth of an inch, cut it in strips of any length and about an inch and a half wide, glaze with egg, bake in a quick oven, about deg. fahr. the two ends of the strips may be brought together and joined, forming a crown. the same _galette_ is made with trimmings of puff-paste, kneaded and rolled as above. _fanchonnettes._--these are made with the same puff-paste as the _galette_ above; then cut it in round pieces, place them on small moulds, fill them with any kind of sweetmeats and frangipane, with almonds, half of each; bake, dust with sugar, and serve. instead of frangipane, spread raisins over the sweetmeats, or almonds, peanuts, hazel-nuts, etc., all cut in small strips, lengthwise; you make then an infinite number of different small cakes. _fans._--make some puff-paste with equal weight of flour and butter, fold and roll it down six times, and put in a cold place. leave it of a thickness of about one-quarter of an inch; cut it with a sharp knife in pieces of a rectangular shape, about four inches long and two broad, which cut again in two, across and from one corner to the other, so that you make two pieces of a right-angled triangle shape. place the pieces on their sides in a bake-pan, on their sides, far apart, and bake in a very quick oven. when done, dust with sugar, and serve. _vol-au-vent_ and _bouchées_ for the day's use are baked early in the morning. they are warmed in a slow oven just before filling them. _vol-au-vent._--a _vol-au-vent_ is made with puff-paste and filled with oysters, meat, etc., when baked; that is, when the cake is baked and emptied, it is warmed in the oven, filled, and served warm. it is made of an oval or round shape. when made small it is generally of a round shape, but when made rather large it is generally of an oval shape. when the puff-paste is ready to be used, roll down to any thickness from one-quarter to three-quarters of an inch; cut it with a sharp-pointed knife of the size and shape you wish, then with the same knife cut what is called the cover, _i. e._, make a cut all around, about half an inch from the edge or border, and about one-third through the paste, leaving two-thirds of the thickness of the paste uncut. this operation is called marking out the cover. glaze the top of the paste with egg, and bake it in a very quick oven, about deg. fahr. in glazing, be careful not to glaze the sides or allow any egg to run on the sides; it would prevent the paste from rising. some drawings may be made on the cover with the back of a knife, according to fancy: leaves, for instance, are very easily imitated; it is only necessary to run the knife on the paste, without cutting it. when in the oven, do not look at it for at least seven or eight minutes, for in opening the door of the oven it might cause the paste to fall and even after that time open and shut the door quickly; take off when properly baked. when the oven is hot enough it takes about twelve minutes, and even less time when the _vol-au-vent_ is small. take from the oven when baked, and immediately run the point of the knife all around and in the same place as you did before being baked, which place is well marked. thus you cut off the cover and remove it, then remove also all the unbaked paste that is inside of the _vol-au-vent_, so that you have left what may be called a shell. keep it then till the oysters or meat are ready to put in it. about five minutes before the filling is ready, put the shell or baked paste in a slow oven to warm it, turn the filling into it, enough to fill it entirely; place the cover on the top, and serve warm. the unbaked paste removed from the inside is baked, and makes an excellent cake, though not a sightly one. _another._--cut a piece of puff-paste the same as for the above one, that is, either round or oval, and of the size you wish. instead of marking a cover, glaze the border with egg. it is understood here by "the border," a space about three-quarters of an inch broad and all around it, the space being measured from the edge toward the centre. then cut a strip of puff-paste about three-quarters of an inch broad, long enough to cover the place or space glazed, which strip you put all around the first paste, and you then have a border. the place between the two pastes being glazed, they will adhere in baking. then also glaze the upper side of the border carefully with egg. with a knife or fork, prick the paste, inside of the border only, in ten, fifteen, or twenty places, according to the size of the _vol-au-vent_, and in order to prevent that part from rising as much as it would if not pricked. bake in the same oven as the above--a very quick one. a _vol-au-vent_ thus made is deeper than the first one, having two thicknesses of paste. generally there is little or no paste (unbaked) to remove; having pricked the centre, it prevents it from rising and bakes it evenly, but if there is any, remove it. a cover may be made by cutting a piece of puff-paste of the size of the _vol-au-vent_ and baking it separately. it may be decorated with the back of the knife as the above one, and made convex on the top by baking it on a piece of tin. it is warmed, filled, and served the same as the above. a _vol-au-vent_ is filled with the following: _with oysters._--the quantity is according to the size of the _vol-au-vent_. blanch one quart of oysters. put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, set it on the fire, and when melted add a tablespoonful of flour; stir, and when turning rather yellow add also about a pint of milk, and the liquor from the oysters; stir, and as soon as it turns rather thick put the oysters in, taking care to have them free from pieces of the shell. give one boil, add salt to taste, two yolks of eggs, stir again, turn into the warm paste, place the cover on, and serve warm. _with lobster._--prepare the lobster as for _bouchées_, fill the shell with it, and serve warm. _with cod-fish._--prepare fresh cod-fish _à la béchamel_, fill the _vol-au-vent_ or shell with it, and serve warm. _with turbot._--proceed as for cod-fish in every particular. _with eels._--fill the _vol-au-vent_ with eels, oyster sauce, or in _poulette_, and serve warm. _with chicken._--fill with a chicken or part of a chicken in _fricassée_ or _sauté_. _with livers and combs of chicken._--prepare combs and livers of chicken in _fricassée_, the same as a chicken, fill the _vol-au-vent_ with them. serve hot. _with sweetbreads._--cook the sweetbreads as directed, and fill the _vol-au-vent_ with them. serve warm. _with veal._--fill the _vol-au-vent_ with veal in _blanquette_, in _ragout_, or in _bourgeoise_, and serve. it is generally filled with what has been left the day previous, as it requires very little for a _vol-au-vent_. _with brains._--it may be filled with brains of calf, pig, sheep, or veal; prepared in _poulette_, or stewed. _with rabbit._--fill it with part of a rabbit _sauté_. it may also be filled with any other _meat_ or _fish_, according to taste, and being cooked previously. _with fruits._--fill the _vol-au-vent_ with any kind of stewed fruit, jelly, sweetmeats, etc. it may be only filled, or the fruit may be dressed in pyramid inside of it. _bouchées._--_bouchées_, or _petites bouchées_, as they are sometimes called, are small, round _vol-au-vent_, served warm. they are also called _bouchées de dames_ and _petites bouchées_. roll puff-paste down to a thickness of about one-quarter of an inch, cut it with a paste-cutter of any size, mark the cover, and bake in an oven at about ° fahr. a good size is about three inches in diameter. when cut, take another paste-cutter about two inches in diameter, place it on the piece of paste; press on it just enough to mark the place where it was, but not enough to cut the paste, remove it and then the cover is marked; that is, you have a circle on the top of the paste, half an inch from the edge all around. glaze with egg and bake. make one for each person. immediately on taking them from the oven, cut off the cover with a sharp-pointed knife. that is easily done; it is only necessary to follow the mark made with the paste-cutter, which is just as visible as before baking. remove the cover and then carefully take out some unbaked paste inside of the _bouchée_, fill with lobster prepared as directed below, put the cover on, and serve as warm as possible. _the filling._--cut some flesh of boiled lobster in dice. put two ounces of butter in a saucepan and set it on the fire; when melted, add a tablespoonful of flour, stir for about one minute, and add also broth (the quantity must be according to the number of _bouchées_, but we will give here the quantity necessary for five or six _bouchées_), about three gills, also salt, pepper, then the cut lobster; stir now and then for five or six minutes, and use. _of oysters._--prepare, fill and serve exactly as the above, except that you fill with oysters prepared as for _vol-au-vent_, instead of filling with lobster. _of cod-fish._--fill the _bouchées_ with cod-fish, prepared _à la béchamel_, and serve warm. _of eels._--have some eels prepared either in _poulette_ or oyster-sauce, fill the _bouchées_, and serve warm. _of turbot._--it is filled with turbot _à la crème_ or _à la béchamel_. it may also be filled with any kind of fish, prepared _à la béchamel_, _à la crème_, in white sauce, oyster-sauce, etc. _of truffles._--cut the white flesh of a chicken in dice, prepare it as a chicken _sauté_, using truffles but no mushrooms, fill the _bouchées_ with it and serve warm. _of purée of chicken, or bouchées de dames._--it is filled with some _purée_ of chicken, and served as warm as possible. do the same with a _purée_ of game. _of bobolink._--prepare and clean twelve bobolinks as directed for birds, put a teaspoonful of truffles, cut in small dice, in each bird, for stuffing; sew the incision, and bake or roast the birds. put each bird in a _bouchée_, and serve warm. a more delicate dish cannot be made. the same may be done with any kind of _small bird_. _bouchées_ are generally served on a napkin and on a dish, in pyramid. _pâte à choux._--weigh four ounces of flour, to which add half a teaspoonful of sugar. put two gills of cold water in a tin saucepan with two ounces of butter, and set it on the fire, stir a little with a wooden spoon to melt the butter before the water boils. at the first boiling of the water, throw into it the four ounces of flour and stir very fast with the spoon, holding the pan fast with the left hand. as soon as the whole is thoroughly mixed, take from the fire, but continue stirring for about fifteen or twenty seconds. it takes hardly half a minute from the time the flour is dropped in the pan to that when taken from the fire. the quicker it is done, the better. when properly done, nothing at all sticks to the pan, and by touching it with the finger it feels as soft as velvet, and does not adhere to it at all. let it stand two or three minutes, then mix well with it, by means of a spoon, one egg; then another, and so on; in all four. it takes some time and work to mix the eggs, especially to mix the first one, the paste being rather stiff. they are added one at a time, in order to mix them better. if the eggs are small, add half of one or one more. to use only half a one, it is necessary to beat it first. let the paste stand half an hour, stir again a little, and use. if it is left standing for some time and is found rather dry, add a little egg, which mix, and then use. _beignets soufflés_--(_also called pets de nonne_).--make some _pâte à choux_; take a small tablespoonful of it, holding the spoon with the left hand, and with the forefinger of the right cause the paste to fall in hot fat on the fire (_see_ frying), turn over and over again till fried, then turn into a colander, dust with sugar, and serve hot. in frying, the paste will swell four or five times its size, and by dropping it carefully and as nearly of a round shape as possible, the cakes will be nearly round when done. _choux or cream cakes._--make some _pâte à choux_: have a buttered bakepan, and drop the paste upon it in the same way as you drop the _beignets_ above; glaze with egg, and bake in an oven at about ° fahr. when baked and cold, make a cut on one side, about two-thirds through, the cut to be horizontal, a little above the middle, then, by raising the top a little, fill the cake, which is hollow, with one of the following creams: _whipped_, _chantilly_, _cuite_, _frangipane_, or _légère_; dust with sugar, and serve. _the same, with almonds._--blanch sweet almonds and cut them in small strips, lengthwise; then, when the choux are in the bakepan and glazed with egg, spread the almonds all over, bake, fill, and serve as the above. _saint honoré._--make some _pâte à choux_. then put four tablespoonfuls of flour on the paste-board with two of sugar, one egg, one ounce of butter, salt, and a pinch of cinnamon; mix and knead the whole well; roll the paste down to a thickness of about one quarter of an inch and place it in a bakepan. put a dessert-plate upside down on the paste, and cut it all around the plate with a knife; remove what is cut off and also the plate. spread some _pâte à choux_, about a teaspoonful, all over the paste left in the bakepan, about one-sixteenth of an inch in thickness; put some of it also in the pastry-bag, and by squeezing it out, make a border with it about the size of the finger; prick the middle of the paste in about a dozen places with a fork and inside of the border; glaze the border with egg, and then bake in an oven at about ° fahr. while the above is baking, make very small _choux_ (about the size of a macaroon), and bake them also. when both are baked, and while they are cooking, make some _crème légère_, fill the inside of the cake with it, so as to imitate a sugar-loaf or mound, about four inches in height, smooth it or scallop it with a knife. put two tablespoonfuls of sugar and two of water in a saucepan, set it on the fire, toss the pan occasionally to boil evenly, and till it becomes like syrup. do not stir too much, else it will turn white and somewhat like molasses-candy. it is reduced enough when, by dipping (not stirring) a little stick in it and dipping it again immediately in cold water, the syrup-like liquor that has adhered to it breaks easily and is very transparent. it must be as transparent as glass. as soon as reduced thus, take from the fire and use. dip the top of each small _chou_ in it, holding the _chou_ with a small knife stuck in it; place a piece of candy (generally, sugar-plums of various colors are used) on the top of each _chou_; place them apart and around the _crème légère_, and upon the border of the cake, with one a little larger than the others on the top of it; serve cold. this cake is as good as it is sightly. _eclairs._--_eclairs_ are also called _petits pains_ or _profiterolles au chocolat_. _eclairs au chocolat._--make some _pâte à choux_ as directed above, and put it in the pastry-bag with tube no. at the end of it. force it out of the bag into a baking-pan greased with butter. by closing and holding up the larger end of the bag and by pressing it downward, it will come out of the tube in a rope-like shape and of the size of the tube. draw the bag toward you while pressing, and stop when you have spread a length of about four inches. repeat this operation till the baking-pan is full or till the paste is all out. leave a space of about two inches between each cake, as they swell in baking. bake in an oven at about degrees. when baked and cold, slit one side about half through, open gently and fill each cake with the following cream, and then close it. cream: put in a block-tin saucepan three tablespoonfuls of sugar, two of flour, four yolks of eggs, and mix well with a wooden spoon. add a pint of milk, little by little, and mixing the while; set on the fire, stir continually till it becomes rather thick, and take off. have one ounce of chocolate melted on a slow fire in half a gill of milk, and mix it with the rest, and use. put one ounce of chocolate in a tin saucepan with a teaspoonful of water, and set on a slow fire; when melted, mix with it two tablespoonfuls of sugar, stir for a while; that is, till it is just thick enough to spread it over the cakes, and not liquid enough to run down the sides. a thickness of about one-sixteenth of an inch is sufficient. the cakes may either be dipped in the chocolate or the chocolate may be spread over them with a knife. serve cold. _eclairs au café._--it is made exactly like the above, except that you mix with the cream three tablespoonfuls of strong coffee, instead of chocolate and milk. _eclairs au thé._--it is made like the preceding one, with the exception that strong tea is used instead of strong coffee. _eclairs à la vanille._--proceed as for the above, but mix a teaspoonful of essence of vanilla in the cream instead of tea. _eclairs à l'essence._--the meaning of _éclairs à l'essence_ is, that a few drops of any kind of essence are mixed with the cream instead of chocolate and milk, and prepared and served like the others. _eclairs aux fraises._--instead of filling the cakes with cream, fill them with strawberry-jelly, and for the rest proceed as for _éclairs au chocolat_. _eclairs aux groseilles._--made like the above, but filled with currant-jelly. do the same with _apple_, _blackberry_, _cherry_, _grape_, _peach_, _pear_, _plum_, _quince_, _raspberry jelly_, etc. _petits pains à la reine._--_eclairs_ are so called when filled with marmalade of peaches in which sweet almonds chopped fine have been mixed previously. _petits pains à la rose._--like the above, and by adding a few drops of essence of roses to the marmalade. _petits pains à l'essence._--like the above, with any kind of essence: _pink_, _violet_, _geranium_, etc. _biscuits in boxes._--make some square boxes with sheets of white paper; fill them about two-thirds full with the same mixture as for lady's fingers, dust with sugar, and bake in a slow oven; serve cold. _with almonds._--mix well together with a wooden spoon four yolks of eggs with four ounces of sugar (pulverized), add three ounces of flour and mix well again. beat the four whites to a stiff froth, and then have somebody to turn the mixture into them while you finish beating, and then mix the whole gently but well. it must not be stirred too much. have two ounces of bitter almonds well pounded, with a teaspoonful of sugar, and mix them with the rest. butter small moulds, turn the mixture into them, filling about two-thirds full, glaze with egg, dust with sugar, and bake in an oven at about degrees fahr.; serve cold. _with chocolate._--make some biscuits like the above, omitting the almonds, and flavoring them with a few drops of essence of vanilla. when cold, glaze them with chocolate, the same as described for _éclairs_, and serve. _with essence._--make biscuits with almonds or without, as the above ones, and flavor them with any kind of essence, or with orange and lemon rind grated. _glazed._--when the biscuits are baked, glaze them with icing, and serve cold. these are sometimes called _biscuits à la royale_. _of rheims._--mix well in a bowl six yolks of eggs with six ounces of sugar, with a wooden spoon. add and mix with the above five ounces of flour and lemon-rind grated; beat four whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them also with the rest. butter small moulds, turn the mixture into them, and bake in a slow oven, about degrees fahr. these are often made of the shape of lady's fingers. they are excellent eaten with wine. _with filberts._--put ten or twelve ounces of filberts or peanuts in a mortar with a few drops of orange-flower water and about half the white of an egg; when reduced to a paste, mix well with it four ounces of sifted flour, eight ounces of fine, white sugar, the yolks of two eggs well beaten, and the whites of four eggs whisked to a froth; when the whole is properly mixed, put it into a well-buttered mould, which place in a moderately-heated oven; watch it carefully, take out when cooked, which is easily known by the color it assumes. biscuits with hazel-nuts, peach, or other kernels, may be made in the same way; that is, using them instead of filberts. _lady's fingers._--mix well together with a wooden spoon four yolks of eggs and four ounces of pulverized sugar, then add three ounces of flour and mix well again. beat four whites of eggs to a stiff froth; have somebody to turn two tablespoonfuls of the mixture into the whites as soon as beaten enough, and which you mix with the egg-beater, then turn the rest or the mixture in, mixing gently with the wooden spoon. this must be done rather quickly, to prevent the whole from turning liquid. put the mixture in the pastry-bag with tin tube no. at the end of it, squeeze it out in sticks about four inches long into a baking-pan slightly buttered and dusted with flour, or on a piece of paper placed in the bottom of the pan; then dust them with sugar, and bake in a rather slow oven. they must not change in the oven, that is, they must not spread or swell, showing that the oven is too hot or too slow, or that the mixture has not been properly prepared. they must be like small sticks, round on the upper side and flat underneath. they are sometimes called _biscuits à la cuiller_. they are used to make a _charlotte russe_, or eaten with wine. cakes.--_almond._--blanch, skin, and pound well one ounce of sweet almonds and the same of bitter ones, which you mix with eight ounces of pulverized sugar, six of flour, two eggs, a tablespoonful of brandy or rum, and a pinch of sugar. when thoroughly mixed, add five yolks of eggs, mix and stir for five minutes, then add also and mix half a pound of melted butter. turn the mixture in small moulds, well buttered, and bake in a rather slow oven. some almonds cut in small pieces may be spread over just before baking; or, when baked, some icing may be spread over. serve cold. this is also called _nantais cake_. instead of almonds, use filberts, hazel-nuts, currants, peanuts, or raisins. _fourré._--this is made with puff-paste and cream, or puff-paste and different mixtures placed inside of it, such as _pithiviers cake_ and fruit-pies. _anchovy._--knead four ounces of flour with two ounces of butter, a little salt, and a little water. clean four anchovies and put them in vinegar for five minutes; then cut them in small pieces, put them in a bowl, and cover them with sweet-oil; leave them thus ten minutes. roll the paste thin, then place a little more than half of it on a tart-dish, raising it all around with the thumb and forefinger; cover the paste with the anchovies, and these with the remainder of the paste, after having cut it in square pieces; spread some of the oil in which were the anchovies on it, bake in a warm oven, baste now and then with a little of the oil, and serve warm. _apple._--stew eight or ten apples and mash them through a sieve. put them in a saucepan with about two ounces of butter and eight of sugar, set on the fire for five minutes, take off, let cool, and then mix with it five or six eggs, one after another. turn the mixture into a buttered mould, which you place in a pan of boiling water, then boil slowly about half an hour, turn over a dish, and serve warm or cold. _hard._--put half a pound of flour on the paste-board and make a hole in the middle; put into it three ounces of pulverized sugar, three ounces of butter, two eggs, a pinch of cinnamon, a few drops of essence, and knead the whole well, dust the board with flour, roll the paste down to a thickness of about one-fourth of an inch, cut it in pieces with a paste-cutter, of any shape; beat one egg with a teaspoonful of sugar and glaze the pieces with it; with a piece of wood draw leaves or flowers on each, and bake in an oven at about degrees fahr. they are eaten cold at tea. _heavy or gâteau de plomb._--proceed as above with one pound of flour, a pinch of salt, one ounce of sugar, four yolks of eggs, one pound of butter, half a pint of cream; when rolled down as above, fold in two or four, and roll down again; repeat the process four times. then place it in a bakepan and put in a hot oven. serve cold at tea. _milanais._--put one pound of flour on the paste-board and make a hole in the middle, in which you put half a pound of butter, same of sugar, two eggs, a pinch of salt, and a quarter of a gill of rum. mix and knead to a rather stiff dough with cold water. spread it and roll it down to a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch. glaze it with egg, dust with sugar and bake in a rather quick oven. when cold, cut it in two, spread some _compote_ of peaches or of apricots on one half, put the other half over it, cut in pieces according to fancy, and serve. _rum cakes._--these are made with sponge cake cut with a paste-cutter, some sweetmeats or jelly is placed on the middle, then it is dusted with pulverized sugar, watered with rum, and then placed in the oven for about two minutes. these cakes have several names, according to the kind of sweetmeat used. _savarin._--put one pound of flour on the paste-board and make a hole in the middle; put into it four ounces of sugar, and make a hole again; then put in the middle four eggs, twelve ounces of butter, one and a half gills of milk; mix and knead the whole well; then mix again in the whole four ounces of leaven prepared as directed; butter a mould, dust it with sweet almonds chopped; put the mixture in it; put in a warm place (about degrees fahr.) to rise, and bake in an oven at degrees fahr. it will take about two and a half hours to rise. the mould must not be filled, else it will run over in rising. _sauce for savarin._--put four ounces of sugar and half a pint of cold water in a block-tin saucepan, set it on the fire and boil till reduced about one-third; then add from one-half to one gill of rum (according to taste), give one more boil, and turn over the cake. baste the cake with the sauce till the whole is absorbed by it. serve warm or cold. _sponge cake._--mix well together in a bowl six yolks of eggs with four ounces of sugar; add four ounces of flour and mix again, add also a few drops of essence, then whisk six whites of eggs to a stiff froth and mix them again with the rest. butter a mould, put the mixture into it, not filling it more than two-thirds full, and bake in an oven at about degrees. sponge cake may be cut in pieces and used to make a _charlotte russe_, instead of lady's fingers. _apple dumplings._--quarter, peel, and core the apples, and cut them in pieces, then envelop them in puff-paste with beef-suet, boil till thoroughly done, and serve warm with sugar, or with apple or wine sauce. it may also be served with sauce for puddings. _buckwheat cakes._--make a kind of thin dough with tepid water, yeast, buckwheat flour, and a little sugar and salt, let rise, and fry with butter. serve hot with sugar, or molasses, or butter. _corn cakes._--mix well in a bowl two eggs with two ounces of melted butter, a pint of corn-meal, salt and sugar to taste. while mixing set milk on the fire, and as soon as it rises, turn it into the mixture, little by little, stirring and mixing the while, and till it makes a kind of thick dough. butter well a shallow bakepan, put the mixture into it, and bake. _crullers._--mix well together and work with a wooden spoon, in a bowl, one egg with two ounces of melted butter and half a pound of pulverized sugar; then add salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, a few drops of essence, and one pound of flour, and mix again; add also milk, little by little, stirring and mixing at the same time, enough to make a thick batter. divide the mixture in parts and fry in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) _doughnuts._--mix well together in a bowl four eggs with half a pound of sugar, add two or three ounces of melted butter and mix again, then mix with the whole, about one pound of flour and boiled milk enough to make a rather thick dough, season and mix well with the whole, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a few drops of essence. cut in fancy pieces with a knife or paste-cutter, and fry in hot fat. (_see_ frying.) dust with sugar, and serve hot. _muffins._--mix well together on the paste-board one pound of flour and three eggs, then add and mix again milk enough to make a thin dough, a little yeast and salt. put away to rise; divide in parts and bake. _pound cake._--take a large bowl and put in it one pound of melted butter and one pound of pulverized sugar, and mix the two thoroughly together with a wooden spoon; then add and mix well also with them, three eggs previously beaten with a saltspoonful of nutmeg and cinnamon, half of each. when the eggs are mixed, add also half a pound of flour, mix well again; then add six well-beaten eggs, and mix; then another half pound of flour, a few drops of essence of rose, half a gill of sherry wine, a liquor-glass of brandy, four ounces of citron, and half a pound of comfited fruit, chopped fine. beat and mix as well as possible. butter a mould, dust it with fine bread-crumbs, turn the mixture into it, and bake in a warm but not quick oven. it takes about two and a half hours to bake. as soon as cold, serve it. it may be glazed with sugar, or sugar and white of egg. _short cake._--cut puff-paste, made with a pound of flour and six or eight ounces of butter, in square or round pieces, bake; when cold, spread sweetened strawberries on, then cover with another cake, spread strawberries again on it, etc. strawberry-jelly may be used. _plum._--mix well in a vessel a pound of sugar with a pound of butter, and then again with eight eggs, one at a time, also half a pound of raisins, half a pound of flour, a little rum, and a little yeast. line a mould with buttered paper, turn the mixture into it, not filling it more than two-thirds full, place it in a warm but not quick oven for nearly two hours, remove the mould, and serve hot or cold. _tea cake._--put half a pound of flour on the paste-board, and in the middle of it a pinch of salt, half an ounce of sugar, two eggs, four ounces of melted butter, and cold water enough to make a rather stiff paste. knead well, roll down to about a quarter of an inch in thickness; cut it in pieces with a knife or paste-cutter; moisten the top with water by means of a brush, dust with sugar, and bake in an oven at about degrees fahr. serve cold. _viennois._--make some biscuits in boxes, and when cold, cut off a little piece on the top, in the centre, which place you fill with peaches or apricots in _compote_; put two together; serve cold. _with jelly._--proceed as above in every particular, using currant or raspberry jelly instead of _compote_. meat-pies. _pâtés de viande._--meat-pies are made in moulds without bottoms and which open in two, or are made of two pieces joined and fastened together with two pieces of wire. the size of the mould and that of the pie are according to taste. a pie may be made and filled with a reed-bird, or with a quail, or a partridge, or prairie-chicken, or with a dozen of them. we will give the receipt for one prairie-chicken. _pâté of game._--bone a prairie-chicken as directed for birds, and cut it in about half a dozen slices or pieces. grease the mould with butter and put it in a baking-pan. put one pound of flour on the paste-board and make a hole in the middle; place in it six ounces of butter, one egg, a pinch of salt, and about one gill and a half of cold water, and knead the whole well. roll it down to a thickness of about one-quarter of an inch, and of a rectangular shape; fold in two, and roll down again. repeat this from six to twenty times; that is, till the paste is soft. the last time roll it down to a thickness of one-third of an inch, and give it as round a shape as possible. dust the upper side slightly with flour, fold in two in this way: turn the side farthest from you on the other, so that the side of the paste nearest to you will be somewhat round, and the opposite one will be straight. by pulling with the hands the two ends of the straight side toward you, it will make it somewhat round also; then, take hold of the paste exactly in the places where you were pulling; put it in the mould with the side nearest to you on the top; open it gently, and with the hands spread it so that the bottom and sides of the mould will be perfectly lined with it. with a sharp knife cut the paste even with the top of the mould. line the sides of the paste with thin slices of fat salt pork. mix in a bowl one pound and a half of sausage-meat with two eggs, salt, pepper, a pinch of cinnamon and one of nutmeg; place a layer of this mixture about half an inch thick on the bottom of the paste; then a layer of thin slices of fat salt pork; one of slices of prairie-chicken; again a layer of sausage-meat, one of salt pork, etc., layer upon layer, till the mould is nearly full, finishing with a layer of sausage-meat, and giving to the top of the _pâté_ a convex form, but leaving a space of about half an inch unfilled all around, so that the top of the _pâté_ will be about one inch higher than the sides, and half an inch higher than the sides of the mould and paste. the cover of the _pâté_ is made with the same paste as the bottom and sides, or with puff-paste. roll the paste down to a thickness of about one-eighth of an inch. glaze the sides of the paste in the mould with egg; that is, the space (half an inch) left unfilled; put the paste for the cover on the _pâté_; press it gently against the other paste with the fingers in order to cause the two pastes to adhere; with a sharp knife cut off the paste even with the mould. make a hole in the middle and on the top of the cover about one inch in diameter; cut five pieces of paste about three inches square, dust them slightly with flour; place them one upon another on your left thumb, keeping it erect; then with the right hand take hold of the pieces, bringing the edges together so that the top will form a ball; with a sharp knife make two cuts across and through the five pieces; form a kind of stem as if you were to imitate a mushroom with these pieces, and plant the stem in the hole; when baked it looks like a flower. glaze the cover with egg; cut strips of paste in different shapes with a knife or paste-cutter, place them on it according to fancy, and bake in an oven at about degrees fahr. the strips of paste may also be glazed with egg. it will take about two hours to bake. as soon as cold, cut the cover all around and remove it; fill the empty places with meat or calf's-foot jelly and put it on the dish. chop some of the same jelly, put some all around it and on the top; cut some of it also in fancy shapes with a knife or paste-cutter; place it all around the dish and on the top of the _pâté_, and serve. the cut following represents a plain pie; that is, without any decoration, and immediately after having removed the mould. [illustration] _another, or rabbit-pie._--chop very fine and separately one pound of veal, one of beef, one of lean fresh pork, three of rabbit or hare, and three of fat fresh pork. mix the whole well together and season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, all grated or in powder. line a mould with paste as directed above, put a layer of the mixture in the mould about one inch thick, place on it slices of truffles, if handy and liked; then another layer, truffles, etc., till the mould is full. if filled without truffles, it is not necessary to put layer after layer. cover also as above, and bake in a moderately heated oven, about degrees fahr. it takes from five to six hours to bake. _another, or prairie-chicken pie._--skin a prairie-hen (or several) and bone it. it is not necessary in boning it for a pie to proceed as directed for boned turkey, but merely to remove all the bones in the easiest and quickest manner; you cannot spoil the flesh, as it is to be chopped. weigh the flesh when free from bones and skin. weigh as much of each of the following: ham, salt pork, and calf's liver. grate the salt pork and chop the three others very fine, and then pound the whole. season with salt, pepper, cloves and nutmeg, both grated, a pinch of cinnamon and chopped parsley; mix with the whole two or three eggs, one at a time, in order to mix better. line a mould with paste as directed above; line the paste with thin slices of salt pork, fill it with the mixture, and cover, bake, finish, and serve exactly the same as the preceding. for two prairie-hens it will require about three hours to bake. slices of truffles may also be used; they are mixed at the same time with the eggs and seasonings. _with cold meat._--when the paste is placed in the mould as directed above, line it with thin slices of salt pork, then put a very thin layer of sausage-meat, prepared also as above, then fill with butcher's meat, poultry, and game, having previously removed all the bones, and cut the meat in strips; the greater the variety, the better the _pâté_. put a little of each kind of meat used in a mortar, say from one ounce to a pound, with parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, salt and pepper; pound the whole well and then mix with one egg, half a gill of white wine, or a liquor-glass of brandy, to every pound of meat. fill the hollow places with the mixture, to which you may add a little gravy or broth if it is not liquid enough. place thin slices of salt pork on the top, cover with paste as described above, cook and serve as above also. meat-pies, as seen above, are made with every kind of meat; with one or several kinds at the same time, according to taste. wines and liquors may be used, it is only a matter of taste. the cover may be placed with only a hole in the centre, instead of decorating it. by using in turn butcher's meat, poultry, and game, an infinite number of different _pâtés_ can easily be made. _terrines (terreen, or tureen)._--a terrine differs from a meat-pie in this, that instead of using a tin or brass mould and lining it with paste, a _terrine_ (french word for terreen) is used, and is only lined with thin slices of salt pork, and closed with its cover. it is filled, cooked, and served in the same way as a meat-pie. _timbale._--the name _timbale_ is given to a meat-pie when made in a straight tin mould, lined as a _terrine_, and covered with a tin cover. a _terrine_ or _timbale_ keeps longer in winter than the pie. _pains de gibier (pains of game)._--this means, loaves of game. it is a _terrine_ made with any kind of game, of one or of several kinds, with the exception that birds are boned and filled (_see_ directions for boning), before placing them in the terreen; also, before covering the terreen, place a piece of buttered paper all around, so as to have it as nearly air-tight as possible when covered. bake as above, and as soon as out of the oven remove the cover; put a piece of tin, sheet-iron, or wood on the top, large enough to cover the meat, but not the border of the terreen. place some weight on it in order to press the meat down, and leave thus over night. the weight and piece of tin are removed, the terreen is wiped clean, the cover placed on it, and it is then served, or served on a dish. it keeps very well in winter time, and many are imported from europe, especially those made like the following: _another._--cut four ounces of boiled beef-tongue and one pound of truffles in large dice. put about two ounces of salt pork in a frying-pan on the fire, and when fried, add about six ounces of the flesh of prairie-hen, cut in pieces, four prairie-hens' and four chicken livers, eight in all; stir, and when turning rather brown, add also chopped parsley, salt, and pepper; stir again for two or three minutes, and take off. put in a mortar one pound of flesh of prairie-hen, baked and chopped; one pound and a quarter of fat salt pork, and about four ounces of _panade_. pound the whole well and put it in a large bowl. then pound well also the six ounces of prairie-hen flesh and eight livers with twelve yolks of eggs and a wine-glass of madeira wine, and put in the bowl also. add to it the tongue and truffles, and mix the whole well, adding game-gravy, or meat-gravy if more handy, about a gill of it, season to taste with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves, grated. bay-leaf and thyme, well pounded, may also be used, if liked. after being pounded, the whole may be mashed through a sieve, but it is really not necessary. then place the mixture in one, two, or three _terrines_, cook, and serve as above. _another_.--take the flesh of six prairie-hens when cooked, and pound it well. pound also eight livers, fried; four of prairie-hens and four of chickens; put flesh and livers in a saucepan with gravy, set on a slow fire, and as soon as warm, add to it, little by little, and stirring continually, about three-fourths of its volume of good butter. when all the butter is in, take from the fire, mix one pound of truffles cut in dice with it; put the mixture in one or more terrines; cover, bake, and serve as above. _terrines_ and _pains_ are sometimes made with poultry, and in the same way as those of game. _fish-pies_.--these are made in the same way as meat-pies, using cooked fish instead of meat, but putting fish only inside of the paste. when done it is filled with _coulis of fish_ instead of jelly. serve as a meat-pie. the fish must be free from bones. _fruit-pies._--pies are made with paste and fruit or vegetables. the under-paste may be made of trimmings of puff-paste, or of the paste hereafter described, but the top is always made of puff-paste. the paste on the top may cover the fruit entirely, or it may be only strips running across, according to taste and fancy. the fruit is used raw or cooked previously, according to kind; if it requires longer cooking than the paste, or if it requires to be mixed or mashed, it must be cooked previously. _under-paste._--put one pound of flour on the paste-board with six ounces of butter in the middle of it; also two ounces of sugar, two eggs, and cold water enough to make an ordinary paste, neither too stiff nor too soft. roll the paste down to a thickness of one-eighth of an inch, spread it on a tin dish or bakepan, buttered slightly, raise the borders a little or place a strip of puff-paste all around it; put the fruit in the middle, then cover with a thin piece of puff-paste or place strips of it only over the fruit, and bake in a rather quick oven, about degrees fahr. the strips of paste are cut with a paste-cutter (caster-like) and placed across; one strip may also be placed all around. when trimmings of puff-paste are used for the under-paste, when placed on the tin or bake-pan, prick it in about a dozen places with a fork to prevent it from rising. to place a border around the paste, you have only to cut a strip of it about half an inch wide, wet the paste with water by means of a brush, that is, the edge or place where you are going to put it; then take hold of the strip, place one end of it on the paste and run it all around till you meet the end, cut it off and stick the two ends together by wetting them also. when the border is placed, then put the fruit in the middle; if the fruit is not cooked, it must be mixed with sugar and essence, or cinnamon, or nutmeg, according to kind, if cooked, that is, stewed, or in _compote_ or in jelly, it is sweetened and flavored. the following are used to make pies: _apples_, _apricots_, _cherries_, _currants_, _blackberries_, _cranberries_, _gooseberries_, _grapes_, _mulberries_, _oranges_, _peaches_, _pears_, _pine-apples_, _plums_, _quinces_, _raspberries_, _lemon_, _rhubarb_, _prunes_, _whortleberries_, etc. it is better to stone the fruit before using it. pies are decorated in the three following ways: . when you use cooked fruit, put a thin layer of rice (prepared as for _croquettes_) on the paste, then a layer of stewed fruit; then the strips over, and bake. two or three layers of each may be used. . when baked, spread over the pie some syrup of apples, of pears, or syrup for _compotes_. . just before serving, spread some _crème légère_ on the top, tastefully and fancifully, by means of a paper funnel, or with the pastry-bag. _tarts and tartelettes._--these are small pies. instead of using a tin dish or a bakepan, you use small tin moulds, such as for _madeleines_, and proceed exactly as for pies. _mince-pie._--every thing used to make a mince-pie is chopped fine, and the spices are used in powder. prepare paste as directed for meat-pies, and make it either with or without mould. proportions: to three pounds of beef add six pounds of beef-suet, one pound of currants, one of prunes, one of raisins, and one of apples, the rind of two lemons, two ounces of citron, and one pound of any kind of comfited fruit; nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves, and sugar to taste; also wine or brandy, or both, to taste. bake in a moderately heated oven. the fruits may be used candied or fresh, the apples fresh or dried, it is a matter of taste. twenty kinds of fruits and meat may be used as well as three or four; there are no rules to make a mince-pie, since its compounds are not used to be tasted at all separately, but as a whole. _pot-pie._--make a paste with one pound of flour, two ounces of butter, two ounces of beef-suet (the latter prepared as directed for puff-paste), a little salt and water, enough to make a rather stiff paste; roll it down to a thickness of about a quarter of an inch and fold it in three and roll down again; repeat the process half a dozen times, the last time leaving it rolled down and of the thickness above mentioned. line the sides of a pot with it, lay slices or strips of salt pork on the bottom of the pot, then fill it with strips of meat, any and every kind (slices of potatoes may be added, if liked); season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cinnamon; fill with water or broth; cover with some of the same paste; cover the pan and boil gently till done. when the cover of paste is laid on, make a hole in the centre to let the steam out, and to fill up with water or broth if it boils away. run a sharp-pointed knife or a skewer through, to ascertain when done. serve warm. proceed as above either for butcher's meat, chicken, and other domestic fowls, or game. puddings.--puddings are made of several materials and in a hundred different ways. some are cooked by boiling, others are baked, and some are both boiled and baked. puddings for inhabitants of cities ought to be made as light as possible. for persons working outside and at manual labor, it does not matter, because their food passes through the system in a short time. it is very well known that the poorer class of americans eat too much pudding and pie. many do it for economy, others for convenience. the former are mistaken, and the latter are blamable. puddings and pies cost more in the end than meat properly and carefully prepared. we do not mean to do away with them entirely, but we advise every one to do with puddings as with every thing else, "use, but do not abuse." "pies, cakes, and sweetmeats, are universally known to be poisoning to children, and the mothers who give them are conscious that they are purchasing the momentary smile of satisfaction at the risk of after-sickness, and perhaps of incurable disease."--peter parley. the above needs no commentary; we only recommend it to the consideration of young mothers. _for convenience._--we have taken the trouble to put questions about it to over three hundred mothers, wives of mechanics or of employés at a comparatively small salary, and we are sorry to say, that more than ninety per cent. gave us about the same answer--they make and cook cakes in one day, enough to feed the whole family for three days, to save the trouble of cooking every day. we cannot see where the trouble can be for a good wife and mother to prepare her husband and children's dinner. pudding-eating is an english custom; but, before following a custom of another country, people ought to consider if that custom or fashion (whatever it is) has not been introduced into that country by necessity, which is the case of pudding-eating in england and in some parts of holland. in england, where the fog is nearly perpetual, the stomach requires to be filled with something heavy, something that will stay there till the next meal, and very often longer than that. it is well known that in england farm hands, or other persons working in the open air, eat six times a day, and have pudding at least three times; they drink home-brewed beer, which is very heavy, and very rich also. let anyone here, in this pure, clear atmosphere, eat six times a day, have pudding three times, with a pint of home-brewed beer every time, and see how he will feel in the evening. we beg all, who may doubt our observations, to try the experiment. pastry in general, no matter how light it may be made, lies heavier on the stomach than any other food, and is very difficult of digestion. there are thousands of persons that have never had any indigestion but of pastry. children like pastry very much; this is easily understood; as their young stomachs digest very rapidly, they crave food oftener than grown persons. pastry being easier to have at any time than any thing else, it is given to them; and from habit in youth arises the liking when grown up. the stomach, being accustomed to it from infancy, may digest it better, but it is always at the expense of the whole system; the stomach must work hard, too hard in digesting it; whence come dyspepsia, weakness, and finally consumption, or debility, or any other sickness of the same kind. the cut below represents a pudding (any kind), made in a mould, scalloped, and hollow in the middle; any kind of mould may be used for puddings. [illustration] _bread-pudding._--soak half a ten-cent loaf in milk for about an hour, and squeeze it with the hands; place the bread in a bowl and mix well with it a gill of milk, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, one ounce of citron, cut rather fine, four ounces of raisins, four ounces of melted butter, four yolks of eggs. then beat the four whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and mix them with the rest. grease a mould well with butter, dust it with bread-crumbs, turn the mixture into it, and bake. the mould must not be more than about two-thirds full. about degrees fahr. is the proper heat for a bread-pudding. it takes about forty minutes to bake. serve with a sauce for pudding, hot or cold, according to taste. _cabinet pudding._--a cabinet pudding is made in any kind of a mould and of any size, with sponge-cake or lady's fingers. butter a mould well; if the butter is too firm, warm it so as to grease the mould better. slice some citron and cut it in lozenges or of any other shape, according to fancy, and place tastefully on the bottom of the mould; place some raisins all around also. it is not necessary to cover the bottom with them, but have some here and there, imitating flowers, stars, etc. then put over them a layer of sponge-cake, cut in strips of any length and about half an inch thick; on this layer place some citron, some comfited (candied) fruit of one or several kinds, and all cut in dice, also some raisins; then another layer of cake, some more fruit, and so on, till the mould is full. after having placed the citron and raisins on the bottom, it is not necessary to put the rest in with care or order, but merely fill the mould with them and so that they are all mixed up. set about a pint of milk on the fire and take it off as soon as it rises. mix well in a bowl three ounces of sugar with three yolks of eggs, then turn the milk into the bowl, little by little, stirring and mixing the while, and pour the mixture over the cake, fruit, etc., into the mould. the above quantities of milk, sugar, and eggs are for a middling-sized pudding, and it will be very easy to make more or less, according to the size of the pudding. the mixture must be poured over in sprinkling, and it must nearly cover the whole within about half an inch. it must not be poured too slowly, for, the cake absorbing the liquor pretty fast, you would have too much of it if you were filling as directed above; we mean filling till the mould is nearly full. place the mould in a pan of cold water so that it is about one-third covered by it, set on the fire, and as soon as it boils, place the whole, pan and mould, in an oven at about degrees fahr., and bake. for a middling-sized one it takes about one hour. when done, place a dish over the mould, turn upside down, remove the mould, and serve with a sauce for puddings. _with vermicelli._--blanch four ounces of vermicelli, drain and drop it in cold water and drain again. while the vermicelli is cooking, put about a quart of milk in a saucepan on the fire with two ounces of sugar and a piece of lemon-rind, stir now and then to dissolve the sugar, and as soon as the milk rises, take it from the fire, remove the lemon, then turn the vermicelli into it, put back on the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, stir continually, and when the vermicelli is well cooked, take off, mix well with the whole four eggs and sugar to taste. turn the mixture into a well-buttered mould, place it in a pan of boiling water, boil slowly for ten minutes, then place as it is, pan and mould, in a moderately-heated oven to finish the cooking. it will take from fifteen to twenty minutes. proceed as above with _macaroni_, _tapioca_, etc. _plum-pudding._--break with the hands, in small pieces, about twelve ounces of the soft part of good and well-baked bread, not too fresh, but not stale, and grate it. clean twelve ounces of raisins and currants, half of each. cut in small dice four ounces of citron and four ounces of candied orange-rind. chop fine the rind of a lemon. butter a towel slightly and dust it with flour, slightly also. take twelve ounces of good fresh beef-suet, remove the fibres and skin as well as possible, and chop it rather fine with three or four ounces of flour, and which put in a large bowl. mix with it seven eggs and half a pound of sugar. it is believed by many that brown sugar is better than white, but it is only a belief, if not a prejudice. add and mix again the bread, the raisins, and currants, the citron, and orange-rind. having the whole thoroughly mixed, add half a gill of french brandy or jamaica rum, a little salt, the lemon-rind, half a gill of cream or a little milk, and a little grated cinnamon. place the mixture on the towel, and tie it as fast as possible, giving it a round shape. drop the towel in boiling water, and boil for from four to five hours. some boil a plum-pudding as long as seven hours. it may also be boiled in a mould for that purpose, but it is easier in a towel and quite as good. when taken from the water, remove the towel, cut a little piece of the pudding off to make it stand better on the dish. the place cut off is generally where the towel was tied, being the less smooth. the cut following shows a plum-pudding boiled in a towel. serve with a sauce for puddings. the sauce may be served in a boat, or spread all over the pudding. when served the second day, or cold for supper, it is cut in slices; some jamaica rum is poured over it, then set on fire, basting as long as it burns, and serve. it is generally burnt on the table, but the rum may be poured over in the kitchen. the cut below represents a whole one with rum around it and on fire. [illustration] _biscottes._--put half a pound of flour on the paste-board and make a hole in the middle of it; put in the hole four ounces of sugar, one ounce of butter, three yolks of eggs, and a few drops of essence to flavor the cakes. mix and knead the whole well with the hand. when like dough, roll it under your hands and bring it to a rope-like form of about three-quarters of an inch in diameter; cut it in pieces about two inches long; roll again with the hand so as to make a ball of each; then roll again with both hands so as to give each piece a round, elongated, olive shape; that is, smaller at each end than at the middle. put them in a baking-pan, greased with butter; glaze each piece well with egg and a little sugar beaten together, then, with a sharp knife, which you dip in flour, make a cut on the top and into each cake, lengthwise, about three-quarters through, and bake in an oven at degrees fahr. serve cold. it is an excellent cake for tea as well as for dessert. _with almonds._--add to the above mixture one ounce of pounded almonds. _with filberts or hazel-nuts._--add to the mixture for _biscottes_, one ounce of filberts or hazel-nuts, pounded well. _brioche._--mix together on the paste-board, one pound of flour, six eggs, one pound of butter, four ounces of leaven prepared as directed, and tepid water enough to make a rather soft dough, then beat well. the longer it is beaten the better, and the lighter the _brioche_ will be. by beating we mean--take hold of the dough with the right hand, raise it and then throw it with force on the board and in the same place where it was; repeat that till it comes off your hand without any of the paste sticking to it. put the mixture in a tin vessel, set it in a warm place (about ° fahr.) for about two hours to rise, and then put immediately on ice to cool. when cold, put it back on the paste-board, cut off about one-fourth of it. make a kind of crown with the larger piece, but not a very large one; let the hole in the middle be about three inches in diameter. then give the other piece a rope-like shape, about three-quarters of an inch in diameter; place it over the crown, giving it the shape of a star, and bake in an oven at °. serve warm, without sauce. [illustration] _baba._--mix together and beat as for a _brioche_, one pound of flour, ten eggs, one pound and a quarter of butter, four ounces of raisins, four ounces of citron, four ounces of leaven, about half a pound of different kinds of fruits, preserved in syrup or candied, all cut fine; put to rise, let cool, shape, bake and serve as a _brioche_. a _baba_ may be baked in a mould; the cut on the previous page represents one. _croquignolles._--put in a bowl four ounces of flour, a teaspoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt, half a pound of butter, four whites of eggs, and a few drops of essence; mix the whole well so as to make a very stiff paste. then put the mixture on the paste-board, and roll it in a rope-like form about half an inch in diameter; then cut it in pieces about half an inch long, glaze with yolk of egg, dust with sugar, and bake in a warm but not quick oven. serve cold at tea. _galette._--knead together half a pound of flour, six ounces of butter, two eggs, and a pinch of salt; roll it down to a thickness of a quarter of an inch, put in a bake-pan in the oven, and when nearly done, take off; mix well together one egg with a gill of cream and an ounce of butter, while the _galette_ is in the oven, spread the mixture over it, put back in the oven, finish the cooking, and serve cold at tea. _génoises._--put in a large bowl six ounces of flour, eight of sugar, two eggs, a liquor-glass of brandy or rum, and a few drops of essence; mix and stir the whole well for three minutes, then add two more eggs, stir and mix one minute longer, add again four eggs and continue stirring one minute longer. melt half a pound of butter in another bowl, and mix with it about two tablespoonfuls of the mixture; when, turn into the other bowl and mix the whole well together. butter a bakepan, spread the mixture in it, and bake in a rather slow oven (about ° fahr.). when the top is well baked, turn it over and finish it. when cold, cut the whole in strips about two inches long, then again across so as to make pieces of a lozenge-shape, and serve as it is or with a _sauce for puddings_. _the same, with almonds._--pound well four or six ounces of sweet almonds, place them in the bowl with the rest, and then mix, bake, and serve as the above one. do the same with _bitter almonds_, _hazel-nuts_, _peanuts_, _filberts_, and _raisins_; flavor with any kind of essence. _with chocolate._--when the cake is cut in pieces, glaze it as directed for _éclair au chocolat_. _with sweetmeats._--when the cake is cut in pieces, with a sharp-pointed knife, cut off a part of each piece, on the top and right in the centre, so as to make a small hole, which you fill with any kind of sweetmeat or with any _cream_, and then serve. when thus served, they are called under several names. _macaroons._--throw into boiling water for five minutes ten ounces of sweet almonds, and two ounces of bitter ones; skin them well; put in a mortar, and pound them to a paste, adding a few drops of the white of eggs during the process. grind well also a pound of white sugar, with the quarter of a rind of lemon well grated; then mix well together almonds, sugar, and the whites of two eggs. make balls of any size with it; put the balls on a piece of paper, beat the yolk of an egg with half a gill of water, and glaze the top of the balls with it by means of a brush; put them in a slow oven; it will take about fifteen minutes to cook them. _macaroons with chocolate._--melt on a slow fire and in a tin pan three ounces of chocolate without sugar (known as baker's chocolate); then work it to a thick paste with one pound of pulverized sugar, and three whites of eggs. roll the mixture down to a thickness of about one-quarter of an inch; cut it in small round pieces with a paste-cutter, either plain or scalloped; butter a pan slightly and dust it with flour and sugar, half of each, place the pieces of paste or mixture in and bake in a hot but not quick oven. serve cold. _madeleines._--mix well together in a bowl three ounces of sugar, three of flour, and two eggs, then again one ounce of melted butter and a few drops of essence to flavor. butter slightly small tin moulds, dust them slightly also with flour and sugar, half of each, turn the mixture in, filling the moulds only two-thirds full, and bake in an oven at about °. serve cold. _the same, with almonds._--chop rather fine some sweet almonds, and when the mixture is in the moulds as described above, spread the almonds over them; bake, and serve as above. do the same with _hazel-nuts_, _filberts_, _peanuts_, or _raisins_. _meringues or kisses._--put half a pound of pulverized sugar in a plate, beat six whites of eggs to a stiff froth as directed, then have somebody to sprinkle the half pound of sugar into the eggs, and while you are still beating, which must be done in two seconds; stop beating and mix gently with a spoon, not by stirring but by turning the whole upside down several times. if it is stirred too much, it may turn too liquid. put the mixture in the pastry-bag, with tin tube no. at the end of it; spread the mixture on paper in a baking-pan, in oblong cakes about three inches long; dust them with pulverized sugar, and put in an oven at from ° to ° fahr. it requires some time to dry them, about one hour. as soon as taken from the oven, place one in your left hand, the top downward; press gently on the under side which is up, with the first finger of the right hand, so as to make a hollow; put in that hollow twice as much cream as is necessary to fill it; place another cake prepared alike over the cream; so that the two will be united and kept together by the cream; do the same with the rest; place them tastefully on a dish; dust them with sugar, and serve. they are generally filled with _whipped cream_, but may be filled with _crème légère_ or _crème cuite_. they may also be filled with _crème chantilly_. _swiss meringue._--instead of squeezing the mixture out and spreading it in oblong cakes, make a crown of it, then another and another, four in all, dust and bake in the same way; place them on a dish, one above the other, and fill the middle of the dish with cream as above. serve cold. the mixture may also be placed on paper by the spoonful, but they are not as sightly as by means of the pastry-bag. _zephyrs._--proceed as for meringues as far as mixing the sugar with the whites of eggs, when mix also with both a few drops of cochineal. put the mixture in the pastry-bag, with tin tube no. at the end of it. squeeze the mixture out and spread it on paper in a baking-pan, in different shapes: dentilated, convoluted, overlapping, waved, etc., according to fancy, about three inches and a half long. bake in same oven as meringues, and serve when cold, as they are. _nougat._--throw a pound of sweet almonds into boiling water for five minutes; skin them well, and when cool cut them in four or five pieces lengthwise; then melt a pound of fine white sugar with two spoonfuls of water, in a copper or crockery pan, and on a good fire, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon; when well melted, put the almonds in; keep stirring about five minutes longer, take from the fire, add a little of the rind of a lemon well grated, oil the mould, put it on the corner of the range in a warm but not too hot place; put the almonds and sugar in the mould, and little by little take off when of a brown color, turn on a plate, remove the mould, and serve. _pancakes._--make a thin paste with one pound of flour, four eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil, one of french brandy, a little salt, the necessary quantity of lukewarm water and milk, about half of each; let it remain thus two or three hours at least; then put about an ounce of lard, butter, or oil in a frying-pan, and set it on a brisk fire; when hot, put some of the paste in it with a ladle, spread the paste so as to cover the bottom of the pan; fry on both sides, place it on a dish, dust it with fine white sugar on both sides, and serve warm. buckwheat and other pancakes are made in the same way. _waffles._--make a thin paste with eight ounces of flour, six ounces of pulverized sugar, two eggs, a few drops of essence to flavor, half a liquor-glass of brandy or rum, and milk. warm and butter both sides of the mould, put some of the paste into it, close it gently, set it on the fire, turn over to heat both sides equally, dust them with sugar when done, and serve either warm or cold. it takes hardly a minute for each with a good fire. bread. it is next to an impossibility to bake bread in a small oven; half the time the bread is too much or not enough baked. in cities, where good baker's bread can be bought, it comes as cheap as it can be made at home, if not cheaper, and saves a great deal of time and labor. it is not difficult to make good bread with good flour. there are several ways of making and of using yeast. some are better than others; but many, though differently manipulated, bring about the same results. the only difficulty is the baking of it. bakers can almost always bake bread properly, having large brick ovens. if they do not bake their bread enough, which is generally the case, it is not because they cannot, but because under-baked bread is heavier, and people, especially the poorer class, buy it in preference to the other; judging by the weight, they think they have more of it for a certain sum of money. under-baked bread is difficult of digestion. (_see_ food.) the best bread is made with the best wheat-flour, all that can be said by anybody to the contrary notwithstanding. rye, corn, and barley bread are excellent, and may be partaken of by those whose constitution, occupation, etc., allow it. in every thing, bread included, the people, or what may be called "the million," are wiser than _soi-disant_ philosophers; and if oat-meal or indian-meal were better than wheat-flour, they would be dearer. to describe or discuss the innumerable methods of making bread would require several volumes. we have perused carefully hundreds of them; they nearly all differ theoretically, but practically, when practical (which is not always the case), they amount to about the same thing. we think that the only difficulty, if difficulty there be, is in the use of the yeast, the making of the same, and the baking. chemical processes for rising will never equal the processes of nature and time. many bakers do not use the yeast properly, their bread being sour or musty; some sweeten their bread, to disguise an inferior quality of flour, or as an antidote to sourness or mustiness. bread gets dry after a while, and is inferior in quality and taste. the lighter the bread the better, although many do not think so. the belief may come from the fact that the lighter bread is the more porous, and therefore the quicker it evaporates and loses its taste. warm bread, besides being injurious to the teeth, is difficult of digestion. when perfectly cold, let it stand in a dry place, neither cold nor warm, for one or two hours, and use. we give below the best methods of making bread--french bread, or rather good light bread, for we do not see that it is more french than chinese or american, as long as it can be made everywhere with good flour; it is certainly the best for inhabitants of a large city, and especially for those having a sedentary occupation. let us apply the proverb to bread as well as to every thing else: "feed me with food convenient for me."--_bible._ mix well together one gill of good strong yeast with half a pound of flour, so that it makes a rather stiff paste. knead so that you shape it like a ball. make two cuts with a knife on the top, across and about one-quarter of an inch deep; then place the paste in a bowl of tepid water (milk-warm), the cuts upward. after it has been in the water for a few minutes it will float and swell; let it float about two minutes, when take off and use. put six ounces of flour on the paste-board, and make a hole in the middle; put into it the yeast prepared as above, tepid water enough to make an ordinary dough, and salt to taste. knead well, shape according to fancy, put in a warm place (about deg. fahr.) to rise, and bake. it requires about six hours to rise. _another._--wash and clean thoroughly half a pound of potatoes, and then steam them with the skins on. mash them well with half a pint of flour, about half a pint of tepid water, and half an ounce of salt. when thoroughly mixed, put away in a warm place (about deg. fahr.) for one hour. then add and mix with it half a pint of good yeast, and put away in the same place for about nine hours. it may take a little longer than nine hours or a little less, but it is very easy to know, and in this way: after a while it will rise slowly and gradually for some time, and then begin to fall; as soon as it begins to fall, mix a little tepid water with it and strain through a sieve; throw away potato skins and eyes; mix what is strained with two pounds of flour and tepid water enough to make an ordinary dough. put it away again in the same place until it cracks on the top, which will take place in about an hour. then put six pounds of flour on the paste-board, and make a hole in the middle; put into it a little tepid water and the dough when cracked; knead the whole well with water enough to make an ordinary dough, salt to taste. to knead it well, it is necessary to raise the dough or part of it, and then throw it back on the paste-board with force. the more the dough is kneaded, the better and lighter the bread. then shape the loaves, let rise, and bake in a very quick oven. _to shape._--divide the dough, as soon as kneaded, in as many parts as you wish to make loaves; then knead each part, one after another, so as to make a kind of ball; then, by rolling and pulling it, give it an elongated, sausage-like shape. a pound loaf can be made a foot and a half long, as well as four inches; it will only be narrower and thinner, and will have more crust. when the dough is thus elongated, take a round stick or a small rolling-pin, place it on the top of the dough, right on the middle, lengthwise, and then press on it and roll just a little, to and fro, so as to make a kind of furrow in the middle. have a towel well dusted with flour, place the dough on it upside down, that is, the furrowed side under; let rise as ordinary bread; turn it into a pan, but so that the furrowed side will be up (the side that was down in rising must be up in baking); dust the furrow well with rye-flour to prevent the paste from closing, so that the top of the loaf will be concave instead of convex when baked. _another._--steam half a pound of potatoes and mash them well; then mix them immediately and while hot with about a pint of flour, a quart of water, and half a pint of good strong yeast. leave the mixture six hours in a rather warm place, then strain through a sieve, pressing the potato-skins so as to squeeze all the liquid out of them. immediately add to the strained mixture flour enough to make ordinary dough, which you knead a little, and let stand as it is from one to two hours and a half, according to temperature. knead then with it about six pounds of flour, salt to taste, and tepid water to make ordinary dough, and leave it thus two hours, then shape in the same way as the above; put it to rise in the same way also (it will take from one to two hours, according to temperature); dust with rye-flour, and bake. french bread may be shaped like other bread, round or square; it is just as good. rolls, or rather french rolls as they are generally called, are made, shaped, and baked in the same way. it is a mistake to call _bread_ certain mixtures of flour, soda, and milk; or flour, milk, and butter, etc.; it is no more bread than a mixture of carbonic acid, water, alcohol, molasses, vitriol, etc., is wine. no one can give a name to such a mixture except chemists. bills of fare. _dinner-time._--on account of the various occupations of members of the same family, this is often the first and only time of the day that sees them all assembled. it is the dinner that mostly supplies the waste that the system has undergone for twenty-four hours. being taken after the day's work is over, it gives to the stomach time to digest (mind and stomach never working at the same time). (_see_ food, economy, coffee, and tea.) the dinner, being the most substantial meal of the day, requires more preparation than any other meal; the bill of fare of it should, therefore, be made the day before, or at least early in the morning. it should always be made between the mistress or master of the house and the cook; written and hung in the kitchen, near the clock. the first thing to put down is what may be left from the preceding day, and also what may be in the larder; then what is wanted in butcher's meat or poultry, or both; the fish or game, or both, and which, with vegetables, are according to the market. it is then one of the duties of the cook to make a list of what is wanted as accessories; such as flour, eggs, sugar, spices, etc. besides the above, it is also the duty of the cook to send the dishes to the table in their regular order; for, if the whole dinner is sent at once, all the dishes have to be eaten at once also, else the last get cold and are unpalatable, or, by mixing them, they are rendered tasteless, as the flavor of one neutralizes (if it does not destroy) the taste of another. to make models of bills of fare is not difficult, but to follow them is nearly impossible; hardly one in a hundred would suit any one. bills of fare vary according to the season of the year, and therefore to the produce in the market. we will try to give another, and we think a better way of making them to suit everybody, every purse, and at any time. a dinner, no matter how grand, is composed of three courses, and seven kinds of dishes. the first course comprises dishes of four kinds, viz.: potages, _hors-d'oeuvres_, _relevés_, _and entrées_. the second course comprises dishes of two kinds, viz.: _rôts_ and _entremets_. the third course comprises dishes of one kind, the dessert. the number of dishes of each kind is generally according to the number of guests. it may also be according to the importance of the occasion for which the dinner is given; to the honor the giver or givers wish to show the personage or personages invited; to the amount of money they are willing to spend, etc. the following table shows how many dishes of each kind are to be served at dinner to a certain number of persons: -----+-+-+-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---------------------------------------- for..| | | | | | | | | | | | | persons. serve| | | | | | | | | | | | | potages. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | hors-d'oeuvres. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | relevés of fish. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | " of meat. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | entrées. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | rôts. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | salads of greens. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | entremets. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | large side pieces of relevés & entrées. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | " cakes. " | | | | | | | | | | | | | plates of dessert. -----+-+-+-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---+---------------------------------------- the above table shows the number of dishes, but more than one dish of the same kind can be served; for instance, four kinds of potages, _relevés_, etc., are served for forty; but two or four dishes of each kind can be served. the size of the _relevés_ and _rôts_ should be according to the number of guests. it is just as easy to select dishes for a small family-dinner as for a grand one; two, three, four, or more dishes can be selected; for instance, you select a potage, an _entrée_ or _rôt_, or both, one vegetable or a sweet dish, or both; and one or as many plates of dessert as you please. have a bouquet on the middle of the table, if possible, or at least a basket of fruit. flowers during dinner have the same effect as music after it; they soften the manners, and gently and sweetly gratify the senses. to simplify and render the making of bills of fare easy, we have divided the different dishes into seven parts, each part being in the order the dishes of which must be served, and representing the seven kinds of dishes composing a dinner. by this means you select the dish or dishes which suit you, and which you can procure in any or all of the seven parts, and your bill of fare is made, and more to your liking than any steward on earth can do. _order of dishes._-- . _potages_. . _hors-d'oeuvres_. . _relevés_: of fish, and then of meat. . _entrées_: beef, mutton, lamb, veal, fish, poultry, and game last. . _rôts_: of meat, and then of fish. . _entremets_: salads of greens, vegetables, eggs, macaroni, sweet dishes, and cakes. . _dessert_: cheese the first. _first part_, or _potages_.--any kind coming under the head of potages or soups. _second part_, or _hors-d'oeuvres_.--these are small dishes placed on the table as soon as the soup-dish is removed or even before, and which are removed just before serving the sweet dishes of the _entremets_. they are passed round after every dish, on account of being considered more as appetizers, as repairers of the natural waste of animal life. very little of them is partaken of at a time; they are _anchovies_; _artichockes_, raw; pickled _beets_; _butter_; _caviare_; _cervelas_; raw _cucumbers_; _figs_; every kind of _fish_, salted, smoked, pickled, or preserved in oil; every kind of _pickled fruit_; _horse-radish_; _horse-radish butter_; _melons_; broiled _mushrooms_; _olives_; raw and pickled _oysters_; steamed _potatoes_ served with butter; _radishes_ and butter; _sardines_; _saucissons_; _sausages_, salt and smoked, but not fresh; salted and smoked _tongue_; _tunny_, _walnuts_ in salad. _third part_, or _relevés_.--_relevés_ are composed of fish and large pieces of meat. a fish served whole is always a _relevé_; in pieces, it is an _entrée_. pieces of _beef_, _mutton_, and _pork_, roasted, are always served as _relevés_. at a family dinner the _relevé_ is almost always a fish. the other pieces of meat that are served as _relevés_ are: _bear_, _buffalo_, boiled and corned _beef_, _leg_ and _saddle_ of mutton, _quarters_ of lamb, large pieces of _veal_; also all _vol-au-vent_ of meat and of fish, _boucheés_ and _fish-pies_. _fourth part_, or _entrées_.--these comprise every dish of meat, except poultry and game, when roasted; every dish of _fish_ not served whole; also _pâtés de foies gras_, _sour-krout_, _snails_, _meat-pies_, _terrines_, _pains_ of game and of poultry. the dishes of _meat_ mentioned in the _relevés_ may be served as entrées at a family dinner. the order of the dishes is described above. _fifth part_, or _rôts_.--_poultry_, _game_, and _fish_. at a family dinner, _lamb_ and _veal_ are often served as roasted pieces, especially at seasons when there is no game, and poultry is scarce. _sixth part_, or _entremets_.--the following are served as _entremets_: all _salads_ of greens; all dishes of _vegetables_, of _omelets_, except four, viz., with bacon, salt pork, ham, and kidneys. also dishes of _macaroni_, of _rice_, _eggs à la neige_, all _sweet dishes_ (sweet dishes are also served as _dessert_), and _cakes_; such as _baba_, _brioche_, _génoises_, _madeleines_, _savarin_, and sponge-cake. _seventh part_, or _dessert_.--the dessert comprises ripe _fruit_, _sweet dishes_ (these are also served as _entremets_, according to taste), _pastry_ (except meat-pies, _terrines_, and _pains_), _salads_ of fruits, and cheese. the latter is always served the first (_see_ cheese). after cheese, there is no rule for serving the other plates of dessert; it is according to each one's taste. _punch_ is served after the _entrées_ or after the _relevés_ of fish, according to taste. _early breakfast_.--we are of opinion that everybody ought to eat as little meat as possible, and drink no wine, beer, or any other liquor at an early breakfast, no matter what the sex or age may be, except when prescribed by the physician in case of sickness, debility, etc. the food may be selected from the following: _bread_ and _butter_, _eggs_, _omelets_, fried _fish_, fried _vegetables_, _sardines_, and _fruit_, according to the season. as for meat, in case it should be eaten, it ought to be cold, such as fowl or veal, cooked the day before. muffins, and other cakes or pastes, served warm, are very bad for the stomach and teeth. the beverage ought to be either coffee, with milk, chocolate, cocoa, choca, or cold water, but do not by any means drink tea at breakfast; it is too astringent. although cold meat is not by far so injurious as warm meat for breakfast, it ought, nevertheless, to be as little partaken of as possible, and especially by the young. _late breakfast, lunch, tea, and early supper_.--at these meals the following dishes may be served: every dish served as a _hors-d'oeuvre_, _calf's_ head and feet, bear _hams_, _head-cheese_, _eggs_ cooked in any way, _omelets_, _mutton_ chops, _veal_ cutlets, fried _fish_, ripe _fruit_, boned _birds_, _ham_, cold _meat_ of any kind, _oysters_, _pâté de foies gras_, _salads_ of chicken, or any other birds, and of lobster, _sandwiches_, _sardines_, fried _vegetables_, _sweet dishes_, and _pastry_. _late supper_.--this being the last meal taken before retiring, persons should be careful about what they eat then, especially those who take no bodily exercise, or retire soon after it. some are not aware that their rest depends nearly, if not entirely, on what they have eaten at supper. the lighter the food the better; such as fried _fish_, _sardines_, _lait de poule_, _bavaroise_, well-ripened _fruit_, a _cream_, a little _iced fruit_, _fruit-jelly_, _prunes_, etc. the gastronomical or hygienic rule to be observed in eating, it will be seen, is therefore, after the soup and _hors-d'oeuvres_, to commence with the heaviest or most substantial dishes, and to finish with the lightest. the rule is just the opposite for wines. here we must commence with the lightest, and end with those which contain the most alcohol, and are consequently the heaviest. index. allumettes, . almonds, . anchovy, . butter, . cake, . salad, . anise, . apples, au beurre, . charlotte, . dumplings, . flambantes, . fried, . meringuées, . pie, . syrup, . in compote, or stewed, . " fritters, . " jelly, . pine-apple, . with rice, . " sweetmeats, . apricots, . in compote, . " jelly . " salad, . iced, . artichokes, . fried, . (jerusalem), . asparagus, . fried, . en petits pois, . in omelet, . with cream, . " vinaigrette, . " white sauce, . aspic, . baba, . bacon, . bain-marie, . bakepans, . baking, . bananas, . barley, . lemonade, . sugar, . bass, , , . batter, . bavaroise, . bay-leaf, . beans (string), . au jus, . maître d'hôtel, . in salad, , . with onions, . pickled, . (lima), . au jus, . (dry), . maître d'hôtel, . with ham, . " mutton, . " salt pork, . in purée, . stewed, . bear-meat, . ham, . beef, . à la mode, . baked, . in daube, . roasted, . with garnitures, . decorated, . stewed, . fillet larded, . with mushrooms, . " truffles, . " potatoes, . " tomatoes, . " quenelles, . " madeira sauce, etc., . en bellevue, . ribs, . with mushrooms, etc., . steaks, . broiled, . steaks with potatoes, . " water-cress, etc., . " mushrooms, . " truffles, . sautés, . fancy, . tenderloin, . low cuts, . boiled or cold, . hashed, . in croquettes, . " miroton, . " salad, . au gratin, . with vegetables, etc., . corned, . en bellevue, . brain, . heart, . kidneys, . liver, . tail, . tongue, . (smoked), . with sauces, . in hors-d'oeuvre, . " bellevue, . tripe, . broiled, . poulette, . stewed, . pickled, . beets, . boiled, . pickled, . stewed, . in salad, . beignets soufflés, . berries, iced, . preserved, . with milk, . " liquor, . in salad, . bichof, . bills of fare, . birds, , . preserved, . biscottes, . biscuits, . almonds, . chocolate, . glazed, . with filberts, etc., . vanilla, . of rheims, . blackberries, . in compote, . " jelly, . preserved, . black-birds, . black-fish, , . blanc-mange, . blanc-manger, . blanch, . blanquette, . blue-fish, , . bobolink, . boiling, . boned turkey, . border of paste, . " rice, . bouchées, . of fish, . " birds, . " oysters, . " lobster, etc., . boulettes, . bouquet, . brain, . braising, . bread, - . crumbs, . farce, . pudding, . breakfast, . brioche, . broccoli, . broiling, . broth, - . brown-butter, . buffalo, . steaks, . buckwheat cakes, . bunch of seasonings, . burnt sugar, . butter, . anchovy, . lobster, etc., , . melted, . scented, . buttered paper, . cabbage, . à la crème, . with apples, . " bacon, . garniture, . in salad, . " sour-krout, . stewed, . stuffed, . pickled, . red, . cabinet pudding, . café au lait, . noir, . cake, . almond, . apple, . corn, . cream, . currant, . filbert, . fourré, . hazel-nut, etc., . hard, . heavy, . madeleine, . milanais, . nantais, . pithiviers, . plum, . pound, . rice, . saint honoré, . savarin, . short, . sponge, . tea, . viennois, . with jelly, . calf's brain, . ears, . feet, . " jelly, . head, , . en tortue, . soup, . heart, . kidneys, . lights, . liver, . pluck, . sweetbreads, . in vol-au-vent, . tail, . tongue, . candied fruit, . capon, . caramel, . cardoon, . carp, , . carrots, . béchamel, . fines herbes, . glazed, . au jus, . poulette, . stewed, . with sugar, . in purée, . " soup, . catsup, . mushroom, . tomato, . cauliflowers, . béchamel, . gratin, . white sauce, . fried, . stewed, . in salad, . with cream, etc., . pickled, . caviare, . celery, . fried, . in salad, , . " purée, . cervelas, . charlotte of fruit, . française, . polonaise, . russe, . italienne, . à la chantilly, . apple, . chartreuse, . cheese, . à la crème, . cherries in brandy, . compote, . pie, . glazed, . preserved, . chervil, . chestnuts, . candied, . glazed, . in compote, . " purée, . chiccory, . in salad, . (wild), . chicken, . to truss, etc., - . baked, . boiled, . boned, . broiled, . with sauce, , . croquettes, . fricassée, . suprème, , . financière, . française, etc., . marengo, etc., . roasted, . with sauce, . " garniture, . decorated, , . sauté, , . with champagne, . stewed, . stuffed, , . in pie, " purée, . vol-au-vent, . cold, . in salad, . preserved, . broth, . choca, . chocolate, . iced, . choux, . chowder, . clams, . baked, . chowder, . soup, . cochineal, . cocoa, . cocoa-nut, . cod-fish, . stuffed, . (salt), , . coffee, . iced, . colander, . cold weather, . colored beans, . compotes, . apples, . cherries, . oranges, . berries, . peaches, etc., . syrup, . contents, . cooking, . corn (sweet), . cake, . corn-salad, . corn-starch, . consommé, . caulis of fish, . veal, . courses, . crabs, . cranberries, . compote, . pie, . craw-fish, . cream, . sweet, . cheese, . au café, . chantilly, . caramel, . chocolate, . cuite, . essence, . frangipane, . ice, . légère, . lemon, . orange . patissière, . renversée, . tea, . vanilla, . whipped, . cakes, . croque en bouche, . croquettes of veal, etc., . chicken, . potato, . rice, . croquignolles, . croutons, . crullers, . crumbs, , . white, . cucumbers, . in hors-d'oeuvre, . pickled, . in salad, . stuffed, . currants, compote, . glazed, . iced, . jelly, . salad, . (dried), . curry, . custard, . dandelion, . in salad, . dessert, . dining-room, . dinner, . directions, . dish, . dishes (order of), . divers receipts, . doughnuts, . draining, . drinking, . duck, . apple sauce, . cranberry sauce, . baked, . roasted, . with turnips, . " currant-jelly, . " garniture, . sauté, . with peas, etc., . stuffed, . boned, . preserved, . cold in salmis, . " croquettes, . " salad, . duckling, . dust, to, . ears, . eclairs, . au café, . " chocolate, . " tea, . " vanilla, . " currants, . " strawberries, . " jellies, . " essence, . economy, . eels, . broiled, . fried, . roasted, . in matelote, . stuffed, . in vol-au-vent, . eggs, . beater, . crumbs to fry, . whites (to beat), . béchamel, . boiled, . fried, . au gratin, . à la tripe, . " neige, . poached, . scrambled, . stuffed, . lyonnaise, . sur le plat, etc., . in matelote, . fricassée, . with vegetables, , . " cheese, , . " ham, etc., . " fines herbes, . " sauces, . garniture, . in salad, . egg-plant, . endive, . in salad, . entrées, . entremets, . epigramme, . errors in cooking, . escalops, , . essence of beef, . spinach, . fanchonnettes, . fans, . farces, . bread, . cabbage, . combs, . croutons, . duxelle, . egg, . financière, . liver, . macédoine, . mushroom, . onion, . quenelles, . salpicon, . truffles, . fat (chicken, etc.), . to clarify, . for frying, . fecula, . fennel, . feuilletés, . à la condé, . figs, . fillet, . fines herbes, . fish, . to keep, . quality, . to select, . " clean for boiling, . " " baking, etc., . same species, . to know when cooked enough, . " improve, . " bone, . " skin, . " decorate, . kettle, . baked, . balls, . boiled, . broiled, . cold, . fried, . à la orly, . roasted, . sauté, . stewed, . stuffed, . à la crème, . anchovy butter, . " sauce, , . béchamel, . bordelaise, . bretonne, . caper-sauce, , , . court-bouillon, . cream-sauce, . egg-sauce, . fines-herbes sauce, . genèvoise-sauce, . genoise-sauce, . gratin-sauce, , . hollandaise sauce, , , . italienne sauce, . maître d'hôtel sauce, , . matelote sauce, , . mayonnaise, . piquante, . poivrade, . rémolade, . tartar, . tomato, , , . vinaigrette, - . bass, , . black-fish, , . blue-fish, , . cod, . " (salt), . eels, , . flounder, , . haddock, . halibut, . herring, . " (salt), . mackerel, . " (salt), . pike, , , . porgy, , . ray, . salmon, . shad, . sheep's-head, . skate, . trout, , . turbot, , . white-fish, . clams, . lobster, , . oysters, . floating island, . allemande sauce, . baked, . normande, . " another, . boned and fried, . flour, . foies-gras, . fondue, . food, . fox, . frangipane, . fricandeau, . fritters, . frogs, . fromage à la crème, . fruit, . corer, . candied, . glazed, . iced, . for dessert, . preserved, . " in liquor, . frying, . batter for, . fat " . lard " . directions for, . eggs and crumbs for, . galantine, . galette, , . du gymnase, . game, . pie, . garlic, . garnish, . garnishing, . garnitures, . génoise, . with almonds, etc., . " chocolate, etc., . gibelotte, . giblets, . glazing, . godiveau, . goose, . apple-sauce, etc., . gooseberries in jelly, . gosling, . grapes, . in jelly, . glazed, . gravy of meat, . fish, . grouse, . guinea-fowl, . haddock, . halibut, . ham, . boiled, . in hors-d'oeuvre, . with purée, . decorated, . roasted, . with sauces, , . hard cake, . hare, - . hazel-nut butter, . head-cheese, . herb broth, . herring, . salt, . red, . highholders, . hominy, . hors-d'oeuvres, . horse-radish, . hot weather, . ice-cream, . iced fruit, . icing, . ignorance in cooking, . indigestion, . isinglass, . italian pastes, . jam, . jellies, , . sweet or wine, . macédoine, . cold, . meat, . broth, . chicken, . turkey, . calf's-foot, . fruit, . jelly-bag, . juice or jus, . julienne, , . kid, . kitchen utensils, . kisses, . lady's-fingers, . lait de poule, . lamb, . épigramme, . fore-quarter, . hind-quarter, . entire, . cold, . feet, . kidneys, . lapwing, . lard, . larding, . needle, . leaven, . leeks, . lemon in compote, . iced, . pie, . lemonade, . lentils, . purée, . soup, . lettuce, . in salad, . lima beans, . liver, . lobster, . to boil, . bisque, . croquettes, . butter, . fried, . another, . in bouchées, " vol-au-vent, . " pie, . " salad, . another, . " the shell, . scalloped, . loin, . lunch, . macaroni, . croquettes, . au gratin, . italienne, . napolitaine, . potage, . macaroons, . with chocolate, . macédoine jelly, . salad, . omelet, . garniture, . mackerel, . salt, . spanish, . madeleines, . marmalades, . matelote, - . meadow-lark, . meat, to cook, . " keep, . pies, . jellies, . gravy, . melons, . iced, . melted butter, . meringues, . apple, . chantilly, . swiss, . meunière, . mince-pie, . mint, . miroton, . mixing, . mock-turtle soup, . motto, . moulds, . muffins, . mulberries, , . muscles, , . mushrooms, , . broiled, . purée, . catsup, . garniture, . mustard, . mutton, . baked, . roasted, . decorated, . with vegetables, . haricot, . breast broiled, . with sauces, . on purées, . chops, broiled, . with vegetables, . in papillotes, . with sauces, . sautées, etc., . leg, . boiled, . decorated, . with vegetables, . " currant-jelly, . " sauces, , . stewed, . cold, . baked, . roasted, . with purée, . neck, . saddle, . baked, . roasted, etc., . shoulder, . boiled, . boned, . stuffed, . on purées, . roasted, . with sauces, . cold, in vinaigrette, , . " croquettes, . brain, etc., . nasturtium, . nougat, . nouilles, . oil, . oiled paper, . okra, . olives, . omelet, , . célestine, . macédoine, . soufflée, . aux fines herbes, . au naturel, . with bacon, . " fruit, . " cheese, . " ham, etc., . " kidneys, . " lobster, . " mushrooms, . " oysters and fish, . " rum, . " sorrel, . " sugar, . " sweetmeats, . " vegetables, . onions, . glazed, . in purée, . " garniture, . " salad, . pickled, . opossum, . orangeade, . oranges, compote, . glazed, . iced, . preserved, . salad, . pie, . order of dishes, . osmazome, . otter, . oysters, . raw, . in bouchées, . " patties, . " vol-au-vent, . " poulette, . broiled, . fried, . roasted, . stewed, . scalloped, . à la washington, . pickled, . soup, . oyster-plant, . pain perdu, . pains of game, . panade, . pancakes, , . pap, . paper, buttered, . oiled, . papillotes, . parsley, . parsnip, . sauté, . stewed, . partridge, . paste, . puff, - . for meat-pies, . pastry, . bag, . pâte à choux, . pâté, . de foies-gras, . patties (bouchées), . peacock, . peaches, baked, . in compote, . " jelly, . " pie, . " salad, . iced, . preserved, . candied, . pears, in compote, . " salad, . candied, . glazed, . iced, . preserved, . syrup, . peas (green), . boiled, . au jus, . with ham, etc., . " sugar, . in purée, . (canned), . (dry), . (split), . in soup, . preserved, . pepper, . perch, , . petits fours, . pains, . au chocolat, etc., . pheasant, . pickerel, . pickled cucumber, . pickles, . pies, . decorated, . fruit, . meat, . fish, . game, . mince, . pot, . pig's feet, . head, . kidneys, . (sucking), , . tongue, . pigeons, . baked, . broiled, . fried, . roasted, . stewed, . stuffed, . in chartreuse, . " compote, . " crapaudine, . with vegetables, . pie, . pike, . génoise sauce, . with different sauces, , . in matelote, - . roasted, . pine-apple, . glazed, . iced, . in compote, . " fritters, . syrup, . pithiviers, . plover, . plums, . candied, . glazed, . iced, . in jelly, . " marmalade, . " pie, . plum-pudding, . poached eggs, . pommées, . porgy, , . pork, . chine, . cutlets, . leg, . salt, . ham, . ears, etc., . porte manteau, . potages, . broth for, . chicken broth, etc., . veal, . vegetables, . fish, . made quickly, . bisque of lobster, . " crabs, . " craw-fish, . bouillabaisse, . consommé, . colbert, . fancy, . julienne, , . à la brunoise, . monaco, . régence, . royale, . au chasseur, . chinese, . printanier, . velouté, . with arrow-root, . " barley, . " bread, . " corn-starch, . " carrots, . " fecula, . " gruel, . " giblets, . " indian meal, . " italian pastes, . " macaroni, - . " mackerel, . " nouilles, . " potatoes, . " quenelles, . " rice, . " sago, . " semoule, . " tapioca, . " turnips, . " vermicelli, . purée chantilly, . " à la condé, . " " crécy, . " " française, . " " reine, - . " of asparagus, . " " artichokes, . " " beans, . " " cauliflowers, . " " chestnuts, . " " corn . " " lentils, . " " lima, . " " peas, . " " potatoes, . " " pumpkins, . " " squash, . " " tomatoes, , . " " turnips, . " " wheat, . " " fowls, . soup maigre, . mock-turtle, . sportsman's, . turtle, . clam, . rice, . beef and mutton, . muscle, . okra, . ox-cheek, . " tail, . oyster, . pot-au-feu, . sheep's-tail, . sorrel, . with cabbage, . " cauliflower, . " cheese, . " herbs, . " leeks, . " milk, . " onions, . allemande, , . indian, . polish, . russian, . spanish, , . potatoes, . boiled, . steamed, . allemande, . anglaise, . barigoule, . béchamel, . broiled, . duchesse, . française, . fried, . hollandaise, . lyonnaise, . maître d'hôtel, . mashed, . parisienne, . polonaise, . sautées, . soufflées, . stuffed, . swelled, . in balls, , . " cakes, . " croquettes, . " matelote, . " provençale, . " purée, . salad, . with bacon, . " butter, . " cream, etc., . soup, . sweet, . pot-au-feu, . poultry, . pound cake, . prairie hen, . baked, . boned, . broiled, . preserved, . roasted, . sauté, . stewed, . with sauces, . " vegetables, , . " currant-jelly, . " garnitures, . " mushrooms, . " oranges, . hunter-like, . larded, . in chartreuse, " crapaudine, . " croquettes, . " fricassée, . " pie, . " purée, . " salad, . " salmis, . " terreen, . prawns, . preface, . preserves of berries, . of fruits, . " meat, . " vegetables, . prunes, . glazed, . pie, . puddings, . bread, . cabinet, . macaroni, . plum, . tapioca, etc., . vermicelli, . sauces, . puff-paste, - . pumpkins, . punch, . roman, , . purées, of fruits, " vegetables, - . " meat, . purslain, . quail, . baked, . roasted, . vegetables, . in chartreuse, . " pie, . hunter-like, . preserved, . in grape-vine leaves, . quality of fish, . of meat, etc., . quenelles, . quinces, preserved, . in marmalade, . " jelly, . rabbit, . baked, . larded, . roasted, . sauté, . stewed, . in chartreuse, . " civet, . " croquettes, . " gibelotte, . " marengo, . " pie, . " vol-au-vent, . with olives, . " peas, . " currant-jelly, . " sauces, , . sportsman-like, . cold, . raccoon, . radishes, . rail, . raisiné, . raisins, . raspberries, compote, . jelly, . raw materials, . ray, . au beurre noir, . red herring, . reed-bird, . relevés, . rhubarb, . pie, . rice, . in border, . cake, . croquettes, . fritters, . soufflé, . soup, . water, . with fruit, . rice-bird, . rissoles, . roasting, . robins, . rolls, . roman punch, . rôts, . roux, . rum cakes, . sage, . sago, . saint-honoré, . salads, . of greens, . " fruits, . of poultry, . " game, . " fish, . salmis, . salmon, . broiled, . in fricandeau, . " genèvoise, . " hors-d'oeuvre, . " papillotes, . " pie, . " salad, . " scallops, . caper-sauce, . court bouillon, . maître d'hôtel, . roasted, . salt, , . smoked, . salpicon, . salsify, . béchamel, etc., . sandwiches, . sardines, . sauce, . allemande, . anchovy, . apple, . béchamel, . blonde, . bread, . brown, . caper, . celery, . champagne, . colbert, . coulis, . cranberry, . cream, . craw-fish, . cucumber, . currant, . diplomat, . egg, . espagnolle . essence, . fines herbes, . fish, . genèvoise, . génoise, . gravy, . hollandaise, . indian, . italian, . juice, . lobster, . madeira, . maître d'hôtel, . matelote, , . mayonnaise, . muscle, . mushroom, . oyster, . parisienne, . peach, . piquante, . poivrade, . polonaise, . poulette, . prawn, . princesse, . provençale, . ravigote, . raspberry, . rémolade, . robert, . roux, . shallot, . shrimp, . soubise, . suprème, . tarragon, . tartar, . tomato, . truffle, . velouté, . white, . vinaigrette, . for blanc mange, . " puddings, , . " savarin, . saucissons, . sausages, . sausage-meat, . sautéing, . savarin, . scallops, . on the shell, . of salmon, . " veal, . scalloped-knife, . seasoning, . semoule, . shad, . broiled, . à la chambord, . au gratin, . in provençale, . with sorrel, . stuffed, . roasted, . shallots, . sheep's brain, . feet, . kidneys, . tongue, . sheep's-head fish, , . short-cake, . shrimps, . simmering, . skate, . skewers, . skirret, . skunk, . small birds, , . small fish, . smelts, . smoked tongue, . snails, . snipe, , . sole, . sorrel, . au jus, . in purée, . " salad, . " soup, . preserved, . soufflés, . soups, . sour-krout, . souse, . spanish mackerel, . sparrow-grass, . spices, . spinach, . au beurre, etc., . " jus, . " sucre, . à la crème, . essence, . sponge cake, . sportsman's soup, . sprats, . sprouts, . squash, . squirrel, . steaks, . turtle, . sterlet, . stewing, . stirring, . straining, . strawberry, glazed, . iced, . in compote, . " fritters, . " jelly, . " salad, . " short-cake, . stuffing of birds, . fish, . sturgeon, . succory, . succotash, . sucking-pig, . baked, . boned, . roasted, . decorated, . sugar, , . burnt, . cooked, . dusted, . pulverized, . syrup, . sun-fish, . supper, . syrup for compotes, . sugar, . apple, . sweetbreads, . sweet dishes, . potatoes, . tapioca, . tarragon, . tarte, . tartelettes, . tasting, . tea, . cake, . (meal), . tench, . tenderloin, . terrapin, . terreen, . thrush, . thermometer, . thyme, . tin tubes, . toasts, . tomatoes, . salad, . stuffed, . stewed, . preserved, . catsup, . tongue, . tripe, . trout, . génoise sauce, . in matelote, - . with sauces, , . troutlet, . truffles, . garniture, . tunny, , . turbot, , . bordelaise, . in salad, . " vol-au-vent, . " pie, . roasted, . cold, . in hors-d'oeuvre, . turkey, . baked, . boiled, . boned, . preserved, . roasted, . stewed, . stuffed, , . in croquettes, . " pie, . " salad, . with cranberry-sauce, . " oyster-sauce, . " currant-jelly, . cold, . caponed, . turnips, . béchamel, etc., . glazed, . au jus, . with sugar, . turtle, . vanilla, . veal, . baked, . blanquette, . broiled, . broth, . croquettes, . ragout, . roasted, . in scallops, . " vol-au-vent, . with vegetables, . decorated, . breast, with peas, . in matelote, . stewed, . neck, . cold, . cutlets, . baked, . sautées, . with sauces, . " garnitures, . in papillotes, . with mushrooms, . en bellevue, . fricandeau, . au jus, . financière, . with peas, etc., . loin, or leg, stewed, . baked, . roasted, . decorated, . shoulder, on purées, etc., . baked, . boned, . roasted, . stuffed, . en bellevue, . brain, etc., . pie, . vegetables, . spoons, . venison, . baked, . in civet, . cutlets, . with sauces, . haunch, . saddle, with currant-jelly, . shoulder, . stewed, . with truffles, etc., . cold, . vermicelli, , . vinegar, . vol-au-vent, . of fish, . " oysters, . " chicken, . " veal, . " game, . " fruits, . " sweatmeats, . waffles, . walnuts, . water, . watercress, , . weak-fish, . welsh rarebit, . white-fish, . white pepper, . whortleberry, , . wines, . woodchuck, . woodcock, . in pie, . " salmis, . woodpecker, . yellow-birds, . zéphyrs, . the end. gastronomy and housekeeping. * * * * * =household hints=: a book of home receipts and home suggestions. by mrs. emma w. babcock. flexible cloth, with illuminated design. mo. cents. contents: i. introductory; ii. bread, tea, and coffee; iii. meats, soups, and fish; iv. vegetables, cereals, and salads; v. puddings and pies; vi. pickles; vii. cake, custard, and candy; viii. fruit; ix. miscellaneous hints; x. talks upon various subjects. =all around the house=; or, how to make homes happy. by mrs. henry ward beecher. mo. cloth, $ . . this volume, as its title implies, consists of papers upon topics concerning the ordering and well-being of the household. it contains, in addition to a large number of receipts for cooking, and rules for marketing, numerous hints for the management of servants and children, directions as to furnishing, repairing, cleansing, etc., and information on all the innumerable things on which housekeepers need information, while, in addition to its usefulness as a guide to practical knowledge and economical methods, it is eminently interesting and suggestive, in its various essays on home topics, to every one concerned in the welfare and happiness of the household. =hand-book of practical cookery=, for ladies and professional cooks. containing the whole science and art of preparing human food. by p. blot. mo, cloth, $ . . =breakfast, dinner, and tea=; viewed classically, poetically, and practically. a new edition. square mo, cloth, $ . . =half-tints=: table d'hôte and drawing-room. mo, cloth, cents. =lessons in cookery=: hand-book of the national training-school for cookery, south kensington, london; to which is added the principles of diet in health and disease, by thomas k. chambers, m. d. edited by eliza a. youmans. mo, cloth, $ . . the novelty and merit of the work are in the method by which it secures _successful_ practice. its lessons, the plainest, easiest, and fullest, anywhere to be found, have grown out of a long and painstaking experience, in finding out the best plan of teaching beginners and ignorant persons how to cook well. they were perfected through the stupidities, blunders, mistakes, questionings, and difficulties, of hundreds of pupils, of all ages, grades, and capacities, under the careful direction of intelligent, practical teachers. =hand-book of dining=; or, corpulency and leanness scientifically considered. by brillat savarin. translated by l. f. simpson. mo, $ . . =social etiquette of new york=. new and enlarged edition. containing two additional chapters--"extended visits," and "customs and costumes at theatres, concerts, and operas"--with the chapter on "etiquette of weddings" rewritten in accordance with the latest fashionable usage. mo, cloth, gilt, $ . . =hand-book of household science=. by professor e. l. youmans. mo, cloth, $ . . this work has been prepared to meet a long-acknowledged want in our homes and schools. there is a strong and growing demand for that kind of knowledge which can be made available in the daily operations of familiar life. various books have been prepared which cross the field of domestic science at different points, but this is the first work that traverses and occupies the whole ground. hardly a page can be opened that does not convey information interesting and valuable to every person who dwells in a house. the work will be found not only of high practical utility, but captivating to the student, and unequaled in the interest of its recitations. * * * * * new york: d. appleton & co., , , & bond street. books for every household. * * * * * =cooley's cyclopædia of practical receipts=, and collateral information in the arts, manufactures, professions, and trades, including medicine, pharmacy, and domestic economy. designed as a comprehensive supplement to the pharmacopoeia, and general book of reference for the manufacturer, tradesman, amateur, and heads of families. _sixth edition_. revised and partly rewritten by richard v. tuson, professor of chemistry and toxicology in the royal veterinary college. complete in two volumes, vo, , pages. with illustrations. price, $ . . "the great characteristic of this work is its general usefulness. in covering such diverse subjects, the very best and most recent research seems to have been sought for, and the work is remarkable for intelligent industry. this very complete work can, then, be highly recommended as fulfilling to the letter what it purports to be--a cyclopædia of practical receipts."--_new york times_. "it is a well-edited special work, compiled with excellent judgment for special purposes, which are kept constantly in mind. if it is more comprehensive than its title suggests, that is only because it is impossible to define the limits of its purpose with exactitude, or to describe its contents upon a title-page. illustrations of the text are freely used, and the mechanical execution of the work is excellent."--_new york evening post._ the chemistry of common life. by the late professor james f. w. johnston. a new edition, revised and enlarged, and brought down to the present time, by arthur herbert church, m. a., oxon., author of "food: its sources, constituents, and uses." illustrated with maps and numerous engravings on wood. in one vol., mo, pages. cloth. price, $ . . summary of contents.--the air we breathe; the water we drink; the soil we cultivate; the plant we rear; the bread we eat; the beef we cook; the beverages we infuse; the sweets we extract; the liquors we ferment; the narcotics we indulge in; the poisons we select; the odors we enjoy; the smells we dislike; the colors we admire; what we breathe and breathe for; what, how, and why we digest; the body we cherish; the circulation of matter. in the number and variety of striking illustrations, in the simplicity of its style, and in the closeness and cogency of its arguments, professor johnston's "chemistry of common life" has as yet found no equal among the many books of a similar character which its success originated, and it steadily maintains its preëminence in the popular scientific literature of the day. in preparing this edition for the press, the editor had the opportunity of consulting professor johnston's private and corrected copy of "the chemistry of common life," who had, before his death, gleaned very many fresh details, so that he was able not only to incorporate with his revision some really valuable matter, but to learn the kind of addition which the author contemplated. * * * * * _d. appleton & co., publishers_, , , & _bond st., new york_ =transcriber's notes:= hyphenation, spelling and grammar have been preserved as in the original page , kept a ong time ==> kept a long time page , to bake game ==> to bake game. page , when proper y made ==> when properly made page , with good beef ==> with good beef. page , stalks of chewil ==> stalks of chervil page , place a ayer ==> place a layer page , when mash gently ==> then mash gently page , but ess nourishing ==> but less nourishing page , fresh mushroons and ==> fresh mushrooms and page , cooked, when add ==> cooked, then add page , excellent dish ==> excellent dish. page , hrow them in ==> throw them in page , with once ounce ==> with one ounce page , cooked, when add ==> cooked, then add page , yellow, when add ==> yellow, then add page , done, when dish ==> done, then dish page , following sauce pound ==> following sauce; pound page , and scolloped all ==> and scalloped all page , fifteen minutes ==> fifteen minutes. page , procced as for eggs ==> proceed as for eggs page , by squeezeing it ==> by squeezing it page , an inck thick. ==> an inch thick. page , tea, choco late, etc. ==> tea, chocolate, etc. page , one another; and ==> one an other; and page , with trim mings of ==> with trimmings of page / , the cen tre, it ==> the centre, it page , atter are blamable ==> latter are blamable page , rots and entremets ==> rôts and entremets page , to spend. etc. ==> to spend, etc. page , hôrs-d'oeuvres ==> hors-d'oeuvres page , sauteés, . ==> sautées, . a little cook-book for a little girl by caroline french benton author of ``gala day luncheons'' boston, the page company, publishers copyright, by dana estes & company for katherine, monica and betty three little girls who love to do ``little girl cooking'' thanks are due to the editor of good housekeeping for permission to reproduce the greater part of this book from that magazine. introduction once upon a time there was a little girl named margaret, and she wanted to cook, so she went into the kitchen and tried and tried, but she could not understand the cook-books, and she made dreadful messes, and spoiled her frocks and burned her fingers till she just had to cry. one day she went to her grandmother and her mother and her pretty aunt and her other aunt, who were all sitting sewing, and asked them to tell here about cooking. ``what is a roux,'' she said, ``and what's a mousse and what's an entrée? what are timbales and sautés and ingredients, and how do you mix 'em and how long do you bake 'em? won't somebody please tell me all about it?'' and her pretty aunt said, ``see the flour all over that new frock!'' and her mother said, ``dear child, you are not old enough to cooks yet;'' and her grandmother said, ``just wait a year or two, and i'll teach you myself;'' and the other aunt said, ``some day you shall go to cooking-school and learn everything; you know little girls can't cook.'' but margaret said, ``i don't want to wait till i'm big; i want to cook now; and i don't want to do cooking-school cooking, but little girl cooking, all by myself.'' so she kept on trying to learn, but she burned her fingers and spoiled her dresses worse than ever, and her messes were so bad they had to be thrown out, every one of them; and she cried and cried. and then one day her grandmother said, ``it's a shame that child should not learn to cook if she really wants to so much;'' and her mother said ``yes, it is a shame, and she shall learn! let's get her a small table and some tins and aprons, and make a little cook-book all her own out of the old ones we wrote for ourselves long ago,--just the plain, easy things anybody can make.'' and both her aunts said, ``do! we will help, and perhaps we might put in just a few cooking-school things beside.'' it was not long after this that margaret had a birthday, and she was taken to the kitchen to get her presents, which she thought the funniest thing in the world. there they all were, in the middle of the room: first her father's present, a little table with a white oilcloth cover and casters, which would push right under the big table when it was not being used. over a chair her grandmother's present, three nice gingham aprons, with sleeves and ruffled bibs. on the little table the presents of the aunties, shiny new tins and saucepans, and cups to measure with, and spoons, and a toasting-fork, and ever so many things; and then on one corner of the table, all by itself, was her mother's present, her own little cook-book, with her own name on it, and that was best of all. when margaret had looked at everything, she set out in a row the big bowl and the middle-sized bowl and the little wee bowl, and put the scalloped patty-pans around them, and the real egg-beater in front of all, just like a picture, and then she read a page in her cook-book, and began to believe it was all true. so she danced for joy, and put on a gingham apron and began to cook that very minute, and before another birthday she had cooked every single thing in the book. this is margaret's cook-book. part i. the things margaret made for breakfast a little cook book for a little girl cereals quart of boiling water. tablespoonfuls of cereal. teaspoonful of salt. when you are to use a cereal made of oats or wheat, always begin to cook it the night before, even if it says on the package that it is not necessary. put a quart of boiling water in the outside of the double boiler, and another quart in the inside, and in this last mix the salt and cereal. put the boiler on the back of the kitchen range, where it will be hardly cook at all, and let it stand all night. if the fire is to go out, put it on so that it will cook for two hours first. in the morning, if the water in the outside of the boiler is cold, fill it up hot, and boil hard for an hour without stirring the cereal. then turn it out in a hot dish, and send it to the table with a pitcher of cream. the rather soft, smooth cereals, such as farina and cream of rice, are to be measured in just the same way, but they need not be cooked overnight; only put on in a double boiler in the morning for an hour. margaret's mother was very particular to have all cereals cooked a long time, because they are difficult to digest if they are only partly cooked, even though they look and taste as though they were done. corn-meal mush quart of boiling water. teaspoon of salt. tablespoons of corn-meal. be sure the water is boiling very hard when you are ready; then put in the salt, and pour slowly from your hand the corn-meal, stirring all the time till there is not one lump. boil this half an hour, and serve with cream. some like a handful of nice plump raisins stirred in, too. it is better to use yellow corn-meal in winter and white in summer. fried corn-meal mush make the corn-meal mush the day before you need it, and when it has cooked half an hour put it in a bread-tin and smooth it over; stand away overnight to harden. in the morning turn it out and slice it in pieces half an inch thick. put two tablespoons of lard or nice drippings in the frying-pan, and make it very hot. dip each piece of mush into a pan of flour, and shake off all except a coating of this. put the pieces, a few at a time, into the hot fat, and cook till they are brown; have ready a heavy brown paper on a flat dish in the oven, and as you take out the mush lay it on this, so that the paper will absorb the grease. when all are cooked put the pieces on a hot platter, and have a pitcher of maple syrup ready to send to the table with them. another way to cook corn-meal mush is to have a kettle of hot fat ready, and after flouring the pieces drop them into the fat and cook like doughnuts. the pieces have to be rather smaller to cook in this way than in the other. boiled rice cup of rice. cups of boiling water. teaspoonful of salt. pick the rice over, taking out all the bits of brown husk; fill the outside of the double boiler with hot water, and put in the rice, salt, and water, and cook forty minutes, but do not stir it. then take off the cover from the boiler, and very gently, without stirring, turn over the rice with a fork; put the dish in the oven without the cover, and let it stand and dry for ten minutes. then turn it from the boiler into a hot dish, and cover. have cream to eat on it. if any rice is left over from breakfast, use it the next morning as-- fried rice press it into a pan, just as you did the mush, and let it stand overnight; the next morning slice it, dip it in flour, and fry, either in the pan or in the deep fat in the kettle, just as you did the mush. farina croquettes when farina has been left from breakfast, take it while still warm and beat into a pint of it the beaten yolks of two eggs. let it then get cold, and at luncheon-time make it into round balls; dip each one first into the beaten yolk of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cold water, and then into smooth, sifted bread-crumbs; have ready a kettle of very hot fat, and drop in three at a time, or, if you have a wire basket, put three in this and sink into the fat till they are brown. serve in a pyramid, on a napkin, and pass scraped maple sugar with them. margaret's mother used to have no cereal at breakfast sometimes, and have these croquettes as a last course instead, and every one liked them very much. rice croquettes cup of milk. yolk of one egg. / cup of rice. large tablespoonful of powdered sugar. small half-teaspoonful of salt. / cup of raisins and currants, mixed. / teaspoonful of vanilla. wash the rice and put in a double boiler with the milk, salt and sugar and cook till very thick; beat the yolks of the eggs and stir into the rice, and beat till smooth. sprinkle the washed raisins and currants with flour, and roll them in it and mix these in, and last the vanilla. turn out on a platter, and let all get very cold. then make into pyramids, dip in the yolk of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of water, and then into sifted bread-crumbs, and fry in a deep kettle of boiling fat, using a wire basket. as you take these from the fat, put them on paper in the oven with the door open. when all are done, put them on a hot platter and sift powdered sugar over them, and put a bit of red jelly on top of each. this is a nice dessert for luncheon. all white cereals may be made into croquettes; if they are for breakfast, do not sweeten them, but for luncheon use the rule just given, with or without raisins and currants. hominy cook this just as you did the rice, drying it in the oven; serve one morning plain, as cereal, with cream, and then next morning fried, with maple syrup, after the rest of the meal. fried hominy is always nice to put around a dish of fried chicken or roast game, and it looks especially well if, instead of being sliced, it is cut out into fancy shapes with a cooky-cutter. after margaret had learned to cook all kinds of cereals, she went on to the next thing in her cook-book. eggs soft boiled put six eggs in a baking-dish and cover them with boiling water; put a cover on and let them stand where they will keep hot, but not cook, for ten minutes, or, if the family likes them well done, twelve minutes. they will be perfectly cooked, but not tough, soft and creamy all the way through. another way to cook them is this: put the eggs in a kettle of cold water on the stove, and the moment the water boils take them up, and they will be just done. an easy way to take them up all at once is to put them in a wire basket, and sink this under the water. a good way to serve boiled eggs is to crumple up a fresh napkin in a deep dish, which has been made very hot, and lay the eggs in the folds of the napkin; this prevents their breaking, and keeps them warm. poached eggs take a pan which is not more than three inches deep, and put in as many muffin-rings as you wish to cook eggs. pour in boiling water till the rings are half covered, and scatter half a teaspoonful of salt in the water. let it boil up once, and then draw the pan to the edge of the stove, where the water will not boil again. take a cup, break one egg in it, and gently slide this into a ring, and so on till all are full. while they are cooking, take some toast and cut it into round pieces with the biscuit cutter; wet these a very little with boiling water, and butter them. when the eggs have cooked twelve minutes, take a cake-turner and slip it under one egg with its ring, and lift the two together on to a piece of toast, and then take off the ring; and so on with all the eggs. shake a very little salt and pepper over the dish, and put parsley around the edge. sometimes a little chopped parsley is nice to put over the eggs, too. poached eggs with potted ham make the rounds of toast and poach the eggs as before. make a white sauce in this way: melt a tablespoonful of butter, and when it bubbles put in a tablespoonful of flour; shake well, and add a cup of hot milk and a small half-teaspoonful of salt; cook till smooth. moisten each round of toast with a very little boiling water, and spread with some of the potted ham which comes in little tin cans; lay a poached egg on each round, and put a teaspoonful of white sauce on each egg. if you have no potted ham in the house, but have plain boiled ham, put this through the meat-chopper till you have half a cupful, put in a heaping teaspoonful of the sauce, a saltspoonful of dry mustard, and a pinch of red pepper, and it will do just as well. scrambled eggs eggs. tablespoonfuls of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. put the eggs in a bowl and stir till they are well mixed; add the milk and salt. make the frying-pan very hot, and put a tablespoonful of butter in it; when it melts, shake it well from side to side, till all the bottom of the pan is covered. put in the eggs and stir them, scraping them off the bottom of the pan until they begin to get a little firm; then draw the pan to the edge of the stove, and scrape up from the bottom all the time till the whole looks alike, creamy and firm, but not hard. put them in a hot, covered dish. scrambled eggs with parsley chop enough parsley to make a teaspoonful, and mince half as much onion. put the onion in the butter when you heat the pan, and cook the eggs in it; when you are nearly ready to take the eggs off the fire, put in the parsley. after margaret had learned to make these perfectly, she began to mix other things with the eggs. scrambled eggs with tomato when margaret found a cupful of tomato in the refrigerator, she would take that, add a half-teaspoonful of salt, two shakes of pepper, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and simmer it all on the fire for five minutes; then she would cook half a teaspoonful of minced onion in the butter in the hot frying-pan as before, and turn in the eggs, and when they were beginning to grow firm, put in the tomato. in summer-time she often cut up two fresh tomatoes and stewed them down to a cupful, instead of using the canned. scrambled eggs with chicken chop fine a cup of cold chicken, or any light-colored meat, and heat it with a tablespoonful of water, a half-teaspoonful of salt, two shakes of pepper, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. cook a half-teaspoonful of minced onion in the butter you put in the hot frying-pan, and turn in the eggs, and when they set mix in the chicken. sometimes margaret used both the tomato filling and the chicken in the eggs, when she wanted to make a large dish. creamed eggs cook six eggs twenty minutes, and while they are on the fire make a cup of white sauce, as before: one tablespoonful of butter, melted, one of flour, one cup of hot milk, a little salt; cook till smooth. peel the eggs and cut the whites into pieces as large as the tip of your finger, and put the yolks through the potato-ricer. mix the eggs white with the sauce, and put in a hot dish, with the yellow yolks over the top. or, put the whites on pieces of toast, which you have dipped in part of the white sauce, and put the yolks on top, and serve on a small platter. another nice way to cream eggs is this: cook them till hard, and cut them all up into bits. make the white sauce, and into it stir the beaten yolk of one egg, just after taking it from the fire. mix the eggs with this, and put in a hot dish or on toast. you can sprinkle grated cheese over this sometimes, for a change. creamed eggs in baking-dishes cut six hard-boiled eggs up into bits, mix with a cup of white sauce, and put in small baking-dishes which you have buttered. cover over with fine, sifted bread-crumbs, and dot with bits of butter, about four to each dish, and brown in the oven. stick a bit of parsley in the top of each, and put each dish on a plate, to serve. birds' nests sometimes when she wanted something very pretty for breakfast, margaret used this rule: open six eggs, putting the whites together in one large bowl, and the yolks in six cups on the kitchen table. beat the whites till they are stiff, putting in half a teaspoonful of salt just at the last. divide the whites, putting them into six patty-pans, or small baking-dishes. make a little hole or nest in the middle of each, and slip one yolk carefully from the cup into the place. sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them, and put a bit of butter on top, and put the dishes into a pan and set in the oven till the egg-whites are a little brown. omelette making an omelette seems rather a difficult thing for a little girl, but margaret made hers in a very easy way. her rule said: break four eggs separately. beat the whites till they are stiff, and then wash and wipe dry the egg-beater, and beat the yolks till they foam, and then put in half a teaspoonful of salt. pour the yolks over the whites, and mix gently with a large spoon. have a cake-griddle hot, with a piece of butter melted on it and spread over the whole surface; pour the eggs on and let them cook for a moment. the take a cake-turner and slip under an edge, and look to see if the middle is getting brown, because the color comes there first. when it is a nice even color, slip the turner well under, and turn the omelette half over, covering one part with the other, and then slip the whole off on a hot platter. bridget had to show margaret how to manage this the first time, but after that she could do it alone. spanish omelette cup of cooked tomato. green pepper. slice of onion. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. teaspoonful salt. shakes of pepper. cut the green pepper in half and take out all the seeds; mix with the tomato, and cook all together with the seasoning for five minutes. make an omelette by the last rule while the tomato is cooking, and when it is done, just before you fold it over, put in the tomato. omelette with mushrooms take a can of mushrooms and slice half of them into thin pieces. make a cup of very rich white sauce, using cream instead of milk, and cook the mushrooms in it for one minute. make the omelette as before, and spread with the sauce when you turn it over. omelette with mushrooms and olives this was a very delicious dish, and margaret only made it for company. she prepared the mushrooms just as in the rule above, and added twelve olives, cut into small pieces, and spread the omelette with the whole when she turned it. eggs baked in little dishes margaret's mother had some pretty little dishes with handles, brown on the outside and white inside. these margaret buttered, and put one egg in each, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and butter, with a little parsley. she put the dishes in the oven till the eggs were firm, and served them in the small dishes, one on each plate. eggs with cheese eggs. heaping tablespoonfuls parmesan cheese. / teaspoonful salt. pinch of red pepper. beat the eggs without separating till light and foamy, and then add the cheese, salt, and pepper. put a tablespoonful of butter in the frying-pan, and when it is hot put in the eggs, and stir till smooth and firm. serve on small pieces of buttered toast. parmesan cheese is very nice to use in cooking; it comes in bottles, all ready grated to use. eggs with bacon take some bacon and put in a hot frying-pan, and cook till it crisps. then lift it out on a hot dish and put in the oven. break six eggs in separate cups, and slide them carefully into the fat left in the pan, and let them cook till they are rather firm and the bottom is brown. then take a cake-turner and take them out carefully, and put in the middle of the dish, and arrange the bacon all around, with parsley on the edge. ham and eggs, moulded take small, deep tins, such as are used for timbales, and butter them. make one cup of white sauce; take a cup of cold boiled ham which has been put through the meat-chopper, and mix with a tablespoonful of white sauce and one egg, slightly beaten. press this like a lining into the tins, and then gently drop a raw egg in the centre of each. stand them in a pan of boiling water in the oven till the eggs are firm,--about ten minutes,--and turn out on a round platter. put around them the rest of the white sauce. you can stand the little moulds on circles of toast if you wish. this rule was given margaret by her pretty aunt, who got it at cooking-school; it sounded harder than it really was, and after trying it once margaret often used it. fish one day some small, cunning little fish came home from market, and margaret felt sure they must be meant for her to cook. they were called smelts, and, on looking, she found a rule for cooking them, just as she had expected. fried smelts put a deep kettle on the fire, with two cups of lard in it, to get it very hot. wipe each smelt inside and out with a clean wet cloth, and then with a dry one. have a saucer of flour mixed with a teaspoonful of salt, and another saucer of milk. put the tail of each smelt through its gills--that is, the opening near its mouth. then roll the smelts first in milk and then in flour, and shake off any lumps. throw a bit of bread into the fat in the kettle, and see if it turns brown quickly; it does if the fat is hot enough, but if not you must wait. put four smelts in the wire basket, and stand it in the fat, so that the fish are entirely covered, for only half a minute, or till you can count thirty. as you take them out of the kettle, lay them on heavy brown paper on a pan in the oven, to drain and keep hot, and leave the door open till all are done. lay a folded napkin on a long, narrow platter, and arrange the fishes in two rows, with slices of lemon and parsley on the sides. fish-balls one morning there was quite a good deal of cold mashed potato in the ice-box, so margaret decided to have fish-balls for breakfast. her rule said: take a box of prepared codfish and put it in a colander and pour a quart of boiling water through it, stirring it as you do so. let it drain while you heat two cups of mashed potato in a double boiler, with half a cup of hot milk, beating and stirring till it is smooth. squeeze the water from the codfish and mix with the potato. beat one egg without separating it, and put this in, too, with a very little pepper, and beat it all well. turn it out on a floured board, and make into small balls, rolling each one in flour as it is done, and brushing off most of the flour afterward. have ready a kettle of hot lard, just as for smelts, and drop in three or four of the balls at one time, and cook till light brown. lift them out on a paper in the oven, and let them keep hot while you cook the rest. serve with parsley on a hot platter. creamed codfish pour boiling water over a package of prepared codfish in the colander and drain it. heat a frying-pan, and, while you are waiting, beat the yolk of an egg. squeeze the water from the fish. put one tablespoonful of butter in a hot pan, and when it bubbles put in two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir and rub till all is smooth. pour in slowly a pint of hot milk, and mix well, rubbing in the flour and butter till there is not a single lump. then stir in the fish with a little pepper, and when it boils put in the egg. stir it all up once, and it is done. put in a hot covered dish, or on slices of buttered toast. salt mackerel this was a dish margaret's grandmother liked so much that they had it every little while, even though it was old-fashioned. put the mackerel into a large pan of cold water with the skin up, and soak it all one afternoon and night, changing the water four times. in the morning put it in a pan on the fire with enough water to cover it, and drop in a slice of onion, minced fine, a teaspoonful of vinegar, and a sprig of parsley. simmer it twenty minutes,--that is, let it just bubble slowly,--and while it is cooking make a cup of white sauce as before: one tablespoonful of butter, melted, one tablespoonful of flour, one cup of hot milk, a little salt. cook till smooth. take up the fish and pour off all the water; place it on a hot platter and pour the sauce over it. meats when it came to cooking meat for breakfast, margaret thought she had better take first what looked easiest, so she chose-- corned beef hash pint of chopped corned beef. pint of cold boiled potatoes. cup of clear soup, or one cup of cold water. tablespoonful of butter. teaspoonful of finely minced onion. / teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. mix all together. have a hot frying-pan, and in it put a tablespoonful of butter or nice fat, and when it bubbles shake it all around the pan. put in the hash and cook it till dry, stirring it often and scraping it from the bottom of the pan. when none of the soup or water runs out when you lift a spoonful, and when it seems steaming hot, you can send it to the table in a hot dish, with parsley around it. or you can let it cook without stirring till there is a nice brown crust on the bottom, when you can double it over as you would an omelette. or you can make a pyramid of the hash in the middle of a round platter, and put poached eggs in a circle around it. many people like one small cold boiled beet cut up fine in corned beef hash, and sometimes for a change you can put this in before you put it in the frying-pan. broiled bacon margaret's mother believed there was only one very nice way to cook bacon. it was like this: slice the bacon very, very thin, and cut off the rind. put the slices close together in a wire broiler, and lay this over a shallow pan in a very hot oven for about three minutes. if it is brown on top, then you can turn the broiler over, but if not, wait a moment longer. when both sides are toasted, lay it on a hot platter and put sprigs of parsley around. this is much nicer than bacon cooked in the frying-pan or over coals, for it is neither greasy nor smoky, but pink and light brown, and crisp and delicious, and good for sick people and little children and everybody. broiled chops wipe off the chops with a clean wet cloth and trim off the edges; if very fat cut rather close to the meat. rub the wire broiler with some of the fat, so that the chops will not stick. lay in the chops and put over a clear, red fire without flame, and toast one side first and then the other; do this till they are brown. lay on a hot platter, and dust both sides with salt and a tiny bit of pepper. put bits of lemon and parsley around, and send to the table hot. panned chops if the fire is not clear so that you cannot broil the chops, you must pan them. take a frying-pan and make it very hot indeed; then lay in the chops, which you have wiped and trimmed, and cook one side very quickly, and then the other, and after that let them cook more slowly. when they are done,--you can tell by picking open a little place in one with a fork and looking on the inside,--put them on a platter as before, with pepper and salt. if they are at all greasy, put on brown paper in the oven first, to drain, leaving the door of the oven open. be careful not to let them get cold. liver and bacon buy half a pound of calf's liver and half a pound of bacon. cut the liver in thin slices and pour boiling water over it, and then wipe each slice dry. slice the bacon very thin and cut off the rind; put this in a hot frying-pan and cook very quickly, turning it once or twice. just as soon as it is brown take it out and lay it on brown paper in the oven in a pan. take a saucer of flour and mix in it a teaspoonful of salt and a very little pepper; dip the slices of liver in this, one at a time, and shake them free of lumps. lay them in the hot fat of the bacon in the pan and fry till brown. have a hot platter ready, and lay the slices of liver in a nice row on it, and then put one slice of bacon on each slice of liver. put parsley all around, and sometimes use slices of lemon, too, for a change. liver and bacon on skewers get from the butcher half a dozen small wooden skewers, and prepare the liver and bacon as you did for frying, scalding, dipping the liver in flour, and taking the rind off the bacon. make three slices of toast, cut into strips, and put in the oven to keep hot. cut up both liver and bacon into pieces the size of a fifty-cent piece and put them on the skewers, first one of the liver and then one of the bacon, and so on, about six of each. put these in the hot frying-pan and turn them over till they are brown. then lay one skewer on each strip of toast, and put lemon and parsley around. you can also put large oysters on the skewers with pieces of bacon, and cook in the same way. broiled steak see that the fire is clear and red, without flames. trim off most of the fat from the steak, and rub the wires of the broiler with it and heat it over the coals. then put in the meat and turn over and over as it cooks, and be careful not to let it take fire. when brown, put it on a hot platter, dust over with salt and a very little pepper, and dot it with tiny lumps of butter. put parsley around. steak ought to be pink inside; not brown and not red. put a fork in as you did with the chops, and twist in a little, and you can see when it gets the right color. steak with bananas peel one banana and slice in round pieces, and while the steak is cooking fry them in a little hot butter till they are brown. after the meat is on the platter, lay these pieces over it, arranging them prettily, and put the parsley around as before. bananas are very nice with steak. frizzled dried beef take half a pound of dried beef, shaved very thin. chop it fine and pull out the strings. put a large tablespoonful of butter in the frying-pan, and when it bubbles put in the meat. stir till it begins to get brown, and then sprinkle in one tablespoonful of flour and stir again, and then put in one cup of hot milk. shake in a little pepper, but no salt. as soon as it boils up once, it is done, and you can put it in a hot covered dish. if you like a change, stir in sometimes two beaten eggs in the milk instead of using it plain. veal cutlet wipe off the meat with a clean wet cloth, and then with one that is dry. dust it over with salt, pepper, and flour. put a tablespoonful of nice dripping in a hot frying-pan, and let it heat till it smokes a little. lay in the meat and cook till brown, turning it over twice as it cooks. look in the inside and see if it is brown, for cutlet must not be eaten red or pink inside. put in a hot oven and cover it up while you make the gravy, by putting one tablespoonful of flour into the hot fat in the pan, stirring it till it is brown. then put in a cup of boiling water, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a very little pepper; put this through the wire sieve, pressing it with a spoon, and turn over the meat. put parsley around the cutlet, and send hot to the table. margaret's father said he could not possibly manage without potatoes for breakfast, so sometimes margaret let bridget cook the cereal and meat, while she made something nice out of the cold potatoes she found in the cupboard. creamed potatoes cut cold boiled potatoes into pieces as large as the end of your finger; put them into a pan on the back of the stove with enough milk to cover them, and let them stand till they have drunk up all the milk; perhaps they will slowly cook a little as they do this, but that will do no harm. in another saucepan or in the frying-pan put a tablespoonful of butter, and when it bubbles put in a tablespoonful of flour, and stir till they melt together; then put in two cups of hot milk, and stir till it is all smooth. put in one teaspoonful of salt, and last the potatoes, but stir them only once while they cook, for fear of breaking them. add one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and put them in a hot covered dish. you can make another sort of potatoes when you have finished creaming them in this way, by putting a layer of them in a deep buttered baking-dish, with a layer of white sauce over the top, and break-crumbs and bits of butter for a crust. brown well in a hot oven. when you do this, remember to make the sauce with three cups of milk and two tablespoonfuls of flour and two of butter, and then you will have enough for everything. hashed browned potatoes chop four cold potatoes fine, and add one teaspoonful of salt and a very little pepper. put a tablespoonful of butter in the frying-pan, and turn it so it runs all over; when it bubbles put in the potatoes, and smooth them evenly over the pan. cook till they are brown and crusty on the bottom; then put in a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and fold over like an omelette. saratoga potatoes wash and pare four potatoes, and rub them on the potato-slicer till they are in thin pieces; put them in ice-water for fifteen minutes. heat two cups of lard very hot, till when you drop in a bit of bread it browns at once. wipe the potatoes dry and drop in a handful. have a skimmer ready, and as soon as they brown take them out and lay on brown paper in the oven, and put in another handful. potato cakes take two cups of mashed potato, and mix well with the beaten yolk of one egg, and make into small flat cakes; dip each into flour. heat two tablespoonfuls of nice dripping, and when it is hot lay in the cakes and brown, turning each with the cake-turner as it gets crusty on the bottom. fried sweet potatoes take six cold boiled sweet-potatoes, slice them and lay in hot dripping in the frying-pan till brown. these are especially nice with veal cutlets. toast toast is very difficult for grown people to make, because they have made it wrong all their lives, but it is easy for little girls to learn to make, because they can make it right from the first. cut bread that is at least two days old into slices a quarter of an inch thick. if you are going to make only a slice or two, take the toasting-fork, but if you want a plateful, take the wire broiler. be sure the fire is red, without any flames. move the slices of bread back and forth across the coals, but do not let them brown; do both sides this way, and then brown first one and then the other afterward. trim off the edges, butter a little quickly, and send to the table hot. baker's bread makes the best toast. milk toast put one pint of milk on in a double boiler and let it heat. melt one tablespoonful of butter, and when it bubbles stir in one small tablespoonful of corn-starch, and when these are rubbed smooth, put in one-third of the milk. cook and stir till even, without lumps, and then put in the rest of the milk and stir well; add half a teaspoonful of salt, and put on the back of the stove. make six slices of toast; put one slice in the dish and put a spoonful of the white sauce over it, then put in another and another spoonful, and so on till all are in, and pour the sauce that is left over all. if you want this extra nice, do not take quite so much butter, and use a pint of cream instead of the milk. baking-powder biscuit margaret's other aunt said little girls could never, never make biscuit, but this little girl really did, by this rule: pint sifted flour. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / cup of milk. tablespoonful of butter. put the salt and baking-powder in the flour and sift well, and then rub the butter in with a spoon. little by little put in the milk, mixing all the time, and then lift out the dough on a floured board and roll it out lightly, just once, till it is one inch thick. flour your hands and mould the little balls as quickly as you can, and put them close together in a shallow pan that has had a little flour shaken over the bottom, and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes, or till the biscuits are brown. if you handle the dough much, the biscuits will be tough, so you must work fast. grandmother's corn bread / cups of milk. cup sifted yellow corn-meal. tablespoonful melted butter. teaspoonful sugar. teaspoonful baking-powder. eggs. / teaspoonful of salt. scald the milk--that is, let it boil up just once--and pour it over the corn-meal. let this cool while you are separating and beating the eggs; let these wait while you mix the corn-meal, the butter, salt, baking-powder, and sugar, and then the yolks; add the whites last, very lightly. bake in a buttered biscuit-tin in a hot oven for about half an hour. because grandmother's corn bread was a little old-fashioned, margaret's other aunt put in another recipe, which made a corn bread quite like cake, and most delicious. perfect corn bread large cup of yellow corn-meal. small cup of flour. / cup of sugar. eggs. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. tablespoonfuls of butter. teaspoonful of salt. flour to a thin batter. mix the sugar and butter and rub to a cream; add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and then half a cup of milk; then put in the baking-powder mixed in the flour and the salt, and then part of the corn-meal, and a little more milk; next fold in the beaten whites of the eggs, and if it still is not like ``a thin batter,'' put in a little more milk. then bake in a buttered biscuit-tin till brown, cut in squares and serve hot. this is particularly good eaten with hot maple syrup. popovers put the muffin-tins or iron gem-pans in the oven to get very hot, while you mix these popovers. eggs. cups of milk. cups of flour. small teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs very lightly without separating them. pour the milk in and beat again. sift the salt and flour together, pour over the eggs and milk into it, and beat quickly with a spoon till it is foamy. strain through a wire sieve, and take the hot pans out of the oven and fill each one-half full; bake just twenty-five minutes. cooking-school muffins cups sifted flour. teaspoonfuls baking-powder. / teaspoonful of salt. cup of milk. eggs. large teaspoonful of melted butter. mix the flour, salt, and baking-powder, and sift. beat the yolks of the eggs, put in the butter with them and the milk, then the flour, and last the stiff whites of the eggs. have the muffin-tins hot, pour in the batter, and bake fifteen or twenty minutes. these must be eaten at once or they will fall. there was one little recipe in margaret's book which she thought must be meant for the smallest girl who ever tried to cook, it was so easy. but the little muffins were good enough for grown people to like. this was it: barneys cups of whole wheat flour. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. teaspoonful of salt. enough water to make it seem like cake batter. drop with a spoon into hot buttered muffin-pans, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. bridget had to show margaret what was meant by a ``cake batter,'' but after she had seen once just how thick that was, she could always tell in a minute when she had put in water enough. griddle-cakes eggs. cup of milk. / cups flour. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / teaspoonful of salt. put the eggs in a bowl without separating them, and beat them with a spoon till light. put in the milk, then the flour mixed with the salt, and last the baking-powder all alone. bake on a hot, buttered griddle. this seems a queer rule, but it makes delicious cakes, especially if eaten with sugar and thick cream. flannel cakes tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of sugar. eggs. cupfuls of flour. teaspoonful of baking-powder. milk enough to make a smooth, rather thin batter. rub the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs, beaten together lightly, then the flour, in which you have mixed the baking-powder, and then the milk. it is easy to know when you have the batter just right, for you can put a tiny bit on the griddle and make a little cake; if it rises high and is thick, put more milk in the batter; if it is too thin, it will run about on the griddle, and you must add more flour; but it is better not to thin it too much, but to add more milk if the batter is too thick. sweet corn griddle-cakes these ought to be made of fresh sweet corn, but you can make them in winter out of canned grated corn, or canned corn rubbed through a colander. quart grated corn. cup of flour. cup of milk. tablespoonful melted butter. eggs. / teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs separately, and put the yolks into the corn; then add the milk, then the flour, then the salt, and beat well. last of all, fold in the whites and bake on a hot griddle. waffles cups of flour. teaspoonful baking powder. / cups of milk. tablespoonful butter. / teaspoonful of salt. eggs, beaten separately. mix the flour, baking-powder, and salt; put the beaten egg yolks in the milk, and add the melted butter, the flour and last the beaten whites of the eggs. make the waffle-iron very hot, and grease it very thoroughly on both sides by tying a little rag to a clean stick and dipping in melted butter. put in some batter on one side, filling the iron about half-full, and close the iron, putting this side down over the fire; when it has cooked for about two minutes, turn the iron over without opening it, and cook the other side. when you think it is done, open it a little and look to see if it is brown; if not, keep it over the coals till it is. take out the waffle, cut in four pieces, and pile on a plate in the oven, while you again grease the iron and cook another. serve very hot and crisp, with maple syrup or powdered sugar and thick cream. some people like honey on their waffles. you might try all these things in turn. last of all the things margaret learned to make for breakfast came coffee, and this she could make in two ways; sometimes she made it this first way, and sometimes the other, which is called french coffee. coffee first be sure your coffee-pot is shining clean; look in the spout and in all the cracks, and wipe them out carefully, for you cannot make good coffee except in a perfectly clean pot. then get three heaping tablespoonfuls of ground coffee, and one tablespoonful of cold water, and one tablespoonful of white of egg. mix the egg with the coffee and water thoroughly, and put in the pot. pour in one quart of boiling water, and let it boil up once. then stir down the grounds which come to the top, put in two tablespoonfuls of cold water, and let it stand for a minute on the back of the stove, and then strain it into the silver pot for the table. this pot must be made very hot, by filling it with boiling water and letting it stand on the kitchen table while the coffee is boiling. if this rule makes coffee stronger than the family like it, take less coffee, and if it is not strong enough, take more coffee. french coffee get one of the pots which are made so the coffee will drip through; put three tablespoonfuls of very finely powdered coffee in this, and pour in a quart of boiling water. when it is all dripped through, it is ready to put in the hot silver pot. part ii. the things margaret made for luncheon or supper so many things in this part of margaret's book call for white sauce, or cream sauce, that the rule for that came first of all. white or cream sauce tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. cup hot milk or cream, one-third teaspoonful of salt. melt the butter, and when it bubbles put in the flour, shaking the saucepan as you do so, and rub till smooth. put in the hot milk, a little at a time, and stir and cook without boiling till all is smooth and free from lumps. add the salt, and, if you choose, a little pepper. cream sauce is made exactly as is white sauce, but cream is used in place of milk. what is called thick white sauce is made by taking two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour, and only one cup of milk. creamed oysters pint oysters. large cup of cream sauce. make the sauce of cream if you have it, and if not use a very heaping tablespoonful of butter in the white sauce. keep this hot. drain off the oyster-juice and wash the oysters by holding them under the cold-water faucet. strain the juice and put the oysters back in it, and put them on the fire and let them just simmer till the edges of the oysters curl; then drain them from the juice again and drop them in the sauce, and add a little more salt (celery-salt is nice if you have it), and just a tiny bit of cayenne pepper. you can serve the oysters on squares of buttered toast, or put them in a large dish, with sifted bread-crumbs over the top and tiny bits of butter, and brown in the oven. or you can put them in small dishes as they are, and put a sprig of parsley in each dish. panned oysters take the oysters from their juice, strain it, wash the oysters, and put them back in. put them in a saucepan with a little salt,--about half a teaspoonful to a pint of oysters,--and a little pepper, and a piece of butter as large as the end of your thumb. let them simmer till the edges curl, just as before, and put them on squares of hot buttered toast. scalloped oysters pint of oysters. large crackers, or cup of bread-crumbs. / cup of milk. the strained oyster-juice. butter a deep baking-dish. roll the crackers, or make the bread-crumbs of even size; some people like one better than the other, and you can try both ways. put a layer of crumbs in the dish, then a layer of oysters, washed, then a sprinkling of salt and pepper and a few bits of butter. then another layer of crumbs, oysters, and seasoning, till the dish is full, with crumbs on the top. mix the milk and oyster-juice and pour slowly over. then cover the top with bits of butter, and bake in the oven till brown--about half an hour. you can put these oysters into small dishes, just as you did the creamed oysters, or into large scallop-shells, and bake them only ten or fifteen minutes. in serving, put a small sprig of parsley into each. pigs in blankets these were great fun to make, and margaret often begged to get them ready for company. large oysters. very thin slices of bacon. sprinkle each oyster with a very little salt and pepper. trim the rind from the bacon and wrap each oyster in one slice, pinning this ``blanket'' tightly on the back with a tiny japanese wooden toothpick. have ready a hot frying-pan, and lay in five oysters, and cook till the bacon is brown and the edges of the oysters curl, turning each over once. put these on a hot plate in the oven with the door open, and cook five more, and so on. put them on a long, narrow platter, with slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley around. or you can put each one on a strip of toast which you have dipped in the gravy in the pan; this is the better way. this dish must be eaten very hot, or it will not be good. creamed fish cups of cold fish. cup of white sauce. pick any cold fish left from dinner into even bits, taking out all the bones and skin, and mix with the hot white sauce. stir until smooth, and add a small half-teaspoonful of chopped parsley. you can put this in a buttered baking-dish and cover the top with crumbs and bits of butter, and brown in the oven, or you can put it in small dishes and brown also, or you can serve it just as is, in little dishes. creamed lobster lobster, or the meat from can. large cup of white or cream sauce. take the lobster out of the shell and clean it; bridget will have to show you how the first time. or, if you are using canned lobster, pour away all the juice and pick out the bits of shell, and find the black string which is apt to be there, and throw it away. cut the meat in pieces as large as the end of your finger, and heat it in the sauce till it steams. put in a small half-teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne, and a squeeze of lemon. do not put this in a large dish, but in small ones, buttered well, and serve at once. stand a little claw up in each dish. creamed salmon can salmon. cup of white sauce. prepare this dish exactly as you did the plain creamed white fish. take it out of the can, remove all the juice, bones, and fat, and put in the white sauce, and cook a moment till smooth. add a small half-teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, and a squeeze of lemon, and put in a baking-dish and brown, or serve as it is, in small dishes. scalloped lobster or salmon can of fish, or pint. large cup of cracker or bread crumbs. large cup of white sauce. prepare this dish almost as you did the scalloped oysters. take out all the bones and skin and juice from the fish; butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of fish, then salt and pepper, then a layer of crumbs and butter, and a layer of white sauce, then fish, seasoning, crumbs and butter again, and have the crumbs on top. dot over with butter and brown in the oven, or serve in small dishes. crab meat in shells you can buy very nice, fresh crab meat in tins, and the shells also. a very delicious dish is made by mixing a cup of rich cream sauce with the crab meat, seasoning it well with salt and pepper and putting in the crab-shells; cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. this is a nice thing to have for a company luncheon. creamed chicken or turkey cups of cold chicken. large cup of white or creamed sauce. / teaspoonful of chopped parsley. salt and pepper. pick the chicken or turkey off the bones and cut into small bits before you measure it. heat it in the sauce till very hot, but do not let it boil, and add the seasoning,--about half a teaspoonful of salt, and a tiny bit of cayenne, or as much celery-salt in the place of the common kind. put in a large buttered dish and serve, or in small dishes, either with crumbs on top or not. a nice addition to this dish is half a green pepper, the seeds taken out, chopped very fine indeed, and mixed with the white meat; the contrast of colors is pretty and the taste improved. scalloped eggs hard-boiled eggs. cup cream or white sauce. cup fine bread-crumbs. salt and pepper. cook the eggs twenty minutes, and while they are cooking make the white sauce, and butter one large or six small dishes. peel the eggs and cut them into bits as large as the end of your finger. put a layer of bread-crumbs on the bottom of the dish, then a layer of egg, then a sprinkling of salt, pepper, and bits of butter, then a layer of white sauce. then more crumbs, egg, and seasoning, till the dish is full, with crumbs on top. put bits of butter over all and brown in the oven. eggs in double cream this is a rule margaret's pretty aunt got in paris, and it is a very nice one. have half a pint of very thick cream--the kind you use to whip; the french call this double cream. cook six eggs hard and cut them into bits. butter a baking-dish, or small dishes, and put in a layer of egg, then a layer of cream, then a sprinkling of salt, and one of paprika, which is sweet red pepper. put one thin layer of fine, sifted crumbs on top with butter, and brown in the oven. or you can put the eggs and cream together and heat them, and serve on thin pieces of buttered toast, with one extra egg put through the ricer over the whole. creamed eggs in toast make small pieces of nice toast and dip each one in white sauce. boil hard four eggs, and cut in even slices and cover the toast, and then spread the rest of the white sauce over all in a thin layer. devilled eggs eggs. saltspoonfuls of dry mustard. / teaspoonful of salt. saltspoonful of cayenne pepper. teaspoonful of olive-oil or cream. large tablespoonful of chopped ham. / teaspoonful of vinegar. boil the eggs hard for twenty minutes, and put them in cold water at once to get perfectly cold so they will not turn dark. then peel, cut in halves and take out the yolks. put these in a bowl, and rub in the seasoning, but you can leave out the ham if you like. with a small teaspoon, put the mixture back into the eggs and smooth them over with a knife. if you do not serve these eggs with cold meat it is best to lay them on lettuce when you send them to the table. eggs in beds chop a cup of nice cold meat, and season with a little salt, pepper and chopped parsley. add enough stock or hot water just to wet it, and cook till rather dry. put this in buttered baking-dishes, filling each half-full, and on top of each gently slip from a cup one egg. sprinkle over with salt and pepper, and put in the oven till firm. shepherd's pie this was a dish margaret used to make on wash-day and house-cleaning day, and such times when everybody was busy and no one wanted to stop and go to market to buy anything for luncheon. cup of chopped meat. cup of boiling water. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of lemon juice, or / teaspoonful worcestershire sauce. butter the size of a hickory-nut. cups hot mashed potato. if the potato is cold, put half a cup of hot milk in it, beat it up well, and stand it on the back of the stove. then mix all the other things with the meat, and put it in the frying-pan and let it cook till it seems rather dry. butter a baking-dish, and cover the sides and bottom with a layer of potato an inch thick. put the meat in the centre and cover it over with potato and smooth it. put bits of butter all over the top, and brown it in the oven. serve with this a dish of chow-chow, or one of small cucumber pickles. chicken hash cup of cold chicken, cut in small, even pieces. / cup chicken stock, or hot water. teaspoonful chopped parsley. / teaspoonful salt. a pinch of pepper. butter the size of a hickory-nut. put the chicken stock,--which is the water the chicken was cooked in, or chicken broth,--or, if there is none, the hot water, into the frying-pan, and mix in the chicken and seasoning, and cook and stir till it is rather dry. serve as it is, or on squares of buttered toast. you can make any cold meat into hash this way, having it different every time. sometimes you can put in the chopped green pepper, as before, or a slice of chopped onion, or a cup of hot, seasoned peas; or, leave out half the soup or water, and put in a cup of stewed tomato. broiled sardines these little fish are really not broiled at all, but that is the name of the nice and easy dish. take a box of large sardines and drain off all the oil, and lay them on heavy brown paper while you make four slices of toast. trim off the edges and cut them into strips, laying them in a row on a hot platter. put the sardines into the oven and make them very hot, and lay one on each strip of toast and sprinkle them with lemon juice, and put sliced lemon and sprigs of parsley all around. cheese fondu this was a recipe the pretty aunt put in margaret's book out of the one she had made at cooking school. cup fresh bread-crumbs. cups grated cheese. cup of milk. bit of soda as large as a pea. / teaspoonful of salt. pinch of red pepper. teaspoonful of butter. eggs. put the butter in a saucepan to heat while you beat the eggs light without separating them; let these stand while you stir everything else into the pan, beginning with the milk; cook this five minutes, stirring all the time, and then put in the eggs and cook three minutes more. put six large crackers on a hot platter and pour the whole over them, and send at once to the table to be eaten very hot. sometimes margaret made three or four slices of toast before she began the fondu, and used those in place of the crackers, and the dish was just as nice. easy welsh rarebit cups of rich cheese, grated. yolks of two eggs. / cup of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. saltspoonful of cayenne. make three nice slices of toast, cut off the crusts, and cut each piece in two. butter these, and very quickly dip each one in boiling water, being careful not to soak them. put these on a hot platter in the oven. put the milk in a saucepan over the fire, being careful not to have one that is too hot, only moderate, and when it boils up put in the cheese and stir without stopping, until the cheese all melts and it looks smooth. then put in the beaten yolks of the eggs and the seasoning, and pour at once over the toast and serve very hot. many people like a saltspoonful of dry mustard mixed in with the pepper. you can also serve this rarebit on toasted and buttered crackers. scalloped cheese slices of bread. / of a pound of cheese. eggs. tablespoonful of butter. cup of cream. / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of dry mustard. / teaspoonful of paprika. butter the bread and cut it into strips, and line the bottom and sides of a baking-dish with it. then beat the eggs very light without separating them, and mix everything with them; put in the dish and bake half an hour, and serve at once. veal loaf / pounds of veal and strips of salt pork, chopped together. / cup of bread-crumbs. beaten egg. / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. / teaspoonful of black pepper. / teaspoonfuls of salt. bake three hours. have the butcher chop the meat all together for you; then put everything together in a dish and stir in the egg, beaten without separating, and mix very well. press it into a bread-pan and put in the oven for three hours by the clock. every half-hour pour over it a tablespoonful hot water and butter mixed; you can put a tablespoonful of butter into a cup of water, and keep it on the back of the stove ready all the time; after the meat has baked two hours, put in a piece of heavy brown paper over the top, and keep it there till it is done, or it may get too brown. this is to slice cold; it is very nice for a picnic. pressed chicken this was one of the things margaret liked to make for sunday night supper. have a good-sized chicken cut up, and wipe each piece with a clean, damp cloth. put them in a kettle or deep saucepan and cover with cold water, and cook very slowly and gently, covered, till the meat falls off the bones. when it begins to grow tender, put in a half teaspoonful of salt. take it out, and cut it up in nice, even pieces, and put all the bones back into the kettle, and let them cook till there is only about a pint and a half of broth. add a little more salt, and a sprinkling of pepper, and strain this through a jelly bag. mix it with the chicken, and put them both into a bread tin, and when cold put on ice over night. after it has stood for an hour, put a weight on it, to make it firm. slice with a very sharp knife, and put on a platter with parsley all around. this is a nice luncheon dish for a summer day, as well as a supper dish. when you have bits of cold meat which you cannot slice, and yet which you wish to serve in some nice way, make this rule, which sounds difficult, but is really very easy: meat soufflé cup of white sauce. cup of chopped meat. eggs. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. half a teaspoonful minced onion. put the parsley and onion in the meat, and mix with the white sauce. beat the yolks of the eggs and stir in, and cook one minute, and then cool. beat the whites of the eggs and fold in, and bake half an hour, or a little more, in a deep, buttered baking-dish. you must serve this immediately, or it will fall. cold meats of course, like other people, margaret's mother often had cold meat for luncheon or supper, and one of the things her cook-book told her was how to make it look nice when it came on the table. always trim off all bits of skin and ragged pieces from the meat, and remove the cold fat, except on ham, and then you must trim it to a rather narrow edge. if you have a rather small dish for a large family, put slices of hard boiled eggs around the edge, or make devilled eggs, and put those around in halves. sometimes you can cut lettuce in very narrow ribbons by holding several leaves in your hand at once, folding them lengthwise, and using a pair of scissors. sometimes a dozen pimolas may be sliced across and put about the meat, especially if it is cold chicken or turkey. always use parsley with meat, cold or hot. saratoga potatoes make a good border for lamb or roast beef, and cold peas mixed with mayonnaise are always delicious with either chicken or lamb. if only the dish looks pretty, it is almost certain to taste well. sliced meat with gravy when there are a few slices left from a roast, put them in a frying-pan with some of the gravy left also, and heat; serve with parsley around. if there is not gravy, take a little boiling water, add a little salt, pepper, and half-teaspoonful of minced onion, and as much chopped parsley. lay in the meat in the frying-pan, cover, and let it simmer, turning occasionally. a few drops of kitchen bouquet will improve this; it is a brown sauce which comes in small bottles. some of the things margaret made for breakfast she made for lunch or supper, too, such as frizzled beef, and scalloped eggs and omelettes. she had some vegetables besides, such as-- baked tomatoes large tomatoes. cup bread-crumbs. / teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of butter. slice of onion. put the butter in the frying-pan, and when it bubbles put in the bread-crumbs, the salt and onion, with a dusting of pepper, and stir till the crumbs are a little brown and the onion is all cooked; then take out the onion and throw it away. wipe the tomatoes with a clean wet cloth, and cut out the stem and a round hole or little well in the middle; fill this with the crumbs, piling them up well on top; put them in a baking-dish and stand them in a hot oven; mix a cup of hot water with a tablespoonful of butter, and every little while take out the baking-dish and wet the tomatoes on top. cook them about half an hour, or till the skins get wrinkled all over. serve them in the dish they are cooked in, if you like, or put each one on a small plate, pour some of the juice in the baking-dish over it, and stick a sprig of parsley in the top. stuffed potatoes wash six large potatoes and scrub them with a little brush, till they are a nice clean light brown, and bake them for half an hour in a hot oven; or, if they are quite large, bake them till they are soft and puffy. cut off one end from each and take out the inside with a teaspoon, holding the potato in a towel as you do so, for it will be very hot. mix well this potato with two tablespoonfuls of rich milk or cream, a half-teaspoonful of salt and just as much butter, and put this back into the shells. stand the potatoes side by side in a pan close together, the open ends up, till they are browned. salads the other aunt said margaret could never, never make salads, but her mother said they were the easiest thing of all to learn, so she did put them in just the same; she bought a tin of olive oil from the italian grocery, because it was better and cheaper than bottled oil, and she gave margaret one important direction, ``when you make salads, always have everything very cold,'' and after that the rules were easy to follow, and the salads were as nice as could be. french dressing tablespoonfuls of oil. / teaspoonful lemon juice or vinegar. / teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. stir together till all is well mixed. many people prefer this dressing without pepper and with a saltspoonful of sugar in its place; you can try it both ways. tomato and lettuce salad peel four tomatoes; you can do this most easily by pouring boiling water over them and skinning them when they wrinkle, but you must drain off all the water afterward, and let them get firm in the ice-box; wash the lettuce and gently pat it dry with a clean cloth; slice the tomatoes thin, pour off the juice, and arrange four slices on each plate of lettuce, or mix them together in the large bowl, and pour the dressing over. egg salad cut up six hard-boiled eggs into quarters, lay them on lettuce, and pour the dressing over. or pass a dish of them with cold meat. fish salad pick up cold fish and pour the dressing over it, and put two sliced hard-boiled eggs around it; a few tips of celery, nice white ones, are pretty around the whole. cauliflower salad take cold boiled cauliflower and pick it up into nice pieces; pour the dressing over, and put on the ice till you need it. string bean salad take cold string beans, either the green ones or the yellow, pour the dressing over, put on ice, and serve on lettuce. any cold vegetables can be used besides these, especially asparagus, while lettuce alone is best of all. pineapple salad put large bits of picked-up pineapple on white lettuce, and pour the dressing over. orange or grapefruit salad peel three oranges or one grapefruit, and scrape off all the white lining of the skin. divide it into sections, or ``quarters,'' and with the scissors cut off the thin edge; turn down the transparent sides and cut these off, too, scraping the pulp carefully, so as not to waste it. take out all the seeds; lay the pieces on lettuce, and pour the dressing over. white grapes, cut in halves, with the seeds taken out, are nice mixed with this, and pineapple, grapes, and oranges, with a little banana, are delicious. mayonnaise yolk of egg. / cup of olive-oil. tablespoonful of lemon juice or vinegar. / teaspoonful of salt. pinch of red pepper. put the yolk of the egg into a very cold bowl; it is better to put the bowl, the egg, the oil, and the beater all on the ice a half-hour before you need them, for then the mayonnaise comes quicker. with a dover egg-beater beat till the yolk is very light indeed; then have some one else begin to put in the oil, one drop at a time, till the mayonnaise becomes so thick it is difficult to turn the beater; then put in a drop or two of lemon or vinegar, and this will thin it so you can use the oil again; keep on doing this till you have nearly a cup of the dressing; if you need more oil than the rule calls for, use it, and toward the last add it two or three drops at a time. when you have enough, and it is stiff enough, put in the pepper and salt and it is done. never use mustard except with lobster, as this will spoil the taste. some salads, especially fruit and vegetable, need very thick mayonnaise, and then it is better to make it with lemon juice, while a fish salad, or one to use with meats, may be thinner, and then the vinegar will do; the lemon juice makes it thick. always taste it before using it, to see if it is just right, and, if not, put in more salt, or whatever it needs. you will soon learn. most people think mayonnaise is very difficult to make, but, really, it is as easy as baking potatoes, after you have once learned how. every salad given before is just as nice with mayonnaise as with french dressing, and you can try each one both ways; then there are these, which are better with mayonnaise. chicken salad cup of chicken cut in large bits. / cup of celery, cut up and then dried. hard-boiled eggs, cut into good-sized pieces. olives, stoned and cut up. / cup mayonnaise. mix all very lightly together, as stirring will make the salad mussy; put on lettuce. lobster salad cup of lobster, cut in large bits. hard-boiled eggs, cut in pieces. / teaspoonful of dry mustard, stirred in. / cup of mayonnaise. mix and put on lettuce. celery salad heads of celery. hard-boiled eggs (or else cup of english walnuts). / cup very stiff mayonnaise. wash, wipe, and cut the celery into pieces as large as the first joint of your little finger, and then rub it in a clean towel till it is as dry as can be. cut up the eggs, sprinkle all with salt, and add the mayonnaise and lay on lettuce. or mix the celery and the walnuts and mayonnaise; either salad is nice. celery and apple salad sweet apples. head of celery. / cup of english walnuts, broken up. / cup mayonnaise. peel the apples and cut into very small bits; chop the celery and press in a towel; chop or break up the walnuts, but save two halves for each person besides the half-cupful you put in the salad. mix all together, lay on white hearts of lettuce on plates, and then put the walnuts on top, two on each plate. cabbage salad / a small cabbage. cup very stiff mayonnaise. teaspoonful celery-seed. cut the cabbage in four pieces and cut out the hard core; slice the rest very fine on the cutter you use for saratoga potatoes; mix with the mayonnaise and put in the salad-dish; sprinkle over with celery-seed, when you wish it to be very nice, but it will do without this last touch. cabbage salad in green peppers wipe green peppers and cut off the small end of each. take out the seed and the stem; fill each pepper with the cabbage salad, letting it stand out at the top; put each one on a plate on a leaf of lettuce. stuffed tomato salad cup of cut-up celery. / cup of english walnuts. small, round tomatoes. / cup of mayonnaise. peel the tomatoes and scoop out as much of the inside as you can, after cutting a round hole in the stem end; make a salad with the celery, the cut-up walnuts, and the mayonnaise, and fill the tomatoes, letting it stand up well on top. serve on plates, each one on a leaf of lettuce. potato salad cold boiled potatoes. hard-boiled eggs. / cup english walnuts. olives. break up the walnuts, saving a dozen halves unbroken. cut the potatoes and eggs into bits of even size, as large as the tip of your finger; stone the olives and cut them up, too; mix them together in a bowl, but do not stir them much, or you will break the potatoes; sprinkle well with french dressing, and put on the ice; when it is lunch or supper time, mix quickly, only once, with stiff mayonnaise, and put on lettuce; this is a delicious salad to have with cold meats. margaret's mother liked to have gingerbread or cookies for lunch often, so those things came next in the cook-book. gingerbread cup molasses. egg. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful of ginger. tablespoonful melted butter. / cup of milk. cups of flour. beat the eggs without separating, but very light; put the soda into the molasses, put them in the milk, with the ginger and butter, then one cup of flour, measure in a medium-sized cup and only level, then the egg, and last the rest of the flour. bake in a buttered biscuit-tin. for a change, sometimes add a teaspoonful of cloves and cinnamon, mixed, to this, and a cup of chopped almonds. or, when the gingerbread is ready for the oven drop over halves of almonds. soft gingerbread, to be eaten hot cup of molasses. / cup boiling water. / cup melted butter. / cups flour. / teaspoonful soda. teaspoonful ginger. / teaspoonful salt. put the soda in the molasses and beat it well in a good-sized bowl, then put in the melted butter, ginger, salt, and flour, and beat again, and add last the water, very hot indeed. have a buttered tin ready, and put it at once in the oven; when half-baked, it is well to put a piece of paper over it, as all gingerbread burns easily. you can add cloves and cinnamon to this rule, and sometimes you can make it and serve it hot as a pudding, with a sauce of sugar and water, thickened and flavored. ginger cookies / cup butter. cup molasses. / cup brown sugar. teaspoonful ginger. tablespoonful mixed cinnamon and cloves. teaspoonful soda, dissolved in a tablespoonful of water. flour enough to make it so stiff you cannot stir it with a spoon. melt the molasses and butter together on the stove, and then take the saucepan off and add the rest of the things in the recipe, and turn the dough out on a floured board and roll it very thin, and cut in circles with a biscuit-cutter. put a little flour on the bottom of four shallow pans, lift the cookies with the cake-turner and lay them in, and put them in the oven. they will bake very quickly, so you must watch them. when you want these to be extra nice, put a teaspoonful of mixed cinnamon and cloves in them and sprinkle the tops with sugar. grandmother's sugar cookies cup of butter. cups of sugar. eggs. cup of milk. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / teaspoonful of vanilla. flour enough to roll out easily. rub the butter and sugar to a cream; put in the milk, then the eggs beaten together lightly, then two cups of flour, into which you have sifted the baking-powder; then the vanilla. take a bit of this and put it on the floured board and see if it ``rolls out easily,'' and, if it does not, but is soft and sticky, put in a handful more of flour. these cookies must not be any stiffer than you can help, or they will not be good, so try not to use any more flour than you must. they usually had tea for luncheon or supper at margaret's house, but sometimes they had chocolate instead, so these things came next in the cook-book. tea / teaspoonful of black tea for each person. / teaspoonful for the pot. boiling water. fill the kettle half-full of fresh, cold water, because you cannot make good tea with water which has been once heated. when it is very hot, fill the china teapot and put it where it will keep warm. when the water boils very hard, empty out the teapot, put in the tea, and put on the boiling water; do not stand it on the stove, as too many people do, but send it right to the table; it will be ready as soon as it is time to pour it--about three minutes. if you are making tea for only one person, you will need a teaspoonful of tea, as you will see by the rule, and two small cups of water will be enough. if for more, put in a half-teaspoonful for each person, and one cup of water more. iced tea put in a deep pitcher one teaspoonful of dry tea for each person and two over. pour on a cup of boiling water for each person, and cover the pitcher and let it stand five minutes. then stir well, strain and pour while still hot on large pieces of ice. put in a glass pitcher and serve a bowl of cracked ice, a lemon, sliced thin, and a bowl of powdered sugar with it. pour it into glasses instead of cups. lemonade sometimes in the afternoon margaret's aunts had tea and cakes or wafers, and in summer they often had iced tea or lemonade. this is the way margaret made lemonade: squeeze four lemons, and add ten teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar; stir till it dissolves. add six glasses of water, and strain. pour in a glass pitcher, and serve with glasses filled half-full of cracked ice. if you want this very nice, put a little shredded pineapple with the lemons. sometimes the juice of red raspberries is liked, also. lemonade with grape-juice make the lemonade as before, and add half as much bottled grape-juice, but do not put in any other fruit. serve with plenty of ice, in small glasses. chocolate cups boiling water. cups of boiling milk. teaspoonfuls grated chocolate. teaspoonfuls of sugar. scrape the chocolate off the bar, mix it with the boiling water, and stir till it dissolves; mix the milk and sugar in them and boil for one minute. if you wish to have it nicer, put a small teaspoonful of vanilla in the chocolate-pot, and pour the hot chocolate in on it when it is done, and have a little bowl of whipped cream to send to the table with it, so that one spoonful may be put on top of each cup. cocoa teaspoonfuls of cocoa. / cups of boiling water. / cups of boiling milk. tablespoonful powdered sugar. put the cocoa into the boiling water and stir till it dissolves, then put in the boiling milk and boil hard two minutes, stirring it all the time; take from the fire and put in the sugar and stir again. if you like it quite sweet, you may have to use more sugar. part iii. the things margaret made for dinner at first, of course, margaret could not get dinner all alone; indeed, it took her almost a year to learn how to cook everything needed,--soup, vegetables, meat, salad, and dessert; but at first she helped bridget, and each day she cooked something. then she began to arrange very easy dinners when bridget was out, such as cream soup, beefsteak or veal cutlet, with potatoes and one vegetable, and a plain lettuce salad, with a cold dessert made in the morning. the first time she really did every single thing alone, margaret's father gave her a dollar; he said it was a ``tip'' for the best dinner he ever ate. soups the soups in the little cook-book began with those made of milk and vegetables, because they were so easy to make, and, when one was learned, all were made in the same way. first there was-- the general rule pint of fresh vegetable, cut up in small pieces, or one can. pint of boiling water. pint of hot milk. tablespoonful of flour. tablespoonful of butter. / teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. after the vegetable is washed and cut in very small pieces, put it in the pint of water and cook it for twenty minutes. or, if you use a canned vegetable, cook it ten minutes. while it is cooking, make the rule for white sauce as before: melt one tablespoonful of butter, and when it bubbles put in one tablespoonful of flour, with the salt and pepper; shake well, and rub till smooth and thick with the hot milk. take the vegetable from the fire and press it through the wire sieve, letting the water go through, too; mix with the sauce and strain again, and it is done. almost all soups are better for one very thin slice of onion cooked with the vegetable. when you want a cream soup very nice indeed, whip a cup of cream and put in the hot soup-tureen, and pour the soup in on it, beating it a little, till it is all foamy. cream of corn pint of fresh grated corn, or one can. pint of water. pint of hot milk. tablespoonful of flour. tablespoonful of butter. / teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. thin slice of onion. cook the corn with the water; make the white sauce with the milk; strain the corn and water through the sieve, pressing well, and add the milk and strain again. cream of green peas pint of peas, or one can. milk, water, and seasoning, as before; mix by the general rule. in winter-time you can make a nice soup by taking dried peas, soaking them overnight, and using them as you would fresh. all pea soup should have dropped in it just before serving what are called croutons; that is, small, even cubes of bread toasted to a nice brown in the oven, or put in a frying-pan with a tiny bit of butter, and browned. cream of lima beans pint of fresh or canned beans, or those which have been soaked. use milk, water, thickening, and seasoning as before. add a slice of onion, as these beans have little taste, and beat the yolk of an egg and stir in quickly, after you have taken the soup from the fire, just before you strain it for the second time. cream of potato this is one of the best and most delicate soups. freshly boiled potatoes. slice of onion. quart of hot milk. small teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful chopped parsley. this soup has no water in it, because that which has had potatoes boiled in it is always spoiled for anything else and must always be thrown away. this is why you must take a quart of milk instead of a pint. there is no thickening in the soup, because the potatoes will thicken it themselves. put the parsley in at the very last, after the soup is in the tureen. the yolk of an egg beaten and put in before the second straining is nice sometimes in this soup, but not necessary. cream of almonds this was what margaret called a dinner-party soup, because it seemed almost too good for every day, but, as her mother explained, almonds cost no more than canned tomatoes or peas, and the family can have the soup as well as guests, provided one has plenty of cream. cup of chopped almonds. quart of thin cream. small half-teaspoonful of salt. get ten cents' worth of jordan almonds, and put them in boiling water for one minute; then pour off the water and put on cold, till they are well chilled. turn this off, and push the almonds out of their skins, one by one. if they stick, it is because they were not in the hot water long enough, and you must put them back into it, and then into the cold. chop them while the cream heats in the double boiler, and then put them in with the salt, and simmer ten minutes and then strain. this soup is especially delicious if whipped cream is either mixed with it at the end, or served on top. you can also make good almond soup by using the regular rule; cooking the chopped nuts in a pint of water, adding the thickened pint of milk and seasoning, and straining twice. then, after it is in the tureen, you must put in the egg-beater and whip well, to make it light. cream of spinach pint cold cooked spinach. quart of milk. heat the spinach, using a little of the quart of milk with it, and press through the sieve; thicken the rest of the milk, and the seasoning, and strain again. it is better to use cayenne pepper instead of black with spinach. cream of tomato soup, called tomato bisque. large tomatoes, cut up, or / can, with / cup of water. slices of onion. sprigs of parsley. teaspoonful of sugar. / teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful soda. quart of milk. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful flour. cook the tomatoes with the onion, parsley, sugar, and salt for twenty minutes. mix in the soda and stir well; the soda prevents the milk from curdling. make the milk and flour and butter into white sauce as usual; strain the tomato, mix the two, and strain again. sometimes add a stalk of celery to the other seasoning as it cooks. cream of clams dozen hard clams, or one bunch of soft ones. quart of rich milk. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful flour. shakes of pepper. chop the clams and drain off the juice and add as much water; cook till the scum rises, and skim this off. drop in the clams and cook three minutes. heat the milk and thicken as usual; put in the clams and juice, cook for one minute, and strain. notice that there is no salt in this soup. a cup of cream, whipped, either put on top or stirred in, is very nice. oyster soup pint oysters. / pint water. quart rich milk. / teaspoonful salt. drain off the oyster juice, add the water, boil it for one minute, and skim it well. heat the milk and mix it with this; drop in the oysters and cook one minute, or till the edges begin to curl, and it is done. this soup is not thickened at all; but if you like you may add two tablespoonfuls of finely powdered and sifted cracker-crumbs. meat soup or bouillon made from extract this margaret made from beef extract, before she learned to use the fresh beef. teaspoonfuls of extract, or capsules. quart of boiling water. / an onion, sliced. stalk of celery. / teaspoonful salt. shakes of pepper. sprays of parsley. simmer this for twenty minutes, strain, and pour over six thin slices of lemon, one for each plate. serve with hot crackers. cream bouillon make this same soup, and pour it over a half-pint of thick cream, well whipped. do not put any lemon in it. serve with hot crackers. meat soups you can make meat soup, or stock, out of almost any kind of meat, cooked or raw, with bones or without. many cooks never buy fresh meat for it, and others think they must always have it. it is best to learn both ways. plain meat soup shin of beef. quarts of water. small tablespoonful of salt. head celery, cut up. onion. carrot. turnip. sprig of parsley. bay-leaves. whole cloves. wipe the meat and cut off all the bone. put the bone in a clean kettle first, and then the meat on top, and pour in the water; cover, and let this stand on the back of the stove an hour, then draw it forward and let it cook. this will bring scum on the water in half an hour, and you must carefully pour in a cup of cold water and skim off everything which rises to the top. cover the kettle tightly, and cook very slowly indeed for four hours; then put in the cut up vegetables and cook one hour more, always just simmering, not boiling hard. then it is done, and you can put in the salt, and strain the soup first through a heavy wire sieve, and then through a flannel bag, and set it away to get cold, and you will have a strong, clear, delicious stock, which you can put many things in to have variety. clear vegetable soup slice one carrot, turnip, and one potato, and cut them either into small, even strips, or into tiny cubes, or take a vegetable cutter and cut out fancy shapes. simmer them about twenty minutes. meanwhile, take a pint of soup stock and a cup of water and heat them. sprinkle a little salt over the vegetables and drain them; put them in the soup-tureen and pour the hot soup over. split pea soup pint split peas. / quarts of boiling water. quart of soup stock. small teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. wash the peas in cold water and throw away those which float, as they are bad. soak them overnight, and in the morning pour away the water on them and cover them with a quart of the boiling water in the rule, and cook an hour and a half. put in the rest of the water and the stock, and press the whole through a sieve, and, after washing and wiping the kettle, put the soup back to heat, adding the salt and pepper. tomato soup can tomatoes, or quart of fresh stewed ones. pint of stock. (you can use water instead in this soup, if necessary.) / teaspoonful soda. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. teaspoonful of sugar. small onion, cut up. sprig of parsley. bay-leaf. small teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. put the tomatoes into a saucepan with the parsley, onion, bay-leaf, and stock, or water, and cook fifteen minutes, and then strain through a sieve. wash the saucepan and put the tomatoes back in it, and put on to boil again; melt the butter, rub smooth with the flour, and put into the soup while it boils, and stir till it is perfectly smooth. then add the sugar, salt, and pepper and soda, and strain into the hot tureen. serve croutons with this soup. soup made with cooked meats put all the bones, bits of meat, and vegetables which are in the refrigerator into one large kettle on the back of the fire, and simmer all day in enough boiling water to cover it all, adding more water as this cooks away. skim carefully from time to time. if there are not many vegetables to go in, put parsley and onion in their place. at night strain through the sieve, then through the flannel, and cool. this stock is never clear as is that made from fresh meat, but it is almost as good for thick soups, such as pea, or tomato. chicken or turkey soup break up the bones and cover with cold water; add a slice of onion, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of parsley, and cook all day, adding water when necessary, and skimming. cool, take off the grease, heat again, and strain. serve with small, even squares of chicken meat in it, or a little cooked rice and salt. many people like a small pinch of cinnamon in turkey soup. vegetables mashed potatoes large potatoes. / cup hot milk. butter the size of a hickory-nut. teaspoonfuls salt. shakes of pepper. peel and boil the potatoes till tender; then turn off the water and stand them on the back of the stove with a cover half over them, where they will keep hot while they get dry and floury, but do not let them burn; shake the saucepan every little while. heat the milk with the butter, salt, and pepper in it; mash the potatoes well, either with the wooden potato-masher or with a wire one, and put in the milk little by little. when they are all free from lumps, put them through the potato-ricer, or pile them lightly in the tureen as they are. do not smooth them over the top. sweet potatoes if they are large, scrub them well and bake in a hot oven for about forty minutes. if they are small, make them into-- creamed sweet potatoes boil the potatoes, skin them, and cut them up in small slices. make a cup of cream sauce, mix with them, and put them in the oven for half an hour. scalloped sweet potatoes boil six potatoes in well-salted water till they are tender; skin them, slice them thin, and put a layer of them in a buttered baking-dish; sprinkle with brown sugar, and put on more potatoes and more sugar till the dish is full. bake for three-quarters of an hour. beets wash the beets but do not peel them. boil them gently for three-quarters of an hour, or till they can be pierced easily with a straw. then skin them and slice in a hot dish, dusting each layer with a little salt, pepper, and melted butter. those which are left over may have a little vinegar poured over them, to make them into pickles for luncheon. once margaret made something very nice by a recipe her pretty aunt put in her book. it was called-- stuffed beets can french peas. medium-sized beets. boil the beets as before and skin them, but leave them whole. heat the peas after the juice has been turned off, and season them with salt and pepper. cut off the stem end of each beet so it will stand steadily, and scoop a round place in the other end; sprinkle each beet with salt and pepper, and put a tiny bit of butter down in this little well, and then fill it high with the peas it will hold. creamed cabbage small cabbage. cup cream sauce. take off the outside leaves of the cabbage; cut it up in four pieces, and cut out the hard core and lay it in cold, salted water for half an hour. then wipe it dry and slice it, not too fine, and put it in a saucepan; cover it with boiling water with a teaspoonful of salt in it, and boil hard for fifteen minutes without any cover. while it is cooking, make a cup of cream sauce. take up the cabbage, press it in the colander with a plate till all the water is out; put it in a hot covered dish, sprinkle well with salt, and pour the cream sauce over. this will not have any unpleasant odor in cooking, and it will be so tender and easy to digest that even a little girl may have two helpings. if you like it to look green, put a tiny bit of soda in the water when you cook it. lima beans shell them and cook like peas; pour over them a half-cup of cream sauce, if you like this better than having them dry. peas shell them and drop them into a saucepan of boiling water, into which you have put a teaspoonful of salt and one of sugar. boil them till they are tender, from fifteen minutes, if they are fresh from the garden, to half an hour or more, if they have stood in the grocer's for a day or two. when they are done they will have little dents in their sides, and you can easily mash two or three with a fork on a plate. then drain off the water, put in three shakes of pepper, more salt if they do not taste just right, and a piece of butter the size of a hickory-nut, and shake them till the butter melts; serve in a hot covered dish. string beans pull off the strings and cut off the ends; hold three or four beans in your hand and cut them into long, very narrow strips, not into square pieces. then cook them exactly as you did the peas. stewed tomatoes large tomatoes. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of sugar. pinch soda. shakes of pepper. butter as large as an english walnut. peel and cut the tomatoes up small, saving the juice; put together in a saucepan with the seasoning, the soda mixed in a teaspoonful of water before it is put in. simmer twenty minutes, stirring till it is smooth, and last put in half a cup of bread or cracker crumbs, or a cup of toast, cut into small bits. serve in a hot, covered dish. asparagus untie the bunch, scrape the stalks clean, and put it in cold water for half an hour. tie the bunch again, and cut enough off the white ends to make all the pieces the same length. stand them in boiling water in a porcelain kettle, and cook gently for about twenty minutes. lay on a platter on squares of buttered toast, and pour over the toast and the tips of the asparagus a cup of cream sauce. or do not put it on toast, but pour melted butter over the tips after it is on the platter. to make it delicious, mix the juice of a lemon with the butter. sometimes put a little grated cheese on the ends last of all. onions peel off the outside skin and cook them in boiling, salted water till they are tender; drain them, put them in a baking-dish, and pour over them a tablespoonful of melted butter, three shakes of pepper, and a sprinkling of salt, and put in the oven and brown a very little. or, cover them with a cup of white sauce instead of the melted butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, but do not put in the oven. corn strip off the husks and silk, and put in a kettle of boiling water and boil hard for fifteen minutes; do not salt the water, as salt makes corn tough. put a napkin on a platter with one end hanging over the end; lay the corn on and fold the end of the napkin over to keep it warm. canned corn turn the corn into the colander and pour water through it a moment. heat a cup of milk with a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, and three shakes of pepper, and mix with the corn and cook for two minutes. or, put in a buttered baking-dish and brown in the oven. many people never wash corn; it is better to do so. sometimes margaret had boiled rice for dinner in place of potatoes, and then she looked back at the recipe she used when she cooked it for breakfast, and made it in just the same way. very often in winter she had-- macaroni long pieces of macaroni. cup white sauce. / pound of cheese. paprika and salt. break up the macaroni into small pieces, and boil fifteen minutes in salted water, shaking the dish often. pour off the water and hold the dish under the cold-water faucet until all the paste is washed off the outside of the macaroni, which will take only a minute if you turn it over once or twice. butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of macaroni, a good sprinkle of salt, then a very little white sauce, and a layer of grated cheese, sprinkled over with a tiny dusting of paprika, or sweet red pepper, if you have it; only use a tiny bit. then cover with a thin layer of white sauce, and so on till the dish is full, with the last layer of white sauce covered with an extra thick one of cheese. bake till brown. margaret's mother got this rule in paris, and she though it a very nice one. after the soup, meat, and vegetables at dinner came the salad; for this margaret almost always had lettuce, with french dressing, as mayonnaise seemed too heavy for dinner. sometimes she had nice watercress; once in a long time she had celery with mayonnaise. desserts corn-starch pudding pint of milk. heaping tablespoonfuls of corn-starch. tablespoonfuls of sugar. whites of three eggs. / teaspoonful vanilla. beat the whites of the eggs very stiff. mix the corn-starch with half a cup of the milk, and stir till it melts. mix the rest of the milk and the sugar, and put them on the fire in the double boiler. when it bubbles, stir up the corn-starch and milk well, and stir them in and cook and stir till it gets as thick as oatmeal mush; then turn in the eggs and stir them lightly, and cook for a minute more. take it off the stove, mix in the vanilla, and put in a mould to cool. when dinner is ready, turn it out on a platter and put small bits of red jelly around it, or pieces of preserved ginger, or a pretty circle of preserved peaches, or preserved pineapple. have a pitcher of cream to pass with it, or have a nice bowl of whipped cream. if you have a ring-mould, let it harden in that, and have the whipped cream piled in the centre after it is on the platter, and put the jelly or preserves around last. chocolate corn-starch pudding use the same rule as before, but put in one more tablespoonful of sugar. then shave thin two squares of baker's chocolate, and stir in over the teakettle till it melts, and stir it in very thoroughly before you put in the eggs. instead of pouring this into one large mould, put it in egg-cups to harden; turn these out carefully, each on a separate plate, and put a spoonful of whipped cream by each one. cocoanut corn-starch pudding make the first rule; before you put in the eggs, stir in a cup of grated cocoanut, with an extra spoonful of sugar, or a cup of that which comes in packages without more sugar, as it is already sweetened. serve in a large mould, or in small ones, with cream. baked custard cups milk. yolks of two eggs. tablespoonfuls of sugar. a little nutmeg. beat the eggs till they are light; mix the milk and sugar till the sugar melts; put the two together, and put it into a nice baking-dish, or into small cups, and dust the nutmeg over the tops. bake till the top is brown, and till when you put a knife-blade into the custard it comes out clean. cocoanut custard add a cup of cocoanut to this rule and bake it in one dish, stirring it up two or three times from the bottom, but, after it begins to brown, leaving it alone to finish. do not put any nutmeg on it. tapioca pudding tablespoonfuls tapioca. yolks of two eggs. / cup of sugar. quart of milk. put the tapioca into a small half-cup of water and let it stand one hour. then drain it and put it in the milk in the double boiler, and cook and stir it till the tapioca looks clear, like glass. beat the eggs and mix the sugar with them, and beat again till both are light, and put them with the milk and tapioca and cook three minutes, stirring all the time. then take it off the fire and add a saltspoonful of salt and a half-teaspoonful of vanilla, and let it get perfectly cold. floating island pint milk. eggs. one-third cup of sugar. put the milk on the stove to heat in a good-sized pan. beat the whites of the eggs very stiff, and as soon as the milk scalds,--that is, gets a little wrinkled on top,--drop spoonfuls of the egg on to it in little islands; let them stand there to cook just one minute, and then with the skimmer take them off and lay them on a plate. put the milk where it will keep hot but not boil while you beat the yolks of the eggs stiff, mixing in the sugar and beating that, too. pour the milk into the bowl of egg, a little at a time, beating all the while, and then put it in the double boiler and cook till it is as thick as cream. take it off the fire, stir in a saltspoonful of salt and half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and set it away to cool. when it is dinner-time, strain the custard into a pretty dish and slip the whites off the top, one by one. if you like, you can dot them over with very tiny specks of red jelly. cake and custard make a plain boiled custard, just as before, with-- pint of milk. yolks of three eggs. one-third cup of sugar. saltspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the eggs and sugar, add the hot milk, and cook till creamy, put in the salt and vanilla, and cool. then cut stale cake into strips, or split lady-fingers into halves, and spread with jam. put them on the sides and bottom of a flat glass dish, and gently pour the custard over. brown betty peel, core, and slice six apples. butter a baking-dish and sprinkle the inside all over with fine bread-crumbs. then take six very thin slices of buttered bread and line the sides and bottom of the dish. put a layer of apples an inch thick, a thin layer of brown sugar, six bits of butter, and a dusting of cinnamon, another layer of crumbs, another of apples and sugar, and so on till the dish is full, with crumbs and butter on top, and three tablespoonfuls of molasses poured over. bake this one hour, and have hard sauce to eat with it. lemon pudding cup of sugar. eggs. lemons. pint of milk. tablespoonful of sugar. tablespoonfuls of corn-starch. pinch of salt. wet the corn-starch with half a cup of the milk, and heat what is left. stir up the corn-starch well, and when the milk is hot put it in and stir; then boil five minutes, stirring all the time. melt the butter, and put that in with a pinch of salt, and cool it. beat the yolks of the eggs, and add the sugar, the juice of both lemons, and the grated rind of one, pour into the milk, and stir well; put in a buttered baking-dish and bake till slightly brown. take it out of the oven; beat the whites of two eggs with a tablespoonful of granulated sugar, and pile lightly on top, and put in the oven again till it is just brown. this is a very nice rule. rice pudding with raisins quart of milk. tablespoonfuls of rice. one-third cup of sugar. / cup seeded raisins. wash the rice and the raisins and stir everything together till the sugar dissolves. then put it in a baking-dish in the oven. every little while open the door and see if a light brown crust is forming on top, and, if it is, stir the pudding all up from the bottom and push down the crust. keep on doing this till the rice swells and makes the milk all thick and creamy, which it will after about an hour. then let the pudding cook, and when it is a nice deep brown take it out and let it get very cold. bread pudding cups of milk. cup soft bread-crumbs. tablespoonful of sugar. egg yolks. egg white. / teaspoonful vanilla. saltspoonful of salt. crumb the bread evenly and soak in the milk till soft. beat it till smooth, and put in the beaten yolks of the eggs, the sugar, vanilla, and salt, and last the beaten white of the egg. put it in a buttered pudding-dish, and stand this in a pan of hot water in the oven for fifteen minutes. take it out and spread its top with jam, and cover with the beaten white of the other egg, with one tablespoonful of granulated sugar put in it, and brown in the oven. you can eat this as it is, or with cream, and you may serve it either hot or cold. sometimes you can put a cup of washed raisins into the bread-crumbs and milk, and mix in the other things; sometimes you can put in a cup of chopped almonds, or a little preserved ginger. orange marmalade is especially nice on bread pudding. orange pudding make just like lemon pudding, but use three oranges instead of two lemons. cabinet pudding pint of milk. yolks of three eggs. tablespoonfuls of sugar. saltspoonful of salt. beat the eggs, add the sugar, and stir them into the milk, which must be very hot but not boiling; stir till it thickens, and then take it from the fire. put a layer of washed raisins in the bottom of a mould, then a layer of slices of stale cake or lady-fingers, then more raisins around the edge of the mould, and more cake, till the mould is full. pour the custard over very slowly, so the cake will soak well, and bake in a pan of water in the oven for an hour. this pudding is to be eaten hot, with any sauce you like, such as foamy sauce. cut-up figs are nice to use with the raisins, and chopped nuts are a delicious addition, dropped between the layers of the cake. cottage pudding egg. / cup of sugar. / cup of milk. / teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. cup of flour. tablespoonful of butter. beat the yolk of the egg light, add the sugar and butter mixed, then put in the milk, the flour, the whites of the eggs beaten stiff, and last of all the baking-powder, and stir it up well. put in a greased pan and bake nearly half an hour. if you want this very nice, put in half a cup of chopped figs, mixed with part of the flour. serve with foamy sauce. prune whips this was a cooking-school rule which the pretty aunt put in, because she said it was the best sort of pudding for little girls to make. tablespoonful of powdered sugar. tablespoonfuls stewed prunes. white of one egg. cook the prunes till soft, take out the stones, and mash the prunes fine. beat the white of the egg very stiff, mix in the sugar and prunes, and bake in small buttered dishes. serve hot or cold, with cream. junket junket tablet. quart milk. / cup sugar. teaspoonful vanilla. break up the junket tablet into small pieces, and put them into a tablespoonful of water to dissolve. put the sugar into the milk with the vanilla, and stir till it is dissolved. warm the milk a little, but only till it is as warm as your finger, so that if you try it by touching it with the tip, you do not feel it at all as colder or warmer. then quickly turn in the water with the tablet melted in it, stirring it only once, and pour immediately into small cups on the table. these must stand for half and hour without being moved, and then the junket will be stiff, and the cups can be put in the ice-box. in winter you must warm the cups till they are like the milk. this is very nice with a spoonful of whipped cream on each cup, and bits of preserved ginger or of jelly on it. strawberry shortcake margaret's mother called this the thousand mile shortcake, because she sent so far for the recipe to the place where she had once eaten it, when she thought it the best she had ever tasted. pint flour. / cup butter. egg. teaspoonful baking-powder. / cup milk. saltspoonful of salt. mix the baking-powder and salt with the flour and sift all together. the butter should stand on the kitchen table till it is warm and ready to melt, when it may be mixed in with a spoon, and then the egg, well beaten, and the milk. divide the dough into halves; put one in a round biscuit-tin, butter it, and lay the other half on top, evenly. bake a light brown; when you take it out of the oven, let it cool, and then lift the layer apart. mash the berries, keeping out some of the biggest ones for the top of the cake, and put on the bottom layer; put a small half-cup of powdered sugar on them, and put the top layer on. dust this over with sugar till it is white, and set the large berries about on it, or cover the top with whipped cream and put the berries on this. cake shortcake small cup sugar. / cup butter. cup cold water. egg. cups flour. teaspoonfuls baking-powder. rub the butter and sugar to a cream; sift the flour and baking-powder together; beat the egg stiff without separating; put the egg with the sugar and butter, add the water and flour in turn, a little at a time, stirring steadily; bake in two layer-tins. put crushed berries between, and whole berries on top. tiny field strawberries make the most delicious shortcake of all. peach shortcake make either of the rules above, and put mashed and sweetened peaches between the layers. slice evenly about four more, and arrange these on top, making a ring of them overlapping all around the edge, and laying them inside in the same way. sugar well, and serve with whipped cream or a pitcher of plain cream. lemon jelly / box gelatine. / cup cold water. cups boiling water. cup sugar. juice of three lemons, and three scrapings of the yellow rind. put the gelatine into the cold water and soak one hour. put the boiling water, the sugar, and the scrapings of the peel on the fire, and still till the sugar dissolves. take it off the fire and stir in the gelatine, and mix till this is dissolved; when it is partly cool, turn in the lemon juice and strain through a flannel bag dipped in water and wrung dry. put in a pretty mould. orange jelly make this exactly as you did the lemon jelly, only instead of taking the juice of three lemons, take the juice of two oranges and one lemon, and scrape the orange peel instead of the lemon peel. whipped cream is nicer with either of these jellies. prune jelly wash well a cup of prunes, and cover them with cold water and soak overnight. in the morning put them on the fire in the same water, and simmer till so tender that the stones will slip out. cut each prune in two and sprinkle with sugar as you lay them in the mould; pour over them lemon jelly made by the recipe above, and put on ice. turn out on a pretty dish, and put whipped cream around. sometimes margaret colored lemon jelly with red raspberry juice, and piled sugared raspberries around the mould. lemon jelly is one of the best things to put things with; peaches may be used instead of prunes, in that rule, or strawberries, with plenty of sugar, or bits of pineapple. fruit jelly make a plain lemon jelly, as before. cut up very thin two oranges, one banana, six figs, and a handful of white grapes, which you have seeded, and sweeten them. put in a mould and pour in the jelly; as it begins to grow firm you can gently lift the fruit from the bottom once or twice. you can also fill the mould quite full of fruit, and make only half the jelly and pour over. whipped cream is nice to eat with this. coffee jelly / box of gelatine. / cup of cold water. pint strong hot coffee. / cup sugar. / pint boiling water. put the gelatine in the cold water and soak two minutes, and pour over it the coffee, boiling hot. when it is dissolved, put in the sugar and boiling water and strain; put in little individual moulds, and turn out with whipped cream under each one. or, set in a large mould, and have whipped cream around it. snow pudding / box of gelatine. pint of cold water. eggs. juice of three lemons. / cup of powdered sugar. pour the water over the gelatine and let it stand ten minutes; then put the bowl over the fire and stir till it is dissolved, and take it off at once. as soon as it seems nearly cold, beat to a froth with the egg-beater. beat the whites of the eggs stiffly, and add to the gelatine, with the lemon juice and sugar, and mix well. put in a mould and set on ice. make a soft custard by the rule, and pour around the pudding when you serve it. velvet cream / box of gelatine. pint milk. eggs. tablespoonfuls of sugar. small teaspoonful of vanilla. put the gelatine in the milk and soak fifteen minutes; put on the stove and heat till it steams, but do not let it boil; stir carefully often, as there is danger of its burning. beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar, and put these in the custard, and cook till it all thickens and is smooth, but do not boil it. strain, cool, and add the vanilla, and last fold in the beaten whites of the eggs, and put in a mould on the ice. preserved peaches laid around this are very nice, or rich pineapple, or apricot jam; or a ring of whipped cream, with bits of red jelly, make a pretty border. easy charlotte russe / box gelatine. / pint of milk. pint thick cream. / cup powdered sugar. small teaspoonful vanilla. put the gelatine in the milk and stand on the stove till the gelatine is dissolved, stirring often. then take it off, and beat with the egg-beater till cold. beat the cream with the egg-beater till perfectly stiff, put in the sugar and vanilla, and mix with the milk, and set on ice in a mould. when you wish to use it, turn out and put lady-fingers split in halves all around it. pudding sauces orange sauce egg-whites. / cup powdered sugar. juice of oranges. grated rind. beat the egg-whites very stiff, add the sugar, then the grated orange-peel, then the juice; beat up lightly and serve at once. delicious maple sauce egg-yolks. / cup maple syrup. / cup whipped cream. beat the yolks very light, putting in a pinch of salt; put in the syrup and cook till the spoon coats over when you dip it in; then cool and beat in the whipped cream, and serve very cold. hard sauce beat together a half-cup of powdered sugar and a half-cup of butter with a fork till both are light and creamy. flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla and put on the ice to harden. foamy sauce / cup butter. / cup boiling water. cup powdered sugar. teaspoonful vanilla. white of one egg. rub the butter and sugar to a cream; add vanilla and beat well. when it is time to serve, beat the egg stiff, stir the boiling water into the sugar and butter, and then put in the egg and beat till foamy, standing it on the stove as you do so, to keep it hot. serve in the sauce-boat. grandmother's sauce cup sugar. / cup butter. yolks of two eggs. / cup boiling water. a dusting of nutmeg. cream the butter and sugar, stir in the beaten yolk, and last the boiling water. beat till foamy, and then dust with nutmeg. lemon sauce white of one egg. / cup powdered sugar. juice of half a lemon. beat the egg, add the sugar and lemon, and beat again. white sauce tablespoonful of corn-starch. / cup cold water. cup boiling water. / cup powdered sugar. pinch of salt. whites of eggs. teaspoonful alons extract. dissolve the corn-starch in the cold water, and then add the boiling water and sugar and salt, and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring all the time. take from the fire and fold in the stiffly beaten egg-whites with the flavoring, and beat till perfectly cold. any flavoring will do for this sauce; pistache is very nice. quick pudding sauce egg. / cup powdered sugar. teaspoonful vanilla. put the egg in a bowl without separating it and beat till very light; then pour in the sugar very slowly, beating all the time; add the vanilla and serve at once. this is a very nice sauce, and so simple to make that margaret learned it among the first of her rules. ice-creams and ices margaret had a little ice-cream freezer which was all her own, and held only enough for two little girls to eat at a tea-party, and this she could pack alone. when she made ice-cream for all the family she had to use the larger freezer, of course, and this bridget helped her pack. but the same rule was used for either the large one or the small. first break up the ice in a thick bag with a hammer until the pieces are as large as eggs, and all about the same size. then put two big bowls or dippers of this into a tub or pail, and add one bowl or dipper of coarse salt, and so on, till you have enough, mixing it well with a long-handled spoon. put the freezer in its pail and put the cover on; then fill the space between with the ice and salt till it is full, pressing it down as you work. let it stand now in a cool place, till you know the inside is very cold, and then wipe off the top carefully and pour in the cream, which must be very cold, too. put on the top and turn smoothly and slowly till it is stiff, which should be fifteen minutes. then draw off the water from the pail, wipe the top of the cover again, so no salt can get in, and take out the dasher, pushing the cream down with a spoon from the sides and packing it firmly. put a cork in the hole in the cover, and put it on tightly. mix more ice with a little salt; only a cupful to two bowls this time, and pack the freezer again up to the top. wring out a heavy cloth in the salty water you drew off the pail, and cover it over tightly with this, and then stand in a cool, dark place till you need it; all ice-creams are better for standing two hours. plain ice-cream cups of cream. cup of milk. small cup of sugar. teaspoonfuls vanilla. put the cream, milk, and sugar on the fire, and stir till the sugar dissolves and cream just wrinkles on top; do not let it boil. take it off, beat it till it is cold, add the vanilla, and freeze. french ice-cream pint of milk. cup of cream. cup of sugar. eggs. tablespoonful vanilla. saltspoonful of salt. put the milk on the fire and let it just scald or wrinkle. beat the yolks of the eggs, put in the sugar, and beat again; then pour the hot milk into these slowly, and the salt, and put it on the fire in the double boiler and let it cook to a nice thick cream. (this is a plain boiled custard, such as you made for floating island.) take it off and let it cool while you beat the whites of the eggs stiff, and then the cup of cream. put the eggs in first lightly when the custard is entirely cold, and then the whipped cream last, and the vanilla, and freeze. coffee ice-cream make either of these creams, and flavor with half a cup of strong coffee in place of vanilla. chocolate ice-cream make plain ice-cream; melt two squares of chocolate in a little saucer over the teakettle. mix a little of the milk or cream with this, and stir it smooth, and then put it in with the rest. you will need to use a large cup of sugar instead of a small one in making this, as the chocolate is not sweetened. peach ice-cream peel, cut up, and mash a cup of peaches. make plain ice-cream, with a large cup of sugar, and when it is cold stir in the peaches and freeze. strawberry ice-cream mix a large cup of berries, mashed and strained carefully so that there are no seeds, with the ice-cream, and freeze. the easiest ice-cream of all--vanilla parfait cup of sugar. cup of water. whites of three eggs. pint of cream. teaspoonful vanilla. put the sugar and water in a nice enamelled saucepan and cook it without stirring. you must shake the pan often to prevent its burning, but if you stir it, it will make it sugary. after about five minutes hold your spoon up in the air and drop one drop back into the saucepan; if a little thread is made which blows off to one side, it is done, but if not you must cook till it does. if your fire is very hot it may make the thread in less time, so try it every few moments. have the whites of your eggs beaten very stiff, and slowly pour the syrup into them, beating hard with a fork all the time. you must keep on beating till this is cold. have ready a pint of thick cream, whipped very stiff, either with a dover egg-beater, or in a little tin cream-churn, and when the egg is cold, mix the two lightly and put in the vanilla. if you have a mould with a tight cover, put it in this, but if not, take a lard-pail; cover tightly, and stand in a pail on a layer of ice and salt, mixed just as for freezing ice-cream, and pile more ice and salt all over it, the more the better. let this stand five hours, or four will do, if necessary, and turn the cream on a pretty dish. after you have made this once it will seem no trouble at all to make it. if your mother would like a change from this recipe sometimes, try putting in the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, with the cream, and use some other flavoring. lemon ice quart of water. lemons. / cups sugar. orange. boil the sugar and water for ten minutes; strain it and add the juice of the lemons and orange; cool and freeze. orange ice quart of water. oranges. lemon. / cups sugar. prepare exactly as you did lemon ice. strawberry ice quart of water. / cups sugar. / cups strawberry juice, strained. prepare like lemon ice. raspberry ice quart of water. / cups sugar. / cups raspberry-juice, strained. prepare like lemon ice. peach surprise quart of peaches cut up in small bits. cups of sugar. whites of five eggs. do not beat the eggs at all; just mix everything together and put in the freezer and stir till stiff; this is very delicious, and the easiest thing to make there is. when margaret wanted to make her own freezer full of ice-cream, she just took a cup of cream and heated it with the sugar, and when it was cold put in three drops of vanilla and froze it. cake next after the ices in her book, margaret found the cake to eat with them, and first of all there was a rule for some little cakes which the smallest girl in the neighborhood used to make all alone. eleanor's cakes / cup of butter. / cup of sugar. / cup of milk. egg. cup flour. teaspoonful baking-powder. / teaspoonful of vanilla. rub the butter and sugar to a cream, beat the egg light without separating, and put it in next; then the milk, a little at a time; mix the baking-powder with the flour and stir in, and last the vanilla. bake in small scalloped tins, and fill each one only half-full. grandmother's little feather cake cup of sugar. tablespoonfuls soft butter. egg. / cup milk and water mixed. / cups sifted flour. teaspoonful baking-powder. rub the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the yolk of the egg stiff and put that in; then add part of the milk and water, and part of the flour and baking-powder, which has been sifted together; next the vanilla, and last the stiff whites of the eggs, not stirred in, but just lightly folded in. if you put them in heavily and roughly, cake will always be heavy. bake this in a buttered biscuit-tin, and cut in squares when cold. it is nice covered with caramel or chocolate frosting. domino cake make this feather cake and pour it into two pans, so that the bottom shall be just covered, and bake it quickly. when it is done, take it out of the pans and frost it, and while the frosting is still a little soft, mark it off into dominoes. when it is entirely cold, cut these out, and with a clean paint-brush paint little round spots on them with a little melted chocolate, to exactly represent the real dominoes. it is fun to play a game with these at a tea-party and eat them up afterwards. margaret's own cake margaret's mother named this cake for her, because she liked it so much to make it and to eat it. it is a very nice cake for little girls. eggs. cup granulated sugar. cup of flour. pinch of salt. / teaspoonful of lemon-juice, or vanilla. separate the eggs, and beat the yolks very light and foamy; then put in the sugar which you have sifted, a little at a time, and the flour in the same way, but put them in in turn, first sugar, then flour, and so on. then put in the flavoring, and last fold in the whites of the eggs, beaten very stiff. bake in a buttered pan. sponge cake eggs. cup powdered sugar. cup sifted flour. level teaspoonful baking-powder. juice of half a lemon. separate the yolks and whites of the eggs and beat them both very light. mix the sugar in the yolks and beat again till they are very foamy; then put in the stiff whites, and last the flour, sifted with baking-powder; then the lemon-juice. bake in a buttered biscuit-tin. you can frost and put walnut-halves on top. velvet cake this is a large cake, baked in a roasting-pan; it is very light and delicious, and none too large for two luncheons, or for a picnic. eggs. cups of sugar. cup of boiling water. / cups of flour. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. put the yolks of the eggs in a deep bowl and beat two minutes; then put in the sugar, and beat ten minutes, or fifteen, if you want it perfect. put in the water, a little at a time, and next the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. mix the baking-powder and flour, put these in next, and add the flavoring last. this is a queer way to mix the cake, but it is right. easy fruit-cake margaret's other aunt begged to have this in the book, because she said it was so simple any little girl could make it, and all the family could help eat it, as they were especially fond of fruit-cake. cup butter. cup sugar. cup molasses. cup milk. cup currants. cup raisins. egg. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonfuls mixed spices. cups flour. wash and dry the currants. buy the seeded raisins and wash these, too, and then chop them. cream the butter and sugar, add the egg beaten well without separating, then the molasses with the soda stirred in it, then the milk, then the cinnamon and cloves. measure the flour, and then take out a half-cup of it, and stir in the raisins and currants, to keep them from going to the bottom of the cake when it is baked. stir these in, add the rest of the flour, and beat well. bake in two buttered bread-pans. layer cake cup sugar. / cup water. eggs. teaspoonfuls baking-powder. / cup butter. / cups flour. teaspoonful vanilla. rub the butter to a cream in a deep bowl, and put in the sugar a little at a time, and rub this till it, too, creams. then put in the beaten yolks of the eggs, and then the water. beat the egg-whites well, and fold in half, then add the flour, in which you have mixed and sifted the baking-powder, and then put in the vanilla and the rest of the eggs. divide in two layers, or in three if the tins are small, and bake till a light brown. filling for layer cakes nut and raisin filling make the rule for plain icing, and add a half-cup of chopped raisins mixed with half a cup of chopped almonds or english walnuts. fig filling mix a cup of chopped figs with the same icing. marshmallow filling chop a quarter of a pound of marshmallows; put them over the teakettle to get soft; make a plain icing and beat them in. maple filling cups maple syrup. whites of eggs. boil the syrup slowly till it makes a thread when you hold it up; then add it slowly to your beaten egg-whites, beating till cold. orange filling cup powdered sugar. tablespoonful boiling water. grated rind of orange. tablespoonful orange-juice. put the sugar in a bowl, add the rind, then the water and juice, and spread at once on the cake. this icing must be very thick when made, and if is seems thin put in more sugar. caramel filling cups brown sugar. / cup cream or milk. butter the size of an egg. / teaspoonful vanilla. mix all together and cook till it is smooth and thick. plain icing put the white of one egg into a bowl with a half-teaspoonful of water, and beat till light. then stir in a cup of sifted powdered sugar, and put on the cake while that is still warm, and smooth it over with a wet knife. chocolate icing melt one square of baker's chocolate in a saucer over the teakettle, and put in two tablespoonfuls of milk and stir till smooth. add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a small half-teaspoonful of butter, and stir again. take it off the stove and put it on the cake while both are warm. caramel icing / cup of milk. cups brown sugar. butter the size of an egg. teaspoonful of vanilla. mix the butter, sugar, and milk, and cook till it is smooth and thick, stirring all the time and watching it carefully to see that it does not burn; take it off and put in the vanilla, and spread while warm on a warm cake. doughnuts margaret's mother did not approve of putting this rule in her cook-book, because she did not want margaret ever to eat rich things; but her grandmother said it really must go in, for once in awhile very nice doughnuts would not hurt anybody. / cups of sugar. / cup of butter. eggs. / cups of milk. teaspoonfuls baking-powder. pinch of salt. put in flour enough to make a very soft dough, just as soft as you can handle it. mix, and put on a slightly floured board and make into round balls, or roll out and cut with a cooky cutter with a hole in the centre. heat two cups of lard with one cup of beef suet which you have melted and strained, and heat till it browns a bit of bread instantly. then drop in three doughnuts,--not more, or you will chill the fat, --and when you take them out dry on brown paper. it is much better to use part suet than all lard, yet that will do if you have no suet in the house. oatmeal macaroons these little cakes are so like real macaroons that no one who had not seen the recipe would guess how they were made. / cups rolled oats. / teaspoonfuls baking-powder. / teaspoonful salt. even tablespoonfuls butter. cup sugar. eggs, beaten separately. teaspoonful vanilla. cream the butter, add the sugar and well beaten egg-yolks, then the oatmeal, salt, and baking-powder, then the vanilla, and last the whites of the eggs. drop in small bits, no larger than the end of your finger, on a shallow pan, three inches apart. bake in a very slow oven till brown, and take from the pan while hot. peanut wafers cup of sugar. / cup of butter. / cup of milk. / teaspoonful soda. cups of flour. cup chopped peanuts. cream the butter and sugar, put the soda in the milk and stir well, and put this in next; add the flour and beat well. butter a baking-pan and spread this evenly over the bottom, and then spread the peanuts over all. bake till a light brown. tea-party cakes squares of baker's chocolate. teaspoonful of sugar. bit of butter the size of a pea. melt the chocolate over the teakettle and stir in the sugar and butter and a couple of drops of vanilla, if you like. take little round crackers, and with a fork roll them quickly in this till they are covered; dry on buttered paper. you can also take saltines, or any long, thin cracker, and spread one side with the chocolate. almond strips white of egg. cup chopped almonds. tablespoonfuls powdered sugar. beat the egg just a little and put in the sugar and almonds; spread on thin crackers, and brown in the oven with the door open. pies general rule margaret's mother did not like her to eat pie, but she let her learn how to make it, and once in awhile she had a small piece. here is her rule: pint of flour. / cup of butter. / cup lard, teaspoonful salt. / cup ice-water. put the flour, butter, lard, and salt in the chopping-bowl and chop till well mixed. then add the water, a little at a time, turning the paste and chopping till smooth, but never touching with the hand. put a very little flour on the pastry-board and lift the crust on this, and with a floured rolling-pin lightly roll it out once each way; fold it over and roll again, and do this several times till the crust looks even, with no lumps of butter showing anywhere. put it on a plate and lay it in the ice-chest for at least an hour before you use it. pie-crust will never be light and nice if you handle it. do not touch it with your fingers unless it is really necessary. when you use it, get everything ready for the pie first, and then bring out the crust, roll quickly, and spread over the pie. in putting the pie in the pan, cut the bottom piece a little larger than you want it, as it will shrink. sprinkle the tin with flour, lay on the crust, and after it has been fitted evenly, and is not too tight, cut off the edge. put a narrow strip of paste all around the edge, and press it together; if you wet it with a little water it will stick. if you wish to be sure the filling of the pie will not soak into the under crust, brush that over with beaten white of egg. after you put in the filling, fold your top crust together and cut some little shutters to let out the steam. put on the cover, wet the edges so they will stick together, and pinch evenly. deep apple pie, or apple tart fill a baking-dish with apples, peeled and cut in slices. sprinkle with flour, cinnamon, and plenty of sugar, about half a cup. put in the oven and bake till the apples are soft, and then cool, put on the crust, and bake till brown. serve powdered sugar and rich cream with this. all pies cooked in a baking-dish, with no crust on the bottom or sides of the dish, are called tarts by the english. they are the best kind of pie. peach pie line a pie-plate with crust, lay in the peaches, peeled and sliced, sprinkle with flour, and then cover with sugar; put on a top crust, cut some little slits in it to let out the steam, and cook till brown. or, make a deep peach tart. french peach pie put the crust in the pie-pan as before; boil a cup of sugar with two tablespoonfuls of water till it threads. lay quarters of peaches in the paste, around and around, evenly, no one on top of the other. break ten peach-stones and arrange evenly on top; the pour the syrup over, and put a few narrow strips of crust across the pie, four each way, and bake. pumpkin pie small pumpkin. / cups of pulp. cups of milk. tablespoonful molasses. eggs. teaspoonful each of salt, ginger, cinnamon, and butter. heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar. cut the pumpkin in small pieces and take out the seeds and remove the peel. put the good part over the kettle and steam it till it is tender, keeping it covered. then you take off the cover, and stand the steamer you have cooked it in on the back of the stove, till the heat makes the pumpkin nice and dry. then mash it and put it through the colander. while it is warm, mix in everything in the rule except the eggs; let it cool, and put these in last, beating them till light. line the pie-tin with crust, and pour in the filling and bake. this rule is a very nice one; it makes two pies. cranberry pie cook a quart of cranberries till tender, with a small cup of water; when they have simmered till rather thick, put in a heaping cup of sugar and cook five minutes more. when as thick as oatmeal mush, take them off the fire and put through the colander; line a tin with crust, fill with berries, put strips of crust across, and bake. a nice plan is to take half a cup of raisins and a cup of cranberries for a pie, chopping together and cooking with water as before, adding a sprinkling of flour and a little vanilla when done. orange pie orange. cup of water. small cup of sugar. teaspoonfuls corn-starch. butter the size of a hickory-nut. yolk of one egg. grate the rind of the orange, and then squeeze out the juice. beat the yolk of the egg, add the water, with the corn-starch stirred in, orange juice and rind and butter, and cook till it grows rather thick. bake your crust first; then bake the orange filling in it; then beat the white of your egg with a tablespoonful of granulated sugar, and put over it and brown. this is an especially nice rule. lemon pie make exactly as you did the orange-pie, but put in a good-sized cup of sugar instead of a small one, with a lemon in place of the orange. tarts whenever margaret made pie she always saved all the bits of the crust and rolled them out, and lined patty-pans with them and baked them. she often filled them with raw rice while they baked, to keep them in shape, saving the rice when they were done. she filled the shells with jelly, and used the tarts for lunch. candy margaret did not wait till she reached the recipes for candy at the back of her book before she began to make it. she made it all the way along, whenever another little girl came to spend the afternoon, or it was such a rainy day that she could not go out. nearly always she made molasses candy, because it was such fun to pull it, and she used the same rule her mother used when she was a little girl. molasses candy cups new orleans molasses. cup white sugar. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful vinegar. small teaspoonful soda. boil hard twenty minutes, stirring all the time, and cool in shallow pans. if you double the rule you must boil the candy five minutes longer. the best thing about this candy is that it does not stick to the fingers, if you let it get quite cool before touching it, and pull it in small quantities. do not put any butter on your fingers, but work fast. maple wax boil two cups of maple syrup till it hardens when dropped in cold water. fill a large pan with fresh snow, pack well; keep the kettle on the back of the stove, where the syrup will be just warm, but will not cook, and fill a small pitcher with it, and pour on the snow, a little at a time. take it off in small pieces with a fork. if there is no snow, use a cake of ice. peanut brittle make the molasses candy given above, and stir in a large cup of shelled peanuts just before taking it from the fire. put in shallow, buttered pans. peppermint drops cup sugar. tablespoonfuls of water. teaspoonfuls of peppermint essence. boil the sugar and water till when you drop a little in water it will make a firm ball in your fingers. then take it off the fire and stir in the peppermint, and carefully drop four drops, one exactly on top of another, on a buttered platter. do not put these too near together. pop-corn balls make half the rule for molasses candy. pop a milk-can full of corn, and pour in a little candy while it is hot; take up all that sticks together and roll in a ball; then pour in more, and so on. maple fudge cups brown sugar. cups maple syrup. cup of milk. / cup of water. butter the size of an egg. cup english walnut meats, or hickory-nuts. boil the sugar and maple syrup till you can make it into a very soft ball when you drop it in water; only half as hard as you boil molasses candy. then put in the milk, water, and butter, and boil till when you try in water it makes quite a firm ball in your fingers. put in the nuts and take off the fire at once, and stir till it begins to sugar. spread it quickly on buttered pans, and when partly cool mark in squares with a knife. chocolate fudge cup of milk. cup of sugar. pinch of soda. squares baker's chocolate. butter the size of an egg. put the soda in the milk and scrape the chocolate. mix all together until when you drop a little in water it will make a ball in your fingers. take off the fire then, and beat until it is a stiff paste, and then spread on a buttered platter. sometimes margaret added a cup of chopped nuts to this rule, putting them in just before she took the fudge off the fire. cream walnuts cups of light brown sugar. two-thirds cup of boiling water. small saltspoonful of cream of tartar. cup chopped walnuts. boil till the syrup makes a thread, then cool till it begins to thicken, and stir in the walnuts and drop on buttered paper. cream made from confectioners' sugar take the white of one egg, and measure just as much cold water; mix the two well, and stir stiff with confectioners' sugar; add a little flavoring, vanilla, or almond, or pistache, and, for some candies, color with a tiny speck of fruit paste. this is the beginning of all sorts of cream candy. candy potatoes make the plain white candy just given, and to it add a tablespoonful of cocoanut, and flavor with vanilla. make into little balls, rather long then round, and with a fork put eyes in them like potato eyes. roll in cinnamon. these candies are very quickly made, and are excellent for little girls' parties. chocolate creams make the cream candy into balls, melt three squares of baker's chocolate; put a ball on a little skewer or a fork, and dip into the chocolate and lay on buttered paper. nut candy chop a cup of almonds and mix with the cream candy; make into bars, and when cold cut in slices. walnut creams press two walnut halves on small balls of cream candy, one on either side. creamed dates wash, wipe, and open the dates; remove the stones and put a small ball of cream candy into each one. butter scotch tablespoonfuls sugar. tablespoonfuls of molasses. tablespoonfuls of water. tablespoonful of butter. saltspoonful of soda. boil all together without stirring till it hardens in water; then put in a small teaspoonful of vanilla and pour at once on a buttered platter. when hard break up into squares. pinoche cup light brown sugar. cup cream. cup walnuts, chopped fine. butter the size of a walnut. teaspoonful vanilla. cook the sugar and cream till it makes a ball in water; then put in the butter, vanilla, and nuts, and beat till creamy and spread on a platter. betty's orange candy betty was margaret's particular friend, so this was her favorite rule: cups sugar. juice of one orange. boil till it hardens in water, and then pull it. creamed dates, figs, and cherries make the plain cream candy, as before; wash the dates well, open at one side, and take out the stones and press in a ball of the candy; leave the side open. you can sprinkle with granulated sugar if you choose. cut figs in small pieces, and roll each piece in the cream candy till it is hidden. for the cherries, color the cream candy light pink and make into little balls. on top of each press a candied cherry. dates with nuts wash and wipe the dates dry, and take out the stones. put half an english walnut in each and press the edges together; roll in granulated sugar. small figs may be prepared in the same way. margaret's school luncheons as margaret had to take her luncheon to school with her sometimes, she had to learn how to make a good many kinds of sandwiches, because she soon grew tired of one or two sorts. cut the bread very thin and spread lightly with butter, and after they are done trim off the crusts neatly, not taking off all the crust, but making the two pieces even. for plain meat sandwiches, chop the meat very fine, sprinkle with salt, and spread on the bread; if it is too dry, put in a very little cream as you chop the meat. egg sandwiches make a very little french dressing,--about a teaspoonful of oil, a sprinkling of salt, and four drops of lemon juice, or vinegar. chop a hard-boiled egg very fine, mix with the dressing, and spread. lettuce sandwiches spread the bread, lay on a lettuce-leaf and cover with french dressing, or with mayonnaise. these sandwiches are about the best for school, as they do not get dry. celery sandwiches chop the celery fine, mix with a french or mayonnaise dressing, and spread. olive sandwiches chop six olives fine, mix with a tiny bit of mayonnaise and spread. chicken and celery sandwiches mix chopped celery and chopped chicken, as much of one as the other, wet with french or mayonnaise dressing and spread. nut sandwiches chop the nuts fine and add just enough cream to moisten; sprinkle with salt and spread. sardine sandwiches scrape off all the skin from the sardines, and take out the bones and drain them by laying them on brown paper; mash them with a fork, and sprinkle with lemon juice, and spread. tomato and cheese sandwiches slice a small, firm tomato very thin indeed, and take out all the seeds and soft pulp, leaving only the firm part; put one slice on the bread, and one thin shaving of cheese over it, and then put on bread. a slice of tomato with a spreading of mayonnaise makes a nice sandwich. cream cheese and nut sandwiches spread thin boston brown bread with just a scraping of butter, then spread with cream cheese and cover with nuts; this is a delicious sandwich. sweet sandwiches all jams and jellies make good sandwiches, and fresh dates, chopped figs, and preserved ginger are also nice. some of margaret's school luncheons . two boston brown bread, cream cheese, and nut sandwiches, and two white bread and jam; a little round cake; a pear. . two chopped ham sandwiches, two with whole wheat bread and peanut-butter; a piece of gingerbread; a peach. . two whole wheat-bread and chopped egg sandwiches with french dressing; two crackers spread with jam; three thin slices of cold meat, salted; a cup custard; an apple. . two whole wheat sandwiches spread with chopped celery and french dressing, two of white bread and sardines; three gingersnaps; three figs. . three sandwiches of white bread filled with cooked oysters, chopped fine, one of whole wheat with orange marmalade; a few pieces of celery, salted, a spice cake; a handful of nuts. . four sandwiches, two of minced chicken moistened with cream, two of whole wheat and chopped olives; a little jar of apple-sauce; gingerbread. . two date sandwiches, two of chopped cold meat; sugar cookies; three olives; an orange. . two fig sandwiches, two whole wheat with chopped celery and french dressing; a devilled egg; a little scalloped cake; an apple. . three lettuce sandwiches, one with brown sugar and butter; three tiny sweet pickles; ginger cookies; fresh plums. the end. index beverages chocolate cocoa coffee coffee, french lemonade lemonade with grape-juice tea tea, iced bread baking powder biscuit barneys cornbread, grandmother's cornbread, perfect flannel cakes griddle-cakes griddle-cakes, sweet corn milk toast muffins, cooking-school popovers toast waffles cake almond strips domino doughnuts eleanor's filling for layer cake: caramel fig maple marshmallow nut and raisin orange frosting: caramel chocolate plain fruit, easy gingerbread gingerbread, soft ginger cookies grandmother's little feather cake grandmother's sugar cookies layer margaret's own oatmeal macaroons peanut wafers sponge tea-party velvet candy betty's orange butter scotch candy potatoes chocolate creams chocolate fudge creamed dates creamed dates, figs and cherries cream walnuts cream made from confectioners' sugar dates with nuts maple fudge maple wax molasses nut peanut brittle peppermint drops pinoche pop-corn balls walnut creams cereals corn-meal mush corn-meal mush, fried farina croquettes hominy rice, boiled rice croquettes rice, fried cheese fondu scalloped welsh rarebit, easy desserts bread pudding brown betty cabinet pudding charlotte russe, easy coffee jelly cornstarch pudding, plain cornstarch pudding, chocolate cornstarch pudding, cocoanut cottage pudding custard, baked custard and cake custard, cocoanut floating island fruit jelly ice-creams and ices: packing the freezer chocolate ice-cream coffee ice-cream french ice-cream peach ice-cream plain ice-cream strawberry ice-cream lemon ice orange ice peach surprise raspberry ice strawberry ice vanilla parfait, the easiest of all junket lemon jelly lemon pudding orange jelly orange pudding peach shortcake prune jelly prune whips rice pudding with raisins snow pudding strawberry shortcake strawberry shortcake made with cake tapioca pudding pudding sauces: foamy grandmother's hard lemon orange maple, delicious quick white velvet cream eggs baked in little dishes beds, eggs in bird's nests boiled eggs, soft bacon, eggs with cheese, eggs with creamed eggs creamed in baking dishes creamed on toast devilled double cream with eggs ham and eggs, moulded omelette omelette with mushrooms omelette with mushrooms and olives omelette, spanish poached eggs poached eggs with potted ham scalloped scrambled scrambled with parsley scrambled with chicken scrambled with tomato fish codfish balls crab meat in shells creamed codfish creamed fish creamed lobster creamed salmon mackerel, salt oysters, creamed oysters, panned oyster pigs in blankets oysters, scalloped sardines, broiled scalloped lobster or salmon smelts, fried meats bacon, broiled chicken or turkey, creamed chicken hash chicken, pressed chops, broiled chops, panned cold corned beef hash dried beef, frizzled liver and bacon liver and bacon on skewers shepherd's pie sliced with gravy soufflé steak, broiled steak with bananas veal cutlet veal loaf pies apple pie or tart, deep cranberry general rule lemon orange peach peach pie, french pumpkin tarts potatoes cakes creamed hashed brown mashed saratoga stuffed sweet potatoes creamed fried scalloped salads cabbage cabbage in green peppers cauliflower celery celery and apple chicken egg fish lobster orange or grapefruit pineapple potato string bean tomato and lettuce tomato, stuffed salad dressings: french mayonnaise sandwiches celery cream cheese and nut chicken and celery egg lettuce nut olive sardine sweet tomato and cheese sauce: cream or white school luncheons soups cream soup, general rule cream of almonds cream of clams cream of corn cream of green peas cream of lima beans cream of oysters cream of potato cream of spinach cream of tomato (tomato bisque) meat soups bouillon, creamed extract, made from chicken or turkey made with cooked meat pea, split plain meat tomato vegetable, clear vegetables asparagus beans, lima beans, string beets beets, stuffed cabbage, creamed corn corn, canned macaroni onions peas tomatoes, baked tomatoes, stewed and pg distributed proofreaders foreign dishes a foreign dish for every day in the year _january._ .--austrian goulasch. boil calves' heads in salted water until tender; then cut the meat from the bone. fry dozen small peeled onions and potatoes, cut into dice pieces; stir in tablespoonful of flour and the sauce in which the meat was cooked. let boil up, add the sliced meat, teaspoonful of paprica and salt to taste; let all cook together fifteen minutes then serve very hot. .--east india fish. slice / pound of cooked salmon; then heat ounce of butter in a stew-pan; add small onions chopped fine, ounce of cocoanut, hard-boiled eggs chopped. let cook a few minutes, then add pint of milk; let boil up once. add the fish, teaspoonful of curry paste, teaspoonful of paprica and salt to taste. let cook a few minutes, then stir in large tablespoonful of boiled rice. serve very hot with toast. .--english gems. cream cup of butter with cups of brown sugar; add beaten eggs, teaspoonful of soda dissolved in large cup of strong coffee, cup of molasses, cups of sifted flour, / teaspoonful each of nutmeg, allspice, cloves and mace, teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar sifted with / cup of flour, cup of raisins, / cup of currants and chopped citron. mix well and fill buttered gem pans / full and bake until done. then cover with chocolate icing. .--turkish pudding. dissolve / box of gelatin; chop / pound of dates and mix with ounces of boiled rice, / cup of pulverized sugar and teaspoonful of vanilla; then mix the gelatin with pint of whipped cream. mix all well together and turn into a mold and stand on ice until cold. sprinkle with chopped nuts. serve with whipped cream. .--chinese chicken. cut a fat chicken into pieces at the joints; season with all kinds of condiments; then put in a deep saucepan. add some chopped ham, a few sliced bamboo sprouts, chopped onion and a handful of walnuts. cover with hot water and let stew slowly until tender. add some chinese sauce and parsley. serve with shredded pineapple. .--scotch scones. sift - / pints of flour; add a pinch of salt, teaspoonful of soda mixed with pint of sour milk. mix to a soft dough. lay on a well-floured baking-board and roll inch thick. cut with a round cake-cutter and bake on a hot greased griddle until brown on both sides. serve hot with butter. .--egyptian meat balls. chop pound of raw beef; season with salt, pepper and teaspoonful of curry-powder; add stalks of chopped celery, small onion and some chopped parsley. mix with beaten eggs and / cup of bread-crumbs, and make into small balls. let cook in hot butter until tender. serve on a border of boiled rice and pour over all a highly seasoned tomato-sauce. .--austrian potato dumplings. peel potatoes and boil whole in salted water until tender. drain, let get cold, then grate them and mix with eggs and ounce of butter; add salt to taste. mix well; add flour enough to form into dumplings and fry in deep hot lard until brown. serve hot with cooked fruit. .--belgian rice dessert. cook pint of milk; add / cup of boiled rice and some currants; stir in the yolks of eggs well beaten with tablespoonfuls of sugar. remove from the fire. add teaspoonful of vanilla; then form into cylinders. dip in beaten egg and fine bread-crumbs and fry a golden brown. sprinkle with pulverized sugar and put some red currant jelly on top and serve. .--bavarian pear pudding. soak / loaf of bread and press dry. mix with / pound of chopped suet; add a teaspoonful of salt, cup of sugar, eggs and the grated peel of a lemon, a pinch of cinnamon, cloves and allspice. add some sifted flour; mix well, and form into a large ball. then peel quart of pears. cut in half, and lay in a large saucepan a layer of pears; sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and grated lemon peel. lay in the pudding; cover with a layer of pears and pour over all tablespoonfuls of syrup. fill with cold water and boil half an hour; then bake three hours and serve hot. .--french pineapple bisque. beat the yolks of eggs with cup of pulverized sugar; add pint of cream; stir well until very light. then add small can of shredded pineapple and crush a few macaroons. mix well with a small glass of brandy. let freeze and serve in small glasses. .--russian pancakes. make a pancake batter and fry in thin cakes. then spread them with a layer of anchovies, butter and a layer of caviare. sprinkle with minced shallots, cayenne pepper and lemon-juice. roll up and serve hot as possible. .--egyptian cabbage. parboil a cabbage in salted water; drain and stuff with chopped cooked mutton. mix with chopped ham, onion and sprigs of parsley chopped fine. add / cup of cooked rice, salt and pepper to taste. place in a buttered baking-dish; sprinkle with bits of butter; add the juice of a lemon, and let bake in a moderate oven until done. baste often with butter and serve hot. .--madras baked fish. season a fish with salt, pepper, some grated green ginger and curry-powder. place in a baking-pan with sliced onion, chopped green peppers and sprig of parsley. pour over some water and hot melted butter; sprinkle with flour and bake until done. garnish with sliced lemon and parsley. .--norwegian salad. cut some pickled herring into pieces and mix with flaked lax, peeled apples and boiled potatoes. cut into dice pieces; add some chopped shallots and gherkins; sprinkle with finely minced tarragon and chervil, salt and pepper. cover with a plain salad dressing. .--dutch eggs. heat some butter in a pan; then break in as many eggs as needed and fry them; add some sliced onions. remove the eggs to a platter; arrange the onions on the eggs; sprinkle with salt and red pepper and pour over some lemon-juice. serve as hot as possible on toast. .--bavarian wine soup. mix pints of red wine with pint of water. add sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste and the grated peel of half a lemon. let come to a boil; then stir in the yolks of well-beaten eggs. do not boil again. serve hot with biscuits. .--english stuffed goose. season a fat goose with salt and pepper, and rub well with vinegar. then core small apples and fill the goose with the whole apples. put in the baking-pan, sprinkle with flour; pour over cup of hot water; add a lump of butter and bake until done. baste often with the sauce in the pan. serve the goose with the whole apples. .--vienna peach torte. make a rich pie-dough; then line a pie-dish with the dough. pare and remove the stones from the peaches and cut into quarters. lay closely on the pie; sprinkle with brown sugar and moisten with wine. bake in a moderate oven until done. then spread with a meringue and let brown in the oven a few minutes. .--egyptian meat-pie. line a large baking-dish with pie-dough. have ready / pound of calf's liver chopped, and / pound of fresh pork chopped fine. season highly and mix with / cup of butter, green peppers, onion chopped and / can of chopped mushrooms. moisten with a glass of sherry. fill the dish with the mixture and cover with the dough. let bake until done and serve hot. .--russian boiled fish. clean and season a whole fish and let boil with sliced onion, / cup of vinegar, a few slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley. add a tablespoonful of butter and let cook until tender. remove the fish to a platter; mix the sauce with tablespoonful of brown sugar, a pinch of ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg and the juice of a lemon. let boil well; then thicken with the yolks of beaten eggs and pour over the fish. serve cold. garnish with lemon-slices and olives. .--spanish cake. beat pound of butter with pound of sugar to a cream. add the yolks of eggs well beaten. sift pound of flour with teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and stir together with cup of milk. add the whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth with a pinch of salt. flavor with rose-water. bake in a moderate oven until done. .--vienna stewed carrots. peel some carrots and cut in small pieces. boil in salted water until tender; drain. brown tablespoonful of flour in tablespoonfuls of butter; add / cup of the water in which the carrots were cooked, tablespoonfuls of vinegar and a little sugar. let all boil; then add the carrots and cup of cooked peas, some chopped parsley and a pinch of pepper. simmer ten minutes and serve hot. .--russian fish-roll. chop some cooked trout and white fish, and mix with / cup of boiled rice. season with salt, pepper and all kinds of herbs minced fine. then make a rich pie-paste and roll out very thin. fill with the mixture and make into a roll. sprinkle with bits of butter and let bake until brown. serve hot with wine-sauce. .--india curried eggs. cut hard-boiled eggs in halves; then fry small chopped onion and chopped apple in hot butter; add / cup of pounded almonds and pint of milk, mixed with / tablespoonful of cornstarch. season with salt and a dessertspoonful of curry-powder. let cook ten minutes; then add the eggs. let all get very hot. serve with croutons; garnish with fried parsley. .--codfish a la lyonnaise. cut cold boiled codfish in pieces; then boil small onions until soft; heat tablespoonfuls of butter. add the boiled onions, small cold sliced potatoes, the codfish and cup of milk; sprinkle with pepper. cover and simmer ten minutes and serve hot. .--jewish crebchen soup. beat eggs with tablespoonfuls of water and a pinch of salt; then add enough flour to make a stiff dough. work it well with flour and roll out as thin as possible; fold it double and cut into square pieces and fill with minced cooked chicken or veal. sprinkle with chopped parsley and bits of butter; fold in the edges. have ready some soup stock; when boiling, add the crebchen and let boil until done. serve with the soup. .--french veal soufflé. heat tablespoonfuls of butter. mix with tablespoonfuls of flour until smooth; add cup of milk; let boil up. then add cup of minced veal, some parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. stir in the yolks of eggs. remove from the fire; let cool. beat the whites to a stiff froth; add to the meat. put in a buttered baking-dish and bake twenty minutes. serve at once. .--belgian potato salad. slice cold boiled potatoes very thin and mix with chopped celery and onion; season with salt and pepper. then mix the yolks of hard-boiled eggs with tablespoonful of olive-oil. add to the salad with tablespoonfuls of vinegar. sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. .--polish stewed tongue. cook a fresh tongue until tender; skin and slice thin. put a large spoonful of butter in a saucepan; add a chopped onion; let brown. then stir in tablespoonful of flour; add cups of the water in which the tongue was cooked, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon. let boil with the juice of lemon, tablespoonfuls of vinegar and tablespoonful of sugar. add the sliced tongue and simmer ten minutes. serve hot or cold. .--rissotto (italian). boil cup of rice in salted water until soft; drain. then grate parmesan cheese and cover the rice with cheese. let steam in the oven a few minutes; then pour over some highly seasoned tomato-sauce, and serve hot with fried veal chops. _february._ .--oriental canapes. take some lobster or crab-meat and pound in a mortar. mix with tablespoonful of butter; season with salt and pepper, a pinch each of mustard, cayenne, nutmeg and curry-powder and moisten with lemon-juice. cut small rounds of toasted bread; scoop out some of the centre; fill with the mixture and cover with a curry sauce. sprinkle with fine bread-crumbs and let bake in the oven a few minutes. serve hot. .--haggis (scotch). chop a sheep's tongue, liver and heart and pound of bacon. add large chopped onions; season with / teaspoonful of red pepper and teaspoonful of mixed herbs and salt to taste. mix with pint of toasted oatmeal, beaten eggs and the grated rind and juice of a lemon. then clean the pouch of the sheep and fill with the mixture. lay in boiling water and let boil three hours. serve with apple-sauce. .--austrian braised tongue. boil a large fresh beef tongue in salted water until tender. remove the tongue and lard it with thin strips of bacon; sprinkle with paprica; lay in a baking-pan; add onion sliced thin and cup of the water in which the tongue was cooked and pour over pint of cream. let bake in a moderate oven. baste often with the sauce. serve hot, and pour over the sauce; garnish with parsley. .--russian omelet. chop shallots with a little parsley and cook in hot water. add tablespoonfuls of caviare and a teaspoonful of lemon-juice; season to taste. beat eggs with tablespoonful of cream, salt and pepper, and fry in an omelet-pan with hot butter until done. put the mixture in the centre; turn in the ends and serve at once. .--madras potato curry. cut boiled potatoes into thin slices; then fry chopped onion in tablespoonfuls of butter. add ounces of grated cocoanut, teaspoonful of curry-powder and cup of milk, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. let boil up. add the sliced potatoes and a sprig of parsley chopped. let simmer a few minutes and serve hot. .--swiss baked eggs. melt ounce of butter in a baking-pan; then cover the bottom of the pan with thin slices of swiss cheese. break in eggs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. pour over tablespoonfuls of cream; sprinkle with grated swiss cheese, and let bake in the oven to a delicate brown. serve hot. .--jewish stewed shad. clean and cut a shad into large slices; sprinkle with salt, pepper and ginger. put on to boil with sliced onion, bay-leaf, a few cloves, sprigs of parsley and / cup of vinegar. when done, remove the fish to a platter; add / cup of raisins, tablespoonful of butter, / cup of pounded almonds, glass of wine, tablespoonful of brown sugar and a pinch of cinnamon. let boil until done and pour over the fish. garnish with sliced lemon and sprigs of parsley and serve cold. .--bombay spinach. boil the spinach in salted water until tender; drain and chop fine. fry chopped onion in tablespoonfuls of butter; add the chopped spinach, a pinch of pepper and curry-powder. cover and let simmer five minutes. serve on a platter with stewed prawns and garnish with croutons. .--spanish fricasseed shrimps. heat tablespoonfuls of butter; add onion chopped and cups of tomatoes. let fry; then stir in tablespoonful of flour; add / cup of water; let boil; add quart of shrimps, salt, pepper and parsley. let all cook twenty minutes. stir in the yolk of an egg. remove from the fire. put some boiled rice on a platter; add the shrimps and pour over the sauce. serve very hot. .--irish baked potatoes. peel and boil potatoes in salted water until tender; drain and mash with a lump of butter. put in a well-buttered baking-dish a layer of the potatoes and a layer of fried bread-crumbs until dish is full. moisten with beaten eggs, well seasoned with salt and pepper, and tablespoonfuls of milk. put in the oven to brown. serve with boiled fish. .--russian stewed chicken. cut a fat chicken into pieces at the joints and let stew, well seasoned with salt and pepper. then add some small whole onions, some cauliflower, mushrooms and cup of french peas. let all cook until tender; then serve hot on a large platter. .--dutch baked mackerel. place the mackerel in a baking-dish; sprinkle with pepper and chopped parsley. cover with fried bread-crumbs and bits of butter, and moisten with cream. then bake until brown on top and serve hot with stewed potatoes. .--polish roast mutton. season a leg of mutton with salt, pepper and a pinch of cloves. lay in a baking-pan with sliced onion, celery roots, cloves of garlic and carrots cut fine, bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme and a few peppercorns. pour over cup of vinegar and cup of hot water. dredge with flour and let bake in a hot oven. baste often with the sauce in the pan until nearly done; then add pint of sour cream and let bake until done. thicken with flour; boil up and pour over the roast. .--italian sugar cakes. beat - / pounds of sugar and / pound of butter to a cream; add yolks of eggs, a pinch of salt and nutmeg. stir in / pound of flour, ounces of currants, ounces of chopped almonds, tablespoonful of citron and candied orange peel chopped fine. add the whites beaten stiff and bake in small well-buttered cake-tins until done; then cover with a thin icing. .--oriental stewed prawns. clean and pick dozen prawns. heat some dripping in a large saucepan; add the prawns, chopped onion, salt, pepper and teaspoonful of curry-powder. add pint of stock and let simmer half an hour until tender. serve on a border of boiled rice; garnish with fried parsley. .--swiss steak. season a round steak with salt, black pepper and paprica; dredge with flour and let fry in hot lard on both sides until brown. then add some sliced onions and moisten well with tomato-sauce. cover and let simmer half an hour. serve hot on a platter with mashed potatoes. .--berlin herring salad. soak the herring over night; remove the milch and mash fine. cut off the head, skin and bone; chop the herring; add chopped apples, pickles, potatoes, olives and capers. put in the salad bowl; then add the yolk of a hard-boiled egg to the mashed milch, mustard, teaspoonful of sugar mixed with / cup of vinegar and a little lemon-juice, salt and pepper. pour the sauce over the salad and garnish with olives and sliced lemon. .--german lentil soup. to gallon of soup stock, add quart of lentils. let boil until lentils are soft, with sliced onion. then add some small sausages. let boil five minutes. season to taste and serve the soup with the sausages and croutons fried in butter. .--french spiced venison. rub the venison with salt, pepper, vinegar, cloves and allspice; then put in a baking-pan. pour over a cup of melted butter; add onion sliced, some thyme, parsley, the juice of a lemon, and a cup of hot water. let bake, covered, in a hot oven. baste often with the sauce when nearly done. sprinkle with flour; add a glass of sherry and let brown. serve with celery and currant jelly. .--spanish mushrooms. drain can of mushrooms and heat tablespoonfuls of butter. add shallots and clove of garlic chopped fine, some parsley and thyme and the mushrooms. let all fry a few minutes; then add the mushroom liquor and tablespoonfuls of white wine, salt and pepper to taste. let simmer five minutes and serve hot on slices of toast. .--vienna noodle pudding. boil some fine noodles in salted water for ten minutes; let drain. beat the yolks of eggs with cup of pulverized sugar and mix with the noodles. add / cup of raisins, / cup of pounded almonds, a pinch of cinnamon and the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth. put in a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake until brown. serve hot with lemon sauce. .--dutch sweet potato puff. peel and boil sweet potatoes in salted water until tender; then mash well with beaten yolks of eggs, cup of milk, tablespoonfuls of butter, tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of nutmeg and lemon-juice. beat the whites with a pinch of salt to a stiff froth; add to the potatoes and put in a well buttered baking-dish and bake. serve hot. .--spaghetti (italian). boil / pound of spaghetti until tender. drain. heat tablespoonful of butter, stir in / pound of grated cheese, salt and pepper. then add cup of milk; let boil and pour over the spaghetti. sprinkle with salt, pepper and grated cheese and let bake in the oven until done. serve hot. .--russian beet soup. boil medium-sized beets until tender; then chop and add to a highly seasoned chicken broth. add the juice of lemon, some cinnamon and nutmeg; let boil fifteen minutes. then add glass of red wine, mixed with a teaspoonful of brown sugar. let boil a few minutes longer and serve with fried croutons. .--boulettes. chop and mince pound of round steak, onion and sprigs of parsley. add tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonfuls of melted butter. season highly with salt, black pepper and a pinch of cayenne. mix with egg and form into balls; roll in flour and fry in deep hot lard until brown. serve hot with tomato-sauce. .--baden stewed lentils. boil quart of lentils until tender; then heat tablespoonfuls of butter. add chopped onion and stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown; add some cold water mixed with vinegar. let boil and pour the sauce over the lentils. season with salt and pepper, and serve with small boiled sausages. sprinkle the top with bread-crumbs fried in butter until brown. .--duck aux champignons. clean and season a pair of wild ducks and cut into pieces at the joints. heat tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan; add the ducks, large onion chopped fine, cloves of garlic and herb bouquet chopped. cover and brown a few minutes; add cup of water and stew until tender. then add / can of mushrooms and glass of claret and let simmer until done. .--hungarian beef stew. cut beef into small pieces. heat some dripping in a saucepan; add the meat, salt and black pepper; cover and let stew half an hour. then add potatoes cut into dice pieces, onion sliced thin, cup of hot water, and / teaspoonful of paprica. let all cook until tender. then add some chopped parsley and thicken the sauce with flour, mixed in / cup of milk. let cook a few minutes and serve hot. _march._ .--chicken chop suey (chinese). cut all the meat of a chicken into thin strips; season with black pepper, and cayenne, and fry in hot lard. add some ham, onion, celery, green bean sprouts and mushrooms cut fine. moisten with / cup of stock. add / cup of chinese sauce; cover and let simmer until tender. thicken the sauce with flour; add tablespoonfuls of cream and chopped parsley. serve hot on a platter with boiled rice. .--jewish shallét. line a well-buttered pudding-dish with a rich pie-paste and cover with a layer of sliced apples. sprinkle with cinnamon, grated lemon peel and small bits of butter, and moisten with white wine; then cover with a layer of the paste and fill with another layer of apples, nuts and raisins, a tablespoonful of syrup, the juice of / lemon and bits of butter. cover with the top crust; press in the edges with a beaten egg, and rub the top with butter. let bake in a moderate oven until done. .--russian relish. cut some slices of brown bread into fingers half an inch thick; spread with butter. mix some russian caviare with lemon-juice to taste and a tablespoonful of finely chopped shallots. spread the fingers with the mixture and place an oyster in the centre of each. sprinkle with salt and a pinch of paprica. serve. garnish with thin slices of lemon and parsley. .--dutch stuffed potatoes. select fine smooth potatoes; cut off the end of each and scrape out the inside. mix this with chopped ham, onion and parsley, and a tablespoonful of butter. season with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. fill the potato with the mixture and let bake in a moderate oven until tender and serve hot. .--fish a la marseilles. cut two kinds of fish into slices; season with salt. mince cloves of garlic, sprigs of parsley, sprigs of thyme and bay-leaves very fine. add a pinch of pepper. roll the fish in the spice. then fry sliced onions in butter; add cup of tomatoes, the juice of a lemon and cups of water. let boil up. add the fish and let boil until done. remove the fish to a platter. add a cup of white wine to the sauce and tablespoonful of sugar. boil up and pour over the fish. serve with toast. .--jewish stewed brains. clean and stew the brains with / cup of vinegar, sliced onion, salt and pepper. add a tablespoonful of brown sugar, / cup of raisins. let stew until tender. remove the brains to a platter; add a lump of butter and a tablespoonful of molasses to the sauce; boil up and pour over the brains. serve cold; garnish with lemon slices. .--austrian apple strudel. mix pint of flour with / cup of water, ounces of butter, eggs and a pinch of salt to a stiff dough; then roll out as thin as possible. pour over some melted butter; cover with chopped apples and raisins. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. make a large roll; bake in a buttered baking-pan with flakes of butter on top until brown. .--vienna nut torte. blanch / pound of almonds and pound in a mortar. then beat eggs with / cup of sugar. add teaspoonful of brandy and a teaspoonful of wine and lemon-juice; add lady fingers crumbled up fine. beat all together with the nuts; put in a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake. serve with wine sauce. .--bavarian cabbage salad. chop a cabbage with large onion and stalks of celery and peppers; season well with salt and sprinkle with pepper. heat some vinegar; add a teaspoonful of prepared mustard. then beat the yolks of eggs with a tablespoonful of sugar; add the hot vinegar slowly to the beaten eggs and mix with the cabbage. serve cold. .--russian stewed duck. clean and cut the duck into pieces and season with salt and pepper; then cut / pound of bacon into dice pieces and put in a large saucepan with onion and carrots. cut fine herb bouquet, a few cloves and a few peppercorns; add the duck. let all cook slowly with cup of stock until tender; then add cup of red wine. thicken the sauce with flour, boil and serve hot. .--russian chicken patties. chop the white meat of cooked chicken and turkey very fine and mix with chopped truffles and some chopped parsley. season with the grated peel of / lemon, a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and moisten with cream. make a puff-paste and roll out very thin. cut into squares and fill with a tablespoonful of the mixture. press the ends together and fry in deep hot lard until a light brown. drain and serve very hot with tomato-sauce. .--japanese salad. cut some celery, apples and truffles into fine shreds and mix with chrysanthemum flowers; season with salt and pepper. put in a salad bowl and cover with a mayonnaise dressing. garnish with chopped hard-boiled eggs and olives. .--polish chops. season veal chops with salt and pepper and let fry a few minutes in hot dripping. remove the chops and cover with a mixture of bacon, liver, onions and parsley minced fine and well seasoned. then let bake in the oven with cup of beef broth. baste often and serve very hot. .--spanish stewed rabbit. clean and parboil rabbits; then cut into pieces. sprinkle with flour and fry in hot lard. remove the rabbits. add chopped tomato and onion to the sauce; mix with flour; let fry; add the sauce in which the rabbit was cooked, some lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of red pepper, parsley and salt to taste. cook ten minutes; then add the rabbit and simmer five minutes. serve hot with boiled rice. .--scotch baked mutton. season a leg of mutton well with salt and pepper. dredge with flour and let bake in a hot oven until nearly done. then add some boiled turnips cut in quarters; sprinkle with pepper and flour; let bake until browned. serve the mutton on a platter with the turnips. .--belgian stuffed shad. season and stuff the shad with chopped oysters and mushrooms well seasoned. place in a well-buttered baking-dish; sprinkle with fine bread-crumbs, chopped onion and parsley. put flakes of butter on top and pour in cup of tomato-sauce. let bake until done. baste often with the sauce. serve with celery salad with french dressing. .--italian roast beef. cut several deep incisions in the upper round of beef and press into them lardoons of salt pork. stick cloves of sliced garlic and dozen cloves in the meat; season with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. put in the dripping-pan with some hot water and let roast until tender. serve with boiled macaroni. .--french apple soufflé. cook apples and sweeten to taste. mash well with tablespoonful of butter. beat the yolks of eggs with tablespoonfuls of sugar, the juice and rind of / lemon; add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. put in a buttered pudding-dish and bake in a moderate oven until done. .--german sweet pretzels. mix / pound of flour with / pound of fresh butter; add / pound of sugar, egg and beaten yolk, tablespoonful of sweet cream and some grated lemon peel. mix thoroughly and mold the dough into small wreaths; brush the top with the yolk of an egg and sprinkle with powdered sweet almonds. lay in a well-buttered baking-tin and bake until a deep yellow. .--french waffles. sift cups of flour with - / teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and / teaspoonful of salt. beat the yolks of eggs; add a tablespoonful of melted butter and cups of warm milk. add the beaten whites and stir in the flour, making a light batter. grease the waffle irons and fill with the batter. bake until a delicate brown. remove to a hot dish. serve hot with powdered sugar on top. .--swedish stewed mutton. season the breast of mutton with salt, pepper, thyme and mace; let stew slowly with onion and cloves of garlic chopped. add some chopped capers and mushrooms; cook until tender. then thicken the sauce with flour mixed with a glass of wine and boil up. serve hot with baked turnips. .--swedish pie. make a rich pie-dough; line a deep pie-dish with the paste and let bake. then fill with chopped boiled fish, oysters, shrimps and some chopped mushrooms. sprinkle with salt and paprica and the grated peel of a lemon. pour over / cup of melted butter and the juice of / lemon and a beaten egg. then cover with the dough and let bake until done. serve hot. .--greek stuffed egg-plant. parboil the egg-plant and cut in half. scrape out some of the inside and chop some cooked lamb, green peppers, onion, and tomatoes. then mix with a beaten egg, tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste. fill the halves with the mixture; sprinkle with bread-crumbs and bits of butter. put in a baking-dish with a little stock and bake. .--norwegian fish pudding. remove the bones from a large cooked fish and chop to a fine mince. mix with beaten eggs, tablespoonfuls of cream, tablespoonful of butter, season with salt, black pepper and / teaspoonful of paprica. beat well together with some bread-crumbs; fill a mold with the pudding and let steam one hour; then boil the sauce in which the fish was cooked, add tablespoonful of butter, chopped parsley and chopped onion. season highly; boil and serve with the pudding. .--japanese eggs. cook some rice in a rich chicken stock; place on a platter. fry eggs and trim neatly; sprinkle with salt, black pepper, chopped parsley and lemon-juice. put the eggs on the rice and pour a little hot tomato-sauce over the base of the platter and serve. .--jewish stewed brisket. boil beef brisket until tender, and slice thin. heat tablespoonfuls of butter; add chopped onion. stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown. add the water in which the meat was cooked, / cup of raisins, / cup of vinegar, tablespoonful of brown sugar and some cinnamon and carrot sliced thin, salt, pepper and a few cloves. let boil. add the brisket and simmer fifteen minutes. serve hot or cold. .--hungarian fruit roll. make a pie-dough. roll out and spread with melted butter, raisins, currants, chopped apples, nuts and shredded citron. cover well with brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon and the grated peel of a lemon. roll up the dough. lay in a buttered baking-pan. rub the top well with melted butter and let bake until brown. serve with wine sauce. .--dutch stewed fish. cook a large fish with onion, stalks of celery, parsley, a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper until done. remove fish to a platter. add chopped pickles, the juice and rind of a lemon, / cup of vinegar. mash the yolks of boiled eggs with raw egg, a teaspoonful of prepared mustard and a tablespoonful of butter. add to the sauce and boil. lay the fish in the boiling sauce ten minutes; then serve. .--belgian lamb chops. season lamb chops; dredge with flour and fry until brown; keep hot. fry chopped onion and small carrot in two tablespoonfuls of butter. add tablespoonful of flour; stir until light brown. add / cup of water; let boil well; add parsley, a few cloves and peppercorns, salt and pepper and bay-leaf minced fine. boil well. add glass of claret; then pour the sauce hot over the chops, and garnish with french peas. .--austrian apple omelet. peel, core and slice some apples very thin. heat large tablespoonful of butter in a frying-pan; put in the apples and let them steam until tender. make an egg omelet batter; sweeten to taste and pour over the apples; let cook until set. cover thickly with sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. serve hot with wine sauce. .--fish a la normandie. boil a trout well seasoned; add sliced onion, carrot chopped, sprigs of parsley and bay-leaf, a few peppercorns and tablespoonful of butter. when done, beat the yolks of eggs with a little cream; add salt and a pinch of cayenne. remove the fish to a platter. mix the egg sauce with the water in which the fish was cooked; add / cup of cream. let get very hot and pour over the fish. garnish with parsley. serve hot. _april._ .--italian tongue. boil a beef tongue until tender; skin and slice thin. heat tablespoonfuls of butter. add chopped onion and cloves of garlic minced fine. stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown; add a little water, cup of tomato-sauce, / cup chopped mushrooms, lemon-juice, salt and pepper to taste. let boil. add the sliced tongue, and / glass of sherry wine. simmer ten minutes. serve with baked macaroni. .--german prune pudding. cook pound of prunes in a large saucepan with sliced lemon, a piece of stick cinnamon and brown sugar. soak / loaf of bread in water; press out dry. add eggs, / teaspoonful each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice. add flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. make into a large roll; place in the centre of the prunes; cover with brown sugar and a tablespoonful of molasses and put in the oven to bake until done. serve hot or cold. .--swiss pot roast. season a breast of veal with salt, pepper and ginger. heat a cupful of dripping; lay the meat in the stew-pan with the dripping, onion, some celery seed, carroway seed, a few peppercorns and parsley. cover and let stew slowly until nearly done; then add cup of tomato-sauce and cook slowly until tender. serve with baked potatoes. .--mushrooms a la bordelaise. drain can of mushrooms; chop shallots very fine and sauté in tablespoonful of butter. add the chopped mushrooms; sprinkle with salt, pepper, some chopped parsley and minced bay-leaf. let cook ten minutes with / glass of sherry wine. serve hot on slices of french toast. .--turkish soup. season and fry some lamb chops; add green peppers sliced thin, onion chopped and an herb bouquet. then cook / cup of barley in quart of soup stock until tender. pour all together and let cook until meat is very tender. serve hot. .--scotch omelet. boil young tender leeks in salted water; let drain. chop to a fine mince and fry in hot butter. add well-beaten eggs, sprinkle with salt and pepper and fold into an omelet and serve on a hot dish. .--jewish egg bread. soak some matzoths in milk for a few minutes; then dip them into seasoned beaten eggs. add a pinch of sugar and let them fry in hot rendered butter until a golden brown. sprinkle with pulverized sugar and cinnamon and serve hot with coffee. .--bombay broiled kidney. clean sheep's kidneys and cut into thin slices. sprinkle with salt, cayenne pepper and grated lemon peel. then dip in beaten egg and fine bread-crumbs and broil on a hot greased gridiron. serve on buttered toast, spread with curry paste. .--german prune kuchen. boil some prunes until tender. remove the kernels and mash the prunes well. mix with sugar, cinnamon and lemon-juice to taste. make a rich biscuit dough, roll out and place on a well-buttered baking-pan. fill with the prunes and let bake until done. serve cold. .--french roast with carrots. lard a round of beef with slices of bacon and put in a large saucepan. cover and let brown a few minutes. add sliced onion and boiling water to cover. let cook slowly until tender; then scrape carrots and cut thin; add sliced onions, cloves of garlic and let cook until tender. thicken with butter and flour. season highly with salt, pepper and parsley; add to the meat, and let all cook together a half hour and serve hot. .--spanish fried chicken. cut a fat hen into pieces at the joints and boil until tender; season and fry with onion and green peppers chopped fine. add cup of tomato-sauce, salt and pepper to taste. serve the chicken on a platter with boiled rice. .--hungarian bread pudding. chop / cup of suet. mix with / loaf of stale bread that has been soaked and pressed dry. add cup of chopped apples, cup of sugar, / cup of chopped raisins and nuts. sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and grated lemon peel; then mix with the yolks of eggs and the whites beaten stiff. put in a well-buttered pudding-dish, and let bake until done. serve hot with wine sauce. .--swedish baked turnips. peel small tender turnips; heat tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan. place the turnips in whole, sprinkle with salt and pepper; add a tablespoonful of sugar. pour over a cup of water; cover and let cook for one hour until tender but not broken. thicken the sauce with flour and milk. add a little water and set in the oven a half hour, covered with paper; then serve. .--belgian baked bananas. skin fine bananas and lay them whole in a baking-dish. sprinkle with sugar and grated lemon peel. add the juice of orange, / lemon and / glass of sherry wine. let bake in a quick oven. put the bananas in a glass dish and pour over the sauce. let get cold and serve. .--japanese rice. boil cup of rice; add chopped shallots, teaspoonful of soy and salt to taste. place on a platter, cover with chopped hard-boiled eggs, sprinkle with salt, paprica and chopped parsley. garnish with some thin slices of smoked salmon. .--scotch loaf cake. mix / pound of butter with / pound of sugar, / cup of chopped nuts and / cup of shredded citron; then work in pound of sifted flour with teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. make a loaf a half inch thick and bake in a moderate oven until done. .--english meat loaf. chop cooked veal and boiled ham; place in a well-greased mold alternate layers of veal, ham and hard-boiled eggs. sprinkle with pepper, mace and chopped parsley. moisten with beef-stock and let bake in the oven. serve cold, sliced very thin, garnished with watercress. .--jewish purim cakes. beat cup of sugar with / cup of butter to a cream; add beaten eggs, a pinch of salt, / cup of milk and the grated peel of / lemon. add enough sifted flour with teaspoonful of baking-powder to make a soft biscuit dough. put on a well-floured baking-board. roll out a half inch thick. cut into triangles and drop in a kettle of hot rendered butter; fry until a golden brown. then mix some powdered sugar with a little milk and flavor with vanilla. spread on the top. .--swiss pie. make a rich pie-dough. line a buttered pie-dish with the dough; then slice three onions very thin and let cook in hot butter until tender; add a pinch of salt. fill the pie with the onions, cover the top with cream and let bake in a moderate oven until done. serve hot or cold. .--french apple fritters. peel and slice large apples; sprinkle with sugar and lemon-juice and make a rich egg batter. sweeten to taste and flavor with tablespoonfuls of orange-flower water. lay the sliced apples in the batter and fry in deep hot lard to a golden brown. serve with wine sauce. .--jewish purim torte. line a well-buttered baking-dish with a rich pie-paste. then mix cup of fine poppy-seeds with the yolks of eggs and / cup of sugar, some chopped raisins and nuts and the juice of / lemon. add the whites beaten stiff; then fill with the mixture and let bake until done. .--english boiled pudding. mix / pound of butter with / pound of powdered sugar to a cream. add the yolks of eggs beaten, / cup of seeded raisins and some chopped citron, a pinch of nutmeg and cinnamon. mix in / pound of sifted flour and / teaspoonful of baking-powder. add the whites, beaten to a stiff froth; put in a buttered pudding-mold, and let boil until done. serve with brandy sauce. .--german stewed brains. clean the brains. heat tablespoonful of drippings in a pan; add the brains, sliced onion, some parsley, salt and pepper. let stew fifteen minutes. thicken the sauce with butter and flour; let boil up. serve hot with spinach and sprinkle all with chopped hard-boiled eggs. .--scotch cream muffins. sift pint of flour with teaspoonful of baking-powder; beat three yolks of eggs with a pinch of salt; add pint of cream and tablespoonful of melted butter. stir in the flour; add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. beat all well together. fill the muffin-rings / full and bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. .--french tart. make a rich pie-dough. line a large pie-dish with the paste and bake. take ounces of almonds and pound to a paste; add tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar, tablespoonfuls of melted butter, / teaspoonful of cinnamon and the yolks of eggs well beaten with tablespoonful of rum. add the beaten whites; fill the pie and bake in a moderate oven. then make a glacé. mix ounce of granulated sugar with tablespoonful of cold water and let come to a boil. put on the pie when cool and serve. .--polish stewed beans. break string-beans into pieces and let boil in salted water until tender; then heat tablespoonful of butter; stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown. add the water in which the beans were cooked, / cup of vinegar, tablespoonful of brown sugar, some cinnamon and cloves to taste. let sauce boil. add the beans and simmer ten minutes. serve hot with a beef pot roast. .--vienna milk rolls. sift - / quarts of flour; add / teaspoonful of salt; work in a large tablespoonful of butter; then stir in / cup of milk with a piece of yeast dissolved in the milk and a teaspoonful of sugar. beat all up well with pint of milk; let raise over night. roll out an inch thick; cut with a biscuit-cutter; rub with melted butter; lay in a buttered baking-pan; let raise one hour; then bake in a hot oven twenty minutes. .--scotch potato stew. cut the potatoes into small dice pieces and fry in hot lard. then fry onion cut fine in hot butter, but do not brown; stir in some flour; then add milk, salt, pepper and parsley. let boil up once and add the potatoes to the sauce. let all get very hot and serve. .--jewish dumplings. soak crackers in water; then press dry. fry chopped onion in butter and pour over the crackers. add eggs and chopped parsley; sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. mix all with some cracker-meal until you can form into balls and boil in salted water until done. serve hot with melted butter poured over them, and garnish with parsley. .--italian soup. chop some cabbage and let fry in tablespoonfuls of butter; add / cup of rice (dry) and clove of garlic chopped with / small onion. let fry a few minutes; then add quarts of soup-stock seasoned with salt, white pepper and a little saffron to taste. add / cup of grated parmesan cheese; let all cook until done. serve with toasted croutons. _may._ .--turkish purée. boil cup of lentils with bay-leaf, sprigs of parsley, a pinch of salt and pepper to taste; add some mace and cook until tender. then fry chopped onion in tablespoonfuls of olive-oil; add the lentils and cup of cooked rice and tablespoonful of butter. stir well together and let get very hot. put on a platter and pour over a highly seasoned tomato-sauce and serve. garnish with fried parsley. .--jewish kugel. soak / loaf of bread in water; then press it dry. heat / cup of butter and mix with the bread; add chopped apples, / cup of raisins, / cup of pounded almonds and the grated peel of a lemon. add the yolks of eggs and the whites beaten to a stiff froth; mix well together. put in a buttered pudding-dish and pour over / cup of melted butter; let bake in a moderate oven until brown. serve hot. .--english muffins. take quart of warm milk, / cup of yeast, teaspoonful of salt and flour enough to make a stiff batter; let stand to raise until light. then add / cup of melted butter, teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water; add enough flour to make a very stiff batter and let raise half an hour. then fill well-greased muffin-rings half full with the batter and bake in a quick oven until done. serve with butter. .--spanish roast veal. season a -pound veal-roast with salt and pepper and rub well with butter; put in the dripping-pan with one large sliced onion, bay-leaf, sprigs of parsley and of thyme and sage. add / teaspoonful each of cloves, allspice and mace. pour in cup of hot water and the juice of a lemon and dredge with flour; add a tablespoonful of butter. let bake until brown and tender. baste often with the sauce and serve. .--madras stewed chicken. cut a spring chicken into pieces at the joints; season with salt and pepper and fry in hot lard with some tender mutton chops. fry sliced onion in hot butter with ounces of rice, teaspoonful of curry-powder and chopped apple; add to the chicken. moisten with quart of chicken broth, season to taste and let simmer until the chicken and mutton are very tender; then add pint of hot oysters and the juice of / lemon. let all get very hot and serve on a platter with fried egg-plant. .--irish beef rolls. chop some fat beef with onion and sprigs of parsley. season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and a little mace to taste and the grated rind of / lemon, beaten egg and / cup of fine bread-crumbs. mix all well together and shape into rolls. then heat some dripping in a saucepan; lay in the rolls; cover and let simmer until brown. serve hot with the sauce. .--norwegian fruit pudding. boil pint of raspberries and pint of red currants in cups of water until soft; add cups of sugar, some cinnamon, cup of pounded almonds and tablespoonful of chopped citron. let cook and mash until smooth; then thicken with a little cornstarch. remove from the fire and pour into a mold. when cold, serve with whipped cream. .--spanish puffs. put a large cupful of water in a saucepan; add ounces of butter, / teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of pulverized sugar. while boiling, stir in sifted flour until stiff and smooth. remove from the stove and stir in the yolks of eggs, one at a time, and the beaten whites; then fry by the teaspoonful in boiling lard until browned. serve with a caramel sauce. .--belgian veal scallop. chop cooked veal to a fine mince; butter a baking-dish and put alternate layers of veal, rice and tomato-sauce until dish is full. cover over with fine bread-crumbs; pour over some melted butter and let bake in the oven until brown. serve with french peas. .--parisian chicken. clean and season spring chickens. put them in a saucepan with tablespoonfuls of butter; cover and let simmer until brown. add / can of mushrooms, chopped parsley, and glass of wine; let all cook until done. put on a platter and pour over cup of hot cream. serve, garnished with croutons. .--german boiled noodles. make a stiff noodle-dough; roll out very thin and cut into ribbons half an inch wide. let them dry and boil in salted water; drain in a colander. fry some sliced onions in butter until soft; add the noodles. stir and serve hot with stewed chicken. .--dutch baked fish. clean and split a fish open down the back; remove the backbone; sprinkle with salt and pepper; put in a baking-dish, flesh side up. put flakes of butter on top; sprinkle with a little flour; moisten with cream. bake in a hot oven until brown. pour over a hollandaise sauce and serve hot. .--vienna cheese torte. mix cup of cottage cheese with tablespoonful of cream, tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonful of butter, tablespoonfuls of sugar, the yolks of eggs, and a pinch of salt and cinnamon. mix all together with the whites beaten stiff; then line muffin-rings with a rich pastry-dough; fill with the cheese and bake in a moderate oven until brown. .--hungarian fried noodles. beat eggs with tablespoonfuls of water; add a pinch of salt and enough flour to make a stiff dough work well. then roll out as thin as paper; fold the dough and cut into round pieces; fry in deep hot lard to a golden brown. serve hot with stewed chicken. .--belgian roast lamb. season pounds of lamb with salt, pepper and lemon-juice; put in the dripping-pan with small chopped onions, bay-leaf, sprigs of parsley and thyme; then pour over / cup of butter and dredge with flour. add a cup of hot water and the juice of a lemon. let bake in a hot oven until done. serve with french peas. .--russian salad. chop / pound of cold roast veal with / pound of smoked salmon, sour pickles, sour apples, large onion, some beans and capers and hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. add some chopped nuts. season and pour over a mayonnaise dressing. garnish with sliced beets and olives; serve cold. .--french rolls. prepare the dough as for bread. work in / pound of butter and / pound of sugar. add beaten eggs; form into rolls; put in a well-buttered baking-pan; let them raise half an hour. brush the tops with beaten egg and let bake until done. .--german herring salad. soak herrings over night in cold water; remove the milch; cut off the head and skin and cut the herring into small pieces; add apples, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, onion, a few olives, all cut fine. put into bowl; mash the milch with a little mustard, teaspoonful of sugar, pepper and salt. add / cupful of vinegar and mix all well together. garnish with sliced lemon, and serve with boiled potatoes. .--belgian fried calf's feet. clean and boil the calf's feet until tender; season with salt and pepper. remove the large bones from the feet; beat eggs with salt and pepper; dip the feet in the beaten eggs; then roll in fine bread-crumbs and fry in deep hot lard until brown. serve hot with tomato-sauce. .--italian ice cream. whip quart of cream with cupfuls of sugar until stiff. put in the freezer until half frozen; then add the juice and grated peel of lemons, tablespoonfuls of fine brandy, and a little pistache coloring. let freeze until hard and serve with cake. .--french chocolate biscuits. beat the yolks of eggs with ounces of powered sugar; add ounce of powdered french chocolate. mix well with ounces of flour and the whites beaten stiff with a pinch of salt; add tablespoonful of vanilla extract. bake on wafer sheets in small cakes to a light brown. .--india canapes. cut slices of bread into delicate circles and toast in butter; then take ounce of chutney and ounces of grated parmesan cheese; spread the toast with ham and the chutney and sprinkle with grated cheese. set in the oven a few minutes and serve hot, garnished with fried parsley. .--chicken a la tartare. season and stew spring chickens with onion, some capers, parsley, bay-leaf and sprigs of thyme chopped fine until tender. remove the chickens; add tablespoonful of minced pickles, teaspoonful of made mustard, teaspoonful of tarragon and / cup of mayonnaise sauce. let boil up and pour over the chickens. serve with boiled rice. .--jewish pudding. soak matzoth crackers in water; press dry and mix with tablespoonful of butter, a pinch of salt, the yolks of eggs, a small cup of sugar, some cinnamon, / cup of raisins and a little grated lemon peel. add the beaten whites and bake until brown. serve with wine sauce. .--german potato pancakes. peel large potatoes and lay in salted water half an hour; then grate the potatoes; add pepper, salt, eggs and a large spoonful of flour. beat well together and fry in hot lard by the tablespoonful until light brown. serve hot with a pot roast. .--english roast veal. season a veal loin roast with salt and pepper and rub with butter. put in the dripping-pan with sliced onions, tomatoes and parsley and tablespoonfuls of dripping. let roast; baste often until tender. serve hot or cold, cut into thin slices. .--russian rice pudding. mix cold boiled rice with the juice and rind of a lemon, cup of sugar and / glass of fine rum; then press into a mold. let get very cold and serve with cold cooked fruit. .--scotch pudding. take quart of black cherries; remove the stones and mix with / pound of fine bread-crumbs, some chopped nuts, the beaten yolks of eggs and / cup of sugar. add the whites beaten stiff. bake in a well-buttered pudding-dish and serve cold. .--italian potato balls. peel and boil potatoes in salted water until soft; drain, and mash smooth. take a pint of the mashed potatoes; mix with tablespoonfuls of melted butter and egg; add a little flour, and form into balls. put them into a well-buttered baking-pan; sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and bake in a quick oven to a golden brown. serve with stewed chicken. .--belgian veal cutlets. season veal cutlets; dip in beaten egg and roll in fine bread-crumbs. fry in deep hot lard; keep hot. chop a few onions with a clove of garlic and fry in a tablespoonful of butter. stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown; add a little water and the juice of a lemon, salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. let boil well; then remove from the fire; stir in the yolks of eggs, and let get very hot; pour over the chops. serve with french peas. .--french lemon cookies. beat the yolks of eggs; add cup of butter and cups of sugar beaten. add the whites beaten stiff and a teaspoonful of lemon extract. add enough flour with a teaspoonful of baking-powder to make a stiff dough. roll out thin; cut into small cookies and bake in a quick oven to a light brown. _june._ .--italian stuffed tomatoes. cut tomatoes in halves; take out some of the pulp. fry large onion in butter, add the tomato pulp, a piece of beef-marrow, sprigs of chopped parsley, salt and pepper. remove from the fire; add a beaten egg and mix with bread-crumbs and a pinch of nutmeg. then fill the tomatoes, sprinkle with buttered bread-crumbs and bake until done. serve on a platter with poached eggs. garnish with croutons. .--english salad. pick, wash and drain heads of lettuce and break into pieces. mix with some watercress, shredded celery and a few leaves of mint. put in a salad bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper, sugar and lemon-juice and pour over a salad-dressing. garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs and pickled beet-root. .--scotch stuffed eggs. boil eggs until hard; remove the shells. cut out the centres lengthwise; then chop cooked chicken to a fine mince; add the yolk of a raw egg and mix with cream. season to taste with salt and pepper. fill the eggs and dip them in beaten eggs and fine bread-crumbs and fry a light brown. serve hot with cream sauce. garnish with parsley. .--oriental vegetable curry. peel and fry some small onions. add stalks of celery, cut into inch pieces; sprinkle with salt, pepper and curry-powder; add a few truffles and pour over all cup of stock. let stew until tender. then boil some potatoes; mash smooth with butter and season with curry sauce. place a border of mashed potatoes on a platter and put the stew in the centre; serve hot. garnish with fried parsley. .--chinese noodle soup. boil a large hen in quarts of water. add a few slices of ham, onion sliced, some sliced mushrooms, stalks of celery cut fine, tomatoes and chinese chopped herbs. let cook three hours and strain; then boil up; add fine noodles and let cook ten minutes. add chopped parsley and serve at once. .--hindu eggs. slice some hard-boiled eggs and place in a well-buttered baking-dish. cover with well-beaten raw eggs; sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne and curry-powder, a few bits of butter rolled in bread-crumbs and some grated cheese. let bake in a moderate oven until done. .--portugal veal stew. heat tablespoonfuls of olive-oil in a stew-pan; add sliced onions, a clove of garlic and a few capers. let fry a few minutes. stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown; add / cup of stock; season with salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and a pinch of saffron. add cup of white wine; let boil; then add cooked veal sliced thin. let cook ten minutes in the sauce and serve very hot. .--italian coffee cream. mix - / cups of strong coffee with / cup of rich milk in a double boiler; add / cup of sugar, tablespoonful of gelatin and a pinch of salt. then stir in the yolks of eggs beaten with / cup of sugar until it thickens. remove from the fire; add the whites beaten to a froth and a teaspoonful of vanilla. pack in a mold and freeze until hard and serve with whipped cream. .--scotch rarebit. cut / pound of cheese in very small pieces and add ounce of fresh butter, tablespoonfuls of fine bread-crumbs, teaspoonful of prepared mustard, salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne to taste. mix well together to a smooth paste. have ready some buttered toast; place on a dish, spread with the mixture and set in the oven until melted. serve at once. .--irish ham omelet. beat yolks of eggs with a pinch of salt; add the whites beaten stiff and mix with a tablespoonful of cream. beat ounces of butter in an omelet pan; add the beaten eggs and shake the pan to spread evenly. have ready some finely minced ham. spread on half of the omelet, fold and serve at once on a hot dish. .--jewish stewed tongue. boil a calf's tongue in salted water until tender; skin and slice thin. then heat tablespoonfuls of butter; add chopped onion; stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown; add cups of the water in which the tongue was cooked, / cup of seeded raisins, a few cloves, bay-leaf, / cup of vinegar, and / teaspoonful of paprica. let all boil well; then add the sliced tongue. let simmer ten minutes. serve hot or cold. .--french prune soufflé. cook / pound of prunes until soft; remove the stones and cut the prunes into small pieces. mix with some chopped nuts and the yolks of eggs well beaten with tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar. add teaspoonful of vanilla and the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. put in a pudding-dish and bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes and serve. .--italian cooked eggs. take hard-boiled eggs and cut lengthwise. put in a pan with anchovies, some onion juice and tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. season with salt, white pepper and a little nutmeg, grated. then pour over all / pint of sour cream. let boil up once and serve hot with croutons. .--spanish broiled steak. season a porter-house steak with salt and pepper and rub with butter. place on a hot gridiron and let broil on a quick fire on both sides. make this sauce: chop onion and brown in tablespoonful of butter; add / cup of stock and / cup of claret; let boil well. season and thicken the sauce with a little flour and some chopped parsley. let boil up and serve at once with the steak. .--liver a la bourgogne. season a calf's liver with salt and pepper; put a few slices of bacon in a saucepan; let get very hot. add the liver, onion, carrot, bay-leaves and sprigs of thyme minced fine; cover and let brown a few minutes. then add glass of sherry wine, salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. let simmer ten minutes. serve hot with potatoes. .--messina macaroni. boil some macaroni in salted water until tender. then fry onion and cloves of garlic chopped in olive-oil. add cup of tomato-sauce, salt and pepper to taste. then add the macaroni, and let fry altogether. serve hot with baked chicken. .--dutch prune pudding. boil prunes until very soft; remove the stones. mash well; add the yolks of beaten eggs, tablespoonfuls of sugar, cup of bread-crumbs, teaspoonful of vanilla, / cup of chopped nuts, and the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. put in a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake in a moderate oven until done. serve cold. .--irish beef stew. season a piece of fat beef; put in a stew-pan with some hot water. let cook slowly a half hour. then add potatoes, cut in dice pieces, and onion, sliced. let cook slowly until tender. add / cup of corn and cup of tomatoes; season with salt and pepper. let all cook until done. serve hot. .--english creamed asparagus. cut tough ends from the asparagus; scrape and boil in salted water until tender. make a cream sauce. when done, stir in the yolk of an egg; season with a little white pepper. the sauce must be rather thick and poured hot over the asparagus. serve with veal chops. .--french float. line a glass dish with stale sponge-cake. sprinkle with wine. make a boiled custard. use yolks of eggs and flavor with rose-water. beat the whites with pulverized sugar and flavor to taste. pour the custard over the cake and place the stiffly beaten whites on top. put on the ice and serve very cold. .--russian pot roast. season a round of beef with salt, pepper, cloves and nutmeg. put in a saucepan on hot dripping. peel small onions and slice carrots and cloves of garlic. add to the meat with herb bouquet. cover with cup of hot water and let cook slowly until tender; then add / can of chopped mushrooms, glass of claret, salt and pepper to taste. serve hot on a border of mashed potatoes. .--spanish salad. take / pound of chopped chicken, / pound of almonds, red pepper, spanish onion and head of chicory chopped fine. mix in a salad bowl with / teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of curry-powder, tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, tablespoonfuls of olive-oil. garnish with sliced beets and bananas. .--scotch baked potatoes. peel and slice raw potatoes very thin; then beat egg with tablespoonful of butter. put the potatoes into a shallow baking-dish, sprinkle well with salt and pepper. add enough milk to cover the potatoes; add the beaten egg. sprinkle / cup of grated cheese over all and let bake until done. .--german apple cake. make a biscuit dough; roll out very thin and put on a well-buttered cake-pan. have ready some apples. cut in quarters; lay closely on the cake; sprinkle thick with brown sugar; add some cinnamon and a handful of currants. pour some fresh melted butter over the cake; set in the oven to bake until done. serve with coffee. .--english ham sandwiches. cut thin slices of fresh bread. chop ham with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs; add some made mustard and fresh butter and a dash of pepper. mix all well and spread between the slices of bread. serve on a folded napkin and garnish with sprigs of parsley. .--swiss peach custard. line a well-buttered pudding-dish with slices of sponge-cake and cover with peach compote. make an egg custard and cover with the custard; set in the oven to bake. beat the whites of eggs with a little lemon-juice and pulverized sugar spread on the top and let brown. serve cold. .--french veal hash. cut veal round-steak into small pieces. then fry some chopped bacon, onion and cloves of garlic chopped; add the meat; stir well and let all fry a few minutes. add cup of boiling water and let cook slowly with some parsley and thyme, salt, pepper, until tender. add a tablespoonful of vinegar. let boil up; remove from the fire and stir in the yolks of eggs well beaten. serve hot with toast. .--vienna potato salad. slice boiled potatoes thin; chop some onion very fine; slice hard-boiled eggs and mix. sprinkle all with salt and pepper. then heat some vinegar. add a teaspoonful of made mustard and stir with the beaten yolk of an egg. mix all together with tablespoonful of hot butter and chopped parsley. serve with cold meats. .--french baked omelet. beat yolks of eggs; add soda crackers crushed fine, salt, pepper, teaspoonful of grated onion, tablespoonful of butter and cup of milk. beat up well; add the whites beaten stiff; put into a well-buttered baking-dish and let bake in a hot oven. serve at once. .--italian batter cakes. beat yolks of eggs with cup of milk, a salt-spoonful of salt, tablespoonful of olive-oil and tablespoonful of sugar. mix with / cup of flour and the beaten whites of the eggs. fry until light brown. serve with cooked fruit. _july._ .--portugal iced pudding. mix quart of vanilla ice-cream with gill of wine, / pound of malaga grapes, ounces of candied orange peel, chopped fine, and pint of whipped cream. then place in the freezer to harden and serve. .--english chicken salad. mix cup of cold chicken cut fine with cup of chopped celery, cup of cooked chestnuts chopped and green peppers cut fine. season with salt and pepper. put on crisp lettuce leaves in the salad bowl; cover with a mayonnaise dressing. serve cold. .--turkish stewed lamb. season a quarter of a young lamb and cut into pieces. lay in a large stew-pan and cover with hot water. add sliced onion, sliced green peppers and tomatoes, red pepper and sprigs of parsley. let stew slowly until tender. then fry thin slices of egg-plant and add to the stew. serve hot. .--irish apple pudding. pare and slice apples and lay them in a buttered pie-dish. sprinkle with brown sugar; add the juice and rind of / of a lemon, a pinch of cinnamon and cloves. then cover with a rich pie-paste and let bake until done. .--indian rice. boil cup of rice in chicken broth; add a pinch of curry-powder and season to taste with salt and pepper. boil / teaspoonful of saffron in cup of the stock; then let all cook slowly until the broth is entirely absorbed by the rice. serve very hot. .--hungarian chicken soup. boil a large chicken in quarts of water; season with salt, sage and pepper; add onion chopped and cook until tender. remove the chicken and chop it fine; then add to the soup with the yolks of well-beaten eggs; let all get very hot. sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve at once. .--yorkshire pudding. beat eggs with a pinch of salt; add pint of milk and / of a cup of flour. stir until smooth. then pour into a well-greased pan and bake until done. serve with english roast-beef, and pour over the gravy. .--portugal salad. slice cucumbers, tomatoes, onion and two green peppers. then sprinkle with chopped clove of garlic, salt and pepper and cover with some thin slices of bread. pour over all a cup of vinegar and / cup of olive-oil and serve. .--english chocolate pudding. soak ounces of bread-crumbs in milk and press dry; add ounces of butter mixed with ounces of sugar and ounces of chocolate; add the yolks of eggs well beaten, and flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla; add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. bake in a quick oven and serve at once. .--spanish canapes. prepare circular pieces of buttered toast. then mix cup of chopped fish with sweet pickles minced fine, and tablespoonfuls of madras chutney; moisten with tablespoonfuls of hollandaise sauce. spread this mixture over pieces of toast; sprinkle with tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese. let bake for five minutes and serve. .--french strawberry pudding. dip enough macaroons in wine to line the pudding-dish; cover with sweetened strawberries. beat the yolks of eggs with sugar and flavor with vanilla; pour over the strawberries; put in the oven to bake. beat the whites to a stiff froth with some pulverized sugar; put on top of the pudding and let brown. serve cold. .--veal croquettes a la reine. chop cold veal. mix with some sweetbread and mushrooms chopped. season with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. add a sprig of parsley and a little onion chopped fine. mix with a beaten egg and bread-crumbs; sprinkle with nutmeg. form into croquettes. dip in beaten egg and fine bread-crumbs and fry in deep hot lard. serve hot with a cream sauce. .--german cheese pie. line a pie-plate with a rich pie-dough. mix cup of cottage cheese with tablespoonful of butter, / cup of sugar, eggs, a pinch of salt and a few currants. mix well. fill the pie. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake until light brown. serve hot or cold. .--italian veal patés. chop cooked veal with some onion, parsley, thyme and clove of garlic; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. add some chopped ham, lemon-juice and eggs. mix with bread-crumbs and melted butter. fill into small pate shells; rub with butter and beaten egg. place a paper over the top and let bake in a moderate oven. serve with tomato-sauce. .--hungarian noodle pudding. boil finely cut noodles in salted water drain and mix with the yolks of eggs, / cup of raisins, sugar, cinnamon, and grated lemon peel to taste. add the beaten whites. line the pudding-dish with a rich pie-paste. fill with the noodles and pour over some melted butter. bake until brown. serve hot with lemon sauce. .--polish stewed chicken. clean a fat hen and cut into pieces at the joints; season and let stew with sliced onions, carrots and potato, cut into dice pieces. when nearly done, add cup of sauerkraut, tablespoonfuls of sorrel and / cup of wine. let cook until tender and serve on a platter with cooked rice. .--madras curried apples. peel and core sour apples and cut into rings; then sprinkle with curry-powder and let fry until tender. add a few thinly cut shallots. cover and let simmer until done. serve on a platter with boiled rice and pour over a curry sauce. .--irish batter cakes. beat the yolks of eggs; add a pinch of salt, tablespoonful of melted butter, small cup of milk and sifted flour enough to make a smooth batter. beat well. add the whites of eggs, beaten stiff and let fry a golden color; then spread with jam and serve hot. .--spanish baked eggs. poach eggs as soft as possible. butter a baking-dish; add a layer of bread-crumbs and grated cheese. place the eggs on the crumbs; sprinkle with salt, pepper, grated cheese and chopped parsley. cover with bread-crumbs and pour over some cream sauce. let bake in a hot oven until brown on top. serve with toast. .--scotch stewed onions. boil dozen small onions and leeks in salted water until tender; drain. heat tablespoonfuls of butter. stir in tablespoonful of flour until smooth but not brown; then add / pint of rich milk; season highly with pepper, and salt to taste. add the onions; let boil up and serve. .--german baked cabbage. take a large cabbage; remove the outer leaves and the inside, leaving a frame. chop all the cabbage from the inside and fry in hot grease with sliced onion. remove from the fire. mix well with bread-crumbs and / cup of chopped ham, eggs, salt, black pepper and cayenne. refill the cabbage; put on the outside leaves; cover the top with leaves. put in a baking-pan; sprinkle with bits of butter and pour in / cup of water. let bake until brown. serve hot. .--dutch veal stew. season pounds of veal with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. put a few slices of bacon in a stew-pan; when hot, add the veal. cover and let brown a few minutes; then add carrots and onion sliced thin, some thyme and mace; pour over cup of hot water. cover and let cook slowly until tender. thicken with flour mixed with / cup of milk. add chopped parsley; season to taste and serve with baked potatoes. .--french baked apple dumplings. peel and core apples; sprinkle well with sugar. then mix some cold boiled rice with egg, a pinch of salt, sugar and cinnamon, flour enough to make a dough. cover the apples with the dough; put in a well-buttered baking-dish with tablespoonfuls of butter and bake to a delicate brown. serve with whipped cream. .--bavarian fried brains. clean and boil the brains in salted water; add onion sliced; let cook ten minutes. remove the brains and mash up well with tablespoonful of butter, some bread-crumbs and parsley chopped, salt and pepper to taste; add eggs. mix together and fry in deep hot lard by the tablespoonful until brown. serve with tomato-sauce. .--polish bread pudding. soak pint of bread in a quart of milk; add the yolks of eggs, cup of sugar, tablespoonfuls of melted butter, / cup of raisins, / cup of currants, the juice of / lemon. mix well and bake until brown; then beat the whites to a stiff froth with tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar. spread the pudding with jelly and cover with the beaten whites; set in the oven to brown. .--vienna cherry cake. make a rich biscuit dough; roll out; then put on a well-buttered baking-tin. stone black cherries. sprinkle the dough with flour and cover with the cherries. sprinkle with sugar and let bake until done. then cover with a sweetened egg custard and bake until brown. serve cold. .--belgian poached eggs. cut thin round slices of bread and toast them. spread with chopped anchovies and chopped ham. cover the top with whipped whites of eggs and place a raw yoke on each slice of bread. set in the oven to bake long enough to heat the egg, and serve at once. .--bavarian apple pie. line a deep pie-dish with rich pie-paste. let bake and fill with chopped apples, raisins and chopped nuts, sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. then cover with cake-crumbs and let bake until done. beat whites of eggs with pulverized sugar; flavor with lemon and spread over the pudding. set in the oven a few minutes to brown on top. .--russian fried sweetbreads. clean and season the sweetbreads with salt and pepper and sprinkle with lemon-juice and chopped parsley. roll in fine bread-crumbs and fry in hot lard. fry some eggs and put on a platter with the sweetbreads and serve with tomato-sauce. .--polish apple dumpling. peel and core the apples and fill the space with currants. sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and grated lemon peel, and cover each apple with a rich pie-paste. lay on a well-buttered pie-dish and let bake until done. serve with wine sauce. .--swiss potato dumpling. boil potatoes, then grate them. mix with tablespoonfuls of flour and tablespoonfuls of butter and eggs. make into a soft dough; roll out and then spread with fried bread-crumbs. make into round dumplings and let boil twenty minutes. serve hot with melted butter poured over. _august._ .--german pot roast. take a -pound beef roast. rub with salt and black pepper and paprica; pour over some boiling vinegar; add bay-leaves, a few peppercorns and cloves. let stand over night. heat tablespoonfuls of dripping in a saucepan; lay in the meat with sliced onions. let stew slowly with one cup of water and / cup of the spiced vinegar until tender. thicken the sauce with flour and serve hot with potato pancakes. .--scotch soup. cut a sheep's liver into pieces and stew with the sheep's head in quarts of water. add sliced onions, sliced leeks, carrots, turnips, parsley and thyme, salt, pepper and a few cloves. let all cook until tender; then strain. let stand until cool. skim off the fat; heat and mix with flour until brown; let boil. add a glass of white wine. cook all together and serve hot. .--spanish fried potatoes. peel some new potatoes and cook until tender. mix some fine bread-crumbs with grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. beat eggs with salt and pepper; dip each potato in beaten egg and roll in the bread-crumbs. fry in deep hot lard until brown. serve hot. .--french frozen milk punch. sweeten quart of milk with cupfuls of sugar; let come to a boil. remove from the fire and grate in / nutmeg. when cool, freeze until half frozen; then stir in cupfuls of whipped cream and freeze again. add / cup of rum and cupful of french brandy. let freeze until hard and serve. .--bavarian fruit compote. cook cups of water with cup of wine. add cup of sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and some strawberries, cherries and blackberries. let simmer in the juice until fruit is done. put in a glass dish and pour over the syrup. serve cold. .--vienna rice custard. boil / cup of rice in quart of milk; add salt to taste; boil until very soft. beat the yolks of eggs with tablespoonfuls of sugar and stir in the rice. flavor with rose-water and put in a well-buttered pudding-dish. beat the whites with pulverized sugar to a stiff froth; spread on the custard and let bake in the oven until done. serve cold. .--french fried cucumbers. peel the cucumbers and cut into inch slices. sprinkle with salt and pepper and dip in beaten eggs and fine bread-crumbs. season with salt and pepper and fry in hot lard until brown. serve with tomato-sauce and veal chops. .--german cherry soup. boil quart of cherries until soft; sweeten to taste. add some grated lemon peel, some cinnamon, bottle of red wine and bottles of water. serve ice-cold with macaroons. .--swiss pancakes. peel and grate raw potatoes; mix with ounce of butter, ounce of bread-crumbs, / pint of milk, large tablespoonful of swiss cheese, the yolks of three eggs and the whites beaten stiff. season with salt and pepper and mix with tablespoonful of flour to a smooth batter; then fry in hot lard until brown. serve hot. .--english tarts. make a rich puff paste; roll out thin and cut into squares; then fill with fruit jam; turn over and pinch in the edges. drop in a kettle of deep hot lard and fry until a delicate brown. sprinkle with pulverized sugar and serve hot. .--norwegian rice. cook rice until tender; then reheat in a well-seasoned chicken stock. put on a platter; sprinkle with chopped chicken liver, scrambled eggs and grated cheese and serve at once. .--spanish broiled kidney. take a fresh kidney; clean and cut into thin slices; run a skewer through them to hold them together. sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush with butter; put on a broiler and cook for five minutes. then place on a platter; pour over some lemon-juice and hot butter; sprinkle with parsley and serve at once. .--egyptian stuffed peppers. cut off the tops and remove the seeds from large sweet peppers. stuff with chopped raw beef highly seasoned, and mix with chopped onion, parsley, tomato, a beaten egg and tablespoonfuls of chutney. put the stuffed peppers in a baking-pan with a little hot water; sprinkle with bits of butter and let bake three-quarters of an hour. serve. garnish with cucumber salad. .--english tea cakes. beat / pound of butter with / pound of sugar to a cream. add egg and teaspoonful each of cinnamon and mace. mix with ounces of sifted flour, a pinch of salt and milk enough to make a stiff dough; then roll out very thin. cut into round cakes and bake in a quick oven until done. .--bavarian cheese cake. make a rich biscuit dough; roll out and place on a well-buttered pie-dish. then mix / pound of cottage cheese with a pinch of salt, / cup of melted butter, / cup of sugar, / lemon grated, yolks of eggs and / cup of currants; add the whites beaten stiff. fill the pie with the cheese. serve hot or cold with coffee. .--spanish chicken. cut a spring chicken into pieces at the joints; season with salt and pepper and fry until brown. remove the chicken; add onion, cloves of garlic chopped and cup of tomato-sauce. cover and let simmer; then add the chicken with glass of sherry wine. cook ten minutes. serve hot with boiled rice. .--polish shrimp salad. drain cup of shrimps and can of sardines; cut into small pieces. add hard-boiled eggs, small onion, a few capers and gherkins chopped fine and chopped parsley. mix with / cup of vinegar. line the salad bowl with the crisp lettuce leaves. add the salad and pour over a mayonnaise dressing and serve. .--dutch apple pudding. peel and chop apples; mix with / cup of nuts, raisins, the juice and rind of / lemon and tablespoonful of brandy. then add the yolks of eggs and the whites beaten to a stiff froth. let bake in a moderate oven until done. serve cold. .--bavarian potatoes. peel and cook some new potatoes with sliced onion, salt and pepper, until tender. then brown tablespoonful of flour in teaspoonfuls of butter; add / cup of water; let boil well with some chopped parsley, salt and pepper; then add the potatoes and let simmer five minutes. serve hot. .--spanish steak roll. cut thin slices from the round steak; then chop onion, tomatoes, some celery, parsley and hard-boiled eggs and season with salt and pepper. mix with butter and fine bread-crumbs; then spread the mixture on the steak, and roll up. sprinkle with flour; lay closely in a pan of hot dripping; cover and let simmer until tender. serve hot, garnished with olives and parsley. .--oriental cabbage. chop a small head of cabbage, then fry onion and sour apples sliced thin. add the chopped cabbage, / cup of stock and the juice of / lemon; sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper; add / teaspoonful of curry-powder. cover and let all simmer until tender. serve very hot on a border of boiled rice. .--dutch salad. soak dutch herrings in milk; then cut off the heads and tails and cut herrings into one-half inch pieces. add apples cut fine, hard-boiled eggs sliced thin, some cooked beets cut fine, some celery and green onions cut into very small pieces. season and mix together. pour over some vinaigrette sauce, and sprinkle with chopped gherkins. .--greek cucumbers. peel large cucumbers; cut off the ends; scoop out the seeds; sprinkle with salt. then mix boiled rice with some chopped green onions and stuff the cucumbers. lay the cucumbers in a stew-pan; pour over cup of stock and the juice of a lemon; add tablespoonful of butter, and let cook until tender. serve hot, and pour over a well-seasoned white sauce. garnish with parsley. .--russian beef roll. chop pounds of beef with / pound of suet; add small onions, cloves of garlic and sprigs of parsley chopped fine. season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. mix with some bread-crumbs and a beaten egg. shape into a roll and lay in a baking-dish; moisten with broth and let bake until done. serve on a platter with a border of mashed potatoes and garnish with fried parsley. .--jewish veal stew. cook pounds of veal; when nearly done, add cup of vinegar, / cup of raisins, a pinch of cloves and cinnamon and a tablespoonful of horseradish. thicken the sauce with buttered bread-crumbs; season with salt and pepper to taste. serve with boiled rice. .--french pop-overs. beat the yolks of eggs until very light; add pint of milk. sift pint of flour with teaspoonfuls of baking powder; add / teaspoonful of salt and the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. flavor with rose-water. mix well together and pour into hot well-buttered cake-tins. bake in a quick oven until a light brown. serve hot with french coffee. .--german egg toast. cut slices of stale bread; beat eggs with a pinch of salt and / cup of milk. dip the slices of bread in the beaten eggs and fry until brown on both sides. cover with pulverized sugar; sprinkle with cinnamon and some finely chopped nuts. serve hot. .--irish potato puffs. peel and boil potatoes well seasoned; then mash thoroughly with a lump of butter. add some milk and eggs; beat well until very light. then fry in deep hot lard by the tablespoonful until a light brown. serve hot with broiled steak. .--belgian eggs. take eggs, cups of milk, tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonful of flour. beat whites separate; add flour to the yolks and sugar; beat until stiff. beat the whites and scald in milk; strain from the milk, and set aside. take the yolk, and stir gently in the milk until thick. remove from the fire. place in a dish to cool. flavor with vanilla and then put the whites on top and serve. .--irish cucumber salad. peel the cucumbers and slice thin; add onion sliced. sprinkle well with salt; let stand half an hour on ice; press out all the water; sprinkle with white pepper and chopped parsley. add vinegar mixed with sugar, to taste, and salad oil. serve at once. .--german iced beer soup. take one quart of fresh beer. sweeten to taste and flavor with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. slice a lemon very thin and put in the beer. let get very cold on ice and serve with sponge-cake. _september._ .--dutch biscuits. make a soft biscuit dough; then put on a well-floured baking-board and roll out one-half inch thick. sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and grated lemon peel and pour over some melted butter. then roll up the dough and cut into inch thick slices; lay in a well-buttered baking-pan and let bake in a hot oven until done. .--hindoo oyster fritters. boil large oysters in their liquor; season with salt, pepper and curry-powder. let come to a boil; then drain, and spread the oysters with highly seasoned minced chicken. dip them in a seasoned egg batter and fry in deep hot lard to a golden brown. serve hot, garnished with fried parsley and lemon slices. .--jewish chrimsel. soak / loaf of bread in milk; add cup of sugar, / cup of raisins, / cup of pounded nuts, the grated peel of a lemon and a pinch of cinnamon. then mix with the yolks of eggs and the whites beaten stiff and fry by the tablespoonful in hot fat until brown. serve hot with wine sauce. .--spanish relish. stone some large olives and fill the space with anchovy paste, mixed with well-seasoned tomato-sauce. then fry thin slices of bread and spread with some of the paste. place a filled olive in the centre; sprinkle with chopped hard-boiled eggs and garnish with fillets of anchovies and sprigs of parsley. .--french orange compote. make a syrup of sugar and water; add a little lemon-juice. peel and remove seeds of oranges; cut into quarters and lay them in the boiling syrup; let cook ten minutes. remove the oranges to a glass dish; pour over the syrup and garnish with candied cherries. .--spanish baked chicken. clean and season a chicken with salt and pepper and let boil until tender. put the chicken in a baking-dish; pour over some tomato-sauce highly seasoned; sprinkle with well-buttered bread-crumbs and let bake until brown. place on a large platter with a border of boiled rice and pour over the sauce. serve hot. .--swiss beet salad. boil red beets until tender; skin and cut into thin slices. sprinkle with salt, whole pepper, whole cloves, bay-leaves and mix with wine vinegar. let stand. serve the next day. .--bombay chicken croquettes. boil a fat hen well seasoned with salt, pepper, sliced onion, green peppers and cloves of garlic. remove the chicken and chop fine and mix with chopped parsley, the grated rind of / lemon, / teaspoonful of paprica and a pinch of nutmeg. add a little chopped tarragon and chervil and beaten eggs. mix with the sauce and form into croquettes. then dip into beaten eggs and fine bread-crumbs, and fry in deep hot lard a golden brown. serve hot. garnish with fried parsley and serve tomato-sauce in a separate dish, flavored with chopped mango chutney. .--swiss veal pie. cut cooked veal into small pieces; season and moisten with a rich beef gravy. pour into a deep pie-dish. then make a cover with mashed potatoes moistened with cream; sprinkle with bits of butter and let bake until brown. serve hot. .--spanish rice. fry large chopped onion with cups of tomatoes; add cup of stock, salt and pepper to taste. cover and let simmer ten minutes; then add cups of boiled rice. mix well together with tablespoonful of butter. let get very hot and serve. .--polish chicken soup. cook a large fat chicken in quarts of water; add onion, carrots and stalks of celery cut into small pieces and cup of pearl barley. let all cook until tender. remove the chicken; season the soup to taste with salt and pepper; add some chopped parsley and serve hot with the chicken. .--norwegian soup. boil a large fish in quarts of water; season with salt and paprica. add sliced onion, leeks cut fine, sprigs of parsley and bay-leaf. let cook well; then remove the fish. add tablespoonful of butter and quart of oysters. let boil ten minutes. add cup of hot cream; season to taste and serve very hot. .--greek cakes. mix / pound of butter and cup of sugar to a cream; add well-beaten eggs and the grated rind and juice of / lemon. then stir in / pound of flour and work into a smooth dough. lay on a well-floured baking-board and roll out thin. cut into fancy shapes and bake in a moderate oven until done. cover with a white icing, flavored with vanilla. .--russian sandwich. spread thin slices of rye bread with butter and caviare; some slices of white bread with butter and thin slices of ham; some slices of pumpernickel bread with butter and a layer of cottage cheese; and some slices of brown bread with butter and cold cooked chicken sliced thin. put all into a press under a heavy weight for one hour; then cut into perpendicular slices and serve. .--spanish dessert. dissolve / box of gelatin. then cook pint of milk; add tablespoonfuls of sugar and stir in the yolks of eggs. mix all together with the gelatin and the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth; add teaspoonful of vanilla. pour into a mold and place on ice. serve with whipped cream. .--german bread tarte. take cup of rye bread-crumbs and mix with the beaten yolks of eggs, / cup of sugar, some pounded almonds, a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg and a piece of chocolate grated. add teaspoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonful of brandy and of wine. beat the whites to a stiff froth; add to the mixture. put in a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake until brown. serve with wine sauce. .--russian stewed fish. cut a white fish into pieces and salt well; let stand. then cut onion and clove of garlic in thin slices; fry in tablespoonful of butter. stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown. then fill the pan with water and let boil. add teaspoonful of celery seed, bay-leaf, a few cloves, a pinch of thyme and mace, / teaspoonful of paprica and salt to taste. let boil. add the fish to the sauce; sprinkle with black pepper and ginger and let cook until done. remove the fish to a platter. beat the yolks of eggs with a little water and stir in the sauce with some chopped parsley. let get very hot and pour over the fish. garnish with lemon slices and sprigs of parsley. .--german liver dumplings. chop / pound of liver; add chopped onion, some parsley, salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. mix with beaten eggs and tablespoonful of butter. add enough bread-crumbs to form into small balls and boil in soup-stock and serve with the soup. .--jewish sour fish. season a trout and let cook with sliced onion, sliced lemon, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a few cloves and a pinch of pepper. add cinnamon, / cup of raisins and tablespoonful of butter. when done, remove to a platter. add some brown sugar, lemon-juice and chopped parsley to the sauce; let boil and pour over the fish. serve cold. garnish with parsley. .--compote de bannanes. peel dozen bananas and cut them in halves. then cook / cup of water with / pound of sugar; let boil ten minutes; then add the juice of a lemon; let cook. add the sliced bananas to the hot syrup and stew slowly until done. remove the bananas to a dish and pour over the syrup. serve very cold for dessert. .--english peach pie. make a rich pie-crust and let bake until done. peel and chop some peaches and mix with sugar to taste. fill the pie with the peaches; let bake. whip cup of rich cream with pulverized sugar and flavor with vanilla. spread the cream high over the pie; let get cold and serve. .--bean polenta (italian). cook cups of white dried beans with salt and pepper until very soft; press through a colander. fry onion in tablespoonfuls of butter until brown; mix with the beans. add tablespoonful of vinegar, teaspoonful of made mustard, some lemon-juice and tablespoonfuls of molasses. let all get very hot and serve with pork roast. .--french almond pudding. take / pound of almonds and pound in a mortar. mix with yolks of eggs and a cup of sugar, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonful of brandy, slices of stale cake-crumbs and the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. put in a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake in a slow oven until done. .--italian cutlets. take tender veal cutlets; season highly with pepper and salt. dip in beaten egg and fine bread-crumbs and fry in boiling lard until a light brown. have ready some boiled macaroni well seasoned. put on a platter with the cutlets and pour over all a highly seasoned tomato-sauce. .--jewish gefuellte fish. take pounds of trout and pounds of red fish; cut in two-inch slices. remove the skin from one side of the slices. chop onions; add salt, pepper and mix with fine cracker-crumbs and egg to a paste. lay the paste on the fish and put back the skin. boil the fish with salt, pepper and sliced onion, carrot and sprigs of parsley cut fine, a pinch of cloves and allspice. let boil two hours. add a tablespoonful of rich cream. serve cold. .--swedish stewed veal. season pounds of veal. lay some sliced bacon in a saucepan; let get hot; add the veal. cover and let brown with sliced onions, carrots and an herb bouquet, bay-leaf and tablespoonful of butter. add pint of water and let simmer until tender. add chopped mushrooms and a small glass of wine. let all get hot and serve. .--french apple pie. line a deep pie-dish with a rich pie-crust. chop apples very fine and mix with sugar, cinnamon, lemon-juice and / cup of currants. then mix with the yolks of eggs well beaten. fill the pie and bake until done. beat the whites with pulverized sugar and spread on the pie. let get light brown on top. .--vienna filled apples. remove the core and scrape out the inside of the apples. mix the scraped apple with chopped raisins, nuts, cinnamon, sugar and grated lemon peel. fill the apples; place in a stew-pan. mix / cup of wine with / cup of water. sweeten with tablespoonfuls of sugar and pour over the apples. let cook slowly until the apples are tender. remove from the fire; put on a glass dish. pour over the sauce and serve cold. .--scotch stewed tripe. clean and boil tripe until tender; then fry chopped carrot and onion until light brown. stir in tablespoonful of flour; add cup of stock, bay-leaf, some thyme and parsley; let boil. season with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. cut the tripe into narrow strips; add to the sauce. let simmer one-half hour and serve. .--polish stewed calves' feet. boil the calves' feet in salted water until tender; then take out the bones. fry chopped onion in butter; stir in tablespoonful of flour; add cup of stock. let boil with bay-leaf, some parsley chopped fine and / cup of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. then add the feet and let simmer ten minutes. stir in the yolks of an egg and serve hot. _october._ .--oriental pudding. heat large cup of milk and stir in tablespoonfuls of butter; let boil up. then stir in small cup of flour sifted with teaspoonful of baking-powder and a pinch of salt; stir until a smooth batter. then remove from the fire and stir in well-beaten eggs, / cup of preserved ginger minced fine and tablespoonfuls of the syrup; mix thoroughly. put into a well-buttered mold and let steam two hours. serve hot with wine sauce. .--swedish batter cakes. sift pint of flour. add a salt-spoonful of salt, teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little milk, the yolks of eggs and the whites beaten to a stiff froth and enough milk to make a thin batter. then bake on a hot greased griddle until done. serve hot. .--chinese chop suey. cut pounds of fresh pork into thin strips and let fry ten minutes. add large onion sliced thin and let fry; then add cup of sliced mushrooms, stalks of celery cut fine, / cup of chinese sauce and a pinch of pepper; moisten with / cup of hot water. cover and let simmer until tender. thicken the sauce with flour moistened with a little milk and let boil. put some well-seasoned cooked rice on a platter, pour over the chop suey and serve very hot. .--russian national soup. chop and fry all kinds of vegetables until tender. make a highly-seasoned beef broth; add the fried vegetables, boiled beets chopped fine, some chopped ham, / teaspoonful of fennel seed, sprigs of parsley chopped. let boil well; then add cup of hot cream and serve at once. .--english buns. set a sponge over night with cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a cup of warm water, cups of milk and flour enough to make a thick batter. then add / cup of melted butter, cup of sugar, a salt-spoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of soda, / nutmeg grated and flour enough to make a stiff dough. let raise five hours; then roll out half an inch thick and cut into round cakes. lay in a well-buttered baking-pan. let stand half an hour; then bake until a light brown. brush the top with white of egg beaten with pulverized sugar. .--japanese fish. clean and season a large white fish with salt and paprica and let boil with sliced shallots and clove of garlic mashed fine. when nearly done, add tablespoonful of butter, sprigs of parsley chopped fine, tablespoonful of soy, tablespoonful each of tarragon and worcestershire sauce. let cook until done. place on a platter. garnish with fried parsley and serve with boiled rice. .--swiss creamed potatoes. boil potatoes until tender and slice them thin. heat two ounces of butter; add a dessert-spoonful of flour. then stir in some rich milk until it thickens; add the potatoes, salt, pepper and chopped parsley. let boil up; add a little hot cream and serve at once. .--belgian chicken. cut a cooked chicken into pieces; add some slices of cold veal. heat cup of stock; add / teaspoonful of mustard, / teaspoonful of paprica, a pinch of white pepper and salt to taste. add the chicken and glass of sherry wine. let all cook ten minutes. add tablespoonfuls of currant jelly. serve hot with toasted croutons. .--swiss biscuits. beat the yolks of eggs with / pound of butter; add a pinch of salt and pepper, a teaspoonful of mustard and ounces of grated swiss cheese. mix well with / pound of flour or enough to make a stiff dough; roll out and cut into round biscuits. bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes, and serve. .--french fritters. boil quart of water; add teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonfuls of butter; then stir in enough sifted flour until thick and smooth. when cold, stir in beaten eggs, sugar and a little nutmeg to taste. fry in deep hot lard to a golden brown. serve with wine sauce. .--german waffles. mix / pound of butter with tablespoonfuls of sugar. add the yolks of eggs, / cup of milk, / pound of sifted flour with teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, a pinch of salt and the grated peel of a lemon. mix well; add the whites beaten stiff and bake in a well greased waffle iron. sprinkle with pulverized sugar and serve hot. .--dutch rice fritters. take cup of boiled rice and mix with beaten eggs. then sift / cup of flour with teaspoonful of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. add some sugar to taste. beat to a light thick batter and fry a spoonful at a time in boiling lard. sprinkle with pulverized sugar and serve hot with cooked fruit. .--french lettuce salad. take the inner lettuce leaves; sprinkle with salt and pepper. mix the yolks of hard-boiled eggs with tablespoonful of olive-oil and stir all together with tablespoonfuls of white wine vinegar. serve at once with meats. .--austrian baked eggs. poach fresh eggs one at a time; then put in a well-buttered baking-dish; sprinkle with salt, pepper, bits of butter and grated cheese. pour over the top / cup of cream sauce and cover with fine bread-crumbs. set in the oven to brown and serve hot with tomato-sauce. .--swedish stewed chicken. cut a spring chicken in pieces at the joints; season with salt and pepper and sauté in hot butter. add cups of cream sauce, / cup of boiled rice, some chopped parsley and bits of butter. let stew slowly until the chicken is very tender. serve hot. .--polish filled fish. clean the fish; cut open along the backbone. remove all the fish from the skin and bone from head to tail and chop fine. fry onion in butter; add some soaked bread. take from the fire and mix with the chopped fish. add eggs and chopped parsley; season highly with salt and pepper, a pinch of cloves and nutmeg. fill the skin of the fish with the mixture and boil with sliced onions, a few lemon slices, some parsley and a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper, until done. serve hot or cold. .--eels a la poulette. clean and skin the eels; let boil with salt, pepper and vinegar. then cut into three-inch pieces. heat tablespoonfuls of butter; add onion chopped; stir in tablespoonful of flour until brown; add cup of water, salt, pepper, bay-leaf, some parsley and thyme. let boil well; add the eels and glass of wine. boil ten minutes longer; thicken the sauce with the yolks of eggs well beaten and seasoned with lemon-juice. serve with fried croutons. .--italian baked fish. clean and season a blue fish with salt, pepper and cloves. lay the fish in a baking-pan with onion chopped fine and tablespoonfuls of chopped carrot and parsley. pour over glass of wine; sprinkle with flour. put flakes of butter over the fish and let bake until brown. serve with macaroni. .--dutch stuffed goose. clean and season a goose and stuff with oysters well seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley, thyme and bits of butter rolled in fine bread-crumbs. put in a baking-dish. pour over the oyster liquor and a little hot water; let bake until done. baste as often as necessary. serve with red currant jelly. .--swiss roast turkey. clean and season the turkey with salt and pepper. then fill with cups of bread-crumbs mixed with a lump of butter, some chopped onion and thyme, salt and pepper to taste, / cup of seeded raisins and / cup of nuts. mix all well with beaten eggs. put turkey in dripping-pan and let bake a rich brown. baste often with the dripping until tender. serve with dressing. .--french turkey soup. cut off all the meat from left-over turkey bones. put the bones in cold water and boil with small onion, carrot, pieces of celery and sprigs of parsley, all cut fine. add cup of tomato-sauce. let all cook well, seasoned with salt and pepper. remove the bones; add boiled rice and the turkey meat cut into dice pieces. let boil and serve hot with fried croutons. .--swedish baked fish. clean and season a trout with salt, black pepper and cayenne. lay in a baking-pan; dredge with flour; sprinkle with parsley and bits of butter; add a little water and vinegar. let bake in a hot oven. baste often with butter until done. garnish with parsley and serve hot with cream sauce. .--jewish stewed sweetbreads. clean and parboil the sweetbreads; then fry small sliced onion in hot fat until light brown. stir in tablespoonful of flour; add / cup of water and / cup of wine vinegar; let boil up. add bay-leaf, a few cloves, / cup of seeded raisins, a few thin slices of lemon and chopped parsley. season with salt and paprica to taste; add tablespoonful of brown sugar. let boil; add the sweetbreads and simmer until done. serve cold. .--german stuffed turkey. singe and clean a fat turkey. season well with salt and pepper. chop the giblets; add some chopped veal and pork, onion, cloves of garlic and parsley chopped, salt and pepper. mix with eggs and stuff the turkey. put in the dripping-pan with some hot water. dredge with flour; let bake until done. baste often with the sauce. serve the turkey with the dressing. garnish with boiled beets sliced thin. .--neapolitan salad. cut cold chicken or turkey in small dice pieces; add some cold potatoes, beets and celery, cut fine; sprinkle with chopped hard-boiled eggs, salt and pepper. line the salad bowl with lettuce leaves; add the salad. cover with a french mayonnaise dressing. garnish with capers and beets. .--bavarian stuffed chicken. clean and season a fat hen. chop the giblets; add some truffles, a chopped onion, parsley, bread-crumbs, a beaten egg, salt, black pepper and paprica to taste. then fill the chicken; heat some dripping in a large saucepan; lay in the chicken, cover, and cook slowly with cup of hot water until tender. .--hungarian baked herring. bone the herring and cut into small pieces. slice some cooked potatoes; then butter a baking-dish; sprinkle with flour. put a layer of potatoes, some chopped onion and herring and bits of butter until dish is full; sprinkle with pepper. make the top layer of potatoes and bits of butter. moisten with tablespoonfuls of sour cream. bake in a moderate oven until brown. serve hot. .--french stewed quail. stuff the quail. put tablespoonful of butter in a large stew-pan; add some thin slices of bacon. let get very hot. lay in the birds; sprinkle with salt and pepper; add small onion and carrot chopped fine. cover and let brown a few minutes, then add cup of hot water. let stew slowly until tender. thicken the sauce with flour mixed with milk; add some chopped parsley; let boil up and serve hot. .--india beef curry. cut pounds of beefsteak into inch pieces. sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour and fry until brown. add onion chopped fine and tablespoonful of vinegar. cover and let simmer with tablespoonful of curry-powder and / cup of hot water until meat is tender. thicken the sauce with flour and butter. serve on a platter with a border of cooked rice sprinkled with chopped parsley and garnished with fried apple slices. .--bread pudding a la caramel. mix pint of soft bread-crumbs with / cup of seeded raisins, tablespoonfuls of sugar and eggs. stir in cup of milk and bake in a well-buttered pudding-dish until brown. then boil - / cups of brown sugar with / cup of milk and tablespoonfuls of chocolate. stir until smooth and spread hot over the pudding. .--irish flummery. take pint of oatmeal; pour on enough cold water to cover; let stand over night; strain and boil with a pinch of salt until thickened. then add cup of cooked small fruit, a lump of butter and sugar to taste. let get cold and serve with cream. _november._ .--swiss fried sweetbreads. blanch the sweetbreads and sprinkle with salt and pepper; then cut into thin slices. dip in beaten egg and roll in grated swiss cheese and fine bread-crumbs and fry in a little hot butter to a golden brown. serve hot, garnished with parsley. .--japanese chicken. cut spring chickens into pieces at the joints; season with salt, ginger, pepper and curry-powder and let fry in hot olive-oil until brown. remove the chicken; add / cup of chopped leeks, / pint of japanese sauce, / cup of chrysanthemum flowers, chopped red peppers, some bamboo sprouts shaved thin and / cup of water. cover and let cook ten minutes. add the chicken to the sauce with cup of cocoanut juice. let all simmer until the chicken is tender. serve on a platter with a border of cooked rice and garnish with fried parsley. .--hindu venison. cook some venison, well seasoned, until tender and slice thin. peel and slice apples and spanish onion; season and fry until a light brown. add cooked carrot sliced thin, some savory herbs, and cup of mutton broth; cover and let cook fifteen minutes. then mix / ounce of butter with / tablespoonful of curry-powder and tablespoonful of lemon-juice; add to the sauce with the sliced venison; cover and let simmer ten minutes; then add tablespoonful of currant jelly. let get very hot and serve, garnished with fried croutons and sliced lemon. .--spanish tongue. boil a beef tongue until tender; take off the outer skin. then rub with butter and the beaten yolk of an egg; put in a baking-dish. add / cup of the water in which the tongue was cooked, / glass of wine and / can of mushrooms. sprinkle with salt and pepper and let bake until brown. serve garnished with the mushrooms. .--english pigeon pie. clean and season some young pigeons. stuff each with chopped oysters and bits of butter and let stew until tender with onion, sprigs of parsley and bay-leaf. then line a deep pie-dish with a rich paste; let bake and fill with the stuffed pigeons. add the sauce; cover with the paste and let bake until brown. serve hot. .--hungarian stuffed goose neck. remove the skin from the neck of a fat goose and stuff with some soaked bread, fried with small chopped onion in a tablespoonful of goose-dripping. add chopped parsley, salt, paprica and ginger and mix with egg. lay in a baking-pan with a little hot water and bake until brown. serve hot with red cabbage cooked with wine. .--swedish cabbage. shred a cabbage very thin; sprinkle with salt and cook in as little water as possible until tender. then add some milk and let boil. add a tablespoonful of butter mixed with flour, some mace and white pepper to taste. let boil up and serve hot. .--spanish fried fish. season and slice red fish; roll in flour and fry until brown. then heat tablespoonful of butter; add chopped onion and cup of tomatoes; let fry; add tablespoonful of flour and cup of water; also some parsley, salt, pepper and bay-leaf chopped fine. let all cook; then add the slices of fried fish. let all get very hot and serve with boiled rice. .--german spiced rabbit. clean and cut the rabbit into pieces; sprinkle with salt, ginger, black pepper and paprica and pour over some vinegar. heat tablespoonful of dripping; add the slices of rabbit and sliced onion, bay-leaves, a few peppercorns, sprigs of parsley, thyme and a little mace. cover with hot water and let stew slowly until tender. thicken the sauce with butter mixed with flour. let cook and serve hot with apple compote. .--english layer cake. bake layers of sponge-cake; then mix some jelly with wine and spread between the layers and over the top and sides. cover with a rich chocolate icing, flavored with vanilla. .--dutch rice pudding. mix cup of rice in cups of milk; add tablespoonful of butter, the yolks of eggs, the juice of / lemon, cup of sugar and nutmeg to taste, / cup of chopped raisins, / cup of nuts and the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. bake in a well-buttered pudding-dish until done. serve cold. .--polish poached eggs. boil / cup of vinegar with one cup of water and break in fresh eggs one at a time and poach them. remove to a platter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. then add tablespoonful of butter and tablespoonful of sugar to the sauce; let boil up and pour over the eggs. serve on buttered toast. .--belgian sweet potato purée. boil sweet potatoes until soft. mash until smooth with tablespoonful of butter, beaten eggs, tablespoonful of brown sugar, / teaspoonful of cinnamon and / cup of milk. beat well. put in a buttered pudding-dish; pour over some melted butter; let bake until brown. serve hot with broiled steak. .--spanish codfish. parboil cup of shredded codfish; heat tablespoonfuls of butter; add chopped onion and cups of tomatoes; let fry. add tablespoonful of flour; stir until thickened. then add cup of water, pepper and chopped parsley; let boil well; add the codfish. let simmer one-half hour. serve on buttered toast. .--halibut a la toulonaise. slice the fish; season highly with salt, pepper, cloves, lemon-juice and parsley. then roll in flour and fry in hot olive-oil until brown. garnish with lemon slices and parsley. serve with a lettuce salad with french dressing. .--jewish stewed goose. clean and cut a fat goose into pieces; season with salt, pepper and ginger. put in a stew-pan with sliced onion, cloves of garlic, bay-leaf, thyme and a few peppercorns; add the juice of a lemon. cover with hot water and let cook until tender. thicken with flour and serve hot with apple-sauce. .--polish rice pudding. heat quart of milk; add cup of boiled rice, ounces of seeded raisins and ounces of currants. let cook ten minutes. then add the grated peel of a lemon, / of a grated nutmeg and the yolks of eggs well beaten with cup of sugar. mix thoroughly and pour into a well-buttered pudding-dish; let bake until done. then beat the whites to a stiff froth with tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar; flavor with vanilla. spread on the pudding and let brown slightly in a hot oven. serve with lemon sauce. .--vienna dumplings. mix eggs and / cup of water, a pinch of salt and enough flour to make a stiff batter. then drop by the tablespoonful into boiling salted water until they rise to the surface. remove to a platter and fry some onions in hot butter. sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour over the dumplings. .--bavarian sauerkraut. cook pounds of fresh pork; season with salt and pepper; add bay-leaves and a few cloves. when half done, add quart of sauerkraut and let cook one hour. add cup of wine and tablespoonful of brown sugar. let all cook until tender. serve with potato dumplings. .--chicken croquettes a la reine. chop cold cooked chicken with some mushrooms, parsley and thyme and season with salt, black pepper and cayenne. add a tablespoonful of butter and well-beaten eggs. then form into croquettes. dip in beaten egg and fine bread-crumbs and fry in deep hot lard to a golden brown. make a cream sauce and serve with the croquettes. garnish with parsley. .--jewish goose greeben. cut all the fat from the goose into small pieces and cook in a skillet with cup of cold water. let cook uncovered until the water has evaporated; then fry until brown. sprinkle with salt and serve hot. .--french venison pie. cut venison in very small pieces and stew, highly seasoned, until tender. line a deep pie-dish with a rich pie-paste and bake. then fill with the venison. add a glass of port wine, a pinch of cloves and mace to the sauce and bits of butter rolled in flour. pour the sauce over the venison and cover with the paste. rub the top with a beaten egg and let bake until done. .--belgian broiled quail. select fat quails. rub with salt, pepper and butter and tie a very thin strip of bacon around the body of each quail. place on a broiler over a slow fire; let broil twenty minutes until done. remove the bacon. have ready buttered toast. place the birds on the toast, pour over some melted butter, chopped parsley and lemon-juice. serve hot. .--vienna roast beef. season a rib-roast of beef with salt, pepper and ginger and rub with vinegar. put in the dripping-pan with sliced onion, cloves of garlic, carrots, stalks of celery cut fine, bay-leaf and a few cloves and peppercorns. pour over cup of stock and dredge with flour. let bake in a quick oven; allow fifteen minutes to the pound. serve with potato dumplings. .--oysters a la toulonaise. drain large oysters; sprinkle with salt and pepper. try out a few slices of bacon in a frying-pan; remove the bacon. roll the oysters in fine bread-crumbs and sauté until brown on both sides. place on hot buttered toast; sprinkle with lemon-juice and garnish with olives. .--chicken a la bechamel. clean and season a fat hen. put a few slices of chopped bacon in a saucepan; let get hot. add the chicken with carrot, onion, stalks of celery chopped fine, herb bouquet, bay leaf, a few cloves and allspice and blades of mace, sprigs of parsley and cup of hot water. let all stew until tender; then add some chopped mushrooms and pour over all cup of hot rich cream. .--milanese vegetable soup. cut bacon and ham into small pieces; put in a saucepan with tablespoonful of hot butter. add all kinds of vegetables, cut into very small pieces and let fry a few minutes. then fill the pan with quart of beef stock; let all cook slowly for half an hour; add some boiled rice and cup of tomato-sauce and cook until done. serve hot. .--swedish salad. cut cold cooked fish into small pieces and mix with chopped hard-boiled eggs, a few sliced olives, capers and gherkins. sprinkle with salt and pepper. line the salad bowl with crisp lettuce leaves; add the salad and cover with a mayonnaise dressing. garnish with aspic, cut into dice pieces and serve cold. .--oriental rabbit pie. clean and cut a rabbit into small pieces and let stew, well seasoned with salt and pepper and cayenne. add chopped cloves of garlic, chopped green pepper, spanish onion sliced thin and sliced tomatoes, a pinch of cloves and allspice. then line a pie-dish with a puff paste; let bake and fill with the rabbit; add chopped hard-boiled eggs and sprinkle with curry-powder. cover with the paste; brush the top with a beaten egg and let bake until brown. serve hot. .--spanish baked fish. season a pike; put in a baking-pan. pour over two ounces of melted butter and pint of sour cream; then let bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. sprinkle with bread-crumbs and grated cheese and let brown on top. serve hot. garnish with parsley. _december._ .--english plum pudding. soak pound of stale bread in hot milk; then add / pound of sugar, pound of seeded raisins, and pound of currants all dredged with flour, / pound of chopped citron, pound of finely chopped beef suet, nutmeg grated, tablespoonful of cinnamon, cloves and mace mixed together, a pinch of salt, glass of wine and glass of fine brandy. mix with the yolks of eggs and the whites beaten to a stiff froth. pour the mixture into a wet cloth dredged with flour; tie well and let boil five hours. serve with wine sauce. .--swedish rice pudding. mix / cup of rice in quart of milk; add cup of sugar, a pinch of salt and teaspoonful of vanilla. pour into a pudding-dish. put bits of butter over the top and let bake in a moderate oven until done. serve cold. .--portugal soup. boil pounds of beef and pig's feet in quarts of water; season with salt and pepper. let boil well. add head of lettuce, / head of cabbage, a few thin slices of pumpkin, carrots and clove of garlic, all cut fine, and herb bouquet. let all cook until tender; then add / can of peas. remove the meat; cut into thin slices; season, and serve with the soup. .--chinese salad. mix dozen cooked oysters with truffles, and cooked potatoes cut into shreds; season with salt and pepper. add all kinds of chopped herbs, and moisten with white wine. line the salad bowl with crisp lettuce leaves; fill with the mixture; sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. pour over a mayonnaise dressing and garnish with anchovy fillets. .--egyptian salad. mix highly seasoned cold cooked rice with some grated onion, chopped parsley and chives; add dozen fine cut french sardines. put on crisp lettuce leaves in a salad bowl and cover with a mayonnaise dressing garnish with thin shreds of red beets, and serve. .--english dumplings. beat yolks of eggs with tablespoonful of sugar; add / cup of finely chopped suet, / cup of currants, / teaspoonful of salt and a little nutmeg. sift cup of flour with heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder; mix well with the beaten whites of the eggs. make into dumplings the size of an egg; let steam. serve hot with lemon sauce. .--irish pancakes. mix / pound of sifted flour with beaten eggs, a pinch of salt, a pint of milk and / ounce of melted butter. mix well to a smooth pancake batter and fry in hot lard to a delicate brown. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot. .--english cream pudding. line a well-buttered pudding-dish with a rich puff-paste and bake. then beat cup of butter with / pound of pulverized sugar. add the grated rind and juice of a lemon and beat well with the yolks of eggs; add the whites beaten to a froth. fill the pudding-dish with the mixture and bake until done. .--bavarian roast turkey. clean and season a fat turkey. stuff with raw potatoes, apples and onion grated. mix with a lump of butter and cup of bread-crumbs; add egg. season with sage, thyme, salt and pepper; then put in a dripping-pan. pour in cup of water and dredge with flour. let bake in a hot oven until done. .--jewish stewed cabbage. shred a red cabbage very fine. heat tablespoonfuls of drippings in a pan; add the cabbage; cover and let stew with apples, and onion chopped fine. then brown tablespoonful of flour in hot butter; add / cup of water mixed with vinegar. season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste. pour the sauce over the cabbage; let simmer ten minutes. add / cup of red wine; let boil up and serve hot. .--venison a la francaise. season venison steaks with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. put in a saucepan with tablespoonfuls of hot butter. add onion, bay-leaves, clove of garlic and a sprig of parsley minced fine. let brown; then add / can of mushrooms, some thyme chopped fine and a glass of claret. cover and let simmer until tender. serve with toasted croutons and currant jelly. .--italian macaroni. boil macaroni in salted water until tender. drain. then heat tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan; add the macaroni, / cup of chopped boiled tongue, / cup of chopped mushrooms, / cup of grated cheese. cover, let get very hot. then mix a highly seasoned tomato-sauce with a small glass of wine; let boil up and pour over the macaroni. serve hot with roast veal. .--russian stuffed tongue. take fresh beef-tongue; make an incision with a sharp knife and fill with chopped onions, bread-crumbs, a lump of butter, sage, thyme, salt and pepper. sew up and let boil until nearly done. remove the skin. then stick cloves all over the tongue, and let cook until tender. add tablespoonfuls of vinegar and tablespoonful of butter. serve, garnished with sliced beets, olives and sprigs of parsley. .--hungarian dumplings. mix eggs with tablespoonful of water, a pinch of salt and enough sifted flour to make a stiff dough. roll out on a well-floured baking-board as thin as possible. cut into three-inch squares and fill with the following mixture: cup of cottage cheese; mix with tablespoonful of butter, beaten eggs, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. fill the dumplings, press the edges well together. boil some milk, seasoned with a pinch of salt and sugar to taste. lay in the dumplings and boil until done. serve with the sauce. .--german stewed fish. clean the fish. cut into large slices; salt well and sprinkle with black pepper and let stew with sliced onion, some celery and parsley. add a few slices of lemon; let cook fifteen minutes to the pound; then mix tablespoonful of flour with tablespoonfuls of butter; add to the fish. let cook five minutes more and serve hot or cold. .--french stuffed partridge. clean, singe and draw young partridges. season and stuff each bird with chopped oysters well seasoned, and sprinkle with parsley. put a small piece of butter in each bird; place the birds in a baking-pan; cover with thin slices of bacon; add a little hot water and bake in a hot oven until done. serve with toast. .--russian pickled herring. soak dozen herring over night in water; then mash the milch and roes and mix with tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. put the herring in a large dish with large onions sliced; make alternate layers of herring, onions and sliced lemon, bay-leaves, a few cloves, whole peppers and some mustard seed. pour over all some vinegar. ready to serve in five hours. will keep for one week. serve with boiled potatoes. .--hungarian duck. season and roast the duck; then cut into pieces for serving. chop the giblets; add to the gravy in which the duck was roasted, with glass of red wine, / teaspoonful of paprica, a pinch of cloves and the juice of a lemon. let boil; add the sliced duck and let simmer until tender. serve hot; garnish with fried croutons. .--venison a la parisienne. cut venison into pieces. heat tablespoonfuls of butter; add onion, bay-leaf, sprigs of parsley, and of thyme, all chopped fine. add the venison, salt and pepper. let all fry a few minutes; then add cup of consommé and let simmer until tender. add / glass of sherry and / can of chopped mushrooms. let all get very hot and serve with toasted croutons. .--jewish boiled fish. clean and season a large fish with salt and pepper and let cook with cup of vinegar, large onion, sprigs of parsley and of thyme, tablespoonful of butter, / cup of raisins, a few cloves, lemon sliced and teaspoonful of prepared mustard. let cook until done. remove the fish; add large pickles chopped and / cup of sugar, and thicken with the yolks of eggs well beaten. serve hot or cold, garnished with parsley. .--english stuffed duck. clean and season the duck; then chop the giblets. add onion, some celery and parsley. mix with cup of bread-crumbs and a beaten egg. season this highly and fill the duck. put in the dripping-pan with some hot water, / glass of sherry and a lump of butter. sprinkle with flour; bake until done. serve with apple-sauce. .--french stewed rabbits. skin and clean the rabbits; cut into pieces at the joints; season well. heat tablespoonfuls of drippings in a stew-pan; add the rabbits, onion and cloves of garlic sliced fine, bay-leaf, sprigs of parsley and thyme. let all brown a few minutes; then add cup of hot water and cook slowly until tender. thicken the sauce with flour and butter; add a glass of claret; boil up and serve. .--italian salad. cut pound of cooked veal in very small pieces; add herring that has been soaked in milk, cooked potatoes, pickles, boiled beets, apples, stalks of celery, cooked carrot. pour over a mayonnaise dressing and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs, olives and capers. .--hungarian stewed pigeons. season the pigeons and stuff with chopped chicken. let stew slowly with chopped onions, chives, celery and parsley; add salt and paprica to taste. cook until tender. serve hot with beet salad. .--vienna baked goose breast. take the breast of the goose and cut the meat from the bone; chop fine with some onion, clove of garlic, parsley and a little thyme, salt, black pepper and paprica. mix with eggs and fine bread-crumbs. put the chopped breast mixture back on the bone. place in a baking-dish; pour over some dripping; sprinkle with flour and bake until brown. serve with sour apple compote. .--italian veal and macaroni. season tender veal cutlets with salt and red pepper and sauté in hot olive-oil; then cover and simmer until tender. boil macaroni until tender; drain. add the macaroni to the veal with cup of stock, and tablespoonfuls of chopped cheese. let all simmer ten minutes. put on a platter and cover with bread-crumbs fried in butter. serve hot. .--french squirrel fricassee. cut the squirrels into pieces at the joints; sprinkle well with salt; let lay one hour; then sprinkle with pepper and lemon-juice. put large tablespoonfuls of dripping in a pan; when hot, lay in a squirrel with sliced onion; cover and let brown. then add cup of tomato-sauce, some celery seed and chopped parsley and cup of hot water. let simmer until tender. add / glass of sherry wine. let get very hot and serve with french peas. .--irish mutton stew. season mutton chops with salt and pepper; put a tablespoonful of hot drippings in a saucepan; add the chops, some sliced turnips, potatoes and onions, salt and pepper. then cover with water and cook slowly until tender. thicken the sauce with a little flour mixed with / cup of milk. season to taste and serve very hot. .--german bread pudding. crumb a stale loaf of bread to make cupfuls and soak in quart of milk. beat the yolks of eggs with cup of powdered sugar; add the bread, a small cup of raisins and the grated peel of a lemon. mix all well. put in a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake until brown. beat the whites with a pinch of salt, sugar and a little lemon-juice spread on the top. let get light brown in the oven. serve with wine sauce. .--hungarian spice cakes. sift pound of flour; beat the yolks of eggs with pound of sugar; add / ounce cinnamon, / ounce of ginger, / teaspoonful of cloves, some grated lemon peel and a pinch of salt. make all into a dough and roll into small cakes about an inch in diameter. put on well-buttered baking-plates, sprinkled with flour, and bake in a moderate oven until a rich brown. serve with wine. .--french braised sweetbread. parboil the sweetbreads; drain. put in the baking-pan with a piece of salt pork, onion, carrot, bay-leaf and a sprig of thyme, all cut fine. sprinkle with pepper, dredge with flour; add / cup of stock. let cook in the oven until done. serve with mushrooms. proofreading team. joe tilden's recipes for epicures [illustration] introductory note * * * * * major joseph tilden was in his time one of the most famous bohemians and epicureans of the pacific coast. ever since his death his many friends have been trying to learn the culinary secrets which made a repast of his devising so delicious. he had given his recipes to but few, and those few his most intimate friends and fellow spirits. one of the most favored of his old companions has given this complete collection of his recipes for publication. san francisco, may, . soups and chowders [illustration] onion soup place six ounces of butter in a large saucepan over the fire, and stir into it four large white onions cut up, not sliced. stew this very slowly for one hour, stirring frequently to prevent its scorching. add salt, pepper, cayenne, and about one quart of stock, and cook one hour longer. then stir into the mixture one and a half cups of milk and simmer for a few minutes. have ready a soup tureen. in it beat the yolks of four eggs with two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. stir the hot soup into this, beating until it thickens a little. a slice of toasted french bread should be placed in each plate, and the soup poured over it. * * * * * palestine soup slice two or three jerusalem artichokes and place in two quarts of boiling water. cook for one and one-half hours. then rub the artichokes through a colander and add to them one pint of the water in which they were boiled. stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed into the same amount of butter. add two cups of milk and boil for ten minutes. season with salt and pepper and serve with croutons. * * * * * black bean soup soak over night one quart of black turtle beans in water to cover them. in the morning strain and boil them in four quarts of water for one hour, skimming frequently. then put into the liquor two white onions sliced, two stalks of celery cut into bits, salt, pepper, cayenne, and one teaspoonful each of cloves and allspice. boil for three hours. remove from the stove and add enough stock to thin the mixture to the consistency of a cream soup. pour into it nearly a tumbler of sherry and add a thinly sliced lime. place over the fire to boil for five minutes. just before serving stir into the soup three hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped. force meat balls may be added. * * * * * parker house tomato soup put into a saucepan five pounds of tomatoes, either fresh or canned, with one quart of water, salt, pepper, cayenne, one and one-half tablespoonfuls of sugar, and three ounces of butter, rubbed into one heaping tablespoonful of flour. cook slowly one hour. remove from the fire and rub through a sieve. place over the fire again and add one and one-half tablespoonfuls of rice flour which has been dissolved in a little water. let it come to a boil, when it is ready to serve. * * * * * celery soup boil one small cupful of rice in three pints of milk, or two pints of milk and one of cream, until it is tender. then rub it through a sieve and add one quart of veal stock, salt, cayenne, and three heads of celery (the white stalks only) which have been previously grated. boil until the celery is tender. * * * * * bisque of prawns or shrimps boil three dozen prawns twenty minutes in salted water to cover them. meanwhile in two small tablespoonfuls of butter, fry an onion and a carrot sliced, and a small piece of salt pork chopped. take the prawns out of the boiling water and add to it the fried mixture with salt, pepper, a bunch of sweet herbs and one-half the prawns added again. simmer one hour. pound the shells of the prawns in a mortar with a little butter, to form a smooth paste. stir this into the soup and boil twenty minutes. strain through a sieve. add one quart of milk and one teaspoonful of cornstarch stirred into a little of the cold milk. let it boil up, and serve. it should be as thick as rich cream. * * * * * lobster soup pick the meat from a five pound lobster and pound it in a mortar, adding from time to time a little milk or cream. when perfectly smooth, add two teaspoonfuls of salt, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley (if liked), cayenne and mace. take out enough to make a dozen small balls, mix this with the yolk of an egg and fry it in butter. mix the rest of the pounded lobster with two quarts of milk and rub through a sieve. put this in a saucepan and simmer ten minutes. add two ounces of butter and stir until melted and smooth. pour over the fried balls in the tureen and serve very hot. * * * * * venison soup cut six pounds of lean venison into medium sized pieces and place in a soup kettle with two gallons of cold water, to which add two dozen cloves and four blades of mace. boil slowly three hours. then add two pounds of venison, cut into pieces about an inch square and one dozen force meat balls. boil for thirty minutes. then season with salt, pepper, cayenne, and half a glass of lime juice, letting the soup cook ten minutes longer. it should be served in hot bowls in each of which is poured a half glass of port before serving. crisp croutons may be added. * * * * * puree of venison cut up the remains of venison that had been roasted for a former dinner, put a few slices of ham into a stew pan, then the venison, two whole onions, a blade of mace, two quarts of stock, and a small piece of a sprig of thyme, parsley, and two cloves. set it on the stove to simmer, two hours or more. strain it off, and pull all the meat to pieces. pound it with the lean ham that was boiled with it, the crust of two french rolls which has been soaked in consomme. rub the whole through a colander with a glass of claret or port and enough consomme to bring it to the consistency of cream. put it back on the fire in a double boiler. stir a little butter into it, and serve with bread fried in dice. * * * * * clear soup stock to four pounds of beef add six quarts of cold water and place over the fire. just before it boils, skim it carefully. then add two cups of cold water and skim again, repeating this for a third skimming. allow it to simmer slowly for three hours. then add the vegetables; eight ounces each of cut up carrots, onions and turnips, and three ounces of celery, with salt and pepper. simmer three hours longer. the stock should be strained before using, and while cooking it should not be allowed to boil. * * * * * daniel webster's chowder fry with some slices of pork, four tablespoonfuls of sliced onions, to a light brown. put them in a deep iron pot with six pounds of cod sliced, one quart of boiled mashed potatoes, one pound and a half of broken sea biscuit, fifty oysters, one teaspoonful of thyme, one teaspoonful of summer savory, one-half a bottle of mushroom catsup, one bottle of port or claret, one-half a nutmeg, one dozen cloves, a little mace and allspice, one half a lemon sliced, pepper and salt. cover with one inch of water and cook slowly until done. * * * * * scott's chowder cover the bottom of a deep pot with slices of pork cut very thin. add a layer of fish sliced and seasoned with salt and pepper, a layer of onions parboiled and quartered, a layer of tomatoes sliced and seasoned, a layer of thickly sliced potatoes and a layer of broken sea biscuit. repeat the layers until the pot is filled. just cover the fish with water and cook one hour very slowly. add one pint of claret, cook one-half hour longer and serve. * * * * * marblehead chowder cut half a pound of salt pork into dice and place two-thirds of it in a deep saucepan; fry a light brown. remove it and in the fat fry two large onions sliced. cover the bottom of the pot with slices of raw cod or bass mixed with some of the fried pork and onions. on this place another layer of sliced fish mixed with a few pieces of raw pork, and slices of raw onion, salt and pepper; over this a layer of sliced raw potatoes. repeat these layers until the pot is about two-thirds full, when the mixture should be covered with warm water, or preferably a stock made of the heads and tails of the fish. after the chowder comes to a boil, let it cook for forty-five minutes. then add some broken sea biscuit, and boil fifteen minutes longer. in another saucepan place a quart of milk and heat it to the boiling point. then stir into it two ounces of flour rubbed into two ounces of butter. when it thickens a little, pour it over the chowder and serve. the recipe will take about four pounds of fish, half a pound of pork, six onions, six potatoes, four sea biscuits, two ounces each of butter and flour and a quart of milk. * * * * * clam chowder i have one hundred clams still in the shell. boil them in a quart of water until the shells open. take the clams out of the kettle, saving the water in which they were boiled. remove them from the shells, discarding all but the soft part. take six slices of salt pork and cut into dice. fry until crisp and a light brown. remove from the saucepan and in the fat fry four onions sliced. then add the water strained from the clams and the fried pork. to this add six potatoes cut in small pieces and two green peppers chopped or finely sliced. boil the mixture fifteen minutes before putting in the clams and four sea biscuits, broken into pieces. then boil for fifteen minutes longer and add a quart of milk. have half a cup of bread crumbs rubbed into four ounces of butter. stir this in as the chowder heats after the milk has been added. when it boils, it is ready to serve. * * * * * clam chowder ii in a saucepan fry two slices of salt pork and when brown, add four potatoes and four onions cut up. fry ten minutes and add three pints of water, salt and pepper. boil for half an hour. then add one quart of clams from which the tough portions have been removed. also two sea biscuits which have been soaked until they are soft. cook ten minutes. for this recipe, canned clams may be used. * * * * * force meat balls for chowder take the meat of a good sized crab, a tumblerful of shrimps and a clove of garlic. chop all very fine and make into small force meat balls with a beaten egg. fry them a light brown in butter, and serve in any fish chowder or soup. fish [illustration] oysters a la marechale stew very gently in four ounces of butter some thinly sliced truffles and mushrooms. after cooking ten minutes add salt, white pepper, cayenne and mace. stir in four large tablespoonfuls of flour and mix well together while it thickens. put in the liquor of the oysters which has been scalded and skimmed. then add milk (boiling) enough to make it as thick as cream. take from the fire and stir in the yolks of four eggs beaten well with the juice of a lime and a tablespoonful of water. cover each oyster thickly with some of the mixture and allow it to cool. then roll twice in beaten egg and bread crumbs. fry to a light brown in butter and serve very hot. * * * * * toasted angels sprinkle cayenne and a few drops of lime juice over as many large oysters as are required, then wrap each oyster in a thin strip of bacon or fat salt pork. fasten with a wooden tooth-pick and broil until the bacon is crisp. serve very hot on squares of buttered toast. * * * * * oyster patés rub together one ounce of butter and one teaspoonful of flour. melt this in a saucepan and add salt, mace and cayenne. stir gently a few minutes, until smooth. then add slowly four tablespoonfuls of cream. strain two dozen oysters and add the liquor very slowly, stirring all the time. when it boils up, put in the oysters, cook three minutes and fill the paté shells. serve very hot. * * * * * scalloped clams wash clean one hundred clams. use soft part whole and the tough part chopped fine. put a layer on the bottom of a buttered baking dish. season with salt, pepper, cayenne and a little mace and sprinkle over plenty of stale bread crumbs and a quantity of bits of butter. repeat the layers until the dish is full. put plenty of butter on top and pour in a cup of the water from the clams. bake in a moderate oven one hour, and when half done pour in a tumbler of sherry. * * * * * shrimp or oyster curry melt four ounces of butter and fry in it four young onions and a clove of garlic chopped. add the juice of two limes. stir into this one teaspoonful of corn starch, two tablespoonfuls of curry powder and half a cup of cream with salt, pepper and cayenne. stir this rapidly over the fire until very thick. thin with milk until it is the proper consistency, then add a large cup of picked shrimps, and as many oysters. cook two minutes after it boils. * * * * * shrimps a la bordelaise place two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour in a saucepan and brown over the fire. stir into this one cup of stock, and add two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped raw ham, a slice of onion, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley. simmer for ten or fifteen minutes. strain the same and add to it a cup of shrimps. simmer again for a few moments and add a teaspoonful of tomato or mushroom catsup. season with, salt and pepper, and serve in timbale cases. * * * * * shrimps with tomato stew half a dozen large tomatoes with a tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, a piece of butter, salt, pepper and cayenne. put this through a sieve until it is very smooth. fill a baking dish with picked shrimps, pour the tomato over them, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bits of butter, and bake until brown. * * * * * saute of shrimps melt a piece of butter in a stewpan with a little flour, salt and cayenne. just as it turns dark, put in a glass of white wine, a pound of picked shrimps, a little lemon juice, and if liked, a bit of anchovy sauce. take from the fire and stir in the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. pour into cup-shaped pieces of fried bread, and serve very hot. * * * * * crab a la creole fry in four ounces of butter, four young onions, one clove of garlic and two green peppers, all chopped fine. cook until soft and add one tomato cut up, salt, pepper and cayenne. stew until smooth, and add one teaspoonful of flour, a little cream or rich milk, and the meat picked from two crabs. boil a few moments and serve with buttered toast. * * * * * sole a la normandie take a large sole (one without a roe). remove the back skin and with a sharp knife very carefully cut out the side fins, lay it on the dish in which it is to be served, one that may be placed in the oven. brush the fish with melted butter. insert in the flesh of the fish some small slices of truffle. sprinkle it with salt, white pepper, a very little mace and dust it all over with fine crumbs. pour around it a tumbler of good white wine. place in a moderate oven and cook until nearly done, twenty minutes or longer, if the fish be large. take it out and put around the edge of the dish a row of croutons, brushing them with the white of an egg to make them adhere to the dish. then scatter over and around the fish, a small can of mushrooms, sliced, oysters, mussels, picked shrimps and some quenelles. add a little more melted butter and a few more crumbs, add more white wine and put back in the oven for five minutes. * * * * * filet of sole a la bohemian cut a sole or flounder into four filets. roll each one up, stuffing with a mixture of sal piquant sauce. roll around each a thin slice of pork and fasten with a skewer. stand on end in a baking pan and put a small piece of butter and a slice of lemon on each and bake until done. fry together for five minutes, chopped eschalots, parsley, chevril, herbs, butter, salt and cayenne. take from the fire and stir in a little lime juice and anchovy sauce. * * * * * baked sole skin the slack side of the fish and lay in a baking pan. brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs and pour over them some melted butter. cover the fish with a layer of thin slices of pork or bacon. add one-half pint of water and bake half an hour. to make the sauce, take the liquor from the baking pan, add to it salt, pepper, cayenne, the juice of one lime, a wine glass of sherry, a tablespoonful of mushroom or walnut catsup, and a piece of butter the size of an egg with a little flour rubbed into it. allow it to boil once and pour over the fish. * * * * * flounders a la magouze place several fish into a baking pan with a glass of white wine, salt, pepper, and an ounce of butter. while they are cooking break three eggs into half a pint of cream, and beat until it is light. when the fish is done remove them from the pan and stir the eggs and cream into the gravy. simmer for two minutes, and pour over the fish, serving at once. * * * * * salmon a la melville put slices of salmon into a baking pan with a little white wine and water. sprinkle with salt and bits of butter. place in the oven and bake for fifteen minutes. for a sauce, blanch some very finely chopped young onions. put them in a saucepan with a wine glass of white wine, salt, cayenne, a cup of picked shrimps, a lemon cut in thin slices, and a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce. then add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, rolled in a very little flour. remove from the fire and stir in the yolks of two eggs. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. * * * * * stewed haddock lay pieces of fish in a pan with the skin side up. sprinkle with salt and cayenne, and cover tightly, allowing the fish to stew in its juice for twenty minutes. then add a quarter of a pound of butter rolled in flour, and a quarter of a glass of wine. stir the liquor and simmer for a few moments, when it is ready to serve. no water should be used. * * * * * bacalas a la viscaina soak half a salt codfish over night. put in a saucepan one-half cup of olive oil, and two large onions cut in bits. when browned add two large tomatoes cut up. stew slowly fifteen minutes, adding a little black pepper. put in the fish picked to pieces and cook slowly half an hour. serve on a platter, with some fried whole green peppers on top. * * * * * baked sardines remove the skins from large boned sardines and heat in the oven on strips of toast. make a sauce as follows: pour the oil from the sardines into a saucepan and heat it well. then stir in an ounce of flour, adding a small cup of hot water. season this with a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, salt and paprika. beat the yolk of an egg with a teaspoonful of vinegar and one of mustard. stir this into the sauce after it is removed from the fire. pour over the sardines and serve. * * * * * sardines with cheese drain the sardines and lay them on strips of toast or crisply fried bread. cover thickly with parmesan cheese and bake in a hot oven until light brown in color. remove and sprinkle with chopped parsley and pour over all plenty of lemon juice. serve very hot. * * * * * scalloped fish roe boil three large roes in water with, a very little vinegar for ten minutes. remove from the fire and plunge into cold water, wipe the roe dry and break into bits without crushing. have ready the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs. mash them into a cup of drawn butter with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, the juice of half a lemon and a cup of bread crumbs. mix very lightly with the broken fish roe. place in a baking dish, cover with bread crumbs and bits of butter, and brown in the oven. * * * * * kedgeree boil two tablespoonfuls of rice and drain it as dry as possible. have ready a cupful of cooked fish of any sort broken into pieces. mix it thoroughly with the rice and heat over the fire; season with salt and pepper. beat an egg lightly and stir into it. serve at once. * * * * * bouillabaise the fish used for bouillabaise may be any kind of firm white fish, and for the following recipe, about two pounds are required. heat in a soup kettle four tablespoonfuls of olive oil and fry in it two large onions sliced, and two cloves of garlic. add the fish cut into bits and just cover the mixture with warm water. then add salt, pepper, half of a bay leaf, two large tomatoes, peeled and chopped, the juice of half a lemon and one cup of white wine. cook over a brisk fire twelve minutes, or until the liquor is reduced one-third. add one tablespoonful chopped parsley and a pinch of saffron. cook two minutes. pour the bouillabaise over slices of french bread. entrees [illustration] sweetbreads with mushrooms lay half a dozen sweetbreads in cold water for twelve hours, changing the water several times. then boil them five minutes, drop into cold water, remove the skin and lard with fat bacon. put them in a saucepan with a pint of stock, two small onions and one carrot chopped, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, salt, pepper, cayenne, and a little mace. stew until tender. serve with a mushroom sauce, made as follows: take a small bottle of mushrooms or one dozen fresh mushrooms sliced and boil them five minutes in water and lime juice. drain and place in a stew pan with two ounces of butter, one ounce of flour and a pint of well seasoned stock or gravy. cook until the sauce is reduced one-half. pour over the hot sweetbreads. * * * * * terrapin boil the terrapin for one hour, and clean carefully. rub into a paste the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs, half the white of one egg chopped, one tablespoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of flour, three whole cloves, salt, pepper, cayenne and mace. place the terrapin into a stewpan with a glass of sherry or madeira and the prepared paste. cook slowly for twenty minutes. add three glasses of sherry and madeira and allow it to boil once, when it is ready to serve. * * * * * frogs a la poulette joint the hind legs and backs of twelve frogs; put in a closely covered saucepan with some truffles, a small can of mushrooms sliced, a glass of white wine, salt, white pepper, cayenne, mace and four ounces of butter. stew gently fifteen minutes, stirring once or twice. if then tender, add one teaspoonful cornstarch rubbed into one ounce of butter. let it cook two minutes, take from the fire and stir in the yolks of six eggs beaten well with one-half cup of cream. place this mixture where it will keep hot without cooking. cut the crust from a loaf of bread, scoop out the center, brush with butter and brown in the oven. pour the frogs legs and sauce into the bread cup, garnish with mushrooms and truffles. * * * * * calves' head en tortue simmer a calves' head for two hours. tie the brains in a cloth, put them in the saucepan with the head and cook two hours longer. then extract the bones and cut the meat in pieces, return it to the saucepan without the brains, adding two ounces of butter, two dozen stoned olives, one dozen cloves, salt, pepper, cayenne, and a cup of white wine. cook for one hour, then add the brains cut in bits, the shaved peel and piece of one lemon and three hard-boiled eggs sliced. cook thirty minutes. thicken the sauce with flour rubbed into butter and serve with the calves' head. * * * * * chops a la reine trim twelve lamb chops very closely and fry lightly in six ounces of butter. remove them and in the same butter place two onions, sliced, four green peppers minced, one can of mushrooms minced, and two stalks of celery chopped; salt, pepper, cayenne, and the juice of a lime. cook until these ingredients are soft. stir in six ounces of flour. then add two cups of milk and cook until the mixture is thick and smooth. dust a plate with cracker crumbs and on this place a spoonful of the fried mixture. place a chop on top of this, cover it with another spoonful of the mixture and dust with cracker crumbs. repeat with each chop, and when cold roll each in beaten egg and cracker crumbs, and fry a light brown. * * * * * calves' feet a la marechale boil four calves' feet until tender. cut into inch pieces and fry in four ounces of butter, with two onions, a little garlic, two green peppers and some mushrooms, chopped fine, seasoning all with salt, pepper, cayenne, and a little mace. stir in four ounces of flour and add boiling milk, enough to make the mixture as thick as rich cream. put in the calves' feet and mix all well together. then remove from the fire and beat in the yolks of two eggs which have been mixed with the juice of a lime and a tablespoonful of water. pour the whole into a buttered pan and set aside to cool. when cold cut into slices, brush with egg and bread crumbs and fry in butter until a light brown. * * * * * puree of chestnuts with chops boil chestnuts in salted water for twenty minutes. shell them, season with salt and pepper, add a piece of butter and wet with milk. mash through a colander and heap lightly on a platter, arranging broiled chops around the puree. * * * * * lamb chops a la nesselrode trim carefully one dozen young lamb chops. fry in butter three tablespoonfuls of marrow, some chopped mushrooms and eschalots. then add a glass of sherry and stir it well before adding also a cup of rice, four cups of stock, several sweet chili peppers chopped and some salt. cook for half an hour or until pasty. pour it out in a pan to the thickness of half an inch and let cool. then with a biscuit cutter, cut it into rounds about the size of a chop. on each one of these rounds place a chop and cover the top with bechamel sauce. when cold dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry a light brown. a good recipe for the bechamel sauce is the following: one ounce of butter browned with one ounce of flour. to this add half a glass of sherry, some finely chopped truffles, one cup and a half of stock, salt and pepper, and cook for ten minutes. add the juice of a lime, take from the fire and stir in the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. * * * * * devil chops make a dressing of the following ingredients mixed together: one ounce of butter, one teaspoonful of made mustard, one-half teaspoonful of french mustard, one teaspoonful of grated horseradish, one teaspoonful of chutney, a little chili vinegar, the juice of one lime, salt, pepper and cayenne. rub this on the chops and broil rare. serve the remaining sauce over them in a very hot dish. * * * * * lamb cutlets duchesse fry one dozen lamb chops in butter and set aside to cool. put in a stew pan two ounces of butter with half a can of mushrooms, one small onion and a teaspoonful of parsley, all minced fine; salt, pepper, cayenne and a little mace. cook this gently for ten minutes and add a cup of milk thickened with flour and butter, the juice of a lemon and one teaspoonful of sugar. cook a few minutes. take from the fire and add the yolks of four eggs well beaten. cover the chops with this and set aside to cool. brush them with the well-beaten yolk of an egg, sprinkle with fine bread crumbs, and fry in butter to a light brown. serve with green peas in the center of the dish. * * * * * lamb cutlets a la condi lard lamb cutlets with strips of truffle, anchovy and gherkin. make a dressing of bread crumbs, mushrooms, capers, chives, a little shallot all chopped very fine, pepper, salt and butter. put this on each side of the cutlets and cover with crepinette. broil or fry to a light brown and dust over with very fine browned bread crumbs. serve with a browned veal gravy and sliced lemon. * * * * * eggs with tomatoes fry in two ounces of butter two small dry onions and two green peppers, chopped. add half a dozen tomatoes peeled and cut up, salt and pepper. simmer fifteen minutes. add the corn cut from half a dozen ears, and cook fifteen minutes longer. pour the mixture into a baking dish, and break over it six eggs. place in the oven until set. * * * * * macaroni a la rossini cook a pint or less of macaroni in well salted water; drain and put into a stew pan, with a little good gravy. simmer very slowly until the gravy is all absorbed, shaking the pan occasionally. put a layer of the macaroni in a baking dish, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and sliced truffles mixed with a little good sauce espagnole. fill the dish and on the top layer put truffles. place in the oven a few minutes and serve with grated parmesan cheese on a separate dish. * * * * * timbale of macaroni for twelve persons boil one-half pound of macaroni in water for five minutes. cut in inch length pieces and simmer for twenty minutes in one quart of milk, being careful that it does not boil. season with salt, pepper, mace and cayenne. add one cup of cream, stir until very smooth, add the beaten yolks of eight eggs and one can of mushrooms sliced. stir well and then add the macaroni with one pound of sweetbreads, cut in small pieces and two dozen eastern oysters. let this cool, then cover with pastry and bake in the oven until brown. chicken and game [illustration] chicken portuguese truss two young chickens as though for roasting. lay on the bottom of a large stew pan the rind of a piece of pork, and on this, place the chicken. add four ounces of butter, a head of celery chopped, two onions sliced, three small carrots sliced, two chili peppers cut up, and the halves of two bell peppers from which the seeds have been removed. season with salt, cayenne, thyme and a few sweet herbs. cover and cook quickly for forty minutes, moistening from time to time with a spoonful of stock or gravy. then add two large tomatoes sliced, and cook twenty minutes longer. serve the chicken with the sauce poured over it. * * * * * chicken with oysters stuff a young chicken with oyster and a few bread crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. truss the fowl, place it in a tin pail with a tight cover. stand the pail in a kettle of boiling water and leave on the fire one hour and a half. remove the chicken and place in a dish. pour the gravy into a saucepan, adding two dozen oysters, two hard boiled eggs chopped, a wine glass of cream and one ounce of butter, into which has been rubbed a teaspoonful of corn starch. boil for a few moments and pour over the chicken. this is an excellent way to cook a young turkey. * * * * * casuela cut a chicken into small pieces and fry it with a clove of garlic in a large tablespoonful of lard, for ten minutes. then add one quart of water, half a cupful each of green peas, string beans and grains of corn, and boil one and one-half hours. add three potatoes cut into bits, one tablespoonful of rice, salt, pepper and the white of one egg. boil for three-quarters of an hour longer, then remove from the fire. in a tureen mix one mashed potato with the yolk of the egg and a tablespoonful of vinegar. strain the broth slowly into this and mix thoroughly before adding the chicken and other ingredients. * * * * * fried chicken, maryland style cut up a chicken, and season with salt, pepper and a little mace. dip the pieces into beaten egg, then roll in flour and fry in lard and butter until brown. take out the chicken and in the pan put a large piece of butter with a little flour. as soon as it froths up stir in milk until thick. let it boil a minute and pour over the chicken. * * * * * chicken with rice cut up a chicken and stew gently for ten minutes in a little water. add two ounces of butter, salt, pepper, mace and a green pepper, chopped very fine, stew until done. make a form of boiled rice around a dish and lay the chicken in the middle of it. add to the sauce a good piece of butter with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed into it and boil two minutes. take from the fire and stir in the yolk of three eggs, beaten with a half cup of rich cream. pour over the chicken and serve. * * * * * chicken with spaghetti prepare the spaghetti by boiling about three pounds in salted water for twenty minutes. stew a chicken in water until tender and pick it to pieces, adding enough of the gravy to make a quart. into this put four sliced onions that have been fried in two ounces of butter, and one quart of tomatoes. stew for fifteen minutes. place a layer of spaghetti on a platter and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, pour over some of the chicken sauce and repeat the layers, putting the best of the chicken on top. * * * * * quail with celery cut six quail in halves and cover them with water in a stewpan, adding strips of salt pork, some finely chopped celery, salt and pepper. cook until done. remove the birds and strain the liquor; add to it, two ounces of flour rubbed into two ounces of butter, the remainder of the head of celery grated, and two cups of milk. when it thickens pour over the birds and serve very hot. * * * * * pheasant a la savarin place on the bottom of a roasting pan two slices of bread cut two inches thick. spread over this the pounded liver and heart of the bird with an anchovy, a bit of ham and two truffles minced. on this lay the pheasant and roast until done. serve on the cooked bread. nothing but the finest burgundy should be served with this. * * * * * quail and onion to each quail allow one good sized onion, sliced, and half a glass each of oil and vinegar. stew in a covered pot until the birds are tender. season with salt and pepper, and serve with any good sauce. * * * * * salmi of duck with olives roast for eight minutes two sprig tail ducks, take out and cut the meat from the bones. break up the bones. cover with water in a saucepan and cook with a dozen cloves, one onion and some chopped celery, to make a gravy. when done strain it off. to this gravy add the meat, two ounces of butter, salt, pepper, cayenne, one-half head of celery, cut in strips, one teaspoonful of currant jelly and one dozen stoned olives. cook gently ten minutes, stirring it well until smooth. add a piece of butter rolled in brown flour. stew five minutes and serve very hot. * * * * * stewed squabs make a stuffing of the livers and hearts of six birds chopped fine, with a little butter, chopped pork, the yolk of an egg, salt, cayenne and a little lemon. stuff the squabs with the above. put them in a stew pan and cover with stock and stew one-half hour. take out the birds, add salt, cayenne, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom catsup, one tablespoonful worcestershire sauce, one tablespoonful of lime juice, a large glass of port or sherry, and two ounces of butter, mixed with three tablespoonfuls of browned flour. return the birds to the sauce for ten minutes. fry some thick slices of bread, place a bird on each and pour the sauce over them. meats [illustration] yorkshire steaks fry in butter several small tenderloin steaks, with two onions sliced and one cucumber sliced. when well browned add a pint of stock, salt, pepper and cayenne and one teaspoonful of made mustard. simmer an hour or longer. * * * * * filet of beef a la rossini braise a larded filet of beef with what vegetables are in season. put in a saucepan and moisten while cooking with a bottle of good claret or sherry. when done garnish the meat with macaroni prepared as follows: boil one-half pound of macaroni, cut into three-inch lengths and put in a saucepan with some sliced mushrooms, one-half pint of good stock, three ounces of grated parmesan cheese, and a pat of butter. season with salt and pepper. toss over the fire until well mixed and serve around the beef. strain the vegetables out of the gravy and pour over the beef. * * * * * yorkshire pudding this is to be served with roast beef, and it should be baked in the pan of drippings in which the beef has cooked. mix a cup of flour with a cup of milk, salt and one egg beaten. bake quickly and serve at once. * * * * * cold roast beef stewed cut the remains of a cold roast into pieces, flour the pieces and fry in butter until brown. then put them into a saucepan with a cup of stock, a glass of port, salt, pepper and cayenne. simmer five minutes and add one tablespoonful of lime juice before serving. * * * * * lobscouse soak four thick slices of corned beef in fresh water for two hours. fry four slices of salt pork or bacon. in the fat fry four sliced onions a light brown. place in a stewpan the beef, onions and pork or bacon. add a dozen sliced potatoes, cover with water and season highly with pepper. cover and stew gently until the meat is tender. then break into the stewpan four sea biscuits, cook for five minutes longer. the liquor may be thickened a little more with a tablespoonful of flour mixed with a little cold water. * * * * * perchero place five pounds of beef in a large pot half filled with water. boil for three hours, having seasoned well with salt and pepper. then add a large piece of pumpkin cut in pieces, a pint of string beans, a cup of corn, a large onion sliced, a carrot and a turnip diced, and a bell pepper minced. simmer for half an hour. then add half a cup of rice and one teaspoonful of saffron. cook for half an hour longer. in another saucepan boil a cabbage, and in a third pan stew some peeled apples and bananas cut up. put the meat in the center of a platter and place the mixed fruits and vegetables around it. * * * * * stewed cold mutton or beef place in a saucepan three onions sliced, a carrot and a potato diced; salt, pepper, a teaspoonful of lime juice or vinegar, with thin slices of cold meat. cover closely and simmer for one hour, add half a cup of cold water and simmer one hour longer. season with a tablespoonful of worcestershire and thicken the gravy with an ounce of flour rubbed into butter. * * * * * lamb with macaroni cover the bottom of a baking pan with slices of bacon. place on them a breast of young lamb and cover it with slices of bacon and thin slices of a peeled lemon. season with salt and pepper, add a small onion minced and a cup of stock. cover and bake slowly for two hours. boil half a cup of macaroni in gravy to which a few peeled tomatoes may be added. when tender, place it on a serving dish, lay the lamb on it and pour over all the gravy which may be thickened with a little flour. * * * * * stewed fresh tongue soak a fresh tongue in cold water for one hour, then boil it three hours and remove the skin. place the tongue in a stewpan with half a head of celery, one turnip, one carrot and two onions cut in small pieces, one dozen cloves, salt and cayenne. simmer for one and one-half hours. take out the tongue and add to the gravy one tablespoonful of made mustard, one of worcestershire sauce, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom catsup, three picketed gherkins chopped, one glass of port or red wine, and two ounces of butter, creamed with three ounces of browned flour. cook until smooth. return the tongue to the sauce and simmer half an hour. * * * * * pork pie cut into small pieces enough pork to fill a baking dish. season it with salt, pepper and mace. use no water. cover the meat with a thick pastry crust and bake in a slow oven for two hours. make a gravy of the bones and scraps of the pork, well seasoned, and pour into the pie after it is baked. * * * * * to barbecue a pig (very old dish) dress a pig of ten weeks old as if to roast. make a stuffing of the liver, two anchovies, and sage leaves all chopped small; bread crumbs, four ounces of butter, salt, cayenne and a half pint of red wine. stuff and sew the pig up. roast at an open fire. put in the dripping pan three bottles or more of red wine. baste the pig frequently and when almost done put in the pan close to the fire two loaves of bread. stand the pig in the dish for serving and put a lemon in his mouth. place one of the loaves of bread on each side; to the gravy in the pan add one anchovy, one-half lemon and a few sweet herbs, all chopped fine. boil it a few minutes and pour over the pig. lay slices of lemon and barberries round the dish. * * * * * to boil a ham soak a ham for one hour and clean with a brush. put it in a kettle with plenty of cold water and after it boils cook seven hours, skim well and always replenish with boiling water. after it has boiled three hours add half a handful of whole cloves and at the end of five hours add one and a half pints of vinegar. after boiling, skin the ham, sprinkle it with crumbs, stick with cloves and roast in a moderate oven, thirty minutes, basting with a liquor of half vinegar and half water. * * * * * mexican tripe dip a thick honey comb piece of tripe in butter, then in crumbs, and broil over a clear fire until well done, sprinkling over it whilst cooking three or four finely chopped green chilis. melt in a hot soup plate one ounce of butter, adding salt, pepper and cayenne, and one teaspoonful of made mustard, rub smooth and add one-half teaspoonful of vinegar, one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce and the juice of one small lime. lay the tripe in this sauce as soon as it is removed from the fire. serve with buttered toast. an excellent prelude to this dish is a plate of onion soup. * * * * * spanish bacon on toast fry a crisp brown, twelve slices of bacon. remove the bacon from the frying pan, leaving some of the fat. into this stir two tablespoonfuls of flour and a cup of milk; a small onion minced and a dash of pepper. cook until it is smooth. have six slices of toast ready. on each, place two slices of the fried bacon and on each a slice of raw tomato. pour the sauce over the toast and bacon and tomato, and serve very hot. sauces [illustration] sauce for canvas-back duck melt together in a hot soup plate one ounce of butter, and an equal amount of currant jelly. add the juice of a lime, a glass of sherry and a small cupful of finely chopped celery. season with salt, pepper and cayenne. * * * * * sauce for wild fowl take one shallot chopped, salt, cayenne, mace, a glass of port or claret, one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, one tablespoonful of mushroom catsup, the rind of one-half lime and one tablespoonful of lime juice. boil these ingredients for five minutes. strain the liquor and add to any gravy. * * * * * hollandaise sauce heat a bowl with boiling water, and wipe dry. in it beat quarter of a cup of butter to a cream. add the yolks of two raw eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. then add a tablespoonful of lemon juice, salt and cayenne, and beat the mixture with a fork or an egg beater, for five minutes. place the bowl in boiling water. stir into the sauce two tablespoonfuls of boiling water, and beat until the sauce is smooth and thick as mayonnaise. * * * * * parsley butter beat three tablespoonfuls of butter to a cream. add half a tablespoonful of lemon juice and one of chopped parsley, half a teaspoonful of salt. beat all together several minutes, when it is ready for use. an excellent dressing for fried or broiled fish. * * * * * green sauce mix in a bowl a tablespoonful each of finely chopped parsley and onion, with one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar and one of cider vinegar. season with salt, pepper and cayenne. * * * * * egg sauce beat two ounces of butter to a froth. mix into it one tablespoonful of flour and the yolk of one egg. pour a cup of hot water of this batter, stirring constantly. heat over the fire until it is thick and smooth, but be careful not to boil. just before serving stir in two hard boiled eggs finely chopped. * * * * * celery sauce put in a stewpan with salt, cayenne and a blade of mace, three grated heads of celery. cover with boiling water. boil ten minutes and drain. return to the fire with enough veal stock to cover the celery and stew half an hour. then add two ounces of butter rolled in flour, and half a cup of cream. shake over the fire a minute or two and serve at once. * * * * * devil for boiled ham or fowl put in a saucepan half a teacupful of soup stock, three ounces of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of made mustard, two teaspoonfuls of french mustard, two cloves of garlic chopped fine, one onion chopped, two green peppers and one pickeled gherkin chopped, one tomato peeled and cut up, the juice of half a lime and half a lime cut in thin slices. simmer for one hour, then add the following: one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, one of imperial sauce, one of tarragon vinegar, two of bon gout sauce, two of mushroom catsup, two of walnut catsup and two tablespoonfuls of chutney, add half a pint of sherry and simmer for fifteen minutes. this will keep several months. * * * * * onion sauce boil three good sized onions, one hour. drain and put in a stewpan with one-half pint of milk and one teaspoonful of salt. simmer for fifteen minutes, then rub through a sieve and put back in the pan with one-half pint of cream and one ounce of butter. simmer ten minutes and serve very hot. * * * * * garlic sauce rub together in a mortar until smooth, two ounces of butter, two cloves of garlic and one teaspoonful of salt. add a tablespoonful of lime juice and one-half a pint of melted butter. beat until light and smooth, when it is ready to serve. * * * * * melted butter take one pint of milk and one teaspoonful of salt; when it boils stir into it three ounces of butter, a little cayenne and two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed into it. let it boil one minute and serve at once. * * * * * salad dressing without oil put in a double saucepan the yolks of three eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, pepper, cayenne, and one tablespoonful of dry mustard. mix well and sift in two tablespoonfuls of flour. add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar and four of water. stir until quite smooth. place over the fire, stirring continually one way. as soon as it thickens remove from the fire and beat in three ounces of butter. use when cool. vegetables [illustration] asparagus aux milanaise boil large choice asparagus until tender. put a layer of stalks upon the dish on which they are to be served. sprinkle with salt, pepper, cayenne, and a little grated parmesan cheese. make three layers of this and pour over all a little melted butter. break on top a fresh egg for each person, and put in the oven until set. serve very hot. to be served individually, six stalks may be placed on each dish, covered with cheese, and an egg broken over them. serve after placing in the oven a few moments. * * * * * corn au gratin score down twelve ears of boiled corn, and with the back of a knife press out the kernels. put them into a baking dish with a large piece of butter, salt, pepper, a finely chopped green pepper and a tablespoonful of grated parmesan or gruyere cheese. place in a hot oven until just browned and serve immediately. * * * * * chonfleur au gratin boil a large cauliflower twenty minutes in salted water. when tender drain and put on the dish on which it is to be served. make a sauce of two ounces of butter, one ounce of flour and half a pint of milk, one ounce of grated parmesan cheese, salt and cayenne. mix this well, putting in the cheese last. pour it over the cauliflower and sprinkle more cheese over the top. set in a hot oven until browned and serve at once. * * * * * okra cut the stems off of young okra pods and boil in water until the seeds turn red, which should be in half an hour. drain and toss in a pan with butter, salt, pepper and cayenne. * * * * * potato cream boil six medium-sized, mealy potatoes and when soft press them through a sieve until light and floury. then beat into them the raw yolks of six eggs and a little milk and butter. season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with finely chopped chevril and thyme, and fine dice of fried bread before serving. * * * * * sweet potatoes take six good sized sweet potatoes and boil until nearly done. then peel them and roll in melted butter, lay in a buttered baking pan. sprinkle with brown sugar and bake until done. * * * * * chili beans take four cups of red beans, one onion, four cloves of garlic, cover with water and cook all day in a covered saucepan. add a little water from time to time if too dry. cook slowly four red peppers and five black peppers with seeds out, three black peppers with seeds, four cloves of garlic, four onions with the hearts taken out, salt, and one cup of beef stock. rub through a sieve. put in a saucepan four tablespoonfuls of marrow. when very hot add the beans and then the sauce. * * * * * to boil rice have plenty of salted water, with the juice of a lime in it. when boiling add rice that has been washed in three waters. boil fast for sixteen minutes. try a grain, and if done dash in a glass of cold water. drain at once through a colander. cover with a cloth and let stand by the fire for a few minutes, shaking up the colander once or twice. this will make every grain separate. * * * * * risotto fry two chopped onions in butter until light brown in color. add one cup of raw rice and cover with beef stock. as the rice absorbs the stock add more until done. then add two large tomatoes stewed with a little sugar and highly seasoned. place on the dish for serving and grate parmesan cheese over it. salads [illustration] club salad boil separately two carrots, two turnips, and four potatoes. when cold, cut the vegetables into dice and mix them together, adding three apples peeled and cut into small bits. toss in a large salad bowl with several olives for garnish. bits of celery or cold cauliflower may be added. pour over all a mayonnaise, or if preferred, a french dressing. another dressing that is excellent with this salad is one made of the yolks of four raw eggs beaten into half a glass of rich cream which may be either sweet or sour. to this add one teaspoonful of salt, one of mustard and a wineglassful of vinegar, blending carefully. * * * * * winter salad cut the white stalks of a head of celery into small bits. mix with two boiled potatoes cut in dice, two or three boiled beets cut in dice, a large white onion boiled and cut up, some chopped truffles, anchovies and stoned olives, a tablespoonful or more of each. serve with mayonnaise. * * * * * cheese straws to serve with salad make a paste of two ounces of grated parmesan cheese, two ounces of flour, two ounces of butter, the yolk of one egg, salt and cayenne. roll out the paste until about one-eighth of an inch thick. cut into very narrow strips and place on a buttered tin. bake ten minutes in a hot oven. desserts and cakes [illustration] mince meat measure carefully and mix together the following ingredients: two pounds of roast beef finely chopped, two pounds of chopped beef suet, two pounds of chopped peeled apples, two pounds of seeded raisins, two pounds sultana raisins, two pounds of washed currants, two pounds of white sugar, one pound of citron cut in bits, one pound of dried orange peel, two nutmegs grated, three teaspoonfuls of ground mace, three teaspoonfuls of ground cloves, three teaspoonfuls of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of salt, the grated rind and juice of two oranges, one quart of brandy, one quart of sherry and one glass of blackberry jelly. after mixing thoroughly place the mince meat in a stone jar and use it from this. * * * * * hot zabajone beat well together the yolks of six eggs, and half a cup of sugar. heat in a double saucepan, being careful to stir only one way. place in a strainer the shaved peel of three oranges. through this pour slowly into the eggs a quart of champagne (white wine may be substituted), and allow the mixture to thicken. serve hot in champagne glasses. * * * * * frozen zabajone mix the same as for hot zabajone, adding another half cup of sugar and a tablespoonful of orange juice. when it is cold half freeze in a freezer. then remove and place in paper cases or moulds, on the ice. * * * * * genoise pastry beat to a cream half a cup of butter and half a cup of sugar. break into the cream three eggs, one at a time, and mix until smooth. stir in half a cup of flour. pour on a buttered tin and bake ten or fifteen minutes. when cold spread thickly with apricot jam and cover with chocolate icing. set in the oven a few moments, then put aside to cool. cut into odd shapes before serving. * * * * * omelette souffle beat to a cream the yolks of six eggs, four tablespoonfuls of sugar and the grated rind of half a lemon. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth. place in a frying pan over the fire four ounces of butter. when it is melted mix the yolks and whites together and stir quickly into the pan. as soon as the eggs have absorbed the butter, pour them into a buttered baking dish and set in a hot oven for six or seven minutes. serve at once. * * * * * marmalade pudding cream half a cup of sugar and two teaspoonfuls of butter. beat into this the yolks of four eggs and one cup of cream or milk. add a cup of fine bread crumbs and the beaten whites of the eggs; then a cup of orange marmalade, or some other fruit marmalade. pour into a buttered mould and bake one hour in a moderate oven. turn out of the mould and serve with a brandy sauce, or cream. * * * * * amherst pudding line a baking dish with thinly rolled pie crust or puff paste. fill with the following mixture. a small cup of butter creamed with two cups of sugar and beaten up with four or five eggs, a cupful of finely chopped apple added, with the grated rind and juice of a lemon and a little water. sprinkle with nutmeg, and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. * * * * * brown betty cover the bottom of a baking dish with bread crumbs, over which place a layer of thinly sliced tart apples. sprinkle thickly with sugar and small pieces of butter, cinnamon and nutmeg, then cover with bread crumbs and repeat the layers until the dish is filled, having a layer of crumbs sprinkled with bits of butter on top. then pour over all three-quarters of a cup of molasses thinned with a little hot water. bake until the apples are tender and the top is well browned. * * * * * chocolate pudding grate one-half a pound of baker's chocolate, and melt it in half a pint of hot milk. stir into the milk also half a cup of bread crumbs, one cup of powdered sugar and the beaten whites of six eggs. wet a melon mould in cold water and pour the mixture into it. boil three-quarters of an hour. serve with cream, or the following sauce: beat the yolks of six eggs very light. heat a cup of wine and a cup of sugar until the sugar is melted. remove from the fire and stir in the eggs quickly. * * * * * bread and molasses pudding butter thickly some slices of bread and lay in a baking dish. cover them with thick black molasses and bake slowly. the pudding should be served hot, with thick cream. * * * * * baked bananas put into a bowl three tablespoonfuls of butter, six of sugar, and three of wine. set the bowl in hot water to melt the butter. peel the fruit and lay it in a baking pan. pour over it the mixture in the bowl, and bake half an hour, basting several times. * * * * * hermits cream two cups of sugar and one cup of butter. add three well beaten eggs and three tablespoonfuls of milk. sift into this six cups of flour and a teaspoonful each of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove. add last a cup of chopped raisins. roll the dough out about one-quarter of an inch thick, cut into small squares and bake in a quick oven for twelve minutes. * * * * * lady baltimore cake cream one pound of sugar and half a pound of butter. beat the yolks and whites of eight eggs separately, and add the beaten yolks to the butter and sugar. stir in half a pint of milk and one pound of flour with four teaspoonfuls of baking powder. flavor with lemon or vanilla and bake in three layers. for the filling, boil three cups of powdered sugar and three-quarters of a cup of water for five minutes. beat four eggs, the yolks and whites together, and into them stir the boiling syrup, add two cups of chopped raisins and two cups of almonds, chopped and blanched. flavor with vanilla and spread thickly between the layers of cake. cover with white frosting. * * * * * silver cake beat lightly the whites of eight eggs. cream two cups of sugar and half a cup of butter. stir into the eggs, adding three-fourths of a cup of milk. sift into the batter three cups of flour and one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. bake in a moderate oven. * * * * * gold cake cream a cup of sugar and three-fourths of a cup of butter. mix into this the beaten yolks of eight eggs and half a cup of milk. last add one and a half cups of flour with one teaspoonful of baking powder. bake in a long bread tin. * * * * * fig filling for cake chop together one pound of dried figs and one cup of seeded raisins. add the juice and grated rind of a lemon and sugar to taste. pour over the mixture a cup of water and heat thoroughly, mixing it over the fire. spread between layers of white cake. * * * * * thin gingerbread place in a saucepan one pint of molasses, one cup of butter, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of soda, and let them boil together for a moment. then remove from the fire, and when nearly cool stir in flour enough to make a thick batter or dough. spread thinly on tins and bake quickly. wine cups and punches [illustration] champagne cup i pour on a sliced cucumber one pint of sherry and one-half pint of brandy. grate the rind of two lemons over a little sugar. add it to the mixture with the juice of one lemon and the juice of three oranges, half a pint of curacao, two bottles of seltzer, three bottles of apollinaris and three bottles of champagne. sweeten to taste and ice well. * * * * * champagne cup ii mix together two tablespoonfuls of sugar, the juice and shaved peel of a lemon, a few slices of cucumbers, one wine glass of curacao, one quart of apollinaris and one quart of champagne. pour over a block of ice in a punch bowl. * * * * * champagne cup iii rub three ounces of sugar on lemon peel and put in a punch bowl with the juice of four lemons, one quart of apollinaris, and one quart of orgeat. beat this well. then add one pint of brandy, half a glass of jamaica rum and a glass of maraschino. strain into a bowl of ice and just before serving, pour in three quarts of champagne. * * * * * champagne cup iv two tablespoonfuls of sugar rubbed on the peel of a lemon and mixed with the juice of half a lemon, three slices of pineapple, one wine glass each of maraschino and brandy and a quart each of apollinaris and champagne. ice well. * * * * * champagne cup v rub two ounces of sugar over the peel of an orange. mix with it the juice of an orange, two wine glasses of sherry, one wine glass of maraschino, and a quart each of apollinaris and champagne. add a few slices of cucumber and plenty of ice. * * * * * hock cup pour over a block of ice in a punch bowl, a wine glass of maraschino, two quarts of apollinaris, two quarts of sparkling hock and the juice of two lemons. sweeten with two ounces of sugar. * * * * * badminton claret cup rub six lumps of sugar on a lemon, strain the juice of the lemon over the sugar and add a glass of good sherry, two sprigs of verbena, a few slices of cucumber and a quart of claret. place in the bowl a large piece of ice, and when ready to serve add a quart of sparkling mineral water. * * * * * moselle cup place the following ingredients in a punch bowl, with a block of ice, two ounces of sugar, the shaved peel of half an orange, three peaches sliced, a small pineapple sliced, half a dozen apricots, a wine glass of sherry, a quart of sparkling moselle and a quart of apollinaris. * * * * * sauterne cup pour in a punch bowl, with ice, a quart each of sauterne, apollinaris and champagne, a wine glass of chartreuse and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. * * * * * champagne punch in a bowl place one sliced orange, one lime sliced very thin, and the juice of another lime, one-fourth of a pineapple sliced, and one-fourth of a pound of sugar. let stand twelve hours. put a large block of ice in a punch bowl, add the above ingredients with a wine glass of maraschino, two tumblers of sauterne, a wine glass of raspberry syrup, and last of all, one quart of champagne, a few whole straw-berries and a claret glass of benedictine may also be added. * * * * * "t" punch slice a whole pineapple and three lemons, and place in a punch bowl with the juice only of nine other lemons, add two pounds of sugar, and let these ingredients stand several hours. then add one quart each of green tea, jamaica rum, brandy, claret, a pint of curacao, and allow it to stand another hour. then place in the punch bowl with a large block of ice, and pour in six quarts of champagne. * * * * * new york club punch take two pounds of lump sugar and squeeze over it the juice of one dozen lemons, using a little of the grated rind. let this stand three hours, then strain the syrup through two thicknesses of flannel and set away on ice. just before serving add one quart each of brandy, jamaica rum, madeira and water. * * * * * milk punch take the juice and shaved peel of two dozen lemons, mix with five quarts of water, three pounds of loaf sugar and six quarts of rum. stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add two quarts of boiling milk and allow the mixture to stand twenty-four hours. then strain twice through a cloth. * * * * * apple toddy i bake slowly two dozen cored apples until done. place in a large stone jar with eight pounds of sugar. pour over them four gallons of boiling water and let stand for forty-eight hours. then remove the apples and crush them after taking off the skins. return the fine pulp to the jar, and add one gallon of whiskey, one gallon of brandy, one gallon of peach brandy and three pints of jamaica rum. the toddy should stand in the covered jar for a week before being used. * * * * * apple toddy ii prepare six cored apples by sticking a dozen cloves in each and baking slowly until soft. put them in a stone jar and pour over them a toddy made of two quarts of whiskey, one quart of brandy, one pint of rum and three cups of water, sweeten to taste and cover closely, allowing the mixture to blend for a week before using. index soups and chowders onion soup palestine soup black bean soup parker house tomato soup celery soup bisque of prawns or shrimps lobster soup venison soup puree of venison clear soup stock daniel webster's chowder scott's chowder marblehead chowder clam chowder i clam chowder ii force meat balls for chowder fish oysters a la marechale toasted angels oyster patés scalloped clams shrimp or oyster curry shrimps a la bordelaise shrimps with tomato saute of shrimps crab a la creole sole a la normandie filet of sole a la bohemian baked sole flounders a la magouze salmon a la melville stewed haddock bacalas a la viscaina baked sardines sardines with cheese scalloped fish roe kedgeree bouillabaise entrees sweetbreads with mushrooms terrapin frogs a la poulette calves' head en tortue chops a la reine calves' feet a la marechale puree of chestnuts with chops lamb chops a la nesselrode devil chops lamb cutlets duchesse lamb cutlets a la condi eggs with tomatoes macaroni a la rossini timbale of macaroni for twelve persons chicken and game chicken portuguese chicken with oysters casuela fried chicken, maryland style chicken with rice chicken with spaghetti quail with celery pheasant a la savarin quail and onion salmi of duck with olives stewed squabs meats yorkshire steaks filet of beef a la rossini yorkshire pudding cold roast beef stewed lobscouse perchero stewed cold mutton or beef lamb with macaroni stewed fresh tongue pork pie to barbecue a pig (very old dish) to boil a ham mexican tripe spanish bacon on toast sauces sauce for canvas-back duck sauce for wild fowl hollandaise sauce parsley butter green sauce egg sauce celery sauce devil for boiled ham or fowl onion sauce garlic sauce melted butter salad dressing without oil vegetables asparagus aux milanaise corn au gratin chonfleur au gratin okra potato cream sweet potatoes chili beans to boil rice risotto salads club salad winter salad cheese straws to serve with salad desserts and cakes mince meat hot zabajone frozen zabajone genoise pastry omelette souffle marmalade pudding amherst pudding brown betty chocolate pudding bread and molasses pudding baked bananas hermits lady baltimore cake silver cake gold cake fig filling for cake thin gingerbread wine cups and punches champagne cup i champagne cup ii champagne cup iii champagne cup iv champagne cup v hock cup badminton claret cup moselle cup sauterne cup champagne punch "t" punch new york club punch milk punch apple toddy i apple toddy ii transcriber's note obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been maintained. a list of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. a course of lectures on the principles of domestic economy and cookery, by miss juliet corson, superintendent of the new york school of cookery. delivered in the farmers' lecture course of the college of agriculture of the university of minnesota. appendix to supplement i. fourth biennial report of board of regents of the university of minnesota. . st. paul, minn.: the pioneer press company. . preface. the following lectures were delivered in the "farmers lecture course," at the college of agriculture, minneapolis, during the session of . the topics selected at previous sessions had been such as to especially interest the male members of the large classes in attendance, and it was considered no more than fair to the women of the state that attention should be given to such matters as would aid them in the conduct of home duties. influenced by this desire, i secured the services of miss juliet corson, the superintendent of the new york school of cookery, and so widely known wherever the english language is spoken, by her publications and writings upon all topics relating to domestic economy. the interest manifested in this course of lectures by the ladies of minnesota was shown by the crowded audiences present at each exercise, nearly , of whom registered their names and addresses, a list of which is appended to this report. the lectures were familiar, extemporaneous discourses upon the topics under discussion, and the lecturer was surrounded by all the appointments of a well-ordered kitchen. the dishes as prepared were passed to the audience for examination and criticism, and full opportunity allowed for discussion. this statement is necessary to explain the colloquial character of the discourses. in placing these lectures before the public the editor does but simple justice to miss corson in stating that circumstances have prevented the preparation by her of a finished report, and have compelled the publication of the notes taken at the "cooking lessons." but if the _form_ of the instruction is devoid of rhetorical style, the editor guarantees its _accuracy_. although miss corson is a steady worker, her usefulness is curtailed by serious illness. in this instance, therefore, indulgence is claimed for the method. whatever graces of literature the reader seeks, may be found in the author's other published works; here the public is entreated to accept a very plain record of the work done at the state university by miss corson. a word of explanation is due to the members of the class, who were promised copies of these lectures. i had full reports taken at the time, by a stenographer. they were written out shortly after, and sent to miss corson, as by her request, for review; but owing to her protracted and nearly fatal illness and very slow recovery, these notes have only recently been returned to me. i hope this statement will relieve me from any charges of neglect, which the ladies might otherwise be disposed to make. edward d. porter, _professor in charge_. introduction. this course of lectures is designed to meet the wants of two classes of persons: _first_--those who are experienced housekeepers, familiar with the principles and practice of cookery, but who desire information concerning the preparation of the finer dishes of the modern school. _second_--the young ladies in attendance at the university and others like them, who have had their time and attention so engrossed with studies and other duties that they have not had the opportunity to qualify themselves in this most important branch of a woman's education. to meet the wants of the first class, the morning exercises will be devoted to the preparation of palatable and nutritious dishes, suitable for every day use in families of moderate means, and some of the finer dishes will be introduced. as the afternoons are the only times at which the young ladies of the university can be present, these sessions will be devoted to practical illustrations of the elementary principles of household management and cookery. as time permits, some of the salient points in the chemistry of food and the physiology of nutrition will be briefly discussed. bill of fare for the housekeepers' course. first day. soup stock. boiled salmon, with cream sauce. potatoes, stewed in butter. quail, boned and broiled. omelettes. second day. clear soup. caramel for coloring soups and sauces. baked whitefish. beefsteak, broiled and fried. baked apple dumplings. third day. cream of salmon. shoulder of lamb, boned and roasted. forcemeat for meats. potatoes, broiled and baked. cheese crusts. fourth day. pea soup with crusts. salt codfish, stewed in cream. venison with currant jelly. stewed carrots. cabinet pudding. fifth day. tomato soup. fried pickerel. beef, _a la mode_ rolls. _puree_ of spinach. caramel custard. sixth day. oyster soup. oysters, broiled and fried. oysters with bacon. mobile roast oysters. welsh rarebits. the university course. at p. m. daily. _first day_--soup making, and stews. _second day_--good breads, plain pastry and puddings. _third day_--fish and poultry. _fourth day_--meats and vegetables. _fifth day_--cheap dishes and rewarmed foods. _sixth day_--cookery for the sick. tea, coffee, omelettes, sauces, and various small dishes will be treated when the occasion offers. * * * * * the last half hour of each day will be devoted to the discussion of questions referring to the subject in hand, and to the testing of dishes cooked. first lecture. our lesson this morning, ladies, will consist of the preparation of what is called soup stock, or beef broth, which is the basis of many kinds of soup; it is very easily made, simple in its composition, and exceedingly nutritious; the other dishes to be made are boiled salmon with cream sauce; potatoes, stewed in butter; and quail, boned and broiled. i give you the boned quail to show you what an exceedingly simple operation boning is. it is supposed to be very difficult, and it is done sometimes in curious ways; but the best way is the simplest and easiest. if we have time we will prepare a few omelettes. as i shall begin with soup stock, you will take your receipt for that. for each quart of soup stock or broth which you intend to make, use one pound of meat and bone. by that i mean meat and bone weighed together. the cut which i have here is from the upper part of the leg, next to the round. you can use any cut of the leg, the shank, which is the lower part of the leg, or the neck; any of the cheaper parts of meat will answer for soup meat. first, cut the meat from the bone; the butcher will always do that for you; then have the bone broken in small pieces. the butcher, of course, will do that very much more easily than you can do it. do not wash the meat; wipe it all over with a towel wet in cold water. put the bones in the bottom of the soup kettle, laying the meat on the bones; then add cold water in the proportion of a quart to each pound of meat and bones. set the soup kettle over the fire, and let the broth slowly heat and boil. as it boils a scum will rise to the surface, which is to be removed in case you are preparing stock for clear soup. the scum is composed of the blood and the albumen of the meat, and is only removed for the purpose of clarifying the soup. it is nutritious, and for that reason it should always be saved. in france, and in kitchens where french cooks are employed, this scum is used either in thick soup--for instance, in vegetable soup, such as i shall make this afternoon--or put into brown sauces or gravies. remember, it is nothing that is to be thrown away; it is to be saved because it is both nutritious and savory. it adds flavor and nutriment to any dish to which it is added. while the soup meat is being boiled for the first time, prepare the vegetables. for three or four pounds of meat, which will make as many quarts of soup, use one medium-size carrot, which is to be scraped, a turnip, which is to be peeled, and an onion, which is also to be peeled, in such a way as to prevent breaking apart; take off the outer dry skin of the onion without trimming it closely; do not cut it off at the top, because in that way you will cause the layers to break apart. after the onion is peeled stick a dozen whole cloves into it. the cloves are added to the soup for the purpose of flavoring it. you very often hear the remark made that the cookery of certain people has an indefinable taste, exceedingly nice, but something that you do not exactly understand. it is always produced by a combination of seasonings and flavorings. in this soup i shall use for seasoning not only the cloves in the onions, but a dozen peppercorns--that is, unground grains of pepper, instead of ground pepper, because i want the soup to be perfectly clear. i shall use also bay leaves, which may be new to some of you; they are the dried leaves of the laurel or bay tree, and can be bought at any drug store. you can buy five cents' worth of them and they will last you a year or more. the seasoning is slightly aromatic; for four quarts of soup use only a little leaf, or a piece of a large leaf; use also a blade of mace, and a sprig of any dried herb except sage. the peppercorns, the bay leaf, the blade of mace, and the sprig of sweet herb are tied in the midst of a little bunch of parsley, the stalk with all the leaves on, and if it is ever marketed here with the root on, use that as well; the root of the parsley has all the flavor of the leaf intensified, and you have only to thoroughly wash it, and then use it. all these dried herbs are to be gathered inside of the parsley and tied in a little bunch; tie the parsley by winding string around it, inclosing all the dried herbs; this little bunch is called in cooking books a _fagot_ or bouquet of herbs; it is what gives soups and sauces that indefinable spicy, delicate flavor so much liked. after the soup stock boils remove whatever scum has risen, put in the _fagot_, the turnip, the carrot, the onion stuck with cloves, and for the four quarts of soup a heaping tablespoonful of salt. keep the soup stock covered as much as possible while it is heating; and after you have put in the vegetables keep it covered all the time. let it boil very slowly. after all the vegetables are in set the kettle back so that the heat of the fire strikes from one side; let it boil from one side and gently; in that way you begin the clarifying. you will find if you boil the stock from one side, and very gently, then when you strain it after it is done it already will be as clear as most clear soup. after it has been strained, to-morrow, we shall clarify it in order to show the process, which is very simple. then it will be what is called on hotel bills of fare clear soup. after the vegetables have been added let the stock boil for at least two hours. in that length of time the flavor of the vegetables and the nourishment from the meat will be extracted, but not the gelatine from the bones. it is the gelatine in the bones which makes broth or stock jelly when it is cold; in order to extract the gelatine it is necessary to boil the soup meat and bones at least five hours. the soup can be strained at the end of two hours, or boiled five or six hours, keeping it covered so that none of it wastes or evaporates. when the soup is boiled, strain it; use an earthen bowl or jar; set a colander in it, and lay a towel folded twice in the colander, having the colander either over the bowl or jar; pour the soup into the towel, and let it run through without squeezing, because if you squeeze the towel you will force small particles of scum through, and thus cloud the soup. after the soup has run through the towel let it cool; do not cover it while it is cooling unless you are afraid of flies or insects getting into it; in that case cover it with a sieve. if you cover it with a solid earthen cover or plate the steam arising from the soup will condense on the under part of the cover and fall back into the soup; if the weather is warm, or if it is a close, rainy day, the steam condensed falling back into the warm soup will cause it to sour. for this reason when you put away a dish of meat or vegetables after dinner do not cover them until they are cold. boiled salmon with cream sauce. in boiling a whole fish, or a large piece, use cold water. if you put a large piece of fish into boiling water, the outside will be cooked before it is done near the bone. nothing is more disagreeable than a piece of fish half raw at the bone; it is uneatable. for a small piece of fish, such as i have here, use boiling salted water enough to cover it, and boil it until the flakes begin to separate, or until, by testing a fin, you can easily pull it out. that will probably be, if you use cold water, soon after the water boils; if you put the fish into boiling water, it may be five or more minutes. boil the fish, whether it is large or small, until you can pull out a fin, or until the flakes separate. then drain it, and serve it with any nice sauce. to-day i will make a very simple one--cream sauce. of course you would always make the sauce while you were boiling the fish, taking care to have both done at the same time. for a pint of sauce, use a heaping tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of flour; put them in a saucepan over the fire, and stir them together until they are smoothly mixed; then begin to add hot milk, half a cupful at a time; when the first half cupful of milk is stirred in, put in another half cupful and again stir until it is smooth; continue to add milk until you have used a pint, or until the sauce is about the consistency of thick cream. there will always be a margin there for a little discretion, because some flour will thicken very much more than others. flour that is very rich in gluten will thicken more than that which has most starch in it. but you have there about the right proportions--a tablespoonful of flour, a tablespoonful of butter, a pint of milk. add more or less milk as is required to make the sauce the consistency of thick cream, or of a thickness which will coat the spoon; that is, if you dip a spoon in and hold it up, the sauce will not all run off like water; when all the milk has been used, season the sauce with a level teaspoonful of salt and about a quarter of a salt spoon of white pepper. i speak of white pepper particularly because in making a white sauce, if you use the ordinary black pepper, the sauce will be full of little black specks. the white pepper is quite as cheap, quite as plentiful as the black pepper; all the grocers keep it, and its flavor is nicer, rather more delicate, scarcely as pungent as the black pepper; there is a certain biting, acrid flavor in the black pepper which does not exist in the white pepper; the latter contains all the stimulating property and all the aromatic flavor. after the same is finished, keep it hot by setting the sauce pan containing it in a pan of hot water, on the back of the stove. a perfectly plain white sauce (which can be made the basis of an infinite variety of other sauces) is made by substituting water for milk; by leaving out the pepper and salt, and using sugar for sweetening, you can make a nice pudding sauce. if you add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley to a pint of white sauce, you make parsley sauce. putting a few capers into it, makes caper sauce. a teaspoonful of anchovies dissolved in it makes anchovy sauce. it is easily made the basis of a great many sauces, the name of which depends on preferred addition to the white sauce. egg sauce is made by adding chopped hard boiled eggs to white sauce. _question by a lady._ would you ever substitute cornstarch for flour? miss corson. you can if you wish. you must use your own discretion about the quantities. simply get the thickness of thick cream. _question._ is it better to use a porcelain vessel, or will tin do? miss corson. use any saucepan made of material thick enough to prevent burning. _question._ do you put the fish right into the water, or have you a fish kettle? miss corson. if you are using a fish kettle you will have a little wire frame. you can lay the fish on that, or you can tie it up in a cloth, if you wish to. _question._ then how can you tell when it is done? miss corson. if you tie it in a cloth you must leave a little space so that you can test it. _question._ how much pepper did you say to put in the sauce? miss corson. about a quarter of a salt spoon; that is, a good pinch of pepper. one of the ladies asked me about using a thick sauce pan--porcelain-lined sauce pan; you will find the advantage of thick sauce pans of all kinds is that they are less likely to burn than thin ones. the thinner the metal the sauce pan is made of, the more likely it is to burn. there are so many different kinds of utensils that every lady can take her own choice. black sauce pans, lined with tin or with porcelain; tin sauce pans, thin ones, and thick ones made of block tin. you notice that i use copper sauce pans. coppers are the most durable; they are lined with tin, and they have to be relined about once a year; the cost of relining is very little--comparatively little; i think it costs me about three cents a foot to have them relined, and the copper never wears out. if you buy a copper sauce pan you have got something that lasts you all your life, and you can leave it as an heirloom; if you don't want to do that, you can sell it for old copper for nearly as much as you paid for it. in using copper, you must never let them become bare on the inside. if the tin wears off and the copper is exposed to any acid in the food cooked, it is apt to form a poisonous combination. but with proper care and cleanliness, copper sauce pans are perfectly safe. _question._ do you prefer them to the galvanized iron? miss corson. yes, i do, on the score of cleanliness, economy and ease in cooking. _question._ do you use a wooden spoon from choice? miss corson. yes; of course you can understand, ladies, that i could very soon scrape the tin off of the inside of a sauce pan with a metal spoon, a knife, or anything of that sort. copper sauce pans should be cleaned with a rag, a little sapolio and hot water. if they are cleaned as fast as they are used they are no more trouble to keep clean than any other sauce pan. i use in stirring simply a small pudding stick--an old-fashioned wooden pudding stick. it does not scrape the sauce pans, and there is no danger of uncooked flour accumulating on the sticks, as it does in the bowl of a spoon. if you are stirring with a spoon, some of the half-cooked flour might get in the bowl of the spoon, and then your sauce would have the taste of the raw flour. i will leave the stick in the sauce pan and pass it about so that you can see what i mean. anyone can whittle these little sticks out, using any kind of hard wood. do not use soft wood. you will have noticed, ladies, if you have ever put sauce of this kind, thick sauce, to keep hot, it may have grown very much thicker by standing; in such case add a little more milk or water, and a little more seasoning when you are ready to use it. _question._ how do you make perfectly clear sauce? miss corson. you can make a nearly clear thick sauce by using arrow root. of course, a clear thin sauce is simply sugar dissolved in water, with butter or flavoring as you like. potatoes, stewed in butter. the potatoes are peeled and sliced in rather small slices of even size; put them over the fire in enough salted boiling water to cover them, boil them until they begin to grow tender; not till they break, but just till they begin to grow tender; after the potatoes are boiled tender drain them, and suppose you have a pint bowl full of potatoes, use about two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter; melt the butter in a scant half cupful of milk. when the butter is melted put the potatoes into it, and with a spoon lift them very carefully from the bottom, always without breaking them, until they have absorbed the milk and butter; then season them with salt and white pepper, and they will be ready to serve. season them palatably; i could not give you the quantity of seasoning because it would depend upon the salt that the potatoes had absorbed from the water. you should taste them first before seasoning at all, and then if they need any more salt add a very little at a time. if you simply want the potatoes nicely stewed you don't add so much butter, a scant tablespoonful, and milk enough to moisten them; but this receipt is an exceedingly nice one--rather rich, but very nice. (at this point the fish was done, and miss corson continued.) you notice, ladies, that i take off the skin of the fish before taking it up. that is very easy; it slips off easily, and without it the fish is much nicer to serve at the table. in serving sauce with fish you pour some around it, not over it; or you serve the fish on a napkin, and the sauce in a dish, as you prefer. if you serve the fish in a folded napkin garnish it with a few sprigs of parsley, if you can get them, or with a lemon sliced, if you do not live--as some unfortunate people do--"fifty miles from a lemon." lemons are very nice always with any kind of fish. parsley can be bought here all winter long. i have learned that from the advertisements in the papers already; and a little of it makes a great difference in the appearance of a dish. _question._ can you tell us how we can tell whether a frozen fish is stale or fresh? miss corson. you can after you have thawed it in cold water; you can tell by the smell. (laughter.) the way to thaw frozen fish is to put it into perfectly cold water and keep it in a cold place until all the frost is drawn out. of course the most of the fish in this market would be frozen in the winter. this one has been frozen. _question._ can you tell us how to carve a whole fish? miss corson. you would have a rather sharp knife and spoon; a fish knife, though it looks pretty, is not good to serve fish with because it is apt to be dull; you want a knife that will cut down through the fish without tearing it, without attempting to cut down through the bone, unless you know where the joints are located. _question._ would you cook a fish with the fins? miss corson. the latest fancy of fish lovers in new york, the members of the ichthyophagous club, who are supposed to be the leaders in the fashions of fish, is to have the fish served with the fins, head and tail on; and with some fish they want even the scales; and then they simply lift off the skin, the entire skin, before they begin to serve it. they have the fish thoroughly washed and drawn, and then cooked with the scales and fins on. you can judge how easy it would be to do that, because you saw how easily that skin came off this fish. the skin comes off-easily if the fish is properly cooked--cooked enough. _question._ what kind of fish can be cooked with the scales on? miss corson. i think the black bass, and some kinds of sea fish. the idea is that if the fish are not scaled they will keep their flavor; a fish properly dressed retains enough of its flavor even if it is scalded before it is cooked. omelettes. first, i will make a plain breakfast omelette. use for two or three people not more than three eggs. you can not very well manage more than three in an ordinary pan. it is better to make several omelettes, especially because people are not apt to come to the table all at once, and an omelette to be nice must be eaten directly it is cooked. say three eggs; break them into a cup or bowl; add to them a saltspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and mix them just enough to thoroughly break the whites and yolks together. put over the fire a frying pan with a heaping teaspoonful of butter in it. let the butter get hot. if you like an omelette brown let the butter begin to brown. after pouring the eggs into the hot frying pan break the omelette on the bottom of the pan with a fork, just a little, so that you let the uncooked part run down on the bottom of the pan. i do not mean to stir the omelette as you would scrambled eggs, but just break it a little until it is cooked as much as you want it. french breakfast omelettes are always cooked so that they are slightly juicy in the middle; in order to accomplish that result of course you have them still liquid before you begin to turn them. when the omelette is done as much as you want it run a fork under one side of it and fold it half over, then fold it again; loosen it from the pan; have a platter hot, and turn the omelette out. serve it the moment it is done. next i will make a light omelette. the same rule--three eggs, whites and yolks separate; beat the whites to a stiff froth; add seasoning to the yolks in the same proportion as before; mix the yolks slightly with the seasoning; after the white has been beaten quite stiff and the yolk seasoned, mix them very lightly together; have a heaping tablespoonful of butter in the frying pan over the fire, hot, just as for the plain omelette; mix the whites and the yolks together, without breaking down the white. of course the lightness of the omelette depends on keeping all the air in the white of the egg that you have beaten into it. put the eggs into the hot frying pan; run the fork under the omelette and lift it from the pan as it cooks; lift the cooked portions from the pan, and let them fall back on the top of the omelette, taking care not to pat the omelette down at all; but just lift the cooked portions and let them fall back on the top of the omelette, until it is done as much as you like. usually this omelette is served soft--as soft as ice cream. when it is done as much as you want it, push it to the side of the pan, gently, and then turn it out on a hot platter. always remember that the success of an omelette depends upon the quickness with which it is made and served; because, in the first place, you make it light by beating air into it; then, of course, the heat expands the air, and that makes the omelette still lighter; and you must get it served before the hot air escapes. boning quail. after the quail have been picked, cut the wings off at the first joint, cut the legs just above the joint of the drum-stick. cut off the head, take out the crop, cut the quail down the back bone; from the inside, cut the joint where the wing joins the body; and having cut that wing joint, begin and cut close to the carcass of the bird till you get down to the leg joint, where the second joint of the leg unites with the body; break that joint, and keep on cutting the flesh from the carcass, taking care not to cut through the carcass so that you strike the intestines until you reach the ridge of the breast bone; close to the breast bone you will find that little division in the flesh of the breast which you have noticed in carving chickens and turkeys; it is called the little filet, and lies close to the breast bone; separate this natural division from the outside of the breast. then beginning again on the other side, cut close to the carcass of the bird until you have reached the breast, as on the other side. now the flesh is loose on both sides of the bird, and needs only to be taken off without breaking the skin of the breast. you would bone chickens and turkeys in the same way. take the carcass out entire. now take out the wing and leg bones from the inside. do not tear the skin of the bird any more than you can help. now lay the flesh on the table, with the skin down, and straighten it out a little, distributing the flesh evenly over the skin, and it is ready to stuff. if i were making boned turkey i should have it all ready, just like this, and then put the force meat in, draw the bird up over the force meat, and sew it down the back. this bird is simply going to be broiled. season with salt and pepper. in preparing boned birds you can use any kind of force meat--a layer of sausage meat, or any kind of chopped cold meat; season it with salt and pepper. put the birds between the bars of the wire gridiron, and broil them with a very hot fire. the gridiron should be well buttered, so that the birds can not stick. by the time the bird is broiled brown on both sides it will be done. of course you do half a dozen or a dozen in the same way precisely. remember, ladies, always, that to broil you should use the hottest fire you can get--the hottest and the clearest fire, because part of the success of broiling depends upon quickly cooking the outside, while the inside of anything you are broiling still remains juicy. if you had a wood fire you would broil over the fire. if you broil over the fire you must expect the blaze to rise, and you must naturally suppose the meat will be smoked; but you can make your fire clear--that is, have it alive; do not have it smoky and full of unburnt wood or coal; have a clear bed of coals if you are going to broil over the fire. _question._ do you never wash the birds before boiling? _answer._ no; you will find that i am very _un_-neat about that. in the first place, i would not use a piece of meat or a bird of any kind that was really dirty enough to need washing. if it had anything on it that i could not get off by wiping with a wet cloth, i simply wouldn't use it. if you wash meat or poultry you destroy a certain amount of its flavoring and take away some of its nourishment. _question._ sometimes a bird shot will have a great deal of the blood settle in the breast or in the flesh. miss corson. yes; you want the blood; you want to keep the blood there. the blood is a part of the nourishment. the idea of washing meat comes from the old hebrew prohibition which involved the removal of every particle of blood. you know that the hebrews believed that the blood was the life and even to this day every particle of blood is taken away from their meat, not only by washing after it comes into the house, but before that by the treatment it receives from the butcher. the blood is a part of the nourishment, and you want to keep as much of it as you can; in some cooking it forms a very important part; for instance, in cooking a hare or rabbit, the blood which escapes in the dressing is saved and used. _question._ would you treat prairie chicken, grouse or partridge in this way? miss corson. yes, in the same way. _question._ not if you were going to roast turkey? miss corson. one of my good friends in the far northwest several years ago sent me a nice recipe for making a fricassee of chicken which i will tell you. the recipe said that after the chicken was picked you might wash it thoroughly with _nice soap_, then rinse it. (laughter.) now if you like you can prepare it that way. no, you will find, ladies, that if you use a cloth well wet in cold water you can remove all objectionable matter from the outside of meat or poultry. indeed, if a piece of meat or poultry can not be cleaned with a wet cloth, it is not clean enough to use. one lady asks me about keeping meat for a long time. of course that is a question of taste entirely, whether you like meat hung a long time or whether you like it fresh. all meat, when it is first killed, whether it is poultry, or game, or the ordinary domestic meat, is very tender. it is tender until the flesh begins to grow cold, until the animal heat, etc., parts from the flesh. then it becomes tough, rigid and hard, and remains so until the process of decomposition begins. i do not mean until it begins to taint, but until it begins to decompose; at that point it begins to grow tender; it is still fresh and good enough for food. remember that the hanging of meat is for the purpose of allowing it to begin to decompose. lecture second. our lesson this afternoon will consist of some plain soups and stews of meat. i shall begin with a soup,--of yellow split peas. for four quarts of soup use an ordinary cupful of yellow split peas; pick them over and wash them in cold water, put them in a saucepan or a soup kettle with two quarts of cold water. set the saucepan or soup kettle over the fire and let the water very gradually heat. when it boils put in some cold water,--part of a cupful, let them boil again; keep on putting in cold water every fifteen or twenty minutes, until you have used two quarts of cold water besides the first two quarts. the object of adding cold water slowly is this: you soften the peas by the gradual heating of the cold water. after the first boiling the addition of a little cold water lowers the temperature, and as the water heats again the peas are gradually softening; so that within an hour and a half or two hours you will find them quite tender enough. you will notice that i have used no salt; the salt would tend to harden the peas. you add salt after the soup is nearly finished. the old way of soaking the peas over night is a very good one, but this is rather better, for this reason: if you soak the peas over night you destroy a small portion of their nutritive properties; especially if you make the soup in warm water, there will be a slight fermentation. the object of soaking them over night is simply to soften them, and as you can soften them in this way you accomplish the same purpose by adding cold water gradually. you will notice that this is for perfectly plain pea soup. you can vary it by adding bones of cold ham, or of cold roast beef; you can boil the bones with the peas. in that way you get the flavor of whatever meat you add. a very nice soup is made simply with the peas without any meat, by the addition of a fried onion, for that soup you would peel and slice an onion and put it in the bottom of the soup kettle with a tablespoonful of butter or drippings,--beef drippings or poultry drippings,--and fry it light brown; then put on the peas and cold water and proceed just as we do to-day for a plain pea soup, without any addition except a seasoning of salt and pepper, and by and by a little flour and butter, which i shall put in at the close, the object of which i will explain to you then. beef and vegetable soup. for four quarts of soup use one cupful each of the ingredients which i shall name: lean beef cut in half-inch pieces; carrot, which must first be scraped and then cut in half-inch bits; turnip, which must be peeled and then cut in small pieces; rice, picked over, washed in cold water; tomatoes, peeled and sliced if they are fresh; but if you use canned tomatoes simply cut them in small pieces; half a cupful of onion, peeled and chopped rather fine; and four quarts of cold water. first put the water over the fire with the beef in it, and let it gradually heat; while it is heating get ready all the other ingredients that i have spoken of, and add them when the water is hot. don't add salt for seasoning until after the soup has been cooking for a little while, because it would tend to harden the meat. when the soup is boiling, put in all the other ingredients; and after the soup has cooked for an hour, season it with salt and pepper. cook it slowly for about two hours, or until the vegetables are tender. the length of time will depend somewhat on the season of the year. you will find that carrots and turnips, like all vegetables which have woody fibre in them, will cook more quickly early in the winter while they still have their natural moisture in them. the later in the winter it grows the drier they get, the harder the woody fibre is, and the longer it will take to cook them tender. so you will cook the soup until the vegetables are tender; and then, having seen that it is palatably seasoned, serve it with all the vegetables in it. you notice that this is a thick soup, made in an entirely different way from that which i made this morning. i think some of the ladies are here who were here this morning. then we were making clear soup which is to be served without any vegetables in it. this is a good hearty soup for every-day use; in fact it is so hearty that you can make the bulk of a meal using this and bread or potatoes. when all the vegetables are quite tender then the soup simply is to be served. now, while i am preparing the soup, i want to say a little about the value of soup as a food. this comes properly into our afternoon course of instruction. many of the ladies may not have thought of it in precisely the connection in which i am going to speak of it. habitually, americans do not use soup. some have grown gradually accustomed to have soup as a part of their every-day dinner, but as a rule people have it once or twice a week. i am speaking now of average families. as a matter of fact, it ought to be used every day, because it is not only a very easy form in which to obtain nourishment, but you obtain from soup that which you would not get from any other dish; that is, you get every particle of the nourishment there is in the ingredients which you put into the soup. you can make a perfectly nutritious and palatable meal with soup at about one-half the cost of a meal without soup, because the soup, if it is savory, will be eaten with a relish; and it will satisfy the appetite for two reasons; the first i have already spoken of--because you get every particle of nourishment there is in the ingredients; and second, because directly you eat it--that is, directly it reaches the stomach, some of its nutritious liquid properties will begin to be absorbed at once. they pass directly into the system, by the process which is known in physiology as _osmosis_--that is, absorption by the coats of the stomach; so that the liquid part of the food is actually absorbed and passes into the circulation in less than five minutes after you have eaten it. a very familiar illustration of that fact was made by sir henry thompson several years ago, in his exceedingly valuable article called "food and feeding," where he said that a hungry man eating clear soup for his dinner would feel a sense of refreshment in less than three minutes; that is, he would feel the effect of his plate of clear soup almost as soon as he would feel the stimulus which he would receive from a glass of wine. he would feel refreshed at once; his sense of hunger, which is the indication that his system needs food, would be practically appeased within three minutes from the time he had taken his soup. then there is another very important question; and that is the effect of soups and liquid foods on the appetite for stimulants. i am not a temperance advocate in the sense in which the word is usually understood. that is, i neither believe in nor advocate total abstinence; but i do believe in temperance--in the temperate use of everything; no matter whether it is drink, or food, or pleasure, in a life of work, so that i speak solely from the standpoint of an advocate of the moderate use of everything. the system requires a certain amount of liquid nourishment. we have to get that in the form of liquid, and many people take it by using water to excess--drinking quantities of water. on the other hand, there are some people who never drink more than a glass of water all day long. they must drink something--some kind of liquid--to make up the quantity of water that is absolutely required by the system in the course of twenty-four hours. some persons take it in the form of tea and coffee; others drink beer and wine; but a certain amount of liquid the system must have. now, you can easily see that you can supply a part of that liquid in the form of soups and stews. it is not possible for many people to drink much cold water: it does not seem to agree with them. the advocates of the latest craze, for hot water, will get their quantity of liquid, but they will get it in a form that by and by will make serious trouble for them; because, while under certain conditions the entire mucous membrane or lining of the digestive tract, warm water may be desirable, still the excessive use of it is very apt in time to produces a serious congestion. now, the fact once admitted that we must have a certain amount of liquid supplied to the system every day, then the question comes of giving it in a form that will be the least injurious to the system. i think i have shown you one or two good reasons why soup supplies it well. on the score of economy there is no food which can be as cheaply prepared as soup--that is, no palatable, enjoyable, nutritious food. it is possible to make this soup, this thick soup which i am making now, in new york, and here also, i suppose, for less than ten cents a gallon, buying the materials at retail; and i am sure a gallon of this soup will go very far towards satisfying one's hunger. i presume, from what i have seen of the market reports in the papers, that it can be made here quite as cheaply as it can in new york. _question._ does that make very strong soup--does it give a very good rich flavor of the meat, with one cupful of meat to a gallon of water? miss corson. that gives a perfectly nutritious soup. it gives as much nutriment from the meat as is needed by the system. _question._ wouldn't a bone or two thrown in be a good thing? miss corson. you can put in bones if you want to. but i am giving you a recipe for a perfectly nutritious soup, made upon the most economical principles. the proportion of meat which i use here is all that is required by the system in connection with the other ingredients. we americans have, as a rule, the idea that there is no nutritious food except meat. we think that we get all our nourishment from meat; and the other things--the vegetables and bread, and all those other articles of food that we eat, are what the dressmakers would call "trimmings." we do not regard them as real nourishing food, when in reality there are some vegetables which are nearly as nutritious as meat. take for instance, lentils; i do not know if you are familiar with them. they are a variety of vetch or field pea, little flat, dried peas, that grow very abundantly; in fact, if they are once planted in a field it is almost impossible to root them out. they have been for ages used in all older countries, in egypt, in asia, all through europe, especially in germany. within the last ten years they have become known in this country. lentils, with the addition of a very little fat in the form of fat meat, suet drippings or butter, are quite as nutritious as meat; that is, they sustain strength, and enable people to work just as well as meat. so, you see, that so far as actual nourishment is concerned, vegetables approach closely to meat. next to lentils come peas and beans, dried peas and beans. i have not graded the different articles of food, but some day when we have more time i will give you a table of nutritive values of different articles of food so that you can form some comparison in your own mind. remember this, that meat is not the only nutritious article of food in use, and we only need a certain quantity of it. for instance, for the purpose of health meat once a day will answer. it is very nice to have it two or even three times if we want it, or if we can afford it; but if we have it once a day we answer all the requirements of health, and in communities where it is not possible to have an abundant supply of fresh meat, a very small proportion of salt meat used in connection with the most nutritious vegetables keeps the health and strength of the really active laborers up to the working point. meat stews. for a brown stew, use any kind of dark meat. to-day i am going to use some of the cooked round of beef; but you can use fresh beef; you can use raw beef, rare roast beef, or any of the dark meats; always use white meats for white stews. presently we will make a white stew of veal; but for a brown stew use dark meats. cut the meat in pieces about an inch and a half square, put it over the fire with enough fat of some kind to keep it from burning; use the fat of the meat, or drippings, or butter, and brown it as fast as possible. if you make a stew large enough for four or five people, use about three pounds of beef. as soon as the meat is brown, sprinkle a heaping tablespoonful of flour over it; then add enough boiling water to cover the meat, and three teaspoons of vinegar. the vinegar is used for the purpose of softening the fibres of the meat and making it tender. you will find that by adding vinegar to meat in cooking, you can always make it tender. when we come to treat of steak, i shall explain that. after the vinegar has been used, season the meat palatably with salt and pepper, cover it, and let it cook very gently for at least an hour, or until it is tender. to the stew add any vegetable you wish, or cook it perfectly plain, having only the meat and the gravy. to-day i am going to use carrots with it. for three pounds of beef use carrots enough to fill a pint bowl after they are cut in little slices, or in little quarters. of course, if you add vegetables of any kind, carrots, turnips, or potatoes, you want to put them in long enough before the meat is done to insure their being perfectly cooked. for instance, carrots take from one to two hours to cook; i shall put the carrots in directly i make the gravy. turnips, if they are fresh, will cook in about half an hour. potatoes will cook in twenty minutes; small onions will cook in from half to three-quarters of an hour. the meat usually needs to cook about two hours. the meat being brown, i shall put in a tablespoonful of flour, stirring it, and then send it down to you so that you can see what it is like. the question naturally would arise about the color of this stew, throwing in raw flour, the white, uncooked flour. you can see for yourselves what the effect is. _question._ does cold meat cook as long as raw? miss corson. if you use cold meat, brown it just in the same way, just exactly as we browned this, first in drippings or butter and then putting in the flour; only if you use meat which already has been cooked, it will not take it so long to cook as it does this raw meat. for a _white stew_, use any kind of white meat--veal, pork, poultry, or lamb. to-day i shall use veal. to go back to the question which was debated this morning about washing meat: first, wipe the meat all over with a wet towel. it is important to have the towel clean. wet the towel in cold water and wipe the meat, then cut it in little pieces about two inches square. the butcher will crack all the bones, and if you wish he will cut the meat for you. at least he will crack the bones so that the meat can be easily cut in pieces about two inches square. put it over the fire; suppose you have three pounds of meat; put it in cold water enough to cover it. let it slowly boil; when it boils, add about a tablespoonful of salt and a dozen grains of peppercorns, or a small red pepper, or if you have not either of those seasonings, about half a saltspoonful of ordinary pepper; and let the meat boil slowly until it is tender. that will be in from an hour to two hours, according to the tenderness of the meat in the beginning. when the meat is tender lay a clean towel in a colander, set over a bowl or an earthen jar, and pour the meat and broth directly into the colander. let the broth run through the towel. if the meat has any particles of scum on it, wipe the pieces with a wet towel to remove the scum. you can, in making the stew, remove the scum as you would from clear soup, but in that case you have not quite so richly flavored a stew. the better way is to wipe off the little particles after you have taken up the meat. now you have the meat cooked quite tender and the broth strained. then you make the sauce. any of the ladies who were at the lesson this morning and saw the white sauce made, will understand the principle upon which the sauce is made for the stew. put a heaping tablespoonful of butter and a heaping tablespoonful of flour into a saucepan for the quantity of broth which you would be likely to have from about three pounds of meat; that would be broth enough to cover it. stir the butter and flour until they are smoothly mixed; then begin to add the meat broth gradually until you have used enough of the broth to make the sauce like thick cream. if you find that you have not enough broth from the meat, add a little hot water, to make the sauce or gravy like thick cream; then put the meat into it. season it palatably with salt and pepper, remembering that you already have some seasoning in it. stir the meat in the saucepan over the fire until it is hot, and then serve it. that gives you a plain white stew of meat. you can transform that into a dish called in french cookery books _blanquette_, or white stew of meat, by adding to it just before you take it off the fire a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and the yolk of one egg. you will add the egg by separating the yolk from the white, putting the yolk in a cup with two or three tablespoonfuls of gravy from the meat and mix it well; then turn it all among the meat, stir it and dish it at once. don't let the stew go back on the fire after you put in the yolk of egg; it may curdle the egg if the sauce or the stew boils after the egg is added. so you see you have a plain white stew, or a stew with the addition of chopped parsley, or chopped parsley and the yolk of an egg. do not use the white of the egg. _question._ why is not the fat meat as good as the lean? miss corson. do you mean why is it not as nutritious? lean meat nourishes muscle and flesh. fat meat affords heat to the system. that is the reason why we naturally crave more fat meat in cold weather. it is not so strengthening; it is heating and in that nutritious. a great deal of its substance, of course, is wasted in the cooking. that is another reason why, weight for weight, fat meat is not so nutritious as lean. _question._ in making this stew brown or white do you use bones? miss corson. you can use bones. in making the soup to-day i used cooked lean meat that was on hand over from the soup this morning. you can use the breast of any kind of brown meat; you can use the ends of the ribs of roast beef; you remember the rather fat ends of the ribs of roast beef? after cooking the beef have these cut up in small pieces; after you have cooked them in the stew if there is any excess of fat, as there probably will be, skim that off and put it by to add to any brown stew or gravy; the fat replaces drippings in that case. that is a very good way to use ends of ribs of beef. cold beefsteak makes a nice brown stew, treated in this same way. _question._ do you skim the stew? miss corson. no. not unless you are going to make a perfectly clear soup need you ever skim; because, as i explained this morning, the scum which rises on the surface in boiling meat is not dirt, it is albumen and blood, with the same nutritious properties as the meat itself, and you do not want to remove them. if the water boils away in cooking soups and stews always add a little more; it will save time if you add boiling water, unless as in the case of peas, you add cold water for the purpose of softening them. you will find, if you are trying to cook dried beans, that it will be well to add cold water, and boil them gradually. _question._ in cooking beans isn't it a good way to let the beans come to a boil and then pour off the water and put on more cold? miss corson. that is simply a question of taste. it is not necessary to do it. if you pour away the first water in which they come to a boil, you pour away a certain amount of their nourishment, which already has escaped in the water. some people say that they like to pour away that first water, because it carries off the strong taste of the beans. that is a question for any one to settle individually. the water would not have the strong taste of the beans if there were not some of the nourishment of the beans in it. while we are on the subject of beans i might tell you a good way to cook beans plainly, a favorite way in the south of france, the beans to be served with roast mutton. cook them in just water enough to cover them, after having first washed them, adding only water enough to keep them covered all the time. they are dried white beans. then at the last, when the beans are tender, leave off the cover of the sauce pan and let the beans cook, so that nearly all the water is evaporated, and the beans have about them simply water enough to form a very thick sauce, just enough to moisten them. then they are seasoned with salt and pepper. in that way they are served as stewed beans, with roast mutton or roast lamb. in regard to the lentils that i was talking to you about, i think you may be able to learn something more about them from prof. porter. he probably would know. you long ago have made their acquaintance in the form of the _tares_ that the enemy sowed among the wheat. lentils are really a species of tare or vetch. if you do not know about them--if they are not known in the market--it really would be worth while to make some inquiry which would lead to the introduction of them; but very likely if there are german people here, as i suppose there are,--there are always german people in every thriving city,--they will already have had them for sale in their special groceries; you can get them in that way, and they make a very good winter vegetable to use alternately with others. you cook them either by soaking them over night, or boil them just as we boiled the peas, until they are tender, and then drain them, and either heat them, with a little salt and pepper and butter, after they are drained, or fry them. they are exceedingly nice fried with a little chopped onion or parsley. if you have a pint bowl full of lentils, use a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of onion, very finely chopped; put the onion in the frying pan with a tablespoonful of butter or drippings, and let it brown; then put in the lentils and chopped parsley, a little salt and pepper, stir them till you have them hot, and serve them. they are exceedingly good. prof. porter. i may say that the first cousin of the lentils is well known among our minnesota farmers in our wheat fields, and they are such an intolerable pest that we prefer paying the duties on the german article and importing them. pea soup--_continued_. (the pea soap being now about ready to take up, miss corson continued:) you know how the flour of the peas settles to the bottom of the soup tureen or plate, and leaves the top clear? prevent that by adding to the soup, just before it is dished, a little paste made of flour and butter. for four quarts of soup a tablespoonful of flour and a tablespoonful of butter; mix the flour and butter to a smooth paste just before the soup is done. after the peas are soft pour them into a fine sieve and rub them through the sieve with a potato masher; just a stout wire sieve. after you have rubbed them through the sieve put them back into the soup kettle with the soup, and mix the flour and butter in with them over the fire; stir them until they come to a boil, then season palatably with salt and pepper, and the soup is ready to serve. remember this is a perfectly plain soup i am making to-day, without the addition of meat of any kind; but of course you will vary the flavor of the soup by adding the bones of ham or other meat, or a very little fried onion. now, you can count for yourselves how cheap a soup that is. _question._ can you give us your experience with regard to pea meal for soup? miss corson. i have used one form that has been put on the new york market. it was made of dried green peas. i do not know whether there is on this market a meal made of the yellow peas. there is a german preparation which is admirable. in new york it is for sale at the german stores; but the meal of which i speak, the meal made of dried green peas, was not at all satisfactory to me. of course the meal of the green peas has not the flavor of the split peas. you will find in rubbing the peas through the sieve that if you moisten them a little once in a while they will go through more readily. * * * * * i have left the brown stew with all the fat on. it is a question not only of taste but of economy whether you leave on the fat in addition to the first butter in which you browned the meat, a question of economy and nourishment. if the people you are cooking for have good strong digestions you do not need to remove the fat. the bread or potatoes which are eaten with the stew will absorb it and will render it perfectly digestible; and, of course, as i have already told you, the fat serves certain purposes in nutrition. if you are cooking for people having weak digestions then you would take the fat off the stew. the white stew i am going to finish plain, without any parsley or egg--simply seasoned with salt and pepper. lecture third. our lesson this morning is the clarifying of soup, or the soup stock that we made yesterday; caramel for coloring soup, gravy and sauces; baked whitefish, after a very nice western fashion; beefsteak, broiled and fried; and baked apple dumplings. the first thing i prepare will be the whitefish, after a method which i learned from one of my cleveland friends, who, by the way, is one of the nicest cooks i know of. i shall use only a little butter, and tell you about the wine which the recipe calls for. when the fish is prepared especially for gentlemen, wine is considered exceedingly nice, but that, as in all other cookery, is a matter of choice. we to-day will use some butter, pepper and salt. i will tell you the kind of wine, and the quantity that is used, when i come to cook the fish. in the winter, of course, all the fish is frozen. we were speaking of that yesterday, how to prepare frozen fish. in the first place, thaw it in plenty of cold water. put it in a large pan of cold water and let it stay till it is perfectly thawed. then cut it from the bone and take off the skin. now, please write down the directions, and then watch and see how i do it. the fish simply has been scaled; to cut it from the bone, make one cut down to the bone through the middle of the side of the fish, lengthwise; having made that line, cut round under the head, to the bone; now lay the knife against the bone of the fish, and turn it until you have the blade cutting against the bone, holding the knife flat; it will take that entire piece of the fish off; cut two pieces from one side of the fish. now i am going to cut from the other side in the same way, and then i shall take the skin off. first take the four pieces of fish off the bone; you will not find this at all difficult to do, ladies; after you have done it once or twice it will be very easy, and if you have fish that has not been frozen it will be much more easy to do than if you have frozen fish, which, of course, will break a little. it is not possible to keep the pieces entire, cutting from a frozen fish. one of the ladies asks if this can be done as well if the fish has been dressed by the fishmonger; that is, if the entrails have been taken out. yes, quite as well. this is not dressed simply because it had been sent from market without being dressed. i did not take the trouble to have it dressed here, as i am not going to use the bone of the fish. after i have finished giving you the direction for taking off the skin, i am going to tell you how you could use the bone of the fish. to cut the skin off the fish, lay the pieces of fish skin down on the board; then, holding the knife down straight, cut through the fish until you feel the skin under the knife; as soon as you feel the skin under the knife, flatten the knife out so that it lies against the skin; cut away from you, holding the knife perfectly level, leaving the skin between the board and the knife. hold the piece of fish in your fingers; lay it flat on the board, skin down, keeping hold of the skin all the time. that takes the skin off, and none of the fish; there is no waste there, and it certainly is very much easier to eat fish in this shape than it is if you have the skin and bone on it. now, i assure you, ladies, if you only hold the knife flat, you will have no trouble whatever in taking the skin off. if you slant it you will cut through the skin of the fish, but if you hold it perfectly flat you will have no trouble. of course, with certain kinds of fish there are bones that run transversely from the spine out through the sides of the fish. you do not take these bones out by this operation, but you take out the large back bone. it comes out every time, and i assure you it is a very easy operation. after you have taken all the skin and bones from the fish, then, for this special dish, cut it in small slices three inches long and a couple of inches wide. use two soup plates, or two dishes of the same size, deep dishes that you can send to the table. butter them very thickly, both of them. lay the fish in one of the dishes, season the layers with salt and pepper, and put a very little butter between each layer, and plenty of butter on the top. turn the second plate over the first one, upside down on it. put the dishes with the fish between them into the oven to bake for about twenty minutes, or until the fish flakes. you can tell about that by opening the oven at the end of twenty minutes, and lifting off the top plate; then you can see whether the fish is done or not. now, in the recipe of which i spoke to you first, the addition of sauterne wine is made. after the fish is put into the dish, being seasoned as i have told you, using less butter than you would without the wine, with half as much butter on the layers, pour on sauterne wine,--that is a light, rather acid wine,--just enough to moisten the fish. in placing the fish into the dish it does not make any difference which side you put down. you simply want to put the pieces nicely together so that when you come to help them you can lift each piece out with a spoon. there is no acid that will take the place of the wine and give the same taste. the fish is very nice cooked simply with the butter, pepper and salt. you do not need the wine to make a nice dish, only wine is used by the lady of whom i speak. that is her special preparation of the dish. the wine is put in after the fish is in the dish, just enough wine to moisten it. you will notice that often i will make dishes that have no wine in them; if i make dishes that require wine, i of course put it in, saying that you may use the wine or not, as you please. in this instance i use butter, pepper and salt because it makes a very nice dish, a very nice plain dish, but it is a distinct dish, entirely different to the dish cooked with wine; simply two ways of cooking fish, making two different dishes. for a fish of this size--which probably weighed nearly three pounds--you may use about a heaping tablespoonful of butter in all; that is, besides what you put on the plates. you will butter the plates, and distribute butter throughout the dish. the oven should be moderately hot, not hot enough to brown it--hot enough to heat the plates, which are very thick, and to cook the fish within twenty or twenty-five minutes. if you wash the board on which the fish is cut, at once, in plenty of hot water, with soap and a little soda or borax all the odor of the fish will be removed. don't let any of the utensils stand with the fish drying on them, because if you do it will be very much harder to destroy the odor. and, by the way, ladies, the odor of onions is another thing that troubles some persons. the odor of onions on boards, knives and dishes you can do away with entirely by using parsley. if you take a knife with which you have cut onions, and chop a little parsley with it, or draw the knife through the root of parsley two or three times, it entirely destroys the odor of the onion. so that you see you never need have any trouble in that way in the kitchen. one of the ladies asks me how to prevent the odor of onions going through the house when you are cooking them. what makes onions, cabbage and turnips smell when you are cooking them is the escape of an exceedingly volatile oil which they all contain; in all of them it has the same characteristics; it does not begin to escape until they are tender. the oil does not begin to escape until the vegetables are tender; if you continue to boil them after that, it will escape. if you take up cabbage or turnips as soon as they are tender, that is, as soon as their substance begins to grow tender, you will notice there will be comparatively little odor; but if you keep on boiling them, according to the old-fashioned rules, for an hour, two hours, or three hours,--you know you sometimes boil cabbage all day long,--you will be sure to have a nice odor through the house. in cutting the onions, of course, if you bend over them, that same oil rising from them escapes as you cut into their substance, and will be sure to make you cry; but if you hold them a little away from you in peeling them, or under water, or if you stand where there is a draught blowing over your hands, it will blow that oil away. in eating onions at the table, if you will subsequently eat parsley dipped in vinegar, you will find that there will be very little odor of the onion remaining in the breath. now to return to our fish. after you have taken the flesh of the fish off the bone, you still would see a little of the fish remaining, even if you cut closely. then draw the fish, and trim the bone; that is, cut off the head, and the fins, and the tail, and take out the entrails of the fish; then make a paste of dry mustard, salt, and a dust of cayenne pepper. for a bone the size we have here, a long bone like that, use two heaping tablespoonfuls of mustard, a dust of cayenne pepper and enough vinegar, or worcestershire sauce, to moisten the mustard to make a paste, which is to be spread over the fishbone. have the double wire gridiron very thickly buttered, put the bone into the gridiron, brown it quickly at a hot fire, and serve it simply as a relish. a sort of barmecide feast, but i assure you it is very nice with bread or crackers and butter. it makes a very nice little relish. i might say, ladies, that you can treat any kind of bones in this way. cold roast beef bones are exceedingly nice. of course there will be more flesh on the beef bones than on the fish bones. plain pastry. use butter, or lard, or very finely chopped suet. if you can get good lard it makes nice pastry; by that i mean lard which has a very little water in it. a good deal of the lard that you buy in the stores has a large proportion of water in it, and i believe in these days it is apt to be sophisticated with several articles which are not exactly lard, so that home-made lard is decidedly the best; that which you try out yourself. first take the butter, or whatever shortening you use,--butter, lard, or suet,--and mix it with twice the quantity of flour. for instance, if you are going to use a pound of flour allow half a pound of shortening. take half the shortening and mix it with the flour, using a knife. then wet the mixed flour and butter with just enough cold water to form a paste which you can roll out. if you mix with a knife or spoon you avoid heating the pastry. after the flour and the first half of the shortening have been mixed to a paste roll it out, about half an inch thick, and put the rest of the shortening in flakes on it. one of the ladies asks about putting flour on the pastry board: extra flour, of course, besides the quantity that you put in the pastry. the only object in washing the butter is to get out any buttermilk that there may be in it. after putting the butter--the second half of the butter--over the pastry in rather large pieces, put just a little flour over it, fold the pastry in such a way that the edge is turned up all round to inclose the butter; that is about an inch and a half all round. fold the pastry together thin, and roll it out, and fold it several times. remember that the oftener you fold it and roll it the more flakes you will have in the cooked pastry. take care to use flour enough to keep it from sticking to the board or the roller. you will remember the pastry is not salted and unless the shortening has enough salt in it to salt the flour, you must add it. good lard makes a more tender pastry than butter. _question._ do you ever mix them? miss corson. yes, you can mix them if you like, using part lard and part butter. to roll out the pastry, roll it in a rather long strip, that is, a strip about three times as long as it is wide. that enables you then to fold it and keep it in a nice shape. it does not make any difference whether you roll it from you or towards you. as many times as you roll and fold it you give it three additional layers. now i might keep on rolling and folding indefinitely, and i simply should make the pastry have more layers than this has, but i think you thoroughly understand that, so that i will roll it out, and make our dumplings now. only remember that the more times you roll it the more folds you make, the more layers you have in the pastry. keep it as cool as possible all the time. if you roll and fold it three times remember that you have nine layers of butter and pastry. you can roll it out more than that if you want to. puff paste, which is rolled and folded in this way, has what is called nine turns. rolling and folding it three times makes a turn. the object of using marble or stone pastry slabs is to keep the pastry cool. if you make more pastry than you want to use, wrap it in a floured towel and put it in a very cool place; then when you are ready to use it roll and fold it two or three times, and it will be very much better than when first made. i am going to roll up a strip of the pastry that i cut off the edge in such a way that you will see how the layers are formed, and you can pass it about. one of the ladies has asked me about heating the flour. it is not necessary to heat the flour for pastry, on the contrary, it would rather tend to spoil it. you want to keep it as cool as possible. but in the winter when you are going to make bread, if you heat the flour it facilitates the rising of the bread; there you need the heat. baked apple dumplings. for apple dumplings, after the pastry is made, cut it in pieces about four inches square and about a quarter of an inch thick. one of the ladies asks about sifting the flour. that is necessary, always. for apple dumplings, peel the apples and take out the cores, leaving the apples as whole as possible. the corer that i have here is nothing but a round tin cylinder. use any apple corer that will take the core out without breaking the apple. for this purpose greening apples are the nicest. these are table apples. put an apple on each piece of pastry. in the core of the apple put as much sugar as it will hold, and a very small pinch of powdered cinnamon--about a quarter of a saltspoonful of powdered cinnamon, or any powdered spice you prefer. then fold the corners of the square pieces of pastry up over the apple so that they will lap over on the top of the apple. fasten the corners by moistening them a little with cold water. after the dumplings are all made, brush them over the top with water, or with melted butter, or with egg, beaten; the entire egg, or if you have the white or the yolk, you can beat that up; of course if you use just the yolk you make them a little yellower. if you use the yolk of an egg, beat it with a little water. ladies are asking me about that little rolling pin. it is like that little knife, it is bewitched, but the magic consists simply in keeping the rolling pin perfectly smooth, and the knife sharp. that is made of hard wood, and is polished so that it is perfectly smooth, and of course i keep it so by not having it soaked in water. instead of putting water and soap on to clean it, it simply will be wiped with a wet cloth, and then with a dry one. the thousand dents it has in it it has got by travel; it has been knocked around in my traveling trunk for the last five years. the dents did not get in it by using it. it may be made of any hard wood. one of the ladies asks me why i leave the corners of the dumpling open. i could pat the crust around and bring it right up close to the apple, but it would not be so light in the first place. the crust will hold together, it will not break apart in baking, and you leave the ends nice and light; and it makes a nicer-looking dumpling. the idea seems to be that if i should close up the corners the juice of the apples would stay in. it won't boil out much, anyway. now, ladies, i am going to take a little of the soup stock that we made yesterday out in a cup and pass it, so you can see what it looks like before it is clarified. that is the soup stock or broth that we made yesterday. you will remember where your recipe ended yesterday, about the soup stock being poured into a bowl and allowed to cool. that is the condition in which the stock is now. after a little, i am going to tell you about the clarifying of it, but now i want to finish telling you about dumplings, so you will have all your dumpling recipes in one place. the question was asked, i believe, about the temperature of the oven. about the same as for the fish--a moderate oven, so you can put your hand in and count, say fifteen, quickly. it takes from half an hour to three-quarters to bake the dumplings. be careful not to brown them. if the pastry seems to be browning before the apples get done,--and something will depend upon the kind of apples you use,--cover the pastry with a buttered paper. the object of the egg on the dumplings is to make them a little glossy. use either butter, or egg, or water for brushing over the tops. steamed apple dumplings. for steamed dumplings usually a suet crust is used. you could use this crust if you wanted to, but it would not be sure to be light. it might possibly absorb a little of the steam. for suet crust you would use half a pound of suet chopped very fine, a teaspoonful of salt and a pound of flour. mix carefully the flour and suet and salt with enough cold water to make a pastry just soft enough to roll out. roll it out about a quarter of an inch thick, and then cut it in little squares; prepare the apples just as i prepare them for the baked dumpling; instead of folding the crust up and leaving the corners open, pat it with your hands so that you entirely inclose the apple. just roll the pastry out once and then inclose the apples in it, and put the dumpling into the steamer; that is, an ordinary tin steamer; set over a pot of boiling water and steam the dumplings until they are done. you must decide that by running a trussing needle or knitting needle through the pastry into the apple. it may take an hour and a half to steam the dumplings; be sure they are done. for another kind of pastry that has been described to me by enthusiastic gentlemen who used to have mothers, a kind of pastry "that melted in your mouth;" it is very easy to make that; not a flaky pastry, but a soft, exceedingly tender pastry that really crumbles. to do that you simply rub all of the shortening into the flour. half a pound of shortening and a pound of flour; put the shortening into the flour with the salt; rub them with your hands till you have the shortening thoroughly mixed with the flour. it looks like meal; the ingredients must be thoroughly mixed, but not melted together; then use just enough cold water to make the pastry, and roll it out just once, and use it; be sure to keep it cool. _question._ did you say an hour and a half for steamed dumpling? miss corson. it will take nearly that, but you must try them; try them at the end of an hour. for the dumpling you can use one of the sauces i told you of yesterday morning, white cream sauce, or you can use simply powdered sugar, or powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon. you can use a hard sauce, which is butter and sugar mixed together in equal quantities, with any flavoring you like. fried beefsteak. that is supposed to be the great abomination of american cooking, so that we are going now to see whether it can not be nearly as nicely fried as broiled. it seems a heresy, but it is true, and there are very many occasions where it is not possible to broil in an ordinary kitchen; the fire may not be good, or uncovering it may cool the oven. there is a very important secret in frying beefsteak, or chops, and that is to have the pan hot before you put the meat into it. it doesn't make any difference what kind of a pan you use. use the ordinary iron frying pan, the old-fashioned spider, or dripping pan, if you wish to; but have the pan hot; have the pan hot enough to sear the outside of the meat directly it touches it; after the pan is hot put the beefsteak, or chops--because they are both cooked in the same way--into the hot pan. if the meat is entirely lean, if there is not a particle of fat on it, you may put not more than half a teaspoonful of butter in the pan; run it quickly over the bottom of the pan. but i never saw meat yet so lean, unless the fat was all trimmed off, that there was not fat enough to cook any chop or steak. the portion of fat you will usually find on meat is about one-third, unless you take the meat from the short loin; that is called the porterhouse, or tenderloin steak. in that case you have an excess of fat; there is more than one-third, reckoning in the kidney fat, or suet. you may cut away some of the fat, unless the butchers have cut it away. the butcher has already cut it away from this piece, and, by the way, i notice that minneapolis butchers cut a very long and thin steak. now i would not advise the cooking, broiling or frying of that thin end. i would rather buy two steaks of that kind and cut off that and use it for stewing, because it would stew very nicely; broiled it will be rather tough. as my frying pan is small i am going to cut the steak short. these steaks are cut too thin. a beefsteak to be nice should be over an inch thick--an inch and a half thick. you can easily economise on a thick steak by simply cutting it in halves, and using only as much of it as you want at once, because in almost any weather steak will keep at least over night. have it too thick rather than too thin. have it just the thickness you want and then cut it in two, using part only if you only need part of it. trim off the outside skin, the tough skin; scrape the steak to make sure that there are no particles of bone on it. that bone, of course, comes in sawing the steak. cut off the cartilage at the top of the steak, otherwise the steak may curl up. have your pan hot enough to make it sear. put the steak in and brown it quickly, first on one side and then on the other. in turning the steak run a knife or fork under it and lift it. don't stick a fork into it, because by doing that you make little holes in the fibre of the steak and so let the juice escape. _question._ will you pound your steak? miss corson. no, decidedly not; that lets out the juice. you make little holes in the steak if you stick a fork into it, and by pounding you let the juice out. now, you want to keep all the juice in the steak, all the juice that you can; so that, in turning the steak simply lift it with a fork or knife and turn it over; when it is brown on both sides push the frying pan back toward the back part of the fire, and finish cooking it until it is done to your taste. after it is brown on one side, turn it over; and then, after that, you can turn it once or twice; the frequent turning does not make any difference after you have got it browned on both sides and you can keep all the juice in. turn it as soon as it is brown at first; have the hottest kind of a fire; get it brown on the under side as fast as you can; don't be afraid of burning it; then turn it over and brown it on the other side; after that you can turn it as often as you please. some people like their steak rare, some medium rare, and some well done. to test steak, do not cut into it to see if it is done, but press your finger on it, on the substance of the steak. if you do that quickly you won't burn your finger. as long as the steak is very rare the fibre of the meat will be elastic, and directly you take your finger up the fibre will press up again; there will be no dent there. when it is medium rare just a little dent will remain from the pressure, because the fibre is less elastic. when it is well done you can press on it and make a little hollow that will stay there. do not season the meat until after it is done; don't put salt on any meat before cooking; you draw out the juice by salting it. now for the seasoning of the steak. i have already said that to apply salt to the cut fibre of meat will be sure to draw out the juice, so that you do not want to season a steak until it is done. when it is done season it with salt, pepper and butter. the quantities you use depend upon the taste. that rule applies whether steak is broiled or fried. on that plate you will see the drippings, all that was in the frying pan. there is no juice of the meat there; it is simply browned fat. whatever juice there was in the meat is still there. broiled steak is cooked on precisely the same principle. it is to be put just as near the fire as you can get it. after the broiled steak is browned on one side and then on the other, just as fast as you can brown it; don't be afraid of burning it; you need to watch it; then move it away from the fire, and let it cook as much as you like. test it in the same way i told you to test fried steak. when it is done put it on a hot dish; put butter, pepper and salt on it, and serve it hot. _question._ what do you do when the fat drops in the fire and blazes? miss corson. of course it will do that, but that will help brown the steak. if it is possible to broil under the fire it is very much nicer. sometimes the front of the stove is so arranged that you can let it down and run the gridiron under it; before you begin to broil over the fire you can get the top of the fire very red and clear by throwing a little salt upon it; that will help to destroy the odor. if the meat is frozen you should put it in cold water to thaw before cooking it; you can not avoid in that case washing the meat. to return to the matter of pounding steak: if you pound or break the fibre of meat in any way you let the juice escape; that makes the meat dry. _question._ what do you say to the notion that so many have, that pounding the meat makes it tender? miss corson. you do nothing but break the fibre and save yourself the trouble of chewing the steak. to encourage laziness it is a very good idea. but remember, if you drive the juice out of the steak by pounding you destroy its nutriment. you need the juice in the steak. now, there is a remedy for the toughness of steak, which i can give you, depending upon whether you like salad oil. if you do not, you ought to learn to, because it is one of the most nutritious and purest of the fats when it is perfectly good. good sweet salad oil is preferable to any animal or vegetable fat for purposes of nutriment. there is no reason why you should not use salad oil on the score of health. a great many people object to it; they do not like the idea; they think it is rather foreign, and to some people it is distasteful, but they have very strong memories of childhood and another kind of oil. you know even that kind of oil in these days does not taste badly. olive oil, the peanut oil, or lard oil, when they are fresh and sweet, are very desirable. to soften the fibre of the meat with vinegar and salad oil put on the platter about three tablespoonfuls of salad oil, and half a teacupful of vinegar and a pinch of pepper; no salt. put these on the platter; then lay the raw steak on the platter, and let it stand at least an hour; then turn it over and let it stand another hour. the longer you can let it stand, if it is in the daytime, turning it over every hour, the tenderer you will make it. the vinegar makes the fibre of the meat tender, and the oil keeps it so. that is, the vinegar softens the fibre of the meat and the oil keeps it soft. if you want to prepare it for over night put it in the oil and vinegar about o'clock, about supper time, and let it stand till bed time, then turn it over, and let it stand till morning. when you come to cook the steak do not wipe the oil and vinegar off; simply let what will run off, and then lay the meat on the gridiron and broil it, or fry it; there will be no taste perceptible if the oil is good. caramel for coloring soup. a heaping tablespoonful of common brown sugar if you have it; if not, use any kind of sugar; put it in the frying pan and stir it until it is dark brown; that is, until it is on the point of burning; see that it browns evenly. then put in a tablespoonful of water, either hot or cold--it does not make any difference; stir that until it is mixed with the sugar; then another tablespoonful, until you have used about half a cupful of water. if you should pour the water all in at once the sugar would simply boil over and burn you. use about half a cupful of water, adding it gradually, and stirring until the burnt sugar is dissolved. that gives you the caramel. now, while i am making the caramel, i will describe to you the clarifying of the soup. clarifying soup. to clarify soup stock: for each quart use the white and shell of one egg and one tablespoonful of cold water. put the white and shell of the egg and the cold water into the bottom of the saucepan, and mix them together. then put in the soup stock. set the saucepan over the fire and let it boil gradually, stirring it every minute to mix the egg thoroughly so that it will not cake on the bottom of the pan before it begins to boil. when you have the stock made quite hot, when it begins to boil, then you do not need to stir it; but let it boil until the egg rises to the surface in the form of a thick, white scum, and the soup underneath looks perfectly clear, like sherry wine. then strain it. when the egg is thick and white, as you see this, and the soup is clear underneath, set a colander in an earthen bowl, put a folded towel, doubled, in it, pour the soup into the bowl, and let it run through the colander without squeezing the towel. you see that is a repetition of the direction i gave you for straining the soup in the first place. the egg is in the towel. now, i am going to put some of the soup into a goblet before coloring it, so that you can see the natural color. a light straw-color is the proper color for clear soup. you will very often find clear soup served to you, even at nice hotels, much darker than that; as dark as what i am going to make now, which is the proper color for the luncheon soups called _bouillon_. the coloring is a matter of taste. the clear soup, or _consomme_, is to be served plain like that, or with the addition of any macaroni paste, or poached eggs, and then it takes its name from the additional ingredient which goes into the clear soup. julienne soup is served with strips of vegetables in it, as i may tell you in some subsequent lesson. lecture fourth. sliced apple pie. half a pound of shortening to a pound of flour, the shortening to be rubbed into the flour with the hands until it is so thoroughly mixed that it seems like meal, but not at all melted or softened; then just enough cold water to make a pastry which will roll out. roll out the pastry and use it at once to line the pie plates. fill the plates with sliced apples, or with any fruit or mince meat. to-day i shall use sliced apples. sprinkle flour over the pastry, and then roll it out and line the plates; wet the lower crust to make the upper crust stick to it. cut two or three little slits in the upper crust. take care not to press the outer edges of the crust together. after the upper crust has been put on the pie brush it with beaten egg, if you wish it to be glossy when it is done. then put it in a moderate oven and bake it for three-quarters of an hour, until you are very sure that the apple is done. you can tell that by trying the apple through the little cuts that you make in the pastry. this morning, in making pastry, you remember that we rolled and folded it a number of times. i simply roll this out once, just enough to get it thin enough to use for my pie. first roll out the pastry, and cut off the cover for the top of the pie. lay it one side, and then roll out the rest and use it for the pie, as i have already directed. use greening apples if you can get them. these are table apples. they are not so good for pies for two or three reasons. they will not keep their form when they are baked in the pie, and they may not be perfectly tender. these will break and grow very soft as soon as they begin to cook. i might, while i am making our pie, say a little about flour in general use in the family. as a rule i use what is called pastry flour, best for pie crusts. pastry flour has more starch in it than ordinary family flour, or bread flour. the starch is the interior of the grain. the family flour is the grain ground entire, only the husk being removed. from grain ground in that way none of the nutritious elements are removed. you get a greater proportion of gluten, and some of the mineral elements of the grain that lie close to the husk; the flour that has an excess of gluten in it will absorb more water than pastry flour, or flour composed chiefly of starch, and it will make a tougher dough, either in the form of pie crust or bread than a flour which has the most starch in it. it is more nutritious than starchy flour, so that if you want tender, rather white pastry and bread, you must make up your minds to sacrifice some of the nutritious elements of the flour. all through the west the flour which is marketed is made, i think, from the entire wheat, and that is more thoroughly good, and more nutritious, than the so-called choice pastry flour. in the west you have a better flour than we at the east do, if we depend upon the eastern mills. there are some very good brands of flour made in new york state, but as a rule they are not so full of gluten and not so nutritious as the western flours. where flour is made from winter wheat, which lies in the ground all winter long and gathers more of the mineral elements of the soil than spring wheat does, the flour is superior. the pie is now heaped full of sliced apples by using about half a dozen rather small apples. i suppose you think this is a rather extravagant way to make a pie, but you do not need to put so many apples in unless you want to; we want a nice thick pie. this is cinnamon that i am using for flavoring. put two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar on top of the apples in the pie. finally brush the top of the pie, either with beaten egg or with a little sugar and water dissolved, and put it into the oven to bake. bread making. now take your recipe for bread making. use the compressed yeast which you buy at the grocery store. for two small loaves of bread or a large pan of biscuit use a whole cake of yeast. dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water, a cupful of lukewarm water. then add enough flour to form a thick batter; that will be about a cupful of flour; a thick batter which will cling to the mixing spoon when you lift the spoon and let a drop fall on the surface. cover the bowl with a towel folded several times, or a thick cloth, so that all the heat can be retained. then set the bowl somewhere near the fire, in a place not too hot to bear your hand, and let it stand for about half an hour, or until the batter is light and foamy. keep the bowl covered all the time, and take care that you do not have it in too hot a place. don't have it in a place where you can not bear your hand. after the sponge--as the batter is called--is light and foaming, mix in another cupful of lukewarm water in which a teaspoonful of salt is dissolved. after the second cupful of lukewarm water with the teaspoonful of salt dissolved in it, add enough flour to form a dough stiff enough to knead with the hands. knead the dough on the board for just five minutes. some good housekeepers would declare that just five minutes' kneading is flying in the face of providence in the way of bread making, but i assure you it is enough. that is, it is enough to give you bread of a firm, fine grain, perfectly even in its consistency. it won't be full of large, uneven holes; it will be firm, fine bread. after you have kneaded the bread five minutes make it up in a little loaf, or two loaves, as you like; put them in small iron pans, buttered--black iron bread pans--and set them again by the fire, where you can bear your hand, and let the little loaves of dough rise until they are just twice as large as when you put them down. that generally will take about half an hour if the yeast is good. brush the loaves over the top with a little melted butter, or with a teaspoonful of sugar dissolved in water. put them in the oven and bake them. the bread is to be baked until you can run a sharp knife or trussing needle in through the thickest part of the loaf without the bread sticking in any way. if the needle or knife comes out clean and bright the bread is done. it may take from half an hour to an hour to bake the bread. in the stove that i used the first morning over in the other building i have baked a loaf of bread, the size of those i am going to show you, in eleven minutes. i had not realized that bread could be baked thoroughly in so short a time, but one day in northampton, mass., one of my class timed the baking of the bread. a loaf of bread of that size was baked in eleven minutes. this same bread dough you can make up in the form of little rolls. i will make part of it up in rolls. of course you will understand that the smaller the piece of dough the more rapidly it will rise the second time, and the quicker you will be enabled to bake it. so if you are in a hurry, and want bread baked quickly, you will make it in the form of little rolls; when i make the rolls i will describe the process. _question._ should bread be baked a long or a short time? miss corson. the sooner it can be baked the better. there is no special object to be gained in the baking of bread except to thoroughly cook the dough. it can not affect the nutriment of the flour very much whether it takes a longer or a shorter time. the nutriment of the flour might be slightly wasted if it took a very long time. there is no objection to baking bread as quickly as it can be done. now before i begin to make the pudding i will answer a question that has been asked about the best yeast and the quick rising of bread. the object of raising bread is simply to make it digestible by separating the mass of the dough. if it is firm and solid, that is, if the bread is heavy, it can not be easily penetrated by the gastric juice, and consequently is indigestible. so that the most healthy bread is that which is sufficiently light and porous to allow the gastric juice to penetrate it easily. only a mechanical operation is required to make the bread light. now that process which will most quickly make the bread dough light is the most desirable. the longer you take to raise bread, the more slowly you raise, the more of the nutriment of the flour you destroy by the process of fermentation that lightens the bread. the yeast combining with water at a certain temperature causes fermentation, and from that fermentation carbolic acid gas is evolved, which forces its way up through the dough and fills it with little bubbles,--in other words, makes it light. now the more quickly you can accomplish that fermentation, or rather lightening of the dough by the formation of little air cells, the more you will preserve the nutriment of the flour. the idea prevails to some extent that if ladies use as much yeast as i have to-day the bread will taste of the yeast. it will not if the yeast is fresh. if the yeast is old or sour it will taste. but you can use as much as i have shown you and not have the bread taste after it is done. you see my object in using a great deal of yeast, proportionately, is to accomplish the lightening of the dough in a very short time. the best bread that ever was made or that ever was put on the market was raised mechanically, without the action of yeast; it was called aerated bread. it was bread dough lightened by a mechanical process. carbonic acid gas was driven into the dough by machinery after the flour was mixed with salt water; and the bread made was very light and every particle of the nourishment preserved in that way. _question._ do you ever put sugar in bread? miss corson. you can put in anything you like. you can put sugar, or milk, or anything you like in the bread to vary it. i will use nothing to-day but yeast, flour, water, and salt. this is perfectly plain, wholesome bread. you put milk in bread and it makes it dry quicker. vienna bread, which is made partly of milk, dries more quickly than any other bread that is made. you can make any variation you like from the recipe i have given you. i have given you a perfectly plain home-made bread. _question._ do you ever scald the flour for bread? miss corson. you can scald the flour if you wish, but you do not accomplish any special purpose by it. in the winter time, if you heat the flour before you mix it with yeast and warm water, you increase the rapidity with which the bread dough rises. _question._ how would you make brown bread--ordinary graham bread? miss corson. use graham flour; mix your white flour with it, if it is for graham bread proper; if it is for graham gems use simply graham flour, water and salt, beaten together. graham flour, salt and water beaten together into a form and baked in little buttered tins is the graham bread pure and simple of the grahamites. it is not necessary to knead bread more than once to secure lightness. i have already said that the longer you prolong the process of bread making the more of the nourishment of the flour you destroy. you will see when the bread is baked to-day, if we are fortunate in our baking, that the bread is perfectly light and of even grain. bread and apple pudding. stale bread cut in slices or small pieces, fill a pudding dish of medium size, only three eggs, or if eggs are very dear, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a pint of milk, or enough more milk to saturate the bread. if the bread is very stale and dry you will have to use a pint and a half of milk. three eggs, a pint of milk, four tablespoons of sugar, will make about a quart of liquid. the custard you pour over the bread; let the custard soak into the bread; then on the top of the pudding put a layer of fruit about an inch thick. you may vary the fruit, using sliced apples, or dried apples which have been soaked over night, and then stewed tender, dried peaches treated in the same way, or canned peaches, canned pears--any fruit you like. in the summer, in berry season, use berries. if the fruit is sour sprinkle it with sugar; then put the pudding in the oven and bake it. you can use dried fruit with this pudding, such as raisins or currants, but you put the fruit in through the pudding instead of on top. if you want to make the pudding particularly good you will separate the white and yolks of the eggs, mix the yolks of the eggs with the milk and sugar; save the whites until the pudding is done; in that case you have to use a little more milk proportionately. save the whites until the pudding is done, then beat them to a stiff froth and add to it three heaping tablespoons of powdered sugar, very gently mixing them, just as i mixed that light omelette yesterday. that makes what is called a _meringue_. put the _meringue_ over the top of the pudding after it is done; run it through the oven for about a minute, just long enough to color it slightly, and then serve the pudding. if you want the pudding entirely smooth when it is done, you must break the bread up in the custard before you bake it. my way is simply to saturate the bread with the custard. you can beat it if you wish. the pudding will be slightly liquid, like bread pudding, and then the fruit, if it is juicy, makes it still more liquid, and if you add the _meringue_, that of itself is a sauce. you will notice, as a rule, that i make everything as plain as possible, because i wish to demonstrate that plain dishes cooked with simple and few materials, can be very good. perforated tin pie plates bake very nicely. of course you want to take care to have the bottom crust thick enough, so that none of the juice from fruit pies will run through. if the oven is very hot on the bottom, it will not do to set a pie on the very bottom; a grating must be used. you will have to use your judgment about baking, watching the pie, and taking care that it does not get burnt. (returning to the bread making, miss corson continued:) now i am going to put the second cup of water and flour into the dough. you want to remember, in raising bread, to keep it always at the same temperature until you get it light. it should be set where you can put your hand without burning. keep the bowl, containing the sponge, just warm. you don't want it anywhere where it will get so hot as to scald the sponge. you can set the bowl in winter over boiling water to keep the temperature equal. (a question was asked in regard to rhubarb pie.) miss corson. some ladies put the rhubarb raw into the pies when they make rhubarb pies, trusting to its cooking while the crust is baking; others stew it with sugar before they put it in the pies. when it comes in from the market it should be cut in little pieces about half an inch long, and the outside, or thin skin, stripped off. it requires a great deal of sugar, whether you put it into the pie uncooked, or you first cook it. it makes an exceedingly nice acid pie. usually the best way is to stew it first before you put it in the pie. that gives it to you in the form of a pulp. if you put it raw into the pie, to a certain extent the form is perfect, that is, it retains its little block-like shape after it is cooked. (the bread now being ready to knead, miss corson recurred to that subject.) i will take for the dough three cups of flour, about three heaping cupfuls besides the first one. there was an old adage to the effect that some imaginary substance called "elbow grease" was necessary in kneading bread. i presume that is another name for force. but there is no special strength necessary. the bread is kneaded for the purpose of entangling a little more air in it, and you accomplish that by folding and refolding it, as i am doing; just using enough flour to keep it from sticking to your hands. in five minutes you will find that you have a rather smooth, soft dough, that does not stick to your hands. that is all you want. you will always find perfectly good yeast in any town, or you can make the yeast yourself. _question._ if you use twice as much flour would you use twice as much yeast? miss corson. if you want to raise the bread quickly you can increase the quantity of yeast in the same proportion that i have given it you here to-day, until you reach as much as six or seven pounds of flour, and then you would not need to use proportionately as much yeast. you could diminish the quantity a little. you see, the object of using plenty of yeast is to get the bread raised quickly. _question._ doesn't home-made yeast make heartier bread than the other? miss corson. it makes bread less digestible--it may be heartier in that sense; the irishman does not like his potatoes quite done; he thinks them heartier when they are somewhat indigestible. there could not be more nutritious or wholesome bread than this quickly raised bread. i have given you several very good reasons for raising bread as quickly as possible. bread raised more slowly is not so nutritious, because some of the nutritive elements are destroyed in the fermentation which goes on in the slow process. to make rolls, take small pieces of dough and make them round, and cut them nearly through the centre. put the rolls in a buttered pan; cover them up with a cloth and let them rise double their original size, where you can bear your hand. then bake them. let the dough always rise until it is twice its size before baking. i think i have already explained to you that if you want the bread or roll glossy you can brush it with sugar and water, or melted butter. these rolls will be set on the top of the stove to rise, just like bread. as soon as they are twice their size they go into the oven to bake. _question._ do you ever use any shortening in the rolls? miss corson. you can use it if you want to. knead butter in the part of the dough that is designed for rolls--say a tablespoonful of butter; put it in when you are doing the five minutes' kneading. there is no reason why you should not knead in anything that your fancy calls for, providing it is edible. now i will show you how you can prevent the juice running out of fruit pies. for fruit pies--pies made in the summer time, of juicy fruits--better use no under crust. take a deep dish; put the fruit into the dish, heaping it a little, just as i heaped the apples; wet the edges of the dish with cold water; lay the pastry on the dish and press it very slightly, _not on the edge itself_, because that makes the pastry heavy, but just inside of the edge. as i press it i leave the edge intact; press the pastry against the dish all the way round; then with your finger make a little groove all the way round your pie, inside the edge of the crust; then, with a little knife, cut holes in the groove. now, when the juice of the fruit boils out, as it will, instead of forcing its way out of the edges, the crust will be held upon the wet dish, and the fruit juice will boil out in the little groove and stay there. to serve the pie, you cut the upper crust with a sharp knife, and serve with a spoon, taking a piece of crust and plenty of fruit out on each plate. no under crust is there. if you have an under crust with very juicy pie it will be pretty sure to be soggy and heavy. the english way of serving these pies is a very nice one, and is, as i have described, with whipped cream. serve whipped cream with a fruit pie. among other nice things that we can not get in this country is devonshire cream, which is a cream almost as thick as the hard sauce you make by mixing powdered sugar and egg together; it is thick enough almost to cut. we can not get that cream here, but use thick, nice cream, sweetened or not, as you like. one of my english friends, who first taught me this way of serving pie, said that at her home they never sweetened the cream; they simply whipped it to a froth and served it piled up on a dish by the side of the pie. the pie was taken out on a plate, and then two or three spoonfuls of this whipped cream laid on the plate by the side of the pie. you can sweeten it if you like. meringue. i will next make a _meringue_. i have already told you to use the whites of three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar--and that really must be pulverized very fine and sifted. in beating the eggs you can always get them light very quickly, if they are reasonably cold in the beginning, by beating with a change of movement. beat until your hand grows tired, and then simply change the way you hold the beater. don't stop beating. of course you can use any kind of an egg-whip you like. this which i use is made of twisted wire. only take care to have the egg beaten entirely stiff. do not have any liquid egg in the bottom of the bowl. in the summer time you can cool the egg by putting in a little pinch of salt if it does not beat stiff at once. i would not advise using an egg that had the least odor about it. as soon as the custard in the pudding is done we are going to take the pudding out of the oven, and put the _meringue_ on the top, whether the apples are done or not. it does not do any harm to stop beating for awhile. mix this, using a cutting motion, not a stirring motion. mix until the sugar and egg are smoothly blended, and the _meringue_ is ready to use. lecture fifth. our lesson this morning is cream of salmon; shoulder of lamb, boned and roasted; force meat or stuffing for roast meats; potatoes, boiled and baked; and cheese crusts. i shall begin with the lamb or mutton. remove the bone first, then stuff and bake the meat, as i have no facilities for roasting with this stove; but i will have something to say about the process of roasting in the course of the lesson. a great many of the ladies think that the shoulder or fore quarters of meat is not so desirable a piece for use as the loin or hind quarter, but that is a mistake. in the first place the proportion of bone in the fore quarter is very much less than in the hind quarter. in one lesson that i gave, about a week ago, at cleveland, i had a butcher remove all the bones from a fore quarter weighing between five and six pounds, and then weighed the bones: they weighed a pound and a quarter. i also had him remove the bones from the hind quarters and weighed them, and they weighed more. the meat of the fore quarter is sweeter, and quite as nutritious as the meat of the hind quarter, and the fore quarter is always cheaper. so that, you see, on the score of flavor and economy, the fore quarter is more desirable for use than the hind quarter. in england, where mutton is always in perfection, it is the fore quarter or shoulder of mutton that is served to guests, and the hind quarter is the one that is used for the family dinner. to make the dish which i am going to prepare this morning, i have had the whole quarter brought in so that i can show you how the shoulder should be cut off. simply with a large piece of the outside skin attached. usually the butcher might cut the shoulder square off close, but i want this large piece of skin for stuffing. there is a natural division between the shoulder and the ribs, so that the shoulder comes off with perfect ease. if you buy an entire fore quarter like that you will have the butcher cut off the shoulder for roasting or baking, then let him cut the neck in rather small pieces for stews or mutton broth. what is called the rack or ribs would be cut into chops for broiling or frying, and the breast would be cut off entire to be stewed or roasted or baked. a very nice way to prepare the breast is to have the bones all taken out, spread a layer of nice force meat or stuffing over it, roll it up, and tie it. then it can be baked, or roasted, or stewed. another nice way to cook the breast is to boil it until it is tender enough to enable you to pull the bones out without any difficulty; then take out all the bones, put it on a platter, set another platter on top of it with a heavy weight on the top platter, and press it until it is cold. then cut it in rather small pieces, about two or three inches square, and bread and fry it. the process of breading and frying is accomplished in this way. you have cracker crumbs--cracker crumbs rolled and sifted--or bread crumbs, stale bread, dried in the oven and rolled and sifted, in a large dish. in another dish beat a couple of eggs until they are liquid. it does not need to be frothy, but simply to have the substance of the egg well broken; then dip the little pieces of boiled lamb, first in the cracker dust, then in the beaten egg, then again in the cracker dust. that is called breading. to fry properly, so that you have no grease, you want the frying kettle half full of fat. you don't want a little fat in a frying pan, but a frying kettle like that which you use in frying doughnuts. put the kettle over the fire and let the fat get hot, that is, let it get so hot that it begins to smoke. when the fat begins to smoke you plunge whatever article you wish to fry into it. if you take the precaution to do that, have plenty of fat and let it get smoking hot and then fry in it, you will never have anything greasy. the action of the hot fat at once so carbonizes the surface of what you wish to fry, and prevents the soaking of the fat. fry whatever article you are treating until it is a light brown, then take it out of the fat with a skimmer, and lay it on brown paper for a moment--coarse brown paper--and that will absorb the very little fat on the surface. it will be perfectly free from grease. you can season before you bread an article, or you can season the bread crumbs or cracker dust which you use in breading, just as you like. or, after the article is fried you can season it with salt and pepper. some things are seasoned after the frying--for instance, saratoga potatoes--they are always salted after frying. you can make bread crumbs very fine by using a fine sieve and sifting. if you have cracker meal already prepared you will see that it is as fine as indian meal; it is sold in the grocery stores and at the cracker factories, and it is cheaper to buy cracker dust or cracker meal than it is to make it at home, if you buy the whole crackers, because, of course the manufacturers can afford to use their broken crackers--they are all perfectly good--in making cracker meal and sell that very much cheaper than they can sell the whole crackers. the question of the digestibility of fried articles of food is very often raised. you understand that the hard fried surface is less digestible than any soft surface, and many fried articles are indigestible because of the quantity of grease they contain. if you fry in the way i have told you, you will not have that excess of grease. to take the bone from the shoulder, first cut from the inside and take out the shoulder blade, cutting from the inside, avoiding as far as possible cutting through the skin on the outside. the butcher will always do this for you probably, if you tell him about what you want done. first, the shoulder blade is taken out, then the bone which follows down along the leg. after the shoulder blade is taken out put it into a kettle of water, over the fire, and boil it for awhile until you can scrape all the meat off of it. you will have to use it in finishing the dish. after taking out the shoulder blade the cutting must all be done from the inside. there will be two or three places where you may possibly cut through the skin, where it is drawn very close over the bone, but cut as little as possible. when the meat is freshly killed before the skin is dried, you may not always cut through there, but where the skin is dried fast to the bone you will have to. this may seem a slight waste of time, but this dish is desirable for several reasons. in the first place, the bone being entirely taken out you can carve it without any waste whatever and with a great deal of ease. in the next place it gives you a very ornamental dish. in fact, i am going to show you how to make a duck out of it. and as i say, if you get the butcher to do it, it will not make any difference to you if it does take time. always in sewing meat or poultry, ladies, take very large stitches, not with fine thread. use cord, so that you can see where the threads are when the meat is done. any kind of a large needle will answer for sewing, large enough to carry your cord. always leave long ends too. to stuff the meat, season it nicely with pepper and salt and any herb that you are going to use in making stuffing. sage, of course, would be very good with fat meat; put onion in the stuffing to make it imitate duck. for a force meat of bread, a teaspoonful of chopped onion; fry it in a tablespoonful of butter until it is light brown. while the onion is frying soak a cupful of stale bread in cold water until it is soft, then squeeze out the water. put the soaked bread with the fried onion, add a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of any herb that you decide for seasoning, any dried sweet herb, half a saltspoonful of pepper, and stir all these ingredients over the fire until they are scalding hot. use that force meat for stuffing any kind of meat or poultry. of course there are a great many ways of making force meats; this is only one, and a very simple one. another good stuffing for duck or for this dish, if you wish it more closely to imitate duck, would be to increase the quantity of onion--use much more onion, half a cupful of onion, or even more when you want to make onion stuffing. another way is to use dry bread without cooking, a chopped onion, herbs, butter; some ladies like to put an egg in stuffing. there are a great many different methods of making it. cold, chopped meat is very nice added to stuffing or dressing. after the shoulder is stuffed thus, run a needle entirely round the edge in a large, over-hand stitch, so that you can draw it up like a purse; stitches at least an inch and a half long. that draws the edge up. then take two or three stitches in such a way as to hold the stuffing in. remember always to leave long ends in tying the cord used in sewing. then curl the leg up like the neck of a duck and fasten with a cord. after it is prepared like that it is to be put into a pan in the oven, or before a hot fire, and browned quickly on the outside. it may be seasoned after it is browned. there will be a little drippings in the pan; baste it with the drippings; bake it or roast it, allowing, if you want it well done, about twenty minutes to the pound. a shoulder like that will weigh about two pounds and a half or three pounds. it will do in an hour's time in a pretty quick oven; in an hour and a half in a moderate one. use no water in the baking pan, because water never can get as hot as the fat outside of the meat. the temperature of the hot fat is higher than the temperature of hot water, and the result of putting water around meat in a baking pan is to draw out the juice. the object is to keep all the juice in the meat. you will always find that there will be drippings enough from any ordinary cut of meat for the purpose of basting. if you have an absolutely lean piece of meat pour about a couple of tablespoonfuls of drippings, or butter, in the baking pan, but no water, and use the drippings for basting. a nice gravy is very easily made from the drippings in the pan. i will tell you about that later. if the meat appears to be baking too quickly, if there is any danger of its burning, put a sheet of buttered paper over it. baste the meat every fifteen or twenty minutes. you can drench it with flour, just before basting, if you want to. that gives it a rough surface. the flour browns with the fat. if you are basting with water of course the flour would not brown so quickly. i think i have given you good reasons for not basting it with water. cream of salmon. a cupful of boiled salmon separated from the skin and bone and rubbed through a sieve with a potato masher, mixed with a quart of cream soup, gives you cream of salmon. any of the ladies who have seen cream sauce made will understand the making of the cream soup. put a slice of salmon that will make a cupful, over the fire in enough boiling water to cover it, with a heaping tablespoonful of salt, and boil it until the flakes separate. that will be perhaps ten minutes. watch it a little. when the flakes separate drain it, take away the skin and bones and put it into a fine colander or stout wire sieve, and rub it through with a potato masher. _question._ do you use canned salmon? miss corson. yes, you can use canned salmon. that is already cooked, and you simply would rub it through the sieve. the fresh salmon is to be boiled in salted water. if you use canned salmon you do not need to boil it. after the salmon is rubbed through the sieve it is called _puree_ or pulp of salmon. now to make a quart of cream soup: for each quart of soup put in the sauce pan a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a heaping tablespoonful of flour; put them over the fire and stir them until they are quite smooth. then begin to add hot milk, half a cupful at a time, stirring each half cupful smoothly with the butter and flour before you add any more, till you have added a quart, or if milk is scarce a pint of milk and a pint of water. if you haven't any milk at all, a quart of water. that gives you a white soup, if you add simply water; if you add milk it is called cream soup. if you are very fortunate and have lots of cream, in place of some of the milk, use cream, and then you will have genuine cream soup. after the milk or water is all added, then season the soup palatably with salt and pepper--white pepper. i have told you about white pepper. it is to be had at all the grocery stores; it costs no more than black pepper and is very much nicer for any white soup or white sauce. salt and pepper to taste, and a very little grated nutmeg; a quarter of a saltspoonful, a little pinch of grated nutmeg. after the soup is seasoned stir in the salmon. i have told you already how to prepare the salmon. stir the soup constantly until it boils for a couple of minutes. by that time you will find that the salmon is stirred smoothly all through it. then it will be ready to serve, and it is very good. you can use any other kind of fish in the same way, and your soup will take its name from the fish that you use. halibut or codfish, trout or any fish. only remember if you want the soup to be white you must use the white part of the fish. for instance, if you had a large dark fish you would want to take off the brown parts and use only the white parts. otherwise the brown parts of the fish will color the soup. you can use cream soup as the basis for vegetable soups that are very nice. prepare the vegetables in the same way; boil them, and rub them through a sieve with a potato masher. then stir them into the cream soup. use asparagus, celery, cucumbers, green peas, string beans, jerusalem artichokes,--those little root artichokes,--any vegetable, in fact, varying the quantity of vegetable in this way. you will find that some vegetables will give a much more decided flavor than others. for instance, celery has a very strong flavor, and cucumbers have rather a decided flavor. you want to use enough vegetables to flavor the soup, if it is a white vegetable. if it is a vegetable that has a decided color like carrots, for instance, or beets,--by the way, beets make a delicious soup, and a very pretty one is made with spinach,--you want to use enough to color the soup. the beets, boiled so that all the color is preserved, and then rubbed through a sieve, make a very pretty soup. one of our new york pupils calls it a "pink velvet soup." spinach makes a very nice green soup if it is properly boiled. we shall try to get some spinach for one of the lessons. we have _puree_ of spinach on our list, and if we can get any spinach i will show you how to boil it so as to keep its color. boiled potatoes. the boiling of potatoes is a very simple operation, but there is a good deal of talking to be done in connection with it. it does not make any difference whether you use hot water or cold in boiling potatoes. what you want to watch is the stage at which you take the potatoes out of the water. that is what determines whether they are to be mealy or not. the cause of the potatoes being mealy is the rupture of the starch cells and the escape of the steam just at the right moment, just when the potatoes are tender; and if you leave them in the water after they are tender, then the membrane of the starch cells being broken permits the water to penetrate; even if the skins are not cut or broken, the moisture in the starch cells themselves will condense and make the potato heavy, so that you want to give the steam a chance to escape as soon as the potatoes are tender. if you will do that you are sure of mealy potatoes, provided the potatoes are ripe. unripe potatoes, or new potatoes, or sprouted or frosted potatoes, you cannot well make mealy, because the starch cells in the new potatoes are not fully matured, in the old sprouted potatoes they are disorganized, especially as the little sprouts take up the nutritive properties which enable them to grow. but if you use ripe potatoes, before they are beginning to sprout, and pour the water off of them when they are tender and allow the steam to escape, you will be sure to have the potatoes mealy, unless they are watery potatoes; the ordinary market potatoes will be sure to be mealy. now you can insure the escape of the steam by draining the potatoes and covering them with a towel folded several times; that is, draining off all the water as soon as the potatoes are tender enough to enable you to run a fork through them. do not wait until they begin to break apart, because by that time the starch cells are being broken up, and the water will have begun to penetrate to the interior of the potato. after boiling the potatoes, either in cold or hot water, until they are tender, drain them and put a folded towel over them in the sauce pan. set the sauce pan on the back part of the stove where the potatoes can not burn, or put it up on a brick on the back part of the stove. the potatoes may be peeled or not, as you choose; if you peel the potatoes in the most careful way, that is, cutting the thinnest possible skin off, you will waste at least an ounce in every pound. a very good way to peel potatoes is to take off just a little rim of the skin all around them and boil them; then if you want to peel them before they go to the table, it will be easy to strip off the two pieces of skin remaining. in order to save time i shall put the potatoes into boiling water enough to cover them, with a tablespoonful of salt. take about a quart of water and a tablespoonful of salt. i have already said that as soon as the potatoes are tender enough to pierce with a fork, not when they are beginning to break, and they are drained, cover them with a cloth and keep them hot as long as you like. in about three or four minutes after they have been covered with the cloth they will begin to grow mealy, as the steam escapes; and you can keep them hot and mealy for three or four hours. it makes very little difference with potatoes, although with some kinds of vegetables it makes a decided difference, whether you boil them in hard or soft water. but as a rule soft water is best for boiling vegetables. you can always soften the water by putting a very little carbonate of soda in it, to counteract the extreme hardness of the water, which is caused by lime or mineral elements. the hardness of water slightly hardens the surface of vegetables, but it has an entirely different action on meats. it slightly hardens the surface--not enough to make the vegetable tough, by any means, but enough to retain all the juices and all the flavors. do not have the potatoes tightly covered after they are cooked, because the steam will condense on the inside of the cover and fall back on the potatoes, thus making them watery. in serving potatoes on the table after they are cooked, do not put a cover on the dish; put a folded napkin over the potatoes. do not put the dish cover on--it will have the same effect that it would have if you put the cover on the pot. the steam arising would condense, and fall back on the potatoes in the form of moisture, and make the potatoes watery. in baking potatoes, the same general principles apply. that is, at the moment when the potatoes are tender--and that of course depends upon the oven in which you bake them--the starch cells are ruptured and the moisture is at the point of escaping if you give it vent by slightly breaking the potato, then the potatoes will keep mealy for a little while. but baked potatoes deteriorate every moment they stand after they are tender. you should serve baked potatoes just the moment they are done, if you want them to be perfect. if you wrap them up in a napkin it keeps in the steam. the longer they stand, the more of the hard skin forms on them, and if you let them stand for half an hour or more you find the skin sometimes a sixteenth of an inch thick. you can take a little slice off the end without breaking them, to permit the escape of the steam. but serve them just as quick as you can. in sending them to the table do not put the dish cover on them. throw a napkin over them to keep the heat in. i have found that in baking potatoes that the hotter the oven the better the potatoes would be; that is, the more quickly they would be baked. i have been able to bake them sometimes in twenty minutes. to soak potatoes in cold water restores a little of their moisture that may have been lost by the natural evaporation. for instance, late in the winter you will find potatoes slightly shriveled. that is caused by the escape of the moisture. if you had weighed them in the fall, and weighed them again at that time you would find they weighed less. to soak them for an hour or more before you cook them is to restore that wasted water and to increase the substance of the potato. there is very little nutriment lost in the waste of the moisture; it is only the bulk of the potato. you do not need to salt the water in which the potatoes are soaked. the only effect of salting water would be to make it colder. in soaking green vegetables it is well to salt the water, because if there are any insects in the vegetables they are killed by the action of the salt. in lettuce, or cabbage, or cauliflower, there are insects that hide away among the leaves, and salt kills them. in regard to the soaking of the green vegetables, of course, directly the insects are dead they naturally fall of their own weight from among the leaves. but if the leaves are closely packed, as sometimes they are in cabbage or lettuce; you want to hold the vegetable by the root and turn it up and with your hands separate the leaves without tearing; if lettuce is used, take care not to tear them; if cauliflower is being washed, take hold of the root and shake it well through the water, so that the motion will dislodge the little creatures. cheese crusts. for cheese crusts use bread that is a day or two old, baker's bread or home-made bread; baker's bread is the best for toast of all kinds, and this is a sort of toast. cut the bread in even slices, rather small, cutting off the crusts. there is no waste in doing that, for i have already told you how to use up pieces of stale bread by making them into crumbs. grate some cheese so that you have a tablespoonful of cheese for each little slice of bread. on each of the little pieces of bread put a tablespoonful of the grated cheese, a very little dust of pepper and salt and a small piece of butter not larger than a white dried bean. put the pieces of bread in a pan, set the pan in a rather quick oven, and just brown the cheese crusts. if the oven is in a good condition it will toast the bread and brown the cheese in about ten minutes, or even less; they are very good, those little cheese crusts. you can use them either hot or cold. they are a very nice supper dish. they are very good with salad at dinner, with any green salad. of course, if you serve them hot the cheese is a little more tender. any kind of cheese will answer for making the crusts. i think that the ordinary american factory cheese is about as good as any other cheese. you do not want a rich expensive cheese for cheese crusts. (at this point the stuffed shoulder of mutton was brought forth, done, the fan-shaped shoulder blade being stuck in to represent the tail of the duck, which the whole dish strongly resembled.) gravy for meat. there are about two tablespoonfuls of drippings in the pan. i am going to put a heaping tablespoonful of flour with it and stir until it is brown; then i am going to stir in gradually about a pint of boiling water, and season it with salt and pepper, and then i will send it down and show it to you. make gravy in this way for any baked meat. lecture sixth. our first dish this afternoon, ladies, will be roast chicken. the lesson will include fish and poultry. first, to choose a tender chicken, examine the tip end of the breastbone--the lower end of the breast bone, to see if it is soft; if it bends without breaking under pressure; in other words, if the cartilage has not hardened into bone, you may be sure that the chicken is young, and consequently probably tender. the market people have a favorite way of showing you that the chicken is tender by taking hold of the wing and giving the joint a twist. they say, "you see how tender it is!" but that is no test except of strength. but there is no ingenuity which can simulate that soft cartilage on the end of the breast bone. that is always a sure test. after choosing the chicken--of course now i am speaking of dressed chicken, or chickens that are killed--after choosing the chicken, have it carefully picked and singed; then, if it is undrawn, wipe it with a wet towel, and proceed to draw it carefully without breaking the intestines. if it is drawn already the chances are that it will be imperfectly drawn and you will have to wash it. there is the disadvantage of having poultry drawn before it goes to the market, because where people draw poultry in large quantities they are very apt to do it carelessly. in that case it is necessary to wash it, but if you draw it carefully yourself you will not have to do that. by washing, you of course take away the flavor, as i told you the other day, because you lose more or less of the blood. cut the skin of the back of the neck and take out the crop, then out off the neck close to the body, that leaves the skin so that you can draw it up and fasten it back. if this chicken was not already cut for drawing i should cut it at one side under one of the legs, so that when i came to sew it up and dress it i could hide the cut. this chicken has been drawn carefully and does not seem to need washing. the liver and gizzard have been laid back inside. the entrails are all taken away. you can always tell by looking at the chicken whether the entrails are broken and whether it needs washing. after you have drawn the chicken very carefully separate the gall from the liver. the gall is that little greenish bag that lies on one side of the liver; and you want to cut it off without breaking, because if you break it it will make bitter everything that it touches. save whatever fat there is about the entrails, and put it in the baking pan with the chicken. the gizzard has been cut open from one side and the inside bag which contains gravel and straw taken out. but a very much easier way to dress the gizzard instead of opening it, is to cut away the bluish skin which lies on the outside, on both sides, without opening the gizzard at all, and cut out that piece of flesh. that is the only valuable portion of the gizzard; if you dress the gizzard in this way when it is not already opened you save yourself a great deal of trouble, for it is a very hard matter to open a gizzard like that and take away the bag which contains the gravel, especially if the poultry has been frozen, as the bag is apt to break and let out the gravel. use the gizzard and liver for making gravy, and the neck also. cut out the oil sac or bag which lies at the back of the tail. then the chicken is ready for stuffing. in cutting off the feet cut them below the joint, not just at the joint. if you cut them just at the joint the skin and flesh will draw up in cooking. but if you cut them just below the joint you will find that they do not draw up. after cutting off the feet scrape the skin all round to make sure that there are no bits of feather or anything of that sort, and wipe it with a wet towel and you have the chicken in readiness to stuff. stuff it with any force meat that you like. you remember this morning that we made force meat by chopping a teaspoonful of onion and frying it in a tablespoonful of butter, then putting in with the fried onion a cupful of stale bread soaked in cold water, seasoning with salt and pepper and sweet herbs. i said also that you could add chopped meat, cold meat or eggs, or to make any desired addition to the force meat in the way of seasoning. a little grated cheese in stuffing is very nice. you scarcely will realize what the seasoning is. i will use a little grated cheese this afternoon to make a force meat--very like what i made this morning, except in addition to the chopped onion, fried in a tablespoonful of butter, seasoned with salt and pepper, i shall put in half a cupful of grated cheese. you may like to know my way of chopping onion. in the first place, i make a lot of little cuts in one direction as far down as i think i shall need in order to get my teaspoonful; then i make little cuts in the other direction, and then by slicing it across you get your chopped onion. a very nice addition to force meat is chestnuts, either our ordinary american chestnut, or french or italian chestnuts. these are quite large. i presume they are for sale at the fruit stores here. our ordinary american chestnut is very good. choose rather large chestnuts and either roast or boil them; take off the husks and skins and thus use them to stuff the chicken with, either simply using the chestnuts seasoned with salt, pepper and butter, or if you have boiled or roasted and skinned them, mix them with bread and seasoning. then, after having prepared the force meat, you put it into the chicken, sew it up and truss it into shape. i will show you directly how to do that so as to keep the chicken plump, and so that it does not, in roasting, spread apart. i shall sew it with a trussing needle and a cord, or you might accomplish the same purpose, by using skewers, putting the skewers just where i put the cords. in sewing up a chicken after it is stuffed, remember what i said this morning; take large stitches with coarse cord so that you can easily see where to take the threads out when the chicken is done. after the chicken is trussed, if you are going to bake it, put it into a pan without any water, for the same reason that i gave you this morning. the water will soak it, half simmer it; you do not need water to keep it from burning, because a little drippings will soon come from the chicken; brown it and then dredge it with flour, and baste it every fifteen minutes or so. bake it until it is tender and nicely brown; the time of course depends upon the heat of the oven. truss the chicken first, pushing the legs as far up as you can towards the breast, and run the trussing needle, which is simply a long needle, through so as to hold the legs fast. then either bend the wings back in turning them, or simply fold them together and secure them with the same string. by drawing the string tight, you keep the bird plump; keep it drawn together, and when the bird is done all you have to do is to take these two ends of string in one hand, make one cut and pull the string out. the liver, the gizzard, the heart, the neck and the feet, use in making gravy. of course the gizzard, liver and heart are all right as they are now prepared. if you wish to add the feet, you will scald them and scrape off the skin. then cut off the ends of the claws, and you have the feet perfectly clean; put them with the gizzard, liver and heart to boil as the basis of your gravy. the french people always save all the feet of all kinds of poultry. they prepare them in this way and put them into soups; sometimes they cook them till the bones grow gelatinous, till they are very soft and tender; they dress them with sauce and serve them as what they call an _entree_ or side dish. they make a dish which is more delicate than pigs' feet. of course in a large kitchen where a great deal of poultry is used it is possible to make a very good-sized dish of them. fricasseed chicken. i shall use this chicken for fricassee; it has been singed, picked and wiped with a wet towel. first, cut the skin down back of the neck, and cut off the neck. i shall talk about this chicken as if it was not drawn at all. showing you how to cut it up and draw it at the same time. cut off the neck and take out the crop, as i showed you with the other chicken. then cut off the wings, taking a little of the breast with the wings. find the joint where the wings join the body, cut at that joint; then, instead of cutting the wing right off short, take a little piece of the breast with it. that gives you a nice piece. then cut the wing in two, and cut off the tip, which is dry; that you can cook in the fricassee, or not, as you please. it flavors, but there is very little meat on it. the other part of the wing you want, of course, to use. put the pieces of chicken on two plates, putting the good pieces on one plate and the inferior pieces on the other. having taken off the wing, take off what is called the wing side bone. then cut forward and break off the shoulder bone. the idea is to cut the breast into several good-sized pieces. cutting in this way you sacrifice what is called the merry-thought or wishbone. you either can cut off the side bone or not. cut off the other wing in the same way. then cut off the leg and second joint together. instead of cutting the leg in two pieces at both joints, cut it in three pieces, that gives you two pieces of the second joint. in cooking chicken for fricassee you want to have the pieces about one size, so that they will cook easily. then if they are one size they are much easier to help. next, to separate the breast from the back bone, cut down through the ribs on each side. if the chicken has not been drawn be careful with your knife, not to cut into the entrails. then you can take the breast off, and if the chicken is not drawn, all the entrails will be exposed, and you can draw it with perfect ease. the lungs of the chicken, which are those light red organs on the side of the back bone, are always used by the french in cookery, not only those organs in chicken but in the larger carcasses of meat. they are quite as much food as the heart or liver. i am not in the habit of using them, but they are quite as available. after the breast has been taken off, cut it up in several pieces. first, cut off the entire tip, leaving that in one piece. then cut the remainder in two or four pieces, according to its size. next cut the back bone. there is a natural division in the upper part of the back bone that breaks there; cut that off and trim off the ribs. in cutting the lower part of the back bone, instead of cutting it just in two, making rather queer pieces to help, cut off the upper part of it leaving it entire, not splitting that part of it. in that way, cut off the portion called the "oysters,"--two little pieces of flesh in the upper part of the back bone, that are considered very nice. on one plate we have the inferior parts, on the other the nice parts of the chicken, being all cut in pieces of one size. it is easy to help, it cooks more evenly, and is rather nicer than if you had it in two or three sizes. part of the chicken i am going to make into a brown fricassee, and part of it i am going to fry. there would be thirteen pieces if we counted the two pieces of the back bone. there are half a dozen of the poor pieces, not counting the wing pieces or neck. the question is asked whether the cords or sinews should be drawn from the legs. you can do that with old poultry if you want to, because those cords never get very tender. it is not necessary to do it with medium tender poultry. first brown the chicken, using either some of the chicken fat, or butter, or salad oil for browning it. now, since the question of using salad oil in cooking has come up, suppose i cook this chicken with salad oil so that you can taste it. after all, that is the best test you possibly can have as to whether you like salad oil in cooking. i shall put in just salad oil enough to cover the bottom of the sauce pan. that is enough to prevent sticking. for a chicken of three pounds take about three or four tablespoonfuls of salad oil; just enough to cover the bottom of the sauce pan. first put the sauce pan containing the salad oil over the fire and let it get hot; then put in the chicken and brown it. now, can you notice the slightly aromatic odor? that is the oil, and directly you notice that odor, and the oil begins to smoke, it is hot enough. as soon as the chicken is brown,--and you can brown it just as fast as you want to,--then put a heaping tablespoonful of flour over it--some of the ladies will have seen the same process in making the brown stew of meat the other day--and stir the chicken until the flour is brown. when the flour is brown on the chicken,--and that will be by the time you get it well stirred up,--then add boiling water enough to cover it. when the flour is brown among the chicken, put in boiling water enough to cover it, season it with pepper and salt, palatably, and let it cook until it is tender. that will take from half an hour to two hours, according to the toughness of the chicken. remember the more slowly you cook it after it once begins to cook, the nicer it will be. cover up the sauce pan after the fricassee is seasoned, and cook it until it is tender. in the cooking of chicken the gravy that you make by putting boiling water on seems to boil away, and you may want to add a little more; just keep enough gravy over it to cover it, and when it is tender it is ready to serve. the odor you notice now is the aromatic odor of that salad oil, and is all that you will get in cooking with olive oil. fried chickens. next the fried chicken, maryland style, will be prepared. we will fry the chicken, and then i will tell you about hominy. the southern cooks use lard for frying, either lard entirely or half lard and half butter; enough to cover the bottom of the frying pan about half an inch. let the fat get hot, put some flour on a plate, season it with salt and pepper, and roll the pieces of chicken in it. when the fat is hot in the pan and the chicken has been rolled in the flour, put it into the hot fat and fry it brown, first on one side and then on the other. of course tender chicken is generally used for this dish so that by the time it is fried brown it is done. fry the chicken until it is tender and brown. take up the chicken when it is brown, put it on a hot dish; in the frying pan where it was fried, put enough cream to make a good gravy, stirring it constantly. you see there will be flour on the pan off the fried chicken that will thicken the gravy. season the gravy with salt and pepper, pour it over the chicken and serve it. some of the colored cooks whom i have seen prepare this dish first dip their chicken in water before rolling it in the butter and flour. that is for the purpose of making more flour stick to it; but there is always this disadvantage, if you do that there will be some particles of water remaining, and when you put it in the hot fat it will sputter very much. you can do that or not as you like. while the chicken is being browned i will tell you how to prepare the hominy. of course the chicken is to be seasoned with more pepper and salt if you wish, in addition to what you put on in the first place with the flour. hominy. first pick the hominy over and wash it. fine hominy is generally used for this dish. put it over the fire in cold water, a cupful of hominy to about four cupfuls of water. boil it and stir it often enough to prevent sticking, until it begins to be tender. boil it for an hour, until it begins to grow tender. then place it where there is no danger of burning, pour off the water, or leave off the cover of the sauce pan so that the water will evaporate. the hominy will need to cook pretty nearly an hour, and when it is done or nearly done it should be as thick as hasty pudding. if you have a double boiler you can put in very much less water, for there is no danger of burning. i think you would need only about half or a little more than half as much water. only take care to leave the cover off the kettle if you find that the hominy is going to be thinner than hasty pudding when it is nearly done. if the hominy is used rather coarse, about five minutes before it is done mix a tablespoonful of flour with just enough water or milk to make it a thin liquid, and stir it into the hominy. that will hold it together when it is cold, so that it can be cut into slices. in making hasty pudding you can put that tablespoonful of flour in to hold it together when it is cold. you want to allow long enough for the flour to boil thoroughly; before dishing the hominy when it is tender pour it into an earthen dish or shallow tin pan wet with cold water, and let it get cold and hard. always make this in advance of your fried chicken. you want the hominy cold and solid so that you can cut it. cut it in little cakes about an inch thick and two inches square. these little cakes of hominy are to be fried either in the pan with the chicken or in another pan by the side of the chicken, and served on a dish with the chicken. fried fish. i have here some fish which i shall fry. we will not try broiled fish, because this has been frozen; we will do that some other day. in frying fish use either indian meal or flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, to roll the fish in. fry the fish in lard or the drippings from salt pork. in case you use salt pork, fry it brown. olive oil is one of the nicest fats for frying fish. you may have your choice whether i fry with lard or oil. we will fry in oil. if you use lard at all you want it to be very nice. in the frying pan i shall put about half an inch of oil; that is less than half a cupful. put it over the fire and let it get hot, just as i did for the chicken. this is frozen fish that has been thawed. cut the fish in pieces about two inches square and roll them either in flour seasoned with pepper and salt, or indian meal, as i told you; put them into the oil when the oil is hot. as soon as the fish is browned nicely it will be done. you can add more seasoning than there is in the flour. use indian meal with pork; it is particularly nice. lecture seventh. our lesson this morning, ladies, will begin with pea soup with crusts. this soup i shall make with the addition of a little onion. you remember the other day we made pea soup perfectly plain. we shall cook salt codfish stewed in cream, venison with currant jelly, stewed carrots, and cabinet pudding. first the peas will be put on the fire to boil, and i shall begin to make the pudding. cabinet pudding. the cabinet pudding as i shall make it to-day will be rather elaborate. you can make it more plainly. it is made of cake,--sponge cake is the best,--french candied fruit, eggs and milk. so that, first, i shall give you the recipe for the pudding as i make it to-day, and then i will give you the recipe for the plainer form. for the pudding use a pudding mould of the size i have in my hand (holding about a quart), about half a pound of french candied fruit, which you can get at the confectionaries here; i have to-day candied cherries, a little candied pear, a green lime candied, a small orange, and an apricot. i shall also use a very little citron, about an ounce of citron. that i want simply for the effect of the green part of the citron. put the citron in the form of small leaves. the large fruits cut in slices, which you may leave round or cut in the form of stars or to imitate a flower bud. after you have cut the fruit, butter a perfectly plain tin pudding mould thickly with cold butter,--quite thickly. have the butter cold; lay the fruit against the mould in the form of a wreath, or a star, or any fanciful form you like, some on the bottom of the mould and some on the sides. the cold butter will hold the fruit in place. after part of the fruit is laid against the sides and bottom of the mould, then cut the sponge cake in large slices about half an inch thick, one slice the size and shape of the bottom of the mould, and either one long slice that will go round the sides of the mould inside; or two or three pieces, according to the size of your cake. generally, in cities where there are confectionaries, you can buy sponge cake baked in large thin sheets. you know the form in which it is used for the bakers' _charlotte russe_. this is baked in large sheets; cut it in small sheets and fit it into the moulds. because it is very thin you can work with it very much better than you can with that which is thicker. this will be very apt to break, because it is very stiff. if you are to shape the cake to your mould the cake should be perfectly soft and flexible. after the first layer of cake is put against the mould, then use the rest of the cake cut in small pieces, or broken, and put into the mould in layers with the rest of the fruit. you see, first you use some of the fruit to ornament the inside of the mould, then some of the cake to line the inside of the mould. that gives you what will be the outside of your pudding when it is done. then when the mould is decorated with fruit and lined with cake, put the rest of the cake and fruit into the mould in layers. make a custard of a pint of milk and six eggs, because for this pudding the custard must be firm enough to hold the pudding in shape so that it can be turned out of the mould; also a quarter of a pound of sugar; that is about four heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar. after the custard is made, pour it into the mould which you have filled with cake and fruit, and let it stand so that all the custard may be absorbed by the cake. when the custard has been entirely absorbed by the cake, set the mould in the steamer or in the sauce pan with water to reach two-thirds up the side of the mould. put the cover on the steamer, or sauce pan, and steam it until the custard is firm. that will generally take about an hour and a half. it may take a little longer, but be quite sure that the custard is firm. do not cook the custard first, just mix it up. in order to be sure that the custard is firm before you attempt to turn the pudding out, you want to run a fork or a small knife down through the thickest part in the middle of the pudding; move it backward and forward; look into the pudding to make sure that the custard is done. as long as the custard looks liquid at all, you must keep on cooking. when the pudding is done take the mould out of the steamer, using a towel, because the mould will be hot. take a dish or platter that fits just over the top of the mould; have the inside of the platter the size of the top of the mould; put the platter over the mould and turn it upside down; then you will find that you can lift the mould from the pudding without any trouble, and the pudding will remain there on the platter. this pudding i shall serve with-powdered sugar. it is exceedingly rich. it is not necessary to have a sauce with it because it is so rich. but you can use, if you wish, any of the nice pudding sauces that i have told you of. this is a pudding which in europe is served as the greatest luxury. it takes its name "cabinet" pudding from the fact that it is served in the little rooms, or cabinets, that is, the private rooms where special dinners or suppers are given in the european restaurants. what is called cabinet pudding in the restaurants and hotels in this country is usually a nice bread pudding made with fruit, and it is not decorated in this way. trouble is not taken to decorate the mould. it is simply a nice bread pudding made with custard, with some raisins or currants in it. that is what is called cabinet pudding in this country in the restaurants and hotels. so you can make the memorandum that you can use instead of the cake, bread; and instead of the french fruit, simply raisins, currants and citron. you can spend as much time and ingenuity decorating the pudding as you like, but i have done this very quickly and very simply. the pudding can be served hot, or it can be cooled and then put on the ice and made very cold. you noticed that in filling the mould i pressed the cake down on the inside, because, as it is saturated with the custard, of course it would sink down. you want to press the cake well down in the mould, and have a layer of cake on top, the last layer of cake. _question._ if you made it of bread wouldn't you have to use more sugar in it? miss corson. yes, if you use bread you would have to use more sugar. _question._ do you have any salt in it? miss corson. you don't need to put any salt in it. you can if you want to. there is no necessity for it, because there will be salt both in your bread and in your cake. _question._ do you flavor the custard? miss corson. no, just the plainest custard. you will find that the french fruit will give the custard all the flavor you require. you will find that if you put the custard into a pitcher after it is made you can pour it into the pudding very much more readily than if you try to pour it from the bowl. either put it into a pitcher or use a cup, because you will have to pour it slowly in order to let it thoroughly absorb. pea soup with crusts. next take the recipe for pea soup. some of the ladies who were at the monday afternoon lesson will need only to make one or two notes, and the others will take the full recipe. for pea soup, four quarts, use a cupful of dried peas, yellow split peas. pick them over, wash them in cold water, put them over the fire in two quarts of cold water and let them heat slowly. as the water heats it softens the peas. when it is boiling add half a cupful more of cold water and let that heat; then add more cold water; continue to add cold water, half a cupful at a time, until you have used two quarts more of cold water in addition to the first two quarts. the object of adding cold water slowly is to soften the peas, by reducing the heat of the water and then gradually increasing it again you soften the peas so that you can cook them in from an hour and a half to two hours. boil them very slowly without the addition of salt until they are soft enough to rub through a sieve with a potato masher. after they are rubbed through the sieve put them again into the soup kettle with a tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of flour rubbed to a smooth paste. stir the soup over the fire until the butter and flour are entirely dissolved; then season the soup palatably with salt and pepper and let it boil for two or three minutes. while it is boiling cut two slices of stale bread--bakers' bread is the best, or very light home-made bread--in little dice about half an inch square. put a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying pan over the fire and let the butter begin to brown, then throw the dice of stale bread into the butter and stir the bread until it is brown. take it out of the butter with a skimmer, if it has not absorbed all the butter, and lay it for a moment on brown paper, and then put it on a hot dish to send to the table with the soup. do not put the bread into the soup unless you are going to serve at once, because it will soften a little; but you will find that fried bread will soften less quickly than toasted bread. a great many people put small squares of toast in the pea soup, but that softens at once. if you have a frying kettle which you use for doughnuts or fritters, or anything of that sort, partly full of frying fat, you can heat it and fry the bread in that instead of frying it with the butter in a frying pan. have the fat smoking hot; the bread browns very quickly; take it out on a skimmer and lay it on a brown paper for a moment; then it is ready for the soup. these little fried crusts of bread are called _croutons_ or crusts in the cookery books. i am going to add an onion fried in butter to the soup to-day. put that in, if you use it, when you first begin to cook the soup. one onion, peeled, sliced, and fried light brown in a tablespoonful of butter. you could also use the bones from ham, cold roast ham, cold boiled ham, or the bones of beef either raw or cooked, in the place of the onion, or in addition to the onion, as you like. remember all those things give distinct flavors to the pea soup. if you put any kind of bones in, put them in with the peas at the beginning and boil them with the peas. salt codfish, stewed in cream. next take the recipe for salt codfish, stewed in cream. first, to freshen salt codfish; that, of course, is always the first thing you do with salt codfish, no matter how you finish. you can do that by soaking it over night in cold water; if it has any skin on it be sure to have the skin side up. if you put it in the water with the skin side down, the salt which soaks out of the fibre of the fish simply falls against the skin and stays there. the fish does not get any fresher. a great deal of codfish in these days is sent to the market without either skin or bone. supposing we have the regulation dried codfish, we skin and bone it, then soak it over night in cold water, and next morning put it over the fire in more cold water, plenty of it, and put the kettle or pan containing the fish and the cold water on the back part of the stove, where it will heat very gradually. do not let it boil at all, but keep it at a scalding heat. do not more than let it simmer. the effect of the boiling on any salted fibre, whether it is fish or meat, is simply to harden it. keep it at a scalding heat until the fish is tender. of course that will depend upon the dryness of the fish. it may take a half hour, it may take an hour. that is one way to freshen fish. another way--the way i am doing now--is accomplished more quickly by putting the fish over the fire in plenty of cold water, enough to cover it; set it on the stove where it will heat gradually. when the water is nearly hot on the fish pour it off and put more cold water on. let that get scalding hot; do not let it boil at all; simply let it get scalding hot--that is, let the steam begin to rise from it. change the water as often as it gets scalding hot, until the fish is tender. if you are careful to change the water often enough, that is, if you do not let it begin to boil, probably the fish will be tender in half an hour--from half to three-quarters of an hour. the time will depend upon the dryness of the fibre of the fish. generally in about half an hour it will be tender. as soon as the fish is tender drain it, and then it is ready to dress in any way you wish to use it. to-day i shall make a little cream sauce, and heat the fish in it. that will be codfish stewed in cream sauce. boiled codfish you would serve with boiled potatoes, and the white sauce is made either with water or milk and hard-boiled eggs. that is the old new england salt fish dinner. usually, with a salt codfish dinner there were boiled parsnips and sometimes boiled beets; and it is very nice if you like codfish. for codfish hash, the old-fashioned codfish hash, use simply boiled codfish torn apart, forked in little fine flakes or chopped in fine flakes; of course all the skin and bone is taken off, mixed with an equal quantity of boiled potatoes, either mashed or chopped fine, palatably seasoned with pepper; of course the fish would be salt enough, usually; for a pint bowl full of fish and potatoes, use a tablespoonful of butter. the fish and potatoes are thoroughly mixed, then put into a frying pan, with just enough butter or drippings to keep it from burning. you may put, for the quantity i have given you, a heaping tablespoonful of butter in the frying pan, and let it melt; then put in the fish, and continue stirring it. remember there is some butter in the hash already, and that will melt with the heat and probably be enough; but if you need any more to prevent its burning, add a tablespoonful. stir the hash until it is scalding hot; then push it to one side of the frying pan with the knife you are stirring it with, and form it into a little oval cake at one side of the frying pan. when the hash is thoroughly hot, the butter in it will begin to fry out of it, and there probably will be butter enough to prevent its burning. let it stand in the little cake at the side of the pan until it is browned on the bottom. you want to watch it a little, and now and then run a knife under it and loosen it from the pan, to make sure that it is not burning. then, when the bottom is browned, hold a plate in one hand and the frying pan in the other, and turn the fish out in a little cake on the plate or dish. codfish cakes. to make codfish cakes, first make the fish fine; after freshening it and taking off the skin and bone, chop it or tear it in fine flakes; mix it with an equal quantity of potato either mashed or chopped--mashed potato is rather better for codfish cakes because you can pack it a little more closely in the form of cakes. to a pint bowlful of codfish hash add a tablespoonful of butter, a palatable seasoning of pepper and the yolk of one raw egg. that is, half codfish, half potato, a tablespoonful of butter and the yolk of one raw egg, and a palatable seasoning of pepper. then dust your hands, with dry flour; take a tablespoonful of this mixture up in your hand and either form it in the shape of a round ball or flat cake, as you like. have ready a frying kettle or deep frying pan with enough fat or drippings, or lard, in it to cover three or four of the codfish cakes or balls, when you drop them into it. so that if you use a frying pan you must have a deep frying pan. you may make in that case codfish cakes, not balls. if you have a frying kettle you can make little round balls. when the fat is smoking hot drop the codfish cakes or balls into it and fry them just a golden brown, light brown. take them out of the fat with a skimmer and lay them on brown paper for a moment to free them from grease, then serve them hot. you will notice that i always tell you in frying everything to take it out of the fat and lay it for a moment on brown paper, because then you are sure to free it from grease. not necessarily very coarse paper; just ordinary brown wrapping paper. i do not mean manila paper, but the common brown wrapping paper that comes around groceries and meat, that tradesmen generally use. the paper must be porous so that the grease will be easily absorbed. that is the only point you have to remember. the usual way of frying codfish cakes is simply to put fat enough in the pan to keep them from sticking, and in that way they are not browned all over, that is, they are not browned on the sides. they are simply browned on the top and on the bottom, and the fat has, of course, generally soaked into them so that you get them thoroughly greasy unless you have fat enough to cover them and have the fat smoking hot when you put them in. in frying it is very easy to use the fat repeatedly, if you only remember one thing. the fat you fry fish in you want to keep always for fish; then you can fry anything else, meat, chicken, fritters or doughnuts, in the other fat. generally keep two jars or crocks of fat, and take care only to let the fat get smoking hot in frying, and as soon as you have done frying set the kettle off the stove so that the fat does not burn; let it cool a very little, then strain it through a cloth into an earthen bowl and let it get cold. wash the frying kettle out and clean it thoroughly, and then you can put the fat back in it, and it will be ready for the next time, if you use a porcelain-lined kettle; if you use a metal kettle for frying, tin or anything of that sort, do not put the fat in it till you are ready to use it again, because it might rust it a little. if you strain it through an ordinarily thick towel there will be no sediment. if you strain it through a sieve there will be a little sediment that will settle to the bottom of the fat, and you can turn the cake of fat out of the bowl when it is cold and scrape that off. the best way is to strain through a cloth in the first place. if you are careful with the fat you can use it repeatedly,--use it a dozen times or more, until it really is nearly used up. but if you are careless and let it burn, of course you very soon get it so dark in color that it colors anything directly you put it in, before it is cooked, and it has a burnt taste. but if you use it at the heat i tell you, just smoking hot, and do not let it burn, you can use it repeatedly. sometimes you can lift it out in one solid cake when it is cold; sometimes you will have to break it and take it off in more than one piece. on the bottom of the cake you will find a little brownish sediment which you must scrape off. then you have the fat clarified and ready for use. for ordinary frying purposes the straining through the towel will answer. an earthen bowl is the best for keeping the fat in the kitchen, very much better than metal of any kind. stewed carrots. next take the recipe for stewed carrots. carrots, peeled, as many as you wish to make a dishful; cut them in rather small slices, a quarter of an inch thick, put them over the fire in salted boiling water enough to cover them; boil them steadily until they are tender. that will be in perhaps half or three-quarters of an hour; if the carrots are young and fresh they will boil in half an hour; longer as the season advances and the carrots grow denser in their fibre. late in the winter it may take an hour or even an hour and a half if they are very large and woody. boil them until they are tender. then drain them and throw them into plenty of cold water, and let them get thoroughly cold. while they are cooling make a sauce of water or of milk, as you like. if you have an ordinary vegetable dish full of carrots you want about a pint of sauce. in that case you will make the sauce as i have told you several times: a tablespoonful of butter, and a tablespoonful of flour for a pint of sauce; melt the butter and flour together over the fire, stirring them constantly until they bubble and are smoothly mixed; then begin to add half a cupful at a time the milk or water that you are going to use in making the sauce; stir each half cupful in smooth before you add any more water. if the milk or water is hot, of course the sauce will be cooked all the more quickly. let the sauce boil for a minute, stirring all the time, then season with a level teaspoonful of salt for a pint of sauce, a quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, remembering what i have said about using white pepper. drain the carrots from the cold water and put them into the sauce to heat. while they are heating--and that will only take three or four minutes--chop a tablespoonful of parsley fine, and stir it among the carrots; then serve them as soon as they are hot. you may make the addition of parsley or not, as you like, but it is very nice. in some seasons of the year you can not have the parsley. if you have not parsley, and have made the sauce of water, you will improve the dish very much if you stir the yolk of a raw egg into the sauce and carrots when you take them off the fire, just before you dish them. i will do that to-day. i will make a sauce of water and add the yolk of an egg. you had better put two or three tablespoons of sauce into a cup with the egg and mix it, and then pour that into the sauce and stir it well. in chopping parsley use just the leaves, not the stalks; put them in the chopping bowl and chop them fine. if you chop on a board steady the point of a knife with one hand and use an up-and-down motion with the other hand. of course you can understand that using a long knife in chopping you can chop very much more quickly than you could in a chopping bowl, where you only get a circular cut. one of the ladies asks me the object of putting the carrots in cold water. they are put first in boiling salted water-to set their color. the action of the salt in the boiling water slightly hardens the surface so that the color does not boil out. then if you take them at the point when they are tender you check the boiling at once by the cold water and secure the color entirely. of course you will understand that by draining them and throwing them into cold water you check the heat at once. if you simply let them stand in the water and gradually soften and soak, letting the water keep warm, you would soak the color out. that follows with all boiled vegetables. where we want to preserve the color this is the simplest and easiest way to do it. _question._ can the color of beets be preserved in the way you speak of? miss corson. no, beets have to be boiled differently from any other vegetable. if you break the skin of beets, or cut them in any way, the color escapes in the water. so that to prepare the beets for boiling, wash them very carefully without breaking the skin. do not cut off the roots or the tops of the beets close; leave some of the roots and three or four inches of the stalk. do not trim them off close, because if you cut the roots or stalks close to the beet you make a cut whence the color can escape; wash them very carefully without breaking the skin. put them over the fire in boiling water. you do not need to salt it, in fact, it is better not to salt it. boil them until they grow tender to the touch. if you puncture the beet with a fork or knife, to try it, you let the color out, but you can take one of the beets up on a skimmer and use a thick towel and hold it in your hand and squeeze it to see if it is growing soft. do not break the skin, always remember that. when the beet is tender you will find that it will yield a little, between your fingers, and the length of time required for cooking them will be from half an hour to two hours and a half, perhaps even longer than that. young, tender, juicy beets may be cooked in half an hour. the older they are, the later it is in the season, the harder the woody fibre will be, and the longer it will take to cook them. after they are cooked really tender, then throw them into a bowl of cold water and rub off the skin with a wet towel. do not leave them soaking in cold water. venison with currant jelly. take the recipe for venison now, ladies. enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan about a quarter of an inch. let it get smoking hot, then put in the venison. you must have the pan large enough to hold the venison. as soon as the venison is brown on one side turn it and brown it on the other. brown it very fast. as soon as the venison is browned put with it the currant jelly. for every pound of venison use two tablespoonfuls of currant jelly--not heaping spoonfuls; or you might put one heaping tablespoonful for every pound of venison. as soon as the venison is brown put the currant jelly in with it. put the pan back where it will not be too hot, and finish cooking the venison until it is done to suit your taste. it will cook, if it is an inch thick, pretty well done in about twenty minutes. season it with salt and pepper, and when it is done put it on the platter and pour the currant jelly and butter over it. the cooking of the jelly with the venison makes it a nice sauce or gravy. _question._ wouldn't this be a nice way to cook buffalo or any other kind of game? miss corson. yes, it is a very good way. lecture eighth. meats and vegetables. we will begin to-day with so-called roast beef, it is really baked. this is what is called a shoulder cut of beef, and is just as the butcher has sent it home, that is, without any of the bones being taken out. this thin part of the beef can be either roasted with the rest or cut off and used as a stew. it is not very available at the table. it almost always is tough, and there is a great deal of fat proportionately. the lean that is there is very apt to dry and harden in the baking. so that the best way to use the part is to cut it off and cook it separately. have the beef cut large enough to give a roast from the thickest part. the white line of cartilage will be sure to bother in carving, and the best way is to cut it out before you cook the meat. you can cut it out without any difficulty. you can also cut off the bone entirely. you will not find that doing this will make the meat waste if you bake it or roast it properly, and you can carve it more easily and more economically. carving when the bone is in the meat you are sure to leave more meat on than you really want to, and it is quite a difficult matter to carve even slices when the bone is in the meat. it is a very easy matter to take the bone out, and then either use the bone for soup meat or put it in the pan with the meat and let it bake as the basis for gravy. you will notice both in cutting the cartilage and the bone, i do not take off any meat. i simply cut close, and take away the parts i wish to remove without wasting any of the meat. that leaves a solid piece of meat which offers no difficulty in carving; you can either fasten it in shape by tying a string around it or by running a few skewers through it. the better way is to tie it with a string, because the skewers will make holes and permit the juice to escape. you can either take off the thin, outside skin of the beef or wipe it as i have already said, with a wet towel. with good beef the skin is so exceedingly thin that it is not objectionable in carving or to the taste. with poor beef, the skin is decidedly leathery, and then it is advisable to take it off. _question._ how many pounds were there in your piece altogether, before you began to cut it? miss corson. oh, i fancy it weighed five or six pounds. of course you use the number of pounds that your family requires. i am speaking of dividing the meat so as to cook it in the most economical manner. you would buy a sufficiently large piece in weight to give you the thick part--large enough for your family for the roast, and the other part you use for the stew subsequently. we made a beef stew one day, here, i think. roasting is cooking meat before the direct blaze of the open fire. baking is cooking it in the oven. nearly all the so-called roast beef that we get is baked beef. it is not quite so delicate as real roast beef. you can accomplish the roasting of beef with any range or kitchen stove that has a large grate, that is, a grate where you can have a clear surface of coals against the grate, by using what is called a dutch oven. this is a tin box, with one side open and a little hook in the top of the box, from which you can hang the meat. then in the bottom part of the tin case there is a pan that catches the drippings. after you have got the meat all ready, you put the dutch oven in front of the grate, standing it so that the open side of the dutch oven is directly in front of the grate of your stove or range. you will find that the bright tin of the oven will reflect heat enough to cook the meat nicely. there you get a genuine roast. you do not get an old-fashioned roast on a spit before the open fire, but you get a nice roast. generally those little hooks are so arranged that the meat swings a little--swings and turns, and if the hooks are not so arranged, once in a while, say once in half an hour, you want to turn it. now, suppose you have not that oven, but still have an open fire, you can roast. i have roasted a chicken before a grate fire in the sitting room. you can roast small birds of any kind in that way, by putting something on the mantel piece heavy enough to support the weight of the bird. tie a string around the bird or around the piece of beef and let it hang down in front of the fire. put a platter under it or a dripping pan, and put the blower up in front of it. you might be amused at the idea of doing that as an experiment. i have made coffee in an old tomato can as an experiment, to see whether it can be done, and it is just as nice as any you could possibly make in the finest french coffee pot. after all there are many expedients that you can resort to in cooking with good results. after the meat is browned on the outside, whether you are roasting or baking, season it. get it browned first on the outside very quickly, then season it with salt and pepper, and after that moderate the heat of the oven, or draw the dutch oven a little away from the fire, and finish cooking till the meat is done, allowing fifteen minutes to the pound if you want it medium rare, about twenty minutes to the pound if you want it very well done. if you are baking the meat put it in the hottest oven, without any seasoning at all, without any water in the pan. you will find that the meat will yield drippings enough for basting. our chicken that we basted yesterday,--do you remember how nice and brown that was? pretty well basted, wasn't it? that had nothing in the pan for basting except the drippings which flowed from the chicken itself. put the meat in the hottest oven until it is browned, and then moderate the heat and cook the meat fifteen minutes to the pound. we might do what the french call braise the end of the roast, if you like to see the effect of slow cooking. one difficulty that we labor under here is that we have to use a very intense heat, otherwise the flame of this vapor stove goes out. in order to braise successfully you want a very gentle and continuous heat,--such as you would get on the back part of a cooking stove,--just heat enough to keep the meat simmering. we will do as well as we can by keeping the sauce pan at one side of the fire, and then i will describe the braising process, so that you can do it perfectly at home. if we have any cabbage we will braise the meat with it. that makes a dish that is used very much in the north of europe, in poland and sweden. i think i will give you the recipe, whether we have our cabbage or not. use a large pot or sauce pan, large enough to allow you to lay the piece of meat on the bottom; or, you can use a thick, deep, iron pan. i remember, several days ago, seeing in the hardware stores pans about ten inches high, pans made of russia iron, oval. you can use that for quite a large piece of meat if you have not a sauce pan. you want a pan deep enough to allow the water to come just over the beef. put water in the pan, enough to cover the beef, and let it get boiling hot. i will give you two methods of braising. when the water is boiling hot, put the beef in it; watch it carefully until it just begins to boil again. the moment it boils, push back the pot or pan in which it is far enough away from the hot part of the stove to keep the water only simmering, only bubbling, not boiling. put in whatever seasoning you like. if you use spice, cloves for instance, or mace, use it whole. if you use simply salt and pepper, of course use them in the powder. keep the cover very tightly over the pot or sauce pan, and cook the meat in that slow, gentle way, for at least two hours. a piece weighing not more than four or five pounds you want to cook at least two hours, or until it is tender. remember to cook very, very slowly. that is a very simple and easy way of braising, which any one can accomplish. now i am going to give you the french method of braising. cut part of the fat off the meat, about half the fat off the meat. put the part that you cut off in the bottom of the pot. lay the meat on the fat. that is the way we will cook our meat to-day, because i have decided to cook the cabbage in another way. after you have put the fat in the bottom of the sauce pan, lay the meat on it, with the fat part up, so that, you see, you have fat under and over the meat. on top or by the side of the meat put an onion of medium size, peeled and stuck with about a dozen cloves. put parsley, if you have it, about a tablespoonful of leaves, or some stalks, or parsley root; but remember that the flavor of parsley root is very much stronger than the leaf, so that you will use proportionately less root. one bay leaf, a tablespoonful of carrot, sliced, about a tablespoonful of turnip, sliced, and a level teaspoonful of peppercorns--unground pepper--or a small red pepper. then boiling water enough just to cover the meat. then put on the cover of the sauce pan, and put the meat where it will simmer very gently until it is quite tender. the french always braise in what is called a braising pan; that is, two oval pans made in such a way that one sets into the other, and goes about a third of the way down. they put the article that is to be braised in the bottom pan, and then in the top pan they put hot ashes, or coals of wood or charcoal, mixed with ashes; so that there is heat top and bottom; then they put their braising pan by the side of the fire or at the back of the stove, where it will have a gentle heat, and cook it for a very long time. they braise it four or five hours, and it makes the toughest meat tender. after you once bring the meat to the boiling point you must not boil it fast; if you boil it fast you will make it very much tougher. after you get it to the boiling point keep it there, and cook it slowly, and long enough so that it will be sure to be tender. if you are sure the meat is tough in the beginning, put half a cupful of vinegar into the water with it. you won't notice the vinegar when you come to eat the meat, and it will help to make the meat tender. the french, of course, use the ordinary wine of the country,--a sour wine,--it has the same effect; it is about as sour as vinegar, and has about the same effect. i think, indeed, that is the reason why the french use so much wine in cooking meat. they use a very acid wine always, and probably use it for the purpose of making the meat tender in many instances. put in salt, but not too much, for the effect of salt, while the meat is boiling, would be to harden it. just a little salt, and then in seasoning your gravy you can add more salt. after the meat is braised french fashion, it is taken out of the broth, and the broth is strained and then used as a broth or soup, or made into a gravy. to make the gravy, for each pint of gravy that you wish to make, use a tablespoonful of butter or beef drippings and a tablespoonful of flour. stir the drippings and flour over the fire in a sauce pan until they are brown. then begin to add the seasoned broth in which the meat was cooked, half a cupful at a time, stirring it until it is smooth each time, until it boils; then season it with salt and pepper, remembering that the broth is already seasoned, so that you have to taste it. that makes a very nice gravy or sauce. of course, you have plenty of broth, so you can make as much of it as you like. take now a recipe for cooking cabbage to serve with braised meat. for a cabbage of medium size,--that is, a cabbage about as large as a breakfast plate,--first wash the cabbage thoroughly, cutting away any part of the stalk that seems woody. then cut the cabbage in rather thin slices. that is very easy. lay it on the board and cut it down through. you would need a large sauce pan to cook a cabbage as large as a breakfast plate, because remember when it is cut up it takes up more space. put in the bottom of the sauce pan a tablespoonful of butter or drippings. if you are braising your meat you can open the pot and dip some of the drippings out of it. a tablespoonful of butter or drippings, half a cupful of vinegar, a tablespoonful of cloves, a teaspoonful of peppercorns and a tablespoonful of brown sugar. then put in the cabbage on top of these things. put the cover on the sauce pan, set it over the fire where it will steam. be very careful not to let it burn. keep it on the back part of the fire where it will simmer. keep it covered. every fifteen minutes take off the cover, and with a large fork or spoon lift the cabbage from the bottom so that the top uncooked part goes down to the bottom. in about an hour the cabbage will be tender. you do not need to begin to cook that until within, say an hour and a quarter of the time the beef is likely to be done. to serve it, turn it on a dish, leaving the spice, cloves and pepper in with it, and lay the beef on it. just moisten the cabbage with a little gravy or broth from the beef, and serve the rest of the gravy in a bowl; remember that the broth from the meat is salted, and that in moistening the cabbage it seasons it, or if you like very much salt you can put a little with the cabbage in cooking. now, to boil cabbage quickly, and without odor: after thoroughly washing it take off the decayed leaves, cut it in rather small pieces, but do not use the stalk of the cabbage--avoid that. put over the fire a sauce pan large enough to hold the cabbage twice over. have plenty of space in your sauce pan or kettle, fill it half full of water, put plenty of salt in the water,--that is, a level tablespoonful of salt to about a quart of water,--let the water boil; be sure that it is boiling fast. then put in the cabbage; get it boiling again just as fast as you can, and continue to boil it just as fast as you can until it is tender. that will be in from ten to twenty-five minutes, according to the age of the cabbage. young cabbage, early in the season, will boil tender in ten minutes; or it may take , or . it never takes over a half hour unless the cabbage is very old or dry. the cabbage is done the moment the stalk is tender. a great many people have the idea that they must boil the cabbage until the leaf is almost dissolved. it needs only to be boiled as tender as you boil the stalks of cauliflower, and you would try, of course, the thickest part, which would be near the stalk. remember, in the first place you would cut out any tough, woody stalk, but the tender stalk you would leave in, and that is the part you would try. if you boil it fast it will not take over thirty or thirty-five minutes at the outside, probably not more than twenty. just as soon as the cabbage is tender drain it and put with it whatever sauce or dressing you are going to serve with it. that sometimes is vinegar, butter, pepper, and salt. sometimes a little milk, butter, pepper, and salt. in that case it is called cabbage stewed with cream. sometimes you would simply serve it without any further seasoning, only remember that the moment it is tender, drain it and serve. as i told you the other day, the odor of the cabbage comes from letting it boil until after the substance of the cabbage is so soft that the oil begins to escape from it, the volatile oil. that makes a strong odor in the room. as soon as the cabbage is tender it is ready to eat, and should be taken from the fire. turnips. to bake turnips, peel the turnips, either white or yellow ones, cut them in rather small slices, a quarter of an inch thick; put them over the fire in salted boiling water enough to cover them, and boil them fast until they are tender. it may take ten or fifteen minutes, possibly twenty minutes, according to the age of the turnips. of course you will understand that if the turnips are old and corky they will not be as nice when they are done as if they are in good condition. but as soon as the turnips are tender, drain them, put them in an earthen pudding dish, make a little white sauce, either with milk or water,--for a pint, a tablespoonful of butter, tablespoonful of flour; stir over the fire; then milk added gradually and stirred smooth; seasoned with salt and pepper,--make enough of the white sauce just to moisten the turnips; pour it over the turnips; dust over the top some cracker dust or bread crumbs, just enough to cover the top of the turnips; put a little salt and pepper over the crumbs, and a scant tablespoonful of butter over the top of the crumbs. then put the dish into the hot oven, and just brown the crumbs on the top of the dish. serve it as soon as the bread crumbs are brown. that is a very nice and easy dish. if you have cold boiled turnips, slice them, cover them with white sauce and bread crumbs, and cook them just in the same way. (at this point miss corson announced that the cabbage was done, after being in between nine and ten minutes, and no smell was perceptible in the room.) i am going to moisten the cabbage with cream sauce,--that is white sauce made with milk,--and heat it for a moment and then it will be done. i will now answer a question that has been asked about cooking corned beef. the same principle applies to the cooking of corned beef that applies to the cooking of salted fish. you remember this morning in talking about codfish i said, if you boil the salted fibre hard and fast, you make it hard and toughen it. that holds good in relation to salted meat or corned meat. you want to boil it very gently. there is comparatively little juice left in corned beef, so that the action of cold water is not so disastrous to it as it would be to fresh meat. sometimes the beef is so very salt that it is desirable to change the water upon it. put it over the fire in cold water. let it slowly reach the boiling point, and then try and see if it is too salt. if the water itself seems very salt, change it. put fresh water in, let it gradually heat, and boil very gently always. as soon as the meat reaches the boiling point, push it to the back part of the stove and boil it very gently until it is tender. it usually takes about twenty minutes to a pound, but boil it very gently and slowly. then it will be tender. if you boil it fast it will be hard and tough. if you put a whole dried red pepper in with the beef in boiling, you will find that it will improve the flavor very much. if you intend to use the beef cold, leave it in the water in which it is boiled; take the pot off the stove and let it cool in the water in which it was boiled. those same directions apply to boiling smoked or salted tongue. the turnips were just fifteen minutes in boiling. nice points about boiled dinners are asked for. i think i have given you the nicest point in cooking beef, so that you will be sure to get it tender, and to cook cabbage so that it is tender and does not smell. cabbage always goes with a new england boiled dinner, potatoes, onions, parsnips and squash. i told you about cooking beets this morning. all the other vegetables you may cook in boiling water, and salt to suit the taste. the old-fashioned way was to boil all the vegetables in the pot with the beef, adding the vegetables in succession, so that each one was put in just long enough before the beef was done to have it done at the time the beef was done; each one except the squash. the squash is best peeled and cut in small pieces and steamed. if you boil it you want to put it in boiling salted water until it is tender, and then put it into a towel and squeeze it, so as to get out the water; then season it with butter, salt and pepper, and serve it. i made gravy yesterday; i think if i give you the recipe to-day it will answer. pour the drippings out of the pan, all except about a tablespoonful; put a tablespoonful of flour in with the brown drippings; set the pan over the fire; stir the drippings and flour together until they are quite brown; then begin to put in boiling water, a little at a time, not more than half a cupful, and stir until the gravy is smooth; then season it palatably with salt and pepper. onions are very nice cooked precisely as i have cooked cabbage to-day; that is, cooked until they are tender, and dressed with the white sauce that i used in dressing the carrot. for pressed corn beef the nicest cut is the brisket. have the cut rather long and narrow, and not a short chunk or piece. take a long piece of meat, a foot long, or more; have all the bones cut out and roll it up tight. tie it compactly, in the same way that i tied this meat. tie it so that you have it in a tight bundle. then boil it according to the directions i have already given you. after it is done let it partly cool in the liquor; then take it out and lay it on the platter; lay another platter on top of it, and put a heavy weight on the platter, and press it with the string still on until it is cold; then cut off the string and you have it in nice shape. if you want to use part of it hot for dinner, and then have it cold, you would have to boil it, and when it is done cut off enough for your dinner; then press the rest of it between two platters. you could double it over, but you could not press it so very well in shape. cut it in slices; put it into a tin mould or tin pan and boil down the broth in which you have cooked it until it begins to look thick. or, you could dissolve a little gelatine in the broth to thicken it, and pour it over the slices of corned beef in the mould. in that case you would depend upon the gelatine to thicken the broth, without boiling it down. lecture ninth. beef a la mode rolls. our lesson this morning will begin with beef _a la mode_ rolls. use the round of the beef or the end of sirloin steak. i have here a piece of round of beef. cut the beef in pieces about two inches wide and five long; lay these strips of meat on the cutting board and season them with salt and pepper. in the middle of each one put a little piece of salt pork about a quarter of an inch thick. roll the meat up in such a way that the pork is inclosed in the middle of the little roll. tie the roll to keep it in shape. you can use instead of salt pork pieces of fat from the meat. after all the little rolls are tied up put a very small quantity of beef drippings or butter in the bottom of the saucepan or kettle. put the saucepan over the fire with the drippings or butter in it and let the fat get hot. as soon as it is hot put the little rolls of meat in it and let them brown. as soon as the little rolls of meat are brown sprinkle flour over them, a tablespoonful of dry flour to half a dozen little rolls of meat. let the flour brown. as soon as the flour is brown pour in boiling water enough to cover the rolls; add salt. then put the cover on the sauce pan and set the meat where it will cook very gently. remember what i have told you about cooking meat slowly if you want it to be tender. when the meat is quite tender--and that will be in from half an hour to an hour and a half--the time will depend, of course, upon the fibre of the meat, then take off the strings and serve the rolls in the gravy in which they have been cooking. you see the brown flour and water and butter will have make a nice gravy for the rolls. now if the meat is very tough remember what i have told you about the action of the vinegar on the meat fibre. for a pound of meat add about two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, when you begin to stew the meat, and let it cook with the meat; that will make it tender. you can vary the dish by cooking with it vegetables of any kind that you like to use. add potatoes when it is within half an hour of being done, turnips peeled, cut in small pieces; carrots peeled and sliced. caramel custard. i will make a caramel custard next. for caramel custard use a plain tin mould, oval or square in shape, that will hold about three pints. put a teaspoonful of sugar in the bottom of the mould and set the mould on the top of the stove where the sugar will brown. you may want to shake the mould a little to scatter the sugar evenly over the bottom. when the sugar is brown set the mould off the fire on the table where the burnt sugar will get cold; that forms what is called a caramel or coat of burnt sugar on the bottom of the mould. make a custard by beating together six eggs, a quarter of a pound of sugar and a pint of milk. after the custard is made pour it into the mould and set the mould in a sauce pan with boiling water that will come half way up the sides of the mould, and steam the custard until it is firm. when the custard is firm you can turn it out of the mold and use it hot or leave it until it is quite cold and use it cold. i have used granulated sugar this time. you can make the same custard, preparing it just exactly as for steaming, but bake it, if you like, only you would set the mould in the dripping pan with water in it, baking it just until it is firm, in a moderate oven. you could make it in teacups; in that case you would burn the sugar in an iron-spoon or in the frying pan and while it still is liquid put just a little in the bottom of each cup, because you remember it hardens directly. then bake the cups of custard in a pan of water. use the custard in the cups either hot or cold. if the custard is to be used cold leave it in the mould; it will stand better than if it is turned out hot. but it is stiff enough to retain its form even when it is hot. and the sugar that is in the mould forms a little sauce around it on the dish. tomato soup. next take a recipe for tomato soup. a can of tomatoes; put them over the fire. in the summer use about two quarts of fresh tomatoes. you will find that about two quarts will be sufficient. after the fresh tomatoes are peeled and sliced (you will remember canned tomatoes are already peeled), put them over the fire and stew them gently for about half an hour, or until they are tender. if the canned tomatoes are entirely solid you may need to add a little liquid, but i find there is generally more liquid in the can than you need. when the tomatoes are tender enough to rub through a sieve, put them through the sieve with a potato masher. that gives you pulp, or _puree_, of tomatoes. and you will add to the tomatoes, after they have been passed through the sieve, half a salt spoon of baking soda, and then milk enough to thin them to the proper consistency of soup. season with salt and pepper, and let them boil, and serve the soup. if you want a thick soup, add to the tomatoes a quart of milk, and thicken the soup with cracker dust, very finely powdered and sifted. thicken as much as you like, beginning with two heaping tablespoonfuls; add more if you want it. of course you can put butter in either of these soups, but it is not necessary. the way i shall make the soup to-day will be to thicken it with butter and flour after the tomatoes have been passed through the sieve. do not confuse these two recipes. you have got one of thin soup; you have got another with milk, salt and pepper, thickened with cracker dust. now a third: put a tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of flour in a saucepan. stir them over the fire until they are melted together, then put in a pint of water gradually--a pint of hot water--stirring it smooth; and the tomato pulp. if that does not make the soup as thin as you desire--and it should be about the consistency of good cream--add a little more boiling water. season with salt and pepper, and stir it until it boils, and then it is ready to use. next take directions for boiling vegetables, so that the color is perfectly kept. i told you yesterday that we should have spinach if we could get it, if not, that we would use lettuce. i think that next week, in the course of the lessons, i shall succeed in having some spinach from cleveland. however, i shall use lettuce to-day. first, thoroughly wash it in salted water. for a quart of water use a tablespoonful of salt. as i told you the other day, the salt in the water is for the purpose of killing any little insects that are in the leaves, especially of the lettuce. you know that it is very troublesome to dislodge them, but the salt kills them, and of course you can wash them out. as long as they are alive they cling there. if you sprinkle salt on the leaves it will wither them, but if you put it in the water it will not. salted water is intensely cold, you know, and it would restore the freshness of the leaves of lettuce, even if they were wilted, unless they were really on the verge of decay. if you will remind me, after i have finished giving the recipe for cooking the vegetables, i will tell you how to keep lettuce fresh. after your vegetables, whatever they may be, whether lettuce, or spinach, or asparagus, or string beans, are washed perfectly clean--i do not say wash peas, and i will tell you after a little the reason why--after they are thoroughly washed put them over the fire in enough boiling salted water to more than cover them--plenty of water, so that they can float about--the water to be salted with a tablespoonful of salt in a quart of water, and to be actually boiling when you put in the vegetables. this same rule applies to the cooking of peas, only that the peas are treated a little differently in the cleaning, but they are cooked in the same way. boil the vegetable (whatever it is) in salted water, fast, just till they are tender. remember what i said about boiling carrots yesterday. as soon as the vegetables are tender, drain them and throw them into plenty of cold water. leave them in the cold water until you want to use them. then, if peas or beans, drain them, heat them quickly, with a little salt and pepper and butter, very quickly, or any sauce or gravy you wish to serve them in, and serve them hot. if lettuce or spinach, to make a _puree_, after having boiled in boiling salted water and then put in cold water, rub them through a sieve with a potato masher. after they are rubbed through the sieve they are ready to be used in different ways. in europe the _puree_ of lettuce is served as a vegetable, just as the _puree_ of spinach is. we do not often cook it in that way, but it is very nice; it is such an exceedingly tender vegetable that it takes proportionately more than of spinach. after the lettuce or spinach is rubbed through the colander or sieve with a potato masher it is ready to be seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar, or any sauce you like, and used as a vegetable, or used in soup. you remember what i told you about spinach soup yesterday--_puree_ of spinach with cream soup, colored green with spinach. put in just enough spinach to cover it. if i succeed in getting spinach next week i shall make, at one of the lessons, spinach soup, and also boil and serve some as a vegetable. now about peas. i spoke about washing string beans but not washing peas. if the shells of the peas are at all dirty, and sometimes they are so that they blacken your fingers in shelling, wash the shells of the peas before you begin to shell them, but do not wash the peas after they are shelled. of course the inside of the pod is perfectly clean, and if your hands are clean and the shells are clean, you do not need to wash them. in using green peas in summer time it is well to have a quantity of them, perhaps twice as many as you are likely to use for one meal, and shell them, because you know they are of different sizes always. shell them and separate them into two different sizes, the smallest and the largest, and then cook one size for one day, putting the others in a very cool place, or refrigerator, and cook them the next day, because if you have the large and small ones mixed they do not cook evenly. you will find them very much nicer; if you keep them in a cool place it will not hurt to keep them. the length of time that it takes to boil lettuce or spinach depends somewhat on the time of the year. the tenderer the spinach is, of course, the quicker it will boil; when it is very young and tender it will boil in two or three minutes; when it is older it may take as long as ten minutes. ladies very often make the mistake in boiling spinach that they do in boiling cabbage. they boil it sometimes until the leaves are destroyed, in order to soften the stalk. the better way is to tear away the stalk and use only the leaf. of course, that gives you a smaller quantity of spinach than if you use the stalk, but when you use the tough, woody stalk you waste the leaf in boiling. lettuce usually boils in a couple of minutes. one of the ladies speaks about cooking spinach without any water. you can do that if you wish. just put in a sauce pan, after having carefully picked it over and washed it; stir it a little once in a while to be sure that the uncooked top goes down to the bottom. there is no special advantage in it, because if you boil it as i tell you, only until it is tender, the water has no effect upon it except to cook it more quickly. it is the english way to cook it without water. if you use boiling salted water, as i told you, it cannot possibly affect the nutriment of the vegetable. it is when you boil vegetables a long time, and boil them away before you take up the dish, that you waste the nutriment. these rules apply to every vegetable that has color in it except beets. beets have to be cooked without cutting the skin or trimming them in any way, in order to keep the color. now to keep lettuce fresh. i have kept it fresh, even in the summer time, for two or three days in this way: when it first comes in from the market wash it thoroughly in plenty of cold salted water. you do not need to tear it apart. you know i told you the other day about separating the leaves slightly from the head of the lettuce and shaking it in cold salted water. trim off the outside wilted leaves. wash it thoroughly in cold salted water, then wet a towel and lay the lettuce in it, fold it loosely up over the roots and if you have ice lay the towel on the cake of ice in the refrigerator or by the side of the cake of ice. if you haven't any ice and have a cold cellar, after you have washed the lettuce and wrapped it in the wet towel, put it in a box; a tight wooden box is the best, or a thick pasteboard box if it is not broken; and put it in the cellar in the coldest place you can find. if you wrap it in a wet towel and put it on the ice you do not want to look at it. it will keep fresh at least two days, and sometimes longer; but if you put it in the cellar you will have to wet the towel thoroughly twice a day, morning and night; and you will find that you will have to take away some of the leaves that have wilted, but if you have it upon the ice the chances are that you will not lose any leaves. and it is very much nicer than it is to let it wilt and then try to restore it by soaking it in water. fried pickerel. next take a recipe for fried pickerel. some of the ladies will remember that a few days ago we were talking about frying fish in this way with salt pork. if any of the ladies have the recipe, of course they do not need to take it again. for fried fish of any kind, enough salt pork to cover the bottom of the frying pan that you are going to use for the fish. you find you have three or four pounds of fish; you will need at least half a pound of salt pork. cut the pork in very thin slices; fat salt pork is the best. put it in the frying pan and fry it until it is light brown. while the pork is being fried get ready the fish, having it thoroughly cleaned by washing it in cold water. if the fish is small you do not need to cut it; if it is large, cut it in pieces about three or four inches square. after the fish has been cleaned dry it in a towel; season some indian meal with salt and pepper, roll the fish in the indian meal. when the pork is brown take it out of the fat and put the fish into the drippings and fry the fish brown, first on one side and then on the other. when the fish is browned nicely serve it in a dish with the pork--fried pork and fish in one dish. this fish will not get very brown to-day, because it is still frozen. it did not come in long enough ago for us to get it thawed out, so, of course, there will be a little water in the fat, and it will not get quite so brown. lecture tenth. cheap dishes and rewarmed foods. we begin our lesson this afternoon with a dish of rice,--piloff of rice,--any cold meat cut in small squares, an onion peeled and chopped fine, and if you have tomatoes, either canned, fresh, or cold stewed tomatoes, a cupful. sometimes the dish is made with tomatoes, sometimes without. put the onion in the sauce pan with a tablespoonful of drippings; set it over the fire and let it get light brown. when it is light brown put with it a cupful of rice, picked over and washed and dried by the fire. after the onion begins to brown put the rice with it and stir until the rice is light brown; then put in a quart of hot water, the meat and tomatoes and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper. of course, the quantity of salt and pepper that you use will depend on the seasoning of the meat, and this may be any kind of meat. then cover the sauce pan in which you have all these things and let the rice, meat, tomatoes and water all cook together gently. every ten minutes you must look to see whether the rice has absorbed all the water. if it has you must add a little more water, not more than half a cupful at a time, keeping the rice just moist until it is tender. you will find that probably in about half an hour the rice will be tender, and when the dish is done it should not have the gravy about it; it simply needs to be moist, so you will have to add water cautiously after the first quart. if the meat that you use is very fat,--and sometimes beef like this is very fat,--you may cook the meat, fat and lean together in with the onion in the first place instead of the tablespoonful of butter or drippings. if you have no meat you can make the dish in the same way using tomato, onion and rice; and if you have cold gravy of any kind put that in it. french hash. next take the recipe for a dish called french hash. there is no potato in it, it is simply meat and gravy, so that you must not let the name mislead you. little slices of cold meat, fat and lean together. for a pint bowlful of meat use about a tablespoonful of chopped onion. first slightly brown the onion with a tablespoonful of butter or drippings or fat from the meat; then when the onion begins to brown put in the meat and let that brown. next a tablespoonful of dried flour; stir the flour with the brown meat and onion until the flour is quite brown; then cover the meat with pork gravy or boiling water. after you have covered the meat with water or cold gravy just let the water or gravy boil, then season it palatably with salt and pepper; of course, the seasoning will depend upon whether you have used gravy or broth or water. if you have used gravy or broth that already will have been seasoned, so that you want to taste for the seasoning. after the gravy is both boiled and seasoned take the sauce pan off the fire and stir in the yolk of one raw egg with it and dish at once. you must not put the hash back on the fire after putting the egg in. if you do you will curdle it. do not stir the egg in till you are ready to serve it, on toast or plain. baked tenderloins. the next recipe will be for baked tenderloins. split the pork tenderloins in such a way as to make rather thick slices. tenderloins are so thick that by cutting you spread them out. inside the slice of tenderloin put any stuffing that you like. i have given two or three recipes for different kinds of stuffing. for this to-day i shall use a little stale bread, crumbed, seasoned with salt and pepper, and moistened with butter; a tablespoonful of butter to a scant cupful of bread, or in place of butter you could use an egg. after you put a little stuffing in the tenderloins fold them together and either tie or sew them so as to keep the stuffing inside. put the tenderloins in the dripping pan in the oven and bake them until they are thoroughly browned. then take off the strings and serve them. they are very nice if you bake potatoes in the pan with them. if the oven is hot the potatoes and tenderloins will bake in about the same time. the potatoes should be peeled. remember what i told you about always taking large stitches in sewing up meat, so that you can see to pull them out when the meat is done. of course, pork tenderloins will be pretty sure to yield drippings enough to baste with. i have spoken about that in the baking of meats two or three times. no water is needed in preparing them. the tenderloins, when sewed up, will resume their original shape. fried liver. first, wash the liver in cold water, then pour scalding water on it and let it stand for about ten minutes to draw out the blood; slice it about half an inch thick. after the liver is scalded and sliced, roll it in flour, season it with salt and pepper and put it into the frying pan containing about a quarter of an inch of hot fat, which may be drippings or fat from bacon or salt pork. in that case you first would fry the salt pork or bacon to get the fat or drippings, and put the slices of pork or bacon to keep warm when they are done. after the pork or bacon is fried put it on a dish to keep warm, and then fry the liver in the drippings. as soon as the liver is browned on both sides serve it on a dish with the fried pork or bacon. fried liver needs to be cooked as quickly as possible, making sure that it is done. the more quickly you can cook it the tenderer it will always be. you can take that as a rule in regard to liver, heart and tongue, that the faster they can be cooked the tenderer they will be. to-day i simply have fried this with drippings. i have not fried the bacon with it, but i have told you how to fry it. baked hash. next take a recipe for baked hash. equal quantities of chopped meat and stale bread, meat of any kind. suppose you have a pint bowl of each. mix with the meat and the bread a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper, and that, of course, will depend upon the seasoning of the meat. you may use corned beef or highly seasoned meat, and then you will not need so much seasoning as you would if you used fresh meat. a heaping teaspoonful of chopped parsley, enough cold gravy, if you have it, or broth to moisten the hash,--just to moisten it, not make it sloppy,--or if you have not gravy or broth you must use water and butter. mix the hash very thoroughly. have ready an earthen dish, buttered. see that the oven is hot, then very quickly dissolve a teaspoonful of baking powder in a teaspoonful of water or broth and stir it into the hash just as fast as you can and put it into the oven to bake. as soon as the hash is brown on top it will be done. corned beef hash. now i will give you a recipe for corned beef hash. yesterday we spoke about boiling corned beef. you will take cold corned beef and boiled potatoes, either hot or cold, about equal quantities. sometimes people like a little more potato than meat. mix the meat and potato together; add just enough water or broth to moisten the meat and potato. season palatably with salt and pepper and butter; have the hash nicely mixed together; put into the frying pan; suppose you have a quart of hash, about two tablespoonfuls of butter and let it get hot, then put in the hash. stir the hash in the butter until it is nearly hot. then, using a knife, form it into a cake on one side of the frying pan and let the bottom brown. loosen the hash once in a while from the bottom of the pan to make sure it is not burning and when it is brown on the bottom turn it out on a dish with the brown side up. another form of hash is the moist hash. that is simply prepared and warmed without browning it, using broth or butter and hot water for moistening it. lecture eleventh. oysters. we begin our lecture this morning with roast oysters, mobile style. all oysters, when cooked in any way, should be first put in a colander and the juice allowed to drain off, then strain the juice. always take each oyster in the hand and carefully remove all fragments of shell from the gills. the shells of oysters are dangerous to swallow, and serious illness is often the result. hold the oyster by the hard part, removing pieces of shell with the finger. then wipe the oyster with a wet towel. keep the most perfect specimens for broiling, as the more imperfect ones will do sufficiently well for soups or stews. for roasting oysters in the mobile style, have as many deep oyster shells as you intend to have oysters, scrubbed very clean; put the shells in a dripping pan and place them in the oven, until they become so hot as to melt butter when put into them. when quite hot take the shells out of the oven and put a small piece of butter and a very little pepper in each shell. if the oysters are large lay one in each shell, if they are small put two or three in each shell and put them back in the oven directly. by the time the edges of the oysters curl they will be done. oysters when heated through are done. do not put any salt on them. serve them on the shells. as they are served in mobile, a large shell is used, laid on a small charcoal furnace, putting the shell on top of the furnace to get very hot; the furnace is brought to the table and the oysters opened and dropped into the hot shell and turned once. the regulation way of roasting oysters is to thoroughly wash the outside of the shell and lay them on the fire with the large end down. as soon as the oysters open serve them. to use the liquor, take a pint of the oyster liquor after it has been strained; sift a heaping cupful of flour; mix with it a level teaspoonful of salt and a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. have the griddle as hot as you would for pancakes. very quickly stir into the flour enough of the oyster liquor to make a batter, and fry just as any pancake; serve hot with butter. next take a recipe for oyster fritters. have the frying kettle half full of fat, as you would for doughnuts. strain the oysters and remove all bits of shell. in the meantime the lard should be heating on the back of the stove. cut the oysters slightly. for a pint of oysters use a pint of flour, sifted, and mixed with a level teaspoonful of salt. put the flour in a mixing bowl with the yolk of one egg, a tablespoonful of salad oil, and a pinch of pepper. use enough of the oyster liquor to make a batter thick enough to drop from the spoon. beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth. mix the oysters and the white of egg lightly with the batter, and as soon as it is mixed drop by the large spoonful into the hot lard. as soon as brown take the fritters out and lay them for a moment on brown paper to drain the grease off. in order to keep them hot while you are frying the rest lay the paper on a dripping pan and set it in the oven. take next a recipe for oyster soup, thickened with cracker dust. for a quart of oysters, remove all bits of shell, as usual, and mix the oyster liquor with enough to make a quart. take one tablespoonful of butter, a very little white pepper, if you have it, two tablespoonfuls of cracker dust finely powdered. as i told you the other day, the cracker dust which you buy at the cracker factories is the nicest. stir all together over the fire, and when it comes to a boil put in the oysters, with a level teaspoonful of salt. stir till the edges of the oysters curl; then serve. to thicken with flour, stir one tablespoonful of flour and one of butter together over the fire. season with pepper, and put in one quart of liquor and milk. for plain broiled oysters, prepare the oysters as above directed and lay them on a towel. take a double-wire broiler and butter it thickly, taking care to have the fire hot. season the oysters lightly with pepper and but very little, if any, salt. put the oysters between the broiler, and broil them; serve them on toast. for breaded oysters, prepare as before, and dip the oysters in melted butter seasoned with pepper and salt, and roll them in cracker crumbs. put them on the gridiron and broil them until they are light brown. for oysters broiled with bacon, cut very thin slices of breakfast bacon, as many slices as oysters, and stick them on little skewers, half a dozen oysters on each skewer, first a slice of bacon and then an oyster, until you have half a dozen on each skewer. flatten them so that they will lie a little apart. put the skewer between the buttered bars of the gridiron, dust them a little with pepper and brown them. the bacon should be cut very thin and about the size of the oyster. serve them on the skewers. for oysters in the philadelphia style, prepare the oysters by draining the juice from them and removing the small pieces of shells. use for one dozen large oysters one tablespoonful of lard, two tablespoonfuls of salad oil. as soon as the fat is hot put the oysters in and fry them till the edges curl. season them with pepper and salt. fry them plain or rolled in flour. welsh rarebit. for a rarebit large enough for three or four persons, put in a sauce pan a quarter of a pound of grated cheese, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a saltspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of ale, one teaspoonful of mustard, a little dust of cayenne pepper, stir all these together over the fire and serve on toast. lecture twelfth. _cookery for the sick._ broiled chicken. for broiled chicken choose always a tender chicken. remove all the feathers, singe it over the fire, and wipe the chicken with a wet towel. split the chicken down the back. in doing that one can remove the entrails without breaking. take out the entrails and crop; lay the chicken open on the gridiron. it is better to use a double gridiron, well buttered. if the chicken is not tender, break the joints so the chicken will lie flat on the gridiron. put the inside of the chicken to the fire first and brown it. do not put it too close to the fire. broil it fifteen or twenty minutes, for it will require about that time to get well done. when the inside is brown, turn it and broil the outside, allowing about ten minutes. take time enough to brown it nicely without burning. if you have a very young spring chicken less time will be required. do not broil a chicken that weighs over three pounds. if the chicken is very large it is better to put it in a very hot oven in a pan, with no butter unless the chicken is very lean. season with salt, pepper and butter, if desired, when it is removed from the oven. barbecued chicken. split down the back, and after breaking the joints dress and lay it open. use two tablespoonfuls of butter and one cup of water. season with salt and pepper. brown the chicken well, dredge it with flour and baste it every fifteen minutes with drippings from the pan until tender. pour over it the gravy that you find in the pan, and serve. the southerners, with whom this dish is a great favorite, usually put in this gravy some nice table sauce. jellied oatmeal. take one-half cup of very finely ground oatmeal and put it over the fire with a pint of boiling water and a level teaspoonful of salt. boil it very slowly until it becomes transparent. this will require two hours or longer. do not add any more water unless it is positively necessary. when it is done it should be stiff and hold its form when it is turned out. it makes a dish which is very nice and nutritious for sick people, when it is quite gelatinous. add sugar, if it is desired, and put it in a mould. serve when cold and solid with cream and powdered sugar. boiled trout. boiled trout makes an excellent dish for convalescents and it is very nutritious. have the fish cleaned and the scales removed. the entrails should be drawn from the gills. after the fish has been thoroughly washed boil it in salted boiling water till you can easily pull a fin out, then serve it with a white sauce either made plain or with milk. french canned green peas are nice with trout. if the peas are served with the trout put the peas on the dish and lay the trout on them. clam soup may be given to invalids with beef tea, alternating. clam soup may be given when beef tea can not be digested. it is very nutritious. drain off the juice and remove all bits of shell as with oysters. if the clams are whole put the shells over the fire until they are heated; remove the clams and simply season the juice very lightly with salt and pepper and use the broth in that shape. if you are using canned clams heat the clams in the juice, then remove the juice and season slightly, using the juice. strain the juice. take the clams and cut away the hard part from the soft part. boil the juice, with the hard part, long enough to extract the flavor. use the juice to make the soup, adding water or milk. when the soup is made season it, putting the soft part of the clam in it. boil it a couple of minutes and serve it. use butter and flour in the same manner as for thickening oyster soup. make orange salad to serve with broiled chicken in the following manner: for a small chicken use two small sour oranges, sliced very thin. arrange them nicely on a dish. place over the slices of orange a very little salt, a little cayenne pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of salad oil. if the oranges are sweet a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice must be added. serve the chicken on top of the orange salad. rennet custard. heat a half pint of milk until it is lukewarm. while the milk is heating beat one egg with a teaspoonful of powdered sugar and stir the egg and sugar in with it. when the milk is lukewarm add one teaspoonful of liquid rennet and one teaspoonful of wine or one tablespoonful of rennet wine. mix all together and let it become cold. rennet custard may be given safely when the invalid is not able to take more than broth. beef tea. for a pint of beef tea take one pound of beef chopped very fine. all the fat is to be cut away. put it in a bowl with a pint of cold water. let it stand in an earthen bowl at least an hour, and longer if possible. put the water and beef in the sauce pan over the fire, and heat them very slowly indeed. when the beef tea arrives at the boiling point pour it into a wire sieve to allow the juice and the little particles of meat--not the fibres--to pass through. season it very lightly, and if any particles of fat are visible lay little pieces of white porous paper on top of the tea to absorb the fat; serve it hot or cold. names and addresses of persons in attendance upon this course. alexander, jane a. prince street, minneapolis, e. d. asire, mrs. dr. l. first avenue south, minneapolis. aasland, g. p. seventh street, s. e., city. abbott, mrs. a. l. fifth street, e. d. adams, mrs. s. e. care of carrier , west side. ainsworth, mrs. c. f. nicollet avenue, minneapolis. amy, jennie m. portland avenue, " anderson, hannah park avenue, " adair, mrs. mary tenth street south, " arnold, mrs. e. l. eighth avenue south, " adams, miss alice. university of minnesota, " allen, mrs. m. l. fourth avenue southeast, " angbe, mary box , " adams, mrs. august care of carrier , " abraham, miss m. p. hennepin avenue, " anderson, henrietta university avenue southeast, " alden, jennie m. box , " athens, mrs. fifth street southeast, " anderson, mrs. r. eighth street southeast, " anderson, anna e. fourth avenue southeast, " adams, mrs. charles island avenue, " allen, miss kitty st. cloud, minn. anderson, miss mary union avenue, minneapolis. ames, mrs. c. w. western avenue, st. paul. avery, mrs. g. w. fourteenth avenue southeast, minneapolis. alden, bertha fifth street southeast, " alexander, mrs. jane prince street e. d., " allen, mrs. e. s. jacksonville, vermont. alger, mrs. q. d. university avenue, minneapolis. asire, mollie first avenue south, " andrews, mrs. f. p. fifth street southeast, " austin, mrs. m. p. eighth street south, " anderson, martha eden prairie, minn. billings, miss ida p. north twelfth street, minneapolis. bicknell, mrs. chas. a. nineteenth avenue southeast, " bicknell, miss f. e. fourth street southeast, " beach, mrs. w. h. park avenue, " berry, flora fourth street southeast, " barrows, miss nellie fourth street southeast, " beach, miss m. p. park avenue, " brown, mrs. e. j. highland avenue, " barrett, nellie second avenue north, " buhtolph, mrs. f. g. fifth street southeast, " butler, h. e. fifth street southeast, " berry, miss olive fourth street southeast, " bradley, miss anna fourth street southeast, " brown, mrs. elwood university avenue, " bartlett, c. j. care _tribune_, " beveridge, miss nellie royalston avenue, " bolton, lettie e. university avenue southeast, " benton, mary l. eighth avenue southeast, " bausman, miss bertha south tenth street, " budington, miss anna hawthorne avenue, " barry, mrs. j. l. twelfth street south, " bolton, mrs. n. h. university avenue, " bell, mrs. j. f. long prairie, minn. bradford, belle fifth street southeast, minneapolis. bardwell, mrs. wm. excelsior, minn. bradley, mrs. r. fourth street southeast, minneapolis. bettman, mrs. p. h. sixteenth street north, " bernard, mrs. m. m. ninth avenue southeast, " billings, mrs. a. l. north twelfth street, " butler, mrs. l. third avenue south, " brown, miss nellie fifteenth avenue southeast, " butler, mrs. h. e. western avenue, " blake, miss s. c. hennepin avenue, " bardwell, mrs. c. t. park avenue, " bolton, miss l. f. fourth street southeast, " bacon, mrs. w. h. sixth avenue northeast, " bentliff, mrs. bevan, mrs. fifth street southeast, " bosworth, inez fifth street southeast, " berry, mrs. r. w. fifth street southeast, " bemis, e. w. fifth street southeast, " butler, mrs. g. s. room lindley block, corner seventh street and nicollet avenue. " burtliff, mrs. g. sixth avenue south, " bredyman, mrs. c. st. cloud, minn. bridgeman, anna j. fifteenth avenue south, minneapolis. burce, i. m. college hospital, " brown, paul fifteenth avenue southeast, " bell, annie d. fourth avenue southeast, " brooks, mrs. d. t. minneiska, minn. brown, clara hennepin avenue, minneapolis. beveridge, miss kate royalston avenue, " bonfoy, anna h. twenty-second avenue southwest, minneapolis. burch, mrs. lottie j. excelsior, minn. blaisdell, ada box , minneapolis. bragg, mrs. w. f. " brooks, mrs. jabez laurel avenue, " boeland, mrs. geo iowa city, iowa. baldwin, mrs. r. j. seventh street south, minneapolis. blaisdell, miss sadie box , " ball, mrs. sarah excelsior, minn. beebe, mrs. r. p. franklin avenue, minneapolis. bolton, mrs. a. c. fourth street and eighteenth ave. s. e., " brown, estelle fifteenth avenue southeast, " baker, sibyl b. sixth street southeast, " blanchard, carrie w. university of minnesota, " cheney, mrs. isaac fourth street southeast, " carriel, mrs. d. s. fourth avenue, " connor, miss a. a. university avenue, " cheney, miss nellie a. corner franklin avenue and minnehaha, " cheney, mrs. e. corner franklin avenue and minnehaha, " cantwell, miss m. j. chestnut avenue, minneapolis, " cummings, mrs. r. sixth avenue southeast, " cooley, mrs. e. cess. avenue southeast, " coe, c. e. room , hennepin avenue, " coe, helen thirteenth avenue southeast, " cooper, mrs. preston fourth street and third avenue south, " castner, mrs. f. h. fourteenth avenue southeast, " covey, hattie d. eighth avenue south, " cuzner, mrs. a. b. twelfth ave. southeast, bet. com. and palm, " cooke, mrs. j. fifth street southeast, " cole, miss carrie a. pleasant street southeast, " cole, mrs. alida pleasant street southeast, " camp, mrs. a. r. fifth street southeast, " curtis, mrs. e. f. second avenue southeast, " clark, prudy eden prairie, minn. crane, tremont fourth street southeast, minneapolis. conklin, miss margaret park avenue, " chapman, mrs. dr. o. s. fourth avenue south, " carpenter, mrs. g. w. university avenue, " carver, miss linda. " carver, mr. r. i. sixth street southeast, " cunningham, miss portland avenue, between eighteenth and nineteenth streets. " cantwell, mrs. p. p. chestnut avenue, " chunt, miss b. a. ninth street north, " chapman, miss fifth avenue southeast, " caswell, mrs. vesta litchfield, minn. caswell, mrs. martha coon creek, minn. clark, mrs. frank sixth avenue north, minneapolis. cone, mrs. j. w. sixth street southeast, " crafts, lettie fifth street southeast, " croswell, mrs. h. j. g. fifth street southeast, " cary, mrs. n. h. portland place, " cook, mrs. nordy " cole, mrs. e. seventeenth and vine streets, " cone, mrs. m. d. stearns avenue and twenty-eighth street, " chamberlain, mrs. w. e. anoka, minn. crafts, mrs. a. fifth street southeast, minneapolis. crocker, mrs. e. b. portland place, " coe, mrs. c. a. thirteenth avenue southeast, " conner, mrs. j. l. second avenue south, " chute, mrs. s. h. university avenue, " cady, louise university of minnesota, " cummings, miss l. sixth avenue southeast, " crippen, miss seventh street, " cuzner, mrs. e. a. " cummings, miss m. sixth avenue southeast, " coplin, mrs. chas fourth street southeast, " creelman, mrs. m. j. eastman avenue, " coverdale, mrs. j. w. south eighteenth street, " caskin, miss e. c. eighth street and fifth avenue south, " christian, mrs. geo. h. corner eighth street and fourth avenue south. " coverdale, daniel eighteenth street south, " cumming, mrs. gussie taylors falls, minn. calderwood, mrs. j. t. grant street, minneapolis. cummings, mrs. henry first avenue north, " connell, miss kate b. north twelfth street, " coe, mrs. hawthorn avenue, " christian, mrs. l. eighth street and fifth avenue south, " clark, mrs. g. a. seventh street south, " calhoun, mrs. j. f. south tenth street, " coffin, mrs. w. f. sixteenth avenue southeast, " coykendall, mrs. j. k. sixteenth street south, " chapin, mrs. n. c. university avenue southeast, " cordell, d. w. university avenue, " crosby, mrs. judge hastings, minn. cook, mrs. alma anoka, minn. campbell, mrs. l. w. fifth street southeast, minneapolis. carey, mrs. maggie second avenue south, " connor, mrs. e. h. sixth street southeast, " carswell, mrs. j. f. eastman avenue, " canfield, miss maggie corner cedar avenue and twenty-sixth street, " cheney, jennie l. fourth street southeast, " christie, mrs. j. o. university avenue southeast, " cone, mrs. e. c. university avenue southeast, " dean, o. a. bloomington, minn. dexter, mrs. chas island avenue, minneapolis. davidson, mrs. e. b. hennepin avenue, " donnell, mrs. nineteenth street between sixth and seventh avenues south minneapolis. dorsett, mrs. c. w. " dix, mrs. s. a. south twelfth street, " dyer, mrs. c. e. university avenue southeast, " durkee, mrs. h. o. rochester, minn. dodson, mrs. e. f. portland avenue, minneapolis. donovan, mrs. m. street railway office, " derickson, mrs. g. p. highland avenue, " davenport, mrs. e. j. oak grove, " dudley, mrs. d. w. place, " dennison, mrs. j. e. seventh street southeast, " dodge, mrs. j. a. eighth avenue southeast, " dowers, mrs. e. washington avenue south, " dennett, miss s. e. university avenue, " doolittle, mrs. l. a. sixth street southeast, " deveau, miss gertrude sixth avenue south, " dickinson, mrs. g. l. first avenue south, " donthwaite, mrs. m. a. bloomington, minn. donald, mrs. m. main street southeast, minneapolis. downey, mrs. stella seventh street southeast, " davenport, mrs. jason south tenth street, " doerr, mrs. henry washington avenue, " davenport, mrs. g. c. mississippi street, st. paul. daniel, mrs. university avenue, minneapolis. de mott, mrs. h. v. seventeenth st., bet. nicollet and hennepin, " davison, mrs. r. a. box , " de laittre, mrs. jno. grove place, nicollet island. dailey, mrs. c. w. box brainerd, minn. dailey, miss a. e. university avenue southeast, minneapolis. dailey, mrs. m. a. university avenue southeast, " elliot, mrs. j. r. cor. tenth street and tenth ave. south, " elliott, mrs. a. f. nicollet avenue, " emery, mrs. fanny portland place, " emery, mrs. h. f. fourth street south, " elliot, mrs. d. sixth avenue south, " eustis, miss emma university avenue, " eustis, miss nellie university avenue, " eustis, mrs. e. s. university avenue, " eastman, mrs. geo. h. grove place, nicollet island, " einstein, mrs. kate nicollet avenue, " eastman, mrs. john w. university avenue, " eastman, mrs. h. d. grove place, nicollet island, " elliot, mrs. m. e. third avenue south, " edgerly, mrs. frank thirteenth avenue southeast, " erickson, mrs. o. p. thirteenth avenue southeast, " elwell, mrs. jas. p. " ermentrouh, mrs. c. h. nicollet avenue, " edwards, mrs. john seventh avenue, " edwards, miss flora box , brainerd, minn. eaton, mrs. chas. a. first avenue north, minneapolis. emery, mrs. j. c. portland place, " emery, dr. mary dayton avenue, st. paul. elwell, mary w. elwell's addition, minneapolis. elwell, mrs. george elwell's addition, " edwards, miss fanny seventh avenue south, " eastman, mrs. c. c. grove place, nicollet island, " eastman, mrs. c. h. dedham, audubon county, iowa. emery, mrs. h. f. fourth street south, e. d., minneapolis. eastman, mrs. a. m. university avenue, " fowle, anna r. sixteenth street north, " foster, mrs. c. e. university avenue, " fuller, jennie, m. d. dayton avenue, st. paul. foset, mrs. c. e. ninth avenue southeast, minneapolis. farrier, mrs. g. w. room , hennepin block, " fish, mrs. a. m. third street south, " fosberg, lottie fifth street southeast, " fosberg, kate fourth street southeast, " fules, ida portland avenue south, " folwell, mrs. m. h. fifth street southeast, " fobwle, mrs. e. b. sixth street southeast, " foster, mrs. f. p. fourth street southeast, " firkins, ina university of minnesota, " fairly, mrs. william cedar avenue, " foster, miss l. portland place, " foster, mrs. robert fifth street southeast, " francis, miss emma care a. b. barton, " foster, mrs. s. e. eighth street southeast, " foster, flora between fourth and fifth avenues southeast, " fullerton, mrs. c. f. eleventh street south, " furber, mrs. geo. corner sixteenth avenue, elwell's add., " flemming, annie r. nineteenth avenue southeast, " felt, mrs. e. s. seventh street south, " field, mrs. ellen m. twenty-first avenue and twelfth street n., " folds, mrs. william b. second avenue south, " foster, mrs. a. f. seventh street south, " fairchild, mrs. e. k. fifth street southeast, " forbes, carrie e. eastman avenue, " fratzke, ida south tenth street, " francisca, mrs. g. e. eighth street southeast, " gould, mrs. lucy ninth street south, " guild, s. a. harmon place, " graham, mrs. d. m. sixth street north, " garfield, mrs. j. m. corner nicollet and hennepin avenues, " gould, helen m. excelsior, minn. grimes, mrs. j. t. thirteenth avenue southeast, minneapolis. goodale, mrs. p. h. fifth street southeast, " goss, mrs. s. m. olympia, washington territory. gage, mrs. h. c. south twelfth street, minneapolis. gallow, mrs. j. e. university of minnesota, " grindale, mrs. c. j. fourth avenue southeast, " gardner, mrs. e. fifteenth street south, " greenleaf, mrs. l. l. beloit, wis. gray, mrs. w. r. north twelfth street, minneapolis. gray, miss mamie care j. r. hoflin, " gillette, mrs. l. s. fourth street southeast, " gallinger, mrs. h. e. south seventh street, " grimes, emma fergus falls, minn. gukell, mrs. joseph north twelfth street, minneapolis. gudley, mrs. j. c. victor, iowa. graham, miss r. nicollet avenue, minneapolis. gilpatrick, mrs. thos. fifth street south, " gilpatrick, mrs. eva eighth street southeast, " gordon, mrs. e. p. madison street, east division, " gorham, mrs. j. e. corner fourteenth street and vine place, " griffith, mrs. o. j. fourth avenue south, " graves, mrs. a. r. seventh avenue south, " godfrey, mrs. a. c. minnehaha, minn. gray, mrs. t. j. st. cloud, minn. gilmore, mrs. d. m. laurel avenue, minneapolis. gale, mrs. s. c. care gale & co., " graham, mrs. j. fourth street southeast, " griffith, mrs. o. j. fourth avenue south, " grimes, mrs e. e. " goodrich, mrs. f. b. eighth street south, " gilfillan, mrs. j. b. corner fourth st. & tenth ave. southeast, " galpin, mrs. cor. sixth st. and fourteenth ave. southeast, " gould, mrs. m. s. excelsior, minn. gould, lucy m. harmon place, minneapolis. goodfellow, mrs. r. s. south ninth street, " grimes, mary thirteenth avenue southeast, " holbrook, mattie central avenue, " hawes, mrs. w. w. sixth street southeast, " hawes, mrs. j. eighth street and tenth avenue southeast, " hughes, helen g. eighth street southeast, " holbrook, mrs. e. r. eastman avenue, " hughes, mrs. t. e. oak grove street, " hayes, mrs. m. p. university avenue, " holmes, mrs. j. v. beloit, wis. hinshaw, mrs. a. sixth avenue northeast, minneapolis. hatch, mrs. a. p. first avenue north, " huntington, florence fourth street north, " hall, c. w. university avenue, " hudson, mrs. james corner ninth and broadway, st. paul. huntley, mrs j. s. eighth street southeast, minneapolis. hoyt, mrs. c. j. sixteenth street, " how, lizzie fourth street southeast, " hicks, mrs. h. g. third avenue south, " harmon, miss irene first avenue south, " harmon, mrs. e. a. first avenue south, " hoit, mrs. j. r. pillsbury "a" mill, " henderson, laura e. fifth street southeast, " hutchins, mrs. dr. thirteenth street south, " hendrickson, mrs. e. h. room , f. & m. block, st. paul. hayes, miss carrie university avenue southeast, minneapolis. ham, minnie sixth avenue north, " hayes, amy n. fifth street southeast, " heath, mrs. s. f. fourth street southeast, " hurkinson, zenobia fourth street and tenth avenue, " hagan, mrs. a. r. sixth street southeast, " hall, mrs. c. w. university avenue southeast, " hush, mrs. v. j. corner tenth street and second ave. south, " holman, miss m. b. fifth street southeast, " hoflin, mrs. j. r. nicollet avenue, " hermes, miss sarah fourth street southeast, " henshaw, i. m. sixth avenue northeast, " halnosson, mrs. emma south tenth street, " hammond, mrs. mary lake city, minn. harrison, mrs. john hennepin avenue, minneapolis. haight, miss mamie bismarck, dakota territory. hurlburt, mrs. wm. h. winona, minn. hoag, mrs. w. r. fourth street south, e. d., minneapolis. henderson, mrs. a. c. fifth street southeast, " hance, mrs. s. f. sixth avenue south, " howey, mrs. j. f. eighth street south, " howell, miss. tenth street south, " heath, mrs. l. m. fourth street, southeast, " haskell, mrs. frank box , " hughs, mrs. t. e. oak grove street, " hall, mrs. e. i. university avenue, " hastings, mrs. w. h. fifth avenue south, " hubbard, mrs. r. m. sixth avenue south, " hendrickson, minnie m. room , f. & m. block, st. paul. havens, mrs. h. r. grant street, minneapolis. hall, mrs. john bet. eighteenth and nineteenth aves. south, " houghton, mrs. a. c. park avenue, " harper, mrs. j. l. south seventh street west, " hurd, mrs. b. c. first avenue north, " holmes, mrs. h. a. pleasant street, e. d., " hall, mrs. p. d. hawthorne avenue, " holden, mrs. w. h. hastings, minn. harrington, mrs. l. g. mankato, minn. hyde, mrs. e. r. chelsea, orange county, vt. hudson, mrs. h. h. bridgewater corner, vt. haglin, mrs. c. f. south eighth street, minneapolis. hemiup, mrs. d. d. fifth street southeast, " hayes, mrs. geo. nicollet avenue, " hagan, fannie sixth street southeast, " hawes, mrs. w. w. sixth street southeast, " holmes, mrs. h. w. university avenue southeast, " hastings, mrs. a. w. eighth avenue southeast, " hager, mrs. p. f. fourteenth avenue southeast, " irving, mary e. university of minnesota, " irwin, mrs. e. f. richfield, minn. jones, mrs. c. c. fourth street southeast, minneapolis. jefferson, annie h. fourth street southeast, " jones, a. w. university of minnesota, " jones, mrs. dr. red wing, minn. jamison, mrs. robt. fifth street southeast, minneapolis. johnson, miss bessie fourth street southeast, " jones, mrs. bertha south fourteenth street, " jones, mrs. howard south fourteenth street, " jones, jennie l. fourth street southeast, " johnson, mrs. r. h. seventh street south, " joy, miss inez e. corner tenth street and tenth ave. south, " joslin, mrs. e. o. nicollet avenue, " jones, mrs. jos. oskaloosa, iowa. jefferson, mrs. c. a. fourth street southeast, minneapolis. jones, mrs. j. j. first avenue north, " james, mrs. w. a. hawthorne avenue, " johnson, hannah stevens avenue, " jones, mira c. fifth street southeast, " johnson, miss f. m. fifth avenue south, " jones, miss annie first avenue north, " johnson, lena third avenue south, " joslin, mrs. j. c. hennepin avenue, " jackson, mrs. geo. hawthorne avenue, " jackson, mrs. a. b. care of jackson & pond, " jerome, mrs. chas. p. second avenue south, " johnson, mrs. l. g. university avenue, " jackson, mrs. a. b. sixteenth avenue south, " jenkins, mrs. j. h. oshkosh, wis. jones, mrs. chas. bradford, orange county, vt. johnson, anna sixth street and eighth avenue, minneapolis. johnson, a. l. fourteenth avenue southeast, " jackson, mrs. h. n. franklin avenue, " jones, mrs. m. h. excelsior, minn. jackson, mrs. j. g. minneapolis. johnson, miss margaret university avenue southeast, " kingsley, miss mary grant street southeast, " kennedy, julia eastman avenue, " kennedy, miss mary university avenue, " kiehle, louisa fifth avenue south, " kiehle, ada m. fifth avenue south, minneapolis. kirkwood, mrs. h. hennepin avenue, " knotson, miss martha tenth street south, " kittridge, mrs. c. l. university avenue, " kennedy, mrs. p. a. university avenue, " kennedy, miss kate university avenue, " kitteridge, mary r. fourth street southeast, " kitteridge, mrs. t. fourth street southeast, " knieff, emma fifteenth avenue southeast, " knox, miss florence seventh street southeast, " kennedy, ernest university avenue, " kelly, miss kate fourth street southeast, " kuderer, miss frances sixth street southeast, " kelley, mrs. l. e. first avenue north, " koon, mrs. m. b. ninth street and fourth avenue, " kitchel, mrs. spanley r. highland avenue, " kent, mrs. chas. portland place, " kiehle, mrs. d. l. fifth avenue south, " knight, mrs. s. h. eighth avenue south, " klopp, mrs. m. j. island avenue, " kelley, mrs. h. h. university avenue southeast, " kelson, mrs. w. h. university avenue southeast, " little, jennie e. fourteenth street south, " lewis, ruth c. first avenue south, " lyte, mrs. f. a. fifth street southeast, " loye, mrs. wm. cedar avenue south, " larson, miss martha " long, miss alva first avenue south, " le duc, miss m. c. fourth street southeast, " lackor, miss ida f. grant street, " lackor, mrs. h. l. grant street, " lloyd, mrs. helen m. toledo, ohio. lawley, mrs. frank first street north, minneapolis. lunt, mrs. j. h. fourth street southeast, " lewis, mrs. d. j. fifth street southeast, " lingrin, pina care of s. c. gale, " lee, miss hennepin avenue, " larson, miss emma fifth street southeast, " lyle, mrs. robert university avenue southeast, " lawrence, lucy c. fourth street southeast, " lovejoy, mrs. loren k. fourth street southeast, " lewis, mrs. l. m. seventh street south, " laythe, miss bessie fourth street southeast, " laraway, mrs. l. d. thirteenth avenue south, " lyall, maude j. university of minnesota, " lovell, c. p. highland avenue, " leathers, mrs. oliver princeton, minn. laurence mrs. a. w. fifth street southeast, minneapolis. lyman, mrs. j. p. grinnell, iowa. lyall, miss m. e. fifth street northeast, minneapolis. lisk, miss fourth street, e. d., " lee, mrs. j. w. box , " latz, mrs. f. w. washington avenue south, " lyons, wm. box , " lumley, mrs. chas. corner seventh ave. and sixth street south, " linton, mrs. abner grand forks, dakota territory. latz, mrs. dr. two-and-a-half street south, minneapolis. longee, mrs. c. d. fifth street southeast, " leonard, mrs. l. d. third avenue south, " long, mrs. m. c. carroll street, st. paul. linton, mrs. a. h. box , minneapolis. lumbert, mrs. e. r. bluff street, dubuque, iowa. leavitt, mrs. elizabeth royalston avenue, minneapolis. leighton, mrs. h. fourth street, " lochren, mrs. wm. tenth avenue southeast, " lundeen, mrs. john a. fort snelling, minn. lund, mrs. university avenue southeast, minneapolis. lobdell, mrs. leila twenty-eighth street south, " lobdell, mrs. c. thirty-first avenue south, " longbrake, mrs. l. l. university avenue, " lovejoy, mrs. j. a. university avenue southeast, " long, mrs. e. h. university avenue southeast, " linton, mrs. a. h. sixth street south, " lamborn, mrs. e. f. first avenue north, " lee, mrs. j. b. fourth street southeast, " libby, minnie nicollet avenue, " lyon, mrs. r. c. fourteenth avenue southeast, " lockwood, mrs. phillip thirteenth street south, " mcdougall, mrs. j. e. seventh street southeast, " montgomery, mrs. m. w. eleventh avenue south, " markus, emma hawthorne avenue, " morrisson, miss j. e. fourth street southeast, " mann, ida v. sixth avenue south, " mcmahon, miss kate care a. b. barton, " myers, evelyn h. fifth street southeast, " mcnair, will fifth street southeast, " mcintyre, m. eva portland avenue, " murray, margaret a. third avenue south, " mclaughlin, miss m. first street north, " marsh, mrs. c. a. j. franklin avenue, " marshall, mrs. j. eighth avenue south, " mcsorley, miss florence thirteenth avenue southeast, " mann, mrs. g. t. sixth avenue south, " morris, m. l. hennepin avenue, " marrs, josephine park avenue, " milliken, mrs. w. p. lake city, minn. martin, mrs. john university avenue, minneapolis. miner, v. f. flat , hale block, " mitchell, luella sixth street southeast, " marston, mrs. m. park avenue, " mckenney, mrs. a. e. university avenue southeast, " merrick, l. l. nicollet ave. bet. eighteenth & nineteenth streets, " moore, mrs. j. p. south seventh street, " moore, mrs. kate south seventh street, " matthews, b. e. sixth street southeast, " mcnair, mrs. isaac " mccleary, mrs. t. fourth street southeast, " mcnair, miss a. w. north sparta, lee county, n. y. mcnair, miss louise north sparta, lee county, n. y. marsh, helen b. second avenue north, minneapolis. mayor, mrs. belle hennepin avenue, " morse, mrs. susie k. care gale & co., " mcmillan, mrs. p. d. fifth street and tenth avenue southeast, " morse, mrs. w. a. chestnut avenue, " major, mrs. mollie s. hennepin avenue, " morrison, mrs. h. g. o. cor. nicollet ave. and fourteenth st., " mcnair, marie l. second avenue south, " morse, mrs. f. l. cor. nineteenth st. and hawthorne ave., " merrick, mrs. a. n. room , hurlburt block, " mcniece, mrs. ettie fifteenth avenue southeast, " mccord, mrs. j. la crosse, wis. moffett, mrs. chas. w. sixth avenue south, minneapolis. mcintyre, miss hennepin avenue, " moore, mrs. geo. c. fourth street southeast, " mccann, mrs. m. a. fifteenth avenue south, " moore, mrs. h. l. fourth street southeast, " moore, mrs. a. g. fourth street southeast, " moulton, miss maddie seventh street southeast, " mcclellan, eva sixteenth avenue south, " mcculloch, mrs. a. s. stevens avenue, " mcdonald, mrs. f. s. eighth street south, " may, mrs. c. " may, miss mary o. fourth street southeast, " mills, mrs. a. w. " mcculloch, mrs. f. b. stevens avenue, " monthei, mrs. h. washington avenue south, " moore, miss mabel. highland avenue, " manchester, mrs. m. s. sixth street southeast, " mason, mrs. m. t. seventh street south, " morrison, mrs. l. l. nicollet avenue, " milligan, mrs. j. g. fourth street southeast, " mitchell, mrs. nancy excelsior, minn. martin, miss ellen sixth street south, minneapolis. morse, mrs. frank hawthorne avenue, " mcclary, maggie a. sixth street southeast, " molynew, mrs. b. s. seventh street, " martin, mrs. c. j. tenth street south, " marshall, mrs. jas. eighth avenue south, " miller, nellie m. eastman avenue, " miller, miss mattie eastman avenue, " miller, mrs. g. w. eastman avenue, " miller, mrs. p. a. cascade, dubuque county, iowa. mills, mrs. s. minneapolis. morse, mrs. chas. eighth street, south, " mcnair, minnie care i. mcnair, " mcleod, mrs. jennie fourteenth avenue southeast, " mansfield, miss a. fourth street southeast, " moody, mrs. f. f. north nineteenth street, " merriam, mrs. g. n. second avenue south, " miller, mrs. w. a. mary place, " moore, mrs. g. a. sixth street southeast, " meader, mrs. s. b. second avenue south, " nelson, emma c. first street south, " nettleton, miss carrie m. fifth avenue south, " nind, j. newton " nelson, miss annie first street southeast, " noblit, mrs. j. h. seventh street southeast, " naylor, mrs. geo. m. spruce place, " norton, mrs. l. b. northwestern hospital, three-and-a-half avenue south " newcomb, mrs. s. " nicol, miss ida seventh street southeast, " newman, mrs. sixth street and ninth avenue southeast, " nettleton, mrs. a. b. fifth avenue south, " nab, miss mary first avenue south, " notervan, mrs. r. e. seventh avenue south, " nelson, ellen m. sixth street southeast, " nickell, mrs. j. h. first avenue south, " norton, miss carrie fourth street southeast, " norton, mrs. h. a. fourth street southeast, " newten, miss h. corner fourteenth avenue and eighth street southeast " nichols, miss lillie eighth street south, " outcalt, miss f. b. third street southeast, " outcalt, miss cora third street southeast, " overmire, kate seventh avenue south, " overmire, mrs. s. park avenue south, " olson, miss olive south fourteenth street, " oxnard, mrs. m. a. second avenue south, " o'brien, mrs. w. eighth street southeast, " owen, miss jennie st. cloud, minn. orborough, w. a. bloomington, minn. otto, tilly tenth street south, minneapolis. osgood, mrs. c. n. sixth avenue south, " peterson, carrie " preston, jennie prince street, " pike, mrs. w. a. university of minnesota, " payne, mrs. d. w. university avenue, " powell, mrs. c. f. fifth street southeast, " pratt, mrs. e. a. twelfth street south, " perkins, mrs. g. d. university avenue, " plant, mrs. nicollet avenue, " peck, mrs. d. g. north ninth street, " pearson, miss s. p. harmon place, " pickard, mrs. f. w. sixth street southeast, " penney, mrs. robert l. south twelfth street, " peterson, miss minnie second street and twelfth ave. south, " pardee, mrs. w. s. eleventh street and twenty-second ave. north, " porter, m. estella box , " porter, katie p. box , " porter, lillie c. box , " parker, mrs. h. m. north twelfth street, " plant, mrs. james c. ninth street south, " plummer, mrs. g. a. nicollet avenue, " patten, mrs. seventh street southeast, " payne, mrs. d. c. north eleventh street, " parker, mrs. dr. j. a. north eleventh street, " parker, mrs. ed seventh street southeast, " potter, miss elma fifteenth avenue southeast, " pillsbury, addie fifth street and tenth ave. southeast, " pratt, mrs. c. h. sixth street southeast, " parker, mrs. geo. a. fourth street southeast, " paine, mrs. j. m. nicollet avenue, " pabody, mrs. e. f. third avenue south, " paine, miss alice fourteenth street south, " potter, mrs. a. r. thirteenth street south, " pearson, clara e. harman place, " page, mrs. r. c. first avenue north, " parsons, annie island avenue, " patton, dr. e. a. second avenue south, " plummer, mrs. l. p. second avenue south, " page, mrs. dr. sandusky, ohio. pratt, mrs. c. h. sixth street southeast, minneapolis. phelps, mrs. chas. highland avenue, " pond, mrs. c. m. highland avenue, " phillips, mrs. c. m. highland avenue, " palsepp, anna d. third avenue south, " palmer, mrs. chas. r. three-and-a-half ave. south, " packer, mrs. mary hennepin avenue, " pillsbury, mrs. j. s. fifth st. and tenth ave. southeast, " pound, jessie m. second avenue south, " pratt, mrs. frank first avenue south, " phillips, mrs. b., jr. care c. a. pillsbury & co., " quigley, mrs. james sixth street southeast, " rieley, mrs. a. seventh street southeast, " rutz, augusta eighth avenue southeast, " rahmon, laura fourth street southeast, " rockwood, mrs. c. j. nineteenth street north, " ryan, mary a. la crosse, wis. ryan, julia second avenue south, minneapolis. russell, mrs. o. m. nicollet avenue, " rich, mrs. w. w. eighth avenue southeast, " russell, mrs. geo. v. hennepin avenue, " reynolds, clara e. thirteenth street south, " richardson, mrs. l. h. fourteenth street south, " rourke, miss nellie second avenue southeast, " ripley, dr. martha g. eighth street south, " remington, mrs. box , " rose, virginia monticello, minn. rose, mrs. a. h. fourth street southeast, minneapolis. rinker, mrs. andrew harmon place, " raymond, miss m. a. sixth street southeast, " richardson, mrs. a. f. sixth street south, " rickard, mrs. c. f. seventh street southeast, " rolfe, mrs. j. h. hawthorne avenue, " rand, miss kate cor. seventh street and sixth avenue, " reynolds, mrs. a. s. south seventh street, " rickey, mrs. jas. tenth st. bet. nicollet and hennepin aves., " robinson, mrs. s. c. park avenue, " read, mrs. j. h. fourth avenue southeast, " reeves, mrs. t. h. university avenue southeast, " rich, mrs. w. w. eighth avenue southeast, " rich, mrs. j. o. eighth avenue southeast, " robedeau, mrs. c. t. fifth avenue south, " rust, mrs geo. h. hennepin avenue, " rolph, mrs. w. t. third avenue southeast, " rockwood, mrs. c. j. nineteenth street between laurel and hawthorne avenues, " ricker, mrs. h. m. university avenue, " shepard, miss f. stevens avenue, " springate, mrs. j. l. hennepin avenue, " soutar, mrs. sixteenth avenue and seventh street southeast, " shaw, mrs. j. m. ninth street south, " simmons, laura thirteenth avenue and fourth street southeast " starr, c. m. box , " shockey, mrs. c. c. fourth avenue south, " simpson, mrs. m. e. , corner central avenue and fifth street, " stacy, miss frances fourth street southeast, " smith, mabel l. fourteenth avenue southeast, " starr, mrs. c. m. box , " stagg, nettie hennepin avenue, " shenebon, frances s. fourth street southeast, " siebert, mrs. a. c. eighteenth avenue southeast, " stillman, miss nellie third avenue south, " sillowey, mrs. r. a. fourth street southeast, " sure, mrs. e. m. fifth street southeast, " sheffer, miss ada fourth street north, " sprague, l. e. p. highland avenue, " secombe, mrs. d. a. fourth street southeast, " smith, mrs. thomas corner fifteenth street and spruce place, " spear, mrs. s. c. fifteenth avenue southeast, " stillman, mrs. w. f. oshkosh, wis. sewall, e. q. carroll street, st. paul. shillock, anna fourth avenue south, minneapolis. smith, mrs. c. f. fourth street southeast, " swanson, miss hannah eleventh street south, " spear, minnie e. fourth street southeast, " say, g. i. fifteenth avenue southeast, " strothinham, mrs. j. h. fifteenth street south, " salisbury, mrs. m. f. eleventh avenue south, " shuman, mrs. geo. w. eighth avenue, " shaw, mrs. f. h. sixth avenue south, " sheldon, miss emma f. eleventh avenue south, " shaw, mrs. geo. k. hennepin avenue, " shoemaker, mrs. h. j. western avenue, " selene, miss maggie eighth avenue southeast, " shillock, miss university of minnesota, " stillman, mrs. r. l. third avenue south, " selden, emma r. tenth street south, " stark, mrs. theo. f. highland avenue, " sweet, mrs. o. t. fourth street southeast, " smith, mrs. dr. c. south seventh street southeast, " seaton, miss rose seventh street southeast, " slosson, mrs. theo. sixth street southeast, " scudder, mrs. m. c. eighth avenue southeast, " smith, mrs. d. l. fourth street southeast, " stacy, alice m. sixth street southeast, " strever, mrs. university avenue southeast, " sisson, mary college hospital, " siddall, mrs. w. a. fourteenth street south, " smith, carrie e. park avenue south, " seaton, mrs. j. k. th street southeast, " sheldon, mrs. s. care dr. a. f. elliott, " shepley, mrs. l. c. cedar avenue and twenty-sixth street, " shepley, mrs. o. h. " swift, grace h. chestnut avenue, " swift, mrs. l. chestnut avenue, " spaulding, mrs. w. a. vine place, " smith, mrs. d. c. cor. fifth and hennepin avenues, " stark, miss j. mary highland avenue, minneapolis. sewall, a. r. carroll street, st. paul. sewall, miss ida carroll street, st. paul. shuey, mrs. a. m. highland avenue, minneapolis. scribner, mrs. d. m. nicollet avenue, " sawyer, mrs. t. j. nicollet avenue, " sauter, miss laura eighteenth avenue, bet. fourth and fifth streets, e. d. " scharpf, mrs. geo. south thirteenth street, " scribner, mrs. d. m. nicollet avenue, " soutar, mrs. geo. luverne, minn. sheldon, mrs. h. g. richfield, minn. smith, mrs. e. t. highland avenue, minneapolis. smith, mrs. frank ft. snelling, minn. spaulding, mrs. g. s. university avenue south, minneapolis. sprague, mrs. j. j. oshkosh, wis. shepherd, mrs. geo. b. cor. first ave. and sixteenth st. south, minneapolis. sheldon, miss mary excelsior, minn. steele, mrs. j. a. ninth street south, minneapolis. secombe, kittie e. fourth street southeast, " spear, mrs edward eighth avenue south, " scudder, m. c. eighth avenue southeast, " scudder, mrs. j. l. eighth avenue southeast, " stone, mrs. j. w. first avenue north, " smith, mrs. w. k. royalston avenue, " swett, ella a. fourth street, " shatto, mrs. c. w. " tweedie, mrs. wm. seventh street south, " tucker, mrs. henry first avenue south, " taylor, mrs. benjamin chicago avenue, " taylor, mrs. b. l. fifth street south, " talbert, mrs. m. j. fifth street southeast, " trogner, miss second street north, " tupper, mrs. d. w. fourth street southeast, " thompson, clara a. fifteenth avenue southeast, " thompson, mrs. p. m. fifteenth avenue southeast, " twichell, mary ninth street southeast, " teall, mrs. b. f. sixth avenue south, " taylor, miss virgi seventeenth street, near nicollet avenue, " truesdell, mrs. j. a. farrington avenue, st. paul. trail, jane sixteenth avenue and seventh street southeast, minneapolis. turner, l. h. thirty-first avenue south, " townsend, mrs. l. r. thirteenth street south, " twichell, miss m. h. park avenue, " todd, mary w. fourth street southeast, " taylor, miss e. sixth avenue south, " thompson, mrs. anna northern pacific junction, " tuller, mrs. c. s. seventh street, lyons, iowa. truman, mrs. b. h. fifteenth street south, minneapolis. todd, mrs. s. d. fourth street, e. d., " trevellyan, mrs. am. first avenue northeast, " tenney, mrs. wm. cor. third ave. south and twelfth street, " thomberg, mrs. john twelfth street south, " turner, mrs. rev. w. poynette, wis. thomberg, miss kate twelfth street south, minneapolis. tice, mrs. w. h. eastman avenue, " thompson, miss mettie hennepin avenue, " turner, mrs. murtz fifield, wis. tully, miss maggie three-and-a-half avenue south, minneapolis. thompson, mrs. h. e. pleasant avenue, st. paul. taylor, mrs. k. m. anoka, minn. townsend, mrs. l. r. south thirteenth street, minneapolis. twickham, mrs. willis richfield, minn. turner, miss minnie e. thirty-first avenue south, minneapolis. turner, mrs. alvira thirty-first avenue south, " thomas, mrs. w. eighth street southeast, " ullmer, mrs. m. university avenue northeast, " vind, mrs. c. l. university avenue southeast, " vrooman, mrs. w. holden street, " varney, mrs. j. m. three-and-a-half avenue south, " vosburg, mrs. a. seventh street south, " van norman, j. d. box , " van cleve, mrs. e. m. fourth street southeast, " van cleve, mrs. h. s. fifth street southeast, " wilcox, mrs. a. g. highland avenue, " white, mrs. c. a. vine place, " white, miss elburta fourth avenue south, " welles, mrs. m. h. seventh street southeast, " wornenninde, miss franklin street, " webster, w. w. clearwater, minn. wahlstrom, albert third street, minneapolis. wilder, mrs. j. a. fourth street southeast, " warnock, a. may nicollet avenue, " wheaton, mrs. geo. fourth street southeast, " white, mrs. m. c. fifth street southeast, " waltemath, miss fourteenth avenue north, " williams, mrs. a. p. hennepin avenue, " whitcomb, mrs. m. b. north twelfth street, " willenaw, mrs. f. third avenue north, " winterer, edward fourth street southeast, " worley, mrs. charlotte south fourteenth street, " whipple, mrs. wm. winona, minn. winterer, miss ellen fourth street southeast, minneapolis. weller, miss marian south twelfth street, " woodward, frances g. island avenue, " wyman, mrs. william fourth street southeast, " winston, mrs. fred r. university avenue south, " wetherald, a. e. fourteenth street, st. paul. woodburn, miss ida south seventh street, minneapolis. woodburn, mrs. j. a. south seventh street, " walcott, mrs. reynolds oak grove street, " williams, mrs. e. s. eleventh avenue south, " winchell, mrs. c. s. " wilson, helen e. eighth avenue southeast, " webber, mrs. minnie general delivery, " wilson, mrs. j. p. eighth avenue southeast, " wells, mrs. genevive first avenue north, " whitney, mrs. f. w. beloit, wis. wells, mrs. s. r. buffalo, wright county, minn. woods, mrs. chas. south tenth street, minneapolis. weller, mrs. j. h. nicollet avenue, " williams, mrs. a. c. ninth street, near mary place, " white, miss ida e. nicollet avenue, " white, miss m. e. nicollet avenue, " wadleigh, h. l. sixth street southeast, " wells, mrs. c. w. stevens avenue, " wadleigh, e. h. sixth street southeast, " wade, mrs. c. h. central avenue, " wilcox, mrs. j. p. richfield, minn. wullweber, mrs. m. r. iowa city, iowa. woodmansee, mrs. d. w. fifth street southeast, minneapolis. warner, a. a. st. cloud, minn. whiting, mrs. a. v. st. cloud, minn. weber, mary l. sixth street southeast, minneapolis. williams, mrs. h. r. fifteenth avenue south, " ware, mrs. j. l. nineteenth avenue southeast, " wolfrum, miss o. fifth street northeast, " white, mrs. s. b. watervliet, mich. walke, mrs. chas. hennepin avenue, minneapolis. watson, mrs. b. k. seventeenth street south, " westcott, mrs. dr. hawthorne avenue, " williams, mrs. s. b. eighth street north, " walker, miss may first avenue north, " white, ida e. nicollet avenue, " wheeler, mrs. wm. sixth street north, " williams, mrs. b. h. south seventh street, " wilson, mrs. e. m. hawthorne avenue, " watts, miss martha university avenue southeast, " wakefield, annie l. nicollet avenue, " white, miss flora eighth avenue southeast, " white, mrs. e. franklin avenue, " whitney, mrs. a. grant street, " wilson, mrs. n. g. third avenue northeast, " willmas, mrs. j. r. first avenue northeast, " west, mrs. h. g. fourth street northeast, " wells, mrs. t. b. " wilson, mrs. m. g. fifth street southeast, " wood, mrs. emma excelsior, minn. walker, mrs. p. b. first avenue north, minneapolis. walker, mrs. james university avenue, " white, mrs. s. b. fourth street southeast, " wilcox, mrs. m. l. university avenue southeast, " watson, mrs. geo. c. first avenue south, " wolverton, mrs. i. a. sixth avenue south, " wolford, mrs. w. l. tenth street south, " whitney, mrs. c. l. box , " young, mrs. s. j. fourth street southeast, " yenney, p. f. p. st. cloud, minn. ziegler, mrs. c. c. lyndale avenue north, minneapolis. index to miss corson's lectures. apple dumplings, baked, apple dumplings, steamed, apple meringue, apple pie, beans, how to cook, beef a la mode rolls, beef, baked tenderloin of, beef, corned, beef, fried steak, beef, to season and test when done, beef, to make tender, beef, pounding, beef, gravy for, beef, pressed, beef, roast, braising, french method, beets, to boil, bread, graham, bread, making, , , bread, rolls, breading meats, caramel for coloring soups, caramel custard, cabbage, to boil quickly, without odor, cabbage, to cook to serve with braised meat, carrots, stewed, cheese crusts, cheese, welsh rarebit, chicken, fricasseed, chicken, fried, chicken, roast, cookery for the sick, beef tea, chicken, broiled, chicken, barbecued, jelly, oatmeal, rennet, salad, orange, trout, broiled, dumplings, apple, , fat, to absorb after frying, fish, cod, stewed in cream, fish, cod cakes, fish, fried, fish, pickerel, fried, fish, white, to prepare, , fish, to remove odor of, gravy, for meat, hash, french, hash, baked, hash, corned beef, hominy, lamb, baked, lentils, how used, lettuce, to keep fresh, liver, fried, meats, breading, omelettes, plain breakfast, omelettes, light, onions, to remove odor of, oysters, breaded, oysters, broiled with bacon, oysters, broiled, plain, oyster fritters, oyster liquor, how to use, oysters, philadelphia, oysters, roast, oyster soup, pastry, light, pastry, plain, peas, to wash, pie, sliced apple, pie, rhubarb, pie, to prevent juice from running out of, potatoes, baked, potatoes, boiled, potatoes, stewed in butter, potatoes, to soak, poultry, to sew for roasting, pudding, bread and apple, pudding, cabinet, quail, boned, rice, piloff of, saucepans, to clean, salmon, boiled, with cream sauce, , soup, beef and vegetable, , soup, cream, soup, caramel for coloring, soup, clarify, soup, pea, with crusts, , , soup, tomato, soup as a stimulant, soup, value of, soup, stock for, spinach, to boil, stews, brown, stews, meat, stews, white, turnips, to bake, venison, with currant jelly, vegetables, to preserve color of in cooking, welsh rarebit, yeast, use of, transcriber's note the following typographical errors were corrected: page error sent to miss carson changed to sent to miss corson slowly head changed to slowly heat thoroughly wish changed to thoroughly wash tablespoonful of floor changed to tablespoonful of flour pans are pefectly changed to pans are perfectly _question_: do you use a wooden changed to _question._ do you use a wooden in the appearence changed to in the appearance ichotyophagus changed to ichthyophagous friends in this changed to friends in the fresh. al changed to fresh. all then it beomes changed to then it becomes tend to harded changed to tend to harden to day i am changed to to-day i am use cold meat changed to use cold meat, from this pieee changed to from this piece carson. no, decidedly changed to corson. no, carson. of course changed to corson. of course obscured text in flour use reconstructed as flour in general use with it,if changed to with it, if deal of erase changed to deal of ease those little chese changed to those little cheese way of choping changed to way of chopping burning, becausea changed to burning, because a double boileryou changed to double boiler you softens at once, changed to softens at once. bowlfull changed to bowlful from greese, changed to from grease it from greese changed to it from grease manilla changed to manila that the greese changed to that the grease no, beats changed to no, beets skin of beats, changed to skin of beets part of the stock changed to part of the stalk that the cabbags changed to that the cabbage tablespoonful of flower changed to tablespoonful of flour two or thre changed to two or three in the tenderlonis changed to in the tenderloins that the fatter changed to that the faster wet towl changed to wet towel pinch of peper changed to pinch of pepper finely powdered, changed to finely powdered. beaf tea. changed to beef tea. in an earthern changed to in an earthen eighteenth ave. s e. changed to eighteenth ave. s. e. sixth street southesst, minneaplis. changed to sixth street southeast, minneapolis three-and-a-half changed to three-and-a-half st. cloud, minn changed to st. cloud, minn. lyons, iowa changed to lyons, iowa. merringue, changed to meringue, section break added before beans, how to cook, saucepans, to clean, changed to saucepans, to clean, the following word was inconsistently spelled. force meat / forcemeat the new dr. price cook book for use with dr. price's phosphate baking powder _address_ price baking powder factory independence boulevard chicago _recipes of universal appeal_ in presenting these recipes great care has been exercised to select only those that will be popular in every home, in order that the new dr. price cook book will be useful every meal every day the year through. herein will be found many famous recipes, made more appealing than ever by the use of dr. price's phosphate baking powder--recipes that meet present-day conditions by economizing in eggs and other expensive ingredients. here also are many new and unusual recipes, easily prepared by the beginner but so excellent that they will add new laurels even to the reputation of the expert, if perfection is maintained by the use of dr. price's phosphate baking powder. copyright , by royal baking powder co. index to recipes the new dr. price cook book albuminized orange, almonds, salted, angel cake, apple cake, apple dressing, apple dumplings, apple fritters, apple pie, apple roll, asparagus, , baking powder bread, banana cake with jelly sauce, banana fritters, barley water, beans, bean soup, beef, dried with eggs, beef, scraped, beef tea, berries, canned, berry pies, beverages, biscuits, blueberry cake, blueberry muffins, boiling and stewing, boston baked beans, boston brown bread, boston cream pie, bran biscuits, bread crumb fritters, bread dressing, breads, biscuits and rolls, bride's cake, broiling, brussels sprouts, buckwheat cakes, buns, brown sugar, butter scotch, butterscotch icing and filling, butterscotch layer cake, butter taffy, cabbage, boiled, cake, candies, canning, caramel sauce, carrots, creamed, cauliflower, cereal muffins, cereals, charlotte russe, cheese biscuits, cheese in scallop shells or ramekins, cheese soufflé, cheese straws, cherries, canned, cherry tarts, chicken croquettes, chicken fricassee, chicken, fried, chicken patties, chicken pie, chicken salad, chili sauce, chocolate, chocolate blanc mange, chocolate cake, chocolate caramels, chocolate filling and icing, , chocolate ice cream, chocolate layer cake, chocolate sauce, chow chow, chowder, fish, christmas plum pudding, cinnamon buns, clam chowder, clam fritters, cocoa, cocoa cookies, cocoa cream candy, cocoa drop cakes, cocoa icing, cocoa syrup, cocoanut cake, - cocoanut cookies, cocoanut cream candy, cocoanut filling and icing, cocoanut layer cake, codfish balls, coffee, coffee cakes, coffee, french or drip, coffee fruit cake, coffee ice cream, coffee ring, coffee spice cake with mocha filling, cold slaw, cookies and small cakes, - corn, boiled, corn bread, corn, canned, corn fritters, corn meal griddle cakes, corn meal muffins, corn pudding, cottage pudding, crabs, boiled, cranberry sauce, cream filling, , , cream layer cake, cream puffs, cream sauce, cream soups, creole soup, croquettes, crullers, currant jelly meringue, currant jelly sauce, currant tea cakes, custard, baked, custard pie, date bread, date loaf cake, date muffins, date pudding, dates, stuffed, devils food cake, doughnuts, dumplings, apple and peach, dumplings, stew, eggs, egg biscuits, eggless, milkless, butterless cake, egg sauce (for fish), emergency or drop biscuits, english muffins, fig envelopes, fig pudding, filled cookies, fireless cookery, fish, fish, meat and vegetable sauces, fish salad, floating island, foamy sauce, french dressing, french fried potatoes, french toast, fritter batter, fritters, doughnuts and crullers, frosting, frozen desserts, frozen pudding, fruit filling, , fruit fritters, fruit layer cake, fruit salad, fruit sauce, fruit shortcakes, fudge, fudge squares, gems, green corn, giblet gravy, gluten muffins, graham bread, graham gems, grape sherbet, griddle cakes and waffles, , hard sauce, hermits, hickory nut candy, hollandaise sauce, honey drop cakes, horse-radish sauce, huckleberry float, icings and fillings, invalids, suggestions for, jams, jellies, jelly meringue, jelly roll, jelly sauce, , kidney beans with bacon, kohl-rabi, lady baltimore cake, layer cakes, to lemon jelly, lemon meringue pie, lemon or orange sauce, lemon sherbet, lima beans, loaf cake, cream, lobster salad, lobsters, boiled, luncheon and other dishes, macaroni with cheese, maple icing i-ii, maple nut cake, maple sauce, marble cake i-ii, marquise salad, marshmallow cookies, marshmallow icing, , mayonnaise i-ii, meats, meringues, milk sponge cake, mince meat, mince pie, mint sauce, mocha icing and filling, molasses cakes, , molasses candy, pulled, mousse, strawberry, muffins, gems, etc., nut & potato croquettes, nut and raisin rolls, nut bars, nut or raisin bread, nuts, creamed, oatmeal macaroons, old-fashioned chocolate filling, old-fashioned shortcake, omelets, orange cakes, orange cream layer cake, orange frosting, orange icing, orange water ice, ornamental frosting, oyster dressing, oysters, pan broiling or frying, pancakes, french, parker house rolls, parsnips, browned, pastry, - patty shells, peaches, canned, peaches, pickled, peanut brittle, peanut butter bread, pears, canned, penuche, pickled beets, pickles, pineapple juice, plum conserve, plum pudding, popcorn, candied, popovers, pork, roast, potatoes an gratin, potatoes, stuffed, potato rolls, potato salad, pot roasting, pot roast of beef with browned potatoes, poultry, pound cake, preserving and canning, prune or date bread, prune puff, prunes, stuffed, puddings and other desserts, pudding sauces, pumpkin pie, raisin bread, raisin drop cakes, raisin rolls, raspberry jam, rhubarb pie, rice griddle cakes, rice muffins, rice pudding, roast meats, , rolls, luncheon or sandwich, rusks, russian dressing, rye rolls, salads and salad dressings, scones, scrambled eggs, sea foam icing, seven minute icing, shell fish, soups, , soup stock, brown, spanish cake, spanish cream, spice cakes, spinach, sponge cake, steamed fig or date pudding, strawberry cake, strawberry icing, strawberry mousse, strawberry pie, strawberry shortcake, sunshine cake, sweetbreads, creamed, sweet potatoes, candied, tapioca pudding, tartare sauce, tea, three-egg angel cake, time table, canning, time table, vegetables, tomato pickles, tomato sauce, veal cutlet, vegetables, - vegetable salad, waffles, wedding cake, whole wheat hot cakes, whole wheat raisin biscuits, general directions where shortening is mentioned in the recipes it is understood that butter or lard, or an equivalent quantity of butter substitute or vegetable oil may be used. measurements all measurements for all materials called for in the recipes in this book are level. the standard measuring cup holds one-half pint and is divided into fourths and thirds. to make level measurements fill cup or spoon and scrape off excess with back of knife. one-half spoon is measured lengthwise of spoon. sift flour before measuring. baking much depends upon the baking. many a cake otherwise perfectly prepared is spoiled because the oven is too hot or not hot enough. regulate the oven carefully before mixing the ingredients. when a cake is thoroughly baked it shrinks from the sides of the pan. a light touch with the finger which leaves no mark is another indication that the cake is baked. table of equivalent weights and measures saltspoon = / teaspoon teaspoons = tablespoon tablespoons = cup cups = pint pints = quart cups = quart cups granulated sugar = pound cups flour = pound cups butter = pound tablespoons butter = ounce tablespoons liquid = ounce tablespoons flour = ounce square unsweetened chocolate = ounce - / tablespoons cocoa = ounce breads, biscuits and rolls dr. price's baking powder may be used instead of yeast to leaven bread. it does precisely the same work; that is, raises the dough, making it porous and spongy. the great advantage of bread made by this method is in time saved, as it can be mixed and baked in less than two hours. milk bread needs little or no shortening, and less flour is required than when water is used. sift flour before measuring, and use level measurements for all materials. baking powder bread cups flour teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder medium-sized, cold, boiled potato milk (water may be used) sift thoroughly together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder, rub in potato; add sufficient liquid to mix rapidly and smoothly into soft dough. this will require about one pint of liquid. turn at once into greased loaf pan, smooth top with knife dipped in melted butter, and allow to stand in warm place about minutes. bake in moderate oven about one hour. when done take from pan, moisten top slightly with cold water and allow to cool before putting away. boston brown bread cup entire wheat or graham flour cup corn meal cup rye meal or ground rolled oats teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup molasses - / cups milk mix thoroughly dry ingredients; add molasses to milk, and add; beat thoroughly and put into greased moulds / full. steam - / hours; remove covers and bake until top is dry. corn bread cup corn meal cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons sugar teaspoon salt - / cups milk egg tablespoons shortening mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk, beaten egg, and melted shortening; beat well and pour into greased shallow pan. bake in hot oven about minutes. spider corn bread egg - / cups milk tablespoons sugar cup corn meal / cup flour teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoon shortening beat egg and add one cup milk; stir in sugar, corn meal, flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together; turn into frying pan in which shortening has been melted; pour on remainder of milk, but do not stir. bake about minutes in hot oven. there should be a line of creamy custard through the bread. cut into triangles and serve. graham bread - / cups flour - / cups graham flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoon shortening egg - / cups liquid ( / water and / milk) tablespoons sugar or molasses mix flour, graham flour, baking powder and salt together; rub in shortening; beat egg and add with sugar or molasses to liquid; stir into dry mixture and beat well; add more milk if necessary to make a drop batter. put into greased loaf pan, smooth with knife dipped in cold water. bake about one hour in moderate oven. nut or raisin bread - / cups flour / cup graham flour / cup sugar teaspoon salt cup walnuts or raisins teaspoons dr. price's baking powder egg - / cups milk sift dry ingredients together. add raisins or nuts chopped not too fine; add beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients to make a soft dough. put into greased loaf pan. allow to stand about minutes. bake in moderate oven from to minutes. peanut butter bread cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt / cup sugar cup milk / cup peanut butter or / cup finely ground peanuts sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. add milk to peanut butter or peanuts, blend well and add to dry ingredients; mix thoroughly. bake in greased loaf pan in slow oven to minutes. this is best when a day old. it makes delicious sandwiches cut in thin slices and filled with either cream cheese or lettuce and mayonnaise. prune or date bread cup prunes or dates - / a cups graham flour; or cup flour and - / cups graham flour / cup sugar teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cup milk tablespoon shortening wash prunes, soak several hours, drain, stone and chop, or use dates stoned and chopped. mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder; add milk to make soft dough and beat well; add fruit and melted shortening. put into greased bread pan; allow to stand about minutes in warm place. bake in moderate oven one hour. luncheon or sandwich rolls cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoon shortening - / cups milk sift together flour, salt and baking powder; rub in shortening; add milk, and mix with spoon to smooth dough easy to handle on floured board. turn out dough; knead quickly a few times to impart smoothness; divide into small pieces: form each by hand into short, rather thick tapering rolls; place on greased pans and allow to stand in warm place to minutes; brush with milk. bake in very hot oven. when almost baked brush again with melted butter. bake minutes longer and serve hot. if a glazed finish is desired, before taking from oven brush over with yolk of egg which has been mixed, with a little cold water. these rolls make excellent sandwiches, using for fillings either lettuce and mayonnaise, sliced or chopped ham, chopped seasoned cucumbers, egg and mayonnaise with a very little chopped onion and parsley, or other filling desired. rye rolls cups rye flour teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder - / cups milk tablespoon shortening sift together dry ingredients; add milk and melted shortening. knead on floured board; shape into rolls. put into greased pans and allow to stand in warm place minutes. bake in moderate oven to minutes. potato rolls cups flour teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder medium sized cold boiled potatoes water or milk or equal quantities of each sift thoroughly together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder; rub in potatoes or add after putting through ricer; add sufficient liquid to mix smoothly into a stiff batter or soft dough. this will require about one and one-half cups. divide into small pieces; knead each and shape into small rolls; place on greased pan and brush with melted shortening and allow to stand in warm place to minutes. bake in hot oven and when nearly done, brush again with melted shortening. nut and raisin rolls - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk butter raisins chopped nuts / cup sugar sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. add melted shortening and beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients, mixing well. turn out on floured board and knead lightly. roll out very thin. spread with butter and sprinkle with raisins, chopped nuts and small amount of granulated sugar. cut into about -inch squares. roll up each as for jelly roll. press edges together. brush over with yolk of egg mixed with a little cold water and sprinkle with nuts and sugar, and allow to stand in greased pan about minutes. bake in moderate oven from to minutes. parker house rolls cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder to tablespoons shortening - / cups milk sift flour, salt and baking powder together. add melted shortening to milk and add slowly to dry ingredients stirring until smooth. knead lightly on floured board and roll out one-half inch thick. cut with biscuit cutter. crease each circle with back of knife one side of center. butter the small section and fold larger part well over the small. place one inch apart in greased pan. allow to stand minutes in warm place. brush each with melted butter and bake in moderate oven to minutes. rusks - / cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons maple or brown sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon cinnamon tablespoons shortening / to / cup water egg sift together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and spice; add melted shortening to beaten egg and water to make soft dough and mix well. turn out on floured board; with floured hands shape into small rolls; place on greased shallow pan close together; allow to stand to minutes before baking; brush with milk and sprinkle with a little maple or brown sugar. bake in moderate oven to minutes. for hot cross buns, with sharp knife make deep cross cuts; brush with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake. cinnamon buns - / cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons shortening egg / cup water / cup sugar teaspoons cinnamon tablespoons seeded raisins sift tablespoons of measured sugar with flour, salt and baking powder; rub shortening in lightly; add beaten egg to water and add slowly. roll out / inch thick on floured board; brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and raisins. roll as for jelly roll; cut into - / inch pieces; place with cut edges up on well greased pan; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. bake in moderate oven to minutes; remove from pan at once. brown sugar buns cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon shortening / cup milk tablespoon butter cup brown sugar sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add milk slowly to make a soft dough; roll out / inch thick. have butter soft and spread over dough; cover with brown sugar. roll same as jelly roll; cut into -inch pieces; and place with cut edges up on well greased pan. bake in moderate oven about minutes; remove from pan at once. coffee cake cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons shortening cup milk mix and sift dry ingredients; add melted shortening and enough milk to make stiff batter. spread / inch thick in greased pan; add top mixture. bake about minutes in moderate oven. top mixture /$ tablespoons flour tablespoon cinnamon tablespoons sugar tablespoons shortening $/ mix dry ingredients; rub in shortening and spread thickly over top of dough before baking. individual coffee cakes cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening lightly with finger tips; add beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients to make soft dough; divide the dough into six long narrow pieces; with hands roll out on board each piece very long and thin; spread with butter; cut each in two and beginning in center twist two pieces together and bring ends, around to form crescent. put into greased pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts. bake in hot oven to minutes. while hot, brush over with thin icing made with / cup confectioner's sugar moistened with tablespoon hot water. coffee ring cups flour tablespoons sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt / cup milk cup raisins, washed, drained and floured tablespoons shortening egg / cup chopped nuts sift dry ingredients together; add raisins; to milk add melted shortening and beaten egg; mix thoroughly and add to the dry ingredients; add more milk if necessary, to make a soft dough; roll out lightly about / inch thick, divide into two long strips and twist together to form a ring; put into greased pan and sprinkle with a little sugar and nuts; allow to stand about minutes. bake in moderate oven to minutes. biscuits cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup milk or half milk and half water sift together flour, baking powder and salt, add shortening and rub in very lightly; add liquid slowly to make soft dough; roll or pat out on floured board to about one-half inch in thickness handling as little as possible; cut with biscuit cutter. bake in hot oven to minutes. emergency or drop biscuits same as recipe for biscuits with the addition of more milk to make stiff batter. drop by spoonfuls on greased pan and bake in hot oven to minutes. whole wheat raisin biscuits cups whole wheat flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoons shortening cup milk tablespoons cut raisins mix well flour, salt and baking powder, or sift through coarse strainer; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add milk; mix to soft dough, add raisins. drop with tablespoon quite far apart on greased baking tin or in greased muffin tins. bake in moderate oven about minutes. bran biscuits / cup bran - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar / cup water tablespoons shortening mix thoroughly bran, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar; add sufficient water to make soft dough; add melted shortening; roll out lightly to about / inch thick on floured board; cut with biscuit cutter. bake in hot oven to minutes. cheese biscuits - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon shortening tablespoons grated cheese / cup milk sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and cheese; rub in very lightly; add milk slowly, just enough to hold dough together. turn out on floured board and roll about / inch thick; cut with small biscuit cutter. bake in hot oven to minutes. egg biscuits cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar egg tablespoons shortening / cup water sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add well beaten egg and melted shortening to water and add to dry ingredients to make soft dough. roll out on floured board to about / inch thick; cut with biscuit cutter. bake in moderate oven about minutes. muffins, gems, etc. muffins cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoon sugar / teaspoon salt cup milk eggs tablespoon shortening sift together floor, baking powder, sugar and salt; add milk, well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well. half fill greased muffin tins with batter and bake in hot oven to minutes. english muffins cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon sugar - / cups milk sift together dry ingredients. mix in gradually milk to make soft dough. half fill greased muffin rings placed on hot greased griddle or shaped lightly with floured hands into flat round cakes: bake on griddle or frying pan turning until brown and cooked through, about minutes. split and serve hot with butter. blueberry muffins cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup milk eggs tablespoon shortening cup berries sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk slowly, well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well and add berries, which have been carefully picked over and floured. grease muffin tins; drop one spoonful into each. bake about minutes in moderate oven. cereal muffins / cup cooked hominy, oatmeal or other cereal / teaspoon salt - / tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk cup flour / cup corn meal teaspoons dr. price's baking powder mix together cereal, salt, melted shortening, beaten egg and milk. add flour and corn meal which have been sifted with baking powder; beat well. bake in greased muffin tins or shallow pan in hot oven to minutes. corn meal muffins / cup corn meal - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar cup milk tablespoons shortening egg sift together corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk, melted shortening and well-beaten egg; mix well. half fill greased muffin tins with batter and bake about minutes in hot oven. crumb muffins cups stale bread crumbs - / cups milk cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs tablespoon shortening soak bread crumbs in cold milk minutes; add flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; add well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well. half fill greased muffin tins with batter and bake to minutes in hot oven. rice muffins cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup milk egg tablespoon shortening cup cold boiled rice sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk slowly; then well-beaten egg and melted shortening; add rice and mix well. half fill greased muffin tins with batter and bake to minutes in hot oven. date muffins / cup butter egg cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup milk / lb. dates cream butter, add beaten egg, flour in which baking powder and salt have been sifted, and milk. stir in dates which have been pitted and cut into small pieces. bake about minutes in greased gem pans in hot oven. for sweet muffins sift / cup sugar with dry ingredients. popovers cups flour / teaspoon salt eggs cups milk sift together flour and salt. make a well in flour, break eggs into well, add milk and stir from center until all flour is mixed in and until smooth. pour into hot greased gem pans and bake to minutes in very hot oven. if taken out of oven too soon they will fall. graham gems cup flour cup graham flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cup milk egg tablespoons molasses or sugar tablespoons shortening mix together dry ingredients. add milk, beaten egg, molasses and melted shortening. stir until smooth. bake in greased gem pans in hot oven about minutes. green corn gems cups green corn put through food chopper / cup milk or / cup if corn is dry eggs cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper to the corn add milk and well-beaten eggs; add flour, baking powder, salt and pepper which have been sifted together; mix well. drop into hot greased gem pans. bake in hot oven to minutes. scones cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar tablespoons shortening eggs / to / cup milk sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add shortening and rub in very lightly. beat eggs until light; add milk to eggs and add slowly to mixture to make soft dough. roll out / inch thick on floured board; cut into pieces inches square and fold over, making them three-cornered; brush with milk; sprinkle with sugar. bake about minutes in hot oven. currant tea cakes cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup sugar / teaspoon salt cup milk egg tablespoons shortening / cup currants sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; add milk, well-beaten egg and melted shortening; add currants which have been washed, dried and floured and mix well. the batter should be stiff. half fill greased hot muffin tins and bake about minutes in hot oven. fig envelopes cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons shortening / cup milk cup chopped figs egg sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add slowly enough milk to form stiff dough. roll out / inch thick on floured board, handling as little as possible; cut into squares and on each piece put one tablespoon of fig; brush edges of dough with cold milk; fold like envelope and press edges together; brush tops with egg beaten with one tablespoon milk and one teaspoon sugar. bake about minutes in hot oven. sally lunn cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup milk eggs tablespoons shortening sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk, well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well. bake in greased shallow pan in moderate oven about minutes. griddle cakes and waffles eggs add to the richness of griddle cakes, but are not essential. the batter must be thin and the cake not too large when baked. an iron frying pan may be used instead of griddle. in any case grease only enough to keep the cakes from sticking and have very hot before baking. cakes should be turned only once. griddle cakes cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cups milk tablespoons shortening mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk and melted shortening; beat well. bake on slightly greased hot griddle, turning only once. serve immediately with butter and syrup. griddle cakes with eggs - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder eggs - / cups milk tablespoon shortening mix and sift dry ingredients; add beaten eggs, milk and melted shortening; mix well. bake on hot slightly greased griddle and serve immediately with butter and syrup. buckwheat cakes cup flour cups buckwheat flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder - / teaspoons salt - / cups milk or milk and water tablespoon molasses tablespoon shortening sift together flours, baking powder and salt; add liquid, molasses, and melted shortening; beat three minutes. bake on hot greased griddle and serve immediately with butter and syrup. corn meal griddle cakes - / cups corn meal - / cups boiling water / cup milk tablespoon shortening tablespoon molasses / cup flour teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder scald corn meal with boiling water; add milk, melted shortening and molasses; add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together. mix well and bake on hot greased griddle until brown and serve immediately with butter and syrup. rice griddle cakes cup boiled rice cup milk tablespoon shortening teaspoon salt egg cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder mix rice, milk, melted shortening, salt and well-beaten egg; stir in flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. bake on hot greased griddle and serve immediately with butter and syrup. french pancakes cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs tablespoon sugar cups milk / cup cream jam powdered sugar sift together flour, baking powder and salt. beat eggs with sugar and add milk and cream. mix slowly with dry ingredients to prevent lumping. batter should be very thin. heat small frying pan which has been slightly greased. pour in just sufficient batter to cover bottom of pan. cook over hot fire. turn and brown other side. spread with jam or preserves and roll up. sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve hot. makes large pancakes. whole wheat hot cakes cups whole wheat flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt - / cups milk eggs tablespoon shortening teaspoon molasses sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add milk, beaten eggs, melted shortening and molasses and mix well. bake on hot greased griddle and serve immediately with butter and syrup. waffles cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt - / cups milk eggs tablespoon melted shortening sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add milk to yolks of eggs; mix thoroughly and add to dry ingredients; add melted shortening and fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in well greased hot waffle iron until brown. serve immediately with butter and syrup. fritters, doughnuts, and crullers fritters are served as an entree, a vegetable or a sweet, according to the ingredients used. the foundation batter is much the same for all fritters, and, with some additions the first recipe given can be used for many varieties. fritters and doughnuts should be fried in kettle of deep fat, hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds. drain on unglazed paper. sprinkle fruit fritters, doughnuts and crullers with powdered sugar. plain fritter batter cup flour - / teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt egg / cup milk sift dry ingredients together; add beaten egg and milk; beat until smooth. apple fritters large apples tablespoons powdered sugar tablespoon lemon juice peel and core apples and cut into slices; add sugar and lemon juice. dip each slice in plain fritter batter. fry to light brown in deep fat. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar. banana fritters cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoon powdered sugar / teaspoon salt egg / cup milk tablespoon lemon juice bananas mix and sift dry ingredients. add others in order. force bananas through a sieve before adding. beat thoroughly. drop by spoonfuls into hot fat. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar and few drops of lemon juice. bread crumb fritters cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cup fine bread crumbs - / cups milk egg tablespoon butter tablespoon molasses sift together flour, salt and baking powder; add bread crumbs, then the milk slowly; add well-beaten egg, butter, and molasses. fry in deep hot fat. serve hot with powdered sugar and lemon juice or hard sauce. corn fritters / cup milk cups cooked corn - / cups flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoon shortening eggs add milk to corn; add flour sifted with salt, pepper and baking powder; add melted shortening and beaten eggs; beat well. fry by spoonfuls on hot greased griddle or iron frying pan. for corn fritters that are to be fried in deep fat make batter stiffer by adding / cup flour and teaspoon baking powder. clam fritters - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika / cup milk or clam juice eggs - / teaspoons grated onion teaspoon shortening clams sift together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and paprika; add liquid, well-beaten eggs, onion, and melted shortening; rinse clams, put through meat chopper and add to batter. fry on hot greased griddle, taking one spoonful batter for each fritter, or fry in deep hot fat. fruit fritters use fresh fruit coarsely chopped or canned whole fruits drained from syrup. stir into plain fritter batter, and drop by spoonfuls into deep hot fat, turning gently until brown. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot. doughnuts tablespoons shortening / cup sugar egg / cup milk teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon salt cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening; add sugar and well-beaten egg; stir in milk; add nutmeg, salt, flour and baking powder which have been sifted together and enough additional flour to make dough stiff enough to roll. roll out on floured board to about / -inch thick; cut out. fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds. drain on unglazed paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. rich doughnuts eggs tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt / teaspoon grated nutmeg tablespoons melted shortening tablespoons milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder beat eggs until very light; add sugar, salt, nutmeg and shortening; add milk, and flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. drop by teaspoonfuls into deep hot fat and fry until brown. drain well on unglazed paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. crullers tablespoons shortening cup sugar eggs cups flour teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup milk cream shortening; add sugar gradually and beaten eggs; sift together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder; add one-half and mix well; add milk and remainder of dry ingredients to make soft dough. roll out on floured board to about / -inch thick and cut into strips about inches long and / -inch wide; roll in hands and twist each strip and bring ends together. fry in deep hot fat drain and roll in powdered sugar. cake the baking of cake is of primary importance. regulate the oven before putting materials together. when a cake is baked it shrinks from the sides of the pan. a light touch with the finger which leaves no mark is another indication that the cake is baked. small and layer cakes require a hotter oven than loaf cakes. where fewer eggs than called for are used, increase the amount of dr. price's baking powder about one teaspoon for each egg omitted. if an unsalted shortening is used take slightly less and add a small quantity of salt. sift flour before measuring and use level measurements for all materials. plain cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cup milk cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add well-beaten egg and flavoring; sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add to mixture, a little at a time, alternately with milk. bake in greased loaf, layer or patty pans in moderate oven. may also be used for cottage pudding served hot with hard or soft sauce. if baked in layers a middle layer of chocolate can be made by adding oz. melted unsweetened chocolate to one-third of the batter. spanish cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk cream shortening; add sugar and yolks of eggs; beat well; sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon and add alternately with milk; fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with boiled icing page . bride's cake cup shortening cups sugar teaspoon almond or vanilla extract / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr price's baking powder whites of six eggs beat shortening to a cream, adding sugar gradually; add flavoring and beat until smooth. add alternately a little at a time milk and flour which has been sifted three times with baking powder. beat whites of eggs until dry, and add to batter, folding in very lightly without beating. bake in large greased loaf pan in moderate oven about one hour. eggless, milkless, butterless cake cup brown sugar - / cups water cup seeded raisins ounces citron, cut fine / cup shortening teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder boil sugar, water, fruit, shortening, spices and salt together in saucepan minutes; when cool, add flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about minutes. chocolate cake squares grated unsweetened chocolate tablespoons sugar - / tablespoons milk tablespoons shortening cup sugar eggs / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cook slowly together until smooth, chocolate, tablespoons sugar and - / tablespoons milk. cream butter; add sugar and beat well. add yolks of eggs and beat again. stir in chocolate mixture. sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add alternately, a little at a time with the milk to the first mixture. fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with white or chocolate icing page . sunshine cake tablespoons shortening / cup sugar yolks of eggs teaspoon flavoring extract / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening; add sugar gradually, and yolks of eggs which have been beaten until thick; add flavoring; sift together flour and baking powder and add alternately, a little at a time, with the milk to first mixture. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with white icing page . note--this is an excellent cake to make in combination with the following three-egg angel cake. only three eggs are required for both. three-egg angel cake cup sugar - / cups flour / teaspoon cream of tartar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup scalded milk teaspoon almond or vanilla extract whites of eggs method i mix and sift first five ingredients four times. add milk, cooled slightly, very slowly, beating continually; add flavoring; mix well and fold in beaten whites of eggs. turn into ungreased angel cake tin and bake in very slow oven about minutes. remove from oven; invert pan and allow to stand until cold. cover top and sides with either white or chocolate icing page . method ii boil sugar with cold milk until thick and pour very slowly over whites of eggs which have been beaten light with a wire whip. fold in flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together four times. with whip beat mixture with long strokes until very light; add flavoring; put into ungreased angel cake tin in cold oven, turn on heat and bake at very low temperature for minutes. raise temperature slightly and bake minutes longer or until thoroughly baked. remove from oven, invert pan and allow to stand until cold. cover with white or chocolate icing page . angel cake whites of eggs teaspoon cream of tartar / cup granulated sugar / cup flour teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract whip whites of eggs to firm, stiff froth; add cream of tartar; fold sugar in lightly; fold in flour which has been sifted four times with baking powder and salt; add vanilla. pour into ungreased pan and bake to minutes in moderate oven. remove from oven; invert pan and allow to stand until cold. ice with either chocolate or white icing page . pound cake cup butter cup sugar teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon lemon extract eggs cups flour teaspoon dr. price's baking powder reserve two egg whites for icing. cream butter, add sugar slowly, beating well. add flavoring and yolks of eggs which have been beaten until pale yellow. beat three egg whites until light and add alternately a little at a time with the flour which has been sifted with the baking powder. mix well and bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about one hour. cover with ornamental frosting page made with the two remaining egg whites. wedding cake cups shortening cups sugar eggs cups seeded raisins cups currants cup shelled almonds tablespoons chopped orange peel tablespoons chopped lemon peel cups sliced citron cup grape juice cups flour teaspoons cinnamon teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon grated nutmeg / teaspoon ground mace / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon cloves / teaspoon salt cream shortening and sugar together; add beaten yolks of eggs; add raisins and currants, which have been washed and dried and over which a half cup of flour has been sifted; blanch almonds and put through food chopper with lemon and orange peel and add; slice citron very fine and add; stir in grape juice and half of stiffly beaten whites of eggs; sift together flour, baking powder, spices and salt and add; mix well and fold in remainder of beaten whites; pour into two -inch loaf pans which have been greased and lined with four layers of brown paper and bake in moderate oven one hour; then cover with double layer of brown paper, put asbestos plates underneath and continue baking about two hours longer. coffee fruit cake / cup shortening cup light brown sugar eggs / cup strong coffee / cup rich milk or cream - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / lb. raisins, cut into small pieces / lb. slice citron / lb. figs, cut in strips cream shortening; add sugar; add yolks of eggs, coffee and milk; sift together flour and baking powder and add slowly; add fruit, which has been slightly floured, and fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven from one to one and one-half hours. date loaf cake cup boiling water lb. stoned and cut dates / cup brown sugar tablespoons shortening ounce melted chocolate egg teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt - / coups flour / cup chopped pecan nuts pour boiling water over dates. cream sugar and shortening; add melted chocolate and well beaten egg; mix well and add dates and water; sift together baking powder, salt and flour; add gradually with pecan nuts. mix well and put into greased loaf pan and bake in slow oven for one and a half hours. cream loaf cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs teaspoon lemon extract / cup rich milk or thin cream cup flour / cup cornstarch teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening well; add sugar slowly; add beaten yolks of eggs; add flavoring; add milk a very little at a time; sift flour, cornstarch and baking powder together and add; fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes, and cover with frosting page . molasses cake / cup shortening / cup brown sugar egg / cup molasses cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk cream shortening. add sugar slowly, beating continually; add beaten egg; beat well and add molasses; add half of flour, baking powder, salt and spices which have been sifted together; add milk and remainder of dry ingredients. mix well. bake in greased shallow pan in moderate oven about minutes. serve hot with butter. cocoanut cake cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup shortening - / cups sugar / cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract eggs / cup fresh grated cocoanut sift flour and baking powder three times; beat shortening and sugar to a cream; add milk and vanilla, then flour and baking powder, a little at a time; beat until smooth; add eggs one at a time, stirring and beating batter well after each egg is put in. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven one hour. cover with boiled icing page and sprinkle with chopped cocoanut. marble cake white part tablespoons shortening / cup sugar / teaspoon lemon extract / cup milk cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt white of egg cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add flavoring and milk. beat well and add flour which has been sifted with baking powder and salt. mix in beaten white of egg. dark part tablespoons shortening / cup sugar yolk of one egg / cup milk cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cloves / teaspoon allspice teaspoon cinnamon teaspoons cocoa cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add egg yolk and mix well. mix in milk; add flour, baking powder, salt, spices and cocoa which have been sifted together. put this batter by spoonfuls and the same amount of white batter alternately into greased loaf pan but do not mix. bake in moderate oven about minutes. cover with white icing page . marble cake ii make plain cake page , saving out one-third of batter and adding to it - / ounces melted unsweetened chocolate. this chocolate batter is then dropped by spoonfuls into the white batter after it is put into the pan. feather cocoanut cake - / cups flour / cup sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk teaspoon lemon extract / cup fresh grated cocoanut sift flour, sugar and baking powder into bowl. add melted shortening and beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients. mix well, add flavoring and cocoanut and bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. before serving, sprinkle with a little powdered sugar, or if desired, ice with white icing with grated cocoanut sprinkled on top. maple nut cake / cup shortening cup light brown sugar eggs / cup milk - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cup chopped nuts--preferably pecans teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening, add sugar slowly and yolks of eggs and milk and beat well; add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together; add nuts and fold in beaten whites of eggs; add flavoring. bake in well greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with maple icing page and while still soft sprinkle with chopped nuts. chocolate layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar gradually, beating well; add beaten egg, one half the milk and mix well; add one half the flour which has been sifted with salt and baking powder; add remainder of milk, then remainder of flour and flavoring; beat after each addition. bake in greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. put together with chocolate filling and icing cups confectioners' sugar boiling water teaspoon vanilla extract ounces ( squares) unsweetened chocolate / teaspoon grated orange peel to sugar add boiling water very slowly to make a smooth paste; add vanilla, melted chocolate and orange peel. spread between layers and on top of cake. this makes a delicious dessert if baked in two layers, iced, and spread with slightly sweetened whipped cream. coffee spice cake with mocha filling / cup shortening cup sugar eggs / cup strong coffee cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoons mixed spices cream shortening and sugar until light; add well beaten yolks of eggs; add coffee slowly; add half of flour sifted with baking powder, salt and spices; mix and add well beaten whites of eggs; add remainder of flour and mix lightly. pour into two large greased layer cake tins and bake in moderate oven to minutes. spread between layers and cover top with mocha icing and filling tablespoon butter cup confectioners' sugar tablespoon cocoa tablespoons strong coffee / teaspoon salt cream butter and sugar; add cocoa, coffee and salt and stir until smooth. if too dry add more coffee. orange cream layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg cup milk - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon vanilla extract cup sweetened flavored whipped cream cream shortening; add sugar gradually, beating well; add beaten egg, one half the milk, and mix well; add one half the flour, which has been sifted with salt and baking powder; add remainder of milk, then remainder of flour and flavoring; beat after each addition. bake in two greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. spread the whipped cream thickly between the layers. cover top with orange frosting tablespoon cream cup confectioners' sugar pulp and grated rind of orange / teaspoon orange extract tablespoon melted butter to the cream add the sugar slowly. add orange pulp, rind, extract and melted butter. beat until smooth and spread on top of cake. white layer cake / cup shortening cup granulated sugar / cup cold water cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder whites of eggs teaspoon vanilla or almond extract cream shortening and sugar together until very light; add water slowly, almost drop by drop, and beat constantly; stir in flour and baking powder which have been sifted together twice; add flavoring; fold in whites of eggs which have been beaten until stiff and dry, pour into two greased layer cake tins. bake in moderate oven to minutes. put together with fresh strawberry icing page or maple icing page . devil's food cake / cup shortening cup sugar - / ounces chocolate / cup mashed potatoes egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup chopped nuts / teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar, melted chocolate and mashed potatoes; mix well; add yolk of egg, milk, and flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; beat well; add nuts, vanilla and beaten white of egg; mix thoroughly. bake in greased shallow pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with marshmallow icing / cup granulated sugar / cup water or marshmallows white of egg few drops vanilla extract boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; melt marshmallows in syrup; pour slowly over beaten white of egg; add flavoring and spread very thickly over cake. melt ounces unsweetened chocolate with one half teaspoon butter and spread thin coating over icing when cool. cream layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs teaspoon vanilla extract / cup milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cream shortening and sugar together until light; add yolks of eggs and flavoring, and milk slowly; sift flour and salt; add half, then half of stiffly beaten whites of eggs and remainder of flour sifted with baking powder; stir after each addition; fold in remaining whites of eggs. bake in greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. put together with cream filling and cover top and sides with white icing page . cream filling cup milk tablespoons cornstarch / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar egg teaspoon vanilla extract put milk on to scald. mix cornstarch, salt and sugar with a little cold milk; add to well-beaten egg; then add slowly to hot milk. cook about three minutes or until thick and smooth; add flavoring and spread between layers. cocoanut layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar teaspoon vanilla extract egg cup milk cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening, add sugar slowly, add flavoring and well-beaten egg; add milk; mix well; then add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together. bake in three greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. cocoanut filling and icing - / cups granulated sugar / cup water egg whites / teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon lemon juice cup fresh grated cocoanut cook sugar and water over slow fire without stirring until syrup spins a thread; pour slowly over egg whites which have been beaten until stiff; beat until thick enough to spread; add flavoring. spread between layers and on top of cake. while icing is still soft sprinkle thickly with cocoanut. fruit layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg teaspoon vanilla extract cup milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cream shortening well; add sugar; add yolk of egg and vanilla; mix well; add milk, then flour and baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; mix in beaten white of egg. bake in three greased layer tins in quick oven about minutes. put cake together with fruit filling and cover with white icing page . fruit filling / cup fruit jelly cup water / cup chopped raisins / lb. chopped figs / cup sugar tablespoons cornstarch / cup chopped blanched almonds or walnuts juice of / lemon cook jelly with water, fruit and sugar; add cornstarch which has been mixed with a little cold water. cook slowly until thick, remove from fire; add nuts and lemon juice. cool and spread between layers of cake. lady baltimore cake / cup shortening cup sugar whites of eggs / cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract or / teaspoon almond extract - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening; add sugar and unbeaten white of one egg; add the milk very slowly, beating between each addition; add flavoring; add the flour which has been sifted with the baking powder; lastly fold in the beaten whites of eggs. bake in square or round greased layer tins in hot oven about minutes. use the following filling and cover the top and sides of cake with white icing page . filling - / cups sugar / cup water whites of eggs / cup chopped seeded raisins / cup chopped figs cup blanched almonds or pecan nuts boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread. pour syrup slowly over beaten eggs. mix in fruit and nuts. spread between layers of cake. butterscotch layer cake / cup butter cup sugar eggs / cup milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening well, add sugar slowly and the yolks of eggs, beating well. add milk, a very little at a time. sift flour, baking powder and salt together and mix in with the first ingredients. add flavoring and fold in the beaten whites of eggs. bake in two greased layer tins in moderate oven about minutes. put butterscotch filling page between layers and on top of cake. sponge cake eggs cup granulated sugar rind of half a lemon tablespoons lemon juice cup flour teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt beat egg yolks with wire whip until thick; add gradually sugar which has been sifted, then grated lemon rind, lemon juice and / beaten whites; mix well; carefully fold in flour which has been sifted with baking powder and salt; mix in remainder of egg whites. bake in ungreased tube pan in moderate oven to minutes. when cake shrinks from pan remove from oven and turn upside down on cake cooler. it will gradually come out of pan. sponge cake ii cup sugar cup water eggs cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup cold water teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring boil sugar and water until syrup spins a thread; add slowly to stiffly beaten whites of eggs, beating until mixture is cold; sift together three times, flour, salt and baking powder; beat yolks of eggs until thick; add a little at a time, flour mixture and egg yolks, alternately to white of egg mixture; stirring after each addition; add one-eighth cup cold water and flavoring; mix lightly. bake in ungreased tube pan in moderate oven about one hour or shallow tin about thirty-five minutes. milk sponge cake eggs cup sugar tablespoons hot milk teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract cup flour / teaspoon salt - / teaspoons dr. price's baking powder beat yolks of eggs until thick; add half of sugar slowly, beating continually; add hot milk, remainder of sugar and whites of eggs beaten until stiff; add flavoring; add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together. bake in ungreased tube pan in moderate oven about minutes. cake icings and fillings boiled icing cup granulated sugar / cup water / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder white of egg / teaspoon flavoring extract boil sugar and water until syrup spins a thread; pour very slowly into stiffly beaten white of egg and beat until smooth; add baking powder and flavoring and mix well. allow to stand about ten minutes and spread on cake. frosting unbeaten egg white - / cups confectioners' sugar teaspoon vanilla extract put egg white into shallow dish; add sugar gradually beating with wire whip until of right consistency to spread; add vanilla and spread on cake. ornamental frosting - / cups granulated sugar / cup water egg whites teaspoon flavoring extract teaspoon dr. price's baking powder boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; add very slowly to beaten whites of eggs; add flavoring and baking powder and beat until smooth and stiff enough to spread. put over boiling water, stirring continually until the icing grates slightly on bottom of bowl. spread on cake saving a small portion of the icing to ornament the edge of cake. this can be forced through a pastry tube, or through a cornucopia, made from ordinary white letter paper. white or colored icing / teaspoon butter tablespoons hot milk - / cups confectioners' sugar / teaspoon vanilla extract / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder add butter to hot milk; add sugar slowly to make right consistency to spread; add baking powder and vanilla. spread on top and sides of cake. if pink icing is desired add one tablespoon strawberry or other fruit juice. for yellow icing add one teaspoon egg yolk and flavor with orange rind and one teaspoon lemon juice. seven-minute icing unbeaten egg white tablespoons cold water / cup granulated sugar place all ingredients in top of double boiler. place over boiling water and beat with dover beater for seven minutes; add teaspoon vanilla extract and spread on top and sides of cake. for chocolate icing use above, adding - / ounces melted unsweetened chocolate or - / tablespoons cocoa after removing from fire. for coffee icing use tablespoons cold boiled coffee in place of water. chocolate filling and icing whites of eggs cups confectioners' sugar / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder - / tablespoons milk teaspoon vanilla extract ounces chocolate teaspoon butter beat whites until stiff; add sugar and baking powder slowly, beating continually; add milk, vanilla and chocolate which has been melted with butter; mix until smooth. spread on cake. old-fashioned chocolate filling ounces melted chocolate tablespoons cream egg / cup powdered sugar tablespoon cornstarch / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract add melted chocolate and cream to beaten egg; mix in powdered sugar gradually; add cornstarch which has been mixed with a little cold water; cook in top of double boiler, stirring constantly until smooth and thick; add salt and vanilla. spread between layers of cake. marshmallow filling or icing - / cups sugar / teaspoon salt / cup water / cup marshmallows whites of eggs / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder mix sugar, salt and water; add marshmallows and boil without stirring until syrup spins a thread; then add slowly to beaten egg whites; add baking powder and beat until firm enough to spread. maple icing. i / teaspoon butter, tablespoons hot milk - / cups confectioners' sugar / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon maple flavoring add butter to hot milk; add sugar slowly to make paste of the right consistency to spread; add baking powder and flavoring and spread on top and sides of cake. maple icing. ii cup maple syrup whites of eggs boil syrup without stirring until it spins a thread; add very slowly to stiffly beaten whites of eggs; beat well with wire whip, preferably on a platter until stiff enough to spread. fruit filling cups granulated sugar / cup boiling water whites of eggs / cup chopped nuts cup mixed figs, raisins, citron, cherries and pineapple, cut fine boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; beat whites until dry; add syrup gradually, beating constantly; when cool add nuts and fruit. spread between layers and on top of cake. orange icing rind of orange teaspoons lemon juice cup confectioners' or powdered sugar white of egg grate orange rind and allow gratings to soak for some time in lemon juice; stir juice, sugar and egg together and beat thoroughly. spread on warm cake. jelly meringue white of egg / cup currant or other jelly put unbeaten egg white and jelly together into bowl and beat with egg beater or wire whip until stiff. spread between layers or on top of cake. sea foam icing cup brown sugar / cup water white of egg teaspoon dr. price's baking powder boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; add hot syrup slowly to beaten egg white, beating continually, preferably on platter with wire whip. add baking powder, when icing foams put between layers and on top of cake. cocoa icing cup confectioners' sugar tablespoons cocoa white of egg teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon melted butter tablespoon cream add sugar and cocoa slowly to beaten egg white. then add vanilla, melted butter and cream to make soft enough to spread on cake. fresh strawberry icing crush ten strawberries with a little sugar and a few drops lemon juice and let stand until juicy; then mix in gradually three cups of confectioners' sugar or sufficient to spread easily. put between layers and on top of cake. brown sugar icing and filling cups brown sugar cup milk tablespoon butter teaspoon vanilla extract cook sugar, milk and butter together until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water; add vanilla. beat until thick and spread on cake. butterscotch icing and filling (without sugar) cups light syrup / cup butter / cup milk boil syrup, butter and milk together until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. cool slightly without stirring and pour while warm on cake. chopped nuts may be added while icing is still soft. cookies and small cakes cocoa drop cakes tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup cocoa / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar and beaten egg; beat well and add milk slowly; sift flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt into mixture; stir until smooth; add vanilla. half fill greased muffin tins with batter and bake in moderate oven about minutes. cover with boiled icing page . or bake in shallow pan; cool, and before removing cut across diagonally to make diamond-shaped pieces; cover with icing. raisin drop cakes tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cup raisins teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar; add beaten egg and milk slowly; add flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; add raisins which have been washed, drained and floured slightly; add flavoring; mix well. put a small amount of mixture into greased individual cake tins and bake in hot oven to minutes. sprinkle with powdered sugar, or cover with icing. orange cakes tablespoons shortening cup sugar / cup milk egg cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon orange extract grated rind of orange cream shortening; add sugar slowly beating well; add milk a little at a time; then add beaten egg; sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to mixture; add flavoring and orange rind; mix well. bake in greased shallow tin, or individual cake tins, in hot oven to minutes. when cool cover with orange icing page . molasses cakes cup molasses / cup sugar / cup melted shortening / cup boiling water cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon salt / teaspoon soda teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cloves cup stale bread crumbs mix molasses, sugar, shortening and boiling water together; add flour, baking powder, salt, soda and spices which have been sifted together; add bread crumbs; mix well. drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet and bake in moderate oven to minutes. small fancy cakes. i / cup shortening cup granulated or powdered sugar yolks of eggs / cup milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening, add sugar slowly and beat well; add beaten egg yolks; add milk a little at a time and flour which has been sifted with baking powder; divide batter in half and add to one-half one teaspoon lemon juice and the grated rind of half a lemon; to the other half of batter add two ounces unsweetened melted chocolate, one teaspoon vanilla. bake in shallow greased pan or in very small individual tins in hot oven about minutes. if a large pan in used, when cool cut cakes into fancy shapes. cakes should be less than an inch thick when baked. spread with colored or marshmallow icing page . small fancy cakes. ii / cup shortening cup granulated sugar / cup water teaspoon vanilla extract cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder whites of eggs cream shortening and sugar together until very light; add water very slowly beating constantly; add flavoring; stir in the flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together twice; mix in beaten egg whites. put about a teaspoonful of batter into each small individual cake tin and bake in hot oven to minutes, or bake in shallow pan and cut as in above recipe or diagonally across making small diamond shaped pieces. spread with any icing desired. spice cakes / cup shortening cup brown sugar egg - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon cloves / cup milk cup chopped raisins cream shortening, add sugar and beaten egg; add flour, baking powder and spices which have been sifted together; add milk and mix well; mix in raisins which have been slightly floured. bake in small greased tins in moderate oven about minutes. honey drop cakes / cup shortening / cup sugar / cup honey egg / tablespoon lemon juice - / cups flour - / teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening and add sugar slowly; add honey, beaten egg yolk and lemon juice; mix well and add flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; fold in beaten egg white. put into greased individual tins or drop from tip of spoon on greased baking sheet and bake in hot oven to minutes. cookies / cup shortening cups sugar eggs / teaspoon grated nutmeg teaspoon vanilla extract or grated rind of lemon cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening and sugar together; add milk to beaten eggs and beat again; add slowly to creamed shortening and sugar; add nutmeg and flavoring; add cups flour sifted with baking powder; add enough more flour to make stiff dough. roll out very thin on floured board; cut with cookie cutter; sprinkle with sugar; put a raisin or a piece of walnut in the center of each. bake about minutes in hot oven. cocoa cookies tablespoons shortening cup sugar / cup milk egg cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup cocoa cream shortening and sugar together; add milk and beaten egg; mix well; sift flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt together and add. roll out / -inch thick on floured board; cut with cookie cutter. bake in hot oven about minutes. filled cookies / cup shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cream shortening; add sugar, beaten egg, milk and vanilla; add flour, salt and baking powder, which have been sifted together. roll out thin on slightly floured board and cut with cookie cutter. place one teaspoonful of filling on each cookie, cover with another cookie, press edges together. bake in moderate oven to minutes. filling teaspoons flour / cup sugar / cup water / cup chopped raisins / cup chopped figs mix flour and sugar together; add water and fruit. cook until thick, being very careful not to burn. marshmallow cookies follow recipe for cookies. roll slightly thicker. after removing from oven, cover with marshmallow icing page . nut bars / cup shortening - / cups sugar eggs tablespoons milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup blanched almonds reserve egg yolk for top. cream shortening and sugar together; add slowly beaten yolk and whites of two eggs and three tablespoons milk; mix well together. sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add, mixing well. roll half dough at a time / -inch thick on floured board; cut into bars by inches. brush with yolk of remaining egg mixed with one tablespoon milk and sprinkle with chopped nuts. bake in moderate oven about minutes. cocoanut cookies / cup shortening / cup sugar egg / teaspoon lemon juice or extract / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cups fresh grated cocoanut cream shortening; add sugar, beaten egg and lemon juice; mix in milk slowly; add flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; add cocoanut. the batter should be quite stiff. drop by small spoonfuls on greased pan. do not smooth over, but allow space for spreading. bake in moderate oven to minutes. fudge squares tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg ounces unsweetened chocolate / teaspoon vanilla extract / cup milk cup flour teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / cup nut meats chopped--not too fine melt shortening; add sugar and unbeaten egg; mix well; add chocolate which has been melted; vanilla and milk; add flour which has been sifted with the baking powder; add nut meats and mix well. spread very thinly on greased shallow cake pan, and bake in slow oven from to minutes. cut into -inch squares while still warm and before removing from pan. oatmeal macaroons eggs cup sugar tablespoon melted shortening / teaspoon salt - / cups rolled oats teaspoons dr. price's baking powder teaspoon vanilla extract beat egg yolks and whites separately; cream sugar with shortening; add egg yolks, salt and rolled oats; add baking powder, egg whites and vanilla; mix thoroughly. drop on greased tins about half teaspoon to each macaroon allowing space for spreading. bake about ten minutes in moderate oven. hermits tablespoons shortening cup brown sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon cloves teaspoon allspice teaspoon cinnamon cup seeded raisins tablespoons cut citron cream shortening, add sugar and beaten egg; mix well; add milk very slowly; sift flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and add slowly; chop fruit; dredge with flour and add. drop from spoon on greased tins and bake in moderate oven minutes. fruit shortcakes although strawberries are more commonly used, other fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, peaches, bananas, and oranges, and even stewed, dried or canned fruits can be substituted and make delicious shortcakes. old-fashioned shortcake cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons sugar tablespoons shortening / cup milk quart berries sift dry ingredients; cut in shortening; add milk to make soft dough; smooth out lightly. bake in greased deep layer cake tin in hot oven to minutes. split while hot and spread between layers with crushed and sweetened berries or other fruit. strawberry shortcake cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons sugar tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk sift dry ingredients, cut in shortening; add beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients to make soft dough. divide dough in half. take one half, pat out lightly and put into greased deep layer tin; spread with butter; cover with other half of dough which has also been patted out to fit pan. bake in hot oven to minutes. split while hot and spread crushed and sweetened berries and whipped cream between layers; cover top with whipped cream and whole berries. dust with powdered sugar and serve. strawberry cake cup sugar tablespoons shortening egg cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract / pint heavy cream quart strawberries cream sugar and shortening together; add beaten egg; add part of flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together, then part of milk; mix well and add remainder of flour; mix in remainder of milk and flavoring. bake in shallow greased pan in moderate oven to minutes. when cold split in half and spread whipped cream and crushed sweetened strawberries between layers. cover top with whipped cream and whole strawberries. puddings and other desserts baked custard eggs / cup sugar / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract quart milk beat eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla together; scald milk and add very slowly, stirring constantly. put into greased baking dish or small molds; place in pan of water in slow oven and bake to minutes. test with knife which will come out clean when custard is baked. for caramel custard add to eggs tablespoons caramel sauce page . rice pudding cup rice - / quarts milk teaspoon salt cup sugar grated orange rind cup seeded raisins wash rice with several waters; put into pudding dish; add milk, salt, sugar, orange rind and bake in slow oven about - / hours or until thick, stirring several times during baking; add raisins, and bake minutes longer. cottage pudding cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup sugar / teaspoon salt / cup milk egg tablespoons shortening sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; add milk, beaten egg and melted shortening; beat minutes. pour into greased shallow pan and bake in hot oven about minutes. serve with lemon, chocolate or other sauce. suet pudding / cup chopped suet / cup seeded raisins / cup currants - / cups grated bread cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup brown sugar cups milk mix ingredients in order given; beat well. put into greased mold; place in covered saucepan with boiling water half way up sides of mold. steam hours. turn out carefully. serve with hard or other sauce page . tapioca pudding / cup pearl tapioca or tablespoons minute tapioca quart milk teaspoon melted butter tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt eggs teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract soak tapioca in cold water one hour; drain; add milk and butter, and cook in double boiler until tapioca is transparent. add sugar and salt to beaten eggs and combine by pouring hot mixture slowly on eggs. return to double boiler and cook just until it thickens. add flavoring and serve hot or cold with cream. apple cake - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup milk or apples / cup sugar teaspoon cinnamon sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add milk slowly to make soft dough and mix. place on floured board and roll out / -inch thick. put into shallow greased pan. wash, pare, core and cut apples into sections; press them into dough, sprinkle with sugar and dust with cinnamon. bake in moderate oven minutes or until apples are tender and brown. serve warm with milk or cream. apple dumplings cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup milk apples tablespoons sugar teaspoons butter sift together flour, baking powder and salt; rub shortening in lightly; add just enough milk to make soft dough. roll out / -inch thick on floured board; divide into four parts; lay on each part an apple which has been washed, pared, cored and sliced; add one teaspoon sugar and / teaspoon butter to each; wet edges of dough with cold water and fold around apple pressing tightly together. place in greased pan. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and put little butter on each dumpling. bake minutes in moderate oven. serve with hard sauce page . peach dumplings may be made in the same way. apple roll medium sized apples - / cups sugar cups water peel, core and chop apples fine. cook sugar and water in baking pan over slow fire. while cooking make rich biscuit dough (see strawberry shortcake page ). roll out about / inch thick, spread with apples and roll into a long roll; cut into pieces about / or inches long; place with cut side down in hot syrup, put small piece of butter on top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. bake in hot oven until apples are done and crust golden brown. turn out on platter; add syrup and serve with plain or whipped cream. peaches or other fruit may be used in place of apples. meringues whites of eggs - / cups granulated sugar teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon vanilla extract beat whites of eggs until stiff and dry; add gradually two-thirds of sugar and continue beating until mixture holds shape; fold in remaining sugar sifted with baking powder; add vanilla. drop by spoonfuls on unglazed paper and bake in slow oven minutes. remove any soft part from center of meringues and return to oven to dry out after turning off heat. use two meringues for each serving and put together with sweetened whipped cream and crushed raspberries or strawberries or ice cream. banana cake with jelly sauce cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt / cup milk egg bananas sift flour, baking powder, sugar and salt into bowl; add milk and beaten eggs; mix well. peel and scrape the bananas; cut in halves, lengthwise, then across. pour batter into greased shallow pan, place bananas on top and sprinkle with sugar. bake in moderate oven minutes. serve hot with jelly sauce. jelly sauce cup water tablespoons jelly tablespoon sugar teaspoon cornstarch put water into saucepan; bring to a boil; add jelly and sugar; stir until dissolved; add cornstarch mixed with a little cold water; boil minutes. charlotte russe pint cream / cup powdered sugar teaspoon vanilla extract mix ingredients. have very cold and whip to stiff froth. line dish with sponge cake or lady fingers; fill with whipped cream and serve cold. boston cream pie eggs cup flour - / teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup sugar / teaspoon salt / cup boiling milk / teaspoon vanilla extract add beaten egg yolks to stiffly beaten whites and gradually add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt which have been sifted together four times; add hot milk very slowly; add vanilla. bake in deep layer cake tin in moderate oven about minutes. when cool, split and put between layers the following cream filling. sprinkle cake with powdered sugar. cream filling / cup sugar tablespoons cornstarch / teaspoon salt eggs cup scalded milk teaspoon butter / teaspoon vanilla extract mix sugar, cornstarch, salt and beaten eggs; add gradually scalded milk; add butter; cook in double boiler until thick and smooth, stirring constantly; add flavoring; cool and put between layers of cake. chocolate blanc mange tablespoons cornstarch / cup sugar / teaspoon salt quart milk ounces unsweetened chocolate or tablespoons cocoa teaspoon vanilla extract mix cornstarch, sugar and salt and cocoa if used together with a little of the cold milk. put remainder of milk on to scald with chocolate which has been cut into small pieces. as soon as chocolate is dissolved, stir in the cornstarch mixture. cook until thick and smooth--stirring constantly. set over hot water and cook about twenty minutes longer. add flavoring; pour into mold which has been wet in cold water. chill and serve cold with sweetened whipped cream. floating island quart milk eggs tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt / cup currant jelly teaspoons vanilla or almond extract scald milk; beat egg yolks; stir in sugar and salt; add hot milk gradually, mixing well. cook slowly until mixture begins to thicken, stirring continually. cool, flavor and put into dish. put on top meringue of whites whipped until dry, and into which jelly has been beaten, a teaspoon at a time, or drop meringue by spoonfuls on top of custard and put small pieces of jelly in center of each. chill and serve. huckleberry float cup berries tablespoons sugar cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon shortening / cup milk pick over and wash berries; put into small saucepan with half cup of water, and bring quickly to boil; add sugar and boil minutes. sift together flour, baking powder and salt; mix in shortening very lightly; add milk slowly. take a teaspoonful at a time in floured hands and roll into balls. place on floured pie tin; bake about minutes in hot oven. while warm break in half; butter each biscuit; put into dish and pour berries over. serve hot with hard sauce. blueberry cake tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cups floured blueberries cream shortening; add sugar, beaten egg and milk; sift flour and baking powder and add; stir in blueberries. bake in shallow greased pan in moderate oven to minutes. serve hot with or without butter. prune puff eggs / cup powdered sugar cup cooked prunes whip egg whites to stiff froth; add sugar slowly, beating continually; add prunes which have been stoned and chopped; whip until very light. bake in pudding dish in moderate oven about minutes. serve cold with whipped cream or soft custard made from yolks of eggs (see recipe for floating island). lemon jelly cup sugar - / cups water tablespoon granulated gelatine / cup lemon juice boil sugar and water two or three minutes; add gelatine which has been soaked in two tablespoons cold water, stirring constantly; add lemon juice. chill in mold which has been dipped in cold water and serve. fruit may be molded in the jelly by chilling part of mixture, adding fruit, then jelly; chilling and so on until mold is filled. steamed fig or date pudding / cup shortening cup sugar egg cup milk cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract - / cups chopped figs or dates cream shortening; add sugar slowly and beaten egg; add milk; mix well; add flour, baking powder and salt, which have been sifted together; add flavoring and fruit. pour into greased pudding mold and steam for two hours. serve with foamy sauce. cream puffs cup boiling water / cup shortening cup flour / teaspoon salt eggs teaspoons dr. price's baking powder heat water and shortening in sauce pan until it boils up well; add all at once flour sifted with salt and stir vigorously. remove from fire as soon as mixed, cool, and mix in unbeaten eggs, one at a time; add baking powder; mix and drop by spoonfuls - / inches apart on greased tin shaping into circular form with spoon but keeping mixture higher in center. bake about minutes in hot oven. cut with sharp knife near base to admit filling. cream filling cup sugar / cup cornstarch / teaspoon salt egg cups scalded milk teaspoon vanilla extract mix dry ingredients; add slightly beaten egg and stir into this gradually the scalded milk. cook about minutes in double boiler, stirring constantly until thickened. cool slightly and flavor. sweetened whipped cream may be used instead of this filling. jelly roll cup sugar - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs tablespoons hot water currant or other jelly mix and sift dry ingredients; stir in beaten eggs; add hot water slowly; beat until smooth; pour into large well greased pan. batter should be spread very thin and not more than / inch thick when baked. bake in moderate oven about to minutes. turn out on sheet of brown paper; beat jelly with fork and spread on cake. with sharp knife trim off all crusty edges and roll up while still warm by lifting one side of paper. to keep roll perfectly round, wrap in slightly damp cloth until cool. sprinkle with powdered sugar. christmas plum pudding cups ground suet cups bread crumbs cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder cups sugar cups seeded raisins cups currants cup finely cut citron cup finely cut figs tablespoon finely cut orange peel tablespoon finely cut lemon peel teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground ginger / teaspoon ground cloves / teaspoon ground nutmeg / teaspoon ground mace tablespoon salt cup water or prune juice cup grape or other fruit juice mix thoroughly all dry ingredients and add fruit; stir in water and fruit juice and mix thoroughly. add more water if necessary to make stiff dough. fill greased molds / full, and steam five or six hours. this pudding should be prepared and cooked a week or more before used. before serving steam one hour and serve with hard, lemon or foamy sauce. pudding sauces hard sauce / cup butter cup powdered sugar / teaspoon flavoring extract cream butter until very light; add sugar very slowly, beating until light and creamy. add flavoring and beat again. foamy sauce tablespoons butter cup powdered sugar eggs tablespoons boiling water teaspoon vanilla extract cream butter; add sugar slowly, beating continually; beat egg yolks until thick and add gradually; beat well; add stiffly beaten egg whites, flavoring and water. before serving heat over boiling water five minutes, stirring constantly. chocolate sauce - / cups water / cup sugar / tablespoon cornstarch squares chocolate or tablespoons cocoa / cup cold water / teaspoon salt tablespoon butter / teaspoon vanilla extract boil water and sugar minutes. mix grated chocolate or cocoa with cornstarch and cold water. add to first mixture and boil minutes. add salt, butter, and vanilla and serve hot. maple sauce cup sugar cup water teaspoon cornstarch tablespoon lemon juice tablespoon maple flavoring heat half the sugar in frying pan; stir continually; when brown add water and boil; add remainder of sugar, cornstarch mixed with a little cold water, lemon juice and maple flavoring; boil minutes; serve hot. fruit sauce / cup butter cup powdered sugar cup fresh strawberries, raspberries or canned fruit drained from syrup white of egg cream butter; add sugar gradually; add egg beaten until stiff and beat well; add fruit which has been carefully prepared and mashed. beat until creamy. caramel sauce cups granulated sugar cups boiling water melt sugar in saucepan and heat slowly, stirring constantly until golden brown; add boiling water. cook three minutes. lemon or orange sauce cup water tablespoons sugar teaspoon cornstarch tablespoons lemon or orange juice boil water, sugar and cornstarch mixed with little cold water. boil minutes and add fruit juice and tablespoon caramel if dark color is desired. pastry a small amount of dr. price's baking powder will make pastry lighter, more tender and more digestible. pastry should rise in baking to double its thickness, and be in light, flaky, tender layers. the novice must learn to handle it lightly and as little as possible in rolling and turning. all materials should be cold and pastry is improved if put into the icebox as soon as made and allowed to stand several hours before using. pastry flour is better than bread flour for pie crust. plain pastry this recipe is for one large pie with top and bottom crust. cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup shortening cold water sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly with tips of fingers. add cold water very slowly, enough to hold dough together (do not work or knead dough). divide in halves; roll out one part very thin on floured board, and use for bottom crust. after pie is filled roll out other part for top. place loosely over pie, bringing pastry well over edge of pie plate. trim off extra paste. press edges of pastry with fork. prick or cut two or three slashes in top of pie crust and bake in hot oven. rich pastry cups pastry flour / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup shortening cold water sift flour, baking powder and salt; add half the shortening and rub in lightly with fingers; add water slowly until of right consistency to roll out. divide in halves; roll out one half very thin; put on in small pieces half remaining shortening; fold upper and lower edges in to center; fold sides in to center; fold sides to center again; roll out thin and put on pie plate. repeat with other half for top crust. apple pie - / cups flour - / teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup shortening cold water apples or quart sliced apples tablespoons sugar tablespoon butter sift flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add just enough cold water to hold dough together. roll half out on floured board, line bottom of pie plate; fill in apples, which have been washed, pared and cut into thin slices; sprinkle with sugar and dot with small pieces of butter; flavor with cinnamon or nutmeg; wet edges of crust with cold water; roll out remainder of pastry; cover pie, pressing edges tightly together. trim off extra paste. prick top of crust with fork or knife and bake in moderate oven minutes. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot. pumpkin pie cups stewed and strained pumpkin cups rich milk or cream / cup brown or granulated sugar eggs / teaspoon ginger / teaspoon salt teaspoon cinnamon mix pumpkin with milk, sugar, beaten eggs, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and beat minutes. pour into pie tin which has been lined with pastry. place in hot oven for fifteen minutes, then reduce heat and bake minutes in moderate oven. lemon meringue pie cups water tablespoons cornstarch tablespoons flour cup sugar eggs tablespoons lemon juice teaspoon grated lemon rind teaspoon salt line pie plate loosely with pastry and bake about minutes or until very light brown. put water on to boil; mix cornstarch, flour and sugar with / cup cold water until smooth; separate eggs; add egg yolks; mix well and add slowly to boiling water. cook minutes, stirring constantly; add lemon juice, rind and salt. pour into baked crust. beat egg whites; add tablespoons sugar and spread thickly over top of pie. dust with sugar and brown slightly in slow oven. strawberry pie cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / cup cold water tablespoons shortening quart strawberries sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with finger tips; add water slowly, just enough to make a stiff dough. roll out on floured board and use for bottom crust of pie, being careful to fold the paste well over the edge of pie plate. bake in hot oven to minutes. if glazed crust is desired, brush edges after baking with boiling hot syrup ( tablespoons syrup and one tablespoon water) and return to oven for one or two minutes until syrup hardens. fill the baked crust with fresh selected hulled strawberries and cover with syrup made as follows: add / cup sugar and / cup strawberries to cups boiling water; bring to a boil and strain; add one tablespoon cornstarch which has been mixed with little cold water. cook over hot fire for a minute or two, stirring constantly; remove from fire and beat hard; return to slow fire, cook very gently until thick. pour while hot over strawberries. serve either hot or cold. custard pie eggs / cup sugar teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract cups scalded milk beat eggs; add sugar, salt and milk slowly; add vanilla. line pie plate with pastry page , pour in custard. bake in moderate oven to minutes or until custard is baked. cocoanut pie is made the same way, adding one cup fresh grated cocoanut and using only two eggs. bake as above. mince pie mince pie should always be made with two crusts. line pie plate with pastry page , fill with mince meat, cover with pastry and bake in hot oven minutes. mince meat lbs. fresh lean beef, boiled and chopped fine when cold lb. suet, chopped very fine lbs. chopped apples lb. seeded raisins lbs. currants / lb. sliced citron - / teaspoons cinnamon grated nutmeg tablespoons ground mace tablespoon ground cloves tablespoon allspice tablespoon fine salt - / lbs. brown sugar qt. sherry or boiled cider pt. brandy or grape juice mix all ingredients thoroughly. pack in jars. store in cold, dry place. allow to stand hours before using. rhubarb pie cups cut rhubarb cup sugar tablespoon cornstarch / teaspoon salt cut off root, stem ends and peel; cut into small pieces; put into deep pie plate which has been lined with pastry; sprinkle with cornstarch, salt and sugar which have been mixed together. cover with pastry; prick top of crust and bake about one-half hour in moderate oven. berry pies cups blueberries, huckleberries, or blackberries teaspoon flour / teaspoon salt / cup sugar teaspoon butter line pie plate with plain pastry; fill heaping with berries; sprinkle with flour, salt and sugar mixed together; dot with small pieces of butter; cover with crust or strips of pastry across top. bake about minutes in moderate oven. other fruit pies can be made in same way. cherry tarts - / cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup cold water quart pitted cherries sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with fingertips; add water slowly, just enough to make stiff dough; roll out very thin on floured board; line patty pans with pastry; being very careful to have pastry come well over the edges of pans. bake in hot oven about or minutes; fill with cherries which have been washed and picked over. cover with syrup made as for strawberry pie above, using / cup cherries instead of strawberries. other fruit can be used in place of cherries. frozen desserts how to freeze scald ice cream can, cover and dasher, adjust can in freezer; put in dasher; pour in mixture to be frozen and fasten cover (the can should never be more than / full); adjust crank and turn once or twice. fill space around can to within an inch of top with ice and salt (three parts crushed ice to one part salt), packing hard. turn slowly at first, increasing speed when mixture begins to stiffen. add more ice and salt as required. when mixture is very firm, wipe off cover, open can and remove dasher; scrape frozen mixture from dasher and sides of can, and pack down solidly; cover with paper and replace cover. put cork in opening in cover. pour off salt water if there is danger of its getting into the can. fill up over top of can with ice and salt (four parts ice to one part salt). cover freezer with heavy blanket and keep in cool place until ready to serve. philadelphia ice cream quart cream cup sugar tablespoon vanilla extract scald cup of cream; add sugar and stir until dissolved. cool and add remainder of cream and vanilla. freeze as above. strawberry ice cream add to philadelphia ice cream before freezing one quart of berries which have been washed, hulled, crushed and slightly sweetened. chocolate ice cream melt ounces unsweetened chocolate with half pint cream and proceed as for philadelphia ice cream. french ice cream cup milk yolks of eggs cup sugar / teaspoon salt tablespoon vanilla extract quart cream scald milk and add slowly to beaten egg yolks; add sugar, salt, vanilla and cream which has been whipped. freeze as above. coffee ice cream add one cup coffee to either french or philadelphia ice cream. frozen pudding cups milk tablespoon cornstarch eggs cup sugar / teaspoon salt cup chopped mixed fruit scald milk in double boiler. mix cornstarch with little cold milk; add beaten eggs, sugar and salt; mix well and add slowly to scalded milk, stirring until it thickens. cool and add fruit, which has been put through food chopper. the fruit is a matter of taste. it may be tablespoons raisins, tablespoon citron, tablespoon cherries, tablespoon blanched almonds, tablespoon candied pineapple and a few currants. freeze, but not too stiff; put into mold and pack in ice and salt. grape sherbet pint grape juice cup sugar quart milk warm grape juice, and in it dissolve sugar; mix thoroughly with ice cold milk; freeze at once. this makes a lilac colored sherbet. lemon sherbet juice of lemons - / cups sugar quart milk mix juice and sugar, stirring constantly while slowly adding very cold milk. if added too rapidly, mixture will curdle. however, this does not affect quality. freeze and serve. orange water ice juice of oranges teaspoons orange extract quart water juice of lemon cups powdered sugar / cup cream mix all ingredients together; strain and freeze. strawberry mousse quart strawberries cup sugar / box or tablespoon granulated gelatine tablespoons cold water tablespoons boiling water quart cream wash and hull berries, sprinkle with sugar and let stand one hour; mash and rub through fine sieve; add gelatine which has been soaked in cold water and dissolved in boiling water. set in pan of ice water and stir until it begins to thicken; fold in whipped cream. put into mold, cover, pack in salt and ice, part salt to parts ice; let stand hours. raspberries, peaches, shredded pineapple, or other fruit can be substituted for strawberries. soups the basis of all good soups is the stock or liquid in which bones, cooked or uncooked meat or vegetables have been boiled. the proportions for soup stock are generally one pound meat and bone to one quart water. the meat should be cut into small pieces and put into kettle with bones, covered with cold water and cooked slowly for several hours. gravies and browned pieces of meat are often added to the soup kettle for color and flavoring. the stock should be strained, quickly cooled and all fat removed. cream soups are made with a cream sauce foundation to which is added strained pulp of vegetables or fish. brown soup stock lbs. shin of beef to quarts cold water bay leaf cloves tablespoon mixed herbs sprigs parsley / cup carrot / cup turnip / cup celery / cup onion wipe beef and cut lean meat into cubes; brown one-third in hot frying pan; put remaining two-thirds with bone and fat into soup kettle; add water and let stand minutes. place on back of range; add browned meat and heat gradually to boiling point. cover and cook slowly six hours; add vegetables and seasoning one hour before it is finished. strain and put away to cool. remove all fat; reheat and serve. bean soup cups beans tablespoons finely cut onion tablespoons finely cut bacon teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoons chopped parsley teaspoon thyme tablespoons flour soak beans in water over night. drain and put into saucepan with six cups boiling water and boil slowly two hours or until soft; add onion and bacon which have been fried light brown; boil five minutes; add salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. mash beans with back of spoon. add flour which has been mixed with a little cold water; boil five minutes and serve. cream soups this is the foundation or sauce for many fish and vegetable cream soups. quart milk teaspoon salt teaspoon white pepper tablespoons flour tablespoon butter cup boiling water scald milk and add seasoning; thicken with flour and butter rubbed to a cream with boiling water and boil two minutes. for pea soup boil and mash cups green peas and add to sauce. for cream of celery boil cups cut celery until tender; rub through sieve, add to milk and proceed as above. for potato soup use large or medium-sized potatoes boiled and mashed fine. stir into milk, proceed as above, and strain. add a tablespoon chopped parsley just before serving. for corn soup use same foundation, adding a can of corn, or corn cut from ears boiled fresh corn and boil minutes. for cream of fish soup add to milk about one pound of boiled fish, rubbed through sieve and proceed as above. creole soup / cup rice / cup chopped onion tablespoons bacon drippings cups tomatoes teaspoons salt teaspoon sugar / teaspoon paprika tablespoon parsley wash rice, add cups boiling water and boil minutes. cook onion in pan with drippings until tender, but not brown; add tomatoes and boil minutes; rub through strainer into boiled rice and water; add seasoning and sprinkle with parsley. add little chopped green pepper if desired. cream of tomato soup quart tomatoes / teaspoon soda tablespoons butter tablespoons flour quart milk tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper stew tomatoes slowly one-half hour; rub through strainer; heat and add soda. in the meantime, melt butter and stir in flour; add milk slowly, cooking over low fire until thick; add seasoning. take from fire and stir in hot tomatoes and serve immediately. onion soup cups finely chopped onion tablespoons butter or bacon drippings cups rice water or vegetable stock teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper / teaspoon paprika tablespoons chopped parsley cook onions and butter or drippings in covered saucepan, shaking pan often. when tender add rice water or stock; boil minutes; add seasoning and parsley. serve with croutons. fish fish is in good condition when gills are a bright, clear red, eyes full and flesh firm. before cooking wash thoroughly in cold water. always cook fish thoroughly. boiled fish cook small fish whole in sufficient boiling water to cover. cut large fish, such as salmon or halibut in thick pieces and tie in piece of cheesecloth. boil from to minutes, depending upon weight of fish. drain, season and serve with egg sauce page . broiled fish clean, wash, and split, removing backbone and fins along the edge. very large fish should be cut into slices. dry on piece of cheesecloth; season with salt and pepper. cook on well-greased broiler, from to minutes, turning frequently. remove to hot platter; add melted butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley; garnish with slices of lemon and serve. baked fish prepare as for "broiled fish." brush pan with drippings; place fish, skin side down; sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour; pour over tablespoons melted butter and / cup milk. bake in hot oven to minutes or until brown. remove to hot platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. fried fish clean, removing head and tail (unless the fish are small); wash with cold water and dry on piece of cheesecloth; sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour on both sides. heat one tablespoon bacon drippings or other fat in heavy pan over hot fire. put in fish; brown quickly on both sides; reduce heat and fry to minutes longer, or fry in deep fat. serve with chopped parsley and lemon or sauce tartare page . planked fish prepare as for "broiled fish." heat plank, brush with drippings and sprinkle with salt and pepper. arrange fish on plank skin side down, doubling thin part so that it will not burn. cook in hot oven minutes. remove from oven; surround fish with mashed potato roses and return to oven baking until potatoes and fish are brown. melt tablespoon butter, add teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, and pour over fish. garnish with lemon and parsley and serve on the plank. codfish balls cup salt codfish cups potatoes, cut into small pieces / teaspoon pepper / tablespoon butter egg pick over fish and shred into small pieces. put potatoes into deep saucepan; cover with cold water; add fish and boil until potatoes are soft. take off fire; drain well; beat up with wire whip or fork until light and all lumps are out and potatoes and fish are thoroughly mixed; season; add butter and beaten egg. drop by spoonfuls into deep fat (hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds) and fry until golden brown. drain on brown paper and serve immediately. fish chowder or slices salt pork medium sized potatoes small onion chopped fine lbs. fresh fish teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper quarts milk cut pork in small pieces; fry crisp and turn into chowder kettle. pare potatoes and cut into pieces. add with part of onion. cut fish into convenient pieces, and lay over potatoes; sprinkle with rest of onion; add seasoning and enough water to come to top of fish; cover closely and cook until potatoes are done; add milk and let it scald up again. if desired split pilot crackers may be added just before last boiling. if milk is not available a somewhat smaller quantity of water may be used. boiled lobsters or crabs lobsters should be purchased alive and plunged into boiling water in which a good proportion of salt has been added. continue to boil according to size about minutes. crabs should be boiled in the same manner, but only a little more than half the time is necessary. the only parts of lobster not used are the "lady," gills and intestinal cord. to open a boiled lobster, wipe off shell, break off large claws; separate tail from body; take body from shell, leaving "lady" or stomach, on shell. put aside green fat and coral; remove small claws; remove woolly gills from body, break latter through middle and pick out meat from joints. cut with sharp scissors through length of under side of tail, draw meat from shell. draw back flesh on upper end and pull off intestinal cord. break large claws and remove meat. creamed oysters to each oysters use - / cups thick cream sauce page . put oysters with liquor into shallow pan over quick fire and boil about one minute or until edges curl, and add cream sauce, stirring; until smooth. or put on oysters with tablespoon butter; when cooked add tablespoon flour which has been mixed with little cold water; add / cup milk, / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper. worcestershire sauce may be added if desired. boil minute and serve on thin squares of toasted bread, garnish with parsley. scalloped oysters oysters cups bread crumbs / cup milk tablespoons butter teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper grease dish and cover bottom with bread crumbs, then lay oysters in carefully; season and cover with bread crumbs; pour over milk and cover top with butter; bake in hot oven to minutes. fried oysters wash and drain oysters. season with salt and pepper, dip in flour, egg and then bread or cracker crumbs. fry in deep hot fat until golden brown. drain well and garnish with lemon and parsley. clam chowder clams potatoes onion or slices salt pork teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper quart milk chop hard parts of clams. slice potatoes and onion thin. put pork into kettle and cook a short time; add potatoes, onion, seasoning and juice of clams. cook about minutes or until potatoes are soft; add clams. boil minutes and just before serving add hot milk. shell fish a lÀ newburg cups finely cut shrimp; scallops; lobster or crab meat tablespoons butter tablespoon flour cup milk hard boiled eggs teaspoon salt cayenne pepper to taste / teaspoon paprika / cup sherry if canned fish is used cover with cold water minutes and drain. melt butter in sauce pan; add flour and stir until smooth; add milk slowly; boil until thick. rub yolks of eggs through strainer and add, stirring until smooth; add seasoning, and finely chopped egg whites; add fish which has been cut into small pieces; put all in top of double boiler over fire for minutes; add sherry and serve immediately. meats roasting wipe meat with damp cloth. trim and tie into shape if necessary. put some pieces of fat in bottom of pan and season with salt and pepper. have oven very hot at first and when meat is half done reduce heat. baste every to minutes. if there is danger of fat in pan being scorched add a little boiling water. roast to minutes for each pound of meat, in proportion as it is desired rare or well done. broiling the rules for roasting meat apply to broiling, except that instead of cooking in the oven it is quickly browned, first on one side and then on other, over hot coals or directly under a gas flame, turning every minute until done. meat an inch and one-half thick will broil in to minutes. season after it is cooked. pan broiling or frying put meat to be broiled or fried in very hot frying pan, with very little or no fat. turn every few minutes until cooked. season and serve immediately. steaks and chops may be pan-broiled without any fat in the pan. for thin gravy pour a little boiling water into pan after meat is taken out. boiling and stewing fresh meat should be put into boiling water and boiled over hot fire for about minutes; reduce heat and boil very gently about minutes for each pound. salt and spices may be added for seasoning; vegetables may be boiled in water with the meat. the broth of boiled meat should always be saved to use in soups, stews and gravies. salt meats should be put over the fire in cold water, which as soon as it boils should be replaced by fresh cold water, repeating until water is fresh enough to give meat a palatable flavor. salted and smoked meats require about minutes very slow boiling, to each pound. vegetables and herbs may be boiled with them to flavor. when they are cooked the vessel containing them should be set where they will keep hot without boiling until required, if to be served hot; if to be served cold, they should be allowed to cool in the liquor in which they were boiled. very salty meats, or those much dried in smoking should be soaked overnight in cold water before boiling. pot roasting a tough cut of meat may be first browned in fat, then cooked in small amount of water either in oven or in iron kettle on top of stove. this method requires long, slow cooking. stew with dumplings lbs. lean beef quart potatoes cups cut carrots cups cut onions cup tomatoes tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoon flour tablespoons chopped parsley wipe meat, cut into small pieces, put in kettle, cover with boiling water and boil slowly - / hours; add carrots and onions; boil minutes, then add potatoes, seasoning and tomatoes; add boiling water, if needed to cover vegetables; boil minutes. lift meat and vegetables out with skimmer and strain cups of the stock for soup. there should be cups left in the kettle; add flour which has been mixed with a little cold water; boil minutes; pour over meat and vegetables and sprinkle with chopped parsley. dumplings cup flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon shortening cold water sift flour, baking powder and salt into bowl; rub in shortening lightly with fingers; add enough water to make dough hold together. drop by spoonfuls into stew. roast stuffed shoulder of lamb with browned potatoes - / or pounds shoulder of lamb cups stale bread crumbs tablespoon finely cut onion tablespoon drippings tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper wipe lamb with piece of wet cheesecloth; fill pocket with dressing made with above ingredients mixed together. sew up and put into hot oven for minutes. when well seared, season and pour over cup cold water and roast minutes; add quart white potatoes, which have been washed, pared and boiled, and roast until potatoes are brown. add more water as needed, making cups of gravy when finished. thicken gravy by adding tablespoon flour mixed with little cold water, season and cook until smooth. pot roast of beef with browned potatoes wipe beef with damp cloth, put into iron kettle or frying pan, and brown well on all sides. add tablespoons cut onion, tablespoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and cups boiling water; reduce heat and boil slowly - / hours; add water as necessary, cup at a time. after adding potatoes, boil minutes. place meat in center of hot platter and potatoes around edge. mix tablespoon flour with a little cold water, add to gravy and boil. pour over meat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. carrots cut in small pieces may be added with potatoes if desired. liver and bacon have liver cut in thin slices; wash, drain, dry and roll in flour. put bacon thinly sliced into very hot frying pan; turn until brown and transfer to hot platter. fry liver quickly in the hot bacon drippings, turning often. when done put on platter with bacon. pour off all but or tablespoons fat, add to tablespoons flour, and stir until brown. add hot water gradually to make smooth gravy, season and boil minute. roast lamb wipe meat with damp cloth. put one or two thin slices of onion on top; season with salt and pepper. put into roasting pan in hot oven and roast for about one hour and a quarter. reduce the heat after lamb has been roasting about minutes. serve on hot platter with brown gravy or mint sauce. baked veal with tomato sauce thin veal cutlet teaspoon drippings teaspoon chopped onion teaspoon chopped parsley / cup bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper trim edge of cutlet and spread on board or platter. fry onion in drippings until tender; add parsley and bread crumbs mixed with enough water to hold them together; spread on cutlet and roll; tie in three or four places. dust with salt, pepper and flour. place in pan; add / cup hot water; put into hot oven and roast to minutes, adding water if needed. remove to hot platter. serve with tomato sauce. veal cutlet cutlet may be cooked whole or cut into pieces for serving. dust with salt, pepper and flour; dip in egg ( egg beaten with tablespoon milk), then in bread crumbs. brown on both sides in shallow fat in frying pan. add boiling water to cover; season and cook slowly for hour. thicken gravy with tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold water. creamed sweetbreads lay sweetbreads in cold water with a little salt for hour. drain, put into saucepan, cover with boiling water and boil very slowly minutes; drain and when cool separate and remove all membrane. cut into small pieces and reheat in cream sauce page . roast loin of pork wipe pork with damp cloth. put into pan in very hot oven for minutes, or until well browned; add teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and cup cold water. roast slowly to hours. add water as necessary. to gravy, add tablespoon flour mixed with cold water, season and boil until thick. baked ham wash and scrub ham in warm water, soak over night. drain and put on to boil with cold water enough to cover; boil slowly to hours or until tender. cool in water in which it was boiled; remove skin carefully; cover with cup brown sugar, cup flour and / teaspoon pepper; add cups cold water; bake in very hot oven to minutes; baste often. when brown on both sides add cup cider or / cup vinegar and thicken gravy with tablespoons flour. poultry how to clean singe fowl over free flame. cut off head just below bill. untie feet, break bone and loosen sinews just below joint; pull out sinews and cut off feet. cut out oil sac. lay breast down, slit skin down backbone toward head; loosen windpipe and crop and pull out. push back skin from neck and cut off neck close to body. make slit below end of breastbone, put in fingers, loosen intestines from backbone, take firm grasp of gizzard and draw all out. cut around vent so that intestines are unbroken. remove heart and lungs. remove kidneys. see that inside looks clean, let cold water run through, then wipe inside and out with wet cloth. cut through thick fleshy part of gizzard and remove inside heavy skin without breaking, then cut away gristly part so that only thick, fleshy part is used. roast poultry after poultry is cleaned and washed inside and out with cold water, fill inside with dressing. have at least a yard fine twine in trussing needle. turn wings across back so that the pinions touch. run needle through thick part of wing under bone, through body and wing on other side; return in same way, but passing needle in over bone, tie firmly, leaving several inches of twine. press legs up against body, run needle through thigh, body and second thigh, return, going round bone in same way; tie firmly. run needle through ends of legs, return, passing needle through rump; if opening is badly torn, one or two stitches may be needed; or if steel skewers are used put one through wings of fowl and other through opposite thigh. then wind twine in figure eight from one handle of skewer to other. rub all over with soft butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. place on rack in roasting pan and put into very hot oven. make basting mixture with / cup each of butter and water; keep hot and baste every or minutes. roast hours for pound turkey, to hours for chicken and ducks. keep oven very hot. if bird is very large and heavy, cover breasts and legs with several thicknesses of paper to keep from burning. poultry dressing cups stale bread tablespoon finely cut onion tablespoon drippings tablespoon finely cut parsley / tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika powdered sage if desired soak bread in cold water minutes and press out all water. put drippings and onion into pan and cook slowly, stirring constantly until onion is tender but not brown. add bread, parsley and seasoning, and mix well together. oyster dressing oysters tablespoons butter cups bread crumbs tablespoon chopped parsley / teaspoon pepper / tablespoon salt drain and rinse oysters with cold water. put butter in saucepan with oysters and bring to boiling point; add bread crumbs, parsley and seasoning; mix carefully, so that oysters will not be broken. giblet gravy boil neck, gizzard and wing tips together until tender. pour off excess of fat in pan in which poultry has been roasted; add enough stock from the gizzard and neck to make cups of gravy. chop gizzard, liver and heart and add; add teaspoon finely cut onion, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, tablespoons flour mixed with a little cold water and boil minutes. fried chicken singe, wash and clean chicken; cut into pieces as follows; two second joints, two drumsticks, two wings, breast cut into two pieces, backbone cut into four pieces. wipe with piece of cheesecloth; season with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. put into hot frying pan with tablespoons bacon drippings or butter and brown quickly. add a little water, cover, reduce heat and cook slowly until tender. remove chicken; mix tablespoon flour with whatever gravy or fat is in pan; add cup cold milk; boil until thick. this gravy should be rich cream color. fricassee of chicken prepare and cut up as for fried chicken. pat into saucepan with just enough boiling water to cover; add teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and, if desired, teaspoon onion juice. boil slowly hours or until tender; add water from time to time, as it boils away. when finished there should be cups of stock. thicken with tablespoon flour mixed with little cold water and add tablespoon finely chopped parsley. serve in border of hot boiled rice. chicken pie singe, draw and clean a -lb. chicken. disjoint, cut breast into four pieces, cut second joints and legs apart. save neck, wing tips, heart, gizzard and liver for soup. put on the rest with enough boiling water to cover; cook slowly hours. add quart washed, pared and diced white potatoes. cook minutes or until tender. add / tablespoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, tablespoon chopped parsley and tablespoons flour mixed with little cold water. boil minutes. pour all into dish and cover with pastry. bake minutes in a moderate oven. pastry sift together cup flour, teaspoons dr. price's baking powder, teaspoon salt; rub in very lightly tablespoons shortening; add just enough cold water to make stiff dough. roll out on floured board and cover top of pie. roast goose, bread and apple dressing wipe inside with damp cloth, and season with salt and pepper; put in dressing and sew up. push back skin and cut off neck. in the skin put apples, which have been pared, quartered and cored; tie the skin. put in pan breastbone up; dust with salt, pepper and flour. place in hot oven; when seared, baste with cups cold water; turn breast side down and roast two hours, basting three or four times with cold water. ten minutes before serving turn breast side up. remove fat and make gravy as directed for roast poultry. dressing tablespoon drippings or butter tablespoons chopped onions quart finely chopped apples cups stale bread crumbs tablespoons chopped parsley teaspoon salt / teaspoon grated nutmeg / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika egg put drippings and onion into frying pan, cook a few minutes and add apples. cover bread with cold water a few minutes, drain and press out all water. put into pan, add seasoning and beaten egg; mix well until thoroughly cooked. fish, meat and vegetable sauces thin cream sauce tablespoon butter tablespoon flour cup milk or cream / teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper melt butter in saucepan, add flour and mix well; add cold milk slowly, stirring until smooth and creamy; add seasoning and boil about minutes. thick cream sauce tablespoons butter - / tablespoons flour cup milk or cream / teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper make as directed for thin cream sauce. egg sauce (for fish) cup white sauce chopped hard boiled eggs tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar add eggs and parsley and lemon juice to white sauce after removing from fire. currant jelly sauce / glass currant jelly cup hot brown sauce melt jelly over slow fire. add brown sauce; stir well and simmer one minute. brown sauce or gravy tablespoon butter or fat in which meat was cooked tablespoon flour cup beef stock or boiling water salt pepper brown fat in saucepan; add flour and brown; add liquid and stir until smooth and thick. season to taste and simmer minutes. hollandaise sauce / cup butter beaten egg yolks tablespoon lemon juice salt cayenne / cup boiling water cream butter; add gradually stirring well egg yolks, lemon juice and seasoning. add boiling water slowly. stir over boiling water until thick. serve immediately. sauce tartare make cup mayonnaise page . chop very fine tablespoon each capers, olives, pickles and parsley. press in cloth until dry. add to mayonnaise just before serving. maitre d'hotel butter tablespoons butter / teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper tablespoon lemon juice tablespoon chopped parsley cream butter; add gradually seasoning, lemon juice, parsley and keep cold until served. mint sauce / cup chopped mint leaves / cup vinegar / cup water / cup sugar cook all ingredients in sauce pan over very slow fire for about one-half hour. do not allow to boil. serve hot. horse-radish sauce tablespoons butter tablespoons grated horse-radish tablespoon thick cream / teaspoon lemon juice cream butter, add horse-radish, cream and lemon juice. keep very cold until served. cranberry sauce quart cranberries cups sugar cup water wash and pick over cranberries. put all ingredients into saucepan. cover until it boils. remove cover and cook about minutes or until berries have all burst. pour into mold, chill and serve. for cranberry jelly strain after cooking. tomato sauce slices bacon cut into small pieces slice onion chopped tablespoons flour - / cups strained tomatoes / teaspoon salt few gratings of nutmeg cayenne tablespoon chopped green peppers put bacon into saucepan, add onion and brown slightly. add flour, tomatoes which have been heated and strained, and stir until thick. add seasoning and peppers. eggs boiled eggs drop into boiling water and boil minutes for soft boiled, to minutes for hard boiled or place eggs in boiling water, cover, and cook over moderate heat without boiling from to minutes for soft, minutes for hard cooked. poached eggs break eggs and drop carefully one at a time into boiling water in shallow frying pan. cook slowly until eggs are set. remove each with skimmer and serve on toast garnished with parsley. poached eggs in cream put half cup of cream sauce into shallow baking dish. open eggs carefully and place on sauce; cook over boiling water from to minutes or until eggs are set or are as firm as desired. cover with half cup of cream sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley and dust with paprika and serve. scrambled eggs break eggs into bowl, season with salt and pepper and pour into hot, frying pan in which butter has been melted. cook over slow fire and as eggs thicken stir until cooked. if desired eggs may be beaten with tablespoon milk to each egg and cooked in same way. scrambled eggs with dried beef / pound dried beef eggs tablespoons milk or water tablespoon butter cover beef which has been picked into small pieces with cold water, heat but do not boil. drain. melt batter in frying pan; add beef and eggs, which have been beaten with the milk or water. as soon as eggs begin to set, stir until cooked. plain omelet beat eggs with tablespoons milk, add / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper and mix. melt teaspoon fat in hot frying pan; pour in eggs; cook slowly until egg is set; lift edges of omelet allowing thin portions to run underneath; when brown underneath, fold over and serve on hot platter. sprinkle with teaspoon chopped parsley. puffy omelet eggs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoons dr. price's baking powder tablespoon corn starch / cup milk or half milk and half water separate eggs; mix salt, pepper, baking powder, corn starch and milk with yolks of eggs. beat whites until light and mix in well with yolks. put into greased hot frying pan and cook slowly until well puffed up. dry out in oven, fold over in half and serve immediately on hot platter, or if desired serve with tomato sauce page added before omelet is folded. fancy omelets a great variety of omelets can be made by either mixing chopped vegetables, fruits, meats, or shellfish with plain omelet before cooking, or folding them in after cooking. croquettes chicken croquettes cups chopped chicken tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cup milk teaspoons salt teaspoon worcestershire sauce / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon pepper tablespoon chopped parsley eggs bread crumbs melt butter in saucepan; add flour and add cold milk slowly, stirring until smooth and creamy; add seasoning and parsley. boil minutes. add chicken; mix well and pour out on platter to cool. when cool enough to handle take a large spoon of the mixture in floured hands; shape into balls, cones, or oval cakes and put into cold place until firm. roll in bread crumbs, then dip in eggs beaten with tablespoons milk, then in bread crumbs. lay on plate which has been sprinkled with bread crumbs. fry in deep hot fat until brown. drain and serve. rice croquettes cup rice eggs tablespoons milk teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar tablespoon butter teaspoon chopped parsley bread crumbs wash rice several times and boil with quarts boiling water minutes. drain well and put into top of double boiler. add egg beaten with tablespoons milk; add salt, sugar, butter and parsley; cook until egg thickens. cool and shape into cones, balls or oval cakes. roll in bread crumbs, then in egg beaten up with tablespoon milk. roll in bread crumbs and fry in deep hot fat until brown. salmon croquettes cup boned salmon tablespoon butter tablespoon flour / cup milk / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoon lemon juice make a cream sauce with the butter, flour, milk, salt and pepper. put salmon into bowl and add the sauce and lemon juice; mix well with fork until salmon is well broken. set aside and when cold mold into desired shapes, roll in bread crumbs, then dip in egg beaten with tablespoon cold milk, then in bread crumbs. fry in deep hot fat. nut and potato croquettes cups hot riced potatoes / cup cream or milk / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper few grains cayenne yolk of egg / cup chopped pecan nut meats / teaspoon dr. price's baking powder mix all ingredients with fork until light. shape as for croquettes. roll in bread crumbs. dip in egg which has been mixed with a little cold water. roll in bread crumbs again and fry in deep hot fat until brown. drain on unglazed paper and serve. luncheon and other dishes chicken patties tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cup chicken stock / teaspoon salt few grains cayenne cup cold diced chicken melt butter in saucepan; stir in flour; add chicken stock; season and bring to a boil; add chicken and cook slowly minutes. fill patty shells and serve at once. patty shells cups flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening ice water sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add shortening and rub in very lightly with tips of fingers; add very slowly enough cold water, to make stiff dough. roll out thin; cut into circles and form on the outside of patty or muffin tins. bake in hot oven, open side down, until light brown; remove carefully from tins and return shells to oven and bake minutes, open side up. boston baked beans quart beans / pound salt pork tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon dry mustard tablespoons molasses wash and soak beans over night. put half into bean pot; wash salt pork and place in center; add remainder of beans, salt, pepper, mustard, molasses, and cups cold water; cover. put into slow oven and bake hours. add more water if needed. baked macaroni with cheese cup macaroni tablespoon butter tablespoon flour cup milk / cup grated cheese teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika boil macaroni in salted water until soft. drain and mix with sauce. put into buttered dish; cover with grated cheese and bake minutes in hot oven. sauce melt butter in saucepan; add flour, mix well and add cold milk slowly, stirring until smooth; add cheese and seasoning. boil until cheese is melted. cheese in scallop shells or ramekins cup milk cups bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon worcestershire sauce cups grated american cheese pour milk over bread crumbs, add seasoning, half of grated cheese and mix well. put into greased scallop shells or ramekins; sprinkle with remainder of cheese and a few fresh bread crumbs and bake in moderate oven minutes. kidney beans with bacon wash and soak cups kidney beans in cold water over night; drain, cover with boiling water, add / pound bacon, boil until beans are tender, and drain. season beans with salt and pepper to taste. brown thin slices of bacon in frying pan, and serve over beans. tomatoes and eggs grease muffin tins; put one thick slice of unpeeled tomato into each tin; season with salt and pepper; break egg on top of each slice; again season with salt and pepper and put a small piece of butter on top of each egg. bake in oven until egg is set and cooked through but not hard. serve on small rounds of toast and garnish with parsley. corn pudding quart fresh corn cut from cob teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper eggs slightly beaten cups milk tablespoons melted butter put all ingredients into greased baking dish and bake slowly in moderate oven until firm. onions and potatoes quart potatoes quart onions teaspoon salt wash, pare and cut potatoes and onions in half-inch rounds. put into saucepan with boiling water to cover, adding salt. boil about minutes, or until tender. drain, put into dish and cover with thick cream sauce page . bake in hot oven about minutes. serve in baking dish. french toast / cup flour teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup milk egg sliced bread sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add milk and beaten egg; beat well. into this dip bread. fry in hot fat. drain and serve hot with powdered sugar. cheese straws cup grated american cheese cup flour teaspoon dr. price's baking powder / teaspoon cayenne pepper / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon salt egg tablespoons milk mix together cheese and flour sifted with baking powder and seasoning; add beaten egg; mix well; add milk enough to make a stiff dough. roll out / inch thick, on floured board; cut into strips inches long and / inch wide. bake in hot oven minutes. cheese soufflÉ tablespoons butter tablespoons flour / cup milk / teaspoon salt few grains cayenne cup grated american cheese yolks of eggs teaspoons dr. price's baking powder whites of eggs melt butter; add flour, and when well mixed add milk slowly. add salt, cayenne, and cheese. remove from fire, add beaten yolks of eggs. cool mixture and mix in baking powder and beaten egg whites. bake in greased dish minutes in slow oven. serve at once. vegetables most vegetables are better cooked the day they are gathered. pick over, wash and prepare them for cooking. always cook vegetables in freshly boiled water and keep water boiling until done. add salt last few minutes when cooking green vegetables. time table potatoes--boil to minutes. turnips--boil from to minutes. beets--boil from to hours before peeling. parsnips--boil from to minutes. spinach--boil to minutes. onions--boil to minutes. string beans--boil to - / hours. shell beans--boil to minutes. green corn--steam to minutes, or boil to minutes. green peas--boil in as little water as possible to minutes. asparagus--boil to minutes. winter squash pare remove seeds, cut in pieces, and boil to minutes in small quantity of boiling water; when done, press water out, mash smooth, season with butter, pepper and salt. asparagus wash, scrape, cut off about one inch hard ends, and tie together. put into saucepan, cover with boiling water and boil until tender, keeping tips out of water for the first minutes, add salt. remove from water; drain well; lay on pieces of toast and serve with melted butter, cream or hollandaise sauce page . pickled beets wash and boil beets until tender. remove skins; slice or cut into quarters; cover with / up vinegar, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and tablespoon sugar. creamed carrots wash and scrape carrots; cut into thin slices. cover with boiling water and boil until tender. drain and serve with cream sauce or melted butter. sprinkle with chopped parsley. boiled cabbage cut cabbage into quarters, removing hard part of core, and place in cold water minutes. drain, cover with boiling water and boil, without a cover, minutes, or until tender. drain, put into dish and serve with melted butter and pepper or cream sauce. cold slaw wash cabbage; cut into quarters and slice very thin; allow to stand in cold water minutes; drain well, and cover with boiled or french dressing. spinach pick over carefully and wash thoroughly in several waters until all sand is removed. put into kettle and add very little boiling water, about / cup. young spinach does not need any water. boil until tender or about minutes. drain thoroughly, chop fine and drain again. season with salt and pepper and garnish with slices of hard boiled eggs. cauliflower place a head of cauliflower, from which the leaves have been removed, in uncovered saucepan, stem end down; cover with boiling water; boil minutes or until tender and serve with cream sauce. french fried potatoes pare and cut raw white or sweet potatoes into long even pieces. put into cold water for about an hour. drain and dry well. fry until brown, to minutes, in deep fat hot enough to brown piece of bread in seconds, drain on paper and salt just before serving. potatoes au gratin mix / cup grated american cheese with creamed potatoes. put into baking dish, cover with buttered bread crumbs and grated cheese, and bake in oven until brown. stuffed potatoes bake large potatoes. cut in half lengthwise and, without breaking skins, scoop out insides and mash; add / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, teaspoon chopped parsley, teaspoon melted butter and mix with fork. return to shells, put a few drops of milk on top; rough with fork; sprinkle with paprika and place in oven until brown. brussels sprouts wash, and allow to stand in cold water for an hour. drain, cover with boiling water and boil to minutes without a cover. drain and serve with salt, pepper and melted butter or cream sauce. green corn husk corn, removing all silk. put into fresh boiling water to cover and boil rapidly for minutes. remove from water and serve on platter covered with napkin. lima beans shell beans just before using. rinse in cold water. put into saucepan; cover with boiling water and boil until tender. drain and add salt, pepper and melted butter. kohl-rabi peel turnip-shaped globe; cut into small pieces; cover with boiling water and boil until tender, to minutes. add one teaspoon salt to each quart water. serve plain with melted butter and pepper, or with cream sauce. the leaves may be stemmed and cooked as greens, boiling minutes. candied sweet potatoes boil quart sweet potatoes in salted water until tender; drain and scrape off skins; cut into slices and put in layers into greased basing dish covering each layer and top with brown sugar and pieces of butter. bake in hot oven until brown. baked tomatoes tomatoes cups soft bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoon butter wash tomatoes and cut off stem ends; remove pulp from center and fill with bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper; place small piece of butter on each. bake in hot oven minutes. the pulp may be seasoned to taste, cooked in the pan and served as a sauce. browned parsnips quart parsnips teaspoon salt tablespoons butter or bacon drippings / teaspoon pepper wash, scrape and cut parsnips into slices. cover with boiling water and boil until tender; drain. brown on greased griddle or frying pan. season with salt and pepper. oyster plant wash and cover with boiling water. cook to minutes or until soft. scrape, cut in pieces and serve with cream sauce. salads and salad dressings salads may be made in infinite variety from plain lettuce, chicory, endive, romaine or water cress served with french dressing, to many combinations of lettuce with cold vegetables, fish, meats or fruits. all salad greens should be fresh, crisp, dry and cold before serving. wash leaves carefully and put on ice either in lettuce dryer or in a cloth. salads should be dressed at the table or just before serving. chicken salad cups cold boiled chicken, cut into small pieces cups finely cut celery teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper hard boiled eggs cups mayonnaise dressing olives / cup french dressing mix chicken with celery, seasoning and one egg cut into small pieces; marinate with french dressing, and let stand in cold place about one hour. serve on lettuce leaves and spread mayonnaise over top. garnish with olives and remaining egg cut into slices. sprinkle with chopped parsley and paprika. fruit salad / pound malaga grapes pears grapefruit orange head lettuce wash, peel; remove seeds from all fruit; cut grapes into halves, pears in lengthwise pieces, grapefruit and orange into sections; chill until ready to serve. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. alligator pears, melon or other fruit may be substituted for above variety. marquise salad firm tomatoes / cup chopped onion / cup chopped parsley tablespoons salad oil peel tomatoes and cut in half. mix onion and parsley, add oil; let stand two hours before using. when ready to serve line salad bowl with lettuce, place tomatoes in it and on each half put tablespoon onion and parsley mixture. pour on french dressing. everything should be ice cold. vegetable salad cup finely cut red cabbage cup cold boiled beets cup cold boiled carrots cup cold boiled potatoes cup chopped celery / cup pimentoes head lettuce cup french dressing soak cabbage in cold water hour; drain and add beets, carrots and potatoes cut into small pieces; add celery. mix well together, season with salt and pepper and serve on lettuce leaves. on top put strips of pimento and serve with french dressing, to which may be added one teaspoon onion juice. potato salad quart cold boiled potatoes onion, finely sliced / teaspoon salt chopped parsley / cup french dressing cut potatoes into slices or cubes; add onion; mix with salt, parsley and french dressing. serve on lettuce leaves with boiled dressing. lobster salad cut cold boiled lobster into small pieces. marinate with french dressing; arrange on lettuce leaves; cover with mayonnaise and garnish with lobster claws, olives and hard-boiled eggs. for boiled lobster see page . fish salad cups shredded lettuce can tuna fish or - / lbs. any cold boiled fish / cup french dressing teaspoon onion juice cup finely cut celery / cup mayonnaise teaspoon chopped parsley line dish with lettuce; place fish in center; pour over french dressing to which onion juice has been added and cover top of fish with celery; put mayonnaise on top. sprinkle with chopped parsley. french dressing mix tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper or few grains cayenne pepper in bowl; add to tablespoons olive oil, beating constantly. place on ice until ready to serve. mayonnaise i egg yolk / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne pepper cup salad oil tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice utensils and ingredients should be very cold. put egg yolk into shallow bowl; add, seasoning and mix well; add oil slowly, almost drop by drop, beating continually until very thick. thin with vinegar; continue adding oil and vinegar until all is used. mayonnaise ii egg juice of lemon or tablespoons vinegar teaspoon salt / teaspoon paprika few grains cayenne cups salad oil put egg with vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning into bowl and beat with rotary egg beater. add oil a tablespoonful or more at a time, beating constantly. well covered, this mayonnaise will keep for three or four weeks. boiled salad dressing / tablespoon salt - / tablespoons sugar teaspoon mustard / tablespoon flour few grains cayenne / cup vinegar eggs / cup milk tablespoon butter or other shortening mix dry ingredients in top of double boiler; add vinegar and beaten egg yolks and mix; add milk and butter. cook in double boiler until thick and smooth. take from fire and add beaten egg whites. cool and serve. russian dressing to cup mayonnaise add just before serving teaspoons chili sauce, pimentos chopped fine, and if desired a dash of grated cheese. beverages boiled coffee for cups. beat half an egg white with three tablespoons cold water and mix with / cup ground coffee; put into scalded coffee pot; add quart boiling water and boil minutes. add / cup cold water and allow to stand minutes to settle before serving. french or drip coffee tablespoons finely ground coffee cups boiling water put coffee in fine strainer of coffee pot. keep over hot water or on back of range but do not boil. pour boiling water slowly over coffee, about one-quarter of a cup at a time, keeping pot covered between each addition of water. tea water for tea should be freshly heated and just boiling. teas are of different strength, but a safe rule is teaspoon dry tea to cup water. scald teapot; put in dry tea and cover with little boiling water for minute. add boiling water and cover closely. allow it to stand to minutes and strain off into a second hot pot before serving. chocolate cut into small pieces ounce unsweetened chocolate; add tablespoon sugar and tablespoons hot water. boil all together till smooth; add gradually cups scalded milk; cook in double boiler minutes. if desired add / teaspoon vanilla. serve with whipped cream. cocoa the usual rule is teaspoons cocoa, teaspoon sugar, tablespoon cold water and / milk to each cup. mix dry cocoa with sugar and cold water; cook over slow fire until thick; add milk, and boil minute. cocoa syrup cups water cups sugar cup cocoa / teaspoon salt stir water and sugar in saucepan until dissolved; boil minutes; mix cocoa with cold water to make a paste and add to boiling water and sugar; boil slowly for minutes; add salt. when cold put into bottle or glass jar in refrigerator. take tablespoons of syrup for each glass or cup of milk. served with whipped cream either hot or cold this is a nourishing and delicious beverage. candies cream candy cups sugar tablespoons vinegar teaspoon cream of tartar teaspoon lemon extract add a little water to moisten sugar; boil with vinegar and cream of tartar without stirring, until brittle when tried in cold water. add lemon; turn out quickly on buttered plates. when cool enough to handle, pull until white, and cut into pieces. butter scotch cups sugar tablespoons water tablespoons butter boil without stirring until brittle when tested in cold water. pour out on buttered plates to cool. butter taffy cups brown sugar / cup molasses / cup water / cup vinegar tablespoons butter teaspoon vanilla extract boil sugar, molasses, water and vinegar. when crisp in cold water add butter and vanilla. cook minutes. cool on buttered pans and break into pieces. peanut brittle cups chopped roasted nuts cups granulated sugar put sugar in frying pan. stir over slow fire. it will lump, then gradually melt. when pale yellow, and clear, add nuts and pour quickly on greased tin. when cold break into pieces. chocolate caramels cups molasses cup brown sugar cup cream or milk / pound unsweetened chocolate tablespoons butter teaspoon vanilla extract put all ingredients but vanilla into kettle. boil until it hardens when tested in cold water; add vanilla and turn into large flat greased tins. when nearly cold, cut into small squares. creamed nuts cups confectioners' sugar white of egg teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoons cold water walnuts or other nuts mix sugar, unbeaten egg white, vanilla and cold water into a stiff paste. shape into little balls, press between halved walnut or other nut meats. stoned dates and large seeded raisins may be filled with this cream, or it may be mixed with chopped nuts, shaped into bars and cut into squares. candied popcorn - / cups sugar or maple syrup tablespoon butter tablespoons water quarts popped corn boil sugar or syrup with butter and water until it spins a long thread; pour this on popcorn and if desired shape into balls. candied nuts may be prepared in the same way. pulled molasses candy cup molasses cups brown sugar cup water tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon cream of tartar tablespoons butter / teaspoon bicarbonate of soda put molasses, sugar, water and vinegar into saucepan and stir; when boiling add cream of tartar and boil until very brittle when tested in cold water; add butter and soda and pour on buttered platter. when cool enough to handle, butter hands and pull until light brown. cut with scissors into small pieces. fudge cups sugar cup milk or cream tablespoon butter ounces unsweetened chocolate or tablespoons cocoa teaspoon vanilla extract put sugar, milk and cocoa or chocolate into saucepan; stir and boil until it makes soft ball when tested in cold water; take from fire, add butter and vanilla, cool and stir until creamy. pour on buttered plates and cut into squares. penuche cups light brown sugar / cup milk or cream tablespoon butter / cup chopped nuts teaspoon vanilla extract put sugar, milk, and butter into saucepan. boil with as little stirring as possible until it makes a soft ball when tested in cold water. take from fire; add nuts and vanilla; stir until creamy and pour into greased tins. cocoa cream candy tablespoons confectioners' sugar tablespoons boiling water tablespoons cocoa / teaspoon vanilla extract mix sugar and boiling water until smooth; add cocoa and vanilla; mix until creamy. dust hands with sugar; take up / teaspoon of mixture and roll. dust a plate with sugar, and roll balls in finely chopped nuts and allow to dry for about hours. cocoanut cream candy tablespoon butter / cup milk cups sugar / cup grated fresh cocoanut / teaspoon vanilla extract melt butter in saucepan; add milk and sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved, heating slowly; boil to minutes; remove from fire and add cocoanut and vanilla, beating until creamy. pour into buttered tins and cool. for chocolate cocoanut cream candy add - / ounces unsweetened chocolate or tablespoons cocoa before boiling. hickory nut candy cups sugar / cup water teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract cup hickory nut meats boil sugar and water without stirring until thick enough to spin a thread; place saucepan in cold water; add flavoring and stir quickly until white; stir in nuts; turn into flat buttered tin; when cold cut into squares. salted almonds blanch almonds by putting into boiling water for a few minutes. remove skins, dry well and brown in heated oil or butter on top of stove or in oven. take from fire when very light brown, as they continue to color after removing from fire. drain well on brown paper and sprinkle with salt. stuffed prunes or dates wash, dry and stone fruit; fill with a half marshmallow or blanched almond or chopped nuts and raisins and roll in sugar. fireless cookery the fireless cooker has become an important factor in the home. the principle employed is the preservation of heat by the use of non-conducting materials. the device ordinarily used is a rectangular box lined on all sides with some substance which will prevent escape of heat, with spaces or wells for stone or metal discs or radiators, and vessels containing food to be cooked. the advantages of this method are: the improvement in flavor occasioned by the slower cooking with little opportunity for evaporation, the improved appearance of food that is subject to shrinkage when cooked by ordinary methods; the saving in labor and time, as the cooking practically takes care of itself. dinner may be prepared in the morning, placed in the cooker, and without further attention be ready to serve after or hours. while the time required for cooking is somewhat longer than in the usual methods, the actual time consumed in preparation of a meal is considerably reduced. general directions prepare food for cooking as usual. place in special vessel, designed to fit into wells of fireless cooker, and heat on range or over gas flame until ordinary cooking temperature is reached. put into cooker with one or more radiators which have been heated for or minutes over hot fire. for roasting, radiator should be hot enough to brown a pinch of flour immediately. close cover, fasten lightly so that the steam may escape and allow cooking to proceed for time specified in recipes. for baking cake, apples, etc., proceed as for roasting. the time required for baking is slightly longer than that specified for regular ovens. for cake ordinarily baked in a moderate oven, heat radiators hot enough to brown a pinch of flour in half a minute. cereals prepare cereal for cooking in double boiler as usual. boil over fire for minutes; place in larger vessel of boiling water in cooker, and allow it to remain or hours or longer. if placed in cooker at night it should remain warm enough to serve for breakfast. steaming for recipes see "boston brown bread," "poor man's pudding," "christmas plum pudding," etc. prepare and mix ingredients as directed. put into greased molds and place in shallow pan of boiling water over very hot radiator in cooker. fasten cover tight and cook for to hours. soups for ingredients and preparation of soups see pages and . place ingredients in a vessel; cover with cold water; bring to boil over free flame and boil minutes. fasten cover and transfer to cooker, using one hot radiator in bottom of well. cook or hours, season and serve. boiled or stewed meats prepare meat for cooking as usual, searing in frying pan if desired brown. place in large vessel and cover or partly cover with boiling water, boiling with cover fastened tight for or minutes over free flame. transfer to cooker, using one hot radiator underneath. cook or hours, season and serve. roast meats prepare and season meat in usual way. place in large dry vessel; put very hot radiator in bottom of cooker well; place vessel containing roast on radiator, and place another very hot radiator on top. close cooker and fasten. allow it to remain about one-half hour per pound of meat. the roast may be browned in a very hot oven before putting into cooker or just before serving. vegetables prepare vegetables as usual. place in vessel with small quantity of boiling water. as there is little evaporation in tireless cookers, allowance does not have to be made for loss by evaporation. boil over free flame for to minutes. transfer to cooker, using one radiator in bottom of well. cook or hours, remove from cooker, season and serve. suggestions for invalids barley water tablespoons pearl barley quarts cold water wash barley, soak several hours in cold water and boil gently in same water for hours; or put into double boiler and cook hours or until reduced one-half. lemon juice and sugar or salt to taste may be added if desired. albuminized orange egg white juice of orange sugar add orange juice sweetened to taste to egg white and beat well. chill and serve cold. pineapple juice peel a ripe pineapple, cut into small pieces and extract juice with fruit press or potato ricer. strain and serve with cracked ice. beef tea pound lean beef cup cold water cut beef into small pieces or put through meat chopper. put into fruit jar; add cold water and allow to stand to minutes to draw out juice. place on trivet or rack in pan of cold water and heat very slowly for about hours. the water must not boil. season, strain, cool and remove fat. serve hot or cold. scraped beef scrape meat with knife from lean beef cut from round until nothing but connective tissue is left. form into small balls and broil on both sides for about minutes. season and serve. for sandwiches spread uncooked scraped beef on thin slices of bread and season. spanish cream cups scalded milk eggs / cup sugar tablespoons granulated gelatine teaspoon vanilla extract pint cream pour scalded milk over egg yolks and sugar which have been mixed together. put into double boiler and cook slowly until thick and smooth. pour over gelatine which has been soaking in / cup cold water. chill; add vanilla and beat with egg whip until thick. fold in beaten egg whites. chill in molds and serve with sweetened whipped cream. gluten muffins cups gluten flour teaspoons dr. price's baking powder egg tablespoon melted butter cups milk sift together flour and baking powder, add beaten egg and butter to milk and mix well. bake in greased muffin tins in moderate oven about minutes. in addition to the above, many recipes such as soups, broths, jellies, ices, and plain drop cakes suitable for invalids and convalescents are to be found in the preceding pages. preserving and canning (material adapted from u.s. food administration and n.y. state department of agriculture.) general directions test all jars for leakage before using. to do this, fill with water, put on rubber and cover, seal and invert. sterilize all utensils, jars, covers, etc., by covering with cold water, and boil for minutes. use only new rubbers and dip in boiling water just before using. use wide-mouthed funnel when filling jars to avoid loss of material and keep jar rim clean. invert all jars after filling and sealing. fruit should be sound, firm and not overripe and carefully prepared. clean fruit, clean hands, clean utensils, and a clean kitchen free from flies, are essential for safety and success. keep products in a cool place. avoid freezing in winter. canning canning is the process of preparing sterilized food so that it will keep indefinitely. the custom of canning fruit in syrup is based on the improvement in flavor and texture which sugar gives to fruit. sugar is not necessary for its preservation. success depends upon thorough sterilization--that is, killing the organisms which cause food to spoil, and then sealing perfectly to prevent their entrance. fruit may be canned in water, in fruit juice and in syrup. preserving the only difference between preserving and canning fruit is that sugar is always used in preserving, while in canning it is used in smaller quantity or not at all. in preserving the old rule of equal weights of sugar and fruit may be followed. open-kettle method this method is generally used for preserves, jams, and marmalades. food is completely cooked and then poured boiling hot into sterilized jars. prepare fruit, which may or may not be peeled, and cut into pieces depending on the variety. blanch or scald peaches and similar fruits to loosen skin and chill by plunging into cold water. cook slowly in as little water as possible or in fruit juice or fruit syrup until done. fill sterilized jars, seal and invert. can-cooked method by this method uncooked or partly cooked food is packed in can or jar, covered with liquid and both jar and contents sterilized. pare fruit if desired or blanch or scald in boiling water a small quantity of fruit at a time. (see time table.) do not blanch cherries, sour cherries excepted, berries or plums. chill outside of blanched fruit by immersing a few minutes in a large vessel of cold water. remove skin from such fruits as peaches. pack fruit firmly in clean, tested jars to within one-half inch of top. fill jars to within / inch of top with boiling water, fruit juice or syrup. place new rubber on each jar, adjust cover and partly seal. place jars on false bottom of water bath and sterilize for required time. see time-table. if the hot-water bath is used, jars should be immersed in sufficient boiling water to cover tops to depth of about inch. do not begin to time the sterilizing until water boils. keep water boiling during sterilizing period. remove jars from sterilizer. seal them and invert to cool. avoid draft on jars, but cool as rapidly as possible. wash jars and label. wrap in paper or store in a dark place to prevent loss of color of red fruit. vegetables may also be canned by this method. a time-table for canning fruits by the can-cooked method time of cooking if the if the preserve time of hot-water cooker is used blanching bath is used ( pounds) fruit minutes minutes minutes apricots, peaches - blackberries cherries, strawberries, grapes, plums fruit juices huckleberries, raspberries pears - pineapples quinces - use of sugar in canning fruit sugar is used in canning fruit for the purpose of improving flavor and is not necessary for preservation. thin syrup-- part sugar to parts water for sweet fruits. medium syrup-- part sugar to part water for berries and medium sweet fruits. thick syrup-- parts sugar to part water for sour fruits. to make syrup add sugar to boiling water. stir until all sugar is dissolved, boil or minutes. canned peaches have ready a syrup by boiling sugar and water together until sugar has dissolved, using / to / cup sugar to each cup water. allow cup syrup to each quart jar of peaches and add peach pit to each quart syrup. scald sound, firm freestone peaches, a small number at a time, in boiling water just long enough to loosen skins; dip quickly into cold water and slip off skins. cut peaches in halves and remove stones. can-cooked method.--pack peaches in overlapping layers with rounded side upper-most facing glass. fill each jar with hot syrup and adjust rubber, cover, and upper clamp, thus partly sealing jar. place jars on rack in hot water that covers the tops to a depth of inch. bring water to boiling point, and boil pint jars minutes, quart jars minutes. remove jars, seal, and invert to cool. open-kettle method.--cook peaches in syrup until tender; then with sterilized spoon slip them carefully into sterilized jar; fill jar to overflowing with syrup. adjust rubber, cover, seal immediately, and invert to cool. canned cherries wash and pit cherries. can sweet cherries as berries. blanch sour cherries / minute, in boiling water. dip in cold water; drain and pack closely into hot sterilized jars. cover with boiling water or boiling medium syrup. loosely seal. sterilize minutes in boiling water bath. remove jars at once, tighten covers, invert to test the seal and cool. canned pears wash and peel fruit and follow directions for canned peaches. canned berries blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, raspberries, loganberries, gooseberries and strawberries should be canned as soon as possible after picking. hull or stem; place in strainer and wash by lifting up and down in pan of cold water. pack into hot sterilized glass jars, using care not to crush fruit. to insure a close pack put a or inch layer of berries on the bottom of the jar and press down gently with a spoon. continue in this manner with other layers until jar is filled. boiling water or boiling thin or medium syrup should be poured over the fruit at once. loosely seal. sterilize minutes in boiling water. remove jars, tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. asparagus asparagus must be fresh and tender. select tips of uniform size and maturity, wash, cut into lengths according to containers to be used. scrape off scales and tough outer skins and tie in bundles to fit jar. immerse lower ends in boiling water for minutes, then entire stalks, for minutes longer. cold dip, drain, pack neatly, tips up, in hot sterilized jars. add salt and cover with boiling water. loosely seal, sterilize two hours in boiling water bath. remove as soon as time is up. tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. beans string beans and wax beans.--wash, string, leave whole or break in uniform pieces. blanch to minutes or until the pod will bend without breaking. cold dip, drain well and pack into hot jars. add salt and cover with boiling water. loosely seal and sterilize two hours in boiling water. tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. corn select tender juicy sweet corn, at the best stage for table use and can as soon as possible after gathering. remove husks and silk; blanch tender ears minutes, older ears minutes. cold dip and cut from cob. pack into hot sterilized jars. as corn swells during sterilization, leave space of inch at top. add salt and cover with boiling water. be sure water penetrates through the corn to the bottom of jar. loosely seal and sterilize hours in boiling water. remove, tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. jams jams are usually made with small fruits or chopped large fruits. cook slowly with equal weight of sugar until thick; put into sterilized tumblers or small jars and seal. raspberry jam pick over berries. mash a few in bottom of preserving kettle; continue until fruit is used. heat slowly to boiling point and add equal quantity of heated sugar. cook slowly minutes. put into sterilized jars or tumblers. other berry jams can be made in same way. plum conserve pounds plums cup seeded raisins oranges sugar juice lemon / pound walnuts wash plums; remove stones; add raisins and oranges which have been sliced very fine. measure and add / cup sugar to each cup fruit and juice. put into kettle, cook slowly about minutes or until thick, stirring to keep from burning. add lemon juice and chopped nuts. pour into sterilized jars. jellies heat and mash fruit until juice runs readily. if fruit is not entirely broken rub through coarse sieve. pour into sterilized jelly bags of unbleached muslin or doubled cheesecloth and drain but do not squeeze. take / cup sugar for each cup of juice. boil juice to minutes (berries and currants require less time); add sugar which has been heated in oven; stir until sugar is dissolved and boil about minutes. pour into hot sterilized tumblers. hard fruits like apples and quinces should be cut up, covered with cold water and cooked until tender before turning into jelly bags. pickles pickled peaches pounds brown sugar cups vinegar ounce stick cinnamon / ounce whole cloves quarts peaches boil sugar, vinegar and spices for minutes. dip peaches quickly in hot water then rub off the fuzz with a cloth. cook a few peaches at a time in the syrup, cook until tender. pack in sterilized jars. adjust sterilized rubbers, and fill each jar to overflowing with hot strained syrup. seal jars immediately. chow chow quart small white onions quart small cucumbers heads cauliflower green peppers quart vinegar tablespoons mustard tablespoons flour cup sugar tablespoon turmeric peel onions, add cucumbers, cauliflower separated into flowerlets and sliced peppers. soak over night in brine ( cup salt to quart water). drain and cook in fresh brine until vegetables are tender, drain again. boil vinegar, add paste made with mustard, flour, sugar, turmeric and a little cold vinegar, stirring until mixture thickens; add vegetables and cook slowly minutes. seal in sterilized jars. sweet tomato pickles / peck green tomatoes onions green peppers cup salt / cup white mustard seed teaspoons pepper teaspoons cinnamon teaspoons allspice teaspoons cloves quarts vinegar pound brown sugar chop tomatoes, onions and peppers; cover with salt and allow to stand over night. drain, and add to vinegar, spices and sugar which have been heated to boiling. cook minutes and seal in sterilized jars. chili sauce medium-sized ripe tomatoes red pepper onion cups vinegar / cup sugar tablespoons salt teaspoons cloves teaspoons cinnamon teaspoons allspice teaspoons nutmeg peel and slice tomatoes; add chopped pepper and onion; put into kettle with remaining ingredients. heat slowly to boiling and cook slowly - / hours. seal in sterilized jars. dr. price's phosphate baking powder is made in the same factory in which dr. price's baking powder containing cream of tartar has been made for nearly seventy years, and embodies all the skill, scientific knowledge and great care used therein. it perfectly leavens the food and never leaves a bitter taste even if you should happen to use more than the recipe calls for. with it you can make a delicious angel cake with three eggs instead of eight, and can economize in other expensive ingredients. safety, surety, satisfaction, form a triple guarantee that comes with every can of dr. price's phosphate baking powder. use it often--use it always and enjoy the results. the low price at which dr. price's phosphate baking powder is now sold brings an economy to the home which, when combined with quality, is too important to be overlooked. "what shall i have for----?" the perplexing home question with every woman is "what shall i have for breakfast, luncheon, dinner, or supper?" the mission of the new dr. price cook book is to always give the right answer to this question, but the book will not help if it is hidden away in a table drawer and seldom used. keep it where it can be seen so you will remember to ask it questions before every meal. the result will be a surprise in delightful variety, and also in the reduced cost of supplying the table. when planning a meal, just run your finger down the index and get an answer to the question, "what shall i have?" historical and biographical works. arnold, (dr.) early history of rome. vols. vo.....$ arnold, (dr.) history of the later roman commonwealth. vo...... arnold, (dr.) lectures on modern history, edited by professor reed. mo...... arnold, (dr.) life and correspondence, by the rev. a. p. stanley. d ed. vo...... burnett's history of the northwestern territory. vo...... carlyle's life of schiller. a new edition. mo...... coit's history of puritanism. mo...... evelyn's life of mrs. godolphin, edited by bishop of oxford. mo...... frost, (professor) history of the united states navy. plates. mo...... frost, (professor) history of the united states army. plates. mo...... frost, (professor) history of the indians of north america. plates. mo...... frost, (professor) history of the colonies of america. mo. illustrated...... frost, (professor) life of gen. zachary taylor. mo. illustrated...... guizot's history of civilization in europe, edited by professor henry. mo...... guizot's complete history of civilization, translated by hazlett. vols...... guizot's history of the english revolution, . mo...... gayarre's romance of the history of louisiana. mo...... hull, (general) military and civil life. vo...... king, (colonel) history of the argentine republic. mo...... kohlrausch's complete history of germany. vo...... mahon's (lord) history of england, edited by professor reed. vols., vo...... michelet's history of france from the earliest period. vols...... michelet's history of the roman republic. mo...... michelet's history of the people. mo...... michelet's life of martin luther. mo...... napoleon, life of, from the french of laurent de l'ardeche. vols. vo. cuts..... o'callaghan's early history of new york. vols. vo...... rowan's history of the french revolution. mo. vols. in ..... sewell's child's history of rome. mo...... southey's life of oliver cromwell. mo...... sprague's history of the florida war. map and plates. vo...... steven's history of georgia. vol. ..... taylor's natural history of society in the barbarous and civilized state. vols. mo...... taylor's manual of ancient and modern history. edited by professor henry. vo...... taylor's ancient history--separate..... taylor's modern history--separate..... used as a text-book in several colleges. twiss. history of the oregon territory. mo...... law books. anthon's law student; or, guides to the study of the law in its principles. holcombe's digest of the decisions of the supreme court of the u. s., from its commencement to the present time. large vo., law sheep..... holcombe's supreme court leading cases on commercial law. vo., law sheep..... holcombe's law of debtor and creditor in the united states and canada. vo...... smith's compendium of mercantile law. with large american additions, by holcombe and gholson. vo., law sheep..... these volumes are highly commended by justices taney and woodbury, daniel webster, rufus choate, and chancellor kent, &c. warren's popular and practical introduction to law studies. with american additions, by thomas w. clerke. vo., law sheep..... miscellaneous. acton, or the circle of life. $ agnell's book of chess. a complete guide to the game. steel illustrations...... mo...... appletons' library manual; a valuable book of reference for the book buyer and seller. pp., vo., paper cover, $ ; half roan..... appletons' new and complete united states traveller's guide, including the canadas, &c. nearly maps. mo. appletons' southern & western guide, with maps of the routes and plans of the principal cities...... mo...... appletons' northern and eastern traveller's guide, with maps of routes, plans of cities, &c. mo...... arnold's miscellaneous works..... ballet girl, the natural history of. by albert smith. with illustrations. mo...... blanchard's heads and tales of travellers. mo...... chapman's instructions on the use of the american rifle..... deleuze's treatise on animal magnetism..... ellis's mothers, daughters, and women of england. each..... frost (professor). book of good examples. mo. illustrated..... frost. book of anecdotes. mo. illustrated..... frost. book of illustrious mechanics. mo. illustrated..... gent, (the natural history of). by albert smith. illustrated..... grant's memoirs of an american lady. mo...... guizot's democracy in france..... hobson. my uncle hobson & i...... kip's christmas holidays in rome. mo...... lamb's final memorials. edited by talfourd. mo...... lanman's summer in the wilderness. mo...... leger's history of animal magnetism. mo...... powell's living authors of england. mo...... republic of the united states. its duties, &c. mo...... roget's economic chess board companion, in case..... sawyer's plea for amusement..... select italian comedies. mo...... something for every body. by robert carlton. mo...... southgate (bishop). visit to syrian church..... tuckerman's american artist life..... wanderings in the western world; or, the european in america..... wayland's real life in england..... whipple's essays and reviews. vols. mo...... warner's rudimental lessons in music. mo...... ---- primary note reader..... woman's worth; or hints to raise the female character. by a lady. mo...... science and useful arts. ansted's gold seeker's manual. mo...... arnot's gothic architecture, applied to modern residences. parts, each..... bourne's catechism of the steam engine. mo...... bouissangault's rural economy..... byrne's new method of calculating logarithms. mo...... ---- dictionary of machine, mechanic engine work. publishing. in numbers, each..... cooley's cyclopædia of practical receipts, in all branches of arts, manufactures, and trades..... falkner's farmer's manual...... farmer's treasure. (the) a manual of agriculture..... fresenius' qualitative chemical analysis..... hodge on the steam engine. plates..... halleck's elements of military art and science. illus...... lefevre's beauties of modern architecture. plates..... marshall's farmer's hand book..... miles on the horse's foot..... parnell's chemistry applied to the arts..... stewart's stable economy..... thomson on the food of animals and man..... ure's dictionary of arts and sciences, with supplement. new edition. vol...... wilson on healthy skin. illus...... the modern housewife or, mÉnagÈre. comprising nearly one thousand receipts, for the economic and judicious preparation of every meal of the day, with those of the nursery and sick room, and minute directions for family management in all its branches. illustrated with engravings. by alexis soyer, author of "the gastronomic regenerator." edited by an american housekeeper. new york: d. appleton & company, broadway. philadelphia: g. s. appleton, chesnut st. . entered, according to act of congress, in the year , by d. appleton & company, in the clerk's office of the district court for the southern district of new-york. preface by the editor. in adapting m. soyer's admirable receipt book to the use of american families, i have not presumed to amend, or attempted to improve upon the text of so accomplished a master of the art, which may with entire propriety be called the "preservative of all arts." all that i have ventured to do has been to make a verbal correction here and there, necessary to render the meaning of the author more plain; to erase certain directions for cooking different kinds of game and fish unknown in the new world; and to omit the purely local information, and scraps of history, which only increased the cost and bulk of the book, without, in any way, adding to its value. except in one instance, nothing has been added; for the object in republishing the menagÈre, was to furnish a new and valuable work on the preparation of food, which should contain important receipts hitherto unknown. every country must have its indigenous dishes, and it is to be presumed that every american housekeeper likely to profit by m. soyer's receipts, will need no instruction in the art of preparing the many excellent dishes peculiar to the united states. it is a vulgar error to suppose that french cookery is more costly and highly flavored than english; an examination of the menagÈre will abundantly prove that the reverse is the fact, and that m. soyer's system, which has rendered him famous in europe, is not only simple and economical, but the best adapted to insuring the enjoyment of health, the elevation of the mental faculties, and converting the daily necessity of eating into a source of daily enjoyment. m. soyer's great work, the gastronomic regenerator, was prepared for the highest classes of english society, and public festivals; but the menagÈre is adapted to the wants and habits of the middle classes, and, as presented in the present edition, calculated for the use of the great bulk of american families. m. soyer is the good genius of the kitchen; although he is the renowned _chef_ of one of the most sumptuous of the london club houses, and the pet of aristocratic feeders, he has labored continually to elevate the mind, and better the condition of the poor by instructing them in the art of obtaining the greatest amount of nourishment and enjoyment from their food. the dietetic maxims and culinary receipts of m. soyer are not less needed in the united states than in england; but for different reasons. happily, our countrymen do not suffer for lack of raw materials, so much as for lack of cooks; and, in the modern housewife of m. soyer, our housekeepers will find a reliable guide and an invaluable friend. _new york, december, ._ contents. page introduction, dialogue between mrs. b---- and mrs. l----, her friend and visitor, letter no. i., letter no. ii., breakfasts, first series of receipts, letter no. iii., early luncheons, letter no. iv., the nursery dinner, letter no. v., ib. comforts for invalids, puddings for invalids, poultry for invalids, culinary correspondence, letter no. vi., ib. letter no. vii., letter no. viii., letter no. ix., letter no. x., ib. letter no. xi., ib. roasting, baking, boiling, stewing, braising, frying, sauteing, broiling, sauces, soups, fish, fish sauces, removes, letter no. xii., poultry, flancs, entrÉes, or made dishes, letter no. xiii., letter no. xiv., dishes with the remains of lamb, eggs, garniture for omelettes, entries of game, roasts--second course, savory dishes letter no. xv., shell-fish, vegetables, of different sorts of pastry, jellies, puddings in moulds, puddings boiled in cloths, plain baked puddings in dishes, removes--second course, souffle, dessert, letter no. xvi., ib. compote, compotes of fruit simplified, salads of various fruits, letter no. xvii., letter no. xviii., beverages for evening parties, ib. letter no. xix., conversation on household affairs, bills of fare, letter no. xx.--a new aliment, carving, letter no. xxi.--the septuagenarian epicure, index, introduction. in the following gossipping conversation between mrs. b---- and mrs. l----, and in the two letters which follow, m. soyer explains the motive of the work; and, in a natural manner introduces the subject.--ed. dialogue between mrs. b---- and mrs. l----, her friend and visitor. _mrs. l._ i have now, my dear mrs. b., been nearly a fortnight at your delightful villa, and i must say, with all truth, that i never fared better in my life, yet i am considered somewhat of an epicure, as is likewise my husband; but, of course, our means being rather limited, we are obliged to live accordingly. _mrs. b._ well, so must we; and i assure you that, during the first few years of our marriage, our pecuniary resources were but small, but even then i managed my kitchen and housekeeping at so moderate an expense compared with some of our neighbors, who lived more expensively, but not so well as we did, that, when any of them dined with us, they flattered me with the appellation of the "model housekeeper," and admired the comforts of our table, but would leave with the impression that i must be the most extravagant of wives. now, believe me, i have always prided myself, whether having to provide for a ceremonious party or dining by ourselves, to have everything properly done and served, that, if any friends should come in by accident or on business, they were generally well pleased with our humble hospitality, and that without extravagance, as my husband is well convinced; for when we dine with any acquaintance of ours he is very eager to persuade them to adopt my system of management; for though he is no great judge of what is called the highest style of cookery, yet he does not like to live badly at any time; as he very justly says, it matters not how simple the food,--a chop, steak, or a plain boiled or roast joint, but let it be of good quality and properly cooked, and every one who partakes of it will enjoy it. _mrs. l._ nothing more true! _mrs. b._ but since you talk of limited income and economy, let me relate to you a conversation which occurred a few years ago between mr. b. and a friend of his, who declared to him that his income would never allow him to live in such luxury, which he called a comfortable extravagance. "extravagance!" exclaimed mr. b., "if you have a few minutes to spare, i will convince you of the contrary, and prove to you that such an expression is very unjust, if applied to my wife's management. now, to begin; what sum should you suppose would cover our annual housekeeping expenditure, living as we do, in a style of which you so much approve, but consider so extravagant? there are ten of us in family, viz., myself and wife, three children, two female servants, and three young men employed in my business, and including our usual christmas party, which, of course you know, (having participated in the last two), besides two separate birthday parties of twenty each, and three juvenile petits-soupers and dances for the children upon their natal anniversaries, also a friend dropping in occasionally, which is never less than once or twice a-week."--"well, i do not know," answered our friend; "but having nearly the same number to provide for, and in a more humble way, my expenses for housekeeping are never less than £---- per annum."--"less than what?" exclaimed mr. b.; "why, my dear friend, you must be mistaken;" at the same time ringing the bell." i wish i were, with all my heart," was the reply, as the servant entered the room; "jane," said mr. b., "ask your mistress to step this way for a few minutes; i wish to look at her housekeeping book." but being busy at the time in the kitchen, i sent up a key for him to get it, which happened to be a wrong one, but, upon discovering the mistake, sent up the right one with an apology for not coming myself, as i was superintending the cooking of some veal broth, which the doctor had ordered for our poor little henry, who was ill at the time. "well," said his friend, "there is a wife for you; i must confess mine can hardly find the way to the kitchen stairs." "now!" said my husband, opening my desk, and, taking up my book, he showed him the last year's expenditure, which was £----. "no! no! that is impossible," replied the other. "but," said mr b., "there it is in black and white." "why, good heavens!" exclaimed he, "without giving so many parties, and also two less in family, my expenditure is certainly greater." to which mr. b. replied, "so i should imagine from the style in which i saw your table provided the few days when we were on a visit to your house; therefore i am not in the least astonished. here, however, is the account for the closing year just made up to the th december, . let us see what it amounts to, probably to £ or £ more." "so, so," replied the other, "that is an increase;"--"let it be so," said mr. b.; "but you must remember that we are twelve months older, and as our business increases, so do we increase our comforts; and this year mrs. b., with the children, had a pretty little house at ramsgate for two months, which will account for the greater part of it." _mrs. l._ but, my dear mrs. b., i am as much astonished as your friend could possibly have been. i should, however, have liked you to explain the matter; but here comes your husband, who will probably initiate me in your culinary secrets. good morning, my dear mr. b. i have been talking to mrs. b. about her system of housekeeping, who was relating to me a conversation you had with a gentleman, who was surprised with its economy. i am also surprised, and should like to take a few leaves out of your most excellent book, if you will allow me. _mr. b._ certainly, my dear madam; in my wife, without flattering her too much, you see almost an accomplished woman (in hearing such praise, mrs. b. retired, saying, "how foolish you talk, richard"); she speaks two or three different languages tolerably well, and, as an amateur, is rather proficient in music, but her parents, very wisely considering household knowledge to be of the greater importance, made her first acquainted with the keys of the store-room before those of the piano; that is the only secret, dear madam; and this is the explanation that i gave to my friend, who thought it a good jest and one of truth. i told him to do the same by his two daughters, which would not only make them more happy through life, but transmit that happiness to their posterity, by setting an example worthy of being followed. i always say, give me a domesticated wife, and with my industry i would not change my position for a kingdom; "very true, very true," was my friend's answer, and we then parted. i have never seen him since nor his wife, who was probably offended at the economical propositions of her husband; for nothing, you are well aware, is more common than for people to be offended when told the truth respecting themselves; or perhaps she was too advanced in years to think of changing her ideas of housekeeping. i see, my dear mrs. l., the brougham is waiting at the gate to convey you to the railway; allow me to see you safe to the station; you will not have many minutes to spare, for the train will shortly be up. about an hour after the above conversation, mrs. l. was seen entering her cottage at oatlands, fully resolved to follow as closely as possible the economic management of mrs. b.; but a little reflection soon made her perceive that she possessed only the theory, and was sadly deficient in the practice: she then determined to beg of her friend a few receipts in writing, and immediately dispatched the following letter:-- _from mrs. l--- to mrs. b----._ oatlands cottage; jan. st, . my dear hortense,--upon my arrival at home, i am happy to say that i found all quite well, and delighted to see me, after (to them) so long an absence as a fortnight, which my husband was gallant enough to say appeared months; but to myself the time appeared to pass very swiftly; for, indeed, every day i felt so much more interested in watching closely how well you managed your household affairs, that, believe me, you have quite spoiled me, especially with your recherché style of cookery, which even now i cannot make out how you could do it at such moderate expense: and, apropos of cooking, mr. l., expecting me home to dinner, had, i have no doubt, a long interview and discussion with cook respecting the bill of fare. "well, sir," i will suppose she said, "what can be better than a fine fat goose, stuffed with sage and ingyons; we have a very fine 'un hanging in the larder." (you must observe, dear, that my cook is plain in every way.) "a very excellent notion that, cook; nothing can be better than a good goose;" was no doubt, my husband's answer, who, although very fond of a good dinner, cannot endure the trouble of ordering it. well, then, here i am in my little drawing-room (the window slightly open), enjoying the fresh country air, which seems to have been amalgamated with a strong aroma from the aforesaid goose, especially the sage and onions; and i am almost certain that the inseparable applesauce is burnt or upset on the stove, from the brown smoke now ascending from the grating over the kitchen window. this style is now to me quite unbearable, and i mean to have quite a reform in my little establishment, and first of all to bring up my daughter in the way recommended by mr. b. to his friend, to make her more domesticated than i am myself, as i begin to perceive that a knowledge of household affairs is as much required as intellectual education; and, for my part, i have come to the determination of adopting your system of management as closely as possible; but first, you must know, that, without your scientific advice, it will be totally impossible; therefore i beg to propose (if you can afford the time) that you will, by writing, give me the description how you lay out your breakfast-table, with the addition of a few receipts for the making of rolls and the other breakfast bread, which i so much enjoyed while with you; even how to make toast, and more especially how you make coffee, chocolate, cocoa (tea, of course, i know). and should this meet your approbation, i mean to make a little journal, which may some day or other be useful to our families and friends. until i hear from you i shall be waiting with anxiety for your decision upon this important and domestic subject. yours very sincerely, eloise. _from mrs. b----, in reply._ bifrons villa; jan. d, . my dear eloise,--in answer to yours, i agree, with the greatest pleasure, to contribute towards your domesticated idea, which, i must say, is very original, and may, as you observe, prove useful; but why should we confine our culinary journal to breakfast only? why not go through the different meals of the day? that is, after breakfast, the luncheon; then the nursery-dinner at one; and here it strikes me that, in that series, we might introduce some receipts, to be called comforts for invalids; even our servants' dinners and teas; then the early dinner at two or three for people in business, the parlor-dinner at six, the coffee after dinner, and even suppers for a small ball or evening party; but all on a moderate scale, leaving the aristocratic style entirely to its proper sphere. * * * * * to show my approbation of your idea, i enclose herewith the first receipt, _how to make toast_. breakfasts. when we first commenced housekeeping, we were six in family, five of whom breakfasted together, the three young men in the shop, mr. b----, and myself. the cloth was laid by the servant girl at half-past seven precisely; at ten minutes to eight i used to make tea, and at eight o'clock we were seated at breakfast, which was composed merely of bread and butter at discretion, fresh water cresses when plentiful, or sometimes boiled eggs, and for variation, once a week, coffee, and if in the winter, we had toast, which i never suffered any servant to prepare more than five minutes before we were seated, for, if standing any time, the dry toast becomes tough, and the buttered very greasy, and consequently unpalatable, as well as indigestible. twenty minutes only was the time allowed for breakfast, after which the table was cleared, the cloth carefully folded and put by for the next morning, for we kept a separate one for dinner, and imposed the fine of a half-penny upon any one who should spill their tea or coffee over the cloth by carelessness. such was always my plan when in business; for you must know as well as myself, it is not only the expense of the washing, but the continual wear and tear of the linen, which make such frequent washings so ruinous, but my cloth used always to look clean, and i am confident that not less than five pounds a-year were saved on that very trifling matter, and you know we thought as much then of five pounds as we perhaps now do of twenty. before partaking of a breakfast, you must provide the materials (which i always select of the best quality), and require to know how to prepare them. i shall, therefore, give you a series of every description of articles which may properly be partaken of at the breakfast-table. first series of receipts. perhaps some housekeepers may laugh at the presumption of m. soyer in attempting to give a formal receipt for so trifling a matter as making a piece of toast. but, in cookery, there are no trifles. every preparation of food, however simple, requires thought, care, and experience. among the unpleasantnesses of our breakfast-tables, there are none more common than poor toast.--ed. . _toast._--procure a nice square loaf of bread that has been baked one or two days previously (for new bread cannot be cut, and would eat very heavy), then with a sharp knife cut off the bottom crust very evenly, and then as many slices as you require, about a quarter of an inch in thickness (i generally use a carving-knife for cutting bread for toast, being longer in the blade, it is more handy, and less liable to waste the bread); contrive to have rather a clear fire; place a slice of the bread upon a toasting-fork, about an inch from one of the sides, hold it a minute before the fire, then turn it, hold it before the fire another minute, by which time the bread will be thoroughly hot, then begin to move it gradually to and fro until the whole surface has assumed a yellowish-brown color, when again turn it, toasting the other side in the same manner; then lay it upon a hot plate, have some fresh or salt butter (which must not be too hard, as pressing it upon the toast would make it heavy), spread a piece, rather less than an ounce, over, and cut into four or six pieces; should you require six such slices for a numerous family, about a quarter of a pound of butter would suffice for the whole; but cut each slice into pieces as soon as buttered, and pile them lightly upon the plate or dish you intend to serve it. this way you will find a great improvement upon the old system, as often in cutting through four or five slices with a bad knife, you squeeze all the butter out of the upper one, and discover the under one, at the peril of its life, swimming in an ocean of butter at the bottom of the dish. n.b. the warming of the bread gradually through, on both sides, is a very great improvement upon the quality of the toast; it may give a trifle more trouble, but still it is quicker done, and much lighter. all kinds of toast require to be done the same way, but if to be served under a bird, eggs, or kidneys, it requires to be toasted drier. being in every way an economist, i have generally saved the remnants of the loaf that have become too dry to be eaten as bread, and by just dipping them in warm water, toasting them gradually, and buttering them, i have generally found that they have been eaten in preference, but their being stale is a secret of my own, which, if divulged, would prevent their ever being eaten after. . _dry toast._--ought not to be toasted until quite ready to serve; when done, place it in a toast-rack, or standing upon its edges, one piece resting against another; any kind of toast that has been made half an hour is not worth eating. . _to toast muffins_ (for receipt, see no. .)--just open, half an inch deep, the sides of the muffins, exactly in the centre, with a knife, then put your toasting-fork in the middle of the bottom, hold it a little distance from the fire, until partly warmed through, when turn it and put it again to the fire until it becomes lightly toasted, when again turn it to toast the other side; when done, pull it open, spread a thin layer of butter on each side, close them together; lay them upon a plate, then with a sharp knife divide them across the middle, and serve very hot. if more than one muffin is required, cut them all separately, and pile them lightly one upon another, on the plate; when well prepared, they are, in my opinion, a very great luxury, obtainable at a trifling expense. . _to toast crumpets._--crumpets stand lower in the general estimation of the public, probably from not being so _distingué_, and having the misfortune to be cheaper than their sister muffins; but, for all that, the poor ought never to be forgotten, and a crumpet toasted as follows is not to be despised. choose your crumpets fresh if possible, though they are not bad after having been made three or four days; toast them by warming both sides first, like muffins, then give them a nice light brown color on each side, lay them in a plate, and spread some rather soft butter lightly upon each side; cut in halves with a sharp knife, and serve; half a pat of butter to each crumpet is quite sufficient. if you have several to serve, lay them separately upon a large hot dish; some people lay them one upon the other, which is a very bad plan, as it causes the under ones to eat like a piece of dough, and such food cannot be wholesome. crumpets require to be toasted rather quick. . _to make rolls and other breakfast bread._--put four pounds of flour into an earthen pan, make a hole in the centre, in which put three parts of a pint of warm water, to which you add a gill of white brewer's yeast, free from bitter, mix a little flour to form a leaven, which set in a warm place to rise (it must be allowed to remain until the leaven has risen and begun to fall), then add a little salt and a pint of warm milk, form the whole into a flexible dough, which keep in a warm place for another hour; it is then ready, and may be moulded into the form of rolls, twists, little crusty loaves, or any shapes most pleasing for the breakfast-table. . _to make muffins._--mix a quart of warm water in which you have dissolved a quarter of a pound of german yeast, with sufficient flour to form a stiffish batter, which let remain in a warm place four hours, then stir the mixture down, and break it into pieces weighing a quarter of a pound each, which mould round with your hands, and put into wooden trays containing a round bed of flour for each; let them remain in a warm place two hours to prove, when have your muffin-stove hot; have a round piece of iron; place on the fire to get hot; set the muffins upon it, and when nicely risen, turn them gently over, baking them upon the stove until sufficiently set, when they are done; they will take about ten minutes baking if the stove is at the proper heat, which is known by throwing a little flour on it and becoming brown. muffins may also be made of brewer's yeast, but then they would require longer proving, and great care must be taken that the yeast be not bitter. . _to make crumpets._--mix a gill of brewer's yeast, free from bitter, with two quarts of water, just lukewarm, to which add sufficient flour to make a thinnish batter, and let it stand six hours in a warm place, when stir it well with a wooden spoon, and let it remain four hours longer; have the muffin-stove hot, upon which lay a number of tin hoops, the size of crumpets, pour a small ladleful of the batter into each hoop, and when the top is covered with small bladders, turn them quickly over (hoops and all) with a large palate knife, and in about five minutes afterwards they will be sufficiently baked. . _rusks._--put three pounds of flour upon a dresser, make a hole in the middle, into which put two ounces of german yeast, dissolved in a pint of warm water, mix a little of the flour in, and leave it half an hour in a warm place to rise, then add two ounces of powdered sugar, and a quarter of a pound of butter, dissolved in half a pint of warm water; mix the whole into a dough, and let it remain in a warm place until well risen, when work it down with the hands, divide it in three pieces, each of which form into a long roll about two inches in thickness, place them upon a buttered baking-sheet, four inches apart, and put them in a warm place to prove, occasionally moistening the tops with milk; bake them in a moderate oven; when cold, cut them in slices the thickness of a penny piece, which lay upon a clean baking-sheet, and put into a warm oven, when well browned upon one side, turn them over, put them again into the oven until the other side is browned, when they are done and ready for use. . _tops and bottoms._--make a dough exactly as described in the last, but using only half the butter; have a deep-edged baking-sheet well buttered, and when the dough is ready, turn it on to a dresser, well floured; divide into small pieces the size of walnuts, which mould into round balls, and place close together upon the baking-sheet; put them in a warm place to prove, and bake well in a moderate oven; when cold, divide and cut each one in halves (making a top and bottom) which brown in the oven as directed for rusks. . _buns._--put three pounds of flour in an earthen pan, make a hole in the middle, in which put two ounces of german yeast, dissolved in three parts of a pint of warm water, and stir in a little of the flour, forming a thinnish batter, let it remain in a warm place nearly an hour, until well fermented, when add half a pound of sugar, a few currants, and half a pound of butter, dissolved in nearly a pint of warm milk, mix the whole well together, making a soft but dry dough; let it remain in a warm place until it rises very light, when turn it out of the pan on to a board; work it well with the hands, shaking flour over lightly, then mould it into small round balls, double the size of walnuts, which place upon a buttered baking-sheet, four inches apart; moisten the tops with milk; put them in a warm place to prove, not, however, permitting them to crack, and bake them in a hot oven. .--_brioche rolls._--put four pounds of flour upon a dresser, one pound of which put on one side, make a hole in the middle into which pour nearly three parts of a pint of warm water, in which you have dissolved an ounce of german yeast; mix it into a stiff but delicate paste, which roll up into a ball: cut an incision across it, and lay it in a basin well floured, in a warm place, until becoming very light, then make a large hole in the centre of the three pounds of flour, into which put half an ounce of salt, two pounds of fresh butter, half a gill of water, and sixteen eggs, mix it into a rather softish flexible paste, which press out flat, lay the leaven upon it, folding it over and working with the hands until well amalgamated, flour a clean cloth, fold the paste in it and let remain all night. in the morning mould them into small rolls; put them upon a baking-sheet, and bake in a moderate oven. unless your breakfast party is very large, half the above quantity would be sufficient; but these rolls being quite a luxury, i only make them upon very especial occasions. . _how to choose eggs._--new-laid eggs should not be used until they have been laid about eight or ten hours, for that part which constitutes the white is not properly set before that time, and does not until then obtain their delicate flavor; that which is termed milk in eggs being, according to my opinion, very insipid; but that entirely depends upon fancy. nothing being more offensive than eggs in a state of decomposition, it is very important that every person should know how to detect them (especially in the winter), if, by shaking them, they sound hollow, you may be certain they are not new-laid, and not fit to be boiled for breakfast: but, if broken, they may prove fit for any other culinary purpose, except for soufflés, for which eggs must be very fresh. the safest way to try them is to hold them to the light, forming a focus with your hand; should the shell be covered with small dark spots, they are very doubtful, and should be broken separately in a cup, and each egg smelt previous to using; if, however, in looking at them, you see no transparency in the shells, you may be sure they are rotten and only fit to be thrown away; the most precise way is, to look at them by the light of a candle; if quite fresh, there are no spots upon the shells, and they have a brilliant light yellow tint; in the spring of the year, it would be scarcely excusable to use any eggs that are not quite fresh. . _eggs for breakfast,--plain boiled._--put about a pint of water to boil in any kind of small stewpan (or saucepan) over the fire; when boiling, put in two or three fresh eggs, gently, with a spoon, being particular not to crack them or allow them to boil too fast, or the interior of the eggs would partly escape before they were set, giving them an unsightly appearance, and entirely prevent their cooking regularly: three minutes is sufficient to cook a full-sized egg, but if below the average size, two minutes and a half will suffice. . _eggs au beurre: a new method._--let the eggs boil six minutes instead of three, then take them out, dip them for two seconds in cold water, crack and peel off the shells, and lay them in a hot plate (they will remain quite whole if properly done), cut each egg in halves lengthwise, spread a little fresh butter and sprinkle a little salt over the interior, and eat them very hot. eggs done in this manner are delicate and digestible. . _to boil eggs hard._--never boil eggs for salads, sauces, or any other purposes, more than ten minutes, and when done place them in a basin of cold water for five minutes to cool: take off their shells, and use them when required. nothing is more indigestible than an egg too hard-boiled. . _poached eggs._--put a pint of water in a stewpan, with four teaspoonfuls of vinegar and half a teaspoonful of salt, place it over the fire, and when boiling, break your eggs into it as near the surface of the water as possible, let them boil gently about three minutes; have rather a thin piece of toast, as described (no. ), upon a dish, take the eggs out carefully with a small slice, lay the slice with the eggs upon a cloth for a second to drain the water from them, set them carefully upon the toast, and serve very hot. if the eggs are fresh they will look most inviting, but the way of breaking and boiling them must be most carefully attended to, and care should be taken not to boil too many together; if the yolks separate from the white it may be presumed that the egg is not fresh, but it may be eatable, for the same thing may happen through awkwardness in poaching. again, the toast upon which they are served may be buttered either with plain or maître d'hôtel butter, or two small pats of butter may be melted, without boiling it, and poured over, or a little melted butter sauce, or the same with the addition of a little maître d'hôtel butter poured over when just upon the point of boiling, or a little anchovy butter instead of the other; thus you may be able to indulge in nice little luxuries at a trifling expense. . _toast and eggs._--break three eggs into a small stewpan, add a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter of that quantity of pepper, and two ounces of fresh butter (the fresher the better), set the stewpan over a moderate fire, and stir the eggs round with a wooden spoon, being careful to keep every particle in motion, until the whole has become a smooth and delicate thickish substance; have ready a convenient-sized crisp piece of toast, pour the eggs upon it, and serve immediately. . _eggs sur le plat._--lightly butter a small oval dish, upon which break two, three, or more eggs without breaking the yolks, season lightly with a little white pepper and salt, put a few small pieces of butter here and there upon them, and then set the dish in a small oven, where let it remain until the whites become set, but by no means hard, and serve hot; if the oven is moderately hot, they will take about ten minutes; if no oven, put the dish before the fire, turning it round now and then until the eggs are set regular. this is a most excellent dish. . _omelettes_ may also be served for breakfast with great advantage, being very relishing, especially the omelettes _aux fines herbes_, _au lard_, and _aux champignons_, but as they are considered to belong to the dinner, they will be given in that series of receipts. . _herring toast sandwich._--choose a bloater for this purpose not too dry, which split in two, cutting it down the back; lay them upon a plate and pour a pint of boiling water over; let them soak five minutes, when lay them upon a cloth to dry; then broil them very gradually upon a gridiron; when well done, which will be in about four or five minutes, have ready two thin slices of toast, made very crisp, butter them lightly, then take away all the bones from the herrings, lay the fleshy parts equally upon one piece of toast and cover with the other: serve very hot. . _toast and eggs with herring._--prepare your toast and eggs as directed (no. ), but previous to pouring the eggs over, lay the flesh of a herring as directed in the last, and pour the eggs over that. herrings upon toast, with a layer of mashed potatoes over, is also very good. dried haddock may also be served the same, as also may sardines, but they being ready-cooked, are laid over cold without splitting them; they are very delicious; if wanted hot, set them a few minutes before the fire. . _fish for breakfast,--bloated herrings._--they require to be freshly salted, for if dry they are quite rank and unpalatable; scrape them lightly with a knife, and wipe them well with a cloth; pass the point of a knife down the back from head to tail, making an incision about a quarter of an inch in depth; place them upon the gridiron over a sharp fire; they will take about six minutes to cook, of course turning them occasionally; when done, put them upon a hot dish, open the backs, and place half a small pat of butter in each; again close them: cooked this way they are delicious, especially if they are real bloaters. another way is to cut them quite open and broil them flat upon the gridiron, and serve quite plain; this way they are done much more quickly. or, if nice and fresh, oil half a sheet of white paper for every fish, in which fold them and broil fifteen minutes over a slow fire, turning them over three or four times, and serve in the papers. should you have any that have become dry, soak them about twenty minutes in lukewarm water, and proceed as first directed. (same process will do for red herrings.) . _dried haddock._--a very excellent thing for breakfast, but they never ought to be cooked whole, for one side being thinner than the other is of course dried up before the other is much more than half done, especially the larger ones; the better plan is to cut them in halves lengthwise, put them upon the gridiron over a moderate fire, keeping them frequently turned, and taking the thinnest half off first; the thickest will require about ten minutes to cook it thoroughly; when done, spread a pat of fresh butter over, and serve upon a very hot dish. haddocks may also be skinned and broiled in oiled paper, but of course would take rather more time in cooking. . _whitings._--of all the modes of preparing and dressing whitings for breakfast i cannot but admire and prize the system pursued by the scotch, which renders them the most light, wholesome, and delicious food that could possibly be served for breakfast: their method is, to obtain the fish as fresh as possible, clean and skin them, take out the eyes, cover the fish over with salt, immediately after which take them out and shake off the superfluous salt, pass a string through the eye-holes, and hang them up to dry in a passage or some place where there is a current of air; the next morning take them off, just roll them lightly in a little flour, broil them gently over a slow fire, and serve very hot, with a small piece of fresh butter rubbed over each, or serve quite dry if preferable. . _slips or small soles._--when cleaned, season them with a little pepper and salt, dip lightly into flour, and broil them slowly over a moderate fire about ten minutes, or according to the size; when done, place them upon a hot dish, pour two tablespoonfuls of cream over and serve immediately. they may of course be served dry, but pouring the cream over is a new and very good idea. nothing but small white fish could be tolerated for breakfast. . _sprats_ when nicely cooked are very commendable. dip them lightly into flour, and place them upon a gridiron over a slow fire; when about half done, turn them; when done (which would be in about five minutes from the time you put them on), serve dry in a very hot dish. . _meat for breakfast,--sheep's kidneys._--procure as many as you may require for your party, about one each is generally sufficient; be sure that they are fresh, which any person can ascertain by smelling, if not able to judge by their appearance; cut them open very evenly lengthwise, down to the root, but not to separate them; then have some small iron or wooden skewers, upon which thread the kidneys quite flat, by running the skewer twice through each kidney, that is, under the white part; season them rather highly with pepper and salt, and place them upon a gridiron (the inside downwards), over a sharp fire; in three minutes turn them over, and in about six they will be sufficiently done; then take them off the skewers, place them in a very hot dish, and serve immediately. in opening them be careful to cut them in the centre, for should one half be thicker than the other, one would be dried before the other was sufficiently cooked. . _kidneys on toast._--prepare the kidneys precisely as in the last, but when done have ready a piece of hot toast, which butter lightly; lay the kidneys upon it; have ready a small piece of butter, to which you have added a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; place a small piece in the centre of each kidney, and when melted serve. . _kidney bread-crumbed, à la maître d'hôtel._--prepare the kidneys as before, and when upon the skewer, have ready upon a plate an egg well beat up with a fork; season the kidneys with a little salt and pepper, dip them into the egg, then lightly cover them with bread-crumbs, put them upon the gridiron, which place over a moderate fire, broil them about ten minutes, turning them when half done, have ready a little maître d'hôtel butter, put about half an ounce in each kidney, and serve immediately upon a very hot dish; by the time it gets upon the table the butter will be melted, and they eat very relishing; dressed this way they may also be served upon toast. . _sautéd kidneys._--should you not have a fire fit for broiling, put an ounce of butter into a sauté-pan (which of course must be very clean), cut the kidney in halves lengthwise; and when the butter is melted, lay them in, the flat side downwards, having previously well seasoned them with pepper and salt; set the pan on a moderate fire three minutes, then turn them, place them again upon the fire until done; when have ready a piece of dry toast, which place upon a hot dish, pour the kidneys with the butter and gravy over and serve very hot, care must be taken in sautéing that the butter does not become burnt. another way is to sprinkle about a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots, or onions, over them whilst being sautéd; this materially changes the flavor, and meets the approbation of many. for the cooking of mutton chops, steaks, cutlets, broiled fowl, broiled bones, or remnants of poultry or game, i must refer you to where they are given as receipts for the dinner-table. . _bacon and ham, how to choose both fit for broiling._--ham for broiling ought not to be too old or too dry, it would perhaps eat rank: nothing requires more care than broiling. either get a slice of ham weighing a quarter of a pound or two ounces, which lay on your gridiron; put them over the fire; it will take perhaps five minutes, if the fire is good, and more, of course, if slow, but in that short space of time turn them three or four times, and it is done. proceed the same if you want to serve it with poached eggs, but be careful that the eggs be ready at the same time as the bacon or ham, or both would eat badly. if you happen to have a whole ham by you for that purpose only, begin to cut the slices in a slanting direction and the same thickness, and proceed to the end of the ham with the remainder; it will prove more profitable to broil with greens, peas, broad beans, &c., &c. to sauté it, put a little butter or good fat in the pan; set it on the fire with your slice in it, sauté very gently, turning very often, and serve it on very thin toast. . _ham and eggs._--while your ham is doing, break two fresh eggs in the pan, season slightly with salt and pepper, set it before the fire till the eggs are delicately done, and slip them whole carefully into your dish, without breaking the yolk. . _bacon._--the streaky part of a thick flank of bacon is to be preferred; cut nice slices not above a quarter of an inch thick, take off the rind, put to broil on the gridiron over a clear fire, turn it three or four times in the space of five minutes; this will be all the cooking required: serve it very hot. though this is the best part, the whole of the bacon is still good, especially if not rank, which can be easily detected by its yellowish color: if too dry or salt, after it has been cut in slices, dip it into a little vinegar and water three or four times, and sauté as usual, it will make it softer and less salt: serve as usual. if any remain after a dinner of boiled bacon, it is also very good broiled or fried for next day's breakfast. . _sausages._--sausages are very frequently esteemed for breakfast. by all means, never use them, except you are confident that they are fresh. the skin must be transparent, that the meat should be seen through; they keep good two or three days in a cold place in summer, nearly a week in winter (with care). for the receipt how to make them in the homely way, see future letter. . _sausages, how to cook them._--prick them with a pin all round about twenty times, put them on the gridiron over a gentle fire, turn three or four times, by doing which you will have them a very nice yellow color; dish them, and serve them very hot. . _sautéd sausages._--if your fire smokes, it is preferable to sauté them; put some butter in the pan, with four sausages; after you have pricked them as before-mentioned, sauté gently, a few minutes will do them, turn them often; in many instances a thin slice of bread sautéd in the fat they have produced is a great improvement; save the fat, as it is always useful in a kitchen. in case you are in a hurry to do them, throw them into hot water for one minute previously to their being broiled or sautéd; they will then be the sooner cooked, and even eat rather more relishing to a delicate stomach, having extracted the oil from the skin; they may also be fried in the frying-pan. . _black puddings, broiled._--make about six or eight incisions through the skin with a knife, in a slanting way, on each side of the pudding; put it on the gridiron for about eight minutes, on rather a brisk fire, turn it four times in that space of time, and serve it broiling hot. i should recommend those who are fond of black puddings to partake of no other beverage than tea or coffee, as cocoa or chocolate would be a clog to the stomach. in france they partake of white wine for breakfast, which accounts for the great consumption of black pudding. now really this is a very favorite dish with epicures, but i never should recommend it to a delicate stomach. on coffee.--coffee, which has now come so generally into use, originally came from arabia, where it has been known from time immemorial, but was brought into use in england in the year ; as it is not generally known how it was introduced, i will give you the account of it from "houghton's collection," . "it appears that a mr. daniel edwards, an english merchant of smyrna, brought with him to this country a greek of the name of pasqua, in , who made his coffee; this mr. edwards married one alderman hodges's daughter, who lived in walbrook, and set up pasqua for a coffee-man in a shed in the churchyard in st. michael, cornhill, which is now a scrivener's brave-house, when, having great custom, the ale-sellers petitioned the lord mayor against him, as being no freeman. this made alderman hodges join his coachman, bowman, who was free, as pasqua's partner; but pasqua, for some misdemeanor, was forced to run the country, and bowman, by his trade and a contribution of sixpences, turned the shed to a house. bowman's apprentices were first, john painter, then humphrey, from whose wife i had this account." having examined the renter churchwarden's book of st. michael, cornhill, i find that the house or shed bowman built is now part of the jamaica coffee-house; it was rebuilt by bowman, after the fire, in . it is a very remarkable fact that but few persons in england know how to make good coffee, although so well supplied with the first quality of that delicious berry; but, by way of contrast, i must say that the middle classes of france are quite as ignorant of the method of making tea. i remember, upon one occasion, whilst staying at havre with mr. b., where we were upon a visit at the house of one of his agents, who invited a few of his friends to meet us at a tea-party _à l'anglaise_, as they used to call it, about an hour previous to tea, and previous to the arrival of the guests, i was walking upon the lawn before the house, when my attention was attracted by a cloud of steam issuing from the kitchen-window, smelling most powerfully of tea: my curiosity led me to the kitchen, where i found the cook busily engaged making cocoa and most delicious coffee, but preparing the tea in a ridiculous fashion, the leaves of which were in an awful state of agitation, attempting as it were to escape from an earthen pot at the side of the fire, in which the delicious soup we had for dinner was made a few hours previously. (_see_ pot-au-feu.) "my dear girl," said i (in french), "what process do you call that of making tea? it never ought to be boiled." "i beg your pardon, madame," says she, "master and mistress like it well done, and it will be another short half-hour before it is properly cooked (ce sera alors copieux)." "you are decidedly wrong," said i, "and i shall be most happy to show you the way we make it in england." "yes, i know what you mean, madame," replied she; "i used to make it that way before, but no one liked it, that is, to boil it one hour in a copper-pan over a charcoal fire." upon which i retired, making a most comical grimace, to refrain from laughing at her still more ridiculous fashion. you must, however, observe that this occurred nearly twelve years ago, and i have no doubt but a reform has taken place since then by the continual traffic of the english through that part of the country. i must say, with respect to ourselves, we do not make quite such a blunder respecting coffee, but still our middle classes very seldom enjoy the aroma of that delicious beverage, which should be made as follows: choose the coffee of a very nice brown color, but not black (which would denote that it was burnt, and impart a bitter flavor); grind it at home if possible, as you may then depend upon the quality; if ground in any quantity, keep it in a jar hermetically sealed. to make a pint, put two ounces into a stewpan, or small iron or tin saucepan, which set dry upon a moderate fire, stirring the coffee round with a wooden spoon continually until it is quite hot through, but not in the least burnt; should the fire be very fierce, warm it by degrees, taking it off every now and then until hot (which would not be more than two minutes), when pour over a pint of boiling water, cover close, and let it stand by the side of the fire (but not to boil) for five minutes, when strain it through a cloth or a piece of thick gauze, rinse out the stewpan, pour the coffee (which will be quite clear) back into it, place it upon the fire, and, when nearly boiling, serve with hot milk if for breakfast, but with a drop of cold milk or cream if for dinner. to prove the simplicity of this mode of making coffee, i shall here give a repetition of the receipt as it actually is: . put two ounces of ground coffee into a stewpan, which set upon the fire, stirring the powder round with a spoon until quite hot, when pour over a pint of boiling water; cover over closely for five minutes, when pass it through a cloth, warm again, and serve.[ ] the foregoing proportions would make coffee good enough for any person, but more or less coffee could be used, if required; the cloth through which it is passed should be immediately washed and put by for the next occasion. a hundred cups of coffee could be made as here directed in half an hour, by procuring a pan sufficiently large, and using the proper proportions of coffee and water, passing it afterwards through a large cloth or jelly-bag. . _coffee, french fashion._--to a pint of coffee, made as before directed, add a pint of boiling milk, warm both together until nearly boiling, and serve. the french never use it any other way for breakfast. . _white coffee, a new style._--put two ounces of unground coffee, slightly roasted, into a clean stewpan, which set upon a moderate fire, slowly warming the coffee through, shaking the stewpan round every half-minute; when very hot, which you will perceive by the smoke arising from it, pour over half a pint of boiling water, cover the stewpan well, and let it infuse by the side of the fire for fifteen minutes, then add half a pint of boiling-hot milk, pass the coffee through a small fine sieve into the coffee-pot or jug, and serve with white sugar-candy or crystallized sugar; it is, as you will perceive, a great novelty, and an agreeable change; but if by neglect you let the coffee get black, or the least burnt, do not attempt to make use of it; it should only be sufficiently charred to break easily in a mortar if required. . _coffee, made with a filter._--to make a quart; first put a pint of boiling water through the filter to warm it, which again pour away, then put a quarter of a pound of ground coffee upon the filter, upon which put the presser lightly, and the grating, pour over half a pint of boiling water, let it drain three or four minutes, then pour over a pint and a half more boiling water; when well passed through, pour it into a clean stewpan, which set at the corner of the fire until a light scum arises, but not boiling; pour it again through the filter, and when well drained through, pour into the coffee-pot, and serve with hot milk, or a little cream, separately. . _another way, more economical._--proceed as in the last, but draining the coffee through once only, and serve, after which pour another quart of boiling water over the coffee-grounds, which, when drained through, reserve, and boil up for the next coffee you make, using it instead of water, and an ounce less coffee. tea is, without doubt, one of the most useful herbs ever introduced into england, which was in the year of the fire of london, : it has replaced an unwholesome and heavy drink (ale) which used to be partaken of previously, and has created habits of sobriety. it is indigenous to china, japan, and siam, and consists of many varieties, the proper mixing of which constitutes the great art of a tea-dealer. it is exceedingly useful in many cases of sickness, and particularly after having partaken of any liquor to excess, or after extraordinary fatigue. when new, it is a narcotic; but when old it has a different effect,[ ] and in its native country is never partaken of until a year old, and not then, unless exceedingly desiccated. i cannot recommend you any one in particular, as that depends on taste; but this i advise, that when you have a kind to your liking, to keep to it. and now, my dear friend, without wishing in the least to offend you, or attempting to aggravate your good nature, i must beg to contradict your assertion made at the commencement of our undertaking, where you say, respecting tea, of course i know how to make it; you made it whilst staying at our house occasionally, and mr. b. found there was a great difference between it and mine. but to tell you the truth respecting tea, i have a little secret of my own, being a discovery which i made a short time ago by accident. whilst in the act of making tea, i had just put the dry tea in the pot, when i heard a fearful scream up-stairs in the drawing-room; rushing there, i found my little girl had had a severe fall in reaching something from the chimney-piece, the stool upon which she stood having upset: twenty minutes at least had elapsed before i returned to my tea (which, being alone, i was in no particular hurry for), when i found that the servant, thinking there was water in the pot, and fearing the tea would be spoiled, put it into the oven, which was rather hot; when she brought it to me, i was rather annoyed, when all at once it struck me that the leaves being hot through, the tea would not require so long to draw; i then filled the teapot with boiling water, and in a minute afterwards had a most delicious cup of tea, since which i have adopted the system upon all occasions, and am now having made a small spirit-lamp to warm the pot and leaves, as the oven is not always hot: it may, however, be made hot in front of the fire, but not too close of course. i gave the receipt to one of our neighbors, who actually laughed at the idea, but never tried it, saying, "we cannot teach anything to our grandmothers, and that what did for them would do for us." now what could you say to such people? why nothing, but let them alone, as i shall do for the future. but you, my dear, i know have better sense; proceed as i have directed, and you will find it a great improvement. put your tea in the pot a quarter of an hour before ready for it, warming both tea and pot, fill with boiling water, and leave it from three to five minutes to draw, when it is quite ready. cacao was first known in europe after the discovery of america, and it retains its indian name; of course, it was first used in spain, and did not come into use in england until much later; and we find that there was imported into england, in the year , about , lbs. weight of it; at the present day there was, in , , lbs. it is a long fruit, about five to eight inches, and three or four thick, which contains about thirty nuts: the tree grows to only a few feet in height. in the course of my experiments, i have found that the shell is almost as nutritious as the kernel, with less oily particles in it, which, to many, are unpleasant. . _chocolate._--scrape two ounces of the cake, which put into a stew or saucepan, with a gill of water, upon the fire, keeping it stirred with a wooden spoon until rather thick, when work it quickly with the spoon, stirring in half a pint of boiling milk by degrees; serve very hot, with sugar separate. . _chocolate made in the italian method._--procure a regular chocolate-pot with a muller, the handle of which comes through the lid, one might be procured at any brazier's, put in two ounces of chocolate (scraped), over which by degrees pour a pint of boiling milk, put on the lid, with the muller inside, which keep well moving, setting the pot upon the fire, and when very hot and frothy, serve. . _cocoa._--put a teaspoonful and a half of canistered cocoa into a cup, which fill by degrees with boiling milk, stir it until dissolved, when it is ready to serve; sugar separately. letter no. iii oatlands cottage, jan. , . dear hortense,--i have inclosed the whole of the receipts which you have sent me for the breakfasts, properly classified, having omitted the cold meats (as you desired me) from this series, thinking, as you do, they are more suited for the luncheon. to save useless repetition, i have placed the receipts in numbers, by which references can be easily made, and any dish appearing in the dinner or luncheon series, but available for breakfast, can be directly found. but one thing i remember when at your house was, that when the remains of a joint were rather large, you used to put it upon a side table, and let any one help themselves from it there; your idea being, i believe, that very few persons liked to have a large dish of meat before their eyes almost immediately after rising from their beds, or at the first meal of the morning. respecting the way your table was laid out, to the best of my recollection, it was as follows:--first the large table-cloth, over which was laid a small napkin before each person, with cups and saucers for tea or coffee, at choice, small plates for rolls, and a size larger for meat, sausages, eggs, &c., a small knife and fork for each; the butter in a pretty freezing butter-glass, just covered with clear spring water, and garnished with a few sprigs of parsley or watercresses; the cream in a small china cream-jug, and a larger jug containing hot milk for coffee; orange marmalade in its original pot, honeycomb, watercresses, and once a few nice young radishes, which were excellent, although a little out of season; one day also dry toast was served, another day buttered, the next muffins, then crumpets, white and brown bread, and small rolls, thus making a continual change, but all so small and inviting. i shall always, when i have company, as you had then, arrange everything in the same manner, especially now that i have your receipts down. but when you are alone, you tell me, you never make any such display, which of course would be ridiculous; still even then you vary, by having either tea, coffee, or chocolate, which change i like as well as you. i eat meat but occasionally, but mr. l---- generally likes a little broiled bacon, or boiled egg, things in themselves very simple and pleasant to have upon the table. yours, in haste, eloise. early luncheons. letter letter no. iv. my dear friend,--i feel perfectly satisfied with the manner in which you have classified my receipts respecting the breakfasts, and must say i felt very much interested in looking over them; i am confident they would prove interesting and instructive to any young housekeeper; i hope, therefore, you will preserve the originals, as i do not keep any copies, fearing they would confuse me by making reference to them; so that, if at any future time i should make a repetition in other series, you would be able to correct me, for i am as willing as yourself that we should complete our work by going through every series comprising meals of the day. the next meal, then, to breakfast, in the ordinary course of events, is the luncheon. although it is a meal we never touch ourselves, i am aware many small families make it a regular one, so our little journal would not be complete without some few remarks, which i intend making as short and concise as possible. when we were in business, our luncheons were comprised of any cold meats which were cooked for previous dinners; if a joint of cold roast or boiled meat, it requires to be nicely trimmed before making its appearance at table, but reserving the trimmings for hash, if of roast meat, or bubble-and-squeak, if salt beef, which is an excellent method of disposing of the remainder of a joint to advantage; if the joint happened to be cold veal, i used to send for a plate of ham to serve with it, unless there was a piece of bacon also left; if mutton, i used to dish up the leg with a pretty little paper frill upon the knuckle, also trimming the joint lightly, for you must be aware that, after four or five have dined from a leg of mutton, its appearance becomes quite spoiled, and looks blackish when cold. pork i also serve the same; when parsley was cheap, i always laid a few branches round it, which used, as my visitors said, to make the meat look very refreshing and inviting. our only addition was sometimes the remainder of game, which at that time used frequently to be presented to us--pheasants, partridges, or grouse; as it would then have been very extravagant to have purchased them, especially when they were so expensive. as an accompaniment to the meat, i always kept two different sorts of mixed pickles, good bread, butter, cheese, and a glass of excellent table ale; or, if our guest was some bosom friend or good customer, a bottle of sherry (not decantered), never any port, thinking that more fit for the dinner-table. such was my plan in the first five years after my marriage: everything upon our table was of the first quality, and every one used to admire the neatness with which the table was laid out. my method now, when luncheon is required (as we do not dine until half-past five o'clock, mr. b. being engaged until four in the city), i have the cloth laid at twelve, and lunch at half-past; and that time being just after the nursery dinner, we generally have some sort of pudding or tart, made at the same time with theirs. for cold meat, i always serve that up which has been left from a previous dinner, if any, or any remains of poultry, game, ham, or tongue. when, however, we have six or eight friends from the country at christmas, i feel proud to show them my style of doing things well and economically, for they are very intelligent people, and can appreciate good living, though at home they really live too plain for their incomes; but they say, "we do not understand how it is that you make a nice little dish almost out of nothing." for should i have the remnants of any poultry or game not very inviting to the sight, i generally cut it up and show my cook how to hash it in a variety of ways; and i always remark, that they never partake of any cold meat whilst any of the hash remains. for the methods of making various hashes of fowl, game, hare, rabbit, beef, mutton, as also curries, minced veal and poached eggs, cold pies of game, poultry, mutton, beefsteak, or pigeon, as also plain mutton cutlets, steaks, and broiled bones, the whole of which may be served for luncheon, i must refer you to the series of receipts belonging to the dinner; any of these articles are placed in order upon the table, with the pickle-stand, two different cruet-sauces, orange marmalade, potatoes, butter, cheese, sherry and port wines. this style of luncheon will no doubt surprise you, but i can assure you it scarcely increases my expenditure, having the same number to provide for daily, so that the luncheon is generally made up from the remains of dinner, and the remains of luncheon will dine our three servants at half-past one. in the summer, i introduce a few dishes of fruit, and less meat; and when there are several ladies, i often introduce some english-made wine, which once i used to make myself, but which i can now buy cheaper. the nursery dinner. letter no. v dear friend,--now here i must call your especial attention to the way many people treat this department of domestic comfort, which is often very slight and irregular. now, for my part, i have made quite a study of it, and could prove that health is always dependent on the state of the digestive organs; and that, if you should improperly treat young stomachs, by over or under supplying their wants, or using them to ill-cooked food, you not only destroy the functionary coating of the stomach, but also impede the development of the intellect. it is, then, as much a science to manage the food of children, as to cater for the palate of the gourmet, and i shall always consider that good food is to the body what education is to the mind. my plan of managing the nursery meals is as follows:--at eight o'clock in the morning, which was my usual time, i used myself to prepare that glutinous food upon which our ancestors and race were first reared, rather unclassically denominated pap. my method was very simple: .--put two ounces of rusk, or tops and bottoms, in a small saucepan, with just sufficient water to moisten them; set the saucepan upon the fire until its contents are thoroughly warmed through; pour a little of the water away, if too thin, pressing the rusk with a spoon; then add a teaspoonful of brown sugar, and beat the whole with a spoon until quite a pulp; it is then ready for use. i have seen some poor people in the country make it with a stale piece of bread, previously well dried and lightly toasted before the fire, and you could scarcely tell the difference from rusks; and you must observe, that people in a country village cannot always supply themselves with everything in the way of luxury; but look at the greater part of those country urchins,--are they not a real picture of health? for, after all, nothing is more advantageous to a delicate child than country air and country food. when mr. b. and myself were staying at boulogne for a few weeks, i was astonished to hear that everybody used to put their children out to nurse. i was so surprised, that i made every inquiry, and found it literally true, that even respectable tradespeople sent their children a mile or two in the country, some to the houses of very poor people: i cannot say that i approve of such a style of bringing up infants, but even there they seem as healthy and as joyful as possible. i also found there something to be learned, and that was, how to make french pap, which i think very nutritious, but which i considered at the time rather heavy for our climate; but having afterwards made a trial of it upon our little henry, i found him doing so extremely well, that i continued feeding him upon it for nearly eight months, until he was old enough to eat other food. the following is the receipt: .--put a tablespoonful of flour into a pap saucepan, to which add by degrees two gills of milk, mixing it into a very smooth batter with a wooden spoon; place the saucepan upon the fire, let it boil ten minutes, keeping it stirred the whole time, or it is liable to burn or become brown, then add about half an ounce of sugar and a little salt, put it into a basin, and it is ready for use. a little butter is also very good in it. you will observe, that it is more difficult and troublesome to make than our pap; but when used to it, you will expend no more time over it; and, as the french people say, cooking is all pleasure and no trouble. but what convinces me that it is more palatable and nutritious is, that i have seen a very robust man make a hearty dinner of two plates of it by introducing bread in it. i have no doubt that our own hasty pudding was taken from it, for the use of children of three or four years old, being thought too heavy for infants. these long details may appear rather insignificant and tedious to you, but i leave them to your good judgment, begging of you to curtail my remarks should you think proper; but, although you may consider that every person is acquainted with these domestic habits, you would find upon inquiry that very many persons neglect them almost entirely. having written thus much upon the food of infants, we must next consider the proper diet for children of twelve months old, commencing with bread and milk. .--for which, cut about two ounces of any white bread into small thin slices, which put into a small basin or a large breakfast cup, in a little saucepan (only used for that purpose) have half a pint of milk, which, when upon the point of boiling, pour over the bread; cover the cup over five minutes, and it is ready for use. i much prefer this method to that of boiling the bread and milk together. in first commencing to feed a child upon the above, i always added a little sugar, which i withdrew by degrees, as i do not like to accustom children to too much sweets, as it inclines them when a little older to be always wanting or eating sweet stuff, which often spoils the best set of teeth; and here let me remark, that the finest fortune you can give to your children is health, and as loving mothers, whilst we have them under our control, it is our duty to study their little comforts, and direct their first steps in life in the road of happiness. . _porridge._--when children are delicate, porridge is often preferable to bread and milk. put two tablespoonfuls of scotch grits or oatmeal in the milk saucepan, which moisten with half a pint of milk; let it boil ten minutes, keeping well stirred, add a small piece of butter and a little sugar, and it is ready for use. when my children were about eighteen months or two years old, i used to give them a little tender meat, such as boiled mutton, and broth, but in very small quantities, keeping still for the general food the bread and milk and porridge; but now they are old enough to eat anything wholesome (one being nine and the other ten years of age), their meals are composed thus: .--bread and milk for breakfast at eight; the dinner at one, which was composed as follows throughout the week: roast mutton and apple pudding, roast beef and currant pudding, baked apples; boiled mutton with turnips, after which rice or vermicelli pudding; occasionally a little salt beef, with suet dumplings, plain and with currants in them, or pease pudding; or if unwell, a little veal or chicken-broth, or beef-tea (the receipts for which will be found in the series entitled comforts for invalids). when in business, the first three years we could not afford to keep a nursery, in fact, we had no room to spare; the children then used to dine with us at one, but at a side-table with their nurse. .--they then had a little plain meat, cut small in their plates, with potatoes, pieces of bread, and gravy, after which, three times a week, plain rice, bread, or other plain pudding, or rhubarb or apple tart; and, at five o'clock, their bread and milk again, previous to going to bed. but if for people who could afford it, i should recommend the following diet-table, for nurserymaid and all: .--first, about two pounds of mutton well-cooked, but with the real gravy of the meat in it, which will require about one hour before a moderate fire, dredge it ten minutes before being done; when taken up and in the dish, sprinkle a little salt over the meat, and pour over three or four spoonfuls of hot water to make a little light gravy. many persons will, i am aware, quite disapprove of this system of washing the meat: they would serve it as if it were for full-grown people, but you well know what would do for children as well as i--plain, simple, and wholesome food; i always carried out this system, and i now make my cook do the same. .--then the next day i would give them a small piece of mutton, plain boiled, with turnips, and apple tart; or a few slices of roast beef, or a small piece roasted on purpose, after which a very plain currant pudding; or, occasionally, a little pickled pork, with pease pudding, or roast pork, with baked apples, and now and then a little salt beef, but very well boiled, with suet dumplings, and occasionally, for change, either bread, vermicelli, or tapioca puddings; in case of illness, and with the approbation of the doctor, veal, mutton, or chicken-broth, sago, gruel, panada, &c., for which refer to the receipts for invalids. now the more i write the more i am convinced that, for the method of preparing certain articles for the children's dinners, we must refer to the kitchen department of receipts and receipts for invalids, especially as regards broth, meat, puddings, &c., or otherwise we should have so many repetitions; so that it would be better, upon the completion of the journal, to make references, either by numbers of receipt or page; it will be more intelligible, and less confused. many people would, perhaps, imagine that there is too much variety of food for children; but it is quite the contrary, for change of food is to the stomach what change of air is to the general health, but, of course, with children, those changes must be effected with judgment, and their food administered in smaller quantities; but you must observe when children are well brought up with regard to their meals, they possess extraordinary organs of digestion, the proof of which is that they require feeding oftener than a full-grown person, and never appear to be tired of eating, thus, of course, they do not require such quantities at a time. having here terminated my remarks upon the nursery, i shall leave this scene of romp and confusion, to walk on tip-toe to the sick-room door, and carefully enter, without noise, into this mournful abode of human suffering and captivity, in hopes that, by watching over their diet, my small efforts may improve their comforts, which, by being properly managed, may assist in their restoration to health. i shall, therefore, proceed to give some receipts, entitled comforts for invalids. nothing is to me more painful than to see any food ill-prepared for sick people, where the sense of taste is partially gone; everything ordered by the doctors as food, should be cooked in the greatest perfection, especially as everything they require is so very simple and easily done, that it is unpardonable to do it badly, although i am sorry to say that it is too often the case, even in many of our first hospitals and other public establishments, where they have provisions in abundance, and of the first quality. perhaps you may fancy i am too severe upon that delicate subject, but i can assure you that i have for years been in the habit of visiting some of these institutions for the sick, and can therefore speak with confidence. i have grieved often to see it, and have wished that they would follow a system i would lay down, but there are some people who would not change their style, however bad, for a better one, for the world. now i must here claim all your intelligence, for pointing out those receipts the accomplishing of which is most plain, and will insure success to those who may try to do them, and cause them to persuade others to follow their example. i therefore inclose the following. yours, &c. hortense. comforts for invalids. . _meat for invalids._--the best meat as food for invalids is, in fact, that which is principally used, mutton and beef, lamb, if not too young (sweetbreads, i consider, ought oftener to be introduced), and calves' feet or head, scalded and boiled until tender, are very nutritious; chickens, pigeons, partridges, are also very inviting. all the above-mentioned articles are easy of digestion, excepting perhaps the beef, which may require to be gently stewed until tender, if for a delicate stomach just ordered to take meat after a serious fit of illness. . _plain mutton broth for invalids._--get one pound of scrag of mutton, break the bone with a chopper, without separating the meat, then put it into a stewpan with three pints of water and a salt-spoonful of salt; boil gently two hours, carefully removing all the scum and fat, which is easily done by allowing it to simmer slowly by the side of the fire; it will be by that time reduced to about one quart, and is then ready to serve. this broth must not be expected to drink very palatable, being deprived of vegetables and seasoning, being in fact more like a beverage than a soup: at the commencement of convalescence more strength may be given if ordered by the doctor, by reducing the original quantity to one pint. this broth is often administered by a spoonful only at a time. . _seasoned mutton broth._--put the same quantity of mutton and water into your stewpan, add double the quantity of salt, and a quarter ditto brown sugar, quarter of a middle-sized onion, very little celery, and one ounce of turnip; set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil draw it to the side; let it simmer gently two hours; skim off all the scum and fat, and pass it through a sieve, and use it when required. when finished, there ought to remain about a quart of broth; but if by neglect it has boiled too fast, add more water, and set to boil for a quarter of an hour longer. if the patient is getting better, his medical man will probably order him to eat a little of the meat, or even turnips, in which case serve them on a plate separately; should the meat not be required by the patient, it is very excellent for a healthy person, with a few spoonfuls of onions or caper sauce, or even plain. if pearl-barley is required to be taken with the broth, put a tablespoonful of it in with the water when you first put it upon the fire, the whole will then be done together; if the barley is to be eaten by the patient, take out the meat and vegetables, and skim off every spot of grease; but if the barley is not required, pass the broth, as before, through a sieve. . _mutton broth (with variations). with vermicelli._--having made your broth, and passed it through a sieve, as before, put the meat and vegetables upon a plate, and the broth back into the same stewpan; when boiling, if about a quart, add one or two tablespoonfuls of vermicelli, depending upon the strength of the patient's stomach; ten minutes' boiling will be sufficient to cook vermicelli. . _with rice._--one spoonful of best rice in the stewpan, with mutton and water the same as the barley, as it is better for the rice to be in pulp than underdone. . _with semoulina._--semoulina is very delicate and glutinous, and i am quite confident that the faculty would approve of it after a trial or two; it is good in any kind of broth or milk for invalids, of very easy digestion, and having also the advantage of being tolerably cheap and quickly cooked; proceed as directed for vermicelli. . _with arrow-root._--after having passed your broth, place it again into the stewpan to boil; when boiling, put two teaspoonfuls of arrow-root into a cup, which mix smoothly with a gill of cold broth, or half ditto of water; then pour it into your boiling broth, which keep stirring with a spoon; let it simmer ten minutes, and it is ready for use. . _veal broth (french method)._--the following is much recommended by french physicians:--put one pound of veal from knuckle, with but very little of the bone, into a stewpan with three pints of water and a salt-spoonful of salt, place it over the fire to boil; when boiling, take off all the scum; then add a small cabbage-lettuce and a few sprigs of chervil, if handy; let simmer slowly for two hours, it will then be reduced to about a quart; pass it through a sieve, letting the meat drain, and it is ready to serve. . _another way, more palatable._--take the same quantity of veal as before, which cut into small dice (as you should cut all meat if possible), put it into the stewpan, with a small pat of butter, half an onion, about the same quantity of carrot and turnip, a little celery, and a teaspoonful of salt; set the stewpan upon the fire, keeping the contents stirred, for about ten minutes, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a whitish glaze, then add three pints of hot water; let the whole simmer one hour at the corner of the fire, skim well, pass it through a sieve, and use when required. this broth is most palatable and very digestible, but of course only to be given to the convalescent; it may be served with vermicelli, rice, arrow-root, and semoulina, as directed for mutton broth. . _another very refreshing and strengthening veal broth._--put two pounds of knuckle of veal into a stewpan, with a calf's foot split, and the bone taken out and chopped up, add three quarts of water, a good-sized onion, one leek, a piece of parsnip, and two salt-spoonfuls of salt (if allowed by the doctor, if not, the salt must be omitted), set it upon the fire, and when beginning to boil, skim, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire four hours; twenty minutes before passing, again skim off all the fat, and add ten large leaves of sorrel, or twenty small, one cabbage-lettuce, and a handful of chervil, and when done pass it through a sieve, when it is ready for use. this broth is very cooling and nutritious when taken cold, as it is then quite a jelly; vermicelli, rice, &c., may be added when served hot, and the veal and calf's foot is very excellent, eaten with parsley-and-butter or sharp sauce; but should the patient require any, it must be quite plain, with a little of the broth and only the gelatinous part of the foot. the above also makes an excellent dinner soup, and if put in a cool place, would keep a week in winter and three days in summer. . _soyer's new way of making beef tea._--cut a pound of solid beef into very small dice, which put into a stewpan, with a small pat of butter, a clove, two button onions, and a salt-spoonful of salt, stir the meat round over the fire for a few minutes, until it produces a thin gravy, then add a quart of water, and let it simmer at the corner of the fire for half an hour, skimming off every particle of fat, when done pass through a sieve. i have always had a great objection to passing broth through a cloth, as it frequently quite spoils its flavor. the same, if wanted plain, is done by merely omitting the vegetables, salt, and clove; the butter cannot be objectionable, as it is taken out in skimming, pearl-barley, vermicelli, rice, &c., may be served in it if required. . _real essence of beef._--take one pound of solid beef from the rump, a steak would be the best, cut it into thin slices, which lay upon a thin trencher, and scrape quite fine with a large and sharp knife (as quickly as possible, or the juice of the meat would partially soak into the wood, your meat thus losing much of its strengthening quality), when like sausage-meat put it into a stewpan or saucepan, and stir over the fire five or ten minutes, until thoroughly warmed through, then add a pint of water, cover the stewpan as tightly as possible, and let it remain close to the fire or in a warm oven for twenty minutes, then pass it through a sieve, pressing the meat with a spoon to extract all the essence. i beg to observe that here you have the real juice of the meat; but if wanted stronger, put only half instead of one pint of water; seasoning may be introduced, that is, a little salt, sugar, and cloves, but no vegetables, as they would not have time to cook, thus leaving a raw, bad flavor. . _pure osmazome, or essence of meat._--take two pounds of the flesh of any animal or bird (the older the better for obtaining the true flavor), as free from sinew as possible, and mince it well; place it in a florence oil-flask, and cork it; put this in a saucepan filled with cold water, leaving the neck uncovered; place it on the side of the fire until the water arrives at ° fahr., at which temperature it must remain for twenty minutes; then remove it, and strain the contents through a tammie, pressing the meat gently with a spoon; should it require to be kept for some time, put the liquor in a basin or cup, which place in the saucepan; subject it to a boiling heat until it is reduced to a consistency like treacle, removing the scum; this, when cold, will become solid, and will keep for any number of years. osmazome is known under various names in different cookery books, as "fumet, essence," &c., but which are obtained in a different way, which causes the gelatine to be produced with the osmazome; but, by the above plan, it is left in the meat, and the osmazome, with a small quantity of the albumen, is extracted, and the albumen is afterwards removed as the scum. . _chicken broth._--put half a raw chicken into a stewpan, with a quart of water, a little leek and celery, with a salt-spoonful of salt, and a few sprigs of parsley (if allowed), set the stewpan upon the fire; when boiling, skim well, and let simmer upon the corner for one hour; pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use. the chicken would eat very nice with a little maître d'hôtel sauce, or any other from that series would do for the parlor, that is, when the patient is not allowed to eat it. for a change, chicken-broth in the following way is very nutritious; that is, after having passed the broth through a sieve, pour it back again into the stewpan, which place over the fire; moisten a teaspoonful of flour in a cup with a little cold broth or water, and when quite smooth pour it into the broth whilst boiling, stirring quickly, let simmer a quarter of an hour, and it is ready. mutton or veal-broth may also be varied the same. . _eel broth, very strengthening._--take a small eel, which skin as described, and wash well, then cut into slices, which put into a small saucepan, just covered with water, add a little salt, a few sprigs of parsley, two button onions, and a clove; let it simmer very gently until the eels are tender, when skim off all the fat, pass the broth through a very fine sieve into a cup: it is then ready to serve when required, but a spoonful only should be taken at a time. a patient is sometimes allowed to take part of the fish, which being so much boiled, constitutes a lighter food than eels are in general; a little melted butter and parsley might be served with them. . _lait de poule, french remedy for colds._--may be made from any of the foregoing broths, and for colds is excellent. break a fresh egg, separate the white from the yolk, put the yolk in a basin, with a quarter of a gill of good cream or milk, which mix well with a spoon, have half a pint of broth boiling, which pour gradually over the egg and cream, mixing it (as you pour the broth) with a wooden spoon; it is then ready, and ought to be taken when going to bed, if only for a cold. . _sweet lait de poule._--this is also reckoned very good for a cold. put two yolks of eggs into a cup, with two teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, a few drops of orange-flower water, or the eighth part of the rind of a fresh lemon grated, beat them well together for ten minutes, then pour boiling water gradually over, keeping it stirred, until the cup is nearly full. drink this very hot when in bed; i can strongly recommend it from experience. . _riz au lait, or rice milk_, is a very favorite food, or soup; in france many persons make their suppers from it, even when in a state of perfect health. proceed as follows: wash a tablespoonful of good rice in water, which drain and put into a stewpan, with a pint of milk, upon the fire, and when boiling, place it at the corner to simmer, until the rice is quite tender, but for invalids, must be in a pulp; sweeten with a little sugar, and it is quite ready. . _rice milk seasoned._--proceed exactly as in the last, but when the rice is quite tender add an ounce of butter, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and a little salt, stir well together, and it is then ready; this must neither be too thick nor too thin, but about the thickness of well-made gruel; in france they always add a few drops of orange-flower water, but that depends upon taste. these two last are very nutritious, especially after a long illness. . _vermicelli au lait._--boil a pint of milk, and when boiling add sufficient vermicelli to make it about the thickness of the last article; it may be served quite plain if required, or seasoned as for the riz au lait, but omitting the orange-flower water. . _semoulina au lait._--boil a pint of milk, and when boiling add a tablespoonful of semoulina, stirring it gently, to prevent its becoming lumpy; let it simmer twenty minutes, and serve either plain or seasoned, as for the riz au lait. . _tapioca au lait._--proceed exactly as in the last, but it will require rather longer to simmer before the tapioca is tender; and, by way of change, add a little grated lemon-peel, or a glass of white wine, if allowed by the doctor, or season as for the last. . _arrow-root._--put two teaspoonfuls of arrow-root, which mix gradually with enough water or milk, stirring it with a spoon, let it boil a few minutes, and if made with milk, add only a little butter, sugar, and salt, or serve plain; but if made with water, add the eighth part of the rind of a fresh lemon to boil with it; when done add a glass of port or sherry, sugar, a little salt, and a small piece of butter, unless prohibited. . _gruel._--put two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal or prepared groats into a stewpan, and by degrees add a pint of water, mixing smoothly with a wooden spoon, place it upon the fire, keeping it well stirred, until it has boiled a couple of minutes, when pour it into a basin, add half a salt-spoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of brown sugar, and two ounces of butter, the latter especially, if for a cold in the chest, even more than that quantity, if the stomach is strong enough to bear it. gruel when properly made ought to adhere rather thickly to the back of the spoon, but not to be pasty; it ought, likewise, to be eaten directly it is made, or it becomes thick and unpleasant to eat; if required plain, omit all the seasoning; it might also be made of milk. . _gruel from scotch groats._--proceed as above, but adding rather more water, and boiling a few minutes longer; many people prefer eating it with the rough groats in it, but if objectionable, place a small clean sieve over the basin you intend serving it in, pass the gruel through, and season as in the last. some people add spirits or wine; but that i should never recommend any one to do, unless by the doctor's orders, and that would be but very seldom, especially as regards spirits. . _sago gruel._--put two tablespoonfuls of sago into a small saucepan, which moisten gradually with a pint of cold water, set it over a slow fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather thickish and clear, similar to a jelly, then add a little grated nutmeg and sugar according to taste, and serve; half a pat of butter might also be added with the sugar, or it might be made with new milk, and a little salt added, and a glass of wine in either case makes it more palatable. . _arrow-root, transparent jelly._--put a good teaspoonful of arrow-root into a basin, which mix smoothly with two spoonfuls of water, then add enough boiling water to make it about the consistency of starch, stirring all the time, pour it into a stewpan, and stir over the fire until it has boiled two minutes; add a little cream, a small glass of wine, and a little sugar, and serve. . _french panada, for aged people, invalids, and children._--break a stale penny roll into a saucepan, in which pour just sufficient water to cover the bread, stir well over the fire, allowing it to boil five minutes, then add half a teaspoonful of salt, and two ounces of fresh butter, mix them, and take from the fire; have one yolk of egg well beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of milk (if handy) or water, which pour into the panada, stirring very quickly for half a minute, it is then ready to pour into a basin and serve. any common bread would do for panada, but would not eat so light as when made from a roll. i knew a very aged lady in france who accustomed herself to eat a basin of panada every night, a few minutes previous to going to bed, for a period of eighteen years, which will prove that, although very substantial in appearance, it must be very easily digested. panada ought to be rather thicker than gruel, and may likewise be made of milk, but water is preferable, especially when for bilious people. . _barley water._--put half a gallon of water into a very clean saucepan, with two ounces of clean (but unwashed) pearl barley, when boiling, carefully skim it with a tablespoon, and add half the rind of a small lemon, let it boil until the barley is quite tender; sweeten with half an ounce of white sugar, strain it through a fine hair sieve, and use when required. the juice of half a lemon in some cases may also be introduced. . _rice water._--put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a handful of clean rice (but not washed), place it upon the fire, and let boil gently until the rice is quite in a pulp, then pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, pressing as much of the rice through as possible, and when getting cold, sweeten moderately with honey, which will make it very palatable; it should be drunk lukewarm. . _a new drink._--put half a gallon of water upon the fire, and when boiling, have ready four pippin apples (quite ripe), cut each apple into eight slices, without peeling them, throw them into the water, which keep boiling until the apples are quite soft, pass the water through a sieve, pressing the apples gently against the side of the sieve, but not rubbing them through, add enough honey to make it a little sweetish, and drink lukewarm. two apples thrown into the rice-water and boiled the same would be a great improvement. people in good health would much enjoy such drink, during the summer especially; as also would poor people in the country, where apples are plentiful. any kind of apples would suit, and brown sugar instead of honey, or even no sugar at all. . _cooling drink._--bake four or six apples, without peeling them; when done and quite hot, put them into a jug, and pour over three pints of boiling water; cover the jug over with paper, and when cold it is ready for use; a spoonful of honey or brown sugar added makes it very palatable. . _almond water._--put five ounces of sweet and two of bitter almonds into a saucepan, with a pint of hot water, set them upon the fire, and, when boiling, strain them upon a sieve, take off their skins, and set them in spring water to cool, then dry them upon a cloth, pound them in a mortar until very fine, adding a few drops of water occasionally, to prevent their becoming oily, set a pint of syrup to boil, when throw in the mashed almonds; boil together a minute, then set it at the corner to simmer for a quarter of an hour; it is then ready to pass through a fine sieve for use. when required, add any quantity of cold water you please to make it palatable, according to taste or direction. . _barley lemonade._--put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a small stewpan, with half a pint of water, which boil about ten minutes, or until forming a thickish syrup; then add the rind of a fresh lemon and the pulp of two; let it boil two minutes longer, when add two quarts of barley-water, from which you have omitted the sugar and lemon; boil five minutes longer, pass it through a hair sieve into a jug, which cover with paper, making a hole in the centre to let the heat through; when cold, it is ready for use; if put cold into a bottle and well corked down, it would keep good several days. _barley orangeade_ is made the same, substituting the rind and juice of oranges; the juice of a lemon, in addition, is an improvement, when taken as a refreshing beverage. . _a refreshing beverage._--slice two oranges and one lemon, which put into a jug, with two ounces of sugarcandy, over which pour one quart of boiling water; stir it occasionally until cold, when drink it a little at a time, as often as ordered by the medical attendant. this drink is also very excellent for persons in health, especially in warm weather. . _raspberry vinegar beverage._--put two tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar into a cup, over which pour half a pint of boiling water; when cold, use it as you may be instructed or when necessary; any kind of fruit syrup would answer the same purpose, and be equally as good, that is, currants, cherries, strawberries, mulberries, &c. . _a very strengthening drink._--put a teacupful of pearl-barley into a saucepan, with three pints of cold water, the rind of a lemon and a small piece of cinnamon; boil the whole very gently until the barley becomes tender, when strain it through a fine sieve, and sweeten with a spoonful of treacle: if treacle should be objectionable, honey or sugar will do. . _fresh fruit water._--fresh fruits, when in season, are very preferable to syrups, which are but seldom well made, except at some of the first confectioners or italian warehouses. pick a bottle of fresh raspberries or strawberries, whichever you may require, rub them through a sieve into a basin, which mix well with half a pint of syrup, the juice of a lemon, and a quart of spring water; pass it through a fine hair sieve, and put it by in a jug for use; both the syrup and water may either be increased or diminished according to taste. red or white currant waters are made precisely the same, only omitting the lemon, the currants themselves being sufficiently sharp. . _cherry draught._--choose a pound of good fleshy cherries, from which take the stalk and stones, have a pint of syrup boiling, into which throw them, to boil as fast as possible for ten minutes, then take them from the fire, and add a good wine-glassful of madeira or sherry, and a quart of boiling water; put it into a jug, with a cup over; when cold, pass it through a sieve, and it is ready for use: the wine may be omitted if not required. a drink of the same description may likewise be made from mulberries, but then a little lemon-juice must be added. . _arrow-root water._--put half a gallon of water to boil with two apples, the same as in no. , with the addition of a stick of cinnamon; let the whole boil half an hour, then mix two large spoonfuls of arrow-root with half a pint of cold water, very smoothly, and pour it into the boiling water: let the whole boil ten minutes, and pass it through a sieve; when cold, it will drink light and thickish. . _french herb broth._--this is a very favorite beverage in france, as well with people in a state of health as with invalids, especially in the spring, when the herbs are young and green. put a quart of water to boil, but have previously prepared about forty leaves of sorrel, a cabbage-lettuce, and ten sprigs of chervil, the whole well washed; when the water is boiling, throw in the above, with the addition of a teaspoonful of salt and half an ounce of fresh butter; cover your saucepan close, and let them simmer a few minutes, then pass it through a sieve or colander. this is to be drunk cold, especially in the spring of the year, after the change from winter. i generally drink about a quart per day for a week, at that time; but if for sick people, it must be made less strong of herbs, and taken a little warm. to prove that it is wholesome, we have only to refer to the instinct which teaches dogs to eat grass at that season of the year. i do not pretend to say that it would suit persons in every malady, because the doctors are to decide upon the food and beverage of their patients, and study its changes as well as change their medicines. . _dry plum beverage._--put a quart of water in a saucepan upon the fire, and, when boiling, throw in twelve fresh dry french plums, and let them boil twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin with the liquor to cool; when cold, take out the plums, which put into a basin; add two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar and a very small quantity of port wine. they are excellent to eat, and the liquor to drink. . _figs and apple beverage._--have two quarts of water boiling, into which throw six fresh dry figs, previously opened, and two apples, previously cut into six or eight pieces each; let the whole boil together twenty minutes, then pour them together into a basin to cool, then pass through a sieve; drain the figs, which will be also good to eat. . _stewed plums._--put twelve french plums in a stewpan, with a spoonful of brown sugar, a gill of water, a little cinnamon, and some thin rind of a lemon; let them stew twenty minutes, then pour them in a basin until cold, take them from their syrup and eat them dry. they are sometimes stewed in wine and water, either port, sherry, or claret. . _baked apples_ are very much used by invalids: have a common yellow dish, such as you frequently see in farmhouses, into which put about twelve apples (previously well wiped) and about a gill of water, and put them in a hot oven for half an hour, or rather more should the apples be large; when well done, take them out to get cold upon the dish, and eat them cold, either with powdered lump or moist sugar. . _cooling lemonade._--put a quart of water in a stewpan to boil, into which put two moist dried figs, each split in two; let it boil a quarter of an hour, then have ready the peel of a lemon, taken off rather thickly, and the half of the lemon cut in thin slices; throw them into the stewpan and boil two minutes longer; then pour it into a jug, which cover closely with paper until cold, then pass it through a sieve: add a teaspoonful of honey, and it is ready for use. . _imperial, a cooling drink for the spring._--two ounces of cream of tartar, two lemons, juice and peel, four ounces of sugar; place in a stone jug, and pour about six quarts of boiling water; allow it to get cold, and bottle for use; or, instead of sugar, add three tablespoonfuls of raspberry vinegar, and six ounces of honey. this is excellent aerated-like soda water. essence of ratafia, or any other, may be added, with about half a pint of pure spirit at proof, for those accustomed to spirits. . _orangeade._--proceed as for lemonade, but using the whole of the orange, a little of the peel included, sweetening with sugar candy, and adding a teaspoonful of arrow-root mixed with a little cold water, which pour into the boiling liquid at the same time you put in the orange. the arrow-root makes it very delicate. . _toast and water._--the ease and simplicity of making this popular drink is probably the cause of its not being well made one time in ten, that is, in private families; the bread is too much or too little done, or there is too much or not half enough water, or more or less bread; i venture to say that if any person would take the trouble to go from house to house, where there are patients, and taste toast and water at each, they would not find two of the same flavor, and perhaps not any of it properly made. to make it to perfection, proceed as follows: cut a piece of crusty bread, about a quarter of a pound in weight, place it upon a toasting-fork, and hold it about six inches from the fire; turn it often, and keep moving it gently until of a light yellow color, then place it nearer the fire, and when of a good brown chocolate color, put it into a jug, and pour three pints of boiling water over; cover the jug until cold, then strain it into a clean jug, and it is ready for use: never leave the toast in it, for in summer it would cause fermentation in a short time. i would almost venture that such toast and water as i have described would keep good a considerable time in bottles. the idea that bread must be burnt black to make toast and water is quite a popular delusion, for nothing nourishing could come from it: if your house was burnt to ashes, it would be valueless; and the same with burnt bread, which merely makes the water black, but the nutriment of the bread, intended to relieve the chest, has evaporated in smoke by being burnt. puddings for invalids. . _apple and rice._--boil half an ounce of carolina rice in a gill of milk until very tender, then add a very small piece of butter, sugar, a little cinnamon, and a grain of salt; then peel, core, and slice a middling-sized apple, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of butter, a little sugar, and a drop of water, and stew it until tender; when done, put the apple in a small tart-dish, mix an egg with the rice, which pour over the apple, and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven; it may also be made quite plain, if preferred. . _custard pudding._--boil one pint of milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel and half a bay-leaf, for three minutes; then pour these on to three eggs, mix it with one ounce of sugar well together, and pour it into a buttered mould: steam it twenty-five minutes in a stewpan with some water (see no. ), turn out on a plate and serve. . _rice puddings._--wash well two ounces of rice in some water, strain, then put it into a pint and a half of boiling milk, with a small piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and half a bay-leaf, tied together; let it boil gently, stirring it occasionally, until quite tender; then put to it one ounce of butter, a little grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of sugar, and two eggs; pour it into a buttered tart-dish, and bake it half an hour. . _macaroni pudding._--blanch two ounces of naples macaroni in some water for eight or ten minutes; strain it, add it to one pint of boiling milk, in which you have previously boiled a piece of lemon-peel, cinnamon, and one ounce of butter; when the macaroni is quite tender, add two eggs and sugar enough to sweeten it: steam it one hour in a stewpan, in a buttered tart-dish. . _vermicelli pudding._--boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, half a bay-leaf, and a piece of cinnamon, then add one ounce of vermicelli; when reduced to half, add two eggs, and a little sugar; pour these in a buttered mould, and steam it half an hour. . _tapioca pudding._--boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel and a little cinnamon; then add two ounces of tapioca; reduce to half; add two eggs, and one ounce of butter; pour these in a buttered mould, and steam half an hour. . _bread pudding._--boil one pint of milk, with a piece of cinnamon and lemon-peel; pour it on two ounces of bread-crumbs; then add two eggs, half an ounce of currants, and a little sugar: steam it in a buttered mould for one hour. . _cabinet pudding._--boil one pint of milk, with a piece of lemon-peel, pour it on one ounce of sponge biscuit, let it soak half an hour, then add three eggs, half an ounce of currants, and very little sugar: steam it in a buttered mould, lined with raisins, one hour. . _bread and butter pudding._--butter a tart-dish well and sprinkle some currants all round it, then lay in a few slices of bread and butter; boil one pint of milk, pour it on two eggs well whipped, and then on the bread and butter; bake it in a hot oven for half an hour. . _a small bread pudding._--cut an ounce of the crumb of bread into thin slices, with the least piece of butter spread over each, which place in a small tart-dish; then break an egg into a cup with a teaspoonful of sugar and a little powdered cinnamon, beat well; then add about six tablespoonfuls of boiled milk, mix well together, pour over the bread, and bake in a slow oven, or steam it, if preferred, by standing the dish in a stewpan containing about half a pint of water, that is, the water should be about half way up to the rim of the dish; set the stewpan (covered close) upon the fire, and let it slowly boil about ten minutes or longer, until the pudding is properly set, then take the cover from the stewpan, which let remain a few minutes longer upon the fire; then take out the pudding, wipe the dish, and serve. _fish for invalids._--slips, soles, flounders, whitings, and smelts are the lightest of any fish, and upon that account more to be recommended to invalids in a state of convalescence. . _whiting, plain boiled._--put two quarts of water into a small fish kettle, with about an ounce of salt; when boiling, put in the whiting, draw the kettle to the corner of the fire to keep it just simmering, and no more; a whiting of the ordinary size would take about ten minutes; when done, which you can tell by trying with the point of a knife whether it leaves the bone easily, take it up carefully, and dish it upon a clean napkin, with a few sprigs of parsley round; although the parsley is of course useless as far as the stomach is concerned, nothing can be more pleasing to an invalid than to see his meals carefully cooked and invitingly served. at any time i prefer a whiting with the skin on, whether boiled, grilled, or fried; a little butter just melted, with a pinch of salt, and the least drop of lemon-juice added, is very excellent to eat as sauce with them. should you purchase your fish in the country, it will of course require cleaning, by opening the belly and pulling out the gills and interior; but never wash these fish, merely wipe them with a cloth. . _broiled whiting._--having cleaned your whiting, and wiped it gently dry with a cloth, flour it all over lightly, rub the gridiron over with a little oil, lay the whiting upon it, and put it over a clear fire, but not too close, turn it carefully three or four times, and when it feels firm to the touch of the finger, it is done; if a large one, it will take about twenty minutes; sprinkle a little salt over, if required, and serve with plain melted butter, with a few drops of essence of anchovies in it. . _sautéd whitings._--put some fat or butter in a frying-pan, which place over a clear but moderate fire; have your whiting floured as in the last, and when the fat or butter is melted, lay it in the pan; let it sauté slowly until it is done, which try as in either of the last two; when done, drain it upon a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve. if fried, enveloped in bread-crumbs, dip the fish lightly into flour, then egg it all over with a paste-brush, and dip in some very fine bread-crumbs, and fry it rather longer, but do not let the fat get black, or it will give the fish a black, heavy appearance, and quite spoil the flavor. fish fried in oil would have a much better appearance than when fried in fat, but probably would be objectionable to a weak stomach. they ought to be completely covered with the fat. . _smelts_ are very delicate fish, but ought never to be plain boiled; being confident of the good use they may be turned to as a diet for the sick, i shall here give two receipts for dressing them very plainly, yet still very palatable. choose them rather large,--if so, two would be sufficient for a meal,--having previously drawn and cleansed them, put a gill of water into a small stewpan, with a little salt, a saltspoonful of powdered sugar, and four small sprigs of parsley; when boiling lay in your smelts, which let simmer five minutes, or more, if larger than usual, keeping the stewpan well covered; then take them out carefully, lay them upon a dish, and pour the broth over; both fish and broth are excellent. they may be cooked the same way in the oven. another way is to add a little arrow-root, mixed with a drop of cold water, to the above, when half cooked; it makes it very soothing to the chest. be extremely careful not to let the fish or liquor burn at the bottom of the stewpan; there should be about three parts of the quantity of liquor when cooked as you first put in water, allowing one quarter to evaporate whilst boiling. . _broiled smelts._--when cleansed and wiped dry with a cloth, dip them lightly into flour, and put them upon a gridiron over a slow fire, for five, or six minutes, turning them carefully when half done; serve plain, or with a little sauce, if allowed, as many patients are forbidden moist food. i can highly recommend any kind of white fish cooked in this manner; and it is well known that nothing in the way of food is more digestible than fish. water souchet of flounders, soles, and slips may also be served to invalids, by proceeding the same as above. _meat, game, and poultry,_ of every kind, for invalids, ought to be served as free from fat as possible. . _a mutton chop._--choose one from a lean loin of mutton, or if one in the house rather fat cut the greater part of it off; your chop should be about six ounces in weight, and cut off an equal thickness; lay it upon a table, and beat it lightly with the flat part of your chopper, then lay it upon a gridiron, over a good clear fire; season with a little salt, if allowed, and turn it four or five times whilst broiling; it will require about eight minutes over a good fire, but of course longer over an indifferent one; if by pressing it with a knife it feels firm, it is done; serve upon a very hot plate, for if partly cold, the least fat would immediately set, and be very unpleasant, especially to a person unwell. . _plain mutton cutlet, from the neck._--an invalid will frequently be tired of a mutton chop; and for my own part i must say a cutlet is far superior in flavor, and has a much neater appearance; cut off a rib from the neck, of the same thickness as a mutton chop; cut away the skin upon each side of the bone, to the chine, which chop off; trim away the greater part of the fat, cut a piece at the end of the bone, which scrape off, leaving about half an inch of the bone bare; then beat it lightly with the flat of the chopper; season; broil and serve very hot, as in the last. . _stewed chop or cutlet._--put it into a stewpan or small saucepan, with a pint of water, and a little salt and sugar; let it stew as gently as possible from an hour and a half to two hours, skim off all the scum and fat, and the patient may partake of both chop and broth; if seasoning is allowed, put a teaspoonful of pearl-barley, with a little celery, leek, and turnip, cut up very small, into the stewpan with the water, when you first put the chop on, and proceed as before; serve the broth in a soup basin, with the chop in it; should the meat happen to be tough, let it stew rather longer; the broth should be reduced to about half a pint. . _beef, rump steak._--the tenderest part of the rump should be selected, about half a pound, not cut too thick, and very even; place it upon your gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it frequently; when done, sprinkle a little salt over; ten minutes would cook it thoroughly, but if wanted underdone, as in many cases where the patient only sucks the gravy, less time must be allowed. . _stewed beef._--put the same quantity of beef as in the last into a saucepan, with a quart of water, which place over the fire, and when beginning to boil, well skim, then add a little celery, turnip, and carrot, the whole weighing about an ounce, and cut very small, let stew gently about three hours, by which time the broth will be reduced to one quarter; skim all the fat off carefully; serve the meat upon a plate, and the broth in a basin. . _lamb chops or cutlets._--proceed as just described for mutton, but being more delicate, they will require but little more than half the time to cook. . _lambs' feet_ are very nutritious; purchase them ready cleaned; lay them ten minutes in boiling water, by doing which you will be able to draw out the leg-bone with facility; then put them in a stewpan (two would be sufficient), and pour over a pint of water with which you have mixed smoothly a tablespoonful of flour, and half a teaspoonful of salt; place them upon the fire, stirring frequently until boiling, when add a small onion, with a celery, parsley, and parsnip; boil gently for two hours, and when done, serve plain upon a plate, or with a little melted butter and parsley poured over. by using a little white broth from any meat instead of water, you make a delicious soft soup, which may be partaken of freely. calves' feet are dressed in the same manner, but using a double proportion of everything, and stewing them double the time; they are served precisely the same. poultry for invalids. . _roast chicken._--procure a nice plump chicken, which draw and truss, and cut the sinews; pass the spit through under the skewer as usual, and set it down before a clear fire; after being there five minutes, have ready a pat of butter, in the bowl of a wooden spoon, with which rub the chicken all over; if the fire is too fierce, put it back a short distance, that it may roast of a yellowish-brown color; when a light smoke arises from the chicken, which will be in about twenty minutes from the time it was put down, it is done; but to be quite sure whether a bird is done, the better way is to press it lightly, with your finger and thumb; should it feel quite set, it is sufficiently cooked. . _boiled chicken._--put a quart of water to boil in a saucepan, with a saltspoonful of salt, and two ounces of butter; when boiling, lay in the chicken, which keep gently simmering for twenty minutes, when it will be done. by adding a few vegetables of each description to the water, and straining it when you take out the chicken, you have a very excellent broth either for the sick or healthy, especially after skimming off the fat you add a little vermicelli, which must be boiled in it five minutes. as it is very improbable that a sick person would eat the whole of a chicken at once, i have annexed a few receipts, by which a chicken would suffice for four meals. first, put a tablespoonful of rice in a stewpan, with half a pint of light broth; let it boil gently until the rice is in pulp, then put in the wing or leg of the previously-cooked chicken, which let remain to warm about five minutes; should the rice be too dry, add a little more broth; serve the fowl and rice together upon a hot plate. secondly, if wanted plain, set it in a stewpan, with a few spoonfuls of stock, and let it warm gently. thirdly, it may be folded in a sheet of paper lightly oiled, and warmed very gently upon a gridiron. or fourthly, plain broiled upon a gridiron, and served with a little light gravy. . _partridge._--proceed in every manner to roast as just directed for the chicken; a young one would require about ten minutes, or an old one fifteen, but then the breast only ought to be eaten; whatever remains may be served in either of the ways directed for chickens. . _pigeons_ may be roasted the same as partridges, but would not require so long. a pigeon may also be stewed as follows:--put half a pint of mutton-broth into a stewpan, with a pigeon trussed as for boiling, let it stew gently twenty minutes, if young; both the pigeon and broth ought to be partaken of. pigeons may also be broiled, by cutting them open from the bottom of the breast to the joint of the wings, but not separating them; rub over with a little butter, broil twenty minutes over a moderate fire, and serve with a little gravy. . _pulled fowl._--with the remainder of a roast or boiled fowl or chicken you may make a very light dish, by pulling off all the flesh with a fork, and putting it into a stewpan, then in another stewpan place all the bones (previously broken small with a chopper), with a little parsley, salt, sugar, and half a pint of water; let it boil gently until the water has reduced to a gill, then strain it over the flesh of the chicken in the other stewpan, which place over the fire until quite hot, and serve; should it be too thin, a small piece of butter and flour rubbed together may be added, and boiled a minute. old or young fowls may be used, as it is not always convenient to get a young fowl, especially in the country, where everything must be turned to account and properly used: you would proceed with an old fowl the same as for a chicken, but stewing it three times as much, and adding more water in proportion; it would be here impossible to name the exact time required, as the fluctuation is so great, but by feeling the thigh of the fowl with the finger and thumb, you may ascertain, for if done sufficiently it will feel tender to the touch, and leave the bone with ease. culinary correspondence. letter no. vi dearest eloise,--i here inclose you the last receipt which i intend to give you for invalids. you will, no doubt, fancy that my diet is extravagant; but let me teach you that when you must pay the doctor's bill, which i consider an extra and painful tax upon humanity, it is ours and their duty to try to restore health as soon as possible, which my receipts might, if well coupled with the science of a medical man, cause a prompt restoration, and have the desired effect of increasing the butcher's bill by diminishing that of the doctor. but i must also tell you that i intend this part of our little work, if ever published, to be useful to all classes of society, and that, among those receipts, the rich as well as the humble, may partake and benefit by them in selecting according to their means and their requirements. i am confident that you will agree with me that even here i have closely studied the rules of economy. i shall therefore close the sick-room door to open the one of the parlor, and to witness the merry faces of the million who have abandoned their industrious occupations for the day, and partake, in the family circle, their simple but substantial sunday meal. i always used to say, when in business, that he who works well deserves to live well,--i do not mean to say extravagantly, but that devoting one hour a day to their principal meal ought to be classified as a matter of business in regard to economy. we, therefore, must be very positive upon this important question, and make them perceive that dining well once or twice a week is really unworthy of such a civilized and wealthy country as ours, where provisions cannot be excelled by any other, both in regard to quantity and quality. yours, etc. hortense. letter no. vii my dear mrs. b.--your observation upon the way many people live in this country is no doubt very correct, but do you not think that if you were not quite so abrupt on the subject, we should probably be more likely to succeed in bringing our friends round to your style of management; of which, for my part, i very much approve. but as it is a matter of importance, i should like you to describe in your next communication what are the principal and most useful joints in a family, and to discourse on them, in pointing out the good which may be achieved, and the evils to be avoided. ever yours, &c. eloise. letter no. viii many compliments to you, my dear mrs. l. at your request i here inclose the list you require, and which will show you how circumscribed the middle classes are in respect to the variation of their meals, in the way of meat and manner of cooking it. i do not disapprove of your idea in wishing me here to give a series or list of those provisions; but, on the other hand, i must tell you frankly my opinion, it being a subject which for some years i have made a study, indeed quite a hobby. if i am wrong, let any one who knows better correct me; you will allow i am always open to conviction and improvement, no matter how trifling, which often leads to an important one. i shall therefore name all joints of meat which, though numerous, offer but little variation when continually dressed the same way, and observe that everybody has the bad habit of running only upon a few which are considered the best. they are as follow: those in beef are the sirloin, ribs, round, silver-side, aitch-bone. in mutton--leg, saddle, haunch, loin. lamb--fore-quarter and leg. veal--fillet, loin. pork--leg, sparerib, loin. every one of these joints are of the most expensive parts, because generally used, although many of the other parts are equally as good, as i shall prove to you, in the receipts which i shall write for the dinner, what can be done in the way of made dishes out of those parts which are rarely or never used in this country by the middle classes, which will more clearly develope to you my ideas on the subject besides, there is this advantage, that if a small tradesman were to follow these receipts, and buy every other time he goes to the butcher what he now considers a second-class joint, he would not only be conferring a public benefit, but also one on himself, and be the means of diminishing the price of those now considered the first class, which at the present moment bear too high a price in proportion, but which his pride causes him to purchase. to prove to you that my argument is correct, look carefully over the inclosed list, which contains all the joints that are cut from beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork, and you will find that ten of the prime are in daily use to one of the other, and principally for a want of the knowledge of cookery; leaving the science of cooking our food to a fierce or slow fire, or plunging our expensive provisions into an ocean of boiling water, which is thrown away, after having absorbed a great portion of the succulence of the meat. try the receipt for the pot-au-feu; taste the broth and eat the meat, and tell me which plan you consider the best. do not think that i object to our plain joint, because, now and then, i am rather partial to them; but why not manage to make use of the broth, by diminishing the quantity of water, and simmering them, instead of galloping them at a special railway-train speed? were the middle classes only but slightly acquainted with the domestic cookery of france, they would certainly live better and less expensively than at present, very often, four or five different little made dishes may be made from the remains of a large sunday's joint, instead of its appearing on the table of a wealthy tradesman for several days cold, and often unsightly, and backed by a bottle of variegated-colored pickles, made with pyroligneous acid, which sets my teeth on edge merely in thinking of it, and balanced by a steaming dish of potatoes, which, seen through the parlor window by the customers in the shop, would make them think there was a grand gastronomic festivity taking place at mr. a.'s or b.'s, the butterman or greengrocer; this may be excusable once or twice, on a hot summer's day, with an inviting salad, seasoned with merely salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar, but the continual repetition of that way of living in winter is, i consider, a domestic crime. you will, perhaps, say that, in large firms, where forty or fifty, or more young men dine every day, or even in public establishments still more numerous, many professed cooks would be required to dress the dinner, if my plan was adopted; not at all, if the kitchen is properly constructed: but in these establishments, joints, of necessity, must be the principal viand, and there is very little left; what there is, is consumed cold for supper; but even there an amelioration might take place, although only a plain joint, either boiled or roasted, roasted or boiled, which is generally the yearly bill of fare, and so simple, yet seldom well done, and often badly, which, in a large establishment, must create great waste, and make bad food out of good meat, and that for want of care or a little more knowledge, which may appear to you but a trifling matter, but not so to thousands of poor old people, with toothless gums and fatigued stomachs, made comfortable within walls erected by the good feelings of government, or by public charity. i have often thought, when visiting these establishments, that a professed cook ought to be appointed, as well as a medical man, to visit all such in the metropolis, not only to inspect the quality of the provisions, but superintend the arrangements of the dietary table, and see that the viands are properly cooked, and thus correct the lamentable ignorance which exists at the present day; i am confident that tons of meat are daily wasted in such institutions throughout the country, which, if well employed, would feed a great part of the starving poor of the united kingdom. the same system ought to be adopted in all the provincial towns; and, if it was in existence, we should not have to deplore such lamentable scenes which we had latterly to witness at tooting, where, no doubt, many were to blame; for, by the calculation i have made, the allowance, though rather limited, was amply large enough to allow for good provisions, and leave sufficient remuneration for any reasonable and not covetous man. why should not these poor children be watched over, and made as comfortable in every respect as the wish of those who pay to support them require? besides, it has an effect upon after generations; for upon the food at the period of growth depends the nature of the mind at a more advanced age, as well as the stature of the man. do we not evince our care to objects of the brute creation, and feed, with the greatest attention, the race-horse? compare him with others of his species not so humanely treated, and note the difference: so it is with the human race; and i might almost say the prosperity of a country depends upon the food of its youth. you will perhaps think that i am rather sharp in my remarks, and probably longer than is required, but still it will be gratifying to both of us, should we find that these remarks prove beneficial to such establishments as above-mentioned; and it is only by giving notoriety to these important details, and being positive in exposing the truth, that we can be believed and followed, and you must not mind displeasing the few, if you are to be useful to the many. forever, &c. hortense. letter no. ix my dear hortense,--after the receipt of your last observations, which, on first seeing, i thought too long, but after having read them over again, i am convinced that i shall not be able to shorten them; at all events, there is a great deal of truth in them, and, as you justly say, they are the observations of a person who has constantly studied domestic comfort and economy; i shall therefore copy them in the journal just as you send them to me. truly yours, eloise. letter no. x my dear eloise,--i am glad to hear that you will not alter any of my last copy sent, because i assure you i wrote with a full conviction that i was right, and from facts which experience alone can engrave on the memory; but, however, we will now proceed: but i think it will be necessary to alter our original intention, namely, in order to save any confusion, to class all the receipts for the dinner together, and thus form a large bill of fare, and follow, on a small plan, what m. soyer, of the reform club, has done on a large scale, in his 'gastronomic regenerator,' by which the most inexperienced hands may easily provide a large or small dinner adapted for all classes, without committing a blunder, and thus make a selection from soups, different dishes of fish, and an innumerable number of removes; entrées, roasts, savory dishes, vegetables, sweets, dessert, &c., and having chosen one or two of each series, and, on referring to the receipt, an idea of their cost, within a few pence of the market-price, may be gained. let me know, dear, by return of post, if you approve of my new idea, as it is rather deviating from our original one; but observe, that having so very distinctly given the breakfast receipts, and also for invalids, it will be more clearly understood than by repeating the same over and over again, which would be unavoidable if following our first proposition. yours truly, in haste, hortense. letter no. xi my dear hortense,--never were you inspired by a better idea respecting your new plan; it is so clearly explained, that i fancy our labor is over; but i must tell you that, on the receipt of your last, i wrote to m. soyer, to inquire if he would object to our taking a few hints from his "kitchen at home," which forms the last part of his work. his answer was immediate, short, and as follows: "dear madam,--it would be entirely deviating from the preface of my 'gastronomic regenerator' to refuse you anything in my power; and as your simple demand lies within that scope, you are quite welcome to take a few hints, if you require them for your little work, from the part entitled 'my kitchen at home.' "wishing your exertions may be well appreciated, i am, dear madam, most sincerely, your humble and devoted, "reform club. a. soyer." as you have his book, you, no doubt, know to which part he alludes. he says, in his preface, that he has made it a rule never to refuse ladies anything in his power; so far he has kept his word with us: so you may, dearest, if you require, make use of his offer. i shall expect, by the next post, the commencement of the dinner receipts, which i am confident you will make as simple and as short as possible. with kindest regards, yours, eloise. _roasting, baking, boiling, stewing, braising, frying, sautéing, broiling._ roasting being the most general in use, we will first describe it, although not that which was first put in practice in cooking, it being evidently an improvement on broiling: we can easily understand how, in the early primitive times, man, finding that his food got covered with the ashes with which he cooked his meat, he would invent a species of grate upon which he could raise the fire, and cook his meat before it: this primitive mode of cooking has lasted, in many countries, up to the present day, and even in london to within a few years; for i remember seeing, in the old goldsmith's hall, a fire-place, consisting of stages, on which was laid the wood, and when the meat, &c., was spitted and arranged before it, the wood was lighted, and a man turned the spits. (it was, no doubt, from arranging the wood thus in stages that the name of range was derived.) in many noblemen's castles and ecclesiastical establishments, dogs were kept to turn the spit, from whence we have those of the name of turnspit; whilst in others, where there happened to be a person of a mechanical turn of mind, they applied a water-wheel to the purpose, and the water from it formed a stream in the kitchen, which served as a reservoir for live fish. different opinions exist as to the mode and time required for roasting, but this must all depend upon the nature of the fire and the meat. in the receipts will be found the time which each requires. my plan is to make up as large a fire as the nature of the grate will allow, because i can place my joint near or not, as may be required, and thus obtain every degree of heat. baking is a branch of the art of cooking which, although one of the oldest, is the least understood. (as i shall have to refer to this subject again, i will give the reason why in a future letter.) it is performed in various kinds of air-tight chambers, called ovens, the best of which have the same form as in the time of the egyptians. previous to the art of baking being practised, boiled pulse and corn were the food of the people; even rome contained no bakers until near six hundred years after it was founded. of late years, great improvements have been made in the construction of ovens for baking of meat, called roasting ovens, which cause great economy in the expenditure of fuel; and, in large public establishments, where a number of the same kind of joints are required, it is the best plan of cooking. in the receipts will be found the time required by each for baking, but, in a general way, for meat, hot ovens are the best; for poultry, not so hot as meat; and pastry, according to its kind. in using dishes or utensils for the oven, they ought, if of metal, to be of galvanized iron, and separate ones for meat and fish. boiling is the next branch of the art which is of the most importance and appears the most simple, yet, at the same time, the most difficult, and is a subject upon which, if i were to dilate, would occupy a good quarto volume; it is one of those easy things which it is supposed everybody can do, and therefore no attention is paid to it, and it is generally done badly. according to the way in which it is done, meat may be rendered hard and tough or tender, lose or retain its flavor or nourishment; great difference of opinion exists amongst medical men which are the easiest of digestion--roasted or boiled meats. i say it is a subject quite impossible to decide, as it must depend upon the different constitutions and climate; for we might as well say that the food of the esquimaux is adapted for the native of italy. stewing ought to be the best understood, on account of its economy; pieces of coarse meat, subjected to stewing, if properly done, become tender, as the gelatinous parts become partly dissolved; it should be done slowly, the pan partly uncovered, and frequently skimmed. great cleanliness should be observed in all the vessels used for stewing. braising is the next and most important part of the art of cooking, and, like the sauté, belongs entirely to the french school, from whom it takes its name, _braise_ being the remains of wood burnt in the oven, or live charcoal: and as this plan of cookery requires the action of the fire under and over the braising-pan, which is air-tight, in order that the aromatic flavor arising from its contents may be imbibed by the meat or poultry, and give it that succulence so much esteemed by epicures. the braise is put on the cover, which, in some cases, is made deep on purpose to hold it. its origin is stated to be owing to a gastronomic society which was formerly in existence in paris, whose object was to benefit and improve the art of cookery, and who offered a reward of a silver gridiron to any culinary artist who would discover a new mode of dressing a turkey. although a gridiron was, no doubt, intended to be used, yet a young artist named la gacque, warmed by the offer, directed his imagination to quite a different mode, and used the pan instead of the gridiron, and thus composed the braise, which was unanimously approved of by that scientific, gastronomic, and epicurean body, who awarded him the prize. the chief art in braising is to do it slowly, taking care that the ingredients are well-proportioned, receipts for which will be found in their proper place. frying.--of all the apparently simple modes of cookery there is none more so than that of frying, but yet how rare to meet with it done properly. i believe it is to be attributed, in a great measure, to the idea that, to do it well is expensive. i have therefore made a series of experiments upon a plan such as should be followed in every private house, and i am convinced that to do it well is cheaper than doing it badly; but, in the first place, we ought to consider, what is frying? it is the insertion of any substance into boiling oil, or grease, by which the surface of that substance becomes carbonized, and the heat which effects this object is sufficient to solidify the albumen and gelatine, or, more commonly speaking, cooked; to do this properly, the substance ought to be covered by the liquid, so that the heat acts all over it at the same time, or otherwise the osmazome, or gravy, will be dried out of that part which is not covered, and the succulence and flavor of the viand lost; or, should the liquid not be of that degree of heat which would carbonize the surface on the moment of its immersion, it would then enter into the substance, render it greasy, and destroy its flavor, which no degree of heat afterwards could remedy. those articles which are fried are generally those which have a coating of materials (such as bread-crumbs and batter) which are quickly carbonized, and thus form a crust which prevents the grease penetrating, concentrates the liquids, and preserves the flavor of the article; the carbonization once effected, the fire should be immediately moderated, particularly if the article is large, in order that the interior may become properly solidified. all articles properly fried are generally much liked, as they are agreeable to the eye, and afford a pleasing variety. the plan that i recommend you to adopt is, to obtain an iron or copper pan long enough for a good-sized sole, and to inches deep, and fill three to four inches of it with fat--the skimmings of the stock-pot, or, if that should not be sufficient, the kidney-fat of beef, cut up, melted, and strained. in wealthy establishments, lard, and, in some, bacon-fat melted is used, and, for some articles, olive oil, which can only be used once; but in our less luxurious homes i think the above is sufficient, besides, it has the advantage of not requiring that great attention which the other does. when you have the fat on, before immersing the substance you intend to fry, see that it is sufficiently hot by dipping your finger (not in the fat), but in a little water, and then hold it over the fat, so that a few drops go into it; if it spits and throws back the water, it is sufficiently hot: or, throw in a small dice of bread and take it out immediately; if it is firm or colored, it is hot enough: or, in frying of fish, before putting it in, lay hold of the head and dip the end of the tail, and, if it crisps it, then let the remainder go in. i have found, if due attention is paid to the pan to prevent it from burning, forty articles may be fried in it before it wants renewing; and i am certain it will be found cheaper than the common way of putting a little fat into the frying-pan and turning the sole over and over, for you are then almost certain of sending the grease up to the table, where it is not wanted. when the fat is not used, it should be emptied, whilst hot, through a sieve, into an earthen pipkin, and covered with paper to prevent the dust going in it. for the purpose of frying, an iron wire-basket, with a handle, is used, in which the object to be cooked is placed, and thus inserted in the liquid. the cost of this instrument is trifling. sauteing.--you will perceive, dearest, by the following, that the word fried is often wrongly used in cookery instead of the word sauté, which process is totally different, and produces quite another effect on food. sauté means anything cooked in a very small quantity of butter, oil, lard, or fat, one side of the article at a time, whilst the other requires about times more of the above-named materials to cook properly. you will see, in these remarks, that it is not frying a pancake, omelette, or still less a chop, steak, or cutlet, but that they are sautéd; and how to explain that word, to use it instead of the misapplied word fry, puzzles me considerably, as i am quite ignorant of its origin as regards its application to cookery. all the researches i have made in english and french dictionaries and encyclopædias, have not enlightened me in the least on the subject. in french, it means to jump, hop, skip, understood by our boys at school, as well as by the grasshopper tribe, called in french sauterelles, from the word sauter, to jump. i well remember at school we had a french emigré for a dancing-master, who used to get into a passion when we did not dance to his professional taste; and used to say, in shaking his powdered wig, as holding his fiddle in one hand and his bow in the other, making all kinds of grimaces and contortions, which used to remind me of the principal figure in the group of the laocoon,--"mon dieu, mon dieu, young miss, vous sautez très bien, mais vous dansez fort mal;" which means, "you jump very well, but you dance very badly." it also reminds me of an expression made by a friend of ours from havre, who was on a visit to us last november. seeing some guy fawkes carried about the street, he asked me what it meant; when i told him, that in the year , an attempt was made to destroy by gunpowder the king and parliament in the house of lords, as well as----. "oui, oui, madame, i know, i remember reading of it in english history; it was that little brute qui a voulut faire _sauter_ le parlement," replied he very quickly. "_sauter, sauter,_" i said; "no, sir, not sauté--blow up." "oui, oui, madame, i know, it is the same thing." "same thing," replied i. this of course puzzled my culinary imagination still more; and i perceived, that if the word was translated to his meaning, it would sound most absurd and ridiculous; as, for example, on being at a festive board, and a polite young gentleman, or even your own husband, might gallantly offer to give you a _blow-up_ cutlet, instead of a cotelette sauté, as they say in fashionable circles. i can easily conceive, that if the cotelette was blown up, it would stand a chance of coming down on the other side, thus saving the cook the trouble; but if guy fawkes had unfortunately succeeded, it would have produced quite another effect. having failed in my literary researches, i tried to find it in practice. i therefore went to my kitchen, and put two spoonfuls of oil in a sautépan; i took a nice spring chicken prepared for broiling, put on the fire; and, as it began to act upon it, the oil began to jump, and also slightly the chicken. i then perceived that the way my french friend used the word was right; and that, after all, there was not such a great difference in guy fawkes's plan of cooking the parliament and that of a cutlet or chicken, for both were doomed to destruction, the one by falling in awful ruins on the fire, and the other devoured by a ravenous stomach on the dinner-table. now, dearest, having found no means of translating it to my satisfaction, i see no other plan but to adopt it amongst us, and give it letters of naturalization, not for the beauty of the word, but for its utility. the process of sautéing is at once quick, simple, and economical, and to be well done furnishes a pleasing article of food. the art of doing it well consists in doing it quickly, to keep the gravy and succulence in the meat, which a slow process would nullify, and is of course confined to small articles of every kind of food. broiling is, without doubt, the earliest and most primitive mode of cookery, it being that which would present itself to man in a state of nature. it is one of the easiest parts of cookery, and therefore should be done well; it entirely depends upon the fire, which must be exceedingly clear, and the best gridiron is that having round bars, which should be placed slanting over the fire, to prevent the fat going into it; the bars should be greased, and the gridiron should be placed on the fire to get hot before the object to be cooked is placed on it i have heard that great difference of opinion exists in cookery books upon the proper broiling of a steak, if it should be turned only once or often. my plan is to turn it often, and my reason is, that, if turned but once, the albumen and the fibrine of the meat get charred, and the heat throws out the osmazome or gravy on the upper side, which, when turned over, goes into the fire; by turning it often, so as at first only to set the outside, the gravy goes into the centre, and it becomes evenly done throughout. (_see_ "soyer's mutton chop.") as regards the thickness of the meat to be broiled, that depends in a great measure on the intensity of the fire, but the quicker the better, and also the sooner it is eaten after taken from the fire the better. i have latterly, in broiling rump-steaks, added that which, by a great many, is considered an improvement; it is, on turning them the last time, to dredge them out of a dredger with fine holes, in which has been placed four tablespoonfuls of fine biscuit or rusk-powder, one tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, a saltspoonful of either eschalot-powder or mushroom-powder, or finely-pulverized salts of celery, well mixed together, and the steak to be placed in a very hot dish, with a little mushroom-ketchup and a small piece of butter, and served immediately. sauces. sauces in cookery are like the first rudiments of grammar, which consists of certain rules called syntax, which is the foundation of all languages: these fundamental rules are nine, so has cookery the same number of sauces, which are the foundation of all others; but these, like its prototype the grammar, have two--brown and white, which bear a resemblance to the noun and verb, as they are the first and most easily learnt, and most constantly in use; the others are the adjuncts, pronouns, adverbs, and interjections; upon "the proper use of the two principal ones depends the quality of all others, and the proper making of which tends to the enjoyment of the dinner; for to my fancy they are to cookery what the gamut is in the composition of music, as it is by the arrangement of the notes that harmony is produced, so should the ingredients in the sauce be so nicely blended, and that delightful concord should exist, which would equally delight the palate, as a masterpiece of a mozart or a rossini should delight the ear; but which, if badly executed, tantalize those nervous organs, affect the whole system, and prove a nuisance instead of a pleasure. i will therefore be very precise in describing the two, in order that when you make them, you will not cause your guests to make grimaces at each other, when partaking of them at your festive board, for the present age is a little more refined than at the time of dr. johnson, and we are often obliged to swallow what we do not like; for it is reported of him, that being at a ceremonious dinner-party, and indulging in his usual flow of wit, he unconsciously partook of a spoonful of very hot soup, which he immediately returned to the plate he had taken it from; and observing the astonishment of some of his neighbors, he very coolly remarked, "a fool would have burnt his mouth." when we are at home alone, i very seldom trouble myself by making white or brown sauce, which i can avoid by selecting simplified dishes, which easily produce their own sauce whilst cooking them. but when i expect a little company, the first i order of my cook is to make me half of the quantity of the following receipts for white and brown sauces:-- . _white sauce._--cut and chop a knuckle of veal, weighing about four pounds, into large dice; also half a pound of lean bacon; butter the bottom of a large stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, add two onions, a small carrot, a turnip, three cloves, half a blade of mace, a bouquet of a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and six of parsley, add a gill of water, place over a sharp fire, stirring round occasionally, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with whitish glaze, when fill up with three quarts of water, add a good teaspoonful of salt, and let simmer at the corner of the fire an hour and a half, keeping well skimmed, when pass it through a hair sieve into a basin; in another stewpan put a quarter of a pound of butter, with which mix six ounces of flour, stirring over the fire about three minutes, take off, keep stirring until partly cold, when add the stock all at once, continually stirring and boiling for a quarter of an hour; add half a pint of boiling milk, stir a few minutes longer, add a little chopped mushrooms if handy, pass through a hair sieve into a basin, until required for use, stirring it round occasionally until cold; the above being a simplified white sauce, will be referred to very often in the receipts. . _brown sauce._--put two ounces of butter into a stewpan, rub it over the bottom, peel two or three large onions, cut them in thick slices, lay them on the bottom, cut into small pieces about two pounds of knuckle of veal,[ ] all meat, or three pounds if with bone, a quarter of a pound of lean bacon cut small, two cloves, a few peppercorns, a tablespoonful of salt, two bay-leaves, a gill of water; set it on a brisk fire, let it remain ten minutes, when stir it well round, subdue the fire, let it remain a few minutes longer, and stir now and then until it has a nice brown color; fill your pan with three quarts of water; when boiling, set it on the corner of the stove, with the lid three parts on the saucepan; when boiling, skim fat and all; after one hour, or one hour and a half simmering, pass it through a sieve into a basin. to make the thickening or roux for it, proceed as follows:--put two ounces of butter into a pan, which melt on a slow fire, then add three ounces of flour, stir it until getting a thin deep yellow color; this in france is called roux, being very useful in cookery, and will be often referred to in these receipts. this process will take five minutes, when remove from the fire for two minutes to cool, then add at once three and a quarter pints of the above stock, very quickly set it on the fire to boil, remove to corner to simmer, and skim; it ought to be entirely free from grease, and of a light chestnut color. . _demi-glaze--thin brown sauce for made dishes._--when i have a small dinner-party, i always, as i told you before, make small quantities of white and brown sauce as above, but this is a nice way of clarifying a brown sauce without much trouble, and makes it a beautiful transparent brown color: but although i have made it quite a study, that each _entrée_, or made dish for daily use, should make its own sauce, yet i must impress upon you that this sauce is the real key to cooking a good and ceremonious dinner. put a pint of brown sauce in a middle-sized stewpan, add to it half a pint of broth or consommé, put it on the stove, stir with wooden spoon, let it boil as fast as possible, take the scum off which will rise to the surface, reduce it until it adheres lightly to the spoon, pass it through a sieve or tammy into a basin, stir now and then until cold, to prevent a skin forming on the top, put it by until wanted for use. it will keep for a week in winter, by adding half a gill of white broth every other day, and giving it a boil; the addition of a tablespoonful of tomatos, gives it a beautiful color; use where indicated. . _thin brown sauce of mushrooms._--put twelve tablespoonfuls of thin brown sauce in a small stewpan to boil, then have six or eight small mushrooms well cleaned and washed, chop them fine, and place in sauce, and boil for five minutes; taste if it is to your liking; the addition of a little sugar is an improvement: a little cayenne, if liked, may be introduced. this sauce is good for cutlets, broiled fowl and game, &c. . _eschalot sauce._--chop fine about a good tablespoonful of eschalot, wash them by placing them in the corner of a napkin, and pouring water over them; press them until dry, put them in a small stewpan with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one clove, a little mace; boil two minutes, add ten tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, boil a little longer, add a little sugar, and serve. . _piquant sauce._--put two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, or eschalots, cleaned as above, into a stewpan; put also four tablespoonfuls of vinegar and a bay-leaf, and boil; then add ten tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, half a one of chopped parsley, ditto of green gherkins; boil five minutes, skim, add a little sugar, taste if well seasoned, take out bay-leaf and serve. . _tarragon sauce._--put eight tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, and four of broth, into a stewpan; boil for a few minutes, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, have ready picked twenty leaves of fresh tarragon, put in to simmer two minutes, and serve with any kind of poultry, but especially spring chickens. . _brown cucumber sauce._--peel a small fresh cucumber, cut it in neat pieces, put in a stewpan with a little sugar, add half an ounce of butter, set it on a slow fire, stir it now and then, add twelve tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, and four of broth; let it simmer till tender, skim the butter off, remove the cucumbers into another stewpan, reduce the sauce a little, taste it and serve. . _mince herb sauce._--put two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped onions in a stewpan, add a tablespoonful of oil, place it on the fire, stir a few minutes, add ten tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze and four of broth or water; boil, skim; if too thick, and the scum should not rise, add half a gill of broth or water; boil, and reduce to a proper thickness, and add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley if handy, one of mushrooms, and season with a little cayenne, the juice of a quarter of a lemon; serve. i often introduce a little garlic in this. . _italian herb sauce._--proceed in the same way as the above, only add a little chopped thyme and a small glass of sherry. . _robert sauce._--peel and cut up two good-sized onions, put them in a stewpan with an ounce of butter till they are a nice yellow color, then add eight tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, and two of water or broth; skim, boil quick; when a proper thickness, add a good tablespoonful of french mustard; season it rather high; if no french mustard, use english, but it completely changes the flavor, though still very palatable. . _ravigote sauce._--put in a stewpan one middle-sized onion sliced, with a little carrot, a little thyme, bay-leaf, one clove, a little mace, a little scraped horseradish, a little butter, fry a few minutes, then add three teaspoonfuls of vinegar, ten tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, four of broth; when boiling, skim, add a tablespoonful of currant jelly; when melted, pass all through a tammy, and serve with any kind of meat or poultry; with hare or venison it is excellent. . _brown mushroom sauce._--clean and cut twelve small mushrooms in slices, place them in a stewpan with a little butter, salt, pepper, the juice of a quarter of a lemon, set it on a slow fire for a few minutes, then add ten spoonfuls of demi-glaze; boil till they are tender, and serve. a little mushroom catsup may be introduced. . _orange sauce for game._--peel half an orange, removing all the pith; cut it into slices, and then in fillets; put them in a gill of water to boil for two minutes; drain them on a sieve, throwing the water away; place in the stewpan ten spoonfuls of demi-glaze, or two of broth; and, when boiling, add the orange, a little sugar, simmer ten minutes, skim, and serve. the juice of half an orange is an improvement. this is served with ducklings and waterfowl: those that like may add cayenne and mustard. . _garlic sauce._--though many dislike the flavor of this root, yet those that like it ought not to be deprived of it. put in a stewpan ten tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze, a little tomatos if handy; boil it a few minutes, scrape half a clove of garlic, put it in with a little sugar, and serve. . _mint sauce for lamb._--take three tablespoonfuls of chopped leaves of green mint, three tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, and put into a basin with half a pint of brown vinegar; stir it well up, add one saltspoonful of salt, and serve. . _liaison of eggs._--break the yolks of three eggs in a basin, with which mix six spoonfuls of milk, or eight of cream; pass it through a fine sieve, and use when directed. . _anchovy butter sauce._--put into a stewpan eight spoonfuls of demi-glaze, or three of broth; when boiling, add one ounce of anchovy butter; stir continually till melted: serve where directed. . _soyer's sauce._--put six spoonfuls of demi-glaze into a stewpan; when hot, add four spoonfuls of soyer's gentleman's sauce; let boil, and serve with either chop, steak, cotelettes, poultry, or game. . _papillotte sauce._--scrape half an ounce of fat bacon, put it in a pan with four tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, stir over the fire for a few minutes, then add ten tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, and boil; then add a tablespoonful of mushrooms chopped, one ditto of parsley, a little nutmeg, a little pepper and sugar, a little scraped garlic; reduce till rather thickish; put on dish till cold, and use it for anything you may put up "_en papillotte_." . _tomato sauce._--if fresh, put six in a stewpan; having removed the stalk, and squeezed them in the hand to remove pips, &c., add half an onion, sliced, a little thyme, bay-leaf, half an ounce of celery, one ounce of ham, same of butter, teaspoonful of sugar, same of salt, a quarter one of pepper; set on fire to stew gently; when all tender, add a tablespoonful of flour, moisten with half a pint of broth, boil five minutes, add a little cayenne, taste if highly seasoned, pass it through sieve or tammy, put it back in stewpan, until it adheres rather thick to the back of the spoon, and use it for any kind of meat or poultry. if preserved tomato, proceed as for poivrade sauce respecting the vegetables, omitting the vinegar, add the tomato, instead of brown sauce, add a tablespoonful of flour and broth to bring it to a proper thickness, and pass it through a sieve, and serve as above. . _curry sauce._--this i generally keep ready-made in the larder, being very fond of what i consider such wholesome food as curry; but not liking to be troubled with making it often, i cause my cook to prepare a certain quantity at a time. mr. b. is very partial to curry, but he likes it in winter; for my part, i prefer it in summer. after having partaken of some one very hot summer's day, i felt quite cool. capt. white, who has been nearly twenty years in the east indies, tells me that it will produce that refreshing effect; but i can enjoy it in any season. put into a pan four good-sized onions, sliced, and two of peeled apples, with a quarter of a pound of butter, the same of lean ham, a blade of mace, four peppercorns, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme; stir them over a moderate fire until the onions become brown and tender, then add two tablespoonfuls of the best curry powder, one of vinegar, two of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar; moisten it with a quart of broth or milk, or even water, with the addition of a little glaze; boil till in a pulp, and adhering rather thickly to the back of the spoon; pass all through a fine sieve or tammy, give it another boil for a few minutes, put it in a basin, and use when required. any kind of meat, poultry, and fish, or parts of game, is excellent warmed in this sauce, and served with well-boiled and dry rice. i have kept this sauce in a cool place in the winter for a month, boiling it now and then. the quantity of powder may be omitted, and a spoonful of curry paste used, or some mangoes. (_see curries._) . _a very good and useful white sauce (quite new)._--put a quart of white sauce in a stewpan of a proper size on a fire; stir continually until reduced to one third; put two yolks of eggs in a basin, stir them well up, add your sauce gradually, keep stirring, put back in stewpan, set it to boil for a few minutes longer, then add one pint of boiling milk, which will bring it to its proper thickness; that is, when it adheres transparently to the back of a spoon; pass through a tammy into a basin, stir now and then till cold; if not immediately required, and i have any stock left, i use half of it with half of milk. i also try this way, which is very convenient: when the yolks are in, and well boiled, i put it in a large gallipot, and when cold, cover with pieces of paper, and it will keep good in winter for two or three weeks, and above a week in summer; and when i want to use a little of it, i only take a spoonful or two and warm it on the fire, and add enough milk or white broth to bring it to a proper thickness, and use where required. this sauce is very smooth, and never, turns greasy; it lies beautifully on fowl, or any white made dish; the addition of a drop of cream gives it a very fine white appearance. . _onion purée sauce._--peel and cut six onions in slices; put in a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, a half one of pepper; place on a slow fire to simmer till in a pulp, stirring them now and then to prevent them getting brown, then add one tablespoonful of flour, a pint of milk, and boil till a proper thickness, which should be a little thicker than melted butter; pass through a tammy, warm again, and serve with mutton cutlets, chops, rabbits, or fowl; by not passing it, it will do for roast mutton and boiled rabbit as onion sauce. . _purée of cauliflower sauce._--boil a cauliflower well in three pints of water, in which you have previously put one ounce of butter, two tablespoonfuls of salt; when done, chop it up, having prepared and slowly cooked in a stewpan an onion sliced, a little celery, half a turnip, one ounce of ham, two of butter, a little bay-leaf, mace, add then the cauliflower, stir round, add a tablespoonful of flour, moisten as above for onions, pass and finish the same way. . _jerusalem artichoke sauce._--peel twelve, and well wash, boil till tender, and proceed as above. . _turnip sauce purée._--boil six middle-sized ones, press all the water you can out of them, and proceed as the above. . _white cucumber purée._--peel two, or one large one, cut in slices, put in the stewpan with the same vegetables, &c., as for the cauliflower; when tender, add a tablespoonful of flour, three gills of milk or broth, boil, and finishing as the cauliflower. . _sorrel sauce, or purée._--wash well four handfuls of sorrel, put it nearly dry into a middle-sized stewpan, with a little butter; let it melt, add a tablespoonful of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, half one of pepper, moisten to a thick purée, with milk, or broth, or cream; pass it through a sieve, put it back in a stewpan, warm again, add two whole eggs, two ounces of butter, and stir well, and serve where directed. . _spinach purée (see vegetables, d course)._--endive is often used in france, and called chicorée. this purée may be made like the cauliflower, or only plainly chopped, put into a pan with two ounces of butter, a gill of white sauce, a little grated nutmeg, and a little salt, pepper and sugar. . _stewed peas and sprew grass._--for cutlets, sweetbreads, fowls, or any dishes, they are applicable (see vegetables, second course), also french beans, only using one third of the quantity that you would for a made dish for an entremet. . _scooped jerusalem artichokes._--scoop with a round cutter twenty-four pieces of artichoke, of the size of half an inch in diameter, wash them, put them in a small stewpan with half an ounce of butter and a quarter of an ounce of sugar; put it on a slow fire for a few minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, six of white broth or milk, let them simmer till tender, skim, mix a yolk of an egg with two tablespoonfuls of milk, pour in stewpan, and move it round very quick, and serve; it must not be too thick, and the artichokes must be well done; they must not be in purée; they are good with or served under any white meat. . _scooped turnips._--proceed exactly the same, only serve a little thinner: they will not do if stringy. . _button onions._--the same, only make the sauce thinner, and boil longer, according to their size. . _young carrots._--scrape and trim to shape twenty small and young carrots, pass in sugar and butter, add white or brown sauce, but keep it thinner, as it requires a longer time boiling; when tender, if for white sauce, add a tablespoonful of liaison, stir, and serve. . _white mushroom sauce._--use small white ones; cut the dark part out and remove the tail, wash in several waters, put in a stewpan with a little butter, salt, pepper, juice of lemon, sauté it for a few minutes, add a gill of white sauce, four table-spoonfuls of broth, milk, or water; boil and serve under any white meat. . _white cucumber sauce._--peel two cucumbers, divide each lengthways into four, remove the pips, and cut into pieces one inch long; add, in stewpan one ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of sugar, half of salt, let it stew on the fire for fifteen minutes, then add a gill of white sauce, six spoonfuls of milk, broth, or water, simmer gently and skim, add a tablespoonful of liaison, and serve where directed, but observe that all these garnitures ought to be served under the meat and over poultry. . _ragout of quenelles._--make twelve nice small quenelles (see _quenelles_), warm half a pint of white sauce, in which you have put four tablespoonfuls of milk, and half a teaspoonful of eschalot; when well done, pour on the liaison over with the juice of a lemon, and serve. a few english truffles or mushrooms may be added to this sauce. . _maître d'hôtel sauce._--put eight spoonfuls of white sauce in a stewpan, with four of white stock or milk; boil it five minutes, then stir in two ounces of maître d'hôtel butter; stir it quickly over the fire until the butter is melted, but do not let the sauce boil after the butter is in; this sauce should only be made at the time of serving. . _green peas stewed._--put a pint of young peas, boiled very green, into a stewpan, with three table-spoonfuls of white sauce, two ounces of butter, a little sugar and salt, and two button onions, with parsley, tied together; boil them ten minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of liaison, stir it in quickly, and serve. . _green peas, with bacon._--put a pint of well-boiled peas into a stewpan, with five spoonfuls of brown sauce, two of brown gravy, a teaspoonful of sugar, two button onions, and a bunch of parsley; let it boil about ten minutes; have ready braised about a quarter of a pound of lean bacon, cut it in dice about a quarter of an inch square, add it to the peas, take out the onions and parsley, season with an ounce of butter and half a teaspoonful of sugar; mix well together, stew twenty minutes, and serve. . _blanched mushrooms._--get a pottle of fresh mushrooms, cut off the dirt, and likewise the heads (reserving the stalk for chopping), wash the heads in a basin of clean water, take them out and drain in a sieve; put into a stewpan two wine-glasses of cold water, one ounce of butter, the juice of half a good lemon, and a little salt; turn or peel each head neatly, and put them into the stewpan immediately, or they will turn black; set your stewpan on a brisk fire, let them boil quickly five minutes, put them into a basin ready for use; chop the stalks and peel very fine, put them into a stewpan with three tablespoonfuls of the liquor the mushrooms have been boiled in; let them simmer three minutes, put them into a jar, and use where indicated. observe: turning or peeling mushrooms is an art that practice alone can attain; if they are very fresh and white, wash them quickly, and wipe them on a cloth; throw them into the liquid above mentioned. . _onions stuffed._--peel twelve large onions, cut a piece off at the top and bottom to give them a flat appearance, and which adds a better flavor if left, blanch them in four quarts of boiling water twenty minutes, then lay them on a cloth to dry; take the middle out of each onion, and fill them with veal forcemeat (with a little chopped eschalot, parsley, and mushroom, mixed in it), and put them in a sauté-pan well buttered, cover them with white broth, let them simmer over a slow fire until covered with a glaze, and tender; turn them over and serve where required. . _hot tartar sauce._--put two table-spoonfuls of white sauce in a small stewpan, four of broth or milk, boil a few minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls of the tartar sauce (see salads) in it, stir it very quick with a wooden spoon, make it quite hot but not boiling; put it on a dish, and serve where described. . _mephistophelian sauce._--do not be afraid of the title, for it has nothing diabolical about it; the first time i tried it was at mr. b.'s birthday party; and some of his friends having over and over again drank his health, till he had hardly any health left to carry him to the drawing-room, where the coffee was waiting, about eleven o'clock, having asked for some anchovy sandwiches, but, from a mistake, not having any in the house, i composed this ravigotante sauce, which partly brought them back to their senses. i cut up the remains of the turkey, rubbed some mustard over it, sprinkled a little salt and plenty of cayenne, put it on the gridiron on the fire, and made the following sauce: i chopped six eschalots, washed and pressed them in the corner of a clean cloth, then put them into a stewpan with one and a half wine-glassful of chili vinegar, a chopped clove, a piece of garlic, two bay-leaves, an ounce of glaze, and boiled all together for ten minutes; then added four tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, a little sugar, and ten of gravy or brown sauce; boiled it a few minutes longer, then added a pat of butter, stirring it well in, removed the bay-leaf, and poured over turkey, and served. soups. in france, no dinner is served without soup, and no good soup is supposed to be made without the pot-au-feu (see no. ), it being the national dish of the middle and poorer classes of that country; thinking it might be of service to the working classes, by showing the benefits to be derived from more frequently partaking of a hot dinner, as i have previously observed, especially in a cold climate like ours. clear light soups are very delicate, and in this country more fit for the wealthy; whilst the more substantial thick soups, such as mock turtle, ox-tail, peas, &c., are more in vogue, consequent to being better adapted to the million; therefore, after giving a few series of clear soups, i shall proceed to give a greater variety of the thicker sorts, being careful that every receipt shall be so plain as to give a correct idea of its cost. . _stock for all kinds of soup._--procure a knuckle of veal about six pounds in weight, which cut into pieces about the size of an egg, as also half a pound of lean ham or bacon; then rub a quarter of a pound of butter upon the bottom of the stewpan (capable of holding about two gallons), into which put the meat and bacon, with half a pint of water, two ounces of salt, three middle-sized onions, with two cloves in each, one turnip, a carrot, half a leek, and half a head of celery; put the cover upon the stewpan, which place over a sharp fire, occasionally stirring round its contents with a wooden spoon, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white thickish glaze, which will lightly adhere to the spoon; fill up the stewpan with cold water, and when upon the point of boiling, draw it to the corner of the fire, where it must gently simmer for three hours, carefully skimming off every particle of grease and scum; pass your stock through a fine hair sieve, and it is ready for use when required. the above will make a delicious broth for all kinds of clear soups, and of course for thick soups or purées; by boiling it rather faster about five minutes before passing, you will be better enabled to take off every particle of grease from the surface. in making a stock of beef proceed as above, but allow double the time to simmer; mutton or lamb, if any trimmings, might also be used; if beef, use seven pounds; if mutton, eight; or lamb, seven, of course bones and all included; with care, this broth would be quite clear. to give a little color, as required for all clear soups, use a little brown gravy or browning, but never attempt to brown it by letting it color at the bottom of the stewpan, for in that case you would destroy the greater part of the osmazome. . _another way, more economical._--instead of cutting up the knuckle of veal so small, cut it in four or five pieces only, and leave the bacon in one piece; then, when the broth is passed, take out the veal, which is very excellent served with a little of the broth for gravy, and the bacon with a few greens upon another dish. this is as i always eat it myself; but some persons would probably prefer a little parsley-and-butter sauce or sharp sauce, served with it. should any of the veal be left until cold, it might be cut into thin slices, and gradually warmed in either of the before-mentioned sauces. should you make your stock from the leg or shin of beef, stew it double the time, preserve the vegetables boiled in the stock, and serve with beef, or serve the beef with some nice sharp sauce over; the remainder, if cold, may also be hashed in the ordinary way. if of mutton, and you have used the scrags of the neck, the breast, head, or the chump of the loin, keep them in as large pieces as possible; and, when done, serve with a few mashed turnips, and caper sauce, separately; if any remaining until cold, mince it. lamb would be seldom used for stock, being much too expensive; but in case of an abundance, which there sometimes is in the country, proceed the same as for mutton. . _brown gravies._--rub an ounce of butter over the bottom of a stewpan which would hold about three quarts; have ready peeled four onions, cut them into thick slices, with which cover the bottom of the stewpan; over these lay about two pounds of beef from the leg or shin, cut into thin slices, with the bone chopped very small, add a small carrot, a turnip cut in slices, and a couple of cloves; set the stewpan upon a gentle fire for ten minutes, shaking it round occasionally to prevent burning; after which, let it go upon a slow fire for upwards of an hour, until the bottom is covered with a blackish glaze, but not burnt; when properly done, and ready for filling up, you will perceive the fat that runs from the meat quite clear, fill up the stewpan with cold water, add a teaspoonful of salt; and when upon the point of boiling, set it on a corner of the fire, where let it simmer gently about an hour, skimming off all the fat and scum which may rise to the surface; when done, pass it through a fine sieve into a basin, and put by to use for the following purposes:--for every kind of roast meat, poultry, or game especially; also to give a good color to soups and sauces. this gravy will keep several days, by boiling it every other day. although beef is the most proper meat for the above purpose, it may be made of veal, mutton, lamb, or even with fresh pork, rabbits, or poultry. . _browning._--when in business, and not so much time to devote to the kitchen, i used to make shift with a browning from the following receipt, using, however, but a very few drops: put two ounces of powdered sugar into a middling-sized stewpan, which place over a slow fire; when beginning to melt, stir it round with a wooden spoon until getting quite black, then pour over half a pint of cold water: leave it to dissolve, and take a little for use when required. . _glaze_ is an almost indispensable article in a _cuisine bourgeoise_, and should be kept by all persons in the middle classes of life, the advantage being that it will keep for months together, is very simple to make, and is always useful in cookery, however humble; in fact, with it you can dress a very good dinner with very little trouble. make a stock as directed in no. , but omitting the salt, which, when done, pass through a cloth into a basin; then fill the stewpan up a second time with hot water, and let boil four hours longer to obtain all the succulence from the meat, then pass it through a cloth the same as the first; then pour both stocks in a large stewpan together, set it over the fire, and let it boil as fast as possible, leaving a large spoon in, to stir occasionally and prevent its boiling over; when reduced to about three pints, pour it into a smaller stewpan, set again to boil at the corner, skimming well if required; when reduced to a quart, place it quite over the fire, well stirring with a wooden spoon until forming a thickish glaze (which will adhere to the spoon) of a fine yellowish-brown color; pour it into a basin, or, if for keeping any time, into a long bladder, from which cut a slice and use where directed. where, however, only a small quantity is required, reduce only the second stock, using the first for either soup or sauce; but in that case the salt must not be omitted from the first stock, but from the second only. veal at all times makes the best glaze, but any kinds of meat, game, or poultry will produce more or less. . _to clarify stock, if required._--in case, by some accident, your stock should not be clear, put it (say three quarts) into a stewpan, and place it over a good fire, skim well, and, when boiling, have ready the whites of three eggs (carefully separated from their yolks), to which add half a pint of water; whisk well together; then add half a pint of the boiling stock gradually, still whisking the eggs; then whisk the boiling stock, pouring the whites of eggs, &c., in whilst so doing, which continue until nearly boiling again, then take it from the fire, let it remain until the whites of eggs separate themselves, pass it through a clean fine cloth into a basin; this must be taken as a rule for every kind of clear soup, which must be strictly followed by every person wishing to profit by this little work. these principles, once learned, would be useful at all times, and save a great deal of useless reference in the perusal of these receipts; and no persons can make themselves answerable for the success of any individual in making soups if the instructions recommended be not strictly followed. the following rule should be therefore punctually attended to. all clear soups ought not to be too strong of meat, and must be of a light brown sherry or straw color. all white or brown thick soups should be rather thin, with just sufficient consistency to adhere lightly to a spoon when hot, soups of fish, poultry, or game especially. all purées, no matter whether of meat or vegetables, require to be somewhat thicker, which may be ascertained by its adhering more thickly to the spoon. every italian soup must be very clear, rather stronger of meat, and the color of pale sherry. by following the few foregoing observations, experience will teach you volumes; for as there is a great difference in the quality of different materials (flour, for instance, which, if strong, would tend to thicken, but, if weak, actually almost turns to water by boiling), therefore your judgment, with the above few important remarks, will make you more perfect than the most precise quantities of weights and measurements, upon that important point. . _clear vegetable soup._--peel a middling-sized carrot and turnip, which cut first into slices, then into small square pieces about the size of dice; peel also eighteen button onions; wash the whole in cold water, and drain them upon a sieve; when dry, put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter and a teaspoonful of powdered sugar; set them upon a very sharp fire for ten minutes, tossing them over every now and then until the vegetables become covered with a thin shiny glaze, which may take rather more than the before-mentioned time; care, however, must be taken, for should you let them get brown, the flavor of the soup would be spoiled; whilst, upon the other hand, if put in whilst surrounded with a whitish liquid, your soup would look white and unsightly; with a little attention, however, success is certain; and, once accomplished, there would be no difficulty in making any vegetable soups or sauce, therefore it is very desirable to know how to do it properly. when done, pour two quarts of clear broth over them, set it upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling, place it at the corner to simmer, until the vegetables are quite tender (the onions especially), carefully skimming off all the butter as it rises to the surface; it will require about half an hour's simmering, and there should be half a pound of vegetables to two quarts of stock; taste if properly seasoned, which it ought to be with the above proportions, but use your own judgment accordingly. by following the last process correctly, the only difference to be made in those descriptions of soup is in the shape the vegetables are cut. . _printanière soup._--cut a small quantity of vegetables as in the last, but rather less carrot and turnip, introducing a little celery, leek, and young spring onions, instead of the button onions; proceed exactly as before, but ten minutes before taking it from the fire, wash a few leaves of sorrel, which cut small and put into the soup, with six sprigs of chervil; in summer, a few fresh-boiled peas or french beans served in it is an improvement. in whatever shape you may cut the vegetables for soup, always be cautious not to cut some pieces larger than others, and the whole of them rather small than large; for if some pieces should be small and others large, the smaller pieces would be quite in purée, whilst the larger ones would still be quite hard, which would cause your soup not only to eat badly, but give it an unsightly appearance, for the vegetable boiled to a purée would make the soup thick. the above remark, although simple, is still very important. . _julienne soup._--this soup is entirely the hereditary property of france, and is supposed to be so called from the months of june and july, when all vegetables are in full season; and to make it in reality as originally made, a small quantity of every description of vegetables should be used, including lettuce, sorrel, and tarragon; however, some few sorts of vegetables mixed together make a most estimable soup. weigh half a pound of the vegetables in fair proportions to each other; that is, carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and leeks, which cut into small fillets an inch in length, and of the thickness of a trussing-needle; when done, wash dry, and pass them in butter and sugar as before, proceeding the same with the soup, adding just before it is done a little sorrel, cabbage-lettuce, and chervil or peas, if handy, but it would be excellent without either. . _clear turnip soup._--cut, with a round vegetable scoop, about forty pieces of turnip, of the shape and size of small marbles, which put into a stewpan, with sugar and butter as before, but fry them of a light brownish color, and finish the soup, as in the previous receipts. a tablespoonful of italian paste, previously half boiled in water, then drained and finished in the soup, is also an improvement. . _clear artichoke soup._--peel twelve jerusalem artichokes, which well wash, then cut as many round scoops as possible, the same as in the last, proceeding exactly the same. the remainder of either turnips, artichokes, or carrots may be boiled, and mashed with a little butter, pepper, and salt, and served as a vegetable, or reserved to make a soup purée; the remains of other vegetables from the previous soups should also be reserved for flavoring of stock, instead of using the fresh vegetables. . _vermicelli._--put a quart of clear stock into a stewpan upon the fire, and when boiling add two ounces of vermicelli; boil gently ten minutes, and it is ready to serve. . _italian paste._--procure some small italian paste, in stars, rings, or any other shape, but small; put on a quart of stock, and when boiling, add two ounces of the paste; boil twenty minutes, or rather more, when it is ready to serve. . _semoulina._--when the stock is boiling, add two tablespoonfuls of semoulina; boil twenty minutes, and it is then done. proceed the same also with tapioca and sago. . _macaroni._--boil a quarter of a pound of macaroni, in a quart of water, for ten minutes, then strain it off, and throw it into two quarts of boiling stock; let simmer gently for half an hour, when serve, with grated cheese, upon a plate separately. . _rice._--well wash two ounces of the best rice, strain off the water, put the rice into a stewpan, with a quart of cold stock, place it upon the fire, and let simmer about half an hour, until the rice is very tender, but not in pulp. . _mutton broth._--any description of trimmings of mutton may be used for broth, but the scrag ends of the neck are usually chosen; put two scrags into a stewpan (having previously jointed the bones), with three onions, three turnips, and one carrot, fill up the stewpan with a gallon of water, and place it upon the fire; when boiling set it at the corner, where let it simmer for three hours, keeping it well skimmed; then cut a small carrot, two turnips, an onion, with a little leek and celery, into small square pieces, which put into another stewpan, with a wineglassful of pearl-barley; skim every particle of fat from the broth, which pour through a hair sieve over them; let the whole boil gently at the corner of the fire until the barley is tender, when it is ready to serve; the meat may be trimmed into neat pieces and served with the broth, or separately with melted butter and parsley, or onion sauce. half or even a quarter of the above quantity can be made by reducing the ingredients in proportion. . _irish soup made of mutton broth._--this soup is made similar to the last, adding ten or twelve mealy potatoes, cut into large dice, omitting the other vegetables, which, being boiled to a purée, thickens the broth; just before serving, throw in twenty heads of parsley, and at the same time add a few flowers of marigold, which will really give it a very pleasing flavor. . _scotch cock-a-leekie._--trim two or three bunches of fine winter leeks, cutting off the roots and part of the heads, then split each in halves lengthwise, and each half into three, which wash well in two or three waters, then put them into a stewpan, with a stock previously made as directed (no. ), and a fowl trussed as for boiling; let the whole simmer very gently at the corner of the fire for three hours, keeping it well skimmed, seasoning a little if required; half an hour before serving add two dozen french plums, without breaking them; when ready to serve, take out the fowl, which cut into neat pieces, place them in a tureen, and pour the leeks and broth over, the leeks being then partly in purée; if too thick, however, add a drop more broth or water. should the leeks happen to be old and strong, it would be better to blanch them five minutes in a gallon of boiling water previous to putting them in the stock. i prefer a young fowl; but, should an old one be most handy, stew it a short time in the stock before passing it. this soup will keep good several days, and would improve by warming a second time. . _ox-tail soup._--cut up two ox-tails, separating them at the joints, put a small piece of butter at the bottom of a stewpan, then put in the ox-tails, with a carrot, a turnip, three onions, a head of celery, a leek, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; and half a pint of water, and twelve grains of whole pepper, set over a sharp fire, stirring occasionally, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a thickish brown glaze, then add a quarter of a pound of flour, stir it well in, and fill up the stewpan with three quarts of water, add a tablespoonful of salt, and stir occasionally until boiling, when set it upon the corner of the stove, skim well, add a gill of good brown gravy, or a few drops of browning, and let simmer until the tails are stewed very tender, the flesh coming easily from the bones, then take them out immediately, and put them into your tureen; pass the soup through a hair sieve over them, add a head of celery, previously cut small, and boiled in a little stock, and serve. ox-tail soup may also be made clear by omitting the flour, and serving with vegetables, as directed for the clear vegetable soup (no. ). . _ox-cheek soup._--blanch in boiling water two ox-cheeks, cut off the beard, take away all the bone, which chop up, and cut the flesh into middling-sized pieces, leaving the cheek-part whole; put all together into a stewpan, with four quarts of water, a little salt, ten peppercorns, two carrots, two turnips, one leek, one head of celery, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; let it stew at the corner of the fire six hours, keeping it well skimmed, then take out the fleshy part of the cheeks, and pass the broth through a hair-sieve into another stewpan; mix a quarter of a pound of flour with a pint of cold broth, which pour into it, and stir over the fire until boiling, when place it at the corner (adding two heads of celery, cut very fine, and a glass of sherry); when the celery is tender, cut the meat into small square pieces, keep them warm in the tureen, and when the soup is ready, pour over, and serve; give it a nice color with browning. sheeps' or lambs' heads also make very good soup by following the above receipt, and adding two pounds of veal, mutton, or beef to the stock: two heads would be sufficient, and they would not require so long to stew. . _white mock-turtle soup._--procure half a calf's head (scalded, not skinned), bone it, then cut up a knuckle of veal, which put into a stewpan, well buttered at the bottom, with half a pound of lean ham, an ounce of salt, a carrot, a turnip, three onions, a head of celery, a leek, a bunch of parsley, and a bay-leaf, add half a pint of water; set it upon the fire, moving it round occasionally, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white glaze; then add six quarts of water, and put in the half head, let simmer upon the corner of the fire for two hours and a half, or until the head is tender, then take it out, and press it between two dishes, and pass the stock through a hair sieve into a basin; then in another stewpan have a quarter of a pound of butter, with a sprig of thyme, basil, marjoram, and bay-leaf, let the butter get quite hot, then add six ounces of flour to form a roux, stir over a sharp fire a few minutes, keeping it quite white; stand it off the fire to cool, then add the stock, stir over the fire until boiling, then stand it at the corner, skim off all the fat, and pass it through a hair sieve into another stewpan; cut the head into pieces an inch square, but not too thick, and put them into the soup, which season with a little cayenne pepper; when the pieces are hot, add a gill of cream, and pour it into your tureen. the above quantity would make two tureens of soup, and will keep good several days, but of course half the quantity could be made. . _brown mock-turtle._--proceed the same as in the last article, only coloring the stock by drawing it down to a brown glaze, likewise adding half a pint of brown gravy (no. ), omitting the cream, and adding two glasses of sherry. . _mulligatawny soup._--cut up a knuckle of veal, which put into a stewpan, with a piece of butter, half a pound of lean ham, a carrot, a turnip, three onions, and six apples, add half a pint of water; set the stewpan over a sharp fire, moving the meat round occasionally, let remain until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brownish glaze, then add three tablespoonfuls of curry powder, one of curry paste, and half a pound of flour, stir well in, and fill the stewpan with a gallon of water; add a spoonful of salt, the half of one of sugar, when boiling, place it at the corner of the fire, and let it simmer two hours and a half, skimming off all the fat as it rises, then pass it through a tammy into a tureen; trim some of the pieces of veal, and put it back in the stewpan to boil, and serve with plain boiled rice separate. ox-tails or pieces of rabbits, chickens, &c., left from a previous dinner may be served in it instead of the veal. the veal is exceedingly good to eat. . _giblet soup._--clean two sets of giblets, which soak for two hours, cut them into equal sizes, and put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, four pounds of veal or beef, half a pound of ham, a carrot, a turnip, three onions, two ounces of salt, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves; place the stewpan over a sharp fire, stirring the meat round occasionally; when the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a light glaze, add a quarter of a pound of flour, stir well in, and fill up with a gallon of water, add about a pint of brown gravy (no. ), stir occasionally until boiling, then set it at the corner of the stove to simmer, keeping it well skimmed; when the giblets are tender, take them out, put them into your tureen, pass the soup through a hair sieve over, and serve; twenty cooked button onions, or any small-shaped vegetables served in it, is very good, as is also a glass of port wine. . _oyster soup._--put four dozen of oysters into a stewpan with their liquor, place them upon the fire, when upon the point of boiling, drain them upon a sieve, catching the liquor in a basin; take off the beards, which put into the liquor, putting the oysters into a soup tureen; then put a quarter of a pound of butter into another stewpan over the fire, and when melted add six ounces of flour, stir over a slow fire for a short time, but keeping it quite white; let it cool, then add the liquor and beards of the oysters, a quart of milk, and two quarts of stock (no. ), stir over the fire until boiling, then season with a teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, five peppercorns, half a blade of mace, a tablespoonful of harvey sauce, half ditto of essence of anchovies; let boil quickly at the corner for ten minutes, skim it well, add a gill of cream, if handy, strain through a hair sieve over the oysters, and serve. . _the fisherman's soup._--put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, and when melted add six ounces of flour, stir well together over a slow fire a few minutes, when cool, add one quart of milk, and two quarts of stock (no. ), stir over a fire until boiling; having previously filleted two soles, add the bones and trimmings to the soup, with four cloves, one blade of mace, two bay-leaves, one spoonful of essence of anchovies, one ditto of harvey sauce, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, a little sugar and salt if required; let the whole boil quickly at the corner for ten minutes, keeping it well skimmed; cut each fillet of sole into six pieces, put them into another stewpan, with half a handful of picked parsley, pass the soup through a hair sieve over, boil again ten minutes, add a gill of cream, if handy, and it is ready to serve. . _autumn soup._--cut up four cabbage-lettuces, one cos ditto, a handful of sorrel, and a little tarragon and chervil, when well washed and drained, put them into a stewpan, with two cucumbers finely sliced, and two ounces of butter, place them over a brisk fire, stirring occasionally, until very little liquid remains, then add two tablespoonfuls of flour, stirring it well in, then pour over three quarts of stock, made as directed (no. ), adding a quart of young and fresh green peas; half an hour's boiling will suffice for this delicious soup, and the flavor of the vegetables will be fully preserved; season with a teaspoonful of salt, and two of sugar. . _hodge podge._--cut two pounds of fresh scrag of mutton into small pieces, which put into a stewpan, with three quarts of cold water and a tablespoonful of salt, set it upon the fire, and when boiling place it at the corner to simmer, keeping it well skimmed; let it simmer an hour, then add a good-sized carrot, two turnips, two large onions cut into small dice, and six cabbage-lettuces, if in season (the whole well washed), and let simmer until quite tender; skim off all the fat, and serve either with the meat in the soup or separately. if in season, a pint of green peas boiled in the soup is a great improvement. . _french cabbage soup._--this is a soup very much in vogue amongst the middle classes of the french people; it is very economical, and may satisfy a numerous family at a trifling expense. put a gallon of water into a saucepan, with two pounds of streaky pickled pork or bacon, whichever most convenient, to which add a couple of pounds of white cabbage, cut in strips (using every part but the stalk, and previously well washed), two large onions, a carrot, a turnip, and a head of celery; let the whole boil three or four hours, until the pork is tender, skimming off all the fat, season with a little black pepper, brown sugar, and salt, if required (which is not very frequently the case, the pork or bacon generally being sufficiently so), lay slices of bread in your tureen (about one pound), pour the soup over; keep the tureen covered ten minutes, until the bread is soaked, and it is ready to serve. the pork or bacon may be either served separate or cut into small square pieces, and served in the soup. a few mealy potatoes are sometimes introduced, or a quart of large green peas, or a pint of dry split peas. you must observe that vegetables in france are much more used than in this country, as there are but few poor people there who do not possess a little garden, in which they grow their own. it is also frequently made _maigre_ by omitting the pork or bacon, adding more vegetables of all kinds, and a quarter of a pound of butter, and frequently where they have nothing else but cabbage, they make it only of that; now setting all national feeling aside respecting the poverty of their meals, i have known strong healthy men make a hearty meal of it, preferring it to meat, of which they scarcely ever partake. . _purée of vegetable soup._--peel and cut up very finely three onions, three turnips, one carrot, and four potatoes, which put into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, the same of lean ham, and a bunch of parsley; pass them ten minutes over a sharp fire, when add a good spoonful of flour, which mix well in, add two quarts of stock, and a pint of boiling milk, stir it until boiling; season with a little salt and sugar, rub it through a tammy, put it into another stewpan, boil again, skim and serve with croutons of fried bread as for palestine soup. it ought to be thickish. . _palestine soup, or purée of artichokes._--have a quarter of a pound of lean bacon or ham, as also an onion, a turnip, and a little celery, cut the whole into small thin slices, and put them into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter; place them over a sharp fire, keeping them stirred, about twenty minutes, or until forming a whitish glaze at the bottom, then have ready washed, peeled, and cut into thin slices, the artichokes, which put into the stewpan with a pint of broth or water, and stew until quite tender, then mix in two tablespoonfuls of flour quite smoothly, add two quarts of stock made as directed (no. ), and half a pint of milk; keep it constantly stirred until boiling; season with a teaspoonful of salt, and two of sugar, then rub it through a tammy, place it again in a stewpan; let it boil five minutes, keeping it well skimmed, and serve with very small croutons of bread (fried in butter, and dried upon a cloth) in the tureen; a gill of cream, stirred in at the moment of serving, is a great improvement, although it may be omitted. . _purée of cauliflower soup._--proceed as described for the purée of artichokes, but omitting the artichokes, and substituting four middling-sized cauliflowers, previously boiled and chopped fine. a purée of turnips is likewise made in the same manner as a purée of artichokes, substituting turnips for artichokes, and adding half a tablespoonful more of flour. a purée of white belgian carrot, called "crécy à la reine," is made in the same way, and is uncommon and delicate. . _crécy soup, or purée of carrots._--procure five or six large carrots, as red as possible, which well scrape, then shave them into very thin slices, taking off all the exterior red, but not using the centre, then peel and slice a large onion, a turnip, a quarter of a pound of lean ham, a few sprigs of parsley, and two bay-leaves; put them into a stewpan, with four ounces of butter, fry the whole of a light yellowish color, then add the carrot, with a pint of water, and let them stew until perfectly tender, mix in two ounces of flour quite smoothly, and add five pints of stock (no. ); season with a little salt and sugar, and stir upon the fire until boiling, a quarter of an hour, when pass it through a tammy, and finish and serve as in the preceding; no cream, however, must be added. this soup ought to be of a red color. . _green pea soup._--put two quarts of green peas into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of lean ham, cut into small dice, two onions in slices, and a few sprigs of parsley; add a quart of cold water, and with the hands rub all well together; then pour off the water, cover the stewpan close, and stand it over a sharp fire, stirring the contents round occasionally; when very tender, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, which mix well in mashing the peas with your spoon against the sides of the stewpan, add two quarts of stock, or broth from the pot-au-feu, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a little pepper and salt, if required; boil all well together five minutes, when rub it through a tammy or hair sieve; then put it into another stewpan, with a pint of boiling milk; boil five minutes, skim well, and pour it into your tureen. it must not be too thick, serve with croutons of bread as for palestine. . _winter pea soup._--wash a quart of split peas, which put into a stewpan, with half a pound of streaky bacon, two onions in slices, two pounds of veal or beef, cut into small pieces, and a little parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, add a gallon of water, with a little salt and sugar, place it upon the fire, and when boiling, stand it at the side until the peas are boiled to a purée, and the water has reduced to half, then take out the meat, which put upon a dish, to be eaten with the bacon, keeping it hot, rub the soup through a hair sieve or tammy, put it into another stewpan, and when boiling, serve. the meat may also be served in the tureen if approved of. maigre pea soup may also be made by omitting the meat, adding half a pound of butter, one quart of milk, and omitting a quart of water. . _lentil soup._--cut three onions, a turnip, and the half of a carrot into very thin slices, which put into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, a few sprigs of parsley, a sprig of thyme, and two bay-leaves, add also two pounds of leg of beef, cut into small dice; set the stewpan upon the fire, stirring with a wooden spoon, until its contents are fried rather brownish, when add one quart of lentils, and three of water, let the whole simmer until the lentils are very tender, when season with nearly an ounce of salt, and half that quantity of sugar; it is then ready to serve. to make a purée of lentils:--when the soup is made, strain off the broth, add a good spoonful of flour to the lentils, which mash with a wooden spoon against the side of the stewpan; then again put in the broth, boil all up together, keeping it stirred with a spoon; rub it through a tammy or hair sieve, again boil and skim, and it is ready; serve with a few croutons of bread, as directed for palestine soup. . _maigre soup._--cut two onions into very small dice, and put them into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter; fry them a short time, but not to discolor them; have ready three or four handfuls of well-washed sorrel, which cut into ribands and put into the stewpan with the onions, add one tablespoonful of flour, then mix well a pint of milk and a quart of water; boil altogether twenty minutes, keeping it stirred; season with a teaspoonful of sugar and salt, take it from the fire, and stir in quickly a liaison of two yolks of eggs mixed with a gill of cream or milk (it must not boil afterwards), put the crust of a french roll, cut into strips, in the tureen, pour the soup over, and serve very hot. . _onion soup maigre._--peel and cut six large onions into small dice, put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, place them over the fire until well fried, when well mix in a tablespoonful of flour, and rather better than a quart of water; boil until the onions are quite tender, season with a spoonful of salt and a little sugar; finish with a liaison, and serve as in the last. . _hare soup._--put half a pound of butter into a stewpan, and, when melted, add three quarters of a pound of flour, and half a pound of streaky bacon, cut into very small pieces; keep stirring over the fire until becoming lightly browned. you have previously cut up a hare into neat smallish pieces; put them into the stewpan, and keep stirring round over the fire, until they are set; then fill it up with five quarts of water, add two onions, a head of celery, a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves, a blade of mace, and four cloves; when boiling, season with one ounce of salt and a little pepper, and let it simmer at the corner until the pieces of hare are done, which would be in about an hour if a young hare, but double that time if a very old one; the better plan is to try a piece occasionally. when done, take out the best pieces, and the inferior ones pound in a mortar, removing the bones, put it back in the soup, and pass all through a tammy, boil for ten minutes, and put it again into a stewpan, and serve. the above quantity would be sufficient for two tureens. a glass of wine may be added. rabbit, pheasant, grouse, partridge, and other game soups, may be made in the same way. . _french pot-au-feu._--out of this earthen pot comes the favorite soup and bouilli, which has been everlastingly famed as having been the support of many generations of all classes of society in france; from the opulent to the poorest individuals, all pay tribute to its excellence and worth. in fact this soup and bouilli is to the french what the roast beef and plum-pudding is on a sunday to the english. no dinner in france is served without soup, and no good soup is supposed to be made without the pot-au-feu. the following is the receipt:--put in the pot-au-feu six pounds of beef, four quarts of water, set near the fire, skim; when nearly boiling add a spoonful and a half of salt, half a pound of liver, two carrots, four turnips, eight young or two old leeks, one head of celery, two onions and one burnt, with a clove in each, and a piece of parsnip, skim again, and let simmer four or five hours, adding a little cold water now and then; take off part of the fat, put slices of bread into the tureen, lay half the vegetables over, and half the broth, and serve the meat separate with the vegetables around. crab soup.--we add to the list of m. soyer's soups, a receipt for a purely american soup, a great favorite at the south, and esteemed a great luxury by those who have eaten of it--ed. [open and cleanse twelve young fat crabs (raw), and cut them into two parts; parboil and extract the meat from the claws, and the fat from the top shell. scald eighteen ripe tomatos; skin them and squeeze the pulp from the seed, and chop it fine; pour boiling water over the seed and juice, and having strained it from the seed, use it to make the soup. stew a short time in the soup-pot three large onions, one clove of garlic, in one spoonful of butter, two spoonfuls of lard, and then put in the tomatos, and after stewing a few minutes, add the meat from the crab claws, then the crabs, and last the fat from the back shell of the crab; sift over it grated bread-crumbs or crackers. season with salt, cayenne and black pepper, parsley, sweet marjoram, thyme, half teaspoonful lemon juice, and the peel of a lemon; pour in the water with which the seed were scalded, and boil it moderately one hour. any firm fish may be substituted for the crab.] fish. of all aliments that have been given to the human race for nourishment, none are more abundant or more easy of procuring than this antediluvian species, and yet of how few do we make use, and how slight is our knowledge of their habits, for it is only within the last few years that the idea was exploded that the herrings made an annual migration from the arctic seas to deposit their spawn on the shores of the british islands. it possesses, according to its kind, a greater or less degree of nourishment, depending, like the animal, in a great measure on those beautiful meadows at the bottom of the ocean, where it feeds; for even those which live upon some of a smaller kind, as the cod on the haddock, that on the whiting, and that again on the mussel, or other crustaceous fish, which move but little from the place where they were originally spawned, derive their nourishment from the herbs and the animalculæ which those herbs produce that lay around them; the cod on the southeast of the bank of newfoundland is as fine again in flavor as that on the north-west side. fish, of course, do not afford the same amount of nourishment as meat, as they contain but a slight quantity of osmazome; but its flesh is refreshing, and often exciting. a curious circumstance has been observed in respect to the animate parts of the creation which draw their nourishment from fish, as in birds and the human race, that they produce more females when doing so than males. it ought to be made an article of diet more often than it is, as the particles it contains tend to purify the blood from the grossness it receives in partaking of animal food; and when taken at the commencement of dinner, tends to assist the digestion of those substances which form the more substantial part of the meal. in the receipts will be found those which i consider fit for the table; but, as a general rule to be observed, as in the feathered tribe, all those of beautiful _variegated_ colors are more unfit to eat than any other; as if the great creator of all, in order to please man, had destined some for his nourishment, and others to gratify his senses by their melodious notes and beautiful plumage. nothing indicates its freshness so well as fish; the merest novice ought to know it; their gills should be difficult to open, be red, and swell well; fins tight and close; eyes bright, and not sunk: the contrary to this denotes their being stale. of the round fish, the salmon is considered the best and most delicate in flavor, but varies considerably, according to the river in which it is caught; for there is no doubt but that it returns to the river where it was originally spawned, and its time of spawning varies in different rivers. the male is the finest flavored fish, and has more curd than the female. of late years it has been considered that this fish should be eaten as fresh as possible, for which purpose it is crimped when alive, that it may be flaky, and the curd in it. in former times, it was considered best to keep it two or three days; it is certain that, in keeping it, the curd undergoes a change, which produces a volatile salt, oily and balsamic particles, render it nutritive and invigorating; it is diuretic, pectoral, and restorative, and if eaten too profusely produces vomiting; but when the curd is in it, the flesh is hard and dry, lies heavy on the stomach, and produces indigestion. this fish, when out of season, may be distinguished by having large scarlet, purple, and blue spots on its sides, the male snout long, the female snout hooked. when in season, the color ought to be a silvery pink gray; when cooked, the flesh should be of a dark rose color; when out of season it is pale; small-headed fish are the best. this fish was known to the romans, who received it from aquitaine and the moselle. . _salmon, plain boiled._--i prefer always dressing this fish in slices from an inch to two inches in thickness, boiling it in plenty of salt water about twenty minutes; the whole fish may be boiled, or the head and shoulders of a large fish, but they require longer boiling. salmon eats firmer by not being put into the water until boiling. dress the fish upon a napkin, and serve with lobster sauce, shrimp ditto, or plain melted butter in a boat, with fresh sprigs of parsley boiled a few minutes in it. a salmon weighing about ten pounds will require an hour's gentle boiling; a head and shoulders weighing six pounds, half an hour; the remains may be dressed à la crême, as directed for the turbot. . _salmon, sauce matelote._--cook three good slices of salmon as directed in the last, or a large salmon peal trussed in the form of the letter s, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, having previously drained off all the water; have ready one quart of matelote sauce, under or over. to broil salmon, dip each piece in flour, put it on a gridiron, fifteen minutes will give it a nice pale color; it should be served with dutch or caper sauce. _cod._--this fish, like the former, belongs to the northern parts of the world; its flavor and quality, like terrestrial animals, depend greatly on its feeding-place, a few miles making a marked difference; it is exceedingly voracious. those are best with a small head and thick at the neck. . _to boil cod fish._--crimped cod, as i have before remarked, is preferable to the plain; it is likewise better cut in slices than cooked whole; to boil it well, have the water ready boiling, with one pound of salt to every six quarts, put in your fish, draw the fish-kettle to the corner of the fire, where let it simmer slowly from twenty minutes to half an hour, when done, the bone in the centre will draw out easily; if boiled too much, it would eat tough and stringy; should the fish not be crimped, add more salt to the water, it will cause the fish to eat firmer. . _cod fish sauced over with oyster sauce._--boil three slices of the fish as above, drain and dress them upon a dish without a napkin, blanch three dozen oysters, by putting them into a stewpan, with their juice, upon the fire, move them round occasionally, do not let them boil; as soon as they become a little firm, place a sieve over a basin, pour in the oysters, beard and throw them again into their liquor, put them into a stewpan; when boiling, add two cloves, half a blade of mace, six peppercorns, and two ounces of butter, to which you have added a tablespoonful of flour, breaking it into small pieces, stir well together, when boiling, season with a little salt, cayenne pepper, and essence of anchovies, finish with a gill of cream or milk, and sauce over. the remains of this fish may be taken from the bone and placed upon a dish, with a little of the above sauce (to which you have added the yolks of two eggs) over, sprinkle over with bread-crumbs, and place it twenty minutes in a hot oven, till the bread-crumbs become brown. . _salt fish._--choose the fish with a black skin, and be particular in soaking it well; to boil, put it into a fish-kettle, with plenty of cold water, place it over the fire, and the moment it boils remove it to the corner, to simmer until done, which, if a piece weighing about three pounds, would be in about twenty minutes; do not let it boil fast, or the fish would eat hard and thready; dish it upon a napkin, with plain boiled parsnips and parsley round, and serve egg sauce in a boat. _haddock_, the callarias and galeris of the romans. this is also the fish that it is said st. peter took the tribute money from, and thus gave the impression of his finger and thumb, where it remains in confirmation of the miracle. it has a very fine flavor when fresh and in season, which is when the roe is very small; the time depends on the place where taken, but generally about october. i think one weighing from six to seven pounds is the best size, although i have had them at twelve pounds. the same features as in the cod will tell if they are fresh. . _haddock._--this is a fish which i can highly recommend, both for its firmness and lightness; it is excellent plain boiled, and served with a cream sauce or any other fish sauce. but the better plan is to cut four or five incisions upon each side of the fish, an inch deep, then put it into a deep dish, and cover well with salt, let it remain about two hours, then put the fish in boiling water, to simmer from thirty to forty minutes; if a fish of five or six pounds in weight, dish it on a napkin garnished with plain boiled parsnips and parsley, with egg sauce in a boat. . _baked haddock._--fill the interior of the fish with veal stuffing, sew it up with packthread, and truss it with the tail in its mouth, rub a piece of butter over the back, or egg and bread-crumb it over, set it on a baking-dish, which put in a warmish oven to bake, if a dublin bay haddock, it would take from three quarters of an hour to an hour, but a common haddock would require but half an hour; the better plan is to run the point of a knife down to the backbone, from which, if the flesh parts easily, it is done, when dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and serve a beyrout sauce, or any other, round. _sturgeon_ derives its name from the german _stoeren_, to stir, to rake up; it is from the same word we derive our word _stir_. it is the accipenser of the romans. this fish has long been in use in england, but, from its scarcity, it has always been expensive--indeed, it has been considered as a royal fish; for every one caught in the rivers of england belongs to the queen, with the exception of the river thames, which belongs to the lord mayor. the flavor of the young sturgeon is extremely delicate, but that materially depends upon the river in which it is caught, as it feeds upon the insects and plants,--in fact, entirely by suction; those caught in rapid rivers and sandy bottoms, and where they have the advantage of salt and fresh water, are the best. . _economical mode of cooking sturgeon._--take a piece of sturgeon about two pounds weight, and on sending a piece of meat to the baker's to be baked on a stand in a dish, put the sturgeon under it, with a little water, salt, pepper, &c., and a little chopped eschalot may be used; you can also put potatoes round it. peas, if in season, are a good accompaniment, with melted butter. . _to roast sturgeon._--take the tail part, skin and bone it; fill the part where the bone comes from with some stuffing, as for a fillet of veal; put butter and paper round it, and tie it up like a fillet of veal; roast, and serve it with melted butter and gravy. they may be cooked precisely as veal, in large or small pieces, as for fricandeau, papillote, &c., and even salted, in imitation of tunny. _mackerel._--this is generally recognized as the scomber of the romans, by whom it was much esteemed; at the present day it is not held in that high estimation that it was some years since: the great supply which is now received from different parts of the coast at all seasons of the year may have a tendency to cause this. it is a fish which requires to be eaten very fresh, and soon becomes tainted. the soft roe of this fish is highly esteemed, and i have no doubt but that it was equally so with the romans, and i believe it was an ingredient of the garum. when fresh, their skin is of a sea-green color, and very beautiful; fine bright golden eyes, and gills very red; they should be plump, but not too large; they should be cleaned by cutting their gills, so that, when pulled, the interior of the fish will come with them; wipe them well, cut off the fins, and trim the tail. . _mackerel_ are generally served plain boiled; put them in a kettle containing boiling water, well salted, let simmer nearly half an hour, take them up, drain, and dish them upon a napkin; serve melted butter in a boat, with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of chopped fennel, boiling it a few minutes. . _mackerel à la maître d'hôtel._--cut an incision down the back of a mackerel, close to the bone, season it with a little pepper, salt, and cayenne, if approved of, butter the skin well, and place the fish upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, for about twenty minutes, turning it over when half done; when done, have ready two ounces of maître d'hôtel butter, half of which put in the incision at the back, previously putting the mackerel upon a hot dish without a napkin, spread the other half over; place it in the oven a few minutes, and serve very hot. . _mackerel au beurre noir._--split the mackerel open at the back, making it quite flat, season with a little pepper and salt, and butter it all over, lay it upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, turning it when half done, for about a quarter of an hour, when place it upon a dish without a napkin, then put six ounces of fresh butter in a stewpan, which place over a sharp fire until the butter becomes black, but not burnt, when throw in about fifty leaves of picked parsley, which fry crisp, and pour over the fish, put three tablespoonfuls of common vinegar into the stewpan, which boil half a minute, season with pepper and salt, pour this also over the fish, which put into the oven five minutes, and serve very hot. . _to stew mackerel._--take off the heads, the fins, and tails, and, having opened the fish and taken out all the hard roes, dry them with a cloth and dredge them lightly with flour; place three or four of them in a stewpan, with a lump of butter, the size of a walnut, to each fish; put into a small basin a teacupful of water, a tablespoonful of finely-chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, a blade or two of mace, a little pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, and a small teacupful of ale or porter (if not bitter). add a tablespoonful of grated bread-crust, not burnt, but a light brown; pour all these ingredients over the fish, and let them stew gently for twenty minutes; have ready the yolks of three eggs, well-beaten, and when the fish is sufficiently done, take some of the gravy and mix gradually with the eggs, and, pouring them on the fish, shake the stewpan a little over the fire to thicken the whole, but not to curdle the eggs; the soft roes added are an improvement: have ready more grated crust, and having placed the fish whole in the dish, shake a little of the grated crust over the whole, so as to make it of a handsome brown. the receipt requires to be carefully followed. if the gravy is too thick, more water may be added; also a glass of sherry, if liked. . _fried whiting._--the whiting is generally skinned, and the tail turned round and fixed into the mouth; dip it first into flour, then egg over and dip it into bread-crumbs, fry as directed for the sole; for whiting aux fines herbes, proceed as directed for sole aux fines herbes. i prefer the whiting fried with their skins on, merely dipping them in flour. . _whiting au gratin._--put a good spoonful of chopped onions upon a strong earthen dish, with a glass of wine, season the whiting with a little pepper and salt, put it in the dish, sprinkle some chopped parsley and chopped mushrooms over, and pour over half a pint of anchovy sauce, over which sprinkle some brown bread-crumbs, grated from the crust of bread, place it in a warm oven half an hour; it requires to be nicely browned; serve upon the dish you have cooked it in. . _red mullets._--procure two red mullets, which place upon a strong dish, not too large, sprinkle a little chopped onions, parsley, a little pepper and salt, and a little salad-oil over, and put them into a warm oven for half an hour, then put half a tablespoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan, with a teaspoonful of salad-oil, stir over a moderate fire until getting rather yellowish, then add a tablespoonful of sherry, half a pint of white sauce or melted butter, with a little chopped parsley; reduce over a sharp fire, keeping it stirred until becoming rather thick; when the mullets are done, sauce over and serve. . _red mullet en papillote._--cut a sheet of foolscap paper in the form of a heart, lay it on the table and oil it, put the mullet on one side, season with salt, pepper, and chopped eschalot, fold the paper over and plait both edges together, and broil on a slow fire for half an hour, turning carefully now and then; serve without a napkin; they are excellent done thus, without sauce, but, if any is required, use melted butter, cream hollandaise, anchovy or italian sauce. . _red mullets sauté in butter._--put two ounces of butter in a pan; when melted, put in one or two small mullets, and season with a teaspoonful of salt, half ditto of pepper, and the juice of half a lemon; set it on a slow fire and turn carefully; when done, dish and serve plain, or with any of the sauces named in the former receipt. _herrings_, when in season, that is, when the roe is just forming, are most excellent and wholesome fish, when eaten fresh; i have this day (the th of april) partaken of some, caught in twenty-four fathoms of water, about twelve miles off the coast of folkestone, in which you could just distinguish the formation of the roe. the richness of the fish at this period is extraordinary, and renders it worthy the table of the greatest epicure. as this fish is now of so great importance as an article of food, i shall refer more at length to it in my letters on pickling and preserving, and give you a description of my new plan of curing and smoking, and also what i consider its medicinal and other properties. its different modes of cooking are as follows: . _herrings boiled._--boil six herrings about twenty minutes in plenty of salt and water, but only just to simmer; then have ready the following sauce: put half a gill of cream upon the fire in a stewpan; when it boils, add eight spoonfuls of melted butter, an ounce of fresh butter, a little pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon; dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over and serve. . _herrings broiled, sauce dijon._--the delicacy of these fish prevents their being dressed in any other way than boiled or broiled; they certainly can be bread-crumbed and fried, but scarcely any person would like them; i prefer them dressed in the following way: wipe them well with a cloth, and cut three incisions slantwise upon each side, dip them in flour and broil slowly over a moderate fire; when done, sprinkle a little salt over, dress them upon a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve the following sauce in a boat: put eight tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with two of french mustard, or one of english, an ounce of fresh butter, and a little pepper and salt; when upon the point of boiling, serve. _smelts._--many have confounded them with the salmon-fry or smelt of one year old, whereas the smelt has roe and the fry none; it ascends rivers to deposit its spawn in november, december, and january, and the rest of the year they are considered in season, but they vary like the salmon, according to the river. this fish, when fresh, has a beautiful smell of violets or cucumbers, but the germans call it stinck fish, i know not why; they lose this perfume in about twelve hours after being taken; they should be very stiff and firm, bright eyes, and transparent skin. this fish is very delicate, and requires very great attention in cleaning, merely pulling out the gills, the inside will come with them; they should be wiped lightly. when split and dried, they are called sparlings. . _to fry smelts._--dry them in a cloth, and dip them in flour; then have half an ounce of butter of clear fat melted in a basin, into which break the yolk of two eggs, with which rub the smelts over with a brush, dip them in bread-crumbs, fry in very hot lard, dress them on a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve with shrimp sauce in a boat. _white bait._--this is a fish which belongs especially to london; although it is obtainable in other rivers in great britain and the continent, yet it is not sought for; great difference of opinion exists amongst naturalists as to what fish this is the young of; in my humble opinion, i think it is a species distinct of itself, having a life of short duration. it is caught only in brackish water, floating up and down the river, according to the tide,--in very dry summers as high up as greenwich, and in very wet as low as gravesend. they spawn in winter, and make their appearance, about one inch in length, early in march. they should be cooked as follows: . white bait.--put them in a cloth, which shake gently so as to dry them; then place them in some very fine bread-crumbs and flour mixed; toss them lightly with the hands, take them out immediately and put them in a wire basket, and fry them in hot lard; one minute will cook them; turn them out on a cloth, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve very hot. should you not have a wire basket, sprinkle them into the pan, and as soon as they rise take them out. _turbot_ we consider the finest of flat-fish; and so it was, no doubt, considered by the romans: hence the proverb, "nihil ad rhombum," although linnæus, from his classification, would make us believe it was the brill or bret, but i do not think so meanly of the epicures of those days as to imagine it. its flavor depends greatly upon the place where taken, resulting from its food, feeding principally upon young crabs and lobsters; therefore it is not surprising that lobster sauce accompanies it when cooked. i prefer them of a middling size, not too large, but thick, and if bled when caught, so much the better. should you be at the seaside, and buy one rather cheap, because it has red spots on the belly, remove them by rubbing salt and lemon on the spot. in my opinion they are better, and more digestible, and of finer flavor, forty-eight hours after being killed, than when fresh. . _turbot._--to cook it; cut an incision in the back, rub it well with a good handful of salt, and then with the juice of a lemon; set it in a turbot kettle, well covered with cold water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; place it over the fire, and as soon as boiling, put it at the side (where it must not be allowed to more than simmer very slowly, or the fish would have a very unsightly appearance). a turbot of ten pounds weight will take about an hour to cook after it has boiled (but, to be certain, ascertain whether the flesh will leave the bone easily); take it out of the water, let it remain a minute upon the drainer, and serve upon a napkin, with a few sprigs of fresh parsley round, and lobster sauce or shrimp sauce, in a boat. . _turbot, the new french fashion._--boil your turbot as in the last, but dress it upon a dish without a napkin, sauce over with a thick caper sauce (having made a border of small new potatoes), sprinkle a few capers over the fish, and serve. . _turbot à la crême_ is made from the remains of a turbot left from a previous dinner; pick all the flesh from the bones, which warm in salt and water, and have ready the following sauce: put one ounce of flour into a stewpan, to which add by degrees a quart of milk, mixing it very smoothly; then add two peeled eschalots, a bouquet of parsley, a bay-leaf and a sprig of thyme tied together, a little grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter ditto of pepper; place it over the fire, stirring until it forms rather a thickish sauce, then take it from the fire, stir in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and pass it through a tammy; lay a little of it upon the bottom of a convenient sized dish, then a layer of the fish, season lightly with a little white pepper and salt, then another layer of sauce, proceeding thus until the fish is all used, finishing with sauce; sprinkle a few bread-crumbs over, and put it into a warm oven half an hour; brown with the salamander, and serve upon the dish it is baked on. any remains of boiled fish may be dressed the same way. . _soles fried._--have about four pounds of lard or clean fat in a small fish-kettle, which place over a moderate fire, then cut off the fins of the sole, and dip it into flour, shake part of the flour off, have an egg well beaten upon a plate, with which brush the fish all over, and cover it with bread-crumbs; ascertain if the lard is hot, by throwing in a few bread-crumbs, it will hiss if sufficiently hot, put in the fish, which will require nearly ten minutes cooking, and ought to be perfectly crisp, drain it on a cloth, dish upon a napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve shrimp sauce in a boat. the above quantity of lard or fat, if carefully used and not burnt, would do for several occasions, by straining it off each time after using. all kinds of fish, such as eels, smelts, whitings, flounders, perch, gudgeons, &c., are fried precisely in the same manner. . _soles, sauté in oil._--trim the fish well, dip it into a couple of eggs, well beaten, put six tablespoonfuls of salad-oil in a sauté-pan, place it over the fire, and when quite hot put in your sole, let it remain five minutes, turn over, and sauté upon the other side, ten or twelve minutes will cook it, according to the size; serve upon a napkin without sauce; they are excellent cold. . _sole a la meunière._--cut the fins off a sole, and make four incisions across it upon each side with a knife, then rub half a tablespoonful of salt and chopped onions well into it, dip in flour, and broil it over a slow fire; also have ready two ounces of fresh butter, mixed with the juice of a lemon, and a little cayenne, which rub over the sole, previously laid in a hot dish, without a napkin, turn the fish over once or twice, put it in the oven a minute, and serve very hot. . _soles aux fines herbes._--put a spoonful of chopped eschalots into a sauté-pan, with a glass of sherry and an ounce of butter, place the sole over, pour nearly half a pint of melted butter over it, or four spoonfuls of brown gravy or water, upon which sprinkle some chopped parsley, place it in a moderate oven for half an hour, take the sole out of the pan, dress upon a dish without a napkin, reduce the sauce that is in the pan over a sharp fire, add a little harvey sauce and essence of anchovy, pour over the sole, and serve. soles may also be plain boiled, using the same precautions as directed for turbot, and serve without a napkin, and a cream sauce poured over; or it may be served upon a napkin garnished with parsley, and a little shrimp sauce, or plain melted butter, in a boat. . _flounders, water souchet._--procure four or six thames flounders, trim and cut in halves; put half a pint of water in a sauté-pan, with a little scraped horseradish, a little pepper, salt, sugar, and forty sprigs of fresh parsley; place over the fire, boil a minute, then add the flounders, stew ten minutes, take them out and place in a dish without a napkin, reduce the liquor they were stewed in a little, pour over and serve. to fry flounders, trim them, and proceed precisely as directed for fried soles: three minutes is sufficient. _skate_, also called _maid_, _ray_, is not appreciated equal to what it ought to be; we generally have only the fin part, which is cut off and put into fresh water, where it curls up. it is a very invigorating fish, and i think deserves the attention of the medical profession. it is best cooked as follows: . _skate._--procure two or three slices, tie them with string to keep the shape in boiling, put them into a kettle of boiling water, in which you have put a good handful of salt; boil gently about twenty minutes (have ready also a piece of the liver, which boil with them); when done, drain well, and put them upon a dish without a napkin; put three parts of a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, place it upon the fire, and when quite hot add a wineglassful of capers, sauce over, and serve. . _skate au beurre noir._--boil a piece of skate as directed in the last; when done, drain it well, put it upon a dish without a napkin, and proceed exactly as directed for mackerel au beurre noir. skate may also be served upon a napkin, with a boat of well-seasoned melted butter, to which you have added a spoonful of harvey sauce and one of anchovy. _pike._--this fish spawns in march and april, according to the season. when in perfection, their colors are very bright, being green, spotted with bright yellow, and the gills are a bright red; when out of season, the green changes to gray, and the yellow spots assume a pale hue. it may be called the shark of fresh water. those caught in a river or running stream are far superior to those caught in ponds, which often get too fat, and taste muddy. a middling-sized one, weighing about five pounds, would be best; when fresh, the eyes must be very transparent, the scales bluish, and not dry upon the back, or it would not clean well. the dressing is generally the making of the fish, as regards the approbation bestowed upon it. to clean them, have a sharp-pointed knife, put the point carefully under the scales (without piercing the skin) at the tail of the fish, pass the knife gently up the back to the head, dividing the scales from the skin carefully; you may then take off the whole of the scales in one piece (should this process appear too difficult, they may be scraped off in the ordinary way, it will not look so white, but would eat equally as good); then make two incisions in the belly, a small one close to the bladder, and a larger one above; pull out the gills one at a time with a strong cloth, and if the interior does not come with them, take it out from the incisions, and wash the fish well; the cutting off the fins is quite a matter of taste: it is usually done. . _pike._--clean as directed above, stuff the interior as directed for haddocks, only adding some fillets of anchovies and chopped lemon-peel with it; curl round and put in a baking-dish, spread a little butter all over, put in a moderate oven, when about half done egg over with a paste-brush, and sprinkle bread-crumbs upon it; a middling-sized pike will take about an hour, but that according to the size and the heat of the oven; when done, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce round as directed for baked haddock above referred to. . _pike, sauce matelote._--cook a pike exactly as in the last, dress it upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote. this fish may also be served with caper sauce, as directed for the skate; the smaller ones are the best; the remains of a pike placed in the oven the next day, with a cover over it and a little more sauce added, is very nice. . _baked carp._--procure a good-sized carp, stuff it, then put it into a baking-dish, with two onions, one carrot, one turnip, one head of celery, and a good bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; moisten with two glasses of port wine, half a pint of water, salt, pepper, and oil, and put it into a moderate oven about two hours to bake; try if done with a knife, which is the case if the flesh leaves the bone easily, dress upon a dish without a napkin, then have ready the following sauce: mince a large spanish onion with two common ones, and put them into a stewpan with three spoonfuls of salad-oil, sauté rather a yellow color, add two glasses of port wine and one spoonful of flour, mix all well together, add a pint of broth (reserved from some soup) or water, with half an ounce of glaze, or half a gill of brown gravy, or a few drops of coloring, boil it up, drain the stock the carp was cooked in from the vegetables, which also add to the sauce; boil well at the corner of the stove, skim, and when rather thick add a teaspoonful of harvey sauce, one of essence of anchovies, twelve pickled mushrooms, and a little cayenne pepper, pour all the liquor drained from the fish out of your dish, sauce over, and serve. . _carp, sauce matelote._--put your carp in a small oval fish-kettle, with wine and vegetables as in the last, to which add also a pint of water and a little salt, with a few cloves and peppercorns; put the lid upon the fish-kettle, and stand it over a moderate fire to stew about an hour, according to the size; when done, drain well, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and sauce over with a matelote sauce, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote, or caper sauce, as for skate; small carp are very good-flavored, bread-crumbed and fried. _trout._--there are several kinds, none of which, it seems, were known to the romans. this is the salmon of fresh water, and bears a very close resemblance to it in flavor. they grow to a very large size; i partook of part of one weighing twenty-six pounds, which was caught in the lake of killarney, in july, . they have different names in various parts of great britain, but there is the common trout, the white trout, and the sea trout; the white trout never grows very large, but the sea trout does, and is of a very fine flavor. _river trout_, when fresh, have the most beautiful skin imaginable, the golden and sometimes silvery tint of which makes me term it the sister fish of the red (sea) mullet; should the gills be pink instead of red, and the skin dry (which is frequently the case on the second day), they may still be eatable, but their succulence goes with their beauty. clean them as directed for salmon. . _trout à la twickenham._--when you have cleaned your trout, put them into a kettle of boiling water, to which you have added a good handful of salt, and a wineglassful of vinegar; boil gently about twenty minutes, or according to their size, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter, into which you have put a tablespoonful of chopped gherkins, two sprigs of chopped parsley, salt and pepper, in a boat. the remains of trout, salmon, or mackerel are excellent pickled:--put three onions in slices in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, one turnip, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, pass them five minutes over the fire, add a pint of water and a pint of vinegar, two teaspoonfuls of salt and one of pepper, boil until the onions are tender, then strain it through a sieve over the fish; it will keep some time if required, and then do to pickle more fish by boiling over again. . _trout à la burton._--boil the trout as in the last; then put half a pint of melted butter in a stewpan, with two tablespoonfuls of cream, place it upon the fire, and when upon the point of boiling add a liaison of one yolk of egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream (dress the fish upon a dish without a napkin), put two ounces of fresh butter, a pinch of salt, and the juice of a lemon into the sauce; shake round over the fire, but do not let it boil; sauce over the fish, sprinkle some chopped parsley, and serve. _perch_ were known to the romans, and those they received from britain were considered the best. they do not grow to a very large size, four pounds being considered a large one. when fresh, are reddish at the eyes and gills. these fish, having a great objection to part with their scales, must be scraped almost alive, forming the fish into the shape of the letter s, and scraping with an oyster-knife; open the belly, take out the interior, pull away the gills, and wash well. when large, they are frequently boiled with the scales on, and they are taken off afterwards, which is much easier. . _perch sautéd in butter._--clean the fish as explained above, dry well, make an incision upon each side with a knife, put a quarter of a pound of butter in a sauté-pan over a slow fire, lay in the fish, season with salt, and sauté gently, turning them over when half done; when done, dress upon a napkin, and serve melted butter in a boat, or shrimp sauce. small ones should be dressed thus. . _perch, hampton court fashion._--cook the fish as above, and have ready the following sauce: put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with a little salt and the juice of a lemon; when upon the point of boiling, stir in the yolk of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of cream; do not let it boil; blanch about twenty small sprigs of parsley in boiling water ten minutes, and some small pieces of rind of lemon for one minute, drain, and put them in the sauce, which pour over the fish, and serve. perch may also be served plain boiled or stewed as directed for tench, with sauce served separate. . _stewed tench._--put two onions, a carrot, and turnip, cut in slices, into a stewpan, or very small fish-kettle, with a good bouquet of parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, one bay-leaf, six cloves, a blade of mace, a little salt and pepper, and two glasses of sherry; lay your tench over (it will require four for a dish, and they may be either cooked whole or each one cut into two or three pieces), add a pint of water, cover down close, and stew rather gently over a slow fire for about half an hour; take them out, drain upon a cloth, dress upon a dish without a napkin, and pour a sauce over made as directed for sauce matelote, cream sauce, or beyrout. . _tench with anchovy butter._--cook the tench as in the last, but they may be plain boiled in salt and water; dress upon a dish without a napkin, then put six spoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, with one of milk; place it upon the fire, and, when upon the point of boiling, add an ounce of anchovy butter; shake it round over the fire until the butter is melted, when sauce over and serve. the _eel_ is greatly esteemed in all countries, but it differs in taste according to the river from whence it is taken; although we have some very fine eels in the river thames, yet our principal supply is received from holland, and the fish which come from thence are much improved in flavor by the voyage, and even increase in size. they arrive in the river thames in vessels called eel scootes (schuyts), of which four have been allowed, for centuries, to moor opposite the custom house, and the others are obliged to remain in erith hole until there is room for them, which greatly improves the fish: the value of those imported into london last year amounted to , _l._ nothing is more difficult to kill than eels; and it is only by knocking their heads upon a block or hard substance, and stunning them, that they suffer least. take the head in your hand with a cloth, and just cut through the skin round the neck, which turn down about an inch; then pull the head with one hand, and the skin with the other, it will come off with facility; open the belly, take out the interior without breaking the gall, and cut off the bristles which run up the back. they are in season all the year round. . _eels, fried._--cut your eels into pieces three inches long, dip the pieces into flour, egg over with a paste brush, and throw them into some bread-crumbs; fry in hot lard as directed for fried soles. . _stewed eels, sauce matelote._--procure as large eels as possible, which cut into pieces three inches long, and put them into a stewpan, with an onion, a bouquet of two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme and parsley, six cloves, a blade of mace, a glass of sherry, and two of water; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and let simmer about twenty minutes, or according to the size of the eels; when done, drain upon a cloth, dress them in pyramid upon a dish without a napkin, with a matelote sauce over, made as directed for salmon sauce matelote, but using the stock your eels have been cooked in to make the sauce, having previously well boiled it to extract all the fat. . _eels à la tartare._--fry as directed above, and serve on some tartare sauce; or partly stew first, and, when cold, egg, bread-crumb, and broil gently. . _spitchcocked eels_, in some parts of england, are cooked with the skins on. they should be properly cleaned, and split down the back, and bone taken out, and cut into pieces of about four inches long; egg the inside and throw over some bread-crumbs, in which have been mixed some chopped parsley, a little dried thyme, and some cayenne; place them in a dutch oven before the fire, and whilst cooking, baste them with butter in which some essence of anchovies has been mixed. the time they take cooking depends on the size, but may be known by the skin turning up. . _conger eel_ is little appreciated in this country, although amongst the working class of our neighbors, more particularly the french, it is an article of great consumption. if alive, its head should be cut off, and it should bleed as much as possible; but if dead, the pieces should be put into lukewarm water to disgorge previous to being cooked. the young fry are exceedingly good, and may be dressed like fresh-water eels. the large ones may be made into soup; and can also be cooked like sturgeon. . _french angler's way of stewing fish._--take about four pounds or less of all kinds of fish, that is, carp, pike, trout, tench, eels, &c., or any one of them, cut them into nice middle-sized pieces, no matter the size of the fish--let the pieces be of equal size; put them in a black pot or stewpan, season over with nearly a tablespoonful of salt, half one of pepper, half one of sugar, four good-sized onions, sliced thin, add a half bottle of common french wine, or four glasses of port or sherry, half a pint of water, set it on the fire to stew, gently tossing it now and then; when tender, which you may easily ascertain by feeling with your finger the different pieces, mix a spoonful of flour with two ounces of butter, which put bit by bit in the pan, move it round by shaking the pan, not with any spoon; boil a few minutes longer, and serve, dishing the fish in pyramid, sauce over; if the sauce is too thin, reduce it till it adheres to the back of the spoon; taste, if it is highly seasoned, a few sprigs of thyme or bay-leaf may be added. some of the fish may be done sooner than the others; if so, take them out first, and keep warm until all are done. the motive of mixing fish is, that it is supposed the flavor of all together is finer than one alone. conger eel is also done in this way. fish sauces. in all ages and countries at all removed from barbarism, where fish has formed an article of diet, sauces of various kinds have been an accompaniment. with the romans, in the time of lucullus, great care was observed in their preparation; amongst others which they used, and the most celebrated, was the garum and the muria. the _garum_ was the sauce the most esteemed and the most expensive; its composition is unknown. this is a subject well worth the attention of the epicures of the present day; they should subscribe and offer a premium for that which, in their opinion, may resemble it: it is a subject well worthy the attention of the professors of our universities. perhaps some leaf yet undiscovered, that may have escaped the conflagration of alexandria, might throw some light upon so interesting a subject. it appears, that mushrooms entered greatly into its composition; and that parts of mackerel, or of that species, formed another. the question is, at what time of the year were mushrooms in season there; and if at that period mackerel, or what species of mackerel have soft roes, as i think it probable that they entered into its composition, as an island near carthaginia, where they were caught, was called scombraria, and that which was prepared by a company in that town, and which was considered the best, was called garum sociorum. the _muria_ was the liquid in which the tunny was pickled, and no doubt very similar to our essence of anchovies. those most generally in use at the present day are the following, in addition to which there are various kinds made and sold in bottles, some of which are much cheaper to buy than to make. . _melted butter._--put into a stewpan two ounces of butter, not too hard, also a good tablespoonful of flour, mix both well with a wooden spoon, without putting it on the fire; when forming a smooth paste, add to it a little better than half a pint of water; season with a teaspoonful of salt, not too full, the sixth part that of pepper; set it on the fire, stir round continually until on the point of boiling; take it off, add a teaspoonful of brown vinegar, then add one ounce more of fresh butter, which stir in your sauce till melted, then use where required; a little nutmeg grated may be introduced; it ought, when done, to adhere lightly to the back of the spoon, but transparent, not pasty; it may also, if required, be passed through a tammy or sieve. if wanted plainer, the last butter may be omitted. . _anchovy sauce._--make the same quantity of melted butter as in the last, but omit the salt, and add three good tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies. . _fennel sauce._--this is a sauce principally used for boiled mackerel. make the same quantity of melted butter as in the last, to which add a good tablespoonful of chopped fennel; it is usually served in a boat. . _egg sauce_ is generally served with salt-fish or haddock. boil six eggs ten minutes, let them get cold, then cut them in pieces about the size of dice, put them into a stewpan, with three parts of a pint of melted butter, add an ounce more fresh butter, with a little pepper and salt; keep the stewpan moving round over the fire until the whole is very hot, and serve in a boat. . _shrimp sauce._--make the same quantity of melted butter as before, to which add three tablespoonfuls of essence of shrimps, but omitting the salt; add half a pint of picked shrimps, and serve in a boat. if no essence of shrimps, some anchovy sauce may be served with shrimps in it as a substitute. . _shrimp sauce_ is also very good as follows: pound half a pint of shrimps, skins and all, in a mortar, and boil them ten minutes in half a pint of water; pass the liquor through a hair sieve into a stewpan, and add a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, with which you have mixed a good teaspoonful of flour, stir it round over the fire until upon the point of boiling; if too thick, add a little more water; season with a little cayenne, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies; serve very hot; a few picked shrimps might also be served in it. . _caper sauce._--put twelve tablespoonfuls of melted butter into a stewpan, place it on the fire, and when on the point of boiling, add two ounces of fresh butter and one tablespoonful of capers; shake the stewpan round over the fire until the butter is melted, add a little pepper and salt, and serve where directed. . _lobster sauce._--put twelve tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, cut up a small-sized lobster into dice, make a quarter of a pound of lobster butter with the spawn, as directed; when the melted butter is upon the point of boiling, add the lobster butter, stir the sauce round over the fire until the butter is melted, season with a little essence of anchovies, the juice of half a lemon, and a quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper; pass it through a tammy into another stewpan, and add the flesh of the lobster; when hot, it is ready to serve where required. this sauce must be quite red; if no red spawn in the lobster, use live spawn. . _new and economical lobster sauce._--should you require to use the solid flesh of a lobster for salad, or any other purpose, pound the soft part and shell together (in a mortar) very fine, which put into a stewpan, covered with a pint of boiling water; place it over the fire to simmer for ten minutes, then pass the liquor through a hair sieve into a basin; put three ounces of butter into a stewpan, into which rub (cold) a good tablespoonful of flour, add the liquor from the lobster, place it upon the fire, stirring until upon the point of boiling, season with a little cayenne, and add a piece of anchovy butter, the size of a walnut; or, if any red spawn in the lobster, mix it with butter, as in the last, and add it, with the juice of half a lemon, just before serving. an anchovy pounded with the lobster-shells would be an improvement, and part of the flesh of the lobster might be served in the sauce. . _lobster sauce à la crême._--cut a small lobster into slices the size of half-crown pieces, which put into a stewpan; pound the soft and white parts, with an ounce of butter, and rub it through a sieve; pour ten spoonfuls of melted butter, and two of cream, over the slices in the stewpan, add half a blade of mace, a saltspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little cayenne; warm gently, and when upon the point of boiling, add the butter and two tablespoonfuls of thick cream, shake round over the fire until quite hot, when it is ready to serve. . _lobster sauce simplified._--put the slices of lobster, as in the last, into a stewpan, with ten tablespoonfuls of milk, add a little pepper, salt, cayenne, two cloves, and half a blade of mace; set it upon the fire, and when boiling, add a piece of butter of the size of two walnuts, with which you have mixed a little flour; shake round over the fire, and when getting rather thick, add two spoonfuls of cream, if handy, and serve very hot. . _beyrout sauce._--put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan, with one of chili vinegar and one of common ditto, a pint of melted butter, four spoonfuls of brown gravy, two of mushroom catsup, and two of harvey sauce; place it over the fire, keeping it stirred until boiling, then place it at the corner to simmer five minutes, skim well, then place it again over the fire, keeping it stirred until thickish, to adhere to the back of the spoon, when add two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies, and half a teaspoonful of sugar; it is then ready to serve. the above, although a fish sauce, may be used for meat or poultry, by omitting the anchovy, and adding more harvey sauce. if no brown gravy, add water and a little coloring. . _oyster sauce._--mix three ounces of butter in a stewpan, with two ounces of flour, then blanch and beard three dozen oysters, put the oysters into another stewpan, add beards and liquor to the flour and butter, with a pint and a half of milk, a teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, two cloves, half a blade of mace, and six peppercorns; place it over the fire, keep stirring, and boil it ten minutes, then add a tablespoonful of essence of anchovies, and one of harvey sauce, pass it through a tammy over the oysters, make the whole very hot without boiling, and serve. a less quantity may be made, using less proportions. . _another method._--put a pint of white sauce into a stewpan, with the liquor and beards of three dozen oysters (as above), six peppercorns, two cloves, and half a blade of mace; boil it ten minutes, then add a spoonful of essence of anchovies, a little cayenne and salt if required; pass it through a tammy, or hair sieve, over the oysters, as in the last. . _a plainer method._--blanch three dozen of oysters, which again put into the stewpan, with their liquor (after having detached the beards), add six peppercorns and half a blade of mace; place them over the fire, and when beginning to simmer, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed sufficient flour to form a paste, breaking it in four or five pieces; shake the stewpan round over the fire, and when upon the point of boiling, and becoming thick, add half a gill of milk, or more if required; season with a little cayenne, salt, pepper, and a few drops of essence of anchovies; serve very hot. . _mussel sauce._--proceed exactly the same as for oyster sauce, using only the liquor of the mussels (not the beards) instead of the oysters, and serving the mussels in the sauce; about four dozen would be sufficient. . _cream sauce._--put two yolks of eggs in the bottom of a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon, a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, a little white pepper, and a quarter of a pound of hard fresh butter; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and commence stirring with a wooden spoon (taking it from the fire now and then when getting too hot), until the butter has gradually melted and thickened with the eggs (great care must be exercised, for if it should become too hot, the eggs would curdle and render the sauce useless); then add half a pint of melted butter; stir altogether over the fire, without permitting it to boil, pass it through a tammy into another stewpan; when wanted, stir it over the fire until hot. this sauce may be served with any description of boiled fish. . _matelote sauce._--for about a pound-slice of salmon make the following quantity of sauce: peel thirty button onions, and put half a teaspoonful of sugar in a quart-size stewpan, place it over a sharp fire, and when melted and getting brown, add a piece of butter (the size of two walnuts) and the onions, toss them over now and then until rather brown, then add a glass of sherry, let it boil, then add half a pint of brown sauce, and a gill of broth, simmer at the corner of the fire until the onions are quite tender, skim it well, and add a few mushrooms, if handy, season with a little salt and sugar, and sauce over any kind of fish where described. the addition of a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies is an improvement. use where directed. . _matelote sauce simplified._--proceed as above respecting the onions, only add a fourth more butter, and fry them a little browner; then add a glass of sherry and two teaspoonfuls of flour, which stir round gently with a small wooden spoon, add to it about a pint of water, stir now and then till boiling, add three saltspoonfuls of salt, two of sugar, one of pepper, and a bouquet garni, simmer and skim, add a few drops of coloring to give it a nice brown color; when ready to serve, add a good tablespoonful of anchovy essence; it ought to adhere lightly to the back of the spoon, but not be too thick; sauce over or under, as directed; small pieces of glaze, if handy, put into it is an improvement, also using broth instead of water; oysters and mushrooms may be introduced, also a little cayenne pepper. this sauce must be very savory. . _lobster butter._--procure half a lobster, quite full of spawn, which take out and pound well in a mortar; then add six ounces of fresh butter, mix well together, then rub it through a hair sieve, and put it in a cold place until wanted. the flesh can be used for any other dish. . _anchovy butter._--take the bones from six anchovies, wash the fillets, and dry them upon a cloth, pound them well in a mortar, add six ounces of fresh butter, mix well together, and proceed as in the last. . _maître d'hôtel butter._--put a quarter of a pound of fresh butter upon a plate, with one good tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of two lemons, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter that quantity of white pepper; mix all well together, and put in a cool place till required. . _ravigote butter._--proceed as in the last, but instead of parsley, use one spoonful of chopped tarragon, and one of chervil, and add half a spoonful of chili vinegar. removes. these are dishes which remove the fish and soup, served upon large dishes, and placed at the top and bottom of the table; great care should be evinced in cooking them, as they are the "pièce de résistance" of the dinner. i must also observe that a few of the receipts appear a little complicated, but which will not prove to be the case if tried once or twice. in the entrées will be found how the remains of them may be dressed. since the science of analytical chemistry has become so perfect, and has shown us the elements of which every substance and liquid is composed, and that, in order to continue them in a state of action, and prevent decomposition, it is necessary to repair the loss which they are every moment undergoing, even from man, through every living thing, down to earth and water. but as i am not going to write you a lecture on chemistry, which will be so much more easy to read in liebig, in order for you to choose your meat and viands with economy in regard to actual nourishment, it is necessary i should tell you, that, from infancy to old age, the human race must be continually imbibing elements of formation or reparation, even from the lime in the mother's milk, which forms the bones, to the osmazome extracted from animal matters, which creates a more lively circulation of the blood when it becomes sluggish and dull in old age. each period, occupation, and station in life requires different substances of reparation, with which we ought to make ourselves intimately acquainted. amongst the first, and that most generally in use with man, is the ox, the principal nourishment of which consists in the osmazome, which is that liquid part of the meat that is extracted by water at blood-heat. it is this which is the foundation and flavor of all soups, which gives the flavor to all meats, and which, on becoming candied by heat, forms the crust of roast meats. the osmazome is found principally in all adult animals having a dark flesh, and to a very small extent in those having a white flesh; or even in the white flesh of fowls, but in their back and legs, in which parts lies their principal flavor. the bones of the ox contain gelatine and phosphate of lime. the gelatine is also found in the muscles and other cartilaginous parts of the animal; it is extracted by boiling water, and coagulates at the ordinary temperature of the atmosphere; it is the foundation of all jellies, blancmanges, and other similar preparations. the albumen is also found in the flesh, and congeals as soon as the heat rises beyond that of the blood; it is this which is the scum on the pot when the meat is boiling. beef.--all oxen should fast from twenty-four to forty-eight hours before being killed; when killed and skinned, they are opened and the inside cleaned; they are then hung up, and ought to be exposed to a draught until cold, and then divided down the back into two parts, leaving the head whole; these sides are then divided into two, called the fore and hind-quarters: the fore-quarter contains the shin, the clod and stickings, leg of mutton piece, chuck, middle rib, fore rib; the hind-quarter consists of the rump, sirloin, thin and thick flank, the veiny-piece, aitch-bone, buttock or round, and leg and foot; the head contains the tongue, palate, and brains; the entrails consist of the sweetbread, kidneys, skirts, and the double roll and reed tripe. when the meat is cut up, the following kernels are taken out: those in the neck, where the shoulder clod is removed; two from the round, the pope's eye, and one from the flap; one in the thick flap in the middle of the flank, and another between the rump and aitch-bone: these must be removed to preserve the beef, particularly in hot weather. the flavor and quality of the meat depend on the country from whence it comes, and the nature of its food.[ ] as a general rule, the flesh ought to be of a dark red color, smooth, open-grained, with fat rather white than yellow running in thin streaks through the flesh. ox-beef is the largest and richest, but heifer is better, if well-fed. it should be hung for two days previous to using, in a cool place, free from draught; it will keep good from three to six days, according to the weather. . _sirloin of beef_ should never be less than three of the short ribs, and will weigh more or less according to the size of the ox from which they are taken; that from a small, well-fed heifer i consider the best, and will weigh about twelve pounds, and take about two hours to roast, depending much on the fire. having spitted or hung the joint, cover it with buttered paper, and place it about eighteen inches from the fire; about one hour after it has been down, remove the paper and place the joint nearer the fire, and put half a pint of water, with a little salt, in the dripping-pan; about a quarter of an hour before removing from the fire, dredge it with flour and salt from the dredging-box; when taken from the fire, empty the contents of the dripping-pan into a basin, from which remove the fat; pour the gravy in the dish, and then place the joint on it; serve some scraped horse-radish separate. a yorkshire pudding is very excellent when cooked under this joint. . _ribs of beef._--this piece should consist of at least three ribs; the bones are generally sawn through about three inches from the top; these should be removed, leaving the flap, which fold under and fix with wooden skewers. this, in roasting, should be prepared and dredged as the sirloin. a drop of coloring gives the gravy an inviting appearance. . _ribs of beef braised._--take four ribs, not too fat nor too thick, remove the chine-bone neatly, and four inches of the tips of the rib-bones, run with a larding-needle several pieces of fat bacon through the thick part, trim over the flap and tie it well round, put it into the braising-pan; put a quarter of a pound of butter, one teaspoonful of pepper, and six teaspoonfuls of salt into the pan, cover it over, and place it on a slow fire for thirty minutes, stirring it now and then, then add two quarts of water; at the expiration of one hour and a half, add eighty small button onions and sixty small young carrots, or pieces of large ones cut in the shape, which place around the meat; a bouquet of ten sprigs of parsley, three bay-leaves, and four sprigs of thyme tied together; half an hour after, add sixty round pieces of turnip; then place some live coals on the lid, and let it stew gently for one hour and a half longer, being altogether about four hours. take out the meat, remove the string, and trim it. skim off the fat from the liquor in the pan, remove the bouquet, &c., add a few pieces of butter in which have been mixed a tablespoonful of flour and a teaspoonful of sugar, two of browning, stir gently with a wooden spoon, and, when just on the boil, dress round the meat, and serve. in case it has reduced too much, add water. the foregoing receipt may appear rather complicated, and may perhaps frighten you, and prevent you trying it; but i assure you, if you once try it, you will find it so good as to repeat it, particularly as many other receipts will be referred to this one. the vegetables and meat cold, are excellent. . _stewed rump of beef._--this is a very excellent and useful joint to be continually kept in a country-house, where you may be some distance from a butcher's, as, when hung up in a cool larder, it keeps good for a considerable time, and you never feel at a loss should some friends call unawares: after a third of it has been removed for steaks, pies, or puddings, the remainder makes an excellent joint, roasted or braised like the ribs, or stewed as follows: cut it away from the bone, cut about twenty long pieces of fat bacon, which run through the flesh in a slanting direction; then chop up the bone, place it at the bottom of a large stewpan, with six cloves, three onions, one carrot, a turnip, and a head of celery; then lay in the rump (previously tying it up with string), which just cover with water, add a tablespoonful of salt and two burnt onions (if handy), place upon the fire, and, when boiling, stand it at the corner; let it simmer nearly four hours, keeping it skimmed; when done, pass part of the stock it was cooked in (keeping the beef hot in the remainder) through a hair sieve into a basin; in another stewpan have ready a quarter of a pound of butter, melt it over the fire, add six ounces of flour, mix well together, stirring over the fire until becoming a little brownish; take off, and when nearly cold add two quarts of the stock, stir it over the fire until it boils; then have four carrots, four turnips (cut into small pieces with cutters), and forty button onions peeled, put them into the sauce, when again boiling draw it to the corner, where let simmer until tender, keeping it skimmed; add a little powdered sugar and a bunch of parsley: if it should become too thick, add a little more of the stock; dress the beef upon a dish, sauce round and serve. brown sauce may be used, and the gravy will make excellent soup. . _salt round of beef._--this magnificent joint is, in general, too large for small families, but occasionally it may be used; the following is, therefore, the best method of cooking it: having folded the fat round it, and fastened it with skewers, tie round it, not too tight, some wide tape and a thin cloth, place it in a large stock-pot with plenty of cold water, set it upon a good fire, and when beginning to boil, draw it to the corner, where let it simmer until done; five hours will be enough for a large one of thirty to thirty-five pounds; when done, remove the cloth and tape, and dish it up, previously cutting a slice two inches thick from the top, pouring a pint of the hot liquor over it when serving. to serve it cold, m. soyer, in his "regenerator," thus describes it: "after receiving the above useful lesson, and being desirous of improving my profession in all its branches, i remembered that, amongst the number of joints boiled to serve cold for large civic, agricultural, or benevolent anniversary dinners, the round of beef was the most prominent, and having seen it standing in dishes to get cold, with the dish filled with the gravy that runs from it, particularly if a little over-done, caused me to hit upon the following expedient to prevent the meat losing so much of its succulence. "fill two large tubs with cold water, into which throw a few pounds of rough ice, and when the round is done, throw it, cloth and all, into one of the tubs of ice-water; let remain one minute, when take out and put it into the other tub; fill the first tub again with water, and continue the above process for about twenty minutes; then set it upon a dish, leaving the cloth on until the next day, or until quite cold; when opened, the fat will be as white as possible, besides having saved the whole of the gravy. if no ice, spring water will answer the same purpose, but will require to be more frequently changed; the same mode would be equally successful with the aitch-bone." . _half-round of beef (silver-side)_ should be put into cold water, and let it come to a boil; simmer for two hours and a half, and serve the same as a round. . _aitch-bone of beef_ (or, as i think it ought to be called, _edge-bone_).--this is a very nice joint for a small family, but not so economical as is generally supposed; it should be pickled carefully, and cooked in the same way as the round; one weighing ten pounds will take two hours and a half; it should be trimmed on the top, and served with some of the liquor under it. it is very good when fresh and braised like the ribs. . _salt brisket of beef._--this is by no means an economical joint, as it loses considerably in cooking; it requires a long time to boil; should it be required as a large cold joint, the following is the best plan: procure a nice brisket with as little fat as possible, detach the whole of the bones from it, make a pickle (see receipt), place it in it, previously rubbing it well with two cloves of garlic, leave it in the pickle from seven to nine days, rubbing and turning it every day; when ready to cook, cut it into two parts (one about two inches longer than the other), tie them together, and afterwards in a clean cloth, simmer it for about six or seven hours in a large stock-pot full of water; when done, take it out and let it drain, have ready a large dish-cover, place it upon a trivet, remove the cloth and string from the meat, and place it in the cover; have ready a piece of board to fit inside the cover, place it on the meat with a half-hundred weight on the top, and let it remain in a cold place until the next day, when take it out, trim it, garnish it nicely, and serve. this will keep good a considerable time, and is excellent for breakfast or luncheon; besides, it always keeps a "pièce de résistance" in the larder in case of accidents. it is also, when fresh, very excellent stewed like the rump of beef, or plain salted. . _hamburgh beef._--the ribs are the best; they should be put to soak in soft water for twelve hours, and then put into cold water and boiled gradually; a piece of three ribs will take three hours; if intended to be served hot, the outside should be cut off, and the joint nicely trimmed and served up with the following garniture round it: take four handfuls of brown kale, well washed, put a saucepan on the fire, with a gallon of water, and let it well boil; then add two tablespoonfuls of salt and half a saltspoonful of carbonate of soda, put the kale in, let it boil for ten minutes, drain it and squeeze all the water from it, put it on a chopping-board and chop it fine, then put it into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, a little nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of sugar, and twenty roasted chestnuts cut in half, put it on the fire and keep stirring it for five minutes: if too dry, add a little milk or gravy, and place it on the side of the fire until wanted. . _to boil a pickled ox tongue._--put the tongue into a large stewpan containing two gallons of cold water, which set upon the fire until boiling, when draw it to the corner to simmer for three hours, if a tongue weighing about six pounds; but the better way to ascertain when done, is to try it with a trussing-needle, or the prongs of a fork, in the thickest part; if tender it is done, but if hard it must boil rather longer. a dried tongue should be soaked twenty-four hours previously to boiling; when done, skin it and trim the root, &c., and use where directed. . _to cook a fresh ox tongue._--put a tongue in lukewarm water for twelve hours to disgorge, then trim the root and scrape the tongue quite clean; have ready twenty pieces of fat bacon two inches long and half an inch square, which introduce with a larding pin into the most fleshy part in a slanting direction; then rub the tongue all over with salt, and run a long iron skewer through it, which tie upon, surround the tongue with vegetables, the same as directed for turkeys roasted and braised, and roast for two hours before a good fire; twenty minutes before it is done take away the paper and vegetables, to give a nice brown color; when done trim a little, to keep it steady in the dish, and garnish with any kind of stewed vegetables, or cut it in halves lengthwise to form a heart, and sauce over with piquante, tomatos, or any other sharp sauces found in their series. if no convenience for roasting, put into a stewpan a piece of leg of beef (cut small) weighing two pounds, with two onions, one carrot, two blades of mace, a little thyme and bay-leaf, and a quarter of a pound of butter, sauté the whole twenty minutes, keeping it stirred over a moderate fire, then put in the tongue (previously prepared) and two ounces of salt, cover with water, and let boil gently four hours, skim and serve. the stock would be excellent for soup or brown sauce of any kind. the remains could be served in either of the methods directed for the remainder of pickled tongue. . _rump steak broiled._--procure a steak cut nice and even, of about half an inch in thickness (if well cut it will not require beating), which lay upon a gridiron over a sharp fire; have a good teaspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of pepper mixed together upon a plate, half of which sprinkle upon the side of the steak uppermost, after it has been upon the fire a couple of minutes, when turn, and sprinkle the remainder of the seasoning upon the other side; it will take about ten minutes to cook it to perfection, turning it occasionally, and serve upon a very hot dish, with a little scraped horseradish round. if properly done, it ought to be full of gravy, but a great deal depends upon the fire, which, if bad, causes the gravy to ooze from the meat and lie upon the top, which you lose in turning the steak over. a rump steak may also be served broiled as above, with a little maître d'hôtel, or anchovy butter, rubbed, over as soon as done, and potatoes cut the size of half crown or shilling pieces, and fried crisp in hot fat; dress round. or a steak may be served, with a few water-cresses, well washed, and dried upon a plate sprinkled with a little pepper, salt, and vinegar, and garnished round; a little oil might also be added. veal of about two to three months old is the best; the flesh ought to be white, approaching to pink, and the fat firm; it is cut up the same as mutton, except that, in the hind-quarter, the loin is cut straight, leaving the aitch-bone on it, which may be either dressed on the loin or separate. the fore-quarter consists of the shoulder, neck, and breast. the hind-quarter, the knuckle, leg, fillet, and the loin. the head and pluck consists of the heart, liver, nut, skirts, melt, and the heart, throat, and sweetbread. the bull-calf is the best, the flesh is firmer grained or redder, and the fat more curdled than the cow-calf, which latter is in general preferred, being more delicate and better adapted for made dishes, as having the udder. nothing can be worse than veal if not fresh; it should never hang more than two days in summer and four in winter. to be in full perfection, the kidneys ought to be covered with fat, and the veins in the shoulder bright red or blue. it is best from may to september, although it may be had good all the year. the head, when fresh, should have the eyes plump and lively; if stale, they are sunk and wrinkled. . _fillet of veal._--choose it of the best quality. procure a leg, saw off the knuckle, take out the bone in the centre of the fillet, and fill up the cavity with some stuffing made as directed (see receipt), fold the udder and flap round, which fix with three skewers; place half a sheet of buttered foolscap paper top and bottom, which tie over and over with plenty of string, run a spit through, fixing the fillet with a holdfast; set down to roast, placing it rather close to the fire ten minutes, rub well over with butter, then place it at least two feet and a half from the fire, to roast very slowly, giving it a fine gold color; a fillet weighing sixteen pounds would require three hours roasting, when done take it up, detach all the string and paper, trim the top and set it upon your dish; have a pint of melted butter in a stewpan upon the fire, to which, when boiling, add four spoonfuls of harvey sauce, and two of mushroom catsup, mix well, and pour round the fillet; have also boiled nicely an ox-tongue, which skin and trim, dress upon a dish surrounded with greens or cabbage nicely boiled, and serve as an accompaniment to the fillet. . _loin of veal._--one with plenty of fat and a good kidney, from which the chump and the rib-bone at the other end has been removed; fasten the flap over the kidney with a skewer, run a spit through lengthwise, commencing at the thick end, and fixing it with a holdfast, cover it with buttered paper; one of fourteen pounds will take about two hours and a half to roast. serve with melted butter poured over. . _chump of veal_ can be either roasted or boiled; one about four pounds will take one hour to roast, and one hour and a quarter to boil; roasted, serve like the loin: boiled, serve with either sauces, nos. , , . . _breast of veal plain roasted._--paper the joint, and roast for about one hour, and serve with gravy and melted butter; it may be roasted with the sweetbread skewered to it. by taking the tendons off, stew them for entrées. . _shoulder of veal._--one weighing fourteen pounds will take about two hours and a half to three hours to roast or braise; if roasted, the same sauce as for the loin (no. ), and braise (no. ). . _neck of veal._--procure about eight pounds of a nice white neck of veal, containing six or seven chops; saw off under part of the chine-bone, so as to give it a nice square appearance, lard it thus: take about twelve pieces of fat bacon, two inches long and a quarter of an inch square, put the larding-needle through the flesh of the veal about one inch and a half, then put one third of the length of the piece of bacon in it, pull the needle out, and it will leave the bacon in the meat, showing a quarter of an inch of the bacon outside. then braise as ribs of beef. two hours will suffice. . _neck of veal with peas._--proceed as in the former receipt, with the exception of leaving out the vegetables, and adding, half an hour previous to the meat being done, one quart of peas, twelve button onions, and a little more sugar; remove the fat, and serve as before. . _neck of veal with haricots._--proceed as before, substituting the haricots for the peas, which must have been boiled in plenty of water for three or four hours previously. (see receipt for haricots.) . _neck of veal with new potatoes._--as before, using new potatoes in place of the peas. any other vegetable, as french beans, broad beans, &c. may be served with it in the same way. . _necks of veal_ can be larded or plain roasted, or braised in plain gravy as before, and served with either sauces, nos. , , , . . _knuckle of veal_ is a very favorite dish of mine: i procure two of them, which i saw into three pieces each, and put into a stewpan, with a piece of streaked bacon two pounds in weight, four onions, a carrot, two turnips, and six peppercorns, place over the fire, and when boiling add a little salt, skim well, and place at the corner to simmer gently for two hours, take up, dress them in your dish surrounded with the vegetables and bacon, and serve with parsley and butter over; very good soup may be made from the stock it was boiled in if required, or if not, into glaze, which put by until wanted. . _loin of veal braised._--this joint generally weighs from twelve to fourteen pounds when off a good calf; have the rib-bones carefully divided with a saw so as not to hurt the fillet, prepare the braising-pan, and proceed as in receipt (no. ); with the addition of one pint more water, but take care not to cover the meat, which might happen if your stewpan was small, which otherwise be boiling instead of braising; it will take about three hours: be careful about the fat, as this joint produces a great deal; taste the sauce before serving, in case more seasoning is required, which might be the case, depending on the nature of the veal. a good cook should taste all sauces before serving. . _breast of veal stuffed and stewed._--take about eight pounds of the breast of veal, put your knife about half an inch under the skin, and open it about three parts of its width all the way down, then prepare some veal stuffing, and lay it in the opening you have made about one inch in thickness, sew it up, and proceed as receipt for shoulder. should half the size of either the above dishes be required, use but half the vegetables in proportion, and stew half an hour less. the _chump_, _small shoulder_, or pieces of the fillet may be dressed in the same way, but must be larded, like the neck. all the above joints may be stewed in the same way, with less vegetables, and served with sauces (nos. , ); the gravy in which they are stewed will always be useful in the kitchen, or may be reduced and served with the joint. . _shoulder of veal stuffed and stewed._--this is a very awkward joint to carve to advantage, and equally so to cook; by the following plan, it goes further than any other way. take the joint and lay it with the skin-side downwards, with a sharp thin knife carefully detach the meat from the blade-bone, then hold the shoulder edgewise and detach the meat from the other side of the bone, being careful not to make a hole in the skin; then cut the bone from the knuckle and take it out; you may at first be rather awkward about it, but after once or twice trying, it will become easy; you may also take out the other bone, but i prefer it in, as it keeps the shape better: then lard the lean part like the neck in (no. ); mix some salt and a little mixed spice together, with which rub the meat from whence the bone has been cut, stuff with veal stuffing, or sausage-meat, or suet pudding; braise, garnish, and serve as (no. ). this being the toughest part of the veal, it should be tried before taking up, to see if it is properly done, by thrusting a larding-needle in it; if it goes in easily it is done. this joint is excellent cold, and should be carved in thin slices crosswise. . _calf's head._--choose one thick and fat, but not too large; soak for ten minutes in lukewarm water, then well powder with rosin, have plenty of scalding water ready, dip in the head, holding it by the ear, scrape the hair off with the back of a knife, which will come off easily if properly scraped, without scratching the cheek; when perfectly clean, take the eyes out, saw it in two lengthwise through the skull, without spoiling the brain, which take carefully out, and put to disgorge for a few hours in lukewarm water; pull the tongue out, break the jawbone, and remove the part which contains the teeth, put the head into plenty of water to disgorge for one hour; make the following stock, and boil for about two hours and a half, and it will be ready to serve. the stock is made by putting into a braising-pan two carrots, three onions, a quarter of a pound of butter, six cloves, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves, set it on the fire for about twenty minutes, keep stirring it round, then add a pint of water, and when warm mix a quarter of a pound of flour, add a gallon of water, one lemon in slices, and a quarter of a pound of salt, then lay the head in; take care it is well covered, or the part exposed will turn dark: simmer gently till tender. letter no. xii my dear eloise,--do not make any mistakes in the way you describe the above receipts, which might be made very ridiculous if wrongly explained. for example: i once had an old french cookery book in my hand, which had the th edition stamped on its old brown leather cheek, in which a receipt of "tête de veau à la poulette," that is, a calf's head, with white sauce, in which small onions and mushrooms are introduced, reads as follows--but, before describing it, allow me five minutes to indulge in a hearty laugh at the absurd manner in which it is explained: it reads thus: "first choose your head as thick and fat as you can, then plunge it in two gallons of water, which must be nearly boiling in a pan on the fire; let your head remain about ten minutes, then take it out by the ears, and, after remaining a short time, scrape your hair off with the back of a knife without injuring your cheek, and pull your eyes out; break your jawbone and saw your head in two without smashing your brains, which take out carefully; set it in cold water, to get clean and white; then pull out your tongue, scrape and dry it, having previously boiled it with your head, which, after two hours' ebullition, will feel as soft as possible, when see that your head is in the centre of the dish; your tongue divided in two and placed on each side of it: sharp sauce, according to no.-- is allowed to be served with either head or tongue." i assure you, dear, although i do not profess to be a first-rate scholar in that fashionable language--french, that i believe this to be as near as possible the true translation of the original. then follows calves' feet, which is nearly as absurd as the former: "pied de veau an naturel," calves feet, the natural way.--"choose your fine feet in the rough state, and, as with your head, place a pan of water on the fire; when hot, but not too much so, put your feet in the water for about ten minutes, try if you can easily clean them as your head with a knife, if not, add a spoonful of salt in the water, and let them remain a few minutes longer; then scrape like your head; when well cleaned wipe them dry, and they are ready for dressing, which may be done in almost twenty different ways. (see the series 'how to cook pigs' feet.') when your feet are tender, set them on a dish, take out the big bone, surround them with sausage-meat; wrap them up in caul, and form a heart with them; then place your feet on a gridiron, let them gently broil, and, when done, eat them for breakfast or luncheon." (after which a gentle walk might give you an appetite for dinner.) _calf's head_ (no. ) may be dressed thus:--half of the head will make a good dish for a remove; lay it in the dish very hot, having previously drained it well; have ready about a pint of hollandaise or cream sauce, no. , pour it over and serve. it may be surrounded with a dozen new potatoes, if in season, or some quenelles, or quarters of hard-boiled eggs; a little chopped parsley thrown on the head when the sauce is over it, makes it look very inviting. it can also be served "à la poulette," by putting a pint of white sauce in a stewpan; you have peeled and cooked about fifty button onions in white broth, to which you have added a little sugar and butter, and a few mushrooms; add the broth, onions, and sauce together, and when on the point of boiling, add a liaison of two yolks of eggs and the juice of a lemon; stir it well round; it ought to be the thickness of cream sauce; pour over the head and serve. it can also be egged and bread-crumbed, and placed in the cream for twenty minutes to get a nice brown color, and may be served with sauces, nos. , . mutton.--the sheep, when killed, is generally divided into two, by cutting across about two ribs below the shoulder; these are called the fore and hind-quarters: the former contains the head, neck, breast, and shoulder; the latter, the leg and loin; or the two loins together, the saddle or chine; or the leg and four ribs of the loin, the haunch. the entrails are called the pluck, which are the liver, lights, heart, sweetbread, and melt. when cut up, the kernel at the tail should be removed, and that in the fat in the thick part of the leg, and the pipe that runs along the bone of the chine. the flavor depends on the breed and pasture; that is best which has a dark-colored flesh, of a fine grain, well-mixed with fat, which must be firm and white. wether mutton is the best; the meat of ewe mutton is of a paler color, and the fat yellow and spongy. to keep a loin, saddle, or haunch, the kidney-fat should be removed, and the place rubbed with a little salt. mutton should never be cooked unless it has hung forty-eight hours after it is killed; and it can be kept for twenty-one days, and sometimes longer in a severe winter. . _haunch of mutton._--saw or break three inches from the knuckle-bone, remove all skin from the loin, put it on a spit, commencing at the knuckle, and bringing it out at the flap, avoiding the fillet of the loin; then cover it with three sheets of buttered paper, place it about eighteen inches from the fire, if a large one it will take two hours and a half; half an hour before being done, remove the paper, baste it with a little butter, and dredge it slightly; when done, dish it up with a frill round the knuckle, and pour a pint of hot gravy over. in summer time, french beans should be served with it, but always mashed potatoes. . _saddle of mutton._--the same rule in regard to choice appiles to this as to the haunch. take off the skin, run a lark-spit through the spinal marrow-bone, which affix to a larger one with a holdfast at one end and string at the other; then tie the skin over the back, and place it down to roast; it will not take so long a time to roast in proportion as another joint, one about ten pounds will take about one hour and twenty minutes; remove the paper ten minutes before taking it from the fire, dredge to give it a nice color, and make gravy as for beef, no. , or serve with gravy, no. . . _saddle of mutton, à la polonaise._--this is my economical dish, _par excellence_, and very much it is liked every time i use it. take the remains of a saddle of mutton, of the previous day, cut out all the meat close to the bone, leaving about one inch wide on the outside, cut it with a portion of the fat into small dice; then put a spoonful of chopped onions in a stewpan, with a little butter; fry one minute, add the meat, with a tablespoonful of flour, season rather high with salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg; stir round, and moisten with a gill or a little more of broth, add a bay-leaf, put it on the stove for ten minutes, add two yolks of eggs, stir till rather thick, make about two pounds of mashed potatoes firm enough to roll, put the saddle-bone in the middle of the dish, and with the potatoes form an edging round the saddle, so as to give the shape of one, leaving the middle empty, fill it with your mince meat, which ought to be enough to do so; if you should not have enough with the remains of the saddle, the remains of any other joint of mutton may be used; egg all over, sprinkle bread-crumbs around, put in rather a hot oven, to get a nice yellow color, poach six eggs, and place on the top, and serve brown gravy round; white or brown sauce, if handy, is an improvement. you may easily fancy the economy of this well-looking and good dish; the remains of a leg, shoulder, loin, neck of mutton and lamb may be dressed the same way, keeping their shape of course. . _roast leg of mutton._--choose the same as the haunch. one about eight pounds weight will take about one hour and a half to roast: run the spit in at the knuckle, and bring it out at the thigh-bone; roast it some little distance from the fire at first, bringing it nearer as it gets done; baste it with a little butter whilst roasting, or cover it with a sheet of well-buttered paper, which remove just before it is quite cooked. the leg of doe mutton is the best for roasting; should it be ewe, and intended for roasting, i proceed thus two or three days before i want it. i make a small incision close to the knuckle, pushing a wooden skewer close down to the leg-bone as far as it will go; i then take one tablespoonful of port wine, if none handy i use catsup, and a teaspoonful of either treacle, apple or currant jelly, and mix them together; i then remove the skewer, and run the mixture in it, closing the hole with two cloves of garlic. this joint i prefer to dangle, rather than put on the spit. . _boiled leg of mutton._--this i prefer of the southdown breed, and ewe is equally as good as doe. cut the end of the knuckle from the leg, put it into an oval pan, in which there is sufficient water to cover it, throw in about one ounce of salt, place it upon a sharp fire until it is on the point of boiling, then remove to the side, and in five minutes remove the scum, and then let it simmer gently; if the turnips are to be boiled with it, peel and slice them, and put them into the pan half an hour before the mutton is done; it must be again put on the fire for a few minutes, as the turnips have stopped the boiling; dress it upon a dish with the turnips round it, or mash separate, and with caper or gherkin sauce: the broth may be reduced for soup. . _leg of mutton à la bretonne._--choose one about six pounds weight, peel four cloves of garlic, make an incision with the point of a knife in four different parts around the knuckle, and place the garlic in it, hang it up for a day or two, and then roast it for one hour and a half. at the same time you have procured a quart of small dry french haricots, which after well washing put into a saucepan with half a gallon of water, add about half an ounce of salt, the same of butter, set them on the side of the fire to simmer for about three hours or till tender, when pour the liquor off into a basin, and keep the haricots hot; peel and cut two large onions into thin slices, put some of the fat of the dripping-pan into a frying-pan, put in the onions, and fry a light brown, add them to the haricots with the fat and gravy the mutton has produced in roasting, season with salt and pepper, toss them a little, and serve very hot on a large dish, put the leg on it, with a frill of paper on the knuckle. in case the leg is very fat do not add all of it to the haricots. this if well carved is an excellent dish for eight or nine persons; it is a dish very much esteemed in france, and is considered cheap food from the nourishment afforded by the haricots, which can be purchased at sixpence per quart. shoulder and loin may be dressed in the same way. . _shoulder of mutton_ is best if well hung; the spit should be run in at the flap and brought out at the knuckle; this should not be basted in roasting, but merely rubbed with a little butter; it is served occasionally with sauces, no. . this is sometimes boiled with onion sauce; or, as it is called, smothered in onions. it is also good by having the bone extracted, and its place filled with veal stuffing, and then put it on a trivet, in a baking-dish, with sliced potatoes under, and baked more or less in proportion to its size; one of six pounds will take one hour and a half--or as follows: put a small shoulder of mutton in a deep sauté-pan or baking-dish, season with a little pepper and salt, cover over with thin slices of fat bacon, then put in ten potatoes peeled and quartered, and the same quantity of apples, with half a pint of water, place in a moderate oven and bake for two hours, dress upon your dish, with the potatoes and apples round, skim all the fat from the gravy, which pour over and serve; it requires a little oil or butter over before baking. . _shoulder of mutton, provincial fashion._--roast a fine shoulder of mutton; whilst roasting mince ten large onions very fine, put them into a stewpan, with two tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, pass them ten minutes over a good fire, keeping it stirred, then add a tablespoonful of flour, stir well in, and a pint of milk, season with a little pepper, salt, and sugar; when the onions are quite tender and the sauce rather thick, stir in the yolks of two eggs and take it off the fire; when the shoulder is done, spread the onions over the top, egg over, cover with bread-crumbs, put in the oven ten minutes, and salamander a light brown color, dress upon your dish, put the gravy from it in your stewpan, with a pat of butter, with which you have mixed a little flour, boil up, add a little scraped garlic, pour round the shoulder, which serve. the shoulder may also be dressed in the housewife's method, as directed for the leg. a little browning may be added. . _loin of mutton._--take off the skin, separate the joints with a chopper; if a large size, cut the chine-bone with a saw, so as to allow it to be carved in smaller pieces, run a lark-spit from one extremity to the other, and affix it to a larger spit, and roast it like the haunch. a loin weighing six pounds will take one hour to roast. . _leg of mutton stewed with vegetables._--have a good leg, beat it a little with a rolling-pin, make an incision in the knuckle, in which put two cloves of garlic, then put it into a stewpan, with a pound of lean bacon cut in eight pieces, set over a moderate fire half an hour, moving it now and then until becoming a light brown color, season with pepper and salt, add twenty pieces of carrots of the same size as the bacon, fifteen middling-sized onions, and when done add two bay-leaves, two cloves, and two quarts of water, replace it upon a moderate fire, moving round occasionally, stew nearly three hours, dress upon your dish with the carrots and onions dressed tastefully around, take off as much of the fat from the gravy as possible, take out the bay-leaves and pour the garniture round the mutton, which serve very hot. it can be braised like no. . a few drops of browning may be required. . _neck of mutton._--this is a very _recherché_ dish, if off a good-sized sheep, and well hung; it must be nicely trimmed, sawing the bones at the tips of the ribs, which detach from the meat, folding the flap over; saw off the chine-bone, and carefully detach the remainder of the bone from the fillet; detach the skin from the upper part, fix the flap under with a couple of skewers, run a flat lark-spit from end to end, fix it to a larger one, cover it with buttered paper, and roast like the haunch; if of five pounds, nearly three-quarters of an hour to one hour. it should be served very hot, the plates and dish the same, and not one minute before it is wanted: serve gravy under. . _boiled neck of mutton._--take one with little fat upon it, divide the chops, taking care not to cut the fillet, put it into a pan with cold water sufficient to cover it, place in it one ounce of salt, one onion, and a small bunch of parsley, boil it gently; when done, dish it up, and serve it with either parsley and butter made from the liquor in which it was boiled, caper or onion sauce, mashed turnips separate. proceed as under receipt with the broth. . _sheep's head._--though this may be seen in every part of london inhabited by the working classes, and may be procured ready-cooked, i prefer always to prepare it at home, and very good it is. i choose a fine one, as fat as possible, and put it into a gallon of water to disgorge for two hours; wash it well, saw it in two from the top, take out the brain, cut away part of the uncovered part of the skull, and also the ends of the jaws, wash it well, put it into the stewpan, with two onions, one carrot, two turnips cut in slices, a little celery, four cloves, a bouquet of four sprigs of thyme, a bay-leaf, one ounce of salt, a quarter of an ounce of pepper, three quarts of water, set on the fire; when near boiling, add half a teacupful of pearl or scotch barley; let it simmer for three hours, or till tender, which try with a fork; take out vegetables, cut in dice, remove bouquet, skim off the fat, and pour all into tureen. or, lay the head on a dish, and serve with either onion sauce over, parsley and butter, or any sharp sauce; or egg and bread-crumb it over, put it in an oven for half an hour till getting a nice yellow color, and serve with sharp sauce under. or, with the brain, thus: having boiled it for ten minutes in a little vinegar, salt, and water, cut it in pieces, warm it in parsley and butter, season it a little, and put it under the head and serve. . _sheep's head and liver._--boil half a sheep's liver for thirty minutes in a quart of water, cut it into small dice, put two ounces of butter in the stewpan, and set it on the fire, then add a tablespoonful of chopped onions, cook it a few minutes, add the liver, season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, a spoonful of flour, half-pint of broth, stir when boiling, simmer for a few minutes, lay on dish, and put the head over just as it is out of the broth, or bread-crumb it, and put it in the oven. lamb.--the same rules for cutting up should be observed as in the sheep. the fore-quarter consists of a shoulder, neck, and breast together; if cut up, the shoulder and ribs. the hind-quarter is the leg and loin. the head and pluck consist of the liver, lights, heart, nut and melt, as also the fry, which is the sweetbread, bits and skirts, and part of the liver. the fore-quarter should be fresh, the hind-quarter should hang, it should be of a pale color and fat. the vein in the fore-quarter ought to be bluish and firm; if yellow or green, it is very stale. to ascertain if the hind-quarter is fresh, pass your finger under the kidney, and if there is a faint smell it is not fresh. if there is but little flesh on the shoulder it is not fine lamb; those that have short wool i have found to be the best flavored. nothing differs so much in flavor and goodness as this: much depends upon the kind of pasture on which the ewe is fed; that which is obtained when it is the dearest has but little flavor, and requires the addition of lemon and cayenne to make it palatable. . _neck of lamb à la jardinière._--plain roast the neck, as you would that of mutton; dish it up with sauce, and, whilst it is roasting, cut one middling-sized carrot in small dice, the same quantity of turnip, and thirty button onions; wash all in cold water, put them in a small stewpan, with one ounce of butter and half a teaspoonful of sugar, place on the fire till no liquid remains in the stewpan; add to it a gill of brown sauce, half a one of broth, add a small bouquet of parsley and bay-leaf; after once boiling, set it to simmer on the corner of the stove, skim off all the fat; when ready, taste if very palatable; it must be a nice brown color, and the sauce lightly adhere to the back of the spoon; serve on the dish, place the neck over: white sauce may be used instead of brown, only add a spoonful of liaison when ready to serve. this sauce is equally good with almost any kind of meat, game, and poultry: it will often be referred to, therefore be particular in making it; you can shape the vegetables in twenty different ways, by using either green peas, french beans, brussels sprouts; sprey-grass may be added, when in season, but should be boiled separately, and added just previous to serving. should you have no sauce-water cold, a little glaze may be used; or, for white sauce, use water and milk. . _saddle of lamb, russian fashion._--roast a small saddle of lamb, keeping it pale; having had it covered with paper, take ten good-sized boiled potatoes, mash them with about two ounces of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and a little grated nutmeg; mix all well together with a fork, adding half a gill of milk and one egg; when cold, roll them into a long shape the size of plover's eggs, egg and bread-crumb twice, and fry light colored; dress the saddle, surround it with the potatoes, make a sauce of melted butter and maître d'hôtel butter, no. , put in it, and pour it round, and serve. all joints of lamb can be dressed thus. . _leg or shoulder of lamb with peas._--these must be plain roasted; when done, serve with peas in the bottom of the dish, prepared as no. . . _leg or shoulder with french beans._--plain roast as before; prepare beans as directed. (see vegetables.) . _boiled leg of lamb with spinach._--procure a very small leg, and cut the end of the knuckle-bone, tie it up in a cloth and place it in cold water, with two ounces of salt in it, boil it gently according to size; when done, remove the cloth, and dish it up with spinach under it, prepared as directed. (see vegetables.) . _shoulder of lamb braised._--take the blade bone from a shoulder of lamb, and have ready ten long strips of fat bacon, which season rather highly, with pepper, salt, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, place the pieces, one after the other, in your larding pin, which draw quickly through the fleshy part of the shoulder, leaving the bacon in the meat; after having used all the bacon, roll the meat round, and tie it up with a piece of string; then put it into a stewpan containing a quarter of a pound of butter over a slow fire, stirring it occasionally until of a light golden color, when pour in a quart of water or broth, and add forty button onions, and a bunch of parsley; let simmer very slowly until the onions are quite tender, when take up the meat, pull off the string, and dress it upon a dish with the onions round; take the parsley out of the liquor, from which carefully skim off all the fat, and reduce it until forming a thinnish glaze, when pour it over the meat and serve. mushrooms may be added ten minutes before sending to table. . _breast of lamb broiled._--saw off the breast from a rib of lamb, leaving the neck of sufficient size to roast or for cutlets; then put two onions, half a carrot, and the same of turnip, cut into thin slices, in a stewpan with two bay-leaves, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, half an ounce of salt, and three pints of water, lay in the breast, which let simmer until tender, and the bones leave with facility, when take it from the stewpan, pull out all the bones, and press it between two dishes; when cold, season with a little salt and pepper, egg and bread-crumb it lightly over, and broil gently (over a moderate fire) of a nice yellowish color, turning it very carefully; when sufficiently browned upon one side, serve with plain gravy in the dish and mint sauce separately, or with stewed peas or any other vegetable sauce; tomato sauce is likewise very good served with it. . _lamb's head._--see sheep's head (no. ). this will take half the time to cook. . _lamb's fry._--take about a pound and boil for ten minutes in half a gallon of water, take it out and dry on a cloth; have some fresh crumbs, mix with them half a spoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper; egg the fry lightly with a paste-brush, dip it in the crumbs, fry for five minutes, serve very hot on a clean napkin in a dish, with fried parsley over. . _lamb's head with hollandaise._--if you want it very white, make stock as for sheep's feet, put it to stew when done, lay on dish with about twelve new potatoes (boiled) round it, pour over some cream sauce (no. ), and serve. . _lamb's head, with brain or liver._--blanch the brain or liver, and mince them as for sheep's head, introducing only the yolk of an egg; mix with a little milk, stir in quick, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of half a lemon, lay it on the dish with the head over, and serve. pork.--the flesh of no other animal depends so much upon feeding as that of pork. the greatest care ought to be observed in feeding it, at least twenty-one days previous to its being killed; it should fast for twenty-four hours before. no animal is more used for nourishment, and none more indispensable in the kitchen; employed either fresh or salt, all is useful, even to its bristles and its blood; it is the superfluous riches of the farmer, and helps to pay the rent of the cottager. it is cut up the same as the ox. the fore-quarter is the fore-loin and spring; if it is a large pig, the sparerib may be cut off. the hind-quarter is the leg and loin. there is also the head and haslet (which is the liver, kidney, craw, and skirts), and also chitterlings, which are cleansed for sausages and black puddings. for boiling or roasting it should never be older than six months, and the leg must not weigh more than from six to seven pounds. the short-legged, thick-necked, and small-headed pigs are the best breed, a cross from the chinese. if fresh and young, the flesh and fat should be white and firm, smooth and dry, and the lean break if pinched between the fingers, or you can nip the skin with the nails; the contrary if old and stale. . _leg of pork._--choose the pork as described at the commencement of this series, if a leg, one weighing about seven pounds; cut an incision in the knuckle near the thigh, into which put a quantity of sage and onions, previously passed in butter, sew the incision up with pack-thread, score the rind of the pork in lines across, half an inch apart, place upon a spit, running it in just under the rind, and bringing it out at the knuckle. if stuffed the day previous to roasting, it would improve its flavor; roast (if weighing seven pounds) about two hours and a half, and serve with apple sauce in a boat. . _chine of pork._--score it well, stuff it thick with pork stuffing, roast it gently, and serve with apple sauce. . _sparerib of pork._--when spitted, rub some flour over the rind, roast it before a clear fire, not too strong, or cover it with paper; about ten minutes before taking it up, throw some powdered sage over it, and froth it up with some butter in a spoon, and serve with gravy under. . _loin or neck of pork à la piémontaise._--the neck or loin must be plain roasted; you have peeled and cut four onions in dice, put them into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, stir over the fire until rather brown, then add a tablespoonful of flour, mix well, add a good pint of broth, if any, or water, with an ounce of glaze, boil ten minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of french mustard, with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, pour the sauce upon the dish, and dress your joint upon it; serve with a little apple sauce separate in a boat. . _loin or neck of pork, normandy fashion._--procure a neck or loin, put it in a common earthen dish, having previously scored the rind, rub over with a little oil, place about twenty potatoes, cut in halves or in quarters, in the dish with the pork, ten onions peeled, and twenty apples, peeled and quartered, place in a warm oven for an hour and a half or more, then dress it upon your dish with the apples, onions, and potatoes around, and serve. . _bacon and ham._--bacon-pigs are cut up differently for hams, bacon, &c., but a poleaxe should never be used for killing them, as it spoils the head. to be good, the fat must be firm, with a slight red tinge, the lean a dark red, and stick close to the bone; the rind thin, if young; if old (should it be well fed it is sometimes better), it will be thick. for hams, choose one short in the hock; run the knife close under the bone, when it comes out, if not smeared and has a pleasant smell, it is good. . _ham._--this useful and popular dish, which is equally a favorite in the palace and the cottage, may be dressed in upwards of fifty different ways, with as many different dishes, which are described in their place. they should be well soaked in water, and boiled gently for three or four hours. if to serve hot, take the skin off, except from the knuckle, which cut to fancy; trim the fat to a nice appearance, glaze and serve, or throw over some sifted raspings of bread mixed with a little chopped parsley. serve where recommended. . _bacon._--a piece of good streaky bacon, not too salt, should be put into cold water and boiled for one hour and a half, and served with broad beans, when in season, round it, or any young peas. . _sucking pig_ is merely plain roasted, stuffed with veal stuffing, but before putting it upon the spit it requires to be floured and rubbed very dry, otherwise the skin would not eat crisp; the usual method of serving it is to cut off the head, and divide the body and head of the pig in halves lengthwise; pour over some sauce made of the brains and a little brown sauce, or of white melted butter, nicely seasoned with salt, pepper, and sugar; serve apple sauce separate in a boat, if approved of. . _hind quarter of sucking pig (yorkshire fashion)._--cut off the skin, cover with paper, and roast before a quick fire about three quarters of an hour; ten minutes before being ready, remove the paper and baste it; serve with gravy under, and mint sauce and salad. . _salt pork._--pork is salted in the same manner as described for beef, omitting the sal-prunella, but of course not requiring so long a time; a leg weighing seven pounds would be well salted in a week, as also would a hand and spring weighing about ten pounds, and either would require two hours boiling, putting them in a stewpan, with cold water, and serving with carrots and greens and pease pudding. . _pig's cheek (a new method)._--procure a pig's cheek nicely pickled, boil well until it feels very tender, tie half a pint of split peas in a cloth, put them into a stewpan of boiling water, boil about half an hour, take them out, pass through a hair sieve, put them into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, a little pepper and salt, and four eggs, stir them over the fire until the eggs are partially set, then spread it over the pig's cheek, egg with a paste-brush, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, place in the oven ten minutes, brown it with the salamander, and serve. . _pickled pork (belly part)._--choose a nice streaky piece of about four pounds, it will take about three quarters of an hour boiling; serve, garnish with greens round it. . _hand of pork._--choose one not too salt; boil it for one hour. serve as above. venison is cut up the same as mutton, with the exception of the saddle, which is seldom or never cut; the flesh should be dark, fine-grained and firm, and a good coating of fat on the back. it should be well hung and kept in a dry, cold place. by running a skewer in along the bone, you will know when it is fit for eating; examine it carefully every morning to cut out any fly-blows. . _haunch of venison._--a good haunch of venison, weighing from about twenty to twenty-five pounds, will take from three to four hours roasting before a good solid fire; trim the haunch by cutting off part of the knuckle and sawing off the chine-bone; fold the flap over, then envelop it in a flour and water paste rather stiff, and an inch thick, tie it up in strong paper, four sheets in thickness, place it in your cradle spit so that it will turn quite even, place it at first very close to the fire until the paste is well crusted, pouring a few ladlefuls of hot dripping over occasionally to prevent the paper catching fire, then put it rather further from the fire, which must be quite clear, solid, and have sufficient frontage to throw the same heat on every part of the venison; when it has roasted the above time take it up, remove it from the paste and paper, run a thin skewer into the thickest part to ascertain if done; if it resists the skewer it is not done, and must be tied up and put down again, but if the fire is good, that time will sufficiently cook it; glaze the top well, salamander until a little brown, put a frill upon the knuckle, and serve very hot, with strong gravy, and plenty of french beans separate. . _neck of venison_ should be cut like a neck of mutton, taking the breast off, leaving the neck about nine inches wide; detach the flesh from the chine-bone, and saw it off, leaving only the cutlet bones, then pass a lark spit through it, cover it with paste and paper the same as the haunch, and fix on spit, and roast, if about eight pounds, for two hours before a good fire. poultry. this is the best and most delicious of the various matters with which man furnishes himself as food; although containing but little nourishment, it gives a delightful variety to our repasts: from the sparrow to the turkey, we find everywhere, in this numerous class, that which gives a meal equally as good for the invalid as the robust. increasing every day in luxuries, we have arrived at a point unknown even to lucullus; we are not contented with the beautiful qualities which nature gives this species, but, under pretence of improving them, we not only deprive them of their liberty by keeping them in solitude and in darkness, but force them to eat their food, and thus bring them to a degree of fatness which nature never intended. even the bird which saved the capital of rome is treated with still greater indignity,--thrust into warm ovens and nearly baked alive to produce those beautiful and delicious livers so well known to gourmets.[ ] the best way of killing poultry is to take the bird by the neck, placing the thumb of the right hand just at the back of the head, closing the head in your hand, your left hand holding the bird, then press your thumb down hard and pull the head and neck contrariwise; the neck will break instantaneously, and the bird will be quite dead in a few seconds, then hang it a short time by the legs for the blood to flow into the head, which renders the flesh much whiter. in france they are usually killed by cutting the throat close to the head; both methods are good with regard to the whiteness of the flesh, but i prefer the english method, not being so barbarous. to pluck either game or poultry have the bird upon a board with its head towards you, and pull the feathers away from you, which is the direction they lie in; many persons pull out the feathers in a contrary direction, by which means they are likely to tear the skin to pieces, which would very much disfigure the bird for the table. to draw poultry after it is well plucked, cut a long incision at the back of the neck, then take out the thin skin from under the outer with the crop, cut the neck bone off close to the body of the bird, but leave the skin a good length, make an incision under the tail just large enough for the gizzard to pass through, no larger; then put your finger into the bird at the breast and detach all the intestines, take care not to break the gall-bladder, squeeze the body of the bird and force out the whole from the incision at the tail; it is then ready for trussing, the method of doing which will be given in the various receipts throughout this series. the above method of drawing poultry is equally applicable to game. turkey.--the flesh of this bird depends greatly upon its feeding; it might be made much more valuable for table if proper attention was paid to it. a young one should have his legs black and smooth and spurs short, his eyes look fresh and feet limber. it is singular that this bird should take its name from a country in which it was never seen; in other countries in europe it is called the indian cock, because, on the first discovery of america by columbus, it was supposed to be part of the continent of india, and thus it received the name of the west indies; and this bird, being brought over on the first voyage, was thus named. by many it is supposed to have been brought over by the jesuits in spain and portugal. it is familiarly called so. it is also probable that they were the first who domesticated it. i have seen it stated that it was known to the romans, and was served at the marriage of charlemagne. from my researches i rather think they confound it with the pheasant. it has more flavor than any other of our domestic birds, and is, consequently, held in higher estimation and enjoys a higher price. do not fear these long receipts, as each one contains several. . _plain roasted turkey, with sausages._--this well-known dish, which has the joyous recollection of christmas attached to it, and its well-known cognomen of 'an alderman in chains,' brings to our mind's eye the famed hospitality of this mighty city. the following is my plan of cooking it.--it must be first trussed as follows: having first emptied it, break the leg-bone close to the foot, and draw out the sinews from the thigh; cut off the neck close to the back, leaving the skin long; wipe the inside with a wet cloth, cut the breast-bone through on each side close to the back, and draw the legs close up; fold a cloth up several times, place it on the breast, and beat it down until it lies flat; put a skewer in the joint of the wing, and another through the middle of the leg and body, one through the small part of the leg and body, close to the side-bones, and another through the extremity of the two legs. the liver and gizzard should be placed between the pinions of the wings, and the points turned on the back. when thus trussed, singe all the hair off that may remain, take about one pound of stuffing (see receipt), and put it under the skin at the neck, tie the skin under, but not too tight or it may burst in roasting, put it on to a small-sized spit and fasten it with a holdfast, or hang it neck downwards from a bottle-jack, put it about eighteen inches from a good roasting-fire, let it turn about ten minutes, when the skin is firm and dry you press into the bowl of a wooden spoon, so that it sticks, about one ounce of butter, and rub the turkey all over with it; when all melted, remove the turkey eight inches further from the fire: one of about six pounds will take two hours to roast without pouring any fat over it. in case your fire is too fierce and likely to break the skin, draw it back still more; it will, with proper care, be of a golden color. i do not object to the gizzard being placed under the wing when roasting, but never the liver, which i cook in the dripping-pan, as the gravy which would run from it would spoil the color of the breast. when done, remove it, cut the strings, lay it on your dish, and pour under half a pint of good brown gravy, or make some with glaze; or, whilst the bird is roasting, butter the bottom of a small stewpan, pick and slice two onions, lay them at the bottom, cut the neck in small pieces, add half a spoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a little turnip, one clove, set on a slow fire till the onions are of a brown color, then add a pint of water, let it simmer for nearly one hour, then pass it through a sieve into a basin, skim off the fat, return the gravy again into a stewpan, give it a boil, and, when the turkey is ready to send to table, pour it under; if a little beef or veal handy, add it to the gravy if you require much. this plan of roasting is adapted for all birds, and all my receipts for plain roasting of poultry will refer to this, with the alteration of the time which each takes to cook. for _sausages_, i seldom broil them; i prick them with a needle, rub the bottom of the frying-pan with a little butter, put twelve sausages in it, and set it on a slow fire and fry gently for about fifteen minutes, turning them when required (by this plan they will not burst), serve very hot round the turkey, or on a separate dish, of smoking-hot mashed potatoes; to vary the gravy i have tried the following plan: take off the fat which is in the frying-pan into a basin, then add the brown gravy, mix a good teaspoonful of arrow-root in a cup with a wineglassful of cold water, pour in the pan, boil a few minutes, pass it through a sieve, and serve with the turkey. the gravy this way is excellent. . _turkey with flat sausage cake._--roast as before, fry thirty oval flat sausages (see receipt), the same quantity of the same sized pieces of bacon, a quarter of an inch thick, make a border of mashed potatoes about the size of a finger, one inch inside the edge of the dish, dress your sausages and bacon on it as a crown alternately, put your turkey in the middle, and gravy over, or glaze, if handy; plain boiled tongue may, of course, be served with the turkey, or separate on a dish of greens; if any remains of tongue from a previous day, it may be served instead of the sausages, cut the same shape as sausages and warmed in a pan; if so, put a nice green brussels sprout between each piece. bread sauce is generally served with this dish; for my own part, i never eat it. boiled turkey.--this is a dish i rarely have, as i never could relish it boiled as it generally is, by putting it into that pure and chaste element water, into which has been thrown some salt, the quantity of which differs as much as the individuals that throw it in. i often reflect to myself, why should this innocent and well-brought up bird have its remains condemned to this watery bubbling inquisition, especially when alive it has the greatest horror of this temperate fluid; it is really for want of reflection that such mistakes occur: the flavor of a roasted turkey, hot or cold, is as superior to the boiled as it is possible to be. but yet there is a kind of boiling which can be adopted, and which i sometimes practise, which makes a nice palatable dish, and the broth can be used for other purposes. i think, if you try it, you will never again resort to that bubbling system of salt and water. i proceed as follows:-- . _boiled braised turkey._--i truss it thus: cut the neck, leaving the skin on; cut the legs off; then run the middle finger into the inside, raise the skin of the legs, and put them under the apron of the turkey, put the liver and gizzard in the pinions, turn the small end of the pinions on the back, run a packing-needle with string through the joint of the wing and middle joint of the leg, and through the body, and out at the opposite leg and wing, bring it round and tie it on the back, then run the needle and string through the ends of the legs or drumstick, press it through the back, and tie strongly; it is then ready. when the turkey is trussed, i then stuff it; and if i intend to have oyster sauce with it, i chop about two dozen of them into small dice and mix them with the stuffing, and place inside the breast. i then rub the breast with half a lemon, and put it into a two-gallon pan, and cover it with cold water, in which i add two ounces of butter, one ounce of salt, four onions, a stick of celery, one carrot, two turnips sliced, a large bouquet of parsley, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme; set it on the fire, when beginning to boil, skim it, let it simmer two hours, or more if large; try the breast with a needle, if it goes in and out easily it is done; take it out and set it on a dish to drain, remove the string, serve on a fresh dish with a pint of good thick oyster sauce over it; by omitting the oysters in stuffing, you may serve the turkey with celery sauce, jerusalem sauce, tomato ditto, mushroom ditto, or good parsley and butter; and, as an accompaniment, a piece of about two pounds of nice streaked bacon, which has been boiled with the turkey, and from which you have removed the skin, and serve on some greens, or brussels sprouts, over which you have thrown a little salt, pepper, and two ounces of oiled butter. you see, dear----, that this dish can be varied without much expense and trouble; observe, that this way, the broth is good for soup the same day, and by the addition of two pounds of veal cut in small pieces, a quarter of a pound of lean bacon, one onion, one blade of mace, one leek, a wineglass of water; put into a separate stewpan, stew on fire till forming a white glaze, then add it to the turkey when on the point of boiling; when done, skim off all fat, pass it through a tammy or cloth; you may use it for any clear soup by adding a little brown gravy or coloring, and also for any kind of purée; or, by reducing it a little, make white or brown sauce, adding to the last the proper color. i must observe, that this will be almost impracticable when you have a party; the only plan would be to get the turkey done one hour before you require it, keeping it hot with its breast in some of the stock; but, as the broth will keep well in small quantities, it can be reserved for the next day. that is my plan of boiling, but the following is my new way of giving the flavor of vegetables to all poultry, which is a decided improvement. the aroma from the bird when the cover is removed is quite inviting, and the appearance of it, which is as white as alabaster, and cuts also full of juice: i call it-- . _roast braised turkey._--peel and wash two onions, one carrot, one turnip, cut them in thin slices, also a little celery, a few sprigs of parsley, two bay-leaves, lay three sheets of paper on the table, spread your vegetables, and pour over them two or three tablespoonfuls of oil; have your turkey, or poularde, trussed the same as for boiling; cover the breast with thin slices of bacon, and lay the back of the bird on the vegetables; cut a few slices of lemon, which you lay on the breast to keep it white, tie the paper round with string, then pass the spit and set it before the fire; pour plenty of fat over to moisten the paper and prevent from burning, roast three hours at a pretty good distance from the fire; capons will take two hours, poulardes one hour and a half, fowls one hour, and chickens half an hour. this way it may be served with almost any sauce or garniture, as stewed peas, oyster sauce, jardinière, stewed celery, cauliflower, stewed cucumbers, jerusalem artichokes, which should be turned in the shape of a pear: these should be dished on a border of mashed potatoes; that is, an artichoke and a brussels sprout alternately, or a small piece of white cauliflower, and a small bunch of green asparagus, or stewed peas, or stewed celery of two inches long, never more, or any other vegetable according to season, which taste or fancy may dictate. when i want to serve them with brown garniture or sauce, i remove the paper and vegetables twenty minutes before it is done, and give it a light golden color, then i serve it with either a ragout financier, or mushroom or english truffle. i also often stuff it thus: i put two pounds of sausage meat in a basin with a little grated nutmeg; i then take two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, put them in a sauté-pan with a little butter, and let them do for two minutes, which add to the meat, also two eggs well beaten up, and a quarter of a pint of white sauce if at hand, and fifteen fine roasted chestnuts; add this to the stuffing, and fill the bird as usual, not too full at the breast; roast as above, giving half an hour longer for the forcemeat, put a quart of demi-glaze and a glass of sherry in a stewpan, reduce it to a pint and a half, add in it fifty button onions previously stewed, and twenty-five roasted chestnuts; sauce under. . _turkey, if old._--the french stew it exactly like the ribs of beef, the receipt of which you have; but as this is a large "pièce de résistance," i think i had better give it you in full as i do it:--put a quarter of a pound of butter into a convenient-sized stewpan, such as will comfortably hold the old gentleman; cut one pound of lean bacon in ten or twelve pieces for a few minutes in the pan on the fire, then add your turkey trussed as for boiling, breast downwards; set it on a moderate fire for one hour, and until it is a nice color, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir well round until it forms a roux, then add two quarts of water or broth; when you have it on the point of boiling, add fifty pieces of carrot the size of walnuts, the like of turnip, ten button onions, a good bouquet of sprigs of thyme, two bay-leaves, and ten of parsley, a small glass of rum, a clove, a piece of garlic, and let it stew gently for four hours. if you use water, season in proportion. take your turkey out, and put the vegetables and sauce in a smaller stewpan, which ought to be nearly full; let it simmer on the corner of the fire, so that the fat rises and may be removed, and reduce it to a demi-glaze, dish up your turkey and serve with the sauce over it; small new potatoes, about twenty, when in season, may be added to the sauce or roasted chestnuts. the remains are excellent when cold, or will warm again with the addition of a little broth or water. the series of entrées will contain the dishes made from the remnants of the foregoing receipts. fowls, in a general sense, mean all kinds of poultry, but, in a limited view, mean one species of bird, which is exceedingly common in all parts of europe: there are an amazing number of kinds of this species produced by crossing the breed; great attention having been bestowed upon this subject of late years, that it is quite impossible to say which is the best. they are not originally natives of england, but were found there by the romans, having probably been brought by the phoenicians. we distinguish this kind in cookery as the chicken, capon, pullet, cock, and hen. chickens from their age cannot be otherwise but tender; capons should have a fat vein on the side of the breast, thick belly and rump, comb short and pale, spurs short and blunt, and legs smooth. pullets are best in the spring, just before they begin to lay. cocks should have their spurs short, legs smooth, and comb short, smooth, and a bright color. hens, legs and comb smooth, and full breast. black legs are best for roasting and entrées, and white for boiling. for preparing them for table, m. soyer has invented a plan:--by cutting the sinews of the bird, it not only appears fuller and plumper when cooked, as the heat is liable to contract the sinews, but it also affords facility for carving when the sinews are divided; they are trussed in the usual way, only using string instead of skewers. the following is the ordinary plan of trussing-- _for roasting._--having emptied the fowl and cleaned the gizzard, cut the skin of the wings, and put the gizzard and liver through it, and turn the pinion under; put a skewer through the first joint of the pinion and the body, coming out at the opposite side, and bring the middle of the leg close up to it; run a skewer through the middle of both legs and body, and another through the drumstick and side-bone, and one through the skins of the feet, the nails of which must be cut off. _for boiling._--prepare as before; put the finger in the inside, and raise the skin of the legs; cut a hole in the top of the skin, and put the legs under; put the gizzard and liver in the pinions, and run a skewer through the first joint; draw the leg close up, and run a skewer through the middle of the legs and the body, tie a string on the tops of the legs to keep them in their proper place. . _poulards, capons, and fowls._--these are the best at nine and ten months old; if after twelve or fourteen, are only fit to be stewed like the turkey, no. , but in less time, or boiled in broth or sauces, but when young serve as boiled turkey, no. . roast, no. , less time, but take care to do it well, as white meat with red gravy in it is unbearable. . _capon or poulard roasted._--prepare it as you would a turkey, and it may be stuffed with the same kind of stuffing, tie over the breast a large slice of fat bacon, about a quarter of an inch thick, and two sheets of paper; ten minutes before being done, remove the paper and bacon, dredge it, and put a piece of butter on it, so that it is of a nice color, dish it up very hot with a gravy like the roast turkey. . _capon boiled._--the same as the turkey. . _capon or poulard à l'estragon._--i have been told many fanciful epicures idolize this dish. the bird should be trussed for boiling; rub the breast with half a lemon, tie over it some thin slices of bacon, cover the bottom of a small stewpan with thin slices of the same, and a few trimmings of either beef, veal, or lamb, two onions, a little carrot, turnip, and celery, two bay-leaves, one sprig of thyme, a glass of sherry, two quarts of water, season lightly with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, simmer about one hour and a quarter, keeping continually a little fire on the lid, strain three parts of the gravy into a small basin, skim off the fat, and pass through a tammy into a small stewpan, add a drop of gravy or coloring to give it a nice brown color, boil a few minutes longer, and put about forty tarragon leaves; wash, and put in the boiling gravy, with a tablespoonful of good french vinegar, and pour over the capon when you serve it; by clarifying the gravy, it is an improvement. all kinds of fowls and chickens are continually cooked in this manner in france. they are also served with rice. . _poulard with rice._--having been braised as before, have a quarter of a pound of good rice washed, put in a stewpan, with a pint of broth, three spoonfuls of the capon's fat from the stewpan, a bouquet of parsley, let it simmer until it is tender, take the parsley out, add two ounces of butter, a little salt, pepper, nutmeg, stir it round, or form it into a delicate pulpy paste, lay some of it on a dish with the capon on it, put the remainder round it, making it smooth with a knife, leaving the breast uncovered; salamander the rice, and serve clear gravy separate; sometimes i add a little curry powder in the gravy, and egg and bread-crumb the rice, and salamander or make the rice yellow with curry powder, and make a border of half eggs round the dish, it looks well, and that is a great thing; and one fowl done thus will often go as far as two plain. it is generally the custom with us to send either ham, tongue, or bacon, as an accompaniment to poultry. i endeavor to vary it as much as possible; the following is one of my receipts. . _poulards or capons, with quenelles and tongue._--when you are either roasting or braising, you make about twenty quenelles with table spoons, out of forcemeat of veal. proceed and cook the same; when done, make a roll of mashed potatoes, which put round the dish you intend to serve it in, have ready cut from a cold tongue as many pieces of the shape of the quenelles, warm gently in a little gravy, then put the quenelles on the border; having cut a piece off the end, so that they may stand properly, with a piece of tongue between each, put the fowl in the centre, have ready made a quart of a new white sauce, which pour over the fowl and quenelles, glaze the tongue, and serve very hot. i found this dish at first rather complicated, but now my cook can do it well without my assistance; it looks and eats well, but is only adapted for a dinner of importance. . _the same with cucumbers._--cut about four nice fresh cucumbers into lengths of two inches, peel and divide them down the middle, take the seedy part out, trim the corners, put about thirty of them into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, a spoonful of eschalot, and the same of sugar; lay on a very slow fire for half an hour, or till tender; lay them on a border of mashed potatoes, with quenelles as above, and place the tongue between; in another stewpan you have put a little butter, and the trimmings of the cucumbers, then add a quart of white sauce, boil and pass through a tammy, adding a little sugar, or other seasoning if required, and finish with half a gill of good cream sauce over all except the tongue, which glaze. cauliflower, sprue grass, jerusalem artichokes, or brussels sprouts, like the turkey, make excellent and inviting dishes. . _capon with young carrots._--scrape two bunches of young carrots, keep them in their original shape as much as possible, wash them and dry on a cloth, put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, a little sugar, salt, and pepper, set it on the fire for ten minutes, moving them now and then, add a quart of white broth, simmer gently until very tender and it comes to a demi-glaze; dish the carrots on a border of potatoes, the points towards the centre, cook some small button onions the same way, but very white, and dress them alternately; mix the two gravies together with a quart of demi-glaze, set it on the fire, boil fast, skim it, when forming a bright thinnish sauce, pour it over the capon and vegetables; it being served with a brown sauce, it ought to be roasted brown like turkey (no. ); turnips may also be added instead of carrots, or both. . _fowls, italian way._--prepare and cook the fowls as above, or re-warm some that may be left, cut the remains of a tongue into pieces one inch long and one quarter in thickness, cut three times the quantity of plain boiled macaroni the same way, with a few mushrooms, and add the whites of four eggs to it, with some broth and half a pint of white sauce; when boiling, add a quarter of a pound of grated parmesan and half that of gruyère, shake the stewpan so that the contents are well mixed, add a little salt and cayenne, put fowl on dish, sauce over and serve; or put the macaroni on the dish, mix bread-crumbs and a little grated cheese together and sprinkle over it, put it into the oven until it is a yellow-brown color, put the fowl on it very hot, and serve with a little white sauce over, and a strong gravy separate. . _fowl à l'ecarlate._--roast and braise two nice fowls, and boil a fine salted tongue, which trim so as to be able to stand it in a dish, when place it in the middle in a slanting position, place two fine heads of cauliflower at each end, and make a pint of cream sauce, pour over the fowl, and brocoli; glaze the tongue and serve. fowls may be dressed in any of the ways before described, and dished up thus. geese.--we have now arrived at your favorite dish, or, as your better half said on your return home from this, "what is better than a goose stuffed with sage and onion!" of course many persons are of his idea, and i must say that i for one enjoy them occasionally when in season; yes, indeed i do, and with the original apple-sauce too; this last addition to our national cookery must have been conferred on it by the germans, who eat sweets or stewed fruit with almost every dish; or, perhaps, from william the conqueror, who left his land of apples to visit and conquer our shores; but never mind to whom we are indebted for this bizarre culinary mixture, i sincerely forgive them, and intend to have one for dinner to-day, which i shall have cooked as follows; but i must first tell you how they should be chosen. the flesh should be of a fine pink color, and the liver pale, the bill and foot yellow, and no hairs, or but few, on the body; the contrary will be observed in an old one, which will have the feet and bill red. . _goose (to truss)._--having well picked the goose, cut the feet off at the joint, and the pinion at the first joint; cut off the neck close to the back, leaving all the skin you can; pull out the throat, and tie a knot at the end; put your middle finger in at the breast, loosen the liver, &c., cut it close to the rump, and draw out all the inside except the soal,[ ] wipe it well, and beat the breast bone flat; put a skewer in the wings, and draw the legs close up, running a skewer through the middle of both legs and body; draw the small of the leg close down to the side bone, and run a skewer through; make a hole in the skin large enough to admit the trail, which when stuffed place through it, as it holds the stuffing better. . _roast goose._--peel and cut in rather small dice six middle-sized onions, put in a pan, with two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a little grated nutmeg and sugar, six leaves of fresh sage chopped fine, put on fire, stir with wooden spoon till in pulp, then have the goose ready trussed as under, and stuff it whilst hot, tie the skin of the neck to the back, pass the spit through and roast two hours before a moderate fire; baste the same as turkey (no. ), give a nice yellow color, remove it from the spit, take off the string, and serve with half a pint of good brown gravy under and apple-sauce in a boat. . _the same, with another stuffing._--i have tried it with the liver chopped and mixed it with the onions; i also at times add two cold potatoes cut in dice and a spoonful of boiled rice; it removes the richness of the fat, and renders it more palatable and digestive; and i also sometimes add twenty chestnuts cut into dice. the giblets should be stewed or made into pies. (see receipt.) where there is no gravy, broth, or glaze, still gravy is wanted, therefore put into the dripping-pan a teaspoonful of salt, half a pint of water, and dredge a little flour on it; when the bird is done, pour the contents of the pan into a cup, remove the fat, pour over the back of the bird, which serve on a very hot dish as soon as taken from the fire. . _goose roasted (another way)._--having the goose ready the day previous to using, take three cloves of garlic, which cut into four pieces each and place inside the goose, and stuff it as follows; take four apples, four onions, four leaves of sage not broken, four leaves of lemon-thyme not broken, and boil in a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them; when done, pulp them through a sieve, removing the sage and thyme, then add sufficient pulp of mealy potatoes to cause it to be sufficiently dry without sticking to the hand, add pepper and salt, and stuff the bird, having previously removed the garlic, tie the neck and rump, and spit it, paper the breast, which remove after it has been at the fire for twenty minutes; when done, serve it plain with a thickened gravy. . _goose stewed._--if an old one, stew it with vegetables, as duck (no. ), only give it more time to cook. on the continent they are dressed in different ways, but which are too complicated for both our kitchens. . _goose giblets, ragout of, or of turkey._--put them into half a gallon of warm water to disgorge for a few hours, then dry them on a cloth, cut into pieces not too small, put into a stewpan a quarter of a pound of good lean bacon, with two ounces of butter; when a little brown, add your giblets, and fry for twenty minutes longer, stirring it together; add a little flour, a good bouquet of parsley, twenty button onions, same number of pieces of carrot and turnip, two saltspoonfuls of salt, the same of sugar, stew together one hour until tender, skim off the fat, dish up the meat, reduce the salt if required, take bouquet out, and sauce over the giblets: both goose and turkey giblets take the same time to stew. if any remaining, they will make a capital pie or pudding, or merely warm up with broth or water, and a little flour. . _preserved goose for the farm, or country house._--in case you have more geese in condition and season than what you consume, kill and cut them up into pieces, so that there shall be as little flesh left on the carcase as possible, and bone the leg; rub into each piece with your fingers some salt, in which you have mixed a little saltpetre, put them into an earthen pan, with some thyme, bay-leaf, spice, a clove of chopped garlic, rub them for a couple of days, after which dip each piece in water and dry on a cloth; when you have chopped fine and melted all the fat you could get from the goose, and scraped a quarter of a pound of fat bacon and melted with it, pass through a sieve into a stewpan, lay the pieces in it, and bake very gently in a slow oven until a stiff piece of straw will go through it, then lay it in a sieve; when nearly cold put it in a bowl or round preserving jar, and press a smaller one on the top so that it all forms one solid mass, pour the fat over, when cold cover with a piece of bladder, keep it in a cold place, and it will be good for months together, and is excellent for breakfast, luncheon, or supper, having previously extracted the fat. last winter i kept some for three months quite sweet; having half a one left, i put it by in the above way, bones and all, in a basin, and covered with the fat produced with roasting, and put in the larder, and it was excellent. ducks may be served in the same way. ducks.--there are several varieties of this bird, all, however, originating from the mallard. there has not been that care and attention paid to this bird as to the fowl; but i think it is well worthy the attention of farmers, it being one which is exceedingly cheap to rear; great care should be evinced in feeding it twelve days previous to its being killed. ducklings are considered a luxury, but which, i think, is more to be attributed to their scarcity than flavor. the drake is generally considered the best, but, as a general rule, those of the least gaudy plumage are the best; they should be hard and thick on the belly, and limber-footed. . _ducks roasted._--prepare them for the spit (that is, the same as geese, only leave the fat on), and stuff them with sage, onion, and bread-crumbs, prepared as for the goose, roast before a very quick fire, and serve very hot. there are many ways of cooking ducks, but this is the plainest and the best. . _stewed duck and peas._--procure a duck trussed with the legs turned inside, which put into a stewpan with two ounces of butter and a quarter of a pound of streaked bacon let remain over a fire, stirring occasionally until lightly browned, when add a tablespoonful of flour (mix well) and a quart of broth or water, stir round gently until boiling, when skim, and add twenty button onions, a bunch of parsley, with a bay-leaf, and two cloves, let simmer a quarter of an hour, then add a quart of nice young peas, let simmer until done, which will take about half an hour longer, take out the duck, place it upon your dish (taking away the string it was trussed with), take out the parsley and bay-leaf, season the peas with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, skim the fat, reduce a little if not sufficiently thick, pour over the duck and serve. . _duckling with turnips_ is a very favorite dish amongst the middle classes in france. proceed as in the last, but instead of peas use about forty pieces of good turnips cut into moderate-sized square pieces, having previously fried them of a light yellow color in a little butter or lard, and drained them upon a sieve, dress the duck upon a dish as before, season the sauce with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, reduce until rather thickish, a thin sauce not suiting a dish of this description; the turnips must not, however, be in purée; sauce over and serve. the remains of ducks left from a previous dinner may be hashed as directed for goose, and for variety, should peas be in season, a pint previously boiled may be added to the hash just before serving. the sage and apple must in all cases be omitted. . _ducks à l'aubergiste (or tavern-keepers' fashion)._--truss one or two ducks with the legs turned inside, put them into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter; place them over a slow fire, turning round occasionally, until they have taken a nice brown color, add two spoonfuls of flour, mix well with them, add a quart of water, with half a tablespoonful of salt and sugar, let simmer gently until the ducks are done (but adding forty button onions well peeled as soon as it begins to boil), keep hot; peel and cut ten turnips in slices, fry them in a frying-pan in butter, drain upon a cloth, put them into the sauce, and stew until quite tender; dress the ducks upon your dish, skim the fat from the sauce, which has attained a consistency, add some fresh mushrooms, pour round the ducks and serve. flancs. at this part of the dinner there are those dishes which are called flancs, by which is understood, those dishes whose contents are not so large as the removes and not so small as the entrées, and the receipts for which may be taken from either of those departments, with this difference;--instead of meat or poultry being cut up, it should be left whole: for instance, a loin of mutton, instead of being cut up into cutlets, should be served whole, with some sauce under it, and a duck, instead of being divided, should be left whole, with some sauce. it is also a great addition in the appearance of the table, and should always be served in a differently-formed dish to the entrées or removes; and are only required when eighteen or twenty persons dine, and four corner dishes are used. entrÉes or made dishes. entrÉes are, in common terms, what are called made-dishes; of course, these are dishes upon which, in the high class of cookery, the talent of the cook is displayed. great care should be observed in dishing them up, for the eye is a great assistance to the palate; it often happens that the carelessness of the servant destroys the labors of the cook, by the manner in which the dish is taken from the kitchen to the dining-room. in some measure to avoid that, i direct a small thin border of mashed potatoes, about half an inch wide and a quarter of an inch deep, to be placed on the bottom of the dish, which keeps each object in its place: they should always be served exceedingly hot. _made dishes of beef._--the remainder of any cooked joints of beef may be advantageously and economically dressed in the following ways: . _hashed beef._--cut the beef into small thin slices, which lay upon a plate, and to every pound of beef add half a tablespoonful of flour, a little chopped onion or eschalot, two salt-spoonfuls of salt, and a half one of pepper, mix the whole well together, and put it into a saucepan, with half a pint of water, stir it over the fire until upon the point of boiling, when set it at the corner of the fire to simmer for ten minutes; it is then ready to serve. a great improvement to the appearance of hash may be effected by adding a few spoonfuls of brown gravy (no. ), or a teaspoonful of coloring (no. ), which might always be kept in a bottle. the flavor of any kind of hash may be varied, by adding a few sprigs of parsley, or thyme, or a couple of bay-leaves, or a little tarragon, or a few spoonfuls of catsup, soyer's, harvey's, soho, or reading sauce. . _miroton of beef._--peel and cut into thin slices two large onions, put them in a stewpan or saucepan, with two ounces of salt butter, place it over a slow fire, keeping the onions stirred round with a wooden spoon until rather brown, but not burnt in the least, then add a teaspoonful of flour, which mix well in, and moisten with half a pint of water or broth if handy, season with three saltspoonfuls of salt, two of sugar, and one of pepper if water has been used, but if broth, diminish the quantity of salt, add a little coloring (no. ), to improve its appearance; put in the beef, which you have previously cut into small thin slices, as free from fat as possible, let it remain a few minutes upon the fire to simmer, and serve upon a hot dish. to vary the flavor, a tablespoonful of vinegar might be added, or half a glass of sherry. the above proportions are sufficient for one pound and a half of solid meat, and of course could be increased or diminished, if more or less meat. . _another way._--prepare the meat precisely as in the last, and when done put it into a pie-dish, sprinkle bread-crumbs lightly over, enough to cover the meat, upon which lay a small piece of butter, put the dish in the oven for half an hour, or before the fire, with a screen behind it, turning the dish round occasionally. by grating the crust of bread you would obtain some brown bread-crumbs, which would do equally as well as bread rubbed through a sieve. should you have any cold from the first receipt, it may be served as here directed; but being cold, would require to be longer in the oven to become well hot through. . _another way._--if any left from a previous dinner, put it in a dish, placing the meat in the centre, rather higher, cover over with some delicate mashed potatoes, about two inches in thickness, to form a dome, rub some egg over with a paste-brush, and sprinkle crumbs of bread (either grated or otherwise) upon the top, and set in the oven until well browned, when serve. . _a quicker way._--cook a few slices of lean bacon in a frying-pan, but not too much, lay some of them in the bottom of the pie-dish, over which lay slices of beef cut thin, which season with a little pepper, salt, chopped parsley, and chopped eschalots (if not objectionable), sprinkle over a little flour, proceeding thus until the dish is pretty full, when pour over half a gill of broth or water, to which you have added a little coloring, no. , (more seasoning would be required if water was used), set the dish in the oven (having previously covered the meat over with mashed potatoes) for about an hour. by adding half the above quantity of liquor, the meat might be covered with a thin suet crust and served as a pie, as also might any of the former receipts, in which also a bay-leaf, chopped parsley, or even chopped gherkins, might be served, being a great improvement. . _beef palates._--although this is an article very seldom used in small families, they are very much to be commended; they may be dressed in various ways, and are not expensive, about four would be sufficient for a dish. put them into a large stewpan of lukewarm water, where let them remain four or five hours to disgorge, after which pour off the water, cover again with fresh water, and place the stewpan upon the fire until the palates become hard, when take out one, which dip into cold water, scrape it with a knife, and if the skin comes off easily, take out the remainder, but if not, let them remain a short time longer, scrape them until you have got off all the skin, and nothing but the white half transparent substance remains. then make a white stock as directed (no. ), in which boil them three or four hours until very tender, which try with the point of a knife, then take them up, lay them flat upon a dish, covered with a little of the stock, and place another dish of the same size over, to keep them flat, let remain until cold, when they are ready to serve in either of the following ways:-- . _beef palates à la bretonne._--peel and cut two large onions into slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, stirring them over the fire until lightly fried, when add a teaspoonful of flour, which mix well in, and a gill of broth, season with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, add a few drops of brown gravy or browning (no. ), and a spoonful of mustard; boil the whole, keeping it stirred until forming a thickish pulp, when cut the palates into square pieces, and put into it; when well hot through they are ready to serve; also make a curry sauce, as no. ; cut your palate and warm in it, serve with rice separate, and it is delicious. . _beef palates à la poulette._--make a little white sauce as directed, no. ; after having prepared the palates, cut them into square pieces, and put them into a stewpan, just covered with some of the white sauce, season with a little white pepper, salt, sugar, chopped parsley, and the juice of half a lemon; let them simmer about five minutes, when pour in a liaison of one yolk of an egg, mixed with two tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, stir it in rather quickly, and not afterwards permitting it to boil, then turn it upon your dish, place sippets of toasted bread round, and serve: chopped parsley and a little lemon may be added. . _beef palates à la maître d'hôtel._--cut up the palates as in the last, and put them into a stewpan, just covered with melted butter, to which add a gill of milk, let simmer very gently about ten minutes, stirring it round occasionally; have ready two ounces of well-seasoned maître d'hôtel butter, which put into the stewpan, shaking it round until the butter is melted and well mixed, when serve as in the last. . _ox-tails à la jardinière._--cut and cook two ox-tails as directed for soup, but just before they are done, skim well, and take out the pieces of tails, which put upon a dish, then in another stewpan put two ounces of butter, to which, when melted, add three ounces of flour, stirring it over the fire until forming a brownish roux (thickening), then mix by degrees two quarts of the stock the tails were boiled in, and boil altogether ten minutes, then put in the tails, with one carrot and two turnips (cut into small dice, or any other shape, with a vegetable cutter), and about thirty button onions; let the whole simmer very gently upon the corner of the fire, keeping it well skimmed, until the vegetables are tender, and the sauce sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of the spoon, when dress the meat upon a dish, reduce the sauce, which pour over, and serve. . _ox-tails au gratin._--cook two ox-tails as before, and when cold, dry them upon a cloth, season with pepper and salt, have a couple of eggs well beaten upon a plate, into which dip each piece singly, afterwards throwing them into a dish of bread-crumbs, to cover every part, then beat them lightly with a knife, and again egg and bread-crumb them, broil them upon a gridiron, or place them in a very hot oven until of a brownish color, when serve with any sauce you may fancy, or with a little plain gravy. . _ox-tails, sauce piquante._--cook the tails as before, and when done dress them upon your dish pyramidically, then make about a pint of sharp sauce, no. , but omitting half the quantity of vinegar, and reducing it until rather thick; season rather highly, add three or four gherkins chopped very fine, pour the sauce over, and serve. . _ox heart._--this dish, although not very _recherché_, is a good family one, and remarkable for its cheapness. put it into lukewarm water one hour to disgorge, then wipe it well with a cloth, and stuff the interior with a highly-seasoned veal stuffing, tie it up in paper, and pass a small spit through the sides, set it before a good fire for about two hours to roast, keeping it well basted; when done, take off the paper, and serve with any sharp sauce, or a little plain gravy. two hours would be sufficient to roast a large heart; but if smaller, of course less time in proportion would be required. i have also stuffed a heart with sage and onion, and even ventured the apple sauce: both succeeded admirably. i remember, when in business, upon one occasion, having a few friends pop in unexpectedly about luncheon-time upon a saturday (which is a day i always contrived to keep my larder as short as possible), and having nothing but a heart as a meal to give them, i immediately gave orders to the cook to cut it into slices half an inch thick, dip each piece in flour, and afterwards egg and bread-crumb them, then to put four spoonfuls of oil in the frying-pan, lay part of the pieces in, and sauté of a nice color, then to keep them hot in a dish and sauté the remainder; and when all done, to pour off part of the oil, put a teaspoonful of flour in the pan, mixing it with the remaining oil and gravy, then pouring in a gill of water, season with a little pepper and salt, four spoonfuls of the vinegar from piccalilly, and a little of the pickle finely chopped; boil the whole a minute, pour over the heart, and serve very hot. it pleased very much, and i have since had some with a little plain gravy, and broiled bacon: in both instances it was very good. . _potato sandwiches._--sauté the slices of beef as directed for bubble and squeak, cover one side of each piece with mashed potatoes a quarter of an inch in thickness, egg and bread-crumb over, then proceed the same with the other sides, fry in hot fat of a light brown color, as you would a sole, and serve. any kind of fresh meat may be used in the same way. . _bubble and squeak._--i am certain you must know, as well as myself, of our hereditary dish called bubble and squeak; but, like the preparation of other things, there is a good way and a bad; and, as you prefer the former to the latter, proceed as follows:--boil a few greens, or a savoy cabbage (which has been previously well-washed), in plain water until tender, which then drain until quite dry in a colander or sieve, put it upon a trencher, and chop it rather fine with a knife, then for a pound of salt beef you have in slices, put nearly a quarter of a pound of butter into a frying-pan, in which sauté the beef gently but not too dry; when done, keep it hot, put the cabbage in the frying-pan, season with a little salt and pepper, and when hot through, dress it upon a dish, lay the beef over and serve. endive or large cabbage-lettuces may be used instead of cabbage, but care must be taken to drain off all the water. . _stewed beef or rump steak._--have a steak weighing two pounds, and an inch and a half in thickness, then put two ounces of butter at the bottom of a stewpan, when melted lay in the steak, with a quarter of a pound of lean bacon cut into very small square pieces, place the stewpan over the fire, turning the steak over occasionally until a little browned, when lay it out upon a dish, then add a tablespoonful of flour to the butter in the stewpan, which continue stirring over the fire until forming a brownish roux, then again lay in the steak, add a pint of water, with a glass of sherry if handy, and a little pepper, salt, and a couple of bay-leaves, let simmer slowly for one hour, when skim off all the fat, and add twenty button onions, let it again simmer until the onions are very tender, as likewise the steak, which dress upon a dish, take the onions and bacon out with a colander-spoon, and lay them upon the steak, pour the sauce round and serve. this slow process must not alarm you. . _ox brains_ are prepared exactly as directed for calf's brains, but being larger, require much longer to disgorge, as also a proportionate time longer to cook; when done, in addition to the sauce ordered for calf's brains, they may be served with strips of bacon broiled and dressed in a border round, sauce over with highly-seasoned melted butter and parsley sauce. you must observe, that all such kind of dishes being of themselves naturally tasteless, require to be highly seasoned: any sharp sauce is good with it. . _beef à-la-mode._--procure a small piece of rump, sirloin, or ribs of beef, about twelve pounds in weight, take away all the bone, and lard the meat through with ten long pieces of fat bacon, then put it into a long earthen pan, with a calf's foot, four onions, two carrots, cut in slices if large, a bunch of parsley, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, two cloves stuck into one of the onions, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one of salt, four wine-glasses of sherry, four ditto of water, and a pound of streaky bacon cut in squares, place the cover over the pan with a piece of common flour and water paste round the edges to keep it perfectly air-tight, and place it in a moderate oven four hours, when take out of the pan, and dress upon a dish with the vegetables and bacon round, skim and pass the gravy through a hair sieve, which pour over and serve. but the above is best eaten cold, when it should not be taken from the pan, or the pan opened until nearly so. a long brown earthen pan for the above purposes may be obtained at any china warehouse, but should you not be able to procure one, a stewpan must supply its place. . _another method._--have ready six pounds of rump of beef, cut into pieces two inches square, each of which lard through with two or three strips of bacon; have also two pounds of streaky bacon, which clear from the rind and cut into squares half the size of the beef, put the whole into an earthen pan, with two calf's feet (cut up small), half a pint of sherry, two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme, a bunch of parsley, four onions, with a clove stuck in each, a blade of mace, and half a pint of water, cover the pan as in the last, and put it in a moderate oven for three hours; when done, do not remove the lid until three parts cold, then take out the meat, lay some of the beef at the bottom of the stewpan (not too large), then a little bacon, then more beef, and so on alternately, press them lightly together, pass the gravy through a hair sieve over, and leave it until quite cold and set, when dip the stewpan into hot water, and turn it out upon a dish to serve. the calf's feet may be made hot in a little of the stock, to which add two pats of butter, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour, season with a little chopped parsley and half a spoonful of vinegar, and serve as an entrée. the above is excellent either hot or cold. . _fillet of beef._--procure a piece of fillet of beef weighing about two or three pounds, which may be obtained at any butcher's, being cut from underneath the rump; trim off part of the fat, so as to round the fillet, which cut into slices the thickness of your finger, beat them lightly with a chopper, and cut the thin skin which covers the top of the fillet, to prevent their curling up whilst broiling; place them upon a gridiron over a sharp fire, seasoning with a little salt and pepper, and turning three or four times to preserve the gravy: about six or seven minutes will be sufficient to cook them. three or four slices would be sufficient for a corner dish; but if for a principal dish, of course more would be required. fillet of beef dressed as above may be rubbed over with maître d'hôtel or anchovy butter, and served very hot. . _fillet of beef sauté._--after having cut the fillet in slices as in the last, put two ounces of butter into a clean frying-pan, which set upon the fire, and when melted, lay in the meat, seasoned with a saltspoonful of salt and half that quantity of pepper to each piece; turn them over three or four times whilst cooking, and, when done, dress upon your dish, with either of the butters mentioned in the last spread over. . _another method._--when the fillets are dished up, put a tablespoonful of chopped onions into the pan they were cooked in, which cook for about a minute, but not letting them burn, then pour off part of the fat, if too much, and add two teaspoonfuls of flour; stir with a wooden spoon until becoming brownish, then add nearly a pint of water, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and a few drops of browning; let it boil a few minutes, seasoning with a little pepper, salt, and sugar; when of the consistency of thick sauce, pour over the fillets and serve. a few chopped pickles of any description (but not too hot) might be introduced, but then half the quantity of vinegar would be sufficient. a spoonful of harvey's sauce may be added, and a little glaze improves it. mutton, lamb, or pork-chops, or veal-cutlets may be dressed in a similar manner. . _minced beef._--cut a pound and a half of lean cooked beef into very small dice, which put upon a plate; in a stewpan put a good teaspoonful of finely-chopped onions, with a piece of butter of the size of a walnut, which stir over the fire until the onions become lightly browned, when stir in half a tablespoonful of flour, with which mix by degrees half a pint of broth (or water) to which you have added a few drops of browning and a teaspoonful of vinegar; let it boil five minutes, stirring it the whole time; then throw in the meat, season rather highly with a little pepper and salt, and, when hot, pour it into a deep dish, and serve with sippets of toasted bread round, or poached eggs on it. . _croquettes of beef._--proceed precisely as in the last, but omitting the vinegar; when done, stir in two yolks of eggs quickly, stir another minute over the fire, then pour it upon a dish until cold; have a couple of eggs well beaten upon a plate, also some bread-crumbs in a separate dish, then divide the preparation into about a dozen pieces, which roll up into round balls, or any other shape, and throw them into the bread-crumbs, move them over until well covered, then roll them into the egg, then the bread-crumbs again, from which take them gently, patting the surface lightly with a knife, put them into very hot lard or fat to fry of a yellowish-brown color, being careful not to break them whilst frying; when done drain them upon a cloth, and serve either upon a napkin or with fried parsley. . _a family french salad for the summer._--i can assure you that, when in france during the hot weather, i used to enjoy the following salads immensely, having them usually twice a week for my dinner; they are not only wholesome, but cheap and quickly done. cut up a pound of cold beef into thin slices, which put into a salad-bowl with about half a pound of white fresh lettuce, cut into pieces similar to the beef, season over with a good teaspoonful of salt, half that quantity of pepper, two spoonfuls of vinegar, and four of good salad oil, stir all together lightly with a fork and spoon, and when well mixed it is ready to serve. for a change, cabbage-lettuce may be used, or, if in season, a little endive (well washed), or a little celery, or a few gherkins; also, to vary the seasoning, a little chopped tarragon and chervil, chopped eschalots, or a little scraped garlic, if approved of, but all in proportion, and used with moderation. white haricot beans are also excellent with it. . _potatoes and meat salad._--proceed as in the last, but omitting the lettuce; if any cold potatoes remain from a previous dinner, peel and cut them in halves if small, but in quarters if large, and then into pieces the size of a shilling but four times the thickness; put them into a salad-bowl with the meat, seasoning as before, but using more oil and vinegar, and adding a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. a small quantity of any description of pickles might be added to this salad, as also some anchovies or olives. the remains of any fowls, turkey, cold veal, lamb, or even mutton, may be mixed in salads, but, according to our habits, many persons would fancy they were not nutritious; of that i can assure them to the contrary.[ ] . _ox-kidneys._--cut a nice fresh ox-kidney into slices, each being about the size of a half-crown piece, but double the thickness (avoiding the white part, or root, which is tough and indigestible), then put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan upon the fire, and when very hot but not black, put in the pieces of kidney, stirring them round with a wooden spoon three minutes over a brisk fire; then add, for each pound weight of kidney, half a tablespoonful of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, half the quantity of pepper, and a little sugar, moisten with a gill of water and half a glass of sherry, add a little browning if handy, and let simmer gently for five minutes, stirring them round occasionally; if too thick, add a few drops more of water, the same should be sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of the spoon, pour them out upon your dish, and serve very hot. broth might be used instead of water if convenient, but then the seasoning should be a little diminished, a little chopped eschalot, parsley, or a few mushrooms, would be an improvement. by cutting an ox-kidney lengthwise in three slices, it might be broiled or sautéd; if for gentlemen, season rather highly, but if ladies are to be the partakers, season more moderately; a little gravy may be served with it, to which you have added a little catsup; the root of the kidney must not be cut away in this case, although not eatable. ox-kidneys are also an excellent addition to beef-steak puddings and pies. . _ox-feet or cow-heels_ are very nutritious, especially when well boiled; they may be served in either of the methods directed for tripe, or with a plain parsley-and-butter sauce, to which, for a change, the juice of a lemon or a drop of vinegar may be added. should any be left from the first day's dinner, it may be served à la lyonnaise, as directed for cold tripe. . _remains of ox-tongue._--the remains of a tongue from a previous dinner may be again served thus:--cut it into thin slices, put a small piece of butter into a frying-pan, lay the pieces of tongue over, which warm a few minutes in a sauté-pan, and serve with veal or fowl, if any; when at home alone, i frequently have it with mashed potatoes under, it makes a very good dish for luncheon. the pieces of tongue might also be egged and bread-crumbed previous to cooking as above, and served with a plain gravy, or any sharp sauce. (see sauces.) or should you have any tongue, and veal or beef remaining, sprinkle a little chopped eschalots at the bottom of a pie-dish, lay a layer of meat over, season with a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, then a layer of the tongue; have some yellowish crusts of bread grated, a teaspoonful of which sprinkle over the tongue, then again a layer of the meat, proceeding thus until the dish is nearly full, when sprinkle more of the brown bread-crumbs over the top, placing a small piece of butter here and there; pour in two wineglassfuls of water, set it in a warm oven half an hour, and serve very hot. or instead of bread-crumbs, make a little good mashed potatoes, which spread over it smoothly with a spoon or knife, bake half an hour in a warm oven, and serve. should the remains of a tongue be but small, and if well pickled and boiled, the root and all would be excellent in any kind of beef, lamb, mutton, veal, or pork, hashed, or in pies or puddings made from those meats. . _remains of salt beef._--the remains of salt beef are very excellent, served in the few following ways, no matter from what joint, or from what part of the joint: cut as large and thin slices as possible, dip each slice into some vinegar from mixed pickles, previously poured upon a plate in small quantities; lay about a pound of the meat thus prepared upon a flat dish, pour a wineglassful of water over, warm it through in the oven, or before a small fire, and serve. another way is, after having dipped the beef in pickles, roll them in flour and proceed as above, adding double the quantity of water. another way is to sauté the slices with a little butter in a frying-pan, have ready some nice mashed potatoes very hot, lay the beef over, and serve. _fricandeau of veal._--this is a very favorite dish of mine. it is generally considered an expensive one, but the way in which i do it, it is not so; besides which, it gives a nice piece of veal at table, when a fillet would be too large. i proceed to prepare it thus: . having the fillet prepared with the bone out as if for roasting, i lay it on a board with the skin side downwards, and then remove (not cutting it) that part of the outside which is separated from the thick fleshy part (in france called "la noix") of the fillet by a skin; i then place my hand on the top of the thick part, and cut away two thirds of it, leaving an inch to an inch and a half of flesh for the fillet. i then take a chopper dipped in cold water, and beat the veal with the flat part, so as to make it of an equal thickness; i then lard it (see larding). you may not succeed very well the first or second time, but now i am quite an artist in larding, as is also my cook, whom i taught, it being so much like sewing. but should you not be able to manage it, you must send it to the poulterer. the remains make an excellent fillet for another day's dinner. having proceeded thus far, i then cook it in the following manner: . i take a stewpan of a convenient size, and lay on the bottom six or eight slices of bacon, and place the fricandeau on them; i then take two onions, two small carrots cut in slanting pieces, which place round it; i then make a bouquet of ten sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two of bay-leaf, which i put in with two cloves, half a blade of mace, and about a pint of broth or water, so as not to cover the larding; if no broth, use water and a teaspoonful of salt, cover it with a sheet of buttered paper, set it on a moderate fire; when on the point of boiling, put it in a slack oven, where let it remain for two or three hours; be careful every twenty minutes to moisten or baste the fricandeau with the gravy which is in the stewpan; the slower it is done the better; ten minutes before it is removed from the oven, take off the paper, in order that the top may obtain a nice yellow color; if the oven should not be hot enough, place live coals on the lid of the stewpan until done, try also if it is tender with a pointed knife. this dish ought to be carved with a spoon, being so tender; but i prefer to cut it with a very sharp knife, as it is more inviting in appearance. if you have no oven ready, stew gently on a hot plate, or by the side of the stove, with the lid on and live coals on the top. if you let it burn by any neglect or accident, do not tell your friends that i gave you the receipt, as it would eat so very bad, and i should lose my good name. it can be served with any sauce or purée, but the one i prefer is as follows: take the gravy from the stewpan, which ought to be about half a pint, if not so much add water, pass it through a fine sieve into a basin, remove the fat from the top, put it into a small stewpan, reduce it a little to a demi-glaze, mix half a teaspoonful of arrow-root in a cup, with a little water, put it in the gravy, boil two minutes; it ought to be of a bright yellow color, and transparent; the fricandeau should be served with gravy under it. the following purées are excellent to serve with it: sorrel, endive, peas, beans, artichokes, and spinach; tomato, mushroom, and cucumber sauces, &c. if a piece of udder can be procured, stew it with the fricandeau, and serve it in the same dish. this receipt will well repay the trouble attending it. the following is very good, and more simple. . _fricandeau bourgeoise, in its gravy._--cut as before from the fillet, cut the bacon the same as for the neck, and laid with about thirty large pieces, but in a slanting direction, leaving but little of the bacon to be seen, as the object is to give all the advantage of the bacon to the meat; put it into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of an ounce of salt, and one tenth of that of pepper; set it on the fire for five minutes, turn it with a fork round and round, then rake some cinders over the coals or charcoal so as to make it go slow, and until it becomes of a nice yellow color; then add a gill of water, a bay-leaf, half an onion, stew until quite tender, turning it over and over now and then; put it on a dish, skim the fat off the gravy, pour it over, and serve. it may also be served thus: by throwing into the stewpan about twenty mushrooms, well washed about ten minutes before serving; if the gravy is too thin, add a little arrow-root, and serve: it can also be served with the sauces named in the former receipt. nothing is nicer cold than this; if required to be re-warmed, put it into a little broth or warm water, and heat slowly. . _calf's liver sauté._--cut it into slices, put a little butter in the sauté- or frying-pan, when melted, lay the liver in season with salt, pepper, a teaspoonful of chopped eschalot, parsley, and grated nutmeg, sauté on a sharp fire, when rather brown on both sides dredge a tablespoonful of french vinegar, or a glass of wine, stir it well, and boil for a few minutes; dish the liver in crowns; if the sauce is too pale, add a little mushroom catsup or coloring, and it had better be too thin than too thick; taste if well seasoned, and serve: the above is for about two pounds of liver. . _calf's liver, english way._--cut the liver into thin slices, dip them in flour, and put in a sauté or frying-pan in which some slices of bacon have been previously cooked, and have left sufficient fat in it; sauté the liver until quite brown and rather crisp, when take out and place it upon a dish with the bacon, then dredge a spoonful of flour in the pan, or enough to absorb all the fat in it, then add a little broth or water so as to make it a thinnish sauce, season it, and add two spoonfuls of harvey's sauce or mushroom catsup. if the above is nicely done, and the pieces cut the size of cutlets, it will make a nice entrée for an ordinary dinner. it should be served immediately, and very hot. . _calf's liver, dry._--the same may be served dry with the bacon, or with any sharp sauce. . _calf's heart, roasted._--proceed exactly the same as for ox's heart, only this being more delicate and smaller requires less time to roast, from half an hour to one hour, depending on the size; they may also be cut in slices and sautéd like the liver above; or, by having four for a large dish they may be dressed exactly like the liver (no. ), but white instead of brown; stuff them and sauté white in butter, which depends on a slow fire, and, adding the flour, just give a few turns and add the broth immediately, then the onions and mushrooms, season as described in the liver, stew very gently for one hour, take out the hearts, skim off the fat, let it be thickish, boil down a little if required, prepare two yolks of eggs well beaten, with a quarter of a gill of milk, broth, or water, which pour into the same, stir quick for half a minute, add the juice of half a lemon, trim the hearts, dish them in a dish with the points upwards, pour the sauce over, and serve. . _roast sweetbreads._--take the sweetbreads and lay them in water at blood-heat, to disgorge, for three to four hours; then blanch them for two minutes in boiling water, put them into a stewpan with a few slices of carrot, onions, turnip, a little parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, six peppercorns, a blade of mace, and a small piece of bacon, cover over with a little broth or water, and let it boil for twenty minutes; take them out and dry them in a cloth, egg and bread-crumb them, tie them on a spit, and roast a nice brown color for ten to fifteen minutes; or they may be browned in an oven, or fried in very hot lard for ten minutes, in which case they should stew a little longer; they may be served with plain gravy and a piece of toasted bread under, or a little melted butter and some harvey's, reading, or soyer's sauce, and a little catsup added to it, boiled and poured round it; or with any of the sauces fricandeau. the heart-bread being generally so expensive, i seldom make use of it, but it may be blanched, larded, cooked, and served like the fricandeau, diminishing the larding and cooking according to the size of the bread, or it may be dressed as above, or, if a large throat-bread, it may be larded. . _sweetbreads sauté._--blanch two throat-sweetbreads as in the preceding receipt, cut them in slices, put some butter in a frying-pan, and melt; then put in the sweet-bread, season over with salt, pepper, juice of a lemon, parsley, and bay-leaf; turn them until done, and serve very hot, with maître d'hôtel sauce over. . _another way._--prepare as above; add a little flour and a gill of broth, a few raw mushrooms, stir continually to prevent burning, add a few spoonfuls of cream and serve; if any remain, do them _au gratin_, that is, put them in a pie-dish or flat plated dish, brown, bread-crumb over, add a little broth, put into an oven, and, when very hot, serve. . _veal cutlets (old english method)._--see no. . . _veal cutlets aux fines herbes._--cut from the neck the same as you would from mutton, only of course larger; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped eschalot, set them on a gridiron and broil like common chops, serve plain, or rub a little maître d'hôtel butter over them, set in a hot place for a few moments, and serve. they may also be sautéd, by putting them into a sauté-pan and sauté until a nice color, take them out and put in the pan a spoonful of chopped onions, parsley, and mushrooms (if handy), stir until done, then add a teaspoonful of flour; when it is a little brown, add half a pint of water, two spoonfuls of harvey's sauce and one of vinegar, stir well round, dish up the cutlets, sauce over and serve. they may also be larded like the fricandeau, and served in the same way, and with the like sauces, only less time in cooking. . _veal cutlets en papillote._--prepare as the last, and put them in a pie-dish and pour the sauce over, and let them remain until cold; then cut a sheet of foolscap paper in the shape of a heart, and oil or butter it; lay one of the cutlets with a little of the sauce on one half of the paper, turn the other half over, then turn and plait the edges of the paper over, beginning at the top of the heart and finishing with an extra twist at the bottom, which will cause the sauce to remain in it; broil slowly on a gridiron for twenty minutes on a very slow fire, or place it in the oven for that time, and serve. . _calf's ears stewed._--if you make mock turtle with half a calf's head, you may serve the ear; after having boiled the head as for mock turtle, cut out the ear (it should weigh about half a pound), lay it down on a board and make a few incisions through the thin gristly part about one inch long; should it require a little more doing, put it in the soup; when done, stand it on the dish in which you intend to serve it, turn the top of the ear over outside, so that it forms a round; if any brain to spare, put a piece in the centre, sauce over when very hot with parsley and butter, tomato, or any sharp sauce, and serve; or, instead of the brain, veal stuffing or forcemeat may be used; egg all over, bread-crumb, put in an oven until very hot and a nice yellow color, dish and serve with plain gravy: or it may be served with any sauce or ragout. . _made dish from joints that have been previously served._--(if from braised veal, with vegetables.) cut it into slices about a quarter of an inch in thickness, then put the remainder, vegetables and gravy, if any, in a pan; if not, with water and a piece of glaze; season with a little salt, pepper, sugar, a bay-leaf, and the juice of a quarter of a lemon, simmer gently for twenty minutes on a slow fire, dish the fillets in the form of a crown, lay the vegetables in the middle, pour gravy over, and serve. or, what remains, cut into very small dice, leave none on the bones, put in a pan, shake a little flour over, season with a little salt, pepper, sugar, bay-leaf, and the juice of a quarter of a lemon, then moisten it with milk sufficient to make a sauce, warm it for ten minutes, add half an ounce of butter, stir it well, and serve very hot: or, if you prefer it brown, leave out the milk and throw a few chopped mushrooms and eschalots in, and moisten with a little water, to which add a few drops of browning, or a little catsup; it ought never to be too thick. poached eggs may be served with these. . _calf's brains fried._--prepare them as for calf's head; cut them in pieces of about two inches square, dip them into batter, and fry them immersed in fat; serve with fried parsley. . _calf's brains à la maître d'hôtel._--prepare the brain as before, warm six spoonfuls of melted butter; when hot, add one ounce of maître d'hôtel butter, and, when melted, pour it over. . _stewed calf's liver._--choose a nice fat one rather white in color, lard it through with bacon, put one quarter of a pound of butter in a pan, when melted add a tablespoonful of flour, keep stirring until a nice yellow color, then put in the whole of the liver, turn round now and then until it is a little firm, then add a pint of broth or water, and a glass of any kind of wine, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, bay-leaves, a little salt, pepper, sugar, and thirty button onions, simmer one hour; take the fat off and the bouquet out, dish the liver with the onions around it, reduce the sauce, so that it adheres lightly to the back of the spoon, sauce over, and serve. any vegetables may be used, as carrots, turnips, peas, haricots; and if a little gelatine or isinglass is added to the sauce, and the liver with the sauce only put into a round basin and pressed down and left until cold, it will make a nice dish for supper, lunch, or breakfast. if required to be re-warmed, cut it into slices, put it in a pan, with a drop of water added to the gravy. . _sheep's brains._--proceed as for calf's brains: these being smaller do not require so long to cook; though very good, they are not so delicate as calf's brains. . _sheep's kidneys._--for a small dish procure six fresh ones, take off the thin skin which covers them, and cut them into slices, put in a sauté-pan one ounce of butter, when melted and nearly brown, add the kidneys, with half a teaspoonful of salt, one quarter ditto of pepper, half a tablespoonful of flour, mix well together, add half a wine-glass of sherry and a gill of broth, simmer for a few minutes, and serve very hot; a nice crisp toast placed under them is an improvement; also, a few raw mushrooms, cut in slices, added when being sautéd, are excellent. for broiled kidneys, see breakfast. they can also be cut in half and cooked the same, and dished in a crown on a border of mashed potatoes. . _sheep's feet or trotters._--previous to visiting the continent, i had quite a dislike to the unfortunate _pied de mouton_, whose blackish appearance in stall and basket seemed to be intended to satisfy the ravenous appetites of the gentlemen with the slouched hat. but i must say since i have tasted them in france, cooked à la poulette, i have become of quite another opinion, and i have prepared them at home thus:-- i get a dozen of them from the tripe-butcher, all cleaned and ready, and beg of him to extract the long bone from them. i put a quarter of a pound of beef or mutton suet in a stewpan, with two onions and one carrot sliced, two bay-leaves, two sprigs of thyme, one ounce of salt, a quarter of an ounce of pepper, put on the fire, and cook five minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir it round; add two quarts and a half of water, then put in the feet, stir till boiling, simmer for nearly three hours, or until the feet are perfectly tender, when done, take them out, and lay on sieve, take a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a teaspoonful of salt, the same of flour, a quarter of one of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, the juice of a lemon, mix all these well together on a plate with the back of a spoon; put the feet with a gill of milk in a stewpan on the fire, when very hot, put in the butter, stir continually till melted, having previously well mixed two yolks of eggs with five tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, which put in the stewpan, keep moving the pan round over the fire continually for one minute, serve in a very hot dish with croutons of fried bread cut in triangular pieces round the dish. the stock may be used for any purée or thick soup. . _french ragout of mutton._--take about two pounds of the scrag of the neck, breast, chump, or any other part, with as little fat as possible, cut it into pieces of about two inches square, put into a pan two ounces of butter, or good fat, when melted, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir with a wooden spoon till forming a brownish roux, add the meat, and stir it round for twenty minutes, add a little water, but not enough to cover the meat, one saltspoonful of pepper, four ditto of salt, and four ditto of sugar, a bouquet of six sprigs of parsley, stir till boiling, set it to simmer. having previously peeled a few turnips, cut in large dice of one inch square about thirty pieces, put some fat in a frying-pan, and fry the turnips until rather brown, take them out, and put them in a stewpan with the meat when it is done, which will be in about one hour from the time it was put on; when ready to serve, take out the meat and turnips, squeeze the bouquet, which throw away, skim off the fat, if too thick, add a little broth or water, or, if too thin, boil it a little more, dish it up by placing the pieces in a circle and the turnips in the centre, sauce over, and serve very hot--if not it is spoilt. for those that like it, a small piece of scraped garlic may be added. onions, carrots, peas, &c., may be used in place of the turnips. this is a very favorite dish in france; i learnt it from an old french émigré, who used to visit us about ten years since. when i have company, i use the chops of the neck, dress them in a crown, placing the vegetables in the centre; i find them very much liked. i have at some houses partaken of harico-mutton which has been tolerably good, but nothing in flavor to this plan. if there is any left, it is good warmed again, or even cold. . _irish stew._--cut up about two pounds of the neck of the mutton into small cutlets, which put into a proper sized stewpan with some of the fat of the mutton, season with three spoonfuls of salt, half an ounce of pepper, the same of sugar, six middle-sized onions, a quart of water; set them to boil and simmer for half an hour, then add six middling-sized potatoes, cut them in halves or quarters, stir it together, and let it stew gently for about one hour longer; if too fat remove it from the top, but if well done the potatoes would absorb all, and eat very delicate; any other part of the mutton may be served in the same way. i hope dearest----, that you will not blame my apparent common taste in saying that i am fond of an irish stew. i always recommend it to my friends; i often add a bay-leaf to it, which varies the flavor. letter no. xiii dearest eloise,--i certainly here must avail myself of m. soyer's kind permission by taking from his 'gastronomic regenerator' a very simple receipt, it is true, but one which, in my estimation, has a great deal more merit than that of a sumptuous dish--a new mutton chop; yes, dearest, that is all. many will very likely laugh at me, and think i am joking to take notice of a dish of such trifling importance, but, indeed, i assure you that i am far from that, because i have tried it for my dinner to-day, and in my opinion it is as far superior to the other as silver is to copper; and it was only in an enlightened era of wonders like ours that such a novelty in the culinary department could have been produced; where steam, gas, railways, electric light, suspended bridges, which seem to fly like zephyrs across the bosom of our mighty, wealthy, old father thames, and the subterranean promenade under his gutta-percha bed, where, as the french say, the fishes from their windows make faces at the english while walking below, as well as (and more wonderful still) the electric telegraph, which, even more freely than free-trade itself, carries like lightning the flashes of the genius of a cobden from our great commercial town of manchester to printing-house square and various offices the sparks of a speech, which, if printers were careless, might set the paper on fire, by acquainting the metropolis not only of his love for freedom, but of his enthusiastic action, motion, commotion, and almost his thoughts; even the cheerings of the _convives_ are actually in print, and read with the greatest anxiety by the multitude in town, while the report of the last and most powerful line just put to press is still roaring with echo throughout the vast cupola of the free trade hall as well as in the ears of thousands of guests present who have been favored by partaking of the monster banquet; and as well, but not so wonderful, the invention, insurrection, and demolition of the chartists--the last effected by special order and special constables; the satanic bottle, double sight, and ethérienne suspension of the inimitable robert le diable, by mistake called robert houdin; banyard's yankee cabinet picture, miles long, out of which and three quarters are out of sight; more so than all, the discovery of rocky dust, called gold, in the barbarian land of california, where the humble and convalescent potato would be worth its weight of the precious metal, a loaf of bread three times as much, and a basin of poor man's soup a guinea instead of a penny as here. have we not also heard of the great sea serpent, which a very serious american, who appears to have been in company with him, says that he was so tarnation long, that whilst engaged in dining out upon or turtles in honduras, the end of his tail was at the same time hunting the white bear in the crystallized mountains of the north pole for his supper, being something of an epicure, and consequently fond of a change? these, dearest, are facts that no one can deny," i guess; "and still it was to be among all these marvellous wonders that the innovation of a new mutton chop should emanate from the brain of a simple individual, while, for a century previous, the ancestors of our great grandfathers were, as we were till the present day, often obliged to satisfy their voracious appetite with a fat and clumsy mutton chop. even now, dear, you will hardly be able to comprehend the meaning of my enthusiasm for this simple innovation: it is then for its great simplicity and cheapness, and that if in general use (as i sincerely hope it will be), thousands will be able to partake of it and enjoy it, and probably will keep a friendly remembrance of the name of its inventor, because any one who invents, or tries so to do, attempts to conquer the greatest difficulty to obtain fame and wealth, and which by others is always envied and tried to be surpassed; such is the world. while here, the humble, unassuming, disinterested inventor of the said mutton chop will not even have the honor of opposition, though he may be copied. believe me, dearest, that is the only cause of my admiration. now for this wonder. [illustration] . _soyer's new mutton chop._--trim a middling-sized saddle of mutton, which cut into chops half an inch in thickness with a saw, without at all making use of a knife (the sawing them off jagging the meat and causing them to eat more tender), then trim them to the shape represented in the drawing, season well with salt and pepper, place them upon a gridiron over a sharp fire, turning them three or four times; they would require ten minutes cooking; when done, dress them upon a hot dish, spread a small piece of butter over each (if approved of), and serve: by adding half a tablespoonful of soyer's gentlemen's or ladies' sauce to each chop when serving, and turning it over two or three times, produces an excellent entrée; the bone keeping the gravy in whilst cooking, it is a very great advantage to have chops cut after the above method. at home when i have a saddle of mutton, i usually cut two or three such chops, which i broil, rub maître d'hôtel butter over, and serve with fried potatoes round, using the remainder of the saddle next day for a joint. the above are also very excellent, well seasoned and dipped into egg and bread-crumbs previous to broiling. lamb chops may be cut precisely the same, but require a few minutes less broiling. you must remark that, by this plan, the fat and lean are better divided, and you can enjoy both; whilst the other is a lump of meat near the bone and fat at the other end, which partly melts in cooking, and is often burnt by the flame it makes; the new one not being divided at the bone, keeps the gravy in admirably. if well sawed it should not weigh more than the ordinary one, being about half the thickness. do try them, and let me know your opinion. ever yours, hortense. letter no. xiv dear hortense,--yours of last night was received at our supper-table, which was surrounded by a few of our best friends, and i need not tell you the merriment it has created respecting your fantastic ideas of this age of wonders. a very sedate old gentleman, who happened to have met you at mr. h.'s party about a week or two ago, and wished to be very courteous to you, and perhaps you did not notice his compliments, not only would he not give a smile to our hearty laugh, but actually swore that such comical nonsense was very dangerous to expose before the public, and especially if we intended to give publicity to it with the receipts, the last of which he very much approved of. but respecting your fun on the review of our century,--"a woman," said he, "ought never to interfere with politics!" "politics!" we all exclaimed, "where do you see anything political in it?" "in almost every word," replied he. "but in what part?" said we; "explain yourself." unfortunately our hero stuttered very much. "now, it-it-it is not one of-of-of you here, perhaps, who-who-who a-a-a-ve been in ann-y-pu-pu-public office like me in ma-ma-my youth. i was cla-cla-cla-clerk of the second cla-cla-clerk of the first cla-cla-cla-clerk of the private secretary's cla-cla-cla-clerk of the home of-of-of----" here, dear, we all burst out laughing, which made the old gentleman so mad that he rushed from the room into the passage, to the street-door, and out of the house, without his hat, welsh wig, great coat, and umbrella, while the servant had a regular race to get hold of him. she at last found him talking to himself under one of our willow-trees in the garden, coming back for his tackle with his two hands over his red wig, and his thick head underneath. being a wet night, after inquiring of the servant what he had said to her--"ma-ma-ma-rie," said he, "you are a ve-ve-ve-very good girl indeed, very good girl, and i-i-i-i am ve-ve-ve-very sorry i have no money with me to gi-gi-gi-gi-give you something for your trouble, especially as you will ne-ne-ne-never see me here again, no, ne-ne-never." "never mind, sir, about the money," said she to him, "i am no more disappointed than usual. good night, sir." "mary, you are a ve-ve-very sau-saucy huzzy, a ve-very saucy huzzy," was his answer. he then gradually disappeared in the fog. in a few seconds after, she heard some one sneezing most fearfully in the direction he was gone, which she believed to be our stuttering friend. so, you see, dear, there is quite an event on a mutton chop. but let me tell you that, though your receipt came rather late, we still had some for supper, and very good they were; every one was delighted with them; in fact, we did not eat hardly anything else, being so comically introduced to us. i had them brought up at three different times broiling hot from the gridiron. i made twelve chops out of a middle-sized saddle of mutton, weighing about seven pounds: is that right? and i have about three pounds of chump remaining, which, of course, i intend making broth, irish stew, or pies with. but, dearest, let us go through the remainder of the receipts without any more interruption. my husband begs to be kindly remembered to you both. ever yours, eloise. [illustration] . _mutton cutlets_.--trim a neck of mutton by cutting away the scrag and sawing off three inches of the rib-bone, then cut about ten cutlets out of the neck, shape them by chopping off the thick part of the chine-bone, beat them flat to about a quarter of an inch in thickness with a cutlet-chopper, dipped in cold water, detach an inch of fat from the top of the rib-bone, and trim it like the following cut, season with a little salt and pepper, then well beat up one egg, dip a brush into it, and rub it lightly over the chop, dip it into bread-crumbs, form it into shape again, and dress in the following ways:-- put two ounces of butter into a sauté-pan or very clean omelette-pan, melt it, and put the cutlets in; put it on the fire for five minutes till it is of a nice yellow color; turn them, let them remain four minutes longer, try if they are done by pressing with the finger, they ought to be firm and full of gravy; lay them on a clean cloth, and dress them in the form of a crown, that is, by keeping the thick part at the bottom, and the scraped part of the bone at the top, and each one resting half-way on the other. every dish of cutlets must be served thus. . _cutlets with mushrooms._--if for ten or twelve cutlets take about twenty fresh mushrooms, cut off the tails, wash them, and dry on a cloth, put two pats of butter in a stewpan, half a gill of water, the juice of a lemon, a little salt and pepper, set on the fire; boil for a few minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, when very hot add a liaison of the yolk of an egg made as follows: put the yolk in a cup, and mix well with two tablespoonfuls of milk, stir well for one minute, put it in the middle of your pan, if no white sauce, add a little milk to the mushrooms, and mix a little flour with half a pat of butter, and put it in, keep stirring until boiling; dish up the cutlets, add the liaison, and serve; or still plainer, take the same number of mushrooms, wash well, cut in thin slices, put into a stewpan, with two pats of butter, half a teaspoonful of flour, a little salt and pepper, the juice of a lemon, and a little water; stew gently for ten minutes, serve, pouring the sauce over, or in the middle of the cutlets. they can be served as cutlets à la jardinière, with peas, with tomatoes, with artichokes, with spinach, à la poiverade, à la sauce piquante, with brussels sprouts, and à la soubise. . _cutlets à la maître d'hôtel._--when the cutlets are done, dish them up, put two ounces of maître d'hôtel butter in a clean sauté-pan, keep it moving until melted: put two spoonfuls of cream when very hot, pour over, and serve with fried potatoes in the middle. . _cutlets, plainer way._--cut them from the neck, beat them down roughly without trimming, put them on the gridiron, when warm through, add salt, pepper, and very fine chopped onions, turn several times, they will take about ten minutes broiling; dish very hot, and serve. they may also be served on very white mashed potatoes. . _sheep's tongue, demi-glaze._--for one dish, take six, put them in water to disgorge, then dry them, put them in a stewpan with two onions, half a large carrot, a bouquet of two bay-leaves, one sprig of thyme, a quart of broth if handy, or water, half a spoonful of salt, put them on to boil, and simmer for two hours till done; try if tender with a pointed knife, if so take them out, skin them, trim out all the roots, cut the tongue in two, lengthwise, giving it a little of the shape of cutlets, skim the fat from the stock, reduce the whole or part to a demi-glaze, put your pieces on a dish, when ready to serve, make a thin roll of mashed potatoes, and dish them round it, add a little sugar to the demi-glaze, and a small piece of butter, stir round till melted, add the juice of half a lemon, pour boiling hot over the tongue, the sauce ought to adhere thickly to the back of the spoon. observe, dear, how cheaply this dish may be procured, and i assure you it is very excellent: i have tried it with almost all the sauces i have described for cutlets, and have found it good with all; they are also very good in papillote, like veal cutlets. . _sheep's hearts._--proceed exactly as with the calf's heart, only diminish the time of cooking in proportion to the size, about thirty minutes will be sufficient; serve with any kind of sharp sauce, or any ragout of vegetables. dishes with the remains of lamb. . _mince lamb._--(see veal.) serve with poached eggs over. . _remains of roast or boiled lamb with peas._--cut up about two pounds, bones included, in rather small pieces, put into a convenient-sized stewpan, add to it two teaspoonfuls of flour, one of chopped onions, one of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, half a pint of water, stir gently until near boiling, add one bay-leaf, and one pint of very green peas already boiled, simmer and serve. half an hour is sufficient to prepare this dish; peas left from a previous day can be used, also cauliflower if not too much broken, and gently simmered, also a few mushrooms, or if no vegetables, add a little liaison, and the juice of half a lemon. . _lamb's feet_ are much more delicate than sheep's trotters, but they are cooked and dressed the same, only in less time. if there are any left cold, cut them in two, put them in a basin, pour over a glass of vinegar, half of ditto of oil, one onion sliced, salt, pepper, fry them for twenty minutes, dip each piece in a batter, and fry a nice yellow color in fat; serve on a napkin. . _lamb's heart._--six will make a nice dish; stuff like calf's heart, only adding to it some bits of ham or red tongue; stew and serve with any kind of sauce. . _lamb cutlets._--ten cutlets would be sufficient for a dish, and might be cut from one neck, as described for mutton cutlets (page ), but leaving them as large as possible; that is, about one third less than the mutton, season them lightly with salt and pepper, egg and bread-crumb them over, afterwards beating them gently with a knife, to put them again into shape; then have a little clarified butter upon a plate, into which dip each cutlet separately, afterwards throwing them into bread-crumbs, giving them another coat, and beat again. then if wanted of a very nice color, put four spoonfuls of salad oil into a sauté-pan, lay in the cutlets and set them over a sharp fire, turning when required, six or eight minutes would be sufficient to do them nicely; when done, lay them upon a cloth a moment to drain, glaze, and dish them in crown upon your dish, and serve with cucumbers stewed in the centre. lamb cutlets may also be served with stewed peas, french beans, spinach, asparagus points, sauce jardinière, reforme, poiverade, piquante, or maître d'hôtel, which will be found in the series of sauces, or lamb cutlets may be broiled instead of fried, or served à la maintenon, as directed for veal cutlets. . _lamb chops._--select a fine loin of lamb with the kidney in it, trim off the flap, and with a very sharp knife cut your chops from half to three quarters of an inch in thickness, cutting about eight chops from the loin, three of which should have a piece of the kidney attached. i also cut two chops from the chump, which are very excellent eating, although clumsier in shape. lay three of them upon a gridiron over a rather brisk but very clear fire, for if smoky it would entirely spoil the look and flavor of the lamb; and when just warmed through, season upon each side with a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter of that quantity of pepper; broil of a nice yellow color, and serve with fried parsley over if convenient. or lay some nice mashed potatoes upon your dish, and serve the chops upon it. . _lamb chops in paper, with fine herbs._--cut a piece of foolscap paper in the shape of a heart (and sufficiently large to fold a lamb chop in), rub a little oil over the paper, then season the chop with a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots, one of chopped parsley, a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg, wrap the chop in the paper, which plait down at the edges, lay it upon a gridiron over a slow fire, turning it frequently; it will take about twenty minutes to broil properly, when done serve in the paper very hot. . _lamb chop sauté._--put a piece of butter into a clean sauté- or frying-pan, and when melted lay in a chop rather highly seasoned with pepper and salt; fry it until thoroughly done and but lightly browned, and serve. should gravy be required, pour off the greater part of the fat, and then stir in half a tablespoonful of flour, add a gill of broth or water, and a little coloring; stir with a wooden spoon, boiling five minutes, finish with an ounce of fresh butter and the juice of half a lemon; shake the pan over the fire until the sauce becomes rather thick, when pour over and serve. . _pork cutlets._--choose a small neck, cut eight cutlets out of it of the same shape as the mutton, only leaving a little more fat on it, season, egg and bread-crumb, fry in pan, serve with either sauces robert, poiverade, piquante, tartare. . _pork cutlets with pickle._--sauté, broil or fry, the chops, as in the preceding; make about a gill of melted butter, add to it two tablespoonfuls of liquor of piccalilly, and six or eight pieces of the pickle cut small; when very hot put on your dish, and dress your cutlets over, or if for a large dish, dress cutlets in a crown, and sauce in the middle. . _pork cutlets sauté._--cut six or eight good-sized cutlets from the neck of the same shape as the mutton, lay them in a buttered sauté-pan, season well with pepper and salt, place over the fire; when done lay them upon a plate, pour some of the fat from the sauté-pan, add a good tablespoonful of chopped onions, pass over the fire a minute, then add a teaspoonful of flour; moisten with half a pint of broth or water, with a piece of glaze added, season a little more, add a bay-leaf and a teaspoonful of vinegar, with one of mustard, mix well, lay in the cutlets until quite hot, when dress upon a dish, sauce over, and serve. this sauce is good with any kind of cutlets, but especially pork. . _pork cutlets aux cornichons._--cut six or eight cutlets from a middling-sized neck of pork, season well with pepper and salt, dip in eggs well beaten upon a plate, and then into grated crust of bread (not too brown) put two ounces of lard or butter into a sauté- or frying-pan, lay in the cutlets and fry very slowly; when done place them upon a dish; keep hot, pour some of the fat from the pan, add a good teaspoonful of flour, mix well, moisten with half a pint of broth or water with a piece of glaze, add half a wineglassful of vinegar, a little salt, pepper, and six gherkins in slices, place the cutlets in the pan to warm gently in the sauce, then dress them upon a dish, sauce over, and serve. . _pork cutlets sauce demi-robert._--cut eight cutlets from a neck as before, season well with pepper and salt, sprinkle chopped onions and parsley over upon both sides, beating the cutlets lightly to make them adhere, then dip them into eggs well beaten upon a plate, and then into bread-crumbs; pat them lightly, have some clarified butter in a stewpan, into which dip the cutlets, and again into bread-crumbs, well covering them, place them upon a gridiron over a moderate fire, broiling a nice light brown color; when done dress them upon a dish; have ready the following sauce: cut two large onions into very small dice, put them into a stewpan with an ounce of butter, fry of a light yellow color, add a teaspoonful of flour, mix well, moisten with half a pint of broth and a spoonful of vinegar, season well, let boil, skim and reduce until rather thick, when add a spoonful of mixed mustard, a little coloring; sauce in the centre of the cutlets and serve. . _excellent sausage cakes._--chop some lean pork very fine, having previously detached all the skin and bone, and to every pound of meat add three quarters of a pound of fat bacon, half an ounce of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, the quarter of a nutmeg grated, six young green chopped onions, and a little chopped parsley; when the whole is well chopped put into a mortar and pound well, finishing with three eggs; then have ready a pig's caul, which cut into pieces large enough to fold a piece of the above preparation the size of an egg, which wrap up, keeping the shape of an egg, but rather flattened, and broil very gently over a moderate fire. . _pigs' feet._--procure six pigs' feet nicely salted, which boil in water, to which you have added a few vegetables, until well done, cut each one in halves, take out the long bone, have some sausage-meat as in the last, and a pig's caul, which cut into pieces each large enough to fold half a foot, well surrounded with sausage-meat, when well wrapped up broil slowly half an hour over a moderate fire, and serve. or, when the pig's feet are well boiled, egg over, and throw them into some grated crust of bread, with which you have mixed a little parsley, broil a nice color and serve with a little plain gravy. this is called à la ste. menéhould. . _pig's kidneys._--cut them open lengthwise, season well with pepper and salt, egg over with a paste-brush, dip into bread-crumbs, with which you have mixed some chopped parsley and eschalot, run a skewer through to keep them open, and broil for about a quarter of an hour over a good fire; when done place them upon a dish, have ready an ounce of butter, with which you have mixed the juice of a lemon, a little pepper and salt, and a teaspoonful of french or common mustard, place a piece upon each of the kidneys, place in the oven for one minute, and serve. pig's kidneys may also be sautéd as directed for ox kidneys. . _hashed pork._--put two spoonfuls of chopped onions into a stewpan with a wineglassful of vinegar, two cloves, a blade of mace, and a bay-leaf, reduce to half, take out the spice and bay-leaf, add half a pint of broth or water, cut some pork previously cooked into thin small slices, season well upon a dish with pepper and salt, shake a good teaspoonful of flour over, mix all together, and put into the stewpan; let simmer gently ten minutes, pour out upon your dish, and serve with slices of gherkins in it; a little mustard may be added if approved of, or a little piccalilly with the vinegar is excellent. the remains of salt pork, though very palatable cold, if required hot may be cut into large thin slices, and placed in a buttered sauté- or frying-pan, with a little broth, or merely fried in the butter, and served with a purée of winter peas, made by boiling half a pint of peas until tender (tied up in a cloth); when done put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter; season with pepper and salt, add a gill of milk or cream, pour into the dish, and dress the pork over. it may also be cut into thin slices and put into a soup plate, and pour some catsup or harvey sauce over it, and let it remain for half an hour; butter the inside of a pudding basin, and lay some of the remains of peas pudding round it, and then place in the pork, cover it with some of the pudding, place it in a saucepan with a little water to get hot for about half an hour, and then turn it out and serve. should you not have quite pork enough, you may make it up with a little sausage-meat, or any other kind of meat. . _fritadella (twenty receipts in one)._--put half a pound of crumb of bread to soak in a pint of cold water, take the same quantity of any kind of roast or boiled meat, with a little fat, chop it up like sausage meat, then put your bread in a clean cloth, press it to extract all the water, put into a stewpan two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped onions, fry for two minutes, then add the bread, stir with a wooden spoon until rather dry, then add the meat, season with a teaspoonful of salt, half the same of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, the same of lemon peel, stir continually until very hot; then add two eggs, one at a time, well mix together, and pour on a dish to get cold. then take a piece as big as a small egg, and roll it to the same shape, flatten it a little, egg and bread-crumb over, keeping the shape, do all of it the same way, then put into a sauté-pan a quarter of a pound of lard, or clean fat, or oil; when hot, but not too much so, put in the pieces, and sauté a very nice yellow color, and serve very hot, plain, on a napkin, or on a border of mashed potatoes, with any sauce or garniture you fancy. these can be made with the remains of any kind of meat, poultry, game, fish, and even vegetables; hard eggs or cold mashed potatoes may be introduced in small quantities, and may be fried instead of sautéd, in which case put about two pounds of fat in the frying-pan, and if care is used it will do several times. this is an entirely new and very economical and palatable dish, and fit for all seasons, and if once tried would be often repeated; the only expense attending it is the purchase of a small wire sieve for the bread-crumbs. the reason i call it twenty receipts in one is, that all kinds of food may be used for it, even shrimps, oysters, and lobsters. . _ramifolle._--these are a little more expensive than the fritadella, and worthy the table of a crowned head. the flesh of fowls instead of lamb or veal, with the addition of one or two fat livers cut in dice. proceed as in the former receipt, using the crumb of french rolls, and one or two truffles chopped fine: then make some pancake batter, and sauté two pancakes about one eighth of an inch thick, cover one with the meat, &c., and lay the other over, and put by until cold; when so cut them to any shape you like, but if like cutlets add the small bone of fowl or pigeon, or the stalk of a sprig of parsley, egg and bread-crumb them, and sauté them in oil or lard of a nice yellow color, and dish them like cutlets, with any of the sauces or garnitures described for mutton cutlets; or if plain, with fried parsley. they may be made of any kind of meat, fish, or poultry. i have latterly had them sent up to table when we have had a few friends, and they have been very much liked; and, on inquiring the name, i baptized them ramifolle, without any particular meaning, which name having pleased as much as the dish, therefore let them be called ramifolles. they may be made a plainer way with various meats or liver, and spread over one pancake, which roll over, and when cold cut it into three equal lengths, egg, bread-crumb, and sauté as above. . _prussian cutlets._--take a piece of veal, say one pound, from any part of the calf, as long as you extract the nerve, with a little fat, chop it up, but not too fine, add to it two teaspoonfuls of chopped eschalot, one of salt, half a one of pepper, little grated nutmeg, chop it a little more, and make it into pieces of the size of two walnuts, which give the shape of a cutlet; egg and bread-crumb each, keeping the shape; insert a small bone at the small end, sauté in fat, oil, lard, or butter, give it ten minutes on a slow fire till a nice brown color, dish and serve, with demi-glaze sauce, in which you have put a spoonful of harvey's, and serve with any brown or white sauce or stewed vegetables you like. any kind of meat may be used. . _cutlets à la victime, or victimized cutlets._--here, _ma belle amie_, is a terrific title for a receipt but do not fear it, as the time of the inquisition is past, and you are not likely to become one in partaking of it. i do not recommend it to you on the score of economy, as it is the tip-top of extravagance; but forward it as a curiosity, and also in case similar circumstances should happen which caused its invention, which, you must know, was done by a culinary artist of louis xviii. of france, at the palace of the tuileries, and first partaken of by this intellectual monarch and gourmet, who, at the end of his stormy reign, through a serious illness, was completely paralyzed, and, at the same time, the functionary organs of digestion were much out of order; being also a man of great corpulence, and a great admirer of the festive board, much food was required to satisfy his royal appetite; and the difficulty which his physicians experienced was to supply his want of food in the smallest compass. the head-cook, on being consulted, begged a few hours' reflection before he could give an answer to so important a question, as nothing but mutton entirely deprived of fat was to compose his majesty's meal. after profound study by the chief and his satellites, a voice was heard from the larder, which was a considerable distance from the kitchen, crying, "i have found it, i have found it." it was a young man of the name of alphonse pottier, who, in saying so, made his appearance in the kitchen with three beautiful mutton cutlets, tastefully trimmed and tied together; he then, with a small skewer, fastened them to a spit, and placed them, to the astonishment of all present, close to the bars of the grate: two of the cutlets soon got brown (observe, not a word was to be said until the trial was made), from brown they soon turned black: every one gazed at each other in astonishment whilst pottier, with quite a composed countenance, terminated his scientific experiment, took them off the spit, drew the skewer out, cut the string, threw the two burnt cutlets away, and merely served the middle one, which seems to have received all the nutriment of the other two; it was served and greatly approved of by the physicians, as well as by the gourmet potentate, who in consequence of two being sacrificed for one, named it 'cutlet à la victime,' and often afterwards used to partake of them when in the enjoyment of health. cut three cutlets from the neck of mutton, about half an inch thick, trim one very nicely, free from fat, leave the other two as cut off, put the trimmed one between the two, flatten them together, so that the fat of the outside ones meet over the middle one; tie them together thus, and broil over a very strong fire for ten minutes; remove it from the fire, cut the string, and dish up the middle one only on a very hot dish, with a little salt sprinkled over it. if wanted roasted, proceed as above. . _roast and braised chicken, for entrées._--have a chicken trussed for boiling; put it on a spit, envelop it as for turkey (no. ), roast half the time or little less, depending on the fire and the size of the chicken; when done, remove it from the spit, and take off the envelope, and serve with any of the following garniture:--jardinière, green peas, oysters, cucumbers, jerusalem artichokes, white mushroom sauce, ragout of quenelles, juice of tarragon (no. ), dutch sauce, with a few heads of cauliflower well boiled, and cut small. . _braised chicken._--if not convenient to roast, put a little bacon in a stewpan, then a chicken, a large onion, half a carrot, half a head of celery, two bay-leaves, two cloves, one peppercorn, one and a half tablespoonfuls of salt, a little pepper, a bouquet garni, and a quart of water, let simmer till tender; dish up, after having well drained it, take the string off, pour any of the above sauces over or under them; when the chicken is done, you can make, with the addition of a little more water, a very good purée, and even sauces, and by adding some trimmings of beef, veal, lamb, or mutton, it will make a first-rate clear broth, after being clarified giving it a proper color. . _chicken plain boiled._--put two quarts of water into a stewpan, on the fire, or two ounces of butter, and a tablespoonful of salt and a few vegetables; when boiling, rub the breast of the chicken with half a lemon, and put it in to simmer from a quarter of an hour to twenty minutes; if a large fowl, increase the quantity of water, and boil longer; sauce over with parsley and butter, or celery sauce, or any of the above: use the broth. the remains of any of the above, or of turkey, capon, guinea-fowl, or other poultry, may be dressed as hash, by cutting them into neat pieces; put them into a stewpan, put to it half a tablespoonful of salt, one of flour, half a one of chopped onions, ditto of parsley, a bay-leaf, half a pint of water, a few drops of coloring; set to simmer for twenty minutes, and serve; the addition of a few mushrooms is excellent. . _poultry en capilotade._--put with the pieces of fowl a tablespoonful of oil, and one glass of sherry, into a pan, and proceed as above; when ready to serve, chop a few gherkins, and put in. . _indian hash fowl._--make a pint of sauce (p. ), warm, put into it your pieces of fowl, and serve with rice plain-boiled. . _fried fowl._--when you have cut the pieces as before, put them into a basin with a little salt, pepper, a spoonful of oil, and two of vinegar, and a little chopped eschalot, stir them well in it, and let remain for half an hour, have ready a quantity of batter, and take a fork and dip each piece one after the other into it, and then let it drop into the frying-pan, in which is sufficient hot fat to cover them; fry a nice color, and serve in a pyramid, with fried parsley over, or any sauce you like under. . _blanquette of fowl._--put half a pint of white sauce in a stewpan, with six tablespoonfuls of broth or milk, let it boil, having cut up about a pound of the remains of any kind of poultry, put it in the sauce, warm it, and add two spoonfuls of liaison to it; season with a little salt, pepper, the juice of half a lemon, stir it, and serve. do not let it boil, or it will curdle, and be unsightly and unpalatable; a little cooked ham or tongue are good in it, also oysters, and served with bread sippets round. a little chopped parsley sprinkled over it makes it look very inviting. . _minced fowl._--cut the remains into small dice, with a little ham or tongue, add thick white sauce, season mildly; it can be served with poached eggs over. . _sauté of fowl._--see the article sauté, which is applicable to all kinds of poultry; if the fowl be old, it should be previously stewed. . _broiled fowl, with sauce._--have a fowl ready plucked and drawn, open the back from one end to the other with a sharp knife, having previously cut the feet off at the second joint, make an incision in the skin, and pass the bone through to fix it internally; lay the fowl on the table, breast down, beat it as flat as possible with a chopper, take out the breast-bone, and also the rough part of the interior of the back, especially if a large or old fowl; after you have it in a nice shape, season all over with a teaspoonful of salt and half one of pepper, put it on a gridiron, over a slow fire, turning it every five minutes until done; if a young one, twenty-five minutes ought to do it well; but by trying with the finger on the thick part, it will easily be known by even an inexperienced hand, if firm under the finger, it is done, or by pressing the wing, and if tender, it is also done; put on dish, and pour over a brown mushroom sauce, or the following: put two spoonfuls of chili vinegar, two of harvey's sauce, two of catsup, one of chopped eschalot, ten of plain melted butter, put in a stewpan and boil for twenty minutes; skim and serve under or over. . _another way._--when the fowl is ready for broiling, put four tablespoonfuls of oil or fat, or one ounce of butter, into a sauté-pan, lay in the fowl, and sauté it gently until a nice yellow color, and then broil as above; or egg and bread-crumb it over, melting a little butter, and drop a little now and then when on the fire, and with care it will be gold color; serve with either sharp, mushroom, tomato, or poivrade sauce on. . _a la tartare._--by making about half a pint of the above sauce, and ornament an oval dish by placing on the border cut gherkins, beet-root, olives, place the sauce on it, and lay the fowl very hot over it; thus the fowl is hot and the sauce cold, but together very good. . _croquettes of fowl._--take the lean of the remains of a fowl from a previous dinner, and chop it up in small pieces, then put into a stewpan a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots with half an ounce of butter, pass them for about three minutes over the fire, add a teaspoonful of flour, mix well, then add the fowl, and a gill of white sauce, or more if not sufficiently moist; season with pepper, salt, and sugar; then stir in the yolks of two eggs very quickly, stir it a little longer on the fire, and turn it out on a dish to cool; when cold, take twelve pieces, each of the size of a walnut, roll them out an inch and a half in length, and bread-crumb thrice over; fry a good color, dress them on a napkin, or a border of mashed potatoes. every kind of remains of game, meat, poultry, and fish, may be made the same way: if no sauce, add a little more flour, and use milk or broth. . _fricassée of fowl._--divide a fowl into eight pieces, wash it well, put the pieces into a stewpan, and cover with boiling water, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, a good bouquet of parsley, four cloves, and a blade of mace, let it boil twenty minutes, pass the stock through a sieve into a basin; take out the pieces of fowl, trim nicely, then put into another stewpan two ounces of butter, with which mix a good spoonful of flour, moisten with stock, put in the pieces of fowl, stir occasionally until boiling, skim well, add twenty button onions, let simmer until the onions are tender, when add a gill of cream, with which you have mixed the yolks of two eggs, stir in quickly over the fire, but do not let it boil; take out the pieces, dress in pyramid upon the dish, and serve. if you require to warm up the remainder of the above, put it into a basin, which stand in a stewpan in which you have placed a little water, put the cover over, and let it boil gently, by which means the contents of the basin will get warm without turning the sauce; when hot, dish up and serve. the same plan ought to be adopted to warm up any remains of dishes in which a liaison has been introduced; it prevents its turning, which is unavoidable in any other way. . _fowl sauté._--pluck and draw a fowl, cut it into pieces, seven or eight, as you like, that is, the two french wings, the two legs, the breast in one or two pieces, and the back in two; trim nicely, put into a sauté-pan two ounces of butter, put it on the fire; when hot, lay in your pieces, add a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, sauté gently, turn over; when of a nice gold color and tender, pour the fat of the pan, add a glass of sherry and ten spoonfuls of brown sauce, boil ten minutes longer but very slowly, and serve in pyramid; sauce over. this done in oil, with the addition of twenty mushrooms and a little garlic, is the celebrated dish of _poulet à la marengo_. . _the same, a plainer way._--when prepared and cooked as above, instead of the sauce, which may not be handy, add a spoonful of flour, which dredge over till it is well mixed, then add half a pint of boiling water, a few drops of coloring or some mushroom-catsup, two teaspoonfuls of salt and a half of pepper, add a bouquet of parsley, let it simmer for twenty minutes, skim, taste if your sauce is well seasoned, dish your fowl, reduce your sauce until adhering to the back of the spoon, add the juice of half a lemon, and serve. a few mushrooms or english truffles may be added to it, which is a great improvement; the color of the sauce ought to be brownish; take out the bouquet which you have previously squeezed. . _sauté of fowl with vegetables._--proceed exactly as above, only omitting the wine, add to the sauce fifty heads of young green scallions, or some small pieces of carrot and turnip, or a pint of green peas, or cucumbers cut in nice pieces, stew till tender, add a spoonful of powdered sugar, dish the fowl, skim the sauce, take out the parsley; when your sauce is thickish and of a nice color, pour over the fowl, and serve very hot. . _blanquettes of turkey._--cut off the flesh from the remainder of a roast or boiled turkey into as large slices as possible, then break up the bones, which put into a stewpan, with a little lean bacon and an onion, and a small bouquet of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, just cover them with water, and boil gently for three quarters of an hour, skim, and pass the stock through a cloth, and with it make a little white sauce as directed, then put the meat into another stewpan, lightly seasoned with a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg; just cover it with some of the sauce, and warm it gradually, not, however, permitting it to boil; when very hot, stir in three tablespoonfuls of cream, with which you have mixed the yolk of an egg, and when beginning to thicken, dress it upon a dish with toasted or fried sippets of bread around, cucumbers cut and dressed as directed p. , and added to the blanquette are a very great improvement, as are likewise button mushrooms or a few slices of cooked ham or tongue. for a blanquette of fowl proceed precisely the same. . _boudins of fowl or turkey._--cut up the remains of a turkey or fowls into very small dice, with a quarter of a pound of lean cooked ham to each pound of meat, make a stock with the bones as directed in the last; put a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots into a stewpan, with a piece of butter of the size of a walnut, which stir over the fire until the eschalots become a little yellowish, when stir in a good tablespoonful of flour, add the meat and about a pint of the stock, let boil gently a few minutes, season with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, stir the yolks of two eggs in quickly, and pour it out upon a dish until cold, when divide it into pieces of the size of eggs, which rub into long pieces of the shape and size of flat sausages, which egg and bread-crumb twice over, and fry of a nice brown color in hot fat or dripping, drain upon a cloth, and serve very hot. . _turban of croquettes à l'epigramme._--croquettes are made from the same preparation as the last, but made up into small pieces, two inches in length and the thickness of your finger; egg, bread-crumb, and fry the same, dress in a circle upon a border of mashed potatoes, and serve with some blanquette of turkey or fowl in the centre. . _hashed goose._--put a spoonful of chopped onions into a stewpan with an ounce of butter, which fry over the fire until becoming rather browned, then stir a tablespoonful of flour, put in the remains of a goose, cut into neat pieces, and well seasoned with pepper and salt; add a pint of stock, let the whole simmer about ten minutes, and it is ready to serve. a little apple sauce may be served separately in a boat, or a couple of apples sliced, a few leaves of bruised dried sage may be stewed with the hash. . _stewed duck with peas._--truss a duck with the legs turned inside, which put into a stewpan with two ounces of butter and a quarter of a pound of streaked bacon, cut into small dice, set the stewpan over a moderate fire, occasionally stirring its contents until it becomes lightly browned, then add a good teaspoonful of flour, and when well mixed, a pint of stock or water, stir occasionally until boiling, when add twenty button onions and a bunch of parsley with a bay-leaf; let the whole simmer a quarter of an hour, keeping it well skimmed, then add a quart of young peas, and simmer half an hour longer, or until the peas are quite tender, when take out the duck, draw out the string, and dress it upon your dish; remove the parsley and bay-leaf, season the peas and sauce with a little pepper, salt, and sugar, pour over the duck and serve. . _stewed duck with turnips._--proceed as in the last, but, instead of peas, use about forty pieces of good turnips, cut into moderately-sized squares, and previously fried, of a yellowish color, in a little lard or butter, dress the duck upon your dish, season the turnips and sauce with a little salt, pepper and sugar, and reduce it until thickish, not however to break the turnips; sauce over, and serve. the remains of ducks left from a previous dinner may be hashed as directed for goose, but the sage and apple should in all cases be omitted; for variety, should peas be in season, a pint freshly boiled may be mixed with the hash at the time of serving. . _fowl sauté in oil._--cut a fowl into eight pieces, that is, the two wings, two legs, two pieces of the breast, and two of the back, which put into a stewpan, with three tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, over a moderate fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally, until the pieces of fowl are rather browned, when mix in a tablespoonful of flour, which moisten with a pint of stock or water, let it simmer at the corner of the fire twenty minutes, skimming off the oil as it rises to the surface; add a few blanched mushrooms in slices, season with a little salt, pepper, sugar, and a piece of scraped garlic the size of a pea; take out the fowl, which pile upon your dish, laying the worst pieces at the bottom; reduce the sauce over the fire, keeping it stirred until sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of the spoon, when pour over the fowl and serve. use brown sauce, if handy. . _fricassée of rabbit._--cut a nice young rabbit into neat joints, and put them into lukewarm water to disgorge for half an hour, when drain and put them into a stewpan, with a large onion cut into slices, two cloves, a blade of mace, a little parsley, one bay-leaf, and a quarter of a pound of streaky bacon cut into small dice; cover the whole with water, and let it simmer twenty minutes, keeping it well skimmed; then pass the stock through a sieve into a basin, take out the pieces of rabbit with the bacon, then in another stewpan have two ounces of butter, with which mix a good tablespoonful of flour, moisten with the stock, and stir over the fire until boiling; then trim neatly the pieces of rabbit, which, with the bacon and twenty button onions, put into the sauce; let the whole simmer until the onions are tender, skimming off all the fat as it rises to the surface; then pour in a gill of cream, with which you have mixed the yolks of two eggs, leave it a moment upon the fire to thicken (but not to boil), take out the rabbit, which pile upon your dish, sauce over and serve. . _gibelotte of rabbit._--cut up a young rabbit into neat joints, as likewise a quarter of a pound of streaky bacon in small dice, put the bacon into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, and when a little fried, put in the pieces of rabbit, which sauté of a light brown color, moving them round occasionally with a wooden spoon; then add a good tablespoonful of flour, working it well in, moisten with a pint of water, season with a little pepper and salt, and when beginning to simmer, skim off all the fat, and add thirty button onions, a few blanched mushrooms, and a little brown gravy or coloring; let simmer a quarter of an hour longer, when take out the rabbit, which dress upon your dish; reduce the sauce until it adheres to the back of the spoon, when pour it over the rabbit and serve. . _compote of pigeons._--put a quarter of a pound of lean bacon cut into small dice into a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, and fry a few seconds over the fire, then have three pigeons trussed, with their legs turned inside, which place in the stewpan breast downwards, setting them over the fire until of a light brown color, moving them round occasionally; add a tablespoonful of flour, which work well in with a wooden spoon, until becoming browned, when moisten with a pint of water, add a good bunch of parsley, with a bay-leaf, and about thirty button onions, season with a little pepper and salt, let the whole simmer three quarters of an hour, keeping it well skimmed, then dress the pigeons upon a dish with the bacon and onions round, reduce the sauce to a proper consistency, take out the parsley and bay-leaf, sauce over and serve. . _stewed pigeon with peas._--cook the pigeons precisely as described in the last, but omitting the onions and bay-leaf, and adding a quart of fresh green peas; when done, dress the pigeons in a dish, pour the sauce and peas over and serve. . _hot lamb pie (raised)._--to make this an oval, a tin or copper pie mould would be required, which you would choose of a size most generally useful. butter the interior of the mould, which stand upon a baking-sheet, then make the following paste: put a quarter of a pound of butter and the same of chopped suet into a stewpan, with half a pint of water, and let the whole boil together one minute, when strain it through a sieve into a basin containing two pounds of flour, mixing it first with a spoon, and when cool enough with the hand, until forming a smooth paste; when partly cold roll it out into a sheet half an inch in thickness, with which line the mould, pressing the paste evenly at all parts; have ready cut sufficient small lamb chops from the loin, neatly cut away the bones, and lay them round the interior of the pie alternately with slices of raw potatoes (a quarter of an inch in thickness), season rather highly as you proceed, with pepper, salt, chopped onions, and parsley; make a neat cover with the trimmings of the paste, and bake it rather better than two hours in a moderate oven; when done lift the cover, pour out as much of the fat as possible, add a little gravy and serve. . _other various pies._--hot raised pies may also be made with mutton by following the above directions. they are also very good made with fillet of beef cut into thin slices of the size of the lamb chops, or of rump steak, by laying a piece at the bottom, seasoning and filling alternately with potatoes and the meat; veal and ham pies are also excellent, but the potatoes in them had better be omitted, the veal however, seasoned and dipped in flour. pies may also be made with veal sweetbreads and ham, but then about three parts of a pint of white sauce should be poured in after the pie is baked. fowls or rabbits may likewise be cut into joints, and put into a stewpan, with a piece of butter, previously well seasoning them with pepper, salt, and chopped eschalots; cover the stewpan close, and leave it twenty minutes over a slow fire, when add a pint of white sauce, and simmer ten minutes longer, when cold build them up in the interior of the pie, which cover and bake an hour in a warm oven. pies of the above description can of course be made of any size, either large enough for a family meal, or very small and round, for a corner dish for a dinner party; most people who are in the habit of making them, keep two different-sized moulds for the purpose. . _rump steak pie._--procure two pounds of rumpsteaks, which cut into thinnish slices, and season well with pepper and salt, dip each piece into flour, and lay them in a small pie-dish, finishing the top in the form of a dome; add a wineglassful of water, then have ready half a pound of half-puff paste, cut off a small piece, which roll into a band, and lay round the edge of the dish, having previously wetted it with a paste-brush, dipped in water, then roll out the remainder of the paste to about the size of the dish, damp the band of paste upon the dish, and lay the other piece over, make a hole with a knife at the top, press the edges evenly down with your thumbs, trim the pie round with a knife, egg over the top with a paste-brush, and ornament it with the trimmings of the paste, according to fancy: bake it rather better than an hour in a moderate oven, and serve either hot or cold. . _veal and ham pie._--cut about a pound and a half of veal into thin slices, as also a quarter of a pound of cooked ham; season the veal rather highly with white pepper and salt, with which cover the bottom of the dish, then lay over a few slices of ham, then the remainder of the veal, finishing with the remainder of the ham, add a wineglassful of water, and cover and bake as directed for the beefsteak pie: a bay will be an improvement. . _mutton pie._--procure the chumps of three loins of mutton, from which cut the meat in moderately thin slices, put a layer at the bottom of the dish, which season well with chopped parsley, eschalots, pepper, and salt; then put a layer of slices of raw potatoes, and again a layer of mutton, seasoning as before, proceeding thus to the top, which form in a dome, finishing with mutton, cover with paste, and bake as directed for rumpsteak pie. . _another method._--cut six chops from a loin of mutton, from which trim as much of the fat as possible: season them well with salt and pepper, and lay them round in your pie-dish, the thick part uppermost, put two onions, in slices, in the centre, over which lay four middling-sized potatoes, each cut in halves, pour in a wineglassful of water, cover with paste, and bake as the last. . _lamb pie._--cut a small neck of lamb into chops, which must not be too fat, season them lightly with pepper and salt, and lay them in your pie-dish, with a few new potatoes in slices, pour in a little water, then cover and bake as directed for rumpsteak pie. . _chicken pie._--cut up a nice plump chicken into joints, which lay upon a dish, and season lightly with chopped parsley, white pepper, and salt, then lay the back, cut into three pieces, at the bottom of a pie-dish, with the two legs on either side; have half a pound of cooked ham or bacon in slices, a layer of which cover over, then lay in the two wings, and over them the breast, cut into two pieces, which, with the remainder of the ham or bacon, form into a dome in the middle, pour half a pint of white sauce over, if handy, or a little broth or water, cover with paste, and bake as directed for the last. if no white sauce, dip each piece lightly in flour. . _rabbit pie._--cut a nice rabbit into joints, splitting the head in halves, and lay them in lukewarm water half an hour, to disgorge, then dry them upon a cloth, season well with pepper, salt, chopped eschalots, parsley, two bay-leaves, and a spoonful of flour; have also three quarters of a pound of uncooked streaked bacon, cut into square pieces the size of walnuts, build up the pieces of rabbit and bacon together, in a pie-dish, commencing with the worst pieces, and forming a dome; pour in a little water, cover with paste, and bake as directed for rumpsteak pie. . _pigeon pie._--line the bottom of a pie-dish with a pound of rumpsteak, cut into slices not too thin, seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and cayenne, and dipped into flour; have ready picked and drawn a couple of pigeons, cut off the feet, turn the legs in, fold up the pinions of the wings, and lay them breast to breast upon the meat, have the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, which put at the sides, sprinkle a little pepper and salt over the pigeons, lay a bay-leaf upon the top, pour in a little water, cover with paste, stick the feet in the top, and bake as directed for the last. . _partridge pie._--line the bottom of a pie-dish with slices of veal, cut moderately thick, and rather lightly seasoned with white pepper and salt; have ready picked, drawn, and trussed a couple of young partridges, pour one glass of sherry over the veal, and lay in the partridges breast to breast, laying a piece of fat bacon over each, cover with paste, sticking the feet of the partridges in the top of the pie, and bake as before. . _grouse pie._--roast, very underdone, a couple of nice plump grouse; when cold, cut into joints, being the two wings, two legs, and the breasts into two pieces each, season them lightly, and lay them in a pie-dish, building them to form a dome, then break up the back-bone and other trimmings, which put into a stewpan, with a glass of sherry, a bay-leaf, an onion in slices, a few sprigs of parsley, three or four whole allspice, set the stewpan over the fire a few minutes until the wine boils, when add half a pint of brown sauce, and half a pint of broth, stir it over a fire until again reduced to half a pint, when strain it through a sieve, over the grouse; when quite cold cover with paste, as directed for rumpsteak pie, and bake in a warm oven; about half an hour would be sufficient, as the paste requires to be laid on thinner, the contents of the pie having been previously cooked. pies may be made from the remains of any poultry or game, in the same manner as here described; only, if poultry, use white sauce instead of brown, and omit the wine. if no sauce, roll each piece in flour, and make only the gravy, which place in it. the remains of any joint of meat may likewise be served in a pie, by cutting the meat in slices, well seasoning, laying them in a pie-dish, and pouring half a pint of sharp sauce over; or use broth, or even water highly seasoned. . _sea pie._--put into a stewpan two pounds of beefsteak, season it with pepper and salt, a small bit of celery chopped up, or a pinch of ground celery seed, a pinch of pounded basil, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a small onion cut in slices; put on this six larks trussed for roasting, then make a piece of paste with suet, about one inch thick, and round like the stewpan; put half a pint of water or hock in the stewpan, and cover the larks with the paste, pressing it against the sides of the stewpan; simmer for one hour, and serve, by putting a knife round the sides of the stewpan to detach the paste, and turn it over on a dish. . _eel pie._--skin and cleanse three good-sized eels, which cut into pieces about two inches in length, put a good-sized bunch of parsley, thyme, and three bay-leaves, all tied together, into a stewpan, with an onion, into which you have stuck six cloves, a glass of port wine, and a pint of broth, lay in the pieces of eels, and set them upon the fire to simmer for ten minutes, when take them out, laying them upon a cloth to drain, skim off all the fat from the stock the eels were cooked in, to which add rather more than half a pint of brown sauce, let the whole boil until reduced to three parts of a pint, when dress the pieces of eels up in a pie-dish, strain the sauce over through a sieve, and when cold, cover with paste as directed for rumpsteak pie, and bake about an hour in a moderate oven, serve it hot. if for a small pie, they may be used raw, and season accordingly, after having rolled each piece in flour. . _beefsteak pudding._--put a pound of flour upon a dresser, with which mix half a pound of beef suet, very finely chopped, make a hole in the middle, into which put a teaspoonful of salt, and sufficient water to form a rather stiffish paste, mix it well together, using a little more flour to dry it and prevent its sticking; then lightly butter the interior of a round-bottomed pudding-basin, roll out two thirds of the paste to half an inch in thickness, with which line the basin; have ready cut into slices, about the size of the palm of the hand and a quarter of an inch in thickness, two pounds of rumpsteak, with a little of the fat included, lay them upon a dish; season with two teaspoonfuls of salt, and one of black pepper, sprinkle a little flour over, move them about a little until each piece is well covered with flour and seasoning; then lay them within the paste, also putting in whatever seasoning may remain upon the dish, pour a gill of water over, moistening the edges of the paste; then roll out the remainder of the paste to form a lid, which place over, pressing it down with the thumb, then tie the basin in a pudding-cloth, and put it into a saucepan containing about a gallon of boiling water, and keep continually boiling for nearly two hours, adding a little more water occasionally, to keep up the quantity; then take it up, untie the cloth, run a sharp-pointed knife into the pudding, and if the meat feels tender, it is done (if not, it will require more boiling), turn it over upon your dish, lift the basin carefully from it, and serve, without opening the pudding to add gravy, as many persons do, for a pudding made as above will be full of gravy when cut at table. . _mutton pudding._--line a pudding-basin with paste, as directed in the last; then have ready cut into slices the meat from two loin-chumps of mutton, which lay upon a dish, and season with a teaspoonful of chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, rather more than half that quantity of black pepper, and salt in proportion; then put a layer of meat into the pudding, then a layer of raw potatoes cut into slices, proceeding thus until you have filled it up, but finishing with meat, cover it up as in the last, likewise tie it in a napkin, and boil, but rather better than two hours would be sufficient; serve as before directed. . _lamb pudding._--if convenient, procure the entire ribs of lamb, sawing off the breast almost close to the lean part of the neck; the breast may be cooked as directed (no. ); cut the neck into rather thin cutlets, which season lightly with white pepper, salt, and a little chopped parsley and onions: you have previously lined a pudding-basin with paste as before, fill it with the meat thus prepared, intermixing a few new potatoes cut in slices, finish the pudding, boil, and serve as before directed. . _veal pudding._--cut two pounds of veal from any part of the leg into slices, about the size of the palm of the hand and a quarter of an inch in thickness, put two ounces of butter into a frying-pan, and when melted lay in the veal, and a few slices of streaked bacon, season the whole with pepper and a little salt, add one bay-leaf, and a few sprigs of thyme; place the pan over a slow fire, sauté the veal gently for a quarter of an hour; then take it from the fire, and leave it in the pan until cold, then have a pudding-basin lined with paste as before, lay in the veal and bacon, pouring the gravy over, cover, and boil as before, but an hour would be sufficient. . _pork pudding._--line a pudding-basin with paste as before, and spread three quarters of a pound of sausage-meat of an equal thickness over the interior, have a pound and a half of lean pork, from the leg if possible, cut into square pieces of the size of walnuts, which season rather highly with pepper, salt, a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots, and half that quantity of dried sage; put the meat into the centre of the pudding, cover over with a quarter of a pound more sausage-meat, over which put on the cover of paste, tie it in a cloth, and boil two hours and a half, as directed for beefsteak pudding. . _kidney pudding._--procure one ox or eight mutton kidneys, which cut into slices the thickness of half-a-crown piece; lay them upon a dish, seasoning well with black pepper and salt, and shaking one ounce of flour over, mix all well together, to absorb the flour and seasoning; then have a pudding-basin, lined as directed for beefsteak pudding, finish, boil, and serve as there directed. a pudding made with one pound of steak and a beef kidney is also very excellent, as is likewise a beefsteak pudding with two dozen of oysters (previously blanched and bearded) added. . _rabbit pudding._--cut a rabbit up in joints (splitting the head in halves), and lay them in a basin of lukewarm water an hour, to disgorge; line a pudding-basin with paste as directed for rumpsteak pudding, dry the pieces of rabbit upon a cloth, and lay them in the pudding with half a pound of streaked bacon, cut into square pieces, and seasoning rather highly with chopped eschalots, salt, pepper, and chopped parsley; cover, tie it in a cloth, boil it two hours, and serve as before directed. . _suet pudding._--put a pound of sifted flour in a basin, with half a pound of beef suet finely chopped, add two eggs, with a pinch of salt, and a quarter of a pint of water, beat well together with a wooden spoon, making a rather thick batter, flour a pudding-cloth, which lay in a small, round-bottomed basin, pour in the mixture, tie the cloth tightly, and put the pudding in to boil, with a joint of salt beef, if you have one, to serve the pudding with, or if not, in boiling water; an hour and a quarter would be sufficient to cook it; when done, untie the cloth, turn the pudding over upon your dish, and serve very hot. . _yorkshire pudding._--put six tablespoonfuls of flour into a basin, with six eggs, a pinch of salt, and a quarter of a pint of milk, mix well together with a wooden spoon, adding the remaining three quarters of a pint of milk by degrees; you have previously set a shallow tin dish under a piece of roasting beef before the fire; an hour before serving pour in the batter, leaving it under the meat until quite set and rather browned upon the top, when turn the pudding over upon the dish you intend serving it upon, and again place it before the fire until the other side is browned, when it is ready to serve with the meat. this pudding is also very excellent baked under a small piece of beef of about five or six pounds. it is also frequently baked beneath a shoulder of mutton; also baked in an oven separate (with a few spoonfuls of gravy added), if the fire is not large enough. . _toad in a hole._--make a batter as directed for the yorkshire pudding, but with the addition of a spoonful more flour and six ounces of chopped beef suet; butter a rather deep baking-dish, into which pour the batter, lay a solid piece of lean gravy beef, about three pounds, in the centre, and bake it an hour and a half in a hot oven. another method is to cut up about three pounds of rump-steaks into about six pieces, and putting them in the batter at various distances apart, but the former method is most common. any remains of cooked beef, veal, mutton, pork, roasted or boiled, salt or fresh, or game and fowl, cut in pieces, and seasoned to taste, may be used in this dish, by adding it to the batter when in the dish. . _pease pudding._--tie a pint of split peas in a cloth, leaving them room to swell, but not more; put them into a stewpan of cold water, where let them boil nearly half an hour until tender, but not at all watery (which they would not be if allowed only sufficient room to swell, and no more); then turn them out of the cloth, rub them through a hair sieve into a basin, after which add a quarter of a pound of butter, season with a little white pepper and salt, and mix all well together, with three yolks and one whole egg; lightly flour a pudding-cloth, which lay in a small round-bottomed basin, pour in the mixture, tie up the cloth, and put the pudding to boil for an hour in a saucepan of boiling water; when done, turn it from the cloth upon a dish, and serve with any joint of boiled pork. . _fowl pillau._--put one pound of the best patna rice into a frying-pan with two ounces of butter, which keep moving over a slow fire, until the rice is lightly browned; then have ready a fowl trussed as for boiling, which put into a stewpan, with five pints of good broth, pound in a mortar about forty cardamom seeds with the husks, half an ounce of coriander seeds, and sufficient cloves, allspice, mace, cinnamon, and peppercorns, to make two ounces in the aggregate, which tie up tightly in a cloth, and put into the stewpan with the fowl, let it boil slowly until the fowl is nearly done; then add the rice, which let stew until quite tender and almost dry; have ready four onions, which cut into slices the thickness of half-crown pieces, sprinkle over with flour, and fry, without breaking them, of a nice brown color, have also six thin slices of bacon, curled and grilled, and two eggs boiled hard; then lay the fowl upon your dish, which cover over with the rice, forming a pyramid, garnish with the bacon, fried onions, and the hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters, and serve very hot. the bag of spice must be preserved, as it will answer the same purpose half a dozen times. fowl pillaus are frequently served with two ounces of malaga raisins, which are added at the same time and stewed with the rice. . _mutton pillau._--trim a neck of mutton, by sawing off the tips of the ribs and taking away the chine-bone; then lay it in a stewpan, with a bag of spice as in the last, and cover with three quarts of stock, let it simmer very gently two hours; then take out the mutton, which keep hot upon a dish, skim off all the fat from the stock it was boiled in, to which add a pound of patna rice, which stew until tender and very dry: then lay it over the mutton, garnish with fried onions, and hard-boiled eggs, as in the last, and serve very hot. . _chicken curry._--cut up a chicken into ten pieces, that is, two wings, two pieces of the breast, two of the back, and each leg divided into two pieces at the joints; then cut up a middling-sized onion into very small dice, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter and a very small piece of garlic, stir them over the fire until sautéd well; then add two teaspoonfuls of curry powder and one of curry paste, which well mix in; then add half a pint of good broth, let it boil up; then lay in the pieces of chicken, cover it over, and put to stew very gently for half an hour, stirring it round occasionally, if getting too dry add a little more broth (or water); when done, the flesh should part easily from the bones, and the sauce should adhere rather thickly; season with the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt, and serve, with plain boiled rice, upon a separate dish. ducklings can be cooked in the same way. . _chicken curry with paste._--cut a chicken up as described in the last, which put into a stewpan, with two ounces of clarified butter, put it over the fire, stirring occasionally until the pieces of the chicken are lightly browned; then pour off the butter and fat from the chicken, add three teaspoonfuls of curry paste and a pint of good broth, mix all well together, place the stewpan again upon the fire, stewing its contents slowly for about twenty minutes, when serve, as directed in the last. . _rabbit curry._--cut up a rabbit into smallish pieces, splitting the head in halves, cut up two large onions and one apple into very small dice, which fry in a stewpan with two ounces of butter; when nicely browned, add a good tablespoonful of curry powder, a teaspoonful of curry paste, half one of flour, and a pint of stock, mix well together, then put in the rabbit, with half a pound of streaked bacon, cut into square pieces the size of filberts, let the whole stew very gently upon a very slow fire (or put the stewpan closely covered down into a warm oven) three quarters of an hour; when done, which you may ascertain by trying with the point of a knife if the flesh will leave the bone easily, pour off as much of the fat as possible, and turn it out upon your dish; serve with rice separately. the curry sauce should be sufficiently thick to envelop each piece of the rabbit. . _veal curry._--cut up about two pounds of lean veal into small square pieces, half the size of walnuts, then put a large onion cut into small dice in a stewpan, with a clove of garlic and one apple cut into slices, and one ounce of butter; keep them stirred over a moderate fire until lightly browned, when stir in a good tablespoonful of mild curry powder, half one of flour, mix well, then add a pint of water, let it just boil up, put in the veal, which stir round two or three times, to mix with the curry, and put the stewpan over a slow fire, or in a warm oven for an hour and a half; when done (which you may ascertain by pressing a piece between the finger and thumb, if done it would be quite tender and separate), add the juice of a lemon and a little salt, stir the whole round three or four times very gently, to mix, and turn it out upon your dish, serve with rice separately. should you require a veal curry made in less time, the better plan would be to sauté the veal in butter previously, then putting it with its own gravy to the curry, and boiling the whole gently a quarter of an hour. to make a veal curry with curry paste, sauté the veal in butter; when becoming slightly browned, add a good tablespoonful of the paste, with half a pint of water, leave it to stew about half an hour, when it will be ready to serve. beef, mutton, lamb, and pork curries are made precisely the same as directed for veal curries. . _breast of veal curry._--procure a piece of breast of veal about three pounds in weight, with the bones and tendons attached, which chop into about twenty square pieces, and put into a stewpan, with two quarts of water, and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves; let it simmer three hours at the corner of the fire, skimming off all the fat, then take out the meat and strain the broth into a basin; in another stewpan have a middling-sized onion (cut into small dice), with an ounce of butter, sauté them rather brown, then add a good tablespoonful of curry powder, mix well, and pour in the broth, then add the meat, which let stew in the curry one hour longer, until the meat is very tender, and the sauce becomes rather thick; pour off as much fat as possible, season with a little salt and the juice of a lemon, which stir in very gently, take the meat out as whole as possible, dress them upon your dish, pour the sauce over and serve; rice separately. . _breast of mutton curry._--cut up a breast of mutton, bones and all, into pieces about two inches in length and one in width, which put into a stewpan with two quarts of water, to simmer for about two hours, when proceed precisely as directed in the last. . _breast of lamb curry_ is made very similar to the preceding, and is considered a great treat to those who are fond of curries. curry paste may be used to advantage, either by itself, or mixed equally with the powder. there being a great quantity of fat in the breast, great care should be taken to remove it from the curry every available opportunity. . _lamb's head curry._--procure a lamb's head, which split in halves, break the bones at the nostrils, and put into lukewarm water an hour to disgorge, previously taking out the brains, which likewise disgorge in the water, then put the head into a stewpan well covered with water, let it boil two hours, when take it out, separate the bones from the flesh, which cut into small pieces. in another stewpan have a middling-sized onion cut into small dice, which set upon the fire, adding two ounces of butter, and sauté them a light brown color, when add a tablespoonful of curry powder, and half that quantity of curry paste, mix well together, then put in the pieces of head with half a pint of broth, and stew gently for half an hour. whilst the curry is stewing, take the brains from the water, and put them into a stewpan of boiling water, let simmer five minutes, after which chop very fine, and put them into a basin, with a good handful of bread-crumbs, a little white pepper, salt, and chopped parsley, mix well together with an egg, and form it into six little round balls, which egg and bread-crumb twice over, and fry in a little hot lard, of a very light brown color, then dress the curry upon a dish, lay the brain croquets round, and serve with rice separately. . _calf's head curry_ is usually made with the remains left from a previous dinner; if about two pounds of meat remaining upon the bone, cut it whilst cold into thin slices, then cut two onions and two apples into small dice, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter and half a clove of garlic cut in slices, stir with a wooden spoon over the fire until sautéd nice and brown, when add a tablespoonful of curry powder, half one of flour, mix well, then pour in a pint of broth, add a little salt, and boil twenty minutes, keeping it well stirred; then put in the calf's head, and let it remain upon the fire until quite hot through; add the juice of half a lemon, which stir in very gently, without breaking the meat, dress it upon a dish, and serve with rice separately. curry sauce may be passed through a sieve previously to putting the head in. . _calf's feet curry._--after boiling a set of feet for calf's feet jelly, the feet may be served in curry as follows: separate the meat from the bones whilst the feet are warm; when cold, cut them into small square pieces, and proceed exactly as in the last; or use curry sauce. . _calf's tail curry._--cut up calves' tails into joints, which put into a stewpan, with a small piece of lean ham and a bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf; cover them with three pints of cold water, and let simmer about two hours, until tender, keeping them well skimmed; when done, strain the stock through a hair sieve into a basin, and put the tails upon a plate; then proceed as directed for calf's head curry, but using the stock from the tails, and reducing the curry until rather thickish before adding the tails. . _ox tail curry_ is made precisely as in the last, but one tail would be sufficient, and it would require double the time to stew; or use curry sauce. . _tripe curry._--cut two large onions into very small dice, which put into a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, and stir over the fire until brown, when well mix in a tablespoonful of curry powder and half that quantity of paste; add a pint of broth, and two pounds of double tripe cut into strips; let the whole stew very slowly one hour, keeping it well skimmed, when dress it upon a dish, and serve with rice separately. . _lobster curry._--procure a large boiled lobster, break the shell, and take out the flesh in as large pieces as possible, cutting the tail into about six pieces, and the claws of a proportionate size; then cut two onions into small slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, fry them of a light yellow color, then mix in a good tablespoonful of mild curry paste (or half powder and half paste), and add a pint of good broth, then boil it up over the fire until becoming a little thickish, when put in the lobster, stir the whole round, then cover the stewpan closely, and put it into a moderate oven half an hour, by which time the curry would be of a proper consistency, and the lobster very delicately tender, add the juice of half a lemon, and serve with rice separately. if no oven it may be very gradually stewed over a slow fire, in which case it might want moistening occasionally. . _crab curry._--prepare the onions and curry precisely as in the last, but adding the flesh of a crab (broken small) instead of a lobster; let it stew over the fire about twenty minutes, add the juice of half a lemon, and serve as before. . _oyster curry._--blanch and beard six dozen of oysters, leaving the oysters in their own liquor; then cut two middling-sized onions into small dice, and sauté it in a stewpan, with an ounce of butter; when done, mix in two teaspoonfuls of curry powder and one of curry paste, then add the oysters with their liquor, and keep stirring over the fire until the oysters become enveloped in a thick sauce, when turn them out upon your dish, and serve with rice separately. . _prawn curry._--procure sufficient prawns to weigh about a pound; when picked, put half of a small onion chopped very fine into a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, stir them over the fire until becoming rather yellowish; then add two teaspoonfuls of mild but rather piquant curry paste, mixing the whole gradually with half a pint of good broth; then put in the prawns, and stew gently about a quarter of an hour, when they will be ready to serve; rice separate. if no curry paste, powder may be used, but the paste is far preferable. shrimps may also be curried in the same way, but they are in general so very salt. . _salmon curry._--have two slices of salmon, weighing about a pound each, which cut into pieces of the size of walnuts, cut up two middling-sized onions, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter and a clove of garlic cut in thin slices, stir over the fire until becoming rather yellowish; then add a tablespoonful of curry powder and half that quantity of curry paste, mix all well together with a pint of good broth, put in the salmon, which stew about half an hour, pour off as much of the oil as possible; if too dry, moisten with a little more broth, mixing it gently, and serve as before. salmon curry may also be made with the remains left from a previous dinner, in which case reduce the curry sauce until rather thick before putting in the salmon, which only requires to be made hot in it. the remains of a turbot might also be curried in the same way, and also any kind of fish. . _fillet of sole curry._--fillet two nice soles, and cut each fillet into five pieces (slantwise); then in a stewpan have a small onion chopped fine and fried, to which add a tablespoonful of curry paste, or an equal quantity of paste and powder; when well mixed, put in the fillets of soles, with just sufficient broth to cover them; let it boil rather fast for ten minutes, when the sauce will become sufficiently thick to envelop the fish, season with the juice of half a lemon, and serve with rice separately. fillets of haddocks or whitings are curried precisely the same. . _skate curry._--plain boil about two pounds of skate with a piece of the liver, which put upon a dish without a napkin, previously well draining off the water; whilst the fish is boiling, cut two onions in slices, which put into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter, and fry of a lightish brown color; then mix in a tablespoonful of curry powder with a teaspoonful of flour, and a pint of good broth, set it upon the fire, keeping it stirred, and when boiling, put in a good-sized apple cut into slices, let boil until it is reduced to about half, when rub it through a tammy or hair sieve, pour it again into a stewpan, and when hot, pour over the fish, and serve with rice separately. eggs. . _plain baked eggs._--butter with one ounce a plated dish, or common tart-dish, that will bear the heat of the oven; break carefully six eggs on it, season with one pinch of pepper, half a spoonful of salt, and add half an ounce of butter in small pieces over, put them in a slack oven until set, and serve. . _baked eggs with asparagus._--cut twenty heads of sprue into small pieces, keeping only the tender part, boil them for fifteen minutes, put them into a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, set them on the fire for three minutes, season with a little pepper, salt, and sugar; when done, put them in the dish you intend to serve it in, break six eggs over, which season as above, put it into the oven until it sets, and serve; in case the oven is not sufficiently hot, place a salamander over the eggs. . _mashed eggs._--break four eggs into a stewpan, with one ounce of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a pinch of pepper, put it on the fire, stir continually, and as soon as delicately set, serve. these can be served with either green peas, sprue grass, or mushrooms, which must be stewed and prepared as if ready to serve; put some in the stewpan with the eggs, and proceed as before. if meagre, use cream instead of butter. . _eggs with burnt butter._--put into a frying-pan two ounces of butter, which melt; as soon as it is on the point of browning, put in the eggs, which have been previously broken in a basin, and seasoned with pepper and salt; when well set, serve, with a teaspoonful of vinegar over the eggs. . _eggs à la tripe._--cut about two onions each into thin slices, put them in a stewpan, with half an ounce of fresh butter, and set them on a slow fire; when warmed through, put half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter ditto of pepper, a teaspoonful of flour, a gill of milk, and a little sugar; let it boil, put in six hard eggs cut in quarters, and serve, after a little ebullition. . _snow eggs._--take half a pint of milk and a little sugar, and flavor it with orange-flower water, or any other essence, and put it in a stewpan on the fire, having previously beaten up the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth; if very hot weather, you must place the basin they are in on ice, or in cold water; whilst beating, add some powdered sugar lightly; when the milk is boiling, take the white up with a tablespoon, and drop it, one tablespoonful at a time, in the stewpan to poach, keeping the shape of an egg, which turn over when set; when done, remove with a colander on to a sieve, and dress them in a crown on the dish you intend to serve them on; when all done, beat up the yolks of four of the eggs in a stewpan, with a little sugar and a few drops of orange-flower water, pour part of the boiling milk out of the stewpan into it, sufficient to make a good stiff custard, put it on the fire until rather thick, and pour over the white, and serve either hot or cold: the last is preferable. . _eggs with cheese._--put into a stewpan about two ounces of grated parmesan, or gruyère, or old cheshire, with one ounce of butter, two sprigs of parsley, two spring onions chopped up, a little grated nutmeg, and half a glass of sherry; put it on the fire, and keep stirring until the cheese is well melted; break six eggs in a basin, put them in the stewpan, stir and cook them on a slow fire; when done, serve with fried sippets of bread round. or, _another way._ put into a flat dish that will bear the oven a piece of butter the size of a walnut, the same of grated cheese, the yolks of two eggs, some grated cinnamon and nutmeg, mix these on the dish, put it either in the oven or in the hot plate, or, from want of either, before the fire, until it sets, then gently break six eggs on the dish, and cover with grated cheese, and salamander until a nice brown, or for want of one, keep it before the fire until it is so, and serve. . _eggs in cases._--cut up a sheet of paper into pieces of three inches square, turn up half an inch all around so as to form a kind of case, they will then remain but two inches square in the inside. take a small piece of butter, a pinch of fine breadcrumbs, a little fine chopped parsley, spring onions, salt, and pepper, and mix them together, put a little into each case, then break one egg into each, put them on a gridiron over a slow fire, and do them gently, or place them in a dish in an oven; when well set, serve. . _omelette with herbs._--break six eggs in a basin or stewpan, and add to it a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and one of chopped eschalot or spring onions, half ditto of salt, and a pinch of pepper, and beat it well up together. put into an omelette-pan, that is, a small frying-pan six inches in diameter, two ounces of butter, which melt, then pour in the eggs, stir round with a spoon; as soon as it begins to set, lightly move it to that part of the pan opposite the handle, so that it occupies only one third, hold it so that that part of the pan is the lowest, move with a spoon the outside edges over, and let it remain half a minute, so that it obtains a good color, turn it over on to the dish so that the bottom is at the top. they must not be too much done, and served very hot. they may be served plain, or with the addition of any gravy. omelettes of ham, parmesan, &c., are all made as the above, with the addition that these articles must have been properly cooked previously, and well chopped up, so as to mix well with the eggs, beat them up well together, and cook in a pan the same way, or a little grated cheese may be added. this i beg of you to practise; though simple, there is some art in making it. garniture for omelettes. . _asparagus, peas, and green peas._--put in a stewpan two spoonfuls of plain boiled sprue-grass that has previously been cut up, add to it half an ounce of butter, a little salt, pepper, and sugar, warm it on the fire, moving it continually; when warm, put it with a spoon in the centre of the omelette, turn over, and serve; the same with peas, and add melted butter or white sauce. . _oysters._--open and blanch delicately twelve middle-sized oysters, and put them in a stewpan with their own gravy, beard them, add a tablespoonful of milk or cream, and give it a boil, then add half an ounce of butter in which you have mixed a saltspoonful of flour, stir it in without breaking the oysters, put over the centre of your omelette, and proceed as before. . _lobster._--cut half or a small one in thin slices, put four tablespoonfuls of melted butter in a stewpan, a few drops of essence of anchovies, and a little cayenne; put in your lobster, warm it well, and put in the middle of the omelette, as above. . _kidneys._--cook two kidneys as no. ; when done, serve in centre of omelette, as above. . _mushrooms._--wash about ten small fresh mushrooms, cut in slices, put in a stewpan, with half an ounce of butter, a little salt, pepper, and the juice of a quarter of a lemon, simmer for a few minutes on the fire till tender; if too liquid, add a little flour, place in centre of omelette, and proceed as above. . _bacon._--cut two ounces of good lean bacon in small dice, put in pan to fry with the butter for one minute, then mix with the eggs prepared as for omelette of herbs, and cook the same way. entrÉes of game. . _broiled pheasant._--having drawn a pheasant, lay it upon its breast, and pass a knife down the back-bone, upon each side, taking it entirely out, then cut off the feet at the knuckle, break the leg and thigh-bones, turning the leg inside, separate the breast-joint of the wing, pressing the bird quite flat, then sauté it in a sauté-pan, with a little lard or dripping, and when browned on both sides, and about half done, place it upon a plate, season well with salt and pepper, egg and bread-crumb over, and broil it upon a gridiron over a moderate fire until sufficiently done, which would be in about a quarter of an hour, when serve with game, mushroom, or any piquant sauce. the advantage of broiling or sautéing game or poultry is, that when you are alone, you need only cook the half of any large bird at one time. _game curries._--i have also made very good game curries, but not too hot with curry, as that would entirely destroy the flavor of the game. . _pheasant stewed with cabbage._--the following is an excellent method for dressing a pheasant which should prove to be rather old, although a young one would be preferable. procure a large savoy, which cut into quarters, and well wash in salt and water, after which boil it five minutes in plain water, then drain it quite dry, cut off the stalk, season rather highly with pepper and salt, have ready a middling-sized onion, and half a pound of streaky bacon, which, with the cabbage, put into a stewpan, covering the whole with a little good broth; let it simmer at the corner of the fire three quarters of an hour, then thrust the pheasant (previously three parts roasted) into the cabbage, and let them stew nearly three quarters of an hour longer, or until the stock has reduced to glaze, and adheres thickly to the cabbage, when dress the cabbage in a mound upon your dish, with the bacon, cut into slices, around, and the pheasant upon the top, half way buried in the cabbage; have a little game sauce, which pour round and serve. . _joe miller's stewed pheasant._--roast a pheasant as directed (no. ), but previously dipping it into flour, and occasionally flour over whilst roasting, thus making the exterior very crisp, and keeping it nearly white, then put the crumbs of two french rolls into a stewpan, with half a pint of milk, a small eschalot, a bay-leaf, an ounce of butter, and a little pepper and salt; let the whole boil a few minutes, when take out the eschalot and bay-leaf, place a piece of buttered toast upon your dish, pour the above over, dress the pheasant upon the top, and serve. . _hashed pheasant._--should you have any remains of pheasants from a previous day, cut them into as neat pieces as possible, then put an ounce of butter into a stewpan, with half an ounce of flour, which stir two or three minutes over the fire, until becoming slightly browned; then add a glass of port wine, half a pint of water, season highly, boil at the corner of the stove, stirring and skimming occasionally, until sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of the spoon; then put in the pieces of pheasant, with a little coloring, let it remain ten minutes, at the corner of the stove, but not to boil, when dress the meat upon your dish, pass the sauce over through a sieve, and serve. . _a plain salmi of pheasant._--or, should you have a pheasant left that little has been cut from, cut and trim it into neat joints, which put into a stewpan, then in another stewpan put the bones and trimmings, chopped up very small, with an onion in slices, a little parsley, thyme, and bay-leaf, four peppercorns, and a glass of sherry, boil altogether two minutes, then add three parts of a pint of brown sauce, and half a pint of broth (if no brown sauce, add a spoonful of flour and a quart of broth or water and some coloring); let the whole boil until reduced to half, skimming it occasionally; place a fine hair sieve over the stewpan containing the pieces of pheasant, through which pass the sauce, warm altogether gently, without boiling, and when quite hot dress the pieces neatly upon a dish, pour the sauce over, and serve with sippets of fried or toasted bread (cut into the shape of hearts) around. the remains of pheasant, or any other game, may also be minced and warmed in a little of the above sauce, and served with poached eggs upon the top, or likewise made into boudins and croquettes, as directed for turkey. . _grouse._--the scotch method is to plain roast the grouse, dress it upon toast, and pour plain melted butter over. but they may be dressed in any of the ways directed for pheasants, with the exception of being stewed with cabbage, as may be likewise every description of black game. . _stewed partridges with cabbage._--have two nice partridges trussed as for boiling, and run five or six slices of fat bacon, of the thickness of a quill, lengthwise through the breast, but not to protrude, and roast them fifteen minutes before a moderate fire; have some cabbage stewed as directed for pheasant with cabbage, but stewed nearly dry before thrusting in the partridges; keep the whole hot, but not boiling, for about an hour; have ready two pork sausages, nicely broiled, dress the cabbage, which must be quite dry, upon your dish in a mound, with the partridges at the top, half buried in it, cut the bacon in halves, placing a piece at each end, with a sausage at each side; pour half a pint of game sauce round, and serve; good plain gravy is also very nice. . _partridge sauté with mushrooms._--have two young partridges, each of which cut in halves, and lay in a convenient-sized stewpan, into which you have previously poured two or three tablespoonfuls of salad oil, first seasoning them lightly with a little white pepper and salt, and a sprinkle of chopped eschalots; put a cover upon the stewpan, which place over a moderate fire, until one side of the partridges is browned, when turn them over, proceeding the same until browned on both sides; then pour off part of the oil, and add half a tablespoonful of flour, which well mix in, then add a glass of sherry, half a pint of broth, and twenty small button mushrooms (previously blanched); let it simmer, skimming off all the oil which rises to the surface, until the partridges are tender, and the sauce thick enough to adhere to them; season the sauce a little if required, dress the partridges upon a dish, sauce over, and serve. the remains of partridges may likewise be hashed or served in a plain salmi as directed for pheasants. . _woodcocks, à la lucullus._--plain roast the woodcocks as directed in roasts, catching their trails upon toast, upon which, when done, dress the birds on a dish; have ready a little thick melted butter, with which mix the yolk of an egg and a little cream, pour this over the woodcocks, sprinkle lightly with bread-crumbs, salamander of a light brown color, and serve with a little gravy round. . _woodcock, the sportsman's fashion._--roast two woodcocks rather underdone, catching their trails upon a large piece of toasted bread, when done cut each bird into quarters, which place in a stewpan, with the remainder of the trail cut small, a little pepper, salt, a glass of sherry, a little chopped eschalot, the juice of half a lemon, and half a gill of broth, let the whole simmer very gently a few minutes; dress the pieces of woodcock rather high upon the toast, pour the sauce over, and serve. . _hashed woodcock._--should you have any remaining from a previous dinner, cut each one in four (or if not whole, into neat pieces), chop all the interior rather fine, which mix with a small piece of butter, a spoonful of bread-crumbs, and a little chopped parsley, make six croutons in the shape of hearts, from a piece of toasted bread, spread a piece of the above preparation upon each, and put them in a warm oven for a short time; hash the pieces of woodcock as directed for pheasant, and serve with the croutons round. . _snipes à la minute._--put a quarter of a pound of butter into a stewpan, over which lay six snipes, breasts downwards, add a spoonful of chopped onions, the same of chopped parsley, a little grated nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of white pepper; set the stewpan over a brisk fire for seven or ten minutes (according to the size of the birds), stirring them round continually; then add the juice of one lemon, two glasses of sherry, the same of broth, and a spoonful of finely-grated crust of bread; let the whole simmer a few minutes longer, dress the birds upon a dish, stir the sauce well together, pour it over the snipes, and serve; a little glaze is an improvement. . _plovers sauté with english truffles._--procure four plovers, which lay breasts downwards in a stewpan, containing a quarter of a pound of butter, to which add eight raw truffles, well washed, peeled, and cut into very thin slices, two cloves, a bay-leaf, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, pass the whole ten minutes over a sharp fire, stirring them round occasionally; then well mix in half a tablespoonful of flour, which moisten with half a pint of broth and a glass of white wine; let the whole simmer at the corner of the fire twenty minutes longer, keeping it well skimmed, dress the birds upon a dish, reduce the sauce to a proper consistency, season with a little sugar and the juice of a lemon, and pour it over the birds; serve very hot. . _wild duck, with orange sauce._--having trussed your duck as for roasting, rub it all over with the liver until quite red; then put it down before a good fire to roast for twenty minutes, after which cut eight incisions down the breast, and have ready the following preparation: put an ounce of butter into a stewpan, with a quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne, the rind of an orange (free from pith, previously cut into strips, and blanched in boiling water, and well drained upon a sieve), and the juice of a lemon, warm all together, and when melted, but not oily, pour over the duck, and serve. . _hashed wild duck._--cut up the remains of a duck or ducks into neat pieces, and put into a stewpan with half or a tablespoonful of flour (depending on the quantity), mix well, moisten with a glass or two of wine, and sufficient broth or water to make a thickish sauce, season well, add a little harvey sauce, mushroom-catsup, a little sugar, and cayenne pepper; let simmer, but not boil, take out the pieces, which dress upon toast, reduce the sauce, pour over, and serve. a little coloring may be added, if approved. . _widgeons._--rub the breast of a widgeon over with a part of the liver, chop up the remaining part, to which add a few bread-crumbs, a little chopped lemon-peel, chopped parsley, and an egg, with which stuff the interior, roast nearly as long as for the wild duck before a very sharp fire, dress upon toast on a dish, having ready the following sauce: put half a glass of port wine into a stewpan, with a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots, a little salt, pepper, and cayenne, boil a few minutes, add the juice of a lemon, and two ounces of fresh butter, sauce over, and serve. widgeons are hashed the same as wild duck. . _teal, a new method._--procure four, draw them; then put half a pound of butter upon a plate, with a little pepper, grated nutmeg, parsley, a spoonful of grated crust of bread, the juice of a lemon, and the liver of the teal, mix well together, and with it fill the interior of the teal; cover them with slices of lemon, fold in thin slices of bacon, then in paper, and roast twenty minutes before a sharp fire; take off the paper, brown the bacon, dress them upon a slice of thick toast, letting the butter from the teal run over it, and serve very hot. . _teal à la sans façon._--roast four teal quite plain, prepare a quarter of a pound of butter as above, with the omission of the livers, which place in a stewpan over the fire, stirring quickly, until forming a kind of sauce, add some fillets from the pulp of a lemon, sauce over, and serve. the remains of teal also make excellent hash. . _larks à la minute._--proceed as directed for snipes à la minute, previously stuffing them with their livers as directed for widgeons, adding a few mushrooms at the commencement; but do not let them stew too quickly, or the bottom will brown and give a bad flavor to the sauce; seven minutes are quite sufficient to stew them. . _lark pie._--cover the bottom of a pie-dish with thin slices of beef and fat bacon, over which lay ten or twelve larks previously rolled in flour, stuffed as above, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, one of chopped parsley, and one of chopped eschalots, lay a bay-leaf over, add a gill of broth, and cover with three quarters of a pound of half puff paste, bake one hour in a moderate oven, shake well to make the gravy in the pie form a kind of sauce, and serve quite hot. . _jugged hare._--put a quarter of a pound of butter, with a pound of bacon cut into dice, and the hare, cut into pieces, in a stewpan: set upon a moderate fire until the pieces of hare are becoming firm, when add six ounces of flour, mix well, and moisten with sufficient water to cover it: add two glasses of any kind of wine, and one of vinegar, season high with pepper and salt, let simmer until tender, keeping well skimmed; when done, and the sauce becoming rather thick, dress upon your dish, and serve. . _jugged hare (another way)._--put about half a pound of butter, with ten ounces of flour, into a stewpan, put it on the fire, and keep stirring it round until it has a yellow tinge; then add a pound of bacon cut in square pieces, stir it a little longer on the fire; the hare having been previously cut up, put it into the stewpan and stir it about until it becomes firm, when add four glasses of port wine and sufficient water to cover it; season, and add two bay-leaves and four cloves, and when half done, about fifty button onions, or ten large ones in slices, a tablespoonful of brown sugar, let it simmer until it is well done and the sauce rather thick; dress up, sauce over, and serve. if an old one, it will take about four hours. roasts--second course. these dishes consist almost always of game, which require to be sent up immediately they are taken from the fire, and require great care and attention in cooking them. in the following pages will be found many which are scarce and rarely seen in london, and never mentioned in our various cookery books; but considering that many of our friends reside in the country, i have written it for them. . _turkey poults._--turkey poults, so called from being used when about the size of a large pullet, are trussed with the legs turned at the knuckle and the feet pressing upon the thighs, the neck is skinned and the head fixed under the wing; roast them the same as directed for turkeys, about twenty-five minutes or half an hour, according to their size, and in the same modes, but they are usually served, one larded and the other barded, with gravy and water-cresses in the dish. . _roast capon with cresses._--roast and serve a capon in any of the ways directed for turkeys, roast of a nice gold color, and serve with water-cresses round; a capon weighing five pounds requires about three quarters of an hour to roast. poularde au cresson, exactly as above. . _roast pullet._--for a dinner of four entrées you would require two fowls, but not too large; truss and roast them as directed for a turkey, judging the time required according to their size, and serve with gravy and water-cresses; they may be larded, barded, or served in any way mentioned in the foregoing receipts. a fowl weighing two pounds and a half would require half an hour roasting, or three quarters of an hour, if larger. . _spring chickens_ are served like fowls, generally plain roasted, but they may be larded as the poularde. be particular in tying the legs upon paper to the spit, as directed for the turkey, as it so improves their appearance when roasted. about twenty minutes would be sufficient to roast them. . _goslings._--a green goose roasted plain, and served with a little gravy, is generally sent up for second courses; but if the larger ones are used, they must be stuffed with sage and onions, but very few would choose such a thing for a roast second course, whilst green geese in their season are great favorites; truss them by cutting off the leg at the knuckle, and the wing at the first pinion, fixing them at the side with skewers to throw the breast up; a full-grown goose will take one hour to roast, but a green one not more than half an hour. . _ducklings_ make a very favorite roast in the london season; they must have good fillets, white and plump, and require to be a little more underdone than any other description of poultry; if too much done, the fat catches and gives a rank flavor to the flesh, besides causing the fillets to eat dry. they are usually served plain roasted for a second course, yet i have served them differently upon some occasions for the sake of variety, but it must be with a very thin sauce and one that invigorates the palate, although they never can be better than when served plain roasted. i shall here give one or two deviations: truss them by twisting the legs at the knuckles and resting the feet upon the thighs, cut the wing off at the first pinion and run a skewer through the bird, fixing the pinion and legs with it, place them upon a spit, and roast twenty minutes. . _guinea fowls._--these birds must be very young, for, being naturally very dry, they are not eatable if more than twelve months old; they are generally larded or barded, and served plain roasted, rather well done; they are trussed like the common fowls, and require nearly three quarters of an hour to roast. . _pea fowls._--these magnificent birds make a noble roast, and when young are very excellent; they are larded, plain roasted, and served with the tail stuck into the bird, which you have preserved, the head with its feathers being left folded up in paper, and tucked under the wing; roast about an hour and a half, take the paper from the head and neck, dress it upon your dish with water-cresses, and the gravy and bread-sauce separate in a boat. game (choice of).--there is no article of food that is so deceiving in appearance to know if it is young, tender, and good, or not, as game; to a person living in the country, where a member of the family has shot them in his day's sport or have been received as presents, a knowledge how to distinguish them is requisite. young birds may be distinguished by the softness of their quills; females will eat better than males, they are more tender and juicy. old pheasants are known by the length and sharpness of their spurs, in young ones they are short and blunt.--old partridges before christmas have light-blue legs, instead of yellow-brown.--wild fowl may be known to be old from their bills and the stiffness of the sinews of the legs, those that have the finest plumage are the worst eating.--hares and rabbits: try if the ear will easily tear and the jaw-bone break between the finger and the thumb, if not they are only fit for soup or jugging.--on receiving birds of all kinds, put in their mouths three or four peppercorns bruised and one clove of garlic, and pepper the place where shot. in case you receive many, tie a piece of paper to them with the date on which they were received. . _pheasants._--at the present day there are great varieties of these birds, which differ as much in their flavor as their plumage. there are also a large quantity of hybrids sold in market as a genuine pheasant, and it is impossible to know them when plucked. the flavor of the bird will depend in a great measure on the nature of the country where it is killed. have them prepared and trussed: put them about eighteen inches from the fire for five minutes, then draw them close, and roast as quickly as possible, rubbing them all over with a little butter, serve up with bread-sauce separate, and good gravy under. they are also good larded, or one larded and the other barded. . _partridges._--the red-legged in this country are not so fine in flavor as the gray; they are dressed like the pheasant, but all the time at a very quick fire, and serve very hot from the spit; it is better to wait a minute or two for it than to have it wait for you; dish it up with a little made gravy with it, and bread-sauces, as above. . _grouse._--these birds should be well kept, trussed like a fowl for roasting, and served with brown gravy under, or may be dressed as follows: truss as before, covering the breast with vine leaves and fat bacon, which tie on; roast from half to three quarters of an hour according to size, and serve with toast under, and melted butter over. . _red grouse, gorcock or moorcock--the common moor game (l'attagas)._--trussed like a fowl for roasting, which cook quick before a sharp fire, serve with toasted bread under. . _white grouse or ptarmigan (le lagopède)._--they are to be trussed like the above, and plain roasted, and served with toast under and fried bread-crumbs, separate or dressed as follows:--put two spoonfuls of currant-jelly in a stewpan, with the juice of a lemon and a little salt dissolved in it; when melted, pour over and serve. . _wild ducks (canard sauvage)._--the male is called the mallard, and the young one flapper. under the above title a great many birds are sold. they should all be cooked alike; they must be kept two or three days before they are dressed; they are trussed by twisting each leg at the knuckle, and resting the claws on each side of the breast, fixing them with a skewer run through the thighs and pinions of the wings; rub the liver over the breast, roast them before a quick fire from fifteen to twenty minutes, baste with butter, not basting them when first put down will keep the gravy in; one should be better done than the other, in order to suit the taste of those at table; serve with made gravy under, and a lemon separate. . _widgeon, whewer, or whim (le canard siffleur)._--these should be eaten fresher than a wild duck, trussed, dressed, and served the same; fifteen minutes is sufficient before a good fire. . _dunbird, pochard, or great-headed widgeon (pénélope, le millouin)._--in some parts, _red heads_, _parkers_, or _half birds_. these are dressed as above, but are not so good as the widgeon. . _teal (la petite sarcelle)._--this is a delicious bird when fat, which they generally are after a frost. they must be trussed with care like ducklings; they will take about eight minutes to roast; serve with gravy, water-cresses, and lemon, separate, about six on a dish; or with sauces nos. , . . _garganey (la sarcelle)._--these are called summer teal, resemble it in shape, and are dressed the same way. . _plover._--of these there are several sorts, all of which are good to eat at certain seasons. they should be well kept, but not too long, trussed gently, but not drawn, and put on a skewer, place them a little distance from a sharp fire, with a bit of toast under to catch the trail, baste with a little good butter, ten minutes is sufficient; dress them with toast under, and serve with gravy separate. they may also be served barded with vine leaves and very thin bacon. .--_woodcock (la bécasse)._--this is a most delicious bird when well cooked; they must not be kept too long; they are fit for cooking when they become black between the legs, and the feathers are rather loose; truss them with the legs twisted at the knuckles, and the feet pressing upon the thighs, bring the pinion of the wing to the thigh, having previously skinned the neck and head; bring the beak round under the wing, which pass through the pinions of the wings and thighs. place four on a skewer, tie them on a spit, and roast before a sharp fire from ten to fifteen minutes, placing toast under to catch the trail; when done, serve on the toast and a very little gravy: they may also be barded with thin slices of bacon over the breast, and served with a sauce of _fumet de gibier_. . _snipes._--they are dressed in every respect like woodcocks; and from seven to ten minutes is sufficient. they may likewise be fried in plenty of oil, and served with sauces nos. , . . _larks (l'alouette)._--they are best in winter when very fat; they are roasted plain or with a thin slice of bacon and a leaf of celery tied over them; they require about eight minutes, and served with a little gravy and bread-crumbs, they are also used in pies (see _pigeon pie_); and may be dressed like snipes. . _quail (la caille)._--should be killed at least forty-eight hours before they are wanted; they should then be plucked, singed, drawn, and trussed by cutting off the wings at the first pinion, leaving the feet, and fixing the pinion and the wings with a very small skewer; cover the breast with vine leaves and a slice of fat bacon, and run a skewer through the pinions and thighs of each: tie on a spit and roast for ten to twelve minutes before a sharp fire. they should be served a nice gold color in a dish with a little gravy; they may also be trussed as above, and put into a pig's caul, and roasted and served with either sauces nos. , . . _rabbits._--there are two sorts, the tame and wild; the wild or gray inhabits the mountainous districts; has the finest flavor, or on those places where it can feed on thyme, geneva, or other aromatic herbs, or on the sea coast, where he gets the lichen or wild moss. it has a much darker color than the tame. the tame rabbit, if properly fed days before killing, may be made a very delicate article of nourishment; it should be kept from two to four days. when killed it should be removed to a cold place as quick as possible, that the fat may set. if old, the claws will be long and rough, the coat rough and gray hairs mixed with it. if young, the claws and wool smooth. if stale, the flesh will be slimy and a bluish color; if fresh, it will be stiff, and the flesh white and dry. . _hares._--one is sufficient for a roast, skin and truss it nicely, stuff the interior with a good veal stuffing, sew it up, then put it on the spit, rub butter over the back and shake flour over it, roast it about forty minutes before a sharp fire, but that depends upon the size, of course; serve them with plain gravy in the dish and currant jelly separate. they are also served with a sauce poivrade, or sweet sauce; they may also be larded. . _leverets_ are plain roasted and do not require stuffing, nor so long roasting, being smaller; they are usually served with plain gravy, but may be served with either of the sauces mentioned in the last; you require two for a roast. they will take from twenty-five to thirty minutes roasting. they may be larded, for a change. . _wild fowl sauce._--the following is a good sauce; the quantities are given for one wild duck. walnut catsup one tablespoonful; the same of harvey's or worcestershire sauce, the same of lemon-juice, a wine-glass of red wine, a good slice of lemon-peel, one eschalot minced, half a saltspoonful of cayenne pepper, one blade of mace, and a wine-glassful of gravy; boil ten minutes, serve very hot, and pour over the bird when cut up. . _fumet de gibier sauce._--take the remains or bones of game (the back-bones of grouse are best), chop them up small, put them in a stewpan, with a glass of white wine, an onion, a small piece of carrot and of turnip sliced, a leaf of celery, a sprig of thyme, the same of parsley, a bay-leaf, a clove, half a blade of mace; stir over the fire five minutes, then add a quart of brown sauce, if too thick add some water, boil for about twenty minutes, skim, strain, and serve; a little lemon-juice and cayenne pepper may be added if approved of. savory dishes. . _veal and ham pies (raised)._--the following few dishes will be found extremely useful for breakfasts, luncheons, second course in a dinner party, or for dinner in summer, but above all for supper when you give an evening party. having found a great difficulty in raising the crust for a pie with my hands, i purchased for a trifle a tin pie-mould, by the use of which the process is more simple, and the pie retains its shape whilst baking, and secures the gravy, much better. well wipe and butter the interior of the mould, then have ready two pounds of pâte fine, rather firm than otherwise, two thirds of which roll out to fit the mould, press it evenly over the interior, raising the paste half an inch above the edge of the mould, you have previously prepared six pounds of veal, cut from the fillet, as follows: cut four pounds into pieces an inch square, and as nearly as possible to the length of the pie; with the remainder make some forcemeat (see receipt); then run eight pieces of fat bacon, each two inches in length, and a quarter of an inch square, through each piece of veal; have also two pounds of lean bacon, cut into pieces of nearly the same size as the veal, then put a quarter of a pound of butter into a frying-pan, and when melted over the fire, lay in the veal and bacon, season rather highly with a teaspoonful of salt, the same of pepper, half that quantity of grated nutmeg, and a tablespoonful each of chopped onion and parsley, sauté the whole a quarter of an hour, occasionally turning the meat, until getting of a nice color, and the bottom of the pan is covered with a thickish glaze; then line the interior of the pie with some of the forcemeat, to the thickness of half an inch, after which lay three pieces of veal at the bottom with two of the ham, alternately, which cover over with more forcemeat, to about an inch in thickness, then more veal and bacon, with forcemeat, again proceeding thus until full, finishing with the forcemeat, forming a dome about an inch above the edge of the paste, and lay a pat of butter with a bay-leaf at the top, then mould the remainder of the paste into a ball, which roll to the size of the top of the pie, wet the edges with a little egg, lay on the cover, which press down with the thumbs, working the edge up gracefully with the thumb and forefinger, to about an inch above the top of the mould, cutting some of the paste away where too thick, and crimp the extreme edge with a pair of paste nippers; then have ready half a pound of puff paste, which roll to about the thickness of about a quarter of an inch, from which cut a piece the size and form of the dome of the pie, upon which place it to form a lid (previously wetting the top with a little water), press it down lightly, egg over with a paste-brush, edges as well, make a small hole with a knife at the top, and carve any design upon the puff paste according to fancy; tie a band of buttered paper round the mould, an inch above the pie, put it into a moderate oven to bake about two hours, but to be certain if done, run a pointed knife or trussing needle into the centre, and if it feels tender it is sufficiently baked. then take it from the oven, and pour in a gill of strong gravy, in which you have dissolved a little isinglass (especially if in summer); when cold, take it from the mould (which opens at one end by drawing out a pin), and serve upon a napkin, garnished round with parsley. to carve, cut it into slices, the whole breadth of the pie and half an inch in thickness. such a pie as above would weigh four pounds when baked; but should you require a smaller one, diminish the proportions accordingly. if no puff paste, the top might be ornamented with a few leaves from the trimmings of the other paste. i have given you the above receipt very minutely, as the above applies to every description of raised pie, the difference only being its contents. . _raised pie of fowls._--make the paste and forcemeat as in the last, but instead of veal and ham, bone a young fowl as directed for galantine, which lay flat upon a clean cloth, breast downwards, season the interior with a little pepper, salt, and chopped onions; spread a layer of forcemeat over, half an inch in thickness, have ten pieces of veal of the thickness of your finger, and the same length as the fowl, and the same number of pieces of fat bacon, lay half of the veal and bacon alternately upon the fowl, well seasoned with pepper and salt, cover over with more forcemeat, then another layer of veal and ham, cover with more forcemeat, then roll the fowl over, making the skin meet at the back, you have previously lined a raised pie-mould with paste, then line the pie with forcemeat, half an inch in thickness, lay in the fowl, sprinkle a little pepper and salt over, cover with the remainder of the forcemeat, to form a dome, place a pat of butter and two bay-leaves upon the top, finish and bake precisely as in the last: when done, pour in a gill of gravy made from the bones of the fowl; serve cold. . _raised pie of pheasant._--proceed precisely as for the pie of fowl, but of course using a pheasant, an old one would answer the purpose if kept long enough, but all the sinews of the legs must be taken out in boning it, the fillets of the breast also, being very thick, may be partly cut out and used with the veal for the interior; if in a situation to obtain rabbits, the fillets of them might be used instead of veal for the interior, and the legs for forcemeat. for gravy, break up the bones of the birds, which put into a stewpan with a glass of sherry, an onion, a few sprigs of thyme, parsley, and a bay-leaf; let it simmer a minute over the fire, then add a pint of broth and a little isinglass or gelatine, let the whole simmer for an hour, giving it a nice brown color, when pass it through a sieve into a smaller stewpan, place it again upon the fire, skim off all the fat, and reduce it to half a pint, and when the pie is baked, pour it in, shaking the pie a little to mix well; serve when cold. pies of grouse, partridges, moor fowls, &c. are made precisely in the same manner, using one or more according to the size you wish to make your pie. the fillets of hares are likewise excellent in pies, whilst the legs might be jugged or converted into soup. capons, poulards, green geese, or ducklings may also be served in a pie by proceeding as directed for fowls, but managing the size of the pie, and seasoning in proportion. pigeon pie can also be made in the same way, but then the meat with which the interior of the birds is filled must be cut much smaller, and require less time in cooking. . _simple method of making pies._--make two pounds of flour into a paste, as no. , and also two pounds of forcemeat, mould three quarters of the paste into a ball, which, with a rolling-pin, roll to about half an inch in thickness and of an oval shape; lay half the forcemeat in the centre, which spread over to within two inches of the rim, having prepared and sautéd some veal and ham as directed for the veal and ham pie, no. , lay them alternately upon the forcemeat, with which again cover the meat, laying a pat of butter and a bay-leaf upon the top; roll out the remainder of the paste of an oval shape, but much thinner than the other, damp the paste around with a little water, and lay the sheet of paste over, pressing it down with the finger and thumb, then wet the top, and bring up the paste at the sides, which will stick to it, thus forming a long square pie, with the trimmings of the paste form a few leaves, with which decorate it according to fancy, egg the whole well over, make a hole in the top, and bake two hours in a moderate oven; when done, pour in the gravy, as for pies made in moulds, and put by to serve cold. a square piece of puff paste laid upon the top, and ornamented previous to baking, is also a great improvement. some gravy, as above, may of course be introduced. you will perceive, my dear eloise, from this one receipt, that any kind of poultry, game, or meat pies, might be made in the same manner. to carve, they should be cut across in thin slices through paste and all. when we are alone i frequently make a very small one for luncheon, generally grating half a pound of sausage meat, with which i mix an egg and a little chopped eschalots, frying the veal or lean bacon or ham, and proceeding as for the larger ones; from three quarters of an hour to an hour would be sufficient to bake it; at times i make it with a pigeon, partridge, or two plovers stuffed, and surrounded with forcemeat, but boned: they are very excellent hot. . _tureen of game._--i bought the other day a common earthen tureen, for which i gave ninepence; i made some forcemeat precisely the same as for pies, boned a grouse and stuffed it as for a pheasant pie, and seasoning the same; i then lined the tureen with the forcemeat, laid in the bird, which i again covered with the remainder of the forcemeat, put two pats of butter and a bay-leaf upon the top, then placed on the cover, fixing it down with a band of common paste laid inside upon the rim of the tureen, and baked it three hours in a moderate oven, and when i opened it about a week afterwards it was most delicious; when served to table the cover should be taken off, the bay-leaf removed, and a few fresh water-cresses laid over. all sorts of game, poultry, and meat, i have done in the same way; it is quickly done and very good and economical, as it will keep a long time. . _galantines._--having twice failed in the attempt to make this difficult dish, i was about to relinquish the idea, but having received a small turkey about two months back, i could not resist making another attempt, in which i succeeded; it is rather expensive, but it is a beautiful dish for supper. after having plucked, and singed off the hairs with a piece of lighted paper, i laid it breast downwards upon a clean cloth, and with a sharp-pointed knife boned it as follows: first, just pass the point of the knife through the skin, which cut open straight down the back-bone, then proceed to clear the flesh from the bones of the carcase until you come to the breast-bone, disjointing the wings and legs as you proceed; very carefully detach the breast-bone from the flesh without cutting through the skin, when you may remove the carcase with the interior of the turkey; then proceed to take the bones from the legs and wings, which is not quite so difficult; for the legs, scrape the first bone free from the flesh to below the first joint, where chop it off; cut the flesh round over the knuckle and pull the foot, when the remainder of the bone and sinews will come together; then cut off the wings at the first pinion, and the remaining bone is quickly scraped away. i can assure you i found this quite a job the first and second time, but it is very essential to learn, as all kinds of poultry and game are boned in the same manner, and to this description all references upon the subject must be made throughout our little work. you have prepared four pounds of forcemeat, as for pies, also have long strips of veal, ham, and fat bacon, which well season with salt, pepper, and chopped eschalots; put a layer of the forcemeat an inch thick down the bird, leaving two inches upon each side uncovered, then some of the veal, bacon, and cooked ham alternately, which again cover with forcemeat, but not exceeding half an inch in thickness (as too much forcemeat between the meat would spoil its appearance), proceeding thus until sufficient to fill the skin of the bird, when pull over the flaps, and sew it up tightly with a packing needle and small string, and tie it up in a napkin. if any, a few strips of cooked tongue, and blanched pistachios, laid in alternately with the veal and bacon, greatly improves its flavor and appearance. _to cook._ put in a stewpan with two onions, a carrot, half a head of celery, two cloves, a blade of mace, a good bunch of parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves, a knuckle of veal, the bones of the turkey, two calf's feet, two ounces of salt, add sufficient water to cover the whole, and set the stewpan upon the fire until upon the point of boiling; then draw it to the corner, skim, and let simmer for three hours; then take it from the fire, leaving it in the stock until nearly cold; then take it out, remove the string from the napkin, and roll the galantine up tighter, tying the napkin again at each end only; then place it upon a dish, the breast part upwards, set another dish upon it, on which place a fourteen pounds weight, which will press and cause it to cut firm; when quite cold it is ready to serve, having removed the napkin and the string with which it was sewed: the stock, however, should be clarified as directed in the next receipt to make a savory jelly, which, when cold and firm, is cut in croutons and chopped, with which the galantine should be tastefully garnished. although at first i had some difficulty with this receipt, i can now see the variety to which it leads, as the same process answers for fowls, green geese, ducklings, pheasants, grouse, partridges, &c., using game with the veal or pork for the interior, and stewing them according to their size, the bones of game being stewed with the stock would give the flavor to the savory jelly. . _to clarify meat jelly._--having passed the stock (made as in the last) through a sieve into a basin, leave it until quite cold; then take off all the fat very carefully, ascertain if sufficiently or too stiff by putting a small piece upon ice; savory jelly requires to be rather stiffer than sweet, if too stiff add a little more broth, if the contrary, the stock must be reduced upon the fire until of the proper consistency. when the stock is boiling, and you are perfectly assured of its strength, have the white of four eggs with their shells in a basin, with half a pint of water, two spoonfuls of tarragon or common vinegar, and a glass of sherry, whisk all together; then whisk the stock quickly a few seconds, and pour in the other ingredients whilst whisking, continue whisking a few minutes until again upon the point but not boiling; then take it from the fire, and taste if palatable, place a cover upon the stewpan, which stand a little distance from the fire, putting a few red-hot cinders upon the lid for five minutes, tie a napkin by the four corners upon a jelly stand, through which pass the jelly, having a basin beneath to catch it, pour the first that runs through again into the napkin until it runs quite clear; when all through, pour it in a plain mould or sauté-pan, which place upon ice until the jelly is quite firm; then dip the bottom of the mould in hot water, turn the jelly out upon a cloth, and cut it into whatever shapes you please, to garnish and ornament any cold savory dish; the jelly when warm might be divided, one part kept white, and the other colored with a little brown gravy or coloring, thus enabling you to variegate in garnishing. should the jelly be required to ornament tongues, hams, pies, salads, or any article when no galantine is made; then to make the stock, cut the veal into small pieces, and split the calf's foot in two, put a quarter of a pound of butter in a convenient-sized stewpan, with the veal, foot, a small piece of lean ham, and the other ingredients as directed for galantine, pour in half a pint of water, put on the lid and stand it upon the fire until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a white glaze; then add a gallon of water, let simmer three hours, keeping it well skimmed; then pass and clarify as above. the knuckle of veal and foot may be served hot with a little parsley and butter, for a dinner previous to your party, with a little fried bacon separately, but for my own part i prefer them plain as they leave the stewpan. . _cold ham._--procure a very nice but small ham of about nine pounds in weight, which soak about ten hours in cold water, and simmer three hours in plenty of water; when done, take out and let remain until cold; then cut off the skin as thinly as possible, but without leaving the marks of it; let a piece remain upon the knuckle about two inches and a half in breadth, which either festoon or vandyke, carve the fat neatly to form a shell, and glaze it over lightly, serve with a paper frill upon the knuckle, and garnish with savory jelly, or if plain with a few bunches of fresh green parsley. a handful of fresh hay put in the water when boiling is an improvement. . _cold tongue._--boil a nice ox tongue for three hours, and, when done, take off all the skin, and truss it of a good shape, by placing the root against some fixture, and running a fork through the middle of the thin part into the board upon which it stands; when cold trim and glaze it lightly over, cutting off the greater part of the root, place it upon a dish, garnished either with savory jelly or fresh sprigs of parsley. . _galantine of veal._--when i do not like to go to the expense of a turkey or other poultry for a galantine, i procure a small breast of veal, and take out the tendons, which i stew; take out the remaining bones, and trim the meat to about fifteen inches in length and eight in width, using the trimmings for a ragout; season the interior of the breast, and proceed to lay on the forcemeat veal, ham, and bacon, as directed for the galantine of turkey, roll and sew it up, tie in a cloth, braise, and afterwards press it in precisely the same manner; when quite cold, glaze it nicely and serve, garnished with savory jelly; or, if for a large supper, six or eight small dishes might be made from it by cutting it into thin slices crosswise, and dressing six pieces in a border upon each dish, with a little jelly in the middle, or if no jelly, a sprig of parsley or water-cresses; but if served in the latter way, i introduce two ounces of blanched pistachios. when making the galantine, of course, the dishes must be placed at a distance from each other at various parts of the table. i have also made a galantine of a shoulder of lamb in the same way, previously taking out the bones. . _cold fillet of veal._--roast braise as no. ; when cold, trim neatly, and garnish with jelly or parsley. a loin of veal larded through the fleshy part with raw ham, and fat bacon, and roasted as above, makes a very delicate dish. a small shoulder of veal might be boned the same as a shoulder of lamb, and made into a galantine. . _ribs of beef larded._--choose a piece of beef with about four ribs, and cut very long, carefully take away the bones, lard the fleshy part through with strips of fat bacon, well seasoned with pepper, salt, and chopped parsley; spread some veal stuffing over, and roll it round, keeping the stuffing in the interior, tie it up with string, and roast in vegetables as in the last article, leaving it to cool in the vegetables; when cold, glaze and serve, garnished with sprigs of parsley. the beef well rubbed with garlic and well seasoned with salt and pepper, previous to spreading on the stuffing, would be a great improvement. i sometimes leave the bones in the meat, lard the fleshy part, and afterwards roast it in vegetables to serve cold. . _pressed beef._--procure a piece of brisket of beef, cut off the bones, and salt it as directed (no. ), but adding a little extra sal prunella to the brine and a little spice; let the beef remain in pickle rather better than a week: when ready to cook, roll it round, tie it in a cloth, and let it simmer gently in plenty of water, about seven hours if a whole one, but four hours if only the thin end; when done take it up, remove the string, and tie the cloth at each end, put it upon a dish with another dish over, upon which place half a hundred-weight, leaving it until quite cold, then take the meat from the cloth, trim and glaze it lightly, and serve garnished with a few sprigs of fresh parsley. . _pickle for beef à la garrick._--take twenty pounds of salt, three quarters of a pound of saltpetre, four cakes of sal prunella, two pounds of moist sugar, two cloves of garlic, with which rub the meat well, and leave it rather more than a week, rubbing and turning it over every day. this pickle is adapted for anything that is required red. . _spiced beef._--procure a piece of thin flank of beef about ten pounds in weight, which salt as the last for about a week; when ready, split it open with a knife and lay it out flat upon a dresser, having previously prepared six onions chopped very fine, with about ten sprigs of parsley, and the leaves of ten sprigs of thyme, the same of marjoram, two ounces of mixed spice (without cinnamon), and half an ounce of black pepper, mix altogether, spread half upon the beef as it lays before you, then fold it over to its original shape, lay on the remainder of the preparation, roll it up tightly in a cloth, boil, press, and serve as directed in the last article. . _pig's head in imitation of wild boar's head._--this you will say is not only a difficult dish to do, but a very expensive one. you are right when you are obliged to buy the pig to possess the head; but in a small farm-house where they kill a pig perhaps once a year at christmas, the head can be very easily cut off for this purpose. being on a visit some years since at a farm-house, i had the opportunity of having one, and trying my skill upon it; it was much approved of, both for its ferocious appearance, and its flavor, and it lasted good for three weeks. the following is the way you should do it: procure the head with as much of the neck attached to it as possible (the hog must have been stabbed in the neck, not hit on the head as that would have broken the skull); then singe it well over the flame of a fire, then wipe it with a cloth, scrape well with a knife without scratching the skin, and place it on a cloth upon its skull; open it very carefully without piercing the skin, leaving no flesh whatever upon the bones; bone the neck of the pig, and cut it into small fillets two inches long, place the head on a board and rub it with half a pound of brown sugar, let it remain for one hour; then place it in a salting tub, and throw over it six pounds of salt, place in two quarts of ale, four bay-leaves, half an ounce of peppercorns, a quarter ditto of cloves, six blades of mace, eight sliced onions, ten sprigs of thyme, ten of winter savory, and two sliced carrots; stir it well up, and let it remain for two hours; then pour over the head, which turn every day for eight or ten days, rubbing it well; when sufficiently salted, take it out and dry it on a cloth, lay the head straight before you, skin side upwards; have ready six or eight pounds of forcemeat, but using pork instead of veal, with which cover the head an inch in thickness at the thinnest part; put the fillets cut from the neck in a layer lengthwise in the head, with a long piece of fat bacon, half an inch square, between each, sprinkle a little chopped eschalots, pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg over, and continue filling with forcemeat and the other ingredients until you have used the whole, finishing by covering forcemeat over; join the two cheeks together with the above in the interior, sew it up with pack-thread, giving it the shape of the head as much as possible, and fold it in one or two large thin cloths, leaving the ears out and upright. _braise_ as follows: put half a pound of butter in a large braising-pan or stock-pot, over which put four pounds of trimmings of pork or knuckle of veal, eight onions, two carrots, four turnips, eight bay-leaves, a tablespoonful of peppercorns, twelve cloves, ten sprigs of thyme, ten of marjoram, four blades of mace, half a bottle of bucellas wine, and four calf's feet, place it upon a sharp fire, stirring it occasionally, until the bottom is covered with a clearish glaze, then add four gallons of water and half a pound of salt; when boiling draw it to the corner of the stove, skim, and put in the head, the ears uppermost, and let simmer seven or eight hours, or according to the size and age of the pig; but the better plan would be to try it with a trussing-needle; if tender it is done; skim the stock, in which leave the head until half cold, when take it out, partly undo the cloths, and tie it again tighter if possible, and press it in a cover or upon a baking-sheet with three flat pieces of wood, one at each side, with a weight against them, and one upon the top between the ears, on which place a fourteen pounds weight, let it remain all night until quite cold, when take it out of the cloths, detach the thread it was sewn up with, cut a piece an inch in thickness from behind the ears (from which part it must be carved in as thin slices as possible), it will have a marbled appearance; trim the head a little, setting the ears in a proper position, glaze it with a brownish glaze, form the eyes with a little lard and a few black currants round, and the tusks with paste, baking them; have some very fresh tulips and roses, which stick tastefully in the ears and some around, but leaving space to carve; garnish boldly with croutons, aspic, made from the stock clarified as directed (no. ); the meat and the calf's foot may be used for different dishes, see receipts. the second one i had i boiled plainer, merely a little salt and a few vegetables; it was very good, but not so rich in flavor as the other; thus saving expense and trouble. they should be eaten with the following sauce: _boar's head sauce._--cut the rind (free from pith) of two seville oranges into very thin strips half an inch in length, which blanch in boiling water, drain them upon a sieve, and put them into a basin, with a spoonful of mixed english mustard, four of currant jelly, a little pepper, salt (mix well together), and half a pint of good port wine. letter no. xv dear eloise,--to you, who are so fond of lobster, the following receipt will, i am confident, prove most valuable. to make sure of its quality, buy one heavy in proportion to its size; or, perhaps, _entre nous_, you would prefer to wait until a friend presented you with one. lobster.--this fish, which is continually before our eyes, and only looked upon as an article of food, is, without doubt, one of the wonders of the creation. a creature destitute of bones, yet furnished with a stomach capable of digesting the hardest substances, even its own shell, which it doffs once a year, when it is too small for it; without blood circulating through its body, yet strong and active. this is only one of those wonders of the mighty deep that we cannot but regard with awe and veneration, and yet the principal interest they do excite is when we visit a shell-fish shop to choose the largest and best for the smallest price. they are, without doubt, a very nourishing aliment, and are by many supposed to have a particular season, but which i believe not to be the case, as i have known them in and out of season on the same ground. when out of season, the pea or spawn is very large, and about being hatched; immediately after which it sheds its shell, and not its stomach, as is by many supposed. when in season, and fine-flavored, it should have no spawn, or very little, under the tail; and when its body is squeezed between the fingers it should not give, but be hard; its weight will also be a test, as it is a fish which wastes very much when kept long alive without food: great care must be observed in the boiling of it. a number should be placed at one time in a basket, and that placed in boiling water, adding half a pound of salt to every gallon of water, with a heavy weight upon it; if overdone, they eat tough and thready; if underdone, unwholesome and unpalatable. one weighing a pound will take fifteen minutes, and so on in proportion. . _gratin of lobster._--procure a good-sized lobster, cut it in half, detaching the head from the body; take out all the meat, and save the four shells; cut the meat into slices, then take a teaspoonful of chopped eschalots in a stewpan, with a piece of butter the size of two walnuts, pass them a few minutes over the fire, add a tablespoonful of flour (mix well in), half a pint of milk, stir over the fire, boiling about five minutes, then add the lobster, which season with a little cayenne, salt, chopped parsley, and essence of anchovies; stand it again upon the fire, stirring until boiling, then stir in the yolk of an egg; take off the fire, fill the shells of the lobster, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, with a little butter, put in the oven for twenty minutes; dish on a napkin and serve. to give it a nice color, use the salamander. . _miroton salad of lobster._--prepare and ornament a border of eggs, like for that of game, put a thick layer of fresh salad in the centre, and dress over it in a crown, the lobster interspersed with slices of eggs and gherkins. the lobster must be divided in two across the back, extract the meat carefully out of it, and cut it in a round or slanting direction to the thickness of a crown piece, break the claws and cut the same way, and place on salad as above, so as to form a thick crown near the border of eggs, then take the interior of the lobster, pound it and pass it through a fine sieve, add to your sauce. any other kind of fish, as cod fish, &c., when cold, cut or break them in slices, lay them in a basin, season over with salt, pepper, nutmeg, slices of onion, parsley, a little oil and vinegar; put it in two hours before serving, and proceed as for lobster. if there is any fish left from the previous day, i always make a salad of it, particularly in summer; there are many who object to so much oil, in which case it may be diminished. . _salad tartar._--make as usual the border of eggs and sauce, lay the salad in the middle and the lobster over, which has been previously cut in slices; pour over some of the same sauce as above, having added a tablespoonful of french mustard to it. gherkins cut in slices, and a few stoned olives. . _plain salad._--take a lobster and any kind of salad, wash it well, dry in a cloth, cut the lobster up in a salad-bowl, sprinkle over it a teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, one of chopped tarragon or chervil, or parsley, if nothing better, four tablespoonfuls of oil, and two of common vinegar, but only one and a half if french, add the salad, stir lightly round with a wooden knife and fork, and it is ready. . _lobster served plain._--break the tail from the body, cut the tail in two lengthwise, put the body in the middle of the dish, lay the half tail top and bottom, and the claws on the side; the shell previously broken, but not disfigured, and serve double parsley round. . _lobster salad._--dress a border of hard-boiled eggs, as directed in salad of game (no. ), fill the centre with some nice fresh salad, then take the flesh from a middling-sized lobster, which cut into as large slices as possible, which put into a basin, and season with a little pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar, after which dress them pyramidically upon the salad, and have ready the following sauce: put the yolks of two fresh eggs in a basin, with the yolk of a hard-boiled one rubbed through a sieve, add half a saltspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of white pepper, and commence stirring round with a wooden spoon with the right hand, holding a bottle of salad oil in the left, dropping it in by degrees and continually stirring, and when becoming thickish add a couple of spoonfuls of common vinegar by degrees, still keeping it stirred, then more oil, proceeding thus until you have used three parts of a pint of oil, and a corresponding quantity of vinegar, by continually working, it will form a stiffish cream-looking sauce perfectly smooth; add a little more seasoning if required, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, with half that quantity of chopped eschalots, pour over the lobster and serve. should the sauce curdle in making, the operation must be again performed, putting a yolk of an egg into another basin, working it with a little oil until forming a stiffish paste, when stir in the curdled sauce by degrees until the whole becomes smooth; always choose a cool place to make it in. . _fish salads._--all fish salads are made precisely as in the last, but with the exception of fillets of sole salad, are made from the remains of fish from a previous dinner, especially turbot and salmon; but for fillets of soles they must be dressed thus:-- when filleted, melt an ounce of butter in a sauté-pan, lay the fillets in, season with pepper and salt, and the juice of half a lemon; sauté them on a slow fire until done, which may be from four to five minutes, and put by to get cold; cut in middle-sized pieces, and use as lobster. . _new mayonnaise sauce._--put a quarter of a pint of melted aspic upon ice in a stewpan, which keep whisking until becoming a white froth, then add half a pint of salad oil and six spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, by degrees, first oil and then vinegar, continually whisking until it forms a white smooth sauce, to all appearance like a cream; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, and a little sugar, whisk it a little more, and it is ready to serve; it is usually dressed pyramidically over the article it is served with. the advantage of this sauce (which is more delicate than any other) is, that you may dress it to any height you like and it will remain so for a long time; if the temperature is not too hot it will remain hours without melting or appearing greasy. . _tartar sauce._--rub the yolk of a cold hard-boiled egg through a hair sieve into a basin, to which add the yolks of two raw eggs, with a little salt and pepper; mix all together with a wooden spoon; have a pint of good salad oil in a bottle, hold it with the left hand over the basin, dropping it in very gradually, and with the right continue stirring it round until it becomes rather thick, then moisten it with a little tarragon vinegar, still keeping it stirred, then more oil, and so on until you have used all the oil, keeping it rather thick; then add a tablespoonful of finely chopped gherkins, half a ditto of chopped capers, half a ditto of chopped eschalots, and the same of chopped parsley, two of french mustard, a little cayenne pepper, sugar, and more salt if required; it is then ready for use. this sauce requires to be rather highly seasoned. common vinegar may be used. . _salmon in marinade._--have two good slices of salmon cut about four inches and a half in thickness, in a stewpan have three onions cut in slices, as also a turnip, a carrot, a head of celery cut small, a good half handful of parsley, two bay-leaves, and two ounces of butter; pass the whole ten minutes over a sharp fire, then add a pint of vinegar, a blade of mace, half a dozen peppercorns, and one ounce of salt; let simmer, then add three pints of water, put in the salmon, which simmer gently about half an hour, and leave in the marinade until cold, when serve with a little of the marinade strained through a hair sieve in the dish. trout, mackerel, herrings, sprats, and fillets of sole or brill, are also very nice cooked in the same manner. a part of the above marinade may be made at any time, and almost any kind of fish remaining from a previous dinner may be done the same, and eaten cold. . _salad of game._--boil eight eggs hard, shell them, throw them into cold water, cut a thin slice off the bottom to facilitate the proper placing of them in the dish, cut each one into four, lengthwise, make a very thin flat border of butter about one inch from the edge of the dish you are going to serve them on; fix the pieces of egg upright, close to each other, the yolk outside, or alternately the white and yolk; you lay in the centre a layer of fresh salad that may be in season, and having previously roasted a young grouse rather underdone, which you cut into eight or ten pieces, then prepare sauce as follows: put a spoonful of eschalots, finely chopped, in a basin, one ditto of pounded sugar, the yolk of one egg, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, tarragon, or chervil, and a quarter of an ounce of salt, mix in by degrees with a wooden spoon, four spoonfuls of oil and two of chili vinegar; when all mixed, put it on ice, or in a cold place; when ready to serve up, whip a gill of cream rather thick, which lightly mix with it, then lay the inferior parts of the grouse on the salad, sauce over so as to cover each piece, then lay over the salad and the remainder of the grouse; sauce over, and serve. the eggs may be ornamented with a little dot of radishes on the point, or beet-root. anchovy and gherkin, cut into small diamonds, may be placed between, or cut gherkins in slices, and lay a border of them round, or in any way your fancy may dictate. . _salad of fowl._--proceed as for that of game, so far as the eggs and the salad are concerned; then have a chicken, which has been previously plain roasted, or in vegetables, and cut it into ten pieces, put it into a basin, season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter ditto of pepper, two tablespoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar, one onion sliced, and a few sprigs of chopped parsley, mix them well, and let them remain for a few hours, if time will permit. take the pieces of chicken, and place in a dish with salad, as directed for grouse, with the sauce, &c., and serve. nothing is better for ball-suppers than these kinds of dishes; they may be made of all kinds of solid fish, and the sauce is excellent; any kind of cold meat, dressed round with the sauce, may be served for supper or luncheon. it may be served with the same sauce or dressing as for lobster salad (or no. ), or make the following one, which differs a little:--put into a middle-sized, round-bottomed basin the yolk of two eggs, half a spoonful of salt, quarter of one of pepper, half a one of sugar, ditto of fine chopped onions, ditto of parsley, or of tarragon, or of chervil, stir with the right hand with a wooden spoon, while you pour some oil out of the bottle by keeping your thumb on its mouth, so that it runs out very slowly; when a few spoonfuls are in it, it will become quite stiff; pour also by degrees a few spoonfuls of vinegar, and so on until you have made enough for your salad; try if the flavor is good and relishing, as the quality of these two last ingredients varies so much, that i must leave it to your more simple and correct judgment. if you should fail at first, try again until you succeed, and i am certain you will be delighted with the result; it ought to be made in a cold place, particularly in summer. great taste should be observed in the decoration of the border. shell fish. _prawns_ are best when very red and have no spawn under the tail. the _escalop_ is a fish very little used, but is exceedingly fine; it is in season at the same time as the oyster. it can be cooked in a variety of ways, but previous to doing which, it should be kept some time in salt water, so that it may free itself from any sand that may be in it; when opened, all the beard should be removed, and only the white, red, and black parts used; it may be cooked and used in every way like oysters, and is excellent with matelote of any kind of fish. _razor shell fish_ or _solen fish_.--this is the aulo of the romans, and a beautiful eating fish. it should also be cooked like oysters, and makes most excellent and strengthening soup. oysters.--no oyster should be eaten under four years old; their age is known by their shell--just the same as the age of a tree is known by its bark, or a fish by its scale, and the small oyster has the finest flavor. . _escaloped oysters._--put two dozen of oysters with their liquor into a stewpan, place over a fire, and when a little firm, drain them upon a sieve, catching the liquor in another stewpan; detach the beard from the oysters, and throw them again into their liquor; add half a blade of mace, place again upon the fire, and, when boiling, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, with which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour; shake round over the fire until becoming thick, season with a little cayenne, and salt if required; have an escalop shell, well buttered and bread-crumbed; place the oysters in, sprinkle bread-crumbs over, put it in the oven a quarter of an hour, pass the salamander over, and serve. the yolk of eggs may be added, and less flour. . _stewed oysters._--blanch and beard the oysters as above; when done, put them with their liquor in a stewpan, with four cloves, a blade of mace, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, with a little chopped parsley and cayenne; let simmer a minute, stir in two pats of butter with which you have mixed half a teaspoonful of flour, let simmer a little longer, lay the oysters in your dish upon a piece of toast, and sauce over. . _shrimps._--of these there are several varieties; a diversity of opinion exists amongst epicures of this little animal which is the best; but in my opinion a great deal depends on the manner of boiling, and their freshness. the following is the plan: i prefer them boiled; to one gallon of water put two ounces of salt, one sprig of lemon thyme and one of mint, and let it boil; when boiling hard, put one quart of shrimps into an open wire or wicker basket with a handle, and place it in the water: the time they take to boil depends on the size of the fish, but may be known by their changing color; be particular not to boil them too much, or they will be tasteless and indigestible. . _forcemeat._--you will find this receipt so useful, and so often in use in made dishes, soups, fish, entrées, &c., that i must beg of you to devote to it your personal attention; and being rather difficult to execute, be present when your cook makes it, that she may follow strictly the receipt, which i flatter myself is rather original. take a pound and a half of lean veal, and cut it in long thin slices, scrape with a knife till nothing but the skin remains; put it in a mortar, pound it ten minutes, or until in a purée, pass it through a wire sieve (use the remainder in stock), then take one pound of good fresh beef suet, which shred and chop very fine, put it in your mortar and pound it, then add six ounces of panada (made as under) with the suet, pound them well together, and add the veal, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, half that of nutmeg, work all well together, then add five eggs by degrees, continually pounding the contents of the mortar; when well mixed, take a small piece in a spoon, and poach it in some boiling water, and if it is delicate, firm and a good flavor, it is ready for use; if you require some very delicate, add two tablespoonfuls of white sauce, or even thick melted butter; you can vary the flavor by the addition of a spoonful of chopped parsley, eschalot, mushroom, &c., the flesh of rabbit or fowl, or hare, pheasant, grouse, &c., if plentiful, may be added, using the ingredients in proportion. one quarter of this quantity may be made if required. . _panada for forcemeats._--put two thirds of half a pint of water into a stewpan holding a quart, with nearly an ounce of butter; when boiling, stir in a quarter of a pound of flour; keep it moving over the fire until it forms a smooth and toughish paste; take it out of the stewpan, and when cold use it where directed. . _forcemeats of fish._--these are much in use in france and other catholic countries, especially in lent, but they are a very excellent garnish for entrées of fish; they may be made of the flesh of almost all kinds of fish, more particularly the pike, salmon, trout, sole, haddock, and the whiting, which last is the most delicate. . _forcemeat of whitings._--take the fillets of three whitings, take off all the skin, and pound them well, then take them from the mortar, and form them into a ball; have a piece of panada (no. ) one third the size of the ball, put the panada into the mortar, pound it well, then add two ounces of fresh butter, which mix well with the panada, then add the fish, season with pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg; mix all well together, then add by degrees three whole eggs and the yolks of two, try it in a little boiling water as directed for the forcemeat of veal. these are served generally as a meagre dish with a fish sauce, in catholic families, especially in lent time. . _stuffing for veal._--chop up half a pound of beef suet very fine, put it in a basin, with eight ounces of bread-crumbs, four ounces of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of equal quantities of powdered thyme and marjoram, and a bay-leaf, the rind of a lemon grated, and the juice of half one; season with pepper and salt, and one quarter of a nutmeg; mix the whole with three whole eggs; this will do also to stuff turkey or baked fish, adding some more chopped parsley. vegetables. in describing to you the different ways these may be dressed, i beg of you to make a constant use of them at your own table, as you will find they will be much better than partaking of half-raw greens, cabbage, turnip-tops, spinach, &c., and are less inviting in flavor, and, consequently, do not get consumed so much as they ought, which causes more meat to be eaten, and instead of refreshing the blood, as all vegetables will do in their season, only irritate it. do not misunderstand me respecting our english way of partaking of plain boiled vegetables; i do not wish you to give them up entirely, but by adopting both plans, you will find it a great advantage in our domestic cookery. for my part, i do not object to our plain boiled vegetables, but merely to the neglectful way they are cooked and served up, often swimming in water. in france, no family in the middle station of life ever dines without a dish of dressed vegetables, upon which as much care has been bestowed in cooking as upon the principal dish of the dinner, and is often eaten alone. . _asparagus._--i cook it thus: i take a bundle and scrape lightly all the white part, beginning from the head down, and throw them when done into cold water, then tie them up in bundles of twenty-five each, if an ordinary size, if very large, half that number, keeping the heads together, and cut off the ends to make them the same length; have ready a pan containing one gallon of boiling water, in which has been thrown two ounces of salt, boil quickly for fifteen minutes, or till tender; dish them up with a piece of toast in the middle, keep the heads in the centre, and form a pyramid. serve very hot, with rich melted butter, or cream sauce. the queen of all vegetables, to my fancy, is asparagus. this may almost be said to be a modern vegetable in this country, and it is one which requires less cooking than perhaps any other, and is considered exceedingly wholesome. . _young green peas._--young green peas! do not those words sound pleasant to the ear, dearest? i fancy that by merely raising my eyes from the paper on which i am now writing, i shall see all our garden in buds and blossom; it not only seems to invigorate the sensitive part of one's appetite, but works upon the mind to that point that you may actually fancy you are breathing in a glowing atmosphere, and that the pearly dew is gracefully descending in small globules from heaven, to fix their sparkling eyes on the pinky bloom of myriads of roses. but, alas! how soon this charming illusion has disappeared since i have left for a moment the sight of my paper to give a peep through the garden window, where i perceive that though to-day is the th of april, the serious and uncheerful father winter has once more monopolized those delightful and variegated _nuances_ of nature, by laying out his universal snowy tablecloth over this for the present ephemeral vision which the inviting words green peas had produced upon my senses; no doubt the effect of a good fire in my parlor, where i am now sitting, has had a great influence upon me respecting the summery temperature; but as a few weeks longer will realize my wishes, i shall here content myself by giving you the receipt how they ought to be cooked when you can get them. when very young, i like them plain boiled, because their original flavor is so fresh and delicate, that any addition, except a little very fresh butter, would be certain to destroy their aroma; i even object to the introduction of green mint, though i do not want to deprive you of it, being only a matter of taste. put two quarts of water to boil, with half an ounce of salt, and then place in one pint of peas, boil a full gallop till tender (about ten minutes), put in a colander, drain one minute; lay them, raised in the centre, in a dish, put in them two pats of very fresh butter, and serve. when older or larger, boil a little longer, add twelve leaves of green mint, which serve with it. . _peas, french way._--they do not look so inviting, not being so green; but i must say they are excellent as regards flavor. choose them young and fresh; without both of these qualities, they would not cook properly. put in a pint of cold water, mix the peas and butter well with your hand, add four button onions, a bouquet of six sprigs of parsley, one ounce of sugar, two saltspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, put it over a tolerably good fire, moving them often; if getting rather dry, add a wineglassful of water, twenty minutes ought to be enough when tender; add one ounce of butter, in which you have mixed a teaspoonful of flour, which put in it, and stir it well; make a liaison of the yolk of one egg, a quarter of a gill of cream, which add and stir, take out the parsley and onions, and serve. _another way._--when large, i stew them with two cabbage-lettuces cut in two, and stew longer, put in four wineglassfuls of water, or more if required, and finish as above. to keep their color, i often proceed thus for entrées or second courses: i plain boil as above, and put them in a stewpan, with four small onions, a little mint, parsley, butter, sugar, and a drop of water, simmer a few minutes, add as above the flour, butter, and liaison, and serve; they are very good this way, but not so rich in flavor. there are different kinds, but i prefer the prussian blue above all. . _seakale._--proceed exactly as for asparagus for boiling, but previously to boiling cut out the black part of the roots, and well wash and tie it together, and serve with the same sauce as asparagus. there is a kind of seakale that is rank and stringy, and not worth eating; it may be known, when raw, by the outside near the root, which is very tough and hard. . _sprue-grass._--the longer the green part the better the sprue; take each piece and gently bend it, and it will break off at that part which you require, beyond it is too hard, and cannot be eaten; when you thus have the pieces, cut them into lengths of a quarter of an inch, which well wash; have one gallon of water, into which put one ounce of salt, and boil, then put in the sprue and boil for ten minutes, or till tender, then drain on a sieve, put them in a stewpan, with two ounces of fresh butter, half a teaspoonful of flour, the same of salt, two pinches of pepper, and place on the fire, stir well together, and serve hot. the yolk of an egg, well beaten with two spoonfuls of cream, may be added to it; and when serving, also two spoonfuls of white sauce or melted butter,--but i always do it as the first. . _celery._--cut about ten heads of large celery from six to seven inches long, trim the outside and cut the root to a point, wash it very well between the leaves, tie three together, put a gallon of water, with two ounces of salt, to boil, then add the celery, and boil for fifteen minutes, then drain it, put into a stewpan a small slice of bacon, and lay the celery on it, put it on the fire for two minutes, add one onion sliced, cover with broth until quite tender, then take it out, and dish on a piece of toast, pass the gravy through a sieve into a stewpan, skim off the fat, reduce it to a demi-glaze, add a little sugar and a small pat of butter, which you have rubbed into some flour, stir it well, and sauce over; it ought to be thick, and of a nice brown color, which produce, if required, by a little coloring. marrow may be served with it, by taking two good pieces of marrow, and boil for a few minutes in a quart of water, and serve on each side the celery. it can also be cooked plain boiled, and served with melted butter over, and also boiled in eight tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, six of broth, and half a teaspoonful of sugar, in which it has boiled ten minutes, or until tender; sauce over and serve. . _salsify._--i do not know why this vegetable, which is held in such high estimation on the continent, should be so little esteemed with us; i will here supply their manner of cooking it, and perhaps you will give it a fair trial. take twelve middling-sized ones, scrape them well till quite white, rub each with lemon and put in cold water; put into a stewpan a quarter of a pound of beef or mutton suet, cut in small dice one onion, a little thyme, a bay-leaf, a tablespoonful of salt, and four cloves, put on the fire and stir for five minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir well, then add three pints of water, when just boiling put in your salsify, simmer till tender; they will take nearly one hour; dish on toast, sauce over with dutch, maître d'hôtel, or onion sauce, or a very good demi-glaze, or italian sauce. should any remain, they may be made into fritters thus: put the sauce, if any, in a basin, add a little salt, pepper, two spoonfuls of vinegar, half a chopped eschalot, and a spoonful of oil, place in the salsify, and let it remain for some hours, when ready to serve, make a small quantity of batter, dip each piece in it, and fry for five minutes in lard or fat, dish up with fried parsley over. . _vegetable marrow._--choose eight young small ones, with smooth skin, and put them to boil in two quarts of water, in which you have put one ounce of salt, the same of butter, try with a needle if tender, then dish them tastefully on mashed potatoes in a dish, put half a pint of melted butter in a pan when near boiling, add a liaison of a yolk of an egg, two pats of butter, a little sugar, the juice of half a lemon, sauce over and serve; if they are rather large, cut them in two length-wise; if in smaller pieces, take all the inside out and boil till tender, and warm in the above sauce. you can also make a nice demi-glaze, as no. , and let them simmer in it for twenty minutes; do not break them, as they would then be unsightly; they can be made into soup like cauliflower (no. ). . _cauliflower and broccoli._--be very particular in cleaning them, choose them rather small, thick and firm, put them for one hour in salt and water, then rinse them well in water, that all the dirt may be removed from the interior; have a pan of boiling water, in which you have placed two ounces of salt and one of butter, drain and use where indicated; but if for second course, place them on a dish in the form of a dome, and cover over with some sauce as for vegetable marrow or plain melted butter, or soubise sauce if preferred plain; serve it very hot, having drained it. . _the same gratiné with cheese._--put into a stewpan ten spoonfuls of white sauce, no. , with a little chopped onions, which boil for a few minutes, add to it a quarter of a pound of grated parmesan, or any mild english cheese; when boiling, add the yolk of one egg, and a little cayenne, mix quick, lay a little on a dish, put two or three heads of cauliflower or broccoli on it, pour the remainder of sauce over, and a little bread-crumbs and grated cheese; put in oven half an hour, give it a nice yellow color, and serve; if no white sauce, use melted butter, but do not boil it so long, or it will eat rather greasy. . _jerusalem artichokes._--one of the best and most useful vegetables ever introduced to table, and anything but appreciated as it deserves to be. to prove to you that i am a great admirer of it, you will find it very often mentioned in my receipts. in using them for a second course, i choose about twelve of the same size, peel them and shape them like a pear, but flat at the bottom, wash them well, boil gently in three pints of water, one ounce of salt, one of butter, and a few sliced onions; when tender, i make a border of mashed potatoes on a dish, fix them on it point upwards, sauce over with either cream sauce (no. ), white sauce (no. ), melted butter (no. ), maître d'hôtel, and place a fine brussels sprout between each, which contrast is exceedingly inviting, simple, and pretty. . _cucumbers_ are most delicious stuffed and stewed, but very difficult to dress, and consequently chiefly used for entrées, in which series they will be found. they may, however, be treated like vegetable marrow. . _artichokes._--pull the tail off four or six small artichokes, trim the bottom slightly with a knife, cut the point of every leaf, wash well in plain water, put them on in plenty of water, with a little salt, to boil, let them thus remain about half an hour, or until the leaves are easy to be removed, take them out and lay on a sieve to drain, and serve on a napkin, with melted butter separate. . _beet-root._--this is a very good dish, and, as i believe it has never been noticed in cookery, i must lay claim to its parentage; i have given the receipt to some friends, who highly approve of it. take two nice young boiled beet-roots, which will take about from two to three hours to simmer in plenty of boiling water, peel when cold, cut in slanting direction, so as to make oval pieces, peel and cut in small dice two middling-sized onions, put in a pan, with two ounces of butter, fry white, stirring continually with a spoon; add a spoonful of flour, and enough milk to make a nice thickish sauce, add to it three saltspoonfuls of salt, four of sugar, one of pepper, a spoonful of good vinegar, and boil a few minutes; put in the slices to simmer for about twenty minutes, have ready some mashed potatoes, with which make a neat border in your dish one inch high, then put the beet-root and sauce, highly season in the centre, and serve. . _french beans._--these are also a great favorite with many. to dress it, head and tail them, drawing off the back string, cut in long diamonds, boil till tender in water in which salt has been placed, a quarter of a pound to a gallon, try them after a quarter of an hour's boiling, drain them, lay them on a dish one inch thick, sprinkle with a little salt, pepper, and two pats of butter, then put in the remainder, proceed the same at top; serve very quickly, to prevent the butter oiling. . _the same, à la maître d'hôtel._--when boiled as above, put in a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of maître d'hôtel butter, when melted serve. they may be also served with white sauce thus: put in a stewpan eight spoonfuls of melted butter, season well, simmer gently, add the yolk of an egg, two ounces of butter, juice of half a lemon, and serve. . _kidney beans._--head and tail them, string and slit them down the middle, place them for half an hour in salt and water in which you have thrown a little culinary alkali, boil until tender, and serve with melted butter, or à la maître d'hôtel. . _broad or windsor beans._--boil in salt and water: when done, serve with parsley and butter, or with a piece of bacon. . _brussels sprouts._--trim, wash, and boil about forty small brussels sprouts; when tender, drain, dish, and sprinkle a little salt, pepper, and two ounces of butter over, and serve. serve also in sauce, or with maître d'hôtel, like french beans. these are also very good for soups, sauces, or garnish. . _spinach._--this vegetable is very light and very good for invalids. it must be washed in several waters, after having been well picked; then put a quarter of a sieve of spinach to a gallon of water and three ounces of salt, boil for ten minutes till tender, drain on sieve, press a little with your hands to extract part of the water, chop it up fine, put in a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, half ditto of pepper, put on a fire with a drop of warm broth for a few minutes, and serve. . _spinach with gravy._--proceed as before, but add a tablespoonful of flour and half a pint of strong gravy in it, as no. ; serve with sippets of bread round. . _spinach with cream._--proceed as before, but putting half a pint of milk or cream instead of gravy, and the addition of a tablespoonful of sugar, cut three slices of bread, lay on dish, sift sugar over, put in oven, salamander over, cut in various shapes, and serve under or over the spinach. . _young haricot beans._--take a pint, boil in two quarts of water, with a small piece of butter, and half an ounce of salt; when done, which will take only a few minutes, dish and serve; put butter over, sprinkle a little salt, and when on the dish, a gill of maître d'hôtel sauce or fennel sauce may be served over the larger one, or it is very delicious plain boiled, and with a piece of ham or bacon. . _white haricot beans._--nothing so cheap or so solid a food as haricot beans; get a pint of fine white beans, called the dwarf--i buy them for fourpence a quart. i put them into half a gallon of cold soft water, with one ounce of butter; they take about three hours to cook, and should simmer very slowly, drain them and put into a stewpan with a little salt, pepper, chopped parsley, two ounces of butter, and the juice of a lemon, place on the fire for a few minutes, stir well, and serve. the water in which it is boiled will not make a bad soup by frying four onions in butter in a stewpan, adding a little flour, then the water poured over, and a slice of toasted bread, cut in pieces, and served in a tureen. should the water in boiling reduce too fast, add a little more. they may be dressed for second course, à la bretonne, as for leg. the longer sort requires to be soaked a few hours before boiling. . _mushrooms._--these are good every way when fresh; for a dish take about fifty button, cut the roots off, wash and rub the skin off with a cloth, cut them in slices the size of a shilling, tail and all, put them in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, a small teaspoonful of salt, two pinches of pepper, and the juice of half a lemon, put them on the fire, simmer till tender, and dish them up on a nice crisp toast; should you require any sauce, add, when nearly done, half a spoonful of flour, a gill of broth, milk, or cream, or even water, stew a few minutes longer, pour over toast and serve. _if very large_, they should have been carefully picked, for if the dirt should have got into the under part it is difficult to remove it; cut off the end of the tail and peel the top, put them on a gridiron, season moderately with salt and pepper, turn them, and when done serve them on a very hot dish, and put on each a piece of butter the size of a nut, and a squeeze of a lemon, put in a hot oven for a minute, or before the fire, and serve; a little harvey's or soyer's sauce is an improvement. they may also be put in an oven, by laying them in a sauté-pan or tin dish, put a little butter and season over each, and a drop of harvey's sauce, and let them remain twenty minutes, and serve with gravy over. . _lentils._--put into a stewpan one quart, add two quarts of cold water, one ounce of butter, a little salt, one onion sliced, a bouquet of parsley, set on the fire, simmer till tender, which may be in two hours; when done, drain in a sieve, and save the liquor, which can be made into a soup like the haricots (see receipt no. ); put the lentils in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter, a little salt, sugar, pepper, and a tablespoonful of chopped eschalots, set it on the fire, put in butter and flour, mix well, boil ten minutes gently, and dish in a border of potatoes or in a deep dish. it may also be done thus: by frying till brown one onion, sliced in a stewpan, put in the boiled lentils, with two ounces of butter, a little flour, a gill of gravy, and season as above, stir well, boil, and serve hot. gabanza or egyptian bean may be cooked in the same way. . _english truffles._--put twelve of them to soak for four hours in lukewarm water; then with a hard hair-brush remove all the earth from them; then wash again, put them into a stewpan, with a few slices of bacon, two onions, half a head of celery, half a carrot, a clove of garlic, two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme, four of parsley, a teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, a half of pepper, two glasses of sherry, and a pint of broth; let them simmer for half an hour or more, but till tender; place them in the oven for twenty minutes longer, remove the truffles and place them on a dish; have a little mashed potatoes, and make a border, and place the truffles on in pyramid to prevent them moving, strain the gravy they were in, skim off the fat, reduce it to about a gill, put in a teaspoonful of arrow-root in a cup, with a spoonful of water, mix it, and put to the gravy, boil a few minutes, pour over, and serve. i peeled some of them, cooked the same way, they eat better; but they did not look so well. . _sauté of the same._--after having washed them, i peel them and cut into thin slices, and put about one pound of them into a stewpan; i then add a quarter of a pound of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, half one of sugar, a quarter ditto of nutmeg, warm over the fire, add a gill of broth, a little flour, mixed with a little butter, stir in, boil, and serve on toast;--or proceed as above, adding a gill of demi-glaze. they can be served with any entrées when properly done, and in all cases can be used instead of mushrooms. . _to cook sourcrout._--put a quart of sourcrout, with a fat piece of bacon or pork, into an _earthen_ pan, with sufficient water to cover it, stew for four or five hours, and serve with pork or fried sausages; it is better the second day. it may be procured in any good oil-shop in the winter. . _sourcrout, bavarian way._--well wash one quart of sourcrout, and put it into an earthen pan with a quarter of a bottle of rhenish wine or any other light wine, and stew it for three hours; then add some veal gravy, well seasoned, and stew for three hours longer, and serve with sausages, or when you add the veal stock, put in a duck or a goose, and serve with it. . _laver_ is a marine plant (the _ulvoe lactuca_), which is obtained, in london, from the west of england; in dublin, from malahide; edinburgh, from aberdeen. it is merely washed, boiled, pulped, and potted by the fishermen's wives. it is considered wholesome, but i see nothing particular in it that can make it so unless it is the small quantity of iodine that it contains. it should be dressed like spinach (no. ), and sent up very hot in a dish over a spirit-lamp, and is generally served with mutton. the following is a new plan i have introduced for cooking it, which has been liked by those persons who formerly disliked it. have some mashed potatoes as no. , roll it out the thickness of a quarter of an inch, cover it with some cold stewed laver nicely seasoned, put another layer of mashed potatoes over, and allow it to get quite cold, when cut it in square pieces, egg, bread-crumb, and proceed as for ramifolles. potatoes.--this root still bears its original american name, signifying earth-apple, and is divided into many species. amongst those most common in use are the regent, ash-leaf, kidney; but, in the sister kingdom, ireland, many other varieties are in use; as the lumper, reds, and blacks. there are as many different ways of cooking them as there are different species, which i will now describe. . _plain boiled or steamed potatoes._--well wash the potatoes and peel them, and throw them into cold water (that depends upon the kind, if new or young, or a kidney, they should be cooked immediately after they are peeled, whilst others require to remain a long time in soak); have ready a steamer with boiling water in it, put the potatoes on the top, and steam for twenty to thirty minutes, and serve. should you not have a steamer, and are obliged to boil them, do so by putting them into plenty of boiling water, and boil till tender or breaking, then pour them out into a colander, put a cloth over them, and put them in the screen, or before the fire, until you are ready to serve them; they ought always to be sent to table very hot. . _baked potatoes._--this is a very favorite dish with many persons; they ought to be of a large size, called regents, and when cooked very floury. mr. b. tells me he sometimes lunches at a house in the city where the proprietor grows that sort in particular for the use of his customers, and he finds them better if he leaves them in the ground where they grow until wanted, and he has about three days' consumption taken up at a time. they are merely well washed, and put into a slow oven for about thirty minutes, or longer if large, and served with a pat of butter in a plate. . _fried potatoes._--the long kidney potato is the best for this purpose; they should be washed and peeled, and cut into very thin slices, and thrown into boiling fat until a nice light brown color; dish up very hot, throwing a little salt over. the remains of cold ones may be cut into slices and fried in the same way, or they may be dipped into batter, and fried like fritters. . _mashed potatoes._--steam about ten fine potatoes for about thirty-five minutes, put them into a stewpan or bowl, with two ounces of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, a smaller spoonful of pepper, and half a pint of milk, and beat them very well up with a large fork, then add by degrees a gill of milk, and continue beating, and dish them lightly on a dish. should you require to keep them warm, do so in a stewpan. i do not approve of putting them into moulds and then in the oven, as it makes them heavy. . _potatoes à la maître d'hôtel._--with young potatoes they are excellent. boil ten middle-sized ones cut in slices of a quarter of an inch thick, put in the stewpan half a pint of milk or the same of broth, a little salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and a tablespoonful of fresh chopped parsley, then simmer on fire; when boiling, add a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, the juice of a lemon, stir well for a few minutes; when each piece is well covered with the sauce, dish up, and high in the centre, as they must appear light. . _lyonnaise._--the remains of cold potatoes may be used thus:--put three ounces of butter in an omelette pan, in which you fry rather white three sliced onions; put on the potatoes, cut in thin slices about the size of half a crown, and sauté them now and then until they have a nice yellow color; add a spoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and the juice of a lemon, sauté well that it should mix well together, dish and serve very hot; they are excellent to serve with chop, steak, or any joint. . _irish way of boiling._--in ireland, where this root has been for so long a period the chief nourishment of the people, and where it takes the place of bread and other more substantial food, it is cooked so that it may have, as they call it, a bone in it; that is, that the middle of it should not be quite cooked. they are done thus:--put a gallon of water with two ounces of salt, in a large iron pot, boil for about ten minutes, or until the skin is loose, pour the water out of the pot, put a dry cloth on the top of the potatoes, and place it on the side of the fire without water for about twenty minutes, and serve. in ireland turf is the principal article of fuel, which is burnt on the flat hearth; a little of it is generally scraped up round the pot so as to keep a gradual heat, by this plan the potato is both boiled and baked. even in those families where such a common art of civilized life as cooking ought to have made some progress, the only improvement they have upon this plan is, that they leave the potatoes in the dry pot longer, by which they lose the _bone_. they are always served up with the skins on, and a small plate is placed by the side of each guest. . _to blanch macaroni._--have half a gallon of water in a stewpan, in which put two ounces of butter and an ounce of salt; when boiling, throw in a pound of macaroni, which boil until tender, being careful that it is not too much done; the time of boiling depends principally upon the quality, the genoa macaroni taking the longest time, and the neapolitan the shortest, which last, if too much done, will fall in purée. . _macaroni à l'italienne._--boil half a pound of macaroni as above; when done, lay it on a sieve to dry for one minute, put it in a pan, with four spoonfuls of white sauce, add half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter ditto of pepper, a little cayenne, toss the macaroni over the fire; when boiling, add two ounces each of grated parmesan and gruyère cheese, toss round and round until well mixed, then serve with a gill of very strong gravy around it. . _macaroni au gratin._--proceed the same as above; but after you have put the macaroni on the dish, omit the gravy, and cover it slightly with bread-crumbs, and about the same quantity of parmesan cheese grated, a little butter, and then put in a hot oven for a quarter of an hour; if not hot enough, pass the salamander over it, and serve very hot. . _macaroni à la napolitaine._--boil half a pound of the best quality of macaroni for half an hour, as at no. ; when tender, lay one quarter of it on the dish you intend to serve; have ready two ounces of grated parmesan cheese, which you divide into four parts to lay over each layer of macaroni, then put over it two tablespoonfuls of strong gravy, made of half glaze and consommé, put the dish in the oven for ten minutes, and serve very hot. . _the real italian method (called à l'estoufade)._--boil and proceed as before, but make the gravy as follows, and use it instead of the preceding. take two pounds of rump of beef larded through, put in a small stewpan, with one quarter of a pound of butter, fry gently for one hour, turning almost continually; when forming a glaze add half a pint of broth, let simmer another hour, take the fat off, and use that gravy instead of that above described; a little tomato may be introduced if handy, serve the beef at the same time in a separate dish. . _fried mashed potatoes in various shapes._--roast twelve fine potatoes; when done, take out the interior, which form into a ball; when cold, put them into a mortar, with a piece of butter half the size of the ball; pound them well together, season with a little salt, pepper, chopped eschalots, chopped parsley, and grated nutmeg, mix them with the yolks of six, and two whole eggs; then form them into croquettes about the size and shape of a small egg, and bread-crumb them twice over, and fry them to a light brown color in a stewpan of hot lard, and serve as garniture where required. . _to boil rice._--wash well in two separate waters a pound of the best carolina rice, then have two quarts of water _boiling_ in a stewpan, into which throw your rice, boil it until three parts done, then drain it on a sieve; butter the interior of a stewpan, in which put your rice, place the lid on tight, and put it in a warm oven upon a trivet until the rice is perfectly tender, or by the side of the fire; serve it separate with curry, or any other dish where required. prepared thus, every grain will be separate and quite white. . _chopping of herbs, &c._--this may appear a very simple thing to do well, yet it is often done badly, by which the flavor is lost. they should be well washed and dried, and then take the leaves in the left hand, pressing upon the leaves with your fingers, and chop as fine as possible, not by placing the point of the knife on the board and raising it and letting it fall, but with a good sharp cut, so that they are cut, not pressed. onions should be peeled, and cut in halves lengthwise, and then with a thin knife cut each half in slices, leaving them joined at the root; again cut into slices contrarywise, and then from top to bottom; thus having cut into very small squares, chop it with both hands with the knife. you may also wash them; when half-chopped press them in a cloth, and chop them still finer. of different sorts of pastry. the variety of pastes is to the pastry what first stocks are to soups and sauces, and must be very properly first described, particularly as it is here i must refer my readers for paste even used for the hors-d'oeuvre and entrées; to succeed you must be particular in your proportions, and very careful in the mixing; for, although there is nothing more simple if pains be taken, so will the least neglect produce a failure, nor is it only with the making of the paste that pains must be taken, but likewise with the baking, for as paste badly made would not improve in baking, neither will paste, however well made, be good if badly baked; should the oven be too hot the paste will become set and burn before it is done; and, again, if too cold it would give the paste a dull heavy appearance, but an oven properly heated (which can be readily known by a little attention on the part of those in the habit of using it) will give it a clear brilliant appearance. for every description of pastry made from puff paste, try if the oven is hot by placing your hand about half-way in, and hold it there about a quarter of a minute, if you can hold it there that time without inconvenience it would not be hot enough; but if you cannot judge of the heat, the safest method would be, try a piece of the paste previous to baking the whole; i apply these few observations to all my friends, but particularly to the uninstructed, as a person of continual practice cannot fail to be aware of the truth of them. . _puff paste._--put one pound of flour upon your pastry slab, make a hole in the centre, in which put the yolk of one egg and the juice of a lemon, with a pinch of salt, mix it with cold water (iced in summer, if convenient) into a softish flexible paste, with the right hand dry it off a little with flour until you have well cleared the paste from the slab, but do not work it more than you can possibly help, let remain two minutes upon the slab; then have a pound of fresh butter from which you have squeezed all the buttermilk in a cloth, bringing it to the same consistency as the paste, upon which place it; press it out with the hand, then fold over the edges of the paste so as to hide the butter, and roll it with the rolling-pin to the thickness of a quarter of an inch, thus making it about two feet in length, fold over one third, over which again pass the rolling-pin; then fold over the other third, thus forming a square, place it with the ends top and bottom before you, shaking a little flour both under and over, and repeat the rolls and turns twice again as before; flour a baking-sheet, upon which lay it, upon ice or in some cool place (but in summer it would be almost impossible to make this paste well without ice) for half an hour; then roll twice more, turning it as before, place again upon the ice a quarter of an hour, give it two more rolls, making seven in all, and it is ready for use when required, rolling it whatever thickness (according to what you intend making) directed in the following receipts. when i state that upwards of a hundred different kinds of cakes may be made from this paste, i am sure it will be quite sufficient to urge upon every cook the necessity of paying every attention to its fabrication, as it will repay for the study and trouble. . _puff paste, with beef suet._--where you cannot obtain good butter for making paste, the following is an excellent substitute; skin and chop one pound of kidney beef suet very fine, put it into a mortar and pound it well, moistening with a little oil, until becoming as it were one piece, and about the consistency of butter, proceed exactly as in the last, using it instead of butter. . _half puff paste._--put one pound of flour upon your pastry slab, with two ounces of butter, rub well together with the hands, make a hole in the centre, in which put a pinch of salt and the yolk of an egg with the juice of a lemon; mix with water as before, then roll it out thin and lay half a pound of butter (prepared as for puff paste) rolled into thin sheets over, fold it in three, roll and fold again twice over, lay it in a cold place a quarter of an hour, give another roll, and it is ready for use where required; this paste is mostly used for fruit tarts, for which it is well adapted. . _short paste, or pâte à foncer._--put a pound of best flour upon your pastry slab, make a hole in the centre, in which put an ounce of salt, half a pound of fresh butter, and sufficient water to form a stiff paste, mix well together, and it is ready for use where directed. . _short paste for fruit tarts._--put a pound of flour upon your pastry slab with six ounces of butter, and rub them well together; then make a hole in the centre, in which put two ounces of powdered sugar, two whole eggs, and a large wineglassful of water, mix the eggs, sugar, and water well, then drown in the flour and mix together, and work it lightly. . _pâte d'office, or confectioner's paste._--weigh half a pound of flour, which put upon your slab, make a hole in the centre, in which put six ounces of sifted sugar, mix it well with four eggs into a stiffish paste, having first well dissolved the sugar with the eggs, work it well, it is then ready for use. this paste was very much used when pièces montés were so much in vogue, but in the several receipts in which it is referred to, it is used upon quite a new principle, and very much simplified; this paste, with the above proportions, ought to be very stiff, but still pliable enough to be worked without breaking; should it be too stiff add more eggs, or too soft more flour; the half or quarter of the above quantity may of course be made. . _vols-au-vent_ of all things in pastry require the most care and precision; they that can make a good vol-au-vent may be stamped as good pastrycooks, although many variations in working puff paste, all others are of secondary importance. make a pound of puff paste, giving it seven rolls and a half, leave it an inch in thickness, make a mark upon the top either round or oval, and according to the size of your dish; then, with a sharp-pointed knife, cut it out from the paste, holding the knife with the point slanting outwards; turn it over, mark the edges with the back of your knife, and place it upon a baking-sheet, which you have sprinkled with water; egg over the top, then dip the point of the knife into hot water, and cut a ring upon the top a quarter of an inch deep, and half an inch from the edge of the vol-au-vent, set in a rather hot oven, if getting too much color, cover over with a sheet of paper, do not take it out before done, or it would fall, but when quite set, cut off the lid, and empty it with a knife; be careful to make no hole in the side or bottom; if for first course it is ready, but if for second sift sugar all over, which glaze with the salamander. regulate the thickness of the paste from which you cut the vol-au-vent, according to the size you require it, the smaller ones of course requiring thinner paste. a vol-au-vent for entrées will take about half an hour to bake, and as the common iron ovens often throw out more heat upon one side than the other, it will require turning two or three times to cause it to rise equal; it ought to be when baked of a light gold color. . _vol-au-vent of peaches._--put half a pound of sugar in a sugar-pan, with the juice of a lemon and about half a pint of water, place it upon the fire and boil till becoming a thickish syrup; then have eight peaches not quite ripe, which cut in halves, break their stones and blanch the kernels, throw six halves with the kernels into the syrup, boil three minutes, take them out with a skimmer, lay them upon a dish and take off their skins, stew the rest in syrup in like manner, four at a time; when all done pour what liquor runs from them again into the syrup, which reduce to a good thickness, pass it through a tammy into a basin, when cold pour a little over the peaches and leave until ready to serve; dress the peaches in your vol-au-vent with the syrup over. this is a receipt i learnt in france, where i got peaches for a sou each. . _vol-au-vent with fruit._--these are generally used for the second course, and do not require to be so high as the other, especially as the fruit ought to be dressed in the form of a pyramid, if they are cut about three quarters of an inch in thickness it will be enough; when nearly done, sift some powdered sugar over them, and put it back in the oven to glaze well, if not hot enough use the salamander; remove the interior, taking care not to make a hole in the bottom or sides, and fill with any kind of fruit you like, but never mix two kinds together, except currant and raspberry. . _sweet vol-au-vent with rhubarb._--in the spring of the year, this makes a very inviting and wholesome dish, and its qualities purify the blood, which the winter's food has rendered gross; cut about twelve sticks of rhubarb into lengths of one inch, put it in a stewpan holding about two quarts, put over it a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a tablespoonful of water, set it on a sharp fire, stirring it, do not let it get brown, or it would spoil and lose its flavor; it will take but a few minutes to do; when tender, put it in a basin to cool; a few minutes before serving, fill the vol-au-vent with it, and serve cold. . _ditto, with green gooseberries._--a quart of green gooseberries, a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the juice of half a lemon, and a tablespoonful of water, put on the fire and move it about for ten minutes, or till tender, and forming a thick green marmalade, put it in a basin till cold, serve in pyramid in the vol-au-vent; a little thick syrup, if handy, poured over, improves the appearance. . _ditto, with orange._--well peel six oranges, removing all the pith, divide each into six or eight pieces, put them in a pan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar, and the juice of one orange, set it on a slow fire, with the cover on, stir it now and then; ten minutes will be sufficient time for it, take out the pieces one after the other, lay them in a basin, reduce your syrup to a proper thickness, when ready to serve, dish your pieces of orange in it, and pour over the syrup. . _another method._--make a thick syrup with half a pound of sugar, put in your pieces by a dozen at a time, just give them a boiling, remove them on a sieve, then add the other pieces, when all done, add the juice, which pass through a sieve, and back again to the pan, boil till a proper thickness, dish up and serve the syrup over. . _ditto, a still plainer method._--have the pieces of orange ready, and put in a stewpan a quarter of a pound of sugar, a wineglass of brandy or rum, stir it well a few minutes, and serve with the liquor poured over. . _ditto, with cherries._--stone one pound of cherries, and put in a pan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, stew for five minutes, take them down, drain, then reduce the syrup till thick, and pour over at the moment of serving. . _ditto, with strawberries._--pick two pottles of very fresh strawberries, not too ripe, put them in with two ounces of powdered sugar, a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, toss them gently in a basin, and serve immediately in your vol-au-vent. . _ditto, with apples._--this fruit being procurable all the year renders it one of very great convenience; ripstone pippins are the best: cut in four, peel them, put a pint of syrup, when boiling, put in your apples, with the peel of half a lemon, and the juice of a whole one, let simmer till tender, put it in a basin, boil the syrup to a white jelly, let it stand till cold, put the apple in the vol-au-vent, and pour the syrup (cold) or jelly over; serve a few ornaments made with very green angelica. . _another method._--cut any kind of apple, rather thin, put over a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the rind of a lemon chopped, the juice of the same, one ounce of butter, and a glass of sherry, put on the fire, toss till tender, but keep it very white, put it in a basin, when cold dish in your vol-au-vent; whip a gill of good cream, add ten drops of orange-flower water in it, cover over carefully and serve. apple sauté with butter, in this way may be served hot in the vol-au-vent. any kind of plums or apricots, when plentiful, may be done the same as cherries, and served the same way. . _little fruit rissolettes._--i also make with the trimmings of puff paste the following little cakes: if you have about a quarter of a pound of puff paste left, roll it out very thin, about the thickness of half a crown, put half a spoonful of any marmalade on it, about one inch distance from each other, wet lightly round them with a paste-brush, and place a piece of paste over all, take a cutter of the size of a crown piece, and press round the part where the marmalade or jam is, with the thick part of the cutter, to make the paste stick, then cut them out with one a size larger, lay them on a baking-tin, egg over, then cut a little ring in paste, the size of a shilling, put it on them, egg over again, place in a nice hot oven for twenty minutes, then sugar over with finely sifted sugar, so as to make it quite white all over, then put back into the oven to glaze: should the oven not be sufficiently hot, take a salamander, or, for the want of one, a red-hot shovel, full of live coals, may be used; serve in the form of a pyramid. a little currant jelly in the ring looks well. . _flanc of fruit._--this requires a mould the same as no. ; it must be well wiped with a cloth, butter it, then take the remains of puff paste, and roll it well so as to deaden it, then roll it out a size larger than your mould, and about a quarter of an inch thick, place your mould on a baking-tin, put the paste carefully in the mould and shape it well, to obtain all the form of the mould, without making a hole in it; put a piece of paper at the bottom, fill with flour to the top, and bake a nice color; it will take about half an hour, then take out the flour and paper, open the mould, and fill it. . _flancs_, with any kind of fruit, like a vol-au-vent, are more easily made, and are equally as good a side dish. this may be made of half-puff or short paste, and fill with raw cherries and some pounded sugar over: bake together. greengages, apricots, or any kind of plums, will require a hotter oven than for flour only in it, the fruit giving moisture to the paste; if baked in a slow oven will be heavy, and consequently indigestible. . _another._--if you have no mould, make a quarter of a pound of paste (no. ), roll it round or oval to your fancy, a quarter of an inch thick, wet the edge all round about half an inch, raise that part and pinch it round with your thumbs and fingers, making a border all round, put on a baking-sheet, fill with fruit one row, if large two; remove the stones, and sift sugar over according to the acidity of the fruit; it will take less time, too, than if in a mould: you see what variation can be made with very little trouble or expense. . _flanc of apples._--i just perceive that i had forgot to give you a few receipts in this way of cake, which i make very pretty when we have a party. take eight ripstone pippins, cut in four, peel a nice shape, rub with lemon, put half a pound of sugar in a pan, cover with cold water, juice of a lemon; boil till rather thick, then add half the apples, simmer till tender, put them on a plate, do the remainder the same way, reduce the syrup a little, put the apples in a basin, pour syrup over: when cold, dish in pyramid in the crust, which you have prepared as no. , pour over the syrup, which should be a jelly. i often cut in fine strips the rind of a lemon or orange, boil with the apples, and ornament also with pieces of young angelica preserved, cut in diamond, placing a piece between each apple. flancs of pears may be made precisely the same way, but with good ripe eating pears cut in two lengthwise, leaving the stalk cut in half. . _a plainer way._--peel and cut eight apples in thin slices in a pan, with two ounces of pounded sugar, the rind and juice of a lemon, the rind well chopped, put on fire, stir till forming a thick marmalade, and tender, melt a little currant jelly, pour over and serve. . _small fruit tarts._--the next in order to sweet vol-au-vents, and which are easier to make, are tartlets, their appearance being inviting, and their expense limited, and very easy to serve. they may be made from the trimmings of any puff paste which remains, should be enveloped in paper, and kept in a cold place, or in the flour tub. make them as follows:--have ready twelve or more small tartlet pans, which butter, line each with a bit of puff paste cut with a cutter the size of a crown piece, force up the edges with your thumb and finger, put a small ball (made of flour and water) in each, bake them nicely in a very hot oven; when done take out the ball (which may be kept for other occasions), the tartlets, and shake powdered sugar over the bottom of each, and glaze with a salamander, turn them over, and shake sugar in the interior, which also salamander; fill with any kind of preserve, marmalade, or fruit, for sweet vol-au-vents. they may be made with cream as follows:--make your tartlets as before, placing cream instead of the ball of flour, made thus: put half a pint of milk in a stewpan, when boiling, add half a stick of vanilla, reduce the milk to half in another stewpan, have the yolks of two eggs and a quarter of an ounce of powdered sugar, and one ounce of sifted flour, with a grain of salt, pour in the milk, taking out the vanilla, place over a slow fire, keep stirring till it thickens; when cold, fill the tartlets, and bake nicely in a moderate oven; when cold, add a little jam, have ready a meringue of four eggs (see no. ), lay a teaspoonful of each upon them, spreading it quite flat with a knife, ornament the top with some of the mixture, put into a paper cornet, sift sugar over, place in a slow oven till a light brown color, and the meringue quite crisp; if the oven is too hot, cover with a sheet of paper, dress, and serve in pyramid upon your dish. they ought to be of a light color. . _rissole fourrée._--this is made as the rissole for entrées; it is a very simple receipt, and i vary it continually without the slightest difficulty; instead of making it with orange i substitute apricot marmalade, apple, raspberry, strawberry, or greengage jam; but no jelly, as currant or apple, as it would run through the paste and look bad. to vary the appearance at table, instead of egging, dust them lightly over with some coarse powdered sifted sugar, then bake them white instead of brown; if the oven is too hot cover with a sheet of paper, put a little marmalade or jam in a ring which you have selected, and serve. by blanching and chopping a few pistachios, and mixing with the sugar, makes them look very inviting, or even chopped sweet almonds changes the flavor; they may also be filled with any preparation of cream, rice, or vermicelli, prepared as for croquets. i also change them by sautéing, as they are much quicker done, and make a very nice dish. to remove the roast of the second course, i put six at a time in the sauté-pan (see page ), which must be hot, and sauté a few minutes until a nice pale yellow color, serve with sifted sugar over, or egg and bread-crumb; serve very hot; if any left cold, warm in the oven. . _flanc meringue of apple._--sometimes i make a meringue of three eggs, as no. ; when it is hard i cover the apples with it half an inch thick, keeping the pyramid; then i put the remainder in a paper cornet; cut the point so that by pressing it the mixture may go out by degrees, with which i make various designs, according to fancy, sugar over, and put for half an hour to bake in a very slow oven; the color ought to be pale yellow; they are equally good hot or cold. if you would keep it quite white, bake it in a still slower oven, and give it a quarter of an hour longer. when i do it so, i merely make dots all over, about a quarter of an inch distant from each other, of the size of small nuts, sugar over, and put a corinth raisin in each knob, which gives it a good appearance, and bake as directed; when the eggs are just set, you may cover it with a sheet of paper, to prevent it taking too much color. . _meringues à la cuillerée._--pound and sift one pound of lump sugar, whisk the whites of twelve eggs very stiff, throw the sugar lightly over, and with a wooden spoon stir gently, perfectly mixing the sugar, then with a table or dessert-spoon lay them out upon white paper in the shape of eggs, sift powdered sugar thickly over, let them remain ten minutes, then shake off the superfluous sugar, place upon boards which you have wetted, and put them in a slow oven, just hot enough to cause them to be light and slightly tinged; when the outside becomes quite crisp, take off the papers, by turning them topsy-turvy and lifting the papers from them, dip your spoon into hot water, and with it clear out the best part of the interior, dust them with powdered sugar, lay them upon a baking-sheet, and put into the screen to dry; they may be made a day or two before they are required, if put away in a dry place; to serve, fill them with whipped cream flavored either with vanilla or orange-flower (but do not make it too sweet), stick two together, dress in pyramid upon a napkin, and serve. should they happen to stick to the papers, moisten the papers with a paste-brush and water underneath. . _gáteau fourré._--this style of cake is exceedingly simple, and admits of great variation. you must make a half pound of puff paste (no. ), take one third of it and roll it out several times so as to deaden it, then mould it round with your hands to the shape of a ball, then roll it out flat to the thickness of half a crown, lay it on a baking-sheet, put on it marmalade a quarter of an inch thick, reserving about one inch all round of paste to fix the cover on, then roll out the remainder of the paste to the same shape, it will of course be thicker, wet the edges of the bottom and lay the cover on it, press it so that it sticks, cut neatly round the edges, and make a mark with the back of a knife about a quarter of an inch deep and half an inch apart all round, egg over, and lightly mark any fanciful design with the point of a knife on the cover, bake in a very hot oven for twenty minutes; when nearly done sprinkle some sugar over and salamander, and serve cold. it may be made with frangipane and cream and apple marmalade, and then can be served hot. . _dartoise fourrée._--the former one must be made in proportion to the dish you intend to serve on, but the following is simple, and looks as well: prepare the paste as before, but roll the bottom piece square, put it on a baking-sheet, cover with jam, marmalade or frangipane, leaving one inch at the edge, roll the cover the same size, wet the edges, place it over, trim the edges, mark it down every three inches, and then crosswise every inch; bake in hot oven, sugar over, and salamander. when nearly cold, cut it where you have marked it; thus, a piece twelve inches square will give you forty-eight pieces; dish as a crown or pyramid, twelve pieces make a nice dish for a party. they may be made of any puff paste which is left, but will not be so light as if made on purpose; can be cut to any fanciful shape you please. . _nougat of apricot._--proceed as above, but lay apricot marmalade all over a quarter of an inch thick, blanched almonds, cut into fillets, mixed with two ounces of sugar, and the white of an egg added to it, bake in a moderate oven, and cut in true lozenge shapes (i do not mean those things called lozenges, but a diamond shape), dish up on a napkin in crown or pyramid; they ought to be of a nice transparent color. orange, apple, or quince marmalade may be used instead of apricot. red fruit preserve does not cook well. . _crusts of fruit._--put a quarter of a pound of butter in a sauté- or frying-pan, sprinkle a little sugar over, cut four or five slices of bread a quarter of an inch thick, three inches long, and one and a half wide, lay in your pan; take one dozen of greengages, open them in two, they must not be too ripe, lay the skin part on your bread, put a pinch of sugar in each, put it in a hot oven for twenty minutes; have ready a salamander or a hot shovel, and hold it over it for a few minutes, dish and serve hot or cold; the oven ought to be hot enough to give a nice yellow color to the bottom, which will eat crisp. . _crusts with madeira._--cut a french penny roll lengthwise in four or five slices, put the yolks of two eggs, with four spoonfuls of milk, mix it in a plate, dip quickly each piece in it, and sauté in a quarter of a pound of butter which you have previously melted in a pan, leave them on the fire until they have obtained a nice gold color on both sides, put a spoonful of apricot marmalade in a stewpan, with two glasses of madeira, and place on the fire; when on the point of boiling, pour over the bread, which you have previously put in a plate, and serve very hot. any preserve may be used, also any white wine; and should you have no french rolls, any fancy roll will do, or stale brioche (no. ) is excellent for them. . _cheesecakes._--under this head, in english cookery books, are a variety of receipts, but in fact, there is only one; the others may all be denominated tartlets of one kind or the other, and require but little skill on the part of the cook to vary in an innumerable number of ways. the following is the plan in use in the farm-houses in the midland counties; some which i have received from stilton, and also from tuxford, in nottinghamshire, are excellent. take four quarts of milk and turn it with some fresh rennet; when dry, crumble it and sift it through a coarse sieve into a bowl, beat it well up with a quarter of a pound of butter until it is quite smooth (it may require a little more butter, depending on the quality of the milk); mix in another bowl the yolks of four eggs and a quarter of a pound of very fine sifted biscuit powder, the rind of four lemons, the juice of two, a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar (some add a little grated nutmeg or cinnamon), beat these all well up together until forming a stiff cream, then put it by degrees into the bowl with curd, and mix them well together; line some tartlet-pans, previously buttered, with some paste (no. ), and place some of the above mixture in, and bake quick. in some places milk is used instead of eggs. should you not have rennet, procure some good milk, and turn it with the juice of a lemon or a teaspoonful of soda or culinary alkali to a quart of milk: drain the curd, and proceed as before. . _richmond maids of honor._--these delicious little cakes, which every inhabitant of london who pays a visit to the most picturesque part of its environs knows so well, derive their name from a period when cookery was not thought to be a degrading occupation for those honored with that title. it is stated that they originated with the maids of honor of queen elizabeth, who had a palace at richmond. i have a little work now before me, called 'the queen's delight,' in which are several receipts invented by the wives of the first nobles of the land, which i think is an excellent example for those housewives who honor this book by their perusal, to imitate. they are made as follows: sift half a pound of dry curd, mix it well with six ounces of good butter, break the yolks of four eggs into another basin, and a glass of brandy; add to it six ounces of powdered lump sugar, and beat well together one very flowery baked potato, cold, one ounce of sweet almonds, one ounce of bitter ditto pounded, the grated rind of three lemons, the juice of one, and half a nutmeg grated, mix these well together and add to the curds and butter; stir well up, and proceed as before, filling the tartlet pans. . _lemon cheesecakes._--take two large lemons, and rub the rind with one pound of loaf sugar, so that all the yellow part is removed; place the sugar in a basin, squeeze the juice of the lemons over, then add the yolks of six eggs, and beat it all well up, and put it by in a jar for use. it will keep for years. any flavor, such as vanilla or cinnamon, may be added, if liked, when required for use. having made the paste and lined the tins, mix one tablespoonful of the mixture with a teacupful of good milk, and place a little in each tartlet. . _sweet omelettes._--break six eggs in a basin, into which put a teaspoonful of sugar, three of cream, or a few small pieces of butter; put two ounces of butter in an omelette pan; when quite hot, pour in the eggs and proceed as for omelettes of herbs, turn over on your dish, sift some powdered sugar over, salamander, and serve. . _omelettes of preserved fruits_, viz. currant jelly, raspberry and strawberry jam, apricots, peaches, cherries, &c., are made the same as the last, but, just before turning on your dish, put two spoonfuls of preserves in the centre, sugar over, salamander, and serve. . _macedoine of omelettes._--instead of making one with eight eggs, make four, with two eggs each, of different kinds of preserves; serve on the same dish, sugar over, &c., as before. . _omelette with rum._--the same as sweet omelette, but, the moment of going to table, pour two glasses of rum round, and set it on the fire. . _beignet soufflé._--put in a stewpan a pint of milk or water, a teaspoonful of sugar, two ounces of butter, a few drops of essence of vanilla, or any flavor you please; give it a boil, throw in some flour, keep stirring all the time until it becomes quite thick and no longer tastes of the flour and detaches itself from the pan. it will take about half an hour, as the better it is done the lighter it is; withdraw it from the fire, stir in six eggs, one at a time, sift about two ounces of sugar, until the paste is of the stiffness of puff paste; have ready a pan of hot fat, into which you drop by a spoon small pieces of paste, it will increase their size; and when a nice color, take them out, drain, and dish on a napkin, with sifted sugar over. . _apple fritters._--mix one pound of flour with half a pint of milk or water, then half a pound of butter melted in a stewpan, mix well together with a wooden spoon very smooth, thin it a little with table-beer or water, whisk the whites of three eggs very stiff, stir in gently; have six apples, peeled, cut in slices about a quarter of an inch thick, the cores taken out with a cutter, dip each piece in the batter, and fry in hot lard about six minutes; to fry well, the fat should not be too hot at first, but get hotter as it proceeds; they should be crisp, and of a nice golden color; serve on a napkin, and sift sugar over. . _ditto, peaches._--skim and cut in halves six ripe but fine peaches, take out the stones, have a batter prepared as the last, dip them in, fry, and serve the same. . _ditto, apricots._--cut in halves, and proceed as above, and sugar over until quite brown. . _ditto, oranges._--peel four oranges, divide them in quarters by the thin skin, without cutting the flesh, and proceed as before. any other fruit may be done in the same way, and can, if required, be soaked in wine or brandy previously, but they do not fry so well. . _pancake with marmalade._--put a quarter of a pound of sifted flour into a basin, with four eggs, mix them together very smoothly, then add half a pint of milk or cream, and a little grated nutmeg, put a piece of butter in your pan (it requires but a very little), and when quite hot put in two tablespoonfuls of the mixture, let spread all over the pan, place it upon the fire, and when colored upon one side turn it over, then turn it upon your cloth; proceed thus till they are all done, then spread apricot or other marmalade all over, and roll them up neatly, lay them upon a baking-sheet, sift sugar over, glaze nicely with the salamander, and serve upon a napkin; the above may be served without the marmalade, being then the common pancake. . _apple charlotte with butter._--for the few following receipts, the russet apple is the one i should recommend, it being the most suitable, not being so watery, or falling in purée, but in case they cannot be obtained, other sorts may be used, which will require to be more reduced in stewing. well butter the interior of a plain round mould, then cut twelve pieces of bread the size and thickness of a shilling, dip them in clarified butter, and lay them in a circle round the bottom of your mould; cut also eight small pieces in the shape of diamonds, dip them in butter, and with them form a star in the centre of the circle, cover the whole with a round piece of bread the size of the bottom of the mould, and the thickness of a penny-piece, cut about thirty other pieces an inch wide and four inches in length, dip one after the other in clarified butter, which stand upright, one half-way over the other, all round the interior of the mould; then have ready prepared two dozen or more russet apples, which peel and cut in slices, put them into a round stew or preserving-pan, with three ounces of butter and half a pound of broken lump sugar, with a little lemon-peel cut in strips, and a glass of sherry, place them over a sharp fire, tossing over occasionally, but keeping them together in a cake; when quite tender fill your mould (having previously well egged and bread-crumbed the interior), place another round piece of bread (also egged and bread-crumbed) over the apples, and stand the mould in a hot oven until the bread becomes well browned, take out and turn it over upon your dish, have a few spoonfuls of red currant jelly in a stewpan, with a glass of sherry, melt it over the fire, and when quite hot pour round the charlotte; sugar and salamander the top if not quite crisp, and serve. you may also, for a change, introduce a little sweetmeat of any kind in the middle of your charlotte, and use plain pieces of bread a quarter of an inch thick, instead of so many pieces for the sides. . _apples with rice._--peel and quarter twelve good-sized apples, put them into a preserving-pan, with three quarters of a pound of sugar, the thin rind of a lemon in strips, the juice of another, and a wineglassful of water, pass them over a sharp fire, and when tender lay them upon the back of a hair sieve to drain, then put six ounces of rice into a stewpan, with a quart of milk, place it upon the fire, stir until boiling, then place it upon a very slow fire to simmer very gently until quite tender, placing a little fire upon the lid, if it becomes dry before it is tender add a little more milk; then add a quarter of a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, and four eggs, stir them well in, stir over the fire until becoming again thick; when put it upon a dish to get cold, then form a stand with it upon your dish eight inches in diameter and three in height, but hollow in the centre, where dress some of the apples, more rice over, then more apples, forming a pyramid; you have previously reduced the syrup drained from the apples, which pour over the whole, and garnish with some very green angelica, forming any design your fancy may dictate. apples with rice may be served hot as well as cold. . _pears with rice._--peel and cut in halves eighteen small ripe pears, which put in a small preserving-pan, with three quarters of a pound of sugar, a little water, and the juice of two lemons, stew them till tender, then lay them upon a dish to cool, and mix three tablespoonfuls of apricot marmalade with the syrup, have some rice prepared as in the last, with which make a stand, but not quite so high, dress the pears in a border in the interior, and again in the centre dress the remainder of the rice in pyramid; when ready to serve pour the syrup over, and garnish tastefully with angelica round. . _apples with butter._--peel eighteen russet apples, which cut in quarters, and trim of a nice shape, put them into a small preserving-pan, with two ounces of butter and three quarters of a pound of sugar, having previously rubbed the rind of an orange upon it and pounded it, pass them over a sharp fire, moving occasionally until quite tender, have ready buttered a plain dome mould, put the apples into it, pressing them down a little close; when half cold turn it out of the mould upon a dish, and cover all over with apricot marmalade; when cold it is ready to serve. . _apple bread, russian fashion._--put one pound and a half of lump sugar and a pint and a half of water into a round-bottomed copper preserving-pan, place it over a sharp fire and reduce it to a crack, have ready twenty-four good brown pippin apples peeled and cut into slices, which put into the sugar, keeping stirred until it becomes quite a thick marmalade, take off the fire and put it into a cylinder mould, previously slightly oiled, shake it well down, and let it remain until quite cold; then turn it out of the mould upon your dish; have a few spoonfuls of currant jelly in a stewpan, which melt over the fire, add two glasses of good old rum, and when partly cold, pour over and serve with whipped cream in the centre, in which you have introduced a quarter of an ounce of candied orange-flowers; if any remain, it will be excellent to make croquettes. . _apples sauté in butter._--procure a dozen russet apples, which cut into slices a quarter of an inch in thickness, peel and take out the cores with a round cutter, then put two ounces of butter in a sauté-pan, spread it over the bottom and lay in your apples, with half a pound of powdered sugar and the juice of two lemons, stew gently over a moderate fire; when done, dress them rather high in crown upon your dish, melt three spoonfuls of red currant jelly in a stewpan, with which mix a glass of madeira wine, which pour over when ready to serve. . _croquettes of rice._--well wash half a pound of the best carolina rice, which put into a stewpan, with a pint and a half of milk, and a quarter of a pound of butter, place it upon the fire, stir until boiling, then place it upon a slow fire, cover the stewpan, and let simmer very slowly until quite tender; rub the rind of a lemon upon a lump of sugar, weighing a quarter of a pound, pound it in a mortar quite fine, add it to the rice, with the yolks of five eggs (mix well), stir them a few minutes longer over the fire until the eggs thicken, but do not let it boil, lay out upon a dish, when cold form it into a number of small balls, or pears, or into long square pieces, according to fancy; have three or four eggs in a basin well whisked, dip each piece in singly, and then into a dish of bread-crumbs, smooth them gently with a knife, dip them again into the eggs and bread-crumbs, put them into a wire basket, which put in a stewpan of very hot lard, fry a nice light yellow color, drain on a cloth, dress them pyramidically upon a napkin, and serve with powdered sugar sifted over them. . _croquettes of macaroni._--blanch six ounces of macaroni in two quarts of water until tender, then strain and put it in a basin of cold water; when cold cut it into pieces half an inch in length, and put it into a stewpan containing a pint and a half of boiling milk, in which you have infused a stick of vanilla, boil until it becomes thickish, add a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, two ounces of butter, and the yolks of eight eggs, stir them well in over the fire until the eggs thicken, then pour out upon a dish, and proceed precisely as for the croquettes of rice. . _pastry cream sautéd._--put the yolks of six eggs in a stewpan, with two good tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, mix quite smooth with a wooden spoon; then add a pint of boiling milk or cream, stir in by degrees, and place it over the fire, keeping stirred until it thickens, add an ounce of butter, six ounces of sugar, two ounces of crushed ratafias, a little orange-flower water, and three whole eggs, mix the whole well together, and stir it a few minutes longer over the fire until the eggs set; then pour it out upon a sauté-pan, previously oiled, and when quite cold cut it into pieces one inch wide and two and a half long, dip them in eggs and bread-crumbs twice over, the same as for croquettes, sauté them in the same manner, dress upon a napkin as high as you can, with sifted sugar over, they may be flavored also with vanilla or lemon. they may be varied in shape according to fancy. jellies. nothing, i am confident, will give you more pleasure than trying the receipts which i am now about giving you; they are for jellies, that is, those made from gelatinous substances of animal production. they are the most wholesome productions of cookery, and are slightly nourishing and fortifying without being exciting. you will find the receipts as simple as possible; and you will perceive that, when you have made the foundation stock to perfection, they may be varied in twenty or more different ways, by changing the flavor, fruits, or colors. . _jelly stock_, made from calf's feet, requires to be made the day previous to being used. take two calf's feet, cut them up, and boil in three quarts of water; as soon as it boils remove it to the corner of the fire, and simmer for five hours, keeping it skimmed, pass through a hair sieve into a basin, and let it remain until quite hard, then remove the oil and fat, and wipe the top dry. place in a stewpan one gill of water, one of sherry, half a pound of lump sugar, the juice of four lemons, the rinds of two, and the whites and shells of five eggs, whisk until the sugar is melted, then add the jelly, place it on the fire, and whisk until boiling, pass it through a jelly-bag, pouring that back again which comes through first until quite clear; it is then ready for use, by putting it in moulds or glasses. . _gelatine and isinglass jelly_ is made as above, using one ounce and a half of either, and boil in one quart of water, reduce to half; if not required very clear, as for lemon jelly, it need not be run through a bag, but merely through a fine sieve. . _hartshorn jelly._--use half a pound of hartshorn shavings, boil in three quarts of water, and reduce to one; proceed as before. also arney's jelly powder can be used instead of any of the above, by dissolving in boiling water. . _gold or silver jelly_, or both mixed, is made with eau de vie de dantzic, mixing the gold or silver leaves with a little jelly, ornamenting the bottom of the mould with it, which place in ice till set, fill with very clear calf's foot jelly. it can also be made by cutting up a quarter of a sheet of gold leaf in a glass of pale brandy, and use as the former. . _maresquino jelly_ is made by mixing six liqueur-glasses of maresquino with a quart of clarified calf's foot jelly; peaches or other fruits cut in quarters may be added. . _rum-punch, curaçoa, noyeau_, are made with the same quantity, and as the former. . _french jellies_ may be made with all kinds of fresh fruits, filling the mould by degrees, the jelly first, let it set, then the fruit, and so on till full, the mould being buried in ice; when ready to serve dip in hot water, mix it well, and turn out carefully on your dish. in the winter, preserved fruits in syrup may be used, decorating the mould with them, pouring in a little jelly at a time until it is cold, and fill up by degrees; proceed as above. . _orange jelly._--procure five oranges and one lemon, take the rind off two of the oranges, and half of the lemon, and remove the pith, put them into a basin, and squeeze the juice of the fruit into it; then put a quarter of a pound of sugar into a stewpan, with half a pint of water, and set it to boil until it becomes a thick syrup, when take it off, and add the juice and rind of the fruits, cover the stewpan, and place it again on the fire; as soon as boiling commences skim well, and add one glass of water by degrees, which will assist its clarification, let it boil another minute, when add half an ounce of good isinglass, dissolved as directed (no. ), pass it through a jelly-bag, add a few drops of prepared cochineal to give an orange tint, and then fill a mould and place it on ice; turn out as before. . _lemon jelly_ is made the same way, only using six lemons and the rind of one; serve quite white, and add a gill of bucellas, or any very pale wine. calf's foot stock, reduced and clarified, may be used instead of the isinglass. . _whipped jellies_ are made from any of the above by placing some warm jelly in a large bowl or basin on ice, and when nearly cold whisking it; pour quickly in a mould set on ice and salt, where let remain till ready for serving; dip it in lukewarm water, strike gently, taking it in the right hand, place the left on it, turn it over, if it shakes in the mould, let it gradually slip off your hand on the dish, and remove the mould. all jellies are removed the same way. . _bohemian jelly creams_ may be made of any flavor as jellies, and either ripe fruit or with marmalade or jam, to which add the juice of two lemons, a pint of water, in which one ounce and a half of isinglass has been dissolved, or a pint of reduced clarified calf's foot jelly, stir together in a bowl placed on ice; when nearly cold, stir quickly in three parts of a pint of whipped cream, fill the mould, which should be kept on ice, and turn out as before. a small bottle of crosse and blackwell's jelly may be used instead of the isinglass or jelly, by uncorking and placing the bottle in a stewpan of hot water till dissolved, or pour it in a clean stewpan, and reduce it one third. cherries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, and gooseberries must be passed through a sieve; but apricots, peaches, apples, pears, quinces, pineapples, and marmalade may be used as they are. creams may be made of any flavor, and of either ripe fruits, jams, or marmalade; they are made plain, thus: put the yolks of five eggs in a stewpan, with six ounces of sugar, beat it up with a spoon until white; in another stewpan have a pint of milk and one ounce of isinglass, boil ten minutes, stir continually to prevent burning, flavor with vanilla or anything to your taste, pour the milk on the eggs and sugar, put on the fire, stir well together, do not let it boil, pass through a tammy into a round bowl; when cold, set on ice, add two or three glasses of liqueur, keep stirring its contents, and when setting, add three parts of a pint of cream well whipped, mix well together, and pour into your mould in the ice, and keep there till required; turn out as before. . _charlotte russe._--line the inside of a plain round mould with savoy biscuits, cutting and placing them at the bottom to form a rosette, standing them upright and close together, fill with any of the above creams, omitting the fruits, place the mould in ice, let it remain till ready to serve, turn over on a dish, and remove the mould. . _strawberry charlotte._--line a plain round mould with ripe strawberries by burying the mould in ice to the rim, and dipping the strawberries in calf's foot jelly, first covering the bottom with them cut in halves, the cut side downwards, afterwards building them up the sides, the jelly (which must be cold, but not set) causing them to adhere; when finished, fill it with the cream as directed for the charlotte russe, and when ready to serve dip the mould in warm water, and turn it out upon your dish. the cream must be very nearly set when you pour it in, or it would run between the strawberries and produce a bad effect. . _chartreuse cake of variegated fruits._--line a charlotte mould very tastefully with various kinds of fruits (such as stoned cherries, strawberries, pieces of peaches, apricots, &c.) by dipping them into jelly, forming some design at the bottom of the mould, and building them in reverse rows up the sides, having the mould previously placed in ice, when well set, terminate as in the last. . _blancmange._--to one quart of milk add one ounce of isinglass, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon, a little grated nutmeg, half of the peel of a lemon, and a bay-leaf, simmer over a slow fire, stirring till the isinglass is dissolved, pass it through a napkin into a basin, and pour into a mould. this can be made any color or flavor that will not curdle the milk; the milk of bitter almonds may be added to flavor it. . _another._--put into a bowl about a pint of clear calf's-foot jelly warm, break six eggs, beat the yolks and pour them gradually into the jelly, beating all the time; put on the fire and whisk till nearly boiling, set it on ice or in cold water, keep stirring till nearly cold, and fill your mould. you may add whatever flavor you like. . _trifles_ should be made early in the day on which they are wanted; take a stale savoy cake, cut it in slices of one inch thick, and lay it on the bottom of the dish; lay on that a thin layer of any kind of marmalade, jam, or jelly, have some macaroons and ratafia cakes and lay on, and cover the whole with some sponge cakes. for a dish nine inches in diameter, mix two glasses of sherry, one of brandy, half a one of rum, and the same of noyeau, and pour over, and let it remain until it is well soaked, then pour over about one inch thick of rich custard; put a pint of cream into a bowl, with some sifted sugar, a squeeze of a lemon, and about a tablespoonful of the wine, &c., you have put on the cake, whisk it well up. i use a trifle-blower, which saves some trouble; i also use it for all whipped cream; and as the froth rises remove it with a spoon on to a clean sieve, where let it drain, then place it on the custard until it is high and handsome. i have occasionally, when being in a hurry, and having no cream by me, proceeded as above, and made the whip with the whites of eggs, and some very white peach or egg-plum marmalade together, until it makes firm froth or whip, which put on the custard; this may also be colored a nice pink. trifles are generally considered unwholesome; i think it is because they are often made too long before they are wanted, and no spirit is used in the cake, the consequence is, the cream turns sour. the remains of this make an excellent pudding. puddings in moulds. we have already, in the comforts for invalids, given several of the most simple receipts. i prefer using, in these kinds of puddings, as the principal ingredient, stale savoy cake, or sponge cakes, or ladies' fingers, and, if i cannot get them, crumbs of stale bread; they may be made in a hundred different ways, according to the fancy and taste of the cook; the mould should be buttered and papered; they may be either baked or steamed. there is hardly any of our sex, from childhood to old age, but loves this truly english mixture, which appears upon our tables in a hundred different shapes, but always under the same name; and i should not fancy my labors complete if i did not produce a new one of my own invention; i therefore beg you to accept of the dedication, as i intend to call it-- . _pudding à la eloise._--it is made as follows: take half a pound of bread-crumbs, which put in a basin, with two ounces of sago, six ounces of chopped suet, six eggs, five ounces of moist sugar, and a tablespoonful of either orange, lemon, or apricot marmalade; mix all well together, and ornament the bottom of the mould with green angelica in syrup, and smyrna raisins, and fill up with the mixture. place the mould in a stewpan containing water to half the height of the mould, and boil gently for two hours; remove it from the mould, and serve with a sauce made of a tablespoonful of either of the marmalades, or of currant or apple jelly and two glasses of sherry poured over. this, i assure you, received great praise from the little party of juveniles that i had the other day. . _pudding à la reine._--butter and paper the mould, fill up with cake or bread-crumbs, when full pour some custard in until it will hold no more; this may be flavored with any white liquor or essence you please, for instance, citron (then it is called pudding à la reine au citron), or orange; use peel thinly sliced, and so on for any flavor you may give it. . _mince-meat pudding._--butter and paper the mould, then put a layer of cake and a layer of mince-meat alternately, till full, then add the custard. . _demi-plum pudding._--prepare the mould, then add a layer of plum pudding, broken in pieces, that has been left from the previous day, alternately, till full, fill up with custard, and steam or bake for three minutes. the remains of any kind of pudding may be used thus. . _trifle pudding._--prepare the mould, and fill with the same ingredients as directed for trifle, taking care that the wine, &c., is well soaked in before adding the custard. steam or bake thirty minutes. the sides and tops of these puddings may be ornamented with cut angelica, hops, or candied orange or lemon-peel, in any fanciful design you please, and they may be served with any kind of wine sauce. . _carrot pudding._--mix in a bowl half a pound of flour, half a pound of chopped suet, three quarters of a pound of grated carrot, a quarter of a pound of raisins stoned, a quarter of a pound of currants, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, brown or sifted white; place these in a mould or dish, beat up two whole eggs, the yolks of four in a gill of milk, grate a little nutmeg in it, and add it to the former; bake or steam forty-five minutes. puddings boiled in cloths. the principal one, and the most celebrated, is the plum pudding. . _plum pudding._--pick and stone one pound of the best malaga raisins, which put in a basin, with one pound of currants (well washed, dried, and picked), a pound and a half of good beef suet (chopped, but not too fine), three quarters of a pound of white or brown sugar, two ounces of candied lemon-and orange-peel, two ounces of candied citron, six ounces of flour, and a quarter of a pound of bread-crumbs, with a little grated nutmeg; mix the whole well together, with eight whole eggs and a little milk; have ready a plain or ornamented pudding-mould, well butter the interior, pour the above mixture into it, cover a sheet of paper over, tie the mould in a cloth, put the pudding into a large stewpan containing boiling water, and let boil quite fast for four hours and a half (or it may be boiled by merely tying it in a pudding-cloth previously well floured, forming the shape by laying the cloth in a round-bottomed basin and pouring the mixture in, it will make no difference in the time required for boiling); when done, take out of the cloth, turn from the mould upon your dish, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over, and serve with the following sauce in a boat: put the yolks of three eggs in a stewpan, with a spoonful of powdered sugar, and a gill of milk; mix well together, add a little lemon-peel, and stir over the fire until becoming thickish (but do not let it boil), when add two glasses of brandy, and serve separate. the above sauce may be served, poured over the pudding, if approved of. an excellent improvement to a plum pudding is to use half a pound of beef marrow cut into small dice, omitting the same quantity of suet. . _rowley powley._--roll out about two pounds of paste (no. ), cover it with any jam or marmalade you like, roll it over and tie it loose in a cloth, well tying each end; boil one hour and serve, or cut it in slices and serve with sauce over. . _plum bolster, or spotted dick._--roll out two pounds of paste (no. ), having some smyrna raisins well washed, and place them on it here and there, roll over, tie in a cloth, and boil one hour, and serve with butter and brown sugar. . _plain bolster._--roll as above, sift some white or brown sugar over it, the addition of a little powdered cinnamon to the sugar is an improvement, roll over and proceed as before. . _apple dumplings._--peel and cut out the core with a cutter, cover it with paste (no. ), tie in a cloth, and boil according to size; these are all the better for being boiled and kept in the cloth, hung up for four or six weeks, and re-warmed. they may likewise be baked. these kind of boiled puddings, containing a large quantity of paste, should be made with flour, in which is mixed one saltspoonful of culinary alkali powder to four pounds of flour, which will cause them to be much lighter. plain baked puddings in dishes. . _marrow pudding_ may be made in various ways; it is best with half a pound of ladies' finger cakes, and a quarter of a pound of beef marrow, chopped fine, a quarter of a pound of currants well cleaned, half an ounce of candied lemon-peel, a little nutmeg, a tablespoonful of powdered sugar, a saltspoonful of salt, and half a wineglassful of wine or brandy: put these on a dish, and fill up with custard, having previously put a border of paste on the rim; about half an hour will do it. . _custard pudding._--make a border of paste on the dish, and fill up with custard, grate a little nutmeg on the top. any kind of fruit puddings with custard may be made in the same way, by placing them in the custard, and sift some finely powdered sugar over, before going to the baker's. . _fruit puddings_ are best made in a basin, the basin to be buttered and lined with the paste, and then filled with the fruit, which cover with the paste, the paste should be rolled round to the thickness of half an inch, and when the fruit is in, drawn to the centre and squeezed, and then tied up in a cloth kept on purpose, and boiled in plenty of water; when done, which will be according to the nature of the fruit you put in it, serve it either turned out of the basin or not. the cover should be of the same thickness as the sides. sugar should be added before being covered. . _apples_ should be pared, cored, and cut in quarters, and put in with some sugar, a few cloves, and a bit of lemon-peel. . _wall fruit--as peaches, nectarines, apricots, and plums_,--should he cut in half, and the kernels extracted from the stones and added, a little cream, according to the size of the pudding, in which a little grated cinnamon is added, may be put in at the same time as the fruit; use but little sugar. . _gooseberry, rhubarb, currants, red, white, and black, raspberry and cherry, blackberry, whorts, damson, and greengage_--may all be made in a similar way. . _mince meat._--procure four pounds and a half of kidney beef suet, which skin and chop very finely; have also a quarter of a pound of candied lemon and orange-peel; the same of citron, a pound and a half of lean cooked beef, and three pounds and a half of apples, the whole separately, chopped very fine, and put into a large pan with four pounds and a half of currants, well washed and picked, two ounces of mixed spice, and two pounds of sugar; mix the whole well together with the juice of eight lemons and a pint of brandy, place it in jars, and tie down until ready for use; a pound and a half of malaga raisins, well stoned and chopped, may likewise be added to the above. it is ready for use in a few days. . _mince pies._--have a piece of puff-paste, which roll out to the thickness of a penny-piece; have also a dozen tartlet-pans, which lightly butter, cut out twelve pieces with a round cutter from the paste, each the size of your tartlet-pans; lay them upon the slab, roll the trimming of the paste again to the former thickness, cut twelve other pieces, with which line the tartlet-pans; put a piece of mince-meat, made as under, in each, wet them round, place on the lids, pricking a hole with a pin in the centre, and close them well at the edges; egg over lightly, and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. . _fruit pies._--these are made in pie-dishes, the top of which is only covered with paste; the edge of the dish should be wetted, and a strip of paste, about one inch wide and a quarter of an inch thick, put on it, then fill the dish with the fruit, wet the paste on the edge, and cover with paste, mark the edge with a roller, or the back of a knife. . _apple pie._--pare, cut, and core sufficient apples to fill the dish, put a small cup in the middle or not, as you like, one clove, to every three apples, a pinch of pounded cinnamon, a small piece of chopped lemon-peel, and sugar; bake according to size. . _rhubarb and apple_, or _rhubarb and gooseberry, currant and raspberry, cherry, plum, damson, pear, quince, mulberry, whortleberry_, or _whorts and raspberry, dewberry and raspberry_, or _cranberry_, may all be made in the same way, in winter. a little whipped cream may be placed in the top, for a variety. removes--second course. . _chestnut pudding, nesselrode fashion._--blanch four dozen chestnuts in boiling water, skim and place them in the screen, when dry take them out, and when cold put them into a mortar, with one pound of sugar, and half a stick of vanilla, pound the whole well together, and sift it through a fine wire sieve, put into a stewpan, with the yolks of twelve eggs, beat them well together; in another stewpan have a quart of milk, when boiling pour it over the other ingredients, mixing well, and stir over a sharp fire until it begins to thicken and adheres to the back of the spoon, then lay a tammy upon a large dish, pour the mixture in and rub it through with two wooden spoons; when cold place it in a freezing-pot and freeze as directed (no. ); when frozen have a large high ice-mould, which closes hermetically, have also two ounces of currants and two ounces of smyrna raisins, soaked in four glasses of marasquino from the previous day, with four ounces of candied citron cut in dice, put them into the freezing-pot, with a pint of whipped cream and half the meringue preparation directed in no. ; freeze the whole well together and fill your mould, which bury in ice and salt until ready to serve, then dip it into lukewarm water, and turn it out upon your dish. . _iced cabinet pudding._--have ready prepared, and rather stale, a sponge-cake as directed (no. ), which cut into slices half an inch thick, and rather smaller than the mould you intend making the pudding in, soak them well with noyeau brandy; then lay some preserved dry cherries at the bottom of the mould, with a few whole ratafias, lay one of the slices over, then more cherries and ratafias, proceeding thus until the mould is three parts full; have ready a quart of the custard (no. ), omitting half the quantity of isinglass, pour it lukewarm into your mould, which close hermetically, and bury in ice and salt, where let it remain at least two hours; when ready to serve dip it in lukewarm water, and turn it out upon your dish; you have made about half a pint of custard, which keep upon ice, pour over the pudding when ready to serve, and sprinkle a few chopped pistachios over. . _white almond pudding ices._--blanch and skin a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, with six or eight bitter ones, when dry and cold, place them in a mortar, with three quarters of a pound of sugar, and ten or twelve leaves of candied orange-flowers, pound well, sift through a wire sieve, and place it in a stewpan, with the yolks of eight eggs, beat them well together; then in another stewpan have boiling a pint and a half of milk, which pour over the other ingredients by degrees, keeping it stirred, place it upon the fire, stirring until it thickens and adheres to the back of the spoon, rub it through a tammy, add two glasses of noyeau; when cold put into your freezing-pot to freeze, and when half frozen add a pint and a half of whipped cream, when quite frozen fill a mould, and serve as pudding nesselrode fashion. . _fruit, chartreuse of, with lemon jelly._--make a chartreuse of fruit as directed (no. ), in a round or oval mould, having a quantity of fruit left; having also about a quart of orange jelly, which place upon ice in a bowl, whisking it until on the point of setting, then place a layer of it in the chartreuse, then a layer of the fruit, the jelly, and so on until quite filled, place it upon ice, and when set and ready to serve, dip in lukewarm water, and turn it out upon your dish; serve garnished round with jelly in the skins of the oranges, cut in quarters after it has set, or leave out the garnishing. . _soufflé of orange iced._--prepare about three parts of the quantity of ice as directed in the last, to which, when half frozen, add a pint and a half of whipped orange jelly just upon the point of setting, beat the whole well together with the spatula, working it until well frozen: have a dozen and a half of oranges, peeled, quartered, and passed in sugar as directed for vol-au-vent, and place them in a basin upon ice; when ready to serve, make a border of almond paste upon your dish, in the centre of which put a little of the ice, then a layer of oranges, then the same and oranges again, proceeding thus and finishing in pyramid; garnish round with various small ripe fruits. . _punch cake soufflé._--break ten eggs, put the whites in a copper bowl, and the yolks in a basin, with four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, four of crushed ratafias, two of potato flour, a little salt, and a quarter of an ounce of candied orange-flowers, beat well together, whip the whites, which stir in lightly with the mixture; well butter and bread-crumb the interior of an oval plain mould, butter also and bread-crumb a band of paper three inches broad, which tie round at the top of the mould, pour in the mixture, and half an hour before ready to serve stand it in a moderate oven (it will take about the above time to bake), when done turn it out upon your dish; have ready a custard of three yolks of eggs, to which you have added two glasses of essence of punch, pour round the cake and serve. the above mixture may be baked in twelve small moulds and dressed in pyramid, but then they would require more sauce. soufflÉ. these dishes, being the last of the dinner, require the greatest care and taste in executing, as, by the time they come on the table, the appetites of those around it are supposed to be satisfied; the eye and the palate require to be pleased, in order to sustain the enjoyments of the table; this is a period of dinner when another of the senses may be gratified by the introduction of music (and which is continually practised on the continent), and all ought to be of a light and inviting character. formerly it was the custom never to give a dinner without a soufflé as the last dish, or professionally speaking, remove. i do not dislike them, but they require the greatest care and nicety, and are rather difficult to perform in our old-fashioned kitchens, but easy in my new stove; at any rate i must give you the receipt. . _soufflé of lemon, or any other flavor._--prepare a crust or croustade of fine paste (no. ), or water paste, by lining a raised pie-mould with it, filling with bread-crumbs, and finishing the edges as for a raised pie; bake it (of a very light brown color) about an hour in a moderate oven, when done, empty out all the bread-crumbs without taking it out of the mould, then tie a band of buttered paper (four inches wide) round the top, and put it by until wanted. put half a pound of butter in a stewpan, with which mix three quarters of a pound of flour without melting it, in another stewpan have rather more than a quart of milk, into which, when boiling, put two sticks of vanilla, place a cover upon the stewpan and let it remain until half cold, then take out the vanilla, and pour the milk upon the butter and flour, stir over a sharp fire, boiling it five minutes, then stir in quickly the yolks of ten eggs, and sweeten with half a pound of sugar; when cold, and an hour and a quarter before you are ready to serve, whip the whites of the ten eggs very stiff, stir them in with the mixture lightly, pour it into the croustade, and bake about an hour in a moderate oven; if going too fast, and liable to be done before required, open the oven door, as it ought to be served the moment it is done; when ready to serve take it from the oven, detach the band of paper, take it from the mould, dress it upon a napkin on a dish, and serve immediately. these soufflés may be baked in a silver soufflé-case, if preferred, they will take considerably less time in baking, but fall quicker after being taken from the oven; any liquor or spirits may be introduced in soufflés of this description if approved of. this is large enough for a dinner of eighteen; a quarter of that quantity will make a nice family one, baked in a plain tart-dish. . _soufflé of orange-flowers._--proceed exactly as in the last, but infusing an ounce of candied orange-flowers in the milk instead of the vanilla. . _soufflé of rice cream_ is made by using ground rice instead of the common flour, finishing the same, and using any of the flavors directed in the last three. . _soufflé of lemon._--proceed as directed for soufflé à la vanille, but infusing the rind of two lemons, free from pith, in the milk instead of the vanilla. . _omelette soufflé._--break six eggs, place the yolks in one basin and the whites in another; add to the yolks three tablespoonfuls of lump sugar, half one of fecule of potato or wheat flour, and ten drops of orange-flower water; beat well together; whip the whites, beginning rather slowly at first, increasing by degrees, until it forms a stiff froth; then add the yolks, very gently beating up the whites as you add it: have ready a silver or plated dish (for want of either, use tin), and butter it well; place the mixture on it, and put it into a hot oven; look that it rises; if so, run a knife round it; sift some sugar on it, place it in the oven again, and serve, when well raised, immediately. . _omelette soufflé sauté._--the mixture is prepared precisely as the last, but the appearance and flavor are very different, being produced by the different method of cooking them; put an ounce of butter into a very clean omelette-pan over the fire; when melted, pour in half the preparation, place it over a very brisk fire a few seconds, then twist it round in the pan, which give a jerk, tossing the omelette half-way over, stand it over the fire again, give the pan another jerk, tossing the omelette again over, and turn it out upon your dish, set it in the oven, and proceed the same with the remainder of the preparation, which when done turn over upon the other; leave it in the oven about a quarter of an hour, sprinkle sugar over, salamander and serve very quickly. the butter the soufflé is sauté in gives it a superior flavor to the last. . _cream omelette soufflé._--proceed as in the last, deducting two of the whites of eggs, and adding a gill of whipped cream, sauté and serve as before. . _soufflé biscuits._--put the yolks of five eggs in a basin, and the whites in a copper bowl, add a pound of sugar, upon which you have rubbed the rind of a lemon previous to pounding, beat it well with the yolks of the eggs, then add a gill of cream, well whipped, and five ounces of flour; stir all together lightly, whip the whites of the eggs very stiff, and stir them into the preparation; have ready ten small paper cases, fill each one three parts full, and fifteen minutes before serving place them in a moderate oven; when done shake sugar over, dress in pyramids, upon a napkin, and serve. . _soufflé, or whipped cream._--take one quart of cream, put it into a bowl, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and orange-flower powder of water, and have another bowl near you, over which you must place a sieve to receive and drain the cream, whip the cream with a whisk, or blow it up with a bellows made on purpose, and as it rises in a froth, take it off with a spoon, and place it on the sieve; continue till all is used, then put back the drainings, and continue until you have none left, then put it into your dish or in glasses, or on a trifle, and ornament with nonpareils, or with green citron peel or angelica cut very fine and tastefully. it can likewise be iced. . _coffee soufflé cream._--take about a quarter of a pound of clean raw coffee, heat it in a clean sauté-pan on the fire, so that it gets hot through, but does not burn, then put it into one quart of cream, and cover it up; let it cool as quickly as possible on ice, add five ounces of powdered sugar, and proceed as above. . _vanilla soufflé cream._--cut a pod of vanilla small, pound it with sugar, sift it through a fine sieve, and add it to your cream, or add some drops of essence of vanilla, and proceed as directed above. . _fondue of parmesan and gruyère, or any other grated cheese._--put a quarter of a pound of butter and six ounces of flour in a stewpan, mix them well together (without melting the butter) with a wooden spoon, then add rather more than a pint of boiling milk, stir over the fire, boil twenty minutes, then add the yolks of five eggs (stir in well), half a pound of grated parmesan, and a quarter of a pound of grated gruyère cheese; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter do. of pepper, and half a saltspoonful of cayenne; if too thick add two or three whole eggs to give it the consistency of a soufflé, whip the five whites of egg firm, stir them gently into the mixture, have ready a croustade prepared as for the soufflé (no. ), pour in the above mixture, and bake it in a moderate oven; it will require a little longer time than the soufflé; dish and serve the same. . _neapolitan fondue._--prepare half of the mixture as in the last, but previous to adding the whites of eggs stir in a quarter of a pound of good macaroni blanched, and cut into pieces an inch in length; add the whites, bake, and serve as before. . _fondue (simple method)._--put two ounces of gruyère and two ounces of parmesan cheese (grated) into a basin (or, if you have not got them, use english cheese), with a little salt, pepper, and cayenne, add the yolks of six eggs, with a quarter of a pound of butter melted (mix well), whip the whites of the six eggs, stir gently into the other ingredients, fill small paper cases with it, bake about a quarter of an hour in a moderate oven, dress upon a napkin, and serve very hot. . _fondue of stilton cheese._--put six ounces of butter and half a pound of flour in a stewpan, rub well together with a wooden spoon, then add a quart of warm milk, stir over the fire a quarter of an hour, then add the yolks of eight eggs, three quarters of a pound of grated parmesan, and half a pound of stilton cheese in small dice, season rather highly with pepper, salt, and cayenne, add the white of the eggs whipped very stiff, which stir in lightly; have a dozen and a half of small paper cases, fill each one three parts full, place them in a moderate oven, bake about twenty minutes; when done dress them upon a napkin on your dish, and serve very hot. . _cheese raminole._--put a gill of water in a stewpan, to which add two ounces of gruyère and the same quantity of parmesan cheese (grated), two ounces of butter, a little cayenne pepper, and salt if required, set it upon the fire, and when boiling stir in two or three spoonfuls of flour; keep stirring over the fire until the paste becomes dryish and the bottom of the stewpan quite white, then add three or four eggs by degrees, until forming a paste like no. , butter a baking-sheet well, and lay the paste out in pieces upon it with a tablespoon, making them long, and half the size of the bowl of the spoon; egg over, and lay a small piece of gruyère cheese upon each, put them into the oven about twenty minutes before they are required; bake them a little crisp, and serve very hot, dressed in pyramid upon a napkin. . _puff cheesecake._--make half a pound of paste (no. ), which roll very thin, have ready some grated parmesan and gruyère cheese mixed, throw half a handful over the paste, which fold in three, roll it out to the same thickness again, cover again with cheese, proceeding thus until you have used the whole of the cheese (half a pound), then cut them into any shapes you like with pastry cutters, set on a wet baking-sheet, egg them over, bake a nice color in a moderate oven, dress in pyramid upon a napkin on a dish, and serve very hot. . _cheese soufflé, or diablotins._--put a gill of milk in a stewpan, with two ounces of butter; when boiling, stir in two spoonfuls of flour, keep stirring over the fire until the bottom of the stewpan is dry, then add four eggs by degrees, half a pound of gruyère, and half a pound of grated parmesan cheese; mix well in, season with pepper, salt, and cayenne rather highly, mould the paste into little balls with the forefinger against the side of the stewpan containing it, drop them into hot lard; fry of a nice light brown, dress in pyramid upon a napkin, and serve very hot; a quarter of that quantity may of course be made. . _turban of almond cake iced._--this is a very good and useful second course remove. make half a pound of puff paste, give it nine rolls, rolling it the last time to the thickness of a penny-piece, have ready blanched and chopped half a pound of sweet almonds, which put in a basin with half a pound of powdered sugar and the whites of two eggs, or a little more if required; spread it over the paste the thickness of a shilling, and with a knife cut the paste into pieces two inches and a half in length and nearly one in breadth, place them upon a baking-sheet, and bake nicely a very light brown color, in a moderate oven, dress them on a stiff border of any kind of stiff jam or marmalade, so as to form a large crown according to the size you require it; then fill the interior with vanilla cream, or any other, iced, but not too hard, and bring it up to a point; the cake may be cut in any shape you fancy, but never make them too large. . _turban of pastry._--observe that any kind of pastry fourrée, as no. , or meringue, no. , will, if dished as above, with iced cream, make a very nice remove. . _custard for puddings._--take one pint of milk, to which add the yolks of two eggs, and beat up, add a quarter of a pound of sugar, half a saltspoonful of powdered cinnamon and nutmeg, and a bay-leaf. for mould puddings, the mould should be filled first with the bread, &c., and the custard added; should it be wanted alone in glasses, it must then be put into a saucepan on the fire until it nearly boils, keep stirring it well during the time. . _batter for fritters._--take half a pound of flour, one ounce of butter, which melt, the whites of three eggs well beaten, half a glass of beer, and enough water to make a thick batter. dessert. letter no. xvi ma chere eloise,--remembering your admiration of the small dessert i put on the table at my last birth-day party, you will, i am confident, feel interested in the description of desserts in general, and i will give you a few more hints and receipts, which will tend both to economize as well as gratify the palate and sight; and very different in style from some of our visitors, who, though they spend their money freely enough when they give their christmas party, but still keep up the old style of covering their table with dry sweet stuff, and, in the way of fruits, display oranges in their original golden skin, ribston pippins in their mournful ones, american apples with their vermilion cheeks, large winter pears in their substantial state, the whole ornamented and crowned with laurel, no doubt to signify their immortality, being present upon almost every table from year to year, especially the unsociable pear, which no teeth can ever injure, but, on the contrary, it may injure the teeth. a very comical friend assured us, as a fact, that he had met one of the before-mentioned pears in three different parties in less than a week, having, for curiosity's sake, engraved his initial with a penknife upon one he was served with at the first party. "and, talk about pine-apples," said he, "many times i have had the pleasure of meeting with the same, and even as much as twice in less than twelve hours, quite in a different direction, that is, on a dinner-table in the west-end about eight in the evening, and, at midnight, on the supper-table of a civic ball; at dinner being perched on an elevated stand in the centre of a large wide table, so much out of reach that it would almost require a small ladder to get at it; and i must say that every guest present paid due respect to his high position, and never made an assault, or even an attempt to disturb, much less to uncrown his fruity majesty, though, now and then, one of the fair guests, as a compliment, would remark to the amphitrion, that she never saw in her life a finer pine-apple. 'very fine, very fine indeed, madam! will you allow me to offer you part of an orange?' 'not any more, i thank you, sir,' being the reply." on the supper table this aristocratic and inaccessible pine still holds its kingly rank, and is still proudly perched on the top of a sideboard, surrounded by portugal or rhenish grapes, and to prevent its dethronement by removing the grapes the intelligent waiter has carefully tied it to the ornament that supports it. our friend, who is a literary gentleman, has promised to write a small brochure, to be called the 'memoirs of a pineapple in london,' which i am confident, will not fail of being very interesting, having had the advantage of mixing in so many different societies. i know, dearest, what will be your feeling after the perusal of the above, that i have given vent to a little scandal; but it is the truth, and of almost daily occurrence, so that there is no mystery about it. i do not mean that it is very general, but is certainly often practised; for my part, you know my style: i never attempt to astonish my guests with extensive wonders of nature and art in any shape of eatable, but simply follow the middle prices, by which i always can procure the best quality of article in comestibles; and nothing pleases me more when i give a party than that every dish on the table should be partaken of, and still more so when entirely eaten. i do not approve of meanness; though a great economist, i abhor it as much as i do extravagance; and we never, i assure you, give a single party without being perfectly satisfied that it does not interfere with our daily comforts, that is, as regards financial matters. for dessert in summer i confine it entirely to fresh fruit, compotes, ices, and a few almond cakes, and savoy biscuits. fruits, preserves, oranges, compotes, and biscuits in winter. the list of names i here inclose to you consists of moderately priced articles, and will enable you to make a good appearance for your dessert, and at a trifling expense. the first thing i wish you to be initiated in is, what is called in france "compote," which may be made almost from any kind of fruits, especially apples, pears, apricots, plums, greengages, peaches, cherries, gooseberry, oranges, &c. it was on my second visit to havre that i took lessons in confectionery; i paid as much as ten shillings per lesson to m. bombe glacé, that being the "nom de guerre" of the first confectioner there; but you know, dearest, how quick i am learning, especially anything in the way of cookery. i really must say i do love cooking, so you may fancy that the clever artist, monsieur le confiseur, had not very many of our demi-souvereign, as he called them, from us; my mr. b. thought at the time that it was quite ridiculous and extravagant to pay so much for a trifle like that; but let me tell you, dear, he had not then tasted them; but now all the wall-and tree-fruits from our garden, if i were to follow entirely his taste, would be converted into compote, he being so remarkably fond of it. compote. procure a very clean tin stewpan or a small sugar-pan; it being more preferable for boiling sugar, why i cannot tell, never having asked the reason, being so anxious to know other things which i thought more serviceable. since i have tried it in a common stewpan, it has answered very well; and knowing by experience that your culinary laboratory is still in its innocent infancy, you might be prevented from making an immediate experiment by waiting till you could get one; you may use that three-pint size stewpan for it, which i lent you for a pattern about three weeks ago, and after which i shall feel extremely gratified by its reappearance on my kitchen shelf at no. , being out of the middle row of them, because every time i enter my kitchen it puts me in mind of a very pretty woman minus one of her front teeth. excuse me if i claim it of you, but i want to teach you punctuality as well as economy. . _winter pears._--to put an end to its long and hard existence, i would cut it into six or eight pieces lengthwise, peel and cut out the cores, giving them a nice shape; then put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar, a gill of port wine, the thin rind of a lemon, a little cinnamon, and half a pint of water; let them simmer gently about an hour or until tender; when done, put them into a basin, reduce the syrup until thickish if required, and pour over; when cold they are ready to serve. a little prepared cochineal mixed with the syrup very much improves their appearance. a dish composed half of these and half of the white has a very pretty appearance. by placing a layer of marmalade among them, at the bottom of the dish, you may dish them in crown, or any shape you like. . _compote of peaches._--put half a pound of lump sugar (broken into small pieces) into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pint of water, which set upon the fire to boil until forming a thickish syrup; you have previously cut four ripe peaches in halves, lay them carefully in the boiling syrup to simmer a couple of minutes, then carefully remove them with a colander-spoon on to a hair-sieve to drain, when remove the skins, and dress the peaches neatly upon your dessert-dish; reduce the syrup until of a good consistency, and when cold pour it over, and they are ready to serve. . _compote of apples._--procure six nice ripe apples, but not too large, which peel, cut in halves, and cut out the cores, rub each piece over with a little lemon, and put them into boiling syrup made as last directed, but with the juice of a lemon, and the rind cut into small fillets added; let the apple stew until tender, but not broken, when drain them upon a sieve, reduce the syrup; and when both are cold, dress the apple neatly upon your dish, and pour the syrup over. a little green angelique, cut in various shapes, will make a pretty ornament on any white compote. . _compote of small apples, served whole._--select nine small golden pippins, each as nearly as possible of an equal size, and with a long round vegetable cutter, of the size of a sixpenny piece, cut out the cores, then peel them very thin and smooth, rub their surface with lemon juice, and throw them into a basin of spring water; have ready boiling half a pint of syrup, made as before directed, to which add the rind of a lemon (cut into thin strips), and the juice, lay in the apples, which let simmer very gently until quite tender, when drain them upon a hair-sieve, and reduce the syrup until thickish; when quite cold, dress the apples upon your dish, five at the bottom, three upon them, and one upon the top; when ready to serve, pour the syrup over. . _compote of green apricots._--have a pottle of green apricots, from which pick off all the stalks, and throw them into a stewpan containing a quart of boiling water, and let them boil very fast for ten minutes, and drain them upon a sieve: have ready half a pint of syrup made as before directed, in which boil them until tender, but not to break, and thicken the syrup, pour the whole into a basin until quite cold; should the syrup then be too thin, strain it off into the stewpan to reduce to a proper consistency, pouring it again over the apricots when quite cold. dish tastefully. . _compote of greengages._--procure twelve greengages, not quite ripe, each of which cut into halves; have ready boiling half a pint of syrup, as before directed, into which put half the fruit, let it simmer a couple of minutes, then remove them with a colander-spoon, draining them upon a sieve; then put in the remainder, with which proceed in the same manner; remove the skins, put the fruit into a basin, reduce the syrup until thickish, and when cold, pour it over the fruit, which is then ready to serve. any description of plums may be dressed in precisely the same method. . _compote of apricots._--procure six very fine ripe apricots, which divide into halves; have ready half a pint of boiling syrup reduced quite thick, in which let them simmer about a minute, when pour the whole into a basin until cold; should the fruit not be quite ripe, they would require longer time to simmer. i frequently break the stones and blanch the kernels to add to the compote; they are a great improvement, also, to cherries and plums. . _compote of cherries._--take a pound of fine cherries, not too ripe, and cut away half the stalks with a pair of scissors; have half a pint of syrup, which boil until very thick, when add half of the cherries, and boil them two or three minutes, take them out with a colander-spoon, drain them upon a sieve, and proceed the same with the remaining half; reduce the syrup until very thick, dress the cherries pyramidically upon your dish, stalks uppermost, and when the syrup is cold, pour it over, and serve. . _compote of oranges._--make a pint of syrup as before; have six fine oranges, which skin carefully, scraping off as much of the pith as possible; divide each orange into eight entire pieces, without breaking the delicate skin with which they are divided; when the syrup is very thick, put in the pieces of oranges, which simmer gently for five minutes, when take them out with a colander-spoon, and drain them upon a sieve; reduce the syrup very quickly until thickish, and when cold, pour it over the oranges, which will be then ready to serve. half the rind of the oranges, free from pith, cut into small fillets, are a great improvement boiled in the syrup. . _compote of french plums._--put half a pound of french plums into a stewpan, with a gill of water, the same of wine, the rind of half a lemon cut thin, two cloves, and a good spoonful of sugar, let them simmer about twenty minutes, and when cold take out the lemon and cloves, and they are ready to serve. compotes of fruit simplified. as i usually make them when alone, or, if not, for a very ceremonious dinner-party. the whole of the following must be done over a very slow fire. . _pears._--cut six ripe middling-sized pears in halves, peel neatly, cut out the cores, and put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, the juice of a lemon, the thin rind cut into strips, and a very little drop of water, set them upon the fire, stewing them until tender; they will form their own syrup; put them in a basin until cold, when they are ready to serve. . _pippins._--peel and cut four apples into quarters, take out the cores, and stew them as directed for pears, but using the rind of an orange instead of the rind of a lemon. . _oranges._--prepare four oranges as directed (no. ), which put into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and the juice of another orange; set them upon the fire, and when the syrup becomes sufficiently thick to adhere to the pieces of orange, they are done; when cold, dress them in a circle upon your dish, with strips of angelica between each. . _apricots._--cut eight unripe apricots into quarters, which put into a stewpan, with four ounces of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and a drop of sherry, set them upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally, until the apricots are tender, but not broken; a very few minutes would be sufficient to stew them, and when cold, they are ready to serve. for peaches, proceed exactly the same; but if too ripe, they must be done as directed for compote of peaches. . _greengages and other plums._--put twelve into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of sugar, the juice of a lemon and a little drop of water, set them over the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally until the fruit is tender, but not mashed; when cold, dress them in pyramid, and pour the syrup over. . _cherries._--cut the stalks of a pound of cherries rather short, and put the fruit into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of sugar and the juice of a lemon; place them over the fire (occasionally shaking the pan round), letting them simmer about two minutes, when take them out with a colander-spoon, and put them into a basin until cold, reduce the syrup, to which add sufficient isinglass to set it as a jelly, and pour it upon a large plate until set, when dress the cherries pyramidically, just dip the bottom of the plate containing the syrup into warm water, and turn it as a jelly over the cherries. . _green gooseberries._--put a pint of green gooseberries into a stewpan with two ounces of sugar and a little sherry, place them over a sharp fire, as the quicker they cook the better color they will keep; when tender but not broken, pour them into a basin, and when cold they are ready to serve. . _red rhubarb._--the small forced rhubarb (mitchell's royal albert) is by far the best. cut about half a pound of it into pieces half an inch in length, which put into a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar and a wineglassful of water; set it over a sharp fire, occasionally shaking the stewpan round, and when quite tender pour it into a basin until cold; when it is ready to serve, should the syrup be too thin, add sufficient isinglass to set it, and when cold dress it pyramidically upon your dish. . _currants and raspberries._--pick the stalks from a pint of currants, which put into a stewpan with half a pint of raspberries and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar; set them upon the fire, shaking the stewpan round occasionally until boiling, when pour them into a basin to cool. should the syrup be too thin, which would be the case if the fruit is too ripe, drain the fruit from it, reduce it by boiling, and when cold, pour it again over the fruit, which will then be ready to serve. . _royal iceing for cakes._--have ready a pound of the best white sugar, which pound well and sift through a silk sieve, put it into a basin with the whites of three eggs, beat well together with a wooden spoon, adding the juice of half a lemon, keep beating well until it becomes very light and hangs in flakes from the spoon (if it should be rather too stiff in mixing, add a little more white of egg, if, on the contrary, too soft, a little more sugar), it is then ready for use where required. . _chocolate iceing for cakes_ is made similar to the last, but when finished have ready a piece of the common chocolate, which melt in a stewpan over the fire, keeping it stirred; when quite melted stir some of it in with the iceing until you have obtained the color required, moistening the iceing with a little more white of egg, and use where directed. . _sugar in grains_ is made by pounding a quantity of sugar in a mortar, and sifting off all the fine through a hair-sieve, then again what remains in the sieve put into a rather coarse wire sieve, and that which passes through is what is meant by the above term. . _how to give color to sugar._--prepare about half a pound of the sugar as in the last, which put upon a baking-sheet; have a spoonful of the essence of spinach, which stir in with the sugar until every gram is stained, then put them in a warmish place to dry, but not too hot: to color them red, use a little prepared cochineal or liquid carmine, instead of the spinach, and proceed exactly the same: sugar may be made of other colors by the use of indigo, rouge, saffron, &c.; but not being partial to such a variety of coloring, i have merely given the red and the green, which, with the white, i consider to be sufficient for any of the purposes for which they are used. . _sugar of vanilla._--chop a stick of well-frosted vanilla very small, and put it into a mortar, with half a pound of lump sugar, pound the whole well together in a mortar, sift through a hair sieve, and put by in a bottle or jar, corking it up tight, and using where required. . _sugar of lemon._--rub the rind of some fresh lemons upon a large piece of sugar, and as it discolors the part upon which it is rubbed scrape it off with a knife; when you have obtained a sufficient quantity, dry a little in the screen, and bottle for use where required. orange sugar may be made in the same manner, substituting very red oranges for the lemons. . _how to make clear sugar._--break three pounds of fine white sugar, the hardest and closest grained is the best, put it into a sugar-pan, with three pints of clear spring water, set over a sharp fire, and when beginning to boil place it at the corner to simmer, and squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, skim well and reduce to two thirds, it is then ready to use for jellies. if not able to obtain the best quality of sugar, it would be necessary to use white of eggs as an assistance in the clarification, by putting the white of one egg in a basin and whipping it well with a pint of cold water, add half of it to the sugar, whipping it well in, let simmer, adding the remainder by degrees whilst simmering, and passing it through a fine cloth into a basin. the boiling of sugar is divided into seven different degrees, which may be ascertained by the following directions:-- the first degree is known by dipping a copper skimmer into it whilst boiling, turning it over two or three times, if the sugar falls from it in sheets it has attained the first degree. the second is known by boiling your sugar rather longer, dipping your finger and thumb into cold water, then your finger into the boiling sugar, putting your finger and thumb together, and again opening them, it will form a kind of thread; if it is too weak boil a little longer, this is the most useful degree for fruit or water ices. the third degree is attained by boiling it a little longer, and trying it in the same manner, upon the thread baking, should it form a kind of pearl, it has attained the above degree; the sugar in boiling would also be covered with a quantity of small bubbles resembling pearls. the fourth degree is attained by boiling it still longer, dip a skimmer into it, turn, take out and blow it hard, when the sugar will form little bladders and float in the air, this degree is called the soufflé. for the fifth degree boil still longer, trying it in the same manner, but blowing harder, the bladders will be larger and adhere together, forming feathers; this degree is called la plume, or the feather. the sixth is called le petit casée, and is obtained by boiling the sugar a little longer: to know this degree have a pint of cold water in a basin, into which you have put a piece of ice, dip your finger into it, then into the boiling sugar, and then into the water again, take the piece which adheres to the finger and bite, if rather crisp, but sticking to the teeth, it has attained that degree. the seventh and last requires great attention, to attain it boil rather longer, dip your finger in as before, if it cracks and does not at all adhere to the teeth in biting it is done, take from the fire, and it is ready for use for making any kind of sugar ornament. when intended for such purposes, however, add a little tartaric acid when it arrives to the degree la plume and pour it into a smaller sugar-pan, allowing it to reach the rims, it will be then unable to burn round the sides as if in a larger pan; if such a thing should, however, happen in a larger pan, wipe the interior of the pan round with a sponge previously dipped in cold water, or it would discolor the sugar. ornaments of spun sugar i have a very great dislike to for a dinner; but, if required, the sugar must be boiled to the last degree. should the sugar grain it may be brought back by adding more water, and when dissolved, boiling over again; in spinning sugar you must keep the bulk of it in a warm temperature, having a little in a smaller pan for use, which keep in a melted state by placing it in a bain-marie of hot water, or in a hot closet. . _silk thread, or spun sugar._--having boiled your sugar to the seventh degree, as in the last, oil the handle of a wooden spoon, tie two forks together, the prongs turned outwards, dip them lightly into the sugar, take out and shake them to and fro, the sugar running from them over the spoon forming fine silken threads, proceeding thus until you have as much as you require, take it from the spoon and form it with your hands into whatever may be directed for the garnishing of any dish, not, however, too thick, or it would look heavy. an experienced hand would prefer doing it from the lip of the sugar-pan. other kinds of ornaments from sugar are made in a similar manner by oiling a mould or shape and running fillets of the sugar from the lip of the pan over it as tastefully as possible, but as i have not referred to it in this work i will not enter into its details. these are more fit for suppers than dinners. . _vanilla ice cream._--put the yolks of twelve eggs in a stewpan, with half a pound of sugar, beat well together with a wooden spoon, in another stewpan have a quart of milk, and when boiling throw in two sticks of vanilla, draw it from the fire, place on the lid and let remain until partly cold, pour it over the eggs and sugar in the other stewpan, mix well, and place it over the fire (keeping it stirred) until it thickens and adheres to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammy into a basin, let remain until cold, then have ready a pewter freezing-pot in an ice-pail well surrounded with ice and salt;[ ] put the above preparation into it, place on the lid, which must fit rather tightly, and commence twisting the pot round sharply, keeping it turned for about ten minutes, when take off the lid, and with your spatula clear the sides of the interior of the pot, place the lid on again, turn the pot ten minutes longer, when again clear the sides and beat the whole well together, until smooth, it being then about half frozen, then add four glasses of noyeau or maresquino and a pint and a half of cream well whipped, beat the whole well together, place the lid upon the top, keep twisting it round a quarter of an hour, clear well from the sides, beat again well together, proceeding thus until the whole is frozen into a stiff but smooth and mellow substance; should you require to keep it some time before serving, pour the water which has run from the ice out of the pail, and add fresh ice and salt; when ready to serve work it up smoothly with your spatula, fill the mould and proceed as no. . . _coffee ice cream._--proceed exactly as in the last, but omitting the noyeau or maresquino, and making an infusion with coffee as directed (no. ) instead of vanilla. . _ice of chocolate_ is made similar to the vanilla ice cream, but omitting the vanilla and liqueur, in the room of which scrape a quarter of a pound of chocolate, place it in a stewpan over the fire and keep stirring until melted, then have ready boiling a quart of milk, which mix with the chocolate by degrees, finish with eggs and sugar, and freeze as before. . _ice of pine-apple._--procure a rather small pine-apple, take off the rind, which reserve, and cut the apple into pieces an inch in length and about the thickness of a quill, place them in a sugar-pan, with half a pound of sugar and half a pint of water, set it upon the fire and reduce to a rather thickish syrup, have ready a pint and a half of milk upon the fire, into which, when boiling, throw the rind of the pine-apple, cover it over and let infuse ten minutes; in another stewpan have the yolks of twelve eggs, to which add the milk by degrees (previously straining it), place over the fire, keeping it stirred until adhering to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammy into a basin, add the syrup and pine-apple, and freeze it as in the last, adding a pint and a half of whipped cream; when half frozen, use where directed. . _lemon ice cream._--take the rind from six lemons as thin as possible and free from pith, squeeze the juice of the lemons into a sugar-pan, with half a pound of sugar and half a pint of water, place it upon the fire and reduce until rather a thickish syrup, have a pint and a half of milk upon the fire, into which, when boiling, throw the rind of the lemons, cover over and let remain until half cold; in another stewpan have the yolks of twelve eggs (to which you have added an ounce of sugar), with which mix the milk by degrees, and stir over the fire till it adheres to the back of the spoon, when stir in the syrup and pass it through a tammy; when cold, freeze as directed (no. ), adding a pint of whipped cream when half frozen. . _orange ice cream._--proceed precisely as in the last, but using the juice and rind of ten oranges instead of lemons as there directed. . _apricot ice cream._--procure a dozen and a half of fine ripe apricots, which cut in halves, take out the stones, which break, extracting the kernels, which blanch in very hot water and skin, then put them with the apricots into a sugar-pan, with half a pound of sugar and half a glassful of water, let them boil until almost forming a marmalade, when put them by in a basin, have the yolks of twelve eggs in a stewpan, with which mix by degrees a pint and a half of milk, set over the fire, keeping it stirred until thick enough to adhere to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammy into a basin, add the syrup and apricots, and, when cold, three glasses of noyeau, freeze as in no. , and, when half frozen, add a pint of good whipped cream. . _strawberry ice cream._--procure about two pounds of fine ripe strawberries, which pick and rub through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon, obtaining all the juice and pulp of the strawberries, with which mix half a pound of powdered sugar and put it by in a basin; in a stewpan have the yolks of twelve eggs, with which mix by degrees a pint and a half of milk, stir over the fire until it becomes thickish, adhering to the back of the spoon, when pass it through a tammy, and when cold add the juice from the strawberries and three glasses of maraschino, freeze it as directed (no. ), adding a pint of whipped cream when half frozen and sufficiently prepared; cochineal, to give it a strawberry color, if approved of. . _marmalade of apple._--peel and cut thirty apples in slices, taking out the cores, and, if for preserving, to every pound of fruit put three quarters of a pound of broken sugar (but, if for immediate use, half a pound would be quite sufficient), place the whole in a large preserving-pan, with half a spoonful of powdered cinnamon and the rind of a lemon chopped very fine, set the pan over a sharp fire, stirring it occasionally until boiling, when keep stirring until becoming rather thick; it is then done: if for immediate use, a smaller quantity would be sufficient, which put by in a basin until cold; but if to keep any time put it in jars, which cover over with paper, and tie down until wanted. . _marmalade of apricots._--stone about eight pounds of ripe fleshy apricots, break the stones, and blanch and skin the kernels, which with the apricots put into a preserving-pan, add six pounds of sugar and place it over a sharp fire, stirring occasionally until boiling, when keep stirring until becoming rather thick, take it off, put it in jars, and when cold tie paper over, and put by until ready for use. . _quince jam purée._--procure a sieve of fine ripe quinces, which peel and cut in four, taking out the cores, place them in a large preserving-pan and cover with cold water; set upon the fire, and when boiling and tender to the touch, place them in a large sieve to drain one hour, pass them through a tammy, then have ready a corresponding weight of sugar boiled to the sixth degree (no. ) in the preserving-pan, to which add the purée of quinces, keep stirring over the fire till forming thin sheets, drop a little upon the cover of a stewpan, if it sets quickly take it from the fire, put it in small jars, and let remain a day until quite cold, when tie them down, and put by until wanted. . _apricot marmalade jam._--procure a quantity of very ripe apricots, each of which cut into four or six pieces, break the stones and blanch the kernels, put the apricots in a preserving-pan with a small quantity of water, boil them until quite tender, when pass them through a sieve; to every pound of fruit have three quarters of a pound of sugar (in a preserving-pan) boiled to the sixth degree (no. ), add the apricots with their kernels, and keep stirring over the fire, until forming thin transparent sheets, try when done as in the last, and put away in pots. the marmalade would be still more transparent if you were to peel the apricots first, but then you would lose some of their delicious flavor. . _marmalade of cherries._--procure a sieve of bright kentish cherries, pull out the stalks and stones, and put the fruit in a preserving-pan, place over the fire, keeping it stirred until reduced to two-thirds; have in another preserving-pan, to every pound of fruit, half a pound of sugar boiled to the sixth degree (no. ), into which pour the fruit when boiling hot, let reduce, keep stirring until you can just see the bottom of the pan, when take it from the fire, and fill your jars as before. a plainer way is to take off the stalks and stone the fruit, place them in a pan over a sharp fire, and to every pound of fruit add nearly a pound of sugar, keep stirring until reduced as above, and let it get partly cold in the pan before filling the jars. . _strawberry jam._--pick twelve pounds of very red ripe strawberries, which put into a preserving-pan, with ten pounds of sugar (broken into smallish pieces), place over a sharp fire, keep continually stirring, boiling it until the surface is covered with clearish bubbles, try a little upon a cover, if it sets, fill the jars as before. . _raspberry jam._--pick twelve pounds of raspberries, and pass them through a fine sieve to extract the seeds, boil as many pounds of sugar as you have pounds of fruit to the sixth degree (no. ), when add the pulp of the fruit, keep stirring over the fire, reducing it until you can just see the bottom of the pan, take it from the fire, and put it into jars as before. . _jelly of apple._--cut six dozen of sound rennet apples in quarters, take out all the pips, put them into a sugar-pan, just cover them with cold water, and place over the fire, let boil until the apples become quite pulpy, when drain them upon a sieve, catching the liquor in a basin, which afterwards pass through a new and very clean jelly-bag; to every pint of liquor have one pound of sugar, which boil to the sixth degree as directed ( ); when, whilst hot, mix in the liquor from the apple with a very clean skimmer; to prevent it boiling over keep it skimmed, lift the skimmer occasionally from the pan, and when the jelly falls from it in thin sheets, take it up and fill the pots as before; the smaller pots are the best adapted for jellies. . _jelly of quince._--proceed exactly as directed in the last, but using quinces instead of apples. . _sweetmeat of currant jelly._--put half a sieve of fine red currants in a large stewpan, with a gallon of white currants and a gallon of raspberries, add a quart of water, place over the fire, keep stirring, to prevent them sticking to the bottom, and let boil about ten minutes, pour them into a sieve to drain, catching the juice in a basin and draining the currants quite dry, pass the juice whilst hot through a clean jelly-bag, have a pound of sugar to every pint of juice, and proceed precisely as directed for apple jelly. should you have time to pick the currants from the stalks previous to boiling, you would lose that bitter flavor, and have less difficulty in making your jelly clear. . _currant jelly_ is made precisely as in the last, omitting the raspberries, the difference being in the use; the last being adapted for the garnishing of pastry, and this to use for sauces, or to serve with hares, venison, or any other meat, where required. a more simple method of making currant jelly is to rub the fruit through a sieve, and afterwards squeeze it through a fine linen cloth, put it into a preserving-pan with, to every pint of juice, three quarters of a pound of white sugar; place over a sharp fire, stirring occasionally with a skimmer, keeping it well skimmed; it is done when dropping in sheets as before from the skimmer. for my own part, i prefer this last simple method, being quicker done, and retaining more of the full freshness of the fruit. it is not my intention to give a description of the various methods of preserving fruits, which belongs to the confectionery department; that i shall do in the letters from the farm; i have, however, given the few foregoing receipts, they being required for reference from various parts of this work, and being all that are required for the garnishing of dishes for the second course; various other fruits may, however, be made into marmalades and jellies by following those few simple directions. salads of various fruits. you will perceive, my dear eloise, that there is no end to the variation of dishing fruits for desserts; the following being more simple than any, and within the reach of almost every individual. . _salad of oranges._--select four good oranges, the thinnest rind ones are preferable; cut them crosswise into slices double the thickness of a crown-piece, dress them round upon your dish, one piece resting half-way upon the other; shake one ounce of sifted sugar over, pour over a good tablespoonful of brandy, and it is ready; to serve it out, put two pieces upon the plate of each guest, with a spoonful of the syrup. slices of red malta oranges, dressed alternately with the other, has a pleasing effect. any kind of liquor may be used, as also might whiskey, rum, or that white cream or blue devil commonly called g----; dear me, i quite forget the name. . _salad of strawberries._--pick the stalks from a pottle of very fine strawberries, which put into a basin with half a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, two glasses of brandy, and an ounce of sifted sugar, toss them lightly over, and dress them in pyramid upon your dish, pouring the syrup over; these should only be dressed a few minutes before serving; the brandy might be omitted. if handy, a glass of maraschino, substituted for brandy, makes them delicious. . _salad of peaches._--procure four ripe peaches, which peel and cut into quarters; put them into a basin with two ounces of sugar and a glass of sherry, toss them lightly over, dress upon your dish and serve. apricots, greengages, and other plums are dressed in salads in the same manner, leaving their skins on. . _salad of currants and raspberries._--put an equal quantity of each, making rather more than a pint, into a basin, with two ounces of powdered sugar-candy, and a little powdered cinnamon, toss them over lightly, and they are ready to serve. . _pine apples._--i have tried several experiments with the west indian pine-apples, many of which being rather stale when they arrive here, would make an unsightly appearance whole upon the table, but made into a compote or salad, they are really excellent, having also the advantage of being very cheap. for a _compote_, peel one rather thickly, to leave no black spots upon it, make a syrup with half a pound of sugar, as directed (no. ), cut your pine-apple into round slices a quarter of an inch in thickness, which put into the syrup, boiling them ten minutes; take them out with a colander-spoon, reduce the syrup until thickish, and pour it over the pine-apple; when cold it is ready to serve. for a _salad_, peel and cut a pine-apple into small square dice, which put into a basin with two ounces of sugar-candy (powdered) and a glass of noyeau, toss all well together and serve. for _marmalade_, pair and cut into small pieces several small pine-apples, and to every quart thus cut up add one pound of fine sugar, boil for half an hour, and put in a pot. . _cake of savoy in mould._--have ready a large high mould lightly buttered (with a soft brush, and clarified butter), turn the mould up to drain, and when the butter is quite set throw some finely sifted sugar into it; move the mould round until the sugar has adhered to every part, after which turn out the superfluous sugar, tie a band of buttered paper round at the top, and place it in a cool place until the mixture is ready. place the yolks of fourteen eggs in a basin, with one pound of sugar (upon which you have rubbed the rind of two lemons previous to pounding), beat well together with a wooden spoon until nearly white, then whip the whites of the eggs very stiff, add them to the yolks and sugar, with six ounces of flour and six ounces of potato-flour, mix the whole lightly but well together, and fill the mould rather more than three parts full, place it in a very moderate oven one hour, keeping the oven-door shut; then try when done as directed in the last, if done take off the paper and turn it out upon a sieve until quite cold. the above mixture being more delicate than the last, would not do so well for removes, but may be used for that purpose by being made three or four days before it is required. . _savoy cakes, or ladies' fingers._--have the weight of nine eggs of sugar in a bowl, which put into a bain-marie of hot water, weigh the same weight of flour, which sift through a wire sieve upon paper, break the eggs into a bowl, and proceed as directed for sponge-cake; then with a paper funnel or bag, with a thin pipe made for that purpose, lay it out upon papers into biscuits three inches in length and the thickness of your little finger, sift sugar over, shaking off all that does not adhere to them; place them upon baking-sheets, and bake in rather a warm oven of a brownish-yellow color, when done and cold, detach them from the paper by wetting it at the back, place them a short time to dry, and they are ready for use for charlotte russe, or wherever directed. . _sponge cake._--put one pound of powdered sugar in a good-sized bowl, which stand in a bain-marie of hot water; sift one pound of flour upon a sheet of paper, then break twelve eggs into the bowl with the sugar, which whisk rather quickly until they become a little warm and rather thickish, then take the bowl from the bain-marie, and continue whisking until nearly or quite cold; then add the chopped rind of a lemon and the flour, which mix lightly with a wooden spoon; have ready your mould or baking-dish lightly buttered, into which you have put a little flour, knocking out all that does not adhere to the butter, pour in the mixture and place it one hour in a moderate oven, it may require longer or not so long, but that will depend entirely upon the compass you have it in; if done it will feel firm to the touch, but the surest method is to run a thin wooden skewer into the centre, if it comes out clean the cake is done, but if not some of the mixture would adhere to it; care should be taken not to disturb it until quite set, or it would sink in the centre, and never properly bake; when done turn it out upon a sieve to cool. serve where indicated. . _small sponge cakes._--put six whole eggs into an earthen pan with half a pound of sugar, upon which you have previously rubbed the rind of a lemon, stand the pan in very hot water, keeping its contents well mixed until becoming rather warm, when take it from the water, continuing to whisk until quite cold and thickish, when stir in gently half a pound of sifted flour; have ready buttered, and dusted with sugar, about a dozen small sponge-cake tins, put a tablespoonful of the mixture into each, shake sugar over, and bake them in a moderate oven. . _pound cakes._--put one pound of butter into an earthen pan with a pound of powdered sugar, and a little grated nutmeg, beat them well together with the hand until forming a smooth lightish cream, when add by degrees eight eggs, beating it ten minutes after, when add a pound and a quarter of sifted flour, stir it in lightly, and put the mixture into hoops to bake. . _queen's cakes._--weigh of butter the weight of six eggs, and nine of powdered sugar, which put together in an earthen pan, heat well with the hand until forming a smooth cream, when add by degrees nine eggs, and when well beat, stir in the weight of nine eggs of flour and half a pound of currants; have ready buttered about a dozen little round cake pans, fill each one rather better than three parts full with the mixture, shake sugar over, and bake them in a moderate oven. if no cake pans, drop the mixture upon paper in pieces half the size of a walnut, and an inch and a half apart, shake sugar over, bake in a warm oven, and, when done, remove them from the papers. . _almond cakes._--procure one pound of ground almonds, to which add two pounds of powdered sugar, mixing the whole with the whites of nine eggs, beating the mixture well with a wooden spoon for about ten minutes, lay them out upon wafer paper of an oval shape with a tablespoon, put three or four strips of almonds upon the top of each, and bake them in a slow oven; when done, break away all the wafer paper but that which adheres to the bottom of the paper, and, when cold, they are ready for use. . _cocoa-nut biscuits._--scrape four cocoa nuts, to which add the same weight of powdered sugar, mix with whites of eggs, beating with a wooden spoon until forming a softish but thick paste; lay the mixture out upon wafer-paper in small drops, baking them as directed in the last. . _moss biscuits._--weigh half a pound of flour, to which add an ounce and a half of butter and five ounces of sugar, rub them well together and mix with one whole and one white of egg and a teaspoonful of milk; then add two ounces of ground almonds, which rub well into the paste; afterwards rub the whole through a gauze wire sieve, taking it off in small pieces, which lay upon a lightly-buttered baking-sheet, and bake them in a moderate oven. . _rout cakes._--procure one pound of ground almonds, to which add one pound of powdered sugar, mixing them together with yolks of eggs until forming a stiffish but flexible paste, when form it into small biscuits of the shapes of coronets, bunches of filberts, birds' nests, or any other shapes your fancy may dictate; let them remain five or six hours, or all night, upon the baking-sheet, and bake them in a warm oven. . _rout biscuits._--boil a pound and a quarter of lump sugar, upon which you have rubbed the rind of a lemon, in half a pint of milk; when cold, rub half a pound of butter with two pounds of flour, make a hole in the centre, pour in the milk with as much carbonate of soda as would lie upon a sixpence, and a couple of eggs, mix the whole into a smooth paste, lay it out upon your baking-sheet in whatever flat shapes you please, and bake them in a very warm oven. the proper way to shape these biscuits is by wooden blocks having leaves, pine-apples, and other devices carved upon them. . _cream biscuits._--rub one pound of fresh butter into one pound of flour, make a hole in the centre, into which put half a pound of powdered sugar upon which the rind of a lemon was rubbed previously to pounding, and three whole eggs, mix the eggs well with the sugar, and then mix all together, forming a flexible paste; cut it into round pieces each nearly as large as a walnut, stamp them flat with a butter-stamp of the size of a crown-piece, and bake them in a slack oven. . _shrewsbury cakes._--weigh one pound of flour, into which rub half a pound of butter and six ounces of flour, make a hole in the centre, into which break a couple of eggs, and add sufficient milk to form a flexible paste, which roll out to the thickness of a penny-piece, and cut it into small cakes with a round cutter; bake them in a moderate oven. _ginger cakes_ are made precisely as the above, but adding half an ounce of ground ginger before mixing; and _cinnamon cakes_, by rubbing in an ounce and a half of ground cinnamon after the paste is mixed. . _macaroons._--blanch and skin half a pound of sweet almonds, dry them well in your screen, then put them into a mortar with a pound and a half of lump sugar, pound well together, and pass the whole through a wire sieve; put it again into a mortar, with the whites of two eggs, mix well together with the pestle, then add the white of another egg, proceeding thus until you have used the whites of about eight eggs and made a softish paste, when lay them out at equal distances, apart upon wafer-paper, in pieces nearly the size of walnuts, place some strips of almonds upon the top, sift sugar over, and bake in a slow oven of a yellowish brown color; they are done when set quite firm through. . _ratafias._--ratafias are made similar to the above, but deducting two ounces of sweet, and adding two ounces of bitter almonds; they are laid out in much smaller cakes upon common paper, and baked in a much warmer oven; when cold, they may be taken off the paper with the greatest ease. these cakes are very serviceable in making a great many second-course dishes. . _italian drops._--have a mixture similar to the above, merely a liqueur glassful of best noyeau, lay it in round drops upon paper, and bake in a hot oven without sifting any sugar over; when taken from the papers, dry them a little in the screen, and they are ready to serve. the bottoms may be spread over with apricot marmalade, and two stuck together just previous to being served, if approved of. . _st. james's cake._--put one pound of very fresh butter in a good-sized kitchen basin, and with the right hand work it up well till it forms quite a white cream; then add one pound powdered sugar, mix well, add ten eggs by degrees; put to dry a pound and a quarter of flour, which mix as lightly as possible with it; blanch and cut in slices two ounces of pistachios, two ditto of green preserved angelica, add two liqueur glasses of noyeau, two drops of essence of vanilla; whip a gill and a half of cream till very thick, mix lightly with a wooden spoon. letter no. xvii the dinner-table. my dear eloise,--i thank you for your kind compliment, but i have always been of opinion that the arrangements and serving of a dinner-table, have as much to do with the happiness and pleasure of a party as the viands which are placed upon it; this i had a practical proof of last week. mr. b. and myself were invited to dine with mr. d., a city friend, at balham hill; i had before met mrs. d. at an evening party, at his partner's, at hackney, and knew little of her. dinner was served pretty punctually, only half an hour after time. on my entrance in the room, my first glance at the table showed me that there was a want of _savoir-faire_ in its management: the plate, very abundant and splendid, was of so yellow a cast that it looked as if it were plated, and the cut glass was exceedingly dim. my first surprise was that there were no napkins, the next the soup plates were quite cold, which i have found often the case in other houses; after being served with fish, and waiting until it was cold for the sauce to eat with it, i was rather sceptical how the rest of the dinner would progress. after the first, the second course made its appearance, which was heavy and too abundant; the plain things were well done, but there was only one servant in the room for the whole party of fourteen, and from the strict formality of the table, it would have been a sacrilege to have handed your plate for any vegetables, or anything else you might require. there were four saltcellars, certainly very massive silver ones, at each corner of the table, and a beautiful cruet-frame in the centre; the hot dishes of this course, like the previous one, became cold and tasteless before being eaten, and during the time the servant was serving the champagne, all the plates were empty; in fact it was a good dinner spoilt. the wine drank with less goût than usual, and the long pauses between the courses made the formality appear still greater than it really was, and made you wish for the time to arrive for the cloth to be removed, which was not done, only the slips, a most awkward undertaking for one servant, and should never be practised unless having at least two. about half an hour after the cloth was removed, and just as the conversation was being thawed from the freezing it received at the dinner-table, mrs. d. and the ladies withdrew, and for an hour and a half we had to bear the insipid conversation of the drawing-room, the hissing urn on the tea-table bearing a prominent part. several messages were sent from time to time to the dining-room that coffee was ready; and when at last the gentlemen came, two had had quite wine enough, which caused them to receive sundry angry looks from their wives who were present, and who were glad to get them into their carriages which were waiting, and right glad indeed was i when ours was announced. this all happened, my dear eloise, not from meanness; for if money could have purchased it nothing would have been wanting, but solely from want of _management_; and every one should think before they invite their friends to partake of their hospitality, if they know how to entertain them. money of course will provide delicacies of all kinds, but to know how to dispose of those delicacies to the best advantage, that your friends may appreciate them, is what is sadly wanting in more than one house i visit. a very excellent remark is made in _punch_ by mr. brown, in his letters to a young man about town, on the subject of great and little dinners. he says: "properly considered the quality of the dinner is twice blest; it blesses him that gives, and him that takes; a dinner with friendliness is the best of all friendly meetings--a pompous entertainment, where no love is, is the least satisfactory." our dinner on which you compliment me so much, we sat down twelve, for although the room and table would accommodate more, yet as my service of plate is for that number, and the arrangements of the kitchen are limited, that is the number i prefer, besides beyond which the conversation becomes partial, which is the bane of a dinner-table. you know we have no regular man-servant, but for these occasions i hire two, and place one on each side the table, and they each have their own side table with a change of everything that is required. the first thing to be looked to is the lights: these ought to be so placed as not to intercept the view of any person at the table, but at the same time they ought to be enough to show everything off to advantage; i prefer removing some of the lights from the table to the sideboard when the cloth is removed, as the light after dinner ought to be more subdued. in laying the cloth we place it over the baize, and remove it after dinner, as mr. b. says he likes to see the mahogany, for when he asks a city friend to come and put his feet under his mahogany, it looks rather foolish if he never sees it. i have, as you know, my table rather wide, that is, six feet, and i generally place a vase of flowers in the centre, as i think their freshness and odor add greatly to the appearance of the table, and admit a flanc on each side. we prefer the old english plan of taking the top and bottom of the table, instead of i and mr. b. being together at the side. the cloth being laid with its proper side uppermost, i order a napkin, two knives, two prongs, two tablespoons, and two wine-glasses to be placed to each person, a saltcellar between every other, that being a condiment which every one uses, though often wrongly; the cruet-frames and other requisites are kept on the sideboards. i then have the fish and soup served together, the potatoes and sauce on the sideboard; i serving the soup, and mr. b. the fish, and often a little dish of fried fish, such as smelts, &c., to remove the soups. this gives me an opportunity of seeing that my guests are properly attended to, and also leisure of taking wine with any gentleman who challenges me. during the time this course has been progressing, the cook has had time to dish up the removes nice and hot, and get all up close to the door, as i like as little time as possible to intervene in changing the dishes; and these consist generally of variously dressed chickens, which i have before me, as this gives an opportunity for the gentleman on my right to display his gallantry; but, thanks to soyer's separator, this is an easy task. this affords me still further leisure to pay attention to my guests. mr. b., who is a capital carver, either has a saddle or a haunch of mutton, or a quarter of lamb before him, the rest of the dishes consisting of a tongue and entrées. i select those most easy to carve, and also easy for the cook to prepare. this is a period of dinner where a great deal depends upon the attendants; they should know almost by the look what this lady or that gentleman require, and what kind of vegetables to hand them; a first-rate butler should be able to judge by the physiognomy to whom he should offer mint sauce with the lamb, and who prefers cayenne; on their attention and hot plates, depends the success of the substantial part of the dinner. as soon as i see that all are served, and words are few in consequence of the organ which utters them being employed in another way, i give a look to the two servants, which they understand, and immediately two reports are heard,--they are from two bottles of champagne, opened at the same time by the attendants, who have each a salver with six glasses on it; this takes but a short time to serve, and prepares the palate for the entrées, which generally get praised; indeed my cook would think something was wrong if two of the dishes did not go down empty. by having the champagne thus, i find it goes much further than if only one bottle was opened at the time, there being sufficient left in the bottles for a gentleman to challenge a lady to take champagne with him. if i have game i remove the top and bottom dishes with them, and make the sweets a separate course, taking care to have _cold plates_ for the jelly, and having the liquors handed round when the sweets are on the table; one cheese i place opposite mr. b., and macaroni opposite myself. objections have been made to the use of napkins, as being of no service at an english dinner-table, and only a copy of the dirty manners of our neighbors. if we are more cleanly at the table than they are (which i question), there is no reason why we should not use that which would make us still more so; but mr. b. is so well pleased with the rose water which he has at the court dinners of his company, that he made me a present of those two beautiful dishes which you admired so much. the outside compartment holds rose-water, and the inner one a little eau-de-cologne; these are placed on salvers, and pass down each side of the table, the corner of each napkin being dipped into it. they seem to be absolutely required, and i must say they form a delightful adjunct to the dinner-table. he[ ] has also introduced at our table, but _only at christmas_, another city custom, which the gentlemen seem very much to like,--i cannot say so for the ladies; it is what he calls a loving cup; he has it placed before him when the cheese is put on; and after filling the glass of the lady on each side of him, he rises and drinks to their health and the rest of the company, and then passes it to the gentleman on the left, who, in like manner, fills the glass of the lady on his left, rises, drinks to her health and the company, and thus it goes round the table. your husband, my dear eloise, thought that the contents were exceedingly good, or, as he expressed it, nectar fit for the gods, and would like to have the receipt,--here it is as mr. b. prepares it:--the cup holds two quarts; he places in it half a teacupful of capillaire; if he has none, he uses dissolved lump sugar, with a few drops of orange-flower water in it, one pint of brown sherry, one bottle of good _edinburgh_ ale, mixing these together, and a minute before placing on the table, adding one bottle of soda water, stirring it well up till it froths; he then grates some nutmeg on the froth, and places a piece of toast in it, and sends it to the table with a napkin through the handle of the cup. i must say, since we have had this, it has produced some most interesting conversation as regarded the antiquity of the custom, &c. in addition, mr. b. bought the cup at a sale, and it is stated to have been drunk out of by henry the eighth: this of itself is a subject of conversation, and draws out the talents and conversational powers of our guests, and one in which ladies can join, as there is hardly one of our sex who has not read miss strickland's "queens of england." you have often made the remark, that the time always appears short whilst we are at table; this is, no doubt, from the animated conversation which is kept up, for that is the real motive of meeting together, to enjoy the conversation of one another, to gain and impart information, and amuse ourselves with the wit and talent of those around us, and not for the sake of eating and drinking; yet without the assistance of both of these, the most sparkling wit would be as heavy as a bad soufflé, and the brightest talent as dull as my looking-glass on a foggy day. in order to prolong the time, and to enjoy the gentlemen's society as much as possible, i do not have the dessert placed on the table until ten or twenty minutes after the cloth is removed; this also gives an opportunity for my guests to admire the beautiful sevres dessert plates, containing views of the french chateaux; this of course gives a subject for conversation to those who have visited them. in the dessert i generally introduce some new importation, such as bananas, sugar-cane, american lady apples, prickly pears, &c.; these also give a subject for the gentlemen to talk about when the ladies have left, as free trade, colonial policy, &c. about half an hour after the dessert is on the table, and when i see that the conversation is becoming less general, i retire to the drawing-room; the servants then remove the dirty glass and plates, and mr. b. introduces some of his choice claret or burgundy in ice coolers. you know, my dear eloise, i allow very little more than half an hour for us to talk about the last new fashions, or of mrs. a. and b.'s cap, and the young ones about their partners at the last ball, and other nothings, when the tea and coffee are brought up on salvers; it is always made down stairs, and sent up in cups to the drawing-room, although mr. b. had a very handsome silver service presented to him just after we were married, for serving as an honorary secretary to some grand masonic festival, yet the milk ewer and sugar basin are all i allow in the room. this does away with the formality of the tea-table and the hissing of the tea-urn; it allows some young gentlemen with a byron collar and a little down under his chin to turn over the pages of a music-book for a young lady at the piano, and make his coffee at the same time; it allows my dear mamma and mr. p. to make up their whist table, and have their tea whilst playing; or, if we make up a quadrille, to have a few turns of a waltz or polka, the coffee is serving during the time; whilst this is going on the hand of the clock advances, and half-past ten soon arrives, and with it mrs. c.'s fly; dr. d.'s brougham is at the door; the party breaks up, delighted with the evening they have passed in each other's society: and this you see done with trifling management. letter no. xviii dearest eloise,--you are right in your remark, that there is a great difference as to the manner and way in which evening parties or soirées are given in different houses, although being frequented by the same party or circle. i must say i have my own ideas on this subject, and i think the french understand this matter much better than we do, and that we could not do better than imitate them. we english are a plodding, matter-of-fact people, and carry our notions into every concern in life: our dinners and entertainments are given with an ulterior object, and with a view of what may be gained from it, even from the charitable dinner at the london tavern to the man who asks another to partake of a pint of beer with him at a public-house. it is this, together with ostentation, which is the bane of society, by bringing together people of incongruity of ideas, destroying that free exchange of thought which constitutes the true pleasure of social réunions; we are also naturally of a reserved and cautious disposition: hence the reason why the pleasures of a soirée are not felt until after supper. of these i am a great advocate, though not to the extravagant and outré manner many are given in the present day. of course in the way most ladies are now educated, they would rather be attending to the adornment of their persons for the occasion than to the entertainment and amusement of their guests. those who can afford it, are quite right to patronize a first-rate confectioner, and thus save themselves the trouble; but how many that cannot afford it do the same thing, and make a bargain for a bad supper with one, by which he gains little, and the guests great disgust, instead of doing it at home and ordering a few good things which would look and eat well. there are a variety of drinks which could be made at a moderate expense, good and wholesome, and infinitely better than bad marsala, which you are often obliged to partake of. i will enclose you a few receipts for them, and some bills of fare for suppers for small soirées. beverages for evening parties. . _lemonade._--peel six lemons free from pith, cut them up in small pieces, and put them with two cloves in a bottle, with half a pint of hot water, and place it in a bain-marie, or stewpan, with boiling water, and let it stand by the side of the fire for one or two hours, taking care it does not boil; remove it and let it remain until cold; then take half a pint of lemon-juice, half a pint of capillaire--if none, use sugar, that will make the same quantity of syrup--to which add a few drops of orange-flower water; add the infusion of the rind, stir well together, and add two quarts of cold water. the acidity of some lemons is greater than others, in which case, and also if using lime-juice, more capillaire must be used. . _cold punch._--proceed as above for lemonade, but add one pint of capillaire to half a pint of lemon-juice, one pint of pale brandy, one pint of pale rum, one tablespoonful of arrack, and five quarts of cold water; let it remain some time before it is decantered. . _port wine negus._--take one quart of new port wine, of a fruity character, one tablespoonful of spirit of cloves, one teacupful of sugar, one lemon sliced, half a nutmeg grated, pour over these two quarts of boiling water. . _white wine fillip._--take one bottle of sherry or madeira, or champagne, or any other good white wine, a gill of noyeau or maraschino, the juice of half a lemon, add to it one quart of calf's foot jelly well sweetened and boiling hot, and serve immediately. . _sandwiches._--in making a large quantity, a stale quartern loaf should be taken and trimmed free from all crust, and cut into slices the eighth of an inch in thickness, slightly buttered, and then thin slices of meat, nicely trimmed, may be laid on and covered with another slice of bread, and then cut into eight parts; should they be but some time before they are wanted, they ought to be put one over the other, as they thus keep moist,--a little mustard and salt may be added to the meat, if preferred. some thin slices of gherkin may be added to the meat, and the same plan can be adopted with pickled fish, brawn or sausages. the following varies the common mode of making sandwiches: take a small quantity of very fresh cream cheese, put it into a basin or a marble mortar, add some salt, pepper, and a little mustard, beat it well up until it is of the same consistence as butter; if too hard add a little of the latter, and use it as butter on the bread, with slices of meat between. or make it into salad sandwiches:--cover the bread as before, and have ready some mustard and cress and water-cresses well washed and dried, put into a bowl with mayonnaise sauce, and when ready to serve place it neatly between the bread. letter no. xix ---- farm, essex, july --, . my dear eloise,--you are no doubt surprised at receiving this from the above address, but you remember when you last called i thought my little emily was unwell, the next day she seemed worse, i then had the dr.--, who ordered her out of town, and a friend of mr. b.'s being present recommended this place; so emily and i have now been a week here, and she has already improved by the change of air; it has also done me good, and i am greatly amused with the various occupations going on in the farm, which is an old-fashioned one, tenanted by a good old english farmer, his wife, and son; the latter is gone to see a brother settled in liverpool. the cleanliness and regularity of the house are quite charming; but what delights me more than all is the dairy--such delicious cream and butter that it makes me quite envy people living in the country! i must describe the pretty dairy to you: it is situated at the back of the house, and sheltered by it from the mid-day and afternoon's sun, and from the morning's sun by a plantation, so that it is deliciously cool; it is about twelve feet long by ten wide, paved with flat stones, and the walls of plaster, like stone, a door at one end with a window above and a window high up at the other end, and two windows at the side; these have thin wire shutters and glazed sashes on hinges; the roof is of slate, with about two feet thickness of thatch over it; there are also several little openings for the admission of air, about one inch from the floor. a dresser, two feet wide, being two inches from the wall, is on both sides, and above these are two shelves of nine inches wide, also two inches from the wall, these are supported on iron brackets. at the end, and opposite the door, is the churn, which is turned by a wheel outside, with apparatus for a donkey or mule to work it, if required. all the utensils are of sycamore wood and perfectly clean, never used twice without washing in hot water with soda put in it, and made perfectly dry. there are as many ways of making butter as there are counties in great britain. i will now tell you how it is practised here. the cows are milked at a regular hour, not later than five, the milk taken as soon as possible into the dairy, and placed in the dishes about six quarts in each; is thus left for twenty-four hours; then it is skimmed, and the cream from each is placed in a deep bowl or pan, where it remains until the next day, when it is churned. friday's milk is made into cheese; when churned it is gathered well together from the milk and laid in a clean bowl, with hard spring water in it, and worked to and fro until it is brought to a firm consistence; it is then laid out thin, and then what is called here a scotcher is taken--that is, a kind of five-pronged fork of wood, only each prong is as sharp as a knife, and drawn through every part of it; then whatever salt is required is added, and it is then formed into pats, or done any way they like. if intended as corned or salt butter, they then add one pound of fine salt to every fourteen pounds of butter; in some places the coarsest grained salt is used; in others two pounds of salt, one pound of saltpetre, and one pound of white sugar mixed together, one fourth of this for every fourteen pounds. if intended for keeping, it is put into stone crocks until it is wanted. the way in which they make the cheese here is as follows: all friday's milk is taken, that of the morning is kept until the afternoon, and mixed with it; then two spoonfuls of rennet to every twelve quarts of milk are put to it and well mixed, it is then left all night. very early the next morning the curd is removed with a strainer and equally broken into the cheese vat or mote until it is about one inch above the brim, a cheese cloth or strainer having previously been put at the bottom of the vat, and large enough to allow for part of it to be turned over the top when the vat is filled; when thus filled it is taken to the press, and left for two hours with a clean cloth under it; it is then turned over on the cloth, and pressed again; and the same process is continued three or four hours out of the twenty-four. it is then removed and placed on the shelf, and turned regularly every day for the first two months; after that occasionally. i intend to try my hand at it shortly, and see what i can make of it. i find that the butter which is made here and potted for winter use is not intended to be sold as salt, but as fresh, and the dairy-maid has just told me how it is done. for every quart of new milk from the cow, she takes one pound of potted butter, which has been treated thus the day previous: into two quarts of cold water two tablespoonfuls of vinegar are mixed, and the potted butter well broken and kneaded in it, and then taken out, and served the same in fresh water, in which it is left until the next morning, and then mixed with the milk, put into the churn and churned again, and then treated in the usual way as butter; by this plan there is a large quantity of sweet milk always in the farm, as it is exceedingly good when strained. the following is the way they make the clouted cream:-- . _clouted cream._--strain the milk as soon as it comes from the cow into wide pans, holding about six quarts each, so as to be about three inches deep, and let it remain for twenty-four hours; then gently place the pan upon a hot plate or slow charcoal fire, which must heat it very gently, for if it boils it is spoilt; as soon as the cream forms a ring in the middle, remove a little with the finger, and if there are a few bubbles rise in the place where you do so, it is done, which will be in half to three quarters of an hour; remove it from the fire, and let it remain twenty-four hours; then skim it, and throw a little sugar on the top. conversation on household affairs. _mrs. r._ after all the receipts and information which you have given me, there is one which you have not touched upon yet, which, perhaps, is of more importance than all the rest, it is the management of servants. _mrs. b._ you are right, my dear, it is of great importance, and more so than many of us imagine, as for myself i do not consider that i am a good manager, being perhaps of too forgiving a disposition; but there is one good quality which i possess which makes up for the want of others, that is exactitude; by enforcing this it causes all to know their place, and perform their work. _mrs. r._ but what surprises me is to see everything so well done and clean with so few servants; you seem to have but two maid servants, the cook, house-maid, and coachman. _mrs. b._ yes, that is all, and i generally find that they are enough for the work, unless i have a dinner party, and then of course, as you know, i have extra men; but i will tell you how i pass the day, and then you will be able to judge. we are what are called early risers, that is, mr. b. is obliged to leave home every week day at twenty minutes past nine; our breakfast is on the table at half-past eight; the breakfast parlor having previously been got ready, as the servants rise at seven. we are, when we have no visitors, our two selves, the three children, and the governess. the children, in summer time, have had a walk before breakfast, but before leaving their room they uncover their beds, and if fine open the windows, if a wet morning about two inches of the top sash is pulled down. the servants get their breakfast at the same time as we do, as we require hardly any or no waiting upon, everything being ready on the table. in a former letter i told you what was our breakfast some years since when in business, now we have placed on the table some brown bread, rolls and dry toast; the butter is in a glass butter-dish, and the eggs are brought up when we have sat down to table. the urn is placed on the table, as i make my own tea and coffee; the cocoa is made down stairs. you will perhaps be surprised when i say that i make the coffee for breakfast myself, but i have done so for some little time past, having found that when made in the kitchen it never came up twice alike, but now we always have it delicious. i lately purchased a coffee-pot which enables me to do it in the very best manner, with no more trouble than i have in making the tea. i mentioned it in my receipts for coffee, and said it was invented by a mr. s., which letter was inserted by mistake instead of c. which it ought to be. it is called carey's hecla. it makes the very best coffee at one short operation, and is so contrived as to produce it almost boiling hot; in fact, never permitting the great mistake of boiling the coffee itself at all. mr. b. generally leaves home in the brougham, which returns in time for me; in case i should be going out, he then goes in a cab or omnibus. whilst we are at breakfast, i generally consult mr. b. what he would like for dinner, and if he is likely to invite any friend to dine with him; the fishmonger has previously sent his list and prices of the day. i then write with a pencil on a slip of paper the bill of fare for the nursery dinner, luncheon, should any be required, and our dinner, which i send to the cook. at ten o'clock i go down stairs into the kitchen and larder, when the cook gives me her report, that is everything that is required for the next twenty-four hours' consumption, including the servants' dinner, which report is filed in the larder and made to tally with the week's list, for i must tell you that the week's consumption of all things that will not spoil is had in on the saturday, on which day the larder is properly scoured out, and everything put again into its proper place, there being bins for all kinds of vegetables, &c. the larder is generally kept locked, the cook and i only having keys, because it is in fact a larder, and not, as in many houses, full of emptiness; this occupies about half an hour, during which time the chambermaids have been attending to the bed-rooms and drawing-room, &c. if i go out or not, i always get my toilet finished by twelve o'clock; i thus have one hour to write notes, or see tradesmen or my dressmaker, and monday mornings check and pay my tradesmen's accounts, and to dress. if i stop at home, i amuse myself by reading, or going to see the children in the nursery, or sometimes go again into the kitchen and assist the cook on some new receipt or preparation, and often have several calls; during the course of the morning the two maids scour out alternately one or two of the rooms, according to size, except on wednesdays, when one of them is otherwise engaged. mr. b. arrives home at twenty minutes to five, and at half-past five we dine: the cloth is laid, and everything prepared as if we had company; it may be a little more trouble for the servants; but when we do have any friends they find it less trouble; besides it is always uncertain but what mr. b. may bring somebody home with him, and it prevents slovenly habits; the two maids, with the exception of wednesdays, are always ready to attend on us. i never allow the coachman to defile our carpets with his stable shoes; all his duties in the house are--the first thing in the morning to clean the knives and forks for the day, for enough are kept out for that purpose, clean the boots and shoes, and those windows the maids cannot easily get at, and assist in the garden if required. many have made the remark to me, that as you have a male servant why not have him wait at table. i reply that the duties of the stable are incompatible with those of the table, and if he does his duty properly he has enough to do. the servants dine at one, and have tea at quarter to five, by which time the cook has everything ready, all but to take it from the fire, and the maids the dining-room ready. the nursery dinner is at the same hour; after dinner, should we be alone, we have the children and the governess down; if we have company we do not see them; they go to bed at a quarter to eight, and we have tea and coffee at eight; the governess comes and passes the rest of the evening with us; eleven is our usual hour of retiring, before which mr. b. likes his glass of negus, a biscuit, or a sandwich, which is brought upon a tray. _mrs. l._--what you have described to me is all very well, yet i am certain, that if i go and try to do the same to-morrow, i shall not succeed; how is it that you have everything in its place, and i never hear a word said to the servants? _mrs. b._--it is because they all know their duties, and if they should in any way neglect them, i think of the maxim, bear and forbear, for none of us are perfect, and i take an opportunity when i may be alone with them to tell them quietly of their faults. some mistresses will go into the kitchen and be angry with them before the other servants; the consequence is, that as soon as her back is turned they all begin to laugh. a ridiculous incident of this kind occurred the other evening at mrs. g.'s. we missed her out of the drawing-room just before tea, and it appeared that her young boy fred, followed her; whilst we were at tea he was very communicative, as children sometimes will be (l'enfant terrible), and said, "we have been having such fun in the kitchen." on inquiry he said, "my mother has been down stairs scolding jane, and i hid myself behind the door; and when my mother had gone up, betsy the cook spoke and moved her hands just like mamma; it made us all laugh so, it was such fun." i need not tell you it was no fun for mrs. g., who looked rather annoyed. we should ever remember, that we have our feelings, and should also think that others have theirs; and i think it is as much the mistress's fault when anything goes wrong in the house, as the servants'. i only lose my servants when they get married, or from ill health, and the only thing that i find bad, is, that they quarrel amongst themselves, but should this occur thrice with the same two, i dismiss them both. i am certain, that if you teach your servants to take care of themselves, they are certain to take care of you. i continually hear mrs. m. complaining of changing her servants, and that seems to be her sole occupation. poor thing, she has no children, and nothing to occupy her mind, and without occupation the mind becomes diseased, and the least action throws it into fever. mrs. n. complains of the extravagance of her servants; it is her own extravagance, or, more properly speaking, her want of management which causes all; but this i really think, that if everybody were more cautious in receiving and giving characters to servants other than what they are, we should not hear the continual complaint we do, when often assembled in the drawing-room after dinner, when, perhaps, some dear old lady complains of the education given to young people of the present day, and that, in time, there will be no such thing as servants. to some extent i am of her opinion, and consider that the education given by all classes to their children, is a great deal more ornamental than useful. i would rather see the child taught some of the accomplishments of housekeeping, than that she should be considered as the mere ornament of the drawing-room. i think it is the bounden duty of every mother, where the income of the husband may be dependent on trade or profession, to give her children that education which even the most adverse of circumstances may call upon them to assume. look at the advertisements which appear in the public press every day!--young girls offering themselves as governesses, to be remunerated by their board; whereas, if they had been educated with a knowledge of some useful employment, they would have made good ladies' maids or housekeepers, or useful wives to tradesmen. bills of fare. when i was first married and commencing business, and our means were limited, the following was our system of living: _sunday's dinner._--roast-beef, potatoes, greens, and yorkshire pudding. _monday._--hashed beef and potatoes. _tuesday._--broiled beef and bones, vegetables, and spotted dick pudding. _wednesday._--fish if cheap, chops and vegetables. _thursday._--boiled pork, peas pudding, and greens. _friday._--peas soup, remains of pork. _saturday._--stewed steak with suet dumpling. the sunday's dinner i used to vary, one time beef, another mutton, another pork or veal, and sometimes a baked sucking pig; our living then, including a good breakfast and tea, cost us about _s._ per week. in case we had a few friends, we used to make an addition by having one fish, leg of mutton, roast fowls, pickled pork, and peas pudding, with a mould pudding and fruit tart, and a little dessert. this was for the first two years; our means and business then increasing, and having the three young men to dine with us, we were of course obliged to increase our expenditure and to alter our mode of living, besides which i had accompanied mr. b. to france, where my culinary ideas received a great improvement. the following is the plan we then adopted: _sunday._--pot-au-feu, fish--haunch of mutton or a quarter of lamb, or other good joint--two vegetables--pastry and a fruit pudding--a little dessert. _monday._--vermicelli soup made from the pot-au-feu of the day previous--the bouilli of the pot-au-feu--remains of the mutton--two vegetables--fruit tart. _tuesday._--fish--shoulder of veal stuffed--roast pigeons, or leveret, or curry--two vegetables--apples with rice, and light pastry. _wednesday._--spring soup--roast fowls, remains of veal minced, and poached eggs--two vegetables--rowley powley pudding. _thursday._--roast-beef--remains of fowl--two vegetables--sweet omelette. _friday._--fish--shoulder of lamb--miroton of beef--two vegetables--baked pudding. _saturday._--mutton broth--boiled neck mutton--liver and bacon--two vegetables--currant pudding. our parties then, when we had them, never consisted of more than ten. we had: julienne soup--fish--a quarter of lamb--vegetables, cutlets--vegetables, bacon and beans--boiled turkey--pheasant--jelly or cream--pastry--lobster salad--omelette or soufflé--dessert, &c. at present, though the number of our establishment is not greater, yet the style and manner of our living have changed. we dine alone, except when mr. b. invites somebody to dine with him, which is most generally the case; our daily bill of fare consists of something like the following:-- one soup or fish, generally alternate--one remove, either joint or poultry--one entrée--two vegetables--pudding or tart--a little dessert. this may seem a great deal for two persons; but when you remember that we almost invariably have one or two to dine with us, and the remains are required for the breakfast, lunch, nursery and servants' dinners, you will perceive that the dinner is the principal expense of the establishment, by which means you are enabled to display more liberality to your guests, and live in greater comfort without waste. our parties at present, to many of which you have constantly been, and therefore know, vary according to the season; here are a few bills of fare of them; the following is one for two persons:-- one soup, say purée of artichokes--one fish, cod slices in oyster sauce--remove with smelts or white bait. _removes._--saddle of mutton--turkey in celery sauce. _two entrées._--cutlets a la provençale--sweetbreads larded in any white sauce. _two vegetables._--greens--kale--potatoes on the sideboard. second course. _two roasts._--partridges--wild ducks. jelly of fruit--cheesecakes--meringue à la crême--vegetable--french salad on the sideboard. _removes._--ice pudding--beignet soufflé. _dessert_ of eleven dishes. the following is one for a birthday party, which generally consists of twenty persons:-- first course. two soups--two fish. _removes._--haunch of mutton--broiled capons à l'ecarlate. _flancs._--fricandeau of veal--currie of fowl. _entrées._--fillets of beef, sauce tomate--cutlets soubise--oyster patties, or little vol-au-vent; croquettes of veal or fowl.[ ] second course. wild ducks--guinea fowl larded--charlotte russe--punch jelly, crusts of fruit--flanc meringue--apple with rice--scolloped oysters--mayonnaise of fowl--sea kale or asparagus. _removes._--turban of condé glacée--cheese soufflé à la vanille. _dessert_ of nineteen dishes. the bills of fare for our small evening parties, say thirty persons, are as follows; everything is cold, although i know that the fashion has been progressing towards having hot removes. our table on those occasions is, as you know, in the form of a horseshoe, which, in my opinion, is the most sociable after that of a round one, and upon the sociability of the supper depends in a great measure the success of the party. in the centre, and at the head of the table, i place a large grouse-pie, the same as nos. , , of which, by my recommendation, everybody partakes; i then on each of the wings have fowls, lobster salads, mayonnaises of fowl, ham, tongue, cut in slices, and dished over parsley, ornamented with aspic jelly; and on the sideboard i have a fine piece of sirloin of beef, plain roasted, or an aitch-bone of beef, or fillet of veal. should there be no game, i have a turkey or fowls en galantine, instead of the grouse-pie, or if game is plentiful, i have less poultry, and add roast pheasants--mind, not fowls with black legs larded, and a pheasant's tail put to them, but real ones,--or partridges or grouse, or a fine salad of game. with the sweets i generally place about twelve--four on each table, that is jellies, creams, bavaroises, iced cabinet puddings, and raised dishes of small pastry, all of which are artistically disposed upon the table. the fruits are likewise placed on the table: they consist of simple compotes, of various kinds and of dried fruit, biscuits, wafers and cossacks, which last are getting much out of fashion, but are very amusing. the following is the bill of fare for mr. b.'s birthday party, for which he allows me £ , with which i find everything in the shape of refreshments, with the exception of wine; it is-- one raised pie--two mayonnaises of fowl--two lobster salads--one piece of roast beef--four dishes of fowl--two dishes of pheasant--four dishes of tongue--four dishes of ham--four jellies with fruit--two creams with noyeau--two flancs with apple meringue--two iced cabinet puddings--two puddings à la eloise--six various pastry--eight various compotes--four pièces montées in china with bonbons, cossacks, &c.--four of fruit, as pears, grapes, &c.--four of dried fruit, &c.--four of biscuits, &c. this perhaps may appear extravagant, but we always have them, some country friends stopping a few days with us, so that i manage to make the best of everything, and make my week's account look very well. we sometimes have as many as sixty on an evening. our children's parties are as follows, there are generally about fifty present: dishes of sandwiches. dishes of lamb. dishes of ham. do. of slices of beef. do. of tongue. do. of fowls. dishes of slices of galantine of veal. dish of dressed beef. dishes of various pastry, custards, jellies, bonbons, &c. but i remember when in business, on those occasions we only used to have a large quantity of sandwiches and patties, and used to amuse the children by labelling the dishes as sandwiches of peacock's tongues, patties of partridge's eyes, &c., and also a large quantity of plain sweets; and at that period mr. b.'s birthday party was not so extensive or _recherché_ as at present. it consisted of something like the following: a roast turkey-- dishes of fowls-- ham-- pigeon pies-- piece of boiled beef-- lobsters-- salads-- jellies-- tarts-- of preserved fruit, &c.-- of pastry; with about twelve of various kinds of fruit, &c. you will have seen by the previous bills of fare that i have not at all encroached upon the high-class cookery, they being selected from the receipts i have given you; in order that you may see the difference, i inclose the bill of fare, of a dinner given by--bass, esq., m. p., at the reform club, the other day, and a copy of yesterday's _post_, containing one given in the country. you will find that the dishes mentioned in these bills of fare are not to be found in our receipts. reform club, _ juillet, ._ _dîner pour personnes._ rissoletes à la pompadour. petites croquantes aux oeufs de rougets. rissoletes à la pompadour. petites croquantes aux oeufs de rougets. deux potages. one thick turtle. one clear ditto. * * * * * deux poissons. _crimped salmon_, turbot en matelote normande. à la richelieu. * * * * * deux relevés. la hanche de venaison aux haricots verts. les poulardes en diadême. * * * * * six entrées. vol-au-vent de foies gras à la talleyrand. côtelettes d'agneau demi provençale. petits canetons canaris aux jeunes légumes glacées. noix de veau demi grasse à la purée de concombres. ortolans à la vicomtesse. aiguillettes de petits poussins à la banquière * * * * * deux rôtis. les _turkey poults_ piqués et bardés, garnis de cailles aux feuilles de vignes. les jeunes levrauts au jus de groseilles. * * * * * huit entremets. gelée a l'eau de vie flanc d'abricôts de dantzick. aux liqueurs. aspic de homard quartiers d'artichaux à la gelée. à la vénitienne. petits pois gâteau milanais à l'anglaise. au parmesan. pain de pêches bombe glacée au noyau. au café moka, * * * * * jambon en surprise glacé à la vanille. _pudding_ à la méphistophiles. a. soyer. festivities at grendon hall. a series of festivities are taking place at the seat of sir george chetwynd, bart., grendon hall, atherstone, warwickshire, to celebrate the christening of sir george's infant grandson. the christening took place on tuesday, at grendon church, and in the evening a grand dinner was given in celebration of the event, under the able superintendence of m. alexis soyer. as the dinner, which was provided for twenty persons, was of a very _recherché_ description, we subjoin the bill of fare. deux potages. one of clear turtle. ditto à la nivernaise. * * * * * deux poissons. crimped severn salmon turbot à la régence. à la cardinal. * * * * * deux relevés. la hanche de venaison. deux poulardes à la nelson. * * * * * rissolettes de foie gras à la pompadour. rissolettes de foie gras à la pompadour. six entrées. les ortolans à la vicomtesse. epigramme d'agneau à la purée de concombres. grenadins de veau aux petits pois. filets de caneton au jus d'orange. côtelettes de mouton à la provençale. turban de volaille à la périgord. * * * * * deux rôtis. cailles bardées aux feuilles de vignes. gelinottes des ardennes. * * * * * huit entremets. turban de meringues pain de fruit aux pistaches. aux pêches. galantine croûtades d'artichaux à la volière. à l'indienne. vegetable marrow miroton de homard à la béchamel. à la gelée. bavaroise mousseuse blanche crême à l'ananas. au marasquin. * * * * * ices. deux relevés. st. james's pine apple hure de sanglier en surprise glacé cake, and à la vanille. the first strawberry. petits biscuits soufflés à la crême. ever made. after dinner m. soyer had the honor of presenting the youthful heir the proof copy of his new work on cookery. _morning post, july , ._ letter xx a new aliment. bifrons villa. here, dear eloise, is an entirely new aliment, which has never yet been introduced into this country. a semi-epicure of our acquaintance, on returning from his visit to the national guard of france, presented me with a pound of it, which he had purchased in paris; but even there, said he, it is almost in its infancy; you may fancy, if i were not anxious of making an immediate trial of it; but before i give you the receipt how to use it, let me tell you i have found it most delicious. mr. b. has not yet tasted it, being for a week in the country, but i am confident he will like it, especially for breakfast: but the puzzle is, after my pound is used, how we are to get more? time, i suppose, will teach us. it appears that we are indebted for it to a celebrated french gentleman, m. le docteur lamolte, the inventor of the electric light, who ingeniously, though oddly, named it cho-ca, being a scientific composition of _chocolat_ and _café_, the alliance of which balancing admirably their excellence and virtue, and partly correcting their evils, the first being rather irritable, the second heavy. but i think, if my recollection serves me rightly, the idea of this compound must have originated from that great french philosopher, m. de voltaire, who constantly, for his breakfast, partook of half café-au-lait and half chocolate, which were served at the same time in separate vessels in a boiling state, and poured from each slowly, about eighteen inches in elevation from his cup, which, he said, made it extremely light and digestible. years after, that still more extraordinary man, napoleon bonaparte, became so partial to it, that he made a constant use of it, and it has often been remarked by those who surrounded his person, that after the great excitement and fatigue of a battle he has often partaken of two or three cups, which seemed to restore all the strength and energy which used to characterize that great man; on ordinary occasions one cup would suffice him, but served more _à la militaire_, not being poured so scientifically as did the fernaise philosopher. the approval of this mixed beverage by two such eminent characters speaks volumes in favor of the cho-ca, which ought to be immediately introduced in england. it will also, no doubt, interest you to learn that the first cup of coffee ever introduced in europe was made and presented to louis xiv, at his magnificent palace of versailles, by the ambassador from the sublime porte in the year , when the noble potentate, whose palate was as delicate as he was himself great, pronounced it excellent; and immediately perceived the immense advantage it would be to introduce such a delicacy into france as food, which a short time after took place, and was very successfully received there; also the chocolate, which is made from cacao, was first introduced to the cardinal mazarin, who, having partook of the first cup like louis xiv. did of the coffee, and not a worse judge than his illustrious master, remunerated with a handsome reward its inventor. it is much to be regretted that such interesting and useful subjects have never yet attracted the attention of our great painters, instead of continually tracing on innumerable yards of canvass the horrors of war, the destruction of a fleet by fire and water, the plague, the storm, the earthquake, or an eruption and destruction of a city by an avalanche or an inundation; if we cannot do without those painful historical reminiscences, why not add to those mournful collections a group of louis xiv. and his court at versailles, where he, magnificently dressed, was receiving from the hands of the said pacha, not a cup of coffee, but a branch of that plant covered with its precious berries; and why not also, as a pendant, mazarin surrounded by his satellites, taking the first cup of chocolate; or the characteristic voltaire pouring a cup of cho-ca to frederic the great in his tent on the field of potsdam? these subjects seem to have been entirely neglected in being immortalized on canvass, why? because they have never done harm or evil to any one; but, on the contrary, have, are, and ever will prove to be, among the greatest boons ever conferred upon humanity: it would also engrave in our minds, as well as in our history, to what mortals we are indebted for the importation and introduction of such important productions, which daily constitute a part of our comforts, and have conferred an everlasting benefit on mankind; but, as usual, dear eloise, you will no doubt reproach me for having so much enthusiasm; however, as on this subject you have been tolerably quiet lately, i not only here inclose you the receipt, but also two of the thin round cakes of this new aliment, the cho-ca, which will produce two cups by making it as follows:-- . _cho-ca._--scrape or grate it; put a pint of milk in a stewpan or chocolate-pot, and place it on the fire, with two ounces of sugar, boil it, put the cho-ca in it, and stir it well for two minutes, and serve. on carving. you reproach me for not having said a word about carving; i have not done so, as i think that is an accomplishment which our sex need not study, but at the same time it is well to know a little of it. it is rather difficult to give you a correct description without drawings, but a few general remarks may be useful. cut beef, veal, ham, tongue, and breasts of poultry, with a sharp knife, very thin; mutton, lamb, and pork rather thicker. never rise from your seat to carve; never cut across the grain of the meat, that is, not across the ribs of beef, as i have seen some persons do, and mr. b. tells me is often done at clubs, but it is only those do so who do not know how to carve or appreciate the true flavor of the meat. never place a fork through the back of a fowl, in order to carve the leg and wings, but run the knife gently down each side the breast, detaching the leg and wing at the same time, which is greatly facilitated by the use of the tendon separator--one of which i purchased at bramah's, in piccadilly; it is the greatest boon ever conferred on a bad carver: the directions for using it are given with it. if it was more generally used, there would be no more birds flying across the table in the faces of guests; no more turkeys deposited in a lady's or gentleman's lap; no more splashing of gravy to spoil satin dresses; but all would be divided with the greatest facility, and in the most elegant manner, and the poultry would look much better at table. never cut up the body of poultry at table, that should always be left; but game should be cut up, as many epicures prefer the backbone. for a sirloin of beef the under part of the loin should always be cut when hot, and the upper part cut straight from the backbone towards the outside of the ribs, by this plan you will not spoil the appearance of the joint. ribs of beef should be carved in the same way, cutting thin and slanting. round of beef: cut a slice half an inch thick from the outside, and then carve thin slices, with a little fat. aitch-bone, the same. fillet of veal, the same. loin of veal, carve as the sirloin of beef, serving some of the kidney, and fat to each person. shoulder of veal, begin from the knuckle, cut thin and slanting. saddle of mutton will, if properly carved, serve a great many persons; instead of cutting a long slice the whole length, put your knife under the meat and cut it away from the bone, then cut it like thin chops, serving lean and fat together; according to the usual plan, a saddle of mutton will serve but few people, and the flavor of the meat is not so good as when served this way. necks and loins: the bones should be severed by a small meat-saw, and not a chopper, and the bone cut through when serving, and carve slanting. haunches are usually carved by making a cut near the knuckle and cutting a slice from that through the loin; but by a plan i have adopted, i find that the meat eats better, and the joint goes farther. i carve it like the leg and saddle, that is, i cut a slice out of the leg part and a slice from the loin, and serve together. this is more economical, but would not do for venison. lamb.--for leg and shoulders, proceed as for mutton. the ribs, when well prepared and the bones properly separated, carve into cutlets, and serve with a piece of the brisket. quarter of lamb: the ribs should be sawed through, and the bones disjointed previous to cooking. the shoulder should be then nicely removed, the seasoning added; then divide the ribs and serve one part of the brisket to each person. pork: proceed like the mutton. in carving a ham, remove a thick slice, of about one inch, flat cut slantways from the knuckle-end--a tongue, begin three inches from the tip, and cut thin slanting slices. letter no. xxi the septuagenarian epicure. my dear eloise,--having now arrived at the conclusion of our labors, during which you have in many instances thought me rather severe, and perhaps too _exigeant_ in my remarks, especially about the selection, preparation, and cooking of food in general, which even to the last i must maintain, that for want of judgment and a little care, the greatest part of the nutrition of our aliments is often destroyed, which constitutes a considerable waste, being of no good to any one, but an evil to everybody; and when you consider the monstrous quantity of food our fragile bodies consume in this sublunary sphere during the course of our life, the truth of my observation will be more apparent, and make you agree with me that in every instance people ought really to devote more time, care, and personal attention to their daily subsistence, it being the most expensive department through life of human luxury. i shall, for example, give you a slight and correct idea of it, which i am confident you never before conceived. for this i shall propose to take seventy years of the life of an epicure, beyond which age many of that class of "bon vivants" arrive, and even above eighty, still in the full enjoyment of degustation, &c., (for example, talleyrand, cambacérès, lord sefton, &c.;) if the first of the said epicures when entering on the tenth spring of his extraordinary career, had been placed on an eminence, say, the top of primrose hill, and had had exhibited before his infantine eyes the enormous quantity of food his then insignificant person would destroy before he attained his seventy-first year,--first, he would believe it must be a delusion; then, secondly, he would inquire, where the money could come from to purchase so much luxurious extravagance? but here i shall leave the pecuniary expenses on one side, which a man of wealth can easily surmount when required. so now, dearest, for the extraordinary fact: imagine on the top of the above-mentioned hill a rushlight of a boy just entering his tenth year, surrounded with the recherché provision and delicacies claimed by his rank and wealth, taking merely the medium consumption of his daily meals. by closely calculating he would be surrounded and gazed at by the following number of quadrupeds, birds, fishes, &c.:--by no less than oxen, sheep, calves, lambs, pigs; in poultry, fowls, turkeys, geese, ducklings, pigeons; partridges, pheasants, and grouse; woodcocks and snipes; wild ducks, widgeon, and teal; plovers, ruffes, and reeves; quails, ortolans, and dotterels, and a few guillemôts and other foreign birds; also hares and rabbits, deer, guinea fowl, peacocks, and wild fowl. in the way of fish, turbot, salmon, cod, trout, mackerel, whitings, soles and slips, flounders, red mullet, eels, haddocks, herrings, smelts, and some hundred thousand of those delicious silvery whitebait, besides a few hundred species of fresh-water fishes. in shell-fish, turtle, , oysters, lobsters or crabs, , prawns, shrimps, sardines and anchovies. in the way of fruit, about lbs. of grapes, lbs. of pine-apples, peaches, apricots, melons, and some hundred thousand plums, greengages, apples, pears, and some millions of cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants, mulberries, and an abundance of other small fruit, viz., walnuts, chestnuts, dry figs and plums. in vegetables of all kinds, pounds weight, and about ¾ pounds of butter, pounds of cheese, , eggs, do. plovers'. of bread, ½ tons, half a ton of salt and pepper, near ½ tons of sugar; and, if he had happened to be a covetous boy, he could have formed a fortification or moat round the said hill with the liquids he would have to partake of to facilitate the digestion of the above-named provisions, which would amount to no less than , ¾ gallons, which may be taken as below:-- hogsheads of wine, ¾ gallons of beer, gallons of spirits, liqueur, ¾ gallons of coffee, cocoa, tea, &c., and gallons of milk, gallons of water, all of which would actually protect him and his anticipated property from any young thief or fellow schoolboy, like alexandre dumas had protected dante and his immense treasure from the pirates in his island of monte christo. you now, dearest, fancy that i am exaggerating in every way; but to convince you, and to prevent your puzzling your brain to no purpose, i also enclose you a medium scale of the regular meals of the day, from which i have taken my basis, and in sixty years it amounts to no less than ¾ tons weight of meat, farinaceous food and vegetables, &c.; out of which i have named in detail the probable delicacies that would be selected by an epicure through life. but observe that i did not count the first ten years of his life, at the beginning of which he lived upon pap, bread and milk, &c., also a little meat, the expense of which i add to the age from then to twenty, as no one can really be called an epicure before that age; it will thus make the expenses more equal as regards the calculation. the following is the list of what i consider his daily meals:-- _breakfast._--three quarters of a pint of coffee, four ounces of bread, one ounce of butter, two eggs, or four ounces of meat, or four ounces of fish. _lunch._--two ounces of bread, two ounces of meat, or poultry, or game, two ounces of vegetables, and half a pint of beer or a glass of wine. _dinner._--half a pint of soup, a quarter of a pound of fish, half a pound of meat, a quarter of a pound of poultry, a quarter of a pound of savory dishes or game, two ounces of vegetables, two ounces of bread, two ounces of pastry or roasts, half an ounce of cheese, a quarter of a pound of fruit, one pint of wine, one glass of liqueur, one cup of coffee or tea; at night one glass of spirits and water. now that i have given you these important details, perhaps you will give me some little credit for my exaction and severity respecting the attention which ought to be daily paid to the indispensable and useful art of cookery by our middle classes. i shall also observe to you, that those masses of provisions above described in the exposé of sixty years, have been selected, dressed, and served, by scientific hands, every real epicure choosing through life the best cook, and consequently the best of provisions, which, had they have fallen into the hands of inexperienced persons, would very likely have wasted one third, thereby increasing the expenses, and never giving any real satisfaction to the consumer; therefore let us act in a small way as becomes us, as it is for the wealthy according to their incomes; let every housekeeper devote more time to the study of domestic and practical economy; in many instances it will increase their incomes as well as their daily comforts, as i remarked to you that the pleasures of the table being not only the most expensive part of human luxury, but also the soul of sociability, require more attention bestowed upon it than is done at the present day. fare you well, hortense. index. acid, a-la-mode beef, , albumen, almond water, almond cake, iced, ice, white, aitch-bone of beef, aliment, a new, apple bread, charlotte, compote, , dumplings, flanc, fritters, jelly, sauté in butter, pie, pudding, vol-au-vent, apples, baked, and fig beverage, and rice pudding, with rice, with butter, apricot compote, , , fritters, ice cream, marmalade, nougat, pudding, arrow-root, jelly, water, broth, artichokes, jerusalem, , asparagus, with eggs, aspic of meat, bacon, to choose, , to boil, to broil, baking, on, barley lemonade, barley orangeade, barley water, batter for fritters, beans, broad, french, à la maître d'hôtel, haricot, young, à la bretonne, beef, on, a-la-mode, , aitch-bone of, brisket of, croquettes of, choice of, essence of, family salad of, fillets of, broiled, sauté, to hang, hashed, minced, miroton, , palates, à la bretonne, à la poulette, à la maître d'hôtel, pickle for, à la garrick, pressed, remains of, ribs of, braised, larded, roasted, round of, salted, cold, rump steak, stewed, half-round of, silver side, salt, remains of, salt, bubble and squeak, sirloin of, stewed rump of, spiced, tea, beignet soufflé, beet-root, beurre noir, or black butter, beverage, refreshing, , bills of fare, biscuit soufflé, cocoa-nut, cream, moss, rout, blackberry pudding, black-pudding, broiled, blancmange, bloaters, boiling, on, boudins of fowl, turkey, bottoms and tops, to make, braising, on, braise-roast, boil, bread, to make, and milk, and apple, breakfast table, , brocoli, broiling, broth, arrow-root, chicken, , eel, mutton, rice, french herb, seasoned, semoulina, turkey, various, vermicelli, veal, brown stock, browning, brioche rolls, to make, brussels sprouts, bubble and squeak, buns, to make, butter, anchovy, burnt, lobster, melted, maître d'hôtel, ravigote, cacao, cake, almond, cinnamon, ginger, pound, queen's, rout, savoy, in moulds, cake, savoy, or ladies' fingers, shrewsbury, sponge, small, st. james's, royal iceing for, calf's brains, à la maître d'hôtel, fried, to prepare, ears, stewed, feet, , , feet jelly, head, , curry, hollandaise, with mushrooms, with tomatos, heart, roasted, liver, english fashion, fried, sautéd, stewed, sweetbreads, au gratin, another way, caper sauce, capillaire, capon, boiled, and cresses, à l'estragon, pie, roast, roast braised, stewed, capilotade of poultry, carp, baked, sauce matelote, carrot pudding, with poulards, soup, white, sauce, carving, cauliflower, gratin, with cheese, purée, soup, , celery, cheesecakes, lemon, maids of honor, puff, cheese soufflé, raminole, charlotte, apple, russe, cheese, to make, charlotte, strawberry, chartreuse of fruit, cherry draught, compote, , cherry marmalade, omelette, vol-au-vent, pudding, chestnut pudding, chicken, boiled, , braised, broth, , curry, italian way, pie, roast braised, roast, for invalids, spring, stewed, chicorée sauce, choice of pork, choca, , chocolate, italian, iceing for cakes, ice cream, choice of meat, chopping of herbs, chump of veal, , clear soup, clarify stock, to, cock-a-leekie soup, cocoa, , nut biscuits, cod, boiled, with oysters, coffee, on, to choose, where first used in london, to make, french, white, made with a filter, another way, cold ham, , conger eel, stewed, confectioner's paste, conversation on household affairs, compote of pigeons, of fruits, cooling drink, lemonade, cow heels, crab curry, cranberry pie, cresses with pullet, cream, bohemian jelly, clouted, coffee soufflé, coffee ice, pastry sauté, omelette soufflé, rice, sauce, with spinach, crécy soup, croquettes of fowl, macaroni, rice, crumpets, to make, to toast, to serve, crusts of fruit, madeira, cucumbers, brown sauce, white sauce, , with poulards, curaçao jelly, currant jelly, with omelette, red, white & black for puddings, and raspberry pie, compote, salad, sweetmeat of, curry, beef, calf's head, feet, and tail, , chicken, with paste, crab, fillets of haddock, sole, whiting, game, lamb, , lamb's head, lobster, mutton, ox tail, oyster, pork, prawn, rabbit, salmon, skate, sauce, tripe, turbot, veal, breast of, custard pudding, , damson pie, pudding, dartoise fourrée, demi-plum pudding, dessert, dewberry and raspberry pie, diablotins, dinner, nursery, table, d'office, paste, dried haddock, mackerel, sprats, draught, cherry, drink, cooling, new, strengthening, dry toast, ducks, on, à l'aubergiste, to choose, roasted, stewed with peas, , turnips, , varieties of, ducklings, pie, stewed with peas, turnips, remains of, duck, wild, hashed, with orange sauce, ears, calf's, stewed, ecarlate of fowl, eels, on, to kill, broth, fried, pie, spitchcocked, skinned, stewed, à la tartare, effects of fish, eggs au beurre, baked, with asparagus, with burnt butter, hard, in cases, with cheese, to choose, with green peas, with ham, plain boiled, poached, mashed, meagre, with mushrooms, sauce, snow, with sprue grass, sur le plat, and toast, à la tripe, endive sauce or purée, entrées, or made dishes, of game, epicure, the septuagenarian, escalops, escaloped oysters, eschalot sauce, essence of beef, fennel sauce, feet, lamb's, , ox, calf's, fish, on, french-anglais way of stewing for breakfast, carp, cod, conger eel, eels, effects of, forcemeat of, flounders, haddock, herrings, mackerel, maids, perch, pike, red mullet, or sur mullet, salmon, sauces, salad, salt, skate, smelts, soles, sturgeon, , tench, trout, turbot, white bait, whiting, fish, shell-- escalops, oysters, razor or solen, prawns, shrimps, fisherman's soup, fillet of beef, broiled, veal, cold, roast, flancs, flanc of apple, fruit, meringue, what they are, flounders, on, water souchet, fried, food, light, for invalids, forcemeat, on, to make, of fish, panada for, of veal, of whitings, fondu, parmesan, neapolitan, simple, stilton cheese, fourrée, dartoise, gâteau, rissole, fowls, on, blanquettes of, boiled, braised, broiled, , boudins of, croquettes of, fricassée of, fried, hashed, indian, italian way, à l'ecarlate, à la marengo, minced, pie, pillau, pulled, for invalids, roast braised, sauté, , , , salad, to truss, fowl, guinea, pea, french beans, coffee, herb broth, panada, , remedy for colds, plums compote, fritadella, fritters, apple, apricot, orange, peach, soufflé, fruit, chartreuse of, crusts, flanc of, rissolettes, puddings, pies, salads of, , vol-au-vent, wall, fricandeau of veal, to carve, to dress, various ways, fritadella, frying, on, fry, lamb's, fumet de gibier sauce, game, choice of, to keep, made-dishes of, salad of, soup, tureen of, entrées of, dunbird, garganey, gorcock, grouse, red, white, half birds, lark, moorcock, or gorcock, moor-game, partridge, red-legged, pea fowl, pheasant, hybrid, plovers, pochard, ptarmigan, quails, red heads, snipes, teal, whim, whewer, widgeons, great headed, woodcock, garlic sauce, garniture for omelettes, garum sauce, sociorum, gâteau fourré, galantine, to cook, jelly, turkey, veal, how got, gibelote of rabbit, giblets, , glaze, gold jelly, goose, to choose, giblets, hashed, pie, preserved, stewed, stuffing, roasted, , trussed, gooseberry, green, compote, pie, pudding, vol-au-vent, with rhubarb, gosling, roast, grass, sprue, gratin of lobster, gravy, brown, spinach and, turkey, greengage compote, , greengage pudding, groats, scotch, gruel, grouse pie, , scotch plan of cooking, gruel, sago, guinea fowls, roasted, haddocks, baked, dried, fillets of, ham, cold, , and eggs, hot, hamburgh beef, hard eggs, hare, jugged, , roasted, haricot beans, hartshorn jelly, haunch of mutton, venison, head, calf's, , hollandaise, with mushrooms, tomatos, curry, lamb's, pig's, pig's, sauce for, pig's, to braise, heart, calf's, roasted, lamb's, sheep's, herbs with omelette, minced, sauce, italian sauce, chopping, herrings, boiled, broiled, toast, hotch potch, ice, almond, white, apricot, chocolate, coffee, lemon, orange, pine apple, strawberry, vanilla, iced almond cake, imperial, indian hash, invalids, comforts for, fish for, food, meat, , partridges, pigeons, poultry, puddings, irish stew, soup, isinglass jelly, italian drops, jam, apricot, quince, raspberry, strawberry, jardinière, neck of lamb, sauce, jelly, apple, arrow-root, bohemian cream, calf's foot, curaçao, currant, gelatine, gold, hartshorn, isinglass, marasquino, lemon, orange, punch, quince, , rum, silver, whipped, of meat, to clarify, jesuits, turkeys, so called, julienne soup, kidneys, bread-crumbed, maître d'hôtel, on toast, ox, omelette of, pudding, , sautéd, sheep's, , kidney beans, knuckle of veal, , lait de poule, sweet, lamb, breast of, broiled, curried, chop, , , curry, cutlets, to cut up, feet, , fry, head, , , heart, leg of, loin of, neck of, pie, , papillote, pudding, quarter of, quality of, remains of, ribs of, saddle of, russian fashion, sautéd, shoulder of, larks à la minute, pie, laver, lentils, soup, letters-- i, ; ii, ; iii, ; iv, ; v, ; vi, ; vii, ; viii, ; ix, ; x, ; xi, ; xii, ; xiii, ; xiv, ; xv, ; xvi, ; xvii, ; xviii, ; xix, ; xx, ; xxi, . leveret, lemonade, barley, cooling, , lemon cheesecakes, jelly, soufflé, , leg of pork, , lamb, liaison of eggs, liver, calf's, , lobster butter, curry, à la crême, gratin of, miroton of, omelette, plain, salad, sauce, , loin of mutton, pork, veal, braised, luncheon, mackerel à la maître d'hôtel, au beurre noir, boiled, dried, pickled, stewed, soft roe sauce, macaroons, macaroni, croquettes, à l'estoufade, au gratin, à l'italienne, à la napolitaine, pudding, soup, to blanch, macedoine omelette, madeira crusts, made dishes of beef, game, remains of veal, maître d'hôtel sauce, maids of honor, marasquino jelly, marinade of salmon, marrow, vegetable, pudding, matelote, marmalade with pancake, of apple, of apricot, of cherries, of pine apple, mashed eggs, meagre eggs, soup, , purée, meat, aspic of, for breakfast, for invalids, remains of, melted butter, mephistopheleian sauce, meringues à la cuillerée, flanc, milk and bread, rice, , semoulina, tapioca, vermicelli, minced beef, fowl, meat, pie, pudding, pheasant, mint sauce, minute, snipes à la, miroton of beef, , lobster, lobster salad, moorgame pie, mould pudding, mock turtle, brown, white, muffins, to make, toast, mulberry pie, mulligatawny soup, muria sauce, mullet, or sur mullet, to cook, papillote, sauté, mussel sauce, mushrooms, blanched, with eggs, omelette of, sauce, , , , mutton, on, boiled, broth, , , chop, , soyer's, , sauté, breast of, curry, curry, cutlet, various ways, , , plain, french ragout of, haunch of, leg of, roasted, boiled, à la bretonne, braised, stewed, loin of, roasted, loin of, à la bretonne, neck of, roasted, boiled, pie, pillau, pudding, saddle of, à la polonaise, shoulder of, roasted, boiled, baked, with apples provincial, stuffed and baked, neapolitan fondue, neck of lamb, pork, veal, venison, nectarine pudding, new drink, nursery dinner, omelettes, , asparagus, bacon, cherry, currant jelly, garniture for, ham, herb, kidney, lobster, mushroom, macedoine of, oyster, parmesan, peach, peas, preserved apricot, raspberry jam, rum, sauté soufflé, sautéd in cream, strawberry, sweet, onion, button, sauce, purée, soup, stuffed, orangeade, orange compote, , fritters, salad, vol-au-vent, jelly, ice, soufflé, sauce, osmazome, , oxen, to judge, how cut, ox-beef, to hang, brains, cheek, feet, heart, kidneys, remains, tail curry, au gratin, à la jardinière, sauce piquante, soup, tongue, cold, hot, fresh, pickled, remains of, , oysters, escaloped, curry, omelette, soup, sauce, stewed, panada, french, , pancake, with marmalade, pap, parmesan fondue, parsnips, with salt fish, partridge, roasted, hashed, for invalids, pie, , salmi, sautéd with mushrooms, stewed with cabbage, palates of beef, à la bretonne, à la maître d'hôtel, à la poulette, papillote lamb chops, sauce, paste, beef suet, different sorts of, d'office, or confectioners', puff, half, short, or pâte à foncer, for fruit tarts, pastry cream sauté, turban of, peach compote, fritters, omelette, salad, vol-au-vent, pea-fowl, pear compote, with rice, pie, peas and sprue-grass sauce, and bacon, french way, green, with eggs, soup, , stewed, winter, pease pudding, perch, sautéd in butter, hampton court fashion, pheasant, broiled, hashed, joe miller's, minced, pie, raised, roasted, salmi, stewed with cabbage, pickle à la garrick, pickled fish, mackerel, pork, salmon, trout, pie, capon, chicken, duckling, eel, fowl, goose, grouse, , hare, lamb, , lark, in mould, mutton, moorfowl, partridge, , pigeon, , pheasant, poulard, rabbit, rump-steak, sea, veal and ham, , fruit, apple, cherry, cranberry, currant, damson, dewberry and raspberry, gooseberry, minced meat, mulberry, pear, plum, quince, raspberry, rhubarb, whortleberry, pies, simple plan of making, various, pigeons en compote, for invalids, pie, , stewed with peas, pig, sucking, hind-quarter of, pig's cheek, feet à la ste. menéhould, stuffed, kidneys, head, like wild boar's, to braise, pike, to cook, sauce matelote, pillau, fowl, mutton, pine apple, piquante sauce, , plovers sautéd with truffles, pie, plum beverage, compote, stewed, vol-au-vent, poached eggs, pork, to cut up, best, to choose, neck of, salted, pickled, chine of, cutlets, , hashed, hand of, leg of, roasted, boiled, loin of, à la piémontaise, normandy fashion, pudding, sparerib of, porridge, potatoes, varieties of, baked, boiled, fried, mashed, irish way of boiling, à la lyonnaise, à la maître d'hôtel, mashed, sandwiches, poultry, on, described, for invalids, to draw, to kill, to pluck, en capillotade, poulards, braised, boiled, with carrots, with cucumbers, poulard pie, with quenelles, with rice, roasted, stewed, poults, turkey, prawn curry, preserved goose, prussian cutlets, pudding, meat, black, beefsteak, kidney, ox-kidney, lamb, mutton, pease, pork, rabbit, suet, toad-in-hole, veal, yorkshire, for invalids and children, apple and rice, bread, bread and butter, small, cabinet, custard, macaroni, rice, tapioca, vermicelli, in moulds, à l'eloise, à la reine, carrot, chestnut, demi-plum, iced cabinet, minced meat, nesselrode, trifle, in cloths, apple, apricot, blackberry, currant, red and white, custard, damson, fruit, gooseberry, greengage, nectarine, marrow, peach, plum, plain baked, plain bolster, plum bolster, raspberry and cherry, rowley powley, rhubarb, whorts, puff cheesecakes, paste, pulled fowl for invalids, pullets, on, roasting, roasted, with cresses, punch jelly, cold, quails, quenelles. ragout sauce, with tongue, quince pie, rabbit, on, roasted, curry, fricassée of, gibelotte of, pie, pudding, raised pies, , ramifolle, raminole, cheese, raspberry jam, omelette, pie, pudding, vinegar, ratafias, ravigote sauce, , refreshing beverage, removes, , remains of meat, lamb, duck, rhubarb compote, pie, pudding, vol-au-vent, rice with apples, to boil, broth, croquettes, milk, , with pears, pudding, with apple, poulard with, soup, water, rissole fourrée, rissolettes, little fruit, ribs of beef, roasted, braised, roasting, on, roasts, second course, robert sauce, root, beet, rolls, to make, brioche, roux, rump steak, , rum, omelette with, jelly, russe, charlotte, rusks, to make, saddle of lamb, sago gruel, salad, beef, and potatoes, fish, fowl, game, lobster, miroton, plain, tartar, salads of fruit, , salmon, boiled, broiled, curry, marinade, matelote, pickled, salmi of partridge, pheasant, salsify, sandwiches, sauces, on, sauce, anchovy, anchovy butter, , beans, french, beyrout, for meat, brown, , cucumber, mushroom, , beurre noir, button onion, caper, carrot, cream, chicorée, cauliflower, cucumber, , , curry, demi-glaze, egg, endive, eschalot, fumet de gibier, fennel, fish, garum, garum sociorum, garlic, italian herb, jardinière, jerusalem artichoke, , liaison of eggs, lobster, new, à la crême, simplified, maître d'hôtel, , , matelote, simple, mayonnaise, melted butter, mephistopheleian, minced herb, mint, muria, mushroom, , , , mussel, onion, , orange, oyster, , papillote, peas, , , piquante, , quenelles, ravigote, , robert, shrimp, soft roe, sorrel, soyer's, spinach, , tomato, , tartar, , turnip, , tarragon, white, , wild boar's head, wild fowl, sardines and toast, salt pork, sorrel sauce, sautéing, on, sausage cake, , sausages, to cook, to choose, cambridge, to sauté, , atherstone, with turkey, savory dishes, seakale, semoulina broth, milk, soup, shrimp sauce, , sheep's brains, , feet, or trotters, stock from, head, heart, kidneys, , tongue, sheep, how to cut up, which are best, shell fish, silver jelly, skate, to cook, au beurre noir, curry, soup, on, autumn, artichoke, , cabbage, clear, carrot, white, cauliflower, crab, crécy, fisherman's, game, giblet, hare, hotch potch, italian paste, irish, julienne, lamb's head, lentil, macaroni, mock turtle, brown, white, maigre, , mulligatawny, mutton broth, onion, ox cheek, ox tail, oyster, palestine, pea, , pot-au-feu, printanière, purée of vegetable, rice, scotch cock-a-leekie, semoulina, spring, sole, sheep's head, turnip, , vermicelli, wild fowl, soufflé, beignet, biscuit, coffee, cream, whipped, cheese, fritters, lemon, , omelette, sauté, cream, orange flower, orange iced, punch cake, rice cream, vanilla, smelts, broiled, fried, for invalids, water souchet, soles, small, or slips, boiled, fried, fillets of curried, aux fines herbes, à la mennière, sauté in oil, snow eggs, snipes à la minute, soyer's chop, sauce, sourcrout, to cook, bavarian way, sparerib of pork, spinach, with gravy, with cream, sprouts, brussels, spring chickens, sprats, to cook, dried, sprue-grass, with eggs, steak, rump, , stewing, on, stock, on, for all kinds of soup, brown, to clarify, economical, sheep's feet, strawberry jam, omelette, salad, charlotte, vol-au-vent, strengthening drink, stuffing, turkey, veal, sturgeon, , sucking pig, hind-quarter of, sugar, to boil, color, clear, in grains, of lemon, spring, silk thread, vanilla, sweetbreads, sauté, au gratin, sweet lait de poule, sweetmeat of currant jelly, table, breakfast, tapioca milk, pudding, tarragon sauce, tartar sauce, tarts, small fruit, tartlets, little fruit, tea, how made in france, beef, new way to make, teal, a new method of cooking, à la sans façon, tench, stewed, with anchovy butter, toast, plain, dry, and eggs, haddock, herring, kidneys, sardines, water, crumpets, to, muffins, to serve, toad in a hole, tongue, cold ox, fresh, remains of, , sheep's, tomato sauce, tops and bottoms, trout à la bretonne, pickled, river, à la twickenham, trifles, trifle pudding, tripe curry, truffles, sauté of, turbot, to cook, french way, à la crême, turban of almond cake, of boudins of fowl, of pastry, turkey, boiled, braised, broth from, blanquette of, boudins of, with celery sauce, to choose, where from, giblets, gravy for, jerusalem sauce, called jesuits, galantine, to dress, with oysters, parsley and butter, sausages, sausage-cake, roasted, braised, stuffing for, to truss, with tomatos, stewed, poults, tureen of game, vanilla cream, soufflé, veal, on, breast of, stuffed, stewed, curried, broth, strengthening, french fashion, curry, cutlets, aux fines herbes, en papillote, sauté, chump of, fricandeau of, to dress, to prepare, to carve, with all sauces, fillet of, roasted, braised, forcemeat of, galantine of, and ham pie, , , knuckle of, , loin of, , neck of, braised, with peas, with haricots, with new potatoes, shoulder of, stewed, with sauce piquante, stuffed and braised, cold, roasted, braised, remains of, vegetables, to cook, artichokes, jerusalem, asparagus, beans, french, à la maître d'hôtel, gabanza, haricot, white, à la bretonne, kidney, windsor, beetroot, brocoli, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, gratiné with cheese, celery, cucumbers, laver, lentils, vegetable marrow, mushrooms, large, potatoes, their introduction, baked, boiled, irish way, fried, fried, mashed, à la lyonnaise, à la maître d'hôtel, peas, green, french way, salsifis, seakale, sourcrout, bavarian, spinach, with gravy, with cream, sprue grass, truffles, english, sauté of, venison, where to keep, how to choose, haunch of, neck of, vermicelli broth, milk, pudding, soup, victimized cutlets, vinegar, raspberry, vol-au-vent, of apples, cherries, fruit, gooseberries, oranges, another, still plainer, peaches, plums, rhubarb, strawberries, water, barley, fresh fruit, jelly, rice, toast and, souchet, smelts, cresses with steak, whitings, boiled, broiled, , fried, , au gratin, forcemeat of, sautéd, fillets of, white bait, to cook, sauce, , whipped jelly, whorts pie, pudding, woodcock, hashed, à la lucullus, sportsman's fashion, widgeon, hashed, roasted, wild boar's head, sauce, wild duck, with orange sauce, hashed, wine, port, negus, white, fillip, yorkshire pudding, the end. _d. appleton & co.'s publications._ illustrated standard poets. halleck's complete poetical works. beautifully illustrated with fine steel engravings and a portrait. vol. vo., finest paper, cloth extra, gilt edges, $ ; morocco extra, $ ; morocco antique, $ . byron's complete poetical works. illustrated with elegant steel engravings and portrait. vol. vo., fine paper, cloth, $ ; cloth, gilt leaves, $ ; morocco extra, $ . cheaper edition, with portrait and vignette, $ . moore's complete poetical works. illustrated with very fine steel engravings and portrait. vol. vo., fine paper, cloth, $ ; cloth, gilt edges, $ ; morocco extra, $ . cheaper edition, with portrait and vignette, $ . southey's complete poetical works. illustrated with several beautiful steel engravings. vol. vo., fine paper, cloth, $ ; cloth, gilt edges, $ ; morocco extra, $ . sacred poets (the) of england and america, for three centuries. edited by rufus w. griswold. illustrated with steel engravings. vol. vo., 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cloth, cts. ---- gertrude. a tale. mo. paper, cts.; cloth. cts. ---- laneton parsonage. vols. mo. paper, $ ; cloth, $ . ---- margaret percival, vols. paper, $ ; cloth, $ . ---- walter lorimer, and other tales. mo. cts. taylor, (general) anecdote book, letters, &c. vo. cts. zschokke. incidents of social life. mo. $ . miniature classical library. _published in elegant form, with frontispiece._ poetical lacon; or aphorisms from the poets. cts. bond's golden maxims. cts. clarke's scripture promises. complete. cts. elizabeth; or the exiles of siberia. cts. goldsmith's vicar of wakefield. cts. ---- essays. cts. gems from american poets. cts. hannah more's private devotions. cts. ---- practical piety. vols. cts. hemans' domestic affections. cts. hoffman's lays of the hudson, &c. cts. johnson's history of rasselas. cts. manual of matrimony. cts. moore's lallah rookh. cts. ---- melodies. complete. cts. paul and virginia. cts. pollok's course of time. cts. pure gold from the rivers of wisdom. cts. thomson's seasons. cts. token of the heart.--do. of affection.--do. of remembrance.--do. of friendship.--do. of love; each. cts. useful letter writer. cts. wilson's sacra privata. cts. young's night thoughts. cts. _d. appleton & co's publications._ religious works. arnold's rugby school sermons $ anthon's catechism on the homilies anthon's easy catechism for young children a kempis. of the imitation of christ burnet's history of the reformation. edited by dr. nares. portraits. vols. do. cheap edition. vols. burnet on the thirty-nine articles. best edition beaven's help to catechising. edited by dr. anthon bradley's parochial and practical sermons. vols. in cruden's concordance to the new testament cotter. the romish mass and rubrics. translated christmas bells and other poems coit, dr. puritanism reviewed evans' rectory of valehead faber on the doctrine of election four gospels, arranged as a practical family commentary for every day in the year. vo. illustrated fosters' essay on christian morals gresley's portrait of an english churchman gresley's treatise on preaching hook. the cross of christ; meditations on our saviour hooker's complete works. edited by keble. vols. ives, bishop. sermons. mo. jarvis. reply to milner's end of controversy. mo. keble's christian year, handsomely printed kingsley's sacred choir layman's lesson to a lord bishop on sacerdotal powers. mo. lyra apostolica. mo. marshall's notes on episcopacy. edited by wainwright manning on the unity of the church. mo. magee on atonement and sacrifice. vols. vo. morell's philosophy of religion. mo. mochler's symbolics. vo. newman's sermons on subjects of the day newman's essay on christian doctrine. vo. paper cover, cts.; cloth ogilby's lectures on the church. mo. ogilby on lay baptism. mo. paget's tales of the village. vols. mo. palmer on the church. edited by bishop whittingham. vols. pearson on the creed. edited by dobson. vo. pulpit cyclopædia and minister's companion. vo., pp., $ ; sheep psalter, (the) or psalms of david, pointed for chanting. edited by dr. muhlenberg. mo., c.; sheep southard, "the mystery of godliness." vo. sketches and skeletons of sermons. by the author of "the pulpit cyclopædia." vo. spencer's christian instructed sherlock's practical christian spincke's manual of private devotion sutton's disce vivere, learn to live. mo. swartz. letters to my godchild. mo. trench's notes on the miracles taylor's golden grove taylor's holy living and dying taylor's episcopacy asserted and maintained wilberforce's manual for communicants wilson's lectures on colossians. mo. wilson's sacra privata. mo. whiston's constitution of the holy apostles, including the canons. translated by doctor chase vo. wyatt's christian altar book of common prayer. new standard edition. the book of common prayer and administration of the sacraments and other rites and ceremonies of the church, according to the use of the protestant episcopal church in the united states of america, together with the psalter or psalms of david. illustrated with steel engravings by overbeck, and a finely illuminated title-page, in various elegant bindings. five different sizes. lamartine's last work. * * * * * _d. appleton & co. have recently published,_ les confidences. * * * * * confidential disclosures, or memoirs of my youth, by alphonse de lamartine, author of "the history of the girondists," etc. translated from the french, by eugene plunkett. one volume mo. paper cover cents. cloth cents. "this volume might well open with the beautiful introductory sentence in johnson rasselas, "ye who listen with credulity to the whispers of fancy, or pursue with eagerness the phantoms of hope; who expect that age will perform the promises of youth, or that the deficiencies of the present day will be supplied by the morrow"--give ear! "it is a remarkable and most attractive book. the circumstances under which it has been given to the world are detailed in a preface in a manner to enlist our sympathies, and to bring lamartine before us as a confiding friend, narrating the scenes and events of his youth, not as an idle tale, nor to indulge egotism, but to convey some of the best lessons for the mind and heart. his description of the home of his youth, and shepherd employment; his portrait of his mother who was the idol of her children and her husband--if an object of such pure affection and worth can be called an idol; the italian peasant girl _graziella_; _the young aymon de varien, who passed through skepticism to faith in_ god; are passages that we have read with absorbing interest. we understand lamartine better, and respect him more, for the use he has made of the discipline of life, nay, even of his youthful transgressions. it is possible that to some there may appear a tragic affectation here and there, but we see beneath it the most genuine feeling, and only a somewhat cold new englander would find fault with the mode in which the feeling has expressed itself.--_boston courier._ "although this work is called 'confidential disclosures,' it evidently tells neither the whole truth nor nothing but the truth. it is, however, none the less agreeable on that account; glowing and beautiful as is the coloring through which the reader looks on the illuminated pages of that author's youth and early love, he can easily pardon the enthusiasm, by turns joyous and melancholy, from which it sprung. to one whose love of nature is something more than a feeling--whose passion for every form of external beauty, joined to a pure and lofty imagination, gives a vital spirit and sympathy to every thing on which he looks, the language of this volume is not extravagant, nor are its glowing and oft repeated descriptions of mere scenery wearisome. it is a work whose brilliancy all will admire, but whose true feeling will be appreciated by the imaginative only. the scenes of the poet's childhood--his free life on the hills of burgundy--his ramble in the jura and among the alps of savoy--his ossianic attachment for a young girl, whose tower he watched from the heights and whom he addressed in poetic rhapsodies about the harp of morven and the ghosts of cromla--are all described with exquisite poetic frankness. the episode of graziella, though it is impossible to say how much truth there is in its details, is the finest thing in the book, and perhaps the best thing lamartine has ever written. it is a picture which will be read and remembered, even should its framework fall into decay. the translating of this edition is well done, and the original of several poems introduced in the work is judiciously given in an appendix."--_journal of commerce._ d. a. & co. also publish in the original french, les confidences et raphael, par m. de lamartine. one volume vo. price $ . books for family reading, published by d. appleton & company. * * * * * mrs. ellis's new works. i. social distinctions; or, hearts and homes. by mrs. ellis, author of "the women of england" &c. "this work should find a place in every family; it is one of the best productions of this excellent writer, full of deep and touching interest, and urging lessons of great practical importance." ii. prevention better than cure; or the moral wants of the world we live in. by mrs. ellis. vol. mo. price cts. paper cover, cts. cloth. "we can safely recommend the book to mothers and daughters who would prize useful hints on the conduct of life, and practical directions for self-management."--_christian enquirer._ * * * * * miss m'intosh's works. i. charms and counter-charms. by maria. j. m'intosh, author of "conquest and self conquest," "praise and principle," &c. complete in one handsome volume, mo., cloth $ ; or in two parts, paper, cts. this work will be found one of the most impressive and beautiful tales of the day. the moral is felicitously developed, and is true in thought and feeling. ii. two lives; or, to seem and to be. by maria j. m'intosh. vol. mo., paper cover cts., cloth cts. "the previous works of miss m'intosh, although issued anonymously, have been popular in the best sense of the word. the simple beauty of her narratives, combining pure sentiment with high principle, and noble views of life and its duties, ought to win for them a hearing at every fireside in our land. we have rarely perused a tale more interesting and instructive than the one before us, and we commend it most cordially to the attention of all our readers."--_prot. churchman._ iii. aunt kitty's tales. by maria j. m'intosh. a new edition, complete in one vol., mo., cloth cts. this volume contains the following interesting stories: "blind alice," "jessie graham," "florence arnott," "grace and clara," "ellen leslie, or the reward of self-control." * * * * * miss sewell's works. i. margaret percival: a tale. edited by the rev. wm. sewell, b.a.. vols., mo., paper cover $ , cloth $ . ii. gertrude: a tale. edited by the rev. wm. sewell, b.a.. mo., cloth cts, paper cover cts. iii. amy herbert: a tale. edited by the rev. wm. sewell, b.a. vol. mo., cloth cts., paper cover cts. iv. laneton parsonage: a tale. edited by the rev. wm. sewell, b. a.. vols. mo., cloth $ , paper cover $ . interesting books for ladies _published by d. appleton & company._ * * * * * ellen middleton; a tale. by lady georgiana fullerton. one volume mo., paper cover c., cloth c. by the same author, grantley manor; a tale. one volume mo., paper cover cents, cloth cents. "lady georgiana fullerton's first appearance as a novelist rendered her famous at once. ellen middleton, her first production, was a powerfully constructed story, manifesting great ability in the author, which grantley manor fully confirms. we commend the book most cordially."--_evening mirror._ "the book is an excellent one, and the lady georgiana's style is admirable. it is clear, concise, glowing, and lady-like. her dialogue and narrative likewise show great skill in perception and arrangement."--_boston atlas._ "grantley manor is the title of an exceedingly interesting volume, which we have read with more than ordinary pleasure. the style is elegant, the story, which involves a succession of mysteries and cross purposes, is well developed, and the scene and character painting is full of spirit and truth. the authoress is certainly a woman of genius, which she has used to excellent purpose."--_southern literary messenger._ friends and fortune; a moral tale. by anne harriet drury. one volume mo. paper cover cents, cloth cents. "it is a tale delightfully told, and abounding in passages of great feeling and beauty. again we are reminded of goldsmith, and that which reminds us in a right sense of the "vicar of wakefield" must be a production of no mean order."--_literary gazette._ "life, motion, delicacy, and humor are to be found in miss drury's tale."--_atheneum._ grace leslie; a tale. from the last london edition. one volume mo., cloth cents. "simplicity is the charm of this story. it can scarcely be said to have a plot. the tale embraces the history of a month in the life of a young girl suddenly thrown into society, and for young people it was originally written. it has been generally popular, however, for every thing in it is natural. there is neither sameness nor tameness in the narrative; the characters are numerous, and each is kept distinct. moreover, the moral of the story is unexceptionable."--_com. adv._ walter lorimer; and other tales. by the author of "amy herbert," "gertrude," etc. embellished with six colored plates. vol. mo., cloth, cts. "there is much that is pure, sweet and touching in the book, * * * the stories are presented in a style of composition which makes the work one of high literary character." footnotes: [ ] this entirely new system of making coffee has never yet been introduced to the public, and was found out by the author of this work through the following circumstance: whilst travelling by night in a railway train, and arriving in due time at the station, where positively no less than five minutes are allowed to restore exhausted nature, after a long and tedious journey, and then, by using a certain portion of manual strength, to push through the crowd to get at what is called the refreshment room, after waiting for nearly two minutes for my turn to be served with some of the boiling liquid which they called coffee, being as bad as any human being could possibly make it, having probably waited patiently by the side of a winter's fire until the last train made its appearance, it tasted anything but palatable; but having a long journey before me, and requiring something to eat and drink, i was obliged to put up with it; but before i could even partake of half, or finish masticating some stale toast or over-buttered muffin, the unsociable bell violently rung to acquaint the passengers that their appetites were perfectly satisfied, though that incredulous organ would not let us believe it; and every one being perfectly aware that railway trains, like time, wait for no one, the hurry of which event, though unpleasant, made me escape the swallowing the thick part which was deposited at the bottom of the cup; rushing out of the refreshment room, i jumped into the wrong carriage, the fidgetty train having changed its place, and the time being too short to rectify the mistake, i was obliged to make fresh acquaintance with my new compagnons de voyage, who happened to be as much dissatisfied with the steaming-hot refreshment as myself, who had patronized the steaming mocha. i was at last much pleased to find a wise man among my new travelling friends, who said, "i never travel at night without being provided with a _spirited_ companion;" and pulling out of his carpet-bag a small bottle and gutta-percha goblet of new invention, we partook of a drop of the best _eau de vie_ i had ever tasted, which produced on me the pleasant sensation of being relieved of a very annoying pain. grateful for his kindness, and always desirous to improve the domestic comfort, i told him, in making myself known, that, as soon as i arrived at the reform club, i would try several experiments to simplify the present method of making coffee; and should i be successful in my researches, i would forward him the receipt on my arrival in london. i tried to find my first travelling friends, who, more unfortunate than myself, got in their proper place, and, consequently, did not meet with the "spirited" friend i did, vowing they would never take any more coffee at night, especially in a railway train. having forwarded the receipt to my friend, he, after having tried it, wrote me the following note: "my dear sir,--i have made an experiment of your new receipt for coffee, which you have kindly forwarded to me, and beg to acquaint you that i never recollect having lasted better. yours, &c. w. c." i do strongly advise my readers to give it a trial, and recommend all providers of refreshment at railway stations not to make the coffee boiling hot, but to keep the cafetière in a bain-marie, which would avoid all the above inconvenience, both as regards quality and heat. [ ] some few years since, having a great deal of writing to do within a certain time, and which could not be done without employing the night as well as the day, i partook of weak green tea, with a little brandy, sugar, and lemon-juice in it, as a beverage, and, with light food, i was enabled to do with but eighteen hours' sleep from o'clock on monday morning to o'clock on the following sunday morning. [ ] half veal and beef can be used; or if no veal, all beef. [ ] see future letters. [ ] foie gras de strasbourg. [ ] this word is not found in dictionaries, but is used by poulterers to denote that small piece of the lungs which is left in the bird. [ ] the quantity of the meat and vegetable should pretty equally balance with each other; after such a meal, a man's appetite is perfectly satisfied, and he is ready for an afternoon's work if required. it also does not require the aid of any fire, which we so ungratefully abhor in hot weather. mr. b. very much approves of it once a week in summer. [ ] to freeze quickly any description of ice the freezing-pot must be well set, place it in the centre of the pail, which must be large enough to give a space of four inches all round, break up small twelve pounds of ice, which put round at the bottom six inches in depth, over which put two pounds of salt, beat down tight with a rolling-pin, then more ice, then salt, proceeding thus until within three inches of the top of your freezing-pot; saltpetre mixed with the salt will facilitate it in freezing. [ ] with regard to the wine, that is a matter i leave entirely to mr. b., but his maxim is, that "the best is the cheapest." [ ] these should be served on dishes with a napkin. * * * * * typographical errors corrected by the etext transcriber: sautèing that the butter=> sautéing that the butter {pg } littlle sat=> little salt {pg } spoonfuls of dem-iglaze=> spoonfuls of demi-glaze {pg } skimmer gently for two hours=> simmer gently for two hours {pg } in every dry summers=> in very dry summers {pg } ro plain melted butter=> or plain melted butter {pg } appiles to this => applies to this {pg } or mushoom or english=> or mushroom or english {pg } ten minntes=> ten minutes {pg } be broiled or sauted=> be broiled or sautéd {pg } plack pepper=> black pepper {pg } rice seperately=> rice separately {pg } is for preferable=> is far preferable {pg } delightful and varigated=> delightful and variegated {pg } in which put your rise=> in which put your rice {pg } ribstone pippins=> ripstone pippins {pg } fire uutil becoming=> fire until becoming {pg } shake sugar ever=> shake sugar over {pg } mr. p. is obliged to leave home every week day=> mr. b. is obliged to leave home every week day {pg } internet archive (https://archive.org) note: images of the original pages are available through internet archive. see https://archive.org/details/cu allied cookery british french italian belgian russian arranged by grace clergue harrison and gertrude clergue _to aid the war sufferers in the devastated districts of france_ introduction by hon. raoul dandurand commandeur de la légion d'honneur prefaced by stephen leacock and ella wheeler wilcox g. p. putnam's sons new york and london the knickerbocker press copyright, by grace clergue harrison the knickerbocker press, new york the purpose of this little book is to procure funds in aid of the farmers in that part of france which was devastated by the invasion of the german armies and subsequently regained by the french. this region, in part, one of the most fertile in france, and which sustained hundreds of thousands of inhabitants engaged in agricultural pursuits, has been left desolate, with all buildings destroyed and all farming implements, cattle, and farm products taken off by the invaders for military uses. its old men, women, and children, who survived the slaughter of invasion, are now undertaking the labour of restoring their farms. to help in the supply of seeds, farm implements, and other simple but essential means of enabling these suffering people to regain by their own efforts the necessaries of life, the compilers offer to the public this book on cookery. its proceeds will be distributed by le secours national, of france, whose effective organization assures its best and most helpful disposition. an acknowledgment must be made for the kind assistance of friends in securing desirable recipes. there are some that will be novel to many households, and all of them will give satisfaction when exactly followed. the compilers will gladly answer requests for information from any one wishing further to support this cause. mrs. wm. lynde harrison, milestone house, branford, conn. miss gertrude clergue, sherbrooke street west, montreal. contents page introduction. _hon. r. dandurand_ allied food. _stephen leacock_ foreword. _ella wheeler wilcox_ charlotte de pommes. _elise jusserand_ soups bouillabaisse borcht mushroom soup serbian chicken soup vegetable soup lettuce soup pot-au-feu onion soup soldiers' soup stschi buraki lentil soup black bean soup fish chowder fish roast oysters raie au beurre noir salmon tidnish aubergine aux crevettes lobster beaugency scallops en brochette filet of sole florentine salmon teriyaki filet of sole marguery codfish with green peppers herring roes, baked creamed fish mousseline of fish haddock mobile kedgaree pickled salmon meats and entrÉes russian pirog kulbak carbonade flamande blanquette of veal blanquette of chicken stracotto duck st. albans boned turkey chicken and cabbage leg-of-mutton pie russian steaks another russian method for beef-steaks stewed kidneys chicken baked ham rillettes de tours rice and mutton baked eggs tripe tripe, italian timbale of partridges stewed hare indian pilau stuffed beef steaks podvarak ribs of pork en casserole salmis de lapin sheep's head macaroni pie kidney and mushrooms curries indian curry fricassee of chicken a simpler indian curry another curry sauce pastes, cheese, etc. macaroni with cheese macaroni polenta with cheese lentil croquettes risotto risotto milanaise ravioli egg coquilles, with spinach pirog of mushrooms paste for russian pirog eggs romanoff oeufs pochés ivanhoe cheese puffs moskva cheesecakes cheese fritters cheese pudding chicory or endive stewed cos lettuces asparagus celery croquettes ragoût of celery stuffed onions onions, venetian style fried pumpkin or squash cucumbers sarma polenta pasticciata fried bread with raisins polenta croquettes rice with mushrooms timbales of bread with parmesan sauce sauces cheese sauce tomato sauce another tomato sauce mustard sauce a meat sauce another meat sauce lombarda sauce horse-radish sauce gnocchi di semolina salads italian salad lettuce salad sandwich dressing salad dressing cheese dressing vegetables potato cakes petits pois string beans red cabbage cabbage with cheese sauce glazed onions spinach soufflé puddings, cakes, etc. french pancakes crepes suzette sauce for crepes suzette another suzette pancake kisel carrot pudding old english plum pudding banana trifle cream tart chocolate pudding fried apples orange pudding oat cakes tea-cakes tea pancakes canadian war cake serbian cake ravioli dolce chestnuts gnocchi of milk almond pudding chestnut fritters chestnut cream tapioca pudding ginger ice-cream almond cake queen cakes francescas oat cakes gateau polonais anise cakes gordon highlander gingerbread scotch short bread cramique gaufres pets de nonne brioche de la lune victoria scones nut bread bran muffins scotch scones blinni baked hominy marrons glacés small cucumber pickles preserved strawberries rhubarb jelly tomato soup for canning budo cup introduction comitÉ france-amÉrique (section canadienne) chambre- , edifice "duluth" montréal, march , . mrs. wm. lynde harrison, miss g. clergue. mesdames: vous désirez faire quelque chose pour venir en aide aux victimes de la guerre en france et, dans ce but, vous publiez un livre utile dont vous faites tous les frais d'impression de manière à ce que le produit total de la vente soit versé au comité de secours national de paris. le but que vous vous proposez est fort louable car les besoins sont grands au pays de france. on a fait dernièrement le recensement des réfugiés belges et français chassés de leurs demeures et recueillis dans les diverses communes de france. ils sont plus de , et les allemands out renvoyé en france par la voie de la suisse plus de , prisonniers--vieillards, femmes et enfants--qu'ils ne voulaient plus nourrir et qui out été rendus, dénués de tout, à la charité publique. tous ces malheureux doivent être vêtus de la tête aux pieds. les etats-unis et le canada out heureusement fait leur part pour soulager cette grande infortune, grâce aux appels réitérés de l'american relief clearing house de paris et de new-york et des divers comités canadiens du secours national de paris, organisés par le comité france-amérique. les hôpitaux français réclament aussi, à bon droit, notre sollicitude, car c'est la france qui supporte le plus fort de l'assaut teuton sur la frontière de l'ouest et ses blessés doivent dépasser le demi million. devant cette grande détresse la croix-rouge américaine et la croix-rouge canadienne ne sont pas demeurées indifférentes et des milliers de caisses out été envoyées aux hôpitaux français. malheureusement la liste des calamités qui out fondu sur la france ne s'arrête pas là: tout le territore envahi par les troupes allemandes, dont elles out été chassées, qui va de la marne à l'aisne, et que couvraient des centaines de villages prospéres dans une des régions les plus fertiles et les plus riches de la france, a été ravagé par les troupes ennemies. les propriétaires de ces milliers de fermes--vieillards, femmes et enfants--sont revenus à leurs foyers détruits pour relever leurs maisons et faire produire à la terre la nourriture dont ils ont besoin. ils ont tout perdu: maisons, meubles, vêtements, animaux, instruments aratoires. ce sont ces derniers qui attirent particulièrement votre commisération. en face de cette misère effroyable tous les coeurs s'émeuvent et chacun veut apporter son aide à ces braves gens. vous donnez au public une occasion facile et agréable de faire ce geste en mettant à sa portée un livre intéressant dont le prix ira soulager les nobles victimes de la guerre en france. je vous souhaite une forte recette. veuillez agréer, mesdames, avec mes félicitations, l'expression de mes sentiments distingués. [illustration: r. dandurand] _président du comité france-amérique section canadienne._ allied food as soon as i heard of the proposed plan of this book i became positively frantic to co-operate in it. the idea of a cookery book which should contain allied recipes and allied recipes only, struck me at once as one of the finest ideas of the day. for myself i have felt for some time past that the time is gone, and gone for ever, when i can eat a german pretzel or a wiener schnitzel. it gives me nothing but remorse to remember that there were days when i tolerated, i may even say i enjoyed, hungarian goulash. i could not eat it now. as for bulgarian boosh or turkish tch'kk, the mere names of them make me ill. for me, for the rest of my life, it must be allied food or no food at all. one may judge, therefore, with what delight i received the news of this patriotic enterprise. i at once telegraphed to the editors the following words: "am willing to place at your service without charge entire knowledge of cookery. forty-six years' practical experience." to this telegram i received no reply. i am aware that there is, even in cooking circles, a certain amount of professional jealousy. it may be that i had overpassed the line of good taste in offering my entire knowledge. i should have only offered part of it. i therefore resolved that instead of writing the whole book as i had at first intended, i would content myself with sending to the editors, a certain number of selected recipes of a kind calculated to put the book in a class all by itself. i sent, in all, fifty recipes. i regret to say that after looking over the pages of the book with the greatest care, and after looking also on the back of them, i do not find my recipes included in it. the obvious conclusion is that while this book was in the press my recipes were stolen out of it. the various dishes that i had selected were of so distinctive a character and the art involved in their preparation so entirely _recherché_ that it seems a pity that they should be altogether lost. they contained a certain _je ne sais quoi_ which would have marked them out as emphatically the perquisite of the few. to say that they were dishes for a king is to understate the fact. it is therefore merely in the public interest and from no sense of personal vanity that i reproduce the substance of one or two of them in this preface. there was a whole section, for example, on eggs, which i am extremely loath to lose. it showed how by holding an egg down under boiling water till it is exhausted, it may be first cooked and then be passed under a flat iron until it becomes an egg pancake. it may be then given a thin coat of varnish and served in a railway restaurant for years and years. i had also an excellent recipe for rum omelette. it read: "take a dipper full of rum and insert an omelette in it. serve anywhere in ontario." i am convinced that this recipe alone would have been worth its weight in rum. but it would be childish of me to lay too much stress on my own personal disappointment or regret. when i realized what had happened i felt at once that my co-operation in this book must take some other form. i therefore sent to the editors a second telegram which read: "am willing to eat free of charge all dishes contained in volume." this offer was immediately accepted, and i am happy to assure readers of this book that i have eaten each and every one of the preparations in the pages that follow. to prevent all doubt i make this statement under oath. i had intended to make merely an honest statement of the fact but my friends tell me that a statement under oath is better in such a case than a mere honest statement. stephen leacock foreword god what a world! if men in street and mart felt that same impulse of the human heart which makes them in the hour of flame and flood rise to the meaning of true brotherhood! the heart of the world throbs with sympathy for the suffering women and children in the war-devastated countries of europe. he who does not long to be a helper in this hour of vast need and unprecedented anguish must be made of something more adamant than stone. america owes a large debt to the culinary artists of europe. without their originality and finished skill, in the creation of savory dishes for the table, the art of entertaining in our land could never have attained its present perfection. ever ready to incorporate in her own methods whatever other countries had to offer as improvements, america has received from the epicurean chefs of europe conspicuous benefits. in every menu from coast to coast, these facts make themselves evident. it is then fitting, that at this crucial hour, we repay something of the debt we owe by making this little cooking manual an instant and decided success, knowing the proceeds from its sale will relieve such distress as we in our sheltered homes can scarcely picture by the greatest effort of imagination. our souls should be vessels receiving the waters of love for relieving the sorrows of men. for here lies the pleasure of living: in taking god's bounties and giving the gifts back again. ella wheeler wilcox charlotte de pommes prendre des pommes reinettes épépinées, émincées et sautées au beurre avec quelques pincées du sucre et une demi-gousse de vanille. de cette fondue de pommes qui ne doit pas être trop cuite, on garnit un moule à charlotte dont les parois auront été revêtues d'étroites tranches de mie de pain trempées dans du beurre épuré et saupoudré de sucre. ces tranches de pain doivent être placées dans le moule, se chevauchant, les unes sur les autres. garnir le fond du moule d'une abaisse de pain de mie également beurrée et saupoudrée de sucre. recouvrir la charlotte d'une abaisse prise dans la croûte du pain de mie afin de la protéger contre l'action trop vive du calorique. faire cuire la charlotte au four pendant ou minutes; la laisser reposer pendant quelques minutes à l'étuve avant de la démouler, et la servir avec une sauce à l'abricot, parfumée au kirsch. elise jusserand _ambassade de france aux etats-unis._ march , . allied cookery soups bouillabaisse (the national dish of marseille) indeed, a rich and savory stew 'tis; and true philosophers, methinks, who love all sorts of natural beauties, should love good victuals and good drinks. and cordelier or benedictine might gladly, sure, his lot embrace, nor find a fast day too afflicting, which served him up a bouillabaisse. thackeray. cut off the best parts of medium-sized flounders and butterfish and put them aside; the remaining parts of the fish--skin, bones, heads, etc.--boil in water minutes; this should make quart of fish stock when strained. put tablespoons of olive oil in stew-pan, add chopped onions, cloves of chopped garlic, a few sprigs of parsley, bayleaf, / teaspoon fennel, / teaspoon saffron, / teaspoon whole black pepper ground, salt, fry until golden brown. then add or tomatoes and a pimento, / quart of white wine, / quart of water, boil minutes. strain and return to the kettle; add the flounder and butterfish in pieces as large as possible, / lb. of codfish tongues, lb. of eel; boil minutes, add the fish stock, lb. of scallops, boil more minutes. rub together oz. of flour and oz. of butter; drop this in the soup in little balls five minutes before serving. then put in / lb. of shrimps and large boiled lobster cut in large pieces. rub with garlic some round slices of bread and serve the bouillabaisse on them. this will serve persons. one is not able to obtain here the varieties of fish of the midi, but the above will make an excellent substitute. borcht (russian) make a clear, light-coloured, highly seasoned stock of beef and veal or of chicken. strain and remove all fat. a russian gourmet will say that really good borcht should be made with ducks and a chicken in the stock. cut up some red beets and boil them in the stock; about large beets to cups of stock. when the beets are cooked squeeze in enough lemon-juice to give it a slightly acid flavour, then clear by stirring in the whipped white of an egg and bringing it to the boiling point. strain carefully. serve in cups with a spoonful of sour cream. if the colour fails to be bright red, a few drops of vegetable colouring may be added. mushroom soup (french) three-quarters lb. of fresh mushrooms, cup of water, tablespoons of butter, tablespoons of flour, cups of scalded milk, / cup of cream, a few gratings of nutmeg, salt, and pepper. put the mushrooms in a stew-pan with tablespoon of butter, a few gratings of nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and cup of water; cook over a good fire minutes, then pass through a coarse sieve. cream tablespoon of butter with tablespoons of flour, add this to cups of scalded milk. when this thickens to a thin cream, add the mushrooms; just before serving add / cup of cream. serbian chicken soup cut a fowl in four or five pieces. put in a kettle with about one quart of water to each pound of fowl. when half cooked add salt and a carrot, parsnip, some celery and parsley, an onion, and a few whole black peppers. in a separate pan put a tablespoon of lard and / tablespoon of flour. stir this until it is brown and add some paprika, according to taste. add this to the soup. let it boil a few minutes. just before serving the soup stir in well the yolk of an egg beaten with three tablespoons of cream. vegetable soup (minestrone alla milanese) one-half quart of stock, slices of lean pork, or a ham bone; tomatoes, fresh or canned; cup of rice, tablespoons of dried beans, tablespoon of peas, fresh or canned; onions. put into the stock the slices of pork, cut into small pieces; or, if desired, a ham bone may be substituted for the pork. add the tomatoes, cut into small pieces also, the onions, in small pieces, and the rice. boil all together until the rice is cooked. then add the beans and the peas and cook a little longer. the soup is ready when it is thick. if desired, this chowder can be made with fish broth instead of the stock, and with the addition of shrimps which have been taken from their shells. this dish can be served hot or cold. lettuce soup (zuppa di lattuga) one small lettuce, meat stock, potatoes, the leaves of a head of celery, tablespoons of peas, fresh or canned, heaping tablespoon of flour. put the potatoes, cold boiled, into the stock when it boils, add the celery leaves, the lettuce chopped up, the peas, and the flour mixed well with a little cold stock or water. boil for one hour and a half, and serve with little squares of fried bread. pot-au-feu (french family soup) ingredients.-- lbs. of brisket of beef, the legs and neck of a fowl, / a cabbage, leeks, large onion, carrots, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), dessert-spoonful of chopped parsley, cloves, peppercorns, tablespoonful of salt, / lb. of french bread, quarts of cold water. put the meat and water into a stock-pot or boiling pot; let it come gently to boiling point, and skim well. wash and clean the vegetables, stick the cloves in the onion, tie up the cabbage and leeks, and put all in with the meat. add the carrots cut into large pieces, the bouquet-garni, peppercorns, and salt, and let the whole simmer gently for hours. just before serving cut the bread into thin slices, place them in a soup tureen, and add some of the carrot, leeks, and onions cut into small pieces. remove the meat from the pot, season the broth to taste, and strain it into the soup tureen. sprinkle the chopped parsley on the top, and serve. the meat and remaining vegetables may be served as a separate course; they may also be used up in some form for another meal. or the meat and vegetables may be served and the broth put aside and used on the following day as "croute-au-pot." onion soup (soupe à l'oignon) slice or chop two medium-sized onions; let them colour an instant in oz. of butter; add a tablespoonful of flour; make a brown thickening. the onions must on no account be allowed to burn. add - / quarts of water, salt, and a pinch of pepper; stir on the fire until it boils; let it cook five minutes. cut some slices of bread very fine (like a leaf); dry them in an open oven. place in the tureen a layer of bread, a layer of grated cheese, until the tureen is half full. pass the soup through a sieve into the tureen. allow a few minutes to well soak the bread; at the same time the soup must not be allowed to get cold. if onions are not objected to do not strain them off. soldiers' soup (soupe à la bataille) wash well and chop fine a small white cabbage or lettuce (cos preferred), carrot, turnip, leeks, head of celery. let these vegetables take colour for about three minutes in ozs. of good fat or butter. add quarts of water and a pinch of salt; let it boil. add five raw potatoes cut like the vegetables, a handful of green french beans cut up, the same quantity of green peas. cook over a good fire for two hours. the soup should be quite smooth; if it is not so, beat it well with a whisk; if too much reduced add more water. season to taste; at the last add a little chopped chervil. a bone of ham or the remains of bacon improve this soup immensely. stschi (russian) cut up a cabbage, heat in butter, and moisten with tablespoons of stock. add lbs. of beef brisket, cut into large dice, pints of water, and cook - / hours. chop up onions, leeks, and a parsnip in small dice, add tablespoons of sour cream and tablespoon of flour. add this mixture to the soup about / hour before serving. small buckwheat cakes are served with it. buraki (russian) cut in cubes or lbs. of fat beef in enough water to make a good bouillon and boil it well. cut some raw beets into small thin slices about an inch long, chop some onion, and with a tablespoon of butter stew them until tender and somewhat brown; add to the beef bouillon spoonful of flour mixed with spoonsful of vinegar, the beets, and onion and let all this cook in the oven until the beets and beef are quite tender. it should be closely covered. sausages and some pieces of ham may be added if wished. before you serve the bouillon, add some sour cream. lentil soup (french) soak overnight cup of lentils; the next day boil them until tender enough to pass them through a sieve with onions, carrots, leeks, quart of water, dessert-spoonful of salt. cut some slices of bread and place them in the bottom of a tureen and pour over them a little olive oil. when ready to serve pour the strained soup over the slices of bread. black bean soup (russian) soak cup of black beans in cold water several hours. pour off the water and boil in quart of fresh water until soft enough to rub through a strainer; if it boils away, add more water to cover them. there should be about pint when strained. add the same quantity of stock or water and put on to boil again. when boiling, add tablespoon of corn-starch in a little cold water and cook to minutes. season with salt, pepper, a little mustard, juice of lemon, or wine; serve with fried bread cut in little squares and slices of hard boiled egg or lemon. fish chowder (new england) four lbs. of fresh cod or haddock, onions, potatoes, / lb. of salt pork, salt, pepper. put the onions and potatoes, sliced in layers, in a kettle, then a layer of fish until all is used. fry the pork, cut in small pieces, brown, take the fat and pour over all. cover with boiling water and cook minutes. then mix spoonsful of flour with a cup of cream, stir into the boiling chowder, boil up, and serve. clams may be substituted for fish. fish roast oysters arrange the oysters on the half-shell in a pan of coarse salt. squeeze a little lemon-juice over each. sprinkle with very little fine buttered bread-crumbs and place on each oyster bits of butter the size of a pea. put under the grill until lightly browned. the flame must be over the oysters and care taken that they are not over-cooked. a. a. b., chef, mount royal club. raie au beurre noir boil a piece of skate slowly in well salted water. when done, remove the skin and sprinkle with some blanched, that is, parboiled, capers. pour over the fish a good quantity of butter which has been well browned in a frying pan; then a little boiling vinegar. shake the platter once to mix the sauce together. it may not commonly be known that the skate, so neglected in this country, takes very well the place of the delectable raie of europe. h. s., chef, ritz-carlton hotel. salmon tidnish (canadian) scrape the fish and wash it. rub in a tablespoon of salt; place the fish in a baking pan and score it across or times. mix cup of fine bread-crumbs, a dessert-spoon of minced parsley, / teaspoon of whole black pepper ground, dessert spoons of salt, milk to moisten well, rub over the fish, and put good-sized lumps of butter in the gashes. cover the bottom of the pan with milk and put in a rather hot oven, basting every or minutes with the milk, which must be renewed in the pan often. when cooked lift from the pan onto a tin sheet, then slide carefully into the dish on which it is to be served; garnish with lemon and hard-boiled eggs, the gravy in the pan served with it. a piece of halibut may be cooked in the same manner. aubergine aux crevettes scoop out one egg-plant, leaving shell about half an inch thick; parboil this and the shell for ten minutes. chop the pulp and season with salt and pepper. cut up an onion, brown in / cup of butter, add one cup of chopped, cooked, shrimp meat, fry for five minutes, then add the chopped egg-plant; cook all together for ten minutes more. add egg and / cup of bread-crumbs, fill shell with the mixture, cover with bread-crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. lobster beaugency (st. james's club specialty) boil a medium-sized lobster for minutes; when cool, split in two. remove flesh from shells and cut in dice. fry in butter, add a glass of sherry. add tablespoonsful of cream sauce and / pint of cream, let it boil slowly for minutes; in the meantime have yolks of eggs, a few spoonsful of cream, an ounce of butter, mix slowly with the lobster and season to taste. fill shells to the brim with this preparation and bake in oven. scallops en brochette alternate scallops and thin slices of bacon on skewers; place upright on the rack in the oven; bake until the scallops are well browned. served on slices of buttered toast. filet of sole florentine after removing the skin put the fish in a plate with a slice of onion, a little parsley, and a spoonful of butter, / cup of white wine, salt, pepper, and cook for minutes slowly; when cooked remove the fish, take a long porcelain dish in which you lay some boiled spinach fried a minute in butter with a suspicion of minced onion. put the fish on top of this spinach, add the juice of the fish in the plate to a good white sauce, a spoonful of grated cheese, a pinch of cayenne, and cover the fish with this sauce, put in oven, brown nicely and serve in the same dish. any fine white fish may be similarly treated. salmon teriyaki (japanese) mix well together / cup of japanese shoyu, and tablespoonful of mirin; put a salmon on the grill, and when nearly done spread the sauce on the salmon with a brush freely, then put back on the grill and cook until it browns. when that side is done, cook the other side the same way. note.--japanese shoyu is made of wheat and beans; it may be obtained in new york or in any city where there is a large japanese colony. mirin is cooking wine. these are most important ingredients for japanese cooking. chinese sauce may be used instead of shoyu which may be obtained at any chinese restaurant. sauterne may be used instead of mirin in which case add teaspoonful of sugar. filet of sole marguery poach the filet of sole or flounder in fish stock; pour over the dish a rich white wine sauce garnished with shrimps and mussels and glaze in a very hot oven. codfish with green peppers (italian) remove the skin and bones from one-half pound of salted codfish which has been soaked. cut the codfish into small squares. then dip it again into fresh water, and put the squares onto a napkin to dry. the fish may either be left as it is, or, before proceeding, you may roll it in flour and fry it in lard or oil. then take two good-sized green peppers, roast them on top of the stove, remove the skins and seeds, wash them, dry them, and cut them in narrow strips. when this is done put three generous tablespoons of olive-oil into a saucepan with one onion cut up, and fry the onion over a slow fire. take two big tomatoes, skin them, remove the seeds and hard parts, and cut them into small pieces. when the onion has taken a good colour, add the tomatoes, then add the peppers and a little salt and pepper. if the sauce is too thick, add a little water. when the peppers are half cooked, add some chopped-up parsley and the codfish. cover up the saucepan and let it simmer until the fish is cooked. herring roes, baked (manx) eight fresh soft roes, tablespoonsful of thick brown sauce, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, a few drops of anchovy essence, - / ozs. of butter, coarsely chopped button mushrooms, very finely chopped shallot, / a teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, lightly browned breadcrumbs, round or oval china or paper soufflé cases. brush the inside of the cases with clarified butter. heat oz. of butter in a small stew-pan, put in the mushrooms, shallot, and parsley, fry lightly, then drain off the butter into a sauté pan. add the brown sauce, lemon-juice, and anchovy essence to the mushrooms, etc., season to taste, and when hot pour a small teaspoonful into each paper case. re-heat the butter in the sauté pan, toss the roes gently over the fire until lightly browned, then place one in each case, and cover them with the remainder of the sauce. add a thin layer of bread-crumbs, on the top place or morsels of butter, and bake in a quick oven for or minutes. serve as hot as possible. creamed fish one and a half cups of flaked halibut, or any cold boiled fish. cups milk, / cup butter, tablespoon of flour, bit of bayleaf, dash of mace, sprig of parsley, small onion, / cup of buttered bread-crumbs, salt, pepper, tablespoon of sherry. scald the milk with the onion, bay-leaf, mace, and parsley; remove the seasonings, melt the butter, add the flour, salt, pepper, and gradually the milk. put the fish in a deep buttered dish (or in individual dishes). pour over it the sauce and cover with the buttered crumbs. just before taking from the oven make an opening in the crust of crumbs and put in a tablespoon of sherry. mousseline of fish one lb. of raw halibut chopped very finely (any firm white fish can be used). mix the whites of eggs beaten stiff, cup of bread-crumbs, very fine, cup of cream, / lb. of almonds cut in fine strips, a pinch of mace, a little bit of onion juice or, if preferred, / teaspoonful of lemon-juice, salt and pepper. steam in a mould or bake in a pan of water or in individual moulds for three-quarters of an hour. serve with a rich cream, or mushroom, or lobster sauce. this is good cold in summer with a cucumber sauce or light mayonnaise. haddock mobile bone a good sized haddock and cut in pieces inches square, place them side by side in a deep buttered pan, add salt and pepper; arrange lb. of tomatoes, cut in thick slices, on the pieces of fish, cover with a thick layer of biscuit crumbs, put good sized lumps of butter at frequent intervals on the crumbs, baste it often with / of a cup of butter in a cup of water. serve with a thin tomato sauce. kedgaree put oz. of butter in a stew-pan; when melted, add oz. of boiled rice (cold), stir for a minute, then add or oz. of cooked white fish which should be flaked and free from bones, then add any kind of fish sauce with the cut-up whites of eggs hard boiled, and when quite hot, pile on a hot dish and sprinkle over it the yolks of the eggs which have been passed through a sieve. this is a good breakfast dish. pickled salmon salmon, / oz. of whole pepper, / oz. of whole allspice, teaspoonful of salt, bay-leaves, equal quantities of vinegar and the liquor in which the fish was boiled. after the fish comes from table and the bones have been removed, lay it in a deep dish. boil the liquor and vinegar with the other ingredients for minutes, let them stand to get cold, then pour them over the salmon, and in hours it will be ready for use. meats and entrées russian pirog kulbak dissolve in a pint of tepid salted water, yeast-cake mixed with enough flour to make rather a stiff dough and let it rise until double its size. add to this eggs and / lb. of butter. knead thoroughly. put the paste in a warm place and let it rise again to double its size. roll it out about / inch thick and put in a buttered pie dish; cover with cold boiled rice, then thin slices of smoked roe or smoked fish; sprinkle over some pepper and nutmeg. the other half of the dough is to be lapped over the filling and in giving to the pirog the form of a loaf close the edges with the white of an egg. when closed, spread it over with beaten egg and bread-crumbs. bake it a light brown. carbonade flamande in tablespoonful of good drippings brown lbs. of round steak (or any good part of the beef). remove the steak and brown chopped onions in the same fat. replace the steak in the casserole, add small clove of garlic, salt, and pepper. cover over with or slices of bread that have been spread with french mustard. add - / cups of water and cook, closely covered, slowly, or hours. just before removing from the oven, add small dessert-spoonful of vinegar and i teaspoonful of sugar to the gravy. blanquette of veal (french) take lbs. of veal, cut it in squares (about inches). as this dish is supposed to be very white, it is sometimes soaked half an hour in tepid water. put the pieces of veal into a saucepan; cover with water; add a large pinch of salt, let it boil, skim. add onion stuck with cloves, carrot cut in half, a cupful of white wine, a bouquet of laurel thyme, parsley, and cook half an hour. strain the meat and save the stock. with oz. of butter and oz. of flour make a white sauce; moisten it with veal stock, stir over the fire. the sauce must be perfectly smooth and not thick. add the meat without the vegetables, continue to cook it until the meat is tender. the sauce should be reduced by one half. thicken at the last moment with yolks of eggs, oz. of butter, and the juice of a lemon. arrange the meat on the dish with the sauce. this dish is sometimes garnished with small round balls of veal made of raw minced veal seasoned with salt, and pepper, boiled about / an hour with the other veal, and then fried in butter. the balls should be only as big as marbles. blanquette of chicken (french) one cold cooked chicken or fowl, fresh mushrooms, the yolks of eggs, pint of chicken broth, salt and pepper to taste. peel the mushrooms, cut them into pieces, and simmer in the broth until tender. add the chicken sliced into thin delicate pieces. cook gently until heated when the beaten yolks of eggs should be stirred in gradually. as soon as the sauce is smooth and creamy, season with salt and pepper and a few drops of lemon-juice. stracotto place in a stewpan or lbs. of the round of beef. cover with water and allow to simmer until the scum rises. skim and add a quart of tomatoes (some people like also a clove of garlic), or onions, some stalks of celery, or carrots cut in small pieces, salt, and pepper. let it cook slowly closely covered about hours. an hour before serving remove the beef (which is to be placed in a covered dish at the side of the stove) and strain the gravy. cook one cup of rice in this gravy. when the rice is cooked replace the beef in the stewpan and warm it. add / cup grated cheese and tablespoons of butter to the rice and pour around the beef on a platter. duck st. albans (english) roast a fat duck. when cold carve the breast in thin slices. lay these carefully aside. break off the breastbone and cover the carcass smoothly with the liver farce. replace the sliced fillets, using a little of the farce to bind them back into place on the duck. coat the whole well with half set aspic jelly. farce.-- lb. of calf's liver, ozs. of butter, slice of bacon, a slice of onion, carrot sliced. fry these carefully and pound in a mortar. pass through a wire sieve. then put in a basin and whisk in / pint of aspic jelly and a small teacupful of very thick cream. season with cayenne pepper and salt. grapefruit and orange salad is served with this. boned turkey (english) bone a raw turkey, spread it flat on a board, season, and cover with good fresh sausage meat. lay a well-boiled tongue down the centre and long strips of fat bacon or ham, almonds, hard-boiled egg, salt, pepper, and sprinkle over a tablespoonful of brandy. roll up carefully, taking care the various strips are not displaced. tie firmly in a greased cloth and sew up. boil gently hours for a large fowl and - / hours for a turkey. when boiled the cloth may need to be tightened a little. lay a light weight on the top and when quite cold glaze with a meat glaze and then a good coating of half set aspic. decorate with chopped aspic. chicken and cabbage (a dish of auvergne) put about / of a lb. of salt pork, cut in slices, in the bottom of a kettle; when a little melted put in a fowl or a chicken or two partridges stuffed as for roasting. put in large clove of garlic and large onions sliced, salt and pepper. dredge with flour, put in a little water, and cover closely. dredge and baste the fowl every minutes, adding water each time. have a cabbage ready cut into four pieces and put in the kettle hour before the fowl is cooked. a fowl will take not less than hours and allow hours for a chicken. leg-of-mutton pie (canadian) butter a pie dish, place in the bottom a few slices of fried salt pork and then slices of mutton cut from the leg; on top of this, lay slices of cooked potatoes, season each layer with salt and pepper, minced parsley and onions fried in butter; pour over some clear gravy. moisten the edge of the dish, lay a narrow band of paste, moisten, and cover the whole with puff-paste, bake in moderate oven hour and minutes. russian steaks chop lb. of round steak or any good part of the beef, season with salt and pepper. add by degrees with a wooden spoon / lb. of butter. roll into fat balls and place in a very hot frying pan. give minutes to each side. serve with the following sauce: mix together tablespoonsful of oil and of butter, - / tablespoons of flour, add teaspoonsful of onion juice, teaspoonful of grated horse-radish, / teaspoonful of mixed mustard, salt and pepper, then gradually - / cups of stock (one can use water instead), and cook minutes, then take from the fire and add / of a cup of cream and i teaspoonful of lemon-juice. another russian method for beefsteaks cut the steaks thin, season them with salt and paprika. colour the steaks in oz. of butter, but they must not be completely cooked. chop up finely onions, place half of the onions in a casserole that can be sent to table. arrange the steaks upon it. sprinkle them with the remainder of the onions. throw the gravy from the pan, with stock or water added, to allow the steaks to be half covered. cook in the oven or hours in tightly covered casserole. before serving pour over cupful of sour cream. stewed kidneys (english) take away the skin from three lamb kidneys; split them lengthwise in halves; take out the white nerve from the centre, and cut each half into small slices. put ozs. of oil in a pan, colour in it a small chopped onion, add the sliced kidneys, salt, pepper. stir with a spoon briskly over a good fire until all the pieces are equally coloured; sprinkle with a tablespoonful of flour; mix and stir well. add a cupful of wine and one of gravy, stir until boiling. cook two minutes longer; taste if well seasoned; at the last add the juice of half a lemon and chopped parsley. note.--mushrooms stewed with the kidneys are an improvement. chicken (serbian) put a good slice of salt pork into a saucepan. when it has fried a little add some chopped parsley root, carrot, onion, and a small clove of garlic. joint the fowl and place it in the pan, add salt and pepper. cook in the oven about one hour, then add or peeled tomatoes with the seeds removed. continue to add in the pan enough water to baste the fowl frequently. cook until the fowl is tender and serve with rice to which minced cooked ham or bacon has been added. pour the gravy in the pan over the chicken. baked ham (york fashion) soak overnight; in the morning scrub it and trim away any rusty part; wipe dry; cover the ham with a stiff paste of bread dough an inch thick and lay upside down in a dripping pan with a little water; allow in baking minutes to the pound; baste a few times and keep water in the pan. when a skewer will pierce the thickest part plunge the ham for minute in cold water; remove the crust and outside skin, sprinkle with brown sugar and fine cracker crumbs, and stick with cloves and brown in the oven. serve with a mustard sauce or white wine sauce if eaten hot. rillettes de tours (cretons canadiens) three lbs. shoulder of fresh pork, lbs. cutlets of pork, filet of pork, pork kidneys, lbs. of kidney fat, pint of water, tablespoons of salt, pepper, and onions minced fine with the pork fat. chop the meat into small dice, mince the fat and kidneys very fine; let all boil gently for hours. about / hour before removing from the fire, add teaspoonful of mixed spices and / lb. fresh mushrooms cut in large pieces. line a mould with half-set aspic; when set, pour in the mixture, pour over more aspic. this is excellent for a cold supper or can be used as _pâté de foie gras_, and it may be moulded in buttered dishes without the aspic. a serbian dish of rice and mutton cut onions very fine, and / lb. of lean salt pork, in thin slices. put these into a deep pot to cook until the onions are a golden brown. add lbs. of lamb or mutton cut in pieces, add salt, pepper, and pimentos; just cover the meat with water and cook gently about an hour, then add / cup of rice; cover tightly and let it stew minutes more. baked eggs (bonhomme) put in a basin dessert-spoonfuls of flour, a pinch of salt (or sugar if preferred); break into it whole eggs; beat them up with a pint of milk. pour this into a buttered dish, bake in a moderate oven. when the eggs have acquired a good colour serve directly. if this dish has been flavoured with salt send grated parmesan or gruyère cheese to table with it. tripe (tripe à la poulette) cut in filets or small squares lbs. of tripe well boiled. chop onion finely; put it in a stew-pan with - / ozs. of butter; colour lightly; mix in a good dessert-spoonful of flour; moisten with stock and half a glass of white wine to make a thin sauce; season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. add the tripe; cook for an hour; the sauce must be reduced one-half. at the moment of serving thicken the ragoût with two yolks of eggs mixed with the juice of a lemon, oz. of fresh butter, and chopped parsley. garnish the tripe on the dish with six croûtons of bread cut in shape of half a heart and fried in butter. tripe (italian) two pounds of tripe well cooked; cut in thin strips, put them in a stew-pan with ozs. of butter, ozs. of chopped mushrooms, salt, pepper, half a tumblerful of good gravy or stock; cover, and let all cook until the liquid is entirely reduced. spread upon a fireproof dish that has been well buttered, a layer of tripe, a layer of tomato sauce rather thick; sprinkle each layer with grated cheese; finish with the tomato. sprinkle the top with grated cheese and bread-crumbs, then pour over a little butter melted to oil. put the dish in the oven for fifteen minutes. timbale of partridges (french) mince the raw flesh of two partridges, season, cut some truffles in small squares, ornament with them a buttered timbale-mould, half fill it with the farce, make a hollow in the centre of it allowing the farce to cover the sides of the mould to the top. have ready a small ragoût of partridges, with slices of foie gras or truffles; the sauce should be thick, pour it into the empty centre of the mould, cover the whole with the remainder of the farce, then with a buttered paper. poach the timbale in a covered bain-marie for thirty minutes in boiling water. turn it upon a dish and pour madeira sauce round. stewed hare (belgian) after having emptied the hare put aside the liver, carefully separated from the gall, and the blood in a basin; add to it a few drops of vinegar to prevent it curdling. cut the hare into pieces of medium size; warm ozs. of butter in a stew-pan, add to / lb. of lean bacon cut in dice, colour them in the butter, add ozs. of flour, make it all into a brown thickening, and put in the pieces of hare; moisten with a bottle of red wine and a quart of stock, salt, and pepper. stir without leaving it, with a wooden spoon, until it boils; the sauce should cover the meat and not be too thick; add a bouquet of herbs, an onion with cloves in it. cover the stew-pan and leave it to stew until the hare is tender. a young hare will take from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, an old one may cook for three hours without becoming tender. the sauce should by this time be reduced to half; take out the onion and herbs, taste if sufficiently seasoned; mix the blood with a teacupful of thick cream, throw over the hare; shake the stew-pan briskly to allow all to mix well, but it must not boil; at the last moment add the liver, which has been sliced and sautéd (shaken) for two minutes in hot butter over the fire. arrange in an entree dish, pour the sauce over and garnish round with croûtons of fried bread. note.--this dish may be rendered more highly flavoured, if desired, by steeping the pieces of hare for some hours in the following marinade or pickle: a bottle of red wine, a cupful of vinegar, salt, pepper, a bouquet of herbs, and an onion stuck with cloves. leave the hare in this preparation four or five hours, then when the thickening is made, put in the hare with this marinade, then the stock, and finish as above. small button onions or mushrooms may be added before the hare is tender; if onions are cooked with it they must be previously boiled for a few minutes. indian pilau (english) six onions, ozs. butter, indian mangoes, a chicken. peel and chop the onions, and put them into a stew-pan with the butter, and mangoes cut into shreds; on the top of these ingredients place the joints of a chicken previously fried in butter, and let this stew over a slow fire for about hour. when done arrange the pieces of chicken on the rice lightly piled in a dish; stir the sauce to mix it, and pour it over the pilau. serve very hot. rice for pilau.--wash and parboil for minutes / lb. of rice, then drain it free from water; put it into a stew-pan with ozs. of butter, and stir, over the fire until the rice acquires equally in every grain a light fawn colour, then add a / pint of stock, cayenne pepper, and a very little curry powder; put the lid on the stew-pan, and set the rice to boil, or rather simmer, very gently over a slow fire till done. stir it lightly with a fork, to detach the grains. a few raisins added are an improvement. stuffed beef steaks (sicilian fashion) take three-quarters of a pound of beef, two ounces of ham, one tablespoon of butter, some bread, some parsley, and a piece of onion. chop the onion fine and put it in a saucepan with the butter. when it is coloured, put in the parsley and the ham cut up into little pieces, at the same time add the bread cut up into three or four small dice, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. mix all together well. cut the meat into six slices, pound them to flatten out; salt slightly, and when the other ingredients are cooked, put a portion on each slice of meat. then roll up the meat like sausages, put them on skewers, alternating with a piece of fried bread of the same size. butter well, roll in fresh bread-crumbs, and broil on the gridiron over a slow fire. podvarak (serbian) put in a pan tablespoons of lard; when it is hot add lbs. of sauerkraut. place a piece of ribs of pork or a small turkey in the pan and bake in the oven until the meat is cooked. ribs of pork in casserole uynveche (serbian) fry sliced onions in tablespoon of lard. mix this with lb. of rice. remove the seeds and cut in halves green peppers. add these to the rice; also or sliced tomatoes and potatoes sliced. place this rice mixture in a casserole and put on top a piece of ribs of pork of about lbs. pour in water enough to well cover the rice. bake in the oven. salmis de lapin (french) cut up your rabbit into neat pieces, removing as much of the bone as possible. have an iron saucepan ready, in which you have put a good quarter of a pound of fat bacon. put in your pieces of rabbit, which you fry until they become a nice golden brown, and which the french call doré; just before they are this colour add tablespoonsful of rum, or of cognac, according to taste, also échalotes cut up into very small pieces, which you must see do not burn. for the gravy.--take the trimmings of the rabbit, the head, and liver, and pound them all up in a mortar. when pounded, add a heaping spoonful of flour and pound it in. now measure out a pint and a half of white ordinary wine (hock), to which you will add a good breakfastcupful of good bouillon, or gravy. into this put what you have already pounded up and mix it in, then pass it all through a sieve (passoire). when ready pour it over the pieces of rabbit, now that they are become of a golden colour, and let it simmer with them in a covered saucepan by the side of the fire for a good two hours and more, so as to have it very tender. salt and pepper to taste. bouquet garni--which means thyme, and if one likes the flavour, a leaf of bay laurel--but for the latter just to let it be in an instant only, as it has such a strong flavour. many prefer just the thyme, which is more delicate. half an hour before the rabbit is cooked, add a good spoonful of vinegar[ ]; two, should the vinegar not be strong. add a piece of butter of the size of a walnut whilst it is simmering or stewing by the side of the fire. footnote: [ ] the vinegar is quite optional. sheep's head (scotch) choose a nice sheep's head, get it slightly singed, then have it sawn up the middle, steep it all night with a little soda in the water, then clean it thoroughly, take out the brains, put on with cold water, slowly bring to boil, and boil slowly for three hours. boil the brains in a cloth for a quarter of an hour, then mince small, make a white sauce, stir in the minced brains, lay the head flat on a dish and pour sauce over. decorate with a few small bits of parsley. macaroni pie (italian) three-quarters lb. of cold beef, or mutton, / an onion, or tomatoes, / lb. of macaroni, bread-crumbs, grated cheese, stock, salt, pepper, nutmeg. cut the beef or mutton into thin slices, peel the onion and slice it thinly, slice the tomatoes, and boil the macaroni in slightly salted water until tender. cool and drain the macaroni, and cut it up into small pieces. line a buttered baking-dish with macaroni, and arrange the meat, onion, and tomato slices in layers on the baking-dish. season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, pour over a little stock, and cover the top with macaroni. sprinkle over some bread-crumbs, and grated cheese, and bake for about minutes in a hot oven. kidney and mushrooms (english) take some sheep's kidneys, skin, halve, and core them, sprinkle each piece with pepper, salt, and sauté them in butter till a good brown; have a large mushroom peeled and cored for each half kidney, fry in the same fat as the kidney; lay the mushrooms in a hot dish, on each put a piece of tomato heated in the oven, then a half kidney, put a little pat of butter on each, and serve with either a pile of mashed potatoes or spinach in centre of dish. curries indian curry most of the curry powder or paste to be found in this part of the world is a mixture of / of dried chilli, / coriander, / dagatafolum; but the native curry cook uses a much larger variety of spices and likes to grind them himself fresh daily between two stones. the spices commonly used are: red chilli (roasted) coriander seed (roasted) " " (fresh) cinnamon nutmeg baked garlic scraped cocoanut dagatafolum caraway seed yellow pimentos red pimentos cardamon seeds curcuma (saffron root) a fricassee of chicken (ceylon style) cut good-sized chickens in pieces. season with salt and pepper; put in a saucepan with about quart of cocoanut milk; add to this a little cinnamon, / teaspoon fresh coriander, / teaspoon of powdered saffron, a little red pimento, and boil until tender; at the last minute thicken the sauce with yolks of eggs mixed well with / pint cocoanut cream; keep hot but do not boil, as the richness of the ingredients would make it curdle. as this curry is not hot it is served with a sambo which consists of small dishes on one tray containing such savories as plain scraped cocoanut, pimento paste, and chopped onion with a red pepper sauce. to obtain cocoanut cream, use the same process as that for ordinary cream;--as for the milk: have fresh cocoanuts scraped very fine to which you add pints of water, stir together for a few moments, then strain, let this milk stand for hours to obtain the cream. a simpler indian curry one lb. of beef, mutton, fish, or vegetables, as desired. one tablespoon of curry powder, heaping tablespoon of butter, onion, / fresh cocoanut, juice of half a lemon, salt to taste. curry powder to be mixed in ozs. of water. onion to be finely chopped. cocoanut to be scraped and soaked in a teacup of boiling water, then squeezed, and the milk (or the liquid) to be put in the curry. first cook the butter till it bubbles, put in the onion and let it brown, add the curry powder, and let that cook a few minutes; if it becomes too dry and sticks to the pan add a little hot water. then put in the meat (raw), cut in small pieces, fish, or vegetables, and fry them, add salt, and if dry, add a little more water, let all simmer till meat is thoroughly done; when about half done, add the cocoanut milk and the lemon-juice. if not convenient to use the cocoanut milk, ordinary milk can be used, and the mixture thickened with a little flour. cocoanut milk thickens without flour. when the butter separates and shows itself in the gravy, the curry is ready for serving. curry should be served with plain boiled rice. pass rice first, then curry. if indian chutney is served with curry it is a great addition. a banana may be cut up in pieces about half-inch thick, and added to the curry mixture while cooking, and is a pleasant addition to the flavour. another curry sauce chop onion and apple and cook them in oz. of butter about minutes, but do not let them brown. add dessert-spoonful of mild curry powder, the grated rind and juice of / a lemon, / pint of water or stock, some salt, and tablespoonful of seedless raisins, and simmer until the onion is quite tender. unless added to rice or paste put in dessert-spoonful of flour after the onion and apple have cooked about minutes. pastes, cheese, etc. macaroni with cheese (italian) into - / quarts of boiling water, well salted, throw / lb. of macaroni broken up into pieces. let it boil minutes, then drain it upon a sieve; replace in a stewpan with ozs. of fresh butter cut in small pieces, ozs. of grated cheese, and a pinch of pepper; mix all with a fork. the macaroni must not be broken. add / cup of cream. serve hot. note:--macaroni should be tender but not pasty; it should possess a certain crispness; obtain this by passing cold water over it when it is in the sieve and quickly returning it to the saucepan. macaroni (milanaise) break up / lb. macaroni into pieces about / of an inch long. boil in salted water minutes. drain on a sieve. put it back in the stewpan with a cupful of tomato sauce and oz. of ham cut into dice. let it simmer a few minutes, then add - / oz. of butter and the same of grated cheese. polenta with cheese (italian) add to - / pints of salted, boiling water, / lb. of indian meal, sprinkling it in a little at a time. let it cook until thick. with a tablespoon form it into small lumps; arrange them on a dish, sprinkle them with grated cheese, and pour over them some butter cooked brown, but not burnt. put the dish in the oven a few minutes to melt the cheese before serving. lentil croquettes put in cold water / a cup of dried beans or lentils and let soak overnight. boil them - / hours or until tender. pass them through a sieve; add / of a cup of fine bread-crumbs and tablespoons of cream or butter, egg, a grated onion, a pimento chopped, a little mace or nutmeg, teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of cayenne. make into croquettes and roll in bread-crumbs, then beaten egg and bread-crumbs, and fry in oil or butter. if baked in the oven in a loaf, baste occasionally with oil or butter. serve with a tomato or horse-radish sauce. this is a nourishing substitute for meat. risotto colour for an instant in butter a chopped onion, add to it / lb. of rice; stir an instant over the fire until it begins to frizzle, but do not colour; add stock to times the quantity of rice, a cupful of tomato sauce, a pinch of saffron, one of pepper, let it boil, cover the saucepan, and let it cook by the side of the fire for minutes. if the rice becomes dry before it is sufficiently tender add a little more stock. place the saucepan on the corner of the stove away from the hot fire, then add to the rice ozs. of grated parmesan cheese and the same amount of butter. arrange the rice on a dish and pour over it some good gravy and serve very hot. the brown rice now procurable in most large cities is liked by gourmets cooked in this manner and served with partridge and other game. risotto milanaise fry a tablespoon of minced onion in a good bit of butter; when slightly browned, add or tomatoes and pimento; after cooking pass through a sieve and replace in the casserole with pepper, salt, and a dash of cinnamon, or chicken livers, or some beef cut into small pieces. add cup of rice and qt. of stock or, lacking stock, water will do; boil until the rice is tender, when add / lb. of cheese grated. ravioli prepare a paste made of / of a lb. of flour, a pinch of salt, eggs, spoonfuls of water. cover with a cloth and let stand at least minutes. make a farce with cooked chicken or veal minced--about cups-- tablespoonful of finely minced cooked ham, / of a calf's brain cooked, yolks of eggs, a dash of nutmeg, dessert-spoon of grated parmesan cheese. take / the paste, roll out thin into a large square; place a ball of the farce every - / inches apart about the size of a walnut, moisten with a brush the paste between the balls of farce. roll the rest of the paste and place it over the farce; press edges together and between each ball. cut with a round cutter or into squares as preferred and cook in boiling water or minutes, drain them and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. put on a dish and pour a tomato sauce around them. egg coquilles, with spinach (french) one-half lb. of prepared and seasoned spinach, breakfastcupful of cream, eggs, pepper, and salt. have very small coquille or marmit pots, or china soufflé cases, butter them, and put tablespoonful of spinach in each. upon this put about dessert-spoonful of cream. break egg in each, season with salt and pepper, and bake carefully in a moderately heated oven for minutes. serve quickly. pirog of mushrooms boil mushrooms until they are tender, chop them and mix them in the pan with butter, pepper and salt. roll out the paste, put on one side of the dough cold boiled rice, then the mushrooms, hashed meat of boiled veal, chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped onions, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. when filling is placed on half of the dough lap the other half over it, close the edges with the white of an egg, spread over some beaten egg, and bake in the oven light brown. paste for russian pirog one cup of milk, eggs, - / cups of butter, a little salt mixed with flour to make a soft dough. knead it thoroughly, first with hands and then half an hour more with a wooden spoon. eggs romanoff cover hard-boiled eggs with a stiff mayonnaise. put a little highly flavoured aspic jelly in the bottom of individual moulds. when the jelly is firm add a spoonful of caviare and place the mayonnaised egg on the top. pour in more jelly. when it is cold turn from the mould and serve on a garniture of lettuce. this is good for a cold supper. oeufs pochÉs ivanhoe cook a piece of finnan haddie in milk, then add tablespoons of sauce (a good cream sauce) with a few fresh mushrooms, salt, pepper, a bit of cayenne, and tablespoon of parmesan cheese. put this through a fine sieve, and in nests of this paste on slices of toast, slip poached eggs. sprinkle with grated cheese and place for a moment in a hot oven to glaze. cheese puffs bring to a boil / of a cup of water, - / oz. of butter, a pinch of salt, a pinch of pepper, then add / of a lb. of flour and stir to a smooth paste, then stir in, one at a time, eggs, - / oz. of grated cheese (parmesan preferred). add / teaspoon of english mustard; when all is well mixed, drop by tablespoonfuls on a baking tin and place on top of each a slice of gruyère cheese. put in a moderate oven increasing the heat gradually. cook from to minutes. serve hot. moskva cheesecakes line tartlet moulds with short paste. take tablespoons of thick white sauce, well seasoned, add a good pinch of cayenne pepper, bring it to a boil, add yolks of eggs, tablespoons of grated cheese. again bring to a boil and remove from the fire, add white of egg beaten stiff. fill the tartlet moulds with this mixture, put in a hot oven for minutes, serve immediately. cheese fritters boil / pint of water, oz. of butter, pinch of salt, pepper. remove from fire and add oz. flour. stir until a smooth paste is made, then add oz. of grated cheese and oz. chopped cooked ham; when the mixture is half cold add eggs, one by one, stirring well. drop by spoonfuls into hot, not boiling fat; increase the temperature of the fat, turning the fritters often. when golden brown drain and serve. cheese pudding (a simple and nutritious welsh dish) chop / lb. of cheese. toast and butter four slices of bread. put two slices in the bottom of a dish, cover with half the cheese, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, put in the dish the other two slices of buttered bread and cover with the remaining cheese. pour over pint of milk, let it stand for five minutes, then bake in a warm oven minutes. chicory or endive chicory or endive is scalded the same as spinach, but needs a little longer time in the boiling water. it is prepared the same in brown butter, gravy, or cream. stewed cos lettuces (french) take off the outer leaves; wash them carefully, keeping them as whole as possible; boil for ten minutes in boiling salted water; pour cold water through them; drain. extract the water from them by pressing each lettuce lightly with two hands; split them in halves lengthwise; take off the stalk; sprinkle with salt and pepper. put them in a stew-pan, placing each half lettuce partly over the other round the pan. the latter must be well buttered before putting in the lettuces, or in place of butter some very good gravy from which all grease has been taken. add stock to half the height of the lettuces; cover and cook them gently for an hour. the lettuces should be tender and the liquid much reduced. note.--lettuces may be cooked in the same manner with a little lean bacon, ham, or sausage; in the latter case water may be used instead of stock. they can be served as a vegetable or for garnishing. asparagus (french) one bundle or heads of asparagus, pint of milk (or equal quantities of milk and water), head of lettuce finely shredded and cut into short lengths, medium-sized onion par-boiled and finely chopped, bay leaf, one sprig of thyme, - / oz. of butter, tablespoonsful of flour, the yolks of eggs, teaspoonful of lemon-juice, salt and pepper, croûtes of buttered toast or fried bread, chopped parsley, strips of cucumber. wash and trim the asparagus, and tie it into or bundles. bring the milk to boiling point, put in the asparagus, lettuce, onion, bay-leaf, thyme, and salt, and simmer gently for about minutes. drain the asparagus well, cut off the points and the edible parts of the stalks, and keep them hot. strain the milk and return it to the stew-pan, add the butter and flour previously kneaded together, and stir until a smooth sauce is obtained. beat the yolks of eggs slightly, add them to the sauce, and stir until they thicken, but do not allow the sauce to boil, or the yolks may curdle. season to taste, and add the lemon-juice. pile the asparagus on the croûtes, cover with sauce, garnish with strips of cucumber, and a little chopped parsley, and serve as a vegetable entremet or as an entrée for a vegetarian dinner. celery croquettes two heads of celery, stock, oz. of butter, oz. of flour, shallot, gill of milk, seasoning, yolks of eggs, egg and bread-crumbs, fat for frying. trim and wash the celery, and cut into short pieces, blanch them in salted water, and drain, then cook till tender in well-seasoned stock. drain the cooked celery, and chop it rather finely. melt the butter in a stew-pan, add the shallot (chopped), and fry a little, stir in the flour, blend these together, and gradually add a gill of milk. stir till it boils, and put in the chopped celery. season with salt and pepper, and cook for minutes, add the egg-yolks at the last. spread the mixture on a dish and let it get cold. make up into croquettes--cork or ball shapes--egg and crumb them, fry in hot fat to a golden colour, drain them on a cloth or paper, and dish up. ragoÛt of celery two or heads of celery, pint of white stock, / pint of milk, tablespoonsful of cream, medium-sized spanish onion, button onions, dessert-spoonful of finely chopped parsley, ozs. of butter, ozs. of flour, salt, and pepper. wash and trim the celery, cut each stick into pieces about inches long, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and pour the water away. put in the stock, the spanish onion finely chopped, season with salt and pepper, and cook gently for about / an hour. meanwhile, skin the onions, fry them in hot butter, but very slowly, to prevent them taking colour, drain well from fat, and keep them hot. add the flour to the butter, and fry for a few minutes without browning. take up the celery, add the strained stock to the milk, pour both on to the roux or mixture of flour and butter, and stir until boiling. season to taste, add the cream and / the parsley, arrange the celery in a circle on a hot dish, pour over the sauce, pile the onions high in the centre, sprinkle over them the remainder of the parsley, and serve. the celery may also be served on croûtes of fried or toasted bread arranged in rows with the onions piled between them. a nice change may be made by substituting mushrooms for the onions. stuffed onions (italian) remove from onions the centres with an apple-corer and fill them up with the following stuffing: one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese mixed with hard-boiled eggs and chopped parsley. boil them first, then roll them in flour and fry them in olive-oil or butter. then put them in a baking-dish with / tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese and tablespoon of melted butter. put them in the oven and bake until golden. onions (venetian style) remove the centres of small onions. boil them for a few moments, drain them, and stuff them with the following: take a piece of bread, dip it in milk, squeeze out the milk, and mix the bread with tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, the yolks of hard-boiled eggs. mix well together, then add some fine-chopped parsley, a pinch of sugar, salt, and pepper, and the yolk of raw egg; mix again well, and then stuff the onions with the mixture. dip them in flour and in egg, and fry them in lard. put them on a platter and serve with a piquante sauce made as follows: chop up fine some pickles, capers, and peppers, and / cup of water. when these are cooked, add tablespoon of butter and cook a little while longer, then pour over the onions and serve. fried pumpkin or squash (italian) take a slice of pumpkin or squash, remove the rind and the seeds. cut it into fine strips. roll in flour and dip in egg, and fry in boiling lard or olive-oil. if desired as garnishing for meat, cut the pumpkin exceedingly fine, roll in flour, but not in egg, and fry. cucumbers (italian) peel and boil or cucumbers in salted water for minutes. drain and cut them into pieces inch thick and put them in a frying-pan with ounce of butter, a little flour, and / pint of stock; stir well, and add some salt and pepper. reduce for about minutes, stirring until it boils; add teaspoon of chopped parsley, / a teaspoon of grated nutmeg, / a cup of cream, and the beaten-up yolks of eggs. put on the fire again for or minutes. do not let boil, and serve hot. sarma (serbian) put a cabbage in boiling water. let it stand while preparing the rest of the dish. fry onions in tablespoon of lard. mix lbs. of chopped pork and lbs. of chopped beef with the onions. stir into this raw eggs. add / lb. of rice, salt and pepper. remove the cabbage from the water, tear off the leaves and put into each leaf two tablespoonsful of the meat and rice mixture, wrapping it so that the contents should not come out. put a little sauerkraut in a pot, then a layer of the filled cabbage leaves, continue doing this until the pot is filled. cook slowly about hour. make a sauce putting tablespoon of lard in a saucepan on the fire, and add a chopped onion. when a golden brown, add tablespoonful of browned flour and paprika to taste. add a cup of water. pour this sauce into the pot and cook about half an hour longer. some sour cream may be added if liked on serving. polenta pasticciata (italian) three-quarters of a cup of indian meal and quart of milk. boil the milk, and add the indian meal, a little at a time, when milk is boiling. cook for one-half an hour, stirring constantly. add salt just before taking off the fire. the indian meal should be stiff when finished. turn it onto the bread-board, and spread it out to the thickness of two fingers. while it is cooking prepare a meat sauce, and a béchamel sauce as follows: meat sauce take a small piece of beef, a small piece of ham, fat and lean, tablespoon of butter, a small piece of onion, a small piece of carrot, a small piece of celery, a pinch of flour, / cup of bouillon (or water), pepper. cut the meat into small dice; chop up fine together the ham, onion, carrot, and celery. put these into a saucepan with the butter, and when the meat is brown, add the pinch of flour, and the bouillon a little at a time, and cook for about one-half an hour. this sauce should not be strained. bÉchamel sauce take tablespoon of flour, and - / tablespoon of butter. put them into a saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until they have become a golden-brown colour. then add, a little at a time, pint milk; stir constantly until the sauce is as thick as custard, and is white in colour. now take the cold indian meal and cut it into squares about two inches across. take a baking-dish of medium depth, butter well, then put in a layer of squares of indian meal close together, to entirely cover the bottom of the dish. sprinkle over it grated cheese; then pour on the top enough meat sauce to cover the layer (about tablespoons), then on the top of this add a layer of béchamel sauce. then put another layer of the squares of indian meal, sprinkle with grated cheese as before, add meat sauce, then béchamel sauce, and continue in this way until the baking-dish is full, having for the top layer the béchamel sauce. put the dish into a moderate oven, and bake until a golden brown. fried bread with raisins (italian) take some rather stale bread, cut it into slices, removing the crust. fry the bread in lard, and then arrange it on a platter; meanwhile prepare the raisins as follows: take a small saucepan and put into it tablespoons of raisins, a slice of raw ham chopped into small pieces, and a leaf of sage, also chopped up, tablespoon of granulated sugar, and tablespoons of vinegar. put these ingredients on the fire, and as soon as you have a syrup pour the raisins on the pieces of fried bread, and the sauce around. polenta croquettes (italian) boil / cup of corn-meal, and before removing from the fire add a piece of butter and a little grated cheese and mix well. take it then by spoonfuls and spread it on a marble-top table. these spoonfuls should form little balls about the size of a hen's egg. on each of these croquettes place a very thin slice of gruyère cheese, so that the cheese will adhere to the corn-meal. then allow them to cool, and when cold dip into egg; then into bread-crumbs, and fry in boiling lard. rice with mushrooms (italian) five or six mushrooms and / of a cup of rice. chop up a little onion, parsley, celery, and carrot together, and put them on the fire with tablespoons of good olive-oil. when this sauce is coloured, add tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with hot water. season with salt and pepper. cut the mushrooms into small pieces, and add them to the sauce. cook for minutes over a medium fire. put on one side and prepare the rice as follows: fry the rice with a lump of butter until dry; then add hot water, a little at a time, and boil gently. when the rice is half cooked (after about minutes) add the mushrooms and sauce, and cook for another minutes. add grated parmesan cheese before serving. timbales of bread with parmesan sauce soak half an hour cups bread-crumbs in cup thin cream (milk will do with butter added). to this add grated rind half lemon; tablespoon minced parsley; tablespoon minced chives; teaspoon salt; pepper; yolks two eggs. fill buttered timbale moulds or one large mould with this mixture, cover with buttered paper, and bake minutes in moderate oven in a pan half filled with hot water. remove from moulds and pour cheese sauce around it. sauces cheese sauce put tablespoons butter on fire. add tablespoons flour and blend to a paste. add / teaspoon salt and a dash of cayenne. then add gradually cup milk. cook five minutes, then add cup grated cheese. do not allow it to boil after adding the cheese but serve at once. tomato sauce (italian) take chopped shallots, put them in a stew-pan with a tablespoonful of olive oil, salt, pepper, a dash of ground ginger, a very little ground nutmeg. let the shallots take a good colour without burning; add tomatoes skinned and all the pits well squeezed out. let them cook very gently until all the moisture has disappeared. they should take the consistency of jam. this sauce may be eaten hot or cold. another tomato sauce cut in two or tomatoes, squeeze out the seeds, put in a stew-pan with cup of stock; salt and pepper, a bit of tarragon, laurel thyme, parsley, a chopped onion, and a dash of cinnamon. cook until the moisture has disappeared, then pass through a sieve. prepare a white thickening with oz. of butter, the same of flour. add the purée of tomatoes to it; thin the sauce with stock. let it cook to minutes and finish with a pinch of sugar and oz. of butter. mustard sauce two tablespoons of butter, - / tablespoons of flour, cup of scalded milk, / teaspoon of salt, / teaspoon of mustard, / teaspoon of vinegar. blend the butter and flour in a saucepan and pour on the milk little by little, then add the salt, mustard, and vinegar. a spoonful of mixed capers is sometimes added. a meat sauce (italian) put into a saucepan pound of beef and / an onion chopped up with ounces of lard, some parsley, salt, pepper, clove, and a very small slice of ham. fry these over a hot fire for a few minutes, moving them continually, and when the onion is browned add tablespoons of red wine, and tablespoons of tomato sauce (or tomato paste). when this sauce begins to sputter add, little by little, some boiling water. stick a fork into the meat from time to time to allow the juices to escape. take a little of the sauce in a spoon, and when it looks a good golden colour, and there is a sufficient quantity to cover the meat, put the covered saucepan at the back of the stove and allow it to simmer until the meat is thoroughly cooked. then take out the meat, slice it, prepare macaroni, or any paste you desire, and serve it with the meat, and the sauce poured over all, and the addition of butter and grated cheese. another meat sauce (italian) chop up some ham fat with a little onion, celery, carrot, and parsley. add a small piece of beef and cook until beef is well coloured. then add - / tablespoons of red wine (or white), cook until wine is absorbed, then add tablespoon of tomato paste diluted with water, or fresh tomatoes, and boil minutes. lombarda sauce put cups of white sauce and of chicken stock into a saucepan, reduce, and add yolks of eggs mixed with ounces of butter and the juice of / a lemon. before it boils take the saucepan off the fire and add cup of thick tomato sauce, strain, and just before serving add tablespoon of sweet herbs minced fine. horse-radish sauce cook about half an hour in a double boiler - / cups of milk, dessert-spoon of sugar, / cup of bread-crumbs, and / cup of grated horse-radish root, / cup of butter, half a teaspoon of salt. gnocchi di semolina one pint of milk, eggs, / cup of farina, butter and cheese. put the milk on, and when it boils add salt. take a wooden spoon and, stirring constantly, add the farina little by little. cook for minutes, stirring constantly. take off the fire and break into the farina eggs; mix very quickly, so that the egg will not have time to set. spread the farina about on a marble slab about / inch thick. allow it to cool, then cut it into squares or diamonds about or inches across. butter well a baking-dish, and put in the bottom a layer of the squares of farina; sprinkle over a little grated cheese, and here and there a small lump of butter. then put in another layer of the squares of farina; add cheese and butter as before. continue in this way until your baking-dish is full, having on the top layer butter and cheese. bake in a hot oven until a brown crust forms. serve in the baking-dish. salads italian salad cut carrot and turnip into slices, and cook them in boiling soup. when cold, mix them with cold boiled potatoes and beet cut into strips. add a very little chopped leeks or onions, pour some sauce, "lombardo," over the salad, and garnish with watercress. boiled jerusalem artichokes cut into slices are a good addition. lettuce salad mix one spoonful of thick mayonnaise, / spoonful of chilli sauce, a little finely hashed pimento, a sprinkling of finely hashed chives, add a few drops of tarragon vinegar, teaspoon of a. i. sauce, and a little paprika. cut a firm head of tennis-ball lettuce in parts. put one part on a plate and pour the dressing over it. this recipe is enough for person. sandwich dressing cream / lb. of butter and add to it dessert-spoonful of mixed mustard, tablespoons of olive oil, a little salt, and the yolk of egg; one may add to this / cup of very thick cream. mix thoroughly and set away to cool. to make sandwiches, spread the bread with this mixture and put in very finely chopped ham, or chicken and celery, or cream cheese and chopped nuts, or green peppers and mustard and cress, or lettuce, or "indian relish," or cucumber, or tomato or anything else you happen to have and may like. salad dressing (for grapefruit or orange) mix well tablespoonfuls of escoffier sauce diable and tablespoonful of escoffier sauce robert and then add olive oil, a little at a time. when it becomes thick, season with salt and pepper and vinegar. cheese dressing one quarter of a lb. of roquefort cheese and tablespoons of thick cream mixed to a smooth paste; stir in, little by little, enough olive oil to give the consistency of mayonnaise; season with tarragon vinegar, salt, and pepper. this is especially good for string beans, lettuce, or endive. one may fill celery stalks with this dressing made into a thick paste. vegetables potato cakes (russian) peel and grate raw potatoes, season with salt and pepper, egg. mix all together. drop onto a well-buttered griddle, spoonsful of the mixture, leaving space between to flatten them; continue to add a little butter to the griddle. cook a golden brown on both sides. arrange in a crown on a dish with a sprig of parsley in the centre. petits pois fry some finely shredded onion in about a tablespoonful of oil, with salt, pepper, and a sprig of tarragon. lay the heart and best leaves of a head of lettuce at the bottom of a stew-pan with a quart of very young peas. add a pint of stock. stew gently. a little sugar is always an improvement to peas. string beans cut off the ends of the string beans, slice them in three parts, cook them until three quarters done, then put them into cold water and dry them. cook an onion in butter and put the beans into a pan and simmer half an hour. shake at intervals but do not stir them. take out and pour over a little stock thickened with a very little flour and cream. peas may be done in the same way. red cabbage (flemish) chop onions and cook in tablespoonful of butter, add large red cabbage chopped. cover this with chopped apples, next add tablespoonful of rice, cups of water, dessert-spoonful of vinegar, teaspoonful of sugar, - / teaspoonfuls of salt, pepper. do not stir but cook slowly hours or longer removing the cover occasionally to let out the steam. cabbage with cheese sauce cabbage, cauliflower, or cucumbers boiled in salted water are excellent served with cheese sauce. (see sauces.) glazed onions boil onions in water until they are half cooked, then strain. put them in the stew-pan with a piece of butter, a pinch of powdered sugar, salt, and a cupful of stock; let them finish cooking. the liquid will be reduced and the onions coloured. young carrots are glazed in the same way. spinach soufflÉ (italian) boil some spinach in salted water. when cooked drain and chop it. there should be about cupfuls when chopped. put into a saucepan on the fire tablespoonsful of butter and - / level tablespoonsful of flour. when these are blended add the cupfuls of spinach and one cup of cream. cook five minutes, stirring carefully. then mix into this the yolks of eggs and remove the saucepan at once from the fire. when the mixture is cool stir into it the whites of eggs, well beaten. pour into a buttered soufflé dish, or individual dishes, and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. puddings, cakes, etc. french pancakes mix teaspoonful of flour and teaspoonful of sifted sugar with / pint of cream or rich milk. beat eggs separately and stir into the cream. bake in a quick oven in large saucers. when brown, place one cake on top of the other and spread jam between. crÊpes suzette mix well lb. of flour, ozs. of powdered sugar, a pinch of salt, eggs; add / pint of cream, / pint of milk, spoonsful of whipped cream, a liqueur glass curaçoa and a few drops of essence of mandarines. three or tablespoons of this mixture are enough for one pancake. cook in a pan and when brown on both sides put in a hot covered dish. sauce for crÊpes suzette cream / lb. of butter, add / lb. of powdered sugar, liqueur glasses of curaçoa, liqueur glass of essence of mandarines, the juice of / a lemon, and / of an oz. of hazelnut milk (_noisette de beurre d'aveline_). put one spoonful of the sauce in a chafing dish, and when the sauce is hot, put in a pancake, fold it over twice, turn it in the sauce, and serve very hot. prepare each pancake separately in this manner. another suzette pancake mix cups of flour, - / tablespoons of baking powder, / cup of sugar, and teaspoon of salt. add cups of milk slowly, then a well-beaten egg, and tablespoonsful of melted butter. cook in the same manner as the first suzette pancake with the following sauce: cream together / cup of brown sugar and / cup of butter, add the juice of / orange and pony of curaçoa and pony of brandy. serve from the chafing dish as described for the first crepe suzette. kisel (russian) mix three cups of any kind of fruit syrup, add a little water if the syrup is very thick, sugar and vanilla according to taste, and / cup of potato flour. cook them in a double boiler until a very thick cream. served hot or cold with cream and powdered sugar. carrot pudding mix cup of grated carrots, cup of bread-crumbs, cup of minced suet, cup of currants, cup of chopped raisins, cup of flour, cup of milk, teaspoon of salt, / of a teaspoon of soda. steam hours, the longer the better. serve with the following sauce: / cup of butter, cup of powdered sugar, / cup of cream, tablespoons of sherry or teaspoonful of vanilla. the butter must be worked soft before adding the sugar gradually, then the cream and flavouring, little by little, to prevent separating. old english plum pudding two lbs. raisins stoned, lbs. currants, - / lbs. sultanas, lb. mixed peel chopped fine, lbs. brown sugar, lbs. breadcrumbs, lbs. chopped suet, - / lemons grated with the juice, ozs. chopped almonds blanched, nutmegs grated, / teaspoon of mixed spice, / teaspoon crushed clove, pinch of salt, eggs whisked, / pint (generous) brandy. mix all together thoroughly, boil hours, the longer the better on the first day and hours just before serving. this is the secret for making it black and light. this makes about two-quart and one-quart puddings. this recipe makes excellent plum cake, black and rich, by substituting flour for the crumbs and lard for the suet. banana trifle put thin slices of bread and butter into a glass dish, then cut or bananas into round slices and place them on the top of bread and butter. make a pint of sweet custard well flavoured with madeira and pour over. beat stiff / pint of cream and put on top of the trifle when cold. cream tart make a puff paste and cut it into round pieces; it must be very thin and a few holes pierced to keep it from rising too high. make a cream filling and spread over each piece, placing one on top of the other. on the top layer sprinkle chopped pistachio nuts (or any chopped nuts) on the cream as a frosting. filling: mix / of a cup of fine sugar with / of a cup of flour, add the yolks of eggs and whole egg, cup of scalded milk, / of a teaspoonful of salt, cook in double boiler minutes. add tablespoons of butter, tablespoons of either cocoanut or almond macaroons, crumbed, / teaspoonful of vanilla, and / teaspoonful of lemon extract. this may be put between simply two crusts, a bottom and a top, and served in a pie plate. chocolate pudding (french) grate / pound of chocolate. in a separate basin soften / pound of butter at the entrance of the oven; work it well with a spoon for minutes; add little by little to it whole egg, yolks, and the grated chocolate, / lb. of white powdered sugar, and a dessert-spoonful of dried bread pounded. beat up to a froth with whites of eggs, add them delicately and gently to the mixture with two dessert-spoonfuls of dried and sifted flour. pour into a mould that has been buttered and sprinkled with baked bread-crumbs. boil in a stew-pan, the water to reach half-way up the mould; leave the stew-pan open, and boil from to minutes. this pudding may also be baked. serve with cream and chocolate sauce. sauce crÊme au chocolat.--dissolve a tablet of chocolate in dessert-spoonfuls of hot water; add ozs. of powdered sugar and yolks of eggs, working the mixture for an instant with the spoon, then add very gradually / pint of hot milk. stir over the fire until it commences to thicken and stick to the spoon; it must not boil. pass it through a hair-sieve. fried apples (new england) cut or apples of fine flavour into quarters, then divide again until the pieces are about inch in width--do not remove the skin. throw into cold water. put into a saucepan teaspoonful of lard. when this is hot heap all the apples into the pan; spread over the apples cup darkest brown sugar; cover closely. cook rather slowly about minutes; then turn each piece with a fork. cover closely again and cook minutes more. the apples should keep their shape and look clear with a rich syrup. orange pudding (french) put into an enamel saucepan / lb. of butter, the same of white sugar, a dessert-spoonful of flour, seven yolks of eggs, the juice of an orange, the same of lemon, and the grated rind of an orange. stir all over a slow fire as you would an ordinary custard, not allowing it to boil, nor must there be any lumps. pour this custard into a basin of earthenware--it must not be put into any tin vessel; mix with the seven whites of eggs beaten to a firm froth, pour into a plain earthenware mould, and cook in the oven for to minutes. the mould must be placed in a bain-marie--that is to say, in a deep dish or vessel half full of boiling water. this pudding must be served quickly, and with a custard flavoured with orange. oat cakes (scotch) two lbs. of oatmeal, ozs. of flour, ozs. of sugar, / lb. of butter and lard, / oz. of carbonate of soda, / oz. of tartaric acid, a little salt, milk. weigh the flour and meal onto the board, take the soda, acid, and salt, and rub these ingredients through a fine hair sieve onto the flour and meal; then add the sugar and fat, and rub together until smooth; make a bay or hole in the centre and work into a smooth paste with milk, taking care not to have it too dry or tight, or considerable trouble will be experienced in rolling out the cakes, as they will be found very short. having wet the paste take small pieces about the size of an egg, and roll these out thin and round with a small rolling-pin, dusting the board with a mixture partly of oatmeal and flour. when rolled down thin enough, take a sharp knife and cut them in four, place them on clean, flat tins, and bake in a warm oven. these cakes require very careful handling or they will break all to pieces. tea-cakes (hot) (scotch) one-half lb. flour, / lb. butter, oz. sugar, saltspoon salt, teaspoon baking-powder, egg, and some sweet milk. make the ingredients into a nice soft dough with the milk, cut into rounds about / an inch thick, and bake for minutes in a quick oven; split open with your fingers, butter, and eat hot. tea pancakes (scotch) two eggs, lump of butter, / teacup sugar, heaping teaspoon carbonate of soda, lb. of flour, salt, heaping teaspoon cream of tartar, pint milk (or milk and water). rub together the dry ingredients. beat up eggs and mix well with the milk, beating both together also. then dredge in gradually with the hand the dry ingredients, stirring all the time. heat griddle well, rub over till quite greasy with a piece of bacon fat. drop the mixture on griddle in spoonfuls from a tablespoon. a minute or two will brown them. then turn over and cook other side. canadian war cake two cups brown sugar, cups hot water, tablespoons lard, lb. raisins, cut once, teaspoon salt, teaspoon cinnamon, teaspoon cloves. boil these ingredients minutes after they begin to bubble. when cold add teaspoon soda dissolved in teaspoon hot water, and cups of flour. bake in loaves, minutes in a slow oven. serbian cake mix together the yolks of eggs, cup of sugar, tablespoons of pounded hazelnuts, cup flour. add the beaten whites of the eggs. cook this in shallow pans and put between the layers and on the top a cream made as follows: boil minutes / lb. pounded nuts with cup of milk. put aside to cool. cream / lb. butter, add tablespoons of rum and teaspoon vanilla. mix this with the boiled milk and nuts. add fine sugar until stiff enough to put between the layers of cake and then add more sugar to make it stiff enough for the top. sprinkle the top and sides of the cake with chopped nuts. ravioli dolce take / pound of flour, tablespoon of butter, and tablespoons of lard. work this into a paste and roll out thin. take / pound of curds, add egg, and the yolk of a second egg, tablespoons of granulated sugar, a few drops of extract of vanilla. mix well together and add to the paste as for other ravioli. then fry in lard until a golden brown. serve with powdered sugar. chestnuts (italian) take chestnuts and roast or boil them over a slow fire. remove the shells carefully, put them in a bowl, and pour over them / a glass of rum and tablespoons of powdered sugar. set fire to the rum and baste the chestnuts constantly as long as the rum will burn, turning the chestnuts about so they will absorb the rum and become coloured. gnocchi of milk one cup of milk, level tablespoon of powdered starch, / teaspoon of vanilla, yolks of eggs; tablespoons of sugar. put all these ingredients together into a saucepan and mix together with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. then put on the back of the stove where it is not too hot, and cook until the mixture has become stiff. cook a few minutes longer; then turn out onto a bread-board and spread to a thickness of an inch. when cold cut into diamonds or squares. butter a baking-dish, and put the squares into it overlapping each other. add a few dabs of butter here and there. put another layer of the squares in the dish, more dabs of butter, and so on until the dish is full. brown in the oven. almond pudding (italian) two ozs. of ground almonds, sugar to taste, eggs, / pint of cream, dessert-spoonful of orange-juice, blanched almonds, shredded candied peel. separate the yolks of the eggs, add tablespoonful of castor-sugar, the ground almonds, and the cream gradually. whisk the whites stiffly, stir them lightly in, and add more sugar if necessary. have ready a mould well buttered and lightly covered with shredded almonds and candied peel, then pour in the mixture. steam gently for - / hours, and serve with a suitable sauce. chestnut fritters (italian) take chestnuts and roast them on a slow fire. remove the shells and put them into a saucepan with level tablespoon of powdered sugar and / glass of milk and a little vanilla. cover the saucepan and let it cook slowly for more than a half-hour. then drain the chestnuts and pass them through a sieve. put them back in a bowl with one tablespoon of butter, the yolks of eggs, and mix well without cooking. allow them to cool, and then take a small portion at a time, the size of a nut, roll them, dip them in egg, and in bread-crumbs, and fry in butter and lard, a few at a time. serve hot with powdered sugar. chestnut cream (a favourite florentine pudding) cut lb. of chestnuts lightly with a knife; put them in a saucepan and cover with cold water; boil minutes. the outer and inner skins should now peel easily. cover the peeled chestnuts with milk, add a little vanilla, let them boil in a covered pan until tender and the milk reduced. now crush the chestnuts in the saucepan and add / lb. powdered sugar. if the purée is too thick add a little milk, but it should be stiff enough to form into a border around the dish in which it is to be served. in the centre of the dish heap whipped cream lightly sweetened and flavoured with vanilla. the chestnut border may be made in an ornamental form by a pastry bag and tube. tapioca pudding (french) boil - / pints of milk with oz. of sugar and two even tablespoons of butter. stir in gradually oz. of fine tapioca. place the saucepan on a slow fire and simmer minutes. pour the mixture into a basin and add / cup stoned raisins, the grated rind of lemon, - / oz. finely cut candied orange-peel, one whole egg, yolks; mix all together. beat the whites stiff and add to the mixture. pour into a mould which has been buttered and well sprinkled with powdered sugar and steam minutes. serve with any sweet sauce. with a larger quantity of raisins this resembles an old time "whisper pudding." so called because the plums were close together. ginger ice-cream (canadian) make a pint of custard. when it is cold add / pint unsweetened condensed milk, / pint unsweetened condensed cream, tablespoons of chopped preserved canton ginger, and tablespoons of the syrup from the ginger jar. freeze. almond cake (canadian) the ingredients are: whites of eggs, cup of flour, - / cups of sugar, teaspoonful of cream tartar; the method of mixing similar to angel cake. bake in layers. for the filling: yolks of eggs, tablespoon of sugar, teaspoons of corn-starch mixed in enough milk to moisten, pint of cream. heat the cream in a double boiler, then add other ingredients, stir constantly and do not let it thicken too much; add a few drops of almond flavouring and / cup of chopped almonds. for the frosting: white of egg beaten stiff, cup of sugar with enough water to melt it. boil minutes. stir half of it into the egg, let the remainder boil thick. add all together and beat to the right consistency; flavour with sherry or madeira. queen cakes (english) melt oz. of butter, then add oz. of corn flour, oz. flour, oz. sugar, eggs, / of a teaspoonful of lemon-juice, / of a teaspoonful of lemon extract, small teaspoonful of baking powder. beat well for minutes and then bake in well-buttered patty pans in a warm oven. francescas mix together eggs, cup of sugar, / cup of butter, / cup of flour (scant), squares of melted bitter chocolate, and cup of chopped (not too finely) walnuts. bake on well-buttered paper in moderate oven. cut in squares while hot. oat cakes (canadian) cream cup of sugar with tablespoonful of butter, add cups of rolled oats, a few drops of bitter almond, scant teaspoons of baking powder, then the yolks of eggs, lastly the whites beaten stiff. drop on buttered paper and bake until a good brown. gateau polonais proportions: / lb. of almonds, / lb. of sifted sugar, tablespoons of orange water, dessert-spoons of water. pound the almonds, moistening them with the water and orange water; mix in the sugar. take / lb. of puff paste, divide it into two parts one a little larger than the other. roll the smaller piece to the thickness of / inch, lay it at the bottom of a round baking sheet, spread on it the almond paste to within / inch of the border, moisten the border; roll the other piece of pastry to twice the thickness of the lower piece, place it over the almonds, join by pressing lightly on the edges of the two pieces of pastry; brush over the top with yolk of egg. bake in a good oven from to minutes; an instant before taking out, powder some sugar on the top to glaze it. anise cakes (french) beat well together / lb. flour, / lb. sugar, and eggs. add aniseed to taste. drop on buttered pans, making small round cakes and bake slowly. gordon highlander gingerbread put in a mixing bowl / a lb. of flour, oz. of brown sugar, oz. peel, / of an egg or small egg, well beaten, / teaspoonful of soda mixed with / of a cup of milk, / oz. each of ginger, mace, and cinnamon, then beat into this slowly oz. of butter that has been warmed in / pint of molasses. bake very slowly in a tin lined with buttered paper. scotch short bread beat to a cream / lb. of butter and lb. of flour and oz. of sugar (fine), add oz. ground almonds, mixing all thoroughly together. roll out into cakes about / inch thick. ornament around the edges and prick the top with a fork. bake in a moderate oven until a nice brown, about to minutes. cramique (belgium) mix together / of a cup of sugar, / of a cup of butter, cup of milk, / teaspoonful of salt, yeast cake dissolved in / a cup of warm water, pounded cardamon seeds, and let rise. when light add cup of seeded raisins and enough flour to make a stiff batter. let this rise until it is twice the size, then shape in a round loaf and bake. brush over the top with the yolk of an egg. gaufres / lb. flour, / lb. sugar, a little salt, / lb. butter, whole eggs, yolk, teaspoonful brandy, teaspoonful warm water, / pint milk. mix all in basin to a liquid paste, beat well until creamy. heat the waffle irons, butter them lightly, pour into the middle a teaspoonful of the mixture; cook to a golden brown on both sides of the cakes. when done, should be quite thin like an ice cream wafer. these are delicious but it is necessary to have the proper irons. pets de nonne proportions: - / cups water, oz. butter, - / oz. sugar, a pinch salt, grated rind lemon, / lb. flour, whole eggs. boil together the water, butter, sugar, and salt for two minutes. when the liquid is boiling remove the stewpan from fire and add the flour all at once, then the lemon peel. when half cool add the eggs one by one. drop by spoonfuls in hot frying fat, which must not be too hot. when a golden brown remove from fire, drain, and roll in fine sugar. brioche de la lune dissolve yeast cakes in cup of warm water; mix this into / lb. of flour, a pinch of salt, even tablespoon of sugar and pounded cardamon seeds. put dessert-spoonsful of warm water in a bowl and place the dough in it and put in a very warm place to rise. then work soft / of a lb. of butter and mix into it eggs and / of a lb. of flour by degrees so that a smooth paste is obtained; when the paste is smooth and shining add to it the yeast, butter, and dessert-spoonful of cream. leave in gentle temperature or hours or until the dough has risen to twice its size. roll out on a board / of an inch thick, spread thinly with softened butter, then turn the edges over to the center to make layers. roll out / an inch thick. cut into small squares. with a wet finger make a hole in the center of each; into this hole put a piece of the dough in the shape of a little pear; brush the top lightly with the yolk of egg. let it rise again and then bake in a moderate oven about minutes. victoria scones (english) two cups of flour, teaspoonsful of baking powder, teaspoonsful of sugar, / teaspoon of salt, tablespoonsful of butter, eggs, / cup of cream. mix and sift together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. rub in butter, add beaten eggs and cream. roll out on floured board / in. thick, cut out with a small biscuit cutter, and brush over with white of egg. bake in a hot oven minutes. nut bread (new england) mix cups of flour with teaspoonsful of baking powder and teaspoonful of salt. in another bowl beat together / cup of sugar, egg, cup of milk, and cup of english walnuts broken in pieces. add the dry ingredients to this mixture and let rise minutes, then bake in a loaf to minutes. bran muffins (new england) mix cups of bran, cup of flour, cup of milk, / cup molasses, teaspoon of soda, and a pinch of salt. bake minutes. to this may be added some chopped nuts and raisins. scotch scones mix teaspoons of baking powder with cups of flour. rub in tablespoon of butter, add cup of currants or raisins, beaten egg, and enough milk to make a paste to roll out. cut into squares or rounds and bake in a quick oven. blinni (russian) mix together - / cups of tepid milk, cups of flour with / a yeast cake and put in a warm place to rise or hours. one hour before cooking add cups of warm milk and tablespoon of salt. fry like ordinary pan cakes. serve very hot one on top of the other, well buttered. blinni are spread with soured cream, and smoked salmon or caviare is usually served with them. baked hominy (new england) a good way to prepare any cereal for children. put a pint of milk with teaspoons of sugar and one of salt in a saucepan on the fire--when at the boiling point add oz. of hominy; let it cook about ten minutes. remove the saucepan from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and three eggs. pour this into a baking pan and bake about minutes. baked hominy may be served with meats or fish. marrons glacÉs put the chestnuts on the fire in cold water, boil minutes, take them out, and while hot strip them of their outer and inner skins. put them in a big saucepan containing a syrup of the proportion of / lb. of sugar to quart water and teaspoonful of butter, when they come to the boiling point remove to the back of the stove. use a large quantity of the syrup to the quantity of chestnuts. this syrup should diminish very slowly. when it has become very thick take out the chestnuts and drain them, add a little vanilla to the syrup. now pour boiling water over the chestnuts to remove the syrup which covers them. dry them well. beat the thick syrup until it is opaque, then roll the dry chestnuts in it; remove with a skimmer and let them dry on a sieve. prunes may be treated in the same way. small cucumber pickles put pint of salt on / of a bushel of small green cucumbers, cover them with boiling water, and let them stand over night. drain off the water and put them on the stove, a gallon at a time, in cold vinegar, to which add a lump of alum the size of a small hickory nut. let them come to a boil, then take out and place in a stone jar. have on the stove a gallon of the best cider vinegar, to which add about lbs. of brown sugar, let come to a good boil. take out the seeds of red peppers and green peppers, cut them in rings, cut in pieces horse-radish root, pour boiling water over them, and let stand minutes; drain off, add / cup of white mustard seed, a few whole cloves, and some cinnamon sticks. then put all of this mixture on the pickles, cover them with boiling vinegar, and put away. two or three cloves of garlic put in the jar are an addition. preserved strawberries (french) these berries will remain whole. prepare a basin of lime water. when the lime water is cool put in the strawberries and let them stand / of an hour, then rinse them an instant in fresh water, drain them, taking care not to bruise the fruit. take an equal amount of sugar to the amount of berries. to each pound of sugar, add cup of water, boil until a very thick syrup, then add the berries. cook minutes, pour into sterilized jars and seal. rhubarb jelly (english) rhubarb, sugar, and teaspoonful powdered alum. wash and cut the rhubarb in small pieces; wash again, and boil it over a slow fire with a breakfastcupful of water till well cooked and all the juice extracted; let it drip all night through a jelly bag; to each good / pint of juice add lb. of sugar, and add the alum to the whole; stir till it comes to the boil, and let it boil for minutes; pour into pots. tomato soup for canning (new england) put in a preserving kettle / bushel of ripe tomatoes, bunches of celery (leaves and all), sprays of parsley, or sweet green peppers, onions, clove of garlic, whole cloves, / stick of cinnamon, bay leaves, teaspoonful of whole black pepper; boil this hours, strain through a sieve, and add - / cups of flour, one cup of sugar, lb. of butter, and tablespoonsful of salt. cook / hour longer and seal in sterilized jars. this is a good soup and will keep all winter. budo cup to pint bottle of dry ginger ale, add pint bottle of grape juice, juice of orange, lemon, tablespoonsful of jamaica rum, and bottle of effervescent water. * * * * * transcriber's note: varied hyphenation was retained. this text uses the spelling of curaçoa in place of the more usual curaçao. page , "excelent" changed to "excellent" (make an excellent) page , "bechamel" changed to "béchamel" (layer of béchamel) margaret brown's french cookery book. margaret brown's french cookery book. containing a variety of receipts, from the plainest cookery to the most elaborate french dish. washington, d. c. rufus h. darby, publisher. . copyrighted: . contents. asparagus soup, apple chocolate, apple omelette, apple cake, apple stuffing, apple jam, apple and rice, apple (red) in jelly, apple charlotte, apple jelly, apple pot-pie, artichokes, apple tarts, a course for a dinner of persons, a spring lunch, a spring breakfast, boned turkey, beefsteak pudding, boston baked plum pudding, biscuits, biscuit glace, bread (no. ), bread (no. ), baked apple pudding, beef à la mode, boned turkey (roast), bell fritters, boston brown bread, bread and butter pudding, boston apple pudding, blanc-mange, beefsteak and oysters, baked apple dumplings, celery soup, chicken à l'italienne, croquettes, fish, croquettes, potato, croquettes, lobster, curry chicken, chicken rissoles, custard fritters, cold veal and ham timbale, chicken pie à la reine, croquettes, chicken cutlets, chicken salad with mayonnaise sauce, consommé, cheese soufflé, caper sauce, chromskies, chicken glacé, clam chowder, currant jelly, chow-chow, cocoanut pudding, chicken in glacé (whole), christmas plum pudding, clam stew, codfish cakes, crabs dressed cold, charlotte des pommes, canvasback ducks, chickens (young), broiled, calves' foot jelly, corn bread, charlotte russe, chocolate cream, cream cakes, cabinet pudding (no. ), cabinet pudding (no. ), cabinet pudding à la française, cream sauce, custard pudding, custard sauce, cottage pudding, custards, boiled, clams, fried, chocolate transparent icing, crushed strawberry cream, coffee blanc mange, cheese crackers, corn bread (no. ), cranberry tarts, clam chowder (no. ), delicate cake, deviled crabs, duchesse cake, delmonico's pudding, deviled fish, easter ham, eggs, stuffed, egg potage, fried perch, french vanilla cream, fruit jelly, french coffee, frozen peach custard, flemish waffles, french muffins, fricasseed chicken, fish turbot, fish cream à la lait, fish pudding (no. ), fish pudding (no. ), fillet of chicken, fish in jelly, fish in batter, fish sandwiches, fish patties, fish, scalloped, fish, boiled, fish, salted, fish, curried, green corn pudding, ginger cake, goose pork, german waffles, graham muffins, game soup, huckleberry cake, ham (whole boned), hickory nut cake, ham, icing, transparent, ice cream, coffee, ice cream, italien orange, ice cream, chocolate, jumbles, jury pie, kidneys, lobster soup, lobster fritters, lark pie, lemon cream méringue pie, lobster sauce (no. ), lobster sauce (no. ), lobster salad, lemon ice cream, mock turtle soup, mock mock turtle, mock turtle (southern), marrow bones, mutton cutlets, mutton cutlets with chestnuts, mushroom catsup, mustard quickly made, mutton chops, mushroom sauce, mushroom sauce (brown), madelaines, mince pies, mangoes, méringue pie, mussels, stewed, maigre plum pudding, mock goose, noyeau cordial, nottingham pudding, ox tail soup, oysters, fried, oysters, fricasseed (no. ), oysters, scalloped, oysters, pickled (no. ), oysters, fricasseed (no. ), omelette, ox tongue, oyster catsup, ox tongue glacé, oysters, pickled (no. ), orange pudding, oysters, panned, oysters, broiled, oyster chowder, omelette, ordinary, omelette, sardine, omelette, bacon, oysters à la poulette, oysters, truffled, oysters, stuffed and broiled, oatmeal cracknels, oyster sauce, oysters, stewed, pastry cream, pease soup, plain, pease soup and pickled pork, peach sauce, pate la foie gras, peppers, stuffed, plum pudding sauce, plum pudding (no. ), plum pudding (no. ), princess pudding, pancakes, swiss, pancakes, german, pancakes, scotch, pancakes, french, puff pudding, puff paste, potato pie, potato biscuits, pudding à la mode, pudding à la marinière, potato pudding, pudding à la fecule des pommes de terre, potatoes in meat puddings and pies, potatoes, stuffed, potatoes, curried, potatoes, soufflé, potatoes and kidney, potato patties, peach marmalade, peaches, brandied, perch, fried, pumpkin pie, peach ice cream, pancakes and fritters, plain bread pudding, quails, stuffed, queen cake, quince preserves, quails, broiled, quantity required for a reception or evening party, ragout of cold veal, rock fish cutlet, rissoles, rabbit fricassee, rice pudding, royal wine sauce, roman punch, red cabbage pickle, rabbit fricassee, red currant fruit ice, rice muffins, salmon, pickled, saddle of mutton, salmon fillets, saddle of venison, stuffing for veal, turkey, duck, snipe pudding, sultana cake, sponge cake (white), sponge cake, spice cake, scotch cake, shrewsbury cake, sponge bread, sweet potato pie (no. ), sweet potato pie (no. ), sweet potato pudding, swiss apple pie, snowball, spring fruit pudding, shad, boiled, shad, baked, steaks, stewed oysters, soft waffles, sweet potatoes, baked or roasted, toutes fruits ice cream, tomato soup, terrapin, timbales of macaroni, tomato sauce, tapioca pudding, tea biscuits, tongue, veal (cold) and ham timbale, vol-au-vents, vanilla sauce, vermicelli pudding, variegated cake, vanilla cake, vinegar peaches, venison cutlets, wine sauce, waffles, walnut catsup, water ice, raspberry, water ice, lemon, water ice, orange, wine cake, waffles (no. ), yorkshire pudding, yeast, yorkshire pudding (no. ), preface. this book contains a variety of receipts, from the finest french dishes to the most ordinary cooking. they are reliable, as nearly every one has been used by me at different times. my experience in the work has prompted me to issue this book, every part of which has been dictated by me, and carefully written down by my friend, louise a. smith. margaret brown. quantity for a reception or evening party of persons. dozen croquettes; boned turkey; quarts terrapin. (six turkeys, - / chickens, dozen stalks of celery, heads of lettuce, half-pint bottles of olive oil are required for chicken salad; - / dozen eggs for the dressing and garnishing. parsley can also be used for garnishing the dishes.) [this quantity can be increased or lessened in proportion to the above number.] for a spring lunch. little neck clams or deviled crabs; patties; spring chickens; squabs; pate de foie gras, or a bird glace; ices and fruits. dinner for persons. oysters (blue point), or on a plate; julienne soup or puree of chicken or asparagus, followed by a course of fish; patties, either chicken or mushroom. for filet de boeuf, take or pounds fillet. in the spring garnish this dish with mushrooms, or asparagus and french potatoes; macaroni timbale; sweetbreads, larded and roasted, served with pease; supreme of chicken; salad and crushed chunks; cheese souffle; ices, fruits, coffee. a spring breakfast. oranges with scalloped peel; broiled fish cutlets and potato croquettes; lamb chops and pease (french chops); vol-au-vents of sweetbreads; broiled squabs; waffles and coffee; cheese, straws, ices. [illustration] margaret brown's french cookery book. no. . ox tail soup. soak tails in warm water. put into a gallon stewpan cloves, onions, teaspoonful each of allspice and black pepper, and the tails cover with cold water. skim often and carefully. let simmer gently until the meat is tender and leaves the bones easily. this will take hours. when done take out the meat and cut it off the bones. skim the broth and strain it through a sieve. to thicken it put in flour and butter, or tablespoonfuls of the fat you have taken off the broth into a clean stewpan, with as much flour as will make a paste. stir well over the fire; then pour in the broth slowly while stirring. let it simmer for one-half hour; skim, and strain through a sieve. put in the meat with a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup, a glass of wine; season with salt. no. . mock turtle. get a calf's head with skin on, take out the brains, wash the head several times in cold water, let it soak one hour in spring water, then lay in a stewpan, and cover with cold water, and half a gallon over. take off the scum that rises as it warms. let it boil for one hour, take it up and, when almost cold, cut the head into pieces one and a half inches, and the tongue into mouthfuls, or make a side dish of tongue and brains. when the head is taken out put in the stock meat, about pounds of knuckle of veal, and as much beef, add all the trimmings and bones of the head, skim it well, cover close, let it boil hours (save quarts of this for gravy sauce), strain it off and let stand until morning; then take off the fat; set a large stewpan on the fire, with half a pound of fresh butter, ounces of sliced onions, ounces of green sage; chop it a little; let these fry hour, then rub in one pound of flour, then add the broth by degrees until it is as thick as cream. season with / ounce of ground allspice, / ounce of black pepper ground fine, salt to your taste the rind of a lemon peeled thin. let it simmer gently for - / hours, strain through a hair sieve. if it does not go through easily press a wooden spoon against the sides of the sieve. put it in a clean stewpan with the head, and season it by putting to each gallon of soup / pint of wine, tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. let it simmer until the meat is tender (from / hour to hour). take care it is not overdone. stir often to keep the meat from sticking to the pan. when the meat is quite tender the soup is ready. a head of pounds and pounds of stock-meat will make quarts of soup, besides the quarts of stock-meat set aside for side dishes. if there is more meat on the head than you wish to use make a ragout pie of some of it. no. . mock mock turtle. line the bottom of a -pint stewpan with ounce of lean bacon or ham, - / pounds lean gravy beef, a cow's heel, inner rind of a carrot, a sprig of lemon thyme, winter savory, sprigs of parsley, a few green leaves of sweet basil, onions, a large onion with cloves stuck in it, grains of allspice, grains of pepper. pour on these pint of cold water, cover the stewpan and set it on a slow fire to boil gently / hour. watch it carefully, if need be, with the cover off, until it gets a good brown color; then fill up the stewpan with boiling water, and let it simmer for hours. if you wish you can cut up some of the meat into mouthfuls and put into the soup. to thicken it take tablespoonfuls of flour, a ladleful of gravy, mix them and pour it into the stewpan where the gravy is, let it simmer / hour longer. skim it and strain through a fine sieve. cut the cow's heel in pieces inch square. squeeze the juice of a lemon, tablespoonful of mushroom catsup, teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of black pepper, a pinch of grated nutmeg, a glass of madeira or sherry wine, through a sieve into the stewpan of soup; let simmer minutes longer. no. . southern mock turtle soup. wash a calf's head clean, put gallons of water on it, set it to boil; put in a hock of ham (smoked), weighing about pounds, also thyme, onions, bunch of celery tops, tablespoonful each of allspice cloves, not ground; let it boil down slowly to - / gallons. when the head is done take it out, being careful to remove the brains and tongue, then cut the meat into small pieces. strain the soup; brown / pound of flour and make a batter of it to thicken the soup; grate / of a nutmeg in it, put in pepper and salt to taste; take a portion of the brain and make it into small cakes, as you would fritters, fry them in lard; take / pound of veal cutlets, and a small part of the ham, chop up with a little parsley and onion, season with pepper and salt; make small forcemeat balls, frying them in lard, having first rolled them in eggs, then in breadcrumbs; put the forcemeat ball in the soup just before dishing up, together with / pint of wine. no. . celery soup. after splitting heads of celery into pieces about inches long, wash them well, lay them on a hair sieve to drain, and put them in quarts of clear gravy soup in a gallon soup-pot; let it stew just enough to make the celery tender, say about hour; take off the scum if any should rise, season with a little salt. should you wish to make this soup at a season when you could not get celery, use the celery seed, say about / pint, put this in the soup / hour before it is done, with a little sugar. no. . pease soup and pickled pork. take pounds of the flank of pickled pork. care must be taken that the pork is not too salty, otherwise lay it in water the night before. put quart pease (split), heads of cut celery, onions peeled, sprig of sweet marjoram in quarts of water; boil gently for hours, then put in the pork. let this boil until it is done enough to eat. when done wash it clean in hot water and place it on a dish, or else cut it in mouthfuls and put in a tureen with the soup. no. . plain pease soup. one quart of split peas, heads of celery; let them simmer gently in broth or soft water ( quarts) over a slow fire, stirring every now and then to keep the pease from burning. add more water should it boil away or the soup get too thick. after boiling for hours put them through a coarse sieve, then through a fine one. wash out your stewpan and put the soup back into it, let it boil up once. take off the scum if any. fry small square pieces of bread in hot lard until they become a delicate brown; take them out and let them drain on a sheet of paper. send these up with the soup in one side dish and dry powdered mint or sweet marjoram in another. no. . lobster soup. take fine, lively hen lobsters, boil them; when cold split the tails; take out the fish, crack the claws, and cut the meat in mouthfuls; take out the coral and soft part of the body, crush part of the coral in a mortar; pick out the fish from the shell, beat part of it with the coral; out of this make forcemeat balls, flavored with mace, nutmeg, grated lemon peel, cayenne, and anchovy. pound these, with the yolk of an egg. have ready quarts of veal broth, bruise the small legs and the shell, and put them into it to boil for minutes, then strain. to thicken the soup take the live spawn, crush it in the mortar, with a little butter and flour, rub it through a sieve and add it to the soup with the meat of the lobsters and the rest of the coral; let it simmer gently for minutes. no. . asparagus soup. take all the tender portion of three good-sized bunches of asparagus. this will make quarts of soup. put a large saucepan half full of water on the fire; when it boils put one-half of the asparagus in, with a little salt; let it boil till done, then drain it off. put in a clean stewpan, with quarts of plain veal or mutton broth, cover up close, and stew one hour over a slow fire. rub through a sieve, then cut the other half of the asparagus in pieces one inch long, and send up in the soup. no. . tomato soup or mock hock soup. one quart of tomatoes, put on fire and let boil; when done mash through a sieve tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonful nutmeg and mace together, and put in tomatoes, tablespoonful of butter, mixed with a large tablespoonful of flour, stir all into the tomatoes, and put on to boil again; stir till it boils. quarter of an hour before serving pour in pint of milk. pepper and salt to taste. stir till it boils up nicely. put in tablespoonfuls wine just before dishing up. no. . fried oysters. for this purpose each and every oyster should be as large, plump, and fat--fresh, of course, not salt--as you can procure. any small ones will serve for sauces, croquettes, soups, etc. drain off their juice, put them in a bowl, cover them with ice water, let stand a few minutes, then place them in a colander and drain them. dry between two thin, soft towels, without pressing them, and lay upon a moulding-board, slightly coated with cracker-dust, finely sifted. beat up to a thick rich custard as many eggs and an equal measure of cream as you need for moistening all the oysters, adding, at the last, a saltspoonful of salt for every three eggs. have ready a sufficiency of finely-sifted bread crumbs prepared by rubbing the heart of a stale loaf of white bread in a towel and pressing it through a sieve. dip the oysters, one by one, into the beaten egg and roll them in the crumbs till covered in every part. by no means flatten them, but keep them as round and plump as possible; lay them on napkins and keep in a cool place for half an hour; again dip, roll in crumbs, and set aside for another half hour. now lay them on the wire stand, not quite touching each other. set the stand into a deep frying-pan nearly full of whatever frying mixture you use, which must be boiling hot, and fry quickly to a deep yellow color, but do not brown them, or they will be tough and greasy. lift the stand out of the pan, drain quickly, and serve the oysters on a hot, white napkin, placed on a hot platter, and garnish with sprigs of parsley or water cress, stuffed olives, and small bits of lemon. the daintiest condiment of all is the french mayonnaise sauce served with lettuce. no. . fricasseed oysters. fifty oysters, ounces butter, tablespoonfuls flour, saltspoonfuls salt, saltspoonfuls white pepper, saltspoonfuls mace, bay leaves, quart cream, yolks of eggs, tea cupful bread crumbs. put the oysters, with their juice, into a stewpan on a quick fire; give one boil, drain them, put them into a hot tureen, and set in a warm place. rub the butter, flour, and teaspoonfuls of scalding cream to a fine smooth paste, stir it quickly into the quart of cream in a bright stewpan on a quick fire. add the salt and spice, and stir till it no longer thickens. now put in the yolks of eggs, well beaten; stir till smooth, strain the whole through a fine sieve upon the oysters. cover evenly with the crumbs and lightly brown in a quick oven. no. . scalloped oysters. half-gallon oysters for a three pint pudding dish; drain the oysters well, pint of bread-crumbs, and put pepper, salt, and a little mustard, nutmeg or mace in the crumbs. cover the bottom of dish with the crumbs. put a layer of oysters with a small piece of butter, then a layer of crumbs. continue this way till dish is full, then put or tablespoonfuls of cream on top. put in a rather quick oven; let bake minutes. no. . pickled oysters. drain the oysters. to / gallon of pickled oysters, / pint cider vinegar. heat the vinegar boiling hot. put in spice enough to flavor, cloves, allspice and mace. put the oysters in the hot liquor till they get hot; put a little salt in them; scoop them out of the hot liquor and put them right into the hot vinegar, and put in a covered dish and set away to cool. no. . fricassee of oysters. set oysters on the fire with their liquor and an equal quantity of chicken broth, glass white wine, blades mace; when they boil remove from the fire, and then from the boiling braise, which return to the fire; in a clean stewpan put a piece of butter the size of an egg, - / teaspoonfuls of flour, stir minutes then add the yolks of eggs, saltspoonful of white pepper and salt, tablespoonful chopped parsley; don't let it boil; make the oysters hot in it; use as directed. no. . chicken a l'italienne. common butter, remains of chicken, tomatoes, cup broth, tablespoonfuls onions chopped, a tablespoonful parsley, saltspoonful each of salt, white pepper, royal thyme, and summer savory, tablespoonful of butter. cut the remains of chicken into small pieces, dip into the butter, and fry crisp in plenty of lard made hot for the purpose; serve with tomato sauce. no. . fish croquettes. three-pound rock. boil it till done; skin it and take bones out. chop fish up fine with stalk of celery and sprigs of parsley, pint milk, tablespoonfuls flour, / pound butter. mix butter and flour together; boil the milk and pour it into the flour and butter, making a rich sauce. boil / pint oysters scalded, take the hearts out, cut them up in small bits and put in the sauce. put fish in the sauce and keep stirring till it begins to boil. when done pour out on a platter and let it get cold. make croquettes in shape of pears or apples, roll in beaten eggs and then in bread crumbs. boil in a croquette kettle of lard. serve these with french potatoes or saratoga potatoes fried. no. . potato croquettes. peel and boil good-sized potatoes till mealy. rub them fine with a potato-masher; / tablespoonful butter, eggs, pepper and salt mashed well in the potatoes. after they are cool make them out into steeples. roll them in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs; boil them in hot lard. set them up around the dish. no. . lobster croquettes. two lobsters boiled done, picked and chopped fine; / loaf of bread grated fine, little nutmeg, mace to taste, / pound of butter; mix all with lobster and egg; make lobster croquettes in pears or steeples, put them in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs. boil in hot lard, garnish with the claws and parsley. no. . wine sauce for venison or hare. quarter pint of claret or port wine, and same quantity of plain mutton gravy; tablespoonful currant jelly. let boil up once and send to table in a sauce-boat. no. . marrow bones. saw the bones even so they will stand steadily; put a piece of paste into the ends, set them upright in a saucepan, and boil till done. a beef-marrow bone will take from hour to - / hours. serve fresh toasted bread with them. no. . curry chicken. two young chickens, cut up in joints; place in stewpan a small piece of butter, a little piece of onion and parsley, pint of water. let stew slowly. when most done take teacup of cream, take grease off the top of the pot, pour in the cream; take the grease, mix it with large tablespoonfuls of flour; when the chicken begins to boil again put in the flour moistened with the grease; put in a teaspoonful of curry and a little salt. boil some plain rice in a stewpan, when time to dish up put the curry chicken in center of platter, and the boiled rice all around the dish, and garnish with water-cresses and parsley. no. . cold veal and ham timbale. timbale paste, pound corned ham, pounds leg veal, hard boiled eggs, teaspoonful each of royal celery, salt, and marjoram, sprigs parsley, white pepper, and salt to taste. line the timbale mould with the paste, first setting it on a greased baking pan; cut the ham and veal into scallops, and the eggs into slices; with them make alternate layers with the seasonings; when all are used, fill with water, wet the exposed edges, and bake in moderate oven hours; when cold open the mould, and serve as may be desired. no. . rissoles of chickens. chromsky mixture. roll out paste very thin, cut out with large biscuit cutter, wet the edges, put a teaspoonful of the mixture on, fold the paste over it pressing the two edges; fry in plenty of lard made hot for the purpose, until the paste is cooked. serve on a napkin. no. . terrapin. take diamond-backs, put them into hot, boiling water or lye. let them get entirely done; take them out and let them get cool a little; then open them and take the dark skin off the feet; take out the meat from the shell, the entrails, and the liver, being careful not to break the gall, as it will render the dish unfit to eat; do not use the head; take / pound of butter, a small piece of onion, teaspoonful of thyme. put these in the stewpan and let them get a little brown, putting in also a tablespoonful of flour, / pint of cream, and / pint of milk. let all this boil to a rich sauce, then take it off the fire; grate a little nutmeg, a pinch of ground allspice and cloves, cayenne pepper to taste. take one stalk of celery and chop it up very fine; put it with the meat; put this in the stewpan of sauce / hour before dinner on a fire; let it boil up for or minutes. just before dishing up put in a wineglass each of sherry and brandy. sliders can be cooked in the same way. no. . roast boned turkey. this must be boned, as stated in boned turkey, with this exception: the bones must be left in all the lower extremities and in the pinions, so that when placed in shape these bones will help to form it. take a stale loaf of bread, cut all the crust off; / pound of butter, can of mushrooms, chopped, pepper and salt, teaspoonful of nutmeg. chop all this up fine; stuff every joint where the bone has been taken out so that it will look plump; tie it up; put in a baking-pan; sift flour, pepper and salt over it; place a little water in the pan to keep it from burning; bake - / hours in a slow oven; baste it with / pint of madeira wine in the oven; take the turkey out of the pan and make the gravy with the essence. make potato croquettes and set all around the dish. no. . boned turkey. split the turkey down the back, clear the back of meat, then take all the meat off the wings without breaking the skin, then from the side of the breast, afterwards from the thighs and legs. we have now taken all the meat off in one piece, leaving only the carcass of bones. now take pounds veal-cutlet, or large-sized chicken, or sausage-meat, / pound ham, a half-sized can truffles peeled and sliced in half, a can of mushrooms sliced in half, large stalk celery, teaspoonful thyme, a half of a small onion, a bunch of parsley; chop fine, except the truffles and mushrooms; season with pepper and salt to taste. take all the dressing together and put it in the meat (which is all in one piece) taken off the turkey; sew the back up; then sew this in a bag, and boil gently. a small-sized turkey will take - / hours; a large-sized, hours. place the carcass in / gallon of water and let boil till water is reduced to pints; put in it pepper and salt and a small piece of onion; then take off and strain. melt box of gelatine in a cupful of water. when melted, put in the cool soup, with the whites of beaten eggs and egg shells. put it on the fire and stir till it boils. let boil minutes, then strain through a flannel bag. take a small mould of jelly, garnish with eggs, parsley, beets, and carrots, putting the jelly alternately between each till mould is filled. when the turkey is done put it in a close pan and press it. after getting perfectly cool, jelly with cool jelly, just cool enough to spread until the turkey is entirely covered. put the garnishing moulds on the breast of turkey. garnish dish with watercress, beets, and carrots. no. . custard fritters. half pint milk, eggs, / cupful of sugar, gill of cream, common butter. beat the milk, cream, sugar, and eggs together; strain, put into a small bowl, set in saucepan with boiling water to reach half way up the sides of the bowl; steam very gently until set--about minutes--place on the ice until cold; cut into pieces - / inches long by square; dip into common batter, and fry in plenty of hot lard, a deep fawn color. serve sprinkled with sugar. no. . peach sauce. place the peach juice from the can into a small saucepan, add an equal volume of water, a little more sugar, and or raisins, boil this minutes, strain, and just before serving add drops of extract of bitter almonds. no. . lobster fritters. common batter, lobster, / cupful mushrooms, yolks of eggs, cupful of cream, tablespoonful of butter, celery, salt, thyme, white pepper, saltspoonful of parsley, and tablespoonful of flour. put the lobster in quarts of boiling water, with / cupful salt; boil minutes; when cold remove the meat and fat; cut into small neat slices; put the flour and butter on the fire in a small stewpan, stir with a wooden spoon until it bubbles, then add the cream boiling, and the seasoning; let it boil two minutes, add the yolks and lobster, and mix; set it back to simmer minutes; pour it out on a well greased dish, and set it away to get firm by cooling; then cut into neat pieces, dip in batter, and fry yellow in plenty of lard made hot for the purpose; have a few nice branches of parsley, quite dry, and fry in the lard just while you count seconds. serve on the fritters. no. . bell fritters. sift pint of flour, pour boiling-hot water on it until it cooks enough to have the consistency of a stiff batter. let it get perfectly cold. take eggs, tablespoonful of butter, and put in it and beat all up till it is as light as muffins. grate in a little nutmeg. boil them in hot lard. make wine sauce to serve with them. no. . waffles. with yeast make a thick batter over night. in the morning stir in pint of flour, eggs, tablespoonful of butter, and a little nutmeg and salt; let it raise again, and fry just before breakfast. no. . omelette. five yolks of eggs, beaten light, and a little finely chopped celery. beat the whites to a stiff froth. just before breakfast put in a / cup of milk, then pour the whites in with the yolks. put in a buttered frying-pan and fry. no. . ragout of cold veal. the neck, loin, or fillet of veal can be used. cut the veal in cutlets. put in frying-pan a piece of butter; when hot, flour and fry the veal a light brown. take it out, and put pint of boiling water in the pan; give it a boil up for a minute and strain it into a basin, while you make a thickening as follows: melt an ounce of butter in a pan and mix with it as much flour as will dry it up; stir it over the fire a few minutes and gradually add to it the gravy you made in the frying-pan; let them simmer together for ten minutes. season with pepper, salt, a little mace, wine-glass of mushroom catsup or wine till the meat is thoroughly warmed. ready-boiled bacon, sliced, may be put in to warm with the veal. no. . lark pie. pick clean dozen larks, singe them; cut off the wings and legs, take out the gizzards and place the larks on a dish. cut pounds veal cutlets and pound of ham into scallops. fry these in a pan with a little fresh butter, can of mushrooms, some parsley, small onion, half a bay leaf, sprig of thyme chopped fine; season with cayenne and salt and the juice of lemon. to these add / pint of mushroom catsup and the same quantity of rich gravy. boil the whole for minutes, then place the veal and ham scallops, one upon the other, in the bottom of the dish; put the larks neatly and closely to each other; upon them pour over the sauce, and put mushrooms in the centre. cover with puff-paste. bake pie - / hours and serve. no. . chicken pie a la reine. paste, plump tender chicken, / pound salt pork, / teaspoonful each of celery, salt, and thyme, sprigs parsley, white pepper and salt to taste. cut the chicken up in small joints, the pork in neat scallops, and stew gently in - / pints water until nearly cooked. line the edge of a pudding dish with the paste, make layers of the chicken, pork, and seasonings; when used sprinkle over the chopped parsley; fill with the gravy, cover, ornament, and wash over with milk, and bake in steady oven minutes. no. . lemon cream meringue pie. having made the lemon cream pie, whip the whites of eggs to a dry froth; gently incorporate cupful sugar; spread over the top of the pie, and return to the oven to set; a fawn color. no. . timbales of macaroni. take quarts of water and boil pound macaroni in it with / pound butter, pepper-corns, and a little salt. when done and cold, let one-half of it drain upon a napkin. butter the inside of a plain mould, cut the macaroni into half-inch lengths, and cover the bottom of the mould with these, placing them on end; cover this with a thick layer of chicken forcemeat; line the sides of the mould in the same way, smoothing the inside with the back of the spoon in hot water; fill the cavity with a blanquette of fowl which has a thick sauce; cover the whole with a layer of forcemeat as follows: cut paper to fit the mould, butter it, spread some forcemeat on it, dip a knife in hot water and smooth the surface with it, take hold of the paper with both hands and turn it upside down upon the timbale. leave the paper on in such a way that it can be easily removed when the forcemeat has steamed enough. one and a half hours before dinner place the timbale in a stewpan twice its size, upon a ring, to prevent it from touching the bottom, so that the water in the stewpan which only reaches half-way up the mould, may circulate freely under it. place on the stove for an hour, then for / hour more put inside oven to let it get brown on top. when done, remove paper from the timbale, and carefully lift the mould. pour some supreme sauce over it, and garnish with truffles and mushrooms. no. . saddle of mutton. take a saddle of mutton, extract the spine bone carefully, trim the tail end round, cut the flaps square, season the inner part with pepper and salt, rolling up each flap so as to give a neat appearance, tying a string around it several times. the mutton must be prepared for braizing with carrots, onions, celery, cloves and mace; moisten with a quantity of good stock so as to cover the mutton; place a buttered paper and lid over all and set the braizing-pan on a moderate fire. after boiling let it continue to braize or simmer for hours, carefully basting it; when done take it up and place in oven to dry on a pan. dish it up and garnish with carrots, turnips, cauliflowers, french beans, cucumbers, asparagus heads, small new potatoes and green pease. pour some sauce around the mutton and send to the table. no. . ox-tongue. get a pickled tongue, run an iron skewer through from one end to the other, tie a string from one end of skewer to the other, so as to make it keep its shape; put the tongue on the fire in cold water; let it boil gently for three hours, then take up, and after removing the outward cuticle or skin, place in larder to cool; trim neatly, wrap in a piece of buttered paper, put it in an oval stewpan with a little broth; / of an hour before sending to table, put the tongue in oven or on slow fire to get warmed through, then glaze it and dish it up with some prepared spinach round it; pour a little sauce and serve. no. . mutton cutlets. trim the cutlets and arrange in circular order in a pan with a little clarified butter; fry quickly so as to brown on both sides; before quite done pour off the grease; add / pint of red wine (port or claret), can prepared mushrooms and same quantity small onions previously simmered in a little butter over a slow fire till done; season with a pinch of mignonette pepper, little salt, some grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful pounded sugar; set the whole to boil on fire minutes, add a spoonful of burnt sugar; allow the cutlets to simmer very slowly for minutes. the cutlets must be dished up closely in a circle; add a half glass of red wine; boil the whole for minute and garnish the center with mushrooms; pour the sauce over the cutlets and serve. no. . mutton cutlets with chestnuts. dish up cutlets, as previously shown, garnish with chestnuts which have been equally heated in a stewpan, so that the husk will easily peel off; take the chestnuts with a little good broth and put in clean stewpan; let simmer; when done pound in a mortar; put in a pan with a little sugar, nutmeg, / pint of cream; reduce the pulp, rub through a sieve, put in stewpan, let it get hot, mix in some butter, pour round cutlets some thin sauce. no. . vol-au-vents. [quantity for vol-au-vents]. paste--one pound of butter, pound of flour; divide butter in parts, rub / in flour, mix with hand, with a little water, then put on pastry board; roll out and put the second / of butter in layers over this paste; fold and roll it, and add the other two quarters in the same way; keep hour on ice to cool; roll and cut this paste in parts; roll / for the top and / for the bottom of pie. these must be cut out oval shape; cut the pieces and ends left of the paste into flower shapes and leaves to garnish the sides of the layers of pie. the remaining quarters are for another vol-au-vent fixed in the same way. cut out the center of top cover and fill in with flowers and leaves made of pastry. put in a hot oven and let it bake / of an hour. while baking this paste will rise and puff out in form like a cylinder. while hot take off this flowered center-piece on top of the pie, and from this opening scrape out all the insides, leaving nothing but a hollow cylinder of crust. put in / dozen real sweetbreads, parboiled and skinned; dozen truffles, peeled and sliced; / can of mushrooms cut in half. make a sauce of tablespoonful of butter, of flour, / pint of cream, pint milk; rub butter and flour together, boil milk and cream, and make a rich sauce of butter and flour, milk and cream, all mixed together; cook in this sauce sweetbreads, truffles, mushrooms, / teaspoonful of nutmeg, white pepper and salt each teaspoonful; put in together; stir while boiling; boil minutes. when ready for dinner fill up paste and serve with truffles, mushrooms, and sweetbreads while hot. send sauce-boat full of sauce to the table with the paste. no. . croquettes. take a medium-sized chicken, boil it, a pair of sweetbreads, and / box of mushrooms, small can of truffles, stalk of celery, a small onion, a few sprigs of parsley; chop all very fine; bring to a boil a sauce made of pint of milk and chicken water / pint, a large tablespoonful of butter, tablespoonfuls of flour, then beat eggs in the sauce after cooling; season to taste with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; add the chopped chicken; put on to boil and stir minutes; pour into platters to cool; then roll in the shape of pears or eggs; roll them in a beaten egg and then in bread crumbs; stick in a rib bone at the end of the pear shapes; boil them in hot lard a delicate brown; then lay on a napkin in a platter and garnish with parsley. set them up on a dish in oval form. no. . rock-fish cutlet. [can be made from any fish.] take a rock-fish, after washing it clean cut it down the back-bone, take out the back-bone, cut the ribs off, then cut the fish in square pieces. take the skin off of them, lard them with small pieces of truffles, which have been skinned and sliced, the slices being cut in three-quarters. then take a sharp-pointed knife and thrust them into the fish. salt the fish and put in a cool place for hour. a half hour before dinner take a medium-sized dripping-pan, put in / pint of milk and a tablespoonful of butter; lay all the pieces of fish separate in this pan with the truffle side up, put a press on them to keep them straight, set on top of stove for / hour. when done, take / pint milk, together with what milk is in the pan, tablespoonfuls of flour, teaspoonful of white pepper, tablespoonful of butter; mix the butter and flour together till they come to a cream, then pour the hot milk on to make rich sauce. put in this sauce dozen mushrooms and what truffles are left; cut mushrooms in four quarters. take up fish and lap it around your dish. boil french potatoes and put them in the centre of dish; garnish the dish with parsley and sliced lemon. no. . rissoles. puff paste--chop the breast of a chicken same as making croquettes. after boiling it take out teaspoonfuls of the mixture, then roll the paste out very thin; take a biscuit-cutter and cut the paste; take the teaspoonfuls of chicken-mixture and a beaten egg and wet the edge of the cut paste, also wet it all over the top, and roll them in vermicelli. boil them till brown in hot lard. serve on a napkin laid on a dish garnished with water-cresses. [see receipt for making croquettes.] no. . chicken cutlets. [quantity for one chicken.] boil the chicken sufficiently to eat; take it out and let it get cold; take all the white meat and chop up very fine with mushrooms and a celery stalk; take / pound of butter, full tablespoonfuls of flour, yolks and white of eggs, / pint of milk, / teacup of mushroom water, into which a little nutmeg has been grated, / pint of cream. mix the butter and flour together, boil the milk and cream and mushroom water, into which put the butter and flour; this will make a rich sauce, which is seasoned to taste. when cooled a little add the beaten eggs; add chicken, stir up, making a rich paste; boil minutes, stir while boiling, pour out in a platter, let get cold; make in shape of mutton cutlets or chops, take the ribs and put in for stems; then roll cutlets in beaten egg into which bread has been grated, put into hot lard and fry a delicate brown. garnish with french pease and parsley, or mushrooms and parsley. serve hot. no. . pate-la-foie-gras. make a soup of strong bouillon; let it boil for two hours; put in a few sprigs of thyme, one of onion, and a small bunch of celery tops; when done, let cool, and skim grease off. to every / pint jar of pate-la-foie-gras, mix three pints of boullion; take a half box of gelatine melted in a teacup of bouillon; beat the white of one egg, and egg-shells (not very light) in bouillon while cool, stir the melted gelatine till it begins to boil, say for about minutes, add the pepper and salt. after boiling about minutes strain through a flannel bag; put on ice, but do not let it get very cold. put in a jelly mould a layer of jelly, cut mushrooms into stars and half-moons and lay on the layer of jelly, then a slice of pate-la-foie-gras, next a layer of jelly, cut truffles into small pieces in the shape of flowers or diamonds, and lay on the layers of jelly; continue till the mould is filled, then put on ice; garnish to fancy. no. . chicken salad with mayonnaise sauce. one pair of chickens, boil them done; let get cold, skin them, and cut up in small dices; dozen stalks of celery; cut up white heads of lettuce, medium size; of the white hard heads must be cut up with the celery and chicken. take a teacupful of sweet oil, / teacupful of vinegar, a light half teaspoonful of red pepper, salt to taste, teaspoonful of mustard, medium-sized tablespoonful worcestershire sauce; mix that all up together with the chicken and celery; let the celery be perfectly dry. take a medium-sized irish potato, boil it done, squeeze it through a fine sieve; put in it a teaspoonful of mustard, cayenne pepper to taste, yolks of raw eggs and boiled ones mashed up very fine. now beat the potatoes and eggs well up together, add half teacupful of vinegar, a little at a time, and the contents of half pints of olive oil; work it one way till it becomes perfectly stiff and light; put it in ice-box hour and let get cold. when you dish up put salad on dish, put the sweet oil dressing all over the top as an icing. boil red beets and carrots, cut them into diamonds, roses, etc., and garnish the salad with it and sprigs of parsley; take the other three heads of lettuce, cut in four quarters, take one-quarter and put in center of salad, and put the others around the dish with parsley. no. . apple charlotte. take large apples and chop very fine, grate the inside of a stale loaf of bread into crumbs, grate half a nutmeg, take a three-pint tin pudding-pan, line it thickly with thin-sliced buttered bread, a layer of bread crumbs, a layer of apples, and a layer of butter, composed of small pieces; continue to add till the pan is packed very tight--make the last layer of butter and sugar. bake in a moderately hot oven two hours; serve with cream sauce. put sugar in every layer. no. . consumme. take a pint of consommé, with well-beaten eggs in it, and a little salt, and pour it into a baking dish; put it in oven and let it bake minutes. this will bake brown like a cake. try with a knife-blade; if done the knife will be clear. put it to cool, and then take the top and bottom crust off, cut the middle into diamonds and put them in tureen, and then pour over them the soup. no. . fish cream a la lait. take any kind of large white fish, pounds to a three-pint pudding-pan; wash the fish in cold water, put on to boil, and let get cool. take off the skin and flake the meat off the bones with a fork; parboil a pint of oysters; when done put to cool, then take out the hearts; boil half pint of milk and half pint of cream, beat up tablespoonfuls of flour and of butter to a light cream, which must be stirred into the boiling milk and cream; this will make a rich sauce; season with pepper and salt to taste. take off the sauce when done and stir in fish and oysters, then put in a pudding-dish and put a layer of bread crumbs on top; over the bread crumbs put flakes of butter. put in oven and let bake minutes; make potato croquettes and lay on the dish, which must be garnished with parsley; serve hot. no. . salmon fillets. take pounds of salmon, cut it down the back, and take out the fillets. lard it very close with thin strips of lard, put on with larding-needle. put on gridiron, broil it; put butter, pepper, and salt on when broiling. after it is done, take quart of oysters to one dish of fillets; drain the oysters of all liquor; fricassee them. take teacupful of cream, tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonful of butter, put in a little mace to season, and make a sauce; then put in the oysters, and let it boil up once to get done. pour in wine-glass of wine. take your fish, lap the ends over each other on the dish; pour your oysters in center. take scoop french potatoes, and put four piles around the dish. these potatoes must be boiled in lard and seasoned to taste. no. . saddle of venison. [ pounds.] take the top skin off. take portion of fat out, skewer it pretty round; let it cook / of an hour; cut it down in the back, take out the fillets, slice them, pepper and salt them, and put them back. make a sauce of cup of sugar, / cup of vinegar, teacups of tomatoes, the essence out of the venison, teaspoonful of nutmeg, / teacup of wine. serve it with the venison. make potato croquettes to put around the dish. no. . mushroom catsup. full grown mushrooms are preferred. put a layer of these in a deep earthen pan, and sprinkle them with salt; then another layer of mushrooms and more salt, and so on alternately salt and mushrooms. let them remain or hours, by which time the salt will have gone all through the mushrooms, and make them easy to break; then pound them in a mortar or mash them well with your hands, and let them remain for a couple of days, not longer, stirring them up and mashing them well each day; then pour them in a stone jar, and to each quart add - / ounces of whole black pepper, / ounce of allspice; stop the jar very close, and set it in a stewpan of boiling water; let it boil for hours. take out the jar, and clear the juice of settlings by pouring through a hair sieve into a clean stewpan; let it boil gently for / hour. keep in a dry, cool place; cork tightly or it will spoil. no. . walnut catsup. take half sieves of green walnut shells, put them in a tub, mix well with common salt (from to pounds), let it stand for days, frequently beating and mashing them; after a while the shells will become soft and pulpy. pushing the shells up one side of the tub and tipping the tub a little, the liquor will run to the other side. this will be nice and clear. take it out; repeat the above process until no more liquor can be obtained. you will get in all about quarts. let this simmer in an iron boiler as long as any scum rises. bruise / pound of ginger, / pound of allspice, ounces of long pepper, ounces of cloves, put these in the liquor and boil slowly for / hour. when bottled put an equal quantity of spice in each bottle. when corked let the bottle be well filled up. cork tightly, seal them over and put in a cool and dry place for year. no. . mustard quickly made. mix very gradually and rub together in a mortar ounce flour of mustard, tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, / teaspoonful of salt, and same of sugar; rub together until smooth. no. . stuffing for veal, turkey or duck. one-quarter pound of beef suet, / pound of bread crumbs, bunch of parsley, - / bunches of sweet marjoram or lemon thyme, a little grated lemon and onion chopped as fine as possible, a little pepper and salt; pound together with the yolk and white of eggs, and secure it in the veal with a skewer, or sew it with a needle and thread. no. . oyster catsup. take fine, fresh oysters, wash them in their own liquor; skim it; pound them in a marble mortar; to pint of oysters add pint of sherry wine; boil them up; add ounce of salt, tablespoonfuls of pounded mace, and tablespoonful of cayenne pepper; let it boil up again, skim it and rub it through a sieve, and when cold bottle it, cork it well and seal it up. no. . stuffed peppers. one dozen green peppers; take out all the seed after cutting a piece off the top; lay them into cold water for - / hours; pair sweetbreads, parboiled and skinned; can mushrooms, stalk of celery, clove of garlic; chop up all fine; / loaf bread without crust. grate up fine pepper and salt, a little nutmeg, / pound butter. mix all up well; stuff the peppers with it. put a piece of fat pork in your dripping pan; set the peppers up in the fat. before putting in the oven put a little butter, melted, over them and sprinkle them with flour. when they commence to bake pour a little water in the pan and baste them well. let it bake / hour in a steady oven. cucumbers can be stuffed in the same way. no. . stuffed quails. take / or dozen quails. take the bone out same as in boned turkey. put in mushrooms, truffles, bread crumbs. make this stuffing moist with butter and pepper and salt. be sure to stuff them tightly; tie them up, but do not take the feet off. take a piece of larding pork and tie it on each bird's breast so as to keep it in shape. then bake them in a baking pan, flour them and baste them. when done make a little sauce of currant jelly, glass of wine, and the gravy from the birds. lay the birds on a piece of buttered toast. garnish the dish with cresses. no. . mutton-chops. take dozen mutton chops. take the bone out of the chop; shape it as it was before the bone was taken out. pepper and salt them; place them in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs. put them in a skillet of hot lard; fry a delicate brown. half peck of spinach, picked and clean, must be put into boiling water. let it boil ten minutes. place in cold water in a pan; after getting cool squeeze perfectly dry. chop very fine; mix a tablespoonful of flour in it, tablespoonful butter, gravy of any kind, or colored water of burnt sugar. place in a stewpan with pepper and salt and a little nutmeg. cover closely for minutes to cook, and then for minutes more with cover off. be careful not to let it burn. put the spinach in the centre of dish and set the chops up all around it. boil eggs; cut them in quarters and put around the dish. no. . cheese soufflees. take tablespoonfuls flour, of butter, a little chicken water or clear boiling water; cream the flour and butter together, pour chicken soup or boiling water over this till about the consistency of paste; take off the fire, let get cold, then put in fine-grated cheese (or english cheese), at the same time put in yolks of eggs beaten up well in the batter, a little cayenne pepper and a little salt; beat the whites into a stiff froth; set them into a cool place, also the batter, but separately. when you send the dinner in beat the whites in with the batter and cook in moulds or paper cups or pudding-dish; let cook as speedily as possible and send directly to the table; must be served hot. no. . plum-pudding sauce. take a glass of sherry, / glass of brandy or essence of punch, teaspoonfuls of pounded lump sugar, a little grated lemon peel; put all these in a / pint of thick melted butter, grating nutmeg on top. no. . caper sauce. one tablespoonful of capers and tablespoonfuls of vinegar. to prepare the capers mince / of them very fine, divide the rest in halves; put them in a / pint of melted butter or thickened gravy; stir them the same way as the melted butter or it will oil. a few leaves of parsley minced fine can be added to the sauce; keep the caper bottle corked closely; do not use any of the liquor; if the capers are not well covered with it they will spoil. this sauce is used with a boiled leg of mutton. no. . lobster sauce. choose a fine hen lobster; let it be fresh; boil it; pick out the spawn and red coral in a mortar; add / ounce of butter, pound smooth, rub through a hair sieve with back of wooden spoon, cut lobster meat in small squares, put pounded spawn into as much melted butter as will do, and stir it together till mixed; now put in lobster meat and warm it on the fire; do not let it boil, as that will deprive it of its red color. some use veal or beef gravy instead of melted butter. no. . mushroom sauce. pick and peel / pint of mushrooms; wash clean and put in saucepan with / pint veal gravy or milk, a little pepper and salt, ounce of butter rubbed with a tablespoonful of flour; stir them together and set them over a gentle fire and stew slowly till tender; skim and strain it. no. . mushroom sauce--brown. put the mushrooms into / pint beef gravy, thicken with flour and butter and proceed as above. no. . tomato sauce. place on the fire the tomatoes, washed broth, onion, parsley, and seasonings; boil to a pulp about minutes; rub through a fine sieve; return to the fire, make it hot, stir in the butter and serve. no. . chromskies. two cupfuls chicken, / cupful mushrooms, / cupful ham, yolks of eggs, small onion, tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, level teaspoonful each of royal powder, celery, salt, and thyme, large pinch of salt, - / tablespoonfuls of butter, and of flour, cupful of broth. cut the onion fine, fry it in the stewpan with the butter; when of a deep yellow add the flour, stir minutes; add the broth boiling, the seasonings, and yolks; stir minutes longer; add the fowl, ham, and mushrooms cut in small neat dice; set away to get firm by cooling; cut in neat pieces, dip in common butter, and fry in plenty of hot lard minutes. no. . cabinet pudding a la francaise. take / pound of lady-fingers and scrape the crust off; then butter them; take a fluted pudding mould, buttering it well, stick the lady-fingers up all around it. one-fourth pound candied cherries, / pound citron, / pound raisins, with seeds picked out, / pound currants washed clean, / dozen macaroni. take the scrapings and balance of lady-fingers, leaving out for the top, and put all the fruit into these dry crumbs. put all in the mould, with a layer of butter. just before you put it on to boil take whites and yolks of eggs, quart of milk, make a custard, sweetened to taste. pour it over the cake and fruit in the mould. boil slowly - / hours. take a tumbler of jamaica rum, tumbler milk, eggs, and make a sauce. stir till it almost comes to a boil and serve hot. take the whites of eggs, left of the eggs used previously, and beat them very light, and put on top of pudding when taken out of mould. drop a few candied cherries on top. serve hot. no. . fish pudding. three pounds of rock, boil it not quite done enough to serve; take it out; let it get cool; then take all the skin off; take the fish from the bones in fine pieces, not mashed up; / can of truffles; can of mushrooms; peel the truffles; cut the largest size truffles and mushrooms into rose and star shapes with little cutters; take a -pint pudding mould fluted and grease it well, setting the shapes all around the mould; cut most of the mushrooms with a little parsley very fine and put with the fish; the truffles must be cut up and put in the sauce; / pint of milk, a full tablespoonful of flour, medium size tablespoonful of butter; mix the flour and butter together; put the milk on to boil; then pour it into the flour and butter; then pour all on the fish; put pepper and salt in it; put fish in a mould; cover it up tight and place it in a pot of boiling water two-thirds up the sides of the mould and let it steam / hour; take / pint of cream and mushroom water; put it on the fire to boil; rub up a tablespoonful each of flour and butter; mix all together, putting in the balance of the truffles and mushrooms, and let all boil or minutes; season with pepper and salt; quart of scoop french potatoes; boil them done in salt and water; when done put through a colander. when it is time to serve the fish pudding pour the fish out into the platter and pour the potatoes around the dish; serve the gravy in a sauce-bowl. no. . snipe pudding. pick fine, fat, fresh snipes; singe them; cut in halves; take out the gizzards and reserve the trail for further use; season the snipes with pepper, salt, lemon juice, and set aside till wanted; peel half of an onion; cut in thin slices, and fry in a stewpan with a little butter; when browned throw in a tablespoonful of flour; stir together on the fire for minutes; add a handful of chopped mushrooms and parsley, a small bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, a little mace, and a small silver onion; put in pint of claret; stir the whole upon the fire, and when boiled minutes add the trail and a small piece of breakfast bacon; let the sauce boil minutes longer, and rub through the sieve upon the snipes; line a pudding-basin with suet-paste; fill it up with what has been prepared, and when covered with paste well fastened around the edge let it steam in a covered stewpan for - / hours; when done turn out of basin with care; pour a rich brown game gravy under it and serve. no. . beefsteak pudding. paste, - / pounds round steak, level teaspoonful each of celery salt, thyme, and marjoram, small onion, salt and white pepper to taste, sprigs parsley. line a well-buttered pudding mould with the paste, wet the edges, make a layer of beef, cut in neat scallops, sprinkle with the onion and parsley minced fine and mixed on a plate with celery salt, thyme, marjoram, salt and pepper, then another layer of beef, and seasoning, and so on until each is used; fill up with cold water, cover it with paste, place a buttered paper over it and set in a saucepan with boiling water to reach two-thirds up the outside of the mould; steam it thus - / hours, turn carefully out on a dish, pour over it any gravy that may be at hand, made hot and flavored with any kind of sauce piquante. no. . boston baked plum pudding. one-and-one-half cupfuls beef suet freed of skin and chopped very fine, - / cupfuls raisins stoned, - / cupfuls currants washed and picked, cupful brown sugar, cupfuls flour, teaspoonful baking powder, eggs, cupful milk, / cupful citron chopped, pinch of salt, tablespoonful extract of nutmeg, glass of brandy. put all these ingredients in a bowl, the eggs as they drop from the shell, the flour sifted with the powder and the brandy; mix into a rather short batter; pour into a well-buttered clean cake tin and bake in a steady oven two hours. serve with vanilla sauce. no. . vanilla sauce. put / pint milk in a small saucepan over the fire; when scalding hot add the yolks of eggs, stir until it is as thick as boiled custard; add, when taken from the fire and cooled, tablespoonful extract vanilla and whites of two eggs whipped stiff. no. . cabinet pudding, . four english muffins or rolls, / pint milk, pint cream, eggs and yolks, cupful sugar; / cupful almonds blanched, by pouring boiling water on them until the skins slip off easily, and cut into shreds; cupful each dried cherries, apricots, green gages, or any other preserved, whole, or panned fruits; glass noyeau. well butter a mould; make a layer of muffins cut very thin, then of fruit, the almonds, and so on, until all the ingredients are used; beat the milk, cream, sugar, eggs, and noyeau together; pour over the contents of mould, and let it stay, before baking, at least half an hour; then set it in a saucepan with boiling water to reach two-thirds up the mould; steam it thus one hour; turn it out on a dish carefully and serve with cream sauce. no. . cream sauce. bring / pint of cream slowly to boil; set in stewpan of boiling water; when it reaches the boiling point, add the sugar; then pour it slowly on the whipped whites of eggs in a bowl; add teaspoonful royal extract vanilla, and use. no. . green-corn pudding. eight ears corn, large teaspoonful butter, / cupful sugar, pinch of salt, eggs, pint of milk, teaspoonful royal extract of vanilla. split each row on the cob lengthways; cut off the rounded point, and with the handle of the spoon push out the eyes and cream into a bowl; add to the milk, hot, the eggs, well beaten, the sugar, butter, and extract; pour it into a buttered dish, and bake minutes in a moderate oven. no. . plum pudding. two cupfuls raisins, cupfuls currants, cupfuls suet, / cupful almonds blanched, cupfuls flour, cupfuls grated royal sugar muffins or bread; / cupful each of citron, orange and lemon peel; eggs, cupful sugar, / cupful cream, gill each of wine and brandy, large pinch salt, tablespoonful royal extract of nutmeg, teaspoonful royal baking-powder. put in a large bowl the raisins seeded, the currants washed and picked, the suet chopped very fine, the almonds cut fine, the citron, orange and lemon peels chopped, the lemon, sugar, wine, brandy, and cream; lastly, add the flour, sifted, with the powder, and mix all well together; put in a large, well-buttered mould, set in a saucepan with boiling water to reach one-half up the sides of the mould, and steam it thus five hours; turn out on its dish carefully and serve with hot brandy sauce. no. . tapioca pudding. one cupful tapioca, soaked in quart cold water over night, cupful sugar, - / pints milk, and eggs. no. . cabinet pudding, . half pound of stale sponge cake, / cup of raisins, / can of peaches, eggs, and - / pints of milk. butter a plain oval mould; lay in some of the stale cake, / of the raisins, stoned, / of the peaches; make two layers of the remainder of the cake, raisins, and peaches; cover with a very thin slice of bread, then pour over the milk, beaten with eggs and sugar; set in a sauce pan with boiling water, to reach two-thirds up the side of the mould; steam it / of an hour, and turn out carefully on a dish. serve with peach sauce. no. . custard pudding. one and a half pints of milk, eggs, cupful of sugar, teaspoonfuls royal extract of vanilla. beat the eggs and sugar together; dilute with the milk and extract; pour into a buttered pudding dish, set in the oven in a dripping-pan two-thirds full of boiling water; bake until firm, about minutes, in a moderate oven. no. . plum pudding. two cupfuls each of stoned raisins and currants, washed and picked, beef-suet chopped fine, and coffee sugar, cupfuls of grated english muffins or bread, eggs cupful each, chopped citron and almonds, blanched by pouring boiling water over them till the skins slip off easily, and lemon peel, and a pinch of salt. mix all these ingredients in a large bowl, put in a well-buttered mould, set in a saucepan with boiling water to reach two-thirds up its sides, steam it thus hours; turn it out carefully on its dish, and serve with brandy poured over it, and brandy sauce in a bowl. when about to serve on the table, the brandy should be set on fire. no. . rice pudding. one cupful of rice, quart of milk, eggs, tablespoonful of butter, cupful of sugar, and a pinch of salt. boil the rice in pint of milk until tender, then remove it from the fire; add the eggs, sugar, salt, and milk, beaten together, and mix; pour into a pudding dish, break the butter in small pieces on the surface, and bake in a steady oven minutes. serve with brandy sauce. no. . custard sauce. one pint of milk, yolks of eggs, / cupful sugar. set on the fire, and stir until thick. no. . royal wine sauce. bring slowly to the boiling point / pint of wine, then add to it the yolks of eggs, and cupful of sugar; whip it on the fire until it is in a state of high froth, and a little thick; remove and use as directed. no. . princess pudding. two-thirds of a cupful of butter, cupful of sugar, large cupful of flour, eggs, / teaspoonful royal baking powder, and a small glass of brandy. rub to a smooth cream butter and sugar, add the eggs, one at a time, beating a few minutes between; add the flour, sifted, with the powder and the brandy; put into a mould, well buttered; set in saucepan with boiling water to reach half up its sides; steam it thus - / hours, turn on its dish carefully, and serve with lemon sauce. no. . yorkshire pudding. three-quarters of pint of flour, eggs, - / pints of milk, a pinch of salt, - / teaspoonfuls of royal baking powder. sift the flour and powder together, add eggs, beaten, with the milk; stir quickly into a rather thinner batter than for griddle cakes; pour it into a dripping pan, plentifully spread with cold beef drippings; bake in oven minutes. serve with roast beef. no. . cottage pudding. make a sponge cake--about a / -pound mould sponge cake; / pound almonds, blanch them. when the cake is done stick these almonds all over it. pour / pint sherry wine all over it. cover it up and set it away till time to serve. take quart of milk, boil it, yolks of eggs; mix with sugar to taste essence of lemon or vanilla. when the milk boils pour it on the eggs. pour it in a saucepan and just let it come almost to a boil, so as to thicken it. take it off the fire and set in an ice-box to let it get cold. beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth; put in it while beating a little apple, raspberry, or currant jelly, or any kind of preserve. when ready to serve pour the custard on the cake and put the icing all over the custard. no. . vermicelli pudding. boil pint of milk with lemon peel and cinnamon, sweeten with loaf sugar, strain through a sieve, adding / pound of vermicelli; boil minutes, put in the yolks of eggs and the whites of eggs. mix well together and steam - / hours. bake / hour. no. . boiled custards. put quart of new milk in a stewpan, with the peel of a lemon cut very thin, a little grated nutmeg, a bay or laurel leaf, small stick of cinnamon. set over a quick fire. don't let it boil over. when boiled set off on one side of stove. let simmer minutes. break the yolks of eggs and the whites of eggs in a basin; beat them well; then pour in the milk, a little at a time, stirring as quickly as possible so the eggs will not curdle. set on the fire again, stirring it. let boil up once; pass it through a fine sieve. when cold add brandy or white wine. serve up in glasses or cups. custards for baking have a little nutmeg grated over them. bake or minutes. no. . roman punch. make quarts of lemonade, rich with the pure juice of lemon and add to this tablespoonful of the extract of lemon; work this well and freeze; just before serving up and for each quart of the ice / pint of cognac and / pint jamaica rum. mix well and serve in high glasses, as this makes what is called a semi or half ice. it is usually served at dinners as a coup d'milieu. no. . transparent icing. place pound pulverized white sugar in a basin with / pint water. boil to the consistency of mucilage, then rub the sugar with a wooden spatula against the sides of the pans until it assumes a milky appearance. stir in tablespoonfuls extract vanilla; mix well together. pour this while hot over the top of cake so as to completely cover it. no. . coffee ice cream. one quart best cream, / pint of strong mocha coffee, ounces white pulverized sugar, yolks eggs. mix these ingredients in a porcelain-lined basin; place on fire to thicken; rub through a hair sieve into a basin; put into freezer and freeze. no. . italien orange ice cream. one and one-half pints best cream, ounces white pulverized sugar, the juice of oranges, and teaspoonfuls orange extract, the yolks of eggs, and a pinch of salt. mix these ingredients in a porcelain-lined basin, and stir over fire until the composition begins to thicken; rub and pass the cream through a hair sieve; put into freezer and finish. no. . raspberry water ice. press sufficient raspberries through a hair sieve to give pints of juice. add pound pulverized white sugar and the juice of lemon. place in freezer and freeze. no. . chocolate ice cream. three pints best cream, ounces pulverized white sugar, whole eggs, a tablespoonful extract vanilla, a pint rich cream whipped, ounces chocolate; dissolve in a small quantity of milk to a smooth paste; now mix it with the cream, sugar, eggs and extract. place all on the fire and stir until it begins to thicken; strain through a hair sieve, place in freezer, and when nearly frozen stir in lightly the whipped cream. no. . lemon water ice. juice of lemons, teaspoonfuls extract lemon, quart water, pound granulated sugar, gill rich sweet cream; add all together and strain. freeze same as ice cream. no. . orange water ice. juice of oranges, teaspoonfuls extract orange, juice of lemon, quart water, pound granulated sugar, gill rich sweet cream; add all together and strain. freeze same as ice cream. no. . sultana cake. two cupfuls butter, - / cupfuls sugar, eggs, / cupful thick cream, - / pints flour, teaspoonful of baking powder, cupfuls sultana raisins, / cupful of chopped citron. rub the butter and sugar to a very light cream; add the eggs, at a time, beating minutes between each addition; add the flour, sifted with the powder, the cream, raisins, and citron. mix into a rather firm batter, put into a paper-lined cake-tin, and bake in a moderate oven - / hours. when removed from the oven carefully spread a little transparent icing. no. . variegated cakes. one cup powdered sugar, / cup of butter creamed with the sugar, / cup of milk, eggs, the whites whipped only, whipped light; - / cups of prepared flour, bitter almond flavoring, spinach juice, and cochineal, cream, butter and sugar; add the milk, flavoring, whites and flour. divide the latter into three parts. bruise and pound a few leaves of spinach in thin muslin bags until you can express the juice. put a few drops of this into one portion of the batter; color another with cochineal, leaving the third white. put a little of each into small round pans or cups, giving a little stir to each color as you add the next. this will vein the cakes prettily. put the white between the pink and green that the tints may show better. if you can get pistachionuts to pound up for the green the cakes will be much nicer. ice on sides and top. no. . swiss pancakes. one-half cupful butter, / cupful sugar, - / cupfuls flour, teaspoonful baking powder, large apple peeled, cored, and minced fine, / pint milk, / pint cream, teaspoonful each extract of nutmeg and cinnamon, eggs. sift the flour with the powder, add to it the butter, melted, the sugar and eggs beaten together and diluted with the milk, cream, and extracts. have a piece of butter melted in a small round frying-pan, pour in it about / cupful of butter; turn the frying-pan round that the batter may cover it; fry on one side only. serve them piled one on the other, with sugar strewed between the cakes. no. . german pancakes. proceed as directed for swiss pancakes, spreading pastry cream between each, and serve with currant jelly sauce. no. . scotch pancakes. one pint of milk, tablespoonfuls butter, eggs, / cupful of flour, tablespoonful baking-powder; a pinch of salt; sift the flour, salt, and powder together, add the milk, eggs, and butter melted; mix into a thin batter; have a small round frying-pan, with a little butter melted in it; pour in / cupful of batter; turn the pan round to cover it with the batter; place on a sharp fire to brown; then hold it up in front of the fire, and the pancake will rise up; spread each with marmalade or jelly, roll it up and serve with sliced lemon and sugar. no. . french pancakes. six tablespoonfuls of flour, quart of milk, eggs, teaspoonful baking-powder, tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, nutmeg to taste; mix the flour, eggs, butter, sugar and pint of milk together so as to make a thick batter; pour in the other pint of milk, add the powder and serve with either wine or cream sauce. no. . pumpkin pie. paste, pint of stewed pumpkin, eggs, - / pints of milk, teaspoonfuls of ginger, teaspoonful each nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and mace, a pinch of salt and cupful of sugar. stew the pumpkin as follows: cut a pumpkin of a deep color, firm and close in texture, in half; remove the seeds, but do not peel it; cut in small slices, and put in a shallow stewpan with about / cupful of water; cover very light, and as soon as steam forms set it where it will not burn; when the pumpkin is tender turn off the liquor and set it back on the stove to steam-dry; then measure out, after straining, one pint; add the milk boiling, the sugar mixed with the spices and salt, and mix well together; add the eggs beaten last; line a pie-plate, well greased, with the paste; make a thick rim round the edge, pour in the prepared pumpkin, and bake in quick, steady oven about minutes till the pie is firm in the center. no. . ginger cake. three-fourths of a cupful of butter, cupfuls of sugar, eggs, - / teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, - / pints of flour, cupful of milk, tablespoonful of extract of ginger; rub the butter and sugar to a light cream, add the eggs at a time, beating minutes between; add the flour sifted with the powder, the milk and extract; mix into a smooth, medium batter; bake in a cake tin in a rather hot oven minutes. no. . huckleberry cake. one cupful of butter, cupfuls of brown sugar, eggs, - / pints of flour, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, cupfuls of huckleberries washed and picked, teaspoonful each of extract cloves, cinnamon, and allspice, one cupful of milk; rub the butter and sugar to a light cream; add the eggs at a time, beating minutes between; add flour sifted with the powder, huckleberries, extracts and mix; mix in a batter; put into a paper-lined cake tin, bake in a quick oven minutes. no. . jumbles. one and one-half cupfuls of butter, cupfuls of sugar, eggs, - / pints of flour, / cupful of cornstarch, teaspoonful of baking powder, teaspoonful of extract of lemon, / cupful of chopped peanuts mixed with / cupful of granulated sugar; beat the butter and sugar smooth; add the beaten eggs, the flour, the cornstarch, and powder sifted together, and the extract; flour the board; roll out the dough rather thin; cut out with biscuit cutter; roll in the chopped peanuts and sugar; lay on greased baking tin; bake in rather hot oven to minutes. no. . white sponge cake. whites of eggs, cupful of sugar, / cupful of flour, / of cornstarch, teaspoonful of baking powder, teaspoonful of extract of rose; sift the flour, cornstarch, sugar, and powder together; add it to the whites of the eggs whipped to a dry froth, and the extract, mix gently but thoroughly; bake in a cake-mould well buttered, in a quick oven minutes. no. . madelaines. one cupful of butter, cupful of sugar, eggs, - / cupfuls of flour, / teaspoonful of baking powder, glass of brandy, teaspoonful of the extract of cinnamon, slightly melt the butter in a cake bowl; add the sugar and eggs; stir a few minutes; add the flour, sifted, with the powder, the extract, and the brandy; mix into a batter that will almost run; bake in well-greased muffin-pans in a moderate oven minutes; pour on the top of each a little transparent icing to cover, and add a few colored comfits. no. . queen cake. two cupfuls of butter, - / cupfuls of sugar, - / pints of flour, eggs, / teaspoonful baking powder, wineglass each of wine, brandy, and cream, / teaspoonful of the extract of nutmeg, rose, and lemon, cupful of dried currants washed and picked, cupful of raisins, stoned and cut in two; cupful of citron cut in small, thin slices; rub the butter and sugar to a very light cream; add the eggs, at a time, beating minutes between each addition; add the flour, sifted, with the powder, the raisins, currants, wine, brandy, cream, citron, and extracts; mix into a consistent batter, and bake carefully in a papered cake-tin in a moderate, steady oven - / hours. no. . cream cakes. ten eggs, / cupful of butter, / pound of flour, pint of water, - / pints of milk, large tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, cupfuls of sugar, yolks of eggs, large tablespoonful of good butter, and teaspoonfuls of the extract of vanilla; set the water on the fire in a stewpan with the butter; as soon as it boils stir in the sifted flour with a wooden spoon; stir vigorously until it leaves the bottom and sides of the pan when removed from the fire, and beat in the eggs one at a time; place this batter into a pointed canvas bag having a nozzle at the small end; press out the batter in the shape of fingers on a greased baking tin a little distance apart; bake in a steady brick oven minutes; when cold cut the sides and fill with pastry cream. no. . pastry cream. bring the milk to a boil with the sugar; add the starch dissolved in a little water; as soon as it reboils take from the fire; beat in the egg yolks; return to the fire minutes to set the eggs; add the extract and butter; when cold use it. no. . chocolate cream. set on the fire gill of water, - / cupfuls sugar, / cup of grated chocolate, in a small saucepan; boil till it gets thick and looks velvety; then take off the fire, and add the whites of eggs, without beating: use it hot, covering the top and sides of the cake. as it cools it grows firm. no. . sponge cake, no. . six eggs, cupfuls sugar, cupfuls flour, teaspoonfuls baking-powder, cupful cold water, pinch of salt, teaspoonful extract of lemon. beat the eggs and sugar together minutes; add the flour, sifted, with the salt and powder, the water and extract; bake in a shallow square cake-pan, in a quick, steady oven, minutes; when removed from the oven, ice it with clear icing, made of cupful sugar, tablespoonful lemon juice, and whites of eggs; mix together, smooth, and pour over cake. if the cake is not hot enough to dry it, place it in the mouth of a moderately warm oven. no. . spice cake. one cupful butter, cupfuls sugar, cupfuls flour, teaspoonful baking-powder, eggs, cupful milk, / cupful each of raisins stoned, currants washed and picked; teaspoonful each of extract of nutmeg, cloves, and cinnamon. rub the butter and sugar to a light white cream; add the eggs, at a time, beating a few minutes between each; add the flour, sifted, with the powder, the milk, fruit, and extracts; mix into a smooth, rather firm, batter; put into a paper-lined cake-tin and bake in a steady oven minutes. no. . scotch cake. one and a half cupfuls butter, - / cupfuls sugar, eggs, - / pints flour, / teaspoonful baking-powder, cupfuls raisins, stoned, tablespoonful extract of lemon. rub the butter and sugar to a light white cream; add the eggs, at a time, beating minutes between each addition; add the flour, sifted, with the powder, the raisins and extract; mix into a smooth, consistent batter; put in a paper-lined square shallow cake-pan, and bake in a moderate oven hour. no. . shrewsbury cake. one cupful of butter, cupfuls of sugar, - / pints of flour, eggs, teaspoonful of baking powder, cupful of milk. rub the butter and sugar to a smooth, white cream, add the eggs, at a time, beating minutes between each; add the flour, sifted, with the powder and the extract; mix into a medium batter, bake in a cake mould well and carefully greased, in a quick oven over minutes. no. . vanilla cake. one and one half cupfuls of butter, cupfuls of sugar, yolks of eggs, pint of flour, - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder, cupful of cream, tablespoonful of extract of vanilla. rub the butter and sugar to a very light cream; add the egg yolks and cream, flour, sifted, with the powder and the extract; mix into a firm but smooth batter; bake in a shallow, square pan in a fairly hot oven, minutes. no. . wine cake. one and one-half cupfuls of butter, cupfuls of sugar, cupfuls of flour, / teaspoonful of baking powder, gill of wine, eggs. rub the butter and sugar to a light cream; add the eggs, at a time, beating minutes between each; add the flour, sifted, with the powder and the wine; mix into a medium firm batter; bake in a shallow, square cake pan in moderate oven minutes; when taken from the oven carefully ice with the transparent icing. no. . delicate cake. one and one-half cupfuls of butter, - / cupfuls of sugar, whites of five eggs, - / pints of flour, - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder, cupful of milk, teaspoonful of extract of peach. rub the butter and sugar to a light cream; add the egg whites, at a time, beating a few minutes between each; add the flour, sifted, with the powder, then the extract and milk; mix into a rather thin batter; pour into a paper-lined tin, and bake in a rather hot but steady oven minutes. no. . duchesse cake. one and one-half cupful butter, cupful sugar, eggs, teaspoonful baking powder, pint flour, teaspoonful extract cinnamon. rub the butter and sugar to a light cream, add the eggs, at a time, beating minutes between each addition. sift together flour and powder, add to the butter, etc., with the extracts; mix into a medium thick batter, and bake in small shallow square pans, lined with thin white paper, in a steady oven minutes. when they are taken from the oven ice them. no. . mince pies. mince-meat--two pounds meat, pound raisins, pound currants, / pound citron, pound chopped apples, pound suet. chop all up fine, except / each of currants and raisins. put in stick of preserved ginger or cherries, / pint brandy, / pint wine, nutmeg, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, mace to taste, sugar, and / pint cider. make pie-crust or puff-paste. no. . charlotte russe. one quart charlotte mould, / pound lady-fingers; line the mould with them; let the mould be dry. one quart cream sweetened to taste, flavored with pineapple, lemon, or other flavor, / box gelatine dissolved in a little of the cream, cream whipped to a light, stiff froth. set an extra pan on the ice and put all the whipped cream in it, then stir in gelatine. put it in the mould, cover the top with lady-fingers, and set on ice to cool. no. . waffles. one pint flour, / yeast cake; make a batter over night with warm milk and set it to rise. in the morning beat light eggs, tablespoonful sugar, nutmeg to taste, tablespoonful melted butter. stir and put to rise till time to bake. bake in moulds and sift a little powdered sugar over them and send to table. no. . biscuits. one quart flour, tablespoonful yeast powder, tablespoonful butter or lard. mix all together with milk; add - / teaspoonfuls of salt. make your biscuits quick and bake in a hot oven. no. . corn bread. one pint meal, / pint hot water, / pint milk, mixed; tablespoonful butter, yolks of eggs, teaspoonful yeast powder. mix all together to a stiff batter. when ready to bake beat to a stiff froth the whites of the eggs, put it in, and put in baking mould in a hot oven. no. . sponge bread. take irish potatoes, boil them, mash fine when done, put into them tablespoonfuls of flour, pour in the water the potatoes were boiled in, pour in the yeast, and let it rise. make your bread up over night, either light bread or rolls. your oven must bake even and steady or your bread will not be light. no. . sweet potato pie. boil large sweet potato for pies; mash through a wire sieve, eggs, the yolks of which must be beaten up with the potato, sugar to taste, a little grated lemon peel, little nutmeg and cinnamon; grate all up together; teacupful of milk, tablespoonful of melted butter; when ready to make the pies beat the white to a stiff froth and stir in. make the paste as directed in vol-au-vents. no. . how to make good bread. sift your flour into your mixing-pan, warming it a little in cold weather, and make a hole in the center, and into this hole pour your sponge and stir the whole to the consistency of cake, and then let it stand in a warm place until it rises and becomes very light; then knead it thoroughly from all sides, adding flour as needed, and when it will not stick to your fingers or the side of the pan, set it aside until it rises again; then make it into five or six loaves, put them into your baking pans, and set them away in a warm place until it raises nicely, and then put it into the oven and bake it. a little experimenting will soon make you an efficient baker. no. . light bread. three pints of flour, half yeast cake dissolved in warm water, tablespoonful each of salt, lard, and white sugar, - / pints of potato water (warm), work hard, and let rise over night. in the morning mould and let rise again half an hour before baking; if too stiff add a little warm water, as it is better if made up rather soft. it will rise sooner and keep fresh longer. always sift your flour before using, warming a little in cold weather; sifting twice gets more air between the particles. do not have the oven too hot. no. . how to make good yeast. take large sound potatoes, gallon of water, and ordinary handfuls of hops; put the potatoes, after peeling them, into the water, tie the hops into a bag, and boil all together till the potatoes are soft enough to mash easily; throw the hops away, put a cupful of flour in a large dish, take the potatoes out of the water, mash them through a colander, and mix them well with the flour; then pour the water used in boiling the potatoes over them, and mix the whole thoroughly; let the mixture stand till about milkwarm, and then add about a cent's worth of baker's yeast or an yeast cake, or a cupful of dry yeast, and after stirring it again set the whole, away over night; in the morning add a half cup of sugar, a half cup of salt, and a small tablespoonful of ginger; put the whole in a two gallon jug, and use a cupful of this yeast at a baking for five or six ordinary-sized loaves. when you make your next lot of yeast use a cupful of this yeast instead of the baker's or other yeast called for above. no. . calves'-feet jelly. get calves' feet at the butcher's, cut them in two, and take away the fat from between the claws, wash them well in luke-warm water; put them in a large stewpan, and cover them with water. when the liquor boils, skim well and let it boil gently or hours, so as to reduce the quantity to quarts; then strain through a sieve and skim off all the oily substance. if not in a hurry it is better to boil the calves' feet the day before you make the jelly, as it will skim better when perfectly cold, and the liquor part becomes firm. put the liquor in a stewpan to melt, with a lump of sugar, the peel of lemons, the juice of , and whites and shells of eggs; beat together, with a bottle of sherry or madeira. stir the whole together till on a boil, then set on side of stove, and let simmer / hour, and strain through a jelly-bag. then pour back in bag again and strain till it is as bright and clear as rock-water. put jelly in moulds to get firm and cold. if made in warm weather ice is required. no. . chicken glacee. bone a chicken, stuff it with truffles, mushrooms, slight, / pound ham, / pound veal, a little sweet marjoram and thyme, and a very small onion. take the meat and one-half of the mushrooms and chop them up fine, and the other half cut in slices, and also the truffles must be peeled and cut in slices. let the truffles be in a quarter size can. mix all this together, and season with pepper and salt, then stuff it in the chicken. put it in a bag tied up tightly, and let it boil hours. now take the carcass and giblets and boil them to make stock of. make about pints. skim all the grease off top, take it off the stove, and let it get cold. take one package of gelatine and put it in soup; after melting it clarify it with the white of an egg. season with pepper and salt and a little nutmeg. let it boil ten minutes, strain through a flannel bag, and set aside to cool. take the chicken, put a heavy press on it, and let it get cold. take a jelly mould and line it with boiled egg, mushrooms, and truffles, cut into stars and flower shapes; then a layer of jelly, then a layer of sliced chicken, till the mould is full. set away in ice-box to get cold. garnish the dish when ready to use with water-cresses or parsley. no. . clam chowder. three pints of clams; scald them and take the hearts out; pint tomatoes, boil and strain them through sieve, putting a tablespoonful of sugar in them; tablespoonful fine chopped onion, and a teaspoonful thyme, a small stalk of celery, chopped fine, / pound butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, mixed in a stewpan; this must be placed together with the liquor from the clams, thyme, celery, onions, tomatoes, and / pint of cream. let all boil together; season with pepper and salt, mace, and nutmeg to taste. just before dishing up put in the clams. let it boil up once. no. . currant jelly. one peck of currants, put into a kettle, mashed; let boil up ten minutes; strain a few at a time through a cloth till all the juice is out; pint of juice to pound of sugar; put in preserving kettle, notice the hour it comes to a boil; let it boil minutes, skimming all the time; put into glasses and place out in the hot sun, uncovered, for three days, then cover over with pieces of paper wet with brandy. set away in a dry place. no. . vinegar peaches. one peck heath peaches (cling-stones) peeled over night; sprinkle pound of sugar over them; in the morning drain off, put in / pint of cider vinegar, let vinegar and juice boil together, putting in a few peaches at a time, letting them boil just enough so that you can stick a straw through the peaches ( minutes), have your jars sitting in hot water on the stove; put in your peaches as they get done; when the jars are full pour the syrup over them, then fasten them up while on the stove; let stay minutes. no. . tomato chow-chow. fifty cucumbers, green tomatoes, dozen white onions, cut them up in slices over night, sprinkle with salt; in the morning place them in a colander and drain them dry; pint of vinegar, / pound of brown sugar, teaspoonful of tamarack, teaspoonful black pepper, tablespoonful each of allspice and cloves, / dozen leaves of mace. put all these in a pot and let them come to a boil; after boiling take them out and put them in a jar covered up tightly. no. . mangoes. take a mango, cut it, take all the seeds out, put in salt and water for days, let them stay day and night in clear water, drain them and stuff them with the following: chop a hard head of cabbage, horseradish, mustard seed, garlic, a few cloves; and stuff each one, then tie on the piece taken off to make an opening to take the seeds out. boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, putting cloves and allspice in the vinegar; pour this over them in the jars; continue boiling the vinegar, pouring it off and on the mangoes for three days; then fasten up for use. no. . sweet potato pie. boil good-sized sweet potatoes, weighing about a pound; strain and mash through a sieve; tablespoonful of butter must be put in them; sweeten to taste; pint of boiling milk, yolks of eggs, must be well beaten into the potatoes; stir the hot milk in on them. grate in a little lemon peel; nutmeg to taste; put in teaspoonful essence of lemon; beat up the whites of eggs into the potatoes, make a puff paste, roll out and make pies without tops. custard pies can be made in the same way, leaving out the potatoes. in lemon pies use same quantity of ingredients as above, using lemons. no. . meringue pie. one cup of sugar, yolks of eggs, - / cups of milk, teaspoonfuls of corn starch, juice and grated peel of lemon. beat the yolks light and add the sugar, rub the cornstarch in with milk, and add that, and then the lemon, and beat well together. line some pans with a rich paste, and then fill with the custard, and bake. when done take the whites of eggs and beat them with a tablespoonful of sugar to a stiff froth, which spread over the top, and brown in the oven. no. . sweet potato pudding. half pound of butter, / pound of sugar, eggs, tablespoonfuls of brandy, same of rose-water; add pound of sweet potatoes, boiled and mashed fine, with a pinch of salt and a little milk to make it moist. beat the butter and eggs and sugar till light, to which add the potatoes, a small quantity at a time; whisk the eggs till thick, and stir in gradually; then add the brandy and rose-water. mix all well together, and set aside in a cool place for awhile. this is enough for or puddings, soup-plate size. line your plates with a nice paste, fill and bake in a quick oven. nutmeg or cinnamon can be substituted for the rose-water if desired. no. . cocoanut pudding. half pound of sugar, / pound of butter, / pound of grated cocoanut, the whites of eggs, tablespoonful of rose-water, tablespoonfuls of brandy; beat the sugar and butter to a cream, whisk the whites of the eggs till they are stiff, which beat into the butter and sugar; stir the whole together and add gradually the nut, brandy, and rose-water; do not beat it. this will make two full-sized puddings. line your plates with rich paste; fill and bake in a quick oven. no. . puff pudding. mix cups of flour with / of a cup of butter, and cups of sugar. dissolve teaspoonfuls of good baking powder in cup of milk and teaspoonful of essence of lemon and half a nutmeg. take eggs--keep the whites of for frosting--and beat the others thoroughly; then mix all together, and bake in a quick oven. when done frost the top with the reserved whites, well beaten, with a small quantity of powdered sugar. no. . puff paste. take pound of best quality of flour, sifted, pound of good, firm, sweet butter or lard, or equal parts of each; divide the shortening into quarters; take one quarter and chop it fine, and mix it with the flour with a knife, as the warmth from the hands will make the butter soft; then with a small quantity of cold water make into a stiff dough; flour the board, turn out the paste, dredge with flour, and roll thin; then cut another quarter of the shortening into thin slices, and lay on the paste, dredge with flour, fold over the sides, forming a square; then roll again and add another quarter of the shortening, and so continue till all the shortening is rolled in. handle as little as possible. when done, roll about half inch thick, cut into quarters, place on a plate, and set aside in a cool place for hours. take only as much as you want for one crust, dredge the board, and roll out, making it thinner at the middle than on the edges, which should be one quarter of an inch thick; grease the pans, lay on the paste, pressing it lightly into form, and trim the edge with a knife; put in the filling, cover with another paste as before, trim and ornament the edges, if desired, and bake in a quick oven. no. . fillet of chickens. take the breasts of chickens (tender). this is sufficient for twelve persons. take fillets out of each chicken; then cut them into a shape something like the breastbone of a chicken; take the skin off, flatten them with a mallet; butter a skillet; lay them close together in it; then pour / pint of milk and / pint of stock over them; put a weight over them and let them simmer till tender; after they are done, slice some mushrooms and truffles and put one of each, forming a row, on each breast; round them on a platter, then take the essence and put / pint of cream in it, making a rich sauce; / of a pint of spinach; take all the stems off and parboil the leaves; take them out of the hot water and put them into cold water; then squeeze them dry out of this and chop very fine; tablespoonful each of flour and butter and mix them up into the chopped spinach; teacup of stock is poured over this and thoroughly mixed in it; pepper, salt, grated nutmeg; then put it on the fire, stewing slowly for minutes; boil hard three eggs; cut in slices; put spinach in the center of the dish, chicken around it; pour sauce all round; put sliced egg around the spinach; serve hot. no. . jury pie. steam and boil some mealy potatoes; then mash them with some butter or cream; season to taste and place a layer at the bottom of a pie dish; upon this put a layer of fine-chopped cold meat or any kind of fish well seasoned; then another layer of potatoes and more chopped meat, alternately, till the dish is filled; smooth down the top; strew breadcrumbs upon it and bake till well browned. this will make a nice little dish. chopped pickles may be added. should you use fish instead of meat, first beat it up in raw egg. it will taste better. dressed spinach, tomatoes, asparagus tops may be used in place of meat, but there should be more potatoes than anything else in the pie. no. . potato pie. four large potatoes boiled and mashed with butter and cream; / pound of butcher's meat; / pound of ham or bacon cut small or chopped; hard boiled eggs; season it and cover with a light crust; bake / of an hour. uncooked potatoes may be used in slices; put first a layer of them, then a layer of meat or fish; add butter, and season with onion, catsup or pickles; pour over two beaten eggs; lay on upper crust; bake hour. no. . potato biscuits. peel and steam good-sized potatoes; mash them and pour in a mortar; moisten with a little raw egg; then add loaf sugar to make them sweet; beat the whites of eggs to a snow and mix with the potatoes; add a tablespoonful of orange flower water; place on paper so as to form either round or oblong biscuits; bake slowly till of a fine color; remove paper when done. no. . baked apple pudding. put in a well-buttered pan a layer of breadcrumbs, then a layer of apples cut small; a sprinkling of grocer's currants, some brown sugar; repeat this process till pan is full; then pour over melted butter; finish by putting breadcrumbs on top. bake hour. no. . apple omelette. peel apples; take out cores; cut them in thin slices and dip in brandy, and dust over finely-grated lemon peel; put in frying-pan of boiling lard; shake a few minutes over a lively fire, and take them up; beat some eggs; sweeten to taste; stir in the fruit and fry. when done, double up the omelette, dust it with sifted sugar, and, if possible, glaze it. no. . swiss apple pie. peel, core, and quarter some apples. boil the peel and the cores with a few cloves in / pint of water, and sugar enough to sweeten it. lay the apples in a pie-dish, mixing with them / pound grocer's currants which have been washed and dried in a cloth. add to the liquor a glass of red wine and the grated rinds and juice of two lemons. put this over the apples; slice in ounces of butter; line the edges and top with light tart paste; bake hour. when done, sift powdered loaf sugar on crust. no. . pudding a la mode. take / dozen good-sized apples; peel, core, and cut into quarters; boil in very little water till soft; mash them to a pulp, with grated rind and juice of a lemon; beat up the yolks of and the whites of eggs; add sponge-cakes soaked in raisin-wine, ounces of butter just melted over the fire; mix the whole together. line the pudding-dish with a light butter-paste. bake hour, and turn out to serve. no. . apple cake. take pound pulped apples, pound flour, / pound sugar, / pound melted butter, powdered cinnamon, eggs well beaten and strained, ounces candied citron-chips, and spoonfuls ale-yeast. knead it well, let rise, put in mould, and bake in quick oven. after cake has risen, add currants if needed. no. . pudding a la mariniere. half pound each of flour and beef-suet, / pound currants, and eggs. mix it into a paste with a little water, and roll it out flat; then empty a small preserving-pot of apple-jam in the middle; fasten up to make a round pudding; tie in cloth; boil hour. no. . fish pudding. line a small dish with a thin, yet rich, paste, and fill with small collops of boned fish, with bruised bay-leaf, chopped parsley, onion, pepper, fish-sauce. put on top crust, tie in cloth, and boil according to size of pudding. no. . apple stuffing. take a good half pound of the pulp of tart apples, which have either been baked or scalded; add ounces of bread crumbs, some powdered sage, onion, and season it with cayenne pepper. this is a fine stuffing for roast geese, ducks, pork, etc. no. . apple jam. pare and core dozen full-grown apples; put in a saucepan with water enough to cover them; boil to a pulp, mash with a spoon till smooth, and to every pint of fruit put half pound of white sugar; boil again hour; skim, if necessary. when cold put in preserving jars. no. . baked apple dumplings. make a rich paste with butter and flour, peel some apples, stick or cloves in each, and cover the fruit entirely with paste. if the oven is too hot they will burn outside. when done sift fine white sugar over and serve hot. no. . potato pudding. boil pound of potatoes, mash while hot, stir in ounces fresh butter, ounces of pounded loaf sugar, rind and juice of half a lemon, and a little cream; butter a dish, lay all into it, and bake minutes in a moderately hot oven; the yolks of raw eggs may be added, and brandy or madeira used instead of lemon juice--or pound of currants can be added. this pudding can be boiled or baked; if boiled serve with wine sauce, if baked use thin puff paste to line and cover dish. no. . pudding a la fecule des pommes de terre. bruise a couple of bay leaves and boil them in pint of water or milk; mix two dessertspoonfuls of potato flour and powdered loaf sugar; when smooth pour over them the hot liquid, stirring all the time. put in a buttered dish, bake quarter of an hour in a hot oven; when done pour over a half pint of cream. if to be eaten cold pour on fresh cream before sending up; strew crushed loaf sugar on top. no. . potatoes in meat puddings and pies. it has been found that there is a general improvement in meat puddings and pies when potatoes are used with them. they seem to take away much of the overrichness and renders them much more palatable. no. . stuffed potatoes. wash and peel five large-sized potatoes, scoop them out hollow from one end to the other, and fill this opening with sausage or forcemeat, then dip the potatoes in melted butter and put them on a baking-dish. let them bake in a moderately hot oven about or minutes; serve just as soon as done. you can use sauce with them if you choose. no. . curried potatoes. curry the potatoes by slicing them, raw or cold boiled, frying them in butter; mixing curry powder in gravy, stewing them a little. little pieces of ham should be stuck over the surface of the potatoes when put on a dish. lemon juice or pickles can be added. no. . sweet potatoes baked or roasted. peel and put on a roaster beneath the meat or in a dripping-pan, besides turning them now and then so as to brown evenly. place them in the oven when the meat is nearly done, so that both may be served and ready at the same time. no. . potato soufflee. one pint cream, boiled; mix tablespoonfuls of potato flour with the yolks of eggs, add ounce butter, ounces powdered loaf sugar, lemon peel; pour cream over all. put in a stewpan on the fire; keep stirring and take off just as it comes to a boil. let it get cold, then mix in it yolks of eggs; beat whites to a snow, stir them in lightly, place on dish and put in oven till properly risen. serve in same dish; can be flavored with chocolate. no. . potatoes and kidney. take a sheep's kidney, or piece of calf's liver of same size, chop and season with salt, spices, and a few herbs, chopped; add ounces fresh butter in small pieces, chop good-sized potatoes (raw), washed and peeled, and mix with the meat. put all on baking-dish, sift crumbs over it, bake / hour in slow oven. serve on same dish. a little onion may be added. no. . potato patties. butter the pans, strew breadcrumbs over the insides and fill with nicely mashed potatoes flavored with mushroom catsup, grated lemon peel, savory herbs, chopped; add olive oil or fresh butter, sift over more breadcrumbs; place in oven till brown, take out of pans and serve. very thin puff paste may line the pans instead of the breadcrumbs. no. . whole boned ham. take a ham, split it down on the inside, not through the skin, as that must not be broken; but cut it down on the side that goes next to the dish. take out all the bone. one can mushrooms, half-sized can truffles, small clove of garlic, stalks celery, teaspoonful of thyme; chop this all up, not very fine, and put this stuffing where the bone has been taken out; sew the ham up and put it in a close bag so it will keep its shape. put in the pot dozen cloves and let ham boil slowly hours; when done put in a close pan to press till very cold. take skin off; - / pints of ham water, - / pints of any soup stock, box gelatine dissolved in a cup of cold water; put all these together, add pepper and salt, beat up whites and shells of eggs and put in the stock and ham water to clear it. put all on the fire and stir till it boils; do not allow any fat to come on it; skim it well; strain the jelly through a flannel bag after boiling minutes. if you have no ham mould take some jelly, cut in diamond shape, and put around the dish, and the rest cut fine and put all over the ham. garnish your dish with carrots, beets cut into flower forms, parsley, a little here and there on either side of the ham. no. . whole chicken in glacee. take out all the bones in a medium-sized chicken; / pound ham, / pound veal, / can mushrooms, / can truffles, small piece of onion, a little thyme and parsley. chop the meat, parsley, thyme, celery, very fine together. cut the mushrooms in slices; skin the truffles and cut them and put these into the chopped meat; pepper and salt to taste. where the bones have been taken out stuff tightly with this stuffing; pepper and salt to taste. tie it in a bag tightly. when done press it over night under a heavy press. next morning take it out; cut off each end and put it into either a melon mould or charlotte mould. now take pints of the chicken water, skim off all the grease, put salt and pepper and nutmeg in it. melt box of gelatine in cold water; take whites of eggs with their shells and put all in chicken water. put on fire; stir it; let it boil minutes. strain through a flannel bag. let it get nearly cold--enough to be dipped up with a spoon. boil hard eggs; cut the eggs in slices; sprig of parsley in center of egg and put at sides of the chicken with parsley turned down. pour the jelly all over it; put in ice-box to get cold. turn it out of mould and garnish dish with water-cresses or celery, frizzed. duck in glacee can be put up in the same way. no. . deviled crabs. take - / dozen crabs; boil them done; pick them carefully out of shell; take / dozen crackers; pint of milk is poured over the crackers, mashed fine. strain the crackers through a fine sieve. beat up eggs light, and put into the strained crackers salt and cayenne pepper (strong); nutmeg to taste. now put the crab meat in this. wash the crab shells clean and wipe perfectly dry. one and one-half dozen will make dozen crabs. brown to a handsome shade crackers. mash them fine and put them through a sieve. put a tablespoonful of wine in the crab meat. fill the shells; over each crab sift some of this brown cracker dust. ten minutes before the time for serving put in a quick oven. lay a napkin on your dish; put them on the napkin and lay parsley round them. serve perfectly hot. no. . ox tongue glacee. put the tongue to soak over night. steady boil for - / hours. take out of pot and take root off of it before it gets cold. then let it get cool. skin it and cut it in slices. make the jelly as directed to make chicken jelly. let it get cool enough to work. take jelly moulds; put a layer of jelly just stiff enough on the bottom of moulds; then a layer of tongue; then a layer of jelly and continue till moulds are full. this quantity will fill the two moulds. put on ice and let it get cold. this is served with salad with mayonnaise dressing. no. . pickled oysters. take large oysters, / pint of the liquor, / pint of vinegar, tablespoonful of allspice and cloves mixed, / dozen leaves of mace, salt to taste, cayenne pepper. put the liquor and vinegar on the fire. as soon as this boils drop a few oysters in at a time and let them stay just long enough to curl, not over two minutes. put the oysters, as soon as taken out, in a jar. when all have been taken out, pour the liquor on them and cover up tightly. no. . red cabbage pickle. cut the cabbage up in slices, sprinkle salt over it, for days set it in the sun or warm place; / pint of vinegar and / gallon of water put on to boil together; pour this on the cabbage and let it soak for day. when it feels crisp and the salt is out, take tablespoonfuls each of mustard and celery seed, horseradish grated, tablespoonful of brown sugar, pepper and salt to taste, quart of vinegar, teaspoonful tamarack, small white onions cut up fine. mix all together and put in a pot and then pour the boiling vinegar, with sugar and tamarack, over the cabbage. then fasten up in jars tightly, and in a few weeks this will be ready for use. no. . peach marmalade. take soft peaches. one-half pound of peaches to / pound of sugar. peel the peaches over night and sprinkle the sugar over them. the peaches must not be cling-stone. next morning pour all the juice off and put the juice in a kettle and let it get hot, then put in the peaches, nutmeg, cloves, allspice to taste. when it boils, stir and mash them up well. let boil slowly for - / hours. when thick enough, put into pots, without covering them, till next day. put a little brandy over them and seal up tightly. no. . quince preserves. one peck quinces; peel, core, and weigh them. it will require just so many pounds of sugar. put on the peelings of the quinces and let them boil perfectly done. then put the preserves in and the rind of lemons. let all boil / hour, till soft enough to allow a straw to pass partly through them. one-half pint of water (quite clean and clear) to pound of sugar; make a syrup and let it commence to boil; skim it and then put in the fruit. let the fruit boil / hour exactly; then take out the fruit and lay on a dish. let your syrup boil steadily / hour longer. put your jars in hot water on the stove. put the fruit in them clear of syrup. then pour in the syrup and stop the jars up tightly while standing in the boiling water. let them stand in / hour. no. . beef a la mode. take pounds of beef, tie it up perfectly round with strings and skewers; take a tablespoonful of butter and put it in a pot large enough to hold the beef, put the meat in it and let it come to a light brown; bunch of carrots, / bunch of thyme; cut the carrots up into large quarters; turnips cut into quarters, onions peeled and stuck full of cloves, / bunch each of parsley and celery tops; cover the meat in the pot with water, and put in all the vegetables; let them boil slowly hour with salt and pepper; make the liquor as thick as gravy, then let it boil - / hours longer; put in two medium-sized pickles sliced in four quarters; before dishing up put in wine-glass of wine; when ready to go to the table put the vegetables all around the dish, and send the sauce up in a sauce-bowl; if the meat should be tough let it boil hour longer. no. . goose pork. take a fresh ham, score the skin nicely; take the inside of a loaf of bread, / can of mushrooms, onion, / bunch of parsley, not quite / bunch of thyme, nearly / bunch of sage; cut the parsley and onion very fine, also the mushrooms; rub the thyme and sage together very fine; tablespoonful of butter must be put in the breadcrumbs, and all the above must be mixed up well with it; make or pockets in the ham, stuff this dressing tightly in them, tie a string around them to keep the dressing in, put pepper and salt on it and dust over a little flour. put the ham in a dressing-pan in an oven, baking slowly for hours. be sure to baste and dust it well with flour until done. when done take all fat off of gravy, which if not thick enough must be thickened. boil rice enough to garnish the dish with, boiling in half milk and half water; when done let it get cool, beat eggs, pepper and salt, a little of the mushroom water, tablespoonful of sugar; put these in rice, roll out in croquettes, put them first in beaten egg and then in breadcrumbs; fry a light brown. make apple sauce and serve with it. no. . young broiled chickens. take spring chickens, dress them well, split them down the back, broil without burning, baste with butter and cream, replace on gridiron and let broil a little more, and the essence left from basting will be the gravy to put over them. season with salt and pepper. when done, cut in parts; place in a dish and garnish with parsley. serve with salad with mayonnaise dressing. no. . broiled quails. take quails and serve as the spring chicken, only use currant jelly with the cream and butter. serve as above. no. . fricassee rabbit. clean a rabbit, cut in quarters, pepper, salt and flour it, fry a delicate brown, dust flour in frying-pan; cut in it, very fine, small onion, and parsley, / pint each of milk and and cream, and pour in frying-pan; then put rabbit in to stay / hour. boil rice dry and put it round the dish with rabbit and gravy in the center. no. . easter ham. take a smoked ham, make pockets in it; take / peck cabbage sprouts, bunch celery, chop them up fine. skin the ham and stuff the pockets with the above, then put the skin on again. the pockets should not be cut till the skin is taken off, because that must be kept whole. tie up in a bag which fits the ham, let - / hours be the time for boiling it; when done, take out of bag, take off the skin, stick in top of the ham dozen cloves. baste with a little melted sugar and sift some fine breadcrumbs over it; put in oven to get a light brown. serve it with cabbage sprouts or cauliflower. no. . venison cutlets. give the cutlets the shape of a ham; broil them on a gridiron. take tumbler currant jelly, tablespoonful butter, wineglass of wine, salt and pepper to taste and make a hot sauce. heat the dish to put the cutlets on, and pour the sauce over them. serve hot. serve saratoga potatoes with it, placing them in center of dish. no. . hickory-nut cake. mix cups flour, of sugar, of butter, teaspoonfuls cream tartar, all together; dissolve teaspoonful of carbonate of soda in a cup of milk and mix this with the first. add pint of nut meats. no. . delmonico's pudding. one quart milk with / teaspoonful salt; set this on the fire to boil; mix tablespoonfuls of corn-starch with a little cold milk and stir in just before the milk boils. boil minutes. to tablespoonfuls, sugar beat the yolks of eggs and add any flavoring extract; pour the corn-starch, while hot, into this, then whip the whites of eggs and drop it on top of pudding in form of kisses, and brown in the oven. no. . christmas plum pudding. chop fine / pound beef suet. stone and chop pound raisins; wash and pick pound currants. soak the crumbs of a small loaf of bread in pint of milk; when it has taken up all the milk, add to it the raisins, currants, and suet, eggs well beaten, a tablespoonful of sugar, a wineglassful of brandy, the grating of nutmeg, and other spices if desired. boil hours. for a sauce, beat / pound butter to a cream with / pound powdered sugar and flavor with brandy. no. . orange pudding. make the same as lemon pudding, using orange instead of lemon. no. . pickled salmon. boil a or pound salmon done; put it into an earthen jar, after taking all the bones out without breaking it; put pepper and salt on it; pint of vinegar, teaspoonful allspice, dozen grains of cloves, / dozen grains of black pepper, little red pepper; put all these in the vinegar and let come to a boil. put in also leaves of mace. pour it all over the salmon and cover over tight. if made in the morning it will be fit to eat in the evening. sturgeon can be made in the same way. no. . brandied peaches. take pounds of heath peaches, pounds of loaf sugar, quart of white brandy. have a strong lye, hot, but not boiling, over the fire. throw half a dozen peaches into it at a time; let them remain minutes; take them out again and put them into cold water. continue this till all are done. then, with a coarse towel, rub them till perfectly smooth, and put them into another vessel of cold water. make a syrup of the sugar with pints of water and / the white of an egg. skim the syrup perfectly clear. take the peaches out of the water, wipe them dry, put them in the syrup, and boil them till a straw will pass through them, then take them out to cool. boil the syrup / hour; then put in the brandy while hot and mix thoroughly. having placed your peaches in glass jars, pour the syrup over them while hot, and when cold paste paper over them to protect them. will be fit for use in months. no. . stuffed eggs. cut hard-boiled eggs in half lengthwise, take out the yolks, pound them in a mortar, add breadcrumbs soaked in milk and / pound fresh butter. pound all together; add a little chopped onion, parsley, bruised pepper, and grated nutmeg; mix it with the yolks of two raw eggs; fill the halved whites with this forcemeat; lay the remainder at the bottom of dish and place the stuffed eggs around it. put in an oven and brown nicely. no. . egg potage. beat the yolks of eggs and half their bulk of rich gravy. when frothed, turn out on a plate and place them over a saucepan of boiling water till the eggs are well set and form a cream. cut this in neat strips, place them in a tureen of savory consomme, and serve immediately. no. . stewed mussels. boil them from the shell; take the beard out and put them in the stewpan with some of the liquor in which they were boiled, strain it on them; add some cream or milk, a bit of butter, pepper, and salt; dredge over flour; stir with spoon; let simmer for minutes. serve hot, with toast. no. . panned oysters. take large oysters; rinse clean and let drain; put in stewpan with / pound of butter, salt, red and black pepper to season. put pan over fire, stirring while cooking. when oysters begin to shrink, take off of fire and serve at once in a covered dish well heated. no. . stewed clams. take large sand clams from their shells; put them in their own liquor and water in equal parts nearly to cover them; put them in a stewpan over a gentle fire for / hour; take off all scum; add i teacup butter, in which is worked tablespoonful of flour, and pepper to taste. cover stewpan and let simmer minutes longer. pour over toast. milk can be used for water. will taste better. no. . broiled oysters. take out the largest; lay them on a napkin to dry; then dip each in flour or cracker dust, or first in beaten egg; have a gridiron of coarse wire put over a bright fire; lay oysters on it; when one side is done turn over the other; put butter on a hot plate; sprinkle a little pepper over, and lay oysters on; serve with crackers. no. . clam chowder. butter a basin and line it with grated breadcrumbs or soaked crackers; sprinkle pepper and bits of butter and finely-chopped parsley; put in a double layer of clams; season with pepper and bits of butter; another layer of soaked crackers; turn a plate over the basin and bake in a hot oven for / of an hour; use / pound of soda biscuit, and / of a pound of butter for clams. no. . broiled shad. split fish in two; lay on gridiron over hot fire; broil gently; put the inside to the fire first; have a dish ready with / of a pound of sweet butter in it; also, teaspoonful each of salt and pepper worked in it; when the fish is done on both sides lay on a dish; turn it often in the butter; cover over, and set dish where it will be hot till wanted. no. . codfish cakes. boil soaked cod; chop it fine; put to it an equal quantity of potatoes boiled and mashed; moisten with beaten eggs or milk; a bit of butter and a little pepper; lay out in form of small round cakes; flour outside and fry in hot lard till brown; let lard be boiling hot when cakes are put in; brown both sides. no. . oyster chowder. butter a two-quart tin basin; cover with soaked crackers, bits of butter; put in a double layer of oysters; sprinkle fine pepper over, finely chopped parsley; then put a layer of soaked crackers and bits of butter, as before; then another layer of oysters and seasoning, and lastly soaked crackers and butter and pint of oyster liquor and milk or water. no. . baked shad. clean the shad; cut off the head; split it half way down the back; scrape inside clean. to make stuffing, cut slices of baker's bread; spread each with butter and sprinkle on pepper and salt, pounded sage; moisten it with hot water; fill the inside of the fish with this; tie a cord around it to keep stuffing in; dredge outside with flour; stick bits of butter all over outside; mix one teaspoonful each of salt and pepper over surface; then lay fish on muffin ring in dripping pan; put in pint of water to taste with; if this is used up while baking, add more hot water; bake hour in quick oven; baste often. when the fish is done there should be / pint of gravy in pan; if not, add more hot water; dredge in a full teaspoonful of flour with a bit of butter, a lemon sliced thin; stir this smooth, then pour in gravy-boat; lay slices of lemon over fish and serve with mashed potatoes. no. . lobster sauce. pick out the meat, boil down the shell, use the liquor for making the sauce with minced lobster, and buttered rolled flour. the berries may be used uncrushed. no. . oyster sauce. open the oysters, strain the liquor, put it in saucepan with butter rolled in flour; when melted add the oysters and a little cream. as soon as it boils add lemon juice; beaten mace and white pepper may be used. no. . soft clams fried. take them from the shell, wash them in plenty of water, lay on a napkin to dry. roll in flour very thickly; have a frying-pan one-third full of hot lard, a tablespoonful of salt to pound of lard; lay the clams in with a fork one at a time; lay close together, and fry gently till brown on one side, then turn them over and let the other side brown. place in hot dish ready for table. no. . crabs dressed cold. pick out all the flesh, mix it with oil, vinegar, cayenne pepper, and some yolks of hard boiled eggs; put all this in the shell, then on a dish with fresh herbs and lettuce around it--fresh water-cresses will do to decorate with. no. . lobster salad. pick out all the flesh from the lobster, taking care of the coral, if any; cut up the meat, not very small, put it in a salad dish, add anchovy, a few olives, chopped pickles, quartered hard boiled eggs, lettuce torn but not cut up; just before serving pour over the dressing; stew coral on top; sliced cucumber and an onion might be added. the dressing is prepared in this way: beat well the yolks of two fresh eggs and stir in one half teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonfuls of mixed mustard, a pinch of cayenne pepper; add olive oil a little at a time, stirring all the while with a silver fork till it becomes stiff and flaky--it requires a half pint of oil--add tablespoonfuls of vinegar; don't pour in more than a teaspoonful of oil at once. this quantity of dressing will do for or pounds of lobster. no. . fish in jelly. make jelly by boiling down fish of any kind or calves' feet; clear it with white of egg, and pour a little milk in a mould. when jelly is set, put the prepared fish on it, and pour in more jelly till the mould is filled. when congealed, put a hot cloth round it for a little while, and turn it out on a dish. serve for supper or luncheon. no. . deviled fish. any kind of fish will do. soak it for half an hour in vinegar, catsup, or any stock sauce. drain and boil them, and serve with horseradish or mustard-sauce. you may roll your fish in curry powder if you wish. no. . fish in batter. rub some slices of fish in spices or shred herbs; then dip in batter, and fry brown. no. . fish sandwiches. butter both sides of slices of bread. upon half of their number lay thin fillets of anchovy, sardine, smoked salmon, or any other fish; sprinkle seasoning on top, and put the other slices on them. lay the sandwiches on a dish, and place in oven till brown. the soft roe of shad or herring spread between bread and butter is good. no. . fish patties. use light paste. have the large oysters. make them hot by putting them in cream or a little butter, mixed with oyster liquor and delicate seasoning. thicken with yolk of egg, and put in crust already baked in patty-pans. take flesh from the tail part of cray-fish or lobsters; cut in slices. for salmon patties scrape the flesh with a knife, season with cayenne pepper; mix with a little butter or cream and yolk of egg, and shake it gently over the fire till done. eels must be stewed in gravy, and the meat pounded in a mortar together with a little parsley and butter, and seasoning; warm it up with a glass of wine, and place in patty-crusts. no. . fish scalloped. beard the oysters and scallops; halve or quarter them; pack them in scallop-shells or small tins. lay pieces of butter on them, and bake till brown on top. serve them in the shells. thin slices of salmon, pike, or turbot serve in same way. squeeze lemon-juice over, to serve. no. . fish, boiled. place the fish in salted water, cold, if the fish is large, and hot if small sized. in the latter case, or minutes in boiling water will be enough; and a sheep's-head of or pounds will not require more than minutes from the time the water boils. use a strainer to place fish in saucepan. salmon and all dark-fleshed fish require more boiling than white-fleshed kinds. vinegar must be rubbed on the outside of fish before it is boiled; this keeps the skin from cracking. serve boiled fish upon a napkin. no. . fish, salted. if your are to salt your fish never wash or wet it, but split open the larger fish, and remove the heads and intestines of the others, after scraping them; then pack them in a pickle-tub with finely powdered salt between each layer. the fish must be well covered on the top with salt. no. . fish, curried a curry of lobster, shrimps, prawns, or crayfish is easily prepared. take enough of the meat of either and rub it in curry powder. have boiling gravy ready in a saucepan to make sauce for fish; when it boils take it off the fire, and add bits of butter and beaten yolks of egg to thicken with. no. . ordinary omelette. beat and strain your eggs, season them, and add tablespoonful of water, milk, or stock to every eggs. let some butter or oil get hot in a frying-pan, and pour in the eggs. when omelette is set and of a pale brown color on the underside, take it up, fold it together lightly, and serve hot. do not turn omelettes in the pan. no. . sardine omelette. bone the preserved fish, cut in dice pieces, toss it in olive oil; prepare the eggs in the usual way, season them and pour them up on the fish in the pan; or, fry the eggs separately and place the fish on the omelette when it is ready. no. . bacon omelette. mince some cold boiled bacon, and mix it with eggs which are spiced and well beaten, or take raw bacon, chop it, put in frying-pan till browned, then pour beaten eggs on it, or else place some bacon on eggs just poured in frying-pan. when set, fold the omelette and serve with tomato sauce in the dish. no. . apples and rice. boil / pound rice in quart of new milk. at the same time put some preserved apples in the oven to get hot. when the rice is done arrange it around a dish; put the preserve in the center; dust some sugar over it, and garnish the rice with slices of candied lemon peel. before serving lay some pieces of fresh butter upon it. must be eaten warm. no. . charlotte des pommes. peel and slice some apples; take a loaf of fine white bread; free it of crust and cut it in thin slices well buttered. fit them in a mould well buttered, and put in a layer of apples sprinkled with grated lemon; peel and sweeten them with brown sugar. next place a slice of bread and butter till mould is full; squeeze in the juice of two lemons, and bake it for hour. turn it out and serve as you would cake. no. . red apples in jelly. nice formed apples in a stewpan with water to cover them. add a spoonful of powdered cochineal, and simmer gently. when done put in dessert dish; add white sugar and juice of lemons for a syrup. when boiled to a jelly put it in the apples. decorate dish with lemon-peel cut in slices. no. . apple chocolate. boil in quart of new milk pound scraped french chocolate and ounces of white sugar. beat the yolks of eggs and the whites of . when the chocolate has come to a boil, take off of fire; add the eggs, stirring well. at the bottom of a deep dish place a good layer of pulped apple, sweetened to taste; season with cinnamon. pour chocolate over it and place the dish on a saucepan of boiling water. when the cream is set firmly it is done. sift powdered sugar over it, and glaze with a red hot shovel. no. . apple jelly. peel and core fine flavored apples; cut in large pieces and boil in very little water. when done put through a hair sieve; press them so as to get all the juice. for every quart of jelly take pound of white sugar; boil it in the water which was used for the fruit, and skin it. add the juice of the apples with the juice of four oranges squeezed into each quart. boil / hour and keep it ready for use. no. . oysters a la poulette. put oysters or one quart on the fire in their own liquor. the moment it begins to boil turn it into a hot dish through a colander. leave the oysters in the colander. put into the saucepan ounces of butter, and when it bubbles sprinkle ounce of sifted flour; let it cook a minute without taking color; stir it well with a wire egg-whisk; then add, mixing in well, a cupful of the oyster liquor; take it from the fire; mix in the yolks of eggs, a little salt, and a very little red pepper, teaspoonful of lemon juice, grating of nutmeg. beat it well, and then return it to the fire to set the eggs, without allowing it to boil; then put the oysters in. no . truffled oysters. four dozen large oysters, can of truffles, ounces of chicken, ounces of fat salt pork, eggs, flour, toast, red pepper. mince and then pound to a paste the chicken and salt pork, add red pepper, a pinch of salt, and the truffles cut fine and mixed in; lay the oysters out on the napkin, insert a penknife at the edge and split each oyster up and down inside without making the opening too large, then push in the forcemeat. as the oysters are stuffed lay them in flour and then dip in beaten egg and drop a few at a time in hot lard, and fry three or four minutes. the lard should be deep enough to immerse them. when they are golden brown take them up, drain on paper and put on toast. no. . philadelphia style of cooking canvasback duck. draw the duck and sew up the incision tightly and closely, leaving one opening; through this fill the interior with red currant jelly and good port wine. sew up and close the opening and roast the duck minutes in a hot oven; by this process the jelly, the wine, and the natural juices off the duck combine and permeate the flesh, giving a most delicious result. no. . broiled stuffed oysters. grate the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, or to every dozen of the largest oysters; mince half as much salt pork and mix in black pepper, chopped parsley, add a raw egg, the yolk to make a paste; split the inside by moving a penknife up and down without making a very large opening at the edge; add the stuffing, dip them in fine breadcrumbs, then into melted butter on a plate, then into breadcrumbs again, and broil them over a clear fire. no. . game soup. take all the meat off the breasts of any cold birds left from preceding day. pound it in a mortar, beating to pieces the legs and bones, and boil them in some broth for an hour. boil turnips, mash them and strain through cloth with the pounded meat. strain the broth and put a little of it at a time into the sieve to help you strain all of it through. put soup kettle near the fire, but do not let it boil. when ready to dish your dinner, have yolks of eggs mixed with / pint of cream; strain through a sieve; put soup on fire, and when coming to a boil put in eggs and stir well with wooden spoon. do not let it boil, lest it curdle. no. . artichokes. soak them in cold water, wash them well, and put them in plenty of boiling water, with a handful of salt, and let them boil gently till they are tender, which will take - / to hours. to know when they are done, draw out a leaf. trim them and drain them on a sieve. send up melted butter with them, which some put into small cups so that each guest may have one. no. . stewed oysters. large oysters will do for stewing. stew a couple of dozen in their own liquor. when coming to a boil, skim well, take them up, beard them, strain the liquor through a sieve, and lay the oysters on a dish. put an ounce of butter in a stewpan; when melted, put to it as much flour as will dry it up, the liquor of the oysters, tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, a little white pepper, salt, a little catsup, chopped parsley, grated lemon peel and juice. let it boil up for a couple of minutes till it is smooth, then take it off the fire, put in the oysters, and let them get warm. line the sides and bottom of a hash-dish with bread sippets and pour your oysters and sauce into it. no. . fricasseed rabbit. take a fine, fat rabbit, clean it well, salt and pepper it, put it in hot lard to fry to a pretty delicate brown; when done take out, pour out a portion of the grease, and cut up three onions, thicken with three tablespoonfuls of flour, stir well, pour on water enough to cover the rabbit, which is now put back in the skillet; cover it over and let boil for / of an hour. just before serving cut up a little parsley and put in; serve it with either roasted or fried potatoes. no. . cold veal and ham timbales. timbale paste, pound of corned bacon, pounds of leg veal, hard boiled eggs, teaspoonful each of celery salt and marjoram, sprigs of parsley, white pepper and salt to taste; line the timbale mould with the paste, first setting it on a greased baking-pan; cut the ham and veal into scallops and the eggs into slices; with them make alternate layers with the seasonings; when all are used fill with water, wet the exposed edges of the paste cover, ornament the edges, and bake in a moderate oven hours; when cold open the mould and serve as may be desired. no. . beefsteak and oysters. take a tender sirloin steak, put it in a hot skillet, let it fry minutes; when done take the hearts out of quart of oysters, and put the oysters in the skillet where the steak came out, sprinkle a little flour over them, a small piece of butter, a little of the oyster liquor, enough to make a nice gravy; season to taste and a little nutmeg. put steak on platter, pour this oyster gravy over them, and serve hot. no. . fricasseed chicken. one pair. cut a chicken in quarters, make a rich gravy of pint of milk, pint of water or oyster liquor, tablespoonfuls of flour, a little butter mixed in the flour; after the chicken nearly boils in the milk and water, then put in the flour mixed with the butter; put in a few sprigs of parsley; let all boil till done. boil some rice in a saucepan so as not to break up the grains; put the chicken when done on the platter, put the rice all round dish, pour the gravy in the center all over the chicken, and serve hot. no. . roasted leg of pork, called mock goose. parboil it; take off the skin; then put it down to roast; baste it with butter, and make a powder of finely minced or dried powdered sage, black pepper, salt, and some breadcrumbs rubbed together through a colander. add to this some finely minced onion; sprinkle it with this when almost roasted. put / pint made gravy into the dish, and goose-stuffing under the knuckle-skin, or garnish the dish with balls of it fried or boiled. no. . kidneys. cut them lengthwise, score them, sprinkle some pepper and salt on them, and run a wire skewer through them to keep them from curling on the gridiron, that they may broil evenly. broil them over a clear fire, turning them often till done. this will take about or minutes if you have a brisk fire, or fry them in butter, and make a gravy in the pan after taking the kidneys out by putting in a teaspoonful of flour; as soon as it looks brown, put in as much water as will make gravy. it will take minutes more to fry them than to broil them. a few parsley leaves chopped fine, and mixed with a little butter, pepper, and salt, may be put on each kidney. no. . steaks. cut the steaks rather thinner than for broiling. put some butter into a frying-pan, and when it is hot lay in the steaks and keep turning them till they are done enough. by this means the meat will be more equally dressed and more evenly browned, and will be found to be much more relishing. no. . fish turbot. boil a -pound of any firm fish not quite done; take it out and pick all bones out of it; then make a cream sauce for it. having taken the hearts out of pint of oysters, put them in the cream sauce; also / pint milk, tablespoonfuls flour, tablespoonful butter, yolks of eggs. let all boil together; then put the fish in it; season with pepper and salt to taste; put into a pudding-dish. chop up a stalk of celery very fine, and put in it; sift some breadcrumbs over it, with small bits of butter. put in oven and let bake / hour. garnish dish with fried oysters or fried potatoes. no. . tongue. tongue requires more cooking than a ham. one that has been salted and dried should be put to soak hours before wanted, in plenty of water; a green one from the pickle needs soaking only a few hours. put the tongue into plenty of cold water and let it be hour gradually warming and give it from - / to hours very slow simmering according to size. no. . ham. give it plenty of water-room, and put it in while the water is cold; let it heat gradually and let it be on the fire - / hours before it comes to a boil; let it be well skimmed and keep it simmering very gently. a middle-sized ham will take from to hours according to its thickness. no. . fried perch. wipe the fish well, wipe them on a dry cloth, flour them lightly all over, and fry them minutes in hot lard or drippings; lay them on a hair sieve. send them up on a hot dish garnished with sprigs of parsley. no. . bread and butter pudding. have ready a quart dish; wash and pick ounces of currants; strew a few at bottom of dish; cut about layers of very thin bread and butter and between each layer strew some currants. then break eggs in a basin, leaving out white; beat them well and add ounces of sugar and a nutmeg; stir it well together with a pint of new milk; pour it over about minutes before you put it in the oven. bake / hour. no. . pancakes and fritters. break eggs in a basin, beat them up with a little nutmeg and salt; put to them - / ounces of flour and a little milk; beat to a smooth batter. add, by degrees, milk enough to make the thickness of cream. frying pan must be about the size of a pudding-plate and very clean or they will stick; make it hot and to each pancake put in a piece of butter as large as a walnut; when it is melted pour in the batter to cover the bottom of pan; make them the thickness of a half-dollar; fry a light brown on both sides. apple fritters can be made in the same way by adding spoonful more of flour. peel your apples and cut them in thick slices, take out core, dip them in the batter, fry in hot lard. put on sieve to drain; grate loaf sugar over them. no. . boston apple pudding. peel - / dozen good apples, take out cores, cut them small, put in stewpan that will just hold them with a little water, cinnamon, cloves, and the peel of a lemon; stew over a slow fire till soft, then sweeten with moist sugar, and pass it through a fine sieve. add to it the yolks of eggs and white, / pound butter, half a nutmeg, a grated lemon peel, and juice of lemon; beat all together; line inside of pie-dish with good paste; put in the pudding and bake half an hour. no. . spring fruit pudding. peel and wash dozen sticks of rhubarb; put in stewpan with the pudding, a lemon, a little cinnamon, and enough moist sugar to make it sweet; set it over a fire and reduce it to a marmalade; pass through a hair sieve and go on as directed in the above receipt, leaving out lemon juice, as the rhubarb is acid enough. no. . nottingham pudding. peel apples, core them but leave the apples whole; fill up where you took out the core, with sugar. place them in a pie-dish and pour over them a nice, light batter, prepared as for batter pudding; bake an hour in moderate oven. no. . maigre plum pudding. simmer / pint of milk with blades of mace, and a roll of lemon peel for minutes, then strain it into a basin, set it away to get cold, then beat eggs in a basin with ounces of loaf sugar and the third of a nutmeg, then add ounces of flour, beat it well together, and add the milk by degrees. put in ounces of fresh butter broken into small bits and ounces of breadcrumbs, ounces of currants washed and picked clean, ounces of raisins stoned and chopped; stir it well together, butter a mould, put it in, and tie a cloth tight over it; boil - / hours, serve it with melted butter, tablespoonfuls of brandy, and a little loaf sugar. no. . plain bread pudding. put ounces of breadcrumbs in a basin, pour / pints of boiling milk over them, put a plate on the top to keep in the steam, let stand minutes; then beat up quite smooth with it ounces of sugar, and a saltspoon of nutmeg; break eggs on a plate, leaving out white, beat them well and add them to the pudding; stir it well together, and put it in a mould that has been well buttered and floured; tie a cloth over it and boil one hour. no. . flemish waffles. one and one-half pints of flour, / teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonfuls of sugar, tablespoonfuls of butter, - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder, eggs, / pint of thin cream, teaspoonful each of the extract of cinnamon and vanilla; rub the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs one at a time, beating or minutes between each addition; sift flour, salt, and powder together, add these to the butter, etc., with the vanilla, cinnamon, and thin cream. mix into batter as for griddle cakes, have waffle-iron hot and well greased, pour in batter enough to fill it two-thirds full, shut it up, and turn it over immediately; be careful not to get the iron too hot, as the waffles will only take from to minutes to cook. when done sift sugar over them and serve at once on a napkin. no. . soft waffles. one quart of flour, / teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of sugar, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, large tablespoonful of butter, eggs, - / pints of milk. sift flour, powder, and salt together, rub in the butter cold, add the beaten eggs, mix into batter, have waffle-iron hot and well greased each time; fill two-thirds full and close it up; when brown turn over, sift sugar on them and serve hot. no. . cranberry tart. pick and wash some cranberries in several waters, put them in a dish with the juice of half a lemon, quarter of a pound of loaf sugar crushed to quart of cranberries; cover it with puff paste and bake it three-quarters of an hour. if tart paste is used take it from the oven five minutes before it is done and ice it; return it to the oven, and send to the table cold. no. . apple tart. pare, core, and quarter some apples; make an apple pie; then when pie is done cut out the whole of the center, leaving the edges; when cold pour on the apple some rich boiled custard, and placed round it some small leaves of puff paste of a light color. no. . graham muffins. one quart of graham flour, tablespoonful of brown sugar, teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, egg, and pint of milk; sift the flour, sugar, salt, and powder together; add the beaten egg and milk, mix into a batter, fill cold well-greased muffin pans two-thirds full; bake minutes in hot oven. no. . yorkshire pudding. [under roast beef.] this pudding is to accompany a sirloin of beef, loin of veal, or any fat, juicy joint. six tablespoonfuls of flour, eggs, tablespoonful of salt, pint of milk so as to make a tolerably stiff batter, a little stiffer than for pancakes; beat it up well--it must not be lumpy; put a dish under the meat and let the drippings drop into it till it is quite hot and well greased, then pour in the batter; when the upper surface is brown and set, then turn it over that both sides may brown alike. if you wish it to cut firm and the pudding an inch thick, it will take two hours at a good fire. no. . corn bread. one pound of cornmeal well sifted, mixed with boiling water or milk to the consistency of a moderate batter; then beat eggs, putting the yolks in the batter, and the whites must be beaten up to a froth and put in just before baking; salt to taste; put in a baking-pan and bake quickly in a hot oven; a tablespoonful of butter or lard is also mixed with the meal. no. . french muffins. one and a half pints flour, cupful honey, / teaspoonful salt, teaspoonfuls baking-powder, tablespoonfuls butter, eggs, and little over / pint of milk or thin cream. sift together the flour, salt, and powder; rub in the butter, cold; add the beaten eggs, milk or thin cream, and honey. mix smoothly into a batter as for pound cake; about half fill sponge-cake tins, cold and carefully greased, and bake in good, steady oven or minutes. no. . boston brown bread. one half pint of flour, pint cornmeal, / pint rye flour, potatoes, teaspoonful salt, tablespoonful brown sugar, teaspoonfuls baking-powder, / pint water. sift the flour, cornmeal, rye flour, sugar, salt, and powder together. peel, wash, and well boil two mealy potatoes; rub them through a sieve, thinning with water. when cold, use it to mix the flour, etc., into a batter like cake. pour it into a greased mould, with a cover; place it in a saucepan half full of boiling water, when the loaf will simmer hour without letting the water get into it. remove, then take off the cover, and finish cooking it by baking in a fairly hot oven minutes. no. . apple pot-pie. fourteen apples peeled, cored, and sliced; - / pints flour, teaspoonful baking-powder, cupful sugar, / cupful butter, cupful milk, large pinch of salt. sift the flour with the powder and salt; rub in the butter, cold; add the milk, and mix into a dough as for tea-biscuits; with it line a shallow stewpan to within two inches of the bottom. pour in - / cupfuls water, the apples and sugar; wet the edges, and cover with the rest of the dough; then place it in a moderate oven till the apples are cooked; then remove it from the oven; cut the top crust in four equal parts; dish the apples; lay on them the pieces of side crust cut in diamonds, and the pieces of top crust on a plate. serve with cream. no. . oatmeal cracknels. one and a half pints fine oatmeal, / pint graham flour, teaspoonful salt, teaspoonful baking-powder, pint of milk. mix oatmeal and milk; let it stand, to swell, hours in a cold place. sift together the graham flour, salt, and powder. add it to the oatmeal; mix into a smooth dough. flour the board with cornmeal; turn out dough, and roll / inch thick; cut it out with cutter; lay them on greased baking tins; wash over with milk, and bake minutes in moderate oven. no. . german waffles. one quart of flour, / teaspoonful salt, tablespoonfuls sugar, tablespoonfuls baking-powder, tablespoonfuls lard, the rind of lemon grated, teaspoonful extract of cinnamon, eggs, pint thin cream. sift flour, sugar, salt, and powder together; rub in lard, cold; add the beaten eggs, lemon rind, extract, and milk. mix into smooth batter, rather thick. bake in hot waffle-iron. serve with sugar flavored with lemon. no. . tea biscuits. one quart of flour, teaspoonful salt, / teaspoonful sugar, teaspoonfuls baking-powder, teaspoonful lard, pint milk. sift together flour, salt, powder, sugar; rub in lard, cold; add the milk, and form into a smooth, consistent dough. flour the board; turn out the dough; roll it out to the thickness of / of an inch; cut with a small round cutter; lay them close together on a greased baking-tin; wash over with milk. bake in hot oven minutes. no. . rice muffins. two cupfuls of cold boiled rice, pint of flour, teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of sugar, - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder, / pint of milk, eggs; thin out the rice with the milk and beaten eggs; sift the flour, sugar, salt and powder together; add the rice; mix into a smooth batter; fill muffin pans two-thirds full, having carefully greased them; bake minutes in a hot oven. no. . cheese crackers. one and a half pints of flour, / pint of cornmeal, teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of baking-powder, tablespoonful of butter, little more than / pint of milk; sift together flour, cornmeal, salt and powder; rub in the butter cold; add the milk; mix into a smooth, rather firm dough; flour the board; turn out the dough; give it a roll or two quickly, and roll it to the thickness of a quarter of an inch; cut out with a large round cutter; glaze the top as you would pies, and sprinkle cheese and cayenne pepper over top and bake ten minutes in hot oven; cheese straws can be made nearly the same way out of puff paste cut thin about / of a yard long. no. . fruit jelly. two pints of water; / pint of milk, and gill of wine, gill of lemon juice, the peel of lemons, pound of sugar, whites of eggs beaten, not stiff, and stir in the above; melt and put in this paper of gelatine; put on the fire and stir till it begins to boil; then stop for minutes; take off; strain through a flannel bag, place in pan till cool enough to dip up with a spoon; peel and quarter in layers orange; put a slim layer of jelly in bottom of mould; on this put pieces of orange; now cover with jelly; second layer, drop or candied cherries on the top of layer in mould, another layer of jelly; then or malaga grapes between them; or blanched almonds, a layer of jelly; on this candied cherries and almonds between them; then fill mould up with jelly; put on ice. no. . frozen peach custard. one quart of milk; yolks of eggs, whites; boil milk; make a custard of it; sweeten to taste; cut in thin slices soft peaches; put peaches in custard when cold; freeze it for use; this can be moulded in form of a brick. no. . snowball. six apples, peeled and cored, / pound of rice washed well; put apples in pudding cloth; pour rice on top; leave room to swell; boil in pot - / hours; make wine sauce for it; this is a dinner dish. no. . blanc-mange. take package of gelatine, divide it in half; take half pints of milk, yolks of eggs; put on the milk to boil and make a custard of it; season to taste with lemon; melt one half of the gelatine, and melt it in / teacup of cold milk; then stir it in custard when done; take another half pints of milk; let it boil; season with vanilla; sweeten to taste; melt the remaining half of the gelatine in a little milk and stir it in this last custard while it is hot; put out to cool enough, so it will mould; then take the first custard made and put in the mould, then on top of that in the same mould the last custard made; place on ice to cool; eat with whipped cream, seasoned with lemon or vanilla. no. . coffee blanc-mange. take and divide package of gelatine in half; take pint of milk, / pint of coffee and let it boil; melt one half of the gelatine in a little milk; stir it in the boiled milk; now take half pints of milk, stir in tablespoonfuls of chocolate and boil it; take the remaining half of the gelatine, melt it in a little milk; stir it in the chocolate; let it get cold before putting in the mould; then put in the mould the portion made first, then the second portion on top of this; set away to cool; eat with whipped cream. no. . french coffee. three pints of water to cup of ground coffee. put the coffee grounds in a bowl, pour over it about / pint of cold water, and let stand for minutes; bring remaining - / pints water to a boil. take coffee in bowl, strain through a fine sieve, then take a french coffee pot, put coffee grounds in strainer at top of french pot, leaving the water in the bowl. then take the boiling water and pour over the coffee very slowly; then set the coffee pot on the stove for five minutes; must not boil. take off and pour in the cold water from the bowl that coffee was first soaked in to settle. serve in another pot. the french have the reputation of making the best coffee. use parts java and part mocha. no. . biscuit glace. one and a half pints of cream, ounces sugar, yolks of eggs, tablespoonful extract of vanilla; take ounces crisp macaroons, pound in a mortar to dust; stir into the macaroon dust another tablespoonful extract of vanilla. mix the cream, sugar, eggs, and extract. place on the fire and stir this until it begins to thicken. strain and rub through a hair sieve into a basin; put in freezer, and when nearly frozen mix in the macaroon dust and finish the freezing. no. . noyeau cordial. to gallon of proof spirits add pounds of loaf sugar and a tablespoonful of extract of almonds. mix well together, and allow to stand hours, covered closely; now strain through thick flannel and bottle. this liquor is much improved by adding / pint of apricot or peach juice. no. . red currant fruit-ice. put pints ripe currants, pint red raspberries, / pint water in a basin. place on the fire and allow to simmer a few minutes, then strain through a hair sieve. to this add ounces of sugar and / pint of water. place all into a freezing-can and freeze. no. . toutes fruits ice-cream. take quarts richest cream and add to it pound pulverized sugar and whole eggs. mix all together; place on the fire, stirring constantly, and bring just to the boiling point; remove immediately and continue to stir till nearly cold; flavor this with tablespoonful of extract of vanilla; place in freezer and freeze, after which mix thoroughly into it pound of preserved fruit in equal parts of peaches, apricots, gages, cherries, pineapple, etc. all of these fruits are to be cut up into small pieces and well mixed with the cream, frozen. should you wish to mould this ice, sprinkle it with a little carmine dissolved in a teaspoonful of water with drops of spirits of ammonia. mix in this color so that it will be streaky or in veins like marble. no. . crushed strawberry ice-cream. three pints best cream, ounces pulverized white sugar, whole eggs, tablespoonfuls extract of vanilla. mix all together in a porcelain-lined basin; place on the fire; stir constantly to the boiling point. remove and strain through a hair sieve. place in a freezer and freeze. take quart ripe strawberries, select, hull and put in a bowl; add ounces pulverized sugar, white, and crush all down to a pulp; add this pulp to the frozen cream and mix in well. now give the freezer a few additional turns to harden. no. . peach ice-cream. one dozen best, ripest red-cheeked peaches; peel and stone; place in china basin and crush with ounces pulverized sugar. take quart best cream, ounces pulverized sugar, white, whole eggs, drops extract almond. place all on the fire till it reaches the boiling point. remove and strain. place in freezer and freeze. when nearly frozen, stir in the peach pulp. give the freezer a few more turns to harden. no. . french vanilla ice-cream. one quart of rich, sweet cream, / pound of granulated sugar, yolks of eggs. place the cream and sugar in a porcelain kettle on the fire, and allow them to come to a boil; strain immediately through a hair sieve, and having the eggs well beaten add them slowly to the cream and sugar while hot, at the same time stirring rapidly. place them on the fire again and stir for a few minutes, then pour it into the freezer and flavor with tablespoonful of vanilla, and freeze. no. . lemon ice-cream. one quart of best cream, ounces of pulverized sugar, whole eggs, and a tablespoonful of the extract of lemon; place it on the fire, then immediately remove and strain. when cold place in freezer and freeze. no . chocolate transparent icing. melt ounces of fine chocolate with a small quantity of water in a pan over the fire, stirring constantly until it becomes soft. dilute this with / gill of syrup and work till perfectly smooth, then add to the boiled sugar as above. * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. the text uses accents in the table of contents but not in the text itself. for example, text uses glacé in the table of contents and glacee in the text. this was retained. text also uses both "italienne" and "italien." page v, "canvas-back" changed to "canvasback" (canvasback duck) page vi, "mussles" changed to "mussels" (mussels, stewed) page vii, page number added for entry "oysters, stewed." page vii, "patte" changed to "pate" (patte la foie gras) page vii, "soufflée" changed to "soufflé" (potatoes, soufflé) page , "boulion" changed to "boullion" (pints of boullion) page , "pate-la-foi-gras" changed to "pate-la-foie-gras" (slice of pate-la-foie-gras) page , "oyters" changed to "oysters" (quart of oysters to one) page , "wel lbuttered" changed to "well buttered" (cake-mould well buttered) page , "smoothe" changed to "smooth" (smooth, and pour over cake) page , "ligth" changed to "light" (oven to get a light) page , "mussles" changed to "mussels" (stewed mussels) page , "gridion" changed to "gridiron" (on gridiron over hot) page , "will" changed to "well" (must be well covered) the golden rule cook book six hundred recipes for meatless dishes. originated collected and arranged by m. r. l. sharpe. new edition published by little, brown, and company, boston, it was margaret more who said, "the world needs not so much to be taught, as reminded." may this book remind many of the love they owe to every living creature. and god said, behold, i have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. and to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, i have given every green herb for meat; and it was so. genesis i. , contents page introduction the kitchen the dining room suggestive comments soups vegetables vegetable combinations nut dishes rice, macaroni, etc. croquettes timbales and patties sauces eggs cheese salads savouries sandwiches pastry, patty cases, etc. a few hot breads plum pudding and mince pie menus index let none falter who thinks he is right. abraham lincoln. introduction the arranging of this help for those who are seeking to obey the call to a higher humanitarianism, which is put forth by non-flesh-eating men and women, has been a labour of love: the labour, the result of an earnest endeavour to so write the receipts that "the way-faring woman may not err therein," the love, of a kind whose integrity may not be questioned, since it has inspired to the never easy task of going against the stream of habit and custom, and to individual effort in behalf of the myriads of gentle and amenable creatures, which an animality that defiles the use of the word has accustomed man to killing and eating. the name vegetarian has come to mean one who abstains from animal flesh as food; and, as some designation is necessary, it is perhaps a sufficiently suitable one. this term did not, however, originally classify those who used a bloodless diet, but is derived from the latin homo vegitus, which words described to the romans a strong, vigorous man. the definition of the word vegitus, as given in thomas holyoke's latin dictionary, is "whole, sound, quick, fresh, lively, lusty, gallant, trim, brave," and of vegito, "to refresh, to re-create." professor mayor of england adds to these definitions: "the word vegetarian belongs to an illustrious family; vegetable, which has been called its mother, is really its niece." the word has unfortunately become intermingled with various dietetic theories, but the vegetarian who is one because his conscience for one reason or another condemns the eating of flesh, occupies a very different place in the world of ethics from one who is simply refraining from meat eating in an effort to cure bodily ills. indeed, the dyspeptic frequenting the usual vegetarian restaurant has little opportunity to know much about vegetables as food, the menu being, as a rule, so crowded with various mixtures which are supposedly "meat substitutes" that vegetables pure and simple find small place. this book contains no meat substitutes, as such, but receipts for the palatable preparation of what is called by many "live foods,"--that is, food which has no blood to shed and does not, therefore, become dead before it can be eaten. there will also be found lacking from the index such dishes as "vegetarian hamburg steak," "pigeon pie, vegetarian style," etc., which should repel rather than attract, by bringing to mind what bernard shaw has graphically spoken of as "scorched carcasses." it has been proven by myself and my household that flesh eating may be safely stopped in one day with no injury to health or strength, and that a table supplied from the receipts in this book can make those whom it furnishes with food well and strong as far as food can make them so. there are many reasons why thoughtful, cleanly, humane people should not feed upon animals, but there is a surprising deafness to this fact shown by the majority of those active in humane charities. one marvels to see hundreds of consecrated workers in session, putting forth every effort for the enacting of laws for the amelioration of the sufferings of cattle travelling to slaughter by car and ship, who are still content to patronise the butcher shop to buy food supplied by the dead bodies of these tortured victims of a false appetite. mere thoughtlessness can make the kindest act cruelly inconsistent, for i once saw a woman presiding at a meeting held to discountenance the wearing of aigrettes with a sheaf of them decorating her bonnet. this looks much like receiving stolen goods while denouncing theft. it is well to write, and legislate, and pray for better and kinder treatment of these frightened, thirst-maddened, tortured creatures on their journey to our tables, but the surest, quickest way to help (and this can be done even while continuing to work for the alleviation of their sufferings) is to stop feeding upon them. in a recent issue of a paper devoted to humane matters there is an indignant protest against the sufferings endured by crated chickens in a certain market, and another article deplores the cruelty shown to turtles in the same place, but when we know the writers of these protests to be still willing to use these creatures on their tables, it is not always easy to fully credit their tender-heartedness. in another such paper there appear from year to year sentimental pictures and poems extolling the kindliness and virtues of "the cattle upon a thousand hills," while those same pages print instructions on the most humane way of slaying them, giving as a reason for the sudden and painless death described that suffering "poisons the meat." the favourite phrase, "our four-footed friends," seems rather an anachronism in the face of our acknowledged relations to them as eater and eaten, for the phrase indicates a mutual pact of friendship, which, however well sustained by them, is dishonoured by man; for even cannibals, we are told, sink no lower than to eat their foes. the demand for butcher's meat may not seem materially lessened because i do not eat it, but it is lessened notwithstanding, and i rejoice to know that in the past seven years my abstinence from flesh must have resulted in a little less slaughter, and i am glad to have reduced by even one drop the depth of that ocean of blood. i have heard the biblical statement that man was to have dominion over all the earth quoted as a justification for the eating of the lower animals. we will some day be so civilised that we will recognise the great truth that dominion implies care, and guardianship, and protection rather than the right to destroy. the first objection voiced against vegetarianism is not usually against its principle, but its practice; we are told that the refusal to eat meat causes inconvenience, and that it is best to "eat what is set before you, asking no questions for conscience's sake." i could respect the position of one who literally believed and consistently acted on this mandate, but where in christendom can he be found? few of us could or would eat the flesh of a pet lamb, or partake knowingly of horse flesh, or could or would feel called upon to dine on these lines with the peoples who eat dog, or with so-called cannibals. the host might have secured, in a broad spirit of hospitality, just the particular carcass which most pleased his own palate, but courtesy seldom forces us to eat any flesh other than the sorts to which our own habits have accustomed us. there is a well-known story of an american statesman who was reared by vegetarian parents in the country, and taken while still a small boy to dine at a neighbour's. during the progress of the meal a large platter was borne into the room, on which lay something the like of which he had not seen on any table. he stared in wonder, and finally located the resemblance and shouted, "why, mother, if that isn't a dead hen!" habit had not overcome his horror of that particular dead thing as food, as it would have done had he seen dead hens served as food all his life. as to the inconvenience caused my friends when i am at their tables, i consider it of such small consequence compared to the fact that even one child should be standing almost knee-deep in blood in some slaughter-house, working to supply my wants, that it is not worth a second thought. no one need go hungry from any well-planned dinner, even though no extra preparation has been made for the non-meat-eating guest; but if my hostess knows in advance that i do not eat meat, and wishes to have prepared an especial dish, i give her the benefit of the doubt, and believe that she is as pleased to do it as i would be in her place. we like to take a little extra trouble to entertain our friends, and the thought expended to give others pleasure is perhaps the real joy of hospitality. another class of objector likes to remind us that we take life when we eat vegetables, or drink, or breathe. a friend, who has since ceased to consider the unnecessary and cruel slaughtering of thousands of creatures daily a fit subject for joking, once sent me in raillery a sonnet which rehearsed the sad death suffered by a cabbage to satisfy a vegetarian's selfish cravings. i find no qualms in my own conscience on this subject, but should i ever come to feel as these over-sensitive claim i should, i hope i will not then eat even the "innocent cabbage." again, if the germs in the water we drink and the air we breathe do die by reason of our drinking and breathing i endure no self-condemnation. man cannot be required to do the impossible by any principle of good, and to do each day what good he is able to do, to avoid the evil he can avoid, and in every difficulty choose what he thinks to be the lesser of two evils, is perhaps as much as even divine love expects of him to-day. it is well to face the unpleasant fact that there are occasions when in our present state of development it seems necessary to kill in self-defence, as it were, moths, rats, etc.; but even in this we can "do our best," and it has been well said, "angels can do no more." we can by care in our households greatly reduce this necessity, and we can always see that no creatures, although destroying our property, pilfering or stealing, are in their death made to suffer. in this connection i would urge every one who reads these lines to never permit a piece of sticky fly-paper to be brought into the house, for of all cruel ways of destruction, this slow method, by which the unfortunate fly almost dismembers itself in its frantic efforts to escape, is one of the most fiendishly contrived. an advocate of vegetarianism has truly said, "a vegetable diet is as little connected with weakness and cowardice as meat eating is with physical force and courage." that vegetarians are not physical weaklings is no mere matter of opinion, but is proven by the giant japanese wrestlers; the ancient greek wrestlers; those indian regiments of the british army showing most endurance; by the peasantry of the world, which is seldom able to afford meat, and above all, by those famous vegetarians who march around the globe doing the work carnivorous man is too weak to do,--the horse, the ox, the camel, and the elephant. one of our best-known cooking teachers and food experts printed this statement not long ago: "while meat seems necessary to the rapid development of the american, i must contend that a well-selected vegetable diet will give greater health, bodily vigour, and mental strength," which would seem contradictory, for even an american would not seem to require other food than that which will give him greatest health, bodily vigour, and mental strength. nor have we cause to feel ashamed of the mentality of the guests at ceres' table, which is graced by a goodly company; the list of names encircling the cover of "the vegetarian magazine" reads, "adam, hesiod, gautama, isaiah, daniel, plato, zoroaster, aristotle, seneca, ovid, plutarch, pope, swedenborg, leonardo da vinci, voltaire, franklin, westley, linnæus, shelley, tolstoi, and king oscar ii." others are bernard shaw, and maurice maeterlinck (who is said to have become a non-meat eater to gain greater endurance for his favourite pastime of mountain climbing), richard wagner, and general booth. but after all, the one great argument for a fleshless diet is the humanitarian one, and it does not seem possible that persons exist to-day who do not know of the horrors of cruelty which take place hourly, in order that meat may be eaten by men and women who could not look without sickening at the process which has made possible the roast upon their tables, but who are nevertheless the employers of every fainting child in the stock-yards, and every brutalised man in the shambles, whose wages they pay with every pound of meat they buy. the real butcher of an animal is the one for whom it receives its death blow, not the one who actually deals that blow. a man who recently visited some stock-yards writes: "we were sorry to see the thor man make mislicks at a pretty heifer. his first stroke did not fell her, and she staggered and looked at him so wonderingly and pathetically. he could not strike her while her head was in that position, and after giving her two or three more ineffectual blows, she looked at him so reproachfully, as if pleading, 'why do you treat me so cruelly? what have i ever done to you?' finally he got her down and out of her misery. i shall never take a bit of steak on my fork without seeing that pretty heifer lifting her stunned head to that awkward pounder." perhaps nothing more revolting than this same writer's remarks anent pig-killing has been written, but since the words are accurately true, they should be fit to read, for if the words which tell the truth about meat as food are unfit for our ears, the meat itself is not fit for our mouths. he describes the pig-sticking, the skinning, and the process which makes the pig into pork, and then adds: "he goes into the cooling room, and the whole effort from that time is to keep him from crumbling back into dust, attacked by worms. salt and brine and smoke and cold prevent the corpse from utter dissolution. the refrigerator is a sort of purgatory where the brute stays until he finally finds a cemetery in the human alimentary canal." yet this man expects to again have meat "on his fork"! the "cosmopolitan" calls attention to the remarkable procession daily passing through a certain slaughter-house, as follows: "imagine a procession of , cattle marching two by two, in a line fifteen miles long; let , sheep follow them, bleating along twelve miles of road; after them drive sixteen miles of hogs, , strong; then let , fowls bring up the rear, clucking and quacking and gobbling, over a space of six miles; and in this whole caravan, stretching for nearly fifty miles and requiring two days to pass a given point, you will see the animals devoted to death in the packing houses of ---- & co. in a single day. surely a buddhist would think that the head of that establishment had much to answer for. never before in the world's history was a massacre of the innocents organised on such a stupendous scale or with such scientific system." people are surprisingly callous to the sufferings of those animals destined to become food. recently some well-dressed, well-mannered men were on a train returning east from a western visit, and the train coming to a standstill for some reason, their conversation was plainly overheard by their fellow-passengers. they were discussing a visit to the stock-yards, and one of them, quite convulsed with laughter, cried out that he really thought the most comical sight he had seen while away, in fact one of the funniest things he had seen in his whole life, was the antics of a pig "which had escaped out of the scalding pen!" the pig-sticker had evidently been as awkward that time as the man who missed the pretty heifer. it is daily less possible to buy turkeys and chickens minus their heads. the delicate death without the use of the old-time axe (which we degraded men and women have thought a pretty symbol to place on thanksgiving day table cards) is brought about by hanging the fowls up by the feet, in what fright can be imagined, an incision is then made in the roof of the mouth, and after bleeding to death, which, as in the case of calves or veal, insures solid white flesh, they are served as food to dainty women who can scarcely bear to kill a fly, and alas! to some members of the societies for the prevention of cruelty to animals! one crate of chickens can encase more suffering than i want endured for me. there is first the terror in capture, then the suffering of being thrust, legs often tied, in the small over-crowded crate, then the journey in the shrieking train, and the thirst-tortured hours in the sun before the final twist of the neck or the blow of the axe, given in many cases just before natural death would render the fowl unfit for sale. and such food, poisoned by fear and suffering, is considered the most delicate, and thought fit to feed to invalids! that all chickens do not endure the same suffering before death is no excuse for eating them, for some will have to submit to it while chicken is an article of food. the modern invention of fattening fowl by the machine-stuffing method, to make what are called in england "surrey fowls," and in america are given various fancy names, is so revolting that it almost makes one faint to read a true account of it. we are selfishly prone to comfort ourselves when these things are brought to our notice with the thought that the lower creatures do not suffer as we would. the fact is that no two live beings suffer the same in any event, physical or mental, but the lower animal or bird or fish suffers in its fear and death all it is capable of suffering, and we have no right to make any creature do this for our pleasure. mr. e. bell has written, "dreadful are the revelations made by humane men, who, setting aside personal comfort and peace of mind, have endeavoured to sound the depths of animal agony and bloodshed. the process of flaying alive, and even of dismembering animals before the breath has left their bodies, is far from uncommon in private slaughter-houses." when we witness the cruelty to horses on our streets, though they are property which the most unwise would naturally seek to care for, we can only imagine what must chance to the unfortunate creatures, already condemned to death and only regarded as food, at the hands of the hardened men whose miserable lot it is to be employed by christendom to do its most evil work. in a pamphlet called "an epitome of vegetarianism" c. p. newcombe writes: "our opponents are quick to point out the supposed resemblance between the canine teeth of man and those of the carnivora, forgetting that they are even more prominent in the ape, the horse, and the camel. we accept the challenge and appeal for an authoritative statement of the facts to the great masters of science, among whom there is complete agreement, viz., that expressed by baron cuvier, the professor of natural history in the college of france, who wrote in 'the animal kingdom,' vol. i, page : 'fruits, roots, and the other succulent parts of vegetables appear to be the natural food of man; his hands afford him a facility for gathering them, and his short and comparatively weak jaws, his short canine teeth, not passing beyond the common line of others, and his tuberculous cheek teeth would not permit him either to feed upon herbage or devour flesh unless these aliments were previously prepared by the culinary process.' similar opinions are expressed by sir charles bell, f. r. s., prof. william lawrence, f. r. s., sir richard owen, k. c. b., f. r. s., and dr. charles darwin, with many others." while interesting in stating a case, this interests me as an argument but little, for if we were carnivorously made, with our minds, our hearts, our capacity for love and charity, and that great hope we have of finally manifesting the perfection of the sons of god, we still should control our tendencies by a higher law, and no more be carnivorous than we are apes, or marauders, or any other mental or physical manifestation from which spiritual evolution has lifted us high. but this humanitarianism does not consider alone the animals slaughtered, but the men, women, and children who do this revolting work. one packing-house in the west advertises over , employees; multiply this by thousands and one can estimate the numbers of human beings who are thus degraded and brutalised. in my own household i have made it a point of honour to demand no labour which i would not be willing to do myself; i might fail in strength, but morally i would be willing to undertake any work required by me, and from the day i realised what i required from others if i ate meat, i became an abstainer from it, for no surer ethical truth can be stated than that we have no moral right to demand from the hands of another, work we would not be willing to undertake ourselves. mr. henry salt has written, "of all recognised occupations, the work which is looked upon with the greatest loathing (next to the hangman's) is that of the butcher--the trade of doing to death countless numbers of inoffensive and highly organised creatures, amid scenes of indescribable filth and ferocity--is delegated to a pariah class of slaughter-men, who are thus themselves made the victims of a grievous social wrong." so large a percentage of the murderers of to-day have been butchers, they or their fathers before them, that these statistics alone constitute a sufficient argument for vegetarianism. man's inhumanity to himself in this matter of flesh eating is rapidly being uncovered by meat inspectors, food experts, and hundreds of physicians the world over. the statistics comparing meat-eating and non-meat-eating races with regard to tuberculosis, cancer, appendicitis, etc., are of the greatest interest to those who care not only for the health but for the mere cleanness of their bodies. dr. b. w. richardson, in a book called "the field of disease," says: "in jewish communities there are a number of men set apart to act as inspectors of animal food. they attend at the slaughter-houses, and after an animal is slain and dressed they submit it to inspection; then, unless they put upon it their sign, that it is free from disease, it is not permitted to enter a jewish family. it enters into the families outside the jewish community, so that we who are not jews actually accept into our bodies food which the jews have rejected as diseased." the statistics taken from two small abattoirs alone, for one year, as given by a secretary of one jewish ecclesiastical board are as follows: total oxen killed , diseased , total calves killed , diseased total sheep killed , diseased , according to this very nearly one-third of all the meat sold to christian families is tainted by parasitical disease. if an animal dies of cancer, tuberculosis, etc., our laws protect us from the carcass, but, if slaughtered, the diseased portion is cut away and the remainder is sold as fit for food. such blood is squeezed from beef and poured by the gallon by loving hands into the willing lips of consumptives and anæmics! the true vegetarian will not be seen adorned (?) by any of the reapings from a dead body, whether they be feathers or furs, for these have no beauty in the sight of those who see them in thought, dripping with the blood from which they can never be truly cleansed. those who would "strain at gnats" while swallowing camels, criticise the vegetarian for his kid gloves and his leather shoes; but perfect conditions do not yet prevail for the absolutely consistent carrying out of his principles; his effort is to help to bring these to pass, and he does not refrain from beginning for the reason that he cannot yet do all. an adequate substitute for leather has been made which experiments have proven of value, but, as yet, there is no demand which justifies its manufacture. many express the fear that, were wholesale slaughter abolished, the earth would be overrun by the lower animals; but were artificial and unnatural breeding discontinued we can safely trust that the animal creation would find its proper place in the world, as everything does, under the guidance of the controlling mind which is creator. stop and think for a moment what the world would be like to-day if it were vegetarian. if the world were vegetarian, the endless caravans of doomed creatures would not be ambling to the shambles; not a man would be brutalised by the daily slaughter of hundreds of gentle creatures; not a woman would be engaged in sorting edible parts from the dissected carcasses, making all red around her; not a child would be standing deep in offal, seeking useful bits of dead bodies; "where sympathy is, cruelty is impossible," therefore, not a dog would be maltreated, not a cat selfishly deserted to starve, not a horse cruelly beaten, and not a vivisectionist could be found on the face of the earth! those who had learned to be just to the lower animals would not fail in their duties to man, and in this millennium, prophesied in isaiah xi: , slaughter-houses, transport cars, and cattle-ships would be empty, and the fields and meadows would be filled with labourers under the clear sky, tilling the ground to provide the food of man. m. r. l. s. providence house, chestnut hill, mass. i do not see how it is possible that so many good people remain meat-eaters. count leo tolstoi. the kitchen there is no room in the house which requires such careful furnishing as the kitchen, and much time may be saved there if the right thing is in the right place, for just as truly as "the means to do ill deeds make ill deeds done," do the means to do things well tend toward their being done. to house-builders i would urge that it pays to have a white enamelled sink, and to insist that no sand-soap or scouring soap be used on it, as this removes the finish and makes it less easy to keep it spotless. see that a package of one of the cleaning powders is placed near the sink, convenient for use the first time the maid looks about for materials, and over the sink on small hooks have hung two or three different shaped sink brushes. an enamelled soap-dish should be fastened above the sink, and on the left of it a grooved, slightly slanting draining board for washed dishes; hanging under this on a large hook should be the enamelled dishpan and back of it a wire drainer, both hanging free from the wall. any kitchen can have a chair-rail put around it, and this four-inch wide board should be arranged with small hooks placed at a distance of ten or twelve inches apart, and on these should hang the enamelled spoons, strainers, egg-beater, small jugs, and the saucepans, the bottoms of these being always in evidence and not out of sight in cupboards. the europeans have always had their cooking utensils displayed as a part of the kitchen furnishing, and when this is done there is less temptation to neglect their absolute cleanliness. one of the comforts of my kitchen is a holder for saucepan covers; i was about to invent such a holder when i found that the wire ones made to display half a dozen handsome plates were perfectly suitable. one of these hangs beside the stove and the covers are conveniently at hand when required. a cupboard built in the kitchen, sixteen inches deep and six feet across, will hold all the casseroles, baking-pans, tins for spices, etc., which the usual family requires. mine was built with this conviction, and if it becomes overcrowded, i know it has things in it which do not belong there, and a few moments given to overseeing its rearrangement always leave it with all the space required. the table shown in the illustration is becoming well-known in american kitchens; the deep drawers for flour, etc., are a convenience not easy to estimate, but the fact that two sizes of pastry boards slide snugly into their places under the top is its best feature. a ball of string in a holder hung up with small scissors attached, a neat calendar, a washable tablet for orders, a burnt-match holder, a match-box holder fastened near the stove, a small mirror on a door or in an inconspicuous corner, and a wall clock are things which i advise the young housekeeper to see securely placed in her kitchen before the pictures are hung in the drawing-room. a plate-rack is not only always quaint and decorative, but is most useful and labour-saving. a pestle and mortar should be among the utensils of every kitchen, as well as a vegetable mill, and a small hard-wood board, used exclusively for the cutting of fruit, vegetables, etc., which are to be sliced, saves many a cut finger, as the plate usually used is not the proper shape or texture for such a slippery process. a piece of thick glass measuring about × inches, and bound about the edges with heavy gummed paper or linen, is useful to lay upon the open pages of the cook-book, and serves the double purpose of holding it open at the required page and of protecting it from floured or buttered fingers. a plentiful supply of the small earthenware dishes, called casseroles, marmites, ramekins, and gratin dishes, is especially useful in the vegetarian's kitchen. those building homes should see that the place on which the stove is to stand is covered with suitable tiling, and this should extend for two feet or more around the stove. the floor itself is best covered with linoleum, and if a colour scheme is carried out in this room, as it may well be in these days of many-coloured enamelled ware, it can be accented by the linoleum chosen and the kitchen thus made as beautiful for its purpose as any room in the house. i have not partaken of a fellow creature for fifteen years. bernard shaw. the dining room if a breakfast room is not used, a small winged table set in a sunny corner, or bay-window recess of the dining room, and used as a breakfast table, is an improvement upon breakfast at the large dining table, and can be arranged in almost any dining room. if pictures are hung in this room nothing less appropriate than those usually chosen as fit subjects for its walls can be imagined. engravings showing the gentle deer hunted to his death, with the dog's fangs already buried in his flesh, stuffed heads of the same animal, and paintings of dead fish, ducks or grouse, hanging by their feet, should not give pleasure to or improve the appetites of humane people. if pictures are used let us have those which depict life, joy, kindness, and beauty rather than cruelty, bloodshed, and death. among the noblest in the land, though he may count himself the least, that man i honor and revere who without favor, without fear, in the great city dares to stand the friend of every friendless beast. henry wadsworth longfellow. suggestive comments seasoning the subject of seasoning is indeed holy ground in culinary matters, and after much thought and experiment i have decided that the phrase so deplored by young housekeepers, "season to taste," is after all not the worst one to use. no such inaccurate directions were to appear in this cook-book when planned, but i have finally decided with the army of wiser cooks who have preceded me that accurate measurements in seasoning are dangerous to success. not only do tastes vary, but much depends on the time the seasoning is added, on the rapidity with which the food is cooking, etc. with this in mind, and very long prejudice against the old phrase above mentioned, i have compromised and frequently been tempted to state quantities of salt and pepper, usually regretting when i have. the truth is, unless one can "season to taste" one cannot cook palatable dishes, and my final word on the subject is that it is well to always use a little more salt and pepper than seems advisable, and then just before serving add a little more! measuring weights as a means of measuring quantities have been avoided in these recipes, as i can see no advantage to the system which uses them, and i have been able to show even english cooks that the scales are not the most necessary part of the kitchen furnishing, and they have become devoted to our simple method of using the kitchen cup as the standard. it holds / pint, and cups, therefore, hold pint; cups hold quart; and i find no fault with the old couplet,-- "a pint's a pound the world around." it usually is, and one cannot go far wrong in acting as if it always were. thickening in thickening sauces and soups, ordinary flour can always be used and cornstarch also, and as a rule i have said "flour" only in these recipes, but have only refrained from always advising potato-flour because it would have confused many who cannot obtain it in america. in germany it is always used, and when it can be had is far nicer for thickening all vegetable sauces and soups than any other sort of flour. an herb garden no one thing pays better for the little trouble expended than a small herb garden. buy two or three tarragon plants, cover them in the winter, and in the autumn pick the leaves to make vinegar and to dry. plant chervil, parsley, thyme, chives, and a plant of rosemary. a window-box will keep parsley and chives on hand, and a clump of chives from the market will grow for weeks if set in a bowl and watered occasionally. gelatine instead of the usual gelatine use must be made of arrowroot or a gelatine advertised to be purely vegetable. one tablespoon is usually allowed to pint of liquid, but experiments must be made and there will usually be directions found with the package. fat for frying the vegetarian can well afford to do away with that doubtful economy, cooking butter. for ordinary frying use good butter; for deep fat use a good brand of cooking-oil, or cocoanut butter. canned goods it seems to be a habit with many people to decry the use of canned vegetables, although i believe there are few households which subsist without them. my experience is that the best grades of canned vegetables are often far sweeter and better, fresher in fact, than vegetables that can be bought in city markets. the housekeeper should make it a point to know which brands she prefers and to trade where she can get them; and where no retailer carries them she can usually obtain cases containing two dozen each from the preservers themselves. a little trouble taken in the autumn to stock the store-room, instead of ordering "a can of peas" now and then at random, saves time and trouble in the end. among the canned vegetables which are put up and sealed the day they are picked by the best firms are beets, peas, corn, spinach, hard-shelled beans, tomatoes, stringless beans, wax beans, mushrooms, pimentos, okra, okra-tomato, asparagus, etc.; and the saving of time and labour in the preparation of beans, spinach, and beets especially, is worth consideration. people make the mistake of merely warming up canned goods and then serving them, whereas when the can is opened the vegetables are only ready to be seasoned and finished as they would be had they been boiled at home. good canned vegetables are not easy to improve upon, and i serve them constantly to people who will not easily credit my statement that they are not so-called "fresh" vegetables. i will not kill or hurt any living creature needlessly, nor destroy any beautiful thing, but will strive to save and comfort all gentle life and guard and perfect all natural beauty upon the earth. john ruskin. soups most clear soups can be greatly improved in colour by using a small quantity of vegetable soup browning, or caramel. do not overdo it, however, as the flavour is not pleasant when too pronounced. all cream soups should be cooked in a double boiler. vegetable stock few meat stocks have of themselves more flavour than vegetable stock, that is, the water in which vegetables have cooked. the water in which rice, onions, leeks, celery, beans, cabbage, etc., have boiled is valuable in vegetarian cookery, and the wise cook will use it in many ways to enhance the flavours of soups and sauces. a simple consommÉ or stock a simple way of preparing a rich, clear consommé is to wash well / cup of german lentils, drain them and toss them for ten minutes in a saucepan in which tablespoon of butter has been melted. then pour on them cups of cold water, set them over a hot fire, and let them boil rapidly about half an hour only. drain, and strain through a fine cloth, and return to a clean saucepan with bay leaf, slice of onion, cloves, and / teaspoon of celery seed; simmer slowly for fifteen minutes, season with salt and pepper, and add a little sherry if liked. if the lentils are cooked longer, it will make a cloudy soup, which will be stronger but not clear. clear bouillon or consommÉ there are various vegetable extracts in the market which, when diluted, make delicious stock, or clear soup. if these are not available, a clear vegetable broth may be made as follows: wash cups of any dried beans or lentils, and put them to soak in a covered earthenware dish with cups of water for twelve hours or so. then empty with that same water into a kettle, and let come slowly to the boiling point, skim frequently, and do not let it actually boil. when clear, and there seems no further need of skimming, add cup each of cut onions, carrots, turnips, tablespoon of parsley, tablespoon of salt, clove of garlic, and teaspoon of thyme, etc., tablespoon of celery seed, and bay leaf. let boil up once, and then place on the back of the stove to barely simmer for two hours; then strain through a fine sieve, and a good broth is made. the beans, etc., can be utilised in a deep pie, or with brown or white sauce in crust cups, in a curry, or many other ways. to make this into a strong, clear soup put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add / cup each of chopped onions, carrots, turnips, and celery, cloves, and a bit of parsley; fry until somewhat browned, then cover with cups of the broth, and let simmer very quietly for two hours. skim often, drain, let cool, remove any grease from the top, and to clarify add to it, when cold, the slightly beaten yolk of egg and the whites of , then set over a hot fire and stir vigorously, watching for the first sign of boiling. at this, remove to a place where it cannot even simmer, but will be warm for half an hour, and strain through a fine, clean cloth. a wineglass of sherry may be added if to be served in cups. cream of artichoke scrape and slice enough jerusalem artichokes to make cups, and cover them with cold water. let them stand for fifteen or twenty minutes, and put them in a saucepan with quarts of cold water or milk, or quart of each, and let them cook for an hour or until thoroughly soft. now rub them through a sieve with cups of the stock in which they cooked, and return to the fire. when boiling add tablespoon of butter and of flour, rubbed together, and teaspoon of salt and saltspoon of pepper, and cook about ten minutes before adding cups of hot milk, or cup of milk and cup of cream. stir well and let boil up once before serving. a teaspoon of chopped parsley or chives improves the appearance and taste of almost any cream soup. cream of artichoke with nasturtiums make the plain cream of artichoke soup as in preceding recipe, and add before straining handful of nasturtium leaves and blossoms; or, instead, add tablespoon of these, finely minced, to the soup before serving. asparagus soup use can of asparagus, cut off the tips, and lay them aside. cut up the stalks, cover with cups of cold milk (or use half water and half milk), and let cook slowly in a double boiler for half an hour; then strain, pressing the asparagus well to extract the flavour. return to the saucepan, add teaspoon of sugar, tablespoon of butter, into which teaspoon of flour has been made smooth, season generously with salt and pepper, add the asparagus tips, cup of milk, and, just before serving, tablespoon of whipped cream. a tablespoon of minced onion fried for ten minutes in butter is sometimes added to the stalks while cooking. barley and tomato soup cook can of tomatoes and chopped spanish onion together for fifteen minutes, then rub through a wire sieve; add tablespoons of pearl barley, tablespoon of butter, some pepper and salt, and cook for one hour, until the barley is soft. re-season before serving. black bean soup soak cups of beans for twelve hours or more, and then drain them and put into cups of cold water; add whole cloves, whole allspice, and whole peppers, salt well and boil gently for two hours, rub through sieve, and reheat. mix tablespoon of thickening flour, and tablespoon of butter and water, and stir into the soup at boiling point; season afresh and pour into a tureen in which are placed, neatly sliced, hard-boiled egg and half a dozen seeded slices of lemon. this soup is improved by adding wineglass of sherry, or one may substitute for it a few drops of tomato chutney or worcestershire sauce. belgian soup take cups of diced turnips and put them in a saucepan with tablespoons of butter, and stir for ten minutes over a slow fire; then stir in cups of water, teaspoons of brown sugar, and plenty of pepper and salt, and let simmer for another ten minutes; add cups of milk thickened with tablespoon of flour, let boil up, stirring constantly, and serve with croutons. plain bean soup wash cups of any sort of dried beans and soak twelve hours or more in cold water. before using, strain them and cover with cups of cold water. put over the fire and let cook gently for four hours, then rub them through a sieve into their own stock, season with tablespoon of salt and / teaspoon of pepper and tablespoon of butter, and let them cook ten minutes longer. serve with half-inch squares of toast in the tureen. brown bean soup take cup of brown beans and / cup of german lentils, wash well and put in a saucepan with plenty of cold water, or chopped onions, stalk of celery, bay leaf, and simmer together for three hours, then strain. if a thin soup is wanted, do not press any of the pulp through the strainer, but if it is liked somewhat thick, do so. return the strained soup to the saucepan and thicken with teaspoon of thickening flour. this is now delicious soup stock, and can be served plain, or varied by adding peas, diced carrots, spaghetti, a few drops of sauce, a little sherry, tomato catsup, or curry powder. season well with salt and pepper before serving. red bean soup soak for hours or more cups of red beans, then put them in a large saucepan containing cups of cold water, cup of milk, and onions halved, each having cloves stuck in it. let cook for two hours, then press through a sieve, reheat, adding just before serving wineglass of claret and fresh seasoning of salt and pepper. hard-boiled egg chopped fine is an improvement to this soup. lima bean cream soup soak cups of dried lima beans for several hours and then put them in a saucepan with cup of cold water and cup of milk and let them cook for two hours, adding salt when they have partly cooked. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add onion chopped fine. let cook slowly until browned, then scrape the contents of the frying pan into the saucepan containing the beans, and add tablespoon of tomato catsup or chutney and press all through a sieve, and re-season before serving. if liked a little thick, use tablespoon of flour, made smooth in / cup of milk or cream, to thicken. a tablespoon of whipped cream in the tureen is always an improvement to a cream soup. dutch cabbage soup make exactly like cockie-leekie soup, using the water in which a cabbage has boiled for stock and adding / cup of finely chopped cabbage instead of using any of the barley to return to the strained soup. those who like caraway seed will enjoy the addition of teaspoon of these to the soup. if used, add them with the chopped cabbage after the other seasoning has been removed. calcutta bisque put cup of tomato pulp in a saucepan and with it bay leaf. when hot add to it saltspoon of soda, and as it foams stir slowly into it or cups of milk, teaspoon of curry powder, teaspoon of butter, and saltspoon of salt. let boil up once and serve with croutons. the water in which rice has boiled or any vegetable stock may be substituted for milk and the soda then omitted. canton stew put cups of finely shredded cabbage in enough water to boil and let cook slowly until tender, which should be in about three quarters of an hour. when the cabbage has been cooking half an hour, add a cup of milk, and when it is nearly done put in cups of milk; let boil up once, then season with salt, black pepper, and pour in a hot tureen, in which should be laid teaspoon of butter. those who like oyster crackers served in or with milk stews can use them with this soup which greatly resembles an oyster stew in flavour. carrot broth scrape and cut or large carrots (or more of the small french sort) in eighths lengthwise and boil them until tender. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add scant half cup of oatmeal to it, putting in tablespoon at a time and stirring carefully with a wooden spoon until all the butter is taken up; then put in ladle of stock in which the carrots have been cooked, and continue stirring; then another ladle of stock, and so on until a cup and a half of stock has been added during ten minutes' slow cooking. now put in another cup of stock and let cook ten minutes; then, as the soup will be getting too thick, add another cup of stock and so on, thinning the soup with additional stock until the oatmeal is thoroughly cooked. if quaker oats is used, the soup will only have to cook about forty minutes, and it is best to strain it before serving; fine scotch meal will take longer, but does not need to be strained and thickens somewhat better. when the soup is half cooked add teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. (serve the carrots with a plain sauce or warm them up next day in some of the ways mentioned under carrots.) cream of carrot and onion take cups of grated carrot and chopped onion and fry for ten minutes with tablespoon of butter and then cover with cups of cold water and let boil. add salt and pepper and in twenty minutes cup of milk in which tablespoon of flour has been dissolved. cream of carrots put cups of grated carrot with pint ( cups) of cold water in a double boiler, and when heated add tablespoons of butter and teaspoon of sugar. let cook for an hour, then add / cup of stale bread crumbs and cups of water, and let cook half an hour longer. rub the contents of the double boiler through a fine sieve, add / cups of hot milk, tablespoon of salt and a saltspoon of pepper, and return to the boiler. beat egg-yolks in / cup of milk, and when the soup boils again stir them into it. stir hard for one minute and serve. cream of cheese put quart (or cups) of milk in a double boiler, and put with it / of a cup of grated cheese, teaspoon of grated onion, teaspoon of some piquant sauce, / teaspoon of salt, a dash of cayenne pepper, and tablespoon of flour and of butter rubbed together. stir until smooth, then beat the yolks of eggs with tablespoons of milk, put in the tureen, and pour the boiling soup over them, stirring during the process. add a little salt and serve with croutons. cream of cauliflower take a good-sized cauliflower, and let it soak in cold water, which is slightly salted, for half an hour; then drain it and put it, head upwards, in a saucepan which is not over large, and let it cook for half an hour uncovered. put in a double boiler quart of milk ( cups), onion and bay leaf, and let them cook together while the cauliflower is boiling. drain the cauliflower when done, and reserve / cup of the little sprays which form the head, mash the remainder in a wooden bowl, and add to it cups of the stock in which it boiled and put in with the boiling milk; stir well, and let cook five minutes, then put through a sieve and return to the fire with a thickening of tablespoon of flour rubbed together with tablespoon of butter, season lightly with salt and pepper and a dash of nutmeg, add the / cup of cauliflower as a garnish, and let cook ten minutes more before serving. a tablespoon of whipped cream is an addition if added at the last. chestnut soup peel and blanch quart of italian chestnuts and chop them fine, then boil for half an hour in quarts of water. strain the chestnuts and crush them to fine pulp in a mortar, and gradually stir on this quart of the stock in which the chestnuts cooked, and then rub all through a sieve. return to the fire in a saucepan with cup of bread crumbs, tablespoon of salt, and saltspoon of pepper. cook for half an hour, then strain again, and add cups of milk and a grating of nutmeg, and tablespoon of browned butter, and reheat to boiling point. cream of celery wash and scrape and cut into half-inch pieces what will make cup of celery; put it into quart of boiling salted water and cook for nearly an hour or until very soft, then mash it in the water in which it was boiled. put teaspoon of chopped onion, bay leaves, some mace, and cloves into cups of milk, let simmer for ten minutes, and add it to the celery pulp. now press through a sieve and return to the double boiler in which the milk was cooked. melt tablespoon of butter and blend it with tablespoon of flour until smooth, and stir it into the boiling soup; then season with salt and pepper. boil five minutes and strain into a hot tureen in which a pat of butter and tablespoon of whipped cream have been put. the addition of tablespoon of chopped chives is an improvement to the appearance and taste, or parsley may be used if preferred. cream of chestnut shell and blanch and cut in quarters cups ( pound) of italian chestnuts and cover them with cups of boiling water. add slice of onion (or a drop of onion juice extract), / cup of chopped celery (or teaspoon celery seed), bay leaf, sprig of parsley, and saltspoon of paprika. cover and boil until the chestnuts are tender,--about half an hour. then grind in a mortar, or press through a colander or vegetable mill, and add quart ( cups) of milk, and tablespoon of butter and of flour rubbed together, and cook for three minutes; then add teaspoon of salt, and press all through a fine sieve and reheat before serving. cream of corn put quart of milk and can of corn in a double boiler and let boil; mix teaspoon of butter and of cornstarch or potato-flour together, and add to the corn; season with salt and pepper, and stir for one minute; then press through a sieve and add tablespoon of minced green peppers. cockie-leekie put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted stir in, a spoonful at a time, cup of pearl barley, taking ten minutes to add it all; then cover with cups of carrot or onion broth (or use water), and add bay leaves, onion with cloves stuck in it, a bouquet of herbs and parsley, stalk of celery, and let simmer for one hour and a half, then strain, reserving some of the barley. prepare leeks by washing and cutting into -inch lengths (using some of the green), and slicing lengthwise, and add them to the soup; put in the barley, and let cook twenty-five minutes and season with salt and pepper. creole soup put can of tomatoes, quart of water or vegetable stock, sliced onion, and small sliced carrot, and chopped green pepper together in a saucepan, and let cook for half an hour, then rub through a fine strainer. return the strained mixture to the double boiler and put in scant tablespoons of boiled rice, teaspoon of salt, / teaspoon paprika, tablespoon of sugar. cream tablespoons of butter with tablespoon of flour, and stir into the soup; let boil up once and serve. cream of curry put quart (or cups) of milk in a double boiler with onion with cloves stuck in it, and when hot thicken it with tablespoon of thickening flour rubbed smooth with tablespoon of butter; add tablespoons of boiled rice, and hard-boiled egg chopped fine, and teaspoons (more if liked) of curry powder or paste. remove the onion and serve with croutons. one tablespoon of chopped chives or pimentos is an addition to the soup. florentine soup melt tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and put into it / of a cup of finely chopped onions and stir over a moderate heat about five minutes and then add full cups of very thinly sliced turnips; stir these with the onions for another five minutes and then add tablespoons of flour and gradually add pints of boiled milk mixing all well together; watch it till it boils and then let simmer gently, stirring frequently during twenty minutes or half an hour, until the onions are quite soft. then add more cups of milk, and when this boils add cup of tomato puree (either canned tomato soup or canned tomatoes), or / cups of sliced fresh tomatoes, using a pinch of soda to prevent curdling. now press the contents of the saucepan through a fine sieve, add a heaping teaspoon of butter, reheat, and serve with croutons and tablespoon of whipped cream. heilbronn soup take quarts of water in which vegetables have been boiled (preferably onions or leeks) and let simmer. in another enamelled pan put tablespoon of butter; when melted stir in slowly with a wooden spoon / cup of barley, adding a little at a time, until butter is well "taken up." let it cook for five minutes, stirring constantly, then add (a ladle at a time) or ladles of the hot stock, putting in this amount during ten minutes of stirring. add / the remaining stock, and salt, pepper, and some nutmeg, and let simmer twenty minutes; then the remaining stock and simmer another one-half hour. peel / pound mushrooms and cut in or pieces each; fry them in butter for five minutes, and add to soup ten minutes before serving and season afresh. julienne soup strain any clear vegetable soup, and to each cups of broth add / cup of dried "julienne;" season with salt and pepper and tablespoon of browned butter. red lentil soup soak cups of egyptian lentils in water for eight or ten hours, then drain and shake dry. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and when melted add / of the lentils and stir well with a flat-ended wooden spoon, letting them cook very slowly; then add another third, and after stirring a few moments, add the remainder. pour on cups of cooled water in which leeks or onions have boiled, and let simmer for an hour or until the lentils are tender; press through a sieve and return to the fire to reheat. smooth teaspoon of flour with teaspoon of butter and add to the soup, season with salt and pepper and a dash of nutmeg. instead of the flour and butter well-beaten egg may be vigorously stirred into the soup after removing it from the fire. if egyptian lentils cannot be obtained, canned or dried red kidney beans may be substituted. cream of lentil wash cups of egyptian lentils, then let them soak in quarts of water for twelve hours or more and put them, in this same water, where they will simmer gently over a slow fire. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add to it large onions, sliced, carrots and turnip diced, and fry until a delicate brown; add these to the lentils and let cook slowly for about two hours. press through a sieve, return to the fire, add cups of milk and just before serving, tablespoon of whipped cream, and season with salt and pepper. hungarian soup put cup of german lentils in a saucepan with cups of cold water or vegetable stock, and let boil for an hour. if the water is absorbed before the lentils are tender, add a little more. at the end of the hour pour over them cups of hot water or stock. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add small onion chopped fine and tablespoon of flour and clove of garlic. when browned add this to the soup and at the same time put in / cup of diced potatoes. let simmer gently for half an hour, then press through a sieve, return to the fire, season well with salt and pepper, and add tablespoon of lemon juice or reduced vinegar before serving. purÉe mongole put can of tomatoes in a saucepan and with it cups of strong vegetable broth, stalk of celery, slice of onion, bay leaf, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper, and let cook slowly for half an hour. pour the liquid through a sieve, pressing with it as much of the tomato as will go, reserving the celery. return to the saucepan, add tablespoon of reduced vinegar, tablespoon of boiled peas, tablespoon of canned string beans, split in half, and the cooked stalk of celery shredded into thin strips two inches long; let simmer for five minutes, season with salt and pepper, add tablespoon of butter, remove from the fire, and beat vigorously into the soup well-beaten egg. mushroom bisque cut up with a silvered knife about cup of fresh mushrooms, wash and drain, toss about in tablespoons of melted butter for ten minutes, then stir in tablespoon of flour made smooth in a little milk, and add quart of milk and let simmer half an hour. season with salt and paprika, and press through a sieve, reserving half the mushrooms. add these to the soup, and serve with croutons. mushroom soup take / of a pound of fresh mushrooms, / of a cup of small white beans, the rind of half a lemon, spanish onion in which cloves have been stuck, a small piece of mace, some parsley and thyme, and, after preparing for cooking, let boil for an hour or more in quarts of water; then press all but a few of the mushrooms through a wire strainer, return to the saucepan, add tablespoons of butter, pepper, and salt, / teaspoon of soup browning, and, after cutting them in several pieces, add the reserved mushrooms and serve. mushroom stew select mushrooms that are white and firm and small, wash them carefully one at a time with the hands, and put heaping cup of them into cups of milk and let heat, without boiling, for minutes. then add tablespoon of butter, plenty of salt and pepper, and serve in a hot tureen with crisp crackers. noodle or alphabet soup strain any one of the vegetable soups for stock, add / cup of noodles or "alphabets" fifteen minutes before serving. cream of onion soup chop enough onions to make cups, and put them in a large saucepan with tablespoons of butter and stir them for five minutes; then add small onion with cloves stuck in it, a sprig of parsley, and a bay leaf, cover with or cups of water, add salt and pepper, and let cook gently for three quarters of an hour. press all through a sieve, and return the liquid to the saucepan; add tablespoon of flour blended with tablespoon of butter, also cups of milk (or half cream), and let boil up once before serving. one tablespoon of chopped chives may be added, also tablespoon of whipped cream. okra soup cut into small pieces cups ( can) of okra, use can of green peas, of green corn, cup of shell beans, onions, slice of carrot, slice of turnip, tomatoes, and some celery, or use celery salt. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add the chopped onion, carrot, and turnip, and cook ten minutes; then put with the okra, celery and beans into cups of water. cook for one hour, then add salt and pepper and the tomatoes, corn, peas, and celery, and simmer for half an hour. do not strain to serve, but if too thick, thin with stock or water. onion soup au fromage slice ordinary onions or large spanish ones, and put in frying pan with heaping tablespoons of butter, and let fry very slowly until the onions are a rich dark brown,--about fifteen minutes; then scrape the contents of the pan into a large marmite, add large tablespoon of butter, some pepper and salt, and nearly fill the casserole with tepid water, or with water in which onions have boiled; cover and let cook slowly half an hour, and then stir in teaspoons of soup browning. take thick slices of dry rye bread, spread them thickly with grated cheese, and lay these in the soup pot; remove the cover and let cook five minutes more, and serve in the marmite. new green pea soup shell half a peck of peas and wash the pods. put the pods in a large kettle and almost cover with boiling water; let them simmer for half an hour, then strain these out, and put the peas in this water to boil until tender. the length of time this takes depends on the freshness of the peas. save out cup of the peas and press the remainder, water and all, through a sieve, and add to them pint of milk, then return to the fire. rub together tablespoon of flour and one of butter and stir into the boiling soup; then add the reserved cup of peas, season with salt and pepper, and serve. if the flavour of mint is liked, put or mint leaves, or teaspoon of chopped mint, into the tureen. if mint is not used add a little chopped parsley. cream of green pea soup put can of peas, chopped onion, and cup of water in a saucepan, and cook twenty minutes. at the same time put quart of milk on the fire in a double boiler. when the milk is hot stir in tablespoon of butter, and as it boils, tablespoon of flour which has been dissolved in a quarter of a cup of milk. rub the peas through a fine sieve, stir into the milk, season with salt and pepper, add teaspoon of chopped parsley, and serve. instead of the parsley, chopped mint can be used if the flavour is liked, or or mint leaves laid in the tureen before the soup is poured in give a delicate flavour. split green pea soup soak cups of peas for twelve hours or more, and then drain and toss them for ten minutes in a saucepan with tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of chopped onion; then add cups of hot water and let cook two hours, and press through a sieve with the water in which they cooked. add cup of milk and teaspoon of chopped mint (fresh or dried), and tablespoon whipped cream. season well with salt and pepper. princess soup slice onions and cook in a scant half cup of butter for ten minutes. add quart of hot milk and cook slowly another ten minutes. strain into double boiler, thicken with teaspoon of flour dissolved in a little milk, and just before serving add teaspoons of finely chopped canned pimentos, and salt and pepper. add tablespoon of cream in serving. potato soup wash to potatoes and put them in boiling water and boil them from twenty minutes to half an hour, the time depending on their size. use large onion quartered, with cloves stuck in it, and pieces of celery (or / teaspoon of celery salt or celery seed), some mace, bay leaf, and peppercorns, and put in a double boiler with quart of milk, from which reserve small half cup. mix tablespoon of flour with the reserved milk, and stir slowly into the milk when it boils, and let cook ten minutes longer. when the potatoes are done pour off the water, peel them and mash until light, then add to the boiling milk, stir well, season with salt and pepper, and rub all through a sieve. return to double boiler, add tablespoon of butter, teaspoon of minced parsley, boil up once, and serve. german potato soup the german potato soup is made by rubbing or well-boiled potatoes through a sieve together with enough of the water in which they were cooked to make sufficient soup, and adding tablespoon of chopped chives (or shallot or onion), teaspoon of chopped parsley, / cup of sour cream containing a little lemon juice, or, instead of sour cream, tablespoon of reduced vinegar can be used, with / cup of fresh cream. let simmer for fifteen minutes and serve very hot with croutons. potato soup flora put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add large onion chopped fine, stir until browned, then add cups of thinly sliced potatoes and cups of cold water; when the potatoes are cooked to a mush press them through a sieve, add a small piece of butter, pepper, and salt, and teaspoon finely chopped parsley. cream of rice soup put / cup of rice into / pints of boiling water, and add onions into which cloves are pressed, a piece of celery (or / teaspoon celery seed), one bay leaf, sprig of parsley, peppercorns, and a bit of mace. let simmer gently for one hour, then turn the soup into a large bowl, pouring it through a fine sieve, and pressing as much through the sieve as possible. return the contents of the bowl to the saucepan and add pint of milk, teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of butter, and scant tablespoon of flour dissolved in a little milk. add tablespoon of chopped spanish pimentos, teaspoon finely chopped chives, let simmer five minutes, add tablespoon of whipped cream, and serve. rice and tomato soup boil cup of rice in quarts of water. heat the contents of can of tomatoes with bay leaf, slices of onion, and, after fifteen minutes' cooking, press through a sieve and put in double boiler, and to this add pint of water in which rice has been boiled. when hot put in teaspoon of butter, some pepper, salt, and a dash of celery salt, and tablespoons of the cooked rice, and serve. the boiled rice can be utilised for the same meal, or used later. rice-okra soup put tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan, and when melted add sliced onion and let simmer for five minutes; then stir in tablespoon of flour, and when smooth and browned add cups of water; season well and let cook slowly for three quarters of an hour. in another saucepan put / cup of rice and cups of sliced okra, and strain the hot stock over the rice and okra, season well with salt and pepper, cover closely, and let simmer gently for an hour. if fresh okra is not available the canned okra is a very good substitute; but if it is used, do not add it to the rice and stock until twenty minutes before removing the soup from the fire. oyster plant (salsify) soup use enough salsify to make cups when sliced. soak in cold water for an hour, then scrape and put in fresh water, containing some lemon juice, for fifteen minutes. the salsify must not be left out of the water, or it will turn dark. cut in thin slices, and put into a saucepan containing cups of water and / cup of milk, and let cook slowly for about an hour, adding teaspoon of salt when it has cooked half the time. reserve / of a cup of the salsify, and press the remainder, with the stock, through a sieve; return to the saucepan, add / cups of milk and cup of cream, and tablespoon of butter rubbed together with tablespoon of flour (or less if a thick soup is not liked), a little salt, a dash of paprika and pepper, and serve very hot with small crackers. spinach-tomato soup put tablespoon of butter into the frying pan, and when melted add onion chopped fine, and let cook slowly for ten minutes. put cup of cold prepared spinach into the butter and onion and cup of tomato sauce or tomatoes, and let heat through. put cups of milk in a double boiler with tablespoon of flour and of butter rubbed together. add a pinch of soda to the tomato-spinach mixture, press it through a sieve, and stir the purée into the milk when it boils. season with salt and pepper and add tablespoon of cream. cream of spinach put the contents of can of spinach in a chopping-bowl and chop it to a fine pulp; then put it in a double boiler with tablespoons of onion juice (grated onion), and some salt and pepper, and or cups of milk. let all cook together for twenty minutes, then pour through a sieve, pressing the spinach to extract the juice. return the soup to the double boiler, add tablespoon of butter, re-season with salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg or mace, and some celery salt. a tablespoon of whipped cream added at the last is an improvement, or tablespoon of finely chopped white and riced yolk of hard-boiled egg can be added. the spinach itself can be prepared next day in any of the ways described for serving spinach. french sorrel soup wash quart of sorrel and put it to cook in cold water, remove from the fire in ten minutes and drain and chop fine. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and fry in it when melted small onion chopped fine; then add the sorrel to this and stir for three or four minutes and add cups of cold milk and let simmer for five minutes. dissolve in cup of milk, teaspoon of sugar and tablespoon of potato flour (or other thickening), and add to the boiling soup; then strain, reheat, and serve with the addition of tablespoon of whipped cream. german sorrel soup the germans enrich the above soup by pouring it upon a / cup of milk in which the yolks of eggs have been beaten. do not reverse the process, as it will curdle the soup. st. germain soup take cans of peas, reserving / cup of them, and put them in a double boiler with onion cut in pieces with a clove stuck in each, tablespoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, teaspoon of sugar, bay leaf, and a sprig of parsley; cover and let cook for half an hour, then mash the contents of the double boiler with a potato-masher, and add to them cups of water, and when this boils add to the soup tablespoons of butter and of flour rubbed together; stir well and cook fifteen minutes, then press through a sieve. return to the double boiler, add cups of milk, the / cup of peas drained dry, and reheat, seasoning afresh before serving with croutons. spaghetti soup melt tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan, and add to it thinly sliced onion, slices of carrot, slices of turnip, / cup of chopped celery (or teaspoon of celery seed may be used instead), and let cook very slowly. stir frequently, and at the end of ten minutes add cloves, or peppercorns, a small piece of cinnamon, and large bay leaf, and cups (or quarts) of cold water. cover the saucepan and let the soup cook slowly three quarters of an hour, then strain carefully and return to the saucepan. season with teaspoon of salt, and add / cup of spaghetti broken into inch-long pieces. cover the saucepan and let the soup simmer for an hour, as this will draw more flavour from the spaghetti than rapid boiling, and is the better way for a soup, since the object is to extract the flavour of the ingredients. grated or parmesan cheese served with this soup is an improvement. scotch broth put quarts of water in kettle, and when at boiling point add / cup of pearl barley, which has been tossed in hot butter in a frying pan for five minutes, and let cook slowly. cut up carrots, turnips, and large onions, and fry in tablespoons of butter. chop a sprig of parsley very fine, and put with the other vegetables into the barley and water. let cook slowly for two hours, season with pepper and salt, and serve. a / teaspoon of soup-browning improves the appearance of the broth. spanish tomato soup put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted stir into it onions thinly sliced, and let simmer for ten minutes; then add to them the juice from can of tomatoes and of the tomatoes, and let cook slowly for twenty minutes; strain, pressing through a sieve, return to the fire, add tablespoon of butter, some pepper and salt, and stir in well-beaten eggs. do not let the soup boil after adding the eggs. tomato-tapioca soup put quarts of water into a double boiler, and when it boils add / cup of tapioca. slice large tomatoes (or use cups of strained canned tomatoes), cut onions fine, and fry together until a light brown in tablespoon of butter. scrape the contents of the pan into the kettle and let simmer slowly for an hour and a half, then season well and serve. tomato cream soup take cups of canned tomatoes, juice and all, mash the large pieces to a pulp, and place in a saucepan with / cups of hot water and a piece of butter the size of an egg, a pinch of pepper, / teaspoon of salt, and bay leaf. let come to a boil, and then add / teaspoon of carbonate of soda, stir for one minute, and add cups of milk. let boil up and pour in tureen in which is a / cup of cracker crumbs very finely rolled. use this way for ordinary use, or strain to serve in cups. tomato and corn bisque put quart of milk and can of corn in a double boiler and let simmer fifteen minutes; then add teaspoon of butter, season well with salt and pepper, and press through a sieve, and put back into the double boiler. add / cup of boiled tomatoes which have been pressed through a sieve, stir together, reheat, and serve. tomato-macaroni soup put can of tomatoes, sprig of parsley, onion with cloves stuck in it, tablespoon of salt, peppercorns, and cups of cold water in a saucepan, and let cook slowly for three quarters of an hour; then strain and return to the saucepan, and when boiling again, add / cup of macaroni which has been broken into small pieces, and cover and cook for half an hour. season afresh before serving. spaghetti or noodles may be used instead of macaroni. tomato soup let quart can of tomatoes, cups of water (or rice stock), a sprig of parsley, bay leaf, and onion simmer together for fifteen minutes, then press through a sieve and return to the fire to boil. rub tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of flour together, and stir into the boiling soup until smooth. add salt, pepper, and a pinch of soda, and serve immediately with croutons. if water in which rice has boiled is used omit the flour and the soda. tomato-okra soup into / quarts ( cups) of boiling water put / cup of rice; cover and let boil fifteen minutes, then add the contents of can of "tomato-okra" and cook ten minutes more. reserve okra pods, tomatoes, and tablespoon of rice, and press all the rest through a sieve. return to the fire, season with salt and pepper, and add the rice and tomatoes and the okra cut in thin slices. mulligatawny soup make as above, but strain, reserving a little rice and a little tomato to add later; stir tablespoon of curry paste (or powder) into the soup, reheat, and serve. vegetable soup. no. cut in tiny squares potato, onion, / turnip, carrot, and root of celery. melt tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, add all the vegetables except the potato, and fry until a delicate brown. then scrape the contents of the frying pan into a kettle containing quarts of cold water, teaspoon of salt, tablespoons of rice, bay leaf, and a bunch of soup herbs. let cook slowly for one hour and a half, and then add the potatoes and boil twenty minutes more. add pepper, a little fresh salt, and teaspoon soup-browning, and, if a thin soup is preferred, strain out most of the vegetables and rice. these may be served with brown sauce and put in individual crust cups made hot in oven after being filled. vegetable soup. no. when seasonable another vegetable soup may be made, proceeding as above, but adding cauliflower and young onions instead of carrots, etc., and thinning with / cups of hot milk and adding at the last / cup of boiled young peas. add butter, pepper, and salt, and a spoonful of cream, before serving. vegetable soup. no. put generous tablespoon of butter in a large saucepan, and fry in the butter when melted / cup of chopped onion, and when a golden brown stir in carefully tablespoon of flour, and when smoothed pour on slowly cups of hot water or vegetable stock. now put in / cup each of chopped carrot, turnip, parsnip, and cup of celery, and dredge well with pepper and salt, and cover with boiling water, and let simmer for one hour. then put in cups of parboiled potatoes, and when the vegetables are soft press through a sieve with the stock in which they have cooked. vegetable soup. no. a much more simple but very palatable vegetable soup is made by taking cup of diced carrots and cup of parsnips and can of peas (or fewer peas can be used), covering them with cold water, and after one hour's boiling adding cups of milk, to which should be added when it boils teaspoon of potato-flour, or other thickening, and, before serving, pepper, salt, and a small piece of butter. vegetable soup. no. slice and cut in fancy shapes turnip, carrot, sweet potato, the corn from ear of corn, or use tablespoons of canned corn, and strain / can of peas, or / cup of fresh peas may be used. put quarts of water in a saucepan, and when boiling add tablespoon of rice and the carrot; let boil for half an hour, then put in the other vegetables and cook for half an hour longer, and add tablespoon of chopped parsley before serving; also season highly with salt and pepper. cream of vegetable soup melt tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and add tablespoons each of chopped celery, turnip, and carrot, and tablespoon of minced onion, bay leaves, and blades of mace. cook together very slowly for twenty minutes, stirring frequently to prevent browning; then shake in tablespoons of flour, and when blended put the contents of the frying pan into a little less than pints of milk made hot in a double boiler. cook twenty minutes longer, and then season well with salt and pepper, and pour into a saucepan containing egg-yolks, beaten with / cup of cream or milk. the soup can then be strained and served without any, or with only a few, of the vegetables, or it is delicious served without straining. it can be made at any time that is convenient and reheated for serving. purÉe of vegetable marrow (summer squash) slice onions and cover with quarts of cold water, and when it boils add a large vegetable marrow, cut in thin slices. let simmer slowly for two hours, then rub all through a sieve; mix tablespoon of ground rice, cup of milk, and tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when hot add to the soup. finish with tablespoons of boiled flageolets, or peas, and season well with salt and pepper. hast thou named all the birds without a gun? loved the woodrose and left it on its stalk? at rich men's tables eaten bread and pulse? oh, be my friend, and teach me to be thine! ralph waldo emerson. vegetables jerusalem artichokes in butter wash quart of artichokes, scrape them well, and lay them in salted water to keep them from discolouring, then put them in salted, boiling water which has been whitened with a little milk, and boil for twenty or twenty-five minutes. drain and arrange in a buttered baking dish; pour over them tablespoons of melted butter, and sprinkle the tops with browned bread crumbs finely rolled, and set them in the oven for five minutes. this dish makes a dainty entremets when served in individual gratin dishes, in which case or artichokes should be arranged in each dish. the little dish should be served on a small plate with a paper doiley. jerusalem artichokes au gratin prepare the artichokes as in above recipe, arrange them in a large baking dish, or in small individual dishes, cover them with white sauce, sprinkle the top with grated cheese and crumbs, and put them in the oven a few minutes to brown. jerusalem artichokes with tomato sauce prepare the artichokes as in the first recipe, but instead of using melted butter use a little tomato sauce, and sprinkle the artichokes with browned crumbs, and let heat a few moments in the oven before serving. this also is a dainty dish to serve after the soup in individual gratin dishes. jerusalem artichokes with french sauce prepare as directed, and in the water in which the artichokes are boiling put large onion and a piece of celery finely chopped. after removing the artichokes take enough of the stock for a sauce, season it nicely, thicken with the yolk of an egg, and strain and pour over the hot artichokes and serve. jerusalem artichoke fritters boil the artichokes not more than fifteen minutes, cut them into strips / of an inch thick, dry them, dip them in flour, and then in batter, and fry a golden brown in good butter. fried artichokes boil as directed, but do not quite finish cooking; let them cool, slice them and fry in melted butter, adding teaspoon of chopped parsley just before removing from the pan. french fried jerusalem artichokes scrape and wash quart of jerusalem artichokes, cut in slices lengthwise, and fry in a frying basket in hot vegetable fat or oil until a golden brown. serve with a sprinkling of lemon juice, or with dutch butter and browned crumbs. jerusalem artichokes tartare select small artichokes, or cut them round with a patent cutter, roll them in yolk of egg and then in fine crumbs, place in a frying basket, and fry in hot vegetable fat until a golden brown. serve very hot, garnished with parsley, and with a tureen of sauce tartare. serve alone after soup. fried artichokes with tomato sauce fry artichokes as in foregoing recipe and serve with hot tomato sauce. jerusalem artichokes lyonnaise boil the artichokes as directed, but do net let them quite finish cooking, then slice them. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add large onion sliced or chopped, and when onions are transparent, but not brown, add the artichokes and fry slowly. sprinkle with chopped parsley or chives. jerusalem artichoke purÉe boil quart of artichokes as already directed, drain, mash and press through a fine sieve, and stir in tablespoons of melted butter; then stir over a low fire until the moisture is exhausted. remove from the fire, and when cold add eggs which have been well beaten, beating them briskly, and adding them slowly to the purée; also beat in tablespoon of whipped cream. when thoroughly mixed and light from much beating put into a large mould, or into individual moulds, and steam or poach with water half-way up the mould, and turn out and serve with some good sauce, tomato or hollandaise preferred, or the sauce described as being made with the water in which the artichokes were boiled can be used; to it should be added teaspoon of finely chopped parsley. jerusalem artichokes newburg make a sauce with cups of milk, tablespoon of butter mixed with of flour, yolks of eggs, and pepper and salt, and when thickened add tablespoons of sherry, and cups of sliced boiled artichokes, and / cup of blanched chopped almonds. serve on toast or in cases. french or globe artichokes the globe artichoke is a most delicious addition to a vegetarian menu, and it is not because it is not known to be edible, but because many people do not know how either to eat it or to serve it, that it is not oftener seen in america. i have had it served to me in almost every european country and often in restaurants in america, and have never encountered but one cook who knew how it should be sent to the table after cooking, and one waiter who knew how to serve it when it got there. it is usually served half cold with the leaves falling all about it because the "thistle," and usually the best of the artichoke besides, has been carelessly removed in the kitchen; instead of which it should be served whole, as in this way only can it be kept hot enough to be palatable. the artichoke should be set stem end downward on a hot, flat dish and wound about at the base with a small table napkin, and the person who serves it, holding it in the napkin, should reverse it and taking a small, sharp, silvered knife should cut through the artichoke on the bottom, using a sawing motion, and with the help of a serving fork ease apart the "thistle" and the closely knitted small leaves in the centre. unless the artichokes are very large ones, a half of one is not too much to serve each person. the "thistle" should be removed by the server, and this should be done by carefully separating it from the "fond" or base, which is the fleshy part from which the leaves grow out. the leaves should be taken one by one, by the dry tip, in the fingers, and the fleshy end thus pulled from the base should be dipped in the sauce served, and the soft portion removed by drawing it between the front teeth; when the leaves are finished the base should be cut up with a fork and eaten with the sauce. to steam globe artichokes prepare for cooking as in the above recipe, place in a covered steamer, and let steam forty minutes or until the leaves, when pulled, part easily from the base. to boil globe artichokes globe artichokes should not look dry and wrinkled when bought, but green and fresh. put them in cold salted water and a little vinegar for fifteen minutes to cleanse and free from insects, then put them in salted boiling water and boil until the leaves part easily from the base when pulled; this should be in about half an hour, but the time varies with the age and size of the artichoke; it should then be drained and the stem cut off so that it will stand erect on the serving dish. globe artichokes stuffed with mushrooms cut the stalk from fresh artichokes and trim the leaves to an even length, and boil them for twenty minutes, or until the choke or thistle can be removed neatly. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add finely minced shallots (or use chives or onion tops), and teaspoon of chopped parsley, and cup of chopped fresh or canned mushrooms, salt and pepper, and fry all together for five minutes. fill the artichoke with this, tie the leaves together and set in a pan containing cup of stock (or water), tablespoons of butter or olive oil, and bake them half an hour, basting them thoroughly five or six times. remove the strings, set upright and serve very hot with dutch butter, or any sauce preferred. globe artichokes vinaigrette serve cold boiled artichokes, which have been cut in half and the "thistles" removed, with sauce vinaigrette, which is french dressing to which a little chopped onion or onion juice and chopped parsley have been added. fonds d'artichaut the bottom or solid part of the globe artichoke can be bought preserved in bottles; heat them in their own liquid, drain, and serve hot with hollandaise sauce, or cold with sauce vinaigrette or mayonnaise. asparagus asparagus should be carefully looked over and washed, and then tied into a bunch with a piece of tape, with all the heads level, then with a very sharp knife an inch or two of the stalks should be so evenly cut off that the bunch will stand upright. stand the asparagus in a deep saucepan so that the tips are well out of the water, add teaspoon of salt, put a cover on the saucepan, and let cook about half an hour or twenty-five minutes. in this way the tips are sufficiently steamed by the time the stalks are cooked, and will not be cooked to pieces as when immersed in water. asparagus with white sauce having boiled the asparagus as directed, lift it out by plunging a sharp fork into it two or three inches from the bottom, lay it on a hot plate on the top of the stove, cut the tape and arrange or pieces each on long strips of toast, and pour over each tablespoons of nicely seasoned white sauce; arrange neatly on a long platter with the asparagus heads all turned one way. asparagus with dutch butter proceed exactly as in above recipe, but instead of the white sauce pour a little melted butter over all, and serve with a small tureen of dutch butter. hot asparagus tips take a can of asparagus tips, drain and put in a saucepan with tablespoons of melted butter into which some paprika has been shaken. when hot garnish with diamonds of toast to serve, and sprinkle with salt. white asparagus open canned asparagus at the bottom, and after draining, ease it from the can, so as to prevent the tips from being injured. lay the stalks evenly in a shallow enamelled pan, cover with hot water or the juice from the can, and let heat through over a slow fire. remove after ten minutes' cooking to a heated flat dish, using a strainer to lift the stalks from the water. serve with dutch butter, into which a few browned crumbs have been stirred, or chopped chives can be used instead of crumbs. the asparagus can also be served with tomato sauce. asparagus vinaigrette place the can of asparagus to be used on the ice for half an hour, then open and drain and rinse carefully in cold water. place on crisp lettuce leaves, using or stalks on each, and serve with sauce vinaigrette. fried tips with onion butter put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of grated onion and the drained contents of can of asparagus tips. let all cook together slowly for five minutes, and season with salt and pepper. asparagus tips with white sauce heat can of asparagus tips with tablespoon of melted butter, and to serve, cover with / of a cup of highly seasoned white sauce in which the white of hard-boiled egg has been mixed, after being chopped fine. sprinkle over the top the yolk of the egg pressed through a sieve, and serve with squares of toast. asparagus in bread cases boil cups of asparagus tips in salted water for fifteen minutes, and then drain them; while they are cooking put cup of milk in a double boiler, and when boiling pour some of it on to lightly beaten eggs, stirring vigorously meanwhile, and then put the eggs into the double boiler with the milk, and stir until it begins to thicken. add teaspoon of butter, / teaspoon of salt, and / saltspoon of pepper, and remove from the fire. cut the asparagus tops into half-inch pieces and add them to the sauce. take stale rolls, cut off the tops, remove the inside, and let them dry in the oven; when crisp and hot fill each with the asparagus in sauce, replace the top and serve. escalloped asparagus use either fresh green asparagus, or canned asparagus. cut it into two-inch lengths, and if fresh is used cook in boiling water for ten minutes. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan and brown in it / cup of bread crumbs and / cup of finely chopped roasted peanuts. roll each bit of asparagus in beaten egg and the crumbs and nut mixture, and arrange in a buttered gratin dish with alternate layers of thick white sauce, seasoning each layer with a little pepper and salt. cover the top with crumbs and a sprinkling of grated cheese, and brown in the oven. griddled apples peel and core large sour apples. cut them in thick slices and lay on a well-buttered griddle, and let fry until a light brown; turn, and brown the other side. apple fritters pare and core as many tart apples as required, sprinkle with salt, dip in batter, and fry until golden brown in hot fat. drain on brown paper before serving. boiled bananas put bananas unpeeled into boiling water, let boil for ten minutes, then peel and cut in two and serve with melted butter. bananas with tomatoes peel bananas and cut them in slices either lengthwise or across, and slice or large tomatoes. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted lay in the bananas and tomatoes and sprinkle well with salt, pepper, and tablespoon of sugar. let cook slowly, and when browned on the bottom turn and add another sprinkling of sugar, brown again, and serve very hot. banana fritters pare the bananas required, cut each in half crosswise, and then split each half. sprinkle with salt and dip in batter and fry until a golden brown in hot fat. drain on brown paper and serve very hot. boston baked beans cover with cold water or cups of dry california pea beans, or any small white beans, and let them soak over night. the next morning drain and put on the stove in a large kettle well filled with water, and let cook slowly, with / of a teaspoon of soda added, for half an hour. put tablespoons of butter in the bean-pot, or a deep baking dish, drain the beans, and put them in the butter. pour over them slowly tablespoons of dark molasses, tablespoon of salt, and add tablespoon of butter; then fill the bean-pot to the top with hot water and bake in a very slow oven for or hours. as the water cooks away replace it. this will require doing about three times during the baking. serve in the dish in which they were cooked, and garnish with whole black pickled walnuts. green string beans if fresh beans are used pick them over, remove the ends and "strings," and boil for half an hour or more; then drain them, and add tablespoon of butter and tablespoons of milk, season with salt and pepper, and serve after ten minutes' slow cooking. if canned beans are used omit the first long boiling. golden wax beans if fresh beans are used wash, remove the ends and "strings," and boil for three quarters of an hour, or until tender, in salted water; then drain and add to them tablespoon of butter, and tablespoons of milk, let cook slowly for ten minutes, and season well with salt and pepper. in using canned beans omit the first boiling. french beans (flageolets) those in glass are the best; drain and put in a double boiler with tablespoon of butter, pepper and salt, and tablespoon of cream. serve very hot. dried beans deutschland pick over / cups of dried beans of any sort, cover with water, and soak ten hours or more. drain and put in boiling water (or the stock onions or leeks have boiled in), and let cook slowly for two hours, or until tender but unbroken, then drain. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add onion chopped fine, and let it cook slowly for ten minutes; then add the beans and season with salt and pepper and put over them tablespoons of lemon juice or tablespoon of "reduced vinegar," and let cook very slowly for ten or fifteen minutes that all may be well blended before serving. white beans florentine soak cups of white kidney beans for ten hours, then boil them two hours. slip the skins off and put them into a saucepan with cup of broth and a bunch of sweet herbs, bay leaf, and tablespoons of marsala or sherry. cover and let them cook slowly for thirty minutes. remove the herbs and stir in tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of flour rubbed well together, stir until smooth, and then pour on cup of cream or milk into which egg has been beaten; continue to stir, add tablespoon of lemon juice, tablespoon of chopped parsley, and serve with grated cheese. beans and corn escalloped use can of green string beans, or lima beans, and can of sweet corn. butter a baking dish, and arrange a layer of beans; dot with butter, and season with pepper and salt, then put on this a layer of corn about half an inch deep, season, and so proceed until the dish is filled. then pour / cup of milk over all, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake for fifteen minutes, or until the crumbs are browned. italian beans use cups of white haricot beans, soak for several hours, boil two hours in salted water, then drain. put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add large onion chopped fine and bay leaves. let cook slowly for eight minutes, then put into the pan the boiled beans, and season with salt and pepper; let heat through, stirring gently, and add cup of tomato sauce two minutes before removing from the fire. canned brown or red beans may be used, giving the same dish practically with far less trouble. spanish beans soak for eight or ten hours any sort of large dried beans, then drain them and put them into boiling water two hours or more, or until cooked. one way of testing them is to remove a few and blow on them; if the skins crack they are done. drain, and put them in a bean-pot or casserole and sprinkle with tablespoons of chopped onion and cups of strained tomatoes, and dredge well with salt. cover the dish and bake slowly for an hour. a quarter of an hour before taking out, pour over them tablespoon of melted butter and remove the cover. lima beans let lima beans stand in cold water for an hour or so after they are shelled, and in cooking them allow cups of water to every cups of beans. put them in boiling salted water, and let them cook for an hour, or more if not fresh picked. drain them and add / cup of the water they cooked in, / cup of milk, tablespoon of butter, and season highly with salt and pepper. dried beans must soak ten or twelve hours and cook two hours. canned lima beans only need reheating, draining, and a little milk and butter and seasoning added to them. lima beans hollandaise boil quart of beans until tender, salting them well when half cooked. beat a large tablespoon of butter to a cream, beat in the yolk of egg, tablespoon of finely chopped parsley, saltspoon of black pepper, and teaspoons of lemon juice; when this sauce is well mixed stir it into the beans, taking care not to break them. creamed lima beans cover cups of boiled lima beans with scant cup of cream, and let simmer in a double boiler for ten minutes; then add teaspoon of butter, and season with salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. lima bean sauquetash boil cups of freshly picked lima beans in quart of water for half an hour, then drain them and add cup of milk, tablespoon of butter, and enough green corn cut from the cob to make cups. season well, and let simmer for fifteen minutes, and salt again before serving. if canned corn and canned beans are used they need be cooked for only ten minutes. beets great care should be taken in washing beets that the small rootlets are not broken or the skin of the beet bruised, as anything which causes the juice to escape injures both the taste and the colour. in the city, beets are seldom obtainable which require less than two or three hours' cooking; but really young, small beets should not require more than one hour's boiling. when boiled they should be drained, then plunged into cold water, after which the skin can be rubbed off with the hand. some, however, prefer that beets should be baked or steamed; the time required to cook will then be somewhat longer. canned beets are a great convenience. creamed beets boil or medium-sized beets until tender, then remove them from the saucepan and place them in cold water; rub the skins off carefully with the hands, and cut them in half-inch cubes. make a sauce of tablespoons of butter creamed with tablespoons of flour and / cup of the water in which the beets were boiled, tablespoons of cream, tablespoons of vinegar, teaspoons of sugar, / teaspoon of salt, and saltspoon of pepper. pour the sauce over the hot beets and serve in a heated deep dish. virginia beets carefully peel boiled beets, and with a sharp knife cut into very thin, even slices, laying them as sliced into a heated vegetable dish; when a layer has been made over the bottom, dot it well with butter, season lightly with salt, and sprinkle with tablespoon of granulated sugar; then arrange another layer of beets with butter, salt, and sugar, and proceed in this way until the dish is filled. the work should be done near the fire in order that the beets may not cool, as the dish should be served very hot. if, however, the beets have cooled in preparation, set them in a hot oven for a few minutes, and turn them with a spoon in the dish before serving in order that they may be juicy. picquant beets peel hot cooked beets, cut into slices, and toss about for three or four minutes in a saucepan which contains tablespoons of butter to which has been added teaspoon of plain vinegar, or a few drops of tarragon, cloves, and teaspoon of sugar. german beets make a sauce of tablespoon of butter, when melted add tablespoon of flour, teaspoons of onion juice, / teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of sugar, tablespoon of lemon juice, and enough hot water to make the sauce the right consistency; then add freshly sliced cooked beets, and let cook together three or four minutes before serving. pickled beets place slices of cold beets in a deep porcelain or glass receptacle, place some peppercorns among them, and a few allspice, cover with mild vinegar, and let stand ten or twelve hours before using. brussels sprouts brussels sprouts are best if laid for ten minutes, after trimming and looking over, in salted cold water which contains some lemon juice. they should then be drained and put in a large saucepan filled with boiling water containing salt and a pinch of soda. parboil in this ten minutes, then lift them with a strainer and put in a steamer above the boiling water; cover, and let steam half an hour to finish cooking. if sprouts are cooked by boiling instead of steaming, leave the saucepan uncovered, as this will keep the odour from being pronounced. boil in salted water from twenty to thirty minutes, drain the instant they are tender, and serve with melted butter. brussels sprouts in dutch butter put boiled brussels sprouts in a saucepan with tablespoons of melted butter, to which has been added a tablespoon of lemon juice; stir until hot and add pepper and salt. brussels sprouts with celery trim and wash in cold running water quart of brussels sprouts; then place them in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, and let them boil for five minutes; then drain and cover with fresh boiling water containing teaspoon of salt. boil for another twenty-five minutes uncovered, and then drain them. wash enough celery to make / cups when cut in pieces one inch long, put this in a saucepan with tablespoons of butter, stir well together, and add / cups of scalded milk containing tablespoons of flour; when this is thickened add the sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and serve very hot. brussels sprouts with chestnuts to every cup of brussels sprouts allow / cup of blanched chestnuts which have been cooked for fifteen minutes; put the sprouts and chestnuts together, cook another forty minutes, drain, and serve with white sauce. brussels sprouts lyonnaise put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of chopped onion; when this is beginning to brown add cups of boiled sprouts, and stir together for three or four minutes, unless the sprouts were cold, in which case they should be tossed about with the butter and onion until hot. creamed brussels sprouts cover freshly boiled brussels sprouts with a white sauce made entirely of milk, or of the stock in which they were cooked, with tablespoon of cream added. brussels sprouts in bread cases cut stale bread into three-inch squares, and with a sharp knife cut out the centre, leaving a bottom and four sides like a box; brush over with melted butter, and brown in the oven. serve sprouts prepared in any of the above ways in these cases; the creamed sprouts are perhaps the best served this way. cabbage wash cabbage carefully after cutting it in half, and let it boil for five minutes in well-salted boiling water; pour this water off and re-cover with fresh boiling water; let cook for half an hour, then add teaspoon of salt, and let finish cooking, which will be in about another half an hour for a medium-sized cabbage. cabbage should never be covered while boiling, as covering increases the odour in cooking. new england cabbage cut a cabbage in quarters, wash it thoroughly, and parboil it for five minutes in salted water; then drain and cook with carrots and turnips for an hour or until tender, in any strong vegetable stock, to which tablespoon of butter has been added. drain and dampen with a little of the stock to serve, and season well with salt and pepper. western cabbage take or cups of shredded white cabbage and put in a frying pan in which tablespoon of butter has been melted. press the cabbage into the pan, dredge with salt and pepper, and pour over it / cup of vinegar and / cup of water; cover and let cook very gently for half an hour or somewhat less. red cabbage can be prepared in this same way, and a pretty dish is made by using equal quantities of red and white cabbage. cabbage sarmas put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add onion chopped fine, and after it has cooked gently for ten minutes stir into it cup of boiled rice, / cup of chopped nuts, teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, and tablespoon of melted butter. parboil a small cabbage for fifteen minutes, then separate its leaves, and into each leaf roll tablespoon of the force-meat; pack tightly in a shallow pan, dredge with salt and pepper, and cover with the water in which the cabbage cooked; lay bay leaves on the top, and let simmer for fifteen minutes. serve with melted butter or tomato sauce. cabbage lichtenstein cut one large cabbage into small pieces, not using the stalk. wash well and put in a kettle of boiling water with teaspoon of salt and tablespoon of caraway seed. cook for half an hour uncovered, then add to the cabbage large potatoes peeled and quartered, season afresh with salt, and let cook another twenty minutes. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add onion chopped fine and tablespoon of flour; let all cook together until brown, then scrape the contents of the frying pan into the cabbage, etc., and cook slowly for twenty minutes more, or until the stock is almost cooked away. lady cabbage boil firm white cabbage fifteen minutes, changing the water then for more from the boiling teakettle; continue boiling for half an hour or until tender, then drain and set aside until perfectly cold. chop fine, season with pepper and salt, add or well-beaten eggs, tablespoon of butter, and / cup of rich milk. stir all well together and bake in a buttered dish until brown. the oven should be moderately hot, and the same care used as in the baking of a custard. serve in the baking dish. cold slaw put tablespoons of vinegar on to boil in a saucepan, and add to it when boiling / cup of sour or fresh milk or cream containing lightly beaten eggs; stir and then add tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper, and pour over cups of shredded cabbage arranged in a deep bowl. serve cold. german red cabbage put or cups of shredded red cabbage into a saucepan with tablespoon of butter, finely chopped apple, and the juice of half a lemon; sprinkle lightly with sugar, season with salt and pepper, cover, and let cook from half to three quarters of an hour. hungarian cabbage quarter a red cabbage, remove the stalk parts and wash well, and put it in a kettle containing enough boiling water to cover it. let boil for three quarters of an hour or until tender, and then drain, gently pressing out all the water. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add onion chopped fine and tablespoon of flour; stir until smooth and let cook until brown. then add / cup of brown sugar, / of a cup of vinegar, and salt well. add the shredded cabbage to this, and let all simmer together for fifteen or twenty minutes before serving. pickled red cabbage chop or shred enough cabbage to make quarts ( cups) and add to it large onion chopped fine and tablespoon of salt; mix well together and let stand over night in a covered jar. next day press through a colander to drain, and then place a layer of cabbage in a jar, sprinkle over it a few mustard seeds and or cloves, and proceed in this way until the cabbage is all used. do not press down. cover with cider vinegar, and use any time after twenty-four hours. creamed carrots scrape and wash enough carrots to make cups when cut in dice, and put them in a double boiler containing half milk and half water at boiling point. let them cook slowly for forty minutes or until tender, then drain them and put them in a hot dish at the side of the stove. use cup of the stock they cooked in to make a sauce, with tablespoon of butter, of flour, and plenty of salt and pepper. pour the sauce over them to serve. creamed carrots and potatoes to quart of cold boiled potatoes, cut in dice, add cup of boiled diced carrots. put them in a double boiler and cover with / cups of highly seasoned white sauce, to which has been added tablespoon of onion juice and tablespoon of finely chopped parsley; let boil up once and serve. carrots sautÉ use boiled carrots cut in dice or fancy shapes and toss them for five minutes in hot butter. season with salt and pepper, add a little chopped parsley, and serve very hot. fancy shaped german carrots in glass bottles can be used instead of fresh ones. glorified carrots take cups of diced carrots and boil them in slightly sweetened water about half an hour, or until tender, and let them cool. put tablespoon of butter into a saucepan, add to it teaspoon of grated onion, and toss together until hot; then add the diced carrots and cup of well-made white sauce. butter small individual gratin dishes, fill them with the carrot mixture, sprinkle the top with a few lightly browned bread crumbs, then with chopped chives, and set in a hot oven for five minutes. serve alone as an entrée, placing each dish on a small plate with a paper doily. this dish can be varied by using more chives mixed with the carrots and omitting the onion, or, if chives are not at hand, they can be omitted when the onion is used, and finely chopped parsley substituted to garnish the top. the quantities given here can be doubled, and the carrots cooked in a large baking dish as an addition to the main course of a luncheon or dinner. glazed carrots for this, the carrots must be cut into even cones or ovals, and it is convenient to use the imported carrots in glass bottles. if these are used they are already boiled; if fresh carrots are used scrape and wash them and cut out the little shapes with a patent cutter, then boil slowly until tender, but not quite done, and put or cups of them in a frying pan with tablespoons of butter, which has been melted, sprinkle with fine sugar, and stir over a hot fire until they begin to brown; then add tablespoons of the stock they boiled in, continue to stir them, add more stock if needed, and continue stirring until the carrots are nicely glazed. serve alone or as a garnish. carrots delmonico scrape and cut in dice enough carrots to fill a small baking dish; cover with boiling water in which is tablespoon of sugar, and tablespoon of butter, and let cook for half an hour, or until tender. drain and let them cool, and then arrange them in the baking dish with the following sauce: melt tablespoons of butter, add tablespoons of flour, and when this is smooth stir into it, using a little at a time, cup of the stock in which the carrots were cooked, / cup of cream or milk containing the beaten yolks of eggs; when smooth add / tablespoon of lemon juice, and salt and pepper well. sprinkle the top with finely rolled crumbs and let brown in the oven. carrot soufflÉ mix cups of boiled, mashed carrots, tablespoons of chopped onion, fried for five minutes in tablespoon of butter, cup of milk or cream in which egg-yolks are beaten, / teaspoon of nutmeg, salt and pepper, and when well blended add lightly with a fork the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake to brown about fifteen or twenty minutes. cauliflower leave all the green that looks fresh and palatable on the cauliflower, and wash it and let it stand from fifteen minutes to half an hour in salted water. then put it in a saucepan, stem downwards, with the top barely covered with boiling water, and, if the saucepan is not too large, it will keep the cauliflower upright, so that the delicate top will not cook to pieces before the green stalk is tender. a small cauliflower will take half an hour to cook, and the lower part can be tried with a fork to see when it is tender. leave the saucepan uncovered in cooking cauliflower, and the odour from the cooking will be very much lessened and the cauliflower more delicate in taste. creamed cauliflower boil and drain a cauliflower and serve over it cup of white sauce. cauliflower au gratin boil a large cauliflower, drain it, and break the sprays apart. arrange in layers in a buttered baking dish, sprinkling each layer with cheese, and seasoning it with pepper and salt. when the dish is filled pour on cup of white sauce, sprinkle the top with crumbs and cheese, and let bake fifteen minutes to brown. cauliflower in a german way boil a cauliflower and drain it, dredge with salt and pepper, and cover the white part with melted butter, and then dust this with browned bread crumbs; pour / of a cup of dutch butter over it, and let it heat for five minutes in the oven in the shallow gratin dish in which it should be served. italian cauliflower boil and drain a cauliflower and dredge the top with pepper and salt, sprinkle with grated cheese, and pour a little melted butter over it. set in the oven for five minutes to brown, and serve surrounded with tomato sauce. cauliflower fritters boil a cauliflower for twenty-five minutes, or until nearly tender, then drain it and let it cool. when cold separate the sprays and dredge with salt and pepper, then dip in batter, and fry in deep fat until a golden brown. drain and serve very hot. creamed celery scrape and trim or heads of celery, leaving the roots on and cutting the tops off; cut each stalk in half, lengthwise, and into pieces five inches long; wash carefully in running water, and then blanch in boiling water for ten minutes. drain and tie the stalks together like bunches of asparagus, and put them in a saucepan containing cups of water, cups of milk, / a carrot, / an onion with cloves stuck in it, teaspoon of salt, and scant saltspoon of pepper, and let simmer three quarters of an hour or more, or until quite tender when tried with a fork. remove the celery, strain the stock, and use cup of it in making a sauce, with tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of flour. untie the bunches of celery, and arrange them evenly on toast with the sauce poured over them. celery in brown sauce prepare celery as above, boil for three quarters of an hour or until tender, drain, and cover with the brown sauce described below, omitting the wine, and serve in an ordinary vegetable dish. celery in casserole cut celery in four-inch lengths, halving each stalk lengthwise, and leaving the root on, wash well and parboil for ten minutes in salted water or milk, and arrange in a square, covered casserole. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when browned add tablespoons of flour. stir until well dissolved, then add cups of the water in which the celery cooked, scant teaspoon of salt, small saltspoon of pepper, and bay leaves. stir until smooth, and then strain and pour this sauce over the celery, add teaspoon of sherry or madeira, cover the dish, set it in a shallow pan containing a little water, and let it cook for half an hour in the oven. serve in the casserole. baked celery cut bunches of celery into two-inch lengths, wash thoroughly, and let blanch in boiling water and milk, using equal quantities of each, for fifteen minutes, then remove the celery and let it cool; add to cup of the milk and water stock tablespoon of butter blended with tablespoon of flour, some pepper and salt, and when smoothed remove from the fire and beat into it vigorously eggs. arrange the celery in a buttered baking dish, pour the sauce over it, spread the top thickly with crumbs, and put in the oven. cover for twenty minutes, then uncover and let brown nicely before serving. cÊpes in black butter french cêpes come in tin or glass. put tablespoons of butter in a pan, with bay leaves, a few celery seeds and clove of garlic; let it slowly brown. strain and add cêpes and let them heat in the butter. season with salt and paprika and serve very hot. american sweet corn sweet corn on the cob, which has been picked within twenty-four hours of the time of using, should be dropped into rapidly boiling, slightly salted water, and boiled not more than eight or ten minutes. roast corn to roast sweet corn, leave the husks on the cob, and put in a slow oven and let bake for half an hour. take off the husks and silk and serve at once. some think this method of cooking the delicate american vegetable retains the flavour of the corn more than the usual way of boiling it. corn pudding use or ears of sweet corn, and cut each row down the middle with a sharp knife, and then cut the grains from the ear, and add to them cups of milk, teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, teaspoon of sugar, tablespoon of melted butter, and slightly beaten eggs. put this into a baking dish and bake like a custard, in a slow oven for half an hour, taking care it does not cook too long nor get too hot lest it curdle. canned corn may be used when fresh is out of season. corn pudding in tomato or pepper cases bake the preceding in cases made by scooping a large part of the inside from large, solid tomatoes, or in hollowed-out green, sweet peppers. corn creole put can of corn into a saucepan with tablespoon of chopped green peppers and / cup of milk, and cook slowly for ten minutes; then season with salt and pepper and add tablespoon of butter and serve. this may be put in a baking dish, covered with crumbs, and baked for fifteen minutes. corn and tomato pie butter a pudding dish and fill it with alternate layers of boiled or canned corn and tomatoes, and season with salt, pepper, and butter; cover the top with pie-crust and bake in a moderately hot oven for fifteen minutes. if a crust is not desired the dish can be covered with bread crumbs and browned. if fresh tomatoes and corn are used the pie will require twice the time to cook, the first half of the time covered with a plate, and the last half uncovered. corn chowder put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add sliced onion, and let cook slowly for five minutes; then add to it cups of potatoes which have been parboiled for five minutes, and then cut in small squares, and cups of boiling water. let cook for twenty minutes or until the potatoes are tender, then add can of sweet corn, cups of hot milk, tablespoon of butter, and plenty of salt and pepper, and let heat through. break soda crackers into a deep dish, and pour the chowder over them to serve. rhode island escallop bake medium-sized sweet potatoes for half an hour, then scrape out the potato and chop it into small bits. boil ears of green corn for ten minutes, run a sharp knife down each row of grains, cutting them in two, and then cut the corn from the cob and mix it with the chopped sweet potato. butter six individual gratin dishes and fill them with the mixed corn and potato, sprinkle them with salt, pour tablespoon of melted butter over each, cover with bread crumbs, and let cook for eight or ten minutes in the oven. the same mixture can be used to fill a baking dish, and enough melted butter used to moisten the potato thoroughly. stewed cucumbers peel or cucumbers, quarter them, and cover them with boiling salted water, and let them cook from twenty to thirty minutes; then drain, saving the water in which they were cooked. make a sauce of tablespoons of butter and tablespoons of flour rubbed together, and cups of the water in which the cucumbers were boiled, stir until smooth, and when it boils add the juice of lemon, teaspoon of salt, and some paprika; arrange the cucumbers on slices of toast and serve with the sauce poured over them. stuffed cucumbers peel the cucumbers and cut into pieces about two inches long, scoop out the centre of each piece about half-way down to form a cup, fill this with chopped onions and chopped mushrooms that have been fried together in butter, cover the tops with crumbs, and let brown in the oven. fried egg-plant with sauce tartare peel and cut an egg-plant into half-inch slices, dust quickly with salt and pepper, roll in beaten egg-yolk, then in fine bread crumbs, and fry in hot vegetable fat; drain on brown paper and serve very hot. either serve sauce tartare with this, or arrange a spoonful on each round of egg-plant. garnish with sprigs of watercress, celery tops, or parsley. fried egg-plant with tomato sauce fry as in foregoing recipe and serve a savoury tomato sauce with the egg-plant. never soak egg-plant in salt and water, as it takes away its crispness. creamed endive cut the outside leaves from heads of endive, and wash the endive thoroughly; then drain and put in boiling salted water for fifteen minutes. drain again and cover with cold water for a few minutes, then chop and put in a saucepan with some butter, allowing tablespoon for each head of endive, cover and let cook slowly for ten minutes, salt well, moisten with cream and sprinkle with paprika, and serve on toast or garnished with triangular pieces of toast. kohlrabi these are very nice if used young, when not much larger than an egg. parboil them for half an hour, cut them in half, and put them in a frying pan containing melted butter, and fry for fifteen or twenty minutes. serve over them the butter in which they were cooked, and dredge with salt and pepper. the time required to cook kohlrabi depends largely of course upon the age at which it is picked. kohlrabi au gratin slice kohlrabi, boil twenty minutes or until nearly tender, and arrange in a baking dish in layers with cream sauce. season each layer with pepper and salt, sprinkle the top with crumbs and grated cheese, and bake twenty minutes. lentil pie put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add to it finely chopped onion and let this fry slowly for ten minutes; then add cups of boiled german or egyptian lentils and / cup of brown or german sauce, and when heated through pile into a deep dish; dredge with pepper and salt, cover with pie-crust, and bake in the oven until brown. lentils egyptian style wash cups of lentils, soak them two or three hours, and drain them before using. put them into boiling water well salted, cook until tender, about forty minutes, then drain again. put tablespoons of butter into a saucepan, and when melted add large onion finely chopped; cook over a very slow fire for ten minutes, then add the lentils and scant cups of boiled rice, and stir all together with a large fork until very hot; dredge well with salt and pepper before serving. german lentils cover cups of lentils with cold water and let them soak two or three hours; drain them and put them in boiling salted water with leek (or onion) and let them cook half an hour, or until tender but not broken. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted stir into it tablespoons of flour, and let brown; then add finely chopped onions and or tablespoons of vinegar and tablespoons of the water in which the lentils cooked. mix this sauce with the drained lentils, put them in a double boiler with salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg, and serve after they have steamed slowly for fifteen minutes. leeks cut leeks into three-inch lengths, using the tender green part as well as the white; wash the pieces thoroughly in cold running water, then put them in a small saucepan and cover them with boiling salted water, and let them boil for twenty minutes. make a sauce by melting tablespoon of butter and thickening it with tablespoon of flour, and then adding, tablespoon at a time, enough of the water the leeks were cooked in (about cup) to make the sauce of the right consistency; season with pepper and salt, drain the leeks, and serve the sauce over them. mushrooms mushrooms should only be used when perfectly fresh and firm; in peeling them take a small knife, and, holding the delicate fringe at the edge of the mushroom between the edge of the knife and the thumb, peel the paper-like skin off, pulling it toward the centre of the mushroom. the stems should be cut or broken off without breaking the cup, and if sound should be scraped and used. when the mushrooms are white and small and freshly picked they can be quickly washed and used without peeling. stewed mushrooms peel about pound of mushrooms, put them in a saucepan with tablespoons of butter, saltspoon of pepper, teaspoon of salt, and / cup of milk, into which tablespoon of flour has been mixed; cover and let cook for five or six minutes, then add cup of cream, stir all well together, replace the cover, and let cook gently for ten minutes. these mushrooms can also be cooked and served in an italian casserole. german stewed mushrooms peel pound of mushrooms and put them in a saucepan, sprinkle with the juice of lemon, add cup of milk, cover, and let simmer gently for ten minutes. thicken with heaping teaspoon of flour dissolved in a little milk, and add tablespoon of butter and a grating of nutmeg, and let simmer gently for ten minutes more before serving. instead of lemon juice and milk a cup of sour cream is often used in germany, and is an acceptable substitute. mushroom and chestnut ragout use an equal quantity of peeled mushrooms and boiled italian chestnuts, and heat in a rich brown sauce. serve, garnished with toast, or in cases, or use in a deep pie with a top crust of biscuit dough. mushrooms newburg peel pound of mushrooms, cover them with cups of milk, and let them simmer gently for ten minutes. lift the mushrooms out with a strainer, and make a sauce of the milk by adding tablespoon of flour, tablespoon of butter, the beaten yolks of eggs, wineglass of sherry, and some salt and paprika. when the sauce thickens replace the mushrooms in it, let them heat for two minutes, and serve on toast or in patty cases. baked mushrooms on toast select as many large mushrooms as are required, and, after peeling them, lay each one, cup upward, on rounds of toast which, after toasting, have been dampened by being plunged quickly into hot water; place the toast with the mushrooms upon it into a shallow buttered pan, put a little bit of butter in the cup of each mushroom, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with another pan the same size, and let cook eight or ten minutes. serve at once, with a garnish of parsley or watercress. grilled mushrooms peel or wash the mushrooms, and put them, cup upward, on a fine wire broiler and let them broil over a hot fire for five or six minutes, putting a pinch of salt in each cup. as soon as hot, remove them from the broiler and serve on hot plates, taking care not to spill the juice which has formed in the cups. garnish with watercress or parsley. mushrooms sur cloche place carefully cleaned mushrooms, cup upward, on individual gratin dishes, salt each, and place a bit of butter in the cup, and set in a hot oven for ten minutes. to serve, place over each a glass "bell," which can be bought for this purpose. the heat is thus retained in the mushrooms during service. mushrooms in casserole put into a french or italian casserole / cup of good butter, and when melted stir into it / of a pound, or a pound, of peeled mushrooms, and dredge well with pepper and salt. cover the casserole and set it in the oven; after five minutes' cooking stir the mushrooms, mixing them well with the butter, replace the cover, and repeat the process in another five minutes; let cook ten minutes more, and serve from the casserole on rounds of toast. filled mushrooms select of the largest, most cup-shaped from / pounds of mushrooms. peel and lay in a shallow pan, cup side up. take the cleaned stems and the remaining mushrooms and chop fine and put them in the cups; add teaspoon of melted butter, some pepper and salt to each, and let bake ten minutes or until done. serve on toast garnished with watercress, or under the glass bells already mentioned. mushrooms with truffles toss truffles in butter in a hot frying pan for five minutes, sprinkle the cups of mushrooms with pepper and salt, fill them with the truffles, and cook for ten minutes in a covered pan in a hot oven; serve on crisp lettuce leaves, with parsley butter. mushrooms with peas fill the cups of large mushrooms with french canned peas, which have been tossed for five minutes in hot butter. season and set in a covered pan in a hot oven for ten minutes, and serve on toast with white or brown sauce, as preferred. mushrooms with onions peel medium-sized onions and chop them fine, and put them in a casserole, or saucepan, with tablespoon of melted butter. let them cook slowly for ten minutes, then add pound of mushrooms, which have been carefully washed or peeled, and another tablespoon of butter, and cover, letting cook for ten minutes. season well with salt and pepper and serve very hot. mushrooms thus prepared may be put in a deep baking dish, covered with crust and baked in a pie. mushrooms with egg put tablespoons of butter in a porcelain casserole, or in a saucepan, and when melted put with it pound of peeled or washed mushrooms; let simmer gently for ten minutes, then add to them hard-boiled eggs, cut in slices, and half a cup of cream. this recipe also is available for a deep pie; put in a baking dish, cover with crust, and bake until slightly browned. canned mushrooms drain the mushrooms from can, and cut them in half. use the liquid from the can augmented with water, if necessary, to make brown or german sauce. put the mushrooms in a saucepan with the sauce, season with pepper and salt, and serve very hot on toast. button mushrooms can also be cooked by simply draining and tossing in parsley butter until hot; season with salt and pepper and serve on toast. mushrooms cooked in these ways are suitable for filling peppers or tomatoes. canned mushrooms can be bought which are put up with truffles, and add variety to these different dishes. canned mushrooms czarina open a can of button mushrooms, drain them, and cut the buttons in half, if very large, and reserve the liquid. put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of grated onion, bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, and allspice. let all cook together slowly for five minutes, then pour on the liquid from the mushrooms, with enough milk added to make cups, season with salt, and let simmer for ten minutes; then add tablespoon of flour creamed with tablespoon of butter, let boil up once, and strain. put the sauce and the button mushrooms in an italian casserole, set this in the oven to heat for five minutes, and serve from the dish on triangles of toast. mushroom loaf pour good clear, well-strained boiling vegetable stock onto dissolved vegetable gelatine or arrowroot, using about tablespoon to every cups of liquid. season well with salt and pepper, and add can of button mushrooms, halved, when the jelly is somewhat set so that they will remain in place evenly dispersed. line a mould with chopped parsley and slices of pickled walnuts, pour the jelly into it, and serve, when set, ice-cold, with any savoury cold sauce or pickles. a few chopped nuts may be added if desired. stewed okra cut the ends off the pods of young okra, boil for one hour in salted water, then drain and reheat in a saucepan with some melted butter. the okra can be used as a garnish to boiled rice. canned okra needs only to be boiled five minutes, drained, seasoned, and tossed about in hot butter in a frying pan for two or three minutes before serving. okra and grilled tomatoes cut good firm tomatoes in half, season well and broil, then serve with a garnish of stewed okra. stewed okra with tomato sauce if fresh okra is used prepare as in stewed okra recipe, and if canned okra is used drain and heat in boiling salted water. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted lift the okra from the boiling water and place it in the frying pan; season well with salt and pepper and then cover with cup of tomato sauce, and, when thoroughly heated through, serve. okra and tomato escallop arrange alternate layers of sliced canned okra and tomato in a well buttered baking dish, separating them with layers of boiled rice well seasoned with salt and pepper and dotted with butter. cover the top with fine crumbs and cook for fifteen minutes, or until browned, in the oven. boiled onions peel onions under cold water and they will not bring tears to the eyes. they should then be put in rapidly boiling water, and this changed after the first five minutes of cooking; then put in fresh boiling water, salt added, and cooked for from half an hour to forty minutes. if onions are not covered when boiling the odour will be less noticeable. serve boiled onions with parsley butter, or, after draining, cover with milk, add butter, pepper, and salt, and let boil up once before serving. creamed onions use onions which have been boiled until tender but not broken, and, after draining, serve with white or parsley sauce, made with equal quantities of milk and the stock in which the onions cooked. boiled onions with brown sauce serve small boiled onions, which have cooked until tender, but not broken, with any hot sauce,--tomato, brown, mushroom, etc. onions au gratin prepare as for creamed onions, making a white sauce of the milk, or milk and water, in which the onions have been boiled. the onions can be left whole, or somewhat broken up in the sauce. fill a buttered baking dish with onions and sauce, dust the top with grated cheese, and let heat in the oven five or six minutes. the bottled parmesan cheese is convenient, but is never as delicate to the taste as fresh cheese grated. onions with cheese arrange boiled onions, which are not broken at all by boiling, in a buttered baking dish, baste well with melted butter, and dredge with grated cheese, and set in the oven a few moments to brown; serve in the same dish or remove to a small platter and garnish with green, or use as a garnish to a dish of other vegetables. mashed potatoes piled high (browned on top with salamander or under flame in gas oven) surrounded with these onions makes an attractive dish. escalloped onions escalloped onions are made like onions au gratin, except that the cheese is omitted and replaced by a layer of fine bread crumbs. baked onions with chestnuts peel as many onions as required and parboil them for ten or fifteen minutes in salted water. drain and dry, and when cooled somewhat remove the inside and fill with chopped chestnuts which have been tossed in hot butter for fifteen minutes; season well with salt and pepper, and, if liked, a little sage; arrange in a buttered baking dish, and bake for half an hour, covering them for the first fifteen minutes. if they seem too dry, baste with a little cream or onion stock and melted butter. onion soufflÉ put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of flour, stir until smooth, and then add gradually cup of milk, and season with paprika and salt. let boil, then add / cup of stale bread crumbs, teaspoon of chopped parsley, / cups of cold boiled onions chopped fine, and the yolks of eggs well beaten. mix thoroughly, then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, and mix them gently through the onion mixture with a fork. put in a buttered baking dish, or in individual cases, sprinkle fine crumbs on top, and bake about fifteen minutes to slightly brown before serving. bordeaux onions peel or small onions, and parboil them for fifteen minutes in salted water. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan or a baking dish, with tablespoon of chopped parsley and tablespoon of chopped celery, cloves, bay leaf, / of a cup of claret, cup of brown sauce, the juice of lemon, pepper and salt. set the onions in this, cover, and let cook very gently for half an hour or until tender. remove the bay leaf and serve with the sauce. onion and tomato escallop place alternate layers of fresh onions, sliced, and fresh tomatoes in a buttered baking dish, covering each layer with crumbs, butter, pepper and salt. put / cups of water over and bake for about an hour in a slow oven. or use boiled onions and canned tomatoes, dampen with the juice from the tomatoes, and cook twenty minutes. onions beatrice fill a large bean-pot (or a high earthenware covered jar marmite) with small bermuda onions, two inches in diameter. the onions should be left whole, but a sharp knife can be used to make two cuts in the shape of a cross in the top of each, as this insures the cooking of the centre. while arranging the onions in the jar, sprinkle them well with salt, also with black pepper (or use / dozen peppercorns instead), put in bay leaves, and distribute teaspoon of mixed herbs. cover with hot water, put the lid on, and set on the back of the stove or in a slow oven. the onions should not cook to pieces, and with the proper heat will be cooked through in about two hours; this time is named not as a rule but as a guide. serve in the marmite in which they were cooked. stuffed onions boil the onions fifteen or twenty minutes and then remove the hearts, leaving the outsides as cases for a filling. make the stuffing of bread or cracker crumbs mixed with the chopped centres of the onions, plenty of salt and pepper, and a little chopped tomato (or tomato sauce), or some chopped green peppers, or canned pimentos, or use both tomato and peppers. fill the onion cases, and arrange in a buttered baking dish; sprinkle with tablespoons of melted butter, set the pan in water, and bake half an hour; the baking dish should be covered until the last five minutes, and the onions should not be allowed to go dry; more butter can be added, or a little hot water or vegetable broth, if they cook dry. serve in the baking dish, or remove to a small platter and garnish with sprigs of parsley. fried onions peel the onions and cut into thin slices, and when a generous tablespoon of butter has slowly melted in a frying pan, put the onions in and let them simmer over as low a fire as will keep them cooking; stir them frequently and serve when transparent and turning a golden brown. fried onions can be served alone or as a garnish to heaped up mashed potatoes. they are saved from their extreme commonplaceness by being arranged in a gratin dish, not over an inch high, dusted with a sprinkling of crumbs or grated cheese, and given three or four minutes in the oven. french fried onions peel medium-sized onions, and slice crosswise carefully; then separate the slices into rings. drop these into smoking vegetable fat or oil, and let fry four or five minutes until crisp and a rich brown. lift with a strainer onto brown paper to drain a moment before serving. onions in potato cradles make potato cradles as directed, dredge with salt, and fill with fried or french-fried onions. small onions peel small, round, pickling onions, parboil them ten minutes, drain, roll in flour, and fry in deep fat. serve as a garnish to other vegetables or in stews. glazed onions these are nice used either as a garnish to another dish (vegetable croquettes, mashed potatoes, etc.) or alone. small onions should be used, or onion hearts, and taken from the water before they are quite cooked; then put in an enamelled pan in which is tablespoon of butter which has been slowly melted; toss them about in this, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. when they begin to brown add tablespoon of the water in which they were boiled, and as this is taken up add a little more, and pepper and salt. the onions will be browned and glazed. serve very hot. onions and apples put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted put in sliced onions and sliced apples; let fry slowly until browned, and serve on toast. boiled parsnips in sauce wash and scrape or parsnips, cut them in half, lengthwise, and put them in cold water for half an hour. drain them, and put them in a saucepan of boiling water containing teaspoon of salt, and let them boil for about three quarters of an hour. while they are finishing cooking, prepare a sauce with tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of flour rubbed together, and put in a saucepan over a slow fire. when melted and smooth add, a spoonful at a time, some of the stock in which the parsnips are cooking, until about cups have been used; stir until well thickened but not paste-like, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the parsnips after draining them. parsnips in butter scrape and wash the parsnips, and cut them in eighths, lengthwise, and then in half. put them in boiling water, salt well, and let them cook for about three quarters of an hour. drain and serve with / cup melted butter poured over them, which contains tablespoon of chopped parsley. fried parsnips slice cold boiled parsnips lengthwise, dredge with salt, and fry in buttered pan or griddle until a golden brown, turning with a pancake turner. french fried parsnips use cold boiled parsnips, cut in any shape desired,--balls, or long strips,--and put them in a frying basket, and fry in hot fat until brown. drain, and dredge with salt to serve. broiled parsnips use boiled parsnips, cut each in slices, lengthwise, dip in melted butter, broil until brown, and sprinkle with salt before serving. green peas newly picked green peas should be shelled and put in a double-boiler with a little salt, and teaspoon or more of sugar, and no water. cover closely and keep water in under pan boiling for about three quarters of an hour. add a little butter before serving. green peas paysanne cook peas as in the above recipe adding a few lettuce leaves which have been washed and cut in strips. drain them before adding butter and salt. canned peas canned peas should be slowly cooked in their own stock for ten minutes, drained, and seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, and a little milk or cream added to them. canned peas with onion put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of chopped onion; let simmer for five minutes, then add can of peas, drained of their juice, and / of a cup of cream or milk; season well with salt and pepper, and serve after ten minutes' slow cooking. stuffed peppers slice the stem-end from sweet peppers, cut out the insides, and fill with a mixture made of cup of fine crumbs, grated onion, / cup of chopped nuts, teaspoon of salt, and tablespoons of melted butter. set in a pan containing a little water and melted butter, and bake from twenty minutes to half an hour, basting occasionally. peppers can be parboiled for ten minutes before stuffing, but though softer they lose their colour to some extent. peppers stuffed with mushrooms cut the stem-end from sweet peppers, remove the inside, and fill with mushrooms czarina, or mushrooms in tomato sauce, and bake twenty to thirty minutes, basting with a little butter and water, which should be in the pan in which they are cooked. peppers with rice cut the stem-end from sweet green peppers, remove the inside, fill with boiled rice and chopped tomato in equal proportions, and season well with pepper and salt. a few chopped mushrooms, olives, or boiled eggs may be added to the filling. bake from twenty to thirty minutes, basting with butter and water. green peppers with egg parboil green peppers for five minutes, first having cut off the stem-end and removed the seeds. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add finely chopped onion, and let it cook slowly for ten minutes; then stir in tablespoons of fine bread crumbs, and season with salt, pepper, and catsup. upon removing the peppers from the boiling water set them up cup-like in a shallow pan, and put tablespoon of this mixture into each; break into each pepper egg, cover with some more of the prepared crumbs, and bake for ten minutes if the eggs are liked soft, for fifteen if liked hard. serve on toast with / cups of white sauce containing tablespoons of grated cheese. peppers with corn cut a slice from the end of sweet peppers, remove the inside, and fill with canned corn, well salted; replace the ends and bake. peppers, like tomatoes, may be filled in so many ways that it is useless to endeavour to enumerate them, for the ingenious cook can multiply them without end. escallop of peppers and corn cut enough sweet corn from the cob to make cups. take or sweet green peppers and remove the insides, then slice them in very thin circles and arrange a layer of the corn in a buttered baking dish, salt it, and then place some rings of the peppers, then another layer of corn, and so on, until the dish is filled, finishing the top with peppers. to a cup of cream (or milk) add beaten egg and tablespoons of melted butter; pour this over the whole, and bake for half an hour in a hot oven. canned corn may be used, in which case less cream will be needed. fried peppers remove the seeds from sweet green peppers, cut the pods in squares about half an inch across. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add sliced onion, and let simmer for two or three minutes; then put into the pan the cut-up peppers, and fry for ten minutes. add / cup of brown or tomato sauce and serve on toast with boiled rice, or on flat rice cakes. creamed pimentos put the pimentos from can into cups of white sauce, and let cook in a double boiler for ten minutes. add tablespoon of chopped parsley, some pepper and salt, and serve on toast. rolled pimentos remove the pimentos from the can, and with a sharp knife cut them open on one side and open them out. arrange the flat pieces thus made on a large plate or board, with the inner part up, and spread with finely chopped onion, sprinkle with salt and celery salt, and roll into firm rolls. place these in a well-buttered tin, add a little hot water, cover, and set in a hot oven for ten minutes; then uncover, add tablespoon of butter, and when it melts baste the pimentos with it. let them cook five minutes more, and serve with the melted butter poured over them, or with parsley butter. pimentos with okra split the pimentos with a sharp knife, salt the inner part, then roll each around a pod of freshly boiled or canned okra. place in a well-buttered pan, add a little hot water, and let cook ten minutes covered, and five uncovered. add more butter during the last five minutes, baste the rolls, and serve with the butter poured over them, or with tomato sauce. pimentos with tomato lay the large flat pimentos from a can on a platter, and slide into each a slice of tomato which has been sprinkled with salt and celery salt. fry in a covered pan for five minutes, and serve plain or with caper sauce. potatoes between the good cooks who contend that a potato is never properly "boiled" if it is boiled at all, and those who either cook potatoes in a steamer, or put them in cold water which is carefully watched to see that it does not actually boil, cooking thus until the potatoes are tender, and those who drop them into rapidly boiling salted water, letting them boil hard until done, there is wide latitude for individual preference. i would advise those who do not have potatoes served on the table which are white and floury and thoroughly cooked through, to see that one of the above-mentioned ways of cooking potatoes is carried out in their kitchens. potatoes put in boiling water, or put in a covered steamer over rapidly boiling water, will cook in from twenty minutes to half an hour, the time depending, of course, upon the size and age of the potatoes; they should always be carefully scrubbed and cooked in their skins, and peeled afterwards. mashed potatoes having boiled or steamed the required number of potatoes, peel them as expeditiously as possible and break them up in a hot saucepan; mash and then beat them vigorously with a wooden spoon or a fork, add a generous piece of butter, dredge with salt and a little pepper, and beat them until they are light; then moisten slightly with a very little hot milk or cream, beat them for a moment more, and serve very hot. potato soufflÉ put into a saucepan or cups of warm mashed potato and tablespoon butter. add the yolks of eggs, tablespoons cream (or milk), salt and pepper, and stir over fire until well mixed. remove from the fire and add the well-beaten whites of the eggs. heap in a buttered baking dish and let brown on the top in the oven. mashed potato soufflÉ in cases select large potatoes, scrub them and let them bake until mealy, which will be in from half an hour to three quarters, then cut them in half, lengthwise, and carefully scrape out the potato, laying aside the skins to use as cases. mash the potatoes with a wire potato-masher, add tablespoon of butter for every potatoes used, and season well with salt and pepper. beat the whites of eggs very stiff, allowing to every potatoes, and mix them lightly through the potato with a fork; fill the potato skins with the mixture, heaping them full; brown them slightly in the oven before serving, and garnish the dish on which they are served with sprigs of parsley. five potatoes will fill or cases. riced potatoes break up well-boiled dry potatoes with a fork, dredge with salt and pepper, and press through a sieve or a so-called "ricer" into a hot serving dish. riced potato fritters boil large potatoes, press them through a sieve, and add lightly beaten eggs, teaspoons of flour creamed with tablespoon of butter, teaspoon of salt, and cups of milk. beat well together, and drop from a large spoon into deep, hot fat; they will rise to the top a light brown when done. chopped chives or chopped parsley may be added to the mixture if desired. mashed potatoes with onion to or cups of mashed potato add cup of boiled onion minced to a pulp, tablespoon of butter, tablespoon of cream, some pepper and salt; beat lightly together, and before serving brown the top for a moment in the oven. baked potatoes select potatoes of uniform size, scrub them well, place in a hot oven until they yield to pressure of the fingers, which will be in most cases in about three quarters of an hour. they should not stand after baking, and should be served in an open dish. a baked potato that is worked with the fingers while being turned in the hand a few times, becomes light and soft. roast potatoes pare small, round potatoes, and lay them in cold water. put tablespoons of butter in a shallow baking pan, and let it melt in the oven; then wipe the potatoes, and lay them in the pan, rolling each in the hot butter. let them cook in a moderate oven from one half to three quarters of an hour, and baste them during the cooking five or six times with the butter. sprinkle with salt before serving. denver potatoes peel several smooth oval potatoes and cut in half, lengthwise. dig out a small hole in the centre of the smooth side, and level the rounded parts so they will sit evenly. put a lump of butter in each, and place in a pan with a little water, first dredging with salt and pepper, and bake about twenty-five minutes or until browned. broiled potatoes cut cold boiled potatoes lengthwise into quarter-inch slices, dip each in flour, and lay in a folding broiler. broil until evenly browned on both sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve on a hot dish with a bit of butter on each, or as a garnish to other vegetables. fried potatoes soufflÉ peel and trim the required number of potatoes to a uniform size, cut both ends straight across, and then slice the potatoes into slices about / of an inch thick, and drop them into cold water for about half an hour, and then dry them with a cloth. for the frying two kettles of fat are necessary, one of which must be perfectly fresh; drop the potatoes into the used fat or oil and let them fry until about half done; but do not let them brown at all; drain them thoroughly and let them get cold. five or six minutes before they are to be served drop them into the fresh fat which should be almost smoking, move them about lightly with a fork, and they will puff out to a considerable size; let them become a golden brown, put them in the oven on brown paper for a moment, and serve instantly. whole potatoes fried use very small new potatoes, and, after boiling them, roll in egg and cracker crumbs, and fry in hot, deep fat. use alone or as a garnish to baked tomatoes. french-fried potatoes peel potatoes which are of medium size and cut into even eighths, lengthwise, and then let them lie in cold water for fifteen minutes; then dry them between the folds of a clean cloth, and put in a frying basket. immerse slowly in hot fat, and fry until a golden brown; drain at once, and dredge with salt. saratoga chips cut potatoes into thin slices with a potato cutter, lay in cold water twenty minutes, dry, and fry in deep, hot fat until crisp. drain from the fat onto brown paper, dredge with salt, and serve very hot. potatoes parisian these are cooked exactly like french-fried potatoes, except that the little vegetable cutter, which cuts tiny globes of potato, is used to form the shapes. some care must be taken to use strength enough with the cutter to make it cut perfectly round balls. potato straws peel or potatoes and then cut them with a patent vegetable cutter in strings; lay them in very cold water for twenty minutes, drain, and put in a frying basket, and slowly immerse in hot fat, and let them fry until a golden brown. drain, and dredge with salt before serving. potato cradles peel, wash, and dry potatoes of uniform size and shape. cut in two, lengthwise, and scoop out the inside, and fry the potato cases in hot fat until brown; then drain and sprinkle with salt. serve hot peas heaped up in each cradle and garnish with mint or parsley. potatoes lyonnaise take or cold boiled potatoes and cut them in slices. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when it is melted add thinly sliced, medium-sized onions, and fry these, letting them cook very slowly ten minutes; then season with pepper and salt and add the sliced potatoes, and let these fry slowly, turning with a knife until they are a golden brown; season afresh with pepper and salt, and add tablespoon of finely chopped parsley before serving. these potatoes will take a great deal of salt and pepper. german fried potatoes put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add or cold boiled potatoes cut in slices, season highly with salt and pepper, fry until done, which will be about twelve or fifteen minutes, turning with a knife; when nearly done stop stirring, and let the potatoes brown on the bottom of the pan; serve in a hot dish with the browned slices on the top. fried potato savoury fry cold sliced or diced potatoes, and when browned add / teaspoon of onion juice or extract, then arrange in a buttered baking dish in layers with grated cheese, pepper, salt, and some butter in each layer, cover the top with a few brown crumbs and chopped parsley or chives, and let heat a few minutes in the oven. chopped chives can be arranged with the layers of potato if the flavour is liked. creamed potatoes put tablespoons of butter into a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of minced parsley and pepper and salt, stir until very hot, then add a scant cup of milk, containing teaspoon of flour and a pinch of soda, and when this boils add diced cold boiled potatoes, and, when thoroughly heated through, serve. escalloped potatoes boil or medium-sized potatoes in their skins, and after peeling slice them in slices / of an inch thick. while the potatoes are boiling make a sauce of cups of milk, the juice of onion, salt and pepper, tablespoons of butter, and tablespoon of thickening flour. butter a baking dish, and arrange a layer of potatoes, cover with sauce, then put another layer of potatoes, and so continue until the dish is filled. then cut hard-boiled eggs in neat slices, arrange them over the top, sprinkle with cracker crumbs and a little finely chopped parsley, and cook ten or twelve minutes in the oven. potatoes delmonico for a large baking dish cups of cold boiled diced potatoes will be required. butter a baking dish, and put a layer of potatoes an inch deep in the bottom, and cover this with well made white sauce, and sprinkle slightly with salt and pepper; then add another layer of potato, and white sauce, and seasoning, and so on, until the dish is heaping full, and then sprinkle the top with grated cheese, and let brown well in a hot oven. oak hill potatoes butter a baking dish well, and place in it alternate layers of sliced cold boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, seasoning each layer; then pour over it a white sauce in which grated cheese is melted. cover the top of the dish with cracker crumbs, and brown in the oven. heilbronn potatoes put tablespoons of butter in a deep saucepan, and when melted stir into it, with a flat-ended wooden spoon, tablespoons of flour and let brown, then add tablespoons of vinegar and use cups of boiling water or vegetable stock in making this into a smooth sauce. add / an onion, sliced, cloves, allspice, a piece of thin lemon peel, tablespoon of lemon juice, and let cook very slowly, stirring for ten minutes. then add more vegetable stock or boiling water to make a thin sauce and strain it; return to the fire and add or parboiled thinly sliced potatoes, tablespoons of capers, and let cook slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring frequently; then pour into the saucepan / cup of cream (sour preferred), and serve in a deep, hot dish. savoury potato cakes chop cold boiled potatoes, and crush with a potato masher (or use cold mashed potato); add to them tablespoon of mixed herbs, teaspoon of chopped onions, pepper, salt, tablespoon of melted butter, and beaten egg; mould into flat cakes, and put in a frying pan containing tablespoon of melted butter; brown, and turn with a pancake turner to brown the other side. potato hash put cold boiled potatoes and medium-sized onions in a chopping bowl and chop them fine. melt tablespoon of butter in a large frying pan, place the potatoes and onion in it, and smooth the top even with a fork. season well with salt and pepper and put over a moderately hot fire, shaking the pan vigorously from time to time to keep the hash from burning. if it is shaken instead of being stirred it will brown well on the bottom. turn out onto a hot serving dish, with the browned part on top, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. potato omelet butter a frying pan with teaspoon of butter, and cover the bottom of the pan with sliced cold boiled potatoes laid flat; let these fry a few moments, then pour over them well-beaten eggs and tablespoon of chopped parsley or chives, season well with salt and pepper, and turn from the pan when browned. curried potatoes chop good-sized onion very fine, and fry in tablespoons of butter until transparent and cooked, but not brown; then remove most of the onion with a strainer, pressing the juice from it into the butter, and put in or sliced cold boiled potatoes; sprinkle some curry powder and salt and pepper over them and fry, turning them frequently until done. the amount of curry can vary from to teaspoons. potato fricassee put in a saucepan generous tablespoon of butter and cup of milk; when hot add some cold potatoes cut in dice, season with pepper, salt, and a few drops of onion juice. let them get thoroughly hot, then add the beaten yolks of eggs, stir constantly until thick. great care must be taken not to let it cook too long or the sauce will curdle. add a little chopped parsley before serving. potatoes rennequin boil potatoes, peel them, and let them dry in a warm place on the stove. put tablespoon of butter into a saucepan, and when partly melted slice the potatoes into it. now add tablespoon of water, some salt, pepper, and tablespoon of minced parsley; let it become thoroughly heated, then add tablespoon of lemon juice and serve very hot. potatoes and cheese mince or chop fine or peeled raw potatoes, and toss in a saucepan with tablespoons of butter until cooked. place a layer of these in a buttered baking dish, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with grated cheese; then add another layer of potatoes, and proceed thus until the dish is full. pour melted butter over and let brown in the oven. escalloped potato and onion peel and slice very thinly or medium-sized potatoes and or onions, and arrange them in layers in a buttered baking dish, dotting them with butter, and sprinkling with pepper and salt. over all pour / cup of milk, or enough to dampen well, and almost cover, and set the dish in a shallow pan containing a little water, and let the escallop cook slowly for about an hour, keeping it covered for the first half-hour, and uncovered afterward to brown. serve in the baking dish. new potatoes in butter scrub small new potatoes with a stiff brush, and boil or steam them for twenty-five minutes, and serve them with melted butter to which a teaspoon or more of finely chopped parsley has been added. creamed new potatoes scrub small new potatoes with a stiff brush which will remove the skins, and boil or steam them about twenty-five minutes; then cover them with a highly seasoned white sauce. baked new potatoes scrub the skin from small new potatoes, and cook in salted boiling water about twenty minutes or until tender. make a white sauce of tablespoon of flour, tablespoon butter, and cup of milk seasoned highly with salt and pepper, and, after arranging the boiled potatoes in a baking dish or casserole, pour the sauce over them, and on the top of all pour well-beaten egg. put the dish in the oven and let it stay just long enough to set the egg. sprinkle with chopped parsley before sending to the table. if preferred the egg can be added to the white sauce instead of being put on top. mock new potatoes peel the required number of large old potatoes, and with a parisian potato cutter cut them into small balls; drop these in boiling water, and when done cover with a highly seasoned white sauce, to which is added a very little chopped parsley. boiled sweet potatoes as the skin of sweet potatoes does not come off well after cooking it is best to peel them before baking or boiling. select large sweet potatoes, put them in boiling water, and let them boil from half to three quarters of an hour. peel them and arrange them in a hot dish, with / cup of melted butter poured over them. baked sweet potatoes wash and peel the sweet potatoes and put them in the oven. a medium-sized potato will take about forty minutes to bake. mashed sweet potatoes peel and boil or sweet potatoes, drain off all the water, and then mash with a wire potato-masher in the saucepan in which they were cooked; mix with them while hot tablespoons of good butter, and dredge generously with salt, and serve very hot. sweet potato soufflÉ mix with mashed sweet potatoes when slightly cooled the beaten yolks of eggs and then the stiff whites of the eggs. heap in a buttered baking dish and let brown in the oven. escalloped sweet potatoes slice what will make or cups of cold boiled sweet potatoes, butter a baking dish, and arrange a layer of potatoes in the bottom, making it an inch thick. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dot well with butter. then arrange another layer, proceed as before, and so on until the dish is filled. then pour over all / cup of water in which tablespoons of sugar are dissolved. put the dish in the oven, and in ten minutes baste with tablespoons of water. let cook five minutes more or until browned on top. stuffed sweet potatoes bake in their skins the number of potatoes required, cut them in half, scoop out the inside, and mix with chopped celery, and minced onion, and melted butter, allowing tablespoon of celery and / teaspoon of onion to each potato. season with salt and pepper, refill the skins, and let brown in the oven. southern sweet potato pie bake large sweet potatoes, then scrape the inside from them, and beat into it lightly with a fork tablespoons of butter, tablespoons of sugar, well-beaten eggs, cup of warm milk, a saltspoon of salt, and a pinch of mixed spice. line a baking dish with pastry, fill with the potato, and bake for twenty minutes. texas sweet potato pie boil or sweet potatoes for half an hour or until cooked. line a large baking dish with pie-crust, slice the potatoes lengthwise while still hot, and put a layer of them on the crust, and cover this with long strips of pastry. sprinkle with sugar, dot with butter, and add a little nutmeg; then place another layer of potato, and another of pastry, and so on, until the dish is nearly filled. pour on enough boiling water to almost fill the dish, and cover the top with pastry like any deep pie, cutting it here and there to let the steam escape. bake for about twenty minutes, or until the crust is a little browned. maryland sweet potatoes peel or medium-sized sweet potatoes, quarter them lengthwise, and lay them in a large saucepan having rounded sides. add to the potatoes heaping tablespoons of butter, and heaping tablespoons of granulated sugar, and or tablespoons of water, and stir until the sugar and butter are dissolved. cover closely and let them cook for four or five minutes undisturbed, then stir again with a wooden spoon, being careful to see that the syrup is not sticking on the bottom, re-cover, and from now on let cook only a couple of moments at a time before again stirring. the water will of course soon cook away; let the potatoes cook rapidly in the hot syrup until they begin to soften, then put them where the fire is less hot, and let them cook slowly until done. the entire cooking should not take more than fifteen or twenty minutes, and the thick brown sauce should be thoroughly scraped from the saucepan and served over the sweet potatoes. candied sweet potatoes lay pared sweet potatoes cut in slices in a buttered baking dish with a cover. sprinkle each layer with brown sugar, salt and pepper and cinnamon, and dot with bits of butter. pour in / cup of boiling water for / dozen potatoes and baste while cooking. cook moderately until tender, from half an hour to three quarters, depending on the heat of the oven. the cinnamon can be omitted if not liked. griddled sweet potatoes cut cold boiled sweet potatoes in slices, lengthwise, and lay them on a buttered griddle; when browned on one side turn with a pancake turner and brown the other side. sprinkle with salt and serve very hot. fried sweet potatoes cut cold boiled sweet potatoes in half-inch squares and fry them in melted butter. salt well, and stir with a knife, and let brown as much as possible without burning. french-fried sweet potatoes cut cold boiled sweet potatoes in sixths, lengthwise, place in a frying basket, and fry for about five minutes, or until well browned. drain and sprinkle with salt. glazed sweet potatoes let sweet potatoes boil until nearly done, then drain and cool. when cold cut them in inch-thick slices, or into rounds with a patent cutter, mix them well with melted butter and sugar, using tablespoons of sugar to each / cup of butter, and put them in a deep dish in a hot oven for ten minutes, or until well browned. creamed salsify (oyster plant) remove the tops from bunches of salsify, scrape and cut to shape, and put in a bowl of cold water containing some lemon juice, to retain the whiteness. drain and put in boiling water, using enough to cover it, and let cook about three quarters of an hour, salting the water during the last half-hour's boiling. drain and serve with highly seasoned white sauce or parsley sauce made with the water in which the salsify cooked, with the addition of a little milk or cream. english salsify boil salsify as directed above, drain, and serve with bread sauce, serving fine browned bread crumbs with the sauce. salsify in coquilles boil the salsify as directed, and press through a sieve; then beat into it tablespoon of butter, season highly, arrange in buttered coquilles or ramekins, sprinkle grated cheese over the top, and let brown in the oven. escalloped salsify boil salsify as directed, not letting it quite finish cooking; slice, and arrange in buttered baking dish, with layers of slightly browned crumbs dotted with butter, and sprinkled with pepper, salt, and paprika. pour / cup of milk or cream over to dampen, then cover the top with crumbs, and bake about fifteen minutes. an egg can be beaten with the milk to make the dish richer if wanted. mashed black salsify (schwarzwurzel) proceed as with ordinary salsify, except that it is best not to peel or cut this sort of salsify until after boiling. when boiled, peel, and mash the white part, using tablespoon of cream to each cup of salsify, teaspoon of butter, pepper, and salt. arrange in individual dishes or cases with crumbs on top, and bake ten minutes to brown. fried salsify tartare use cold boiled salsify, cut in any shape desired, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat until browned. drain well, dredge with salt, and serve with sauce tartare. spinach spinach should be well picked over, leaf by leaf, and washed in several different waters, and changed to a different pan each time it is washed, that the sand may be left behind with each washing. then put it in a large kettle, with a scant cup of water for a peck of spinach, and let it cook over a slow fire until tender; in this way its own juices will be extracted, and it will be more tasty than if cooked in water. it should be then drained and chopped extremely fine, or until as nearly a pulp as possible, and then mashed in a mortar or with a potato-masher. it is then ready to prepare in any way desired for the table. delicious spinach can be had canned, and if this is used it needs only to be very finely chopped and mashed, then seasoned, and prepared in any of the following ways. german spinach melt tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and in it let simmer for ten minutes good-sized onion that has been finely chopped, then add cups of the boiled, chopped, and mashed spinach to it, and stir well together, and season thoroughly with salt and pepper; finish with / teaspoon of grated nutmeg, and or tablespoons of whipped cream, and pile high in a heated dish, covering the top with the chopped whites and riced yolks of hard-boiled eggs. spinach with white sauce prepare as in the above recipe, using, instead of the cream, / cup of highly seasoned white sauce, and at the last add the juice of lemon or tablespoon of reduced vinegar. german spinach with rhubarb another german way of preparing spinach is to cook rhubarb leaves or flowers (or both) with the spinach for the purée and to add chives. if canned spinach is used the rhubarb leaves should be cooked and chopped and added to the canned spinach before it is macerated. italian spinach wash / peck spinach and cook twenty-five minutes without water. drain, chop to a fine pulp, mash until smooth in a mortar, season with tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper, and encircle with a garnish of well-scrambled eggs to which has been added tablespoons of grated cheese. novelty spinach drain a can of spinach and chop it very fine, and then mash it until smooth. put it in a saucepan with tablespoon of chopped chives or grated onion, salt and pepper, and sprinkle the whole surface well with grated nutmeg. hard boil eggs, remove the yolks, and mix them thoroughly with the spinach. chop the whites, and arrange the spinach on rounds of toast, placing tablespoons on each piece, garnish with the whites of the eggs, and pour on each tablespoons of cheese sauce. if the arrangement on toast is not desired, the cheese sauce can be mixed with the spinach before serving it. spinach soufflÉ take cups of cooked chopped spinach, mash to a pulp, add cup of white sauce and the whites of eggs beaten very stiff, season well, and pile lightly in timbale cups; set these in a pan of water, and let bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes or less. before serving sprinkle the top of each with riced yolk of hard-boiled egg. baked squash or pumpkin cut a pumpkin or a squash in triangular or square pieces, about three inches across, scrape the seeds, etc., from each piece, and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spread with butter. set in a moderate oven and bake for half an hour or until browned. serve garnished with sprigs of parsley. it should be eaten from the shell with additional butter. california squash take a very young summer squash, which if it be young enough need not be pared, and cut it into small pieces. fry half an onion in a tablespoon of butter, and when transparent and beginning to brown add the squash to it and season with salt and pepper. let all cook together for ten minutes, and then add / of a cup of hot water, and let cook until the squash is quite tender. stewed tomatoes empty can of tomatoes into a double boiler, and put with them cup of crumbled bread without crust, stir well together, season with pepper and salt, cover, and let cook slowly for half an hour, stirring from time to time. just before serving add a piece of butter the size of a walnut. while the tomatoes will be ready to serve with half an hour's cooking, they are improved by cooking an hour, and are better still if warmed again after cooling. escalloped tomatoes drain the juice from can of tomatoes. butter a baking dish, and cover the bottom with the tomatoes; dot with butter, dredge with pepper and salt, and sprinkle generously with fine bread crumbs; arrange another layer of tomatoes, and crumbs, and so proceed until the dish is filled. pour over all enough of the juice of the tomatoes to moisten well, and then finish the dish with a covering of crumbs. bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. breaded tomatoes slice large, solid tomatoes, dredge them on both sides with salt and pepper, and dip each slice in beaten egg, and then in fine bread or cracker crumbs. arrange them in a frying basket, and plunge them in hot, deep fat for one or two minutes to brown. drain, and garnish with sprays of parsley, or use as a garnish to other vegetables. fried tomatoes put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted lay in thickly sliced tomatoes which have been rolled in egg and crumbs; when browned on one side turn them with a pancake turner and brown the other side, seasoning with pepper and salt. remove to the serving dish with a pancake turner, seasoning the first side cooked after they are turned onto the dish. a half a teaspoon of onion juice may be added to the butter in which they are cooking if desired. serve plain or with white sauce. devilled tomatoes cut in half and broil three or four nice solid tomatoes, and serve them with a sauce made as follows: take the yolks of hard-boiled eggs and crush them with a fork, add to them a scant teaspoon of dry mustard, heaping saltspoon of salt, and several shakes of paprika, or a dash of cayenne pepper; mix these dry ingredients well together, and then add to them tablespoons of melted butter, tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, and heat in a double boiler; when it begins to thicken remove from the fire and stir in well-beaten egg. chop the whites of the boiled eggs, and put with them teaspoons of chopped parsley, and decorate the centre of each broiled tomato with this before serving. creamed tomatoes take solid, medium-sized tomatoes, and, having cut a circular piece out of the stem-end, scoop out most of the inside, and fill with parboiled celery cut in half-inch lengths, mixed with an equal quantity of canned peas, and dampened with white sauce; heap teaspoon of peas on the top of each tomato, and bake for twenty minutes or more, and serve with highly seasoned white sauce poured over each. baked tomatoes with mushrooms wash good solid tomatoes and carefully cut out the inside; dredge with pepper and salt and fill the tomato with sauté mushrooms, using either fresh or canned ones, chopped and fried in butter. bake for about twenty minutes, or until heated through but not broken. tomatoes with nut force-meat slice the stem-end from large, solid tomatoes, scoop out the inside, and fill with a force-meat made of one cup of crumbs, / cup of chopped nuts, teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, tablespoon of melted butter, / tablespoon of grated onion, and egg. replace the tops on the tomatoes and bake them for about twenty minutes, watching that the skins do not break, as they will do in a too hot oven. tomatoes stuffed with egg and peppers cut the inside from solid, large tomatoes, and refill with a mixture of equal parts of chopped hard-boiled eggs and chopped sweet green peppers (or use pimentos) well moistened with melted butter and onion juice, and seasoned with salt. put in a baking dish, cover, and let bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. baked tomatoes with green peppers scoop out the inside from solid tomatoes, and refill with the tomato meat which has been cut out of the centre and chopped with sweet green peppers, using teaspoon of peppers to each tomato, and teaspoon of cracker crumbs or boiled rice; season with pepper and salt, and place / teaspoon of butter in each tomato before laying the top on; then bake in a moderate oven about twenty minutes. tomatoes filled with egg select very large solid tomatoes, and with a small, sharp knife cut a round piece out of the stem-end, then cut out a large enough space from the inside to hold a small egg, and arrange in a shallow pan. sprinkle with salt and pepper, add / teaspoon of grated onion, and set in a hot oven for five or six minutes. remove, and break into each tomato the yolk of egg and as much of the white as it will hold without running over the edge. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little chopped parsley, and replace in the oven, letting them cook slowly fifteen minutes until the egg is set. remove to individual plates for serving, taking care to not break the tomato. garnish with cress or parsley. tomatoes may be stuffed in a great variety of ways,--with fillings of fried cucumber, tomato, and chopped onions, or bread dressing with sage, etc. tomatoes stuffed with spinach cut an opening in the top of large, solid tomatoes, and scoop out some of the inside with a spoon, fill with "german spinach," and place in a hot oven for about twenty minutes; upon removing from the oven cover each with a slice of hard-boiled egg, or use the white rim filled with riced yolks. serve alone or as a garnish for another vegetable. tomatoes stuffed with macaroni scoop the inside from large, solid tomatoes and use it with bay leaf and some melted butter to make a tomato sauce. into this stir / cup of boiled macaroni (spaghetti or rice may also be used), and, after seasoning well with salt and pepper, fill the tomatoes with the macaroni, putting teaspoon of grated cheese on the top of each. bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes or less, and garnish with watercress or parsley. american rarebit put a little water and large tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add large spanish onion or ordinary onions chopped fine, and let simmer slowly ten minutes. strain the juice from a can of tomatoes, and put the tomatoes in a double boiler; when they are heated through scrape the onions into the tomatoes, and let them all cook together for half an hour; season highly with salt and pepper, and just before serving add or well-beaten eggs, and let stand for a few minutes until somewhat thickened; serve on toast. if the flavour of onions is liked, a larger quantity of chopped onion may be used; and to increase the quantity, or more eggs may be added to this rule without other changes. for chafing-dish prepare in advance to the point where the eggs are added, and add these after reheating in the chafing-dish. tomatoes and onion proceed as in the preceding recipe without adding the eggs. tomatoes casino select large, solid tomatoes, and without cutting them let them boil for fifteen minutes; then slip off the skins, halve them, and lay each piece, cut-side down, on a round of toast the same size as the tomato. cover the top with warm hollandaise, bernaise, or maître d'hôtel sauce, and in the centre lay a slice of truffle; garnish with watercress. tomatoes indienne halve large, solid tomatoes, and arrange them in a shallow pan, cut-side up. dredge with salt and pepper, and spread with curry powder and some onion juice. put in the oven for ten minutes, or under the gas burners of the oven in a gas stove. do not let the tomatoes soften, and serve at once to prevent this. use alone or as a garnish to rice. tomatoes with eggs strain can of tomatoes and put them in a saucepan; stir well, and season with pepper and salt and tablespoon of butter, and, after they have cooked fifteen or twenty minutes, stir in or well-beaten eggs and serve on toast after two or three minutes' further cooking. curried tomatoes cut a thin slice from the stem-end of large, solid tomatoes, and scoop out some of the inside. fill with boiled rice to which is added the tomato removed from the inside and a little curry powder ( / teaspoon to cup of rice is a moderate amount). season the mixture well with salt, replace the top, and bake fifteen minutes. the curry powder can be omitted from the filling and the tomatoes served with curry sauce if preferred. savoury tomatoes cut in half rather large, solid tomatoes, allowing halves for each person to be served, and set them, cut-side up, in a shallow tin; press capers into the spaces, then dredge heavily with celery salt, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set under the flame of a gas oven until the tops are blackened. the flame should be hot so that this may happen as quickly as possible in order that the tomatoes may not become softened by the heat; to this end it is also necessary to leave the door of the broiling compartment open. tomatoes creole cut in half, crosswise, or solid tomatoes, and set them, cut halves upwards, in a buttered pan. chop or sweet green peppers, mix with them teaspoon of chopped onion, and sprinkle this over the tomatoes; place a small piece of butter on each half, and sprinkle with salt and paprika. let bake about twenty minutes, then remove to rounds of toast, or nests of boiled rice, and pour over them white sauce. tomato loaf strain the juice from can of tomatoes through a sieve fine enough to stop all the seeds, and put in an enamelled saucepan to boil; season well with salt and pepper, and when it boils pour it onto enough gelatine dissolved in water to stiffen it. the amount of gelatine cannot be given, as the various vegetable gelatines, arrowroot, etc., vary in thickening power. instructions as to the proper amount for each pint of liquid will come with every package. set the jelly aside to cool, and arrange slices of hard-boiled egg on the bottom of custard cups or small plain moulds, and encircle these with slices of stuffed olive, pickled walnut, or truffles, or mushrooms. when the jelly is somewhat cooled, and so thick enough to hold down these garnishings when poured onto them, half fill the cups with it. serve when set and ice-cold, turned out on lettuce leaves. tomatoes and hominy take cups of cold boiled hominy and cups of boiled tomatoes, put them in a saucepan with tablespoon of butter, season generously with salt and pepper, and serve in a deep dish when thoroughly heated through, or put into a buttered baking dish with crumbs on the top (and a little grated cheese if liked); brown before serving. stewed turnips peel and wash turnips and cut them in eighths lengthwise, or in dice, and put them in boiling milk and water which covers them. let them cook slowly for half an hour uncovered, then lift them out and place on a hot dish at the side of the stove. make a sauce with / cups of the stock in which they cooked, into which beat the yolk of egg and / teaspoon of lemon juice; season this with pepper and salt and pour over the turnips. instead of this, ordinary white sauce may be made of the turnip stock. mashed turnips peel and quarter good-sized turnips, cover them with boiling water, and let cook until tender, which should be in from half an hour to three quarters; drain them in a colander, and press gently with a wire potato-masher to remove as much water as possible, then mash them and beat them well, stirring in tablespoons of butter, teaspoon of salt, and saltspoon of pepper. mashed turnips and potato prepare turnips as for mashed turnips, and mash with them an equal quantity of boiled potatoes; add butter, pepper, and salt, and beat up very light before serving. turnips au gratin cut boiled turnips in thin slices, and arrange them in a buttered baking dish in layers one inch deep; sprinkle each layer with melted butter, pepper, salt, and grated cheese. finish with cheese on the top, and bake for twenty minutes. ragout of turnips put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of chopped onion and cups of diced turnips, and stir until they begin to brown; season with teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, teaspoon of sugar, and add slowly cup of vegetable broth or milk into which tablespoon of flour has been made smooth. let simmer gently for half an hour. teltower rÜbchen buy the imported "rübchen," which are the daintiest tiny turnips, and heat them in their own liquor; then drain and serve with spanish sauce. parisian turnips cut turnips into small rounds with a parisian potato cutter, and boil them for half an hour or until tender, the time depending largely upon the age of the turnips. drain, and cover with highly seasoned white sauce, to which tablespoon of chopped parsley has been added. kindness to animals is not mere sentiment but a requisite of even a very ordinary education; nothing in arithmetic or grammar is so important for a child to learn as humaneness. journal of education, boston. vegetable combinations chop suey put cup of onions, fried until brown, cup of celery cut in two-inch pieces and then shredded and stewed in vegetable stock for half an hour, cup of fried mushrooms, and cups of boiled rice in a saucepan with a cup of thin brown sauce. let all heat together for ten minutes, and season with salt and pepper. colcannon this is made by the mixture of two or more vegetables already boiled. use equal parts of mashed potato and sprouts (or any greens) finely minced, and grated onion if wanted, and add some mashed carrots or turnips or both; season with salt and pepper. mix eggs through or cups of vegetables, press into a mould, and boil or steam for half an hour. turn out to serve, and serve plain or with a brown sauce. macedoine of vegetables boil small cauliflower and set it aside to drain; then boil cups of diced carrots, drain them when tender, but reserve the stock. add to the carrots the cauliflower carefully separated into little pieces, cups of boiled peas, or can, cup of cooked or canned flageolets, / a cup of carrot stock, / teaspoons of salt, small saltspoon of pepper, and tablespoon of sugar. let simmer together until heated, and then add chopped onion, bay leaves, tablespoon of butter. if liked, a sauce made of tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of flour thinned with the carrot stock and highly seasoned can be strained over the vegetables before serving. canned macedoine of vegetables delicious combinations of peas, shaped carrots, flageolets, etc., can be had in bottles. drain them, and put in a saucepan with tablespoon of butter and some pepper and salt. when hot serve or add / cup of cream. serve to garnish, or alone, or use to fill peppers, or tomatoes, or patties. vegetable chowder pare and slice in rather thick slices, enough potatoes to make cups, and prepare the same amount of shredded cabbage, and sliced onions. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add the onions, and cook them for ten minutes. butter a large casserole, arrange over the bottom a layer of sliced potato, then a layer of cabbage, then one of onions, seasoning each with pepper and salt, and sprinkling with chopped hard-boiled egg, and so fill the dish. pour cups of milk, into which tablespoon of flour has been made smooth, over the chowder, set the dish in a shallow pan of water, and bake slowly for one hour. if the milk cooks away add a little more during the cooking. the same dish can be made in a kettle, in which case halve the potatoes and cook for three quarters of an hour. vegetable pie (st. george's house) boil enough carrots, turnips, and large white haricot beans to make a / cup of each when chopped or sliced after cooling, and enough potatoes to make a scant cup when sliced. slice enough bermuda onions to make / cup, and fry in butter until golden brown; then mix the onions and prepared vegetables, and add to them / cup each of canned peas, green beans, and tomatoes. season well with salt and pepper, stir in teaspoon of chopped parsley, dampen with the water in which the haricot beans cooked, heap into a deep baking dish, cover with a good crust, and bake until slightly browned. vegetable hash chop separately medium-sized potatoes, sweet green peppers (carefully seeded), fresh tomatoes, cup of boiled beets ( / a can), and raw onions. put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add the chopped onions, and let simmer slowly for five minutes, then add the tomatoes and let simmer another five minutes, then put in the potatoes, the peppers, and the beets. dredge well with salt and pepper, and, stirring occasionally, let all cook slowly until the juices are nearly absorbed; then let the hash brown on the bottom, and turn out with the brown on top. garnish with squares of toast. vegetable stew put tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan, and when melted add to it / cup of sliced onions, / cup of diced carrots, cup of shredded celery, and / cup of turnips cut in oblong pieces, and toss them in the butter for fifteen minutes; then pour over them cups of cold vegetable broth or water, add teaspoon of salt, bay leaves, small onions halved, carrots cut in quarters, small squares of turnip, and let simmer slowly for half an hour; then add potatoes cut in half, and let cook for half an hour more, and add more vegetable broth to keep the vegetables covered. make dumplings, and drop into the boiling stew, cover tightly, and cook ten minutes more; season well with salt and pepper, and serve with enough of the stock, thickened with a little flour and butter, to cover. vegetable casserole in order that this dish should taste and appear at its best, it should be cooked and served in an italian casserole dish from eight to ten inches in diameter. peel medium-sized onions, and take the layers off until a centre about three quarters of an inch in diameter is left; toss the centres in hot butter until browned, and chop the outside. cut medium-sized sweet green peppers in half, lengthwise, and fill each half liberally with a mixture of bread crumbs, chopped tomato, chopped onion, and salt and pepper. stuff solid, medium-sized tomatoes in any of the ways described under stuffed tomatoes. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add to it tablespoons of chopped onions; fry these for ten minutes, then stir in tablespoons of flour, and use vegetable stock or milk, cups of either, to make a sauce; add bay leaf, and enough soup-browning to make a rich colour. put the stuffed peppers in a casserole dish with the glazed onion hearts and the sauce, cover, and let cook for ten minutes; then arrange the stuffed tomatoes in the casserole, distribute among them / can of button mushrooms, halved, / can of flageolets or peas, and leave the cover off the dish, letting it cook for fifteen minutes very slowly. this casserole can be varied in many ways, using different filling for the peppers and tomatoes, and either truffles, string beans, or fresh mushrooms in the sauce, which should not be too thick. vegetable ragout prepare for boiling what will make cups of turnip when cut in inch squares, / cups of potatoes, and / cups of carrots. put the carrots into slightly salted and sweetened water, let boil for ten minutes, then add the turnips and potato, and cook for ten minutes more. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoons of chopped onion, and fry until slightly browned; then add tablespoons of flour, stir until smooth, and pour slowly into this cups of the stock in which the vegetables cooked; then add teaspoons of sugar, teaspoon of salt, / teaspoon of pepper; and the diced vegetables; cover, and let simmer slowly for half an hour, then add tablespoon of chopped parsley, and serve. bordeaux pie slice enough spanish onions to fill a cup / full, and fry them in butter until slightly browned. boil carrots to equal / cup when diced, potatoes enough to fill a cup / full, and peel cups of mushrooms, and toss them in a little butter in a frying pan over a moderate fire for ten minutes; hard boil eggs, and make cup of white sauce. cut the vegetables in small pieces, slice the eggs, add / cup of canned peas (or fresh boiled ones), teaspoon of chopped parsley, salt and pepper well, put in a little grated nutmeg and teaspoon of lemon juice, and mix all carefully with the white sauce. line a large baking dish (or small individual ones) with thin crust, fill with the mixture, cover the top with crust, and bake until slightly browned. new orleans stew slice onions, and fry them in large tablespoon of butter for five minutes; then add to them chopped sweet green peppers, stir well, and let cook together another five minutes; then scrape the contents of the frying pan into a double boiler, add the corn cut from ears of sweet corn (or / can of corn), and sliced tomatoes, cup of water, teaspoon of salt, teaspoon of sugar, and let all cook together for one hour; season afresh before serving. indian curry put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and add to it when melted onions chopped fine, and let cook very slowly for fifteen minutes. mix tablespoon of curry powder, tablespoon of sour apple, or tamarind-chutney chopped fine, teaspoon of salt, and enough vegetable stock to make a paste. when the onions are browned add this paste, and after stirring well put in cup of boiled haricot beans, cup of halved boiled chestnuts, and can of halved button mushrooms, and let all simmer together for ten minutes. have ready some stock made by putting tablespoons of desiccated cocoanut into a bowl and pouring over it cup of boiling water, and use this to dampen the cooking vegetables; then add cup of vegetable broth, and let cook ten minutes more. we westerners are fond of this served in this way with chutney, but in india they press it through a strainer and serve it as a purée, adding to it well-beaten eggs. encircle with rice in serving. curry of lentils soak or cups of german or egyptian lentils for two or three hours; drain them, and put them in boiling water, and let them cook for three quarters of an hour or until tender but not broken. salt well when they have been cooking a short time, and when done drain them, sprinkle with salt, and heap in a pyramid on a round flat dish; garnish with hard-boiled eggs cut in half, encircle with boiled rice, and pour curry sauce over the lentils only. serve extra sauce in a sauce-boat and indian chutney. curry of succotash heat can of lima beans and can of sweet corn, and when hot drain, and heap on a flat dish; cover with curry sauce, and serve with potato croquettes and indian chutney. creole curry boil cup of rice, and while it is cooking put cups of okra, cups of tomato, and small onions cut in halves, and teaspoon of butter in a double boiler, and when hot add cup of hot water, into which has been dissolved heaping teaspoon of curry powder, and let all cook together for half an hour; remove the onions, add the rice, season generously with salt, and serve with indian chutney. various vegetable curries almost any vegetable makes a good curry,--flageolets, carrots and peas, button mushrooms, etc., and either boiled rice or rice croquettes should be served. a garnish of spanish pimentos looks well, and the curry sauce should be plentiful. hard-boiled eggs halved are always nice with curry, and indian chutney should be served with it. "speaking of the immortality of animals in 'our animal friends,' charles wagner says, 'can that which comes from life return to chaos?--can a work of god have an end?'" nut dishes italian chestnuts chestnuts can be cooked either by roasting or by boiling. if roasted, the thin brown that clings to the nut is removed with the outer shell; if boiled, the inner skin often has to be removed with some trouble. roast chestnuts by putting them in a hot oven for eight or ten minutes, then use a small, sharp knife and peel them from the point down. to boil chestnuts put them, in their shells, in cold water and let them cook for five or six minutes after the water starts boiling, or put them in boiling water for ten or twelve minutes. peel carefully, and serve after roasting or boiling with brown sauce or mushroom sauce, plain or in cases. chestnut purÉe roast or boil cups of italian chestnuts, remove the shell and inner skin and chop them fine or put them through a vegetable mill. put them in a double boiler with milk enough to cover them and let them cook slowly for fifteen or twenty minutes, or until the milk is all absorbed. stir frequently, add tablespoon of butter, tablespoon of cream, plenty of salt and a little pepper. the purée should be the consistency of mashed potato. peanut purÉe shell or cups of peanuts, remove the inner skin, and put through a vegetable mill. put in a double boiler with milk to cover them, season with salt, and let cook gently half an hour, or until tender. stir frequently, and serve when the milk is absorbed and the peanut purée is the consistency of mashed potato. a tablespoon of whipped cream is an improvement if added during the last moments of cooking. michaelmas loaf mix cup of finely ground walnuts (or other nuts), cup of finely ground roasted peanuts, teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, / cups of fine bread crumbs, tablespoon of mixed sweet herbs (thyme, sage, and summer savory), and large onion or small ones chopped fine. when well blended bind together with eggs which have been slightly beaten, mould with the hands into a loaf, place in a well buttered roasting tin, and let it cook for ten minutes in a moderately hot oven; then add tablespoon of butter and cup of hot water, and baste frequently during half an hour's cooking. the loaf should be well browned and carefully removed to a hot platter. make a brown sauce in the pan in which the loaf cooked, and serve with this and cold apple sauce. christmas loaf make as in foregoing recipe, omitting the chopped onion and adding another half tablespoon (or even more) of the sweet herbs. serve with cranberry sauce. roast nut and barley loaf make a brown sauce with tablespoons of olive oil, / cup of browned flour, and use water or vegetable stock for thinning; chop large onion fine, and fry it in tablespoon of oil or butter, and mix the onion and the sauce with cups of cold boiled pearl barley, cup of finely ground roasted peanuts, cup of fine bread crumbs, teaspoon of salt, and saltspoon of pepper. with the hands mould into a loaf, place in a roasting pan which has been well buttered, and let cook in the oven for ten minutes; then add tablespoon of butter and cup of hot water, and baste every five minutes for half an hour. make a brown sauce in the same pan, or serve with caper sauce. garnish, if brown sauce is used, with english savoury croquettes. steamed nut and barley loaf make as in the foregoing recipe, but pack into a mould, set this in boiling water, and let it steam for an hour and a half or two hours. let cool in the mould, and turn out to serve cold, or to slice, or to use for nut hash. a brick-shaped mould will be made by any tinsmith to order, or the large sizes of baking-powder tins can be used to steam loaf. roasted nut loaf with hominy grind cups of nuts,--pecans, walnuts, roasted peanuts, etc., or use peanuts only,--and mix with them cups of cold boiled hominy, / cup of bread crumbs, hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, tablespoon of chopped parsley, tablespoon of grated onion, and raw egg. form into large roll, or several smaller ones, put in a buttered tin, and let bake in a quick oven for half an hour; baste with a little butter and water a few times. garnish with slices of lemon, and serve with brown sauce. this loaf may be steamed as directed for barley loaf and used hot, cold, or in hash. nut and fruit loaf chop mixed nuts enough to make cups, and add to them bananas chopped fine and / teaspoon of salt; mix well together, and press into a plain mould. stand the mould in a steamer, and let it steam for three hours. serve ice-cold, sliced, with pickles or catsup. foundation loaf this loaf can be made and kept in readiness for use, as it will remain fresh for several days if it is left in the covered mould in which it cooked and is kept in a cool place. put cups of water in a saucepan, and when the water boils stir into it cup of a finely ground cereal, preferably gluten flour or meal, or scotch oatmeal, and stir until thick; then add teaspoons of salt, / teaspoon of pepper, tablespoon of butter, and cup of shelled peanuts which have been put through a vegetable grinder twice. pack the mixture into a loaf-shaped mould, or large round tin with a tight-fitting lid, almost immerse it in water, and let it steam for two hours. use when cold, either for nut hash or croquettes, or with an equal amount of bread crumbs and the seasoning to make michaelmas or christmas loaf. nut hash use cold steamed nut loaf and the same amount of cold boiled potatoes. chop the potatoes and the loaf separately, and add to them, after mixing, / as much chopped onion. turn into a frying pan which contains melted butter well covering the bottom, dredge with salt and pepper, and stir frequently with a knife during the first ten minutes' slow cooking; then let the hash brown on the bottom, shaking the pan vigorously from time to time, season afresh, and turn out with the browned portion on top. one or chopped green peppers can be added to the hash, if the flavour is liked. i say nothing of taking life--of fattening for that express purpose; diseases of animals; bad blood made; cruelty superinduced;--it will be seen to be, it will be looked back on, as a form of, a second stage of cannibalism. george meredith. rice, macaroni, etc. boiled rice wash cup of rice by letting water run through it in a sieve, and put it in a large double boiler, the top of which contains plenty of water at boiling point; add teaspoon of salt, and let it boil, tightly covered, for twenty-five minutes; pour off the water then from the rice, still holding the cover on, and again place it over the boiler, and let the rice steam for another twenty minutes, when it will be found that each grain is separate, as it should be. use a fork to scrape it lightly into the serving dish. baked rice let / cup of rice soak for several hours in cups of warm water. drain and put in a baking dish, and cover with cups of milk containing / a teaspoon of salt. cover the dish, and let bake slowly for an hour or until the milk is absorbed and the separate grains of rice are soft. indian rice put tablespoon of butter into a double boiler, and when melted add onion chopped fine, the juice from can of tomatoes, tablespoons of rice, teaspoon of curry powder, some salt and pepper. cover and let cook together for three quarters of an hour. spanish rice put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add / cup of rice, and stir it for fifteen minutes; then add chopped onion, chopped tomato, and clove of garlic, cover with hot water or vegetable stock, and season highly with salt and pepper; stir well, then cover, and let the rice cook slowly for forty minutes. rice-tomato stew take cup of cold boiled rice, and put with it in a saucepan teaspoon of butter, or sliced tomatoes (or a cup of drained canned ones), bay leaf, some celery salt, pepper and salt, and stir well together; let cook slowly for ten minutes, taking care that it does not burn; remove the bay leaf, and serve on thick slices of toast. fried rice press newly boiled rice into an inch-deep pan, cover with a weight, and let it become cold. cut into two-inch squares, and fry until brown in hot butter. serve with tomato or curry sauce. escalloped rice butter a baking dish, and sprinkle the bottom with a layer of boiled rice, and cover this with slices of hard-boiled eggs; dot well with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then arrange another layer of rice and egg, etc., alternating thus until the dish is filled. cover the top with bread crumbs, pour over all tablespoons of melted butter, moisten with / cup of milk, and bake slowly for twenty minutes. rice and cheese butter a baking dish well, and sprinkle a half-inch layer of boiled rice on the bottom; season with salt and pepper, and dot well with butter; then arrange a generous layer of grated cheese, and sprinkle this with english mustard mixed with water, then add another layer of rice, and so continue until the dish is well filled, having the rice on top. pour over all / cup of milk, or of the water in which the rice boiled, and let cook slowly in the oven for twenty minutes. baked rice and tomatoes butter a baking dish well, and put a layer of rice in the bottom of it, and over this arrange slices of tomatoes; dot well with butter, and season plentifully with pepper and salt and celery salt, then place another layer of rice, and so proceed until the dish is well filled. pour / cup of canned tomato juice over the rice, sprinkle the top with grated cheese, and bake for twenty minutes. italian rice put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add to it cups of boiled rice and cup of tomato sauce or tomato chutney; season well with salt and pepper, stir until heated through, and serve plentifully sprinkled with grated cheese. rice au gratin put cup of milk in a double boiler, when hot add to it tablespoon of flour mixed with tablespoon of butter, teaspoon of grated onion (or a few drops of onion extract), and / teaspoon of salt; stir into this cups of boiled rice, let cook for five minutes, then put in a buttered baking dish, with / cup of grated cheese on top, dredge this with paprika, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and let brown in the oven. rice omelet beat the yolks and whites of eggs separately, and to the yolks add / of a cup of milk, / of a cup of cold boiled rice, tablespoon of melted butter, some salt and pepper, and finally the stiff whites of the eggs. put in a buttered omelet pan, and proceed as in making the usual omelet, cooking over a slow fire and shaking the pan vigorously. sprinkle with salt and a little paprika; when set, turn together; serve with a sauce if desired, and garnish with watercress. rice czarina butter a baking dish, and put an inch-deep layer of boiled rice in the bottom. over this sprinkle finely chopped fresh or canned tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and dot well with butter; then place another layer of rice somewhat thinner, and over this spread finely chopped green peppers, and so alternate tomatoes, peppers, and rice until the dish is well filled, having a layer of rice on the top. garnish this with thin slices of tomato in the centre, and encircle the edge with thinly cut rings from the peppers. pour tablespoons of melted butter over all, cover lightly with a tin cover, and let cook in a slow oven for twenty minutes; just before serving add more tablespoons of melted butter. savoury rice butter a baking dish, and half fill it with freshly boiled rice, sprinkle this with salt, pepper, celery salt, and a few drops of worcestershire sauce, then dot with mustard mixed with water, and pour / cup of tomato sauce over the surface evenly. fill the dish with the remaining rice, and season again with the same ingredients, adding / cup of grated cheese (sage cheese preferably); after pouring on the tomato sauce cover with a thin layer of crumbs and bake fifteen minutes in a slow oven. unpolished rice unpolished rice is used extensively in rice-growing countries, and has a quite distinct taste. when it can be obtained it makes a pleasant change, and can be served in any of the ways described for rice. pearl barley pearl barley should be put in plenty of boiling water and cooked for an hour, then drained, and prepared in any of the ways described for the serving of rice. american macaroni break / of a package of macaroni into two-inch lengths, and drop it into rapidly boiling salted water. let it boil for twenty-five minutes, then drain, and arrange with alternate layers of grated cheese in a buttered baking dish. season each layer with pepper and salt, and when the dish is filled pour over all cup of hot milk into which tablespoon of flour and of butter have been made smooth. cover the top with crumbs and bake twenty minutes or until browned. some makers of macaroni recommend putting the macaroni in cold water for fifteen minutes after boiling it, and then reheating it with seasoning, etc. macaroni au gratin break / of a package of macaroni into two-inch lengths, and put it into quarts of rapidly boiling salted water; let boil rapidly for twenty-five minutes, then drain. butter a baking dish, and put in it a half-inch layer of the macaroni, sprinkle generously with grated cheese, and season with salt and pepper; then put another layer of macaroni, and proceed as before until the dish is well filled, having macaroni on the top. dot evenly with butter, and bake about fifteen minutes or until a golden brown. macaroni bianca break half a package of macaroni into two-inch lengths, and drop it slowly into quarts of rapidly boiling salted water; in fifteen minutes pour off all but cup of the water, and add / cup of hot milk, stir often with a fork, and let boil until nearly dry or until tender, which will be in ten or fifteen minutes, and lift the macaroni into a strainer the instant it is cooked. butter a baking dish, and put in it a layer of macaroni, dredge with salt and pepper, then sprinkle lightly with a layer of grated cheese (using cup for the whole dish); dot well with mixed mustard, and sprinkle with worcestershire sauce. fill the dish with layers in this way, pour / cup of milk over all, and bake fifteen or twenty minutes, or until brown, in a quick oven. italian macaroni break / of a pound of macaroni into four-inch lengths, put in boiling salted water, and let it cook for twenty-five minutes. drain, and put in a saucepan with tablespoon of melted butter and / cups of tomato sauce; season well with salt and pepper, and serve on a hot flat dish with grated cheese plentifully sprinkled over it. macaroni with tomato and onion sauce boil / of a package of macaroni in rapidly boiling salted water for twenty-five minutes, and whilst it is cooking prepare a sauce as follows: put a large tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted stir into it minced onion, tablespoon of chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. let cook together for six or seven minutes, then add tablespoon of flour and cup of stewed and strained tomatoes, and stir well together for five minutes. butter a baking dish, put a layer of macaroni in it, then a layer of sauce, and so on till the dish is well filled, and set in the oven for ten minutes before serving. baked macaroni italian boil / of a pound of macaroni broken in two-inch lengths for twenty-five minutes, then drain, and put it in a buttered baking dish with cup of tomato sauce; season well with salt and pepper, and put a half-inch layer of grated cheese on the top, and bake for fifteen minutes. mexican macaroni put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted stir into it / a can of tomatoes, small sweet green pepper, seeded and chopped fine, large onion chopped fine, and / teaspoon of salt. cover, and let cook very slowly for about forty minutes. then press through a coarse sieve, and put in a double boiler to keep hot. boil / of a package of macaroni for twenty-five minutes, drain, and pour over it the hot sauce. plain macaroni and cheese put / of a package of macaroni into boiling water, and let cook twenty-five minutes; drain, add cup of hot milk, tablespoon of butter, salt, pepper, and paprika; let boil up once, add / cup of grated cheese, and let cook five minutes more before serving. macaroni rarebit put in a saucepan tablespoons of butter, and when melted add cup of grated cheese and stir until the cheese is melted, and then add / a teaspoon of salt, / a teaspoon of mustard, / teaspoon of paprika, and tablespoon of flour dissolved in / cup of cream (or milk), to which also add slightly beaten eggs; mix all together thoroughly, put in cup of cooked macaroni, and serve with toast. spaghetti spaghetti can be cooked in any of the ways described for macaroni, but real neapolitan spaghetti is cooked as follows:--break lb. of spaghetti into or inch lengths, and put in a large saucepan full of highly salted boiling water and let boil for half an hour. at the same time put cup of good olive oil in a frying pan and when hot put in it green peppers, seeded and chopped, and let simmer until they begin to brown, then add to cloves of garlic cut fine, and large tomatoes, peeled, quartered, and thinly sliced. let cook for about half an hour or until the oil is all absorbed, and stir often. when cooked to the consistency of a thick sauce, sprinkle with salt and paprika; drain the spaghetti thoroughly, mix the sauce through it and serve on a large platter, sprinkling with freshly grated parmesan cheese. noodles to make noodles add / cup of sifted flour containing / of a teaspoon of salt to large egg which has been slightly beaten. mix well with a fork, and when stiff enough work with the fingers until the dough becomes very smooth and about the consistency of putty, and then wrap in a cloth and lay aside for half an hour. sprinkle a bread-board well with flour, and roll the dough out upon this five or six times, rolling it thinner each time; at the last roll it as thin as possible without breaking, then roll it lightly together like a jelly-cake roll, and with a very sharp knife, beginning at one end, cut it into slices about / of an inch wide if to be used for soup, and / of an inch wide if to be used with a sauce. with the fingers shake these ribbons until they are separated, and let them dry for about half an hour. cut about / of the noodles very fine, and when dried, drop these in hot oil and fry until crisp and brown; serve these sprinkled over the boiled noodles. to boil noodles, drop them in rapidly boiling salted water, cover them, and let them boil for twenty minutes, and then drain thoroughly. boiled noodles are delicious served with any brown sauce or tomato sauce, and can be used as directed for macaroni or spaghetti. very good noodles can be bought already made. german noodles put cups of dried noodles into boiling salted water, let them cook rapidly for twenty minutes, drain, and put in a saucepan with tablespoon of butter and cup of brown sauce, to which has been added tablespoon of reduced vinegar and a few capers if liked. serve when thoroughly heated through, and add a little salt and pepper when in the dish. italian noodles put cups of dried noodles into boiling salted water, let cook twenty minutes, drain, and put in a saucepan with tablespoon of butter and cup of tomato sauce or chutney. season with pepper and salt, and serve on a hot dish, with the top well sprinkled with grated cheese. where man was all too marred with sin the ass, the ox were bidden in. where angels were unfit to come these humble entered holydom. there in the stable with the beast the christmas child hath spread his feast. these his adorers were before the kings and shepherds thronged the door. and where no angels knelt there kneeled the innocent creatures of the field. katherine tynan hinkson. croquettes bean croquettes wash cups of dried beans, then soak them in water for twelve hours or more, and cook in the same water about an hour or until tender; strain off the water, press through a sieve, and add teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, tablespoon of butter. stir well together, shape into croquettes, dip in beaten egg and crumbs, and fry in deep vegetable fat. serve with tomato or horse-radish sauce. cheese croquettes beat the white of egg very stiff, and stir into it cup of fine bread crumbs, cup of grated cheese, / teaspoon of salt, and saltspoon of paprika. shape into balls or croquette forms, then roll in the beaten yolk of egg and crumbs, put in a frying basket, and fry in boiling vegetable fat until a golden brown. lay on brown paper in the oven for three minutes, then arrange in a heap on a paper doily, dust with grated cheese, and garnish with watercress or parsley. swiss cheese croquettes melt tablespoons of butter, add a few drops of onion juice, / cup of flour, / cup of milk, the yolks of eggs, cup of grated american cheese, and / cup of swiss cheese cut into small pieces. let cook in a double boiler until the cheese is melted, then season with salt and cayenne; let cool, then shape into croquettes, roll in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. chestnut croquettes peel, blanch, and chop fine enough italian chestnuts to make cups, and boil them in water or milk to cover them for three quarters of an hour or until they are tender and the milk absorbed; let cool somewhat, then add cup of bread crumbs, and beaten egg, and / teaspoon of salt. shape into croquettes, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with mushroom sauce or as a garnish. egg croquettes hard boil or eggs, add to them tablespoon of chopped parsley, chop very fine, and season highly; then moisten with milk or cream. mould into shape, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat. serve as a garnish to rice or tomatoes, or as a separate dish alone, or with curry sauce, horse-radish sauce, tomato sauce, or devilled sauce. farina croquettes put cups of milk in a double boiler, and when hot add cup of farina and some salt. cook until well thickened, and then whip vigorously into it beaten egg. let cool, mould into croquettes, dip in crumbs, and fry in hot fat. serve with savoury sauce or with jelly melted to the consistency of cream. hominy croquettes put pint of cooked hominy into a saucepan, add tablespoons of cream or milk, and stir over the fire until hot, then remove from the fire and season with salt; add the yolks of eggs lightly beaten, shape into croquettes, roll in crumbs, and fry until nicely browned. serve with some savoury sauce or as a garnish to scrambled or fried eggs. lentil croquettes put cup of well-washed lentils into cups of water or vegetable broth when at boiling point, and let them cook slowly for an hour or until tender, strain them, and mash them in water, and let them cool. put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add finely chopped onion, and let cook for ten minutes; add this to the lentils, with slices of bread which have been well soaked in milk, beaten eggs, and enough fine bread crumbs to make the mixture thick enough to form into croquettes. season highly with salt and pepper, shape into form, roll in egg, and then in crumbs, put in a frying basket, and fry in deep fat. serve with horse-radish or onion sauce. lentil croquettes may also be served with caper sauce, and each croquette garnished with a slice of seeded lemon. macaroni croquettes have ready a kettle of salted boiling water, then shake into it / cup of macaroni, and let boil briskly for half an hour; then drain, and cut into small pieces. while the macaroni is cooking, make a sauce of cup of hot milk to which is added tablespoon of butter and tablespoons of flour rubbed together, to which add, when thickened, the yolks of eggs well beaten, teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, and the chopped macaroni (the sauce must not cook after the eggs are added). turn out to cool, and when cold form into pyramid-shaped croquettes, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tomato sauce and a little sprinkling of grated cheese. italian croquettes put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add finely chopped onion, let cook slowly for five minutes, then add cups of boiled macaroni, cup of milk, cover, and stirring frequently let simmer slowly for half an hour or until the milk is absorbed; add cup of drained canned tomatoes, or or chopped fresh ones, and tablespoon of grated cheese, teaspoon of mixed mustard, tablespoon of highly flavoured catsup, salt and pepper. cook for ten minutes more, then add / cup of bread crumbs and teaspoons of chopped parsley. turn into a bowl, and when somewhat cooled add beaten egg and stir it well through the mixture. when cool and firm form into shapes, brush with egg, roll in crumbs, and fry a golden brown in deep fat. serve plain or with tomato or curry sauce. tomato croquettes take / of a cup of stewed tomatoes without any juice, put in a saucepan over the fire, and stir into them tablespoon of butter, cup of mashed potatoes, / cup of grated bread crumbs, and some salt and pepper. mix well together, and then add lightly beaten egg. remove from the fire, turn into a deep plate, and when cold form into croquettes; dip each in egg and bread crumbs, fry until brown, and serve with a savoury sauce. dried pea croquettes put cup of dried peas in cold water or broth, let cook for / hours or until tender, then strain and mash. add to them finely minced onion which has been fried ten minutes in tablespoon of butter, salt, pepper, tablespoons of flour, eggs, and bread crumbs to make stiff enough to shape into croquettes or flat cakes. roll in crumbs, and fry golden brown in deep fat. serve with onion or tomato or mint sauce. nut croquettes with potato chop or grind cups of mixed nuts, and mix with them cups of mashed potatoes, teaspoon of grated onion, teaspoon of salt, dash of nutmeg, and yolks of raw eggs. shape into croquettes, dip in egg, and crumbs, and fry in hot, deep vegetable fat. nut croquettes with salsify use / cup each of ground pecans and walnuts, and with them mix cups of boiled mashed salsify, teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of grated onion, tablespoon of chopped parsley, tablespoons of bread crumbs, form into croquettes, roll in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve with tomato chutney. nut croquettes with cocoanut grind cup of any sort of nuts, and add to them cups of bread crumbs, / cup of grated cocoanut, tablespoons of peanut butter, / teaspoon of celery seed, teaspoon of salt, and egg, well beaten. mix well, and form into croquettes or balls, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep vegetable fat. nut croquettes can be made of the mixtures given for nut loaf, rolled in egg and crumbs and fried. potato croquettes take cups of mashed potatoes and stir into them lightly beaten eggs, / teaspoon of salt, and a little paprika, and tablespoon of chopped chives or parsley; form into croquettes or rolls, roll in egg and fine crumbs, and fry in deep fat. potato croquettes with cheese to cups of cold mashed potatoes add the beaten yolk of egg, tablespoon of grated cheese, tablespoon of milk or cream, and a few drops of onion extract; season with pepper and salt, form into shapes and fry in deep fat. savoury potato croquettes to cups of cold mashed potatoes add beaten egg, chopped onion, tablespoon of chopped parsley, tablespoon of mixed sweet herbs, and tablespoon of cream. shape, roll in egg and fine crumbs, and fry in deep fat. mashed potato croquettes with peas to cups of cold mashed potatoes add egg, pepper and salt, and form into flat, small cakes; in the centre of each put teaspoon of canned peas, then lap the potato mixture over these, and form into balls. dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. creole potato croquettes to cups of mashed potatoes add beaten egg, pepper and salt, and tablespoons of chopped green peppers (or chopped red pimentos) which have been fried in butter for ten minutes; shape, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. sweet potato croquettes to cups of mashed sweet potato add beaten egg, pepper and salt; shape and roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. sweetened rice croquettes soak cup of rice three hours in warm water, then drain and put into a double boiler with pint of boiling milk, and let cook for half an hour; then add tablespoon of sugar, tablespoon of melted butter, and / teaspoon of salt, and let simmer ten minutes more. let cool somewhat, and then stir in slowly eggs, which have been beaten to a froth, and stir until it thickens; then add the grated peel of lemon, and turn out upon a dish to cool. when cold and quite stiff form into balls or oval croquettes, dip in very fine cracker crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve alone with sauce or as a garnish. carolina croquettes boil eggs ten minutes, remove the shells, press the yolks through a sieve or potato-ricer, chop the whites fine, and mix with the same amount of boiled rice; dampen with a little melted butter, season with pepper and salt, form into balls, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. when a golden brown drain and serve with some savoury hot sauce, or as a garnish to curry. plain rice croquettes mix together cups of cold boiled rice, / teaspoon of salt, and tablespoon of melted butter, tablespoon of flour, and beaten egg. form into balls, roll in flour, and fry in deep fat. serve while crisp. pink rice croquettes make croquettes as above, but omit the sugar and add / teaspoon of paprika and tablespoons of tomato catsup to the rice before frying. curried rice croquettes put / of a cup of milk in a saucepan with butter the size of an egg and let it boil; then stir into it cup of rice that has boiled twenty minutes in salted water. add small teaspoon of curry powder, a few drops of onion juice, and salt to taste. when the milk boils remove from the fire and add a beaten egg to it, stirring vigorously. let cool, shape into croquettes, and fry in hot fat. serve apple sauce or onion sauce with these croquettes. english savoury croquettes to each cup of fine bread crumbs use tablespoon of mixed sweet herbs and teaspoon of minced onions and bind all together with egg, slightly beaten. season with / teaspoon of salt, scant saltspoon of pepper, / teaspoon of celery salt, form into balls, roll in egg, and then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat until golden brown. serve with a brown sauce or as a garnish to nut loaf. mixed vegetable croquettes boil separately ten carrots and turnips and potatoes and chop fine; then mash, and add to them tablespoon of butter and tablespoons of hot milk. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted cook slowly in it for ten minutes, or until beginning to brown, large onion chopped fine. add this to the mashed vegetables, also tablespoon of chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper. when cool form them into croquettes or flat cakes, and dip in egg, and then in fine crumbs, and fry. if croquettes are made fry in deep, hot fat; if cakes are made they can be fried in a frying pan like pancakes, and browned on one side, then on the other. serve plain, or as a garnish to other vegetables, or with spanish sauce. any of the mixtures for croquettes can be moulded into flat cakes and fried until browned in butter on a griddle or in a shallow frying pan. take not away the life you cannot give, for all things have an equal right to live. dryden. timbales and patties egg timbales into cup of milk rub heaping tablespoon of flour until smoothed, add tablespoon (measured before melting) of butter, the lightly beaten yolks of eggs, / teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, and the same amount of celery salt. beat the whites of the eggs until very stiff, and stir these into the other ingredients with a fork. turn into buttered timbale moulds, and set these in a pan containing hot water which almost reaches the top of the moulds. let bake in a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes or until well set. turn out on a hot, flat dish and serve with tomato sauce or bread sauce. savoury egg timbales make the foregoing recipe, but add tablespoon of chopped onion and tablespoon of chopped parsley, or substitute minced shallots, chives, or onion tops. egg-tomato timbales make plain egg timbales, but instead of using milk use cup of tomato juice from canned tomatoes. add tablespoon of chopped parsley, or chives if desired. pea timbales take / cups of boiled peas, put them through a ricer, or mash to a pulp, and when cooled add to this lightly beaten eggs, teaspoon of chopped mint, teaspoon of grated onion (or chopped chives), tablespoons of melted butter, / teaspoon of salt, and saltspoon of pepper. fill timbale moulds, set in a pan containing some hot water, and cook in a moderate oven fifteen or twenty minutes or until well set. turn out and serve with sauce. corn timbales take cup of canned corn and add to it eggs slightly beaten, / teaspoon of salt, a little paprika, / teaspoon of onion juice, / teaspoon of sugar, and / cups of milk. pour into buttered timbale moulds, or a large mould, and set in hot water, and bake in the oven about twenty minutes or until firm. turn out and garnish with slices of broiled tomatoes. potato and cheese timbales take or good-sized potatoes, boil and mash them, and beat into them tablespoons of butter and eggs; then add cup of grated cheese, teaspoon of salt, and some paprika, press into small moulds or cups, and let cook as directed above for about twenty minutes. turn from the moulds, and serve with a sauce of melted butter to which is added a little grated cheese, paprika, and chopped parsley. potato timbales beat eggs (yolks and whites together), add to them / of a cup of cream, then cups of mashed potatoes, teaspoon of grated onion, a little pepper, teaspoon of salt, and some nutmeg; beat together until perfectly smooth, and then press into timbale moulds, the bottoms of which are covered with buttered paper. stand these in a shallow pan containing boiling water in the oven, and let cook for about twenty minutes. then loosen the sides with a thin knife, and turn out carefully onto a heated flat dish. garnish with peas or macedoine vegetables, or use as a garnish. rice timbales to cup of boiled rice add chopped hard-boiled egg, tablespoon of tomato catsup, / teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, tablespoons of melted butter, and well-beaten eggs. fill well-buttered timbale moulds with this mixture, set them in a pan containing warm water, and bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes, or until well set. timbale cases, pastry cases, ramekins, or patties may be filled with any of the following recipes and served as a separate course at luncheon or dinner. artichoke patties boil jerusalem artichokes as directed, cut in half-inch cubes, cover with a highly seasoned white sauce, and use to fill patties or cases. asparagus patties use only the tender ends of white or green canned asparagus, heat in white sauce, and use to fill cases or patties. celery patties use celery prepared as in creamed celery, only cut the stalks into inch-long pieces. fill heated pastry cups or patties with the mixture. chestnuts in cases peel cups of italian chestnuts, and blanch them by pouring boiling water on them and letting them stay in it until the skins remove easily; then cut them in quarters, put them in boiling water, and boil them half an hour or until soft. while they are finishing cooking put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and let it cook slowly until a rich dark brown then add to it tablespoon of flour, and stir until as smooth as it will come, then add / cups of milk and teaspoon of caramel or soup-browning, and season highly with salt and pepper. put the chestnuts in the sauce, and fill pastry cases with the mixture. patties of fresh green peas use fresh green peas boiled as directed, or use canned french peas; reheat in white sauce, and use to fill patties or timbale cases. a little finely chopped mint can be added to the sauce if liked. egg patties hard boil the eggs required, chop fine when cold, and reheat in parsley sauce, and use to fill heated cases or patties, or use eggs newburg for filling. macedoine patties use imported macedoine of vegetables, heat in a double boiler with white sauce, and use as patty filling in heated cases. mushroom patties cut fresh mushrooms in quarters, toss them in melted butter for five minutes, then cover them with white or brown sauce, and serve in heated cases or patties. any of the recipes given for mushrooms can be used to fill patty cases, mushrooms newburg being especially suitable. canned mushroom patties toss the mushroom buttons in hot butter for five minutes, cover them with white sauce, and use to fill heated patties. "as i was hurrying away from the slaughter-house, three beautiful lambs were led in by a man, with a long, shining knife. filled with horror and indignation, i said: 'how can you be so cruel as to put to death those little, innocent lambs?' 'why, madam,' said the man, 'you wouldn't eat them alive, would you?'" sauces caramel for colouring put / cup of powdered sugar in a small saucepan over a very low fire, stir with a wooden spoon until melted, and continue to stir until it is a rich brown; add cups of warm water, and let it simmer for fifteen or twenty minutes, then skim and strain, and bottle for use in giving a rich colour to soups and sauces. ready-made vegetable extracts of good dark colour can be bought, and are one of the few things which seem better than the home-made product. reduced vinegar this adds a delicious flavour to many sauces, vegetables, and soups, and is made by putting vinegar, with a little salt and pepper, in a saucepan and letting it boil rapidly until reduced, the proportions being tablespoons of vinegar, saltspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper cooked until reduced to teaspoon of liquid. strain before using. sauce bernaise into tablespoon of reduced vinegar beat slowly the yolks of eggs to which has been added tablespoons of cold water, and when well mixed hold in a small saucepan above a slow fire; put in a small bit of butter, and when melted stir in another, and so continue until / tablespoons have been used. when the sauce is smooth and creamy, season with salt and pepper or paprika, and add / teaspoon of tarragon vinegar, or teaspoon of minced tarragon leaves. the sauce cannot be served very hot or it will curdle. it may be served cold also. black butter sauce put or tablespoons of butter in a saucepan with saltspoon of salt and a little pepper, and let cook slowly until browned; then add teaspoon of reduced vinegar or lemon juice, and serve hot. bread sauce put large slice of bread, cut an inch thick, into cups of milk with onion with cloves stuck in it, add pepper, salt, and teaspoon of butter. let simmer until the bread is quite soft, lift out the onion and cloves, beat well with a fork, and serve. serve fine golden brown bread crumbs with the sauce, as these belong with it. brown sauce put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when well browned, remove from fire, add tablespoon of flour, stirring until smooth; then add gradually cup of vegetable stock or milk, and, when all is smooth and well thickened, / teaspoon of brown colouring, and salt and pepper. it improves the flavour to let the stock to be used simmer for ten minutes with bay leaf and / an onion added to it. variations of brown sauce add chopped button mushrooms, chopped fried peppers, tiny pearl onions, boiled eggs, etc., to vary brown sauce. sauce bordelaise to cup of brown sauce add teaspoon of grated onion, minced fresh mushrooms (or tablespoon of chopped canned ones), teaspoons of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper. stir over a slow fire for five minutes before serving. drawn butter melt tablespoons of butter, and stir in until smooth tablespoons of flour; then add slowly cups of boiling vegetable stock, teaspoon of salt, and a little cayenne or paprika. curry sauce put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted stir into it large onion chopped fine, and let simmer for six or seven minutes; then add sour apple chopped fine (or, if it can be had, tablespoon of tamarind chutney), stir for three or four minutes, then add / cup of strong vegetable stock or water, and let cook gently for five minutes; pour on another / cup of vegetable stock and cup of milk, into which dessert spoon of curry powder has been stirred until smooth; let all boil up once, then press through a sieve, pressing well to get the juices, return to the fire, and to thicken, use tablespoon of flour blended with tablespoon of butter to every cup of liquid. stir until the consistency of thick cream, and add a little salt before serving. the quantity of curry powder here named will make a mild curry sauce. caper sauce put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add tablespoon of flour and stir until smooth. now add, a little at a time, cups of vegetable broth, and stir until it boils and is smooth. put in heaping tablespoons of capers and chopped hard-boiled egg, and season well with salt and pepper. one tablespoon of cream may be added at the last to enrich the sauce if desired. cheese sauce make cup of highly seasoned white sauce, and add to it scant cup of grated cheese; stir in a double boiler until the cheese is melted, then add a few drops of yellow colouring extract, and salt and paprika. french cucumber sauce grate cucumber and drain it well, then add to it / teaspoon of salt, a dash of cayenne, and tablespoon of vinegar. dutch butter to every tablespoon of melted butter add teaspoon of lemon juice; season with salt. devilled sauce put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoon of chopped onion, and let cook slowly for five minutes. then add tablespoon of chopped parsley, tablespoons of vinegar, tablespoon of walnut or mushroom catsup, tablespoon of english mustard, / teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of black pepper, and a little cayenne. thicken with tablespoon of flour, and when smooth add enough vegetable stock to make the consistency of cream. the sauce may be used as it is or pressed through a sieve to strain. egg sauce to cup of well-made white sauce add hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, and teaspoon of chopped parsley, and a little salt and paprika. french sauce rub together tablespoon of flour and of butter, and put in a saucepan; as it melts add slowly cup of boiling water or vegetable stock, let boil, stirring constantly, then remove from the fire, and when somewhat cooled add the juice of lemon, tablespoons of tarragon or chervil vinegar, egg-yolks slightly beaten, and salt and pepper. german sauce make brown sauce, add / can halved button mushrooms and tablespoon of reduced vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. german egg sauce mix beaten egg-yolks with teaspoon of flour, scant cup of cream or milk, tablespoon of butter, and tablespoon of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and beat vigorously, until thickened, over a hot fire, but do not let the sauce boil at all. add hard-boiled egg, chopped fine, and tablespoon of minced parsley before serving. herb sauces make a good white sauce and to each cups of sauce add the herbs selected, prepared as follows: take a handful of the leaves, and after washing them well put them in a pan with a little salted boiling water; let cook for five minutes, then drain, and dry with a cloth, and put in a mortar with tablespoon of butter, and macerate until fine; add this to the white sauce. in this way parsley, mint, tarragon, chervil, and other herb sauces can be made. sauce hollandaise to tablespoon of reduced vinegar add the yolks of eggs mixed with tablespoons of cold water; stir well together, and cook by holding above a very slow fire, in order to prevent curdling; add tablespoons of butter, stirring it in a little at a time until all is used. season with salt and pepper and serve warm or cold. horse-radish sauce rub together tablespoon of butter and of flour and put in a saucepan. when melted and smooth from stirring, add slowly / cups of heated milk; when properly thickened by slow cooking, put in tablespoons of grated horse-radish, stir well, season with salt, add teaspoon of butter, and serve on croquettes, etc. maÎtre d'hÔtel sauce this is made by using sauce hollandaise and adding to it tablespoon of lemon juice and tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. mint sauce wash the mint and take / cup of the leaves; chop them fine, macerate in a mortar, then cover with cup of hot vinegar, add teaspoon of sugar, and let stand a few moments before using. mushroom sauce make brown sauce and add to it / can of button mushrooms, halved. let heat through before serving. nut sauces for these use pignola (pine) nuts, almonds, chestnuts, or any other sort. remove the shells, blanch in boiling water to remove the inner skin, and chop them very fine. put tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add to it tablespoon of chopped onion, and let cook for five minutes; then add / cup of chopped nuts and stir until brown, scrape the contents of the pan into a mortar, and pound them well. blend tablespoon of flour and tablespoon of butter, put in a saucepan, and when melted and smooth add / cup of milk and / of the nuts; let cook slowly two or three minutes, add another / cup of milk and the remaining nuts. salt well, and add a little pepper; let cook very slowly, and when the sauce is the proper thickness stir in tablespoon of thick cream. the sauce can be darkened with brown colouring, or by browning the thickening flour in butter. onion sauce chop onions very fine and brown them in tablespoons of butter; add tablespoon of flour, let this brown also, and thin with cup of broth or water or milk. add pepper and salt, and beat egg-yolk into it before serving. serve either strained or unstrained. parsley butter put butter in a saucepan, and when melted add finely chopped parsley and some salt, using teaspoon of parsley to every tablespoon of butter used. serve on boiled potatoes, asparagus, etc. parsley sauce into cups of white sauce stir beaten egg and tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. sauce provenÇal to cup of spanish sauce add tablespoon of white wine, tablespoons of tomato sauce, and tablespoon of chopped chives, and cook together slowly ten minutes before serving. season with salt and pepper before serving. piquant sauce put tablespoons of vinegar in a saucepan with tablespoon of chopped shallots or onions, and let cook slowly until only tablespoon remains; add to this cup of spanish sauce, and when at boiling point put in the sauce teaspoons of minced sour pickles, teaspoon of chopped parsley, and some salt and pepper; serve with croquettes or vegetables. sauce ravigote ravigote is merely the name applied to the mixture of herbs combined with flavouring for this sauce. these are chives, cress, burnet and chervil, in equal proportions. use tablespoons of the mixed herbs, scald them in tarragon vinegar, drain them, chop them fine, and add them to cup of plain mayonnaise. sauce robert this is made by adding to cup of spanish sauce tablespoons of white wine, teaspoon of onion juice, and / teaspoons of mustard mixed with teaspoons tarragon vinegar. season, and make hot in a double boiler, letting all cook slowly together ten minutes. spanish sauce this is a rich sauce which is used as a basis for many sauces, and can be made at a leisure time and used any time within a few days. any stock in which vegetables have been cooked may be used, but the best one is made as follows: wash or cups of red beans or lentils, and after soaking them in quarts of water for ten hours or more empty them with the same water into a saucepan, and put with them onions halved, sprigs of parsley, cup of carrots quartered, / cup of diced turnips, tablespoon of salt, stalks of celery cut in short lengths, and a small bag containing teaspoon of thyme, bay leaves, cloves, whole peppers, and teaspoon of allspice berries. let boil hard for one minute, then set on the stove where it will simmer slowly for two hours. strain the broth through a fine sieve, and use the vegetables in a stew, a deep pie, or a curry. to finish the spanish sauce put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and when melted stir into it tablespoons of flour and let brown, stirring constantly; then add a little stock at a time until about cups have been used and the sauce is the consistency of thick cream. darken with teaspoon of brown colouring, add tablespoon of sherry, and pepper and salt. spinach sauce put cup of freshly cooked or canned spinach, from which the juice has been pressed, into a basin or mortar, and chop or mash to a pulp. melt tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, add to it small onion chopped fine, let cook slowly for five minutes, then add the spinach, and let cook for ten minutes more. put cup of milk into a double boiler with bay leaf, stalk of celery (or some celery seed), and when it boils add tablespoon of flour blended with tablespoon of butter; season with salt and pepper, and when thickened stir the spinach into this, sprinkle with grated nutmeg, and let cook together for ten minutes. press through a sieve before serving. sauce tartare make a plain mayonnaise sauce (see salads), and to each cup add teaspoon of gherkins and teaspoons of capers, both very finely minced; sprinkle a little cayenne on the sauce before serving. tomato sauce use fresh tomatoes, and after washing them slice them, skins and all. put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add tablespoons of finely chopped onion, let cook slowly for five minutes, then put with them the tomatoes, bay leaves, clove of garlic, teaspoon of sugar, some pepper and salt, and let cook gently for fifteen minutes; then strain, pressing through a sieve, and return the liquid to the fire to simmer until reduced to the proper consistency. tomato sauce with other vegetables make tomato sauce, using with it chopped celery, chopped peppers, or chopped mushrooms, which have been fried for ten minutes in hot butter and added after the sauce is strained. tomato sauce with nuts chop tablespoons of blanched nuts, fry them for ten minutes in tablespoon of melted butter, and add these to strained tomato sauce. tomato sauce with egg to each cup of strained tomato sauce add hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. sauce vinaigrette to each cup of french dressing add tablespoon of minced onion and tablespoon of macerated parsley. white sauce put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and as soon as it is melted stir into it slowly tablespoons of flour, using tablespoon at a time, then add slowly cups of warm vegetable stock or milk, stirring all the while; then add / of a teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, and cook slowly for five minutes, stirring constantly; add tablespoon of butter, and stir for another minute. some flour thickens more than others, and if the sauce seems too thick, thin with a little cream or milk. white sauce may be varied in many ways by using onion juice, mushroom catsup, chopped chives, etc. the white sauce may be made in a double boiler. put the milk in the top receptacle, and when boiling add the flour dissolved in a little cold milk, then the butter, etc., and let cook ten minutes or until thickened. some people are not to be persuaded to taste of any creatures they have daily seen and been acquainted with whilst they were alive.--in this behaviour, methinks there appears something like a consciousness of guilt; it looks as if they endeavoured to save themselves from the imputation of a crime (which they know sticks somewhere) by removing the cause of it as far as they can from themselves. from the essays of douglas jerrold. eggs boiled eggs eggs are very palatable when put in boiling water and cooked for three or three and a half minutes, but some cooks recommend that "boiled eggs" should never boil, but instead, be placed in a large saucepan which is filled with water that has boiled and just been removed from the fire. the instructions are to cover the saucepan closely after putting the eggs in the water, and let it stand on the back of the stove, the eggs to be removed in ten minutes if wanted soft, and in twenty minutes if liked well set. hard-boiled eggs are certainly more palatable cooked in this way than when boiled for ten minutes in the ordinary way. fried eggs put a little butter into a small frying pan, and when melted break an egg into a saucer, and slide it carefully into the hot butter, and let it fry until the white is thoroughly set, cooking as many as are required, separately, in the same way. if a tight cover is put over the frying pan when the egg is put in, the yolk of the egg will be as pink as a nicely poached egg when done. season with pepper and salt before serving. a little worcestershire sauce or walnut catsup heated in the pan and poured over fried eggs adds variety. poached eggs fill a deep frying pan / full of hot water, and stir into it one teaspoon of vinegar and teaspoon of salt. when the water reaches boiling point break the eggs carefully one by one into it, remove the pan from the intense heat, cover it, and let the eggs cook until the whites are firmly set. if the water is shallow the eggs will spread and be more flat, in which case the boiling water must be dipped up over the yolks with a spoon to make them pink; if the water is deep the eggs will be more round than flat. when the eggs are done lift them carefully from the water with a perforated strainer in order to drain off the water thoroughly, and serve them on hot toast. poached eggs with gravy poach eggs and serve them with sauce bernaise, or any piquant sauce. poached eggs indienne poach the number of eggs required, and after placing them on toast pour over them a thin curry sauce. eggs waldorf place nicely poached eggs on toast, and fit a freshly cooked mushroom as a cap over each yolk. surround the toast with brown sauce containing quartered mushrooms. scrambled eggs break six or more into a bowl, beat them lightly with a fork, and pour them into a frying pan into which tablespoon of butter has been melted; stir continually over a very slow fire until they are well set, seasoning them meanwhile with pepper and salt, and adding another / tablespoon of butter in small pieces during the cooking. serve with a garnish of small triangular pieces of toast. one tablespoon of cream can be added to the eggs before serving if desired. eggs may be scrambled with milk, using / cup of milk to eggs, and then proceeding as above. scrambled eggs with cheese make plain scrambled eggs, and when nearly set add tablespoons of grated cheese for every eggs used, and tablespoon of chopped parsley. serve on toast. scrambled eggs with mushrooms, peas, etc. scramble eggs, and two or three minutes before removing from the fire add to them a can of button mushrooms cut in slices, lengthwise, and tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. in the same way peas, tomatoes, asparagus tips, chopped sweet peppers, etc., can be used. savoury scrambled eggs prepare plain scrambled eggs, and just before taking off the fire add tablespoons of chopped chives (or green stems of young onions or shallots can be used instead), and / a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley; serve on hot toast. scrambled eggs indienne make plain scrambled eggs, and just before serving stir into them tablespoon of cream, into which has been stirred teaspoon of curry powder and / teaspoon of onion juice. serve on hot toast. spanish eggs for eggs use large tomato and small onion. chop the onion fine, and fry it five minutes in tablespoon of butter; then add the chopped tomato, and stir another minute over the fire. now pour in the eggs and scramble them, adding teaspoon of salt and a saltspoon of pepper. garnish with small triangles of toast. shirred eggs butter individual gratin dishes, and break into them or eggs as desired. season with salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of finely chopped parsley, and put into the oven for five minutes, or until the eggs are set. place each dish on a small plate with a paper doily. shirred eggs with tomatoes use as many shallow, individual gratin dishes as there are persons to be served, and, after buttering each dish, break into it egg, taking care not to break the yolk. halve some small tomatoes, and set one half, cut side up, in each dish; season the whole with pepper and salt, and set in the oven for ten minutes or less. griddled eggs heat a griddle and butter it slightly, and break upon it or eggs, disturbing the yolks so as to break them. when a little browned on one side turn them with a cake-turner and fry the other side. plain omelet put or eggs in a bowl and beat them ten or twelve times with a fork vigorously. put scant tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, and as soon as melted turn in the eggs and shake over a slow fire until they are set; season with salt and pepper, turn the omelet together as it is let to slide from the pan, and place on a hot dish. make several small omelets rather than one large one, and place on white paper doilies, and garnish with parsley to serve. the trick of shaking an omelet is the secret of making a good one, and the egg mixture should be not over / an inch deep in the pan. omelet soufflÉ take to fresh eggs, separate the yolks and whites, and beat each until as light as possible. butter a deep frying pan, mix the yolks and whites lightly together with a fork, and put in the hot frying pan, smoothing somewhat with a fork to level. season the top with pepper and salt, and shake over a slow fire until the omelet is delicately browned on the bottom; turn it together and serve on a hot platter. herb omelet make like plain omelet, stirring with every eggs used teaspoon each of powdered thyme, or sweet marjoram, sage, chopped onion tops or chives, and parsley. cheese omelet for omelet soufflé made with eggs add / cup of grated cheese to the yolks of the eggs, and / cup to the beaten whites before putting them together. in making plain omelet with cheese add / cup of cheese to eggs after they are in the omelet pan. sprinkle with grated cheese to serve, and garnish with watercress or parsley. rum omelet make an omelet soufflé, put on a hot dish, and pour / cup of heated rum around it, and light it with a match. rum is easily made to blaze if a teaspoon is filled with it and a lighted match held under the tip of the spoon. the rum on the platter can then be easily lighted with that in the spoon. baked omelet soufflÉ beat the whites of eggs very stiff and the yolks of . mix the whites and the yolks, using a fork; then stir in the juice of half a lemon and tablespoons of powdered sugar. heap in a buttered baking dish, and cook in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. eggs carmelite prepare cup of very finely chopped boiled spinach by adding to it teaspoon of butter and saltspoon of grated nutmeg, and put where it will keep warm. hard boil or eggs, then cut each carefully in two, lengthwise; remove the yolks and stir them into the spinach, mashing them well, and mashing all together until the yolks are thoroughly mixed with the spinach; then season with salt and pepper and neatly fill the halves of the whites of the eggs with the spinach. make a sauce with cups of milk, teaspoon of butter, and tablespoons of flour, a dash of paprika, and cup of grated cheese. when this has thickened arrange or halved eggs in each individual gratin dish, and pour around them some of the sauce, and set in the oven five minutes to make thoroughly hot, or serve on a large dish garnished with small triangular pieces of toast. egg with mashed potato use a long, narrow gratin dish, and arrange cold mashed potato in it in ridges with a spoon, and make three or four hollows in the surface. into each of these break an egg, and let all bake in the oven until the eggs are set. tomato or white sauce can be served with this. eggs newburg hard boil eggs, plunge them into cold water for a moment, then peel, and when cooled, so they will not crumble in cutting, cut them in half. have ready a sauce made of cup of cream (or milk) and tablespoons of butter, to which when hot is added tablespoons of sherry, tablespoons of brandy (the latter may be omitted), saltspoon of pepper, and teaspoon of salt. let cook three minutes, then beat in vigorously the beaten yolks of eggs, stir until thickened, add a dash of paprika, and serve over the hard-boiled eggs on toast. eggs lyonnaise put tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add finely chopped onion, and let simmer slowly for eight or ten minutes; then add tablespoon of flour, and stir well until smooth. add to this / cup of milk, / teaspoon of salt, and / saltspoon of pepper, and let cook three or four minutes only. pour into a deep gratin dish, and break upon it eggs; sprinkle with / cup of bread crumbs, and let cook in a moderate oven about five minutes, or until the eggs are set. serve in the same dish. devilled eggs hard boil the number of eggs required, halve them, and serve on toast with devilled sauce. japanese eggs hard boil the number of eggs required, and, after halving them, remove the yolks, and mix them with a little butter (using tablespoon to eggs), pepper, salt, and a little tomato chutney or harvey sauce. refill the halved whites with this, and use the eggs to garnish cups of boiled rice. pour over all cup of white sauce or parsley sauce to serve. golden rod eggs hard boil eggs, take off the shell, and separate the yolks from the whites, chopping the whites fine and pressing the yolks through a sieve, keeping whites and yolks separate. put cup of milk in a double boiler, and when it boils add to it tablespoon of butter and tablespoon of cornstarch which have been rubbed together, and when the sauce has thickened season it generously with pepper and salt, and stir into it the chopped whites of the eggs. while the sauce is cooking prepare rounds of toast, and place them on a hot dish. cover each piece of toast with a layer of white sauce, sprinkle this with a layer of the yolks, then more of the white sauce, and the remainder of the yolks, season with salt and pepper, and stand in the oven a moment or two before serving. frothed eggs separate the yolks and whites of as many eggs as are required, putting each yolk in its shell or in a separate dish. beat the whites until very stiff, and fill a well-buttered custard cup half full of the white of egg; make a hole in the centre, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, and drop a yolk in each cup. put in a shallow pan of boiling water with a cover on it, and when the eggs are set turn out onto buttered toast. garnish with parsley butter. fried stuffed eggs hard boil eggs and halve them carefully, removing the yolks. put the yolks through a sieve, and rub to a paste with tablespoon of melted butter, salt, pepper, and / cup of cream or milk, using a little at a time, so as not to use it all unless needed to make the mixture of the right consistency for refilling the halved whites. carefully fill the places made vacant by the removed yolks, roll the half-egg in beaten egg and crumbs, and fry in deep, hot fat. serve with cups of white sauce, and add to it tablespoons of diced pickled beets, which makes the sauce pink. this same effect may be had to some extent by simply using hard-boiled eggs, frying them, and serving with same sauce or white sauce, to which tablespoon of capers has been added. swiss egg toast melt tablespoon of butter on a shallow or flat dish, and sprinkle over it / tablespoons of grated cheese; then break into the butter eggs, taking care not to break the yolks. sprinkle well with salt and pepper and / tablespoons of grated cheese mixed with teaspoons of finely chopped parsley. bake in the oven until the eggs are set, then cut each egg out round with a cutter, and serve on rounds of toast. eggs carolina to serve four persons hard boil eggs, then put them in cold water for one minute, peel of them, chop the whites, and mix with melted butter and tablespoon of chopped parsley, and form into nests on pieces of hot "corn bread." then peel the other eggs, and arrange one on end in each nest. pour a little parsley butter on each, and season with salt and pepper. mÜnchner eggs hard boil eggs, then peel them, and put each on a leaf of lettuce or cabbage, encircling it with grated horse-radish, and serve with a sauce made of vinegar to which is added salt and dry mustard. eggs in marinade hard boil the eggs required, then remove the shells, and stick cloves in each egg. put cups of vinegar on to boil, and rub together a little vinegar, / teaspoon of mustard, / teaspoon of salt, and / teaspoon of pepper, and stir into the boiling vinegar. place the eggs in a glass jar, and pour the boiled vinegar over them. they can be used in a fortnight, halved or sliced as a garnish or in salads. eggs parisienne butter as many timbale moulds as are required, and dust the inside with chopped parsley; then break into each an egg, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. set the moulds in water in a shallow pan, and place in the oven until well set or hard. turn out onto a flat dish, or on individual dishes, and with them serve bread sauce, or any sauce desired. eggs perigord butter small moulds or cups, then sprinkle them with chopped parsley, and on the bottom (which will be the top when they are turned out) place a symmetrical pattern made of cut beets and truffles or pickled walnuts. drop one egg into each mould, dredge with salt and pepper, and set the moulds in a pan of boiling water; cover, and let cook until firm. turn out onto rounds of toast, and serve with a hot tomato sauce, or any savoury sauce. eggs with cheese into a shallow round or oval gratin dish, or small individual dishes, put melted butter to cover the bottom, and encircle the outer edge with thinly sliced, rather dry, cheese; inside this break enough eggs to cover the bottom of the dish, taking care not to break the yolks. season with salt and pepper, and put into the oven until the whites of the eggs are thoroughly set. eggs mornay drop eggs into a buttered baking dish, and then cover them with a highly seasoned white sauce to which some egg-yolks have been added (using yolk to each / cup of sauce), also salt and paprika. sprinkle the top with grated cheese, and put in the oven to bake until the egg is firmly set. creamed eggs butter a shallow dish, pour into it scant cup of milk, and let heat. when hot cover the surface with eggs, cover, and let poach on top of stove until set; sprinkle with celery salt, and then cover with cream, and set in the oven for five minutes. sprinkle the top with finely chopped celery tops to serve. this may be cooked in one large dish or in individual gratin dishes. eggs omar pasha butter individual gratin dishes, and break eggs into each, taking care not to break the yolks. slice small onions so the separate rings are unbroken, and place a circle of these rings on the eggs around the edge of the dish. sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with grated cheese, and bake in a slow oven until the eggs are thoroughly set. turkish eggs butter one large gratin dish or several small ones, break into them enough eggs to cover the bottom, taking care not to break the yolks; put them in a moderate oven until the whites are quite set, and then garnish by putting a few tablespoons of boiled rice on the eggs around the edge of the dish, alternating with button mushrooms, which have been cut in thin slices and mixed with brown sauce. season with salt and pepper just before serving. eggs beurre-noir these are best served in individual gratin dishes measuring about four inches across. put tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, and let it cook over a slow fire until a rich brown, but not burnt. add to it teaspoon of lemon juice, and cover the bottom of each gratin dish with the (black) butter; then break into each dish egg, or if required, taking care not to break the yolk. season with salt and pepper and arrange or capers on each; put in the oven eight or ten minutes, or until the eggs are well set. set each dish on a doily on a small plate before serving, with a sprig of parsley on the side. eggs creole take a shallow gratin dish large enough to contain the eggs required, allowing eggs to each person, butter the gratin dish, and break the eggs carefully into it, taking care not to break the yolks; season with pepper and salt, and set in a moderate oven until the whites are stiff; while they are cooking prepare the following garnish which will be sufficient for or eggs. put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan; when melted add onion cut into thin slices, and stir it about three or four minutes. then add to it tomato which has been peeled and chopped, sweet green pepper cut in very thin slices, each broken in several pieces, and / can of button mushrooms, which are prepared by draining and washing and cutting lengthwise in or pieces. let all cook slowly together for eight or ten minutes, stirring carefully and adding more butter if necessary. when nearly cooked season generously with pepper and salt, add tablespoon of tomato sauce, and when the eggs are removed from the oven place this garnish on the eggs, encircling the outer edge. this garnish can be varied as to quantities to suit taste, using more or less tomatoes or onions. this is very nice done in individual gratin dishes, eggs being used in each dish. eggs in savoury butter savoury butter is made by melting good butter, and adding to it any chopped herb,--chives, parsley, etc. put a little of this in individual gratin dishes, and break into them or eggs as desired. pour a little of the savoury butter over the top of each egg, season with salt and pepper, and put in the oven until the eggs are thoroughly set. if fresh tarragon is available, two nicely shaped leaves crossed on the yolk of the egg make a pretty garnish, or two leaves of lemon verbena may be used instead. egg mould for vegetables make egg mixture as for egg timbales, and pour into a buttered ring mould. cook in pan of water in the oven twenty minutes or until set, and then turn out onto a hot, round, flat dish, and fill the centre with hot button mushrooms which are mixed with tomato sauce, or with peas, either with or without the sauce. canuck egg toast sprinkle fresh toast with walnut, mushroom, or any savoury catsup, then heap on it nicely scrambled eggs in which milk has been used, and on top put a generous layer of grated cheese; season with pepper and salt, and put under the oven flame of a gas stove. let the cheese brown, then remove and garnish the top with slices cut from black pickled walnuts, or a few capers, or with thin strips of pimentos, or chopped chives. escalloped eggs hard boil eggs, cut the whites into medium-sized pieces, and press the yolks through a sieve or ricer. put cup of milk in a double boiler, and with it tablespoon of finely minced onion, shallot, or chives. when the milk boils add to it tablespoon of thickening flour dissolved in a little milk and stir until thickened. season with / teaspoon of salt, / teaspoon of pepper, a dash of paprika, and stir in the riced egg-yolks and the diced whites. serve in small dishes, or covered with crumbs and browned in the oven, or on rounds of toast. one or sweet green peppers finely chopped vary this dish. i would not enter on my list of friends, though graced with polished manners and fine sense, yet wanting sensibility, the man who needlessly sets foot upon a worm. cowper. cheese cheese ramekins take cup of bread crumbs and cup of milk, and cook together until smooth; then add tablespoons of melted butter, scant teaspoon of mustard, and tablespoons of grated cheese. stir over the fire for one minute, then remove, and add salt and cayenne pepper, and the lightly beaten yolks of eggs; afterwards stir in with a fork the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. pour into ramekin dishes, and bake for fifteen minutes in a moderate oven, or cook and serve in a baking dish. baked cheese and bread soak cup of bread crumbs for two or three minutes in cups of milk, then beat in the yolks of eggs thoroughly beaten, and cup of grated cheese, and lastly the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. put into a buttered baking dish, dot the top with butter, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake until a light brown, which will be in from twenty minutes to half an hour. cheese fondu put tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, and when melted add cup of milk, or cream if desired, cup of fine bread crumbs, cups of grated cheese, / teaspoon of salt, / teaspoon of dry mustard, and some cayenne pepper. stir constantly until well heated through, and then add lightly beaten eggs, and serve on rounds of toast. cheese relish put cup of milk into a double boiler, season with pepper and salt, and when hot stir in cup of grated cheese, and let cook for five minutes; then add crumbed soda crackers and serve on toast, with a sprinkling of paprika. cheese mÉringues beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into them with a fork tablespoons of parmesan or grated cheese, drops of tabasco, a little salt and paprika; drop tablespoon at a time into hot fat, and fry until brown; then drain and sprinkle with fresh salt and paprika before serving. creamed cheese make cups of well-seasoned white sauce, add a few drops of golden yellow colouring, stir into it / cup of cheese cut into dice (or grated if preferred), and when the cheese is softened and hot serve on rounds of toast and sprinkle with paprika. cheese pancakes make small pancakes of cup of milk, egg, and enough flour to thicken, and spread them with grated cheese moistened with a little melted butter; sprinkle chopped chives mixed with parsley over the cheese, and a dash of any savoury catsup (if liked), season with salt and pepper, roll the pancakes after cooking, and serve as a savoury or luncheon dish. cottage cheese take quarts or more of sour milk or cream, and add to it the same quantity of rapidly boiling water, turn into a straining-bag, and hang up until dry. when ready to use, turn out of the bag and rub until smooth; add a seasoning of salt and pepper and a little sweet cream. beat until light and serve ice-cold. a little cream can be served to eat upon it, if liked. this can also be made by heating the sour milk or cream and using no water, but the milk must only be heated enough to separate and not enough to boil. welsh rarebit cut in very small thin pieces pound of american cheese; put it in a chafing-dish and stir until melted, then add teaspoon of mustard, some salt, and slowly stir in / a glass of beer or ale, and season with cayenne or paprika just before serving on toast. bachelor's rarebit make welsh rarebit, and five minutes before serving stir into it tablespoon of chopped green peppers and tablespoon of chopped spanish pimentos. delmonico rarebit cut in small pieces pound of american cheese, put it in a chafing-dish and stir until melted; then add / a glass of beer or ale, some salt and cayenne or paprika, teaspoon dry mustard, the yolk of egg, then the whipped white of the egg, and serve at once on toast. the white of the egg militates against any "stringiness" which is apt to come from cooking certain sorts of cheese. a little milk can be used, if desired, instead of beer. pink rarebit drain can of tomatoes and put them in a saucepan with tablespoon of butter; season them well with pepper and salt, and after they have cooked fifteen or twenty minutes add pound of fresh american cheese cut into thin slices, and stir until melted; season generously with salt and pepper, and serve on rounds of toast. liptauer cheese remove the paper from the smallest neufchâtel cream cheese, which is nearer like real liptauer than any other that can be had in america, and set it in the centre of a plate; surround it with teaspoon of paprika, / teaspoon of salt, a small mustard spoon of french mustard, a piece of fresh butter half the size of the cheese, teaspoons of minced onion, and teaspoon of capers. the "liptauer" should be blended at the table with a silver knife. add first the butter, then the capers, then the onion, then the seasoning, and make into a cream. serve on brown or white bread, or crackers. roquefort cheese gourmet cream / pound of roquefort cheese with tablespoon of butter and some salt and tablespoon of sherry, and serve on water crackers. camembert cheese a pretty way to serve camembert cheese is to place the cheese, when removed from its box and paper, on a round paper doily on a large plate, and surround it with a heavy wreath of watercress and radishes cut to look like flowers. cheese "dreams" cut fresh cheese into thin slices, spread with made mustard, sprinkle with paprika, lay between two trimmed slices of bread, and toast on both sides until nicely browned, using a very slow fire. grated cheese instead of throwing away bits of dried cheese these should be grated and put in a wide mouthed, covered glass jar. "if plutarch's advice, that those who affirm that they were intended by nature for a diet of flesh food, 'should themselves kill what they wish to eat,' were always followed, the question would to most take on a different aspect. few can endure unmoved the horrible sights of the slaughter-house; far less could they participate in the slaughter." salads there is no end to the combinations of vegetables for salads; the few here given are the best ones i have tried. the dressing should never be put on a fresh green salad until just as it is to be used; other salads, like potato, beans, etc., are sometimes improved by standing. lettuce for salads should be carefully looked over; and clean, inner leaves not washed unless they are muddy; but all the leaves used which are washed should be thoroughly dried before adding the dressing. in france the salad basket is one of the most used kitchen utensils, and the salad leaves after washing are shaken in this until absolutely dry. the dressing should be very well mixed with the vegetables, and a little dry salt and pepper added as the salad is served. french dressing an absolute rule for making good salad dressing is an almost impossible thing, as this seems to be the one place in cookery where it is not only allowable but commendable to "guess" at proper proportions. the following is as nearly accurate as it seems well to be. put scant teaspoon of salt and saltspoon of black pepper in a bowl, and stir into them with a wooden fork, very slowly, or tablespoons of fresh oil, and then add half as much or less vinegar, mixing it well with the oil. tarragon vinegar good tarragon vinegar can be bought in any city, but it is so easily prepared at home that it is worth doing. put a handful of tarragon in a quart jar, and cover with cold or heated vinegar. seal the jar and set it in a dark place for a month or so before using. make chervil vinegar in the same way. plain mayonnaise dressing put chilled egg-yolks in a cold soup plate, and stir into them teaspoon of salt and / teaspoon of mustard, using a silvered spoon, and after these are well mixed in begin to add oil, actually drop by drop, from scant cup of cool olive oil, and do this until the eggs are so thickened that it is not possible to make them more so; then the remaining oil may be added less slowly. if this first process is not properly done, no amount of stirring will ever thicken the sauce. a fork or whisk may be used to finish the stirring. when the oil is added, beat in slowly tablespoon of vinegar, and of lemon juice, and / saltspoon of cayenne pepper. put on the ice until wanted. tarragon mayonnaise is made by substituting tarragon vinegar for plain vinegar. green colouring for mayonnaise this may be made of mixed herbs or spinach. if herbs are used take tablespoon of parsley, of watercress, and of chervil, put them into boiling water, let them cook eight minutes, then drain and pound in a mortar, and press the pulp through a fine sieve. use this with mayonnaise to make a light delicate green colour. if spinach is used press tablespoon of chopped spinach through a sieve, and use it to colour the sauce. salad cheese balls use equal quantities of neufchâtel cheese and grated american (or parmesan) cheese, sprinkle with cayenne, and dampen with a little melted butter. shape into tiny balls and use very cold as a salad garnish. american salad use cup of scraped thinly sliced celery, cup of diced apples, / cup of chopped english walnuts, and / cup of seeded white grapes. mix well with mayonnaise, and serve on large curled lettuce leaves. artichoke salad use cold boiled fresh artichokes, remove the thistles, and fill the artichokes with finely minced chopped onion, apple, and beet, blended with green mayonnaise; serve extra mayonnaise in which to dip the artichoke leaves. green bean salad put a can of good "stringless" beans on the ice an hour before wanted, open, drain, and arrange in a salad bowl with teaspoons of grated or finely chopped onion and cup of french dressing. serve ice-cold. wax bean salad make like the preceding, using tablespoon of chopped chives or shallots, or green onion tops instead of chopped onion. beet salad with celery cut boiled beets in thin slices and use a vegetable cutter to cut them into fancy shapes. mix cup of beets with cup of thinly sliced celery, cover well with mayonnaise, serve on lettuce leaves. cabbage salad slice firm white cabbage as thin as possible, then cut it across, mix it with mayonnaise dressing, and serve on small white cabbage leaves. celery and pineapple salad use equal parts of thin strips of celery and shredded pineapple. select a perfectly ripe pineapple. put the celery and pineapple each by itself, and place on the ice. when time to serve mix them together with mayonnaise, garnish with celery leaves, and serve at once. cherry salad when fresh cherries are available they are best, but the large cherries in glass bottles are also suitable. remove the stones from fresh cherries, and in their places put blanched filberts or hazelnuts. put on curled lettuce leaves with a tablespoon of green mayonnaise on each. cucumber salad soak unpeeled cucumbers in ice-cold water for twenty minutes or more, then peel and use a patent scraper on the sides to serrate the edges, or do this by drawing a silver fork firmly down the length of the cucumber; this will make the slices have fancy edges. slice, and arrange with small white lettuce leaves in a salad bowl. cover with french dressing and add a sprinkling of paprika to the salad itself before serving. some sliced radishes may be added if liked. country salad use cup each of finely sliced firm white cabbage, diced celery, and chopped apple; mix them well with mayonnaise dressing, and serve in the inner leaves from the cabbage. russian cucumber salad prepare like plain cucumber salad, but put with the sliced cucumbers small onion sliced thin, with the slices separated into rings. one tablespoon of chives may be added, or more chives used and the onion slices omitted. dent de lion salad take young dandelion leaves, trim off all the stem below the leaf, and mix with a french dressing to which has been added onion juice or chopped chives; use tablespoon of either to each cup of dressing. hard-boiled eggs, sliced or chopped, are sometimes used to garnish this salad. pink egg salad boil or eggs for ten minutes, put in cold water for two or three minutes, then peel and put in a jar of pickled beets, well covered with vinegar. let them stand a few hours and serve with the beets. endive salad wash heads of endive and use the crisp, white, light leaves. shake dry and cover with french dressing. add teaspoon of minced onion before dressing. fetticus or corn salad wash cups of fetticus and dry the leaves well, then cover with french dressing, and add teaspoon of grated onion. garden salad take a handful of sorrel, sprigs of chervil, leaves of tarragon (or use tarragon vinegar), teaspoon of chopped chives, and the small leaves from the heart of a head lettuce. blend all well with french dressing. grape-fruit salad wash and shake dry the fine leaves from a head lettuce, and arrange with them in layers very thin slices of grape-fruit; mix well with french dressing before serving. italian salad having prepared nice heads of head lettuce, arrange them in the salad bowl with seedless oranges which have been neatly peeled, and cut into thin slices with a very sharp knife. season with salt and pepper, and then mix thoroughly with french dressing. the oranges and lettuce should have been chilled so that the salad will be very cold. lettuce salad pull apart a fresh head lettuce, breaking the leaves neatly from the stalk, and wash those that need it and shake them dry. put in a salad bowl with french dressing or sauce vinaigrette, and mix well together before serving. macedoine salad open a glass or can of imported macedoine of vegetables, drain, and cover with french dressing. arrange with lettuce leaves in a bowl or on separate plates. freshness can be added by a tablespoon of chopped chives, or shallots, or parsley. special mixed salad use cup of chopped tomato, cup of chopped cucumber, / cup of thinly sliced radishes, / cup of chopped apple, and tablespoons of the german pearl pickled onions. mix all together with cup of mayonnaise, and arrange in a salad bowl with lettuce leaves, which should be used to hold the salad in serving. mushroom salad select fresh, firm mushrooms that are small, wash them carefully without peeling, and stir them in french dressing that contains rather more oil than usual. put crisp lettuce leaf on each plate, fill it with the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt and a little paprika, and serve very cold. narragansett salad wash and shake dry the fine white centre of endive or chicory, and arrange with it quartered tomatoes from which the skin has been removed; serve with a french dressing to which a tablespoon of chopped parsley, / teaspoon of chopped onion, and finely chopped egg has been added. philadelphia salad select large tomatoes, remove the skins by putting in boiling water, cut out the inside, and refill with finely chopped pineapple, celery, and apple in equal proportions, all well blended with plain mayonnaise. serve on lettuce leaves on separate plates, or use watercress instead of lettuce. pimento salad with cheese balls mix neufchâtel cheeses with cup of grated cheese, and when creamed together add olives stoned and chopped fine and teaspoon of chopped pimento; season generously with salt and pepper, moisten with cream, and mould into balls an inch and a quarter through. pimolas (which are olives stuffed with pimentos) can of course be used if more convenient, and a few drops of onion extract or a very little onion juice adds piquancy to the cheese balls. take lettuce which has been in cold water and is therefore crisp, shake it dry, and arrange with it pimentos cut in long half-inch strips, mix thoroughly with a french dressing, and garnish with the cheese balls. polish salad use boiled beets, sliced and mixed with french dressing, and over all sprinkle chopped white of hard-boiled egg. a little grated horse-radish is sometimes used with good effect in beet salad. german potato salad boil medium-sized potatoes, and after draining shake them over the fire a moment or two to dry; then peel and slice while warm, and cover at once with a dressing made of teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of black pepper, tablespoon of chopped parsley, chopped onion, tablespoons of oil, and tablespoons of vinegar. mix and let stand on ice for an hour or so, then put with crisp lettuce leaves in a salad bowl, and garnish with chopped boiled or pickled beets. american potato salad mix cold sliced boiled potatoes with mayonnaise dressing and add tablespoon of capers. red potato salad use equal quantities of boiled beets (canned ones are convenient) and boiled potatoes. dice both and mix well together, adding tablespoon of vinegar. let stand until the potatoes are reddened, then add tablespoon of grated onion, mix well with french dressing, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg. place in a salad bowl, with fine white cabbage or crisp lettuce leaves. romaine salad pick over crisp heads of romaine, let stand a few minutes in cold water, then shake until dry, and serve with french dressing to which grated onion is added, using teaspoon of it to each cup of dressing. southern salad to cups of cold boiled rice add chopped hard-boiled eggs and blend well with mayonnaise. arrange on crisp lettuce leaves with a garnish of egg slices, and beet, and sliced olives. sorrel salad a refreshing salad may be made from the sorrel found growing wild. wash it well, cut the stalks off, and dredge with salt, pepper, celery salt, and then mix with oil, and sprinkle well with tarragon vinegar and a little grated onion. spanish salad remove the skins from large, solid tomatoes and small cucumber, take the seeds from small sweet green pepper, pare small spanish onion, and cut all in slices, making the peppers extremely thin. mix with tablespoon of chopped nasturtium leaves or stems or seeds, and cover with french dressing, mixing well. let stand on ice an hour before serving. serve with cheese balls. sunday-night salad wash large head of crisp head lettuce, separate the leaves, rejecting all but perfect ones, and shake them dry. put them in a large salad bowl, and with them put onion chopped very fine, sliced tomatoes, and the leaves from or sprigs of watercress. at the table dredge the salad generously with salt, and sprinkle with black pepper, covering the entire surface; then pour from an oil bottle or tablespoons of oil over the vegetables slowly, and follow this with about tablespoons of vinegar; add tablespoon of tarragon vinegar, then dredge with celery salt, and add a little cayenne, and mix all together with a wooden fork and spoon, turning the whole mass over and over ten or more times. the bowl may be well rubbed with garlic and the onion omitted. russian tomato salad slice or very small tomatoes, and put with them onions sliced and divided into rings. cover with french dressing. sliced tomato with chives slice tomatoes, put with them tablespoons of chopped chives, and cover with french dressing. serve on lettuce leaves. waldorf salad use cup of shelled walnuts, broken or chopped, cup of diced tart apple, cup of crisp celery cut in small pieces, and mix well with mayonnaise dressing. serve on curly lettuce leaves. watercress salad with oranges cut two inches off the bottom of a bunch of watercress with a sharp knife, wash the cress thoroughly in ice-cold water, drain, and arrange in a salad bowl with seedless oranges cut in thin slices, and mix all together with a dressing made of tablespoon each of tarragon vinegar, olive oil, and brandy; season well with salt and pepper, and serve very cold. grape fruit can be substituted for the orange, or equal amounts of orange and grape fruit used. yokohama salad cut into small cubes fresh cucumbers that have been on ice until chilled and then peeled, and put with them diced sour apple, tablespoon of shredded pimentos, small bunch of watercress (using the leaves only), and tablespoons of chopped mint leaves. mix with french dressing and serve on lettuce leaves. a salad supper use large dinner plates, and on each arrange of the large light green leaves from the inner part of head lettuce, putting of them with the stalk-end toward the centre of the plate, and another small one in the centre. fill the centre leaf with radishes (cut like roses) and olives, and fill the others as follows: in one put tablespoons of canned green beans, well mixed, before putting on the leaf, with a little grated onion and french dressing, on the second put or slices of tomato and teaspoons of mayonnaise, on the third arrange stalks of canned asparagus (white preferred) dipped in french dressing and sprinkled with chopped chives, on the fourth put half-lengths of a quartered cucumber to be dipped in salt in eating, and on the fifth put tablespoon of tiny german pearl onions, pickled walnuts, and gherkins. serve nut or plain bread, or creamed cheese sandwiches, or all three. this supper may be varied in many ways; one is to use potato salad or beet and egg instead of the beans. this as it stands was the result of an emergency when six persons were suddenly to be served to a late supper and no preparation made. a well-stocked store-room of preserved goods and a small kitchen garden filled the need. no flocks that range the valley free, to slaughter i condemn; taught by the power that pities me, i learn to pity them. oliver goldsmith. savouries the savoury begins a meal well, and is a convenient dainty for late suppers. the variety is practically endless, and those given here may be altered and added to indefinitely. fresh mushroom "cocktails" put a small handleless cup or glass in the centre of a plate and encircle it with of the smallest white leaves of lettuce. on each leaf place small white firm button mushrooms, which have been freshly gathered and carefully washed but not peeled. fill the cocktail glass three quarters full of sauce made of / cup of tomato chutney, teaspoon of lemon juice, drops of tabasco (more if liked very hot), and / teaspoon of salt. set the plates in the refrigerator for half an hour. deliciously prepared "cocktail" sauce can be purchased in bottles. canned mushroom "cocktails" in each cocktail glass put or button mushrooms, and cover them well with the cocktail sauce. or use canned cêpes and serve in green pepper cases. pimento "cocktails" cut squares, an inch across, from sweet pimentos (canned), and put or of these in each glass; cover well with cocktail sauce and serve ice-cold, with celery. beet savoury use large pickled beet and arrange neat slices on squares of bread; in the centre of the beet put a ring of hard-boiled sliced egg, filled with the riced egg-yolk, and fill each corner with chopped chives. beet and egg savoury chop equal parts of pickled beet and the whites of hard-boiled eggs together, and arrange on toast or bread with the riced yolks of the eggs, mixed with a little chopped chives or parsley, in a cone on the centre. season well. brown-bread savoury cut brown bread into shapes, spread with butter, then heavily with cream cheese containing some salt, and cross two evenly cut strips of pimento on each piece of bread thus prepared. at the juncture of the strips of pimento place a slice of pimola, and put one in each space on the cheese. sprinkle with paprika, and put a few capers here and there. cucumber savoury cut bread in rounds and arrange on it neat slices of cucumber, the edges serrated before slicing by drawing a silver fork lengthwise of the cucumber. sprinkle with salt and paprika, and on each slice put a ring from a small sliced onion, or arrange instead the tiny german pearl pickled onions between the slices of cucumber. sprinkle a little lemon juice over to serve. a variation is made by using chopped chives only, or each ring of onion may be filled with them. creole savoury toast one side of shaped pieces of bread, and butter the untoasted side, and on it spread a layer of chopped tomato mixed with half as much chopped green pepper and some salt. put in the oven or under the gas flame for five minutes, and upon removing arrange a cone of finely chopped onion in the centre of each. egg savoury use fresh bread slightly toasted or less soft bread without toasting. cut in squares, diamonds, or rounds, and sprinkle with worcestershire sauce, or any good sauce, then cover neatly with the chopped whites of hard-boiled, well-salted eggs, on which arrange a centre of the riced yolks. put a round slice from a black pickled walnut on each corner, dot with capers, and sprinkle with paprika. horse-radish savoury spread oblong pieces of bread thinly with mustard, cover with a layer of chopped whites of hard-boiled eggs mixed with a little grated horse-radish, arrange capers in strips crosswise of the bread, and between these sprinkle the hard-boiled yolks of the eggs which have been riced or pressed through a sieve. at the corners and in the centre place thin slices of gherkins. mustard savoury cut shaped pieces of bread and spread with made mustard. cover them with chopped hard-boiled eggs mixed with a little chopped chives. arrange capers in lines or any pattern on this. season well. neufchÂtel savoury mix neufchâtel cheese with / as much butter and rub to a cream, and then squeeze through a tube onto salted, hot crackers, forming star-like rosettes. sprinkle with paprika, garnish with capers. onion savoury use shaped pieces of bread and spread thinly with butter, then arrange a quarter-inch layer of finely minced spanish onion mixed with chopped parsley and slightly dampened with tomato sauce; put in the centre of each the ring of a slice of hard-boiled egg, with a slice of pickled walnut fitted into it. pickle savoury spread any savoury sauce and then cream cheese on oblong pieces of bread, and arrange on this thin slices of small sour pickles in a neat row, lengthwise. sprinkle with paprika. stuffed olive savoury arrange on squares of bread spread with tomato or any tart sauce strips of riced yolk of hard-boiled egg; form squares by placing them both ways of the bread, and in each put a ring of the white of hard-boiled egg sliced, and fill the centre with a slice of pimola or any other stuffed olive. caper savoury make same as the above using capers to fill the egg rings. tomato mayonnaise savoury chop tomatoes and mix with them a thick mayonnaise, either plain or flavoured with herbs. spread on shaped pieces of bread, and garnish with thin rings sliced from green peppers. tomato savoury cut rounds of bread the size of the tomatoes to be used and toast one side; then butter the other side and arrange on each a slice of tomato, dredge with salt, pepper, and dry mustard, sprinkle with mushroom catsup or walnut catsup, and set under the burners of a gas stove for five minutes or until heated but not softened. garnish with watercress to serve. liptauer savoury spread shaped pieces of bread with "liptauer cheese" and garnish with slices of pickle. sweet pimento savoury toast fresh bread slightly, cut into shapes and butter one side, and on this arrange a trimmed piece of canned spanish pimento sprinkled with celery salt, and set under the gas flame of a gas stove for five minutes to heat. rounds of toast to make rounds of bread or toast take an empty tin the size required and press it firmly into a slice of bread, thus cutting the round evenly and neatly. cutters for cutting vegetables into fancy shapes are convenient for savouries. one farmer said to me, "you cannot live on vegetable food, for it furnishes nothing to make bones with;" and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying his system with the raw material of bones, walking all the while he talks, behind his oxen, who, with vegetable made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plow along in spite of obstacles. i have found repeatedly of late years that i cannot fish without falling a little in self-respect. henry david thoreau. sandwiches the recipes given under savouries can also be used in making sandwiches, and originality can have full play here as in the making of dainty and appetising savouries. savoury butter sandwiches use unsalted or slightly salted butter, and with a silver knife press into it any flavour desired,--onion juice, paprika, various sauces, chopped peppers, or capers,--using teaspoon of minced herbs, etc., to each tablespoon of butter. spread in sandwiches. providence house club sandwiches cut fresh bread in medium thick slices, trim the four edges, and butter it with butter somewhat softened by warmth. on one side of two slices which belong next to each other put thinly sliced peeled tomatoes, filling in bits to cover the bread neatly. press or slices cut from pickled walnuts into the juicy parts of the tomatoes, lay or capers also in, and use half a teaspoon of the tiny german pearl onion pickles to each sandwich. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and celery salt, and spread with mayonnaise. press the other piece of bread firmly on, and wrap in waxed paper for picnics. vary with chopped chives, tarragon leaves, french dressing, etc. apple sandwiches arrange thinly sliced, cored apples between layers of buttered bread from which the crust has been cut. sprinkle with salt and spread with mayonnaise, into which a few chopped nuts have been mixed. creole sandwiches trim and butter squares of bread and fit to them thinly sliced tomatoes, and spread with thin mustard; slice green peppers very thin, and arrange sections of the rings here and there over the tomatoes. use a little minced chives or shallot, or onions, and season with salt and pepper and lemon juice or some sauce. bombay sandwiches spread squares of bread with curry paste, and cover with chopped tomato to which is added a little chopped onion and the same amount of chopped sour apples. season with salt. peanut-butter sandwiches spread small oblong pieces of bread, from which the crust is cut, with peanut butter blended with cream, and press firmly together. egg sandwiches break eggs into a frying pan containing a little melted butter and let them spread, breaking the yolk with a spoon after they are in the pan; let them fry until the edges begin to brown, then season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with chopped chives. cut pieces out to fit the bread slices to be used, and, after trimming and buttering the bread, arrange them on one side of the sandwich. use with no other flavouring, or sprinkle with worcestershire sauce, or spread with mustard. wrap in waxed paper for picnics. nut sandwiches mix chopped nuts in thick cream or mayonnaise, and spread between slices of bread, either with or without a lettuce leaf. sprinkle with cayenne. lettuce sandwiches spread oblong slices of trimmed bread with butter, lay a lettuce leaf between, trimmed to size, and spread with plain or green mayonnaise. pimola sandwiches butter small squares of bread and arrange on them sliced pimolas or any stuffed olives, sprinkle with lemon juice, or spread with mayonnaise. pickle sandwiches slice large pickles and arrange them between buttered bread slices. if german dill pickles are used and german flavours liked sprinkle with caraway seeds, and use rye bread. cheese sandwiches cut american or swiss cheese very thin, spread with mustard, and place a piece, trimmed to the size of the bread used, between two pieces of buttered white or rye bread. german sandwiches use rye or "black" bread, with caraway seeds baked in it, spread the two slices with unsalted butter, and on one arrange thin slices of swiss cheese; spread this with german or french mustard, and arrange on it or slices of dill pickles. honolulu sandwiches pare and core apples, stem and seed sweet green peppers, and put them through a vegetable mill. mix them into neufchâtel cheeses, and use as filling for brown or white bread sandwiches. he prayeth well who loveth well both man and bird and beast; he prayeth best who loveth best all things both great and small; for the dear god who loveth us, he made and loveth all. coleridge. pastry, patty cases, etc. pie-crust shortened pie-crust is made by using for one pie / of a cup of flour, with / of a teaspoon of baking powder and / of a teaspoon of salt in it. sift this onto / a cup of cocoanut butter or / a cup of butter, or these two in equal proportions, dampen with ice-water, and roll out five or six times. keep ice-cold until used. easy puff paste use a chopping bowl for mixing the paste, and into it put cups of flour (sifted), tablespoon of sugar and teaspoon of salt, adding it a spoonful at a time. use cups of butter, chopping it into the flour until it is as fine as possible. beat eggs for five minutes and add to them the juice of one lemon and / cup of very cold water, and stir this gradually into the paste. when mixed lift the paste to a well-floured pastry board, roll it into a rectangular shape, fold it over onto itself from the four sides, then roll again, and repeat this process four times. now fold into a thin piece of linen, and place on a plate near the ice in the refrigerator, and let it stand half an hour or more. roll out again and use for patties, or pie-crust. timbale cases make a batter of / of a cup of flour, / cup of milk in which egg has been beaten, teaspoon of sugar, saltspoon of salt, and at the very last add tablespoon of olive oil. dip the timbale iron in the batter, then in hot vegetable fat, taking care it does not touch the bottom of the pan. when a golden brown remove and place on paper to drain, and proceed thus until a sufficient number has been made. fill with chestnuts, mushrooms, etc., in sauce, and reheat in the oven after filling. batter for fritters make as for timbale cases and dip the vegetables or fruit to be fried in it, and fry until golden brown in hot fat. pastry for patty pans or cases instead of frying-batter for timbale cases a paste can be made with / cups of flour, egg-yolk, and tablespoons of butter well-mixed and dampened to the proper consistency by using perhaps / cup of cold water. roll out very thin, about / of an inch, and press into the small pans or moulds after buttering them. trim neatly, and press a little cup of buttered tissue paper in each, fill this with rice to protect the inside from too much heat and to keep flat on the bottom, and bake in a rather slow oven. do not turn out until cooled, and do not fill until wanted. ordinary pastry may be used also to line moulds for patty cases, timbales, etc. potato crust boil good-sized potatoes with the skins on, peel while hot, and press through a ricer or sieve, mix with an equal quantity of white flour or whole wheat flour and a little salt, and dampen with cream. press together and roll out for top crust of vegetable pies. essex pastry mix equal parts of mashed potato and flour pastry, and use baked in small squares as a garnish, or as a covering for deep vegetable pie. dumplings sift cups of flour, add to it heaping teaspoon of baking powder and / teaspoon of salt, and sift again. stir into this scant cup of milk, or just enough to make a dough that can scarcely be handled without sticking to the fingers. drop in boiling vegetable stock or into a stew and let boil rapidly ten minutes, taking great care not to uncover the kettle until just as the dumplings are removed. serve at once in the stew or with brown sauce. croutons cut slices / of an inch thick of stale bread, and with a knife cut across both ways to make tiny squares. dry a few moments, then toss in a little hot butter to brown and serve warm. bread crumbs a jar of bread crumbs should always be kept on hand. use stale bread, break it into bits, and brown it slightly in the oven. then with a roller, or in a mortar, crumble it and crush it to powdered crumbs. if a jar of light crumbs and one of golden brown crumbs are kept ready, they will be found most convenient. a small unkindness is a great offence. hannah more. a few hot breads baking powder biscuits take tablespoons of butter and sift onto them lightly cups of flour in which heaping teaspoon of baking powder is mixed, and with freshly washed, cool hands mix the flour and butter thoroughly together, then pour on slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon, cup of milk; with most flours this cup of milk or a very little less will make the biscuit dough of the proper consistency, but if too thin or too thick, judgment must be used, as the dough should be so that with well-floured hands it can scarcely be handled, but can with rapid motions be made into a roll which will keep its shape when put on a well-floured bread board. it should then be rolled lightly with a roller to the thickness of three quarters of an inch, and with a biscuit cutter, the edge of which should be dipped in flour before using, cut the rounds quickly out and place them at once in a shallow buttered pan and set in the oven. they should be properly cooked in eighteen or twenty minutes. the smallest sized baking powder tin is exactly the right size for a biscuit cutter. this same recipe makes dumplings, strawberry short-cake, and the top of vegetable pies. pop overs mix saltspoon of salt with cup of flour, and add slowly enough from cup of milk to just make a smooth paste; stir this well, then add the remaining milk and the beaten yolk of egg, and then the white whisked to a stiff froth. put the batter in buttered gem pans or earthenware cups, and cook in the oven about twenty-five minutes, or until browned and standing very high. serve at once. graham gems mix cups of whole wheat flour, / teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of sugar, and stir onto this cup of milk containing the beaten yolks of eggs, then add the beaten whites of the eggs, and put in hot buttered gem pans. bake about twenty-five minutes. tennessee corn bread beat eggs in a mixing bowl, add heaping teaspoon of granulated sugar, and cup of milk; mix / cup of white flour, cup of yellow corn meal, and teaspoons of baking powder, and sift these into the milk, stirring constantly. the batter should be thin enough to spread readily when poured into the inch-deep baking pan. just before pouring in the batter put tablespoon of butter in the baking tin and when it melts, stir the batter into it; this is the secret of crisp brown bottom crust and was learned from an old negro cook. bake twenty minutes to half an hour or until tinged with brown. southern rice muffins with cup of boiled rice put cup of milk, tablespoon of butter, the beaten yolks of eggs, / cups of flour, tablespoon of sugar, / teaspoon of salt, and heaping teaspoon of baking powder. after mixing well add the well-beaten whites of the eggs, pour into hot buttered gem pans, and bake in a quick oven from twenty to twenty-five minutes. rice griddlecakes mix well together eggs, cups of milk, / teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of sugar, cups of flour, teaspoons of baking powder, and / cups of boiled rice. bake on a hot buttered griddle, browning both sides. corn cakes in / cups of sour milk put teaspoon of soda, beaten egg, tablespoon of sugar, teaspoon of salt, scant / cup of white flour, and thicken with enough yellow corn meal to make a thin batter. fry a golden brown on a hot buttered griddle. wheat cakes beat eggs lightly and pour over them cups of milk; mix teaspoons of baking powder with cups of flour and / teaspoon of salt, and sift lightly into the milk, stirring constantly. cook in small pancakes on a hot buttered griddle. gingerbread beat the yolks of eggs lightly, melt / cup of butter and add to the eggs, then stir in / cup of milk, teaspoon of soda, and / cups of dark molasses. then add slowly cups of sifted flour and tablespoon of ginger, and after beating the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth stir them in with a fork. bake in an inch-deep baking pan in a slow oven for three quarters of an hour. sunday morning waffles beat eggs thoroughly, and add to them cups of milk and saltspoon of salt, and sift into the milk cups of flour containing heaping teaspoons of baking powder, stirring constantly. some flour thickens more than others, and if more must be added sift it before stirring in. the secret of the excellence of waffles is not getting the batter too thick; it must spread readily when put upon the iron but not run. melt tablespoon of butter and put it in the batter at the last moment. butter the hot waffle iron, using a bristle brush an inch or so wide for the purpose, over half-fill the iron with batter (using a large spoon), let one side brown, and then turn, to brown the other. divide into the four parts indicated by the iron and serve with maple syrup. god made all the creatures and gave them our love and our fear, to give sign that we and they are his children,--one family here. robert browning. plum pudding and mince pie plum pudding blanch cup of almonds and / cup of brazil nuts, and put them through a fine grinder; add to them cup of blanched chopped walnuts, and mix with these cups of very fine bread crumbs, / cup of butter, / cup of brown sugar, the grated rind of lemons (washed well before grating), cups of seedless raisins, cups of currants, cups of light sultana raisins, cup of mixed candied peel finely shredded, and when well blended stir into this six slightly beaten eggs and teaspoon of salt. put in a pudding basin and steam or boil for eight hours; boil several hours to reheat the day it is to be used. serve with brandy sauce and nun's butter. plum pudding sauce beat egg until very light, stir into it cup of sugar, and when blended add tablespoons of boiling water and cook over boiling water for five minutes, adding wineglass of brandy during the last two minutes' cooking. nun's butter beat / cup of butter until creamy, and add slowly to it cup of powdered (or granulated) sugar. add tablespoon of vanilla, lemon, or brandy, and a sprinkling of grated nutmeg. mince pie bake large apples, and press them through a sieve to remove skins and cores; grate the rinds from lemons, and add this and the juice of the lemons to the apple pulp; wash, pick over, and bruise in a mortar cup of currants; stone cups of raisins, and cut them in slices. mix these all well together, chop into them cup of butter (or cocoanut butter), a little salt, cups of brown sugar, tablespoon of candied lemon peel, tablespoon of candied citron, and tablespoon of candied orange peel, all well minced, and after stirring well, add tablespoons of orange marmalade and / cup of good brandy. put in sealed glass jars, cover with wax or brandied paper before the jar is closed, and use for pies in two weeks. "wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods? draw near them in being merciful. sweet mercy is nobility's true badge." shakspere. menus menus in a cook-book are perhaps not always worth the space devoted to them, but as the beginner in vegetarianism often finds the arranging of a menu in such a way that it does not depart too far from the accustomed manner of serving food the most difficult part of the task she has set herself, a few menus are here given, more with an idea of showing what dishes are most suitable as entremets, piecès de resistance, and entrées, than with the thought that they will be followed absolutely, for they can of course be changed in many ways, and very much simplified for ordinary use, and amplified for formal occasions. thanksgiving dinner fresh mushroom cocktail pimolas celery ... cream of artichokes crackers radishes ... asparagus in dutch butter ... michaelmas loaf mashed potatoes roast sweet potatoes cranberry sauce baked celery ... tomato salad with mayonnaise ... frozen cranberry punch mince pie pumpkin pie nuts and raisins fruit coffee christmas dinner pimento cocktail olives ... mushroom stew crackers celery ... fried egg-plant with sauce tartare ... christmas loaf potatoes soufflÉ glazed onions chilled apple sauce ... crÊme de menthe punch ... waldorf salad ... plum pudding brandt sauce hard sauce ... nuts raisins fruit coffee easter dinner cream of green pea in cups ... fresh mushroom patties ... roast nut and barley loaf creamed new potatoes mint sauce new peas paysanne ... fruit sherbet ... dessert a dozen dinners black bean soup olives ... jerusalem artichokes in butter stuffed tomatoes german spinach delmonico potatoes ... lettuce salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- beet savoury ... tomato-okra soup small crackers celery ... glorified carrots ... asparagus tips in butter potato cases peas ... dessert ----====||||====---- cream of carrots green peas in patty cases ... brussels sprouts with chestnuts turnips with potato creamed onions ... narragansett salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- calcutta bisque ... tomatoes casino ... steamed nut loaf with caper sauce leeks in butter roast potatoes ... celery salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- heilbronn soup ... button mushrooms in timbale cases ... celery in casserole potato croquettes spinach soufflÉ ... pimento salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- clear consommÉ croutons ... globe artichoke with sauce hollandaise ... stuffed peppers potato straws grilled tomatoes ... watercress salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- cream of green pea ... fresh asparagus on toast ... stuffed cucumbers. new potatoes, creamed devilled tomatoes ... mushrooms in cases ... dessert ----====||||====---- mulligatawny soup ... ladies cabbage in ramekins ... chestnut purÉe mock new potatoes creamed beets ... fetticus salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- julienne soup ... creamed salsify patties ... mushrooms in casserole mashed potatoes green string beans ... banana fritters ... dessert ----====||||====---- cream of celery olives radishes ... chestnuts in cases ... brussels sprouts creamed roast potatoes french beans creole croquettes ... celery salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- cockie-leekie soup ... fried artichokes tartare ... italian cauliflower riced potatoes nut croquettes ... russian cucumber salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- purÉe mongole olives ... escalloped potatoes vegetable casserole ... celery patties ... romaine salad ... dessert a dozen luncheons cream of corn in cups ... egg timbales with tomato sauce ... artichokes vinaigrette ... dessert ----====||||====---- button mushroom cocktails in pepper cases ... baked celery peas in cases potato nut croquettes ... italian salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- cream of spinach ... fried egg-plant with tomato sauce ... spinach with cheese, in patty cases potatoes au gratin ... grape-fruit salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- brown bread savoury ... clear consommÉ in cups ... eggs carmelite fried potatoes soufflÉ cauliflower fritters ... lettuce-pimento salad with cheese balls ... dessert ----====||||====---- tomato-corn cream ... filled mushrooms stuffed peppers creamed tomatoes potatoes and cheese ... cherry salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- tomato-mayonnaise savoury ... cream of rice ... boiled bananas with tomato sauce mushroom loaf philadelphia salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- creamed pimentos ... salsify in coquilles ... mushrooms sur cloche ... pineapple and celery salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- canton stew ... nut croquettes with sauce ... rice czarina potatoes in cradles ... pink-egg salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- pimento cocktail ... corn in tomato cases ... macaroni bianca ... special mixed salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- caper savoury ... cream of artichoke ... chop suey italian croquettes ... polish salad ... dessert ----====||||====---- fresh mushroom cocktail ... lima bean cream in cups ... bordeaux pie parisian potatoes ... asparagus vinaigrette ... dessert ----====||||====---- creole savoury ... carrots delmonico en cases ... mushrooms in casserole stuffed tomatoes potatoes duchesse ... artichoke salad ... dessert the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. and the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. and the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den. they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord, as the waters cover the sea. isaiah xi, - . index introduction, the kitchen, the dining room, seasoning, measuring, thickening, an herb garden, gelatine, fat for frying, canned goods, soups vegetable stock, a simple consommé, clear bouillon, cream of artichoke, with nasturtiums, lima beans, carrot and onion, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cheese, chestnut, corn, curry, lentil, onion, green pea, rice, spinach, tomato, vegetable, soup, asparagus, barley and tomato, black bean, belgian, plain bean, brown bean, red bean, dutch cabbage, calcutta bisque, canton stew, carrot broth, chestnut, cockie-leekie, creole, florentine, heilbronn, julienne, red lentil, purée mongole, hungarian, mushroom bisque, mushroom, mushroom stew, noodle, okra, onion au fromage, new green pea, split pea, princess, potato, german potato, potato (flora), rice and tomato, rice-okra, salsify (oyster plant), spinach-tomato, sorrel (french), sorrel (german), st. germaine, spaghetti, scotch broth, spanish tomato, tomato-tapioca, tomato and corn, tomato-macaroni, tomato, tomato-okra, mulligatawny, vegetable no. , vegetable no. , vegetable no. , vegetable no. , vegetable no. , vegetable marrow, vegetables artichokes (jerusalem) in butter, au gratin, with tomato sauce, with french sauce, fritters, fried, french fried, tartare, fried with tomato sauce, lyonnaise, purée, newburg, artichokes (globe), to steam, to boil, with mushrooms, vinaigrette, fonds, asparagus, with white sauce, with dutch butter, tips, white, vinaigrette, fried tips, tips with white sauce, in bread cases, escalloped, apples, griddled, apple fritters, bananas, boiled, with tomatoes, banana fritters, boston beans, beans, green string, golden wax, french, deutschland, florentine, and corn, italian, spanish, lima, lima hollandaise, lima creamed, lima sauquetash, beets, creamed, virginia, piquant, german, pickled, brussels sprouts, in dutch butter, with celery, with chestnuts, lyonnaise, creamed, in bread cases, cabbage, new england, western, sarmas, lichtenstein, lady, cold slaw, german red, hungarian, pickled red, carrots, creamed, with potatoes, sauté, glorified, glazed, delmonico, soufflé, cauliflower, creamed, au gratin, german, italian, fritters, celery, creamed, in brown sauce, in casserole, baked, cêpes, corn, boiled, roasted, pudding, in cases, creole, and tomato pie, chowder, rhode island escallop, cucumbers, stewed, stuffed, egg plant with sauce tartare, with tomato sauce, endive, creamed, kohlrabi, au gratin, lentils, egyptian, german, lentil pie, leeks, mushrooms, stewed, german, newburg, on toast, grilled, sur cloche, in casserole, filled, with truffles, with peas, with onions, with egg, canned, czarina, mushroom and chestnut ragout, loaf, okra, stewed, okra and grilled tomatoes, with tomato sauce, and tomato escallop, onions, boiled, creamed, with brown sauce, au gratin, with cheese, escalloped, baked with chestnuts, soufflé, bordeaux, and tomato escallop, beatrice, stuffed, fried, french fried, in potato cradles, small, glazed, and apples, parsnips, boiled, in butter, fried, french fried, broiled, peas, green, paysanne, canned, with onion, peppers, stuffed, with mushrooms, with rice, with egg, with corn, escalloped with corn, fried, pimentos, creamed, rolled, with okra, with tomato, potatoes, mashed, in cases, soufflé, riced, mashed with onion, baked, roast, denver, broiled, fried soufflé, whole fried, french fried, parisian, lyonnaise, german fried, creamed, escalloped, delmonico, oak hill, heilbronn, curried, rennequin, and cheese, escallop with onion, new, in butter, creamed new, baked new, mock new, potato fritters, straws, cradles, savoury, cakes, hash, omelet, fricassee, saratoga chips, sweet potatoes, boiled, baked, mashed, soufflé, escalloped, stuffed, maryland, candied, griddled, fried, french fried, glazed, sweet potato pie, texas, salsify (oyster plant), english, in coquilles, escalloped, tartare, black, spinach, german, with white sauce, with rhubarb, italian, novelty, soufflé, squash, baked, california, tomatoes, stewed, escalloped, breaded, fried, devilled, creamed, baked with mushrooms, with nut force-meat, stuffed with egg and peppers, baked with peppers, filled with egg, stuffed with spinach, with macaroni, and onion, casino, indienne, with eggs, curried, savoury, creole, and hominy, loaf, american rarebit, turnips, stewed, mashed, with potato, au gratin, ragout of, parisian, teltower rübchen, vegetable combinations chop suey, colcannon, macedoine of vegetables, canned, vegetable chowder, hash, stew, casserole, ragout, vegetable pie st. georges, bordeaux, new orleans stew, curry, indian, lentils, succotash, creole, various, nut dishes chestnuts, italian, purée, peanut purée, michaelmas loaf, christmas loaf, nut and barley loaf (roast), nut and barley loaf (steamed), and hominy loaf, and fruit loaf, foundation loaf, nut hash, rice, macaroni, etc. rice, boiled, baked, indian, spanish, tomato stew, fried, escalloped, and cheese, and tomatoes baked, italian, au gratin, omelet, czarina, savoury, unpolished, pearl barley, macaroni, american, au gratin, bianca, italian, baked italian, with tomato and onion, mexican, and cheese, rarebit, spaghetti, noodles, german, italian, croquettes croquettes, bean, cheese, swiss cheese, chestnut, egg, farina, hominy, lentil, macaroni, italian, tomato, dried pea, nut and potato, and salsify, and cocoanut, potato, with cheese, savoury, mashed, creole, sweet, rice, sweetened, pink, curried, carolina, english savoury, mixed vegetable, timbales and patties timbales, corn, egg, egg-tomato, pea, potato, and cheese, rice, savoury egg, patties, artichoke, asparagus, celery, chestnut, green pea, egg, macedoine, mushroom, canned, sauces caramel for colouring, reduced vinegar, sauce bernaise, black butter, bread, brown, various brown, bordelaise, curry, caper, cheese, cucumber, devilled, egg, french, german, egg, herb, hollandaise, horse-radish, maître d'hôtel, mint, nut, onion, parsley, provençal, piquant, ravigote, robert, spanish, spinach, tartare, tomato, with other vegetables, with nuts, with egg, vinaigrette, white, drawn butter, dutch butter, parsley butter, salad dressing, mayonnaise, eggs eggs, boiled, fried, poached, with gravy, indienne, waldorf, scrambled, with cheese, with mushrooms, etc., savoury, indienne, spanish, shirred, with tomatoes, griddled, carmelite, with potato, newburg, lyonnaise, devilled, japanese, golden rod, frothed, fried stuffed, carolina, münchner, in marinade, parisienne, perigord, with cheese, mornay, creamed, omar pasha, turkish, beurre-noir, creole, in savoury butter, escalloped, omelet, plain, soufflé, baked, herb, cheese, rum, swiss egg toast, canuck egg toast, egg mould, cheese cheese ramekins, baked with bread, fondu, relish, méringues, creamed, pancakes, cottage, liptauer, camembert, dreams, roquefort gourmet, grated, rarebit, welsh, bachelor's, delmonico, pink, salads salad, american, artichoke, green bean, wax bean, beet with celery, cabbage, celery and pineapple, cherry, cucumber, cucumber, russian, country, dent de lion, pink egg, endive, fetticus, garden, grape fruit, italian, lettuce, macedoine, mixed, mushroom, narragansett, philadelphia, pimento, polish, potato (german), potato (american), potato (red), romaine, southern, sorrel, spanish, sunday night, tomato (russian), with chives, waldorf, watercress with oranges, yokohama, a salad supper, french dressing, mayonnaise dressing, green colouring for mayonnaise, tarragon vinegar, savouries fresh mushroom cocktails, canned mushroom cocktails, pimento cocktails, savoury, beet, beet and egg, brown bread, cucumber, creole, egg, horse-radish, mustard, neufchâtel, onion, pickle, stuffed olive, caper, tomato, mayonnaise, liptauer, pimento, rounds of toast, sandwiches sandwiches, apple, bombay, cheese, creole, egg, german, honolulu, lettuce, nut, peanut butter, pimola, pickle, providence house, savoury butter, pastry, patty cases, etc. pie-crust, easy puff paste, timbale cases, batter for fritters, pastry for patty cases, potato crust, essex pastry, dumplings, croutons, bread crumbs, a few hot breads baking powder biscuits, pop overs, graham gems, tennessee corn bread, southern rice muffins, rice griddle cakes, corn griddle cakes, wheat griddle cakes, gingerbread, sunday morning waffles, two necessary desserts plum pudding, plum pudding sauce, nun's butter, mince pie, menus thanksgiving dinner, christmas dinner, easter dinner, a dozen dinners, a dozen luncheons, transcribers note: -bold text is noted with = tags a comprehensive guide-book to natural hygienic and humane diet by sidney h. beard, _(editor of "the herald of the golden age.")_ seventh edition. (fortieth thousand.) price two shillings ( cents net.) the order of the golden age, , , brompton rd., london, s.w. london agent--r. j. james, , , ivy lane, e.c. copyright by sidney h. beard. _all rights reserved._ dedication. to all god's sons and daughters of compassion, who are striving to lessen the travail and pain of the sentient creation, and to establish upon earth the "king's peace." "there hath been slaughter for the sacrifice and slaying for the meat, but henceforth none shall spill the blood of life, nor taste of flesh; seeing that knowledge grows, and life is one, and mercy cometh to the merciful." =contents.= the true ideal in diet a plea for the simple life a plea for moderation artistic cookery what to do when travelling advice for beginners commercial dietetic inventions how to regulate our diet a simple food-chart a table of food values vegetarian soups substitutes for fish substitutes for meat dishes simple savoury dishes cold luncheon dishes gravies and sauces puddings and sweets bread and cakes summer and winter drinks how to feed invalids what to do at christmas breakfast, luncheon and dinner menus hints to housekeepers unfired and vital foods some suggestive menus useful domestic information scientific cooking of vegetables labour-saving appliances medicinal and dietetic qualities of foods hygienic information how to accumulate physical vitality for synopsis of recipes, see next page. (index, .) synopsis of recipes. =breakfast dishes=, , , , to , , , , , , , , , , , , . =cold luncheon dishes=, to . =hot luncheon dishes=, to . =recipes for cottage dinners=, , , , to , , , , , , to , to , , , , , to , to , , , , to . =recipes for household dinners=, to , to . =recipes for soups=, to . =picnic recipes=, to . =recipes for invalids=, to , to , to . =recipes for travellers=, to , to . =simple supper dishes=, to , to , to , to , , , , , to , to , to , to , , , , , , to , . =summer and winter drinks=, to . =recipes for making bread and cakes=, to . =a menu for christmas=, (page ). =breakfast, luncheon and dinner menus=, page . =unfired food menus=, page . =preface to seventh edition.= [illustration] dietetic reform is now being considered seriously by thoughtful people in all parts of the world and interest in this important though long neglected subject is increasing every day. the fact that our physical, mental, and spiritual conditions are greatly influenced by the nature and quality of our daily food, and that, consequently, our welfare depends upon a wise selection of the same, is becoming generally recognized. popular illusions concerning the value of flesh-food have been much dispelled during recent years by revelations concerning the physical deterioration of the flesh-consuming nations, and the comparative immunity from disease of people who live on purer and more natural food; also by a succession of remarkable victories won by fruitarians who have secured numerous athletic championships and long distance records. demonstration has been provided by the japanese, that a non-carnivorous and hygienic race can out-march and out-fight the numerically superior forces of a colossal empire; and that its national and social life can be characterized by conspicuous efficiency, sobriety, health, and vitality. a vast amount of emphatic personal and medical testimony to the advantages of the more simple and natural _fruitarian_ system of living is being given by thousands of witnesses who speak from experience; and such evidence is preparing the way for a complete change of popular thought and custom concerning dietetics. in addition to such influences, an ever-increasing consciousness that the emancipation of the animal world from systematic massacre and ruthless cruelty awaits the abandonment of the carnivorous habit by the western races of mankind, is exercising a powerful effect upon the lives of multitudes of men and women. in consequence of having reached a comparatively advanced stage of evolution, they realise the solidarity of sentient life and feel humanely disposed towards all fellow-creatures; and they cannot avoid the conviction that man was never intended to play the part of a remorseless and bloodthirsty oppressor of the sub-human races. those who are labouring to bring about the adoption of dietetic customs that neither violate the physical laws of our being, nor outrage the humane sentiments of the higher part of our nature, are consequently now met by serious requests for information concerning some way of escape from bondage to ancestral barbaric custom, and the safest path to a more rational and harmonious existence. "how may we live out our full length of days in health and vigour, instead of dying of disease?" "how may we avoid the painful maladies that are prevalent, and escape the surgeon's knife?" "how may we be delivered from further participation in all this needless shedding of innocent blood?" "how may we in a scientific way feed ourselves with simple and hygienic food--with the kindly fruits of the earth instead of the flesh of murdered creatures who love life just as we do?" such questions as these are being asked by thousands of earnest souls, and it is to help such enquirers that this guide-book is published. my aim has been to give practical, reliable and up-to-date information in a concise form, avoiding superfluous matter and 'faddism,' and only supplying simple recipes which do not require the skill of a 'chef' for their interpretation. by spending a few hours in thoughtful study of the following pages, and by practising this reformed system of diet and cookery in domestic life for a few weeks, any intelligent person can master the chief principles of fruitarian dietetics, and become qualified to prepare appetising dishes suited to the taste of a hermit or a _bon vivant_ (provided that its possessor be not hopelessly enamoured of the "flesh-pots of egypt" and the flavour of cooked blood). a system of living that is earnestly recommended by thousands of disinterested advocates who have personally tried it, that comes to us full of promise both for ourselves and others, that bids fair to humanize and transform mankind and to solve many of the world's social problems, and that is now endorsed by so many progressive medical authorities, merits such attention, and is worthy of trial. as i am writing a _guide_ to reformed diet for domestic use--not an elaborate treatise to justify it--i have refrained from introducing medical and experimental testimony concerning the dangerous and injurious nature of flesh-food, and the advantages of living upon the fruits of the earth, supplemented by dairy products. numerous standard works are now obtainable which demonstrate that the principles and arguments upon which the food-reform movement is based are supported by an array of scientific evidence which is more than sufficient to convince any unprejudiced, logical and well-balanced mind. for such information i must refer my readers to other publications, and i have printed a short list of useful works on the final pages of this book, for the benefit of those who are as yet unacquainted with such literature. for some of the recipes contained in the following pages i am indebted to certain of the members of the order of the golden age, and to other workers in the food-reform cause--but especially to mrs. walter carey, who has devoted much time to the task of preparing and testing them. most of them are original, being the result of thoughtful experiment; and they should, _if carefully followed_, result in the production of dishes which will give satisfaction. but if certain recipes do not commend themselves to some of my readers, they are invited to remember that human palates differ considerably, and to try other dishes with the hope that they will like them better. with the earnest desire that all who read this book will make some sincere endeavour to seek emancipation from the barbaric habits that are prevalent in western lands, and to cease from that physical transgression in the matter of diet into which our forefathers, at some period of the world's history, appear to have fallen with such disastrous consequences to themselves and their posterity, it is sent forth upon its humble but beneficent mission. and i trust that many, when they have proved that such a way of living is both possible and advantageous, will strive to persuade others to live as children of god, rather than as the beasts of prey. those who have reached that spiritual plane where the sacredness of all sentient life becomes recognised, and who find it painful to contemplate the wanton and cruel slaughter which at present takes place throughout christendom--involving the death of at least a million large animals every day--must instinctively experience a longing to apprehend some way by which this butchery can be brought to an end. such will be able to perceive the real significance of, and necessity for, the twentieth-century crusade against human carnivoracity--the moloch idol of these modern days. they will also feel individually constrained to co-operate in the great work of bringing about this practical and beneficent reformation, and of giving to mankind the blessings that will result from it. as in the case of all previous editions of this book, any financial profit derived from its sale will be devoted to the exaltation of these humane and philanthropic ideals--hence its presentation to the order of the golden age. my readers, therefore, who feel that its circulation will tend to lessen the sum total of human and sub-human suffering, are invited to assist in securing for it a large circulation, by lending or presenting copies to their friends, and making it widely known. and to attain this end, the sympathetic aid of journalists and other leaders of public thought will be especially appreciated. =sidney h. beard.= _january, ._ =the true ideal in diet.= [illustration: man is by nature fruitarian--_not_ carnivorous!!] the physical structure of man is declared by our most eminent biologists and anatomists to be that of a _frugivorous_ (fruit-eating) animal. it is, therefore, our creator's intention that we should subsist upon the various fruits of the earth--not upon the products of the shambles.[ ] [ ] see "the testimony of science in favour of natural and humane diet." the accepted scientific classification places man with the anthropoid apes, at the head of the highest order of mammals. these animals bear the closest resemblance to human beings, their teeth and internal organs being practically identical, and in a natural state they subsist upon nuts, seeds, grains, and other fruits. hence those who have studied this subject thoroughly can hardly entertain any doubt that the more largely our diet consists of these simple products of nature, the more likely we shall be to enjoy health and to secure longevity. the number and variety of such fruits and seeds is very great (including all the nuts and cereals _and their products_, as well as the pulses, legumes, etc.); and the science of dietetics has made such rapid progress in recent years that nuts and grains are, for the benefit of those who possess weakened digestive organs, now prepared in various ways which make them easily digestible and very savoury when cooked. to such foods may be added, for the sake of convenience and variety, vegetables of various kinds and dairy produce, such as milk, butter, cheese and eggs. [sidenote: =personal testimony.=] nineteen years of abstinence from flesh-food (practised without any illness, and resulting in increased strength, stamina and health), and of observation and experiment during that period, combined with the knowledge obtained through helping hundreds of men and women to regain health by reforming their habits of living, have convinced me that a well selected fruitarian dietary, thus supplemented, will prove beneficial to all who desire physical and mental fitness. temporary difficulties may be experienced by some in adopting such a simple style of living, or in obtaining adequate provision in their present domestic conditions; mistakes may be made--certain necessary elements being omitted from the new diet--and temporary failure may sometimes result in consequence; but if some preliminary study and consideration are given to the matter, and _variety_ in the food is secured to ensure complete nourishment, success is easily obtainable. [sidenote: =a step at a time.=] in most cases where there is a desire to adopt this purer and better way, it will be found that the policy of proceeding slowly but surely, a step at a time, is the wisest in the end. the first step must be total abstinence from the flesh and blood of animals, and the substitution of less objectionable food containing an equal amount of proteid; this will soon lead to a distaste for fowl, but the use of fish should be retained by those commencing to reform their ways until some experience has been gained, and any serious domestic difficulties which may exist have been removed. then this partial vegetarian diet can be still further purified, until it is more entirely "fruitarian" in its nature. circumstances, and individual sentiment and taste, must regulate the rate of this progress towards what may be termed edenic living; i can but show the way and give helpful information. [sidenote: =advantages of fruitarianism.=] a few of the reasons which lead me to advocate a fruitarian dietary as the ideal one, are as follows:-- persons who live chiefly upon fruits of all kinds do not injure themselves by consuming the poisonous waste-products (uric acid, &c.), contained in flesh; and they are not often tempted, like those who partake of very savoury and toothsome dishes, to eat after the needs of the body are satisfied. they thus escape two of the chief causes of disease and premature death--_auto-intoxication and excessive eating_. they also avoid, to a great extent, the temptation to eat when they are not hungry, and thus they are more likely to obey the dictates of natural instinct concerning _when to eat_. even if fruit should be taken in excessive quantity, very little harm results from such indiscretion. fruitarians thus lessen the amount of work put upon the digestive organs, and consequently have more energy to expend upon mental or physical labour. the grape sugar contained in sweet fruits--such as dates, figs, raisins and bananas--is assimilated almost without effort and very quickly. the juices of ripe fruits help to eliminate urates, waste products, and other harmful deposits from the blood and tissues, as they act as solvents. fruit, therefore, tends to prevent ossification of the arteries, premature old age, gouty and rheumatic disorders, sickness and untimely death. fruitarian diet--if scientifically chosen and containing all the elements required by the body--prevents the development of the "drink crave," and it will cure nearly all cases if properly and wisely adopted. dipsomania is induced by malnutrition, by eating stimulating food, such as flesh, or by eating to excess; a fruitarian drunkard has not yet, so far as i am aware, been discovered in this country. pure blood is secured by living upon such food, and consequently there is little or no tendency to develop _inflammatory_ maladies. the wounds of turkish and egyptian soldiers have been found to heal three times as quickly as those of shamble-fed englishmen; the reason is that they live chiefly upon dates, figs and other fruits, milk and lentils, etc.; and the same tendency has been observed in the case of the japanese wounded. a wonderful immunity from sickness is enjoyed by those who live in accord with nature's plan; microbes and disease germs do not find a congenial environment in their bodies. this i have proved by nearly twenty years of uninterrupted good health, and freedom from medical attendance, and my experience is corroborated by that of a multitude of witnesses in the ranks of the food-reformers. fruitarian diet, if complete, tends to lessen irritability, to promote benevolence and peace of mind, to increase the supremacy of the 'higher self,' to clear and strengthen spiritual perception, and to lessen domestic care. those who desire to develop the higher spiritual powers which are latent in man, to cultivate the psychic or intuitive senses, and to win their way to supremacy over their physical limitations, will find fruitarianism helpful in every respect. such have only to _try it_, intelligently, in order to prove that this is true. such a system of living may thus become an important factor in the great work of uplifting our race from the _animal_ to the _spiritual_ plane; and herein lies the great hope for mankind. the harbingers of the 'coming race'--a more spiritual race--are already treading this earth, known and recognized by those whose eyes have been opened to the vision of the higher and transcendent life. and that which tends to accelerate the development of these characteristics is worthy of our serious consideration and earnest advocacy. such a diet does not necessitate the horrible cruelties of the cattle-boat and the slaughter-house--therefore it must commend itself to every genuine humanitarian. it does not contain the germs of disease that are found in the dead bodies of animals--frequently afflicted with tuberculosis, cancer, foot-and-mouth-disease, incipient anthrax, swine-fever and parasites of various kinds. it is free from that potent cause of physical malady, uric acid--which is contained in all flesh; and from "ptomaines,"--which develop in corpses quickly after death and often prove fatal to consumers of meat. and it will be found, if wisely chosen, to produce a stronger body, a clearer brain, and a purer mind. the testimony of thousands of living advocates, both in cold and warm climates--many of whom are medical men, or athletes who have accomplished record performances which demanded prolonged endurance and unusual stamina--bears evidence to this fact; therefore those who are desirous of commencing this more excellent way of living need not fear they are making any reckless or dangerous experiment. the food which our creator _intended_ us to eat must be the _safest_ and _best_ for us. man does not resemble, either internally or externally, any carnivorous animal, and no unprejudiced student of the subject can well escape the conclusion that when we descend to the level of the beasts of prey, by eating flesh, we violate a physical law of our being, and run the risk of incurring the inevitable penalties which nature exacts for such transgressions. [illustration] these penalties are being lavishly dealt out with inexorable impartiality in the civilized lands of the western world, where, in spite of the rapid increase of our medical men, and the 'wonderful discoveries' of panaceas by the representatives of unscrupulous pathological search, such maladies as appendicitis, consumption, cancer, lunacy, gout, neurasthenia and other evidences of physical deterioration are still prevalent or steadily increasing. and, although the fact is not so apparent to the superficial observer, a still heavier penalty in the form of spiritual loss is being suffered by those who err in this respect, for _carnal food_ produces _carnal-mindedness_, dims the spiritual vision, chains the soul to the material plane of thought and consciousness, and makes the supremacy of the 'spirit' over the 'flesh' well-nigh impossible. it is natural for every man and woman to live at least a century. the fact that thousands have done so, proves that the majority might attain this age if they would cease from transgressing nature's laws. seneca truly said, "man does not die, he kills himself." by "eating to live," instead of "living to eat"--introducing into our bodies pure and vitalizing energy by means of wisely chosen natural food--and by amending our ways generally in accordance with the dictates of reason and common sense, we may live to benefit the world by useful service with our faculties matured and our minds stored by the teachings of experience. instead of being in our dotage when we reach threescore years and ten, we should still be fit to serve our day and generation. [sidenote: =the highest motive.=] those who decide to adopt this reformed system of diet will be fortified in their resolve if they are actuated by loyalty to the divine will and regard for humane principle, in addition to reasons which are based merely upon self-interest. the desire to lessen suffering, and to live in accordance with god's laws, furnishes a stronger incentive than the wish to escape disease and to secure longevity. a philanthropist or humanitarian who embraces the sublime ideal of helping to lift mankind to a higher plane of experience, to deliver our degenerate race from some of the worst evils which afflict us, and, at the same time, to prevent the infliction of pain and death in most revolting forms upon countless millions of innocent animals, will either conquer the initial difficulties which confront those who thus make practical protest against the flesh traffic, or will cheerfully endure temporary inconvenience and self-denial "for righteousness' sake." each new recruit who joins the food-reform movement should therefore give such preliminary study to the subject as will produce the unalterable conviction that flesh-eating is an _unnatural_ habit for man, that it is totally _unnecessary_, that reliable medical evidence proves it to be generally _injurious_, and that it involves cruelty and bloodshed which are barbarous and indefensible, _because quite needless_. a deaf ear will then be turned to the warnings of any well-disposed friends who, being under the spell of ancient fallacies, or ignorant concerning the nutritive advantages which the fruits of the earth possess over the products of the shambles, would seek to deter him from the path of self-reform by prophesying physical shipwreck and disaster. popular illusions concerning the necessity for animal food are rapidly being swept away, and public opinion has already changed to such an extent that leaders of thought in every land are now impressed with the full import and beneficence of this reformation. and so many forces are now converging and combining to influence and impel mankind in this direction, that the 'signs of the times' indicate a rapidly approaching era in which man will return to his original food, and, by so doing, enter upon a happier and more peaceful period of existence upon this planet. =a plea for the simple life.= simple meals and simple dishes are easily prepared, they lessen domestic care, are less likely to cause indigestion, and soon become appreciated and preferred. [illustration] few persons realize how little they know the true taste of many vegetables; the majority having never eaten them _separately_ or cooked in a proper manner. a cauliflower skilfully served as a separate course, either "au gratin" or with thin melted butter slightly flavoured with a few drops of tarragon vinegar, or with tomato sauce, has quite a different taste from that which is experienced when it is mixed up with gravy, meat, potatoes and other articles or food. young green peas, or new potatoes steamed in their skins and dried off in the oven so as to be "floury," will, if eaten with a little salt and butter, have a delicacy of flavour which is scarcely noticeable if they are served with a plate of beef or mutton and other vegetables. a few chestnuts carefully cooked in a similar manner, make a dish that an overfed alderman might enjoy; and the same remark will apply to many simple and easily prepared fruitarian dishes. it is a mistake to think that this reformed diet necessarily involves a great amount of cooking, for the reverse is the fact if _simplicity_ is aimed at and its advantages are appreciated. it is well to remember also that our most enlightened and progressive physicians are now recommending uncooked foods of all kinds to all who would retain or regain health. an excellent lunch can be made with some well chosen cheese and brown bread and butter, and a delicate lettuce (dressed with pure olive oil, a small quantity of french wine vinegar, and a pinch of sugar), followed by fresh and dried fruits such as bananas, almonds, raisins, figs, etc. such a repast is inexpensive, nutritious, and easily digestible. a large variety of foreign and fancy cheeses are now obtainable, so that even such a simple meal as this can be varied constantly. the best lettuces are produced by our french neighbours, but our own market gardeners are beginning to learn that it is easy to get them tender by growing them under glass. [sidenote: =the simple breakfast.=] in most fruitarian households the cooking for breakfast soon becomes simplified and lessened. eggs served in different ways on alternate mornings, fresh and dried fruits, nuts, brown bread, super cooked cereals such as granose biscuit, butter and preserves, are found to be quite sufficient as accompaniments to the morning beverage. french plums, figs and other dried fruits, when carefully stewed in the oven for some hours, and served with cream, are very nutritious. a small plate of 'manhu' wheat, rye, barley, or oat flakes, served with hot milk or cream, can be added so as to make a more solid meal for growing children or hard workers. and those who are accustomed to a more elaborate breakfast, because of the difficulty of obtaining a mid-day substantial meal, can select one of the items which are mentioned in the list of recipes under the heading of "breakfast dishes." [sidenote: =avoid dyspepsia.=] one reason for urging simplicity is that, owing to prevalent ignorance concerning food-values, it is more easy for the _inexperienced_ food-reformer to make dietetic mistakes than the flesh-eater. by partaking freely of stewed acid fruits and vegetables at the same meal, or by blending a great variety of savouries, vegetables, sweets and rich fatty dishes together in a ghastly 'pot pourri,' or by eating to excess of porridge, beans, or fried dishes, many have made serious blunders. they, for want of proper instruction, have hastily come to the conclusion that "vegetarian diet does not suit them," and returning to the flesh-pots, have henceforth denounced the evangel of dietetic reform, instead of profiting by the useful lesson nature tried to teach them. the wisest plan is to make one's diet generally _as varied as possible_, but not to mix many articles together _at the same meal_. abstainers from flesh should begin to live to some extent (say two days a week) in picnic style, and the practice will soon become more habitual. a picnic luncheon which is considered enjoyable in the woods or on the moors will be found to be just as nice at home if the articles provided are well chosen and tastefully prepared. variety can be obtained by introducing daintily cut sandwiches made with mustard and cress, tomato paste, potted haricots, or lentils, scrambled eggs, fancy cheese cut thinly, flaked nuts and honey, etc. fresh and dried fruit, nuts, almonds, raisins and sultanas, fruit cakes, and custard or rice puddings, provide useful additions; and it will soon be found that the old-fashioned three or four-course meal which involves such laborious preparation is a needless addition to life's many cares. [sidenote: =necessary elements in food.=] it is important to bear in mind that our daily food must contain a sufficient quantity of certain necessary elements: ( ) protein. to be found in nuts and nut foods (such as protose, nuttoria and fibrose, &c.), eggs, cheese, brown bread, oatmeal, haricots, lentils and peas. ( ) fat. to be obtained in nuts, nut-butters, olive oil, cheese, milk, cream, butter, and oatmeal. ( ) phosphates and mineral salts. contained in the husk of wheat, barley, oats, and rye (therefore included in brown bread, granose biscuits and other whole-wheat or cereal preparations), cheese, bananas and apples. ( ) sugar. to be obtained from all starch foods, but most easily and in the best and most readily assimilable form from sweet fruits and honey. =a plea for moderation.= [illustration: do not dig your grave with your teeth!] one of the most frequent mistakes made by those who commence to live upon a fleshless diet is that of eating too much--an error, also committed by the general public. often, through ignorance of the fact that lean beef consists of water to the extent of about %, and through having been brought up under the spell of the popular delusion that meat is a great source of strength and stamina, they jump to the conclusion that they must consume large plates of cereals and vegetables in order to make up for their abstinence from animal food. they bring upon themselves severe attacks of dyspepsia--either by eating excessive quantities of starch in the form of porridge, bread and potatoes, or of such concentrated foods as haricots, lentils or nuts (being ignorant of the fact that these latter are much more nutritious than lean beef and that only a very small quantity is needed for a sufficient meal).[ ] [ ] see table of food values on page . nothing does more injury to the food-reform movement than the discredit which is brought upon it by those who upset themselves by over-eating, and who feel led to justify their defection by attacking the system they have forsaken. among the numerous cases brought to my notice, i remember one of a minister's wife, who by partaking of seven meals a day, and finishing up at ten o'clock in the evening with cocoa, cheese and porridge, brought herself to such a state of nervous prostration that her local doctor ordered her to return to a flesh diet, "as she required _nourishment_." he thus diagnosed her condition, instead of attributing it to preposterous over-feeding. a golden rule for every food-reformer is this--_eat only when you are hungry_, and never to repletion. an exception must be made, however, in certain cases of anæmic and delicate persons. when there is not sufficient vitality to cause appetite, or to digest food normally, it is often necessary to insist on regular meals being taken, notwithstanding the patient's distaste for food. drowsiness and stupor after a meal are sure signs of excess, and i cannot too strongly urge temperance in diet. during my long experience of philanthropic work as an advocate of natural and hygienic living, i have only heard of a few cases of persons suffering any ill effects from eating too little, whereas cases of the opposite sort have been rather numerous. ninety-nine per cent. of the centenarians of the world have been characterized by _abstemiousness_; however much their ways and customs may have otherwise differed, in this one respect they are practically alike--declaring that they have always been small eaters, and believers in moderation in all things. =artistic cookery.= in every household where reformed diet is adopted, effort should be made to prepare the meals in an artistic manner. if a dish is skilfully cooked and tastefully served it is not only more enjoyable but more easily digested. [illustration] the general custom in english homes is to serve vegetables in a rather slovenly style. to see how nicely such things as legumes, vegetables, salads and fruits can be prepared, one requires to go to a good french or italian restaurant. but it is quite easy for us to learn the ways of our friends abroad, and to make our dishes look tempting and appetising. one of the first lessons to be learned by the vegetarian cook is how to fry rissoles, potatoes, etc., _quite crisp_, and free from any flavour of oil or fat. to do this a wire basket which will fit loosely into a stewpan is necessary, and it can be purchased at any good ironmonger's shop. nutter (refined coconut butter) is a well prepared form of vegetable fat, and it is retailed at a moderate price; it keeps for a long period and is equally useful for making pastry--three quarters of a pound being equal to one pound of butter. where nut-butters cannot be obtained, good olive oil should be used. the temperature of the fat or oil must be past boiling point, and should reach about degrees. when it is hot enough it will quickly turn a small piece of white bread quite brown, if a finger of it is dipped in the fat. unless this temperature is reached the articles to be fried may turn out greasy and unbearable. if the fat is heated very much beyond degrees it may take fire. haricots, lentils, and many other legumes are more tasty if made into cutlets or rissoles and fried in this manner, after being mixed with breadcrumbs and seasoning, than if merely boiled or stewed in the usual crude style. [sidenote: =the art of flavouring.=] the art of flavouring is also one which should be studied by every housewife. by making tasty gravies and sauces many a dish which would otherwise be insipid can be rendered attractive. the recipes for "gravies" will prove useful on this point. many valuable modern scientific food products are not fully appreciated because people do not know how to serve them. take 'protose,' 'nuttoria' and 'nuttose' for instance--very useful substitutes for flesh which are made from nuts (malted and therefore half digested). if _slightly_ stewed, and eaten without any flavouring, some persons dislike the distinctive taste; if, however, they are well cooked, according to the recipes printed later on in this book, and served with such garnishings as are recommended, they are usually much enjoyed, even by those who are prejudiced against all vegetarian ideas. [sidenote: =cooking by gas saves labour.=] cooking by gas appliances is more easily controlled and regulated than when the old-fashioned fire is employed, and much labour for stoking and cleaning is avoided. those who can do so, should obtain a gas hot-plate, consisting of two or three spiral burners, and a moderate-sized gas oven. if they cannot afford the ordinary gas cooking oven, a smaller substitute can be obtained, which can be placed upon any gas jet; this is very economical for cooking single dishes, and for warming plates, etc. a gas cooking jet can be obtained for eighteenpence, and two or three of these will take the place of a hot-plate if economy is necessary. in summer-time the kitchen range is quite a superfluity unless it is required for heating bath water. [sidenote: =a new mission for women.=] the ordinary public know very little of the variety and delicacy of a well chosen fruitarian dietary when thoughtfully prepared; ignorance and prejudice consequently cause thousands to turn a deaf ear to the evangel of food-reform. all women who desire to bring about the abolition of butchery, and to hasten the humane era, should therefore educate themselves in artistic fruitarian cookery, and then help to instruct others. to illustrate the truth of these remarks i may mention that at a banquet given by the arcadian lodge of freemasons, at the hotel cecil, in london--the first masonic lodge which passed a resolution to banish animal-flesh from all its banquets--one of the chief officers of the grand lodge of england attended. he came filled with prejudice against the innovation and prepared to criticise the repast most unfavourably. in his after-dinner speech, however, he admitted that it was one of the best masonic banquets he had ever attended, and said that if what if he had enjoyed was "vegetarian diet," he was prepared to adopt it if he found it possible to get it provided at home. by practising the recipes which are given in the following pages, and by utilizing the hints which accompany them, readers of this book will find no difficulty in acquiring the skill which is requisite to win many from the flesh-pots, even when they cannot be induced to abandon them from any higher motives than self-interest or gustatory enjoyment. every woman should resolve to learn how to feed her children with pure and harmless food. every mother should make her daughters study this art and thus educate them to worthily fulfil their domestic responsibilities. here is a new profession for women--for teachers of high-class fruitarian and hygienic cookery will soon be greatly in demand. =what to do when travelling.= the difficulty of being properly catered for when staying at hotels was formerly a very real one, but owing to the enlightenment concerning diet which is now taking place, and the rapid increase of foreign restaurants and cafés in english-speaking countries it is becoming lessened every day. the great variety of fleshless dishes now supplied in nearly all light-refreshment restaurants, in response to the public demand, is compelling even the largest hotels to modify their cuisine accordingly. [illustration] for breakfast it is sometimes a good plan to order what one wants the previous night, if any specially cooked dishes are required, but it is _not_ advisable to inform the waiter that one is a vegetarian. it is generally possible to obtain porridge, grilled tomatoes on toast, poached or fried eggs, stewed mushrooms, etc., without giving extra trouble or exciting comment. where these cannot be obtained, a plain breakfast of brown bread or toast and butter, with eggs, preserves and fruit should be taken. at large hotels in our chief cities a restaurant and a grill room are provided. the food-reformer should go to one of these for his dinner, rather than to the dining room, as he will then be able to obtain various simple _à la carte_ dishes. one 'portion' of any particular dish will often suffice for two persons, thus enabling those whose means are limited to obtain greater variety without increasing expenditure. care has to be exercised, however, concerning certain dishes; for instance, if macaroni is required, it is well to ask the waiter to request the cook not to introduce any chopped ham. he should be told that you wish macaroni served with tomato sauce and cheese only, in the "neapolitan" style. in most continental hotels and restaurants the simplest, cheapest, and best plan is to take 'table d'hôte'--telling the head waiter well beforehand that the lunch or dinner is required 'maigre' (that is without flesh, just as it is usually served during lent). a varied, well selected, and ample repast will then be supplied at a moderate cost. the same plan is best in 'pensions.' the general rule to be adopted in small british hotels is to think beforehand what dishes the cook is in the habit of making which are free from flesh; these should be ordered in preference to those which are strange and not likely to be understood. at the same time it is well to insist upon being supplied with anything which it is reasonable to expect the proprietor to furnish, because such action tends to improve the catering of the hotels of the country, to make it easier for other food-reformers, and to sweep away the difficulty which at present exists in some towns, of obtaining anything fit to eat in the orthodox hotel coffee rooms, except beasts, birds, or fishes. [sidenote: =railway journeys.=] those who are making railway journeys can easily provide themselves with a simple luncheon basket containing fruits, sandwiches made with flaked nuts, eggs, cheese or preserves, or with such delicacies as haricot or lentil potted meat (directions for making which will be found later on, in the section devoted to luncheon recipes.) travellers may perhaps be reminded that cheese and nuts contain much more nutriment than lean meat. food-reformers who are about to pay a prolonged visit in a private house should inform the hostess, when accepting her invitation, that they are abstainers from flesh, but that their tastes are very simple and that they enjoy anything except flesh-food. as she might have erroneous ideas about the requirements of vegetarians she might otherwise feel perplexed as to what to provide. if the visitor takes fish the fact should be stated. [sidenote: =no faddism.=] care should be taken not to involve the hostess in any needless trouble, and she should be shown, by the simplicity of one's requirements, that she is easily capable of affording complete satisfaction. when she realizes this, she will probably take pleasure in learning something about hygienic living, and will be ready to read a pamphlet or a guide-book upon the subject, and to produce some of the dishes contained in it. the humane diet cause has been much hindered by the 'fads' of persons who have adopted very extreme views about diet and who worry themselves and other people about trifling matters in connection with their food until they are almost regarded as being pests in a household. instead of cheerfully partaking of anything that is provided, except flesh, they parade their scruples about almost everything on the table, and, consequently, those who entertain them vow that they will never become such nuisances themselves or entertain such again. i have always found that by letting my friends clearly understand that i abstain from butchered flesh chiefly because of _humane reasons_ and for the sake of _principle_, they respect my sentiment, and evince a desire to discuss the matter without prejudice. if fruitarianism is adopted merely as a 'fad,' discordant vibrations are often aroused because one's acquaintances consider that one is giving needless trouble by being unconventional without sufficient justification. [sidenote: =sea voyages.=] those who are making a sea voyage will find that many of the large steamship companies are quite prepared to furnish substitutes for flesh-diet if an arrangement is made beforehand. in such cases there should be a clear stipulation that brown bread, dried and fresh fruit, nuts, farinaceous puddings, omelets, or dishes made with cheese, macaroni, lentils, haricots, tomatoes, etc., should be obtainable in some form and in sufficient variety. a list of a few 'specialities' (such as protose, nuttoria, &c.) should be furnished when a long voyage is contemplated, so that the steward may stock them. =advice for beginners.= the following suggestions will prove helpful to those who are desirous of adopting the reformed dietary:-- . give up flesh meat _at once_ and _entirely_--replacing it by dishes made with eggs, cheese, macaroni, peas, lentils, nuts, and nut-meats. later on you will be able to do without fish also, but it is best to proceed slowly and surely. [illustration] . eat _less_ rather than _more_. fruitarian foods such as the above are more nourishing than butcher's meat. . try to like _simple_ foods, instead of elaborate dishes that require much preparation. avoid 'frying-panitis.' . eat dry foods rather than sloppy ones; they are more easily digested. take toast or granose biscuits with porridge to assist proper salivation. if porridge causes trouble, use wheat or rye flakes (manhu or kellogg brands), with hot milk or cream, instead. . do not mix stewed acid fruits with vegetables and legumes; take the former with cereals, cheese, or eggs. green vegetables should be taken very sparingly, and with savoury dishes alone. if eaten with sweets they are apt to disagree. . persons of sedentary habits should let at least one meal a day consist of uncooked fruit only--or of fruit with brown bread and butter--the bread being _well baked_. . dried fruits, such as figs, dates, prunes, raisins, sultanas, etc., are very easily digested; and if blended with nuts or almonds they make a perfect meal. such fruits may be taken freely and with advantage by almost everyone. . nuts should be flaked in a nut-mill to aid digestion; cheese can also be made more easily assimilable in this way (or by cooking). many nut products are now sold which are malted and partially pre-digested. . give a few hours' thought and study to the important subject of your diet; learn what to do, and what newly-invented scientific foods are obtainable. . do not make the mistake of attempting to live on potatoes, white bread, cabbages, etc., or merely upon the ordinary conventional dietary with the meat left out. obtain and use well made and well cooked wholemeal bread every day. take sufficient _proteid_, - / to -ozs. per day, to avoid anæmia--indigestion often results from _lack of vitality_ caused through chronic semi-starvation. . if you feel any symptoms of dyspepsia, and can trace it to _excess_ in eating, or to dietetic errors, reduce your food, fast temporarily, and take more exercise. consider what mistakes you have made, and avoid them in the future. eat only when hungry, in such cases. . if you are not getting on, obtain advice from a doctor who is a _fruitarian_ or from an experienced food-reformer. =commercial dietetic inventions.= a large number of special proprietary substitutes for animal food can now be obtained to supplement the ordinary ones provided in the household. the latest particulars concerning these can always be known by reference to the advertisement pages of _the herald of the golden age_, and full information as to their use is supplied by the various manufacturers. but although they are _useful_ and _convenient_ in many households, they are not _absolutely essential_. 'home-made' dishes are often the best, being most economical, therefore it is advisable that all food-reformers should learn how to make nut-meats, &c., at home. some of these substitutes are as follows:-- =for meat-extracts=: marmite, vegeton, carnos, nutril, mapleton's gravy essence, cayler's extract, wintox. =for joints of meat=: protose, nuttose, savrose, fibrose, f.r. nut-meat, vejola, nuttoria, shearn's nut-meat, nutton, brazose, nuto-cream meat, mapleton's frittamix. =for cold meats=: "pitman" nut-meat brawn, ellis's tomato and nut paste, pasta-sol, lentose, nuska viando, savoury paste, potted beans and lentils. =for meat fat=: nutter suet, vegsu, nutter, nucoline, and nut margarine. pine kernels, which contain ozs. of oil to the pound, and which when rolled and chopped exactly resemble suet, are also an excellent substitute. delicious nut-butters are also now obtainable for high-class cookery--such as almond, walnut, cashew, and table nutter. although superior, these are as cheap as ordinary cooking butters. =for lard and dripping=: nutter, darlene, albene, nut-oil, "pitman" vegetable lard. =for meat proteid=: emprote, hygiama, horlick's malted milk, casumen dried milk, gluten meal. =for gelatin=: agar-agar, or cayler's jellies. =for animal soups=: mapleton's nut and proteid soups, and "pitman" vegsal soups. =prepared breakfast cereals=: manhu flaked wheat, rye, barley and oats, kellogg wheat and corn flakes, granose flakes and biscuits, shredded wheat, archeva rusks, puffed wheat, power, kornules, toasted wheat flakes, melarvi crisps and biscuits. =for picnic hampers=: savage's nut foods or cream o' nuts, wallace cakes and scones, mapleton's nut meats, winter's nut cream rolls, "pitman" fruit and nut cakes and nut meat brawn, wallace p. r. or ixion or artox or "pitman" biscuits. =meat stock= is substituted by vegetable stock, produced by stewing haricots, peas, lentils, etc. the latter is far more nutritious, and is free from the uric acid and excrementitious matter that are present in meat decoctions. a tasty and meaty flavour can be at once given to soups or gravies by adding some vegetable meat-extract selected from one of the varieties already mentioned. * * * * * in the following pages recipes will be found for preparing dishes which closely resemble, in taste, appearance, and nutritive value, those to which the community have been accustomed, some of them being of such a nature that persons who are fond of flesh-food find it difficult to detect whether they are eating such or not. =relative values of foods.= =how to regulate our diet.= our food must contain certain elements, and in proper quantity, if the body is to be well sustained, renewed and nourished. these are mainly as follows: . protein to form flesh, build muscle, and produce strength. . fat and carbohydrates, to provide heat and energy. . salts and minerals (such as phosphates, lime, iron, citrates, etc.) to build bones and teeth, feed the brain and nerves, and purify the body. no hard-and-fast table or rule can be laid down concerning the proper proportions in which these elements should be combined, because the amount needful for each individual varies according to his size, the sort of work he does, the amount of physical or mental energy he puts forth, and the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding him. until professor chittenden made his extensive and conclusive series of experiments in america, in - , to determine the real amount of protein and other elements required to keep the body in perfect health, the average estimate for a person of average size, who does a moderate amount of physical labour, was about -ozs. of protein per day. but these official experiments, conducted with scientific precision, extending over a long period, and made with thirty-four typical and carefully graded representatives of physical and mental work, demonstrated that half this amount of protein is sufficient, and that strength and health are increased when the quantity is thus reduced; also that a smaller amount of carbohydrate food (bread, etc.), than was previously thought necessary, is enough. one may therefore now safely reckon that men of average size and weight (say to stone) doing a moderate amount of physical and mental work, can thrive under ordinary circumstances on a daily ration containing about grains of protein (nearly ozs). the following food chart will enable the reader to calculate (approximately) how much food of any particular kind is necessary to provide the above amount. adult persons below the average size and weight, and living sedentary rather than an active physical life, will naturally require less than this normal standard. the relative cost and economy of the different foods can also thus be ascertained. if care is taken to secure a sufficient quantity of protein the requisite amount of carbohydrates is not likely to be omitted, and hunger will prove a reliable guide in most cases. it is advisable, however, to see that enough fat is taken, especially in winter, and by persons lacking in nerve force. the table of food-values will easily enable the reader to ascertain the proportion of fat in each kind of food. the following indications of dietetic error may prove useful:-- [sidenote: =signs of dietetic mistakes.=] excess of proteid matter causes a general sense of plethora and unbearableness, nervous prostration or drowsiness after meals, a tendency to congestion (often resulting in piles, etc.), headache, irritability, and bad temper. a continuous deficiency of it would tend to produce general weakness and anæmia. excess of carbohydrate matter (starch), especially if not sufficiently cooked and not well masticated, produces dyspepsia, flatulence, pain in the chest and abdomen, acidity (resulting in pimples and boils), and an inflammatory state of the system. deficiency of it (or its equivalent, grape sugar) would produce lack of force and physical exhaustion. excess of fat tends to cause biliousness. deficiency of it results in nervous weakness, neuralgia, and low temperature of the body. [sidenote: =food for brain workers.=] it is important to remember that the more _physical_ energy we put forth, the larger is the amount of proteid we require in our diet--and vice versa. brain workers of sedentary habits require but little proteid, and quickly suffer from indigestion if this is taken too freely. for such, a very simple diet consisting largely of dried and fresh fruits, nuts (flaked or ground), milk, eggs and cheese, and _super-cooked_ cereals (such as wholemeal biscuits, and toast, granose and kellogg flakes, and well baked rice dishes) will be found to be the most suitable. in order to supply the brain with phosphates it is very important that mental workers should take whole wheat bread instead of the emasculated white substitute which is provided almost everywhere. it is the outer part of the grain that provides brain-food (combined with an _easily assimilable_ form of protein), and many of our urban bread winners break down because they are deprived of the essential food elements therein contained. to take 'standard' bread does not meet the case, and every food-reformer who wants to keep really fit should demand and obtain well baked and unadulterated wholemeal bread. i feel convinced that if every growing child and every mental toiler could always be supplied with bread of this type, the deterioration of our british race would soon be arrested and we should witness signs of physical regeneration. 'artox' and 'ixion' brands of pure whole wheatmeal are the most perfect i know of at the present time, and delicious bread can easily be made from them if the recipe printed on page is followed. =food chart.= =showing how to obtain sufficient ( ) protein--for body building. ( ) carbohydrates and fat--for providing heat and energy.= _a man of average size and weight ( to stone) doing a moderate amount of physical labour requires about grains of protein per day (nearly ozs.). women and sedentary workers require about - / ozs. ( grains), and hard physical labourers about grains._ ------------------------------+--------+---------+-------------+----------- | | | grains of | |amount. |grains of|carbohydrates|approximate | |protein. | and fat. | cost. ------------------------------+--------+---------+--------------+-----+----- | | | | s. | d. protose (nut meat) | ozs. | | | | fibrose (nut meat) | ozs. | | | | granose (wheat) | ozs. | | | | emprote (eustace miles | | | | | proteid food) | ozs. | | | | nuto-cream | ozs. | | | | manhu flaked wheat | ozs. | | | | horlick's malted milk | ozs. | | | | almonds | ozs. | | | | chestnuts | ozs. | | | | lentils | ozs. | | | | - / peas | ozs. | | | | - / haricots | ozs. | | | | oatmeal | ozs. | | | | cheese (cheddar) | ozs. | | | | " (gruyère) | ozs. | | | | " (parmesan) | ozs. | | | | " (dutch) | ozs. | | | | bread (artox wholemeal) | ozs. | | | | rice (once milled) | ozs. | | | | eggs | | | | | figs or dates | lbs. | | | | milk | pts. | | | | milk (skimmed) | pts. | | | | | | | | | =for comparison:-= | | | | | lean beef | ozs. | | | | mutton | ozs. | | | | chicken | ozs. | | | | fish (sole) | ozs. | | | | " (salmon) | ozs. | | | | =table of food values.= =compiled from such authorities as church, payer, letheby, blyth, hemmeter, pavy, holbrook, oldfield, miles, and broadbent, etc.= --------------------------------+---------------------------------------------- | percentage of +------+--------+------+--------+--------+----- | | | |starch |mineral |total |water.|protein.| fat. |matter |matter. |nutri- | | | |or sugar| | ment. --------------------------------+------+--------+------+--------+--------+----- | | | | | | lean beef | . | . | . | | . | . veal | . | . | . | | . | . mutton | | | | | | (medium fat) | . | . | . | | . | . flesh-foods. fat pork | . | . | . | | . | . chicken (flesh) | . | . | . | | . | . fish (sole) | . | . | . | | . | . salmon | . | . | . | | . | . | | | | | | eggs | . | . | . | | . | . eggs. white of egg | . | . | | | . | . yolk of egg | . | . | . | | . | . | | | | | | milk (cow's) | . | . | . | . | . | . milk cheese: cheddar | . | . | . | | . | . and milk stilton | . | . | . | | . | . products. gruyère | . | . | . | | . | . dutch | . | . | . | | | . parmesan | . | . | . | | . | . butter | . | | . | | . | . | | | | | | wheatmeal (artox) | . | . | . | . | . | . oatmeal | . | . | . | . | . | . cereals and barley meal | . | . | . | . | . | . farinaceous bran | . | . | . | . | . | . foods. rice (once milled)| . | . | . | . | . | . macaroni (best) | . | . | . | . | . | . sago, tapioca and | | | | | | arrowroot | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | wholemeal bread | | | | | | bread (artox) | . | . | . | . | . | . foods. white bread | . | . | . | . | . | . granose biscuits | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | haricots (white) | . | . | . | . | . | . lentils, egyptian | . | . | . | . | . | . legumes. peas (dried) | . | . | . | . | . | . peas (green) | . | . | . | . | . | . pea nuts | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | chestnuts | . | . | . | . | . | . walnuts | . | . | . | . | . | . filberts | . | . | . | . | . | . nuts. brazil nuts | . | . | . | . | . | . cocoanuts | . | . | . | . | . | . pine kernels | . | . | . | . | . | . almonds | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | bananas | . | . | . | . | . | . fresh apples | . | . | . | . | . | . fruits grapes | . | . | . | . | . | . strawberries | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | raisins | . | . | . | . | . | . dried figs | . | . | . | . | . | . fruits. french plums | . | . | . | . | . | . dates | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | carrots | . | . | . | . | . | . turnips | . | . | . | . | . | . cauliflower (head)| . | . | . | . | . | . potatoes | . | . | . | . | . | . mushrooms | . | . | . | . | . | . vegetables. tomatoes | . | . | . | . | . | . asparagus | . | . | | . | . | . beet | . | . | | . | . | . parsnip | . | . | | . | . | . spinach | . | . | | . | . | . cabbage | . | . | | . | . | . =vegetarian soups.= =vegetable stock.= the best stock for vegetable soups is made from haricot beans. take a pound of these, pick and wash well, and soak for or hours in cold water. put them in a saucepan with the water in which they were soaked, add a few of the coarser stalks of celery, or chopped spanish onions, a blade of mace, and a few white peppercorns. if celery is not in season, use celery salt. bring to a boil, skim, and cook gently for at least hours. then strain, and use as required. = . artichoke soup.= take -lbs. of white artichokes, -pts. of water, large onions, a piece of celery (or some celery salt), / -pt. of raw cream or -pt. of milk. boil together for minutes, strain through a fine sieve and serve. if cream is used it should not be added until after the soup is cooked. = . chestnut soup.= take -lb. chestnuts, or onions, - / -pints vegetable stock, -oz. nut-butter. boil the chestnuts for minutes and peel them; put these with the onions (sliced) into a roomy stewpan, with the butter, and fry briskly for minutes; now add the stock, with seasoning to taste, and bring to the boil. simmer gently until onions and chestnuts are quite soft, and pass all through a hair sieve. dilute with milk until the consistency of thin cream, and serve with _croûtons_. = . rich gravy soup.= to -pts. of haricot stock add onion and carrot (fried with butter until brown), stick of celery, turnips and peppercorns, and thicken with cornflour. boil all together for hour, strain, return to saucepan, and add small teaspoons of marmite. warm it up, but _not to boiling point_. serve with fried bread dice. this soup, if well made, is equal to anything that a french chef can produce. = . mock turtle soup.= fry good-sized onions in -oz. of butter till nicely browned, then add breakfastcups of german lentils, a good handful of spinach leaves, a few capers, about chillies, and pints of water. let this simmer for or hours, then strain off, add tablespoons of tapioca which has been soaked for an hour or two. boil till perfectly clear. when ready for serving add salt to taste and teaspoonful of nutril. some small custard quenelles should be put in the tureen--made by beating egg in -ozs. flour and adding / -pt. milk. bake until firm and cut into dice. = . brown haricot soup.= boil / -lb. beans in -qts. of water. when the beans crack, add a few tomatoes, leek sliced, or a spanish onion, and a bunch of herbs. boil until the vegetables are tender, adding a little more water if necessary. rub all through a sieve, and return to pan, adding seasoning, a good lump of butter, and the juice of half a small lemon after the soup has boiled. if a richer soup is required add two teaspoonfuls of nuto-cream or marmite just before serving. = . tomato soup.= take a pound of tomatoes, a sliced onion, and -ozs. of tapioca (previously soaked for some hours). boil for an hour, then add salt, pepper, and a little butter. mix / -pt. of milk with a teaspoonful of flour; add this to the soup, stir and boil for minutes. = . egyptian lentil soup.= wash and pick / -lb. egyptian lentils and put on to boil in about -qt. of water. add sliced onion, carrot, turnip, a small bunch of herbs, and celery salt, and boil gently about hour. rub through a sieve, return to pan, add -oz. butter and a cupful of milk. bring to boil and serve. = . brazil nut soup.= pass pint of shelled brazil nuts through a nut mill, fry these with one or two chopped onions in -oz. of nut-butter, keeping them a pale yellow colour; add -oz. flour, and gradually - / -pts. of white stock; bring slowly to the boil and simmer gently until the onions are soft. pass through a hair sieve, and dilute with milk. = . julienne soup.= cut some carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and leeks into thin strips, using double quantity of carrots and turnips. dry them and then fry slowly in -ozs. of butter until brown. add -qts. of clear vegetable stock and simmer until tender. season with salt and a teaspoonful of castor sugar. chop some chervil or parsley finely, add and serve. the addition of some green peas is an improvement--and also quenelles (see ). = . green lentil soup.= fry onions in a large saucepan until brown. add / -lb. of green lentils, -qt. water, and sticks of celery. stew for hours, and pass through a strainer. add / -lb. of cream and / -pt. of milk, bring to the boil, flavour with salt, and serve. = . white soubise soup.= (a french recipe). take -ozs. butter, good-sized onions, about -pt. cauliflower water, and -pt. of milk, sufficient bread (no crust) to very nearly absorb the liquor. cut up the onions, put into the saucepan with the butter, and cook slowly till tender--it must not be brown. now add the bread, the cauliflower water, and half the milk, and boil slowly for an hour. take it off the fire, pass it through a sieve, add the rest of the milk, and heat it again, taking care it does not actually boil, as it may curdle. serve. = . green pea soup.= one quart shelled peas; pints water; quart milk; onion; tablespoonfuls butter; tablespoonful flour. salt and pepper to taste. put the peas in a stewpan with the boiling water and onion and cook until tender (about half an hour). pour off water, saving for use later. mash peas fine, add water in which they were boiled, and rub through _purée_ sieve. return to saucepan, add flour and butter, beaten together, and the salt and pepper. gradually add milk, which must be boiling hot. beat well and cook minutes, stirring frequently. this recipe is useful when green peas are getting old and are not tender enough to be enjoyable if served in the usual way. = . white haricot soup.= stew / -lb. of beans in -qts. of water, adding chopped onions, some chopped celery and a carrot which have been fried in some butter until well cooked; stew until the beans are tender, and strain if clear soup is required, or pass through a sieve for thick soup; add some cream and milk, bring to the boil, flavour with salt, and serve. = . marmite vegetarian soup.= take a dessertspoonful of marmite, -pt. of water or vegetable stock, a tablespoonful of fine sago or tapioca, a slice or two of any vegetables, with a sprig of parsley and a little salt. boil the vegetables for a few minutes in the water, skim well, add the sago or tapioca, and boil for an hour or over, then strain; stir the marmite in and serve hot. a delicious and cheap soup. a gill of milk or cream boiled and added at the end--omit the same measure of water--is an improvement in some cases. = . almond soup.= (a nice summer soup). one pint of white stock, pint milk, small breakfastcup of ground almonds, -oz. butter, -ozs. minced onions, -oz. flour. fry the onion in the butter in a stewpan till a pale yellow colour, stir in the flour, and when well blended, moisten with some of the stock, adding the almonds, broth and milk by degrees till all are exhausted, bring to the boil, skim, and simmer _gently_ for half an hour, pass through a hair sieve. serve with nicely cooked green peas. = . celery soup.= six heads of celery, teaspoon of salt, a little nutmeg, lump sugar, gill of stock, / -pint of milk, and two quarts of boiling water. cut the celery into small pieces and throw it into the boiling water seasoned with nutmeg, salt and sugar, boil until sufficiently tender, pass it through a sieve, add the stock, and simmer for half-an-hour, then add the milk, bring it up to the boil and serve. = . potato soup.= four middle sized potatoes, a thick slice of bread, leeks peeled and cut into slices, a teacup of rice, salt and pepper to taste, qts. of water. bring the water up to boil, then put in all the ingredients except the rice, pepper and salt, cover and let them come to a brisk boil, add the rice and boil slowly for one hour. = . pea soup.= take - / pints of split peas and onions. put the peas to soak overnight, then cook with the onions until quite soft--pass through a sieve, add gill of milk, bring to the boil. serve with squares of fried bread or toast. celery, salt, pepper and chopped mint may be added to taste. = . mock hare soup.= soak some haricot beans over night in boiling water, then stew them for hours in water with onions, salt and pepper. when quite tender pass them through the sieve, add -oz. ground walnuts, boil again for minutes, add forced meat balls, and serve. = . carrot soup.= two lbs. carrots, -ozs. butter, seasoning to taste, quarts of bean stock or water. scrape the carrots, wash and wipe them quite dry, and cut in thick slices; put the butter in a large stewpan and when melted put the carrots in and stew gently for one hour without browning, then add the stock or water and simmer until tender (about an hour). pass them through the sieve, add the seasoning and boil for minutes; skim well and serve. = . onion soup.= put about doz. small onions in a stewpan with -oz. butter, cover and let them stew for about minutes, then add sufficient boiling water to cover them, boil till quite tender, pass through a sieve, boil up again, add the savoury seasoning and gill of milk. a little boiled macaroni chopped up fine may be added before serving. = . carnos soup.= two tablespoons of carnos in a pint of boiling water makes a very nourishing soup; it may be thickened with rice, vermicelli, spaghetti, etc., if required, and served with fingers of toast. = . white windsor soup.= take breakfastcups of white stock, then add tablespoons of mashed potatoes, and -oz. of sago. stir over the fire till clear, then add breakfastcupful of milk, and a little minced parsley. let it come to boiling point, but no more. serve in a very hot tureen. =substitutes for fish.= = . mock scallop oysters.= scrape some salsify roots, boil them until tender, drain. beat with wooden spoon to a _smooth_ paste free of _fibre_. moisten with cream, add a teaspoonful of butter or a thick white sauce. serve in fireproof china, or in scallop shells. put breadcrumbs on top, which have been steeped in butter and browned. = . mock oyster patties.= make the above mixture, put it into short puff paste made into patties, and bake until a nice brown tint. = . green artichokes.= (a substitute for oysters). boil some green artichoke heads until tender (about hour) and serve hot. mix some french wine vinegar and pure olive oil (one teaspoonful of vinegar to three of oil) with a pinch of salt and pepper. strip off the leaves one by one and dip the fleshy ends in the dressing; then scrape off the tender part of the leaf with the teeth. when the leaves are stripped, cut out the centre of the 'crown' and cut off its stalk quite short. remove the seeds, and the crown itself will then be found a bonne bouche. = . fried chinese artichokes.= boil the artichokes until tender. after draining, drop them into batter of fine breadcrumbs and egg. fry crisp and serve with parsley sauce and slices of lemon. = . mock fish cutlets.= two ozs. rice, -ozs. white haricot beans, / -gill of thick curry sauce, pepper and salt, egg and breadcrumbs. make a thick curry sauce, add to it the boiled rice and beans chopped up fine, pepper and salt. cook together for a few minutes, then turn out on a plate and leave to cool. form into balls or small flat cakes, dip in egg, then crumbs, and fry in boiling oil. = . fillets of mock sole.= bring to a boil half a pint of milk, and stir in -ozs. of ground rice. add -oz. of butter, a teaspoonful of grated onion, and a pinch of mace; also large tablespoonfuls of potato which has been put through a fine sieve. mix and let all simmer slowly in the saucepan for minutes. the mixture should be fairly stiff. when removed from the fire, add egg and yolk well beaten. mix thoroughly, and turn out on a flat dish not quite half an inch thick, and allow it to get quite cold. then divide into fillet-shaped pieces, brush over with the beaten white of egg, toss in fine breadcrumbs, and fry in plenty of smoking-hot fat. drain, and serve very hot, garnished with slices of lemon, and with hollandaise sauce. = . mock fish roe.= peel and slice or tomatoes, and put in a saucepan with nearly half a pint of water, and some grated onion. cook until the tomato is soft and smooth; then sprinkle in sufficient maize meal to make the mixture fairly stiff, add pepper and salt and one heaped tablespoonful of grated cheese. form into fillets or cutlets, and fry in the usual way. = . filleted salsify.= cook some salsify until tender, slice it into quarters lengthways, and cut it into -in. lengths; dip in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry crisp; serve with parsley sauce (recipe ), and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. = . mock white fish.= boil / -pt. milk and thicken with rather more than -oz. of semolina, to make a little stiffer than for rice mould. add a lump of butter, salt, a little grated onion and a saltspoonful of mace, and let all cook together for minutes, stirring frequently. boil potatoes and put through masher, and whilst hot add to the semolina or it will not set well. pour into dish to stiffen, and when quite cold cut into slices, roll in egg and white breadcrumbs, fry crisp in nutter and serve with parsley sauce as a fish course. the mixture must be stiff, for the frying softens the semolina again. = . mock hake steaks.= put in a pan -ozs. breadcrumbs, with / -pint of milk and a pinch of salt. stir over a slow fire for a few minutes; then add -ozs. flour, the yolk of egg, -ozs. grated cheese, -oz. butter, and a pinch of mace. cook for fifteen minutes; when quite cold form into fritters, dip in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry in boiling oil till a nice golden brown. serve with piquante sauce. =substitutes for meat dishes.= = . walnut cutlets.= put a small cap of milk and / -oz. of butter in a saucepan on the fire. when it boils add -ozs. of _dried_ and _browned_ breadcrumbs and a little dredging of flour. let it cook until it no longer adheres to the pan, and remove from the fire. when it is cool add eggs, beating until smooth, a large tablespoonful of shelled walnuts (previously run through the nut mill), seasoning, and a little grated onion juice. mix well and shape into cakes about / -in. thick on a floured board. roll in flour or egg and breadcrumbs, and fry. serve with walnut gravy, or round a dish of grilled tomatoes. = . brown bean cutlets.= boil one pint of brown haricot beans until soft, strain and keep the stock; pass the beans through a sieve and add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated onion, pepper, salt, a small piece of butter, and, if liked, a few drops of a sauce. add breadcrumbs until the right consistency is obtained for moulding into cutlet form. egg, crumb, and fry as usual. serve with tomato sauce or a rich gravy. = . green pea cutlets.= green pea cutlets, either fresh or dried, may be made the same way as stated in the previous recipe, substituting a little chopped mint for the parsley and onion, and serving with mint sauce, and a nice brown gravy made from the green pea stock. = . haricot cutlets.= boil -pt. of brown or white haricot beans with one or two onions till quite soft, strain and pass through a sieve, add some chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of grated pine kernels, a little tapioca (previously soaked in cold water), pepper and salt and a few breadcrumbs. mould into cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry. serve with sliced lemon and parsley sauce, or with brown gravy. = . walnut rissoles.= take / -pt. ground walnuts, / -pt. breadcrumbs, -oz. butter, -oz. flour, a little milk, chopped parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. make a thick white sauce with butter, flour and milk, add all the other ingredients. mix well and form into rissoles, dip in egg, then in crumbs, and fry crisp in boiling oil. these may be glazed and eaten cold with a salad and mint sauce. = . stuffed vegetable marrow.= peel a medium sized marrow, and remove the seeds, keeping the marrow whole. prepare the following stuffing:-- mix or chopped and fried onions, -ozs. pine kernels (these should be ground and also fried with the onions), -ozs. breadcrumbs, pepper and salt, chopped hard boiled egg, and raw egg to bind. fill the marrow with this mixture, and steam for half an hour to partly cook the marrow. now place in a baking tin, cover with breadcrumbs, place some small pieces of butter on top, and bake for another half hour until the marrow is quite soft and a nice rich brown. serve with brown gravy. = . purée of walnuts.= make a white sauce with -oz. butter, -oz. flour, / -teacup of milk, add / -pint of ground walnuts, / -pint breadcrumbs, and dessertspoons of milk, and beat well. about three-quarters of an hour before serving, add the white of egg stirred in lightly and pour into a mould. steam for half an hour, serve with mashed potatoes. = . nut croquettes.= take / -pint of mixed and shelled nuts, or mashed potatoes, chopped and fried onion, and a pinch of mace. chop the nuts, or pass through a nut-mill, and add them to the potato, with the onion and seasoning. form into croquettes, brush over with egg, and cover with fine breadcrumbs and fry in boiling oil. serve with bread sauce. = . mock chicken cutlets.= a tasty dish to be served with bread sauce is prepared as follows:--run through the nut mill cups of breadcrumbs and good cup of shelled walnuts. mix these together with a small piece of butter, a tablespoonful of grated onion juice, and a teaspoonful of mace. melt a large teaspoonful of butter in a saucepan, with half a teaspoonful of flour and add gradually cups of fresh milk; when this boils add the other ingredients, salt and pepper to taste, add a beaten egg, and when removed from the fire, a teaspoonful of lemon juice. stir well and turn out into a dish to cool, then shape into cutlets, dip in egg, then in breadcrumbs, as usual, and fry crisp. = . mock sweetbread quenelles.= put pint of milk in a saucepan to boil with onion chopped fine, when it boils add -ozs. of semolina stirring all the time, boil for minutes, then add -oz. of breadcrumbs, -oz of butter, egg, pepper and salt to taste. mix well and steam in a buttered basin for half-an-hour, then cut out in pieces the shape of an egg (with a deep spoon), pile them in the centre of the dish, and pour thick white sauce over them, garnish with green peas, and carrots very finely chopped. = . white haricot cutlets.= skin and stew till quite tender / -pint of white haricot beans in sufficient water to cover them. add small onions grated, tablespoon of milk or cream, pepper and salt to taste. simmer a little longer, and beat till quite smooth. take off the fire, and add enough breadcrumbs to make fairly firm, form into cutlets, dip in egg, then in crumbs, and fry crisp. serve with brown or tomato sauce. = . lentil cutlets.= take a teacup of egyptian lentils; boil them in water sufficient to cover until tender. add grated onions, some chopped parsley and thyme, and enough breadcrumbs to make a stiff mixture. turn on to large plates and flatten with a knife. then cut into eight triangular sections and shape them like small cutlets. when cold, roll in egg, then in breadcrumbs, and fry crisp after inserting small pieces of macaroni into each pointed end. serve with mint or tomato sauce, and with vegetables. = . mushroom pie, with gravy.= take / -lb. butter beans, / -lb. mushrooms, -lb. chestnuts, onions, hard boiled egg, teacupful tapioca (soaked overnight), some short crust pastry. fill a pie dish with alternate layers of above ingredients, with seasoning to taste; the onions and mushrooms should be fried, the chestnuts boiled and peeled, the butter beans cooked the day before until quite soft, and the egg cut into slices. cover with the pastry made as follows:-- / -lb. of flour, / -lb. nut-butter, mixed with cold water. brush over with beaten egg and bake. gravy. melt -oz. of butter in a saucepan, stir in a tablespoon of flour, and cook till a rich dark brown, stirring all the time, add half-a-pint of vegetable stock and being to the boil. before serving add half-a-teaspoonful of marmite. = . baked nuttoria.= open a tin of nuttoria, cut into slices / -inch in thickness, bake for an hour, well dressed with butter. serve with vegetables and with rich gravy made from brown haricot beans, thickened with arrowroot, and flavoured with fried onion and a good piquant sauce (such as brand's a ). yorkshire pudding makes a suitable addition. = . lentil croquettes.= wash, pick and cook / -lb. lentils, with or onions to flavour. when cooked, add about -ozs. wholemeal breadcrumbs, a teaspoonful parsley, nutmeg, mace, salt and pepper, and egg beaten. mix well, and when cold form into balls. dip in egg, then crumbs, and fry a golden brown. serve with onion sauce and gravy. = . protose cutlets.= pound a tin of protose with -oz. of fresh butter, some grated onion juice, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper, a few breadcrumbs, and a few drops of lemon juice. roll the mixture on a floured board until about / -inch thick, shape into cutlets, roll in egg, then in crumbs and fry. as protose does not require previous cooking this is a very quickly prepared dish, and if a few tins are kept in stock it is always handy for emergencies. the cutlets may be fried without egg and breadcrumbs, simply rolled in a little flour, if one is very pressed for time. serve with tomato or onion sauce, or a rich gravy. = . savoury nut-meat steaks.= cut some slices of protose about / -inch thick, and bake in a tin, basted with butter, for an hour. roll in egg, then in crumbs, and fry in butter for a few minutes. serve with fried forcemeat balls, red currant jelly, and brown haricot gravy flavoured with fried onion, cloves and some piquant sauce, thickened with arrowroot. masked potatoes (placed round) complete this dish. = . nut-meat à la mode.= take a tin of nuttoria ( / -lb.) and pass it through the nut-mill. beat the whites and yolks of eggs separately. mix these with the nut-meat, adding -ozs. stale brown breadcrumbs, some grated onion, chopped parsley and herbs. press into a basin and steam until well cooked. serve with white parsley sauce thickened with arrowroot. this dish tastes exactly as if it were made with minced beef. = . nut-meat rissoles.= put some protose, fibrose (brown), nuttoria, or other nut-meat through the nut-mill before cooking. fry slowly with some chopped onion. cover with brown stock, and cook slowly until nearly all the gravy is absorbed. then add breadcrumbs, herbs, seasoning, and a little butter, stir thoroughly over the fire, and set aside on a plate to cool. form the mixture into small rolls, dip in egg, roll in breadcrumbs, and fry. garnish with parsley, and serve with onion sauce or brown gravy. = . jugged nuttose.= bake some nuttose (dressed with butter) for half-an-hour, in slices half-an-inch thick; then dip in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry. also make some forcemeat balls by rubbing / -oz. of butter in -ozs. of breadcrumbs, adding chopped lemon thyme, lemon peel and parsley, some pepper and salt, and egg to bind; fry very brown. cut up the nuttose in quarter pieces and stew slowly in remainder of the bean stock with about cloves. garnish with sprays of parsley and the forcemeat balls. serve with red currant jelly and mashed potatoes. = . nuttose ragout.= a good way to prepare nuttose is as follows:--fry a teaspoonful of butter until quite brown, add flour until it absorbs the butter, add gradually any vegetable stock until a nice rich gravy results. bring to the boil and add very thin slices of nuttose. stew very slowly for hour, adding some worcester or other sauce to taste. garnish with mashed potatoes and serve with a green vegetable. = . minced nut-meat.= prepare a tin of protose or other nut-meat by running it through a mincing machine, or mashing it with a fork, and stewing it in vegetable gravy. serve with a border of green peas or beans, and with mashed potatoes placed round the outside of the dish. it is also nice served as follows, viz.:--prepare as for minced meat. boil a cupful of rice as for curry. when cooked stir in one teaspoonful of tomato sauce and seasoning. put the mince in the centre of the dish with a wall of the rice and tomato round it. = . lentil and potato sausages.= boil -ozs. lentils in very little water, so that when cooked all water is absorbed, then add chopped and fried onion, a tiny pinch of herbs, pepper and salt, boiled and mashed potatoes, and the _yolk_ of egg. allow to cool a little, then flour the hands, and form into sausage shape. brush over with white of egg and fry in boiling oil. decorate with parsley and serve with a border of green peas. = . stuffed yorkshire pudding.= for the stuffing:-- / -lb. cooked lentils, onion chopped and fried, a pinch of herbs, tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, and seasoning. for the batter:-- / -lb. of flour, / -pint of milk, egg. mix the batter and partly bake for minutes; remove from oven, spread with stuffing, roll up carefully, return to oven and bake brown. serve with apple sauce and brown gravy. = . mushroom and potato croquettes.= take some stiff mashed potatoes. make a stuffing with / -lb. minced and fried mushrooms, -ozs. chopped and cooked macaroni, and tablespoonful breadcrumbs, moisten with a little beaten egg. shape rounds of potato, make a hollow in one, fill with the stuffing and press the other over it. roll in egg, then in breadcrumbs, and fry crisp. = . mock steak pudding.= take -lb. chestnuts, / -lb. mushrooms, onion, -oz. butter, / -pint stock, a few forcemeat balls, and -ozs. of pine kernels. make a thick brown gravy with the butter, onion and stock, boil the chestnuts, remove the skins and husks and add them to the gravy, with pepper and salt to taste, simmer for minutes. line a buttered basin with a good crust (allowing -ozs. rolled and chopped pine kernels and / -oz. butter to -ozs. flour) and put in a layer of the chestnut mixture, then a layer of chopped mushroom and forcemeat balls till the basin is quite full; cover with a thick crust and boil for - / hours. = . mock chicken rolls.= take cup brazil nuts, cups breadcrumbs, gill milk, oz. butter, a little pepper and salt, mace, a few drops of lemon juice. melt the butter and add the milk and flour to it, cook for a few minutes, add the breadcrumbs and ground nuts, then the other ingredients, mix well and turn over on a plate to cool. form into rolls, dip into egg, then in breadcrumbs, and fry in boiling oil. serve with bread sauce and mashed potatoes. = . savoury sausages.= make of the same ingredients as in recipe no. . pound well in a basin, season rather highly, add a few chopped mushrooms, and a little butter. leave to get quite cold. then form into sausages, with well-floured hands, brush over with beaten egg, and fry or bake till crisp and brown. they may need a little basting if they are baked. = . savoury chestnut mould.= peel two dozen chestnuts and stew gently in vegetable stock until nearly soft. now remove half the chestnuts, and continue to cook the remainder until quite soft, gradually reducing the stock. mash the contents of the pan with a fork, then stir in tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, -ozs. of butter, pepper and salt, egg, and lastly the partly cooked chestnuts, cut into neat pieces. well grease a basin or mould, pour in the mixture and steam three-quarters of an hour, and serve with brown gravy or onion sauce. the main point about this dish is to retain the flavour of the chestnut without the addition of herbs, &c., &c. = . walnut pie.= (a tasty dish). put -ozs. of shelled walnuts through a mincer. put a layer of boiled rice at the bottom of a buttered baking dish. spread half the minced nuts evenly on top of the rice, then a layer of tomatoes, seasoned with onion, pepper and salt, mace, and ketchup, then another layer of rice, more nuts, etc., till the dish is nearly full. cover thickly with breadcrumbs, pour melted butter over, and bake a nice brown. serve with tomato sauce. = . savoury lentil roll.= take teacupfuls of boiled german lentils, put in a basin, and add a cupful of fine breadcrumbs, and about half as much mashed potatoes. add any seasoning--ketchup, worcester sauce--and a spoonful of melted butter. mix well with a fork and bind with or beaten eggs, reserving a little for brushing over. shape into a brick or oval, and press together as firmly as possible. brush over with the remainder of the egg, put into a buttered tin and bake for half an hour. serve with a garnish of beetroot or tomatoes. = . pine kernel timbale.= well grease a basin and line it with partly cooked macaroni; start at the bottom of the basin, and coil each piece carefully round, all touching, until the basin is completely lined. now carefully fill with the following farce:--fry in -ozs. of butter two or three chopped onions, then add about -ozs. of pine-kernels, having first ground them in a nut-mill, continue frying till a pale brown, then turn into a basin and add about / -lb. breadcrumbs, pepper and salt, and eggs. cover the basin with greased paper and steam one hour. remove carefully from the basin and pour round a nice brown gravy. =simple savoury dishes.= = . macaroni napolitaine.= boil / -lb. best quality macaroni (large) in plenty of water, strain and place on a dish; take a dessertspoonful of cornflour, mix thoroughly with a little milk, add milk to make half a pint, boil until it thickens, add half an ounce of grated cheese, a small knob of butter, and a few tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce or tomato conserve. the tomato sauce can be made by slicing tomatoes and cooking them in a saucepan with a little batter and chopped onion. pass through a strainer. pour the sauce over the macaroni or serve in a sauce boat. = . macaroni à la turque.= boil / -lb. of macaroni until _slightly_ tender, and add / -lb. of grated breadcrumbs, large onion (grated), large tablespoons of parsley, some grated nutmeg, / -pint milk, and egg (beaten). chop the macaroni and mix all well together and steam in a basin or in moulds for or - / hours. serve with thin white sauce or brown gravy (poured over the mould). = . macaroni cutlets.= boil / -lb. macaroni (spaghetti) in water, not making it too tender; chop slightly, add -ozs. breadcrumbs, some chopped fried onions, a teaspoonful of lemon thyme, and parsley, a couple of tomatoes (fried in saucepan after onions), and egg to bind. mix, roll in flour, shape into cutlets, fry until crisp and brown. serve with piquant or tomato sauce. = . savoury macaroni.= boil some macaroni for half an hour, drain well and add -oz. butter, beaten egg, pepper and salt, peeled and sliced tomato. heat all thoroughly together and serve. = . creamed macaroni.= break / -lb. macaroni into -inch pieces, drop them into -qts. of _boiling_ water, (salted), boil till tender. drain and place in a dish. at serving time put into a pan a tablespoon of butter, when melted, a tablespoon of flour, rub until well mixed, then add / -pint of milk, stir until it bubbles; a little cayenne to be added, then put in the macaroni and heat thoroughly, and just at the last, stir in / -lb. of grated cheese (not quite half ought to be parmesan and the rest a good fresh cheese). = . macaroni and tomato pudding.= boil some macaroni and mix with it -ozs. of grated cheese, peeled and sliced tomatoes, a little chopped parsley, and half a teacup of milk. place in a pie-dish and cover with a thick layer of fine breadcrumbs and a few knobs of butter; season to taste. bake until nicely browned. the addition of a grated onion is considered an improvement by many persons. = . how to cook rice.= first boil the water, then put the rice in, and keep it on the boil for twelve minutes; if it wants to boil over just lift the lid of saucepan to let the steam escape. after boiling strain in a strainer, and steam it when wanted for use. to steam the boiled rice, put it in a colander and stand the colander in a saucepan containing a little boiling water, so that the colander and rice are clear of the water, put saucepan on the hot plate, and the steam from the water will dry and separate out each grain of rice and make it flakey. savoury rice dishes can be made more rich in proteid, and more tasty, by adding a few teaspoons of emprote. = . rice (milanese).= (specially recommended). boil -ozs. of unpolished rice in a double saucepan until tender. fry a chopped onion brown, then add peeled tomatoes and cook until soft, add this to the rice with the yolks of eggs, / -teaspoonful of salt, and - / -ozs. of parmesan or grated cheese. mix well together and serve with brown gravy. this makes a most tasty and nutritious dish. = . rice alla romana.= boil -ozs. of unpolished rice with a clove of garlic. fry peeled tomatoes in -oz. butter. add this to the rice with the yolk of egg, / -teaspoonful of salt, and -oz. of parmesan or grated cheese. stir and serve with tomato sauce, or garnish with baked tomatoes. this dish is equally suitable for lunch, dinner, or supper; it is a 'complete' type of food, and it is much appreciated. the flavour can easily be varied. = . savoury rice.= boil / -lb. of rice till quite soft, add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated lemon rind, -ozs. grated cheese, tablespoonful of milk and a little butter, mix well and put into scollop shells, sprinkle over with breadcrumbs and bake for minutes. = . proteid rice cutlets.= delicious rice cutlets can be made as follows:--fry grated onions brown, then add tomatoes in the same pan and cook till tender. cook a large cupful of rice in a double saucepan, turn it into a basin, add the onions and tomatoes, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, -ozs. of breadcrumbs, -ozs. of emprote, and pepper and salt to taste. mix well, turn out on plates and smooth with a wet knife, cut into fingers and fry crisp in egg and breadcrumbs. serve with tomato sauce or brown gravy. = . sicilian rice.= fry in -oz. butter, one good handful of chopped parsley and one finely chopped onion, until the latter is a pale brown colour; now add equal quantities of boiled rice and nicely cooked cabbage or sprouts (chopped), pepper and salt, and a small teaspoonful of sugar. mix all together and heat thoroughly. serve. = . curried rice and peas.= (an indian dish). cook some rice in a jar until nicely swollen, put it in a saucepan, add one or two fried onions (and some young carrots chopped fine if desired), some vegetable stock, a dessertspoonful of lazenby's mango chutney, and or teaspoonfuls of stembridge's curry paste, until the rice has a rich curry flavour, to taste. warm / -pint of small french green peas (use fresh ones in season) with sugar and mint, pour them in the centre of the dish, place the curried rice round them and garnish with small fingers of pastry. serve with fried potatoes and cauliflower. this dish is easily made and very easy of digestion. = . risi piselli.= (a popular italian dish). fry some finely chopped parsley and onion till the latter is a light-brown colour. have ready equal quantities of cooked rice and young green peas, boiled separately (let the rice be dry, well cooked, and each grain separate), add these to the onions and parsley, and stir well together in the pan. serve very hot. = . rice and tomato rissoles.= fry onions brown, then add peeled tomatoes, cook till tender, turn into a bowl and chop finely with some parsley and thyme. at the same time cook a small cupful of rice in a double pan. mix this with the onions, etc., with pepper and salt, and -ozs. of breadcrumbs. mix well, then put on plates, smooth over, and when quite cold cut into rissoles, egg, then crumb and fry. serve with a rich brown gravy. = . a simple omelette.= take eggs, teaspoon chopped parsley, a little chopped onion, pepper and salt. beat the yolks and whites separately and then add the other ingredients. heat some butter in a frying pan until very hot, then pour in the mixture and keep putting a knife round the outside to prevent the omelette adhering, and to make the uncooked centre flow towards the rim. when nicely set fold and serve on a hot plate. = . omelette aux tomates.= take eggs, / -pt. of milk, a teaspoonful chopped parsley, and a taste of grated onion juice, pepper and salt. whisk all in a basin so as to mix thoroughly. heat -oz. of butter in a frying-pan, then pour in the mixture and keep putting the knife round the outside to prevent the omelette adhering, and to make the uncooked centre flow towards the rim. when nicely set, fold and serve on a hot dish, either with tomato sauce, or garnished with baked tomatoes. = . eggs florentine.= boil some spinach in water containing a pinch of salt and soda, for about minutes. strain well, rub through a sieve, and add a well-beaten egg. arrange in a fireproof dish, a thin layer in the centre and a good ridge all round, and put into the oven for about minutes. now poach a few eggs and lay in the centre, and sprinkle some parmesan cheese over all, add some cheese sauce. = . eggs à la crême.= place a large tablespoonful of cream in each of several small fireproof china baking or soufflé dishes (about - / -inches in diameter). break an egg in each one, and steam them in a frying pan in water inch deep until well cooked. some persons who cannot digest lightly cooked eggs can safely take them if quite hard. = . mayonnaise eggs.= boil the eggs hard, which takes about minutes, then put them in cold water; when cold, shell them and cut a piece off the end of each so that they will stand upright on the dish; pour thick mayonnaise sauce over them and sprinkle with chopped capers. = . eggs à l'italienne.= boil / -lb. of spaghetti in water, adding some tomato purée or conserve, and spread it on a dish. poach eggs and lay them on the spaghetti, sprinkle finely chopped parsley over the eggs and decorate the dish with fried croûtons. = . omelette aux fines herbes.= melt -oz. of butter in a perfectly dry frying pan. beat the yolks of eggs with some finely chopped parsley and a pinch of garlic powder, pepper and salt. when the butter boils pour in the egg and stir until it commences to set. then pour in the whites of the eggs (previously beaten to a stiff froth). when cooked fold the omelette and turn on to a very hot dish. cover at once and serve. = . scrambled eggs and tomatoes.= peel large tomatoes after dipping them in scalding water, slice and stew them in a little butter for a few minutes; beat eggs, add them to the tomatoes, and scramble them until the egg is cooked. serve on toast. green peas may be used for this dish instead of tomatoes. = . oeufs farcie en aspic.= boil eggs hard and remove the shells and take out the yolks, beat them in a bowl, and then add teaspoons of salad oil and a little chopped parsley and thyme, a few breadcrumbs, pepper and salt, mix all well and fill in each white half, even over with a knife, and glaze. serve with salad and mayonnaise sauce. = . spinach and eggs.= take or -lbs. of spinach, boil it in plenty of water with a pinch of soda and salt for minutes, press through a strainer, and then rub through a wire sieve; place it in a saucepan with a small piece of butter and a tablespoonful of milk, stir well whilst being warmed up, and serve on buttered toast or fried bread, garnish with fingers of pastry. rub hard boiled eggs through a sieve and spread on the top. decorate with the white of the eggs when sliced. = . spinach à la crême.= prepare the spinach as described above, but instead of adding butter and milk, add or tablespoons of cream. stir well and serve with fingers of fried bread or pastry. omit the garnishing of eggs. = . spinach soufflé.= cook some spinach (see recipe ), pass it through sieve and add or well beaten eggs and a small amount of milk, with pepper and salt. mix it thoroughly, put it in well buttered soufflé dishes and bake for minutes. this makes a simple yet tasty entrée. = . green pea soufflé.= pass some cooked green peas through a sieve, add pepper and salt, a teaspoonful of sugar, a very little milk, and the yolks of or eggs, according to quantity of peas. beat the whites of eggs till a stiff froth, add to the mixture and bake quickly in an oiled soufflé dish or small cases. = . chestnut soufflé.= boil -lb of chestnuts until they are quite soft, remove the skins and pass through a nut-mill, moisten with / -pt. of milk and / -oz. butter (melted), add pepper and salt, the yolks of eggs and lastly the whites, beaten to a stiff froth. pour into a greased soufflé dish and bake quickly. = . lentil soufflé.= cook -ozs. of lentils in very little water (so that when cooked the moisture is absorbed), add -oz. of butter, pepper and salt, tablespoonful of milk, and the yolks of eggs. beat the whites to a stiff froth and fold lightly into the mixture. pour into an oiled soufflé dish and bake quickly. = . asparagus soufflé.= take some asparagus (previously boiled) and rub it through a sieve. add or well beaten eggs and a small quantity of milk, with pepper and salt. beat it well and put in buttered soufflé dishes and bake for minutes. this makes a tasty course for a luncheon or dinner, and also a simple supper dish. = . cabbage soufflé.= take some well-cooked cabbage or brussels sprouts, pass through a sieve, add pepper and salt, a little milk, and well beat in the yolks of or eggs. beat the whites to a stiff froth and stir lightly into the mixture. pour into the soufflé dish in which has been melted a small piece of butter. bake quickly in a good oven. = . savoury rissoles.= equal quantities of mashed wholemeal bread and boiled rice, add a little boiled onion minced fine, some pepper, salt and butter. mix, roll into shape, or pass through a sausage machine, dredge with flour, dip in batter, and fry crisp. a great variety can be made by introducing lentils, macaroni or haricots, with herbs, fried onions, breadcrumbs, etc., and an egg. = . kedgeree.= two cups of boiled rice, hard boiled eggs, -oz. butter, onion, -oz. sultanas, pepper and salt. fry the onion in the butter till brown, then add the rice, eggs, and seasoning, mix well and serve very hot. = . savoury cheese rissoles.= put / -pint of hot water and -ozs. butter in a saucepan and bring to the boil, sift in slowly -ozs. of flour and cook this mixture thoroughly until it will leave the pan clean. take it off the fire and add a little cayenne, finely chopped parsley, -ozs. breadcrumbs, -ozs. grated cheese, and egg beaten in separately. when the mixture is quite cool, roll it into balls with flour and fry them. decorate the dish with parsley and serve hot with a garnish of mashed potatoes. a brown sauce is an improvement. = . a corsican dish.= take -lb. brussels sprouts, and sauté them, -lb. chestnuts, boil and peel them, and then fry in butter. pile in centre of dish and surround with the sprouts. decorate with croûtons and serve hot. = . brussels sprouts sauté.= blanch the sprouts and drain well. put into a wide saucepan with some butter and seasoning. place on a hot fire and shake frequently for five minutes. serve hot. = . spinach fritters.= chop finely, or pass through a sieve, -lb. of cooked spinach, season with salt and pepper and add the yolk of egg and sufficient breadcrumbs to make the mixture stiff. form into flat, round cakes, dip into frying batter and cook in boiling fat. serve with a garnish of scrambled eggs. = . baked stuffed tomatoes.= remove the centre from half a dozen tomatoes, mince this and add some chopped parsley, / -lb. grated nuts, -ozs. breadcrumbs, pepper and salt to taste and one egg. fill the tomatoes with this mixture and bake for half an hour, first placing a small piece of butter on each tomato. = . a breakfast dish.= take some large tomatoes, cut them in halves and scoop out the inside. break some eggs and put each in a cup, and slide one egg into each half tomato. put a little chopped parsley on each, and bake in the oven until the white of the egg is set. serve on rounds of toast. = . vegetable marrow stuffed.= grate some nuts, add the same quantity of breadcrumbs, season, bind with one egg. take a small marrow, cut in halves, scoop out the seeds, put in the stuffing, place it in a cloth upright in a saucepan with water, and steam for one hour. = . tomatoes au gratin.= take some large tomatoes, cut in halves, take out the pulp. make a stuffing of nut-meat, or of grated nuts, bind with one egg, and fill up the tomatoes. sprinkle a little grated cheese and breadcrumbs and a dab of butter on each tomato round. place in a tin, and bake in the oven for twenty minutes, and serve on croûtons. = . brussels sprouts à la simone.= (an italian dish) wash and boil the sprouts in the usual way, drain dry, and put them in a hot dish. have ready a sauce made with -ozs. of butter, tablespoonfuls of flour, add / a pint of stock and stir till it boils; just before serving add a good sprinkling of pepper and the juice of half a lemon; pour the sauce over the sprouts and serve. = . potato purée.= boil some large potatoes until soft, strain off the water, and dry them, mash with a silver fork, mix in a little salt and pepper, some butter and a cupful of hot milk, beat well until the mixture is quite smooth and creamy. serve very hot. = . onions à la mode francaise.= take some spanish onions, peel them, and make a hole in the centre, and put in each onion a small piece of butter and one lump of sugar. add a little pepper and salt, and simmer in a covered stewpan for hours. the onions should then be cooked, and surrounded with a rich gravy of their own. = . escalloped potatoes.= mix a pint and a half of cold potatoes cut in cubes and seasoned with salt, and a pint of cream sauce. put the mixture in shallow baking dish, cover with grated breadcrumbs, and dot with butter. bake half an hour in moderate oven. = . baked vegetable marrow.= mix together / -oz. of butter with -ozs. breadcrumbs, rubbing it well in. add a fried onion, some parsley and thyme, some sage and some lemon rind, and bind with an egg. scoop out the marrow, and place the stuffing in quite dry; then steam in a cloth. dress with brown gravy and fried breadcrumbs, and place for a few minutes in a hot oven. = . milanese croquettes.= pass hard boiled eggs through a sieve, then mix with or -ozs. of cold mashed potatoes. add pepper and salt to taste, and nutmeg. form into little rolls and dip into egg and breadcrumbs, then fry crisp. = . green lentil cutlets.= slice and fry till brown large onion, then add / -pint of green lentils (well washed), and cover with water or stock, bring to the boil, and simmer gently till quite tender. rub through a sieve to keep back the skins; add -ozs. of breadcrumbs, -oz. mashed potatoes, a little chopped parsley and some mushroom ketchup, salt and pepper to taste. make into cutlet shapes, roll in flour, or egg and breadcrumbs, and fry crisp. serve with brown gravy. = . chestnut and mushroom pudding.= line a pudding basin with good short pastry, then fill it with layers of white haricots (skinned and steamed till nearly tender), fried onion, tapioca, (previously soaked for or hours in cold water), finely chopped parsley, fried mushrooms, and some chestnuts (skinned and boiled till nearly tender), also a sprinkling of salt and pepper between the layers. pour over all some nicely seasoned mushroom gravy; cover with pastry, tie a floured cloth over it, and steam for hours. = . savoury golden marbles.= take nearly / -pt. of white haricot beans, cooked and pulped through a sieve, and add -ozs. of breadcrumbs, -ozs. of mashed potatoes, a small onion finely minced, and pepper and salt to taste. add beaten egg. mix thoroughly, and form into marbles. coat with the remainder of the egg, toss in fine breadcrumbs, and fry crisp and light brown. = . potato croquettes.= boil -lbs. of potatoes, well dry them, mash thoroughly with / -oz. butter and beaten egg. lay on a dish until cold. shape into balls, dip in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry crisp. = . curried lentils.= stew some green lentils in vegetable stock, and when quite soft stir in a teaspoonful of stembridge's curry paste, a fried onion, a chopped apple, and some chutney. mix it well. serve with a border of boiled rice, and fingers of pastry or fried bread, and some chipped potatoes. = . yorkshire savoury pudding.= take eggs, tablespoons of flour, pint of milk, large onion, pepper and salt to taste. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix the yolks with the milk, flour and condiments, lightly mix in the whites and pour into one or two well greased pudding tins which should have been made hot. bake minutes. the pudding should not be more than three-eighths of an inch in thickness, and should be of a nice brown colour. = . cauliflower (au gratin).= boil or cauliflowers (after removing leaves) until tender. strain off the water and place on a dish. cover with grated cheese, some white sauce and some fried breadcrumbs. add some knobs of butter and bake until a nice brown. this dish is very savoury, and is useful for supper or as a separate course for dinner. = . curried cauliflower.= wash a nice fresh cauliflower carefully, then boil it in salted water until it is quite tender, be careful that it does not break, drain it well from the water, place it in a hot dish, arrange it in a neat compact shape, pressing it gently together with a nice clean cloth, pour over some curry sauce and serve with or without a rice border. = . grilled tomatoes.= halve some ripe tomatoes, place them in a frying pan with a teacupful of water, put a small piece of butter on each piece. cook them until tender. serve on toast. poached eggs or mushrooms are a nice addition to this dish. = . neapolitan sausages.= soak tablespoons of tapioca for hour or more, then add / -lb. of breadcrumbs, hard boiled egg, tablespoons of olive oil, teaspoonful chopped parsley, and a little thyme, and pepper and salt to taste. mix well with half a raw egg. make into sausage shape, roll in egg, then in breadcrumbs, and fry crisp, or bake in a tin with a little butter in a sharp oven. serve with brown gravy and apple sauce. = . lentil pudding.= stew some green lentils until soft; stir in some of stembridge's curry paste and add chutney to taste. season with salt and butter, cover with mashed potatoes and bake. = . savoury rice pudding.= put teacupful of rice in a medium sized pie dish, and fill it with milk; chop finely or grate small onions, beat egg, mix altogether, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and a little salt; bake in a slow oven. after minutes, stir the pudding thoroughly, adding a small piece of butter, and a little more milk if necessary. = . croûtes a la valencia.= two ozs. almonds, hard boiled egg, oz. fresh butter, teaspoonful olive oil, salt and pepper, small rounds of fried bread. blanch the almonds and fry them slowly in the oil till a golden brown, place on kitchen paper and sprinkle with salt. allow these to get cold. drain the rest of the nuts, and pound them in a mortar till quite fine, add the egg and butter, and season well. pound all together till quite smooth, then pile up on the rounds of bread, and arrange of the salted almonds on each. = . frittamix rissoles.= take / -lb. of frittamix (mapleton's), -ozs. of fine stale breadcrumbs and -oz. of butter. mix all together with some boiling water and make into rissoles or sausages, egg and breadcrumb them and fry crisp in boiling nutter. = . marmite toast.= (a good breakfast dish). spread some marmite on rounds of white bread, fry till they are crisp, and serve with scrambled eggs piled on each round, or piled in a dish with fried eggs. = . salted almonds.= heat a dessertspoonful of butter in a frying pan till it smokes, place some blanched almonds in it, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, or red pepper if liked, shake the pan till the almonds are _slightly_ brown, place on paper to drain, and serve. = . chestnut stew.= take -lb. chestnuts, - / -ozs. oil or butter, tablespoonful flour, pt. milk, yolk of egg, tablespoonful of chopped parsley. add pepper and salt. boil the chestnuts for / -hour, then place in hot oven for minutes, when the skins will be easy to remove. put the oil into a saucepan and in it fry the chestnuts for a few minutes, stir in tablespoonful of flour, add the milk gradually with pepper and salt, and let the whole simmer gently for half an hour. just before serving, add the parsley chopped fine. the yolk of an egg may also be added to give greater richness, but in this case do not let it boil again. this dish is both nutritious and tasty. =cold luncheon dishes= (for hot luncheon dishes see previous section of recipes). = . oeufs farcie en aspic.= boil eggs hard and remove the shells, and take out the yolks; beat them in a bowl, and then add teaspoons of salad oil and a little chopped parsley and thyme, a few breadcrumbs, pepper and salt. mix all well and fill in each white half, even over with a knife, and glaze. serve with salad and mayonnaise sauce. = . nut galantine.= take / -lb. ground walnuts, / -lb. cooked spaghetti, onions, small tomato, -oz. butter, dessertspoonful of carnos, a little stock, pepper and salt to taste. fry the onions and tomato in the butter, and then add the other ingredients and simmer for minutes. put into a greased mould, cover with a greased paper, and bake in a slow oven for hour. turn out when cold and serve with salad and mayonnaise sauce. this dish may be served hot as a roast with red currant jelly and browned potatoes. = . galantine alla bolognese.= steam / -pint of rice, fry mushrooms and small onions, add / -pint breadcrumbs, and put all through the sausage mill; add well beaten eggs, pepper and salt, and a pinch of mixed spice. put the mixture in buttered paper and shape it like a bolster, fastening the ends with white of egg. tie it in a cloth and steam for - / hours, then take it off the fire and leave it to cool. before serving take off the paper, then glaze with aspic. decorate with chopped hard-boiled eggs, or beetroot and carrot cut in shapes; and serve with chutney or salad sauce. = . aspic jelly.= take pints of cold water, / -oz. agar-agar (vegetable gelatine), lemon, some pepper and salt, a pinch of cayenne, and tablespoons of tarragon vinegar. soak the agar hours in -pt. of the water, then add the other ingredients, with some worcester sauce to darken it, add the white of an egg and the shell, put over a slow fire till the agar is dissolved, then boil or minutes, and strain through a coarse flannel. = . mock lobster shapes.= put the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve, add by degrees tablespoonfuls of salad oil. when a perfectly smooth paste is formed; add teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar, teaspoonful of malt vinegar, gill of cool jelly, gill cream. have ready about -ozs. boiled haricot beans, chop them coarsely and add to the mixture, put into small moulds. when set, turn out and glaze. = . raised pie.= line a pie-mould with good short crust, then fill with the following mixture:--omelette made with eggs, -ozs. chopped macaroni, a little grated onion, chopped parsley, pepper and salt; or tomatoes peeled and fried in a little butter, seasoned with a pinch of sugar, pepper and salt, and thickened with eggs scrambled in them. leave these till cold, fit into the pie; cover, brush with egg, and bake in a good hot oven at first, then slowly for about an hour. garnish with parsley and serve cold or hot. = . green pea galantine.= pass pint of green peas (cooked) through a sieve, add small grated onion, some chopped mint, / -lb. pine kernel nut-meat (first passing it through a mill), -ozs. tapioca, which has been soaked overnight in cold water, pepper and salt, and / -lb. breadcrumbs. mix well and add raw egg. put into a greased mould or pie dish and bake in a slow oven / of an hour. turn out when cold and serve with salad. = . picnic brawn.= fry onion, lump of sugar, in a little butter till quite brown, add tablespoonfuls of marmite, / -pint of water. dissolve / -oz. of gelatine in a little water and add to the gravy. simmer all together for minutes and strain, then add some cooked cold vegetables, a little cooked macaroni, and hard-boiled egg chopped finely. pepper and salt to taste, wet a mould with cold water and pour the mixture in to set. turn out when cold and quite firm. decorate with carrots, etc., cut into shape, and a white paper frill. = . tomato galantine.= six peeled tomatoes, tablespoons of cooked macaroni, onions chopped and fried, / -cup tapioca (soaked in cold water), nearly a cup of bread which has been soaked in cold water, drained and fried in the pan after the onions; mix all with unbeaten egg, pour into a greased mould which is decorated with hard-boiled egg, cover with greased paper and bake in a slow oven till set. eat cold with salad. = . nut-meat galantine.= take / -lb. protose, / -lb. spaghetti (cooked), large chestnuts (boiled and peeled), and onions fried; put these through a sausage machine and add / -cupful of tapioca which has been soaked in cold water, -oz. of butter broken into small pieces, and pepper and salt to taste. mix well, then put into a greased mould. cover with greased paper, and bake in a slow oven hour. turn out when cold and serve with salad and mayonnaise. = . tomato mayonnaise.= peel and slice good tomatoes, place them in a dish and cover them with mayonnaise sauce; let them stand for a few hours. serve after sprinkling some finely chopped parsley over the top. this dish tastes nice with protose rolls, or cheese, &c. = . nut-meat rolls.= prepare pastry as usual for sausage rolls, either short or puffy. the filling mixture is made just as for the nut-meat rissoles ( ), with the addition of a few breadcrumbs. roll the mixture between the fingers into the shape of a sausage, and proceed just as usual. brush with egg and bake in a quick oven. = . protose luncheon rolls.= break up with a fork / -lb. of protose, add to this some chopped parsley, peeled tomatoes, crumbs, pepper and salt, and a few drops of a sauce. mix thoroughly. have ready some short pastry, cut into squares, place a little of the mixture in each, fold in the usual way. brush over with egg and bake in a quick oven. = . potted white haricots.= (a substitute for potted chicken.) stew a cupful of white haricots with onions and water to cover them, until perfectly soft. rub through a wire sieve or potato masher. add -ozs. of mashed potato, -ozs. of brown breadcrumbs, -oz. of butter, -oz. grated cheese, and an eggspoonful of mustard. mix well with pestle and mortar and fill small pots, cover with melted butter. = . potted lentil savoury.= take / -lb. lentils (cooked), -ozs. mashed potato, -ozs. breadcrumbs, egg (beaten), chopped parsley, a little onion juice, salt and pepper, and -oz. butter. put all in a pan and mix well together, with -ozs. of grated cheese, stirring all the time. when cooked, turn into a mortar, pound well and press into potting dishes and melt butter over the top. this makes excellent sandwiches with a little mustard spread on it. = . nut sandwiches.= flake some brazil or other nuts and spread a thin layer in some bread and butter sandwiches which have been dressed with honey or jam. almonds can be used if preferred, and curry powder instead of preserve, if they are preferred savoury instead of sweet. = . tomato or egg sandwiches.= make sandwiches by spreading tomato paste between slices of bread and butter. a dish of mustard and cress sandwiches should be served with them. sieved hard-boiled eggs, with a pinch of herbs, make good sandwiches also. = . egg and cress sandwiches.= take some eggs, boiled hard; chop very fine and place between some rounds of white bread, spread a little mayonnaise sauce on them and a layer of chopped cress. the rounds of bread should be cut out with a cutter. pile the sandwiches on a dish and decorate with parsley, and a little chopped yolk of the eggs. = . cabbage salad.= two eggs well beaten, tablespoonfuls of cream, / -teaspoon of salt, teaspoons of vinegar, and a small piece of butter. put on the fire and cook, stirring continually until quite thick. prepare a half head of cabbage chopped fine, sprinkled with salt. add to the dressing when cold tablespoonfuls of cream, and pour over the cabbage. = . potted haricot savoury.= put a good breakfastcupful of brown beans, with a few onions, into a brown stew-jar, and cover with a quart, or rather more, of water. place in a slow oven and cook until the beans crack, and the liquid will then have become a rich brown colour. after the liquid has been poured from the beans (to be used as stock or for haricot tea) rub them through a sieve or masher. to -ozs. of the pulp, add -ozs. mashed potato, -ozs. brown breadcrumbs, and - / -ozs. butter; salt, pepper, nutmeg and mace to taste, and a little fried onion if liked. put all in a pan and stir till hot, add beaten egg, and cook until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, but do not let it get too stiff. press into potting dishes as usual. = . cheese and tomato paste.= take / -lb. cheddar cheese, flake it, then take good sized tomatoes, peel them by placing them in hot water for a few minutes. put the tomatoes into a basin, chop and beat them into a pulp, add pepper and a little chopped parsley, mint, and thyme. mix the tomato pulp with the grated cheese and beat well together until a paste is produced. press into small soufflé dishes. = . potted haricot meat.= stew some brown haricot beans for several hours (saving the liquor for stock). pass them through a sieve, mix with them some brown breadcrumbs, a finely chopped raw onion, parsley, a little thyme and a / -oz. of butter; pepper and salt to taste. heat all together in a saucepan for minutes; pour into jars, and cover with melted butter. this is a useful dish for breakfast, supper, or when travelling. = . savoury protose pudding.= make a good stuffing of -lb. wholemeal breadcrumbs, sweet herbs, / -lb. butter, chopped parsley, peel of lemon, chopped fine, and pepper and salt to taste. bind with or eggs. thickly line a well-greased pie dish with the stuffing, then press into the middle a tin of protose (minced or machined). thickly cover over with stuffing. put little pieces of butter or nucoline on top, cover with a tin and bake in slow oven an hour or an hour and a half. this makes a savoury dish, when cold, with a good salad. = . potted tomato paste.= three tomatoes, egg, -ozs. grated cheese, -ozs. breadcrumbs, / -oz. butter, small onion minced fine, pepper and celery salt. peel the tomatoes and cut them up in a small saucepan with the butter and onion; when tender, mash smoothly and add the egg. stir quickly until it becomes thick; add the cheese and breadcrumbs last, when off the fire. turn into a pot and cover with butter. = . delicious milk cheese.= make gallon of rich milk just lukewarm, add the juice of lemons, or tablespoons of french wine vinegar, and stir well. set aside till curd and whey are separated; now pour into a cheese cloth with a basin underneath to catch the whey. let it hang (after tying up) until well drained, then place between two plates, or in a flat colander, with a weight on top, or in a cheese press, until firmly set. = . a good salad dressing.= rub an eggspoonful of mustard, salt and sugar in a teaspoonful of olive oil and cream, until the mixture is quite smooth. then rub the yolk of a hard-boiled egg in the paste, and keep it free from lumps. pour in a dessertspoonful of vinegar, stirring slowly all the time. add a teacupful of rich milk or some cream. serve. =gravies and sauces.= a great variety of savoury and nutritious gravies can be made from vegetable stock, with the usual thickening, (arrowroot is best), a pinch of salt and pepper, seasoning, and a lump of butter. brown haricot broth is the best stock (recipe ). the addition of nutril, wintox, mapleton's gravy essence, or marmite gives flavour and increases the nourishing quality. it is very desirable that the gravy or sauce served with certain vegetarian dishes should be piquante in taste and of a nice flavour. it is worth while to take some trouble to achieve this result, because many dishes that are plain and perhaps somewhat tasteless in themselves are made quite savoury and enjoyable by the addition of a piquante dressing. brand's a sauce is a good example of such piquancy, and is also useful in making sauces in the home, as a few teaspoons of it will often give an unique flavour to a simple gravy that is lacking in this respect. = . walnut gravy.= take about -ozs. of shelled walnuts, put them through the nut mill, and place in a small pan in which you have previously made hot -oz. of butter. fry until the walnut is dark brown, _stirring well_ all the time to prevent burning. pour on a pint of stock, or water if no stock is at hand, and let it simmer slowly until just before serving. then add -oz. of flour to thicken, some seasoning, and a few drops of onion or some tomato sauce. this makes a most rich and savoury gravy--especially if a little nut-butter is added. = . curry gravy.= in the cold weather, dishes which contain curry are seasonable and are generally appreciated. the following recipe for a curry gravy will prove useful to many readers, as it makes a capital addition to plain boiled rice or many other dishes. fry onions, minced in some butter until they are quite brown. then sift in some flour and let it brown also. add slowly some vegetable stock or water, two minced apples, a teaspoonful of curry paste (stembridge's is good), a teaspoonful of vinegar, and a dessertspoonful each of tomato sauce and chutney. stir and serve. = . gravy piquante.= stew a dozen shallots in some butter until soft. stir in some flour and let it brown; add the juice of a lemon, / -pint of water, a clove, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. boil gently for a few minutes and stir in a little more flour; add / -pt. of clear stock or water, boil for minutes and strain. = . plain brown gravy.= melt some butter until brown, add flour (previously mixed well in a little water), and some vegetable stock, dilute if necessary and strain. a fried onion and tomato, and a teaspoonful of nutter adds to the flavour and richness. the addition of vegeton, nutril or marmite improves this. = . sauce piquante.= take equal quantities of vegetable stock and tomate à la vatel (dandicolle and gaudin), fry a chopped onion brown, add the above, thicken with arrowroot, boil and strain. = . rich brown gravy.= melt oz. butter or nutter in a small saucepan, then add nearly a tablespoonful of flour, and keep stirring until you get a rich dark brown, being careful not to burn; now add slowly some stock made by stewing brown haricot beans, and simmer slowly for about minutes. at serving time, add a good teaspoonful of nutril, wintox or marmite. = . tarragon sauce.= melt -oz. of butter, stir in / -oz. of flour until free from lumps, add / -pt. of milk and stir until it boils. finally add or drops of tarragon vinegar. this sauce is an excellent addition to cauliflower, and the flavour is unique. = . parsley sauce.= make in same way as in the above recipe, but substitute a large teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley for the vinegar. = . tomato sauce.= fry a sliced onion in butter until brown, add sliced tomatoes, a clove of garlic and / -oz. more butter. heat until quite soft, add / -pt. of clear vegetable stock or water, strain and serve. thicken with arrowroot if desired. = . sauce hollandaise.= take -ozs. of butter, the juice of a lemon, the yolks of eggs, and a teaspoonful of flour. heat in a double saucepan while being stirred, until it begins to thicken. this is a good sauce to serve with cauliflower, asparagus, artichokes, etc. = . white sauce.= make in the same manner as tarragon sauce, but omit the vinegar and add / -pt. of water. = . mayonnaise sauce.= mix a teaspoonful of mustard with the yolk of an egg, add tablespoons of pure olive oil, a few drops at a time, beating it with a fork; add -ozs. of castor sugar, some pepper and salt, the juice of a large lemon and teaspoons of tarragon vinegar. whisk the white of the egg with / -pint of cream, and beat all together. = . tomato chutney.= one and a half pounds of tomatoes, - / -lb. apples, - / -lb. sultanas, - / -lb. brown sugar, -ozs. onions, -ozs. salt, / -oz. cayenne pepper, -pts. vinegar. the whole to be boiled for hours. pour into stoppered bottles. this makes a most excellent chutney. = . coconut sauce.= melt -oz. of butter in a pan, stir in -oz. of flour smoothly, then add / -pt. of cold water and / -pt. of milk, half at a time; stir in / -oz. of desiccated coconut and / -oz. of sugar, and bring to the boil. mapleton's coconut cream is superior to butter. = . marmite savoury gravy.= chop an onion, and put it into -pt. of boiling water with a teaspoon of butter and a dessertspoon of dried sage; boil until the onion is soft; add two teaspoons of marmite, season with pepper and salt, and thicken with a small teacupful of arrowroot or cornflour. strain and serve. = . marmite glaze.= dissolve two teaspoons of marmite in / -pt. of boiling water, strain through a fine hair sieve or a piece of muslin into an enamel saucepan, put in -ozs. of gelatine, place on the fire and dissolve. = . quick lunch gravy.= put a teaspoon of marmite into a pint of boiling water, season with pepper and salt, thicken with a little browned flour. = . thick brown sauce.= fry onion, lump of sugar, and a little butter until quite brown, add teaspoons of brown flour and / -pt. vegetable stock, pepper and salt to taste, boil well, and strain. = . carnos sauce.= a sauce can be quickly made with a spoonful of carnos, thickened with flour, and flavoured to taste, with onion, tomato, or celery, etc. = . cheese sauce.= place / -pt. of milk in a pan, and add a teaspoon of cornflour. boil up and beat in -ozs. of grated cheese after removing from fire. = . fruit sauce.= take -oz. of cornflour, mix with a little water, adding / -pt. of cherry, pineapple, or other fruit syrup, and boil until it thickens. =puddings and sweets.= = . christmas pudding.= mix -lb. breadcrumbs, -lb. flour, -lb. sultanas or currants, -lbs. raisins, / -lb. mixed peel, / -lb. sugar, / -lb. nutter ((or vegsu), flaked in the nut mill), / -lb. chopped pine kernels. add nutmeg to taste, and five or six eggs. boil for hours, and serve with sauce as usual. this pudding wins approbation from all who try it. n.b.--all boiled puddings should be allowed ample room to swell during cooking. if too closely confined they are sometimes prevented from being light. [illustration] = . a simple plum pudding.= mix / -lb. flour, -lb. raisins or sultanas, -ozs. nutter and -oz. mixed peel. add teaspoonful of mixed spice, eggs, and a little milk if required. boil for at least hours, serve with sweet sauce. = . a fruit salad.= by the _chef_ of the canton hotel. peaches, apricots, cherries, grapes, black and red currants, pineapples, bananas. the peaches and apricots are peeled and quartered, the cherries stoned, the bananas and pineapples cut in slices or dice. mix, cover with powdered sugar, a glass of kirsch, and a glass of maraschino, and lay on ice until required. = . rich plum pudding.= take / -lb. stoned raisins, / -lb. sultanas, -ozs. mixed peel, / -lb. sugar, -ozs. breadcrumbs, / -lb. chopped apples, -ozs. nutter, -ozs. pine kernels, sweet almonds, brazil nuts, / nutmeg, teaspoons of mixed spice, teaspoon of ginger, a few drops of ratafia flavouring essence, and eggs. finely chop all the fruit and the pine kernels, and put the nuts and peel through the mill. rub the nutter into the breadcrumbs and mix in the other ingredients and finally the eggs, one at a time (stirring well). put into basins and boil hours, then set aside till wanted. boil them again for or hours before serving. = . sultana and ginger pudding.= thoroughly mix -ozs. breadcrumbs, oz. of flour, -ozs. sultanas, -ozs. sugar, and one good teaspoonful of ground ginger. rub in -oz. butter and then stir in gradually gills of milk and water (mixed), and lastly put in a small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. stir well, pour into a buttered mould and steam for three hours. chopped figs, french plums or dates can be substituted for the sultanas, and thus the pudding can be made in various ways. = . plain sultana pudding.= mix in a basin -ozs. breadcrumbs, -oz. flour, -ozs. sultanas, -ozs. sugar, and -oz. butter. moisten with / -pint of milk and water, to which has been added small teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. steam for hours, and serve with sweet sauce. this pudding is much appreciated by children. = . jellied figs.= stew / -lb. of figs in -pt. of water for or hours till quite tender. dissolve / -oz. of gelatine in / -pt. of water over a gentle heat and strain it on to the figs after they have been cut into small pieces and the juice of half a lemon added; stir well and turn into a wetted mould. turn out when cold and sprinkle a little ground almond or coconut over it. serve plain or with cream. = . creamed rice moulds.= put -ozs. of rice into a saucepan with - / -pts. of cold milk, bring to the boil, then stand over a gentle heat till quite tender, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. add vanilla, -oz. of sugar and / -pt. of cream, mix well and pour into wetted moulds. serve garnished with raspberry or other jam. = . ambrosia.= pare oranges, removing all the tough white skin, cut through twice and slice them. take a cup of grated coconut and moisten with cream. fill a glass bowl with alternate layers of orange and coconut, finish with orange and cover with a thick layer of whipped cream, sprinkle with ground almonds, and decorate with candied fruit. = . bread pudding.= any piece of stale bread or cake, -ozs. sultanas, -ozs. currants, a little peel and spice, egg, and sugar to taste. soak the bread by pouring some boiling milk over it, beat it up very well, then add the fruit, etc., and bake or boil for hours. = . semolina moulds.= cook -ozs. of semolina in - / -pts of milk for three-quarters of an hour, stirring well, flavour with sugar and vanilla or lemon essence, and pour into wetted moulds. serve with preserve garnishing. = . castle puddings.= the weight of eggs in butter and sugar, the weight of eggs in flour and a little grated lemon rind. cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs well beaten and lemon rind. mix well and stir in the flour, half fill the pudding moulds with the mixture and bake for minutes. serve with a jam sauce. = . strawberry cream.= half-pound strawberries, -ozs. castor sugar, gill cream, / -oz. gelatine, eggs. mash the strawberries to a pulp with the sugar, then add the cream, the yolks of eggs, and gelatine (dissolved in a little water) and cook over a saucepan of boiling water for minutes, stirring all the time. whip the whites of egg to a stiff froth and add to the mixture and cook for a few minutes more, then pour into a buttered mould, and turn out when stiff. = . marmalade pudding.= three-ozs. nut-margarine, -ozs. castor sugar, tablespoons marmalade, eggs, -ozs. flour. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the eggs and marmalade and beat well for minutes, then stir in the flour very lightly, and put in a greased basin, cover with a greased paper and steam for hours. serve with sweet sauce. = . small cakes.= three-ozs. nut-margarine, -ozs. castor sugar, eggs, -ozs. flour. cream the butter and sugar together and add the eggs well beaten and stir the flour in lightly, mix well and put in a shallow tin and bake for minutes. when cold cut in small shapes and ice. = . stewed prunes à la francaise.= put the prunes in a basin of water and leave to soak for hours, then stew gently in a double saucepan in the same water (with a slice of lemon peel) until it forms into a thick juice. serve with whipped cream or boiled rice, etc. = . custard moulds.= boil -pt. milk with tablespoonful sugar and bay leaf; add / -oz. gelatine. stir till dissolved, and remove from the fire for a minute or two. strain this on to egg well beaten, return to pan, and stir over the fire until it thickens, but do not let it boil. whisk well occasionally while cooling, and just before it sets pour into wetted moulds. = . bakewell pudding.= line a pie dish with puff paste, and spread on it a layer of apricot jam. put the yolks of eggs into a basin with the white of and beat well together. then add -ozs. of sugar, -ozs. butter dissolved, and / -oz. of ground almonds. mix all well together and pour over the jam; bake half-an-hour. = . vanilla creams.= dissolve / -oz. of gelatine in gills of milk, and flavour with -oz. of sugar and teaspoonful of vanilla essence. strain it on to / -pt. of cream, and when just beginning to set, whisk well and stir in lightly the white of an egg beaten till quite stiff. turn into wetted moulds and leave till set. = . lemon creams.= dissolve / -oz. of gelatine in / -pt. of water, with -ozs. of sugar and the grated rind and juice of a lemon. when nearly cold strain this on to gill of milk and gill of cream, whisk well and stir in lightly the stiff-beaten white of an egg. pour into moulds and leave till set. = . lemon semolina pudding.= put three tablespoonfuls semolina in a saucepan with - / -pts. milk. bring to the boil, then simmer slowly till quite swollen. set aside to cool a little, then add -ozs. sugar, the grated rind and half the juice of a lemon, also a well-beaten egg. stir well and pour into a buttered pie-dish, and bake slowly till set. turn out and garnish with jam. = . raspberry pudding.= stew -lb. of raspberries (or more) with some sugar. line a basin with some slices of bread (without crust). pour in half the fruit, cover with a layer of bread, then add the remainder of the raspberries and another layer of bread. press down with a saucer and place a weight on it. turn out and serve when cold with cream or plasmon snow-cream. = . rice à la reine.= cook -ozs. rice in -qt. milk for or hours, sweeten and flavour to taste. when cooled a little add / -oz. gelatine dissolved in / -a-teacup of milk and strained, and gill of cream; stir well and pour into a wetted mould. = . apple custard.= place some biscuit crumbs in a buttered pie dish. nearly fill it with stewed apples. beat an egg with / -pt. of milk and pour over the apples. place some small ratafia biscuits on the top and some grated nutmeg. bake in a moderate oven. = . sultana custard pudding.= to -ozs. of robinson's patent barley, add -oz. of sifted sugar, / -oz. of butter, a pinch of salt, and nearly -pt. of milk; mix thoroughly and stir it over the fire till it boils; then add a yolk of egg, -ozs. sultanas, and bake the pudding in a buttered pie-dish. = . swiss roll.= take -ozs. castor sugar and teacupful flour, and add to them teaspoonful of baking powder. separate the yolks from the whites of eggs, and beat the latter till stiff. add tablespoon of milk to the yolks, and work into the flour and sugar, then add the stiffly beaten whites. beat all well with a wooden spoon. pour on to a greased yorkshire pudding tin, and bake in a very sharp oven for seven minutes. then turn on to a piece of kitchen paper dredged with castor sugar. spread quickly with jam (which has been thoroughly beaten) and roll with the paper. place on a sieve till cool. = . gateau aux fruits.= take half a tinned pineapple, bananas, / -lb. grapes, tangarine oranges, and the juice of a lemon. cut up the fruit into dice, sprinkle with sugar and pour over them half the pineapple syrup, the lemon juice, and a tablespoonful of maraschino, and leave for an hour to soak. split five stale sponge cakes open, cut each half into three fingers and spread each rather thickly with apricot jam. place four of these strips on a glass dish so as to form a square, and put four more across the corners so as to form a diamond in it, and so on, square and diamond alternately. fill the middle of the tower thus formed with the macedoine of fruits, piling them high above the top, and pour the rest of the pineapple syrup over the cake. whip half a pint of cream stiffly, and put it (or coconut cream, ) on in rough spoonfuls all over the tower. = . poached apricots.= upon some slices of sponge cake, place half an apricot (round side uppermost). whip some white of egg to a snow frost with castor sugar. place this round the apricot so as to make it resemble a poached egg. whipped cream is preferable to many persons if obtainable. the sponge should be slightly moistened with the apricot juice. = . lemon sponge.= dissolve / -oz. of leaf gelatine in / -pt. of water and add the rind of a lemon and -oz. castor sugar. strain the juice of a lemon on to the white of an egg, then strain the dissolved gelatine on to it. whisk all together till it makes quite a stiff froth. turn into a mould, and take out when set. = . plasmon snow-cream.= put heaped teaspoonfuls ( - / -ozs.) of plasmon into a bowl. from / -pt. of tepid water take tablespoons and mix it with the powder, rubbing it into a paste. slowly add the remainder of the water; stir thoroughly, then place in a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. stand aside to get quite cold. when required for use, whisk it into a thick snow-cream. this makes a splendid addition to stewed fruit (peaches, &c.), cocoa, coffee, or puddings. it is most nutritious also. the proportions must be correct to get the cream _firm_ as well as _light_. if it is _frothy_ there is too much water; if sticky and heavy there is not sufficient water. = . rice and sultana padding.= to an ordinary rice pudding add -ozs. of sultanas. bake in a slow oven for several hours, with plenty of milk. when cooked it should be brown in colour and quite moist. it is easily digested and makes a good supper dish. = . plain boiled pudding.= take -ozs. of nutter, -ozs. each of white and brown flour, and -ozs. of breadcrumbs. add water gradually, mixing into a dry dough, and boil in a cloth for an hour and a half. = . apple fritters.= peel and quarter, or finely mince, some good cooking apples, dip in batter made as follows:-- tablespoonful flour, egg well beaten, enough milk to make it the consistency of cream. fry crisp, and serve. = . empress pudding.= take -pt. of breadcrumbs, -qt. of new milk, the yolks of eggs (well beaten), the grated rind of a lemon, and -ozs. of butter; mix and bake about half an hour. when cold, spread some raspberry or plum jam over the pudding, then whip the whites of the eggs with a teacup of sifted sugar and the juice of a lemon, and lay this over the jam. make slightly brown in the oven. = . orange jelly.= wipe and thickly peel oranges and lemons, take -pt. of cold water, / -lb. white sugar, and - / -ozs. cornflour. place the peel and water in a pan and simmer for minutes with the sugar; strain the resulting juice. place the cornflour in a basin and squeeze the juice of the fruit through a strainer on to it, then pour the boiling syrup on to this mixture; stir well, return to saucepan, and boil for minutes. pour out into cold wet mould. garnish with orange. = . ginger pudding.= take -ozs. of brown breadcrumbs (finely grated), -ozs. of butter, a saltspoonful of ground ginger, the juice of a lemon, and -ozs. of castor sugar. stir these in a stewpan until the butter is melted. chop -ozs. of preserved ginger and add to the mixture with the yolks of eggs. beat well together and set aside to cool. whisk the whites of the eggs and stir into the pudding quickly. fill a buttered basin with it, cover with a saucer (leaving room to swell) and steam for hours. serve with cream or fruit sauce ( ). = . baked coconut custard.= beat eggs and mix with - / -pts. of milk, add tablespoons of desiccated coconut, and a tablespoonful of sugar. bake in a slow oven, and add some grated nutmeg. = . semolina pudding.= boil a teacupful of semolina for minutes in - / pts. of milk, stirring all the time. flavour with vanilla. turn out into a buttered pie dish, garnish with ratafia biscuits and bake in a moderate oven. = . strawberry cream ice.= take - / -lbs. of ripe strawberries, -ozs. of castor sugar, / -lb. of cream and a teacupful of milk. put the strawberries through a sieve or strainer, mix the whole well together, and freeze. raspberry ice can be made in a simpler form by reducing the cream by one-half and by adding another teacupful of milk in which a dessertspoonful of cornflour has been boiled. = . vanilla ice.= take pint of milk, gill of cream, the yolks of eggs, and -ozs. of castor sugar. after heating the milk, mix / -oz. of ground rice with a little cold milk and put it in the saucepan. pour in the beaten yolks and cream, and the sugar; stir and simmer until the custard thickens, strain and set aside to cool; add vanilla to taste, and stir well; place in the freezing machine. to make this ice taste richer and more delicate, reduce the milk and increase the cream. = . lemon cheese-cakes.= put in a saucepan / -lb. butter, -lb. lump sugar, eggs (leaving out whites), grated lemon rinds, and the juice of lemons. simmer until all is dissolved (gently stirring), and add a few dry biscuit crumbs. serve on crisp pastry. = . lemon jelly.= dissolve -oz. of isinglass in - / -pts. of water. add the grated peel of lemons and / -lb. of lump sugar. boil for minutes, stirring continually. take off fire and add the juice of - / lemons. strain and cool. whisk well before turning into moulds. = . fruitarian mincemeat.= take -ozs. nutter, -ozs. raisins, -ozs. sultanas, -ozs. currants, / -lb. demerara sugar, - / -lbs. apples, / -lb. mixed candied peel, the rind and juice of lemon, almonds, brazil nuts, a few drops ratafia flavouring essence, and teaspoons of mixed spice. stone the rasins, finely chop all the fruit, and put the nuts and almonds through the nut mill. now melt the nutter in a saucepan, and gradually add all the other ingredients, stirring well, leave standing over night, and put in pots next morning. cover closely, and this will keep a long time. = . short pastry.= rub / -lb. nutter into -lb. flour and -ozs. artox wholemeal, mix as dry as possible with water, and it is ready to make excellent biscuits, short cakes, or tart crusts. if whiter pastry is required use white flour. = . puff pastry.= ingredients:-- -lb. flour, / -lb. nutter, cold water. method:--rub / -lb. nutter into the flour, mix to a rough dough with cold water, stand in a cool place for ten minutes. roll out and "spot" over with / -lb. nutter broken in small pieces; fold over, roll out and stand minutes. roll out again and spot over with the remaining / -lb. nutter; fold over and roll out, and after standing minutes it is ready for use. = . chestnut cream.= take from to chestnuts, remove the shells and skins. put the chestnuts in a saucepan with teacups full of water, sugar to taste, the juice of lemon, and simmer slowly until they are quite soft. pass through a sieve or potato masher, and when cold pile in a dish, and cover with whipped cream. = . coconut cream.= a nice addition to trifles, fruit salads, etc., can be made by using mapleton's coconut cream. mix ozs. of the cream with / -pt. of boiling water; when softened beat for a minute or so with the egg-beater, then pour on a dish. in hours it will have set and can be used to fill sponge sandwiches, or eaten with stewed fruit. to form a thick cream (less solid) beat up - / to ozs. coconut cream with / -pt. of hot water. =the bread problem.= pure wholemeal bread, so made as to be light and well baked, is a virtual necessity for every abstainer from flesh-food. food-reform presents many difficulties, and every dietetic reformer has to grapple with them. insufficient knowledge, defective sources of provision, digestive troubles, inherited organic weakness, and unfavourable environment, are only a few of these. i want, therefore to emphasize the importance of a perfect bread supply, which i am convinced is the key to the problem so far as many are concerned. it is not sufficient merely to pray for "our daily bread," and then to leave its provision entirely to providence. we need also to _think_ and to take some personal trouble about it--remembering that heaven helps those who help themselves. yet this is what very few people do. one may safely affirm that four persons out of every five are content to use defective and innutritious bread every day of their lives. yet this should be made a real staff of life. the whole grain of wheat, if of good quality, contains nearly all that is needful for the perfect nutrition of the body. with the addition of a small amount of fat (easily found in nut or dairy butter, cheese or oil), and of grape sugar and purifying acids (obtainable in fruits), pure wheatmeal, if properly ground in stone mills, and well made into delicious home-baked bread, enables one to be almost independent of other foods, and therefore almost ensures one against a breakdown in health if there is difficulty in obtaining a varied and well proportioned dietary from other sources. instead of securing and using bread such as this, the majority of the community complacently eat white bread--emasculated, robbed of its gluten (which is equivalent to albumen) and of the phosphates and mineral salts that are stored in the inner part of the husk of the grain. it is composed almost entirely of starch, with the addition of such adulterants as the baker or miller feels inclined to introduce for commercial reasons, and is not conducive to the proper operation of the digestive and eliminative organs. it is difficult for bakers or the public to buy really good wholemeal. the meal that is on the markets often consists of cheap roller-milled flour with some sweepings of bran or seconds thrown in. and even if the entire grain is supplied, the outer cuticle of the wheat, when _rolled_ (in the modern steel-roller mills that for reasons of economy have superseded the good old-fashioned stone _grinding_ mills), instead of being so reduced as to be capable of complete digestion, is left with rough edges called _spiculae_, which irritate the digestive tract, cause relaxation, and arouse prejudice against the 'brown' loaf. such wholemeal cannot be perfectly assimilated because the bran is not properly broken up, and, in addition to this fact, the cerealine, which acts like diastase in the conversion of starch into sugar, is not liberated and rendered available as an aid to digestion. that the distasteful and often indigestible brown or wholemeal bread (so-called) usually sold by bakers is either defective or adulterated, can easily be proven by anyone. let any reader procure some stone-milled entire wheatmeal that is guaranteed pure (i use the 'artox' and 'ixion' brands myself, because i believe them to be of genuine quality and properly stone-ground); then make some thin loaves as described in the following recipe. the result, if the bread is skilfully made, will be a delicious and nutritive loaf of the farmhouse type with a sweet nutty flavour. instead of quickly getting 'stale,' such a loaf is enjoyable when four days old, and it only needs to be compared with ordinary bakers' bread to reveal the fact that it is an entirely different article of food. its sustaining power is wonderful, and it proves an effectual preventive of starved nerves as well as other ailments. = . how to make wholemeal bread.= the yeast must be quite fresh, and the bread should be raised in separate tins _in a warm place or cupboard_; the oven must be hot at first, but the heat should be much reduced after minutes. mix -lbs. of wholemeal with -lb. of household flour. then mix -ozs. of _fresh_ yeast with a tablespoon of treacle, adding tablespoons of olive oil when it is quite dissolved. put this into the flour with about -pts. of lukewarm water. mix it with a wooden spoon till it does not stick. knead for minutes, adding more water if necessary but keeping the dough firm and spongy. put it into flat baking tins (well greased) about - / inches deep, covering the tins to the depth of about inch only. let it rise for hour, or till it reaches the tops of the tins. then bake first in a quick oven, and afterwards in a slower. a gas oven is most reliable for baking bread, as the heat is more easily regulated. the bread should be a rich dark golden brown when well baked. = . white bread.= make as recipe , but substitute household flour for wholemeal. the shape and size of the loaves should be changed occasionally. loaves baked in _small_ tins are often lighter than bread made into large loaves. = . plain currant bread and buns.= to -lbs. of good wholemeal or white flour add a pinch of salt, tablespoonful of sugar, and / -lb. of currants or sultanas; also rub in -ozs. of olive oil or nut-margarine. mix -oz. of yeast with a little golden syrup and add lukewarm water. stir this into the flour, and add sufficient warm water to make a nice dough. shape into loaves or little buns, set to rise for hour or longer, then bake in a quick oven and brush with egg and milk. = . dinner rolls.= delicious dinner rolls can be made as follows:--take -lb. of white flour, -lb. of wholemeal, -ozs. butter, and -oz. of yeast. mix the yeast with a dessertspoonful of treacle, / -pt. of milk and water. rub the butter into the flour, and put in the yeast to rise. knead, form into small rolls, raise for half-an-hour, bake in a quick oven. = . sultana cake.= sift into / -lb. of flour teaspoonful of baking powder. grate the rind of a lemon on to an egg and beat it well. cream together -ozs. nut-margarine and -ozs. sugar; add the egg, beating still, then stir in lightly the flour and -ozs. sultanas; add milk to make a soft dough. pour into a well-buttered cake tin, put in a hot oven, and bake for about half-an-hour, reducing the temperature considerably. = . sultana rice cake.= put -ozs. of nut-margarine in a warm oven. grate the rind of a lemon on to an egg and -ozs. of castor sugar, beat well, then add the warmed nutter and beat again till it is creamy. now sift together -ozs. of ground rice, -ozs. of flour and teaspoonful of baking powder. beat this gently into the mixture, add -ozs. sultanas and enough milk to make a proper consistency. put in a hot oven, gradually reducing the temperature, and bake for about / of an hour. = . cheese straws.= mix -ozs. flour and -ozs. grated cheese well together, then rub in -ozs. butter, add a little cayenne pepper and salt, bind with the yolk of an egg, roll out about a quarter of a inch thick, cut into long narrow fingers, and bake in a sharp oven for minutes. = . sultana bun cakes.= sift together -ozs. of flour, -ozs. paisley flour and -ozs. of sugar; rub in -ozs. olive oil, and add -ozs. of sultanas. mix all with a well beaten egg and a little milk, roll out, shape with a cutter and bake at once in a quick oven. =summer and winter drinks.= the following recipes and suggestions concerning a few beverages which can be used as substitutes for more stimulating drinks may prove useful to many readers:-- = . barley water.= mix a tablespoonful of pearl barley with a pint of water and boil for half-an-hour. flavour with lemon, cinnamon or sugar, according to taste, and allow the mixture to cool. for invalids requiring nutriment a larger quantity of barley should be used. barley water is equally suitable for winter use and can be taken hot. = . wheatenade.= simmer -lb. of crushed wheat in -qt. of water for about an hour, stirring it occasionally. strain, add lemon juice and sugar to taste, for use in summer, or milk and sugar if the drink is taken hot in winter. good and clean bran can be substituted for crushed wheat. this is a capital drink for children with a tendency to rickets, or for persons suffering from nervous prostration caused by malnutrition. = . oatenade.= simmer / -lb. of coarse oatmeal in the same manner as described in the previous recipe, then flavour to taste. this drink will be slightly richer in fat than the previous one, and it makes a good winter drink. = . gingerade.= take -dr. essence cayenne, -drs. essence of ginger, -drs. essence of lemon, -dr. burnt sugar, / -oz. of tartaric acid. add -lbs. lump sugar and -qts. boiling water. bottle ready for use. dilute to taste. = . fruit drink.= lime juice, if pure, makes a cooling and wholesome drink. the "montserrat" is one of the purest brands upon the market; some of the liquid sold as lime juice is only a chemical concoction. the weaker the solution the better it tastes. a dessertspoonful to the tumbler is generally enough. dole's pineapple juice is also an excellent fruit drink. = . rice water.= boil some once-milled rice in water, and add lemon juice and sugar to taste. the beverage should not be made too thick. as rice is often used in most households a supply of this nutritious drink is easily provided. it is very good for children. =tea and coffee substitutes.= those who find tea and coffee undesirable should try "wallace p. r. coffee," "lifebelt coffee," "salfon," or "horlick's malted milk." another good substitute is "hygiama," which, unlike tea and coffee, is not a stimulant, but a nutrient. on the other hand its effect on the system is distinctly stimulating in a right and healthy sense. that is to say, the valuable nourishment which it contains is very easily and quickly digested and an immediate sense of invigoration is the result. unlike cocoa, it is not clogging or constipating or heavy. =how to feed invalids.= in all cases of sickness the patient will have a better chance of recovery if the diet is light and wisely selected. [illustration] when inflammation and fever exist, fruit and cooling drinks should be given, and but little nitrogenous food. an eminent physician writes thus: "the fever patient, like the over worked man, digests badly. he has no appetite; his salivary glands do not secrete, or secrete very imperfectly. the gastric juice formed under bad conditions is almost inert, poor in pepsine and hydrocloric acid. the liver no longer acts if the fever is high and serious; the intestinal secretions are partially exhausted.... the fever patient must then be fed very little." when the hydrocloric acid is deficient, proteid food should be given very sparingly--one of the best forms being casumen in solution (see ) or white of egg. milk is not advisable in such a condition, unless malted, or in the dried form. fats are objectionable, and if the salivary secretions are defective, starches should be given in dextrinized (super-cooked) form, or well toasted. fruit sugars, which are carbohydrates in a digested form, are better still, and may be given freely to patients of nearly all kinds. they are abundantly provided in figs, dates, stoneless raisins and sultanas, and in other sweet fruits, such as bananas, strawberries and apples. ample nourishment can be provided by these, supplemented by egg dishes (chiefly white); flaked and super-cooked cereals, such as granose biscuits, kellogg wheat flakes, wallace p. r. and flakit biscuits, archeva rusks, melarvi crisps, and toasted or wholemeal bread; flaked or malted nuts; legumes soufflé; well-cooked farinaceous puddings; horlick's malted milk and many other proprietary health-foods; and vegetable broths--for which see recipes - , as well as those which conclude this section on pages and . one of the most important of these latter is 'haricot broth,' which is a perfect substitute for "beef tea," being far more nutritious and also free from the toxic elements which are contained in that dangerous and superstitiously venerated compound. [sidenote: =the beef tea delusion.=] dr. milner fothergill stated that probably more invalids have sunk into their graves through a misplaced confidence in the value of beef tea than napoleon killed in all his wars. it is, in reality, a strong solution of waste products and of uric acid, consisting largely of excrementitious matter which was in process of elimination from the system of some animal, through the minute drain pipes which form an important cleansing medium or "sewage system" in all animal flesh. to make "beef tea," these poisonous substances are stewed out to form the decoction, while the animal fibrin, the portion of the meat that has some nutritive value, is thrown away. beef tea consequently acts as a strong stimulant, tends to increase inflammation and fever, and in all such cases lessens the chance of the patient's recovery, as the system is already battling against toxic elements in the blood. to add to the amount of the latter is obviously unwise and dangerous. these remarks apply also to 'meat essences' and to 'beef extracts,' which are frequently made from diseased flesh which has been condemned in the slaughterhouses. meals provided for invalids should be very simple, but served in a very dainty manner. a spotless serviette and tray cloth, bright silver, a bunch of flowers and a ribbon to match them in colour for tying the serviette (the colour of which can be changed from day to day) should not be forgotten. the food should be supplied in small quantities; half a cupful of broth will often be taken when a cupful would be sent away untouched, and the wishes of the patient should be respected so far as it is safe and wise to do so. it is also a good plan to serve two or three small separate courses, rather than to put everything that is provided on a tray together. stewed french plums and figs are valuable in the sickroom because of their laxative effects, and dainty sandwiches will be found acceptable by most invalids--made with flaked nuts and honey, dried milk (lacvitum), potted meat, etc. [sidenote: =don't overfeed invalids.=] one of the greatest evils to be avoided by those who are nursing the sick is that of over-feeding. when nature is doing her best to meet a crisis, or to rid the body of microbes or impurities, it is a mistake to cause waste of vital energy by necessitating the expulsion of superfluous alimentary matter. invalids should not be unduly persuaded to take food. the stomach generally requires _rest_, and is often in such a condition that digestion is impossible. much of the suffering and inconvenience endured by sick persons is simply the result of erroneous diet. judicious feeding will do far more than drugs to alleviate and cure most maladies, in fact drugs and stimulants are seldom required. the great healing agent is the life-force within--the "_vis medicatrix naturæ_"--and the wise physician will see that this power has a fair chance. he will encourage hopeful mental influence, and advocate pure air, pure food, and pure water, combined with a cessation of any physical transgression which has been the _cause_ of the malady in question. care should be exercised lest invalids partake too freely of starch foods, especially if such are insufficiently cooked. wholemeal bread should be _light_ and _well baked_, and in most cases it will be more easily assimilated if toasted. granose and other similar biscuits (which consist of entire wheatmeal in a super-cooked form, so that the starch is already transformed into 'dextrin') will be easily digestible and are slightly laxative in their effect. they are just the right thing to be taken with broth or soup or porridge. the following recipes will be found helpful. = . brown haricot broth.= (a perfect substitute for 'beef tea.') take / -lb. of brown haricot beans. wash and stew them with -qt. of hot water and some small onions for hours, stewing down to -pt. strain, and add pepper, celery-salt and butter when serving. this bean tea or broth, so prepared, will be found to be very savoury and of the same taste and appearance as beef tea, while being much richer in nutriment. = . mock chicken broth.= a valuable substitute for chicken broth, which is in every way superior to the decoction obtained by stewing the flesh and bones of the bird, can be made by stewing and serving white haricots in the same manner as in the previous recipe. = . hygiama apple purée.= select two or three sound ripe apples, wash and rub in hot water, remove core and all bruised or dark parts, but not the peel, cut in small pieces, place in a covered jar or casserole with a cupful of water, or sufficient to prevent burning. cook gently until apples are soft; then rub all through a fine sieve. mix a tablespoonful or more of hygiama with just enough water to form a paste, mix this paste into the apple, with just a touch of cinnamon or nutmeg if liked, and serve with pieces of dry toast, twice-baked bread or rusks. = . oat cream.= a most excellent recipe for invalids and anæmic patients is prescribed by dr. oldfield, as follows: boil pint milk, sift into it a large handful of crushed oats. simmer until it is thick as raw cream. strain and serve; the patient to take / -pint, sucking it through a straw slowly. = . linseed tea.= few persons realize the good qualities of linseed tea. it is useful for weak, anæmic and delicate persons; it produces flesh, is soothing in bronchial cases, and laxative. if made thin, and flavoured with lemon, it is quite palatable, and many persons get fond of it. the seed should be whole and of best quality, and it only requires stewing until the liquor is of the consistency of thin gruel. = . proteid gruel.= a good liquid food can be quickly made by warming a dessertspoonful of "emprote" or "malted nuts" in a glass of milk, and flavouring to taste. a large teaspoonful of "casumen" (pure milk proteid) dissolved in a breakfastcup of barley water, coffee, or vegetable soup, also readily provides much nutriment in a simple form. = . lentil gruel.= this is a useful and nutritious food for invalids. to make the gruel, take a dessertspoonful of lentil flour, mixed smooth in some cold milk, add nearly -pt. of milk which has been brought to the boil. boil for minutes and flavour with a little cinnamon or vanilla. serve with toast. this is the same as the much prescribed "revalenta arabica" food, but the lentil flour, without a long scientific name, only costs d. a pound, instead of half-a-crown. = . malted milk prune whip.= one cup of prunes, tablespoonfuls horlick's malted milk, tablespoonful sugar, lemon sufficient to flavour, white of egg. wash well, and soak the prunes until tender. boil with small piece of lemon until soft. add sugar, remove stones, rub through colander; add the horlick's malted milk, beat well; add the white of egg, well beaten. cool, and serve with whipped cream. flavour with vanilla if desired. = . malted milk jelly.= phosphated gelatine teaspoonful, horlick's malted milk to teaspoonfuls, sugar and flavouring to suit. soak the gelatine in cold water for hour, then dissolve in just sufficient hot water. add the horlick's malted milk dissolved in cups of hot water, and sweeten and flavour to taste. = . malted milk with iced fruit.= take of horlick's malted milk heaped teaspoonful, crushed fruit tablespoonful, crushed ice tablespoonful, egg, acid phosphate twenty drops, grated nutmeg to flavour, water to make a cup. mix the malted milk, crushed fruit and egg, beating the same for five minutes. add the phosphate and crushed ice, stirring all for several minutes. strain, and add ice-cold water or cold carbonated water, and grated nutmeg to flavour. = . effervescent malted milk.= put some finely cracked ice into a glass. fill it half full of soda, vichy or syphon water, and immediately add the desired amount of horlick's malted milk in solution. drink while effervescing. brandy may be added if necessary. =what to do at christmas.= [illustration] the christmas festival--which has degenerated into such a deplorable orgy of massacre and over-feeding in many countries which are called 'christian'--can be observed and enjoyed without such barbarities and butchery as now take place. how can we consistently sing and talk of 'peace on earth' when we are participating in ruthless warfare against the animal creation? is not this wholesale and cruel slaughter altogether discordant with the spirit and doctrine of the gentle and harmless teacher of nazareth, whose terrestrial birth is thus celebrated by pagan barbarity? should not those of us who dare to call ourselves his followers protest against a custom which brings discredit upon his religion and causes humanely disposed oriental nations to regard it almost with contempt? the following suggestive menu will at once show my readers that christmas can be celebrated with a feast of good things without such butchery. and many are they who have found that its joys can even be enhanced by a sense of freedom from blood-guiltiness and personal responsibility concerning the deeds that are done in the shambles at this time of 'peace and goodwill.' the menu can be varied as taste and circumstances may dictate. =a bloodless menu for christmas.= _from which a selection can be made._ mock turtle soup ( ). _fried bread dice._ julienne soup ( ). _granose biscuits._ mock scallop oysters ( ). mock white fish ( ). _parsley sauce._ savoury nut steaks ( ). macaroni rissoles ( ). _sauce piquante._ yorkshire pudding. potato purée ( ). cauliflowers. baked stuffed tomatoes ( ). chestnut or vegetable soufflé ( or ). plum pudding ( ). stewed pears. _clotted cream._ mince pies ( ). fresh fruits. almonds and muscatels. figs. dates. preserved ginger. the cost of such a dinner as this will be much less than that of a corresponding one which includes poultry, game, and joints of flesh. the amount saved could be appropriately expended in providing a few comforts for the poor and needy--thus the christmas festival provides an opportunity for lessening the suffering in this world, and also for increasing the sum of human happiness. =menus for the week.= by mrs. walter carey. the following menus may be a guide to beginners, and show how easy it is to get variety:-- =breakfast menu, no. .= manhu oats. porridge. tea or coffee. scrambled eggs on toast. grilled tomatoes, no. . neapolitan sausages, no. . brown bread. honey. marmalade. butter. fruit. =breakfast menu, no. .= manhu rye porridge. tea or coffee. granose biscuits. eggs à la crême, no. . savoury rissoles, no. . brown bread. honey. jam. butter. fruit. =breakfast menu, no. .= manhu wheat porridge. tea or coffee. omelette aux tomates, no. . potted white haricots, no. . stewed french plums, no. . brown bread. honey. jam. butter. fruit. =breakfast menu, no. .= ixion kornules. tea or coffee. toast. omelette aux fines herbes, no. . grilled mushrooms. brown bread. baked apples. butter. marmalade. honey. fruit. =breakfast menu, no. .= manhu barley porridge. tea or coffee. baked stuffed tomatoes, no. . marmite toast, no. . stewed french plums. brown bread. butter. marmalade. honey. fruit. =breakfast menu, no. .= granose flakes with hot milk. tea or coffee. savoury rissoles, no. . scrambled eggs and tomatoes, no. . brown bread. stewed apples. butter. marmalade. honey. fruit. =breakfast menu, no. .= manhu wheat porridge. tea or coffee. granose biscuits. stewed figs. fried eggs and mushrooms. milanese croquettes, no. . brown bread. butter. marmalade. fruit. =cold luncheon menu, no. .= oeufs farcie en aspic, no. . salad & mayonnaise dressing, no. . potted meat sandwiches, no. . poached apricots, no. . jellied figs, no. . milk cheese, no. . scotch oat cakes. coffee. fruit. =cold luncheon menu, no. .= nut galantine, no. . salad and mayonnaise dressing, no. . egg and cress sandwiches, no. . lemon sponge, no. . stewed and fresh fruit. camembert cheese. biscuits. coffee. =luncheon menu, no. .= mock lobster shapes in aspic, no. . tomato salad. egg sandwiches, no . mock chicken rolls, no. . orange jelly, no. . creamed rice moulds, no. . gruyère cheese. biscuits. p. r. crackers. coffee. fruit. =luncheon menu, no. .= white haricot soup, no. . mock scallop oysters, no. . eggs florentine, no. . cheese soufflé. fruit tart. custard. cheese. fruit. coffee. =luncheon menu, no. .= tomato soup, no. . mock white fish, no. . walnut cutlets, no. . green peas. mashed potatoes. castle puddings, no. . meringues. cheese. fruit. coffee. =luncheon menu, no. .= brazil nut soup, no. . mock oyster patties, no. . chestnut stew, no. . creamed macaroni, no. . rice and sultana pudding, no. . apple fritters, no. . cheese. fruit. coffee. =luncheon menu, no. .= julienne soup, no. . mock white fish, no. . savoury golden marbles, no. . brown sauce, no. . french beans. stuffed vegetable marrow, no. . empress pudding, no. . cheese straws. fruit. coffee. * * * * * =dinner menu, no. .= _soups_--mock turtle soup, no. . dinner rolls, no. . _fish_--fillets of mock sole, no. . sauce hollandaise, no. . _rôti_--nut timbale, no. . spinach soufflé, no. . potato croquettes, no. . _entrée_--macaroni à la turque, no. . _sweets_--plum pudding, no. . white sauce, no. . semolina moulds, no. . _dessert_--muscatel raisins. french plums. dry ginger. fruit and biscuits. coffee. =dinner menu, no. .= _soup_--chestnut soup, no. . granose biscuits. dinner rolls, no. . _fish_--mock white fish, no. . _rôti_--mock steak pudding, no. . parsley sauce, no . green peas. potato purée, no. . _entrée_--spinach soufflé, no. . _sweets_--sultana and ginger pudding, no. . cream, or fruit sauce, no. . jellied figs, no. . _dessert_--fruit. salted almonds, no. . dry ginger. coffee. =dinner menu, no. .= _soup_--celery soup, no. . _fish_--omelet aux fine herbes, no. . _rôti_--chestnut and mushroom pudding, no. . flaked potatoes. brussels sprouts sauté, no. . _entrée_--green pea soufflé, no. . _sweets_--jam roll. stewed french plums, no. . _dessert_--fruit. sultanas. figs. almonds. coffee. =dinner menu, no. .= _soup_--white haricot soup, no. . croûtons. _fish_--mock oyster patties, no. . _rôti_--mock sweetbread quenelles, no. . mashed potatoes. cauliflower. _entrée_--asparagus soufflé, no. . _sweets_--marmalade pudding, no. . vanilla creams. _dessert_--fruit. dry ginger. biscuits. coffee. =dinner menu, no. .= _soup_--green lentil soup, no. . granose biscuits. _fish_--fried chinese artichokes, no. . _rôti_--walnut rissoles, no. . french beans. mashed potatoes, no. . _entrée_--omelet, no. . spinach à la crême, no. . _sweets_--apple custard, no. . lemon cheese cakes, no. . _dessert_--dry ginger. dates. fruit. fancy biscuits. coffee. =dinner menu, no .= _soups_--tomato soup, no. . fried bread dice. _fish_--mock scallop oysters, no. . _rôti_--purée of walnuts, no. . spinach à la crême, no. . mashed potatoes, no. . _entrée_--macaroni cutlets, no. . _sweets_--empress pudding, no. . orange jelly, no. . _dessert_--dry ginger. fruit. fancy biscuits. figs and dates. coffee. =dinner menu, no. .= _soup_--artichoke soup, no. . granose biscuits. _fish_--green artichokes, no. . _rôti_--nut croquettes, no. . yorkshire pudding, no. . brown gravy, no. . mashed potatoes, no. . _entrée_--baked stuffed tomatoes, no. . _sweets_--fruit salad, no. . custard moulds, no. . _dessert_--fruit. salted almonds. roast pine kernels. dry ginger. biscuits. coffee. =hints to housekeepers.= a few simple hints to those who are trying the vegetarian recipes in this book may be useful. cooking utensils should be kept quite separate from those used for meat, fish or fowl. nut-oil or nut-butter should always be used for frying, and the right heat is known when a slight blue haze rises above the pan, or by dipping a finger of bread in the oil, when if hot enough it will at once fry brown and crisp. after frying it is always best to place the articles fried on some folded tissue paper to drain out the frying oil. marmite, nutril and carnos make good additions to stock for flavouring soups and gravies. in this kind of cookery there is no waste, all the food is edible and anything that remains over from dishes can be put together and made into curries, stews, cottage pie, etc., etc. excellent salads can be made by the addition of uncooked scraped and sliced carrots and beetroot; and also by chopping up very finely celery, brussels sprouts, french beans, green peas, cabbage, parsley, onions, etc. the bright colours of these raw vegetables are most useful in decorating galantines and other cold dishes, and when arranged with regard to colour, make a most artistic garnishing and are most wholesome. pea nuts, pine kernels, and hazel nuts are much improved in flavour by being put in a baking pan in the oven until slightly browned. lemon juice is a good substitute for vinegar in all sauces. for making a smooth soup it is a good plan to rub the vegetables after they are cooked through a very fine hair sieve. in making cutlets a stick of macaroni should be inserted in the thin end of the cutlet to represent a bone, it may be fried or not with the cutlet. from several years' experience i have found the non-flesh cookery is most economical, the expense being less than half that of the corresponding meat dishes. =margaret carey= =unfired and vital foods.= the following practical information and suggestions will be found helpful by those who wish to test the advantages of living solely upon uncooked foods--as now recommended by so many progressive physicians, dietetic specialists, and teachers of hygiene. although such a strictly simple and natural dietary may at first involve some gustatory self-denial, the benefits resulting from its use are declared by many who speak from personal experience to be well worthy of any inconvenience or sacrifice involved. =list of foods and fruits. etc., that can be eaten uncooked.= _cheeses_--camembert, cheddar, cheshire, cream, dutch, gorgonzola, gruyère, gloucester, half-cheese, pommel, port salut, stilton, st. ivel, wenslet, wensleydale, wiltshire, etc. _fruits_--(dried) apples, apricots, currants, dates, figs, muscatels, peaches, prunes or french plums, pears, raisins, sultanas, etc. (fresh) apples, bananas, blackberries, currants, cantaloupes, cherries, damsons, gooseberries, greengages, green figs, lemons, melons, mulberries, nectarines, orange, pineapple, pears, peaches, plums, pomegranates, quince, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, etc. _nuts_--(fresh) almonds, barcelona, brazil, cobs, coconuts, filberts, spanish, walnuts, etc. (shelled) almonds, barcelona, cashew, hazel, pea-nut, pine kernels, walnuts, etc. _roots_--artichokes, carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes (which must be very finely grated). _vegetables_--cabbage (red and white), cauliflower, corn salad, cucumber, celery, chicory, endive, lettuce, leeks, mustard and cress, onion, parsley, radishes, sprouts, spinach, salsify, seakale, tomatoes, watercress, etc. =recipes.= _nut-meat_-- -ozs. shelled nuts, -oz. bread, tablespoonful of milk. put nuts and bread through a nut-mill. mix together with milk. roll out thin and cut into shapes with glass. this is sufficient for two. look well over nuts before using, do not blanch almonds but rub them well with a cloth. _unfired pudding or cakes_-- -oz. each of dates, sultanas, currants, candied peel and french plums, and -ozs. nuts. put all through a nut-mill and mix well together. roll out and make into cakes. for a pudding, put mixture in a well greased basin, press down, leave for an hour or so and turn out. if too moist add breadcrumbs. serve with cream. _unfired dried fruit salad_--ingredients as for pudding, but do not put through a mill; chop all the fruit and nuts and serve dry with cream. _dried fruits_, such as french plums, peaches or apricots should be put in soak for hours. do not cook. salads. _brussels sprouts_--use hearts only, which cut into small pieces. _cabbage_--use hearts only, which cut into small pieces. _cauliflower_--use flower part only, which cut into small pieces. _chicory or seakale_--cut into small pieces. _lettuce_--in the usual way. _spinach and mint_--use leaves only, which cut up very small. _root salad_--carrots or beetroot and turnips. peel and put through a nut-mill and mix well together. most green salads are improved with the addition of radishes. salads can be mixed ad lib., but a greater variety of food is secured by using one or two vegetables only at a time. _salad dressing_--( ) half a cup of oil, tablespoonful of lemon juice and the yolk of an egg. mix egg with oil and add lemon afterwards. ( ) half a cup of oil and one well mashed tomato mixed well together. _flavourings_--for nut-meat--use grated lemon peel, mint, thyme or grated onion. for dried fruit pudding or cake--use ground cinnamon, grated lemon peel, nutmeg, ground or preserved ginger. =quantities.= first meal at o'clock--per person--approximately-- -ozs. cheese. -ozs. dried fruit. -ozs. salad or root salad. -ozs. brown bread, biscuits or unfired bread with butter. second meal at o'clock-- -ozs. nut-meat. -ozs. raw fruit. -ozs. salad. -ozs. brown bread, biscuits or unfired bread and butter. it is well to drink only between meals, i.e., first thing in the morning after dressing; between first and second meal; and before going to bed. no alcohol or strong tea and coffee should be taken. =some suggestive menus.= =_spring--(march-april-may.)_= =first meal.= sunday--tomato and onion salad. cheese (st. ivel). unfired pudding and cream. monday--carrot and beetroot salad. cheese (pommel). dried figs. tuesday--onions. cheese (cheddar). dates. wednesday--seakale salad. cheese (gruyère). raisins. thursday--salsify salad. cheese (camembert). sultanas. friday--celery salad. cheese (wiltshire). french plums. saturday--batavia. cheese (cheshire). dried apricots. =second meal.= sunday--cucumber salad. nut-meat (jordan almonds). fresh fruit salad. monday--endive salad. nut-meat (hazel). apples. tuesday--spring cabbage salad. nut-meat (pine kernels). oranges. wednesday--corn salad and radishes. nut-meat (cashew). red bananas. thursday--watercress and radishes. nut-meat (shelled walnuts). tangerines. friday--spinach and mint salad. nut-meat (barcelona). bananas (canary or jamaica). saturday--cauliflower salad. nut-meat (peanuts). fresh cape fruit. =_summer--(june-july-august.)_= =first meal.= sunday--tomato and parsley salad. cheese (dutch). peaches. monday--carrot and turnip salad. cheese (cream). apples. tuesday--spring onion salad. cheese (cheddar). plums. wednesday--endive (summer) salad. cheese (half-cheese). white currants. thursday--cabbage lettuce salad. cheese (stilton). pears. friday--seakale salad. cheese (gorgonzola). banana. saturday--corn salad & radishes. cheese (gloucester). raspberries. =second meal.= sunday--cucumber salad. nut-meat (pine kernels). fresh fruit salad. monday--lettuce salad. nut-meat (cashew). strawberries. tuesday--watercress and radishes. nut-meat (almonds). red currants. wednesday--summer cabbage salad. nut-meat (shelled walnuts). greengages. thursday--cauliflower and mustard and cress. nut-meat (hazels). gooseberries. friday--mixed salad. nut-meat (barcelona). black currants. saturday--lettuce and radishes. nut-meat (peanuts). cherries. =_autumn--(september-october-november.)_= =first meal.= sunday--tomato salad. cheese or fresh almonds. pineapple. monday--carrots and celery. cheese or fresh cob nuts. damsons. tuesday--corn salad and radishes. cheese or filberts. apples (golden nobs). wednesday--brussels sprouts salad. cheese or barcelona nuts. melon. thursday--onion salad. cheese or brazil nuts. grapes (white). friday--endive salad. cheese or fresh walnuts. bananas. saturday--red cabbage. cheese or hazel nuts. pears. =second meal.= sunday--cucumber salad. nut-meat (almonds). fresh fruit salad. monday--chicory salad. nut-meat (hazel). grapes (black). tuesday--cabbage lettuce salad. nut-meat (pine kernels). pears. wednesday--celery. nut-meat (walnuts). green figs. thursday--cauliflower salad. nut-meat (cashew). blackberries. friday--watercress and radishes. nut-meat (barcelona). quince. saturday--white cabbage salad. nut-meat (peanuts). apples. =_winter--(december-january-february.)_= =first meal.= sunday--tomato and celery salad. cheese or fresh almonds. dried fruit salad. monday--carrots and artichokes. cheese or cob nuts. dried figs. tuesday--onions. cheese or fresh walnuts. dates. wednesday--batavia. cheese or brazil nuts. raisins. thursday--cauliflower salad. cheese or filberts. sultanas and currants. friday--red cabbage salad. cheese or barcelona nuts. french plums. saturday--mixed root salad. cheese or spanish nuts. dried peaches. =second meal.= sunday--cucumber salad. nut-meat (pine kernels). fresh fruit salad. monday--celery salad. nut-meat (hazel). oranges. tuesday--winter cabbage. nut-meat (almonds). bananas. wednesday--corn salad & radishes. nut-meat (walnuts). grapes. thursday--cabbage lettuce salad. nut-meat (cashew). red bananas. friday--chicory salad. nut-meat (peanuts). tangerines. saturday--endive salad. nut-meat (barcelona). apples. the above menus are compiled by the misses julie and rose moore. =useful domestic information.= [illustration] a clove of garlic will give a very delicate and tasty flavour to many soups and other dishes. for soups it is only necessary to rub the tureen with the cut clove before the soup is poured in. for savoury dishes and stews one small clove may be boiled (after being peeled) in the stewpan for five minutes. to remove the skins from tomatoes place them in boiling water for about two minutes. turnips taste much better if a little cream is added to them after being mashed. any cold green vegetable can be used to make a soufflé. it should be rubbed through a sieve, and then or well-beaten eggs should be added. a few drops of tarragon vinegar may be used to change the flavour. (see recipe ). cheese should be crumbly, as it is then more easily digestible. it is a good plan to test it in the following manner:--first buy a small piece and melt a portion with milk in a double saucepan; if it has a granulated appearance it is safe to buy some more of the same cheese; if, on the contrary, it is tough and stringy, it should be avoided, as it will be found lacking in nutriment and will be very liable to cause digestive troubles. butter should be made to look dainty and appetising by being prepared for the table with butter pats. small pieces can be twisted round to form the shape of a hollow shell. it may also be rolled into marbles and be garnished with parsley. parsley can be made a brilliant green by placing it in a cloth (after chopping), dipping it in cold water, and wringing it tightly in the hands, squeezing it with the fingers. for garnishing savoury puddings or fried potatoes, etc., this is worth knowing. parsley which has been used for garnishing, or which is in danger of going to seed, can be preserved green for seasoning purposes by placing it in the oven on a sheet of paper, and drying it slowly in such a manner that it does not burn; it should then be rubbed through a sieve and put into a bottle. all boiled puddings should be allowed room to swell, or they may prove heavy when served. instead of chopping onions, a coarse nutmeg grater should be kept for the purpose, and the onion should be grated like lemon rind. this saves much time and labour and answers better for flavouring soups, gravies, or savouries of any kind. the addition of some bicarbonate of soda to the water in which onions are boiled will neutralize the strong flavour of the oil contained in them, and prevent it from becoming troublesome to those with whom it disagrees. freshly cut vegetables are more digestible and wholesome than those which have been lying about in crates or shop windows. they also cook more quickly. the water in which vegetables have been boiled should be saved for stock for soups and gravies (except in the case of potatoes). to prevent hard-boiled eggs from becoming discoloured, they should be plunged into cold water as soon as they are removed from the saucepan. those of my readers who wish to use unfermented and saltless breads and cakes can obtain the same from the wallace p. r. bakery. the purity of goods supplied from this factory can be depended upon. when it is difficult to obtain pineapples for making fruit salads, the same enhanced flavour can be secured by adding some of dole's hawaiian pineapple juice. to prevent the odour of boiled cabbage pervading the house, place a piece of bread in the saucepan. flaked nuts, if sprinkled over puddings, custards, trifles or jellies, greatly improve the flavour and appearance. in the preparation of soups, stews, &c., the preliminary frying of the vegetables improves the flavour and dispenses with any insipidity. the oil should be fried until it is brown. =how to cook vegetables.= =artichokes= should be boiled until tender only. if over-boiled they become dark coloured and flavourless. =asparagus= should be cut into equal lengths and tied into bundles. these should be stood on end in a deep stewpan, leaving the tops about an inch above the water. when the stalks are tender the tops will be cooked also. this plan prevents the tops falling off through being over-cooked. =cabbage= should only be boiled until tender; if over-cooked it is pulpy and flavourless. boiling too fast causes the unpleasant odour to be given off which is sometimes noticeable in a house when this vegetable is being cooked. the lid of the saucepan should not be used. =cauliflower= must not be boiled until its crispness is lost. it must be only just tender enough to eat. it can be served 'au gratin' ( ), or as in recipe no. . =carrots= should be steamed, not boiled. the skins should then be wiped off and they should be served with a white or brown gravy. they are also nice if scraped, sliced and stewed in haricot broth (recipe ). the smaller the carrots the more delicate will the flavour be. =kidney or haricot beans= need to be carefully trimmed so that all stringy parts are cut away. they should be boiled until tender, and no longer, and served with thin white sauce. the smaller and greener they are the better. old pods should remain unpicked until nearly ripe, when the solid beans can be used for haricot soup or entrées. the 'czar' bean is the best to grow; it is the giant white haricot, and the seeds are delicious when picked fresh and cooked at once. there is the same difference between fresh and dried haricots, as between green and dried peas. dried haricots must be soaked in cold water for twelve hours before being cooked. they can then be stewed until tender--the water being saved for soup or stock. =vegetable marrow= should be steamed or boiled in its jacket. the flavour is lost if this is removed before cooking. =mushrooms= should be fried very slowly in a small quantity of butter. they should be stirred during the process, and the heat employed must be very moderate indeed or they will be made tough. they can also be stewed, and served in the gravy when thickened with arrowroot. =potatoes= should be cooked in their jackets. to boil them in the best way, the water in the saucepan should be thrown away when they have been boiled for minutes and cold water should be substituted. this plan equalises the cooking of the interior and exterior of the potatoes. when cooked they should be drained, a clean cloth should be placed over the pan and they should stand on the hot plate to dry. they should be lifted out separately, and should be unbroken and floury. sodden potatoes ought to be regarded as evidence of incompetency on the part of the cook. potatoes baked in their jackets are considered by many to be preferable, and, as it is almost impossible to spoil them if this plan is adopted, it should be employed when the cook is inexperienced. fried potatoes, cooked in the devonshire fashion, are nice for breakfast. it is best to remove some from the stewpan when half cooked on the previous day. these should be cut up in a frying pan in which a fair amount of butter has been melted, and the knife should be used while they cook. in a few minutes the potatoes should be well packed together, so that the under-side will brown; an inverted plate should then be pressed on them and the pan should be turned upside down while the plate is held in position with one hand. a neat and savoury-looking dish will thus be made, but over-cooking must be avoided previous to the browning process, or they will look sloppy. potatoes can be mashed with a little milk and butter. they should then be packed into a pretty shape and garnished with chopped parsley ( ). another way of cooking them is to use the frying basket and dip them in very hot nutter. they should either be cut into thin fingers previously, or else be half boiled and broken into pieces. this latter plan is perhaps best of all, and they are then termed "potatoes sauté," and are sprinkled with chopped parsley before being served. a very savoury dish can be made by boiling some potatoes until nearly tender, and then putting them in a pie dish with small pieces of butter sprinkled over them; they should then be baked until nicely browned. to make potatoes _white_ when cooked they should be steeped in cold water for two hours after peeling. =peas= should be placed in a covered jar with a little butter, and should be steamed until tender. no water is required in the jar. the pods, if clean and fresh, should be washed, slowly steamed, rubbed through a colander, and added to any soup or other suitable dish in preparation. another method is to boil the peas with mint, salt, sugar and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda added to the water. small young peas should always be chosen in preference to those which are old and large. =spinach= should be cooked according to the directions given in recipes to , or . =beetroot= should be baked in the oven instead of being boiled. by this method the flavour is improved and the juices retained. =labour-saving appliances.= domestic work in the kitchen may be very much simplified and lightened if proper utensils are employed, and those who are able to do so should obtain the following appliances, in addition to those which are generally used:-- =the 'dana' nut-mill.= this is used for making bread crumbs from crusts or stale bread; for flaking nuts and almonds, etc., so as to make them more easy of digestion, and nut-butter so as to make it mix more conveniently with dough when employed for making pastry and cheese--rendering it more readily digestible. this nut-mill may be obtained from g. savage & sons, , aldersgate street, london, e. c., and from health food depôts (price / ). it serves the same purpose as a sausage machine as well. =a frying-basket= is necessary for letting down rissoles, croquettes, cutlets, fritters, potato chips, etc., into the stewpan which is kept for frying purposes. the stewpan should be four or five inches deep, so as to avoid the possibility of the nutter or vegetable fat bubbling over and catching fire upon the stove. aluminium or nickel are the best metals. =a raisin stoner.= it enables one to stone a large quantity of fruit in a very short time. most ironmongers stock these machines. =a potato masher.= necessary for flaking potatoes and preparing haricot beans, peas, etc., for admixture in rissoles or croquettes. by this means the skins can be easily removed after they are cooked. =a wire sieve= (about / th-inch mesh). useful for preparing spinach, and in many other ways which will suggest themselves to every cook. =a duplex boiler.= for scalding milk by means of a steam jacket. it prevents burning, and boiling over. the =gourmet boiler= is a valuable cooking appliance of the same sort. failing these a double saucepan is necessary. =a chopping basin=--a wooden bowl with a circular chopper which fits it. this prevents the pieces from jumping off and lessens the time occupied. it is also less noisy and can be used while the operator is seated. =a vegetable slicer.= the best appliance for this purpose is a combination tool--made so that one can slice carrots, etc., to any size and thickness, and also core apples, peel potatoes and perform other functions with it. =a metal frying pan.= a nickel, aluminium, or steel frying pan is almost a necessity. enamel chips off very soon and is dangerous, as it may cause appendicitis. =medicinal and dietetic qualities.= as it is important that those who adopt a reformed diet should know something about the dietetic and medicinal value of the articles they consume, the following information may prove helpful:-- [illustration] =apples= purify the blood, feed the brain with phosphorus, and help to eliminate urates and earthy salts from the system. as they contain a small amount of starch, and a good proportion of grape sugar combined with certain valuable acids, they constitute a most desirable and hygienic food for all seasons. they should be ripe and sweet when eaten. people who cannot digest apples in the ordinary way should scrape them, and thus eat them in _pulp_ rather than in _pieces_. =bananas= also contain phosphorus, and are consequently suitable for mental workers. they are easily digestible, and nutritious, being almost a food in themselves. =french plums= are judicious food for persons of nervous temperament and for those whose habits are sedentary; they prevent constipation, and are nutritious. they should be well stewed, and eaten with cream, plasmon snow-cream, or coconut cream (see recipe ). =strawberries= contain phosphorus and iron, and are therefore especially desirable for mental workers and anæmic invalids. =tomatoes= are good for those who suffer from sluggish liver. the popular fallacy that they are liable to cause cancer, which was circulated by thoughtless persons some few years since, has been pronounced, by the highest medical authorities, to be unsupported by any evidence whatever, and to be most improbable and absurd. in the island of mauritius this fruit is eaten at almost every meal, and bishop royston stated that during his episcopate of eighteen years he only heard of one case of the disease. =lettuce= is soothing to the system and purifying to the blood. it should be well dressed with pure olive oil and wine vinegar ( spoonfuls of oil to of vinegar, well mixed together, with a pinch of sugar). a lettuce salad eaten with bread and cheese makes a nutritious and ample meal. the thin and tender-leaved variety (grown under glass if possible) should always be chosen. =figs= contain much fruit sugar which can be rapidly assimilated, and are very nourishing and easily digestible; when they can be obtained in their green state they are specially desirable. they may be considered one of the most valuable of all fruits, and are most helpful in many cases of sickness on account of their laxative medicinal properties. =dates= are very similar to figs, and are both sustaining and warming; they are easily digested if the skins are thin. =gooseberries=, =raspberries=, =currants= and =grapes= are cooling and purifying food for hot weather; but, if unripe, they will often upset the liver. this type of fruit should not be eaten unless _ripe_ and _sweet_. =walnuts, hazel and brazil nuts= contain a considerable amount of oil, and are consequently useful for warming the body and feeding and strengthening the nerves. vegetable fat in this form is emulsified and more easily assimilated than free animal fats, as in butter, etc. nuts are also rich in proteid matter. where people find that they cannot masticate nuts, owing to impairment of teeth, the difficulty may be removed by passing the nuts through a 'dana' nut-mill. when thus flaked and spread between thin slices of bread and butter, with honey, they make delicious sandwiches for lunch. a pinch of curry powder (instead of the honey) makes them taste savoury. =chestnuts= contain a larger proportion of starch, but are digested without difficulty when boiled in their jackets until fairly soft. if eaten with a pinch of salt they make a nice dish. =pineapples= are valuable for cases of diphtheria and sore-throat, as the juice makes an excellent gargle. this fruit is considered to aid digestion in certain cases. =cheese= is very rich in protein--far more so than lean beef. if well chosen, and new, it is a most valuable article of diet, and feeds brain, nerves, and muscles; but as it is a concentrated food it should not be taken in excessive quantity. half a pound of cheese is almost equal to a pound of average flesh meat. the best varieties are wenslet, gruyère (very rich in phosphorus), port salut, milk ( ), wensleydale, cheshire and cheddar. =protose, nuttose=, and similar malted nut-meats, are more than equivalent to lean beef--minus water, waste products, and disease germs. the international health association first invented these valuable substitutes for animal food, and has an able advisory medical staff, therefore they may be regarded as results of modern dietetic research. protose contains % protein and % fat. =white haricots= are rich in protein (far more so than lean meat), and should be eaten in moderation. brown haricots contain iron in addition to their large percentage of protein. =lentils= are almost identical in composition, but are more suitable for those who do not have much physical toil. =peas= are slightly less nitrogenous than lentils and haricots, but otherwise very similar; they are best when eaten in a green form, and when young and tender. when they are old the peas should always be passed through a potato masher, as the skins are very indigestible. =macaroni= contains starch and a certain amount of the gluten of wheat. some of the best varieties are made with eggs as well as flour. tomato sauce is the best accompaniment to it, with parmesan or grated and melted cheese (see recipes to ). =rice= as usually sold consists chiefly of starch, but if unglazed and _once milled_, it is much more nourishing, as the cuticle of the cereal (which is rich in gluten and protein) is then left on it. the addition of cheese or eggs, makes it a more complete food (see recipes to ). =potatoes= consist principally of starch and water, with a certain amount of potash. their dietetic value is not high. =wholewheat bread= contains, in addition to its starch, much vegetable albumen, and a large supply of mineral salts, such as phosphates, etc. it is, therefore, when light and well cooked, of high dietetic value both for flesh-forming and nerve feeding. physical workers should use it as a staple article of food, and mental workers will also find it most helpful. the coarser the brown flour, the more laxative is the influence of the bread. this is point worth noting. =eggs= are nutritive chiefly on account of the albumen which they contain in the white portion, but they are liable to cause digestive trouble, and they must not be taken too freely by those who are subject to biliousness and constipation. such persons often find it advantageous to have them boiled quite hard. =emprote= (eustace miles proteid food) contains the proteids of wheat and milk ( %), with digestible carbohydrates ( . %), fat ( . %), and assimilable salts ( . %). it makes a good addition to soups, beverages, and dishes lacking in protein. =nuto-cream meat= is a modern substitute for white meat and poultry, containing . % protein, % fat, and % carbohydrates. it is made from nuts and corn, and is useful for invalids and young children. =milk= contains nearly all the elements necessary for repairing bodily waste. it should be scalded for half-an-hour in a double saucepan--to destroy tubercular and other germs. if then allowed to stand for hours, clotted cream can be skimmed off (as in devonshire) and the milk can be used next day. it keeps much longer after being thus scalded. dried milk is now procurable in such forms as 'lacvitum' and 'plasmon.' =celery= is a useful blood purifier, and is valuable in all cases of rheumatism, gout, &c. celery salt is a valuable addition to soups and savoury dishes, and is preferable to common salt. =spinach= contains a considerable quantity of iron in a readily assimilable form, and is, therefore, good for anæmic persons. =onions= have a wonderfully improving effect upon the skin and complexion if eaten raw, and they act powerfully as diuretics. =hygienic information.= [sidenote: =how to keep young.=] old age is accompanied by the accumulation in the body of certain earthy salts which tend to produce ossification. the deposit of these in the walls of the arteries impedes the circulation, and produces senility and decrepitude. flesh-food accelerates this process, but the juices of fruits, and distilled or soft water, dissolve out these deposits. the older one becomes the more freely should one partake of fruit and soft water. the more juicy fruit we consume, the less drink of any kind we require, and the water contained in fruit is of nature's purest and best production. frequent bathing and the occasional use of the vapour bath also help to eliminate these deposits, and those whose skins are never made to perspire by wholesome exercise in the open air must cause this healthful operation to take place by other means--or pay the penalty which nature exacts. [sidenote: =food and climate.=] vegetable oils and fats produce heat and build up the nerves. we require a much larger amount of food containing fat in cold weather and in cold climates than in warm weather and in warm climates. by producing fruits in profusion in the summer-time nature provides for the satisfaction of our instinctive desire for such simple and cooling diet when the temperature is high. but in winter-time more cheese, butter, olive oil, or nuts, should be eaten every day. [sidenote: =cancer and flesh-eating.=] the latest declarations of some of the principal british medical authorities on 'cancer' are to the effect that people become afflicted with this disease through the excessive consumption of animal flesh. the alimentary canal becomes obstructed with decomposing matter, toxic elements are generated and absorbed in the system, and cancerous cellular proliferation ensues. it is noteworthy that fruitarians are scarcely ever afflicted with this disease, and that a strict fruitarian dietary (uncooked) has often proved curative. see pages and . [sidenote: =how to avoid dyspepsia.=] if the digestive process is unduly delayed by overloading the stomach, or by drinking much at meal-times so as to dilute the gastric juice, fermentation, flatulence and impaired health are likely to result. raw sugar if taken very freely with starch foods is also apt to produce fermentation. it is a mistake to mix acid fruits and vegetables by eating them together at the same meal. fermentation is often thus caused, as vegetables take a long time to digest. a very safe rule to observe, and one which would save many from physical discomfort and suffering, is this--only eat fruits which are palatable in the natural uncooked state. before man invented the art of cooking, he must have followed this rule. those who suffer from dyspepsia will, in most instances, derive benefit by taking two meals a day instead of three--or at any rate by substituting a cup of coffee or of hot skimmed milk and a few brown biscuits for the third meal. hard workers are the only persons who can really get hungry three times a day, and we ought not to take our meals without "hunger sauce." fruit alone, for the third meal is better still. the last meal of the day should not be taken after seven o'clock at night. disturbed rest and the habit of dreaming are an almost certain indication of errors in diet having been committed, or of this rule having been infringed. probably the most valuable prescription ever given to a patient was that given by dr. abernethy to a wealthy dyspeptic, "live on sixpence a day and earn it." constipation can nearly always be cured by adding stewed figs, french plums, salads, etc., to one's menu, by eating brown instead of white bread, and by taking less proteid food. tea is detrimental to many persons. the tannin contained in it toughens albuminous food, and is liable to injure the sensitive lining of the stomach. china tea is the least harmful. [sidenote: =rest after meals.=] those who work their brains or bodies actively, immediately after a solid meal, simply invite dyspepsia. the vital force required for digestion is diverted and malnutrition follows. the deluded business-man who "cannot spare the time" for a short rest or stroll after lunch, often damages his constitution and finds that he has been "penny wise and pound foolish." if the brain or body has been severely taxed, an interval of rest should be secured before food is taken. it is not _what we eat_ that nourishes us, but _what we are able to assimilate_. recreation, occasional amusement, and an interest in life are necessary. thousands of women die from monotony and continuous domestic care; multitudes of men succumb to mental strain and incessant business anxiety. chronic dyspeptics should reflect on these facts. abstainers from animal-food who get into any difficulty about their diet should seek advice from those who have experience, or should consult a fruitarian physician. the local names and addresses of doctors who both practice and advise this simple and natural system of living, will be supplied upon application to the hon. secretary of the order of the golden age. such are increasing in number every month. [sidenote: =physical vitality.=] the human body is a storage battery consisting of millions of cells in which the vital electricity that produces health, and makes life enjoyable, is accumulated. every manifestation of physical and mental power depends upon the force stored up in this battery. the more fully charged the cells the higher the voltage, and, consequently, the greater the physical vitality and power. this voltage is always fluctuating. expenditure of force lessens it; recuperation, through rest, sleep, the in-breathing of oxygen, and the assimilation of vital uncooked food increases it. fruits, nuts, and root vegetables contain electrical potency--they will deflect the needle of a highly sensitive kelvin galvanometer. but when cooked, their vital electricity is destroyed--they become _lifeless_, like flesh-food. the accumulation of vital force is a possibility if natural and vital food is selected. [sidenote: =the great healer.=] all the medicines in the world are as the small dust of the balance, potentially, when weighed against this life-force--which "healeth all our diseases and redeemeth our life from destruction." its therapeutic phenomena are truly wonderful. when our bodies are invaded by malevolent microbes, the defensive corpuscles within us, if in fit condition, destroy them. but if not fed with those elements which are needful for their sustenance, they soon "run down"--just as we ourselves get "below par." we are then liable to become the prey of those ceaseless microscopic enemies that are ever ready to pounce upon the unfit. if our corpuscles are weaker than the invading foes, no drugs can save us--we are doomed. hence the importance of keeping ourselves and our nerve centres well charged and in vigorous condition. [sidenote: =how to accumulate vitality.=] to accumulate vitality our food must contain all the chemical elements which we need. none must be permanently omitted. if, for instance, we entirely exclude organic phosphorus from the food of a man of great intellect, he will, in due time, be reduced to imbecility. this is obtained in such foods as cheese, milk, wholemeal bread, peas, apples, strawberries, and bananas. we must live by _method_, and take some trouble. nature's greatest gift is not to be obtained without thought or effort. we must eat, breathe, and live wisely; and the closer to nature we get, the better it will be for us. the habit of deep breathing, like that of living much in the open air, yields important results. the atmosphere consists of oxygen and nitrogen--the very elements of which our bodies are chiefly constructed. life and vigour _can be inhaled_, but few persons have learnt the art. cheerfulness tends to promote the assimilation of food. exercise--of an intelligent and healthful sort--is needful to make the life-current pulsate through our tissues. without it our organs do not get properly nourished and rebuilt: stiffness and atrophy set in. worry and care must be banished, and unwise or excessive expenditure of nerve force avoided; for these things deplete the human storage battery of its vitality. mankind is slowly gaining greater knowledge of vital, mental, and spiritual truth. ultimately, "life more abundant" will become the heritage of the many instead of the few. self-emancipation from weakness and disability is an achievement that will repay much effort on the part of each one of us; and we can all render beneficent social service by exemplifying the art of living wisely. by promoting hygienic and humane education, we can prevent much suffering, and greatly increase the sum of happiness in this world! [illustration: =finis=] all readers who feel that they have derived helpful and useful knowledge by reading this book, are respectfully invited to make it known to their friends and neighbours, or to present copies to them. all financial profit arising from its sale is devoted to the philanthropic work of the order of the golden age and the exaltation of its hygienic and humane ideals. booksellers, secretaries of food-reform, physical culture, and other societies (and readers requiring quantities for distribution) can be supplied at a discount of per cent. for cash, carriage forward, if they apply directly to the above society. index. page almonds, salted almond soup ambrosia apple custard apple fritters apricots, poached artichoke soup artichokes, fried chinese artichokes, green asparagus soufflé aspic jelly baked nuttoria bakewell pudding barley water boiled pudding, plain brawn, picnic brazil nut soup bread, how to make bread, white bread, plain currant bread, wholemeal bread pudding breakfast dish, a broth, brown haricot broth, mock chicken brown bean cutlets brown haricot soup brussels sprouts sauté brussels sprouts, à la simone buns, plain currant bun cake, sultana cabbage salad cabbage soufflé cakes, sultana cakes, small carnos sauce carnos soup carrot soup cauliflower au gratin celery soup castle puddings cheese and tomato paste cheese sauce cheese rissoles, savoury cheesecakes, lemon cheese straws chestnut soup chestnut and mushroom pudding chestnut soufflé chestnut stew chestnut cream christmas pudding coconut sauce coconut custard, baked coconut cream corsican dish, a creamed macaroni croquettes, milanese croûtes à la valencia curry gravy custard moulds curried cauliflower curried rice and peas curried lentils dinner rolls eggs à la crême egg and cress sandwiches eggs à l'italienne eggs, mayonnaise eggs, scrambled eggs florentine empress pudding figs, jellied fillets of mock sole frittamix rissoles fruit drink fruit sauce fruit salad fruitarian mincemeat galantine alla bolognese gateau aux fruits gingerade ginger pudding glaze, marmite gravy soup gravies gravy piquante gravy, rich brown gravy, plain brown green pea cutlets green pea soufflé green pea soup green pea galantine gravy, quick lunch gruel, lentil haricot soup, brown haricot soup, white haricot cutlets haricot cutlets, white haricot meat, potted haricot, potted white haricot, potted savoury haricot brown broth how to cook rice hygiama apple purée jelly, orange jugged nuttose julienne soup kedgeree lentil and potato sausages lentil soufflé lentil soup, green lentil soup, egyptian lentil cutlets lentil cutlets, green lentils, curried lentil croquettes lentil pudding lentils, potted savoury lentil gruel lemon creams lemon cheesecakes lemon jelly lemon sponge linseed tea macaroni à la turque macaroni cutlets macaroni, creamed macaroni napolitaine macaroni, savoury macaroni and tomato pudding malted milk prune whip malted milk jelly malted milk with iced fruit malted milk, effervescent marbles, savoury golden marmalade pudding marmite glaze marmite savoury gravy marmite toast marmite vegetarian soup mayonnaise eggs mayonnaise sauce milk cheese minced nut-meat mock chicken broth mock chicken rolls mock turtle soup mock fish cutlets mock fish roe mock hake steaks mock hare soup mock white fish mock chicken cutlets mock lobster shapes mock oyster patties mock scallop oysters mock steak pudding mock sweetbread quenelles mushroom pie mushroom & potato croquettes nut croquettes nut sandwiches nut-meat à la mode nut-meat rissoles nut-meat galantine , nut-meat rolls nuttose ragout oat-cream oatenade omelet, a simple omelette aux fines herbes omelette aux tomates onions à la mode francaise onion soup orange jelly oeufs farcée en aspic parsley sauce pea soup picnic brawn pine kernel timbale plasmon snow cream plum puddings , potato croquettes potato purée potato soup potatoes, escalloped prated gruel protose cutlets protose rolls protose pudding puff pastry raised pie raspberry pudding rice à la reine rice alla romana rice, milanese rice cutlets, proteid rice, savoury rice, sicilian rice moulds, creamed rice and peas, curried rice and sultana pudding rice and tomato rissoles rice pudding, savoury rice water risi piselli salad dressing salsify, filleted sauce hollandaise sauce piquante sauce, thick brown savoury lentil roll sausages, neapolitan savoury rissoles savoury sausages savoury chestnut mould savoury golden marbles savoury nut-meat steaks savoury macaroni semolina pudding semolina lemon pudding semolina moulds short pastry soubise soup, white spinach and eggs spinach à la crême spinach fritters spinach soufflé stewed prunes strawberry cream strawberry ice stuffed yorkshire pudding sultana pudding sultana custard pudding sultana and ginger pudding sultana cakes swiss roll tarragon sauce tea and coffee substitutes tomatoes, baked stuffed tomatoes au gratin tomato or egg sandwiches tomato soup tomato galantine tomatoes, grilled tomato mayonnaise tomato paste, potted tomato sauce tomato chutney vanilla creams vanilla ice vegetable marrow, baked vegetable marrow, stuffed , vegetable stock walnuts, purée of walnut gravy walnut pie wheatenade white sauce white windsor soup walnut cutlets walnut rissoles yorkshire pudding , all workers for the upliftment and amelioration of mankind are invited to obtain from a newsagent or bookstall =the herald of the golden age and british health review= (the official journal of the order of the golden age). [illustration] a magazine founded to proclaim a message of peace and happiness, health and purity, life and power. it advocates physical, mental, and spiritual culture in a practical and helpful manner. =_illustrated. quarterly. price threepence._= =edited by sidney h. beard.= it proclaims the advantages of the fruitarian system of living, and pleads for recognition of the rights of animals, and the adoption of a natural, hygienic, and humane dietary. it exalts true and progressive ideals and teaches sound philosophy. it circulates in fifty-four countries and colonies. it will be forwarded direct from the publishing offices for one shilling and sixpence per annum, upon application to the secretary, the order of the golden age, , , brompton road, london, s.w. (=specimen copies, threepence, post free=). _trade agents_: { r. j. james, , , , ivy lane, e.c. { madgwick & co., , ave maria lane, e.c. =helpful and instructive booklets.= philanthropists and social reformers are invited to read and circulate the following publications. ="the testimony of science in favour of natural and humane diet."= by sidney h. beard. _seventh edition._ _one hundred and twenty-fifth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_); s. _per dozen_ (_post free_); s. _per hundred_ (_post free_). _french edition_, centimes. _german edition_, pfennigs. a handy up-to-date booklet, full of expert evidence by eminent authorities in the medical and scientific world, athletic evidence and personal testimony of a convincing character, with references for the quotations. every food-reformer and lecturer will need this booklet. contents: flesh-eating an unnatural habit. flesh-eating an unnecessary habit. flesh-eating a cause of disease. uric acid maladies. appendicitis. cancer. tuberculosis. the sufficiency and superiority of fruitarian diet. experimental evidence. athletic evidence. personal testimony. an octogenarian's experience. a cloud of witnesses. man's diet in the future. a physician's forecast. our responsibilities and opportunity. ="the diet for cultured people."= by dr. josiah oldfield, m.a., d.c.l., l.r.c.p., m.r.c.s. _third edition._ _twentieth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). ="how to avoid appendicitis."= by dr. josiah oldfield, m.a., d.c.l., l.r.c.p., m.r.c.s. _tenth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). ="the cruelties of the meat trade."= by dr. josiah oldfield, m.a., d.c.l., l.r.c.p., m.r.c.s. _third edition._ _twenty-fifth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). some eye-witness revelations of the cruelties of the flesh traffic. ="errors in eating and physical degeneration."= by sir william earnshaw cooper, c.i.e. _fifth thousand._ _in art linen._ _price_ d. (_post free_). an up-to-date book which reveals in a piquant and interesting manner the many dietetic mistakes and transgressions that are being made by the british public, and the cost in suffering which they have to pay in consequence. much useful information is contained in this book, in addition to tables of food values, etc. ="fruitarian diet and physical rejuvenation."= by o. l. m. abramowski, m.d., ch.d., m.o.h. (_late senior physician to the district hospital, mildura, australia_). _twentieth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). a booklet giving the personal experiences of the author concerning the rejuvenation of the body by means of reformed diet, and also the results obtained at the mildura hospital and dr. abramowski's own sanitarium. ="is flesh-eating morally defensible?"= by sidney h. beard. _ninth edition._ _forty-fifth thousand._ _price_ d. (_post free_). this booklet has been the means of persuading a great number of men and women to abandon the carnivorous habit. its readers have posted copies to their friends in all parts of the world. ="the toiler and his food."= by sir william earnshaw cooper, c.i.e. _fourth edition._ _fortieth thousand._ _price_ d. _net_. a straight talk with the working classes about diet. ="the church and food-reform."= by rev. a. m. mitchell, m.a. _tenth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). ="is meat-eating sanctioned by divine authority."= by sir william earnshaw cooper, c.i.e. _price_ d. (_post free_). s. _per dozen (carriage paid)_. an artistic booklet that is especially helpful in removing the prejudices and misconceptions of those who have been accustomed to think that the bible justifies flesh-eating. much light upon the subject, and information concerning correct interpretation of the scriptures is given, and yet in such a reverent and scholarly way as not to offend the most orthodox. ="the penny guide to fruitarian diet and cookery."= by dr. josiah oldfield, m.a., d.c.l., l.r.c.p., m.r.c.s. _tenth edition._ _hundredth thousand._ _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). s. d. _per dozen (post free)_; s. d. _per hundred (carriage paid)_. ="shall we vivisect?"= by dr. josiah oldfield, m.a., d.c.l., l.r.c.p., m.r.c.s. _price_ d. ( - / d. _post free_). the order of the golden age, , , brompton road, london, s. w. =the living temple,= by dr. j. h. kellogg, m.d. (_medical director of the battle creek sanitarium, michigan, u.s.a._) =fully illustrated=, including a number of fine coloured plates. [illustration] pp. price =six shillings= (post free). this book must be seen to be appreciated, but the following brief partial outlines of the most important chapters will afford some idea of the helpful nature of the contents. =the miracle of digestion.= the organs of digestion--five food elements, five digestive organs--what the saliva does--the work of the gastric juice--other uses of the digestive fluids. =dietetic sins.= eating for disease--the selection of food--cereal foods and legumes, etc.--erroneous notions about fruits--predigested food elements in fruits--fruit juices destroy germs--the medicinal use of fruits--fruit soup--fruit cure for constipation--the fruit diet--fruit a cleansing food--diseases due to milk--milk and cream from nuts--eggs. =the natural way in diet.= why fats render food indigestible--objectionable vegetable fats--chemical bread raisers--condiments the cause of gin liver--dextrinised cereals--the daily ration--balanced bills of fare--too frequent eating--the purest water, etc. =what to do in case of sudden illness or accident.= fainting--hemorrhage of the lungs--hemorrhage from the stomach--a bruise--the dressing of wounds--sprains, etc. =the breath of life.= proper breathing--the rate at which air is needed--cultivating lung capacity--why we breathe when asleep, etc. =the brain and the nerves.= feeling cells and working cells--how habits are formed--the proper function of the sense of taste--how to have a good memory--recent interesting discoveries about nerve cells--insomnia--nerve poisons--a common cause of nerve exhaustion--how to have a clear head--the problem of heredity--rational mind cure. the order of the golden age , , brompton road, london, s.w. _fifth thousand._ =the cancer scourge= =and how to destroy it.= by robert bell, m.d., f.r.f.p.s. _price_ one shilling _net (post free / )._ the latest pronouncement by this eminent cancer specialist on the most terrible disease of our times. * * * * * this book is written by a physician who has witnessed many cures of advanced cases of cancer, and who speaks from the standpoint of forty years' experience. it contains art plates, illustrating diagnoses from the blood when highly magnified, and proves by these object lessons the curability of cancer and the efficacy of treatment by fruitarian diet and radium. a few press opinions. "it is ... interesting and suggestive ... and it deserves a wide circulation."--_manchester courier._ "every year, in england and wales, , people die of cancer--all of which deaths are preventible. dr. bell's methods of preventing them are clearly and forcibly given, once again, in this little book."--_daily mirror._ "the wide prevalence of this terrible disease demands that attention should be given to all endeavours to destroy it, and dr. bell is an authority whose words should be carefully studied and acted upon."--_northern whig._ "this interesting little treatise is an able presentation of the natural method of dealing with cancer."--_two worlds._ "dr. bell is strongly of opinion that the scourge is amenable to cure, and his remedy is the use of radium in conjunction with a special kind of fruitarian diet. when one considers that every known remedy of the past has failed and that this suggested cure has no revolting methods, such as the knife of the surgeon, it should certainly receive the attention it merits."--_american register._ "the book should be worth reading to those interested in the subject."--_irish news._ "he (dr. bell) deems 'dietetic purification essential,' and explains his system, and it must be acknowledged that he is backed by very strong evidence, which he gives. his little volume is worthy of the closest consideration by all concerned."--_letchworth citizen._ the order of the golden age, , , brompton road, london, s.w. horlick's malted milk =malted barley, wheat, and milk in powder form.= =the ideal food drink for all ages.= =delicious, nourishing, and refreshing.= [illustration: =the package.=] =horlick's malted milk= ¶ =in the home=, when used as a table beverage is more beneficial than tea, coffee, chocolate or cocoa. ¶ =is especially useful in physical culture= as it replaces waste tissue and gives a feeling of fitness and staying power. ¶ =for business men= it is the ideal quick lunch when time is pressing. may be kept in the office and is prepared in a moment. ¶ =for the aged and invalids.= the lightest diet in combination with the fullest nutriment--therefore gives best means of sustenance. ¶ =in infant feeding= is the only scientific substitute for human milk which perfectly simulates the action of the latter during digestion. ¶ =for growing children.= builds up and nourishes the constitution, gives stamina and ensures healthy growth with development. served in hotels, restaurants and cafÃ�s--hot or cold. =requires no cooking.= of all chemists and stores in sterilised glass bottles, at / , / & /- _liberal sample for trial free by post on request._ =horlick's malted milk co., slough, bucks, england.= =the secret of perfect health= lies very largely in right diet. our foods are made from the purest and finest materials under the most hygienic conditions. they include:-- =nut butters.= most delicious. food as well as fat. much safer and go farther than dairy butter. almond, = / =; walnut, coconut and cashew, = /=; peanut, = =d. per lb. the almond butter is specially recommended. =nut creams= are a delicacy for the healthy, and a delightful food-remedy to the ailing. absolutely pure. almond, / -lb., = /-=; hazel, / -lb., = /-=; coconut, / -lb., = =d.; pine kernel, -lb., = / =. =nut soups=, made from nut cream and choice vegetables, are extremely nutritious and an excellent nerve and blood tonic. can be served in a few minutes. in twelve varieties, = =d. per drum. =frittamix.= very savoury and digestible--can be prepared for table in a few minutes, requiring only the addition of water. full directions on each package. per packet, = - / =d.; -lb. packets, = =d.; -lb. tins, = / =; -lb. tins, = /-=. four varieties--piquant, mild, walnut, tomato. =nutter.= pure, white and tasteless. free from water and preservatives. goes much farther and is much nicer and more wholesome than ordinary butter. ideal for frying. makes most delicious pastry and puddings. - / -lb. package, = /-=; -lb. tins, = / =. special prices for large consumers. =recipes= for the above and many other of our specialities will be found in our _fruitarian recipes_, full of delightful suggestions; post free, = - / =d. =mapleton's nut food co., ltd., garston, liverpool.= ask for them at your stores. write to-day for a complete list of wholesome dainty foods. we welcome correspondence. [illustration: =mapleton's nut foods=] =the golden mean.= white flour is a clogging constipating food that paves the way to appendicitis, etc. coarse wholemeal irritates the digestive tract and wastes the nourishment that should remain in the body. [illustration: ="artox" stone ground=] ="artox" pure wholemeal is the golden mean.= it contains every atom of the wheat, but so finely ground that it will not irritate the most delicate digestion. its regular use acts like magic in keeping the internal organs clear and clean. you can make everything with it, even sponge cakes, and it makes everything nicer. =our handsome booklet= "grains of common sense," will tell you more about "artox" and give you recipes for a veritable banquet of delight. _send for a post free copy now._ "artox" is sold by health food stores and grocers, -lb., -lb., -lb. sealed linen bags; or lb, sent direct, carriage paid, for s. =appleyards, ltd.= =(dept. o.) rotherham.= [illustration: grains of common sense] =i. h.a.= health foods are the very =basis of food reform.= they were the pioneers of the movement in this country and still stand unrivalled. the following are a few of our specialities:-- =granose.= acknowledged to be the most valuable family food of its kind. granose is wheat in the form of crisp, delicate flakes, thoroughly cooked and so rendered highly digestible. while it is given to very young infants with great success it is an all-round family food and is increasing in popularity everywhere. free samples supplied to _bona fide_ inquirers. =protose.= a delicious substitute for meat guaranteed to be free from all chemical impurities. thoroughly cooked, highly nutritious and digestible. made entirely from choice nuts and wheat. =avenola.= makes superior porridge in one minute: also good as a basis for vegetarian "roasts." children are delighted with it for breakfast. very nourishing. =nuttolene.= without doubt the most delicate and tempting substitute for meat pastes. makes excellent sandwiches and is capable of a variety of uses. =health coffee.= a wholesome beverage made entirely from cereals. should be used in the place of tea and ordinary coffee. =i.h.a. health biscuits.= the distinguishing feature of our biscuits is that they are absolutely pure, nourishing, and digestible. we make a variety combining wholesomeness with palatability. _for further particulars and price list write_:-- =international health association, ltd.,= =stanborough park, watford, herts.= just how to begin =a healthy change of diet= =easily and comfortably, economically, successfully,= ---write to eustace miles, m.a., for--- =personal advice.= if, when you write to him, you mention any difficulties or ailments, mark the envelope "private and personal." _just two hints._ = .= instead of meat, use eustace miles proteid food, ="emprote,"= =the best body-building food-basis=. (price per -lb. tin, = / =.) =it is ready for use and needs no cooking.= = .= when you are in london, have all your meals at the [illustration] =eustace miles restaurant,= = , chandos street, charing cross, w.c.= [illustration] =drink= dole's pure hawaiian _pineapple juice._ [illustration] it is simply the expression of the =ripe pineapple= without the addition of sugar, water, preservatives, or any other thing. it is preserved in bottles in its =fresh state= by the most delicate sterilizing process known to advanced science. =pure as the dew.= =quenches thirst. cures diphtheria.= _send post card to_:-- =c. howe piper & co.,= =factors and sole distributors for the hawaiian pineapple products co., ltd., of honolulu. & st. george's house, eastcheap.= chief office:-- , devonshire chambers, , bishopsgate, london, e.c. =you really should= secure at once a copy of our new and revised list, ="a guide to good things."= it more than ever lives up to its title and should be in the hands, not only of food-reformers, but of all who appreciate 'good things' at the lowest possible prices, and 'good service' in the best and most modern sense of that phrase. it includes a comprehensive list of 'health foods' by all the leading manufacturers as well as the many popular items of our own introduction, and contains in addition a budget of useful information, recipes, &c. =why not call to-day?= and take lunch or tea, amid palms and flowers, in our well-known saloons, the handsomest of their kind in london; see the display of fruit and flowers on the ground floor, and visit our health food stores (next door but one). be sure and ask for a copy of our booklet. =if you cannot call= let us have your name and address and we will gladly send you a copy post free, or if you enclose a penny stamp we will send in addition a sample of "frunut." write at once to =shearn's,= the world's largest fruitarian stores, = & , tottenham court road, w., and branches.= =telephone:--gen. and .= as sweet as nuts--more nutritious than beef. have =u= tried ---="pitman"=--- =nuto cream meat= the white meat in the new shape tin. made from nuts and corn, at the suggestion of dr. geo. black, of torquay, to provide a _delicate and white meat free from condiments and preservatives_ for invalids, the convalescent, and the robust. per tin-- / -lb., = d.=; -lb., = - / d.=; - / -lb., = / =; -lb., = /-= =to take the place of poultry.= ="pitman" nut meat brawn= is a delightful combination of "pitman" nut meats (the outcome of years of research to produce unique, delicately flavoured, well-balanced and highly nutritious foods, each a perfect substitute for flesh meat) and pure carefully seasoned vegetable jelly, so blended to make an ---appetising dish suitable--- =for the hot weather.= nothing could be nicer or more appreciated for picnics, etc. with salad and wholemeal bread and butter it provides a portable, appetising and sufficing meal ready at a ---moment's notice.--- per tin, / -lb. = d.= -lb., = - / d.= - / -lb. = / = ask your stores for them, or =send for a sample / -lb. tin= of meat or brawn, post free d. the two for / . orders of /-value carriage paid. full catalogue, post free stamps, with diet guide and copy of "nuts, and all about them," pages from ="pitman" health food co., , aston brook street, birmingham.= [illustration: =honey= =honey.= =honey= queen. worker. drone. =english= =irish.= =scotch.= =welsh=. honey honey] =specialitè--pure cambridgeshire.= =honey= is wholesome, strengthening, cleansing, healing, nourishing. =honey= is a health food of great value, and should be used regularly. =honey= is excellent for child and adult, it is a serviceable medicinal agent. =honey= is completely absorbed into the system by the action of the blood. difficulty is experienced in obtaining =pure honey=. =we= trade in english, irish, scotch and welsh honey, and =guarantee= =all honey= sold by us to be =absolutely pure and as represented=. _sold in screw-top bottles: -lb., -lb., -lb. tins. prices on application._ =c. howe piper & co.,= honey factors and packers, blinco grove, cambridge. =the rise of the wholemeal biscuit= and especially of "ixion" biscuits into popular favour is a good sign of the times. there is a great demand for wholemeal bread and so-called standard bread just now, but =good biscuits are better than the best bread.= the wise food-reformer prefers wholemeal biscuits to bread because they not only give much-needed work to the teeth but induce the flow of saliva and so assist the digestive organs most materially. ="ixion biscuits"= are made from the finest wheat most finely ground by our own stone mills. =they are altogether free from yeast and all chemical adulterants= and preservatives (including salt). they are ideal food for growing children, as they contain everything needed for good blood, bone, muscle, and nerve. the following may be obtained at all health food stores, or will be sent direct at prices quoted. ="ixion" whole wheat biscuits.= rich in proteids, and the valuable phosphates of the wheat, lbs., = / =; lbs., = / =; lbs., = /-=, carriage paid. ="ixion" short bread biscuits.= of delicate flavour and superlative nutrient value, combined with easy mastication. lbs., = /-=; lbs., = /-=; lbs., = /-=, carr. paid. ="ixion" digestive biscuits.= most agreeable, digestive, and nutritious. lbs., = /-=; lbs., = /-=; lbs., = /-=, carriage paid. _samples, etc., sent post free for d. stamps._ sole manufacturers: =wright & co. (liverpool), ltd., vulcan st. mills, liverpool.= ="veda" bread is a perfect food.= [illustration: =vitality. digestibility. nutriment. energy.=] =a few reasons why "veda" should be on every table.= because it is easily masticated and digested, delicious in flavour, feeds the brain and nerves, builds good teeth and bones, relieves and removes indigestion and constipation, nourishes and sustains the body perfectly. ="veda bread"= analysed and compared. flesh builders (proteids), per cent. more than fine white bread. rapid heat and force producer, - / per cent. more than fine white bread. brain and teeth builders, per cent. more than fine white bread. ="veda" bread ltd., spring street, hyde park, w.= telephone nos.: paddington, richmond. =do not forget to try= =melarvi biscuits.= =they melt in the mouth.= =nuttoria= =savoury nut meat.= unequalled in flavour, richness and purity, considered the greatest substitute for flesh ----meats known.---- for roasts, stews, hashes, sausage rolls, savoury mince and pies, &c. sustains prolonged muscular exertions and easily ----digested. / -=lb. tin d.=---- at all health food stores, &c. particulars and price list of health foods from =the london nut food co.,= = , battersea park road, london, s.w.= =manhu foods.= [illustration] =flaked wheat:= -lb. pkt. = d.= an appetising breakfast food, quickly cooked, easily assimilated, where digestion is weak, a natural absolute =cure for constipation.= =flaked foods= in variety. =manhu flour= for =brown bread;= also =manhu diabetic foods= (starch changed), palatable, inexpensive. _supplied at all health food stores._ =manufactured by the manhu food co., ltd., vauxhall mills, liverpool. london depot:-- , mount pleasant, gray's inn road, w.c. australian agent:--c. e. hall, , mckillop street, melbourne.= _send for full particulars._ =abbotsholme school, derbyshire= [sidenote: =an up-to-date education for boys=] where a scientific non-flesh diet is supplied to pupils requiring same. the school, founded in , has attracted attention throughout the world. a broad and liberal foundation enables the boy to discover for himself where his especial bent lies. specialisation follows at a later and more responsible age, to prepare for the universities or other higher seats of learning, with a view to an active career in present day conditions. outdoor recreations over an estate of acres. fees £ (and upwards) per annum. instead of prizes, awards--based on each year's work--to a maximum of £ per annum, open to all boys. among the members of the advisory council are the duke of devonshire, the duchess of sutherland, sir henry craik, and other prominent educators of england, germany and america. for full particulars see prospectus. head-master--cecil reddie, fettes college, b.sc. (edin.), ph.d. (magna cum laude), göttingen. [sidenote: =cromer guild of handicraft=] all kinds of =metal work, enamelling, jewellery, design, drawing, sculpture.= pupils received. =director-mr. h. h. stansfield.= in connection with the above there is a =food-reform guest house at east runton,= ( mile from cromer). garden. sea bathing. tennis. for terms apply to =mrs. stansfield, east runton, nr. cromer, norfolk.= at the close of a dainty fruitarian meal =a cup of delicious= =hygiama the renewing liquid food= imparts a pleasing finish. it is so delicious, so digestible, and so complete in nourishing elements. quickly prepared, it makes an ideal emergency meal or light supper, is entirely free from the bad effects of tea, cocoa and coffee, and exerts a remarkable remedial influence where there is digestive or nervous weakness. full particulars, free sample, and -page booklet on rational diet, post free. =hygiama foods co.,= department , =croydon, surrey.= also in tablet and biscuit form. [illustration] =mcclinton's= ="colleen" soap.= =made from vegetable oils and plant ash.= its use keeps the skin soft, clear and smooth. [illustration] =dowager duchess of abercorn= writes:--"we have used colleen soap for years and delight in it. it is so sweet and refreshing." =testimonials from over peeresses.= =colleen soap, - / d. per tablet. tablets for /- hibernia shaving soap sticks and cakes, /-each. shaving cream opal pots, d. and /-each.= from all chemists and health food stores. send d. to dept. w. (to cover postage), for samples-- =mcclinton's, ltd., donaghmore, ireland.= =archeva (digestive) rusks.= =brand.= gold medals. =splendid for children, invalids and dyspeptics.= [illustration: archeva] [illustration: rusks] =recommended by the medical faculty.= =free from deleterious matter. no drugs used.= =excellent at all meals for everyone.= =palatable and nourishing.= =a true health food.= from all the leading stores, grocers, or chemists. in {sizes of tins: , and packets, each rusks. {varieties: plain, medium and sweet. send d. stamps for samples and booklet to =archeva rusk co. (dept. l.), , upper thames street, london, e.c., england.= =wise cooks use marmite (the pure vegetable extract).= marmite is absolutely pure is an invaluable pick-me-up strengthens as well as stimulates is easily digested and economical is recommended by medical profession is used by food-reformers & vegetarians everywhere _the lancet_ says: "this entirely vegetable extract possesses the same nutrient value as a well-prepared meat extract." =obtainable at all health food stores.= =free sample= on receipt of penny stamp to pay postage by =marmite food extract co., ltd.,= = , eastcheap, london, e.c.= =the order of the golden age= _(a philanthropic society)._ =founded .= advocates the adoption of a natural and hygienic dietary as a preventive of disease, a practical remedy for physical deterioration, and an efficacious way of lessening human suffering and sub-human pain. the fruitarian system of living makes a hygienic and humane life possible, and tends to promote health, strength and longevity. guide-books to fruitarian diet and cookery, and other literature / containing information upon every aspect of this important question are published, and can be obtained at the international offices. the hon. secretaries will gladly give advice to enquirers concerning this reform. = , , brompton road, london, s.w., england.= office hours: to . saturdays: to . telegrams: "redemptive," london. telephone: kensington . available by the google books library project (http://books.google.com) note: images of the original pages are available through the google books library project. see http://www.google.com/books?id=znvbaqaaiaaj [illustration: book cover] living on a little by caroline french benton author of "a little cook book for a little girl," "margaret's saturday mornings," etc [illustration] boston * dana estes & company * publishers copyright, by dana estes & company to all those housekeepers, young and old, who are engaged in the delightful task of making one dollar do the work of two thanks are due the editor of _good housekeeping_ for permission to reprint the greater part of this book from that magazine. contents chapter page i. at the very beginning--dividing the income ii. saving for staples--the kitchen--buying--linen iii. arranging the meals--cooking-dresses--the table--the dinner iv. soups and meats v. vegetables, salads, desserts vi. breakfast, luncheon, supper--odds and ends vii. the emergency closet--winter preserves--cake viii. the game of menus ix. two dinner parties x. reducing expenses xi. luncheons for a little xii. in the country xiii. midsummer housekeeping--the end of the holiday chapter i at the very beginning--dividing the income mrs. thorne laid down the letter she was reading and looked across the table to her husband, who, as he was industriously engaged in buttering a muffin, paid scant attention to her for the moment. presently, however, as he became aware of something portentous in the air, he looked up and inquired: "my dear, you alarm me. what's the matter? has the bank suspended and are you considering how best to break the news to me, or has dolly eloped with the ice-man?" his wife did not relax her important expression as she replied, "dolly's engaged." "engaged!" mr. thorne assumed an overwhelming surprise. "you don't say so! now who in the world can she possibly be engaged to?" mrs. thorne regarded him with scorn. "just as though you did not know perfectly well! who could she possibly be engaged to but fred mason? i told you a month ago she was certain to be." "so you did," was the soothing reply, "but i strive to please, and i thought from your manner that you hoped to astonish me with the news. so she's really and truly engaged. well, i'm glad of it. fred's a good fellow in spite of the fact that he has arranged to be a brother-in-law to me when he knows that i hate brothers-in-law; and dolly's a great girl." "dolly's a dear, and i only hope he's half good enough for her. but that is only part of the news in the letter." her husband took another muffin and looked interested. "she wants to come and spend a year with us; if we can take her, father and mother will go abroad. her idea is to learn how to keep house. listen to what she says: "'dearest mary:-- "'i don't suppose you will be exactly amazed when i tell you that fred and i are engaged, for when i wrote you last i realized that you must know what was in the air. and i don't suppose i need say that we are the two happiest people in the world and that fred is the dearest--'" "skip all that," pleaded mr. thorne. "well, i will; but she goes on to say that the firm fred is with has offered him a better salary than he has now, provided he will go to south america for a year and really learn the business. i'll begin there: "'that means that we can get married as soon as he comes back, for then he will have as much as eighteen hundred a year, certainly. but even so, with rents so high and food going up daily as the papers say it is, i am sure we shall find it not too easy to make both ends meet, especially as i strongly suspect that years in an expensive apartment hotel do not exactly fit one for living on a little. "'all this brings me to the point of my letter, which is: won't you please let me come and live with you for a year and learn how to manage? that would be a cool proposition, i am aware, but for certain mitigating circumstances which i hasten to mention. "'you said in your last letter that delia was leaving you to be married; i suppose by now she is only a memory. you also said that you dreaded getting a new somebody in her place because you were confident that fate had in store for you a high-priced, high-spirited and extravagant person who would smash your things and possibly order you out of the kitchen, not to mention putting whole loaves of bread in the garbage pail daily. now if that remorseless being has not yet arrived, won't you consider me in the light of an applicant for a place as general housework maid in her stead? i'll do anything and everything. i'll take the place of a butler, a cook, a house-maid, a waitress, anything you can mention except a laundress, and you can order me around all you like and i'll never, never answer back. my aprons shall be clean, my hair tidy and my kitchen immaculate. i won't ask for a latch-key, and for only occasional afternoons out in cases of great emergency, such as matinees or afternoon teas and such things. and i'll solemnly promise not to have a single follower. "'it won't cost any more for you to board me than it would a second edition of delia, and what you save on wages you can turn in toward the dishes i break and the ingredients i waste in my apprenticeship. please, please let me come! and send a telegram, for this suspense is wearing me to a thread. "'fred sends you his love and says he will be perfectly easy in his mind about me if i am with you while he is away. and he thinks it such a good idea for me to learn to cook! "'affectionately yours, "'dolly. "'p. s. isn't it too perfectly dreadful that he has to go away at all! i'm just in despair.'" mrs. thorne laid down the letter and looked eagerly at her husband. he was smiling broadly. "let her come," he said as he rose from his chair. "poor, heart-broken young thing, it would be cruel to refuse her. let her divert herself cooking up messes; if we can't eat them we can always invite company, who can't refuse. i'll send her a telegram as i go down town, and congratulate and condole with her, and incidentally include the invitation she wants." so for a week preparations for the coming of the new maid absorbed her sister's attention. delia had been a treasure, and there was little cleaning up to follow her departure, but on general principles the pantry shelves were scrubbed and some new saucepans purchased to replace the burned ones bestowed on the ash-man; the dish-towels were done up with extra attention to their folds, and the kitchen window had a fresh curtain. dolly arrived presently; rather a pensive dolly too, for fred had just sailed and life for the next year seemed scarcely worth living. but after she had unpacked and settled herself in her pretty room her spirits revived, and she was able to look forward to her stay at her sister's with some degree of resignation, if not enjoyment. when the work was all out of the way the very next morning she produced a blank book and pencil. "now sit down close by me," she began importantly, "and let us begin this very minute with my lessons. you see, i am going to do this thing in a really systematic fashion. you had to learn as you went along, i remember, and i dare say you made a lot of mistakes and wasted a lot of time; my plan is to take everything up in order and to write down all you teach me, and then i shall have it ready to use at a moment's notice. "i have got a nice ruled book, and fred and i talked over some things, and he put down some columns for me to fill out. see--first comes income; then food; then rent; then fuel, and clothes, and so on. mary, you have no idea what a practical mind he has! so you see we can take up these things and get some sort of view as to what it will cost us to live; then we shall know where we are. later on, in the book, i will write down other things, such as suggestions on how to save money, and things like that, you see." her sister regarded her admiringly. "my dear, i didn't give you credit for so much forethought. how i wish i had had anybody to start me right! when i think of my struggles and of what a time it took me to learn how to manage on a small income i wonder i have survived. i did make such blunders, and then i cried,--i cried bucketfuls of tears, and most of them at least could have been saved for other and important occasions if only i had been taught more practically. i do think it is too difficult for a girl who has always lived on a liberal income, and never had to think twice about expenses, to suddenly have to get along on a tiny amount of money all by herself. i certainly will promise to save you some of my mistakes." "i really scarcely know where to begin," said dolly, as she brushed back her hair, "but perhaps we had better give my book a title; i shall call it 'living on a little.'" "then the first question to settle is this: 'what is a little?' and that has about a hundred possible answers. you can easily see that to a couple brought up 'in marble halls, with servants and serfs to command,' five thousand a year might seem a pittance, while other people would cheerfully begin housekeeping on five hundred dollars and think it plenty; it all depends on the point of view, of course. "but this is the way i reason about an income: to live with any real comfort on whatever is to you a little, you must be a good manager; when you have arrived at that desirable point, the actual amount of your income does not matter so much as you would think, because, you see, you know how to get out of it all that there is there, and it is enough for your needs. "do you remember that friend of mother's, mrs. grant, who had that perfect palace of a house and an income of fifty thousand dollars a year? well, i have never forgotten that one day i heard her say that for the first six years of her married life she and her husband lived on a salary of six hundred dollars, 'and,' she said in the most complacent way, 'i could do it again, too, if i had to!' you see, she was a good manager and she realized it. she had learned just how much to buy at a time, and where to buy it, and what to pay for it, and how to make a small amount of money do as much as twice that. "now i have been married only six years, but i have learned a lot in that time, because we have had to move from one place to another and our income has varied so much; then you know all one winter dick was ill and we had nothing to live on but what we had saved, and so we had to be very, very careful. i really feel that i have mastered the problem of living on a little." "then i'll begin my book with the result of your experience in a nutshell, or in an epigram, or something, please, if you can put it that way." "i don't believe i can do that; but here is the main part of it: keep down your table expenses. you see, even if you wear your old clothes and pay a lower rent than you have been accustomed to pay, and walk instead of riding, you still must eat, and you must have nourishing, appetizing food, or you will have doctor's bills which will terrify and impoverish you. unless you can set a good table for a small sum of money, you are lost on a narrow income, and if you know how to accomplish that economic feat, you are safe. so that is my first great rule for living on a little: learn how to have a generous table for a small sum of money. "you will find you have to study the food question with a will, too, if you mean to master it in a year so you can work out its problems easily forward and backward, as you must. you see you begin by learning to manage with a fixed allowance; then how to buy in places that are not necessarily the best ones, but the best for you; how to cut down expenses when you have been extravagant or have to entertain, and how to lay in supplies when you have a surplus of money on hand; what to get in quantities and what to get in small amounts; what to do with the left-overs, and how to eke out one thing with another so as to have enough when you are short. it is as difficult to be that kind of a housekeeper as to be a great whist player or a concert artist! it is easy enough to make a little money go a long way if you are a clever manager, and fatally easy, too, to drop a little here and there till you are actually bankrupt, if you don't understand just how to live. so put your mind on the food question, my dear." "then tell me what to put down under food; that seems to be the next item after income; that i put down as $ , , though of course that is only a sort of average, because we are not positively certain just what we shall really have, but it will be about that. now what will it cost us a year for our table?" "we will put down just what dick and i spend--about a dollar a day; you can feed a maid or a sister on that, too, so i am sure it is enough." "it certainly does not seem so," dolly murmured, but she obediently set down "food, $ ." "then here is my second question: 'which is the cheaper place to live in, the city or the country, when you have only a small sum to put into rent, and such things?'" mrs. thorne considered. "the fact is i cannot say with any certainty, though we have tried both places. we found the balance was pretty even. suppose you live in the country; there rent would be less than here. we pay forty dollars a month for this small apartment, and we paid twenty-five for a whole house there; but to offset that, dick's commutation ticket used up the difference. of course if your home and your husband's business were both in the one country place, that would be saved and you would be ahead; but i am supposing the business to be in the city. "then in the country we had to burn a great deal of coal in the furnace and the kitchen range, and that was a decided item, while here we do not have to consider that at all. in the country we had to hire our walks cleaned, and here we do not. there i simply had to have a maid, because i could not do all the work of a whole house, and here i can do without perfectly well if i like. really, you see things were about the same in those ways, so we will waive the question for the present and get at it later by degrees according to your own needs." "then what shall i put down under rent? shall i say $ a month and put down nothing for fuel? that would be right in both city and country you see, the rent here more and the fuel less, and there just the reverse." "yes, i think that will be fair." so that item went down: rent and fuel, $ . "wages come next. do we settle the servant question here and now, offhand? i've always understood that was a life-work, and you might even go to another world no wiser on the subject than when you came into this one." "it is a great subject, certainly; anybody who has had an average experience can testify to that. i scarcely know where to begin to tell you what to do. but let us see. suppose you decide to keep a servant, at least at first. for general housework in the city you will have to pay $ . a week, and you will be lucky if you get any one who will do your washing for that; probably you will have to pay $ . and put the laundry work out; at least that is what your maid will ask." "well, she won't get it, then," said dolly decidedly. "she may as well understand first as last that two people who have not much money to spend cannot pay five dollars a week and still put out the washing. it's perfectly absurd to expect it." she shook her head indignantly at the imaginary maid who was supposed to have made the preposterous suggestion. "let us give up having her at all," smiled her sister. "perhaps, instead of taking a competent person, you can get a newly landed finn or german who will consent to wash and iron, cook and clean, all for $ . a week; you really cannot do much better than that. then you must teach her everything, of course, and do all the dainty cooking yourself, beside. you must also allow a good deal for her food; she will be accustomed to eat a great deal and of a substantial sort." "i don't like the idea of an untrained maid, at all," said dolly rebelliously. "it is nice to have somebody, though, especially at first, because no bride likes to cook in her new clothes, above all at dinner time. still, many a clever girl does do all her work and still manages to be always rested and fresh and prettily dressed; it's a miracle how she does it, but you must learn the secret if you have to dispense with the maid, my dear, or risk seeing romance vanish!" "well, you know how! i'm convinced dick thinks you a perfect queen of beauty and a madame recamier of cleverness and a female chef and everything else that is desirable in a wife, all rolled up in one prize package." "well, if he does,--and let us hope he may!--remember how long i've been in the business of learning how to manage. you must try and get to the point without wasting the time i have put on my lessons. but to go back to that perennially interesting question, concerning servants; put down $ under service. it really ought to be a little more than that at $ . a week, but as your finn will certainly never stay a whole year at a time, you will probably do your own work for some weeks at least, and so save her wages." "i have about decided not to have either a finn or a german or anybody else. i think i'll do my own work and have a woman in to wash and iron and clean by the day; that will save something, won't it?" "yes; but in town, at least, you will have to pay $ . a day, besides car-fare and meals; that is pretty expensive for you." "well, why can't i have a woman just to clean, say a day, or even half a day at a time, and put out my washing?" "laundry work is dreadfully expensive. you must pay, at the very lowest, fifty cents a dozen, and more for all the fine things, such as white petticoats and shirt-waists. i don't believe you can afford it. why not try this way? send out all your washing except the finest things and have it returned rough-dry; that is a rather cheap way of doing, if you send a whole wash; then have a woman one day to iron and give you perhaps an hour or more of cleaning, too. there is an economical and a practical plan, to my thinking, but very likely you may not find it the best one for you to follow. for that particular one, you must experiment and study conditions for yourself in the place you live in; what would do for me here might not suit you at all elsewhere. but anyway, we will put down $ for service, for i doubt if it will be less than that amount, no matter how you manage." "and the next item i suppose should be clothes." "yes, it ought to be, but here is a difficulty. the first year you are married the sum will fall way below the average, for your two trousseaux will supply your needs. suppose this time you put down $ , just to have something to go by; it will be at least double that, possibly, after awhile. now if you will add up what you have there you can tell what you will have for the most important item of all, incidentals, which we have left for the last." dolly added in silence for a moment, and then read: "income $ , food $ rent and fuel service clothes ------ total $ , "or, say $ , ; that, subtracted from what i hope will be our income, $ , , leaves $ for incidentals." "and that is very much like a skeleton in the closet. incidentals, my dear dolly, are the very worst foe of all young housekeepers. i wish i could impress upon you from the very first to watch that column. it must cover everything we have not put down, and the name of them is legion. doctor's bills, dentist's bills, church, books, magazines, car-fares, entertaining, pocket money of every sort, gas bills,--unless you can get those out of your table allowance, as possibly you can, and perhaps you can not,--and vacations, and amusements, and two things that ought to come first of all, and you must never, never forget or treat lightly--life insurance and the savings bank account." "really, mary, you frighten me!" "you may well think of these things seriously at least, because they need that sort of consideration. six hundred dollars is very little for all those items, and yet it must cover them. life insurance is a necessity; don't ever think you can dispense with that, but keep your premiums paid up if you have to live on bread and water to do it. and the savings bank; into that must--must, dolly--go a small sum every single month. nothing makes one feel so at peace with all the world as to know that there is a small but growing sum laid by for the rainy day which is absolutely sure to come just when you can least endure it. think what it means to have something to fall back on in a great emergency! it is so fatally easy to forget about that and all these other things which devour that sum under incidentals, and then, behold, the end of july finds one with the next december's money all spent! candy and flowers and theatre tickets and other nice but unnecessary things will behave in just exactly that way; they will simply devour incidentals." "well, i'll try and keep a stern and watchful eye on the column," said dolly, "and when fred's salary is raised we will go on living at exactly the same rate as before and spend all the new margin on luxuries; i do love luxuries!" "they certainly are pleasant, but if you want a mind at ease, keep your attention firmly fixed on your account in the savings bank. that in the long run gives greater satisfaction than candy or violets, though i don't dispute that they have their place, too. but cheer up! housekeeping always gets simpler the farther you get along, and the day will come when you won't know that you are economizing, it will be so easy and natural and pleasant." dolly sighed heavily as she added incidentals on to her other items and made her column under income come out neatly, $ , received, and $ , spent. "i hope you will hurry up and teach me everything as fast as possible," she said. "it does seem rather impossible to me, after all, and i started off this morning so sure that i could do it offhand! i feel exactly as though i had a lesson to learn made up of a mixture of sanscrit and german philosophy and trigonometry, and all the rest of the most dreadful things you can think of." chapter ii saving for staples--the kitchen--buying--linen the very next day the two lady-maids went seriously to work on their problem of living on a little. they arranged for a woman to come one day in the week and wash, do a little cleaning for perhaps an hour while the wash was drying, and then iron the heavy things; the next morning the sisters were to finish up the light and dainty things left over, the napkins, pretty waists, handkerchiefs, and odds and ends; these would take only an hour or two after the regular routine of bed-making, dusting, and brushing up the hardwood floors was out of the way, and this in their small, convenient apartment was no great task. after everything was in order, they sat down with books and pencils to lay out a sort of campaign for the winter. "i said we would allow ourselves about seven dollars a week for food," mrs. thorne began. "please notice that i said about. it is really impossible to be absolutely exact with you, because you are not sure just where you are going to live. if you are in the country proper, or possibly even in a suburb, you will find food somewhat less than in the city; milk, eggs, and vegetables are almost always cheaper there than they are here. then, too, prices differ in different places, sometimes without any apparent reason. so we won't be absolutely bound down to seven dollars a week; sometimes we will spend only six, and once in awhile we may go a little over our allowance, though i plan never to do that. "now out of this dollar a day we must buy meat, vegetables, groceries, milk, butter, and eggs, so you see we shall have to be very careful indeed and very saving, especially as we must have a little margin every week to put in some staple. one week we will lay in half a barrel of potatoes, if we find some that are cheap just then; another, we will buy olive oil, or fruit for preserving, or flour, or something for our emergency closet; all these things must be taken into account, you see, if we are not going to get into deep water financially. just fancy! we might spend our dollar a day right along, and some morning wake up to find ourselves flourless, sugarless, coffeeless, and no money in our purse but the one dollar for the one day! no, the only safe way is to put in staples as we go along, and so never get out of everything at once. "you see that tin bank on the kitchen mantel: every day when i come back from market i put in that all the pennies and nickels i have left; then some days, when i have spent only about fifty cents down-town, because we had so much in the house in the way of left-overs that i did not need to get much of anything, i put in all of the dollar that i have left,--perhaps forty cents or so. you can see that i always have enough for our needs right there without drawing on our future. "and then besides staples there is entertaining to save for. half the fun of keeping house is having one's friends in to a meal now and then. i just love to give dinner-parties." "but i thought we allowed for that," said dolly, turning over the leaves of her book. "you certainly said entertaining came under incidentals; see, here it is in black and white." "so i did, but by that i meant really serious entertaining, which comes only once in awhile, such as a big family dinner at christmas, with a fourteen-pound turkey or some similar extravagance. if we undertook any such affair as that i should unhesitatingly take out its cost from incidentals, because otherwise we should be on short rations ourselves for far too long a time to be comfortable, in order to make things come out even; but now i am speaking of little dinners and luncheons when we have four people at a time. those i hope to get out of our regular allowance; that is what i want a good margin for. and we can do it all, too; even with meat and vegetables at the frightful price they have reached to-day, it's quite possible, if you know how to manage. other people do it, and we can, too. 'what man has done,' you know." dolly groaned. "i'm perfectly sure i had better cable to fred to-day that i have decided we can never be married at all," she declared, dismally. "the longer i think about the matter the more certain i am that seven dollars a week is nothing, absolutely nothing. why, the last winter we kept house mother went off for a week, and i did the ordering; and i remember the meat bill alone for father, cousin marion, myself, and three maids was twenty-eight dollars. father did not say anything when it came in, and did not seem surprised, and i would not have thought that there was anything strange about it except for a remark mother made when she came back and looked over the accounts. 'well,' she said, 'i do hope you won't marry a poor man; if you do, i'm sorry for him in advance!' from which i argued that poor people did not spend twenty-eight dollars a week on meat,--not as a general thing!" "i suppose you had sweetbreads for luncheon once or twice?" asked mary, smiling. dolly nodded. "certainly. we had sweetbreads several times, and quail, and broiled chickens, too; and for breakfast we had little french chops, and such things; and for dinner we had capons and guinea-hens and legs of spring lamb. all the delicacies of the season were ours for the telephoning. so you see i don't know the first thing about living on a little." "i should say not," said her sister, emphatically. "if ever there was an ignoramus, you are one, my dear. but then, i did not know any more than you when i was married, and behold me now! and i'll make you into an expert, too, before this year of servitude is over, or i'm no prophet. and as we had better lose no time over it, we will begin the lessons this very minute. come out in the kitchen and take a careful view of its contents. i'm proud of my kitchen!" dolly did not wonder, when she looked around the room and noticed what her sister pointed out. it was small, but very attractive. the walls were painted cream color and the floor was covered with a blue and white oilcloth. the woodwork was the exact color of the walls. around the room, six feet from the floor, ran a shelf set out with nests of blue and white bowls and cheap but effective plates and cups and saucers to match, all meant to use in cooking. under the edge of the shelf, over the table, hooks were driven, and from these hung spoons and egg-beaters and the little things needed in stirring up dishes. the table itself was covered with blue and white enamel cloth. the sink was painted white, and the dish-towels were of crash marked off in blue squares. the open cupboard door showed shiny tins and blue and white saucepans, and some delightful contrivances in the way of cream-whippers and mayonnaise-droppers and moulds. everything was not only spotless but charmingly pretty to look at. "do you remember a book we had when we were small, called 'we girls,' i think it was, in which the family decided to let their maid go and do their own work? they had a basement kitchen and an up-stairs dining-room, and the problem was how to manage. they solved it by doing the work up-stairs in the dining-room, behind a screen. the cooking-stove was brilliant and ornamental with polish. the carpeted floor--carpeted, mind you--never had a speck of flour or grease on it. the cooking was done as if by magic, and they called their workroom a 'ladies' kitchen.' that story made an undying impression on me when i was sixteen. i thought if fate would only grant me the boon of doing my own work in a palatial kitchen like that, i should have no further requests to make. and i've never forgotten the idea behind the story. my kitchen simply must be an attractive room, bright and cheerful, with the 'rocking-chair and the white curtain and red geranium in the window,' which newspaper articles tell us nowadays are essential to make a maid contented; you know the kind of thing i mean! well, since i mean to be a maid a good deal of my life, my kitchen too must be charmingly pretty. and i have not spared expense to make it so, either, for i regard all my blue bowls and labor-saving utensils as investments; they make my work easier, and that is everything when one has other things in the world to do besides cook." "but don't you have to keep supplying these things over and over? your first outlay does not by any means cover the whole thing; you have to replace all the time." "oh, no, for when i do my own work things last forever; i don't smash bowls and cups and burn the bottoms out of saucepans, as a maid does. and even when i have a maid, i find these things pay, for she will not break pretty things half as fast as she will ugly cracked and burned ones; those she does not bother handling with care. and then i watch the ten-cent counters and other places, and pick up blue and white ware when i find something very cheap; so it does not cost as much to keep stocked up as you would think. but now i want to show you my stoves. i have three of them--think of that!" "i don't see a single one," said dolly, looking around in amazement. "that is because this is an apartment and not a house, and we cook by gas. but instead of having a range, as most people do, i got the landlord to just give me a three-holed stove standing on little low legs, connected with the gas-pipe with this flexible tube, which i can take off when i am not using it. when i want the stove, i first reach under this cooking-table and pull out this lower table,--an invention of my own; i'm thinking of patenting it. i got a small pine kitchen table, exactly like the larger one, and had six inches cut off the legs and rollers put on; you see it slips in and out easily under the regular table. then i had the top covered with zinc, so nothing would set it on fire. under this, on the floor, stands my gas-stove. i pull out the small table, set this stove on it, attach the tube to the gas-jet, and cook. the upper table holds all my extra dishes, you see, and i take them off when i want them on the gas. i have a splendid sheet-iron oven i use to bake things quickly; that i keep out by the refrigerator, because it is bulky, but it is light and easy to handle, so i don't mind lifting it in and out. then when i have finished cooking i unfasten the gas pipe and let it hang down by the wall; i lift off my stove and put that on the floor, push my zinc table under my ordinary one, and there i am, all done and orderly. in a little kitchen like this i have to manage space. of course if you have a good-sized apartment or a house you can have a regular gas-range, as other people do; but i am explaining how to manage if you have a tiny kitchen, such as many of us cliff-dwellers have to cook in. but in any case, have a zinc-topped table; you lift off a hot pot from the stove and set it down there and neither burn nor crock anything, and that is a real blessing when you have to do your own cleaning-up." "doesn't your gas cost you a great deal each month? i remember hearing somewhere that it was expensive to cook with it." "it is not expensive for us, because i use it carefully. of course if you have a maid who turns on four burners at once, and runs them for hours, you will have a frightful bill. but see these saucepans; three of them, and triangular in shape, so that when they are put together they make what looks like one good-sized round one. you can fill all three with vegetables or other things, and cook them at once on one burner. that's one great saving, to begin with." "but even so, when you cook soup or corned beef, or such things, which take hours and hours, you must use lots of gas, in spite of yourself." "ah, that is where another great economy comes in. look at my fireless stove!" from a corner she drew out a covered wooden box and raised the lid. it was lined with asbestos pads, some fitted close to the sides, others ready to tuck in here and there, or put over the top beneath the lid. "now," she said, triumphantly, "you behold the eighth wonder of the world! i want to make soup, let us say, or a slow-cooking rice-pudding, or a stew. i put any one of them on the gas-stove and let them boil for fifteen or twenty minutes, depending on the size of the materials. a small pudding will need less time and soup more,--say twenty or twenty-five. then i take it off, cover it tightly, put the dish or pot in the box and tuck it up carefully, shut down the cover, and set the box away. when i want it, six or eight hours later on, i open the box, and behold, my soup or my pudding is done to a turn and not a cent's worth of fuel used." "they'd have burned you for witchcraft a century ago," said dolly, gazing awestruck at the miraculous box. "so they would have--cheerfully," mary replied. "but wait a minute; i forgot to tell you that it also freezes ice-cream." "that fairy story, my dear, i distinctly decline to believe." "it's a fact, nevertheless. the way to do it is this: i make what is called by the initiated, a mousse; that is, i boil a cup of sugar and a cup of water to a thread, pour it slowly over the stiff whites of three eggs, just as you make boiled icing, and when i have beaten it till it is cold i fold in half a pint of whipped cream and flavor it. then i put the whole in a little covered pail and set that in a larger pail. to admit a somewhat embarrassing truth, they are merely lard-pails which i save for this purpose. i put cracked ice and salt between the two, cover both, and set them in the box. as the pads retain cold as well as they do heat, the ice does not melt, and the mousse gradually freezes itself. unlike ice-cream, you must never stir it any way; so that if i put the mousse away at noon i take it out for dinner a perfect frozen mould, which both metaphorically and literally melts in your mouth." "do have it every day," begged dolly, with fervor. "we will have it semi-occasionally," laughed her sister. "cream, whites of eggs, and flavoring all cost money; but still we do and will have it at convenient periods. that is one of the things i keep a bank for; you will be surprised when you see how much i accumulate there from week to week." "i certainly shall be surprised if it turns out there is anything at all in it," declared the skeptical pupil, who had yet to learn economy. "now see my third stove; no well-regulated family can manage without three. this thing that looks like a big square tin cracker-box is what is called an aladdin oven. perhaps you think i do not need it; but wait a minute. suppose you want to have baked beans--" "fred simply adores baked beans," dolly murmured, parenthetically, hanging on her sister's words. "you can't afford to bake them in the gas-oven, because it takes a whole day or night; and of course you can't well bake things in the fireless stove. at least, you cannot make them crisp and brown there, though you can cook them in it. so you put this stove on the zinc table, light the rochester burner which is attached to a lamp underneath, and then let it go on and bake for you without any attention. it will bake the beans a beautiful and artistic brown, and the kerosene in the lamp will cost you about two cents. now are not my stoves worth their weight in gold? and if you are too poor to buy them, one of their greatest attractions is you can make two of them yourself. take a wooden pail with a cover, and make hay-pads for your fireless stove, and get a real tin cracker-box and put a lamp under it for the aladdin oven, and you will have good substitutes for both these." "well, they are truly wonderful," said dolly, with conviction, "and far be it from me to throw cold water. but suppose i live in a country village where there is no gas and where the kitchen is unheated. i don't see but that i shall have to have a real old-fashioned stove, and burn plain coal or wood in it, to heat the kitchen, nevertheless." "yes, of course you will; these stoves do not heat the kitchen at all,--which, by the way, is a merit in city eyes. but you can have a regular stove for winter, and for summer a kerosene-stove, which is really as good as a gas-range, because it is made with a flame which does not smoke or black things up, and it has an oven lifting on and off exactly like this one on the gas-stove. that will save fuel and work and keep the house cool at the same time. but i certainly would have a fireless stove in any case, because you often want to cook things all night and still not keep the fire going. oatmeal, for one thing, is far better cooked in this than on top of a stove; you let it simmer from eight at night till seven the next morning, and you will take it out in a sort of jelly which is delicious and very digestible. the aladdin oven you can have or not, as you find you need it; perhaps in the country you might get on without it, but in town i find it a necessity." "the stoves must have cost a good deal," mused dolly. "did you buy them out of incidentals?" "yes, i did. i consider all utensils for my work necessities, and when i cannot buy them out of the margin in my tin bank i deliberately take the money out of the general fund; but in this case you can even things up by saving on fuel, so it is all the same in the long run, you see. but now look at this pail; this is my bread-mixer." "you don't tell me that you make your own bread! why, i supposed of course you bought that in the city. isn't it a nuisance to have to make it?" "simply child's play with this. in the evening i put in the flour and milk and water and yeast, according to the directions, exactly so much of each; then i turn the handle and beat them up for five minutes, cover the pail, and set it away in a nice cozy place, and in the morning i beat it all up again for three minutes in the same way, and put it in my pans to rise. afterwards i bake it in my gas-oven. in summer i mix it up in the morning and bake it the same day, because, of course, it rises more quickly in warm weather." "do you really save much by making it yourself? because unless you do, i think i'll buy mine; i am sure i would rather." "i should say you did save! why, baker's bread would cost at least five cents a day, getting only one loaf, and that is nearly a dollar and a half a month, and a good deal more than a bag of flour would cost, which would last twice as long at least. flour is expensive to buy by the bag, too; if i could i should always get a barrel at a time, and save a bagful by doing so, but i have no place to put a barrel, and when we are alone it lasts too long, and in a steam-heated apartment it possibly might spoil. but if you live in the country, buy this by the quantity." "don't you always buy things by the quantity? i thought all careful housekeepers made a point of doing that." "that depends. if i have a maid i seldom do, because experience has taught me that, generally speaking, the more she has to 'do' with, the more she uses up and wastes, and it is natural enough that she should do just that way. so i find the best way is never to have too much on hand. i get a few pounds of sugar, only one box of gelatine, half a cake of chocolate, and so on. i know there is a theory that by buying at wholesale you save a good deal, and so you do, on paper. actually, with a maid, i believe you use enough to even the account. you know the french, whom i always try and copy as far as possible, since they are such wonderful managers, buy only in tiny quantities, such as we should be ashamed to ask for in our shops. i am perfectly sure if it were cheaper to buy in quantities they would do that way. "but of course there are exceptions to this rule; when i do my own work, at least, i frequently do buy a good deal at a time. tea and coffee i get in small quantities, because they do not improve by keeping; canned vegetables we use rather seldom, and i get those only by the half-dozen. still i save a little there, because a half-dozen of this and that gives a discount on the whole dozen or dozens that they come to. butter i buy by rule: a pound a week for each person, when i have a maid; when we are alone i frequently manage to use a little less. sometimes, too, i get a pound of good cooking-butter and help out with that a little. "i make it a point to read the market reports in the papers and get an idea of what is cheapest at the moment. sometimes things will fluctuate from week to week in the most curious way, and you can find real bargains in fruit or some particular vegetable. for instance, when i read that a ship has come in loaded with dates or lemons or pineapples or bermuda onions, i wait a few days till they are distributed, and then i ask for them, and invariably the price has dropped below normal. so i do not lay down any hard and fast rule about buying, but i just do as seems best from time to time. there are certain things i should do if i had more room, such as buy flour, as i told you, and sugar as well, by the barrel. i cannot do that in a small apartment. in the country i should put in winter vegetables each fall; that, too, i cannot do here, but i try and make it up in other ways." "could you not do with a maid as the southerners do with their colored people, and give out stores every morning?" "perhaps some women might, but, honestly, i have not the moral courage to do so. when everybody does it, as in the south, it is accepted as a perfectly proper thing to do. here it would be thought mean and small, and a maid would think herself under suspicion of possible theft, and i am sure she would take herself off at the first moment. no, it would not do to try such a thing here, i am sure." "but with other things besides groceries which you must have, table-linen and bed-linen and towels, how do you do about buying those things? do you lay in a supply every year at a regular time, or get them as you go along?" "linen is one of the things it is difficult to get when you have a small income, and when your housekeeping allowance does not permit any margin larger than just enough for staples. i have to do as best i can here, too. of course the linen i had when i was married still exists, but most of it is too fine for us to use every day. costly tablecloths and napkins wear out when they are in constant use, and if i get rid of mine rapidly i shall never be able to replace them; so, though i have so much, i am about on a level with the woman who has none. don't make the mistake i made, dolly, and buy your linen all of the loveliest quality. i know it is a temptation, when a father who does not mind what things cost is paying the bills. it is not wise in your future circumstances to have too much beautiful linen and too little that is good also, but plainer and heavier. get an abundance of small tablecloths and lunch squares, and napkins of medium size, and good strong towels, and sensible sheets and pillow-cases of cotton. i know linen sheets and pillow-cases with monograms on them are delightful to have, but then in a short time you must buy, buy, buy, as you find these are not what you need in your particular surroundings, and with a laundress who possibly stoops to use soda in her washing once in awhile when she thinks you won't find her out. "as to replacing these things, i get a dozen napkins or towels or a tablecloth when i have the money and when they are cheap; that is all i can tell you about it. i do not buy them at regular intervals, because i cannot do that way. i believe, of course, in putting in just so much linen every year and so never getting short, only i can't do it." "i suppose all your things need replacing at times. when chair coverings wear out, and carpets, and your china set breaks to bits gradually till it disappears, do you fly to incidentals, or what?" "oh, i do as i told you before; i manage as best i can. you learn to cover your own furniture in time, not elegantly, but well enough. you paint or stain your floors when your carpets wear out, and put down rugs, not always oriental rugs, either, but occasionally artistic--and luckily fashionable--rag-carpet rugs made in beautiful colors, dyed just the way you want them, in olive-greens or dull orange or old blue; they are really beautiful, and i mean to have plenty of them as my wedding supply of good rugs gradually goes. as for china, i take care of what i have, you may be sure, and once in awhile i put christmas money or birthday money from home into a set of plates for salad or dessert; or i save up and buy a whole set of platters and vegetable dishes and plates for a main course. even if i were rich i should never care for a whole dinner-service that matched. i like different kinds of plates for different courses, though they ought to harmonize. then as tumblers and such small things vanish, i cut down my table expenses for a week and buy them with my savings, unless my tin bank is full at the time. i will not break into incidentals unless i must." "no, i should expect you to serve water in tin mugs before you would touch that sacred sum." "well, perhaps i might do that way; i'm glad you suggested it." "is that the end of the lesson for the day?" "what have you written down?" "'have a pretty kitchen,'" read dolly. "'have a zinc table and three stoves; make your own bread; buy some things by quantity and don't buy others so; have linen not too nice for hard usage; get dishes as you can, when they break; and don't buy anything with money out of incidentals." "very good indeed, especially the last warning," laughed mary. "now the class is dismissed, for it is too lovely to stay indoors another minute, and we will go to market and then down-town. by the way, one of the joys in having no maid is that you can turn the key in your door and walk off any minute you please and leave no anxieties behind you. you know the dishes are washed and put away, there is nothing left in the oven to burn, and no mistakes to be made by anybody; and you come home when you please. i just love to do my own work!" "what a desirable state of mind to be in," dolly replied. "let us hope i'll attain that same lofty height by the time my 'prentice year is up." chapter iii arranging the meals--cooking-dresses--the table--the dinner "now that you know all about your working-tools in the kitchen and pantry, i think it is time you should begin to take them in hand," said mrs. thorne, the next morning. "don't you remember how squeers used to teach his boys first to spell 'bot-tin-ney,' and then go and weed the garden to prove that the lesson had been learned? that's my principle, exactly. so now as to to-day's work; i have been thinking it over and i believe we must study the routine of the meals theoretically and go on to illustrate by getting them practically. but where to begin--that is the trouble; i'm such a novice in teaching that i am bewildered what to take up first." "bread-making, i suppose," said dolly, with regret. "oh, no, indeed, not for a long time yet. first, the theory, you know." "well, while you are thinking about it i will just occupy the time with asking some questions. one of them is this: do you always look as neat and trim when you do your work, or is this costume a sort of stage-dress for my benefit?" "my dear, i can proudly say i always look just as i do now, and i'll tell you why. when i first had to do my own work, years ago, i put on a short skirt and shirt-waist, with an apron over all; that, i supposed, was just the proper thing. then i rolled up my sleeves, took off my stock or collar, and hung it on a nail in the kitchen, and did my dishes or cooked. when the door-bell rang i put on my collar and unrolled my sleeves and took off my apron, and answered it. it was not long before i discovered that my sleeves were perpetually mussed, and i had temporarily lost my self-respect by dispensing with a collar. then, too, in spite of all i could do, the dish-water would sometimes splash over and the lower part of my dress would get greasy. i spoiled two good tailor-skirts that way. and worst of all, when dick came home, all i could do by way of dressing to meet him was to put on another fresh shirt-waist and a clean apron, because i knew that after dinner i should wash the dishes. the consequence was that i never wore my pretty frocks at all, and my husband knew me only as a cook; sometimes a cook who sat with him in the parlor, but a cook, nevertheless, and one who did not change her dress after the dishes were done for the night, and so had to run when callers came for the evening. "after a few weeks of that sort of thing i made up my mind it would never do. i must be a 'lady help,' even though there was no one to help but dick. so i changed my plans of work and got some especial gowns, and i have kept to a sort of uniform like this ever since, to my infinite satisfaction. if you look me over carefully you may discover the points i had in mind when i planned it." dolly looked. "i see," she said, slowly. "elbow sleeves, to keep from rolling them up; and a little square dutch neck just below the collar line, so you won't have to wear a collar; and a short, full skirt, just off the floor; and the color, my dear,--and here you show your feminine vanity,--a most becoming blue!" "i hope so," said mary, not at all abashed. "i like to have becoming clothes, even in the kitchen. but you did not say a word of the material; all my working things are ginghams or some sort of wash goods. then they are all in one piece, and trimmed with plain bias bands edged with a fold of white, or some similar contrivance. i put an apron on when i do kitchen work and try and keep the dresses clean as long as i can, and when they are soiled put them right in the tub, and they take no time to do up. and, by the way, they are not all this pretty color. i have still more serviceable ones of dark navy blue, and others of striped gray and white, like a nurse's dress; but i am thankful to say they are all pretty and all becoming, and far neater in every way than my shirt-waist and skirt used to be." "do you wear the same thing summer and winter?" "no; in summer i have thin things, lawns and dimities and organdies, but they are all made like this. even my dress-up summer things are apt to be, too, because i like the fashion and it never 'goes out,' as other fashions do." "but you don't wear this uniform at dinner. at least you change every afternoon now to a more or less dress-up frock. is that for my benefit? do you wear these gowns when you are alone?" "no, never. i always put on a fresh and pretty gown after my lunch dishes are put away and my dinner all ready but heating it up or doing the last necessary cooking. then i spend the afternoon like a lady of leisure. at dinner-time i put a mammoth long-sleeved apron on and go out in the kitchen and finish up as i am; i take off my apron before the dinner is served, too. if i have to carry out plates and wait, as of course i do when we are alone, then i have a really pretty little white apron i slip on; but i will look as nice as i can at my own dinner-table." "and spill the greasy dish-water around the edge of the dress, as you did before?" "never again; i learned my lesson at that time. no, my dresses clear the ground all around; that had to be so, to my regret, because i love a long gown for dinner, but i will not pin up a train at the back with a safety-pin, as so many do, nor will i wear things soiled. i have them just a tiny bit off the floor, and put on the big apron. as to the dish-water, dolly, to let you into an awful secret which would make our new england grandmother turn in her grave, i never do any dishes at night; that is part of the lesson i told you i had mastered. i just clear the table, scrape the things and pile them in the big dish-pan, with some very hot water and a little soap powder, and there they repose till morning. i tidy the kitchen and dining-room in about three minutes, and that is all i do. then i take off my apron and go into the parlor, rested and ready to spend the evening with my husband." "do you never set the breakfast-table at night?" "no; it does not take any time to do it in the morning, and, as i tell you, i will not do a single unnecessary thing at night. then i have more important things to think of; books to read and friends to see and a husband to entertain. i am in earnest, dolly. that is all a part of learning how to manage to keep a home as well as a house." "i certainly shall never learn enough to marry on, i see that. but tell me more while we are on this subject. how do you have such a pretty table all the time and still economize in everything, including time and strength? i should think it would take both money and labor to keep up as you do." "to speak with seriousness still, then, i am convinced most girls make a great mistake when, after having had pretty things all their lives, they marry on a small income and one by one give up their dainty little ways of doing. sometimes they put everything on the table at once at dinner; sometimes they have a tablecloth that has seen better days; sometimes they dispense with a fern-dish, or stop cleaning the silver. i call it all bad management. one can keep up the traditions of niceness just as easily as to dispense with them, and to my mind it is false economy to let down. if you must have plain food, it tastes better, and i believe it nourishes you more, if it is set out attractively. no, dolly, never give up using your pretty dishes and doilies, and keep your silver and glass bright, and learn to do it so easily that it is a matter of course, and it will never be the last straw that reduces you to nervous prostration, as some women believe. ugly things, soiled and broken things, and careless living, are far more likely to wear out your nerves than trifles such as i am telling you to attend to." "but as to details, mary. take your breakfast and lunch-table; there are those doilies, always clean and white, and your pretty blue and white china. how about the laundress's bills and the cost of the dishes?" "there is no economy, to my thinking, greater than is found in using doilies, to begin with. i put them on as you see, always, for two meals. when one gets mussed or gets a spot on it i wash it out when i do my dishes; i have an iron on and press it as soon as it dries, right here in the kitchen, and it is ready for next time. when they all need a regular boiling, i put a set in the weekly wash, and the laundress does them in far less time than she would a tablecloth. for dinner of course i do use a cloth, but having it on only once a day it lasts a week, and there is but one in the wash instead of two or three, as there would be otherwise. if a spot comes on this i rub it out in a hand-basin and stretch the cloth out smoothly on the table and leave it to dry; then if it is rough, i put on an iron for a moment. of course i should not use a soiled cloth under any circumstances." "and the china?" "that is just cheap blue and white japanese stuff that i have picked up a piece at a time, sometimes at the ten-cent stores; it would chip in the hands of some maids, i suppose, but i am careful of it. if i had a maid who broke things i would get other and heavier kinds of blue and white; there are plenty that are cheap and pretty. i love blue and white for breakfast and luncheon." "and how often do you clean the silver?" "i wash it every day in very hot soapsuds and dry it quickly; that keeps it bright a long time. then usually i polish it all once a week, some rainy afternoon when i am not pressed for time." "well, this is all a revelation to me. i supposed people who 'did their own work,' as we say, had to have everything very plain, and, to be honest, very uncomfortable. i supposed they put on a dinner-cloth in the morning and kept the table set most of the day, and saved steps by having on all the food at once at each meal. i hate that way of living, too. but how do you do about waiting on the table? do you keep jumping up and down all the time?" "certainly not, my dear--perish the thought! when you lay your table put on the bread, the butter balls, if you use them, the jelly, if you are to have any, and fill the glasses. put on the sideboard the salad, the dressing, the plates and crackers; put the dessert there, too, with its plates, and the coffee-cups and spoons. have ready there also extra bread and butter, if necessary, and fill the water-pitcher before the meal is served. then take up all the dinner, and put the vegetables in the covered dishes in the warming-oven, and the meat ready there also on the platter; leave nothing to do after you sit down that you can do beforehand. "in changing the courses you can set the soiled plates on the sideboard, to save leaving the room, provided you have the next course there; or, if you like, you can have a low two-shelved serving-table on casters close by your side at the table. you can put the plates on this if you can easily reach them, as you can if you have a small round table for two, and if your next course is on one of the two shelves, instead of on the sideboard, you may be able to produce it from there and put it right on and not get up at all; that is a very easy way of doing." "you use a coffee machine, i see; do you like it better than the old way of making the coffee in the kitchen?" "without a maid i certainly do. i light this before dinner, and when we are ready it is there, ready for us, and i do not have to go out for it." "single-handed housekeeping has its ways of doing of which people never dream who have always had maids to wait on them. i think that all sounds simple enough." "it is simple, and yet it is nice, and things go smoothly. now, next i want to say some things about having dinner at night, for that is one of my hobbies. i believe it is by far the easiest way to manage when one is to be the cook as well as the lady of the house." "most people don't think so, i fancy." "well, but they have not tried it, perhaps. it is a tradition in many places, especially in the country, to have dinner at noon and supper at night, on the ground that supper is the easy meal to get and clear away, but i maintain that it makes one work all day. now listen: suppose you are to have dinner at noon. after breakfast you must hurry and do up the dishes and get the house in order; go to market as early as possible, in order that the food may come home in good season; come back, make dessert, lay the dinner-table, and as soon as your orders arrive, clean the vegetables, put the meat on to cook, and generally prepare the meal. if it is ready by half-past twelve or one o'clock you have been busy every single moment since you got up. then after dinner there are all the dishes to wash and put away and the supper to begin, unless that you have done in the morning with the other things. by three o'clock you have finished, but you are all tired out, if you are a normal woman of average strength. "now see how different the matter is with dinner at night. after breakfast you wash and put away the dishes from the night before with the breakfast dishes; then you do up the housework and examine the refrigerator. as you have only a light meal to get for noon, you will ordinarily find something there which you can have; or you can decide to get something simple and prepare it just before lunch. next you go down-town and market in a leisurely manner, because you are not in a desperate rush to get the things home. when you return you prepare the dinner; put the soup-meat and bones in the fireless stove to cook, or make a milk soup to reheat; make the dessert and set it away; stir up salad-dressing; bake a cake, or do any such light cooking. when the grocery boy comes and the butcher's boy, you prepare the vegetables for dinner and do whatever you have to to the meat; perhaps put it in the fireless stove, if it is a stew, or chop it if it is to be any sort of mince. "then you have luncheon; scrambled eggs, or devilled sardines, or any light dish, with tea. afterwards you wash and put away these dishes, and then your afternoon is before you; it cannot be later than two o'clock at the worst. you sew, or go out, or rest in any way you like, and at five or half-past, at the earliest, you put the final touches to the dinner and lay the table. afterwards, as i have said, you pile the dishes in the dish-pan in a nice, tidy way, and your day's work is done. that seems to me the easiest sort of housekeeping. however, i don't mean to dogmatize. this is merely my own idea, and if you don't agree with me, but later on you can manage better some other way, do so, and accept my blessing." "certainly i shall. but as i now see the case, i shall do just as you do and continue to have dinner at night to the end of the chapter. you might have added to your other reasons for having it than the one we were taught at school, that it is most hygienic to have the heavy meal when work is over." "that is true; i did not think of it, but there is that in its favor as well as the ease and comfort of it. but now to go on to other things about dinners." "why do you begin with dinners? i should think you would take up breakfast first and then luncheons." "for one thing, dinner is the principal meal of the day and therefore the most important; for another, as the two lighter meals are largely made up of left-overs from dinner, you must begin with that or you will not have anything for the other two." "oh, yes, of course. go on, then, with the lesson." "the first rule for dinners is this: always have your food in courses. you would be surprised to find that plenty of poor people--poor but respectable, like ourselves--would dispute this, but i assure you they would. they have an idea that with a small income you should have one large, substantial course of meat and vegetables, with perhaps a solid pudding or pie to follow, and eliminate all frills and fashions of service. to them the plan of a three-course dinner every day is a wild vagary, not to be considered by people living on a little; but really it is the truest economy. look at the french; i have to point to them over and over, even if you tire of hearing about them. they can make a tiny bit of money go farther than an american would dream possible, and they always have their dinners in courses. you may be perfectly positive that there is good, solid reason back of that fact, for unless they saved money by it they would not do so. "you will see how it is if you think a moment, too. if you give a hungry family, or even a lone hungry man, a plate of strong, substantial soup, the edge of his appetite is blunted, and when the meat course appears, instead of demanding two helpings, one will probably suffice. now as meat is your most expensive item of housekeeping, you can easily see what an advantage that is. soups are very wholesome, and, if you will kindly overlook the slang, decidedly 'filling at the price.' you will save materially, your family will have stronger digestions and better health, and no one will suspect your economic motive. "then after the soup, of course you have your substantial course; and here comes in my second rule: remember that you cannot have any expensive meats. give up all your preconceived ideas of what is 'proper' for dinner. you cannot have the proper thing; instead you must have the cheap thing. roasts, steaks, and chickens are not for you. in their place you must have all sorts of queer things, which you would naturally call luncheon or supper dishes. it seems strange and unpleasant, doesn't it? but that is the way it has to be if you are to be a good manager. however, here is a grain of comfort for you: men seldom pay much attention to details; to them, meat is meat, and if it is good and there is plenty of it, it does not much matter from what part of the animal it is cut nor how much it costs a pound. so a hamburg steak or a stew or a meat pie is all right, provided only that it is appetizing and nourishing. and as i said, the costly things you simply cannot have." "do you really mean we are never to have a roast?" "oh, once in awhile you may have one, for sunday dinner or for company; but for steady diet you are to have simpler things. and here comes in my third rule, no less important than the other two: never use up the meat from one day's dinner for breakfast or luncheon, but always save it for dinner the second day. that seems absurd and impossible, i know, for sometimes there is nothing worth mentioning left over; but listen: "suppose you get three pounds of lamb stew one day, which is too much for a single meal; you cook it all, take out the large bones and put them over for soup, and serve half the meat for dinner. the second night you have the other half in a meat pie, with any gravy you do not need you put in the stock-pot. now, incidentally, let me say that sometimes lamb is expensive, so do not rush madly off when you market and invest largely in it because i said it was cheap. always watch the price and buy only when things are low in price. "you see this is the way i plan: i make a point of buying enough meat for two dinners at one time, because one large purchase costs less and goes farther than two smaller ones. you can buy a pound and a half of chopped beef and make two meals of it for less than you can buy one pound one day and a second pound the next, and that is what you would do, practically, if you bought each day." "but i am sure fred would not like hamburg steak twice running, mary." "he need not have it. i buy the two days' supply at once, say the steak on monday; i serve half that night in one fashion; tuesday night i have something quite different, perhaps veal; wednesday night we have the rest of the steak in another way from the way we had it monday night, and thursday night we finish up the veal, also in a different way from the tuesday night style. that gives variety, and a man cannot keep count of these things in spite of his alleged mathematical mind, so it works perfectly." "suppose you don't get enough for two nights, or the man eats more than you expected he would and you are short, what do you do then?" "i manage, my dear. if i have a good deal of meat left over from the first day's dinner i have perhaps english rissoles; or i have a nice dish of baked hash; or a cottage loaf; or i have a meat pie. "if i run short and have only a little meat, as you suggest, i have a soufflé, which takes only a cup of chopped meat for a good-sized dishful. i'll give you the rule for that. or, i have croquettes; they are one of the queer dishes apparently out of place at dinner, but they are good and make a change, and when you have only a little meat they are invaluable. you see what i mean. plan to get enough meat for two dinners at once, and if you are short on the second night, have a little dish of left-overs, disguised." "but do you think croquettes would be enough dinner for a hungry man? i have an idea they would be considered as a sort of appetizer only." "of course they would not be enough; what an idea! you have forgotten soup. always have a course of distinctly heavy soup when you are to have a light meal, and vice versa. with corned beef you can have a thin stock, clear; but with croquettes have a rich, substantial bean soup or split pea purée, and have solid vegetables with the meat and a good dessert. all those things may be cheap and not bring up your bills at all, and still you can keep down that dreadful item we housekeepers all must struggle with,--meat." "and do you have fish on fridays?" "yes, i have fish occasionally, for a change, but i am careful to buy that which has little waste. large, whole fishes for baking are expensive, for the head and tail have to come off, you see. i get codfish steaks or sometimes a little halibut; neither of those has any waste at all. or, if there were a river near by, or a lake, i should find out what they caught there and buy that. one day i have the fish as it comes from market, baked or fried, or otherwise prepared; the next day i have the remains scalloped with crumbs and baked. sometimes i have them in cream sauce, baked in the same way. once in awhile i get a can of salmon in the place of fresh fish and use it in exactly the same way; and when the exchequer gets very low indeed, i take salt codfish and freshen it and cream and bake it, and invariably dick compliments me on the extremely good halibut i have!" "absurd! but to go on: tell me about the vegetables and salads and desserts that you have." "i can't do it all at once, my dear; you are so energetic! we will take a special lesson on each of those important things as we come to them. just now i am laying down principles, you see, and i was speaking of courses at dinner when you diverted me with your questions, just as a pupil when she is not prepared does to a teacher. but perhaps you have my idea, and i can stop here." "yes, i think i understand. have a heavy soup when you have a light course to follow; have a light soup with a heavy meat; have vegetables with the meat and dessert last; is that all?" "often i have meat and vegetables first and then salad next; always in summer, i think. it is the best way in hot weather. but have three courses,--that is the economic point i am striving for,--and have coffee last, if you can. men love coffee for dinner, and if it is black and only a little is taken, it is considered a digestive; and, like other things, it helps out." "think of the dishes you are piling up for me to wash in the morning, mary!" "not at all. only a poor cook ever has piles of dishes to wash up. wash up all your cooking utensils as you go along. when you have finished with anything, even a bowl or spoon, take it to the sink, wash, wipe, and put it away; it takes no more steps to do it then than it will later. after dinner at night there should be only the few dishes actually in use on the table; if, possibly, you cannot manage to wash up your broiler or frying-pan because you use them at the last minute, and also because they are too greasy to handle in your nice gown, put these in a special dish-pan all by themselves, with hot water and washing-powder, and stand this out of the way till morning; so much is allowable." "is that all for to-day?" dolly inquired, seeing her sister preparing to do some cooking. "yes, that is all, and though you may not think it amounts to much, you will see more in the lesson when you come to keep house than you do now. if you always are neat and look attractive, if you always serve a delightful course dinner for a minimum sum, and have a pretty table, you will be far on your way toward being the perfect housewife." "i wish i were at the end now," murmured dolly. "then you would lose half the fun of life, my dear. the interest of your studies grows the farther you get along, as i have told you before. long before you know it all you will be sighing for more worlds to conquer." dolly looked unconvinced, but her sister laughed at her sober face. "mark my words, before you are a finished housekeeper you will love your work!" chapter iv soups and meats "when i came to look over what you said about soups and meats the other day," dolly complained at the next lesson, "i found it was all glittering generalities. i didn't have a thing written down under soups but 'beans' and 'split peas,' and as to meats, it was mostly don'ts or left-overs. now, before you go off on anything else, suppose you tell me a lot more about these things." "so i will. perhaps i did generalize a bit, but i do not always realize that you do not know how to use a cook-book yet; if you did you could look up all these things for yourself. "to begin with soups, then, like 'all gaul,' they are divided into three parts.' there are soups made with vegetables and water and nothing else; soups made with a foundation of meat and bones; and milk-and-vegetable soups. the first kind is the cheapest, and we will start there. "there are any number of good things to make these soups of, principally beans,--black, white, red, and lima beans, all dried. you must soak them, cook them slowly in another water, season well with a slice of onion, salt, and pepper, and put them, when they are soft and pulpy, through the sieve. what is called a purée sieve is the best, because it is made in such a way that it presses the vegetables through itself. then you must thicken the soup with a little bit of butter melted and rubbed with flour; this is not because it is not thickened with the vegetables already, but because the water will separate from the rest if no extra thickening is used. you can have the soup rather thin to make it just right after it is thickened. "black bean soup is the best kind; this really needs a bone of some sort cooked with it, a ham bone if you have it. then it takes lots of seasoning, a pinch of mustard, a thin slice or two of lemon, and last a little chopped hard-boiled egg on top at serving; but it pays for the slight trouble of making it because it is so good; have it often in winter. white bean soups also need a good deal of seasoning, and a bone is good in them, but not really necessary. left-over baked beans make a good brown soup, and dried lima beans are excellent; alternate these, and make each one by rule, for each has some little touch of seasoning which makes it have a taste of its own. any cook-book will tell you how, because all of them are so simple to put together. besides these there is one more thick soup, split pea purée, which you must have too. you can buy the peas in packages, but you can also get them in bulk, and that is the cheaper way. you soak and cook them exactly as you do the beans, and serve them with croutons on top; croutons are tiny squares of bread browned in the oven,--not fried in fat, as some people make them; those are very greasy. "you can also make purées of any fresh vegetable, carrots, or garden peas, or a mixture of several kinds of vegetables; cook them with onion and salt and pepper and bits of celery or parsley, and put them through the sieve and thicken them. all of them are improved by adding a little milk, but they will do as they are if you have none to spare." "do you put a bone in purées?" "if i happen to have one i do, but not otherwise; i never buy a bone for such a soup. remember that these thick soups go with the dinners with the light meat course, because they are so substantial. now we will go on to the next kind. "the stock soups are made with water, bones, meat, and vegetables. some housekeepers keep a stock pot on the back of the range and put in it any odds and ends they happen to have, adding more water and seasoning from time to time. when they want a soup, they pour off enough of the stock, strain and clarify it, and either use it as it is or put in something like tomato or potato. this is all very well if you have a range which goes day and night, and if you are careful to completely empty the pot twice a week in winter and three times a week in summer and scrub it out thoroughly and start an entirely fresh lot of bones and meat; otherwise the whole will have a sour taste. i think a better way is to start a soup on the fire and cook it all night in the tireless stove; start it over again in the morning, and cook it half a day more, and then cool and use it." "do you mean you pour off the soup, and it is all right just as it is?" "no, indeed; you first put what bones and meat and vegetables you have in cold water and slowly bring them to the boiling point and skim well. then you must simmer and simmer on the stove or in the tireless box. when it is done you cool it, take off the white cake of fat on top and save it for frying purposes; heat the soup again and clarify it by stirring in a washed and broken up egg-shell and a little of the white. when this has boiled with the soup for two minutes, the whole will clear. then you strain it and divide it; half you can have one night with tapioca or barley or minced vegetables, and the other half another night with perhaps tomato in it." "do you buy bones and things for stock soup?" "no, because i use what i have. i don't think it is necessary to buy things for it; but one thing i do; i keep a little kitchen bouquet in the house. it comes in a small bottle on purpose, and it flavors the soup and at the same time colors it brown; that is really necessary, making soup out of odd things, for too often it has little color. "milk soups come next, and those are always nice; cream of celery or cream of corn are among the best things we can have. unfortunately, if you have to buy your milk, they are rather expensive; however, i will tell you how to make them in case you have an extra pint to use up at any time. you take about a cupful of any vegetable and cook it in a pint of water till it is pulpy, adding a little onion, salt, and pepper; then you put it through the sieve, and add a pint of milk, or, rather, add as much milk as you have water, for often you can use only half a pint of each. then you thicken it slightly, cook it up once, strain, and serve. you can use left-overs of any sort for this,--the outer leaves of lettuce, a little spinach, a few cooked beets, or minced carrot, or a mixture of any different thing you happen to have in the refrigerator. i often make this soup in the morning and just heat it up for dinner, to save time; or, i get the vegetables ready and add the milk at night. now that is the end of the soup lesson; it is too easy to spend more time over." "but i can think of ever and ever so many more soups you have not so much as mentioned," said dolly, indignant at having her thirst for information treated in this summary manner. "you have not spoken of oyster soup or clam chowder, or tomato bisque, or potato soup, or--" mary put her hands over her ears. "i won't listen," she said. "i am not compiling a cook-book, as i keep on telling you over and over. i am only laying down general instructions, and after you get those fixed in your mind you can go on by yourself and have no trouble at all. i am in such a hurry to get on to meats, to tell the truth, that i feel like skipping everything to get to that, because to my mind it is the most important of all the subjects we have to learn about. it is where most housekeepers come to grief, if they do. i consider that a girl who wants to really live on a little cannot know too much about meat; she must simply have the whole subject at her finger-ends. "remember what i told you in your last lesson, that you cannot have regular dinner meat at all, but instead must have plain and cheap dishes of all sorts and kinds. now we will begin with beef, because that is really our staple; it is good and nourishing and has no waste about it. also it does not vary much in price in the different seasons of the year; it is a plain, substantial, dependable sort of meat. "though we cannot have regular roasting-roasts, we may have pot-roasts. to make those you buy a sort of square piece from the round. do not let the butcher persuade you to get a long, thin piece; insist on a chunk. sear this all over by pressing it down in a hot frying-pan, first on one side and then on the other; this makes a covering that keeps in the juices. then simmer it a long, long time in a deep covered dish; a casserole, or a crock, or some such thing. when it is half-done put in salt and pepper, chopped onions, and plenty of finely minced vegetables, and keep on cooking till it is tender and the juice is pretty well absorbed. you can cook it in the tireless stove all day, or keep it shut up in the oven of the range, or let it cook slowly on the back of it; but it must cook very slowly and a long, long time. this is all good solid meat, and a four-pound piece will easily make three meals, with perhaps something over for croquettes. "beef stew is just this same sort of thing; beef cut in finger lengths, and cooked with vegetables till very soft. serve that with the gravy thickened. chopped beef you can have in a dozen ways. buy cheap beef and put it through your own meat-chopper, to be quite sure it is perfectly clean. sometimes i get three pounds at once, and make up two pounds into beef loaf, mixing it with a cup of bread crumbs, an egg, salt, and pepper, and a little bit of salt pork. i put it in a bread tin and bake it two hours, basting it well with melted butter and water mixed, and serve it hot, with either a brown gravy or a tomato sauce. that is a dish good enough for a king. for the second dinner you slice what is left, and heat this in the gravy or tomato; or, have brown gravy with the loaf and thick tomato with the slices. "the other pound i make into a steak. now real porter-house steak is far too costly for you and me, but i recommend this substitute; you will be surprised to see how exactly it looks like a porter-house and how good it tastes. copy the shape and size of the real thing, and flatten out the chopped meat and make it into a long piece, larger at one end than the other. have the butcher give you some strips of suet and press one down through the middle, to represent the bone; put the other one all around the steak to look like the edge of fat. then put this into a hot, dry frying-pan and cook it, turning it only once and dusting with salt and pepper as you do so. do not overcook it, as it should be pink inside. take it up on a hot platter, put a little butter on top and parsley around the edge, and, behold, a perfectly gorgeous porter-house! "when i am going to make a beef loaf, and do not intend to have this steak, however, i get only two pounds and a half of the meat, and the extra half-pound i make up into little balls and fry. at the same time i fry thick rounds of banana and put one on each ball when i take them up; this is a very good combination. or, dolly, if you will never betray me, i will tell you a horrid secret. twice a year, when the equinoctial storm rages and i am positively certain no one can go out or come in that evening, i make up a plain little steak without suet of the extra half-pound, and all around the edge i put--fried onions!" "i don't wonder you said it was a horrid secret. i don't think i shall ever sink to that low level; fried onions are not romantic." "still, put it down, equinoctial and all, my dear, for fred probably will approve the dish in spite of your prejudice. and now one thing more about steak: did you ever hear of a flank steak?" "never in my life." "that is the answer most women would make to the question, i fancy; yet, strange to say, many epicures think this one of the best dishes of beef there is. you get the butcher to cut you one, and hang it till it is tender. then broil it, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dot with butter mixed with chopped parsley; if you have any doubts about its being tender, score it all over with a sharp knife and lay it in a little oil and vinegar mixed for half an hour or more before you cook it. you will really find it a delicious piece of meat, and you will have enough over for a second dinner, at least." "do you ever have corned beef?" "once in awhile. when we have it, i cook it till it is very tender and serve it as it is the first night; then i put it back in the water it was cooked in, to keep it from drying out, and the second time i have it i cut it up in even cubes and cream them and put them in a baking-dish with crumbs and butter on top, and brown it in the oven. it is difficult to use up corned beef, for it is not good sliced and warmed over, as most meats are. sometimes we have it cold, with a hot soup and vegetables; or i have a dish of hash put in a mould and baked. i turn this out and surround it with a ring of minced carrots and turnips; that does very well indeed. the stock i make into bean soup. "veal i find a most useful meat, for there is so little waste about it, like beef. when i have a roast i get the breast and stuff it and it is just as good as the higher priced roasts. i get the cheap cut from the leg too, and have a stew with dumplings in it, or a meat pie; if i have any over i sometimes mix it with egg, gravy, and crumbs and make a loaf of it. or i mince it, add chopped hard-boiled eggs, and serve it that way. then there is veal stew cooked with tomatoes; to make that, cut up the meat, add a slice of onion and a small cup of tomato, with a tablespoonful of rice or barley, and simmer them all till they are almost solid. this is very nourishing and good. veal cutlet is expensive, but half a pound goes a long way if you have it cut in small bits and pound them out, and bread and fry them. "then there is veal loaf; that is a delightful dish. get the cheapest veal you can buy and chop it; add a little chopped salt pork, bread crumbs, seasoning, some celery if you have any, or chopped nuts, and bake it as you did the beef loaf; that will make at least two dinners. in summer you can have that for dinner, cold. "and also for summer, do not forget to have veal and ham pie. you get about a pound of veal, a slice of ham, and a veal knuckle bone, and simmer them all together till the meat drops apart; put this in layers in a deep baking-dish, and add seasoning. boil down the stock to a cupful, strain it, add a level teaspoonful of gelatine dissolved in cold water, and pour it all over the meat; put on a thin crust and bake it. set it away to get ice-cold, and you will have a pie with the meat set in a delicious aspic jelly." "wasn't that the 'weal and hammer' of the boffins?" "it was indeed, and worthy of immortalization, too. and now as to a second dinner off one of these firsts. one of the perfectly improper dinner dishes you will want to have is croquettes. you can make them of any sort of meat, but they are particularly nice of veal. learn to make good croquettes, dolly. so few amateur cooks can do it, and it is the easiest thing in the world to do if only you will remember a few simple things." "i'll write the rule down; i love croquettes." "chop your meat evenly, to begin with; then make the white sauce with double the usual quantity of flour. instead of using one cup of milk, one tablespoonful of butter, and one of flour, you must take two of flour; that is the first thing to emphasize. you mix this with the meat and seasoning and cook it till it is a smooth paste; spread it out thickly in a platter and let it get perfectly cold before you take another step. i leave mine an hour, at the very least. then cut it up into small pieces and roll them under your hand and square the ends; dip each one in finely sifted bread crumbs--have them well sifted, dolly. next dip in half-beaten egg yolk, then in crumbs again, and then dry them thoroughly before you go any farther. i usually make the paste after breakfast and set it away, bread the croquettes after lunch and set them away again. then just before dinner i fry them, two at a time, in the wire basket in deep fat. i keep them in only enough to brown the crumbs; then i put them in the oven on paper to drain, leaving the door open. that way you make delicious croquettes, pale golden brown outside and creamy inside and with a soup--" "a good thick purée," interrupted dolly. "yes, and vegetables, you will have a substantial meal. "now for pork. i do hope you are going to see that you get that from a reliable man, and have it once in awhile, especially in winter, for it is to my mind neither indigestible nor unwholesome for a change, and it is such an inexpensive meat that it saves you ever so much. you can see for yourself that two pork chops, with all the other things you are to have for dinner, will be plenty of meat for two people, and so cheap! pork tenderloins i think are the greatest economy. try getting two of them and opening them lengthwise, filling them with bread-crumb stuffing, and roasting them with nice brown gravy; you will be perfectly surprised to see how good they are. there will be enough meat left over for a second dinner, either croquettes or scallop or something else. and there is this other way of cooking them: tell the butcher to french them for you; that is, to cut them into rounds and pound each one out into a little cake. cook these in the frying-pan till they are a pale brown; arrange them on a hot platter, and put an edge of mashed potato around. one good-sized tenderloin will make a dinner. "as to mutton, you can get what are called steaks of that; really they are chops from the top of the leg, round, with a bone in the middle. those you can simmer a little, as they are inclined to be tough, and then fry them; or broil them and have peas with them. and there is mutton stew, and scrag of mutton--a part of the neck,--and minced mutton made up into collops with worcestershire sauce, and mutton stewed with barley into a thick scotch broth and served like a stew; all those are cheap. as to roasts, once in a long time you can get a small leg of mutton and parboil it, to save roasting it all the time in the oven, and so shrinking it more or less. brown it at the last, however, and serve it with peas and mint jelly. for the second dinner there will be plenty to slice with the gravy, and enough still to offer again, perhaps disguised as a curry. of course the stock in which the meat was boiled must make a soup. tomatoes would go well with mutton, and after the bone was free, that could go in bean soup. as to lamb, i spoke of having stew of that, the cheap parts such as the neck, of course; and occasionally the forequarter for parties. we will experiment with that later on, so i am going to skip it now." "yes, do; i want to talk about chicken. are we never, never to have that? i think you are dreadfully severe." mary smiled. "well, as a concession, i will say that you can have it once in a long, long time, provided you conscientiously make up beforehand for the extravagance by going in for a regular diet of cheap things. when you do indulge, buy a large fowl, because that goes farther for the price. stew it till it is tender, and serve it in sections. cut the breast in four pieces, and lay two away; cut the second joints lengthwise, take out the bone and lay half the meat away with the breast. cook some boiled rice, to put around your platter; have plenty of gravy, and the first four pieces will do very well for two people. for the second dinner, brown the corresponding four pieces, and serve these with sweet potatoes. the third night, open the drumsticks, take out the bones, fill the centres with stuffing, and brown these. serve them on toast, like birds; you might well pretend that is what they are, too. you will still have the bits on the wings, neck and back for a nice luncheon dish or for croquettes; and the liver, gizzard, and heart should go into an omelette. after all, a fowl is not too expensive for two people provided they will make three meals of it; not too expensive for an occasional change, that is. it would be too much for daily consumption." "it would do provided the fowl was not too tough," corrected dolly. "it is tolerably sure to be tough, but long cooking corrects that. try this sometimes: instead of simmering it, cut it up and fry each piece a little; as you do so, put them in a kettle and add a very little water. when all are in see that the water just covers them; put a cover on and put this away in the tireless stove, or simmer it very slowly on the back of the range for four or five hours. it will come out brown and tender." "and put all left-over gravy and bones in the stock pot," dolly muttered to herself as she wrote this down. "now, before i forget it, tell me why the drumsticks are to be served 'on toast?' i see i have that expression down over and over. are you so awfully fond of toast as all that?" "toast, my dear child, is the way of making a small dish larger. when things are scanty it conceals the fact as nothing else does. don't you know how often the cook-books say, 'serve with sippets of toast?'" "now you mention it, i do seem to recall the phrase, though i thought it said 'snippets' of toast. i supposed they were a sort of garnish, like parsley." "they are a garnish, but at the same time they are one of the small economies of cooking. they get rid of bits of bread, and at the same time give an air to a dish while they help eke it out. "and now for the left-overs of meat. i have spoken of some of those as we have gone along, but there are heaps and heaps more. if you have a good deal of meat left over you can have english rissoles, for one thing; generally you make them out of beef, but not necessarily. you chop the meat, mix it with gravy and a raw egg to bind it, add a few crumbs and some seasoning, and roll the whole into balls. dip each one in flour and fry it in a wire basket. beef olives are thin slices of beef with a spoonful of crumbs put on each slice, and these rolled over once and pinned in place with a tiny wooden skewer--in other words, a wooden toothpick. any other meat can be used in the same way. mutton can be served a la marquise; that is, mince it, mix it with boiled rice and curry-powder and a tiny bit of onion, and a raw egg to bind it all; make into balls and fry them. sliced mutton is nice dipped in french dressing and broiled. cottage loaf is good, especially for an extra busy day. for that, line a dish with mashed potato, put the minced and seasoned meat in the centre and cover with more potato; bake this and turn out in a mould. tomato sauce goes well with this dish by way of gravy. baked hash is just minced meat mixed with gravy, pressed into a mould and baked in the oven till it will turn out. "when you have only a little meat left over and can make none of these dishes, try soufflé; i have never found anything so good to help out. you chop the meat till you have a cupful; or, if there is less, measure everything else in the same proportion. with a cupful take as much white sauce, a little minced onion and parsley, salt and pepper, and put it all on the fire with two beaten egg yolks. cook this three minutes; take it off and cool it, and fold in the stiffly beaten whites. put it in a buttered baking-dish and bake it half an hour and serve at once while it is nice and puffy. "besides this have croquettes, and if you are short of meat for those, put in a little boiled rice. and when your meat gives out altogether, try this cheap and very nice mexican dish: put in a saucepan a quarter of a pound of dried beef cut up rather small, with a cup of tomato and a quarter of a cup of rice, a little onion and seasoning; cook till the rice is soft. the rest of the beef in the box, if you buy it that way, you can broil; it is like delicate ham. "i should think all these things ought to make it easy for you to at least begin to manage; afterwards you can go on and have anything more you can find to make that is good and cheap." "i think somebody once told me that twice-cooked food was not wholesome; do you really believe it is a good idea to have warmed-over things for dinners?" "think of the french once more! they have the greatest number of made dishes in the world and they never have dyspepsia. and then you are to have warmed-over things only every other night, at the worst, and not always then, by any means, and i am sure you will thrive on them." "one thing more; do you believe it pays to spend so much time and thought and all that on doing over things? don't you think you might as well buy fresh ones as to put so much strength in these?" "my dear girl, if you are going to save your money you must expend your time and ingenuity in doing so. i don't believe in wasting strength, but i do believe in using it wisely in order to save buying unnecessarily. but you will learn that as you go on. now do you think i have told you enough about meat to enable you to keep the wolf from the door?" "i do, indeed; i only hope fred will consent to eat these things. if he finds out he is dining on left-overs and dried beef and scrags of mutton, i am afraid he will think me a pretty poor sort of housekeeper." "do you suppose any mere man is going to know that he is eating cheap meat unless you actually tell him so in plain words? not at all; he will eat all these delicacies and declare that they are far better than roasts of beef and spring lamb, and wonder how you can possibly afford to have such good things on your little housekeeping income. you will simply be covered with glory, and he will never know how you are deceiving him for his own good." "i think it is going to be dreadfully trying to live on an allowance, anyway. it will be just like being shipwrecked on a raft, and having exactly so much hardtack and so many ounces of water doled out to you each day. if you eat any of your to-morrow's provisions you won't be alive when a ship sights you at last. in other words, you will never get your salary raised if you don't live within what you have now." "you won't deserve to have it raised if you can't live within what you have now; so much is sure. but you won't have any trouble. remember to keep within your week's allowance, not your daily one; there's comfort in that for you. you can see that one day you may buy two days' food at once, and so spend part or all of the dollar that properly belongs to to-morrow; but the end of the week straightens that out comfortably, and if that account comes out all right you cannot run over the whole." "i really believe we had better be vegetarians and live on pea soup and lentils and peanuts and such things. being both cheap and filling, what more could one ask?" "well, vegetarians have taught us all a great deal. i think, however, that men who have been brought up to have meat at least once a day do not take kindly to a diet which cuts it out altogether. but i am sure they are far better off without too much meat, and if they can be made to think they are getting as much as usual when really they are getting only half as much, that is a distinct gain. always remember what i told you, that they do not inquire too closely exactly what they are getting to eat if only it is good; that is something to count among your mercies." "have you any idea what you spend for meat a day?" "yes; we have it for dinner only, and, as i explained, i buy enough one day for at least two dinners. dividing the two or possibly three pounds up in that way, of course it makes the daily total absurdly small; i suppose it averages only about twenty cents,--probably less." "that does seem impossible, except as i review the baked hash and other dinner meats you mentioned. and with this enormous expense you pay for vegetables, milk, eggs, butter, and all the rest, and yet put pennies in the kitchen bank?" "of course. i buy meat one day, vegetables the next, flour the third, and so on; that is the explanation." "well, i see that it is not quite as impossible as one would think at first sight, anyway." "you are only in the first stages of housekeeping yet, so wait awhile, my dear, before you make up your mind one way or the other. now get your hat and we will go down-town and buy the dinner for to-night,--pot-roast, i think, for one thing." "pot-roast to-night; to-morrow the remains of yesterday's mutton; the next day the beef again,--in soufflé, possibly, provided dick comes home to-night with a good appetite, in which case little will be left." "don't forget the soup; we have a vegetable one to-night." "then there may possibly be enough beef left for rissoles next time." "good girl," said mary, approvingly, "you are learning, and deserve a reward, and, as george eliot says 'the reward for work well done is the ability to do more work,' we will pick out a particularly difficult lesson on something for to-morrow," and she laughed over the ungrateful face dolly made as she went for her marketing hat. chapter v vegetables, salads, desserts "after soup and meat i suppose we have dessert," said dolly, as she hung up her dish-washing apron. "no, indeed; after soup we have vegetables with the meat, and sometimes salad next, before we come to the dessert. i think those things are difficult to manage, too, especially the vegetables; so sharpen up your wits and let us finish up dinners as soon as possible. i seem to see so much ahead all the time that i am in a constant hurry; there are breakfasts and luncheons, preserves, and entertaining, not to mention about forty more things, each one more interesting than the last. so hurry!" "begin," said dolly, finding her pencil; "i'm all attention." "suppose we take up the subject of potatoes, then, because those come oftenest on the table. potatoes are one of the extravagances of the housekeeper, strange as it may seem at first sight. to have them twice a day, to peel them carelessly and throw away about a quarter of each potato, and to buy them by the small basketful in the first place, are all distinctly wasteful. if you live where you can do it, dolly, always buy them in good measure, a half-barrel at a time, let us say, when you find they are rather cheap, as they are in the fall; then toward the end of winter, when they grow dearer all the time, do not have them right along. i would not have them for luncheon at all, if i were you; i never have them then; and at night have boiled rice twice a week with the meat, choosing the time by the kind you have, for some things are better with rice than others." "chicken goes well with it." "yes, and lamb stew, and in general meats with gravy. then once a week have macaroni in place of potatoes, and vary the way you cook it; at one time have cheese and the next time tomatoes. you can put in about a quarter of a can of those, and use the rest in other ways; perhaps put a second quarter of the can into a beef stew and still have a half-can for one night's vegetable. then remember when you are cooking potatoes that it is a time-saving plan to boil enough for two meals, or even more. you can mash the first supply, because they must be freshly cooked for that; but make more than you need, and the second time you can make potato-cakes of the left-overs of those; the third time you can cream what are still plain boiled. by the way, sometimes cut or chop these potatoes quite fine, and after creaming them put crumbs on top and bake them; that is a good change. of course you can scallop the second supply, too, or chop and brown them, or serve in any one of a dozen ways; look those things all up, so you will not get into a rut. so many women seem to know only two ways of cooking potatoes, for they always serve them either boiled or mashed. and, dolly, when you have a maid to peel your potatoes for you, do try and teach her to cut the peel thin; she will possess an inveterate determination to cut it thick, and it will probably be a lifelong battle to teach her to do your way, but your duty will be to persevere just the same. if she will not learn, at least you can have her boil the potatoes whole first and scrape off the peel afterwards; that will save them in spite of her. "as to the other vegetables, i think we ought to add another dinner rule to those i laid down when we were on that subject, and that is this: buy only the vegetables that are in season. you know that all winter long city people can have spinach and string-beans and eggplant and such things, because they come from the south, and also because many of them can be kept in cold storage,--eggplant for one. but these are always expensive. you must resolutely turn your back on them when you market; you cannot have them at all." "we have to have canned things, i suppose," said dolly, writing down the statement immediately, with conscious pride in her knowledge. "canned! not at all. canned vegetables are far too costly for you; like everything else, they have risen in price. you must use them very carefully indeed, and for every-day use you must depend on old-fashioned winter things, parsnips and turnips and beets and onions; really, if you cook them in nice new ways they are very good, too, and you will not mind at all." "i don't believe there are any new ways." "indeed there are; i can't stop to tell you many of them, but here are just a few ideas. cook parsnips a long time, season and slice them, and put them in the double boiler with a little butter and let them smother; brown them a little at the end in the frying-pan, and you will find them really delicious. or, cook them soft, add salt and pepper, and make them into little cakes and fry them brown. never boil, slice and fry them, as we once did; they are frightfully indigestible so. "turnips you can steam, dice and cream alone, or better, mix them with a few peas and diced carrots and serve them around meat. you can get a pint or so of dried peas and soak them up as you need them, to avoid opening a can each time. "a delightful company way of serving turnips is this: boil or steam them whole and scrape them; scoop out the tops till you have a little white cup of each one, and cut a slice from the bottom, to make it stand evenly; put butter, salt, and pepper in each and fill with drained and seasoned canned peas. you can't think how pretty they are; you can have those with mutton or lamb. the inside bits you mix with the carrots the next night, as i told you. "speaking of carrots, they are considered one of the most wholesome of vegetables, because they are full of iron; so have them often. just boil them, cut them up and cream them, or drain them dry and put a little butter on them if you are short of milk; they are especially good with hamburg steak or beef in any shape. "beets you boil, scrape and dice and put in a very little white sauce; any left over make a good milk soup the second night. or, for company you fix them exactly as you did the turnips; make them into cups and fill them with peas. i am not sure which is the prettier dish. "onions you have once in awhile for a change; they are certainly good for you, and they need not be odoriferous. cut them up and simmer them in just enough water to cover them, adding a bit of soda. drain them,--and, by the way, do not 'throw away the water,' as cook-books say, but save it for soup; put the onions in a baking-dish with white sauce and crumbs and bake them. i think with a dinner ending with black coffee no one will suspect you of having eaten them. if ever you find any especially large onions in market, or can pick out several from the quart of the ordinary kind, boil these whole, and when they are soft take out the middle part and fill them with bread crumbs and bake them, basting them occasionally. "salsify or oyster-plant is really an extremely good vegetable if only it is well cooked, which it isn't, as a general thing. try this way: simmer it till it is very tender indeed; take it up and drain it and scrape it well. then cut off the little end and also the top, so that what is left is like a croquette in shape; of course the rest can go in soup, so it will not be lost. dip each piece in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, exactly as you do croquettes, and let them dry; fry in deep fat in a wire basket, and you will be astonished to see what a nice new dish you have. "as to cabbage, there you have a real treasure. if every woman could only cook it in the hygienic way she would find she had one of the greatest helps in winter. it is so cheap, so good, and so easily digested when it is right that it is a pity every one does not know how to do it. you cut the cabbage up in quarters and take out the core; the four pieces you put in a pot of hard-boiling water, dropping in one at a time gently, so as not to stop the boiling. then put in a small plate or anything to keep it under water, a piece of soda as large as the end of your little finger, and some salt, and boil as hard as you can for twenty-five minutes, being careful to keep the pot uncovered." "think of the horrid odor, mary! it would just fill the house." "that is exactly what it would not do, my dear. if you cover the pot, the cabbage will make itself known at once, but if you boil it hard and keep it uncovered, it will not; if you don't believe me, try for yourself. at the end of the time take it up and press the water out in the colander and cut it up. put it in a hot dish and cover with white sauce; and then bless your kind sister who taught you how to make one of the best things you ever ate. "now the canned things come next. there, as i said, you must economize, and the best way to do that aside from buying few of them, is to always make two meals of each canful. that is not difficult to do with a small family. for instance, when you have tomatoes, serve half stewed down with bits of toast in them; the next time scallop what is left with crumbs, to help out. canned corn you also divide, having two-thirds as it is, drained and freshly creamed, of course, with lots of seasoning; and the next night you have the left-over third in corn fritters. by the way, dolly, try the grated corn; it is better than the other kind, and you can have another change by sometimes serving the first part in a baked corn custard. if you use the ordinary kind, you will also make one can go farther by adding some beans and serving it as succotash. "canned peas are one of the most useful things for an emergency, for they can be combined with so many other things; with croquettes they are delicious, and with sliced meat. just reheat the meat and have a circle of creamed peas around it on the platter. and with salmon, too, they are invaluable. however, be careful in buying them, for they are not cheap, and remember to buy small american peas, not french ones, even for company. canned string-beans are good for some things, but you do not need them as a vegetable; i'll come to those later on. asparagus is out of court entirely, for it's too expensive for us. "as to dried things, by all means invest in dried beans of all kinds; most of them you will use for soups, but lima beans are excellent as a vegetable. soak them with a bit of soda, to bring back their color, and then season well. i believe always in adding a bit of onion to the water i soak them in, for it brings out the flavor; and then add white sauce or butter, as usual. i suppose few people ever bake lima beans, but they are very good, especially for a change. in winter, dolly, have plenty of baked beans for luncheon, the ordinary kind and the limas, and once in awhile pretend to live in boston and have a big dish of nice crisply browned beans, with a bit of pork in them, for saturday night's dinner, in place of meat." "all right, i will. but if you have come to a stopping-place, may i speak? tell me this: are we never to have any green things, celery or lettuce, for instance?" "celery you must watch for, and when you find it is cheap, as sometimes you may,--for small bunches often look rusty and go for a little when they are still useful,--then buy some. open it and take out the best parts for dinner as they are; scrape the outside pieces and cut them up; stew them and bake in a white sauce. you can put a little grated cheese over the top with the crumbs if you choose; it makes a good dish that way. and as to lettuce, that turns me to salads. "you know how strongly i believe in having a nice fresh green salad, with a light dressing of oil, for dinner every single day; it is a real hardship that people who must live on a little cannot have it right along, but they cannot. once in awhile in winter you will find what grocers call 'seconds' in market; that is, lettuce which has had its outer leaves pulled off because they are withered. those little round heads sell for a small sum, often five cents or less; one of them is plenty for two people, so buy whenever you can. you can omit the soup that night; begin with a heavy meat, such as pot-roast or corned beef, have the salad next, and then dessert. or, here is another way i like still better: have the soup and meat and vegetables as usual, with the salad next, served with crackers and cheese, and have no dessert at all, simply coffee last. we often do that way. "besides lettuce, however, you can frequently find watercress in market for five cents a head, and often chicory; both those are good for dinner salads. and shredded cabbage mixed with nuts is good, and of course celery. as to the oil, there is an economy you must practise. never buy bottled oil; it is frightfully dear and too often it is not fresh. besides, the so-called quart bottles hold only a pint by actual measurement. always go to an italian grocery and get the oil that comes in tins, at about sixty cents a real quart; that is pure and fresh and does not turn rancid, no matter how long you keep it, because it is not exposed to the light. one tin will last a long time, so it is not expensive. anyway, you buy that out of the box on the mantel, as it is a staple." "so we can have only plain salads, and those occasionally," mourned dolly. "and i simply dote on grapefruit salad for dinner." "watch your market, then. once in awhile you can buy a grapefruit for about seven cents; get it by all means, and a little head of lettuce, and have it; only remember to make up for your extravagance by having a cheap meat twice over. and sometimes you can have orange salad in the same way; get one or two oranges, cut them in thick slices, and serve with french dressing. you don't need lettuce for that." "good! that's an idea that suits me, and i will cheerfully sacrifice dessert to have either kind. is that the end of salads?" "not quite. you can have canned string-beans sometimes, very cold, with french dressing, either as they are or on lettuce. and of course escarole and romaine and anything else you find that is cheap; sometimes in a city market one of them will be. and in the spring you can have nice little dandelion leaves and spinach and garden lettuce, and such things. and in summer--in summer, dolly, you can simply revel in salads. then i should dispense with soup for dinner and have one every single day; sometimes twice a day. there's nothing more wholesome in the whole range of eatables, and nothing which requires so little preparation. there are a thousand things to have in summer; study them up by all means." "i suppose you do not have salads with mayonnaise for dinner, or you would speak of salmon and chicken salad and all those things." "no, those are for luncheon and we will take them up then. i think that is the end of the dinner salads." "now for desserts," said dolly, cheerfully. "those are the best of all. i really and truly know how to make some of those, too. you remember, mary, i began to take cooking lessons once, and got in three, all on desserts, and then i went off visiting and never finished the course. but i did learn how to make bomb glacé, and marrons with whipped cream, and a perfectly delicious sort of iced pudding that i know fred will just love, if only i have not forgotten all about them!" "well, suppose we begin with some of the plainer things," laughed her sister; "rice pudding for one." "oh, i forgot," dolly groaned. "yes, i suppose we must have rice pudding and bread pudding and corn-starch pudding and tapioca pudding in a pleasing round, and when we have completed the circle we begin and have them all over again. i hate them all!" "you are tolerably certain to have them, at one time or another, but i would not have them in rotation, and i would dress them up so as to change them whenever i could. but before we go into details, let me tell you one important thing: that is, that in making desserts you must be extra careful, for most of them take eggs and butter and sugar and possibly a good many other things that cost money, especially in winter time. you must have simple desserts, made from apples when they are cheap, and rice, and as you suggest, tapioca and corn-starch at times. in summer, of course, you can have fruit, and if you live in the country there are lots of good things to make out of milk and cream, especially cream. but in town, be on your guard. have the plain things, but disguise them so they will seem new. "bread pudding can be varied in ever so many ways. one day you can put raisins in; another you can put in home-made orange peel or orange marmalade; still another, put dates in it or chocolate. a little something different is very nice, and a man will never know that, after all, he is eating bread pudding each time. "so with corn-starch pudding; you can have infinite variety there. always make it soft, never stiff, dolly, look out for that; and one day put in a little chocolate, and another a few chopped nuts with a dash of almond flavoring, and a third mix the milk with as much coffee; or add orange juice or lemon. always change the flavor, and you will not tire of the basis. i find the best way to serve those things is in glasses, too, not on plates; they go a great deal farther, for one ordinary portion will serve two people easily. then, too, a plain cold pudding seems nicer and more appetizing served in little glasses or glass cups, so it pays. "tapioca is good for a cold night's dinner. try the instantaneous kind, and you will find it turns out a sort of hot jelly, and very good. in that you can have clear coffee once, and apples or oranges at other times, and any sort of canned fruits you have left over; and as it takes no eggs and no butter, just like corn-starch pudding, it is particularly cheap. "as to rice pudding, cook one tablespoonful of rice in one pint of milk with one tablespoonful of sugar; put it in a baking-dish and put it in a moderate oven in the morning for an hour or more, and as a crust forms on top, turn it underneath and the bottom part up, and repeat till the whole is soft and creamy and pale brown; then let the top brown. put in raisins or chopped dates, and eat it very cold, and you will think you have found something deserving a fancy french name, it is so good, and different from plain rice pudding as one usually gets it. orange marmalade, too, is very nice on cold rice pudding. "when apples are cheap try apple porcupine. peel and core and bake the apples, and when they are cold stick them full of strips of blanched almonds; five cents' worth will be enough for six apples. if you serve them covered with a nice glaze of sugar and water syrup made by basting them as they cook, you will not need cream with them, though it is nice, too. "junket takes only milk and sugar, but you must dress it up well when you have it. i mean if you have one little pot of preserved ginger in your closet for use at such times, put the junket in glasses to set, and serve with the ginger cut in little cubes on top and a bit of juice with it. one pot of ginger costs only fifteen cents and keeps forever. so i would get it occasionally; or, make some for yourself from the root, in the fall. "as to pies, in winter i have them rather often, but i make them as the english do, in a baking-dish with an upper crust only. i take a small can of fruit which i have put up on purpose, perhaps blueberries or cherries or plums, and fill the dish; then i add sugar, and a sprinkling of flour, put on the crust and bake it, and serve it almost or quite cold. that is a wholesome dessert and one a man is certain to approve of. apple tart is very good, too, and of course peach or apricot tart are best of all, if you can get these fruits cheaply, as you sometimes can in september. "gelatine things are economical, because with them you do not need butter or eggs. any sort of cooked fruit, such as prunes or canned fruits, needs only to be set with gelatine in a pretty mould and served with the fruit juice, or cream if you have it. in a city you can't have it often, but luckily people who own cows may; i only hope they appreciate their blessings as they should. "then try french pancakes; sometimes you will have griddle cakes for breakfast. save a little batter and for dinner make four cakes for two people, because two will be called for apiece. while they are hot spread them with jam or jelly, roll them up and cover thickly with mixed sugar and cinnamon. "shortcakes in summer are an unfailing delight; have them with strawberries and raspberries and peaches. in winter you can make a rather thin layer of shortcake, split it open while it is warm, spread it with a little butter and sugar, and put jam inside or rich preserves and serve a little boiled custard with it. all these things, you see, take only a short time to make, as well as few costly ingredients. i don't think it good policy for people who are trying to economize to put much time or money on desserts. indeed, if i could i believe i would always have fruit; but in town it is too expensive, except occasionally. sometimes i do have baked bananas; those are cheap, certainly, and good, too; and when i find some good and cheap oranges i have two for dessert and possibly save a little elsewhere. one orange sliced with two bananas goes a long way, too." "and no ices or ice-creams, mary! are we never to have those?" "of course--i forgot them. in winter i put out a small pail of water at night and freeze it; the next day i make an ice or sherbet from some simple thing, such as part of a can of pineapple, or a lemon or orange, and freeze it. this costs almost nothing at all, especially as i save the salt and dry it for next time. for creams i get the ice in the same way when i can, and either make a mousse and put it in the fireless stove, or make a cheap boiled custard and freeze that, adding a few dried and rolled macaroons to enrich it, or even a few dried crumbs of boston brown-bread, which, strange to say, look and taste much the same. of course you must not deliberately buy ingredients for ice-cream except for company, but an ice you can have whenever you choose. then in summer, if you can get ice cheaply, you can have fruits made into sherbet or frozen as they are. i think frozen peaches are perfectly delicious." "so they are, and three peaches with sugar enough to sweeten them ought not to cost much, surely, nor would frozen watermelon." "speaking of that, reminds me of something i had last summer which was cheap and good, which you might put down. i had some watermelon on hand which had lost its freshness; indeed, it was not fit to put on the table as it was, but my conscience would not let me throw it away. i just chopped it up, sweetened it with a little sugar and water syrup, flavored it with a dash of cooking-sherry, and froze it, and it came out one of the best sherbets i ever ate in my life." "it does sound good. i'll write that down; and we can have lots of melons for dessert in the autumn, just as they are." "yes, indeed; have all the fruit you can when it is cheap. you can serve it in so many ways that you can never tire of it. that suggests something else, too,--nuts. you have no idea, dolly, how nuts help out in winter. when you have no time to make dessert, or nothing in the house to make it of, try serving nuts and a few raisins with the coffee for a final course, and you will be surprised to see the rapture which fred will show. men always like nuts, and if you are careful not to have them after a heavy dinner of corned beef or such things, they are not unwholesome. of course you must not have many; just a few with the black coffee. keep them for emergencies, too, and do not have them too often, or they may pall, which would be a pity, for a dessert of nuts, raisins, and coffee will often cover a multitude of deficiencies in the dinner." "good; and i must put down not to have anything made with eggs or butter or cream, so i won't forget your words of wisdom about those." "don't put down a 'never,' only a 'seldom,' then. i do have things made with whipped cream sometimes, for a bottle holding a quarter of a pint costs ten or twelve cents, and judiciously used makes two desserts, in part at least, so once in awhile i indulge in it. half a box of red raspberries, served in two glasses, with a big spoonful of whipped cream on top of each, is ever so good. and just a little cream on a small open shell of pie-crust filled with preserved fruit, makes it what the late delia used to call 'a stylish dish.' no, don't entirely bar out all expensive ingredients, dolly; sometimes you can have some of them in homoeopathic quantities. a few lady-fingers, split in halves and cut across, laid in two glasses with a spoonful of flavored cream on top, make a good dessert, especially if there is a bit of jam tucked underneath the cream. and after all, the lady-fingers cost only two cents and the cream five or six,--so you see." "i see," said dolly. "and eggs, now; may i ever make desserts with them?" "certainly, in the spring you can have them in a custard often; and a little sweet omelette made with jam is a delightful finish to a dinner, and it takes only two eggs to make it." "then how am i to know what to do? no, don't tell me, for i know myself. i use my common sense." "exactly. keep your eyes and ears open when you go to market, and buy things in season and cheaply, and have whatever you can afford. it would be too ridiculous to have rice puddings when strawberries were cheaper, or corn-starch, when you could have sherbet or some other delicacy. just 'use your common sense,' and you will be safe. and this finishes dinners, at last, and with a good motto for your book to head the chapter as well as to close it." chapter vi breakfast, luncheon, supper--odds and ends "to-day we will begin on the smaller meals," said mrs. thorne, one morning. "those seem trifles light as air after the heavy work we have put on dinners, and as the meals themselves are far from being substantial, we ought not to have to spend very much time or thought on any of them. "breakfast comes first, of course. for that you will need to plan for plain, simple dishes only. it would be nice always to have a first course of fruit, but in winter that is really impossible on our tiny income, since it has grown so expensive. in summer i do try and have it, if not every day, at least every other day. ordinarily i can find some sort of berries in market within my means; and if we lived in the country, dolly, we could have something from our garden, surely. but in cold weather we either do without or have something twice a week only. often i find bananas costing only a trifle, perhaps even ten cents a dozen at times, and then i get half a dozen; not more, because probably they are rather too ripe to keep long or they would not sell for the price. oranges, too, sometimes come into market in quantities, and then small ones are cheap for a few days. in the autumn i have baked apples frequently. we could have dried fruits, prunes, and peaches, and so on, but neither dick nor i care for those for breakfast, so i do not get them. but i do get figs, a half-pound at a time, and dates in the same quantity, and stew those and cut them up in a hot cereal; they are a great addition to it. and often we have neither fruit nor cereal, but instead a second course of hot dry toast and home-made orange marmalade. "the days we do not have fruit we often have cereal first; not always, mind, for we tire of it. probably we have it three times a week. and here, dolly, let me give you some advice: look out for the cost of cereals; there is one place where economy counts more than you would believe. many of the cereals that come in boxes cost fifteen cents or more and do not last any time because they are loose and light; those are what i call extravagant breakfast foods. you must use the plainer things; old-fashioned oatmeal and cracked wheat, bought in bulk, and rice and corn-meal. they go twice, no, three times as far as the things you buy in packages. if you cook the oatmeal and wheat all night they will be really very good and far more wholesome and digestible than the same things bought in small amounts and cooked up in twenty minutes. never fail to cook your cereals a long time, dolly, no matter how 'instantaneous' they are said to be. as for the corn-meal, that you can have as a second course in fried mush, or you can make up a well salted mush with raisins in it." "what we had when we were children, plum porridge!" interrupted dolly, smiling, "and didn't we love it!" mary nodded, but went on without pausing. "the rice you can have boiled, with or without raisins in it, for one morning, and another you can have it in little brown cakes or croquettes; or you can make griddle-cakes out of what is left over." "do you buy extra cream for these cereals?" "no, unfortunately we can't do that, though i wish we could. here again is where i long to keep a cow. but as it is, i take off just a little of the very top of the milk for coffee and the next best i put on for the cereal." "and do you have muffins and cakes and those hot breads?" "i think i had better tell you in order just what we have, because you will understand it all better. i arrange breakfast this way: "first, if it is a day when we are to have fruit, a course of that; afterward a hot dish, a little bacon, an egg apiece, milk toast, or creamed codfish, or some simple thing warmed over that i have in the house; often in summer fried tomatoes on toast. and i have coffee and hot rolls or biscuits or muffins or toast, too. "that is one sort of breakfast. when we do not have fruit i have cereal, let us say; after that we do not care for anything hot and substantial, as when the first course was an orange, perhaps, so we have the coffee and muffins alone. or, for a third breakfast, one for cold weather, we begin with a hot dish and coffee and have cakes afterward." "i am astonished to hear you speak of having eggs as though they were to be bought for nothing. i thought in town they cost too much to eat them up recklessly." "so they do, in winter; they are often four cents apiece. but you see then i do not use them in cooking, or only occasionally, so even at that price i can afford to have them for breakfast twice a week, and that is the extent of my recklessness." "but one apiece! my dear mary, i am positively certain fred will demand two eggs for his breakfast, if that is all he is to have." "then you must scramble the one-apiece with milk and serve them on toast, and he will think he is having any number of them. or, make a parsley omelette of two with a little milk; or have them hard-boiled, chopped, and creamed, on toast or in individual dishes, with crumbs on top; that is an easy way out of the difficulty. he can't count how many eggs there are on the table when they are served mixed up." "i only hope he won't ask, that's all. now before you leave breakfasts tell me whether you ever have waffles." "yes, when i have time enough to make them. on sundays, when dick does not have to hurry away, we often have them, but not when i have to rush; then i have easy things." "and don't you have to rise with the lark to get a breakfast of two courses?" "no, indeed; i put on the things to heat, such as the cooked cereal out of the tireless stove; or i start the corn-meal mush in the kettle and put the muffins in the oven. while they are getting themselves ready i lay the table and make the coffee and put on the butter and set out the fruit, or whatever else i am to have. i pride myself on having everything ready in a very little while." "so breakfast is just fruit or cereal; muffins or toast; eggs or bacon or codfish, and coffee," said dolly, as she wrote these down. "not quite, for there are a number of small dishes i make out of scraps of this or that, but those will come later on. many of them will be under luncheon dishes; that is, easy things to make up for any informal meal. but this will do for the present. now we will begin on luncheons." "i think those are so interesting, too; we can have all sorts of good things creamed and in croquettes and salads. luncheon is such a dainty meal." "unfortunately you cannot have exactly everything you can think of, for your luncheons must be made up of odds and ends, usually what is to be found in the refrigerator. still i agree with you in thinking this an interesting meal, but partly, i am afraid, because i enjoy the fun of getting something out of nothing. you must remember that you cannot use up anything at noon that will do for dinner; the meat and vegetables left over from one night, you know--" "yes, of course; you must use them up the next night. but if you cannot have those and cannot buy on purpose, what can you have?" "there is where the fun comes in; you must study up possible dishes made out of odds and ends. i am not going to try and make a full list for you, but just to begin on, i will give you a few things you can have: "macaroni and cheese; cheese fondu; rarebit; milk toast; milk toast with grated cheese on it; french fried toast; vegetable croquettes; fish croquettes; creamed fish; baked potatoes cut in halves and the centres scooped out, mixed with creamed codfish and browned; sweet potatoes treated in the same way, omitting the fish; spanish toast,--that is, thick tomato, green peppers, and onion, on toast; corn fritters; clam fritters; fruit fritters; creamed peas; croustades of bread filled with any sort of creamed meat, fish, or egg; green peppers filled with similar things; baked beans; fried eggplant; stuffed eggplant; all sorts of salads with mayonnaise; creamed celery, baked; cabbage and cheese baked; rice and tomatoes; rice croquettes; potato croquettes; eggs in every shape when they are cheap; all kinds of griddle-cakes and muffins. as a second course, if you want one: jam and thin crackers; or cookies, or gingerbread, or a bit of cake; left over preserves, or anything sweet that you have at hand; and of course tea or cocoa. you see how easy luncheons are, even if you can't have meat. really the greatest help in learning to keep house is to understand how to have good luncheons at a small expense; when you know that, you know how to do both breakfast and dinner better." "of course if i am all alone i can have a good luncheon with but little to eat, but you know what a way people in town have of dropping in at that time. suppose you, for instance, should come in some fine day; i am sure there would not be enough for two people." "that is one of the places where i hope, my dear, your grandmother's 'faculty' will assert itself. suppose i do come in, or even a more formidable person than i. if you were planning to have a cup of soup left over from the night before for a first course, thin it with a very little boiling water and a seasoning of kitchen bouquet if it is a stock soup, and add a little milk if it is a cream soup, and serve it in two half-filled cups instead of one full one. there will be enough that way without too much liquidating. if you were to have had a hot dish first, say a little baked corn, put in a beaten egg and a trifle of milk, and it will grow larger at once; or, if you planned to have one plate of string-bean salad, add a hard-boiled egg quartered to the quantity, and there will be enough for two. if you were to have had some little hot thing which you cannot add to, fry some potatoes to go with it, and add 'sippets of toast.' if there is nothing whatever to eat, make an omelette, or open one of the tins of tomatoes you keep for such an occasion and have spanish toast, and then tea and crackers and cheese and jam; you see it is simple enough." dolly groaned. "yes, simple enough for you, my experienced sister, but most frightfully difficult for me." "just in anticipation, dolly. really it is great fun to manage, and you will enter into the spirit of the thing when once you get to work. now we will take suppers next in order." "i thought you did not believe in suppers." "i do not, but i must take into consideration that you may have to live where it is customary to have them instead of dinners at night, and you must possibly conform; or, fred's work may send him home at noon and again late in the evening; in that case you must also have them. anyway, the subject is part of your education and you cannot be allowed to skip it. "you lay the table in the same way as for breakfast and luncheon, with doilies instead of a tablecloth; suppers are really the very same thing as luncheons, you have the same things to eat. you can have a first course of soup, if you like, served always in cups or bouillon bowls, not in soup plates; or, you can begin with a hot dish. in winter time you must have things of the same sort as i planned for luncheon; not meat, but baked corn, or minced clams, or milk toast, or bread croustades, or baked beans; with them go potatoes, possibly, sometimes, or merely tea or coffee, with hot biscuits or muffins. then comes a salad, if you choose. in summer i have the main dish for either luncheon or supper of salad, and you can serve mayonnaise or french dressing on them. here a meat or fish salad comes in if you can afford it; chicken or cold salmon with mayonnaise, or lobster, or whatever you can have easily. afterward comes the sweet course; or you can omit the salad, as you did the soup, and have the supper consist of the main dish first, with tea or coffee, and the sweet course next and last. it depends on circumstances what you will decide to do. of course with a heavy dinner in the middle of the day you would have a lighter supper at night; but if you wanted to enlarge the meal for company, you do it by putting on the extra courses. "for the sweet course you usually have preserves in winter and berries in summer, with cake or cookies or gingerbread. or, you can have hot gingerbread and american or cream cheese, and no fruit; or you can have first one thing and then the other." "it seems to me you have a good deal of cheese in your suppers and luncheons. i thought it was considered indigestible." "not at all, by those who understand how to use it. most of the nations of the world live largely on it and have digestions of iron. do not have it with meat, but in the place of meat, because it is so hearty. when you put it in a dish and cook it, always put in a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper and one of soda, that makes it perfectly wholesome. when once it is digested it is all solid nourishment, too, and for the money you get more than you can in any other way; so don't be afraid to use it. cream cheese is always considered easily assimilated, and if you can get some one to make it fresh for you out of country milk you will find it a perfect standby." "you passed lightly over the subject of cake for supper; don't we have chocolate layer-cakes at all?" "dolly, try hard to curb the natural propensity to make chocolate cake which lies in every woman's heart. all girls, i know, consider it the very staff of life, but it isn't; it is an expensive thing to make, and as few men care for it, it is largely wasted on them. do not make much cake of any sort, and when you do, make up simple little things and have them fresh. make cookies and gingerbread and drop-cakes and spice-cakes and peanut wafers and such things, and when you are tempted to indulge in a great layer-cake, count up first the ingredients, the butter and sugar and eggs and other things--and refrain." "i have already written down somewhere in my book, 'beware of ingredients,'" said dolly, meekly. "that is an excellent rule, too: 'beware of ingredients.' stick to it, my dear. now, if you are sure you understand suppers, we will go on." "i think i do. have a hot dish in winter for a main course, and something nice and cold in its place in summer. have coffee or tea and preserves or shortcake or gingerbread and such things afterward, usually. when you have company, begin with soup, then have the main course, then the salad, and last the sweet. it really seems exactly the same thing as a luncheon." "so it does, and it is, too. now we come at last to my hobby; such an interesting hobby, too, dolly; it is scraps, or, left-overs, if you like that better. and here you must study hard, for to my thinking you stand or fall as a housekeeper by your knowledge or ignorance of the subject. "of course you know the saying that a french family could live on what an american family throws away. there is something in the saying, though i will not admit it to be entirely true; but it is a fact that a good cook seldom has anything to put in her garbage pail, and it really is horrifying to see what people, especially poor people, do throw out: half-loaves of bread, good-sized bits of vegetables, bones that would have made soup, and lots of other things. "to begin with bread, save all the odds and ends of that. make crusts and hard ends into crumbs and sift them well; the half-slices make into bits of toast and use them at once, whenever you find them in the box, before they get very dry. no bit of bread should ever be wasted. "then there is fat of all sorts; the grease on top of soups, drippings from meat, bacon fat, everything of that sort is to be saved. put the strips of fat through the meat-chopper and then put all in a dish with water, cover tightly, and set in the oven and let it cook till the water is gone. strain it through cheesecloth, put it in a covered pail, and you will always have enough for frying without buying lard. when you use part of it and it gets brown, do not pour it back on the white fat, but put it by itself, and when you have enough cook it up again with boiling water, strain it twice, and it will turn white and as good as before. "as to bits of meat, i have told you about those; use them up in soufflé or in hash, or any way you can. some people insist that there are some things that one cannot properly use, such as an end of steak, but i have yet to find the bit of meat that is not good for something. the steak ends i pour boiling water over and scrape till the charred part disappears, and they make either hash of some sort or soufflé. if you cannot do any better, at least put the bits of meat into soup stock, and of course all the bones you have go with it. "as to bits of fish, those go into patties or croustades; the patties are really baking-powder biscuits. i just cut out the middle, without opening them, and there is a perfect shell. i put a little butter inside, heat it well, and fill it with creamed fish or anything else. the croustades are one of the most useful things of all for serving left-overs. to make those you take slices of bread three inches thick and cut them into rounds with a biscuit-cutter; on top you mark a smaller circle. dip each one in milk; drop it into hot fat and let it turn golden brown; fill it with creamed chicken or meat or fish or peas. a platter of croustades is a really attractive dish and as good to eat as it is to look at. if ever i have a round loaf of bread that i can spare i make that into a large croustade, too, especially for company. i cut out the middle till it is a good-sized shell, butter the inside, and brown it in the oven, and then fill it with creamed salmon, or anything else. creamed oysters are delicious in it. that does not properly come under left-overs, but as it belongs with croustades i put it there, anyway. "as to eggs, begin by saving all their shells and washing them; they do for clearing coffee. of course you must not break a fresh egg for that. then when you make mayonnaise out of the yolk of one, always make up a dish calling for one white, perhaps a little cake; or, whip it, sweeten with powdered sugar, mix with currant jelly, make it very cold, and serve it in two small glasses as currant fluff. it does for dessert after a heavy dinner. if you use the egg white first, do not let the yolk dry out, but stir it with a little cold water and you can keep it over a day or so till you need it; or make it up at once into mayonnaise, and do not put water in it. "vegetables, as you know, i have already told you a good deal about. peel the potatoes carefully. when you have only a little bit of carrot or turnip, mix this with cooked peas; or put all three together and cream them. put a slice of beet in corned beef hash; a spoonful of peas goes into an omelette; a carrot can be diced and added to beef stew; celery tops go into soup; mixed vegetables are to be made up into vegetable croquettes; cooked potato makes potato soup, and so on. never let so much as a single pea escape your watchful care. even in slicing an onion, remember not to cut through the middle, but to begin at one end, to keep it fresh for next time, and so on till it gradually disappears. "now, the worst of economies is yet to come, for to my mind utilizing bits of cold puddings and such things is most difficult. if you feel you must not eat up such left-overs at luncheon, and of course you ought to feel so, and yet there is not really enough to make a second dessert as it is, you have to face a problem at once. but here are a few things i have learned. "suppose you have a very little rice pudding left; mix some jam with it, beat in it the yolk of one egg, pour it into two little moulds, and bake them in a pan of water. they will come out nice little shapes of fruity rice, quite different from the previous pudding. corn-starch left-overs can be thickened by reheating and adding more corn-starch; when it is all smooth, pour this into a baking-powder can to harden, then turn it out, slice it, dip each piece in crumbs, egg, and crumbs again, and fry in deep fat; they grow soft in the middle and are very good indeed; the french call them fried cream. treat bread pudding in the same way, and serve with a nice sauce. when you make gingerbread, put some raisins and spice into part and bake separately. when you want this half, steam it up and serve as a fruit pudding with a hot sauce. you can crumb up plain gingerbread that is stale, add a little molasses to keep it together, and raisins and spice, and steam it that way, too. it is surprisingly like a plum pudding. "a spoonful or two of boiled custard can be utilized as sauce for another pudding. tapioca pudding can have canned fruit with plenty of juice put with it; it can be cooked over again and this time served cold, perhaps in a mould. in fact nearly everything but a small bit of pie can be made over to seem unlike itself. pie, my dear, i really think you must eat for lunch, provided there is but one small piece." "fred can have it for dinner," said dolly, complacently. "all men love pie, and i can have coffee only, for once." "so you can; or, if you have saved all the bits of pie-crust, as, of course, you should have done, you can have a little tartlet in place of the pie. i always make up some tartlets, anyway, when i make crust, and when they are filled with peach jam with perhaps a dot of cream on top, they make an excellent dessert. this reminds me to say that a half-can of fruit or left-over cranberry sauce can be put into a pie-crust shell with strips of crust over the top; they make very good pies." "i should think you could use left-overs of canned fruit for pudding sauces." "bright girl! so you can. chop up the fruit and heat the whole together; it would be especially good on cottage pudding." "i hate cottage pudding; i shall never have it." "oh, yes, you will; put grated chocolate in it and you won't know what it is. but don't divert my attention, for i am not done yet with left-overs. there is orange peel, for one thing. keep all the orange skins you have and throw them into a crock of salt and water and let them stand till you have enough to make candying worth while. then drain them and wash them well, and put them in cold water and bring to a boil; repeat this till the water is perfectly fresh. when the skins are transparent take them out, put two or three together and cut them in tiny little strips; cook these in thick sugar and water syrup, only enough to cover them, and dry in the oven with the door open. sprinkle with granulated sugar, put them in a fruit-can with a cover, and they will keep for years, and be just the thing to put in fruit-cake or plain bread pudding or any such thing. lemon peel and grapefruit peel are good, too, and quite as useful. "when you have a little syrup left after you have taken out spiced peaches or pears from a can, stew peeled and quartered apples gently in it and serve them without canning. they will be almost as good as the peaches were; and sometimes stew prunes a little, till you can slip the stone out, and put these in the syrup. you can't guess how good they are, and how they help out a plain meal." "and watermelon rind--don't you do something with that?" "yes, make that up into sweet pickles, too." dolly suddenly threw down her pencil and snatched off her apron. "mary, there are the cliffords coming around the corner. i know they are coming to lunch, too!" "of course they are, and we have scarcely anything to give them. let me see." the refrigerator yielded up some outer pieces of celery, a good-sized wedge of cheese, eggs, and milk. before the door-bell had rung, dolly was told to lay the table. after she had done that she was to come into the parlor and entertain the guests while her sister excused herself and transformed the cheese into a rarebit, and the celery, with hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise, into salad. the meal was to conclude with thin crackers and jam and tea. "and plenty for them, too," said dolly, ungraciously, as the footsteps sounded in the hall. "i did not want them to interrupt my lesson." "that was the end, anyway," said her sister, laughing; "and you can't convince me you are so interested as all that. now i'll go to the door; be as pleasant as you know how, and we will surprise them with a good luncheon of transformed scraps in short order." chapter vii the emergency closet--winter preserves--cake "the lesson to-day begins with a story, a story with a moral, too," said mrs. thorne. "once upon a time, when i was a young and inexperienced housekeeper, it began to snow early in the morning, before i had been out to market. it happened that everything in the house had given out at once, and i had a long list of things to get, but as i had a bad cold i did not wish to go out in the storm. i waited nearly all day for it to stop, as it was against my principles even then to telephone for anything, but at last, as it began to grow dark, i could not wait longer, and took my receiver to call up the grocery and meat market, only to find the wires were down. what to do i did not know. even if i ventured out it was now too late to hope to have anything delivered before dinner-time, and i could not carry the food home in my arms and at the same time manage a dress and an umbrella. "well, just as i was trying to make up my mind to go and borrow something of the neighbors whom i didn't know, which made things all the harder for me, a strange grocery boy came to my door by mistake, thinking it was the apartment above. i saw my chance, and poured out my tale of woe to him and begged him to help me. of course i could not ask him to go to the meat market for me, but between us we planned a meal which we could get at the grocery, and i tipped him to go and get the things and bring them back at once, and i would pay for them on delivery. he said he had canned roast beef, for one thing, so we began with that. then he was to bring canned string-beans, and some oranges for dessert, besides the staples i had to have. it was an expensive meal, i assure you, for roast beef is not cheap, even when it is tinned. i thought then i must have meat, at any price. i know better to-day, and could now plan a supper which would cost about a quarter of what that meal came to. however, as i said, i ordered the things, laid the table, put on the potatoes to boil, and the groceries came just before six o'clock. ten minutes later dick appeared, bringing with him two college friends who happened to be in town for the day, men i had never met, and for whom i certainly would have wished to have a good dinner! "there was nothing to be done but to make the best of things. we had a first course of the beef, heated in gravy, with potatoes and pickled pears. the string-beans i served up in a salad, though of course i wanted them with the meat; but i was determined to have three courses, somehow; i had no crackers or cheese to serve with it, either, and plain beans seemed very little. the dessert was oranges and coffee. how i wished i had anything else, even nuts, to help out, but there was nothing whatever. i simply lived from hand to mouth in those days and bought supplies enough for only one day at a time. well, we tried to make up in conversation what we lacked in food, and i thought of what some novelist of new england life once suggested, that when the cake was heavy you should always turn the talk toward the sufferings of the pilgrim fathers. but i can tell you that experience taught me a lesson. never again did i fail to have something to set out in an emergency, and now anybody may drop in, day or night, and i can furnish a really good meal; not an extravagant one, but one that i shall not be ashamed to offer." "that reminds me to tell you something. this morning, after you left the dining-room, i was telling dick about the luncheon yesterday, and how you managed to get up such a good one for the cliffords, and he said, 'dolly, you and mary are having far too easy a time of it. one of these days i am going to surprise you with a nice little dinner-party by bringing home two fellows i know.' his eyes twinkled as though he was planning a joke of some sort." "yes, i know the kind of joke perfectly well; he often springs these surprises on me when he thinks he will catch me unprepared, but that only makes me more determined to have everything ready for such an event. come now and see my emergency closet, and you will understand why dick's little jokes do not alarm me." the closet was dark, but mary lighted a gas-jet and showed rows of shelves stretching almost from the floor to the ceiling, with pots and jars and packages, fruit-cans and jelly-glasses and paper boxes. "here in the middle part are my groceries," she began, pointing out some well-stocked shelves. "first come the tins of soup, only two, because they are of the best kind and expensive; but i have those on hand all the time, for they are very good, and such a comfort when you are in great need. next are the tins of meat and fish; not roast beef now, but a can of tongue, two of chicken, and bacon, and several of salmon and sardines. then come the vegetables, two of each kind, like the animals in the ark: grated corn, peas, string-beans, tomatoes, and mushrooms. here are several kinds of crackers, to serve with fancy cheese, either with salad or for dessert, and the cheese as well, three pots, two small ones and one of larger size. and i have two cans of condensed milk, a jar of beef extract, and some nuts. here are olives, too, and a pot of ginger, and some quickly made gelatine for jelly. all that last needs is to add hot water and pour it into a mould, and before you know it it is ready for use, and very pretty and good. you can imagine how, if we were actually without another thing in the house except what is here, with perhaps coffee and sugar and potatoes, we could have a good dinner. first soup; then hot tongue with a brown sauce, with potatoes and grated corn made into a custard; then a salad of string-beans, with crackers and cheese; then jelly, for dessert; and we could follow this up with a breakfast of bacon and a luncheon of creamed chicken, you see." "but, mary, these things must have cost a great deal of money; dollars and dollars, i am sure. how did you ever get them?" "most of them out of the tin bank on the kitchen mantel. when a day comes that i do not need to buy any meat and no staple is out, you see i have perhaps sixty cents over from my dollar; then i buy a can of vegetables, or a pot of cheese, or a can of tongue or soup, or whatever is out in the closet. i make it a rule not to use up what i have here without replacing it at the earliest possible moment; that prevents my getting out of everything before i realize it. then when i am feeling very poor, and am in need of a vegetable, let us say, i just use one of my canned ones from here, and so tide over till the money is plenty again. of course toward spring i let everything get low, for i like to put in fresh canned things once a year; then in the fall i stock up for the winter as i can." "it's a great idea," said dolly, admiringly. "the first thing i do when i go to housekeeping will be to set up an emergency closet and keep it full all the time." "not too full; that is extravagance; but get just a few very useful things and add to them as you can." "tell me why, with all these things you did not fly to get them out when those people came in to lunch the other day. it would have been much less trouble, and we could have had a better luncheon; not that i cast aspersions on that one, either." "for two reasons: first, because i found on looking in the refrigerator that i could manage with what was there, and i do not take anything from my closet except in case of real need. and secondly, because the cliffords have rather a habit of coming in to luncheon in that way, and once when i was showing them over the apartment they went through this closet, and i knew i would be found out if i served anything canned to them. and also, perhaps, to show you what could be done with odds and ends of food, because the lesson that very day had been on the subject." "oh, i see; very good reasons, too. now what is to be to-day's lesson? or is this closet the lesson all by itself?" "dear me, no; that is only the first half. now look at my preserves on the other shelves. on the top one are my very best ones, peaches, rich cherries, strawberries, and such things. those i use only when i have company; or, if i have a plain ice-cream, sometimes i put some around that to help out. i am careful in using them, because they are not cheap to make, by any means, when you have to buy the fruit. "next below come my canned fruits, and those i use more freely; plums, you see, and red raspberries, and blueberries, and such things. many of those i use in pies in winter, when i must economize on butter and eggs. they were not so costly as the preserves, for i bought them a few at a time and put them up as i could. "below are all my spiced fruits, peaches, pears, melon rind, gooseberries, currants, plums, grapes, and various things. those are great helps when one has a rather plain dinner. my jams and jellies come last, on these shelves, and here i have just the usual things, currant jelly and grape and crab-apple and so on. and on this last shelf of all are my winter preserves that i keep on making all the time." "winter preserves! what in the world are they?" "i rather thought that would surprise you, but one of my pet economies is in making preserves and jellies all winter. see, here are six glasses of apple jelly i made up the day you lunched down-town. i found some cheap apples in market that morning and bought them, and then i cut them up without peeling them, stewed them in water enough to cover them, hung them up in a bag to drain, and when the juice was all out i boiled it fifteen minutes and put in the sugar and boiled it five more. then i dropped in half a lemon for a moment to flavor it, and put it in glasses. it was firm in a short time. that explains my way of doing. i buy anything i find that is cheap and put up a glass of it one day and another glass of something else the next day, and so keep this shelf full all the time and save my summer fruit. some of the jelly is spiced, too, for variety. i dropped a bag of whole cloves and cinnamon in while it cooked, and gave a distinctly new flavor to it. that goes well with meats; it's no trouble at all to make up a few glasses either way." "'no trouble,' is your daily phrase; you say it over and over, and i never cease to be astonished at it. everything seems a trouble to me, and i am sure jelly-making the year round would be a dreadful trouble." "not at all, if you took it as a matter of course and made nothing of it. i cook up my fruit in the morning while i am doing up my dishes, and then put it in a bag and hang it up and go away and forget it. after luncheon i find the juice is all out, because i have only a small amount of fruit, you see. i let that boil while i do the luncheon dishes, and put in the sugar, and it is done; i pour it into glasses and set it away to harden for one day, or for two if necessary, and then i just pour melted paraffin on top of it and put it in the closet. that is really no trouble, is it?" mrs. thorne asked, placidly. "well, we won't discuss it now. tell me instead whether you do up anything besides apples in winter?" "yes, indeed, lots of things. for one, when early in the season i find a basket of winter pears, i get those and make up pear conserve. i peel and chop them, cook them with sugar, lemon, and ginger-root; four pounds of pear, a pound and a half of sugar, an eighth of a pound of cooked and finely chopped ginger-root, and a chopped lemon. boil it down thick, and you will find it extremely good, especially with cream cheese, or in sandwiches for afternoon tea. if pears were expensive in the fall and i did not pickle any, i usually do some now. "later on, carts full of small sour oranges come through the streets, and then i make orange marmalade; that helps out a breakfast nicely. and when, later still, the carts have the queer little whole figs covered with sugar, i preserve them. they are the best thing in ice-cream you ever ate, and also good just as preserves; and i make sweet pickles of them if i had no peach pickles in the fall." "how do you make those?" "just by the one rule you always use: a quart of cider vinegar boiled down with three pounds of sugar and a handful of whole spices; that is a pretty large rule for just a few pickles, however, and you had better divide it." "and what comes next?" "cranberry conserve, i think. you chop a quart of the berries, mix them with the pulp of two oranges and the grated peel, a cup of raisins, and two cups of sugar, and boil it all down till it is thick. that is a really choice thing to have with chicken or a good company roast. then, too, i make a little mint jelly to go with lamb, also for company. i divide the apple jelly when i make that, and in part i put a bunch of bruised mint, or if i cannot get that in winter at the butcher's, i use dried mint. when it is done i strain it well and add a little green vegetable coloring, and it makes a lovely jelly. you know you can also make that with a basis of lemon jelly and use gelatine to set it with, if you want it at once." "suppose in the autumn you find peaches and pears are expensive; do you go on and do them up regardless of price, or do you depend on these winter preserves?" "i certainly never do anything 'regardless of price.' i get around the difficulty some other way. if i cannot afford peaches and pears, i preserve some apples, for one thing, making them just as rich and transparent as i can, and they do to help out in the place of the better things. then i always have a good deal of summer fruit, for some of that is bound to be cheap at one time or another, no matter what the season is. and i put up melon rind in the place of pickled peaches, and citron and crab-apples in the place of pears. so you see i have enough with the winter preserves, even when i have to do without the costly fruit." "it sounds as though you were supplying a boarding-school or a hotel with all these things, but i suppose you mean that i shall make only a little of each kind." "that is it, exactly; make these things up as you can, a glass or a can at a time. for instance, when you have cranberry sauce for dinner and have a cupful left over, boil that down the next day with an orange and some raisins and a little more sugar, and you will have two glasses of compote. so with the other things; do not take a whole rule at a time, but divide it and make up a small amount." "i am sure with a closet full of such goodies i shall be extravagant and use them all up as fast as i can; it will be such a temptation." "then you must resist it. have things only when you need them. put on the jelly when the dinner seems just a little bit too plain, and if there is any over, do not feel bound to eat it up at luncheon the next day in order to 'save' it. that idea of saving is too absurd. but make it up into something useful for dessert; tartlets, perhaps." "and when do you have the preserves and canned fruit?" "those are for sunday night suppers and company luncheons and to put with too plain a pudding when somebody drops in at dinner-time. and when butter and eggs are beyond the dreams of avarice, i just fly to this closet for relief. i make deep tarts of cherries or plums or blueberries and put a crust on top only; they are about the best winter desserts that we ever have. and the bits of crust left over from them i make into small tartlets, to fill with jam or jelly and help out luncheons, or i cut the crust into strips and cover it with sugar and bake it in a very hot oven, so the sugar melts and turns to a brown caramel. those go well with afternoon tea. or, sometimes i cover the strips with a little white of egg and chopped nuts and put them in the oven to just brown. they are what our grandmothers called 'toothsome dainties.'" "let's make pie to-day and try those; they sound perfectly delicious," begged dolly. "very well, we will. and, by the way, remember when you make cake to keep out just a little batter and thin it with water or milk and pour it on a buttered tin; bake it quickly, mark it off while warm into strips, cover with the egg and nuts as before, and brown it; that is just as nice as a more elaborate cake." "you said we were not to have cake." "no, i said not often, and no rich cake at all. but you can make cake once a week, for sunday night, of course; and when you do, dolly, try this: take out enough batter to put in two little patty pans. bake those, and while they are fresh split them open on the side and take out part of the crumb; put in a spoonful of preserves or jam or half a peach and press the edge together so the opening does not show. then cover the cakes with plain icing made by mixing a little water or milk with confectioner's sugar; when this is firm, serve the cakes for a dessert. if you have a tiny bit of whipped cream to put with each cake, so much the better. there you have a dessert which practically costs nothing, for the cake was inevitable anyway, and you simply took a bit of left-over, added the fruit and icing, and there you are." "if i had a cow and so could have cream, i could fill the middle with whipped cream, and have something even better." "yes, indeed; it makes me sigh to think of that cow! or, you could manage this dessert in this way; bake the cake in one small tin instead of in two little ones, and split it and fill it with soft custard well thickened with corn-starch and flavored; or you could put jam between the layers and eat cream on it, if you had any. or, you could use strawberries in summer and have a perfectly delicious shortcake." "yes, of course; i'll write all those things down. only i suppose we sha'n't have cake very often if it has to be cheap and plain, for i don't care for that kind." "oh, there are good kinds you can have, my dear. i said not to have extravagant kinds, that was all. have good cake when you have any, and do not try and skimp on the materials. only, make a little cake, that calls for a small amount of butter and few eggs, and eat it up while it is fresh and good, rather than make a huge layer-cake that lasts a week and costs money. if you choose a good rule, you can vary it. one day bake the cake in a loaf and add raisins and spices; or split it and put jam between the layers; or bake it in two tins and put mixed nuts and raisins chopped together between the layers. you can have all sorts of things for a change, you see." "i am afraid to venture, but i suppose i will learn in time. when eggs are cheap i suppose we can indulge in a little better cake than when they are dear." "yes, indeed; and then, too, you will economize in butter, so you can afford to spend a little more on eggs. in april or may you can have sponge cake, or even angels' food; either divide the rule and make half, or make it all and use part in one or more dessert. even stale cake is most useful cut in strips and put in soft custard or with whipped cream; while for that good thing, pêche melba, you need a round of rather stale sponge cake for each person, to stand half a peach on before you fill the top with ice-cream or fruit. and there is cabinet pudding, made by lining a mould with stale cake and filling the inside with custard, jam, and more cake crumbs; you bake that in a pan of water. and you can make a pudding of mixed bread and cake crumbs, too, and color it with grated chocolate, and have a change from the usual thing. don't think i despise cake, or undervalue its use, for i do not. i am only warning you not to make too much of it and not to use an expensive recipe." "i see. your advice here, as on other occasions, would he 'study the cook-book,' i suppose." "exactly. a sensible cook-book is a wonderful help in learning to live on a little. but before we finish this lesson i had better just tell you a little more about eggs, because here i differ with so many housekeepers that i want to put the matter before you and let you hear my side; you will find the other exploited in plenty of articles here and there. i do not believe in using any eggs that are not fresh. i never put mine down in lime or brine or anything else. that seems a heresy, because it is possible to keep them in several ways. but i either buy good, fresh ones when i need them, or go without. one can easily manage to use very few in housekeeping by being careful, and i would rather do that than have those on my table or in my food which have the slightest flavor of stateness. i just tell you this as a personal feeling, and if you live where you can buy them cheaply in quantity and put them away for winter use, do so; only i never do it." "how many do you use a week, anyway?" "a dozen for two people will answer, and in very cold weather, when they are costly, as i said, i do without, except for breakfast once a week, possibly." "so if they are forty cents, or fifty, a dozen, you spend a good deal." "yes, we do; you need not follow in my footsteps if you do not choose, you know. the fact is, i economize everything else so carefully that i suppose i permit myself this one laxity." "that reminds me; are you infallible, mary? in other words, do you never make a mistake and overrun your allowance? i have a horrid sinking feeling that i certainly shall do that." "very likely you may, at first. i used to; but it would be inexcusable after my six years of housekeeping if i did so now. but do up your accounts at the end of each week, dolly, and if you find you have spent more than your dollar a day, or if your tin bank is so low that you see you are not going to have enough in it for staples the next week, cut right down somewhere. i suggest in meat and fruit and cake. live on very plain things till you catch up again. in that way you will keep within your monthly sum, and if you do that it is all right." "well, now, just one thing more and i will let you go. i see you have an eye on the kitchen clock. tell me how you manage to so plan your meals that you will not have the same things over and over. if we are to have cheap meat always, and cheaper vegetables, and no fruit to speak of, it seems to me i shall get right into a rut and have the same food each week, a sort of squirrel-in-a-cage round and round, and that would be horrid." "so it would, and distinctly unhygienic as well, for you must have variety or your digestion will give out. i think a good way is to write out bills of fare and follow them more or less; or, to have a card catalogue and keep that in a convenient place and run it over when you want anything. that is, have puddings in one small square box, each recipe written out clearly with a nice black title. if you want one, run these over and select something for which the ingredients are in season. so with hot breads, and made dishes and meats. that might be some little trouble at first, but after you were started i think it would be simple and easy to follow." "yes, it might be a help; i'll put that down. however, that does not quite cover what i meant to ask you. how do you plan your meals? do you begin with what you happen to have in the house, say a piece of mutton, half a can of tomatoes, and so on, and so have a hit or miss meal, or do you plan two dinners at once and buy things that will do over in different ways?" "i do both ways; i say to myself when i buy anything, 'what form can this take to-morrow?' and when i see things in the refrigerator in the morning i plan the next meals out of them. i always plan luncheon, dinner, and breakfast each morning. i never will think up breakfast after dinner at night. but i see what you mean, and in the next lesson we will go to work on the subject of meals. i really think, as it is more play than work, we won't make a lesson of it, but a game; the game of menus." "it sounds difficult, just the same." "no more than whist or chess or any other game worth learning. of course it calls for brains, and it cannot be learned in a moment, but it's a game, all the same, and good fun when you have learned it; you'll see!" chapter viii the game of menus "now for our game," said mrs. thorne, after looking in the refrigerator the next day. "i have been thinking about what it is like, and i have decided that it is not so much like chess or whist as it is like anagrams. but though it may not be as great an intellectual feat to master it as though it were one of the famous games, it takes brains, nevertheless. so take heart and try and learn it." she took one sheet of paper and gave dolly another, and went on. "you know already that the refrigerator plays a large part in our housekeeping and we must be guided in our planning by what we find there morning by morning. but still there is always a place for new dishes after combining the old ones. so first we see what we have and then decide what will best go with it." "do you always write down what you are going to have? why?" "oh, no, of course i do not write every meal down, but i keep a lot of possible menus on hand and turn to them for inspiration when i feel stupid. or if i have a maid, i hand her over a few and have her follow them, and so be sure--that is, tolerably sure--that the meal will come out as i planned it. besides these good reasons, there are more which apply especially to you. one is that when you have once learned to make up menus rapidly, you will save yourself a lot of mental storm and stress. often young housekeepers groan over thinking out meals, especially dinners, of course, since they are the most difficult, and declare that they have had every known meat and vegetable again and again. instead of that sort of thing, if they had at hand a number of dinners written down, they could select one and save bothering. "and one thing more. you might often go on having the same thing over and over without realizing it. now, in writing down the dinners for a week at a time you soon see if you are repeating yourself. if the words 'beef stew,' for instance, appear frequently you presently grasp the idea that you are having too much of that festal dish, whereas if you did not see the words in black and white, you might not guess it." "i still do not see how you can plan a second day's meals at the same time you plan the first day's, unless you can gauge with accuracy the size of the family's appetites. suppose some night, instead of each one's taking one helping of meat all around, we should all take two helpings; that would smash your written menu to bits." "yes, of course it would, and such things have happened. but written menus are not binding contracts, but only suggestions, and when you and dick recklessly eat up all the meat between you some night,--personally i should know better than to join you in your extravagance,--then you will have to modify your next day's menu and either plan a new meal or substitute something else for the meat you had arranged for. but still you will find written menus a great help if you use them sensibly and do not feel bound to follow them literally. now let us begin to play the game. you write down a dinner for to-night, and then i will undertake the thankless task of criticizing it." dolly gazed thoughtfully at the chandelier a few moments and then wrote rapidly. presently she read glibly: "potato soup. lamb pot pie with dumplings; boiled rice; macaroni and cheese. tapioca pudding. coffee." mrs. thorne smiled. "poor fred! if that is the sort of meal you are arranging to give him, i think he had better stay where he is. now think a minute. potato soup first, and potatoes are starchy; next, boiled rice, dumplings and macaroni,--more starch; and last, tapioca pudding! starchier and starchier, to parody alice in wonderland." dolly pouted. "well, i am perfectly sure he would eat that dinner thankfully and say it was a good one. he would never know he was eating starch if you did not put it into his head. i think it is all nonsense to point such things out to a man, anyway; it makes him notional about his food." "later on he would wonder why on earth he had dyspepsia, my child. you would not like to have a dyspeptic husband, would you? people who have poor digestions are proverbially cross, you know, and too much starch is certain to ruin even the very best of stomachs in time. "now let me explain what i took it for granted you knew already. you must not have too much of any one ingredient in your food; not too much fat, or starch, or sugar or anything else, because it is not wholesome. the perfect dinner is like this: first a good soup; then meat with one green and one starchy vegetable; then a fresh vegetable salad dressed lightly with oil; then a very simple sweet; coffee last; or, omitting the sweet, coffee alone. of course you and i cannot afford to have dinners like that all the year around, because green vegetables cost too much, but that is the ideal toward which we must strive. in place of the things we cannot have, we must have substitutes as nearly resembling them as may be. in summer, of course, it is the easiest thing in the world to have salads and green vegetables, and in winter we must do the best we can without them. now try another menu, and do not mind my criticisms. and put a date on this one, so we can tell the time of year and see whether or not you are having the proper things; suppose you say this is a march dinner." dolly again consulted the chandelier, and after much study produced this result: "clear soup. veal stew; mashed potatoes; canned string-beans. prune pudding. coffee." "better," said her sister doubtfully. "but don't you think veal would be pretty expensive in march? and why string-beans, when parsnips and salsify are plenty? and as to prune pudding, consider the egg whites!" "mary, you are too exasperating for words," ejaculated her much tried sister. "i am sure that was a beautiful menu. however, i'll try again. still winter?" "yes, still winter." "well, here is a perfect one; absolutely faultless," dolly said presently. "clear soup. mutton and barley stew; potatoes; parsnip cakes. deep apple tart. coffee." her sister laughed outright. "this game evidently has more to it than you thought when you began to learn it, hasn't it? now this menu has its good points, but i think you were rash in pronouncing it faultless. the clear soup is all right, provided you made it out of what you had in the house, and the mutton and barley stew is good and nourishing. but why have potatoes and barley at the same meal? you do not need them both. instead, drop out the potatoes and have a dish of spiced fruit with the meat instead of a second vegetable. or, omit the soup, have the stew first, and then a salad. as to dessert, unless it was a phenomenal apple year, i am afraid you would find deep apple tart would cost too much in march. however, that menu is an improvement on your other. now make a second dinner off the remains of the first, if you can." "that is worse still. i think we will eat the whole up one night, this time, and have no remains." "if you do, you must have half-priced things the second night, then." "well, how is this? "mutton croquettes; mashed potatoes; minced turnips. celery salad; crackers and cheese. bread pudding with dates. coffee." "that does very well. i see you had no carrots and had to buy turnips, but they are cheap. celery, however, i am afraid was rather expensive, wasn't it? could you not have had shredded cabbage instead? and you really did not need crackers and cheese with it; you might have had them with coffee for dessert. but, you are learning. now try another winter dinner, because they are most difficult of all." dolly wrote, after some thinking: "purée of dried lima bean soup. rounds of pork tenderloin; minced carrots; potato balls. cherry pie. coffee." "fair; pretty good," commented her sister. "i see you plan to put the carrots and potato balls around the one pork tenderloin you had frenched, so it would be enough, and you had a heavy soup with the light meat. so far i have no fault to find. but i cannot approve of pie after pork. can you not have the canned cherries another way?" dolly scratched out the word "pie," and wrote in "pudding." "that is all right. now just one more to use up the scraps left from this." "cream of carrot soup. veal chops, breaded; scalloped canned tomato; sweet potatoes. chocolate custard. coffee," wrote dolly. "now that is what i call a good dinner," mrs. thorne said approvingly. "the left-over carrots you made up into soup. you had no pork to use up, so you got two veal chops, and those are fairly cheap. having tomatoes was a master stroke, because they go so well with veal, and you will have enough of them over for a second dinner. i suppose the custard does not call for eggs?" "no, it's a soft corn-starch pudding served in glasses. but, mary, i did not intend to use up the tomatoes for a second dinner, but to have them for luncheon as spanish toast." "oh, very well, that will do for once, especially as i hope you bought only a small can of them. by the way, speaking of luncheon, remember when you have cabbage for dinner, to keep out half after it is creamed, and the next day have it baked with layers of cheese; that is a delightful luncheon dish. you can use up boiled rice in the same way with white sauce and cheese, or you can merely mix your tomato and rice and bake that. or, you could have rice croquettes and tomato sauce. but i am getting off the subject. now try a july dinner, for a change." "oh, that's easy. "cream of celery soup. lamb chops and peas; new potatoes in cream. strawberry shortcake. coffee." "where will you buy celery in july, my dear? that must come off your menu the very first thing. remember you can have only seasonable things. and lamb chops are always expensive by the pound, and very small, with lots of bone and trimming, too, so they will not do; you must change them for a cheaper meat. as to strawberries--strawberries in july?" "it's the very first of the month, mary. they are still plenty and cheap." "all right, then. but if the weather is warm i don't think fred will care for a hot soup and hot coffee too. why soup at all?" "just because. i can change that if you do not approve. how is this? "veal cutlet in strips; peas and new potatoes. sliced tomatoes on lettuce. strawberry shortcake. coffee." "that is perfect. but do not let yourself be eaten up with pride yet, for as you said, summer menus are easy to do. try one in september." "boiled corned beef; potatoes; cabbage. watercress salad. chocolate corn-starch pudding. coffee." dolly wrote down rapidly, and read aloud. her sister laughed again. "this time you have decidedly lost the game," she said. "i think you have everything wrong in that menu that you possibly could have. remember the rule: you must eat whatever is in season. now, why have in september the food you should reserve for winter, and why omit all the good fall vegetables and fruits? try again. i blush for you, my dear." dolly muttered something about people who were too particular, but rewrote her menu docilely. "cream of corn soup. lamb and tomatoes stewed; fried eggplant; sweet potatoes. frozen peaches. coffee." "perfectly delicious; i wish we could have that to-night. you see you really know how to use what you can have in market if only you think about it. corn for soup, and tomatoes, eggplant and peaches all in one good dinner, and yet all cheap. now, cover yourself with glory again in a menu for december. and this time use up some probable left-overs. let me see. suppose you had the lamb only the night before and there was a little left of that, and half the corn and sweet potatoes. add what you need to those, since all of them come in december as well as earlier." this took more time, but presently dolly read: "lamb soufflé; sweet potato puff; corn fritters. oranges. coffee." "that is a distinctly inferior menu," said mary severely. "i see you are not ready for a prize yet, unless it's a booby prize. that soufflé of the lamb is quite right, but imagine what a light and trifling meal for a hungry man! soufflé,--half fluff; corn fritters, and potato puff,--more fluffiness. what should have begun that dinner, dolly, in december?" "oh, of course! a heavy bean soup; but i will add that." "before you do, let me finish my criticisms. oranges are too light a dessert for a simple meal unless everything else is heavy. with the bean soup you will improve things, but it seems to me you should have either crackers and cheese with the fruit and coffee, or nuts and coffee instead of the oranges." "oh, well, i can easily rewrite the whole thing. how is this? "black bean soup. lamb soufflé; fried sweet potatoes; succotash. nuts and raisins. coffee." "splendid! i could not do better myself. you put dried beans in with the corn, and sliced and fried the sweet potatoes. that is a very good dinner indeed. now do two menus for january and use up left-overs again." "corned beef; cabbage; mashed potatoes. canned string-bean salad. mince pie and cheese. coffee." "dolly, i do think you are crazy! corned beef and cabbage and mince pie! do you want your husband to expire in agonies that very same night? never have mince pie with a heavy meat. i might almost say never have it at all, because it is so hearty it ought to be a meal all by itself. if you ever do have it, put it after the lightest things you can find, and have green salad or apple sauce, or something of the sort, to counteract it." "well, i'll cut the pie out. but what is the matter with corned beef and cabbage? i thought those went particularly well together." "if you do not cook them in the same pot, but prepare the cabbage as i told you, in such a way that anybody can digest it, even a child or a confirmed dyspeptic, you can have it with any meat. but never cook anything with corned beef, except a slice of onion to season it. as for dessert, what will you have instead of mince pie?" "oh, canned blueberry tart; eggs and butter are dear in january. you see i do know something." "very good. now make a second dinner and use the left-overs of this one." "split pea purée. creamed corned beef, baked; string beans; mashed potato cakes. steamed fig pudding. coffee." "that menu is really a success. you made the purée of the water the corned beef was boiled in, i see, and used up your half-can of string-beans for a vegetable; and of course the potato cakes were the mashed potatoes reheated. but why that particular pudding?" "fred ate up all the blueberry tart the night before; not a scrap of it was left, because it was so good," said dolly demurely. "well, i don't blame him. now i think you understand the game, and you can go on and practise it as you get time. making out a whole set of menus for a year, four or five for each month, would be excellent practice for you, dolly. but that is all for to-day." "but, mary, why do you skip all the breakfasts and luncheons? i am quite as capable of making glaring mistakes there as in dinners. if you don't tell me what to have, i shall certainly lunch on cold meat, and have two eggs apiece every morning in the week--also grapefruit!" "what a frightful threat! well, then, here are a few breakfasts, just to start you off comfortably:" spring . poached eggs on toast; muffins; coffee. . boiled rice and raisins, with cream; milk toast; coffee. . codfish croquettes; pop-overs; coffee, toast, orange marmalade. summer . cold oatmeal with berries; coffee and toast. . scrambled eggs; corn bread; coffee. . slices of fried eggplant; muffins; coffee. autumn . sliced peaches; little pan fish; toast; coffee. . fried tomatoes with cream sauce; rice muffins; coffee. . parsley omelette; sally-lunn; coffee. winter . cereal with chopped figs; creamed codfish; toast; coffee. . bacon; fried apples; corn-meal puffs. . creamed hard-boiled eggs on toast; coffee; fried hominy and syrup. "those are all practical and cheap, dolly, i think, but you must modify them to suit your own needs, of course. if you find any of them expensive, substitute something else. you can have broiled dried beef in place of the bacon in one of the winter menus, for one thing, and in place of the eggs in any menu you can have some left-over you cannot use elsewhere. now for the luncheons:" spring . canned corn fritters; tea; jam tartlets. . spinach on toast; tea; cheese crackers. . codfish cutlets; tea; drop cakes. summer . lettuce with mayonnaise; sandwiches; iced tea; berries. . stuffed and baked eggplant; tea; lettuce and french dressing. . baked tomatoes; iced coffee and fruit. autumn . vegetable croquettes; cocoa; grapes. . plain omelette; tea; stewed pears. . baked sweet potatoes; tea; baked apples. winter . cheese soufflé; tea; wafers. . cup of soup; macaroni and tomatoes. . potatoes filled with creamed fish; doughnuts. "there! i think you might write those down and add to them as you like, too. i did not say which luncheons were made from left-overs and which were not, but some of them are, you can see for yourself. of course you must never forget to use up what you have in the house rather than buy anything whatever for any meal. i think i have sufficiently impressed that on your mind, haven't i?" "you have, indeed. now let's stop playing this game for awhile and go and get luncheon; i am starved." "dear me, i should think you would be; it's lunch time now. i declare, dolly, this game is as absorbing as bridge." chapter ix two dinner parties mr. thorne proved as good as his word, for though he did not immediately follow up his warning that he would bring home unexpected company to dinner, he merely bided his time. one morning his wife said that, as she and dolly would be out most of the day he need not expect a very good dinner that night, so that evening he gaily put in an appearance at six o'clock with two bachelor friends who had occasionally helped enliven the domestic circle on similar occasions. now, the dinner had been planned with an especial view to getting it on the table without a delay, as mrs. thorne could not be certain just what time she would be at home. the soup was ready to reheat. it was a plain purée, made with vegetables and water, flavored with a bone and plenty of seasoning, but there was not enough of it for five, unluckily. the meat was a hamburg steak of moderate size, all ready to put in the dry frying-pan. for vegetables, a half-can of corn was already scalloped with crumbs, to be browned in the oven, and for potatoes a dishful of plain boiled ones was at hand, to be heated up in a white sauce. for dessert there was to be crackers, american cheese, and the usual black coffee, made in the coffee machine on the sideboard for convenience' sake. when dolly took in the situation and reviewed this menu, she shuddered. what a company dinner! insufficient soup, scanty meat and corn, plain boiled potatoes, no salad and no dessert! "really, this time dick has all but caught us," her sister whispered, as after receiving her guests with a cordial welcome she excused herself to put the dinner on. "hurry, dolly, and put more plates in the oven to heat, and get out the big platter and the vegetable dishes and put them in, too. then lay two extra places and come out and help me. "now, here is the soup," she went on when her sister appeared. "there isn't half enough. you will have to get a can out of the emergency closet. then the steak; isn't it fortunate that i had not put it over to cook? now i can flatten it a little and make it larger, so it will cover more surface. i'll put vegetables all around it, and it will just fill that big platter and look exactly like a planked porter-house when i'm done with it. but the corn is hopeless; it is far too small an amount. get some peas from the closet, dolly, and drain and season them and make them hot. the potatoes won't do, either. get some raw ones, and peel them and cut them in good-sized bits. and put on the kettle of fat to heat; i'll brown them in that." after the meat was on the fire mrs. thorne made a salad by peeling and slicing in thick pieces three oranges she had bought for the next day's breakfast, because they happened to be cheap that day. she arranged these in the salad bowl and stirred up a french dressing to pour over them. she put the bowl on the sideboard and arranged the dessert by it, the crackers, a jar of fancy cheese from the closet in place of the american, and the coffee in the machine with small cups and saucers; she also set out the salad plates. she filled the tumblers, put on bread, and the bread and butter plates, with butter balls on them. then she added a dish of spiced prunes to go with the meat course. as she was always certain that the dinner cloth was fresh and her fern dish filled and pretty, she had no changes to make in the table, and the two extra places had been laid by dolly. when she returned to the kitchen, the steak was ready to be turned and the potatoes prepared for the hot fat; it took only a moment to cook and drain them. the soup was put in the heated tureen, and with the hot soup plates carried into the dining-room. then dinner was announced. while the rest were seated at the table, dolly served the soup from the sideboard. this plan was arranged beforehand. whenever the question was discussed in the family which was the easiest and best plan of managing this first course without a maid, mr. thorne always held that the soup should be served at the table, and when they were alone this was done; but with guests there was always the possibility of an accident when men's unskilled hands passed filled soup plates from hand to hand. sometimes in the past they had tried the plan of serving it before the guests came to the table, but too often the soup had been somewhat cooled, an unpardonable offence in the eyes of the hostess. generally there was the same compromise as to-night, and with guests it was passed from the sideboard. after this course the cold plates under the soup plates, which had been put on when the table was laid, were removed with those above. with a maid they would have been left on the table and merely exchanged for hot ones by her, but after many experiments this had been decided on as the only feasible plan,--to take away the two together and put a pile of hot ones before the carver and have them passed from hand to hand. it was not as elegant as the other way, but it did away with the waiting on the table during the course. so dolly brought in the large platter of steak and set it down before the carver. the meat was brown on the outside and pink within. a strip of suet representing a bone ran down the middle, and another outlined the edge, making it look like a porter-house cut. all around it were alternating piles of browned potatoes and green peas, with sprigs of parsley here and there, so that it was appetizing to look at and delicious to eat. with this arrangement there were no vegetables to pass, and the bread and spiced prunes were passed around without trouble. the next course was the salad. after taking off meat plates and platter, dolly set the bowl before her sister and put on the table a plate of thin bread crisps, rolled up slices of bread and butter, browned quickly in the oven while the plates were warming for dinner. after this third course dolly removed everything and crumbed the table. then came the crackers, and the fancy cheese which had taken the place of the plain american variety intended for family consumption only; and with them the coffee machine was put on, with the cups, saucers, and spoons and a bowl of cut sugar, and the black, hot, fragrant coffee brought the dinner successfully to a close. "i can never catch you," said mr. thorne mournfully, when the guests had finally departed with complimentary remarks to their hostess. "you always spoil my nice little practical dinner-jokes by your confounded preparedness! and now i suppose i've got to pay the forfeit." "what forfeit?" asked dolly. "why, we have an arrangement that dick can bring any friends home to dinner at any time, the number not to exceed two at once," explained her sister. "then if there is dinner enough, and if it really is good enough for the occasion, he has to pay me for my extra trouble. of course, if i ever fail, i'll have to pay up in my turn, but so far he has been caught every time. dolly and i will consider, dick, what the forfeit shall be. matinee tickets, i rather think, this time." "well, i'll get them cheerfully, for that was really a good dinner, and the kind a man likes, which is another matter." the next day mrs. thorne replaced the soup, cheese, and peas she had taken out of her emergency closet. she had also to buy extra meat for dinner as there was none left over for a second day's meal, but as the dinner had been a cheap one for five, she did not grudge the small amount expended. "but now we must economize in earnest this week," she said as she added up her accounts, "because next week i want to have a real little dinner-party. i must have several, in fact, to return the hospitality shown you, my dear. luckily it is spring, now; remember that it is always cheaper to entertain in spring than at any other time in the year." "it's a lot cheaper not to entertain at all," dolly grumbled rebelliously. "don't let's have any dinner-parties--they're such a bother!" "on the contrary, they are no bother at all, but lots of fun when you have them as i do, simply and inexpensively. and you really must do some entertaining in your turn if you do not want to drop out of everything when you are married, and that would be a most foolish thing to do." "who waits on the table?" demanded dolly. "oh, that's the trouble with the dinner-party, is it? well, i hasten to relieve your mind--you don't! when i give a company dinner i have in a young girl whom i have trained. she does all the waiting, and stays and washes the dishes, and i pay her seventy-five cents for the evening. sometimes, when i have a little luncheon i do my own waiting, and of course in a surprise-party dinner i have to also, but not when i give a regular invitation dinner. i wait till i have money enough in hand for the waitress as well as the food and flowers and all, and then i go ahead." a few days later the party was arranged for. a young couple and their unmarried brother were asked, making a group of six to sit about the round table. this was the menu mrs. thorne wrote out: cream of beet soup. radishes, almonds, olives. forequarter of lamb, stuffed; mint jelly; new potatoes; peas. lettuce and cheese balls; wafers. vanilla ice-cream and sherried cherries; small cakes. coffee. "doesn't that sound good?" she asked, surveying the paper with her head on one side. "now to make as many things as possible to-day, so we won't get too tired to-morrow. first, we will salt the almonds." "do let me do those all alone! i saw somebody do it once, and i know exactly how. you just take off the skins and fry them in olive oil." "my dear, i hate to seem unappreciative or hurt your little feelings, but the fact is, that is a most abominable way to do them, though it's common enough. it makes them greasy and streaky, partly brown and partly white. this is the really-truly way to make them: first you put them in boiling water till the skins loosen, and then drop them in cold water; slip off the skins, and dry them and mix them with the half beaten white of an egg--that is, about half the whole white; then you sprinkle them with salt and put them on a tin in the oven and occasionally stir them. they will turn a lovely creamy brown and will be crisp and evenly colored, and you can keep those you do not use at one dinner and heat them up to freshen them when you need them, for a second dinner, just as you do crackers. we will do them that way to-day. then besides that we will get the dining-room in order, polish the silver and glass, fill the salts, and look over the china and table linen, so that to-morrow there will not be much to do." the next morning the marketing was done early, so that the things would come home in good season. at the grocery they bought the beets,--one bunch of old ones, not the young ones just in market; a can of small american peas; a head of lettuce; a square cream cheese and a round one half its size in order to have enough; a little american cheese; two lemons, and a pint of cream. at the butcher's they ordered lamb. "not what you call 'spring lamb,'" she explained, "but exactly what you have been selling all winter; that is still nice, and plenty young enough. now cut off the neck and the trimmings, and take out the shoulder-blade and make a pocket for the stuffing to go in comfortably, and send me a bunch of mint with it all." while she waited for her change she told dolly about this purchase. "forequarter of lamb is really the cheapest roast there is. sometimes even when we are all by ourselves i buy it and make ever so many meals of it. i get a big piece, as much as eight or nine pounds, because that is the cheapest way, and the butcher keeps it for me and lets me have it as i want it. the roast makes at least two dinners, and there is a lot left over still for croquettes and soufflés and such things. then there are four chops for one or even two dinners more for two people--" "'with a good filling soup to take off the edge of the appetite first,' otherwise the four chops would make only one dinner," interrupted dolly, quoting freely. "exactly. and besides, there are the trimmings and odds and ends for meat pies and stews, so you see how far it goes." "really, i should think you and dick would fairly bleat!" "well, perhaps we might if we deliberately sat down to lamb night after night, but we don't do anything half so foolish. we have things between, veal and beef and pork, and as the lamb is practically in cold storage at the butcher's, it can wait indefinitely, and when we do have it we live on what i used to think the old jews wanted to live on in canaan,--'the fat of the lamb!' but now's let's hurry home, for there's lots to do yet." as soon as their things were taken off and kitchen dresses put on, the plain vanilla ice-cream was frozen and packed away to ripen. for the sauce which was to be put on each glass which it was served, a small can of preserved cherries was opened and drained; the juice was boiled down to a thick syrup with a small cup of sugar, and the cherries put back in it to cool, with a flavoring of sherry. the salad was made next, the lettuce washed and rolled up in a clean towel and put where it was very cold, to crisp. they rolled balls of cream cheese, wetting them with a bit of oil to make them smooth, and adding salt and a dash of cayenne; as each one was made it was rolled in grated american cheese and then laid away. the french dressing was also made, and at the last moment was to be poured over the lettuce, and the golden, white-centred balls laid on it. the beets for the soup were next chopped and boiled in a pint of water; as much milk was added, the whole seasoned with a slice of onion, salt and pepper, and then strained and slightly thickened. this made the prettiest of pink soups, and one which could be set away and be reheated at dinner time in three minutes. the mint jelly was also made: a cup of water was put with the juice of a lemon and heated; when hot, a small bunch of bruised mint was put in and simmered for two minutes; then this was strained and a level tablespoonful of gelatine, dissolved in half a cup of cold water, was put in with a tiny bit of green vegetable coloring, the whole strained through flannel and put into a pretty little mould. it would come out a lovely sparkling green, quite decorative enough to be put on the table, and delicious to eat with the lamb, mrs. thorne assured dolly complacently. the peas were turned out of the can, drained, seasoned and made ready to heat up quickly. the potatoes were boiled and cut up in a very little thick white sauce, and a spoonful of parsley was minced to be scattered over them, last of all. after their luncheon the dinner table was laid. it had a white damask cloth, and a white, lace-edged centrepiece. there were four glass candlesticks with yellow candles and shades, and in the middle a bowl of the yellow jonquils, now in season and inexpensive. at each place was a pretty plate, which was to remain on till exchanged for a hot one later, and a small array of silver, with a tumbler and napkin. the latter hid a dinner roll, so no bread and butter was served at the dinner. the table was then finished except for the last touch; the small dishes of radishes and salted almonds, and a few white peppermints, were to be put on just before dinner, with the dish of mint jelly. after the dinner was over dolly confessed her amazement. "i 'never did,' as the children say. i had no idea you could have so nice, so pretty a party with so little to 'do' with. really, we never missed the fish, or the entrée, or the game or anything else. it was a lovely and delicious meal, wasn't it, dick?" "modesty compels me to refrain from saying what i truly think, dolly. otherwise i should mention my conviction is that it was as good a dinner and as nice a party as you'd often find, and your sister is about as fine a cook and manager as they make 'em. but as i said to begin with, in my position of host my lips are sealed." "so little trouble, too," dolly went on, smiling at him. "i really thought you were crazy to ask the osgoods, whom everybody is afraid to entertain because they have everything in the world, but our dinner was just as nice as though we had followed in their footsteps and had a table decorated with orchids, and whitebait and fancy ices and everything else to eat. mary, permit me to say i consider you a genius!" "nothing of the sort. i am simply a woman, more or less sensible, i fondly trust, who knows that nowadays nobody cares for long, ten-course meals, and if what is set out is only good of its kind, that is all that matters. then, too, when we are really living on a little and everybody knows it, either we cannot entertain at all, which means that we cannot accept invitations, or we must do it in a plain way, in keeping with the general style of our home life. anything else would be absurd, snobbish and extravagant. and to prove that people like to come to simple dinner-parties like ours, i shall have two more right away." "three cheers," said her husband calmly. the next morning the sisters added up their accounts and set down the dinner menu and what it cost in a little dinner-party book which was often used for reference by them. this is what the dinner proved to have cost: soup, milk and beets $. lamb . lettuce, one head, cheese balls, french dressing . cream, ice and salt for freezing . cakes, home-made . almonds, radishes, olives, mint jelly . ----- $ . "that is all, except the flowers, which were forty cents, and the cherries, which i made myself last summer and paid for then, so i did not have to put their cost in now, you see. the little bottle of olives cost ten cents; so did the radishes. the jordan almonds were forty cents a pound, and i got half a pound and have some over for next time. with the flowers, that makes the dinner $ . ; say $ . , to allow a liberal margin for little bits of butter, sugar, salt and so on used up in cooking, and $ , including the pay of the waitress. i call that a cheap party." as soon as finances permitted and small economies had made the two sisters feel comparatively rich, they gave a second dinner. this time they found some pink tulips at a small florist's, and these they used in making a lovely table. they stuck them one by one into a very shallow dish filled with sand, the leaves put in and out also, and the edge of the dish concealed with moss; this gave exactly the effect of a little bed of growing flowers. the menu was quite different from the other dinner: cream of almond soup. olives, radishes, salted nuts. maryland chicken with cream gravy; new potatoes; corn fritters. lettuce and cherry salad; crackers. vanilla ice-cream with strawberries. coffee. the soup was made by chopping a quarter of a pound of almonds and simmering them in a pint of milk; then the other pint was put in with the seasoning, and it was slightly thickened, strained, and at last beaten up well with an egg-beater to make it foamy. the chicken was cut up and the best pieces dipped in batter and fried in deep fat; a rich cream gravy was passed with this. the corn fritters which were the necessary accompaniment of the dish were made of canned, grated corn. the salad was very cheap at this time of year. large california cherries were stoned, laid on lettuce, and a french dressing poured over all. the ice-cream was a nice vanilla, and on each glass was put one fine large strawberry. the next day the remains of the chicken appeared at dinner in the shape of croquettes, with a rice border, and the rest of the box of berries came on also. this materially reduced the expenses of that meal, and the difference went on to the cost of the party dinner, to help out. the account was like this: soup, milk and almonds $. chickens, two . potatoes and corn . lettuce and cherries . cream and berries . ----- $ . adding the little things as before, the flowers, nuts, olives, pay of the waitress, and a margin, brought this up to a trifle over four dollars. "that is too much," said mary soberly, as she set down the figures. "i mean to keep strictly within a four-dollar limit. so our third dinner, dolly, must be less than these and even things." this was the third dinner: clear soup with tapioca. salted nuts, radishes, almonds. roast of veal, stuffed; fresh mushrooms; potatoes. lettuce with chopped nuts; french dressing. strawberry ices. coffee. "that is a good, sensible dinner," said dolly. "no frills, unless you count the mushrooms." "it is the cost of the waitress that makes these dinners so expensive," said her sister. "it provokes me to have to put money on that, yet i will do it at a real dinner-party. but as for the rest, this ought not to be a costly affair." the soup was made of very ordinary materials, but it looked and tasted well. the roast was crisply browned and juicy within, and the delicious stuffing and broiled mushrooms were substantial and good. the salad was lettuce covered with chopped almonds put on after the french dressing. the ices called for no cream and so were inexpensive. the figures showed this result: soup $. veal . mushrooms, quarter of a pound . potatoes, radishes, almonds, etc. . lettuce, nuts, dressing, crackers . ices . ----- $ . "ah, that's better," said mary, when she saw the total. "then the flowers were the same as before, only red instead of pink tulips; the waitress, too, and the margin--only $ . . i feel relieved." "of course roast veal is not quite as good as maryland chicken," said dolly, "but the mushrooms made it seem quite elegant; broiled mushrooms are certainly food for the gods. it is quite a saving to have an ice instead of an ice-cream, isn't it? and mary, did you see what a big, big piece of roast was left over?" "that is one of the good things about veal, that there is so little waste. i am sure we can easily make two dinners out of it, and that will save ever so much. and when we can get ahead at all, dolly, we must hurry and have our luncheons." chapter x reducing expenses "i never feel as extravagant as i do in spring-time," mrs. thorne said as she hovered over asparagus, tiny new potatoes, fresh peas and strawberries in the market one may morning. "everything is so tempting, and we are tired of winter vegetables, and yet we will run up dreadful accounts if we attempt to have any of these goodies. come right along, dolly; don't linger a moment longer, or i am lost." "you could really have bought a spring vegetable or two," remonstrated her sister as they walked home. "we are ahead on our money, i know, because i rattled the bank this morning, and it was nearly full. i do not see why you did not get something nice and springy if you wanted to." "because now for a week or two i mean to reduce expenses. i want to give three small luncheons and have everything as nice and pretty as possible, and you know we used up our savings of two months on our dinner-parties. the rattling of the bank meant only pennies, my dear; i know, for i peeked. so we must cut down vigorously." "that is an absolute impossibility," said dolly with decision. "we do not waste a single crumb now, not a potato paring, not a bone nor even an egg-shell. we can't save a cent's worth." "oh, yes, we can; we can save a lot if we try. and there is a suggestion for to-day's lesson; it will be on retrenchment." dolly still looked unconvinced when she sat down with book and pencil, but mary was complacent. "of course we do not waste anything," she began, as she took her seat in the sitting-room after the entire apartment was in immaculate order and lunch under way, "and as you suggest, we have cheap meats and vegetables right along. but we can still find some things that are cheaper still,--because you always can, whatever you have. so if we cut down on those to begin with, and have desserts for a week made without butter or eggs, and abandon fruit altogether for the time, i am sure we can have quite a surplus presently. "to begin with meat, because you know my theory that that is always the expensive point in housekeeping, you know i said veal was cheap in the spring. so it is, but instead of using the ordinary cuts, you can have something less expensive. there is a calf's heart, for one thing. a country butcher would probably give that away--and incidentally inquire what on earth you wanted it for. here in town i suppose we must pay something for it, but it will not be much; only a few cents. you have no idea what a delicious meat that is, so delicate and tender. you wash it well and make a bread-crumbs stuffing for it with a good deal of seasoning, and after you cut out the strings and wipe it dry in the middle you stuff it. bake it in a covered pan for two hours, basting it well frequently, then make a gravy and pour over it. you really should have cooked onions, browned in this gravy, to go with the dish, because they are the accepted thing with the heart, but you need not if you do not want to, for it will be good without them. then the next day you will have enough left over for a dish of baked hash, or a cottage loaf. and all for, say, ten cents or less! isn't that a stroke of economy? "then there is boiled calf's head. that, too, you could get for a song in the country. have the butcher clean it well and let you have both the brain and the tongue; be sure and make him understand that. wash and parboil both of these in separate saucepans. the brains taste exactly like sweetbreads, and if you chop them and make them up into croquettes, no one will suspect that they are not what they seem. it is strange that so many people are prejudiced against using brains, for they are the cleanest possible meat. they are kept shut up in a little bone box where nothing can soil or hurt them, and as a calf has little intelligence, they never grow tough from use! so have the brains for one meal. then when the tongue is tender, take it up and peel it and braise it with minced vegetables; that is, cook it in the oven in a covered pan, smothered in vegetables. have this as it is, as a roast, and what is left over make up into a loaf exactly as you do with chopped veal or beef; or dice, cream and bake it for a second dinner. if you have any tiny bits still left, put those through the meat chopper and spread them on toast; put an egg on each and serve for breakfast or luncheon. "then the head proper. this you had better have the butcher keep for you till you have used up the other things, or you will have too much meat on hand to use economically. when he sends it, tell him to split it open, as this must be done and you probably could not do it yourself. put it into cold water and put it on the fire till it comes to the boiling point. take it off and plunge it into cold water to blanch it, rub it all over with half a lemon, and then put it into boiling water, only just enough to cover it, and add a tablespoonful of vinegar, a small onion, chopped, a carrot and a sprig of parsley. if you have a bay leaf, put that in too. cover the pot and gently simmer it for two hours, or till the meat is ready to drop from the bones. take it up then, take out all the bones, skin, and gristle, and put the meat in an even pile; cover it with bread crumbs and brown it in the oven. in cool weather this will make two good dinners, and you will find it as good as the tongue. in summer, divide the meat and have only one dinner baked. put the other half into a mould and fill it up with the stock it was boiled in, after you have cooked this down and strained it; it is so full of gelatine that it will set at once and you will have a fine dish of ice-cold meat set in a clear aspic, and what better could any one wish for? if there is more stock than you need, keep out part for the basis of a soup; it is so strong that it will make you an extra good one, with perhaps tomatoes added to it. now when you consider that one calf's head will make at the very least four dinners for a small family, do you not think by having it you will materially reduce expenses?" "having a mind open to conviction, i do." "well, then! to go on to another sort of meat, here is another suggestion of cheapness. you know what a shin of beef is, don't you? the lower part of the leg, where the meat is apt to be stringy and tough; most people think it is good only for soup. get the butcher to cut you two rounds from that, right through the bone. perhaps you may need three, if he cuts low down, or possibly only one high up; you must watch him and judge how many you will need. take this, put it in a casserole or stew-pan with hot water enough to cover it and put it on the very back of the stove, where it cannot boil, and let it stand there for three hours; then try it, and if it is tender, cover it with chopped vegetables, carrots, a little onion, parsley, and turnips and peas if you happen to have them at hand. let it simmer now for an hour. take up the meat, drain the vegetables and put them around it, thicken and brown the gravy and put it over all, and you would never guess you were dining off 'soup meat.' "or, here is another way to cook the same cut. get a good large piece, say one weighing two and a half pounds. brown it in a hot saucepan all over with a spoonful of drippings; when it is all a good color, pour enough water on to just cover it, and put in the vegetables as you did before and add six cloves. simmer the whole under a cover for four hours and serve just as it is, in a hot dish. "still a third way to manage, is to cut the meat from the bone and dice it. simmer this with the vegetables and the bone till it is very tender. take up the meat and put it in a baking-dish, and strain and thicken the gravy and pour this over; then put a crust on top, either one of pastry or a mashed potato crust with an egg beaten in it to make it light, and bake the whole. put a little butter on top to brown it if you use the potato. now, no one who ate those three or four dishes would think they were related; but when you have them, do not serve them one after another, but let a week go by between, just to have a change of meat. "then there is calf's liver. that in town even in spring costs more than it did some years ago, but even here a little goes so far that i call it a cheap meat, too; there is not a particle of waste about it, you see. get a pound and a half some time and lard it; that is, stick narrow strips of salt pork in it. if you cannot do that, lay two slices on top of the whole. bake it in a covered pan and baste it often, and serve with a brown gravy. there will be one dinner off this roast to begin with. for a second, chop it up and either make a mock terrapin by a cook-book rule, or else cut it in dice, cream and bake it. if any bits are left over have those on toast for luncheon." "mary, you told me in the most solemn manner that i was never to have meat for either luncheon or breakfast." "did i say never? i did not quite mean that, because sometimes you have a very little bit of something you can economically utilize in that way. of course you could have it in a soufflé for dinner if you had a small cupful, but if you had only half as much, you could not; then put it on toast and add plenty of gravy, and have it for breakfast with a clear conscience. only do not have anything which would do for dinner; that is all i meant by my 'never.' the same thing applies to lunch. if you have just a little meat you are sure is useless elsewhere, mix it with boiled rice and lots of seasoning, and bake it in a mould in a pan of water and turn it out hot; that makes a very good and economical dish for once." "it does seem strange, when one thinks that we are eating scrag of mutton and beef stew right along, to buy things cheaper still for dinner, doesn't it?" "oh, we have not had those things right along! we had chicken last week, once, and the week before we had a pot-roast which i recall with pleasure this minute. but i admit the accusation in part, for you know we have had the dinner-parties to make up for. ordinarily, i do not manage quite so closely. but if for a week or two you have calf's head once, and a dinner or two of beef shin and such things, you will cut down wonderfully on your meat bill. you can have also a dinner of one frenched tenderloin, and another of scrag of mutton with barley, and a third of half a pound of chopped beef made up into meat cakes with a brown gravy. if you eke out with odds and ends of things in croquettes, with heavy soup before it, i should think you could save nearly two dollars in the one item of meat, and no one the wiser. then once have a main course of salt codfish, freshened and creamed and baked with crumbs, in place of meat, and another time have baked beans, just for a change. if it is summer-time you can have a very good dinner dish of an eggplant. cut it in two sidewise, take out the centre and salt it, and put it under a weight to extract the juice. after an hour or so take it up and chop it and mix it with an equal quantity of seasoned bread crumbs and a small cup of chopped nuts. heap this in the shell and bake it with a covering of crumbs and butter. it is just as nourishing as meat and not so heavy, though it is a distinctly substantial dish. of course you must be careful to get a very cheap eggplant, or you save nothing, but i am supposing now you live where gardens are plenty; perhaps you can walk out and pick one in your own. "to go with the meats, possibly we can find some spring vegetables that cost no more than winter ones would. naturally we cannot buy asparagus, nor yet new peas, but i fancy we may pick up some cheap new beets or carrots. if not, we will just go on having winter ones, but we will try and serve them in vegetable croquettes, or cream them and bake them with crumbs for a change. and then we can certainly have greens of ever so many kinds, and nothing is more wholesome in the spring than greens." "i simply despise them," said dolly with a sniff of disdain. "you will not despise mine, my child; i learned how to cook them in paris and they are good enough for an epicure. write down my words of wisdom on this subject. take any sort of green thing you can get, beet-tops, spinach, sorrel, lettuce, escarole or cress; wash them well in several waters, and do not drain them very dry; put them in a covered saucepan without water, and turn and press them well from time to time till the juice flows. take them up then and put them twice through the meat-chopper; never try and chop them in a bowl or they will not be good, but instead, coarse and stringy. after they are a smooth pulp, put them on the fire, and add seasoning generously: salt, pepper, lemon juice or a very little vinegar, and a little cream if you have it. with sorrel, which is the very best of all greens, do not put in any acid; with spinach, add a little nutmeg. then, when the whole has cooked for five minutes, take it up, put it in a very hot dish, and serve at once; you will have a new dish you will certainly like." "how about potatoes?" inquired dolly after she had written this down and marked it with a star as "extra good." "no new potatoes for us, i suppose?" "unluckily, no. i hate to keep on using old ones, but i always do until that happy day when i find the price is exactly the same for new or old; then i change over. but do not have potatoes all the time; boiled rice is cheaper when you are cutting down expenses. and when you can buy some vegetable cheaper than potatoes, have neither, but have two fresh vegetables instead. that makes a good change in spring and summer." "and how about salads?" "just as soon as you find young dandelion leaves and cress and cheap lettuce, cut off soups and have those instead. but do not buy them unless you can really save money by doing so; there is a danger you may not think of. usually soups are cheaper." "and desserts?" "eggs are cheap just now, so depend somewhat on them. that is, make a sweet omelet of two, for one night, and for another have prune puff. for that you take the white of one egg, sweeten it and mix with the pulp of half a dozen cooked prunes; chill this and serve it in glasses. or, put it in small brown baking-dishes and put it in the oven for five minutes, and serve it hot in the same dishes. "have a sweet soufflé sometimes, too. beat the white of two eggs light, fold in a little powdered sugar, and put it in a buttered dish with spoonfuls of jam or orange marmalade dropped in here and there. set this in a hot oven as you go to dinner, and it will be just ready when it is time for dessert. "the next night after you have had either of these, have baked custard. mix the slightly beaten egg yolks with a little milk and sugar, and put them in cups or small moulds and bake them in a pan of water. you can vary them by putting in jam or by making the sugar into caramel, or adding a little bit of rice. or, use up the yolks by having them scrambled with milk for breakfast. "and if you live in the country, dolly, have lots of rhubarb for spring desserts. you can serve it one day in a deep tart with pie-crust on top, and little tartlets made from the left-overs. on another you stew it in a little water, and put in the sugar as it is just done, because it does not take as much then as if it went in at first. then, while it is hot, add enough dissolved gelatine to set the whole and pour it into a mould. serve with part of the juice as a sauce, which you kept out on purpose. "speaking of this jelly suggests also coffee jelly and prune jelly and things of that kind, for they do not take butter or eggs; but i rather think i told you of those when we were studying desserts. however, i can remind you of them now, can't i? "when strawberries are cheap, get one boxful and divide it. serve part the first one night with a plain soft corn-starch pudding. the second night, slightly crush the rest and sweeten them. make just a little bit of baking-powder biscuit dough and mould several rather thin biscuits; bake these, split them, and put in the berries between two layers, and you have nice individual shortcakes. in that way one box will make two desserts, while otherwise you might not find it enough. of course if you had a garden you could go out and pick some berries and serve them in their natural state, but i am telling you how to manage if you have not such luxuries as home-grown fruit. "when we speak of cheap desserts, our mind naturally reverts to bread pudding, and we have already had that once. but to cut down its expense, serve it in small moulds instead of in one large one; individual dishes are a great economy for any sort of thing. and try having boiled rice croquettes with raisins in them; and have farina croquettes, too, cooked rather brown, and if possible covered with scraped maple sugar. don't you think we might leave desserts now? i told you so much about them when we went over the subject." "yes, you may go on to breakfasts and luncheons if you have finished dinners. can you really economize on those? it seems to me we have reduced them to their lowest terms already." "well, we have, just about. but for breakfasts i should cut out fruit altogether for a time, and make a breakfast of hot cereal, coffee and toast, or some good sort of muffin that did not take too many eggs. in winter you can have a hearty meal of fried corn-meal mush; you can either make that the day before you want it and slice and fry it in the morning, or you can stir it up and boil it freshly just before breakfast and fry spoonfuls of it while it is soft. i like it best that way myself, but you can try both ways. in summer you can have an excellent breakfast of cold cereals." "they sound horrid." "they are not horrid at all, but very good; we will begin to have them ourselves as soon as it gets warm enough. and besides cereals, i should see if i could not have some cheap hot breakfast dish to alternate with them; i suppose milk toast, or if you live where milk is plenty, cream toast, and codfish in lots of ways, especially in baked potatoes, or mixed with mashed potato in small dishes. sometimes i should have codfish in fritters; brown puffy fritters, not flat greasy cakes. and i should have clams in that way, too, if they were cheap." "how about luncheons, now? did you say you could or could not cut down on those?" "i think we cannot do much better than we have done, but i should keep trying all the time. i should have fried bread with jelly to eat on it, and baked beans, and farina cakes, and minced vegetables, hot or in salad. and in summer i should have creamed corn or peas on toast, and lots of salads of plain cooked vegetables. but be very careful not to try and cut down on your luncheons by doing without substantial dishes. no woman who does her own work can long keep up on bread and tea at noon without getting sallow and thin and anaemic; you simply must not try and economize on nourishing food, even though you cut down on everything expensive. starvation is poor management." "well, leaving meals for a moment, do you try and cut down on other things, such as coffee, for example? do you have a poorer quality to save money?" "never. i must have good coffee at any rate. but i will tell you what i do right along. i go to a very good grocery, one of the largest and most expensive sort, and there i ask for a good kind of coffee which is not as expensive as their highest grades. you will be astonished to find that all such places make a specialty of coffee which actually costs less than you can buy it for at your regular grocery, and it is infinitely better, too. one famous place keeps coffee for thirty-five and forty cents a pound and even more, and at the same time recommends what they call their 'best' coffee, at nineteen cents! it seems absurd, but that is a fact. i always use it, and it is the best i can buy. never use cheap coffee, dolly; it is horrid, just as bad butter is, or bad tea, or bad eggs. go without, or have them good." "mary, did you ever think what you would do if you had to live on just a few cents a day? i have often wondered whether i could manage or not. suppose for a time you had practically nothing at all, how would you manage then?" "i suppose i should plan to have things to eat that would give the maximum of nourishment for the minimum of cost. let me see. i should have corn-meal mush for one breakfast, because that contains fat and is very nourishing. for another, i should have boiled rice, i think. for luncheons i should have split pea purée, or a thick bean soup. for dinner i should have a dish of creamed codfish, let us say; or, i should have whole wheat bread and a baked apple instead of the fish. and i should have macaroni and cheese, too. i know people who have tried these things say you can live easily on beans and lentils and whole wheat bread and a certain amount of fruit, apples or bananas or figs, and i can quite believe it. of course, if only one could have plenty of milk, the rest would be easy." "easy, but not pleasant. i should hate to have to have such monotonous food, so i hope fred's income will never be less. i like a pretty dinner table and a dainty dinner. cereals may be all very well as to nourishment for the body, but i think the spirit suffers. i don't mean spirit, either, exactly. but you get the idea, don't you?" "the general poetry of life, i suppose you have in mind. the dinner table with candles and china and glass and good things to eat gives an air of refinement to life. well, i agree with you that they are worth having, too. we can economize in the food, but we cannot dispense with the graces of the dinner." "if we cut down too much, you see i am afraid things will not be quite as nice as i like to have them." "i don't believe in doing it all at once, but in cutting down a trifle here and another there, day by day, till you can afford better things. i am sure it would give one a most uncomfortable moral jar to suddenly drop from very comfortable living to lentils, or to anything corresponding with your idea of the 'scrags of mutton' which you are perpetually holding up as the very embodiment of inelegance! better not go in for too much luxury any one day; have things economically nice right along and save a little margin so you will not have to cut down at all. unless, indeed, you cut for entertaining, as we are doing now; then do it imperceptibly, and don't tell of it, and all will go well. "and now that is my last word. i find reducing expenses has a most exhausting effect on me. let's go down-town and lark a bit and refresh our jaded spirits, and when we feel equal to it, we will come back and cook up a dinner that will not cost half as much as it will seem to cost, judging by its looks and taste." chapter xi luncheons for a little one morning, after two weeks of close economy, the bank on the kitchen mantel was emptied and the sisters received the reward of their savings. there were not only pennies, but dimes and even quarters; quite enough to ensure the financial success of the luncheons they had planned for. "ah, we are evidently safe, now," said dolly as she poured the money out in her lap. "here's richness! i seem to hear broilers cackling; or don't fowls cackle in the spring-time of their youth? anyway, there is no doubt we can afford to have some of them for our parties." "indeed we cannot. not broilers, my dear girl; they are not for the likes of us. but we shall have some other good things, at least. and isn't it fine to have the money ahead instead of having to catch up later on when we have forgotten all about the occasion?" moralized mrs. thorne complacently. "i don't mind economizing beforehand, but i just hate to, afterwards. now for our menus. i think we will begin with a luncheon for four only. next week we will go on to six, and possibly we will have eight, later; still, i am not sure about it, for six is all we can really manage to serve easily. suppose we take turns writing out what we will have." "i'll begin," dolly said. "a simple luncheon for four, you said; i certainly ought to be able to manage that by this time. let me see." this is what she presently produced: cream of spinach soup. lamb chops; new potatoes; peas in crusts; tea. asparagus salad with mayonnaise. strawberry ices. "that does very well indeed," said mrs. thorne as she took the paper and read over the menu. "my only criticism is on the chops; those cost a good deal, and especially in the spring, when the lamb is small." "i meant to have old lamb," interrupted dolly. "yes, but even so, i think chops for a luncheon of four cost too much. why not substitute strips of veal, breaded? i know a delicious way of cooking those, and they are ever so much cheaper." "all right," said dolly. "veal strips it is. how about that dessert?" "strawberries are only nine cents a box now; those will be all right. and we will have a perfectly delicious salad of that asparagus; that is, we will if it does not go up in price before the luncheon. it has such a queer way in town of getting cheaper one day and more expensive the next. now for our two invitations. we won't write them, but just run in and ask mrs. hays and mrs. curtis informally, as it is to be such a very simple affair." "yes. i wait on the table, i suppose?" dolly inquired gloomily. her sister laughed. "you do, or i do; it is all the same. but how absurd to think of that! it makes things all the more homelike. you see, you are not used to it; if you were, you would not mind a bit." "you make me think of the eels who didn't mind being skinned at all--not when they got used to it. but i agree for this time, and when you have the larger luncheon you will get the waitress, won't you?" "i truly will," promised mrs. thorne. the day of the luncheon found some changes in the meal that had been planned. asparagus had suddenly taken on a higher price, as they had feared, and they had to do without it. instead they had lettuce and cheese and nut balls, the latter made by mixing cream cheese and chopped nuts into balls the size of a hickory nut. these were laid in cup-shaped lettuce leaves and french dressing poured over at the last. the table was laid with the doilies and fern dish of every day, but a festive look was given to it when yellow sprays of genesta were stuck among the ferns. a bread and butter plate stood at the top of each pretty place-plate by the tumbler and a napkin at the side; one knife, and soup spoon lay at the right, and a spoon for tea, two forks at the left, and a dessert spoon across the top of the plate. just before luncheon the soup was taken up and put in hot cups, and the strips of veal, the potatoes and peas in the crusts were arranged on hot plates. all these were put in the warming oven, and fresh parsley stood ready in a cup of water on the table, to be added at the last moment. on the sideboard in the dining-room was the salad and the tea tray; the glasses for the dessert were ready in the kitchen, each one standing on a small plate. the soup was put on before the guests came to the table. after it was eaten dolly rose and got the hot, filled plates from the oven and put them on the sideboard; then she merely exchanged a hot plate with the food on it for the plate holding the soup cup. there was no delay or confusion, and no passing, so this went off easily, while mary poured the tea from the tray her sister set before her. the same arrangement was made with the salad; this was already served on the sideboard, and the hot plate on the table was exchanged for the cold one with the lettuce. after this course everything was taken off and the table crumbed. then, while an animated conversation covered the pause, dolly went to the kitchen and took the strawberry mousse from its pail in the tireless stove, being thankful as she did so that she did not have to dive into an ice-cream freezer and extract a wet, icy mould and half freeze her hands. she quickly put a heaping spoonful of the cream in each glass, put on one of the big berries which had been saved on purpose, and carried all four glasses in on a small tray, putting this on the sideboard and serving one at a time from there. "i did not mind waiting at all," dolly said, after the guests had gone. "i suppose it was because luncheon is such an informal meal anyway; or rather, it is supposed to be. i think i believe in doing a good deal as the english do both at breakfast and luncheon--have things on the sideboard and let the guests help themselves from there if they choose. however, i flatter myself i did pretty well, to-day. you noticed, i hope, that i left the room only twice, once to get the meat course, and once for the dessert, and no one seemed to pay any attention." "you did beautifully. you had 'the noiseless tread' the perfect maid is supposed to possess and so seldom actually does have. you see you can get along very well by yourself. really, if one has everything possible on the sideboard or on the serving table, and will serve the main course ready prepared on plates, there is nothing simpler than a luncheon. now that we have tea served with the main course quite as often as coffee at the end, that too makes things easy, for with a ready prepared tray one can always manage passing the cups to a few women, and if there is nothing else on the table there can be no confusion." "and what did it cost?" dolly inquired, getting out her book. "soup: i got a quart of milk for that, and used a little spinach left over from the night before; i got a little extra on purpose when i was buying it. then i had a third of the milk left still for the potatoes. the soup was about . . there was three-quarters of a pound of the veal, . . by the way, did you see me cook that? i pounded it well to ensure its being tender, and then i breaded it twice over." "i thought you always breaded things twice." "i mean i breaded it four times. i dipped each piece in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, just as usual; then i laid it away till this dried, and repeated the process. last of all i fried it in the wire basket in deep fat, and the result was a thick rich crust over veal as tender as chicken. that is the way the germans cook it, and i think it is awfully good. "then the potatoes, those were only . . the peas, half a can, at . ; i used only half, because by putting them in bread-crusts they not only look prettier, but go much further. the other half of the can we shall have for dinner to-night, mixed with chopped carrots. the salad, lettuce, cheese, nuts and dressing were . . the mousse took only a bottle of cream, a quarter of a pint,--. ,--and the ice to freeze it was . . i put in only half a box of the berries at . , and the rest go in the shortcake for to-night. the almonds were only a handful. i got half a pound and used only half of those; four people do not consume so many as six do, i find. so altogether, and allowing a margin for staples, you see it comes out only a little over $ . --say about $ . ." "perfectly absurd! i supposed it cost to have a luncheon, and it doesn't. i shall live in a perpetual round of gaiety, entertaining seven days a week, at this same rate. now when will you have another?" "next week, i think. this second one will have to cost more, however, for we shall have two more people in, and must give them rather a better meal, or rather, a more elaborate meal. shall we have the little maid?" "oh, well--never mind. i suppose i must learn to do my own waiting if i am to begin as i must keep on afterward. no, i'll wait, mary." when they came to write out the menu for this second luncheon, they again put down asparagus. "i'm afraid we shall be doomed to disappointment, but i hope we may be able to find some that is cheap," sighed mrs. thorne. "nothing makes such a good company salad." "a little voice within me tells me we shall get it for almost nothing," said her sister comfortably; "put it down, mary." this was the menu for the luncheon: strawberries. cream of beet soup. salmon cutlets; creamed potatoes; peas; tea. asparagus salad with french dressing. café parfait. "but why is the main course fish instead of meat?" dolly inquired anxiously, as she read it over. "oh, at luncheon i often have a substantial fish course as a main one; salmon is just what we want, and in the spring i like it better than a meat, anyway. you will see that it is all right. besides, it is cheap!" "i suspected as much. canned, then, of course." "yes, my dear, canned, and very good; wait and see!" this time the centrepiece was the fern dish as usual, but small white flowers were stuck in the earth all through the ferns, and the effect was beautifully fresh. for the meal, the strawberries were laid on small plates on paper doilies in a circle, with the hulls turned in; in the middle lay a little heap of powdered sugar. a finger-bowl stood above the plate, and this was left on all through the luncheon. in removing this course dolly merely took off the berry plates, leaving the service plates beneath them on the table and putting the soup cups on these next; later on she substituted the hot, filled plates for both service plate and cup at once. the salmon was picked over, mixed with a stiff white sauce, seasoned, and then cooled for an hour. the paste which resulted was cut in strips, moulded into oval, chop-shaped pieces, and crumbed as usual; these were again dried, and last fried a golden brown in deep fat; then a paper frill was stuck into each one to represent a chop bone. they were laid on the hot plates and a spoonful of peas and one potato added. as mary predicted, the guests were fully satisfied, and never missed meat. the asparagus materialized for the salad, to their delight. it was cooked, chilled, laid on lettuce, and a french dressing poured over just before it was passed. the mousse, or parfait, was made as before, but the flavoring of coffee was a cupful left from breakfast, boiled with the sugar in the place of the water usually cooked with it. "if that luncheon was not expensive, then i am indeed an ignoramus," said dolly, when they began to figure out its cost. "it tasted expensive, mary." "it was that horrid asparagus. why did you let me buy it, dolly? i am truly sorry i did, for like you, i suspect we have spent too much. let us see. "strawberries--a whole box this time. luckily they are cheaper, however; they cost . . the soup was much as before: left-over beets and three quarters of a quart of milk; put down . . salmon, one can, . ; peas, one can, . ; potatoes, only . , thank goodness! asparagus, . , and right in the height of the season, too; it's absurd. lettuce, . . parfait, say, . . so, allowing a margin as before, it was about $ . . oh, well, that is not as bad as i feared. six people, too! but then, this time we had almonds left over, and dick gave me the chocolates we had on the table. we must be careful, anyway, even if this once we have not overrun." the third luncheon again had but six guests, as dolly was perfectly sure she could not wait on more. this time they were gay young women who were accustomed to all sorts of elaborate functions, and dolly secretly dreaded her part. they, however thought it great fun to go to an informal meal cooked by one sister and served by another, and eat few and simple dishes beautifully cooked; so far from criticizing, they rather envied the two hostesses their ability to carry off the affair with ease and charm. the menu was planned very thoughtfully. they wanted things rather prettier than ever, and yet they must avoid extravagance. they decided on this: bouillon with whipped cream. creamed fish. chicken croquettes; creamed peas; potatoes; chocolate with marshmallows. pineapple salad, cream cheese and wafers. vanilla mousse with strawberries. "five courses," commented dolly as the last was set down. "and chicken croquettes! i call that elegance." "five courses, because we omitted the fruit before the soup, as we had it before, and because fish is cheap and makes a good second course; it sounds more elaborate than it really is. now for our table: do you suppose we could get some violets from the country? they make such a lovely centrepiece." "of course we can. let's ask the milkman to get us some." this proved a lucky thought, for the milkman had a small boy who promised to get a quantity of wood violets and send them in early in the morning by his father all tied up in bunches, and all for twenty-five cents. of course these were not fragrant like hothouse violets, but they had quite as beautiful a color. a lovely table was arranged with a low basket of the violets edged with a heavy band of their own leaves; a couple of small glass dishes held some violet-colored candies, and the finger-bowls which came on with the dessert had a couple of violets in each, so that the effect of the meal was springlike. the bouillon was made the day before it was needed, out of bones and odds and ends of meat; it was clarified, colored a good brown with kitchen bouquet, and well seasoned. the spoonful of whipped cream on the hot soup gave a touch of richness to it. the fish was merely a little plain fresh cod, boiled the day before the luncheon, then picked up in the morning, mixed with white sauce, put in individual dishes, with crumbs on top, and browned in the oven. the croquettes were made out of a small-sized can of chicken of the best brand. this was a genuine stroke of economy, for the cost was just half of what the very toughest and oldest fowl would have been. by taking it out of the tin in good season, picking it up and letting it lie in the air till the oxygen lost in canning had been re-absorbed, its flavor was largely restored, and when the croquettes were made and came to the table, golden brown without, creamy within and deliciously seasoned, no one suspected the artifice used in making them. they were served with the peas and potato as before; peas were a staple for luncheon, mrs. thorne thought. this time the potatoes were not creamed, however, but cut in balls with a cutter and dropped in fat till they were browned. instead of tea with this course, there was chocolate, served from the pot on the table, and in each cup was dropped, last of all, one marshmallow, which puffed and melted in the steaming heat and gave a delightful flavor. after this course, instead of exchanging the plates for others filled with salad, dolly altered the plan of service. she took off all the plates and left the table bare. then she set on the salad in front of her sister; it was so pretty that she wished every one to see it. they had bought two pineapples, which were cheap just then. one was of moderate size, and the other the very smallest they could find; a perfect baby of a pineapple. the larger one had been peeled, picked up in bits and laid on lettuce on a flat glass dish. the little one was not peeled, but had its brush cut off with a slice from the top; the centre was scooped out till only a shell remained, and this was wiped dry and filled with a stiff mayonnaise; the brush was put on again, and the pineapple put on a plate with the ladle by its side. in serving, mary put a portion of the lettuce and pineapple on a plate, and removed the cover of the new mayonnaise dish by lifting it by the brush and laying it on the plate; then she added a spoonful of mayonnaise, and dolly passed the plates for her. this salad was a great success. last of all came the vanilla mousse, each glass topped by a big strawberry. a few berries had also been sliced and mixed with the mousse as she put it in the glasses. "that was the best luncheon yet," said dolly as they discussed the affair. "really, i was proud of the table it was so pretty with those violets. i don't know why it is, but lay a table with pretty white doilies and put on violets, and somehow it has a most gorgeous appearance. then the luncheon itself was good, thanks to your cooking, mary; i would not have been ashamed to have had anybody in the world drop in--not even a queen! now what did it cost?" "the flowers, . ," figured mrs. thorne aloud, writing it down as she did so. "soup, about . ; i have been saving bones for that for days. fish, half a pound, . ; chicken, . ; peas and potatoes, . ; chocolate and marshmallows, about . . salad, two pineapples, one . and one . , and lettuce and mayonnaise, about . ; mousse and berries,--half a box of berries,--about . . then almonds and candies and crackers, and the little margin bring it up to, say $ . . that is much more, dolly, than we have spent yet." "yes, but it's the last one of the season, and think how good it all was!" "i know, but if we were going on we should have to cut down on things. however, i don't mind this once, as we had money enough for it. now while you have your book there, do you not think it would be a good idea to write out some more possible luncheons like those we have had, and average the price, so you can have some sort of a guide to go by? we can easily make out some menus for each season in the year, since you are so determined to have them right along." "blessings on you for the thought! begin right away." "first copy out those we have had and mark them spring, while i go out and start the family meal that comes next. i have bread to mix, for one thing, so give me time enough." "four minutes is plenty for that; i'll give you just five." when they were ready, the list began with a very simple one first, headed summer: cream of corn soup. frenched chops; purée of cucumber; potato croquettes; iced tea. lettuce with peppers stuffed with string-beans; cheese balls. ginger ice. "just make a memorandum of that cucumber purée," said mary as dolly finished. "you cook the cucumbers soft in just a tiny bit of water; then season well, put them through the sieve, and serve very hot, a spoonful on each plate. it is very good indeed. the salad, too, is nice. fill green pepper shells with tiny cooked beans, and pour french dressing over; on top of each put one white cream cheese ball, and stand on a lettuce leaf. the ice is just a plain lemon water ice, with preserved ginger cut up in it." "now the next one," said dolly. "well, suppose we have two for each season. this will do for another summer one: "cubes of watermelon in glasses. soft shell crabs; fried tomatoes; potatoes. yellow tomato salad on lettuce. raspberry ice; sponge cake. iced coffee." "suppose you can't get crabs; what do you do then?" "tell the grocer to order them for you in tins; they come with the shells thrown in at about thirty or forty cents a big can, which holds enough for a whole family. instead of having the soft-shelled crabs fried, devil the canned meat and serve in the shells; it's perfectly delicious." "and whatever is yellow tomato salad? i never ate such a thing." "don't you know those little pear-shaped yellow tomatoes you see in summer? you scald those and skin them, chill them well, lay them on lettuce, and put on french dressing. or, you can have mayonnaise with them, if you like. it's a nice change from the usual salad, and it will not interfere with your having fried tomatoes with the main course, for they neither look or taste alike." "very well; now the next one." "mark this autumn. suppose we have melons first; "little melons, halved. tomato bisque. strips of veal, breaded; creamed chestnuts; spiced peaches; coffee. salad of red peppers filled with cauliflower. pêche melba. "cut the melons in halves, dolly, and chill them, but mind you don't put ice inside, to make them watery and horrid. and pick out little melons, spicy green ones. get the big italian chestnuts to serve with the veal, if you can. cook and peel them, and leave the inside skins on; then just cream them. if you can't get those, use ordinary ones, and put them through the sieve like a purée; they taste just as well. the salad is very pretty. cut the tops off the red peppers and take out the inside exactly as you did with the green ones; cook the cauliflower, pick it up in flowerets, and mix with french dressing and fill the peppers. if you wish to be perfectly grand, cook a carrot, cut it up into tiny dice, and put a few on top of each; the colors are lovely together. serve these on lettuce, of course. then the dessert. halve nice peaches, peel them, and put one half on a round of sponge cake for each person. fill the middle with a spoonful of plain ice-cream, and add a little bit of candied cherry if you have any." "one more for autumn; two for each season except spring,--i have three for that," said dolly complacently. "try this: "cream of lima bean soup. filets of fish; white sauce; potato balls; stuffed tomatoes. lettuce and grape salad. frozen peaches. coffee. "that needs no explaining, i am sure. have sauce tartare instead of white sauce with the fish if you can afford it, dolly, for it's better. and serve the peaches in glasses, just a little to each person; they will be cheap, anyway, at that time of year. now for winter; that is the most difficult time to entertain in, to my thinking." "still, we must entertain," said dolly inflexibly. "then try this: "clam soup. creamed chicken; peas in crusts; sweet potato puff; tea. celery and nut salad with mayonnaise. little cakes filled with ice-cream." "very good! and as i can make all those things, go right on while the inspiration holds." "bouillon. fried oysters with sauce tartare; french fried potatoes; creamed celery. banana and peanut salad. chocolate mousse. coffee." "how do you make that salad?" "peel the bananas and cut them in halves crosswise; cut off also the pointed end to make each one look like a croquette; then roll them in chopped peanuts and lay them on lettuce. pass mayonnaise with them." "that's easy enough," dolly said as she scribbled it down. "and that is the whole set already. i wish you would go on and do me a lot more, mary; you do them like a lightning calculator." "why did i go to all the trouble to teach you that game of menus, i'd like to know, if this is the result? not another one will i furnish you; just write out a lot yourself." "well, but don't rush away like that! tell me how much these are going to cost?" "i planned for a dollar and a quarter apiece for six people. that leaves a margin, and you can put as much or as little in addition in flowers and such extravagances as you choose. i do not think any luncheon will cost more than my estimate; if it does, i'll pay the difference." "then i'm certain it will not cost one cent more," said dolly with decision. "that remark settles the matter for me. i know too well you would never make the offer if you were not sure and certain." chapter xii in the country "a letter from aunt maria," said mr. thorne, who had met the postman at the door at breakfast time. "dear old lady! i wonder whether she can be coming to make us a good long visit." his wife looked up from the coffee cups with dismay. "don't suggest such a thing," she remonstrated. "remember that last three months visit. of course she will not come again for years." dolly looked inquiringly at her sister. "aunt maria? i think i recall something about a visit from such a relative." "of course you do," said her brother. "she came and found mary was keeping house all wrong, and kindly tried to show her how it should be done. she insisted on boiled dinners and pie for me at night, and doughnuts every morning for breakfast. when at last she showed signs of getting ready to go home, i entreated her to stay longer, and it is my fondest dream to have her back; indeed, i want her to make her home with us permanently." "do hurry up and read the letter, dick. if she says she is coming here, i warn you in advance that dolly can keep house. i shall go off and make some visits." after a brief glance at the page mr. thorne waved the letter about his head. "glory, glory!" he chanted. "listen to this and think shame to your inhospitable selves. "'my dear nephew:--i have decided to go west and spend the summer with your great-aunt eliza. i write to say that, as i do not care to close the cottage, i shall be pleased to have you and mary spend two or three months in it. i recall that though your ways of keeping house in the city seemed strange to me, still mary did have things tidy, so i am quite willing to have her here in my absence. i shall go next week, and you can come any time after that. my regards to your wife. "'your affectionate aunt, "'maria hancock.'" mary beamed as she listened. "dear old thing," she said when her husband laid down the letter; "there's a reward for all my sufferings while she was here. dolly, she has a darling little house only an hour's ride from town; and a garden, my dear, a garden! we can have a lovely cool time all summer, and eat our own vegetables. think of it." "yes, dolly, i seem to smell the delicious, soul-satisfying odor of those onions now," said dick, luxuriously closing his eyes. "young ones, dolly, strong and spicy. we shall have them for breakfast in the morning and for dinner at night, and i shall have a light lunch of them with bread and butter at bedtime; there's nothing like onions for insomnia. sundays, of course, i shall have them four times. dear, dear aunt maria!" "hush, dick; don't spoil all our pleasure with such horrid suggestions. is it really a nice place, mary?" "nice! it's heavenly. not much society, you know, just a plain little country village, but cool and lovely. we will wear our oldest gowns, and do up fruit, and have our breakfasts on the porch, and just revel." "cherry pie," murmured mr. thorne, who was apparently eating his breakfast in a sort of waking dream. "and apple pie; rhubarb pie, too, and currant pie; strawberry pie and gooseberry pie also. dear aunt maria!" "you can cut the grass nights after you get home, dick," said his wife; "and you can get up early and pull the weeds in the garden and water things. and on half-holidays you can saw wood; i remember aunt maria said she had a wood-stove. it will give you just the exercise you need, and be a pleasant change for you from office work." "mary," said dick, rising suddenly from the table, "don't detain me with such frivolous ideas when i am in such a hurry as i am in this morning. however, i must pause long enough to say that i am to have extra hours this summer, and no half-holidays, so that it will not do for you to depend upon me to pull weeds or cut grass. you had better plan to do those little things yourselves." "he may joke all he likes," smiled his wife as the dining-room door closed after her husband, "but he is as delighted as we are over the prospect. we will go the very minute aunt maria leaves the house. it seems as though i couldn't wait till then." in ten days the little apartment was ready to be closed for the summer and the trunks stood in the hallway. mrs. thorne was taking a parting glance all around. "i have just one regret in leaving," she said to dolly. "that is, that we have had no time to try and sub-let this place. i have known ever so many people who went away in summer and rented their apartments to people who wanted to come to the city and study in the college or take a course in art, or something of the sort. often you can find half a dozen nice girls who want to do their own housekeeping in a furnished flat, and then, you see, i would have let them have this for exactly the same rent as we pay and so have saved a lot. of course, as we do not pay rent in the country, there is no additional expense, but still i cannot help mourning over the 'might have been.' remember, dolly, to try and get a good tenant when you move out temporarily." by afternoon of the next day the family was settled in the little cottage. it was a plain, old house with a low roof, and the furnishings were largely of hair-cloth, and the pictures enlarged crayon portraits of deceased relatives, or wreaths of wax flowers encased in glass. still, the porch was shaded with vines, and the flowers grew luxuriantly in the little yard in front, and back of the house was what mary declared was "a perfect dream" of a vegetable garden, with rows of currant and raspberry bushes along the fence and a group of fruit trees in a tiny orchard further off. altogether, it was just what filled their needs. "the kitchen, however, does not suit me a bit," declared dolly after the rest of the house had been examined and pronounced quite comfortable, and roomy enough for a servantless ménage. "well, it isn't up to our modern notions, to be sure," said her sister, looking critically around. "everything is as clean as wax, as i had expected, but an unpainted sink needs lots of scrubbing, and a wood-stove needs blacking, and also constant stoking. dear me, how horrid it is to have to burn wood after gas! but never mind; i ought to be ashamed to say such a thing in view of our mercies. keep your mind on the garden, dolly, and such things as scrubbing will be forgotten." "and no bread-mixer," dolly went on, investigating the pantry shelves, "and no egg-beater and no cream-whipper! my dear, we must pack up our trunks and go straight back to town. we will be worn to a frazzle in a week working in aunt maria's ways." "don't worry," said mrs. thorne placidly. "those things are all in the big barrel i packed while you were off shopping day before yesterday. i forgot to tell you. i knew we would have to eke out in such things. as to the bread-mixer, one of my unpardonable sins, in aunt maria's eyes, was that i made bread in one, so i knew in advance that i must bring mine along." "and did you buy a kerosene-stove, too?" "yes, i did! i was going to surprise you with it, however, and i wish you hadn't asked. i just boldly took the price out of incidentals, knowing that we should save mints of money on vegetables this summer and i could put the amount back on our return to town in september." "and all those groans over the stove-stoking we were going to do were words, idle words!" mrs. thorne laughed gaily. "just low comedy," she said. "and now for our meals. what shall we have for dinner to-night? we shall have to go down-town and buy some butter and eggs and coffee and such things, and bring them back, too; we must not expect city service here." they decided that this first night it would be foolish to try and have a regular dinner, so when mr. thorne came home he found a supper table set out on the porch, and a little meal arranged of parsley omelet, creamed potatoes, and coffee, followed by strawberries and cream. it was the very poetry of living to sit leisurely in the growing dusk under the vines and listen to the soft country noises. the family then and there decided to take their meals out-of-doors all summer. "the neighbors will think we are crazy," said mr. thorne placidly. "they will write to aunt maria and tell her we are disgracing her hearthstone. no well conducted villagers would think of doing such a thing as eating on a porch when there was a dining-room with a black walnut table and six chairs in their proper places. they will not consider us respectable, my dears!" "i can't help it if they don't like it, and i don't believe it would surprise aunt maria in the least if she heard of it; i think she would say she had no doubt i was quite capable of doing something even as outlandish as this. but in spite of everything, we certainly shall have our meals out-of-doors except on blazing hot noons, and on rainy nights. so there!" mr. thorne was entirely right in the estimation put on the family by the neighbors, but nevertheless they ate, and rejoiced that they could eat under the vines on the porch all summer long. the second day they took account of what their garden could be depended on to give them. they found string-beans in plenty, radishes, potatoes, spinach and beets. lettuce was almost ready; peas and corn progressing nicely, and later on there would be cucumbers and tomatoes and eggplant. last of all, squashes and melons might be looked for. they could scarcely believe all this wealth was to be theirs for the picking. "but the weeding, don't forget that!" said dolly, as she heard her sister's exclamation. "i somehow don't seem to fancy the idea of weeding this place. at least, i don't yearn to begin." "i think we had better have a regular weeding boy; we can pay him in vegetables." "he will not take them; everybody has vegetables here." "then we will pay him in dollars and cents,--mostly cents. of course we can't do the weeding ourselves, except casually and at odd minutes, and i foresee that dick will never do a bit. i shall take the money out of what we would spend on food at home, our dollar a day. weeding is a legitimate expense, but you know how i hate to break into incidentals, and we can easily save here." "there's the washing and ironing, remember. you have got to pay for those, you know. i wonder whether they will be a great deal here." "those will be less than in town; we can have the wash-lady scrub up the floors too." "and there is milk." "that will be less, too. in town we have to pay eight cents a bottle, and in some places it is more than that; here, i fancy, it will be about six cents a quart." "and there is ice; or do they use ice in the country?" "yes, they cut it on the river near here; but it is not always good or abundant. i rather think we cannot use it recklessly; i have known the supply to give out in the middle of the summer when there was a short crop cut." "and is it cheap?" "about as much as in town, i think; that is the way usually." "what do you think about meat? did you see the butcher shop when we came up from the station?" "yes, and i did not like its looks a bit better than i see you did. but perhaps we need not buy our meat there, if we do not like it better when we go inside and look around. there may be a meat-wagon that comes around." "i think meat-wagons are horrid; they are never clean." "not to our city eyes, you mean. well, we shall see. perhaps there is a model cart with everything spick and span, and driver in a white jacket; who knows?" one morning, when they had quite settled down to housekeeping, mary got out the best preserving-kettle, after the breakfast dishes were done, and presently the weeding boy appeared with a big basket of strawberries which had been ordered the day before, as the garden bed must not be entirely picked off. "now for some delicious strawberry preserves," the cook observed as she began vigorously to stem them. "get out my book, dolly, and copy down for yourself that recipe marked 'strawberries; unfailing.' i got it from a danish woman once, and it is the best i ever saw. the fruit looks like rich german berries, the kind that come done up in glass and cost a dollar a bottle, and they never lose color or spoil; they keep for years." so dolly read and wrote out: "'get firm, large berries, and stem but do not wash them. weigh three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit, and arrange them in layers in your kettle; cover and let them stand all night (or if the weather is very hot and damp, do this in the early morning and cook them toward night). the next morning put the kettle on and bring the berries slowly to the boiling point and skim them. simmer exactly fifteen minutes and take the kettle off the fire; cover it with a thin cloth and let it stand all night without moving. in the morning heat again, and skim; this time let it simmer exactly ten minutes and take off the kettle; drain off the juice and boil down for just five minutes, put the berries in, and put them in the cans and seal.' that's a queer rule," dolly commented as she finished. "it's perfectly splendid, and we will follow it to the letter and you shall see for yourself. now remember this important thing that i am about to tell you, for it is something you must never lose sight of when you do up fruit: the reason why any fruit spoils, when you put it in good, air-tight cans, is that you have not sterilized the cans and covers, and have not used new rubbers each year." "but just how do you sterilize cans?" "wash them, and then put them in the oven, tops and all, and bake them half an hour. put the rubbers in hot water for fifteen minutes and wipe them dry. and always use glass cans with glass tops fastened on with wires. when you put the fruit away, find a place for it in a cool, rather dark closet. if you do all these things, none of it will ever 'turn' or spoil." "well, i'll impress it all on my mind. now tell me what we are going to do up this summer, and all about it." "currants come first. i shall make jelly of some of those, and later on we will spice them and make conserve, and mix some with raspberries for another sort of jam." "does your jelly always 'jell?'" "always. it has to, whether it wants to or not. most jellies are perfectly easy to make, so you can follow a good cook-book; currant jelly is the only sort you could ever have any trouble with, and that you need not have if you follow this rule. write down: "'currant jelly that never fails. take currants that are barely ripe, and do not pick them just after a rain, when the juice is thin. do not stem them or wash them, but look them over carefully and crush them in a crock with a wooden potato masher. put them in a bag, and hang them up and let them drain all night. in the morning measure the juice and take just as much sugar, with the addition of one extra half-pint at the end; put this in the oven to heat. put the juice on the fire and boil it twenty minutes, skimming it occasionally; then put in the hot sugar and stir till this is dissolved. let it boil up hard just once, and take it from the fire immediately, for the jelly has come; longer boiling will prevent its ever setting. pour it into glasses and put it in the sunshine for two days, then cover with paraffin and put it away. this is perfectly clear and of a fine flavor.'" "so it is," mrs. thorne added, as dolly copied the last words. "next let us make a sort of list of what you can put up when you are where you can get fruits cheaply in summer. when you are in town you cannot well do them by the wholesale, but a glass or a can when you can find something reasonable, such as a box of nice berries one day, and a quart of nicer plums the next, and so on." "like winter preserves," said dolly. "exactly. but now, as we happen to be in clover this summer, we must do up a lot of things. i have learned to alternate the fruits, one year doing one kind and the next leaving that sort out and taking another, for variety's sake; but as you are going to divide all the fruit with me this year and have half for your very own, we must do up heaps and piles of everything. i will tell you what we can make if we choose." dolly took her pencil again, and her sister gave her this list: "take strawberries first; those you preserve and also make into jam. then come cherries; like the strawberries, you use the danish rule, taking less sugar if they are sweet, or the usual amount if they are sour. you can make spiced cherries to eat with meats, too; those are lovely. currants you make into jelly, of course; to my mind it is the best kind of all. then you spice them also, and make currant conserve, which is a mixture of currants, raisins and oranges, and awfully good. you also mix them with red raspberries for jam, and if you like, you make raspberry and currant jelly too. raspberries you do up by the danish rule, using the smaller amount of sugar, as they are sweet. raspberry jam is very nice for a good many things, and i usually do up a good deal of that. "then come gooseberries; those you make into jam to eat with cream cheese--home-made bar-le-duc, you know. and you spice them exactly as you do currants. all those rules are in your cook-book. "pineapples you can with a good deal of sugar. blackberries you can make into jam and jelly, and you can also can them, but to my mind they are pretty seedy except in jelly, and that is rather dark colored, not as pretty as most jellies. still, all things are good for a change. blueberries or huckleberries i can for tarts in winter. "then melons come on, and you can make watermelon sweet pickles, and also citron preserves. plums come, too, about this time, and those you merely can, making them as sweet as you like. i put up greengages and purple plums in quantities, and use them for deep tarts in winter, saving eggs, you see, in my desserts. and i also make plum jelly and spiced plums, if i can get them at a cheap price. "peaches are your best preserve. i can them in a rather rich syrup, leaving them whole and putting in a good many kernels from their stones. buy those carefully, for they are usually expensive. the bits left over i make into peach jam; it is the best thing for little tarts and to use with whipped cream in different ways. and of course i make spiced peaches, too. pears i can, and i make pear conserve, out of pears, lemon and ginger-root; that is very good with cream cheese and crackers for lunch. "quinces i use in jelly, sometimes mixing apples with it, as it is apt to be a little high flavored. i also do up a few cans of preserves, and once in awhile i make a lovely conserve of quince, grapefruit and a few oranges; that i do later in the fall. grapes i make into jelly, and i spice a lot, too. i make a marmalade with the skins and pulp and sugar, all boiled down together; and grape conserve, made of grape pulp and oranges and raisins, is one of my choicest things. citron you preserve; it looks exactly like pineapple. "by this time crab-apples come, and i spice some of those, and make a good deal of jelly, it is so clear and pretty. by the way, because your cook-book will not mention the fact, remember always to put half a lemon, cut up with its peel, into each kettle of hot jelly as you take it off the fire; just stir it in and leave it while you dip out the jelly. it gives a delicious flavor. and when you want geranium jelly, drop in three of four leaves of rose geranium with the lemon at the same time; you can bruise them a little if you like. spiced crab-apple jelly is nice, too; you just add a bag of whole spices as it cooks. you see what a lot of things there are, and i am sure i could think up others if i tried. but probably you will learn more for yourself as you keep house, because every cook is experimenting nowadays, and you constantly hear of new things." "i am sure i shall love to do up fruit; it looks so pretty when it is in the glass, and you feel so rich when you see it on your shelves." "the worst of it is that it is the poetry of cooking, and all housekeepers love to do it up, love it not wisely but too well. they buy when they ought not, and put too much money in both fruit and sugar. often they have to keep a lot over from year to year, which is not at all a good idea. so be on your guard and do not rashly buy and do up everything in sight every summer. of course this one year, when we are economizing so in vegetables and milk, we can afford to spend more than usual in other things. then, too, most of the fruit is right in our own garden, which is a wonderful stroke of good fortune and probably will not come our way twice. and i brought out that barrel of cans and glasses from town, so we shall not have to buy as many as we would otherwise; we shall have to buy some dozens, however, i am afraid." "don't you think we ought to do up some fruit for aunt maria, mary?" "indeed i do. i am not sure whether she will like the idea,--though i hope she will like the fruit,--but i think we had better get out her own cans and fill them with the old-fashioned things she will be apt to enjoy, such as cherries and strawberries and quinces and watermelon rind. it will be fun to leave her some things, and goodness knows we ought to, after all we have had out of her garden." "do you ever do up vegetables?" "i seldom have done that, but we must this year. we will do up some peas and corn and succotash, and string-beans and tomatoes, anyway." "i thought vegetables didn't keep well if you did them up yourself." "get a good rule to begin with; you can get a perfect one by sending to washington to the bureau of agriculture. then sterilize your cans, and you won't have a bit of trouble. spoiling used to be the bane of a housekeeper, for five times out of ten things would sour, and she could not tell what was the matter; but sterilize the cans, and you will be all right." "and do you think you save a lot by doing up vegetables?" "of course you do--heaps of money; you can see how that is at a glance; and they are so much better than what you buy, too. tomatoes i just peel and salt a little, and put in cans and stand them in a cold oven; then i make a fire and leave them till the tomatoes boil. i keep one extra canful ready to fill up the others from as i take them out, because they shrink a little as they cook; then i put on the covers. they come out six months later just as though they had just been gathered. you see how easy that is, especially as you scald the tomatoes instead of taking off the skin with a knife, as you do with fruits. string beans and peas i can so you would not know them from fresh ones. i pick them over and put them on in cold water and simmer them fifteen minutes; then i drain and measure them; to a quart of either i put in one level teaspoonful of salt and one of sugar, and to each four quarts one of soda; then i put them back in the kettle, just cover them with hot water, cook five minutes and can them in glass jars." "oh, mary, that reminds me--pickles! you haven't said a word about those." "to be sure. well, i do up few of those, because we like sweet pickles made from fruit better than sour ones of vegetables; but you can make some tiny little cucumber pickles if you like, and chow chow, and chili sauce, and a sort of mince made of green tomatoes and cabbage and all sorts of things. you can study up on pickles, later on, and ask people who like to do them up about recipes, and decide, as time goes on, what you want. we have undertaken so much this summer that, except for chili sauce and a few jars of other things, i do not think we shall do much in the pickle line. pickles are really not economical, because they do not serve as a food, as fruit and jellies and jams do; they are only a relish, after all. still, they help out, especially at luncheon, so put up some when you keep house, by all means." picking over the strawberries and starting the process of preserving them, making up jam out of the smaller and poorer berries, and a hurried trip down town for more sugar, together with getting lunch and cleaning up the kitchen after all the work was done, consumed most of the day. it was not until toward night that mrs. thorne began to make preparations for dinner, and then she found that the beef left by the butcher had evidently not been kept in the ice-house, but had been exposed on the counter, and it had a distinct odor which was anything but pleasant. "no wonder he drove off in such haste after he gave me the bundle," said dolly indignantly. "whatever shall we do, now, mary? go down-town for more?" "no, it's much too hot, and we are too tired. we shall have a supper of some kind. let me see; what can we have? i'm really too used up to think." "iced tea for one thing; that is made and ready, at least. but the kerosene-stove has got to be filled before we can cook anything, for the oil gave out just as we finished the last strawberry." mary looked apprehensive. "it did? my dear, that was the last drop in the house, and they won't deliver anything after four o'clock. and there's not a single stick of wood sawed, either, for that miserable boy, who promised to come back after handing in the berries, has never appeared at all." "what will you do? dick is sure to come home ravenous." "there's the chafing-dish, blessings on it! and the alcohol bottle is full; even if all the other fuels have given out, that remains. we will stir up something in that and have a salad. always have a chafing-dish, dolly; there are times when life would not be worth living without it." the emergency shelf of the pantry yielded a can of salmon, and this was drained and the bones removed, and a white sauce made for it in one of the pans of the dish. it was to be reheated and the fish put in it in the chafing-dish on the table. with this was to be bread and butter and iced tea. "for a salad, dolly, get those string-beans i cooked and set away this morning. put them on lettuce and add french dressing; that will be very nice. for dessert i meant to have strawberries, but the very idea of them is nauseating after working with them all day." "i should rather think so--strawberries, indeed! no, for once i am going over to neighbor thomas' and borrow; that is the proper thing to do in the country, and i dare say they have felt slighted that we have not been before. probably they think we are proud. i know they have more cream from that jersey cow than they can possibly use, and i have an idea of a dessert i can make up all alone. mary, do you think we shall ever be able to have a real live cow of our very own?" "if we were going to live in the country the year around, i think somehow or other we ought to manage to have one. we should have to pay for hay and things in winter to feed it on, and get somebody to milk it, though, and i remember to have heard that caring for the milk was no small consideration when one has a small family. i rather think, when you counted up the first cost of a good cow and added the price of its care and food, you would find it was cheaper to buy milk; but wouldn't it be perfectly delightful never to have to economize on it? think of the cream soups and ice-cream and custards and fresh cream cheese and everything else! well, dolly, dear, run along on your errand, for if we continue this subject you will see me dissolve in tears." their neighbor proved to have a bowl of cream she did not need and was glad to let dolly have, and in a moment the cream-whipper was at work, and presently a mass of stiff whip was ready, sweetened, flavored and laid lightly on a cold glass dish. then going to the pantry, a small paper box was found among the cracker boxes sent from town. this was full of lady-fingers. half of it was used for the dessert, as they were split and arranged around the cream, and there was a most delicious mould of charlotte russe. as half the five-cent box of cakes was left over, this cost but a veritable song, thanks to the neighbor's kindness, which, by the way, was repaid later on by the gift of a strawberry shortcake. mary was getting the chafing-dish ready to light for the second time the moment the latch of the garden gate announced her husband's home-coming. meanwhile she gave dolly a talk on its uses. "always have a chafing-dish in the house," she began seriously. "when you need it at all, you need it dreadfully. now, in a place like this, where you may be caught unawares at any moment with no fuel, you can see that we simply could not do without it. of course in town we have the gas-stove, and that cooks just as well as this, but even there a chafing-dish is a good thing to own. on sunday night, for supper, it is more fun to cook with this than it is to stir up things in the kitchen. then, too, when you have people in during the evening, it is nice to have them sit around the table and chat while you get up a little supper with it. you can have so many good things in it, too, such as lobster, creamed or newburg, and scrambled eggs mixed with green peppers or tomatoes, or creamed haddie, or cheese fondu or rarebit. and with sandwiches and coffee and salad, you can see you can have a really beautiful supper, the coffee in the machine on the sideboard or on one end of the table, the salad ready in its bowl, and the chafing-dish and hot plates in front of the hostess." "yes, of course it is fun to use one. i know lots of girls who make a regular business of learning how to make new things; they take cooking lessons on them." "i know they do, but sometimes i am inclined to think they overdo that matter. you should not take a chafing-dish too seriously, in my opinion. it is invaluable in an emergency, and good at other times, but after all it is better to learn to cook on a range, and make all sorts of things, and then you can easily add on the chafing-dish cookery. in other words, it is an informal utensil for informal occasions, not for every-day use." "well, certainly to-night we needed it badly enough, and if dick declines to saw wood this evening, as my prophetic soul says he will, we shall have to get breakfast on it too. what will you have?" "let me see. are there plenty of eggs? i think we will scramble some, or, if we are short, we will cream codfish in the dish. the coffee i shall make in one of the two pans, too, since our machine is in town. toast we can't have, and muffins are equally out of the question, but we will have berries, and bread and butter, and then our nice hot dish and coffee. that's a meal fit for anybody." "and 'no trouble at all,'" quoted dolly. chapter xiii midsummer housekeeping--the end of the holiday as summer went on the weather turned extremely hot, and the problem of keeping the little house cool and doing the work easily became a real study to the sisters. it was such a simple matter to allow the cooking to stretch itself out over so much of the morning that before they realized it they were tired out for the rest of the day. in order to make things easier, they decided to rise a trifle earlier than usual, throw open all the doors and windows, and let the cool air in; then they would breakfast on the porch as usual, wash up the dishes, and set the house in order and close and darken it for the middle of the day. there would still be time to go down-town and market and do what cooking was necessary, and yet before noon everything would be out of the way. by careful planning they could manage the luncheons and dinner so that they could be ready in advance and the long afternoons could be devoted to rest and reading. then between four and five o'clock the doors and windows were again thrown open. the dinner table was laid on the porch, just before the six o'clock train was due, and the dinner itself was put on in only a moment, thanks to the foresight of the morning. one of the things upon which mrs. thorne laid great emphasis was the delightfulness of cold meals on hot days. when one rose jaded from a sultry night she felt it was not the time for codfish cakes or scrambled eggs. when luncheon was to be set out, things from the refrigerator were what one wished for, cold and comfortable. even at dinner, the food on a blisteringly hot evening was cold; cold and appetizing, and quite as nourishing as though it had been heated. they arranged these meals in this way: for breakfast, they cooked oatmeal or farina or some other cereal in the fireless stove all day, till it was a jelly; toward night they put this into a mould, cooled it, and then set it on the ice. in the morning they had first a pretty form of this cereal surrounded by red raspberries or sliced peaches, with sugar and cream; this, with toast and hot coffee, was all they wished for. sometimes, when they tired of the cereal, they had a chilled salad of sliced tomatoes on lettuce, with a light french dressing, a curious breakfast dish, but one they found very refreshing in the heat. on cooler mornings they had a first course of little melons, followed by eggs, muffins and coffee, or fried tomatoes in the place of the eggs. for luncheon they had all sorts of things from the garden. often the main dish was a vegetable salad,--string-beans or stuffed tomatoes, or cucumbers and tomatoes,--with freshly made cottage cheese bought from a neighbor, and bread and butter and iced tea, coffee or chocolate. or, if the day was cool, they had the vegetable hot,--baked corn, or creamed peas, or tomatoes, baked, filled with crumbs and seasoning,--and for a second course there was usually fruit. luncheons such as these were nothing to get up. the vegetables were prepared directly after breakfast. if they were to be served as salads, they were cooked, cooled and set on the ice; if hot, they were made all ready to put in the oven at the last moment. their cold dinners, however, were their pride. they found so many good things to have that they fairly hesitated which to choose for any particular night. sometimes they began with clear soup. this, of course, was made the day before in the tireless stove, and only strained and put on ice the next morning for the second evening. on very hot days sometimes they put it in a small pail, and set this in another and larger one, with ice between, and put it back in the stove for the afternoon; then it came out full of splinters of ice, a most delightfully cool affair. fruit soups they experimented with, but found they did not care for, so they clung to this clear bouillon when they had soup at all. usually, however, their dinner began with meat. this was made ready either the day before it was needed, or else it was prepared early in the morning. they had veal loaf sometimes, surrounded with sliced tomatoes and french dressing; or slices of cold mutton with peas in mayonnaise; or occasionally, as a treat, jellied chicken with the peas. sometimes they had bits of lamb, cooked very tender with a knuckle-bone, and then made exactly like the jellied chicken, the meat turning out set in an aspic. often peas were mixed with the lamb in the mould, and then a little gelatine was added to ensure its setting firmly. usually, with the dish, they had dressed lettuce. after this combination course of meat and salad, came dessert. they often had an ice or sherbet made from the fruit in the garden, costing nothing but the small amount of sugar used in making it and the ice used in freezing. this was alternated with some sort of mousse made in the fireless stove. sometimes there was fruit jelly, raspberries, possibly, set with lemon jelly, moulded in a circle with whipped cream in the middle. or there would be a chilled rice pudding; or peaches, cut up, sugared, and put in a pail with ice around them and set away till they were half frozen. these things, too, could all be prepared early in the day. usually, even when the weather was hot, the one exception to the cold-food rule was the coffee, which they liked best hot at night as well as morning, but when they had had any mousse or ice-cream for dinner, part of this was sometimes saved, and late in the evening there came in tall glasses of iced coffee or chocolate with a spoonful of the cream in the bottom of each; a sort of ice-cream-soda they particularly fancied. when the weather grew cooler these cold dinners gave way to hot ones. then they had cream soups first, made with any vegetable they happened to have ready cooked from the night before; a spoonful of spinach, or a handful of beans, or the outer leaves of lettuce, all were used. afterward came meat and vegetables, and then perhaps a berry tart or a custard or shortcake. however, whatever they had, they were certain to prepare it to the last possible spoonful in the morning. the meat course at dinner was too often a problem, for the butcher continued all summer to exercise them in the virtue of patience. in the early part of their stay his shop was so far from sanitarily clean that they were obliged to tell him they could not trade with him unless he improved his ways. this he good-naturedly consented to do as far as in him lay. he put his meat in the ice-box instead of leaving it exposed on the counter; what there was out he covered with a mosquito-netting. but as his ice-box was small, this meant that the meat could not hang long enough to make it tender; it was brought in one day by the farmers and put out for sale the next. all the beef was tough and stringy; the veal was apt to be far too young, and the chickens far too old. there was seldom any lamb to be had, and the mutton often had a curious flavor decidedly suggestive of wool. to offset these difficulties, however, there were some advantages, advantages over the city market, even. by watching the calves brought in, mary could select the largest one and insist that her meat must be cut from that. then she would also secure the liver for almost nothing, and the sweetbreads and brains for a song; as she predicted in the winter she would find, the farming community did not appreciate these things as she did. the liver she roasted after larding it, and it made a delicious dinner, while the left-over appeared the next night as mock terrapin and was equally good. the sweetbreads and brains were of course among their choicest dishes. sometimes on a sunday night they had a salad of them served on lettuce with mayonnaise. the mutton she bought occasionally, for it was cheap, too, but she always parboiled it before roasting it, and put considerable seasoning in the dish to disguise the woolly flavor she perhaps imagined she noticed. once cold, however, this disappeared, and the meat was a welcome change from the other things she could get. though the beef was really almost worthless in the condition in which it appeared in the shop, as it was coarse and tough and not ready to eat, this mary also made palatable. she would buy a piece off the round, and put it through her own meat-chopper to ensure having it clean. this then appeared as hamburg steak, surrounded by all sorts of vegetables, small piles of tiny carrots, little beans and fresh peas setting the brown meat off by their alternating colors. or she cut the beef up into finger lengths and stewed it long and slowly in the tireless stove, putting in barley and tomatoes and other good things till it came out a delicious, rich, and nourishing stew. when she could get a beef's tongue, she always rejoiced, for one night it was braised with vegetables, and another the slices left over were set in an aspic jelly, and a third the rest was chopped, creamed and slightly baked, and the whole cost little as compared to what she would have had to pay in town, where tongue was an extravagant meat. when a chicken could be found which promised to be tender, that was purchased, not at twenty-two cents or thereabouts, as it would have been in the city, but for fifteen cents. this was usually split up the back and panned for sunday dinner. when an old fowl was purchased for jellied chicken for hot nights, it was first stewed to rags, then imbedded in its own stock, strained and set with gelatine, and it came out tender in spite of itself. as to fish, once in awhile they could get something from the river. a fish-man drove a wagon past the door, but as he asked city prices for what he had, and as there was always some doubt as to just what day the fish had originally appeared on sale, these they never purchased. the little perch and sunfish small boys brought straight from the water, strung on twigs and still dripping, they did buy, and found them excellent for a change, though after the skin and bones were removed there was little left of the fish. as to groceries, there had been a good deal of trouble at first. the coffee and tea at the post-office-shop were too poor to use; the spices were distinctly stale; crackers were to be had only in broken bits from the common barrel. butter was almost as expensive as in town, and not very good even so; too often it was pale, and the buttermilk exuded in tiny drops here and there. eggs were a constant source of anxiety; they were not only much more expensive than they should have been, according to mrs. thorne's ideas, but they were of all ages, and so mixed at the store that it was impossible to decide which would do for breakfast and which would not, until, by breaking several, one after the other, it was found that all were about equally stale. to make housekeeping easy, it was necessary to hunt up a farmer's wife who made really good butter and would promise to deliver it weekly. this arrangement proved the solution of that difficulty. sometimes, when the weather was cool, dolly would take the cream-whipper, and using the sweet cream she could occasionally get for a small sum, she would turn out enough delicious unsalted butter to make the next day's meals a delight. the egg problem had to be solved in the same fashion as the butter problem. a farmer had to be found who would bring in a dozen eggs or more a week, provided he had them; too often he came supplied with only half as many as they wished to have, hens being obdurate at the time. this meant that they had then to be very economical for awhile, till the wretched fowls returned to business. most of the groceries had to be ordered from town, for their coffee and tea must be good, and a certain number of packages of crackers and fancy biscuit, with salmon, olives, spices, chocolate, gelatine, raisins and some tins of olive oil, were ordered with them. the staples, flour, sugar, rice, salt, corn-meal and such things, they bought from day to day, as they were needed, at the local grocery. ice continued to arrive on schedule time, but as it was almost as dear as at home, they had to use it carefully. the water was bottled and put on it in the refrigerator. tea and coffee were treated in the same way, so that they could all be used without adding any ice from the block, except perhaps a small bit in each glass. they kept the one large piece carefully wrapped up, to prevent its melting, in defiance of the advice of most household teachers of housekeeping, who had declared that the truest economy consisted in letting the ice melt as it would, in order to best preserve the food. they found that the food still kept from day to day when the ice was wrapped, and just half as much had to be bought as when it melted at its own sweet will. when they had ice-cream they made only a small quantity at a time by having a little freezer, and breaking only as much ice as they really needed. they made more sherbets than any other frozen dainty, and for these they used fruit from the garden; raspberry, cherry and currant ices took little from the family purse. when cream was used, it was made into mousse, and of course frozen in the tireless stove. this useful article, by the way, was not brought from town, but constructed out of a wooden candy-pail with hay-filled pads; it took only a morning of the sisters' time, and no money at all to make. one warm afternoon dolly roused herself from a reverie in the hammock and suddenly said to mary, "this place reminds me of the seashore!" "because it's so different, i suppose." "exactly; you have guessed it. the reason why i was reminded of the seashore in the first place, however, was the distant view i get from here of the fish-man's wagon disappearing down the road, and the thought of the shore suggested the summer we all spent there together before you were married. i was wondering whether you knew much about housekeeping then, and how you found living there compared with living here." "i really did not do any housekeeping then, but four years ago dick and i spent three weeks there visiting a friend, and i learned all about the way prices ran from her; she was a splendid manager, too." "well, what do you think of the difference between it and this place?" "it's as wide as the sea itself. in the first place, unless you go to a very primitive spot, you will find the fish is nearly all sent to town, and you must pay city prices for what you can get. that is the first great disillusionment you meet with. bluefish and lobsters and all, even down to flounders, are no longer cheap if the place is near enough a railroad to permit an easy shipment to town. clams are usually an exception, and if you can live largely on these, you will find they cost little. we used to ring the changes on chowder, minced clams on toast, and clam broth." "do you mean hard-shelled clams or soft?" "hard shell; quahaugs, they are called locally. soft-shell clams you can dig yourself in many places; and if you go to the seashore, do try and find out in advance how the supply is, for freshly dug clams that cost nothing, and can be steamed or made into clam fritters and other good dishes, are indeed a boon to those who must live on a little by the sea." "and how about groceries and such things?" "they are all high; city prices again. you must really take down some good dry things yourself to help out, just as we do here. and butter and eggs are very expensive, for the climate at the seaside never seems to agree with either cows or hens; they are scarce. so eggs and butter and milk are all costly." "and meat, i suppose, is, too." "meat is frightfully dear if you go to any place where it is sent down from the city. if it is not, but is bought at a butcher shop at the nearest place, it is the same sort of thing we get here--poor, distinctly poor, my dear." "on the whole, then, you do not recommend the seashore as an economical place to spend the summer in." "not unless you go to an unfashionable place a long way off. then if you get a furnished cottage, and can get clams by digging them and fish by catching it, or getting it of a fisherman who does not find it in demand elsewhere, you can really live on a little. of course you will not have milk, nor eggs, nor vegetables nor fruit, except in homoeopathic doses, but then, it will be cool and refreshing as to climate, and the rest will doubtless do your weary brain a great deal of good." "doubtless. but i think, as long as i am poor, i shall take my vacations among the hills; it must be cheap there." "then you must rent your apartment in town or board in the country, for you can't well rent two places at the same time. you can get a cheap place in certain farmhouses in the hills not too near the city, but often they are not so very comfortable, to our ways of thinking." "but certainly, if i rent the apartment and take a small house, i shall find food cheap enough." "just about as it is here: vegetables and fruit will be cheap, and meat poor, and ice probably hard to be had. but milk will be inexpensive, and probably eggs and butter, too." "the farther off you get the more it costs to live, if one is to go by prices in the adirondacks, or similar remote spots. i remember going there once and staying in a camp, and everything had to be brought by pack, and i knew it must cost heaps to get such things as vegetables and eggs and city groceries." "yes, such places are costly if you try and live as you do at home. i believe the only way to manage is to accommodate yourself as far as possible to the place you are in. that is, here we do not send away for anything but groceries, and only one box of those in a summer; we eat the local meat, and if we had no garden we could buy vegetables of our neighbors. at the seashore you must live on what is there; not meat and vegetables, but fish you can catch for yourself and clams you can dig. in the hills, put up with discomforts and look at the sunsets. don't try and have city meats, but when the farmer kills an animal, take what you can get of it and be thankful, and make it up on vegetables and blueberries and such things." "but taking this summer as a whole and comparing it with life in the city and elsewhere, would you not say that the country is about the best place of all to live in? it seems to me that it is. living has been very cheap this summer, hasn't it?" "yes, very, but remember that we pay no rent here, and have a garden. suppose we hired a cottage and had to have a garden made. that would be another story, for the first year at least. i suppose after that the garden part would be less expensive. then remember that there are two of us to do the work; you alone without a maid would find it much harder to get along. and then in summer, it is lovely anywhere in the country, but think of this place in winter, with snow piled up high and nobody to dig walks except a husband who has only brief mornings and evenings to do it in. then the problem of heating the house! no, i do not believe i should find it easy to live here in the winter." "oh, i did not mean here; i meant in some nice suburb not too far from town." "well, rents are high in any nice place, and you have to have a furnace man and somebody to shovel snow just as you would have here. beside, food is always very expensive in a suburb; you have to pay city prices for everything." "well, is the last word that the city is the only place to live in economically?" "not at all. i hope i could live economically anywhere. but if you do live in town in an apartment, you get your heating done without trouble on your part, and you can buy any sort of food at any price you choose to pay. if you want cheap meat you can get it, and it will be of a good kind, not the poor stuff we have here. vegetables and fruit are as cheap in summer in town as they are anywhere, provided you have to buy them in the country. you have to spend car-fares there, and here you have a commutation ticket to get. my mind is exactly where it was before we came out here for the summer. it is not the place you live in, it is the way you live that makes things come out even. don't pay more rent than you can afford; don't spend more on your table than you can afford; watch your small outgoings; keep down incidentals. if you observe these rules, dolly, i am sure you will come out right in the end wherever you are. live in the country if you choose; there are lots of compensations for the extra care of the fires and the snow in the winter. think of the lovely summer we have had here. that would be worth a long cold winter, i really believe. or, live in a suburb and have a good time socially--i believe you get more gaiety of a nice kind in a small place than in town. but if you do, be very, very careful, for it is extra hard there to live on a little. if you live in an apartment in town, economize all winter, for no one will be the wiser, and spend the money you save in an outing in summer of some sort. that is my advice after trying living in all sorts of places." "well, i'll consider the subject later on. meanwhile, tell me truly: have you saved as much money as you expected to when we came out here?" "yes, quite as much. meat has cost little, and vegetables still less, in spite of the wages of the weeding boy. fuel has been low; milk less than in town, and butter and eggs no more here than there. fruit has been almost nothing at all, and though we have done up so much, the sugar has not been so very expensive, because we bought that by the half-barrel and saved a good deal so. on the whole, i am more than satisfied, and we will have a snug little sum left over after we put back what we took out of incidentals when we came." "and next time we will have a cow and make all our butter," said dolly. "and we will surely have hens, too," said her sister. "that is, we will have them if we can; i am not sure we could invest in any for one summer alone, though i do sigh for plenty of eggs and broilers. i have heard, however, that hens are expensive and unsatisfactory in the hands of a novice, so we won't order any in advance." when mr. thorne came home at night he had two letters in his pocket which proved of amazing interest. one was dolly's regular letter from south america, but it conveyed the joyful news that the end of probation was at hand and it was about time to begin ordering the trousseau for an early wedding. the other letter was from aunt maria, and said that her sister was ill and she should not return in the autumn, and the family was to have whatever they could take home from the garden. these things naturally made the breaking up of the little home very exciting. "we will take all the potatoes," said mary as they looked over the outdoor supplies still uneaten. "we will have those put in two barrels, and have one apiece for you and ourselves. the squashes we will take too, and the onions and turnips and beets, and all those things. the parsley we will plant in boxes for the kitchen windows, and the apples we will take every one." "and may a mere man inquire where on earth you are going to store all these things in our flat?" asked her husband. "the barrel of potatoes can stand in the dining-room, to be sure, and the apples in the parlor, but the squashes and turnips will have to go in your dress-boxes under the beds." "no, they won't. we will take everything to town that we can and divide them up. the janitor can keep our barrels in the basement and bring up one at a time, and i will put the other things in baskets and pile those one on top of the other in the corner by the refrigerator, or some other place." "some other place will be better," said dick. "well, of course i realize that they will not keep forever, dick thorne, but i shall take every single thing i can find, for all that, and we will eat them up as soon as possible. still, it is maddening not to have more room to store things in a city apartment. now in the country we should have a root cellar, dolly, and put lots of them out there, and have them come in all winter when we needed them. and of course potatoes and apples and squashes we could put down cellar and they would be all right there. isn't it too provoking we can't do that way in town? i declare it is enough to make me determine to stay on here till spring." "do," said her husband encouragingly. "shovelling snow is said to be the finest exercise in the world, and you can do it at odd moments when you are not stoking the kitchen fire. i should have to catch the early train in the morning, and it would be dark when i came back, so i could not help you, unfortunately, much as i should regret the fact. but i am sure it would do you all the good in the world." "some other winter," laughed his wife. "the next thing is to get dolly married, and we must go back to get that over. father and mother will be home soon, too, and that is another reason for our leaving. but it has been a lovely summer; we shall always remember it, i am sure." "it has been a lovely year all through," said dolly. "i can't tell you how grateful i am for your taking me in. and do you--now honestly, mary--do you think i know enough to keep house all by myself?" "i have my doubts, dolly dear," her brother broke in. "on the whole i think fred had better put off coming home for awhile. i shall write him to-morrow in any case, and i shall tell him so and save you the trouble." "there won't be time for a letter to reach him, unfortunately," dolly replied with a most becoming blush. "he is coming right away--about next week, he thinks. so, mary, you see why i am anxious to know whether i can keep house or not. do tell me honestly." "i can conscientiously give you a diploma, my dear, so don't worry. you really and truly have learned to live on a little." produced from scanned images of public domain material from the google books project.) transcriber's notes: the spelling and punctuation of the original have been preserved. obvious punctuation errors and misprints have been corrected. blank pages have been deleted. text in italics is indicated between _underscores_ whereas text in bold is indicated between =double hyphens=. text in small capitals has been replaced by regular uppercase text. * * * * * fast-day cookery or meals without meat household books. =hints on cookery=, and management of the table. translated from the french by mary hooper. crown vo. price s. d. =the economical cook.= a book of recipes for every season of the year. by p. o. p. fcap. vo. price s. =washing, cleaning, and removing stains.= by an experienced housewife. fcap. vo. price s. =children.= by i. l. richmond, with a preface by sarah tytler. fcap. vo, paper. price s. a book for all mothers, being a series of short practical papers on the care and home training of young people; with full directions for nursing them through their ordinary diseases, and teaching them how to preserve their health; also plain instructions how to cater for a family and to prepare their meals, including inexpensive menus for dinner, breakfast, and supper. griffith farran & co., limited, london. _and all booksellers._ fast-day cookery or meals without meat by grace johnson authoress of "anglo-indian and oriental cookery" london griffith farran & co. newbery house, charing cross road [_the rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._] preface encouraged by the kindly manner in which the press has dealt with my "anglo-indian and oriental cookery," and at the repeated request of friends, i am writing this little book. in its compilation, i have had in view both the anglican and roman communions. there are many who keep the fasts and abstinences prescribed by their church, and there are many more who would do so if their food was served up and cooked in a healthy way. as a rule, fish and vegetables are very little understood in this country, and even in the houses of the better class one sees little else than the eternal boiled and fried fish. as to vegetables, they are out of it altogether. if this be the case where money is no object, how much harder is it for those who are obliged to make the most of everything? i do not pretend to teach in this little book, only to give a few novel and useful recipes that most housewives will find really good and economical, and also to show that a non-flesh diet can be and is both healthy and appetising. the book will be found useful by others than those for whom it is specially written, and most of the recipes will be practicable at all times of the year. a word in conclusion to the careful housewife in getting tinned fish. always get the _best_ brand; it is not wise to go in for cheap goods in this line. i cannot speak too highly of edwards' desiccated soups. they make delicious soups of themselves, and in conjunction with other things they have no equal. their tomato is simply invaluable; i would not be without it for anything. to those who find pastry indigestible i would recommend them to try "coombs' eureka flour"; it makes delicious pastry, and requires no baking powder, and it has the advantage of being thoroughly digestible. i have mentioned how to use all these in most of the recipes. i have not made any pretence to make this what is called a high-class cookery book; my aim and object is to bring it within the range of most people, while many of the dishes are good enough for any high-class table, and would be found a welcome and novel addition. grace johnson. fast-day cookery. _soups._ . oyster soup. open one dozen oysters, preserve the liquor. put into a pan two ounces of butter, with an onion and one bead of garlic chopped very fine; let these cook till they are a golden colour, then add one and a half pints of milk, and one and a half pints of water, and the liquor of the oysters, twelve cloves, twelve peppercorns, three bay-leaves, salt and pepper to taste. stir in a bowl three ounces of fine florador to the consistence of cream, and when the soup comes to a boil, stir it in, and then let it boil for about ten minutes. let it simmer after this very gently for half an hour, strain through a wire sieve, then add the oysters, a grate of nutmeg, the peel of a lemon grated; let it simmer for twenty minutes. serve hot. . lobster soup. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry these a golden brown in two ounces of butter, with twenty-four cloves, twelve peppercorns, and three bay-leaves. add one and a half pints of water, let it simmer gently for half an hour, then add two packets of edwards' desiccated white soup; let it simmer half an hour longer, and strain. then add either one pint of milk, or sixpence worth of cream, the rind of a lemon grated, quarter of a nutmeg grated, salt and pepper to taste; put it on the fire to warm through. well pound the flesh of a fresh lobster, or the _very best_ brand of tinned lobster, and pass it through a wire sieve into the soup, stir well, and thoroughly heat it. serve with fried bread cut into small dice shape. . scallop soup. cut up an onion into rings, two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a golden colour. add one and a half pints of water, the same of milk, twenty-four cloves, twelve peppercorns, a sprig of tarragon, three bay-leaves, a stick of celery, two-penny packet of edwards' white soup; let them simmer for one hour. chop up about half a dozen scallops, strain the soup through a wire sieve, add the scallops, pepper and salt to taste, and a grate of lemon peel. serve very hot with fried bread cut into little dice. . cockle soup. cut up an onion into thin rings, and chop two beads of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a delicate brown, then add two tablespoons of tarragon vinegar, two tablespoons mushroom ketchup, two teaspoons of chili vinegar, and three pints of water; thicken with two ounces of flour that has been rubbed smooth in a bowl to the consistence of cream; then add a stick of celery, a pinch of thyme, parsley, basil and sage. let these simmer for one hour; add pepper and salt to taste, and strain through a sieve. lastly, add one pint of _picked_ cockles, with their liquor. serve hot. . eel soup. boil two pounds of eels, that have been skinned and cleaned, in two quarts of water. add a bunch of sweet herbs, two-penny packet of edwards' white soup, one onion stuck with cloves, two beads of garlic, two ounces of butter, pepper and salt to taste, one small tea-cup of tomato conserve. let it simmer gently for one hour, strain through a sieve, take the flesh of the fish off the bones, pass it through a sieve into the soup. serve hot, with nicely toasted bread cut into neat pieces. . haddock soup. boil a smoked haddock in about three pints of water, add to it an onion cut into quarters, two beads of garlic, twenty-four cloves, a stick of cinnamon, a blade of maize, a bunch of sweet herbs, twelve peppercorns; boil gently for one hour; strain through a wire sieve, bone the fish, and remove the skin, pass the flesh through the sieve into the soup, thicken with half a penny packet of pea flour, rubbed smooth in a little water, add a little tomato pulp if liked, and two ounces of butter. serve hot with fried bread cut into dice. . skate soup. well skin and wash two pounds of skate--the cheaper parts are the best for soup--boil in three pints of water for about two hours very gently. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a delicate golden colour; now add the soup to this with one pint of milk, three bay-leaves, twelve cloves, a blade of mace, and a stick of cinnamon, pepper and salt to taste. let it simmer for half an hour, strain through a wire sieve, take the meat of the fish, and put neat pieces of it in the soup. serve hot with toasted bread cut into neat pieces. . cod soup. take a cod's head and shoulders, boil it gently in two quarts of water for one and a half hours. cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter and twenty-four cloves a nice brown, then add the fish liquor, three bay-leaves, a bunch of sweet herbs, pepper and salt to taste; thicken the soup with one packet of pea flour rubbed smooth in a bowl with a little water, stir well, then add one teaspoon of chili vinegar, one tablespoon of tarragon vinegar, and one tablespoon of mushroom ketchup; strain, and serve with fried bread cut into dice. . salt herring mullagatawny. cut up an onion into rings, chop three beads of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice brown, then add one tablespoon of the best currie powder, stir, then put in two quarts of water. cut up three red herrings, salted ones, into pieces, add it to the rest; let it simmer gently one hour; strain, put it back into the pan, and add two packets of edwards' tomato soup, and three bay-leaves. take the nicest bits of the fish, free from skin and bone, and put them in the soup; let it simmer an hour longer, take out the bay-leaves, and serve with a separate dish of boiled rice. . welk soup. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice brown, add two quarts of water and one quart of welks, picked, three bay-leaves, a bunch of sweet herbs, a carrot cut into thin slices, a turnip cut into thin slices, and a few sticks of celery chopped small. boil gently for two hours; strain, pulp the vegetables through a sieve, and return the soup and vegetables into the pan. add one packet of edwards' tomato soup, pepper and salt to taste; simmer for half an hour. serve hot with toasted bread cut into dice. the welks can be eaten with vinegar, pepper, and salt, separately, if liked. . bread soup. boil two large onions in one pint of water, with twenty-four cloves, and a blade of mace, and twenty-four peppercorns. let it boil till the onions are quite soft, then pass it through a sieve. add two pints of milk, half a pound of bread crumbs passed through a sieve, pepper and salt to taste, and two ounces of butter; stir, let it come to the boil, and serve. . onion soup. boil one pound of onions till quite soft. pass them through a sieve, mix with them two ounces of butter, three pints of milk, and pepper and salt to taste. . pea soup. boil one pint of the best peas in two quarts of water and a mite of soda till they are quite soft. if the peas get too thick add a little more water; when quite soft, pass them through a sieve into a nice _purée_. cut up an onion in thin rings, then chop it _very_ small, also two beads of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter a golden brown. then add twenty-four cloves, a carrot cut into thin slices, and a turnip cut into thin slices, and the _purée_; let it simmer gently till the carrot and turnip are soft, and then again strain it. add pepper and salt to taste. serve with dried powdered mint, and fried bread cut into dice. . green pea soup. boil one pint of dried green peas in two quarts of water with a mite of soda till the peas are quite soft. if the water evaporates add a little more; pass the peas through a wire sieve. now chop up an onion _very_ small, also two beads of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter a golden colour. add your peas, then a whole carrot, a whole turnip, and two sticks of celery; simmer gently till the vegetables are soft, remove the vegetables, add pepper and salt to taste, and serve the _purée_ with dry powdered mint and fried bread cut into dice. . turnip soup. boil four large turnips till quite tender. pass them through a sieve, add three pints of milk and put them on one side, cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a gold colour. add twelve cloves, twelve peppercorns, a piece of green ginger, and three bay-leaves. then put in your turnip _purée_, pepper and salt to taste. simmer gently for half an hour; strain and serve. . vegetable marrow soup. boil a vegetable marrow till quite tender. pass it through a sieve, add pepper and salt to taste, and three pints of milk. warm it up thoroughly and melt into it two ounces of butter. serve with toast cut into nice shapes. . potato soup. cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic, fry and add two ounces of butter a nice golden colour, add twelve cloves, twelve peppercorns, three bay-leaves, one carrot cut into slices, one turnip cut into slices, a stick or two of celery chopped, one pound of potatoes peeled and cut into slices, and one quart of water and one quart of milk. boil gently till all the vegetables are tender enough; pass them through a sieve; if the _purée_ is too thick add a little more milk; warm up thoroughly. add pepper and salt to taste, and serve with fried bread cut into dice. . haricot bean soup. boil a half pint of haricots in two quarts of water, with a mite of soda, one onion, one carrot, one turnip, two sticks of celery chopped. when quite tender pass all through a sieve. add two ounces of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and two tablespoons of tomato conserve. serve with fried bread cut in dice. . lentil soup. boil one pint of lentils in two quarts of water to a pulp. cut up an onion, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice gold colour. add the lentils to this, put in salt to taste, and just before serving a squeeze of lemon juice. . german lentil soup. boil one pint of german lentils in two quarts of water, with a mite of soda. when quite soft pass through a wire sieve; stir into the _purée_ two ounces of butter, pepper and salt to taste. serve with fried bread cut into dice. . tomato puree. cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry a pale brown in two ounces of butter. add twenty-four cloves, and two pounds of tomatoes cut up in quarters. let it simmer gently till the tomatoes are quite soft; strain through a sieve. add one pint of water, pepper and salt to taste; let it boil up, and put in a tablespoon of butter rolled in as much flour as it will take up; stir well. a few drops of tarragon vinegar are a great improvement. . mixed vegetable soup. boil in two quarts of water a turnip cut up, a carrot cut up, three sticks of celery cut up, two leeks, and a small cauliflower cut into sprigs. boil till quite soft. pass it all through a sieve. cut up an onion, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a pale golden colour. add your vegetable _purée_, and pepper and salt to taste. serve with fried bread cut into dice. . florador soup. cut up an onion into rings, chop up two beads of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice gold colour. add three pints of milk; let it boil up very slowly. have ready a quarter of a pound of fine florador, mixed with almost one pint of cold milk, nice and smooth like cream. add this to the boiling milk; stir all the time, so that it does not stick or get lumpy. let it get thick, and strain. just before serving add a few drops of tarragon vinegar. . barley soup. cut up an onion into rings and chop fine, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a golden brown. add two quarts of water, three ounces of pearl barley, one carrot cut into slices, a turnip cut into slices, three sticks of celery chopped; boil till the barley is quite tender. add pepper and salt to taste, a few drops of tarragon vinegar, a few drops of clove vinegar, and a tablespoon of mushroom ketchup. serve with toast cut into neat pieces. . mullagatawny soup. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a golden brown, with twenty-four cloves; then add one tablespoon of the best of currie powder; fry a minute; add three pints of water. rub smooth with a little water one packet of pea flour; add this to the boiling soup. now add one penny packet of edwards' tomato soup; let it simmer gently for half an hour; just before serving add the juice of half a lemon, and salt to taste. serve with a separate dish of boiled rice. . spinach puree. clean, wash, and pick two pounds of spinach. put it in a pan with one pint of water, boil till it is quite soft, pass it all through a sieve, add three ounces of butter, and pepper and salt to taste. if the _purée_ is too thick, add a little more warm water. serve with fried bread cut into dice. this is a very simple but delicious _purée_. . sorrel puree. clean, pick, and wash two pounds of sorrel. cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in three ounces of butter a golden colour. now add the sorrel. let it get quite soft, and pass it through a wire sieve, liquor and all; add as much hot water as will make the _purée_ a nice consistence for soup. pepper and salt to taste. serve with fried bread cut into dice. . artichoke puree. peel two pounds of jerusalem artichokes, and boil them till quite soft. pass them through a wire sieve; add three pints of milk; let it come to the boil, then add three ounces of butter. pepper and salt to taste. serve with fried bread. this is a delicious soup, and very nutritious. . carrot puree. scrape and wash four large carrots; cut them into quarters, and boil till quite soft; pass them through a sieve; cut up an onion into rings; chop up two beads of garlic, and fry these with twenty-four cloves a nice brown in two ounces of butter; then add the carrot _purée_, two and a half pints of water, three bay-leaves, a stick of cinnamon, a blade of mace, one packet of edwards' white soup. pepper and salt to taste. let it simmer gently for an hour. strain again, and serve with fried bread cut into dice. a few drops of tarragon is an improvement. . pearl sago soup. boil a quarter pound of pearl sago in two quarts of water till quite clear, and as thick as possible; then add two packets of edwards' tomato soup, one onion stuck with cloves, a roll of lemon peel, two white beads of garlic, three bay-leaves, and three ounces of butter. simmer gently for one hour. before serving remove the onion, garlic, peel, and bay-leaves. add a few drops of tarragon vinegar, one tablespoon of worcester sauce, and two of mushroom ketchup, salt and pepper to taste. n.b.--i have made some of these soups very thick on purpose, so that there may be more substance in them. they can, moreover, be made thinner or thicker as desired by either omitting or adding hot water. _sauces._ i give but few, but these are novel to a certain extent. the white butter sauce alone can be varied in many ways, either savoury or sweet. if for sweets, the salt and savouries left out, and sugar and flavouring as desired put to it. any cook with very little trouble can do this, and it does not require extraordinary skill to vary these sauces according to what is required. . white butter sauce. put into a pan half a pint of milk, with two ounces of butter; let it gradually come to the boil. have ready a tablespoon of flour rubbed down in a little cold milk. add this to the boiling milk, stir, and let it thicken, add salt to taste. this is more delicate than the ordinary melted butter. . onion sauce. boil two large onions, stick two or three cloves into them. when quite soft, pass them through a wire sieve, and add the pulp to a sauce, as no. . . parsley and butter sauce. pick some parsley in neat bunches, wash and clear of grit, dry thoroughly in a cloth, chop _very_ fine, and add about two tablespoons to the sauce no. . let it simmer very gently for a few minutes till the parsley is cooked; stir occasionally, that it does not burn or get lumpy. . egg sauce. boil two eggs for ten minutes, then throw them in cold water; shell and chop fine; add to sauce no. . a little nepaul pepper is an improvement. . sauce piquant. cut up a small onion, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter with twelve cloves, twelve peppercorns, and three bay-leaves. add half a pint of milk. let it slowly come to the boil. have ready one tablespoon of flour mixed smooth with a little cold milk, stir into the boiling milk, strain, let it cool a little; now add the yolk of an egg well beaten, a little nepaul pepper and salt to taste. and lastly, chop up some tarragon and a little chervil that has been soaked in vinegar for a week previously. add this _very_ carefully, a little at a time, so that the sauce does not curdle. this sauce is a great favourite. . bread sauce. boil a small onion till very tender, pass it through a sieve; add to it half a pint of milk, two tablespoons of bread crumbs passed through a sieve, two ounces of butter, a few peppercorns, and salt to taste. . celery sauce. cut up the white part of a bead of celery very small. boil in just enough water to get it quite soft. then add to this two tablespoons of cream, two ounces of butter, and a little flour mixed smooth in some cold milk, just to thicken it, salt to taste. some like a little grated lemon peel and nutmeg. . oyster sauce. chop up half a dozen oysters and mix them with their liquor with sauce no. --a little grated nutmeg and lemon peel added. . shrimp sauce. pick and clean one pint of pink shrimps. mix them with sauce no. . . lemon sauce. sauce no. . when a little cool, add the yolk of an egg well beaten, the rind of half a lemon grated, a pinch of nepaul pepper and nutmeg. . anchovy and butter sauce. sauce no. , with the addition of enough anchovy sauce to flavour nicely, and a pinch of nepaul pepper. . jerusalem artichoke sauce. sauce no. , with half a pound of artichokes boiled till tender and passed through a sieve, added to it a good pinch of nepaul pepper. . brown onion sauce. chop up an onion very small, also one bead of garlic. fry these in three ounces of butter, with one tablespoon of flour, till it is quite brown. add half a pint of water, stir, and boil it up for about ten or fifteen minutes. strain, and add pepper and salt to taste, and a little mushroom ketchup. . piquant brown sauce. cut up an onion into rings; chop up two beads of garlic. fry these in three ounces of butter and a tablespoon of flour till quite brown. add rather less than half a pint of water, two tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of tarragon vinegar, one tablespoon of chervil, one tablespoon of clove, salt to taste, and a pinch of nepaul pepper. strain and serve. . tomato sauce. cut up a small onion into thin rings, chop a bead of garlic, and fry in two ounces of butter a pale yellow. cut up three good-sized tomatoes, and let it all simmer together till quite soft. pass it all through a fine wire sieve. add enough water to make half a pint of sauce. thicken with a little butter rolled in flour. salt to taste and a few drops of tarragon vinegar. . mushroom sauce. cut up a very small onion, chop one bead of garlic, and fry in three ounces of butter, to which add a tablespoon of flour. fry till brown. add half a pint of water, stir, and let it thicken. strain. add salt and nepaul pepper to taste, and about six good-sized mushrooms that have been peeled and picked and chopped. let it simmer for about ten minutes very gently, and just before serving add a tablespoon of mushroom ketchup and a squeeze of lemon. . brown lemon. cut up an onion into rings; chop up two beads of garlic. fry in three ounces of butter, with one tablespoon of flour, a nice brown. add half a pint of water, let it thicken, and then strain it. add the grated peel of half a lemon, the juice of a whole one, and salt and nepaul pepper to taste. . brown parsley. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in three ounces of butter, with a tablespoon of flour, till quite brown. add half a pint of water, let it thicken, and strain. then add two tablespoons of finely chopped green parsley, salt and nepaul pepper to taste. . cocoa-nut sauce. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, also two bay-leaves; fry these in three ounces of butter with twelve cloves and a tablespoon of flour; let it get quite brown. add the milk of a cocoa-nut and enough water to make it half a pint; let it thicken, and strain, then add two tablespoons of scraped cocoa-nuts, salt and nepaul pepper to taste. this is very good with boiled fish. . beet-root sauce. cut up an onion into rings, chop one bead of garlic, fry in three ounces of butter with one tablespoon of flour. add somewhat less than half a pint of water, two tablespoons of vinegar, one of tarragon vinegar, one of chervil vinegar, one teaspoon of chili vinegar, and salt to taste. strain, and then add to it a small beet-root passed through a wire sieve. _fish in various ways._ i have not given recipes for plain boiling and frying; most cooks know how to do this perfectly well, and it would only be repeating what is in other books. i will only add that most of the sauces poured over plain boiled fish seem to change its character entirely; for instance, boiled fillets of skate smothered in onion sauce taste very much like white meat. some of the brown sauces, too, poured over good firm fleshed fish, seem very much like chicken or rabbit. i have put all the fish recipes together, both those suited to _entrées_ and the more substantial. i have done this because it is rather a difficult matter to arrange how the different dishes are to be served. some are quite content with an _entrée_ after the soup; others want something more substantial to take the place of the usual joint; they can, however, have fish pies, baked fish, boiled fish, fried fish, etc., which answer the purpose very well, and the lighter dishes can be used as _entrées_, and some even as savouries. a dinner of four or five courses can easily be had from these recipes. . eel pie. clean and skin two pounds of eels; cut them into pieces two inches in length, put them in a pie dish thus: a layer of fish, then sliced onions, a few cloves, and sliced tomatoes, some sliced hard-boiled eggs, and so on till the dish is full. mix some salt and nepaul pepper to taste, in a little warm water, say a _small_ tea-cup; pour it over the fish. cover with a nice crust either light or short, and bake a nice brown. serve with a nice frill round the dish. this is a very substantial and delicious dish. the short crust is more digestible and satisfying than the light, but this is a matter of individual taste. . eel stew. clean and skin two pounds of eels; cut them into two-inch pieces. chop one onion and two beads of garlic very small, fry in three ounces of butter with one tablespoon of flour till it is a nice brown; add half a pint of water and let it thicken; strain, then add the eels to the sauce. one tablespoon of tarragon vinegar, one tablespoon of cloves, one tablespoon of chervil, nepaul pepper and salt to taste, the grated rind of half a lemon, and a little grated nutmeg. a few turned olives and button mushrooms considerably improve it, but where expense is an object these may be left out. . salt fish and egg pie. get a good dry salt fish about three pounds. soak it all night in water, then put it in the oven till soft enough to handle, remove all skin and bone, and make into nice large flakes; put a layer of this in a pie dish, then a layer of sliced onions, a few cloves, a sprinkling of lemon thyme, some sliced hard-boiled eggs, and so on till the dish is full. now mix half a cup of water with half a cup of good thick tomato conserve, add nepaul pepper to it to taste; pour it over the pie, and cover with either a light or a short crust, and bake a nice brown. . salt fish and potato pie. treat the fish as in previous recipe. peel and boil two pounds of potatoes, mash them thoroughly, and mix them with the fish. three hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, one tablespoon of chopped onion, three ounces of butter, and a teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing. mix all thoroughly together, then put it in a well-greased pie dish, smooth it down, and score it with a fork, put a few dabs of butter over it here and there, and bake a nice brown. . haddock and potato. get a good sized smoked haddock; put it in the oven for a few minutes till it is cooked enough to handle, remove the skin and bone, flake it, and mix it with mashed potatoes, three ounces of butter, the grated peel of half a lemon, a little lemon thyme, some grated nutmeg, and salt and nepaul pepper to taste. put it in a greased pie dish; smooth the top, and score it with a fork, and bake a nice brown. . skate fricassee. cut up an onion into rings, chop one bead of garlic, fry in two ounces of butter with twelve cloves and two bay-leaves, a pale yellow. add half a pint of milk, draw it aside, and let the milk cook very gently ten minutes; strain. now mix smooth a tablespoon of flour with a little cold milk; pour it into the other just as it is boiling up; stir till it thickens. add one pound of filleted skate, the grated rind of half a lemon, a grated nutmeg; let it cook gently till the fish is done. when a little cool, _i.e._, when it is off the boil, add the yolk of an egg well beaten, and salt and nepaul pepper to taste. stir well, and thoroughly warm it, taking care the egg does not curdle; it is best to put the pan into a larger one containing hot water; this prevents the curdling of the egg. serve this with a dish of mashed potatoes, or potato snow. it is a delicate and delicious dish and, skate being very nutritious, it is well suited for an invalid. . skate stew (brown). cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry, in three ounces of butter with one tablespoon of flour and twelve cloves, a nice brown, quite a rich colour, then add half a pint of water, a blade of mace, a stick of cinnamon, the grated rind of half a lemon, three bay-leaves; stir, and let it thicken well, then add two tablespoons of mushroom ketchup, nepaul pepper and salt to taste; let it simmer very gently for half an hour; strain, put it back in the pan, and add one pound of nicely crimped skate to the sauce; let the fish cook very gently until done, which will take from twenty minutes to half an hour. serve with sippets of fried bread and parsley round the dish. . brown oyster stew. make the sauce just the same as in preceding recipe, only add the juice of the oysters to it; strain, and add the oysters themselves. a few drops of tarragon and chili vinegar are an improvement, and the juice of half a lemon. this is a delicate dish, and much liked. . lobster cutlets. well pound the flesh of a good fresh lobster in a mortar (the best brand of tin lobster will answer as well), mix with it about two ounces of butter, one small cup of bread crumbs, salt and nepaul pepper to taste, the grated rind of a lemon and half a nutmeg grated, mix all together with two well beaten eggs; form into cutlet shapes, and egg and bread crumb them, fry a golden brown in boiling fat or butter. lay them on a sieve to drain off any fat there may be. serve neatly on a dish, and decorate with fried bread and parsley. . oyster cutlets. stew one dozen oysters in their own liquor gently, till tender enough to chop very small; mix with them one cup of bread crumbs, some grated nutmeg and lemon peel, salt and pepper to taste; bind all together with a well-beaten egg or two, form into cutlets, and fry in butter a pale yellow; drain on a sieve. serve with fried sippets of bread and parsley round them. these are very delicious and simple. . oysters fried on toast. take as many oysters as you need, dip each into well beaten egg, and then into bread crumbs, fry in butter a golden colour, sprinkle with pepper and salt. have ready as many pieces of fried bread, cut out with a round cutter, as you have oysters, lay an oyster on each; garnish the top with a sprinkling of chopped green parsley and a piece or two of lemon cut in dice shape. . irish cutlets. remove the skin and bone from any cold fish you may have remaining; well pound the flesh in a mortar; add one cup of bread crumbs, salt and nepaul pepper to taste, a teaspoon of chopped onion, a teaspoon of chopped parsley, mix all well together with one or two well beaten eggs, shape into cutlets, sausages, or rounds, and fry a pale golden colour. serve neatly garnished with parsley, and slices of lemon on a stand of potato. . smoked haddock croquets. get a good sized smoked haddock, put it in the oven a few minutes, pick out all bones and skin, pound the flesh in a mortar, add one teaspoon chopped onion, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, the grated rind of half a lemon, pepper and salt to taste, one tea-cup of fine bread crumbs; mix well, bind all with one or two well beaten eggs, form into croquets, egg and bread crumb them, fry in butter a delicate gold colour. serve round a wall of mashed potatoes; garnish with parsley and fried bread. . baked fish. get a good sized gurnet, stuff it with the following mixture; tie it carefully round with tape (string cuts the fish), put it in a baking tin, cover over with little dotes of butter here and there and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. put it into the oven, and bake till well done; remove the tape carefully, so as not to spoil the look of the fish. ornament with tufts of parsley, and serve with a dish of mashed potatoes, or fried potato chips. fish stuffing. one cup of fine bread crumbs, three ounces of butter well worked in, one teaspoon of herbs, as for veal stuffing, pepper and salt to taste, the yolks of two eggs. mix all well together, and stuff the fish neatly. . baked smoked haddock. get a good sized haddock, stuff it with the following mixture, and proceed as in above recipe. fish stuffing. one tea-cup of fine bread crumbs, two well boiled onions chopped and mashed to pulp, three ounces of butter, a small quantity of sage to taste chopped _very_ fine, pepper and salt to taste. mix all well together, and stuff the fish. . curried haddock. put a smoked haddock in the oven for a few minutes; free it of bone and skin and set it aside. cut up an onion very small, also two beads of garlic chopped, two bay-leaves chopped; fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice brown, then add one tablespoon of best currie powder; stir; and, lastly, add the fish. stir well, and keep frying till the fish is almost dry. serve with a separate dish of plain boiled rice. . curried lobster. cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, two bay-leaves, and fry, in two ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves, a nice colour, then add one tablespoon of best currie powder. let it all fry for two or three minutes, then add two tablespoons of tomato pulp, a blade of mace, and a cup of water; let it simmer gently for one hour, then just before serving add salt to taste, and a squeeze of lemon, and the contents of a best brand tin of lobster. serve with a separate dish of boiled rice. . curried eel. cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, two bay-leaves, and fry in two ounces of butter and twenty-four cloves a nice brown; then add one tablespoon or a little less of best currie powder; stir; then add one cup of water, and a two-penny packet of edwards' tomato soup. let it simmer gently for one hour. then add one pound of eels that have been nicely skinned and cleaned. let the fish thoroughly cook in the sauce, and about five minutes before it is ready add the milk of a cocoa-nut. serve with a dish of plain boiled rice. . devilled eels. well clean and skin one pound of eels, cut into two-inch lengths, roll in flour, sprinkle well with salt and nepaul pepper. fry in butter a nice colour. serve, neatly heaped one on the other, with bits of parsley in between. fried or mashed potatoes is the right accompaniment for this dish, or plain boiled rice. . fish and potato cutlets. mash some potatoes, take any cold fish, free it of skin and bone. mix them together with one teaspoon of chopped onion, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, salt and pepper to taste, the grated rind of half a lemon. form into cutlet shape, egg and bread crumb them, and fry a nice golden brown. decorate with fried parsley. . filleted hake. get one pound of filleted hake. chop up an onion very small, mix with a teaspoon of herbs, chopped parsley, lemon thyme and basil, and pepper and salt to taste. sprinkle each fillet with this rather thickly, then roll it up and tie with a tape. now put it aside. cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, two bay-leaves, fry in two ounces of butter a nice yellow, then add one tea-cup of water and one packet edwards' tomato soup. let it simmer gently twenty minutes. add your fillets, and let them cook in the sauce. before serving untie the tape with great care. . filleted herrings. bake as many hard solid herrings as you require in vinegar, with a pinch of nepaul pepper and salt, and two or three bay-leaves. when done, split each fish down the back, remove the bone, and then sprinkle with some chopped onion and green parsley, and put it together so that it looks as before. serve cold, with a nice sauce made of equal parts of olive oil and vinegar. this is very nice served with salads of any kind. . filleted skate. get one pound of fillets of skate or crimped skate. sprinkle them with a little chopped onion, parsley and a hard boiled egg chopped; pepper and salt to taste. roll the fish up, and tie with tape. cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic and fry in two ounces of butter a nice brown. add two tablespoons of tomato pulp, one tea-cup of water, twelve cloves, twelve peppercorns, and two bay-leaves. let it simmer gently half an hour, then add the skate, and cook it in the sauce. before serving, remove the tape and the bay leaves. . baked mackerel. get some fine mackerel, sprinkle it over with nepaul pepper and salt, chopped onion, two bay-leaves, two beads of garlic chopped fine, then pour over all one cup of tomato pulp. bake in the oven till the fish is done. dish the fish very neatly, and strain the liquor over them. . cod steak. take some good sized pieces of cod, but not too large, roll them in flour and fry a nice colour. then fry some onions as for beef steak, and smother the fish with them. this is liked very much by children. . curried cutlets. free some cold haddock of bone and skin. pound the flesh in a mortar. mix with it one dessertspoon of chopped onion, two beads of chopped garlic, one teaspoon of best currie powder. mix well. if not quite sufficiently firm to handle, stir in a well beaten egg. form into cutlets, and fry in butter a nice colour. serve with a separate dish of plain boiled rice or as a kedgree, as per recipe given. . white cutlets. well pound any cold white fish you may have in a mortar. add the grated peel of half a lemon, half a nutmeg grated, pepper and salt to taste. mix well. then add a well-beaten egg to bind the mixture, form into cutlets or flat cakes, and poach in milk till set. serve with shrimp sauce over. . fish and tomatoes. get some red or grey mullet. plain boil, and serve them in the middle of the dish. while hot melt some butter over them, and sprinkle with pepper and salt. then surround them with small baked tomatoes all round the dish. sprinkle over all some finely chopped parsley. serve with potato snow. . fish mould. well pound the flesh of some nice white fish. mix with it one cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, three ounces of butter, the grated rind of half a lemon, some grated nutmeg, nepaul pepper and salt to taste. well beat four eggs. mix all together, put in a plain buttered mould, and bake till set. turn out on to a paper. garnish with parsley and slices of lemon and tomato. . lobster mould. well pound the contents of a tin of lobsters. mix with one cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of herbs, the grated peel of half a lemon, some grated nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, three ounces of butter. well beat three eggs. mix together, and put into a plain well-buttered mould. steam till quite set. turn out on to a round dish. pour over a shrimp sauce. n.b.--i have always said butter for all my fish dishes, as the butter imparts a better flavour, and in these days it can be had so cheaply; but if lard and dripping is substituted by those who do not object to their use, it answers quite as well. _eggs in various ways._ . tumbled eggs. put on half a pint of milk, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut. well beat up four eggs, add one teaspoon of finely chopped onion, a little nepaul pepper and salt to taste. stir into the milk; keep stirring all the time till it gets thick. then lay it on nicely buttered toast, and serve neatly dished and decorated with parsley. . baked eggs. well grease a pie dish. break into it as many eggs as you require, taking care not to break the yolks. sprinkle over the top a light layer of bread crumbs, and pepper and salt to taste. put some dabs of butter here and there over it, and bake a nice golden colour. this dish, though simple, is tasty and satisfying. . fricasseed eggs. have ready some hard-boiled eggs. shell them, and cut them in quarters. place them in a dish neatly. now throw over them a white butter sauce, as per sauce recipe no. . sprinkle over some nepaul pepper and salt to taste. these should be eaten with toast sent to table separately. . dry egg currie. chop four hard-boiled eggs very fine. put them aside. chop up one onion, two beads of garlic, very fine. fry in three ounces of butter, with twelve cloves, a nice brown. then add a tablespoon of best currie powder. fry all together a few minutes, and then add the minced eggs. stir well, and let all the moisture absorb. add salt to taste, and a squeeze of lemon juice. serve with a separate dish of boiled rice or kedgree, as per recipe given. . white egg currie. have ready some hard-boiled eggs; shell them and cut them in half. put them aside. chop one onion and two cloves of garlic small, and fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a pale yellow, then add one dessertspoon of the best currie powder, the milk of a cocoa-nut, and one small tea-cup of rich thick cream. let it simmer gently for about half an hour. strain it, and then add salt to taste, a squeeze of lemon, taking great care not to curdle the cream, and lastly, add the eggs. warm thoroughly through. serve with a separate dish of rice. . egg zeste. chop up six hard-boiled eggs small. mix with them one teaspoon of chopped onions, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, one bead of garlic, _very_ fine, nepaul pepper and salt to taste, the grated rind of a small lemon, and lastly, the strained juice of the lemon. this is very nice eaten with salads of any kind, or between bread and butter as a sandwich. . baked eggs with cheese. butter a pie dish, sprinkle it well over with grated parmesan cheese, a dust of nepaul pepper and salt. now break in six eggs, cover over with grated cheese, a dust of nepaul pepper and salt, and bake a nice golden brown. . plain omelette. beat up the yolks of three eggs with two ounces of butter quite smooth. add to it pepper and salt to taste, and a tablespoon of milk. now beat the whites to a stiff froth, and stir them thoroughly into the mixture. put in just a small pat of butter into a thoroughly clean frying-pan. pour in your mixture, and let it set and get a bright golden yellow. turn over neatly, lay it in a napkin, and garnish with parsley. the chief secret is a clean pan and a perfectly clear fire, which must not be too fierce. . omelette with herbs. just as previous one. only add to the mixture one teaspoon of chopped onion, and one teaspoon of parsley. fry the same as above, and serve on a napkin. . eggs with tomatoes. well butter as many darrol moulds (plain ones) as you require, break an egg into each, carefully, add a dust of pepper and salt, put a wee dab of butter on top, and bake in the oven till nicely set. have ready as many nice round red tomatoes as you have eggs, put them in a greased baking-tin, put a small dab of butter on each, dust them with pepper and salt, and bake them till soft. now dish with an egg and a tomato alternately, and sprinkle over all some chopped parsley. this is a simple but pretty and tasty dish. . egg and mushroom souffle. boil one ounce of semolina in one cup of milk till quite thick, take it off the fire, stir into it while hot a piece of butter the size of a walnut; let it get cool. when nearly cold, stir in three well beaten eggs, yolks and whites separately, the whites beaten to a stiff froth. add nepaul pepper and salt to taste. well butter a plain border mould, fill the mixture in, let it bake till well set and of a nice colour. have ready some mushrooms, prepared thus--pick and skin them, and fry them in plenty of butter, and pepper and salt, till quite soft and done. turn out your _soufflé_ on to a paper, and fill in the centre with the fried mushrooms; sprinkle over the whole a little chopped parsley. serve very hot. . egg balls. boil some eggs hard, take out the yolks, pound them in a mortar, mix with equal proportion of fine bread crumbs passed through a wire sieve, add a teaspoon of fine chopped onion, one bead of garlic, one teaspoon of parsley, one ounce of butter; mix well; bind the mixture with well beaten raw egg, form into balls, fry a nice brown, and serve strung on skewers. . egg cutlets. chop some hard-boiled eggs fine. mix them with an equal quantity of fine bread crumbs. add pepper and salt to taste. bind the mixture with well beaten raw eggs. form into nice shaped cutlets, and fry in butter a bright golden yellow. serve neatly, and garnish with fried parsley and sippets of bread. . surprise eggs. boil as many eggs as you need hard. cut a very small piece off the pointed end, so that the egg can stand, and then cut off as little as possible of the end--just enough to be able to take out the yolk nicely. if the white is very thick, thin it with a sharp knife, but be _very_ careful not to spoil the shape. pound the yolks in a mortar. mix with them one or two anchovies also pounded, a bit of butter, some nepaul pepper, a few fine bread crumbs. mix well together, form the mixture into little balls, and proceed to fill the whites of the eggs, so that it looks somewhat like the yolk inside. now have ready a nice salad made of lettuce, endive, tarragon, and chervil, chopped very fine, and looking like a bed of moss. on this set the eggs, and ornament with chopped beet-root. this is a very pretty dish, and exceedingly tasty, and suitable for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. . stewed eggs. have a nice, tasty brown sauce, as no. . put to it as many hard-boiled eggs as you want, cut in half some turned olives, and a few button mushrooms. let it warm thoroughly through, and serve, ornamented with fried sippets of bread. _lentils, rice, and macaroni in various ways._ . lentil moulds. boil half a pint of lentils in one pint of water till quite soft and mashed up; if more water is required, add a little drop; chop up an onion very small, two beads of garlic chopped, a pinch of lemon thyme, the grated rind of half a lemon, two eggs well beaten, pepper and salt to taste. mix well together, butter some plain darrol moulds, put the mixture in and bake till set, turn them out on to a paper, garnish with parsley, sippets of fried bread and hard-boiled eggs in quarters. . lentil cutlets. boil some lentils as in previous recipe, flavour in the same way, mix with them one tea-cup of bread crumbs, form into cutlets, fry in butter a nice colour. dish neatly, and pour over them a tomato sauce, as per recipe no. . . plain dhàl. boil some lentils plain, put them aside, now cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, and fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a pale yellow, then put in your lentils, and two bay-leaves. let it simmer gently for about one hour; the lentils must not be thick; salt to taste. serve with a separate dish of plain boiled rice, and slices of lemon, to squeeze over it. . lentil currie. boil some lentils plain, put them aside. now cut up an onion, two beads of garlic, and two bay-leaves; fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice brown, then add one tablespoon of the best currie powder, stir, and then put in your lentils; let them simmer gently for one hour; add salt to taste, and a small cup of tomato pulp. serve with a separate dish of plain boiled rice. . haricot bean pie. boil one pint of haricot beans till quite soft, put a mite of soda in the water to soften it, when quite done drain and set aside. cut up an onion into rings, chop up two beads of garlic; fry these in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice golden colour. now add one teaspoon of the best currie powder, and one cup of tomato pulp. mix well, then add nepaul pepper and salt to taste, a few drops of tarragon vinegar; put in your beans, and mix well. turn out in a pie dish, and let them cool. cover with a nice homely short crust, and bake a nice golden brown. this pie is nutritious, and really nice. . haricot bean stew. boil one pint of beans till quite soft, drain, and set them aside. make a thorough tasty brown sauce, as nos. or in recipes given; pour it over the beans, warm all thoroughly through, and serve decorated with sippets of fried bread and slices of lemon. . haricot bean currie. boil the beans as in previous recipe; cut up an onion and two beads of garlic; fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice brown. add one tablespoon of best currie powder, one cup of tomato pulp, a stick of cinnamon, a blade of mace, the peel of half a lemon grated, salt to taste; put in your beans, and let them simmer very gently for half an hour, taking great care they do not burn. serve with a separate dish of rice. . haricot bean pudding. get one pint of dried green haricots, boil till quite soft; mash them up thoroughly with a fork. add three ounces of butter, pepper and salt to taste, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, one teaspoon of chopped onion; mix well. add a well-beaten egg; well butter a plain mould; put the mixture in and steam for one hour. turn out on to a dish, paper and decorate with parsley and small sliced tomatoes. . plain boiled rice. in boiling rice as it should be done, observe the following directions, and success is bound to follow:--( ) use the best rice only. ( ) do not be afraid of plenty of water, four quarts to one pound. ( ) put in the rice as the water comes to the boil, having put in a good teaspoon of salt before you add the rice. ( ) watch carefully the _moment_ the rice is soft, drain _at once_ and set before the fire to steam for about half an hour or more; by this means your rice will be grain from grain separate, and look most appetising. these remarks apply to the cooking of rice in every form, when it is required dry, and to eat with savouries. . yellow rice. never throw away the water in which kedgrees or yellow rice have been boiled. they make delicious soups on meat days, with the addition of a little armour's beef extract, as the stock is already flavoured and thickened; or it will make a delicious mullagatawny soup with the addition of currie powder, and made according to recipe no. (soups), without the herrings, and using the liquor instead. this applies equally to the water in which haricot beans and peas have been boiled. it always makes good stock for soup. boil in the water you put on for your rice one large onion whole, three beads of garlic whole, twenty-four cloves, the seeds of twelve cardamoms, three bay-leaves, two sticks of cinnamon, two blades of mace, and a pennyworth of saffron, one heaped up teaspoon of salt. let these come to the boil, and then add one pound of the best rice. watch carefully. taste it from time to time. the moment the rice is soft drain at once, and set before the fire to steam. before serving remove the onion, garlic, bay-leaves, cinnamon, and mace, but _not_ the cloves and cardamoms. decorate with onions fried crisp and brown, sultanas fried, and almonds blanched and fried. this is very nice. . kedgree. put on some water with all the flavourings of the previous recipe, omit the saffron. when it comes to the boil add half a pound of pink lentils that have been well washed. when these change colour and get yellow, which will take about five minutes, add half a pound of best rice; stir well, and watch carefully. the moment the rice is done enough drain at once, and set before the fire to steam. remove the spices, etc., as before, and decorate in the same way. . another kedgree. do some rice as yellow rice recipe. add to it some flaked smoked haddock, and one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, and two ounces of butter. mix well loosely with a fork. serve hot, and decorate with hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters, and onions fried crisp and brown. . another kedgree. the same as no. . add to it four hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, two ounces of butter. mix well lightly with a fork, and serve, decorated in the usual way with fried onions brown and crisp and fried almonds. . tomato rice. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop two beads of garlic, also two bay-leaves; fry this in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a nice pale yellow. now add one cup of tomato pulp, salt and nepaul pepper to taste, a few drops of tarragon vinegar. stir well; let it simmer for about twenty minutes; strain, and pour the sauce over some cold rice you may have by you; cover up, and warm thoroughly through. serve decorated with bright west indian pickles. . cheese pillau. boil some rice, with all the flavouring as for "yellow rice." remove the spices, etc. add two ounces of butter and three ounces of grated parmesan cheese, nepaul pepper and salt to taste. mix all lightly with a fork. dish garnished with watercress. . rice savoury. any cold rice you may have by you may do for this dish. well beat up two eggs with a little milk; mix with one small onion chopped, one small bead of garlic, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, one teaspoon mixed of lemon thyme, tarragon and chervil, nepaul pepper and salt to taste. mix all well together. put it into a plain mould well buttered; put it in the oven till well set. turn out on to a paper. garnish with tufts of parsley and small red tomatoes. n.b.--rice can be cooked any colour, by simply adding a harmless vegetable colouring to the water in which it is boiled, and thus it looks very pretty served with stewed fruits, etc., as it makes the simplest thing look appetising and nice. any cook with very little ingenuity could turn out any number of pretty and tasty dishes of rice alone; it has the advantage of being nutritious and digestible, and is about the most economical thing there is in the market. . macaroni savoury. boil as much macaroni as you require, in salt and water. when tender, drain, and put it aside. cut up an onion into very thin rings, chop two beads of garlic small, fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a pale yellow, then add one cup of tomato pulp; stir well; the grated rind of half a lemon, nepaul pepper and salt to taste, a few drops of tarragon vinegar; pour over the macaroni, and warm thoroughly through. this is a delicious and most digestible dish. garnish with watercress in bunches round the dish, and serve. . macaroni cheese. boil some macaroni plain. put it in a well-buttered pie dish thus--a layer of macaroni, a layer of grated parmesan cheese, a sprinkling of mustard and salt, till the dish is full on the top, sprinkle the cheese. beat up three eggs well in one pint of milk, pour it over the macaroni, and well cover it. put a few dabs of butter over it here and there, and put it in the oven, and bake a bright golden brown. serve, decorated with a nice frill round the dish. . curried macaroni. boil some macaroni. put it aside. cut up an onion into thin rings, chop up two beads of garlic, fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves a delicate brown. now add one tablespoon of best currie powder, one cup of tomato pulp, the grated rind of half a lemon, and the strained juice of half a lemon, salt to taste. pour the sauce over the macaroni, and serve thoroughly hot. . macaroni savoury. boil some macaroni, cut it into short lengths of about two inches long, well beat up three eggs. mix with them one teaspoon of chopped onion, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, nepaul pepper and salt to taste. mix it thoroughly with one cup of milk, and stir it well into the macaroni. pour it into a pie dish, put a few dabs of butter over the top here and there, and bake a nice brown. n.b.--vermicelli answers all the same purpose as macaroni. some like it better and think it more delicate; both are cheap and nutritious, and both are capable of manipulation in a great many ways. _vegetables in various ways._ . potato baskets. get some nice long kidney potatoes, peel them very thin, cut them in half, then cut off a small piece at each end, so that the potato will stand like a cup, scoop out the inside neatly, leaving a thin wall of potato. make it nice and smooth outside and in. fry these in a bath of boiling fat a nice golden brown. now take them out and stand them up like cups, fill each one with a farce of fish, or lentils, or mushrooms as desired, and sprinkle over the top some chopped parsley. this is a novel and pretty dish. . potato balls. boil some potatoes, pass them through a sieve. mix with them some butter, pepper and salt, form into good sized balls with the hand, put them on a buttered tin, brush over them a well beaten egg, and put them in the oven till they are a nice brown colour. . mashed potatoes. mash some potatoes with butter, pepper and salt. now well grease a plain pudding mould, fill your potatoes into it to get moulded, warm one minute, and turn out on to a dish, brush it over with well beaten egg, and then well sprinkle with fine bread crumbs, put on little dabs of butter all over it, and bake in the oven a bright golden colour. garnish with parsley. . potato snow. boil some potatoes, mash them with butter, pepper and salt, pass them through a wire sieve in the dish in which they are to be served. they must not be disturbed afterwards, as the light look would be gone, and so the dish get spoiled. . potato rings. well wash and thinly peel some nice large potatoes, cut them in slices, then take a nice cutter and stamp them out quite round, and then a smaller cutter to stamp out the centre so as to form a ring. fry these rings a golden brown in a bath of fat, drain them in a sieve. serve neatly dished and garnished with parsley. the centres need not be wasted, but fried for another dish. . potato pie. parboil some potatoes, slice them, put them in a pie dish thus--a layer of potatoes, then sliced onions and tomatoes, a few cloves, pepper and salt, and a spoonful of water, and so on till the dish is full. cover with a light crust, and bake a golden brown, ornament with a frill round the dish, and serve. . mixed vegetable pie. parboil some potatoes, carrots, turnips, some green cabbage, cauliflower. cut the former into nice slices, the cauliflower into nice bunches, so, too, the cabbage. now put them in a pie dish thus--a layer of the vegetable mixture, then some sliced onions and tomatoes and a few cloves and a spoonful of water, pepper and salt to taste; fill up the dish thus. cover with a nice light crust and bake a golden brown; ornament as before. . stewed onions white. parboil some onions (spanish), put them aside. have ready some white butter sauce, as recipe no. , and put your onions into it, and finish cooking them in the sauce. serve with a sprinkling of pepper and salt over them. . stewed onions brown. parboil some onions as before. have ready a good brown sauce, as recipe no. , put your onions in, and let them finish cooking in the sauce. if liked, a sprinkling of chopped parsley may be put over the onions before serving. . farced cucumbers stewed. parboil some small cucumbers, scoop out the inside with care, taking care the outsides are not injured. stuff these with a lentil farce, as recipe no. for lentil moulds. have ready some good brown sauce as recipe no. , and finish cooking your cucumbers in it. dish neatly, and pour the sauce round. . cucumbers on toast. boil some cucumbers (small ones) till tender. lay them neatly on pieces of toast, pour over them a white butter sauce, as recipe no. . sprinkle over with pepper and salt, and serve hot. . stewed vegetable marrow. get some small marrows, peel them, scoop out the inside carefully, stuff them with a farce thus--boil some onions, mash them with a fork. add one cup of fine bread crumbs, some chopped sage to taste, two ounces of butter, pepper and salt. mix well, and stuff the marrows. now steam the marrows till nearly done. have ready some good brown sauce, as recipe no. , finish cooking your marrows in that. dish neatly, and pour the sauce round them. a separate boat of apple sauce to eat with them is liked by some. . marrows on toast. peel and cut into quarters some nice young marrows. put the pieces into a jar with some butter, pepper and salt. cover the jar close, and put it into the oven. let the marrows cook in their own steam. when done place them on nicely cut pieces of buttered toast; sprinkle over them pepper and salt. these are really delicious. . stewed cabbage stalks. get good thick stalks; cut away all the outside, till you come to the tender part inside; cut these into two-inch lengths. parboil them in a little salt and water, and then finish cooking them, in either a white sauce as no. recipe, or brown as no. recipe. either way they are truly delicious, and by far the best part of the cabbage in flavour and goodness. . spinach with eggs. well pick and wash some spinach; put it in a pan with only the water that is in the leaves; let it boil till quite tender. mash it with a fork with a little butter, pepper and salt. put some on pieces of neatly cut buttered toast, then on each piece lay a well poached egg. sprinkle over with pepper and salt, and serve. . spinach indian way. wash and cook some spinach as before. put it aside. cut up an onion into rings, and fry in two ounces of butter a pale yellow. put in your spinach; stir well: add nepaul pepper and salt to taste. this may be eaten on toast, or with plain boiled rice. . farced parsnips. parboil some nice young parsnips. scoop out the inside, and stuff with a farce of fish made thus--boil a salt haddock, remove all skin and bone, pound the flesh in a mortar. add one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, nepaul pepper to taste, a small cup of bread crumbs, some butter and a teaspoon of chopped onions; bind the whole with well beaten eggs, and stuff your parsnips. now finish cooking by steaming them. serve neatly on a dish, and pour over them either a brown sauce as no. , or white as no. , whichever is liked best. . farced carrots. parboil some nice sized carrots. scoop out the inside, and stuff with a farce as for lentil moulds, recipe no. . finish cooking by steaming them, and then pour over a tomato sauce, as recipe no. , and serve. . vegetable stew. cut up an onion into rings, chop two beads of garlic, and fry in three ounces of butter with twenty-four cloves; let it get a nice golden colour. now add sliced potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, and pour over all one pint of water, two tablespoons of mushroom ketchup, salt and nepaul pepper to taste. cook till the vegetables are quite tender, and serve. this is quite as nice as irish stew with meat in it. . farced tomatoes. scoop out the middle of the tomato with great care. put into it a farce made thus--one small cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of herbs as for veal stuffing, two ounces of butter, pepper and salt to taste; bind with the yolk of one or two well beaten eggs. stuff your tomatoes, put a little dab of butter on the top of each, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and bake in the oven till soft. dish neatly; sprinkle over them some chopped green parsley. these may be served on pieces of fried bread. they are very nice served thus. . mushroom and olive stew. make a nice brown sauce as recipe no. . add to it some turned olives, and some nice button mushrooms. garnish the dish with fried sippets of bread and chopped green parsley. . mushrooms on toast. well pick and clean some mushrooms, fry in about four ounces of butter, with pepper and salt to taste. cook till the mushrooms get quite black. serve on neatly cut pieces of toast; heap them one on the other, and garnish with tufts of parsley. . celery stew. cut up some nice tender stalks of celery into three-inch pieces, parboil in milk, then put it into a sauce as recipe no. , and finish cooking thus--add the grated rind of half a lemon, the grate of a nutmeg, nepaul pepper and salt to taste. lay this on nicely trimmed slices of toast, and serve. the celery may be stewed in a brown sauce, as per recipe no. , instead of the white; it is nice either way. . sea-kale stew. serve the same as celery, or plain boil, and pour over a good white butter sauce, in which a little cream has been mixed, to make it extra rich. . stewed green peas. shell your peas, and put them into a jar. add two ounces of butter, a little pepper and salt, and one saltspoon of sugar; cover close, and put into the oven to cook in their own steam. when quite done, turn out into a dish, pour over them a good brown sauce, as no. , add a teaspoon of chopped green mint, and serve. . stewed french beans. get some tender french beans, cut them in two or three pieces each across, _not_ lengthways, cook the same as peas in a jar, omitting the sugar. turn out on a dish, and pour over them a brown parsley sauce, as recipe no. . . french beans on toast. get some very young french beans, put them in whole in a jar, with butter, pepper and salt, and a mite of soda to preserve the colour. cook them as in previous recipe. turn them out when done, and lay on neatly cut slices of well buttered toast. sprinkle over with pepper and salt, and serve very hot. . stewed broad beans. well boil some broad beans in salt and water; take off the skins, and pour over the beans a parsley and butter sauce, as recipe no. . these may be served on toast, and thus make a substantial dish, and very nice. . jerusalem artichokes on toast. peel very carefully and trim nicely; throw them into cold water as you peel them, or they will get discoloured. boil in salt and water till quite soft; drain; mash them with a fork till quite smooth, with butter, pepper and salt. put the artichokes thickly on nicely cut pieces of buttered toast, and sprinkle with pepper and salt, and serve. this is simply delicious, though simple. . egg plant savoury. cut up some egg plants into quarters; put them into a jar, with butter, pepper and salt; cover close, and put in the oven. when done, take them out, mash them smooth with a fork. add two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, and a few bread crumbs, fill the mixture with little scallop shells, brush over the top of each with well beaten egg, sprinkle on some fine bread crumbs, put a little dab of butter on each, and just put in the oven to brown. serve them in the shells, neatly dished. _salads in various ways._ these are very little understood in this country. almost any vegetable cold can be made into a most appetising salad. by this means you have really delicious dishes, and there is no waste of cold vegetables or fish. i will give a few which, though known, are very seldom used, and i want to impress the fact in the minds of my readers that salads are healthy and economical, and generally liked by young and old, and the very little trouble they take in preparation is well repaid by the result. . potato salad. mash up any cold potatoes you may have, mix them with any cold fish. add a tablespoon of best olive oil, some caper vinegar, and a few chopped capers, one teaspoon of chopped onions, one bead of garlic chopped very small, the grated rind of a small lemon, the juice of half a lemon strained, salt and nepaul pepper to taste; mix thoroughly. serve it in a glass dish neatly piled up, smooth with a fork. sprinkle over the whole some chopped hard-boiled egg, and arrange pretty west indian pickles over it for decoration. . plain potato salad. cut up any cold potatoes in slices, mix with them a teaspoon of chopped onion, a teaspoon of chopped parsley, and pour over it equal quantities of best olive oil and vinegar that has been well mixed with a little pepper and salt. . mixed vegetable salad. cold carrots, turnips, potatoes, green peas, french beans, beet-root, celery, cauliflower, etc. cut the carrots, turnips, potatoes, etc., with a nice fancy vegetable cutter; mix in the green peas, the french beans cut up in two or three pieces each, the cauliflower in neat little branches. mix with them a teaspoon of chopped onion, a teaspoon of chopped parsley; mix equal quantities of vinegar and best olive oil, with pepper and salt to taste; toss all lightly up together. ornament with lettuce and watercress in bunches. n.b.--german lentils, green peas, french beans, broad beans, all make a good salad by themselves with equal quantities of oil and vinegar, and pepper and salt. no cold vegetable is out of place. every one more or less knows how to make salads from lettuce, endive, watercress, radishes, mustard and cress, etc., etc.; so it would be useless to enter into that in this little book. i will, however, give directions for a few simple salad sauces that i find generally approved of. . salad sauce no. . boil some eggs hard, two or three will be enough, take out the yolks, bruise them with the back of a spoon quite smooth, add a teaspoon of made mustard. mix well, then add two tablespoons of olive oil, a little at a time, till well mixed, then two tablespoons of vinegar, stirring all the while. lastly, a few drops of tarragon vinegar, a few drops of garlic vinegar, a salt spoon of castor sugar, and salt to taste. some like a spoonful of anchovy sauce added; this is, of course, a matter of taste. . sauce no. . break in the yolks of three eggs into a basin, stir with a wooden spoon, with two tablespoons of olive oil, but a drop at a time only till the egg gets thick; then mix in two tablespoons of vinegar gradually, a few drops of tarragon, a few drops of garlic, a spoonful of made mustard, and, lastly, two tablespoons of cream, but this must be mixed with great care so that it does not curdle. salt to taste. . sauce no. . one potato passed through a sieve, the hard-boiled yolk of one egg rubbed smooth, two tablespoons of olive oil, two tablespoons of vinegar, a few drops of tarragon vinegar, a few drops of garlic vinegar, and a few drops of chili vinegar; mix all well and smoothly. add salt to taste. n.b.--all salads should have a dash of onion and garlic, but very judiciously mixed. the difference in the flavour of the salads is very great. green salads may be mixed with lobsters, anchovies, sardines, and any kind of cold fish. _puddings and sweets._ i find the generality of ordinary puddings are dreadfully insipid. it is not at all necessary that this should be the case. and flavouring is cheap enough. appearance, too, is a great thing. the sense of sight, smell, and taste can easily enough be gratified with very little trouble. and when one takes into consideration that our health depends on the way in which our food is prepared, it becomes an actual matter of duty to take the necessary trouble to prepare it properly, and bringing both intelligence and taste to bear on the subject. . currant and apple tart. make a nice short crust of coombs' eureka flour, thus--half a pound of flour, three ounces of butter, one egg well beaten, a pinch of salt, and one teaspoon of castor sugar. make it into a nice dough with milk. put in a pie dish one layer of dry currants well washed and picked, a little grated lemon peel, and a few drops of lemon juice, then a spoonful of treacle and a few very fine bread crumbs, then a layer of sliced fresh apples, and again the currants, and so on till the dish is full. cover with the paste rolled thin, and ornament prettily on the top with the paste nicely cut out, etc., etc. bake a nice golden brown, and when a little cool sprinkle castor sugar over the top. serve with a nice custard or cream. . cabul cassalettes. put half a pound of dried apricots to soak for about four hours, pour the water in which they have been soaked into an enamel saucepan, about a cupful. add half a pound of sugar, a little grated lemon peel, and the juice of half a lemon. let it get into a syrup, then add the fruit, and let it simmer gently for one hour. make a nice puff paste of coombs' eureka flour, roll out thin, and line some nice shaped patty pans, well greased, with the paste; prick it with a fork to prevent it blistering. put it in a quick oven and bake a pretty golden brown, turn out of the pans, and fill the cases with the apricot stew; then _well_ whip some cream very stiff, put it smoothly over the top of each, so that it looks like white foam, and then sprinkle over all either crushed crystallised violets or chopped pistachio nuts. both are pretty, or do half with the violets and half with the nuts. arrange them neatly in a glass dish, with a dish paper under. these are very pretty, and very delicious, and simple to make. . fried almond rings. make a paste thus--half a pound of coombs' eureka flour, two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, a quarter pound of almonds ground to a paste. mix well together. add one well-beaten egg, with just enough milk to make the mixture into a good dough, roll out about a quarter of an inch thick, stamp out some rounds about the size of the top of a tumbler, then take some smaller rounds and stamp out the inside so as to form rings. fry these rings in a bath of boiling lard a pale golden colour, drain them on a sieve, and sprinkle well over with castor sugar. serve on a dish paper neatly. the inner rounds may be put on a well floured baking tin, and baked in the oven as biscuits. so there need be no waste. they are nice both ways. . digestible plum pudding. put one tablespoon of crushed loaf sugar into a pan. let it get quite brown, but do not let it burn. add to it one pint of hot milk; stir well till the sugar dissolves in the milk. have ready three ounces of fine florador dissolved in enough milk to make it like thick cream; stir this into the milk as it is on the point of boiling. let it get very thick; stir in two ounces of fresh butter, quarter a pound of sultanas washed and picked, quarter a pound of currants washed and picked, two ounces of citron peel chopped small, half a grated nutmeg, the grated rind of half a lemon, two well beaten eggs; stir all well (but do not put in the eggs till the pudding is a little cool, as they will curdle), put it in a well greased plain mould, and steam till well set and firm. turn out on a dish, and ornament with _glacé_ cherries, angelica, etc., etc. this is a very digestible plum pudding, and may be safely eaten by invalids, who dare not touch ordinary plum pudding. it is in the opinion of some very much nicer than the usual christmas puddings. . plain florador pudding. put one tablespoon of crushed loaf sugar into a pan. let it get brown, but do not let it burn, then add one pint of hot milk. have ready three ounces of fine florador (semolina will do) mixed with enough milk to make it like thick cream, stir it into the milk just as it comes to the boil, let it thicken, then add two ounces of butter, a little more sugar to taste, and any flavouring approved of. turn it into a pie dish, and bake in the oven a nice brown on the top. let it cool a little, and sprinkle over the top some hundreds of thousands, and serve. . boiled banana pudding. make a crust thus--a half pound of coombs' eureka flour, a pinch of salt, and a quarter pound of chopped suet. mix well with enough water to form it into a dough, roll out thin, line a plain well-greased pudding mould with the paste, and fill in thus--some nice ripe bananas cut in slices, a few cloves, the grated rind of half a lemon, the juice of one lemon strained, one tablespoon of castor sugar, a small cup of water. cover over the top with paste, tie with a cloth wrung out of boiling water. steam for about two hours. turn out carefully, and serve with a nicely flavoured custard. . banana custard. well mash two bananas into a complete pulp. put with one pint of milk and the well beaten yolks of three eggs sugar and vanilla flavouring to taste. stir well. put it into a pan, and put the pan into a larger one with boiling water in it. stir all the time for twenty minutes, and pour it into custard cups. this is very delicious and novel. . cocoa-nut rice. boil a quarter pound of small rice in one pint of milk till quite soft. then add two ounces of butter, sugar to taste, and three ounces of desiccated cocoa-nut. stir well, and pour into a plain mould that has been rinsed with cold water. let it get cold. turn out of the mould into a glass dish, decorate with pretty sweets, such as those sold by messrs. clark nicholls and coombs, or mr. e. roberts of camberwell. . cocoa-nut macaroni. boil half a pound of macaroni in water till tender, drain, put it in a pie dish. mix with it a quarter pound of desiccated cocoa-nut. well beat up two eggs with rather more than a half pint of milk, with sugar to taste. pour it over the macaroni, and see that it is well covered. put a little dab of butter here and there over it. bake it in the oven a nice colour. let it cool a little, and sprinkle castor sugar over it, or any pretty fruits. vermicelli will answer the purpose quite as well. . cream rolls. get as many nice plain, round, smooth, little rolls as you may require. cut a little piece off the top of each with care; now scoop out the crumbs out of each with very great care, and also take off any crumbs there may be on the pieces cut off the tops. well beat two eggs with about one cup of milk. add a little sugar to taste. put the custard in a bowl, dip each roll and the piece cut off in the custard, but not enough to moisten it so that it gets too soft. now fry all of them in a bath of boiling lard a nice golden brown. drain on a sieve. when cold, fill each one up thus--a little guava jelly at the bottom, and then cream whipped stiff and flavoured with a little sugar, the grated peel of half a lemon, and a little lemon juice. then put on the top that was cut off, sprinkle over with castor sugar. serve on a dish paper. these are delicious. . semolina cup puddings. put on one pint of milk in the pan, with two ounces of fresh butter and sugar to taste, and some grated rind of lemon to taste. have ready about three ounces of semolina mixed with enough milk to make it like thick cream. pour it into the milk just as it comes to the boil; stir well, and let it get very thick. pour into very small cups that have been rinsed in cold water. when cold, turn out in a glass dish, neatly, and pour over it a nicely flavoured custard, and grate over the top a little nutmeg. each cup can be decorated with dried fruit if desired, but it is very simple and nice as it is. . cream cake pudding. make a cake thus--one pound of coombs' eureka flour, a quarter pound of sugar, a quarter pound of butter. mix well together; add three well beaten eggs with enough milk to make the mixture like very thick whipped cream. pour it into a well-buttered quite plain pudding mould (tin), bake a nice colour, let it stand about ten minutes, and then turn out. next day scoop out all the inside, leaving a wall of cake about one and a half inches thick; fill this up as follows--a layer of strawberry jam, then a layer of thick cream, till it is filled up; cover the top with cream, and smooth with a wet palette knife; decorate the top with two nice strawberry sweets in the middle, and some half moon almond paste sweets laid round the edges, either plain or interlaced, by putting a second round over the first, then stick three long pieces of angelica, and make a tripod handle. this is pretty and nice. . boiled vermicelli pudding. boil a quarter pound of vermicelli in about half a pint of milk till soft, sweeten a little, then make a custard thus--two eggs well beaten, half a pint of milk, vanilla to taste, also a little castor sugar. pour the custard over the vermicelli; stir well together; pour it into a mould that has been well greased. steam for about one hour or more till quite set. take great care in turning it out, as it is apt to break. ornament with dried cherries cut in half, and chopped pistachio nuts, or with pretty sweets. . florador custard pudding. boil one pint of milk. have ready two ounces of fine florador, mixed with enough milk to make it like cream; stir this into the milk as it comes to the boil; let it thicken. now take it off the fire; stir in two ounces of fresh butter, sugar and flavouring to taste. well beat up three eggs, and when the florador is cooled a little, mix in the eggs with it. pour into a pie dish, and bake in the oven till set and of a nice golden brown. when a little cool, sprinkle over the top a little castor sugar that has been made a pretty pink by adding a drop of cochineal to it in a dry state, and rubbing it with the fingers. . orange fritters. get two or three nice large oranges, peel them carefully so as not to break the inner part. divide into skeins, and carefully take off all the white pithy part, but on no account break the skin. make a batter thus--quarter pound of flour, the yolks of two raw eggs, one tablespoon of olive oil. mix it with enough cold water to make it a stiff batter. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, with a pinch of salt, and add this to the batter; stir and use; dip each skein of orange in it, and fry in a bath of boiling lard a nice golden brown; drain on a sieve. serve on a dish paper, and sprinkle all over with castor sugar; better still, roll each skein in castor sugar. this is uncommon, and nice. . pine apple sweet. put into a pan a quarter pound of butter, with a quarter pound of sugar, and two ounces of fine florador; stir well till it gets quite smooth, then add four slices of pine-apple that have been mashed to a complete pulp and passed through a sieve; add a spoonful or two of water, and let it cook till the florador is quite done and looks clear. pour into a mould that has been rinsed in cold water. when quite cold, turn out with care in a glass dish, surround the dish with cream, nicely flavoured with pine-apple flavouring. decorate with either dried fruits or pretty sweets. . apple sweet. exactly the same as the pine-apple, only using apples boiled and pulped instead. about four good sized apples will be needed, and the cream flavoured with lemon. decorate in the same way, or with pink and white cocoa-nut chips. . pumpkin tart. make a puff paste of coombs' eureka flour, and line a nice sized shallow tin pan with it. grease the pan well; prick the paste to prevent it blistering; bake a nice colour and turn out of the pan. fill up with a mixture made thus--boil one pound of nice ripe yellow pumpkin till soft; pass it through a sieve. add to it half a pound of sugar, the grated rind of a small lemon, the strained juice of a lemon, the strained juice of an orange, a few cloves. boil till it looks nice and clear; take out the cloves, and fill the mixture into the paste case. cover over neatly with well whipped cream, and sprinkle over the top some chopped pistachio nuts. . jerusalem artichoke jelly. nicely peel one and a half pounds of jerusalem artichokes, and throw them into cold water as you do them, else they discolour. boil them till soft; drain and mash them to a complete pulp. add one pound of castor sugar, and boil till the artichokes get quite clear. mix with them a good deal of vanilla flavouring to overcome the artichoke flavour; taste it so as to have it right; then put the mixture into a greased plain mould. let it get cold before turning out; dip it for one instant in very hot water so as to melt the grease, and turn out in a glass dish. decorate with nice dried crystallised fruits. this is nice, and is nutritious. . banana pancakes. well mash two bananas to a pulp, mix up a quarter of a pound of flour, two eggs well beaten, yolks and whites separately, the whites to a froth; mix with enough milk to make a stiff batter. add the bananas to it, and fry in lard or butter a golden brown; turn over neatly; drain on a sieve. serve on a napkin or dish paper; sprinkle well over each some castor sugar. serve with sliced lemon. . coffee cream puddings. boil one pint of milk, have ready three ounces of fine florador mixed with just enough milk to make it like thick cream; stir it into the milk just as it comes to the boil, stir well till it gets very thick, stir into it two ounces of fresh butter, sugar to taste, and enough coffee essence to give it a good flavour, and a few drops of almond flavouring. pour into small plain darrol moulds that have been rinsed in water, let them get quite cold and set. turn them out on a glass dish; put on the top of each a spoonful of thick whipped cream, and a _glacé_ cherry in the middle. . chocolate cream puddings. the same as the last, but instead of coffee put in two ounces of _good_ cocoa, flavour with vanilla, and decorate each little mould with pistachio nuts, blanched and cut in strips, and stick all over the little moulds like porcupine quills. cream may be served with these separately. . sponge cake and banana pudding. crumble up half a dozen sponge cakes, cover them with a custard made thus--two bananas mashed to a pulp, two eggs well beaten, one pint of milk, sugar to taste, and vanilla flavouring. pour over the sponge cakes, stir well together, put over the top little dabs of butter here and there; bake a nice brown. decorate with pink castor sugar sprinkled over the top. . strawberry cream pudding. mix some cochineal with ordinary clear plain jelly; line a plain mould with this. let it set about a quarter of an inch thick, then fill up the mould with the following--half a pound of strawberries passed through a sieve; mix with one cup of good thick cream, sugar to taste, and a little liquid jelly. mix well together, and pour it in the lined mould. let it get quite cold and set; dip the mould into hot water for a second; whip the water off, and turn out on a glass dish. decorate with leaves and flowers of the strawberry.[ ] [ ] raspberries can be done the same way. . hen's nest pudding. get some egg shape moulds, fill them with a mixture made as recipe no. , only using fine florador instead of semolina. when cold, turn in thus--cut into thin chips some pale lemon and orange peel, so as to resemble straw as much as possible. take off all the sugar, put the chips in a glass dish (a round one is best), form them as much as possible like a nest, and lay the eggs in them. serve with a nice custard in custard glasses separately. this is a pretty dish when well made. some use jelly cut in strips instead of the peel, but it must be very carefully done to look nice. . fancy sweets. one pound of coombs' eureka flour, half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter; mix these well together, then add four eggs, yolks and whites separately, the whites beaten to a stiff froth; mix with enough milk to make the consistence of stiff whipped cream. take out a third of the mixture, and colour a nice pink with cochineal, and flavour with a few drops of almond essence, also put in a few blanched almonds cut in half; the rest of the mixture flavour with lemon, and put in some _glacé_ cherries cut in half. well butter a square and shallow cake tin, pour in half the plain mixture with cherries, let it spread and flatten, then pour the pink mixture on the top of that, let that also spread and flatten, and then pour the rest of the cherry mixture on the top; smooth with a wet knife and bake till set and a nice colour. leave it for about ten minutes, and turn out. let it get quite cold, then cut it into small squares; smooth the top of each by cutting it quite even. then pour over each an icing made thus--half a pound of confectioners' sugar, with about two tablespoons of water, stir well; just let it boil up, and cover the tops of the cakes smoothly; then sprinkle over the top with pink chip cocoa-nut, hundreds of thousands, pistachio nuts, or crushed crystallised violets, each cake with a different decoration. this is a pretty dish, and very nice. . sago jelly. boil a quarter pound of small sago in one quart of water till quite clear and thick--if too thick add a little more water--but it must be very thick and stiff. now add a half pound of sugar, the juice of three oranges strained, a drop or two of oil of oranges, a pennyworth of saffron that has been dissolved in a wine glass of boiling water and strained, some almonds blanched and cut into thin strips. mix all well together, and pour into a plain mould that has been rinsed with cold water. let it get quite cold and set, and turn out on a glass dish. decorate with chow-chow according to fancy. . sweet made of bread. cut some slices of stale bread of a close texture, stamp it out in neat rounds, soak it in one egg well beaten in a small cup of milk, fry in lard a golden brown. now cover over each any kind of jam that is liked best. cover with whipped cream and ornament with a sprinkling of pink chip cocoa-nut, or to make it of two different colours the cream can be coloured with a few drops of cochineal, and ornament with white chip cocoa-nut. this is a very simple and pretty sweet. . chestnut souffle. boil about thirty chestnuts in water till soft. remove the shell and outer skin; pound the nuts in a mortar with a few drops of orange flower water. well beat the yolks of three eggs. add them to the chestnuts with enough sugar and almond flavouring to taste. stir into the paste about one pint of milk. now beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir in gradually. pour the mixture into a _soufflé_ dish and bake a nice colour. serve direct from the oven, as a _soufflé_ falls in getting cold, and is spoilt. . treacle balls. a half pound of coombs' eureka flour, a pinch of salt, half a teaspoon of ginger powder, the grated rind of a small lemon, a quarter pound of treacle. mix well together, add two well beaten eggs, form into small balls, and fry in a bath of boiling lard a golden brown. the balls will swell a little in cooking. sprinkle well over with castor sugar, and serve. the end. _printed by cowan & co., limited, perth._ proofreading team cassell's vegetarian cookery. by a.g. payne, b.a. * * * * * sugg's gold medal "westminster" gas kitcheners. enamelled inside and under hot-plate. [illustration] _perfect for roasting, baking, grilling, toasting, and boiling._ _will do all that any stove of the same size can do--only much better._ the only gas kitchener which bakes bread perfectly. send for pamphlet on sugg's new method of baking bread. let on hire by the gas light and coke co., the south metropolitan gas co., brentford, tottenham, and many other gas companies. william sugg & co., ltd., regency st., westminster. * * * * * complete in four vols., price s. each. cassell's book of the household. a valuable and practical work on every department of household management. _with numerous illustrations_. the _guardian_ says: "an excellent work, which should be in the hands of every housekeeper, is cassell's book of the household. here we find the most varied information and the soundest of advice. the household, its members and their family life, are considered and discussed; children and their training, health and disease, food and clothing, furnishing, furniture, and household mechanics. the arrangement and treatment of these various subjects are admirable, and the book is certainly a most valuable and practical manual of household management." the _queen_ says: "a book so handy and practical ought to be adopted by every well-ordered family. its plan is so comprehensive, it will include every part of the house and its requirements, and all the members of the family and their mutual relations, duties, and responsibilities." the _weekly dispatch_ says: "we do not know of any more practical or more valuable work on household management. it is worth its weight in gold." the _scotsman_ says: "the first volume has appeared of a book which promises to be of great and extensive utility. it is a cyclopaedia of information on all questions connected with the management of a household, and does not enter into comparison with books that treat merely of provisions for the table. various hands have evidently been employed in working up the various sections, and every subject is dealt with in a thoroughly competent style. the book is admirably appointed in every respect, and contains many illustrations, all of the most useful character, and beautifully printed. every one who has to do in any way with the management of a household will find this book invaluable." the _liverpool mercury_ says: "cassell's book of the household is another book, of a class of which many have been issued, and good books too; but this one, by the thoroughness and comprehensiveness of its arrangement, will go far to render the housewife who possesses it independent of all the rest.... many a housewife will find the articles interesting enough to be taken up at any leisure hour." the _glasgow herald_ says: "the work promises to be the most complete thing of the kind in existence, and even the first volume by itself is a perfect household encyclopaedia." cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * saves time, trouble, and expense. ask your grocer for gridley & co's isinglassine. "pure, nutritious and wholesome." _arthur hill hassall_ _e. godwin clayton_ a sixpenny packet will make quart of brilliant jelly. no boiling or soaking required. to be had of all grocers _three gold medals awarded._ highest testimonials. * * * * * the london vegetarian society, the memorial hall, farringdon street, e.c. president--a.f. hills, esq. treasurer--ernest bell, esq., m.a. secretary--may yates. the london vegetarian society is established for the purpose of advocating the total disuse of the flesh of animals (fish, flesh, and fowl) as food, and promoting instead a more extensive use of fruits, grains, nuts, and other products of the vegetable kingdom; and also to disseminate information as to the meaning and principles of vegetarianism by lectures, pamphlets, letters to the press, &c.; and by these means, and through the example and efforts of its members, to extend the adoption of a principle tending essentially to true civilisation, to universal humaneness, and to the increase of human happiness generally. members adopt in its entirety the vegetarian system of diet. associates agree to promote the aims of the society, but do not pledge themselves to its practice. subscribers are entitled to the following advantages: one shilling per annum.--minimum subscription. five shillings per annum.--tickets for four monthly receptions, four debates, and four conversaziones at half-price, and be entitled to receive, free by post, copies of all new literature published by the society under d. ten shillings per annum.--tickets for four monthly receptions, four debates, and four conversaziones, and to receive, free by post, copies of all new literature published by the society under s. one guinea per annum.--tickets for four monthly receptions, four debates and four conversaziones, and to receive, free by post, all new literature published by the society under s., and copies of the _vegetarian_, _the hygienic review_, and the _vegetarian messenger_. * * * * * poor man's friend and pills. dr. roberts' ointment called poor man's friend will cure wounds and sores of every description dr. roberts' alterative pills for diseases of the blood and skin. _of all chemists, or of the proprietors_, bridport, dorset. * * * * * [illustration] the "rapid" cookery steamer. to fit any saucepan. _from s. each._ of all ironmongers. * * * * * _new and enlarged edition._ a year's cookery. giving dishes for breakfast, luncheon, and dinner for every day in the year, by phyllis browne. cloth gilt, s. d. to the new edition of this popular book (which has already attained a sale of upwards of twenty thousand copies) additional pages have been added on food for invalids. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * _price_ s. d. a handbook for the nursing of sick children. by catherine j. wood. "miss wood's book is succinct, clearly written, and goes straight to the heart of each detail in a thoroughly business-like fashion."--_health_. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * _the largest, cheapest, and best cookery book._ , pages, royal vo, cloth, s. d.; roxburgh, s. d. cassell's dictionary of cookery. illustrated throughout. containing about , recipes. "cassell's dictionary of cookery is one of the most thorough and comprehensive works of the kind. to expatiate on its abundant contents would demand pages rather than paragraphs."--_the times_. "one of the most handsome, practical, and comprehensive books of cookery."--_saturday review_. "it seems to us that this book is absolutely what it claims to be--that is, the largest and most complete collection of the kind ever produced in this country; an encyclopaedia, in fact, of the culinary art in all its branches. it is a dictionary which should be in every household, and studied by every woman who recognises her true mission in the world."--_christian world_. "cassell's dictionary of cookery is not only full of solid and valuable information as to the best method of preparing food in an endless variety of forms, but it will enable a housekeeper to grasp principles on which food may be cooked to the greatest perfection. it supplies the reason why one method is right and another wrong. an estimate of the cost of each recipe is given, which is valuable information. the recipes themselves are given in terms intelligible to the meanest capacity."--_athenaeum_. "cassell's dictionary of cookery contains about , recipes, and is preceded by a treatise on the principles of culinary art and table management, which will simply be found invaluable not only by cooks, as those most interested in such instructions, but by every mistress of a household, large or small.... the woodcuts dispersed through the pages not only illustrate some of the various species of fish, game, fruit, vegetables, and herbs to which the recipes refer, but serve to make the directions for carving more intelligible, while the coloured plates represent appetising dishes elaborately garnished, or fruit tastefully arranged, with several less inviting pictures of 'bad and good joints of meat' contrasted with each other side by side."--_morning post_. "the best cookery book extant. we know of no equal, either in the arrangement of its contents, the number of its recipes, or the elegance of its illustrations."--_york herald_. "being complete, it tells us how to dress a table for the smallest dinner, but what i value more in it is that it reminds us of the simplest and cheapest of dishes, and gives their cost. there are more shilling or sixpenny preparations in this book than those of greater cost."--_western morning news_. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * cassell's vegetarian cookery. * * * * * crosse & blackwell's pickles, sauces, flavouring essences, _parisian essence for gravies_, grated parmesan cheese in bottles, pure lucca oil, malt vinegar and table delicacies, _are sold by all grocers_. crosse & blackwell, purveyors to the queen, soho square, london. * * * * * cassell's vegetarian cookery. a manual of _cheap and wholesome diet_. by a.g. payne, b.a. author of "choice dishes," etc. [illustration] cassell & company, limited: _london, paris & melbourne_. . * * * * * for puddings, blanc-mange, custards, children's and invalids' diet, _and all the uses of arrowroot_, brown & polson's corn flour has a world-wide reputation, and is distinguished for _uniformly superior quality_. note.--purchasers should insist on being supplied with brown & polson's corn flour. inferior qualities, asserting fictitious claims, are being offered. * * * * * th thousand, _price_ s.; _post free_, s. d. cassell's shilling cookery. this new and valuable work contains pages, crown vo, bound in limp cloth. "this is the largest and most comprehensive work on the subject of cookery ever yet published at the price."--_christian age_. "housekeepers will save many shillings if they follow the practical suggestions and excellent advice given."--_bazaar_. "cassell's shilling cookery is certainly the cheapest manual for the kitchen we have ever received. there are pages of recipes, the book is serviceably bound, and should prove a treasure to any young wife."--_weekly times and echo_. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * preface. the present work, though written upon strictly vegetarian principles, is by no means addressed to vegetarians only. on the contrary, we hope that the following pages of recipes will be read by that enormous class throughout the country who during the last few years have been gradually changing their mode of living by eating far _less_ meat, and taking vegetables and farinaceous food as a substitute. where there are thousands who are vegetarians from choice, there are tens of thousands who are virtually vegetarians from necessity. again, there is another large class who from time to time adopt a vegetarian course of diet on the ground of health, and as a means of escaping from the pains attendant on gout, liver complaint, or dyspepsia. the class we most wish to reach, however, is that one, increasing we fear, whose whole life is one continual struggle not merely to live, but to live decently. it may seem a strong statement, but we believe it to be a true one, that only those who have tried a strictly vegetarian course of diet know what real _economy_ means. should the present work be the means of enabling even one family to become not only better in health but richer in pocket, it will not have been written in vain. a.g. payne. * * * * * solidified jelly. [illustration] by royal letters patent in great britain and ireland, patented in the dominion of canada, . patented in france, . n. s. wales, . victoria, . other foreign rights reserved. chelsea table jellies, the inventor and patentee, in introducing this high-class article of food, begs to warn the public that the great success and enormous demand the chelsea table jellies have obtained in great britain has brought many imitators on the market. a few stores and grocers are offering same to the public, no doubt for the purpose of wishing to appear cheaper, or for making extra profit. the favour for the chelsea table jelly has been obtained solely upon the merits of the article, and it is held to be the greatest invention of the kind, bringing within the reach of all classes this hitherto almost unobtainable luxury. this has been fully endorsed by the unsolicited testimony of high-class british journals. the article is put up in cardboard boxes, in quantities to make / -pints, pints, and quarts of jelly, and the following are some of the flavours: lemon, orange, vanilla, calves' feet, noyeau, raspberry, punch, and madeira. it should not be confounded with the ordinary fruit jelly, which is a totally different article, _this being a pure calves' feet jelly_, superseding the use of gelatine in packets for jelly purposes--this latter, as will easily be seen, being now a thing of the past. on each box is printed a public analyst's report, also full directions for use. _the following advantages are claimed over all other calves feet jellies_:-- . it is less than one-third of the price of bottled jellies, and superior in quality. . it never gets mildewed or corky. . it never fails to set or jellify. . its extreme simpleness of preparation, only requiring to be melted by the addition of hot water, no flavouring or other matter being required. . it will keep good for any time until made up, when it will keep good longer than other jellies. . the largest quantity can be made in a few minutes. for persons suffering from dyspepsia or any other ailment, it will also be found to be a great boon, as it can be cut and eaten in the solidified state with great satisfaction. on sea voyages and excursions of any kind it will be found invaluable. _beware of spurious imitations, and ask only for the_ walter robertson chelsea table jelly. articles of merit are often pirated by unprincipled traders. to be had of all grocers, stores, and confectioners. _certificate of analysis_. sample of chelsea table jelly. received . _i certify that the following are the results of the analysis of the above samples_: i have examined a sample of chelsea table jelly, and find it to be a mixture of calves' feet jelly and sugar; it is undoubtedly nutritious and wholesome. it is superior to other samples that i have analysed, as it in much firmer and keeps well. it is clear and bright, and has evidently been carefully manufactured from pure materials. it has a pleasant flavour, and is of excellent quality. _(signed)_ r. h. harland, f.i,c., f.c.s. laboratory, plough court, , lombard street. _public analyst_. copy of testimonial received august th, (_unsolicited_). , windsor road, southport. _august th_, . gentlemen,--i may inform you that i have tried other makers of jellies, but have found none to equal yours in excellence of quality. i have mentioned this fact frequently to mr. seymour mead and to my friends. i am also deeply indebted to you from the fact that a little niece of mine was fed almost exclusively on your calves' feet jelly for a period of three months, and who, when she refused to take other things, always took most willingly to your jellies. yours respectfully, w, robertson & co. m. t. hanson. _this and others may be inspected at the works, chelsea, london._ inventors and sole manufacturers (wholesale only): walter robertson & co., chelsea, london, s.w., england * * * * * contents. page. chap. i.--soups ii.--sauces iii.--rice, macaroni, oatmeal iv.--eggs and omelets v.--salads and sandwiches vi.--savoury dishes vii.--vegetables, substantial viii.--vegetables, fresh ix.--preserved vegetables and fruits x.--jellies (vegetarian) and jams xi.--creams, custards, and cheesecakes xii.--stewed fruits and fruit ices xiii.--cakes and bread xiv.--pies and puddings * * * * * e.f. langdale's prize medal. flavouring essences and domestic specialities for pies, puddings, soups, gravies, ices, &c. _prepared direct from herbs, fruits, and spices, gathered in their bloom and freshness._ specially awarded prize medals, great international exhibition, london, and . (recommended for all the recipes in this work.) _"e.f. langdale's" should always be insisted upon. they are purest, best, and cheapest._ essence lemon. strong essence vanilla. purified essence almonds essence noyau. " raspberries. essence ginger. " orange. " ratafia. " celery. " strawberries. * * * * * e.f. langdale's fruit pudding, blancmange, and. custard powders make delicious puddings, custards, & blancmange. _in d. and d. packets. sold everywhere._ almond. lemon. vanilla. raspberry. pine apple. ratafia. strawberry. nectarine. chocolate, &c. * * * * * e.f. langdale's prepared dried english herbs, &c. garden mint. savoury. parsley. sage. lemon thyme. basil. mixed sweet herbs. " soup " tarragon. _celery seeds. celery salt. herbaceous mixture._ e.f. langdale's refined jamaica lime juice and pure lemon juice. distilled tarragon and chill vinegar for salads and sauces. * * * * * sole agent for j. delcroix & cie. concentrated parisian essence, for browning gravies, &c. (_see pages , ._) which should always be bought with their name. as used by all _chefs_. j. delcroix & cie. pure green vegetable coloured spinach extract. _perfectly harmless_. j. delcroix & cie. brilliant extract cochineal for tinting ices, pies, &c. * * * * * e. f. langdale's "essence distillery," & , hatton garden, london, e.c. estab. . pamphlets, recipes, &c., post free. all the above can be obtained of any leading grocer. we will send name of nearest agent on receipt of post card. * * * * * introduction. we wish it to be distinctly understood at starting, that the present work is purely a cookery-book, written on the principles generally adopted by vegetarians; and as, until quite recently, there seemed to be in the minds of many some doubt as to the definition of vegetarianism, we will quote the following explanation from the head of the report of the london vegetarian society:--"the aims of the london vegetarian society are to advocate the total disuse of the flesh of animals (fish, flesh, and fowl) as food, and to promote a more extensive use of pulse, grains, fruits, nuts, and other products of the vegetable kingdom, thus propagating a principle tending essentially to true civilisation, to universal humaneness, and to the increase of happiness generally." we have no intention of writing a treatise on vegetarianism, but we consider a few words of explanation necessary. years back many persons were under the impression that by vegetarianism was meant simply an abstention from flesh-meat, but that fish was allowed. such, however, is not the case, according to the rules of most of the vegetarian societies of the day. on the other hand, strictly speaking, real vegetarians would not be allowed the use of eggs and milk; but it appears that many use these, though there are a considerable number of persons who abstain. there is no doubt that the vegetable kingdom, without either milk or eggs, contains every requisite for the support of the human body. in speaking on this subject, sir henry thompson observes:--"the vegetable kingdom comprehends the cereals, legumes, roots, starches, sugar, herbs, and fruits. persons who style themselves vegetarians often consume milk, eggs, butter, and lard, which are choice foods from the animal kingdom. there are other persons, of course, who are strictly vegetarian eaters, and such alone have any right to the title of vegetarians." in the following pages will be found ample recipes for the benefit of parties who take either view. in questions of this kind there will always be found conflicting views. we have no wish or desire to give opinions, but consider it will be more advisable, and probably render the book far more useful, if we confine ourselves as much as possible to facts. the origin of vegetarianism is as old as the history of the world itself, and probably from time immemorial there have been sects which have practised vegetarianism, either as a religious duty, or under the belief that they would render the body more capable of performing religious duties. in the year , or two years prior to the date of henry i., there was a strictly vegetarian society formed in connection with the christian church, which lived entirely on herbs and roots, and the society has lasted to the present day. again, there have been many sects who, not so strict, have allowed themselves the use of fish. again, there are those who adopt a vegetarian course of diet on the ground of health. many maintain that diseases like gout and dyspepsia would disappear were vegetarian diet strictly adhered to. on the other hand, we have physicians who maintain that the great cause of indigestion is not eating enough. an american physician, some years ago, alleged he had discovered the cause, his argument being that the more work the stomach had to do the stronger it would become, on the same principle that the arm of a blacksmith is more powerful in consequence of hard work. of one thing we are certain, and that is, there will always be rival physicians and rival sects; but the present work will simply be a guide to _those who require, from whatever cause, a light form of diet_. perhaps the greatest benefit vegetarians can do their cause--and there are many who think very strongly on the subject--is to endeavour to take a dispassionate view. rome was not built in a day; and if we look back at the past history of this country, during the last half-century, in regard to food, we shall see that there have been many natural changes at work. waves of thought take place backwards and forwards, but still the tide may flow. some fifty years ago there was, undoubtedly, a strong impression (with a large number of right-minded people) that plenty of meat, beer, and wine were good for all, even for young children. the medical profession are very apt to run in flocks, and follow some well-known leader. at the period to which we refer, numbers of anxious mothers would have regarded the advice to bring up their children as vegetarians and teetotallers as positive cruelty. this old-fashioned idea has passed away. one great motive for adopting a course of vegetarian diet is economy; and here we feel that we stand on firm ground, without danger of offending sincere opinions, which are often wrongly called prejudices. to a great extent, the majority of the human race are virtually vegetarians from necessity. nor do we find feebleness either of mind or body necessarily ensues. we believe there are tens of thousands of families who would give vegetarianism a trial were it not for fear. persons are too apt to think that bodily strength depends upon the nature of the food we eat. in india we have a feeble race, living chiefly on rice. on the other hand, in china, for bodily strength, few can compare with the coolies. for many years in scotland the majority lived on oatmeal, while in ireland they lived on potatoes. we do not wish to argue anything from these points, but to bring them forward for consideration. probably, strength of body and mind, as a general rule, depends upon breed, and this argument tells two ways--it does not follow that vegetarians will be necessarily strong, and will cease to be cruel; nor does it follow that those who have been accustomed all their lives to eat meat will cease to be strong should they become vegetarians. as we have said, the great motive that induces many to give vegetarianism a trial is economy; and if persons would once get rid of the idea that they risk their health by making a trial, much would be done to advance the cause. another great reason for persons hesitating to make a trial is the revolution it would create in their households. here again we are beset by difficulties, and these difficulties can only disappear gradually, after long years of patience. we believe the progress towards vegetarianism must of necessity be a very slow one. no large west end tradesman could possibly insist upon his whole establishment becoming vegetarians because he becomes one himself. we believe and hope that the present work will benefit those who are undergoing a slow but gradual change in their mode of living. this is easiest in small households, where no servants are kept at all, where the mistress is both cook and mother. it is in such households that the change is possible, and very often most desirable. in many cases trial will be made gradually. the great difficulty to contend with is prejudice, or, rather, we may say, habit. there are many housekeepers who feel that their bill of fare would instantly become extremely limited were they to adopt vegetarian ideas. there are few better dinners--especially for children--than a good basin of soup, with plenty of bread; yet, as a rule, there are few housekeepers who would know how to make vegetarian soup at all. in our present work we have given a list of sixty-four soups. at any rate, here is no lack of variety, as small housekeepers in this country are not famed for their knowledge of soup making, even with gravy-beef at their disposal. on looking down this list it will be observed that in many cases cream--or, at any rate, milk--is recommended. we can well imagine the housekeeper exclaiming, "i don't call this economy." this is one point about which we consider a few words of explanation necessary. we will suppose a family of eight, who have been accustomed to live in the ordinary way, are going to have a vegetarian dinner by way of trial. some soup has to be made, and one or two vegetables from the garden or the greengrocer's, as the case may be, are going to be cooked on a new method, and the housekeeper is horrified at the amount of butter she finds recommended for the sauce. people must, however, bear in mind that changes are gradual, and that often, at first starting, a degree of richness, or what they would consider extravagance, is advisable if they wish to _reconcile others_ to the change. in our dinner for eight we would first ask them how much meat would they have allowed a head? at the very lowest computation, it could not have been decently done under a quarter of a pound each, even if the dish of meat took the economical form of an irish stew; and had a joint, such as a leg of mutton, been placed upon the table, it would probably have been considerably more than double. supposing, however, instead of the meat, we have three vegetables--say haricot beans, potatoes, and a cabbage. with the assistance of some really good butter sauce, these vegetables, eaten with bread, make an agreeable meal, which, especially in hot weather, would probably be a pleasant change. supposing, for the sake of argument, you use half a pound of butter in making the butter sauce. this sounds, to ordinary cooks, very extravagant, even supposing butter to be only one shilling per pound. suppose, however, this half a pound of butter is used as a means of going without a leg of mutton? that is the chief point to be borne in mind in a variety of recipes to follow. the cream, butter, and eggs are often recommended in what will appear as wholesale quantities, but, as a set-off against this, you have no butcher's bill at all. we do not maintain that this apparently unlimited use of butter, eggs, and occasionally cream, is necessary; but we believe that there are many families who will be only able to make the change by substituting "_nice_" dishes, at any rate at first starting, to make up for the loss of the meat. it is only by substituting a pleasant kind of food, that many will be induced even to attempt to change. gradually the living will become cheaper and cheaper; but it is unwise to attempt, in a family, to do too much at once. there are many soups we have given in which cream is recommended; for instance, artichoke soup, bean soup, cauliflower soup, and celery soup. after partaking of a well-made basin of one of these soups, followed by one or two vegetables and a fruit pie or stewed fruit, there are many persons who would voluntarily remark, "i don't seem to care for any meat." on the other hand, were the vegetables served in the old-fashioned style, but without any meat, there are many who would feel that they were undergoing a species of privation, even if they did not say so--we refer to a dish of plain-boiled potatoes and dry bread, or even the ordinary cabbage served in the usual way. supposing, however, a nice little new cabbage is sent to table, with plenty of really good white sauce or butter sauce, over which has been sprinkled a little bright green parsley, whilst some crisp fried bread surrounds the dish--the cabbage is converted into a meal; and if we take into account the absence of the meat, we still save enormously. the advice we would give, especially to young housekeepers, is, "persuasion is better than force." if you wish to teach a child to swim, it is far easier to entice him into shallow water on a hot summer's day than to throw him in against his will in winter time. another point which we consider of great importance is appearances. as far as possible, we should endeavour to make the dishes look pretty. we are appealing to a very large class throughout the country who at all cost wish to keep up appearances. it is an important class, and one on which the slow but gradual march of civilisation depends. we fear that any attempt to improve the extreme poor, who live surrounded by dirt and misery, would be hopeless, unless they still have some lingering feeling of this self-respect. for the poor woman who snatches a meal off bread-and-dripping, which she eats without a table-cloth, and then repairs to the gin-shop to wash it down, nothing can be done. this class will gradually die out as civilisation advances. this is seen, even in the present day, in america. fortunately, there is plenty of scope in vegetarian cooking not merely for refinement, but even elegance. do not despise the sprinkle of chopped parsley and red specks of bread-crumbs coloured with cochineal, so often referred to throughout the following pages. remember that the cost of these little accessories to comfort is virtually _nil_. we must remember also that one sense works upon another. we can please the palate through the eye. there is some undoubted connection between these senses. if you doubt it, suck a lemon in front of a german band and watch the result. the sight of meat causes the saliva to run from the mouths of the carnivorous animals at the zoo. this is often noticeable in the case of a dog watching people eat, and it is an old saying, "it makes one's mouth water to look at it." in the case of endeavouring to induce a change of living in grown-up persons, such as husband or children, there is perhaps no method we can pursue so efficacious as that of making dishes look pretty. a dish of bright red tomatoes, reposing on the white bosom of a bed of macaroni, relieved here and there by a few specks of green--what a difference to a similar dish all mashed up together, and in which the macaroni showed signs of dirty smears! we have endeavoured throughout this book to give chiefly directions about those dishes which will replace meat. for instance, the vast majority of pies and puddings will remain the same, and need no detailed treatment here. butter supplies the place of suet or lard, and any ordinary, cookery-book will be found sufficient for the purpose; but it is in dealing with soups, sauces, rice, macaroni, and vegetables, sent to table under new conditions, that we hope this book will be found most useful. as a rule, english women cooks, especially when their title to the name depends upon their being the mistress of the house, will often find that soups and sauces are a weak point. do not despise, in cooking, little things. those who really understand such matters will know how vast is the difference in flavour occasioned by the addition of that pinch of thyme or teaspoonful of savoury herbs, and yet there are tens of thousands of houses, where meat is eaten every day, who never had a bottle of thyme at their disposal in their lives. as we have said, if we are going to make a great saving on meat, we can well afford a few trifles, so long as they are trifles. a sixpenny bottle of thyme will last for months; and if we give up our gravy beef, or piece of pickled pork, or two-pennyworth of bones, as the case may be, surely we can afford a little indulgence of this kind. a few words on the subject of fritters. when will english housekeepers grasp the idea of frying? they cannot get beyond a dab of grease or butter in a frying-pan. the bath of boiling oil seems to be beyond them, or at any rate a degree of civilisation that has not yet passed beyond the limit of the fried-fish shop. the oil will do over and over again, and in the end is undoubtedly cheaper than the dab of grease or butter thrown away. there are hundreds of men who, in hot weather, would positively prefer a well-cooked vegetable fritter to meat, but yet they rarely get it at home. fruit fritters are also very economical--orange fritters, apple fritters, &c., because the batter helps to make the dish _a meal_. those who have practised vegetarianism for many years will probably be of opinion that we have not called sufficient attention to the subject of fruit and nuts. this is not because we do not believe in their usefulness, but because we think that those who are _changing_ their mode of living will be far better enabled to do so without discomfort by making their chief alterations in diet in the directions we have pointed out. there is moreover little or no _cookery_ involved in these articles. of the wholesomeness of fresh fruit all are agreed; and as people become more advanced vegetarians, the desire for fruit and nuts will follow in due course. in future years, as the demand increases, the supply will increase; but this is a question of time. lookers-on often see more of the game than the players. it is not because the sudden change might not be beneficial, but because sudden changes are only likely to be effected in rare instances, that we have taken the view we have. prejudice is strong, and it would be very difficult to persuade persons, unless they had been gradually brought to the change, to regard nuts in the light of food. to suggest a meal off brazil nuts would to many have a tendency to put vegetarianism in a ridiculous light, and nothing kills so readily as ridicule. in conclusion, it will be observed that from time to time we have used the expression, "if wine be allowed." there is no necessary connection between vegetarianism and teetotalism, but it would be affectation to deny the fact that they are generally connected. of the numerous arguments brought forward by the advocates of vegetarianism, one is that, in the opinion of many who speak with authority, a vegetarian diet is best adapted to those--of whom, unfortunately, there are many--who, from time to time, have a craving for more stimulant than is beneficial to their health. many medical men are of the opinion that large meat-eaters require alcoholic stimulant, and that they can give up the latter more easily by abstaining from the former. this is a question for medical men to decide, as it does not properly come into the province of the cook. we have repeatedly mentioned the addition of wine and liqueurs; but when these are used for flavouring purposes it is not to be regarded in the same light as if taken alone. there is a common sense in these matters which should never be overlooked. the teetotaler who attended the lord mayor's dinner, and refused his glass of punch with his turtle-soup, would be consistent; but to refuse the turtle-soup itself on the ground that a little wine, probably madeira, might have been added, would proclaim him to be a faddist. it is to be regretted that in the present day so many good causes have been injured by this ostentation of carrying ideas to an extreme. practically, where wine is used in cookery, it is added solely for the peculiar flavour, and _the alcohol itself is evaporated_. to be consistent, the vast majority of teetotal drinks, and possibly even stewed fruit itself, would have to be refused on the same ground, viz., an almost infinitely small trace of alcohol. we think it best to explain the reason we have introduced the expression, "if wine be allowed." in each case it is used for flavouring, and flavouring purposes only. we know that with some persons a very small amount of stimulant creates a desire for more, and when this is the case the small quantity should be avoided; but in the case of the quantity being so infinitely small that it ceases to have this effect, even if not boiled away as it really is, no harm can possibly arise. where wine is added to soups and sauces and exposed to heat, this would be the case. on the other hand, in the case of tipsy-cake, and wine added to _compote_ of fruit, this would probably not be the case. a great distinction should be drawn between such cases. it will be found, however, that in every case we have mentioned the addition is altogether optional, or a substitute like lemon-juice can be used in its place. vegetarian cookery chapter . soups. general instructions. there are very few persons, unless they have made vegetarian cookery a study, who are aware what a great variety of soups can be made without the use of meat or fish. as a rule, ordinary cookery-books have the one exception of what is called _soup maigre_. in england it seems to be the impression that the goodness of the soup depends upon the amount of nourishment that can be compressed into a small space. it is, however, a great mistake to think that because we take a large amount of nourishment we are necessarily nourished. there is a limit, though what that limit is no one can say, beyond which soup becomes absolutely injurious. a quarter of a pound of liebig's extract of meat dissolved in half a pint of water is obviously an over-dose of what is considered nourishment. in france, as a rule, soup is prepared on an altogether different idea. it is a light, thin broth, taken at the commencement of the meal to strengthen the stomach, in order to render it capable of receiving more substantial food to follow. vegetarian soups are, of course, to be considered from this latter point of view. we think these few preliminary observations necessary as we have to overcome a very strong english prejudice, which is too apt to despise everything of which the remark can be made--"ah! but there is very little nourishment in it." vegetarian soups, as a rule, and especially the thin ones, must be regarded as a light and pleasant flavouring which, with a small piece of white bread enables the most obstinately delicate stomach to commence a repast that experience has found best adapted to its requirements. the basis of all soup is stock, and in making stock we, of course, have to depend upon vegetables, fruit, or some kind of farinaceous food. to a certain extent the water in which any kind of vegetable has been boiled may be regarded as stock, especially water that has boiled roots, such as potatoes; or grains, such as rice. it will not, however, be necessary to enter into any general description as to the best method of obtaining nutriment in a liquid form from vegetables and grain, as directions will be given in each recipe, but a few words are necessary on the general subject of flavouring stock. in making ordinary soup we are very much dependent for flavour, if the soup be good, on the meat, the vegetables acting only as accessories. in making stock for vegetarian soups we are chiefly dependent for flavour on the vegetables themselves, and consequently great care must be taken that these flavourings are properly _blended_. the great difficulty in giving directions in cookery-books, and in understanding them when given, is the insuperable one of avoiding vague expressions. for instance, suppose we read, "take two onions, one carrot, one turnip, and one head of celery,"--what does this mean? it will be found practically that these directions vary considerably according to the neighbourhood or part of the country in which we live. for instance, so much depends upon where we take our head of celery from. suppose we bought our head of celery in bond street or the central arcade in covent garden market on the one hand, or off a barrow in the mile end road on the other. again, onions vary so much in size that we cannot draw any hard-and-fast line between a little pickling onion no bigger than a marble and a spanish onion as big as a baby's head. it would be possible to be very precise and say, "take so many ounces of celery, or so many pounds of carrot, but practically we cannot turn the kitchen into a chemist's shop. cooks, whether told to use celery in heads or ounces, would act on guess-work just the same. what are absolutely essential are two things--common sense and experience. again, practically, we must avoid giving too many ingredients. novices in the art of cooking are, of course, unable to distinguish between those vegetables that are absolutely essential and those added to give a slight extra flavour, but which make very little difference to the soup whether they are added or not. we are often directed to add a few leaves of tarragon, or chervil, or a handful of sorrel. of course, in a large kitchen, presided over by a francatelli, these are easily obtainable; but in ordinary private houses, and in most parts of the country, they are not only unobtainable but have never even been heard of at the greengrocer's shop. in making soups, as a rule, the four vegetables essential are, onion, celery, carrot and turnip; and we place them in their order of merit. in making vegetarian soup it is very important that we should learn how to blend these without making any one flavour too predominant. this can only be learnt by experience. if we have too much onion the soup tastes rank; too much celery will make it bitter; too much carrot often renders the soup sweet; and the turnip overpowers every other flavour. again, these vegetables vary so much in strength that were we to peel and weigh them the result would not be uniform, in addition to the fact that not one cook in a thousand would take the trouble to do it. perhaps the most dangerous vegetable with which we have to deal is turnip. these vary so very much in strength that sometimes even one slice of turnip will be found too strong. in flavouring soups with these vegetables, the first care should be to see that they are thoroughly cleansed. in using celery, too much of the green part should be avoided if you wish to make first-rate soup. in using the onions, if they are old and strong, the core can be removed. in using carrot, if you are going to have any soup where vegetables will be cut up and served in the soup, you should always peel off the outside red part of the carrot and reserve it for this purpose, and only use the inside or yellow part for flavouring purposes if is going to be thrown away or to lose its identity by being rubbed through a wire sieve with other vegetables. with regard to turnip, we can only add one word of caution--not too much. we may here mention, before leaving the subject of ingredients, that leeks and garlic are a substitute for onion, and can also be used in conjunction with it. as a rule, in vegetarian cookery clear soups are rare, and, of course, from an economical point of view, they are not to be compared with thick soups. some persons, in making stock, recommend what is termed bran tea. half a pint of bran is boiled in about three pints of water, and a certain amount of nutriment can be extracted from the bran, which also imparts colour. for the purpose of colouring clear soups, however, there is nothing in the world to compare with what french cooks call _caramel_. caramel is really burnt sugar. there is a considerable art in preparing it, as it is necessary that it should impart colour, and colour _only_. when prepared in the rough-and-ready manner of burning sugar in a spoon, as is too often practised in english kitchens, this desideratum is never attained, as you are bound to impart sweetness in addition to a burnt flavour. the simplest and by far the most economical method of using caramel is to buy it ready-made. it is sold by all grocers under the name of parisian essence. a small bottle, costing about eightpence, will last a year, and saves an infinite loss of time, trouble, and temper. by far the most economical soups are the thick, where all the ingredients can be rubbed through a wire sieve. thick soups can be divided into two classes--ordinary brown soup, and white soup. the ordinary brown is the most economical, as in white soups milk is essential, and if the soup is wished to be very good it is necessary to add a little cream. soups owe their thickness to two processes. we can thicken the soup by adding flour of various kinds, such as ordinary flour, corn-flour, &c., and soup can also be thickened by having some of the ingredients of which it is composed rubbed through a sieve. this class of soups may be called purees. for instance, palestine soup is really a puree of jerusalem artichokes; ordinary pea soup is a puree of split peas. in making our ordinary vegetarian soups of all kinds, as a rule, all the ingredients should be rubbed through a sieve. the economy of this is obvious on the face of it. in the case of thickening soup by means of some kinds of flour, for richness and flavour there is nothing to equal ordinary flour that has been cooked. this is what frenchmen call roux. as white and brown roux are the very backbone of vegetarian cookery a few words of explanation may not be out of place. on referring to the recipe for making white and brown roux, it will be seen that it is simply flour cooked by means of frying it in butter, in white roux each grain of flour is cooked till it is done. in brown roux each grain of flour is cooked till it is done brown. we cannot exaggerate the importance of getting cooks to see the enormous difference between thickening soups or gravy with white or brown roux and simply thickening them with plain butter and flour. the taste of the soup in the two cases is altogether different. the difference is this. suppose you have just been making some pastry--some good, rich, puff paste--you have got two pies, and, as you probably know, this pastry is simply butter and flour. place one pie in the oven and bake it till it is a nice rich brown. now taste the pie-crust. it is probably delicious. now taste the piece of the pie that has not been baked at all. it is nauseous. the difference is--one is butter and flour that has been cooked, the other is butter and flour that has not been cooked. * * * * * one word of warning in conclusion. cooks should always remember the good old saying--that it is quite possible to have too much of a good thing. they should be particularly warned to bear this in mind in adding herbs, such as ordinary mixed flavouring herbs, or, as they are sometimes called, savoury herbs, and thyme. this is also very important if wine is added to soup, though, as a rule, vegetarians rarely use wine in cooking; but the same principle applies to the substitute for wine--viz., lemon juice. it is equally important to bear this in mind in using white and brown roux. if we make the soup too thick we spoil it, and it is necessary to add water to bring it to its proper consistency, which, of course, diminishes the flavour. the proper consistency of any soup thickened with roux should be that of ordinary cream. beyond this point the cooked flour will overpower almost every other flavour, and the great beauty of vegetarian cookery is its simplicity, it appeals to a taste that is refined and natural, and not to one that has been depraved. * * * * * stock.--strictly speaking, in vegetarian cookery, stock is the goodness and flavouring that can be extracted from vegetables, the chief ones being onion, celery, carrot, and turnip. in order to make stock, take these vegetables, cut them up into small pieces, after having thoroughly cleansed them, place them in a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, and let them boil gently for several hours. the liquor, when strained off, may be called stock. it can be flavoured with a small quantity of savoury herbs, pepper, and salt, as well as a little mushroom ketchup. it can be coloured with a few drops of parisian essence, or burnt sugar. its consistency can be improved by the addition of a small quantity of corn-flour. sufficient corn-flour must be added not to make it thick but like very thin gum. in a broader sense, the water in which rice, lentils, beans and potatoes have been boiled may be called stock. again, the water in which macaroni, vermicelli, sparghetti, and all kinds of italian paste has been boiled, may be called stock. the use of liquors of this kind must be left to the common sense of the cook, as, of course, it would only be obtainable when these materials are required for use. brown and white thickening, or roux.--it is of great importance for vegetarians always to have on hand a fairly good stock of white and brown roux, as it is a great saving both of time and money. as roux will keep good for weeks, and even months, there is no fear of waste in making a quantity at a time. take a pound of flour, with a spoonful or two over; see that it is thoroughly dry, and then sift it. next take a pound of butter and squeeze it in a cloth so as as much as possible to extract all the moisture from it. next take a stew-pan--an enamelled one is best--and melt the butter till it runs to oil. it will now be found that, although the bulk of the butter looks like oil, a certain amount of froth will rise to the top. this must be carefully skimmed off. continue to expose the butter to a gentle heat till the scum ceases to rise. now pour off the oiled butter very gently into a basin till you come to some dregs. these should be thrown away, or, at any rate, not used in making the roux. now mix the pound of dried and sifted flour with the oiled butter, which is what the french cooks call clarified butter. place it back in the stew-pan, put the stew-pan over a tolerably good fire, but not too fierce, as there is a danger of its burning. with a wooden spoon keep stirring this mixture, and keep scraping the bottom of the stew-pan, first in one place and then in another, being specially careful of the edges, to prevent its burning. gradually the mixture will begin to turn colour. as soon as this turn of colour is perceptible take out half and put it in a basin. this is the white roux, viz., flour cooked in butter but not discoloured beyond a very trifling amount. keep the stew-pan on the fire, and go on stirring the remainder, which will get gradually darker and darker in colour. as soon as the colour is that of light chocolate remove the stew-pan from the fire altogether, but still continue scraping and stirring for a few minutes longer, as the enamel retains the heat to such an extent that it will sometimes burn after it has been removed from the fire. it is important not to have the mixture too dark, and it will be found by experience that it gets darker after the stew-pan has been removed from the fire. when we say light chocolate we refer to the colour of a cake of chocolate that has been broken. the inside is the colour, not the outside. it is advisable sometimes to have by you ready a large slice of onion, and if you think it is dark enough you can throw this in and immediately by this means slacken the heat. pour the brown roux into a separate basin, and put them by for use. in the houses of most vegetarians more white roux will be used than brown, consequently more than half should be removed if this is the case when the roux first commences to turn colour. when the brown roux gets cold it has all the appearance of chocolate, and when you use it it is best to scrape off the quantity you require with a spoon, and not add it to soups or sauces in one lump. almond soup.--take half a pound of sweet almonds and blanch them, _i.e._, throw them into boiling water till the outside skin can be rubbed off easily with the finger. then immediately throw the white almonds into cold water, otherwise they will quickly lose their white colour like potatoes that have been peeled. next, slice up an onion and half a small head of celery, and let these simmer gently in a quart of milk. in the meantime pound the almonds with four hard-boiled yolks of egg, strain off the milk and add the pounded almonds and egg to the milk gradually, and let it boil over the fire. add sufficient white roux till the soup becomes of the consistency of cream. serve some fried or toasted bread with the soup. it is a great improvement to add half a pint of cream, but this makes the soup much more expensive. the soup can be flavoured with a little white pepper. n.b.--the onion and celery that was strained off can be used again for flavouring purposes. apple soup.--this is a german recipe. take half a dozen good-sized apples, peel them and remove the core, and boil them in a quart of water with two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs; add the juice of a lemon, and flavour it with rather less than a quarter of an ounce of powdered cinnamon; sweeten the soup with lump sugar, previously having rubbed six lumps on the outside of the lemon. artichoke soup.--take a dozen large jerusalem artichokes about as big as the fist, or more to make up a similar quantity. peel them, and, like potatoes, throw them into cold water in order to prevent them turning colour. boil them in as little water as possible, as they contain a good deal of water themselves, till they are tender and become a pulp, taking care that they do not burn, and therefore it is best to rub the saucepan at the bottom with a piece of butter. now rub them through a wire sieve and add them to a pint of milk in which a couple of bay-leaves have been boiled. add also two lumps of sugar and a little white pepper and salt. serve the soup with fried or toasted bread. this soup can be made much richer by the addition of either a quarter of a pint of cream or a couple of yolks of eggs. if yolks of eggs are added, beat up the yolks separately and add the soup gradually, very hot, but not quite boiling, otherwise the yolks will curdle. asparagus soup.--take a good-sized bundle (about fifty large heads) of asparagus, and after a thorough cleansing throw them into a saucepan of boiling water that has been salted. when the tops become tender, drain off the asparagus and throw it into cold water, as by this means we retain the bright green colour; when cold cut off all the best part of the green into little pieces, about half an inch long, then put the remainder of the asparagus--the stalk part--into a saucepan, with a few green onions and a few sprigs of parsley, with about a quart of stock or water; add a teaspoonful of pounded sugar and a very little grated nutmeg. let this boil till the stalks become quite tender, then rub the whole through a wire sieve and thicken the soup with a little white roux, and colour it a bright green with some spinach extract. now add the little pieces cut up, and let the whole simmer gently, and serve fried or toasted bread with the soup. n.b.--spinach extract.--it is very important in making all green vegetable soups that they should be of a green colour, such as the one above mentioned--green-pea soup, &c., and that we get a _good_ colour, and this is only to be obtained by means of spinach extract. spinach extract can be made at home, but it will be found to be far more economical to have a small bottle of green vegetable colouring always in the house. these bottles can be obtained from all grocers at the cost of about tenpence or one shilling each. such a very small quantity goes such a long way that one bottle would probably last a family of six persons twelve months. as we have said, it can be made at home, but the process, though not difficult, is troublesome. it is made as follows:--a quantity of spinach has, after being thoroughly washed, to be pounded in a mortar until it becomes a pulp. this pulp is then placed in a very strong, coarse cloth, and the cloth is twisted till the juice of the spinach is squeezed out through the cloth. the amount of force required is very considerable and is almost beyond the power of ordinary women cooks. this juice must now be placed in a small enamelled saucepan, and must be heated till it becomes thick and pulpy, when it can be put by for use. it will probably be found cheaper to buy spinach extract than to make it, as manual labour cannot compete with machinery. barley soup.--take two tablespoonfuls of pearl barley and wash it in several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. put this in a saucepan with about two quarts of water, two onions sliced up, a few potatoes sliced very thin, and about a saltspoonful of thyme. let the whole boil gently for four or five hours, till the barley is quite soft and eatable. thicken the soup very slightly with a little white roux, season it with pepper and salt. before serving the soup, add a tablespoonful of chopped blanched parsley. n.b.--when chopped parsley is added to any soup or sauce, such as parsley and butter, it is very important that the parsley be blanched. to blanch parsley means to throw it for a few seconds into boiling water. by this means a dull green becomes a bright green. the best method to blanch parsley is to place it in a strainer and dip the strainer for a few seconds in a saucepan of boiling water. by comparing the colour of the parsley that has been so treated with some that has not been blanched, cooks will at once see the importance of the operation so far as appearances are concerned. beetroot soup.--this soup is better adapted to the german palate than the english, as it contains both vinegar and sugar, which are very characteristic of german cookery. take two large beetroots and two good-sized onions, and after peeling the beetroots boil them and mince them finely, adding them, of course, to the water in which they were boiled, or still better, they can be boiled in some sort of stock. add a very small quantity of corn-flour, to give a slight consistency to the soup, as well as a little pinch of thyme. next add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar--more or less according to taste--a spoonful of brown sugar, and a little pepper and salt. bean soup, or puree of red haricot beans.--put a quart of red haricot beans into soak overnight, and put a little piece of soda in the water to soften it. the next morning put the beans on to boil in three quarts of water, with some carrot, celery and onion, or the beans can be boiled in some stock made from these vegetables. after the beans are tender, pound them in a mortar, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve, after first removing the carrot, celery and onion. add a teaspoonful of pounded sugar and about two ounces of butter. fried or toasted bread should be served with the soup. if the soup is liked thin, of course more water can be added. bean soup, or puree of white haricot beans.--proceed exactly as in the above recipe, only substituting white haricot beans for red. it is a great improvement to add a little boiling cream, but of course this makes the soup much more expensive. some cooks add a spoonful of blanched, chopped parsley to this puree, and frenchmen generally flavour this soup with garlic. bean soup, green.--boil a quart of ordinary broad-beans in some stock or water with an onion, carrot and celery. remove the skins when the beans are tender and rub the beans through a wire sieve. colour the soup with a little spinach extract--(vegetable colouring, sold in bottles)--add a little piece of butter, a little powdered sugar, pepper and salt. the amount of stock or water must depend upon whether it is wished to have the puree thick or thin. some purees are made as thick as bread sauce, while some persons prefer them much thinner. this is purely a matter of taste. bean soup from french beans.--this is an admirable method of using up french beans or scarlet runners when they get too old to be boiled as a vegetable in the ordinary way. take any quantity of french beans and boil them in some stock or water with an onion, carrot, or celery for about an hour, taking care, at starting, to throw them into boiling water in order to preserve their colour. it is also a saving of trouble to chop the beans slightly at starting, _i.e._, take a bunch of beans in the left hand and cut them into pieces, say an eighth of an inch in thickness. boil them till they are tender, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve. add a little butter, pepper and salt, and colour the soup with spinach extract--(vegetable colouring, sold in bottles). serve toasted or fried bread with the puree, which should be rather thick. cabbage soup.--take a white cabbage and slice it up, and throw it into some stock or water, with some leeks and slices of turnip. boil the whole till the vegetables are tender, flavour with pepper and salt. this is sometimes called cornish broth, though in cornwall a piece of meat or bones are generally boiled with the vegetables. as no meat, of course, is used, too much water must not be added, but only sufficient liquor must be served to make the vegetables thoroughly moist. perhaps the consistency can best be described by saying that there should be equal quantities of vegetables and fluid. carrot soup.--if you wish this soup to be of a good colour, you must only use the outside, or red part, of the carrot, in which case a dozen large carrots will be required. if economy is practised, half this quantity will be sufficient. take, say, half a dozen carrots, a small head of celery, and one onion, and throw them into boiling water for a few minutes in order to preserve the colour. then drain them off and place them in a saucepan, with a couple of ounces of butter to prevent them sticking and burning, and place the saucepan on a very slack fire and let them stew so that the steam can escape, but take care they don't burn or get brown. now add a quart or two quarts of stock or water and boil them till they are tender. then rub the whole through a wire sieve, add a little butter, pounded sugar, pepper, and salt. the amount of liquid added must entirely depend upon the size of the carrots. it is better to add too little than too much, but the consistency of the soup should be like ordinary pea soup; it does not do to have the soup watery. if only the outside parts of carrots are used, and this red part is thrown, at starting, into boiling water to preserve its colour, this soup, when made thick, has a very bright and handsome appearance, and is suitable for occasions when a little extra hospitality is exercised. the inside part of the carrot, if not used for making the soup, need not be wasted, but can be used for making stock, or served in a dish of mixed vegetables on some other occasion. cauliflower soup.--take three or four small cauliflowers, or two large ones, soak them in salt and water, and boil them in some water till they are nearly tender. take them out and break the cauliflower so that you get two or three dozen little pieces out of the heart of the cauliflower, somewhat resembling miniature bouquets. put the rest of the cauliflower back into the water in which it was boiled, with the exception of the green part of the leaves, with an onion and some of the white part of a head of celery. let all boil till the water has nearly boiled away. now rub all this through a wire sieve, onions, celery, cauliflower, and all; add to it sufficient boiling milk to make the whole of the consistency of pea soup. add a little butter, pepper, and salt; throw in those little pieces of cauliflower that had been reserved a minute or two before serving the soup. it is an improvement to boil two or three bay-leaves with the milk, and also a very great improvement indeed to add a little boiling cream. fried or toasted bread should be served with the soup. celery soup.--take half a dozen heads of celery, or a smaller quantity if the heads of celery are very large; throw away all the green part and cut up the celery into small pieces, with one onion sliced, and place them in a frying-pan, or, better still, in an enamelled stew-pan, and stew them in a little butter, taking great care that the celery does not turn colour. now add sufficient water or stock, and let it all boil till the celery becomes quite tender. let it boil till it becomes a pulp, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve. next boil separately from one to two quarts of milk according to the quantity of celery pulp, and boil a couple of bay-leaves in the milk. as soon as the milk boils add it to the celery pulp, flavour the soup with pepper and salt; serve fried or toasted bread with the soup. it is needless to say that all these white soups are greatly improved both in appearance and flavour by the addition of a little cream. cheese soup.--light-coloured and dry cheese is necessary for this somewhat peculiar soup, but the best cheese of all is, undoubtedly, gruyere. grate half a pound of cheese and spread a layer of this at the bottom of the soup-tureen. cover this layer of cheese with some very thin slices of stale crumb of bread. then put another layer of cheese and another layer of bread till all the cheese is used up. next take about two tablespoonfuls of brown roux, melt this in a small saucepan, and add two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion. let the onion cook in the melted roux over the fire, and then add a quart of water, and stir it all up till it boils, adding pepper and salt and a few drops of parisian essence (burnt sugar) to give it a dark brown colour. now pour the boiling soup over the contents of the soup-tureen, and let it stand a few minutes so that the bread has time to soak, and serve. cherry soup.--like most soups that are either sweet or sour, this is a german recipe. put a piece of butter, the size of a large egg, into a saucepan. let it melt, then mix it with a tablespoonful of flour, and stir smoothly until it is lightly browned. add gradually two pints of water, a pound of black cherries, picked and washed, and a few cloves. let these boil until the fruit is quite tender, then press the whole through a sieve. after straining, add a little port, if wine is allowed--but the soup will be very nice without this addition--half a teaspoonful of the kernels, blanched and bruised, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a few whole cherries. let the soup boil again until the cherries are tender, and pour all into a tureen over toasted sippets, sponge-cakes, or macaroons. chestnut soup, or puree of chestnuts.--take four dozen chestnuts and peel them. this will be a very long process if we attempt to take off the skins while they are raw; but in order to save time and trouble, place the chestnuts in a stew-pan with a couple of ounces of butter. place them on a slack fire and occasionally give them a stir. heat them gradually till the husks come off without any difficulty. having removed all the husks, add sufficient stock or water to the chestnuts, and let them boil gently till they are tender. then pound them in a mortar and rub them through a wire sieve. add a very little brown roux, if the soup is to be brown, and a few drops of parisian essence (burnt sugar), or a little white roux and a little cream if the soup is to be white. add also a little pepper and salt, sufficient butter to make the puree taste soft, and a little powdered sugar. fried and toasted bread should be served with the soup. cottage soup.--fry two onions, a carrot and a turnip, and a small head of celery cut up into small pieces, in a frying-pan, with a little butter, till they are lightly browned. then put them in a saucepan, with about two quarts of water and a tablespoonful of mixed savoury herbs. let this boil till the vegetables are quite tender, and then thicken the soup with two ounces of oatmeal or prepared barley. this must be mixed with cold water and made quite smooth before it is added to the soup. wash a quarter of a pound of rice, and boil this in the soup, and when the rice is quite tender the soup can be served. some persons add a little sugar, and dried powdered mint can be handed round with the soup, like pea soup. clear soup.--make a very strong stock by cutting up onion, celery, carrot, and a little turnip, and boiling them in some water. they should boil for two or three hours. add also a teaspoonful of mixed savoury herbs to every quart, and colour the stock with a few drops of parisian essence. strain it off, and, if it is not bright, clear it with some white of egg in the ordinary way. take only sufficient corn-flour to make the soup less thin or watery, but do not make it thick. a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup can be added to every quart. cocoanut soup.--break open a good-sized cocoanut and grate sufficient of the white part till it weighs half a pound. boil this in some stock, and after it has boiled for about an hour strain it off. only a small quantity of stock must be used, and the cocoanut should be pressed and squeezed, so as to extract all the goodness. add a little pepper and salt, and about half a grated nutmeg. next boil separately three pints of milk, and add this to the strained soup. thicken the soup with some ground rice, and serve. of course, a little cream would be a great improvement. serve with toasted or fried bread. endive soup, or puree.--take half a dozen endives that are white in the centre, and wash them very thoroughly in salt and water, as they are apt to contain insects. next throw. them into boiling water, and let them boil for a quarter of an hour. then take them out and throw them into cold water. next take them out of the cold water and squeeze them in a cloth so as to extract all the moisture. then cut off the root of each endive, chop up all the white leaves, and place them in a stew-pan with about two ounces of butter. add half a grated nutmeg, a brimming teaspoonful of powdered white sugar, and a little pepper and salt. stir them over the fire with a wooden spoon, and take care they don't burn or turn colour. next add sufficient milk to moisten them, and let them simmer gently till they are tender; then rub the whole through a wire sieve, add a little piece of butter, and serve with fried or toasted bread. fruit soup.--fruit soup can be made from rhubarb, vegetable marrow, cucumber, gourd, or pumpkin. they may be all mixed with a little cream, milk, or butter, and form a nice dish that is both healthful and delicate. green pea soup.--(_see_ pea.) green pea soup, dried.--(_see_ pea.) hare soup (imitation).--take one large carrot, a small head of celery, one good-sized onion, and half a small turnip, and boil these in a quart of water till they are tender. rub the whole through a wire sieve, and thicken the soup with some brown roux till it is as thick as good cream. next add a brimming saltspoonful of aromatic flavouring herbs. these herbs are sold in bottles by all grocers under the name of herbaceous mixture. flavour the soup with cayenne pepper, a glass of port wine (port wine dregs will do), dissolve in it a small dessertspoonful of red-currant jelly, and add the juice of half a lemon. n.b.--aromatic flavouring herbs are exceedingly useful in cooking. it is cheaper to buy them ready made, under the name of herbaceous mixture. they can, however, be made at home as follows:--take two ounces of white peppercorns, two ounces of cloves, one ounce of marjoram, one ounce of sweet basil and one ounce of lemon-thyme, one ounce of powdered nutmeg, one ounce of powdered mace, and half an ounce of dried bay-leaves. the herbs must be wrapped up in paper (one or two little paper bags, one inside the other, is best), and dried very slowly in the oven till they are brittle. they must then be pounded in a mortar, and mixed with the spices, and the whole sifted through a fine hair-sieve and put by in a stoppered bottle for use. hotch-potch.--cut up some celery, onion, carrot, turnip, and leeks into small pieces and fry them for a few minutes in about two ounces of butter in a frying-pan, very gently, taking care that they do not in the least degree turn colour. previous to this, wash and boil about a quarter of a pound of pearl barley for four or five hours. when the barley is tender, or nearly tender, add the contents of the frying-pan. let it all boil till the vegetables are tender, and about half an hour before the soup is sent to table throw in, while the soup is boiling, half a pint of fresh green peas--those known as marrowfats are best,--and about five minutes before sending the soup to table throw in a spoonful (in the proportion of a dessertspoonful to every quart) of chopped, blanched parsley--_i.e._, parsley that has been thrown into boiling water before it is chopped. colour the soup green with a little spinach extract (vegetable colouring sold in bottles by all grocers). the thinness of the soup can be removed by the addition of a small quantity of white roux. jardiniere soup.--cut up into thin strips some carrot, turnip and celery, add a dozen or more small button onions, similar to those used for pickling, and also a few hearts of lettuces cut up fine, as well as a few fresh tarragon leaves cut into strips as thin as small string. simmer these gently in some clear soup (_see_ clear soup) till tender; add a lump of sugar, and serve. n.b.--the tarragon should not be thrown in till the last minute. julienne soup.--this soup is exactly similar to the previous one, the only exception being that all the vegetables are first stewed very gently, till they are tender, in a little butter. care should be taken that the vegetables do not turn colour. leek soup.--take half a dozen or more fine large leeks, and after trimming off the green part, throw them into boiling water for five minutes, then drain them off and dry them. cut them into pieces about half an inch long, and stew them gently in a little butter till they are tender. add three pints of milk, and let two bay-leaves boil in the milk, flavour with pepper and salt, and add a suspicion of grated nutmeg. thicken the soup with a little white roux and take the crust of a french roll. cut this up into small pieces or rings. the rings can be made by simply scooping out the crumb, and cutting the roll across. when the leeks have boiled in the milk till they are quite tender, pour the soup over the crusts placed at the bottom of the soup-tureen. some cooks add blanched parsley. of course, cream would be a great improvement. lentil soup.--take a breakfastcupful of green lentils and put them to soak in cold water overnight. in the morning throw away any floating on the top. drain the lentils and put them in a stew-pan or saucepan with some stock or water, and add two onions, two carrots, a turnip, a bunch of parsley, a small teaspoonful of savoury herbs and a small head of celery. if you have no celery add half a teaspoonful of bruised celery seed. you can also add a crust of stale bread. let the whole boil, and it will be found that occasionally a dark film will rise to the surface. this must be skimmed off. the soup must boil for about four hours, or at any rate till the lentils are thoroughly soft. then strain the soup through a wire sieve, and rub the whole of the contents through the wire sieve with the soup. this requires both time and patience. after the whole has been rubbed through the sieve the soup must be boiled up, and if made from green lentils it can be coloured green with some spinach extract--(vegetable colouring, sold in bottles). if made from egyptian (red) lentils, the soup can be coloured with a few drops of parisian essence (burnt sugar). in warming up this soup, after the lentils have been rubbed through a sieve, it should be borne in mind that the lentil powder has a tendency to settle, and consequently the saucepan must be constantly stirred to prevent it burning. in serving the soup at table, the contents of the soup-tureen should be stirred with the soup-ladle before each help. lentil puree a la soubise.--this is really lentil soup, made as above, rather thick, to which has been added a puree of onions, made as follows:--slice up, say four large onions, and fry them brown in a little butter, then boil them in some of the broth of the soup till they are tender. rub them through a wire sieve and add them to the soup. macaroni soup (clear).--take some macaroni and break it up into pieces about two inches long. boil them till they are tender in some salted water, drain them off and add them to some clear soup. (_see_ clear soup.) macaroni soup (thick).--take an onion, carrot, a small head of celery and a very small quantity of turnip; cut them up and boil them in a very small quantity of water for about an hour. then rub the whole through a wire sieve, add a quart or more of boiling milk, throw in the macaroni, after breaking it up into pieces two inches long, and let the macaroni simmer in this till it is perfectly tender. the soup should be thickened with a very little white roux, a bay-leaf can be boiled in the soup; a small quantity of cream is a great improvement. fried or toasted bread should be served with it. milk soup.--milk soup, as it is sometimes called in germany, very much resembles english custard. it is made by putting a quart of milk on the fire and thickening it with two yolks of eggs and a little flour, and sweetening it with sugar. the soup is flavoured with either vanilla, lemon, laurel leaves, pounded almonds, cinnamon, chocolate, &c. as a soup, however, it is not suited to the english palate. mock turtle, imitation.--take an onion, carrot, small head of celery, and some turnip, and boil them till they are tender in some stock. the water in which some rice has been boiled is very well suited for the purpose. add also to every quart a brimming tablespoonful of mixed savoury herbs. rub the whole through a wire sieve, thicken it with brown roux till it is as thick as cream; add a few drops of parisian essence--(sold in bottles by all grocers)--to give it a dark colour. add a wineglassful of sherry or madeira, or, if the use of wine be objected to, the juice of a hard lemon. flavour the soup with a little cayenne pepper, and serve some egg forcemeat balls in it, about the size of small marbles. mulligatawny soup.--take four large onions, cut them up and fry them brown, with a little butter, in a frying-pan, with a carrot cut up into small pieces; add to this a quart of stock or water, and boil till the vegetables and onions are tender; then rub the whole through a wire sieve and add a brimming teaspoonful of captain white's curry paste and a dessertspoonful of curry powder, previously mixed smooth in a little cold water; thicken the soup with a little brown roux. some persons would consider this soup too hot; if so, less curry powder can be used or more water added. if you have no curry paste, cut up a sour apple and add it to the vegetables in the frying-pan. if you have no sour apples, a few green gooseberries are a very good substitute. boiled rice should be served on a separate dish with this soup, and should not be boiled in the soup at starting. onion soup.--cut up half a dozen onions and throw them for a few minutes into boiling water. this takes off the rankness. drain off the onions, and chop them up and boil them till they are tender in some milk that has been seasoned with pepper and salt and a pinch of savoury herbs. take a small quantity of celery, carrot and turnip, or carrot and turnip and a little bruised celery seed, and boil till they are tender in a very little water; rub through a wire sieve, and add the pulp to the soup. the soup can be thickened with white roux, ground rice, or one or two eggs beaten up. the soup must be added to the eggs gradually or they will curdle. onion soup, brown.--take an onion, carrot, celery, and turnip, and let them boil till quite tender in some water or stock. in the meantime slice up half a dozen large onions and fry them brown in a little butter, in a frying-pan, taking care that the onions are browned and not burnt black; add the contents of the frying-pan to the vegetables and stock, and after it has boiled some time, till the onions are tender, rub the whole through a wire sieve, thicken with a little brown roux, adding, of course, pepper and salt to taste. ox-tail soup, imitation.--slice off the outside red part of two or three large carrots, and cut them up into small dice not bigger than a quarter of an inch square. cut up also into similar size a young turnip, and the white, hard part of a head of celery. fry these very gently in a little butter, taking care that the vegetables do not turn colour. make some soup exactly in every respect similar to that described in imitation mock turtle. throw in these fried vegetables, and let the soup simmer gently by the side of the fire, in order for it to throw up its butter, which should be skimmed off. in flavouring the soup, add only half the quantity of wine or lemon juice that you would use were you making mock turtle. palestine soup.--(_see_ artichoke soup.) parsnip soup.--prepare half a dozen parsnips, and boil them with an onion and half a head of celery in some stock till they are quite tender. then rub the whole through a wire sieve, boil it up again, and serve. sufficient parsnips must be boiled to make the soup as thick as pea soup, so the quantity of stock must be regulated accordingly. this soup is generally rather sweet, owing to the parsnips, and an extra quantity of salt must be added in consequence, as well as pepper. in belgium and germany this sweetness is corrected by the addition of vinegar. this, of course, is a matter of taste. pear soup.--pare, core, and slice six or eight large pears. put them into a stew-pan with a penny roll cut into thin slices, half a dozen cloves, and three pints of water. let them simmer until they are quite tender, then pass them through a coarse sieve, and return the puree to the saucepan, with two ounces of sugar, the strained juice of a fresh lemon, and half a tumblerful of light wine. let the soup boil five or ten minutes, when it will be ready for serving. send some sponge-cake to table with this dish. pea soup, from split dried peas.--take a pint of split peas and put them in soak overnight in some cold water, and throw away those that float, as this shows that there is a hole in them which would be mildewy. take two onions, a carrot, a small head of celery, and boil them with the peas in from three pints to two quarts of water till they are tender. this will be from four to five hours. when the peas are old and stale even longer time should be allowed. then rub the whole through a wire sieve, put the soup back into the saucepan, and stir it while you make it hot or it will burn. in ordinary cookery, pea soup is invariably made from some kind of greasy stock, more especially the water in which pickled pork has been boiled. in the present instance we have no kind of fat to counteract the natural dryness of the pea-flour. we must therefore add, before sending to table, two or three ounces of butter. it will be found best to dissolve the butter in the saucepan before adding the soup to be warmed up, as it is then much less likely to stick to the bottom of the saucepan and burn. fried or toasted bread should be served with the soup separately, as well as dried and powdered mint. the general mistake people make is, they do not have sufficient mint. pea soup, from dried green peas.--proceed as in the above recipe in every respect, substituting dried green peas for ordinary yellow split peas. colour the soup green by adding a large handful of spinach before it is rubbed through the wire sieve, or add a small quantity of spinach extract (vegetable colouring sold by grocers in bottles); dried mint and fried or toasted bread should be served with the soup, as with the other. pea soup, green (fresh).--take half a peck of young peas, shell them, and throw the peas into cold water. put all the shells into a quart or more of stock or water. put in also a handful of spinach if possible, a few sprigs of parsley, a dozen fresh mint-leaves and half a dozen small, fresh, green onions. boil these for an hour, or rather more, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve. you cannot rub all the shells through; but you will be able to rub a great part through, that which is left in the sieve being only strings. now put on the soup to boil again, and as soon as it boils throw in the peas; as soon as these are tender--about twenty minutes--the soup is finished and can be sent to table. if the soup is thin, a little white roux can be added to thicken it; if of a bad colour, or if you could not get any spinach, add some spinach extract (vegetable colouring, sold by all grocers), only take care not to add too much, and make the soup look like green paint. potato soup.--potato soup is a very good method of using up the remains of cold boiled potatoes. slice up a large onion and fry it, without letting it turn colour, with a little butter. add a little water or stock to the frying-pan, and let the onion boil till it is tender. boil a quart or more of milk separately with a couple of bay-leaves; rub the onion with the cold potatoes through a wire sieve and add it to the milk. you can moisten the potatoes in the sieve with the milk. when you have rubbed enough to make the soup thick enough, let it boil up and add to every quart a saltspoonful of thyme and a brimming teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley. this soup should be rather thicker than most thick soups. when new potatoes first come into season, and especially when you have new potatoes from your own garden, it will often be found that mixed with the ordinary ones there are many potatoes no bigger than a toy marble, and which are too small to be boiled and sent to table as an ordinary dish of new potatoes. reserve all these little dwarf potatoes, wash them, and throw them for five or ten minutes into boiling water, drain them off and throw them into the potato soup whole. of course they must boil in the soup till they are tender. a little cream is a great improvement to the soup, and dried mint can be served with it, but is not absolutely necessary. pumpkin soup.--take half or a quarter of a moderate-sized pumpkin, pare it, remove the seeds, and cut the pumpkin into thin slices. put these into a stew-pan, with as much water or milk as will cover them, and boil gently until they are reduced to a pulp. rub this through a fine sieve, mix with it a little salt, and a piece of butter the size of an egg, and stir it over the fire until it boils. thin it with some boiling milk which has been sweetened and flavoured with lemon-rind, cinnamon, or orange-flower water. it should be of the consistency of thick cream. put toasted bread, cut into the size of dice, at the bottom of the soup-tureen. moisten the bread-dice with a small quantity of the liquor, let them soak a little while, then pour the rest of the soup over them, and serve very hot. or whisk two fresh eggs thoroughly in the tureen, and pour the soup in over them at the last moment. the liquor ought to have ceased from boiling for a minute or two before it is poured over the eggs. rhubarb soup.--this is a sweet soup, and is simply juice from stewed rhubarb sweetened and flavoured with lemon-peel and added either to cream or beaten-up yolks of eggs and a little white wine. it is rarely met with in this country. rice soup.--take a quarter of a pound of rice, and wash it in several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. take an onion, the white part of a head of celery, and a turnip, and cut them up and fry them in a little butter. add a quart of stock, or water, and boil these vegetables until they are tender, and then rub them through a wire sieve. boil the rice in this soup till it is tender, flavour with pepper and salt, add a little milk boiled separately, and serve grated parmesan cheese with the soup. rice soup a la royale.--take half a pound of rice and wash it thoroughly in several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. boil this rice in some stock that has been strongly flavoured with onion, carrot and celery, and strained off. when the rice is tender rub it through a wire sieve, then add some boiling milk, in which two or three bay-leaves have been boiled, and half a pint of cream, till the soup is a proper consistency. serve some egg force-meat balls with the soup. sorrel soup.--take some sorrel and wash it very thoroughly. like spinach, it requires a great deal of cleansing. drain it off and place the sorrel in a stew-pan, and keep stirring it with a wooden spoon. when it has dissolved and boiled for two or three minutes, let it drain on a sieve till the water has run off. next cut up a large onion and fry it in a little butter, but do not brown the onion. add a tablespoonful of flour to every two ounces of butter used, also a teaspoonful of sugar, a little grated nutmeg, also a little pepper and salt; add the sorrel to this, with a small quantity of stock or water, then rub the whole through a wire sieve, and serve. in some parts of the continent vinegar is added, but it is not adapted to english taste. sago soup.--take two ounces of sage, and having washed it very thoroughly, put it on to boil in a quart of stock strongly flavoured with onion, celery, and carrot, but which has been strained off. the sage must boil until it becomes quite transparent and tender. flavour the soup with a little pepper and salt, a quarter of a nutmeg, grated, about half a teaspoonful of powdered sugar, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice from a hard lemon. sea-kale soup.--this makes a very delicious soup, but it is somewhat rare. take a bundle of sea-kale, the whiter the better. threw it into boiling water, and let it boil for a few minutes, then take it out and drain it; cut it up into small pieces and place it in a stew-pan with about two ounces of butter, add a little pepper and salt and grated nutmeg; stir it up until the butter is thoroughly melted, but do not let it turn colour in the slightest degree. add some milk, and let it simmer very gently for about half an hour. rub the whole through a wire sieve, and add a small quantity of cream. serve with toasted or fried bread. scotch broth.--take two or three ounces of pearl barley, wash it, and threw it into boiling water, and let it boil for five or ten minutes. then drain it off and threw away the water. this is the only way to get pearl barley perfectly clean. then put on the barley in some stock or water, and let it boil for four hours, till it is tender. then add to it every kind of vegetable that is in season, such as onion, celery, carrot, turnip, peas, french beans, cut up into small pieces, hearts of lettuces cut up. flavour with pepper and salt and serve altogether. if possible add leeks to this soup instead of onion, and just before serving the soup throw in a brimming dessertspoonful of chopped blanched parsley to every quart of soup. a pinch of thyme can also be added. spinach soup.--wash some young, freshly gathered spinach, cut it up with a lettuce, and, if possible, a few leaves of sorrel, and throw them into boiling water. let them boil for five minutes, drain them off, and throw them into cold water in order to keep their colour. next take them out of the water and squeeze all the moisture from them; then melt two ounces of butter in a stew-pan, and add two tablespoonfuls of flour. when this is thoroughly mixed together, and begins to frizzle, add the spinach, lettuce, &c., and stir them round and round in the stew-pan till all is well mixed together. then add sufficient water or vegetable stock to moisten the vegetables (add also a pinch of thyme), and let it boil. when it has boiled for about twenty minutes add a quart of milk that has been boiled separately, flavour with pepper and salt, and serve. tapioca soup.--clear tapioca soup is made by thickening some ordinary clear soup (_see_ clear soup) with tapioca, allowing about two ounces of tapioca to every quart. the tapioca should be put into the soup when it is cold, and it is then far less likely to get lumpy. tapioca can also be boiled in a little strongly flavoured stock that has not been coloured, and then add some boiling milk. tapioca should be allowed to simmer for an hour and a half. of course, a little cream is a great improvement when the soup is made with milk. tomato soup.--this is a very delicate soup, and the endeavour should be to try and retain the flavour of the tomato. slice up an onion, or better still two shallots, and fry them in a little butter, to which can be added a broken-up, dried bay-leaf, a saltspoonful of thyme, and a very small quantity of grated nutmeg, fry these in a little batter till the onion begins to turn colour, and then add a dozen ripe tomatoes from which the pips have been squeezed. moisten with a very little stock or water, and let them stew till they are tender, then rub the whole through a wire sieve. the consistency should be that of pea soup. add a little butter to soften the soup), and flavour with pepper and salt. turnip soup.--cut up some young turnips into small pieces, throw them into boiling water, let them boil for a few minutes, take them out and strain them, and put them into a stew-pan with about two ounces of fresh butter; add a little salt and sugar. let them stew in the butter (taking great care that they don't turn colour) till they become soft, then add sufficient boiling milk to moisten them, so that when rubbed through a wire sieve the soup will be of the consistency of pea soup. serve fried or toasted bread with the soup. vegetable marrow soup.--take a large vegetable marrow, peel it, cut it open, remove all the pips, and place it in a stew-pan with about two ounces of fresh butter. add a brimming teaspoonful of powdered sugar, a little grated nutmeg, and pepper and salt. keep turning the pieces of vegetable marrow over in the butter, taking care that they do not at all turn colour. after frying these pieces gently for five or ten minutes, add some boiling milk, and let the whole simmer gently till it can be rubbed through a wire sieve. care must be taken not to get this soup too thin, as the vegetable marrow itself contains a large quantity of water. season with pepper and salt, and serve fried or toasted bread with the soup. vegetable soup.--(_see_ jardiniere soup.) vermicelli soup.--take a quarter of a pound of vermicelli and break it up into small pieces, throw it into boiling water, and let it boil for five minutes to get rid of the dirt and floury taste, then throw it immediately into about a quart of clear soup. the vermicelli must be taken from the boiling water and thrown into the boiling soup at once. if you were to boil the vermicelli, strain it off, and put it by to add to the soup, you would find it would stick together in one lump and be spoilt. vermicelli soup, white.--the vermicelli must be thrown into white soup instead of clear soup. (_see_ white soup.) white soup.--just as in ordinary white soup the secret of success is to have some strongly reduced stock, so in vegetarian white soup it is essential that we should have a small quantity of liquid strongly impregnated with the flavour of vegetables. for this purpose, place an onion, the white part of a head of celery, and a slice of turnip in a stew-pan with a little butter, and fry them till they are tender without becoming brown. now add sufficient water to enable you to boil them, and let the water boil away till very little is left. now rub this through a wire sieve and add it to a quart of milk in which a couple of bay-leaves have been boiled. thicken the soup with a little white roux, add a suspicion of nutmeg, and also, if possible, a little cream. flavour with pepper and salt. serve fried or toasted bread with the soup. chapter ii. sauces. sauce allemande.--take a pint of butter sauce--(_see_ butter sauce)--and add to it four yolks of eggs. in order to do this you must beat up the yolks separately in a basin and add the hot butter sauce gradually, otherwise the yolks of eggs will curdle and the sauce will be spoilt. in fact, it must be treated exactly like custard, and in warming up the sauce it is often a good plan, if you have no _bain-marie_, to put the sauce in a jug and place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water. the sauce should be flavoured with a little essence of mushroom if possible. essence of mushroom can be made from the trimmings of mushrooms, but mushroom ketchup must not be used on account of the colour. essence of mushroom can be made by placing the trimmings of mushrooms in a saucepan, stewing them gently, and extracting the flavour. the large black mushrooms, however, are not suited. in addition to this essence of mushroom, a little lemon juice--allowing the juice of half a lemon to every pint, should be added to the sauce, as well as a slight suspicion of nutmeg, a pint of sauce requiring about a dozen grates of a nutmeg. a little cream is a great improvement to this sauce, but is not absolutely necessary. the sauce should be perfectly smooth. should it therefore contain any lumps, which is not unfrequently the case in butter sauce, pass the sauce through a sieve with a wooden spoon and then put it by in a _bain-marie_, or warm it up in a jug as directed. almond sauce.--this is suitable for puddings. the simplest way of making it is to make, say half a pint of butter sauce, or, cheaper, thicken half a pint of milk with a little corn-flour, sweeten it with white sugar, and then add a few drops of essence of almonds. about a dozen drops will be sufficient if the essence is strong, but essence of almonds varies greatly in strength. the sauce can be coloured pink with a few drops of cochineal. almond sauce (clear).--thicken half a pint of water with a little corn-flour, sweeten it with white sugar, add a dozen drops of essence of almonds and a few drops of cochineal to colour it pink. the sauce is very suitable to pour over custard puddings made in a basin or cup and turned out on to a dish. it is also very cheap. apple sauce.--peel say a dozen apples; cut them into quarters; and be very careful in removing all the core, as many a child is choked through carelessness in this respect. stew the apples in a little water till they become a pulp, placing with them half a dozen cloves and half a dozen strips of the yellow part only of the outside of the rind of a _fresh_ lemon of the size and thickness of the thumb-nail; sweeten with brown sugar, that known as porto rico being the most economical. add a small piece of butter before serving. arrowroot sauce.--thicken half a pint of water with about a dessertspoonful of arrowroot and sweeten it with white sugar. the sauce can be flavoured by rubbing a few lumps of sugar on the outside of a lemon, or with a few drops of essence of vanilla, or with the addition of a little sherry or spirit, the best spirit being rum. this sauce can, of course, be coloured pink with cochineal. artichoke sauce.--proceed exactly as if you were making artichoke soup, only make the puree thicker by using less liquid. a simple artichoke sauce can be made by boiling down a few jerusalem artichokes to a pulp, rubbing them through a wire sieve, and flavouring with pepper and salt. asparagus sauce.--boil a bundle of asparagus and rub all the green, tender part through a wire sieve, till it is a thick pulp, flavour with a little pepper and salt, add a small piece of butter, and a little spinach extract (vegetable colouring sold in bottles) in order to give it a good colour. bread sauce.--take some dry crumb of bread, and rub through a wire sieve. the simplest plan is to turn the wire sieve upside down on a large sheet of paper. the bread must be stale, and stale pieces can be put by for this purpose. next take, say, a pint of milk, and let it boil; then throw in the bread-crumbs and let them _boil_ in the milk. this is the secret of good bread sauce. add a dozen peppercorns, and place a whole onion in the saucepan containing the bread and milk, and place the saucepan beside the fire in order to allow the bread-crumbs to swell. it will be found that though at starting the bread sauce was quite thin and milky, yet after a time it becomes thick. take out the onion, add a little piece of butter, stir it up, and serve. a little cream is a great improvement, but is not absolutely necessary. this sauce, though very simple, requires care: many persons will probably recollect having met with bread sauce which in appearance resembled a poultice too much to be agreeable either to the palate or the eye. butter sauce.--this is the most important of all the sauces with which we have to deal. the great mistake made by the vast majority of women cooks is that they will use milk. they thicken a pint of milk with a little butter and flour, and then call it melted butter, and, as a rule, send to table enough for twenty persons when only two or three are dining. as butter sauce will be served with the majority of vegetables, we would call the attention of vegetarians to the fact that, as a rule, ordinary cookery-books take for granted that vegetables will be served with the meat. when therefore vegetables are served separately, and are intended to be eaten with bread as a course by themselves, some alteration must be made in the method of serving them. again, vegetarians should bear in mind that, except in cases where poverty necessitates rigid economy, a certain amount of butter may be considered almost a necessity, should the meal be wished to be both wholesome and nourishing. francatelli, who was _chef-de-cuisine_ to the earl of chesterfield, and was also chief cook to the queen and _chef_ at the reform club, and afterwards manager of the freemasons' tavern, in writing on this subject observes:--"butter sauce, or, as it is more absurdly called, melted butter, is the foundation of the whole of the following sauces, and requires very great care in its preparation. though simple, it is nevertheless a very useful and agreeable sauce when properly made. so far from this being usually the case, it is too generally left to assistants to prepare, as an insignificant matter; the result is therefore seldom satisfactory. when a large quantity of butter sauce is required, put four ounces of fresh butter into a middle-sized stew-pan, with some grated nutmeg and minionette pepper; to these add four ounces of sifted flour, knead the whole well together, and moisten with a pint of cold spring water; stir the sauce on the fire till it boils, and after having kept it gently boiling for twenty minutes (observing that it be not thicker than the consistency of common white sauce), proceed to mix in one pound and a half of sweet fresh butter, taking care to stir the sauce quickly the whole time of the operation. should it appear to turn oily, add now and then a spoonful of cold spring water; finish with the juice of half a lemon, and salt to palate; then pass the sauce through a tammy into a large _bain-marie_ for use." we have quoted the recipe of the late m. francatelli in full, as we believe it is necessary to refer to some very great authority in order to knock out the prejudice from the minds of many who think that they not only can themselves cook, but teach others, but who are bound in the chains of prejudice and tradition which, too often, in the most simple recipes, lead them to follow in the footsteps of their grandmothers. real butter sauce can be made as follows, on a small scale:--take a claret-glass of water, and about a small teaspoonful of flour mixed with rather more than the same quantity of butter, and mix this in the water over the fire till it is of the consistency of very thin gruel. if it is thicker than this, add a little more water. now take any quantity of butter, and gradually dissolve as much as you can in this thin gruel, adding say half an ounce at a time, till the sauce becomes a rich oily compound. after a time, if you add too much butter, the sauce will curdle and turn oily, as described by francatelli. of course, in everyday life it is not necessary to have the butter sauce so rich, still it is simply ridiculous to thicken a pint of milk, or a pint of water, with a little butter and flour, and then call it butter sauce or melted butter. suppose we have a large white cabbage, like those met with in the west of england, and we are going to make a meal off it in conjunction with plenty of bread. suppose the cabbage is sufficiently large for six persons, surely half a pound of butter is not an excessive quantity to use in making butter sauce for the purpose. yet prejudice is such that if we use half a pound of butter for the butter sauce, housekeepers consider it extravagant. on the other hand, if the butter were placed on the table, and the six persons helped themselves, and ate bread and butter with the cabbage and finished the half-pound, it would not be considered extravagant. of course, this is simply prejudice. a simple way of making melted butter is as follows:--take half a pint of cold water, put it in a saucepan, and add sufficient white roux, or butter and flour mixed, till it is of the consistency of thin gruel. now gradually dissolve in this, adding a little piece at a time, as much butter as you can afford; add a suspicion of nutmeg, a little pepper and salt, and a few drops of lemon-juice from a fresh lemon, if you have one in use. butter, melted, or oiled butter.--melted butter, properly speaking, is rarely met with in this country, but is a common everyday sauce on the continent. it is simply what it says. a piece of butter is placed in a little sauce-boat and placed in the oven till the butter runs to oil, and then sent to table with all kinds of fish with which in our present work we have nothing to do; but it is also sent to table with all kinds of vegetables, such as french artichokes, &c.; sometimes a spoonful of french capers is added to the oiled butter. butter, black, or beurre noir.--take two ounces of butter, and dissolve it in a frying-pan, and let it frizzle till the butter turns a brown colour; then add a tablespoonful of french vinegar, a teaspoonful of chopped capers, a teaspoonful of harvey's sauce, and a teaspoonful of mushroom ketchup. let it remain on the fire till the acidity of the vinegar is removed by evaporation. this is a very delicious sauce, and can be served with jerusalem artichokes boiled whole, fried eggs, &c. caper sauce.--make some butter sauce, and to every half-pint of sauce add a dessertspoonful of chopped french capers. if the sauce is liked sharp, add some of the vinegar from the bottle of capers. carrot sauce.--proceed exactly as in carrot soup, using less liquid. cauliflower sauce.--proceed exactly as in cauliflower soup, using less liquid. celery sauce.--proceed exactly as in celery soup, only using less liquid. the thicker this sauce is the better. cherry sauce.--take a quarter of a pound of dried cherries, and put them into a small stew-pan, with a dessertspoonful of black currant jelly, a small stick of cinnamon, with half a dozen cloves, and add rather less than half a pint of water, and let the whole simmer gently for about ten minutes, when you must take out the spices and send the rest to table. n.b.--if wine is not objected to in cooking, it is a very good plan to add claret instead of water. chestnut sauce.--proceed as in making chestnut soup, using as little liquid as possible, so as to make the sauce thick. cinnamon sauce.--the simplest way of making cinnamon sauce is to sweeten some butter sauce with some white sugar, and then add a few drops of essence of cinnamon. the sauce can be coloured pink with a little cochineal. a little wine is an improvement. the sauce can also be made by breaking up and boiling a stick of cinnamon in some water, and then using the water to make some butter sauce. cocoanut sauce.--grate the white, part of a cocoanut very finely, and boil it till tender in a very small quantity of water; add about an equal quantity of white sugar as there was cocoa-nut; mix in either the yolk of an egg or a tablespoonful of cream. a little lemon juice is an improvement. cucumber sauce.--take two or three small cucumbers, peel them, slice them, and place them in a dish with a little salt, which has the effect of extracting the water. now drain the pieces off and strain then in a cloth, to extract as much moisture as possible. put then in a frying-pan with a little butter; fry them very gently, till they begin to turn colour, then nib them through a wire sieve; moisten the pulp with a little butter sauce; add a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg and vinegar to taste. currant sauce (red).--put a couple of tablespoonfuls of red currant jelly into a small stew-pan, with half a dozen cloves, a small stick of cinnamon, and the rind of an orange. moisten with a little water, or still better, a little claret, strain it off, and add the juice of the orange. currant sauce (black).--proceed exactly as in the above recipe, substituting black currant jelly for red. curry sauce.--take six large onions, peel them, cut them up into small pieces, and fry them in a frying-pan in about two ounces of butter. as soon as the onions begin to change colour, take a small carrot and cut it up into little piece; and a sour apple. when the onions, etc., are fried a nice brown, add about a pint of vegetable stock or water and let the whole simmer till the vegetables are quite tender, then add a tea-spoonful of captain white's curry paste and a dessertspoonful of curry powder; now rub the whole through a wire sieve, and take care that all the vegetables go through. it is rather troublesome, but will repay you, as good curry sauce cannot be made without. the curry sauce should be sufficiently thick owing to the vegetables being rubbed through the wire sieve. should therefore the onions be small, less water or stock had better be added. curry sauce could be thickened with a little brown roux, but it takes away from the flavour of the curry. a few bay-leaves may be added to the sauce and served up whole in whatever is curried. for instance, if we have a dish of curried rice, half a dozen or more bay-leaves could be added to the sauce and served up with the rice. there are many varieties of curry. in india fresh mangoes take the part of our sour apples. some persons add grated cocoanut to curry, and it is well worth a trial, although on the p. and o. boats the indian curry-cook mixes the curry fresh every day and uses cocoanut oil for the purpose. in some parts of india it is customary to serve up whole chillies in the curry, but this would be better adapted to a stomach suffering from the effects of brandy-pawnee than to the simple taste of the vegetarian. dutch sauce.--this is very similar to allemande sauce. take half a pint of good butter sauce, make it thoroughly hot, add two yolks of eggs, taking care that they do not curdle, a little pepper and salt, a suspicion of nutmeg, and about a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. some persons instead of using tarragon vinegar add a little lemon juice, say the half of a fresh lemon to this quantity, and half a dozen fresh tarragon leaves, blanched--that is, dipped for a few seconds in boiling water--and then chopped very fine. the tarragon vinegar is much the simplest, as it is very difficult to get fresh tarragon leaves unless one has a good garden or lives near covent garden market. dutch sauce (green).--proceed exactly as above and colour the sauce a bright green with a little spinach extract (vegetable colouring, sold in bottles by all grocers). egg sauce.--take half a dozen eggs, put them in a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them. put them on the fire and let them boil for ten minutes after the water boils. take them out and put them into cold water and let them stand for ten minutes, when the shells can be removed; then cut up the six hard-boiled eggs into little pieces, add sufficient butter sauce to moisten them, make the whole hot, and serve. n.b.--inexperienced cooks often think that hard-boiled eggs are bad when they are not, owing to their often having a tinge of green colour round the outside of the yolk and to their emitting a peculiar smell when the shells are first removed while hot all eggs contain a small quantity of sulphuretted hydrogen. fennel sauce.--blanch and chop up sufficient fennel to colour half a pint of butter sauce a bright green, add a little pepper, salt, and lemon juice, and serve. german sweet sauce.--take a quarter of a pound of dried cherries, a small saltspoonful of powdered cinnamon, and a few strips of lemon peel, and put them in a small saucepan with about a quarter of a pint of water, or still better, claret, if wine is allowed, and let them simmer on the fire gently for about half an hour; then rub the cherries through a wire sieve with the liquor--(of course, the lemon peel and cloves will not rub through)--and add this to a quarter of a pound of stewed prunes. this is a very popular sauce abroad. ginger sauce.--the simplest way of making ginger sauce is to sweeten half a pint of butter sauce and then add a few drops of essence of ginger. a richer ginger sauce can be made by taking two or three tablespoonfuls of preserved ginger and two or three tablespoonfuls of the syrup in which they are preserved, rubbing this through a wire sieve, adding about an equal quantity of butter sauce, making the whole hot in a saucepan. gooseberry sauce.--pick and then stew some green gooseberries, just moistening the stewpan with a little water to prevent them burning. rub the whole through a hair sieve in order to avoid having any pips in the sauce. sweeten with a little demerara sugar, as porto rico would be too dark in colour. colour the sauce a bright green with a little spinach extract. n.b.--it is a mistake to add cream to gooseberry sauce, which is distinct altogether from gooseberry fool. in germany, vinegar is added to this sauce and it is served with meat. horse-radish sauce.--horse-radish sauce is made, properly speaking, by mixing grated horse-radish with cream, vinegar, sugar, made mustard, and a little pepper and salt. a very simple method of making this sauce is to substitute tinned swiss milk for the cream and sugar. it is equally nice, more economical, and possesses this great advantage: a few tins of swiss milk can always be kept in the store cupboard, whereas there is considerable difficulty, especially in all large towns, in obtaining cream without giving twenty-four hours' notice, and the result even then is not always satisfactory. horse-radish sauce is very delicious, and its thickness should be entirely dependent upon the amount of grated horse-radish. sticks of horse-radish vary so very much in size that we will say, grate sufficient to fill a teacup, throw this into a sauce tureen, mix a dessertspoonful of swiss milk with a tablespoonful of vinegar and about two tablespoonfuls of milk and a teaspoonful of made mustard, add this to the horse-radish, and, if necessary, sufficient milk to make the whole of the consistency of bread sauce. as the sauce is very hot, as a rule it is best not to add any pepper, which can be easily added afterwards by those who like it. indian pickle sauce.--chop up two or three tablespoonfuls of indian pickles, place them in a frying-pan with a quarter of a pint of water, and if the pickles are sour as well as hot, let them simmer some little time so as to get rid of the vinegar by evaporation. then thicken the whole with some brown roux till the sauce is as thick as pea soup. the vinegar should be got rid of as much as possible. this is a very appetising dish with boiled rice and parmesan cheese. italian sauce.--this is an old-fashioned recipe taken from a book written in french, and published more than fifty years ago. put into a saucepan a little parsley, a shallot, some mushrooms and truffles, chopped very finely, with a piece of butter about the size of a walnut. let all boil gently for half an hour, add a spoonful of oil, and serve. maitre d'hotel sauce.--maitre d'hotel sauce is simply a lump of butter mixed with some chopped parsley, a little pepper and salt, and lemon juice. hot sauce is often called maitre d'hotel when chopped blanched parsley and lemon juice is added to a little white sauce. mango chutney sauce.--take a couple of tablespoonfuls of mango chutney, moisten it with two or three tablespoonfuls of butter sauce, rub the whole through a wire sieve, and serve either hot or cold. or the chutney can be simply chopped up fine and added to the butter sauce without rubbing through the wire sieve. mayonnaise sauce.--this is the most delicious of all cold sauces. it is composed entirely of raw yolk of egg and oil, flavoured with a dash of vinegar. when made properly it should be of the consistency of butter in summer time. many women cooks labour under the delusion that it requires the addition of cream. mayonnaise sauce is made as follows:--break an egg and separate the yolk from the white, and place the yolk at the bottom of a large basin. next take a bottle of oil, which must be cool but bright; if the oil is cloudy, as it often is in cold weather, you cannot make the sauce. nor can you if the oil has been kept in a warm place. now proceed to let the oil drop, drop by drop, on the yolk of egg, and with a silver fork, or still better, a wooden one, beat the yolk of egg and oil quickly together. continue to drop the oil, taking care that only a few drops drop at a time, especially at starting, and continue to beat the mixture lightly and quickly. gradually the yolk of egg and oil will begin to get thick, first of all like custard. when this is the case a little more oil may be added at a time, but never more than a teaspoonful. as more oil is added, and the beating continues, the sauce gets thicker and thicker, till it is nearly as thick as butter in summer time. when it arrives at this stage no more oil should be added. a little tarragon vinegar may be added at the finish, or a little lemon juice. this makes the sauce whiter in colour. one yolk of egg will take a teacupful of oil. it is best to add pepper and salt when the salad is mixed. mayonnaise sauce is by far the best sauce for lettuce salad. it will keep a day, but should be kept in a cool place, and the basin should be covered over with a moist cloth. mayonnaise sauce, green.--make some mayonnaise sauce as above, and colour it with some spinach colouring (vegetable colouring, sold in bottles by all grocers). mint sauce.--take plenty of fresh mint leaves, as the secret of good mint sauce is to have plenty of mint. chop up sufficient mint to fill a teacup, put this at the bottom of a sauce tureen, pour sufficient boiling water on the mint to thoroughly moisten it, and add a tablespoonful of brown sugar, which dissolves best when the water is hot. press the mint with a tablespoon to extract the flavour, let it stand till it is quite cold, and then add three or four tablespoonfuls of malt vinegar, stir it up, and the sauce is ready. the quantity of vinegar added is purely a matter of taste, but a teaspoonful of chopped mint floating in half a pint of vinegar is no more mint sauce than dipping a mutton chop in a quart of boiling water would be soup in ordinary cookery. mushroom sauce, white.--mushroom sauce can be made from fresh mushrooms or tinned mushrooms. when made from fresh they must be small button mushrooms, and not those that are black underneath. they must be peeled, cut small, and have a little lemon juice squeezed over them to prevent them turning colour, or they had still better be thrown into lemon juice and water. they must now be fried in a frying-pan with a small quantity of butter till they are tender, and then added to a little thickened milk, or still better, cream. when made from tinned mushrooms, simply chop up the mushrooms, reserving the liquor, then add a little cream and thicken with a little white roux. a little pepper and salt should be added in both cases. instead of using either milk or cream, you can use a small quantity of sauce allemande. mushroom sauce, brown.--proceed exactly as above with regard to the mushrooms, both fresh and tinned, only instead of adding milk, cream, or allemande sauce, add a little stock or water, and then thicken the sauce with a little brown roux. mushroom sauce, puree.--mushroom sauce, both white and brown, is sometimes served as a puree. it is simply either of the above sauces rubbed through a wire sieve. mustard sauce.--make, say, half a pint of good butter sauce, add to this a tablespoonful of french mustard and a tablespoonful of made english mustard. stir this into the sauce, make it hot, and serve. n.b.--french mustard is sold ready-made in jars, and is flavoured with tarragon, capers, ravigotte, &c. onion sauce.--take half a dozen large onions, peel them and boil them in a little salted water till they are tender. then take them out and chop them up fine, and put them in a stew-pan with a little milk. thicken the sauce with a little butter and flour, or white roux, and season with pepper and salt. a very nice mild onion sauce is made by using spanish onions. onion sauce, brown.--slice up half a dozen good-sized onions; put them in a frying-pan and fry them in a little butter till they begin to get brown, but be careful not to burn them, and should there be a few black pieces in the frying-pan, remove them; now chop up the onions, not too finely, and put them in a saucepan with a very little stock or water, let them simmer till they are tender, and then thicken the sauce with a little brown roux, and flavour with pepper and salt. orange cream sauce for puddings.--take a large ripe orange and rub a dozen lumps of sugar on the outside of the rind and dissolve these in a small quantity of butter sauce, and add the juice of the orange, strained. now add a little cream, or half a pint of milk that has been boiled separately, in which case the sauce will want thickening with a little white roux. rubbing the sugar on the outside of the rind of the orange gives a very strong orange flavour indeed--far more than the juice of almost any number of oranges would produce, so care must be taken not to overdo it. this is what french cooks call zest of orange. parsley sauce.--blanch and chop up sufficient parsley to make a brimming tablespoonful when chopped. add this to half a pint of butter sauce, with a little pepper, salt, and lemon juice. it is very important to blanch the parsley, _i.e._, throw it into a little boiling water before chopping. pine-apple sauce.--take a pine-apple, peel it, cut it up into little pieces on a dish, taking care not to lose any of the juice, place it in a saucepan with a very little water, just sufficient to cover the pine-apple; let it simmer gently until it is tender, and then add sufficient white sugar to make the liquid almost a syrup; a teaspoonful of corn-flour, made smooth in a little cold water, can be added; but the sauce should be of the consistency of syrup, and the corn-flour does away with the difficulty of making it too sickly. the juice of half a lemon may be added, and is, perhaps, an improvement. plum sauce.--when made from ripe plums, take, say, a pound, and place them in a stew-pan with a very little water and a quarter of a pound of sugar. take out the stones and crack them. throw the kernels into boiling water so that you can rub off the skin, and add them to the sauce after you have rubbed the stewed plums through a wire sieve. to make plum sauce from dried french plums proceed exactly as in making prune sauce. (_see_ prune sauce.) poivrade sauce.--take an onion, a very small head of celery, and a carrot, and cut them into little pieces, and put them into a frying-pan with a little butter, a saltspoonful of thyme, one or two dried bay-leaves, and about a quarter of a grated nutmeg and two or three sprigs of parsley. fry these till they turn a light-brown colour, then add a little stock or water, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. let this boil in the frying-pan for about half an hour, till the liquid is reduced in quantity. thicken it with a little brown roux, and rub it through a wire sieve, make it hot, and serve. if wine is allowed, the addition of a little sherry is a great improvement to this sauce. prune sauce.--take a quarter of a pound of prunes, put them in a stew-pan with just sufficient water to cover them, and let them stew. put in one or two strips of lemon-peel to stew with them, add a teaspoonful of brown sugar, about sufficient powdered cinnamon to cover a shilling, and the juice of half a lemon. when the prunes are quite tender take out the strip of lemon-peel and stones, rub the whole through a wire sieve, and serve. radish sauce.--take a few bunches of radishes and grate them, and mix this grated radish with a little oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt. you can colour the sauce red by adding a little beetroot, and make the sauce hot by adding a little grated horse-radish. this cold sauce is exceedingly nice with cheese. these _grated_ radishes are more digestible than radishes served whole. raspberry sauce.--this sauce is simply stewed raspberries rubbed through a wire sieve and sweetened. some red-currant juice should be added to give it a colour. it is very nice made hot and then added to one or two beaten-up eggs and poured over any plain puddings, such as boiled rice, &c. ratafia sauce.--add a few drops of essence of ratafia to some sweetened arrowroot or to some butter sauce. the sauce can be coloured pink with a few drops of cochineal. ravigotte sauce.--put a tablespoonful each of harvey's sauce, tarragon vinegar, and chilli vinegar into a small saucepan, and let it boil till it is reduced to almost one-half in quantity, in order to get rid of the acidity. now add about half a pint of butter sauce, and throw in a tablespoonful of chopped blanched parsley. robert sauce.--take a couple of onions, cut them up into small pieces, and fry them with about an ounce of butter in a frying-pan. drain off the butter and add a couple of tablespoonfuls of vinegar to the frying-pan, and let it simmer for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour so as to get rid of the acidity of the vinegar. now add a very little stock or water, stir it tip, and thicken the sauce with a little brown roux. add a dessertspoonful of fresh mustard and a little pepper and salt. soubise sauce.--sauce soubise is simply white onion sauce, rubbed through a wire sieve, and a little cream added. it is more delicate than ordinary onion sauce, and is often served in france with roast pheasant. it owes its name to a famous french general. sorrel sauce.--put about a quart of fresh green sorrel leaves (after being thoroughly washed) into an enamelled saucepan, with a little fresh butter, and let the sorrel stew till it is tender. rub this through a wire sieve, add a little powdered sugar and a little lemon juice; a little cream may be added, but is not absolutely essential. sweet sauce.--take half a pint of butter sauce, and sweeten it with a little sugar. it can be flavoured by rubbing a little sugar on the outside of a lemon, or with vanilla, essence of almonds, or any kind of sweet essence. a little wine, brandy, or, still better, rum, is a great improvement. some persons add cream. tarragon sauce.--blanch a dozen tarragon leaves, chop them up, and stew them in any kind of stock thickened with brown roux. tartar sauce.--take two or three tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise sauce, and add to this a brimming teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley, as well as a piece of onion or shallot about as big as the top of the thumb down to the first joint, chopped very fine, and a brimming teaspoonful of french mustard. mix the whole well together. n.b.--a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce would be a great improvement were anchovy sauce allowed in vegetarian cookery. tomato sauce.--the great secret of tomato sauce is to taste nothing but the tomato. take a dozen ripe tomatoes, cut off the stalks, and squeeze out the pips, and put them in a stew-pan with a little butter, and let them stew till they are tender, and then rub the whole through a wire sieve. this, in our opinion, is the best tomato sauce that can be made, the only seasoning being a little pepper and salt. this wholesome and delicious sauce can, however, be spoilt in a variety of ways--by the addition of mace, cloves, shallots, onions, thyme, &c. it can also be made very unwholesome by the addition of a quantity of vinegar. truffle sauce.--this sauce is very expensive if made from whole fresh truffles, but can be made more cheaply if you can obtain some truffle chips or parings. these must be stewed in a little stock, thickened with brown roux, and then rubbed through a wire sieve, a little sherry being a great improvement if wine is allowed. vanilla sauce.--add some essence of vanilla to some sweetened butter sauce. white sauce.--white sauce is sometimes required for vegetables and sometimes for puddings. in the former case some good-flavoured, uncoloured stock must be thickened with white roux, and then have sufficient cream added to it to make the sauce a pure white. when white sauce is wanted for puddings, sufficient butter sauce must be sweetened, and very slightly flavoured with nutmeg or almond, and then an equal quantity of cream added to it to make it a pure white. white sauce should not have with it any strong predominant flavour. chapter iii. savoury rice, macaroni, oatmeal, &c. rice. probably all persons will admit that rice is a too much neglected form of food in england. when we remember how small a quantity of rice weekly is found sufficient to keep alive millions and millions of our fellow-creatures in the east, it seems to be a matter of regret that rice as an article of food is not more used by the thousands and thousands of our fellow creatures in the east--not in the ordinary acceptation of the term, but east of temple bar. rice is cheap, nourishing, easily cooked, and equally easily digested, yet that monster, custom, seems to step in and prevent the bulk of the poor availing themselves of this light and nourishing food solely for the reason that, as their grandfathers and grandmothers did not eat rice before them, they do not see any reason why they should, like the irishman who objected to have his feet washed on the same ground. of the different kinds of rice carolina is the best, the largest, and the most expensive. patna rice is almost as good; the grains are long, small, and white, and it is the best rice for curry. madras rice is the cheapest. rice, pure and simple, is the food most suited for hot climates and where a natural indolence of disposition results in one's day's work of an ordinary englishman being divided among twenty people. as we move towards more temperate zones it will be found the universal custom to qualify it by mixing it with some other substance; thus, though rice is largely eaten in italy, it is almost invariably used in conjunction with parmesan cheese. rice contains no flesh-forming properties whatever, as it contains no nitrogen; and with all due respect to vegetarians, it will be found that as we recede from the equator and advance towards the poles our food must of necessity vary with the latitude, and, whereas we may start on a diet of rice, we shall be forced, sooner or later, to depend upon a diet of pemmican, or food of a similar nature. rice, to boil.--the best method of boiling rice is, at any rate, a much disputed point, if not an open question. there are as many ways almost of boiling rice as dressing a salad, and each one thinks his own way the best. we will mention a few of the most simple, and will illustrate it by boiling a small quantity that can be contained in a teacup. of course, boiling rice is very much simplified if you want some rice-water as well as rice itself. rice-water contains a great deal of nourishment, a fact which is well illustrated by the well-known story of the black troops who served in india under clive, who, at the siege of arcot, told clive, when they were short of provisions, that the water in which the rice was boiled would be sufficient for them, while the more substantial grain could be preserved for the european troops. take a teacupful of rice and wash the rice in several waters till the water ceases to be discoloured. now throw the rice into boiling water, say a quart; let the rice boil gently till it is tender, strain off the rice and reserve the rice-water for other purposes. the time rice will take to boil treated this way would be probably about twenty minutes, but this time would vary slightly with the quality and size of the rice. * * * * * many years ago we watched a black man boiling rice on board a p. and o. boat (the _mizapore_); he proceeded as follows:--he boiled the rice for about ten minutes, or perhaps a minute or two longer, strained it off in a sieve, and then washed the rice with cold water, and then put the rice back in the stew-pan to once more get hot and swell. of course, this rice was being boiled for curry, and certainly the result was that each grain was beautifully separated from every other grain. we do not think, however, that this method of boiling rice is customary on all the boats of the p. and o. company. of course this method of boiling rice was somewhat wasteful. by far the most economical method of boiling rice is as follows; and we would recommend it to all who are in the habit of practising economy on the grounds of either duty or necessity. wash thoroughly, as before, a teacupful of rice and put it in a small stew-pan or saucepan with two breakfastcupfuls of water, bring this to a boil and let it boil for ten minutes, then remove the saucepan to the side of the fire and let the rice soak and swell for about twenty minutes. after a little time, you can put a cloth on the top of the saucepan to absorb the steam, similar to the way you treat potatoes after having strained off the water. in boiling rice we must remember that there are two ways in which rice is served. one is as a meal in itself, the other as an accompaniment to some other kind of food. it will be found in italy and turkey and in the east generally, where rice forms, so to speak, the staff of life, that it is not cooked so soft and tender as it is in england, where it is generally served with something else. in fact, each grain of rice may be said to resemble an irish potato, inasmuch as it has a heart in it. in ireland potatoes, as a rule, are not cooked so much as they are in most parts of england. probably the reason of this is, in most cases, that experience has taught people that there is more stay in rice and potatoes when served in a state that english people would call "under-done." there is no doubt that the waste throughout the length and breadth of this prosperous land through over-cooking is something appalling. another very good method of boiling rice is the american style. take a good-sized stew-pan or saucepan that has a tight-fitting lid. put a cloth over the saucepan, after first pouring in, say, a pint of water; push down the cloth, keeping it tight, so as to make a well, but do not let the cloth reach the water; wash the rice as before, and put on the lid tight. of course, with the cloth the lid will fit very tight indeed. now put the saucepan on the fire and make the water boil continuously. by these means you steam the rice till it is tender and lose none of the nourishment. we can always learn from america. risotto a la milannaise.--take a teacupful of rice, wash it thoroughly and dry it. chop up a small onion and put it in the bottom of a small stew-pan and fry the onion to a light-brown colour. now add the dry rice, and stir this up with the onion and butter till the rice also is fried of a nice light-brown colour. now add two breakfastcupfuls of stock or water and a pinch of powdered saffron, about sufficient to cover a threepenny-piece; let the rice boil for ten or eleven minutes, move the saucepan to the side of the fire and let it stand for twenty minutes or half an hour till it has absorbed all the stock or water. now mix in a couple of tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese. flavour with a little pepper and salt, and serve the whole very hot. rice with cabbage and cheese.--wash some rice and let it soak in some hot water, with a cabbage sliced up, for about an hour; then strain it off and put the rice and cabbage in a stew-pan with some butter, a little pepper and salt, and about a quarter of a grated nutmeg. toss these about in the butter for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour over the fire, but do not let them turn colour; then add a small quantity of water or stock, let it stew till it is tender, and then serve it very hot with some grated cheese sprinkled over the top. n.b.--the end of cheese rind can be utilised with this dish. rice with cheese.--wash some rice and then boil it for ten or eleven minutes in some milk, and let it stand till it has soaked up all the milk. the proportion generally is, as we have said before, a teacupful of rice to two breakfastcupfuls of milk; but as we shall want the rice rather moist on the present occasion, we must allow a little more milk. now mix in some grated cheese and a little pepper and salt, place the mixture in a pie-dish, and cover the top with grated cheese, and place the pie-dish in the oven and bake till the top is nicely browned, and then serve. some cooks add a good spoonful of made mustard to the mixture. some persons prefer it and some don't; it is therefore best to serve some made mustard with the rice and cheese at table. unless the mixture was fairly moist before it was put into the pie-dish, it would dry up in the oven and become uneatable. rice, curried.--boil a teacupful of well-washed rice in two breakfastcupfuls of water, and let the rice absorb all the water; put a cloth in the saucepan, and stir up the rice occasionally with a fork till the grains become dry and separate easily the one from the other. now mix it up with some curry sauce, make the whole hot, and send it to table with a few whole bay-leaves mixed in with the rice. only sufficient curry sauce should be added to moisten the rice--it must not be rice swimming in gravy; or you can make a well in the middle of the boiled rice and pour the curry sauce into this. rice borders (casseroles).--casseroles, or rice borders, form a very handsome dish. it consists of a large border made of rice, the outside of which can be ornamented and the centre of which can be filled with a macedoine (_i.e._, a mixture) of fruit or vegetables. as you are probably aware, grocers have in their shop-windows small tins with copper labels, on which the word is printed "macedoine." this tin contains a mixture of cut-up, cooked vegetables. these are very useful to have in the house, as a nice dish can be served at a few moments' notice. mixed fruits are also sold in bottles under the name of macedoine of fruits. of course, both vegetables and fruit can be prepared at home much cheaper from fresh fruit and vegetables, but this requires time and forethought. these mixtures are very much improved in appearance when served in a handsomely made rice border, and as the border is eaten with the vegetables and fruit there is no want of economy in the recipe. suppose we are going to make a rice border. take a pound of rice and wash it carefully if we are going to fill it with fruit we must boil it in sweetened milk, but if we are going to fill it with vegetables we must boil it in vegetable stock or water. add, as the case may be, sufficient liquid to boil the rice till it is thoroughly tender and soft. now place it in a large bowl, and with a wooden spoon mash it till it becomes a sort of firm, compact paste; then take it out and roll it into the shape of a cannon-ball, and having done this, flatten it till it becomes of the shape of the cheeses one meets with in holland--flat top and bottom, with rounded edges. you can now ornament the outside by making it resemble a fluted mould of jelly. the best way of doing this is to cut a carrot in half and scoop out part of the inside with a cheese-scoop, so that the width of the part where it is scooped is about the same as the two flat sides. make the outside of the rice perfectly smooth with the back of a wooden spoon. butter the carrot mould to prevent it sticking, and press this gently on the outside of the shape of rice till it resembles the outside of a column in gothic architecture, then place it in the oven and let it bake till it is firm and dry. then scoop out the centre and put it back for a short time. if the border is going to be used for a macedoine of vegetables, beat up a yolk of egg and paint the outside of the casserole with this, and then it will bake a nice golden-brown colour. now take it out of the oven and fill it accordingly. it can be served hot or cold, or it can be filled with a german salad. (_see_ macedoine of fruit; macedoine of vegetables; salad, german.) rice croquettes, savoury.--boil a teacupful of rice in some stock or water (about two breakfastcupfuls), till it is tender, and until the rice has absorbed all the water or stock. chop up a small onion very fine, fry it till tender in a very little butter, but do not let it brown; add a small teaspoonful of mixed savoury herbs, a brimming teaspoonful of chopped parsley, to the contents of the frying-pan for two or three minutes, and then add them to the rice. mix it well together, and let the rice dry in the oven till the mixture is capable of being rolled into balls. now take two eggs, separate the yolk from the white of one, beat up the whole egg and one white thoroughly in a basin, but do no beat it to a froth; add the rice mixture to this, mix it again very thoroughly, and then roll it into balls about the size of a small walnut, seasoning the mixture with sufficient pepper and salt. roll these balls in flour, in order to insure the outside being dry, and roll them backwards and forwards on the sieve in order to get rid of the superfluous flour. make some very fine bread-crumbs from some stale bread; next beat up the yolk of egg with about a dessertspoonful of warm water. dip the rice-balls into this, and then cover them with the bread-crumbs. let them stand for an hour or two for the bread-crumbs to get dry, and then fry them a light golden-brown colour in a little oil. fried parsley can be served with them. instead of bread-crumbs you can use up broken vermicelli--the bottom of a jar of vermicelli can sometimes be utilised this way. this has a very pretty appearance. the vermicelli browns quickly, and the croquettes have the appearance of little balls covered in brown network. rice, savoury.--there are several ways of serving savoury rice. the rice can be boiled in some stock, strongly flavoured with onion and celery, and when cooked sufficiently tender one or two eggs can be beaten up with it, pepper and salt added, and the mixture served with grated cheese. rice can also be rendered savoury by the addition of chopped mushrooms, pepper and salt, and a little butter, and if a tin of mushrooms is used, the liquor in the tin should be added to the boiled rice, but in every case the rice should be made to absorb the liquor in which it is boiled. eggs can again be added, as well as grated parmesan cheese. a cheap and quick way of making rice savoury is to mix it with a large tablespoonful of chutney; make it hot with a little butter, and add pepper--cayenne if preferred--and a little lemon-juice. rice can also be served as savoury by boiling it in any of the sauces that may be termed savoury in distinction to those that are sweet, given in the chapter entitled "sauces." rice and eggs.--boil, say half a pound of rice, and let it absorb the water in which it is boiled. take four hard-boiled eggs, separate the yolks from the whites, chop the whites very fine, and add them to the rice with about a brimming teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley and sufficient savoury herbs to cover a sixpence. put this in the saucepan and make it hot, with a little butter, and flavour with plenty of pepper and salt. in the meantime beat the yellow hard-boiled yolks to a yellow powder, turn out the rice mixture, when thoroughly hot, into a vegetable dish, and put the yellow powder either in the centre or make a ring of the yellow powder round the edge of the rice, and serve a little pile of fried parsley in the middle. rice and tomato.--take half-a-dozen ripe tomatoes, squeeze out the pips, and put them in a tin in the oven with a little butter to bake; baste them occasionally with a little butter. in the meantime boil half a pound of rice in a little stock or water, only adding sufficient so that the rice can absorb the liquid. when this is done (and this will take about the same time as the tomatoes take to bake), pour all the liquid and butter in the tin on to the rice and stir it well up with some pepper and salt. put this on a dish, and serve the tomatoes on the rice with the red, unbroken side uppermost. macaroni.--macaroni is a preparation of pure wheaten flour. it is chiefly made in italy, though a good deal is made in geneva and switzerland. the best macaroni is made in the neighbourhood of naples. the wheat that grows there ripens quickly under the pure blue sky and hot sun, and consequently the outside of the wheat is browner while the inside of the wheat is whiter than that grown in england. the wheat is ground and sifted repeatedly. it is generally sifted about five times, and the pure snow-white flour that falls from the last sifting is made into macaroni. it is first mixed with water and made into a sort of dough, the dough being kneaded in the truly orthodox eastern style by being trodden out with the feet. it is then forced by a sort of rough machinery through holes, partially baked during the process, and then hung up to dry. macaroni contains a great amount of nourishment, and it is only made from the purest and finest flour. it is the staple dish throughout italy, and in whatever form or way it is cooked, except as a sweet, tomatoes and grated parmesan cheese seem bound to accompany it. sparghetti.--sparghetti is a peculiar form of macaroni. ordinary macaroni is made in the form of long tubes, and when macaroni pudding is served in schools, it is often irreverently nicknamed by the boys gas-pipes. sparghetti is not a tube, but simply macaroni made in the shape of ordinary wax-tapers, which it resembles very much in appearance. in italy it is often customary to commence dinner with a dish of sparghetti, and should the dinner consist as well of soup, fish, entree, salad, and sweet, the sparghetti would be served before the soup. take, say, half a pound of sparghetti, wash it in cold water, and throw it instantly into boiling salted water; boil it till it is tender, about twenty minutes, drain it, put it into a hot vegetable-dish, and mix in two or three tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese; toss it about lightly with a couple of forks, till the cheese melts and forms what may be called cobwebs on tossing it about. add also two tablespoonfuls of tomato conserve (sold by all grocers, in bottles), and serve immediately. this is very cheap, very satisfying, and very nourishing; and it is to be regretted that this popular dish is not more often used by those who are not vegetarians, who would benefit both in pocket and in health were they to lessen their butcher's bill by at any rate commencing dinner, like the italians, with a dish of sparghetti. macaroni--italian fashion.--this is very similar to sparghetti, only ordinary pipe macaroni is used. take, say, a teacupful of macaroni, wash it, break it up into two-inch pieces, and throw it into boiling water that has been salted. strain it of off, put it in the stew-pan for a few minutes, with a little piece of butter and some pepper and salt. add a tablespoonful of tomato conserve, and serve it with some grated parmesan cheese, served separate in a dish. some rub the stew-pan with a head of garlic. this gives it what may be called a more foreign flavour, but this should not be done unless you know your guests like garlic. unfortunately, the proper use of garlic is very little understood in this country. macaroni cheese.--some years back this was almost the only form in which macaroni was served in this country. macaroni cheese used to be served at the finish of dinner in a dried-up state, and was perhaps one of the most indigestible dishes which the skill, or want of skill, of our english cooks was able to produce. wash and then boil a quarter of a pound of macaroni in a little milk till it is quite tender, then put into a well-buttered oval tin a layer of macaroni, and cover this with a layer of bread-crumbs, mixed with grated cheese, and add a few little lumps of butter; then put another layer of macaroni and another layer of bread-crumbs and cheese. continue alternate layers till you pile up the dish, taking care to have a layer of dried bread-crumbs at the top. warm some butter, but do not oil it, and pour some of this warm butter over the top of the dish to moisten them; put the dish in the oven till it is hot through, then take it out and brown the top quickly with a red-hot salamander. if you leave the macaroni cheese in the oven too long the dish will taste oily and the cheese get so hard as to become absolutely indigestible. any kind of grated cheese will do for this dish, but to the english palate it is best when made from a moist cheese similar to that which would be used in making welsh rabbit. macaroni and eggs.--take half a pound of macaroni and throw it into boiling water that has been salted. in the meantime have ready four hard-boiled eggs. when the macaroni is nearly tender throw the hard-boiled eggs into cold water for a minute, in order to enable you to take off the shells without burning your fingers. cut the eggs in half, take out the half yellow yolk without breaking it; cut the whites of the eggs into rings and mix these rings with the macaroni on the dish. the macaroni and eggs must be flavoured with pepper and salt, and if possible pour a little white sauce over the whole. if you have no white sauce add a little cream or a little thickened milk with a little butter dissolved in it; now sprinkle a little chopped blanched parsley over the whole and ornament the dish with the eight half-yolks. macaroni a la reine.--boil half a pound of pipe macaroni. meanwhile warm slowly in a saucepan three-quarters of a pint of cream, and slice into it half a pound of stilton or other white cheese, add two ounces of good fresh butter, two blades of mace, pounded, a good pinch of cayenne and a little salt. stir until the cheese is melted and the whole is free from lumps, when put in the macaroni and move it gently round the pan until mixed and hot, or put the macaroni on a hot dish and pour the sauce over. it may be covered with fried bread-crumbs of a pale colour and browned in a dutch oven. macaroni au gratin.--break up a pound of macaroni in three-inch lengths, boil as usual and drain. put into a stew-pan a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, the macaroni, twelve ounces of parmesan and gruyere cheese mixed, and about a quarter of a pint of some good sauce, white sauce. move the stew-pan and its contents over the fire until the macaroni has absorbed the butter, etc., then turn it out on a dish, which should be garnished with croutons of fried bread. pile it in the shape of a dome, cover with bread-raspings, a little clarified butter run through a colander, and brown very lightly with a salamander. n.b.--the above two recipes are taken from "cassell's dictionary of cookery." macaroni as an ornament.--macaroni is sometimes used to ornament the outside of puddings, either savoury or sweet. suppose the pudding has to be made in a small round mould or basin. some pipe macaroni is boiled in water till it is tender, and then cut up into little pieces a quarter of an inch in length. the inside of the mould is first thickly buttered, and then these little quarter-inch tubes are stuck in the butter close together; the pudding, for instance a custard pudding, is then poured into the mould and the mould steamed. when the pudding is turned out the outside of the pudding has the appearance of a honey-comb, and looks extremely pretty. the process is not difficult, but rather troublesome, as it requires time and patience. macaroni, timbale of--this is a somewhat expensive dish. you have first to decorate a plain mould with what is called _nouilles_ paste, which is made by mixing half a pound of flour with five yolks of eggs. the mould is then lined with ordinary short paste, made with half a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, and one yolk of egg, mixed in the ordinary way. when the mould is lined, you have to fill it up with flour, and bake it in a moderate oven for about an hour. you then take it out, empty out the flour and brush it well out with an ordinary brush and dry the mould in a very slack oven. the mould is then filled with some macaroni that has been boiled tender in milk and flavoured with vanilla and sugar and parmesan cheese. the macaroni must be so managed that it absorbs the moisture. the mould is filled, made hot, and then turned out. it is customary to shake some powdered sugar over the mould, and then glaze it with a red-hot salamander. n.b.--very few kitchens possess a proper salamander, but if you make the kitchen shovel red-hot it will be found to answer the same purpose. macaroni in scollop shells.--take half a pound of macaroni, wash it, and throw it into boiling water. take the macaroni out, drain it, and throw it into cold water. then take it out and cut it into pieces not more than half an inch in length. take about a quarter of a pound of butter, melt it in a stew-pan, and add about a cupful of milk, or still better, cream. stir it and dredge in enough flour to make it thick, or still better, thicken it with a little white roux; now add some pepper and salt, about a quarter of a grated nutmeg, two or three spoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese; add the cut-up macaroni and stir the whole well up over the fire together and fill the scollop shells with the mixture, and throw some grated cheese over the top. bake the scollops in the oven till the cheese begins to brown; then pour a little oiled butter over the top of the cheese. if made with cream this dish is somewhat rich, but forms an admirable meal eaten with plenty of bread. macaroni nudels.--the word nudel is probably derived from french _nouilles_ paste. it is made in a similar manner, or nearly so. french cooks use only yolk of egg and flour. english cooks use beaten-up eggs, and sometimes even reserve the yolks for other purposes and make the paste with white of egg. in any case, the yolks, the whole eggs, or the white without the yolks, must be well beaten up and then mixed in with the flour with the fingers till it makes a stiff paste. this paste or dough is then rolled out with a straight rolling pin--(not an english one)--till it is as thin as a wafer. the board must be well floured or it will stick. a marble slab is best, and if you are at a loss for a rolling-pin try an empty black bottle. it is very important to roll the pastry thin, and it has been well observed that the best test of thinness is to be able to read a book through the paste. when rolled out, let each thin cake dry for five or ten minutes. if you have a box of cutters you can cut this paste into all sorts of shapes according to the shape of the cutters, or you can cut each thin cake into pieces about the same size, and then with a sharp dry knife cut the paste into threads. these threads or ornamental shapes can be thrown into boiling clear soup, when they will separate of their own accord. nudel paste is, in fact, home-made italian paste, or, when cut into threads, home-made vermicelli. it is very nourishing, as it is made with eggs and flour. macaroni, savoury.--take half a pound of macaroni and boil it in some slightly salted water, and let it boil and simmer till the macaroni is tender and absorbs all the water in which it is boiled. now take a dessertspoonful of raw mustard, _i.e._, mustard in the yellow powder. mix this gradually with the macaroni, and add five or six tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese and a little cayenne or white pepper according to taste. turn the mixture out on to a dish, sprinkle some more grated parmesan cheese over the top, bake it in the oven till it is slightly brown, pour a little oiled butter on the top, and serve. macaroni and chestnuts.--bake about twenty chestnuts till they are tender, and then peel them and pound them in a mortar, with a little pepper and salt and butter, till they are a paste. next wash and boil in the ordinary way half a pound of macaroni. drain off the macaroni and put it in a stew-pan with the chestnuts and about a couple of ounces of butter to moisten it, and stir it all together and put an onion in to flavour it as if you were making bread sauce; but the onion must be taken out whole before it is served. if the mixture gets too dry, it can be moistened with a little milk or stock. after it has been stirred together for about a quarter of an hour, turn it out on to a dish, cover it with a little parmesan cheese, bake in the oven till it is brown, and moisten the top when browned with a little oiled butter. macaroni and tomatoes.--take half a pound of macaroni; wash it and boil it until it is tender. in the meantime take half a dozen or more ripe tomatoes; cut off the stalks, squeeze out the pips, and place them in a tin in the oven with a little butter to prevent their sticking. it is as well to baste the tomatoes once or twice with the butter and the juice that will come from them. put the macaroni when tender and well drained off into a vegetable-dish, pour the contents of the tin, butter and juice, over the macaroni and add pepper and salt, and toss it lightly together. now place the whole tomatoes on the top of the macaroni, round the edge, at equal distances. it is a great improvement to the appearance of the dish to sprinkle a little chopped blanched parsley over the macaroni. the tomatoes should be placed with the smooth, red, unbroken side uppermost. macaroni and cream.--boil half a pound of macaroni; cut it up into pieces about two inches long and put it into a stew-pan with two ounces of butter and a quarter of a pound of grated cheese, composed of equal parts of gruyere and parmesan cheese. moisten this with about three tablespoonfuls of cream. toss it all lightly together till the cheese makes cobwebs. add a little pepper and salt and serve with some fried bread round the edge cut up into ornamental shapes. carefully made pieces of toast, cut into triangles, will do instead of the fried bread. tagliatelli.--take some flour and water, and with the addition of a little salt make a paste which can be rolled out quite thin; cut this into shapes of the breadth of half a finger. throw them into boiling water and let them boil a few minutes. then remove them to cold water; drain them on a sieve and use them as macaroni; place at the bottom of a dish some butter and grated cheese, then a layer of _tagliatelli_ seasoned with pepper, another layer of butter and cheese, and then one of _tagliatelli_, until the whole is used; pour over it a glass of cream, add a layer of cheese, and finish like macaroni cheese, browning it in the oven. oatmeal porridge.--of all dishes used by vegetarians there are none more wholesome, more nourishing, or more useful as an article of everyday diet for breakfast than oatmeal porridge. when we remember that the scotch, who, for both body and brain, rank perhaps first amongst civilised nations, almost live on this cheap and agreeable form of food, we should take particular pains in the preparation of a standing dish which is in itself a strong argument in favour of a vegetarian diet when we look at the results, both mentally and bodily, that have followed its use north of the tweed. the following excellent recipe for the preparation of oatmeal porridge is taken from a book entitled, "a year's cookery," by phyllis browne (cassell & co.):--"when there are children in the family it is a good plan, whatever they may have for breakfast, to let them begin the meal either with oatmeal porridge or bread-and-milk. porridge is wholesome and nourishing, and will help to make them strong and hearty. even grown-up people frequently enjoy a small portion of porridge served with treacle and milk. oatmeal is either 'coarse,' 'medium,' or 'fine.' individual taste must determine which of these three varieties shall be chosen. scotch people generally prefer the coarsest kind. the ordinary way of making porridge is the following--put as much water as is likely to be required into a saucepan with a sprinkling of salt, and let the water boil. half a pint of water will make a single plateful of porridge. take a knife (a 'spurtle' is the proper utensil) in the right hand, and some scotch, or coarse, oatmeal in the left hand, and sprinkle the meal in gradually, stirring it briskly all the time; if any lumps form draw them to the side of the pan and crush them out. when the porridge is sufficiently thick (the degree of thickness must be regulated by individual taste), draw the pan back a little, _put on the lid_, and let the contents simmer gently till wanted; if it can have two hours' simmering, all the better; but in hundreds of families in scotland and the north of england it is served when it has boiled for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour; less oatmeal is required when it can boil a long time, because the simmering swells the oatmeal, and so makes it go twice as far. during the boiling the porridge must be stirred frequently to keep it from sticking to the saucepan and burning, but each time this is done the lid must be put on again. when it is done enough it should be poured into a basin or upon a plate, and served hot with sugar or treacle and milk or cream. the very best method that can be adopted for making porridge is to soak the coarse scotch oatmeal in water for _twelve hours_, or more (if the porridge is wanted for breakfast it may be put into a pie-dish over night, and left till morning). as soon as the fire is lighted in the morning it should be placed on it, stirred occasionally, kept covered, and boiled as long as possible, although it may be served when it has boiled for twenty minutes. when thus prepared it will be almost like a delicate jelly, and acceptable to the most fastidious palate. the proportions for porridge made in this way are a heaped tablespoonful of coarse oatmeal to a pint of water. "it is scarcely necessary to give directions for making-- "bread and milk, for everyone knows how this should be done. it may be said that the preparation has a better appearance if the bread is cut very small before the boiling milk is poured on it, and also that the addition of a small pinch of salt takes away the insipidity. rigid economists sometimes swell the bread with boiling water, then drain this off and pour milk in its place. this, however, is almost a pity, for milk is so very good for children; and though recklessness is seldom to be recommended, a mother might well be advised to be reckless about the amount of her milk bill, provided always that the quantity of milk be not wasted, and that the children have it." milk porridge.--take a tablespoonful of oatmeal and mix it up in a cup with a little cold milk till it is quite smooth, in a similar way as you would mix ordinary flour and milk in making batter. next put a pint of milk on to boil, and as soon as it boils mix in the oatmeal and milk, and let it boil for about a quarter of an hour, taking care to keep stirring it the whole time. the fire should not be too fierce, as the milk is very apt to burn. flavour this with either salt or sugar. rice and barley porridge.--take a quarter of a pound of rice and a quarter of a pound of scotch barley and wash them very thoroughly. the most perfect way of washing barley and rice is to throw them into boiling water, let them boil for five or ten minutes, and then strain them off. by this means the dirty outside is dissolved. next boil the rice and barley gently for three or four hours, strain them off, and boil them up again in a little milk for a short time before they are wanted. it will often be found best to boil the barley for a couple of hours and then add the rice. a little cream is a very great improvement. the porridge can be flavoured with pepper and salt, but is very nice with brown sugar, treacle, or jam, and when cold forms an agreeable accompaniment to stewed fruit. whole-meal porridge.--boil a quart of water and gradually stir in about half a pound of whole-meal; let it boil for about a quarter of an hour, and serve. cold milk should accompany this porridge. lentil porridge.--to every quart of water add about six tablespoonfuls of lentil flour; let the whole boil for about a quarter of an hour, and flavour with pepper and salt. hominy.--take a teacupful of hominy, wash it in several waters and rub it well between the hands, and throw away the grains that float on the top, the same as you do with split peas, pour the water off the top, then strain it off, and put it in a basin with a quart of water, and cover the basin over with a cloth; put it by to soak overnight, should it be required for breakfast in the morning. the next day put it in an enamelled stew-pan with about a teaspoonful of salt, and let it simmer gently over the fire, taking care that it does not burn. it is best to butter the bottom of the saucepan, or if you have a small plate that will just go inside you will find this a great protection. let it simmer gently for rather more than an hour. stir it well up and flavour it with either sugar or salt, and let it be eaten with cold milk poured on it on the plate, or with a little butter. * * * * * the hominy should simmer until it absorbs all the water in which it is boiled. as a rule a good teacupful will absorb a quart. hominy, fried.--this is made from the remains of cold boiled hominy. when cold it will be a firm jelly. cut the cold hominy into slices, flour them, egg and bread-crumb them, and then plunge them into some smoking hot oil till they are of a nice bright golden colour. they are very nice eaten with lemon-juice and sugar, or they can be served with orange marmalade. frumenty.--take a quarter of a pint of wheat, wash it thoroughly, and let it soak for twelve hours or more in water. strain it off and boil it in some milk till it is tender, but do not let it get pulpy. as soon as it is tender add a quart of milk, flavoured with a little cinnamon, three ounces of sugar, three ounces of carefully washed grocer's currants, and let it boil for a quarter of an hour. beat up three yolks of eggs in a tureen, and gradually add the mixture. it must not be added to the eggs in a boiling state or else they will curdle. a wineglassful of brandy is a great improvement, but is not absolutely necessary. the wheat takes a long time to get tender, probably four hours. sago porridge.--wash the sago in cold water and boil it in some water, allowing about two tablespoonfuls to every pint; add pepper and salt and let cold milk be served with the porridge. milk toast.--this is a very useful way of using up stale bread. toast the bread a light brown, and if by chance any part gets black scrape it gently off. butter the toast slightly, lay the toast on the bottom of a soup-plate, and pour some boiling milk over it. very little butter should be used, and children often prefer a thin layer of marmalade to butter. chapter iv. eggs (savoury) and omelets. eggs, plain boiled.--there is an old saying that there is reason in the roasting of eggs. this certainly applies equally to the more common process of boiling them. there are few breakfast delicacies more popular than a new-laid egg. there are few breakfast indelicacies more revolting than the doubtful egg which makes its appearance from time to time, and which may be classed under the general heading of "shop 'uns." it is a sad and melancholy reflection that these more than doubtful "shop 'uns" were all _once_ new-laid. it is impossible to draw any hard-and-fast line to say at what exact period an egg ceases to be fit for boiling. there is an old tradition, the truth of which we do not endorse, that eggs may arrive at a period when, though they are not fit to be boiled, fried, poached, or hard-boiled, they are still good enough for puddings and pastry. there is no doubt that many good puddings are spoilt because cooks imagine they can use up doubtful eggs. when eggs are more than doubtful, they are often bought up by the smaller pastry-cooks in cheap and poor neighbourhoods of our large towns, such as the east-end of london. these eggs are called "spot eggs," and are sold at thirty and forty a shilling. they utilise them as follows: they hold the egg up in front of a bright gas-light, when the small black spot can be clearly seen. this black spot is kept at the lowest point of the egg, _i.e._, the egg is held so that this black spot is at the bottom. the upper part of the egg is then broken and poured off, the black spot being retained. the moment the smallest streak proceeds from this black spot the pouring-off process is stopped. of course, the black part is all thrown away, the stench from it being almost intolerable, containing, as it does, sulphuretted hydrogen. we mention the fact for what it is worth. it would be a bold man who tried to lay down any law as to where waste ceases and the use of wrongful material commences. everything depends upon the circumstances of the case in question. we fear there are many thousands, hundreds of thousands, in this great city of london, whose everyday life more or less compares with that of a shipwrecked crew. they "fain would fill their belly with the husks that the swine do eat, but no man gives unto them." there is this to be said in favour of vegetarian diet--that, were it universal, grinding poverty would be banished from the earth. we must not cry out too soon about using what some men call bad material. lord byron, when he was starving after shipwreck, was glad to make a meal off the paws of his favourite dog, which had been thrown away when the carcase had been used on a former occasion. the simplest way of boiling eggs is to place them at starting in boiling water, and boil them from three to three and a half to four minutes, according to whether they are liked very lightly boiled, medium, or well-set. the egg saucepan should be small, so that when the eggs are first plunged in it takes the water off the boil for a few seconds, otherwise the eggs are likely to crack. this applies more particularly to french eggs, which have thin, brittle shells containing an excess of lime, probably due to the large quantity of chalk which is the distinguishing feature of the soil in the _pas de calais_, which is the chief neighbourhood from which french eggs are imported. _over a million_ eggs are imported from france to england every day, notwithstanding the fact that thousands are kept awake by the crying of their neighbours' fowls. there is a strange delusion among londoners that an egg is not good if it is milky. this, of course, is never met with in london, for the simple reason that a milky egg means, as a rule, than it has not been laid more than a few hours. for this reason eggs literally hot from the nest are not suitable for making puddings or even omelets. eggs that have been kept one or two days will be found to answer better, as they possess more binding properties. there is an old-fashioned idea that the best way to boil an egg is to place it in the saucepan in cold water, to put the saucepan on the fire, and as soon as the water boils the egg is done. a very little reflection will show that this entirely depends upon the size of the saucepan and the fierceness of the fire. if the saucepan were the size of the egg, the water would boil before the egg was hot through; on the other hand, no one could place an egg in the copper on this principle and then light the copper fire. eggs are best boiled in the dining-room on the fire, or in an ornamental egg-boiler. by this means we get the eggs _hot_, an occurrence almost unknown in large hotels and big establishments. eggs, to break.--whenever you break eggs, never mind what quantity, always break each egg separately into a cup first; see that it is good, and then throw it into a basin with the rest. one bad egg would spoil fifty. supposing you have a dozen or two dozen new-laid eggs just taken from the nest, it is not an uncommon thing to have one that has been overlooked for weeks, and which may be a half-hatched mass of putrefaction. eggs, fried.--the first point is to have a clean frying-pan, which is an article of kitchen furniture very rarely indeed met with in this country. for frying eggs, and for making omelets, it is essential that the frying-pan should never be used for other purposes. if you think _your_ frying-pan is perfectly clean, warm it in front of the fire for half a minute, put a clean white cloth over the top of the finger, and then rub the inside of the frying-pan. to fry eggs properly, very little butter will be required; a little olive-oil will answer the same purpose. if you have too much "fat," the white of the eggs are apt to develop into big bubbles or blisters. another point is, you do not want too fierce a fire. fry them very slowly. some cooks will almost burn the bottom of the egg before the upper part is set. as soon as the white is set round the edge, you will often find the yolk not set at all, surrounded by a rim of semi-transparent "albumen." when this is the case, it is very often a good plan to take the frying-pan off the fire (we are presuming the stove is a shut-up one), and place it in the oven for a minute or so, leaving the oven door open. by this means the heat of the oven will set the upper part of the eggs, and there is no danger of the bottom part being burnt. there is a great art in taking fried eggs out of a frying-pan and serving them on a dish. fried eggs, to look nice, should have the yolk in the centre, surrounded by a ring of white, perfectly round, rather more than an inch in breadth. take an egg-slice in the left hand, slide it under each egg separately, so that the yolk gets well into the middle of the slice. now take a knife in the right hand and trim off the superfluous white. by this means you will be able to do it neatly. the part trimmed away is virtually refuse. of course, you do not throw away more than is necessary, but take care that the white rim round the yolk is of uniform breadth. most cooks take the egg out with their right hand, and attempt to trim it with the left; the result is about as neat as what would happen were you to attempt to write a letter with your left hand in a hurry. very often the appearance of fried eggs is improved by sprinkling over them a few specks of chopped parsley. in placing fried eggs on toast, place the slice over the toast and draw the slice away. do not push the egg on; you may break it. eggs, poached.--the best kitchen implement to use for poaching eggs is a good large frying-pan. the mistake is to let the water boil; it should only just simmer. you should avoid having the white of the egg set too hard. we should endeavour to have the eggs look as white as possible. in order to insure this, put a few drops of vinegar or lemon-juice into the water, break the eggs separately into a clip, and then turn them very gently into the hot water. when they are set fairly firm take them out with an egg-slice, using the left hand as before, and trim them with the right. it is not necessary, in poached eggs, to have a clear yolk surrounded with a white uniform ring. poached eggs often look best when the yolk reposes in a sort of pillow-case of white. before putting them on toast or spinach, &c., be very careful to drain off the water; this is particularly important when the water is acid, especially with vinegar. eggs, hard-boiled.--place the eggs in cold water, bring the water to boiling point, and let them boil for ten minutes; if the hard-boiled eggs are wanted hot, put them in cold water for half a minute, in order that you may remove the shells without burning your fingers. if the eggs are required cold, it is best not to remove the shells till just before they are wanted; but if they have to be served cold, similar to what we meet with at railway refreshment-rooms, let them be served cold, _whole_. if you cut a hard-boiled egg the yolk very soon gets discoloured and brown round the edge, shrivels up, and becomes most unappetising in appearance. eggs, curried.--take some hard-boiled eggs, cut them in halves (remove the half-yolks), and cut them into rings. place all these rings round the edge of the dish, and pile the white rings up to make a sort of border; pour some thick curry sauce in the middle, place the half-yolks at equal distances apart, on the white round the edge, and sprinkle a few specks of green parsley round the edge on the whites; this will give the dish a pretty appearance. eggs, devilled.--take, say, half a dozen eggs, boil them hard, remove the shells while hot, cut them in halves, scoop out the yolk, and cut a tiny piece off the bottom of each white cup, so that it will stand upright--a la columbus. next take all the yolks, and put them in a basin, and pound them with a little butter till you get a thick squash; add some cayenne pepper, according to taste, a little white pepper, a little salt, and a few drops of chilli-vinegar or ordinary vinegar; you can also add a little finely chopped parsley--say a teaspoonful. fill each cup with some of this mixture, and as there will be more than enough to fill them, owing to the butter, bring them to a point, like a cone. devilled eggs are best served cold, in which case they look best placed on a silver or ordinary dish, the bottom of which is covered with green parsley; the white looks best on a green bed. some cooks chop up the little bits of white cut off from the bottom of the cups, divide them into two portions, and colour one half pink by shaking them in a saucer with a few drops of cochineal. these white and pink specks are then sprinkled over the parsley. n.b.--in an ordinary way devilled eggs require anchovy sauce to be mixed with the yolks, but anchovy sauce is not allowed in vegetarian cookery. eggs a la bonne femme.--proceed exactly as in making devilled eggs, till you place the yolks in the basin; then add to these yolks, while hot, a little dissolved butter, and small pieces of chopped cold boiled carrot, turnip, celery, and beet-root; season with white pepper and salt, and mix well together. add also a suspicion of nutmeg and a little lemon-juice. fill the cups with this while the mixture is moist, as when the butter gets cold the mixture gets firm. if you use chopped beet-root as well as other vegetables, it is best to fill half the cups with half the mixture before any beetroot is added, then add the beet-root and stir the mixture well up and it will turn a bright red. now fill the remaining half of the cups, and place them on the dish containing the parsley, alternately. the red contrasts prettily with the light yellowish white of the first half. do not colour the white specks with cochineal, as this is a different shade of red from the beet-root. you can chop up the white and sprinkle it over the parsley with a little chopped beet-root as well. eggs a la tripe.--small spanish onions are perhaps best for this dish, but ordinary onions can be used. cut the onions cross-ways after peeling them, so that they fall in rings, and remove the white core. two spanish or half a dozen ordinary onions will be sufficient. fry these rings of onions in butter till they are tender, without browning them. take them out of the frying-pan and put them aside. add a spoonful of flour to the frying-pan, and make a paste with the butter, and then add sufficient milk so that when it is boiled and stirred up it makes a thick sauce; add pepper and salt, a little lemon-juice, and a small quantity of grated nutmeg. put back the rings of onions into this, and let them simmer gently. take half a dozen hard-boiled eggs, cut the eggs in halves, remove the yolks, and cut the whites into rings, like the onions, mixing these white egg-rings with the onions and sauce; make the whole hot and serve on a dish, using the hard-boiled half-yolks to garnish; sprinkle a little chopped parsley over the whole, and serve. egg, forcemeat of, or egg balls.--take three hard-boiled yolks of eggs, powder them, mix in a raw yolk, add a little pepper and salt, a small quantity of grated nutmeg, about a saltspoonful of finely chopped parsley, chopped up with a pinch of savoury herbs, or a pinch of dust from bottled savoury herbs, sifted from them, may be added instead. roll these into balls not bigger than a very small marble, flour them, and throw them into boiling water till they are set. in many parts of the continent, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, served whole, are used as egg balls. a much cheaper way of making egg balls is as follows:--beat up one egg, add a teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley, some pepper and salt, and a very little grated nutmeg. sift a bottle of ordinary mixed savoury herbs in a sieve, and take about half a saltspoonful of the dust and mix this with the egg, this will be found really better than using the herbs themselves. now make some very fine bread-crumbs from _stale_ bread, and mix this with the beaten-up egg till you make a sort of soft paste or dough; roll this into balls the size of a marble, flour them, and throw them into boiling water. the balls must be small or they will split in boiling. eggs au gratin.--make about half a pint of butter sauce, make it hot over the fire, and stir in about two ounces of parmesan cheese, a quarter of a nutmeg grated, some white pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. make this hot, and then add the yolks of four eggs. stir it all up, and keep stirring very quickly till the mixture begins to thicken, when you must instantly remove it from the fire, but continue stirring for another minute. in the meantime have ready some hard-boiled eggs, cut these into slices, and make a circle of the bigger slices on a dish; then spread a layer of the mixture over the slices of egg, and place another layer on this smaller than the one below, then another layer of mixture, and so on with alternate layers till you pile it up in the shape of a pyramid. spread a layer of the remainder of the mixture over the surface, and sprinkle some powdered light-coloured bread-raspings mixed with some grated parmesan cheese over the whole; place the dish in the oven to get hot and to slightly brown, and then serve. some fried bread cut into pretty shapes can be used to ornament the base. eggs and spinach.--make a thick puree of spinach; take some hard-boiled eggs, cut them in halves while hot, after removing the shells, and press each half a little way into the puree, so that the yellow yolk will be shown surrounded by the white ring. be very careful not to smear the edge with the spinach. n.b.--sometimes eggs are poached and laid on the spinach whole. eggs and turnip-tops.--proceed exactly as above, using a puree of turnip-tops instead of spinach. eggs and asparagus.--have ready some of the green parts of asparagus, boiled tender, and cut up into little pieces an eighth of an inch long so that they look like peas. beat up four eggs very thoroughly with some pepper and salt, and mix in the asparagus, only do not break the pieces of green. melt a couple of ounces of butter in a small stew-pan, and as soon as it commences to froth pour in the beaten-up egg and asparagus; stir the mixture quickly over the fire, being careful to scrape the bottom of the saucepan. as soon as the mixture thickens pour it on some hot toast, and serve. eggs and celery.--have ready some stewed celery on toast. (_see_ celery, stewed.) poach some eggs and place them on the top. hard-boiled eggs, cut into slices, can be added to the celery instead of poached eggs. when stewed celery is served as a course by itself, the addition of the eggs and plenty of bread make it a wholesome and satisfying meal. egg salad.--(_see_ salads.) egg sandwiches.--(_see_ sandwiches.) egg sauce.--(_see_ sauces.) egg toast.--beat up a couple of eggs, melt an ounce of butter in a saucepan, and add to it a little pepper and salt. as soon as the butter begins to froth, add the beaten-up egg and stir the mixture very quickly, and the moment it begins to thicken pour it over a slice of hot buttered toast. eggs a la dauphine.--take ten hard-boiled eggs, cut them in halves and remove the yolks, and place the yolks in a basin with a piece of new bread, about as big as the fist, that has been soaked in some milk, or better still, cream; add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a quarter of a grated nutmeg, and two ounces of grated parmesan cheese; rub the whole well together, and then add two whole eggs, well beaten up, to the mixture to moisten it. next fill all these white cups of eggs with some of this mixture, place the eggs well together, and spread a thin layer of the mixture over the top; then take a smaller number of half-eggs, filled, and place on the top and make a pyramid, so that a single half-egg is at the top. you can place ten half-eggs at the bottom in one layer, six half-eggs on the top of these, spreading a thin layer of the mixture, then three half-eggs, one more layer of the mixture, and then one half-egg at the summit. this dish is sometimes ornamented by forcing hard-boiled yolks of eggs through a wire sieve. it falls like yellow vermicelli into threads. this dish should be placed in the oven, to be made quite hot, and some kind of white sauce should be poured round the edge. eggs and black butter.--fry some eggs, serve them up on a hot dish, and pour some black butter round the base. (_see_ black butter sauce.) eggs and garlic.--this is better adapted for an italian than an english palate. take half a dozen heads of garlic and fry them in a little butter in order to remove the rankness of flavour. take them out and pound them in a mortar with rather more than a tablespoonful of oil; heat this on the fire in a stew-pan, after adding some pepper and salt. beat up an egg, and stir this in with the oil and garlic till the mixture gets thick. arrange some slices of hard-boiled eggs--four eggs would be sufficient--pour this mixture in the centre, and serve. eggs with mushrooms.--take half a pint of button mushrooms and, if fresh, peel them and throw them instantly into water made acid with lemon-juice, in order that they may not turn a bad colour. in the meantime slice up a good-sized spanish onion, and fry the onion in a little butter. as soon as the onion is a little tender, chop up and add the mushrooms. put all this into a stew-pan with a little butter sauce, or a little water can be added and then thickened with a little butter and flour. let this simmer gently for nearly half an hour, add a little made mustard, pepper and salt and a dessertspoonful of vinegar. before sending to table add half a dozen hard-boiled eggs; the whites should be cut into rings, and should be only put into the sauce long enough to get hot; the yolks should be kept separate, but must be warmed up in the sauce. eggs and onions.--cut up a large spanish onion in slices, and fry it in some butter till it is a light brown and tender, but do not let it burn; drain off the butter and put the fried onion on a dish; sprinkle some cayenne pepper and a little salt over the onions, and squeeze the juice of a whole lemon over them. now poach some eggs and serve them on the top of the onion. eggs and potatoes.--take the remains of some floury potatoes, beat up an egg, and mix the potato flour with the egg. you can also chop up very finely a small quantity of onion and parsley, and season with plenty of pepper and salt. the respective quantities of floury potatoes and beaten egg must be so regulated that you can roll the mixture into balls without their having any tendency to break. make the balls big enough so that when you press them between the hands you can squeeze the ball into the shape of an ordinary egg, or you can mould them into this shape with a tablespoon. now flour these imitation eggs in order to dry the surface, and then dip them into well-beaten-up egg and cover them with dried bread-crumbs, and fry them in a little butter or oil, or brown them in the oven, occasionally basting them with a little butter. eggs and sauce robert.--take some hard-boiled eggs, cut them into quarters, and make them hot in some sauce robert--(_see_ robert sauce)--and serve with fried or toasted bread in a dish. eggs and sorrel.--make a thick puree of sorrel--(_see_ sorrel sauce)--and serve some hard-boiled or poached eggs on the top. eggs, broiled.--cut a large slice of crumb of bread off a big loaf; toast it lightly, put some pieces of butter on it, and put it on a dish in front of the fire; then break some eggs carefully on to the toast, and let them set from the heat of the fire like a joint roasting; when the side nearest the fire gets set, it will be necessary to turn the dish round. when the whole has set, squeeze the juice of an orange over the eggs, and a little grated nutmeg may be added. the eggs and toast should be served in the same dish in which they are baked. eggs, buttered.--break some eggs into a flat dish, then take a little butter and make it hot in a frying-pan till it frizzles and begins to turn brown. now pour this very hot butter, which is hotter than boiling water, over the eggs in the dish. put the dish in the oven a short time, and finish off setting the yolks with a red-hot salamander. eggs, scrambled.--scrambled eggs, when finished properly, should have the appearance of yellow and white streaks, distinct in colour, but yet all joined together in one mass. melt a little butter in the frying-pan, break in some eggs, as if for frying; of course, the whites begin to set before the yolks. as soon as the whites are nearly but not quite set, stir the whole together till the whole mass sets. by this means you will get yellow and white streaks joined together. it is very important that you don't let the eggs get brown at the bottom; you will therefore require a perfectly clean frying-pan and not too fierce a fire. eggs in sunshine.--this is a name given to fried eggs with tomato served on the top. you want a dish that will stand the heat; consequently, take an oval baking-tin, or enamelled dish that you can put on the top of a shut-up stove. melt a little butter in this, and as soon as it begins to frizzle break some eggs into the dish, and let them all set together. as soon as they are set, pour four or five tablespoonfuls of tomato conserve on the top; this is much better than tomato sauce, which contains vinegar. or you can bake half a dozen ripe tomatoes in a tin in the oven, and place these on the top instead of the tomato conserve. eggs and cucumber.--peel and slice up two or three little cucumbers of the size generally sold on a barrow at a penny each. put these with two or three ounces of butter in a stew-pan, and three small onions about the size of the top of the thumb, chopped very fine; fry these and add a dessertspoonful of vinegar. when the cucumber is tender, and a little time has been allowed for the vinegar to evaporate, add six hard-boiled eggs, cut into slices; make these very hot and serve. pepper and salt must be added. eggs with cheese.--take a quarter of a pound of grated cheese (the cheese should be dry and white), melt this cheese gently in a stew-pan over the fire, with a little bit of butter about as big as the thumb, in order to assist the cheese in melting. mix with it a brimming teaspoonful of chopped parsley, two or three tiny spring onions, chopped very fine, and about a quarter of a small grated nutmeg. when the cheese is melted, add six beaten-up eggs, and stir the whole together till they are set. fried or toasted bread should be served round the edge of the dish. little eggs for garnishing.--this is a nice dish when you require a lot of white of eggs for other purposes, such as iceing a wedding-cake, or making light vanilla or almond biscuits. take six hard-boiled yolks, powder them, flavour with a little pepper and salt, and mix in three raw yolks; mix this well together, and roll them into shapes like very small sausages, pointed at each end like a foreign cigar. flour these on the outside, and throw them into boiling water. these can be used for garnishing purposes for the vast majority of vegetarian dishes. they can be flavoured if wished with grated nutmeg, chopped parsley, and a few savoury herbs. omelets.--it is a strange fact, but not the less true, that to get a well-made omelet in a private house in this country is the exception and not the rule. a few general remarks on making omelets will, we hope, not be out of place in writing a book on an exceptional style of cookery, in which omelets should play a most important part. first of all, we require an omelet-pan, and for this purpose the cheaper the frying-pan the better. the best omelet-pan of all is a copper one, tinned inside. copper conveys heat quicker than almost any other metal; consequently, if we use an ordinary frying-pan, the thinner it is the quicker will heat be conveyed. it is very essential that the frying-pan be absolutely clean, and it will be found almost essential to reserve the omelet-pan for omelets only. a frying-pan that has cooked meat should not be used for the purpose; and although in vegetarian cookery a frying-pan has not been used in this manner, we should still avoid one in which onions or vegetables, or even black butter has been made. the inside of an omelet-pan should always look as if it had only just left the ironmonger's shop. the next great question is, how much butter should be allowed for, say, six eggs? on this point the greatest authorities differ. we will first quote our authorities, and then attempt to give an explanation that reconciles the difference. a plain omelet may be roughly described as settings of eggs well beaten up by stirring them up in hot butter. one of the oldest cookery books we can call to mind is entitled "the experienced english housekeeper," by elizabeth raffald. the book, which was published in , is dedicated to the hon. lady elizabeth warburton, whom the authoress formerly served. as housekeeper. the recipe is entitled "to make an amulet." the book states, "put a quarter of a pound of butter into a frying-pan, break six eggs"; francatelli also gives four ounces of butter to six eggs. on the other hand, soyer, the great cook, gives two ounces of butter to six eggs; so also does the equally great louis eustache ude, cook to louis xvi. we may add that "cassell's dictionary of cookery" recommended two ounces of butter to six eggs, whilst "cassell's shilling cookery" recommends four eggs. the probable reason why two such undoubtedly great authorities as soyer and francatelli should differ is that in making one kind of omelet you would use less butter than in making another. francatelli wrote for what may be described as that "high class cooking suited for pall mall clubs," where no one better than himself knew how best to raise the jaded appetite of a wealthy epicure. soyer's book was written for the people. there are two kinds of omelets, one in which the egg is scarcely beaten at all, and in which, when cooked, the egg appears set in long streaks. there is also the richer omelet, which is sent to table more resembling a light pudding. for the former of these omelets, two ounces of butter will suffice for six eggs; for the latter of these you will require four ounces of butter, or else the omelet will be leathery. in holland, belgium, and germany, and in country villages in france, the omelet is made, as a rule, with six eggs to two ounces of butter. it comes up like eggs that have been set. in the higher-class restaurants in paris, like bignon's, or the cafe anglais, the omelet is lighter, and probably about four ounces of butter would be used to six eggs. this probably explains the different directions given in various cookery books for making omelets. omelet, plain.--melt _four_ ounces of butter in a frying-pan, heat up six eggs _till they froth_; add a little pepper and salt, pour the beaten-up eggs into the frying-pan as soon as the butter begins to frizzle, and with a tablespoon keep scraping the bottom of the frying-pan in every part, not forgetting the edge. gradually the mixture becomes lumpy; still go on scraping till about two-thirds or more are lumpy and the rest liquid. now slacken the heat slightly by lifting the frying-pan from the fire, and push the omelet into half the frying-pan so that it is in the shape of a semicircle. by this time, probably, it will be nearly set. take the frying-pan off the fire, and hold it in a slanting direction in front of the fire. when the whole is set, as it will quickly do, slide off the omelet from the frying-pan on to a hot dish with an egg-slice, and serve. omelet, plain (another way).--put _two_ ounces of butter into a frying-pan, break six eggs into a basin with a little pepper and salt, _and beat them very slightly_, so that the yolks and whites are quite mixed into one, but do not beat them more than you can help, and _do not let the eggs froth_. as soon as the butter frizzles, pour in the beaten eggs, scrape the frying-pan quickly with a spoon in every part till the mixture gets lumpy. now slacken the heat if the fire is fierce, and let the mixture set in the frying-pan like a pancake. as soon as it is nearly set, with perhaps only a dessertspoonful of liquid left unset, turn the omelet over, one half on to the other half, in the shape of a semicircle, and bring the spoonful of unset fluid to join them over the edge. slide off the omelet on to a hot dish with an egg-slice. omelet with fine herbs.--chop up a dessertspoonful of parsley, and add a good pinch of powdered savoury herbs, add these with pepper and salt to the six beaten-up eggs in a basin. beat up the eggs, either slightly or very thoroughly, according to whether you use two ounces of butter or four. proceed in every respect, in making the omelet, as directed for plain omelet above. omelet with onion.--proceed exactly as in the above recipe, only adding to the chopped parsley a piece of onion or shallot about as big as the top of the thumb down to the first joint, also very finely chopped. when onion is used in making an omelet a little extra pepper should be added. omelet with cheese.--proceed as if making an ordinary omelet, with four ounces of butter. add to the six well beaten-up eggs about four ounces of grated parmesan cheese; a small quantity of cream will be found a great improvement to this omelet. a little pepper and salt must, of course, be added as well. potato omelet.--mix three ounces of a floury potato with six eggs, a little pepper and salt, and half a pint of milk, and make the milk boil and then stand for a couple of minutes before it is mixed with the eggs; pour this mixture into three or four ounces of butter, and proceed as in making an ordinary omelet. potato omelet, sweet.--proceed exactly as above, only instead of adding pepper and salt mix in a brimming tablespoonful of finely powdered sugar, the juice of a lemon, with half a grated nutmeg. cheese souffle.--to make a small cheese souffle in a round cake-tin, proceed as follows:--make the tin very hot in the oven. put in about an ounce of butter, so as to make the tin oily in every part inside. the tin must be tilted so that the butter pours round the sides of the tin as well as the bottom. take two eggs, separate the yolks from the whites, and beat the whites to a stiff froth; beat up the two yolks very thoroughly with a quarter of a pint of milk. add to this two tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese; add this mixture to the beaten-up whites, and mix the whole carefully together. now pour this mixture into the hot buttered tin, which should be five or six inches deep, and bake it in the oven. the mixture will rise to five or six times its original depth. as soon as it is done, run with the souffle from the oven door to the dining-room door. however quick you may be, the souffle will probably sink an inch on the way. some cooks wrap hot flannel on the outside of the tin to keep up the heat. if you have a folded dinner napkin round the tin for appearance sake, as is usually the case, fold the napkin before you make the souffle, and make the napkin sufficiently big round that it can be dropped over the tin in an instant. the napkin should be pinned, and be quite half an inch in diameter bigger than the width of the tin. this is to save time. delay in serving the souffle is fatal. omelet souffle, sweet.--in making an omelet souffle, sweet, you can proceed in exactly the same manner as making a cheese souffle, with the exception that you add two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar instead of two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese. the omelet will, however, require flavouring of some kind, the two most delicate being vanilla and orange-flower water. you can flavour it with lemon by rubbing a few lumps of sugar on the outside of a lemon, and then pounding this with the powdered sugar. it must be pounded very thoroughly and mixed very carefully, or else one part of the omelet will taste stronger of lemon than the other. some powdered sugar should be shaken over the top of the souffle just before serving. omelet souffle (another way).--when a souffle is made on a larger scale, and served up on a flat dish, it is best to proceed as follows:--take six ounces of powdered sugar, and mix them with six yolks of eggs and a dessertspoonful of flour and a pinch of salt. to this must be added whatever flavouring is used, such as vanilla. this is all mixed together till it is perfectly smooth. next beat the six whites to a very stiff froth; mix this in with the batter lightly, put two ounces of butter into an omelet-pan, and as soon as the butter begins to frizzle pour in the mixture. as it begins to set round the edges, turn it over and heap it up in the middle, and then slide the omelet off on to a plated-edged baking dish, which must be well buttered. put it in the oven for about a quarter of an hour, to let it rise, shake some powdered sugar over the top, and serve very quickly. omelet, sweet.--make an ordinary plain omelet with six eggs and either two or four ounces of butter, as directed for making omelet, plain. instead of adding pepper and salt to the beaten-up eggs, add one or two tablespoonfuls of finely powdered sugar. at the last moment, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the omelet, and just glaze the sugar with a red-hot salamander. omelet with jam.--make a plain sweet omelet as directed above, adding rather less sugar--about half. if you make the omelet with two ounces of butter, and turn it over, put a couple of tablespoonfuls of jam on the omelet, and turn the half over the jam. it is best to put the jam in the oven for a minute or two to take the chill off. if you make the omelet with four ounces of butter, you must put the jam by the side of the omelet and let the thin part of the omelet cover it. of course, the question what jam is best for sweet omelet is purely a matter of taste. most good judges consider that apricot jam is the best, and if the sweet omelet itself be flavoured with a little essence of vanilla, the result is generally considered one of the nicest sweets that can be sent to table. strawberry jam, especially if some of the strawberries are whole, is also very nice. the objection to raspberry jam is the pips. a most delicious omelet can be made by chopping up some preserved slices of pine-apple, and placing this in the omelet, and making the pine-apple syrup hot and pouring it round the base. red-currant jelly, black-currant jam, and plum jam can all be used. one of the cheapest and, in the opinion of many, the best sweet omelets can be made with six eggs, two ounces of butter, and three or four tablespoonfuls of orange marmalade. in this case it will cost no more to rub a few lumps of sugar on the outside of an orange, and pound these with the powdered sugar you use to sweeten the omelet. if the marmalade is liquid, as it often is, one or two tablespoonfuls of the juice can be poured round the edge of the omelet. omelet au rhum.--as a rule, spirits are not allowed in vegetarian cookery. an omelet au rhum is simply a sweet omelet, plain, with plenty of powdered sugar sprinkled over the top, with some rum ignited poured over it just before it is sent to table. the way to ignite the rum is to fill a large spoon, like a gravy-spoon, and hold a lighted wooden taper (not wax; it tastes) underneath the spoon till the rum lights. the dish should be hot. it may be a consolation to teetotallers to reflect that the fact of burning the rum causes all the alcohol to evaporate, and there is nothing left but the flavour. omelet au kirsch.--proceed as above, substituting kirschenwasser for rum. omelet, vegetable.--a plain omelet can also be served with any puree of vegetables, so that we can have--asparagus omelet, artichoke omelet, french bean omelet, celery omelet, spinach omelet, mushroom omelet, tomato omelet, &c. chapter v. salads and sandwiches. salads and sandwiches.--probably the most patriotic englishman will admit that, on the subject of salads, we can learn something from the french. during the last half-century a great improvement has taken place on this point in this country. many years ago it was the fashion to dress an english lettuce, resembling in shape an old umbrella, with a mixture of brown sugar, milk, mustard, and even anchovy and worcester sauce, and then add a few drops of oil, as if it were some dangerous poison, like prussic acid, not to be tampered with lightly. the old-fashioned lettuces were so hard and crisp that it was difficult to chew them without making a noise somewhat similar to walking on a shingly beach. in modern days, however, we have arrived at a stage of civilisation in which, as a rule, we use soft french lettuces instead of the hard gingham-shaped vegetables which somehow or other our grandfathers ate for supper with a whole lobster, seasoned with about half a pint of vinegar, and then slept none the worse for the performance. the first point for consideration, if we wish to have a good salad, is to have the lettuces crisp and dry. old-fashioned french cookery-books direct that the lettuce should never be washed. the stalks should be cut off, the outside leaves removed and thrown away, and the lettuce itself should then be pulled in pieces with the fingers, and each piece wiped with a clean cloth. this is not always practicable, but the principle remains the same. you can wash the lettuce leaves without bruising them. you can dry them by shaking them up lightly in a large clean cloth, and you can spread them out and let them get _dry_ an hour or two before they are dressed. another important point to be borne in mind is that a salad should never be dressed till just before it is wanted to be eaten. if by chance you put by the remains of a dressed salad, it is good for nothing the next morning. finally, the oil must be pure olive oil of the best quality, and to ensure this it should bear the name of some well-known firm. a good deal of the oil sold simply as salad oil, bearing no name, is adulterated, sometimes with cotton-seed oil. salad, french lettuce, plain.--clean one or more french lettuces (throw away all the leaves that are decayed or bruised), place these in a salad-bowl, and, supposing we have sufficient for two persons, dress the salad as follows:--put a saltspoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of pepper into a tablespoon. fill the tablespoon up with oil, stir the pepper and salt up with a fork, and pour it over the lettuce. now add another tablespoonful of oil, and then toss the lettuce leaves lightly together with a spoon and fork. allow one tablespoonful of oil to each person. this salad would suffice for two. be sure and mix the lettuce and oil well together before you add any vinegar. the reason of this is that if you add the vinegar first it would soak into the lettuce leaves, making one part more acid than another. having well mixed up the lettuce and oil, add half a tablespoonful of vinegar. mix it once more, and the salad is dressed. in france they always add to the lettuce, before it is dressed, two or three finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves. dried tarragon can be used, but it is not equal to fresh. if you have no tarragon it is a great improvement to use tarragon vinegar instead of ordinary vinegar. tarragon vinegar is sold by all grocers at sixpence per bottle. it is also often customary to rub the salad-bowl with a bead of garlic, or rub a piece of crust of bread with garlic, and toss this piece of crust up with the salad after it has been dressed. garlic should never be chopped up, but only used as stated above. a good french salad is also always decorated with one or more hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters, longways. these are placed on the top of the lettuce. salad, english, lettuce.--the ordinary english salad is made either with french or english lettuces, and is generally dressed as follows:--one or two tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, a teaspoonful of made mustard, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, pepper, and salt. there are many people still living in remote parts of the country who prefer this style of dressing. salad, english, mixed.--the old-fashioned english _mixed_ salad generally consisted of english lettuce cut up into strips crossways, to which was added mustard and cress, boiled beetroot, chopped celery, spring onions, radishes, and watercress. it is by no means a bad mixture when dressed with oil, and, of course, it can be dressed it a l'anglaise. it makes an excellent accompaniment to a huge hunk of cheese, a crusty loaf, a good appetite, and a better digestion. salad, mayonnaise.--this is generally considered the king of salads, and it can be made an exceedingly pretty-looking dish, take two or more french lettuces, clean and dry them as directed above, and take the small heart of one lettuce about the size of a small walnut, uncut from the stalk, so that you can stand it upright in the middle of the salad, raised above the surface. arrange all the softer parts of the leaves on the top of the salad so as to make as much as possible a smooth surface. make some mayonnaise sauce, thick enough to be spread like butter, and mask this little mound and all the surface of the middle of the salad round it with a thin layer of the sauce, so that it looks like the top of a mould of solid custard. ornament the edge of the salad with hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters, and place between the quarters slices of pickled gherkins and stoned olives. take a small teaspoonful of french capers, dry them on a cloth, and sprinkle a few of them about an inch apart on the white surface. next chop up, very finely, about half a teaspoonful of parsley, and see that this doesn't stick together in lumps. place this on the end of a knife and flip the knife so that the little green specks of parsley fall on the white surface. next take about half a saltspoonful of finely crumbled bread, and shake these in a saucer with one or two drops of cochineal. this will colour them a bright red, and they will have all the appearance of lobster-coral. place these red bread-crumbs on the end of a knife and let them fall over the white surface like the parsley. the little red and green specks on the white background make the dish look exceedingly pretty. before mixing the salad all together add a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar or lemon-juice. tomato salad.--for making tomato salad you require red, ripe tomatoes; the smoother they are the better, but the chief points are--very ripe and very red. never use those pink, crinkly tomatoes which look something like milk stained with plum juice. if tomatoes are picked unripe, and then allowed to ripen afterwards, they become rotten and worthless. slice up half a dozen or more tomatoes--sometimes it will be necessary to remove the core and pips, sometimes not; add a little oil, a little vinegar, and some pepper and salt. tomato salad is one of the few that are very nice without any oil at all. of course, this is a matter of taste. some persons slice up a few onions and add to the tomatoes. in addition to this you can add some slices of cold potatoes. in this latter case, heap the potatoes up in the middle of the dish in the shape of a dome sprinkle some chopped parsley over the potatoes, put a border of sliced onion round the base, and then a border of sliced tomato outside that. this makes the dish look pretty. many persons rub the dish or salad-bowl with a bead of garlic. this is quite sufficient to flavour the salad; but never _chop_ garlic for salads. egg salad.--egg salad consists of an ordinary salad made with french lettuces, with an extra quantity of hard-boiled eggs. if you want to make the salad look very pretty on the top, cut up the lettuces and dress them with oil and vinegar in the ordinary way. make the tops of the lettuces (which should be placed in a round salad-bowl) as smooth as you can without pressing them down unnecessarily. now take six hard-boiled eggs, separate the yolks from the whites, powder the yolks, and chop up the whites small. sprinkle a ring of yellow round the edge of the salad-bowl, say an inch in width, then put a ring of white round, and place the remainder of yolk in the middle, almost up to the centre. have the centre about two inches in diameter. we now have a yellow centre surrounded by a broad white rim (as, of course, there is more white than yellow), and an outside yellow ring, which meets the white china bowl. reserve about a teaspoonful of pieces of finely chopped white, and put them in a saucer, with a few drops of cochineal, and shake them. this turns them a bright red. sprinkle these red specks _very sparingly_ on the white, and take about half a teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley, and sprinkle these green specks on the yellow. this makes the dish look pretty. german salad.--german salad is made from cold boiled vegetables chopped up. in germany, it is made, according to english ideas, from every vegetable you have ever heard of, mixed with a number of vegetables you have never heard of. in england it can be made by chopping up boiled carrot, turnip, cabbage, cauliflower, potato, french beans, brussels sprouts (whole), celery, raw onion, raw apple, &c. in fact, in making this vegetable salad the motto should be "the more the merrier." in addition to this you will find that they add what is known as _sauer kraut_. this latter is not adapted, as a rule, to english palates. the salad is mixed with oil and vinegar in the ordinary way, the germans adding much more vinegar than we should care for in this country. the salad is decorated at the finish with boiled beet-root. it is very pretty to cut the beet-root into triangles, the base of the triangle touching the edge of the salad-bowl, the point of the triangle pointing inwards. gut a star out of a good slice of beet-root, and place it in the centre of the bowl; sprinkle a little chopped blanched parsley over the surface of the mixed vegetables. endive salad.--endives come into season long before lettuces, and are much used abroad for making salads. the drawback to endive is that it is tough, and the simple remedy is to boil it. take three or four white-heart endives, throw them into boiling water slightly salted. when they get tender take them out and instantly throw them into cold water, by which means you preserve their colour. when quite cold, take them out again, drain them, dry them thoroughly, and pull them to pieces with the fingers. now place them in a salad-bowl, keeping the whitest part as much as possible at the top. place some hard-boiled eggs round the edge, and sprinkle a little chopped blanched parsley over the white endive. you can, if you like, put a few spikes of red beet-root between the quarters of eggs. it is a great improvement to rub the salad-bowl with a bead of garlic, or you can rub a crust of bread with a bead of garlic, and toss this lightly about in the salad when you mix it. salsify salad.--boiled salsify makes a very delicious salad. take some white salsify, scrape it, and instantly throw it into vinegar and water, by which means you will keep it a pure white. then, when you have all ready, throw it into boiling water, slightly salted, boil it till it is tender, throw it into cold water, and when cold take it out, drain it and dry it, cut it up into small half-inch pieces (or put it in whole, in sticks, into a salad-bowl), sprinkle a little chopped blanched parsley over the top, dress in the ordinary way with oil and white french vinegar, and be sure to use white pepper, not black, if white wine vinegar is objected to, the juice of a hard fresh lemon is equally good, if not better. potato salad.--potato salad is generally made from the remains of cold boiled potatoes. of course, potatoes can be boiled on purpose, in which case they should be allowed to get cold in the water in which they were boiled. new potatoes are far better for the purpose than old. cut the potatoes into slices, and place them in a salad-bowl with a little finely chopped blanched parsley. you can also add some finely chopped onion or shallot. if you do not add these you can rub the bowl with a bead of garlic. sprinkle some more chopped parsley over the top of the salad and ornament the edge of the bowl with some thin slices of pickled gherkins. a few stoned olives can also be added. dress the salad with oil and vinegar in the ordinary way. asparagus salad.--cold asparagus makes a most delicious salad. it is needless, perhaps, to say it is made from cold boiled asparagus. the best dressing for asparagus salad is somewhat peculiar, and is made as follows:--take, say, an ounce of butter, put it in a saucer, and melt it in the oven till it is like oil. now mix in a teaspoonful of made mustard, some pepper, salt, and a dessertspoonful of vinegar. stir it all together, and as it gets cold it will begin to get thick. dip all the green part of the asparagus in this, and lay the heads gently, without breaking them, in a vegetable dish, with the white stalk resting on the edge of the dish, and the green part in the middle. let the salad get perfectly cold, and then serve. of course, the sauce clings to the asparagus. the asparagus is eaten with the fingers like hot asparagus--a custom now generally recognised. artichoke salad.--this applies to french artichokes, not jerusalem. in france, artichokes are often served raw for breakfast, on a plate, with a little heap of chopped raw onion and another heap of chopped capers or parsley. the frenchman mixes a little oil or vinegar on his plate, adding the onion, &c., according to his taste. the leaves are pulled off one by one, the white stalk part dipped in this dressing, and then eaten, by being drawn through the teeth. the artichoke bottom is reserved for the finish as a _bon bouche_, something like a schoolboy who will eat all the pastry round a jam tart, leaving the centre for the _finale_. beet-root salad.--in boiling beet-roots be careful not to break them, or else they will bleed and lose their colour. when the beet-root is boiled and cold, peel it, and cut it into thin slices. it can be dressed with oil and vinegar, or vinegar only, adding pepper and salt. some persons dress beet-root with a salad-dressing in which cream is used instead of oil; but never use cream _and_ oil. to mix cream and oil is like mixing bacon with butter. cucumber salad.--peel a cucumber and cut it into slices as thin as possible. we might almost add, thinner if possible. mix it with a little salt, and let it stand, tossing the cucumber about every now and then. by this means you extract all the water from the cucumber. drain off this water, and add plenty of oil to the cucumber, and then mix it so that every slice comes in contact with the oil. now add a little pepper, and a very little vinegar, and mix it thoroughly. if you add vinegar to cucumber before the oil some of the slices will taste like sour pickle, as the vinegar soaks into the cucumber. cucumber should be always served very cold, and is best placed in an ice-chest for an hour before serving. some people put a piece of ice on the top of the cucumber. french bean salad.--cold boiled french beans make a very nice salad. a little chopped parsley should be mixed with them, and the salad-bowl can be rubbed with a bead of garlic. some people soak the beans in vinegar first, and then add oil. this would suit a german palate. a better plan is to add the oil first, with pepper and salt, mix all well together, and then add the vinegar. bean salad.--cold boiled broad beans make a very nice salad. rub off the skins so that only the green part is put in the salad-bowl. rub the bowl with garlic, add a little chopped parsley, then oil, pepper and salt, mix well, and add vinegar last of all. haricot bean salad.--this can be made from cold, boiled, dried white haricot beans. add plenty of chopped parsley, rub the bowl with garlic, mix oil, pepper and salt first, vinegar afterwards. * * * * * the nicest haricot bean salad is made from the fresh green beans met with abroad. they can be obtained in this country in tins, and a delicious salad can be had at a moment's notice by opening a tin, straining off the liquor, and drying the little green beans, which are very soft and tender, and dressing them with oil and vinegar, in the ordinary way. a little chopped parsley, or garlic flavouring by rubbing the bowl, can be added or not, according to taste. celery and beet-root salad.--a mixture of celery and beet-root makes a very nice winter salad. the beet-root, of course, is boiled, and the celery generally sliced up thin in a raw state. it is a great improvement to boil the celery till it is _nearly_ tender. by this means you improve the salad, and the celery assists in making vegetarian stock. water-cress.--water-cress is sometimes mixed with other salad, but when eaten alone requires no dressing, but only a little salt. dandelion leaf salad.--considering that the root of the dandelion is so largely used in medicine for making taraxacum, it is to be regretted that the leaves of the plant are not utilised in this country as they are abroad for making salad. these leaves can be obtained in london at a few shops in the french colony of soho. the leaves are washed, dried, placed in a salad-bowl, and dressed with oil and vinegar in the ordinary way. cauliflower salad.--the remains of a cold boiled cauliflower makes a very good salad if only the white part be used. it can be mixed with remains of cold potatoes, some chopped blanched parsley should be sprinkled over the top, and it can be dressed with oil and vinegar in the ordinary way; or it can be served up with a sauce made from oiled butter similar to that described for dressing cold asparagus. mustard and cress.--this is somewhat similar to watercress. when served alone it is generally dipped in salt and eaten with bread-and-butter, but it is very useful to mix with other kinds of salad. hop salad.--in germany a very nice salad is made from young hops, which are grown very extensively in america and germany, as english brewers are well aware. the hops are picked when quite young, before they get leafy; they are then boiled till nearly tender. they can be dressed in the english fashion with oil and vinegar, or in the german fashion with vinegar and sugar. onion salad.--few people are aware of what an excellent salad can be made from the remains of cold boiled spanish onions. spanish onions can generally be bought at a penny a pound. they are mild in flavour, very wholesome, and contain a great deal of nourishment. take a couple of cold boiled spanish onions, pull them into leaves after they are quite dry, and dress them with a very little oil and vinegar. italian salad.--this is a very delicious salad, met with in italy. it consists of a great variety of boiled vegetables, which are placed in a mould and served in aspic jelly. this latter, however, is not allowed in vegetarian cookery. a very good imitation, however, can be made as follows:--first take as many cold vegetables as you can, consisting of new potatoes, sliced, and cut up with a cutter into pretty-looking shapes. you can also take green peas, asparagus tops, cold boiled cauliflower, french beans, beet-root, &c. these vegetables should be dressed with a little oil, tarragon vinegar, pepper and salt, and can be placed in a mould or plain round basin. this basin can now be filled up with a little water thickened with corn-flour, hot. when it is cold, it can be turned out and sent to table in the shape of a mould. melon salad.--melon is sometimes served abroad as a salad, and a slice of melon is often sent to table at the commencement of dinner, to be eaten with a little salt, cayenne pepper, and sometimes oil and vinegar. salads, sweet.--apples, oranges, currants, pine-apple, and bananas are sometimes served as salads with syrup and sugar. they make a very nice mixture, or can be served separately. when preserved pine-apples in tins are used for the purpose, the syrup in the tin should be used for dressing the salad. whole ripe strawberries are a great improvement, as also a wineglassful of brandy and a lump of ice. sandwiches.--there is an art in cutting sandwiches--a fact which persons in the habit of frequenting railway restaurants will hardly realise. a tinned loaf is best for the purpose if we wish to avoid waste. the great thing is to have the two slices of bread to fit together neatly, and there is no occasion to cut off the crusts when made from a well-rasped tin loaf. first cut off the crust from the top of the loaf, which, of course, must be used for some other purpose. the best use for this top slice is to toast it lightly on the crumby side, and cut it up into little pieces to be served with soup. next take the loaf, cut off one thin slice, evenly, and let it fall on its back on the board you are using. now butter very slightly the upper surface. next butter the top of the loaf, cut another thin slice, and, of course, these two pieces of bread will be perfectly level, and, if the two buttered sides be placed together, will fit round the edge exactly. tomato sandwiches.--cut some very ripe red tomatoes into thin slices, and cut them parallel with the core, as otherwise you will get them in rings from which the core will drop out. sprinkle some thin slices of bread-and-butter with mustard and cress, dip the slices of tomato into a dressing made with a little oil, pepper, and salt, well mixed up. put these between the bread-and-butter, and cut them into squares or triangles with a very sharp knife. these sandwiches are very cool and refreshing, and make a most agreeable supper after a hot and crowded ball-room. if you wish to have them look pretty, pile them up in the centre of a silver dish, and place a few ripe red tomatoes round the base on some bright green parsley. place the dish in an ice-chest for an hour before it is eaten. mustard and cress sandwiches.--place well-washed and dried mustard and cress between two slices of bread-and-butter, and trim the edges. it is best to pepper and salt the bread-and-butter first. pile up the sandwiches on a silver dish, and sprinkle some loose mustard and cress round the base. egg sandwiches.--cut some hard-boiled eggs into very thin slices; season them with pepper and salt, and place them between two slices of thin bread-and-butter; cut the sandwiches into triangles or squares, pile them up in a silver dish, place plenty of fresh green parsley round the base of the dish, and place some hard-boiled eggs, cut in halves, on the parsley, which will show what the sandwiches are composed of. indian sandwiches.--these are exactly similar to the above, with the addition that the slices of hard-boiled eggs are seasoned with a little curry-powder. if hard-boiled eggs in halves are placed round the base of the dish, each half-egg should be sprinkled with curry-powder in order to show what the sandwiches are. mushroom sandwiches.--take a pint of fresh button mushrooms, peel them, and throw them into lemon-juice and water, in order to preserve their colour; or else take the contents of a tin of mushrooms, chop them up and stew them in a frying-pan very gently with a little butter, pepper, salt, a pinch of thyme, and the juice of a whole lemon to every pint of mushrooms. when tender, rub the mixture through a wise sieve while the butter is warm and the mixture moist. add a teaspoonful of finely chopped blanched parsley, spread this mixture while still warm on a thin slice of bread, and cover it over with another thin slice of bread, and press the two slices of bread together. when the mixture gets quite cold, the butter will set and the sandwiches get quite firm. the bread need not be buttered, as the mixture contains butter enough. pile these sandwiches up on a silver dish, surround the dish with plenty of fresh parsley, and place a few fresh mushrooms whole, stalk and all, round them, as if they are growing out of the parsley. cheese sandwiches.--oil a little butter, add some pepper and salt, and a spoonful of made mustard and a pinch of cayenne pepper. when this mixture is nearly cold, use it for buttering some thin slices of bread, and, before it is quite cold, sprinkle them with some grated parmesan cheese. put the two slices of bread together and press them, and, when cold,. cut them into squares or triangles. place plenty of fresh green parsley round the dish, and, if you are using hard-boiled eggs for other purposes, take the end of the white of egg, which has a little cup in it not much bigger than the top of the finger, and put a little heap of parmesan cheese in each cup. place a few of these round the base of the dish, on the parsley, in order to show what the sandwiches are composed of. cream-cheese sandwiches.--chop up some of the white part of a head of celery very fine, and pound it in a mortar with a little butter; season it with some salt. use this mixture and butter some thin slices of bread, place a thin slice of cream cheese between these slices, cut the sandwiches into squares or triangles with a very sharp knife, and pile the sandwiches up on a silver dish. surround the dish with parsley, and place a few slices of cream-cheese, cut round the size of a halfpenny, round the base, stick a little piece of the yellowish-white leaves of the heart of celery in each piece. chapter vi. savoury dishes. mushrooms. in many parts of the country mushrooms grow so plentifully that their cost may be considered almost nothing. on the other hand, if they have to be bought fresh, at certain seasons of the year they are very expensive, while tinned mushrooms, which can always be depended upon, cannot be regarded in any other light than that of a luxury. when mushrooms can be gathered in the fields like black-berries they are a great boon to vegetarians. of course, great care must be taken that only genuine mushrooms are picked, as there have been some terrible instances of poisoning from fungi being gathered by mistake, as many cockney tourists know to their cost. as a rule, in england all mushrooms bought in markets can be depended upon. in france, where mushrooms are very plentiful, an inspector is appointed in every market, and no mushrooms are allowed to be sold unless they have first received his sanction. this is a wise precaution in the right direction. one important word of warning before leaving the subject. mushrooms should be eaten _freshly gathered_, and, if allowed to get stale, those which were perfectly wholesome when fresh picked become absolutely poisonous. the symptoms are somewhat similar to narcotic poisoning. this particularly applies to the larger and coarser kind that give out black juice. mushrooms, plain, grilled.--the larger kinds of mushrooms are best for the purpose. the flat mushrooms should be washed, dried, and peeled. they are then cooked slowly over a clear fire, and a small wire gridiron, like those sold at a penny or twopence each, is better adapted for the purpose than the ordinary gridiron used for grilling steak. the gridiron should be kept high above the fire. the mushrooms should be dipped in oil, or oiled butter, and care should be taken that they do not stick to the bars. they should be served very hot, with pepper and salt and a squeeze of lemon-juice. mushrooms, fried.--when mushrooms are very small they are more easily fried than grilled. they should be washed, dried and peeled, placed in a frying-pan, with a little butter, pepper and salt, and cooked till tender. they are very nice served on toast, and the butter in which they are cooked can be poured on the toast first, and the mushrooms arranged on the top afterwards. a squeeze of lemon-juice is an improvement. mushrooms au gratin.--this is a very delicious dish, and is often served as an entree at first-class dinners. they are made from what are known as cup mushrooms. it is best to pick mushrooms, as far as possible, the same size, the cup being about two inches in diameter. peel the mushrooms very carefully, without breaking them, cut out the stalks close down with a spoon, scoop out the inside of the cup, so as to make it hollow. now peel the stalks and chop them up with all the scooped part of the mushroom, with, supposing we are making ten cups, a piece of onion as big as the top of the thumb down to the first joint. to this add a brimming teaspoonful of chopped parsley, or even a little more, a saltspoonful of dried thyme, or half this quantity of fresh thyme. fry all this in a frying-pan, in a little butter. the aroma is delicious. then add sufficient dried bread-crumbs that have been rubbed through a wire sieve to make the whole into a moist paste, fill each of the cups with this mixture so that the top is as convex as the cup of the mushroom, having first seasoned the mixture with a little pepper, salt, and lemon-juice. shake some fine bread-raspings over the top so as to make them of a nice golden-brown colour, pour a little drop of oil into a baking-tin, place the mushrooms in it, and bake them gently in an oven till the cup part of the mushroom becomes soft and tender, but take care they do not cook till they break. now take them out carefully with an egg-slice, and place them on a dish--a silver dish is best for the purpose-and place some nice, crisp, fried parsley round the edge. mushrooms a la bordelaise.--this, as the name implies, is a french recipe. it consists of ordinary grilled mushrooms, served in a sauce composed of oil or oiled butter, chopped up with parsley and garlic, thickened with the yolks of eggs. mushrooms a la provencale.--this is an italian recipe. you must first wash, peel, and dry the mushrooms, and then soak them for some time in what is called a _marinade_, which is another word for pickle, of oil mixed with chopped garlic, pepper, and salt. they are then stewed in oil with plenty of chopped parsley over rather a brisk fire. squeeze, a little lemon-juice over them and serve them in a dish surrounded with a little fried or toasted bread. mushroom forcemeat.--the mushrooms after being cleaned should be chopped up and fried in a little butter; lemon-juice should be added before they are chopped in order to preserve their colour. one or two hard-boiled yolks of eggs can be added to the mixture, and the whole rubbed through a wire sieve while hot. when the mixture is hot it should be moist, but, of course, when it gets cold, owing to the butter it will be hard. this mushroom forcemeat can be used for a variety of purposes. mushroom pie.--wash, dry, and peel some mushrooms, and cut them into slices with an equal quantity of cut-up potatoes. bake these in a pie, having first moistened the potatoes and mushrooms in a little butter. add pepper and salt and a small pinch of thyme. cover them with a little water and put some paste over the dish in the ordinary way. it is a great improvement, after the pie is baked, to pour in some essence of mushrooms made from stewing the stalks and peelings in a little water. a single onion should be put in with them. mushroom pie, cold.--prepare the mushrooms, potatoes, and essence of mushroom as directed above, adding a little chopped parsley. bake all these in the dish before you cover with paste, add also an extra seasoning of pepper. when the mushrooms and potatoes are perfectly tender, strain off all the juice or gravy, and thicken it with corn-flour; put this back in the pie-dish and mix all well together, and pile it up in the middle of the dish so that the centre is raised above the edge. let this get quite cold, then cover it with puff-paste, and as soon as the pastry is done take it out of the oven and let the pie get cold. this can now be cut in slices. mushroom pudding.--make a mixture of mushrooms, potatoes, &c., exactly similar to that for making a pie. place this in a basin with only sufficient water to moisten the ingredients, cover the basin with bread-crumbs soaked in milk, and steam the basin in the ordinary way. tomatoes, grilled.--what is necessary is a clear fire and a gridiron in which the bars are not too far apart. the disputed point is, should the tomatoes be grilled whole or cut in half? this may be considered a matter of taste, but personally we prefer them grilled whole. moisten the tomato in a little oil or oiled butter, and grill them carefully, as they are apt to break. grilled tomatoes are very nice with plain boiled macaroni, or can be served up on boiled rice. tomatoes, baked.--place the tomatoes in a tin with a little butter, and occasionally baste them with the butter. when they are tender, they can be served either plain or with boiled macaroni or rice. the butter and juice in the tin should be poured over them. tomatoes, fried.--place the tomatoes in a frying-pan with a little butter, and fry them until they are tender. pour the contents of the frying-pan over them, serve plain, or with macaroni or rice. tomatoes, stewed.--take half a dozen good-sized tomatoes, and chop up very finely one onion about the same size as the tomatoes. moisten the bottom of a stew-pan with a little butter, and sprinkle the chopped onion over the tomatoes. add a dessertspoonful of water; place the lid on the stewpan, which ought to fit tightly. it is best to put a weight on the lid of the stew-pan, such as a flat-iron. place the stew-pan on the fire, and let them steam till they are tender. they are cooked this way in spain and portugal, and very often chopped garlic is used instead of onion. tomatoes au gratin.--take a dozen ripe tomatoes, cut off the stalks, and squeeze out time juice and pips. next take a few mushrooms and make a mixture exactly similar to that which was used to fill the inside of mushrooms au gratin. fill each tomato with some of this mixture, so that it assumes its original shape and tight skin. the top or hole where the stalk was cut out will probably be about the size of a shilling or halfpenny. shake some bright-coloured bread raspings over this spot without letting them fall on the red tomato. in order to do this, cut a round hole the right size in a stiff piece of paper. place the tomatoes in a stew-pan or a baking-dish in the oven, moistened with a little oil. the oil should be about the eighth of an inch deep. stew or bake the tomatoes till they are tender, and then take them out carefully with an egg-slice, and serve them surrounded with fried parsley. if placed in a silver dish this has a very pretty appearance. tomato pie.--slice up an equal number of ripe tomatoes and potatoes. place them in a pie-dish with enough oiled butter to moisten them. add a brimming teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a pinch of thyme, pepper, and salts and, if possible, a few peeled mushrooms, which will be found to be a very great improvement. cover the pie with paste, and bake in the oven. tomato pie (another way).--proceed as in making an ordinary potato pie. add a small bottle of tomato conserve, cover with paste, and bake in the ordinary way. potato pie.--peel and slice up some potatoes as thin as possible. at the same time slice up some onions. if spanish onions are used allow equal quantities of potatoes and onions, but if ordinary onions are used allow only half this quantity. place a layer of sliced onion and sliced potato alternately. add some pepper, salt, and sufficient butter to moisten the potato and butter before any water is added. pour in some water and add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, cover the pie with paste, and bake in the ordinary way. potato pie (another way).--butter a shallow pie-dish rather thickly. line the edges with a good crust, and then fill the pie with mashed potatoes seasoned with pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg. lay over them some small lumps of butter, hard-boiled eggs, blanched almonds, sliced dates, sliced lemon and candied peel. cover the dish with pastry and bake the pie in a well-heated oven for half an hour or more, according to the size of the pie. pumpkin pie.--peel a ripe pumpkin and chip off the rind or skin, halve it, and take out the seed and fluffy part in the centre, which throw away. cut the pumpkin into small, thin slices, fill a pie-dish therewith, add to it half a teaspoonful of allspice and a tablespoonful of sugar, with a small quantity of water. cover with a nice light paste and bake in the ordinary way. pumpkin pie is greatly unproved by being eaten with devonshire cream and sugar. an equal quantity of apples with the pumpkin will make a still more delicious pie. pumpkin pudding.--take a large pumpkin, pare it, and remove the seeds. cut half of it into thin slices, and boil these gently in water until they are quite soft, then rub them through a fine sieve with the back of a wooden spoon. measure the pulp, and with each pint put four ounces of butter and a large nutmeg, grated. stir the mixture briskly for a minute or two, then add the third of a pint of hot milk and four well-beaten eggs. pour the pudding into a buttered dish, and bake in a moderate oven for about an hour. sugar may be added to taste. potato cheesecake.--(_see_ cheesecakes.) cheese with fried bread.--take some stale bread, and cut it into strips about three inches long and one wide and one inch thick. fry the bread in some butter or oil till it is a nice bright golden colour. spread a layer of made mustard over the strips of fried bread, and then cover them with grated parmesan cheese, pile them up on a dish, and place them in the oven. as soon as the cheese begins to melt serve them very hot. cheese, savoury.--take equal quantities of grated parmesan cheese, butter, and flour; add a little salt and cayenne pepper, make these into a paste with some water, roll out the paste thin till it is about a quarter of an inch thick; cut it into strips and bake them in the oven till they are a nice brown, and serve hot. cheese souffle.--(_see_ omelets.) cheese pudding.--mix half a pound of grated parmesan cheese with four eggs, well beaten up; mix in also two ounces of butter, which should be first beaten to a cream, add half a pint of milk and pour the mixture into a well-buttered pie-dish, sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese over the top, and bake in the oven for about half an hour. the pudding will be lighter if two of the whites of eggs are beaten to a stiff froth. the edge of the pie-dish can be lined with puff-paste. cheese ramequins.--put half a pound of grated parmesan cheese in a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of butter and a quarter of a pint of water; add a little pepper and salt, and as much flour as will make the whole into a thick paste. mix up with the paste as many well-beaten-up eggs as will make the paste not too liquid to be moulded into a shape. the eggs should be beaten till they froth. now, with a tablespoon, mould this mixture into shapes like a meringue or egg; place these on a buttered tin and bake them till they are a nice brown colour. cheese, stewed.--when the remains of cheese have got very dry it is a good plan to use it up in the shape of stewed cheese. break up the cheese and put it in a small stew-pan with about a quarter its weight of butter; add a little milk, and let the cheese stew gently till it is dissolved. at the finish, and when you have removed it from the fire, add a well-beaten-up egg. this can be served on toast, or it can be poured on to a dish and pieces of toasted bread stuck in it. cheese straws.--mix equal quantities of grated parmesan cheese, grated bread-crumbs that have been rubbed through a wire sieve, butter, and flour; add a little cayenne and grated nutmeg. make it into a thick paste, roll it out very thin, cut it into strips, and bake for a few minutes in a fierce oven. cheese, toasted.--this is best done in a dutch oven, so that when one side is toasted you can turn the oven and toast the back; as soon as the cheese begins to melt it is done. as it gets cold very quickly, and when cold gets hard, it is best served on hot-water plates. cheese, devilled.--chop up some hot pickles, add some cayenne pepper and mustard. melt some cheese in a stew-pan with a little butter, mix in the pickles, and serve on toast. welsh rarebit.--toast a large slice of bread; in the meantime melt some cheese in the saucepan with a little butter. when the cheese is melted it will be found that a good deal of oiled butter floats on the top. pour this over the dry toast first, and then pour the melted cheese afterwards. some persons add a teaspoonful of worcester sauce to the cheese, and others a tablespoonful of good old burton ale over the top. ayoli.--this is a dish almost peculiar to the south of france. soak some crusts of bread in water, squeeze them dry, and add two cloves of garlic chopped fine, six blanched almonds, also chopped very fine, and a yolk of an egg; mix up the whole into a smooth paste with a little oil. pumpkin a la parmesane.--cut a large pumpkin into square pieces and boil them for about a quarter of an hour in salt and water, and take them out, drain them, and put them in a stew-pan with a little butter, salt, and grated nutmeg; fry them, sprinkle them with a little parmesan cheese, and bake them for a short time in the oven till the cheese begins to melt, and then serve. this is an italian recipe. zucchetti farcis.--take some very small gourds or pumpkins, boil them for about a quarter of an hour in salt and water, and then fill them with a forcemeat made as follows: take some crumb of bread and soak it in milk, squeeze it and add the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs and two raw yolks; chop up very finely half a dozen blanched almonds with a couple of cloves; add two ounces of grated parmesan cheese, and a little salt and grated nutmeg. stew these gourds in butter and serve them with white sauce. stuffed onions (italian fashion).--parboil some large onions, stamp out the core after they have been allowed to get quite cold in a little water; fill the inside with forcemeat similar to the above; fry then), squeeze the juice of a lemon over them, with a little pepper. polenta.--polenta is made from ground indian corn, and is seen in italian shop-windows in the form of a yellow powder; it is made into a paste with boiling water, sprinkled with parmesan cheese, and baked in the oven. piroski sernikis.--this dish is met with in poland, and is made by mixing up two pounds of cream-cheese, three-quarters of a pound of fine bread-crumbs that have been rubbed through a wire sieve, six eggs well beaten up; add a little cream or milk, four ounces of washed grocer's currants, one ounce of sugar, half a grated nutmeg; and when the whole is thoroughly mixed add as much flour as is necessary to make the whole into a paste that can be rolled into balls. these balls should not be much bigger than a walnut. flour them, and then flatten them into little cakes and fry them a nice brown in some butter. of course, a smaller quantity can be made by using these ingredients in proportion. nalesnikis (polish pancakes).--take eight eggs and beat them up very thoroughly with about a pint and a half of milk, or still better, cream, two ounces of butter that has been oiled, half a grated nutmeg, and about a dozen lumps of sugar that have been rubbed on the outside of a lemon; mix in sufficient flour--about three-quarters of a pound will be required--to make the whole into a very smooth batter. melt a little butter in a frying-pan, pour it all over the pan, and when it frizzles, pour in some of the batter, and sprinkle over a few currants; when the pancake is fried, shake some powdered sugar over it, roll it up like an ordinary pancake, and serve hot. fritters. batter for savoury fritters.--put six ounces of flour into a basin, with a pinch of salt, the yolk of one egg, and a quarter of a pint of warm water. work this round and round with a wooden spoon till it is perfectly smooth and looks like thick cream. about half an hour before the batter is wanted for use whip the white of one egg to a stiff froth and mix it lightly in. mushroom fritters.--make some mushroom forcemeat; let it get quite cold on a dish about a quarter of an inch thick. cut out some small rounds, about the size of a penny-piece. they fry better if slightly oval. have ready some thick batter (_see_ batter). have also ready in a saucepan some boiling oil, which should be heated to about degrees. place a frying-basket in the saucepan, flour the rounds of mushroom forcemeat so as to make them perfectly dry on the outside. dip these pieces into the batter and throw them into the boiling oil. the great heat of the oil will set the batter before the mushroom force-meat has time to melt. directly the batter is a nice light-brown colour, lift them out of the boiling oil with the frying-basket, and throw them on to a cloth to drain. break off the outside pieces of batter, and serve the fritters on a neatly folded napkin on a dish surrounded by fried parsley. the beauty of these fritters is that when they are eaten the inside is moist, owing, of course, to the heat having melted the forcemeat. tomato fritters.--make some mushroom forcemeat and spread it out as thin as possible. take some ripe tomatoes, cut them in slices, dip the slice in vinegar, drain it and pepper it, and then wrap this thin slice of tomato in a layer of mushroom forcemeat. bring the edges together, flour it, dip it into batter (_see_ batter), and throw it into boiling oil as in making mushroom fritters (_see_ mushroom fritters). imitation game fritters.--make some mushroom force-meat as directed under the heading "mushroom forcemeat," with the addition of, when you fry the mushrooms, chop up and fry with them two heads of garlic, and add a saltspoonful of aromatic flavouring herbs. (these, are sold in bottles by all grocers under the name of "herbaceous mixture.") then proceed exactly as if you were making mushroom fritters (_see_ mushroom fritters). hominy fritters.--these are made from remains of cold boiled hominy, cut in thin slices, which must be dipped in batter and fried in boiling oil. cheese fritters.--pound some dry cheese, or take about three ounces of parmesan cheese, and mix it with a few bread-crumbs, a piece of butter, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and the yolk of an egg, till the whole becomes a thick paste. roll the mixture into very small balls, flatten them, flour them, dip them into batter, and throw them into boiling oil in the ordinary way. put them in the oven for five minutes before serving them. sage and onion fritters.--make some ordinary sage and onion stuffing, allowing one fresh sage leaf or two dried to each parboiled onion; add pepper and salt and dried breadcrumbs. now moisten the whole with clarified butter, till the mixture becomes a moist pulp. when it begins to get cold and sets, roll it into small balls, the size of a very small walnut, flatten these and let them get quite cold, then flour them, dip them into batter, and throw them into boiling oil; remove them with the frying-basket, and serve with fried parsley. spinach fritters.--make a little thick puree of spinach, add a pinch of savoury herbs containing marjoram; mix in a little clarified butter and one or two lumps of sugar rubbed on the outside of a lemon, as well as a little grated nutmeg. roll the mixture into very small ball; or else they will break, flatten them, flour them, dip them into batter, and throw them into boiling oil, and serve immediately. fritters, sweet.--in making sweet fritters, the same kind of batter will do as we used for making savoury fritters, though many cooks add a little powdered sugar. the same principles hold good. the oil must be heated to a temperature of degrees, and a frying-basket must be used. instead of flouring the substances employed to make them dry, before being dipped into the batter, which is an essential point in making fritters, we must use finely powdered sugar, and it will be found a saving of both time and trouble to buy pounded sugar for the purpose. it is sold by grocers under the name of castor sugar. we cannot make this at home in a pestle and mortar to the same degree of fineness any more than we could grind our own flour. we cannot compete with machinery. apple fritters.--peel some apples, cut them in slices across the core, and stamp out the core. it is customary, where wine, &c., is not objected to, to soak these rings of apples for several hours in a mixture of brandy, grated lemon or orange peel and sugar, or better still, to rub some lumps of sugar on the outside of a lemon or orange and dissolve this in the brandy. of course, brandy is not necessary, but the custom is worth mentioning. the rings of apple can be soaked for some time in syrup flavoured this way. they must then be made dry by being dipped in powdered sugar, then dipped into batter and thrown, one at a time, into a saucepan containing smoking hot oil in which a wire frying-basket has been placed. directly the fritters are a nice brown, take them out, break off the rough pieces, shake some finely powdered sugar over them, pile them up on a dish, and serve. apricot fritters.--these can be made from fresh apricots or tinned ones, not too ripe; if they break they are not fitted. when made from fresh apricots they should be peeled, cut in halves, the round end removed, dipped in powdered sugar, then dipped in batter, thrown into boiling oil, and finished like apple fritters. some persons soak the apricots in brandy. banana fritters.--banana fritters can be made from the bananas as sold in this country, and it is a mistake to think that when they are black outside they are bad. when in this state they are sometimes sold as cheap as six a penny. peel the bananas, cut them into slices half an inch thick, dip them into finely powdered sugar and then into batter, and finish as directed in apple fritters. some persons soak the slices of banana in maraschino. custard fritters.--take half a pint of cream in which some cinnamon and lemon have been boiled, add to this five yolks of eggs, a little flour, and about three ounces of sugar. put this into a pie-dish, well buttered, and steam it till the custard becomes quite set; then let it get cold, and cut it into slices about half an inch thick and an inch and a half long, sprinkle each piece with a little powdered cinnamon, and make it quite dry with some powdered sugar. then dip each piece into batter, throw them one by one into boiling oil, and finish as directed for apple fritters. almond fritters, chocolate fritters, coffee fritters, vanilla fritters, &c.--these fritters are made exactly in the same way as custard fritters, only substituting powdered chocolate, pounded almonds, essence of coffee, or essence of vanilla, for the powdered cinnamon. frangipane fritters.--make a frangipane cream by mixing eggs with a little cold potato, butter, sugar, and powdered ratafias, the proportion being a quarter of a pound of butter, four eggs, six ounces of sugar, one cold floury potato, and a quarter of a pound of ratafias. bake or steam this until it is set, and proceed as in custard fritters. many persons add the flavouring of a little rum. peach fritters.--these are made exactly similar to apricot fritters, bearing in mind that if they are made from tinned peaches only the firm pieces, and not pulpy ones, must be used for the purpose. proceed exactly as directed for apricot fritters. if any liqueur is used, noyeau is best adapted for the purpose. potato fritters.--mix up some floury potato with a quarter of a pound of butter, a well-beaten-up egg, and three ounces of sugar, some of which has been rubbed on the outside of a lemon. the addition of a little cream is a great improvement. roll the mixture into small balls and flour them; they are then fried just as they are, without being dipped into batter. pine-apple fritters.--these can be made from fresh pine-apples or tinned. they should be cut into slices like apple fritters if the pine-apple is small, but if the pine-apple is large they can be cut into strips three inches long and one wide and half an inch thick. these must be dipped in powdered sugar, then into batter, and finished as directed for apple fritters. if any liqueur is used, maraschino is best adapted to the purpose. orange fritters.--only first-class oranges are adapted for this purpose. thick-skinned and woolly oranges are no use. peel a thin-skinned ripe orange, divide each orange into about six pieces, soak these in a syrup flavoured with sugar rubbed on the outside of an orange, and if liqueur is used make the syrup with brandy. after they have soaked some time, remove any pips, dip each piece into hatter, and proceed as directed for apple fritters. cream fritters.--rub some lumps of sugar on the outside of an orange, pound them, and mix with a little cream; take some small pieces of stale white cake, such as madeira cake or what the french call brioche. soak these pieces of stale cake, which must be cut small and thin, or they will break, in the orange-flavoured cream, dry each piece in some finely-powdered sugar, dip it into batter, and proceed as directed for making apple fritters. german fritters.--take some small stale pieces of cake, and soak them in a little milk or cream flavoured with essence of vanilla and sweetened with a little sugar. take them out, and let them get a little dry on the outside, then dip them in a well-beaten-up egg, cover them with bread-crumbs, and fry a nice golden-brown colour. rice and ginger fritters.--boil a small quantity of rice in milk and add some preserved ginger chopped small, some sugar, and one or more eggs, sufficient to set the mixture when baked in a pie-dish. bake till set, then cut into slices about two inches long, an inch wide, and half an inch thick; dry these pieces with powdered sugar, dip into batter, and finish as directed for making apple fritters. rice fritters.--a variety of fritters could be made from a small baked rice pudding, flavoured with various kinds of essences, spices, orange marmalade, peach marmalade, fresh lime marmalade, apricot jam, &c., proceeding exactly as directed above. chapter vii. vegetables. substantial vegetables. vegetables may be roughly divided into two classes--those that may be called substantial and which are adapted to form a meal in themselves, and those of a lighter kind, which cannot be said to make a sufficient repast unless eaten with bread. potatoes were first introduced into this country about years ago, tobacco being introduced about the same period, and we cannot disguise the fact that there are many who regard the latter as the greater blessing of the two. if sir henry thompson is right in stating that tobacco is the great ally of temperance, there may be some ground for this opinion. potatoes form an important article of food for the body, while, whatever effect tobacco may have upon the thinking powers of mankind, it is almost the only product of the vegetable kingdom that is absolutely uneatable even when placed within the reach of those in the last stage of starvation. in some parts, especially in ireland, potatoes form almost the only food of the population, just as rice does in hotter climates, and when the crop fails famine ensues. when potatoes form the only kind of food, a very large quantity has to be eaten by a hard-working man in order for him to receive sufficient nourishment to keep his body healthy, the amount required being not less than ten pounds per day. if, on the other hand, a certain amount of fat or oil of some kind be mixed with them, a far less quantity will suffice. hence we find in ireland that, wherever it is possible, either some kind of oily fish, such as herring, is taken with them, or, which is much more to the point with vegetarians, a certain quantity of fat is obtained in the shape of milk. it must also be remembered that four pounds of raw potatoes contain only one pound of solid food, the remaining three pounds being water. it is important, for those who first commence a vegetarian diet, to remember that vegetables like peas, haricot beans, and lentils are far superior to potatoes so far as nourishment is concerned, for many are apt to jump to the conclusion that potatoes are the very best substitute for bread and milk. so, too, is oatmeal. a scotchman requires a far less quantity of oatmeal to sustain life than an irishman does potatoes; hence it is a very important point to remember that, if we depend upon potatoes to any great extent for our daily food, we should cook them in such a manner as to entail as little waste as possible. we will now try and explain, as briefly as possible, the best method of serving. potatoes, plain boiled.--the best method of having potatoes, if we wish to study economy, is to boil them in their jackets, as it is generally admitted that the most nourishing part is that which lies nearest to the skin. there are many houses in the country where an inexperienced cook will peel, say four pounds of potatoes, and throw the peel into the pig-tub, where the pig gets a better meal than the family. when potatoes are boiled in their skins, they should be thoroughly washed and scrubbed with a hard brush. old potatoes should be put into cold water, and when the water boils the time should a good deal depend upon the size of the potatoes. when the potatoes are large, the chief principle to be borne in mind is, do not let them boil too quickly or cook too quickly. we must avoid having the outside pulpy while the inside is hard. the water, which should be slightly salted, should more than cover them, and, if the potatoes are very large, directly the water comes to the boil it is a good plan to throw in a little cold water to take it off the boil. it is quite impossible to lay down any exact law in regard to boiling potatoes. we cannot do more than give general principles which can only be carried out by cooks who possess a little common sense. small new potatoes are an extreme in one direction. they should be thrown into boiling water, and are generally cooked in about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. large old potatoes should be put into cold water and, as we have stated, the water should not be allowed to boil too soon, and it will take very often an hour to boil them properly. between these two extremes there is a gradually ascending scale which must be left to the judgment of the cook. it is as impossible to lay down any hard-and-fast line with regard to time in boiling potatoes as it would be to say at what exact point in the thermometer between freezing and degrees in the shade a man should put on his top coat. if we may be allowed the expression, "old new" potatoes should be thrown into neither boiling water nor cold water, but lukewarm water. again, in boiling potatoes, especially in the case of old ones, some little allowance must be made for the time of year. in winter, they require longer time, and we may here mention the fact that it is very important that potatoes, after they are dug, should not be left out of doors and exposed to a hard frost, as in this case a chemical change takes place in which the starch is converted into sugar. when potatoes are boiled in their jackets sufficiently, which fact is generally tested by sticking a steel fork into them, they should be strained off, and allowed to get dry for a few minutes in the saucepan, which should be removed from the fire, as at times the potatoes are apt to stick and burn. when large potatoes are peeled before they are boiled, we should endeavour to send them to table floury, and this is often said to be the test of a really good cook. after the water has been strained off from the potatoes, a dry cloth should be placed under the lid of the saucepan, and the lid should only be placed half on, _i.e._, it should not be fitted down tight. it is also as well to give the saucepan now and then a shake, but do not overdo the shaking and break them. about five or ten minutes is generally sufficient. potatoes, steamed.--potatoes can be steamed in their jackets, and it is a more economical method than peeling. it should be remembered, however, that steam is hotter than boiling water. if plain water is underneath and boils furiously, and the steam is well shut in, they will cook very quickly; but if, as is generally the case, something else is in the saucepan under the steamer, boiling gently, this does not apply. we refer to the ordinary steamer met with in private houses, and not to the ones used in the large hotels and restaurants. potatoes, baked.--when potatoes are baked in the oven in their jackets the larger they are the better. the oven must not be too fierce, and ample time should be allowed. baked potatoes require quite two hours. this only refers to those baked in their jackets. when potatoes are cut up and baked in a tin they require some kind of fat, which, of course, in vegetarian cookery must be either oil or butter. potatoes, mashed.--what may be termed high-class mashed potatoes are made by mashing up ordinary boiled potatoes with a little milk _previously boiled_, a little butter, and passing the whole through a wire sieve, when a little cream, butter and salt is added. in private houses mashed potatoes are generally made from the remains of cold boiled potatoes, or when the cook, in boiling the potatoes, has made a failure. still, of course, potatoes are boiled often expressly for the purpose of being mashed. this is often the case where old potatoes have to be cut into all sorts of shapes and sizes in order to get rid of the black spots. as soon as the potatoes are boiled they are generally moistened in the saucepan with a little drop of milk. it is undoubtedly an improvement, and also entails very little extra trouble, to boil the milk first. there is a difference in flavour, which is very marked, between milk that has been boiled and raw milk. suppose you have coffee for breakfast, add boiling milk to one cup and raw milk to another, and then see how great a difference there will be in the flavour of the two. a little butter should be added to mashed potatoes, but it is not really essential. mashed potatoes can be served in the shape of a mould, that is, they can be shaped in a mould and then browned in the oven. if you serve mashed potatoes in an ordinary dish, and pile them up in the shape of a dome, the dish will look much prettier if you score it round with a fork and then place the dish in a fairly fierce even; the edges will brown, but be careful that they don't get burnt black. potatoes, fried.--the best lesson, if you wish to fry potatoes nicely, is to look in at the window of a fried fish shop, where every condition is fulfilled that is likely to lead to perfection. the bath of oil is deep and smoking hot, and in sufficient quantity not to lose greatly in temperature on the introduction of the frying-basket containing the potatoes. the potatoes must be cut up into small pieces, not much bigger in thickness than the little finger; these are plunged into the smoking hot oil, and as soon as they are _slightly_ browned on the outside they are done. they acquire a darker colour after they are removed from the oil, and the inside will go on cooking for several minutes. it would be quite impossible to eat fried potatoes directly they are taken out of the fat, as they would burn the mouth terribly. it is best to throw the fried potatoes into a cloth for a few seconds. potato chips.--potato chips are ordinary fried potatoes cut up when raw into little pieces about the size and thickness of a lucifer match. they, of course, will cook very quickly. they should be removed from the oil directly they _begin_ to turn colour. potato ribbon.--potato ribbon is simply ordinary fried potatoes, in which the raw potato is cut in the shape of a ribbon. you take a potato and peel it in the ordinary way. you then take this and, with not too sharp a knife, peel it like apple, making the strip as long as you can, like children sometimes do when they throw the apple peel over their shoulders to see what letter it will make. you can go on peeling the potato round and round till there is none left. these ribbons are thrown into boiling oil, and must be removed as soon as they begin to turn colour. when piled up in a dish they look very pretty, and with a little pepper and salt, and a squeeze of lemon-juice, make an excellent meal when eaten with bread. potato saute.--this dish is more frequently met with abroad than in england, except in foreign restaurants. it is made by taking the remains of ordinary plain-boiled potatoes that are not floury. these are cut up into small pieces about the size of the thumb, no particular shape being necessary. they are thrown into a frying-pan with a little butter, and fried gently till the edges begin to brown; they are served with chopped parsley and pepper and salt. the butter should be poured over the potatoes, and supplies the fatty element which potato lacks. potatoes a la maitre d'hotel.--these are very similar to potato saute, the difference being that they are not browned at the edges. small kidney potatoes are best for the purpose. these must be boiled till tender, and the potatoes then cut into slices. these must be warmed up with a spoonful or two of white sauce (_see_ white sauce), to which is added some chopped parsley and a little lemon-juice. a more common way is to boil the potatoes, slice them up while hot, and then toss them about in a vegetable-dish lightly with a lump of what is called maitre d'hotel butter. this is simply a lump of plain cold butter, mixed with chopped parsley, till it looks like a lump of cold parsley and butter. when tossed about squeeze a little lemon-juice over the whole and serve. potatoes, new.--new potatoes should be washed and the skin, if necessary, rubbed off with the fingers; they should be thrown into boiling water, slightly salted, and as a rule require from fifteen to five-and-twenty minutes to boil before they are done. during the last few minutes throw in one or two sprigs of fresh mint, drain them off and let there dry, and then place them in a vegetable-dish with the mint and a little piece of butter, in which the potatoes should be boiled to give them a shiny appearance outside. new potatoes can also be served with a little white sauce to which has been added a little chopped parsley. potato balls.--mash some boiled potatoes with a little butter, pepper, salt, chopped parsley, chopped onion, or still better, shallot, and add a few savoury herbs. mix up one or two or more well-beaten eggs, according to the quantity of potato, roll the mixture into balls, flour them, and fry them a nice brown colour, and serve. potato croquettes or cutlets.--these are very similar to potato balls, only they should be smaller and more delicately flavoured. the potatoes are boiled and mashed, and, if the croquettes are wished to be very good, one or two hard-boiled yolks of eggs should be mixed with them. the mixture is slightly flavoured with shallot, savoury herbs or thyme, chopped parsley, and a little nutmeg. one or two fresh well-beaten-up eggs are now added, the mixture then rolled into small balls no bigger than a walnut. these are then dipped in well-beaten-up egg, and then bread-crumbed. the balls are fried a nice golden-brown colour and served. potato cutlets are exactly the same, only instead of shaping the mixture into a little ball, the ball is flattened into the shape of a small oval cutlet. these are then egged, bread-crumbed, and fried, but before being sent to table a small piece of green parsley stalk is stuck in one end to represent the bone of the cutlet. these little cutlets, placed on an ornamental sheet of white paper, at the bottom of the silver dish, look very pretty. a small heap of fried parsley should be placed in the centre of the dish. potato pie.--(_see_ savoury dishes, p. .) potato cheesecake.--(_see_ cheesecakes, p. .) potato salads.--(_see_ salads, p. .) potato, border of.--a very pretty dish can be made by making a border of mashed potatoes, hollow in the centre, in which can be placed various kinds of other vegetables, such as haricot beans, stewed peas, &c. the mashed potato should be mixed with one or two well-beaten-up eggs, and the outside of the border can be moulded by hand, to make it look smooth and neat; a piece of flexible tin, flat, will be found very useful, or even a piece of cardboard. if you wish to make the border ornamental, you can proceed exactly as directed under the heading rice borders, and if it is wished to make the dish particularly handsome, it can be painted outside, before being placed in the oven, with a yolk of egg beaten up with a tiny drop of hot water. when this is done, the potato border has an appearance similar in colour to the rich pastry generally seen outside a pie, or _vol au vent_. the inside of the potato border after it has been scooped out can be filled with plain boiled macaroni mixed with parmesan cheese, and ornamented with a little chopped parsley on the top and a few small baked red ripe tomatoes. again, it can be filled with white haricot beans piled up in the shape of a dome, with some chopped parsley sprinkled over the top. there are, perhaps, few dishes in vegetarian cookery that can be made to look more elegant. potato biscuits (_m. ude's recipe_).--take fifteen fresh eggs, break the yolks into one pan and the whites into another. beat the yolks with a pound of sugar pounded very fine, scrape the peel of a lemon with a lump of sugar, dry that and pound it fine also; then throw into it the yolks, and work the eggs and sugar till they are of a whitish colour. next whip the whites well and mix them with the yolks. now sift half a pound of flour of potatoes through a silk sieve over the eggs and sugar. have some paper cases ready, which lay on a plafond with some paper underneath. fill the cases, but not too full; glaze the contents with some rather coarse sugar, and bake the whole in an oven moderately heated. potato bread.--in making bread, a portion of mashed potato is sometimes added to the flour, and this addition improves the bread very much for some tastes; it also keeps it from getting dry quite so soon. at the same time it is not so nutritious as ordinary home-made bread. boil the required quantity of potatoes in their skins, drain and dry them, then peel and weigh them. pound them with the rolling-pin until they are quite free from lumps, and mix with them the flour in the proportion of seven pounds of flour to two and a half pounds of potatoes. add the yeast and knead in the ordinary way, but make up the bread with milk instead of water. when the dough is well risen, bake the bread in a gentle oven. bake it a little longer than for ordinary bread, and, when it seems done enough, let it stand a little while, with the oven-door open, before taking it out. unless these precautions are taken, the crust will be hard and brittle, while the inside is still moist and doughy. this recipe is from "cassell's dictionary of cookery." potato cake.--take a dozen good-sized potatoes and hake them in the oven till done, then peel and put them into a saucepan with a little salt and grated lemon-peel; set them upon the stove and put in a piece of fresh butter and stir the whole; add a little cream and sugar, still continuing to stir them; then let them cool a little and add some orange-flower water, eight yolks of eggs and four only of whites, whisked into froth; heat up the whole together and mix it with the potato puree. butter a mould and sprinkle it with bread-crumbs; pour in the paste, place the pan upon hot cinders, with fire upon the lid, and let it remain for three-quarters of an hour, or it may be baked in an oven. potato cheese.--potato cheeses are very highly esteemed in germany; they can be made of various qualities, but care must be taken that they are not too rich and have not too much heat, or they will burst. boil the potatoes till they are soft, but the skin must not be broken. the potatoes must be large and of the best quality. when boiled, carefully peel them and beat them to a smooth paste in a mortar with a wooden pestle. to make the commonest cheese, put five pounds of potato paste into a cheese-tub with one pound of milk and rennet; add a sufficient quantity of salt, together with caraways and cumin seed sufficient to impart a good flavour. knead all these ingredients well together, cover up and allow them to stand three or four days in winter, two to three in summer. at the end of that time knead them again, put the paste into wicker moulds, and leave the cheeses to drain until they are quite dry. when dry and firm, lay them on a board and leave them to acquire hardness gradually in a place of very moderate warmth; should the heat be too great, as we have said, they will burst. when, in spite of all precautions, such accidents occur, the crevices of the burst cheeses are, in germany, filled with curds and cream mixed, some being also put over the whole surface of the cheese, which is then dried again. as soon as the cheeses are thoroughly dry and hard, place them in barrels with green chickweed between each cheese; let them stand for about three weeks, when they will be fit for use. potatoes a la barigoule.--peel some potatoes and boil them in a little water with some oil, pepper, salt, onions, and savoury herbs. boil them slowly, so that they can absorb the liquor; when they are done, brown them in a stew-pan in a little oil, and serve them to be eaten with oil and vinegar, pepper and salt. potatoes, broiled.--potatoes are served this way sometimes in italy. they are first boiled in their skins, but not too long. they are then taken out and peeled, cut into thin slices, placed on a gridiron, and grilled till they are crisp. a little oil is poured over them when they are served. potatoes a la lyonnaise.--first boil and then peel and slice some potatoes. make some rather thin puree of onion. (_see_ sauce soubise.) pour this over the potatoes and serve. another way is to first brown the slices of potatoes and then serve them with the onion sauce, with the addition of a little vinegar or lemon-juice. potatoes a la provencale.--put a small piece of butter into a stew-pan, or three tablespoonfuls of oil, three beads of garlic, the peel of a quarter of a lemon, and some parsley, all chopped up very fine; add a little grated nutmeg, pepper and salt. peel some small potatoes and let them stew till they are tender in this mixture. large potatoes can be used for the purpose, only they must be cut tip into pieces. add the juice of a lemon before serving. haricot beans.--it is very much to be regretted that haricot beans are not more used in this country. there are hundreds of thousands of families who at the end of a year would be richer in purse and more healthy in body if they would consent to deviate from the beaten track and try haricot beaus, not as an accompaniment to a dish of meat, but as an article of diet in themselves. the immense benefit derived in innumerable cases from a diet of beans is one of the strongest and most practical arguments in favour of vegetarianism. meat-eaters often boast of the plainness of their food, and yet wonder that they suffer in health. it is not an uncommon thing for a man to consult his doctor and to tell him, "i live very simply, nothing but plain roast or boiled." medical men are all agreed on one point, and that is that haricot beans rank almost first among vegetables as a nourishing article of diet. in writing on this subject, sir henry thompson observes, "let me recall, at the close of these few hints about the haricot, the fact that there is no product of the vegetable kingdom so nutritious, holding its own, in this respect, as it well can, even against the beef and mutton of the animal kingdom." this is a very strong statement, coming as it does from so high an authority, and vegetarians would do well to hear it in mind when discussing the subject of vegetarianism with those who differ from them. sir henry proceeds as follows:--"the haricot ranks just above lentils, which have been so much praised of late, and rightly, the haricot being to most palates more agreeable. by most stomachs, too, haricots are more easily digested than meat is; and, consuming weight for weight, the eater feels lighter and less oppressed, as a rule, after the leguminous dish, while the comparative cost is very greatly in favour of the latter." to boil haricot beans proceed as follows. we refer, of course, to the dried white haricot beans, the best of which are those known as soissons. the beans should be soaked in cold water overnight, and in the morning any that may be found floating on the top of the water should be thrown away. suppose the quantity be a quart; place these in a saucepan with two quarts of cold water, slightly salted. as soon as time water conies to the boil, move it so that the beans will only simmer gently; they must then continue simmering till they are tender. this generally takes about three hours, and if the water is hard, it is advisable to put in a tiny piece of soda. this is the simple way of cooking beans usually recommended in cookery-books when they are served up with a dish of meat, such as a leg of mutton a la bretonne, where the beans are served in some rich brown gravy containing fat. in vegetarian cookery, of course, we must proceed entirely differently, and there are various ways in which this nourishing dish can be served, as savoury and as appetising, and indeed more so, than if we had assistance from the slaughter-house. we will now proceed to give a few instances. in the first place, it will greatly assist the flavour of the beans if we boil with them one or two onions and a dessertspoonful of savoury herbs. supposing, however, we have them boiled plain. take a large dry crust of bread and rub the outside well over with one or two beads of garlic. place this crust of bread with the beans after they have been strained off, and toss them lightly about with the crust without breaking the beans. remove the crust and moisten the beans while hot with a lump of butter, add a brimming dessertspoonful of chopped blanched parsley; squeeze the juice of a lemon over the whole, and serve. instead of butter we can add, as they always do in italy, two or three tablespoonfuls of pure olive oil. those who have conquered the unreasonable english prejudice against the use of oil will probably find this superior to butter. if the beans are served in the form of a puree, it is always best to boil a few onions with them and rub the onions through the wire sieve with the beans, taking care that the quantity of onion is not so large that it destroys and overpowers the delicate and delicious flavour of the beans themselves. next, we would call attention to the importance of not throwing away the water in which the beans were boiled. this water contains far more nourishment than people are aware of, and throughout the length and breadth of france, where economy is far more understood than in this country, it is invariably saved to assist in making some kind of soup, and as our soup will, of course, be vegetarian, the advantage gained is simply incalculable. flageolets.--these are haricot beans in the fresh green state, and are rarely met with in this country, though they form a standing dish abroad. they are exceedingly nice, and can be cooked in a little butter like the french cook green peas. they are often flavoured with garlic, and chopped parsley can be added to them. those who are fond of this vegetable in the fresh state can obtain them in tins from any high-class grocer, as the leading firms in this country keep them in this form for export. peas, dried.--dried peas, like dried beans, contain a very great amount of nourishment. indeed, in this respect, practically, dried beans, dried peas, and lentils may be considered equal. dried peas are met with in two forms--the split yellow pea and those that are dried whole, green. split peas are chiefly used in this country to make pea soup, or puree of peas and peas pudding. we have already given recipes for the two former, and will now describe how to make-- peas pudding.--soak a quart of peas in water overnight, throwing away those in the morning that are found floating at the top. drain them off and tie them up in a pudding-cloth, taking care to leave plenty of room for the peas to swell; put them into cold water, and boil them till they are tender. this will take from two to three hours. when tender, take them out, untie the cloth, and rub them through a colander, or, better still, a wire sieve. now mix in a couple of ounces of butter with some pepper and salt, flour the cloth well and tie it up again and boil it for another hour, when it can be turned out and served. peas pudding when eaten alone is improved by mixing in, at the same time as the butter, a dessertspoonful of dried powdered mint, also, should you have the remains of any cold potatoes in the house, it is a very good way of using them up. a few savoury herbs can be used instead of mint. peas "brose."--dr. andrew, in writing to the "cyclopaedia of domestic medicine," says, "in the west of scotland, especially in glasgow, 'peas brose,' as it is called, is made of the fine flour of the white pea, by forming it into a mass merely by the addition of boiling water and a little salt. it is a favourite dish with not only the working classes, but it is even esteemed by many of the gentry. it was introduced into fashion chiefly by the recommendation of dr. cleghorn, late professor of chemistry in glasgow university. the peas brose is eaten with milk or butter, and is a sweet, nourishing article of diet peculiarly fitted for persons of a costive habit and for children." peas, dried whole, green.--this is perhaps the best form with which we meet peas dried. when the best quality is selected, and care taken in their preparation, they are quite equal to fresh green peas when they are old. indeed, many persons prefer them. soak the peas overnight, throwing away those that float at the top; put them into cold water, and when they boil let the peas simmer gently till they are tender. the time varies very much with the quality and the size of the peas, old ones requiring nearly three hours, others considerably less. when the peas are tender, throw in some sprigs, if possible, of fresh mint, and after a minute strain them off; add pepper, salt, and about two ounces of butter to a quart of peas--though this is not absolutely necessary--and nearly a dessertspoonful of white powdered sugar. if you wish to have the peas as bright a green as freshly gathered ones, after you strain them off you can mix them in a basin, before you add the butter, with a little piece of green vegetable colouring (sold in bottles by all grocers). the peas should then be put back in the saucepan for a few minutes to be made hot through, and then finished as directed before. peas, dried, green, with cream.--boil the peas as before directed till they are quite tender, then strain them off and put them in a stew-pan with one ounce of butter to every quart of peas and toss them lightly about with a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg. add to each quart of peas a quarter of a pint of cream and a dessertspoonful of powdered sugar; surround the dish with fried or toasted bread. lentils.--lentils are, comparatively speaking, a novel form of food in this country, though they have been used abroad for many years, and a recipe for cooking them will be found in a well-known work, published in paris in , entitled "_la cuisiniere de la campagne et de la ville; ou, nouvelle cuisine economique_," one of the most popular french cookery-books ever published, and which in that year had reached a circulation of , copies. recipes for boiled lentils and lentil soup are given in "cassell's dictionary of cookery," published in ; but it is stated in the introductory remarks that lentils are little used in england except as food for pigeons, and adds, "they are seldom offered for sale." since that date lentils have become an exceedingly popular form of food in many households, and vegetarians generally regard them as one of the most nourishing forms of food served at the table. there are two kinds of lentils, the german and egyptian. the egyptian are red and much smaller than the german, which are green. the former kind are generally used on the continent, in italy and the south of france, while, as the name implies, the green lentils are more commonly used in eastern europe. either kind, however, can be used for making soup and puree, recipes of which have already been given, as well as for the recipes in the present chapter. lentils, boiled.--the lentils should be placed in soak overnight, and those that float should be thrown away. suppose we have half a pint of lentils, they should be boiled in about a pint and a half of water. boil them till they are tender, which will take about half an hour, then drain them off and put them back in the saucepan for a few minutes with a little piece of butter, squeeze over them the juice of half a lemon, and serve hot. some people make a little thickened sauce with yolks of eggs and a little butter and flour mixed with the water in which they are boiled. lentils, curried.--lentils are very nice curried. boil the lentils as directed above till they are tender. when they are placed in a vegetable-dish make deep well in the centre and pour some thick curry sauce into it. (_see_ curry sauce.) lentils a la provencale.--soak the lentils overnight and put them into a stew-pan with five or six spoonfuls of oil, a little butter, some slices of onion, some chopped parsley, and a teaspoonful of mixed savoury herbs. stew them in this till the lentils are tender, and then thicken the sauce with yolks of eggs, add a squeeze of lemon-juice, and serve. n.b.--haricot beans can be cooked in a similar manner. chapter viii. vegetables, fresh. artichokes, french, plain boiled.--put the artichokes to soak in some well salted water, upside down, as otherwise it is impossible to get rid of the insects that are sometimes hidden in the leaves. trim off the ends of the leaves and the stalk, and all the hard leaves round the bottom should be pulled off. put the artichokes into a saucepan of boiling water sufficiently deep to nearly cover them. the tips of the leaves are best left out; add a little salt, pepper, and a spoonful of savoury herbs to the water in which they are boiled. french cooks generally add a piece of butter. boil them till they are tender. the time depends upon the size, but you can always tell when they are done by pulling out a single leaf. if it comes out easily the artichokes are done. drain them off, and remember in draining them to turn them upside down. some kind of sauce is generally served with artichokes separately in a boat, such as butter sauce, sauce allemande, or dutch sauce. artichokes, broiled.--parboil the artichokes and take out the part known as the choke. in the hollow place a little chopped parsley and light-coloured bread-raspings soaked in olive oil. place the bottoms of the artichokes on a gridiron with narrow bars over a clear fire, and serve them as soon a they are thoroughly hot through. artichokes, fried.--the bottoms of artichokes after being boiled can be dipped in batter and fried. artichokes a la provencale.--parboil the artichokes and remove the choke, and put them in the oven in a tin with a little oil, pepper and salt, and three or four heads of garlic, whole. let them bake till they are tender, turning them over in the oil occasionally; then take out the garlic and serve them with the oil poured over them, and add the juice of a lemon. artichokes, jerusalem, boiled, plain.--the artichokes must be first washed and peeled, and should be treated like potatoes in this respect. they should be thrown into cold water immediately, and it is best to add a little vinegar to the water. if the artichokes are young, throw them into boiling water, and they will become tender in about a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. it is very important not to over-boil them, as they turn a bad colour. if any doubt exists as to the age of the artichokes, they had better be tested with a fork. immediately they are tender they should be drained and served. old artichokes must be treated like old potatoes, _i.e._, put originally into cold water, and when they come to the boiling point allowed to simmer till tender; but these are best mashed. when the artichokes have been drained, they can, of course, be served quite plain, but they are best sent to table with some kind of sauce poured over them, such as allemande sauce, dutch sauce, white sauce, or plain butter sauce. they are greatly improved in appearance, after a spoonful of sauce has been poured over each artichoke, if a little blanched chopped parsley is sprinkled over them, and a few red specks made by colouring a pinch of bread-crumbs by shaking them with a few drops of cochineal. another very nice way of sending artichokes to table is to place all the artichokes together in a vegetable-dish, and, after pouring a little white sauce over each artichoke, to place a fresh-boiled bright green brussels sprout between each. the white and green contrast very prettily. jerusalem artichokes, fried.--peel and slice the artichokes very thin; throw these slices into smoking hot oil in which a frying-basket has been placed. as soon as the artichokes are of bright golden-brown colour, lift out the frying-basket, shake it while you pepper and salt the artichokes, and serve very hot. they can be eaten with thin brown bread-and-butter and lemon-juice, and form a sort of vegetarian whitebait. artichokes, mashed.--these are best made from old artichokes. they must be rubbed through a wire sieve, and the strings left behind. it is best to mash them up with a little butter, and a spoonful or two of cream is a very great improvement. asparagus, boiled.--cut the asparagus all the same length by bringing the green points together, and then trimming the stalks level with a sharp knife. throw the asparagus into boiling salted water. time, from fifteen to twenty-five minutes, according to thickness. serve on dry toast, and send butter sauce to table separate in a tureen. beans, broad, plain boiled.--broad beans, if eaten whole, should be quite young. they should be thrown into boiling water, salted. they require about twenty minutes to boil before they are tender. serve with parsley and butter sauce. broad beans, mashed.--when broad beans get old, the only way to serve them is to have them mashed. boil them, and remove the skins, then mash them up with a little butter, pepper, and salt, and rub them through a wire sieve, make them hot, and serve. you can if you like boil a few green onions and a pinch of savoury herbs with the beans, and rub these through the wire sieve as well. this dish is very cheap and very nourishing. very young beans, like very young peas, are more nice than economical. beans a la poulette.--boil some young beans till they are tender, and put them into a saucepan with a little butter, sugar, pepper, and salt, and sufficient flour to prevent the butter cooking oily; stew them in this a short time, _i.e._, till they appear to begin to boil, as the water from the beans will mix with the butter and flour and look like thin butter sauce thicken this with one or two yolks of eggs, and serve. beans a la bourgeoise.--place the beans in a saucepan, with a piece of butter, a small quantity of shallot chopped fine, and a teaspoonful of savoury herbs; toss them about in this a little time, and then add a little water, sufficient to moisten them so that they can stew; add a little sugar, and when tender thicken the water with some beaten-up egg. beans, french, plain boiled.--french beans are only good when fresh gathered, and the younger they are the better. when small they can be boiled whole, in which case they only require the tips cut off and the string that runs down the side removed. when they are more fully grown they will require, in addition to being trimmed in this manner, to be cut into thin strips, and when very old it will be found best to cut them slanting. they must be thrown into boiling salted water, and boiled till they are tender. the time for boiling varies with the age; very young ones will not take more than a quarter of an hour, and if old ones are not tender in half an hour they had better be made into a puree. as soon as the beans are tender, drain them off, and serve them very hot; the chief point to bear in mind, if we wish to have our beans nice, is, they must be eaten directly they are drained from the water in which they are boiled. they are spoilt by what is called being kept hot, and possess a marvellous facility of getting cold in a very short space of time. in vegetarian cookery, when beans are eaten without being an accompaniment to meat, some form of fat is desirable. when the beans are drained we can add either butter or oil. when a lump of _maitre d'hotel_ butter is added they form what the french call _haricots vert a la maitre d'hotel_. in this case, a slight suspicion of garlic may be added by rubbing the stew-pan in which the french beans are tossed together with the _maitre d'hotel butter_. when oil is added, a little chopped parsley will be found an improvement, as well as pepper, salt, and a suspicion of nutmeg. french beans are very nice flavoured with oil and garlic, and served in a border of macaroni. french bean pudding.--when french beans are very old they are sometimes made into a pudding as follows:--they must be trimmed, cut up, boiled, with or without the addition of a few savoury herbs. they must be then mashed in a basin, tied up in a well-buttered and then floured cloth, and boiled for some time longer. the pudding can then be turned out. a still better way of making a french bean pudding is to rub the beans through the wire sieve, leaving the strings behind, flavouring the pudding with a few savoury herbs, a little sugar, pepper, and salt, and, if liked, a suspicion of garlic; add one or two well-beaten-up eggs, and put the mixture in a round pudding-basin, and bake it till it sets. this can be turned out on the centre of a dish, and a few young french beans placed round the base to ornament it, in conjunction with some pieces of fried bread cut into pretty shapes. brocoli.--trim the outer leaves off a brocoli, and cut off the stalk even, so that it will stand upright. soak the brocoli in salt and water for some time, in order to get rid of any insects. throw the brocoli into boiling water that has been salted, and boil till it is tender, the probable time for young brocoli being about a quarter of an hour. it should be served on a dish with the flower part uppermost; and butter sauce, sauce allemande, or dutch sauce can be served separately, or poured over the surface. when several heads of brocoli are served at once, it is important to cut the stalks flat, as directed, before boiling. after they have been thoroughly drained _upside down_, they should be placed on the dish, flower part uppermost, and placed together as much as possible to look like one large brocoli. if sauce is poured over them, the sauce should be sufficiently thick to be spread, and every part of the flower should be covered. half a teaspoonful of chopped blanched parsley may be sprinkled over the top, and improves the appearance of the dish. n.b.--we would particularly call attention to the importance of draining brocoli and cauliflower very thoroughly, especially when any sauce is served with the brocoli. when the dish is cut into, nothing looks more disagreeable than to see the white sauce running off the brocoli into green water at the bottom of the dish. brocoli greens.--the outside leaves of brocoli should not be thrown away, but eaten. too often they are trimmed off at the greengrocer's or at the market, and, we presume, utilised for the purpose of feeding cattle. they can be boiled exactly like white cabbages, and are equal to them, if not superior, in flavour. to boil them, _see_ cabbage, white, large. brussels sprouts.--these must be first washed in cold water and all the little pieces of decayed leaves trimmed away. throw them into boiling salted water; the water must be kept boiling the whole time, without a lid on the saucepan, and if the quantity of water be sufficiently large not to be taken off the boil by the sprouts being thrown in they will be sent to table of a far brighter green colour than otherwise. in order to ensure this, throw in the sprouts a few at a time, picking out the big ones to throw in first. sprouts, as soon as they are tender--probable time a quarter of an hour--should be drained and served _quickly_. when served as a dish by themselves, after being drained off, they can be placed in a stew-pan with a little butter, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and lemon-juice. they can then be served with toasted or fried bread. cabbage, plain boiled.--ordinary young cabbages should be first trimmed by having the outside leaves removed, the stalks cut off, and then should be cut in halves and allowed to soak some time in salt and water. they should be thrown into plenty of boiling water; the water should be kept boiling and uncovered. as soon as they are tender they should be strained off and served immediately. young summer cabbages will not take longer than a quarter of an hour, or even less; old cabbages take nearly double that time. it is impossible to lay down any exact rule with regard to time. savoys generally take about half an hour. the large white cabbages met with in the west of england take longer and require a different treatment. when cabbage is served as a dish by itself it will be found a great improvement to add either butter or oil to moisten the cabbage after it is thoroughly drained off. in order to ensure the butter not oiling, but adhering to the cabbage, it is best after the butter is added, and while you mix it with the cabbage, to shake the flour-dredger two or three times over the vegetable. in germany, many add vinegar and sugar to the cabbage. cabbage, large white.--in the west of england cabbages grow to an immense size, owing, probably, to the moist heat, and have been exhibited in agricultural shows over twenty pounds in weight and as big as an eighteen gallon cask. these cabbages are best boiled as follows:--after being cut up and thoroughly washed, it will be found that the greater part of the cabbage resembles what in ordinary cabbage would be called stalk, and, of course, the leaves vary very considerably in thickness from the hard stalk end up to the leaf. have plenty of boiling water ready salted, now cut off the stalk part where it is thickest and throw this in first. wait till the water comes to the boil again and let it boil for a few minutes. then throw in the next thickest part and again wait till the water re-boils, and so on, reserving the thin leafy part to be thrown in last of all. by this means, and this only, do we get the cabbage boiled uniformly. had we thrown in all at once one of two things would be inevitable--either the stalk would be too hard to be eaten or the leafy part over-boiled. a large white cabbage takes about an hour to boil tender, and a piece of soda should be added to the water. when the cabbage is well drained, it can be served either plain or moistened, and made to look oily by the addition of a piece of butter. as the cabbage is very white, the dish is very much improved by the addition of a little chopped parsley sprinkled over the top, not for the sake of flavour but appearance. cabbage and cream.--ordinary cabbages are sometimes served stewed with a little cream. they should be first parboiled, then the moisture squeezed from them, and then they must be put in a stew-pan with a little butter, pepper, salt and nutmeg, and a spoonful of flour should be shaken over the cabbage in order to prevent the butter being too oily. when the cabbage is stewed till it is perfectly tender, add a few spoonfuls of cream, stir up, and make the whole thoroughly hot, and serve with fried or toasted bread. cabbage, red.--red cabbages are chiefly used for pickling. they are sometimes served fresh. they should be cut across so that the cabbage shreds, boiled till they are tender, the moisture thoroughly extracted, and then put into a stew-pan with a little butter, pepper, and salt, and a few shakes of flour from the flour-dredger. after stirring for ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, squeeze the juice of a lemon over them and serve. carrots, boiled.--when carrots are boiled and served as a course by themselves, they ought to be young. this dish is constantly met with abroad in early summer, but is rarely seen in england, except at the tables of vegetarians. the carrots should be trimmed, thoroughly washed, and, if necessary, slightly scraped, and the point at the end, which looks like a piece of string, should be cut off. they should be thrown into fast boiling water (salted) in order to preserve their colour. when tender they can be served with some kind of good white sauce, or sauce allemande or dutch sauce. perhaps this latter sauce is best of all, as it looks like rich custard. part of the red carrot should show uncovered by any sauce. they are best placed in a circle and the thick sauce poured in the centre; a very little chopped blanched parsley can be sprinkled on the top of the sauce. in making dutch sauce for carrots use lemon-juice instead of tarragon vinegar. carrots, fried.--fried carrots can be made from full-grown carrots. they must be first parboiled and then cut in slices; they must then be dipped in well-beaten-up egg, and then covered with fine dry bread-crumbs and fried a nice brown in smoking hot oil in a frying-basket. the slices of carrot should be peppered and salted before being dipped in the egg. carrots, mashed.--when carrots are very old they are best mashed. boil them for some time, then cut them up and rub them through a wire sieve. they can be pressed in a basin and made hot by being steamed. a little butter, pepper and salt should be added to the mixture. a very pretty dish can be made by means of mixing mashed carrots with mashed turnips. they can be shaped in a basin, and with a little ingenuity can be put into red and white stripes. the effect is something like the top of a striped tent. cauliflower, plain boiled.--cauliflowers can be treated in exactly the same manner as brocoli, and there are very few who can tell the difference. (_see_ brocoli.) cauliflower au gratin.--this is a very nice method of serving cauliflower as a course by itself. the cauliflower or cauliflowers should first be boiled till thoroughly tender, very carefully drained, and then placed upright in a vegetable-dish with the flower part uppermost. the whole of the flower part should then be _masked_ (_i.e._, covered over) with some thick white sauce. allemande sauce or dutch sauce will do. this is then sprinkled over with grated parmesan cheese and the dish put in the oven for the top to brown. as soon as it _begins_ to brown take it out of the oven and finish it off neatly with a salamander (a red-hot shovel will do), the same way you finish cheese-cakes made from curds. cauliflower and tomato sauce.--boil and place the cauliflower or flowers upright in a dish as in the above recipe. now mask all the flower part very neatly, commencing round the edges first, with some tomato conserve previously made warm, and serve immediately. this is a very pretty-looking dish. celery, stewed.--the secret of having good stewed celery is only to cook the white part. throw the celery into boiling water, with only sufficient water just to cover it. when the celery is tender use some of the water in which it is stewed to make a sauce to serve with it, or better still, stew the celery in milk. the sauce looks best when it is thickened with the yolks of eggs. a very nice sauce indeed can be made by first thickening the milk or water in which the celery is stewed with a little white roux, and then adding a quarter of a pint of cream boiled separately. stewed celery should be served on toast, like asparagus; a little chopped blanched parsley can be sprinkled over the white sauce by way of ornament, and fried bread should be placed round the edge of the dish. stewed celery can also be served with sauce allemande or dutch sauce. endive.--endive is generally used as a salad, but is very nice served as a vegetable, stewed. white-heart endives should be chosen, and several heads will be required for a dish, as they shrink very much in cooking. wash and clean the endives very carefully in salt and water first, as they often contain insects. boil them in slightly salted water till they are tender, then drain them off, and thoroughly extract the moisture; put them in a stew-pan with a little butter, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, let them stew for some little time; add the juice of a lemon, and serve. it will make the dish much prettier if you reserve one head of endive boiled whole. place the stewed endive on a dish, and sprinkle some chopped blanched parsley over it, then place the single head of endive upright in the centre, and place some fried bread round the edge. leeks, stewed.--leeks must be trimmed down to where the green part meets the white on the one side, and the root, where the strings are, cut off on the other. they should be thrown into boiling water, boiled till they are tender, and then thoroughly drained. the water in which leeks have been boiled is somewhat rank and bitter, and, as the leeks are like tubes, in order to drain them perfectly you must turn them upside down. they can be served on toast, and covered with some kind of white sauce, either ordinary white sauce, sauce allemande, or dutch sauce. leeks, welsh porridge.--the leeks are stewed and cut in slices, and served in some of the liquor in which they are boiled, with toast cut in strips, something like onion porridge. boil the leeks for five minutes, drain them off, and throw away the first water, and then stew them gently in some fresh water. in years back, in wales, french plums were stewed with and added to the porridge. lettuces, stewed.--as lettuces shrink very much when boiled, allowance must be made, and several heads used. this is also a very good way of utilising the large old-fashioned english lettuce resembling in shape a gingham umbrella. they should be first boiled till tender. the time depends entirely upon the size. drain them off, and thoroughly extract the moisture; put them into a stew-pan, with a little butter, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. let them stew some little time, and add a little vinegar, or, still better, lemon-juice. lettuces stewed with peas.--a border of stewed lettuces can be made as above, and the centre filled up with some fresh-boiled young green peas. onions, plain boiled.--when onions are served as a dish by themselves, spanish onions are far best for the purpose. ordinary onions, as a rule, are too strong to be eaten, except as an accompaniment to some other kind of food. when onions are plain boiled, they are best served on dry toast without any sauce at all. butter can be added when eaten on the plate if liked. large spanish onions will require about three hours to boil tender. onions, baked.--spanish onions can be baked in the oven. they are best placed in saucers, with a very little butter to prevent them sticking, with which they can also be basted occasionally. probable time about three hours. they should be of a nice brown colour at the finish. onions, stewed.--place a large spanish onion in a saucer at the bottom of the saucepan, and put sufficient water in the saucepan to reach the edge of the saucer; keep the lid of the saucepan on tight, and let it steam till tender. a large onion would take about three hours. the water from the onion will prevent the necessity of adding fresh water from time to time. parsnips.--like young carrots, young parsnips are often met with abroad as a course by themselves. they should be trimmed and boiled whole, and served with white sauce, allemande sauce, or dutch sauce; a little chopped blanched parsley should be sprinkled over the sauce, and fried bread served round the edge of the dish. parsnips, fried.--boil some full-grown parsnips till they are tender, cut them into slices, pepper and salt them, dip them into beaten-up egg, and cover them with bread-crumbs, and fry these slices in some smoking hot oil till they are a nice brown colour. parsnips, mashed.--when parsnips are very old they are best mashed. boil them for an hour or more, then cut them up and rub them through a wire sieve. the stringy part will have to be left behind. mix the pulp with a little butter, pepper, and salt; make this hot, and serve. a little cream is a great improvement. parsnip cake.--boil two or three parsnips until they are tender enough to mash, then press them through a colander with the back of a wooden spoon, and carefully remove any fibrous, stringy pieces there may be. mix a teacupful of the mashed parsnip with a quart of hot milk, add a teaspoonful of salt, four ounces of fresh butter, half a pint of yeast, and enough flour to make a stiff batter. put the bowl which contains the mixture in a warm place, cover it with a cloth, and leave it to rise. when it has risen to twice its original size, knead some more flour into it, and let it rise again; make it into small round cakes a quarter of an inch thick, and place these on buttered tins. let them stand before the fire a few minutes, and bake them in a hot oven. they do not taste of the parsnip. time, some hours to rise; about twenty minutes to bake. peas, green.--by far the best and nicest way of cooking green peas when served as a course by themselves is to stew them gently in a little butter without any water at all, like they do in france. the peas are first shelled, and then placed in a stew-pan with a little butter, sufficient to moisten them. as soon as they are tender, which will vary with the size and age of the peas, they can be served just as they are. the flavour of peas cooked this way is so delicious that they are nicest eaten with plain bread. when old peas are cooked this way it is customary to add a little white powdered sugar. peas, green, plain boiled.--shell the peas, and throw them into boiling water slightly salted. keep the lid off the saucepan and throw in a few sprigs of fresh green mint five minutes before you drain them off. young peas will take about ten to twenty minutes, and full-grown peas rather longer. serve the peas directly they are drained, as they are spoilt by being kept hot. peas, stewed.--when peas late in the season get old and tough, they can be stewed. boil them for rather more than half an hour, throwing them first of all into boiling water; drain them off, and put them into a stew-pan with a little butter, pepper, and salt. young onions and lettuces cut up can be stewed with them, but young green peas are far too nice ever to be spoilt by being cooked in this way. scotch kale.--scotch kale, or curly greens, as it is sometimes called in some parts of the country, is cooked like ordinary greens. it should be washed very carefully, and thrown into fast-boiling salted water. the saucepan should remain uncovered, as we wish to preserve the dark green colour. young scotch kale will take about twenty minutes to boil before it is tender. when boiled, if served as a course by itself, it should be strained off very thoroughly and warmed in a stew-pan with a little butter, pepper, and salt. sea kale.--sea kale possesses a very delicate flavour, and in cooking it the endeavour should be to preserve this flavour. throw the sea kale when washed into boiling water; in about twenty minutes, if it is young, it will be tender. serve it on plain dry toast, and keep all the heads one way. butter sauce, white sauce, dutch sauce, or sauce allemande can be served with sea kale, but should be sent to table separate in a boat, as the majority of good judges prefer the sea kale quite plain. spinach.--the chief difficulty to contend with in cooking spinach is the preliminary cleansing. the best method of washing spinach is to take two buckets of water. wash it in one; the spinach will float on the top whilst the dirt settles at the bottom. lift the spinach from one pail, after you have allowed it to settle for a few minutes, into the other pail. one or two rinsings will be sufficient. spinach should be picked if the stalks are large, and thrown into boiling water slightly salted. boil the spinach till it is tender, which will take about a quarter of an hour, then drain it off and cut it very small in a basin with a knife and fork, place it back in a saucepan with a little piece of butter to make it thoroughly hot, put it in a vegetable dish and serve. hard-boiled eggs cut in halves, or poached eggs, are usually served with spinach. a little cream, nutmeg, and lemon-juice can be added. many cooks rub the spinach through a wire sieve. vegetable marrow.--vegetable marrows must be first peeled, cut open, the pips removed, and then thrown into boiling water; small ones should be cut into quarters and large ones into pieces about as big as the palm of the hand. they take from fifteen to twenty minutes to boil before they are tender. they should be served directly they are cooked and placed on dry toast. butter sauce or white sauce can be served with them, but is best sent to table separate in a boat, as many persons prefer them plain. vegetable marrows, stuffed.--young vegetable marrows are very nice stuffed. they should be first peeled very slightly and then cut, long-ways, into three zigzag slices; the pips should be removed and the interior filled with either mushroom forcemeat (_see_ mushroom forcemeat) or sage-and-onion stuffing made with rather an extra quantity of bread-crumbs. the vegetable marrow should be tied up with two separate loops of tape about a quarter of the way from each end, and these two rings of tape tied together with two or three separate pieces of tape to prevent them slipping off at the ends. the forcemeat or stuffing should be made hot before it is placed in the marrow. the vegetable marrow should now be thrown into boiling water and boiled till it is tender, about twenty minutes to half an hour. take off the tape carefully, and be careful to place the marrow so that one half rests on the other half, or else it will slip. n.b.--if you place the stuffing inside cold, the vegetable marrow will break before the inside gets hot through. turnips, boiled.--when turnips are young they are best boiled whole. peel them first very thinly, and throw them into cold water till they are ready for the saucepan. throw them into boiling water slightly salted. they will probably take about twenty minutes to boil. they can be served quite plain or with any kind of white sauce, butter sauce, sauce allemande, or dutch sauce. in vegetarian cookery they are perhaps best served with some other kind of vegetable. turnips, mashed.--old turnips are best mashed, as they are stringy. boil them till they get fairly tender; they will take from half an hour to two hours, according to age; then rub them through a wire sieve and warm up the pulp with a little milk, or still better, cream and a little butter; add pepper and salt. n.b.--if the pulp be very moist let it stand and get rid of the moisture gradually in a frying-pan over a very slack fire. turnips, ornamental.--a very pretty way of serving young turnips in vegetarian cookery is to cut them in halves and scoop out the centre so as to form cups; the part scooped out can be mixed with some carrot cut up into small pieces, and some green peas, and placed in the middle of a dish in a heap; the half-turnips forming cups can be placed round the base of the dish and each cup filled alternately with the red part of the carrot, chopped small and piled up, and a spoonful of green peas. this makes a very pretty dish of mixed vegetables. turnip-tops.--turnip-tops, when fresh cut, make very nice and wholesome greens. they should be thrown into boiling water and boiled for about twenty minutes, when they will be tender. they should then be cut up with a knife and fork very finely and served like spinach. if rubbed through a wire sieve and a little spinach extract mixed with them to give them the proper colour, and served with hard-boiled eggs, there are very few persons who can distinguish the dish from eggs and spinach. vegetable curry.--a border made of all kinds of mixed vegetables is very nice sent to table with some good thick curry sauce poured in the centre. nettles, to boil.--the best time to gather nettles for eating purposes is in the early spring. they are freely eaten in many parts of the country, as they are considered excellent for purifying the blood. the young light-green leaves only should be taken. they must be washed carefully and boiled in two waters, a little salt and a very small piece of soda being put in the last water. when tender, turn them into a colander, press the water from them, put them into a hot vegetable-dish, score them across three or four times, and serve. send melted butter to table in a tureen. time, about a quarter of an hour to boil. salsify.--scrape the salsify and throw it into cold water with a little vinegar. then throw it into boiling water, boil til tender, and serve on toast with white sauce. time to boil, about one hour. chapter ix. preserved vegetables and fruits. vegetables and fruits are preserved in two ways. we can have them preserved both in bottles and tins, but the principle is exactly the same in both cases, the method of preservation being simply that of excluding the air. we will not enter into the subject of how to preserve fruit and vegetables, but will confine ourselves to discussing as briefly as possible the best method of using them when they are preserved. unfortunately there exists a very unreasonable prejudice on the part of many persons against all kinds of provisions that are preserved in tins. this prejudice is kept alive by stories that occasionally get into print about families being poisoned by using tinned goods. we hear stories also of poisoning resulting from using copper vessels. housekeepers should endeavour to grasp the idea that the evil is the result of their own ignorance, and that no danger would accrue were they possessed of a little more elementary knowledge of chemistry. if a penny be dipped in vinegar and exposed to the air, and is then licked by a child, a certain amount of ill effect would undoubtedly ensue, but it does not follow that we should give up the use of copper money. so, too, if we use tinned goods, and owing to our own carelessness or ignorance find occasionally that evil results ensue, we should not give up the use of the goods in question, but endeavour to find out the cause why these evil results follow only occasionally. all good cooks know, or ought to know, that if they leave the soup all night in a saucepan the soup is spoilt. again, all housekeepers know that although they have a metal tank, they are bound to have a wooden lid on top, there being a law to this effect. the point they forget in using tinned goods is this, so long as the air is excluded from the interior of the tin no chemical action goes on whatever. when, therefore, they open the tin, if they turn out the contents at once no harm can ensue. unfortunately, there are many thousands who will open a tin, take out what they want, and _leave the remainder in the tin_. of course, they have only themselves to blame should evil result. preserved vegetables are so useful that they are inseparable from civilised cookery; for instance, what would a french cook do were he dependent for his mushrooms upon these fresh grown in the fields? the standard dish at vegetarian restaurants is mushroom pie, and, thanks to tinned mushrooms, we can obtain this dish all the year round. in most restaurants peas are on the bill of fare throughout the year. were we dependent upon fresh grown ones, this popular dish would be confined almost to a few weeks. in the case of preserved goods, tinned fruits are even more valuable than tinned vegetables. ripe apricots and peaches picked fresh from the tree are expensive luxuries that in this country can only be indulged in by the rich, whereas, thanks to the art of preserving, we are enabled to enjoy them all the year round. we will run briefly through a few of the chief vegetables and fruits, and give a few hints how to best use them. first of all-- asparagus, tinned.--place the tin in the saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover it. bring the water to a boil and let it boil for five minutes; take out the tin and cut it open round the edge, as near to the edge as possible, otherwise you will be apt to break the asparagus in turning it out. drain off the liquor and serve the asparagus on freshly made hot toast. there is much less waste as a rule in tinned asparagus than in that freshly cut. as a rule, you can eat nearly the whole of it. peas, tinned.--put the tin before it is opened into cold water, bring the water to a boil, and let it boil five minutes, or longer if the tin is a large one. cut open the tin at the top, pour out the liquor, and serve the peas with a few sprigs of fresh mint, if it can be obtained, that have been boiled for two or three minutes. supposing the tin to contain a pint of peas, add while the peas are thoroughly hot a brimming saltspoonful of finely powdered sugar, and half a saltspoonful of salt. if the peas are to be eaten by themselves, as is generally the case with vegetarians, add a good-sized piece of butter. french beans, tinned.--these can be treated in exactly similar manner to green peas, only, instead of adding mint, add a little chopped blanched parsley; the same quantity of sugar and salt should be added as in the case of peas. after the butter has melted, it is a great improvement, when the beans are eaten as a course by themselves, with bread, if the juice of half a lemon is added. flageolets, tinned.--for this delicious vegetable, in england, we are dependent upon tinned goods, as we cannot recall an instance in which they can be bought freshly gathered. warm up the beans in the tin by placing the tin in cold water, bringing the water to a boil, and letting it boil for five minutes. drain off the liquor, add a saltspoonful of sugar, half a one of salt, and a lump of butter. instead of butter, you can add to each pint two tablespoonfuls of pure olive oil. many persons consider it a great improvement to rub the vegetable-dish with a bead of garlic. in this case the beans should be tossed about in the dish for a minute or two. brussels sprouts, tinned.--the tin should be made hot before it is opened, the liquor drained off, and the sprouts placed in a dish, with a little butter or oil, powdered sugar, salt, pepper, and a slight flavouring of nutmeg. in france, in some parts, a little cream is poured over them. spinach, tinned.--spinach is sold in tins fairly cheap, and, quoting from the list of a large retail establishment where prices correspond with those of the civil service stores, a tin of spinach can be obtained for fivepence-halfpenny. the spinach should be made very hot in the tin, turned out on to a dish, and hard-boiled eggs, hot, cut in halves, added. some people add also a little vinegar, but, unless persons' tastes are known beforehand, that is best added on the plate. carrots, tinned.--young carrots can be obtained in tins, and, as only young carrots are nice when served as a course by themselves, these will be found a valuable addition to the vegetarian store-cupboard. make the carrots hot in the tin, and let the water boil, for quite ten minutes after it comes to the boiling point. drain off the liquor, and serve them with some kind of white sauce exactly as if they were freshly boiled young carrots. turnips, tinned.--proceed exactly the same as in the case of carrots. fond d'artichoke.--these consist of the bottom part only of french artichokes. they should be made hot in the tin, and served up with some good butter sauce, and cut lemon separate, as many prefer the artichokes plain. macedoines.--this, as the word implies, is a mixture of various vegetables, the chief of which are generally chopped-up carrot and turnip with young green peas. a very nice dish which can be served at a very short notice, if you have curry sauce in bottles, is a dish of vegetable curry. the macedoines should be made hot in the tin, the liquor drained off, and the curry sauce, made hot, should be poured into a well made in the centre of the macedoines in the dish. macedoines are also very useful, as they can be served as a vegetable salad at a moment's notice, as the vegetables are sufficiently cooked without being made hot. tinned fruits.--tinned fruits are ready for eating directly the tin is opened. all we have to bear in mind is to turn them all out of the tin on to a dish immediately. do not leave any in the tin to be used at another time. most tinned fruits can be served just as they are, in a glass dish, but a great improvement can be made in their appearance at a very small cost and with a very little extra trouble if we always have in the house a little preserved angelica and a few dried cherries. as these cost about a shilling or one and fourpence per pound, and even a quarter of a pound is sufficient to ornament two or three dozen dishes, the extra expense is almost nil. apricots, tinned.--pile the apricots up, with the convex side uppermost, in a glass dish, reserving one cup apricot to go on the top, with the concave side uppermost. take a few preserved cherries, and cut them in halves, and stick half a cherry in all the little holes or spaces where the apricots meet. cut four little green leaves out of the angelica about the size of the thumb-nail, only a little longer; the size of a filbert would perhaps describe the size better. put a whole cherry in the apricot cup at the top, and four green leaves of angelica round it. take the white kernel of the apricot--one or two will always be found in every tin--and cut four white slices out of the middle, place these round the red cherry, touching the cherry, and resting between the four green leaves of angelica; the top of this dish has now the appearance of a very pretty flower. peaches, tinned.--these can be treated in exactly a similar way to the apricots. peaches and apricots, with cream.--place the fruit in a glass dish, with the concave side uppermost; pour the syrup round the fruit, and with a teaspoon remove any syrup that may have settled in the little cups, for such the half-peaches or apricots may be called. get a small jar of devonshire clotted cream; take about half a teaspoonful of cream, and place it in the middle of each cup, and place a single preserved cherry on the top of the cream. this dish can be made still prettier by chopping up a little green angelica, like parsley, and sprinkling a few of these little green specks on the white cream. pine-apple, tinned.--pine-apples are preserved in tins whole, and are very superior in flavour to those which are sold cheap on barrows, which are more rotten than ripe. they require very little ornamenting, but the top is greatly improved by placing a red cherry in the centre, and cutting eight strips of green angelica like spikes, reaching from the cherry to the edge of the pine-apple. they should be cut in exact lengths, so as not to overlap. the top of the pine-apple looks like a green star with a red centre. pears, tinned.--tinned pears are exceedingly nice in flavour, but the drawback to them is their appearance. they look like pale and rather dirty wax, while the syrup with which they are surrounded resembles the water in which potatoes have been over-boiled. the prettiest way of sending them to table is as follows:--take, say a teacupful of rice, wash it very carefully, boil it, and let it get dry and cold. take the syrup from the pears and taste it, and if not sweet enough add some powdered sugar. put the rice in a glass dish, and make a very small well in the centre, and pour all the syrup into this, so that it soaks into the rice at the bottom of the dish without affecting the appearance of the surface. in the meantime, place the pears themselves on a dish, and let the syrup drain off them, and if you can let them stand for an hour or two to let them dry all the better. now, with an ordinary brush, paint these waxy-looking pears a bright red with a little cochineal, and place these half-pears on the white rice, slanting, with the thick part downwards and the stalk end uppermost. cut a few sticks of green angelica about an inch and a half long and of the thickness of the ordinary stalk of a pear, and stick one of these into the stalk end of each pear. the red pear, with the green stalk resting on the snow-white bed of rice, looks very pretty. a little chopped angelica can be sprinkled over the white rice, like chopped parsley. fruits, bottled.--when apricots and peaches are preserved in bottles, they can be treated exactly in a similar manner to those preserved in tins. it will be found advisable, however, to taste the syrup in the bottle, as it will be often found that it requires the addition of a little more sugar. ordinary bottled fruits, such as gooseberries, currants, raspberries, rhubarb, damsons, cranberries, etc., can be used for making fruit pies, or they can be sent to table simply as stewed fruit. in this case some whipped cream on the top is a very great improvement. another very nice way of sending these bottled fruits to table is to fill a border made with rice, as described in chapter iii. chapter x. jellies (vegetarian) and jams. by vegetarian jelly we mean jellies made on vegetarian principles. to be consistent, if we cannot use anchovy sauce because it is made from fish, on the same principle we cannot use either gelatine or isinglass, which, of course, as everybody knows, is made from fishes. for all this, there is no reason why vegetarians should not enjoy jellies quite equal, so far as flavour is concerned, to ordinary jelly. the simplest substitute for gelatine, or what is virtually the same thing, isinglass, is corn-flour. tapioca could be used, but corn-flour saves much trouble. some persons may urge that it is not fair to give the name of jelly to a corn-flour pudding. there is, however, a very great difference between a corn-flour pudding flavoured with orange, and what we may call an orange jelly, in which corn-flour is only introduced, like gelatine, for the purpose of transforming a liquid into a solid. we also have this advantage in using corn-flour: it is much more simple and can be utilised for making a very large variety of jellies, many of which, probably, will be new even to vegetarians themselves. we are all agreed on one point, _i.e._, the wholesomeness of freshly picked ripe fruit. we will suppose the season to be autumn and the blackberries ripe on the hedgerows, and that the children of the family are nothing loth to gather, say, a couple of quarts. we will now describe how to make a mould of-- blackberry jelly.--put the blackberries in an enamelled saucepan with a little water at the bottom, and let them stew gently till they yield up their juice, or they can be placed in a jar in the oven. they can now be strained through a hair sieve, but, still better, they can be squeezed dry in a tamis cloth. this juice should now be sweetened, and it can be made into jelly in two ways, both of which are perfectly lawful in vegetarian cookery. the juice, like red currant juice, can be boiled with a large quantity of white sugar till the jelly sets of its own accord; in this case we should require one pound of sugar to every pint of juice, and the result would be a blackberry jelly like red currant jelly, more like a preserve than the jelly we are accustomed to eat at dinner alone. for instance, no one would care to eat a quantity of red currant jelly like we should ordinary orange or lemon jelly--it would be too sickly; consequently we will take a pint or a quart of our blackberry juice only and sufficient sugar to make it agreeably sweet without being sickly. we will boil this in a saucepan and add a tablespoonful of corn-flour mixed with a little cold juice to every pint to make the juice thick. this can be now poured into a mould or plain round basin; we will suppose the latter. when the jelly has got quite cold we can turn it out on to a dish, say a silver dish, with a piece of white ornamental paper at the bottom. we now have to ornament this mould of blackberry jelly, and, as a rule, it will be found that no ornament can surpass natural ones. before boiling the blackberries for the purpose of extracting their juice, pick out two or three dozen of the largest and ripest, wash them and put them by with some of the young green leaves of the blackberry plant itself, which should be picked as nearly as possible of the same size, and, like the blackberries, must be washed. now place a row of blackberry leaves round the base of the mould, with the stalk of the leaf under the mould, and on each leaf place a ripe blackberry touching the mould itself. take four very small leaves and stick them on the top of the mould, in the centre, and put the largest and best-looking blackberry of all upright in the centre. this dish is now pretty-looking enough to be served on really great occasions. we consider this dish worthy of being called blackberry jelly, and not corn-flour pudding. lemon jelly.--take six lemons and half a pound of sugar, and rub the sugar on the outside of three of the lemons; the lemons must be hard and yellow, the peel should not be shrivelled. now squeeze the juice of all six lemons into a basin, add the sugar and a pint of water. of course, the lemon-juice must be strained. (if wine is allowed, add half a pint of good golden sherry or madeira.) bring this to the boil and thicken it with some corn-flour in the ordinary way, allowing a tablespoonful of corn-flour for every pint of fluid. pour it into a mould and when it is set turn it out. a lemon jelly like this should be turned on to a piece of ornamental paper placed at the bottom of a silver or some other kind of dish. the base of the mould should be ornamented with thin slices of lemon cut in half, the diameter touching the base of the mould and the semicircular piece of peel outside. if a round basin has been used for a mould, place a corner of a lemon on the top in the middle, surrounded with a few imitation green leaves cut out of angelica. this improves the dish in appearance and also shows what the dish is made of. orange jelly.--take six oranges, two lemons, and half a pound of lump sugar; rub the sugar on the outside of three of the oranges, squeeze the juice of the six oranges into a basin with the juice of two lemons, strain, add the sugar and a pint of water. the liquid will be of an orange colour, owing to the rind of the orange rubbed on to the sugar. (if wine be allowed, add half a pint of golden sherry or madeira.) bring the liquid to boiling point and then thicken it with corn-flour, and pour it while hot into a mould or plain white basin; when cold, turn it out on to a piece of ornamental paper placed at the bottom of a dish; surround the bottom of the mould with thin slices of orange cut into quarters and the centre part pushed under the mould; place the small end of an orange on the top of the mould with some little leaves or spikes of green angelica placed round the edge. black currant jelly.--the juice of black currants makes excellent jelly in the ordinary way if we boil a pint of black currant juice with a pound of sugar till it sets; but a mould of black currant jelly suitable to be used as a sweet at dinner can be made by adding less sugar and thickening the juice with corn-flour, allowing about a tablespoonful to every pint, and pouring it into a mould or plain round basin. the mould can be ornamented as follows, and we will suppose a pudding-basin to be used for the purpose. we will suppose the mould of jelly to have been turned out on to a clean sheet of white paper. pick some of the brighter green black-currant leaves off the tree, and place these round the base of the mould with the stalk of the leaf pushed underneath and the point of the leaf pointing outwards. now choose a few very small bunches of black currants, wash these and dip them into very weak gum and water, and then dip them into white powdered sugar. they now look, when they are dry, as if they were crystallised or covered with hoar-frost. place one of these little bunches, with the stalk stuck into the mould of jelly, about an inch from the bottom, so that each bunch rests on a green leaf. cut a small stick of angelica and stick it into the top of the mould upright, and let a bunch of frosted black currants hang over the top. if we wish to make the mould of jelly very pretty as a supper dish, where there is a good top light, we can dip the green leaves into weak gum and water and then sprinkle over them some powdered glass. red currant jelly.--red currant jelly can be made in exactly a similar manner, substituting red currants for black. raspberry jelly.--the raspberries should be picked very ripe, and two or three dozen of the best-looking ones of the largest and ripest should be reserved for ornamenting. if possible, also gather some red currants and mix with the raspberries, on account of the colour, which otherwise would be very poor indeed. it will be found best to rub the raspberries through a hair sieve, as the addition of the pulp very much improves the flavour of the jelly. the sieve should be sufficiently fine to prevent the pips of the raspberries passing through it. the juice and pulp from the raspberries and currants can now be thickened with corn-flour as directed in the recipe for blackberry jelly. raspberry leaves should be placed round the base of the jelly and a ripe raspberry placed on each. the best-looking raspberry can be placed on the top of the mould in the centre of two or three raspberry leaves stuck in the jelly. apple jam and apple jelly.--the following recipe is taken from "a year's cookery," by phyllis brown:--"the best time for making apple jelly is about the middle of november. almost all kinds of apples may be used for the purpose, though, if a clear white jelly is wanted, colvilles or orange-pippins should be chosen; if red jelly is preferred, very rosy-cheeked apples should be taken, and the skins should be boiled with the fruit. apple jam is made of the fruit after the juice has been drawn off for jelly. economical housekeepers will find that very excellent jelly can be made of apple parings, so that where apples in any quantity have been used for pies and tarts the skins can be stewed in sufficient water to cover them, and when the liquor is strongly flavoured it can be strained and boiled with sugar to a jelly. to make apple jelly, pare, core and slice the apples and put them into a preserving-pan with enough water to cover them. stir them occasionally and stew gently till the apples have fallen, then turn all into a jelly-bag and strain away the juice, but do not squeeze or press the pulp. measure the liquid and allow a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. put both juice and sugar back into the preserving-pan, and, if liked, add one or two cloves tied in muslin, or two or three inches of lemon-rind. boil gently and skim carefully for about half an hour, or till a little of the jelly put upon a plate will set. pour it while hot into jars, and when cold and stiff cover down in the usual way. if yellow jelly is wanted a pinch of saffron tied in muslin should be boiled with the juice. to make apple jam, weigh the apple pulp after the juice has been drawn from it, rub it through a hair sieve, and allow one pound of sugar to one pint of pulp, and the grated rind of a lemon to three pints of pulp. boil all gently together till the jam will set when a little is put on a plate. apple jam is sometimes flavoured with vanilla instead of lemon." damson jelly.--damson jelly can be made in two ways. the juice can be boiled with sugar till it gets like red currant jelly, or the juice of the damsons can be sweetened with less sugar and thickened with corn-flour. in order to extract the juice from damsons they should be sliced and placed in a jar or basin and put in the oven. they are best left in the oven all night. if the mould of jelly is made in a round basin, a single whole damson can be placed on the top of the mould and green leaves placed round the base. pine-apple jelly.--the syrup from a preserved pine, should the pine-apple itself be used for mixing with other fruits, or for ornamental purposes, can be utilised by being made into a mould of jelly and by being thickened with corn-flour. it will bear the addition of a little water. apricot jelly.--the juice from tinned apricots can be treated like that of pine-apple. when a mixture of fruits is served in a large bowl, the syrup from tinned fruits should not be added, but at the same time, of course, should be used in some other way. mulberry jelly.--mullberries, of course, would not be bought for the purpose, but those who possess a mulberry tree in their garden will do well to utilise what are called windfalls by making mulberry jelly. the juice can be extracted by placing the fruit in a jar and putting it in the oven; sugar must be added, and the juice thickened with corn-flour. there are few other ways of using unripe mulberries. jams.--home-made jam is not so common now as it was some years back. as a rule, it does not answer from an economical point of view to _buy_ fruit to make jam. on the other hand, those who possess a garden will find home-made jam a great saving. those who have attempted to sell their fruit probably know this to their cost. in making every kind of jam it is essential the fruit should be picked dry. it is also a time-honoured tradition that the fruit is best picked when basking in the morning sun. it is also necessary that the fruit should be free from dust, and that all decayed or rotten fruit should be carefully picked out. jam is made by boiling the fruit with sugar, and it is false economy to get common sugar; cheap sugar throws up a quantity of scum. years back many persons used brown sugar, but in the present day the difference in the price of brown and white sugar is so trifling that the latter should always be used for the purpose. the sugar should not be crushed. it is best to boil the fruit before adding the sugar. the scum should be removed, and a wooden spoon used for the purpose. a large enamel stew-pan can be used, but tradition is in favour of a brass preserving-pan. it will be found best to boil the fruit as rapidly as possible. the quantity of sugar varies slightly with the fruit used. supposing we have a pound of fruit, the following list gives what is generally considered about the proper quantity of sugar apricot jam.--three-quarters of a pound. blackberry jam.--half a pound; if apple is mixed, rather more. black currant jam.--one pound. red currant jam.--one pound. damson jam.--one pound. gooseberry jam.--three-quarters of a pound. greengage jam.--three-quarters of a pound. plum jam.--one pound. raspberry jam.--one pound. strawberry jam.-three-quarters of a pound. carrot jam.--if you wish the jam to be of a good colour, only use the outside or red part of the carrots. add the rind and the juice of one lemon, and one pound of sugar to every pound of pulp; a little brandy is a great improvement. rhubarb jam.--to every pound of pulp add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and the juice of one lemon and the rind of half a lemon. essence of almonds can be substituted for the lemon. vegetable marrow jam.--add three-quarters of a pound of sugar to every pound of pulp. the jam can be flavoured either with ginger or lemon-juice. chapter xi. creams, custards, and cheese-cakes. creams.--creams may be divided into two classes--whipped cream, flavoured in a variety of ways, and the solid moulds of cream, which when turned out look extremely elegant, but which when tasted are somewhat disappointing. these latter moulds owe their firmness and consistency to the addition of isinglass, and, as this substance is not allowed in vegetarian cookery, we shall be able to dispense with cream served in this form, nor are we losers by so doing. the ordinary mould of cream is too apt to taste like spongy liver, and, so far as palate is concerned, is incomparably inferior to the more delicate whipped creams. just in the same way a good rich custard made with yolks of eggs is spoilt by being turned into a solid custard by the addition of gelatine. in order to have good whipped cream, the first essential is to obtain pure cream. this greatly depends upon the neighbourhood in which we live. in country houses, away from large towns, there is as a rule no trouble, whereas in london really good cream can only be obtained with great difficulty. there is a well-known old story of the london milkman telling the cook who complained of the quality of the cream to stir it up, as the cream settled at the bottom. we will not enter into the subject of the adulteration of cream in big cities, as probably many of these stories are gross exaggerations, though it is said that pigs' brains and even horses' brains have been used for the purpose of giving the cream a consistency, while undoubtedly turmeric has been used to give it a colour. we will suppose that we have, say, a quart of really good thick cream. all that is necessary is to beat up the cream with a whisk till it becomes a froth. this is much more easily done in cold weather than in hot, and, if the weather be very warm, it is best to put the tin or pan containing the cream into ice an hour or two before it is used. old french cookery-books recommend the addition of a little powdered gum, not bigger than a pea, and the gum recommended is that known as tragacanth. others again beat up the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and add this to the cream. it is a good plan when the cream fails to froth completely to take off the top froth and drain it on a sieve placed upside down. the cream that drains through can be added to what is left and re-whipped. it is also a good plan to make whipped cream some time before it is wanted, and, indeed, it can be prepared with advantage the day before. when the cream is drained (we are supposing a quart to have been used) it should be mixed with three or four ounces of very finely powdered sugar, as well as the particular kind of flavouring that will give the cream its name. for instance, we can have, if liqueurs are allowed-- maraschino cream.--this is simply made by mixing a small glass of maraschino with some whipped cream, properly sweetened. coffee cream.--make a very strong infusion of pure coffee that has been roasted a high colour. it will be found best to re-roast coffee berries in the oven if you have not got a proper coffee-roaster. pound the berries in a pestle and mortar, or grind them very coarsely; then make a strong infusion with a very small quantity of water, and strain it till it is quite bright. this is mixed with the whipped sweetened cream. chocolate cream.--take about two ounces of the very best chocolate and dissolve it in a little boiling water; let it get cold, and then mix with the whipped sweetened cream. vanilla cream.--vanilla cream is nicest when a fresh vanilla pod is used for the purpose, but a more simple process is to use a little essence of vanilla. orange cream.--rub some lumps of sugar on the outside of an orange, and pound this sugar very finely, and then mix it with the whipped cream. lemon cream.--proceed exactly as in making orange cream, only substituting lemon for orange. strawberry cream.--the juice only of the strawberry should be used. this juice should be mixed with the powdered sugar and then used for mixing with the whipped cream. it is a mistake, in making creams, to have too much flavouring. the juice of a quarter of a pound of ripe red strawberries would be sufficient for a quart of cream. pistachio cream.--take about half a pound of pistachio kernels, throw them for a minute or two into boiling water, and then rub off the skins, throwing them into cold water like you do in blanching almonds. pound these in a mortar with a tablespoonful of orange-flower water, and mix a little spinach extract to give it a colour. now mix this with the whipped sweetened cream very thoroughly. this bright green cream makes a very elegant dish. custards.--good custard forms, perhaps, the best cold sweet sauce known. it can be made very cheaply, and, on the other hand, it may be made in such a manner as to be very expensive. we will first describe how to make the most expensive kind of custard, as very often we can gather ideas from a high-class model and carry them out in an inexpensive way. the highest class custard is made by only using yolks of eggs instead of whole eggs, and we can use cream in addition to milk. the great art in making custard is to take care it does not curdle. six yolks of eggs, half a pint of milk, half a pint of cream, sweetened, would, of course, form a very expensive custard. an ordinary custard can be made as follows:--take four large or five small eggs, beat them up very thoroughly, and add them gradually to a pint of sweetened milk that has been boiled separately. in order to thicken the custard, it is a good plan to put it in a jug and stand the jug in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir the custard till it is sufficiently thick. custard can be flavoured in various ways. one of the cheapest and perhaps nicest is to boil one or two bay-leaves in the milk. custard can also be flavoured by the addition of a small quantity of the essence of vanilla; if you use a fresh pod vanilla, tie it up in a little piece of muslin and have a string to it. this can be boiled in the milk till the milk is sufficiently flavoured, and this pod can be used over and over again. of course, as it loses its flavour, it will have to remain in the milk longer. cheap custard.--a very cheap custard can be made by adding to one pint of boiled milk one well-beaten-up egg and one good-sized teaspoonful of corn-flour. the milk should be first sweetened, and can be flavoured very cheaply by rubbing a few lumps of sugar on the outside of a lemon, or by having a few bay-leaves boiled in it. a rich yellow colour can be obtained by using a small quantity of yellow vegetable colouring extract, which, like the green colouring, is sold in bottles by all grocers. these bottles are very cheap, as they last a long time. they simply give any kind of pudding a rich colouring without imparting any flavour whatever, and in this respect are very superior to saffron. apple custard.--good apple custard can only be made by using apples of a good flavour. when apples are in season, this dish can be made fairly cheaply, but it does not do to use those high-priced imported apples. peel and take out the cores of about four pounds of apples, and let these simmer till they are quite tender in rather more than a pint of water. add about one pound of sugar, or rather less if the apples are sweet; add a little powdered cinnamon, and mix all this with eight eggs, well beaten up; stir the mixture very carefully in a saucepan, or better still in a good-sized jug placed in a saucepan, till it begins to thicken. this custard is best served in glasses, and a little cinnamon sugar can be shaken over the top. nutmeg may be used instead of cinnamon, and by many is thought superior. cheese-cakes.--cheese-cakes can be sent to table in two forms, the one some rich kind of custard or cream placed in little round pieces of pastry, or we can have a so-called cheese-cake baked in a pie-dish, the edges only of which are lined with puff paste. we can also have cheese-cakes very rich and cheese-cakes very plain. the origin of the name cheese-cake is that originally they were made from curds used in making cheese. probably most people consider that the cheese-cakes made from curds are superior, and in the north of england, and especially in yorkshire, where curds are exposed for sale in the windows at so much a pound, very delicious cheese-cakes can be made, but considerable difficulty will be experienced if we attempt to make home-made curds from london milk. curds are made by taking any quantity of milk and letting it nearly boil, then throw in a little rennet or a glass of sherry. the curds must be well strained. cheese-cakes from curds.--take half a pound of curds and press the curds in a napkin to extract the moisture. take also six ounces of lump sugar, and rub the sugar on the outside of a couple of oranges or lemons. dissolve this sugar in two ounces of butter made hot in a tin in the oven; mix this with the curds, with two ounces of powdered ratafias and a little grated nutmeg--about half a nutmeg to this quantity will be required; add also six yolks of eggs. mix this well together, and fill the tartlet cases, made from puff paste, and bake them in the oven. it is often customary to place in the centre of each cheese-cake a thin strip of candied peel. as soon as the cheese-cakes are done, take them out of the oven, and if the mixture be of a bad colour finish it off with a salamander, but do not let them remain in the oven too long, so that the pastry becomes brittle and dried up. these cheese-cakes can be made on a larger scale than the ordinary one so familiar to all who have looked into a pastry-cook's window. suppose we make them of the size of a breakfast saucer, a very rich and delicious cheese-cake can be made by adding some chopped dried cherries to the mixture. sometimes ordinary grocer's currants are added and the ratafias omitted. sultana raisins can be used instead of currants, and by many are much preferred. this mixture can be baked in a shallow pie-dish and time edge of the dish lined with puff paste, but cheese-cakes made from curds are undoubtedly expensive. cheese-cakes from potatoes.--exceedingly nice cheese-cakes can be made from remains of cold potatoes, and can be made very cheap by increasing the quantity of potatoes used. take a quarter of a pound of butter, four eggs, two fresh lemons, and half a pound of lump sugar. first of all rub off all the outsides of two lemons on to the sugar; oil the butter in a tin in the oven and melt the sugar in it; squeeze the juice of the two lemons, and take care that the sugar is thoroughly dissolved before you begin to mix all the ingredients together. now beat up the eggs very thoroughly and mix the whole in a basin. this now forms a very rich mixture indeed, a good-sized teaspoonful of which would be sufficient for the interior of an ordinary-sized cheese-cake, but a far better plan is to make a large cheese-cake, or rather cheese-cake pudding, in a pie-dish by adding cold boiled potatoes. the plainness or richness of the pudding depends entirely upon the amount of potatoes added. the pie-dish can be lined with a little puff paste round the edge, if preferred, or the pudding can be sent to table plain. it should be baked in the oven till the top is nicely browned. it can be served either hot or cold, but, in our opinion, is nicer cold. if the lemons are very fresh and green--if the pudding is sent to table _hot_--you will often detect the smell of turpentine. if a _large quantity_ of potatoes is added more sugar will be required. orange cheese-cake.--proceed exactly as above, only substituting two oranges for two lemons. almond cheese-cakes.--proceed exactly as above, only instead of rubbing the sugar on the outside of lemons add a small quantity of essence of almonds. apple cheese-cakes.--apple cheese-cakes can be made in a similar manner to apple custard, the only difference being that the mixture is baked till it sets. chapter xii. stewed fruits and fruit ices. there are few articles of diet more wholesome than fruit, in every shape, provided it is _fresh_. it is a great mistake, however, to suppose that fruit, when too stale to be eaten as it is, is yet good enough for stewing. we often hear, especially in summer weather, of persons being made ill from eating fruit. probably in every case the injury results, not from eating fruit as fruit, but from eating it when it is too stale to be served as an article of food at all. there is an immense amount of injury done to this country by the importation of rotten plums, more especially from germany, and it is to be regretted that more stringent laws are not made to prevent the importation of all kinds of food hurtful to health. we will suppose that in every recipe we are about to give the fruit is at any rate fresh; we do not say ripe, because there are many instances in which fruit not ripe enough to be eaten raw is exceedingly wholesome when stewed properly and sweetened. as an instance we may mention green gooseberries and hard greengages, which, though quite uneatable in their natural state, yet make delicious fruit pies or dishes of stewed fruit. of all dishes there are few to equal what is called a compote of fruit, and there are probably few sweets more popular than-- compote of fruit.--a compote of fruit consists of a variety of fresh fruits mixed together in a bowl. some may be stewed and some served in their natural state, or the whole may be stewed. when a large variety of fruits can be obtained, and are sent to table in an old-fashioned china family bowl, few dishes present a more elegant appearance, especially if you happen to possess an old-fashioned punch ladle, an old silver bowl with a black whalebone handle. care should be taken to keep the fruit from being broken. the following fruits will mix very well, although, of course, it is impossible always to obtain every variety. we can have strawberries, raspberries, red, white, and black currants, and cherries, as well as peaches, nectarines, and apricots. we can also have stewed apples and stewed pears. very much, of course, will depend upon the time of year. those fruits that want stewing should be placed in some hot syrup previously made, and only allowed to stew till tender enough to be eaten. tinned fruits, especially apricots, can be mixed with fresh fruits, only it is best not to use the syrup in the tin, as it will probably overpower the flavour of the other fruits. the syrup, as far as possible, should be bright and not cloudy. the fruit in the bowl should be mixed, but should not be stirred up. we should endeavour as much as possible to keep the colours distinct. if strawberries or raspberries form part of the compote, the syrup will get red. should black currants be present, avoid breaking them, as they spoil the appearance of the syrup. in summer the compote of fruits is much improved by the addition of a lump of ice and a glass of good old brandy. should the compote of fruits, as is often the case, be intended for a garden party, where it will have to stand a long time, if possible get a small bowl, like those in which gold and silver fish are sold in the street for sixpence, and fill this with ice and place it in the middle of the larger bowl containing fruit, otherwise the melted ice will utterly spoil the juice that runs from the fruit, which is sweetened with the syrup and flavoured with the brandy. if much brandy be added, old ladies at garden parties will be found to observe that the juice is the best part of it. apples, stewed.--peel and cut out the cores of the apples, and stew them gently in some syrup composed of about half a pound of white sugar and rather more than a pint of water. a small stick of cinnamon, or a few cloves, and a strip of lemon-peel can be added to the syrup, but should be taken out when finished. the apples should be stewed till they are tender, but must not be broken. the syrup in which the apples are stewed should of course be served with them. this syrup can be coloured slightly with a few drops of cochineal, but should not be coloured more than very slightly. the syrup looks a great deal better if it is clear and bright. it can be strained and clarified. apples are very nice stewed in white french wine, such as chablis or graves. stewed pears.--pears known as cooking pears take a long time to stew. they should be peeled and the cores removed, and then stewed very gently in a syrup composed of half a pound of sugar to about a pint and a half of water; add a few cloves to the syrup, say two cloves to each pear. the pears will probably take from two to three hours to stew before they are tender. when tender add a glass of port wine and a little cochineal. if the pears are stewed, like they are abroad, in claret, add cinnamon instead of the cloves. stewed rhubarb.--stewed rhubarb is of two kinds. when it first comes into season it is small, tender, and of a bright red colour, and when stewed makes a very pretty dish. the red rhubarb should be cut into little pieces about two inches long. very little water will be required, as the fruit contains a great deal of water in itself. the amount of sugar added depends entirely upon taste. the stewed rhubarb should be sent to table unbroken, and floating in a bright red juice. when rhubarb is old and green it is best served more like a puree, or mashed. very old rhubarb is often stringy, and can with advantage be rubbed through a wire sieve. it is no use attempting to colour old rhubarb red, but you can improve its colour by the addition of a very little spinach extract. a few strips of lemon-peel can be stewed with old rhubarb, but should never be added to young red rhubarb. gooseberries, stewed.--young green gooseberries stewed, strange to say, require less sugar than ripe gooseberries. it is best to stew the fruit first, and add the sugar afterwards. the amount of sugar varies very much with the quality of the gooseberries. prunes, stewed.--the prunes should be washed before they are stewed. they will not take more than half an hour to stew, and a strip of lemon-peel should be placed in the juice. stewed prunes are much improved by the addition of a little port wine. plums, stewed.--stewed plums, such as black, ordinary, or greengages, or indeed any kind of stone fruit, can be stewed in syrup, and have this advantage--plums can be used this way which could not be eaten at all if they were raw. these fruits are much nicer cold than hot. in many cases, in stewing stone fruit (and this applies particularly to peaches, apricots, and nectarines), the stones should be removed and cracked and the kernels added to the fruit. cherries, stewed.--large white-heart cherries form a very delicate dish when stewed. very little water should be added, and the syrup should be kept as white as possible, and, if necessary, strained. stew the cherries till they are tender, but do not let them break. colour the syrup with a few drops of cochineal, and add a glass of maraschino. ices.--ices are too often regarded as expensive luxuries, and show how completely custom rules the majority of our housekeepers. there are many houses where the dinner may consist daily of soup, fish, entrees, joint, game, and wine, and yet, were we to suggest a course of ices, the worthy housekeeper would hesitate on the ground of extravagance. it is difficult to argue with persons whose definition of economy is what they have always been accustomed to since they were children, and whose definition of extravagance is anything new. the fact remains, however, that there is many a worthy signor who sells ices in the streets at a penny each, and manages to make a living out of the profit not only for himself, but for his signora as well. under these circumstances, the manufacture of these "extravagances" is worthy of inquiry. ices can be made at home very cheaply with an ice machine, which can now be obtained at a, comparatively speaking, small cost. with a machine there is absolutely no trouble, and directions will be given with each machine, so that any details here, which vary with the machine, will be useless. ices can be made at home without a machine with a little trouble, and, to explain how to do this, it is necessary to explain the theory of ice-making, which is exceedingly simple. we will not allude to machines dependent on freezing-powders, but to those which rely for their cold simply on ice and salt mixed. we will suppose we want a lemon-water ice, _i.e._, we have made some very strong and sweet lemonade, and we want to freeze it. it is well known that water will freeze at a certain temperature, called freezing-point. by mixing chopped ice and salt and a very little water together, a far greater degree of cold can be immediately produced, viz., a thermometer would stand at degrees below freezing-point were it to be plunged into this mixture. an ice machine is a metal pail placed in another pail much larger than itself. the "sweet lemonade" is placed in the middle pail, and chopped ice and salt placed outside it. the proportion of ice to salt should be double the weight of the former to the latter. it is now obvious that if we have filled two pails, the one with "the sweet lemonade," and the other with the ice and salt, very soon our lemonade will be a solid block of ice. to prevent this it must be constantly stirred, and, as the lemonade would of course freeze first against the sides of the pail, these sides must be constantly scraped. inside the inner pail, consequently, there is a stirrer, which, by means of a handle, continually scrapes the side of the pail. it is obvious that if the stirrer is fixed, and the pail itself made to revolve, that is the same as if the pail were fixed and the stirrer made to revolve. to make lemon-water ice, therefore, place the lemonade in the inner pail, surrounded with chopped ice and salt, two parts of the former to one of the latter, turn the handle, and in a few minutes the ice is made. now, suppose you have not got a machine, proceed as follows: take an empty, clean, round coffee-tin (the larger the better). [we mention coffee-tin as the most probable one to be in the house, but any round tin will do.] get a clean piece of wood, the same width as the inside diameter of the tin, only it must be a great deal longer. we will suppose the tin rather more than a foot deep and five inches in diameter. our piece of wood, which should be clean and smooth, must be nearly five inches wide, say a quarter of an inch thick, and about two feet long. next get a small tub, say nine inches deep, place the round tin in the middle, with the sweet lemonade inside; next place the piece of wood upright in the tin, so that the wood touches the bottom. next surround the tin with chopped ice and salt up to the edge of the tub, fill it as high as you can, and then cover it round with a blanket, _i.e._, cover the ice and salt. now get someone to hold the wooden board steady; take the tin in your two hands, and turn it round and round, first one way and then another. in a very short time you will find the tin to contain lemon-water ice. the following hints, rather than recipes, for making ices, _i.e._, for making the liquid, which must be frozen as directed above, are given, not because they are the best recipes, but because cream, which is the basis of all first-class ices, is often too expensive to be used constantly. of course, real cream is far superior to any substitute. ice cream, cheap.--make a custard (_see_ custard) with half a pint of milk, the yolks of two eggs, and a tablespoonful of swiss milk and some sugar. as soon as it gets a little thick, stir it till it is nearly cold, then add some essence of vanilla or almonds, or a wineglassful of noyeau, or any flavouring wished, and freeze. ices from fresh fruits.--take half a pound of fresh strawberries or raspberries, add half that weight of sugar, pound thoroughly, rub through a sieve, and mix with this thick juice, rubbed through, half a pint of the mixture made for ice cream (_see_ ice cream, cheap), only, of course, without any flavouring such as vanilla, etc. mix thoroughly, and freeze. n.b.--a few red currants should be mixed with the raspberries. should the colour be poor, brighten it up before freezing with a little cochineal. ices from jam.--mix a quarter of a pound of any jam with half a pint of the mixture made for ice cream (_see_ ice cream, cheap), without any flavouring such as vanilla. rub all through a fine sieve, and freeze. cochineal will give additional colour to red jams; spinach extract to green jams; and a very little turmeric, or yellow vegetable colouring, to yellow jams. a small pinch of turmeric can be boiled in the milk. ice, lemon-water.--rub six lumps of sugar on the rind of six lemons, add this and the juice of six lemons to a pint of fairly sweet syrup. the amount of sugar is a matter of taste. strain and freeze. some persons add a few drops of dilute sulphuric acid. ice, orange-water.--act exactly as in lemon-water, using oranges instead of lemons, and syrup containing less sugar. ice, water fruit.--all sorts of water fruit ices can be made by mixing half a pint of juice, such as currant-juice, with twice that quantity of syrup, and freezing. grated ripe pine-apple, pounded and bruised, ripe cherries and greengages, strawberry-juice, raspberry-juice, can be mixed with syrup and frozen. sometimes a little lemon-juice can be added with advantage, and in the case of cherry ice and greengage ice a little noyeau added is an improvement. chapter xiii. cakes and bread. in vegetarian cookery there is no difference, as far as cake-making is concerned, between it and ordinary cookery. in making cakes we will confine our attention chiefly to general principles which, if once known, render cake-making of every description comparatively easy work. those who wish for detailed _recipes_ for making almost every kind of cake known will find all that they require on a large scale in "cassell's dictionary of cookery," and also everything necessary on a smaller scale in "cassell's shilling cookery," which has already reached its hundred-thousandth edition. cakes may be divided into two classes--those that contain fruit and those that do not. plum cakes can be made very rich indeed, like a wedding cake, or so plain that it can scarcely be distinguished from a loaf of bread with a few currants in it. again, cakes that contain no fruit can, at the same time, be made exceedingly rich, the richness chiefly depending upon the amount of butter and eggs that are used. we will first give a few directions with regard to making what may be termed plain cakes, _i.e._, cakes that contain no fruit at all. perhaps the best model we can give to illustrate the general principles will be that of a pound cake. the recipe is a very easy one to recollect, as a pound cake means one that is made from a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of eggs, and a pound of flour. there is one addition, however, which the good plain cook will probably not be up to, and which, so far as flavour is concerned, makes all the difference between francatelli and "jemima ann"--we must rub some of the lumps of sugar on the outsides of either two oranges or two lemons. it is also a great improvement to add a small glass of brandy, and in every kind of cake we must add a pinch of salt. in making cakes it is always necessary to be careful about the butter. it is best to put the butter in cold water before it is used, and, if salt butter, it should be washed in several waters to extract the salt. the next thing necessary is to beat the butter to a cream. to do this it must be worked about in a basin with a wooden spoon. the basin should be a strong one, and a wooden spoon is far preferable to a metal one. you simply beat the butter and spread it against the sides of the basin and knock it about till it loses its consistency. you cannot beat the butter to the consistency of ordinary cream, but to a state more resembling devonshire clotted cream. of course, when it is like this it is much more easily mixed with the other ingredients. in making a pound cake we should first of all beat the butter to a cream and then add flour, sugar, and eggs gradually. when the whole is thoroughly well mixed together, we must bake it in a tin, or mould, or hoop. we need say nothing about tins or moulds, but will confine ourselves to giving directions how to bake a cake in a hoop, for, as a rule, ordinary english cooks do not understand how to use them. one great advantage of using a hoop is that when the cake is baked there is no fear of breaking it in turning it out. a very simple hoop can be made with an ordinary slip of tin, say six inches wide; as the tin will lap over, the cake can be made any size round you wish. it is a good plan to fasten a piece of copper wire round the outside of the tin. this can be twisted, and when the cake is baked and has got cold can be untwisted, and the tin will then open of its own accord. the tin must be lined with buttered paper, and buttered paper must be placed on a flat piece of tin at the bottom. when an "amateur hoop" is used like we have described, care must be taken that the cake does not come out at the bottom. the cake, especially when it is made with beaten-up eggs, like sponge cake, will rise, and unless precautions are taken the tin will rise with it, and the unset portion of the cake break loose round the edge at the bottom. to prevent this the tin must be kept down with a weight at the top. in a proper hoop made for the purpose there are appliances for fastening the hoop together itself and also for keeping it in its place, but if we use a strip of tin we must place something across the tin on the top and then put on a heavy weight. when this is done, you must remember to allow room for the cake to rise. a pound cake such as we have described can be made into a rich fruit cake by adding stoned raisins, currants, chopped candied peel, sultana raisins, or, better still, dried cherries. in making ordinary cakes, when currants are used, they should be first washed and then dried; if you use damp currants the cake will probably be heavy. with regard to the flour, it is cheapest in the end to use the best quality, and the flour should be dried and sifted. if you weigh the flour remember to dry and sift it before you weigh it, and not after. in using sugar get the best loaf; this should also be pounded and sifted. in using eggs, of course each egg should be broken separately. very often it is necessary to separate the yolks from the whites. this requires some little skill; you are less likely to break the yolk when you crack the egg boldly. put the yolk from one half egg-shell into the other half, spilling as much of the white as you can. you will soon get the yolks separate. next, remember before mixing the eggs to remove the thread or string from them. when the whites are beaten separately, you must whisk them till they become a solid froth; no liquid should remain at the bottom of the basin. the yolks should not be broken till they are wanted. lemon-peel is often used in making cakes, and in chopping it a little powdered sugar is a great assistance in preventing the peel sticking together. remember only to use the _yellow_ part, not the white. the white part gives the cake a bitter flavour. sometimes milk or cream is used in cake-making. if swiss milk is used as a substitute, remember that less sugar will be required. when pounded almonds are used for cakes, the almonds must be blanched by being thrown, first into boiling water, and then into cold water. in pounding them, add a little rose-water or orange-flower water, or the white of an egg, to prevent the almonds getting oily. nearly all plain cakes, where only a few eggs are used, will be made lighter by the addition of a little baking-powder. a very good baking-powder is made by mixing an ounce of tartaric acid with an ounce and a half of bicarbonate of soda, and an ounce and a half of arrowroot. the baking powder should be kept very dry. a very nice way of making home-made cakes is to use some dough, which can be procured from the baker's. suppose you have a quartern of dough, put it in a basin, cover it over with a cloth, and put it in front of the fire to rise, then spread it on a floured pastry-board, slice it up, and work in half a pound of fresh butter, half a pound of moist sugar, six eggs, a teaspoonful of salt, and half an ounce of caraway seeds. when all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, place them in two or more well-buttered tins or hoops, and let them stand in front of the fire a little while before they are placed in the oven. cakes can be flavoured with a variety of spices, such as cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, or powdered coriander seeds. these last are always used to give a special flavour to hot cross buns. bread.--home-made bread is not so much used now as it was years back. most housekeepers have found by experience that it is a waste both of time and money. there are very few houses among the middle classes which possess an oven capable of competing with any chance of success with a baker's oven. there are, however, many vegetarians who believe in what is called whole-meal bread. a good deal of the whole-meal bread sold as such has been found to be adulterated with substances very unwholesome to ordinary stomachs. we may mention saw-dust as one of the ingredients used for the purpose. again, if you attempt to make whole-meal bread into loaves, you will find great difficulty in baking the loaves. this whole-meal is a very slow conductor of heat, and the result will probably be that the outside of the loaf will be very hard while the inside will be too underdone to be eaten. consequently, should you wish to have home-made whole-meal bread, it is far best to bake it in the form of a tea-cake or flat-cake. we cannot do better, in conclusion, than quote what sir henry thompson says on this subject:--"the following recipe," he says, "will be found successful, probably, after a trial or two, in producing excellent, light, friable, and most palatable bread: to two pounds of coarsely ground or crushed whole-meal, add half a pound of fine flour and a sufficient quantity of baking powder and salt; when these are well mixed, rub in two ounces of butter, and make into dough with half milk and water, or with all milk if preferred. make rapidly into flat cakes like 'tea-cakes,' and bake without delay in a quick oven, leaving them afterwards to finish thoroughly at a lower temperature. the butter and milk supply fatty matters, in which the wheat is somewhat deficient; all the saline and mineral matters of the husk are retained; and thus a more nutritive form of bread cannot be made. moreover, it retains the natural flavour of the wheat, in place of the insipidity which is characteristic of fine flour, although it is indisputable that bread produced from the latter, especially in paris and vienna, is unrivalled for delicacy, texture, and colour. whole meal may be bought; but mills are now cheaply made for home use, and wheat may be ground to any degree of coarseness desired." chapter xiv. pies and puddings. in vegetarian cookery, as a rule, pies and puddings are made in the same way as in ordinary cookery, with the exception that we cannot use lard or dripping in making our pastry. nor are we allowed to use suet in making crust for puddings. it would have been quite impossible to have given even one quarter of the recipes for the pies and puddings known, and we must refer those who wish for information on this subject to "cassell's shilling cookery," where will be found a very complete list, but which would have occupied the whole of the space which we have devoted to recipes where vegetarian cookery, as a rule, _differs_ from the ordinary. we will, on the present occasion, confine our attention to the two points we have mentioned, viz., how to make pastry without lard or dripping, and pudding crust without suet. the first of these two points causes no difficulty whatever, as the best pastry, especially that known as puff paste, is invariably made with butter only as the fatty element; but there is one point we must not overlook. vegetarians are divided into two classes: those who use the animal products--butter, milk, cream, and eggs--and those who do not. this latter class contains, probably, the most respected members of the vegetarian body, as it will always be found that there is an involuntary homage paid by all men to consistency. how then are strict vegetarians to make pastry, butter being classed with the forbidden fruit? we fear we cannot tell them how to make good puff paste; but "necessity is the mother of invention," and naturally olive oil must supply the place of butter. pastry without butter.--we will describe how to make a small quantity, which is always best when we make experiments. take half a pound of the best vienna flour, and mix with it, while dry, about a salt-spoonful of baking-powder. now add about a tablespoonful of olive oil, and work the oil and flour together with the fingers exactly as you work a small piece of butter into the flour at the commencement of making puff paste. next add sufficient water to make the whole into an elastic paste; roll it out and let it set between two tins containing ice, similar to the method used in making high-class pastry. we have mentioned a tablespoonful of oil, but if ice is used more oil may be added. we all know that oil will freeze at a much lower temperature than water, consequently the minute particles of oil become partially solid. now take the paste, roll it out, and give it three turns; roll it out again, give it three more turns, and put it back in the ice; let it stand ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, and repeat this process three times. be careful to flour the pastry each time before it is turned. by this means we get the pastry in thin layers, with minute air bubbles between them, and this will cause the pastry to rise. if you are making a pie, roll out the pastry the last time, cover the pie, and put it in the oven immediately, while the pastry is cold. do not let the pastry stand, unless it be in a very cold place. this pastry we have just described, made with oil, can also be utilised for puddings, in which latter case we would recommend the addition of a little more baking-powder, and to every pound of flour add two tablespoonfuls of very fine bread-crumbs. these must be dry, and rubbed through a fine sieve. pastry with butter.--good puff paste is made by taking equal quantities of butter and flour--say a pound of each--the yolk of one egg, a pinch of salt, while the water used is acidulated with lemon-juice. for the manipulation of this pastry we must refer those who do not know how to make it to other cookery books, or to the shilling one above mentioned. in making ordinary paste we must use less butter; and when we use considerably less butter, if we wish the pastry light, we shall require baking-powder. the quantity depends very much upon the quality. many persons make their own baking-powder, and we cannot recommend any better than the recipe given in the last chapter, viz., an ounce of tartaric acid, an ounce and a half of bicarbonate of soda, and an ounce and a half of arrowroot. a great deal, too, depends upon the quality of the flour. vienna flour is much more expensive than ordinary flour, but incomparably superior. what limit we can assign to the quantity of butter used it is impossible to say. a quarter of a pound of butter to a pound of flour, and a teaspoonful of baking-powder, will make a fair crust. when less butter is used the result is not altogether satisfactory. puddings.--we next come to the very large class of puddings in which suet is used. the ordinary plum pudding is a case in point. the best substitute for suet, of course, is butter or oil; a plum pudding, however, made without suet, would undoubtedly be heavy, and, to avoid this, we must use butter, bread-crumbs, and baking-powder. it would be impossible to give any exact quantity, as so much depends upon the other ingredients. some people use bread-crumbs only in making plum pudding, and no flour, in which case, of course, a very considerable number of eggs must be used or else the pudding will break to pieces. in the case, however, of oil being used as a substitute for butter, it is of the utmost importance that the oil be pure and fresh. we here have to overcome a deeply-rooted english prejudice. pure oil is absolutely tasteless, and it has often been remarked by high-class authorities that really pure butter ought to be the same. we fear, however, that purity in food is the exception rather than the rule, as at no period of this country's history has the crime of adulteration been so rampant as in the present day. adulteration has been said to be another form of competition. too often adulteration is a deliberate form of robbery. steps have been taken in recent years to put a stop to this universal system of fraud, more especially in connection with butter. were more acts passed similar to the "margarine act" we believe that this country would be richer and happier, and without doubt more healthy. in that large class of puddings known as custard pudding, cabinet pudding, there is no difference whatever in vegetarian cookery. it would be quite impossible to make any of these puddings without eggs, and when eggs are used we may take for granted that butter is allowed also. we have, throughout, called particular attention to the importance of appearances. in the case of all puddings made with eggs and baked in a dish, it is a very great improvement to reserve one or two whites of egg, and to beat these to a stiff froth, with a little white powdered sugar. when the pudding is baked, cover it with this snow-white froth, and let it set by placing it in a slack oven for two or three minutes. whether the pudding is served hot or cold, the result is the same. an otherwise plain and somewhat common-looking dish is transformed into an elegant one, the only extra expense being a little _trouble_. we may sum up our instructions to cooks in the words: "whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." index. allemande sauce, almond cheesecakes, fritters, sauce, sauce, clear, soup, apple cheesecakes, custard, fritters, jam, jelly, sauce, soup, apples, stewed, apricot fritters, jam, jelly, apricots tinned, with cream, aromatic herbs, arrowroot sauce, artichokes, french, a la provencale, boiled, fried, salad, artichoke, jerusalem, fried, mashed, sauce, soup, asparagus and eggs, boiled, salad, sauce, soup, tinned, ayoli, baking-powder, banana fritters, barley and rice porridge, soup, batter for fritters, beans, broad, a la bourgeoise, a la poulette, mashed, salad, soup, beans, french, pudding, salad, soup, tinned, beans, haricot, salad, soup, red, soup, white, beetroot salad, soup, beurre noir, blackberry jam, jelly, black butter, and eggs, black currant jam, jelly, sauce, bread, and milk, potato, sauce, whole-meal, brocoli, greens, brown mushroom sauce, onion sauce, brown roux, thickening, brussels sprouts, tinned, butter, black, maitre d'hotel, melted, oiled, sauce, cabbage, and cream, and rice, large white, red, soup, cakes, parsnip, pound, caper sauce, carrot jam, sauce, soup, carrots, boiled, fried, mashed, tinned, cauliflower and tomato sauce, au gratin, boiled, salad, sauce, soup, casseroles, celery and eggs, salad, sauce, soup, stewed, cheesecakes, - almond, apple, from curds, orange, potato, cheese and eggs, and fried bread, and rice, devilled, fritters, cheese ramequins, sandwiches, savoury, souffle, soup, stewed, straws, toasted, cherry sauce, soup, cherries, stewed, chestnut sauce, soup, chestnuts and macaroni, chocolate cream, fritters, chutney sauce, cinnamon sauce, clear soup, cocoanut sauce, soup, coffee cream, fritters, cottage soup, cream and macaroni, cheese sandwiches, chocolate, coffee, fritters, lemon, maraschino, orange, pistachio, strawberry, vanilla, creams, croquettes, potato, rice, cucumber and eggs, salad, sauce, currant sauce, black, red, black, jam, black, jelly, red, jam, red, jelly, curried eggs, lentils, rice vegetables, curry sauce, custard, apple, cheap, fritters, custards, cutlets, potato, damson jam, jelly, dandelion salad, devilled cheese, eggs, dutch sauce, green, egg balls, forcemeat, salad, sandwiches, sauce, toast, eggs, a la bonne femme, a la dauphine, a la tripe, and asparagus, black butter, celery, cheese, cucumber, garlic, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, rice, sauce robert, sorrel, spinach, turnip-tops, au gratin, boiled, hard, broiled, buttered, curried, devilled, fried, in sunshine, little, poached, scrambled, to break, endive, salad, soup, english salad, extract of spinach, fennel sauce, flageolets, tinned, fond d'artichokes, forcemeat of egg, of mushroom, frangipane fritters, french beans, bean salad, soup, pudding, salad, fritters, almond, apple, apricot, banana, batter for, cheese, chocolate, coffee, cream, custard, frangipane, game, german, ginger and rice, hominy, mushroom, orange, pine apple, peach, potato, rice, sage and onion, spinach, sweet, tomato, vanilla, fruit, compote of, soup, stewed, fruits, bottled, tinned, frumenty, game fritters, garlic and eggs, garnish of eggs, german fritters, salad, sauce, ginger sauce, gooseberry sauce, gooseberries, stewed, green bean soup, dutch sauce, mayonnaise sauce, pea soup, dried, fresh, hare soup, haricot beans, bean salad, soup, red, white, herbaceous mixture, herbs, aromatic, hominy, fried, fritters, hop salad, horseradish sauce, hotch potch, ice cream, lemon water, orange water, water fruit, ices, from fresh fruit, from jams, indian pickle sauce, sandwiches, italian salad, sauce, jam apple, apricot, blackberry, black currant, carrot, damson, gooseberry, greengage, plum, raspberry, red currant, rhubarb, strawberry, vegetable marrow, jams, jardiniere soup, jellies, jelly, apple, apricot, blackberry, black currant, damson, lemon, mulberry, orange, pine apple, raspberry, red currant, julienne soup, kale, scotch, sea, leek soup, leeks, stewed, welsh porridge, lemon cream, jelly, water, ice, lentil porridge, puree a la soubise, soup, lentils, a la a provencale, boiled, curried, lettuce salad, lettuces, stewed, with peas, macaroni, a la reine, and cheese, chestnuts, cream, eggs, tomatoes, as an ornament, au gratin, italian fashion, nudels, savoury, scolloped, soup, clear, soup, thick, timbale of, macedoines, maitre d'hotel sauce, butter, mango chutney sauce, maraschino cream, mayonnaise salad, sauce, sauce, green, melon salad, milk porridge, soup, toast, mint sauce, mock turtle soup, mulberry jelly, mulligatawny soup, mushroom, essence of, forcemeat, fritters, pie, cold, pudding, puree of, sandwiches, sauce, brown, mushrooms, a la bordelaise, a la provencale, and eggs, au gratin, fried, plain, mustard sauce, mustard and cress, sandwiches, nalesnikis, nettles, to boil, oatmeal porridge, oiled butter, omelet au kirsch, au rhum, cheese, fine herbs, onion, plain, potato, potato, sweet, souffle, sweet, vegetable, with jam, omelets, onion omelet, salad, sauce, brown, soup, brown, onions and eggs, baked, plain, stewed, stuffed, orange cheesecakes, cream, fritters, jelly, sauce, water ice, ox-tail soup, palestine soup, pancakes, polish, parsley sauce, to blanch, parsnip cake, soup, parsnips, fried, mashed, paste for pies, . puddings, . without butter, . peach fritters, peaches, tinned, peaches with cream, pea soup, dried green, split peas, fresh green, peas, boiled, brose, dried, dried green with cream, dried whole green, green, pudding, stewed, tinned, pear soup, pears, stewed, tinned, pie, mushroom, mushroom, cold, potato, pumpkin, pies and puddings, general, paste for, . pine apple fritters, ice, jelly, sauce, tinned, piroski sernikis, pistachio cream, plum jam, sauce, plums, stewed, polenta, poached eggs, poivrade sauce, polish pancakes, porridge, barley and rice, milk, lentil, oatmeal, sago, whole meal, potato balls, biscuits, border, bread, cake, cheese, cheesecake, chips, croquettes, fritters, omelet, omelet, sweet, ribbon, salad, soup, potatoes and eggs, a la barigoule, a la lyonnaise, a la maitre d'hotel, a la provencale, baked, boiled, broiled, fried, mashed, new, saute, steamed, pound cake, prune sauce, prunes, stewed, pudding, cheese, french bean, mushroom, peas, pumpkin, puddings, pumpkin a la parmesane, pie, pudding, soup, puree, endive, lentils, mushroom, of beans, red, , of beans, white, of chestnuts, sorrel, rarebit, welsh, raspberry ice, jam, jelly, sauce, ramequins, cheese, ratafia sauce, ravigotte sauce, red currant jam, jelly, sauce, red haricot bean soup, rhubarb soup, stewed, rice, and barley porridge, and cabbage, and cheese, and eggs, and ginger fritters, and tomatoes, boiled, border, croquettes, curried, fritters, soup, soup a la royale, risotto, robert sauce, roux, brown, white, sage and onion fritters, sago porridge, soup, salad, artichoke, asparagus, bean, broad, bean, haricot, beetroot, cauliflower, celery, cucumber, dandelion, egg, endive, english, french, french beans, german, hop, italian, mayonnaise, melon, mixed, mustard and cress, onion, potato, salsify, sweet, tomato, water-cress, salads, salsify, boiled, salad, sandwiches, cheese, cream cheese, egg, indian, mushroom, mustard and cress, tomato, sauce, allemande, almond, almond, clear, apple, arrowroot, artichoke, asparagus, bread, butter, butter, black, butter, oiled, caper, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cherry, chestnut, cinnamon, cocoa-nut, cucumber, currant, black, currant, red, curry, dutch, green, egg, fennel, german sweet, ginger, gooseberry, horseradish, indian pickle, italian, maitre d'hotel, mango chutney, mayonnaise, green, mint, mushroom, brown, puree, mustard, onion, brown, orange cream, parsley, pine apple, plum, poivrade, prune, radish, raspberry, ratafia, ravigotte, robert, sorrel, soubise, sweet, tarragon, tartar, tomato, truffle, vanilla, white, sauces, savoury rice, scotch broth, kale, sea kale, soup, sorrel sauce, soup, soubise sauce, souffle, cheese, omelet, soup, almond, apple, artichoke, asparagus, barley, bean, french, green, haricot, red, haricot, white beetroot, cabbage, carrot, cauliflower, celery, cheese, cherry, chestnut, clear, cocoanut, cottage, endive, fruit, green pea, dried, fresh, hare, hotch potch, jardiniere, julienne, leek, lentil, lentil a la soubise, macaroni, clear, thick, milk, mock turtle, mulligatawny, onion, brown, ox-tail, palestine, parsnip, pear, pea, split, green, dried, fresh, potato, pumpkin, rhubarb, rice, a la royale, sago, scotch broth, sea kale, sorrel, spinach, tapioca, tomato, turnip, vegetable, marrow, vermicelli, white, white, soups, general instructions, sparghetti, spinach, and eggs, extract of, fritters, soup, tinned, stock, strawberry cream, ice, jam, sweet fritters, omelet, salads, sauce, german, tagliatelli, tapioca soup, tarragon sauce, tartar sauce, thickening, brown, white, timbale of macaroni, toast, egg, milk, tomato fritters, pie, salad, sandwiches, sauce, soup, tomatoes and macaroni, and rice, au gratin, baked, fried, grilled, stewed, truffle sauce, turnip soup, -tops, and eggs, turnips, boiled, mashed, ornamental, tinned, vanilla cream, fritters, ice, sauce, vegetable curry, marrow, soup, stuffed, omelet, soup, vegetables, fresh, preserved, substantial, vermicelli soup, thick, water-cress salad, welsh porridge, rarebit, white haricot bean salad, soup, roux, sauce, soup, thickening, whole-meal bread, porridge, zucchetti farcis, * * * * * printed by cassell & company, limited, la belle sauvage, london, e.c. * * * * * cheap edition ( _th thousand_). cloth gilt, s. d. what girls can do. a book for mothers and daughters. by phyllis browne, author of "a year's cookery." "girls who are forced to earn their livelihood, are ambitious of making themselves useful, or only desire not to be idle, may all consult with advantage these pages, which have the great merit of being within the compass of all to profit by."--_times_. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london._ * * * * * _seventh and cheap edition._ price s. d.; cloth, s. a handbook of nursing for the home and for the hospital. by catherine j. wood, lady superintendent of the hospital for sick children, great ormond street. "a book which every mother of a family ought to have, as well as every nurse under training."--_guardian_. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * _ninth edition_, extra fcap. vo, cloth, s. the ladies' physician. a guide for women to the treatment of their ailments. by a london physician. 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"--_athenaeum_. * * * * * cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * _new and revised edition_, price s.; roxburgh, s the family physician. a manual of domestic medicine by physicians and surgeons of the principal london hospitals. the range of subjects dealt with is wonderfully comprehensive, and the book will be worth ten times its cost by helping many a one to ward off some of the 'ills that flesh is heir to.' it is of inestimable value. many years' experience of its far-reaching usefulness and trustworthiness enables us to commend the work with the utmost confidence. it is based on the best of medical principles in showing how to avoid and prevent illness, but goes much further than this, by providing judicious advice for all cases of emergency."--_daily chronicle_. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * authoritative work on health by eminent physicians and surgeons. the book of health. a systematic treatise for the professional and general reader upon the science and the preservation of health s. roxburgh s. "the book of health," says the _lancet_, "is what it aims to be--authoritative, and must become a standard work of reference not only with those who are responsible for the health of schools, workshops, and other establishments where there is a large concourse of individuals, but to every member of the community who is anxious to secure the highest possible degree of healthy living for himself and for his family. cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * _cassell & company's complete catalogue, containing particulars of_ upwards of one thousand volumes, _including bibles and religious works, illustrated and fine art volumes, children's books, dictionaries, educational works, history, natural history, household and domestic treatises, science, travels, &c., together with a synopsis of their numerous illustrated serial publications, sent post free on application._ cassell & company, limited, _ludgate hill, london_. * * * * * reduced price list of barber & company's new season teas per lb. packoo, pure leaf congo s. d. siftings from choicest black teas s. d. rich sirupy new season's onfa congo s. d. rich sirupy moning congo s. d. finest ditto s. d. best black tea grown s. d. finest and purest gunpowder s. d. orange pekoe (finest imported) s. d. young hyson (pure and fine) s. d. coffee. french, as used in paris (per lb. tin) s. d. this is the choicest and most carefully selected coffee. roasted on the french principle and mixed with the finest bruges chicory. fine costa rica (mixed with the finest bruges chicory) s. d. finest plantation (ditto) s. d. rich mysore (ditto) s. d. rare old mocha (pure) s. d. cocoa. finest pure trinidad (ribbed or flaked) s. d. ditto, prepared soluble, s, s. d., and s. per lb. * * * * * no outrageous names or prices but ceylon tea (pure and simple), s. d. per lb. (own packing). - / lb. sample by post for s. d.; - / lbs. s. d.; [transcriber's note: illegible.] lbs. s. d. * * * * * n.b.--no charge for carriage of parcels of tea [transcriber's note: illegible.] and over in england. _cheques [transcriber's note: illegible.] barber and company (established in the last century) , regent circus, oxford street, w. , bishopsgate street, london e.c. , westbourne grove, w. , brixton road, s.w. the borough, london bridge, s.e. king's cross, n. , great titchfield street, w. manchester-- , market street. birmingham--quadrant. liverpool-- , church street, winston buildings, and london road. preston-- , fishergate. bristol-- , corn street. brighton-- , north street. hastings--robertson street, and havelock road. twenty-five cent dinners for families of six. by juliet corson, _superintendent of the new york cooking school_. author of "the cooking manual," "our household council," "the bill of fare, with accompanying receipts and estimated cost," "a text-book for cooking schools," "fifteen-cent dinners for workingmen's families," etc. thirteenth edition, revised and enlarged. new york: orange judd company, broadway, . copyright by juliet corson, . all rights reserved. preface to _the revised and enlarged edition_. during the time that this little book has been a candidate for public favor, it has attained a success far beyond the expectations of its most sanguine advocates; and in issuing this revised and enlarged edition the author returns her sincere thanks to both press and public, who have so substantially seconded her efforts for culinary reform. in this edition an additional chapter has been devoted to the preparation of fruit for dessert, with special reference to the needs of american housewives. most american ladies prepare fruit for table use either by canning it, or making it into rich and expensive preserves; while both of these methods are palatable, and available for winter use, the receipts given in the closing chapter will provide a welcome variety for serving fresh fruits at the table, and will tend to increase the healthy consumption of those abundant and excellent domestic productions, while they cannot fail to decrease the deplorable prevalence of that objectionable national compound, the pie. recent investigations concerning retail prices in different sections of the country confirm the author in the estimate of cost given in this work; in certain localities some of the articles quoted are more expensive, while others are cheaper; but the average is about equal. preface. to economical housewives: the wide publicity which the press in different sections of the country has given to my offer to show workingpeople earning a dollar and a half, or less, per day, how to get a good dinner for fifteen cents, has brought me a great many letters from those who earn more, and can consequently afford a more extended diet. in response to their requirements i have written this book, which i hope will be found servicable in that middle department of cookery it is designed to occupy, where we begin to look for more than the absolute necessaries of life; it is a practical guide to the economical, healthful, and palatable preparation of food, and will serve to show that it is possible to live well upon a very moderate income. it is necessary to repeat in this book some of the directions given in the work on "fifteen cent dinners;" but i hope their reappearance will be pardoned on the ground of their usefulness, and also because the first book will fail to reach many for whom this one is intended. the cheapest kinds of food are sometimes the most wholesome and strengthening; but in order to obtain all their best qualities we must know how to choose them for their freshness, goodness, and suitability to our needs. that done, we must know how to cook them, so as to make savory and nutritious meals instead of tasteless or sodden messes, the eating whereof sends the man to the liquor shop for consolation. good food, properly cooked, gives us good blood, sound bones, healthy brains, strong nerves, and firm flesh, to say nothing of good tempers and kind hearts. these are surely worth a little trouble to secure. the first food of nearly all living creatures is milk, the only entire natural food; that is, the only food upon which health and strength can be sustained for any length of time, without using any other nourishment. for this reason it is the best food you can give the children if you must restrict their diet at all; and it is also a valuable addition to the food of grown persons. while this fact about milk is settled, it is generally acknowledged by people who study the subject that we thrive best on a variety. we get warmth and strength from fat meat, wheat, rye, barley, rice, milk, sugar, fruit, peas, beans, lentils, macaroni, and the roots of vegetables; we gain flesh from lean meat, unbolted flour, oatmeal, eggs, cheese, and green vegetables; and, if we want to think clearly, we must use fish, poultry, the different grains, and a good variety of fruit and vegetables. the food most generally in use among the masses is just that which meets their requirements. no hungry man will spend money for what he knows will not satisfy his appetite, and a natural appetite may always be trusted. for that reason the receipts given in this book treat of the articles in common use, with the exception of lentils and macaroni, which are foods that i earnestly beg all to try. in meals made up of bacon, potatoes and bread, of corned beef and cabbage, and of pork and beans, there exists an equal and sufficient amount of nourishment; but if other dishes are added to these, the variety will result in better general health and contentment. if we were to live day after day on rice, bread, potatoes, or any one other article of food, we would not long be strong enough for any kind of work. in matters of diet variety is not only the spice of life, it is the necessity. in estimating cost, i have naturally supposed that the family consists of father, mother, and children of different ages, and not of six adults; for them the quantities given would, of course, be insufficient. i allow a meat dinner every day; but in order to have this the meat itself must generally be used one day, with bread or vegetables, and the next day the breakfast must be the broth or juice of the meat, which, if prepared according to my directions, will afford equal nourishment. i wish to call your attention to the following important fact. the hardy and thrifty working classes of france, the country where the most rigid economy in regard to food is practised, never use tea or coffee for breakfast, and seldom use milk. their food and drink is broth. not the broth from fresh meat, for they do not often eat that; but that which is made from vegetables, and perhaps a bit of bacon or salt pork. if you will reflect on the reasons i give in the next chapter for boiling food, instead of roasting or baking it, you will learn two important lessons in economy, namely: that boiling saves at least one fourth the volume of food, and that the broth which is produced, when properly managed, always gives the foundation for another meal. you should always bear in mind that the object of cooking is to soften and disintegrate food, so that it can be easily masticated; and to expand it, so as to present a large surface to the action of the digestive organs. in this connection you must open your eyes to certain physiological facts if you want your food to agree with you. i shall not tell you more, and perhaps not so much, as you ought to know, and to teach your children. in calculating the cost of the receipts i give you, i have used the retail prices asked in washington market, and in ordinary grocery stores, at this season of the year; the average is about the same as that of past years, and probably will not change much; so that i believe i have not placed too low an estimate upon them. at the first glance it may seem impossible to buy healthy meat at the prices i give, but you must remember that i speak of the good second quality of meat, and that the marketing must be done with economy, and in low-priced localities. it _can_ be done, for i have done it myself. go to packing houses, and provision stores, for meats; to german green-groceries for vegetables, and fruit; and to "speciality" stores, for butter, sugar, tea, et cetera. in conclusion i only have to say that i hope my little book will be useful to every one who consults it. juliet corson. _new york cooking school._ daily bills of fare for one week. { breakfast: johnny cake, ; cocoa, ; broiled } { herring, . } { } monday { dinner: chicken soup with rice, ; fried } { chicken and potatoes, . } { } { supper: tea, ; broiled kidneys, ; rice } { bread, . } { breakfast: pulled bread, ; coffee, ; macaroni, } { farmers' style, . } { } tuesday { dinner: broth and brewis, ; stewed beef } { with norfolk dumplings, . } { } { supper: tea, ; peas pudding, ; bread, . } { breakfast: biscuit, ; cocoa, ; codfish } { steaks, . } { } wednesday { dinner: spinach soup, ; gammon dumplings } { and potatoes, . } { } { supper: tea, ; baked beans, ; potato } { bread, . } { breakfast: breakfast rolls, ; cocoa, ; } { stewed pig's kidneys, . } { } thursday { dinner: macaroni with white sauce, ; } { brain and liver pudding, with potatoes, } { . } { } { supper: tea, ; rice, japanese style, ; } { bread, . } { breakfast: indian cakes, ; coffee, ; vegetable } { porridge, . } { } friday { dinner: thick pea soup, ; fish and potato } { pudding, . } { } { supper: tea, ; fried beans, ; rice } { bread, . } { breakfast: biscuit, ; cocoa, ; rice, milanaise } { style, . } { } saturday { dinner: mutton broth, with barley, ; epigramme } { of lamb, ; potatoes, . } { } { supper: tea, ; polenta, ; potato bread, . } { breakfast: toast, ; fried lentils, ; } { coffee, ; oatmeal porridge, . } { } sunday { dinner: roast fowl and baked potatoes, ; } { half-pay pudding, . } . { } { supper: german potatoes, ; cream rice } { pudding, ; bread, . } total. $ . contents chapter i. _marketing._ page. composition and nutritive value of meat, blood, and bones--how to choose meat--beef--mutton--lamb--veal--pork--poultry--game birds--fish--vegetables--fruit chapter ii. _how to cook, season, and measure._ effect of different methods of cooking--roasting or baking--broiling--boiling and stewing--frying--cooking salt and smoked meats--seasoning food--dried celery and parsley--dried herbs--table sauce--celery salt--spice salt--lemon, orange, and vanilla tinctures--table for measuring food chapter iii. _beverages._ tea--coffee--cocoa and chocolate--beer--barley water--milk--lime water chapter iv. _bread, macaroni, and rice._ comparative price and nutritive value of different kinds of bread--homemade bread--rice bread--potato bread--pulled bread--bread made with baking powder--breakfast rolls--tea biscuit--nutritive value of macaroni--macaroni farmers' style--macaroni with broth--macaroni with white sauce--macaroni with cheese--macaroni milanaise style--macaroni with tomato sauce--tomato sauce--rice--rice panada--boiled rice--rice milanaise style--rice japanese style chapter v. _soup._ nutritive value of soup--general directions for making soup--scotch broth without meat--pea soup--thick pea soup--bean soup--lentil soup--onion soup--spinach soup--francatelli's vegetable soup--vegetable porridge--rice milk--fish soup--fish chowder--mutton broth--veal broth--white broth--cream soup--beef broth--norfolk dumplings--meat brewis chapter vi. _peas, beans, lentils, and maize._ value of leguminous vegetables for hard workers--oatmeal and peas--peas-pudding--peas and bacon--baked peas--peas and onions--baked beans--stewed beans--fried beans--beans and bacon--boiled lentils--stewed lentils--fried lentils--indian corn meal--polenta--cheese pudding--hasty pudding--johnny cake--indian cakes--indian bread--boiled indian pudding--baked indian pudding chapter vii. _cheap fish and meat dinners._ nutritive value of fish--pickled fish--london fried fish--fish and potato pie--fish pudding--fish and potato pudding--codfish steaks--red herrings with potatoes--cheap meats--sheeps' head stew--oxtail stew--beef pie--baked heart--stewed kidneys and potatoes--pig's kidneys--kidney pudding--gammon dumpling--bacon and apple roly-poly--mutton and onions--pork and onions--veal and rice--irish stew--sheep's haslet--baked pig's head chapter viii. _sunday dinners._ economy of combination dishes--roast fowl--forcemeat or stuffing--chicken gravy--fried chicken--frying batter--chicken broth--new york cooking school fricassee--suet dumplings--rabbit curry--rabbit pie--pickled shad--pork pie--pork chops--roast pork and apples--stewed sausage--german potatoes--brain and liver pudding--broiled kidneys--tripe, curry, and rice--liver polenta--_a la mode_ beef--meat patties--boiled mutton--mutton _rechauffée_--mutton kromeskys--plain frying batter--_epigramme_ of lamb--roast veal--forcemeat for veal--_blanquette_ of veal--veal and ham patties chapter ix. _cheap puddings, pies, and cakes._ comparative nutritive value of puddings, pies, and cakes--swiss pudding--cream sauce--college puddings--cream rice pudding--half-pay pudding--bread pudding--cup custards--fruit dumpling--apple dumplings--baked apple dumplings--lemon dumplings--rice croquettes--fruit tarts--rice cake--rock cakes--caraway cake--soft gingerbread--sweet biscuits chapter x. _dessert dishes._ directions for making cheap and enjoyable delicacies from fruit--apple black caps--apple snow--apple cakes--cherry cheese--candied cherries--currant salad--iced currants--compôte of damsons--stuffed dates--stewed figs--compôte of gooseberries--gooseberry cheese--gooseberry fool--grape jelly--green gage compôte--pine apple julep--lemon snow--melon compôte--orange salad--orange and apple compôte--peach salad--cold compôte of pears--stewed prunelles--quince cakes--quince snow--iced raspberries--raspberry salad--compôte of strawberries--strawberry drops--compôte of mixed fruits--fruit juice chapter i. marketing. the most perfect meats are taken from well-fed, full-grown animals, that have not been over-worked, under-fed, or hard-driven; the flesh is firm, tender, and well-flavored, and abounds in nutritious elements. on the other hand, the flesh of hard-worked or ill-fed creatures is tough, hard, and tasteless. all animal flesh is composed of albumen, fibrin, and gelatin, in the proportion of about one fifth of its weight; the balance of its substance is made up of the juice, which consists of water, and those soluble salts and phosphates which are absolutely necessary for the maintenance of health. it is this juice which is extracted from beef in the process of making beef tea; and it is the lack of it in salted meats that makes them such an injurious diet when eaten for any length of time to the exclusion of other food. the flesh of young animals is less nutritious, and less easily masticated than that of full grown animals, on account of its looser texture. beef, which has firmer and larger fibres than mutton, is harder to digest on that account, but it contains an excess of strengthening elements that is not approached by any meat, save that of the leg of pork. the tongues of various animals, the fibres of which are small and tender, are nutritious and digestible; the heart is nutritious because it is composed of solid flesh, but the density of its fibre interferes with its digestibility; the other internal organs are very nutritious, and very useful as food for vigorous persons on that account, and because they are cheap. the blood of animals abounds in nutritive elements; the possibility of its use as a general food has closely engaged the attention of european scientists; notably of the members of the university of copenhagen, who recommend its use in the following forms, in which it is not only suitable for food, but also capable of preservation for an indefinite time. first, as sausages, puddings and cakes--being mixed with fat, meal, sugar, salt, and a few spices--to serve as a much cheaper substitute for meat, and intended especially for the use of the poor classes; and second, as blood-chocolate, more especially suitable to be used in hospitals, as well as otherwise in medical practice, in which latter form it has been recommended by professor panum, at a meeting of physicians at copenhagen, and is now being employed in some of the hospitals of that city. bones consist largely of animal matter, and earthy substances which are invaluable in building up the frame of the body. in order to obtain all their goodness, we must crush them well before putting them into soups or stews. =beef.=--the flesh of the best quality of beef is of a bright red color, intersected with closely laid veins of yellowish fat; the kidney fat, or suet, is abundant, and there is a thick layer upon the back. the second quality has rather whitish fat, laid moderately thick upon the back, and about the kidneys; the flesh is close-grained, having but few streaks of fat running through it, and is of a pale red color, and covered with a rough, yellowish skin. poor beef is dark red, gristly, and tough to the touch, with a scanty layer of soft, oily fat. buy meat as cheap as you can, but be sure it is fresh; slow and long cooking will make tough meat tender, but tainted meat is only fit to throw away. never use it. you would, by doing so, invite disease to enter the home where smiling health should reign. the best way to detect taint in any kind of meat is to run a sharp, thin-bladed knife close to the bone, and then smell it to see if the odor is sweet. wipe the knife after you use it. a small, sharp wooden skewer will answer, but it must be scraped every time it is used, or the meat-juice remaining on it will become tainted, and it will be unfit for future use. if, when you are doubtful about a piece of meat, the butcher refuses to let you apply this test carefully enough to avoid injuring the meat, you will be safe in thinking he is afraid of the result. =mutton.=--prime mutton is bright red, with plenty of hard, white fat. the flesh of the second quality is dark red and close grained, with very few threads of fat running through it; the fat is rather soft, and is laid thin on the back and kidneys, closely adhering to them. the poorest healthy quality has very pale flesh, and thin white fat, and the meat parts easily from the bone. diseased mutton has decidedly yellow fat, and very soft flesh, of loose texture. tainted mutton smells bad; test it as you would beef. =lamb.=--a carcass of lamb should weigh about twenty-five pounds before it is old enough to be wholesome and nourishing food; before it has reached that age it is watery and deficient in the elements of strength; at any age it is more suitable food for women and children than for healthy men. the finest kind has delicate rosy meat, and white, almost transparant fat. the flesh of the second quality is soft, and rather red compared with the pinkish-white meat of choice kinds; the fat is more scanty, and the general appearance coarser. the poorest lamb has yellow fat, and lean, flabby red meat, which keeps but a short time. test the freshness of lamb by touching the kidney-fat; if it is soft and moist the meat is on the verge of spoiling; a bad smell indicates that it is already tainted; it is utterly unfit for use. =veal.=--prime veal is light flesh color, and has abundance of hard, white, semi-transparent fat. the flesh of the second quality is red in contrast to the pinkish-white color of the prime sort; and the fat is whiter, coarser-grained, and less abundant. the poorest kind has decidedly red flesh, and very little kidney-fat. the neck is the first part that taints, and it can easily be tested; the loin is just spoiling when the kidney-fat begins to grow soft and clammy. read this sentence about bob-veal carefully, and be sure to remember it. it is the flesh of calves killed when two or three weeks old, or that of "deaconed calves," which are killed almost as soon as they are born, for the value of their skins. this practice cannot be too harshly condemned as a criminal waste of food; for a stock raiser, or farmer, who knows his business can feed his calves until they reach a healthy maturity, without seriously interfering with his supply of milk. the flesh of bob-veal is a soft, flabby, sticky substance, of a ropy gelatinous nature; and, being the first flesh, unchanged by the health-giving action of air and food, it is devoid of the elements necessary to transform it into wholesome food. it should never be eaten. =pork.=--the best kind of pork is fresh and pinkish in color, and the fat is firm and white. the second quality has rather hard, red flesh, and yellowish fat. the poorest kind has dark, coarse grained meat, soft fat, and discoloured kidneys. the flesh of stale pork is moist and clammy, and its smell betrays its condition. measly pork has little kernels in the fat, and is unhealthy and dangerous food. after testing, as you would beef, so as to see if it is fresh, and making sure that it is not measly, we have still to dread the presence of trichina, a dangerous parasite present in the flesh of some hogs. the surest preventive of danger from this cause is thorough cooking, which destroys any germs that may exist in the meat. cook your pork until it is crisp and brown, by a good, steady fire, or in boiling water, at least twenty minutes to each pound. pork eaten in cold weather, or moderately in summer, alternately with other meats, is a palatable and nutritious food. it has a hard fibre, and needs to be thoroughly chewed in order to be perfectly digested; for that reason it should be sparingly used by the young and the very old. the least fat is found in the leg, which contains an excess of flesh-forming elements, and resembles lean beef in composition; the most fat is in the face and belly. when cured as bacon it readily takes on the anti-septic action of salt and smoke, and becomes a valuable adjunct to vegetable food, as well as a pleasant relish; and in this shape it is one of the most important articles in general use. =poultry.=--both poultry and game are less nutritious than meat, but they are more digestible, and consequently are better food than meat for persons of weak digestive organs and sedentary habits. they are both excellent for persons who think or write much. fresh poultry may be known by its full bright eyes, pliable feet, and soft moist skin; the best is plump, fat, and nearly white, and the grain of the flesh is fine. the feet and neck of a young fowl are large in proportion to its size, and the tip of the breast-bone is soft, and easily bent between the fingers; a young cock, has soft, loose spurs, and a long, full, bright red comb; old fowls have long, thin necks and feet, and the flesh on the legs and back has a purplish shade; chickens and fowls are always in season. turkeys are good when white and plump, have full breasts and smooth legs, generally black, with soft loose spurs; hen turkeys are smaller, fatter, and plumper, but of inferior flavor; full grown turkeys are the best for boiling, as they do not tear in dressing; old turkeys have long hairs, and the flesh is purplish where it shows under the skin on the legs and back. about march they deteriorate in quality. young ducks and geese are plump, with light, semi-transparent fat, soft breast-bone, tender flesh, leg joints which will break by the weight of the bird, fresh colored and brittle beaks, and windpipes that break when pressed between the thumb and forefinger. they are best in fall and winter. young pigeons have light red flesh upon the breast, and full, fresh colored legs; when the legs are thin, and the breast is very dark, the birds are old. =game birds.=--fine game birds are always heavy for their size; the flesh of the breast is firm and plump, and the skin clear; and if a few feathers be plucked from the inside of the leg and around the vent, the flesh of freshly killed birds will be fat and fresh colored; if it is dark, and discolored, the game has been hung a long time. the wings of good ducks, geese, pheasants, and woodcock are tender to the touch; the tips of the long wing feathers of partridges are pointed in young birds, and round in old ones. quail, snipe, and small birds should have full, tender breasts. =fish.=--fish is richer in flesh-forming elements than game, poultry, lamb or veal, but it contains less fat and gelatin. it is easily digested, and makes strong muscular flesh, but does not greatly increase the quantity of fat in the body. the red blooded and oily kinds, such as salmon, sturgeon, eels and herring, are much more nutritious than the white blooded varieties, such as cod, haddock, and flounders. the salting of rich, oily fish like herring, mackerel, salmon, and sturgeon, does not deprive it of its nutritive elements to the extent that is noticeable with cod; salt cod fish is almost entirely devoid of nutriment, while the first named oily varieties are valuable adjuncts to a vegetable diet. although fish contains more water and less solid nutriment than meat, it is generally useful from its abundance and cheapness; and certain kinds which are called red-blooded, are nearly as nourishing as meat: oily fish satisfies hunger as completely as meat; herring, especially, makes the people who eat it largely strong and sinewy. sea fish are more nourishing than fresh water varieties. sea fish, and those which live in both salt and fresh water, such as salmon, shad, and smelts, are the finest flavored; the muddy taste of some fresh water species can be overcome by soaking them in cold water and salt for two hours or more before cooking; all kinds are best just before spawning, the flesh becoming poor and watery after that period. fresh fish have firm flesh, rigid fins, bright, clear eyes, and ruddy gills. oysters, clams, scallops, and mussels, should be eaten very fresh, as they soon lose their flavor after being removed from the shell. lobsters and crabs should be chosen by their brightness of color, lively movement, and great weight in proportion to their size; you ought always to buy them alive, and put them head first into a large pot of boiling water, containing a handful of salt; they will cook in about twenty minutes. =vegetables.=--in order to be healthy we must eat some fresh vegetables; they are cheap and nourishing, especially onions and cabbages. peas, beans, and lentils, all of which are among the lowest priced of foods, are invaluable in the diet of a laboring man: he can get so much nourishment out of them that he hardly needs meat; and if they are cooked in the water that has been used for boiling meat, they make the healthiest kind of a meal. all juicy vegetables should be very fresh and crisp; and if a little wilted, can be restored by being sprinkled with water and laid in a cool, dark place; all roots and tubers should be pared and laid in cold water an hour or more before using. green vegetables are best just before they flower; and roots and tubers are prime from their ripening until they begin to sprout. when it is possible buy your vegetables by the quantity, from the farmers, or market-gardeners, or at the market; you will save more than half. potatoes now cost at washington market from one to one dollar and a half a barrel; there are three bushels in a barrel, and thirty-two quarts in a bushel; now at the groceries you pay fifteen cents a half a peck, or four cents a quart; that makes your barrel of potatoes cost you three dollars and sixty-three cents, if you buy half a peck at a time; or three dollars and eighty-four cents if you buy by the quart. so you see if you could buy a barrel at once you could save more than one half of your money. it is worth while to try and save enough to do it. =fruit.=--fresh fruit is a very important food, especially for children, as it keeps the blood pure, and the bowels regular. next to grains and seeds, it contains the greatest amount of nutriment to a given quantity. apples are more wholesome than any other fruit, and plentiful and cheap two-thirds of the time; they nourish, cool, and strengthen the body. in europe laborers depend largely upon them for nourishment, and if they have plenty, they can do well without meat. they miss apples much more than potatoes, for they are much more substantial food. all fruit should be bought ripe and sound; it is poor economy to buy imperfect or decayed kinds, as they are neither satisfactory nor healthy eating; while the mature, full flavored sorts are invaluable as food. preserved and dried fruits are luxuries to be indulged in only at festivals or holidays. nuts are full of nutritious oil, but are generally hard to digest; they do not come under the head of the necessaries of life. chapter ii. how to cook, season, and measure. before beginning to give you receipts, i wish to tell you about the effect of cooking food in different ways. we all want it cooked so that we can eat it easily, and get the most strength from it, without wasting any part of it. i will tell you some very good reasons for making soup and stew out of your meat instead of cooking it in any other way. =roasting or baking.=--the first is the most extravagant way of cooking meat, as it wastes nearly one third of its substance in drippings and steam; the second also is very wasteful, unless the meat is surrounded with vegetables, or covered with a flour paste. when you do bake meat without a covering of paste, put it into a hot oven at the start, to crisp the outside and to keep in the valuable juices; you can moderate the heat of the oven as soon as the meat is brown, and let it finish cooking slowly by the heat of the steam which is constantly forming inside of it. it generally takes twenty minutes to bake each pound of meat. =broiling.=--this is another extravagant way of cooking meat, for a great deal of the fat runs into the fire, and some nourishment escapes up the chimney with the steam. if you must broil meat, have your fire hot and clear, and your gridiron perfectly clean; and, unless it has a ledge to hold the drippings, tip it towards the back of the fire, so that the fat will burn there, and not blacken the meat as it would if the gridiron were laid flat, and the fat could burn under the meat. never stick a fork into broiled meat to turn it; and do not cut it to see if it is done; for if you do either you will let out the juice. study the following table, and then remember how near the time given in it comes to cooking according to your taste. fish will broil in from five to ten minutes; birds and poultry in from three to fifteen minutes; chops in from ten to fifteen minutes, and steak in from ten to twenty minutes. =boiling and stewing.=--boiling food slowly, or stewing it gently, saves all its goodness. after the pot once boils you cannot make its contents cook any faster if you have fire enough under it to run a steam engine; so save your fuel, and add it to the fire, little by little, only enough at a time to keep the pot boiling. remember, if you boil meat hard and fast it will be tough and tasteless, and most of its goodness will go up the chimney, or out of the window, with the steam. boil the meat gently, and keep it covered close to save the steam; it will condense on the inside of the cover, and fall back in drops of moisture upon the meat. the following table shows how much is wasted in the different ways of cooking we have just spoken of. four pounds of beef waste in boiling or stewing, about one pound of substance, but you have it all in the broth if you have kept the pot covered tightly; in baking one pound and a quarter is almost entirely lost unless you have plenty of vegetables in the dripping pan to absorb and preserve it; in roasting before the fire you lose nearly one pound and a half. do not think you save the waste in the shape of drippings; it is poor economy to buy fat at the price of meat merely for the pleasure of trying it out. =frying.=--this is a very good method of cooking fish, and of warming cold meat and vegetables. to fry well put into your frying pan enough fat to cover what you mean to fry, and let it get smoking hot, but do not burn it; then put in your food, and it will not soak fat, and will generally be done by the time it is nicely browned. to sautÉ, or half fry any article, you should begin by putting in the pan enough fat to cover the bottom, and let it get smoking hot, but not burnt before you put in the food. this also is a good way to warm over meat, vegetables, oatmeal, or pudding. a very good way to cook meat and vegetables together is to put them in an earthen jar, cover it tightly, and cement the cover on with flour paste; then bake for about four hours. if you are going to use a piece of meat cold do not cut it until it cools, and it will be more juicy. if the meat is salt let it cool in its own pot liquor, for the same reason. =salt and smoked meats.=--these meats are best when they are put over the fire in cold water, brought gradually to a boil, and then set back from the fierce heat of the fire, so as to keep scalding hot without boiling; they take longer to cook this way, but they are tender and delicious, and very little fat is wasted. =seasoning food.=--many people have the idea that a finely flavored dish must cost a great deal; that is a mistake; if you have untainted meat, or sound vegetables, or even indian meal, to begin with, you can make it delicious with proper seasoning. one reason why french cooking is so much nicer than any other is that it is seasoned with a great variety of herbs and spices; these cost very little; if you would buy a few cents' worth at a time you would soon have a good assortment. the best kinds are sage, thyme, sweet marjoram, tarragon, mint, sweet basil, parsley, bay-leaves, cloves, mace, celery-seed, and onions. if you will plant the seed of any of the seven first mentioned in little boxes on your window sill, or in a sunny spot in the yard, you can generally raise all you need. gather and dry them as follows: parsley and tarragon should be dried in june and july, just before flowering; mint in june and july; thyme, marjoram and savory in july and august; basil and sage in august and september; all herbs should be gathered in the sun-shine, and dried by artificial heat; their flavor is best preserved by keeping them in air-tight tin cans, or in tightly corked glass bottles. =dried celery and parsley.=--if you ever use celery, wash the leaves, stalks, roots and trimmings, and put them in a cool oven to dry thoroughly; then grate the root, and rub the leaves and stalks through a sieve, and put all into a tightly corked bottle, or tin can with close cover; this makes a most delicious seasoning for soups, stews, and stuffing. when you use parsley, save every bit of leaf, stalk or root you do not need, and treat them in the same way as the celery. remember in using parsley that the root has even a stronger flavor than the leaves, and do not waste a bit. =dried herbs.=--when you buy a bunch of dried herbs rub the leaves through a sieve, and bottle them tightly until you need them; tie the stalks together and save them until you want to make what the french call a _bouquet_, for a soup or stew. a _bouquet_ of herbs is made by tying together a few sprigs of parsley, thyme and two bay-leaves. the bay-leaves, which have the flavor of laurel, can be bought at any german grocery, or drug-store, enough to last for a long time for five cents. =table sauce.=--there is no reason why you should not sometimes have a nice relish for cold meat when you can make a pint of it for six cents, so i will give you a receipt for it. get at washington market at the herb stand, a bunch of tarragon; it will cost five cents in the summer, when it is green and strong, and not much more in the winter; put it in an earthen bowl, and pour on it one pint of scalding hot vinegar; cover it and let it stand until the next day; then strain it, and put it into a bottle which you must cork tight. either put more hot vinegar on the tarragon, or dry it, and save it until you want to make more; you can make a gallon of sauce from one bunch, only every time you use it you must let it stand a day longer. =celery salt.=--if you mix celery root, which has been dried and grated as above, with one fourth its quantity of salt, it makes a nice seasoning and keeps a long time. =spice salt.=--you can make this very nicely by drying, powdering and mixing by repeated siftings the following ingredients: one quarter of an ounce each of powdered thyme, bay-leaf, and pepper; one eighth of an ounce each of marjoram and cayenne pepper; one half of an ounce each of powdered clove and nutmeg; to every four ounces of this powder add one ounce of salt, and keep the mixture in an air-tight vessel. one ounce of it added to three pounds of stuffing, or forcemeat of any kind, makes a delicious seasoning. =lemon and orange tincture.=--never throw away lemon or orange peel; cut the yellow outside off carefully, and put it into a tightly corked bottle with enough alcohol to cover it. let it stand until the alcohol is a bright yellow, then pour it off, bottle it tight, and use it for flavoring when you make rice pudding. add lemon and alcohol as often as you have it, and you will always have a nice flavoring. =vanilla tincture.=--make this from a broken vanilla bean, just as you would make lemon tincture. when you make a plain rice pudding, and when you boil rice with sweetening, put a teaspoonful of either of these tinctures with it, and it will be very good. =measuring.=--be careful about measuring. do not think you can guess just right every time; you cannot do it. one day the dinner will be a great deal better than another, and you will wonder why; it will be because it is carefully seasoned and properly cooked. a good rule for seasoning soups and stews, is half an ounce, or a level tablespoonful of salt, and half a level teaspoonful of pepper to each quart of water; try it, if it is right you will know how much to use; if it is not right, alter it to suit your taste; but settle the point for once, and then you will know what to depend upon. the following table will give you some good hints about measuring; there are four teaspoonfuls in one tablespoon; two tablespoonfuls in one ounce; two ounces in one wineglassful; two wineglassfuls in one gill; two gills in one good sized cupful; two cupfuls in one pint; two pints in one quart. one quart of sifted flour, thrown into the measure, and shaken down, but not pressed, weighs one pound; one quart of indian corn meal, shaken down in the measure weighs one pound and three ounces; one quart of fine sugar weighs one pound and a half. chapter iii. beverages. in my little book on "fifteen cent dinners," i decidedly advocate the substitution of milk or milk and water as a drink at meal times, for tea and coffee, on the score of economy; because milk is a food, while the two former drinks are chiefly stimulants. they are pleasant because they warm and exhilarate, but they are luxuries because they give no strength; therefore their use is extravagant when we are pinched for healthy food. it is true that when we drink them we do not feel as hungry as we do without them. the sensation of hunger is nature's sure sign that the body needs a new supply of food because the last has been exhausted; the change of the nourishing qualities of food into strength is always going on as long as any remains in the system; the use of tea, coffee, and alcohol, hinders this change, and consequently we are less hungry when we use them than when we do without them. tea and coffee are certainly important aids to the cheerfulness and comfort of home; and when the first stage of economy, where every penny must be counted, has passed, we do not know of any pleasanter accessory to a meal than a cup of good tea or coffee. =tea.=--the physiological action of very strong tea is marked; moderately used it excites the action of the skin, lungs, and nervous system, and soothes any undue action of the heart; used to excess, it causes indigestion, nervousness, and wakefulness. no doubt its effects are greatly modified by climate, for the russians drink enormous quantities of very strong, fine tea. a recent war report gives the following account of its use in the army. "the russian soldiers are said to live and fight almost wholly upon tea. the cossacks often carry it about in the shape of bricks, or rather tiles, which, before hardening, are soaked in sheep's blood and boiled in milk, with the addition of flour, butter and salt, so as to constitute a kind of soup. the passion of the russian for this beverage is simply astonishing. in the depth of winter he will empty twenty cups in succession, at nearly boiling point, until he perspires at every pore, and then, in a state of excitement rush out, roll in the snow, get up and go on to the next similar place of entertainment. so with the army. with every group or circle of tents travels the invariable tea kettle, suspended from a tripod; and it would be in vain to think of computing how many times each soldier's pannikin is filled upon a halt. it is his first idea. frequently he carries it cold in a copper case as a solace upon the march." dr. edward smith sums up the physiological action of tea as follows: " --a sense of wakefulness. " --clearness of mind, and activity of thought and imagination. " --increased disposition to make muscular exertion. " --reaction, with a sense of exhaustion in the morning following the preceding efforts, and in proportion to them." =coffee.=--the action of coffee is so similar to that of tea that we need not consider it separately; it will be sufficient to remark that the chief points of difference are lessening the action of the skin, increasing the action of the heart, and, when used very strong, aiding digestion to some extent. =cocoa and chocolate.=--both these articles are made from the kernels of a tropical fruit, about the size of a cucumber, the fleshy part of which is sometimes used to produce a vinous liquor; they are produced from the seeds of the cocoa palm, and from a kind of ground nut. these kernels consist of gum, starch, and vegetable oil; and are marketed as cocoa shells, which are the husks of the kernel; cocoa nibs, which consist of the crushed nuts; and ground cocoa, which is the kernels ground fine. chocolate is the finely ground powder from the kernels, mixed to a stiff paste with sugar, and, sometimes, a little starch. it is very nutritious; when it is difficult to digest remove from its solution the oily cake which will collect upon the surface as it cools. it is so nutritious that a small cake of it, weighing about two ounces, will satisfy hunger; for that reason it is a good lunch for travellers. both cocoa and chocolate are very nutritious, and are free from the reactionary influences of tea and coffee. let us count the cost of these beverages, and see which is the best for us. one quart of weak tea can be made from three teaspoonfuls, or half an ounce, of tea, (which cost at least one cent;) we must have for general use a gill of milk, (at one cent,) and four teaspoonfuls or one ounce of sugar, (at one cent); thus if we use only the above quantities of milk and sugar, one quart of tea costs three cents; if we increase them it will cost more. one quart of weak coffee can be made from one ounce, or two tablespoonfuls of coffee, (at a cost of two cents;) two tablespoonfuls or ounces of sugar, (two cents,) and a half a pint of milk, (two cents;) the total cost six cents. one quart of cocoa can be made from two ounces, or eight tablespoonfuls of cocoa shells, (which cost two cents,) with half a pint of milk, and an ounce of sugar, (at four cents more;) we have a quart of good, nutritious drink at six cents. it is all the better if the shells are boiled gently two or three hours. of course the nibs, or crushed cocoa, and chocolate, will both produce a correspondingly nutritious beverage. =beer.=--very poor families sometimes spend every day for beer enough to buy them a good, wholesome meal, because they think it makes them strong. beer, like all other liquors, is of no value whatever in making strength; it only nerves you up to spend all you can muster under the excitement it causes, and then leaves you weaker than before. what you need when you crave liquor is a good, warm meal. the best doctors say that a man cannot drink more than about a pint and a half of beer a day without injuring his health; and that healthy people, during youth and middle age, do not need it at all. let it, and all other liquors alone entirely, and you will be better off in health and purse. =beer for nursing women.=--it is generally believed that women who drink malt liquor are able to nurse children to greater advantage than those who do not use it. the fact is that while the quantity of milk may be increased, its nourishing quality will be impaired. there may be more milk for the child, but it will be poor. the effect of all malt liquors is to promote the secretion of the fluids of the body, but not to enrich them. do not drink beer for the sake of your child, but try milk, or milk and water instead, and see if after a fair trial you do not have plenty for the baby, and if it does not grow strong and fat. if milk does not agree with you, or you cannot afford it, use barley water; it will not only give you plenty of milk, but it will nourish you as well as the baby. you will get from it all the nourishment that you may fancy you get from malt liquor, with this advantage: in the barley water you will get all the nutriment of the grain unchanged, while in the form of beer the fermentation has destroyed part of it. the following is a good receipt: =barley water.=--thoroughly wash two ounces of pearl barley, (which costs less than two cents,) to remove any musty or bad flavor, put it over the fire in two quarts of cold water, and boil it until it is reduced to one quart; then strain it, cool it, and drink it whenever you are thirsty. a little sugar can be used without hurting the baby. =milk.=--i have already said that milk is the most perfect food; we will now see what it is made of, and how it nourishes the body; and then we can understand how necessary it is to have it pure. the elements of milk which strengthen the whole body are the solid parts that separate in the form of curd when it begins to turn sour; the whey contains the salts and phosphates which strengthen the brain, bones, and digestive organs; the cream is the part which makes us fat. when we remember that cheese is made from the curd of milk we can see why it is so valuable as food, and why a meal of black or brown bread and cheese will satisfy a hungry man. try to afford at least a quart of good milk every day. it can be bought in new york now for seven or eight cents a quart; and if the children have plenty of seconds bread, or oatmeal porridge, and a cup of milk, at meal times, they will be strong and rosy. skim-milk, butter-milk, and whey, are all excellent foods, and far better drinks than beer or whiskey. make a plain pudding now and then, with skim-milk, adding an ounce of suet to restore its richness. if the milk has turned a little sour add lime water to it, in the proportion of four tablespoonfuls of the lime water to a quart. if the lime water is added before the milk begins to turn it will help keep it fresh. the following is a good receipt for making lime water: =lime water.=--slack four ounces of quick lime with a little water, and gradually add enough water to make a gallon in all; let it stand three hours, then bottle it in glass-stoppered bottles, putting a portion of the undissolved lime in each bottle; when you want to use some, pour off the clear fluid from the top. children should never have tea, coffee, or liquor; all these drinks hurt them; give them milk, or milk and water; or pure water, if you cannot afford milk. but you had better scant their clothes than their supply of milk. if you have to limit the supply of food, deny them something else, but give them plenty of bread and scalded milk, and you can keep them healthy. chapter iv. bread, macaroni, and rice. homemade bread is healthier, satisfies hunger better, and is cheaper than bakers' bread. make bread yourself if you possibly can. use "middlings" if you can possibly get them; they contain the best elements of wheat. "household flour" has similar qualities, but is sometimes made from inferior kinds of wheat. both are darker and cheaper than fine white flour; and bread made from them takes longer to "rise" than that made from fine flour. bakers' bread is generally made from poor flour mixed with a little of the better sort; or with a little alum, which added to the wheat grown in wet seasons, keeps the bread from being pasty and poor in taste. the prices of bakers' bread upon the streets in the eastern and western parts of the city are as follows: ordinary white bread, five cent loaf weighs three quarters of a pound: six cent loaf weighs fourteen ounces: eight cent loaf weighs one pound and ten ounces; black bread, two eight cent loaves weigh, respectively, one pound eight, and one pound ten ounces; fine french bread, eight cent loaf weighs three quarters of a pound; in the french quarter a six cent loaf weighs one pound. we advise the purchase of new flour in preference to old, because, unless flour is cooled and dried before it is packed, the combined action of heat and dampness destroys its gluten, and turns it sour; gluten is the nutritive part of the flour, that which makes it absorb water, and yield more bread. if you do not have a good oven, your bread can be baked at the baker's for about a cent a loaf. when bread is made too light it is tasteless, and lacks nourishment, because the decay caused in the elements of the flour used to make it by the great quantity of yeast employed, destroys the most nutritious parts of it. a pint of milk in a batch of four loaves of bread gives you a pound more bread of better quality, and helps to make it moist. scalded skim milk will go as far as fresh whole milk, and you can use the cream for some other dish. one pound of pea-meal, or ground split-peas, added to every fourteen pounds of flour used for bread increases its nourishment, and helps to satisfy hunger. keep your bread in a covered earthen jar; when it is too stale to eat, or make into bread broth, dry it in a cool oven, or over the top of the fire, roll it with a rolling-pin, sift it through a sieve, and save the finest crumbs to roll fish or chops in for frying, and the largest for puddings. if a whole loaf is stale put it into a tight tin can, and either steam it, or put it into a moderately warm oven for half an hour; it will then be as good as fresh bread to the taste, and a great deal more healthy. a good allowance of bread each day is as follows: for a man two pounds, costing six cents; for boys and women one pound and a half, costing five cents; for children a pound each, costing three cents. =homemade bread.=--put seven pounds of flour into a deep pan, and make a hollow in the centre; into this put one quart of lukewarm water, one tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, and half a gill of yeast; have ready three pints more of warm water, and use as much of it as is necessary to make a rather soft dough, mixing and kneading it well with both hands. when it is smooth and shining strew a little flour upon it, lay a large towel over it folded, and set it in a warm place by the fire for four or five hours to rise; then knead it again for fifteen minutes, cover it with the towel, and set it to rise once more; then divide it into two or four loaves, and bake it in a quick oven. this quantity of flour will make eight pounds of bread, and will require one hour's baking to two pounds of dough. it will cost about thirty cents, and will last about two days and a half for a family of six. in cold weather, the dough should be mixed in a warm room, and not allowed to cool while rising; if it does not rise well, set the pan containing it over a large vessel of boiling water; it is best to mix the bread at night, and let it rise till morning, in a warm and even temperature. =rice bread.=--simmer one pound of rice in three quarts of water until the rice is soft, and the water evaporated or absorbed; let it cool until it is only luke-warm; mix into it nearly four pounds of flour, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and four tablespoonfuls of yeast; knead it until it is smooth and shining, let it rise before the fire, make it up into loaves with the little flour reserved from the four pounds, and bake it thoroughly. it will cost about twenty-five cents, and make more than eight pounds of excellent bread. =potato bread.=--take good, mealy boiled potatoes, in the proportion of one-third of the quantity of flour you propose to use, pass them through a coarse sieve into the flour, using a wooden spoon and adding enough cold water to enable you to pass them through readily; use the proper quantity of yeast, salt, and water, and make up the bread in the usual way. it will cost about twenty-four cents if you use the above quantities, and give you eight pounds or more of good bread. =pulled bread.=--take from the oven an ordinary loaf of bread when it is about _half baked_, and with the fingers, _while it is yet hot_, pull it apart in egg-sized pieces of irregular shape; throw them upon tins, and bake them in a slow oven to a rich brown color. this bread is excellent to eat with cheese or wine. an ordinary sized loaf, costing about three cents makes a large panful. =bread made with baking powder.=--where bread is made with baking powder the following rules should be closely observed: if any shortening be used, it should be rubbed into the flour before it is wet; _cold_ water or sweet milk should always be used to wet it, and the dough should be kneaded immediately, and only long enough to thoroughly mix it and form it in the desired shape; it should then be placed in a well-heated oven and baked quickly--otherwise the carbonic acid gas will escape before the expanded cells are fixed in the bread, and thus the lightness of the loaf will be impaired. =breakfast rolls.=--mix well by sifting together half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, a level teaspoonful of salt, and a heaping teaspoonful of sugar, (cost one cent;) rub into a little of the above one ounce of lard, (cost one cent,) mix it with the rest of the flour, and quickly wet it up with enough cold milk to enable you to roll it out about half an inch thick, (cost two cents;) cut out the dough with a tin shape or with a sharp knife, in the form of diamonds, lightly wet the top with water, and double them half over. put them upon a tin, buttered and warmed, and bake them in a hot oven. this receipt will cost about six cents, and will make about nine good sized rolls. =tea biscuit.=--mix as above, using the same proportions, and cutting out with a biscuit-cutter; when they are baked, wash them over with cold milk, and return them to the oven for a moment to dry. the cost is the same. =macaroni.=--this is a paste made from the purest wheat flour and water; it is generally known as a rather luxurious dish among the wealthy; but it should become one of the chief foods of the people, for it contains more gluten, or the nutritious portion of wheat, than bread. it is one of the most wholesome and economical of foods, and can be varied so as to give a succession of palatable dishes at a very small cost. the imported macaroni can be bought at italian stores for about fifteen cents a pound; and that quantity when boiled yields nearly four times its bulk, if it has been manufactured for any length of time. good macaroni is yellow or brownish in color; white sorts are always poor. it should never be soaked or washed before boiling, or put into cold or lukewarm water; wipe it carefully, break it in whatever lengths you want it, and put it into boiling water, to every quart of which half a tablespoonful of salt is added; you can boil an onion with it if you like the flavor; as soon as it is tender enough to yield easily when pressed between the fingers, drain it in a colander, saving its liquor for the next day's broth, and lay it in cold water until you want to use it. when more macaroni has been boiled than is used it can be kept perfectly good by laying it in fresh water, which must be changed every day. after boiling the macaroni as above, you can use it according to any of the following directions. half a pound of uncooked macaroni will make a large dishful. =macaroni, farmers' style.=--boil half a pound of macaroni as above, and while you are draining it from the cold water, stir together over the fire one ounce each of butter and flour, and as soon as they bubble gradually pour into the sauce they make, a pint of boiling water, beating it with a fork or egg whip until it is smooth; season it with a level teaspoonful of salt and a level saltspoonful of pepper, and put the macaroni in it to heat; then cut an onion in small shreds, and brown it over the fire in a very little fat; when both are done dish the macaroni, and pour the onion out of the frying pan upon it. it is excellent; and ten cents will cover the cost of all of it. =macaroni with broth.=--put half a pound of macaroni, boiled as above and washed in cold water, over the fire with any kind of broth, or one pint of cold gravy and water; season it to taste with pepper and salt, and let it heat slowly for an hour, or less if you are in a hurry; then lay it on a flat dish, strew over it a few bread crumbs, which you will almost always have on hand if you save all the bits i speak of in the article on bread; then set the dish in the oven, or in front of the fire to brown. it will cost less than ten cents, and be delicious and very hearty. =macaroni with white sauce.=--warm half a pound of macaroni, boiled and washed in cold water, as above, in the following sauce, and use it as soon as it is hot. stir together over the fire one ounce each of butter and flour, pouring in one pint of boiling water and milk, as soon as the butter and flour are mixed; season it with salt and pepper to taste, and put the macaroni into it. this dish costs less than ten cents, and is very good and wholesome. =macaroni with cheese.=--boil half a pound of macaroni, as above, put into a pudding dish in layers with quarter of a pound of cheese, (cost four cents,) grated and mixed between the layers; season it with pepper and salt to taste; put a very little butter and some bread crumbs over it, and brown it in the oven. it will make just as hearty and strengthening a meal as meat, and will cost about twelve cents. =macaroni milanaise style.=--have ready some sauce, made according to the receipt for _tomato sauce_ given below, or use some fresh tomatoes passed through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and highly seasoned, and two ounces of grated cheese; put half a pound of imported italian macaroni, (cost eight cents,) in three quarts of boiling water, with two tablespoonfuls of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of butter, (cost one cent;) boil rapidly for about twenty minutes, then drain it in a colander, run plenty of cold water from the faucet through it, and lay it in a pan of cold water until you are ready to use it. put into a sauce-pan one gill of tomato sauce, (cost two cents,) one ounce of butter, (cost two cents,) and one gill of any meat gravy free from fat, and stir until they are smoothly blended: put a half inch layer of macaroni on the bottom of a dish, moisten it with four tablespoonfuls of the sauce, sprinkle over it half an ounce of the grated cheese; make three other layers like this, using all the macaroni, cheese, and sauce, and brown the macaroni in a hot oven for about five minutes; serve it hot. it will cost about thirteen cents. =macaroni with tomato sauce.=--boil half a pound of macaroni as already directed, and lay it in cold water. make a tomato sauce as follows, and dress the macaroni with it, using only enough to moisten it, and sprinkling the top with an ounce of grated cheese, (cost one cent;) serve it hot. =tomato sauce.=--boil together for one hour quarter of a can of tomatoes, or six large fresh ones, (cost five cents,) one gill of broth of any kind, one sprig of thyme, one sprig of parsley, three whole cloves, three peppercorns, and half an ounce of onion sliced; (cost two cents;) rub them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and set the sauce to keep hot; mix together over the fire one ounce of butter, and half an ounce of flour, (cost two cents,) and when smooth incorporate with the tomato sauce. the cost of the tomato sauce will be about ten cents, and of the entire dish about eighteen cents. if you do not wish to use all the tomato sauce, and you do not need to, save it to use with fried chops of any kind. =rice.=--rice is largely composed of starch, and for that reason is less nutritious than flour, oatmeal, indian meal, or macaroni; but it is a wholesome and economical food when used with a little meat broth, drippings, or molasses. it is a very safe food for children, especially if used with a little molasses. the following is an excellent supper dish. =rice panada.=--boil half a pound of rice, (which costs five cents,) quarter of a pound of suet, (at two cents,) with one tablespoonful of salt, and one of sugar, (cost one cent,) fast in boiling water for fifteen minutes; meantime mix half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) gradually with one quart of water, and one gill of molasses, (cost two cents;) stir this into the boiling rice, and boil it for about five minutes; this makes a nice supper of over five pounds of good, nutritious food for twelve cents. =boiled rice.=--another good dish of rice for supper can be made as follows. wash half a pound of rice (cost five cents,) throw it into one quart of boiling water, containing two teaspoonfuls of salt, and boil it fast ten minutes; drain it in a colander, saving the water to use with broth next day; meantime just grease the pot with sweet drippings, put the rice back in it, cover it, and set it on a brick on the top of the stove, or in a cool oven, and let it stand ten minutes to swell; be careful not to burn it. the addition of a very little butter, sugar, molasses, nutmeg, lemon juice, or salt and pepper, will give it different flavors; so that you can vary the taste, and have it often without getting tired of it, and it need never cost you over seven cents. =rice, milanaise style.=--fry one ounce of butter, (cost two cents,) light brown; put into it half a pound of rice, (cost five cents,) well picked over, _but not washed_, and one ounce of onion, chopped fine; stir and brown for about five minutes, then add a pint of gravy from meat, season with a level teaspoonful of salt, quarter that quantity of pepper, and as much cayenne as you can take on the point of a very small pen-knife blade; the onion and seasoning will cost less than two cents; stew gently for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, and serve as soon as the rice is tender. this makes a palatable dish for about ten cents. =rice, japanese style.=--put half a pound of well washed rice into a double kettle, with one pint of milk or water, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a medium sized nutmeg grated; boil it until tender, about forty minutes; if it seems very dry add a little more liquid, taking care not to have it sloppy when it is cooked. when milk is used it may be served with milk and sugar as a breakfast or tea dish; when water takes the place of milk, the addition of an ounce of butter, and half a saltspoonful of pepper makes a nice dinner dish of it. chapter v. soup. the value of soup as food cannot be overestimated. in times of scarcity and distress, when the question has arisen of how to feed the largest number of persons upon the least quantity of food, the aliment chosen has always been soup. there are two reasons for this: first, by the addition of water to the ingredients used we secure the aid of this important agent in distributing nutrition equally throughout the blood, to await final absorption; and, second, we gain that sense of repletion so necessary to the satisfaction of hunger--the fact being acknowledged that the sensation we call hunger is often allayed by the presence of even innutritious substances in the stomach. good soup is literally the juice of any ingredient from which it is made--the extract of the meat, grains, or vegetables composing it. the most economical of soups, eaten with bread, will satisfy the hunger of the hardest worker. the absolute nutritive value of soup depends, of course, upon its ingredients; and these can easily be chosen in reference to the maintenance of health. for instance, the pot-liquor in which meat has been boiled needs only the addition of a few dumplings or cereals, and seasoning, to form a perfect nutriment. that produced from skin and bones can be made equally palatable and nutritious by boiling with it a few vegetables and sweet herbs, and some rice, barley, or oatmeal. even the gelatinous residue produced by long-continued boiling, without the presence of any foreign matter, is a useful emollient application to the inflamed mucous surfaces in some diseases, while it affords at the same time the degree of distention necessary to prevent flatulency. the time required to make the most palatable and nutritious soup is short. lean meat should be chopped fine, placed in cold water, in the proportion of a pint to each pound, slowly heated, and thoroughly skimmed. five minutes' boiling will extract from the meat every particle of its nutriment and flavor. the liquor can then be strained off, seasoned, and eaten with bread, biscuit, or vegetables. peas or beans boiled and added to the soup make it the most perfect food for sustaining health and strength. it is the pure juice of the meat and contains all its savory and life-giving principles. if your family is large, it will be well for you to keep a clean saucepan, or pot on the back of the stove to receive all the clean scraps of meat, bones, and remains of poultry and game, which are found in every kitchen; but vegetables should not be put into it, as they are apt to sour. the proper proportions for soup are one pound of meat and bone to one and a half quarts of cold water; the meat and bones to be well chopped and broken up, and put over the fire in cold water, being brought slowly to a boil, and carefully skimmed as often as any scum rises; and being maintained at a steady boiling point from two to six hours, as time permits; one hour before the stock is done, add to it one carrot and one turnip pared, one onion stuck with three cloves, and a bouquet of sweet herbs. when soup is to be boiled six hours you must allow two quarts of water to every pound of meat, and you must see that the pot boils slowly and regularly, and is well skimmed. when you want to keep soup from one meal to another, or over night, you must pour it into an earthen pot, or bowl, because it will turn by being allowed to remain in the metal pot. i shall give you first some receipts for making soups without meat, and then some of the cheapest meat soups i have tried. the first is very cheap and nutritious, and should be served at meals where no meat is to be used; bread, and a cheap pudding, will be sufficient to use with it. =scotch broth without meat.=--steep four ounces of pearl barley, (cost three cents,) over night in cold water, and wash it well in fresh water; cut in dice half an inch square, six ounces of yellow turnip, six ounces of carrot, four ounces of onion, two ounces of celery, or use in its place quarter of a saltspoonful of celery seed, (cost of all about one cent,) put all these into two and a half quarts of boiling water, season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and as much cayenne as you can take up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, (cost one cent;) boil slowly for two hours; then stir in quarter of a pound of oatmeal, (cost two cents,) mixed to a smooth batter with cold water, see if seasoning be correct, add two or three grates of nutmeg, and boil half an hour. meantime, cut two slices of bread, (cost one cent,) in half inch dice, fry light brown in hot fat, (cost two cents,) and lay the bits in the soup tureen; when the soup is ready pour it over them, and serve. this soup, which costs only about ten cents, is palatable as well as economical. =pea soup.=--use half a pint, or seven ounces of dried peas, (cost three cents,) for every two quarts of soup you want. put them in three quarts of cold water, after washing them well; bring them slowly to a boil; add a bone, or bit of ham, if you have it to spare, one turnip, and one carrot peeled, one onion stuck with three cloves, (cost three cents,) and simmer three hours, stirring occasionally to prevent burning; then pass the soup through a sieve with the aid of a potato-masher, and if it shows any sign of settling stir into it one tablespoonful each of butter and flour mixed together dry, (cost two cents;) this will prevent settling; meantime fry some dice of stale bread, about two slices, cut half an inch square, in hot fat, drain them on a sieve, and put them in the bottom of the soup tureen in which the pea soup is served; or cut some bits of very hard stale bread, or dry toast, to use instead of the fried bread. by the time the soup is done it will have boiled down to two quarts, and will be very thick and good. this receipt will cost you about ten cents. =thick pea soup.=--fry one sliced onion, (cost half a cent,) in one ounce of suet or drippings, (cost half a cent,) using an iron pot to fry it in; as soon as it is brown, put into the same pot, three quarts of cold water, one pint, or fourteen ounces of well washed peas, (cost five cents,) and boil as above; this quantity of peas does not need any crusts in the soup; it will be thick enough; but bread may be eaten with it, if you want it. this soup costs six cents. =bean soup.=--for this, use the receipt for pea soup, using beans instead of peas; the cost will be about the same. =lentil soup.=--for two quarts of soup half a pint of yellow lentils, (cost five cents,) washed, and put to boil in three pints of cold water, with one cents' worth of soup greens, and boiled gently until the lentils are soft enough to break between the fingers; every half hour a gill of cold water should be added, and the lentils again raised to a boiling point, until they are done; they should then be passed through a sieve with a wooden spoon, using enough of the liquor to make them pass easy, and mixed with the rest of the soup; it should be seasoned with salt and pepper, and is then ready to simmer for half an hour, and serve hot, with dice of fried bread half an inch square, like those used for pea soup, or with bits of stale bread. a plentiful dinner of lentil soup and bread costs only about ten cents. =onion soup.=--chop half a quart of onions, (cost three cents,) fry them brown, in a large saucepan, with two ounces of drippings, stirring until they are well browned, but not burned; then stir in half a pound, or a little less, of oatmeal, (cost three cents,) add three quarts of water, and season to taste with pepper and salt; (the drippings and seasoning cost one cent;) while the soup is boiling, which must be for about twenty minutes, with occasional stirring, toast a third of a six cent loaf of bread, cut it in half inch bits, lay it in the soup tureen; and, when the soup is ready pour it on the toast. the soup will cost about ten cents, and is extremely nourishing. =spinach soup.=--put one quart of spinach, (cost five cents,) to boil in a large pot, full of boiling water, well salted with two tablespoonfuls of salt; cover until it boils up once; then remove the cover, and with a wooden spoon press the spinach under water as fast as it rises to the surface; boil it steadily only until it is tender; then drain it; run plenty of cold water from the faucet over it, while it is still in the colander; drain it again, chop it fine, and pass it through a kitchen sieve with the aid of a wooden spoon; boil one quart of milk, (cost eight cents,) and one quart of water; add the spinach to it, thicken it by stirring in two tablespoonfuls of corn starch dissolved in cold milk; season it with one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and the same of nutmeg; (cost of seasoning one cent,) and serve it as soon as it boils up. it costs only fifteen cents, and is delicious. soup can be made from any green vegetable or herb in the same way. =vegetable soup.=--the following is the receipt given by the celebrated francatelli for a cheap vegetable soup: put six quarts of water to boil in a large pot with quarter of a pound of suet, or two ounces of drippings, (cost about two cents,) season it with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a few sprigs of parsley and dried herbs, (cost of seasoning one cent;) while it is boiling prepare about ten cents' worth of cabbage, turnips, beans, or any cheap vegetables in season; throw them into the boiling soup, and when they have boiled up thoroughly, set the pot at the side of the fire, where it will simmer, for about two hours. then take up some of the vegetables without breaking, and use them with any gravy you may have on hand, or with quarter of a pound of bacon, (cost four cents,) sliced and fried, for the bulk of the meal; the soup after being seasoned to taste can be eaten with bread, at the beginning of the meal, the whole of which can be provided for about twenty cents. =vegetable porridge.=--pare and slice thin ten cents' worth of carrots, turnips, onions, and parsnips, and put them into three quarts of water, with a few sprigs of parsley and dried herbs; season them with half a tablespoonful of salt, and quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and let them boil till very soft, two hours or more; then rub them all through a colander, return the porridge to the pot, and set it over the fire to heat, stirring it to prevent burning. use it with bread; it will cost about fifteen cents for enough for a hearty meal. =rice milk.=--put half a pound of well-washed rice into two quarts of boiling water, with two ounces of sweet drippings, a teaspoonful of salt, and a bit of cinnamon, or lemon peel, and let all boil gently about an hour; then add one quart of milk, and stir the rice for about ten minutes. a little sugar or molasses may be added if you want it sweet. it makes an excellent breakfast or supper dish, and costs about fifteen cents. =fish soup.=--make this soup from any rich, glutinous fish, such as cod's head, halibut neck, flounders, skate, or any cheap fish which is in season, and which you can buy for five or six cents a pound. chop one or two onions, fry them in a pot with two ounces of drippings, till light brown; season with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of sweet herbs of any kind, then add two quarts of hot water, and let all boil for ten minutes; meantime mix quarter of a pound of oatmeal with one pint of cold water, and wash and cut in two-inch pieces about two pounds of fish; when the soup has boiled ten minutes, put the fish into it, and carefully stir in the oatmeal; let it boil twenty minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning; it will then be ready to use. the seasoning, drippings, and oatmeal, will cost about five cents, and the fish ten more; with the addition of bread and potatoes, say five cents' worth of either, it makes an excellent meal, costing about twenty cents. =fish chowder.=--fry together in the bottom of a saucepan four ounces of salt pork and two onions sliced; when brown season with a teaspoonful of sweet herbs, and a very little salt and pepper; meantime peel and slice half a dozen medium-sized potatoes, and lay them in cold water; and cut in small slices two pounds of any fish which costs about five cents per pound; when the onions and pork are brown, put the potatoes and fish upon them in layers, seasoning with a level tablespoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper; pour over all cold water enough to cover the ingredients, and let them cook twenty minutes after they begin to boil; soak half a pound of sea-biscuit in cold water, and when the chowder is nearly done lay them on it, and pour over them half a pint of milk; in five minutes the chowder will be ready to use. the onions, pork, and seasoning will cost five cents; the potatoes, crackers and milk five more; and the fish ten cents; total for two quarts of good chowder twenty cents. =mutton broth.=--put two pounds of a jointed neck of mutton, (cost twelve cents,) in two and a half quarts of cold water, and let it boil slowly; skim it carefully, season it with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and the same of sweet herbs; then add one quart of yellow turnips, peeled and quartered, (cost three cents,) and four ounces of well washed pearl barley, (cost two cents,) and boil about an hour longer, or until the turnips and barley are tender. take up the meat on a platter, lay the turnips around it, and pour the broth and barley into a soup tureen. the broth, meat and vegetables will cost seventeen cents, and will make a good dinner with the addition of bread; or you can use the mutton and turnips for one meal, and keep the broth and barley for another. =veal broth.=--make this as you would the mutton broth, using a knuckle of veal, (which costs ten cents,) instead of the neck of mutton, and a quarter of a pound of rice, (which costs two or three cents,) instead of barley; omit the turnips. you will have a good, nutritious, broth for about thirteen cents. =white broth.=--cut two pounds of the neck of veal, (cost twelve cents,) in cutlets, and put it in a sauce pan with two ounces of salt pork, (cost two cents,) a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one onion chopped, six whole cloves, and half a pint of water; (the seasoning will cost about one cent;) boil these ingredients for ten minutes, stirring often enough to prevent burning, then add two and a half quarts of hot water, and skim the broth thoroughly as soon as it boils up; let it simmer for half an hour, when take up the meat, reserving it for stew, strain the broth, let it boil up again, and then put into it a quarter of a pound of macaroni, (cost four cents,) and boil it for half an hour longer. while it is boiling put the meat with half a quart of peeled and quartered potatoes, (cost two cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, and a pint of boiling water into a sauce pan and let them cook as long as the macaroni. serve the stew by itself, and the broth and macaroni in a soup tureen. with bread these two dishes make a good dinner, at a cost of about twenty-five cents. you can sometimes use rice or dumplings instead of macaroni. =cream soup.=--proceed as for white broth, using the meat for a stew, skimming all the fat off the broth, and then adding to it two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smooth with half a pint of milk; when the milk and flour are mixed smooth pour into them a gill of the boiling broth, and then add them to the soup; see if the seasoning is right, and boil it ten minutes, stirring it to prevent burning; during this time toast a few slices of stale bread, cut them in dice, and put them in the soup tureen; when the soup is ready pour it over the toast, take up the stew on another dish, and serve both together. they make a good dinner for about twenty-five cents. =beef broth.=--put two pounds of lean beef from the neck, (cost twelve cents,) in two and a half quarts of cold water to boil; skim as soon as it boils, and add a level tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, quarter of a nutmeg grated, a few sweet herbs, and half a dozen cloves; (cost of seasoning two cents;) boil gently for one hour. at the end of quarter of an hour make as follows some =norfolk dumplings.=--mix by sifting together one pound of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, and two of baking-powder, (cost three cents;) make into a soft dough with one egg, half a pint of milk and a very little water, (cost four cents,) and drop them by the tablespoonful in the soup; be careful that the pot does not stop boiling, or the dumplings will be heavy. at the end of three quarters of an hour stir together over the fire in a large sauce-pan one ounce each of butter and flour, (cost two cents,) and when they are nicely browned, gradually add, and mix with an egg-whip or large fork, a pint of the boiling soup. take up the meat and dumplings on the same dish, strain the soup into the sauce you have just made, and mix it thoroughly; put a little of it over the meat and dumplings, and serve the rest in the soup tureen; it is very nice with small dice of toast in it. both dishes make an excellent dinner, at a cost of about twenty-five cents, including bread. =meat brewis.=--this palatable dish is made by putting the thick upper or under crust of a stale loaf of bread into the pot when any meat or soup is boiling, and letting it remain about five minutes to thoroughly absorb the broth; it should then be taken out as whole as possible, and eaten at once. it is satisfactory, nutritious and economical; enough for a hearty meal costing not more than five cents. chapter vi. peas, beans, lentils, and maize. before giving you receipts for cooking peas, beans, and lentils, i want to show you how important they are as foods. i have already spoken of the heat and flesh forming properties of food as the test of its usefulness; try to understand that a laboring man needs twelve ounces and a half of heat food, and half an ounce of flesh-food every day to keep him healthy. one pound, or one and a quarter pints of dried peas, beans, or lentils, contains nearly six ounces of heat food, and half an ounce of flesh food; that is, nearly as much heat-food, and more than twice as much flesh food as wheat. a little fat, salt meat, or suet, cooked with them, to bring up their amount of heat-food to the right point, makes either of them the best and most strengthening food a workingman can have. the only objection to their frequent use is the fact that their skins are sometimes hard to digest; but if you make them into soup, or pudding, rubbing them through a sieve after they are partly cooked, you will be safe from any danger. =oatmeal and peas.=--cut quarter of a pound of fat pork or bacon, (cost four cents,) into pieces half an inch square; put it in the bottom of a pot with two sliced onions, (cost one cent,) and fry ten minutes without burning; season with two teaspoonfuls of salt, one of sugar, and one saltspoonful of pepper; (cost of seasoning one cent;) then add three quarts of cold water, and one pint of peas, (cost five cents,) and boil the whole gently until the peas become quite soft; then stir in enough oatmeal to thicken, about a quarter of a pound, (cost two cents or less;) simmer for twenty minutes, and then eat hot. it is the healthiest kind of a meal, and costs thirteen cents, or less. =peas-pudding.=--soak one pint of dried peas, (cost five cents,) in cold water over night; tie them loosely in a clean cloth, and boil them about two hours in pot-liquor or water, putting them into it cold and bringing them gradually to a boil; drain them, pass them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, season them with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, one ounce of butter, and one egg, (all of which will cost five cents,) mix, tie in a clean cloth, and boil half an hour longer; then turn it from the cloth on a dish, and serve hot. this receipt makes a good large pudding for ten cents; or you can leave out the egg and it will cost less. =peas and bacon.=--put one pound of bacon, (cost twelve cents,) to boil in two and a half quarts of cold water, with one pint of dried peas, (cost five cents;) when the peas are soft, drain them, press them through a sieve, lay them neatly on a flat dish, place the bacon on them, and set them in the oven to brown. meantime strain any water which may remain after boiling them, and thicken it over the fire with indian meal, in the proportion of four or five tablespoonfuls to each pint, so as to make it thick enough to cut and fry when cold; boil it about one hour, and then cool it. as soon as the peas and bacon are brown, serve them with boiled potatoes or bread, (about five cents' worth of either;) they make a good dinner, and with the hasty pudding, cost only about twenty-five cents. =baked peas.=--proceed as directed for peas-pudding, only instead of putting the peas again in the cloth put them in a pudding-dish, and brown them in the oven. a large dish costs only ten cents. =peas and onions.=--proceed as directed for peas pudding, omitting the egg, and substituting for it an onion chopped and fried in an ounce of drippings; bake as in the previous receipt. the cost will be about ten cents, and the dish is exceedingly nutritious. =baked beans.=--put one pint of dried beans, (cost six cents,) and quarter of a pound of salt pork, (cost four cents,) into two quarts of cold water; bring them to a boil, and boil them slowly for about twenty minutes; then put the beans, with about a teacupful of the water they were boiled in, into an open jar, season them with salt and pepper to taste, and one tablespoonful of molasses, (cost of seasoning one cent,) lay the pork on the top, and bake two hours, or longer. the dish will cost about ten cents, and is palatable and nutritious. the liquor in which the beans were boiled should be saved, and used the next morning as broth, with seasoning and a little fried or toasted bread in it. =stewed beans.=--soak a pint of dried beans, (cost six cents,) over night in cold water; put them to boil in a quart of cold water with one ounce of drippings, a level tablespoonful of salt, and quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and boil them gently for two hours. then drain them, put them into a sauce pan with one ounce of butter and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and after heating them through, serve them at once. the drippings, butter, and seasoning, will not cost more than four cents, and the whole dish can be made for ten. =fried beans.=--proceed as above, omitting the parsley, and letting the butter get hot in a frying pan, before putting the beans in; fry them a little, stirring them so that they will brown equally, and then serve them. the dish will cost ten cents. =beans and bacon.=--soak a pint of dried beans, (cost six cents,) over night in cold water; put them over the fire in one quart of cold water, with quarter of a pound of bacon, (cost three cents,) and boil them gently for about two hours; then stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smooth with a little cold water, season to taste with pepper, salt, and if you like it a little chopped onion, and let them stew gently for about ten minutes; they will then be ready to serve. the dish will cost ten cents. =lentils.=--lentils have been used for food in older countries for a long time, and it is quite necessary that we should become acquainted with their merits if we want to save; i give a lentil soup, and some excellent directions for cooking this invaluable food. one quart of lentils when cooked will make four pounds of hearty food. there are two varieties in market; the small flat brown seed, called lentils _à la reine_; and a larger kind, about the size of peas, and of a greenish color; both sorts are equally well flavored and nutritious; they cost ten cents a pound, and can be bought at general groceries. the seed of the lentil tare, commonly cultivated in france and germany as an article of food, ranks nearly as high as meat as a valuable food, being capable of sustaining life and vigor for a long time; this vegetable is gradually becoming known in this country, from the use of it by our french and german citizens; and from its nutritive value it deserves to rank as high as our favorite new england beans. =lentils boiled plain.=--wash one pound, or one full pint of lentils, (cost ten cents,) well in cold water, put them over the fire, in three quarts of cold water with one ounce of drippings, one tablespoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, (cost about one cent,) and boil slowly until tender, that is about three hours; drain off the little water which remains, add to the lentils one ounce of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a little more salt and pepper if required, (cost about three cents,) and serve them hot. always save the water in which they are boiled; with the addition of a little thickening and seasoning, it makes a very nourishing soup. =stewed lentils.=--put a pint of plain boiled lentils into a sauce pan, cover them with any kind of pot-liquor, add one ounce of chopped onion, two ounces of drippings, quarter of an ounce of chopped parsley, and stew gently for twenty minutes; serve hot. this dish costs about ten cents. =fried lentils.=--fry one ounce of chopped onion brown in two ounces of drippings, add one pint of plain boiled lentils, see if they are properly seasoned, and brown them well; serve hot. this dish costs about ten cents, and is very good, and as nutritious as meat. =maize, or indian corn meal.=--this native product is a strong and nutritious food, and very economical; in addition to the ordinary hasty-pudding, or mush, it can be cooked with a little pot-liquor, meat, or cheese, so as to be both good and wholesome. below are some excellent receipts for cooking it. =polenta.=--boil one pound of yellow indian meal, (cost four cents,) for half an hour, in two quarts of pot-liquor or boiling water, salted to taste, with one ounce of fat, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then bake it for half an hour in a greased baking dish, and serve it either hot, or, when cold, slice it and fry it in smoking hot fat. this favorite italian dish is closely allied to the hasty-pudding of new england, and the mush of the south. it costs five cents. =cheese pudding.=--into two quarts of boiling water, containing two tablespoonfuls of salt, stir one pound of yellow indian meal, (cost four cents,) and a quarter of a pound of grated cheese, (cost four cents;) boil it for twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then put it in a greased baking pan, sprinkle over the top quarter of a pound of grated cheese, (cost four cents,) and brown in a quick oven. serve hot. if any remains, slice it cold and fry it brown. it costs twelve cents. =hasty-pudding.=--have boiling upon the fire two quarts of water with a level tablespoonful of salt; sprinkle in gradually one pound of indian meal, (cost four cents,) stirring constantly to prevent lumps; and boil steadily for one hour, stirring occasionally. the secret of making good hasty-pudding is to boil it long enough to thoroughly cook it. some persons first mix the meal with cold water until it forms a thick batter, and then stir this into the boiling water. the pudding can be eaten with a little milk, butter, or molasses, if they are desirable additions; or with some meat gravy, or melted and seasoned suet. when cold it is good sliced and fried. =johnny cake.=--mix one pound of indian meal, (cost four cents,) one ounce of lard, (cost one cent,) and one teaspoonful of salt, with sufficient boiling water to make a stiff batter; put it by the tablespoonful into a greased baking pan, and bake it thoroughly. five cents' worth makes a hearty meal, with a little butter or molasses. =indian cakes.=--these are prepared in the same way as johnny cake, except that the batter is made about as thin as buckwheat cakes, and baked upon a greased griddle over the fire instead of in the oven. the most economical way of greasing the griddle is to put a small piece of fat salt pork upon a fork and rub it over the surface of the griddle after it is well heated. =indian bread.=--mix into one quart of boiling water enough indian meal to make a thin batter, about a quarter of a pound, (cost one cent;) when it has cooled, stir into it one pound of wheat flour, (cost four cents,) a level tablespoonful of salt, and one gill of yeast; let it rise overnight, and then bake it in loaves. =boiled indian pudding.=--dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in one pint of sour milk, add to it one pint of molasses, (cost five cents,) quarter of a pound of chopped suet, (cost two cents,) half a pound of indian meal, (cost two cents,) and a level teaspoonful of salt; if you have no milk use boiling water instead of it; put the pudding into a scalded pudding bag, or a pudding kettle, and this into a pot of boiling water; boil steadily for four hours, adding boiling water as the quantity decreases. the pudding when cooked may be eaten with sauce or molasses, if desired; it will cost about ten cents. =baked indian pudding.=--stir into a quart of boiling milk, (cost eight cents,) quarter of a pound of indian meal, (cost one cent,) one level teaspoonful of salt, the same of spice, and one ounce of butter, (cost two cents;) last of all add one pint of cold milk, (cost four cents,) or milk and water. pour the pudding into an earthen dish, and bake slowly for three hours. it will cost about fifteen cents, and be very nice. there is as much difference in the quality of indian meal as there is in its preparation; southern meal is undoubtedly finer than northern, and southern cooks are proverbial for their skill in using it. i am indebted for some of the preceding receipts to a friend in maryland, and i advise my readers to buy southern meal, if they can get it, and test them thoroughly. meal that is ground by hand or water power is superior to that ground by steam, because it is less heated in the process. indian corn is an excellent food in temperate and warm climates; and from its abundant yield, and easy cultivation, it is one of the cheapest of cereals. it contains the nitrates, or flesh-forming properties, in an excessive degree. it is a palatable and nutritious diet whether eaten green, parched, or ground into meal. chapter vii. cheap fish and meat dinners. i have already spoken of the value of fish as strengthening food, and in support of what i say i need only to remind you how vigorous and healthy the inhabitants of the sea coast usually are, especially if they eat red-blooded fish. this fact, in connection with the abundance and cheapness of fish makes it an important article in the dietary of the good housekeeper. fish may be cooked by boiling, baking, broiling, and frying; boiling is the least economical method of cooking fish, and fish soup, or fish chowder the most saving; broiled fish wastes but little of its nutriment, but its bulk is decreased; baked fish ranks next to fish soup in point of economy. fish are preserved for winter use by cleaning them, rubbing them with salt, packing them in layers, and covering them with brine. an excellent way of pickling fish is to clean them, cut off the heads, tails, and fins, wash them, and then rub them well with salt and spice, pack them in layers in an earthen crock or deep dish, cover them with vinegar, and tie the jar over with buttered paper; they are then ready to bake slowly for about four hours; and will keep for three or four weeks after they are cooked. in london, and other large english cities, where fried fish forms an important item of popular food, it is cooked with great care, and in such a manner as to retain all its nourishing qualities. it is well washed in salted water, dried on a clean cloth, cut in slices if large, dipped in a rather thin batter, made of flour, salt, pepper, and cold water, and then dropped into a pan containing plenty of fat heated until it is smoking hot, but does not boil; the pan is then taken from the fire, and by the time the fat is growing cool the fish is cooked. a novice would do best by maintaining the fat at the proper degree of heat until the fish is cooked. the receipts which i give for fish are calculated to produce compound dishes from it, hearty enough to make the bulk of a meal. =fish and potato pie.=--use any cheap fish which does not cost more than five or six cents a pound, such as cod, haddock, or blue-fish; cut two pounds of fish, (cost twelve cents,) in pieces about an inch thick and two inches long; lay them in a deep dish with a pint of cold gravy of any kind, or cold water, season with a tablespoonful each of chopped parsley and onion, and a teaspoonful of salt, pepper, and thyme, mixed together in equal quantities, and sprinkled among the fish; put it into the oven for fifteen or twenty minutes to partly cook. put one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) into boiling water, and boil until soft enough to mash; mash them, season them with salt and pepper, and put them over the fish, which you must take from the oven, as a crust; return the pie again to the oven to brown the crust, and then serve it with bread and butter. twenty-five cents will cover the cost of all, and the dinner will be a good one. =fish pudding.=--make a plain paste by mixing quarter of a pound of lard or sweet drippings, (cost three cents,) with half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, and just water enough to make a stiff paste; roll it out; line the edges of a deep pudding dish with it half way down; fill the dish with layers of fresh codfish cut in small pieces, using two pounds, (cost twelve cents,) season each layer with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and chopped onions, using one tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, two bay leaves, a saltspoonful of thyme, four ounces of onion, and half an ounce of parsley, (cost five cents;) fill up the dish with any cold gravy, milk, or water, cover with paste, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven; finish by baking half an hour in a moderate oven; serve hot. with bread the dinner will cost twenty-five cents. =fish and potato pudding.=--wash and peel one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) peel and slice about six ounces of onions, (cost one cent,) skin and bone two bloaters or large herrings, (cost five cents,) put all these ingredients into a baking dish in layers, seasoning them with a dessertspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper; pour over them any cold gravy you have on hand, or add two or three ounces of drippings; if you have neither of these, water will answer; bake the pudding an hour and a half; serve hot, with bread. if you use drippings or milk the entire seasoning will cost you less than five cents; and the whole dinner, which is excellent, not more than fifteen cents. =codfish steaks.=--two pounds of codfish, (which costs at the market from four to seven cents,) can be cut in steaks, dried well, and either dipped in flour, or thin batter of flour, salt, pepper, and water, and fried in smoking hot fat, or can be served with a quart of boiled potatoes, (cost three cents,) and plenty of bread and butter, at the rate of about twenty cents a meal. =red herrings with potatoes.=--soak a dozen herrings, (cost ten cents,) in cold water for one hour; dry and skin them, split them down the back, and lay them in a pan with two ounces of drippings, two ounces of onion chopped fine, a saltspoonful of pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, (cost two cents,) and set them in a moderate oven to brown for ten or fifteen minutes; meantime, boil one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) with a ring of the paring taken off, in plenty of boiling water and salt, pouring off the water as soon as they are tender, and letting them stand on the back of the fire, covered with a dry towel, for five minutes; serve them with the herrings, taking care to dish both quite hot. with bread and butter a plentiful dinner can be had for about twenty-two cents. =cheap meats.=--those parts of meat which are called the cheap cuts, such as the head, brains, tongue, tripe, kidneys, haslet or pluck, feet, and tail, are eaten much more frequently in europe than in this country, and are worthy of all the use they get there; for their proportion of flesh-forming elements is large; this is especially the case with the lights or lungs, but as they are rather difficult to digest, they should be thoroughly cooked, and never eaten alone. tripe and pigs' feet, on the contrary, are very easily digested; but on this account are not as satisfactory food as that which remains longer in the stomach; although they are both savory and cheap. be careful to keep all meat stews closely covered, or a great deal of the nutriment of the meat will escape in the steam. =sheeps' head stew.=--thoroughly clean a sheeps' head, weighing about three pounds, (cost about ten cents,) put it over the fire with quarter of a pound of rice, (cost three cents,) two cents' worth of onions sliced, a level tablespoonful of salt, quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and three pints of cold water; bring it slowly to a boil, skimming it carefully, and then add five cents' worth of carrots and turnips, peeled and quartered; let all simmer gently together for two hours, being careful to remove all grease, and see if the seasoning is correct, before dishing the stew. with bread, or boiled potatoes, the meal will cost about twenty-five cents. =oxtail stew.=--put two jointed oxtails, (cost about ten cents,) over the fire in one quart of cold water, and scald them, to remove the strong flavor; then roll the joints in flour, season them with salt and pepper, and pack them in an earthen jar, with one onion chopped, and one quart of potatoes peeled and sliced; the vegetables and seasoning will cost about five cents; add one pint of water, put on the cover of the jar, and cement it in place with a paste of flour and water, which you must grease a little to prevent cracking; then put the jar into a moderately hot oven, and bake it about four hours. with the addition of bread and butter it makes a hearty meal, and costs about twenty-two cents. =beef pie.=--cut in two inch pieces two pounds of the neck of beef, (cost twelve cents,) brown them quickly in one ounce of drippings, (cost one cent,) season them with pepper and salt, put them into a pudding dish in layers with one cents' worth of chopped onion, and one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) peeled and sliced; add enough cold water to cover the beef and vegetables, and put over them a crust made of one pound of flour, (cost four cents,) and quarter of a pound of lard, (cost three cents,) put it for fifteen minutes into a hot oven, and then bake for an hour and a half in a moderate one. it will cost less than twenty-five cents, and be an abundant meal. =baked heart.=--thoroughly wash a beef's heart, (cost ten cents,) stuff it with half a loaf of stale bread, (cost two cents,) moistened with warm water and seasoned with one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a teaspoonful each of pepper, chopped parsley and sweet herbs, an onion chopped, and one ounce of sweet drippings (cost of all these two cents;) lay it in a dripping pan with five cents' worth of parsnips scraped and washed, and bake in a moderate oven about two hours. it may be baked in an earthen jar, like the oxtail stew, and all its goodness will be saved. parsnips are exceedingly nutritious and cheap, but if they are not liked potatoes may be substituted for them. the entire dinner with bread and butter will cost about twenty-five cents. =stewed kidneys and potatoes.=--wash one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) pare off one ring from each, and put them to boil in well salted boiling water. choose a very fresh beef's kidney, (cost fifteen cents,) cut it in thin slices, removing all the white vessels and membranes, fry it quickly for five minutes in one ounce of smoking hot drippings, (cost one cent,) season it with half a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful each of chopped parsley, onion, and vinegar; shake into it from the dredging box one tablespoonful of flour, add one pint of boiling water, and boil gently for fifteen minutes. by this time the potatoes will be done, and both dishes must be served at once, because the kidneys will grow tough and indigestible if they are cooked more than twenty minutes in all. they will make a plentiful dinner, including bread and butter, for about twenty-five cents. =pig's kidneys= may be cooked in the same manner, and enough can be bought for ten cents to make a good sized dish. =kidney pudding.=--cut the kidneys, season, and stew them as above, making meantime a crust from one pound of flour, two teaspoonfulls of salt, and one of baking powder, sifted together; mix into these ingredients four ounces of finely chopped suet, (cost two cents,) make them into a paste with about one pint of cold water; use part of this to line a deep pudding dish, into which put the stewed kidneys; cover the dish with the rest of the paste, and bake it about an hour and a quarter in a regular, moderately hot oven. the pudding will cost about thirty cents. =gammon dumpling.=--make a plain paste of one pound of flour, (cost four cents,) one dessertspoonful of salt, and one of baking powder, quarter of a pound of finely chopped suet or scraps, (cost two cents,) and sufficient cold water to mix it to a stiff dough; roll this out about half an inch thick, spread over it half a pound of any cheap cut of bacon or ham, finely chopped, (cost six cents,) roll up the dumpling as you would a roly-poly pudding, tie it tightly in a clean cloth, and boil it in boiling water, or boiling pot-liquor, for about three hours. do not let the pot stop boiling, or the dumpling will be heavy. serve it hot, with one quart of plain boiled potatoes, (cost three cents.) the dinner will cost fifteen cents. =bacon and apple roly-poly.=--boil a pound of bacon, (cost twelve cents,) for half an hour; then slice it thin; peel and slice three cents' worth of apples and the same quantity of onions; make a stiff dough of one pound of flour, (cost four cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, and cold water; roll it out half an inch thick; lay the bacon, apples, and onion all over it, roll it up, tie it tightly in a clean cloth, and boil it about two hours, in plenty of boiling water. serve it with three cents' worth of boiled potatoes, or boiled cabbage. the dinner will cost twenty-five cents. =mutton and onions.=--choose a shoulder of mutton weighing about three pounds, which you can buy at six cents a pound; wipe it thoroughly with a damp cloth, put it into a pot half full of boiling water, with a tablespoonful of salt, and boil it gently for two hours, skimming the pot as often as any scum rises. half an hour before it is done slice one quart of onions, (cost five cents,) boil them in a pint of boiling water for about twenty minutes, add one ounce of butter, (cost two cents,) half a pint of milk, (cost two cents,) four tablespoonfuls of flour (cost one cent,) one teaspoonful of salt, and pepper to taste. when you have put the onions over the fire, pare rings off a quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) and boil them in well salted boiling water. have all three dishes ready at once, and serve them together hot. save the broth from the mutton, and the next morning boil it up once, and serve it for breakfast, with half a loaf of stale bread, toasted, and cut in dice; or boil in it for twenty minutes a quarter of a pound of rice or macaroni. the dinner will cost you about thirty cents, and you have on hand the broth for breakfast. =pork and onions.=--three pounds of the neck, or spare ribs, of fresh pork, which you can buy at the packing houses for three cents a pound, can be made into a capital dinner, which will cost only about twenty cents, by following the above receipt. =veal and rice.=--put the scrag end of a neck of veal, which you can usually buy for ten cents, into a pot half full of boiling water, with a half tablespoonful of salt, and half a pound of bacon, or salt pork, (cost six cents,) half a pound of rice, (cost five cents,) and an onion stuck with six cloves; boil it gently for three hours, and then serve it hot, the meat in the middle of the platter, and the rice laid around it. the broth may be served for breakfast, as in the receipt for mutton and onions. the dinner will cost about twenty cents. =irish stew.=--cut two pounds of the flank of beef, (cost fifteen cents, or less,) in pieces about two inches square, rub them well with pepper and salt; peel and slice one quart of onions, (cost five cents;) place beef and onions in a saucepan, with just enough cold water to cover them, and stew them gently for one and a half hours; then add one quart of peeled potatoes, (cost three cents,) and boil the stew until the potatoes are soft, which will be in about twenty minutes. serve at once hot. the dish will cost twenty-three cents. =sheep's haslet.=--peel and slice one quart of onions, (cost five cents;) wash and slice a sheep's haslet, (cost six cents;) put two ounces of drippings, (cost two cents,) in the bottom of a dripping pan, strew the onions upon it, and lay the haslet on them, seasoning it with a teaspoonful of salt, and one of thyme, savory, allspice, and pepper, using equal parts of each; add enough water to reach halfway to the top of the meat, then cover it thickly with the crumbs from half a loaf of stale bread, and bake all together for one hour and a half, in a moderate oven. the whole dish will not cost over seventeen cents, and it is nutritious and savory. =baked pig's head.=--buy at a packing house half a medium sized pig's head, which you can get for three or four cents a pound, (the piece will cost about ten cents;) clean and wash it well; pare and slice one quart of onions, (cost five cents;) chop quarter of a pound of suet, (cost two cents,) and grate half a loaf of stale bread, (cost three cents;) put into a dripping pan one ounce of drippings, (cost one cent,) one gill of vinegar, (cost one cent,) then the onions, next the head, skin up, and last the bread, suet, and seasoning, well mixed, and bake in a moderate oven for about one and a half hours. the dish will cost about twenty-two cents; it is hearty and extremely nutritious. chapter viii. sunday dinners. sunday is the workingman's festival. it is not only a day of rest from manual labor, a breathing space in his struggle for existence, an interval during which his devotional aspirations may have full exercise; it is the forerunner of a new phase of life, in which toil is laid aside for the gentler occupations of home, if he is a man of family, and for rest and relaxation in any case. the duty of making home pleasant, which a good wife feels, is doubly felt upon the days when the bread-winner abides in it. the husband of such a wife seldom passes his sundays in strange places: he is content to accept the day according to its recognized signification, and when it has passed he is all the more ready to begin his daily work again. because much of the comfort of home depends upon good and economical meals, and because sunday dinners ought to be better than those of working days, we must make monday dinners supplementary to them; the cost of saturday night's marketing must be divided between the two days, in order to keep within our financial margin. good examples of this management may be found in the receipts given in this chapter for roast fowl and fried chicken, À la mode beef and meat patties, boiled mutton and kromeskys, and roast veal and veal and ham patties. these receipts show how by the exercise of a little judgment in buying, and economy in managing food, we can have our sunday fowl, or joint of meat, without incurring any expense unwarranted by the figures to which this little book confines us. =roast fowl.=--you can generally buy a fowl for about a shilling a pound; it need not be tender, but it ought to be fleshy in order to furnish the basis for two meals. choose a fowl which will cost fifty cents or less; pluck all the pin feathers, singe off the hairs with a piece of burning paper, or a little alcohol poured on a plate and lighted with a match; then wipe the fowl with a clean damp cloth, draw it carefully by slitting the skin at the back of the neck, and taking out the crop without tearing the skin of the breast; loosen the heart, liver, and lungs by introducing the fore-finger at the neck, and then draw them, with the entrails, from the vent. unless you have broken the gall, or the entrails, in drawing the bird, _do not wash it_, for this greatly impairs the flavor, and partly destroys the nourishing qualities of the flesh. twist the tips of the wings back under the shoulders; bend the legs as far up toward the breast as possible, secure the thigh bones in that position by a trussing cord or skewer; then bring the legs down, and fasten them close to the vent. put the bird into a pot containing three quarts of boiling water, with one tablespoonful of salt, an onion stuck with half a dozen cloves, and a bouquet of sweet herbs, made as directed on page ; skim it as soon as it boils, and as often as any scum rises. if you wish to stuff the fowl use a forcemeat made as follows, (cost ten cents,) and carefully sew it up in the carcass. =forcemeat or stuffing.=--cut two ounces of salt pork, (cost two cents,) in quarter inch dice, and fry it brown in half an ounce of drippings, with one ounce of chopped onion; while these ingredients are frying, soak five cents' worth of stale bread in tepid water, and then wring it dry in a napkin; add it to the onion when it is brown, with one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, half a saltspoonful of powdered thyme, and the same quantity of dried and powdered celery, and white pepper, and one teaspoonful of salt; mix all these over the fire until they are scalding hot, and cleave from the pan; then stir in one raw egg, and stuff the fowl with it. it is good stuffing for any kind of poultry or meat. a few ounces of grated cheese make it superlatively good. meantime, while the fowl is boiling, peel one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) and lay them in cold water. at the end of one hour take the fowl from the pot, taking care to strain and save the pot liquor, put it into a dripping pan with the potatoes, season them both with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and put them in a rather quick oven to bake for about one hour. when both are well done, and nicely browned, take them up on hot dishes, and keep them hot while you make the following gravy: =chicken gravy.=--pour one pint of boiling water into the dripping pan in which the fowl was baked; while it is boiling up mix one heaping tablespoonful, or one ounce, of flour with half a cup of cold water, and stir it smoothly into the gravy; season it to taste with pepper and salt, and send it in a bowl to the table with the chicken and potatoes. in carving the chicken cut off the drumsticks, wings, and neck carefully, and lay them aside; use the second joints, breast and fleshy parts, for dinner; and after dinner cut up what remains of the carcass in neat pieces, which you must save with the pieces first cut off, to use for fried chicken. half the cost of the roast chicken, stuffed, and the baked potatoes, will be thirty-eight cents. =fried chicken.=--dip the pieces of chicken saved from the sunday dinner into a batter made according to the following receipt, and fry it a delicate brown color in quarter of a pound of olive oil or sweet drippings, or lard, (cost three cents,) heated until it is smoking hot. before you begin to fry the chicken, wash one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) pare off a ring from each, and put them to boil in plenty of well salted boiling water. when the chicken is done take it up with a strainer, and lay it for a few minutes on brown paper to free it from fat; then serve it hot, with the boiled potatoes. =frying batter.=--this batter will do nicely for chicken, fish, clams, cold boiled parsnips, or fruit of any kind, of which you wish to make fritters. the oil is added to it for the purpose of making it crisp. many persons object to the use of oil in cooking, from a most foolish prejudice. it is a pure vegetable fat, wholesome and nutritious in the highest degree; and the sooner our american housewives learn to use it in cooking the better it will be for both health and purse. i do not mean the expensive oil, sold at fine grocery stores for a dollar a bottle, but a good sweet kind which can be bought at french _Épicerie_ or german _delicatessen_ depots for about two dollars and fifty cents a gallon. make the batter by mixing together four heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, (cost one cent,) a level teaspoonful of salt, the yolk of one egg, (cost one or two cents,) two tablespoonfuls of oil, (cost one cent,) and one gill of water, or a quantity sufficient to make a thick batter; just as you are ready to use it, beat the white of the egg, and stir it into the batter; the cost will be three or four cents, and the use of it will double the size and nicety of your dish. =chicken broth.=--heat the broth in which the fowl for sunday dinner was boiled, and when it is at the boiling point throw in quarter of a pound of rice, or fine macaroni, which will cost three or four cents, and boil it about twenty minutes, or until tender; see if the seasoning is right, and serve it hot. =new york cooking school fricassee.=--prepare a fowl weighing about three pounds, (cost three shillings,) as directed in the receipt for =roast fowl=; cut it in neat joints, fry it quickly in one ounce of sweet drippings, (cost one cent,) till brown; cover it with boiling water, add one teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a level teaspoonful of pepper, and stew it gently until tender, keeping it covered closely; when it is about half done, add to it some dumplings made as follows: =suet dumplings.=--make into a stiff paste, with about two gills of cold water, half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) quarter of a pound of chopped suet, (cost two cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, and the same quantity of baking powder sifted with the flour; drop the paste into the fricassee from a teaspoon dipped in cold water, and let them boil with it; these dumplings cost less than five cents, and are nice with any stew, soup, or fricassee. =rabbit curry.=--choose a tender rabbit or hare, which will cost at the market about twenty cents, and which if young will be plump, and have a short neck, thick knees, and fore paws whose joints break easily; hang it by the hind legs, and skin it, beginning at the tail, and ending at the head, wipe it carefully with a damp cloth to remove the hairs; take out the entrails, saving the brains, heart and liver, rinse out the carcass with a cup of vinegar, (cost two cents,) which you must save, and cut it in joints; lay the rabbit in a deep frying pan, with two ounces of drippings, (cost two cents,) one cent's worth of onion sliced, a teaspoonful of salt, ten whole cloves, and quarter of a level teaspoonful of pepper; fry it gently for twenty minutes; then add one cent's worth of parsley, the vinegar, half a level tablespoonful of curry, and one tablespoonful of flour mixed with half a teacupful of water, and simmer all gently for fifteen minutes, keeping the pan closely covered. when the rabbit is first put upon the fire, put quarter of a pound of rice, (cost four cents,) into two quarts of boiling water with one tablespoonful of salt, and boil it until the ends of the grains begin to crack open; turn it from the pot into a colander, drain it, shake it back into the pot, and cover it to keep it hot until the rabbit is done; then send it to the table with the rabbit, but on a dish by itself. the rabbit curry and rice will cost about twenty-eight cents. =rabbit pie.=--prepare a rabbit, or hare, (cost twenty cents,) as for the curry, and after you have jointed it, roll each piece in flour, salt and pepper mixed; slice two cent's worth of onions, peel and slice three cents' worth of potatoes, and put these into a pudding dish in layers with the rabbit, season with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a level teaspoonful of pepper, add half a pint of cold water, cover the pie with a plain paste, made as for suet dumplings (cost five cents,) and bake for one hour and a quarter. these quantities will cost about thirty cents, and make a large pie. =pickled shad.=--in season fine large shad can be bought for twenty-five cents, and each one will be enough for two hearty meals. thoroughly clean a fresh shad; cut it in pieces about three inches square, lay it in a deep baking dish, or earthen crock, seasoning it well with two tablespoonfuls of salt, one level teaspoonful of pepper, one dozen whole cloves, two bay-leaves broken, and a bit of lemon or orange peel, if you have it; pour over it enough vinegar to cover it, tie an oiled or buttered paper over the top of the dish or crock, and bake the shad five hours in a moderate oven. the action of the pickle will be to entirely soften the bones of the fish, so that every part of it will be eatable. one half of it will cost about fifteen cents; and with the addition of five cents' worth of bread or potatoes, will make a hearty dinner for twenty cents. =pork pie.=--cut in two inch pieces two pounds of pork trimmings, (cost ten cents,) roll them in flour, season them with two teaspoonfuls of salt, quarter of a level teaspoonful of pepper, and one teaspoonful of curry, put them in a deep baking pan or dish with two cents' worth of onions, and three cents' worth of potatoes, peeled and sliced, add half a pint of cold water, and bake the pie slowly for one hour and a quarter. it will cost about fifteen cents made as above; or a suet crust, made as directed for suet dumplings, may be added for five cents more. if the taste of curry is not liked it may be omitted. =pork chops.=--buy at a packing house two pounds of shoulder chops, (cost sixteen to twenty cents,) roll them in flour, pepper, and salt, put them into a hot frying pan, and fry them brown, cooking them at least twenty minutes. meantime boil one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) in boiling water and salt, and chop fine one pickle, (cost one cent.) when the chops are done, take them up, and keep them hot, while you make the gravy by pouring into the frying-pan half a pint of boiling water, and adding to it the chopped pickle, a tablespoonful of flour mixed smooth with half a cup of cold water, and salt and pepper to taste. boil it up once, pour it over the chops, and serve them hot with the potatoes. the dinner will cost about twenty-five cents. =roast pork and apples.=--season two pounds of shoulder chops, (cost twenty cents, or less,) with salt and pepper, and powdered sage, and put them in a deep baking dish with one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) two cents' worth of onions, and two cents' worth of apples, peeled and sliced; add half a pint of cold water, and bake two hours in a moderate oven. the dish will cost twenty-seven cents, or less. =stewed sausage.=--prick a pound and a half of sausages, (cost eighteen cents,) lay them in hot water for three minutes, roll them in flour, put them in a hot frying pan, and fry them brown; take them up and fry about half a loaf of stale bread sliced, in the same pan; put this on a platter, lay the sausages on it, and pour over them a gravy made as follows; after taking up the sausages, pour into the pan half a pint of boiling water, season it to taste with salt and pepper, thicken it with one tablespoonful of flour mixed smooth in half a cupful of cold water, add to it one chopped pickle, boil it up, and pour it over the sausages and bread. the seasoning and flour will cost two cents, the bread three, and the whole dish about twenty-three cents. if you serve it with a quart of plain boiled potatoes it will cost twenty-five or twenty-six cents. =german potatoes.=--carefully wash one quart of potatoes, removing any defective part, cut a slice from the top of the potatoes, take out a little of the inside, chop it fine, mix it with half a pound of highly seasoned sausage or mincemeat, (cost six cents,) fill it into the potatoes, put on the piece you first cut off, and bake them for about three quarters of an hour in a quick oven. serve them as soon as they are soft. ten cents will cover the entire cost, and they will make a very hearty and nutritious meal, especially if the meat used is pork. =brain and liver pudding.=--you can generally buy a pig's brain and haslet at the slaughter house for about ten cents; wash them thoroughly; slice the heart, liver, and lights, and fry them light brown in a cents' worth of drippings. put the brain over the fire in cold water with a tablespoonful each of salt and vinegar, let it boil for fifteen minutes, and then lay it in cold water to get hard. make a suet crust, as directed for suet dumplings, (cost five cents,) roll out a cover for the pudding, line the edges of the dish two inches down with it, and put any bits you may have remaining, into the dish in layers with the haslet and brain sliced; season the pudding with one level tablespoonful of salt, one onion chopped, and half a level teaspoonful of pepper; cover it with the suet crust, and bake it for about an hour in a moderate oven. serve it hot. the pudding will make a very hearty dinner, at a cost of about fifteen cents. =broiled kidneys.=--mix together in a deep plate the following ingredients, which will cost about three cents; one ounce of butter, half a level teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful each of mustard, and any table sauce or vinegar, and as much cayenne as you can take up on the point of a small pen-knife blade; toast half a loaf of stale bread, (cost three cents,) cut in slices one inch thick; wash, split, and broil one pound of pig's or sheep's kidneys, (cost ten cents or less;) while the kidneys are broiling dip the toast in the first named seasonings, lay it on a hot dish, and lay the kidneys on it as soon as they are broiled; season them with salt and pepper, and serve them hot with one quart of plain boiled potatoes, (cost three cents.) the cost of the entire dinner will be less than twenty cents. =tripe, curry and rice.=--thoroughly wash two pounds of tripe, (cost sixteen cents,) boil it until tender, about one hour, in plenty of water and salt; then lay it on a clean, dry cloth to drain; put half a pound of rice, (cost five cents,) into the same water, and boil it fast for twenty minutes; cut the tripe in pieces two inches square; slice two cents' worth of onions, frying them in two ounces of drippings, (cost two cents,) season with one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a level teaspoonful of pepper, and one tablespoonful of vinegar, add to the tripe, and cook all together for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. just as you are ready to serve it, stir in one teaspoonful of curry, which, with the other seasonings, will cost two cents. drain the rice in a colander, shake it into a dish, and send it to the table with the tripe. the dinner will cost twenty-seven cents, and be very satisfactory. =liver polenta.=--boil one pound of yellow indian meal, (cost four cents,) for half an hour, in two quarts of boiling water with one ounce of drippings, (cost one cent,) stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; meantime fry in one ounce of drippings, (cost one cent,) a sheep's or pig's haslet, (cost five cents,) well washed and sliced; when the meal has boiled half an hour, put it into a greased baking dish with the haslet, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper; bake it for twenty minutes in a quick oven, and serve it hot. the dish, which is palatable and nutritious, costs less than twelve cents. =À la mode beef.=--this is one of the compound dishes which are mentioned in the beginning of this chapter, and will serve as a basis for at least two good dinners. unless there is an unusual rise in the price of meat, you can buy the round of beef for a shilling a pound at the market or provision house; in the middle of the week choose four pounds in a solid, thick piece; cut half a pound of fat pork, (cost six cents,) into strips half an inch square; thrust the steel you use for sharpening knives into the meat, in the direction of the grain, and put the strips of pork into the holes you make; cut up five cents' worth of carrot, turnips, onion, and parsley, lay them in the bottom of an earthen crock or deep bowl, with two tablespoonfuls of salt, and one teaspoonful of pepper; put the beef on them, and pour over it one pint of vinegar, and enough water to just cover the meat; the vinegar and seasoning will cost five cents. turn a plate over the meat, and put a clean stone on it to keep the meat under the pickle; turn the meat every day, keeping it in a cool place. sunday morning, as soon as breakfast is over, put the meat, pickle, and vegetables, over the fire in a clean pot, and let them stew, _uncovered_, until the pickle is all evaporated and the meat is nicely browned; then sprinkle over it two tablespoonfuls of flour, and let that brown, turning the meat over occasionally; then add enough boiling water to cover the meat, put on the pot cover, and set it where it will simmer gently for at least three hours. during the last half hour boil one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) in plenty of boiling water and salt. when the meat is done take it upon a platter, strain the gravy over it, and serve it hot with the boiled potatoes. about half of it will be enough for dinner, and will cost, with the potatoes, thirty-five cents. =meat patties.=--chop the remainder of the _À la mode_ beef; make a suet crust, (cost five cents,) as directed for suet dumplings, roll it out quarter of an inch thick, cut it out with a round tin cutter, lay a tablespoonful of the mince-meat on each round, wet the edges of the crust, and fold it over in the shape of an old-fashioned turn-over; pinch the edges together, put the patties on a floured baking-pan, and bake them about half an hour in a moderate oven. when you put them in the oven, put one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) to boil in boiling water and salt. when both potatoes and patties are done serve them together; the dinner will cost about thirty cents. =boiled mutton.=--the shoulder of mutton can be bought at the market for about six cents a pound. choose one weighing not over four pounds, (cost twenty-four cents,) wipe it with a clean, damp cloth, put it into three quarts of boiling water with a tablespoonful of salt, one cents' worth of soup greens, a level teaspoonful of pepper, and boil it gently fifteen minutes for each pound, skimming it as often as any scum rises. about one hour before it is done pare one quart of turnips, cut them in quarters, and boil them with the mutton. wash one quart of potatoes, pare off a ring from each, and boil them in boiling water. serve them with the mutton and turnips, saving the broth from the mutton for bread broth for breakfast. the potatoes and turnips will cost five cents, and the proportionate cost of the mutton will be twelve cents; so the dinner will cost seventeen cents. the remains of the mutton must be saved for mutton _rechauffée_, as the basis of the next day's dinner. =mutton= _rechauffée_.--prepare and boil one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents;) slice the best part of the mutton remaining from the day before, saving all the scraps and trimmings, dip each slice in a beaten egg, or a little milk, (cost one cent,) roll it in bread crumbs, dried and sifted, as directed on page , and fry them in sweet drippings. serve the meat and potatoes together; they will cost about fifteen cents. =mutton kromeskys.=--cut cold mutton in half inch dice; chop one ounce of onion, and fry it pale yellow in one ounce of sweet drippings, (cost one cent;) add one ounce of flour, and stir until smooth; add half a pint of water, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, one level teaspoonful of salt, one level saltspoonful of white pepper, half a saltspoonful of powdered herbs, as much cayenne as can be taken up on the point of a very small penknife blade, and the chopped meat; the seasonings will cost about one cent; stir until scalding hot, add the yolk of one raw egg, (cost one cent,) cook for two minutes, stirring frequently; and turn out to cool on a flat dish, slightly oiled, or buttered, to prevent sticking, spreading the minced meat about an inch thick; set away to cool while the batter is being made. =plain frying batter.=--mix quarter of a pound of flour, (cost one cent,) with the yolks of two raw eggs, (cost two cents,) a level saltspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, quarter of a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, one tablespoonful of salad oil, (which is used to make the batter crisp,) and one cup of water, more or less, as the flour will take it up; the batter should be stiff enough to hold the drops from the spoon in shape when they are let fall upon it; now beat the whites of the two eggs to a stiff broth, beginning slowly, and increasing the speed until you are beating as fast as you can; the froth will surely come; then stir it lightly into the batter; heat the dish containing the meat a moment, to loosen it, and turn it out on the table, just dusted with powdered crackers; cut it in strips an inch wide and two inches long, roll them lightly under the palm of the hand, in the shape of corks, dip them in the batter, and fry them golden brown in smoking hot fat. serve them on a neatly folded napkin. they make a delicious dish, really worth all the care taken in preparing them. the seasoning, crackers, and what fat is used in frying, will not cost over four cents, for you must strain the fat, and save it after you fry your kromeskys; if you use either bread or potatoes with them, the dinner will not cost over twenty cents. =epigramme of lamb.=--this is one of my favorite dishes, which i learned to make the first winter i had a cooking school, and i believe that nearly every one who tries it will share my opinion of it. choose as tender a two-pound breast of mutton as you can buy for about six cents a pound, boil it in two quarts of water about three quarters of an hour, or until you can easily pull out the bones, taking care to put it into boiling water, with a tablespoonful of salt, and skim it as often as any scum rises; when it is done, strain and save the pot-liquor for bread or rice broth, pull out the bones from the breast of mutton, lay it between two platters, and put a flat iron on it until it is cold. then cut it in triangular pieces, taking care not to waste a scrap, roll the pieces in a beaten egg, (cost one cent,) and dried bread crumbs prepared as directed on page , and fry them as you would the kromeskys in the previous receipt. use the pot-liquor in which it was boiled, with quarter of a pound of rice, for the next morning's breakfast. the cost of both dishes will not exceed twenty cents. =roast veal.=--the shoulder of veal can usually be bought at the market for eight cents a pound. choose a fresh one weighing about seven pounds, and costing about sixty cents; from this we shall make three dishes, namely: roast veal, blanquette of veal, and veal and ham patties. therefore the proportionate cost for the roast veal will be twenty cents. have the butcher chop off the fore leg quite close up to the shoulder, and cut it in neat slices about one inch thick; these you must sprinkle with salt and pepper, and keep in a cool place, together with the blade bone, until the next day, for the blanquette. have the shoulder boned, saving the blade; stuff it with the following forcemeat. =forcemeat for veal or poultry.=--steep four ounces of dry bread, (cost two cents,) in warm water, and wring it dry in a clean towel; chop one cent's worth of onion and fry it light yellow in one cent's worth of drippings, add the bread to it, season it with one level teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a level teaspoonful each of pepper and powdered thyme, or mixed spice, and stir these ingredients over the fire until they are scalding hot; then stir in one egg, and use the stuffing; the cost will be about five cents. after stuffing the shoulder, lay it in a dripping pan with one cent's worth of soup greens, and put it in a hot oven to brown it quickly; when it is brown take it out of the oven, season with salt and pepper, baste it with a little sweet drippings, return it to the oven, and bake it thoroughly fifteen minutes to each pound. meantime wash one quart of potatoes, (cost three cents,) pare a ring off each one, and boil them in plenty of boiling water and salt. when the veal is done take it up on a hot dish, pour half a pint of boiling water in the dripping pan, scrape it well, and strain the contents; set this gravy again over the fire to boil while you mix a tablespoonful of flour, in half a cup of cold water; stir this smoothly into the gravy, boil it for five minutes, and serve it with the roast veal and boiled potatoes. be careful to save all that remains from the dinner, towards making the veal and ham patties; the proportionate cost will be about thirty cents. =blanquette of veal.=--put the pieces of veal saved for this dish into enough cold water to cover them, together with a tablespoonful of salt and one cent's worth of soup greens, the onion being stuck with ten cloves; skim occasionally whenever any scum rises, and simmer until the meat is tender, which will be in half or three quarters of an hour; then take up the meat in a colander, and run some cold water over it from the faucet; strain the pot-liquor, and let it boil again; mix together over the fire one tablespoonful of butter, (cost two cents,) and two of flour; when they are smooth add one quart of the boiling broth to them, season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a level teaspoonful of white pepper, and quarter of a nutmeg grated; mix the yolks of two eggs, (cost two cents,) with about a cupful of the broth, and stir them into the rest; then put in the veal, and heat and serve it, with a quart of boiled potatoes, (cost three cents.) the dinner will cost about thirty cents. =veal and ham patties.=--chop the remains of the roast veal (cost twenty cents,) with quarter of a pound of lean ham, (cost four cents,) weigh both, and mix with them an equal weight of dried bread, soaked in warm water, and wrung dry in a clean towel; season with salt, pepper, and powdered herbs, or spice salt to taste, moisten with any cold gravy you have saved from the roast veal, and fill it into little turnovers, or patty pans lined with a suet crust, made as directed on page , for suet dumplings, (cost five cents.) the dinner will cost about thirty cents. chapter ix. cheap puddings, pies, and cakes. good puddings are nutritious and wholesome, and an excellent variety can be made at a comparatively small expense. pies, as they are usually made, with greasy and indigestible pastry, are positively unhealthy; if they are made with a plain bottom crust, and abundantly filled with ripe fresh or dried fruit, they are not so objectionable. rich cake is always an extravagance, but some of the plainer kinds are pleasant additions to lunch and supper; we subjoin a few good receipts. =swiss pudding.=--sift together half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, and one of salt; rub together four ounces of granulated sugar, (cost three cents,) and two ounces of butter, (cost four cents,) and when they are well mixed, so as to be granular but not creamy, add the flour gradually until all is used; make a hollow in the middle of the flour, put into it one egg, half a teaspoonful of lemon flavoring, and half a pint of milk, (cost of these ingredients four cents;) mix to a smooth paste, put into a well buttered and floured mould, and set this into a large pot with boiling water enough to come two-thirds up the side of the mould; steam the pudding three quarters of an hour, or until you can run a broom splint into it without finding the pudding stick to the splint. turn the pudding out of the mould, and send it to the table with the following sauce: =cream sauce.=--stir together over the fire one ounce each of flour and butter, (cost two cents;) as soon as they are smooth pour into them half a pint of boiling milk, (cost two cents,) add two ounces of sugar and half a teaspoonful of lemon flavoring, (cost two cents,) and use with the pudding as soon as it boils up. the sauce and pudding will cost about twenty cents. =college puddings.=--mix well together eight ounces of dried and sifted bread crumbs, (cost three cents,) two ounces of very finely chopped suet, (cost two cents,) two ounces of currants, two eggs, and two ounces of sugar, (cost together five cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, three grates of nutmeg, and sufficient milk to moisten, about one cents' worth; make the puddings up in little round balls, roll them first in sifted bread crumbs; next dip them in beaten egg, and then roll them again in bread crumbs; fry them in plenty of hot fat, and serve them with sugar dusted over them. five cents will cover the cost of frying them; and a nice dishful will cost you about eighteen cents. =cream rice pudding.=--wash four ounces of rice, (cost three cents,) through two waters, put it into a baking dish with three ounces of sugar, and a teaspoonful of flavoring, (cost three cents,) pour in one quart and a pint of milk, (cost twelve cents,) and put it into a moderate oven to bake an hour and a half, or until it is of a creamy consistency. this pudding is very delicate and wholesome, and costs fifteen cents. =half-pay pudding.=--carefully wash and dry a quarter of a quarter of a pound of zante currants, (cost three cents,) stone the same quantity of raisins, (cost three cents,) and chop an equal amount of suet, (cost two cents;) mix them with eight ounces of stale bread, (cost three cents,) three tablespoonfuls of molasses, half a pint of milk, and a teaspoonful each of spice, salt, and baking powder, (cost four cents.) put these ingredients into a mould which has been well buttered and floured, and steam them about three hours. if by any mischance the top of the pudding is watery, you can remedy it by putting it into a hot oven for ten or fifteen minutes to brown. when you are ready to use it, turn it from the mould and send it to the table with some cream sauce. this is an excellent plum pudding, and costs only about twenty cents, including sauce. =bread pudding.=--slice a five cent loaf of bread, spread it lightly with two cents' worth of butter, and lay it in a baking dish; break one egg, (cost one cent,) into a bowl, add to it two ounces each of flour and sugar, (cost two cents,) a teaspoonful of salt, and a pint of milk, (cost four cents;) mix, flavor to taste, pour over the bread, and bake the pudding about half an hour in a quick oven. it will be very nice, and cost about fifteen cents. =cup custards.=--boil a pint of milk, (cost four cents,) with two ounces of sugar and half the yellow rind of a lemon, (cost three cents;) meantime beat four eggs, (cost four cents,) and strain the milk into them; mix thoroughly, strain again, and pour into cups; set these in a baking pan containing hot water enough to reach half way up the sides of the cups, and either set the pan over the fire until the custards are firm, or bake them in the oven; they will set in twelve or fifteen minutes. the cost will be about twelve cents. =fruit dumpling.=--make a nice suet crust, as directed for suet dumplings on page , roll it out about quarter of an inch thick, spread it with ten cents' worth of ripe fruit, quarter of a pound of sugar, (cost three cents,) and a teaspoonful of mixed spice; roll it up, tie it in a cloth wet with scalding water, and well floured next the dumpling, and boil it in a large kettle half full of boiling water for two hours, taking care that the pot does not stop boiling, or remain uncovered, or the dumpling will be heavy. when it is done take it from the pot, unroll it from the cloth, and serve it with a few cents' worth of molasses; it will cost about twenty cents. =apple dumplings.=--pare and core five cents' worth of apples, keeping them whole; make a suet crust as directed for suet dumplings on page , roll it out, and cut it in as many squares as you have apples; sprinkle a little spice on the apples, fold the corners of the pieces of paste up over them, pinch them together, tie each one in a floured cloth, and boil for one hour as directed in the previous receipt; then take them from the pudding cloths, and serve them with five cents' worth of butter and sugar; they can be made for about fifteen cents. =baked apple dumplings.=--make a paste of half a pound of flour, (cost two cents,) quarter of a pound of butter, (cost eight cents,) and enough cold water to wet it up, about half a pint; roll it out very thin and fold it four times; repeat this process twice; then put the paste in a cool place for five minutes, and roll and fold again; do this three times, and then cut the paste in squares, and lay on each an apple prepared as above; fold the paste over the apples, turn them bottom up on a baking sheet, brush them with a well beaten egg, (cost one cent,) sift over them an ounce of powdered sugar, (cost one cent,) and put them in a moderate oven to bake for three quarters of an hour. they will cost about eighteen cents, and be very nice. =lemon dumplings.=--sift eight ounces of dried bread crumbs, (cost three cents,) mix them with the same quantity of very finely chopped suet, (cost four cents,) pare off the thin yellow rind of a lemon, (cost two cents,) chop it very fine, and add it with the juice to the bread and suet; mix in half a pound of sugar, (cost six cents,) one egg, (cost one cent,) and enough milk to make a stiff paste, about half a pint, (cost two cents;) divide the paste into six equal balls, tie them in a floured cloth as directed for boiled apple dumplings, and boil them an hour. serve them with five cents' worth of butter and sugar, or syrup. they will cost about twenty-three cents, and are really delicious. =rice croquettes.=--boil half a pound of well washed rice, (cost five cents,) in one quart of cold water, with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a pint of milk, (cost two cents,) half the yellow rind of a lemon, or two inches of stick cinnamon, and two ounces of sugar, (cost two cents,) for half an hour, after it begins to boil, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; take it from the fire, stir in one at a time, the yolks of three eggs, (cost three cents,) and return to the fire for ten minutes to set the egg; then spread the rice on an oiled platter, laying it about an inch thick, and let it get cool enough to handle. when it is cool enough turn it out of the platter upon some cracker dust spread on the table, cut it in strips one inch wide and three inches long, roll them into the shape of corks, dip them first in beaten egg, then in cracker-dust, and fry them golden brown in plenty of smoking hot fat; lay them on a napkin for a moment to free them from grease, put them on a dish, dust a little powdered sugar over them, and serve them. they will cost, including the last mentioned ingredients, about twenty cents. =fruit tarts.=--stew ten cents worth of fruit and four ounces of sugar together; make some pastry according to the directions in the receipt for baked apple dumplings; line deep pie-plates with the paste, building up a rim of paste around each; fill them with the stewed fruit, and bake them about three quarters of an hour in a moderate oven; two good sized tarts can be made for twenty-five cents; and the fruit can be varied to suit the season of the year, and the taste of the eaters. =rice cakes.=--sift together six ounces each of rice and wheat flour, (cost about seven cents,) rub into them four ounces of lard or meat drippings, (cost four cents,) four eggs, (cost four cents,) and sufficient milk to make a thick cake-batter; beat it thoroughly, pour it into a greased cake-pan, and bake it one hour. a good sized cake will cost about fifteen cents. =rock cakes.=--mix well together four ounces each of butter and sugar, (cost twelve cents,) add four ounces of well washed currants, (cost three cents,) one pound of flour, (cost four cents,) and three eggs, (cost three cents;) beat all these ingredients thoroughly, roll them into little balls, or rocks, and bake them on a buttered baking pan. a good supply will cost about twenty-two cents. =caraway cake.=--beat to a cream four ounces each of butter and sugar, (cost twelve cents,) stir in two eggs, (cost two cents,) one gill of milk, (cost one cent,) one pound of sifted flour, (cost four cents,) and five cents' worth of caraway seed; bake the cake for two hours in a deep earthen dish, testing it with a clean broom splint to be sure it is done before you take it from the oven. it will cost about twenty-four cents. =soft gingerbread.=--melt one ounce of butter, (cost two cents,) add it to half a pint of molasses, (cost five cents,) with one level teaspoonful each of ground cloves, cinnamon, and ginger, (cost one cent;) dissolve one level teaspoonful of soda in half a pint of boiling water, mix this with the molasses, and lightly stir in half a pound of sifted flour (cost two cents;) line a cake-pan with buttered paper, pour in the batter, which will be very thin, and bake it about half an hour, or until you can run a broom-splint into it, and withdraw it clean. the cake, which will be a good size, will cost about ten cents. =sweet biscuits.=--rub four ounces of butter, (cost eight cents,) into one pound of flour, (cost four cents;) dissolve four ounces of sugar, (cost three cents,) in half a pint of warm milk, (cost two cents.) pour this into the flour, mixing it smoothly; then dissolve half a level teaspoonful of cream of tartar in one gill of cold water, and stir it into the above ingredients. when they are thoroughly mixed, roll out the paste about quarter of an inch thick, cut it out in small round cakes, and bake them golden brown, at once, in a quick oven. a good supply will cost about seventeen cents. chapter x. dessert dishes. the previous chapter was devoted to cheap and good sweet dishes of the kind usually called dessert in this country; the dessert proper, however, consists of fruit, creams, ices, small and delicate cakes, fancy crackers, and confectionery. we give here directions for making some of these enjoyable delicacies at a very moderate rate. it must always be borne in mind that the prices quoted are those which prevail when the articles specified are in season, and consequently abundant and cheap. as apples are very plentiful, and generally cheap, we shall begin with dishes made from them. =apple black caps.=--pare a quart of nice apples, core them without breaking, set them side by side in a baking dish that will just hold them, fill the centres with sugar, place two cloves in the top of each one, grate over them the yellow rind of a lemon or orange, and put them into a moderate oven only until they are tender; do not let them break apart. as soon as they are tender take them from the oven, heat a fire shovel red hot and hold it over them, near enough to blacken their tops. serve either hot or cold. a porcelain-lined baking dish, or a _gratin_ pan, is the best dish for cooking the black-caps in, because either can be set upon a clean plate and sent to the table; if the apples have to be removed from the dish in which they were baked they may be broken, and then the appearance of the dish will be spoiled. the flavor of the dish may be changed by varying the spice, and by occasionally using a little wine or brandy with the sugar. the cost of a dish large enough for half a dozen persons will be covered by ten cents, unless it is made when apples are scarce and dear. =apple snow.=--make this dish when eggs are cheap. pare and core a quart of apples, (cost five cents,) stew them to a pulp with just water enough to moisten them, rub them through a seive, and sweeten them to taste. beat the whites of six eggs, (cost six cents,) with two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, to a stiff froth; beat the apple-pulp to a froth; mix the egg and apple together very lightly, turning the bowl of the spoon over and over instead of stirring it around; then beat them with an egg whisk until they look like snow. pile the snow high in the centre of a dish, putting it in by the tablespoonful, and taking care not to break it down; in the top of the heap of snow put a fresh flower or a green sprig; and if you have any currant jelly, lay a few bits around the base. the effect of the dish is very pretty, and it can be made for about fifteen cents. =apple cakes.=--pare, core, and slice a quart of apples, (price five cents,) stew them with half their weight in sugar, (about one pound, cost about twelve cents,) the grated rind and juice of a lemon, (cost two cents,) one ounce of batter, (cost two cents,) and a very little grated nutmeg. when they are tender beat them with an egg whisk until they are light, drop them by the dessert-spoonful on buttered paper laid on a baking sheet, and bake them in a cool oven until they are firm, which will be in about fifteen minutes. when they are cool put them in a tin box until wanted for use. the cost will be about twenty cents. =cherry cheese.=--put into a stone jar a pound of sound, ripe cherries, with the stones removed, (cost about ten cents;) cover the jar closely, set it in a saucepan half full of boiling water, and simmer it gently until the cherries are tender; then take up the fruit, weigh it, put it into a preserving kettle with half a pound of finely sifted sugar, (cost about eight cents), to every pound of fruit; add a dozen cherry kernels with the skins removed by scalding, and rubbing in a clean cloth, put the kettle over a slow fire, and boil, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is quite dry and clear. meantime rinse out some shallow jars with brandy, and when the fruit is done put it into them, pressing it down tightly; pour a very little brandy over the top, lay a little paper on each, then fit on the covers of the jars closely, and keep in a dry, cool place. the above quantity will cost about twenty-five cents. =candied cherries.=--choose a pound of perfectly sound, ripe cherries, (cost ten cents,) with the stalks and an occasional leaf attached, wipe them with a clean, dry, soft cloth; dip the leaves and stems, but not the fruit, into boiling vinegar, and set them with the cherries upward, in a card-board perforated with holes to admit the stems, until the vinegar dries. meantime boil a pound of loaf sugar, (cost about fifteen cents), with a teaspoonful of cold water, using a thick porcelain-lined saucepan or copper sugar boiler; skim until perfectly clear, and test in the following way: dip the thumb and forefinger into cold water and then quickly into the boiling sugar, withdrawing it instantly; press the fingers together, and then draw them apart; if the sugar forms a little thread between them it is ready to use, if it does not, boil a few minutes longer and test again. when it is ready dip the leaves and branches into it, and dry them in the card board frame as directed above. keep the sugar at the boiling point, and as soon as it forms a clear brittle thread between the fingers, when tested as above, dip the entire fruit into it, moving the cherries around so that the sugar completely covers them, and dry them, placed as above in the card board frame, in the mouth of a cool oven. =currant salad.=--remove the stems from half a pound each of red and white currants, (cost ten cents,) and pile them in regular layers high in the centre of a shallow glass dish, sifting a little powdered sugar between each layer; the sugar will cost two or three cents. a gill of cream, (cost five cents,) may be poured over the top, if desired. the dish should be tastefully ornamented with green leaves, and the salad kept very cool until wanted for use. the cost of a nice dishful will be about eighteen cents. =iced currants.=--beat the white of one egg, (cost one cent,) to a stiff froth, mix it with three dessertspoonfuls of cold water, dip into it carefully some perfect bunches of ripe red and white currants, which can be bought in season for ten cents a pound; drain each bunch a moment and then dust it well with powdered sugar, lay each bunch carefully upon a large sheet of white paper, so that there is plenty of room between the bunches, and set them in a cool, airy place for five hours. the sugar will partly crystalize upon the fruit, and the effect will be very pretty. the cost of a good sized dish will be about fifteen cents. =compôte of damsons.=--wipe one quart of sound, ripe damsons, (cost ten cents,) with a clean, dry cloth, drop them, one by one into the following syrup: make a syrup by melting one pound of loaf sugar (cost fifteen cents,) with one pint of water, stir in the white of an egg, (cost one cent,) and boil the syrup fifteen minutes, skimming it clear. simmer the plums in this syrup until they are tender, about five minutes, but do not let them break; take the plums up carefully and arrange them in a heap on a shallow dish, letting the syrup boil about ten minutes, until it is quite thick; then remove it from the fire, cool it a little, and pour it over the plums. the dish will cost about twenty-five cents. =stuffed dates.=--remove the stones from a pound of fine dates, (cost ten cents,) by cutting them open at one side; remove the shells and skins from half a pound of almonds, (cost ten cents;) the skins can easily be rubbed off by first pouring boiling water on the almond kernels; replace the date-stones with the almonds, and arrange the dates neatly on a shallow dish; dust a little powdered sugar over them, and keep them in a cool, dry place till ready to use. the dish will cost twenty-three cents. =stewed figs.=--dissolve four ounces of powdered sugar, (cost three cents,) in one pint of cold water, and flavor with a few drops of any essence preferred; put into it a pound of nice figs, (cost ten cents,) heat slowly, and stew gently for about two hours, or until the figs are tender. eat hot with a dish of boiled rice, or serve cold. the cost will be less than fifteen cents. =compôte of gooseberries.=--choose a quart of large, sound, ripe, green gooseberries, (cost ten cents,) remove the stems and tops, throw them into boiling water for two minutes; drain them, let them lay three minutes in cold water containing a tablespoonful of vinegar, to restore their color, and then drain them quite dry. meantime make a thick syrup by boiling one pound of sugar, (cost twelve cents,) with one pint of water; as soon as the syrup has boiled about ten minutes, put in the gooseberries and boil them gently until just tender, about ten minutes. then pour both fruit and syrup into an earthen or glass dish; cool, and use. the dish will cost less than twenty-five cents. =gooseberry cheese.=--remove the tops and stalks from two quarts of ripe, red gooseberries, (cost twenty cents,) put them in a moderate oven till soft enough to rub through a seive; then add to them one-fourth their weight of sugar, set them over the fire to boil gently for half an hour, stirring them constantly, and skimming till clear; then put by the tablespoonful on plates, and dry in the mouth of a cool oven. pack, when quite cool, in a tight box, between sheets of white wrapping paper. the above quantity will cost about twenty-five cents. =gooseberry fool.=--remove tops and stalks from two quarts of gooseberries, boil them with three quarters of their weight in sugar, and half a pint of cold water, until soft enough to pulp through a sieve; then mix the pulp with a pint of milk, or cream, if a more expensive dish is desired, and put into an earthen or glass dish to cool; serve cold. the above quantity will cost about twenty-five cents. =grape jelly.=--dissolve one ounce of gelatine, (cost eight cents,) in half a pint of cold water. break one pound and a half of grapes, (cost ten cents,) in an earthen bowl with a wooden spoon; strain the juice without pressing the grapes, through clean muslin, three times; put the juice into a preserve kettle with half a pound of loaf sugar, (cost eight cents,) and the dissolved isinglass, and boil it ten minutes; rub a jelly mold with pure salad oil; add two tablespoonfuls of brandy, (cost three cents,) to the jelly; pour it into the mould, and cool until the jelly sets firm. the above ingredients will make about a pint and a half of jelly, and will usually cost about twenty-five cents, for the above estimate is rather more than the average cost. =green gage compôte.=--remove the skin from a quart of very ripe green gages, (cost fifteen cents,) put them in a glass dish, sprinkle them over with a pound of powdered sugar, (cost ten cents,) and let them stand in a cool place four hours, until a nice syrup has been formed. the dish is delicious, and costs about twenty-five cents. =pine apple julep.=--pare and slice a very ripe pine apple, which in season will cost about ten cents; lay it in a glass dish; pour over it the juice of one orange, (cost two cents,) the juice of one lemon, (cost two cents,) a gill of any fruit syrup, (cost about five cents,) and two tablespoonfuls of rum, (cost three cents;) sprinkle it with a little powdered sugar, cool it on the ice, and serve it cold. it will cost about twenty-five cents. =lemon snow.=--soak one ounce of gelatine, (cost eight cents,) in one pint of cold water for half an hour; peel the yellow rind from three lemons, (cost six cents,) and squeeze and strain their juice; put the rind and juice of the lemons into a saucepan with eight ounces of loaf sugar, (cost eight cents,) and stir until the sugar and isinglass are quite dissolved; pour it into a bowl, and let it cool, and begin to grow firm. then add the whites of three eggs, (cost three cents,) and beat to a stiff froth. pile by the tablespoonful high in the centre of a glass dish. it is pretty and delicious, and costs only about twenty-five cents. =melon compôte.=--make a syrup by boiling one pound of sugar, (cost ten cents,) with half a pint of water. pare and slice a spicy musk melon, (cost five cents,) and put it into the syrup with a little wine, (cost five cents.) boil gently for ten minutes, take up the melon in a glass dish, cool the syrup a little, and pour it over the melon. serve the _compôte_ cold; it is delicious, and costs only about twenty-five cents. =orange salad.=--peel six oranges, (cost twelve cents,) slice them, place them in rings in a glass dish, sprinkle them with three ounces of powdered sugar, (cost two cents,) pour over them a little wine and brandy, and let them stand over night in a cool place. a good dish full will cost about twenty cents. =orange and apple compôte.=--pare and slice very thin three oranges, (cost six cents,) and three apples, (cost three cents,) removing the seeds from both: lay the slices in rings in a glass dish, cover, with the following syrup, and cool. boil the orange peel in half a pint of water, with four ounces of sugar, (cost four cents,) until the syrup is clear; add a tablespoonful of brandy to it, cool it a little, and pour it over the sliced fruit. the dish is very nice when iced, and costs about fifteen cents. =peach salad.=--pare and quarter a quart of ripe peaches, (cost ten cents,) lay them in a heap in a shallow glass dish; squeeze over them the juice of an orange, (cost two cents,) and sprinkle them with powdered sugar, (cost two cents.) put them on the ice to get very cold. a large dishful can be prepared for fifteen cents. =cold compôte of pears.=--peel and slice thin a quart of bartlett pears, (cost fifteen cents,) lay them in a glass dish, pour over them a little wine, and sprinkle them plentifully with powdered sugar. let them stand in a cool place for an hour before using them. a nice dish will cost less than twenty cents. =stewed prunelles.=--put a pound of prunelles, (cost fifteen cents,) in enough boiling water to cover them, and stew them gently for one hour. take them up with a skimmer, strain their juice, return it to the fire with four ounces of loaf sugar, (cost four cents,) the yellow rind and juice of one lemon, (cost two cents,) and a glass of wine; skim until clear, add the prunelles, and stew again for one hour. take up the prunelles in a glass dish, cool the syrup a little, and strain it over them. cool before using. the dish can be made for about twenty-five cents. =quince cakes.=--wash some quinces, boil them in enough water to cover them, until they are tender enough to rub through a seive; to each quart add a pound and a half of loaf sugar, place the mixture over the fire, and heat to the boiling point, stirring it constantly, but do not let it boil. oil some plates, spread the quince upon them, and dry it in the mouth of a cool oven. then cut it in cakes, pack it in a tin box, between layers of white wrapping paper, when it is thoroughly cold, and keep it in a cool, dry place. a good dishful can be made for twenty-five cents. =quince snow.=--boil some nice quinces until tender, peel them, rub them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and add to each pound a pound of powdered sugar, (cost ten cents,) and the whites of three eggs, (cost three cents.) beat with an egg whisk to a stiff froth and pile by the tablespoonful in the centre of a shallow glass dish. a nice dishful can be made for about twenty-five cents. =iced raspberries.=--beat the white of one egg, (cost one cent,) with two tablespoonfuls of cold water; pick over a quart of fine ripe raspberries, (cost ten cents,) dip them one by one into the egg, and roll them in powdered sugar; lay them on white paper spread on a baking sheet, so that they do not touch, and dry them in a cold, dry place, sifting a little more sugar over them, if they seem to grow moist. when the berries are in season, twenty-five cents will cover the cost of a large dish. =raspberry salad.=--pick over a quart of ripe raspberries, (cost ten cents,) pile them high in the centre of a glass dish, pour over them a glass of wine, (cost five cents,) dust them with an ounce of powdered sugar, (cost one cent,) and keep on the ice till used. a good dishful can be made for about twenty cents. =compôte of strawberries.=--carefully pick over a quart of ripe strawberries, (cost ten cents;) put them in an earthen dish, pour over them a syrup made by boiling quarter of a pound of sugar, (cost four cents,) with one gill of water, for ten minutes; let the berries stand in this syrup for one hour; then drain them and pile them in a heap in a shallow glass dish; add to the syrup the juice of one orange, (cost two cents,) or a glass of wine; boil it up and cool it a little, and strain it over the berries; cool and use. this delicious dish costs about fifteen cents. =strawberry drops.=--rub some ripe strawberries through a fine seive with a wooden spoon; add two ounces of this juice to half a pound of powdered sugar, (cost five cents,) put the mixture into a saucepan and stir it over the fire until it begins to simmer; remove it from the fire, and stir it briskly for five minutes, oil some paper, lay it on a baking sheet, drop the strawberries on it by the salt-spoonful, dry them in the mouth of a cool oven. keep them between layers of white paper in a cool place. a good supply can be made for twenty-five cents. =compôte of mixed fruit.=--boil half a pound of loaf sugar, (cost eight cents,) with one gill of cold water for ten minutes; pick over half a pound of red currants, (cost five cents,) and a pint of raspberries, (cost five cents,) and simmer them in the syrup for ten minutes. take up the fruit on a glass dish, cool the syrup a little and pour it over the fruit. the dish will cost less than twenty cents. =fruit juice.=--rub ripe fruit through a seive, with a wooden spoon, and then strain it free from skins and seeds; to every pound add quarter of a pound of loaf sugar; mix well; put into wide-mouthed glass bottles, and set them in a pan with cold water reaching to the necks of the bottles. set the pan over the fire and let the water come to a boil; remove the pan and let the bottles stand in the water until they are quite cold. then cork them tightly, and seal them with wax or resin. keep them in a cool, dry place. this juice added to ice-water, and sweetened to taste, makes a delicious sherbet. the end. index. cost. page. _À la mode_ beef, with potatoes apple dumplings bacon and apple roly-poly, with vegetables baked apple dumplings baked heart baked pig's head barley water batter for frying batter for frying beans and bacon beans, baked beans, fried bean soup beans, stewed beef _À la mode_ beef broth, with dumplings beef patties beef pie beer -- beer for nursing women -- biscuits, sweet biscuits, tea _blanquette_ of veal, with potatoes brain and liver pudding bread per lbs bread pudding breakfast rolls broth, beef broth, chicken broth, mutton broth, scotch broth, veal broth, white cake, caraway cake, rice cake, rock chicken broth chicken, fried cheese pudding chocolate -- chowder cocoa -- cocoa, per quart codfish steaks and potatoes coffee -- coffee, per quart college pudding cooking -- cream rice pudding cream sauce cream soup, with macaroni croquettes, rice cup custards dumplings, apple dumplings, apple, baked dumpling, fruit dumpling, gammon dumplings, lemon dumplings, norfolk dumplings, suet dessert to fish chowder fish pudding fish soup fish and potato pie fish and potato pudding forcemeat for poultry forcemeat for veal fowl, roast fruit dumplings fruit tarts gammon dumpling german potatoes gingerbread, soft half-pay pudding hasty pudding indian bread indian cakes indian pudding, baked indian pudding, boiled irish stew johnny cake kidneys, broiled, with potatoes kidneys, pigs' kidney pudding kidney, stewed, with potatoes kromeskys lamb, _epigramme_, with broth and rice lemon dumplings lentils, boiled lentils, fried lentil soup lentils, stewed lime water -- liver polenta macaroni, farmers' style macaroni, milanaise style macaroni, with broth macaroni, with cheese macaroni, with tomato sauce macaroni, with white sauce maize -- marketing -- measuring -- meat brewis meat patties, with potatoes milk -- mutton boiled, with turnips and potatoes mutton broth, with vegetables mutton kromeskys, with potatoes mutton and onions mutton _rechauffée_, with potatoes norfolk dumplings new york cooking school fricassee oatmeal and peas onion soup oxtail stew, with bread patties, beef, with potatoes patties, veal and ham peas and bacon peas and onions peas, baked peas pudding pea soup pea soup, thick pickled shad, with bread pigs' head, baked polenta polenta, liver pork and onions pork chops, with potatoes pork pie pork, roast, with apples potato bread, per lbs potatoes, german pudding, brain and liver pudding, bread pudding, cheese pudding, college pudding, cream rice pudding, fish and potato pudding, half-pay pudding, hasty pudding, kidney pudding, peas pudding, swiss, with sauce pulled bread rabbit curry rabbit pie red herrings and potatoes, with bread rice, boiled rice bread, per lbs rice cake rice croquettes rice, japanese style rice, milanaise style rice milk rice panada roast fowl roast pork, with apples roast veal, with potatoes rock cakes rolls, breakfast salt, celery -- salt, spice -- sauce, cream sauce, table, per pint sauce, tomato sausage, stewed scotch broth, without meat seasoning -- soft gingerbread swiss pudding, with sauce shad, pickled sheep's head stew sheep's haslet soup, bean soup, cream soup, fish soup, lentil soup, onion soup, pea soup, spinach soup, thick pea soup, vegetable spinach soup stuffing for poultry stuffing for veal suet dumplings sweet biscuits table sauce, per pint tarts, fruit tea -- tea biscuit tea, per quart tincture lemon -- tincture orange -- tincture vanilla -- tomato sauce tripe, curry and rice white broth, with macaroni veal and ham patties veal and rice veal, _blanquette_, with potatoes veal broth, with vegetables veal, roast, with potatoes vegetable soup and bacon vegetable porridge now ready. a household treasure, explaining the system of economical cookery taught in the new york cooking school. miss corson's cooking school text-book and housekeepers' guide to cookery and kitchen management. mo, cloth, price, by mail, $ . . * * * * * "how well can we live if we are moderately poor?" the economical housewife will find this question answered in miss corson's cooking manual. mo, enamelled cloth. price, by mail, cents. address, orange judd company, broadway, new york; or, new york cooking school office, east th street, new york. preparation, and will be published by orange judd company, an entirely new and most valuable work entitled good cooking for everybody, by miss juliet corson. a book that will be wanted by every housekeeper. * * * * * the american agriculturist for the farm, garden, and household. established in . the best and cheapest agricultural journal in the world. terms, which include postage _pre-paid_ by the publishers: $ . per annum, in advance; copies for $ ; copies for $ ; copies for $ ; copies for $ ; copies for $ ; or more copies, only $ each. single numbers, cents. the amerikanischer agriculturist. the only purely agricultural german paper in the united states, and the best in the world. it contains all of the principal matter of the english edition, together with special departments for german cultivators, prepared by writers trained for the work. terms same as for the "american agriculturist." orange judd company, broadway, new york. [transcriber's notes: 'seive' and "sieve' seem to be used interchangeably by the author, they have left them as they were found on page. hyphenation, spelling and punctuation have also been left as they are on the page. the one entry for 'w' in the index appears where it is on the page, between the 't' and the 'v.'] [ transcriber's note: every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible, including inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation; changes (corrections of spelling and punctuation) made to the original text are listed at the end of this file. although some of its entries are not in alphabetical order, no attempt has been made to reorder the index. ] +--------------------------------+ | | | _crown vo, / net_ | | | | a guide | | to | | modern cookery | | | | by the same author | | | | _fourth edition_ | | | +--------------------------------+ | | | _crown vo, / net_ | | | | = = menus and | | = = recipes | | | | of the baron brisse | | | | in french and english | | | | translated by | | mrs. matthew clark | | | | _ninth edition_ | | | +--------------------------------+ | | | _fcap. vo, / net_ | | | | leaves from | | our tuscan kitchen | | | | or | | | | how to cook | | vegetables | | | | by janet ross | | | | with photogravure frontispiece | | | | _third edition_ | | | +--------------------------------+ the skilful cook a practical manual of modern experience by mary harrison first class diplÔmÉe, south kensington lecturer on hygiene, domestic economy and cookery _eighth edition_ london j. m. dent & co. & , bedford street, w.c. _all rights reserved_ to her royal highness the princess christian whose interest in every good and useful work has so justly endeared her to all classes of this nation this work is by her gracious permission most respectfully dedicated by her humble and obedient servant mary harrison contents. page introduction hints to young housekeepers food and diet the table how to cook how to clean stoves and cooking utensils rules for boiling rules for roasting rules for frying rules for baking rules for grilling rules for broiling joints poultry and game savoury meat dishes sauces breakfast dishes and beverages cold meat cookery entrées fish cookery pastry puddings vegetables soups bread and cakes jellies and creams soufflées and omelets invalid cookery supper dishes and salads miscellaneous dishes odds and ends how to use up fragments forcemeats preserves menus suppers index the skilful cook. introduction. the importance of every woman having a thorough knowledge of domestic economy cannot be too strongly insisted on. the false refinement which, of late years, has considered an acquaintance with domestic matters to be only suitable for servants, has been fraught with the most disastrous consequences. this may seem strong language, but it is not too strong. all sanitary reformers know well enough that it is in the power of many women to prevent very many deaths, and an incalculable amount of misery and vice. speaking of sanitary reform, the late canon kingsley says:--'women can do in that work what men cannot. the private correspondence of women, private conversation, private example of ladies, above all of married women, of mothers of families, may do what no legislation can.' and again, in the same speech, delivered on behalf of the ladies' sanitary association, he says:--'ah! would to god that some man had the pictorial eloquence to put before the mothers of england the mass of preventable agony of mind and body which exists in england, year after year: and would that some man had the logical eloquence to make them understand that it is in their power, in the power of the mothers and wives of the higher classes--i will not say to stop it all, god only knows that--but to stop, as i believe, three-fourths of it.' this may seem to some, perhaps, too serious an introduction to a cookery book; but it is my earnest wish that my book may not be simply a collection of recipes for cooks to refer to, but a real help to those women who, recognising the importance of good cookery in sanitary reform, are doing their utmost (as i know many are) to acquire that knowledge, and are thereby making the lives of those about them brighter and happier; and are also by their examples doing an amount of good that they themselves scarcely dream of. i have been told more than once by those benevolently interested in the working classes that with instruction to ladies on cookery they had no sympathy, and they seemed to think that it would be better if lessons on the subject were given exclusively to the poor. they forget that the wives of the working men are women who have most of them been domestic servants, and that what they learn in their situations, and what habits they there acquire, they take for _good_ or _evil_ into their own homes; and in this way an ignorant careless mistress may be doing an infinitude of harm to her sister women in a lower position than herself. on the other hand, a mistress who understands thoroughly the management of a house, by wisely training her servants in habits of order and industry, by teaching them what they do not know and have had no opportunity of learning about hygiene or the laws of health, may be--in fact cannot help being--a blessing indirectly to many homes. i believe that the working classes must be taught in this way if they are to be taught at all. i have myself, over and over again, tried to benefit my poorer sisters by giving them free lessons on food and cookery; and although i invariably find a few who are very grateful for such instruction, the majority, i imagine, never trouble to put in practice what they have been taught. their habits have been already formed, and it is not easy for them to alter them. but it is a significant fact that those who do value the lessons are generally respectable hardworking women, who have held good situations under good mistresses. i have also heard it very ignorantly objected by some that by teaching ladies how to cook, you are taking the bread out of the servants' mouths. this is, indeed, the conclusion of a shallow mind; for with equal justice and good sense, it might be said that the owner of any large business was taking the bread out of his _employés'_ mouths because he happened to be acquainted with all the details of his own business, and was able to see that those in his employment attended to their duties properly. but this, i suppose, everyone will admit, that the owner of any business ignorant of the management and details of it, would not unlikely one day find himself without any business to manage. and if this is true with regard to men's businesses, is it not equally so with regard to women's? i have the greatest sympathy with servants, and would be the last to injure them in any way. a good servant is a treasure: and good work always deserves good wages. but the more a mistress knows of household work herself, the more is she likely to appreciate a servant who honestly and conscientiously performs her duties; and by understanding their difficulties, the more consideration is she likely to show to those in her employ. but there are some ladies to whom a knowledge of domestic economy ought to be especially invaluable--namely, those whose means are so limited that they cannot afford to engage servants who have had any great experience, and, therefore, who keep only what is called a general servant, a term which often means a woman or girl who will undertake to do everything, but who has only the vaguest notions of how anything should be done. they, poor things, have had no opportunity of learning in the homes from which they came. but it will be well for the poor 'general' if her mistress can teach and train her; for she will then leave her situation with knowledge and habits that will make her a valuable and useful woman, and be of the greatest service to her all her life. it is, however, quite surprising to see the rough way in which some people allow themselves to be served, and the muddle in which they prefer to live rather than do anything themselves that they consider menial; as if an untidy house, slovenly servants, badly cooked and coarsely served food, are not likely to do much more to lower their self-respect than any amount of so-called drudgery. 'a gentlewoman,' it has been said, 'never lowers herself by doing that which would make her feel less a gentlewoman if left undone.' how much healthier and happier, too, many girls would be, if, instead of going out in all weathers, day after day, to earn a miserable pittance in any such employment as daily governesses, they would do some of the lighter housework, cooking, &c., at home. by being able to do with one servant instead of two, they would save probably more than they could earn in other ways, besides being much stronger from the exercise thus taken. but too many girls are, unfortunately, imbued with the vulgar notion that work is not genteel. what a moloch this gentility has been and still is! what a number of human sacrifices are continually placed at its shrine, and what puppets its votaries become! mr. smiles says: 'there is a dreadful ambition abroad for being "genteel." we keep up appearances too often at the expense of honesty, and though we may not be rich, yet we must _seem_ to be so. we must be "respectable," though only in the meanest sense--in mere vulgar outward show. we have not the courage to go patiently onward in the condition of life in which it has pleased god to call us, but must needs live in some fashionable state to which we ridiculously please to call ourselves; and all to gratify the vanity of that unsubstantial genteel world of which we form a part.' it would effect a moral revolution if women would only look at matters in the true light. how much crime and misery may be traced to mismanaged unattractive homes! how many deaths to the ignorance of hygiene! how much intemperance to the physical depression caused by badly cooked food! let us hope that the refinement, falsely so called, which is only another name for vanity, laziness, and selfishness, may soon give way to the true refinement of heart and mind which considers nothing too menial which will benefit others; nothing too common that will add to the happiness of our fellow-creatures. if we women could earnestly and courageously endeavour to do the duty nearest to us, remembering that all honest work, of whatever kind, has been for ever ennobled by the great founder of our faith, so should we be, one in one way and one in another, 'helping to move (to quote dean goulburn) the wheels of the great world system whose revolutions are bringing on the kingdom of christ.' 'to be good and to be useful,' as canon kingsley says, 'are the two objects for which we were sent into this world.' hints to young housekeepers. she looketh well to the ways of her household. _proverbs of solomon._ take care that you know definitely what sum you can afford to spend on your household expenses, and make it a point of conscience never to exceed it. market with ready money, if possible; but, if it is more convenient to pay by the month, or quarter, never make that an excuse for letting your bills mount up to double what you can afford to pay. with accounts, carefully kept, it is quite possible to regulate the expenditure to the income. never order things at random, but inquire the price of everything before purchasing. take every pains to know how to judge of the quality of meat, groceries, &c., so that you may not be imposed on. never be ashamed to say you cannot afford to have this or that. to be poor may be a misfortune, but it is not a fault; and, indeed, to be rich is often a far greater misfortune. the discipline of poverty, and the self-denial it involves, will often strengthen a character which the luxury of riches would enervate. cultivate sufficient independence of character to enable you to form your household, and regulate your expenses according to your _own_ means, and not according to the income of your neighbours. what does it matter if some may sneer at your thread-bare carpets and frugal fare? the approval of your own conscience is of far more importance than the friendship of the vulgar-minded. above all things keep your accounts most strictly. without this you are like a mariner without a compass, or chart, you don't know where you are or what is your position, and you will find yourself, before long, on the rocks of debt and difficulty. extravagant housekeeping has been the cause of the most serious evils; and, if persisted in, will be sure, in time, to wreck the peace and happiness of yourself and family. extravagance is, no doubt, often the result of mere thoughtlessness, but that does not mend matters. there is as much evil wrought by want of thought as by want of heart. if it is true that there is but one step between the sublime and the ridiculous, it is equally true that there is but one step between folly and wickedness. therefore, all young housekeepers ought to give earnest attention to the management of their affairs, for certainly in these matters the 'wise woman buildeth her house, while the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.' food and diet. the human body is constantly wearing out. with every movement, every breath drawn, there is some waste of its substance. to repair this waste, and, in the case of children, to provide material for their growth, a certain amount of food should be taken daily. the food taken should consist of such qualities as will make flesh and muscle; such as will also keep up the heat of the body, and give force, or the power of movement. these foods must contain a certain quantity of liquid, and the salts necessary to keep the blood pure. table of foods. flesh-forming or nitrogenous. _examples_--meat poultry fish game eggs cheese flour oatmeal barley rice peas beans lentils heat-giving or carbonaceous. _examples_--butter suet dripping and fat of all kinds sugar in whatever form starch, which is contained in all vegetables the foods under the head of flesh-formers, although classed as flesh-formers, are really compound foods. they contain some heat-giving as well as flesh-forming properties. the heat-giving foods, on the contrary, are all simple foods. life could not be sustained on any one of them alone, whatever quantity might be taken. these facts are sufficient to show the necessity of a mixed diet. professor church says in his lectures on this subject: 'our food must be palatable, that we may eat it with relish, and get the greatest nourishment from it. the flavour and texture of food, its taste, in fact, stimulates the production of those secretions--such as the saliva and the gastric juice--by the action of which the food is digested or dissolved, and becomes finally a part of the body, or is _assimilated_. as food, then, must be relished it is desirable that it should be varied in character--it should neither be restricted to vegetable products on the one hand, nor to animal substances (including milk and eggs) on the other. by due admixture of these, and by varying, occasionally, the kind of vegetable or meat taken, or the modes of cooking adopted, the necessary constituents of a diet are furnished more cheaply, and at the same time do more efficiently their proper work. now, if we were to confine ourselves to wheaten bread, we should be obliged to eat in order to obtain our daily supply of albuminoids, or 'flesh-formers,' nearly  lb.--an amount that would give us nearly twice as much of the starchy matters which should accompany the albuminoids--or, in other words, it would supply not more than the necessary daily allowance of _nitrogen_, but almost twice the necessary daily allowance of _carbon_. now animal food is generally richer in albuminoid, or nitrogenous constituents, than vegetable food; so, by mixing lean meat with our bread, we may get a food in which the constituents correspond better to our requirements; for  lb. of bread may be substituted by  oz. of meat, and yet all the necessary carbon as well as nitrogen be thereby supplied. as such a substitution is often too expensive, owing to the high price of meat--cheese, which is twice as rich in nitrogenous matters (that is flesh-formers) as butchers' meat, may be, and constantly is, employed as a complete diet, and for persons in health, doing hard bodily work, it affords suitable nourishment. even some vegetable products, rich in nitrogen, as haricot beans, may be used in the same way as meat or cheese, and for the same purpose.'[ ] [ ] church _on food_. it is a pity that the value of haricot beans, peas, lentils, and oatmeal is not more generally known. one writer says that there is as much nourishment in  lb. of either of these as in  lb. of lean meat; and in a lecture on the same subject, another writer states that in three farthings' worth of oatmeal there is as much nourishment as in a mutton chop. these are certainly facts which should be known, especially by people of limited means. macaroni and semolina are also valuable foods; they are prepared from the most nutritious part of the wheat grain. rice and maize are deficient in flesh-forming properties, but useful as heat-giving foods; so are, also, tapioca, cornflour, and sago. potatoes and fresh vegetables contain but little nourishment. they must not, however, be despised on that account, as they are most valuable additions to our daily diet on account of the potash and other salts which they contain. these vegetables help to keep the blood pure. the anti-scorbutic properties of the potato are so great, that since its introduction into england leprosy is said to have entirely disappeared; neither is scurvy the scourge it was formerly. the food taken daily should be in proportion to the work done. a labouring man, for example, working hard each day, would require such foods as liver and bacon, steak, bullock's heart, beans, peas, cheese, hard-boiled eggs, &c.; foods, in fact, that would not be too easily digested. hard work causes the food to be assimilated more readily. a too easily digested fare would cause a constant feeling of hunger. for anyone, on the contrary, leading a sedentary life, the food taken could not be too digestible. in that case, mutton, plainly cooked chicken, soles, milk puddings, and lightly boiled eggs should be the kind of viands chosen. children should have plain wholesome fare. oatmeal and bread are both excellent foods for them. the lime they contain hardens their bones. the bread should be made from seconds flour, which contains more flesh-forming and mineral matter than the whiter and more sifted kinds. children should also have plenty of good milk. this is of the greatest importance, especially for the first months of a child's life. milk is the only perfect food, and contains all that is necessary to sustain healthy life. it is also the only food a child can properly digest, until it cuts its teeth. the improper feeding of children is the great cause of infant mortality. when it becomes advisable to add to milk other foods, they should be nutritious and well cooked. fine oatmeal or baked flour are, perhaps, the two best. dr. fothergill says: 'children fed on the food of their seniors, or rich cake, and crammed with sweeties, do not as a rule thrive well. they cannot compare favourably with children fed on oatmeal, maize, and milk. oatmeal is recovering its position as a nursery food, after its temporary banishment. oatmeal porridge is the food _par excellence_ of the infants born north of the trent, or was, at least, and stalwart people were the results.' there is no doubt oatmeal is an excellent food, not for children only, but for everyone, especially for those who work hard. it is much to be regretted that it is not more universally used. the english, as a rule, eat too much animal food; and do not give sufficient attention to the proper preparation of vegetables. oatmeal water is considered a most strengthening beverage, and is used by men in foundries when beer and fermented liquors would be found too heating. of alcoholic drinks, mr. buckmaster says (echoing the opinion of eminent physiologists): 'beer, wine, and spirits are never to be regarded as foods. their popular use is entirely due to their stimulating properties. they contain no nitrogen, and are therefore not flesh-formers, nor can they add anything to the wasting tissues. all stimulants act by increasing, for a time, the vitality of the body; but this activity is always followed by depression in proportion to the previous excitement. tea and coffee do, to some extent, prevent waste; but their value as foods depends mainly on the sugar and milk taken with them; and their use, _instead of food_, is almost as hurtful as intoxicating drinks. cocoa differs very much from either tea or coffee, since it is a nutritious liquid food.' in a lecture on the action of alcohol upon health, sir andrew clark says of health: 'that it is a state which cannot be benefited by alcohol in any degree.' he also states: 'it is capable of proof, beyond all possibility of question, that alcohol, _in ordinary circumstances, not only does not help work, but is a serious hindrance of work_.' these facts are so important, and ought to be so universally known, that it is to be hoped before long the chemistry of food will occupy the place it should as one of the most necessary branches of everyone's education. the table. a properly cooked meal, and a neatly arranged dinner-table, are helps to the happiness and moral progress of the humblest of families.--buckmaster. a really capable housekeeper will not be satisfied with good cookery only. she will be careful to have each dish nicely served, however plain it may be. culture, or the want of it, will be seen at once in the appointment of her table. this remark does not apply to a profusion of glass, silver, or flowers--these are questions of wealth--but to the neatness and order with which a table is laid, and the manner in which the meal is served. some people are particularly sensitive to external impressions; and to them a dinner, or any other meal, however costly, served in an untidy room, with table-cloth soiled, silver tarnished, glasses smeared, and above all a slovenly servant, would be enough to give a feeling of depression that would anything but aid digestion. a great point to be attended to is to have everything perfectly clean and orderly, however old and plain. clean table-cloths make a wonderful difference to the look of a table; a few flowers also will do much to give it a bright appearance. servants should be neat in their dress, and quiet in their movements. if only one is kept, that is no reason why she should wait at table in a slovenly dress and with ruffled hair. the dining-room should be, if possible, a bright room with a good aspect. heavy, sombre furniture, however fashionable, should be avoided. it is unfortunate that so little attention is paid to the influence of colour; a warm colouring will do much to give a bright look to a room which would otherwise be dull. the influence of the mental emotions on the digestion is so great that it is important that the conversation at meals should be as cheerful as possible, and no unpleasant subject should be discussed: anything that disturbs the appetite disturbs the digestion also. with these points carefully attended to--a bright room, neatly-laid table, well-cooked food, and cheerful conversation--dinner, or any other meal, will become what it should be, a refreshment to both mind and body. how to cook. hints to beginners. a few hints to beginners on the proper way to set about their work may be, perhaps, of some use; as i know many people get disgusted with cookery at the very outset, and after one attempt, form a resolution never to enter the kitchen again. they have spent the whole morning trying to make a single dish, and that has proved a failure; they have become hot, tired, and irritable, and ill able to bear the laughter their failure has excited. there has been a waste of material to no purpose, and they conclude, therefore, that it is useless for _them_ to make any further attempts. at any rate, they determine that they will not try again 'just yet;' and that often means that they do not try again at all. this disappointment and fatigue is generally the result of want of method and forethought. a recipe has been taken into the kitchen to be tried; very probably one half of the terms used in it have not been understood by the would-be cook. she at once begins to make the dish, going to the recipe to look for each article required as she wants to use it. if some of the supplies have run short, she has perhaps to wait in the middle of her operations while she sends to purchase them. moreover, when the cake, pastry, or whatever it may be, is made, the fire has very likely been forgotten. in this way, even if the dish has been properly prepared, it is spoiled in the cooking. those, too, who have some knowledge of the art and perhaps, can cook fairly well, will often find the work a great fatigue and toil. they spend double or treble the time they need in the kitchen, just for the want of a little judicious management. before trying a recipe read it over, _carefully_ notice how a dish is to be cooked, and make up the fire accordingly. if it is pastry, take means to get the oven hot; if a boiled pudding, make a good fire, and put a large saucepan of water on to cook it in before doing anything else. when this most important matter is attended to, put all the materials required on the table with the weights and scales; notice what cooking utensils will be required, see that they are all clean and ready for use, and put them near to hand. if, for example, you want to make a cake, proceed in this manner:--attend first to the fire to get the oven lightly heated, then put out the weights and scales and all necessary materials; put a basin on the table for mixing, two or three cups for breaking eggs in, one or two plates to put the different ingredients on as they are measured, a grater, and anything else that may be required. then carefully weigh the materials, taking the exact quantities named in the recipe. prepare them all before mixing any of them. wash and pick over the currants, and while they are drying, cut up all the candied peel; beat up the eggs, and grease and prepare the cake-tin. the butter should then be rubbed into the flour, and the other dry ingredients should be added. the cake should then be quickly mixed, put into its tin, and placed at once in a hot oven. if several dishes are to be made, a little thought beforehand will often prevent a very great deal of fatigue and waste of time. suppose, for example, that you wish to prepare two or three dishes for supper and to make some cakes for tea. you have, perhaps, decided to have a chicken coated with béchamel sauce, a _gâteau_ of apples with whipped cream, a custard pudding, and some rock cakes. make, the day before, if possible, a list of the articles required for the different dishes, and order what is necessary in good time, so that there may be no delay the next morning. have the kitchen quite clear from all litters before you begin to work. no one can cook well in a muddle. then commence operations by making up the fire and putting a saucepan of stock, or water, on to boil for the chicken. next put the gelatine to soak for the _gâteau_, not forgetting a little in the béchamel sauce. the longer gelatine soaks, the more quickly it will dissolve. then slice the apples and put them to stew with the sugar, so that they may be cooking while you are preparing something else. afterwards truss the chicken; and probably, by the time it is ready, the water or stock in the saucepan will be boiling. put the chicken into it to simmer gently, noticing the time, so that it may not be over-cooked. then prepare the ingredients for the rock cakes; mixing them--as they require a quick oven--before the pudding. while they are cooking, prepare the custard; and by the time it is made, the cakes, if the oven is properly hot, will be sufficiently set to admit of the heat being moderated. now make the béchamel sauce; strain it and add the dissolved gelatine. take up the chicken, remove the skewers, place it on a dish, and coat it nicely with the sauce. then rub the apples through the sieve, and finish making the _gâteau_. by this time the chicken, _gâteau_, and rock cakes are made, and the custard will be cooking. while waiting for the custard, whip the cream for the _gâteau_ and put it on a sieve to drain; prepare any decorations you may intend to put on the fowl, and lay them on a plate near to it in the pantry, ready to put on just before serving. everything will now be ready. with just a little management, even a slow worker would scarcely take a longer time to make these dishes than an hour and a half. whatever failures and disappointments you may meet with at first, do not be discouraged. success is certain if you will only have a little patience and perseverance. do not be disheartened because you feel very awkward, and because you not unfrequently forget the oven, and let your cakes and pastry burn. try not to mind the banter of your relations and friends at any possible failure. many well-meaning efforts to acquire this useful knowledge have been nipped in the bud by the thoughtless, silly way in which some people will laugh at any mistake or blunder. a cake which has caught in baking, or a pudding with the sugar left out, will probably afford them an inexhaustible subject of mirth. make up your mind, however, not to be discouraged by any of these things. practice will give nimbleness to your fingers and strength to your memory. as regards any laughter your mistakes may cause, only persevere, and it will not be long before the laugh will be on your side. but keep in mind in any of your attempts that you must be _exact_ in all you do. if you try to cook without paying strict attention to weights of the materials to be used and to the other directions, you will deserve to fail. be very particular in measuring quantities; bear in mind that carelessness in this respect is no mark of a superior cook as some people imagine, but rather of a careless or ignorant one. as whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well, bring all your intelligence to bear upon what you take in hand. how to clean stoves and cooking utensils. iron saucepans. immerse them in a pan of hot water with soda in it, and wash them thoroughly inside and out, taking care that nothing is left sticking to the bottom of the saucepans. if anything has been burnt in them, boil some strong soda and water in them before washing them, and then rub the bottom of the saucepan with sand until it is quite clean. the sand must be used nearly dry; if too much wetted it loses its power. the saucepan lids should be thoroughly rinsed and dried. enamel saucepans. wash them thoroughly in hot water with soda in it, using soap if necessary. if anything has been burnt in the saucepan, boil strong soda and water in it before cleaning it, and rub it well with sand. rinse and dry thoroughly. anglo-american saucepans. clean like enamel saucepans. they should be kept perfectly clean inside and out. tin saucepans. clean these like iron saucepans. dish covers and jelly moulds. wash with soap and water and dry thoroughly. powder some whiting, and mix with a little cold water; brush the mixture over the covers and moulds; when dry, rub off with a plate brush or soft cloth or leather. to clean a roaster. wash the dripping-pan and inside of the roaster with hot water and soda to remove all grease, then rub them with sand until they are quite bright, rinse and dry thoroughly. clean the outside of the roaster with whiting, used according to directions given for cleaning dish covers. hair and wire sieves. wash these thoroughly with hot water with soda in it, and scrub them quite clean with a sieve-brush. dry them thoroughly, and keep them in a _dry place_. if this is not done a hair sieve will get mildewed, an iron one rusty, and a copper one will verdigris and become poisonous. copper-wire sieves should always have especial care. paste boards and rolling pins. scrub them well with hot water and sand. do not use soda, as it will make the wood yellow. baking tins. wash them in hot water with soda in it, and rub with sand until they are bright; rinse and dry well. to clean a close stove or open range. scrape out all the ashes and brush up all the dust. then, with a brush, thoroughly clean the flues. brush the stove over with liquid blacklead, and when it is dry polish with brushes. then clean any steel about the stove and the fire-irons and fender with emery-paper; any brass with brick-dust well rubbed on with a leather. brush all the dust from the oven, and wipe it round with a cloth wrung out of hot water. to clean a gas stove. wash off any grease that may have been spilled on the stove with a cloth dipped in hot water, and wipe the inside of the stove, taking care to dry it thoroughly. wash the dripping-pan in hot water with soda in it, and rub it with sand to brighten it. then wipe it quite dry. brush the stove over with liquid blacklead, and polish it with brushes. copper cooking utensils. wash them well in hot water with soda in it; moisten some salt with vinegar, and rub them well with this to remove stains and tarnish. then wash them quickly with soap and water, and dry them thoroughly; polish them with a little powdered whiting rubbed on with a soft leather. rules for boiling. all meat, with the exception of salt meat, should be put into boiling water, and should be well boiled for quite five minutes, in order that the albumen on the outside of the joint may be set. the hardened albumen forms a kind of casing. this casing serves to keep in, as far as possible, the flavour and juices of the meat. when the meat has been boiled sufficiently long to effect this hardening, the kettle should be drawn to one side of the fire. the water should be kept at simmering point until the joint is cooked. the general rule, as regards time required for boiling, is a quarter of an hour for each pound of meat and a quarter of an hour over. but only general rules can be given, as the time will vary according to the nature of the joint to be cooked. a thick piece of meat will necessarily take longer to cook than a thin piece with much bone, although both may be the same weight. very _fresh_ meat will also take longer to cook than that which has been hung. as soon as the water boils, after the meat is in it, the scum should be carefully removed from time to time, while it is cooking. if the scum be allowed to boil down, it will settle on the joint and discolour it. it is best, however, as a precaution, to wrap the meat in a very clean cloth; this will effectually preserve its colour. salt meat should be put into lukewarm water, for the purpose of drawing out some of the salt. it should be simmered gently, allowing always twenty minutes to the pound, and twenty minutes over. salt hardens the fibre of the meat; it, therefore, requires to be cooked for a longer time to make it tender. rules for roasting. to roast successfully, make up a nice clear fire. when once made up, it should be replenished, if necessary, by putting on coal or coke at the back. the live coals should be drawn to the front to prevent smoke. fasten the joint to the jack. place the roaster close to the fire for the first ten minutes, so that the heat of the fire may at once harden the albumen, and form a case to keep in the flavour and juices. afterwards, draw the roaster farther back and cook gradually, basting every ten minutes. the basting keeps the meat from drying up, and gives it a better flavour. the length of time allowed for roasting is the same as for boiling, the rule being a quarter of an hour for each pound, and a quarter of an hour over. for white meat, veal and pork, or solid joints without bone, allow twenty minutes to the pound, and twenty minutes over. these rules, however, cannot always be strictly adhered to, as the size and shape of the joint must be taken into consideration, as well as the weight. meat that has been frozen will take longer to cook than fresh meat. meat which has been well hung will take a shorter time than fresh meat. if a jack is not used, the joint should be fastened to a rope of worsted, which should be kept constantly turning. gravy, for a joint, may be made according to two methods. the first method is to take the dripping-pan away half an hour before the joint is cooked, then to put a hot dish in its place, and to pour the contents of the pan into a basin. put the basin into a refrigerator; or, place it on ice. as soon as it is cold, the fat will cake on the top of the gravy, and should be removed very carefully. make the gravy hot, diluting it with warm water, if necessary, and pour it round the joint. the other and more usual method of making gravy, is to pour away all the fat from the pan as soon as the joint is cooked; and then pour into the pan a sufficient quantity of hot water, scraping well the brown glaze from the bottom; colour carefully with caramel, or burnt sugar, and pour it _round_ the joint, not _over_ it. pouring the gravy over the meat destroys its crispness. on no account make gravy from stock; stock is quite unsuitable, as the vegetable flavour is, to many persons, disagreeable. rules for frying. french or wet frying. this is cooking in a large quantity of fat sufficient to cover the articles fried in it. oil, lard, dripping, or fat rendered down, may be used for this purpose. oil is considered the best, as it will rise to ° without burning; other fats get over-heated after °, and therefore require greater care in using. success depends, almost entirely, on getting the fat to the right degree of heat. for ordinary frying, the heat required is °. unless this point is carefully attended to, total failure will be the result. there are signs, however, by which anyone may easily tell when the fat is ready for use. it must be quite still, making no noise; noise, or bubbling, will be caused by the evaporation of moisture, or water in it. the expression, 'boiling lard,' or 'boiling fat,' has been misleading to many inexperienced cooks, who, not unnaturally, imagine that when the fat is bubbling, like boiling water, it is boiling, and, therefore, at the right heat. but boiling _fat_ does not bubble. when it has the appearance of boiling water, it is simply due, as already explained, to the presence of water in it, which must pass away by evaporation, before the fat can reach the required heat. when it ceases to make any noise, and is quite still, it should be carefully watched; for very soon a pale blue vapour is seen rising, and then the fat is sufficiently hot. if, from the position of the stove, it is not easy to see this vapour, a piece of bread may be held in the fat as a test; if it begins to turn brown, in about a minute, the fat is ready. it should then be used without delay; since, when once hot enough, it rapidly gets overheated or burnt. fat is burning when the blue vapour becomes like smoke. burnt fat has an unpleasant smell, and is apt to give a disagreeable taste to the articles fried in it. with ordinary care fat need not get overheated. next to oil, fat rendered down (_see_ rendering down fat), is best for the purpose. if strained after each time of using, and not allowed to burn, it will keep good for months, and may be used for fish, sweets, or savouries, and no taste of anything previously fried in it will be given to the articles cooked. for this kind of frying, a kitchener, or gas stove, is preferable to an open range. all kinds of rissoles, croquettes, fillets and cutlets of fish, fritters, &c., should be fried in this manner, and should not be darker than a golden brown. it is an advantage to use a frying-basket for all such things as are covered with egg and bread-crumbs; but fritters, or whatever is dipped in batter, should be dropped into the fat, as they become so light that they rise to the top of it. when they are a pale fawn colour on the one side, they should be turned over to the other. care must be taken to drain everything, after frying, on kitchen paper in order to remove any grease. dry frying. this is frying in a cutlet or frying pan, with a small quantity of fat, and is only suitable for such things as require slow cooking, such as steaks, mutton or veal cutlets, fillets of beef, liver and bacon. pancakes also are fried in this manner. success depends, as in french frying, in having the fat rightly heated, taking care that the outside of the meat cooked be sealed up. in this way the juices and flavour will be retained in it. make, therefore, the frying-pan hot, then put in the fat; and when that is also perfectly hot, put in the meat to be cooked. when each side has been well sealed up, the heat applied must be moderated, so that the cooking may be gradual. the common mistake in this kind of frying is to put the meat into the fat when it is but barely melted; the juices of the meat are thus allowed to escape, and the meat is toughened. rules for baking. to bake meat successfully, the oven must be well ventilated, otherwise, the joint cooked in this manner will have an unpleasant flavour. the meat should be put on a trivet, which should be placed on a baking-tin. the oven must be very hot when the meat is put into it, and the heat should be kept up for the first quarter of an hour. this is to form the casing already alluded to in the directions for roasting and boiling; the heat of the oven must then be very much moderated, and the joint cooked very gradually, allowing twenty minutes for every pound, and twenty minutes over. the meat should be basted; and the gravy may be made in the same manner as in roasting. rules for grilling. for this method of cookery, a clear fire is essential. the griller is warmed, and the meat fastened in it. it is then hung on the bars of the fireplace, and a dish passed underneath to catch any gravy. an ordinary sized chop, cooked in this way, will take about five minutes on the one side, and three on the other. rules for broiling. this is cooking over the fire on a gridiron. the flavour of broiled meat is usually preferred to that of grilled. put the gridiron over the fire to heat, and then put the chop, or steak, on it; place the gridiron close to the fire at first, that the heat may rapidly seal up the outside of the meat. when this has been accomplished, lift the gridiron further from the fire, and cook gradually, turning occasionally. a clear fire is essential. coke is better than coal for broiling, because there is less smoke from it. joints. sirloin of beef. this is the primest joint, and must be either roasted or baked (see directions). horse-radish should be served with it. yorkshire pudding is also liked with roast beef. ribs of beef. these should be cooked like sirloin, and served with the same accompaniments. a neater looking joint is made by boning and rolling them. the bones can be used for soup. aitch bone, round, thick and thin flank of beef. those are usually salted and boiled (see directions for boiling salt meat). serve with carrots and turnips, and yeast, norfolk, or suet dumplings. brisket of beef. this should be stewed (see directions for stewed brisket). leg of mutton. this may be roasted, baked, or boiled. if roasted, it should be served with red-currant jelly; if boiled, with caper sauce. carrots and turnips are liked with boiled mutton. shoulder of mutton. this may be either roasted or baked. serve with onion sauce. saddle of mutton. this may be either roasted or baked. serve with red-currant jelly. neck of mutton. this is boiled, and requires long and gentle cooking. serve with caper sauce. fore quarter of lamb. this joint should be roasted or baked. serve with mint sauce. leg of lamb. this may be either roasted, baked, or boiled. serve, if roast, with mint sauce; and if boiled, with _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. shoulder of lamb, saddle of lamb, loin of lamb all these are either roasted or boiled, and served with mint sauce. fillet of veal. stuff it with veal stuffing and make into nice round shape; fasten it securely with string and skewers, and roast or bake it. serve with cut lemon, and send some boiled ham, pork, or bacon to table with it. use a pint of thin melted butter, instead of water, for making the gravy. breast, shoulder, and loin of veal. these are all roasted. thin melted butter is used to make the gravy for them, and cut lemon is served with them. knuckle of veal. this is boiled, and served with one dessertspoonful of chopped parsley added to one pint of melted butter. leg of pork. this must be roasted or baked, the skin having been previously scored with a knife. serve it with apple sauce. chine of pork. stuff it with pork stuffing (see forcemeats) and roast it. serve with apple sauce. spare rib of pork. this is roasted, the skin having previously been scored. serve it with apple sauce. hand of pork. soak it for two or three hours before cooking, and boil it. serve with pease pudding. leg of pork. this joint is also salted and boiled. it is served with pease pudding. to cook a ham. put into lukewarm water, to which has been added one pint of old ale. simmer it very gently until quite tender. for a ham always allow twenty-five minutes to each pound, and twenty-five minutes over. let it get cold in the liquor in which it boiled, then remove the rind and carefully cover with raspings. bacon. cook like ham, taking care that it is simmered until perfectly tender. remove the skin and cover with raspings. pickled pork. put it into lukewarm water and simmer gently until tender. poultry and game. roast goose. _ingredients_-- goose. sage and onion stuffing. ½ oz. of flour. onion. apple. sage leaves. ½ lb. of gravy beef. quart of water. _method._--stuff the goose by placing the sage and onion forcemeat inside it. then truss it nicely and roast it from one and a half to two hours. if it is a large one, two hours; if a small one, one and a half hours. to make the gravy, simmer the giblets in water for three hours with half a pound of gravy beef cut in pieces, a sliced onion, apple, and three sage leaves, pepper and salt. then stir in a thickening made of the flour, and colour the gravy with a little burnt sugar. if liked, a glass of port wine may be added. pour a little gravy round the goose, and serve the rest in a tureen. apple or tomato sauce should be served with roast goose. roast turkey. _ingredients_-- turkey. some veal forcemeat (omitting the suet).  lb. of gravy beef. pints of water. onion.  oz. of flour. _method._--place the forcemeat inside the turkey, and truss it nicely. roast it from one and a half to two and a half hours. make the gravy by simmering the giblets and beef in the water with the onion for three hours. thicken the gravy with the flour, and pour a little round the turkey. serve the rest in a tureen. place some fried or baked sausages round the turkey, and serve with bread sauce. boiled turkey. a small turkey is sometimes boiled like a fowl, and served with oyster, celery, or béchamel sauce. roast duck. _ingredients_-- duck. some sage and onion stuffing. rather more than pint water.  oz. of flour. onion. apple. ¼ lb. of gravy beef, or or bones. _method._--stuff the duck by placing the forcemeat inside it. truss it nicely, and roast it from three-quarters of an hour to an hour, according to its size. make the gravy by simmering the giblets in the water with the beef or bones, onion, apple, pepper and salt, for two hours. thicken it with the flour, and colour carefully with burnt sugar. pour a little gravy round the duck, and serve the rest in a tureen. a glass of port wine may be added to the gravy if liked. apple or tomato sauce should be served with roast duck. ducklings. these are cooked and served like ducks, and take from twenty to forty minutes to roast, according to their size. roast hare. _ingredients_-- hare. some veal forcemeat. ½ lb. of gravy beef. pint of water. onion.  oz. of flour. pepper and salt. _method._--stuff the belly of the hare with the forcemeat, and sew it in. truss it nicely, and roast it from one and a quarter to two hours, according to its size, basting it constantly. to make gravy, cut the beef into small pieces, and simmer in the water, with the onion sliced, for three hours. thicken it with the flour, and add, if liked, a glass of port wine. pour a little gravy round the hare, and serve the remainder in a tureen. jugged hare. _ingredients_-- hare. some veal forcemeat.  oz. of butter. onion, stuck with cloves. glasses of port wine. ½ pint of gravy or stock. lemon. _method._--dry the hare well and cut it in pieces. fry them in the butter. then remove them and fry the flour a nice brown. pour in the gravy or stock, and stir until it boils. then put the stock into an earthenware jar with the hare, onion, thin rind and juice of the lemon, and pepper and salt to taste. cover the jar close, and put it into a moderate oven, where it must simmer gently from three to four hours until the hare is quite tender. make some balls of veal forcemeat, to which the chopped liver of the hare has been added, and either fry or bake them. add them to the jugged hare, and, last of all, pour in the wine. serve with red-currant jelly. roast rabbit. _ingredients_-- rabbit. some veal forcemeat. some nice gravy (_see_ gravy). _method._--fill the belly of the rabbit with the forcemeat, and sew it in. truss it nicely, and roast it from three-quarters to one hour, basting constantly. pour a little gravy round it, and send some to table in a tureen. serve with red-currant jelly. boiled rabbit. _ingredients_-- rabbit. some onion or _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. _method._--boil the rabbit gently from half an hour to an hour, according to its size and age. serve it with onion or _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. stewed rabbits. _ingredients_-- rabbits. large onions. pints of water. ½ oz. of flour. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--cut the rabbits into joints, and slice the onions. put them with the water into a large stewpan, and simmer for one hour or more until the rabbits are tender. then make a thickening of the flour and stir it in, letting it boil well. put the rabbit on a hot dish, and pour the gravy over. ragout of rabbit. _ingredients_-- rabbit. onion stuck with cloves.  oz. of butter or dripping.  oz. of flour. ½ pint of water or stock. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--cut the rabbit into neat joints, and fry them in a stewpan in the butter or dripping. when brown remove them and fry the flour. then pour in the water or stock, and stir until it boils. put in the pieces of rabbit with the onion, and pepper and salt to taste. simmer gently for about one hour or more until quite tender. serve the rabbit on a hot dish, and strain the gravy over it. roast pheasant. _ingredients_-- pheasant. half a pint of gravy. butter. _method._--roast the pheasant nicely for three-quarters of an hour or an hour, according to its size, basting it constantly with butter. make a nice gravy for it (_see_ gravy), and serve it with bread sauce and browned crumbs. wild duck. _ingredients_--wild duck. half a pint of gravy (_see_ gravy). lemon juice. butter. _method._--roast the wild duck nicely before a clear fire for thirty or forty-five minutes, basting it constantly with butter. sprinkle over it a little cayenne and salt, and a few drops of lemon juice. serve the gravy in a tureen. if liked, a glass of port wine may be poured over the duck. partridges. partridges should be nicely roasted before a clear fire from twenty-five to thirty minutes. serve with a little gravy and bread sauce. browned crumbs are also handed with them. grouse. roast these birds before a nice clear fire, basting constantly with butter. serve with gravy, bread sauce, and browned crumbs. woodcocks and snipes. these birds should be nicely trussed but not drawn. roast them carefully from twenty to thirty minutes, basting constantly. place under them rounds of toasted bread, buttered on each side, to catch the trail as it drops, as this is considered a delicacy. when cooked, lay the toast on a hot dish, place the birds on it, and pour a little good gravy over. boiled fowl. truss nicely and flour the breast slightly. fold it in buttered paper, and tie securely with string. boil in stock or water, according to the directions given for boiling meat for three-quarters of an hour to one hour and a half, according to its age and size. serve with white, egg, or _maître d'hôtel_ sauce poured over it. roast fowl. truss nicely and roast, according to directions given for roasting meat, for three-quarters of an hour to one hour and a half according to its age and size. serve with bread sauce and some gravy (_see_ gravy). braised partridges. _ingredients_--a brace of partridges. a small piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. tomatoes. pint of good second stock. wineglass of sherry. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--truss two partridges as for boiling. put at the bottom of a stewpan the vegetables cut in small pieces. lay the partridges on the top and pour in the stock and sherry; these should be sufficient to come half way up the partridges. cover with buttered paper. put the lid on the stewpan and simmer very gently until the partridges are tender. then put them on a baking tin in the oven to brown them. strain the stock and boil it rapidly down to a glaze. serve the partridges with the glaze poured over them. savoury meat dishes. stewed steak. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of steak. piece of carrot, turnip, onion, and celery. pint of water.  oz. of dripping.  oz. of flour. pepper and salt. _method._--cut all the fat from the steak. make the dripping hot in a stewpan and fry the steak in it. then put in the vegetables, and pour in the water, adding pepper and salt. simmer the steak gently from three to four hours, until quite tender. when quite cooked, remove it from the gravy. put it on a hot dish. make a thickening of the flour; stir it into the gravy; boil for two minutes, and strain over the steak. a little mushroom catsup, harvey, or worcester sauce may be added if liked. the fat should previously have been cut into dice, placed on a baking tin, and cooked in the oven. for serving, put them in the middle of the steak. stewed brisket of beef. _ingredients_--  lb. of beef. carrots. onions. turnips. head of celery. sprig of parsley. marjoram and thyme. bay leaves. cloves. dozen peppercorns. quarts of water. _method._--put the meat into a saucepan with the vegetables and other ingredients, and simmer gently for three hours. serve on a hot dish, with some of the liquor for gravy. the remainder can be made into soup. if to be eaten cold, remove the bones, and press the beef. strain the meat liquor, remove the fat, and boil it down to a glaze. brush the meat over with it, giving it as many coats of glaze as necessary. stewed ox-cheek. _ingredients_-- ox-cheek. cowheel. or carrots. or turnips. or onions. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaves. quarts of water.  oz. of flour. _method._--wash the ox-cheek and cowheel, and cut them into neat pieces. put them into the water with the carrots, turnips, and onions, and celery cut in pieces, and the herbs, pepper and salt. stew very gently from four to five hours, until the stew is quite tender. make a thickening of the flour. stir and cook it well in the gravy. put the cheek and cowheel on a hot dish, and strain the gravy over them. the bones can be used for soup. mock hare. _ingredients_--  lb. shin of beef. quarts of water. carrots. turnips. onion. cloves. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. glass of port wine.  oz. of flour. pepper and salt. _method._--put the beef into the water with the vegetables cut in pieces, herbs, cloves, pepper and salt, and stew gently from four to five hours, until quite tender. then make a thickening of the flour, stir it in, and boil well for two or three minutes. for serving, place the beef on a hot dish. add the wine to the gravy, and strain it over the meat. haricot mutton. _ingredients_-- or mutton cutlets. pint of second stock. carrot. turnip. onion. stick of celery.  oz. of flour. pepper and salt.  oz. of dripping. _method._--fry the cutlets a nice brown in the dripping. mix the flour smoothly with the stock; boil it in a stewpan for two minutes. then put in the cutlets and the vegetables cut in fancy shapes. stew gently for about three-quarters of an hour, until the meat and vegetables are tender. dish the cutlets in a circle; place the vegetables round them and pour the gravy over. sheep's head. _ingredients_-- sheep's head.  oz. of butter or dripping. pepper and salt. ½ oz. of flour. a few drops of lemon juice. _method._--see that the head has been properly prepared by the butcher, and the nostrils removed. soak it well in salt and water, and wash it carefully. cut out the tongue, remove the brains, and tie the head into shape with a piece of string. put it and the tongue into a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer it from three to four hours. a quarter of an hour before it is cooked, put in the brains tied in muslin. to make a sauce for it, melt the butter or dripping in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. pour in one pint of the broth from the sheep's head. stir and cook well, adding pepper and salt to taste a few drops of lemon juice, or one teaspoonful of vinegar. lastly, add the brains, chopped small. for serving, put the head on a hot dish. remove the string, and pour the sauce over. sheep's head au gratin. _ingredients_-- sheep's head. tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. ½ oz. of butter. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. teaspoonful of dried and powdered herbs. lemon juice. pepper and salt. _method._--boil the sheep's head according to the directions in preceding recipe. when cooked, lay it on a greased baking-sheet. sprinkle over it the crumbs, parsley, and herbs, adding a few drops of lemon juice; pepper and salt. put the butter in little pieces about the head, and brown it in a quick oven or before the fire. serve with the brain sauce given in the foregoing recipe. liver and bacon. _ingredients_-- sheep's liver.  lb. of fat bacon. pint of hot water. some flour. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the bacon into slices, and remove the rind. cut the liver into slices, and dip them in flour. fry the bacon in a frying-pan, then remove it, and fry the liver in the bacon fat, adding a little dripping, if necessary. when the liver is cooked, place it on a hot dish; dredge the pan with about half an ounce of flour. fry the flour brown. then pour in one pint of boiling water, stir and boil for one or two minutes; adding pepper and salt to taste. place the liver in a circle in the middle of a hot dish. put the bacon round it, and strain the gravy over it. pigs' fry, or mock goose. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of pigs' fry.  lb. of potatoes. onion. apple. a little sage. pepper and salt. _method._--boil the potatoes until half-cooked. then cut them in slices. cut the fry in small pieces. chop the onion and apple small. dry and powder the sage leaves. grease a pie-dish, and put a layer of sliced potatoes at the bottom. place on them a layer of pigs' fry. sprinkle it with some of the onion, apple, and powdered sage, pepper, and salt. cover with another layer of potatoes; and put on that some more of the fry. sprinkle again with the onion, apple, pepper, and salt. proceed in this way until the dish is full, letting the last layer be potatoes. pour in half a pint of water; and cover the dish with a piece of pig's caul, or paper spread with dripping. bake in a moderate oven for one hour and a half. it may be served in the pie-dish, or on a hot dish. mock goose another way. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of pigs' fry. some dried and powdered sage. chopped apple and onion. ¾ pint of cider. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the fry in slices. thread the pieces on a long skewer. lay it on a greased baking-tin, and sprinkle with the onion, apple, sage, pepper, and salt, and cover with the caul. bake in a moderate oven until tender. then place the fry on a hot dish, and remove the skewer. make the cider boiling, and pour over the fry. tripe and onions. _ingredients_--  lb. of tripe. good-sized onions. ½ pints of milk.  oz. of flour. pepper and salt. _method._--put the tripe into cold water, and bring it to the boil; this is to blanch it. blanch the onions likewise, then throw the water away, and cut the tripe into neat pieces. put them in the milk, with the onions cut in halves, and pepper and salt. stew gently for an hour. then take out the onions and chop them. remove the tripe, and put it on a hot dish. make a thickening of flour, and boil it well in the milk, and add the chopped onions. dish the tripe in a circle, and pour the milk and onions over. tripe may be cooked more economically by substituting water for milk. stewed tripe. _ingredients_--  lb. of tripe. quart of brown sauce (_see_ sauces). _method._--blanch the tripe, as in the preceding recipe. simmer gently in brown sauce for two hours. dish in a circle, with the brown sauce poured over. broiled steak. make the gridiron hot, and rub it with fat. lay the steak on it. place the gridiron close to a clear fire for about two minutes until the heat has scaled up that side of the steak. then turn it on to the other side, and let that remain close to the fire for the same length of time. then remove it further from the fire and cook more gradually, turning occasionally. it takes from ten to fifteen minutes to cook, according to the thickness of the steak. broiled chop. cook like a steak. it will take from seven to ten minutes to cook. serve very hot. fried steak. make the frying-pan quite hot. put a little butter or fat in it, and make that quite hot also. put in the steak, and fry it over a quick fire for two minutes on one side, then turn it on to the other. moderate the heat applied, and cook gently for about twenty minutes, turning occasionally. savoury roast. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of rump or beefsteak, cut thin. some veal, or sage-and-onion, stuffing. ¾ oz. of flour. cup of boiling water. _method._--lay the stuffing on the steak, roll it round it, and tie it with twine. place it in a pie-dish. pour the boiling water over it, and place another pie-dish, inverted, at the top of it. put it in a moderate oven for two or three hours, until the steak is tender. then put the steak on a hot dish. thicken the gravy with the flour and pour it over. breast of veal may be boned, and stuffed with veal stuffing and cooked in the same way. shoulder of mutton boned, stuffed, and rolled. _ingredients_-- shoulder of mutton. some veal stuffing, or sausage meat. _method._--remove the bone carefully, and place some stuffing in the place of it. roll up the mutton, and tie it firmly with twine. it may be roasted, baked, or braised. if braised, prepare it according to the directions given for braised breast of veal, using a large kettle, if a braising pan is not obtainable. braised breast of veal. _ingredients_-- or  lb. of breast of veal. some veal stuffing. some good second stock. carrot, turnip, onion. sprig of parsley, thyme, marjoram. bay leaf. _method._--remove the bones from the veal, and put the stuffing in it. roll the veal round it, and sew it or tie it securely with twine. put the vegetables, cut in small pieces, in the bottom of a stewpan. place the veal on them, and pour in sufficient stock to come half-way up it. put the lid on the stewpan, simmer gently until the veal is quite tender, allowing half an hour to each pound and half an hour over. then put the veal on a baking-sheet, and put in a quick oven to brown. strain the stock into a large stewpan, and boil it rapidly down to a glaze. put the veal on a hot dish, remove the string, and pour the glaze over it. place round the veal some carrot and turnip, cut in fancy shapes and cooked separately. toad-in-the-hole. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour. eggs. pint of milk. ½ lb. of ox kidney. a little salt. _method._--put the flour into a basin. make a well in the middle. put in the eggs; mix gradually. add the milk by degrees. beat well, and add the salt. cut the kidney in pieces, lay them in a well-greased yorkshire-pudding tin; and pour the batter over. bake from one and a quarter to one and a half hours. irish stew. _ingredients_--  lb. of potatoes.  lb. of scrag end of mutton. ½ lb. of onions. pepper and salt. _method._--peel and slice the potatoes and onions, and cut the meat into small pieces. put a layer of meat in the bottom of a saucepan, then a layer of potatoes, then one of onions. season with pepper and salt, and continue placing the ingredients in the saucepan in alternate layers. pour in half a pint of water and stew gently, stirring occasionally, for about one hour and a half. sea pie. _ingredients_--  lb. of steak. onions. carrot. small turnip. ¾ lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of suet. teaspoonful of baking powder. pepper and salt to taste. cold water. _method._--cut the vegetables and meat small, season them with pepper and salt, and put them into a large saucepan. put it by the side of the fire for the contents to simmer gently. chop the suet finely, add it to the flour and baking powder, and mix with cold water to a stiff paste. roll it to the size of the saucepan. place it over the meat, and simmer gently for two hours. for serving, remove the crust with a fish slice, put the meat and vegetables on to a hot dish, and place the crust on them. roast bullock's heart. _ingredients_-- bullock's heart. some veal stuffing (double the quantity given in the recipe). _method._--wash the heart in salt and water, and cleanse it thoroughly. wipe it quite dry. cut off the flaps and fill the cavities with the stuffing. grease a piece of paper with dripping, and tie it firmly over the top of the heart to keep in the forcemeat. roast it according to the directions for roasting meat; it will take about two hours. gravy for the heart. _ingredients_-- pint of stock. the trimmings from the heart. onion.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. a little harvey's sauce or catsup. a little burnt sugar, if necessary, for colouring. _method._--put the trimmings into a saucepan with the onion and water, and simmer gently while the heart is cooking. then melt the butter in a stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly; add the liquor strained. stir and boil three minutes; add the sauce, pepper and salt, and colouring. put the heart on a hot dish, remove the paper, and pour the gravy round it. if preferred, the heart may be baked. sauces. sauces are often failures, chiefly because they are not made of a proper consistency; and because the flour in them is not sufficiently cooked. it should be remembered that the starch in flour wants to be _well boiled_, otherwise it will be indigestible, and the sauce will have a raw, pasty taste. a sauce is not ready when it _thickens_, but should be boiled for quite three minutes. its consistency should depend on what it is to be used for. ordinary sauces, served in a sauce tureen, should be fairly thick; the proportions taken should be  oz. of butter; ¾ oz. of flour; ½ pint of milk. if the sauce is to be used to coat anything very thinly (new potatoes, for example), ½ oz. of flour, instead of ¾ oz., would be sufficient. if a sauce is required to entirely mask a small piece of fish, or chicken, &c.,  oz. of flour should be used, with the proportions of milk and butter already given. every ingredient should be properly weighed or measured. carelessness in this respect is a mark of ignorance, and _must_ occasion failures. for making most of the ordinary sauces, the butter is melted first in a small stewpan, care being taken that it does not discolour; the flour is then mixed with it. if the mixing is not perfect, the sauce will be lumpy. the milk, stock, or water, is then poured in, and the sauce is stirred _one way_, until it has boiled three minutes. if cream is used, it is then added, and allowed just to boil in the sauce. in making economical sauces, when less butter and flour are used (_see_ economical family sauce), the method employed is different. the flour is then mixed very smoothly with a little of the milk, water, or whatever is used, and then added to the remainder, which may be cold or boiling; but greater care is required to keep it smooth when the liquid is poured in boiling. english melted butter. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ¾ oz. of flour. ½ pint of water. pepper and salt. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the water; stir and cook well. then add pepper and salt, and it is ready to serve. plain white sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ¾ oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the milk. stir and cook well. then add the lemon juice and seasoning. a little cream may also be added if desired. maître d'hôtel sauce. _ingredients_--¾ oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. a teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the milk; stir and cook well. then add the lemon juice, seasoning, and chopped parsley. mayonnaise sauce. _ingredients_-- yolks of eggs. gill of salad oil. tablespoonfuls of taragon vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--put the yolks, which must be perfectly free from the whites, into a basin, which in summer time should be placed on ice. work them well with a whisk or wooden spoon, adding the oil drop by drop. when the sauce is so thick that the whisk, or spoon, is moved with difficulty, the oil may be added more quickly, but still very gradually. lastly, add the taragon vinegar and seasoning. _note._--success in making this sauce depends on first dividing the yolks completely from the whites. secondly, in keeping them and the oil quite cold. thirdly, on adding the oil, drop by drop, until the sauce is perfectly thick. if the sauce is made in a warm place, or the oil mixed in too quickly, it is apt to curdle. should this occur, put a yolk in another basin and very slowly add the sauce to it, stirring briskly; this will generally make it smooth again. two yolks will be sufficient for any quantity of sauce, taragon vinegar being added in proportion to the oil used. tartare sauce. _ingredients_-- yolks. ¼ pint of salad oil. tablespoonfuls of taragon vinegar. teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. a few capers, or a chopped gherkin. pepper and salt. if liked, a teaspoonful of ready-made mustard. _method._--proceed as in making mayonnaise sauce; adding when the sauce is ready the parsley, capers, mustard, and seasoning. egg sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ¾ oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk. lemon juice. pepper and salt. or hard-boiled eggs. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the milk, and stir and cook well. then add the lemon juice, seasoning, and the chopped whites of the eggs. if a very thick sauce is required, take  oz. of flour. cream may be added if desired. brown sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. a small piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. a few button mushrooms. pint of good stock. a few drops of lemon juice. seasoning to taste. _method._--put the butter into a stewpan and fry the vegetables in it. then mix in the flour and fry that. add the stock; stir and cook well. squeeze in the lemon juice, and add the seasoning. strain through a tammy-cloth or fine strainer. genoise sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ¾ oz. of flour. ½ gills of stock. ½ wineglass of port. a tiny piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. ½ teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. ½ teaspoonful of harvey's sauce. pepper and salt. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan, and fry the vegetables in it. then add the flour, and fry that. pour in the stock; stir and cook well. then add the wine and other ingredients, stir until it boils again, and then strain it. béchamel sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. pint of good white stock. ¼ pint of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. _method._--melt the butter in a stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the stock. stir and cook well. then stir in the cream; let it boil in the sauce; and add lemon juice, pepper, and salt. strain through a tammy-cloth. milk may be substituted for the white stock, if more convenient. to flavour it, a small piece of carrot, turnip, and onion, and button mushrooms should be boiled in it. sauce hollandaise. _ingredients_--¼ pint of plain white sauce. the yolks of eggs. a little cayenne pepper and salt. a few drops of lemon juice, or taragon vinegar. _method._--put the white sauce and eggs into a jug, which must be placed in a saucepan of boiling water. stir until the mixture thickens, being careful it does not curdle. when quite ready, add the lemon juice or vinegar. lobster sauce. _ingredients_-- small lobster. some spawn. ½ oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk. ½ gill of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. _method._--remove the flesh from the body and claws of the lobster, and cut it in small pieces. then boil the shell, broken small, in the milk. rub the spawn with ¼ oz. butter through a hair sieve. melt the remaining butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly, and then add the milk, strained. stir until it thickens. put in the spawn and butter, and continue stirring until the flour is well cooked. then add the cream--let it boil in the sauce--and lastly, the lemon juice, pepper and salt, and lobster. lobster sauce (a plainer receipt). _ingredients_--part of a tin of lobster.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. ¾ pint of milk. a few drops of lemon juice, or ½ a teaspoonful of vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--cut up the lobster. melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the milk; stir and cook well. then add the lemon juice, seasoning, and pieces of lobster. shrimp sauce. remove the heads, tails, and skin from half a pint of shrimps; prepare some sauce as directed in the first or second recipe for lobster sauce, substituting the shrimps for the lobster. oyster sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk. dozen of oysters. ½ gill of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. salt, pepper, and a little cayenne. _method._--remove the beard and white part of the oysters, and cut each one in two. strain the liquor through muslin, and scald the oysters in it (_i.e._ put the liquor, with the oysters in it, in a saucepan, and just bring it to the boil). put the beards and hard white parts in the milk and simmer them to extract the flavour. then melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. strain in the milk and oyster liquor, and stir and cook well. then add cream, and stir until the sauce again boils. lastly, add the oysters, pepper, salt, and lemon juice. french sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. gill of milk. gill of cream. the yolk of one egg. pepper and salt. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix the flour smoothly. add the milk, stir and cook well. pour in the cream and let it boil in the sauce. then take it off the fire, and mix in the yolk of the egg. add pepper and salt to taste. celery sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. tablespoonfuls of cream. ¾ pint of white stock or milk. head of celery. _method._--boil one head of celery in ¾ of a pint of white stock or milk. when tender, strain it from the liquor and rub it through a hair sieve. melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the stock or milk; stir and cook well. pour in the cream, and stir until the sauce boils again. add pepper and salt to taste. tomato sauce. _ingredients_-- ripe tomatoes. ¼ lb. of bacon.  oz. of flour. a piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. a sprig of parsley. thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf. a teaspoonful of vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the bacon in slices and fry it. then put in the vegetables and fry them, dredge in the flour, and then add the tomatoes and fry them lightly. empty the contents of the frying-pan on a hair sieve, and rub the tomatoes through. the hair sieve will keep back the other vegetable, the flavour of which only is wanted. add the vinegar and seasoning, and make the sauce hot. onion sauce. _ingredients_-- or fair-sized onions. ½ pint of plain white sauce or melted butter ( st recipe). _method._--first, blanch the onions by putting them in cold water and bringing it to the boil. throw the water away. put the onions in fresh water and boil for an hour, or an hour and a half, until tender. chop them finely and add them to the sauce or melted butter. soubise sauce. _ingredients_--½ pint of plain white sauce. tablespoonfuls of cream. or onions. _method._--blanch the onions (as in preceding recipe) and boil until tender. then rub through a hair sieve. make some plain white sauce (_see_ recipe), and add to it the cream and pulped onion. bread sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of bread crumbs. ½ pint of milk. peppercorns. tablespoonfuls of cream, or ½ oz. of butter. a small piece of onion. _method._--steep the onion and peppercorns in the milk, and put the milk on to boil. then remove the onions and peppercorns, and sprinkle in the crumbs. set the sauce by the side of the fire for six minutes, and then heat to boiling point, adding either the cream or butter. salt must be added to taste; also a little cayenne. economical family sauce. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of flour. pint of milk. pint of water. ½ oz. butter. _method._--mix the flour very smoothly with a little water. put the rest of the water, with the milk and butter, in a saucepan on the fire to boil. when it boils, put in the flour, stirring until the sauce is cooked. add pepper and salt to taste. if liked, a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar may be added. this sauce will form the basis of many other plain sauces: to use with fish, put in a tablespoonful of anchovy. onion sauce is made by adding cooked and chopped onions when the sauce is ready. caper sauce, by adding capers; or, as a substitute, chopped gherkin. this sauce may be made still more economically by using water only instead of milk. wine sauce. _ingredients_--  oz. of lump sugar. ¼ pint of water. a wineglass of sherry. a few drops of cochineal. a dessertspoonful of jam. _method._--boil the sugar and water together until reduced to one half. add the jam; let it melt. then add the sherry and cochineal, and strain. piquant sauce. _ingredients_--½ pint of brown sauce. tablespoonful of capers. tablespoonful of chopped gherkin. tablespoonful of very finely chopped shalot. ¼ pint of vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--simmer the shalot, capers, and gherkin, in the vinegar until the shalot is quite soft. pour in the sauce, and let it boil up. season to taste. sauce réforme. _ingredients_-- pint of brown sauce. wineglass of port wine. teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. teaspoonful of harvey's sauce. tablespoonfuls of red-currant jelly. _method._--boil all the ingredients together, and the sauce is ready. port-wine sauce for wild duck. _ingredients_-- wineglasses of port. juice of half a lemon. finely chopped shalot. _method._--boil altogether and strain. sweet sauce. _ingredients_-- teaspoonful of arrowroot. juice of half a lemon and a little rind. tablespoonfuls of castor sugar. ½ pint of water. _method._--put the water with the lemon-rind and sugar into a saucepan to boil. mix the arrowroot smoothly with a little cold water. when the water in the saucepan boils, pour it in and stir it until it thickens; then strain it and add the lemon juice. a glass of sherry may be added to this sauce if desired. german sauce. _ingredients_--the yolks of eggs. wineglass of sherry. dessertspoonful of castor sugar. _method._--put all the ingredients into a saucepan, and mill over the fire with a whisk until the sauce froths. for a _christmas pudding_ make the sauce with three yolks, and a wineglass of brandy. a nice sweet sauce. _ingredients_--½ pint of plain white sauce or melted butter (omitting the seasoning). wineglass of sherry or brandy. dessertspoonfuls of castor sugar. _method._--add the wine and sugar to the sauce, and it is ready for use. jam sauce. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of red jam. ½ pint of water.  oz. of lump sugar. juice of half a lemon. _method._--boil the jam, sugar, and water together for three minutes. add the lemon juice, and strain. the lemon may be omitted if the flavour is not liked. apple sauce, no. . _ingredients_-- good-sized apples.  oz. of butter. tablespoonful of moist sugar, or more, according to taste. ½ gill of water. _method._--wash the apples and slice them, but do not peel or core them. put them in a stewpan with the water, butter, and sugar. stew gently for about thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. rub them quickly through a hair sieve, and put the sauce in a hot tureen. the hair sieve keeps back the rind and pips. apple sauce, no. . _ingredients_-- large apples.  oz. of butter. tablespoonful or more of moist sugar. ½ gill of water. _method._--peel, core, and slice the apples. stew them with the water, sugar, and butter until tender. then beat to a pulp with a fork. mint sauce. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of finely-chopped fresh mint. tablespoonful of sugar. ¼ pint of vinegar. _method._--mix all together, and let the sauce stand for an hour before serving. horse-radish sauce. _ingredients_-- stick of horse-radish. ½ gill of cream. tablespoonful of vinegar. ½ gill of milk. teaspoonful of ready-made mustard. teaspoonful of castor sugar. pepper and salt. _method._--scrape the horse-radish finely, and mix with all the other ingredients. if cream is not to be had, use milk thickened with a little cornflour. but it is not so good. gravy for made dishes. _ingredients_--  lb. of gravy beef. quart of water. a piece of onion, carrot, and turnip. sprig of parsley. thyme and marjoram. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--cut the beef into small pieces. put it with the vegetables into a stewpan with the water, and simmer very gently for four hours; then strain. if a thick gravy is required, thicken with one and a half ounces of flour; add pepper and salt to taste. to this gravy may be added a little sauce, catsup, port or sherry wine, &c., according to the purpose for which it is required. scraps of cooked meat and bones may be substituted for the fresh meat where economy must be studied. glaze. boil down one or two quarts of second stock (which will jelly when cold) until it is quite thick, and coats a spoon. one quart may be boiled down to a quarter of a pint. pour it into a jar. when wanted for use, put the jar to stand in a saucepan of boiling water until it is dissolved. glaze is used for enriching gravies and soups, and for glazing meat. cheap glaze for meat. _ingredients_-- teaspoonfuls of liebig's extract of meat. ½ oz. of nelson's or swinborne's gelatine, or isinglass. pepper and salt. ½ pint of cold water. _method._--soak the gelatine in the water for three-quarters of an hour. add the meat extract, and pepper and salt. stir and boil until reduced to about a quarter of a pint. this glaze can only be used for glazing meat. béarnaise sauce. _ingredients_-- finely-chopped shalot. ½ gill of white sauce. tablespoonful of taragon vinegar. the yolks of eggs. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. pepper and salt. _method._--put the shalot and vinegar into a saucepan; boil until the vinegar has evaporated, but do not let the shalot burn. add the eggs and sauce, and mill with a whisk until the eggs are thick. add the parsley and pepper and salt. breakfast dishes and beverages. oatmeal porridge. _ingredients_--½ lb. of coarse oatmeal. quart of water. _method._--put the water on to boil. when boiling, sprinkle in the oatmeal, stirring all the time. when it thickens, put it by the side of the fire, and stir occasionally. cook it for quite three-quarters of an hour, longer if possible. when the time can be allowed, three hours will not be too long a time, especially if the porridge is for anyone with a weak digestion. a better plan is to put the saucepan containing it, after the contents have boiled for ten minutes, to stand in a saucepan of briskly boiling water; it will then cook without danger of burning, and may be left for any length of time; care only being taken that the water in the under saucepan does not boil away. whole-meal porridge. this may be made in the same way as oatmeal, but it requires even longer cooking. dry toast. cut the bread into rather thin slices, and remove the crust. toast it slowly, holding it at a little distance from a bright clear fire. when ready, put it at once into the rack; because, if the toast is placed flat on a table, it loses its crispness. the crusts may be soaked for plain puddings, or dried and powdered for bread crumbs. buttered toast. cut the bread about half an inch in thickness. toast quickly in front of a clear fire. put the butter on directly the toast is taken off the fork, and spread it quickly. put the toast on a _hot_ plate, and take care that it is served hot. toasted bacon. cut the bacon in thin slices, and toast it in a small dutch oven or on a toasting fork until the fat is transparent. fried bacon. cut the bacon in thin slices, and fry it in its own fat. it will be cooked when the fat is transparent. it must not be cooked too quickly, or the fat will burn up and be wasted. eggs and bacon. toast or fry the bacon, and lay a nicely poached egg on each slice. boiled eggs. put the eggs into boiling water, and boil an ordinary sized egg for three minutes; new-laid eggs will take one minute longer. eggs boiled five minutes will be nearly hard. to make them quite firm, boil them steadily for ten minutes. to make them mealy, boil them for an hour. poached eggs. eggs for poaching should be perfectly _fresh_, or they will not keep a nice shape. let the water be quite boiling; add to it a little salt. break the eggs into cups, and slip them gently into the boiling water. as soon as the white is nicely set, remove them with a fish slice. trim the eggs neatly, and serve them on hot buttered toast. an egg-poacher will be found very convenient for cooking eggs this way. fried kidneys. _ingredients_--a few kidneys. a little butter or dripping. a little flour. some gravy. pepper and salt. _method._--split open the kidneys lengthwise. flour them and fry them slowly in the butter or dripping for about four minutes. dish them on pieces of toast. pour the gravy into the pan; stir and boil for a minute, and then strain round the kidneys. kidneys toasted. _ingredients_--some kidneys. toasted bread. _method._--split open the kidneys lengthwise. toast them before a clear fire; when the gravy ceases to drop red they will be sufficiently cooked. a _hot_ dish should be placed under them to catch the gravy. place the toast on the dish and put the kidneys on it, and sprinkle over them a little pepper and salt. stewed kidneys. _ingredients_-- or kidneys. ½ pint of nice gravy. dessertspoonful of flour. pepper and salt to taste. lemon juice. _method._--mix the flour smoothly with the gravy. put it into a stewpan, and boil well for three minutes. put in the kidneys cut in slices, and simmer gently for about fifteen minutes. add a squeeze of lemon juice; pepper and salt to taste. serve on a piece of toast, and pour the gravy over. stuffed kidneys. _ingredients_-- or kidneys. ½ oz. of butter. half a shalot, chopped finely. dessertspoonful of parsley. tablespoonful of bread crumbs. a few drops of lemon juice. a little cayenne. pepper and salt. _method._--toast or broil the kidneys and split them open. fry the shalot in the butter. mix in the bread crumbs and parsley; add lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt. lay a little of the stuffing in each kidney and fold it over. serve very hot. kidneys à la tartare. _ingredients_--a few kidneys. ½ pint of tartare sauce. _method._--split the kidneys open, and toast or broil them nicely. serve on toasted bread with tartare sauce in a tureen. fried sausages. _ingredients_--sausages. a little butter or dripping. some toasted bread. _method._--prick the sausages with a fork, and fry them with butter or dripping, turning them that they get browned equally. serve them on toasted bread, with some nice gravy in a sauceboat. some people like the toast soaked in the fat in the pan, but this is a matter of taste. baked sausages. prick the sausages, and place them on a greased baking-sheet. bake until they are nicely browned. serve on toast, with gravy in a sauceboat. if liked, the toast can be soaked in the fat that runs from the sausages. oxford sausages. remove the sausage-meat from the skins, and place it in little rough heaps on a greased baking-sheet. bake in a quick oven until browned. serve on toast. tomatoes stuffed with sausage meat. _ingredients_--some nice ripe tomatoes. some sausage meat. _method._--cut the stalks from the tomatoes, but do not take out any of the inside. heap a little sausage meat on the top of each tomato. put them on a greased baking-sheet, and bake in a moderate oven for about fifteen minutes. croustards with minced meat. _ingredients_--some stale bread. scraps of cold meat. a little nice gravy. a little mushroom catsup. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--cut the bread into slices three-quarters of an inch in thickness. stamp it into rounds with a circular cutter. mark the middle with a cutter two sizes smaller, and scoop out the inside, making little nests of them, and taking care not to break the bottom or sides. fry the cases in hot fat (_see_ french frying); drain them and put them inside the oven to keep hot. mince the meat nicely, removing skin and gristle. make a little gravy hot in a stewpan. put in the mince, and make it hot without letting it boil. flavour to taste with catsup, pepper and salt. fill the croustard cases and serve immediately: they should be placed on a folded napkin, and garnished with parsley. mince à la reine. _ingredients_-- dozen mushrooms. some slices of cold meat. (cold game or chicken are excellent for this purpose). eggs. some rounds of bread, toasted or fried. pint of good gravy. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--peel the mushrooms. wash and dry them well, and cut them in slices. put them in a stewpan with part of the gravy, to stew for about thirty minutes, until they are tender. mince the meat and make it hot in a saucepan, with enough gravy to moisten it, adding pepper and salt to taste. poach the eggs nicely, and fry or toast the bread (fried bread is best). put the slices of fried bread on a hot dish; cover each piece with the minced meat, and lay an egg on each. pour the gravy and mushrooms round, and serve very hot. as a decoration, a tiny pinch of finely-chopped parsley might be put on the top of each egg. sheep's head moulded. _ingredients_-- sheep's head. hard-boiled eggs. pepper and salt. _method._--clean, and then boil the head until the flesh will leave the bones easily. take out all the bones; cut the meat into pieces an inch in size, and season them well with pepper and salt. cut the eggs into slices, and place them round the top of a cake-tin or basin. put in the head, and put a weight on it to press it down. when cold turn it out; serve garnished with parsley. veal cake. _ingredients_--remains of cooked veal. slices of ham. or hard-boiled eggs. some nice second stock. a little gelatine. some forcemeat balls. _method._--butter well a plain mould or basin. decorate it with slices of egg, and balls made of veal forcemeat. cut the ham and the veal into neat pieces. season them well with pepper and salt, and, if liked, a little chopped parsley. place them in the mould, and fill it up with stiff second stock. if the stock is not stiff enough, mix with it a little melted gelatine. cover the mould, and bake for one hour in a moderate oven. let it get cold, and then turn it on to a dish. brawn. _ingredients_-- pig's head. or hard-boiled eggs. onions. cloves. blade of mace. dozen peppercorns. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. _method._--clean the head well, and pickle it for three days (_see_ pickle for meat). then put it in enough cold water to cover it, and boil it gently for three hours or more, until the flesh will leave the bones easily. take out the tongue, skin it, and cut it in slices. stamp them into fancy shapes with a paste cutter; wet a plain round mould and decorate it with them and the eggs cut in slices. remove the meat from the bone, and cut it into large dice. take one quart of the liquor in which the head was boiled; put the bones into it, with the peppercorns, cloves, onions, and herbs; boil down for half an hour with the lid off the saucepan. then strain one pint of the broth into another saucepan. season the pieces of meat with pepper, and a little salt if necessary; put them into the broth. let it come to the boil, and then pour it into the decorated mould. when set, turn it on to a dish. scalloped eggs. _ingredients_--some eggs. bread-crumbs. a little onion, chopped as finely as possible (this may be omitted, if liked). a little finely-chopped parsley. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--grease some deep scallop shells. dust them over with bread crumbs, mixed with the parsley and onion. put an egg into each shell, and sprinkle with more crumbs, parsley, onion, pepper and salt. put them into a brisk oven until set. eggs sur le plat. _ingredients_-- eggs. ½ oz. of butter. pepper and salt. _method._--take a dish that will stand the heat of the oven; melt the butter in it. break the eggs on to it very carefully. pepper and salt them, and put them into the oven until they are set. they must be served on the same dish. buttered eggs. _ingredients_-- piece of fried or toasted bread. tablespoonful of gravy.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt. eggs. _method._--break the eggs into a basin, and add to them the gravy, pepper, and salt. melt the butter in a small frying or omelet pan; pour in the eggs, and stir quickly up from the bottom of the pan, until the whole is a soft yellow mass. spread on the toast, and serve very quickly. egg croustards. _ingredients_--some slices of stale bread, about ¾ inch in thickness. some eggs. some nicely-flavoured gravy. _method._--stamp out some rounds of bread with a circular paste-cutter. mark the middle with one a size smaller. then with a knife scoop out the inside, making little nests of bread, taking care not to break the bottom or sides. fry these cases in hot fat (_see_ french frying). when fried, drain them on kitchen paper, and keep them hot. make some water boiling hot in a stewpan; add to it a little lemon juice. put into it the eggs broken gently into cups. poach until the whites are set, then remove them carefully with a fish slice, and put an egg into each croustard. place them on a hot dish, and pour gravy boiling hot over them. eggs and anchovy. _ingredients_-- eggs. slice of fried or toasted bread. a little anchovy paste.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--let the fried or toasted bread be quite hot (fried bread is the best), and spread it thinly with anchovy paste. make the butter quite hot in a frying or omelet pan. break the eggs into it, add pepper and salt, and stir very quickly, until they are a soft yellow mass. spread it quickly over the toast, and serve immediately. eggs in cases. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. pepper and salt. if liked, a boiled onion very finely chopped. eggs. paper cases. _method._--butter well some paper cases; mix the crumbs, parsley, onion, pepper, and salt together; put a little at the bottom of each case. break the eggs gently, and put one egg into each case. cover each with some of the crumbs and seasoning, and put the cases in a quick oven to bake until the eggs are set. broiled mushrooms. choose nice large mushrooms; peel and wash them, and wipe them dry. cut out the stems, and put them, with the top of the mushrooms downwards, on a gridiron. put a small piece of butter on each, and broil for ten minutes slowly. remove them carefully, as the mushrooms will be by that time full of delicious gravy. broiled dried haddock. soak it in cold water for an hour before using. broil it slowly over a clear fire until it is quite hot, turning occasionally. rub some butter over it, and serve it at once. bloaters. cut the bloaters open down the back, and bone them. lay them one on the other with the insides together. broil them slowly over a clear fire, turning occasionally. serve very hot, with a little butter rubbed over them. if preferred, they may be broiled unboned. red herrings. remove their heads and tails. slit them open down the back and remove the bone. egg and bread-crumb them, and broil them over a clear fire. if preferred, they may be broiled unboned. tea. measure a teaspoonful of tea for each person, and one teaspoonful over. make the teapot quite hot by filling it with boiling water; let it stand in it for three minutes; then empty the teapot. put in the tea, and pour boiling water over it. cover it with a tea-cosy, and let it infuse for five minutes before using. the longer it stands, the darker it will get; but for people of weak digestions, it should be used after five minutes' infusion only. the water should be fresh spring water, and should be used as soon as it boils. water that has been boiled for any length of time is flat from the loss of its gases. coffee. to have coffee to perfection it should be freshly roasted and ground, as coffee quickly loses its flavour. if this is not possible, use the best french coffee sold in tins. the water should be freshly boiled; the coffee itself should _not_ be _boiled_, but only infused in the boiling water. boiling disperses the aroma. it can, however, be made more economically if boiled, and therefore recipes are given for its preparation in this manner. chicory is generally used with coffee in the proportion of two ounces of chicory to one pound of coffee. coffee (soyer's method.) _ingredients_--  oz. of coffee. pint of boiling water. _method._--put the coffee into a clean stewpan. stir over the fire until it smokes, but do not let it burn. then pour in the boiling water. cover close, and set by the side of the fire for ten minutes. strain through thick muslin. coffee (another method). _ingredients_--  oz. of coffee. ½ pint of boiling water. _method._--make a jug hot. put the coffee in it, and pour over the boiling water. let it stand in a hot place for half an hour. then strain through thick muslin. café au lait. half fill a cup with nicely-made coffee, and pour in the same quantity of boiled milk. coffee (economical method). _ingredients_--¾ lb. of coffee. quarts of cold water. _method._--make a bag of rather thick muslin, and put the coffee into it. the bag should be rather large, so that the coffee will have plenty of room. tie the ends of the bag securely. put it into a saucepan with the water; bring to the boil, and boil steadily for one hour. strain through thick muslin. this will make strong coffee, which can be diluted with boiling water as required. coffee made in a percolator. _ingredients_--  oz. of coffee. ½ pint of boiling water. _method._--make the percolator hot. put the coffee in it, and pour on the boiling water. let it stand in a hot place for about ten minutes. cocoa. this is best, especially for invalids, if prepared from the nibs; these should be perfectly fresh. put a quarter of a pound of nibs into two quarts of cold water; simmer for five hours and then strain. when cold remove the fat; heat it as required. cocoa may also be made from any of the different preparations. make it according to directions given on the canisters, and be very careful to mix it thoroughly. nothing is so unpleasant as to have the sides and bottom of the cup coated with cocoa. it is better to prepare it in a small saucepan; it should be boiled for two or three minutes. it is more nourishing if mixed with milk instead of water. chocolate. this is only a thicker preparation of cocoa, and may be made in the same way. cold meat cookery. hash. _ingredients_--the remains of cold meat. some nice stock or gravy. flour, in the proportion of ½ oz. to every ½ pint of gravy. pepper and salt, and, if liked, a little catsup, or harvey's sauce. toasted or fried bread. _method._--cut the meat into neat pieces. mix the flour smoothly with the gravy, and boil for three minutes, stirring all the time. add seasoning and catsup or a little sauce. then put the pieces of meat into the gravy and let them warm through; but do not let the gravy _boil_ when the meat is in it, as that would toughen it. tinned oysters make a nice addition to a hash. for serving, put the hash on a hot dish and garnish with sippets of fried or toasted bread. if no gravy or stock is available, make some by breaking up any bones from the meat; boil them in a sufficient quantity of water, with a piece of carrot, turnip, onion, celery, and a small bunch of herbs. boil for quite an hour, and then strain the liquor. minced meat. _ingredients_--some scraps of cold meat. a little gravy. some boiled rice or potatoes. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--mince the meat finely with a knife, or mincing machine (the flavour is nicer if a knife is used). mix with sufficient gravy to moisten the meat, and stir over the fire until hot; but do not let the gravy boil. serve with a border of boiled rice, or mashed potatoes round it. if veal or chicken is minced, squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice, and serve with sliced lemon. a little cooked ham should be added to these minces, to give them flavour; minced beef is improved by the addition of a few oysters. mince (with eggs). prepare some mince, as in preceding recipe, and serve with very nicely poached eggs on the top of it; garnish with sippets of fried or toasted bread. curry of cold meat. _ingredients_--some scraps of cold meat. some stock or gravy. curry powder and flour in the proportion of a dessertspoonful of each to every half pint of gravy. small onion. small apple. ½ oz. of dripping. a few drops of lemon juice. salt. some boiled rice. _method._--slice the onion and apple, and fry them in the dripping. when fried, rub them lightly through a hair sieve. mix the curry powder and flour smoothly with the stock. stir and cook well over the fire. add the onion, apple, lemon juice, and salt. then lay in the meat, and let it warm through, being careful that the sauce does not boil. serve with nicely boiled rice. shepherd's pie. _ingredients_--slices of cold meat. boiled potatoes. butter or dripping. a little gravy. pepper and salt. _method._--season the pieces of meat with pepper and salt, and lay them in a pie-dish with a little gravy. mash the potatoes smoothly with butter or dripping; and pepper and salt to taste. spread the potatoes over the meat in the form of a pie-crust, and smooth them with a knife dipped in hot water. bake for half an hour. patties. _ingredients_--some scraps of cold meat. a little gravy. pepper and salt. pastry. egg. _method._--mince the meat and moisten with the gravy, adding pepper and salt to taste. if veal or chicken are used, mince a little ham with them, and add a few drops of lemon juice. roll out the pastry, and stamp it into rounds with a fluted cutter. lay half the rounds on greased pattypans. brush round the edges of the paste with a little beaten egg, and put a little mince on each round. cover them with the remaining rounds of paste, pressing the edges lightly together. glaze with the beaten egg, and bake in a quick oven for about minutes. fritters. _ingredients_--some cold meat. some nice gravy. some kromesky batter. _method._--cut the meat into neat pieces; dip them in the batter and fry in hot fat until lightly browned (_see_ french frying). pile on a hot dish, and serve, if possible, with a nice gravy poured round them. rissoles. _ingredients_--some boiled potatoes. cold meat. a little butter. eggs. bread-crumbs. pepper and salt. _method._--take equal quantities of boiled potatoes and cold meat. mash the potatoes with butter, and add the meat finely minced. mix this thoroughly with a beaten egg, adding pepper and salt to taste. form into balls or egg shapes. egg and bread-crumb them, and fry them in hot fat (_see_ french frying). dish on a folded napkin, and garnish with fried parsley. cold meat with purée of tomatoes. _ingredients_--slices of cold meat. or tomatoes. small slice of bacon. bay leaf. piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. sprig of parsley. thyme and marjoram. teaspoonful of vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the bacon into dice, and fry it. as soon as the fat melts, put in the tomatoes and other vegetables, cut in slices; stir them, and fry lightly, and then rub through a hair sieve. add the vinegar and pepper and salt. make the _purée_ hot in a saucepan, and lay the pieces of meat in it to warm through. serve in a hot dish, with a border of boiled rice or macaroni. cold-meat pie. _ingredients_--slices of cold meat. (if liked, slices of cold boiled potatoes). some stock or gravy. pepper and salt. some plain pastry. _method._--roll out the paste, and cut a piece large enough for the cover. roll out the scraps, and from them cut a band an inch wide. wet the edge of the dish and place this round it. season the meat with pepper and salt, and lay the slices in the dish alternately with the potatoes. raise them in the middle of the dish in a dome-like shape, and pour in some gravy. wet the edges of the band of paste, and lay the cover over. trim round neatly, and make a hole in the middle of the crust. brush over with beaten egg, and decorate with paste leaves. bake in a quick oven for half an hour. cold meat and macaroni. _ingredients_--slices of cold meat. macaroni. stock. bread-crumbs. and, if possible, or tomatoes. _method._--put the macaroni in boiling water, and boil it minutes. then pour away the water, and stew it in the stock until tender. put a layer of macaroni in the bottom of a greased pie-dish. lay on it the meat, and cover it with another layer of macaroni, seasoning with pepper and salt. proceed in this way, until the dish is full (the top layer must be macaroni). if tomatoes are used, slice them, and lay over the top; sprinkle with brown crumbs, and bake for about or minutes. mayonnaise of cold meat. _ingredients_--slices of cold meat. green salad. beetroot. hard-boiled egg. some mayonnaise sauce. _method._--slice the salad, and mix the meat with it. heap it high on a glass or silver dish. garnish with beetroot and hard-boiled egg, and pour mayonnaise sauce over (_see_ sauces). beef and mushrooms. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. cold roast beef. dozen mushrooms. shalot or small onion, very finely chopped.  oz. of butter. ½ pint of beef gravy. dessertspoonful of vinegar. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--cut the beef into neat slices, and wash and peel the mushrooms. season the meat with pepper and salt, and lay half of it in the bottom of a pie-dish. place some of the mushrooms on the top of it. put  oz. of butter, in pieces, about them. then put in the remaining pieces of beef, and the mushrooms and butter in the same way. pour in the gravy and vinegar, and cover closely. put it into a moderate oven to bake for three-quarters of an hour. beef scalloped. _ingredients_--some cold roast beef minced. boiled onion, very finely chopped. some mashed potatoes. butter. pepper and salt. egg. a little gravy and mushroom catsup. _method._--mince the beef finely, and moisten it with a little nice gravy. add the onion to it, and season nicely with catsup. mix the mashed potatoes with plenty of butter, and the egg well beaten, pepper and salt. place the mince in greased scallop shells, and cover with the potatoes. bake in a quick oven until lightly browned. when economy has to be studied, leave out the eggs and substitute clarified dripping for the butter. the mixture can be baked in a pie-dish, if more convenient. cold beef olives. _ingredients_--some cold roast beef. some veal forcemeat, omitting the suet. some gravy. flour. pepper and salt. some mashed potatoes. _method._--take slices of cold beef, and cut them into strips ½ inches in width. lay on each a little veal stuffing; roll them round it, and tie them with string. put them into a stewpan close together; pour the gravy over them, and simmer them gently for ten minutes. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes. thicken the gravy with a little flour, and pour it over them. entrÉes. quenelles of veal. _ingredients_--  lb. of fillet of veal.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. gill of water. a few drops of lemon juice. eggs. seasoning. _method._--scrape the veal finely. melt the butter in a saucepan; mix in the flour. then add the water and cook well. put this panada into a mortar with the veal, eggs, lemon juice, and seasoning, and pound thoroughly. then rub through a wire sieve. shape the mixture somewhat like eggs with dessertspoons and a knife dipped in hot water. poach them gently in a greased frying-pan, or _sauté_ pan, for ten minutes. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes, and pour white sauce over them. garnish with chopped truffle and ham. cooked green peas, mushrooms, or other vegetables, may be placed in the centre. mutton cutlets à la macédoine. _ingredients_--part of best end of neck of mutton. egg. bread-crumbs.  oz. of clarified butter. seasoning. _method._--saw off the chine bone, and the ends of the rib bones, leaving the cutlet bone three inches in length. cut the cutlets with a bone to each, and beat them with a cutlet bat to about half an inch in thickness. trim them, and leave half an inch of the rib bone bare. season, egg and bread-crumb, and fry in clarified butter in a _sauté_ pan for five or seven minutes. dish on a border of mashed potatoes, put a _macédoine_ of vegetables in the centre, and pour brown sauce round them. mutton cutlets à la rachel. _ingredients_--some mutton cutlets. _foie gras._ brown sauce. _macédoine_ of vegetables. mashed potatoes. truffle. pigs' caul. _method._--plainly fry some mutton cutlets, coat one side of each cutlet with the _foie gras_, smoothing it with a knife dipped in hot water. lay a small piece of truffle on each cutlet and cover them with pigs' caul. put them on a baking-sheet in a moderate oven for about a quarter of an hour. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes. pour brown sauce round them, and put a _macédoine_ of vegetables in the middle. epigrammes. _ingredients_--the rib part, which was sawn off the mutton cutlets. egg and bread-crumbs. _method._--boil the mutton until the bones can be easily removed. press it, and, when cold, cut it into cutlets or other shapes. egg and bread-crumb twice, and fry in hot fat ( °) in a frying-basket. dish on a border of mashed potatoes, and pour brown sauce round them. any cooked vegetables can be put in the centre for a garnish. chicken croquettes. _ingredients_--  oz. of cooked chicken.  oz. of cooked ham.  oz. of butter. ¾ oz. of flour. gill of stock. ½ gill of cream. button mushrooms. a few drops of lemon juice. seasoning. pastry. _method._--mince the chicken, ham, and mushrooms. melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour. pour in the stock, and cook well. then add cream, lemon juice, and seasoning; lastly, the chicken, ham, and mushrooms. spread on a plate to cool. roll out some paste as thin as possible. cut into rounds. put a little of the mixture on each, and egg round the edges. fold them over, egg and bread-crumb the _croquettes_, and fry in a frying-basket in hot fat (_see_ french frying). garnish with fried parsley. veal cutlets à la talleyrand. _ingredients_-- or veal cutlets. ½ oz. butter. button mushrooms, chopped. small shalot, chopped. a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. the yolks of eggs. tablespoonfuls of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. gill of white sauce (_see_ sauces). some mashed potatoes. a few green peas. pepper and salt. _method._--fry the cutlets in the butter, sprinkling the mushroom, shalot, and parsley under and over them. when the cutlets are cooked, remove them from the pan and pour in the white sauce and cream. stir briskly over the fire. then add the yolks of the eggs; let them thicken in the sauce, but be careful not to curdle them. take the pan off the fire, and add the lemon juice and seasoning as required. dish the cutlets on a border of mashed potatoes. pour the sauce over them, and put a few nicely cooked peas, or other appropriate vegetables, in the middle. fillets of beef à la béarnaise. _ingredients_-- or nice little fillets. ½ oz. of butter. mashed potatoes. ½ pint of brown sauce (_see_ sauces), or good gravy. some good _béarnaise_ sauce (_see_ sauces). _method._--fry the fillets in the butter. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes. pour brown sauce or gravy round them, and put the _béarnaise_ sauce in the middle of the fillets. rabbits à la tartare. _ingredients_-- rabbit. some browned bread-crumbs. egg. ½ pint of tartare sauce (_see_ sauces). _method._--cut the rabbit into joints. dry them well. egg and bread-crumb them. put them on a greased baking-sheet, with pieces of butter on them. bake for half an hour, being careful not to dry them up too much. pour the sauce on a dish and pile up the rabbit in the middle of it. chicken à la tartare. proceed as in the foregoing recipe, substituting a chicken for a rabbit. pigeons stewed à l'italienne. _ingredients_-- pigeons. piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. pint of stock. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaf. if possible, or tomatoes. wineglass of sherry.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. some mashed potatoes. a _macédoine_ of vegetables. _method._--have the pigeons trussed as for stewing. cut them in two, and fry them in the butter. then remove the pigeons, and fry the vegetables. stir the flour, and when that is a little brown, pour in the stock or sherry. put in the pigeons and stew gently until they are tender. dish them in a circle on a border of mashed potatoes. strain the gravy over, and put a _macédoine_ of vegetables in the centre. croustards à la reine. _ingredients_--some puff pastry. a little _quenelle_ meat (_see_ quenelles of veal). gill of white sauce.  oz. of cold chicken minced.  oz. of cooked ham minced. or button mushrooms finely chopped. tablespoonfuls of cream. a little thick white sauce. ham or truffle for decoration. _method._--line some little tartlet tins with some puff paste, put a piece of dough in each, and bake them. mix the chicken, ham, and mushrooms with the white sauce and cream. add pepper and salt to taste. remove the paste cases from the tins, take the dough from the middle, and fill them with the chicken mixture. cover the top of each with the _quenelle_ meat spread like butter, put them into the oven for a few minutes to cook the _quenelle_ meat. when dishing them up, spread a little thick white sauce on the top of each, and ornament them with ham and truffle. sweetbreads à la béchamel. _ingredients_-- dozen lambs' heart sweetbreads. ¼ pint of veal stock.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. a small piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. sprig of parsley. tablespoonfuls of cream. a slice of lean ham. a few drops of lemon juice. some mashed potatoes. a few green peas nicely boiled. a little finely-chopped cooked ham. some parsley or truffle. pepper and salt. _method._--trim the sweetbreads, and soak them in cold water for two hours. then throw them into boiling water, and simmer them gently for five minutes. soak them again in cold water for twenty minutes. then put them in a stewpan with the stock, carrot, turnip, onion, parsley, and ham. simmer gently until the sweetbreads are quite tender. then remove them, and add to the stock the flour mixed thoroughly with butter. stir and boil well, to cook the flour. add the cream, lemon juice, and seasoning. strain the sauce through a fine strainer or tammy-cloth. dish the sweetbreads in a circle on a border of mashed potatoes. pour the sauce over them. put on each sweetbread a tiny pinch of finely-chopped parsley, ham, or truffle; or use all three, placing them alternately. the green peas should be put in the centre of the dish. braised sweetbreads. _ingredients_-- calves' sweetbreads. pint of strong second stock. a piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaf. some larding bacon. some carrots and turnips cut in fancy shapes. _method._--soak the sweetbreads in cold water for quite two hours. then put them in boiling water, and simmer them for ten minutes to make them firm. soak them again in cold water for twenty minutes, and then lard them nicely. put the vegetables, cut in pieces, in the bottom of a stewpan. lay the sweetbreads on them, and pour in the stock; it should come half way up the sweetbreads. cover them with buttered paper, and put the lid on the stewpan. simmer gently until the sweetbreads are tender. then put them on a baking-tin, and put them in the oven to brown. strain the stock they were cooked in into a large saucepan, and boil it rapidly down to a glaze. put the sweetbreads on a hot dish, and pour the glaze over. carrots and turnips may be cut in fancy shapes, and nicely boiled to garnish the dish. if preferred, the sweetbreads can be cooked without being larded; a slice of very thin bacon being laid on the top of each. if a proper braising-pan is used, the sweetbreads need not be browned in the oven. lambs' sweetbreads can be cooked the same way. one dozen will be wanted for a small dish. sweetbreads à la parisienne. _ingredients_-- dozen lambs' heart sweetbreads. pint of good second stock.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. a piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. sprig of parsley. dessertspoonful of mushroom catsup. wineglass of sherry. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. some mashed potatoes. green peas nicely cooked. _method._--trim the sweetbreads and soak them for two hours; throw them in boiling water, and simmer them gently for five minutes; then soak them in cold water for twenty minutes. simmer them in the stock until they are quite tender. then make the butter quite hot in a stewpan. fry the sweetbreads in it until nicely browned. remove them and fry the flour; then pour in the stock, and stir, and cook well; add the catsup, wine, and lemon juice. dish the sweetbreads on a border of mashed potatoes, and pour the same over them. put a garnish of nicely cooked green peas in the middle. minced sweetbread. _ingredients_--the remains of dressed sweetbreads. or mushrooms. enough stock to moisten nicely. teaspoonful of flour. a slice of cooked ham. a few drops of lemon juice.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt. _method._--mince the sweetbreads, mushrooms, and ham. melt the butter in a stewpan, and fry the mushrooms in it. put in the flour, and mix it smoothly with the butter. then put in the sweetbread and ham, and enough stock to mix nicely. add lemon juice, pepper, and salt, to taste. make it hot, and then put the mixture into oiled-paper cases. sprinkle over the top of each a few browned crumbs and put in the oven for a few minutes. fried sweetbread. _ingredients_-- dozen lambs' heart sweetbreads. pint of good stock.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. a few drops of lemon juice. if liked, ½ wineglass of sherry. eggs and bread-crumbs. some mashed potatoes and green peas. _method._--trim the sweetbreads, and soak them in cold water for two hours. then throw them into the boiling stock, and simmer them for half an hour or more until quite tender. if possible, let them get cold in the stock. then egg and bread-crumb them, and fry them in a frying basket in hot fat (_see_ french frying). to make a sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. mix in the flour smoothly, pour in the stock, and stir and cook well; add lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste, and, if liked, a little sherry. dish the sweetbreads on the potatoes; pour the sauce round them, and put the peas in the centre. the sauce should be made before the sweetbreads are fried, that there may be no delay in serving. if calves' sweetbreads are used, proceed in the same way, cutting them in neat slices before frying. cutlets of veal with tomato sauce. _ingredients_--  lb. of fillet of veal. or  oz. of butter, or some of the fat skimmed from the stock-pot. pint of tomato sauce. ¼ lb. macaroni, nicely stewed in milk and seasoned with parmesan cheese. some mashed potatoes. uncooked tomato. _method._--cut the veal into neat little cutlets, and fry them nicely in the butter or skimming. dish them in a circle on a border of potatoes. pile the macaroni high in the middle. pour tomato sauce round, and garnish the macaroni with small strips of uncooked tomato. beef olives. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of thick beefsteak. some veal stuffing. ½ pint of stock.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. some mashed potatoes. a few carrots and turnips, cut in fancy shapes, and nicely cooked. _method._--cut the beef into thin strips, lay a little forcemeat on each, and roll them up. tie each roll with a little fine string. put them in a stewpan close together, and cover them with the stock. stew them gently for two or three hours until quite tender. then place them in a circle on a border of mashed potatoes. remove any fat from the stock, and stir in the butter and flour thoroughly mixed together. cook the flour well, and then add the lemon juice and seasoning. strain the sauce over the olives, and put the vegetables in the centre. veal à la béchamel. _ingredients_--  lb. of cold cooked veal. ¼ lb. of button mushrooms. ½ pint of _béchamel_ sauce. the yolks of eggs. some fried sippets of bread. _method._--cut the veal into large dice. clean the mushrooms and stew them in the sauce until tender. then add the yolks of two eggs well beaten. stir over the fire until they thicken, but on no account let the sauce _boil_, as that might curdle the eggs. last of all, put in the pieces of veal, and let the saucepan remain by the fire until they are thoroughly heated. serve garnished with fried sippets of bread. grenadines of veal. _ingredients_--  lb. of veal. some larding bacon. some good second stock. piece of carrot, turnip, onion. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. some nicely boiled green peas. _method._--cut the fillet into nice oval-shaped cutlets, about half an inch in thickness, and lard them. put the vegetables, cut in small pieces, at the bottom of the stewpan. lay the cutlets on them, and pour in sufficient stock to come half way up the cutlets. cover them with buttered paper, and put them on a slow fire to simmer gently until tender. then put them on a baking-tin in the oven to brown. strain the stock and boil it with a half-pint more to a strong glaze. dish the _grenadines_ on a border of mashed potatoes. pour a little glaze over each, and put the green peas in the middle. mayonnaise of fowl. cold entrée for suppers. _ingredients_-- fowls. ½ pint of _mayonnaise_ sauce. a cucumber. hard-boiled eggs. pint of aspic jelly. a beetroot. _method._--boil the fowls and cut them into neat joints. put them in a dish in a circle, the one leaning on the other. place in the middle a bunch of endive, and coat the pieces of chicken with _mayonnaise_ sauce. cut the hard-boiled eggs in quarters, and lay them round the chicken with slices of cucumber and beetroot, and garnish with a border of chopped aspic. veal cutlets. _ingredients_--  lb. of veal cutlet. egg and bread-crumbs.  oz. of clarified butter. ½ oz. of flour. ½ pint of nice stock. some mashed potatoes. _method._--beat the cutlet well to break the fibre of the meat, and then cut it into neat oval or round shapes. brush them with the egg and cover them with fine bread-crumbs. fry them in a cutlet-pan in the butter. when they are cooked pour some of the butter from the pan. stir in the flour smoothly. pour in the stock, and cook well. add pepper and salt and a few drops of lemon juice. dish the cutlets in a circle on a border of mashed potatoes. strain the gravy round them, and put some nice little rolls of bacon in the middle. to cook the bacon, cut it in thin slices; roll them, and put them on a skewer, they may be either toasted or baked. veal cutlets à l'italienne. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of fillet of veal. cut into neat cutlets.  oz. of butter. egg and bread-crumbs. some carrot and turnip, cut in fancy shapes and boiled. ½ pint of italian sauce. _method._--egg and bread-crumb the cutlets and fry them in the butter. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes. pour italian sauce over, and put the vegetables in the middle. make the italian sauce with the butter the cutlets are fried in. fillets of chicken. _ingredients_--some little fillets of chicken cut from the breast. some streaky bacon. ½ pint of _béchamel_ sauce, made with white stock. some mashed potatoes. _method._--lay the fillet on a greased baking-tin. cover with buttered paper and put them into a moderate oven for ten or fifteen minutes. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes. pour the sauce over and put little rolls of nicely cooked bacon in the middle. to cook the bacon, cut it into very thin strips and roll them, run a skewer through, and toast them before the fire. chicken à la marengo. _ingredients_-- chicken. ½ pint of second stock. tomatoes. piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. sprig of parsley, thyme, marjoram.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. a few drops of lemon juice. _method._--cut the chicken into neat joints and fry them in the butter. then remove them and fry the vegetables. add the flour and fry that. then pour in the stock; stir and boil for three minutes. then put in the chicken and the tomato, sliced. simmer for about thirty minutes, until the chicken is quite tender. then put the chicken on to an _entrée_ dish. add some lemon juice to the gravy, and strain over it. chicken à la cardinal. _ingredients_-- chicken. ½ pint of _béchamel_ sauce. ripe tomatoes. _method._--cut the chicken into joints and put them in a stewpan with the sauce and tomatoes, sliced. simmer gently until the chicken is quite tender. then place them on a hot _entrée_ dish and strain the sauce over them. kidneys and mushrooms. _ingredients_-- dozen medium sized mushrooms. sheep's kidneys. pint of second stock.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. tablespoonfuls of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. _method._--peel the mushrooms, cut off the stalks, and wash them. wipe the kidneys and slice them, put them in a stewpan with the stock and mushrooms. simmer them gently for thirty minutes or more, until quite tender. mix the butter and flour very smoothly, stir them in and boil for about three minutes. add the cream and let it boil, season to taste, and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice. curried rabbit. _ingredients_-- apple. onion. dessertspoonfuls of curry powder. ½ pint of second stock. tablespoonfuls of cream.  oz. of butter. dessertspoonfuls of flour. salt. a few drops of lemon juice. _method._--cut the rabbit into neat joints and fry them in the butter. then remove them and fry the onion and apple, sliced. mix the curry powder and flour smoothly with the stock. put it into a stewpan; stir and boil three minutes. put in the rabbit and add the onion and apple, which should be rubbed through a hair sieve. simmer gently for thirty minutes or more, until the rabbit is tender. add the cream and let it boil in the sauce. squeeze in the lemon juice and add salt. if a dry curry is liked, remove the rabbit when tender, and boil and reduce the sauce to half the quantity, leaving only sufficient to coat the pieces of rabbit well. serve nicely cooked rice with the curry (_see_ rice for curry). curried chicken. make according to the directions in the preceding recipe, using white stock or boiled milk. mutton cutlets à la milanaise. _ingredients_-- or more mutton cutlets. eggs, white bread-crumbs.  oz. parmesan cheese, grated. a little boiled macaroni. ½ pint brown sauce. some mashed potatoes.  oz. clarified butter, or the fat skimming of the stock-pot. _method._--trim the cutlets neatly. brush them with egg and cover them with bread-crumbs mixed with  oz. of the grated cheese. fry them for about five minutes in a cutlet pan. dish them on a border of mashed potatoes and put some nicely-cooked macaroni in the centre with  oz. of grated cheese. pour the brown sauce round them and serve very hot. chaud-froid chicken. cold entrée for suppers and luncheons. _ingredients_--the best joints of chickens. pint of _béchamel_ sauce. ¼ oz. of swinborne's or nelson's gelatine. some aspic jelly. endive and lettuce. _method._--melt the gelatine and mix it with the sauce. coat the pieces of chicken carefully with it, giving them each two coats if they require it. when the sauce is firm, place them in a circle on an _entrée_ dish. put some lettuce, nicely mixed with salad dressing, in the centre, and garnish prettily with the endive. a border of aspic jelly should be placed round the chicken. if liked, the chicken may be decorated with truffle or ham. rissoles of game. _ingredients_--some scraps of cold game. some very stiff second stock. lemon juice, pepper, salt. egg and bread-crumbs. _method._--mince the game finely. melt the stock and moisten the game well with it. add pepper and salt, and a few drops of lemon juice. spread the mixture on a plate to get cold. when cold it will be quite firm. mould it into balls or egg shapes. cover them with egg and bread-crumbs, and fry them in hot fat (_see_ french frying). serve on a folded napkin, and garnish with fried parsley. podovies. _ingredients_--some cooked beef, minced finely. a little thick gravy, lemon juice. a little pastry. pepper and salt. some crushed vermicelli and one or two eggs. _method._--mix the beef with the gravy; season it with pepper and salt. roll out the pastry as thin as possible. cut it into rounds with a good-sized cutter. brush the edges of the rounds with beaten egg, and put a little of the minced meat in the middle of each. fold them over, pressing the edges well together. cover with the egg, and then with the vermicelli. drop them into hot fat (_see_ french frying) and fry them a golden brown. as they will rise to the top of the fat, it will be necessary to keep them under with a wire basket or spoon. dish on a folded napkin and garnish with fried parsley. fish cookery. to boil fish. be very careful that the fish is thoroughly cleansed, then place it on the fish-strainer, and tie a cloth, or piece of muslin, over it. (this is to prevent any scum settling on the fish to disfigure it, or spoil its colour.) immerse it in boiling water, to which two tablespoonfuls of salt, and two of vinegar, have been added; boil it for three minutes to set the albumen on the outside, and so form a casing to keep in the juices and flavour of the fish. then draw the kettle to the side of the fire and simmer gently until the fish is cooked. for a thick piece of fish, six minutes to each pound, and six minutes over, is the time usually allowed; but no hard-and-fast rule can be laid down, as the time it will take to cook depends on the size and shape, as well as on the weight of the fish. when the fish is cooked, it will have an opaque appearance; and on being pulled, will leave the bone readily. care must be taken to cook it sufficiently but not to over-boil it. under-done fish is very unpleasant, while over-cooked fish is flavourless, and breaks to pieces. salt fish is put into lukewarm water for the purpose of drawing out some of the salt, and must be simmered until tender. mackerel should also be put into lukewarm water, as the skin is very tender, and boiling water would break it. when the fish is cooked, remove the cloth, or muslin, and place the strainer across the kettle that the fish may get well drained. cover it with a hot cover, and leave it in that position for a few minutes. then dish, on a folded napkin; or on a strainer, if sauce is poured over it. garnish tastefully, and serve with an appropriate sauce. small cod, or salmon, if boiled whole, should be trussed in the form of the letter s. baked fish. the oven should be kept at a moderate heat, that the fish may not be dried up. small fish may be cooked with great advantage in the oven, if carefully covered with buttered paper, which will keep them moist, and prevent any baked flavour. fried fish. small fish, such as whiting, smelts, &c., are generally fried whole. larger fish, such as cod and salmon, are fried in the shape of cutlets. fish to be fried, must be covered with egg and crumbs, or batter. a stewpan, half full of fat, and not a frying-pan, should be used for the purpose (_see_ french frying), except in the case of the sole; and for that, the new fish-fryer, with a wire strainer, is far better than the old-fashioned pan. the bread-crumbs, for fish, should be prepared by rubbing stale bread through a wire sieve. boiled turbot. boil it according to the directions for boiling fish. it usually takes from half an hour to an hour, according to its size. it should be dished on a folded napkin, with the white side uppermost; and garnished with cut lemon, parsley, and coral. serve with it lobster, shrimp, or anchovy sauce. boiled brill. this fish is cooked like turbot; garnished in the same way, and served with the same sauces. boiled salmon. boil according to the directions given for boiling fish. truss a small salmon in the form of the letter s. dish on a folded napkin; and garnish with parsley and coral. serve with lobster, shrimp, anchovy, or tartare sauce. boiled cod. boil according to directions given for boiling fish. a small piece is often served with thick egg-sauce poured over it, and garnished with the yolk of an egg rubbed through a wire sieve. salt cod, haddock, plaice, and any fish, may be boiled according to directions given for boiling fish, and served with egg, anchovy, or any other appropriate sauce. curried fish. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of cold boiled fish. small onion. small apple. ½ pint of second stock. a few drops of lemon juice.  oz. of butter. dessertspoonful of curry powder. dessertspoonful of flour. salt. _method._--slice the onion and apple; fry them in the butter, and then rub them through a hair sieve. mix the flour and curry powder smoothly with the stock. stir over the fire and boil well. then add the onion, apple, lemon juice, and salt. break the fish into pieces, and remove the bones. put it into the sauce, and let it warm through. serve with a border of rice round it. kedgeree. _ingredients_--the remains of cooked fish. an equal quantity of boiled rice. hard-boiled eggs. a little butter. pepper and salt. _method._--break the fish into flakes, removing all the bones. melt a little butter in a saucepan. put in the rice, fish, and the whites of the eggs cut small, pepper and salt. stir over the fire until quite hot. heap it on a hot dish in the form of a pyramid, and sprinkle over it the yolks of the eggs, rubbed through a wire sieve. baked herrings. _ingredients_--a few herrings. browned bread-crumbs. a little butter or dripping. parsley. _method._--split open the herrings, and remove the back-bone. roll them up, and place them with their roes on a greased baking-sheet. cover them with greased paper, and put them into a moderate oven for ten or fifteen minutes until cooked. place the rolls on a folded napkin, and sprinkle some brown bread-crumbs in a straight line on each. garnish with the roes and sprigs of parsley. herrings baked in vinegar. _ingredients_--a few herrings. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. small onion. vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--grease a pie-dish, and put some herrings at the bottom. sprinkle them with the parsley and onion finely chopped, and the pepper and salt. put another layer of herrings on the top, and sprinkle them similarly. proceed in the same way until the dish is full. cover them with vinegar. place over them a dish, and bake in a slow oven for three or four hours. herrings cooked in this way are used cold. smelts fried. _ingredients_--smelts. egg. bread-crumbs. parsley. _method._--dry the smelts well, and fix their tails in their mouths. cover them with egg and bread-crumbs, and fry them a golden brown in a frying-basket in hot fat (_see_ french frying). garnish with fried parsley, and serve with melted butter or other suitable sauce. smelts au gratin. _ingredients_--some smelts. a few button mushrooms. shalot. sprig of parsley. lemon juice. pepper and salt. browned bread crumbs. glaze. _method._--lay the smelts on a greased baking-sheet. sprinkle under and over them the parsley, shalot, and mushrooms, finely chopped, with lemon juice, pepper, and salt. cover them with browned bread-crumbs, and put little bits of butter over them. bake them in a moderate oven for seven or ten minutes. put them on a hot dish, and pour melted glaze over them. ling and hake. these two fish may be cooked according to any of the recipes given for dressing cod. salmon à la tartare. _ingredients_--a piece of salmon. some tartare sauce. chopped parsley. coral. _method._--boil the salmon carefully according to the directions given for boiling fish. garnish with coral and parsley, and serve with tartare sauce (_see_ sauces). if the salmon is served cold, the tartare sauce is poured over it. if hot, it is served in a sauce-boat. a slice of salmon is frequently grilled, and served with tartare sauce. pickled salmon. _ingredients_--some boiled salmon. dozen peppercorns. saltspoonfuls of salt. bay leaves. equal quantities of vinegar and the liquor the fish was boiled in. _method._--lay the salmon in a deep pan or pie-dish. boil the fish liquor, vinegar, and other ingredients for a quarter of an hour. let it get cold, and then pour over the salmon, which should be allowed to remain in the pickle until the next day. whitebait. _ingredients_--whitebait. flour. _method._--put plenty of oil or fat into a stewpan, and make it hot (_see_ french frying). the heat of the fat for whitebait should be °. have a good heap of flour on a cloth. as soon as the fat is hot, throw the whitebait into the flour, and, taking the cloth by each end, shake the whitebait rapidly until they are well floured. turn them quickly into a frying-basket. shake the basket well for the loose flour to drop off, and throw the whitebait into the fat for a minute. as soon as they rise to the surface, remove them with a fish-slice, and drain them on kitchen paper. serve them with brown bread and butter, and slices of lemon. oyster patties. _ingredients_-- patty cases. ½ dozen oysters.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. ¼ pint of milk. ¼ pint of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--beard the oysters, and cut off the hard white part; cut each oyster in two. strain the oyster liquor through muslin. put the beards into the milk, and simmer them in it to extract the flavour. then melt the butter in a saucepan, and mix in the flour smoothly. strain in the milk, and add the oyster liquor. stir and cook well. then add the cream, and let it boil in the sauce. lastly, add the pepper, salt, cayenne, and the oysters. fill the patty cases with the mixture. put the lid on each, and decorate with powdered lobster coral. serve hot or cold. scalloped oysters. _ingredients_--some oysters. a little butter, and bread-crumbs. _method._--grease some scallop shells, and place on each two or three oysters. cover them with broad-crumbs, and put a little piece of butter on each. brown them in a quick oven, and serve very hot. scalloped oysters à la française. _ingredients_-- ½ dozen oysters.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. ¼ pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. some bread crumbs. _method._--beard the oysters, and cut them in two. strain the oyster liquor through muslin. simmer the beards in the milk. melt the butter in a small stewpan, and mix in the flour smoothly. strain in the milk, add the oyster liquor, stir, and cook well. then add the cream, and let it boil in the sauce. lastly, add lemon juice, pepper, salt, cayenne, and oysters. grease some scallop shells, and sprinkle them with bread-crumbs. fill them with the mixture, and sprinkle some more crumbs over them. brown in a quick oven. serve on a folded napkin, and garnish with parsley and cut lemon. mackerel à la normande. _ingredients_-- dessertspoonful of bread-crumbs. mackerel. half a shalot, chopped finely. teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. ¼ teaspoonful dried and powdered herbs. ¼ oz. of butter or dripping. pepper and salt. _method._--split open the mackerel, and remove the back-bones as cleanly as possible. grease a baking-tin, and lay one of the mackerel, skin downwards, on it. mix the herbs, parsley, shalot, and bread-crumbs together with pepper and salt, and sprinkle them over the fish. lay the other mackerel on the top, with the skin uppermost. put little bits of butter or dripping about it, and bake from ten minutes to a quarter of an hour. for serving, sprinkle over a few brown bread-crumbs. haddock stuffed. _ingredients_-- haddock. tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. teaspoonful of dried and powdered herbs. pepper and salt. part of an egg, or a little milk, to bind the stuffing. _method._--mix the crumbs, parsley, herbs, pepper and salt, with the egg or milk. put the stuffing in the haddock, and fasten it with a small skewer. then truss it with string, or two skewers, in the form of the letter s. place it on a greased baking-tin; and put a few pieces of butter or dripping on it. bake it in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. to serve, place it on a dish and remove the skewers. garnish with parsley. cutlets of cod. _ingredients_--the tail of a cod. egg. bread-crumbs. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the tail of a cod into neat cutlets. season them with pepper and salt, and cover them with egg and bread-crumbs. fry them in a frying-basket in hot fat (_see_ french frying). serve on a folded napkin, and garnish with fried parsley. cutlets of cod à l'italienne. _ingredients_--the tail of a cod. a little butter. lemon juice. pepper and salt. some italian sauce. _method._--divide the cod into neat cutlets. place them on a greased baking-sheet. sprinkle over them a few drops of lemon juice, pepper, and salt, and cover them with buttered paper. bake them in a moderate oven from ten to twelve minutes. dish them in a circle, and pour over them some italian sauce (_see_ sauces). garnish with coral and truffle. cutlets of cod à la genoise. cook some cod cutlets as in preceding recipe, and serve with genoise sauce (_see_ sauces). garnish with coral and truffle. cod with tomatoes. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of cod cutlets. or tomatoes. tablespoonful of vinegar. cayenne pepper and salt. _method._--rub the tomatoes through a hair sieve. then put the _purée_ thus obtained into a saucepan, and lay the pieces of cod in it. there should be enough tomato _purée_ to cover the cod. simmer gently until the cod is tender. add the vinegar and seasoning, dish in a circle, and pour the tomato over. cod fricassee. _ingredients_--some boiled cod, either hot or cold. plain white sauce (_see_ sauces). hard-boiled eggs. _method._--break the fish into flakes. make the sauce quite hot. put the fish into it, and warm it through. there should be just enough sauce to moisten the cod. heap it in a pyramid shape on a hot dish. garnish it with rings cut from the hard-boiled eggs. sprinkle over the top of the cod the yolks rubbed through a wire sieve or strainer. cod sounds boiled. _ingredients_--some cod sounds; milk; water. béchamel sauce. pepper and salt. _method._--soak the sounds in water for about six hours. then boil them in milk and water for half an hour or more until quite tender. cut them in pieces about two inches square, and make them hot in some _béchamel_ sauce. pile them on a dish in the form of a pyramid, with slices of hard-boiled egg, cut lemon, and parsley. marinaded cod sounds. _ingredients_--cod sounds. milk. water. oil. vinegar. shalot. parsley. pepper and salt. butter. _method._--soak the cod sounds in water for about six hours, and then boil them in milk and water until tender. cut them in pieces an inch and a half square. mix together equal quantities of oil and vinegar, and add to them a shalot and some parsley, very finely chopped; pepper, and salt. steep the sounds in the _marinade_. just before serving, dip each one in _kromesky_ batter, and fry in hot fat (_see_ french frying). dish in a circle, and pour over them some piquant sauce. decorate with truffle and coral. cod stuffed and baked. _ingredients_--a thick slice from the middle of the cod. some veal stuffing. browned bread-crumbs. _method._--fasten the stuffing securely in the cod. place it on a greased baking-sheet, and cover it with browned crumbs. place small pieces of butter or dripping about it, and bake it in a moderate oven for about half an hour, basting occasionally. serve with cut lemon, and garnish with parsley. note.--a small cod may be stuffed and cooked like a haddock. plaice. this fish may be boiled, baked, or fried. fried fillets of plaice. fillet the plaice by cutting down the centre of the fish with a sharp knife and removing the flesh from either side. egg and bread-crumb the fillets, and fry in hot fat (_see_ french frying). drain on kitchen paper, serve on a folded napkin, and garnish with fried parsley. fried fillets of sole. prepare like the fillets of plaice, with the exception that the sole should be skinned before it is filleted. fish croquettes. _ingredients_--  lb. of cooked fish (haddock, cod, ling, or hake are the best for the purpose).  oz. of butter. or eggs. pepper and salt. some white crumbs. parsley.  lb. of boiled potatoes. _method._--rub the potatoes through a sieve. break the fish into flakes, removing the bones. mix the fish and potatoes together; blend them thoroughly with the butter, pepper, salt, and a well-beaten egg. form the mixture into balls or cakes. egg and bread-crumb them, and fry them in hot fat (_see_ french frying). serve on a folded napkin, and garnish with fried parsley. fish pudding. make a mixture of fish and potatoes as in preceding recipe. put it on a dish that will stand the heat of the oven, and mould it into the form of a fish. bake for half an hour. halibut. this fish may be cooked and served like cod or turbot. red mullets à l'italienne. _ingredients_-- or red mullets. dessertspoonfuls of mushroom catsup. a little butter. lemon juice. pepper and salt. some italian sauce. _method._--lay the mullets in a well-buttered baking-sheet; moisten them with the catsup, and sprinkle with lemon juice, pepper, and salt. put some little bits of butter over them. bake in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour or more until cooked. lay them on a hot dish. mix the liquor from the mullets with some italian sauce (_see_ sauces), and pour over. garnish with truffle and coral. red mullets à la genoise. _ingredients_--red mullets. ½ glass of port. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper. some genoise sauce. a little butter. _method._--lay the mullets on a well-greased baking-sheet. moisten them with the port wine and lemon juice, and put little bits of butter about them. bake them in a moderate oven until cooked. lay them on a hot dish. mix the liquor from the mullets with the genoise sauce, and pour over them. red mullet in cases. _ingredients_-- red mullets. dozen button mushrooms. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. shalots. lemon-juice. pepper and salt. salad oil. _method._--chop the shalots and mushrooms, and mix them with the parsley. oil some pieces of foolscap paper. lay the mullets on them; sprinkle over them the parsley, mushroom, shalot, lemon juice, pepper and salt. fold them in the cases, and cook on a well-greased baking-sheet, in a moderate oven, for about twenty or thirty minutes. boiled whiting. fasten the tail in the mouth of each whiting, and lay them on a fish strainer. put them into boiling water, with salt in it, and cook them gently for five minutes or more. dish on a folded napkin, and garnish with parsley, coral, and cut lemon. serve with them _maître d'hôtel_, _béchamel_, italian, genoise, or any other suitable sauce. fried whiting. _ingredients_--some whiting. egg. bread-crumbs. parsley. lemon juice. _method._--skin the whiting, and fasten the tail in the mouth. dry them well with a cloth. egg and bread-crumb them, and fry them in a frying-basket, in hot fat (_see_ french frying). drain them on kitchen paper, and dish on a folded napkin. garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. _béchamel_, lobster, shrimp, italian, genoise, or any other suitable sauce, may be served with them. whiting à l'italienne. _ingredients_--whiting. lemon-juice. pepper and salt. a little butter. italian sauce. _method._--skin and fillet the whiting. lay the fillets on a well-buttered baking-sheet. sprinkle with lemon-juice, pepper and salt, and cover them with buttered paper. cook them in a moderate oven, from seven to ten minutes. dish in a circle, and pour italian sauce over. garnish with truffle and coral. whiting à la genoise. prepare the whiting as in preceding receipt, substituting genoise for italian sauce. lobster cutlets. _ingredients_-- hen lobster. ½ oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. gill of cold water. tablespoonfuls of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. cayenne. pepper and salt. some spawn or coral. egg and bread-crumbs. parsley. _method._--remove the flesh from the body of the lobster, and cut it up. pound the coral in a mortar, with half an ounce of butter, and rub it through a hair sieve. (if spawn is used it need not be pounded.) melt  oz. of butter in a stewpan. mix in the flour; add the water; stir until it thickens. then add the coral, and butter, and cook well. next the cream, lemon juice, cayenne, pepper, salt, and lastly the chopped lobster. spread the mixture on a plate to cool. when cool, shape into cutlets. egg and bread-crumb, and fry in hot fat in a frying-basket. put a piece of the feeler in each, to represent a bone. garnish with fried parsley. lobster cutlets in aspic. shape some of the lobster-cutlet mixture into cutlets. roll in dried and powdered coral, and put a piece of feeler in each. pour a little aspic jelly into a clean yorkshire-pudding tin, or frying-pan. when set, lay the cutlets on it, and pour in, gently, enough aspic to cover them. when firm, cut them out with a border of aspic to each, and serve on chopped aspic. fried sole. _ingredients_--a sole. egg. bread-crumbs. parsley. _method._--remove the dark skin, and notch the other, here and there, with a knife. dry the sole well in a floured cloth. brush over with egg, and cover with bread-crumbs. flatten them on with a broad-bladed knife, and fry the sole a golden brown in hot fat (for heat of fat _see_ french frying). a fish-fryer, or a deep frying-pan, should be used for the purpose; and there should be sufficient fat to cover the sole, so that it will not require turning. when cooked, drain on kitchen paper. dish on a folded napkin. garnish with fried parsley. sole à la parisienne. _ingredients_-- sole. wineglass of sherry. ½ pint of good second stock. a few drops of lemon juice. teaspoonful of harvey's sauce. teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--remove the dark skin, and notch the other with a knife. lay the sole in a baking-pan, and pour over it the stock and sherry. cover with a dish, and bake for twenty or thirty minutes in a moderate oven. place it on a hot dish. boil the stock rapidly down to half the quantity. add to it the sauces, lemon juice, and seasoning, and pour it over the sole. fillets of sole à la rouennaise. _ingredients_-- or more soles. lemon juice. lobster-cutlet mixture. some white sauce. chopped truffle. _method._--remove both skins from the soles, and fillet them. spread some of the lobster-cutlet mixture on the half of each fillet, and fold over. place on a greased baking-sheet; sprinkle over lemon juice and salt, and cover with buttered paper. bake in a moderate oven for about twelve minutes. dish in a circle, and pour over white sauce, mixed with chopped truffle. fillets of sole à la maître d'hôtel. _ingredients_--fillets of sole. lemon juice and salt. _method._--roll or fold the fillets, and cook like the sole _à la rouennaise_. cover them with the same sauce as in the last recipe, using chopped parsley instead of truffle. sole au gratin. _ingredients_-- sole. dessertspoonful of chopped parsley. chopped shalot. chopped button mushrooms. lemon juice. pepper and salt. ½ oz. of butter. brown bread-crumbs. _method._--grease a dish that will stand the heat of the oven. sprinkle on it half of the parsley, shalot, and mushroom, with lemon juice, pepper, and salt. lay the sole on the mixture, and sprinkle the remainder of the parsley, &c., over it. cover with brown bread-crumbs, and put half an ounce of butter about it, in small pieces. bake from ten to fifteen minutes, according to size, and serve-with glaze poured round it. gurnets baked. _ingredients_-- or more gurnets. some veal stuffing, omitting the suet. a little stock. ½ wineglass of sherry. or dessertspoonfuls of mushroom catsup. some brown sauce. pepper and salt. _method._--remove the head and fins of the gurnets, and stuff them with veal stuffing, fastening it in with small skewers. lay them on a well-buttered baking-tin, and pour over them the stock, sherry, and catsup. bake them in a moderate oven until cooked. then place them on a hot dish, mix the liquor from them with the sauce and pour over. stewed eels. _ingredients_--  lb. of eels. pint of stock. wineglass of port. tablespoonful of flour. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper. salt. cayenne.  oz. of butter. _method._--cut the eels in pieces about ½ inches long. fry them brown in the butter. then put them in a stewpan with the stock. stew gently, until tender. then remove them from the stock, and put them in a hot dish. thicken the stock with the flour. add the wine, lemon juice, and seasoning. pour over the eels, and serve very hot. pastry. few people are successful in making pastry. yet, with a little practice, there is no reason why any one should not make it with some degree of perfection, if the following rules are carefully attended to. make the pastry in a cool place, not in a hot kitchen. the board, rolling-pin, and hands should be as cold as possible. handle it very lightly. the colder pastry is kept during making, the lighter it will be, because it will contain more air; cold air occupies a much less space than warm. the colder the air, the greater, consequently, will be its expansion when the pastry is put into a very hot oven. roll the paste lightly, and not more than necessary. puff paste is a kind of fine sandwich. there should be a certain number of layers of dough and layers of butter. take care, therefore, that the butter is not allowed to break through the dough; and be _very careful to follow_ the directions given for making this pastry. its manufacture requires patience, because, if it is not properly cooled between the turns, the friction of rolling will warm the butter, and cause it to smear into the dough. for short crust, rub the butter or fat lightly into the flour with the tips of the fingers; and do not use more water than necessary in mixing it. this is a common mistake; and too much water deprives the paste of its shortness. short paste is the best for children and persons of weak digestion; the flour in it being more thoroughly incorporated with the fat, gets better cooked. it is, therefore, capable of more perfect mastication than puff or flaky crust, both of which are liable to be swallowed in flakes. however well pastry is made, success will not be attained unless the oven is rightly heated. the very lightest crusts will often be totally spoiled in the baking because this important point is not attended to. if the oven is not very hot, the fat will melt and run out of the pastry before the starch grains in the flour burst; consequently, they cannot afterwards expand, however hot the oven may be made; and in this way the paste will become heavy. take great care, therefore, that the oven is very hot when the paste is put into it. watch the paste carefully that it does not take too dark a colour. when it is well thrown up and nearly cooked, it may be removed to a more moderately heated part of the oven if it should appear to be browning too quickly. ovens in which the heat comes from the bottom are decidedly the best for either cakes or pastry; but no one should expect to bake well in an oven they do not thoroughly understand. there is so much difference in ovens, that the hottest part of one may be the coolest in another. to bake well requires practice and experience, and no one should be discouraged by a few failures. puff paste. _ingredients_--equal quantities of vienna flour and butter. a few drops of lemon juice. enough water to mix the flour into a nice lithe dough. _method._--rub the flour through a wire sieve. make a well in the middle, and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice. mix very gradually with very cold water, taking care that the dough is not too stiff. then knead and work well about until quite smooth. set it aside for a few minutes to get quite cold. squeeze the butter in a cloth to press out the water. roll out the dough, and place the butter, flattened to a third of its size, in the middle. then fold the dough from either side over it, pressing the edges together. turn it with its edges toward you, and roll out very gently (care must be taken that the butter does not break through the dough). fold it again in three, and put it aside to cool for quite a quarter of an hour. the colder it is kept the better. then turn its edges towards you, and roll it out again; fold evenly in three, and roll and fold again in the same manner; each roll and fold is called a turn. cool the paste for another quarter of an hour. then give it two more turns. let it cool again; and at the seventh roll it will probably be ready for use. it is, however, wise to bake a small piece of the paste before using the whole quantity. if the maker has a very light hand it sometimes happens that eight or even nine turns may be necessary to roll the butter sufficiently into the flour. patty cases. roll the puff paste, when ready, to rather more than a quarter of an inch in thickness. take a fluted cutter about the size of a tumbler. dip it in very hot water, and cut the paste into rounds with it. mark the middle of these rounds with a cutter about three sizes smaller. roll out the remains of the paste to half the thickness of the patties. stamp out some rounds for covers with a fluted cutter two sizes smaller than that used for the cases. put the cases and covers on a baking-tin, and bake in a quick oven for ten or fifteen minutes. when cooked, lift the lid and scrape out the soft inside carefully. good short crust. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ¾ lb. of butter. enough cold water to mix rather stiffly. a pinch of salt. _method._--rub the butter into the flour until like fine bread-crumbs. mix with cold water, using as little as possible (if too much is used the crust will not be short). roll gently to make the paste bind. if this paste is used for tarts, add one dessertspoonful of castor sugar to the flour. plainer short crust. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of butter. ¼ lb. of lard. teaspoonful of baking powder. water enough to bind. _method._--make according to directions given in preceding recipe. economical short crust. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ½ lb. of clarified dripping or lard. teaspoonful of baking powder. enough water to mix. to make this crust still plainer, a quarter of a pound only of clarified dripping or lard may be taken, and three good teaspoonfuls of baking powder. _method._--make according to the directions for short crust. flaky crust. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ½ lb. of butter or dripping. a pinch of salt. enough cold water to mix the paste. _method._--rub one half of the butter into the flour, as for short crust. mix with the water, and roll it out very thinly. put the remainder in little pieces on the paste. fold in three, and then in three again. roll out to the size required. rough puff paste. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ½ lb. of butter, lard, or dripping. salt. cold water. _method._--break the fat into the flour in pieces. add a pinch of salt. mix with a little cold water. turn on to a board. roll and fold four times. flaky bread crust. _ingredients_--  lb. of bread dough. some butter, lard, or dripping. _method._--roll out the dough very thin, and spread with the fat. fold in two. spread again with fat. fold in two, and spread once more with fat. fold again, and set aside for one hour. then roll out and use. beef-steak pie. _ingredients_--  lb. of nice beef-steak. ½ lb. of bullock's kidney.  lb. of flaky or rough puff paste. tablespoonful of flour. ½ pint of water. pepper and salt. _method._--roll the paste to a quarter of an inch in thickness. invert the pie-dish, and cut the paste to the size and shape of the under side of it. roll out the remainder, and cut a band one inch wide. wet the edge of the pie-dish, and place this round it. cut the beef into thin strips. dip them in flour, and season with pepper and salt. roll each of the strips round a tiny piece of fat. put them into the pie-dish alternately with pieces of kidney. raise them in the middle of the dish in a dome-like form, and pour in the water. wet the edges of the paste lining of the dish, and lay the cover over. press the edges lightly together, and trim round with a knife. make a hole in the middle of the paste to let the gases from the meat escape. brush the crust with beaten egg, and decorate with leaves cut from the trimmings. bake for about two hours. the pie should be put into a quick oven until the pastry is cooked; the heat must then be moderated to cook the meat thoroughly without drying up the pastry. if possible, finish cooking the meat on the top of the oven. some people prefer stewing the meat before using it in the pie. if this is done, it must be allowed to get cold before the pie is made. it is an improvement to the pie to put layers of oysters, bearded, alternately with the rolls of beef. rabbit pie. _ingredients_-- rabbit. ¼ lb. of salt pork.  lb. of rough puff or flaky paste. ½ pint of water. hard-boiled eggs. pepper and salt. _method._--prepare the paste as for beef-steak pie, lining the dish in the same manner. cut the rabbit into neat joints. season them with pepper and salt. put them in the pie-dish alternately with the pork. pour in the water, and cover with the paste. brush over with beaten egg, and decorate with paste leaves. make a hole in the middle of the crust for the gases to escape. bake for about an hour, attending to directions given for baking beef-steak pie. mince pies. _ingredients_--puff and other pastry. mincemeat. castor sugar. white of egg. the mincemeat. _ingredients_--  lb. of suet.  lb. of apples.  lb. of sugar.  lb. of currants.  lb. of raisins.  lb. of candied peel. the grated rind of lemons. ¼ lb. of ratafias soaked in brandy. _method._--chop the suet. wash and dry the currants. stone and cut the raisins in halves. peel, core, and mince the apples. chop the candied peel. mix all the ingredients well together. put them into a stone jar; cover closely and keep for a month. to make the pies. roll the paste out, and stamp it into rather large rounds with a fluted cutter dipped in hot water. lay half the rounds on patty pans. wet the edges of the pastry, and put some mincemeat into the middle of each round. cover with the remaining rounds, pressing the edges lightly together. to glaze, brush them with a little white of egg, and dust with castor sugar. bake in a quick oven for ten or fifteen minutes. mushroom pie. _ingredients_--puff, flaky, or short crust. mushrooms. boiled potatoes. butter. pepper and salt. _method._--roll out the paste, and prepare a pie-dish as for beef-steak pie. mash the potatoes with butter, pepper, and salt. peel the mushrooms, and cut off the ends of the stalks. put the potatoes and mushrooms in alternate layers in the pie-dish. cover with the paste, and finish off and decorate like a beef-steak pie. bake in a quick oven for about three quarters of an hour. pigeon pie. _ingredients_-- pigeons.  lb. of rump-steak. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. pepper and salt. some puff or other paste made with  lb. of flour. _method._--prepare the pie-dish, and roll out the paste as for beef-steak pie. draw the pigeons, and cut them in halves. cut the steak into thin strips, the way of the grain. season the steak and pigeons nicely, and put them into the pie-dish with the hard-boiled yolks. pour in the water. cover with the paste, and finish like a beef-steak pie. wash and clean the legs of two of the pigeons, and stick them in the hole in the top of the pie. bake for about an hour and a half. veal-and-ham pie. _ingredients_--  lb. of veal cutlet. ½ lb. of ham. hard-boiled eggs. dessertspoonful of chopped parsley. lemon. pepper and salt. some puff, flaky, or other pastry, made with  lb. of flour. _method._--roll out the paste, and prepare the dish as for beef-steak pie. cut the veal and ham into neat pieces. season them well, and sprinkle them with the parsley and lemon juice. put them into the pie-dish with the eggs cut in halves. pour in the water. cover with paste, and decorate like a beef-steak pie. bake for about two hours. cornish pasties. _ingredients_--some plain short crust. equal quantities of beef-steak or beef-skirt and potatoes. onion, finely chopped. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the meat and potatoes into small dice, and mix them with the onion, pepper, and salt. roll out the pastry. stamp it into rather large rounds with the lid of a small saucepan. wet round the edges of the paste, and place a small heap of meat and potatoes in the middle of each round. double the paste, bringing the edges to the top. goffer round them with the fingers to form a frill. place the pasties on a greased baking-sheet, and bake in a quick oven from half an hour to an hour. sausage rolls. _ingredients_--some puff or flaky crust. sausages. egg. _method._--parboil the sausages. skin them, cut them in halves, and let them cool. roll out the paste; cut it into squares. brush the edges with beaten egg. lay a half sausage on each piece of paste, and roll the paste round it, pressing the edges together. brush the rolls with beaten egg. lay them on a greased baking-sheet. bake in a quick oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. apple tart. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples.  oz. of moist sugar. some pastry. cloves or the grated rind of a small lemon. ¼ pint of water. _method._--make some pastry according to directions given for short crust (the quantity made from ¾ lb. of flour will be sufficient). roll out the paste in an oval shape to a quarter of an inch in thickness. invert a pint pie-dish, lay the paste over it, and cut it the size and shape of the under side of the dish. roll out the remaining pieces, and cut in strips about one inch wide. wet the edges of the pie-dish, and lay them evenly round it. peel, core, and quarter the apples. put them into the pie-dish, mixing them with the sugar. pile them up well in the middle of the dish, pressing them to an oval shape with the hands. pour in the water, and sprinkle over the lemon rind or cloves. wet the edges of the pastry, lining the dish, and put over the piece reserved for the cover. press the edges lightly together, and trim with a knife. make a small hole with a skewer on either side of the cover to let the steam escape. to glaze, brush over with the white of an egg, and dust with castor sugar. bake from half to three-quarters of an hour. the oven should be very quick at first, and moderate afterwards. any fruit tart may be made by this recipe. sugar must be added according to the acidity of the fruit used. genoise pastry. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar. eggs. _method._--melt the butter in a stewpan, and brush over a _sauté_ pan or shallow cake tin with it. line the pan with paper, and brush that also with the melted butter. break the eggs into a basin. add to them the sugar, and beat with a whisk for about twenty minutes until they rise. the basin containing them may be placed on a saucepan of hot water; but care must be taken that the heat is not too great, as that would cook the eggs. when the eggs are sufficiently beaten, _stir_ in the flour and butter _very lightly_. if _beaten_ in, the pastry will not be light. pour the mixture into the pan, and bake for about an hour. genoise sandwiches. _ingredients_--genoise pastry. jam. _method._--cut the genoise pastry into slices. spread them with jam. lay the slices one on the other, and cut in triangular shapes. genoise iced-cakes. _ingredients_--genoise pastry. jam. grated cocoa-nut. iceing. _method._--stamp out small cakes of genoise pastry with a round cutter. spread the sides thinly with jam. roll the cakes in the cocoa-nut. ice round the top of the cakes, and put some jam in the middle of the iceing. genoise preserve-cakes. _ingredients_--uncooked genoise pastry. some preserve. some syrup of sugar and water. hundreds and thousands. chopped _pistachio_ kernels. grated cocoa-nut. _method._--partly fill small well-buttered dariol moulds with the genoise mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. when done, and sufficiently cool, cut a small circular piece from the bottom of the cakes. scoop out some of the inside, and fill them with the preserve. replace the small circular piece. brush the cakes over with the syrup, and roll them in the hundreds and thousands, chopped _pistachio_, and cocoa-nut. they should be entirely covered with the decorations. pile them prettily on a dish, and decorate them with holly leaves. almond cakes. _ingredients_--genoise pastry. almonds. the white of egg.  oz. of castor sugar. _method._--stamp out the genoise pastry into small cakes, with round cutters. beat the white of egg, mix it with the castor sugar, and spread it over the cakes. sprinkle them well with almonds, blanched and chopped. put them in a moderate oven to take a pale fawn colour. cheese cakes. _ingredients_--some remains of puff pastry.  oz. of sugar.  oz. of butter. lemon. half a sponge cake. whole egg and yolk. _method._--cream the butter in a basin. add to it the castor sugar. beat well together, adding one by one the yolks of the eggs. then mix in the grated lemon peel, and the lemon juice and the sponge cake, rubbed through a wire sieve. lastly, stir in lightly half the white of the egg, beaten to a stiff froth. roll out the pastry. stamp into rounds with a fluted cutter dipped in hot water. lay the rounds in patty pans, and put a little dummy of dough or bread in the middle of each. bake them in a quick oven. when nearly cooked, remove the dummies and fill their places with the cheese-cake mixture. return them to the oven until the pastry is cooked and the cheese-cake mixture has taken a pale colour. tartlets. _ingredients_--the remains of puff paste. some preserve. _method._--roll out the paste, and stamp into rounds with a fluted cutter dipped in hot water. lay the rounds on patty pans. place in the middle of each a dummy, made of dough or bread. bake in a quick oven. when the pastry is cooked remove the dummies, and fill the places with jam. plainer tartlets may be made with short, flaky, or other pastry. cheese d'artois. _ingredients_--remains of puff paste, or some flaky crust.  oz. of butter. whole egg and yolk.  oz. of parmesan cheese. a little cayenne. pepper and salt. _method._--cream the butter well in a basin. beat in the eggs, and add the grated cheese. season with pepper, salt, and cayenne. divide the pastry into two portions, and roll them out as thinly as possible. lay one piece on a greased baking-sheet. spread it over with the cheese mixture, and lay the other on the top. mark it with the back of a knife in strips, one inch wide and three inches long. brush over with beaten egg, and bake in a quick oven, until the paste is cooked. cut out the strips with a sharp knife. dish them on a folded napkin, and sprinkle them with grated cheese. cheese straws. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of grated parmesan cheese. the yolk of an egg. a little cayenne. pepper and salt. _method._--rub the butter lightly into the flour. add the grated cheese and seasoning, and mix with the yolk of egg. if necessary, add another yolk, but no water. roll out and cut into fingers about a quarter of an inch wide and two inches long. lay them on a greased baking-sheet. stamp out with a cutter, the size of an egg-cup, some rounds, and make them into rings by stamping out the middles with a smaller cutter. bake the rings and straws a pale fawn colour, and serve them with a bundle of straws placed in each ring. gooseberry turnovers. _ingredients_--some gooseberries. sugar. short crust. _method._--pick off the heads and tails of the gooseberries. roll out the paste and cut into rather large rounds. wet the edges and put some gooseberries in the middle of each round, with a teaspoonful of sugar. fold the paste over and press the edges together. decorate the edges with a fork or spoon. put the turnovers on a greased baking-sheet, and bake in a quick oven for fifteen minutes. petit choux. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar. whole eggs. ½ pint of water. _method._--rub the flour through a sieve. put the butter and water on to boil. when boiling, stir in the flour and sugar. beat well over the fire, until the mixture leaves the sides of the saucepan, then remove the saucepan from the fire and beat in three eggs. shape like eggs, with two dessertspoons and a knife dipped in hot water. lay the pastry on a greased baking-sheet, and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. to serve, open the cakes at the side and insert a little whipped cream or preserve. decorate by brushing them over with white of egg, or a syrup of sugar and water, and sprinkle with chopped _pistachio_ kernels, grated cocoa-nut, or hundreds and thousands. apple turnovers. make like gooseberry turnovers, substituting minced apple for gooseberries. apple dumplings. _ingredients_-- dozen apples.  lb. of short crust. a little moist sugar. _method._--pare the apples and remove the cores; fill the holes with sugar. take pieces of paste large enough to cover the apples. do not roll them, but draw the paste over the apples. wet the edges to make them join. place the dumplings on a greased tin and bake for about three-quarters of an hour or one hour. the length of time will depend on the kind of apples used. puddings. a pudding which is to be boiled should be placed in a well-greased basin, or mould, which it should quite fill. a scalded and floured cloth should be tied securely over it. some puddings, such as suet, plum, &c., may be cooked without the basin, the mixture being firmly tied in a well-scalded and floured cloth, a little room being allowed for the pudding to swell. when cooked in this way, it is well to put a plate in the saucepan to prevent the pudding sticking to the bottom and burning. to cook a boiled pudding successfully, the water should be kept briskly boiling during the whole of the time it is cooking, and there should be sufficient water in the saucepan to well cover it. a kettle of boiling water should be at hand to fill up the saucepan as required. in steaming puddings, unless a steamer is used, the water should not be allowed to come more than halfway up the pudding-mould, and must only gently simmer, until the pudding is cooked. the mould used need not be covered with a cloth, but a piece of greased paper should be placed over it to prevent the condensed steam dropping on the pudding. some puddings require to be steamed very carefully, such as contain custard, for example. a custard pudding will be honeycombed (i.e. full of holes), if the water is allowed to boil; the heat of boiling will curdle the eggs. most baked puddings require a moderate oven, particularly such as rice, tapioca, &c. in preparing suet for puddings, remove the skin, slice the suet, and then chop it finely, using a little flour to prevent it sticking to the knife. currants must be well washed and dried. sultanas should be rubbed in flour, and the stalks picked off. beef-steak pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ¾ or ½ lb. of suet. ½ lb. of beef or rump steak. ½ lb. of bullock's kidney. seasoning. _method._--chop the suet finely, mix well with the flour, adding a pinch of salt. mix to a paste with cold water. roll it out, and line a greased quart-basin, reserving one-third for the cover. cut the steak into thin strips, and the kidney into slices. mix some pepper and salt on a plate, and season the meat nicely. roll each piece of meat round a tiny piece of the fat, and place the rolls and the pieces of kidney in the basin. pour in rather more than a quarter of a pint of water. roll out the remaining piece of paste. wet the edges of that in the basin, lay the cover on, and trim round neatly. tie over a well-scalded and floured cloth, and boil for four hours. oysters are sometimes put in these puddings; they should be bearded, and the hard white part removed. a rabbit or veal pudding may be made in the same manner. to these add a quarter of a pound of lean ham or bacon. where economy must be studied, less suet may be used in making the crust. suet pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. , , or  oz. of finely-chopped suet. a pinch of salt, or, if liked, a teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--mix the flour and suet lightly together. add the salt. mix to a stiff paste with cold water. then boil in a well-scalded and floured cloth for three hours. sultana pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ½ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ¼ lb. of sultanas. ¼ lb. of castor sugar; or, three ounces of moist sugar.  oz. of candied peel. the grated rind of a lemon. a pinch of salt. egg. a little milk. _method._--rub the sultanas in flour and pick off the stalks. cut the candied peel in small pieces. put all the dry ingredients into a basin, and mix with the egg, well beaten, and a little milk. boil in a basin or cloth three hours. compote of rice. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of rice. ¼ lb. of sugar. pint or more of milk. vanilla or other flavouring. _method._--boil the rice in the milk, with the sugar, for twenty minutes; if very stiff, add a little more milk or cream. flavour with vanilla, and put into a buttered mould with a well in the centre. any fruit may be put in the middle, when it is served. if oranges are used, boil ½ gill of water with ¼ lb. of lump sugar, until it sticks to a knife like an icicle. peel the oranges, and roll them in it. if apples are used, boil them gently in one pint of water, with ¼ lb. of sugar. when tender, add a little cochineal. take the apples out, and reduce the syrup to less than a quarter of a pint. roll the apples in it. queen victoria pudding. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of butter. ¼ lb. of castor sugar. ¼ lb. of flour.  oz. of chopped peel.  oz. of blanched and chopped almonds. tablespoonfuls of brandy. eggs. _method._--put the butter and sugar in a basin. cream them well together with a wooden spoon. add the yolks of the eggs one by one; then the flour, peel, almonds, and brandy. beat the whites of the eggs stiffly, and mix them in lightly. put the mixture in a well-buttered mould. cover with buttered paper, and steam for three hours. rice bars. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of rice. pint of milk.  oz. of castor sugar. yolks of eggs. a little lemon essence. whole egg. some bread-crumbs. some red jam. _method._--boil the rice in the milk, with the sugar, for half an hour, gently stirring occasionally. then remove from the fire and, when cool, beat in the two yolks, and add the lemon essence. then spread on a flat dish to cool. when quite cold, cut into bars. brush over with the beaten egg, and cover with bread-crumbs. fry in hot fat until lightly coloured. there should be an equal number of bars. spread one half of them with jam, and lay the others on the top. rice cakes. put the rice mixtures when hot into well-greased tartlet tins. make a small hole in the middle and put in a little jam. cover with some more of the rice mixture and let them get cold. then egg and bread-crumb them, and fry in hot fat. orange pudding. _ingredients_--the rind and juice of oranges.  oz. of cake-crumbs rubbed through a sieve.  oz. of castor sugar. eggs. gill of milk or cream. _method._--put the crumbs in a basin, with the sugar. add the grated rind of one orange, and the juice of the two. beat in the yolks of the three eggs, and add the milk or cream. whip the white of one egg to a stiff froth, stir in lightly. line a pie-dish with a little good pastry; pour the mixture in. bake until set, and of a light brown colour. welcome-guest pudding. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of suet. ¼ lb. of sugar. ¼ lb. of cake-crumbs, or ratafias, rubbed through a sieve. ¼ lb. of bread-crumbs. the rind and juice of one lemon. eggs, well beaten. _method._--put all the dry ingredients into a basin. add the lemon rind and juice, and mix with the eggs. put into a well-greased mould. cover with buttered paper, and steam for two hours. crème frite. _ingredients_-- whole egg. white. yolks. gill of cream. gill of milk. tablespoonful of castor sugar. flavouring to taste.  oz. of cake-crumbs. _method._--cream the yolks and white well together with the castor sugar. add cream, milk, and flavouring. strain this custard into a greased pudding-basin, and steam _very gently_, until firm. let it get quite cold; then turn it out. cut into slices about one-third of an inch thick. stamp into round or fancy shapes. egg and cake-crumb them. fry in a frying-basket in hot fat. serve on a glass dish, and sprinkle with castor sugar. gâteau de cerise. _ingredients_--  lb. of cooking cherries. ¼ lb. of lump sugar. ½ pint of water. a few drops of cochineal. ¾ of an ounce-packet of gelatine. the juice of one lemon. _method._--boil the sugar and water; add the lemon and skim well. add the cherries (stoned), and stew for a quarter of an hour. melt the gelatine in a little water, and add it to the cherries, with enough cochineal to colour brightly. pour the mixture into a border mould. when set, dip it in hot water for a second or two, and turn on to a glass dish. serve with whipped cream in the centre. jaune mange. _ingredients_--½ ounce packet of gelatine. ½ pint of water. ½ pint of white wine. juice of one and a half lemon. rind of half a lemon.  oz. of castor sugar. yolks. _method._--soak the gelatine in the water with the lemon rind. then put it in a saucepan with all the other ingredients. stir over the fire until the custard thickens; but, on no account, let it boil. then strain into a wetted mould. apple charlotte. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples. ½ lb. of moist sugar. grated rind of a lemon. slices of broad. some clarified butter. _method._--peel and core the apples, and stew them with the sugar, lemon rind, and a quarter pint of water, until reduced to half the quantity. take a plain round tin, holding about a pint and a half. cut a round of stale bread, about one-eighth of an inch thick; dip it in clarified butter, and lay it in the bottom of the mould. line the sides with slices of bread, cut about an inch wide, and one-eighth of an inch thick, and also dipped in butter. pour the apple mixture into the mould. cover with another round of bread dipped in butter; and bake in a moderately quick oven for three quarters of an hour. for serving, turn it on to a hot dish, and sprinkle castor sugar over it. viennoise pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of stale crumb of bread cut into dice.  oz. of sultanas. ¼ lb. of castor sugar.  oz. of candied peel. grated rind of a lemon. wineglass of sherry. ½ pint of milk. whole eggs.  oz. of lump sugar. _method._--put the  oz. of lump sugar into an old saucepan, and burn it a dark brown. pour in the milk, and stir until it is well coloured and the sugar dissolved. beat the eggs well, strain the coloured milk on to them, and add the sherry. put all the dry ingredients into a basin, and pour the eggs, milk, and sherry over them. let the pudding soak for half an hour. then put it into a well-greased pint-mould. cover with buttered paper, and steam for one hour and a half. this pudding is to be served with german sauce (_see_ sauces). snow pudding. _ingredients_--½ pint of milk. ½ oz. of bread-crumbs. grated rind of a lemon. tablespoonfuls of caster sugar. eggs. tablespoonfuls of strawberry or any other jam. a little pastry. _method._--put the bread-crumbs into a basin. boil the milk, and pour it over them. mix in the sugar, one whole egg, and two yolks well beaten, and add the lemon rind. line a pint pie-dish with a little pastry. spread the jam at the bottom and pour the mixture over. bake in a moderate oven until set. beat the remaining whites to a stiff froth, with a dessertspoonful of castor sugar; and heap it lightly on the top just before serving. german puffs. _ingredients_-- eggs. their weight in castor sugar, and ground rice. the grated rind of a lemon. _method._--beat the eggs well. then stir in, gradually, the castor sugar and ground rice, and add the lemon rind. partly fill well-buttered cups, or moulds, with the mixture; and bake in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour, or twenty minutes. serve with a wine or sweet sauce (_see_ sauces). apple amber pudding. _ingredients_-- apples. ½ oz. of butter.  oz. of moist sugar. rind and juice of one lemon. eggs. a little pastry. _method._--wash the apples (they need not be peeled or cored) and cut them into small pieces. put them into a stewpan with the butter, sugar, lemon rind and juice, and stew until tender. then rub through a hair sieve--the sieve keeps back the peel and pips. beat the three yolks into the mixture, and put it into a pint pie-dish lined with a little pastry. bake in a moderate oven until set. then beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with a dessertspoonful of castor sugar, and heap on the top. put it, again, into a cool oven, until the whites are set. this pudding may be served either hot or cold. apple pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. or  oz. of suet. a pinch of salt. teaspoonful of baking powder. some apples. tablespoonfuls or more of moist sugar. the grated rind of a small lemon. or cloves. _method._--prepare the paste, and line a basin as for beef-steak pudding. put in the apples, which should be pared and cored, and sprinkle in the sugar and lemon rind. put on the cover of paste, and tie over it a well-scalded and floured cloth. boil for one hour, or longer: the length of time will depend on the fruit used. any fresh fruit may be substituted for the apple. raspberry pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of raspberries.  oz. of sugar. thin slices of bread. a little milk. _method._--pick the stalks from the raspberries, and mix them with the sugar. put them and the bread in alternate layers in a pie-dish, moistening the bread with a little milk. bake for half an hour. note.--this pudding is very good served with cream or custards. the bottled raspberries may be used instead of fresh fruit. lemon pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of bread-crumbs. ¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ¼ lb. of castor sugar. the grated rind of one lemon, and the juice of two. eggs. enough milk to mix it. _method._--put the bread-crumbs and suet into a basin. add sugar, grated lemon-rind, and juice. mix the pudding with the two eggs, well beaten, and a very little milk. boil it for one hour and a half. this pudding may be served with a wine or sweet sauce (_see_ sauces). marmalade pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour. ½ lb. of bread-crumbs. ½ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ½ lb. of moist sugar. ½ lb. of marmalade. eggs. the grated rind of a lemon. _method._--put the flour, bread-crumbs, suet, sugar, and lemon rind into a basin. mix with the marmalade and two eggs, well beaten, and, if necessary, a little milk. put it into a well-greased pudding-basin, and tie over it a scalded and floured cloth. boil it for five hours. general satisfaction. _ingredients_-- sponge cakes. tablespoonfuls of strawberry or other jam. wineglass of sherry. rather more than ½ a pint of milk. eggs. tablespoonful of sugar. a little pastry. _method._--line a pie-dish with a little pastry. spread the jam at the bottom, and lay on it the sponge cakes, cut in halves. beat one whole egg and three yolks well together. mix with the sugar and milk, and pour over the sponge cakes. bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. beat the three whites stiffly, and lay on the top of the pudding. put into a cool oven until the whites are set, and of a pale fawn colour. this pudding may be served hot or cold. marlborough pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of flour. whole eggs and yolks. the grated rind of a lemon.  oz. of castor sugar.  oz. of butter. _method._--mix the flour smoothly with the milk, and stir over the fire until it boils and thickens. add the sugar, the eggs, well beaten, the grated lemon rind, and the butter beaten to a cream. line a pie-dish with pastry; pour in the mixture. bake in a moderate oven until set. yorkshire (or batter) pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour. pint of milk. eggs. a pinch of salt. _method._--put the flour into a basin, make a hole in the middle, and put in the eggs unbeaten. stir smoothly round with a wooden spoon, adding the milk very gradually. if it is to be served with meat, bake it in a baking-tin, which should be well greased with quite one ounce of butter or clarified dripping. curate's puddings. _ingredients_--the weight of eggs in each sugar, flour, and butter. eggs. a little flavouring essence of any kind, or the grated rind of a lemon. _method._--rub the butter well into the flour. add the sugar and the four eggs, well beaten. half fill well-buttered cups or moulds, and bake for twenty minutes or half an hour. serve with a wine or sweet sauce (_see_ sauces). canary pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of flour. tablespoonfuls of sugar pint of milk. eggs. _method._--put the milk and sugar on to boil. mix the flour with a little cold milk. when the milk boils pour in the flour, and stir it briskly until it thickens. when cool, add the two eggs, well beaten. bake in a greased pie-dish for half an hour. christmas pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of raisins.  lb. of suet. ½ lb. of candied peel. ¾ lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of bread-crumbs, ¼ lb. of moist sugar. a little mixed spice. half a nutmeg grated. a little lemon rind grated. ½ pint of milk. eggs. _method._--put the dry ingredients into a basin, and mix with the eggs, well beaten, and the milk. put into a well-greased basin, and boil ten hours if possible. cabinet pudding. _ingredients_--a few raisins or cherries. dozen sponge finger-biscuits.  oz. of castor sugar. pint of milk. whole eggs and yolks. a little vanilla or other flavouring. _method._--decorate a well-buttered pint-and-a-half mould with raisins or preserved cherries. beat the eggs and milk well together. sweeten with the sugar, and add the flavouring. break the cakes into pieces. put a quarter of them at the bottom of the mould. pour in a little of the custard, then more pieces of cake and more custard, and continue in this way until the mould is full. cover with buttered paper, and steam gently for about an hour. auntie's pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ¼ lb. of currants, well washed and dried.  oz. of sugar. egg. a little milk. _method._--put all the dry ingredients into a basin. mix with the egg, well beaten, and the milk. boil in a well-greased basin for an hour and a quarter. rhubarb fool. _ingredients_-- sticks of rhubarb. ½ lb. of moist sugar (more, if necessary). ½ pint of water. gill of milk. the thin rind of half a lemon. _method._--cut the rhubarb in small pieces. stew gently with the sugar and water until quite tender. rub through a sieve. add the milk, and serve cold. scrap pudding. _ingredients_--some scraps of bread. ¼ lb. of moist sugar. ¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. the grated rind of a lemon. eggs, well beaten. ¾ pint of milk. some preserve. _method._--dry the bread in a slow oven until it is hard. pound it in a mortar, and measure ounces of the powder; mix it with the suet and sugar. add the lemon rind; pour over the milk, and add the eggs. beat well for a few minutes. then put the mixture in layers in a pie-dish alternately with the preserve. let the top layer be the pudding mixture. bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is set. bread-and-cheese pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of dried and powdered bread. ½ lb. of grated cheese. ½ pint of milk. egg, well beaten. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--mix all the ingredients together, and bake in a pie-dish until the mixture is set. mould of rice. _ingredients_--½ lb. of rice. quart of milk. ¼ lb. of moist or castor sugar. _method._--boil the rice with the sugar in the milk until it is perfectly soft. then put it into a mould. when cold, turn it out, and serve it with jam. norfolk dumpling. _ingredients_--some bread dough. _method._--make the dough into small round balls. drop them into fast-boiling water, and boil quickly for twenty minutes. serve immediately, either with meat or with sweet sauce. sago pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of sago. tablespoonfuls of sugar. egg. _method._--simmer the sago in the milk until it thickens. add the sugar and the egg, well beaten. put it into a pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. the egg may be omitted if preferred. rice pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of rice. tablespoonfuls of sugar. _method._--wash the rice and put it in a pie-dish with the sugar. pour the milk over it and let it soak for an hour. then bake in a moderate oven for one hour, or more, until the rice is quite cooked. if eggs are used the rice must be simmered in the milk before they are added, and then poured into the pie-dish. tapioca pudding. make like a rice pudding. semolina pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of semolina. tablespoonful of moist sugar. an egg, if liked. _method._--simmer the semolina in the milk, with the sugar, stirring until it thickens. then beat in the egg. put in a pie-dish, and bake for half an hour. swiss apple pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of bread-crumbs.  oz. of suet, finely chopped. ¼ lb. of apples, finely minced. ¼ lb. of sugar. the juice and grated rind of one lemon. egg well beaten. _method._--mix all the ingredients well together, and bake in a pie-dish for one hour. light sultana pudding. _ingredients_-- eggs. their weight in each--butter, flour, and sugar. ¼ lb. of sultanas. the grated rind of a lemon. _method._--beat the butter to a cream. mix in gradually the flour and sugar, alternately with the eggs, which should be well beaten. then add the sultanas, well cleaned, and the grated lemon rind. steam for three hours. fun pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples. tablespoonfuls of apricot jam. tablespoonfuls of sugar.  oz. of butter. dessertspoonfuls of arrowroot. pint of milk. _method._--peel and core the apples, and slice them very finely. lay them at the bottom of a pie-dish, and sprinkle some sugar over them. put the butter about them in little pieces, and spread over the apricot jam. boil the milk, with the remainder of the sugar, and then stir it into the arrowroot, mixed smoothly with cold milk. when it thickens, pour over the apricot and apples, and bake for half an hour. sweet custard pudding. _ingredients_--some apricot jam. eggs. pint of hot milk. tablespoonfuls of castor or moist sugar. the grated rind of a lemon. a little pastry. _method._--line a pie-dish neatly with the pastry, and spread the jam at the bottom. beat the eggs with the milk and sugar, and pour over the jam. bake in a very moderate oven for about one hour. jam roly-poly pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. , , or  oz. of suet, finely chopped. some red jam. teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--put the flour into a basin, and add to it the suet and baking powder. mix it with a little cold water and roll it out. spread it with the jam, and roll up in the form of a bolster. scald and flour a cloth, and sew, or tie, the pudding firmly in it. boil for two hours. treacle roly-poly pudding. make like a jam roly-poly, using treacle instead of jam. custard pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of hot milk. eggs. tablespoonfuls of castor sugar. a little flavouring essence. a little pastry. _method._--line a pie-dish with pastry. beat the eggs in the milk, with the sugar. add the flavouring essence, and strain into the pie-dish. bake in a moderate oven for one hour, or until set. note.--a richer custard may be made by using five yolks and one whole egg. bread-and-butter pudding. _ingredients_--some slices of bread-and-butter. tablespoonfuls of sugar. pint of milk. a few currants, nicely washed. or eggs, if liked. _method._--put some thin slices of bread-and-butter in the bottom of a pie-dish. sprinkle them with sugar and currants. lay some more slices on the top, with more sugar and currants. pour over the milk, and let it soak for half an hour. then bake until set. if eggs are used, beat them with the milk. ginger pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of bread-crumbs.  oz. of suet, finely chopped. ½ lb. of treacle. tablespoonfuls of moist sugar. teaspoonfuls of ground ginger.  oz. of flour. teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--put the bread-crumbs, suet, flour, ginger, and baking powder into a basin. mix with the treacle. boil in a basin, or cloth, for two hours. fig pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of bread-crumbs. ¼ lb. of suet, finely chopped.  oz. of brown sugar.  oz. of flour. the grated rind of a lemon. egg. ½ lb. of figs. a little milk. _method._--put the bread-crumbs, suet, and sugar, with the figs, cut small, into a basin. add the flour and lemon rind, and mix with the egg, well beaten, and a little milk. boil in a well-greased basin for two hours. rice balls. _ingredients_--½ lb. of rice. quart of milk or water. tablespoonfuls of moist sugar. _method._--wash the rice well. put it with the sugar and milk, or water, into a large saucepan. boil gently for about one hour. then press into cups, and turn on to a dish. these may be served with jam, treacle, butter and sugar, or with a sweet sauce. little batter puddings. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of flour. ½ pint of milk. egg. some jam. _method._--put the flour into a bowl, and make a well in the middle. put in the egg, mix smoothly with a wooden spoon, adding the milk by degrees. grease some little patty-pans, and half fill them with the batter. bake in a quick oven. when done, dish on a folded napkin, and put a little jam on each. ellen's pudding. _ingredients_--a little pastry.  oz. of butter.  oz. of sugar. ½ pint of milk. the grated rind of a lemon. egg well beaten.  oz. of cake-crumbs. _method._--beat the butter to a cream in a basin. mix in the sugar thoroughly. add the milk gradually. then add the egg and cake-crumbs, and pour the mixture into a pie-dish lined with a little pastry. it is an improvement to put some jam at the bottom of the dish. bake for about half an hour. bread-and-fruit pudding. _ingredients_--slices of stale bread. pint of raspberries. ½ pint of currants. ¼ lb. of sugar. _method._--line a cake-tin, or pie-dish, with stale bread, cut to fit it nicely. stew the fruit with the sugar until nicely cooked. pour into the mould, and cover with slices of bread. cover it with a plate, with a weight on it, and let it stand until the next day. turn it out and serve plain, or with custard, whipped cream, or milk thickened with cornflour (_see_ cheap custard). ground-rice pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of ground rice. pint of milk.  oz. of sugar. or eggs (these may be omitted if liked). a little grated lemon rind, or flavouring essence. _method._--boil the milk with the sugar. mix the rice smoothly with a little cold milk. pour it into the boiling milk, and stir until it thickens. add the eggs, well beaten, and the flavouring. pour into a pie-dish, and bake for about thirty minutes. cold tapioca pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of tapioca. quart of milk. tablespoonfuls of sugar. lemon, or some other flavouring. _method._--soak the tapioca all night in cold water. the next day pour away the water, and put it, with the milk, into a large stewpan with the sugar. simmer gently for one hour. then pour it into a wetted basin, or mould. when set, turn it out, and serve with stewed fruit, jam, or treacle. tapioca and apples. _ingredients_-- quart of water or milk. tablespoonfuls of tapioca. tablespoonfuls of sugar.  lb. of apples. the grated rind of a lemon. _method._--soak the tapioca in cold water. then simmer it in the milk and water, with the sugar, for thirty minutes. add the apples, peeled, cored, and sliced. put the mixture into a pie-dish and bake for about one hour in a moderate oven. steamed rice pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of whole rice. tablespoonful of sugar. egg. ½ pint of milk. _method._--wash the rice well, and put it into a saucepan of cold water. bring it to the boil, and then pour off the water. pour in the milk, and add the sugar. simmer until the rice is quite soft. remove it from the fire, and when cooled a little, stir in the yolk of the egg. beat the white to a stiff froth, and stir it in lightly. put the mixture into a well-greased pudding-mould, and steam for thirty minutes. ratafia pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of milk. eggs. sponge cakes. ½ lb. of ratafias. _method._--boil the milk, and when it has cooled a little add to it the three eggs, well beaten. break the sponge cakes and ratafias in pieces, and pour the custard over them. decorate a greased mould with raisins, and pour the mixture into the mould. cover with greased paper, and steam for two hours. serve with sweet or wine sauce. macaroni pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of macaroni. ¼ lb. of sugar. or eggs. quart of milk. _method._--break the macaroni into pieces and put them into a saucepan of boiling water. boil for twenty minutes, and then strain off the water. pour in the milk; add the sugar, and simmer gently for ten minutes. beat up the eggs and stir them in. put the mixture into a buttered pie-dish and bake for about thirty minutes. eastern pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of figs (cut in small dice). ¼ lb. of suet. ½ lb. of bread-crumbs. eggs. the grated rind of a lemon. wineglass of brandy.  oz. of sugar. _method._--put the figs, suet, bread-crumbs, and grated lemon rind into a basin. mix it with the eggs, well beaten, and the brandy, adding a little milk if necessary. boil in a greased basin for two hours. ground-barley pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonful of ground barley. ½ pint of milk. tablespoonful of moist sugar. egg. _method._--mix the barley smoothly with the milk. put it into a saucepan with the sugar, and bring to the boil, stirring all the time. then let it simmer for fifteen minutes. remove from the fire, and beat in the yolk of the egg. whip the white up stiffly, and stir in lightly. pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake for fifteen minutes. steamed semolina pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of semolina. pint of milk. eggs.  oz. of moist sugar. a little flavouring essence. _method._--boil the semolina in the milk, with the sugar, until quite soft. then add the flavouring essence and the yolks of the two eggs. beat the whites up stiffly and mix them in lightly. pour the mixture into a greased pudding-mould, and steam for one hour. albert puddings. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar. eggs. a few drops of vanilla flavouring. _method._--work the butter to a cream in a basin, and beat in the flour, sugar, and eggs smoothly. add the flavouring essence. put the mixture into well-greased cups and bake for about half an hour. serve with sweet sauce. pearl-barley pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of pearl barley. pint of milk.  oz. of moist sugar. _method._--put the barley to soak in cold water all night. then pour away the water and put the barley into a pie-dish. add the sugar and milk; and bake in a moderate oven for three hours. baked lemon pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of milk.  oz. of bread-crumbs. egg.  oz. of moist sugar. the juice of a lemon and half the rind, grated. _method._--put the crumbs into a basin. boil the milk with the butter and sugar, and pour it over the crumbs. stir in the egg, well beaten; add the lemon rind and juice. pour it into a greased pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven until set. west-of-england pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of sago. small apples. quart of milk.  oz. of moist sugar. _method._--soak the sago in cold water for an hour. then simmer it in the milk, with the sugar, for twenty minutes. peel and core the apples. place them in a buttered pie-dish, and pour the sago over them. bake in a moderate oven for about one hour. pancakes. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour. eggs. pint of milk. some lard, or dripping, for frying. _method._--put the flour into a basin, add to it a pinch of salt. make a well in the middle and put the two eggs into it; mix them smoothly with the flour; and add the milk very gradually. melt the lard, or dripping. well season a small frying-pan, about the size of a cheese plate. put into it a teaspoonful of the melted fat, and let it run well over the pan. then pour in enough batter to cover the pan thinly, and fry it brown, shaking the pan occasionally to keep it from burning. then toss it on to the other side; and, when that is fried, turn it on to kitchen paper. sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice and roll it up. keep it hot while the remainder of the batter is fried in the same way. if the maker cannot toss the pancakes well, they may be turned with a broad-bladed knife. if they are fried in a larger pan, more fat must be used. railway pudding. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of flour.  oz. of castor sugar. eggs. ½ pint of milk. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. _method._--mix the flour, sugar, and baking powder in a basin. beat the eggs well with the milk, and mix the pudding with them. pour into a well-greased yorkshire-pudding tin; and bake for about thirty minutes. when done, turn out and cut into squares. dish in a circle, with a little jam, or treacle, on each. poor knight's pudding. _ingredients_--some small square slices of stale bread. castor sugar. _method._--fry the bread in hot fat (_see_ french frying). drain on kitchen paper. dish in the form of a wreath, the one leaning on the other, and put a little jam on each. gooseberry fool. _ingredients_-- quart of gooseberries. ¾ lb. of moist sugar. ½ pint of water. pint of milk or cream. _method._--take the tops and stalks from the gooseberries, and boil them with the sugar and water until soft. rub them through a hair sieve. mix in the milk, or cream, gradually; and serve on a glass dish. apricot pudding. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ½ lb. of bread-crumbs. eggs. tablespoonfuls of apricot jam. glass of sherry.  oz. of sugar. _method._--put the suet, bread-crumbs, and sugar into a basin, and mix with the eggs, well beaten, apricot and sherry. put the mixture into a greased pudding-mould and boil for two hours. stale-bread pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. scraps of bread. quart of boiling milk. eggs.  oz. of sugar. ¼ lb. of currants. _method._--soak the bread in cold water until soft. squeeze it quite dry, and beat up with a fork. pour the boiling milk over. stir in the sugar and eggs, well beaten. then stir in the currants. bake in a pie-dish for two hours. baked plum pudding. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ¾ lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of raisins, stoned and chopped. ¼ lb. of currants.  oz. of candied peel.  oz. of moist sugar. egg. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. gill, or more, of milk. _method._--put all the dry ingredients into a basin, and mix with the egg and milk; it must be quite stiff. bake in a greased baking-tin for one hour. for serving, cut into squares, and dust them over with castor sugar. treacle pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ¼ lb of finely-chopped suet. ¼ lb. of treacle. ½ oz. of ground ginger. egg.  oz. of moist sugar. ½ gill of milk. teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--put the dry ingredients into a basin. mix with the treacle and the egg well beaten with the milk. boil in a greased basin for four hours. the egg may be omitted, if liked. plum pudding. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ¼ lb. of currants. ¼ lb. of raisins, stoned and chopped.  oz. of flour.  oz. of bread-crumbs.  oz. of candied peel.  oz. of sugar. gill of milk. eggs. ½ teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--put the dry ingredients into a basin, and mix with the eggs and milk, well beaten together. boil in a cloth or basin for four hours. windsor pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of semolina.  oz. of candied peel. ½ pint of milk. ¼ lb. of treacle. _method._--mix the milk smoothly with the semolina. then put it into a saucepan and stir until it thickens. add the treacle and candied peel; pour it into a pie-dish. bake for about thirty minutes. spring pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of gooseberries. ½ pint of milk.  oz. of moist sugar. slices of bread-and-butter. _method._--stew the gooseberries with a very little water and the sugar for ten minutes. dip the bread into the milk, and lay a slice at the bottom of a pie-dish. put a layer of gooseberries on it. then another slice of bread-and-butter and more gooseberries. continue in this manner until the dish is full. bake gently for one hour. gingerbread pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour. ½ lb. of treacle. ¼ lb. of finely chopped suet. teaspoonfuls of ground ginger. ½ teaspoonful of baking powder.  oz. of candied peel. egg. a little milk. _method._--put the dry ingredients into a basin. mix with the egg, well beaten, treacle and milk. boil in a greased basin for three hours. economical bread pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of scraps of bread. ¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ¼ lb. of currants.  oz. of moist sugar. egg. _method._--soak the bread in cold water until soft; squeeze it quite dry. beat it up with a fork. add to it the suet, sugar, and currants, which should be well washed and dried. mix with the egg, well beaten. boil in a greased basin for an hour. economical ginger pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of scraps of bread. ¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet.  oz. of moist sugar. tablespoonfuls of treacle. teaspoonfuls of ground ginger. _method._--soak the bread in cold water until quite soft. squeeze it dry, and beat with a fork until quite fine. add the suet, sugar, and ginger, and mix with the treacle. boil in a greased basin for an hour. economical fig pudding. _ingredients_--½ lb. of scraps of bread. ¼ lb. of finely-chopped suet. ½ lb. of figs. egg.  oz. of moist sugar. _method._--soak the bread in cold water until quite soft. squeeze it dry. add to it the suet, sugar, and figs, chopped small, and mix with beaten egg. boil in a greased basin for one hour. economical lemon pudding. make like preceding recipe, substituting the grated rind and juice of two lemons for the figs. currant pudding. _ingredients_-- eggs. the same weight of sugar, flour, and bread-crumbs. suet, currants, minced apples. a little grated lemon rind. a little milk. _method._--chop the suet finely, and add to it the sugar, flour, bread-crumbs, minced apple, currants, and grated lemon rind. mix with the eggs, well beaten, and a little milk. boil in a greased basin for three hours. plain cold cabinet pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonful of flour. ½ tablespoonful of arrowroot. wineglass of sherry. a few raisins. stale sponge cakes. pint of milk.  oz. of sugar. _method._--put the milk to boil with the sugar. when boiling, stir in the flour, mixed with a little cold milk. when it thickens, add the arrowroot, also mixed smoothly with milk. boil for three minutes, stirring all the time. then add to it the sherry. cut the raisins in two and stone them. decorate a plain round tin with them. break up the cakes and put some pieces in the tin. pour in some of the thickened milk, then some more pieces of cake, and more milk. continue in this way until the mould is full. set it aside until quite cold. then turn it out, and serve with jam. cornflour pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of cornflour. pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of castor sugar. egg, if liked. _method._--put the milk on to boil. put the cornflour into a pie-dish with the sugar. mix smoothly with a little cold milk. pour on it the boiling milk, stirring quickly until it thickens. add the egg, well beaten, and a little flavouring essence. bake in a pie-dish for about thirty minutes. swiss pudding. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples. ½ lb. of bread-crumbs.  oz. of moist sugar. a little grated lemon rind.  oz. of butter. _method._--peel, core, and slice the apples. put a layer of them into a buttered pie-dish. sprinkle them with crumbs, lemon rind, and a little sugar, and put small pieces of butter about them. put some pieces of apple on the top; sprinkle them also with crumbs, lemon rind, sugar, and butter. continue in the same way until the dish is full. bake until the pudding is nicely browned. for serving, it may be turned out of the dish. brown-bread pudding. _ingredients_-- loaf of brown bread. gill of double cream. the rind of lemon.  oz. of castor sugar. gill of milk. eggs. a few drops of essence of vanilla. _method._--remove the crust from the loaf, and rub the crumb through a wire sieve. put five ounces of the crumbs into a basin with the sugar and grated lemon rind. boil the milk, pour it over the crumbs, and add the vanilla essence. whip the cream to a stiff froth, and mix it with the pudding, adding also the yolks of the eggs. beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, and stir them in lightly. put the mixture into a well-greased mould, and steam for an hour and a half. diplomatic pudding. _ingredients_--¼ pint of sweet jelly. pint of milk. ½ oz. of gelatine. sponge cakes.  oz. of ratafias. whole egg, and yolks.  oz. of sugar. a little flavouring essence. _method._--soak the gelatine in a little milk. break the sponge cakes and ratafias, and put them into a basin. boil the milk with the sugar. beat the eggs, and pour the milk on them. strain it into a jug, and put it to stand in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until the custard coats the spoon. then melt the gelatine, add it to the custard, and pour it at once over the cakes. while the mixture cools, pour a little jelly, coloured with cochineal, into a plain round tin. when it is set, place a jam-pot, or a smaller tin, on it, and pour some jelly round the sides. when it is quite firm, pour some boiling water into the jam-pot, or tin, and remove it quickly. when the custard and cakes are cold, but not set, add the essence, and pour into the mould. when quite firm, dip the tin in hot water for a second or two, and turn it on to a glass dish. pease pudding. _ingredients_-- pint of split peas. pepper and salt. _method._--soak the peas overnight. tie them in a bag or cloth, leaving room for them to swell. cook them with the meat with which they are to be served. then drain them in a colander. mash them with pepper and salt, and press them into a shape in a vegetable-dish. hominy porridge. _ingredients_-- pint of milk or water. tablespoonfuls of flaked hominy. _method._--mix the hominy smoothly with the milk or water. stir and cook over the fire for ten minutes. hominy pudding. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of flaked hominy. pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of sugar. _method._--mix the hominy with a little cold milk, and make the remainder boil. then stir in the hominy and cook until it thickens. add the sugar, pour into a greased pie-dish, and bake for about half an hour. if liked, one or two eggs may be added to the pudding, with a little flavouring essence. note.--the _flaked_ hominy is the best for general purposes, as the _granulated_ takes many hours boiling before it is properly cooked. vegetables. the rules for cooking vegetables are very simple, and easily remembered. all vegetables, with the exception of old potatoes, are put into boiling water. green vegetables must be boiled with the lid off the saucepan, as the steam would discolour them, and the water must _boil_, _not simmer_. salt is added, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. if the water is very hard, it may be necessary to add a little piece of soda. the lime in hard water discolours green vegetables, and the use of soda is to throw this down. do not, however, use soda, unless obliged, as too much of it will destroy, to some extent, the flavour of the vegetables. peas must be boiled gently, as rapid boiling would break their skins. haricot beans must be boiled gently, for the same reason. root vegetables take longer to cook than fresh ones. old potatoes must be put into warm water, as they require gradual cooking, and must be boiled gently, until tender. with that exception, all the others must be put into boiling water. carrots, turnips, and parsnips are generally cooked with the meat with which they are served, as their flavour is thereby improved. to boil potatoes. if boiled in their skins, scrub them perfectly clean, and put them into a saucepan with sufficient warm water to cover them. sprinkle them with salt and boil them gently for half an hour or more, until very _nearly_ tender, but not quite. then pour the water away. peel the potatoes, replace them in the saucepan, sprinkle salt upon them, cover them with a cloth, and put the lid on the saucepan. let them stand by the side of the fire to finish cooking in their own steam. care must be taken that the potatoes cooked in this way are free from disease. one tainted potato would destroy the flavour of the others. if cooked without their skins, pare them thinly and treat them in the same manner, pouring off the water when they are very nearly tender, and finish cooking them in their own steam. if the potatoes are good and are cooked according to these directions, they will be perfectly dry and flowery. to steam potatoes. put the potatoes into the steamer, and sprinkle them with salt. keep the water in the saucepan underneath quickly boiling the whole time the potatoes are cooking. if the potatoes are cooked in their skins,[*] peel them when very nearly tender, and put them back in the steamer to finish cooking. steaming is one of the simplest and best ways of cooking potatoes. if the potatoes are good and the water is kept briskly boiling, this method cannot fail to be successful. [*] this should only be done when untainted by disease. to cook new potatoes. put the potatoes into boiling water with some salt, and boil gently for twenty minutes or more, according to their age. when very nearly tender pour off the water, cover them with a cloth, and set the saucepan by the side of the fire, and finish cooking in their own steam. baked potatoes. choose nice potatoes, not too large, and scrub them perfectly clean. bake them in a moderate oven for about an hour. brussels sprouts. trim them nicely and put them in boiling water, adding salt in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. put in a little sugar, or, if the water is hard, a little piece of soda the size of a pea. boil them quickly, with the lid off the saucepan, from ten to twenty minutes, according to the size and age of the sprouts. when tender, drain them quite dry in a colander. dry the saucepan and put them back with a little butter, pepper, and salt. shake them over the fire for a minute or so, and then serve on a hot dish. to boil a cauliflower. soak it in salt and water to draw out any insects, and trim off the outside leaves. put it, with the flower downwards, into a saucepan of boiling water with salt in it, and cook from twenty to thirty minutes, according to its age. drain it on a sieve or colander. if liked, it may be served with white or french sauce poured over it (_see_ sauces.) green peas. put them into plenty of boiling water, with a little sugar and a sprig or two of mint. boil gently with the lid off the saucepan for twenty minutes or more, according to their size and age. drain them in a colander. then put them into a saucepan with a little piece of butter, a teaspoonful of castor sugar, pepper and salt, and shake them over the fire for a minute or two. french beans. remove the strings and cut the beans into slices. put them into plenty of boiling water, with salt in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water, a little sugar, or, if the water is hard, a small piece of soda about the size of a pea. boil quickly for fifteen minutes or longer, according to their age. drain in a colander. then put them into a saucepan with a small piece of butter, pepper and salt, and shake them over the fire for a minute or two. spinach. pull off the stalks and wash the spinach well in several waters to remove all grit. put it into a saucepan without any water but that which adheres to the leaves, and sprinkle a little salt over it. cook with the lid off the saucepan until quite tender, stirring it occasionally. drain it in a colander, and wring it dry in a cloth. then chop it, or rub it through a wire sieve. the latter method is preferable. to dress it, mix it in a saucepan over the fire with a little butter, pepper, and salt; a little cream may be used also, care being taken not to make the spinach too moist to serve. press it into shape, as a mound or pyramid, in a vegetable dish, and garnish with fried _croutons_ of bread. asparagus. cut the asparagus all the same length, and scrape the white part lightly. tie it together and put it in boiling water, to which salt has been added, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to two quarts of water. add also half an ounce of butter. boil gently with the lid off the saucepan for half an hour, until the green part is tender--very young asparagus will not take so long. dish on toast; if liked, french or white sauce may be poured over the green ends. jerusalem artichokes. peel them, and throw them into boiling water, with salt in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. boil gently with the lid on the saucepan for about fifteen or twenty minutes, until quite tender. they may be served plain, or with french or white sauce poured over them. they should be sent to table quickly, or they will be discoloured. carrots. scrape them and put them into boiling water with salt in it, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. boil gently with the lid on the saucepan until they are quite tender. new carrots will take about twenty minutes, old ones an hour or more, according to their age and size. when they are served with boiled meat, they are generally cooked with it. new carrots are sometimes boiled in second stock. when tender, they are put on a hot vegetable dish, the stock is rapidly boiled down to a glaze, and poured over them. turnips. boil according to directions given for cooking carrots. turnips generally take about half an hour; but the time depends on their age and size. if liked, they may be rubbed through a wire sieve, and mashed with butter, pepper, and salt. parsnips. cook like carrots. they may be served plain, or rubbed through a wire sieve and mashed with butter, pepper, and salt. haricot beans. soak them overnight. put them into boiling water with a small piece of butter and a small onion. boil gently from three to four hours until quite tender. drain them, and before serving shake them over the fire with a little butter, pepper, and salt. spanish onions. first blanch them by putting them into cold water and bringing it to the boil. then throw away the water. rinse the onions, sprinkle some salt over them, and put them into fresh water. boil gently from two to three hours, until perfectly tender. drain them, and serve, if liked, with french, italian or white sauce. spanish onions are sometimes boiled in stock, or milk which is afterwards used to make the sauce. celery. clean the celery thoroughly, and tie it in bundles. put it in boiling water, milk, or stock, with a little salt and butter, and simmer gently for twenty minutes or more, until quite tender. dish on a piece of toast. if liked, a sauce may be made with the liquor in which the celery has been cooked, and poured over it. vegetable marrows. peel the marrows thinly, and cut them in quarters, removing the seeds. put them in boiling water, with salt in the proportion of one tablespoonful to every two quarts of water, and boil gently until tender. they may be served, if desired, with french or white sauce poured over them. marrows are very nice when boiled in milk; the milk can afterwards be used to make the sauce. cabbage. take off the outer decayed leaves, and soak the cabbage in salt and water, to draw out any insects. if very large, cut into quarters. put into boiling water, to which salt should be added, in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. if the water is hard, a piece of soda the size of a bean should be added. boil quickly--with the lid off the saucepan--for half an hour, or more, until tender. drain well in a colander before serving. broad beans. put them, when shelled, into boiling water, to which salt should be added in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. boil gently, from fifteen minutes to half an hour, according to their size and age. when tender, pour the water away, and shake them in the saucepan over the fire, with a little butter or dripping, pepper, and salt. tomatoes. these are better baked than boiled: boiling destroys their flavour. put them on a baking-tin, greased with butter or dripping. sprinkle over them a little pepper and salt, and cover them with a greased paper. put them in a moderate oven, for about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. seakale. tie it in bundles, and put into boiling water, with a little butter, and also some salt, in the proportion of a tablespoonful to every two quarts of water. boil, with the lid off the saucepan, until the seakale is tender. drain, and serve on toast. french or white sauce may be poured over it. seakale is sometimes boiled in milk, which should afterwards be used to make the sauce. mushrooms. peel the mushrooms; rinse them to remove any grit, and cut off the ends of the stalks. put them on a greased baking-tin, with the stalks upwards, and put some little bits of butter on each mushroom, with a little pepper and salt. cover them with buttered paper, and bake them in a moderate oven from ten to twenty minutes, until tender. serve on a hot dish, with the gravy poured over them. stewed mushrooms. peel and rinse the mushrooms, and cut off the ends of the stalks. stew them gently in water, stock, or milk, until quite tender, adding pepper and salt to taste. then thicken the gravy with a little flour, and let it cook well, stirring carefully. before serving, stir in a little cream or butter. fried potatoes. take thin peelings of potatoes, and twist into fancy shapes, or cut the potatoes into thin slices. dry them well in a cloth, and drop them into hot fat (_see_ french frying) until quite crisp, and of a light brown colour. remove them with a fish-slice or colander-spoon, and drain them on kitchen paper. tomato farni. _ingredients_-- or ripe tomatoes.  oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. gill of stock or milk. dessertspoonful of chopped parsley. dessertspoonful of chopped cooked ham. dessertspoonful of grated parmesan cheese. a few button mushrooms, chopped. a few drops of lemon juice. some white and browned bread-crumbs. pepper and salt. _method._--melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. then add the stock or milk; stir and cook well. then mix in sufficient white bread-crumbs to make the mixture stiff. add the parsley, mushrooms, cheese, ham, lemon-juice, pepper, and salt. scoop out the top of each tomato. pile a little of the stuffing on each, and sprinkle a few browned bread-crumbs over. put them on a greased baking-sheet, and cook them in a moderate oven for about a quarter of an hour. cauliflower au gratin. _ingredients_-- cauliflower.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. gill of water. tablespoonfuls of cream.  oz. of grated parmesan cheese. pepper, salt, and a little cayenne. _method._--boil the cauliflower; remove the green leaves. place it, with the flower upwards, in a vegetable-dish, and press it into an oval shape. melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix the flour in smoothly. add the water; stir and cook well. then add the cream, and one ounce of parmesan cheese, pepper, salt, and cayenne. pour the sauce over the cauliflower. sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over it, and brown, either with a salamander or in a quick oven. potato croquettes. _ingredients_--  lb. of potatoes.  oz. of butter. eggs. pepper and salt. some white bread-crumbs. _method._--boil the potatoes, and rub them through a wire sieve. mash them well with the butter, pepper, and salt. mix in one egg, well beaten. flour the hands very slightly, and form the mixture in balls, or any other shape preferred. brush them over with beaten egg, and cover them with crumbs. slightly mould them again when the crumbs are on them. fry in a frying-basket, in hot fat (_see_ french frying). garnish with fried parsley. salsify patties. _ingredients_--some patty-cases, made as for oysters. ½ lb. of salsify.  oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of cream. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--cook the salsify in milk or water until tender. then cut it into small pieces. melt the butter in a small stewpan, mix in the flour smoothly. then add the milk; stir and cook well. mix in the cream and let it boil in the sauce. then add the lemon juice, seasoning, and salsify. fill the patty-cases with the mixture, and put a lid on each. tomatoes au gratin. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of tomatoes. pint of bread-crumbs.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--slice the tomatoes, and put a layer of them in the bottom of a pie-dish. cover them with crumbs; sprinkle with pepper and salt, and place small pieces of butter on them. then put another layer of tomatoes, covering them in the same way with crumbs. use up all the tomatoes and crumbs in this way, letting the last layer be of crumbs. bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes. mashed potatoes. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter to every pound of potatoes. tablespoonful of cream, if possible. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--the potatoes should be well cooked, and be dry and floury. put them quickly through a wire sieve. mix them well in a saucepan with the butter, cream, and seasoning. make them quite hot. heap them in a mound-like form in a vegetable dish, and smooth over with a knife. mashed potatoes (a plainer way). add to the potatoes, while in the saucepan, some butter or dripping. season with pepper and salt. beat with a fork until perfectly smooth and free from lumps. where economy must be studied, nice beef dripping will be found an excellent substitute for butter. potato balls. form some mashed potatoes into balls. brush them over with beaten egg. put them on a greased baking-tin, and bake in a quick oven until brown. serve garnished with parsley. this is a nice way of using up cold potatoes. flaked potatoes. rub some nicely-cooked floury potatoes through a wire sieve into a hot vegetable dish. this must be done quickly, that the potatoes may be served quite hot. rice for a curry. well wash some patna rice. throw it into plenty of quickly-boiling water with salt in it, and boil until the rice is nearly cooked, but not quite. this will take from eight to ten minutes. strain the rice on a sieve and pour hot water over it, rinsing it well. then put it in the saucepan again, cover it and let it stand in a hot place to finish cooking in its own steam. soups. these are very valuable preparations, and are useful to the poor as well as to the rich, as many of the most nutritious soups are the cheapest. pea soup, haricot soup, and lentil soup are all rich in nourishment, and may be made at a trifling cost, stock not being _necessary_ for their manufacture. the boilings from meat, when not too salt, may be used with advantage in making these soups; but if this is not available, they may be made quite well with water; and, if carefully prepared, will have all the flavour of a meat soup. in making stock for meat soups, it must be borne in mind that in order to extract the juices from the meat it must be put into _cold_ water, which should be heated very gradually, and only allowed to _simmer_. in this way a rich stock is procured, as all the virtue of the meat is drawn into the water. boiling would produce a poor and flavourless stock, as the extreme heat applied, by hardening the albumen, would tend to keep in the juices of the meat instead of drawing them out. in making stock from bones, the method to be pursued is quite the opposite. bones must be boiled, otherwise the gelatine in them will not be extracted; simmering would be of little use. the gelatine can only be thoroughly extracted when they are boiled at higher pressure than is possible in ordinary cookery. bones contain so much gelatine that after they have been once used in stock they should be broken up in pieces and again boiled, so that the gelatine from the _inside_ may also be extracted. an economical cook will often make excellent stock for soup from bones alone, with the addition of suitable vegetables for flavouring. first stock for clear soup. _ingredients_--  lb. of shin of beef, or  lb. of shin of beef and  lb. of knuckle of veal. pints of water. carrots. turnips. onion. the white part of a leek. dozen peppercorns. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. a bay leaf. pepper and salt. _method._--cut the meat into pieces about one inch in size. break up the bone and remove the marrow. put bones and meat into a stockpot with the cold water. let them soak for half an hour. then put the pot on the fire; add some salt and pepper to it, and gently simmer the contents for half an hour. next put in the vegetables sliced, and the herbs tied together. simmer for ½ hours longer, skimming occasionally. strain into a clean pan, and set aside to get cold. white stock. this may be made by the directions in the preceding recipe, using white meat instead of beef; knuckle of veal is considered the stock meat for white soup. knuckle of veal and a rabbit make excellent stock. very good economical white stock may be made by using bones only in making the stock, and no meat; use a ham-bone, if possible, with the others, as this gives a nice flavour. second stock. take any scraps of cooked or uncooked meat; any bones, cooked or uncooked, to make second stock. allow one pint of water to every pound of meat and bones, and vegetables in the same proportion as for first stock. the bones should be broken up. boil gently until all the virtue is extracted from the meat, bones, and vegetables. the contents of the stockpot should be emptied into a pan every night, and the stock strained from the meat, bones, and vegetables. these should be looked over, and the bones, meat, &c., which are of no further use removed; the remainder should be set aside to use with fresh stock material. bones may be boiled for a very long time before the gelatine will be perfectly extracted. second stock, when cold, should be a stiff jelly, in consequence of the gelatine contained in the bones. white stock from bones uncooked. _ingredients_--  lb. of uncooked bones, with a ham-bone, if possible, amongst them. pints of water. carrots. turnips. large onion. half a head of celery. sprig of parsley. thyme, marjoram, and a bay leaf. blade of mace. _method._--break up the bones and put them with the vegetables, sliced, into a stockpot with the water; boil gently for five hours, adding pepper and salt to taste. then strain into a clean pan. clear soup. _ingredients_-- quarts of first stock. ¾ lb. of gravy beef. the white and shell of one egg. _method._--remove _all_ the fat from the stock. if it is in a jelly, take off as much as possible with an iron spoon, and remove the remainder by washing the top of the stock with a cloth dipped in very hot water. scrape the beef finely and soak it in two tablespoonfuls of cold water to loosen the juices. put the stock in a stewpan and add the beef to it, the white and shell of the egg, and a very tiny piece of each kind of vegetable used in making the stock. whisk over the fire until the stock begins to simmer. then leave off stirring and let it well boil up. remove it from the fire and put it on one side for a crust to form. tie a clean cloth to the four legs of a chair turned upside down. pour some boiling water through it into a basin, to ensure it being perfectly clean. then put a clean basin underneath and pour all the contents of the stewpan on to the cloth. the first time the soup runs through it will be cloudy, because the filter made by the beef and egg will not have settled at the bottom of the cloth. take the soup away; put a clean basin under the cloth, and pour the soup slowly through. if this is carefully done the soup will be quite brilliant the second time of straining, and will not require to go through the cloth again. julienne soup. this is a clear soup with shred vegetables served in it. scrape some carrots and take thin parings of them. cut these into very thin strips. take some thin slices of turnip and cut them into strips of the same length. boil the turnips for five minutes, and the carrots for fifteen minutes. consommée au royal. this is clear soup with a savoury custard in it. savoury custard. _ingredients_-- whole egg. yolk. ½ gill of clear soup. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--beat the eggs and soup together and strain them into a greased gallipot. cover them with buttered paper and steam very gently for a quarter of an hour until the custard is firm. let it cool, then turn it out. cut into thin slices. stamp into dice or diamonds and serve them in the clear soup. if the custard is not very gently steamed it will be full of holes, and useless for this purpose. consommée à la princesse. serve small _quenelles_ (see _quenelles_ of veal), made in teaspoons, and nicely poached, in the clear soup. friar tuck. make one quart of clear soup boiling hot. beat two eggs well. when the soup is quite boiling, strain the eggs through a pointed strainer into it. celery soup. _ingredients_-- quarts of second stock. heads of celery.  oz. of flour. ½ pint of cream or good milk. _method._--wash the celery well and cut it in pieces. simmer it in the stock for half an hour or more until quite tender. make a thickening of the flour; pour it into the soup and boil, stirring, for three minutes. then rub through a sieve. put it into the saucepan again. add the cream, stir and let it boil up. serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. oyster soup. _ingredients_-- dozen oysters. ½ pint of white stock.  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. _method._--beard the oysters and cut them in two. put the beards into the stock and simmer them in it for a few minutes. melt the butter in another stewpan; mix in the flour smoothly; pour in the stock; stir and boil well. add the cream and let it boil in the soup. strain the oyster liquor and scald the oysters in it. put them in the soup and add the anchovy sauce and lemon juice. haricot soup. _ingredients_-- pint of haricot beans. onion. quarts of water. pint of milk. ½ oz. of dripping. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--soak the beans over night in cold water. boil them with the onion, dripping, pepper and salt, in three pints of water, from three to four hours, until quite soft. rub them with their liquor through a wire sieve. add the milk, and make the soup hot, stirring it over the fire until it boils. serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. note.--this soup is much improved if it is rubbed through a _hair_ sieve after it has been through the wire sieve. green pea purée. _ingredients_-- pints of shelled peas. a large handful of pea-shells. or leaves of spinach. or sprigs of parsley. a few young onions. a sprig of mint. a small piece of soda. lump of sugar. pints of second stock. tablespoonfuls of arrowroot. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--wash the shells well, and put them, with the peas and other vegetables, into boiling water, to which is added the soda and the sugar. when quite tender, drain off the water, and put the vegetables into the stock, which should be made boiling. let it boil up. then rub through a hair sieve. make the soup hot; thicken with arrow-root; and, in serving, add, if liked, a little cream, or glaze. potage à l'américaine. _ingredients_-- pints of second stock. tablespoonfuls of crushed tapioca. good-sized tomatoes. _method._--put the stock into a stewpan on the fire to boil. when boiling, stir in the crushed tapioca. stir and cook for about ten minutes, until it is transparent. rub the tomatoes through a hair sieve. add them to the stock. boil for about two minutes and the soup will be ready to serve. cream may be added if liked. onion soup. _ingredients_-- spanish onions.  oz. of butter. quarts of water.  oz. of flour. ½ pint of milk or cream. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--peel the onions, and cut them in slices. fry them in the butter, but do not let them discolour. then boil them in the water until quite soft. rub them with their liquor through a hair sieve. put this _purée_ into a stewpan on the fire to boil. when boiling, stir in a thickening of the flour. stir and cook well. then add the milk or cream, pepper, and salt, to taste. let the soup boil up, and it is ready. serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. tapioca cream. _ingredients_-- ½ pint of white stock.  oz. of crushed tapioca. tablespoonfuls of cream. the yolks of eggs. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--put the stock into a stewpan on the fire to boil. when boiling, sprinkle in the crushed tapioca. stir and cook well for about ten minutes. beat the yolks lightly with the cream, and strain them. let the stock cool a little, and then add two or three tablespoonfuls of it gradually to the eggs and cream. pour the eggs and cream into the stock, and stir over the fire until the eggs thicken like custard. care must be taken that the stock does not boil after the eggs are in it, as that would curdle them. palestine soup. _ingredients_--  lb. of jerusalem artichokes. quarts of stock; or the liquor mutton or veal has been boiled in. onion. turnip. ½ head of celery. ½ pint of cream, or good milk. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--peel and cut the artichokes and other vegetables into slices. boil them in the stock until tender. rub through a hair sieve. add the cream, and boil it in the soup. add pepper and salt; and serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. potato purée. _ingredients_--  lb. of potatoes. onion. stick of celery. ½ pint of white stock. ½ pint of cream or milk. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--peel the potatoes, and cut them, as well as the onion and the celery, into thin slices. put them in the stock, and simmer gently until tender. rub through a tammy-cloth or hair sieve. add the cream to the soup, and make it hot. serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. egyptian purée or lentil soup. _ingredients_-- pint of egyptian lentils. good-sized onion. carrot and turnip. sticks of celery, or one dessertspoonful of celery seed tied in a piece of muslin. quarts of water, or liquor from a leg of mutton. pepper and salt. _method._--wash the lentils thoroughly. then boil them in the water with the vegetables, cut in small pieces, from two to three hours, stirring occasionally; when quite cooked, rub through a wire sieve; season to taste. make the soup hot in a stewpan, stirring all the time. serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. note.--this soup is much improved if it is rubbed through a hair sieve, after it has been through the wire sieve. pea soup. make according to directions given in preceding recipe, substituting split peas for lentils. calf-tail soup. _ingredients_-- calves' tails. carrot. turnip. onion. sprig of thyme, parsley, and marjoram. a little celery. small clove of garlic. dozen peppercorns.  oz. flour. quarts of stock. salt. _method._--cut the tails into joints. put them into a stewpan, with the water; when it simmers put in the vegetables, &c., and cook very gently for four hours. remove the pieces of tail, and let the stock get cold. then remove the fat, and thicken the stock with the flour. serve with the pieces of tail in it. a wineglass of sherry may be added if liked. ox-tail soup. _ingredients_-- ox-tail. quarts of stock. carrot, turnip, and onion. half a head of celery. slice of ham. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaves. cloves. pepper and salt.  oz. of butter. wineglass of sherry. a few drops of lemon juice.  oz. of flour. _method._--cut the ox-tail into joints. fry them in the butter, with the vegetables, cut in pieces. put the tail and vegetables into a large saucepan with the stock, pepper, salt, and cloves. boil for very nearly four hours. then strain the stock. remove the pieces of tail, and put them on one side. when the stock is quite cold, remove the fat perfectly and put the stock in a stewpan on the fire to boil. when it boils, stir in a thickening made of the flour. stir, and cook the flour well. then add the sherry and lemon juice. serve with the pieces of tail in it. sheep's-head soup. _ingredients_-- sheep's head. quarts of water. large carrot. large turnip. large onion. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. head of celery.  oz. of flour. teaspoonful of minced parsley. tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs. egg. pepper and salt. _method._--split open the head, and clean it thoroughly. remove the tongue and brains, and blanch the head by putting it into cold water and bringing it to the boil. throw the water away, and rinse the head well. put it into a large saucepan with the three quarts of water and the vegetables, cut in small pieces. boil gently for five hours. then strain into a basin, and rub the meat and vegetables through a wire sieve. when cold, remove the fat from the stock, and add the pulped vegetables and meat. make the soup hot, and stir in a thickening made of the flour. boil the flour well, stirring all the time. serve the soup with forcemeat balls in it. _to make the forcemeat balls._--boil the tongue and brains separately. chop them up; mix them with the bread-crumbs, pepper, salt, and the minced parsley, and bind with the egg. make into balls, and roll them in flour; place them on a greased baking-sheet and bake until brown. put them in a soup-tureen, and pour the soup over them. tapioca soup. _ingredients_--  oz. of tapioca. pints of second stock. _method._--wash the tapioca well, and throw it into the stock when boiling. simmer gently for half an hour, stirring occasionally. ox-cheek soup. _ingredients_-- ox-cheek. some cold water, allowing pint to every pound of meat and quart over. carrots. turnips. onions. half a head of celery. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaves. pepper and salt. flour. if possible, a ham-bone. a few drops of lemon juice. _method._--cut up the cheek, and put it with the bone and vegetables into a stockpot to boil gently for five hours, skimming occasionally. then strain the stock into a clean pan and set it aside to get cold. when cold, carefully remove all the fat. put the stock into a stewpan on the fire to boil. when boiling, stir in a thickening made of the flour, mixed smoothly with cold water. use one ounce of flour to every pint of stock. stir and boil the flour in the stock for three minutes. add to it a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve the soup with neat pieces of the cheek, about one inch in size, in it. the remains of the cheek may be reboiled, with fresh vegetables, to make a plain second stock. giblet soup. _ingredients_-- sets of goose or sets of duck giblets. ¼ of a head of celery. carrot. turnip. onion. cloves. blade of mace. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. quarts of second stock. a few drops of lemon juice. pepper and salt. _method._--clean the giblets thoroughly, and cut them in pieces. put them into a saucepan, with the vegetables sliced, and the stock, and simmer gently for two hours. then take out the best pieces of giblet, trim them neatly, and set them aside. simmer the soup for half an hour longer. then add to it a thickening of flour, using one ounce of flour to every pint of stock. boil and cook the flour well, and add pepper and salt to taste. strain the soup into another saucepan. add to it the lemon juice, and, if liked, two glasses of madeira wine; also the pieces of giblet. make it quite hot, and it is then ready for serving. milk soup. _ingredients_-- potatoes. onions.  oz. of butter or dripping. tablespoonfuls of semolina. pint of milk. quarts of liquor from meat. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--slice the potatoes and onions; add them to the meat liquor, with the butter and pepper and salt to taste, and boil gently for one hour. then rub the soup through a wire sieve. put it into the saucepan again, and, when boiling, shake into it the semolina and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. when the semolina is cooked the soup is ready. if this soup is used for children, water may be substituted for the meat liquor if the latter is not available. bonne femme soup. _ingredients_-- lettuces. leaves of sorrel. sprigs of taragon. sprigs of chervil. half a cucumber. pints of white stock. the yolks of eggs. ¼ of a pint of cream. the crust of a french roll. ½ oz. of butter. _method._--wash the lettuce, taragons, and chervil well, and shred them finely. peel the cucumber, and shred it also finely. melt the butter, and gently _sauté_ the vegetables in it for five minutes, taking care they do not discolour. boil the stock in another saucepan, and, when boiling, pour it on to the vegetables. simmer gently until the vegetables are quite tender. beat the yolks of the eggs with the cream, and when the stock has cooled a little strain them through a hair sieve into it. put the stewpan by the fire, and stir until the eggs thicken, taking care that the stock does not boil, as that would curdle them. add pepper and salt to taste, and the soup is ready. the crust of the french roll should be served in the soup; it should be baked in the oven and then cut into fancy shapes. turnip soup. _ingredients_-- quart of stock, or the boilings from mutton.  lb. of turnips. large onion. ½ pint of cream, or good milk. large slices of bread. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--put the bread to soak in a little cold stock. pare the turnips and onions, and cut them in pieces. boil them gently in the stock, adding (when well soaked) the bread. when the turnips are cooked, rub the soup through a wire sieve. put it again into the saucepan. add to it the cream or milk, pepper and salt to taste; and let it well boil up. serve with fried or toasted _croutons_ of bread. rabbit soup. _ingredients_-- large rabbit. quarts of water. ½ pint of milk or cream. good-sized onions. _method._--cut the rabbit into joints. put them in a stewpan with the onions sliced and the water. stew very gently for three hours. then strain the stock and remove the fat. put it into a clean stewpan and add a thickening of flour, taking one ounce of flour to every pint of soup. stir and cook well. add the milk or cream and boil it in the soup. season with pepper and salt to taste, and serve with fried or toasted bread. it is an improvement to this soup to cook a ham-bone with the rabbit, or a slice of lean pork. hare soup. _ingredients_-- hare.  lb. of gravy beef. carrot, turnip, and onion. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaf. dozen peppercorns. blade of mace and cloves. or  oz. of butter or dripping. pints of water. _method._--cut the hare into joints, and the meat into pieces, and fry them in a stewpan in the butter or dripping. afterwards fry the vegetables in the same fat. then pour in the water, add the mace and pepper-corns, and simmer gently from four to five hours. strain the stock and let it get cold. remove the fat perfectly, and put it into a clean stewpan on the fire. when it boils stir in a thickening of flour, using one ounce of flour to every pint of soup. cook the flour well, and add a little colouring if necessary. season to taste, and, just before serving, pour in two glasses of port wine. some forcemeat balls should be served in the soup. make them with veal forcemeat, mixed with the liver of the hare finely chopped, and bake them in the oven. mulligatawny soup. _ingredients_-- rabbit or chicken. quarts of second stock. onion. apple. tablespoonfuls of curry powder. ½ pint of cream.  oz. of butter or dripping. a few drops of lemon juice. _method._--cut the rabbit, or chicken, into joints, and fry them in the butter or dripping. remove them when nicely browned, and fry the apple and onion. then put the apple, onion, and meat into a stewpan, with the stock, which should be mixed with the curry powder. simmer very gently for an hour and a half, until the meat is tender. then remove the meat from the stock, and cut it into neat pieces, convenient for serving in the soup, removing all the bone. thicken the soup with flour, using about one ounce to every pint of stock. boil the flour well in the stock, and then rub the soup through a wire sieve. put it into a stewpan, add the cream, and let it boil in the soup. put in the pieces of meat; and, just before serving, add a squeeze of lemon juice. serve nicely boiled rice with this soup (_see_ rice for curry). parsnip soup. _ingredients_-- quarts of stock.  lb. of parsnips. if possible, ½ pint of cream. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--slice the parsnips and put them into boiling stock. simmer them for one hour, or more, until quite tender. then rub the soup through a wire sieve. add the cream to it, and pepper and salt to taste. put it into a clean stewpan. boil up once more and it is ready. serve with fried _croutons_ of bread. red lentil soup. _ingredients_-- pint of egyptian lentils. large carrot. onions.  lb. of parsnips. sprig of parsley. or large crusts of bread. quarts of water. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--wash the lentils well. boil with the vegetables, cut in slices, and the bread, for two hours or more; stirring occasionally when the lentils are nearly cooked, as they are apt to stick to the bottom of the saucepan and burn. rub the soup through a wire sieve, adding pepper and salt to taste. make it hot again, stirring all the time, and it is ready to serve. mock-turtle soup. _ingredients_--half a calf's head.  oz. of butter. shalot. half-a-dozen mushrooms. carrot. ½ a head of celery. leek. onion. small turnip. sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaf. blade of mace. cloves.  oz. of flour. wineglasses of sherry. dozen forcemeat balls. quarts of water. ¼ lb. of ham. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--wash the calf's head thoroughly. cut all the flesh from the bones and tie it in a cloth. put it, with the bones and water, into a large saucepan and let it simmer gently, stirring occasionally for three and a half hours. then take out the calf's head and strain the stock into a clean pan. let it get cold, and then carefully remove all the fat. then put the butter into a stewpan, and fry in it the ham and vegetables, cut into slices, with the herbs, mace, cloves, &c. when they are fried, put in the flour and fry till a light brown, stirring it to keep it from burning. then pour in the stock and stir until it boils. add pepper and salt to taste; put it by the side of the fire to simmer for half an hour. remove all scum, or fat, as it rises. then strain the stock into another stewpan. cut part of the calf's head into neat pieces and add it to the stock. pour in the sherry and lemon juice, and add the forcemeat balls. let the soup just come to the boil, and it is ready for serving. the forcemeat balls should be made of veal stuffing, and should be either fried or baked. they should not be too large. it is better to make this soup the day before it is wanted. pot-au-feu. _ingredients_--  lb. of sticking of beef, or  lb. of ox cheek without the bone. large carrots. head of celery. onions. turnips. sprigs of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. cloves. quarts of water.  oz. of crushed tapioca, or sago. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--tie the meat firmly into shape with string. put it into a large saucepan with the water. when it boils, add a teaspoonful of salt. simmer the meat gently for nearly two hours. clean the vegetables thoroughly, tying the celery, parsnips, and carrots together. add them, with the exception of the cabbage, to the meat, and simmer gently for two hours more. then add the cabbage, cleaned and trimmed; it should be cut in two, and tied together with string. simmer until it is tender, adding pepper and salt to taste. the meat is then served with the carrots, turnips, and parsnips, as a garnish, and a little of the liquor poured round for gravy. the cabbage is served in a vegetable dish. to make the soup, put two quarts of the liquor into a saucepan. when it boils sprinkle in the sago, or tapioca, and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. dr. kitchener's broth. _ingredients_--  oz. of scotch barley.  oz. of sliced onions.  oz. of dripping.  oz. bacon.  oz. oatmeal. quarts of the liquor from meat. _method._--wash the barley, and soak it in water for two hours. put the meat liquor on to boil. when boiling, add the barley and the onions. let it boil gently for an hour and a half. then put the dripping into another saucepan, and fry the bacon in it. then add, by degrees, the oatmeal; stir until it forms a paste. then pour in the broth. season with pepper and salt to taste, and set it by the side of the fire to simmer for thirty minutes; the soup is then ready. crowdie. _ingredients_-- gallon of liquor from meat. ¼ pint of oatmeal. onion. pepper and salt. _method._--put the liquor into a saucepan on the fire. mix the oatmeal to a paste with cold water. pour it into the liquor when boiling. stir until it thickens. add the onion, finely-chopped, and pepper and salt to taste. boil gently, stirring occasionally, for half an hour. bread and cakes. in making bread be careful that the yeast is good; otherwise the bread may be heavy. the german and french yeast will do quite as well as the brewers', and are generally more easily procured. the french yeast is the closest and strongest, but, though less is required, bread made with it will take longer to rise than that made with german. the yeast may be tested by mixing it with a little sugar; if it is good, it has the power of dissolving the sugar to a syrup. everything made with yeast should be allowed a proper time to rise. a quartern loaf will generally be ready to make up in about two hours after the dough is set, but the time of rising will vary according to circumstances--for example, in cold weather it may not rise so quickly as in hot. for making bread, warm the pan or tub the dough is to be mixed in, but do not make it hot. take care that the flour is dry, and free from lumps. the water used must be warmed, but care must be taken that it is neither too hot nor too cold. a certain amount of warmth is necessary for the growth of the yeast, but too great heat kills it. the water, therefore, should be lukewarm. when the dough is mixed, sprinkle the top with a little flour to prevent a crust forming; the pan should then be covered with a cloth and placed on a chair in a warm place, free from draught. it may be placed with advantage before the oven or boiler, but should not be put directly in front of a fire. when the dough is exposed to too great a heat it gets moist and sticky, is very difficult to make up, and is heavy when baked. when the dough has risen sufficiently, it should be well kneaded, and then made up into loaves. these loaves are then set on floured tins to rise in a warm place for about twenty minutes before they are baked. the oven should be very hot for the first twenty minutes, and then very much moderated: a sharp heat is necessary at first to throw up the bread; but the rest of the time the heat applied should be moderate. the same heat is required in baking cakes: a sharp heat at first, to throw them up, and moderate afterwards, so that they may get cooked through without the crust burning. the sugar in cakes causes them to burn very quickly. it is, therefore, a wise precaution to line the tin, even for a plain cake, with foolscap paper. currants used in cakes should be well washed and dried before they are used, and any stones removed from them. sultanas should be rubbed in flour, and the stalks picked off. raisins should be stoned, and cut in two or three pieces. to cream butter is to work it about in a basin with the hand, or wooden spoon, until it is the consistency of cream. the cake tins should be kept in a dry place, and before using should be well greased, especially at the bottom. a quartern loaf. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of flour. ¾ pint of water. ½ oz. of salt.  oz. of german yeast. _method._--put  lb. of flour into the pan. make the water lukewarm, and mix it with the yeast. make a hole in the middle of the flour, and mix in the water smoothly and gradually. knead lightly for a minute or two. sprinkle with a little flour, and set to rise in a warm place for about two hours. then knead well for about a quarter of an hour, working in the remainder of the flour. make it into a loaf, and put it in or on a floured tin. set it to rise for about twenty minutes, and then bake. the oven must be very hot for the first few minutes, and then the heat must be _much_ lowered, that the bread may get well cooked through. vienna bread. _ingredients_--  lb. of vienna flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of german yeast. pint of milk. teaspoonful of salt. _method._--rub the butter well into the flour, and add the salt. make the milk tepid, and mix smoothly with the german yeast. make a well in the middle of the flour, and stir in the milk smoothly. knead very lightly for a minute, and then put the dough to rise in a warm place for two hours. when it has well risen, make it into rolls or fancy twists. set them to rise on floured tins for about ten minutes. then bake in a quick oven from ten to twenty minutes, according to their size. when nearly cooked, brush them with a little milk or white of egg to glaze them. unfermented bread. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. heaped teaspoonfuls of baking powder. enough water to mix a dough. _method._--put the flour in a pan. add the baking powder and mix up with the water. make it into small loaves quickly, and bake in a quick oven for about half an hour. milk rolls. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of butter. heaped teaspoonfuls of baking powder. enough milk to mix to a dough. _method._--rub the butter into the flour lightly. add the baking powder, and mix with the milk. make into small rolls as quickly as possible, and bake for a few minutes in a quick oven. brush over with a little milk to glaze them. pound cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar.  oz. of candied peel. ¼ lb. of sultanas. large eggs. grated rind of a lemon. _method._--rub the flour and sugar through a sieve. beat the butter to a cream in a basin. mix in a little flour and sugar. then a well-beaten egg. next more flour, sugar, and another egg. continue mixing in the same way until the flour, sugar, and eggs are all well blended together. add the other ingredients, and put into a well-greased cake-tin lined with buttered paper. bake for about two hours. queen cakes. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of sugar. eggs. a few currants. grated rind of a lemon. _method._--cream the butter. mix in the flour, sugar, and eggs, according to directions given in preceding recipe. add the lemon rind, and partly fill small well-greased queen-cake tins with the mixture. sprinkle a few currants on the top of each. bake in a moderately quick oven for about a quarter of an hour. rock cakes. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar. ½ lb. of currants.  oz. of candied peel. teaspoonful of baking powder. eggs. grated rind of a lemon. _method._--rub the butter into the flour. add the sugar, currants, and other ingredients. mix very stiffly with the eggs, well beaten. put in rough heaps on a well-greased baking-sheet. bake in a quick oven for a quarter of an hour. plain rock cakes. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of moist sugar. ¼ lb. of currants. ¼ lb. of butter, lard, or dripping. egg. a little milk. _method._--rub the butter or dripping into the flour. add the other dry ingredients. mix stiffly with the egg, well beaten, and a little milk. put in little rough heaps on a well-greased baking-tin. bake in a quick oven for about a quarter of an hour. plain seed cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of butter or clarified dripping. teaspoonful of caraway seeds.  oz. of castor sugar. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. egg. ¾ gill of milk. ½ saltspoonful of salt. _method._--rub the fat well into the flour. add all the other dry ingredients. mix with the egg and milk, well beaten. bake in a well-greased cake-tin for about an hour. sultana cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour. ¼ lb. butter. ¼ lb. of castor sugar. ¼ lb. of sultana raisins.  oz. of candied peel. eggs. teaspoonful of baking powder. ½ gill of milk. grated rind of a lemon. _method._--rub the butter well into the flour. add all the other dry ingredients. mix with the milk and yolks of the eggs, well beaten together. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them in lightly. put the mixture in a well-greased cake-tin. bake for about one hour and a half. plain plum cake. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour. ¼ lb. of dripping. ¼ lb. of currants. ½ pint of milk. ¼ lb. of sugar. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. _method._--rub the dripping into the flour. add the other dry ingredients. mix with the milk. bake in a well-greased cake-tin for about one hour and a quarter. rice cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of ground rice.  oz. of castor sugar. eggs. grated rind of a lemon. _method._--beat the eggs well with a whisk. mix in gradually the castor sugar and rice, and add the lemon rind. bake in a well-greased baking-tin in a quick oven for about one hour. cornflour cake. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of cornflour. ¼ lb. of castor sugar.  oz. of butter. teaspoonful of baking powder. eggs. _method._--beat the butter to a cream. then mix in the sugar. add the two eggs, and beat all well together. lastly, stir in the cornflour and add the baking powder. put the mixture into a well-greased cake-tin, and bake for about three-quarters of an hour. scones. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of castor sugar.  oz. of butter. ½ pint of milk. teaspoonfuls of baking powder, or ¼ oz. of cream of tartar, and teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _method._--rub the butter into the flour. add the other dry ingredients. mix lightly with the milk. divide the dough into two pieces. make each piece into a ball. roll it out to about three-quarters of an inch in thickness. cut into triangular-shaped pieces. bake on a greased baking-tin for about twenty minutes. brush them over with a little white of egg or milk to glaze them. currant cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour. ¼ lb. of currants. ¼ lb. of sugar.  oz. of butter. egg. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. ¼ pint of milk. a little grated lemon rind. _method._--rub the butter into the flour until like fine bread-crumbs. add the sugar and currants--the currants should be well washed and dried--also the baking powder and lemon rind. mix with the beaten egg and milk. bake it at once, in a greased cake-tin lined with paper, for one hour and a half. luncheon cake. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of butter, lard, or dripping. ¼ lb. of sultanas. ¼ lb. of currants.  oz. of sugar.  oz. of candied peel. eggs. rather less than a ¼ pint of milk. teaspoonfuls of baking powder.  oz. of lump sugar. grated lemon rind. _method._--put the lump sugar in a saucepan and burn it brown. pour in the milk and stir until it is coloured. then strain it and let it get cold. put the flour into a basin. rub the butter lightly into it. add the sultanas (well cleaned), and the rest of the dry ingredients. mix with the eggs well beaten, and the milk. put it into a well-greased tin, which should be lined with paper. bake from one hour and a half to two hours. gingerbread. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  lb. of treacle. ½ lb. moist sugar. eggs. ½ oz. of carbonate of soda.  oz. of butter.  oz. of ginger. ½ a cup of water.  oz. of candied peel. _method._--put the flour, sugar, ginger, candied peel, and carbonate of soda into a basin. warm the treacle, water, and butter in a saucepan. mix with the dry ingredients and add the eggs, well beaten. partly fill a well-greased yorkshire-pudding tin. smooth over with a knife dipped in hot water, and score with a knife. bake in a moderate oven for about an hour and a half. sponge cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour. eggs.  oz. of castor sugar. _method._--oil the cake-mould, and dust it over with castor sugar. beat the eggs and sugar for about twenty minutes until they rise and are quite light; this may be done over hot water, care being taken that the heat is not too great to cook the eggs. dry and sift the flour, and stir it lightly in. pour into the mould and bake in a moderate oven for about one hour. sponge roll. _ingredients_-- eggs. the weight of eggs in castor sugar. of in flour. some jam. _method._--beat the eggs to a cream. add the sugar and then the flour, lightly. have a baking-tin ready greased with butter, and lined with greased paper. pour in the mixture; spread it over and bake it till a light fawn colour. then turn it on to a cloth. spread with the jam melted and roll up quickly. seed cake. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar. ½ oz. of caraway seeds. ¼ pint of milk. teaspoonful of baking powder. eggs. _method._--rub the butter into the flour. add the castor sugar and seeds. mix with the yolks and milk beaten together. beat the whites stiffly and stir in lightly. bake in a nicely prepared tin for about one hour and a half. madeira cake. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of lump sugar. ¼ lb. of butter. eggs. ½ gill of water. _method._--boil the water and sugar to a syrup. pour when hot, but not boiling, on to the eggs and beat over hot water until light. melt the butter and stir it in very lightly with the flour. oil a mould and dust it with castor sugar. pour in the mixture, and bake from one hour and a half to two hours. buns. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour. ½ oz. of yeast. ½ pint of milk.  oz. of sugar.  oz. of sultanas.  oz. of butter. egg. _method._--put ten ounces of the flour into a basin. mix the yeast smoothly with the milk, which should be made tepid. stir into the flour. beat for five minutes, and set to rise in a warm place for about two hours. then beat in the remainder of the flour, sultanas, sugar, butter, and the egg. set to rise for about two hours more. then form into buns. place them on a floured tin, and let them rise for ten minutes. bake in a very quick oven for about five minutes until nicely coloured. boil half an ounce of sugar with half a gill of water, and brush the buns over with this to glaze them. dough cake. _ingredients_--½ quartern of dough. ¼ lb. of currants. ¼ lb. of moist sugar. ¼ lb. of clarified dripping. _method._--put the dough into a basin. beat in the dripping, sugar, and currants. these should be well washed and dried. place in a greased tin, and set to rise for one hour. bake in a moderate oven for two hours. candied-peel drops. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of candied peel. grated rind of a lemon. egg. a little milk. one teaspoonful of baking powder.  oz. of sugar. _method._--rub the butter into the flour. add the sugar, grated lemon rind, baking powder, and the candied peel chopped small. mix with the egg, well beaten, and the milk. put it in little heaps on a greased baking-tin. bake in a quick oven for about fifteen minutes. shrewsbury cakes. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of butter. ¼ lb. of castor sugar.  oz. of flour. egg. _method._--cream the butter and sugar. add to them the egg, well beaten. then stir in the flour. knead it to a dough. roll out, and cut into small round cakes with a cutter. place them on a greased baking-sheet. bake in a moderate oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. oatmeal biscuits. _ingredients_--  oz. of flour.  oz. of oatmeal.  oz. of castor sugar.  oz. of lard, dripping, or butter. ¼ teaspoonful of baking powder. egg. tablespoonful of water. _method._--put the flour, oatmeal, sugar, and baking-powder into a basin. mix them with the fat melted, and the egg beaten with the water. knead lightly into a dough. roll it out, and cut into round cakes. place them on a greased baking-tin. bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. shortbread. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of flour.  oz. of castor sugar.  oz. of butter. _method._--put the flour and sugar into a basin. melt the butter, and mix them with it. knead lightly. roll out, cut the paste into cakes with a knife, and bake for half an hour. yorkshire teacakes. _ingredients_--¾ lb. of flour. ½ gill of milk.  oz. of butter. egg. ½ oz. of german yeast. _method._--put the flour into a basin, and rub the butter into it. make the milk tepid, and blend it with the yeast. strain it into the flour. add the egg. beat all well together for a few minutes. knead lightly. then divide the dough in two. make each part into a ball, and put them in floured cake-tins. put the cakes in a warm place to rise for one hour, and then bake them for about twenty minutes. brush them over with a syrup of sugar and water to glaze them. ginger biscuits. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour.  oz. of butter, lard, or dripping. ½ oz. of ground ginger.  oz. of castor sugar. egg, and a little milk. ½ teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--rub the butter into the flour until it is like fine bread-crumbs. add the sugar and baking powder, and mix with the egg, well beaten, and as much milk as necessary to make it bind. roll out, and cut into small round cakes. put them on a greased tin. bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. lemon-rock cakes. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of castor sugar. grated rind of one lemon and juice of two. egg. a little milk. teaspoonful of baking powder. _method._--rub the butter into the flour. add the sugar, baking-powder, lemon rind, and juice. mix with the egg, well beaten, and as much milk as necessary; the mixture should be very stiff. put it in little rough heaps on a greased baking-tin. bake in a quick oven for about fifteen minutes. soda cakes. _ingredients_--½ lb. of flour.  oz. of butter.  oz. of sugar.  oz. of candied peel. grated rind of a lemon. whole egg. if necessary, a little milk. ½ a teaspoonful of carbonate soda. _method._--rub the butter well into the flour. add the sugar, peel, lemon rind, and soda. mix with the egg, well beaten, and, if necessary, a little milk; the mixture must be very stiff. put it in little rough heaps on a greased baking-tin. bake in a quick oven for fifteen minutes. gingerbread cakes. _ingredients_--  lb. of flour.  oz. of butter, lard, or dripping.  oz. of ground ginger.  oz. of moist sugar. ¾ lb. of treacle. _method._--put the sugar, treacle, and fat into a saucepan, and melt them. put the flour and ginger into a basin. mix with the other ingredients. roll out, and cut into small cakes. bake on a greased baking-tin, in a slow oven, for ten or fifteen minutes. rice buns. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of ground rice. ¼ lb. of castor sugar.  oz. of butter. egg. ½ a teaspoonful of baking powder. a little flavouring essence. _method._--beat the butter to a cream with the sugar. then add the eggs, well beaten, and stir in the ground rice. partly fill little greased patty-pans with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour. galettes. _ingredients_--  lb. of vienna flour.  lb. of household flour.  oz. of yeast. ½ lb. of butter. eggs. ½ a pint of milk. a little sugar. _method._--make the milk tepid. then mix it smoothly with the yeast, and stir it into the household flour. knead it to a dough. rub the butter into the other flour and beat in the eggs well with the sugar. then knead both doughs together. put them to rise for about two hours. when nicely risen, make the dough into buns. put them on a floured baking-sheet. bake in a quick oven for about ten minutes. when nearly ready, brush over with a little white of egg to glaze them. jellies and creams. to clear jellies. take a large saucepan, and see that it is perfectly clean. put into it all the ingredients for the jelly, and the whites and shells of the eggs. the use of the whites of eggs is to clear the jelly; the shells form a filter through which to strain it. whisk all together over a quick fire until the jelly begins to simmer; then immediately leave off stirring, and let it well boil up. the heat of the boiling jelly hardens the egg, which rises to the surface in the form of a thick scum, bringing all impurities with it. if the stirring were continued during the boiling it would prevent the scum rising properly, and the jelly would not clear. when the jelly has well boiled up, remove it from the fire and let it stand for a few minutes till a crust is formed. to strain it, a chair may be turned upside down, and a cloth tied firmly to its four legs. any cloth, which is clean, and not too closely woven, will answer the purpose. put a basin under the cloth, and pour some boiling water through it. this will make it hot, and ensure its being perfectly clean. change the basin for a clean dry one, and pour the whole contents of the saucepan on to the cloth. the first runnings of the jelly will be cloudy, because the filter which the eggs make will not have settled in the cloth. as soon as the jelly runs slowly, and looks clear, put a clean basin under the cloth, and put the first runnings through it again, very gently, that they may not disturb the filter of egg-shells. strain the jelly in a warm place, out of draught. two eggs are considered sufficient to clarify a quart of jelly, but if the eggs are small it is wise to take a third. if there is not sufficient white of egg, the jelly will not clear. the jelly should be allowed to get nearly cold before it is put into the moulds. if it is put hot into metal moulds it is likely to become cloudy. to make creams. to make a good cream, it is essential that the cream used should be double; that is, a thick cream that will whip up to a stiff froth. beat it well with a wire whisk until it will stand on the end of it without dropping. this must be done in a cool place, especially in summer time. cream is liable to curdle, and turn to butter, if beaten in too warm a temperature. the gelatine must be added last of all. it should be stirred in thoroughly, but quickly; it must not be too hot, or too cold, but just lukewarm. if too hot, it destroys the lightness of the cream; if too cold, it does not mix thoroughly. pour the cream into a mould as soon as the gelatine is mixed with it, as it begins to set directly. to turn a jelly or cream out of its mould, take a basin of hot water, as hot as the hand can bear, draw the mould quickly through it, letting the water quite cover it for a second. wipe off all the moisture immediately with a dry cloth. shake the tin gently, to be sure the contents are free. lay the dish on the open side of the mould, quickly reverse it, and draw the mould carefully away. strawberry cream. _ingredients_--½ pint of double cream.  oz. of amber gelatine, or rather less than ½ oz. of the opaque. tablespoonfuls of castor sugar. some strawberries. ¼ pint of milk. a few drops of cochineal. _method._--soak the gelatine in the milk for about twenty minutes or more. then dissolve it by stirring it in a saucepan over the fire. rub sufficient strawberries through a hair sieve to make a quarter of a pint of _purée_. beat up the cream with the sugar. then add the _purée_ of fruit, and a few drops of cochineal to colour it. lastly stir in the melted gelatine. pour the cream at once into a wetted mould. when quite set, dip it for a second or two into very hot water, and turn it on to a glass dish. charlotte russe. _ingredients_-- dozen sponge fingers.  oz. of glace cherries. ½ pint of double cream. ½ oz. of amber gelatine melted in a little milk, or less than ¼ oz. of the opaque. dessertspoonfuls of castor sugar. a few drops of essence of vanilla, or other flavouring. _method._--first put the gelatine to soak in a little milk. then cut the cherries in halves, and place them in a circle round the bottom of a plain round tin, with the cut side uppermost. divide the sponge fingers, lengthwise, without breaking them, and trim each one at the side, top, and bottom neatly. then line the tin with them, placing them on the top of the cherries, with the brown side next the tin; they should be put close together, and the last should serve as a wedge to keep the others in place. beat up the cream stiffly with the sugar. add the vanilla flavouring and the melted gelatine. this must be neither too hot nor too cold. stir it thoroughly, but quickly, into the cream, and pour at once into the prepared tin. when set, dip the bottom of the tin into hot water for a second or two, and turn it carefully on to a glass dish. custard cream. _ingredients_--½ pint of double cream. tablespoonfuls of castor sugar.  oz. of amber gelatine, or less than ½ of the opaque. whole egg. yolks. ½ pint of hot milk. a few drops of vanilla or other essence. _method._--put the gelatine to soak in a little milk. then beat the eggs lightly and add them to the milk. strain into a jug and add the sugar. put the jug into a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until the custard coats the spoon; care must be taken that it does not curdle. while the custard cools beat up the cream stiffly. melt the gelatine, and add it to the custard. flavour it, and, when sufficiently cooled, mix the custard and cream thoroughly together. pour at once into a wetted mould. bohemian cream. _ingredients_--½ pint of sweet jelly of any kind. ½ pint of double cream. _method._--beat the cream stiffly. mix with it the jelly, which should be melted, but cold. pour into a wetted mould. wine jelly. _ingredients_--  oz. packet of either nelson's or swinbourne's gelatine. pint of water. ½ pint of sherry. ¼ to ½ lb. of lump sugar, according to taste. the juice of two lemons. the rind of one. the whites and shells of large eggs. _method._--soak the gelatine in the water with the thin rind of a lemon for three quarters of an hour, if possible. then add all the other ingredients. clarify and strain (_see_ to clear jellies). when quite cold pour into a wetted mould. calf's-foot stock. _ingredients_-- calf's feet. pints of water. _method._--cut each foot into four pieces. blanch them by putting them in cold water and bringing them to the boil. throw the water away, and well wash the feet. put them into a saucepan, with four pints of water, and boil gently for five hours. then strain the stock from the bones, and set it aside until the next day. the fat must then be carefully removed, or the stock will not clear. to turn this into calf's-foot jelly, add-- half a pint of white wine. the rind of and the juice of lemons. ¾ lb. of lump sugar. the whites and shells of eggs. clarify and strain (_see_ to clear jellies). pineapple jelly. _ingredients_-- pineapple.  oz. packet of gelatine. pint of water. ¼ lb. of lump sugar. the thin rind of lemon, and the juice of . the whites and shells of large eggs. _method._--first soak the gelatine in the water. cut up the pineapple and bruise it in a mortar. add it, and all the other ingredients, to the gelatine. then clarify (_see_ to clear jellies). note.--the grated pineapple, sold in tins, is excellent for jellies or creams. aspic jelly. _ingredients_--  oz. packet of gelatine. pint of good stock. ¼ pint of taragon vinegar. ¼ pint of sherry. a small carrot, turnip, and onion. a sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. bay leaves. cloves. dozen peppercorns. a piece of celery. a blade of mace. a clove of garlic. shalot. the whites and shells of large eggs. salt to taste. _method._--soak the gelatine in the stock. then add all the other ingredients and clarify (_see_ to clear jellies). claret jelly. _ingredients_--  oz. packet of gelatine. ½ pint of water. pint of claret. ½ lb. of lump sugar. a few drops of cochineal. _method._--soak the gelatine in the water. add the sugar, and stir over the fire until dissolved. pour in the wine, and colour with cochineal. strain into a wetted mould. when firm, dip into hot water for a second or two, and turn on to a glass dish. note.--this jelly is not clarified. cake is usually served with claret jelly. orange jelly. _ingredients_-- dozen oranges. lemon. pints of water.  oz. packet and a half of swinbourne's or nelson's opaque gelatine (in summer two packets). ½ lb. of lump sugar. _method._--soak the gelatine in the water with the thin rind of one lemon and three oranges. add the sugar; stir over the fire until the gelatine is dissolved. add the juice of the twelve oranges. let the jelly boil up, and then strain into a wetted mould. when firm, dip into hot water for a second or two, and turn on to a glass dish. note.--this jelly is not clarified. strawberry jelly. _ingredients_-- quart of strawberries. ½ lb. of lump sugar. juice of one lemon. ½ oz. of swinbourne's or nelson's opaque gelatine. ½ pint of cold water. ½ pint of boiling water. the whites and shells of large eggs. _method._--soak the gelatine in the cold water. mash the strawberries to a pulp. add them to the gelatine with the sugar and lemon juice. pour the boiling water over. then put all the ingredients into a saucepan. add to them the whites and shells of the eggs, and clarify and strain (_see_ to clear jellies). pour into a wetted mould, and set in a cool place until firm. to turn it out, dip the tin into very hot water for a second or two, and turn it carefully on to a glass dish. orange cream. _ingredients_-- pint of double cream. oranges.  oz. of sugar.  oz. packet of gelatine. whole eggs. yolks of eggs. pint of milk. _method._--soak the gelatine in a ¼ pint of milk with the thin rind of one orange. strain the juice of the oranges into a cup. beat the eggs, and yolks of eggs, with the milk. strain into a jug, and add the sugar. put the jug to stand in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until the custard coats the spoon. melt the gelatine and add it to the custard. whip up the cream stiffly, and add to it the orange juice. when the custard is cool, beat it into the cream, and pour at once into a wetted mould. if liked, it may be put into a border mould, and served with whipped cream in the middle. blancmange. _ingredients_--  oz. packet of swinbourne's isinglass. pint of milk. pint of cream. or  oz. castor sugar. flavouring essence. _method._--soak the isinglass in the milk; add the sugar and stir over the fire until both are dissolved. then pour in the cream; stir occasionally until cold. add the flavouring essence and pour it into a wetted mould. note.--a _blancmange_ may be made economically by using less cream and more milk, or using milk only. if it is not stirred until cold, the cream and milk will separate. vanilla cream. make a thick cream as for charlotte russe, and flavour with vanilla. gâteau aux pommes. _ingredients_--  lb. apples.  oz. moist sugar. lemon. ½ oz. packet of swinbourne's or nelson's gelatine. ½ pint of water. a few drops of cochineal. _method._--soak the gelatine in half the water. wash and slice the apples. put them in a stewpan with the sugar and thin lemon rind and juice and remainder of the water. stew until soft, then rub through a _hair_ sieve. melt the gelatine; mix it thoroughly with the apples. colour with cochineal, and pour the mixture into a wetted mould. note.--this sweet looks very nice when it is made in a border mould. it is then served with whipped cream or white of egg in the middle. peaches, prunes, or any suitable fruit may be substituted for the apples. compote of peaches. _ingredients_--  oz. of sugar. pint of water. dozen peaches. ½ pint of whipped cream. _method._--boil the sugar and water for ten minutes. pare the peaches and simmer for about twenty minutes. remove carefully and place on a glass dish. reduce the syrup and pour over them. when cold, cover with whipped cream. almond bavarian cream. _ingredients_-- pint of double cream. ½ lb. of sweet almonds. or drops of essence of almonds.  oz. of castor sugar. ¾ of an ounce packet of gelatine. eggs. ¾ of a pint of milk. _method._--soak the gelatine in the milk. blanch and pound the almonds, adding a few drops of orange-flower water to keep them from oiling. beat the eggs and milk lightly together, and strain into a jug. add to them the sugar and almonds. put the jug into a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until the custard coats the spoon. melt the gelatine, and add it to the custard. whip the cream to a stiff froth, and drop in the almond essence. when the custard is cool, stir it into the cream. mix them well together, and pour into a wetted mould. stone cream. _ingredients_-- pint of double cream. wineglasses of sherry. juice of a lemon. ¼ lb. of castor sugar. gill of milk.  oz. of nelson's or swinbourne's opaque gelatine. a little almond flavouring. _method._--soak the gelatine in the milk with the sugar. beat the cream up stiffly. melt the gelatine; add to it the sherry, lemon juice, and flavouring. stir it quickly into the beaten cream. pour it into a wetted mould. when set, dip it into very hot water for a second, and turn it carefully on to a glass dish. lemon sponge. _ingredients_--½ oz. packet of gelatine. pint of cold water. ½ lb. of lump sugar. the thin rind and juice of two lemons. the whites of eggs. _method._--soak the gelatine in the water with the rind of the lemon for one hour. add the sugar and dissolve it over the fire. stir and simmer it for a few minutes. strain into a basin and add the lemon juice. when it begins to set, beat in the whites of the eggs, whipped to a very stiff froth. whisk until the whole mixture is light and spongy. then heap it on a glass dish. a little of it may be coloured a pale pink with cochineal; and as a decoration, a few pistachio kernels, blanched and chopped, can be sprinkled over the sponge. floating island. _ingredients_--a round sponge-cake. pint of custard (_see_ boiled custard). red jam. the whites of two eggs. tablespoonful of castor sugar. some chopped pistachio kernels. some hundreds and thousands. _method._--cut the cake horizontally in slices. spread them with jam. place them on each other in the form of the cake, and spread the top with jam. put the cake on a glass dish, and pour the custard over. whip the whites of the eggs stiffly with the sugar, and heap on the top of the cake. decorate with chopped pistachios and hundreds and thousands. maraschino cream. _ingredients_-- yolks of eggs. white. ½ pint of milk. ½ pint of whipped double cream. tablespoonfuls of castor sugar.  oz. of amber gelatine, or ½ oz. of the opaque, melted in a little milk. small glass of maraschino. _method._--make the eggs and milk into a custard (_see_ boiled custard). add to it the sugar and melted gelatine. when it has cooled, mix it with the cream. add the maraschino and pour into a wetted mould previously decorated with a little bright fruit. when set, dip into hot water for a second or two, and turn it on to a glass dish. pistachio cream. _ingredients_--½ pint of whipped double cream. ½ oz. of amber gelatine, or less than ¼ oz. of the opaque, melted in a little milk.  oz. of castor sugar.  oz. of pistachio kernels blanched. a few drops of vanilla. _method._--pound the pistachios in a mortar, and rub them through a sieve. then mix them with the cream. add a few drops of vanilla, the sugar, and, last of all, the melted gelatine. pour it into a wetted mould. when set, dip it into hot water for a second or two, and turn carefully on to a glass dish. croquant of oranges. _ingredients_-- or oranges. ½ teacupful of melted sweet jelly. a few pistachio kernels, blanched and chopped. ½ pint of whipped double cream. ½ oz. of amber gelatine, or less than ¼ oz. of the opaque, melted in a little milk.  oz. of castor sugar. _method._--peel and divide six oranges into sections, and carefully remove the white skins. dip each piece into the jelly, and line a plain round charlotte russe tin with them. place them to form a star in the bottom of the mould, and fill up any spaces with the chopped pistachio kernels. add the juice of three oranges to the whipped cream. mix in the sugar, and add, last of all, the melted gelatine. pour the cream into the tin. when set, dip the tin in hot water to loosen the pieces of orange, and then turn carefully on to a glass or silver dish. chartreuse de fruit. _ingredients_--various fruits, such as strawberries, greengages, cherries, peaches, &c. some strawberry or other cream. ½ teacupful of sweet jelly, melted. _method._--line a plain charlotte russe mould tastefully with slices of the different fruits, dipping each piece in the melted jelly. then pour in a strawberry or any other cream (_see_ strawberry cream). when set, dip the mould into very hot water for a second or two to loosen the fruit, and then turn them on to a glass or silver dish. strawberry charlotte. _ingredients_--some fine ripe strawberries. some pistachio kernels, blanched and chopped. ½ teacupful of melted sweet jelly. some strawberry cream. _method._--line a charlotte russe mould tastefully with the strawberries cut in half, dipping them in the jelly, and laying them in the tin with the cut side downwards. fill the spaces with the pistachios. when the strawberries are quite firm, pour in some strawberry cream (_see_ strawberry cream). when set, dip into very hot water for a second or two to loosen the fruit, and turn on to a glass or silver dish. tipsy cake. _ingredients_-- large sponge cake. wineglass of sherry. wineglass of brandy. pint custard (_see_ boiled custard). some blanched almonds. _method._--put the cake on a glass dish. soak it with the sherry and brandy. pour over the custard, and stick blanched almonds well over it. trifle. _ingredients_-- savoy cake. pint of double cream. pint of rich custard (_see_ boiled custard). some strawberry or other jam. wineglass of sherry. wineglass of brandy. ½ lb. of macaroons.  oz. of castor sugar. sponge cakes. _method._--cut the cake into slices an inch thick. lay them on the bottom of a glass dish. spread them with jam. lay the macaroons on them. cover them with sponge cakes. soak them with the sherry and brandy, and cover with the custard. whip the cream very stiffly with the sugar. drain it on a sieve. before serving, heap the whip on the top of the trifle. decorate it with chopped pistachios, and hundreds and thousands. apple flummery. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples. the rind and juice of a small lemon.  oz. of sugar. ¼ pint of water. ½ oz. packet of nelson's or swinbourn's gelatine. ½ pint of cream. cochineal. _method._--cut up the apples, and stew them with the sugar, lemon, and water, until tender. rub them through a hair sieve. while the apples are cooking, soak the gelatine in the cream. then stir over the fire until the gelatine is quite dissolved. add the cream and gelatine to the apple pulp, and beat all well together. colour with cochineal, and pour into a wetted mould. when firm, dip for a second or two into very hot water, and then turn on to a glass dish. apple cream. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples. ¼ lb. of sugar. glass of port wine. the rind of a lemon. ¼ pint of water. ½ pint of cream or milk. cochineal. _method._--wash the apples, and cut them into pieces. put them into a stewpan with the lemon rind, sugar, wine, and water. stew gently until they are quite tender. then rub them through a hair sieve, and colour with cochineal. boil the cream or milk and add it to the apple pulp. beat them thoroughly together, and serve when cold in a glass dish. alpine snow. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of apples.  oz. of castor sugar. ¼ pint of water. the thin rind and juice of half a lemon. the whites of eggs. cochineal. _method._--wash the apples and cut them in pieces. put them in a stewpan with the water, sugar, lemon rind and juice. stew gently until quite tender. then rub through a hair sieve. whip the whites of the eggs. when the apple pulp is quite cold, add them to it, and beat until the mixture is a stiff froth. colour prettily with cochineal, and heap on a glass dish. welsh custard. _ingredients_--  lb. of apples. the thin rind of a lemon. juice of half a lemon.  oz. of castor sugar. teaspoonfuls of ground ginger. whole eggs. ¾ pint of water. _method._--wash and cut up the apples. stew them until tender with the sugar, lemon rind and juice, ginger, and water. rub them through a hair sieve (there should be about one pint of pulp if the stewing has been very gentle). beat the eggs, and strain them into the apple pulp. pour the custard into a jug. put it to stand in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until it thickens, taking care that it does not curdle. stir occasionally while it is cooling, and serve in custard glasses or on a glass dish. cheap custard. _ingredients_-- tablespoonful of cornflour. pint of milk. the yolks of eggs.  oz. of castor sugar. vanilla or other flavouring. _method._--put the milk and sugar on to boil. when boiling, stir in the cornflour, which should be mixed very smoothly with a little cold milk. boil, stirring all the time, for ten minutes. then remove from the fire, and, when it has cooled a little, beat in the yolks of the eggs. stir again over the fire to cook the eggs, but take care they do not curdle. flavour to taste, and when cold pour into custard glasses. a cheaper substitute for custard may be made by omitting the eggs. arrowroot custard. _ingredients_-- pint of milk. tablespoonful of arrowroot.  oz. of castor sugar. the yolks of eggs. vanilla or other flavouring. _method._--boil the milk with the sugar. when boiling, pour in the arrowroot, mixed very smoothly with a little cold milk. stir until it boils and thickens. then remove it from the fire, beat in the yolks and stir until they thicken. plain trifle. _ingredients_--a little red jam. sponge cakes.  doz. ratafias. pint of milk. the white of an egg. eggs.  oz. of castor sugar. _method._--boil the milk with the sugar. beat the eggs, and stir the milk on to them. strain into a jug. place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until the custard coats the spoon. then let it cool, stirring occasionally. cut the cakes in halves; spread them with jam; place them on a dish alternately with the ratafias. pour the custard over them, and set aside until quite cold. decorate with the white of egg beaten stiffly. boiled custard. _ingredients_--¾ pint of new milk. yolks of eggs. dessertspoonfuls of castor sugar. a little flavouring of vanilla, lemon, or almond. _method._--boil the milk with the sugar. beat the yolks lightly. pour the milk (not too hot) on them, stirring all the time. strain the custard into a jug, which must be placed in a saucepan of boiling water. stir until it coats the spoon. great care must be taken that the custard does not curdle; it mast be stirred occasionally while cooling. a cheaper custard may be made by substituting two whole eggs for the five yolks, or one whole egg and two yolks. soufflÉes and omelets. the best cooks will sometimes fail in making soufflées, as their manufacture requires the very greatest care and attention. it is also necessary to be able to judge to a nicety the time they will take to cook, because, to be eaten in perfection, they should be served directly they are ready. in making a soufflée, be very careful to take _exact_ measure of the different ingredients; a little too much flour, or rather too little milk, may make a great difference in the lightness of it. the flour should be the best vienna. another point to be attended to is to whip up the whites of the eggs as stiffly as possible, and to mix them with the other ingredients very lightly. bear in mind that the object in beating the whites of eggs is to introduce air into the soufflée; and it is the expansion of the air when the soufflée is cooking which makes it light. if the whites are mixed heavily with the other ingredients, the air which has been whipped into them is beaten out again; and consequently they fail to make the soufflée light. when the soufflée is firm in the middle, it is sufficiently cooked, and should be served with the greatest expedition, as it will begin to sink rapidly. an omelet soufflée, left in the oven two or three minutes over time, will be quite spoilt, and become tough and leathery. steamed soufflées are turned out of the tins they are cooked in, and served with a sauce poured round them. baked soufflées are served in the tins, which are slipped into a hot metal or silver case, or a napkin is folded round them. plain omelets are quickly made, and quickly spoiled. some practice is required to make the plain omelet to perfection, as the art consists in folding the omelet just at the right moment, before the eggs used in them are too much set. the omelet should not be firm throughout, like a pancake, but should be moist and succulent in the middle. a very sharp fire is essential, and the omelet should not take more than three minutes in the making. steamed soufflée. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter.  oz. of flour. ¼ pint of milk. eggs. dessertspoonfuls of castor sugar. _method._--well grease a soufflée-tin with butter. fold a half sheet of kitchen paper in three. brush it over with melted butter, and fasten it round the top of the tin, letting it come nearly three inches above it. melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. add the milk, and stir and cook well. mix in the sugar, and beat in the yolks of three of the eggs, one by one. add a little flavouring essence. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, and stir them in lightly. put the mixture at once into the tin. cover it with buttered paper, and steam carefully for half an hour. when done, it will be firm in the middle. turn it quickly on to a hot dish, and serve at once, with wine sauce poured round it (_see_ sauces). cheese fondu. _ingredients_--  oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. ¼ pint of milk.  oz. of grated parmesan cheese. eggs. a little pepper, salt, and cayenne. _method._--prepare the tin as for a steamed soufflée. melt the butter in a small stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly, add the milk, and stir and cook well. add the seasoning, and beat in the yolks of two of the eggs. then mix in the grated cheese. beat the whites of the three eggs to a stiff froth, and stir them in lightly. put the mixture at once into the tin, and bake for twenty-five or thirty minutes. when done, it will be firm in the middle. serve in the tin, with a napkin folded round it. omelet soufflée. _ingredients_-- yolks and whites of eggs. dessertspoonful of castor sugar. a little flavouring essence. _method._--beat the yolks in a basin with the sugar, and add the essence. whip up the whites as stiffly as possible, and mix them lightly with the yolks. pour the mixture into a well-greased omelet-pan, and put it into a brisk oven for about three minutes, until of a pale-brown colour. turn it on to a hot dish. fold it over and serve quickly. a savoury omelet soufflée. may be made by omitting the flavouring essence, and substituting pepper and salt for the sugar. the omelet should then be served with a rich gravy poured round it. cheese ramequins. make a mixture as directed for cheese fondu. partly fill little ramequin cases with it, and bake in a quick oven for a few minutes. batter for fritters (kromesky). _ingredients_--¼ lb. of flour. tablespoonful of oiled butter or salad oil. gill of tepid water. the white of egg, beaten to a stiff froth. if for _sweet_ fritters, castor sugar to taste. _method._--put the flour into a basin. make a hole in the middle, and put in the oil. stir smoothly, adding the water by degrees. beat until quite smooth. then add the beaten white, stirring it in lightly. apple fritters. pare some nice apples. cut them into slices about a quarter of an inch thick, and stamp out the core with a round cutter. lay the rings in the batter, and cover them well with it. lift them out with a skewer, and drop them into hot fat (_see_ french frying). when lightly browned on one side, turn them on to the other. drain them on kitchen paper. dish on a folded napkin, with castor sugar dusted over them. a small savoury omelet. _ingredients_-- or eggs. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt. _method._--break the eggs into a basin. add to them the parsley, pepper, and salt. melt the butter in a small omelet-pan. beat the eggs very lightly, and pour them into the pan. shake and stir the mixture vigorously until it begins to set. when some of the egg is set and the other still liquid, tilt the pan, and draw the egg quickly to the one side of it. leave it there to set for two or three seconds; then tilt the pan again and fold the omelet, quickly drawing it to the other side of the pan. as soon as the outside is set, turn it on a hot dish and serve immediately. to make an omelet successfully, a _very_ quick fire is necessary; an omelet should not take more than three minutes to cook. larger omelets are made by using more eggs and butter and parsley in proportion. chopped cooked ham and kidney may be added to a savoury omelet; also mushrooms and shalots. the latter should be finely chopped, and fried in a little butter before they are used. a cheese omelet is made by adding grated parmesan or other cheese to the mixture. invalid cookery. much attention should be paid to this branch of cookery. the recovery of many sick people depends, to a great extent, on their being able to take a proper amount of nourishment. this they will not be likely to do, unless the food is well cooked, and nicely served. everything, for an invalid, should be dressed plainly, and _well cooked_. highly seasoned meat, rich gravies, sauces, puddings, &c., should be avoided. the digestive organs are weakened by illness, and should not be unduly taxed. all meals should be served punctually; carelessness in this respect has often been the cause of great exhaustion. a good nurse ought to watch her patients carefully, and never allow their strength to sink for want of nourishment at the right time. it is not wise to prepare too large a quantity of anything at one time; an invalid's appetite is generally very variable. all fat should be carefully removed from beef-tea and broth before they are served. this can be best done when they are cold. great care should be taken to make everything look as tempting as possible. the tray-cloths used, glass, silver, &c., should be spotlessly clean, and bright-looking. raw-beef tea. _ingredients_--equal quantities in weight of beef and cold water. _method._--scrape the beef very finely, and remove the fat. soak the beef in the water for about half an hour, moving it occasionally with a fork. when the juices of the meat are drawn into the water, and it has become a deep-red colour, it is ready for use and should be strained. this tea is better made from rump or beef steak. do not make too much at one time. in hot weather two ounces or a quarter of a pound of meat will be quite sufficient. be careful that the meat is perfectly sweet and good. beef tea. _ingredients_--  lb. of rump or beef steak. ½ pint of cold water. _method._--cut the steak into small pieces, and put them into a jar with the water; tie a piece of paper over the top. put the jar to stand in a saucepan of boiling water for four hours. pour the tea from the beef, and remove the fat when cold; salt can be added to taste. mutton broth. _ingredients_--  lb. of scrag end of neck of mutton. pints of water. tablespoonful of rice. salt to taste. _method._--cut up the mutton, and put it into a saucepan with the water. simmer gently for four hours. then strain away from the meat, and set on one side to cool. when quite cold carefully remove the fat, and put the broth into a clean saucepan. put it on the fire to boil, and, when boiling, throw in the rice, which should have been well washed. as soon as the rice is cooked, the broth is ready. add salt and pepper to taste. clear barley-water. _ingredients_--  oz. of pearl barley. a little thin lemon peel. pint of boiling water. sugar to taste. _method._--wash the barley, and put it into a jug with the lemon peel. pour the boiling water over it, and add the sugar. let it stand until cold, and then strain it. thick barley-water. _ingredients_--  oz. of pearl barley. quart of water. a little thin lemon peel. sugar to taste. _method._--wash the barley, and put it into a saucepan with cold water. boil for ten minutes. then throw the water away, and wash the barley. this is to blanch it. if this were not done the barley water would have a dark-coloured, unpleasant appearance. put it into a saucepan, with the quart of water, and boil gently for two hours. sweeten to taste, and then strain it. rice water. _ingredients_--  oz. of rice. pints of water. inch of cinnamon. sugar to taste. _method._--wash the rice well, and throw it into three pints of boiling water, with the cinnamon. boil gently for two hours. sweeten to taste, and strain. apple water. _ingredients_-- large apples. a little thin lemon peel. pint of boiling water. sugar to taste. _method._--peel and cut up the apples. put them into a jug with the lemon peel and sugar. pour over the boiling water, and cover close until cold; then strain it. lemonade. _ingredients_-- lemons. lumps of sugar. pint of boiling water. _method._--take the yellow part of the lemon peel, cut very thinly, from one of the lemons. then remove the skin completely from them both. cut them into slices, and remove the pips. put the sliced lemon, thin peel, and sugar, into a jug; pour over the boiling water. cover, until cold, and then strain. a cup of arrowroot. _ingredients_--½ pint of milk. dessertspoonful of arrowroot. castor sugar. _method._--put the milk into a saucepan on the fire to boil. mix the arrowroot very smoothly with a little cold milk; when the milk boils pour in the arrowroot, and stir until the milk has thickened. add sugar to taste. for water arrowroot, substitute water for milk. arrowroot pudding. _ingredients_--cup of arrowroot, made as in foregoing recipe. or eggs. a little vanilla, or other flavouring. _method._--beat the yolks one by one into the arrowroot, and add flavouring to taste. beat the whites up stiffly, and stir them in lightly. pour the mixture into a greased pie-dish. bake for a few minutes, and serve as quickly as possible. treacle posset. _ingredients_--½ pint of milk. ¼ pint of treacle. _method._--put the milk into a saucepan on the fire to boil. when boiling, pour in the treacle. this will curdle the milk. let it boil up again, and then strain it. white-wine whey. _ingredients_--½ pint of milk. wineglass of sherry. sugar to taste. _method._--the same as in foregoing recipe. sweeten to taste. orangeade. _ingredients_-- oranges. pint of boiling water. lumps of sugar. _method._--take the rind thinly from half an orange. put it into a jug. peel the oranges, and slice them, removing the pips. put them into the jug. pour the boiling water over, add the sugar, and cover closely until cold; then strain. toast and water. _ingredients_--toasted bread. water. _method._--toast a piece of crust of bread nicely, being careful not to burn it. plunge it into a jug of cold water, and let it stand for thirty minutes. then strain the water from it. sago gruel. _ingredients_--½ oz. of sago. ½ pint of water. lumps of sugar. _method._--wash the sago, and let it soak in the water for thirty minutes. then simmer for about thirty minutes. add the sugar, and it is ready. prune drink. _ingredients_-- ½ oz. of prunes. quart of water.  oz. of sugar. _method._--cut the prunes in two. boil them with the sugar in the water for one hour. strain, and cover until cold. rice milk. _ingredients_--  oz. of rice. pint of milk. sugar to taste. _method._--wash the rice, and simmer in the milk, with the sugar, for one hour. tapioca milk may be made in the same way. the crushed tapioca is the best. suet and milk. _ingredients_-- pint of milk.  oz. of suet. _method._--chop the suet finely. tie it loosely in muslin, and simmer in the milk for three-quarters of an hour; then strain. invalids' soup. _ingredients_-- pint of beef tea.  oz. of crushed tapioca, semolina, or sago. the yolks of eggs. _method._--put the beef-tea into a saucepan on the fire. when it boils, sprinkle in the tapioca; stir, and boil for about fifteen minutes. then add the yolks of the eggs; stir until they thicken, but do not let the soup boil after the yolks of the eggs are in it, as that would curdle them. gruel. _ingredients_-- pint of water. dessertspoonfuls of fine oatmeal. _method._--put the water on the fire to boil. mix the oatmeal smoothly with cold water. when the water in the saucepan boils, pour in the oatmeal, and stir well until it thickens. then put it by the side of the fire, and stir occasionally, cooking it for _quite_ half an hour. bran tea. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of good bran. quart of water.  oz. of gum arabic. tablespoonful of honey. _method._--boil the bran in the water for ten minutes. dissolve the gum and honey in it, and strain it through muslin. this is a remedy for hoarseness. linseed tea. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of linseed. quart of boiling water. lumps of sugar. lemon. _method._--put the linseed and sugar into a jug, with the thin rind and juice of the lemon. pour boiling water over. let it stand, and then strain. if the tea is preferred thick, two tablespoonfuls of the linseed may be boiled in the water. boiled apple-water. _ingredients_-- good sized apples.  oz. of sugar. quart of water. a little thin lemon-rind. _method._--wash the apples, and slice them. put them, with the sugar and lemon rind, into the water. boil gently for one hour. then strain, and cover close until cold. sole for an invalid. grease a baking-sheet with butter. lay the sole on it. cover with greased kitchen paper, and put it into a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes, according to the size of the sole. if properly cooked, the sole will be as white and delicate as if it had been boiled. it may be served with or without a plain white sauce. whiting, plaice, smelts, &c., may be cooked in the same way. chicken fillets for an invalid. cut some nice little fillets from the breast of a chicken, and cook them according to the directions in preceding recipe. sweetbreads plainly boiled. soak the sweetbreads in cold water for two hours. then put them in boiling water for six minutes. soak them again in cold water for twenty minutes. put them into boiling water or broth, and simmer them gently for thirty minutes or more, until quite tender. serve with or without a plain white sauce. * * * * * other dishes suitable for the convalescent will found under the following headings:-- sole à la béchamel. sole à la maître d'hôtel. whiting boiled. boiled chicken. sweetbread à la béchamel. mutton chop. rice pudding. cornflower pudding. blancmange. tapioca pudding. sago pudding. haricot soup. tapioca soup. tapioca cream. oyster soup. supper dishes and salads. ox tongue. put it in lukewarm water; simmer for about three hours, until very tender. a very dry tongue may take four hours' gentle simmering. if very salt or much dried, soak for twelve hours before cooking. when tender, remove the skin and cover with glaze or fine raspings. galantine of fowl. _ingredients_-- fowl. ½ lb. of pork. ½ lb. of veal. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. truffles. _method._--bone the fowl, mince the pork and veal finely, and season with pepper and salt. fill the fowl with the stuffing, placing in the yolks and truffles. shape the fowl nicely, and fasten it securely in a cloth. boil it according to directions for boiling meat. when cooked, remove the cloth and put in a clean one, fastening it as before. put it under pressure (not too much) until it is cold. remove the cloth, glaze it, and garnish with aspic jelly. galantine of veal. breast of veal boned may be used instead of a fowl to make a galantine. roll it round the stuffing and prepare it according to directions in preceding recipe. galantine of turkey. this may be prepared like galantine of fowl, using larger proportions for the stuffing. lobster salad. _ingredients_-- fine lobster. lettuce. endive. or hard-boiled eggs. some _mayonnaise_ dressing. if possible, some aspic jelly. _method._--remove the flesh from the body and claws of the lobster, and cut it in pieces. let the lettuce be well washed and dried. cut it up, and mix it with the lobster and some _mayonnaise_ sauce. put a border of chopped aspic on a dish. heap the salad in the middle. decorate the salad with pieces of endive and hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters. miroton of lobster. _ingredients_--a lobster. lettuce. a small cupful of _mayonnaise_ sauce. hard-boiled eggs. if possible, some aspic jelly. endive. _method._--cut the eggs at the bottom so that they will stand upright. then cut them in quarters, lengthwise. dip the ends in a little aspic jelly, or melted gelatine, and place them close together, in the form of a large circle on a flat dish with the white part inside. remove the flesh from the body and claws of the lobster. cut up the lettuce, and mix it with the lobster and _mayonnaise_. heap the salad in the middle of the crown of eggs. decorate it with endive, and put a border of aspic jelly round it. chicken salad. _ingredients_--a cold chicken. some celery. a lettuce. endive. beetroot. a small cupful of _mayonnaise_ sauce. or hard-boiled eggs. _method._--remove the skin of the chicken, and cut it into dice. cut up the celery into half-inch lengths, taking half as much celery as chicken. cut up the lettuce, and mix the chicken, celery, and lettuce together with the _mayonnaise_. put them into a salad-bowl, or heap on a dish. decorate with endive, beetroot, and hard-boiled eggs. mayonnaise of salmon. _ingredients_--some cold dressed salmon. a lettuce. endive. some hard-boiled eggs. a small cupful of _mayonnaise_ sauce. some chopped aspic. _method._--break the salmon into flakes, removing the bones. cut up the lettuce, and mix the salad with the _mayonnaise_ sauce. heap it lightly on a dish. decorate prettily with endive, and put some hard-boiled eggs, cut into quarters, round it; also, if liked, a border of aspic jelly. oyster salad. _ingredients_-- tin of oysters. crisp lettuce. head of celery. a little _mayonnaise_ or salad-dressing. _method._--wash the lettuce, and cut it coarsely. wash, and cut the celery into one-inch lengths, trim the oysters, and mix them with the salad. put the mixture into a salad-bowl, and pour over the _mayonnaise_ or dressing. celery salad. _ingredients_-- heads of celery. beetroot. a plain salad-dressing. _method._--wash the celery, and cut it into half-inch lengths. put them in a salad-bowl, and pour the dressing over. garnish with a border of beetroot. tomato salad. _ingredients_--a few ripe tomatoes. equal quantities of oil and vinegar. dessertspoonful of chopped parsley. pepper and salt. _method._--slice the tomatoes and lay them on a glass dish. sprinkle them with the parsley. mix the oil and vinegar with pepper and salt, and pour over them. cauliflower salad. _ingredients_-- boiled cauliflower. a little _mayonnaise_ or salad-dressing. pepper and salt. _method._--divide the cauliflower into tufts, and remove the green leaves. place them on a dish, and pour the dressing over them. garnish with beetroot. potato salad. _ingredients_--some boiled potatoes. boiled onion. some plain salad-dressing. _method._--slice the potatoes and onion thinly. lay them on a dish, and pour the dressing over. if preferred, the onion may be omitted. haricot salad. _ingredients_--some nicely cooked haricot beans. teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. equal quantities of oil and vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--lay the beans in a dish. sprinkle them with the parsley. mix the oil and vinegar with the pepper and salt, and pour over them. lentil salad. _ingredients_--some boiled lentils. a little chopped parsley. equal quantities of oil and vinegar. pepper and salt. _method._--lay the lentils in a dish. sprinkle them with the chopped parsley. mix the oil and vinegar with the pepper and salt, and pour over them. mixed salad. _ingredients_--equal quantities of boiled potato, carrot, turnip, and beetroot. equal quantities of oil and vinegar. pepper and salt to taste. _method._--cut the vegetables into small dice. place them in a salad bowl. mix the oil and vinegar with the pepper and salt, and pour over them. spring salad. _ingredients_-- lettuce. some mustard and cress. endive. hard-boiled eggs. beetroot. watercress. some _mayonnaise_ or salad-dressing. _method._--wash the vegetables well; put them in a draught to dry them quickly. then cut them rather coarsely. put them into a salad-bowl. pour over the dressing, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs and beetroot. for a more elaborate salad, put the vegetables into a glass or silver dish, heaping them high in the centre. decorate with sprigs of endive, placing a large tuft at the top. round the base place the hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters, alternately with slices of beetroot. finish off with a border of chopped aspic jelly. miscellaneous dishes. cheese pâtés. _ingredients_--some stale bread. ½ tablespoonful of hot water. tablespoonfuls of grated cheese.  oz. of butter. a few bread-crumbs. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. a few browned bread-crumbs. the yolk of an egg. _method._--cut the bread in slices of one inch in thickness. stamp into rounds with a circular pastry-cutter; scoop out the inside, making little nests of them. fry in hot fat (_see_ french frying); drain them on kitchen paper. put them inside the oven to keep hot. put the butter and water into a saucepan on the fire to boil. when boiling, stir in sufficient crumbs to make the mixture stiff. beat in the yolk, add pepper, salt, and cayenne; and stir in the cheese. pile the mixture on the cases; sprinkle a few browned crumbs over them and be careful to serve quite hot. welsh rare-bit. _ingredients_--some slices of bread about half an inch in thickness. some slices of cheese. a little butter. the yolk of an egg. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--toast the bread and keep it quite hot. cut the cheese into very thin pieces. put it in a saucepan with the butter; pepper and salt to taste. stir until it has melted, then mix in the yolk. spread it on the toast, and brown before the fire. toasted cheese. _ingredients_--some slices of very hot toast. some slices of cheese. mustard, pepper and salt. _method._--toast the cheese nicely, and lay it quickly on hot toast. spread a little mustard thinly over it, with pepper and salt, and serve very hot. cheese pudding. _ingredients_--  oz. of bread-crumbs. pint of milk. ¼ lb. of grated cheese. eggs.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--put the crumbs into a basin. boil the milk; pour it over them, and let them soak. then add the yolks of the three eggs, the grated cheese, and seasoning. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and stir them in lightly. pour the mixture into a greased pie-dish, and bake in a quick oven until well thrown up and brown. macaroni and cheese. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of macaroni.  oz. of grated cheese. ½ pint of milk.  oz. of butter. ½ oz. of flour. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--break the macaroni into small pieces, and boil in a quart of water for thirty minutes or more until the macaroni is tender. then strain away the water. melt the butter in a stewpan. mix in the flour smoothly. pour in the milk, stir, and boil well. then put in the macaroni, seasoning, and half the cheese. put the mixture into a greased pie-dish. sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over it, and bake in a quick oven until brown. macaroni stewed in milk. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of macaroni. pint of milk. _method._--break the macaroni, and boil it in one quart of water for thirty minutes. then strain away the water, and pour in the milk. stew gently, stirring occasionally for thirty minutes. this may be eaten with jam, sugar, treacle, stewed fruit, &c. macaroni stewed in stock. prepare according to directions in the preceding recipe, using stock instead of milk. macaroni is very good plainly boiled and served as a vegetable with roasted or stewed meat. savoury rice. _ingredients_-- onion.  oz. of rice. pint of boilings from meat. pepper and salt. _method._--boil the onion until tender, then chop it finely. wash the rice, and boil it in the meat liquor with the chopped onion until tender. add pepper and salt to taste. cheese sandwiches. _ingredients_--¼ lb. of grated cheese. the yolks of hard-boiled eggs. slices of buttered bread.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt. a little cayenne. _method._--beat the yolks well with the butter; add the cheese and seasoning. spread the mixture on the two pieces of buttered bread, and place the others over. rice stewed with cheese. _ingredients_--½ lb. of rice. ½ pints of water. pint of milk.  oz. of grated cheese. pepper and salt. _method._--boil the rice gently in the water for half an hour, then add the milk and cheese and boil gently for half an hour more. stewed normandy pippins. _ingredients_--  lb. of pippins. quart of water.  oz. of lump sugar. _method._--soak the pippins in the water. then stew them with the sugar for one hour or more until quite soft. place them on a glass dish and pour the syrup over them. odds and ends. croutons of bread for soup. cut stale bread into small dice, fry them in a little butter, or in a large quantity of fat (_see_ french frying), a golden brown colour. drain on kitchen paper and serve on a folded napkin. toasted bread for soup. cut toasted bread into small dice, put them on a baking-tin and place them in a quick oven for a few minutes. serve on a folded napkin. bread-crumbs. these are best made by rubbing stale bread through a wire sieve, or the crumb of stale bread may be dried in a slow oven and pounded for crumbs. browned bread-crumbs. these can be made from white crumbs, which should be put on a baking-tin and baked a golden brown colour in the oven; or the crusts of stale bread can be dried in a slow oven and pounded. raspings can be used, but they should be rubbed through a wire sieve. browned crumbs for game. put white crumbs into a frying-pan with a little butter, and stir until they are lightly browned. macédoine of vegetables. cut carrots and turnips into fancy shapes with a dry cutter, boil them separately, cooking the turnips five minutes and the carrots fifteen. mix them with nicely boiled green peas and french beans. in the winter moir's _macédoine_ of cooked vegetables, sold in tins, will be found very convenient. pickle for meat. _ingredients_-- ½ lb. of salt.  oz. of brown sugar.  oz. of saltpetre. gallon of water. _method._--put the salt, sugar, and saltpetre into a large saucepan with the water. put it on the fire, bring it to the boil, and let it boil for five minutes. it must be kept well skimmed. strain it into a large tub or basin. when the pickle is quite cold, meat can be put into it. fried parsley. choose nice green parsley, wash and dry it, and pick it from the stalk; put it into a wire spoon or basket, and fry in hot fat (_see_ french frying). it must be removed directly it is crisp or it will discolour; drain it on kitchen paper, and sprinkle it with salt. parsley that has been frozen will turn black in frying. rendering down fat. _ingredients_--  lb. of any fat, cooked or uncooked. _method._--cut the fat into small pieces. put it into a large saucepan and cover with water. boil for one hour with the lid on the saucepan, that the steam may whiten the fat. then remove the lid, and boil steadily until the water has evaporated, and the fat melted out of the pieces. stir occasionally to prevent the fat sticking to the bottom of the saucepan and burning. when the fat is ready, let it cool a little, and then strain it. the pieces should be well pressed to squeeze out all the fat. this fat may be used for frying, or plain cakes and pastry. the quantity given is sufficient for french frying. to clarify dripping. melt the dripping and pour it into cold water. when cold, scrape off the sediment which will be found at the bottom. to clarify butter. boil the butter, and remove the curd as it rises. to blanch almonds and pistachio kernels. put them into cold water, and bring it to boiling point. then remove their skins. almonds should afterwards be thrown into cold water to preserve their colour. how to use up fragments. scraps of bread. these may be used for puddings, or dried and powdered for crumbs; they can also be used to thicken soup. cold potatoes. these may be mashed and baked in a pie-dish, or made into balls and fried or baked; they may also be sliced and made into french salad, or used to thicken soup. scraps of meat. if there are not sufficient to re-cook for a made dish of any kind, put them into the stock-pot. fat, cooked or uncooked. this can be cut in pieces and rendered down (_see_ rendering down fat). it can be used for frying, plain pastry, and cakes. fat skimmings from the stock-pot. this is excellent to fry cutlets, &c., in, and can be used instead of butter. dripping. clarify it and use it for frying, plain cakes, and pastry. scraps of cheese. grate them, and use for welsh rare-bit, macaroni cheese, cheese sandwiches, _pâtés_, &c. cold vegetables. if any quantity, re-warm them, or make into french salads. any scraps can be put into the stock-pot. water in which vegetables have been boiled. use this, if possible, for vegetable soups, as it contains to a great extent the valuable salts of the vegetables. boilings from meats. these, if not too salt, can be used to make pea, lentil, and other vegetable soups. forcemeats. veal stuffing. _ingredients_-- tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs. tablespoonful of finely-chopped suet. dessertspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. teaspoonful of dried and powdered thyme and marjoram. egg. pepper and salt. _method._--mix all the ingredients with the egg well beaten. a little grated lemon rind and juice improves the flavour. sage-and-onion stuffing. _ingredients_-- onions. ¼ lb. of bread-crumbs. sage leaves.  oz. of butter. pepper and salt. _method._--blanch the onions by putting them into cold water, and bringing it to the boil; boil for five minutes, and then throw the water away. rinse the onions and put them into another saucepan of water, and boil for about one hour until they are quite tender; five minutes before taking them up put in the sage leaves. drain the onions and sage leaves, and chop them finely; then mix them with the bread-crumbs, pepper and salt. quenelle forcemeat. _see_ quenelles of veal. forcemeat balls. these are made with veal stuffing. shape it into balls and bake them in the oven. if they are served with hare, the liver is chopped and mixed with the forcemeat. imitation foie gras. _ingredients_--½ lb. of calf's liver. ¼ lb. of bacon. a piece of carrot, turnip, and onion. a sprig of parsley, thyme, and marjoram. a bay leaf. pepper and salt. _method._--slice the liver, bacon, and vegetables. put them into a frying-pan and cook (turning frequently) until the liver is quite tender. care must be taken that the liver does not fry brown. put the whole contents of the frying-pan into a mortar and pound well. then rub the mixture through a hair sieve. preserves. strawberry jam. _ingredients_--  lb. of strawberries.  lb. of loaf sugar. _method._--take the stalks from the strawberries and put them in a preserving pan. stir and boil for thirty minutes on a moderate fire. then add the sugar broken into small lumps; stir and boil for about thirty minutes longer, or until the jam stiffens. remove all the scum as it rises. put the jam into pots and cover close. raspberry jam. _ingredients_--  lb. of raspberries.  lb. of loaf sugar. _method._--remove the stalks from the raspberries and boil them over a moderate fire for fifteen minutes, stirring all the time. add the sugar broken into lumps, and boil for about thirty minutes longer, or until the jam will set. remove all the scum carefully. put the jam into pots and cover close. rhubarb jam. _ingredients_--  lb. of rhubarb.  lb. of lump sugar. _method._--peel and cut the rhubarb as for a tart, put it in the pan with the sugar, and boil gently at first, then more quickly, skimming frequently. when it will set it is ready. red gooseberry jam. _ingredients_--  lb. of gooseberries.  lb. of lump sugar. water. _method._--take the heads and stalks from the gooseberries and put them in a pan, allowing a quarter of a pint of water to every pound of gooseberries. put the gooseberries into a preserving-pan. stir and boil for fifteen minutes. then add the sugar. continue stirring until the jam is set, skimming frequently. put it into pots and cover close. damson jam. _ingredients_--  lb. of damsons. ¾ lb. of lump sugar. _method._--boil for thirty minutes. then put in the sugar broken into small pieces, and boil and skim for about twenty minutes longer, or until the jam will set. put into pots and cover close. black-currant jam. _ingredients_--  lb. of black currants. ¾ lb. of lump sugar. _method._--boil the fruit and sugar together until the jam will set, skimming all the time. put into pots and cover close. menus. i. haricot soup. boiled salmon, hollandaise sauce. _entrée._ chicken croquettes. saddle of lamb, mint sauce, spinach, potatoes. cabinet pudding, orange jelly. cheese, &c. dessert. ii. mock-hare soup. boiled cod, egg sauce. _entrée._ curried rabbit. roast leg of mutton, currant jelly, cauliflower, potatoes. marmalade pudding, general satisfaction. cheese. dessert. iii. celery soup. boiled mackerel, melted butter. _entrée._ curried chicken. boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce, mashed turnips, potatoes. ginger pudding, apple turnovers. cheese, &c. dessert. iv. tapioca soup. sole au gratin. _entrée._ mushrooms and kidneys. roast fowl, bacon, bread sauce, brussels sprouts, potatoes. pancakes, snow pudding, cheese cakes. cheese, &c. dessert. v. macaroni soup. fried cutlets of cod, anchovy sauce. _entrée._ minced meat with poached eggs. braised breast of veal, cauliflower, potatoes. marlborough pudding, jam roly-poly. cheese, &c. dessert. vi. lentil soup. boiled cod, egg sauce. _entrée._ tomatoes stuffed with sausage-meat. ribs of beef, horse-radish sauce, potatoes, spinach. apple fritters, lemon pudding. cheese, &c. dessert. vii. haricot soup. plaice filleted and fried, anchovy sauce. _entrée._ croustards of minced meat. roast leg of mutton, red-currant jelly, potatoes, brussels sprouts. boiled fowl, egg sauce. baked custard, sultana pudding, normandy pippins. cheese. dessert. viii. celery soup. boiled halibut, shrimp sauce. _entrée._ rissoles. sirloin of beef, horse-radish sauce, greens, potatoes. tapioca pudding, jam tarts, raspberry pudding. cheese. dessert. ix. palestine soup. fried whiting, thick white sauce. _entrée._ curried eggs. shoulder of mutton, onion sauce, cauliflower, potatoes. boiled beef, young carrots. blancmange, gooseberry fool, apple pudding. cheese. dessert. x. mock-turtle soup. boiled cod, lobster sauce. _entrées._ mutton cutlets à la macédoine. tomato farni. roast fillet of veal, boiled fowl, béchamel sauce, asparagus, potatoes. ducklings, green peas. cheese cakes, chartreuse de fruit, lemon jelly. cheese. dessert. xi. clear soup. cod's head and shoulders, oyster sauce. fried smelts. _entrées._ beef olives. quenelles of veal. saddle of mutton, red currant jelly, spinach, potatoes. boiled turkey, celery sauce. grouse. plum pudding, mince pies, tipsy cake, stone cream, cheese ramequins. cheese. dessert. xii. bonne femme soup. boiled brill, anchovy sauce. _entrées._ podovies. veal cutlets à la talleyrand. boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce, young carrots. roast fowl and bacon, brussels sprouts, potatoes. goslings, green peas. charlotte russe, viennoise pudding, apple fritters. cheese. dessert. xiii. calves'-tail soup. palestine soup. sole à la rouennaise. fried whiting. _entrées._ mutton cutlets, tomato sauce. rabbit à la tartare. sirloin of beef, horse-radish sauce, spinach, potatoes. boiled turkey, white sauce, brussels sprouts. pheasants. marmalade pudding, general satisfaction, almond cakes, vanilla cream, cheese straws. cheese. dessert. xiv. mulligatawny. cod, oyster sauce. red mullets in cases. _entrées._ chicken tartlets. fillets de boeuf, à la béarnaise. mutton cutlets à la macédoine. saddle of mutton, red-currant jelly, potatoes, brussels sprouts. boiled turkey, celery sauce. boiled tongue. pheasants. apple amber pudding, plum pudding, stone cream, orange fritters, cheese ramequins. cheese. dessert. xv. mock turtle. clear soup. turbot, hollandaise sauce. lobster cutlets. _entrées._ braised sweetbreads. pigeons à l'italienne. fillets of chicken. saddle of lamb, mint sauce, asparagus, potatoes. boiled fowls, bacon. béchamel sauce, potato croquettes. ducklings, green peas. strawberry cream, genoise pastry, cold cabinet pudding, claret jelly, cheese straws. cheese. dessert. xvi. potage à l'américaine. boiled turbot, lobster sauce. _entrées._ oyster patties. fillets de boeuf à la béarnaise. roast leg of mutton, red-currant jelly, brussels sprouts potatoes. boiled fowl, bacon, celery sauce. jugged hare. gâteau de cerise, croquant of oranges, boiled custards. cheese. dessert. xvii. mock-turtle soup. potato purée. salmon, hollandaise sauce, cucumber. sole à la béchamel. _entrées._ chicken à la marengo. braised sweetbreads. saddle of lamb, mint sauce, peas, potatoes. boiled fowl, egg sauce, boiled ham, potato croquettes, asparagus. goslings, peas. strawberry charlotte, good trifle, orange jelly, jam puffs, cheese d'artois. cheese. dessert. xviii. julienne. oyster soup. turbot, lobster sauce. sole à la genoise. _entrées._ sweetbreads à la béchamel. mutton cutlets à la rachel. sirloin of beef, horse-radish sauce, asparagus, potatoes. boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce, mashed turnips. ducklings, peas. charlotte russe, pine-apple jelly, normandy pippins, custards in glasses. cheese. dessert. xix. ox-tail soup. tapioca cream. boiled salmon, tartare sauce. sole à la maître d'hôtel. _entrées._ chicken à la marengo. mutton cutlets à la milanaise. podovies. roast fillet of veal, french beans, potatoes. haunch of mutton, red currant jelly. goslings, green peas. pistachio cream, orange jelly, snow puddings, cheese d'artois. cheese. dessert. suppers. cold supper. people. one sirloin of beef. one roast turkey. one boiled ham. one lobster salad. one apple tart. twelve cheese cakes. one blancmange. one jelly. fruit. cheese. cold supper. people. one rabbit pie. one galantine of veal. one ox tongue. one lobster salad. one charlotte russe. one croquant of oranges. one small trifle. two jellies. one dish of pastry. cheese, &c. fruit. cold supper. people. ribs of beef rolled. salmon coated with mayonnaise sauce. cucumber. one pigeon pie. one veal-and-ham pie. one ox tongue. a stone cream. one tipsy cake. a dish of genoise pastry. a pine-apple jelly. a compote of peaches. strawberries and cream. a lemon jelly. cheese and fruit. cold supper. people. roast turkey. boiled tongue. one pigeon pie. one mayonnaise of lobster garnished with aspic. one veal-and-ham pie. one large pine-apple jelly. one large blancmange. jam puffs. cheese cakes. boiled custards. normandy pippins. gâteau de cerise. cakes. biscuits. fruit. high tea for people, for lawn tennis parties, &c. one lobster mayonnaise. two chickens, coated with thick white sauce. one veal-and-ham pie. one tongue. one apple amber pudding. twelve boiled custards. twelve custard-glasses filled with chopped jelly. one blancmange. strawberries and cream. thin bread and butter. biscuits, cake, fruit. tea, coffee. supper for people. guests not seated. ham, tongue, and beef sandwiches. four quarts of blancmange, differently flavoured and decorated. four quarts of jelly, differently flavoured and moulded. two charlottes russe. one large trifle. two tipsy cakes. three dishes of genoise pastry in various forms. two lemon sponges. fruit. supper for people. guests not seated. less expensive. ham and beef sandwiches. four quarts of blancmange, differently flavoured and decorated. two quarts of apple gâteau. four jellies of different kinds. one large lemon-sponge. two dishes of light pastry. boiled custards. normandy pippins. two jaunemanges. two tipsy cakes. fruit. index. almond cakes, almonds and pistachio kernels, to blanch, alpine snow, apple cream, -- dumplings, -- flummery, -- fritters, -- tart, -- turnovers, -- water, -- -- boiled, arrowroot, a cup of, -- custard, artichokes, jerusalem, asparagus, bacon, -- and eggs, -- fried, -- toasted, baking, rules for, barley water, clear, -- -- thick, batter for fritters (kromesky), beans, broad, -- french, -- haricot, beef, aitch-bone, round, thick and thin flank of, -- brisket of, -- -- stewed, -- fillets of, à la béarnaise, -- olives, -- ribs of, -- scalloped, -- sirloin of, -- steak pie, -- tea, -- -- raw, -- and mushrooms, beginners, hints to, - beverages, biscuits, ginger, -- oatmeal, blancmange, bloaters, boiling, rules for, boilings from meats, bran tea, brawn, bread, -- croutons of, for soup, -- crumbs, -- -- browned, -- crust, flaky, -- scraps of, -- toasted, for soup, -- unfermented, -- vienna, breakfast dishes, breast of veal, braised, brill, boiled, broiling, rules for, broth, dr. kitchener's, -- mutton, browned crumbs for game, brussels sprouts, bullock's heart, -- -- gravy for, buns, -- rice, butter, to clarify, cabbage, café au lait, cake, cornflour, -- currant, -- dough, -- luncheon, -- madeira, -- plum, plain, -- pound, -- rice, -- seed, -- -- plain, -- sponge, -- sultana, -- tipsy, cakes, gingerbread, -- lemon-rock, -- queen, -- rock, -- -- plain, -- shrewsbury, -- soda, calf's-foot stock, candied peel drops, carrots, cauliflower au gratin, -- to boil, celery, charlotte russe, chartreuse de fruit, chaud-froid chicken, cheese cakes, -- d'artois, -- fondu, -- pâtés, -- pudding, -- ramequins, -- rice stewed with, -- sandwiches, -- scraps of, -- straws, -- toasted, -- and macaroni, chicken à la cardinal, -- à la marengo, -- à la tartare, -- croquettes, -- curried, -- fillets of, -- -- for an invalid, children, food of, chocolate, chop, broiled, cocoa, cod, boiled, -- cutlets of, -- -- à la genoise, -- -- à l'italienne, -- fricassee, -- salt, -- sounds, boiled, -- -- marinaded, -- stuffed and baked, -- with tomatoes, coffee, , cold beef olives, -- meat cookery, -- -- and macaroni, -- -- curry of, -- -- mayonnaise of, -- -- pie, -- -- with purée of tomatoes, -- potatoes, -- vegetables, compote of peaches, cooking utensils and stoves, how to clean, - cornish pasties, cream, almond bavarian, -- bohemian, -- custard, -- maraschino, -- orange, -- pistachio, -- stone, -- strawberry, -- vanilla, creams and jellies, , -- to make, crème frite, croquant of oranges, croustards à la reine, -- with mincemeat, crust, economical short, -- flaky, -- good short, -- plainer short, curried fish, curried rabbit, curry, rice for a, custard, arrowroot, -- boiled, -- cheap, -- cream, -- savoury, -- welsh, cutlets, mutton, à la macédoine, -- -- à la milanaise, -- -- à la rachel, -- veal, -- -- à l'italienne, -- -- à la talleyrand, -- -- with tomato sauce, domestic economy, advantage of a knowledge of, to women, - dripping, -- to clarify, duck, roast, -- wild, ducklings, eels, stewed, egg croustards, eggs and anchovy, -- boiled, -- buttered, -- in cases, -- poached, -- scalloped, -- sur le plat, entrées, epigrammes, fat, cooked or uncooked, -- rendering down, -- skimmings from the stock-pot, fish, baked, -- cookery, -- croquettes, -- curried, -- fried, -- pudding, -- to boil, floating island, foie gras, imitation, food and diet, foods, table of, forcemeat balls, forcemeats, fowl, boiled, -- galantine of, -- mayonnaise of, -- roast, fragments, how to use up, fried parsley, fritters, -- batter for (kromesky), frying, dry, -- french, or wet, , -- rules for, galettes, game, rissoles of, gâteau aux pommes, -- de cerise, genoise iced cakes, -- pastry, -- preserve cakes, -- sandwiches, gingerbread, goose, mock, , -- roast, gooseberry fool, -- turnovers, green peas, grilling, rules for, grouse, gruel, gurnets, baked, haddock, -- broiled, dried, -- stuffed, hake, halibut, ham, how to cook a, hare, jugged, -- mock, -- roast, haricot mutton, hash, herrings, baked, -- -- in vinegar, -- red, housekeepers, hints to young, imitation foie-gras, invalid cookery, -- soup, invalids, dishes suitable for, irish stew, jam, black currant, -- damson, -- raspberry, -- red gooseberry, -- rhubarb, -- strawberry, jaunemange, jelly, aspic, -- claret, -- orange, -- pineapple, -- strawberry, -- wine, jellies, , -- to clear, joints, , kedgeree, kidneys, à la tartare, -- and mushrooms, -- fried, -- stewed, -- stuffed, -- toasted, lamb, fore quarter of, -- leg of, -- loin, saddle, and shoulder of, lemonade, lemon sponge, ling, linseed tea, liver and bacon, lobster cutlets, -- -- in aspic, -- miroton of, macaroni and cheese, -- stewed in milk, -- -- -- stock, macédoine of vegetables, mackerel à la normande, mayonnaise of fowl, -- -- salmon, meat, pickle for, -- scraps of, menus, - milk rolls, mince à la reine, -- (with eggs), -- pies, minced meat, mincemeat, miscellaneous dishes, mock goose, or pig's fry, , -- hare, mullets, red, à la genoise, -- -- à l'italienne, -- -- in cases, mushroom pie, mushrooms, -- boiled, -- stewed, mutton cutlets à la macédoine, -- -- à la rachel, -- leg of, -- neck of, -- saddle of, -- shoulder of, -- -- boned, stuffed, and rolled, norfolk dumpling, oatmeal porridge, odds and ends, omelet, savoury, a small, -- soufflée, -- -- savoury, omelets, , onions, spanish, orangeade, ox-cheek, stewed, ox-tongue, oyster patties, oysters, scalloped, -- -- à la française, pancakes, parsley, fried, parsnips, partridges, -- braised, pastry, patties, -- oyster, -- salsify, patty cases, peaches, compote of, petit choux, pheasant, roast, pickle for meat, pie, mushroom, -- pigeon, -- rabbit, -- sea, -- shepherd's, -- veal and ham, pigeons stewed à l'italienne, pippins, stewed normandy, plaice, , -- fried fillets of, podovies, porridge, hominy, -- oatmeal, -- whole-meal, potato balls, -- croquettes, potatoes, baked, -- cold, -- flaked, -- fried, -- mashed, -- to boil, -- to steam, -- new, to cook, pork, chine of, -- hand of, -- leg of, -- spare rib of, -- pickled, poultry and game, - preserves, prune drink, pudding, albert, -- apple, -- -- amber, -- -- charlotte, -- apricot, -- arrowroot, -- auntie's, -- baked lemon, -- -- plum, -- beef steak, -- bread and butter, -- -- cheese, -- -- fruit, -- brown bread, -- cabinet, -- -- plain cold, -- canary, -- cheese, -- christmas, -- cornflour, -- curate's, -- currant, -- custard, -- diplomatic, -- economical bread, -- -- fig, -- -- ginger, -- -- lemon, -- eastern, -- ellen's, -- fig, -- fun, -- ginger, -- general satisfaction, -- gingerbread, -- good tapioca, -- ground barley, -- -- rice, -- hominy, -- jam roly-poly, -- lemon, -- light sultana, -- macaroni, -- marlborough, -- marmalade, -- orange, -- pearl barley, -- pease, -- plum, -- poor knight's, -- queen victoria, -- railway, -- raspberry, -- ratafia, -- rice, -- sago, -- scrap, -- semolina, -- snow, -- spring, -- stale bread, -- steamed rice, -- -- semolina, -- suet, -- sultana, -- sweet custard, -- swiss, -- -- apple, -- tapioca, -- treacle, -- -- roly-poly, -- viennoise, -- welcome guest, -- west of england, -- windsor, -- yorkshire (or batter), puddings, little batter, puff paste, -- -- rough, puffs, german, quartern loaf, a, quenelle forcemeat, quenelles of veal, rabbit, boiled, -- curried, -- pie, -- ragout of, -- roast, -- stewed, rabbits à la tartare, rhubarb fool, rice balls, -- bars, -- cakes, -- compote of, -- for a curry, -- milk, -- mould of, -- savoury, -- stewed with cheese, -- water, rissoles, -- of game, roast, savoury, roasting, rules for, sago gruel, salad, cauliflower, -- celery, -- chicken, -- haricot, -- lentil, -- lobster, -- mixed, -- oyster, -- potato, -- spring, -- tomato, sauces, -- apple, no. , -- -- no. , -- béarnaise, -- béchamel, -- bread, -- brown, -- celery, -- economical family, -- egg, -- french, -- genoise, -- german, -- glaze, -- -- cheap, for meat, -- gravy for made dishes, -- hollandaise, -- horse-radish, -- jam, -- lobster, , -- maître d'hôtel, -- mayonnaise, -- melted butter, english, -- mint, -- onion, -- oyster, -- piquante, -- plain white, -- port wine, for wild duck, -- réforme, -- shrimp, -- soubise, -- sweet, -- -- a nice, -- tartare, -- tomato, -- wine, salmon à la tartare, -- boiled, -- pickled, sausage rolls, sausages, baked, -- fried, -- oxford, savoury meat dishes, scones, scraps of bread, -- cheese, -- meat, seakale, sea pie, sheep's head, -- au gratin, -- moulded, shortbread, smelts, fried, -- au gratin, snipes, sole à la parisienne, -- à la rouennaise, -- au gratin, -- fillets of, à la maître d'hôtel, -- for an invalid, -- fried, -- fillets of, soufflée, steamed, soufflées, , soups, -- bonne femme, -- clear, -- -- first stock for, -- -- second stock, -- calf-tail, -- celery, -- consommée à la princesse, -- -- au royal, -- crowdie, -- egyptian purée, or lentil soup, -- friar tuck, -- giblet, -- green pea purée, -- hare, -- haricot, -- julienne, -- milk, -- mock turtle, -- mulligatawny, -- onion, -- ox-cheek, -- ox-tail, -- oyster, -- palestine, -- parsnip, -- potage à l'américaine, -- potato purée, -- pot-au-feu, -- rabbit, -- red lentil, -- sheep's-head, -- tapioca, -- -- cream, -- turnip, -- white stock, -- -- from bones uncooked, spinach, sponge roll, steak, broiled, -- fried, -- stewed, strawberry charlotte, stuffing, sage and onion, -- veal, suet and milk, supper dishes and salads, suppers, - sweetbreads à la béchamel, -- à la parisienne, -- braised, -- fried, -- minced, -- plainly boiled, table, the, tapioca and apples, tartlets, tea, -- bran, -- linseed, teacakes, yorkshire, toad-in-the-hole, toast and water, -- buttered, -- dry, toasted cheese, tomato farni, tomatoes, -- au gratin, -- stuffed with sausage meat, treacle posset, trifle, -- plain, tripe and onions, -- stewed, turbot, boiled, turkey, boiled, -- roast, -- galantine of, turnips, veal à la béchamel, -- breast of, -- -- braised, -- cake, -- cutlets, -- -- à l'italienne, -- -- à la talleyrand, -- -- with tomato sauce, -- fillet of, -- galantine of, -- grenadines of, -- knuckle of, -- loin of, -- shoulder of, -- and ham pie, vegetable marrows, vegetables, cold, -- macédoine of, -- rules for cooking, water in which vegetables have been boiled, welsh rare-bit, whitebait, whiting à la genoise, -- à l'italienne, -- boiled, -- fried, white-wine whey, woodcocks, w. brendon and son, limited, plymouth [ transcriber's note: the following is a list of corrections made to the original. the first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. cheese, and for the same purpose.[ ] cheese, and for the same purpose.'[ ] _ingredients._--  lb. shin of beef. _ingredients_--  lb. shin of beef. _ingredients._--  lb. of tripe. [in tripe and onions recipe] _ingredients_--  lb. of tripe. broiled steak broiled steak. _method_--proceed as in making mayonnaise sauce; adding when the sauce _method._--proceed as in making mayonnaise sauce; adding when the sauce well cooked well cooked. dessertspoonful of castor sugar [in german sauce recipe] dessertspoonful of castor sugar. tablespoonful of bread crumbs tablespoonful of bread crumbs.  oz. of butter [in sweetbreads à la béchamel recipe]  oz. of butter. simmer them in the stock until they are quite tender simmer them in the stock until they are quite tender. _ingredients._--some cooked beef, minced finely. _ingredients_--some cooked beef, minced finely. dish, and pour melted glaze over them dish, and pour melted glaze over them. hallibut. halibut. garnish with truffle and coral [in red mullets à l'italienne recipe] garnish with truffle and coral. half a sponge cake half a sponge cake. gooseberry turnovers gooseberry turnovers. note.--this pudding is very good served with cream or custards the note.--this pudding is very good served with cream or custards. the line a pie-dish with pastry; pour in the mixture line a pie-dish with pastry; pour in the mixture. make like a jam roly-poly, using treacle instead of jam make like a jam roly-poly, using treacle instead of jam. break the sponge cakes and ratifias in pieces, and pour the custard over break the sponge cakes and ratafias in pieces, and pour the custard over use up all the tomatoes and crumbs in this way. letting the last layer use up all the tomatoes and crumbs in this way, letting the last layer bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes, bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes. _ingredients_-- quarts of second stock _ingredients_-- quarts of second stock. tablespoonfuls of crushed tapioca tablespoonfuls of crushed tapioca. blade of mace, [in giblet soup recipe] blade of mace.  lb. of parsnips [in red lentil soup recipe]  lb. of parsnips. or large crusts of bread or large crusts of bread. grated rind of one lemon and juice of two grated rind of one lemon and juice of two. a savoury omelet soufflée a savoury omelet soufflée. _method._--peel and cut up the apples _method._--peel and cut up the apples. shape the fowl nicely, and fasten it securely in a cloth shape the fowl nicely, and fasten it securely in a cloth. _ingredients._--  lb. of pippins. _ingredients_--  lb. of pippins.  oz. of saltpetre,  oz. of saltpetre. the add the sugar broken into small lumps; stir and boil for about then add the sugar broken into small lumps; stir and boil for about mutton cutlets à la macédoine. tomatos farni. mutton cutlets à la macédoine. tomato farni. -- -- fillets of, -- fillets of, -- for an invalid, -- -- for an invalid, gateaux aux pommes, gâteau aux pommes, mullets, red, à la genoise, mullets, red, à la genoise, -- -- à l'italienne, -- -- à l'italienne, -- app , -- apple, -- diplomatic, -- diplomatic, soufflée, stewed, soufflée, steamed, -- consommé à la princesse, -- consommée à la princesse, -- mock turtle, -- mock turtle, -- mulligatawny, -- mulligatawny, -- parsnip, -- parsnip, -- pot-au-feu, -- pot-au-feu, -- red lentil, -- red lentil, ] nelson's home comforts. thirteenth edition. revised and enlarged by mary hooper, author of "little dinners," "every-day meals," "cookery for invalids," _etc. etc._ [illustration: decoration] london: g. nelson, dale & co., limited, , dowgate hill. . any of nelson's specialities mentioned in this book _may be obtained from_ |--------------------------| | | | w. chaplin & sons, | | & , waterloo place, | | southampton. | | | |please send, s.w.r. | |--------------------------| they are also sold by grocers, chemists, italian warehousemen, etc., throughout the world. should any difficulty be experienced in obtaining them, kindly send the name and address of your grocer, and we will at once communicate with him. [illustration: trade mark.] *** g. nelson, dale, & co., ltd., , dowgate hill, london. nelson's specialities. *** patent opaque gelatine. in packets, from d. to s. d. citric acid. in d. packets. for use with the gelatine. essence of lemon, almonds, & vanilla. in graduated bottles, d. family jelly boxes. s. d. each. containing sufficient of the above materials for quarts of jelly. bottled wine jellies (concentrated). calf's foot, lemon, sherry, port, orange, and cherry. quarts, s. d.; pints, s. d.; half-pints, d. tablet jellies. orange, lemon, calf's foot, cherry, raspberry, vanilla, port, sherry, etc. quarts, d.; pints, d.; half-pints, d. wine tablet jellies. port, sherry, orange. pints only, d. patent refined isinglass. in s. packets. gelatine lozenges. liquorice lozenges. in ornamental tins, d. jelly-jubes. a most agreeable and nourishing sweetmeat. extract of meat. for soups, gravies, etc. in ounce packets, d. pure beef tea. in half-pint packets, d. soups. beef and carrots } beef and celery } in pint packets, beef and onions } d. each. mulligatawny } beef, peas, and vegetables } in quart packets, beef, lentils, and vegetables } d. each. penny packets of soup for charitable purposes. egg albumen. for clearing jelly or soup. in boxes containing packets, d. per box. *** g. nelson, dale, & co., ltd., , dowgate hill, london. little dinners, how to serve them with elegance and economy. by mary hooper. _twenty-second edition. crown vo, cloth, price s. d._ "shows us how to serve up a 'little dinner,' such as a philosopher might offer a monarch--good, varied, in good taste, and cheap. exactly what the young english wife wishes to know, and what the ordinary cookery book does not teach her."--_queen._ *** every-day meals, being economic and wholesome recipes for plain dinners, breakfasts, luncheons, and suppers. by mary hooper. _eighth edition. crown vo, cloth, price s. d._ "our already deep obligations to miss hooper are weightily increased by this excellent and practical little book. the recipes for little dishes are excellent, and so clearly worded that presumptuous man instantly believes, on reading them, that he could descend into the kitchen and 'toss up' the little dishes without any difficulty."--_spectator._ *** cookery for invalids, for persons of delicate digestion, and for children. by mary hooper. _sixth edition. crown vo, cloth, price s. d._ "an epicure might be content with the little dishes provided by miss hooper; but, at the same time, the volume fills the utmost extent of promise held out in the title-page."--_pall mall gazette._ *** london: kegan paul, trench, & co. contents. *** page preface bottled jellies tablet jellies lemon sponge citric acid and pure essence of lemon pure essence of almonds and vanilla gelatine lozenges jelly-jubes licorice lozenges albumen extract of meat soups beef tea new zealand mutton tinned meats gelatine soups little dishes of fish little dishes of meat puddings jellies creams cakes beverages macaroni, etc. hints on housekeeping new zealand frozen mutton index nelson's home comforts. *** preface. in presenting our friends and the public with the thirteenth edition of our "home comforts," we have the pleasure to remark that so greatly has the book been appreciated, that the large number of five hundred thousand copies has been called for. the value of the jubilee edition was enhanced by some new recipes; these are repeated in the present edition, to which, also, some valuable additions have been made. since the introduction of our gelatine by the late mr. g. nelson, more than fifty years ago, we have considerably enlarged our list of specialities, and we have gratefully to acknowledge the public favour accorded to us. among those of our preparations which have met with so much appreciation and success, we would cite the following: nelson's bottled jellies.--it is sometimes so difficult, if not impossible, to have a first-class jelly made in private kitchens, that we venture to think our bottled jellies will be highly appreciated by all housekeepers. it is not too much to say that a ready-made jelly of the highest quality, and of the best and purest materials, requiring only the addition of hot water, is now, for the first time, supplied. careful experiments, extending over a long period of time, have been required to bring this excellent and very useful preparation to its present state of perfection, and it is confidently asserted that no home-made jelly can surpass it in purity, brilliancy, or delicacy of flavour. all that is necessary to prepare the jelly for the table is to dissolve it by placing the bottle in hot water, and then to add the given quantity of water to bring it to a proper consistency. it is allowed to stand until on the point of setting, and is then put into a mould. nelson's calf's foot, lemon, port, sherry, orange, and cherry jellies are now to be had of all first-class grocers, and are put up in bottles each containing sufficient of the concentrated preparation to make a quart, pint, or half-pint. nelson's tablet jellies are recommended for general use, are guaranteed of the purest and best materials, and are flavoured with the finest fruit essences. the tablet jellies are of so moderate a price as to be within the reach of all classes, and can be used as an every-day addition to the family bill of fare. they are not, however, intended as a substitute for high-class jellies, whether bottled or home-made. the tablet jellies used as directed in the recipes make, in a few minutes, creams of a most delicate kind, remarkable for smoothness of texture and fine flavour. nelson's port, sherry, and orange wine tablet jellies have now been added to the list. nelson's lemon sponge, supplied in tins, is a delicious novelty, and will be found to surpass any that can be made at home. nelson's citric acid and pure essence of lemon.--in order to save the trouble of putting jelly through a strainer when required for invalids, we have introduced our citric acid and essence of lemon, and by their use a jelly clear enough for all ordinary purposes is made in a few minutes. lemonade and other beverages can be quickly made, and with less expense than by any other method, by using nelson's citric acid and essence of lemon, and for these recipes are given. delicious beverages are also made with nelson's bottled jellies, see page . nelson's pure essence of almonds and vanilla.--these extracts, like the essence of lemon, will be found of superior strength and flavour, and specially adapted for the recipes in this book. nelson's gelatine lozenges are not only a delicious sweetmeat, but most useful as voice lozenges, or in cases of sore or irritable throat. the flavour is very delicate and refreshing. dissolved in water they make a useful beverage, and also a jelly suitable for children and invalids. nelson's jelly-jubes will be found most agreeable and nourishing sweetmeats, deliciously flavoured with fruit essences. they can be used as cough lozenges, will be found soothing for delicate throats, are useful for travellers, and may be freely given to children. nelson's licorice lozenges are not only a favourite sweetmeat, but in cases of throat irritation and cough are found to be soothing and curative. nelson's albumen is the white of eggs carefully dried and prepared, so that it will keep for an indefinite length of time. it is useful for any purpose to which the white of egg is applied, and answers well for clearing soup and jelly. when required for use, the albumen is soaked in cold water and whisked in the usual way. nelson's extract of meat.--the numerous testimonials which have been received as to the excellence of this preparation, as well as the great and universal demand for it, have afforded the highest satisfaction to us as the manufacturers, and have enabled us to offer it with increased confidence to the public. it is invaluable, whether for making soup or gravy, or for strengthening or giving flavour to many dishes; and it is not only superior to, but far cheaper than, any similar preparation now before the public. now that clear soup is so constantly required, and a thing of every-day use, nelson's extract of meat will be found a great boon. with the addition of a little vegetable flavouring, a packet of the extract will make a pint of soup as good and as fine as that produced, at much labour and expense, from fresh meat. with a judicious use of the liquor derived from boiling fowls, rabbits, and fresh meat, an endless variety of soup may be made, by the addition of nelson's extract of meat. some recipes are given by which first-class soups can be prepared in a short time, at a very small cost, and with but little trouble. it may be as well to say that soaking for a few minutes in cold water facilitates the solution of the extract of meat. nelson's soups are deserving of the attention of every housekeeper, for they combine all the elements of good nourishment, have an excellent flavour, both of meat and vegetables, are prepared by merely boiling the contents of a packet for fifteen minutes, and are so cheap as to be within everybody's means. penny packets of these soups, for charitable purposes, will be found most useful and nourishing. those who have to cater for a family know how often a little soup will make up a dinner that would otherwise be insufficient; yet because of the time and trouble required in the preparation, it is impossible to have it. in a case like this, or when a supplementary dish is unexpectedly required, nelson's soups are most useful. although these soups are all that can be desired, made with water according to the directions given with each packet, they can be utilised with great advantage for strengthening household stock. for instance, the liquor in which a leg of mutton has been boiled, or of pork, if not too salt, can be at once, by using a packet or two of nelson's soup, converted into a delicious and nourishing soup, and at a cost surprisingly small. or the bones of any joint can be made into stock, and, after all the fat has been skimmed off, have a packet of nelson's soup added, in the same manner as in the directions. nelson's beef tea will be found of the highest value, supplying a cup of unequalled nourishment, combining all the constituents of fresh beef. no other preparation now before the public contains that most important element, albumen, in a soluble form, as well as much of the fibrin of the meat. this beef tea is also generally relished by invalids, and merely requires to be dissolved in boiling water. new zealand mutton.--for information respecting this meat, and the great advantage as well as economy of its use, see page . nelson's tinned meats, known as the "tomoana brand," are prepared at the works of nelson bros., limited, hawke's bay, new zealand, from the finest cattle of the country. messrs. nelson specially recommend their "pressed mutton and green peas," "haricot mutton," and "pressed corned mutton." the "stewed kidneys" will be found of a quality superior to any articles of the kind now in the market, while the price places them within the reach of all classes of consumers. nelson's gelatine having now been favourably known all over the world for more than half a century, it is unnecessary to do more than observe that our efforts are constantly directed to supplying a perfectly pure article, always of the same strength and quality. when russian isinglass was first introduced into this country, the prejudices against its use on the part of our great-grandmothers were violent and extreme; for those worthy ladies would not believe that some unfamiliar substance, of the origin of which they were either ignorant or doubtful, could form an efficient substitute for the well-known calves' feet and cow-heels, from which they had always been in the habit of making their jellies and blanc-manges. by degrees, however, the gelatine made its way, and at length superseded the old system entirely; and its popularity is demonstrated by the fact that the works at emscote, near warwick, cover nearly five acres. * * * * * n.b.--it is necessary to call attention to the fact that in all the following recipes in which nelson's gelatine and specialities are used, the quantities are calculated for _their manufactures only_, the quality and strength of which may be relied upon for uniformity. nelson's home comforts. *** soups. *** beef and onion soup. a pint of very good soup can be made by following the directions which accompany each tin of nelson's beef and onion soup, viz. to soak the contents in a pint of cold water for fifteen minutes, then place over the fire, stir, and boil for fifteen minutes. it is delicious when combined with a tin of nelson's extract of meat, thus producing a quart of nutritious and appetising soup. nelson's mulligatawny soup. soaked in cold water for a quarter of an hour, and then boiled for fifteen minutes, nelson's mulligatawny soup is very appetising and delicious. it should be eaten with boiled rice; and for those who like the soup even hotter than that in the above preparation, the accompanying rice may be curried. in either case the rice should be boiled so that each grain should be separate and distinct from the rest. beef, lentil, and vegetable soup. pour one quart of boiling water upon the contents of a tin of nelson's soup of the above title, stirring briskly. the water must be boiling. a little seasoning of salt and pepper may be added for accustomed palates. this soup is perfectly delicious if prepared as follows: cut two peeled onions into quarters, tie them in a muslin bag, and let the soup boil for twenty minutes with them. take out the bag before serving the soup. beef, pea, and vegetable soup. the directions printed on each packet of nelson's beef, pea, and vegetable soup produce a satisfactory soup, but even this may be improved by the addition of the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat and a handful of freshly-gathered peas. it is perhaps not generally known that pea-pods, usually thrown away as useless, impart a most delicious flavour to soup if boiled fast for two or three hours in a large saucepan, strained, and the liquor added to the soup, stock, or beef tea. beef tea as a solid. soak the contents of a tin of nelson's beef tea in a gill of water for ten minutes. add to this the third of an ounce packet of nelson's gelatine, which has been soaked for two or three hours in half-a-pint of cold water. put the mixture in a stewpan, and stir until it reaches boiling-point. then put it into a mould which has been rinsed with cold water. when thoroughly cold, this will turn out a most inviting and extremely nutritious dish. clear vermicelli soup. boil two minced onions in a quart of the liquor in which a leg of mutton has been boiled, skim well, and when the vegetables are tender strain them out. pass the soup through a napkin, boil up, skim thoroughly, and when clear add the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, stirring until dissolved. boil two ounces of vermicelli paste in a pint of water until tender. most shapes take about ten minutes. take care that the water boils when you throw in the paste, and that it continues to do so during all the time of cooking, as that will keep the paste from sticking together. when done, drain it in a strainer, put it in the tureen, and pour the soup on to it. soup julienne. wash and scrape a large carrot, cut away all the yellow parts from the middle, and slice the red outside of it an inch in length, and the eighth of an inch thick. take an equal quantity of turnip and three small onions, cut in a similar manner. put them in a stewpan with two ounces of butter and a pinch of powdered sugar; stir over the fire until a nice brown colour, then add a quart of water and a teaspoonful of salt, and let all simmer together gently for two hours. when done skim the fat off very carefully, and ten minutes before serving add the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, and a cabbage-lettuce cut in shreds and blanched for a minute in boiling water; simmer for five minutes and the soup will be ready. many cooks, to save time and trouble, use the preserved vegetables, which are to be had in great perfection at all good italian warehouses. brown rabbit soup clear. fry a quarter of a pound of onions a light brown; mince a turnip and carrot and a little piece of celery; boil these until tender in three pints of the liquor in which a rabbit has been boiled, taking care to remove all scum as it rises; strain them out, and then pass the soup through a napkin. the soup should be clear, or nearly so, but if it is not, put it in a stewpan, boil and skim until bright; then throw in the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, soaked for a few minutes; stir until dissolved; add pepper and salt to taste. hare soup. half roast a hare, and, having cut away the meat in long slices from the backbone, put it aside to make an _entrée_. fry four onions; take a carrot, turnip, celery, a small quantity of thyme and parsley, half-a-dozen peppercorns, a small blade of mace, some bacon-bones or a slice of lean ham, with the body of the hare cut up into small pieces; put all in two quarts of water with a little salt. when you have skimmed the pot, cover close and allow it to boil gently for three hours, then strain it; take off every particle of fat, and having allowed the soup to boil up, add the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, and thicken it with a dessertspoonful of potato-flour; stir in two lumps of sugar, a glass of port wine, and season if necessary. mulligatawny soup. english cooks generally err in making both mulligatawny and curries too hot. it is impossible to give the exact quantity of the powder, because it varies so much in strength, and the cook must therefore be guided by the quality of her material. mulligatawny may be made cheaply, and be delicious. the liquor in which meat or fowl has been boiled will make a superior soup, and fish-liquor will answer well. slice and fry brown four onions, quarter, but do not peel, four sharp apples; boil them in three pints of stock until tender, then rub through a sieve to a pulp. boil this up in the soup, skimming well; add the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, and stir in two ounces of flour and the curry-powder, mixed smooth in half-a-pint of milk. any little pieces of meat, fowl, game, or fish may be added as an improvement to the soup. just before serving taste that the soup is well-flavoured; add a little lemon-juice or vinegar. thin mulligatawny soup. to a quart of the liquor in which a fresh haddock has been boiled, add half-a-pint of water in which onions have been boiled. stir into this, after it has been skimmed, and whilst boiling, the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, and a teaspoonful of curry-powder; let it boil up; add the juice of half a lemon and serve. brown artichoke soup. wash, peel, and cut into slices about half-an-inch thick two pounds of jerusalem artichokes. fry them in a little butter until brown; fry also brown half-a-pound of sliced onions. put these to boil in two quarts of water with two turnips, a carrot sliced, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and one of pepper. when the vegetables are tender drain the liquor, set it aside to cool, and remove all fat. pass the vegetables through a fine sieve to a nice smooth _purée_. those who possess a kent's "triturating strainer" will be able to do this much more satisfactorily, both as regards time and results, than by the old way of rubbing through a sieve. put the liquor on to boil, dissolve in it--according to the strength the soup is required to be--the contents of one or two tins of nelson's extract of meat, then add the vegetable _purée_, a lump or two of sugar, and if required, salt and pepper. let it boil up and serve. turtle soup. this soup is so often required for invalids, as well as for the table, that an easy and comparatively inexpensive method of preparing it cannot fail to be acceptable. nelson's beef tea or extract of meat will be used instead of fresh beef, and bellis's sun-dried turtle instead of live turtle. if convenient it is desirable to soak the dried turtle all night, but it can be used without doing so. put it on to boil in the water in which it was soaked, in the proportion of one quart with a teaspoonful of salt to a quarter of a pound of the turtle. add two or three onions peeled and quartered, a small bit of mace and sliced lemon-peel, and simmer gently for four or five hours, or until the turtle is tender enough to divide easily with a spoon. stock of any kind may be used instead of water, and as the liquid boils away more should be added, to keep the original quantity. herbs for the proper flavouring of the turtle soup are supplied by bellis; these should be put in about an hour before the turtle is finished, and be tied in muslin. when done take out the turtle and divide it into neat little pieces; strain the liquor in which it was cooked, and having boiled it up, stir in the contents of two tins of nelson's extract of meat, previously soaked for a few minutes. mix smooth in a gill of cold water a teaspoonful of french potato-flour and of vienna flour, stir into the soup, and when it has thickened put in the turtle meat; let it get hot through, add a wine-glassful of sherry, a dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, and salt and pepper to taste, and serve at once. it is necessary to have "bellis's sun-dried turtle," imported by t. k. bellis, jeffrey's square, st. mary axe, london (sold in boxes), for this soup, because it is warranted properly prepared. an inferior article, got up by negroes from turtle found dead, is frequently sold at a low price; but it is unnecessary to say it is not good or wholesome. mock turtle soup. this, like real turtle soup, can be made of nelson's extract of meat and bellis's mock turtle meat. boil the contents of a tin of this meat in water or stock, salted and flavoured with vegetables and turtle herbs, until tender. finish with nelson's extract of meat, and as directed for turtle soup. gravy. for roast meat, merely dissolve, after a little soaking, a tin of nelson's extract of meat in a pint of boiling water. for poultry or game, fry two onions a light brown, mince a little carrot and turnip, put in half a teaspoonful of herbs, tied in muslin, and boil until tender, in a pint of water. strain out the herbs, let the liquor boil up, stir in the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat, and if the gravy is required to be slightly thickened, add a small teaspoonful of potato-flour mixed smooth in cold water. for cutlets or other dishes requiring sharp sauce, make exactly as above, and just before serving add a little of any good piquant sauce, or pickles minced finely. glaze. soak in a small jar the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat in rather less than a gill of cold water. set the jar over the fire in a saucepan with boiling water, and let the extract simmer until dissolved. this is useful for strengthening soups and gravies, and for glazing ham, tongues, and other things. little dishes of fish. *** the recipes we are now giving are suitable for dinner, supper, or breakfast dishes, and will be found especially useful for the latter meal, as there is nothing more desirable for breakfast than fish. we are constantly told that it is not possible to have fresh fish for breakfast, because it cannot be kept all night in the home larder. but we must insist that there is no greater difficulty in keeping fish than meat. indeed, there is perhaps less difficulty, because fish can be left lying in vinegar, if necessary, whereas in the case of meat it cannot always be done. we will suppose that it is necessary to use strict economy. it is as well to proceed on that supposition, because people can always be lavish in their expenditure, whereas it is not so easy to provide for the household at once well and economically. in many neighbourhoods fish is sold much cheaper late in the day than in the morning, and in this case the housekeeper who can buy overnight for the use of the next day has a great advantage. suppose you get the tail of a cod weighing three pounds, as you frequently may, at a very small price in the evening, and use a part of it stuffed and baked for supper, you can have a dish of cutlets of the remainder for breakfast which will be very acceptable. we do not mean a dish of the cold remains, but of a portion of the fish kept uncooked, as it easily may be, as we have before said, by dipping it in vinegar. or, you get mackerel. nothing is better than this fish treated according to the recipe we give. even so delicate a fish as whiting may, by a little management with vinegar, be kept perfectly well from one day to the other. skinned whiting has very little flavour, and although when skilfully cooked in the usual way it is useful by way of change, the nourishment is much impaired by the removal of the skin. the same remark applies to soles. by frying fish unskinned you get a dish of a different character to that of skinned fish, and one of which the appetite does not so soon tire. fried sole. soles weighing from three-quarters of a pound to a pound are the most suitable size for frying whole. if it is desired to have the fish juicy and with their full flavour, do not have them skinned. the black side of the soles will not of course look so well, or be so crisp, as the white side, but this is of little consequence compared to the nourishment sacrificed in removing the skin. have the soles scraped, wipe them, put a tablespoonful of vinegar in a dish, pass the fish through it, and let them lie an hour or more, if necessary all night, as the flavour is thus improved. run a knife along the backbone, which prevents it looking red when cut. when ready to crumb the fish, lay them in a cloth and thoroughly dry them. beat up the yolk of an egg with a very little of the white, which will be sufficient to egg a pair of soles; pass the fish through the egg on both sides, hold it up to drain; have ready on a plate a quarter of a pound of very fine dry crumbs, mixed with two ounces of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper. draw the fish over the crumbs, first on one side, then on the other, and lay it gently on a dish, black side downwards, whilst you prepare another. some people succeed better in crumbing fish by sifting the crumbs on to it through a very fine strainer after it is egged. when the fish are ready put them, black side downwards, into the frying-pan with plenty of fat, hot enough to brown a piece of bread instantaneously, move the pan about gently, and when the soles have been fried four minutes, put a strong cooking-fork into them near the head, turn the white side downwards, and fry three minutes longer. seven minutes will be sufficient to fry a sole weighing three-quarters of a pound, and a pair of this weight is sufficient for a party of six persons. when the sole is done put the fork into the fish close to the head, hold it up and let all the fat drain away, lay it on a sheet of cap paper, and cover over with another sheet. being thus quite freed from grease, of a rich golden brown, crisp, and with an even surface, lay the fish on the dish for serving, which should have on it either a fish-paper or a napkin neatly folded. a well-fried sole is best eaten without any sauce, but in deference to the national usage, butter sauce, or melted butter, may be served with it. filleted soles. it is better for the cook to fillet the soles, for there is often much waste when it is done by the fishmonger. having skinned the fish, with a sharp knife make an incision down the spine-bone from the head to the tail, and then along the fins; press the knife between the flesh and the bone, bearing rather hard against the latter, and the fillets will then be readily removed. these can now be dressed in a variety of ways; perhaps the most delicate for breakfast is the following: fillets of sole sautÃ�s. having dried the fillets, divide them into neat pieces two or three inches long; dip them in the beaten yolk of egg, and then in seasoned bread-crumbs. make a little butter hot in the frying-pan, put in the fillets and cook them slowly until brown on one side, then turn and finish on the other. fillets of sole fried. these may either be rolled in one piece or divided into several, as in the foregoing recipe. in either case egg and crumb them thoroughly, place them in the wire-basket as you do them, which immerse in fat hot enough to crisp bread instantly. when done, put the fillets on paper to absorb any grease clinging to them, and serve as hot as possible. all kinds of flat fish can be filleted and cooked by these recipes, and will usually be found more economical than serving the fish whole. it is also economical to fillet the tail-end of cod, salmon, and turbot, and either fry or _sauté_, as may be preferred. fillets of sole with lobster. thin and fillet a pair of soles, each weighing about a pound. roll the fillets, secure them with thread, which remove before serving; put them in a stewpan with two ounces of sweet butter, cover closely, and allow them to cook at a slow heat for twenty minutes or until tender, taking care to keep them from getting brown. prepare a sauce by boiling a quarter of a pound of veal cutlet and the bones of the fish in half-a-pint of water. when reduced to a gill, strain and take off all fat from the sauce, thicken either with fine flour or "rizine," put it into the stewpan with the fish, and allow it to stand for a quarter of an hour without boiling. mince or cut in small pieces either the meat of a small fresh lobster, or half a flat tin of the best brand of preserved lobster. make this hot by putting it in a jam pot standing in a saucepan of boiling water. take up the fish, carefully pour the sauce round, and place on the top of each fillet some of the lobster. baked whiting. small whiting answer well for this purpose. tie them round, the tail to the mouth, dip them in dissolved butter, lightly sprinkle with pepper and salt, strew them with pale raspings, put them in a baking-dish with a little butter, and bake in a quick oven for a quarter of an hour. cod cutlets. a cheap and excellent dish is made by filleting the tail of cod, egging and crumbing the pieces and frying them. get about a pound and a half of the tail of a fine cod; with a sharp knife divide the flesh from the bone lengthways, cut it into neat pieces as nearly of a size as you can, and flatten with a knife. dip in egg, then in crumbs mixed with a little flour, pepper, and salt. it is best to fry the cutlets in the wire-basket in plenty of fat, but if this is not convenient they can be done in the frying-pan; in any case, they should be done quickly, so that they may get crisp. fried herrings. take care the fish is well cleaned, without being split. two or three hours before cooking, lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper; when ready to cook, wipe and flour the herrings. have ready in the frying-pan as much fat at the proper temperature as will cover the herrings. cook quickly at first, then moderate the heat slightly, and fry for ten to twelve minutes, when they should be crisp and brown. when done, lay them on a dish before the fire, in order that all fat and the fish-oil may drain from them; with this precaution, fried herrings will be found more digestible than otherwise they would be. rolled herrings. choose the herrings with soft roes. having scraped and washed them, cut off the heads, split open, take out the roes, and cleanse the fish. hold one in the left hand, and, with thumb and finger of the right, press the backbone to loosen it, then lay flat on the board and draw out the bone; it will come out whole, leaving none behind. dissolve a little fresh butter, pass the inner side of the fish through it, sprinkle pepper and salt lightly over, then roll it up tightly with the fin and tail outwards, roll it in flour and sprinkle a little pepper and salt, then put a small game skewer to keep the herring in shape. have ready a good quantity of boiling fat; it is best to do the herrings in a wire-basket, and fry them quickly for ten minutes. take them up and set them on a plate before the fire, in order that all the fat may drain from them. pass the roes through flour mixed with a sufficient quantity of pepper and salt, fry them brown, and garnish the fish with them and crisp parsley. a difficulty is often felt in introducing herrings at dinner on account of the number of small bones in them, but this is obviated by the above method of dressing, as with care not one bone should be left in. galantine of fish. procure a fine large fresh haddock and two smaller, of which to make forcemeat. take off the head and open the large fish. carefully press the meat from the backbone, which must be removed without breaking the skin; trim away the rough parts and small bones at the sides. cover the inside of the fish with a layer of forcemeat, and at intervals place lengthways a few fillets of anchovies, between which sprinkle a little lobster coral which has been passed through a wire sieve; fold the haddock into its original form, and sew it up with a needle and strong thread. dip a cloth in hot water, wring it as dry as possible, butter sufficient space to cover the fish, then fold it up, tie each end, and put a small safety pin in the middle to keep it firm. braise the galantine for an hour in stock made from the bones of the fish. let it stay in the liquor until cold, when take it up and draw out the sewing thread. reduce and strain the liquor, mix with cream and aspic jelly, or nelson's gelatine, dissolved in the proportion of half-an-ounce to a pint. when this sauce is on the point of setting, coat the galantine with it, sprinkle with little passed lobster coral, dish in a bed of shred salad, tastefully interspersed with beetroot cut in dice and dipped in oil and vinegar. to make the forcemeat, pound the fillets of the small haddocks till fine, then work in about half its quantity of bread panada, an ounce of butter, and the fillets of two anchovies; season with salt and pepper, mix in one egg and a yolk, pass through a wire sieve, and work into it a gill of cream. fillets of sole en aspic. aspic jelly, or meat jelly, may be made very good, and at a moderate cost, by boiling lean beef or veal in water with a little vegetable and spice. to make it according to the standard recipes is so expensive and tedious that few persons care to attempt it. the following directions will enable a cook to make an excellent and clear aspic. cut two pounds of lean beefsteak or veal cutlet into dice, put it on in two quarts of cold water, and as soon as it boils, take off the scum as it rises. let it simmer gently for half-an-hour; then add four onions, a turnip, carrot, small bundle of sweet herbs, blade of mace, half-a-dozen white peppercorns, and when it has again boiled for an hour strain it through a napkin. let it stand until cold, remove all the fat, boil it up, and to a quart of the liquor put an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in cold water. add salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and when the jelly is cool stir in the whites and shells of two eggs well beaten. let the jelly boil briskly for two minutes, let it stand off the fire for a few minutes, then strain through a jelly-bag and use as directed. take the fillets of a pair of large thick soles, cut them into neat square pieces, leaving the trimmings for other dishes, and lay them in vinegar with a little salt for an hour. as they must be kept very white the best french vinegar should be used. boil the fillets gently in salted water, with a little vinegar, till done; take them up and dry them on a cloth. have ready some picked parsley and hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters; arrange these neatly at the bottom of a plain mould so as to form a pretty pattern. pour in very gently enough jelly to cover the first layer, let it stand until beginning to set, then put another layer of fish, eggs, and parsley, then more jelly, and so on until the mould is full. when done set the mould on ice, or allow it to stand some hours in a cold place to get well set. turn it out, ornament with parsley, beetroot, and cut lemon. collared eels. clean and boil the eels in water highly seasoned with pepper and salt, an onion, bay-leaf, a clove, and a little vinegar. when the eels are done enough, slip out the bones and cut them up into pieces about two inches long. take the liquor in which the fish is boiled, strain it, let it boil in the stewpan without the lid, skimming it until it becomes clear. dissolve a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine to each half-pint of the fish gravy, and boil together for a minute, let it then stand until cool. arrange the pieces of eel tastefully in a plain mould with small sprigs of curled parsley and slices of hard-boiled eggs, and, if you like, a fillet or two of anchovies cut up into dice. when all the fish is thus arranged in the mould, pour the jelly in very gently, a tablespoonful at a time, in order not to disturb the solid material. let the mould stand in cold water for seven or eight hours, when it can be turned out. ornament with parsley, lemon, and beetroot. little dishes of meat. *** in this chapter a number of useful and inexpensive dishes are given, which will serve either as breakfast dishes, _entrées_, or for invalids, and which may, in the hands of an intelligent cook, serve as models for many others. as will be seen, it is not so much a question of expense to provide these little tasty dishes as of management. in all the following recipes for little dishes of mutton, it will be found a great advantage to use new zealand meat. a good cook will never be embarrassed by having too much cold meat on hand, because she will be able by her skill so to vary the dishes that the appetites of those for whom she caters will never tire of it. even a small piece of the loin of mutton may be served in half-a-dozen different ways, and be relished by those who are tired of the mutton-chop or the plain roast. mutton cutlets. taken from the neck, mutton cutlets are expensive, but those from the loin will be found not only convenient, but to answer well at a smaller cost. first remove the under-cut or fillet from about two pounds of the best end of a loin of mutton, cut off the flap, which will be useful for stewing, and it is especially good eaten cold, and then remove the meat from the bones in one piece, which divide with the fillet into cutlets about half-an-inch thick. egg them over and dip them in well-seasoned bread-crumbs, fry them until a nice brown, and serve with gravy made from the bones and an onion. this way of cooking the loin is much more economical than in chops, because with them the bones and flap are wasted, whereas in cutlets all is used up. to stew the flap, put it in a stewpan, the fat downwards, sprinkle pepper and salt, and slice an onion or two over, and set it to fry gently in its own fat for an hour. take up the meat, and put half-a-pint of cold water to the fat, which, when it has risen in a solid cake, take off, mix a little flour with the gravy which will be found beneath the fat, add pepper, salt, and some cooked potatoes cut in slices. cut the meat into neat squares; let it simmer gently in the gravy with the potatoes for an hour. roulades of mutton. remove the fillet from a fine loin of mutton, trim away every particle of skin, fat, and gristle. flatten the fillet with a cutlet-bat, and cut it lengthways into slices as thin as possible; divide these into neat pieces about three inches long. sprinkle each with pepper, salt, and finely-chopped parsley, roll them up tightly, then dip in beaten egg, and afterwards in finely-sifted bread-crumbs mixed with an equal quantity of flour and highly seasoned with pepper and salt. as each roulade is thus prepared place it on a game-skewer, three or four on each skewer. dissolve an ounce of butter in a small frying-pan, and cook the roulades in it. mutton collops. cut neat thin slices from a leg of either roasted or boiled mutton, dip them in yolk of egg and in fine dry bread-crumbs to which a little flour, pepper, and salt have been added. heat enough butter in a small frying-pan to just cover the bottom, put in the slices of mutton and cook them very slowly, first on one side then on the other, until they are brown. garnish the dish on which the mutton is served with some fried potatoes or potato chips. mutton sautÃ�. put a little butter or bacon fat in the frying-pan, sprinkle pepper and salt over slices of cold mutton, and let them get hot very slowly. the mutton must be frequently turned, and never allowed to fry. when turned in the pan for the last time sprinkle a little chopped parsley on the upper side; remove the slices carefully on to a hot dish, pour the fat in the pan over, and serve. cold mutton potted. cut up the mutton, being careful to free it from all sinew and skin; chop or pound it with half its weight of cooked bacon until it is as fine as desired. season with a little pepper, salt, and allspice, put it into a jar, which set in a saucepan of water over the fire until the meat is hot through. when taken up stir occasionally until cool, then press it into little pots, and pour clarified butter or mutton fat over the top. if liked, a little essence of anchovy may be added to the seasoning. mutton pies. mince a quarter of a pound of underdone mutton, taking care to have it free from skin and fat. mix with it a tablespoonful of rich gravy--that which is found under a cake of dripping from a joint is particularly suitable for this purpose--add a few drops of essence of anchovy, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a small teaspoonful of minced parsley. if necessary add salt. line four patty-pans with puff paste, divide the mutton into equal portions and put it into the pans, cover each with a lid of paste, and bake in a quick oven for half-an-hour. ox brain. having carefully washed the brain, boil it very fast, in order to harden it, in well-seasoned gravy. when it is done, take it out of the gravy and set it aside until cold. cut it either in slices or in halves, dip each piece in egg, then in bread-crumbs well seasoned with dried and sifted parsley, pepper, and salt, fry them in a little butter until brown. the gravy having become cold, take off the fat, and boil it in a stewpan without a lid until it is reduced to a small quantity; pour it round the brain, and serve. brain fritters. carefully wash an ox brain, and boil it for a quarter of an hour in well-seasoned stock. when the brain is cold, cut it into slices as thin as possible, dip each of them in batter, drop them as you do them into a stewpan half-full of fat at a temperature of °, or that which will brown instantly a piece of bread dipped into it. to make the batter, mix two large tablespoonfuls of fine flour with four of cold water, stir in a tablespoonful of dissolved butter or of fine oil, the yolk of an egg, and a pinch of salt and pepper; when ready to use, beat the white of the egg to a strong froth, and mix with it. do not fry more than two fritters at once; as you take them up, throw them on paper to absorb any grease clinging to them, serve on a napkin or ornamental dish-paper. if this recipe is closely followed, the fritters will be light, crisp, delicate morsels, melting in the mouth, and form besides a very pretty dish. garnish with fried parsley; take care the parsley is thoroughly dry, put it into a small frying-basket, and immerse it for an instant in the fat in which the fritters are to be cooked. turn it out on paper, dry, and serve. marrow toast. let the butcher break up a marrow-bone. take out the marrow in as large pieces as possible, and put them into a stewpan with a little boiling water, rather highly salted. when the marrow has boiled for a minute, drain the water away through a fine strainer. have ready a slice of lightly-toasted bread, place the marrow on it, and put it into a dutch oven before the fire for five minutes, or until it is done. sprinkle over it a little pepper and salt, and a small teaspoonful of parsley, chopped fine. the toast must be served very hot. chicken in aspic jelly. cut the white part of a cold boiled chicken, and as many similar pieces of cold ham, into neat rounds, not larger than a florin. run a little aspic jelly into a fancy border mould, allow it to set, and arrange a decoration of boiled carrot and white savoury custard cut crescent shape, dipping each piece in melted aspic. pour in a very little more jelly, and when it is set place the chicken and ham round alternately, with a sprig of chervil, or small salad, here and there. put in a very small quantity of aspic to keep this in place, then, when nearly set, sufficient to cover it. arrange another layer, this time first of ham then of chicken, fix them in the same way, and fill up the mould with aspic jelly. when the dish is turned out fill the centre with cold green peas, nicely seasoned, and garnish round with chopped aspic and little stars of savoury custard. to make this, soak a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine in a gill of milk, dissolve it over the fire, and stir in a gill of thick cream, season to taste with cayenne pepper and salt, and, if liked, a little grate of nutmeg. pour the custard on to a large dish, and when cold cut it into the required shapes. veal cutlets in white sauce. cut six or seven cutlets, about half-an-inch thick, from a neck of veal, braise them in half-a-pint of good white stock with an onion, a small bunch of herbs, a bacon bone, and two or three peppercorns, until they are done. let the cutlets get cool in the liquor, then drain them. strain the liquor and make a white sauce with it; add a tablespoonful of thick cream and a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine, dissolved in a gill of milk; season with salt and cayenne pepper, stirring occasionally until quite cold. dip the cutlets in, smoothly coating one side, and before the sauce sets decorate them with very narrow strips of truffle in the form of a star. cut as many pieces of cooked tongue or ham as there are cutlets, dish them alternately in a circle on a border of aspic, fill the centre with a salad composed of all kinds of cold cooked vegetables, cut with a pea-shaped cutter and seasoned with oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt. garnish with aspic jelly cut lozenge shape and sprigs of chervil. kidneys sautÃ�s. like many other articles of diet, kidneys within the last ten years have been doubled in price, and are so scarce as to be regarded as luxuries. the method of cooking them generally in use is extravagant, and renders them tasteless and indigestible. kidneys should never be cooked rapidly, and those persons who cannot eat them slightly underdone should forego them. one kidney dressed as directed in the following recipe will go as far as two cooked in the ordinary manner--an instance, if one were needed, of the economy of well-prepared food. choose fine large kidneys, skin them and cut each the round way into thin slices: each kidney should yield from ten to twelve slices. have ready a tablespoonful of flour highly seasoned with pepper and salt and well mixed together; dip each piece of kidney in it. cut some neat thin squares of streaked bacon, fry them _very slowly_ in a little butter; when done, put them on the dish for serving, and keep hot whilst you _sauté_ the kidneys, which put into the fat the bacon was cooked in. in about a minute the gravy will begin to rise on the upper side, then turn the kidneys and let them finish cooking slowly; when they are done, as they will be in three to four minutes, the gravy will again begin to rise on the side which is uppermost. put the kidneys on the dish with the bacon, and pour over them a spoonful or two of plain beef gravy, or water thickened with a little flour, boiled and mixed with the fat and gravy from the kidneys in the frying-pan. if there is too much fat in the pan, pour it away before boiling up the gravy. serve the kidneys on a hot-water dish. tinned kidneys with mushrooms. (_tomoana brand._) dry a half-tin of champignons in a cloth, or, if convenient, prepare a similar quantity of fresh button mushrooms; add to these a few pieces of dried mushrooms, previously soaked for ten minutes in tepid water, put them into a stewpan with a slice of butter, and stir constantly for six minutes, then add two or three kidneys cut in small neat pieces, in the shape of dice is best, and continue stirring until the kidneys are hot through, taking care to do them slowly; at the last moment season with pepper and salt, and serve very hot. garnish the dish with fried sippets of bread. kidneys with piccalilli sauce. (_tomoana brand._) take the kidneys out of the gravy, and cut them into six slices. mix a small teaspoonful of curry powder with three teaspoonfuls of fine flour and a small pinch of salt. dip each slice in this mixture, and when all are done put them in the frying-pan with a little butter, and let them get slowly hot through. when done, put the kidneys in the centre of a hot dish, and pour round them a sauce made as follows: boil up the gravy of the kidneys, and stir into it sufficient minced piccalilli pickles to make it quite thick, add a teaspoonful of flour to a tablespoonful of the piccalilli vinegar, stir into the sauce, and when all has boiled up together, pour it round the kidneys. broiled kidneys. these are quite an epicure's dish, and care must be taken to cook them slowly. having skinned the kidneys (they must not be split or cut) dip them for a moment in boiling fat, place them on the gridiron over a slow fire, turning them every minute. they will take ten to fifteen minutes to cook, and will be done as soon as the gravy begins to run. place them on a hot dish rubbed over with butter, salt and pepper them rather highly. it must be understood that kidneys thus cooked ought to have the gravy in them, and that when they are cut at table it should run from them freely and in abundance. lamb's fry. a really proper fry should consist not only of sweetbreads and liver, but of the heart, melt, brains, frill, and kidneys, each of which requires a different treatment. it is quite as easy to cook a fry properly as to flour and fry it hard and over-brown, as is too frequently done. trim the sweetbreads neatly, and simmer them for a quarter of an hour in good white stock with an onion. when they are done take them up and put the brains in the gravy, allowing them to boil as fast as possible in order to harden them; let them get cold, then cut into slices, egg and bread-crumb them, and fry with the sweetbread in a little butter. after the brains are taken out of the gravy, put the slices of heart and melt in, and let them stew slowly until tender. when they are ready, flour them, and fry with the liver and frill until brown. lastly, put the kidneys, cut in slices, into the pan, and very gently fry for about a minute. shake a little flour onto the pan, stir it about until it begins to brown; then pour on to it the gravy, in which the sweetbreads, etc., were stewed, see it is nicely seasoned, and pour round the fry, which should be neatly arranged in the centre of the dish. garnish with fried parsley. lamb's sweetbreads. these make an admirable breakfast dish, and can be partly prepared over-night. trim and wash the sweetbreads, put them into a saucepan with sufficient well-flavoured stock to cover them, a minced onion and a sprig of lemon-thyme; boil gently for fifteen minutes, or a little longer if necessary. take them up, drain, dip in egg and finely-sifted bread-crumbs mixed with a little flour, pepper, and salt. fry very carefully, so as not to make it brown or hard, some small slices of bacon, keep warm whilst you fry the sweetbreads in the fat which has run from it, adding, if required, a little piece of butter or lard. for a breakfast dish, the sweetbreads should be served without gravy, but if for an _entrée_ the liquor in which they were stewed, with slight additions and a little thickening, can be poured round them in the dish. calves' sweetbreads are prepared in the same manner as the above, and can either be fried, finished in a dutch oven, or served white, with parsley and butter, or white sauce. veal Ã� la casserole. for this dish a piece of the fillet about three inches thick will be required, and weighing from two to three pounds. it should be cut from one side of the leg, without bone; but sometimes butchers object to give it, as cutting in this manner interferes with cutlets. in such a case a piece must be chosen near the knuckle, and the bone be taken out before cooking. for a larger party, a thick slice of the fillet, weighing about four pounds, will be found advantageous. with a piece of tape tie the veal into a round shape, flour, and put it into a stewpan with a small piece of butter, fry until it becomes brown on all sides. then put half a pint of good gravy, nicely seasoned with pepper and salt, cover the stewpan closely, and set it on the stove to cook very slowly for at least four hours. when done, the veal will be exquisitely tender, full of flavour, but not the least ragged. take the meat up, and keep hot whilst the gravy is reduced, by boiling without the lid of the saucepan, to a rich glaze, which pour over the meat and serve. brown fricassÃ�e of chicken. this is a brown fricassée of chicken, and is an excellent dish. no doubt the reason it is so seldom given is that, although easy enough to do, it requires care and attention in finishing it. many of the best cooks, in the preparation of chickens for fricassée, cut them up before cooking, but we prefer to boil them whole, and afterwards to divide them, as the flesh thus is less apt to shrink and get dry. the chicken can be slowly boiled in plain water, with salt and onions, or, as is much better, in white broth of any kind. when the chicken is tender cut it up; take the back, and the skin, pinions of the wings, and pieces which do not seem nice enough for a superior dish, and boil them in a quart of the liquor in which it was boiled. add mushroom trimmings, onions, and a sprig of thyme; boil down to one-half, then strain, take off all fat, and stir over the fire with the yolk of two eggs and an ounce of fine flour until thickened. dip each piece of chicken in some of this sauce, and when they are cold pass them through fine bread-crumbs, then in the yolk of egg, and crumb again. fry carefully in hot fat. dish the chicken with a border of fried parsley, and the remainder of the gravy poured round the dish. this dish is generally prepared by french cooks by frying the chicken in oil, and seasoning with garlic; but unless the taste of the guests is well known, it is safer to follow the above recipe. chicken sautÃ�. put any of the meat of the breast or of the wings without bone into a frying-pan with a little fresh butter or bacon fat. cook them very slowly, turning repeatedly; if the meat has not been previously cooked it will take ten minutes, and five minutes if a _réchauffé_. sprinkle with pepper, and serve with mushrooms or broiled bacon. the legs of cooked chickens are excellent _sautés_, but they should be boned before they are put into the pan. potato hash. put some cold potatoes chopped into the frying-pan with a little fat, stir them about for five minutes, then add to them an equal quantity of cold meat, cut into neat little squares, season nicely with pepper and salt, fry gently, stirring all the time, until thoroughly hot through. dry curry. fry a minced onion in butter until lightly browned, cut up the flesh of two cooked chicken legs, or any other tender meat, into dice, mix this with the onions, and stir them together over the fire until the meat is hot through; sprinkle over it about a small teaspoonful of curry-powder, and salt to taste. having thoroughly mixed the meat with the curry-powder, pour over it a tablespoonful of milk or cream, and stir over the fire until the moisture has dried up. celery salt may be used instead of plain salt, and some persons add a few drops of lemon-juice when the curry is finished. croquettes. croquettes of all kinds, fish, game, poultry or any delicate meats, can be successfully made on the following model: whatever material is used must be finely minced or pounded. care is required in making the sauce, if it is too thin it is difficult to mould the croquettes, and ice will be required to set it. croquettes of game without any flavouring, except a little salt and cayenne, are generally acceptable as a breakfast dish. preserved lobster makes very good croquettes for an _entrée_, and small scraps of any kind can thus be made into a very good dish. put one ounce of fine flour into a stewpan with half a gill of cold water, stir this over a slow fire very rapidly until it forms a paste, then add one ounce of butter, and stir until well incorporated. mix in a small teaspoonful of essence of shrimps or anchovies, with a pinch of salt and pepper. take the stewpan off the fire, and stir the yolk of an egg briskly into the sauce; thoroughly mix it with half-a-pound of pounded fish or meat, spread it out on a plate until it is cool. flour your hands, take a small piece of the croquette mixture, roll into a ball or into the shape of a cork, then pass it through very finely-sifted and dried bread-crumbs. repeat the process until all the mixture is used; put the croquettes as you do them into a wire frying-basket, which shake very gently, when all are placed in it, in order to free them from superfluous crumbs. have ready a stewpan half-full of boiling fat, dip the basket in, gently moving it about, and taking care the croquettes are covered with fat. in about a minute they will become a delicate brown, and will then be done. turn them on a paper to absorb any superfluous fat, serve them on a napkin or ornamental dish paper. no more croquettes than will lie on the bottom of the basket without touching each other should be fried at once. meat cakes Ã� l'italienne. mix very fine any kind of cold meat or chicken, taking care to have it free from skin and gristle, add to it a quarter of its weight of sifted bread-crumbs, a few drops of essence of anchovy, a little parsley, pepper and salt, and sufficient egg to moisten the whole. flour your hands, roll the meat into little cakes about the size of a half-crown piece, then flatten the cakes with the back of a spoon, dip them in egg and fine bread-crumbs, and fry them in a little butter until lightly browned on the outside. put them on a hot dish and garnish with boiled italian paste. raised pork pie. take a pound of meat, fat and lean, from the chump end of a fine fore-loin of pork, cut it into neat dice, mix a tablespoonful of water with it, and season with a large teaspoonful of salt and a small one of black pepper. to make the crust, boil a quarter of a pound of lard or clarified dripping in a gill and a half of water, and pour it hot on to one pound of flour, to which a good pinch of salt has been added. mix into a stiff paste, pinch off enough of it to make the lid, and keep it hot. flour your board and work the paste into a ball, then with the knuckles of your right hand press a hole in the centre, and mould the paste into a round or oval shape, taking care to keep it a proper thickness. having put in the meat, join the lid to the pie, which raise lightly with both hands so as to keep it a good high shape, cut round the edge with a sharp knife, and make the trimmings into leaves to ornament the lid; and having placed these on, with a rose in the centre, put the pie on a floured baking-sheet and brush it over with yolk of egg. the crust of the pie should be cool and set before putting it into the oven, which should be a moderate heat. when the gravy boils out the pie is done. an hour and a half will bake a pie of this size. make a little gravy with the bones and trimmings of the pork, and to half-a-pint of it add a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine, and nicely season with pepper and salt. when the pie is cold remove the rose from the top, make a little hole, insert a small funnel, and pour in as much gravy as the pie will hold. replace the rose on the top, and put the pie on a dish with a cut paper. if preferred, the pie can be made in a tin mould; but the crust is nicer raised by the hand. a great point to observe is to begin moulding the crust whilst it is hot, and to get it finished as quickly as possible. veal and ham pie. prepare the crust as for a pork pie. cut a pound of veal cutlet and a quarter of a pound of ham into dice, season with a teaspoonful of salt and another of black pepper, put the meat into the crust, and finish as for pork pie. add a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine--previously soaked in cold water, and then dissolved--to a teacupful of gravy made from the veal trimmings. pork sausages. when a pig is cut up in the country, sausages are usually made of the trimmings; but when the meat has to be bought, the chump-end of a fore-loin will be found to answer best. the fine well-fed meat of a full-grown pig, known in london as "hog-meat," is every way preferable to that called "dairy-fed pork." the fat should be nearly in equal proportion to the lean, but of course this matter must be arranged to suit the taste of those who will eat the sausages. if young pork is used, remove the skin as thinly as you can--it is useful for various purposes--and then with a sharp knife cut all the flesh from the bones, take away all sinew and gristle, and cut the fat and lean into strips. some mincing-machines require the meat longer than others; for kent's combination, cut it into pieces about an inch long and half-an-inch thick. to each pound of meat put half a gill of gravy made from the bones, or water will do; then mix equally with it two ounces of bread-crumbs, a large teaspoonful of salt, a small one of black pepper, dried sage, and a pinch of allspice. this seasoning should be well mixed with the bread, as the meat will then be flavoured properly throughout the mass. arrange the skin on the filler, tie it at the end, put the meat, a little at a time, into the hopper, turn the handle of the machine briskly, and take care the skin is only lightly filled. when the sausages are made, tie the skin at the other end, pinch them into shape, and then loop them by passing one through another, giving a twist to each as you do them. sausage-skins, especially if preserved, should be well soaked before using, or they may make the sausages too salt. it is a good plan to put the skin on the water-tap and allow the water to run through it, as thus it will be well washed on the inside. fifteen to twenty minutes should be allowed for frying sausages, and when done they should be nicely browned. a little butter or lard is best for frying, and some pieces of light bread may be fried in it when the sausages are done, and placed round the dish by way of garnish. cooks cannot do better than remember dr. kitchener's directions for frying sausages. after saying, "they are best when quite fresh made," he adds: "put a bit of butter or dripping into a clean frying-pan; as soon as it is melted, before it gets hot, put in the sausages, and shake the pan for a minute, and keep turning them. be careful not to break or prick them in so doing. fry them over a very slow fire till they are nicely browned on all sides. the secret of frying sausages is to let them get hot very gradually; they then will not break if they are not stale. the common practice to prevent them bursting is to prick them with a fork, but this lets the gravy out." puddings. *** custard pudding. we give this pudding first because it affords an opportunity for giving hints on making milk puddings generally, and because, properly made, there is no more delicious pudding than this. it is besides most useful and nutritious, not only for the dinner of healthy people, but for children and invalids. but few cooks, however, make it properly; as a rule too many eggs are used, to which the milk is added cold, and the pudding is baked in a quick oven. the consequence is that the pudding curdles and comes to table swimming in whey; or, even if this does not happen, the custard is full of holes and is tough. in the first place, milk for all puddings with eggs should be poured on to the eggs boiling hot; in the next, the baking must be very slowly done, if possible, as directed in the recipe; the dish containing the pudding to be placed in another half-full of water. this, of course, prevents the baking proceeding too rapidly, and also prevents the pudding acquiring a sort of burned greasy flavour, which is injurious for invalids. lastly, too many eggs should not be used; the quantity given, two to the pint of milk, is in all cases quite sufficient, and will make a fine rich custard. we never knew a pudding curdle, even with london milk a day old, if all these directions were observed; but it is almost needless to say, that the pudding made with new rich milk is much finer than one of inferior milk. boil a pint and a half of milk with two ounces of lump sugar, or rather more if a sweet pudding is liked, and pour it boiling hot on three eggs lightly beaten--that is, just sufficiently so to mix whites and yolks. flavour the custard with nutmeg, grated lemon-peel, or anything which may be preferred and pour it into a tart-dish. place this dish in another three-parts full of boiling water, and bake slowly for forty minutes, or until the custard is firm. there is no need to butter the dish if the pudding is baked as directed. soufflÃ� pudding. this is a delicious pudding, and to insure its success great care and exactness are required. in the first place, to avoid failure it is necessary that the butter, flour, sugar, and milk, should be stirred long enough over a moderate fire to make a stiff paste, because if this is thin the eggs will separate, and the pudding when done resemble a batter with froth on the top. before beginning to make the pudding, prepare a pint tin by buttering it inside and fastening round it with string on the outside a buttered band of writing-paper, which will stand two inches above the tin and prevent the pudding running over as it rises. melt an ounce of butter in a stewpan, add one ounce of sifted sugar, stir in an ounce and a half of vienna flour, mix well together, add a gill of milk, and stir over the fire with a wooden spoon until it boils and is thick. take the stewpan off the fire, beat up the yolks of three eggs with half a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla, and stir a little at a time into the paste, to insure both being thoroughly mixed together. put a small pinch of salt to the whites of four eggs, whip them as stiff as possible, and stir lightly into the pudding, which pour immediately into the prepared mould. have ready a saucepan with enough boiling water to reach a little way up the tin, which is best placed on a trivet, so that the water cannot touch the paper band. let the pudding steam very gently for twenty minutes, or until it is firm in the middle, and will turn out. for sauce, boil two tablespoonfuls of apricot jam in a gill of water, with two ounces of lump sugar, stir in a wine-glassful of sherry, add a few drops of nelson's vanilla flavouring, pour over the pudding and serve. omelet soufflÃ�. put the yolks of two eggs into a basin with an ounce of sifted sugar and a few drops of nelson's vanilla essence; beat the yolks and sugar together for six minutes, or until the mixture becomes thick. then whip the whites very stiff, so that they will turn out of the basin like a jelly. mix the yolks and whites lightly together, have ready an ounce of butter dissolved in the omelet-pan, pour in the eggs, hold this pan over a slow fire for two minutes, then put the frying-pan into a quick oven and bake until the omelet has risen; four minutes ought to be sufficient to finish the omelet in the oven; when done, slide it on to a warm dish, double it, sift sugar over, and serve instantly. sponge soufflÃ�. cover the bottom of a tart-dish with sponge-cakes, pour over a little brandy and sherry; put in a moderate oven until hot, then pour on the cakes an egg whip made of two packets of nelson's albumen, beaten to a strong froth with a little sugar. bake for a quarter of an hour in a slow oven. cabinet pudding. butter very thickly a pint pudding-basin, and cover it neatly with stoned muscatel raisins, the outer side of them being kept to the basin. lightly fill up the basin with alternate layers of sponge-cake and ratafias, and when ready to steam the pudding, pour by degrees over the cake a custard made of half-a-pint of boiling milk, an egg, three lumps of sugar, a tablespoonful of brandy, and a little lemon flavouring. cover the basin with a paper cap and steam or boil gently for three-quarters of an hour. great care should be taken not to boil puddings of this class fast, as it renders them tough and flavourless. brandy sauce. mix a tablespoonful of fine flour with a gill of cold water, put it into a gill of boiling water, and, having stirred over the fire until it is thick, add the yolk of an egg. continue stirring for five minutes, and sweeten with two ounces of castor sugar. mix a wine-glass of brandy with two tablespoonfuls of sherry, stir it into the sauce, and pour it round the pudding. if liked, a grate of nutmeg may be added to the sauce, and, if required to be rich, an ounce of butter may be stirred in before the brandy. warwickshire pudding. butter a pint-and-a-half tart-dish, lay in it a layer of light bread, cut thin, on this sprinkle a portion of two ounces of shred suet, and of one ounce of lemon candied-peel, chopped very fine. fill the dish lightly with layers of bread, sprinkling over each a little of the suet and peel. boil a pint of milk with two ounces of sugar, pour it on two eggs, beaten for a minute, and add it to the pudding just before putting it into the oven; a little of nelson's essence of lemon or almonds may be added to the custard. bake the pudding in a very slow oven for an hour. vanilla rusk pudding. dissolve, but do not oil, an ounce of butter, mix in a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar, stir over the fire for a few minutes, add an egg well beaten, and half a teaspoonful of nelson's vanilla extract, or as much as will give a good flavour to the paste, which continue stirring until it gets thick. spread four slices of rusk with the vanilla paste, put them in a buttered tart-dish. boil half-a-pint of new milk, pour it on to an egg well beaten, then add it to the rusk, and put the pudding to bake in a slow oven for an hour. turn out when done, and sift sugar over the pudding. if a superior pudding is desired, boil a tablespoonful of apricot jam in a teacupful of plain sugar syrup, add a little vanilla flavouring, and pour over the pudding at the moment of serving. jubilee pudding. pour a pint of boiling milk on two ounces of rizine, stir over the fire for ten minutes, add half an ounce of butter, the yolks of two eggs, an ounce of castor sugar, and six drops of nelson's essence of almonds. put the pudding into a buttered pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven for a quarter of an hour. when taken from the oven, spread over it a thin layer of apricot jam, and on this the whites of the eggs beaten to a strong froth, with half an ounce of castor sugar. return the pudding to a slow oven for about four minutes, in order to set the meringue. natal pudding. soak half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine in half-a-pint of cold water until it is soft, when add the grated peel of half a lemon, the juice of two lemons, the beaten yolks of three eggs, and six ounces of lump sugar dissolved in half-a-pint of boiling water. stir the mixture over the fire until it thickens, taking care that it does not boil. have ready the whites of the eggs well whisked, stir all together, pour into a fancy mould, which put into a cold place until the pudding is set. queen's pudding. half-a-pound of bread-crumbs, a pint of new milk, two ounces of butter, the yolks of four eggs, and a little nelson's essence of lemon. boil the bread-crumbs and milk together, then add the sugar, butter, and eggs; when these are well mixed, bake in a tart-dish until a light brown. then put a layer of strawberry jam, and on the top of this the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, with a little sifted sugar. smooth over the meringue with a knife dipped in boiling water, and bake for ten minutes in a slow oven. chocolate pudding. boil half-a-pound of light stale bread in a pint of new milk. stir continually until it becomes a thick paste; then add an ounce of butter, a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar, and two large teaspoonfuls of schweitzer's cocoatina, with a little nelson's essence of vanilla. take the pudding off the fire, and mix in, first, the yolks of three eggs, then the whites beaten to a strong froth. put into a buttered tart-dish and bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour. cocoa-nut pudding. choose a large nut, with the milk in it, grate it finely, mix it with an equal weight of finely-sifted sugar, half its weight of butter, the yolks of four eggs, and the milk of the nut. let the butter be beaten to a cream, and when all the other ingredients are mixed with it, add the whites of the eggs, whisked to a strong froth. line a tart-dish with puff-paste, put in the pudding mixture and bake slowly for an hour. butter a sheet of paper and cover the top of the pudding, as it should not get brown. raspberry and currant pudding. stew raspberries and currants with sugar and water, taking care to have plenty of juice. cut the crumb of a stale tin-loaf in slices about half-an-inch thick and put in a pie-dish, leaving room for the bread to swell, with alternate layers of fruit, until the dish is full. then put in as much of the juice as you can without causing the bread to rise. when it is soaked up put in the rest of the juice, cover with a plate, and let the pudding stand until the next day. when required for use turn out and pour over it a good custard or cream. the excellence of this pudding depends on there being plenty of syrup to soak the bread thoroughly. this is useful when pastry is objected to. the capital pudding. shred a quarter of a pound of suet, mix it with half a pound of flour, one small teaspoonful each of baking-powder and carbonate of soda, then add four tablespoonfuls of strawberry or raspberry jam, and stir well with a gill of milk. boil for four hours in a high mould, and serve with wine or fruit sauce. the latter is made by stirring jam into thin butter sauce. italian fritters. cut slices of very light bread half-an-inch thick, with a round paste-cutter, divide them into neat shapes all alike in size. throw them into boiling fat and fry quickly of a rich golden brown, dry them on paper, place on a dish, and pour over orange or lemon syrup, or any kind of preserve made hot. honey or golden syrup may be used for those who like them. duchess of fife's pudding. boil two ounces of rice in a pint of milk until quite tender. when done, mix with it a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine soaked in a tablespoonful of water. line the inside of a plain mould with the rice, and when it is set fill it up with half-a-pint of cream, whipped very stiff and mixed with some nice preserve, stewed fruit, or marmalade. after standing some hours turn out the pudding, and pour over it a delicate syrup made of the same fruit as that put inside the rice. welsh cheesecake. dry a quarter of a pound of fine flour, mix with two ounces of sifted loaf-sugar, and add it by degrees to two ounces of butter beaten to a cream; then work in three well-beaten eggs, flavour with nelson's essence of lemon. line patty-pans with short crust, put in the above mixture, and bake in a quick oven. friar's omelet. make six moderate-sized apples into sauce, sweeten with powdered loaf-sugar, stir in two ounces of butter, and when cold, mix with two well-beaten eggs. butter a tart-dish, and strew the bottom and sides thickly with bread-crumbs, then put in the apple-sauce, and cover with bread-crumbs to the depth of a quarter of an inch, put a little dissolved butter on the top, and bake for an hour in a good oven. when done, turn it out, and sift sugar over it. compote of apples with fried bread. bake a dozen good cooking apples, scrape out the pulp, boil this with half-a-pound of sugar to a pound of pulp, until it becomes stiff. it must be stirred all the time it is boiling. when done, place the compote in the centre of the dish, piling it up high. have ready some triangular pieces of fried bread, arrange some like a crown on the top, the remainder at the bottom of the compote. have ready warmed half a pot of apricot marmalade mixed with a little plain sugar-syrup, and pour it over the compote, taking care that each piece of bread is well covered. apple fool. bake good sharp apples; when done, remove the pulp and rub it through a sieve, sweeten and flavour with nelson's essence of lemon; when cold add to it a custard made of eggs and milk, or milk or cream sweetened will be very good. keep the fool quite thick. serve with rusks or sponge finger biscuits. apple meringue. beat up two packets of nelson's albumen with six small teaspoonfuls of water, and stir them into half-a-pound of stiff apple-sauce flavoured with nelson's essence of lemon. put the meringue on a bright tin or silver dish, pile it up high in a rocky shape, and bake in a quick oven for ten minutes. stewed pears with rice. put four large pears cut in halves into a stewpan with a pint of claret, burgundy, or water, and eight ounces of sugar, simmer them until perfectly tender. take out the pears and let the syrup boil down to half; flavour it with vanilla. have ready a teacupful of rice, nicely boiled in milk and sweetened, spread it on a dish, lay the pears on it, pour the syrup over, and serve. this is best eaten cold. compote of prunes. wash the fruit in warm water, put it on to boil in cold water in which lump sugar has been dissolved. to a pound of prunes put half-a-pound of sugar, a pint of water, with the thin rind and juice of a lemon. let them simmer for an hour, or until so tender that they will mash when pressed. strain the fruit and set it aside. boil the syrup until it becomes very thick and is on the point of returning to sugar, then pour it over the prunes, turn them about so that they become thoroughly coated, taking care not to break them, let them lie for twelve hours, then pile up on a glass dish for dessert. on jelly-making. *** it is within the memory of many persons that jelly was only to be made from calves' feet by a slow, difficult, and expensive process. there is, indeed, a story told of the wife of a lawyer, early in this century, having appropriated some valuable parchment deeds to make jelly, when she could not procure calves' feet. but the secret that it could be so made was carefully guarded by the possessors of it, and it was not until the introduction of nelson's gelatine that people were brought to believe that jelly could be made other than in the old-fashioned way. even now there is a lingering superstition that there is more nourishment in jelly made of calves' feet than that made from gelatine. the fact is, however, that gelatine is equally nutritious from whatever source it is procured. foreign gelatine, as is well known, does sometimes contain substances which, if not absolutely deleterious, are certainly undesirable; but messrs. nelson warrant their gelatine of equal purity with that derived from calves' feet. it is unnecessary to enlarge on the economy both in time and money of using gelatine, or the more certain result obtained from it. if the recipe given for making "a quart of jelly" is closely followed, a most excellent and brilliant jelly will be produced. many cooks get worried about their jelly-bags, and are much divided in opinion as to the best kind to use. it is not a point of great consequence whether a felt or close flannel is selected. we incline to the latter, which must be of good quality, and if the material is not thick it should be used double. when put away otherwise than perfectly clean and dry, or when stored in a damp place, flannel bags are sure to acquire a strong mouldy flavour, which is communicated to all jelly afterwards strained through them. the great matter, therefore, to observe in respect of the jelly-bag, is that it be put away in a proper condition, that is, perfectly free from all stiffness and from any smell whatever. as soon as the bag is done with, turn it inside out, throw it into a pan of boiling water, stir it about with a spoon until it is cleansed. then, have another pan of boiling water, and again treat the bag in the same manner. add as much cold water as will enable you to wring the bag out dry, or it can be wrung out in a cloth. this done, finally rinse in hot water, wring, and, if possible, dry the bag in the open air. see that it is perfectly free from smell; if not, wash in very hot water again. wrap the bag in several folds of clean paper and keep it in a dry place. a thing to be observed is that, if the jelly is allowed to come very slowly to boiling-point it will be more effectually cleared, as the impurities of the sugar and the thicker portions of the lemons thus rise more surely with the egg than if this part of the process is too rapidly carried out. in straining, if the jelly is well made, it is best to pour all into the bag at one time, doing it slowly, so as not to break up the scum more than necessary. should the jelly not be perfectly bright on a first straining, it should be kept hot, and slowly poured again through the bag. the contents of the bag should not be disturbed, nor should the slightest pressure be applied, as this is certain to cloud the jelly. if brandy is used, it should be put in after the jelly is strained, as by boiling both the spirit and flavour of it are lost. in order that jelly may turn out well, do not put it into the mould until it is on the point of setting. if attention is paid to this there will never be any difficulty in getting jelly to turn out of a mould, and putting it into hot water or using hot cloths will be unnecessary. a mould should be used as cold as possible, because then when the jelly comes into contact with it, it is at once set and cannot stick. any kind of mould may be used. if the direction to put the jelly in _when just setting_ is followed, it will turn out as well from an earthenware as from a copper mould. it should be unnecessary to say that the utmost cleanliness is imperative to insure the perfection of jelly. so delicate a substance not only contracts any disagreeable flavour, but is rendered cloudy by the least touch of any greasy spoon, or by a stewpan which has not been properly cleansed. how to use gelatine. there are a few points connected with the use of gelatine for culinary purposes which cannot be too strongly impressed upon housekeepers and cooks. . gelatine should always be soaked in cold water till it is thoroughly saturated--say, till it is so soft that it will tear with the fingers--whether this is specified in the recipe or not. . nelson's gelatine being cut very fine will soak in about an hour, but whenever possible it is desirable to give it a longer time. when convenient, it is a good plan to put gelatine to soak over-night. it will then dissolve in liquid below boiling-point. when jelly has to be cleared with white of egg do not boil it longer than necessary. two minutes is quite sufficient to set the egg and clarify the jelly. use as little gelatine as possible; that is to say, never use more than will suffice to make a jelly strong enough to retain its form when turned out of the mould. the prejudice against gelatine which existed in former years was doubtless caused by persons unacquainted with its qualities using too large a quantity, and producing a jelly hard, tough, and unpalatable, which compared very unfavourably with the delicate jellies they had been accustomed to make from calves' feet, the delicacy of which arose from the simple fact that the gelatine derived from calves' feet is so weak that it is almost impossible to make the jellies too strong. persons accustomed to use gelatine will know that its "setting" power is very much affected by the temperature. in the recipes contained in the following pages the quantity of gelatine named is that which experience has shown to be best suited to the average temperature of this country. in hot weather and foreign climates a little more gelatine should be added. to make a quart of brilliant jelly. soak one ounce of nelson's opaque gelatine in half-a-pint of cold water for two or three hours, and then add the same quantity of boiling water; stir until dissolved, and add the juice and peel of two lemons, with wine and sugar sufficient to make the whole quantity one quart; have ready the white and shell of an egg, well beaten together, or a packet of nelson's albumen, and stir these briskly into the jelly; boil for two minutes without stirring it; remove from the fire, allow it to stand two minutes, and strain through a close flannel bag. let it be on the point of setting before putting into the mould. an economical jelly. for general family use it is not necessary to clear jelly through the bag, and a quart of excellent jelly can be made as follows: soak one ounce of nelson's gelatine in half-a-pint of cold water for two or three hours, then add a d. packet of nelson's citric acid and three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar; pour on half-a-pint of boiling water and half-a-pint of sherry, orange or other wine (cold), and add one-twelfth part of a bottle of nelson's essence of lemon; stir for a few minutes before pouring into the moulds. the effect of citric acid in the above quantity is to make the jelly clearer. when this is not of consequence, a third of a packet can be used, and six ounces of sugar. wine can be omitted if desired, and water substituted for it. ginger-beer makes an excellent jelly for those who do not wish for wine, and hedozone is also very good. jelly with fruit. this is an elegant sweetmeat, and with clear jelly and care in moulding, can be made by inexperienced persons, particularly if nelson's bottled jelly is used. if the jelly is home-made the recipe for making a "quart of jelly" will be followed. when the jelly is on the point of setting, put sufficient into a cold mould to cover the bottom of it. then place in the centre, according to taste, any fine fruit you choose, a few grapes, cherries, strawberries, currants, anything you like, provided it is not too heavy to break the jelly. put in another layer of jelly, and when it is set enough, a little more fruit, then fill up your mould with jelly, and let it stand for some hours. ribbon jelly. soak one ounce of nelson's patent gelatine in half-a-pint of cold water for twenty minutes, then add the same quantity of boiling water. stir until dissolved, and add the juice and peel of two lemons, with wine and sugar sufficient to make the whole quantity one quart. have ready the white and shell of an egg, well beaten together, and stir these briskly into the jelly; then boil for two minutes without stirring, and remove it from the fire; allow it to stand two minutes, then strain it through a close flannel bag. divide the jelly in two equal parts, leaving one pint of a yellow colour, and adding a few drops of prepared cochineal to colour the remainder a bright red. put a small quantity of red jelly into a mould previously soaked in cold water. let this set, then pour in a small quantity of the pale jelly, and repeat this until the mould is full, taking care that each layer is perfectly firm before pouring in the other. put it in a cool place, and the next day turn it out. or, the mould may be partly filled with the yellow jelly, and when this is thoroughly set, fill up with the red. ribbon jelly and jelly of two colours can be made in any pretty fancy mould (there are many to be had for the purpose); of course one colour must always be perfectly firm before the other is put in, or the effect would be spoilt by the two colours running into each other. ribbon jelly can be made with two kinds of nelson's bottled jelly. the sherry will be used for the pale, and cherry or port wine jelly for the red colour. thus an elegant jelly will be made in a few minutes. claret jelly. take one ounce of nelson's patent gelatine, soak for twenty minutes in half-a-pint of cold water, then dissolve. add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, a pot of red-currant jelly, and a bottle of good ordinary claret, and stir over the fire till the sugar is dissolved. beat the whites and shells of three eggs, stir them briskly into the preparation, boil for two minutes longer, take it off the fire, and when it has stood for two minutes pass it through the bag. this should be a beautiful red jelly, and perfectly clear. coffee jelly. soak an ounce of nelson's gelatine in half-a-pint of water for an hour or more, dissolve it in a pint-and-a-half of boiling water with half-a-pound of sugar. clear it with white of egg, and run through a jelly-bag as directed for making "a quart of brilliant jelly." this done, stir in a tablespoonful, or rather more if liked, of allen and hanbury's café vierge, which is a very fine essence of coffee. or, instead of dissolving the gelatine in water, use strong coffee. cocoa jelly. make half-a-pint of cocoa from the nibs, taking care to have it clear. soak half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine in half-a-pint of water; add a quarter of a pound of sugar, dissolve, and clear the jelly with the whites and shells of two eggs in the usual way. flavour with nelson's essence of vanilla after the jelly has been through the bag. when a clear jelly is not required, the cocoa can be made of schweitzer's cocoatina, double the quantity required for a beverage being used. mix this with half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine and flavour with vanilla. oranges filled with jelly. cut a small round from the stalk end of each orange, and scoop out the inside. throw the skins into cold water for an hour to harden them, drain, and when quite dry inside, half fill with pink jelly. put in a cool place, and when the jelly is firm, fill up with pale jelly or blanc-mange; set aside again, and cut into quarters before serving. arrange with a sprig of myrtle between each quarter. use lemons instead of oranges if preferred. orange fruit jelly. boil half-a-pound of lump sugar in a gill of water until melted. stir in half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine previously soaked in a gill of cold water; when it is dissolved beat a little, and let it stand until cold. rub four lumps of sugar on the peel of two fine oranges, so as to get the full and delicate flavour; add this sugar with the juice of a lemon and sufficient orange juice strained to make half-a-pint to the above. beat well together, and when on the point of setting, add the fruit of two oranges prepared as follows: peel the oranges, cut away all the white you can without drawing the juice, divide the orange in quarters, take out seeds and all pith, and cut the quarters into three or four pieces. mix these with the jelly, which at once put into a mould, allowing it to stand a few hours before turning out. apple jelly. take one pound of apples, peel them with a sharp knife, cut them in two, take out the core, and cut the fruit into small pieces. place the apples in a stewpan, with three ounces of lump sugar, half-a-pint of water, a small teaspoonful of nelson's citric acid, and six drops of nelson's essence of lemon. put the stewpan on the fire, and boil the apples till they are quite tender, stirring occasionally to prevent the fruit sticking to the bottom of the pan; or the apples can be steamed in a potato-steamer, afterwards adding lemon-juice and sugar. soak an ounce of nelson's gelatine in a gill of cold water, dissolve it, and when the apples are cooked to a pulp, place a hair sieve over a basin and rub the apples through with a wooden spoon; stir the melted gelatine into the apples, taking care that it is quite smoothly dissolved. if liked, colour part of the apples by stirring in half a spoonful of cochineal colouring. rinse a pint-and-a-half mould in boiling water, and then in cold water; ornament the bottom of the mould with pistachio nuts cut in small pieces, or preserved cherries, according to taste. when on the point of setting put the apples into the mould, and if any part of the apples are coloured, fill the mould alternately with layers of coloured and plain apples. stand the mould aside in a cool place to set the apples, then turn out the jelly carefully on a dish, and send to table with cream whipped to a stiff froth. lemon sponge. to an ounce of nelson's gelatine add one pint of cold water, let it stand for twenty minutes, then dissolve it over the fire, add the rind of two lemons thinly pared, three-quarters of a pound of lump sugar, and the juice of three lemons; boil all together two minutes, strain it and let it remain till nearly cold, then add the whites of two eggs well beaten, and whisk ten minutes, when it will become the consistence of sponge. put it lightly into a glass dish immediately, leaving it in appearance as rocky as possible. this favourite sweetmeat is also most easily and successfully made with nelson's lemon sponge. dissolve the contents of a tin in half-a-pint of boiling water, let it stand until it is on the point of setting, then whip it until very white and thick. if any difficulty is experienced in getting the lemon sponge out of the tin, set it in a saucepan of boiling water for fifteen minutes. in cold weather also, should the sponge be slow in dissolving, put it in a stewpan with the boiling water and stir until dissolved; but do not boil it. it is waste of time to begin whipping until the sponge is on the point of setting. a gill of sherry may be added if liked, when the whipping of the sponge is nearly completed. put the sponge into a mould rinsed with cold water. it will be ready for use in two or three hours. a very pretty effect is produced by ornamenting this snow-white sponge with preserved barberries, or cherries, and a little angelica cut into pieces to represent leaves. strengthening jelly. put one ounce each of sago, ground rice, pearl barley, and nelson's gelatine--previously soaked in cold water--into a saucepan, with two quarts of water; boil gently till the liquid is reduced one-half. strain and set aside till wanted. a few spoonfuls of this jelly may be dissolved in broth, tea, or milk. it is nourishing and easily digested. dutch flummery. to an ounce and a half of nelson's patent gelatine add a pint of cold water; let it steep, then pour it into a saucepan, with the rinds of three lemons or oranges; stir till the gelatine is dissolved; beat the yolk of three eggs with a pint of good raisin or white wine, add the juice of the fruit, and three-quarters of a pound of lump sugar. mix the whole well together, boil one minute, strain through muslin, stir occasionally till cold; then pour into moulds. aspic jelly. were it not for the trouble of making aspic jelly, it would be more generally used than it is, for it gives not only elegance but value to a number of cold dishes. we have now the means of making this with the greatest ease, rapidity, and cheapness. soak an ounce of nelson's gelatine in a pint of cold water, dissolve it in a pint of boiling water, add a large teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of french vinegar, and the contents of a tin of nelson's extract of meat dissolved in a gill of boiling water. wash the shell of an egg before breaking it, beat up white and shell to a strong froth, and stir into the aspic. let it come slowly to the boil, and when it has boiled two minutes, let it stand for another two minutes, then strain through a flannel bag kept for the purpose. if a stiff aspic is required, use rather less water. how to make a jelly-bag. the very stout flannel called double-mill, used for ironing blankets, is a good material for a jelly-bag. take care that the seam of the bag be stitched twice, to secure the jelly against unequal filtration. the bag may, of course, be made any size, but one of twelve or fourteen inches deep, and seven or eight across the mouth, will be sufficient for ordinary use. the most convenient way of using the bag is to tie it upon a hoop the exact size of the outside of its mouth, and to do this tape should be sewn round it at equal distances. if there is no jelly-bag in a house, a good substitute may be made thus: take a clean cloth folded over corner-ways, and sew it up one side, making it in the shape of a jelly-bag. place two chairs back to back, then take the sewn-up cloth and hang it between the two chairs by pinning it open to the top bar of each chair. place a basin underneath the bag. here is another substitute: turn a kitchen stool upside down, and tie a fine diaper broth napkin, previously rinsed in hot water, to the four legs, place a basin underneath and strain through the napkin. creams. *** the careful housekeeper of modern times has been accustomed to class creams among the luxuries which can only be given on special occasions, both because they take so much time and trouble to make, and because the materials are expensive. it is, nevertheless, possible to have excellent creams made on a simple plan and at a moderate cost. cream of a superior kind is now everywhere to be had in jars, condensed milk answers well, and by the use of nelson's gelatine, and any flavouring or syrup, excellent creams can be made. our readers will find that the method of the following recipes is simple, the cost moderate, and the result satisfactory. a hint which, if acted on, will save time and trouble, may be given to inexperienced persons intending to make creams similar to lemon cream, which is light and frothy. do not add the lemon-juice until the mixture of cream and lemon-juice is nearly cold, and do not commence whipping until it is on the point of setting. delicious and inexpensive creams can be made by dissolving any of nelson's tablet jellies in half the quantity of water given in the directions for making the jelly, and adding cream, either plain or whipped, in the same way as directed for orange cream and cherry cream. lemon cream. soak an ounce of nelson's gelatine in half-a-pint of milk, dissolve it in a pint of boiling milk with a quarter of a pound of lump sugar. when nearly cold, add a gill of lemon-juice and whisk the cream until it is light and sponge-like. then stir in a gill of whipped cream, put into a mould, and let it stand for two or three hours. or, dissolve a pint tablet of nelson's lemon tablet jelly in half-a-pint of hot water. when cool, add to it half-a-pint of cream, and whisk together until on the point of setting, when mould it. strawberry cream. dissolve an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in a gill of cold water, in a pint of hot milk. when it is so nearly cold as to be on the point of setting, add half-a-pint of strawberry syrup, and sufficient rose colouring to make it a delicate pink; whisk the cream until it is light and frothy, stir in lightly a gill of whipped cream, then mould it. a good syrup can be made for this cream by putting half-a-pound of strawberry and half-a-pound of raspberry jam into half-a-pint of boiling water, and, after having well stirred it, rubbing it through a fine sieve. the syrup should not be too sweet, and the addition of the juice of one or two lemons, or a little citric acid, will be an advantage. creams, which have cochineal colouring in them, should not be put into tin moulds, as this metal turns them of a mauve shade. breton's rose colouring is recommended, because it is prepared from vegetables, and is free from acid. orange cream. dissolve a pint tablet of nelson's orange tablet jelly in half-a-pint of hot water. when cool, mix with it half-a-pint of cream or milk, and whip together until the cream is on the point of setting. imitation lemon cream. this will be found useful when cream is not to be had. put the thin peel of two lemons into half-a-pint of boiling water, and when it has stood a little, dissolve half-a-pound of loaf sugar in it. when nearly cold, add three eggs, the yolks and whites well beaten together, and the juice of the lemons. strain this into a stewpan, and stir until it is well thickened. after taking from the fire, stir occasionally until cold, then mix into it a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine soaked and dissolved in half a gill of water, also nearly cold. apricot cream. drain the juice from a tin of preserved apricots, add to it an equal quantity of water; make a syrup by boiling with this half-a-pound of lump sugar until it begins to thicken; then put in the apricots and simmer them gently for ten minutes. drain away the syrup, and put both it and the fruit aside separately for use as directed. dissolve an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked, in a quart of boiling milk lightly sweetened, and, when at the point of setting, put a teacupful of it gently into a mould, then a layer of the apricots; wait a minute or two before putting in another cup of cream, then fill up the mould with alternate layers of fruit and cream. let the cream stand some hours before turning out, and when it is on its dish pour round it the syrup of apricots. pineapple cream. drain the syrup from a tin of pineapple, boil it down to half. cut the best part of the pineapple into neat little squares, pound the remainder, which press through a strainer. make a custard with half-a-pint of milk and three yolks of eggs. measure the quantity of syrup and fruit juice, and dissolve nelson's gelatine in the proportion of half-an-ounce to a pint of it and custard together. mix the gelatine with the custard, then put in the pieces of pineapple, and when it is cold the syrup, the juice, and two tablespoonfuls of whipped cream. have ready a little of nelson's bottled cherry or port wine jelly melted in a fancy mould, which turn round so that it adheres to the sides, and when the first quantity is set, put in a little more. as the cream is on the point of setting, put it into the mould and allow it to stand until firm. when turned out, ornament the cream with the remainder of the bottled jelly lightly chopped. palace cream. make a custard of three eggs and a pint-and-a-half of milk sweetened, when it is ready dissolve in it an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in half-a-pint of milk. when made, the quantity of custard should be fully a pint-and-a-half, otherwise the cream may be too stiff. when the cream is cool, put a little into a mould, previously ornamented with glacé cherries and little pieces of angelica to represent leaves. the fruit is all the better if soaked in a little brandy, as are the cakes, but milk can be used for these last. put a portion of two ounces of sponge-cakes and one ounce of ratafias on the first layer of cream, keeping it well in the centre, and then fill up the mould with alternate layers of cakes and cream. when turned out, a little liqueur or any kind of syrup can be poured round the cream. fruit cream. strain the juice from a bottle of raspberries and currants on to three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar, boil up, then simmer for half-an-hour. mix the fruit and a large tablespoonful of raspberry jam with the syrup, and rub it through a hair sieve. dissolve nelson's gelatine, in the proportion of half-an-ounce to a pint of the fruit, in a little water, stir well together. when cold put it into a border mould, and as soon as it is firm turn out and fill the centre with a cream, which make with half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine and three gills of milk, sweetened and flavoured with nelson's essence of vanilla. whisk until cool, when stir in a gill of whipped cream. mandarin cream. dissolve half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in half-a-pint of cold milk, in half-a-pint of sweetened boiling milk or cream. dissolve a pint bottle of cherry jelly as directed. when the last is on the point of setting put a layer into a mould, then a layer of the cream, each of these about an inch deep, and fill up the mould in this way. this quantity of material will make two handsome moulds, suitable for a supper party. blanc-mange. to an ounce of nelson's gelatine add half-a-pint of new milk, let it soak for twenty minutes, boil two or three laurel leaves in a pint of cream and half-a-pint of milk; when boiling pour over the soaked gelatine, stir it till it dissolves, add four or five ounces of lump sugar and a little brandy if approved; strain it through muslin, stir occasionally till it thickens, and then put it into moulds. solid syllabub. soak an ounce of nelson's gelatine twenty minutes in three-quarters of a pint of water, add the juice and peel of two large lemons, a quarter of a pint of sherry, five or six ounces of lump sugar; boil the above two minutes, then pour upon it a pint of warm cream, stir it quickly till it boils, then strain and stir till it thickens, and pour it into moulds. charlotte russe. line a plain mould at the bottom and sides with sponge finger-biscuits, fill it with strawberry cream, or cream made as directed in the several recipes. if the weather is warm it will be necessary to place the charlotte on ice for an hour or two, but in the winter it will turn out without this. the biscuits for a charlotte russe should be made quite straight, and in arranging them in the mould they should lap slightly one over the other. baden-baden pudding. dissolve an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in half-a-pint of cold milk, in a pint-and-a-half of boiling milk; when it is nearly cold stir into it an ounce of rice, well boiled or baked; flavour the pudding to taste, and when on the point of setting put it into a mould and let it stand for two or three hours; serve plain or with stewed fruit. cherry cream. dissolve a pint tablet of nelson's cherry tablet jelly in half-a-pint of hot water. when cool, mix with it half-a-pint of cream or milk, and whip together until the cream is on the point of setting. velvet cream. soak three-quarters of an ounce of nelson's patent gelatine in half-a-pint of sherry or raisin wine, then dissolve it over the fire, stirring all the time; rub the rinds of two lemons with six ounces of lump sugar, add this, with the juice, to the hot solution, which is then to be poured gently into a pint of cream; stir the whole until quite cold, and then put into moulds. this can be made with a pint of boiling milk, in which an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in half-a-pint of cold milk, has been dissolved, and flavoured and sweetened. italian cream. take three-quarters of an ounce of nelson's patent gelatine and steep it in half-a-pint of cold water; boil the rind of a lemon, pared thinly, in a pint of cream; add the juice of the lemon and three tablespoonfuls of raspberry or strawberry syrup to the soaked gelatine; then pour the hot cream upon the above ingredients, gently stirring the while. sweeten to taste, and add a drop or two of prepared cochineal. whisk till the mixture is thick, then pour into moulds. cheese and macaroni cream. boil two ounces of macaroni, in water slightly salted, until tender, when drain; cut it into tiny rings, and put it into a stewpan with half-a-pint of milk or cream, keeping it hot on the stove without boiling for half-an-hour. soak and dissolve half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine in half-a-pint of milk, and when this and the macaroni are cold, stir together, add two ounces of grated parmesan cheese, with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. stir occasionally until the cream is on the point of setting, when mould it. should the cream be absorbed by the macaroni, more must be added to bring the whole quantity of liquid to one pint. if preferred, rice well boiled or baked in milk, or vermicelli paste, can be substituted for the macaroni. coffee cream. dissolve an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in half-a-pint of cold milk, in a pint-and-a-half of boiling milk with two ounces of sugar; stir in sufficient strong essence of coffee to flavour it, and when on the point of setting put it into a mould. chocolate cream. boil a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar in a pint of milk. dissolve in it an ounce of nelson's gelatine, previously soaked in half-a-pint of cold milk, and stir into it three teaspoonfuls of schweitzer's cocoatina, dissolved in half-a-pint of boiling milk. beat until on the point of setting, and put the cream into a mould. a few drops of nelson's essence of vanilla can be added with advantage. chartreuse of oranges. peel four or five oranges, carefully take out the divisions which put on a hair sieve in a cool place to drain all night. melt a little nelson's bottled orange jelly, pour it into a saucer and dip in each piece of orange, which arrange in a close circle round the bottom of a small pudding-basin. keep the thick part of the orange downwards in the first row, in the next put them the reverse way. continue thus until the basin is covered. pour in a little of the melted jelly, then of cream, made by mixing a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine soaked and dissolved in a gill of milk, into a gill of rich cream, sweetened. fill up the basin with alternate layers of jelly and cream, allowing each of these to set before the other is put in, making the jelly layers last. the chartreuse will turn out easily if the jelly is gently pressed from the basin all round. garnish with two colours of nelson's bottled jelly lightly chopped. fig cream. preserved green figs are used for this cream--those of fernando rodrigues are excellent. place the figs in a plain mould, and pour in gently, when on the point of setting, a cream made with a pint of cream and half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine, and lightly sweetened. when the cream is turned out of the mould, pour round it the syrup in which the figs were preserved. champagne cream. although this is properly a jelly, when well made it eats so rich that it is usually called cream. it is chiefly used in cases of illness, when it is desirable to administer champagne in the form of jelly. soak half-an-ounce of nelson's gelatine in a gill of cold water, dissolve it in a stewpan with one or two ounces of sugar, according as the jelly is required sweet or otherwise. when cool, add three gills of champagne and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, whip until it is beginning to set and is light and frothy; put into a mould, and it will be ready for use in two hours, if put in a cold place. orange mousse. rub the zest of the peel of two oranges on to a quarter of a pound of lump sugar, which boil with half-a-gill of water to a thick syrup. beat the juice of three large oranges with two whole eggs, and having whisked them slightly, add the syrup and nelson's gelatine, dissolved, in the proportion of half-an-ounce to a pint of liquid. whisk the mixture over a saucepan of hot water until it is warm, then place the basin in another with cold water and continue whisking until it is beginning to set, when put it into a fancy mould. strawberry trifle. put a layer of strawberry jam at the bottom of a trifle dish. dissolve a half-pint tablet of nelson's raspberry jelly, and when it is set break it up and strew it over the jam. upon this lay sponge finger biscuits and ratafia cakes, and pour over just enough new milk to make them soft. make a thick custard, flavoured with nelson's essence of vanilla, and spread it over the cakes. finally place on the top a handsome quantity of cream, whisked with a little powdered sugar and flavoured with vanilla. whipped cream. to half-a-pint of cream put a tablespoonful of fine sifted sugar, add sufficient of any of nelson's essences to give it a delicate flavour. with a whisk or wire spoon, raise a froth on the cream, remove this as soon as it rises, put it on a fine hair, or, still better, lawn sieve; repeat this process until the cream is used up. should the cream get thick in the whisking, add a very little cold water. put the sieve containing the whisked cream in a basin and let it stand for some hours, which will allow it to become more solid and fit for such purposes as filling meringues. cakes. *** the proper beating of the whites of the eggs is an important matter in cake-making. there are a number of machines for this purpose, which are in turn eagerly adopted by inexperienced persons; but for private use not one of them is comparable to hand-beating. when once the knack of beating eggs is acquired but little labour is needed to bring them to the right consistency; indeed, the most successful result is that which is the most rapidly attained. the whites of eggs for beating should be fresh, and should be carefully separated from the yolks by passing and repassing them in the two halves of the shell. it is best to beat the whites immediately they are broken, but if this is not possible, they must be kept in a cool place until wanted. if ice is at hand, it will be found advantageous to keep the eggs in it. in well-furnished kitchens a copper beating-bowl is provided; it should not be tinned, as contact with this metal will blacken the eggs; for this reason, the whisk, if of iron wire, should not be new. an earthenware bowl with circular bottom, and sufficiently large to admit of a good stroke in beating, answers the purpose perfectly well. a pinch of salt may be added to the whites, and if an inexperienced beater finds them assume a granulated appearance, a little lemon-juice will remedy it. begin by beating gently, increasing the pace as the egg thickens. as it is the air mixing with the albumen of the eggs which causes them to froth, it is necessary to beat them in a well-ventilated and cool place, so that they may absorb as much air as possible. if these simple and important conditions are observed, the whites of a dozen eggs may be beaten to the strongest point, without fatigue to the operator, in five minutes. when the whites are properly beaten they should turn out of the bowl in one mass, and, after standing a little while, will not show signs of returning to their original state. in order more easily to make cakes and biscuits into the composition of which almonds and cocoa-nut enter largely, manufacturers supply both of these pounded or desiccated. it is, however, preferable to prepare the former fresh, and much time and trouble may be saved in passing almonds through kent's combination mincer, , high holborn, instead of laboriously pounding them in a mortar. the result is, besides, more satisfactory, the paste being smoother than it can otherwise be made in domestic practice. cakes of the description for which we now give recipes cannot be made well unless the materials are properly prepared and thoroughly beaten. it is clear that if eggs are not beaten to such a consistency that they will bear the weight of the other ingredients, the result must be a heavy cake. currants for cakes, after they have been washed and picked, should be scalded, in order to swell them and make them more tender. put the currants into a basin, pour boiling water over them, cover the basin with a plate; after they have stood a minute, drain away the water and throw the fruit on a cloth to absorb the moisture. put the currants on a dish or plate in a very cool oven, turning occasionally until thoroughly dry; dust a little flour over them, and they will be ready for use. castor sugar for cakes works more easily when it is fine. for superior cakes raw sugar will not answer. pound cake. one pound fresh butter, one pound vienna flour, six eggs (or seven, if small), one pound castor sugar, quarter of a pound almonds cut small, half-a-pound of currants or sultanas, three ounces of candied peel, a few drops of essence of ratafia. the butter to be beaten to a cream. if it is hard warm the pan. add the sugar gradually; next the eggs, which must previously be well beaten up; then sift in the flour; and, last of all, put in fruit, almonds, and flavouring. this cake takes about half-an-hour to mix, as all the ingredients must be well beaten together with an iron spoon from left to right. bake in small tins, for about forty minutes, in a moderate oven. plain pound cake. half-a-pound of fresh butter, three eggs, one pound of vienna flour, one pound of castor sugar, a quarter of a pound of almonds cut small, half-a-pound of currants, three ounces of candied peel, a few drops of essence of ratafia. beat the butter to a cream, from left to right, and mix in the sugar gradually. beat the eggs up, and mix them with half-a-pint of new milk; stir into the butter; then add the flour; and, last of all, the fruit. savoy sponge cake. beat half-a-pound of finely sifted sugar with the yolks of four eggs until you have a thick batter, stir in lightly six ounces of fine dry sifted flour, then the whites of the eggs beaten to a very strong froth. have ready a tin which has been lightly buttered, and then covered with as much sifted sugar as will adhere to it. pour in the cake mixture, taking care the tin is not more than half full, and bake for half-an-hour. lemon savoy sponge. half-a-pound of loaf sugar, rub some of the lumps on the peel of two lemons, so as to get all the flavour from them; dissolve the sugar in half a gill of boiling water; add the juice of the lemons, or one of them if a large size, and beat with the yolks of four eggs until very white and thick; stir in a quarter of a pound of fine flour, beat the whites of the eggs to a strong froth, and mix as thoroughly but as lightly as possible; butter and sift sugar over a mould, nearly fill it with cake mixture, and bake at dark yellow paper heat for thirty minutes. macaroons. beat up a packet of nelson's albumen with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to a strong froth, mix in half-a-pound of finely-sifted sugar and two ounces each of pounded sweet and bitter almonds. flour a baking-sheet, and lay on it sheets of wafer-paper, which can be bought at the confectioner's, and drop on to them at equal distances, a small piece of the paste. bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until the macaroons are crisp and of a golden colour. when done cut round the wafer-paper with a knife, and put the cakes on a sieve to dry. in following recipes for this class of cake some judgment is required in the choice of the sugar, and the result will vary greatly according as this is of the right sort, or otherwise. a little more or less sugar may be required, and only practice can make perfect in this matter. as a general direction, it may be given that the sugar must be of the finest quality, and be very finely sifted, but not flour-like. cocoa-nut cakes. beat up a packet of nelson's albumen with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to a strong froth, mix with it a quarter of a pound of finely sifted sugar, and two ounces of edwards' desiccated cokernut. put sheets of wafer-paper on a baking-tin, drop small pieces of the cake mixture on to it, keeping them in a rocky shape. bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until crisp. chocolate cakes. whisk a packet of nelson's albumen with three teaspoonfuls of cold water to the strongest possible froth, mix in half-a-pound of finely sifted sugar, two teaspoonfuls of schweitzer's cocoatina, and six drops of nelson's essence of vanilla; sift paper thickly with sugar, and drop small teaspoonfuls of the mixture at equal distances on it, allowing space for the cakes to spread a little. bake for ten minutes in a moderate oven. cocoa-nut rock. boil half-a-pound of loaf sugar in a gill of water until it is beginning to return again to sugar, when cool add a packet of nelson's albumen whisked to a strong froth with three teaspoonfuls of water, and stir in a quarter of a pound of edwards' desiccated cokernut. spread the mixture, not more than an inch thick, in a greased pudding-tin, and place in a cool oven to dry. when done cut in neat squares, and keep in tins in a cool, dry place. sugar icing. no icing can be successfully done unless the sugar is of the finest kind, perfectly white, and so finely sifted as hardly to be distinguished by the eye from potato-flour. such sugar can now generally be procured of the best grocers at a moderate price. the process of sifting the sugar at home is somewhat slow and troublesome, but by so doing a perfectly pure article is secured. after being crushed the sugar should be passed through sieves of varying fineness, and, finally, through one made for the purpose, or failing this, very fine muslin will answer. when the sugar has been sifted at home, and it is certain there is no admixture of any kind with it, a small quantity of "fécule de pommes de terre" (potato-flour) may be added; it reduces sweetness, and does not interfere with the result of the process. if the sugar is not sifted very fine a much longer time will be required to make the icing, and in the end it will not look so smooth as it ought to do. confectioners use pyroligneous acid instead of lemon-juice, and there is no objection to it in small quantities. to make the icing, beat up a packet of nelson's albumen dissolved with three teaspoonfuls of cold water, work in by degrees one pound of fine icing sugar, adding a teaspoonful of lemon-juice or a few drops of pyroligneous acid, which will assist in keeping the icing white, or a slight tinge of stone-blue will have the same effect. if potato-flour is used, mix it thoroughly with the sugar before adding it to the white of egg. a little more or less sugar may be required, as the result is in great measure determined by the method of the operator; and when the paste is perfectly smooth, and will spread without running, it is fit for use. for icing large cakes confectioners use a stand which has a revolving board, so that cakes can conveniently be turned about; failing this, an ordinary board or inverted plate can be made to answer. as soon as the icing is spread on the cake it must be dried in an oven with the door open. it is sometimes found sufficient to keep the cake in a hot room for some hours. if too great heat is used the icing will crack. almond paste. blanch one pound of sweet and two ounces of bitter almonds, pound them in a mortar, adding a little rose-water as you go on, to prevent oiling; and when all the almonds are reduced to a perfectly smooth paste, mix them with an equal weight of icing sugar. moisten the paste with a packet of nelson's albumen dissolved in three teaspoonfuls of cold water, and spread it evenly on the cake, allowing it to become dry and firm before spreading the icing over it. this paste can be used for making several kinds of cakes and sweetmeats, and without the albumen can be kept in bottles for some time. almond paste can be made from bitter almonds which have been infused in spirit to make an extract for flavouring, and in this case no sweet almonds will be required. beverages. *** among the most useful preparations which have ever been introduced to the public for the immediate production of delicious beverages, are nelson's bottled jellies. these beverages are highly approved for ordinary use at luncheon and dinner, as well as for afternoon and evening entertainments, and have a special value for invalids, as they contain nourishment and are at the same time very refreshing. when required for use, dissolve a bottle of the jelly, and mix with it five times its bulk of water, the beverage can then be used either hot or cold; if in standing it should be slightly thickened it will only be necessary briskly to stir it with a spoon. lemon, orange, and cherry jelly, with the addition of water as directed, will be found superior to any other beverage of the kind, and specially excellent for children's parties. the following "cups" are delicious made with the jelly as directed. claret cup, made merely with seltzer water, claret, and port wine jelly, will be found superior to the ordinary preparation. a little sugar may be added if desired. to a bottle of claret and a pint of seltzer-water use a half-pint bottle of port wine jelly, stir briskly until well mixed, put in a sprig of balm and borage, three thick slices of cucumber; place the vessel containing the claret cup covered over on ice for an hour; strain out the herbs before serving. badminton cup is made with burgundy, in the same way as the above, with the addition of a bottle of orange jelly. champagne cup requires equal quantities of the wine and seltzer-water, with a bottle of orange jelly. cider cup is made with a pint and a half of cider, a bottle of soda-water, and a bottle of either orange, lemon, or sherry jelly. cherry cup.--half-a-pint of claret, a quart of soda-water, and a half-pint bottle of cherry jelly. mulled port wine. dissolve a bottle of port wine jelly and add to it four times its bulk of boiling water with a little nutmeg, and, if liked, a crushed clove. lemonade. half-a-teaspoonful of nelson's citric acid dissolved in a quart of water, with a sliced lemon and sweetened with sugar, forms a good lemonade, and is a cooling and refreshing drink. a small pinch of the citric acid dissolved in a tumbler of water with a little sugar and a pinch of bicarbonate of potash, makes an effervescing draught. these acidulated drinks are exceedingly useful for allaying thirst; and as refrigerants in feverish and inflammatory complaints they are invaluable. lemonade (a new recipe). dissolve three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar and the contents of a threepenny packet of nelson's citric acid in a quart of boiling water; then add two quarts of fresh cold water and one-twelfth part of a bottle of nelson's essence of lemon. the above quantity of sugar may be increased or decreased according to taste. gingerade. crush an ounce of whole ginger, pour over it a quart of boiling water, cover the vessel, and let the infusion stand until cold. (the extract of ginger may be used in place of this infusion). strain through flannel; add a teaspoonful of nelson's citric acid, six drops of nelson's lemon flavouring, and a quarter of a pound of lump sugar; stir until dissolved, and the gingerade will be ready. an extract of ginger for family use. an extract of ginger made as follows is most useful for family purposes, and can be substituted for the infusion in gingerade. crush half-a-pound of fine whole ginger in the mortar, or cut into small pieces. put into a bottle with half-a-pint of unsweetened gin, let it stand for a month, shaking it occasionally, then drain it off into another bottle, allowing it to stand until it has become clear, when it will be fit for use. lemon syrup. boil a pound of fine loaf sugar in a pint-and-a-half of water. remove all scum as it rises, and continue boiling gently until the syrup begins to thicken and assumes a golden tinge, then add a pint of strained lemon-juice or a packet of nelson's citric acid dissolved in water, and allow both to boil together for half-an-hour. pour the syrup into a jug, to each pint add one-twelfth part of a bottle of nelson's essence of lemon, and when cold bottle and cork well. the juice of seville oranges may be made into a syrup in the same way as that of lemons, or lemon and orange juice may be used in equal quantities. these syrups are useful for making summer drinks, and for invalids as lemonade or orangeade. milk beverage. a very agreeable and useful beverage is made by dissolving a quarter of an ounce of nelson's gelatine in a pint of milk. a spoonful of cream can, if preferred, be used with a bottle of soda-water. for invalids, this beverage can be used instead of tea or coffee, and may be preferable in many cases on account of the nourishment it contains; it will also be found an excellent substitute, taken hot, for wine-whey, or posset, as a remedy for a cold. for summer use, milk beverage is delicious, and may be flavoured with raspberry or strawberry syrup. if on standing it should thicken, it will only be necessary briskly to beat it up with a spoon. citric acid. this acid exists in the juice of many fruits, such as the orange, currant, and quince, but especially in that of the lemon. it is chiefly made from the concentrated juice of lemons, imported from sicily and southern italy, and which, after undergoing certain methods of preparation, yields the crystals termed citric acid. these crystals may be used for all the purposes for which lemon-juice is employed. in the manufacture of the citric acid now offered to the public by messrs. g. nelson, dale, and co., only the pure juice of the lemon is used. essence of lemon. this well-known essence is extracted from the little cells visible in the rind of lemons, by submitting raspings of the fruit to pressure. the greater portion of the oil of lemons sold in england is imported from portugal, italy, and france. it is very frequently adulterated with oil of turpentine. in order to present the public with a perfectly pure commodity, g. nelson, dale, and co. import their essence of lemon direct from sicily, and from a manufacturer in whom they have the fullest confidence. nelson's essence of lemon is sold in graduated bottles, eightpence each, each bottle containing sufficient for twelve quarts of jelly. macaroni, etc. *** we now give recipes for a few useful little dishes, chiefly of macaroni, which can be had at such a price as to bring it within the reach of all classes. english-made macaroni can be bought at fourpence, and even less, the pound, and the finest italian at sixpence. the naples, or pipe-macaroni, is the most useful for families, and the genoa, or twisted, for high-class dishes. the english taste is in favour of macaroni boiled soft, and in order to make it so, many cooks soak it. but this is not correct, and it is not at all necessary to soak macaroni. if kept boiling in sufficient water, the macaroni requires no attention--ebullition prevents it sticking to the saucepan. although we give several ways of finishing macaroni, it is excellent when merely boiled in water with salt, as in the first recipe, eaten as an accompaniment to meat, or with stewed fruit. macaroni with cheese. throw a quarter of a pound of macaroni broken into pieces an inch long, into three pints of boiling water, with a large pinch of salt. the saucepan should be large, or the water will rise over when the macaroni boils fast, which it should do for twenty or twenty-five minutes. when done, strain the macaroni through a colander, put it back into the saucepan with an ounce of fresh butter, a small pinch of white pepper and of salt, if necessary, and shake it over the fire for a minute or two. take the saucepan off the fire, and stir into the macaroni two ounces or more, if liked, of grated parmesan cheese. serve immediately with crisp dry toast, cut in neat pieces. if not convenient to use parmesan, a mild dry english or american cheese will answer very well. some cooks prefer, when the macaroni is boiled, to put a fourth part of it on to a hot dish, then to strew over it a fourth part of the grated cheese, and so on till all of both are used, cheese, of course, covering the top. macaroni cheese. boil and drain the macaroni, mix with a quarter of a pound an ounce of butter, and two ounces of grated cheese; pepper or cayenne pepper and salt to taste. put the macaroni in a dish and strew over it sufficient grated cheese to cover it up, run a little dissolved butter over the top, and put it in the oven till it is a bright-yellow colour; serve quickly. macaroni with bacon. boil two ounces of streaky bacon, cut it into dice or mince it, stir it into a quarter of a pound of macaroni boiled as for macaroni cheese: if liked, add a few drops of vinegar, pepper, and salt, and serve very hot. macaroni with onions. boil the macaroni as above, mix with it two or three onions sliced and fried a delicate brown, add a few spoonfuls of gravy, stir over the fire for a few minutes and serve. stewed macaroni. throw a quarter of a pound of macaroni into three pints of boiling water with a teaspoonful of salt, and let it boil for twenty minutes. drain in a colander, then put it into a stewpan with half a tin of nelson's extract of meat dissolved in half-a-pint of water, and stir over the fire for five minutes. take it off the fire and stir in one ounce of grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. macaroni with tomatoes. prepare the macaroni as in the above recipe, put it into a stewpan with a small piece of butter and a teacupful of tomato sauce, or a small bottle of conserve of tomatoes, and stir briskly over the fire for five minutes. sweet macaroni. boil the macaroni as for the other dishes, but with only a pinch of salt, until tender, when drained put into a stewpan with a gill of milk to each two ounces, and two ounces of sifted lump sugar. any flavouring may be used, but perhaps there is nothing better than grated lemon-peel, and for those who like it, powdered cinnamon or grated nutmeg. stir over the fire until all the milk is absorbed; a little cream is, of course, an improvement. for those who do not like milk, the juice of a lemon, or a little sherry, may be substituted, and for a superior dish vanilla can be used for flavouring. boiled cheese. put four tablespoonfuls of beer into a small saucepan, shred into it a quarter of a pound of good new cheese, and stir briskly over the fire until all is dissolved and is on the point of boiling, then take it off instantly, for, if the cheese is allowed to boil, it will become tough. have ready slices of toasted bread, spread the cheese on it, and serve as quickly as possible. les canapÃ�s au parmesan. take the crumb of a french roll, cut it into rounds a quarter of an inch thick, put them into a wire frying-basket, immerse in hot fat, and crisp the bread instantly. throw it on to paper, dry, and sprinkle over each piece a thick layer of grated parmesan cheese, pepper, and salt. put the canapés in a dutch oven before a clear fire, just to melt the cheese, and serve immediately they are done. rice with parmesan cheese. boil a quarter of a pound of patna rice in water with salt; drain it, toss it up in a stewpan with two ounces of fresh butter, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. put a quarter of the rice on a hot dish, strew over it equally an ounce of grated parmesan cheese, then put another portion of rice and cheese until all is used. serve immediately. scalloped eggs. take a cupful of finely-sifted bread-crumbs, moisten them with a little cold milk, cream, or gravy, and season nicely with pepper and salt. put a thin layer of the moistened crumbs on a lightly-buttered dish, cut two hard eggs into slices, and dip each piece in very thick well-seasoned white sauce, or nelson's extract of meat dissolved in a little water, so as to glaze the eggs. having arranged the slices of egg neatly on the layer of moistened bread-crumbs, cover them with another layer of it, and on the top strew thickly some pale gold-coloured raspings. bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes. if potatoes are liked, they make a nice substitute for bread-crumbs. take some mashed potatoes, add to them a spoonful of cream or gravy, and proceed as with bread-crumbs. serve gravy made of nelson's extract of meat with this dish. scotch woodcock. melt a small piece of butter the size of a nut in a stewpan, break into it two eggs, with a spoonful of milk or gravy, and pepper and salt, stir round quickly until the eggs begin to thicken, keep the yolks whole as long as you can. when finished, pour on to a buttered toast, to which has been added a little essence of anchovy or anchovy paste, and serve. mushrooms with cream sauce. dissolve two ounces of butter in a stewpan, mix in the yolks of two eggs lightly beaten, the juice of a lemon, and a pinch of pepper and salt, stir this over the fire until thickened. have ready half-a-pint of plain butter sauce, and mix all gradually together, with a small tin of champignons, or about the same quantity of fresh mushrooms chopped and stewed gently for ten minutes in a little broth or milk. stir them with the liquor in which they have stewed into the sauce, and let them stand for a few minutes, then spread the mixture on to neat slices of toasted bread. the sauce must be a good thickness, so that it will not run off the toast, and care must be taken in the first process not to oil the butter or make the sauce lumpy. to boil rice (a black man's recipe). as rice is so often badly cooked, we make no apology for giving the black man's celebrated recipe. although he does not recommend a little salt in the water, we think that a small quantity should always be used, even when the rice has to be served as a sweet dish. "wash him well, much wash in cold water, rice flour, make him stick. water boil all ready, very fast. shove him in; rice can't burn, water shake him too much. boil quarter of an hour or little more. rub one rice in thumb and finger; if all rub away him quite done. put rice in colander, hot water run away. pour cup of cold water on him, put back in saucepan, keep him covered near the fire, then rice all ready. eat him up." to mince vegetables. peel the onion or turnip, put it on the board, cut it first one way in slices, not quite through, lest it should fall to pieces, then cut it in slices the other way, which will produce long cubes. finally turn the onion on its side and cut through, when it will fall into dice-like pieces. the inconvenience and sometimes positive pain caused to the eyes by mincing or chopping the onions on a board is thus obviated, and a large quantity can be quickly prepared in the above way. hints on housekeeping. *** how many people are crying, "how can we save? where can we retrench? shall the lot fall on the house-furnishing, or the garden, or the toilet, or the breakfast or the dinner table? shall we do with one servant less, move into a cheaper neighbourhood, or into a smaller house? no, we cannot make any such great changes in our way of life. there are the boys and girls growing up; we must keep up appearances for their sakes. we remember the old proverb that, 'however bad it may be to be poor, it is much worse to look poor.'" yet, although, for many reasons, it is often most difficult to retrench on a large scale, there are people who find it easier, for instance, to put down the carriage than to see that the small outgoings of housekeeping are more duly regulated. it is seldom, indeed, that a wife can assist her husband save by lightening his expenses by her prudence and economy. too many husbands, nowadays, can vouch for the truth of the old saying, "a woman can throw out with a spoon faster than a man can throw in with a shovel." the prosperity of a middle-class home depends very much on what is saved, and the reason that this branch of a woman's business is so neglected is that it is very difficult and very troublesome. "take care of your pence and the pounds will take care of themselves," is a maxim that was much in use when we were young. nowadays it is more fashionable to speak of this kind of thing as "penny wise and pound foolish." looking to the outgoings of pence is voted slow work, and it is thought fine to show a languid indifference to small savings. "such a fuss over a pennyworth of this or that, it's not worth while." yes, but it is not that particular pennyworth which is alone in question, there is the principle involved--the great principle of thrift--which must underlie all good government. the heads of households little think of what evils they perpetuate when they shut their eyes to wasteful practices, because it is easier to bear the cost than to prevent waste. the young servant trained under one careless how she uses, or rather misuses, that which is entrusted to her, carries in her turn the wasteful habits she has learned into another household, and trains others in a contempt for thrifty ways, until the knowledge of how to do things at once well and economically is entirely lost. we often hear it urged that it is bad for the mind of a lady to be harassed by the petty details of small savings, and that if she can afford to let things go easily she should not be so harassed. but under no circumstances must any mistress of a household permit habitual waste in such matters. when the establishment is so large as to be to a great extent removed from the immediate supervision of the mistress, all she can do is to keep a careful watch over every item of expenditure, and by every means in her power to let her servants feel that it is to their interest as well as to her own to keep within due bounds. a good cook is always a good manager. she makes many a meal of what an inferior cook would waste. the housekeeper should therefore insist on having good cooking at a reasonable cost, and never keep a cook who does not make the most of everything. in a large household a mistress cannot look after the sifting of cinders, but she can check her coal bills, and by observation find out in what department the waste is going on. it may not be possible to pay periodical visits to the gas-meter to see if the tap is turned on to the full when such force is not necessary, but she can from quarter to quarter compare notes, or have fixed, where it is easy for her to get at it, one of the gas-regulators now in use. and thus, by the exercise of judicious control and supervision, the guiding mind of the mistress will make itself felt in every department of the household without any undue worry to herself. the mistress of a small household who has things more under her immediate control, and whose income, no less than her sense of moral obligation, obliges her to look carefully after the outgoings, need not be told what a trial it is to be constantly on the watch to prevent waste. probably she is compelled to leave a certain quantity of stores for general use; indeed, we doubt very much if there is anything saved by the daily giving out of ounces and spoonfuls of groceries, for if a servant is disposed to be wasteful, she will be equally so with the small as the larger quantity. what perpetual worry is caused by seeing how soap is left in the water until it is so soft as to have lost half its value! how many pence go in most households in that way every week, we wonder! the scrubbing-brush also is left in water with the soap. a fairly good brush costs at least two shillings, and as one so treated only lasts half the proper time you may safely calculate that a shilling is soon wasted in that way. brushes of all sorts are, as a rule, most carelessly used, and left about anyhow instead of being hung up. how much loss there is in a year in the careless use of knives and plate! whenever possible both of these get into the hands of the cook. her own tools from neglect or misuse have become blunt or worse, and she takes the best blade and the plated or silver spoon whenever she has a chance. the plate gets thrown in a heap into an earthenware bowl to be bruised and scratched. the knives are either put insufficiently wiped through the cleaner, which is thus spoiled and made fit rather to dirty than clean knives, or they are left lying in hot water to have the handles loosened and discoloured. probably jars, tin boxes, and canisters are provided in sufficient quantity to put away and keep stores properly. but for all that, as it would seem in a most ingenious manner, loss and waste are contrived. raw sugar is kept in the paper until it rots through it. macaroni, rice, and such things are left a prey to mice or insects. the vinegar and sauce bottles stand without the corks. delicate things, which soon lose their fine aroma, as tea, coffee, and spices, are kept in uncovered canisters: the lid is first left off, then mislaid. the treacle jar stands open for stray fingers and flies to disport themselves therein. capers are put away uncovered with vinegar, and when next wanted are found to be mouldy. perhaps the juice of a lemon has been used; the peel, instead of being preserved, is thrown away, or left lying about till valueless. herbs, which should have been at once dried and sifted, are hid away in some corner to become flavourless and dirty, and so on with every kind of store and provision. it is impossible to calculate how many pennies are lost daily, in a large number of houses, by the absolute waste of pieces of bread left to mould or thrown out because trouble to utilise them cannot be taken. whoever thinks anything of the small quantities of good beer left in the jug; it is so much easier to throw it away than put it in a bottle? or who will be at the trouble of boiling up that "drop" of milk, which, nevertheless, cost a penny, and would make, or help to make, a small pudding for the next day? then, again, how many bits of fat and suet are lost because it is too much trouble to melt down the first, and preserve the other by very simple and effectual means? butter in summer is allowed to remain melting in the paper in which it is sent in, or perhaps it is put on a plate, to which some pennyworths of the costly stuff will stick and be lost. one would think it would be as easy at once to put it into cold salted water, if better means of cooling could not be used. if we pause here, it is not because we have exhausted the list of things most woefully wasted, mainly from want of thought, but because we have not space to enumerate more of them. we can only add that the importance of small household savings cannot well be overrated, both because of the principle involved and because of the substantial sum they represent together. there is no need in any household for even a penny a day to be wasted; and yet if we look closely into things, how much money value is lost daily in some one or other of the ways we have mentioned. in the course of the year, the daily pennies mount up to many pounds, and we are sure that it is much safer once in a way lavishly to spend the shillings than to be habitually careless of the outgoings of the pence. although it is not necessary that the mistress of a household who can afford to keep servants should herself do the cooking, or spend much time in her kitchen, it is absolutely necessary that she should understand the best methods, and know how everything should be done. many people will say that it is unbecoming for women to be _gourmands_; we agree with them, and that it is equally unbecoming for men to be so. but to be a _gourmet_ is another thing; and we ought not to lose sight of the fact that food eaten with real enjoyment and the satisfaction which accompanies a well-prepared meal, is greatly enhanced in value. professor c. voit has clearly pointed out, in his experiments and researches into diet, the great value of palatable food as nourishment, and how indispensable is a certain variety in our meals. "we think," he says, "we are only tickling the palate, and that it is nothing to the stomach and digestive organs whether food is agreeable to the palate or not, since they will digest it, if it is digestible at all. but it is not so indifferent after all, for the nerves of the tongue are connected with other nerves and with nerve-centres, so that the pleasure of the palate, or some pleasure, at any rate, even if it is only imagination, which can only originate in the central organ--the brain--often has an active effect on other organs. this is a matter of daily experience. without the secretion of gastric juice the assimilation of nourishment would be impossible. if, therefore, some provocatives induce and increase certain sensations and useful processes, they are of essential value to health, and it is no bad economy to spend something on them." it is surely somewhat singular that englishwomen, who have excelled in almost every other craft, should be remarkable for their want of skill in cookery. they have not been dismayed by any difficulties in literature, art, or science, and yet how few are there among us who can make a dish of porridge like a scotchwoman, or an omelette like a frenchwoman! the fact would seem to be, that educated women having disdained to occupy themselves either theoretically or practically with cookery, those whose legitimate business it has been have become indifferent also. the whole aim of the modern british cook seems to be to save herself trouble, and she will give as much time and thought to finding out ways of doing things in a slovenly manner as would go to doing them properly. no doubt cooks have often so much work of other kinds to do that they cannot give the necessary time to cooking. in a case of this kind, the mistress should herself give such help as she can, and bring up her daughters to help in the kitchen. people in middle-class life often expect the cook to do all the kitchen work, and frequently some of the house work. of course, in small families, this is quite possible to be done, and it is always best for servants, as for other people, to be fully employed. but in large families it is impossible the cooking can be properly done, when the cook is harassed by so many other occupations. thus, because it takes less time and attention than cooking smaller dishes, huge pieces of meat are roasted or boiled daily, and the leg-of-mutton style of dietary is perpetuated--declared to be the most economical, and, in short, the best for all the world. probably it is because bread and butter can be bought ready made, and involve no trouble, that they are held to be the chief necessaries of life in every english household. some children almost live, if they do not thrive, on bread and butter. thoughtless housekeepers think they have done their duty when they have seen that a sufficient supply of these articles has been sent in from the shops. when we insist that everyone should have home-baked bread, at once we shall be met with the "penny-wise" suggestion that home-baked bread costs more than baker's, because, being so nice, people eat more of it. good bread, we need not say, is far more nourishing than that which is made from inferior materials or adulterated even with non-injurious substances for wheaten flour. then all the other difficulties come to the fore: cook spoils the bakings, the oven is not suitable, and so on. to all these we answer: a good housekeeper, one who looks beyond the sum total of her weekly bills, who thinks no trouble too great to provide such food as will maintain the health of her family, will have home-baked bread. there are other points in domestic management which do not receive the attention they deserve. of these we may cite the use of labour-saving machines and of gas for cooking. how often do we hear it said: "i always have such and such a thing done in that way, because it was my mother's way!" this may be very nice and very natural, but it is nevertheless a sentimental reason. what should we think of a person who insisted on riding pillion, because her mother rode pillion? yet, this really is pretty much the same thing as we see every day, when ladies are so wedded to old ways that they persist in employing the rough-and-ready implements of domestic use, the pattern whereof has been handed down from the ark, instead of modern and scientific inventions which save both time and trouble. in no other department of the national life have the people been so slow to adopt simple machinery as in that of the household. it is alleged, in the first place, that labour-saving machines are expensive; in the next place, that servants do not understand them, and that they are always getting out of order. as to the first objection, we would say that as these machines--we speak only, of course, of really good machines--are made, not only with the object of saving labour, but material, the original cost of them is in a short time repaid. as regards the second objection, it seems incomprehensible that servants should not use with care and thoughtfulness machines, which not only save time and trouble, but greatly help in making their work perfect. there is no doubt that by the more general adoption of machinery household work would be much lightened, and that if there were a demand for it, enterprise would be much stimulated, and many more useful helps would be produced. as it is, manufacturers hesitate to bring out new inventions at a great expense, when there is a doubt of securing the appreciation of the public. only the other day we were inquiring for a little machine we had seen years ago, and were told by the maker that, "like many other useful things, it had been shelved by the public, and ultimately lost." let us take the case of making bread at home. by the use of a little simple dough-mixing machine, supplied by kent, , high holborn, the operation is easy, quick, cleanly, and certain. we have had one of these in use for more than ten years, and during that time have never had a bad batch of bread. not only in this machine do we make ten to eleven pounds of dough in five minutes, but the kneading is most perfectly done, and there is the great advantage of securing perfect cleanliness, the hands not being used at all in the process. yet we do not suppose that any number of the people who have admired the bread have set up the machine. it cannot be the cost of the machine, as it is inconsiderable, which prevents its more general use, since in households where expense is not an object the primitive process is still in vogue. many people imagine that washing machines are only needed in large families where all the washing is got up at home. but, if ever so small or only an occasional wash is done, there is no exaggerating the comfort and advantage of a machine which washes, wrings, and mangles. so far from injuring linen, machines of the best kind wear it far less than rough hand labour, and with reasonable care it will be found that delicate fabrics are not split in the wringing by a good machine, as they so frequently are by the hand. then there is the case of the knife-cleaning machine. there are families who, instead of using one, employ a boy to ruin their knives by rubbing them on a board with bath brick. they do so, they will tell you, "because machines wear out the knives." the slightest acquaintance with the mechanism of a good knife-cleaning machine should suffice to show that the brushes cannot wear out the knives, whereas the action of the board and brick is the most destructive that can be imagined. the objection of undue wear being disposed of, we are told that the machines soon get out of order, and are a constant expense. of course, with careless usage anything will come to grief, but the fact remains that kent, the leading manufacturer of knife-cleaners, has published a certificate from a lady who has had in constant use, for thirty years, one of his machines, which during that time has required no repairs. as to knives, we know of some which have been cleaned daily for twenty-five years in a machine, and are very little the worse for wear. dressmakers tell us that, but for the sewing machine, an elaborate style of trimming ladies' dresses would be impossible. we know that many inexpensive delicacies, which it is not practicable to have now because of the time and trouble they require, could easily be managed by the use of little articles of domestic machinery. for instance, take potted meat. there is the excellent combination mincer, also kent's, by which this is rapidly and perfectly done, and which enables cooks to use up many scraps of material in a most acceptable way, and without the labour of the pestle and mortar. this machine, however, is but little known. it costs but a sovereign, is useful for all mincing purposes, and makes the best sausages in the world. to make sausages properly, a machine must have an adjustment of the cutters by which the sinews of the meat and bits of skin are retained on them, as nothing is so unpleasant as to find these when eating the sausages. thus it will be seen how necessary it is, in setting up machinery which should last a lifetime, to have the best inventions in the market. not very long ago, a friend asked our opinion on the merits of the different makers of knife-cleaning machines. we explained to her the mechanism of the best of them, pointed out the superior workmanship, and that she should not grudge the money to have one which would do its work properly and be durable. probably under the impression that "in the multitude of counsellors there is wisdom," our friend made further inquiries, and ended by buying a much-advertised machine which, she was assured, was better and cheaper than that of kent, the original patentee. when she had the machine home, and calculated, together with the cost of carriage, her own expenses in going to london to choose it, she found that she had saved exactly eighteenpence, and then that her bargain would not clean the knives! the prejudices which for a long time existed against cooking by gas have gradually cleared away now that improved stoves have been introduced, and the public have experience of its many advantages. there are yet some difficulties to be met in bringing gas into more general use, one of which, the high price charged for it, is beyond the control of the housekeeper, and another, that of teaching servants to be economical and careful in its use. when this last can be overcome, even with the first named drawback, gas will not be found more expensive than coal. the cost of wood, of sweeping the chimney, and the extra wear and tear occasioned by the soot, smoke, and dust of a coal fire, must be calculated in addition to the fuel itself. it will be seen, when we say that the entire cooking for a small family having late dinners, bread baked, and much water heated, is done for something under £ a quarter, that gas as a fuel is not so great an extravagance after all. the stove used has the oven lined with a non-conducting substance, which has the advantage of keeping the heat within instead of sending it into the kitchen, as stoves made only of iron plates are apt to do. we have but space to add that the benefit to health, the cleanliness, the saving of time, labour, and temper, to say nothing of the superiority of cooking done by gas in such a stove as has been described, can only be fully appreciated by those who, like the writer, have had twenty years' experience of all these advantages. new zealand frozen mutton. *** the high price at which meat has stood for some years has made it necessary for the working classes to restrict themselves to a scanty allowance of animal food, and this often of poor quality. the difficulty of providing joints of meat for their families has, indeed, also been felt severely by people who are comparatively well-to-do. under these circumstances capitalists have thought it worth a considerable investment of money to discover some means of bringing the cheap and magnificent supplies of new zealand into the english market. after many failures, success has at length crowned the enterprise, and nothing can exceed the perfection in which new zealand mutton is now placed on the english market. it is universally admitted that the meat, both as respects its nutritive value and its flavour, is unsurpassed, while the price is very moderate. the same remarks apply to new zealand lamb. it commences to arrive in january, and is in the height of its season when our english lamb is a luxury which can only be enjoyed by the few. nelson brothers, limited, stand foremost among the importers of this invaluable food supply. the mutton and lamb selected by them is of the highest quality, and their system of refrigeration is perfect. in summer these new zealand meats have a great advantage over the home supply, as although in keeping they may lose colour, they remain good and sweet much longer than english-killed meat. the company have large refrigerating stores under cannon street station capable of holding some , sheep, and have recently erected stores of _treble that capacity_ at nelson's wharf, commercial road, lambeth, wherein the latest improvements both as regards construction and refrigerating machinery have been adopted, in order to facilitate the development of the frozen meat trade. nelson brothers have also branch offices at-- _a_, richmond street, liverpool. lease lane, birmingham. lawns lane, leeds. the abattoirs, manchester. baltic chambers, newcastle-on-tyne. tresillian terrace, cardiff. if any of our readers are anxious to try the meat, and are unable to procure it, a postcard to the head office, , dowgate hill, london, e.c., or to any of the branch offices, will at once put them in the way of carrying out their desire. as it occasionally happens that from want of some little precaution new zealand meat does not come to table in its best condition, we offer the following hints for the treatment of it: frozen mutton, like that which is freshly killed, requires to be hung a certain time--this is most essential to remember, otherwise the meat eats hard and tough--and it is important to observe, both when hanging and roasting, that it is so placed that the juice shall not run out of the cut end. hind-quarters, haunches, and legs should be hung with the knuckle end downwards; loins and saddles by the flaps, thus giving them a horizontal position. the meat in winter should be kept in the kitchen some time before cooking, and after being exposed for a few minutes to a rapid heat in order to seal up and keep the gravy in the joint, it should be cooked rather slowly, thus taking a little more time than is usually given to english meat. index. *** page albumen, beef tea, " " as a solid, beverages, badminton cup, champagne cup, cherry cup, cider cup, citric acid, claret cup, ginger, an extract of, for family use, gingerade, lemon, essence of, " syrup, lemonade, " (a new recipe), milk, port wine, mulled, blanc-mange, cakes, almond paste, chocolate, cocoa-nut, " rock, macaroons, pound, " plain, savoy sponge, " " lemon, sugar icing, citric acid, creams, apricot, champagne, charlotte russe, cheese and macaroni, cherry, chocolate, coffee, fig, fruit, italian, lemon, " imitation, mandarin, orange, " mousse, oranges, chartreuse of, palace, pineapple, strawberry, " trifle, syllabub, solid, velvet, whipped, essences-- almonds, lemon, vanilla, extract of meat, fish, little dishes of, cod cutlets, eels, collared, fish, galantine of, herrings, fried, " rolled, sole, filleted, " fillets of, en aspic, " " fried, " " sautés, " " with lobster, " fried, whiting, baked, flummery, dutch, gelatine, " how to use, housekeeping, hints on, jellies, nelson's bottled-- calf's foot, cherry, lemon, orange, port, sherry, jellies, tablet, jelly-making, on, jelly, apple, " aspic, " brilliant, " claret, " cocoa, " coffee, " economical, " orange fruit, " oranges filled with, " ribbon, " strengthening, " with fruit, jelly-bag, how to make a, jelly-jubes, lemon sponge, , lozenges-- gelatine, licorice, macaroni, etc., canapés au parmesan, cheese, boiled, eggs, scalloped, macaroni cheese, " stewed, " sweet, " with bacon, " " cheese, " " onions, " " tomatoes, mushrooms with cream sauce, rice, to boil (a black man's recipe), rice with parmesan cheese, scotch woodcock, vegetables, to mince, meat, little dishes of, brain fritters, chicken, brown fricassée of, chicken sauté, " in aspic jelly, croquettes, curry, dry, kidneys, broiled, " sautés, " with mushrooms, " with piccalilli, lamb's fry, " sweetbreads, marrow toast, meat cakes à l'italienne, mutton, cold, potted, " collops, " cutlets, " pies, " roulades of, " sauté, ox brain, pork pie, raised, potato hash, sausages, pork, veal à la casserole, veal and ham pie, veal cutlets in white sauce, mutton, new zealand frozen, puddings, apple fool, " meringue, baden-baden, brandy sauce, cabinet, capital, the, cheesecake, welsh, chocolate, cocoa-nut, compote of apples with fried bread, compote of prunes, custard, duchess of fife's, fritters, italian, jubilee, natal, omelet, friar's, " soufflé, pears, stewed, with rice, queen's, raspberry and currant, soufflé, sponge soufflé, vanilla rusk, warwickshire, soups, , artichoke, brown, beef and onion, beef, lentil, and vegetable, beef, pea, and vegetable, glaze, gravy, hare, julienne, mulligatawny, " nelson's, " thin, rabbit, brown; clear, turtle, " mock, vermicelli, clear, tinned meats, [illustration: trade mark.] *** charles dickens and evans, crystal palace press. [illustration: by royal letters patent.] for first class jellies *** nelson's opaque gelatine should always be used. see recipe, page . *** nelson's tablet jellies. _orange, lemon, calf's foot, cherry, raspberry, vanilla, apricot, pear, apple, black currant, pine apple, noyeau, etc._ quarts, d.; pints, d.; half-pints, d. *** wine tablet jellies. _port, sherry, orange._ pints only, d. these new jellies are perfectly pure and wholesome, and the flavours excellent, while their exceeding cheapness brings them within the reach of all classes. *** g. nelson, dale, & co., ltd., , dowgate hill, london. [illustration: by royal letters patent.] *** nelson's soups. these soups are already thoroughly cooked and seasoned, and can be prepared for the table in a few minutes. *** beef and carrots. beef and celery. beef and onions. mulligatawny. in pint packets, d. each. *** beef, peas, and vegetables. beef, lentils, and vegetables. in quart packets, d. each. *** penny packets of soup for charitable purposes. *** nelson's extract of meat, for making and improving soups, gravies, beef-tea, etc., etc. *** in ounce packets, d. each, and lb. tins, s. each. note. one packet is sufficient for a pint of strong soup. *** g. nelson, dale, & co., ltd., , dowgate hill, london. [illustration: by royal letters patent.] notice. *** on receipt of postal order for / a box containing samples of nelson's specialities and a copy of "nelson's home comforts," will be sent, carriage paid, to any address in the united kingdom, by g. nelson, dale, & co., limited, , dowgate hill, london, e.c. *** may also be obtained through any grocer at the same price. *** _n.b.--a copy of "home comforts" will be sent, gratis, on receipt of penny postage stamp._ *** g. nelson, dale, & co, ltd., , dowgate hill, london. [transcriber's note: minor punctuation errors have been corrected without note. the title page, originally following three pages of advertisements, has been moved to the beginning of the book. the following corrections and changes were also made: *p. : fibrine to fibrin (the fibrin of the meat) *p. : entrée italicized to match other instances *p. : liitle to little (season with a little pepper) *p. , index: em-dash added to end of jellies, nelson's bottled to match similar entries *p. , index: compôte to compote to match body of text (compote of apples with fried bread, compote of prunes) inconsistencies in hyphenation (e.g. sugar-syrup vs. sugar syrup, overnight vs. over-night) and variant spellings (e.g. omelette vs. omelet) have not been corrected.] transcriber's note: the measure of one-half cup of nutmeg in the recipe for caramel pudding on p. is undoubtedly an error. one-half teaspoon would likely seem the correct amount. mrs. wilson's cook book numerous new recipes based on present economic conditions by mrs. mary a. wilson (mrs. wilson's cooking school, philadelphia) formerly queen victoria's cuisiniere and instructor domestic science, university of virginia summer school, charlotteville, virginia instructor of cooking for the u.s. navy third printing philadelphia and london j.b. lippincott company [illustration: mrs. m.a. wilson in her own well-equipped kitchen] copyright, , by j.b. lippincott company printed by j.b. lippincott company at the washington square press philadelphia, u.s.a. to my family for their untiring efforts in behalf of this book preface the influence of well-cooked, palatable food upon the health and general well-being of the family is as certain as that of changes of temperature and more serious in its consequences for lasting good or ill. the sage old saying "tell me what you eat and i will tell you what you are" is as full of the "pith o' sense" to-day as in ye days of long ago, for food either makes us physically fit and fully efficient, or miserable failures with physical complications that keep us constantly in the physician's hands. the vital essences of that which we prepare for eating are "medicinal messengers" bearing light to the eye, vigor to the limb, beauty to the cheek and alertness to the brain, as vitamines, or distorted in the misdirected process are the harsh heralds of pain and debility to the human system. how great then is the influence of the one who prepares it! influence, according to astrology, was "a power or virtue flowing from the planets upon men and things," but from the kitchen, as a sun and heat centre, there truly flows a planetary influence that makes or mars us. scientific cooking means the elimination of waste, the preservation of edible resources and conservation of their potential energy through the preparation of attractive, vitalizing food with minimum cost and labor, thus providing in wide, deep measure, for harmony, personal comfort and domestic peace. the preface of a book is too often a flat, spiritless excuse for offering it to the public instead of being a hearty announcement in welcome terms of the arrival of a much-desired provision for a real need, so i will come to the essential point at once by saying that gathered here, in these pages, are my best recipes, truly "tried in the fire," the actual working results of many years' teaching and lecturing, brought "up to the minute" in the interests of that exacting domestic economy now, as rarely before, imperative in its demands. it will also be noted that the heavy cook-book style is not used here but the recipes are presented as if housewife and author were conversing upon the dish in question, and to her i will say: economical, palatable food is within your reach if you will discard the ideas and methods of long ago. remember, you would not prefer to ride in a horse car, as a means of conveyance, so why use the recipes of those days? the capable housewife, whose busy hands bake bread, cake and pastry, spreads forth to the community an influence that is priceless, a largesse not of festal day, holy day, or holiday, but thrice daily, wholesome and welcome as spring's first sunbeam and precious to every home so blessed, ever growing and radiating. may this book help in that growth and a greater radiation! the author mrs. wilson's cook book bread, the staff of life, must be palatable and good if we are to be satisfied with it when we eat. can you think of anything that will spoil a meal more quickly than poor, over moist, doughy or heavy bread? bread may truly be called the staff of life, as it will maintain life longer than any other single food. yet many women think bread-making is a simple task; that the ingredients can be thrown together helter-skelter and good results obtained; or that any kind of flour will make good bread. this is a great mistake. to make good palatable bread it requires good materials, a reasonable amount of care and attention. but first of all must come the knowledge of the flour. a good blend of hard winter flour is necessary and it can easily be tested by pressing a small quantity of it in the hand; if the flour is good, it will retain the shape of the hand. graham or whole wheat flour and rye flours can be used for variety and to advantage in making bread. other cereal flours do not contain gluten to allow them to be used alone for making the yeast-raised breads. keep this in mind and thus prevent failures. the yeast is a single-cell plant and must be given the proper temperature, moisture and food for its successful growth. when this is supplied, each little cell multiples a thousand times, thus pushing and stretching the dough. this makes it rise or become light. why dough falls when the yeast cells have absorbed or consumed all the food that they can obtain from the sugar, flour, etc., the dough will recede or fall. now, if the dough is carefully handled at a given time, this will not take place, and so for this reason the dough is permitted to stand only for a given length of time before it is worked and then placed in the pans. few utensils will be required for making bread, but they must be scrupulously clean, if the bread is to have a good flavor. potatoes and other cooked cereals may be used with good results. compressed yeast will give the best results, and either the sponge or straight dough method may be used. bread made by the sponge method will require a longer time to make than the bread that is made by the straight dough method. sponge dough consists of setting the sponge and letting it rise until it drops back, usually in two and one-half hours, and then adding sufficient flour to make a dough that can easily be handled. the straight dough method consists of making a dough at the start. to make bread successfully, do not set the dough over the range, do not set it on the radiators and do not place it where it will be in a draft, to rise. cold chills the dough and retards the yeast. yeast grows successfully only in a warm moist temperature from to degrees fahrenheit. dough box i would like to tell the housewife about a dough box that i have found to work very successfully. the baker's success in making bread is founded on the fact that he can regulate the temperature of his shop and thus prevent drafts from chilling the dough. this box is just an ordinary cracker box with the lid hinged on it. it is then lined with thick asbestos paper on the inside and then covered with oilcloth on the outside. the bowl with the dough is then placed in the box to retain its temperature and to be free from drafts while it rises. in cold weather this box can be heated by placing a warm iron in it when starting to mix the dough, and then removing the iron before placing the dough in the box. this box will easily pay for the time and cost in a few weeks, and then, too, it will prevent failure. now to get the proper temperature--always use a thermometer. remember that you cannot successfully gauge the correct temperature of liquids that are used for making bread by testing with the finger or by testing them from the spoon. any plain thermometer that can be found in the house will do for this work. scrub it with soda and water to remove the paint. remember, in cold weather to heat the mixing bowl. see that the flour is not lower than degrees fahrenheit. all water or half water and milk may be used in making bread. when the milk is used it must be scalded and then allowed to cool. evaporated or condensed milk does not require scalding. simply add the hot water to acquire the proper temperature. points that will make for successful baking earthen mixing bowls or clean cedar pails make the best utensils to set the bread dough in. these utensils will retain the heat and are easy to clean, and when they are closely covered, prevent a hard crust from forming on the dough. do not fail to give the dough plenty of proof--that is, let it rise for a sufficient length of time as given in the recipes. use a good grade of blended flour. use the ball of the hand, near the wrist, to knead and work the dough. kneading is most important and should be thoroughly done. do not be afraid of hurting the dough; you can handle it as roughly as you like. heavy, active kneading distributes the yeast organisms and develops the elasticity of the gluten and gives body and strength to the dough. now, a word about the baking. bread is baked to kill the fermentation and to hold the glutinous walls of the dough in place and to cook the starch and thus make it palatable and easy to digest. an oven degrees fahrenheit is necessary. do not have it any hotter than this. too much heat browns the loaf before it has time to bake in the centre. salt salt controls the action of the yeast. it also retards or delays the proper fermentation if too large an amount of it is used. then again, if not enough salt is added to the mix, the yeast becomes too active and thus produces an overlight loaf of bread. one ounce of salt to each quart of liquid in summer, and three-fourths of an ounce in winter will give the best results to the home baker. baking the bread now turn on a moulding board and cut into five parts or loaves. allow about nineteen ounces to each loaf. take the dough up between the hands and work into a round ball. place on the moulding board and cover for ten minutes. now with the palm of the hand flatten out the dough and then fold halfway over, pounding well with the hand. now, take the dough between the hands and stretch out, knocking it against the moulding board, fold in the ends and shape into loaves. place in well-greased pans and brush the top of each loaf with shortening. cover and let raise for minutes. bake in a hot oven for minutes and brush with shortening when removing from the oven. let cool and then the bread is ready to use. sponge method generally speaking, the sponge method produces a lighter and whiter loaf than the bread made by the straight dough method. bread made by the straight dough method has the advantage over bread made by the sponge method in flavor, texture and keeping qualities. sponge method one quart of water or half water and half milk, degrees fahrenheit. two yeast cakes, two and one-half quarts or two and one-half pounds of flour, one ounce of sugar. dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water and add the flour. beat to thoroughly blend and then set aside to raise for three hours, then add one ounce of salt, one and one-half ounces of shortening, one and one-half quarts or one and one-half pounds of flour. work to a smooth elastic dough. this takes usually about ten minutes, after the flour is worked into the dough. place in a greased bowl and then turn over the dough to coat with shortening. this prevents a crust from forming on the dough. set aside to raise for two hours and then pull the sides down to the centre of the dough and punch down. turn the dough over and let raise for one and one-quarter hours. the care of the bread after baking the jar, crock or box in which the bread is kept should be scrupulously clean. it should be scalded and aired one day every week in winter and three times weekly during the spring, summer and early fall. keep the fact in mind that the bread kept in a poorly ventilated box will mould and spoil and thus be unfit for food. place the freshly baked bread on a wire rack to thoroughly cool before storing. do not put old bread in the box with the new baking. plan to use the stale bread for toast, dressings, bread and cabinet puddings, croutons and crumbs. the food value of bread wheat contains the sixteen needed elements for nutrition, and when made into palatable bread, it forms about per cent. of our total food requirements. stale bread digests much easier than fresh bread for the reason that when thoroughly masticated in the mouth the saliva acts directly upon the starchy content. fresh bread, unless thoroughly chewed, so that it may be well broken up, becomes a hard, pasty ball in the stomach, which requires that organ to manufacture the additional gastric juices to break up this dough ball. bread from one to three days old easily digests. graham and whole wheat breads contain a larger percentage of nutriment than the white breads. oven temperature many housewives feel that it is impossible to secure accurate results in baking in the gas range; this is due to the fact that few women really understand the principle of baking with gas. to secure a slow oven, light both burners and let them burn for five minutes; then turn both of them down low, turning the handle that controls the flow of gas two-thirds off. this will maintain a steady even heat. a slow oven requires to degrees fahrenheit of heat. a moderate oven is to degrees fahrenheit of heat. it can be obtained by burning both burners of gas range for eight minutes and then turning them down one-half to maintain this heat. a hot oven requires to degrees fahrenheit and will need to have the burners burning twelve minutes and then turned off one-quarter. this heat is intense and entirely too hot for breads, pastries and cakes. meats require this heat for one-half of the length of time in the period of cooking. this heat is also necessary for broiling, grilling, etc. now, also try to utilize the full oven space when baking by cooking two or more dishes at the same time. vegetables may be placed in casseroles or earthen dishes or even ordinary saucepans; cover them closely and cook in the oven until tender. this will not injure other foods baking in the oven. do not place breads, cakes and pastries upon the top shelf; rather, place them on the lower shelf and cook in moderate oven. do you know that there are still among us women who firmly believe that placing other foods to cook in oven with cake will surely spoil it? this is a mistake; utilize every bit of oven space. an oven thermometer soon pays for itself. pay strict attention to heating the oven; if the oven is too hot, the heat is wasted, while it cools sufficiently. this wastes gas. when food is first placed in the oven, keep oven door closed for first ten minutes and then open when necessary. placing food in oven will materially reduce the heat. do not try to increase the heat; just as soon as the mixture acquires the heat, the baking will begin in the usual manner and the dish will be ready to remove from oven in given time. never keep the oven waiting for the food; rather let food remain in cool place while oven is heating. before mixing materials select the pans that will best fit the oven. this does not mean that you must discard your present equipment. it means that you should place in groups such pans that entirely fill oven space without crowding. keep this fact in mind when purchasing new utensils. the best and whitest rye flour is milled from the centre of the grains in a manner similar to wheat flour. when only the bran is removed from the milling, we have the darker flour, carrying a heavy pronounced flavor. the rye meal is used for making pumpernickel, a swiss and swedish rye flour bread. home-made yeast wash four potatoes and then cut in slices, without peeling, and place in saucepan, and add three pints of water. cook until the potatoes are soft and then add one-half cupful of hops. cook slowly for one-half hour. rub the mixture through a fine sieve and then pour hot mixture on one and one-half cupfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of salt, one-quarter cupful of brown sugar. stir until well mixed, beating free from lumps. cool to degrees fahrenheit. now add one yeast cake dissolved in one cupful of water, degrees fahrenheit stir well to mix and then let ferment in a warm place for ten hours. now pour into jar or crock and store in a cool place. to use use one and one-half cups of this mixture in place of the yeast cake. always stir well before using and take care that the mixture does not freeze. this potato ferment must be made fresh every eighteen days in winter and every twelve days in summer. straight dough vienna one quart of water or milk, one ounce of salt, one ounce of sugar. stir well to thoroughly dissolve, and then add two yeast cakes, four quarts of flour, one and one-half ounces of shortening. work to a smooth dough and then knead for ten minutes. then place in a well-greased bowl, turning the dough over to thoroughly coat. this prevents a crust from forming on the dough. cover the bowl and set aside to raise for three and one-half hours. now lay over the dough by pulling in toward the centre, the sides and ends of the dough until it forms a compact mass. turn over the dough, cover and let rise for one hour. now place on the moulding board and proceed to form into loaves, using the same method as in the sponge dough. to prepare loaf when the dough is ready to mould into loaves, proceed; using method as given in sponge dough, finally rolling the loaf on the moulding board, making it pointed at the ends. now place a clean cloth in a deep baking pan and sprinkle the cloth with cornmeal. place the loaf of dough on the cloth and sprinkle it lightly with cornmeal. now lift the cloth up close to the dough, making a cloth partition between each loaf. let the dough rise, about minutes, and when ready to bake, lift dough carefully from the cloth and lay on a baking sheet and gash slightly with a sharp knife. wash with an egg and water, wash and back forty-five minutes in a hot oven, adding a small saucepan of boiling water to provide steam to keep the loaf moist while baking. one-half of above recipes for small family. to make the famous french bread pare and cut in slices two medium-sized potatoes. cook until very soft in three cups of water. when cooked rub through a sieve and cool. there must be two cups of this mixture. when the mixture is about degrees fahrenheit, pour in the mixing bowl and add one yeast cake crumbled in, one-half ounce of shortening ( tablespoon), one ounce of sugar ( tablespoons), three-fourths ounce of salt ( teaspoons). stir to thoroughly dissolve and then add eight cups of flour. work to a dough and then proceed as in the straight dough method. when the dough is ready for the pans, cut or divide into six pieces and mould into loaves, three inches thick and twelve inches long, and set to rise like the vienna bread, then bake, using the same method. rye bread two cupfuls of water, degrees fahrenheit, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt. mix and then add one yeast cake, five cupfuls of white flour, three cupfuls of rye flour, two tablespoonfuls of shortening. work to a dough and ferment three and one-quarter hours, then proceed as in the straight dough method. when the dough is ready for the pans use the same method as for vienna bread. bake in a similar manner, having the oven heated to degrees fahrenheit. rye bread requires an oven hotter than for wheat bread. wash the rye bread when taking from the oven with warm water. caraway seeds may be added if desired. graham bread two cupfuls of water, degrees fahrenheit, four tablespoonfuls of syrup, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt. stir until dissolved and then crumble in one yeast cake, dissolve thoroughly, and then add four cupfuls of white flour, three and one-half cupfuls of graham flour, three tablespoonfuls of shortening. work to a dough and then proceed as in the straight dough method. entire wheat bread two cupfuls of water, three tablespoonfuls of syrup, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt. mix thoroughly and then crumble in one yeast cake and stir until dissolved, then add seven and a half cupfuls of wheat flour. work to a smooth elastic dough and proceed as in a straight dough. prune bread wash to thoroughly cleanse one-half pound of prunes and then stone and with a pair of scissors cut into small pieces the size of a raisin. when the bread is ready to go into the pans add the prunes and knead the dough well to distribute the prunes. then place in pans and proceed as usual. bran bread two cupfuls of water, degrees fahrenheit, one-half cupful of mashed potatoes, three tablespoonfuls of syrup, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt. mix and then crumble in one yeast cake. stir until dissolved, and then add six cupfuls of wheat flour, two and one-half cupfuls of bran. proceed as in the straight dough method. california orange bread grate the rind of two oranges and then place in a bowl and add one cup of orange juice, warmed to degrees fahrenheit, two tablespoonfuls of melted shortening, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, one and a half teaspoonfuls of salt, one egg. beat to mix and then dissolve one yeast cake in one cup of water degrees fahrenheit, and add to the above mixture; then work in sufficient flour to make a smooth elastic dough; usually about eight cups. place in a greased bowl and turn the dough to thoroughly coat with grease. cover and let rise for three hours. pull the corners of the dough to the centre and punch down, turn over and let rise again for one hour. repeat the punching down and then let rise for three-quarters of an hour. turn out on a moulding board and mould into three loaves, adding one-half cupful of seeded raisins to one loaf, one-half cupful of chopped almonds to second loaf, and keep the third loaf plain. place in greased pans and let rise for three-quarters of an hour. bake in the hot oven for minutes. the temperature of the oven should be degrees fahrenheit. this bread is delicious for sandwiches. undoubtedly one of the causes of the failure in making breads at home is that the process is hurried and the bread is insufficiently baked. the size and shape of the pans affect the quality of the bread. avoid too deep or shallow pans. a pan, - / by - / inches, will give the best results. turn the bread on a wire cake rack to cool. this permits the free circulation of air. boston brown bread place in a bowl two cups of bread crumbs, one-half cup of syrup, one teaspoon of baking soda, one tablespoon of water. dissolve the baking soda in the tablespoon of water and add two cups of hot water. beat to mix and then let cool, add one-half cup of cornmeal, one-half cup of graham flour. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour in well-greased moulds and cover and steam or boil for one and one-half hours. remove the cover and place in a slow oven for twenty minutes to dry out. a one-pound coffee can makes a splendid mould. boston brown bread place in a mixing bowl two-thirds cup of molasses, two cups of sour milk, one and one-half teaspoons of baking soda. stir to thoroughly dissolve the soda, then add two-thirds cup of graham flour, one cup of cornmeal, one cup of rye flour, one-half cup of seeded raisins. beat to thoroughly mix and then grease thoroughly one-pound coffee can and fill two-thirds full with this mixture. put on the lid and steam for two hours, then remove the lid and place the can in the oven to dry out. one-pound baking-powder cans may be used to replace the coffee cans. scotch oat bread place in a bowl one cupful of scalded milk cooled to degrees fahrenheit, one cupful of water, degrees fahrenheit, one-half cup of syrup, two teaspoonfuls of salt. crumble in one yeast cake and then mix until the yeast cake is dissolved and then add four cupfuls of flour. beat to mix and then let the sponge rise for two and a half hours. now add two cupfuls of rolled oats, two cupfuls of flour. knead to smooth elastic dough and then place in a greased bowl, turning the dough to coat thoroughly with shortening. let rise for one and three-quarter hours. pull the corners down to the centre and punch down. turn over and let rise for one hour. now turn out on moulding board and cut into loaves. shape between the hands and place on the moulding board and cover. let spring for ten minutes and then shape for pans. place in well-greased pans and brush the tops of loaves with melted shortening. let rise forty minutes. bake in hot oven. parker house rolls place in a bowl three tablespoons sugar, one and one-half teaspoonfuls salt, four tablespoons shortening. scald and pour into the bowl one and one-half cups of milk. stir to thoroughly blend; cool to degrees fahrenheit. now crumble in one yeast cake, stirring until thoroughly dissolved, then add six cups of sifted flour. knead to smooth elastic dough; clean out the bowl and grease thoroughly, place in the bowl and press firmly against the bottom, turn over; then cover and set aside to rise for three and one-half hours. punch or knead down, turn over and let rise one hour. now turn out on moulding board and shape like a long french loaf, and with scissors or french knife cut into pieces the size of a large egg. roll quickly between the hands to form a round ball, set on moulding board and let rise for ten minutes. flatten out, using small rolling pin or palm of hand, brush with shortening, fold pocketbook style and set on well-greased baking sheet two inches apart to rise for twenty minutes; bake in hot oven for fifteen minutes, brush with melted shortening as soon as removed from oven. rasp rolls prepare dough as for parker house rolls, cutting dough in pieces the size of a small orange; round up between the hands, place on moulding board and cover for five minutes. now roll on moulding board to form a ball, using the palm of the hand; place on well-greased baking sheet; let rise twenty-five minutes, bake in moderate oven twenty minutes--cool, rub each roll over grater to rasp, removing a light coating of the crust. luncheon rolls prepare dough as for parker house rolls and cut in pieces the size of small egg; round up and cover and let rise ten minutes, roll between the board and hands, forming points on end of rolls. finish as for parker house rolls. rich parker house rolls scald one pint of milk, adding four tablespoonfuls of shortening. cool to degrees fahrenheit and then pour into the mixing bowl, and add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one well-beaten egg, one yeast cake, dissolved in four tablespoonfuls of water, mix thoroughly and then add three and three-quarter pints or seven and one-half cupfuls of sifted flour. work to a smooth elastic dough, grease a clean bowl and place the dough in it. turn several times to coat the dough thoroughly with the shortening. this prevents a crust from forming. set in a place free from drafts and let rise for three and one-half hours, then punch down and turn over. let rise one and one-quarter hours. punch again and then let rise three-quarters of an hour. now turn on the pastry board and mould into a long strip not quite as thick as the rolling pin. break the dough off into pieces weighing about one and one-half ounces. form into balls and then cover and let spring or rise for ten minutes; take a ball of the dough and round it well on the board, then flatten slightly with the palm of the hand. now mark a decided crease with the back of a knife down the centre of the roll. fold over in pocketbook style, patting the turn in the roll hard with the hand. lay on well-greased tins, brushing the rolls with shortening. let rise for twenty minutes and then wash with egg and bake in a hot oven. finger or sandwich rolls use the parker house roll dough, cutting it into pieces one and one-half ounces in weight. mould into balls and then set on a board and cover for ten minutes to let spring. now mould into finger shapes and place on greased pans and proceed as in parker house rolls. flukes prepare as for finger rolls, pointing the dough at both ends by rolling into a shape similar to a sweet potato. braids break off pieces of the dough three-quarters of an ounce in weight and then mould into balls and let spring for five minutes. now mould out into rope-shaped pieces a little longer than a lead pencil. fasten the three pieces together and then plait. process as for finger rolls. rusk or tea biscuits prepare dough as for parker house rolls, cut and form in small-sized balls, cover, and let rise ten minutes. now, round up by rolling between the hands, set very closely together in deep, well-greased pans, let rise forty minutes, bake in a moderate oven; brush with syrup and water and dust with sugar as soon as removed from the oven. crescents use the parker house roll dough and then break off into pieces weighing about twelve ounces. mould into balls and then cover and let spring for ten minutes. now roll out the dough one-half inch thick with rolling pin and cut into five-inch squares. cut each square into a triangle and brush lightly with shortening. roll from the cut side towards the point, lapping the point closely. form into crescent when setting in well-greased pan, brush with shortening and cover and let rise for eighteen minutes. wash with milk and water. bake for eighteen minutes in a hot oven. english bath buns melt four ounces of butter and then place in a mixing bowl and add one-half cup of sugar, one cup of scalding milk, cooled to degrees. then add two well-beaten eggs, one teaspoon of salt, ne-half yeast cake. stir to thoroughly mix and then add four cups of flour and work to a smooth elastic dough. grease the mixing bowl well and then put in the dough. press down well and then turn over. cover and set to rise for four hours, then turn on a moulding board and knead for two minutes. cut into pieces for biscuits. roll between the hands into round balls and then cover and let set on the moulding board for ten minutes. now press flat with the hands and let rise on a well-greased baking sheet. let rise for thirty minutes, then brush with a mixture of four tablespoonfuls of syrup, two tablespoonfuls of water. bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. sally lunn place in a mixing bowl one cup scalded milk, cooled to degrees, one-half cup sugar, four tablespoonfuls of shortening, one well-beaten egg, one-half yeast cake crumbled in. beat to thoroughly blend, and then add two and three-quarter cupfuls of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt. beat well, cover and let rise for three hours, beat again. now grease thoroughly an oblong or round baking pan; take the sally lunn and beat for five minutes, pour into the prepared pan, having the dough fill the pan about one-half; let rise twenty minutes in warm place, bake in hot oven twenty-five minutes, then dust with sugar. plain buns weigh out eighteen ounces of dough and divide into one dozen pieces. mould into balls and let spring for ten minutes. now mould up nice and round and then set close together on a well-greased pan. let rise for thirty-five minutes, and then brush the tops with egg and water; wash and dust lightly with sugar. bake for eighteen minutes in a hot oven. a small pan of boiling water may be placed in the oven when baking these rolls. for variety's sake, part of the dough may be baked plain. to the balance add caraway seeds, a little citron, nutmeg or a few currants. if carefully baked and cooled, these rolls may be stored in an air-tight box and they will keep for several days. to reheat, place in an oven with a pan of boiling water for ten minutes to freshen. egg wash: one egg and one-fourth cup of milk; beat to mix; apply with small paint brush. sticky cinnamon buns scald one cup of milk and then place four tablespoonfuls of shortening, one-half cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt in the mixing bowl, and pour over it the scalded milk. stir to thoroughly mix and then cool to degrees fahrenheit. now dissolve one-half yeast cake in one-half cupful of water degrees fahrenheit, and when the milk is at the proper temperature, add six cupfuls of flour and work to a smooth dough. place in a well-greased bowl, turning the dough around in the bowl so that it will be thoroughly coated with shortening. cover and let rise three and one-half hours. now pull the sides of the dough into the centre and punch down, turning the dough over. let rise again for one hour, then turn on a moulding board and divide the dough in half. knead each piece into a ball. cover and let rise or spring for ten minutes. now roll out one-quarter inch thick, using a rolling pin. brush with melted shortening and sprinkle well with brown sugar, using about one cupful. now dust with two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon and spread over the prepared dough one and one-half cupfuls of currants or small seedless raisins. begin at the edge and roll like a jelly-roll. cut in pieces one and one-half inches thick and then place in prepared pans and let rise for one hour. then bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. to prepare the pan for the cinnamon buns: grease the pan very thickly with shortening and then spread one cupful brown sugar and one-half cupful of currants or small seedless raisins evenly over the bottom of the pan. place buns in pan and let rise for one hour in a warm place, then bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. now for the trick. when the buns are baked, brush the pastry board with shortening, then place two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, one tablespoonful of water in a saucepan, mix thoroughly, and then bring to a boil. now, just as soon as the buns are baked, turn from the pan at once and brush well with the prepared syrup, brushing the bottom with the syrup, as brushing the candied part of the buns prevents it from hardening. let cool and then use. st. nazaire buns prepare the dough as for cinnamon buns and when ready to turn on the moulding board add one cupful of finely shredded citron, one-half cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of seeded raisins. work well to distribute the fruit and then form into a long roll three inches thick. cut off pieces about one and one-half ounces and form into buns. let rest for fifteen minutes and then roll into round buns and place in a well-greased baking pan and let rise for thirty minutes. make a hole in the centre of each bun with a small wooden stick and wash the buns with egg and milk. bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. cool, and then fill the centre with jelly, and ice with water icing. pinwheels prepare the dough and roll as for cinnamon buns; cut in slices one-half inch thick; place inch apart in well-greased baking sheet, let rise twenty-five minutes, brush with egg wash; sprinkle with finely chopped peanuts and bake in moderate oven twenty minutes. cinnamon cake you can use part of the dough for cinnamon cake. cut the dough into pieces and then roll out three-fourths of an inch thick. place in pans, stretching and rolling the dough to fit pan. brush with shortening and then cover with crumbs, made as follows: six tablespoonfuls of flour, four tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, two tablespoonfuls of shortening, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon. rub the mixture until crumbly and then spread as directed. let rise thirty-five minutes, bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. cocoanut icing one-half cupful of confectioner's sugar, one-half cupful of cocoanut, sufficient hot water to moisten. spread on the buns with a spatula. cocoanut buns prepare the dough just the same as for cinnamon buns and when ready to turn on a moulding board add one cupful of cocoanut, three tablespoonfuls of shortening. knead to mix and then work the dough into a long roll about three inches thick and then break into pieces the size of a large egg. now mould until round and then let rise on the board for ten minutes. mould again, shaping oblong. place on a well-greased pan and brush the buns with melted shortening. let rise for thirty minutes and then bake in a hot oven and ice with cocoanut icing. almond coffee cakes prepare the dough as given in the recipe, using the balance left for either cinnamon or cocoanut buns. when ready to turn on a moulding board cut the dough in half and roll each piece out one-quarter of an inch thick. spread with shortening and then lightly with brown sugar and with one-half cupful of finely shredded almonds or peanuts. roll like a jelly roll. press flat with a rolling pin until just one inch thick. cut in pieces six inches long and then place in a well-greased baking pan and let rise thirty-five minutes. when ready to bake, cut a gash three inches long on each cake. wash with egg and milk and strew with finely shredded almonds. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. ice with water icing. how to make yeast-raised cake scald one cupful of milk and add one-half cupful of cold water. cool the mixture to degrees. now add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt. crumble one yeast cake in the mixture and stir thoroughly until the yeast is dissolved. now add four cupfuls of sifted flour and beat to a light batter. cover, and set in a place free from drafts, where it will be kept warm in a temperature of degrees and let raise for three hours. now beat the dough with a spoon and let raise again for three-quarters of an hour. now, while the dough is raising last time, place one cupful of sugar and one-half cupful shortening in a bowl and cream until light and frothy. add two eggs, one at a time, and beat until very light. when the dough is ready, add the sugar, eggs, shortening and one and one-half cupfuls of flour; beat this mixture with spoon for twelve minutes until thoroughly mixed. now pour in prepared mould filling the mould half full. set in warm place, with a temperature of about degrees fahrenheit, to raise for one and one-quarter hours or until the mixture fills the mould. bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour. remove the cake from the mould and cool on a wire rack. this cake may be iced or served plain; or chopped nuts, raisins or citron may be added to the dough with the sugar and eggs. to prepare the pans: grease them thoroughly, then coat them with finely chopped nuts or fine cake crumbs before pouring in the dough. brioche brioche is a french sweet bread and while different authorities do not agree as to both the consistency and methods, without doubt these cakes figure largely in french cuisines. one french bakery prepares the brioches in loaf form and when cold it is cut in slices and steeped in orange syrup. then again the brioche is spread with jam and then covered with icing or the brioche may be steeped with prepared syrup and then dipped in a batter and fried golden brown in hot fat. spread with jam and serve with orange or lemon sauce. the actual preparation of the brioche involves very little trouble and can be made from bread dough on baking day. now one point in making these sweet breads--there is just the same trick as in moulding the loaf of bread. one can learn by careful attention to details and with practice. some stress may well be laid upon the lightness of the dough; for heavy, overrich dough that is poorly baked is injurious to health. water icing six tablespoonfuls of confectioner's sugar and sufficient water (boiling) to moisten. brest bread roll the dough into three strands about one inch thick and ten inches long. fasten the three strands together and then braid. place on a well-greased pan and let rise. wash with egg and milk and then bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. spread with jelly and then ice with water icing. sprinkle with slightly browned cocoanut. to make brioche using bread dough when the bread is ready to put in the pan cut off one pound and place the dough in a bowl. now place in a separate bowl yolks of two eggs, one-half cup shortening, three-quarter cupful sugar. cream until light and frothy, then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, also one-half cup of milk, four cups of flour, one pound piece of yeast raised dough. work or knead until smooth and elastic. place in a greased bowl and let rise for three hours; now turn on board, divide into eight pieces and mould into balls. cover and let rise for ten minutes. now roll out one-half inch thick. brush with shortening, strew with brown sugar and nuts. roll like jelly roll and then flatten well with rolling pin. place in a greased pan, cover and let rise for one-half hour. now cut down the entire length of the dough, leaving two inches on each end. wash with egg wash and bake twenty minutes in hot oven. sprinkle with sugar, then return to oven five minutes. sweet doughs in the days of long ago, yeast, ammonia, pearl ash, honey water and a treacle mixture were used to lighten cakes--before the time of dependable baking powder. in europe the housewife makes from bread dough delicious cakes with yeast. these provide splendid variety. they include savarins, babas, and yeast-raised fruit cakes. many women fail in making these delicious goodies because they do not realize that the addition of large amounts of sugar, fruit, shortening and eggs to yeast dough, unless carefully handled, is apt to produce heavy, moist cakes that lack the light, velvety texture which makes cake a success. the addition of nuts, cake crumbs and fruit will afford a large variety. a sponge dough is necessary for successful results. russian rusk prepare the dough as for brioche, adding one cupful of finely shredded almonds when ready to mould for the pan. use a long narrow pan to bake loaf in. when baked, cool and then cut in one-inch slices and toast light brown in the oven. spanish bun scald one cupful of milk and then cool to degrees fahrenheit and pour in a bowl and add three tablespoonfuls sugar, one-half teaspoonful salt, one yeast cake dissolved in four tablespoonfuls cool water, three cupfuls of flour. beat for five minutes with a spoon and let rise for two hours. now cream one and one-quarter cupfuls sugar, one-half cupful of shortening until very light and creamy and then drop in, one by one, three eggs, beating the eggs for three minutes. add this to the yeast-raised dough, together with one cupful of sifted flour. beat with a wooden spoon for fifteen minutes and then pour into a greased and floured pan, filling the pan half full. put the raisins on the top and then cover and let rise until it fills the pan almost to the edge. bake in a moderate oven for fifty-five minutes and then cool and ice. babas prepare dough as for brioche and, when ready to pan, mould into loaf shape adding nuts and finely shredded citron. place in well-greased boston brown-bread mould; let rise for one hour. bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. then begin to baste the baba with syrup made from one cupful syrup, one-half cupful water, one tablespoonful vanilla, one teaspoonful mace. cook syrup ten minutes before using to baste the baba, and bake until the syrup is absorbed, then turn on plate. anise seed rusk one tablespoonful of anise seed, one-half cupful finely shredded citron. add the above ingredients to the brioche dough; mould and bake as for russian rusk. these crisp slices will keep for a long time if placed in an air-tight box. this dough may be used for the old english crull cakes, which is nothing more than a doughnut. prepare a dough as for a brioche and when ready for the pans turn on a molding board. roll out one-quarter inch thick; cut with doughnut cutter. set on cloth to rise for fifteen minutes. stretch to shape and fry in hot fat until golden brown. roll in pulverized sugar and cinnamon. these doughs may be moulded in wreaths, crescents and bowknots. when risen, wash with egg wash, then sprinkle with granulated sugar and chopped nuts and then bake in moderate oven. indian griddle cakes one cupful cornmeal, one cupful flour, one teaspoonful salt, three level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, two tablespoonfuls of syrup, one tablespoonful shortening, one egg, one and one-quarter cups of milk. beat hard to mix and then bake on a hot griddle. griddle cakes to bring the true nut flavor from the buckwheat we must go back to old-fashioned method of setting the buckwheat to rise overnight. don't you remember the brownstone crock that was kept in the pantry and each time it was left with just enough of the mixture to start a new batter? the buckwheat would be prepared each night just before bedtime, and in the morning a cup of warm water was added, together with a couple of tablespoonfuls of syrup. the mixture was beaten and then the griddle was put on to heat. sometimes it was a soapstone or a heavy iron griddle. when well heated it was rubbed with a piece of cut turnip or potato. the batter was poured on in large platter-sized cakes and then as quickly as they browned they were dexteriously turned to brown again. to make perfect buckwheat cakes you must first of all obtain a stone-ground flour, and then it must be blended in proportion. good, lively yeast is added, and if milk is used for the mixing it must be scalded and then cooled before using. to prepare the flour for the mixing: three pounds of buckwheat flour, one and one-half pounds of wheat flour, one pound of corn flour, one ounce of salt, one-half ounce of baking soda. sift twice to thoroughly mix and then place in a dry container and the flour is then ready to use. buckwheat cakes scald and then rinse out with cold water a large stone crock. pour in one cupful of scalded and cooled milk and one and one-half cupfuls of water, degrees fahrenheit, two tablespoonfuls of sugar. crumble in one-half of an yeast cake and stir until dissolved, then add three cupfuls of the prepared buckwheat flour. beat to thoroughly mix and then cover and set aside overnight to rise. in the morning add sufficient lukewarm water to bring the mixture to a pouring consistency. this usually requires about one cupful. add two tablespoonfuls of syrup. beat hard for three minutes and then let stand in a warm place while the griddle is heating, then bake. rice griddle cakes rice griddle cakes may be prepared as follows: wash one-half cup of rice in plenty of water and then place in a saucepan and add three cupfuls of water. cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is soft. let cool. now place in a crock two and one-half cupfuls water, degrees fahrenheit, two tablespoonfuls sugar, one-half yeast cake. stir until dissolved and then add the prepared rice, three cupfuls white flour, one-quarter teaspoonful baking soda. beat to mix and then cover and set aside to rise overnight. in the morning add sufficient lukewarm water to make a pouring batter, adding two tablespoonfuls of syrup and one teaspoonful of salt. beat very hard and then set in a warm place while the griddle is heating. the use of a small amount of baking soda as given in above recipes is for the purpose of neutralizing the slightly acid flavor of the buckwheat--a flavor to which many folks object. either of above mixes may be baked in a waffle iron instead of using the griddle. try it some morning for the sake of variety. use salad oil in a new sewing-machine oil can to grease waffle iron. almost everyone loves good sweet butter on the hot cakes in the morning. at the present prices of butter the frugal housewife looks upon the fast disappearing pat of butter with alarm. now try this and save the butter and yet give the folks the butter flavor upon their cakes; place two tablespoonfuls of butter in a pitcher which will hold a cupful of syrup. add the syrup and then place the pitcher in a pan of warm water and set on the stove to heat. beat constantly until the butter melts and produces a creamy mix. stale bread may be crumbled or soaked in cold water pressed dry and used in place of rice or cornmeal. so may oatmeal or other leftover breakfast cereals, as well as mashed potatoes, be used. reserve about one cupful of the yeast batter to start the next batter. use this starter in place of the yeast. renew the yeast mix every fifth morning. a word about the griddle may not come amiss. the old-fashioned iron or soapstone may be used and will give good results. aluminum griddles do not require greasing. bread griddle cakes try these cakes some morning when the folks are tired of the usual breakfast dishes. place in a pitcher overnight two cups of buttermilk or sour milk, one cup of water, two cups of bread crumbs. let stand in the kitchen in a cool place. do not put in the icebox. in the morning add one teaspoonful baking soda dissolved in three tablespoonfuls of water. beat to thoroughly mix and then add two tablespoonfuls syrup, two tablespoonfuls shortening, one teaspoonful salt, one and one-half cups flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat hard to mix and then bake on a hot griddle. cornmeal griddle cakes scald one cup of cornmeal with two cups of boiling water, and then let cool. now add one and one-half cupfuls water, degrees fahrenheit, three tablespoonfuls of syrup, one teaspoonful of salt, one-quarter yeast cake, two cupfuls flour, one-quarter teaspoonful baking soda. beat hard and then let rise overnight; then prepare as for buckwheat cakes. modern methods have eliminated the yeast and substituted baking powder, thus making a quicker mix. to prepare buckwheat cakes with baking powder, prepare a blend of flour as follows: two pounds of buckwheat, one pound of wheat flour, one cupful cornmeal, one ounce of salt, three ounces of baking powder, one-quarter ounce baking soda. sift three times to mix and then place in a dry container and use as required. how to bake the pancake use a frying-pan that is perfectly flat; the iron ones are best, as they hold the heat longer and can be regulated so that the cake will not burn. pancakes for two yolk of one egg, two tablespoonfuls sugar or syrup, one cupful milk, one tablespoonful shortening, one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful vanilla or nutmeg, one and one-quarter cupfuls flour, two level teaspoonfuls baking powder. place in a bowl. beat with a dover egg-beater to thoroughly mix and then fold in the stiffly beaten white of egg. pour the mixture into a pitcher and then place two tablespoonfuls of shortening in a frying pan. when smoking hot pour in just sufficient batter to cover the bottom of the pan. when it begins to bubble turn the cake over and bake on the other side. lift and spread lightly with jelly or roll, or use the following mixture: three tablespoonfuls butter, one-half cupful of xxxx sugar, cream well, and then add one tablespoonful lemon juice, one tablespoon boiling water. beat to blend. plain pancakes place in a bowl one quart of milk and then add two eggs, one-half teaspoonful nutmeg, five cupfuls sifted flour, four tablespoonfuls syrup, five level teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat to mix and then bake. to insure sufficient cakes use two pans for cooking or bake on a griddle. pancakes au fait one cupful milk, two eggs, one and one-half cupfuls flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, two tablespoonfuls shortening, one-half teaspoonful nutmeg. beat to mix. now prepare one-half cupful of nuts, chopped very fine, one dozen maraschino cherries, well-drained and chopped fine. mix well and then pour pancake in hot pan and sprinkle with the above mixture. let bake and then lift. spread with honey and dust with pulverized sugar. roll and garnish with maraschino cherry. french pancake one egg, one-quarter cupful milk. beat to mix and then add one-half cupful flour, one-half teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful baking powder. beat well to thoroughly mix and then pour in a hot pan containing three tablespoonfuls of shortening: pour just enough to barely cover the bottom of the pan. cover the pan with a hot lid. let the cake bake. when ready to turn slip the cake on the hot lid and invert, returning the cake to the pan. spread with sugar and cinnamon. bar le duc or currant jelly may be used to spread on the cakes. fold like an omelet and place a spoonful of jelly on top. serve. this will make two large pancakes. irish pancakes one cupful mashed potatoes, two cupfuls flour, one teaspoonful salt, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, two eggs, one cupful milk, four tablespoonfuls syrup, one and one-half teaspoonfuls nutmeg. beat to thoroughly mix and then bake on a griddle. spread with butter and sugar. belgium pancakes two cupfuls of unsweetened thin applesauce, one well-beaten egg, three tablespoonfuls syrup, two and one-half cupfuls flour, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, one tablespoonful shortening, one-half teaspoonful cinnamon. beat to mix and then bake in the usual manner. serve with butter and syrup. waffles waffles are made from a thin batter and are baked in a well-heated waffle iron. many failures to make good waffles are due to the fact that the iron is not sufficiently hot. the iron must be thoroughly cleaned after each baking. place the iron on the range to heat, turning it several times. try this method in greasing the iron. purchase a large-sized sewing machine oil-can, wash well in plenty of hot water and soap, then rinse thoroughly and dry. now fill with a good salad oil and when the iron is heated, oil it on both sides. now you are ready to bake the waffles. reverse the iron, having the hot side on top, and pour in the batter and then bake about three minutes, reversing the iron once. when the waffles are baked remove from the iron and then oil and reverse it again, putting the side that was next to the fire on top and then pour in the batter, close and bake as before. quick breads quick breads include griddle cakes, waffles, muffins, sally lunns, shortcakes and biscuits. these doughs are made light or leavened by the use of eggs, baking soda, baking powder and steam created in baking and by air beaten into the mixture. their entire success depends upon the careful measurement of ingredients, the mixing and the baking. using all water in place of milk or equal parts of milk and water will give splendid results. griddle cakes place the griddle on the range to heat slowly, while mixing the batter. place in a bowl or a flat, wide-mouthed pitcher one cupful milk, one cupful water, one teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful syrup, two and one-half cups of flour, two tablespoonfuls shortening, four level teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat to mix to a smooth batter. this amount of batter will make hotcakes for four persons. for larger amounts, multiply. one egg may be used for every two cupfuls of flour. test the griddle by dropping a few drops of water on it; if the water boils, the griddle is sufficiently hot to bake with. aluminum griddles do not require any grease. rub with a clean cloth dipped in salt. grease iron griddles slightly. pour on the batter; just as soon as the cakes begin to form air bubbles slip a cake-turner under the cakes and turn them. now, if large bubbles rise at once to the top of the cakes, the griddle is too hot and the heat should be reduced; while, if the cake stiffens before the underside is brown the griddle is not hot enough. never turn a griddle cake twice--this makes them heavy. serve them as soon as baked, piling not more than five or six together. sour milk may be used in place of sweet milk. discard the baking powder and use one level teaspoonful of baking soda for each cup of sour milk. one egg and two cupfuls of water may be used in place of two cupfuls of milk. waffle batter one cup of milk, one cup of water, one egg, one teaspoonful of salt, two and one-quarter cupfuls flour, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, one tablespoonful syrup, two tablespoonfuls shortening. beat to a smooth batter in a wide-mouthed pitcher. one-half of this amount for two people. cold boiled rice, hominy, oatmeal and stale bread that has been soaked in cold water and then pressed dry and rubbed through a sieve may be added to the griddle cakes and waffle batters. muffins muffins are made from a drop batter and may be baked in rings, on a griddle, in muffin pans or in custard cups. to bake the muffins in rings on a griddle upon the top of the stove--grease the griddle well, and also have the rings well greased. put the griddle on to heat when starting to mix the drop batter and keep the rings cool until ready to bake. place in a bowl or pitcher one and one-half cupfuls of milk or equal parts of milk and water, one egg, one teaspoonful salt, two tablespoonfuls syrup, two tablespoonfuls shortening, two and three-quarters cupfuls flour, five level teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat this mixture smooth and then place the rings on a hot griddle and half fill with the drop batter. when well risen and nearly dry, turn over, using the griddle-cake turner to turn the muffins and rings. bake on the other side. it will require about eighteen minutes to bake these muffins. tear them apart, butter and serve them at once. to bake muffins in pans or custard cups, grease the pans or cups well and half fill with the drop batter and then bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. oatmeal muffins put two cups of oatmeal through the food chopper into the mixing bowl and then add one and one-half cups of sour milk, one teaspoonful baking soda dissolved in one tablespoon of cold water, one-half teaspoon salt, four tablespoonfuls syrup, two tablespoonfuls shortening. one cup of sifted flour. beat to mix and then pour into well-greased muffin pans and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. sour milk gems one and one-quarter cups sour milk, two tablespoonfuls shortening, one teaspoonful soda, one teaspoonful salt. mix to thoroughly blend and then add one cupful white flour, one and one-half cupfuls graham flour. two teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat to thoroughly mix and then bake for eighteen minutes on well-greased muffin pans. bran muffins two and one-half cups of bran, one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoonful salt, four tablespoonfuls syrup, two tablespoonfuls shortening, one egg, one and three-quarter cups of buttermilk, one teaspoonful soda. dissolve the soda in the buttermilk and then beat to mix. fill into well-greased muffin pans and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. toast the left over muffins. english muffins place in a mixing bowl two and one-half cups flour, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of sugar, two teaspoons of baking powder. sift to thoroughly mix, then add one and one-half cups of sour milk, one teaspoon of baking soda. dissolve the baking soda in the milk and then mix thoroughly by heating hard. now place well-greased muffin rings on well-greased hot griddle. fill the rings half full and bake slowly for fifteen minutes. turn with a cake-turner when the inner side is nicely browned. nut ginger muffins place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of brown sugar, one cup of molasses, one-half cup of water, one teaspoon soda, two teaspoons ginger, one teaspoon cinnamon, one-half teaspoon allspice, six tablespoonfuls shortening, one egg, three cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one-half cup finely chopped peanuts. beat thoroughly to mix and then fill into well-greased and floured muffin pans, filling the pans little more than half full. bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. this amount will make about eighteen muffins. honey and nut bran muffins place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of honey, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, two cups of bran, one and one-half cups of flour, three-quarters cup of finely chopped nuts. one and one-half cups of milk, one egg. beat hard and thoroughly mix and then bake in well-greased muffin pans in hot oven for twenty-five minutes. serve with strawberry, orange or pineapple marmalade. sally lunns sally lunns are made from a drop batter and are usually baked in deep layer-cake pans. to serve cut in wedge-shaped pieces--like pie--and then split and butter and cover with a napkin. serve at once. place in a bowl one-half cupful sugar, four tablespoonfuls shortening. cream until light and then add one egg, one and one-half cupfuls of equal parts milk and water, three cupfuls flour, five level teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat to a smooth batter and then pour into well-greased pans and bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. when nearly baked brush the tops quickly with milk and sprinkle well with granulated sugar. one-half cup of finely chopped citron or seeded raisins may be added if desired. corn muffins place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup cornmeal, one and one-quarter cups flour, one teaspoon salt, two level tablespoons baking powder, two tablespoons shortening, four tablespoons syrup, one and one-quarter cups of water. beat to mix and bake in well-greased iron muffin pans. rice muffins place in a mixing bowl one egg, two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of shortening, one teaspoon of salt, one cup of milk, one and one-half cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, one cup of cold boiled rice. beat hard to thoroughly mix and then pour in well-greased muffin pans. bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. batter bread place in a mixing bowl three tablespoonfuls shortening, one and one-half cups cornmeal. pour over two and one-half cups boiling water. now add one and one-half cups sour milk or water, one cup of flour, one teaspoon salt, two level tablespoons baking powder, four tablespoons syrup or sugar, one egg. beat to mix, pour in well-greased baking dish and bake in hot oven for forty minutes. southern spoon bread the success of making and baking this delicacy depends entirely upon a thorough beating of the batter and a hot oven. the southern mammy invariably uses the coarse white oatmeal, but you may use the yellow and obtain just as good results. place one quart of boiling water in a saucepan and then add one teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of shortening and one and one-half cupfuls of cornmeal. pour the meal in slowly, and just as soon as it boils remove from the fire and let cool. now add yolk of two eggs, two cupfuls of sour milk, one cupful flour. in which you have dissolved one level teaspoonful of baking soda and one-half cupful of syrup. beat this mixture with a large spoon and now cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour in hot, well-greased baking dish and bake in a quick oven. to add soda to the sour milk, dissolve the soda in one tablespoonful of the milk before adding to the remainder of the milk, and then use a dover egg-beater and beat for three minutes to thoroughly mix. louisiana corn bread place in a mixing bowl one cup of cornmeal, one and one-quarter cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, five level teaspoons of baking powder, two tablespoons of shortening, four tablespoons of syrup, one egg, one and one-half cups of milk. beat hard to mix and then pour into well-greased square pans. bake for thirty-five minutes in a hot oven. rice batter cakes place in a bowl one cup of cold boiled rice, one egg, one-half cup of milk, three-quarters cup of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of shortening, one tablespoon of syrup. beat to mix and then bake on a hot griddle and serve with butter and sugar. biscuits place in a mixing bowl three and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, three level tablespoons baking powder, one level tablespoonful sugar. sift to mix; then rub in three tablespoonfuls of shortening and mix to dough with one cup of milk or water. now work in a bowl to a smooth elastic dough, roll out three-quarters of an inch thick, cut, wash tops with milk and bake in hot oven twelve to fifteen minutes. currant biscuits add one cup of currants to sweet biscuit dough. raisin biscuits add one cup of raisins to sweet biscuit dough. cocoanut biscuits put one cup of cocoanut through food chopper and add to sweet biscuit dough. sweet biscuits three and one-quarter cups flour, one teaspoon salt, one-half cup sugar, three level tablespoons baking powder. sift to mix; then rub in four tablespoonfuls shortening. break egg in cup and fill cup with milk, turn in bowl and beat to mix. use this for doughing up the sweet biscuits. work dough in bowl until smooth, turn on lightly floured board, cut, brush tops with milk, bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. scones scones are delicious hot breads that are served for breakfast in the british isles; they replace the american pancake and for tea replace our hot biscuits. many varieties of scones are made in scotland. currants, citron and raisins are used in the dough, while in other parts of the united kingdom these cakes are split, buttered and served with marmalade or gooseberry jam. delicious english scones place in a mixing bowl four cups of sifted flour, two tablespoons of baking powder, two level tablespoons of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt. rub between the hands to thoroughly mix and then rub into the flour five level tablespoonfuls of shortening. now beat up an egg and then add one-half of the beaten egg to one and one-fourth cups of milk. beat to mix. use this to make a soft dough. turn on a lightly floured baking board and knead for three minutes. now divide into five pieces and mould each piece round like a saucer, and cut each way, making four wedge-shaped pieces; place on a well-greased baking sheet and brush with the remaining half of the egg, and bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. scotch scones place in a mixing bowl five cups of flour, one and one-half teaspoons salt, three level tablespoons baking powder, one-half cup of sugar. sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of shortening, and mix to a dough with one and one-fourth cups of milk. now work in one-half cup of currants, or one-half cup of raisins, one-quarter cup of finely chopped citron, one teaspoon cinnamon, one-half teaspoon nutmeg, one-half teaspoon allspice. divide into six pieces and then roll out the size of a saucer and about three-quarters of an inch thick. make two cuts forming a cross, dividing the dough into four wedge-shaped pieces. brush with beaten egg and bake for fifteen minutes in a hot oven. this amount will make twenty-four scones. to serve, split and fill with jam and then pile on a wicker basket, cover with a napkin and serve with tea. irish scones three cups of mashed potatoes, three cups of sifted flour, two teaspoons of salt, two level teaspoons of baking powder, three level teaspoons of shortening. now place in a bowl one-half cup of milk, one egg. beat. use about two-thirds of the egg and milk mixture to form a dough. knead the dough to a smooth mixture and then divide into four parts. pat or roll out like a saucer and then make two cuts to form the cross, cutting into four pieces. brush with part of egg and milk mixture and then place on a baking sheet and bake in a hot oven for eighteen minutes. popovers place the popover pan in the oven to heat. when hot start to mix the batter. place in a measuring cup one egg, then fill with milk. pour into a mixing bowl and then add one cup of sifted flour, one teaspoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt. beat with egg-beater until the mixture is a mass of bubbles on top, when the egg-beater is removed. this usually takes about five minutes. now grease the hot popover pan well and fill one-half full with the batter. place in a hot oven and bake for thirty-five minutes. do not open the oven door for ten minutes after you put the popovers in. opening the door before this period of time elapses prevents the mixture from springing or popping. after twenty minutes turn down the heat to moderate oven to prevent burning and to dry out the centres. doughnuts take brioche dough, roll out one-half inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter, place on moulding board, cover and let rise fifteen minutes, fry golden brown in hot fat--roll in sugar and cinnamon. doughnuts with fruit centre after doughnuts are cut and layed on board to rise, make an opening in side of same and insert one spoonful of jelly, pinch edges together and cover. let rise and fry in usual manner. crullers place in bowl five cups of sifted flour, one teaspoon of salt, three level tablespoons baking powder, one and one-quarter cups sugar. rub between the hands to thoroughly mix; then rub in three tablespoonfuls shortening. then place one egg, one cup of milk in a bowl; beat to mix. use this to form the dough, roll out one-half inch thick, cut and fry golden brown in hot fat. how to fry crullers or doughnuts when ready to fry place four cups of vegetable oil in a pan. the pan should not be too large and the fat should be deep enough to allow the cruller to swim at least two and one-half inches from the bottom of the pan. golden brown heat the fat and test before starting to cook by dropping in a small piece of the dough and starting to count , , and so on until is reached. the sample should now be floating on top and a light brown in color. do not attempt to start frying before this time, as the fat will not be sufficiently hot and the crullers will soak up the grease. drop four or five doughnuts in the hot fat at a time, turning constantly, and cook until golden brown, lift, let drain few seconds, lay on paper towelling and then roll in sugar and cinnamon. sponge cake--one egg place in mixing bowl one-half cup sugar, yolk of one egg, one tablespoon butter. cream well, then add three tablespoons water, two-thirds cup of flour, one teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt. beat to mix, then fold in the stiffly beaten white of one egg; bake in well-greased and floured pan in slow oven thirty minutes. sponge cake--two eggs place in mixing bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, yolks of two eggs. cream well and then add four tablespoonfuls water, one cup of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, pinch salt. beat to mix, then cut and fold in stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. bake in well-greased and floured cake pan in slow oven thirty-five minutes. sponge cake--three eggs place in a mixing bowl one cup of sugar, yolks of three eggs. cream until light lemon color, then add six tablespoonfuls cold water, one and one-quarter cups flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, pinch salt beat just enough to mix. then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. bake in well-greased and floured cake pan with tube in centre in moderate oven forty minutes. fruit cake place in mixing bowl one-half cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of molasses, two tablespoons of cocoa, one egg, one and one-half level teaspoonfuls of baking soda, one cup cold coffee, three and one-half cupfuls sifted flour, one and one-half teaspoonfuls cinnamon, one teaspoonful nutmeg, one cupful seeded raisins, one-half cupful chopped nuts. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour in a greased and floured cake pan and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. jelly roll cover the bottom of an oblong pan with a greased and floured paper and then pour in sponge cake mixture one-quarter of an inch deep. spread evenly and then bake for ten minutes in a hot oven. turn on a cloth and then trim the edges. spread with jelly and roll tightly in a cloth. set aside to cool and then ice with water icing. a small angel cake one-half cupful sugar, one-half cupful flour, one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar. sift four times and then place whites of three large eggs in a bowl and beat until they will hold their shape. now gently cut and fold in the sugar and flour. pour into an ungreased tube pan and bake for thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. when baked remove and turn upside down to cool. one-egg loaf cake place in a bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, one egg, four level tablespoonfuls of shortening, two cups of sifted flour, four level teaspoons of baking powder, one level teaspoonful of flavoring, three-quarters cup of water. beat hard to mix for five minutes. pour into prepared loaf-shaped pans and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. to prepare the pan, grease thoroughly and then dust well with flour, then pour in the batter. to make a raisin cake spread three-quarters cup of raisins on top of the cake when it is in the pan ready to put in the oven. the rising dough will distribute the raisins through the cake. one-half cup of currants, one cup finely chopped nuts, or one-half cup of finely chopped citron one-half cup of finely chopped citron may replace the raisins. or this cake may be baked in a tube pan and then cooled and split and filled with custard or sour cream cake filling and then iced with chocolate icing. for a layer cake grease the layer cake pan, line with plain paper and then grease again. now divide the dough into the two pans and spread the mixture higher on the sides, leaving the centre shallow. bake in a moderate oven for eighteen minutes. put the layers together as follows: spread one layer with jelly and then sprinkle lightly with cocoanut. now place the top layer in position and then spread the top, then cover thickly with cocoanut. finely chopped nuts may be used instead of cocoanut. ginger cake place in a mixing bowl one cup of molasses, three-quarters cup of sugar, ten tablespoonfuls of shortening, three and one-half cups of flour, one level tablespoon of baking powder, one cup of cold water, one teaspoon of baking soda, dissolved in the water, one egg, one teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of cloves. beat to thoroughly mix and then divide and add the fruit to one part, the cocoanut or chopped nuts to the second part and bake the other part plain. pour into well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pans and bake in slow oven for forty minutes. swiss crumb cake place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of brown sugar, two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-half cup of cocoa. sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of shortening and one cup of syrup, two cups of sour milk, three-quarters teaspoon baking soda, two cups of fine bread crumbs, one package of seedless raisins. dissolve the baking soda in the milk. beat all hard to mix and then pour into well-greased and floured oblong pans and bake in a slow oven for one hour. cool and ice with water icing. this cake is delicious and will keep, if wrapped in wax paper, for a month. louisiana crullers one cup of sour cream, one cup of sugar, one level teaspoonful baking soda, one level teaspoonful nutmeg, one egg. beat to thoroughly blend and then add four and one-half cupfuls of flour. roll out on a floured pastry board and then cut and fry in hot vegetable cooking oil until they are golden brown. the temperature for cooking crullers in the oil is degrees fahrenheit. moravian spice cake one and one-half cups of brown sugar, nine tablespoons of shortening, one egg, one cup of sour milk, one teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in the milk, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves, five tablespoons of cocoa, three and one-half cups of sifted flour, one level tablespoon of baking powder, one-half cup of chopped nuts, one-half package of seedless raisins. beat to mix and then bake in well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pans in moderate oven for forty minutes. ice with chocolate icing made as follows: one cup of xxxx sugar, six tablespoons cocoa, one tablespoon of cornstarch. sift to mix and then add just sufficient boiling water to make a mixture that will spread. two layer cake place in bowl one and one-half cups of sugar, yolks of two eggs. cream, then add one-half cup of shortening, cream again, then add three cups of flour, two level tablespoons baking powder, one teaspoonful flavoring, one cup of water or milk. beat just enough to mix, then fold in whites of two eggs, bake in well-greased and floured deep layer-cake pans in moderate oven twenty minutes. every variety of layer cake may be made from this foundation. to chocolate layer cake--put together with chocolate icing and cover cake with same icing. drop cakes place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, yolks of two eggs. cream and then add four tablespoonfuls of shortening, one and one-half cups of flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, stiffly-beaten whites of two eggs. drop by the spoonful three inches apart on well-greased and floured baking sheet. bake in a moderate oven. loaf cake place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of sugar, yolks of four eggs. cream until well blended and then add six ounces of butter. cream again and then add four cups of flour, five teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of flavoring, one and one-quarter cups of milk. beat to mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the four eggs. place in a well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan and bake fifty minutes in moderate oven. cottage pudding place in a mixing bowl one cup of sugar, one egg, six tablespoons of shortening, two and one-half cups of flour, five teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one cup of water. beat hard and thoroughly mix and then bake one-half of this mixture in well-greased custard cups for cottage pudding. to the balance of the mixture add a choice of any of the following: one-half cup cocoanut or one-half cup of finely chopped nuts, one-half cup of finely chopped raisins, one-half cup of currants, candied orange peel or lemon peel, one-half cup of finely chopped figs, dates or evaporated apricots. pour into well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan and bake in moderate oven for thirty minutes. cool and ice with water icing. fondant icing place in saucepan two and one-half cups of sugar, one-quarter cup white corn syrup, one-half cup water. stir to dissolve sugar, bring to boil, cook until it forms soft ball when tried in cold water, or degrees fahrenheit in candy thermometer. remove from the fire, pour on large well-greased meat platter and let cool; then begin and knead with spatula or spoon until creamy white--when stiff knead like dough, cover and set aside for twenty-four hours. to use, melt in double boiler, adding flavoring desired and just a tablespoon or two of boiling water to make a consistency that will spread. chocolate icing place in bowl one pound xxxx sugar, two tablespoons cornstarch, one-half cup cocoa, sufficient boiling water to make mixture spread. beat until smooth, then add one tablespoon of melted butter and use. butter cream icing wash salt from two ounces of butter, then beat until creamy, then add white of one egg and beat until mixture fluffs, then add one teaspoonful vanilla extract, one-half teaspoonful almond or rose extract, one pound xxxx sugar. beat to thoroughly blend, if too thick, add one tablespoonful of boiling water, spread between layers and use for icing the cake. cakes covered with butter cream icing may also be covered with finely chopped nuts or toasted cocoanut. to toast cocoanut, put cocoanut in pan in hot oven for few minutes, stirring frequently until it just begins to take the color. soft gingerbread one cup of molasses, one-half cup of sugar, eight tablespoons of shortening, two and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of soda dissolved in one-half cup of water, one teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of cloves, two teaspoons of cinnamon, two teaspoons of baking powder. beat hard to blend and then pour into well-greased and floured pan and bake in a slow oven for thirty-five minutes. plain water icing place in bowl one pound xxxx sugar. two tablespoonfuls cornstarch, one teaspoonful lemon juice, sufficient hot water to spread. beat to mix, then use. orange water icing place in bowl one pound xxxx sugar, two tablespoonfuls cornstarch, yolk of one egg, one teaspoonful grated orange peel. sufficient hot orange juice to make a mixture which will spread. beat hard for a few minutes to make glassy. molasses cake place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of syrup, one-half cup of brown sugar, six tablespoons of shortening, one egg. cream well and then add one cup of seeded raisins, two and one-half cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of baking soda dissolved in one-quarter cup of cold water or milk, one-quarter teaspoonful mace, one-quarter teaspoonful cloves, one-half teaspoonful ginger. work to a smooth dough and then roll on a slightly floured board and cut. brush the tops of the cakes with syrup and sprinkle with finely chopped nuts. bake for eight minutes in a moderate oven. this makes about three dozen cakes. white mountain icing place in saucepan two cups of sugar, one-half cup of corn syrup, one-half cup of water. stir to dissolve sugar; bring to a boil, cook until mixture forms soft ball, then pour in fine stream upon stiffly beaten white of egg. beat to blend and use while warm. devil's food cake one cupful of sugar, six tablespoonfuls of shortening. cream well and then add yolk of one egg, one whole egg, three-quarter cupful of milk, two cupfuls of flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one-half cupful of powdered cocoa, one teaspoonful of cinnamon. beat to mix and then bake in two layers in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. now place left over white of egg, one-half glassful of apple jelly in a bowl and beat with a dover egg-beater to a heavy meringue that will hold its shape. use this for filling. for icing use one cupful of xxxx sugar, two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch. sift sugar and starch and add sufficient boiling water to moisten, beat smooth and spread on the cake. chocolate layer cake place in a bowl one cup of sugar, yolks of two eggs. cream and then add six tablespoons of shortening, three cups of flour, five level teaspoons baking powder, two teaspoons of vanilla, one cup of milk or water. beat to mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. bake in two layers in prepared pans and when cool place a chocolate filling between and ice with chocolate butter cream. see chocolate filling recipe. soft cookies place in a saucepan one cupful of molasses, six tablespoons of shortening. bring to a boil and then add one teaspoonful of ginger, one and one-half teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of allspice. stir to blend and then take from fire and let cool, now add one egg, one cupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of baking soda. beat with a dover egg-beater to blend and then add sufficient flour to make a soft dough that can be handled, usually about seven cupfuls. form into balls the size of a walnut and then flatten between the hands. bake upon a greased and floured inverted baking pan in a moderate oven for about ten minutes. charlotte russe bake the sponge cake mixture in muffin pans and then cool. cut slice from the top, scoop out the crumbs and then fill with whipped cream or fruit whip. chocolate butter cream place two ounces of butter in a bowl and beat to a cream, then add two and one-half cups of xxxx sugar, three-quarters cup of cocoa, one-half teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon of vanilla, four tablespoonfuls of boiling coffee. beat to a smooth cream and then spread on the cake. english seed cakes three-quarters cup of sugar, one egg, five tablespoons of shortening, two cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, three-quarters cup of milk, two tablespoonfuls of caraway seeds. place in a mixing bowl and beat to mix. pour into a well-greased pan and place the following mixture on top: place in a mixing bowl six tablespoons of flour, four tablespoons of brown sugar, one and one-half tablespoons of caraway seeds, two tablespoonfuls of shortening. rub between the fingers until fine and crumbly. spread over the top of the cake and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. to prepare the pan: use a deep layer-cake pan and grease it. then line with paper and grease again. english rocks place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of brown sugar, two-thirds cup of shortening, two eggs, one teaspoon of soda, dissolved in four tablespoons of water, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of nutmeg. two and one-half cups of flour, one and one-half cups of finely chopped nuts, one and one-half cups of finely chopped raisins. mix thoroughly and drop by a teaspoon on a well-greased and floured baking sheet and bake for twelve minutes in a moderate oven. fruit cake a handsome and rich fruit cake is usually the accepted cake for weddings and anniversaries. in the days of long ago the young women of the household delighted to show their skill in the making and baking of this queen of cakes. in those days folks felt that it was an indispensable feature of the feast, and the reveler of to-day holds it in equal esteem as did his grandad before him. here is an old and treasured recipe: place one glass of spiced jam in a bowl and add one tablespoon of cocoa, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, two tablespoons of vanilla extract. beat to thoroughly mix and then spread over the cake. set the cake in a deep aluminum saucepan or stone crock and put in a warm room to ripen, until just before christmas. then remove the cake from the crock and wipe with a cloth which has been wrung very dry from hot water, then ice with chocolate icing. an inexpensive fruit cake one cup of syrup, one-half cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of shortening, one egg. cream well and then add three cups of flour, one-half cup of cocoa, three level tablespoons of baking powder, one cup of black coffee, one level tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-quarter teaspoon of ginger, one package of seedless raisins, one cup of seeded raisins, one cup of finely chopped peanuts, one cup of finely chopped prunes. mix well and bake in well-greased and floured pan, which has been lined with a greased and floured paper. bake in a slow oven for one hour. rumanian fruit cake this is the richest cake made in europe during the holiday season and is usually for royalty. the original recipe came to me in a form that is much too large for the ordinary family, so i have divided the proportions so that even the thrifty housewife may feel she can afford this one extravagance. the recipe follows: one cup of honey, one cup of brown sugar, three-quarters cup of good shortening, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-quarter teaspoon of allspice, yolks of three eggs. cream together and then add one-half pint cup of spiced jam, one-half pint cup of any kind of jelly. beat again to blend and then add six cups of sifted flour, tour tablespoons of baking powder, three-quarters cup of strong black coffee. beat just enough to mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and add one and one-half cups of seeded raisins, one cup of seedless raisins, one-half cup of seeded currants, one and one-half cups of finely chopped peanuts, or other nuts, one cup of finely chopped citron, one-half cup of finely chopped orange or lemon peel, mixed, one cup of finely chopped figs, one cup of finely chopped apricots, one cup of finely chopped and stoned prunes. mix in the fruit well and then grease and flour a round pudding pan and line with three thicknesses of greased and floured paper. pour in the cake mixture and cover the top of the cake with a well-greased paper. now set the pan containing the cake in a large baking pan, which contains about three cups of boiling water. place in a slow oven and bake for two and one-half hours. remove and let cool and then turn from the pan and brush the paper with boiling water to remove. now to ripen or age. cheap fruit cake place in a saucepan one cup of syrup, one cup of coffee, one-half cup of shortening, one-half cup of cocoa, one-half cup of brown sugar, one package of raisins, one and one-half cups of finely chopped peanuts, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves. bring to a boil and then set back on the stove and let cook very slowly for ten minutes. turn into a mixing bowl and let cool. now add five cups of sifted flour, four level tablespoons of baking powder; beat to thoroughly mix and then turn into well-greased and floured pan and bake in a slow oven for fifty-five minutes. cool and store as for rumanian fruit cake. white fruit cake which is commonly called the bride's cake. eight ounces of creamery butter, two cupfuls of sugar. cream together until frothy and like snow, and then add, one at a time, six eggs, then add five cupfuls of sifted flour, two level tablespoonfuls baking powder, one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of currants, one cupful of finely chopped citron, one and one-quarter cups of milk, one cupful of finely chopped nuts. beat to mix and then bake in a slow oven in a prepared pan one and one-half hours. to prepare the pan, grease and flour the pan and then line it with greased and floured paper. white pound cake four ounces of butter, one and one-half cups of sugar. cream until light and frothy, and then add one cupful of milk, three and one-half cupfuls of flour, four teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of almond extract, one-half teaspoonful of mace. beat for five minutes to blend and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs. bake in prepared pans for one hour in a moderate oven. use the pans prepared the same as for the fruit cake. golden cake may be made from this recipe, using the yolks of seven eggs. to use successfully you must use good shortening, pastry flour, granulated sugar and fresh eggs. exact care in measuring with the proper methods of compounding and finally careful baking are necessary. now for another point: do not stir the cake after its final beating. in filling the cake pan put the mixture well into the corners and leave a slight depression in the centre. this will leave the cake perfectly smooth on top. now, if the oven is too cool when the cakes go into it the cake will rise over the top of the pans and become coarse-grained. while, on the other hand, if it is too hot it will brown quickly on the top before the cake has had a chance to rise; then when the dough does attempt to rise it will break through and crack the crust. too much flour will also cause this. now to break the old hoodoos about cake-baking! you may look at the cake after it is in the oven ten minutes if you will open and shut the oven door gently, and if necessary to remove the cake wait until it has reached its full height and is beginning to brown. then it may be removed carefully without danger of falling. sometimes it may be necessary to remove the cakes so that they may brown evenly. icing the cakes greatly improves their appearance. should the cake for any reason scorch, don't trim it with a knife. this spoils its appearance; instead use a grater and remove the scorched part. turn the cakes to cool upon a sieve or wire cake-rack. do not attempt to ice a cake until it is cool and then coat the entire cake over with a plain water icing. a small pound cake four ounces of butter, one cupful of sugar. place in a warm bowl and cream until light and frothy; now add yolks of four eggs and beat well for ten minutes, then add three cupfuls of flour, four level teaspoonfuls baking powder, one cupful of milk, one teaspoonful of nutmeg. beat hard for fifteen minutes and then carefully fold in the stiffly beaten white of an egg and then pour into a prepared pan and bake for sixty minutes in slow oven. a large pound cake one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, eight ounces of shortening. cream together until light and fluffy and then add yolks of six eggs, five cupfuls of sifted flour, three level teaspoons of baking powder, one and one-half cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful of mace. beat for twenty minutes to blend and then carefully fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the six eggs. bake in a prepared pan for eighty minutes in a moderate oven. cobbler, southern style select the fruit desired and to one quart of stewed fruit add one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, one cup of brown sugar, three tablespoonfuls of melted shortening, one teaspoon of nutmeg or cinnamon. mix well and then turn into well-greased baking dish and cover with a crust of pastry. bake in a slow oven for forty minutes. serve with either fruit or vanilla sauce. cherry roly-poly place in a mixing bowl two and one-half cups of sifted flour, two tablespoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of salt, one-half cup of sugar. sift to mix. now rub in one-half cup of shortening and mix to a dough with three-quarters cup of water. roll out one-quarter inch thick and fill with the prepared cherries. roll as for jelly roll and then place in a well-greased and floured pan. bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes, basting every ten minutes with syrup made from one-half cup of brown sugar, three-quarters cup of boiling water. to prepare the cherries: stone two pounds of cherries and place in a saucepan and add one cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons of water. cook slowly until the cherries are soft and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in three tablespoons of water. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. cool and use. this mixture must be very thick. oatmeal drops place in a saucepan one cup of corn syrup, one-half cup of shortening, one cup of chopped raisins. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes and then add one teaspoon of soda dissolved in four tablespoons of cold water, two cups of rolled oats, one-half cup of flour, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. mix and then drop by the spoonful on a greased and floured baking sheet two inches apart. bake in a hot oven for ten minutes. cheese cake use level measurements. place in a saucepan one cupful of milk, two tablespoonfuls cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the milk and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes. cool and then rub one and one-half cupfuls of cottage cheese through a sieve. add one teaspoonful of nutmeg, two yolks of eggs, one teaspoonful of vanilla extract, two-thirds cup of sugar. beat to cream and then fill into the oblong cheese-cake pan, which has been lined with plain pastry. bake in a slow oven for thirty minutes. soft chocolate cookies one-half cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of syrup, six tablespoons of shortening, one egg. cream and then add one-half cup of cocoa, one-half cup of milk, two teaspoons of baking powder, four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoon of cinnamon. work to a dough and then roll, cut and bake in a moderate oven for eight minutes. cool and cover with a damp cloth for three minutes. store in an air-tight container. black nut cake one cup of brown sugar, five tablespoons of shortening. cream well and then add one-half cup of cocoa, two cups of sifted flour, four level teaspoons baking powder, one well-beaten egg, one cup of milk, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon vanilla, one cup of finely chopped nuts. peanuts or any other variety selected will do. beat to mix and then pour into well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pans. bake for thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. ice with water icing. this cake is delicious. animal cookies one cupful of brown sugar, one and one-half cupfuls of flour, one-quarter teaspoonful of baking soda, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of ginger, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. mix thoroughly by sifting and then rub into the mixture seven tablespoons of shortening. mix to dough with one well-beaten egg, six tablespoons of coffee. knead dough well and then roll out one-quarter inch on slightly floured pastry board. cut with animal cutters and then bake on a baking sheet in a moderate oven for ten minutes. cool and then wash with a mixture of syrup and water and roll in confectioner's sugar. note.--the dough must be fairly soft. if necessary, add more coffee. syrup wash: three tablespoons syrup, one tablespoon boiling water. mix and use. chocolate filling for cakes made from cocoa place in a saucepan one cup of water, one cup of syrup, one-half cup of cocoa, six tablespoons of cornstarch, one teaspoon of cinnamon. stir until the starch is dissolved and then bring to a boil. cook slowly for six minutes and then add one teaspoon of vanilla. cool and use for chocolate filling between cakes, in éclairs or cream puffs, or for chocolate pie. vegetables baked green peppers allow one large pepper for each person. cut a slice from the top and remove the seeds and then place in cold water until needed. now mince fine four onions and then cook until tender but not brown, in four tablespoons of shortening. place in a bowl and then add two ounces of bacon, diced and cooked to a light brown, one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon paprika, one-half teaspoon thyme, three-quarters cup of milk, one well-beaten egg. mix and then fill into six large peppers. place in a greased baking pan and add one-half cup of water. bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. five minutes before removing from the oven place a strip of bacon over each pepper. when nicely browned, serve. egg plant croquettes pare the egg plant and then cut in slices and cover with boiling water. cook until tender and then drain well. place in a bowl and add one medium-sized onion grated, two green peppers chopped fine, one well-beaten egg, one-half cup of fine crumbs, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mould into croquettes and then dip in flour, then in beaten egg and roll in fine crumbs. fry in hot fat, serve with cream sauce. braised celery scrape and thoroughly clean the coarse outside branches of celery, cut into inch pieces and then parboil gently for fifteen minutes. drain. now place two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add one and one-half cupfuls of the prepared celery. cover closely and cook until tender, shaking occasionally to prevent sticking to the pan. season, and when ready to serve cover with espaniole or brown sauce made from stock. to make sauce: place two tablespoonfuls of fat in an iron frying pan and add four tablespoonfuls of flour; work to a roux, browning well. now add one and a half cupfuls of stock and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then strain and return to the saucepan and season. use a bouillon cube to make the stock if none of the regular stock is on hand. baked baby lima beans these tiny limas are most delicious when baked like the ordinary navy bean. wash one-half pound of beans well and then look over carefully and discard all bruised or damaged ones. soak overnight in cold water. in the morning wash again and then place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and then turn into a colander and let the cold water run on them, then place in a saucepan and cover with boiling water and cook for twenty minutes. turn into a baking dish and add one cup of stewed tomatoes, one onion, minced fine, one green pepper, minced fine, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of paprika, one-half cup of salad oil, four tablespoons of syrup. add sufficient water to cover beans one inch deep. mix well and bake for two hours in a slow oven. string beans, italian style soak one cupful of dried string beans and then cook until tender or use quart of green snap beans. then add two onions minced fine, one green or red pepper minced fine. when tender drain well and season with one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of paprika, three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese. carrots a la brabanconne pare carrots cut in slices and then cook until tender. drain and then place a layer of carrots in a baking dish. sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and salt and paprika and then sift two tablespoons of grated cheese over each layer. repeat this until the dish is full and then cover with one and one-half cupfuls of cream sauce. sprinkle with grated cheese and fine bread crumbs. bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. baby lima bean croquettes baby lima beans should be soaked overnight. in the morning look over carefully and then discard all bruised and damaged beans. place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. turn into a colander and rinse under cold water and then return to the saucepan. cover with boiling water and cook until tender, then add two onions, minced fine, one fagot of soup herbs. cool and then drain the beans well, then mash fine, pile in a dish and set in the icebox until needed. creamed mushrooms use both caps and stems. peel and then parboil for three minutes and drain. use three-quarters pound of mushrooms. now make a cream sauce of three cups of milk, one-half cup of flour. dissolve the flour in the milk and then bring to a boil. cook slowly for ten minutes and then add the prepared mushrooms and one onion, grated, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of butter. heat to a boiling point and then simmer slowly. corn fritters one-half can of crushed corn, one egg, one-half cup of water, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one grated onion, one tablespoon of baking powder, two cups sifted flour. beat to mix and then fry in hot fat. drain. this amount will serve six persons. braised onions parboil and then drain three cups of finely chopped onions. now place one-half cup of shortening in a frying pan and add onions. cover closely and cook until a light golden brown. make a border of onions around a hot platter. baked beans with salt pork soak the beans--one pound--over night or early in the morning, and at noon place in a kettle and cover with water. bring to a boil and drain off the water. cover with water. bring to a boil and cook for fifteen minutes. drain. now add one can of tomatoes, one cup of chopped onions, one-half cup of syrup, one pound of salt pork cut in pieces, two tablespoons of salt, one tablespoon of paprika. add sufficient water to cover beans one inch deep. mix well and then cover the pot closely and bake in a slow oven for four hours. liver dumplings parboil four ounces of liver until tender, and then put through a food chopper. either beef, pork or lamb liver may be used. mince three onions very fine. place four tablespoons of fat in a frying pan and add onions and liver. cook gently until onions are tender and then lift and turn into a mixing bowl and add one and one-half cupfuls of dry mashed potatoes, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of paprika, one-half teaspoon of thyme, one and one-half cupfuls of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder. mix thoroughly and then add one egg, four tablespoons of potato water. work to a smooth well-blended mass and then rub your hands with salad oil and then form this mass into balls. cook for twenty minutes in boiling salted water. lift with a skimmer on a napkin to drain. serve with either onion, tomato or creamed sauce, or the dumplings may be rolled in flour, browned quickly in hot fat and served at once. scalloped corn place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of crushed can corn, one-half cup of fine bread crumbs, one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of butter, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of flour, one egg, three-quarters cup of milk. mix well and then turn into a well-greased baking dish and bake for thirty minutes in a moderate oven. rabbits fricassee of rabbit place the rabbit in a saucepan and add one quart of boiling water, one large onion with two cloves stuck in it, fagot of soup herbs. bring to a boiling point and cook gently until the meat is tender. the gravy may be thickened with cornstarch. season with pepper, salt and finely minced parsley. to make a rabbit pie place the fricasse of rabbit in a baking dish and cover with a crust. bake for thirty-five minutes in a hot oven. fried rabbit prepare and cook the rabbit as for fricasse and when the meat is tender lift to drain. cool. dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine bread crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. use the liquid for gravy. sour rabbit cut the rabbit and then place in a china bowl and add one cupful of chopped onions, one bunch of potherbs, one teaspoonful of sweet marjoram, six cloves, five allspice, two bay leaves. now cover, using a mixture of two parts vinegar and one part water. set in a cool place for three days, turning the rabbit over every day, then put in a casserole dish or stewing pan and cook until tender. thicken the gravy. serve potato dumplings with this dish, or it may be eaten cold. rabbit pie clean and prepare a pair of rabbits for cooking; cut into suitable pieces. brown quickly in hot fat; lift to a baking dish and add one quart of hot water. two large onions, minced very fine, salt and pepper to taste. cook very slowly until tender, thicken the gravy and add one cupful of sour cream, then cover the top of the baking dish with mashed and seasoned sweet potatoes, one inch thick. brush with syrup and dust lightly with cinnamon, and dot with bits of butter. bake until slightly brown. custard sauce one cup of milk, two tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve and bring to a boil, cook for three minutes and then add one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg, five tablespoons of sugar, yolk of one egg. beat to blend and then cool. caramel sauce one cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons of water, one tablespoon of butter. place in a frying pan and cook until caramelled, then add one and one-half cups of water. bring to a boil and then add four tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in five tablespoons of water. stir until the mixture thickens and cook for five minutes, then add one teaspoon of vanilla and use. fruit sauce place in a saucepan one cup of crushed fresh fruit, one cup of brown sugar, one cup of water. cook until the fruit is soft and then cool. rub through a fine sieve and then add three tablespoonfuls cornstarch dissolved in three tablespoons of water. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. sweetened cream sauce place in a saucepan two cups of milk, four tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the cornstarch in cold milk and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then add one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one well-beaten egg. beat to mix. vanilla sauce place in a saucepan one-half cup of sugar, one-half cup of white corn syrup, one-half cup of water, two tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook three minutes. now add one tablespoon of vanilla extract. lemon sauce place in a saucepan grated rind of one lemon, two cups of water, four tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then add one cup of sugar, juice of two lemons. beat to thoroughly mix and then serve. saboyon sauce place one-half cup of sugar in a saucepan and add the yolks of two eggs. cream until light and fluffy and then add one teaspoon of vanilla extract and one-half teaspoon of almond extract. heat one-half cup of milk to the boiling point and then pour over the eggs and sugar. stir continually over a slow fire until the mixture is just below the boiling point. remove and add stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and serve on pudding. sweet spiced blackberry sauce place in a saucepan one cup of well-cleaned blackberries, one cup of sugar, one cup of water, and the following spices tied in a little piece of cheesecloth: one-half teaspoon nutmeg, one teaspoon cinnamon, one-quarter teaspoon allspice. cook slowly until the fruit is soft and then rub through a fine sieve and thicken with three tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in one-quarter cup of cold water. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, cool and serve. cherry sauce one-half pound of stoned cherries, one-half cup of sugar, one cup of water. bring to a boil and then cook slowly until the cherries are soft. now add two tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in one-half cup of cold water. bring to a boil and then cook for five minutes. cool and use. pudding sauce one-half cup of white syrup, one-half cup of water, one small bottle of maraschino cherries, cut in bits, one tablespoon of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in water and add the syrup and cherries. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. serve. chocolate sauce one-half cup of sugar, one cup of water, seven level tablespoons of chocolate, two level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch and chocolate in the sugar and water and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes. making a chocolate sauce using cocoa one cup of syrup, one cup of water, one-half cup of cocoa, two tablespoons of cornstarch, one teaspoon of cinnamon. place in a saucepan and stir until the starch is dissolved and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then cool and add one tablespoon of vanilla. use the same as sauce made with chocolate. fruit custard sauce place in a saucepan one and one-half cupfuls of cold stewed fresh fruit, one cup of milk, four level tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. cook for five minutes, and add one well-beaten egg and three-quarters of a cup of sugar; beat hard and then cook for two minutes. chocolate sauce place four ounces of chocolate, cut into fine pieces, in a saucepan and add one pint of water and one and one-half cups of sugar. stir until the sugar is dissolved and then bring to a boil, cook for ten minutes and then add six tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, dissolved in one-half cup of water, one teaspoon of cinnamon. bring to a boil and stir continually and cook for five minutes. cool and then add one tablespoon of vanilla. place in a fruit jar and store in a cool place. this sauce is used for puddings, pastries, cakes, ice cream, sundaes and chocolate sodas. orange sauce juices of two oranges, one-quarter cup of sugar, one tablespoon of cornstarch, two tablespoons of water, yolks of two eggs. dissolve the starch in the water. add the orange juice and cook until thick, about five minutes. add sugar and yolks of eggs. remove from fire. cool and fold in the beaten white of one egg. use yolk of egg left over for the mousse. fruit whip whites of two eggs, one glass of apple jelly. beat, using a dover egg-beater, until it forms into a stiff meringue. this amount will serve about ten people liberally. one-half of this recipe for ordinary family. desserts banana fritters cut four bananas in half; now then place in a bowl one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of flour, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of shortening, pinch of salt, yolk of one egg. beat to mix and then dip banana in batter. fry golden brown in hot fat. serve with vanilla or fruit sauce. cranberry jelly one quart of cranberries, one cupful of water. cook until the berries are soft and then put through the colander or a coarse sieve. return to the saucepan and boil for three minutes, then add two cupfuls of sugar, pinch of salt. stir until sugar is dissolved and then boil for ten minutes. rinse a mould with cold water and then pour in the cranberries and let cool. lemon marmalade cut one lemon into slices and then remove the seeds and put through the food chopper. add one and one-quarter cups of water. bring to a boil and cook slowly until the lemon rind is very soft. this usually takes about one hour. now add one and one-half cups of sugar and stir to dissolve the sugar. cook until thick like marmalade. place an asbestos mat under the saucepan to prevent scorching. stir frequently. use level measurements; they conform to pounds and ounces and give satisfactory results. orange jelly juice of three oranges, one-half cupful of sugar, one-half cupful of water, two tablespoonfuls of syrup from a bottle of maraschino cherries. boil the sugar and water for five minutes and then cool and add the strained orange juice and the maraschino cherry syrup. now soak two level tablespoonfuls of gelatine in one-half cupful of cold water for thirty minutes and then place in hot water bath to heat. stir until dissolved and then strain into prepared orange mixture. now rinse custard cups in cold water and pour in the gelatine and set aside to cool and mould. to serve: unmold on a saucer and serve with fruit whip. coffee custard, parfait style one and one-half cupfuls of cold coffee, one cupful of evaporated milk, one-half cupful of cornstarch. place in a saucepan and dissolve the starch in the coffee and then add the milk. bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. remove and add one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla, yolk of two eggs. beat to blend thoroughly and then partly cool and pour into stem glasses, filling nearly to the top. set on ice to chill. while chilling place the white of two eggs and one-half glass of currant jelly in a bowl. now use a dover egg-beater and beat until it holds its shape. when ready to serve pile high on the coffee custards and garnish with maraschino cherries. galatin a la melba cut a slice of sponge cake. place on a fruit saucer and pour over it three tablespoons of syrup from a jar of peaches and then place two halves of peaches on the cake and top off with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. mint gelatine shred the leaves of a bunch of mint and place in a saucepan; add one-half cup of water and cook slowly for ten minutes. now drain and add one-half cup of sugar, three-quarters cup of vinegar. stir to thoroughly dissolve and then place one tablespoon of gelatin to soak in one-quarter cup of cold water for ten minutes and add the hot mint preparation. strain and add two drops of green vegetable coloring into it, and then pour into a pan to mould. cut into blocks and serve with the meat. pastry now it all rests with the cook as to whether we are going to have a cut of pastry that fairly melts in your mouth or a tough doughy mass that is unfit for food. any little housewife may turn out delicious, flaky pastry if she will but follow directions carefully. first of all, let us study for a minute just what pastry is. it is a mixture of flour, shortening and water. each grain of flour is thoroughly coated with shortening and then mixed to a dough with the water. do i hear you say "well i know that?" surely you do. but do you know the real knack of putting it together? for here is the real rub. the minute you knead or squeeze pastry that is the moment you make it tough. the real secret sift three cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of baking powder, together twice, and then cut or rub into this two-thirds cup of shortening. if you cut it in, use your griddle-cake turner or spatula and chop it in rather coarse. now mix to a dough with one-half cup of ice-cold water, using the cake-turner to mix the water in; just keep chopping and turning over until the mixture is formed into a ball of dough. do not knead or pat with the hand. you cannot hurt this dough if you will just mix it as a man does when mixing mortar with a hoe. keep working it back and forth, chopping it each time until well mixed. this amount will make the tops and the bottoms for two pies. to roll the dough, divide it into four parts and then lift one piece on a slightly floured board and roll out the dough, working the rolling pin to and from you and turning the dough as often as necessary to secure the size and shape desired. should the dough tear, or not come to the desired shape, just fold it into squares or oblongs and then roll again. place on the tin and then trim the edges. proceed in the same manner with the top crust, and then when ready to place on the pie, fold from corner to corner, making a bias fold and then cut quarter-inch gashes with a knife in centre to allow steam to escape. lift and cover the pie and then trim to shape. now do not form the trimmings into a ball, but lay them one piece upon the other in a pile and flatten them with the rolling pin. roll and fold into shape, and roll as desired. you can re-roll pastry as often as desired by this method. keep in the mind the fact that kneading or squeezing the pastry forms it into a sticky mass. this method will give you a delicious, flaky crust. you may spread two tablespoons of shortening upon the top crust and then fold and roll. fold again and roll; then use as desired. sufficient pastry may be made at one time to last for two or three days. just wrap the dough in wax-paper so that it does not dry out. various fillings may be used. fresh or canned fruits, custards, mince meat, etc. if you use fresh fruits place one-half cup of sugar, three level tablespoons of cornstarch, in a bowl and rub between the hands to thoroughly mix and then use this by sprinkling over the fruit. this will prevent the juice from boiling out of the pie while it is cooking and it will form into a jelly when cold. to use canned fruit, drain the fruit free from the liquid and then cut into thin slices. measure the liquid and then add four level tablespoons of cornstarch, eight tablespoons of sugar, to each cupful. dissolve the starch and sugar in the cold liquid and then bring to a boil. cook for three minutes and then add the prepared fruit. cool before placing in the pastry. to prevent the lower crust from becoming soggy just before putting in the filling, brush it well with a good salad oil, or shortening, taking care that each part is covered. this will give you a tender, flaky lower crust. just before the pie is ready to put into the oven brush it well with a wash of egg and milk, using yolk of one egg, one-half cup of milk, two teaspoons of sugar. stir to dissolve the sugar and mix in the egg. then wash the pie. this will keep a week in a cool place. the correct temperature to bake a pie is to degrees fahrenheit. this means a moderate oven. too much heat will brown the crust before the filling inside has had the time to cook. custard pies--this includes those made of eggs, milk, lemon meringes, sweet potato and pumpkin--require a slow oven-- degrees fahrenheit. pastry for custard pie the most important point in the custard pie is the crust, which will either make or mar the pie. so to begin with, the pastry should be light and delicate. to make pastry for custard pie place in a bowl three cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of baking powder, two tablespoons of sugar. sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of good shortening, and then mix to a dough with one-half cup of ice water. when mixing the pastry to a dough, it is important that it should be cut and folded together much after the method used in cutting and folding the whites into a cake. care at this point in making the pastry will prevent it from becoming tough. now wrap the pastry in wax or parchment paper and place on the ice to thoroughly chill for two hours. now if the pastry is made either the day before or early in the morning and then allowed to blend, it will be delightfully light and flaky. now to prepare for the pie: this amount of pastry will be sufficient for two large pies, one custard and one lemon, for variety. the trimmings can be made into little tarts, turnovers or cheese straws. divide the pastry into two parts and then roll out one part on a lightly floured board until sufficiently large to fully cover the pie tin. now fold carefully in half and then in quarters and lift on the pie plate and open covering the pie plate, easing on the pastry. trim the edges and then roll out the trimmings into a long narrow strip. cut into strips three-quarters inch wide and then brush the edge of the pastry on the pie plate with water and add this narrow strip as a reinforcement to build up the edge. this will prevent the custard overflowing. now brush the pastry in the bottom of the pie plate with melted shortening, taking care to thoroughly coat the entire surface with the shortening. then pour in the prepared custard. reserve about one tablespoon of the custard to brush the pastry around the edges. place in a slow oven and bake until the custard is firm in the centre. to test if custard is baked, gently insert a silver knife into the custard, taking care that the knife does not pierce the crust. brushing the pastry with the shortening before pouring in the custard prevents the moisture from soaking into the crust. to make the meringue beat the whites of two eggs in a bowl, which is free from grease, until stiff, and then cut and fold into the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs one-half cup of pulverized sugar, three tablespoons of cornstarch. sift the sugar and cornstarch to thoroughly mix and then carefully cut and fold into the whites of eggs. on just how careful you are in cutting and folding this mixture will determine the success of your meringues. after the whites are beaten stiff they are full of little air bubbles, which if stirred break down and become watery and then the entire mixture becomes flat and tough. to prevent this, sprinkle the prepared sugar over the stiffly beaten white of egg and then with a spoon cut down through the centre and fold over; turn the bowl half-way around, then cut and fold again. repeat this until sufficiently mixed, then place on the hot pie, sprinkle with granulated sugar and place in the oven to brown. open the oven door and let stand for a few minutes, then remove to a place free from drafts where it will cool slowly, so as to prevent a sudden shrinking of the meringue, due to a sudden chill. to make cocoanut pie, add one-half cup of cocoanut to the custard pie just before putting in the oven. peach custard pie crush a sufficient number of pared peaches to measure one cup. place in a mixing bowl and add one-half cup of sugar. now place in a saucepan three-quarters cup of milk, two tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil. cook for two minutes and then pour very slowly, while beating hard to blend, on the peaches and sugar that are blending in the mixing bowl. add yolks of two eggs, one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. beat again and then pour into prepared pie plate lined with pastry and bake in a slow oven. use whites of eggs for meringue. custard pie now to prepare the filling for the custard pie, place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of sugar, one and one-quarter cups of milk, yolk of one egg, two whole eggs, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. beat with an egg-beater to thoroughly mix and then pour into the prepared pastry lined pie tin. use white of egg for meringue. lemon custard pie place in a saucepan one cup of sugar, one and one-half cups of water, one-half cup of cornstarch. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil, and cook for five minutes. now add rind of one-quarter lemon, grated, juice of two lemons, yolks of two eggs. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into pie plate prepared as for custard pie. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes and then cover with meringue made of whites of eggs. north carolina peach custard pie prepare the pastry and line a pie plate with it, then rub with shortening as directed in the custard pie. now cover the bottom thickly with sliced peaches and then prepare a custard as follows: place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, three-quarters cup of milk, yolks of two eggs, one whole egg, one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. beat to thoroughly mix and just before pouring the custard over the peaches dust them well with sifted flour. pour on the custard and bake in a slow oven until firm. use whites of eggs for meringue. raspberries and plums may be used in place of the peaches for variety. when making these pies, always use the regulation custard pie tin, the ones with the straight sides. cider jelly pie place in a saucepan three-quarters cup of brown sugar, two cups of cider, eight tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil. cook for three minutes and then remove from the fire and add one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, one tablespoon of vinegar. beat to mix and then cool and bake between two crusts. apple dowdy grease well with shortening a deep pudding pan and then place a layer one inch thick of thinly sliced apples and then sprinkle well with sugar and dust with cinnamon. repeat this until the dish is full and then cover with a crust of plain pastry. bake for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven and let cool. to serve: loosen the pastry from the sides of the pan, place a large platter over the pie and invert. cut into wedge-shaped portions and serve with cream, custard or fruit sauce. country style green apple pie pare the apples and then cut into thin slices. now place a layer of apples in a pudding pan and sprinkle each layer with two tablespoons of flour, six tablespoons of brown sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. repeat this until the pan is full. now place a crust on top and bake in slow oven for forty minutes. to serve: run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the crust. invert the plate over the pie and turn the pie upside down upon the plate. cover with fruit, whip and cut into wedge-shaped pieces and serve with custard sauce. congress pie use an oblong pan similar to that used in making cheesecake. line with plain pastry and then place three cups of bread crumbs in a bowl and add two cups of boiling water, one-half cup of syrup, one cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons of shortening, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one cup of finely chopped nuts, one cup of raisins or currants, one cup of marmalade or fruit butter. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into the prepared pan and bake in a slow oven for one-half hour. cool and then ice with water icing. cut into two-inch oblongs. dowdy, new england style apples or peaches may be used. wash the fruit and then pare and cut into thin slices. measure two pints of the prepared fruit and dust over it so as to thoroughly coat each piece with one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half cup of flour. then pat smoothly in baking dish and cover with one cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons cold water. cover with a crust the pastry and bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes. let cool and then run a knife around the edge of the baking dish and loosen the crust from the dish. place a large platter over the dowdy and then invert. dust the dowdy lightly with nutmeg and serve with fruit or vanilla sauce. apple custard pie line a pie tin with plain pastry. now place one and one-half cups of thick apple sauce in a sauce pan and add one cup of sugar, one-third cup of cornstarch, one-half cup of cold water. dissolve starch in water. place on the fire and bring to a boil and then cook slowly for five minutes. cool and then add one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one well-beaten egg. pour into prepared tins and bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. shortcake the shortcake is typical of scotland. it is a mixture of flour, sugar and shortening worked to a paste and then rolled one-half inch thick and then decorated in various ways. the thrifty scotsman, after leaving the mother country and settling in the new america, felt that the use of much shortening was too expensive, and so his thrifty housewife, who was willing and even anxious to be a partner to him, coöperated by cutting down on the amount of shortening and still turn out a rich palatable cake. this is how she does it: place two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, two level tablespoons of sugar, two level tablespoons of baking powder, in a bowl and sift three times. now rub in six tablespoons of shortening and then add seven tablespoons of water and work to a smooth elastic dough. turn on a prepared pastry board and mould into shape to fit the pie tin with the hands. wash the top of the dough with milk and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. remove, cool and cut into wedge sections like pie and serve with cheese or fruit. peach shortcake yolk of one egg, one-half cup of sugar. cream well and then add three tablespoons of shortening, four tablespoons of water, one cup of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of vanilla. beat to thoroughly mix and then bake in well-greased deep layer-cake pan in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. cook and then split and fill with well-drained canned crushed peaches. place together. now place white of egg and one-half glass of apple jelly in a bowl; beat with dover egg-beater until the mixture forms into a stiff meringue. banana shortcake one-half cup of sugar, four tablespoons of shortening, one egg. place in a mixing bowl and then cream well, then add one and one-quarter cups of sifted flour, three level teaspoons of baking powder, one level teaspoon of vanilla extract, one-half cup of water. beat to mix and pour into well-greased and floured oblong baking pans. now spread the top of the cake with three bananas sliced very thin. place in a moderate oven and bake for thirty-five minutes. use the white of egg and half glass of apple jelly for a meringue. old virginia shortcake sift the flour and then fill a quart measure, using a tablespoon to lift the flour. care should be taken not to shake or pack the flour down, as the quart of flour should weigh just one pound. place in a bowl and add three level tablespoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of salt, three-quarters cup of sugar. sift again to mix and then rub in one-half cup of shortening. place one and one-half cups of buttermilk in a pitcher and add one teaspoon of baking soda. stir to thoroughly dissolve the soda and then use this to mix the flour to a dough. knead well in the bowl with a spoon and then turn on a slightly floured board and roll or pat out one inch thick. cut with a large biscuit cutter and brush the top with shortening and bake in a hot oven for eighteen minutes. apricot shortcake one-half cup of sugar, four tablespoons of shortening, yolk of one egg. cream until light and frothy, and then add four tablespoons of water, one cup of flour, two level teaspoons of baking powder. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased layer cake pan. bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. split and fill with cooked apricots and then place in a bowl white of one egg, left over, one-half glass of jelly. beat to thoroughly mix with the dover egg-beater until it forms a stiff meringue. pile on top of cake and garnish with single piece of apricot. huckleberry shortcake place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, one egg, four tablespoons of shortening, two cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, three-quarters cup of water. beat and mix and then pour into well-greased oblong pan and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. cool and then split, and fill with the prepared berries and serve with custard sauce. to prepare the huckleberries for the shortcake, place in a saucepan two cups of stewed huckleberries, one-half cup of cornstarch, one cup of brown sugar. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. add one-half teaspoon of nutmeg and then cool and use for the filling. lemon dumplings place in a bowl: one tablespoon of baking powder, one cup of flour, one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, one cup of chopped suet, one cup of brown sugar, juice of one lemon, two eggs, grated rind of one-half lemon, one and one-half cups of milk. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased mould and boil for one and one-quarter hours. serve with lemon sauce. peach cake place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, one egg, four tablespoons of shortening, two cups of flour, four level tablespoons of baking powder, three-quarters cup of water. beat just enough to mix and then pour into a deep well-greased and floured layer-cake pan. cover the top thickly with diced peaches and then place in a small bowl six tablespoons of flour, four tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of shortening, one teaspoon of cinnamon. rub between the tips of the fingers until crumbly and then spread on the top of the peaches and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. peach dumplings place in a mixing bowl two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon baking powder, one tablespoon sugar. sift to mix and then rub in one-half cup of shortening; then mix to a dough with one-fourth cup of ice-cold water. set on ice for one hour, then roll out one-eighth inch thick and cut into four-inch squares. fill with pared and stoned peaches, placing two tablespoons of brown sugar and one-half teaspoon of nutmeg in each dumpling. brush the edges with water and then fold the pastry together. place on a well-greased baking sheet and add one-half cup of water to the pan and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. apple cake place in a bowl two cups of flour, and then add one-half teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of baking powder, one and one-half teaspoons of nutmeg. sift twice to blend and then rub in five tablespoons of shortening. break an egg into a cup and then fill cup to the two-thirds mark with milk, beat to blend the egg and milk and then mix into the dough. roll out one-half inch thick and then line an oblong baking sheet. pare and cut the apples into quarters and then into thin slices. place one cup of sugar and one-half cup of water in a saucepan and add the apples, a few at a time, and cook for a few minutes. lift and lay on the prepared dough. place in a moderate oven to bake for thirty-five minutes. after the cake is in the oven for eighteen minutes baste frequently with syrup in which the apples were cooked. ten minutes before removing from the oven sprinkle thickly with brown sugar and cinnamon. dumplings for stew place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of flour, and then add one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of grated onion. add two-thirds cup of water and mix to a dough. drop by the spoonful into the stew and cover closely and boil for twelve minutes. if you open the lid of the saucepan while the dumplings are cooking they will be heavy. cherry dumplings wash individual pudding cloths in warm water and then rub with shortening and dust slightly with flour. now place in a bowl one cup of sugar, one and one-half cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, three level teaspoons of baking powder, one-half cup of fine bread crumbs, one egg, one cup of milk, two cups of stoned cherries. mix and then place one cooking spoon of the mixture into each prepared dumpling cloth. tie loosely and then plunge into boiling water and cook for twenty minutes. lift into the colander and let drain for three minutes and then serve with stewed cherries for sauce. steamed roly poly pudding one and one-half cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of baking powder, four tablespoons of sugar. place in a mixing bowl and sift to mix. now rub in four tablespoons of shortening and mix to a dough with a scant two-thirds cup of water. roll out one-half inch thick and spread with well-cleaned huckleberries and then cover quickly with brown sugar. roll like for jelly roll and then tie in a cloth and plunge into boiling water or place in a steamer and cook for one hour. serve with fruit sauce. if using canned huckleberries, drain them well, then thicken the juice and use for sauce. any variety of fresh fruit may be used. fruit cup custards place six nice berries in each custard cup and then place in a mixing bowl two cups of milk, six tablespoons of sugar, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, three eggs. beat thoroughly to mix and then pour over the berries in the cups. place in a baking pan containing warm water and bake in a slow oven until firm in the centre. cream tapioca pudding wash two-thirds cup of tapioca in four or five waters and then place in a saucepan and add one and one-half cups of water. cook until the tapioca begins to soften, then add one and one-half cups of milk. cook until soft and then add one well-beaten egg, one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon nutmeg. mix well and cook for a few minutes longer. remove from the fire and serve ice cold with fruit whip. macaroni neapolitan cook one-half package of macaroni in boiling water for fifteen minutes and then turn into a colander and place under cold running water. now mince one onion and one tomato fine and place four tablespoons of fat in a frying pan. when hot, add the onion and tomato, cook until soft and then add the macaroni. toss gently until hot and then cover it closely to prevent drying out. if too dry, add a couple of tablespoons of boiling water. season with pepper, salt and one-half cup catsup. macaroni cutlets cook one-quarter pound of macaroni in boiling water for twenty minutes and then drain. cool and then chop fine. place in a bowl and add one-half cup of grated cheese, two tablespoons of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-well-beaten egg. mix thoroughly and then mould into croquettes. roll in flour and then dip in beaten egg. roll in fine crumbs and fry in hot fat. place in a hot oven for ten minutes to finish cooking. polenta a la naples place in a saucepan two and one-half cups of boiling water, one and one-half teaspoons of salt. now pour in very slowly three-quarters cup of yellow cornmeal. stir to prevent lumping and cook until very thick. add three-quarters cup of cheese, cut into fine pieces, one onion, chopped fine, one green pepper, chopped fine, one leek, chopped fine, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then pour into a large bowl to cool. form into sausages and then roll in flour and brown in hot oil. serve with tomato sauce. wheat cereal may be used to replace the cornmeal. noodles fried noodles cook noodles in boiling water and then drain. now mince fine three onions, two red peppers, two leeks. place four tablespoons of cooking oil in a frying pan and when hot add the vegetables. cook slowly until soft and then add the noodles. toss constantly until a light brown and then pile in the centre of a large platter. lay a goulash around for a border. pour the gravy over all and then garnish with two tablespoons of grated cheese and serve. boiled hominy--cheese sauce soak large hominy over night and then in the morning wash and cook in plenty of boiling water until tender. drain well and place in a baking dish and cover with cheese sauce, made as follows: place one and one-half cups of milk in a saucepan and add two tablespoons of grated onion and four level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the milk and bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then add two tablespoons of chopped parsley, two teaspoons of salt, two ounces of cheese, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then heat until the cheese melts. serve as vegetable. macaroni and cheese cook one package of macaroni in a large kettle of boiling water for twenty minutes and then drain and pour over the macaroni a pan of cold water. drain again. now return to the kettle and add one-half can of tomatoes, two teaspoons of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, one-fourth pound of cheese, cut in small pieces, eight tablespoons of flour dissolved in one-half cup of water, four onions, chopped fine. bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. to make noodles break into a mixing bowl one egg and then add three tablespoons of water, one-half teaspoon of salt, pinch of pepper. beat to mix and then add sufficient flour to make a stiff dough. knead for five minutes and then cover and let stand for ten minutes. now roll out on a floured pastry board until thin as paper. roll as for jelly and then cut into thin strips with a sharp knife. spread out to dry for one-half hour. gnocchi di lemolina place one cup of water and one cup of milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil. add slowly seven tablespoons wheat cereal. cook for ten minutes and stir constantly. now add one well-beaten egg. one-half teaspoon of salt. beat well to mix and then pour into loaf-shaped pan to mould. when firm turn out on the moulding board and cut into blocks. place in a well-greased baking dish; sprinkle with grated cheese and dot tiny bits of butter. bake in a hot oven until the cheese forms a light brown crust. serve with tomato sauce. macaroni soufflÃ� cook one-fourth pound of macaroni and then cool and chop fine. place in a bowl and add one onion, chopped fine, one red pepper, chopped fine, four bunches parsley, chopped fine, yolks of two eggs, two cups of cream sauce, one and one-half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. beat to mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. pour into a greased baking dish and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. serve at once. rice rice is extensively cultivated in the orient and supplies the principal food to nearly one-half the population of the entire world. there is every reason why rice should be a daily article of diet in planning the menu. it is more nutritious than the potato and it digests more readily. when properly cooked and served it is an ideal starchy food. unpolished rice contains all the nutritions of the grains, which is approximately per cent. fat, per cent. protein, per cent. carbohydrates. the polished variety contains an average of per cent. nutrition. polished rice has been robbed of its vital life-giving elements. rice is graded for size and condition and then prepared for the trade. it is known as fancy head rice, choice, prime, good, medium, common and screenings. patna rice, the small slender, well-rounded grain, is in great demand in the east, with the japan, siam, java, rangoon, and passein varieties closely following. in this country the carolina, japan and honduras are popularly in demand. the carolina rice is a large sweet-flavored grain of good color and appearance. japanese rice is a thick-bodied, soft-grained variety. honduras variety is the slender, well-shaped grain. the preparation of rice for the markets involves, first, the threshing, and second, the milling, which removes the husks, and, third, the polishing to produce the pearly white gloss which so many folks think is very desirable. polished rice has been robbed of nearly all its fat and mineral content, and thus its food value is lowered and it is deprived of its flavor. the rice dishes, as prepared in the oriental countries, are made from fancy unpolished head rice and they form some of the main dishes. the oriental first washes his rice in several waters, rubbing it vigorously between the hands. this thoroughly cleanses it. now, to follow this method, have a saucepan containing boiling water and then add the rice slowly, so that the water continually boils. cook until tender and then remove the lid from the saucepan and cover the rice with a cloth to absorb the moisture. set in a warm place for five minutes. this will give the saucepan containing a mass of delicious, fluffy rice, each grain distinct and separate. now, if you carefully measure both your rice and then the water, it will not be necessary for you to drain off the excess water and thus lose the valuable mineral and fat content. how to cook rice american style place in a double boiler two and one-half cups of boiling water and then add one teaspoon of salt. now add slowly one-half cup of well-washed, unpolished rice. cover and cook until the rice is tender and the water absorbed. remove the lid and then cover the rice closely with a clean napkin and cook for five minutes. this will fluff each grain of rice. it is now ready to serve, either as a vegetable to replace the potato or prepared into many delectable dishes that our oriental neighbors relish so keenly. japanese rice wash and chop fine two medium-sized leeks and then cook tender in one-half cup of water. drain. now add two cups of cooked rice, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of soy. mix thoroughly and then dish on a hot baking dish. cover with slices of hard-boiled eggs. sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and garnish with slices of smoked salmon. place in the oven for a few minutes to heat. soy may be purchased at fancy grocers. indian rice add three cups of cooked rice to one quart of chicken stock, one onion, grated fine, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of curry powder. cook fifteen minutes, and serve very hot, garnish with finely chopped parsley. creole rice chop one large onion and one green pepper fine, and then place in a saucepan and add one cup of canned tomatoes rubbed through a sieve, one-half cup of cold boiled ham chopped fine. cook slowly for ten minutes and then add three cups of cooked rice, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then heat until very hot and serve. cold roast pork may be used to replace the ham. italian rice place three tablespoons of vegetable cooking oil in a frying pan and add four tablespoons of well-washed rice. toss until the rice is well brown and then add one and one-half cups of boiling water, three onions, chopped fine, one green pepper, chopped fine, one cup of strained canned tomatoes. cook until the rice is soft and then add two teaspoons of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, one-half cup of grated cheese. stir until well blended and then serve, garnished with finely chopped parsley. belgian rice balls place two cups of cooked rice in a bowl and add one-half cup of currants, one-half cup of sugar, one well beaten egg, one teaspoon of vanilla. mix and then form into small balls, about the size of an orange. dip into beaten egg and then roll in fine bread crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. serve with crushed and sweetened fruit. swedish rice pudding place in a baking dish one quart of milk, six tablespoons of well-washed rice, two-thirds cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, one-half teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of butter, broken into tiny balls. bake in a slow oven for one hour and stir two or three times. the cultivation of rice in louisiana is more than a hundred years old. louisiana now produces a crop of this cereal larger than the entire crop of the states of georgia and carolina. the tourist who visits louisiana during the time of the rice market enjoys a scene that is rarely duplicated elsewhere in the civilized world; for here are gathered the buyers from all parts of the country. the creole of louisiana, like the oriental, has the true secret for making this food a palatable article of diet. the old mammy in new orleans always tells her children that, of course, le riz must be thoroughly washed and she always insists that the grains be cleansed in four waters--two warm and two cold--and then it is cooked in the same manner as the orientals use. never stir the rice while it is cooking; this will make it mushy. instead, always shake the sauce-pan. never flood the rice with water while it is cooking. always keep the fact in mind that just five times the actual measurements of the rice in water will be required to cook it. in this way there will be no excess water to drain off. so if you are using one-quarter cup of rice you would use one and one-quarter cups of water. now you cannot pile up the water; you must be accurate in measuring the rice. boiled rice is a delicious accompaniment to chicken, lamb, turkey, shrimp, crabs and lobster--with okra and for oyster, chicken and crab grumbo; as a vegetable to replace potatoes and as a border for stews, goulashes, etc. pimento sandwiches use one tall or two small cans of pimentos. one cup of cottage cheese, one onion. put the pimento, cheese and onion through the food-chopper and then add four tablespoons of salad dressing and use for sandwich filling. baked apples pare and core apples and then place in muffin pans and add two tablespoons of syrup, one tablespoon of water, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. bake in a moderate oven until the apples are tender and then cool. to serve: lift the apples into a small platter and cover with a fruit meringue and then sprinkle with cocoanut. spiced apples place six medium-sized apples in a casserole and then add one piece of stick cinnamon, broken into pieces, four cloves, two allspice, two blades of mace, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, three-quarters cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of cider. bake until tender and then serve cold. calas the old negro women of the old french quarters in new orleans used to make a delicious rice cake, which they carried in bowls on their heads. the bowls were covered with an immaculately clean cloth and the cakes were called bella cala--tout chaud of new orleans. how to make this delicious rice cake (use level measurements) wash one-half cup of rice and cook until tender in two and one-half cups of boiling water. now cool and mash the rice well. now dissolve one-half yeast cake in one-half cup of water degrees fahrenheit and pour into a bowl, and add one-half teaspoon of salt, four tablespoons of sugar, one-half cup of sifted flour, the mashed rice. beat well to mix and then cover and let rise over night. in the morning add two well-beaten eggs, five tablespoons of sugar, four tablespoons of flour, one teaspoon of nutmeg. beat well and then let rise for three-quarters of an hour in a warm room. now place in the pan one and one-half cups of vegetable oil. heat until hot enough to brown a crust of bread while you count forty. drop the rice mixture in by the spoonful and fry until golden brown. lift to a soft paper to drain. dish on a hot platter; cover with warm napkin. dust with pulverized sugar and nutmeg. apple and rice custard wash six tablespoons or two ounces of rice in several waters and then place in a saucepan and add two cupsful of boiling water. cook until the water is absorbed and the rice soft. now wash, then cut into small pieces four small apples and then cover the apples with cold water and cook until soft. rub through a fine sieve and add one-half cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla, one well-beaten egg, the cooked rice. beat to mix and then pour into the custard cups and bake for fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. sardine sandwiches open a box of sardines and then drain free from oil. remove the skin and bone and then mash very fine. add two hard-boiled eggs, one green pepper, one-quarter onion. chop all fine and mix to a paste with six tablespoons of salad dressing, one-half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of paprika. spread between the prepared bread and then cut into two pieces. wrap in wax-paper until needed. my ideal apple sauce wash one-quarter peck of apples and then cut in pieces and place in a saucepan and add three cups of water. cook until soft and then rub through a fine sieve. sweeten with one cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of vanilla. if red apples are used, this makes a most delicious pink-looking sauce. no need to peal or core apples. apple croquettes wash and cut into small pieces six medium-sized apples and then place in a saucepan and add one cup of water; cook slowly until the apples are soft, and then rub through a fine sieve and add one-half cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of grated rind of lemon, two and one-half cups of bread crumbs, one-half cupful of finely chopped raisins. mix thoroughly and then mould into croquettes and roll in flour, then fry until golden brown in hot fat. serve with a custard sauce. salmon sandwiches open and drain a can of salmon and then remove the skin and bones. place the salmon in a bowl and add one onion, grated, one-quarter cup of finely chopped parsley, one-half cup of salad dressing, juice of one-half lemon. mix and then prepare the bread. place a leaf of lettuce on the bread and then spread the prepared filling, season and place the top slice of bread in position and cut into triangles. oranges the first orange crop of the season usually reaches the market about the end of october. the early floridas are first, and they are closely followed by the arizona navels, and just before christmas comes the bulk of california and florida oranges. orange syrup grate very lightly the rind from one dozen oranges and then place three pounds of sugar and the grated rind and the juice of oranges in a clean aluminum saucepan. place where it will heat very slowly and then the sugar will melt. stir frequently and do not let it boil. cover closely and then strain into sterilized bottles. place the bottles in a hot-water bath and process for forty minutes. place the corks in the bottles and when cool dip in melted sealing wax. this recipe may be divided. to be used for making drinks, sauces, etc. orange juice place in a bowl juice of twenty-five oranges, grated rind of ten oranges, one pound sugar and then allow to stand for three hours. strain and fill into sterilized bottles and process for forty minutes in a hot-water bath. cork, and then finish like orange syrup. note.--soak the cork in boiling water for one hour to soften. this will permit you to use a slightly larger cork and insure a good closing. to use orange syrup: place four tablespoons in a glass and then fill with carbonated water. to use orange juice for making orangeade, dilute with equal parts of water and juice and chill, then serve. scotch orange marmalade cut twelve oranges in half and then with a sharp knife cut into thin paper-like slices and remove all the seeds. place in a preserving kettle and add five pints of cold water. set aside for twelve hours and then bring to a boil and cook until the fruit is tender. add the juice of four lemons and five cups of apple sauce and then bring to a boil and measure. add three-quarters cup of sugar for every cup of mixture. return to the kettle and bring to a boil. cook until it forms a very thick jam, or until degrees fahrenheit is reached on the candy thermometer. orange preserve in syrup pare and separate nine oranges into sections, taking care to break as little as possible. now place two pints of water, four pounds of sugar in a preserving kettle and bring to a boil. cook for fifteen minutes and then add the oranges and cook until the oranges are tender. lift the oranges into a jar and bring the syrup to a boil. pour over the fruit and then seal and store in a cool, dry place. any syrup left over may be used on cereal or hot cakes. orange salad remove the peel from four oranges and then separate the carpels and cut with a sharp scissors into pieces. place in a bowl and add one cup of cocoanut. toss the bowl gently to coat the fruit with the cocoanut and then fill into a nest of salad, and serve with orange dressing. orange soufflÃ� juice of three oranges, one-half cup of water, one-half cup of sugar, five level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch and sugar in the water and then add the juice and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then cool. now add the yolks of two eggs, one orange cut in tiny pieces. beat to mix and then carefully cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. pour into a well-buttered soufflé dish and set in a pan of warm water. bake in a moderate oven until firm in the centre. serve warm, with orange syrup for a sauce. orange cream pie line a pie tin with plain pastry and then place in a saucepan one cup of milk, one-half cup of water, juice of three oranges, grated rind of one-half orange, six level tablespoons of cornstarch, three-quarters cup of sugar. dissolve the cornstarch and the sugar in the water and add the milk and fruit juice. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, partly cool and then add one whole egg, yolk of one egg. beat to thoroughly blend and then pour into prepared tins and bake in a very slow oven for thirty minutes. cool and cover with a fruit meringue, using one-half glass of orange marmalade and the white of one egg, beaten until it forms a very stiff meringue. orange and rice custard wash one-half cup of rice and then cook until tender in three cups of water and the water is absorbed. now add grated rind of one orange, three oranges cut in tiny pieces, three-quarters cup of sugar. mix thoroughly and then place in a bowl two cups of milk, yolks of two eggs. beat to mix and then pour over the prepared rice. mix thoroughly and then pour in either individual custard cups or into a baking dish. set in a pan of warm water and then bake for thirty minutes in a moderate oven. cool and serve with orange whip. one glass of orange marmalade, whites of two eggs. beat with a dover egg-beater until very stiff and then pile on rice. spiced prunes prepare one pound of prunes for cooking and then place in a casserole dish and add one cup of water, one-quarter cup of vinegar, one cup of brown sugar, one piece of stick cinnamon, six cloves, four allspice, two blades of mace, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. cook slowly until the prunes are tender and then drain the syrup and boil ten minutes before pouring over the prunes. serve cold as a condiment with meat. orange dressing juice of two oranges, grated rind of one-half of an orange, one-half cup of cold water, one-half cup of sugar, two tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the sugar and the starch in water and add the fruit juice and the grated rind. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, and then remove from the fire and drop in yolk of one egg. beat well to mix. now beat the white very stiff, and then beat into the mixture and then chill and serve. orange betty pare and cut into dice three oranges. place in a bowl and add one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, one cup of boiling water. mix, let cool, and then add one well-beaten egg, three-quarters cup of milk, three tablespoons of shortening, one-half cup of syrup, one-half cup of sugar, three teaspoons of baking powder, six tablespoons of flour. mix thoroughly and then pour into either individual custard cups or into a pudding mould and set in a pan of hot water. if the betty is put in custard cups, grease them well and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. if put into a mould, bake for one hour. orange fritters pare three oranges and then with a sharp knife cut into one-half inch slices. dip the slices in flour, then into a batter, and fry until golden brown in hot fat. the batter break one egg in a cup land then fill with milk. place in a bowl and add one and one-half cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of sugar. serve orange fritters with orange dressing or orange syrup. baked prunes prepare one-half pound of prunes for cooking and place in a casserole dish. add one-half of an orange cut in thin paper-like slices. cover the dish and place in an oven to bake very slowly. now if the prunes are soaked early in the morning and then prepared for baking and placed in the oven when the fire is slacked off for the night, they will be done very nicely in the morning. this long, slow cooking is just what the prune requires. prune salad prepare the prunes as for stuffing and then place one-half cup of cottage cheese in a bowl and add one green pepper chopped fine, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. blend thoroughly and then fill into the pitted prunes. now arrange the stuffed prunes upon crisp lettuce leaves and sprinkle with lemon juice. serve with either paprika or mayonnaise dressing. this is very nice for luncheon or supper served as a salad. california prune cake one cup of sugar, six tablespoons of shortening. cream well until light and creamy and then add yolks of two eggs, one cup of water, two and three-quarters cups of flour, two level tablespoons of baking powder, one level tablespoon of mace. beat to thoroughly blend and then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs. now line a cake pan with greased paper and pour in a layer of the cake batter. spread evenly. now spread a layer of finely chopped nuts and then a layer of well-drained and cooked prunes that have been chopped fine. cover with a layer of the cake batter and then repeat this until the pan, is three-quarters full. then dust the top of the cake lightly with sugar. place in a moderate oven and bake for one hour. cool, and then ice with icing made of three-quarters cup of xxxx sugar, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and sufficient boiling water to moisten. then spread on the cake. prune and nut jelly soak three level tablespoons of gelatine in one-half cup of cold water for one-half hour. now stone sufficient prunes to measure one cup. add one-half cup of finely chopped nuts, one-half cup of sugar, one cup of prune juice, juice of one lemon. now place the gelatine in a hot-water bath and then strain into the prune mixture. stir until thoroughly mixed and then pour into moulds. set aside to mould and then serve with fruit whip. prune delicacies wash the prunes thoroughly and then drain and turn on a cloth to dry. remove the stones and fill the centres with a mixture of chopped nuts and ginger. roll in granulated sugar. prunes may be filled with fondant or fudge. prune charlotte soak three level tablespoons of gelatine in one-half cup of cold water for one-half hour. then set in hot water bath to melt. strain into a bowl and add one cup of prune juice, juice of one lemon, one-half cup of sugar. heat to dissolve sugar and then cool before adding to the gelatine. now place a few spoonfuls of the prepared gelatine mixture in a mould and turn to thoroughly coat the mould. then line the mould with cooked and stoned prunes. pour a few spoonfuls of the gelatine mixture over the prunes and set them in place before pouring in the remainder of the mixture; then set aside to mould. when ready to serve unmould on platter and serve with prune sauce. prune sauce rub one cup of cooked and stoned prunes through a fine sieve and add one cup of prune juice, juice of one lemon, six tablespoons of sugar. heat to dissolve sugar and then cool before serving. rhubarb to cook rhubarb, cut it into inch pieces and remove the stringy peel. cook in a glass or earthen casserole dish in the oven until it is soft, adding just enough sugar to sweeten. this will give you a splendid product. do not use the leaves of the rhubarb. and do not cook rhubarb in tin; the mineral salt or acid content of the fruit reacts upon the metal and sets up an active poison. to cook rhubarb for pies prepare the rhubarb and then sprinkle well with flour and add sugar, and cook slowly until tender. the flour will thicken the mixture. then pour into the prepared pie plate and cover with pastry. bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. pie made in this way will be far superior to that made where the rhubarb is cut and placed in the pie and then cooked. rhubarb and raisin conserve wash and peel and then cut the rhubarb into one-half inch pieces. measure one quart of the cut pieces and place in a baking dish, adding one cup of seeded raisins, two cups of sugar. do not add water; cover and cook until the fruit is tender, usually about forty minutes. rhubarb fruit sauce place the whites of two eggs in a bowl and then add one-half glass of jelly. beat until very stiff and then add one cup of very thick rhubarb sauce. rhubarb shortcake place two cups of flour in a bowl and add one teaspoon of salt, four teaspoons of baking powder, one-half cup of sugar. sift to mix and then rub in six tablespoons of shortening. mix to a dough with two-thirds cup of milk. cut with a large cookie cutter and then bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. split and butter, and then fill with the cooked rhubarb and serve with either plain or whipped cream or custard sauce. rhubarb cocktail place three tablespoons of rhubarb conserve in a cocktail glass. add layer of thinly sliced bananas and then a layer of shredded orange. sprinkle with powdered sugar and top with whipped cream or stiffly beaten white of egg. garnish with maraschino cherries. rhubarb puffs three-quarters cup of sugar, one-half cup of water, five tablespoons of shortening. place in a bowl and then add one egg, two cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, one cup of finely chopped rhubarb (raw). beat to mix and then fill into well-greased custard cups and bake for thirty minutes in a hot oven. vermont rhubarb griddle cakes soak stale bread in cold water to soften. press very dry and then rub through a fine sieve. now measure two cups and place in a bowl and add one and one-half cups of sweetened rhubarb, one egg, one and three-quarters cups of sifted flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of shortening. mix well and then bake on a griddle and serve with sugar, cinnamon and butter or syrup. rhubarb gelatine two cups of cold, cooked and sweetened rhubarb. add four level tablespoons of gelatine, juice of one orange, one-half cup of water. add the gelatine to the mixture and then set aside for one-half hour to soften. then heat slowly until the boiling point is reached, remove from the fire and pour into moulds. let set until firm and then unmould and serve with whipped cream. use a china or earthenware mould. rhubarb and tapioca pudding wash one-half cup of pearl tapioca in plenty of water to remove the starch. place in a glass or earthenware baking dish and add four cups of cooked and sweetened rhubarb. cook in the oven until the tapioca is transparent or soft. place a meringue made of the white of one egg on top. cool, and then serve. rhubarb dumplings roll the pastry out one-quarter inch thick and then cut into four-inch squares. fill with pieces of rhubarb cut in one-half inch pieces, adding tablespoons sugar. fold the dough over, pressing it tightly, and then brush with egg-wash and bake in a slow oven for thirty minutes. ginger jelly soak one-half package of gelatine in one cupful of cold water for thirty minutes and then add juice of one lemon, one orange, one-half cup of sugar, one cup of boiling water. beat thoroughly to mix and then let cool. just before it begins to thicken stir in one-half cup of finely chopped candied ginger. ginger cream soak one-half box of gelatine in one and one-half cups of cold milk for one-half hour. now add one-half cup of sugar and set in a pan of warm water. stir until gelatine is dissolved and then set aside to cool. while cooling place white of one egg, one-half glass of jelly in a bowl and beat with a dover egg-beater until light and fluffy. add one-half cup of finely shredded candied ginger and then cooled gelatine. whip until it begins to thicken and then pour into moulds to become firm. note.--do not add the gelatine mixture to the fruit whip until just before it thickens. ginger delicacies the west indians make and serve many delicious desserts and conserves made with ginger. either the prepared ginger in pots may be used or the ordinary ginger root may be obtained from the grocery shops. ask for stem ginger, as this kind is less apt to be stringy and coarse. to prepare: soak the ginger in warm water over night and then in the morning wash, using a vegetable brush. now scrape well and then place in fresh water enough to cover--and cook gently on the back of the stove until tender. or it may be placed in the fireless cooker over night. when the root is tender, place three cupfuls of sugar, three-quarters cup of water, juice of one lemon in a saucepan and bring to a boil. cook for ten minutes and then add the ginger. now place where it will just keep warm and simmer until the syrup is absorbed. remove and stand in a cool place for two days. reheat and then drain on a sieve and roll in sugar. pack in an air-tight tin box and the ginger will keep indefinitely. pineapple mousse drain and mince sufficient pineapple fine to measure two cups. put through a fine sieve and then place in a bowl; place whites of two eggs in a second bowl and add one glass of apple jelly. beat until very stiff. whip one cup of cream stiff and add one-half cup of sugar. gently combine the fruit whip, whipped cream and puree of pineapple by cutting and folding until well mixed. pour into two-quart mould and cover with wax paper; then place on the lid, and use one pint of salt to two and one-half pints of finely crushed ice, to set the mousse to freeze. to stuff dates with ginger remove the stones from the dates and then fill the centre with a piece of candied ginger. press firmly and then roll between the hands to restore to shape of date. roll the finished date in granulated sugar. prunes may be used to replace the dates. eggless mayonnaise place in soup plate two tablespoons evaporated milk, one-half teaspoon mustard, one-half teaspoon paprika. blend by beating with fork and when smooth add slowly three-quarters cup of salad oil. beat hard for few minutes. now add one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon vinegar. then beat again until thoroughly mixed. cooked salad dressing one-half cup of vinegar, three-quarters cup of water, three level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the water and add the vinegar and bring to a boil. cook for three minutes and then remove, and add one egg, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three-quarters teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of sugar. beat to mix and then beat in one cup of sour cream. this dressing may be used on potatoes, chicken and celery salad and with cold meat or plain lettuce. frozen lemon custard place in a saucepan one quart of milk, one-half cup of cornstarch. stir until dissolved and then bring to a boil. cook for ten minutes. remove from the fire and add three well-beaten eggs. beat to thoroughly mix, then cool. now grate the rind lightly from one lemon. place in a bowl and add juice of three lemons, juice of one orange, one and one-half cups of sugar. blend well and when ready to freeze beat the lemon mixture into the custard. add the lemon mixture very slowly. freeze in the usual manner, using three parts of ice to one of salt. pack, and then set aside for two hours to ripen. ginger-ale salad soak four tablespoons of gelatine in four tablespoons of cold water for twenty minutes. now add to the gelatine one-half cup of boiling ginger-ale. stir until gelatine is dissolved and then strain. add the balance of the one pint bottle of ginger-ale. let cool, and then rinse off mould in ice water to thoroughly chill, and then coat the mould with the gelatine by pouring in about one-quarter cup and turning the mould until it is thoroughly coated. now place pieces of preserved ginger in designs in the bottom of the mould, also using a few maraschino cherries. pour a little gelatine over this and then when firm pour in sufficient gelatine to form a layer. repeat this until the mould is filled. in warm weather pack the mould in salt and ice mixture for quick results. egg salad shred one head of lettuce very fine and then place in a bowl and add one onion, one green pepper, chopped very fine, one cooked carrot, diced, one cup of mayonnaise. mix and then garnish with four hard-boiled eggs, cut in slices. dust with paprika. thousand island dressing one-half cup salad oil, juice of one lemon, juice of one orange, one-half green pepper, chopped fine, one-half medium sized onion, chopped fine, two teaspoons salt, one teaspoon paprika, one-half teaspoon mustard, one pimento chopped fine. blend well. salad dressing to make mayonnaise dressing, break one egg in a bowl and then add two teaspoons of vinegar, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard. beat with dover beater to mix and then have some one pour in slowly one cup of oil while you beat the mixture with a steady motion. cucumber salad pare the cucumbers and then cut into thin slices and cover with two tablespoons of salt and cracked ice for one hour. wash and then drain. now shred fine the coarse green leaves of the lettuce. arrange the cucumbers on the prepared lettuce and serve with sour cream dressing. fruit salad pare and cut into dice two oranges, two apples, three bananas. place in a bowl and add one cup of cocoanut and toss gently to mix. now place in a nest of lettuce. prepare a fruit salad dressing of one cup of sugar, one cup of water, juice of one orange, juice of one lemon, three level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the sugar and starch and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then remove from the fire, and add yolk of one egg. beat hard to mix and then fold in the stiffly beaten white of one egg. cool, and then pour over the fruit salad. garnish with maraschino cherries. this amount of salad will serve eight persons. coleslaw shred a head of cabbage fine and place in salted water for one-half hour. drain well and then add two green peppers, chopped fine, one cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of paprika, one-quarter cup of vinegar. mix. salmon salad open a can of salmon and then drain and remove the bones and add two green peppers, chopped fine, one onion, chopped fine. mix, shred the coarse outer green leaves of the lettuce fine and then line a bowl with crisp lettuce. place the shredded lettuce in the nest and then the prepared salmon. serve with sliced hard-boiled egg and mayonnaise dressing. poached eggs on french toast trim the crust from slices of bread and then dip in the following: one cup of milk, one egg. beat to mix and then fry the bread until golden brown in hot fat. poach the eggs and then lift on a napkin to drain. then roll gently on the french toast. cover with a cream sauce and garnish with finely shredded parsley. pickled eggs hard boil one-half dozen eggs. cook until tender one bunch of beets. turn into a pan of cold water and then remove the skins and cut into thick slices. place in a dish and add four large onions, cut in thin slices. now place in a saucepan four tablespoons of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one cup of vinegar, one-half cup of water. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. pour over the beets. add the hard-boiled eggs. omelet place the yolks of three eggs in a bowl and add two tablespoons of milk, one-half cup of prepared bread crumbs, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and then place four tablespoons of shortening in a frying pan. when fat is smoking hot pour in the omelet and cook gently until firm, then turn either by lifting or rolling, using the cake-turner or a spatula, or it can be turned into another hot pan, containing one tablespoon of shortening, then fold and roll. how to prepare the bread: soak stale bread in hot water to soften and then place in a cloth and squeeze very dry. deviled eggs, parisienne boil one egg hard for each person, cut in half, cutting the length of the egg. rub the yolks through a fine sieve into a bowl and then add to every six eggs one-half cup of finely chopped ham, one onion, grated, one green pepper, chopped fine, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, six tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing. mix and then fill back into the whites of the eggs. mould up very high and then roll in finely grated cheese and dust with paprika. roll in wax-paper. set in ice-box until ready to serve. baked omelet place in a bowl yolks of four eggs, one cup of thick cream sauce, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. beat to mix thoroughly and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. pour in a baking or casserole dish and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the centre. garnish with strips of bacon and serve with cheese sauce. to make cheese sauce: place three tablespoons of grated cheese in a cup of cream sauce. moravian omelet soak one-half cup of sifted stale bread crumbs in one-half cup of milk, adding one-half teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, three well-beaten eggs. mix thoroughly and then heat four tablespoons of shortening in a frying pan until smoking hot and then pour in the mixture. reduce the heat and cook until set. fold and turn and then roll. turn on a hot platter. this amount will serve two persons. cheese cutlets place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of milk, nine level tablespoons of flour. stir to dissolve the flour and then bring to a boil. cook for two minutes and then add one-quarter pound of cheese, cut fine. stir until the cheese is melted and then remove from the fire and add one small onion grated, one teaspoon of paprika, one and one-half teaspoons of salt. turn on a greased platter and set to cool. mould. it takes about four hours to become firm enough to mould into cutlets. mould into shape and then roll in flour and dip in beaten egg, then in fine crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. garnish with watercress. country cheese sandwiches place one cup of country or buttermilk cheese in a bowl and add one-half cup of thick mayonnaise, one onion, chopped very fine, one green pepper, chopped very fine, two teaspoons of salt, two teaspoons of paprika, one-half teaspoon mustard. mix thoroughly and then spread the rye bread with english butter, and then spread the filling between the slices of bread and cut into finger-width strips. cheese sandwiches place in a bowl one-half cup of grated cheese, and then add one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced green peppers, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, six tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing. mix thoroughly and then spread between the bread as prepared for bread and butter sandwiches. a few pointers about vegetables do not oversalt vegetables. never salt while cooking; too much salt not only toughens the delicate fibres but also neutralizes the valuable mineral content. add just sufficient boiling water to cover and then bring to a boil. then cook slowly until tender. do not cover the saucepan in which the vegetables are cooking. this condenses the steam which contains the volatile oils and thus darkens the vegetable. puree of peas rub one cup of cooked peas through a sieve and add one cup of milk, one-half cup of water, one tablespoon of cornstarch, one teaspoon of grated onions, one teaspoon of finely chopped parsley. dissolve the starch in the water and add the balance of the ingredients to the pea puree. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. season with salt and pepper and serve with croutons or toast, slices of bread cut in half-inch blocks. pea souffle place in a bowl one cup of thick cream sauce, and then rub four tablespoons of cooked peas through a sieve. now add five tablespoons of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of grated onion, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, yolks of two eggs. beat to mix, then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs. pour into a greased baking dish and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the centre. serve at once. this dish replaces meat. pea pudding put four tablespoons of peas through a sieve and then place in a bowl and add one cup of thick cream sauce, four tablespoons of fine bread crumbs, one well beaten egg, one teaspoon of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of grated onions, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of salt. mix to blend, then pour in well-greased custard cups. bake until firm in the centre. serve in cups, or turn out on a slice of toast and cover with cream of hollandaise sauce. note.--set the pudding in a pan containing warm water while baking. baked dried corn soak one and one-half cups of corn over night and then in the morning drain and place in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. simmer slowly until tender and then drain and season with one small onion, minced fine, two tablespoons of dried parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper. place in a casserole dish and cover with one and a half cups of cream sauce. sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and one tablespoon of finely grated cheese. bake for twenty minutes in the oven. this dish replaces meat for luncheon. squash squash au gratin wash, pare and cut the squash into pieces, discarding the seeds. steam until tender and then drain well and stand on the back of the range to dry. now rub the pulp through a sieve. measure and add to each cup of pulp one well-beaten egg, two tablespoons of butter, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of milk, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley. pour into well-greased baking dish and cover with fine bread crumbs and two tablespoons of grated cheese. bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes. squash cakes wash and cut the squash into pieces and then cook until tender in boiling water, then drain and rub pulp through sieve. now measure and place in a bowl one cup of prepared squash, one well-beaten egg, one tablespoon of shortening, one-half cup of milk, one and one-half cups of flour, two tablespoons of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of minced parsley. beat to mix and then bake as if for griddle cakes on a hot griddle. serve with maple syrup. squash souffle one cup of prepared squash pulp, one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of melted butter, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one cup of very thick cream sauce, yolks of two eggs. beat to blend and then carefully fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. pour into well-greased individual custard cups and set in a pan of warm water. bake slowly in a moderate oven until firm in the centre, usually about twenty minutes. let stand about three minutes after removing from the oven and then turn on a slice of toast and cover with cheese sauce and serve. squash italienne one and one-half cups of prepared squash pulp, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two tablespoons of finely minced onions. mix thoroughly and then dice two ounces of salt pork. brown the salt pork nicely and then drain off about one-half of the fat in the pan. turn the squash mixture on the salt pork and heat and serve. squash pie wash and then cut the squash into pieces and then boil until tender and drain; rub the pulp through sieve. measure, and to each cup add one cup of sugar, two tablespoons of melted butter, two well-beaten eggs, one cup of milk, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. beat well to mix and then pour in a pie tin which has been lined with plain pastry. sprinkle one-half cup of currants over the top and bake for one-half hour in a slow oven. baked squash cut a slice from the top of the squash and remove the seeds and the string fibre. now add one tablespoon of melted butter, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. cover closely with a lid and then bake in a slow oven until the pulp is tender, usually about thirty minutes. remove the lip and scoop out the pulp with a spoon, piling it into a hot vegetable dish, and garnish with finely chopped parsley and then serve. squash biscuit place in a bowl three and one-half cups of sifted flour, one teaspoon of salt, five teaspoons of baking powder. sift to mix and then rub in five tablespoons of shortening and mix to a dough with one cup of prepared squash pulp. work to a dough and blend evenly, then roll out on a slightly floured board three-quarters of an inch thick. cut and brush the tops with milk and bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. squash may be used to replace potatoes when making bread. add one cup of squash pulp to ginger-bread, or when making small cakes it will be found to be delicious when used this way. omelet in tomato cases select firm tomatoes and then cut a slice from the tops and with a spoon carefully remove the centres. place the tomato in well-greased custard cups and then break in a bowl four eggs; then add four tablespoons of water, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. beat to mix and then fill into the prepared tomato. sprinkle one teaspoon of fine bread crumbs on top of each tomato and add one teaspoon of butter, dash of paprika. set the custard cups in a baking pan and place in a hot oven and bake for twenty minutes. turn on a slice of toast and cover with cream sauce. baked tomatoes, chelsea select firm tomatoes and cut a slice from the tops and scoop out the centres with a spoon. now grease custard cups and place the tomatoes in the cups. now shred very fine one ounce of dried beef. divide into the four tomatoes. break in a mixing bowl two eggs. then add three-quarters cup of milk, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of grated onion, two teaspoons of finely minced parsley. beat to mix and then chop fine the pulp from the tomatoes. place one teaspoon of this pulp in each tomato. tomatoes, country style select smooth, firm tomatoes cut in half and then place in a deep dish. cover with cracked ice and serve with the following dressing: country dressing place in a bowl three tablespoons of salad oil, one tablespoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard. beat until creamy and then serve ice cold. tomato fritters select firm tomatoes and then cut in one-half inch slices. dip in the prepared batter and then fry until golden brown. serve with cream sauce. how to prepare the batter: place one egg in a bowl and add one cup of water, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. beat to mix and then add two tablespoons of grated onions, one and one-half cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder. beat to a smooth batter and then dip the tomatoes into it. fry quickly until golden brown. spinach let us first begin with the washing of the spinach. take your cleanser and scour out the sink and then scald it with boiling water. now place a clean cloth over the drain and turn the spinach into the sink. use plenty of lukewarm water to wash with. this is necessary to free these crinky little leaves from the sand and grit. now rinse in plenty of cold water to crisp it. shake the spinach dry and place in a deep saucepan and cover and then steam gently until tender. do not add any water. in this manner the spinach is virtually cooked in its own juices. now turn into a chopping bowl and chop fine and then rub through a coarse sieve and it is ready for use. you must prepare and cook the spinach early in the day, so that you will have time to properly prepare it, and then, when it is wanted, simply reheat it. spinach a la mode prepare and cook the spinach as given above and then turn into a sieve and let drain, with a weight, for three hours. now chop fine and then place one tablespoon of bacon or sausage fat in the frying pan and add one small onion, minced very fine, the prepared spinach. heat slowly until very hot and then season with salt and pepper. lift to a hot platter and garnish with a slice of hard-boiled egg. spinach pudding cook the spinach as directed in the above methods and then add one cup of creamed sauce, one tablespoon of grated onion, one cup of fine bread crumbs, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then pour into well-greased baking dish and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. sunshine sauce for vegetables make a cream sauce, using one and one-half cups of milk, seven tablespoons of flour. place in a saucepan and stir until dissolved, using a fork or wire whip. bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then add one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, two tablespoons of grated onion, two well-beaten eggs. mix thoroughly and then serve with baked peppers. souffle of spinach cook the spinach as directed in the method and then place one cup of spinach in a bowl and add yolks of two eggs, one cup of very thick cream sauce, one tablespoon of grated onion, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly, and then carefully fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and then pour into well-greased baking dish. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes and serve with cheese sauce in place of meat for luncheon. spinach nests cook spinach as for spinach à la mode and then chop fine and mould into nests. place on a slice of bread and then break an egg into each nest and cover with two tablespoons of well-seasoned cream sauce and one teaspoon of grated cheese. place on a baking sheet in a moderate oven for twelve minutes and serve with cream sauce for luncheon in place of meat. spinach with hollandaise sauce cook the spinach as given in the method and then when ready to serve, reheat and make the hollandaise sauce as follows: five tablespoons of salad oil, three tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of water, one teaspoon of grated onion, one-half teaspoon of paprika. place in a small saucepan and bring to the boiling point, and then add the yolk of egg. stir until thick and then add sufficient salt to taste. pour over the spinach when ready to serve. spinach balls prepare spinach as for spinach à la mode and then place in a bowl and add one hard-boiled egg, chopped fine, one tablespoon of grated onion, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of salad oil. mix thoroughly and then form into balls and dip in beaten egg, and then roll in fine bread crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. serve with lamb chops. puree of spinach alsace rub one-half cup of spinach through a sieve and then place in a bowl and add one cup of thick brown gravy, one teaspoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of grated cheese, one well-beaten egg, five tablespoons of fine bread crumbs. mix and then pour into custard cups. bake in a moderate oven eighteen minutes. this will replace meat for luncheon. cream sauce may be used instead of gravy. spinach salad prepare the spinach as for spinach à la mode and then chop fine and place in a bowl, and add one small onion, chopped fine, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. mix, and then pack in demi-tasse cups to mould. turn on a bed of crisp lettuce leaves and serve with french dressing. spinach a la bourgeois to one-half cup of leftover spinach add one tablespoon grated onion, one cup of cream sauce, one hard-boiled egg, chopped fine, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. mix and then place in a baking dish and sprinkle with grated cheese. bake in a hot oven for eighteen minutes. serve in place of meat for luncheon. spinach--scotch style place in a bowl one cup of prepared spinach, three-quarters cup of thick brown gravy, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased baking dish and sprinkle two tablespoons of grated cheese and fine bread crumbs and then bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. how to prepare a stock pot select a pot that has a close-fitting lid and keep it for this purpose. the usual proportion is a one-gallon pot for a family of six. you will require one pound of bones to every quart of water, and one large onion, one medium sized carrot, one medium sized turnip, one faggot of soup herbs, also one and one-half pounds lean meat to every four quarts of water or less. have the butcher crack the bones well and then rinse them under cold water and place in the pot, together with meat and the seasoning. add the required amount of cold water and bring to a boil. cook very slowly for three and one-half hours. strain the liquid and discard the bones and vegetables. set the liquid aside to cool and remove the cake of fat when it hardens. now place the liquid in a saucepan and boil for twenty minutes. it may now be used for stock, soups, broths, gravies and sauces. cover the bones in the kettle with cold water again and add any leftover gravies, bits of meat, trimmings and bones that you may have on hand. cook slowly on the back of the range for four hours, and then strain, and to two quarts of this stock add one can of tomatoes, one cupful of diced carrots, one-half cup of diced onions, one-half cup of barley, one cupful of diced potatoes, one-half cup of diced turnips, one-quarter teaspoon of powdered thyme, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of dried celery leaves. cook slowly for one hour for a good vegetable soup. to give the soup body, add three-fourths cup of flour. dissolved in one cup of cold water. cook ten minutes and then serve. bean soup soak one pint of marrow-fat or soup beans over night. in the morning wash and place in soup kettle with two quarts of water, bring to a boil, turn in colander, and let drain and rinse under cold water. return to soup kettle and add four quarts of water, one faggot soup herbs, one teaspoon thyme, one cup finely chopped onions, one carrot cut in tiny dice. cook slowly for four hours, now mince one-half pound of salt pork fine, place in frying pan and cook slowly until nice brown; add to the bean stock, mashing beans well. serve. dried peas, lima beans, soy beans and lentil soup may be prepared in the same manner. bouillon two and one-half pounds shin beef with bone, one stock celery, one carrot, sliced thin, two onions, one clove, one bay leaf, one pound veal bones. remove bone and cut meat in small pieces, brown quickly in hot pan, place in soup kettle, and add vegetables cut in tiny dice and three quarts of cold water; bring slowly to a boil and cook slowly for three and one-half hours; strain through napkin, season and clarify white of egg and crushed egg shell. to clarify: set soup aside until cold, remove fat, return to stock pot, and add white of egg, crushed egg shell and one-half cup of cold water beaten together, then bring slowly to a boil, cook for five minutes and then add one-half cup of water--lift from stove, set aside to settle and strain through piece cheesecloth. mock turtle soup one calf's head. clean and thoroughly wash head, removing tongue and brains. place the head in stock pot, then add five quarts cold water, two carrots, cut in dices, three-quarter cup sliced onions, one fagot soup herbs, one-half teaspoon sweet marjoram, one-half teaspoon thyme, one-half cup celery leaves. bring to a boil and cook slowly until meat leaves the bones, lift head; cut part head in tiny dice, using about two cups of the meat; do not add to the mock turtle yet. now place in frying pan one-half cup of shortening, three-quarters cup of flour. brown flour a deep mahogany brown--add part of the stock to blend into thick sauce--bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes; then strain into the stock or mock turtle soup. now add one tablespoon salt, one teaspoon white pepper. simmer few minutes, strain through cheesecloth into bowl, set aside to cool, remove fat from top; now return stock to kettle and clarify as for bouillon; to serve reheat, add the chopped calf's head meat as prepared, juice of one-half lemon, two slices lemon cut in tiny pieces, two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. oxtail soup have butcher cut tail in pieces; soak ox-tail in warm water for one-half hour. wash and wipe dry, now roll each joint in flour, place one-half cup of shortening in soup kettle, add the ox-tails and brown well, then add one-half cup flour, browning a deep mahogany brown; now add three quarts cold water, one bunch soup herbs, four onions chopped fine, one carrot cut in dice, one teaspoon of thyme. cook slowly for three hours, season with pepper and salt and juice of one-half lemon. mulligatawny soup place in a saucepan three pints of chicken stock, one cup diced apples, four onions chopped fine, one carrot cut in dice, one clove, one-half teaspoon of thyme. simmer slowly for one-half hour. now place in frying pan four tablespoons bacon fat, one-half cup of flour, one-half teaspoon curry powder. blend together, and then add one pint of cold water, and as soon as it is thoroughly blended turn into the soup; stir to prevent lumping and bring quickly to a boil; cook ten minutes; strain through cheesecloth; add juice one-half lemon and one-half cup of finely chopped chicken meat. serve. french pea soup soak one cup of dried peas over night and then in the morning drain and place in a saucepan, adding two quarts of water. simmer gently until tender and then pass through a sieve and add two large onions, grated, two tablespoons of parsley, minced fine, six whole cloves, one small bay leaf, one-half cup of strained canned tomatoes. simmer slowly for thirty minutes and then serve with toasted strips of bread. faggot of soup herbs divide one leek into three parts and cut from the stem up. to this piece of leek add four branches of thyme, two branches of parsley, one piece of carrot, cut in a strip three inches long, two branches of celery, one small pepper pod. tie with a string and dry in a warm place. when dry put in a glass jar to be used as needed. many varieties of soups may be made from the plain stock with just a few minutes' work. clear tomato soup: to one quart of stock add one cupful of canned tomatoes, rubbed through a fine sieve. noodles, macaroni or any cooked vegetable may be added. for clear soup: add one teaspoon of kitchen bouquet and any desired vegetables to each quart of stock. when making cream soups, if you will add one cupful of prepared stock to each cup of milk, your soup will have a delicious flavor. stock may be made, filled into sterilized jars and then the rubber and lid adjusted; the soup may then be processed for three hours in a hot-water bath. remove from the bath, fasten the lids securely, and then test for leaks and store in a dry cool place. where there is a fire kept in the kitchen, it will not add to the costs to can soups, stocks, etc., for future use. pepper pot place in a saucepan two calves' feet, cut in pieces, one pound cooked honeycomb tripe, cut in small blocks, one cup of finely chopped onions, one bunch of soup herbs, one teaspoon of sweet marjoram, two whole cloves, two whole allspice, four quarts of water. bring to a boil and cook slowly for three hours. remove the calves' feet, remove meat from the fat, chop meat fine and return to soup, then add three cups of finely diced potatoes and tiny dumplings made as follows: place in a mixing bowl one cup of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one-half teaspoon of thyme, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of baking powder, four tablespoons of water. mix to a dough and then work well to blend. make into small balls the size of a large pea. drop into the pepper pot and cook for fifteen minutes. season with salt and pepper and then serve. fruit soup the french, swiss and danish housewives serve during the summer a delicious fruit soup. in normandy, during apple-blossom time, the petals of the fruit are picked as they fall and are used for fruit soup, blossom jelly and perfume and distilled water. how to make this soup you may use any fruit desired; wash to thoroughly cleanse, and to each pint of crushed fruit allow three pints of water. the fruit must be packed solidly. place in a kettle and cook until the fruit is soft and then rub through a fine sieve. now measure and add one-half cup of sugar, three tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in four tablespoons of cold water to each pint of the fruit puree. bring to boil and cook five minutes. remove from the fire and add yolk of one egg. beat very hard and then fold in stiffly beaten white of egg; season slightly with nutmeg, chill and serve. strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, cherries, grapes, currants, apples, peaches, pears, oranges, lemon and quinces may be used for these soups. they are delicious when served ice cold on a hot day. meats use oven for baking and boiling and then cook your meats in the old-fashioned english way by direct contact with the flame. this means that you must first place one quart of water and one tablespoon of salt in the broiler pan of the gas range; then place in the roast, steak or chops, upon the broiler; turn every few minutes. the roast must be placed farther from the flame to prevent burning. a good rule for this is to keep roasting meat four inches from the flame, steaks and chops two and one-half inches and fish three inches. the placing of water in the broiler pan prevents fat from catching fire. this liquid may be allowed to cool and then the fat may be removed and clarified and used for other purposes. baste roast with one pint of boiling water while cooking. roasting and baking meats roasting or grilling is done before open fire, the meat being turned frequently, so that all sides may be cooked alike. the meat is basted with its own fat. this method of cooking meat is used daily in europe, but not much used in this country. when a piece of meat is large it is roasted. meat cooked in an oven by radiated heat is frequently called in this country "roasting." it is well known and needs little description. when baking meat always use a wire rack to lift the meat from the bottom of the pan. this will insure even cooking. use the broiling oven in the gas range for roasting, placing rack sufficiently low. have the oven hot enough to brown the meat quickly, then reduce the heat so that it will cook evenly; turn the roast three times during this process. allow one-half an hour after placing meat in the oven before counting time. this is necessary so that the meat may reach the required temperature to start cooking. to bake (oven roast) use same process, using regular oven. start counting time after meat is one-half hour in oven and allow twelve minutes to the pound for very rare, fifteen minutes for rare, eighteen minutes for medium and twenty for well done. baste the meat with the liquid in the pan every fifteen minutes. do not add seasoning to the meat while cooking. it is a well-known fact that salt will cause the juices and flavoring of the meat to dissolve and therefore become lost. season steaks and chops just before serving. season roasts five minutes before removing from the oven. always make the gravy after removing the meat from the pan. note.--never dish meat on a cold platter. the contact of a cold dish with the hot meat will injure its delicate aroma. in many portions of france and england chops and steaks are served upon platters set over a bowl of hot water or a special fuel that can be burned in a container that holds the platter. when serving a large steak always have a cover of metal or another hot dish turned over the meat to prevent it chilling. correct method of boiling meat place the meat in a saucepan of boiling water and then keep the water boiling rapidly for five minutes after the meat is added. then place the saucepan in a position where it will cook just below the boiling point for the required length of time. constant and rapid boiling will cause the albumen in the meat to harden; therefore, no amount of cooking afterward will soften the fibre. it will only cause the meat to fall apart without being tender. it is important to keep the saucepan closely covered. this will prevent the delicate aroma from evaporating. braising: meat is placed in a hot saucepan and turned quickly and frequently. it is cooked in its own juices in a closely covered saucepan. steaming: cooking meat by placing in steam bath or steamer. grilling: cooking meat over a hot fire on a grill made for the purpose. broiling: a very hot fire is necessary for this mode of cooking meat. only the choicest, tenderest, and most delicate cuts are suitable for cooking by this method. the strong heat instantly coagulates the albumen by searing it, thus retaining all its juices and flavor. that this method may be successful it is very necessary that the meat be turned every few minutes. this also insures it being cooked evenly. pan broiling: this is another method of cooking the fine cuts of meat when it is not possible to broil them. broiled meat is more healthful and also less wasteful than any other form of cooked meat. to pan broil heat an iron frying pan red hot, then place in it the meat. turn it constantly. time for roasting meat in gas broiler beef, eighteen minutes to the pound. lamb and mutton, twenty-one minutes to the pound. veal, twenty-five minutes to the pound. chicken or duck, eighteen minutes to the pound without filling and twenty-five minutes to the pound with filling. fish, fifteen minutes to the pound. au gratin dishes, meat pie and various vegetables may be cooked at the same time. pork pork should be sweet-smelling--the fat clear white and flesh good pinkish color. loin for chops, crown roast. boiled pork plunge pork in boiling water and cook, allowing twenty-five minutes to the pound. to roast loin wipe with damp cloth, pat in plenty of flour, place in a roasting pan, place in hot oven for thirty minutes. now reduce heat to moderate and roast, allowing thirty minutes to the pound; baste with boiling water after meat is in oven one-half hour. fresh ham and shoulder may be roasted in same manner. spanish kidney stew cut three pork kidneys in one-inch pieces, rejecting the tubes and fat, and then soak in warm water and one tablespoon of lemon juice for one hour. drain, and then parboil and drain and blanch under cold water. now return to saucepan and add just sufficient boiling water to cover. cook until tender, and then add one-half cupful of chopped onions, two red or green peppers, chopped fine, one cupful of tomatoes, one-half cup of cornstarch dissolved in one-half cup of cold water. bring to boiling point and then add one cupful of cooked beans, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of thyme. heat to the boiling point and then serve. braised sweetbreads prepare sweetbreads as directed on page and then remove the tubes and fat and cut into slices. place two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan and add the sweetbreads and one tablespoon of grated onions, one cup of mushrooms, toss gently until nicely browned and then lift on squares of toast and cover with supreme sauce. sausage cakes one-quarter pound of pork sausage, one-half pound of hamburg steak, four onions, minced fine, three-quarters cup of prepared bread, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley. mix to thoroughly blend and then form into round sausages. roll in flour and brown quickly, and then add one-half cup of boiling water, one cup of canned tomatoes. bring to the boiling point and cook for five minutes. serve, lift the sausages on fried mush. to prepare the bread: soak stale bread in cold water until soft and then press very dry. measure and then rub through a fine sieve to remove the lumps. all the above may be cooked in the fireless cooker or in casserole dishes. mutton mutton is the dressed carcass of the full-grown sheep and is usually prime in animals from three to five years old. if any older than this it lacks flavor and is tough. the cuts of mutton and of lamb are the same, namely: the meat is divided into fore and hind quarters and then cut into the neck, shoulder, rack, breast, loin and leg. the shoulder and leg are used for roasting and may be boned and then filled and rolled. for choice rack, cut to the tenth rib as for the chops. three ribs and the neck for stewing, meat pies, goulashes, etc. the loin for chops. the french and english have methods of cutting and cooking mutton and lamb that made these cuts delicious. chops french chops: cut two ribs thick from the rack. english chops: cut two inches thick from the loin, including the kidney. to cook trim the chops free from excess fat and then baste with the juice of one lemon. place in a broiler and cook for ten minutes, turning them frequently. english dressing for lamb or mutton chops one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, two tablespoons of salad oil, one teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, juice of one-half lemon. blend well together and then spread lightly on both sides of the cooked chops. serve on a hot platter without gravy, with spiced grape or currant jelly. roast mutton trim to remove the excess fat and then dust with flour. place on the rack in the baking pan. place in a hot oven to brown for thirty minutes. baste every ten minutes with boiling water. cook the meat for eighteen minutes to the pound, not counting the first half hour in which the meat starts to cook. drain off the fat before making the gravy. mutton and lamb chops may be used for frying purposes. it can be blended with equal amounts of ham, bacon, pork or beef fat. save every bit of fat and use it for making soap. this fat makes a fine soft soap for scouring and cleaning. curry of mutton have the butcher cut the neck of mutton into cutlets and then wipe with a damp cloth and place in a saucepan, together with two medium sized onions, one carrot, cut in dice. gently brown the meat before adding any water. when meat is browned add two cups of boiling water. cook until tender and then season and thicken the gravy slightly with cornstarch. now add one-half teaspoon of curry powder. to serve, place a border of cooked noodles around the edge of a large platter and then lift the mutton curry in the centre and garnish with finely chopped parsley. goulash this is a characteristic dish of the balkan states. it is made by cutting one-half pound of lean beef (shin) into one-inch thick blocks and three-quarters of a pound of veal cut into small pieces. roll the meat in flour and then place in a stewing pan. cover with boiling water and cover closely. cook the meat until it is tender. remove the lid and boil the liquid quickly to reduce. now add: one-half cup of thick sour cream, one tablespoon of paprika, three tablespoons of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two teaspoons of salt. bring to a boil and then simmer for ten minutes. serve with fried noodles. sweetbread patties to make the patty shells place in a bowl two cups of flour and then add one teaspoon of salt, five teaspoons of baking powder. rub between the hands to mix and run into the prepared flour one-half cup of shortening. mix to a dough with a scant two-thirds cup of ice-cold water. turn on a floured moulding board and either roll or pat out one and one-quarter inch thick. cut as for biscuits, using a water glass to cut with. the biscuit cutter will not permit cutting with this thickness of dough. now use small cutter and cut out the centre, leaving about one-half inch thickness at the bottom and a wall one-half inch thick around the patty shell. place on a baking sheet and bake in a hot oven for eighteen minutes. then fill with braised sweetbreads. braised oxtails with baked dried peas soak one and one-half cups of dried peas over night and then in the morning parboil. place in a baking dish, together with one-half cup of chopped onions, two green peppers, chopped fine, two prepared oxtails, one cupful of tomatoes, two teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, and sufficient water to cover. bake in a moderate oven for three hours. to prepare the ox-tails have the butcher cut the tails in two-inch pieces and then soak for two hours in lukewarm water. wash well and parboil for fifteen minutes. chili of beef cut one pound of flank steak in one-inch blocks and then roll in flour and brown quickly in hot fat. now add six onions, chopped fine, three red pimentoes, chopped fine, one cup of tomatoes, one cup of water. cook slowly until meat is tender and then season with two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, and add one cup of cooked beans. heat to boiling point and then serve. meat loaf two cups of raw meat, minced fine, one cup of onions, chopped fine, two cups of cold cooked oatmeal, one teaspoon of thyme, one teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one-half cup of stock to moisten. mix thoroughly and then pack into a well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan. place this pan in a larger one containing water and bake in a slow oven for one hour. this dish will keep for one week in the icebox. it makes splendid sandwiches. select cut from neck then using meat for the loaf then cover the bones with cold water and then add two onions, one carrot, one fagot of soup herbs. cook slowly for one hour. use this liquid for a stock for making gravy. sweetbreads polaska select medium-sized sweetbreads, place the sweetbreads in cold water to soak, adding one teaspoon of lemon juice; soak for two hours and then wash and pat dry. remove the tubes and fatty particles and then place in a saucepan. cover with boiling water and cook for twenty minutes. blanch under cold running water and let cool. pat dry and then place in icebox until needed. prepare one pint of cream sauce as follows: place one pint of milk in a saucepan and add six tablespoons of flour. stir with a wire spoon or fork to dissolve the flour, then place on the stove and bring to a boil. now add one level tablespoon of salt. one level teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of lemon juice, one teaspoon of grated rind of lemon, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one well-beaten egg. beat to thoroughly mix; then add one cup of cooked peas, one tablespoon of grated onion, the prepared sweetbreads, cut into three-quarter inch pieces. mix thoroughly and then fill into the patty shells. sprinkle the top with fine bread crumbs; place and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. now while the patties are heating, peel and wash one-quarter pound of mushrooms, using the stem and button. parboil and then drain. pan for four minutes in a little butter and then serve as a garnish with the patties. creole beef have the butcher cut two pounds of shin beef, leaving the bone in. wipe it with a damp cloth and then pat into the meat one-half cupful of flour. melt five tablespoons of shortening in a deep saucepan, and when hot put in the meat. brown quickly and then turn on the other side. when both sides are browned add two cups of boiling water, one cup of chopped onions, two carrots cut in dice, one cup of canned tomatoes. bring quickly to a boil and cover closely and cook very slowly until tender, usually about two hours. season and then it is ready to serve; or the pot may be placed in a slow oven for three hours. shell fish shellfish includes crabs, both hard and soft shell, lobsters, shrimp, terrapin, green turtle, snapper, etc. all shellfish must be actively alive before cooking. this is the essential point and will prevent ptomaine poisoning. never cook shellfish if they are dead. remember, they are deadly. place a boiler of water on the stove and bring to a boil. add one tablespoon of red pepper and one cup of vinegar. to cook lobster, shrimp, crabs, etc., cover and cook rapidly for twenty-five minutes for the medium size, fifteen minutes for the small and thirty minutes for the large ones. when cooked, remove from the water and place under cold water. let cool. place on the ice until needed. to clean crabs break off the claws and then save the two large ones. then remove the apron pieces of the shell, like a plate under the eyes. break the shell apart and remove the spongy fingers, sandbag and eggs, if any. wash well. you now have white oval-shaped pieces of crab meat, that must be picked from its cells. split with a silver knife and use an oyster fork to pick out the meat. this can be used for au gratin, à la king, ravigotte, deviled crabs, salads, croquettes and crab cakes. crab meat the crab must be actively alive before cooking. to cook place a large boiler of water on the fire and bring to a boil; add to it one-half cup of vinegar, one teaspoon of cayenne pepper. then add the crabs and cover closely and boil for twenty minutes. count time when water boils after adding crabs. fried crab meat pick the meat from the cooked crabs and mince fine two ounces of bacon. place the bacon and one and one-half cups of crab meat and two tablespoons of grated onion in a hot skillet and cook until nicely browned. serve on toast and pour melted butter over the prepared crab meat. crab meat served in cream place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of milk, six level tablespoons of flour. stir to blend. bring to a boil and cook for three minutes. now add one and one-half cups of crab meat, one green pepper minced fine, one onion, grated, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, grated rind of one-quarter lemon, juice of one lemon, two tablespoons of butter. toss gently, cooking until well heated. serve in individual ramekins or small custard cups, dusting with paprika. fried crabs clean the cooked crabs and then cut a thin slice from the shell that contains the meat. dip the meaty part in a salad oil and fry until golden brown in hot skillet. ravigotte sauce one cup mayonnaise, one-half cup finely chopped young green onions, one-quarter cup finely chopped parsley, one-quarter cup finely chopped green peppers, one-quarter teaspoon mustard, one teaspoon paprika, one teaspoon salt. beat to mix. crab meat balls mince fine two ounces of bacon, two green peppers, one-half cup of canned tomatoes, pressed very dry, two tomatoes, three onions. brown the bacon quickly and then add the finely chopped peppers, tomatoes and onions. cook gently until soft and dry, then add one and one-half cups of crab meat, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. mix well and then form into balls the size of a fishcake and roll in flour, dip in beaten egg and fry until golden brown in hot fat. serve with tartare sauce. crab ravigotte serve crab meat in nests of crisp lettuce with ravigotte sauce. crab meat a la king place in saucepan or chafing dish one and one-half cups of thick cream sauce. add three-quarters cup of mushrooms, peeled and cut into tiny pieces and parboiled, two pimentos chopped fine, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon paprika, juice of one-half lemon, two cups or one-half pound of crab meat. peeled and cut into tiny pieces and parboiled. toss with fork to mix; heat to boiling point and serve with toast. tripe and oysters cut one-half pound of cooked tripe into small dice and place in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. cook for ten minutes and then drain and add one and one-half cups of thin cream sauce, one small onion, grated, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, twenty-five stewing oysters. bring to a boil and cook for eight minutes, then season with two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. grilled oyster on half shell allow four large oysters for each service. have the oysters opened on the deep shell and remove the oysters, wash free from bits of shell and then roll in grated cheese. replace on shell and then spread each oyster with one-half teaspoon of minced bacon. sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and then bake eight minutes in a hot oven or broiler. oysters on the half shell have the oysters opened on the deep shell and remove the oyster. look over carefully for bits of shell, and then prepare a mixture of one tablespoon of horse radish, grated, three tablespoons of catsup, one-half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix and dip oyster into the sauce, then roll in finely grated cheese. serve ice cold. oyster cocktail sauce for the cocktail can be made from one-half cup of finely chopped onions. place in a saucepan and cook until the onions are soft and then rub through a fine sieve and add one tablespoon of horseradish, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. beat to thoroughly mix and add five small oysters for each service. oyster pie make a pastry of one cup of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of baking powder. sift and then rub in four tablespoons of shortening, and then mix to a dough with five tablespoons of water. roll out one-half of the pastry one-quarter inch thick and then line a deep pie tin with the pastry. then place in layers of the oysters and season with salt, pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of finely minced parsley. now another layer of oysters and then the seasoning. now pour over all one cup of very thick cream sauce. roll out the balance of the pastry and cut in one-inch-wide strips. place lattice fashion over the tops of the pie and wash with water and bake in a hot oven for forty-five minutes. crab meat au gratin place in a bowl two cups thick cream sauce, one and one-quarter cups crab meat, one onion grated, three tablespoons finely minced parsley, one and one-half teaspoons salt, one-half teaspoon white pepper, one-half teaspoon paprika. mix with fork, turn into au gratin dish, sprinkle the top with fine bread crumbs, dot with bits of butter and then sprinkle two tablespoons grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven thirty-five minutes. to prepare cream sauce for à la king and au gratin dishes, use four level tablespoons flour to each cup milk. dissolve flour in cold milk, bring to boil, cook two minutes; it is then ready for use. soft shell crabs soft-shell crabs are shedders, that is, the crab has shed his shell and the new one is not yet hard. to clean, insert the finger under the apron-shaped piece and the back part of the shell and remove the spongy fingers, the entrails, etc. wash and drain well and then roll in flour, dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. place in a hot oven for ten minutes to cook. serve with tartare sauce. lobster lobster may be boiled, broiled and baked and may be served in same manner as crab meat. lobster a la newburg place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of milk, five tablespoons of flour. dissolve the flour in the milk and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then add one well-beaten egg, lobster meat, cut in one-inch blocks, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, juice one-half lemon. to broil lobsters split the live lobster in half. lay it on its back. do not cut the back shell through. remove the entrails and remove the vein through the tail. wash well and then brush with salad oil and place in broiler, shell side up, and cook for fifteen minutes. turn the flesh side up and baste with salad oil or melted butter. cook for twelve minutes and then remove and serve with melted butter, chili or tomato sauce. to boil plunge the lobster into boiling water and cook for twenty minutes, for medium lobster. cool, break apart, discard entrails and fine vein running down the centre of the tail. break open the claws and remove the meat. this meat and that of the belly and tail may be used for salads, ravigottes, au gratins, croquettes, cutlets, à la king and terrapin style. sauce to serve with fish--for boiled fish one cup of fish stock (court bouillon), one-half cup of milk, three level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the milk and then add the fish stock. bring to a boil and cook slowly for eight minutes. add one tablespoon of butter, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of grated onion, one well-beaten egg. beat thoroughly to mix and then bring to heating point. serve. tartare sauce for fried fish one cup of mayonnaise dressing, one medium sized pickle, chopped fine, one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of minced parsley, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of salt. blend well before serving. hollandaise sauce one-half cup of salad oil, one onion grated, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt, five tablespoons of vinegar. heat slowly until hot and then add yolks of two eggs. stir until thick and then add one tablespoon of finely minced parsley. if this should curdle, add two tablespoons of boiling water. beat hard. broiled shad roe wipe the roe and then parboil for five minutes. now wipe dry and then dust very lightly with flour and then brush with bacon fat. place on the broiler and cook for ten minutes. lift to a hot platter and spread with this sauce: place on a plate two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of lemon juice, one tablespoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely chopped onion, one teaspoon of salt. baked shad select a two and one-half pound shad. have the fish dealer clean and prepare it for baking. now prepare a filling as follows: place in a bowl one cup of breadcrumbs, two onions, chopped fine, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one-half teaspoon of thyme, one egg, two tablespoons of salad oil. mix well and then fill into the fish. sew the opening with a stout string and a darning needle. pat the flour into the fish. place in a baking pan and bake in a hot oven for one hour. baste every fifteen minutes with one cup of boiling water. now, if you place a strip of cheesecloth under the fish you will be able to lift it without breaking. use the leftover portions for shad au gratin for monday night's dinner. planked shad have the fish dealer split the shad for planking. soak the plank in cold water for two hours and then place the fish on the plank, and brush it with lemon juice. place in the lowest part of the broiler of the gas range. begin to baste with cold water after the fish has been in the oven for twelve minutes. allow thirty minutes for planking a two and one-half pound shad. long island deep sea pie grease a deep baking dish and then sprinkle with fine bread crumbs. now place a layer of finely diced potatoes in the bottom of the dish. next a layer of cooked fish, cut into pieces the size of a walnut. next a layer of sliced onions; then a layer of sliced tomatoes; repeat, making two layers. season each layer with salt, pepper and finely minced parsley. now prepare a sauce as follows: place one and one-half cups of milk in a saucepan, six level tablespoons of flour. stir until the flour is dissolved and then bring to a boil. remove from the fire and add two tablespoons of worcestershire sauce, one well-beaten egg. pour over the prepared pie. place a crust on top, making three or four gashes in it to permit the steam to escape. bake in slow oven one hour. appetizers the appetizer is a small morsel of food served at the beginning of the meal, causes a free flow of digestive juice and thus helps the digestion. during the growing season these canapés may be scullions, served icy cold, radishes, cold and crisp and cut into thin pieces, but still left on the stem; well-cleaned, crisp, crinkly watercress; coleslaw, with celery; coleslaw with green and red peppers or with scullions, or with bacon or ham nicely browned; or just a slice of full ripe tomato, spread with mayonnaise and dusted with grated cheese or paprika. many housewives have the impression that the preparation of the delicious accessories of the cosmopolitan meal is expensive. well, i hardly need tell you that the french housewife is noted for her thrift and that these dainty tidbits are frequently portions of leftovers from a meal, sometimes the scrapings of a saucepan or a tablespoon of meat, vegetables and gravy. have you ever had just a small piece of fish left over, entirely too small to serve by itself? and rather than leave it on a plate or saucer to form an accumulation you think, "well, i can't use it, so into the garbage it goes." now this tablespoon or two of fish would have made you a few delicious canapés; by flaking it and then putting it through a sieve. place it on a platter and then add two tablespoons of butter, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley. work to a smooth paste and then spread on a narrow strip of toast. garnish with a slice of hard-boiled egg. the canapé, though it bears a foreign name, is not necessarily an expensive addition to the menu for the family, nor is it elaborate. this delectable morsel is rather dainty, delicate and used as an appetizer that helps to start and stimulate the digestive juices and thus cause them to flow freely for the digestion of the food. canapés are usually served cold, on a plate covered with a doily; the canapé is placed on this. they need not all be alike; the bread may be cut with various sandwich cutters or it may be cut into finger widths and then toasted lightly and spread with the prepared paste. meat, chicken, cheese, nuts, olives, etc., may be used in place of the fish. if you have just a spoonful or so of peas, beans, spinach, cauliflower or asparagus you may use it in place of the fish, thus making a vegetable canapé. try two canned pimentos in place of either meat or fish. egg cutlets make a cream sauce, using six level teaspoons of flour to one cup of milk. dissolve the flour in the milk and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then cool and place in a bowl and add two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine and two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of finely grated onion, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter cup of fine bread crumbs. mix and then pour on well-greased platter. cool for four hours. to mould, form into shape and then dip in flour, then in beaten egg and then in fine bread crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat or vegetable oil. serve with tomato sauce. baked eggs in corn cases make ten corn muffins, from the following mixture: one and one-quarter cups of milk, one egg, two tablespoons of syrup, two tablespoons of shortening. beat hard to mix and then add one and one-quarter cups of sifted flour, three-quarters cup of cornmeal, five teaspoons of baking powder. beat thoroughly to mix and then pour into well-greased muffin pans and bake for thirty-five minutes in a hot oven. now cut from the top one slice from each of the four muffins and use a spoon to scoop out the centres. break an egg and then fill to the top with cheese sauce. sprinkle with bread crumbs and set in a baking pan and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with either cream or tomato sauce. spanish omelet beat whites of three eggs until stiff, then carefully cut and fold in yolks of three eggs. then when well blended, pour in hot frying pan containing three tablespoons of shortening; cook slowly, shaking frequently until mixture is dry on top. now spread with a filling prepared as follows: place in a bowl two tablespoons grated onion, one-half cup of well-drained tomatoes, four olives, chopped fine, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one-half teaspoon of paprika. cook this mixture in two tablespoons of shortening until hot, spread on omelet, fold and roll, turn on hot dish, sprinkle with paprika and garnish with finely chopped parsley. eggs a la grenadier cook three ounces of macaroni and then place in a bowl, and season highly. add one onion, chopped fine, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. now fill into five pimentos. place in a baking pan and bake for fifteen minutes. remove and then place on a hot platter, flattening well; then place one poached egg on each pepper. cover with cheese sauce and garnish with parsley. coddled eggs place a teaspoon of butter in an egg glass or custard cup. break in two eggs, then add one teaspoon of butter and place in a cup of cold water. bring to a boil and cook for three minutes. lift cups on saucers, dust the eggs lightly with paprika, and serve. use two eggs for each service. how to utilize and serve leftover food so there will be no actual waste has perplexed many young housewives, and as one woman writes me: "i try to keep down the leftovers, but every once in so often they just rise up and conquer me." every housewife knows that, no matter how carefully she plans there is sure to be a small quantity of leftover meat, gravy or vegetables. and just what to do with them is almost a daily problem. two essentials are necessary to successfully utilize leftovers: first, good seasoning; second, attractive appearance. the french excel in serving leftovers because they so thoroughly understand the art of flavoring and seasoning. the french housewife knows very well that she may only have a _pot au feu_ to serve to the family, but the family knows that the delicate, attractive manner in which the food is put on the table would appeal to the epicure, though the table is but a plain ash top, scoured to the whiteness of the snows. how to prepare a faggot of soup herbs place in separate piles: one branch of parsley, one-quarter leek, two branches of thyme, one-half carrot, cut lengthwise, one bay leaf. tie in bunches and then dry thoroughly and place in a fruit jar until needed. french seasonings each housewife prepares her own seasonings from her garden. you know, she grows them in the garden, and as the leaves become abundant she picks them each day, dries them thoroughly, and then places them in separate containers. she prepares the faggots of soup herbs and has them ready for instant use. garlic few american persons know of the garlic but as a rank, pungent flavor. to the foreigner garlic is as sweet tasting as the onion and its flavor delightful in food. just that dash that it needs to give it zest. separate a clump of garlic into cloves and then peel and place in a fruit jar. now bring one pint of white wine vinegar to the scalding point and then pour it over the garlic. place on the cover and set in a warm place for two days. use this vinegar for seasoning gravies and use the garlic, cut into tiny bits the size of a pinhead, for flavoring. for serving, use individual ramekin casseroles, baking shells, and thus make for efficient and quick handling of the food, in which the food itself is presented in a most attractive way. a good blend of seasoning is most important, so i am going to give you a french housewife's secret. mince four medium-sized onions very fine, then place in a bowl and add six tablespoons of salt, two teaspoons of paprika, one-half teaspoon of thyme, one-half teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one-quarter teaspoon of sage, pinch of cloves, pinch of allspice. rub together until thoroughly mixed and then put in a warm dry place for twenty-four hours. put through a fine sieve. place in a bottle and use one teaspoon of this mixture in place of salt. the average housewife seldom thinks of using such herbs as sweet basil, sorrel, tarragon, leek and chervil, yet they give a delicious flavoring not only to soups, stews, ragouts and goulashes, but to made dishes. they can be grown in the kitchen garden. a good sauce is important, and not only increases the portion, but also gives it an attractive appearance. leftover meats and vegetables may be turned into palatable food with just a little time and energy. the basis of all croquettes should be a good thick moulding sauce that will give a product that is creamy and delicious to taste. owing to the fact that croquettes and cutlets are usually fried in hot fat, it is not necessary to add either shortening or butter to the cream sauce. the true secret to good croquettes or cutlets is to have the mixture rich and creamy. mould into croquettes and then dip in flour and then in the egg mixture and finally roll in fine crumbs. now fry until golden brown in hot fat. how to make the foundation: place in a saucepan: one cup of milk, seven level tablespoons of flour, stir to dissolve the flour and then bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then add the flavoring and seasoning. set aside to cool and then mould. form into croquettes, roll in flour, dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine bread crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. nut and pepper croquettes two green peppers, two medium-sized onions, mince very fine and then parboil and drain. turn on a cloth and pat dry. place in a bowl and add one cup of cream sauce, made as given in the method, one-half cup of finely chopped nuts, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of grated cheese. mix thoroughly and then pour on a large platter and allow to cool, then finish as directed for cheese croquettes. lima bean croquettes wash and soak overnight three-quarters cup of baby lima beans. in the morning parboil until tender and then drain until very dry. now put one green pepper, two medium-sized onions, four pieces of bacon, through a food chopper. place in a pan and cook until the onions and peppers are soft. drain free from fat and then put the beans through the food chopper and add: the prepared peppers and onions and bacon, one teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce mix thoroughly and then mould into croquettes and dip in flour, then in beaten egg, and roll in fine bread crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. leftover meat may be minced fine and seasoned as follows: put a sufficient amount of cold cooked meat or fish through the food chopper to measure three-quarters cup and one large onion, four branches of parsley, place the mixture in a bowl and add one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one cup of cream sauce, made as directed in the method, then the finely chopped meat and one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce. mix thoroughly and then set aside to mould. form into croquettes and roll in flour, dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine bread crumbs. fry in hot fat. cold beef, lamb, chicken, veal, ham or crab meat or fish may be used for this delectable method of serving an entrée. nuts, eggs, cheese, both cottage or pot, and store cheese, may be used. dried peas, lima beans, navy and soy beans as well as cow peas and lentils will afford a splendid variety to the thrifty housewife who must provide cheap protein dishes. the difference between a croquette and a cutlet is just in the shape. croquettes are shaped either in the cylindrical or conical forms and cutlets in flat, either round, triangle or chop shape. to prepare the egg for dipping add four tablespoons of evaporated milk and beat hard to thoroughly blend. place croquette or cutlet on wire spoon and use tablespoon to pour the beaten egg over the croquette. to prepare the crumbs dry all pieces of stale bread thoroughly. no bit is too small, a crust or even the crumbs left from cutting the bread. put the well-dried bread through the food chopper and then sift through the colander; either put the coarse crumbs through the food chopper the second time or keep them for au gratin dishes. always serve either cream or tomato sauce with croquettes and cutlets and garnish them with parsley or cress. blackberry pudding place in a mixing bowl: one cup of flour, one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, one-half teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of baking powder, one egg, one and one-half cups of water, two cups of well-cleaned blackberries, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. beat to mix and then pour into a pudding dish and bake forty-five minutes in a slow oven. serve with sweet spiced blackberry sauce. marmalade pudding place in a mixing bowl: one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, three-quarters cup of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, one-half cup of finely chopped suet, three-quarters cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon of nutmeg, two eggs, one cup of milk. beat to mix and then grease and flour a mould. put four tablespoons of marmalade in the bottom and then put in two-inch layer of batter. spread with the jam and then repeat with the batter. repeat this process until the mould is three-quarters filled. have the batter on top. cover and boil for one hour. then unmould and serve hot or cold with thin cream. peach crumb pudding grease a baking dish thoroughly and then dust it well with the fine bread crumbs. now place in a mixing bowl: yolk of one egg, one cup of brown sugar, cream and then add two tablespoons of shortening, two cups of bread crumbs, two cups of stewed peaches, one-half cup of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. mix thoroughly and then pour into the prepared baking dish and bake in a slow oven for thirty-five minutes. let cool and then turn from mould. colonial cream wash one-half cup of tapioca through several waters and then place in a saucepan and add one cup of boiling water. cook until the tapioca is soft and clear. remove from the fire and partially cool. pour upon stiffly beaten white of one egg. now add one-half cup of sugar, one-half cup of cocoanut, one-half cup of finely chopped nuts. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into sherbet cups. chill and top with one tablespoon of whipped cream or fruit whip. raspberry fruit betty cook one box of raspberries with one-half cup of water, one-half cup of sugar, rub through the sieve to remove the seeds and then measure. now place one and one-half cups of raspberry puree in a mixing bowl and add one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, one-half cup of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half cup of brown sugar, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, two tablespoons of melted shortening, yolk of one egg. beat to mix and then pour into well-greased pudding dish and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. serve with fruit sauce made from white of one egg, one-half glass of jelly. beat until this mixture holds its shape. pour over the fruit whip and a little of the leftover raspberry puree. raspberry crumb pudding scald two cups of milk and then pour into a bowl and add: two tablespoons of shortening, three-quarters cup of sugar, one cup of bread crumbs, one-half teaspoon of salt. beat to mix and then cool and add one cup of flour, one egg, one tablespoon of baking powder, one and one-half cups of prepared raspberries. beat to mix and then pour into a pudding dish and bake for forty minutes in a slow oven. serve either hot or cold with raspberry fruit sauce. cherry custard stone one-half pound of cherries and then place in a saucepan and add one cup of sugar, one-half cup of water. cook slowly until the fruit is tender and then measure and place two cups of the prepared cherries, one cup of milk, three eggs, in a bowl and beat to thoroughly mix. pour into custard cups and then set in a pan of warm water and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the center. buttermilk bag pudding use a pudding cloth to cook this pudding. wash the cloth in warm water and then rub with shortening and dust with flour. now place in the mixing bowl one cup of buttermilk, two level teaspoons of baking soda, one-half cup of sirup, one cup of brown sugar, three-quarters cup of finely chopped suet, three cups of flour, one teaspoon of ginger, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one cup of seeded raisins, or well-cleansed fresh fruit. mix thoroughly, and then tie in the prepared cloth and allow room in it for the pudding to swell. plunge into boiling water and boil for one and one-quarter hours. serve with sweetened cream sauce or fruit custard sauce. vanilla pudding three-quarters cup of sugar, one egg, cream well and then add four tablespoons of shortening, one cup of flour, one cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of baking powder, one cup of milk. mix thoroughly and then pour in well-greased mould and boil for one and one-quarter hours or bake for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. serve with cream sauce. banana rice pudding wash one-quarter cup of rice well and then cook until soft and the water is absorbed in the rice, in one and one-quarter cups of water. now place in a mixing bowl two and one-half cups of milk, two eggs, three-quarters cup of sugar. peel and rub two bananas through a sieve and then beat to mix. add the rice and then turn into a baking dish and dust with one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. break into bits one teaspoon of butter and then bake in a slow oven for thirty minutes. raspberry cup custard wash and drain one box of raspberries. place in a saucepan and add one pint of water, one cup of sugar. bring to a boil and cook until the berries are soft. rub through a fine sieve. cool. now place three eggs in a mixing bowl and add the raspberries and beat the mixture to thoroughly blend. pour into custard cups and set the cups in a pan containing water. bake in a slow oven until firm in the centre. chocolate corn starch pudding two cups of milk, one-half cup of cocoa, one-fourth cup of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the milk and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. now add one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of vanilla, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. beat well and then pour into custard cups that have been rinsed in cold water to mould. olives olive canape use stoned olives for this. open a bottle of olives, then drain and put through the food chopper, adding one small onion, one green pepper, three slices of nicely browned bacon, four tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix well and then spread on strips of toast. garnish with finely chopped white of egg. olive salad place in a bowl one cup of olive meats, four slices of nicely browned bacon, cut into tiny bits, one onion, grated, two green peppers, chopped fine, three-quarters cup of mayonnaise dressing. mix thoroughly and then lift into a nest of crisp lettuce leaves and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg. this salad is delicious. olive cheese balls place in bowl one cup of cottage or pot cheese, one red pepper, minced very fine, one tablespoon of grated onion, one-half cup of finely chopped olives, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. form into balls and then place in a nest of lettuce. serve with french dressing. macaroni, olives and cheese this dish is famous among the mountain folk in italy and it is served on gala days. cook four ounces of macaroni for fifteen minutes in boiling water and then drain and blanch under cold water. cool, chop fine, and now add one-half cup of pimento olives, chopped fine, one-half cup of grated cheese, two cups of cream sauce, one large onion, minced fine, two large red peppers, minced fine, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, and a tiny piece of garlic. mix and then pour into baking dish. dot the top with bits of butter. place in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. olive filling for meat and poultry two and one-half cups of prepared bread crumbs, one-half cup of finely chopped onions, one-quarter cup of finely chopped parsley, one-half cup of finely chopped olives, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one egg, four tablespoons shortening. mix thoroughly and then use for filling meat and poultry. this filling is delicious. to prepare the bread, soak stale bread in cold water until soft and then place in a cloth and press dry. rub through a sieve and then measure. use one-half cup of finely chopped stuffed olives to one cup of mayonnaise dressing. olive sandwich filling put through the food chopper: one bottle of stuffed olives, two red peppers, one onion, four branches of parsley, place in a bowl and add one-half cup of mayonnaise dressing, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. mix well and then spread between the thinly sliced bread. olive sandwiches remove the stones from one large bottle of queen olives and add one onion, two red peppers, put through the food chopper and then add three-quarters cup of mayonnaise, one teaspoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika. mix and then spread on the prepared bread. olive sauce mince fine, using the food chopper, a sufficient amount of olives, after removing the stones, to measure one-half cup. place in a saucepan and add one and one-half cups of cream sauce, two tablespoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard. blend well and then bring to the boiling point and serve. this sauce may be made, for variety's sake, with one and one-half cups of tomato sauce to replace the cream sauce; then add two tablespoons of grated cheese. heat and serve. spanish meat loaf place in a bowl one and one-half cups of prepared bread, one cup of finely minced cold-cooked mutton, one cup of pimento olives, chopped fine, one-half cup of finely minced onions, one egg, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of thyme, one-half cup thick cream sauce. mix thoroughly and then pack into the prepared loaf-shaped pan. place in a larger pan containing hot water and then bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. serve with olive sauce. to prepare bread, soak stale bread in cold water; press dry; rub through fine sieve. olive and clam cocktail use olive meats for this. olive meats are pieces of olives cut from large olives and packed in jars. there are no stones nor waste. place in a small bowl three tablespoons of chili sauce, one tablespoon of horseradish, one tablespoon of lemon juice, one-quarter cup of olive meats, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of grated onion. mix thoroughly and then divide into four cocktail glasses. add three cherrystone or little-neck clams to each glass. sauces a formula is necessary if the housewife is to have her sauces uniform, so that one level tablespoon of flour and one cup of milk make a thin sauce, as for soups. two level tablespoons of flour and one cup of milk make a thin sauce. three level tablespoons of flour and one cup of milk make a medium sauce. four tablespoons of flour and one cup of milk make a thick sauce. five level tablespoons of flour and one cup of milk make a sauce for cutlets, croquettes, etc. use a saucepan that is scoured bright, add the flour to the cold milk and then stir to dissolve, using fork or wire whip to facilitate the process. never use a spoon for this purpose, as it is impossible to thoroughly dissolve the lumps. place on the fire and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. cook for five minutes after the boiling point is reached and then remove from the fire and add seasoning. it is then ready to use. if you desire a butter flavor, add one tablespoonful of butter with the seasoning and stir until melted. part milk and water, stock, chicken broth, oyster or clam juice may be used in place of all milk with very good results. when making soups or sauces for meat and vegetable dishes the liquid from the canned vegetables, or the water in which the fresh vegetables were cooked, may be combined with an equal portion of milk. many splendid varieties of sauce can be made from the plain cream sauce. for parsley sauce add four tablespoonfuls of finely chopped parsley to one cup of cream sauce. onion sauce one-half cupful of cooked onions, rubbed through a coarse sieve, and then add to one cupful of cream sauce. pimento cream sauce three canned pimentos, rubbed through a fine sieve and then add to one cupful of cream sauce. supreme sauce one cupful of thick cream sauce, one-half cupful of mushrooms, pared and cut in pieces and parboiled, yolk of one egg. seasoning well to taste. celery sauce one cup of thick cream sauce, one cup of finely diced celery, parboiled until tender, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. blend well. admiral sauce one cup of thick cream sauce, grated rind of one-quarter lemon, two tablespoons of capers, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, juice of one-half lemon, two tablespoons of butter. stir until well blended and then heat until just below the boiling point. season. bearnaise sauce one-half cup of thick cream sauce, yolks of two eggs, one teaspoon of grated onion, three tablespoons of butter. blend well, and now add one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, one-half teaspoon of paprika, juice of one lemon. stir constantly until scalding hot. this sauce will not curdle if left standing for a few minutes. cream horseradish sauce one cup of medium cream sauce, two tablespoons of grated horseradish, two tablespoons of lemon juice, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, one teaspoon of salt. beat thoroughly to mix. maintenon sauce (for au gratin dishes) one cup of medium cream sauce, two tablespoons of grated cheese, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoonful of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of lemon juice. blend well. cheese sauce one cup of medium cream sauce. four tablespoons of grated cheese, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard. blend well until the cheese is melted. mustard sauce one-half cup of medium cream sauce, two tablespoons of white wine vinegar, yolk of one egg, one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. beat thoroughly to mix and then heat to the boiling point. in no other part of cookery does the skill of the cook show to advantage as in the way in which the various sauces are prepared and served. to make a perfect sauce is an art in cooking. many plain foods, as well as the use of leftovers, may, by the addition of a good sauce, be turned into palatable and attractive dishes. three or four cupfuls of cream sauce may be made at one time and then poured into a bowl and covered with a damp napkin, and placed in the icebox until needed. the sauce will keep in a cool place for three or four days and will relieve the necessity of making a sauce every day. to use, measure three-quarters of a cupful of sauce and add one-quarter cupful of hot water. place in a double boiler to heat, stirring frequently to blend. it is then ready to use. always use a double boiler in the preparation of sauces made from this cream sauce. this will prevent scorching. cucumber sauce one cup of thick cream sauce, one small cucumber, pared and grated, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. heat to the boiling point and then cook for five minutes. oyster sauce one cup of thick cream sauce, eight medium-sized oysters, chopped fine, one teaspoon of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoonful of white pepper. blend well and then heat to the boiling point, and cook for five minutes. mushroom sauce place one and one-half cups of milk in a saucepan and add four tablespoons of flour. stir until dissolved and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then add one cup of diced and parboiled mushrooms, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. beat to mix and then cook for two minutes and use. parsley sauce one and one-half cups of cream sauce, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, three tablespoons of butter, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper. beat to mix. creole sauce one cup of stewed tomatoes, three onions, one green pepper, chopped fine. place in a saucepan and cook slowly until the onion and pepper are soft. rub through a fine sieve and then add two tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in one-half cup of water, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-fourth teaspoon of mustard. bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes and then serve. tartare sauce one-half cup of mayonnaise dressing, one onion grated, five tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one sour pickle, chopped fine, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then serve very cold. herb sauce make one and one-half cups of cream sauce and then add one cup of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, one-half green pepper, minced fine, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. simmer slowly for ten minutes. mint sauce shred a bunch of mint fine, and then place in a saucepan and add three-quarters cup of water, one-quarter cup of sugar. bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. add one-half cupful of white wine vinegar and remove from the fire. let stand for one-half hour and then strain. leftover portions may be bottled and the bottles stored in a cool place for future use. english mustard sauce place in a soup plate one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of salad oil. work to a smooth paste, and then slowly beat in three tablespoons of cream and one teaspoon of lemon juice. beat until thick and then serve. hollandaise sauce four tablespoons of salad oil, two tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of water, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. heat in a double boiler to the scalding point and then drop in the yolk of an egg. stir until thick. use at once. if it should curdle, add one tablespoonful of boiling water and stir constantly until thick. ravigotte sauce chop very fine sufficient parsley. to measure one-half cup, one large green pepper, one onion, one leek. place in a bowl and add one cup of mayonnaise, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, two teaspoons of lemon juice. blend well to thoroughly mix. broiled chicken, bacon garnish select a plump broiler and then singe. then split down the back and draw. wash well. remove the breast bone. place in a frying pan, the split side down, and add one cup of water. cover closely and then steam for ten minutes. now rub well with shortening. dust very lightly with flour. broil for twenty minutes, turning every four minutes; lift to a hot platter, brush with melted butter and garnish with bacon. emince of giblets cook the giblets and neck, then cool. mince fine and add two hard-boiled eggs and one and one-half cups of cream sauce, and two tablespoons finely minced parsley, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. heat to boiling point and then simmer slowly for ten minutes. chicken pot roast, cedar hollow style select a fat stewing chicken and then singe and draw. wash and wipe with a clean cloth. place in a fireless cooker or cook until tender. now rub with shortening and dust with flour and brown in hot fat in a deep saucepan. turn the chicken frequently so that it can be browned on all sides. when the chicken is nicely browned, add four tablespoons of flour, three cups of chicken stock, one-half cup of grated carrot, two green peppers chopped fine, one-half cup of finely minced onions. simmer slowly for one-half hour. season and serve. chicken and rice curry wash one-half cupful of rice in plenty of warm water and then drain. rinse again and then place in a saucepan and add two and one-half cups of boiling water. cook gently until the grains are soft and the water absorbed. now place one teaspoon of bacon or chicken fat, three tablespoons of flour in an iron frying pan and brown carefully until a dark brown, then add one and one-half cups of chicken stock, two large onions, chopped very fine, two tablespoons of catsup, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, three-quarters teaspoon of curry powder, one teaspoon of salt. cook gently to the boiling point and then add one cupful of shredded chicken meat and the prepared rice. heat slowly until very hot and then turn on a hot platter and garnish with finely shredded parsley, then serve. how to prepare chicken for chicken salad or cold cuts singe and draw the chicken and then cut as for fricasseeing. now place the back of the carcass, giblets and the thighs and legs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and then turn into a colander and place under cold running water. then drop into a saucepan containing boiling water and cook for ten minutes. blanch in the colander under cold running water. repeat this three times and then add the balance of the chicken and cook slowly until tender. cool in the liquid. pick the meat from the neck and back of the carcass and mince the giblets fine. put the skin through the food chopper. use this for chicken loaf. chicken loaf use two cups of mince prepared from the skin, giblets and meat from the carcass. one and one-half cups of cold cooked oatmeal, one onion, grated, one-half teaspoon of powdered thyme, one-half teaspoon mustard, three teaspoons of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, two green peppers chopped fine, four tablespoons of chicken fat, one egg, one-half cup of chicken stock. mix thoroughly and then pour into a well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan. set this pan in a larger one containing hot water. bake in a moderate oven for one and one-quarter hours. serve hot with a cream, tomato or brown sauce, or serve cold with a garnish of asparagus and with hollandaise, mayonnaise or cream horseradish sauce. roast chicken prepare the chicken. fill with two stalks of celery, two onions, one cupful of bread crumbs, one fagot of potherbs, two tablespoons of butter, or shortening, one egg. put the celery, onions and potherbs through the food chopper. mix bread crumbs, butter and beaten egg. fill into the chicken and then sew the opening. shape and roast in a moderate oven for twenty minutes to the pound. baste every ten minutes the first half hour, then every twenty minutes until the chicken is cooked. enchildas place one cup of flour, one-quarter cup of cornflour, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of shortening, in a mixing bowl. sift to mix and then add sufficient water to make a dough. break the dough into pieces the size of a large walnut, and then roll out very thin. you may bake the tortillas on the iron griddle on the top of the stove or fry them in a pan, using a little shortening. keep on a clean towel until all are fried. now place two ounces of grated cheese in a bowl and add two onions that have been cooked until tender in two tablespoons of shortening and one-half cup of finely chopped cold meat, preferably chicken, two tablespoons of chili sauce. mix to blend and then spread the tortillas with this mixture. roll or fold and then pour over them more hot chili sauce. chicken gumbo okra clean and cut the chicken for stewing. brown quickly in hot fat. lift to a deep saucepan and add two quarts of water, four onions, one bay leaf, two cloves. cook until the chicken is tender. now thicken the liquid slightly with cornstarch. season with red pepper and salt, two tablespoons of fine chopped parsley, one-half teaspoon of thyme, one tablespoon of gumbo or file, two cups of cooked okra. send to the table at once and serve with plenty of boiled rice. note.--gumbo, or file, is a powder made and sold in louisiana. it is composed of young sassafras leaves. file can be purchased in fancy grocery stores. chicken mousse put sufficient boiled cold chicken through a food chopper to measure two cups, using the fine knife. place in a bowl and add two teaspoons of grated onion, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon salt. mix well and then soak one and one-half level tablespoons of gelatine in four tablespoons of cold water for twenty minutes, then add one-half cup of boiling chicken stock. simmer slowly for five minutes and then strain into the prepared chicken meat. stir until it is cool, and then fold in one cup of whipped cream. pour into small custard cups that have been rinsed with cold water. set in a cold place for six hours to mould. unmould in a nest of crisp lettuce leaves. poultry to roast young chickens and guineas: singe, draw and prepare the fowl; now rub the entire bird well with plenty of shortening. dust very lightly with flour, place in pan in hot oven for fifteen minutes; now turn the fowl breast down in the pan and reduce the heat of the oven to moderate. baste every ten minutes with following mixture: one pint boiling water, two tablespoons butter. when fowl is tender turn on back to allow breast to brown, basting every five minutes. placing the breast of the chicken down in the pan throws the bony structure of the carcass to the intense heat of the oven. the constant basting causes the moisture to permeate the dry white meat, making it juicy and tender. if you desire, lay a few strips of bacon over the breast when browning it, just before you remove it from oven. it will improve the flavor. chicken salad sandwiches cut the meat from a three-and-one-half-pound cold boiled fowl and then put through the food chopper, using the coarsest knife. place in a bowl, adding one medium-sized head of lettuce, shredded fine. place one small onion, grated, one green pepper, minced fine, one and one-half cups of mayonnaise or salad dressing, two and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix and then fill into quart fruit jars. this amount will make from forty to fifty sandwiches. baked squab split the squab down the back with a sharp knife and then clean thoroughly. wash well and wipe dry. place in cool place until needed. mince the giblets fine and then parboil. now soak stale bread until soft. squeeze dry and measure three-quarters of a cupful. place in frying pan and add one-quarter cup of finely minced celery leaves, minced giblets, one onion, minced fine, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of poultry seasoning, four tablespoons of shortening. cook gently until onions are soft and then cool. fill into squab and then sew up with darning needle and stout string. rub with shortening and dust with cornflour. place in a hot oven and bake, basting with boiling water. when the back is well browned reduce the heat and turn the bird on its back and let brown slowly, allowing fifty-five minutes for cooking the squab. filling may be placed in chicken or guinea if desired. tennessee turkey hash cut sufficient turkey in one-half inch blocks to measure two cupfuls. now add one cup of diced celery, one onion, minced fine, one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of cornstarch. mix thoroughly, then add one-half cup of boiling water. cook slowly until the meat is very tender, then serve garnished with finely chopped parsley and hot cornmeal waffles. fillet of chicken, poindexter singe, draw and then wash thoroughly a large stewing chicken and then cook until tender. let cool. now cut the wings and take out the bones, breaking as little as possible. cut the breast into slices a little larger than an oyster and remove the legs and thighs. remove the bones and then cut the meat into neat filets. if the meat breaks apart, press firmly together and then season, roll in flour and dip in beaten egg; then roll in fine bread crumbs. press firmly. fry until golden brown in hot fat. this may be prepared early in the day and then set in the oven to heat. chicken tamales soak the corn husks in cold water for two hours. place in a saucepan two cups of chicken stock, one teaspoon of salt, three-quarters cup of cornmeal. cook until thick mush, cool and then place in a bowl three-quarters cup of finely chopped chicken meat, one onion, chopped fine, two green peppers, chopped fine, six olives, chopped fine, two dozen seeded raisins. mix thoroughly and then drain the corn husks. spread a layer of the corn mush on one part, place a tablespoon of the chicken filling in place and then cover with more corn mush, forming a roll a little larger than a sausage. tie securely in corn husk and place in a steamer or a double boiler and cook for one and one-quarter hours. other meat may be used to replace the chicken and water may be used in place of the chicken stock to make the mush. honey recipes candied sweet potatoes with honey place in an iron frying pan three-quarters cup of honey, two tablespoons of shortening, one-quarter teaspoon of mace, one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon. bring to a boil and cook until it becomes thick, then add six boiled sweet potatoes. turn them frequently in syrup, adding four tablespoons of water to prevent burning. cook slowly for twenty minutes. note.--have the potatoes boiled and then peeled, and ready waiting before putting the honey in the pan. honey rice pudding wash one-half cup of rice thoroughly and then cook until tender and the water absorbed in two and one-half cups of water. turn into a baking dish and add one cup of honey, three cups of milk, one well-beaten egg, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. stir to thoroughly mix and then bake in a slow oven for thirty minutes. honey icing boil one cup of honey until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water. then pour in a fine stream upon the stiffly beaten white of one egg. beat until the mixture thickens and then spread on the cake. nut honey cake place in a mixing bowl one cup of honey, one cup of brown sugar, yolks of two eggs, nine tablespoons of shortening. cream together and then add three-quarters cup of sour milk, one and one-half teaspoons of baking soda. dissolve the baking soda in the sour milk, then add four cups of flour, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one cup of finely chopped raisins, one cup of finely chopped nuts, one tablespoon of baking powder. mix thoroughly and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. pour into well-greased and floured pan and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. ice with butter cream icing. honey custard place two cups of milk in a mixing bowl and add three-quarters cup of honey, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg, two eggs. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into custard cups. place cups in a baking pan containing water and bake in a slow oven until firm in center. honey raisin tapioca wash one cup of tapioca well and then place in a saucepan and add one cup of honey, four cups of water. bring to a boil and cook slowly until clear and the tapioca is soft, then add one-half package of seeded raisins, yolk of one egg. stir to thoroughly blend and then cook fifteen minutes. serve with fruit whip made of one-half glass of jelly, white of one egg. beat until the mixture holds its shape. honey cookies place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of brown sugar, three-quarters cup of honey, one egg, seven tablespoons of shortening. beat to blend and then add three and three-quarter cups of flour, one-half cup of seeded raisins, one-half cup of finely chopped nuts, one teaspoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of mace. roll and cut and then bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes. honey cakes one cup of honey, one-half cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of shortening. cream well and then add yolks of three eggs, four cups of sifted flour, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of baking soda, dissolved in, one cup of sour milk. beat to thoroughly mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. pour into a well-greased and floured baking pan, about one inch deep. bake in a moderate oven and cool. cover with honey icing. malvern cream place in a saucepan three-quarters cup of honey, two cups of milk, six level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in cold milk and honey and then place on the stove and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes. now add one teaspoon of vanilla, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. beat to thoroughly mix and then rinse custard cups in cold water. pour in the pudding and set aside to mould. when ready to serve unmould and serve with crushed fruit. honey apple pudding two cups of stewed apples, one cup of honey, one-half cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons of shortening, two cups of fine bread crumbs, one and one-half cups of flour, two level tablespoons of baking powder, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of cloves. beat to mix and then put into a baking dish and bake in a slow oven for thirty-five minutes. serve with a thin apple sauce, sweetened with honey. honey and raspberry ade place three baskets of well-washed raspberries in a saucepan and add one quart of water, one and one-half cups of honey, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. bring to a boil and cook slowly until the fruit is soft, mashing frequently with the potato masher. cool and strain into punch bowl. add a piece of ice and the juice of one orange or one lemon. fats fat is a heat-or fuel-producing food which is very valuable in cold weather for supplying the body with heat and energy. often foods that are cooked in fat are termed indigestible; this means that the food is not utilized in the body and, owing to some digestive disturbances, it becomes part of the waste. recent experiments tend to show that animal fats are assimilated fairly well; undoubtedly it is the misuse of fat that is used for frying purposes that has given many fried foods their bad reputation. every normal person requires a certain amount of fat. make it a rule when serving fried food to have an acid food, either a vegetable or a garnish, accompany the dish. here are just a few things to keep in mind when planning to serve fried foods: use very small quantities of foods that are cooked in fat for people occupying sedentary positions, while those who are employed in active or laborious work may eat a larger proportion. persons who are working at hard manual labor, out of doors, will be able to assimilate daily portions of fried food without any physical disturbances. for digestion's sake, learn to serve: juice of lemon with fried fish, apple sauce with pork or goose, cranberry or currant jelly with poultry, lamb or mutton, horseradish with beef. it is a curious thing that nature demands these combinations to equalize the fatty content of the meal. save and clarify the various fats and utilize each particular kind, so that there need be no waste. chop all bits of suet fine and place in a double boiler and then render. chicken and pork fat may be rendered in this way. an excellent shortening that may be used to replace butter in cooking and baking may be made from chicken fat, of which there is usually three or more ounces in one fat bird. remove the fat from the bird and place in cold salt water for one hour and then drain and cut into small pieces. render in a double boiler. pour into a jar and allow to harden. now, when using this fat, use one-third less than the amount called for in the recipe. to make pastry, allow four tablespoonfuls of this chicken fat to each cup of flour. chicken fat may be used to replace butter for seasoning vegetables and mashed potatoes. this is a pure fat free from moisture and seasoning and will go farther than butter. generally, in speaking of the term "drippings," it meant to include fats that cook out from the roast beef, pot roast, soups and corned beef. this fat is clarified and then used for sautéing. it cannot be used with good results for making pastry and cakes. to clarify fat: put the fat in a saucepan and add one cupful of cold water to every pound of fat. add one-fourth teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda, one-half teaspoon of salt bring to a boil and then simmer slowly for ten minutes. pour through a strainer lined with cheesecloth and allow to harden, then cut into pieces. reheat and pour into jars. bacon, sausage and ham fats may be blended with beef drippings for frying purposes. mutton or lamb fat must be clarified and then blended with ham and bacon or sausage fat. fat from bacon, ham and sausages may be used for flavoring vegetables in place of butter, for cooking omelets, potato cakes, mush and scrapple. it is a splendid seasoning to use for macaroni, baked beans with tomato sauce, dried beans and peas in soups and when cooking dried lima beans. there is really no need to allow a spoonful of these fats to be wasted. fats that are not available for table use should be collected and made into soap. do not be falsely economical in trying to do deep frying with these fats. they not only will not hold the temperature for successful frying without scorching, but they frequently soak into the food and make it unfit to eat. the late war has brought many good vegetable oils upon the market that are ideal for cooking purposes and are preferable to the animal fats for all cooking. they not only hold a high temperature without burning, but also they may be used repeatedly if they are strained each time after using. food cooked in vegetable oil does not absorb the fat and it is more digestible and really more economical. frying there are two methods of frying: _first_.--sautéing--cooking food in the pan with just sufficient fat to prevent scorching. this method is commonly used, but has nothing to really recommend it, as the food absorbs quantities of grease. this makes it difficult to digest. _second_.--deep-fat frying--it is usual to dip the food to be fried in a mixture to coat it and then to roll it in fine bread crumbs and then cook in sufficient fat to cover. this forms an air-tight cover that prevents the grease from soaking through. a few essential utensils are necessary to produce successful results; first, a heavy kettle that will not tilt, and second, a frying basket, so that the food may be removed quickly when cooked. the correct temperature for deep-fat frying is degrees fahrenheit, for raw foods, such as crullers, fish, fritters, potatoes, etc. for cooked dishes and oysters, cheeseballs, etc., degrees fahrenheit. do not attempt to cook large quantities at one time. this will cause a sudden drop in the temperature of the fat, allowing it to permeate the food which is cooking and thus give a greasy product. now for a word of protection. do not use too large a kettle. keep a bucket of sand handy in the kitchen, and if for any reason the fat catches fire, throw sand on it; do not attempt to remove it from the stove; serious burns are apt to result. just turn out the light and throw sand on the fire. keep the fact in mind that water spreads the flames; if no sand is at hand, use salt or flour. mock cherry pie pick over one and one-half cups of cranberries; then place in a saucepan and add three-quarters cup of raisins, one cup of water. cook slowly until the berries are soft, and then cool. now place three-quarters cup of sugar, one-half cup of flour. in a bowl and rub between the hands to mix. add sugar and flour and stir until dissolved. bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes. cool. bake between two crusts. this amount will make two pies. cranberry roll place in a bowl two cups of sifted flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, four teaspoons of baking powder, six tablespoons of sugar. sift to mix and then rub in four tablespoons of shortening and mix to a dough with two-thirds cup of water or milk. work to a smooth dough and then roll out one-quarter inch thick. spread with a thick cranberry conserve; roll as for jelly-roll, tucking the ends in securely. place in a well-greased baking pan and bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes. start basting with one-half cup of syrup, four tablespoons of water. serve the roll with cranberry sauce. strawberry custard tart this old english sweet is delicious. line a pie tin with plain pastry and then cover the bottom of the prepared tin with strawberries. then place in a bowl one cup of milk, two eggs, one-half cup of sugar. beat with egg-beater to thoroughly mix and then pour over the berries. dust the top lightly with nutmeg and bake in a slow oven until the custard is firm. set aside to cool. dot the top with strawberry preserves. cranberry conserve look over carefully and remove all the bruised and spoiled berries from one quart of cranberries. place in a saucepan and add one cup of water. cook slowly until soft and then rub through a sieve. return to the saucepan and add two cups of sugar, one cup of seeded raisins. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. pour into a dish and set aside to cool. cream puffs place one cup of water in a saucepan and add one-half cup of shortening. bring to a boil and then add one and one-quarter cups of flour, stirring constantly. cook until the mixture forms into a ball on the spoon, then lift into a bowl and now beat in three eggs, one at a time. beat in each egg until well blended. drop by the spoonful on well-greased baking sheet three inches apart. bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven, then reduce the heat to moderate and bake for fifteen minutes longer. do not open the oven door for ten minutes after putting the puffs in the oven. peach roll place in a mixing bowl two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, four teaspoons of baking powder, three tablespoons of sugar. sift to mix and then rub in five tablespoons of shortening, and mix to a dough with two-thirds of a cup of ice-cold water. roll out on a well-floured pastry board one-quarter inch thick. now cover with the prepared peaches and then sift over one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. roll as for jelly roll, tucking the ends in securely. place in a well-greased and floured pan and bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes. baste every ten minutes with one-half cup of syrup, five tablespoons of water, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. stir to thoroughly mix before basting the roll. remove the roll to a large platter when baked and serve cold, with crushed and sweetened peaches in place of a sauce. to prepare the peaches for the roll select the fully ripe peaches and cut into thin slices; if they are clinging stones, cut into small pieces. chocolate pie place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of water, one-half cup of cocoa, one-half cup of cornstarch, one cup of sugar. stir until the cornstarch is dissolved and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. cool and then pour into pastry lined pie tin. bake in a slow oven for thirty minutes. butterscotch pie line a pie tin with plain pastry and then place in a saucepan three tablespoons of butter, one cup of brown sugar. heat slowly and cook for three minutes. then place one and one-half cups of cold milk in a bowl and add four level tablespoons of cornstarch to the milk. stir to dissolve the starch and add to the cooked sugar and stir constantly to thoroughly blend. bring to a boil and cook for three minutes. cool and add one well-beaten egg. then pour into the prepared pie plate. care must be taken not to let the sugar caramel. artichokes the artichoke is a plant closely resembling the thistle, and it is extensively cultivated for its flowering head. the head is gathered just before the flower expands. the eatable portion is the fleshy part of the calyx, the bottom or basin of the blossom and the true base of the leaves of the flower. the flesh of the artichokes correspond closely to that which the old world folks call the cheese of the thistle. on the continent, in europe, the artichoke is frequently served raw, as a salad, with either french or parisian dressing. under ordinary circumstances the fruit as prepared for market will keep several weeks. the canned artichoke, which was imported quite extensively before the war, consisted of the fronds and bottoms. it came in large quantities from both france and italy. the artichoke buds are used exclusively for garnishing. the jerusalem artichoke this kind of artichoke is a tuber of the species of the sunflower; it resembles somewhat the irish potato. it has a sweetish flavor and contains a large amount of natural water. this species of artichoke is more valuable than the common artichoke. the two principal types of the jerusalem artichokes are first: long with reddish skin, second: round, knobby and white in color. on the continent they are frequently eaten raw, with just a plain seasoning of salt, pepper and vinegar; in fact, much as we eat the american radish. they are frequently made into soup. the word jerusalem is a queer cross of dialect from the italian word _girasole_, meaning sunflower. to cook soak the fruit in a bowl of cold water for two hours; then shake about in the water freely to remove all traces of sand. plunge into boiling water and cook until tender; then drain. serve in choice of following methods: artichoke hollandaise sauce prepare artichoke as given above. cut into pieces; then cook until tender; drain and lift each portion on a thin slice of toasted bread. cover with hollandaise dressing. artichoke vinaigrette cut one cold boiled artichoke into quarters; then place in deep bowl and cover with following dressing. place in a bowl one teaspoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, juice of one-half lemon or two tablespoons of vinegar, five tablespoons of salad oil. beat to thoroughly mix. now add one tablespoon of grated onion and stir until well blended. place artichoke in nest of lettuce; pour over dressing. serve garnished with finely chopped pimento. artichoke fried in batter cook artichoke until tender; drain and cut into eighths; dip in the batter; fry until golden brown in hot fat. serve with cheese sauce. break in a bowl one egg, two tablespoons of water, beat to mix. add seven level tablespoons of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of grated onion. beat well to mix; now dip artichoke in flour; then shake to loosen excess flour. now dip in batter; fry golden brown. onions onion and potato mince pare and slice sufficient onions to measure one cupful. parboil and then drain. now place four tablespoons of fat in a frying pan and add the onions and one and a half cups of mashed potatoes. turn constantly until well blended and then form into an omelet shape in a pan, and turn on a warm platter and serve with cream sauce. onions in ramekins peel and boil until tender one dozen medium-sized onions. drain and then place in ramekins. season and cover with cream sauce. dust the top with a few breadcrumbs and then sprinkle with one teaspoon of grated cheese. dust lightly with paprika and then bake for fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. onions fried in butter pare and cook one dozen medium-sized onions until tender, taking care that they do not break. drain and then cool, and when ready to prepare dip in batter and then fry in hot fat, and serve with hollandaise sauce. how to prepare the batter: place in a bowl six tablespoons of water, eight tablespoons of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt. beat to mix and then roll the onions in flour and then dip in a batter and fry until golden brown in hot fat. french fried onions peel large onions and then cut into one-half-inch slices. fry until golden brown in hot fat and serve as a garnish with omelets, fish, cold meat, etc. baked onions large or spanish onions are best for this dish. peel the onions and then boil until tender, and then take care that the onion does not become soft. lift and then cool, and carefully remove the centres. now prepare the following as a filling for four large or eight medium-sized onions. four tablespoons of grated cheese, six tablespoons of fine bread crumbs, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two teaspoons of finely minced parsley, one egg. mix thoroughly to blend and then fill the cavity of the onions, forming into a point or top one inch over the onion. dust the onion lightly with flour and then place in a baking dish. now baste onions with melted shortening and bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. chop the onions which have been removed from the centres very fine and add to one cup of cream sauce with one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, three tablespoons of parsley, one well-beaten egg. beat to mix thoroughly and then heat to the boiling point. serve over the baked onions. this dish will replace meat for luncheon. swiss onion and potato pancakes peel and put two spanish onions through the food chopper, using a fine knife. place in a bowl and then pare and grate four medium-sized potatoes into a bowl and add three-quarters cup of milk, one egg, one tablespoon of syrup, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, seven-eighths cup of flour, two level teaspoons of baking powder, two level teaspoons of shortening. beat to mix and then fry like pancakes. serve with parsley butter. onion custard chop sufficient onions to measure one-half cup. parboil and then drain. now place in a bowl one and one-half cups of milk, two eggs, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. beat to mix and then grease the custard cups. add one-half cup of fine breadcrumbs to the prepared onions. mix well and then divide into six cups. pour the prepared custard on the top. place the cups in a baking pan, add one quart of water and then place in a moderate oven and bake until firm in the centre, usually about twenty-five minutes. the water in the baking pan prevents the custards from cooking too fast. serve in the cups or let stand for five minutes before taking from the mould and putting on a slice of toast. parsley butter two tablespoons of butter, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of lemon juice. beat to a smooth paste and use. this dish will replace potatoes in the luncheon menu. havana banana pastry two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder, one tablespoon of sugar. place in a mixing bowl and sift to thoroughly mix. now rub into the prepared flour eight tablespoons of shortening and then mix to a dough with one-half cup of ice-cold water. roll the pastry on a slightly floured pastry board one-fourth inch thick; cut in oblongs three inches wide and six inches long. peel the banana and lay on the pastry; sprinkle with one teaspoon of brown sugar, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of butter. brush the edges of the pastry with cold water and press firmly together, inclosing the banana. lay on a well-greased and floured baking sheet, placing the side which was fastened together down. brush with beaten egg and bake in a moderate oven for eighteen minutes. serve just as you would other pastries. fried bananas peel the bananas and then cut into two; roll in flour and then dip in beaten egg and roll in fine crumbs. fry until golden brown and serve with broiled steak or chops or chicken fricassee. banana custard pie pare and then rub through a fine sieve sufficient bananas to measure one cup. place in a mixing bowl and add one-half cup of sugar, juice of one lemon, one-quarter teaspoon of grated rind of lemon. stir to mix and then add slowly, beating to mix one cup of milk, yolk of one egg, one whole egg, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. beat to mix and then pour in a pie plate lined with plain pastry. bake in a slow oven for twenty-five minutes and then cool. use the white of egg and one-half glass of jelly for fruit whip. banana ice cream one and one-half cups of banana pulp, one cup of sugar, juice of one lemon. place in a mixing bowl and then cover and set aside. now place two and one-half cups of milk, four tablespoons of cornstarch, in a saucepan and stir to dissolve the starch. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add the yolks of two eggs. beat to thoroughly mix and add the banana mixture. beat hard to blend. now beat into the mixture the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs. freeze in the usual manner, using three parts ice to one part salt. this amount will make three pints of ice-cream. banana stuffing for chicken pare and rub through a sieve four bananas. place in a bowl and add one-half grated onion, one green pepper, chopped fine, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, four slices of bacon chopped fine, one and one-quarter cups of bread crumbs, pinch of thyme, one egg, one teaspoon of salt. mix thoroughly and then fill into the chicken and roast in the usual manner. banana fritters place in a mixing bowl one cup of banana pulp, one-quarter cup of sugar, yolks of two eggs, one tablespoon of shortening. beat to mix and then add one and one-half cups of flour, one and one-half teaspoons of baking powder. beat to mix and then cut and fold into the mixture whites of two eggs, beaten stiff. fry in deep fat until golden brown and then serve with banana sauce. baked bananas wash the bananas and remove just one strip from the top. place in a baking pan and add one-half cup of water and bake in a moderate oven for one-half hour. banana muffins rub a sufficient number of bananas through a sieve to measure one cup. place in a mixing bowl and add one cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons of shortening, two cups of flour, five teaspoons of baking powder, one cup of milk, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. beat to mix and then bake in well-greased and floured muffin pans in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. ice the tops with water-icing. rice bananas and poached eggs cook one-fourth cup of rice in one and one-fourth cups of water until the rice is soft and the water absorbed. place in a baking dish and cover one inch deep with sliced bananas. place in the oven and bake for ten minutes. now lay on one poached egg for each service. garnish with a strip of bacon and serve with parsley sauce. banana pancakes place in a mixing bowl one cup of crushed bananas, one cup of milk, one and one-half cups of flour, two tablespoons of syrup, two tablespoons of shortening, one egg, two teaspoons of baking powder. beat to mix and then bake in the usual manner on a well-greased smoking hot frying pan. banana sauce one-half cup of crushed banana, one-half cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla, juice of one orange. beat to mix and then serve with the fritters. fish fish are divided into two classes--those having backbones, which are called vertebrates; and those which have no backbones, and are called shellfish. the vertebrates are classified as fresh and salt-water fish, and they contain both white and dark meat. fish is similar to meat in composition and structure and is classed among the protein or body-building foods; it may replace meat or its equivalent on the menu. the muscle consists of a bundle of fibers, bound together by a connective tissue; it is so tender that it requires much less time to cook than meat. fish, as a rule, contains less fat than meat, and while there is considerable refuse, it will be found to be about equal to the bone in meat. the methods of cooking fish are: broiling, boiling, baking, deep fat frying and sautéing. to boil fish cleanse and prepare the fish. tie in a piece of cheese-cloth and then plunge into a kettle of boiling court bouillon. cook, allowing twenty minutes to the pound. lift, drain well and then turn on a hot platter, laying a napkin under the fish to absorb the moisture. serve with either cream, hollandaise, egg or tomato sauce and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg, beet and carrots cut in dice or capers, diced beets, slices of lemon. baked fish cleanse and prepare the fish, leaving the head and tail on the body, but remove the eyes and fins. now prepare a filling as follows: one cup of bread crumbs, three tablespoons of shortening, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one small onion grated, one egg. mix and then fill into the fish. fasten the opening with a string or with toothpicks. place in a baking dish and rub with plenty of shortening. dust with flour and place in a hot oven to bake. baste every fifteen minutes with boiling water. allow eighteen minutes to the pound and twenty minutes for the fish to heat thoroughly and start baking. court bouillon place five pints of water in a fish kettle and add one small onion, sliced, one clove, three branches of parsley, one small red pepper, one-half bay leaf, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of celery salt, two teaspoons of salt, one-half cup of vinegar, one fagot of soup herbs. bring to a boil and cook the fish. strain and set aside to cook fish in again. fish sauce strain the liquid left in the pan after removing the fish and add sufficient boiling water to make one cup. place in a saucepan and add two level tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in three level tablespoons of water, one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, juice of one-half lemon. bring to a boil, cook for five minutes and serve with fish. to broil fish cleanse the fish, leaving the small fish whole, split the large fish and then brush with melted shortening and broil, allowing ten minutes for small fish and ten minutes to the pound for larger ones. large fish will require thirty to forty-five minutes. lift to a hot platter and spread with two tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of parsley, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one tablespoon of lemon juice. mix well and then garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. creole fried fish the creole fried fish is a crisp golden brown. it is prepared as follows: clean the fish and then wash and drain and roll it in flour. place in a pan containing hot fat and fry until golden brown. place in the oven, if the fish is large, until all is cooked and to finish cooking. fried fish small fish, like smelts, brook trout, perch, butter fish, etc., may be well cleaned, dried and then dipped in beaten egg and rolled in fine crumbs. large fish should be cut into suitable pieces; sliced fish may also be prepared in this manner. sauteing fish should be well cleaned and then fried in sufficient fat to prevent sticking. cocoanut pudding place in a mixing bowl one cup of bread crumbs, one cup of sifted flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of baking powder, three-quarters cup of cocoanut, one egg, one cup of milk. beat to thoroughly mix and pour into well-greased custard cups or pudding pan and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. serve with lemon sauce. snow pudding place in a saucepan one cup of milk, four level tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. now add six tablespoons of sugar, stiffly beaten white of one egg, one teaspoon of vanilla. beat thoroughly to blend. pour in four custard cups and set in a cool place to mould. serve with custard sauce. fruit pudding place in a bowl one cup of molasses, and add one cup of sour milk, one egg, one teaspoon of baking soda, five tablespoons of shortening, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of allspice, four tablespoons of cocoa, one and one-half cups of coarse bread crumbs, one and one-half cups of wheat flour, one-half cup of seeded raisins, two teaspoons of baking powder. mix in the order given, beating hard. pour in well-greased and floured mould. boil and steam for two hours and then serve with vanilla or cream sauce. rice pudding wash one-half cup of rice in plenty of cold water. place in a saucepan and add three cups of boiling water. cook slowly until water is absorbed and then grease a baking dish well. pour rice in a bowl and add two cups of milk, one yolk of egg, one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of salt. mix well and pour in a baking dish and bake in a slow oven for thirty-five minutes. cook and then place the left-over white of egg and one-half glass of jelly in a bowl and beat until it will hold its shape. use as a whip for the pudding. chocolate rice pudding wash one-half cup of rice in plenty of warm water and then place two and one-half cups of boiling water in a saucepan and add the rice. cook until the rice is soft and the water absorbed. now place three ounces of chocolate, cut into fine pieces, in one quart of milk. bring to a boil and then add three-quarters cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon extract, two teaspoons of vanilla, two tablespoons of butter, the prepared rice. mix well and then pour into a baking dish and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. stir frequently. plum pudding, romany style one cup of cooked oatmeal, one cup of seedless raisins, one cup of dried peaches, put through food chopper, one cup of peanuts put through food chopper, one-quarter cup of citron put through food chopper, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of allspice, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one cup of syrup, one egg, one glass of jam or apple jelly. mix and then pack into moulds, one-pound coffee can or tie it in a pudding cloth. boil for two hours. brown betty pare the apples and then slice thin. now grease a pudding mould or a baking dish. place a layer one inch deep of apples, then layer of bread crumbs. repeat until the dish is full and then sprinkle each layer with brown sugar and cinnamon, as it is placed. now pour over the dish sufficient thick, well-sweetened apple sauce to fill the baking dish two-thirds full. bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. lemon pudding heat three-quarters cup of milk to the scalding point and then add one tablespoon of butter, five tablespoons of sugar. pour over one-half cup of fine bread crumbs and then cool, and add yolk of one egg, juice of one-half lemon, grated rind of one-quarter lemon, one-quarter cup of water. mix thoroughly before adding to the scalded bread crumbs. pour into a small baking dish and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. make a fruit whip of one-half glass of apple jelly, white of one egg. beat until mixture will hold its shape. pile on pudding and brown in the oven for five minutes. set aside to cool. crumb cookies one cup of molasses, one-half cup of brown sugar, six tablespoons of shortening, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one egg, five tablespoons of sour milk. beat to mix and then add two and one-half cups of coarse bread crumbs and sufficient flour to make a very stiff mixture. drop by the spoonful on well-greased baking sheet, three inches apart. bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes. caramel pudding make a caramel of one cup of sugar, four tablespoons of water, one tablespoon of butter. pour into a pudding dish and turn until the mixture thoroughly coats the dish. now place in a mixing bowl three cups of apple sauce, one cup of brown sugar, two cups of bread crumbs, one-half cup of nutmeg. beat to mix and then pour into a baking dish, and bake in a slow oven for forty minutes, then turn out at once on a platter and serve with caramel sauce. raisin pudding soak one-half cup of raisins in boiling water for one hour. drain and then add two ounces of candied citron, and sufficient stale bread to make one cup of crumbs. put all through the food chopper. place in a bowl and add one cup of brown sugar, one cup of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, juice of one lemon, grated rind of one-half lemon, yolks of two eggs, one cup of milk, three tablespoons of shortening. beat to thoroughly mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. pour into well-greased and floured one-quart mould. place the mould deep in a pan containing sufficient boiling water to cover the mold two-thirds of its depth. place in the oven and bake for fifty minutes in a moderate oven. unmould and serve with saboyon sauce. pumpkin pudding place in a bowl eleven and one-half cups of steamed pumpkin drained dry, one cup of milk, yolk of one egg, one-half cup of sugar, one teaspoon melted butter, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, two teaspoons of vanilla. beat thoroughly to mix and then pour into well-greased custard cups. set cups in baking pan and pour in sufficient boiling water to half fill the pan. bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes and then serve cold. garnish with fruit whip or jelly. soup soup, unless it is a thick cream or puree, contains little food value. rather, it is stimulating to the stomach and causes a free flow of the digestive juices. thus the food taken in after the soup has stimulated the stomach is quickly absorbed and thus gives the body immediate nourishment without distressing the digestion. the french lay great stress upon two essentials in making soup successfully. first, it must not go below the boiling point, just a gentle bubbling, and, second, after once started, no water should be added. in making soup always use cold water to start with. do not use salt or any seasoning, and heat slowly, keeping the pot closely covered. protein, which is the chief constituent of meat, is drawn into the liquid, making it very nutritious. rapid boiling destroys the fine aroma and volatile oils, which escape in the steam. soups are divided into three classes: first, stock; second, cream; third, fruit soups. soups made from meat and bone are called stock; those without stock are called cream, such as cream vegetable, clam and oyster soups, and, lastly, those made from meat and bones, cooked by long and slow boiling, which dissolves the soluble elements of the meat and bones into the water and makes a very rich soup. the stock pot this should be a deep pot or kettle with a tight-fitting lid. this is important, so that none of the steam may be lost by evaporation. the steam contains the aroma or fine volatile oil and essentials which pass into the air. in a fairly large family little meat need be purchased for the stock pot if the housewife insists that all portions of bone and trimming be sent with the purchased meat. the french women look with horror on the american women leaving all the scrap and trimming to the butcher. to make the stock a soup bone from the shin, beef, which is full of nutriment, will have nearly one-half pound of meat on it. take one pound of the scrag end of the neck of veal and four quarts of water. wash the bones and add the cold water and bring slowly to a boil. skim and then cover closely and cook for four hours. by this time the meat will have fallen from the bones. strain and set aside to cool. let stand overnight. this is best. then remove all fat from the top. this stock is the basis of all soups, sauces and gravies. it is rich in mineral matter and gelatine. the meat can be taken from the bones and run through the food chopper and used for meat loaf, croquettes and meat biscuits or sausage, and it will make mighty tasty hash when combined with potatoes and onions for breakfast. you now have a delicious and nutritious broth, without seasoning of any kind, which will keep in cold weather four or five days. in warm weather it must be returned every second day to the pot, brought to a boil and skimmed and then left to cool and finally put in the ice box. small portions of meat, ham, any trimming and bones that have accumulated may be added. chicken feet, scalded in boiling water to loosen the outer skin, which must be peeled off, together with the giblets of fowl, may be added to the stock pot. seasoning and the addition of vegetables cause it to sour. many varieties of soup are possible with the use of this stock. oyster gumbo mince two medium-sized onions very fine and then place in a saucepan and add one pint of hot water, one pint of oyster liquid, one pint of milk. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. now add one-half cup of flour dissolved in one-half cup of milk. stir well until it reaches the boiling point, and then add twenty-five oysters, one tablespoon of file (gumbo powder), one ounce of butter. cook for five minutes and then pour the gumbo into a tureen and add three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. file, or gumbo powder, is made by the choxtaw indians from young sassafras leaves. the indians gather the leaves, spread them upon the bark to dry and then grind them into a fine powder, put it through a fine sieve and then pack it into pouches or jars. it is sold in the french markets in new orleans and in all high-class importing groceries. the indians use the sassafras both medicinally and in cookery, and the creoles quickly discovered this and appreciated it when making their famous gumbo or file. vegetable soup one pint of stock, one cup of tomato pulp, made by scalding the peeling of tomatoes, or the canned tomatoes, may be used, and one-half cup of diced potatoes, one-half cup of mixed vegetables; cabbage, turnips and peas, may be added one-half carrot cut in dice, one tablespoon of parsley, two tablespoons of flour, salt and pepper to taste, portion of bunch of potherbs. take a bunch of potherbs, divide into small bunches and tie each with a string and then use one of these in the vegetable soup. put the remainder of the herbs in a fruit jar until needed again. put the herbs in the stock, add the tomatoes and let simmer. cook the vegetables in one pint of water until tender and then add water and all to the stock and add the seasoning and flour, mixed with a little cold water, and cook for five minutes. to make noodles one egg, one tablespoon of water, one-half teaspoon of salt. beat together until well mixed and then add sufficient flour to make a stiff dough. knead until elastic--about two minutes--and then roll out on a pastry board until as thin as paper, dusting the board lightly with flour to prevent sticking. permit it to stand for fifteen minutes to dry and then cut into strings, thick and thin. do this by rolling up loosely, like a jelly roll, and then cut. lay on a dish to dry. when thoroughly dry they may be kept in a fruit jar. part of the paste may be stamped with small vegetable cutters and cooked in the soup same as the noodles. vegetables cut in fancy shapes, macaroni cut in small rings, hard-boiled eggs in slices, cheese balls, slices of lemon, also rice and barley, may be added to the soup. to make brown coloring: one-half cup of sugar cooked ten minutes in an iron pan until burned black; then add one-half cupful of water. let come to a boil and then strain and bottle for use. the principal points to keep in mind when making soup are: first, draw out all of the juice and soluble flavors into the water. second, retain that which we have drawn out by using a pot with a tight-fitting lid. third, use cold water with which to extract meat juices and flavors. fourth, long, slow cooking. fifth, flavoring and vegetables added after making stock prevent its souring quickly. sixth, do not use stock pot for other than it is intended. care and accurate judgment and measuring will give successful results. if most of the work is done in the morning while attending to the kitchen duties, the stock-making will take little of your time. delicious gravies may be made by using stock instead of water. clear soup use two tablespoons of fat and fry one onion until brown. add two tablespoons of flour and brown well and then pour in one pint of stock and cook for five minutes, and then add seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. strain into a soup tureen and sprinkle with one tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. serve with bread cut in finger lengths and toasted. celery puree use one pint of diced celery and cook in one cup of cold water until tender and then put through a sieve and add one cup of stock, one cup of milk, two tablespoons of flour mixed with a little milk, seasoning, salt and pepper, one tablespoon of chopped parsley and serve. to the clear soup may be added macaroni, noodles or any vegetables. this is a good way to use left-over portions of vegetables that are too small to serve alone. fish soup use six slices of cod, hake or flounder. mince four onions very fine and then place the onions in a saucepan with three tablespoons of cooking oil. cook until tender, but not brown; then add one cup of tomatoes rubbed through a fine sieve, one bunch of potherbs, three pints of water. bring to a boil and cook slowly for twenty minutes and then add the fish. cook gently for thirty minutes and then add six tablespoons of flour dissolved in one-half cup of water, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, juice of one lemon, grated rind of one-quarter lemon. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. now lift the fish on slices of nicely toasted bread and strain over this the soup. garnish with finely chopped parsley and one tablespoon of grated cheese. fish soups the bouillabaisse of france and new orleans is most delectable and may well be served upon our tables frequently. the french and our southern cooking, especially the creoles, excel in the preparation of delicious cream soups and purees. they are made entirely from vegetables. these good folk have preserved an old-world custom; namely, the daily plate of soup. the creoles have introduced a new variety of their own called gumbo. vegetables and milk are the basis for these soups. the vegetables are cooked in water and then rubbed through a sieve. equal parts of milk are added and then thickened slightly and seasoned. when it is desired to give additional food value, eggs may be added. oyster broth drain twenty-four oysters, saving the liquid. wash and carefully look over the oysters to free from bits of shell. chop fine and place in saucepan and measure the oyster liquid, adding sufficient water to make two cups. simmer slowly for fifteen minutes. let boil up once. strain, season to taste with salt, pepper and then the broth is ready to serve. equally good hot or cold. puree of oyster prepare two cups of thin cream sauce and add twenty-five oysters, chopped fine, one and one-half cups of oyster liquid, one tablespoon of grated onion. simmer slowly for twenty minutes and then bring to a scalding point. strain, season to taste with salt and pepper, adding two tablespoons of finely minced parsley. clams may be used to replace the oysters. to prepare a stew wash and look over the twenty-five stewing oysters carefully to free them from bits of shell. place in small stewing pan and heat until the edges begin to curl. then add three cups of scalding milk, two tablespoons of butter, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. let the mixture come to the scalding point and then remove at once and serve. clams may be used to replace the oysters. fish soup one red beet, three medium-sized onions, one carrot, three leeks, six branches of parsley, one and one-half cups of finely chopped cabbage. chop fine and then place in a saucepan and add two cups of cold water. cook gently until the vegetables are very soft and then add three cups of fish stock. stock made by cooking the head, fins and bones of one and one-half pounds of fish. season with two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, juice of one-half lemon, two tablespoons of butter. simmer slowly for fifteen minutes and then place the prepared fish in a tureen and pour over the broth. sprinkle with paprika and finely chopped parsley and then serve at once. deviled crabs make a cream sauce by placing in a saucepan one cup of milk, five level tablespoons of flour. stir with a wire spoon or fork until the flour is dissolved in the milk and then bring to a boil. stir constantly and cook for five minutes after it reaches the boiling point. then add one cup of crab meat, one tablespoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard. mix thoroughly and then fill into the crab shells, filling the shell slightly above the level. dust lightly with flour and then brush with beaten egg and cover with fine bread crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. the crabs may be prepared earlier in the day and then reheated for serving. celery soup wash and thoroughly cleanse the celery and then chop fine. place one pint of finely chopped celery in a saucepan and add three cups of cold water. bring to a boil and cook until the celery is very soft. rub through a fine sieve and then measure, and add one cup of milk, two tablespoons of flour. to every cup of the celery puree. dissolve the flour in cold milk and then add the celery puree. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. season, adding one teaspoon of butter for flavoring. a faggot of soup herbs may be added to the celery if desired. cream soups cream soups are a combination of vegetables, puree and milk. almost all of the green vegetables will make delicious soups. clean the vegetables well and then cut into small pieces. place in a saucepan and cover with cold water and bring to a boil. cook slowly until tender and then mash well; then rub through a fine sieve. use this vegetable stock with equal parts of milk to make the soup. carrots, peas, tomatoes, turnips, corn, beans, celery, lettuce, potatoes, beets, cucumbers, asparagus, all these afford a splendid variety. allow one level tablespoon of flour for thickening and dissolve the flour in cold water before adding. bring quickly to a boil and then season. add two tablespoons of butter for flavoring and then serve. french, swiss and italians serve grated cheese and paprika with all cream soups. cream of onion place two cups of thinly sliced onions in a saucepan and add one cup of cold water. cook until soft and then rub through a fine sieve. measure and return to the saucepan, and add one cup of milk for every cup of onion puree and two level tablespoons of flour to every cup of milk. stir to dissolve the flour, then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. season, using salt and white pepper. serve, then add one tablespoon of butter to every quart of cream soup. croutons or toasted strips of bread make a delicious accompaniment to cream soups. how to prepare croutons: cut slices of bread into one-inch blocks and place in a baking sheet and bake until golden brown. place in a tin box or jar and seal. when ready to use just reheat to crisp and then serve. stale bread may be used for this purpose. cream of tomato place two cups of stewed tomatoes in a saucepan and add one onion, chopped fine, one faggot of soup herbs, pinch of cloves. cook gently for ten minutes and then run through a fine sieve. now place in a saucepan two cups of milk, five tablespoons of cornstarch. stir until dissolved and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add to prepared tomato, beating well to thoroughly mix. now add one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of butter. the making of the cream sauce and then adding the prepared tomato prevents curdling. tomato puree one pint of stewed tomatoes, two onions chopped fine, one carrot cut in dice, one faggot of soup herbs, one pint of water. cook slowly until the vegetables are soft, rub through a sieve and then dissolve four tablespoons of cornstarch in five tablespoons of cold water. add to the tomato sauce mixture with two tablespoons of butter, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. cook slowly for ten minutes. vegetable puree pare and cut in dice six medium-sized turnips, four medium-sized carrots, six medium-sized onions. chop fine one small head of cabbage, four branches of celery, one bunch of potherbs, one teaspoon of thyme. place in a saucepan and add seven pints of cold water. bring to a boil and cook slowly for two hours. mash through a fine sieve and then return to the kettle and add one-half cup of flour dissolved in one cup of milk, one and one-half tablespoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, two well-beaten eggs, butter, size of large walnut or one ounce. stir to thoroughly blend and then add one-quarter cup of finely chopped parsley. serve with toast. cabbage soup two quarts of water, three onions, chopped fine, one faggot of soup herbs, two slices of salt pork, cut into dice, one and one-quarter pounds of soup meat, with bone in it, two and one-half cups of finely shredded cabbage. place in a saucepan and cook slowly for one and three-quarter hours. now add two tablespoons of flour, dissolved in one-quarter cup of water, and season with one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one-half teaspoon of thyme. cream of cucumber pare and grate one large cucumber, and then place in a saucepan and add one cup of cold water, one tablespoon of grated onion. bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. rub through a fine sieve and add four cups of milk, six tablespoons of flour. stir to dissolve the flour, and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. now add one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one quarter green pepper, chopped fine, one tablespoon of butter, beat hard to mix. cream of corn, supreme use a corn scraper and then score and scrape the pulp from four large ears of corn, and rub through a sieve into a saucepan. now add four cups of milk, six tablespoons of flour, one tablespoon of grated onion. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. season to taste and add one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley. baked prunes wash and soak the prunes and then place in a casserole dish and add one-half pound of fruit, paring of lemon rind, juice of one-half lemon, four tablespoons of brown sugar and just barely enough of water to cover. bake for thirty minutes. fruits baked pears select pears of uniform size and then pare and cut in half. place in a baking dish and add one-half cup of syrup, one-half cup of water, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. bake until pears are tender. baste frequently with the syrup. pear tarts line pie tins or tart pans with plain pastry. fill with stewed pears and then dust with cinnamon and bake in a slow oven. top with fruit whip. pear bread pudding place a layer of broken stale bread in the bottom of a well-greased pudding pan and then a layer of thinly-sliced pears. season each layer of bread and pears slightly with nutmeg and cinnamon. when the dish is full pour over one cup of syrup, one-half cup of brown sugar, one cup of water. stir until sugar is dissolved and then bake in a slow oven for one hour. serve with custard sauce. pear sauce pare and then cover with just enough water to cook. cook until tender and then mash and put through a fine sieve or colander. sweeten to taste, adding juice of one lemon. one tablespoon of either cinnamon or nutmeg to each quart of the pear sauce. this may be used and served with roast duck, chicken, or as a side dish, and in pear shortcake and as a spread for bread and hot cakes. baked pears and cranberries pare eight pears and then cut in half, removing stems and seeds. place in a baking dish with the cut side up. sort over and wash one cup of cranberries and then add the berries to the pears and one-half cup of raisins, one cup of syrup, one-half cup of brown sugar, one cup of water, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. bake in a slow oven until the pears are soft. note.--this dish may be cooked upon the top of the stove in a saucepan. dried fruit oranges and grapefruit are high-priced and the dried fruits may be substituted to advantage. if these fruits are nicely prepared, the family will hardly be able to distinguish between them and the fresh fruit. frequently the dried fruits are so prepared that they are anything but inviting. much will depend upon the selection of these fruits. purchase only the best grade. this fruit should be bright and waxy and not too dry. soak for fifteen minutes in warm water; this loosens the dirt before washing. now wash in plenty of water. cover with water and allow to stand until the fruit has plumped out; each piece of fruit will only absorb just the amount of moisture as it originally contained. this will require from six to twelve hours, depending entirely upon the dryness of the fruit. be sure that the water covers the fruit at least one inch. now, when the fruit is ready, add sugar to sweeten and place in the stove to cook. the slower this fruit is cooked the better. remember that hard, rapid cooking not only spoils dried fruits, but fresh fruit as well. when cooked tender, drain the liquid from the fruit and measure. allow one-half cup of sugar to every three cups of juice. place this juice and the sugar in a separate saucepan and boil until thick; then pour over the fruit. dried fruits prepared this way will be found to be delicious. apricots will require very little cooking, so drain them free from the liquid in which they are soaked and add the sugar. boil the syrup until thick and then pour over the apricots and cook gently for ten minutes. remove the skins from peaches, after soaking them, and before cooking add a little piece of thin orange peel for flavor. to prepare dried pears soak them for twelve hours and then place in a casserole dish and add to one-half pound of fruit one cup of brown sugar. juice of one lemon, one cup of raisins. cover the casserole dish and bake slowly. stewed pears three-quarters cup of syrup, one-half cup of water, six cloves, piece of cinnamon and piece of lemon peel, peel and then cook slowly until tender, chill and serve. chicken and green pepper sandwiches remove the seeds from two green peppers and add one small onion and chop very fine. mince one cup of chicken meat fine and add to the green peppers and onions and then season with one teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of melted butter. mix well and then spread between thin slices of buttered bread. broiled chicken, virginia style select a plump broiler, weighing from one and a half to two pounds. singe and then split with a sharp knife down the back. draw. remove the head and feet and then wash and parboil for eight minutes. now flatten well with a rolling pin. rub with shortening and broil for ten minutes. garnish with bacon. bacon or ham fat will give the bird a delicious flavor. chicken a la king cut the breast of cooked chicken into one-inch pieces and then place one and a half cups of thick sauce in a saucepan and add one cup of mushrooms that have been peeled and cut in pieces and then parboiled for six minutes in boiling water, and also one green pepper, diced fine and parboiled, add yolks of two eggs, juice of one-half lemon, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, in the cream sauce. also add the prepared chicken, the mushrooms and then green pepper. heat until the boiling point is reached and then simmer slowly for ten minutes and serve on toast. breast of guinea hen, terrapin style cut the breasts of two cooked guinea hens into one-inch blocks and place in a chafing dish and add three cups of thick cream sauce, one well-beaten egg, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one large onion chopped very fine, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, juice of one large lemon, grated rind of one-half lemon. stir to mix thoroughly and add the prepared breasts of the guinea hens and heat slowly until very hot. serve on toasted waffles. guinea hen--pot pie draw and singe the pair of guinea hens, removing the wings, thighs and legs and leaving the breast whole. break the back of the carcass and then place in a deep saucepan and add seven cups of boiling water and steam slowly until tender. add a piece of carrot, one small onion, one branch of celery for flavoring and then lift and set the thighs and breast aside for future use. pick the meat from the back of the carcass and add to two and one-half cups of the stock. season and thicken slightly. now place the legs and wings in a casserole dish and add one cup of peas, the prepared gravy, four boiled onions. cover with a crust of plain pastry and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. fricassee chicken draw and singe and cut the chicken. wash and place in a deep saucepan and cover with boiling water. bring to a boil and add one onion, one small carrot, two branches of celery. cook slowly until tender and then thicken the gravy. dumplings may be added if desired. roast chicken, split style prepare the chicken as for roasting. do not fill. rub well with shortening and then pat in plenty of flour. place in a roasting pan and roast until tender; baste frequently with hot water. roast duck singe and draw the duck and then remove the neck and add to the giblets and cook until tender. wash and then drain the duck. now prepare a filling by soaking sufficient stale bread in cold water. when pressed dry it will measure two and one-half cups. rub through a sieve. now place five tablespoons of shortening in a saucepan and add one cup of chopped onion, one green pepper, chopped fine, the prepared bread, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one level teaspoon of thyme. cook slowly, turning frequently until the onions are tender, adding more shortening if necessary to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. then season with salt and pepper. cook and then fill into the duck. dust with flour and then roast in a moderate oven, allowing thirty minutes for the duck to start cooking and twenty minutes to the pound. macaroni macaroni is to the italian cook the starchy content of the meal; just as the irish and sweet potato are our common starchy foods. the thrifty italian and french housewifes have found that by addition of meat, cheese and eggs for flavoring, they can serve their families substantial and attractive foods at a minimum cost. the average american consumer of pastes and macaroni has no idea of the number of styles or forms--of which there are over a hundred--into which this wheat product is made. they range from the lasagnes, which are the short, flat pieces one and two inches wide, cut and frequently moulded by hand, to the fideline, which are the long, thin threads, the finest of which are many times smaller than vermicelli. between these two extremes there is a great variety, which includes the alphabet and many fancy designs. macaroni milieuse wipe with damp cloth and cut in one-inch blocks one pound of shin beef. roll in flour and brown quickly in hot fat. place in a deep saucepan and add three pints of cold water, two onions cut fine, one medium-sized carrot cut in dice. bring to a boil and cook gently until the meat is tender. now add one-half cup of tomato aux fines herbes, two teaspoons of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, six ounces of prepared macaroni. bring this mixture to a boil and then cook until the macaroni is well heated. pour on a large platter and garnish with finely chopped parsley. to prepare macaroni the macaroni may be broken into pieces one and one-half inches long, or it may be cooked whole. in all recipes the macaroni must first be prepared as follows: grease the bottom of a deep saucepan and then add two quarts of boiling water. let boil for two minutes and then add the macaroni. stir for a few minutes and then cook for fifteen minutes. turn into a colander and drain. then blanch under the running cold water for three minutes. let drain. it is now ready to use in any number of ways. greasing the saucepan prevents the macaroni from sticking to the bottom, while it is cooking. the italian prepares a seasoning as follows: wash two leeks, six branches of parsley, two green or red peppers, four branches of celery. pare six onions, tiny bit of garlic. place in a chopping bowl and chop very fine. now place in one-half cup of vegetable cooking oil in a saucepan and add the vegetables. cook slowly until soft and then add one small can of tomato paste. blend well and then pour in a bowl or jar and set in a cool place. this mixture will keep in the refrigerator or in a cool place for one week in summer time and from ten to twelve days in winter. this mixture is called tomato aux fine herbes. small portions of meat that would be insufficient to serve alone can be utilized in making these dishes. when making gravy, prepare enough so that a cup or more may be set aside to use in the macaroni dishes. bones, gristle and meat joints left on the serving platter may all be made into stock, from which the various gravies can be made. the italian cook uses a small piece of meat for flavoring, usually chopping it in small pieces. macaroni custard place in a saucepan two cups of milk, one and one-half cups of water, six level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the water and add the milk. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. remove from the fire and add yolks of two eggs, one cup of sugar, one and one-half teaspoons of vanilla. beat to mix and then pour over six ounces of macaroni prepared as given in the method for preparation. add one-half cup of raisins and then bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. place the whites of two eggs in a bowl and add one glass of jelly. beat until the mixture holds its shape; then pile on top of pudding. macaroni au gratin cook one-half pound of macaroni as given in the method of preparing. place in a baking dish and then make three cups of cream sauce, using one and one-half cups of milk, one and one-half cups of clear stock, one-half cup of flour. blend well and then pour over the macaroni. sprinkle the top with fine bread crumbs and grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. potatoes this nutritious tuber is said to have saved the irish people from famine, and it is fitting that this variety of potato should bear that name. the potato was unknown to europe before the venturesome expedition of the fifteenth century to the americas, where it was found to be used freely by the natives of both continents. frequently it has been said that the potato competes with bread as the staff of life, because its use is almost universal. there are more than thirty-five varieties of potato and although it is affected by soil and climate, the sandy soil necessary for its successful growth is found in almost every country. the housewife should understand its food value. the average analysis of the white potato is as follows: sixty-two per cent. water, per cent. protein, per cent. fat, per cent. carbohydrates (starch and sugar), per cent. waste and per cent. mineral ash. the proportion of water found in the potato depends largely upon the soil in which it is grown. the small protein content is offset by its large carbohydrates (starch and sugar) content. potato cakes cook three large potatoes and then peel and mash fine. measure and place two cups of mashed potatoes in a mixing bowl and add two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, four teaspoons of baking powder, one egg, four tablespoons of milk. mix to a smooth dough and then roll out one-half inch thick and cut and brush the tops with milk. bake in a hot oven for eighteen minutes. potato dishes one of the best forms of serving this tuber is to roast the potato in the ashes. few will realize how delicious it can be. wrap the potato in wax paper and then cover with coals and roast about one hour. next to this method comes the baked potato. wash and dry medium-sized potatoes and then rub well with shortening and place in the oven and bake for thirty-five minutes for small potatoes and fifty minutes to one hour for large ones. greasing the potato well before baking prevents a hard crust from forming and permits the entire contents of the mealy sack to be eaten. boiling potatoes in their jackets causes the potato to lose about per cent. of its nutritive value, while peeling before cooking causes a loss of per cent. if necessary to peel, use a sharp knife and removed the very thinnest portion of the skin; scraping new potatoes is better than peeling them. o'brien potatoes pare and then cut in thin slices five potatoes that have been boiled in their jackets. mince sufficient onions, fine, to measure three-quarters of a cup. chop fine two green peppers. parboil onions and peppers until tender and then drain well. now heat three tablespoons of shortening in a frying pan until very hot and then add the potatoes and let brown. fold over and brown again. keep turning over until the potatoes are well browned and then add the prepared onions and peppers. cook slowly for five minutes and then turn on a hot platter and garnish with finely chopped parsley. boiled potatoes to cook potatoes, either in jackets or pared: cover with boiling water, cook until tender. season; now cover closely with clean cloth to absorb moisture and the potato will be mealy. grilled potatoes wash and pare large old potatoes and then cut into thin slices, cutting the full width of the potato. this means that you are to cut a thin slice of raw potato that will cover your hand. place on a shallow baking dish and brush with shortening. place in the broiler and broil until nicely browned, then place in the oven for five minutes. mountain buttermilk rye muffins place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of buttermilk, one teaspoon of baking soda, four tablespoons of shortening, six tablespoons of syrup, one egg. beat to mix and then add two and one-half cups of rye flour, one teaspoon of baking powder. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased and floured muffin pans, and bake for thirty minutes in a moderate oven. when cold the muffins that are left over may be split and toasted and then spread with mountain sweet-spiced jam. if necessary to keep meat three or four days much sickness that is described as ptomaine poisoning is usually caused by carelessness. if for any reason meat must be kept several days after it is purchased, it may be cared for in the following manner: place three-quarters cup of salt in a saucepan and add three and one-half cups of water, one bay leaf, one-half teaspoon of saltpeter. bring to a boil and cool. place the meat in a china bowl or a wooden bucket and pour the brine over it. now place a plate on top of the meat and weigh down with an old flatiron and heavy stone. turn the meat every other day. this meat will keep for one week. this method is suitable for mutton, beef or pork. for lamb or chicken place in a saucepan and add one-half carrot, one onion, sufficient boiling water to partially cover same. cook, keeping pan closely covered, for ten minutes to the pound. cool before placing in the ice box. if it is necessary to keep the meat only until the next day, mince fine two onions and add four tablespoons of salt, one tablespoon of pepper. mix thoroughly and then rub the meat thoroughly with this mixture. meat may be kept in the ordinary ice box that holds seventy-five pounds of ice for two days in the hottest weather in the following manner: wipe the meat with a dry cloth and cover with a wax or parchment paper, and then hang from a hook in the lower part of the refrigerator, directly under the ice chamber if possible. the hooks are shaped like the letter s, sharply pointed at both ends and they may be purchased or made by any hardware dealer. meat allowed to lie on a platter soon loses its nutritious qualities with the escaping of the juices. fillet of beef have the butcher trim the fillet into shape and then lard it with salt pork. dust lightly with flour and then place on a rack in the roasting pan and place in a hot oven, basting every ten minutes. cook, allowing the meat one-half hour to become thoroughly heated and to start cooking; then allow twelve minutes for every pound. this cut is the choicest of the entire cattle and is without a single ounce of waste. it is delicious either hot or cold. welsh cheese pudding five ounces of grated cheese, one cup of bread crumbs, one cup of flour, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one tablespoon of baking powder, four tablespoons of grated onions, one egg, one cup of milk. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour in moulds or prepared pudding cloth and boil for one and three-quarters hours. serve either hot or cold. to serve hot, use the following sauce: place in a saucepan one cup of milk, two tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the milk and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then add one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of paprika, juice of one-half lemon. beat hard to mix and then serve. this dish will replace meat and be sufficient for a family of four or five. meal pudding place one quart of milk in a saucepan and bring to a boil; then add three-quarters cup of fine cornmeal. stir until thick, and cook slowly for ten minutes and then add one cup of sweet spiced jam, one cup of syrup, one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. beat to mix and then pour into a baking pan and bake slowly for three-quarters of an hour. cool and then serve with plain cream. how to cook corn beef wash the beef in cold water and then place in a saucepan and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and turn into a colander, and let cold water run on the meat. place a saucepan on the stove and fill with boiling water, and add one carrot, cut in dice, two onions, with one clove stuck in each onion, one bay leaf and, the meat. bring to a boil and cook slowly, allowing the meat to cook thirty minutes to start and then twenty minutes to the pound, gross weight. then remove the saucepan from the fire when the meat is cooked and allow the meat to cool in the liquid, with the lid removed. when cool, remove and place at once in the ice box. serve cold. mutton may be corned like beef. the shoulder makes a delicious economical cut. have the butcher bone the meat, but do not roll. put in a pickle for six days. remove and wash and then tie securely, and cook in the same manner as for corned beef. old philadelphia stewed kidney wash and dry the kidney and cut into inch pieces; put on to boil in a pot of cold water; as soon as boiling point is reached, remove from the fire, turn in colander and drain, rinse in cold water and dry. dust lightly with flour; put three tablespoons of shortening in a pot; when hot toss in the kidney, browning carefully; then add two cups of water, which must be boiling, and cook until the kidney is tender. then season with salt and pepper, five tablespoons of catsup, three tablespoons of vinegar; add one tablespoon each of grated onion and fine chopped parsley. serve on toast for breakfast. meat puddings put sufficient cold meat through the chopper to measure three-quarters of a cup. place in a mixing bowl and add one cup of cold boiled rice, one small onion, grated, one green pepper, chopped fine, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two teaspoons of garlic vinegar, one-half teaspoon of thyme, one egg, five tablespoons of cold stock, water or gravy. mix thoroughly and then grease and flour the custard cups and fill a little better than just one-half full. spread the top smoothly and place in a pan containing water, and then bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. unmould and cover with either cream or brown sauce. corn pudding place in a mixing bowl one can of crushed corn, one cup of prepared bread, two eggs, one-half cup of milk, one onion, grated, four tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix well and then pour in the prepared custard cups. set cups in a pan of warm water and bake for thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. to prepare the bread: soak the stale bread in hot water and place in cloth and squeeze dry. to prepare the cups: grease well and then dust with bread crumbs. salt chowder mince fine four ounces of salt pork or bacon. place in a deep kettle and add one cup of chopped onions, one-half cup of chopped sweet red peppers, one cup of chopped tomatoes. cook slowly for ten minutes and then add one pound of fish, bones and skin removed, fish cut in one-inch blocks. six large clams cut in pieces, two cups of water. cover closely and then boil for twenty minutes. now add one teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one-quarter teaspoon of thyme, two and one-half cups of cream sauce, one cup of cooked peas, one cup of cooked lima beans, one-half cup finely chopped parsley, two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of pepper. heat until scalding and then serve. steamed salt oysters or clams place the salt oysters or clams in a large dishpan and cover with plenty of cold water. scrub clean with a stiff brush. now place a colander in a deep scaucepan and add one quart of boiling water. fill the colander with salt oysters or clams and steam until they open their mouths. place one dozen of the steamed salt oysters or clams in a deep soup plate and serve with a small saucer of melted butter. serve a small cup of the salt oyster or clam liquid, left in the saucepan after steaming the bivalves, with them. clam fritters--red river boathouse style mince one dozen large clams fine and then drain free of the liquid. measure the liquid and add sufficient milk to measure one and one-half cups. place in a bowl and add one egg, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of grated onion, four tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of shortening, one teaspoon of sugar, the minced clams, two cups of sifted flour, four level teaspoons of baking powder. beat hard and then fry in very hot fat in shallow pan. deviled clams place in a saucepan one-half cup of clam juice, one-half cup of milk, five tablespoons of flour. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. now add six clams minced fine, one tablespoon of grated onion, four tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt, six tablespoons of bread crumbs. mix thoroughly and then fill into well-cleaned clam shells, rounding up on top. dust with flour and then coat with beaten egg and then cover, patting well, with fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. clam fritters mince six clams fine and then place in a bowl and add sufficient milk to the clam juice to make one and one-half cups. pour over minced clams and add two and one-quarter cups of flour, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one well-beaten egg, two tablespoons of baking powder (level), one tablespoon of grated onion, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley. beat to a smooth batter and then fry in deep fat. clam cocktail use four cherrystone clams for each service. prepare a cocktail sauce as follows: one cup of canned tomatoes, one leek, chopped fine, one onion, chopped fine, pinch of thyme, pinch of cloves, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-half cup of water. cook for fifteen minutes, cool and then rub through a sieve and add one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. mix and then divide into four portions. clams clams may be served and cooked in a manner similar to oysters. baked ham place a four and one-half to five-pound cut from the butt end of the ham in the fireless cooker overnight. in the morning remove the skin and then pat into the fat part of the ham five tablespoons of brown sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon, three-quarters teaspoon of allspice. place in a hot oven and bake for forty minutes. baste every ten minutes with six tablespoons of vinegar, three-quarters tablespoon of boiling water. use the liquid in the pan, after baking the ham for making gravy, by browning three tablespoons of flour, then adding the liquid left in the pan and sufficient boiling water to make one and one-quarter cups of gravy. season. ham loaf chop the left-over ham very fine. measure and add to one and one-half cups one and one-half cups of cold cooked oatmeal, two onions, grated, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half cup of bread crumbs, one cup of cream sauce, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. mix and then pour into well-greased loaf-shaped pan and then place this pan in a larger one containing warm water. bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with hot tomato sauce. english ham pie cut the remainder of the fresh baked ham into neat pieces, laying aside all the small bits. pare and cut in dice sufficient potatoes to measure one quart. chop fine sufficient onions to measure one cupful. place the potatoes and onions in a saucepan and add sufficient boiling water to cover. cook until tender and then drain. now prepare a pastry as follows: place two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder. in a bowl. sift and then rub in six tablespoons of shortening. mix with one-half cup of ice-cold water. roll out and then line a shallow pan with pastry. place a layer of potatoes and onions and then a layer of the meat. season well and cover the meat with a second layer of the potatoes. season and then add two cups of highly seasoned gravy. place top crust in position and fasten the edges tightly by pinching together firmly. brush the pastry with cold water and then bake one hour in a slow oven. cheese loaf three cups of fine bread crumbs, one and one-half cups of cottage cheese, one and one-half cups of very thick cream sauce, one large onion, minced fine, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce. mix thoroughly and then mould into shape. pack into well-greased pan and set this pan in a large bake pan, with hot water to one-quarter of the depth of the bake pan. bake in a moderate oven for fifty minutes. barbecue of boiled ham cut cold boiled ham into very thin slices and then place in a chafing dish and add one-half glass of currant jelly, three tablespoons of vinegar, four tablespoons of water, one-half teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, one-quarter teaspoon of paprika. heat until very hot, and then serve on toast. head cheese have the butcher clean and crack a young pig's head. wash well and put on to cook in a pot large enough to have the water completely cover the head. cook until the meat leaves the bones, skimming carefully. when cooked lift pot from the fire and take the meat from the pot. chop fine, seasoning with salt and pepper and one tablespoon of poultry seasoning; mix thoroughly; put a clean cloth in the colander and put in the cheese; cover with another cloth; place a plate on top and weight down with a flat-iron. italian canape mince fine one green pepper, one medium sized onion, one leek, four branches of parsley, one tomato. now place four tablespoons of shortening in a saucepan and add the vegetables. cook slowly until tender and then add five tablespoons of grated cheese, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then spread on thin slices of toast. garnish with sliced stuffed olives and dust with paprika. cheese sauce one cup of water, one cup of milk, five level tablespoons of flour. dissolve the flour in milk and water; bring to a boil; cook slowly for ten minutes; now add one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one well-beaten egg, one-half cup grated cheese. welsh rarebit cut one-half pound cheese very fine and then place in a saucepan and add one-half teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of grated onion, two well-beaten eggs, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. stir until well creamed and free from lumps and then pour over slices of toast. sprinkle lightly with paprika and serve. chelsea rabbit cut one pound of cheese into small bits and then place two tablespoons of butter in a chafing dish and add one onion, cut fine, one cup of thick tomato pulp, pressed through a fine sieve, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika. cook until the onion is soft and then add cheese and stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture well blended. this will serve from six to eight persons. cheese canape place in a bowl three tablespoons of grated cheese, one tablespoon of minced parsley, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of butter. mix to a paste and then spread on a thin triangle of bread. dust lightly with paprika. tomato canape cut the tomatoes into very thin slices and then place on a plate and season with salt and pepper. now place on a plate one tablespoon of butter, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-quarter teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of parsley. work to a nice smooth paste and then spread lightly over the tomatoes. place on a small round cracker and garnish with a slice of hard-boiled egg. la brete canape pick the fish from the backbone of a cooked mackerel, adding any left-over portions. there need be only about two tablespoons. rub the fish through a sieve and add one small onion, grated, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one and one-half tablespoons of butter. work to a paste and then spread on thin toasted strips of bread. bohemian relish place on a bread and butter plate two slices of salomi sausage, one radish, one tablespoon of prepared scallion, one thin slice of tomato. to prepare the scallions chop fine and add six tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing, one tablespoon of vinegar. mix thoroughly and then serve. italian canape two branches of parsley, one small onion, one-half green pepper. mince fine and then cook until soft, taking care not to brown, in two tablespoons of salad oil. now toast thin slices of cornbread slightly and spread with this mixture. sprinkle with grated cheese and paprika. canape a la mode flake into bits two tablespoons of the mackerel left from breakfast, and then place on a dish and add three tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. mix to a smooth paste and then spread on triangles of toasted bread. garnish with parsley. fried pigs feet have the butcher crack the feet; wash and put into a pot of boiling water to cook. cook gently until they separate easily from the joints; lift from the water, and set to cool. when cold divide in portions, dip in egg and cracker-dust and fry in boiling hot lard. serve with coleslaw or chow-chow. mincemeat during the xmas holidays open house was kept by the barons and knights of the early days. great festivities and merrymaking was the order of the time. the great fête took place on xmas day. on that day the mistresses of the households vied with each other in a friendly rivalry with their dishes of mutton pie. the mutton pie, as it was known in , is the mince pie of to-day. it was also known by the name of xmas pie or shredds. in herrick's time it was considered vitally important to put an armed guard to watch the xmas pies, lest some sweet-toothed rascal purloin them and then there would be no pies to grace the feast. as ever in warring lands, food commodities were scarce and expensive and accordingly considered a great luxury. mincemeat mincemeat may now be prepared for the holidays; and if kept in a cool place it will have sufficient time to blend and ripen. here are some inexpensive recipes: one-half cup of suet, one-half cup of grated carrot, six cups of apples, chopped fine, two cups of raisins, chopped, one-half cup of cooked meat, chopped fine, one-half cup of citron, chopped fine, one-half cup of orange peel, chopped fine, two tablespoons of cinnamon, one-half tablespoon of nutmeg, one-half tablespoon of cloves, one and one-half cups of molasses, one cup of boiled cider. mix in the order given. pack into a bowl or crock. cover closely and then set in a cool place to ripen. cold left-over meat may be used. new england mincemeat place one-half pound of hamburg steak in a saucepan and add one cup of cider. cook for fifteen minutes; then remove from the saucepan and place in a large bowl and add six ounces shredded suet, one-half pound currants, one-half pound of raisins, two pounds of minced apples, four ounces of minced citron, four ounces of minced orange peel, four ounces of minced lemon peel, two tablespoons of cinnamon, one tablespoon of allspice, three-fourths of tablespoon of cloves, two and one-half cups of syrup, one cup of boiled cider. mix in the order given, then pack in glass or crock. cover closely and then set in a cool place to ripen. orange mincemeat squeeze the juice of three oranges. place the peel in a saucepan of cold water. cook until tender. drain and then pour through the food chopper. place in a bowl and add six cups of apples, chopped moderately fine, one cup of suet, chopped fine, one cup of raisins, chopped fine, one cup of evaporated peaches, chopped fine, one cup of evaporated apricots, chopped fine, one-half cup of citron, chopped fine, one cup of grated carrot, two tablespoons of cinnamon, one-half tablespoon of allspice, one-half tablespoon of mace, one-half tablespoon of ginger, one-half tablespoon of cloves, two cups of molasses, one cup of boiled cider. mix in the order given and then pack in a large bowl or crock or stone pot. cover closely and then put in a cool place for ten days to ripen. green tomato and apple mince place one quart of green tomatoes chopped fine in a colander. cover with two tablespoons of salt. let drain for two hours. place in a saucepan and add one cup of syrup, one cup of cider. cook gently for one-half hour; now pour into a bowl and add three-fourths of a cup of shredded suet, five cups of apples, chopped, one carrot, grated fine, two cups of raisins, chopped fine, two cups of dates, chopped fine, one-half cup of figs, chopped fine, one-half cup of peanuts, chopped fine, one and one-half tablespoons of cinnamon, one-half tablespoon of cloves, one-half tablespoon of nutmeg, one-half tablespoon of ginger, one and one-half cups of molasses, one cup of boiled cider. mix in the order given; then store as directed in the preceding recipes. do not peel the apples. when putting the suet, raisins and dried fruit through the food chopper, add a dried crust of bread to prevent clogging. eggs the similarity in the proportion of the shell, yolk and white of eggs in the chicken eggs is that the shell averages about one-tenth, the yolk about three-fourths and the white about four-tenths. the shell alone is counted as waste. the white contains about six-eighths water, the solids of the white are virtually all nitrogenous matter or protein. the yolk contains about one-half water and one-third fat, and the balance is of nitrogenous matter or protein. newly laid or fresh eggs have a semi-transparent uniform, pale pinkish tint; the shell contains a very small air chamber, which separates the skin and shell of the egg and is filled with air. this chamber increases with the age of the egg. eggs when cooked at a low temperature are delicate and easy to digest, and they can be used for invalids, and persons with a delicate digestion. how to cook eggs eggs boiled are eggs spoiled; the physicians tell us that hard-boiled eggs require three and a half hours to digest. keep this in mind when cooking eggs. water boils at a temperature of degrees fahrenheit. eggs should be cooked at a temperature between and degrees fahrenheit. place water in a saucepan and bring to a boil; boil for three minutes and add the eggs. place on the back of the stove and let the eggs stand for eight minutes for a very soft boil and twenty-five minutes for hard boiled. the water should be kept hot--that is, just below the boiling point. fried eggs place the fat in the pan and heat until very hot and then place where the pan will maintain this heat without getting any hotter; if you use the gas turn down the burner. add the eggs. let them cook very slowly until set and then turn if desired. eggs cooked in this way will not absorb the fat and will be tender and delicate, and not have a crust of crisped egg around the edge. eggs cartheoth tomatoes, peppers and pimentoes are generally used for this dish. prepare the tomatoes or peppers by cutting a slice from the top and then hollowing out the centers. break in an egg and then season with salt and pepper and a little finely minced parsley. cover with two tablespoons of cream sauce. place in the oven and bake for ten minutes. finely minced ham or bacon may be sprinkled over the egg before adding the cream sauce. cold cooked or left-over vegetables, such as corn, peas, asparagus, onions or cauliflower, may be used also. cold boiled potatoes, beets, turnips, etc., may be made to do duty in place of tomatoes, peppers or pimentos for the sake of variety. serve with a thick, highly seasoned sauce. poached eggs to prepare poached eggs place water in a saucepan and add one tablespoon of vinegar to each pint of water. bring to a boil and then open the egg on a saucer and slide into the boiling water, let simmer slowly until it forms and then lift with a skimmer on to a napkin to drain. then roll gently on a slice of buttered toast. if you have any old-fashioned muffin rings place them flat in the bottom of the saucepan and then pour the eggs in and poach. or you may use any of the poachers, that are sold in any of the house-furnishing stores. omelet plain and fluffy omelets are cooked in the same manner as the fried eggs. plain omelet place three tablespoons of shortening in a frying pan and then, while heating, place the three eggs in a bowl and add one tablespoon of milk, one tablespoon of water. beat with a fork to thoroughly mix and then, when the pan is smoking hot, turn in the mixture. then place where the omelet will cook very slowly. season and then turn and fold and roll, turning on a hot platter. spanish omelet use the fluffy omelet recipe and then chop fine two medium-sized tomatoes, drain free from the moisture and add one medium-sized onion and four large olives, chopped fine. place in a small pan with one tablespoon of butter to heat. when hot spread over the omelet and then fold and roll or place in a hot oven and bake. fluffy omelet separate the yolks and whites of three eggs. place the yolks in a bowl and add three tablespoons of milk. beat to thoroughly mix and then beat the whites until very stiff. cut and fold the yolks into the prepared whites and then turn into a pan and cook slowly. fold and roll and turn on a hot platter. fried eggs and omelets may be garnished with ham, bacon, parsley, finely chopped; pimentos and green peppers. to make variously flavored omelets, prepare the omelet as for plain omelet and then just before the turning and rolling add the desired flavoring. then roll and fold the omelet and turn out on a hot dish. have the filling heated before spreading on the omelet. left-over vegetables and bits of meat may be used in this manner for attractive dishes. tiger-eye sandwiches use strictly fresh eggs for this. separate the white and the yolk and keep the yolk in the shell until ready for use. add a pinch of salt to the white and beat until very stiff. pile in a pyramid on a square slice of toast. make a well in the centre of the white of egg and then drop in the yolk. dust over lightly with paprika and then bake for seven minutes in a hot oven. measurements many women are familiar with the importance of accurate measurements in preparing foods. others frequently complain of the troubles they have with recipes, but what they actually need to know is that we no longer live in the days of twenty-five cents a dozen for fresh eggs and that the day of thirty cents per pound for creamery butter of excellent quality is past. gone are the days of plenty when the extravagant cook was the best cook. banish all recipes that call for cups of butter. from motives of real practical economy, we now use level measurements; that means that you first sift your flour into a bowl and then fill the measure, using a spoon to fill with and then level the top of the measure with a knife. level measurement means all that lies below the edge of the cup or spoon. the experienced cook with an eye for measurements can gauge the amounts, very frequently, to a nicety. while she may sometimes have a failure, she will never attribute it to her measure or the method of compounding the ingredients; oftentimes she will blame the flour, the baking powder or even the oven. one woman wrote me that she wished to know what the trouble was with her cakes. i asked her to give the recipe and she answered that she generally used a bowl for measuring and that then she used sugar, eggs, butter, flour and enough milk or water to make a batter--there was no real definite amounts. when i replied i told her that it was the measurements and methods that she used that frequently caused a failure. but she was sure that was not the case, for her cake was usually good, and it was only once in a while that she had a failure. so i had quite a time convincing her that accurate measurements will always give the same results and assured success and that she could bake the same cake days in the year and not once have a failure. to-day this woman would not return to the old way of doing her cooking, and recently i had a little note from her telling me to let the other middle-aged and young housewives, too, know how necessary it is to be accurate. you know it only takes a few minutes longer to measure accurately, and then you are able to make that delicious cake without a failure. no failures, no waste. truly, the words of "trusting to luck" should be taboo in the efficient woman's kitchen. the temptation to add just a little more sugar, flour or shortening to a recipe with the idea of improving it must be eliminated if you wish to cook successfully. when using vegetable oil in place of butter in making cakes cut down the quantity of fat fully one-third. many cake recipes contain too much fat. when the amounts are less than one cup, frequently it is easier to measure with a spoon. remember all measures are level: sixteen tablespoons cup eight tablespoons / cup four tablespoons / cup five tablespoons plus one teaspoon / cup sift the flour once before measuring. standard measuring cups holding one-half pint are divided on one side into quarters and on the other side into thirds, and they are usually found in all housefurnishing stores, and there is a choice of aluminum, glass or tin. sets of measuring spoons will save time and trouble. the spoons graduate from one-quarter of a teaspoon to one tablespoon, thus making accurate measurements for seasoning and flavoring. a spatula will repay its cost many times over the first month it is used. it is possible with this knife to remove every particle of food from a mixing bowl. how can you keep a house without a pair of reliable scales? do you know how much the chicken weighed that you bought on saturday, and do you know how much waste there was; or the weight of the bone in the meat that you purchased on wednesday? do you ever weigh your purchases? think this over and then buy a good pair of scales and keep them in a convenient place. list of equivalent measures:-- salt spoon / teaspoon teaspoons tablespoon tablespoons cooking spoon tablespoons / cup tablespoons / cup tablespoons / cup tablespoons cup cups pint pints quart quarts gallon dry measure quarts peck quarts / peck quarts / peck cups granulated sugar pound - / cups brown sugar pound - / cups ground coffee pound cups of cornstarch pound cups of butter pound cups of lard pound cups granulated cornmeal pound - / cups of rye flour pound - / cups of graham flour pound - / cups of unsifted wheat flour pound cups of sifted flour pound - / cups whole wheat flour pound cups of bran flour pound cups of rice flour pound italian dressing one-half cup of salad oil, four tablespoons of vinegar, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of grated cheese. place in a fruit jar and then shake to blend. sour cream cucumber dressing pare and grate one medium-sized cucumber and then sprinkle with one teaspoon of salt. let stand for one hour and then drain, and place one cup of sour cream in a bowl. beat until stiff and add the prepared cucumber and one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of pepper, two tablespoons of finely chopped onion, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, juice of one-half lemon. mix well before serving. cream cabbage cut the cabbage fine and then place in cold salted water to crisp. drain well and then add one green or red pepper, chopped fine to each quart of cabbage, one tablespoon of mustard seed and then prepare a dressing as follows: place in a soup plate the yolk of one egg, and then add one teaspoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of paprika. work with a fork to a smooth thick paste, and then add slowly one-half cup of salad oil. when very thick reduce to the desired consistency with four tablespoons of evaporated milk and six to eight tablespoons of vinegar. beat with a dover egg-beater and then pour over the cabbage. salads wash and drain the lettuce and then shred fine, using a pair of sharp scissors. place in a bowl and then chop fine one bunch of scallions and a stalk of celery and add to the lettuce. cover with mayonnaise dressing and serve for luncheon with a plate of cream soup. toast and a light dessert will complete this meal. english water-cress salad cut five strips of bacon in dice and then brown nicely in a frying pan. lift cooked bacon, drain off the fat, leaving only about five tablespoons in the pan. now place in a cup one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, four tablespoons of vinegar. dissolve and pour into the hot fat, bring to a boil and then add the cooked bacon. now place the prepared water-cress in a bowl and pour over it the bacon with the prepared dressing. toss gently to mix and then garnish with hard-boiled eggs (sliced). corn salad, cabbage, lettuce, romaine and escarolle salads may be used in place of the water-cress for variety. radishes should be well washed and then allowed to crisp in cold water. split from the tip to the stem end in quarters. large radishes may be peeled and cooked until tender in boiling water and then drained and served with a cream, hollandaise or plain butter sauce for variety. old english mustard dressing one tablespoon of evaporated milk, one teaspoon of mustard. place in a soup plate and blend together, then add one tablespoon of oil. then drop the vinegar, then the oil again until you have used eight tablespoons of salad oil, one tablespoon of vinegar. serve on lettuce, cucumbers, meat or fish. rich boiled salad dressing one-half cup of water, three-quarters cup of vinegar, five tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in water and bring to a boil. cook for three minutes and then add one well-beaten egg, one-half cup of thick cream, one tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix the sugar and seasoning with the cream and add the egg; then add to the boiling mixture and remove from the fire at once. beat in slowly six tablespoons of salad oil. this will keep in a cool place for six weeks. asparagus vinaigrette wash and scrape the asparagus and allow four stalks for each service. trim to remove the pithy end of the stalk and then cook in boiling water until tender. lift and drain well, then place in a dish and cover with the following sauce: four tablespoons of salad oil, two tablespoons of vinegar, one-half tablespoon of grated onion, one-half tablespoon of finely chopped green pepper, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard. beat to mix and then set on ice to chill. serve ice cold on crisp lettuce leaves. ottawa dressing one-half cup of catsup, two large onions grated, one large green pepper, chopped fine, one-half cup of salad oil, six tablespoons of vinegar, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of paprika. blend spices in vinegar and then beat hard to blend. baltimore dressing one cup of mayonnaise, one-half cup of well drained canned tomatoes, two onions, grated fine, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then serve ice cold. asparagus and celery salad mince sufficient celery very fine to measure one cup. place in a bowl and add one medium-sized onion, one green pepper. mince very fine and then add one-half cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. mix and then fill into a nest of crisp lettuce leaves and garnish with the tips of canned asparagus. cheese dressing four tablespoons of grated cheese, one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt, eight tablespoons of oil, four tablespoons of vinegar. place in a bowl and blend well together. deviled egg salad hard boil two eggs and then remove the shells and cut open the length of the egg. remove the yolks and then rub through a fine sieve and add one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-quarter teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of finely minced parsley, one-half teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of mayonnaise. mix well and then form into balls, placing one ball in the place in the white of the egg, which had been left by the yolk. now place each white or one-half egg in the nest of lettuce and place around the egg six cooked string beans, one slice of tomato, cut in two, two thin slices of onion, and garnish with two tablespoons of russian dressing. veal veal is the dressed carcass of the calf. the flesh should be firm, pinkish white and should be well cooked to develop its flavor and nutritious qualities. the cuts are the neck, shoulders, rack, breast, loin and leg. the shoulders, breast and loin are used for roasting, the neck and end of the leg for stewing, the leg for cutlets and the rack for chops. the knuckle from the leg of veal may be used for stews, soups, stock or pepper pot. other products from the calf are heads, brains, hearts, sweetbreads, feet, calves' liver, tripe, kidney and tongue. the kidneys are usually left in the loin. to cook the shoulder may be boned and rolled or left plain or just remove the blade bone and then use a filling. the breast may have the bones removed and then a pocket made and filled. to roast the loin trim and tie into shape and then roast. meat from the neck, breast and knuckle is frequently used with chicken and, if properly prepared, it is delicious. stock made from veal bones is rich in gelatine and may be used for meat loaves, moulds and aspics. to prepare breaded cutlets cut the cutlets into suitable pieces and then roll in flour and dip in beaten egg, and then dip again in fine bread crumbs, patting firmly. fry quickly to a golden brown. place in a hot oven to finish cooking. the cutlet may be served with either brown gravy or tomato sauce. veal croquettes one cup of milk, five level tablespoons of cornstarch. place in a saucepan and then dissolve the starch in the milk. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. now add one and one-half cups of cooked veal, minced fine, one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. beat to blend well and then pour on greased platter and set in a cool place for four hours to mould. form into croquettes and then dip in beaten egg, and then in fine bread crumbs; fry in hot fat. serve with tomato sauce. cooking the fancy cuts to prepare brains soak for one hour in cool water, adding the juice of one-half lemon. drain and then parboil for ten minutes. drain and then trim free from excess tissue. place under a weight to flatten and make firm, if desired, or cut into two and dip in flour and then in egg and finally in fine bread crumbs. fry in hot fat until a golden brown. serve with hollandaise sauce. roast shoulder of veal have the butcher make a pocket in the veal for the filling. now soak sufficient stale bread in cold water so that when pressed dry it will measure two cups. place the bread in a saucepan and add one cup of finely chopped onions, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one green pepper, chopped fine, one-half cup of shortening. mix thoroughly and then cook slowly so that the onion does not brown. when tender add one teaspoon of paprika, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper. mix thoroughly and then cool and fill into veal. sew the opening with a darning needle and a stout string or fasten with toothpicks. dust the meat well with flour and then place in a hot oven to brown. then reduce the heat of the oven to moderate and roast, allowing thirty minutes for the meat to start cooking and twenty-five minutes to the pound. baste every ten minutes with: one-half cup of vegetable salad oil in one and one-half cups of boiling water. calf's heart a la mode wash and soak the heart for a few minutes in water and then remove the tubes, veins and cut the heart into dice. parboil until tender. then add, using sufficient water to cover one half-cup of vinegar, four onions, chopped fine, two carrots, cut in dice, one teaspoon of sweet marjoram, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper. thicken gravy and serve with toasted strips of bread. calf's heart may be cut in thin slices, dipped in flour and then fried. calf's liver is most delicate and must be cooked quickly, either by panning or broiling. the head is used for mock-turtle soup or cooked and served with brown sauce or made into calves' head cheese. the tongue may be cooked until tender and then pickled in vinegar. the feet may be used in place of the head for mock-turtle soup, and in place of the knuckle in making pepper pot. tripe fried in batter cut the tripe into pieces the size of an oyster and then season and dip in a batter. fry until golden brown in hot fat and then serve with hollandaise sauce. the batter break one egg in a cup and fill with milk. place in a bowl and add one and one-quarter cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. beat well to free from lumps. creole tripe mince four onions fine and then place in a saucepan, four tablespoonfuls of shortening; add the onions and cook until soft, but not brown. now add four tablespoonfuls of flour. stir to blend well and then add: two cups of strained tomatoes, one green pepper, minced fine, one-half pound of prepared mushrooms, one pound of tripe cut into inch blocks. cook gently for twenty minutes and then season and serve. pickled tripe cut the prepared tripe in strips one inch wide and two inches long and then place in a china bowl and add four onions cut in rings and parboiled, two bay leaves, one dozen cloves, half-dozen allspice and sufficient vinegar to cover. let stand two days before using. turtle and snapper lay the turtle on its back and cut off the head. let turtle bleed for twenty minutes. separate the body from the shell and remove the entrails. carefully separate the liver and heart. now, with a sharp knife, remove the meat from the shell and lay in boiling water for two minutes. drain. rub the legs and all flesh containing the outer skin until the skin is removed, with a coarse towel. now, with a cleaver, chop the shell into five pieces and place in scalding water for five minutes. remove from hot water. use the knife to peel off the skin and bristle from the shell. now lay the meat and shell in cold water for one and one-half hours. you now have white and green turtle meat ready to cook. to cook put the meat and shell in a large preserving kettle with sufficient cold water to cover, adding one pint jar of stewed tomatoes, one stalk of celery, one bunch of potherbs, one bunch of parsley, three cloves, four allspice, four large onions, two bay leaves, one medium-sized carrot, rind of one-half lemon, three tablespoons of worcestershire sauce. tie the spices and vegetables in a piece of cheese-cloth and bring to a boil. cook slowly until the meat is tender and then remove the white meat. cook the green meat, most of which is in the shell, until it is tender. place the meat, when tender, in cold water to blanch. use the liquid for soup. strain and add part of the turtle meat, hard-boiled egg, grated lemon rind and juice of lemon. prepare the snapper same as green turtle. only bleed snapper ten minutes. shrimp salad open two tall cans of shrimp and then drain and wash under cold water. now shred the coarse green outside leaves of lettuce very fine. measure two cups and place in a bowl and add one green pepper, one onion, chopped very fine, one-half cup of mayonnaise dressing. mix well and then fill into a nest of crisp lettuce leaves. lay the shrimp on top and mask with mayonnaise. garnish with two hard-boiled eggs into quarters. shrimp shrimp come, as a rule, cooked, but to cook shrimp: plunge the shrimp into boiler prepared as for crabs. boil for ten minutes, then drain and cool. remove the shells and then they may be used for salads, croquettes and fried shrimps. terrapin diamond back or salt water terrapin are best. fresh water terrapin may be used for croquettes and puree. clean the terrapin by placing in fresh water for six hours. wash in warm water and then place them alive in boiling water. cook for five minutes. remove and then rub with a coarse cloth the neck, legs and tail to remove the skin. wash again. return to the pot. cook until the legs leave the body easily. usually about thirty-five minutes for small terrapin and seventy-five minutes for large ones. the age and condition determine the time of cooking. cool. now, before it is entirely cold, separate the terrapin from the shell, discard the small intestines, shell, gall, etc. cut the meat into pieces. cook in cream sauce for a la maryland; in brown sauce for a la mode or stewed terrapin. stewed snapper open a can of snapper into a china bowl and let stand for one hour; place in a saucepan. two cups of water, four tablespoons of cornstarch, dissolved in water, faggot of soup herbs, two cloves, two tablespoons of butter, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, juice of one lemon, grated rind of one-fourth lemon. bring to a boil and cook slowly for fifteen minutes; then add the snapper meat, heat slowly minutes, serve. steaks the selection of steak depends entirely upon the number of persons to be served. a steak cannot be classed as a cheap meat; the portions of bone and trimming makes this meat a rare luxury in these times of high prices. yet there come times when the men folk want steak--and steak it must be. there are three kinds of meats that are cut into steaks; namely, the loin, rump and round. all three will make delicious eating if properly prepared. the round steak has the least waste, and if steaks are taken from the first three cuts they should be tender and juicy, providing they are cut sufficiently thick and are properly cooked. the rump steak is fully as tender and palatable as loin and it contains about one-third less waste. the sirloin is the choicest cut in the whole carcass and it contains a proportionately large amount of waste. have the butcher cut the round steak one-half inch thick and then pound it with a meat ax to break the tough tissues. place on a platter and brush with salad oil and let stand for one-half hour. now broil in the usual manner, turning every four minutes. lift to a hot platter and spread with choice meat butters given below. rump steak should be cut two inches thick and the bone and fat trimmed. now nick and score the edge of the fat and brush with salad oil, and then broil the same as for round steak. the sirloin steak should be cut two inches thick. have the butcher remove the chine bone and then the flank end. let him add a piece of suet to the flank end; then put it through the food chopper for hamburg steak. it is a mistake to cook the flank with the sirloin. brush the steak with salad oil and then broil. lift to a hot platter. place one pint of water and one tablespoonful of salt in the bottom of the broiling pan to prevent the fat drippings from taking fire. turn the meat every four minutes, so that it makes the cooking even. to test the meat when broiling press with a knife; if it is soft and spongy it is raw. watch carefully and when just beginning to become firm it is rare. allow four minutes for medium and six minutes for well done. do not turn the meat with a fork. the intense heat has sealed or seared the surface and caused the meat to retain its juices, and if you use a fork to turn it you will puncture or make an opening so that these juices will escape. a two-pound steak will be cooked rare in twelve minutes, medium in fifteen minutes and well done in eighteen minutes. always lift to a hot platter. french butter two tablespoons of finely chopped chives, one tablespoon of finely chopped leeks, one tablespoon of finely chopped tarragon, juice of one-half lemon, two tablespoons of melted butter, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. work to a smooth paste. french and italian and swiss cooks frequently serve a vegetable garnish with steaks. it is prepared as follows: one green pepper, chopped fine, two leeks, chopped fine, eight branches of parsley, chopped fine, two onions, chopped fine, ten branches of tarragon, chopped fine, one-half cup of chives, chopped fine. place four tablespoonfuls of shortening or vegetable oil in a frying pan and add the herbs and cook very slowly until soft, taking care not to brown. now season with salt, pepper and dress on a hot platter in a little mound at the bottom of the steak. garnish with a slice of lemon. english butter one tablespoon of butter, one-quarter teaspoon of white pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of salt. work to a paste and then spread on a steak as soon as you place it on the platter. london butter one tablespoon of melted butter, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of lemon juice. mix and then pour over the steak. swiss butter one tablespoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of paprika, one and one-half tablespoons of butter. work to a smooth paste. italian butter one green pepper, chopped very fine, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of butter. work to a smooth paste and then spread on the meat. vegetable garnish carrots, turnips and parsnips may be cut into cubes and then shaped like a cork. cook until tender in boiling water and then brown quickly in a little hot fat. beets and turnips may be cooked until tender and then scoop out the centres and fill with onions or cucumber mayonnaise. broiled hamburg steak do not fry or pan hamburg steak made from flank of sirloin. place meat in bowl and add three-quarters cup of moist bread crumbs, one onion, minced fine, two tablespoons of parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one egg. mix, form into flat cakes, brush with salad oil; place on baking dish. broil in gas broiler for eight minutes, then place in hot oven for seven minutes longer. spread with desired butter and send to the table in a baking dish. this will give a delicious flavored meat in place of the usual dry, tasteless cake that is frequently served. salads salads are a popular summer dish. they should be made from fresh vegetables which contain the health-giving elements that are so vitally essential for our physical well-being. there are also the mineral salts which help purify the blood stream and thus keep us physically fit. eggs, etc., that are used in preparing the dressings have a food value that may be figured upon in our daily ration. heavy salads, composed of meat, are best to be eliminated for the hot weather. replace them with light, dainty, attractive salads, that are not only appetizing but also easily digested. the making of a successful salad is an art indeed. the proper blending of the various ingredients and then using a well-blended dressing and garnishing, so that it will not only satisfy the eye but will tempt the palate as well; that is a real salad. the proper combinations are very important; harmony must prevail. as, for instance, a combination of beets, tomatoes and carrots would not only be inartistic but also a poor combination of foods. care must be taken in preparing the lettuce or other greens used. all plants that form into heads must be separately and thoroughly washed in order to free them from dirt and insects, and then they should be given a final washing in water that contains one tablespoon of salt to every two quarts, then rinsed in ice water. the bath in salt water will remove the tiny and almost invisible mites and slugs that cling to these greens. many varieties of salad dressing may be prepared from mayonnaise or from the dressing purchased in bottles. when the housewife fails to make a good mayonnaise dressing, or the family is small, a good standard dressing already prepared may be purchased and used in the following recipes: russian dressing one cup of salad dressing, or mayonnaise, one raw beet, one raw carrot, one raw onion. pare and then grate the vegetables into the salad dressing and then add: one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of mustard. beat to mix and then use. this dressing will keep for a week, if it is placed in a bottle and stored in a cool place. french dressing place in a bottle: one-half cup of salad oil, three tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of pepper. shake until creamy and then store in a cool place. this will keep well until used. roquefort dressing one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of roquefort cheese, one tablespoon of lemon juice, two tablespoons of salad oil. mix smooth and serve. boiled dressing one cup of vinegar, three-quarters cup of water, three level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the water and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then add: one well-beaten egg, four tablespoons of salad oil, one teaspoon of mustard, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two teaspoons of sugar. beat till thoroughly mixed and then cook slowly for three minutes. pour into jars or jelly glasses and thin out with cream or evaporated milk when using. pimento dressing add four finely chopped pimentoes to one-half cup of prepared salad dressing. paprika dressing add one and one-half teaspoons of paprika to the french dressing. shake well to blend. paprika is a sweet, mild, red pepper that will not bite the tongue. during the warm weather use salads twice a day, beginning the day with water-cress, radishes or crisp young onions or leaves of lettuce for your health's sake. blond french dressing place in a wide mouthed bottle, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of salt, four tablespoons of white wine vinegar, one-half cup of vegetable salad oil. shake until creamy. the use of paprika is decidedly better than the pungent pepper. this pepper is mildly sweet-flavored spice that does not irritate the delicate lining of the throat or stomach. now, fully as important as the green appetizers are the dainty salads, lettuce, corn salad, endive, romaine, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, cabbage and the cooked vegetables, such as lima beans, peas, string beans, beets, etc. the success of salads depends entirely on the dressings used with them. so, with this in mind, we will now prepare some delicious dressings. place in a fruit jar and then put them in the ice box, where they can be had at a minute's notice. you know that often when you come home just fagged out, when perhaps you did not take the time to get luncheon, a cool, crisp salad and some thinly sliced buttered bread and a cup of tea will not only satisfy and refresh you, but will also prevent a headache. a la mode canadienne shred the coarse green leaves of lettuce fine and then place in salad bowl and add: two cooked carrots, two cooked beets, cut in dice, two onions, chopped fine. toss gently to mix and then prepare the following dressing: place in fruit jar, one-half cup of vegetable salad oil, two tablespoons of grated onion, four tablespoons of vinegar, three tablespoons of finely minced green or red pepper, one teaspoon of paprika, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, three-quarters teaspoon of mustard, one-half cup of catsup or chili sauce. shake until well blended and then pour over the salad as you serve it. try this dressing on plain lettuce wash and remove all blemishes from one bunch of scallions; then chop fine and add: one-half cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of vinegar, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard. mix the spices and seasoning with the vinegar and add to the mayonnaise. then add the finely chopped scallions. serve on plain lettuce. parisian celery fill the grooves of the celery with highly seasoned cheese. scallions a l'italienne wash and then remove the blemishes from two bunches of scallions, chop fine and then parboil and drain. now cook four ounces of macaroni in boiling water until tender. drain, blanch under cold water and then drain again. now place the cooked macaroni and the prepared scallions in a saucepan and add: one cup of brown gravy, one cup of thick cream sauce, one ounce of grated cheese, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. toss gently until hot and then serve with waffles in place of meat for luncheon. pea shore pie grease a deep pudding pan well. cut any variety of fish desired into pieces weighing about two ounces. free from bones and skin and then roll in flour and place a layer of fish, then a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes, a layer of thinly sliced potatoes and then a layer of prepared fish. season each layer with salt, pepper and finely chopped green peppers. pour over it two cups of thick cream sauce with one-half dozen clams, one cup of cooked peas, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. cover with a crust rolled one-half inch thick. bake in a moderate oven for one and one-quarter hours. brush the pastry with milk and as soon as it browns lightly cover with a pie plate to prevent taking on too deep a color. fish souffle this dainty dish is made by rubbing one-half cup of cold boiled fish through a fine sieve. then add one cup of cold cream sauce, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, yolk of two eggs. beat hard to mix and then carefully fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. pour into well-greased custard cups and then set the cups in a pan containing warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the centre, usually about twenty minutes. fish loaf two cups of cold boiled fish, one cup of prepared bread crumbs, one cup of thick cream sauce, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two teaspoons of grated onions, one green pepper, minced fine, one well-beaten egg. mix and then pack into the prepared loaf-shaped pan. stand this pan in a larger one containing hot water. bake in a moderate oven for fifty minutes. remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes. then unmould on a hot platter and serve with creole sauce. to prepare the crumbs, soak stale bread in cold water; then place in a cloth and squeeze dry. rub through a fine sieve and then measure. to prepare the pan, grease the pan and then line it with a greased and floured paper. boiled salt cod soak one and one-quarter pounds of boneless salt cod for four hours and then drain and wipe in a piece of cheese-cloth and plunge in a deep saucepan containing sufficient boiling water to cover the fish. bring to a boil and then cook for thirty-five minutes. lift and drain well and place on a hot platter. cover with two cupfuls of cream sauce and garnish with one-quarter cupful of finely minced parsley and then sprinkle with two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese. connecticut fish chowder any cheap fish that is fresh will do for this dish, or it may be made from the heads, fins and backbones of the fish, used for filets or broiling. place the heads, fins and backbones of three medium-sized fish in a deep saucepan and add two quarts of cold water, two onions, cut fine, one carrot, cut in tiny dice, one-half bay leaf, one-half teaspoon of thyme. cover and bring to a boil. cook slowly for one hour. now remove the heads, fins and backbones and pick the meat from the heads and backbones and return to the stock. now rub one cup of stewed tomatoes through a sieve and add five tablespoons of cornstarch. stir until the starch is dissolved and then add to the stock. bring quickly to a boil and add: two cups of diced and par-boiled potatoes, salt and pepper to taste, two tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. let boil up once and then serve. this is delicious. one pound of fish may be used in place of heads, fins and backbones. fish cutlet place in a mixing bowl two cups of flaked cold fish, one and one-half cups of prepared stale bread, two onions grated, four tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one well-beaten egg. mix thoroughly and then shape into cutlets. roll in flour and then dip in beaten egg, and then into fine bread crumbs. fry in hot fat. to prepare the bread, soak stale bread in warm water until soft. place in a cloth and then squeeze until very dry; then rub through a colander to remove the lumps. fish cutlets are served with a menu, as follows: salmon chartreuse open a can of salmon and then drain. remove the skin and bones and flake with a fork. soak three tablespoons of gelatine in one-half cup of cold water and then place in a saucepan two tablespoons of finely chopped onion, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, two tablespoons of carrots, faggot of soup herbs, two cups of water. bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. strain and then add the juice of one-half lemon, one and one-quarter teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, and the dissolved gelatine. mix thoroughly and then cool and add the prepared salmon. one tablespoon of grated onion, three tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. pour into a mould that has been rinsed with cold water and chilled on ice. set in a cool place to mould. when ready to serve unmould on a bed of lettuce and serve with russian dressing. this may be prepared saturday afternoon. broiled salt mackerel, flemish style soak the mackerel overnight in plenty of cold water to cover, keeping the skin side up. in the morning remove the head and then wash and parboil. drain and then place on a baking dish and spread lightly with bacon or ham fat and dust lightly with flour. place in the broiler of the gas range and broil until nicely browned. now, while the mackerel is cooking, prepare a flemish sauce as follows: one onion, one green pepper, two branches of parsley. chop very fine and then place in a saucepan with three tablespoons of butter. cover closely and steam until the vegetables are soft. now add: one tablespoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of pumpkin, two tablespoons of boiling water. bring to a boil and pour over the fish. garnish with cress. salt cod, vermont select a thick centre; cut and soak for one hour in warm water. wrap in a piece of cheese-cloth and plunge into boiling water. boil for fifteen minutes and then drain. divide into four individual baking dishes and cover with cream sauce. sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and a little grated onion, and bake for ten minutes in a hot oven. meats in order to purchase meats intelligently so that we will receive the best value for money expended, it is necessary to know the nature of the cuts, and especially the proportionate amounts of lean meat, fat and bone that they contain; also the approximate food values of the meat obtained from various parts of the carcass. hind quarters loin steak average per cent. lean, per cent. visible fat, per cent. bone. sirloin steaks in general contain a larger percentage of lean meat and a smaller amount of fat than the porterhouse or club steaks. rib cuts contain per cent. lean meat, per cent. fat, per cent. bone. the greatest percentage of lean meat is found in the sixth rib, and the smallest in the eleventh and twelfth rib cuts. round steaks are meat cut from the round. they average per cent. lean meat, per cent. fat and per cent. bone. the round steaks contain per cent. to per cent. lean meat. the rump contains per cent. lean meat, the round as a pot roast contains about per cent. lean meat; the largest percentage of fat is found in the rump roast. soup bones contain from per cent. to per cent. lean meat. the forequarters the forequarters of beef contain the chuck, the shoulder, clod, neck and shank. the chuck contains per cent. lean meat, per cent. fat and per cent. bone. chuck steak varies from per cent. to per cent. lean and from per cent, to per cent. fat. the clod or bolar cut contains per cent. lean meat and per cent. bone. relatively more lean and less fat meat is found in the chuck rib roast than in the cut from the prime rib roast. the navel, brisket and rib ends average per cent. lean meat, per cent. fat and per cent. bone. the brisket and navel cuts are similar in proportion, while the rib ends slightly higher in percentage of bone and less lean. flank steak contains per cent. lean meat and per cent. fat. shank cuts or soup bones from the shank vary from per cent. to per cent. lean meat and from per cent. to per cent. bone, while the boneless shank, used for stews, goulashes, hashes and minces, contain per cent. lean meat and per cent. fat. the trimmings from the loin, in steaks reduce their weights about per cent. and these trimmings average . per cent. fat and per cent. bone. round steak is reduced about per cent. in weight in trimmings, principally in fat; chuck steaks about - / per cent., principally bone. rump, shoulder, pot roast and neck are all materially reduced in weight by fat and bone trimmings, the size and condition of the animal determining the actual amounts. the actual proportion of lean meat, fat and bone in the various cuts, their relative values of economy, fixes the prices to the consumer. taking the cuts of meat in their right order we have: first, the neck for soup, stews and corning. the cost is very low and the waste is considerable. second, the chuck. this includes the entire shoulder and contains five ribs. the first two ribs are usually sold as shoulder, roast and steak, and while they are about the same quality as no. , they cost considerably less. third, the shoulder clod. this is part of the chuck and can be purchased in almost all markets. the price is low and there is no waste. it is used principally for steaks and pot roasts. when used for steaks, score the meat well. fourth, shank. according to the market price, this is the cheapest part of the beef. however, it contains per cent. to per cent. waste and requires long cooking. it is used for soups and stews. fifth, ribs. contains eight ribs; five of these are the prime cuts and used for roasting exclusively. sixth, sirloin. the loin, some cuts contain as low as per cent, waste. the sirloin is tender; therefore, quickly and easily cooked. for this reason it is one of the most popular cuts. seventh, porterhouse. this portion of the loin contains the choicest steaks, excellent and nutritious and easily cooked. the fillet or tenderloin forms a part of the loin and averages about per cent. waste. eighth, rump. this cut is very nutritious, but requires careful cooking to render it tender; it contains slightly more waste than the round. good steaks are obtained from the rump; it is also used for pot roast braising and coming. ninth, pin bone, the middle portion of the loin. it is of excellent quality, tender and of good flavor and quite as popular as the loin. it is the face cut of the rump. tenth, round. an inexpensive cut, containing only per cent, waste. it is nutritious as tenderloin, but not as tender. the first essential in cooking is to sear the outside in order to retain the juices and then cook slowly until tender. steak and roast are cut from the round and the back or heel and is used for pot roast and stews. one factor in helping to keep up the high prices of food is that the average woman, _when she goes to market, has in mind_ fancy price and choice cuts for roast, steaks and chops. the choice cuts represent about per cent. of the whole carcass, leaving about per cent. to be disposed of. now, if this becomes difficult, the fancy cuts must bear the additional cost and so become proportionately high in price. take a cross cut of beef, weighing about six pounds and wipe with a damp cloth, and one-half cupful of flour patted into it and then brown quickly on both sides in a frying pan and then place in a fireless cooker or a moderate oven together with two medium-sized onions, one carrot, cut in quarters, one and one-half cups of boiling water, and cook slowly, allowing one-half hour for the meat to start cooking and then twenty-five minutes to the pound. baste frequently. if baked in the range it should give a delicious, well-flavored roast, that will supply the most finicky family with a good substantial food. the bolar cut from the shoulder may be prepared the same way. meat from the neck and shin may be used for stews, goulashes and meat loaves. pot roast of shin beef, english style have the butcher cut a piece of beef from the upper part of the shin, with the bone in. wipe with a damp cloth and then pat in one-half cupful of flour. brown quickly on both sides and then lift to a deep saucepan and add one large turnip, cut in quarters, one large carrot, cut in quarters, one faggot of soup herbs, one-half teaspoon of sweet marjoram, two cups of boiling water. cover closely and cook slowly until the meat is tender, allowing one-half hour for meat to start cooking and twenty-five minutes to the pound, counting the time when it is put into the kettle. the plate and brisket may be used for soups, stews and goulashes and for corning. the brisket makes a splendid pot roast when boned and rolled. also the plate or brisket may be used for à la mode. the flank steak is a choice piece of lean, boneless meat that lies close to the ribs and weighs from one and three-quarters to two and one-half pounds. it may be used for steaks, if cut in slanting slices or for mock fillet or rolled or for hamburg steak. when boiling or stewing meat, keep this in mind: meat to be palatable and juicy must contain nutriment; it must be plunged into boiling water to seal the surface, by coagulating the albumen in the meat; and then it should be cooked just below the boiling point until tender, allowing one-half hour for the meat to heat and start cooking and then twenty-five minutes to the pound. add salt just before removing from the fire. keep this fact in mind, that salt will, if added when the meat is just starting to cook, extract the juice. for pot roast and braises, etc., it is necessary to quickly sear over the surface of the meat for the same reason that the meat was plunged into boiling water and then cook slowly, allowing the same proportion of time as for boiling or stewing. the real object in cooking meat is to retain the juices and make it sufficiently to eat and increase its flavor. beef stew cut two and one-half pounds of stewing beef in two-inch pieces and then roll in flour and brown in hot fat; then add three pints of boiling water. bring to a boil and cook slowly for one hour; then place in a saucepan two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of baking powder. rub between the hands to mix and then add three-quarters cup of cold water to form a dough. make into balls between the hands and then drop into the stew. cover closely and boil fast for twelve minutes. now remove the lid and cook for three minutes longer. then season and serve. to prepare fish for frying remove the head, fins and bones, using them for the fish stock. place fillets in a dish and marinate for one hour in three tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar, two tablespoons of salad oil, two tablespoons of grated onion, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. then roll lightly in flour and dip into beaten egg, then in fine crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. grilled fish sea trout, striped bass or other fish may be used. clean and bone the fish and then place in baking dish and spread freely with salad oil. broil for twelve minutes in broiler of the gas range or bake for fifteen minutes in a hot oven. serve with a fish sauce prepared as follows: chop fine four onions, three large tomatoes, two green peppers. now chop two ounces of salt pork or fat bacon very fine and place in a skillet and cook until nicely browned. add the finely chopped onions and tomatoes and green pepper and cook slowly until the vegetables are soft. then season with one-half teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, juice of one-half lemon. mix thoroughly and serve with the fish. fish loaf prepare a sauce as follows: place in a saucepan one cup of milk, five tablespoons of flour. stir with a fork until the flour is dissolved and then bring quickly to a boil. cook three minutes and then remove and pour into a mixing bowl, and add two cups of cold-boiled fish, one cup of cold-boiled rice, one cup of stale bread, prepared as for fish cutlet, four tablespoons of shortening (finely chopped salt pork if desired), one large onion, one large green pepper, six branches of parsley, minced very fine, one tablespoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one egg. beat hard to thoroughly mix and then pour into a well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan. place this pan in a larger one containing hot water. bake in a moderate oven for one hour. serve with a sauce made as follows: two cups of stewed tomatoes, four onions, chopped fine, one green pepper, chopped fine. cook until onions and peppers are soft and then rub through a coarse sieve. now add one-half cup of water, three tablespoons of cornstarch, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of pepper, pinch of cloves. mix well and then pour into tomato mixture. stir well until the boiling point is reached and then cook three minutes. add two tablespoons of butter and serve. broiled bass have the fish dealer split the bass for broiling, then wash and pat dry with a paper napkin and cover the cut surface of the fish with salad oil. place on a baking sheet and broil in the broiler of the gas range until nicely browned; then set in the oven for five minutes to finish cooking. cream finnan haddie cover the fish with cold water and then bring to a boil. drain and cover with cream sauce. now add: one green pepper, chopped fine, one onion grated, five tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, two tablespoons of butter. simmer slowly for ten minutes to cook the herbs; then lift to the toast. long island sound cocktail place in a bowl one-half bottle of tomato catsup, one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of finely minced green pepper, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoon of mustard. mix well and then take the clam shells and scrub them clean. fill with a mixture as follows: one cup of cold-boiled fish, one onion, chopped fine, one green pepper, chopped fine. mix well. make a well in the centre and fill with a sauce. dust with paprika and serve ice cold. filet fish, southern style clean, wash and drain fish. do not dry. have fat smoking hot. place fish in pan, reduce heat and cook slowly until brown and crisp. fish cakes boil fifteen large potatoes and then mash fine and add one-half pound of prepared shredded codfish, one egg, lump of butter the size of an egg, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then form into balls. roll in flour and fry until golden brown in hot fat. cold spice tongue select a medium-sized tongue without the gullet and wash well; then soak for four hours in warm water. place in a deep saucepan and cover with warm water and add one carrot, cut in dice, two onions sliced, one faggot of soup herbs, two bay leaves, two allspice, four cloves, one cup of strong cider vinegar. cover closely and bring to a boil; then simmer and keep just below the boiling point for three hours. let cool in the liquid and then, when cold, chill in the ice box before slicing. the coarse left-over parts of the tongue may be used for meat loaf, croquettes or hash. pickled tripe cut one pound of cooked honeycomb tripe in pieces one inch by three inches. place in a casserole dish and add one cup of vinegar, one-half cup of water, one onion, cut fine, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, one bay loaf, eight cloves, ten allspices, one small red pepper pod. cover and bake in hot oven for thirty minutes and then cool. baked ham, virginia scrub a small ham and cook until tender. the fireless cooker will prevent the ham from wasting while cooking. when tender, lift and remove the skin. trim to shape and then place in a bowl three-quarters cup of brown sugar, one-quarter cup of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of cloves, one teaspoon of allspice. mix thoroughly and then pat and rub into the ham. place in a hot oven and bake for forty minutes, basting frequently with one-half cupful of water and one-half cupful of vinegar. corn beef hash cut the cooked meat into one-half inch cubes and place in a saucepan and add to each cup of meat one and one-half cups of pared and diced potatoes, one-half cup of finely chopped onions, one cup of boiling water. cover closely and steam until meat and potatoes are tender and the water is evaporated; then season. now melt three tablespoons of shortening in an iron frying pan and when hot turn in the hash, forming an omelet shape in half the pan. when nicely browned, turn the hash with a cake turner, still keeping the omelet shape, and brown. turn on a hot platter and garnish with finely chopped parsley. brown pot roast of shin beef wipe the meat with a damp cloth and then pat into it one-half cup of flour. now heat the bacon fat left from cooking the bacon for breakfast in a saucepan and place in the meat. brown quickly, turning frequently until every part is nicely browned; then add two cups of water and cover closely and cook slowly for one hour. now add four medium-sized carrots, four medium-sized onions. season and cover again and cook slowly until the meat and vegetables are tender, usually about thirty-five minutes. now add sufficient water to make one and three-quarter cups of gravy. prepare the dumpling as follows: place one quart of boiling water in a saucepan and add one teaspoon of salt. place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, two teaspoons of baking powder, one onion, grated, one teaspoon of shortening. mix thoroughly and then add one-half cup of water. form to a dough and drop by the teaspoonful into the boiling water. cover the saucepan closely and cook for fifteen minutes; then lift on a warm dish and place the dumpling as a border around the platter. lift the meat and vegetables in the centre and pour the gravy over all. virginia sauce strain the liquid from the pan in which the ham was baked and add one-half cupful of flour. brown well and then add two and one-half cups of the liquid from the pan, one cup of vinegar, one-half cup of syrup, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. now strain into a gravy bowl and serve. pork tenderloin one and a half pounds of pork tenderloins will make eight nice-sized fillets. place on a platter and baste with one small onion, minced fine, three tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of salad oil, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. turn the fillet to marinate and when ready to cook lift and roll lightly in flour and then dip in beaten egg and then into fine bread crumbs. cook until golden brown in hot fat. roast fresh ham select a small baby pig ham and have the butcher bone and then leave space for the filling. wipe with a damp cloth and then prepare and fill with highly seasoned bread crumbs. tie into shape and then dust with flour and place in a baking dish and put in a hot oven to brown. then reduce the heat and baste frequently with hot water, allowing the ham thirty minutes to start and the meat cooking thirty minutes to the pound after that. when ready to serve, lift to a warm platter and garnish with parsley or water-cress and serve with virginia sauce. place one medium-sized apple in with the ham to bake. braised rolled flank steak have the butcher score and trim the steak. now soak sufficient stale bread in cold water to soften. press dry and then rub through a fine sieve. measure and place two cupfuls in the mixing bowl and add four tablespoons of shortening, one cup of finely chopped onions, one bunch of potherbs, chopped fine, one level tablespoon of salt, one level teaspoon of pepper. mix well and then spread on a steak and roll. tie securely with a stout string and then pat three-quarters cup of flour into the meat. melt four tablespoons of shortening in a deep saucepan and when smoking hot add the prepared meat. brown the meat, turning frequently, and then, when nicely brown, add one cupful of boiling water and simmer slowly, allowing the meat one-half hour to start cooking and thirty minutes to the pound. add four large onions and when ready to lift one cup of boiling water for gravy. usually this gravy requires no thickening. planked steak have the butcher cut the steak in two and one-half inch thicknesses from the large end of the sirloin. remove the flank end and then the tenderloin, also taking out the bones. the butcher will do this for you. now, when ready to prepare the steak, soak the plank in cold water for one hour. heat the broiler and then place the plank in the oven. cook the steak until quite rare in the broiler and then lift to a hot plank. prepare a border of mashed potatoes and put them in a pastry bag, forced out around the edge of the plank. garnish and smother with onions and minced green peppers. place in a hot oven for ten minutes. use the tenderloin for minute steaks. hamburg the flank and serve hamburg steaks. liver and bacon, creole have the butcher cut the liver in thin slices. wipe with a clean damp cloth and then roll in flour and brown in hot fat. now add one cup of stewed tomatoes, one and one-half cups of thinly sliced onions, two green peppers, chopped fine. cover closely and cook for five minutes, then add two tablespoons of cornstarch, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one-half cup of cold water. dissolve the starch and spices well and then bring the mixture to a boil and cook slowly for fifteen minutes. now place mashed potatoes on a large platter, shaping them flat on top. lay the slices of liver on and then pour over them the sauce and garnish with nicely brown strips of bacon. sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve. chop suey slice sufficient meat from the cold roast of pork. now cut in half-inch blocks and place in a pan and add one cup of celery, cut in dice, one green pepper, minced fine, four onions, minced fine, one cup of finely shredded cabbage, one and one-half cups of thick brown sauce, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce. heat slowly to the boiling point and cook until the celery and cabbage are tender and then make a border around a large hot platter of cooked noodles and lift on the chop suey. garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve. note.--make the brown sauce from the left-over gravy and bones making a stock. delmonico roast beef have the butcher cut the seventh and eighth rib from a roast, removing the chine bone. now have him remove the blade and meat between it and the skin, cutting off the top of the ribs. this gives you a heart-shaped piece of very tender beef. it is really the eye of these two ribs. place the roast in a pan and dust lightly with flour, and then place in a hot oven for thirty minutes to start cooking. now reduce the heat and cook, allowing twenty minutes to the pound, counting the time from the minute you reduce the heat. use the top of the ribs and the piece of meat from the blade for the pot roast or a beef à la mode. have the butcher remove the blade and roll the flap-like piece around the ribs, fastening it with a skewer or the entire piece may be boned and rolled. baked slice of ham have the butcher cut the ham in one-inch thick slices. trim and then cut around the edges every two inches apart to prevent curling. place on a baking dish and pour over the ham one cup of water, two tablespoons of syrup. bake in slow oven minutes. roast shoulder of lamb have the butcher bone and roll the shoulder and then when ready to use wipe with a damp cloth and pack with the following mixture: chop very fine three onions, four branches of parsley, one leek. pat with flour and then roast in the oven, allowing thirty minutes to start cooking and twenty minutes to the pound, gross weight. baste the meat after it commences to brown with one and one-half cups of boiling water. the season for spring lamb is from january to july. the meat is delicate and while less nutritious than mutton is delicious. yearling is a splendid choice for lamb. it is fully as nutritious as mutton, without the excess fat of mutton. fat mutton frequently disagrees with persons of delicate digestion and therefore should be discarded from the menu, and the yearling should be substituted. the choice mutton is raised in virginia, pennsylvania and north carolina, while that which comes from wisconsin is of splendid quality. canada also sends us some fine meat. prime mutton is large and heavy, the fat firm and white and the flesh a deep red in color and very finely grained. this meat contains fully as much nutriment as beef. soups and broths made from mutton when the fat is removed are very wholesome and are frequently ordered in diets by physicians. mutton should be hung for a short period to ripen, but lamb should be used a short time after it is dressed. the cuts in the side of lamb or mutton usually number six: ( ) the neck, ( ) the chuck, which includes some of the ribs as far as the shoulder blade, ( ) the shoulder, ( ) the flank or breast, ( ) the loin and ( ) the leg. in some parts of the country the butcher makes a cut, using the rack end of the loin and chuck for making the rib or french chops. the term chops is intended to designate meat cut from the rack or loin into chops, preferably one and one-quarter inches thick. where the meat is cut with nine ribs on the loin, the shoulder and balance of the chuck is cut into chops for panning or braising. these chops require longer time for cooking than those cut from the rack or loin. accompaniments for lamb and mutton serve with a roast shoulder or leg of lamb, mint sauce, green grape jelly, peas or asparagus and baked potatoes. with mutton or lamb chops serve green grape jelly, mint or currant jelly. mutton may be boiled and served with caper or soubis (onions) sauces, currant jelly sauce, boiled or mashed potatoes, peas, string beans, asparagus, stuffed tomatoes and cole slaw. how to distinguish between lamb and mutton look first at the joint above the hoof. in lamb this joint is serrated or tooth-shaped when broken, while in the yearling and mutton it is the smooth oval ball-and-socket joint. in lamb the bones are pinkish in color; in mutton the bones are a blue-white color. the pinkish colored skin should be removed from lamb and yearling before cooking. this skin contains the woolly flavor. bone and stuffed shoulder of lamb have the butcher bone the shoulder of lamb and then wipe with a damp cloth. now prepare a filling as follows: mince fine sufficient parsley to measure one-half cup. place in a bowl and add one green pepper, minced fine, two onions, minced fine, one cup of fine bread crumbs, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one-half teaspoon of sweet marjoram. mix and then spread the filling and roll, tying securely. now pat just sufficient flour into the meat to cover. place on a rack in the baking pan and put in a hot oven. just as soon as the meat becomes brown commence the basting with one cup of boiling water. reduce the heat to a moderate oven. the time to cook: allow the meat thirty minutes for heating, so as to start cooking, and then twenty minutes to the pound, counting gross weight. keep the fact in mind that the rolled and filled meat requires more time than just the plain shoulder. to roast the shoulder unboned allow one-half hour to start cooking and then fifteen minutes to the pound. the leg of lamb may be boned and rolled or rolled and filled, and then cooked just like the shoulder. bengal curry of lamb use the broken and coarse pieces of meat from the roast lamb. chop fine and then place in a saucepan and add just sufficient water to barely cover. now add one onion, minced fine, one green pepper, minced fine, four branches of parsley. cook slowly until the meat is very tender. now thicken the gravy, using cornstarch, and season with one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, four tablespoons of catsup, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of curry powder. make a border of cooked rice on a hot platter. lift the curry into the centre of platter and garnish with one hard-boiled egg, chopped fine. baked emince of lamb in green peppers mince the left-over portion of roast lamb fine, then measure and add any filling that may be left over. place in a saucepan and add just sufficient boiling water to cover. cook slowly until tender and then thicken the gravy. now to one cup of the cold meat add one cup of boiled rice, one cup of canned tomatoes, three onions, chopped fine, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix and then fill into the prepared peppers. set in a baking pan and add one cup of boiling water. bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. serve with cheese sauce. boiled mutton or lamb may be used in these dishes to replace the roast meat. how to use left over lamb cut slices from the roast lamb and then line a large platter with crisp leaves of lettuce. place on the platter the slices of meat. serve with mint or currant jelly. use the uneven pieces for curry of lamb or a baked emince of lamb, with green peppers and vegetable salad. lamb boiled with ravoli have the butcher cut for stewing one pound of the neck of lamb. wash and place in a saucepan and add three pints of cold water, one faggot of soup herbs, one carrot, cut very fine, two onions, chopped fine. cook very slowly until the meat is tender and then strain off the broth. cool, then pick the meat from the bones. chop the meat very fine and add one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two onions, grated, one green pepper, chopped fine, one egg. mix thoroughly and then prepare a dough as follows: place in a mixing bowl two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley. mix by rubbing between the hands and then use one large egg and five tablespoons of water to make a dough. knead until very smooth and then roll out as thin as paper. cut into four-inch squares and brush the edges with water. place a spoonful of prepared meat on the dough and then fold over and press the wet edges of the pastry tightly together. when all are ready drop in a large saucepan of boiling water. cook for fifteen minutes and then lift with a skimmer; place in a dish and pour over the heated and seasoned lamb broth; then sprinkle over all four tablespoons of grated cheese and two tablespoons of finely minced parsley. lamb haricot soak one pint of lima beans overnight and then look over carefully in the morning. parboil and then place in a baking dish with one-half cup of diced onions, one pound of neck of mutton cut into cutlets, one cup of canned tomatoes. season with salt and pepper and add sufficient boiling water to cover all. place in a moderate oven and bake for three hours. individual lamb potpies mince the meat left on the leg of lamb. place in a saucepan and cover with cold water, adding one carrot, diced, four onions, four potatoes cut in halves. cook slowly until the vegetables are soft; lift the onions and potatoes and thicken the gravy and season with two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one green pepper, chopped fine, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. place portion of the meat, two potatoes, one onion and some gravy in individual baking dishes. cover with a crust of pastry and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. spanish macaroni mince fine three green peppers, four onions, two tomatoes. now place five tablespoons of fat in a frying pan and add the prepared vegetables and cook slowly until tender without browning, and then add one-half package of cooked macaroni and two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one-half cup of gravy from the kidney stew. cook slowly for fifteen minutes. fall menu breakfast oranges cereal and cream creamed beef in popover cases coffee dinner radishes sliced cucumbers kidney pie spanish macaroni buttered beets cole slaw orange pudding coffee supper rice croquettes with cream beef sauce cole slaw orange shortcake tea how to prepare recipes popovers place the popover pans in the oven to heat. break one egg in a measuring cup and then fill with milk and turn into the mixing bowl and add one-half teaspoon of salt, one cup of sifted flour. beat with a dover egg-beater for five minutes and then remove the smoking hot popover pans from the oven and grease well. pour in the batter and place at once in a hot oven and bake for thirty-five minutes. do not open the oven door for ten minutes after the popovers are placed in the oven. when the popovers are twenty-five minutes in the oven, turn down the gas and then bake slowly to thoroughly dry out for the balance of the time allowed for baking. this amount will make eight small or six large popovers. now, while the popovers are baking, the creamed beef can be prepared. cut one-quarter pound of dried beef fine, using a pair of scissors to cut with. place in a pan and cover with boiling water and let stand for five minutes. drain and then make a cream sauce as follows: place one and one-half cups of milk in a saucepan and add six tablespoons of flour and stir to dissolve, and then bring to a boil and cook for three minutes. add the prepared dried beef and two tablespoons of finely minced parsley and let simmer slowly until the popovers are ready. cut a slice from the tops of the popovers and fill them with the prepared creamed beef. place a tiny dot of butter on top of each popover and dust lightly with paprika. kidney pie the meat pie can be made to be an economical dish. these pies are served in the chelsea coffee house in london. remove the fat and tubes from one large beef kidney and then cut into pieces the size of a walnut. place in a saucepan and add three cups of boiling water and let simmer slowly for ten minutes. turn into a colander and let the cold water run on the kidney for five minutes. now return the kidney to the saucepan and add one-half teaspoon of thyme, one-half teaspoon of sweet marjoram, four onions, cut in pieces. cook slowly until tender and then add sufficient boiling water to cover. add the dumplings, made as follows: strain gravy from the kidney and add sufficient water to measure three and one-half cups. place in a saucepan and when boiling add the dumplings, made as follows. place in a mixing bowl one cup of mashed potatoes, one cup of flour, one tablespoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely-minced parsley, one egg. work to a smooth paste and then form into balls the size of a large walnut, and drop into the prepared stock and cook for ten minutes. lift and thicken the gravy slightly. now make a pastry as follows: three cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder. sift and then add the one-half pound of finely chopped suet and rub it into the flour well. mix to a dough with two-thirds cup of water and roll out one-quarter inch thick on a floured pastry board. line a large baking dish or individual custard cups. now put a layer of kidney in the bottom and season with salt, pepper and finely minced onion. place a dumpling on top and then a layer of thinly sliced hard-boiled egg. cover with well-seasoned gravy and then with a crust, brushing the edges of the crust well with water. now cut two gashes in the top of the crust to permit the steam to escape and then brush the top with water. if a large pie, bake for one hour; if individual ones, bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. use three eggs in the kidney pie. orange pudding place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of sugar, yolk of one egg, four tablespoons of shortening. cream well and then add the juice and pulp of two oranges, which should measure three-quarters cup, and one and one-quarter cup of flour, three teaspoons of baking powder. beat to mix and then turn into well-greased and floured mould and cover the mould. boil for one hour and then serve with the following sauce: three-quarters cup of sugar, one-half cup of water, juice of one orange, grated rind of one orange, two tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the sugar and starch and then bring to a boil and cook for three minutes and serve. rice croquettes with cream beef mould well-seasoned cooked rice into croquettes; then dip and flour and brown in hot fat. make a cream sauce as follows: place in a saucepan two cups of milk, one-half cup of flour. stir to dissolve the flour and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. add one-half pound of dried beef, prepared as for breakfast, and serve with the croquettes. orange short cake place in a mixing bowl one cup of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder, five tablespoons of sugar, one-half cup of water. beat to a stiff dough and then spread on a well-greased and floured layer-cake pan, making the dough higher at the sides than in the middle of the pan. cover with sliced oranges, cut into small pieces with a sharp knife. now place in a bowl: six tablespoons of brown sugar, two tablespoons of flour, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. mix well and then spread on the shortcake and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. much of the actual preparation of the menu can be prepared on saturday. use yolk of one egg for making dressing for coleslaw. for orange cake use white of one egg, one-half glass of jelly. place in a bowl and beat until mixture holds its shape. pile on orange shortcake. hallowe'en on hallowe'en the good fairies are permitted to make themselves visible to their many friends--so the traditions of ireland tell us. and the little ones, as they are called by the romantic fun-loving irish nation, play a great many tricks this night on their enemies and they reward their true friends with many blessings. it is truly a wonderful night for the romantic maiden to delve into the future and find, or try to find, her luck when seeking for the knowledge of her future life partner. in those good old days of long ago, the lad and lassie spent a pleasant evening trying all the lucky spells to insure them success in their love affairs for the coming year. and in the midst of much hilarity many games are played; there are bobbing and ducking for apples, spinning the plate, post-office, heavy, heavy, what hangs over and forfeits. these were some of the old-fashioned ways the boys and girls of yesteryear passed a happy evening. other old legends told that this one night in the year the spooks or ghosts were permitted to roam the earth, so that, to escape their notice, all must go masked--hence our young folk disguised themselves and wandered forth from house to house, seeking entertainment; for many informal parties were held on this eve and no one was refused admission; each visitor was treated to apples and nuts and then he wandered on his way. let your young folk entertain their friends with a good old-fashioned hallowe'en party; let them play the old games of long ago, and then close to the magic hour of midnight serve a real old-fashioned hallowe'en supper. some suggestive menus no. . cider salted nuts olives sardines and potato salad jack o' lantern cakes coffee no. . cider cup radishes celery gloucester cod a la king cheese sandwiches fruit cakes coffee nuts raisins apples no. . celery salted nuts baked virginia ham potato and pepper salad rolls butter ice cream coffee no. . radishes home-made pickles fried oysters potato and celery salad rolls and butter fruit ginger bread coffee have corn husks and pumpkins for the decorations; use autumn leaves, strung together, for wall decorations. cover the table with a silence cloth and then with linen table cloth, and place in the centre of the table a new wooden pail filled with cider. bank the sides of the pail with corn husk, golden ears of corn and autumn leaves. now wire the handle so that it will be in an upright position. wrap the handle with yellow tissue paper and fasten a small jack o'lantern made from a small pumpkin to the handle, so that it will hang in the well of the bucket. arrange the table in the usual manner. serve the cider from this well during the supper. hollow out a medium-sized pumpkin and cut in it a jack o' lantern and set bowls in the pumpkins to hold the radishes, pickle and sandwiches, sugar, etc., and make tiny pumpkins from the yellow crêpe paper, filling them with hard candies for souvenirs. how to make the cider cup place in a large bowl some crushed ice and one gallon of cider, three bananas, cut into thin slices, two oranges, cut into thin slices, three baked apples, cut into bits. mix and then serve. sardine and potato salad (twenty-five persons) wash and then cook eight pounds of potatoes until tender and then, when cool, peel and cut into thin slices into a large mixing bowl. now add one cup of finely chopped onions, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, one cup of finely chopped green peppers, two cups of finely chopped celery, two cups of mayonnaise or cooked dressing, one-half cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one and one-half teaspoons of mustard. toss to mix thoroughly and then prepare individual nests of lettuce and place three-quarters cup of the potato salad in each nest. mould it into a cone and then lay four sardines, tail end up, against the salad. garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve. jack o' lantern cakes bake a sponge cake in individual or muffin pans and then ice with chocolate water icing and make the lantern face with white icing. gloucester cod a la king (twelve persons) select a three-pound piece of boneless salt cod from the center cut; soak for three hours and then place in a piece of cheese-cloth and tie loosely, plunge into boiling water and boil for thirty minutes. drain. place two quarts of milk in a saucepan and add one and one-half cups of flour. stir with a wire spoon to dissolve the flour and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for ten minutes. now add two well beaten eggs, the prepared fish, broken into flakes with a fork, juice of one lemon, two green peppers, cut into pieces and parboiled, one tablespoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of paprika. heat slowly until very hot and then serve on toast. fruit cake place in a mixing bowl two and one-half cups of syrup, one cup of shortening. cream well and then add eight cups of flour, four level tablespoons of baking powder, one cup of milk, one-half cup of cocoa, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of cloves, one teaspoon of allspice, two eggs, two cups of finely-chopped peanuts. beat to mix thoroughly and then grease and flour a baking pan and turn in the batter. place the raisins one at a time on the top of the batter and gently press them into the dough. bake for fifty minutes in a slow oven. cool and then ice and decorate with hallowe'en figures and then cut into blocks. fall menu breakfast grapes cereal and cream fried butterfish, creole hashed brown potatoes water-cress rolls coffee dinner grape juice cocktail pot roast beef, spanish brown potatoes string beans tomato salad rolls coffee supper fried tomatoes cream gravy potato salad corn bread apple sauce tea butterfish, creole cleanse the fish and wash well and then drain. now roll lightly in flour and brown in hot fat quickly. place in a baking dish and add the following sauce: one cup of stewed tomatoes, four onions, chopped fine, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of thyme. bake in the oven for twenty minutes and then serve from the dish. other fish may be used in place of the butter fish. winter menu breakfast grapes cereal and cream virginia griddle cakes syrup coffee dinner home-made chow-chow piccalilli ye olde-tyme english oyster pye mashed potatoes buttered and spiced beets coleslaw grape tapioca blanc mange coffee supper bean sausages cream gravy potato salad raisin cake tea a nice change for the family is to give them corn muffins and plain rolls or biscuits in place of bread. usually in the hurry and bustle of getting the business folk off in time in the morning and then preparing the children for school the housewife does not have the time to prepare these homey, old-fashioned breads for breakfast. the price of butter makes it almost prohibitive to use it as a spread for hot cakes, yet we all like the butter flavor. so let us follow the example of the thrifty new england woman, who puts the syrup into a good-sized pitcher and then adds two tablespoons of butter to one and one-half cups of syrup. place the pitcher into a pan of warm water and then heat. stir frequently, so that the butter will melt and blend thoroughly with the syrup. just before sending to the table beat thoroughly. this not only makes a delicious spread for hot cakes and waffles and the like, but it is a real economy and a saving in butter. grape-juice cocktail place one pound of grapes in a saucepan and add three cups of water. bring to a boil and cook until soft. rub through a fine sieve and then sweeten and chill. fill into cocktail glasses and serve. pot roast beef, spanish place in a mixing bowl and chop fine two tomatoes, four onions, three green peppers, four branches of parsley. now add one teaspoon of paprika. mix and pack into the meat, pushing well into the roll. roll the meat in flour and then melt the suet in a deep saucepan and add the meat. brown well and add one-half cup of flour. stir until well browned and then add one quart of boiling water. cover closely and then cook, allowing one-half hour for each pound of meat, gross weight. one hour before cooking add six small onions and one carrot cut in quarters. when ready to serve, add one quart of boiling water and season to taste. this will provide sufficient gravy to use for two meals. grape tapioca blanc mange place in a saucepan one cup of water, two cups of grape juice, three-quarters cup of finely granulated tapioca. bring to a boil and then cook slowly for thirty minutes and then add three-quarters cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt. cook five minutes longer. now rinse custard cups with cold water and pour in the blanc mange. let cool and then turn on a saucer and pile with the fruit whip made from white of an egg, one-half glass of jelly. beat until it holds its shape. bean sausage open a can of beans and drain well, then mash and put through a sieve into a mixing bowl. add two onions, grated, two tablespoons of parsley, chopped fine, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of paprika. mix well and then mould into sausages. roll them in flour and brown in hot fat. use the liquid drained from the beans and sufficient milk to measure one and one-half cups. place in a saucepan and add five tablespoons of flour. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add three-quarters teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, two tablespoons of finely-minced parsley. virginia griddle cakes place one cup of corn meal in a mixing bowl and add one teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of shortening, three tablespoons of syrup, one cup of boiling water. beat to mix and then add two cups of cold water, one egg, two and one-half cups of flour, two level tablespoons of baking powder. beat hard to mix and then bake on a hot griddle. buttered and spiced beets cook the beets until tender and then drain and cut into slices. now place in a small saucepan one tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of vinegar, two tablespoons of hot water, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-eighth teaspoon of mustard, tiny pinch of cloves. when boiling hot, pour over the sliced beets. use the yolk of egg for making the dressing for the cole slaw and the white of egg and one-half glass of jelly for making the meringue for the grape tapioca blanc mange. ye old-tyme oyster pye to prepare the crust, place in a mixing bowl two cups of sifted flour, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder. sift to mix and then put one-quarter pound of suet through the food-chopper. then rub the finely chopped suet through a fine sieve to remove the stringy parts. now rub the suet into the flour and mix to a dough with one-half cup of cold water. then chop and fold for two minutes. turn on a floured pastry board and divide into two pieces. roll out one-half of the dough until one-quarter inch thick and then turn a large plate over this dough and cut around the edge of the plate. be sure that the plate is at least two inches larger than the top of the baking or casserole dish. now drain the oysters and look over carefully for the bits of shell. place the oysters in a casserole or baking dish and add the stalk of celery that has been scraped clean and then diced and cooked until tender, also one grated onion, three tablespoons of parsley, three cups of thick cream sauce, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, one-eighth teaspoon of thyme. mix thoroughly and then make two or three small gashes in the top of the crust and cover the oysters with it, pressing the crust well against the edges of the dish. brush the top of crust with water and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. use equal parts of the oyster liquor and milk for making the cream sauce. chop the celery leaves as well as the stalk. now roll out the balance of the pastry and cut into three-inch squares. score the tops lightly with a knife or prick with a fork, and place on a baking sheet and bake a delicate light brown. wrap in a napkin to keep warm. when ready to serve the oyster pie, place two of the squares of pastry on a plate and then lift on the oyster pie, and then place a second piece right over the crust of pie. pour over this top piece of pastry two tablespoons of the sauce from the oyster pie. raisin cake place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of sugar, one egg, four tablespoons of shortening, two cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, three-quarters cup of water. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour into well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan. now spread one-half package of raisins on top and gently press them with the back of the spoon until the dough covers them. bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. turkey a creole method of roasting turkey, chicken, duck or game or broiling fowl, birds or game is given below. clean and prepare the bird to suit the taste, and when ready to cook, whether broiling, roasting or baking, lard the breast with many strips of salt pork or bacon, or fastened on with toothpicks. place in a hot oven to sear, then turn the bird, be it large or small, on its breast. roast, bake or broil for three-quarters of the time on its breast, basting every ten minutes. dredge occasionally with flour. do not season at the beginning of cooking, but delay this until the last quarter of the time allotted for cooking the bird, then turn it on its breast to brown. finish cooking, basting every ten minutes. this method permits the heat to cook the heaviest part of the bird slowly, so that, by turning on its breast, the bony structure may receive the intense heat. birds or fowls that are old should be steamed before roasting. this method will make them tender and juicy. filling and gravy dry filling one pint of stale bread crumbs, one large onion, minced fine, one teaspoon of poultry seasoning, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of bacon fat or good beef drippings. rub all together into a crumby mass, then pack into the fowl. wild game filling put through the food chopper enough celery tops, with leaves, to make one cupful, also: one medium-sized onion, one level teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one level teaspoon of sage, two teaspoonfuls of parsley, minced fine, one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, one cupful of well-dried bread crumbs. mix well, then fill into wild duck or goose. baked chicken and noodles prepare the chicken for fricasseeing, cook until tender and then lift it. now cook the noodles in the broth and season. lift the cooked noodles into a baking or casserole dish. now brown the chicken quickly on one side in a frying pan, using just sufficient shortening to prevent burning. lay the chicken on the noodles and then thicken the broth slightly, adding one tablespoon of minced parsley, one tablespoon of minced onion. pour over the chicken and noodles and bake in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. apple and raisin filling for duck chop enough apples fine to measure one pint. add one-half cup of seeded raisins, one and one-half cups of bread crumbs. season with salt, pepper and sweet marjoram. mix together with two tablespoonsful of melted butter. pack into duck. giblet gravy mince the giblets fine. brown into two tablespoonfuls of bacon fat, adding two tablespoonfuls of flour. brown well, then add one quart of water. cook slowly while the fowl is roasting for one and one-half hours. rub through a sieve, then return to the fire and bring to a boil. it is then ready to serve. minced giblets on toast cook the giblets for one hour in one pint of water. put through the food chopper, adding one onion, one hard-boiled egg, one-fourth cup of canned tomatoes. season with one-eighth teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper to taste. serve on toasted strips of bread for luncheon. turkey meat biscuits prepare the dough as for biscuits. turn out on a pastry board and pat or roll out one-quarter inch thick. spread one-half of the dough with the prepared turkey meat. fold over the balance of the dough, press firmly. cut with a sharp knife into squares and brush the tops of the biscuits with milk. bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. note.--these biscuits may be prepared the night before and placed in a cold place and baked in the morning. left-over turkey utilizing the left-over turkey remove the meat from the carcass, separating the white from the dark meat. pick the carcass clean and then break the bones and place in a soup kettle and cover with cold water and add one-half cup of chopped onions, one-half cup of diced carrots, one faggot of soup herbs. bring to a boil and cook slowly for two hours. strain into a bowl and this stock can be used for soups, sauces and gravies. turkey croquettes one and one-half cups of very thick cream sauce, one cup of fine bread crumbs, one and one-half cups of turkey meat, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two tablespoons of grated onions, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix thoroughly and then mould into croquettes and dip in beaten egg and then into fine bread crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. turkey au gratin two cups of thick cream sauce, one and one-half cups of turkey meat, one tablespoon of grated onion, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. mix and then pour in a baking dish. cover the top with fine bread crumbs and two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese and bake for thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. turkey, terrapin style use the dark meat. prepare one and one-half cupfuls of cream sauce and then add one and one-half cups of prepared turkey meat, two hard-boiled eggs, cut in eighths, pinch of nutmeg, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, juice of one lemon. heat slowly to boiling point and then add one-half cupful of brown sauce, made from turkey stock. add one teaspoonful of grated lemon rind and then serve. meat roll use level measurements. this is a very nice dish for a luncheon. place in a bowl two cups of sifted flour, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of paprika, four teaspoons of baking powder. sift twice and then rub in three tablespoonfuls of shortening and then mix to dough with two-thirds cup of water. roll out on slightly floured board one-quarter inch thick, and spread with finely minced turkey meat, which has been seasoned with one tablespoon of grated onion, one green or red pepper, minced fine, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. roll for jelly-roll and pinch the edges together well. place in well-greased baking pan and bake for forty-five minutes in a hot oven. start basting with one cupful of turkey stock after the roll has been in the oven for ten minutes. serve by cutting in slices and then cover with cream sauce. turkey pot pie place in a baking dish a layer of parboiled and diced potatoes. season with finely minced onion and parsley and green or red pepper, chopped fine. now add a layer of turkey meat. repeat this until the dish is full and then add a sauce made from one cup of milk, one cup of turkey stock, five tablespoons of flour. stir until flour is dissolved in the milk and stock and bring to a boil. season and then pour over the turkey in the baking dish. cover the top of the dish with lattice strips of pastry. brush with milk or water and bake forty-five minutes in a hot oven. some soups using the turkey stock made by simmering bones and carcass of turkey in sufficient water to cover. turkey soup, italian cook three ounces of macaroni in one quart of boiling water for twenty minutes and then drain and blanch under running water. place in a saucepan and add two and one-half pints of turkey stock, two onions, cut fine, tiny bit of garlic. cook slowly for fifteen minutes and then serve with grated cheese. mulligatawney place four cupfuls of turkey stock in a saucepan and add three apples, chopped fine. one carrot, one small onion. bring to a boil and cook slowly until vegetables are soft and then place three tablespoonfuls of shortening in saucepan and add one-half cupful of flour. stir until well browned and then add two cupfuls of turkey stock. cook for ten minutes and add to the soup. bring to a boil, then strain and season with one level tablespoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, one-fourth teaspoon of nutmeg, three pints of turkey stock, one-half cup of finely chopped celery, one carrot diced, four tablespoons of washed rice. bring to a boil and cook for thirty-five minutes very slowly and then season. cabbage pudding chop one medium-sized head of cabbage fine and parboil until tender. then drain and place in a bowl and add two onions, grated, one cup of left over cold meat, chopped fine. season well and then place a layer of the prepared cabbage in a baking dish and then a layer of bread crumbs. pour two cups of thick cream sauce over all and place a thin layer of bread crumbs on top. bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. family thanksgiving dinner for six persons, from a new england farm house oyster soup home pickled onions chow-chow chili sauce boston brown bread fish balls roast turkey brown gravy oyster filling cranberry sauce bannocks baked potatoes mashed turnips creamed onions buttered parsnips coleslaw pepperhash corn relish jams, jellies and conserves mince and pumpkin pies coffee maple fudge preserved plums the good old-fashioned oyster soup, made from the famous recipe that has been in the family for so many years, was served from two immense old white china tureens. grandpa perkins, sitting at the head of the table, ladled out the soup, and after it was placed and every one was seated, grandpa rapped the table with the big horn handle of the carving knife and every head was bowed in silent prayer while his voice was uplifted in thankful thanksgiving praise, to which we all responded with a solemn amen. chicken roll place in a mixing bowl three cups of sifted flour. one teaspoon of salt, three level tablespoons of baking powder. sift to mix, rub in five tablespoons of shortening and mix to dough with one cup of water. roll on pastry board one-quarter inch thick and spread with the prepared filling. roll as for jelly-roll, place in well-greased and floured baking pan and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. serve with tomato or creole sauce. prepared filling mince the giblets fine and pick the meat from the neck and carcass, putting the skin through the food-chopper. place in a bowl and add two onions, grated, one green pepper, minced fine, four tablespoons of finely-chopped parsley, one-half cup of bacon, cut in dice and nicely browned, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper. mix thoroughly and spread as directed upon the dough. boston brown bread place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of cornmeal, one-half cup of barley flour, one-half cup of rice flour, one teaspoon of salt, one-half cup of molasses, one level teaspoon of soda, one and one-quarter cups of sour milk. beat to mix and then pour into well-greased one-pound empty coffee cans and fill them three-quarters full. cover and place in a deep saucepan. fill the saucepan two-thirds full of boiling water. boil steadily for one and three-quarters hours; then remove the lid from coffee can and place in a warm oven for three-quarters of an hour to dry out. next come the fish balls--not the great, round old-fashioned grease-soaked one of commerce, but the daintiest golden brown balls the size of bantam eggs, fried in smoking hot fat and laid on snowy white napkins in piles, with sprigs of parsley stuck between them. aunt polly rives's one-egg cake one egg, one cup of brown sugar, five tablespoons of shortening, cream well and then add one and three-quarter cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder, one cup of milk. beat to thoroughly mix. add one cup of seeded raisins; pour in a well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan and bake forty minutes in moderate oven. real old vermont oyster soup for six people. drain one dozen oysters free from the liquid, then strain the liquid into a saucepan. wash and look carefully over the oysters to remove all bits of shell. chop the oysters very fine and then return them to the oyster liquid. add one tablespoon of butter and a tiny pinch of thyme; then heat to the scalding point and add two and one-half cups of scalding hot milk. let come to a boil, remove from the fire and serve. scald the milk in a double boiler. cousin hetty's fish balls "time was," said cousin hetty, "when we used to flake out fish, but since brother and old amos went into the fish business, we generally use the shredded fish." recipe for six persons. open a package of prepared shredded codfish and then turn into a piece of cheese-cloth and plunge four or five times into a large bowl of hot water. squeeze dry. cook and then mash sufficient potatoes to measure three cups and then add the prepared fish and two tablespoons of grated onion, four tablespoons of finely-minced parsley, one teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter cup of milk, two tablespoons of butter. beat hard to mix thoroughly and then mould into small balls; roll in flour; dip in beaten egg and milk and then roll in fine crumbs and fry until golden brown in hot fat. bannocks for six persons. place in a saucepan two cups of boiling water, one-half teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of maple sugar, four tablespoons of syrup, three-quarters cup of cornmeal. cook until it is a thick cornmeal mush, then let cool. spread very thin on well-greased baking sheet; brush with melted shortening and bake in a hot oven. in the days of long ago these bannocks were usually baked before the open fire. the feature of the dinner, three large turkeys, were cooked until golden brown and juicy tender. nigh about the coming of the first of october, grandma gives strict orders that every morsel of bread crumbs, even though it is just the war bread, be saved. for you know lots of bread crumbs are needed for the fish cakes and then filling of the birds. this stale bread is thoroughly dried out and then put through the food chopper, then sifted. the coarse crumbs are used for filling the turkey. in the good old days of yesteryear when a large majority of us felt that thanksgiving would be incomplete without the turkey, it required careful planning to use the left-overs without waste, as the family quickly tired of too much turkey when served for three or four meals. however, left-over chicken or turkey may be served in the following dishes: brown emince fowl pick the meat from the back, carcass and neck and mince fine the giblets. place in a saucepan and add to one and one-half cups of the prepared meat one onion, one green pepper, minced fine, three-quarters cup of boiling water. cook gently for twenty-five minutes, then place in a saucepan two tablespoons of shortening and four tablespoons of flour. stir to blend thoroughly and then brown until a rich golden brown. turn in the prepared emince and stir to mix and season with salt, white pepper, tiny pinch of mustard, tiny pinch of poultry seasoning. make a border of mashed potatoes on a warm platter and fill the emince in the centre of the platter and garnish with finely minced parsley. chicken dumplings remove all the meat from the left-over carcass and break the bones. place the bones in a stock pot and add three pints of cold water, two onions, one fagot of potherbs, one cup of well-crushed tomatoes. bring to a boil and simmer slowly for two and one-half hours. strain the stock and season with salt, white pepper, three tablespoons of finely-minced parsley. now place sufficient meat picked from the carcass through the food chopped to measure, when chopped fine, one cup; place in a bowl and add one large onion, grated, four tablespoons of finely-chopped minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, two cups of sifted flour, three level teaspoons of baking powder, one tablespoon of shortening, one well-beaten egg, seven tablespoons of water. work to a smooth dough, then drop from the tablespoon into boiling stock. cover closely and let cook for fifteen minutes. lift on a slice of toast and then quickly add to the stock one cup of minced chicken. then dissolve one-half cup of flour, one-half cup of water, and stir to blend thoroughly. add to the stock and then bring to a boil; cook for five minutes and pour over the dumplings. sprinkle with finely minced parsley and send to the table at once. chicken loaf this delightful old southern dish is always welcomed by the family. put the meat picked from the carcass and neck, with the giblets, through the food chopper, about one and one-half cups. mince fine one-half cup of bacon and sufficient onions to measure one cup. brown the bacon and simmer the onions in the bacon fat until tender, taking care not to brown. now add two and one-half cups of cold cooked rice, one cup of very thick cream sauce, one cup of fine bread crumbs, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, one well-beaten egg. mix thoroughly, then pack into well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pan. set the pan in a large one containing warm water and bake for one hour in a slow oven. remove the pan containing the water and let the loaf stay in the moderate oven for fifteen minutes. serve with parsley, cream or tomato sauce while hot; cut the balance cold and serve with mayonnaise or tartare sauce. christmas dinner clear tomato soup onion relish curly celery baked chicken spicy filling brown gravy cranberry jelly sweet potato pone mashed turnips coleslaw mince pie coffee onion relish chop fine sufficient onions to measure one cup and then place two tablespoons of fat in a frying pan. when hot, add the onions, cover closely and simmer slowly until tender. season with salt and paprika and three tablespoons of vinegar. cool and serve as a relish. curly celery scrape and thoroughly cleanse two stalks of celery and remove part of the green top and the bruised outside pieces. cut each stalk in half from the root to the stem and then split again. place in cold water and allow to crisp and cool. grandma perkins's spicy filling put the green and rough outside parts of the celery four onions, one bunch of potherbs, through the food chopper and chop fine; then add three cups of stale bread crumbs, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, five tablespoons of shortening, one teaspoon of pepper, three-quarters cup of chicken stock. mix and then fill into the prepared chicken. sew the opening with a stout darning needle and string. now rub the chicken thoroughly with shortening and cover with flour. place in the oven and let brown slightly; then turn the chicken breast down and baste every ten minutes. turning the chicken with the breast down causes the juices to permeate the white meat and thus make it tender and juicy. turn the chicken and allow the breast about twenty minutes for browning before taking from the oven. baked chicken select a plump stewing chicken about five pounds and then singe, draw and wash thoroughly. cover slowly and steam until tender; then fill with a spicy filling and place in a moderate oven to roast for one and three-quarters hours, basting every ten minutes. in order to be sure that the fowl will be sufficiently tender, remember to steam it ahead of time. cranberry jelly wash one pint of cranberries; then drain and place in a saucepan. add three-quarters cup of water. cover and cook until soft; then rub through a fine sieve. add two cups of brown sugar and bring to a boil. cook for ten minutes and then pour into small custard cups to mould. sweet potato pone wash and then boil one-quarter peck of sweet potatoes. cool and remove the skins. place in a bowl and mash, seasoning with one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, two tablespoons of butter. grease a baking pan well; then dust with flour and spread the prepared sweet potatoes in the pan about one inch thick. sprinkle the top thickly with nutmeg and place one tablespoon of butter over the top in tiny dots. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. remove from the oven and let stand for five minutes. cut into squares and lift with a cake turner to a hot plate. coleslaw shred the cabbage fine and then chop one green pepper. place in water to crisp. make a mayonnaise dressing by placing on a plate yolk of one egg, one teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of vinegar. work to a smooth paste and then add the oil slowly at first and then faster until all the oil is thoroughly incorporated, beating it quite hard. add the salt to taste. now add the vinegar to reduce to desired consistency; then drain the cabbage, turn on a cloth and let dry before pouring over the dressing. use three-quarters cup salad oil. mince pie two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of baking powder, two teaspoons of sugar. place in a mixing bowl and then sift. now rub three-quarters cup of shortening and mix to a dough with about six tablespoons of water. divide the dough, then roll out and cover a pie plate. use one and one-half pounds of mincemeat to fill. cover with a crust and then wash with beaten egg. bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes. note.--to wash the pie use one-half of beaten egg, using the balance in the chicken filling. you know there is a great little story told about the pie-loving new englanders, and as the story goes, there are only two kinds of pie, namely, "'tis mince and 'tain't mince." so, as grandma perkins says, "this is all mince." how to prepare the mince twelve medium-sized apples, one-half pound of candied citron, one-half package of seeded raisins, one pound of shelled peanuts, three-quarters pound of suet, one pound of dried peaches, one lemon. put all through the food chopper and then place one quart of syrup, one pound of brown sugar, in a preserving kettle and bring to a boil. cook for ten minutes and then add the prepared fruits and suet that have been put through the food chopper and add one package of seeded raisins, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of cloves, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of salt, three-quarters cup of strong cider vinegar. stir to mix thoroughly, then cook for ten minutes. cool and then fill into fruit jars. pour one tablespoon of salad oil on top; adjust the rubber and lid and seal. process in hot water bath for twenty minutes and then cool and store. this mince will be found to be most delicious, and it will keep until used. grandma perkins's grandad was a hiram teesdale, of gloucester, england, and this recipe is over years old. the original recipe was named christmas mynce pye, and on the holidays, a great pye of gloucester mynce, made by good dame teesdale, was always sent as a tithe from the county to the good queene elizabeth, and in this way royal favor was conferred on this family by the queen, who was delighted with the wonderful concoction. black walnuts and hazel nuts were used in the original recipe, but as these nuts are quite expensive, the peanuts will do just as well. christmas goodies in the days of long ago, before the day of heated apartments and water-heated homes, the housewife used the cellar as the cold-storage room. to-day this is impossible. for the householder who has an outside enclosed laundry or summer kitchen, the problem of keeping the holiday delicacies is quite an easy one. but to those of us who dwell in flats and apartments, some other way must be arranged. here are two new ideas that are worth trying: first, a window box on the shady side of the house. this box must be lined with asbestos paper on the inside, and then covered with the same paper and an additional covering of oil cloth upon the outside. by covering the box in this way, the housewife is assured of a smaller storage space of an even temperature. neither the extreme cold nor heat will affect this box. a thick layer of newspapers may be used as a lining, between the inside covering of the asbestos and the oil cloth covering upon the outside of the box. mincemeat must be stored in a cool, dry place to blend and ripen, without the danger of freezing. this is also an ideal time for the mother to plan to have the family help her and at the same time knit the home ties very closely together. the home where the family joins in the evening to make the seasonable delicacies is a very happy one. let the children have some of their friends in to help them with the preparations. chicken custard place one pint of chicken stock in a mixing bowl and add one small onion, grated, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, four eggs. beat until thoroughly mixed and then fill into well-buttered glass custard cups and set the cups in a baking pan and fill the pan half full of warm water. place in a slow oven to bake until firm. remove from the oven and let stand for five minutes to settle, then loosen the edges of the custard from the cups with a knife and turn on a slice of toast and serve with parsley sauce. this is a delicious luncheon dish. meatless mincemeat place in a mixing bowl four pounds of apples, chopped fine, one pound of peanuts, chopped fine, one pound of dried apricots, chopped fine, one pound of dried peaches, chopped fine, one pound of suet, chopped fine, two packages of seeded raisins, one package of currants, one-quarter pound of candied citron, chopped fine, one-quarter pound of candied orange peel, chopped fine, one-quarter pound of candied lemon peel, chopped fine, two tablespoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of mace, one teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of allspice, one teaspoon of cloves, one teaspoon of salt, one pint jar of grape or other preserves, one quart of molasses, one quart of cider, boiled for fifteen minutes. mix thoroughly and then store in the same manner as for ye olde-tyme mincemeat. ye olde-tyme mincemeat purchase one pound of shin beef and one-half pound of good soup bones, preferably bones from the chine or rib. wipe the meat, place it and the bones in a saucepan and add three cups of boiling water. cook slowly without seasoning until the meat is tender. cool and then pick the meat from the bones and put all the meat through the food chopper into a large bowl and add one pound of suet, shredded fine, five pounds of apples, chopped fine, grated rind of three lemons, juice of three lemons, one-half pound of candied orange peel, shredded fine, one-half pound of lemon peel, shredded fine, one-half pound of citron peel, shredded fine, one pound of dried or evaporated peaches, shredded fine, one pound of shelled peanuts, chopped fine, two packages of seeded raisins, one package of currants, three level tablespoons of cinnamon, two level teaspoons of mace, two level teaspoons of allspice, one level teaspoon of cloves, one level teaspoon of ginger, two level teaspoons of salt. mix thoroughly, then place in a deep saucepan one quart of syrup, one pound of brown sugar, one and one-half cups of stock from the meat, one quart of cider, one-quarter cup of vinegar. bring to a boil and cook for twenty minutes. pour over the mincemeat and mix thoroughly. fill into crocks or jars; cover closely and set in a cool place, or fill it into all-glass jars and adjust the rubber and lid. seal and then place in a hot-water bath. process for one-half hour, at a temperature of degrees fahrenheit. remove and store in a cool place. mincemeat that has been sterilized will keep until used. green tomato mince place one quart of thinly sliced green tomatoes in a bowl and sprinkle with four tablespoons of salt. let stand for four hours, then drain and squeeze dry. return to the bowl and add one-half pound of finely chopped suet, two and one-half pounds of finely chopped apples, one cup of finely chopped dried apricots, one cup of finely chopped seeded raisins, one cup of finely chopped peanuts, one cup of plum preserves, two cups of molasses, one and one-half cups of boiled cider, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-quarter teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of ginger. mix thoroughly and then store in the same manner as for ye olde-time mincemeat. mincemeat for two one-half cup of finely chopped cold cooked meat, three-quarters cup of finely chopped suet, six cups of finely chopped apples, one cup of finely chopped candied orange and lemon peel, mixed, one cup of seeded raisins, one cup of currants, one cup of chopped peanuts, one cup of chopped apricots, one and one-half cups of molasses, one cup of cider, four tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of salt. mix and then store in the same manner as for ye old-tyme mincemeat. jewish or kosher mincemeat chop fine sufficient left-over cold cooked beef or lamb free from all fat to measure two cups. place in a large bowl and add two quarts of finely chopped apples, one cup of finely chopped candied orange peel, one cup of finely chopped candied lemon peel, one cup of finely chopped citron, one cup of finely chopped apricots, two cups each of seedless raisins and currants, one cup of finely chopped shelled almonds, one cup of corn oil, one and one-half tablespoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of cloves, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of salt. now place in a saucepan one quart of cider. one pound of brown sugar, one cup of molasses. stir to dissolve, then bring to a boil and cook for fifteen minutes. pour over the mincemeat and mix thoroughly. fill into crocks or jars and store as for ye olde-tyme mincemeat. when storing mincemeat either in crocks or in jars, cover with salad oil, about one-quarter inch deep, to exclude air. use a good grade of salad oil. this makes it unnecessary to use liquor for keeping the mincemeat. the bride housewife who is planning a thanksgiving dinner for "just us two" frequently finds herself in a dilemma. turkey is much too large for her and chicken hardly appeals to her for this day. however, below are some suggestive menus for a thanksgiving dinner for two. no. . celery radishes oysters on the half shell planked squab spiced grape jam baked sweet potatoes creamed onions endive salad russian dressing individual mince tarts coffee cheese and crackers nuts and raisins no. . grilled oysters celery fillets of flounder, piedmont guinea hen, marie cranberry jelly candied sweet potatoes cauliflower coleslaw pumpkin tarts coffee cheese nuts and raisins no. . shrimp cocktail celery olives roast squab duckling, currant jelly creamed mashed potatoes peas lettuce pimento dressing mince turnover coffee cheese and crackers nuts and raisins how to prepare the menu place the oysters in the ice box, near the ice, until ready to serve. scrape and clean the celery, cutting the root into a point, then splitting it in half from root end to tip. place in cold water and trim, then cleanse the radishes. split the radishes into four parts, from tip to near the stem end; use a sharp knife for this purpose--this makes eight cuts in the radishes. place in cold water. wash the oyster shells and set aside until needed for serving the oysters. planked squab split the squab down the back, then draw. wash well in cold water and remove the breast bone. place in a baking pan, rub with shortening and dust very lightly with the flour. place in a hot oven to bake for thirty-five minutes. baste frequently with hot water. now lift to a hot plank and cover with strips of bacon. split the sweet potatoes and place on each corner. brush lightly with butter, dust with cinnamon and brown sugar. place in a hot oven for twelve minutes. guinea hen marie have the butcher split the hen down the back and remove the breast bone. wash and wipe dry, then rub well with shortening and dust with flour. lay in a baking pan and place in a hot oven. baste every ten minutes with boiling water. cook for forty minutes in a moderate oven and just ten minutes before removing from the oven cover the hen with strips of bacon and three onions, minced fine, one green pepper, minced fine, grilled oysters carefully look over the oyster and remove all bits of shell. wash and then roll in mayonnaise, dip in bread crumbs. return to the deep shell and broil or bake in a hot oven for ten minutes. pastry for two place in a mixing bowl one cup of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of salt. sift to mix, then rub in three tablespoons of shortening and mix to a dough with three tablespoons of water. chop the water into the flour, then turn on the pastry board and roll out one-quarter inch thick. use for tarts and turnovers. brush with milk or syrup and water and bake in a moderate oven. cake for two place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of white corn syrup, yolk of one egg, four tablespoons of water, one cup of sifted flour, three level teaspoons of baking powder, one level teaspoon of flavoring. beat to mix thoroughly and then add two tablespoons of melted shortening, folding in carefully. when thoroughly mixed, cut and fold the white of egg into the dough. turn into well-greased and floured pan which has a tube in the centre and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. suggestive menu for family home wedding persons, o'clock dinner salted nuts sweet pickles celery oyster cocktail broiled fresh salmon ravigote sauce roast turkey, brown gravy cranberry jelly candied sweet potatoes asparagus salad pimento dressing ice cream wedding cake coffee materials needed for twenty-five persons: one-half pound of almonds, two small jars of sweet mixed pickles, twenty-five stewing oysters, six pound cut of fresh salmon, one bunch of parsley, three bunches of watercress, one bunch of leeks, one bunch of thyme, two fifteen-pound turkeys, one quart of cranberries, three-pound can of white corn syrup, three-quarters peck of sweet potatoes, three large cans of asparagus, three firm heads of lettuce, one can of pimentos, two large bottles of catsup, one small bottle of worcestershire sauce, one glass of horseradish, six quarts of ice cream, cut five blocks to the quart, ten or twelve-pound wedding cake, one pound of coffee, one pint of cream, one pound of sugar, one pound of butter, fifty rolls. oyster cocktail sauce open the catsup, worcestershire sauce and horseradish and mix well. add one-half cup of vinegar and mix again, and use for oyster cocktail, allowing five oysters for each person. do not put any filling in the turkey. it will then resemble the grilled turkey of new orleans. cranberry jelly, using syrup purchase the white corn syrup and place in a saucepan and add the cranberries. bring to a boil and cook slowly for twenty minutes, and then turn into a bowl to mould. if you wish to strain out the seeds and skins, rub through a coarse sieve. if you wish to turn the cranberries from the bowl, rinse the bowl in cold water before pouring the jelly in. buffet supper no. salted nuts celery tuna fish à la king asparagus salad russian dressing ice cream cake coffee no. olives pickles chicken salad apple jelly rice croquettes ice cream cake coffee no. olives radishes baked ham sandwiches potato and celery salad ice cream cake coffee for menu no. materials required: pound of almonds, six stalks of celery, eight large cans of tuna fish, one can of pimentos, one-half pound of mushrooms, six quarts of milk, three large cans of asparagus, six quarts of ice cream, cut five blocks to the quart, eight-pound wedding cake, one pound of coffee, one pound of sugar, one can of milk, twenty-five rolls, one pound of butter. tuna fish a la king open cans of fish and turn into a large bowl. make the sauce as follows. place in a saucepan six quarts of milk, five level cups of flour. stir to blend thoroughly, then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. now add one can of chopped pimentos, the prepared mushrooms, three level tablespoons of salt, two level tablespoons of paprika, one teaspoon of pepper. the tuna fish should be broken in large pieces. heat slowly and when hot serve on thin slices of toast. to prepare the mushrooms peel the mushrooms and then cut both caps and stems in small pieces. parboil for five minutes in boiling water and then drain and use. a heart shape may be arranged for either the square or round table. have the shape made by a carpenter, fastening small cleats underneath to prevent its slipping off table top. the cleats must be arranged so they will catch the edge of the table. suppers for evening affair toasted cheese sandwiches gingerbread tea cheese and pepper sandwiches or bacon and onion sandwich tea scotch rabbit bread and butter tea dry oyster pan toast cocoa cheese and omelet sandwiches tea toasted cheese sandwiches remove the crust from a loaf of bread, and then cut into slices one inch thick. toast and then cut american cheese in slices one-fourth inch thick. place on toast and spread lightly with grated onion. place in the pan in a hot oven to toast the cheese. gingerbread this cake can be made and baked in forty-five minutes. place in a bowl one and one-half cups of molasses, one-half cup of shortening, one cup of water, four cups of sifted flour, three level tablespoons of baking powder, one and one-half teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-quarter teaspoon of cloves. beat just enough to mix and then pour into well-greased and floured pan and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. it can be cut and eaten while hot if desired. cheese and pepper sandwiches place in a bowl one cup of cottage cheese, one onion, minced fine, two peppers, chopped fine, one-half cup of mayonnaise, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. beat to mix and then butter the bread and cut in thin slices. place a layer of cheese mixture and then cover and cut in half. bacon and onion sandwiches mince fine one and one-half cups of onions. parboil until tender and then mince four ounces of bacon. cut in dice. toss lightly in hot pan and add the onions. toss until onions are nicely browned and tender. spread between slices of buttered rye bread. fillet of beef a la riga round skirt, flank or chuck steaks may be used for this dish. cut one and one-quarter pounds of thin round steak into four pieces. now mince very fine two ounces of salt pork, two onions, four branches of parsley. add one and one-half cups of prepared bread, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce. mix thoroughly and then form into a sausage and lay on the prepared steak and roll, tying securely in three places with white string. roll the steak in flour and then place four tablespoons of shortening in a deep saucepan and add the prepared fillets, and brown well. when the fillets are nicely browned, stir in two tablespoons of flour well and add two cups of boiling water, one carrot, cut in quarters, four small onions. cover closely and cook for one hour and then add two teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, juice of one-half lemon, one cup of peas. heat to the boiling point and then cook for ten minutes. now lay a slice of toast for each fillet on a hot platter and lift the fillet. remove the strings, then lift the carrot and onions and lay on a platter. strain over the gravy and then place the peas in a border around the platter, and garnish with thin slices of tomato. scotch rabbit place one-half pound of grated cheese in a saucepan or chafing dish and add one onion, grated, three-quarters cup of well-drained canned tomatoes, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix and heat until the cheese melts. serve on the toast. dry oyster pan allow one-half dozen oysters for each person. look over the oysters carefully and wash to remove bits of shell. place well-drained oysters in a saucepan and place on stove. shake continually until cooked, usually about four or five minutes. season with salt, pepper and one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. lift on a thick slice of toast and pour one tablespoon of melted butter over the oysters and then divide the liquid in the pan and pour over the toast. sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve. rice muffins rub one cup of cold boiled rice through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl and add one egg, one cup of milk, one teaspoon of salt, four tablespoons of syrup, three tablespoons of shortening, one and three-quarters cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking powder. beat hard to mix and then pour into well-greased and floured muffin pans, and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. spanish bun one and one-half cups of sugar, three-quarters cup of shortening, yolks of five eggs. cream until light lemon color and then add three teaspoons of baking powder, five cups of flour, one cup of milk, one package of small seedless raisins or currants, one-half teaspoon of salt. beat just enough to mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs. pour into square pan which has been lined with paper and then greased and floured. bake in a moderate oven for one hour. ice with water-icing and mark off into slices with a knife while the icing is soft. vegetables a la jardiniere pare and cut in dice two carrots, one cup of celery, one cup of sliced onions. place in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook until tender; then drain, and then mince fine three slices of bacon. brown bacon and then lift and add the vegetables to the fat left from browning the bacon. add one cup of canned peas, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of vinegar. cook slowly for fifteen minutes. braised ox tails the large ox tail joints or the usual ox tail may be used for this. soak two and one-half pounds of tails in warm water for fifteen minutes and then wash well, and drain and wipe dry. roll in flour and then brown quickly in hot fat. now lift to a deep saucepan and add three cups of boiling water, two cups of sliced onions, two carrots, cut in dice. cook slowly for one and one-quarter hours and then season with two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, four tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. now to serve cook three-quarters pound of macaroni in boiling water for twenty minutes and then drain and season, and place on a hot platter. lay on top of the macaroni the cooked ox tails and pour over all the gravy containing the onions and carrots. garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve. potato pancakes place in a mixing bowl three slices of bacon, minced fine, and cooked until nicely browned three tablespoons of bacon fat, one egg, three-quarters cup of milk, one and one-half cups of flour, three-quarters cup of potatoes rubbed through a fine sieve, four teaspoons of baking powder. beat hard to thoroughly mix and then bake on a griddle or fry in hot fat. bananas a la jamique peel three bananas and then cut in half. place in a bowl and sprinkle with the juice of one lemon. let stand for one hour to marinate, and then dip in a batter and fry until golden brown. lay on a thin slice of sponge cake and spread the cake with pineapple jelly or jam. pile high with fruit whip and garnish with finely chopped crystallized ginger. boston baked beans soak one pint of beans in plenty of cold water overnight and in the morning carefully wash and place in a saucepan and cover again with water. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes, and then drain and place in a casserole or baking dish, and add one-half pound of salt pork, cut into two-inch blocks, one cup of stewed tomatoes rubbed through a sieve, four tablespoons of molasses, one teaspoon of salt, one onion, chopped fine, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard. mix well and then add sufficient water to cover. bake in a moderate oven for three hours. whole wheat muffins place in a mixing bowl two cups of buttermilk, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of sugar, four tablespoons of shortening, one egg, three cups of whole-wheat flour, two teaspoons of baking powder. beat hard to mix and then pour into well-greased muffin pans and bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. yesterday's bran bread place in a mixing bowl three cups of buttermilk, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, two teaspoons of baking soda, three-quarters cup of syrup, one-half cup of shortening. beat to thoroughly mix and then add four cups of whole-wheat flour, three cups of bran, one and one-half cups of white flour, two teaspoons of baking powder. beat hard to mix and then pour into two well-greased and floured loaf-shaped pans and spread evenly. let stand for ten minutes and then bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. one-half package of seeded raisins or three-quarters cup of finely chopped nuts may be added to one loaf for variety. use when one day old. buttermilk custard place in a mixing bowl yolk of one egg, two eggs, one and one-quarter cups of buttermilk, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, one-half cup of sugar, three tablespoons of flour. beat to a smooth batter and then pour in custard cups and set the cups in a pan of warm water, and bake in a slow oven until firm in the centre. remove, cool and then make a whip with white of one egg, one-half glass of jelly. beat to a stiff meringue and then pile high on each custard. serve ice cold, dusted with cinnamon. yankee pancakes place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of buttermilk, two tablespoons of syrup, one tablespoon of shortening, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt. beat to mix and then add one cup of whole-wheat flour, one-half cup of cornmeal, one teaspoon of baking powder. beat to mix and then bake on a hot gridle. buttermilk bread scald two cups of buttermilk and then let cool. put through a sieve to break up the large curds and then turn into a mixing bowl and add four tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon of salt, four tablespoons of shortening, one yeast cake dissolved in one-half cup of water. beat hard to mix and then add eight cups of flour, and work to a smooth dough; grease the bowl and place the dough in it. turn the dough over to thoroughly coat with the shortening. cover and let rise overnight and then early in the morning punch down well and turn over for one hour. place on a moulding board and divide into loaves. form into the loaf and then place in well-greased pans and let rise for one hour. bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. it is important that the temperature of the scalded and cooled buttermilk should be about degrees fahrenheit. when setting the bread overnight, be sure that it is in a place where the average temperature will be degrees fahrenheit in summer and degrees fahrenheit in winter, and which is free from drafts. buttermilk doughnuts place in a mixing bowl one cup of buttermilk, two tablespoons of shortening, one egg, one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of ginger. beat to mix. now add five cups of sifted flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, and work to a smooth dough. roll out one-half inch thick on well-floured pastry board and cut and fry until golden brown in hot fat. buttermilk cheese pie place one quart of buttermilk in a pan and heat gently to about degrees fahrenheit. let cool and then turn into a piece of cheese-cloth and let drain for two hours. now measure one and one-half cups of whey and place in a saucepan and add six tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. now add one cup of sugar, yolks of two eggs, grated rind of one-half lemon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of vanilla. and the prepared cheese that has been draining in the cheesecloth. beat very hard with the egg-beater to thoroughly blend. pour into pans which have been lined with plain pastry and bake for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. dust the top of the pie before placing in the oven with either nutmeg or cinnamon, and one-half cup of seeded raisins or finely chopped nuts may be added for variety, if desired. use left-over whites of egg one for fruit whip; one for dipping croquettes, oysters and the like to be fried in deep fat. sauces cider sauce (champagne sauce) melt three tablespoons of ham fat in the frying pan and add four tablespoons of flour, and cook until nice and brown, then add two cups of cider. stir until well blended and then bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then season with salt and white pepper and a little nutmeg. mock hollandaise to one cupful of cream sauce add yolk of one egg, two tablespoons of lemon juice, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of grated onion. batardi sauce one cup of thick cream sauce, yolk of one egg, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of grated onion, juice of one-half lemon, one-half cup of stewed tomatoes, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley. heat slowly, beating thoroughly to blend. rub through fine sieve and then serve cold. tomato sauce one cup of canned tomatoes rubbed through a sieve, one and one-half cups of cold water, four onions, minced fine, one carrot, cut fine, one fagot of soup herbs. cook slowly for twenty minutes and then add three tablespoons of cornstarch, one tablespoon of sugar, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard dissolved in one-half cup of cold water. bring to a boil and then cook for ten minutes. rub through a fine sieve and use. brown sauce to make a brown sauce, place four tablespoons of fat in a frying pan and add three tablespoons of flour. stir until brown. brown until a very dark color and then add one cup of stock or water. stir until the mixture is perfectly smooth and at the boiling point for three minutes. season as desired. american sauce to make a sauce american take one-half cup of thick cream sauce, one-half cup of stewed tomatoes, one tablespoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of grated cheese. blend and put through the fine sieve. serve hot. cream sauce place one cup of milk in saucepan and add three level tablespoons of flour. stir with a fork or egg-beater until well mixed and then bring to a boil. cool for three minutes and then stir constantly. remove from the fire and use. bohemian sauce one cup of thick cream sauce, juice of one-half lemon, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of fresh grated horseradish. beat to mix and then serve either hot or cold. canadian sauce place in a saucepan two grated onions, one green pepper, two tomatoes, chopped very fine. cook slowly until soft, and then cool and add six tablespoons of salad oil, three tablespoons of vinegar, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of sugar. mix thoroughly and serve cold over the fish. horseradish sauce add two tablespoons of grated horseradish and one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce to either cream sauce or brown sauce. mexican chili sauce split open and then remove the seeds from one dozen chilis (green peppers). now scrape the three or four veins to remove seeds that run through the pepper lengthwise. now drop them into boiling water for fifteen minutes. remove the skin and chop fine. place four tablespoons of oil in an iron frying pan and add one-half cup of finely chopped onions. cook slowly until tender, taking care not to brown. now add two tablespoons of flour. blend well and then add the chilis and two cups of tomato pulp rubbed through a fine sieve, one cup of boiling water. simmer slowly until thick, smooth sauce. season with salt to taste. rub hand with salad oil, before preparing the peppers, to prevent burns. beverages to prepare chocolate as a beverage it is necessary to boil or cook it thoroughly. the mere fact of pouring boiling water or milk upon the cocoa will not cook it sufficiently. how to prepare chocolate the mexican epicure long ago discovered that to make chocolate successfully, it is necessary to beat it continually and he thus perfected a chocolate whip which is a wooden beater with a number of wooden rings fastened to it; when this is used to stir the chocolate it churns the mixture to a froth. the french use a number of switches, bound into a whip. the american housewife uses a flat wire whip for this purpose. cocoa.--place in a saucepan three-fourths cup of water and two level teaspoons of cocoa for each cup of cocoa desired. bring to a boil and then cook for five minutes. beat continually, then add one-fourth cup of scalded milk for each cup of cocoa. bring to a boil again and then serve. chocolate.--use three ounces of chocolate to one quart of water. cut the chocolate fine and then add water and stir constantly. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. add one cup of scalded cream and then bring again to boiling point and serve. one tablespoon of whipped cream may be added to each cup just before serving. how to brew a cup of tea from an old tea merchant in london i received my instructions for making a perfect cup of tea. first rinse out the teapot with cold water and then fill it with boiling water, and let stand while you bring the water intended for the tea to a boil. just before the water boils, turn out the water in the teapot and wipe dry. then add the tea leaves and pour on the freshly boiled water. cover the pot with a tea cosy or wrap in a towel and let stand exactly seven minutes. the tea is now ready to drink. this will give you a delicious drink of ambrosia that will delight the heart of true lovers of a good cup of tea. the use of a cosy for the teapot is to hold the heat in the pot and thus prevent quick cooling. use one level teaspoon of tea to each one-half pint of water. measure the water before boiling. the water must be poured on the tea immediately upon reaching the boiling point. after boiling for two minutes or longer the water quickly loses its natural gases. coffee many varieties abound in the market. among the best is the arabian, with liberian and maragogipo closely following. after the coffee is harvested the quality and the value depend on the care in curing and packing. brazil supplies the united states with about per cent, of all the coffee used. mexico and central america together furnish about per cent., thus leaving about per cent. from foreign countries. various brands of coffee known by the housewife are: mocha, java, rio, santa bourbon, santa, maracaibo, bogota, peaberry. the first named are the most expensive, the last named the cheapest. the word "blend" when used with coffee means a mixing of two or more varieties, producing a coffee of various strengths and of a smooth, mellow flavor. after the coffee is roasted it should be kept in air-tight cans. grinding is the next important step, and this must be just right to get the full strength. coffee coarsely ground is not desirable, as it requires a long time to infuse and is therefore wasteful. a medium fine grind will be found practical for those who use the old-style coffee pot. to filter, using the percolator, the coffee should be quite fine. the water falls continually over the coffee and produces a uniform cup. how to make good coffee, using the old-fashioned coffeepot: place one level tablespoon of medium finely ground coffee in the pot for every cup desired; add the water and bring quickly to the boiling point. stir with a spoon and then add a small pinch of salt and four tablespoons of cold water to settle the grounds. let it stand in a warm place for five minutes; then serve. percolator method: place three-quarters of a level tablespoon of finely ground coffee in a percolator for each cup desired. add the water and then place the pot on the fire. let the coffee filter just four minutes after the first pumping of the water in the glass top shows a coffee color. this will produce an even, uniform cup of stimulating beverage. coffee au lait french breakfast coffee: make the coffee by the method desired, making only one-half the usual quantity. now heat to the boiling point sufficient milk to fill each cup one-half full. when ready to serve, pour the hot milk in the cup and then fill it with coffee. coffee noir this coffee is usually drunk from the demi-tasse. therefore, it should be of superior strength, usually one and one-quarter tablespoons are allowed of very finely ground coffee for every two cups. it is percolated until the liquid is very strong and is rich black in color; this takes, usually, from eight to ten minutes after the coffee first shows its color in the glass top of the percolator. epicurean creole coffee many of the old spanish and french grandees, who were the forefathers of the franco-spanish new world city, new orleans, brought with them the beautiful china coffee pot of yesteryear. the making of the after-dinner coffee was an art indeed. the pot was filled with hot water and then set in a pail of boiling water to keep warm while the coffee was milled. generally it was roasted fresh every day. it was ground into a fine flour, then tied in a piece of thin, fine muslin. the water was drained from the heated pot and the coffee was placed in it. then fresh boiling water was poured in. the spout and top were closely covered with a napkin and the pot returned to the pail, containing sufficient boiling water to keep the pot hot. it was placed before the fire to brew; this usually took from ten to fifteen minutes. the coffee was ready and its delicious aroma and flavor amply repaid one for the time and trouble taken to make it. coffee a la creme coffee made in the usual manner and then served with plain and whipped cream. turkish coffee the coffee for this style is ground into a fine flour, and is then covered with cold water, brought to the boiling point, sweetened and served without straining or filtering. russian coffee is heavy and black and is frequently served with a slice of lemon. summer drinks a cool drink, with plenty of ice tinkling in the glass, refreshes and invigorates one at the close of a warm day. the housewife may prepare with little trouble many delicious fruit flavors from fresh fruits that can be quickly turned into thirst-quenching beverages, by adding ice and a little carbonated water. plain carbonated water may be purchased in either pint or quart bottles; and if a good cork is used to stop the opening of the bottles, after removing the caps, it may be used at intervals, providing it is kept on ice. parisian tea place two teaspoonfuls of tea in a pitcher and pour over it one cup of boiling water. cover closely and let stand for one-half hour. drain and then place in the ice box until needed. to serve--place four tablespoons of the tea infusion in a tall glass and add juice of one-half lemon, one-half cup of crushed ice, three mint leaves, and fill with carbonated water. use pulverized sugar to sweeten if desired. currant sling place one box of currants in a saucepan and add three cups of water. bring to a boil, mashing with potato masher. cook for fifteen minutes and then strain. add two cups of sugar and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then cool. place one-half of the currant syrup in a tall glass and add one-half cup of crushed ice, one tablespoon of lemon juice, six mint leaves, and fill with carbonated water. pineappleade pare and grate one pineapple. place in a saucepan and add two cups of sugar, two cups of water. bring to a boil and then simmer slowly for fifteen minutes. cool and then add one pint of crushed ice, one cup of carbonated water, juice of two lemons. egg lemonade place the yolk of an egg in a small bowl and add three tablespoons of pulverized sugar, two tablespoons of lemon juice, one-half cup of ice-cold water. beat to mix and then pour into tall thin glasses and add stiffly beaten white of egg, folding in carefully. add four tablespoons of crushed ice and fill the glass with carbonated water. orange juice may be used in place of the lemon juice. mint cup place three sprigs of mint in a cup and add two tablespoons of sugar and crush. now add one drop of essence of peppermint, one drop of essence of cloves, one-half cup of crushed ice, and fill with carbonated water. ginger ale cup place in a saucepan juice of one lemon, grated rind of one-quarter lemon, one cup of sugar. simmer slowly until the sugar melts into the syrup. to use: place three tablespoons of this prepared syrup in a tall thin glass and add one-half cup of shaved ice, one sprig of mint, one-half cup of ginger ale, and fill with carbonated water. cream coffee shake after breakfast drain the left-over coffee into a pitcher and set aside. to serve: place in a tall glass two tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of cream, one-half cup of cold coffee, four tablespoons of crushed ice. stir to mix and then fill with carbonated water and place one tablespoon of marshmallow whip on top. raspberry punch place one box of raspberries in a saucepan and add one-half cup of water, one and one-half cups of sugar. bring to a boil and cook slowly until the fruit is soft. rub through a fine sieve and add one-half cup of maraschino cherries, cut into tiny bits, and the liquid from the bottle of cherries. to use: place one-half cup of the prepared raspberry syrup in a tall thin glass and add one tablespoon of lemon juice, one-half cup of crushed ice. fill with carbonated water. peach cup place one quart of peeled and sliced peaches in a saucepan and add one pound of sugar, one cup of water. cook until the fruit is soft and then rub through a fine sieve and add juice of one lemon. to use: place one-half cup of the peach mixture in a glass and add two tablespoons of cream, one-half cup of crushed ice, and fill with carbonated water. a box of straws to use in serving these iced drinks makes them doubly attractive. how to prepare ice cream prepare the mixture for freezing early in the morning, while working in the kitchen, and then when it is cool place in the ice box to be thoroughly chilled until needed. scald and cool the can and then place in the refrigerator. when ready to prepare the cream for freezing, place the ice in a bag and with a wooden mallet pound it fine. now pour the prepared mixture into the cold can and place the dasher in position. place the can in the freezer and adjust the turning crank, and give a few turns of the handle to see that everything is working easily. now use a pint bowl for measuring and pour in three measures of ice, then one of salt. repeat this until the ice and salt are above the mixture inside the can. it is necessary to be accurate if you wish to obtain good results. haphazard measuring only means failure. turn the freezer until it begins to become difficult to turn, then remove the dasher, using a wooden spoon to scrape and pack. you must work quickly, as it is important not to keep the can open any longer than necessary. place n cork in the opening in the lid of the can and cover the top of can with a piece of wax paper, then put on the lid. now drain off all the water. repack, using four parts of ice to one part salt. cover closely and set aside for one and one-half hours to ripen. if all preparations are made earlier in the day, it will take about one-half hour to put together the mixture and make the cream. frozen desserts are divided into two classes, ices and ice creams. the ices include sherbets, water ices, frappés and sorbets. ice creams include philadelphia cream, american and french creams, parfaits and mousses. sherbets contain gelatin or whites of eggs and water-ice mixture. water ices are fruit juices sweetened and diluted with water. frappes are partially frozen water ices. sorbet is a mixture of flavors prepared as for water ices or a frozen punch. ice cream philadelphia ice cream is made from thin sweetened cream. american ice cream is a mixture of thin cream and a custard well flavored, which is then frozen. frequently junket preparations are used in this cream. french ice cream is a plain, frozen, rich custard. parfaits are creams made from a thick syrup, egg yolks and whipped cream, packed in a mould and frozen. mousses are heavy creams flavored and sweetened and then whipped, packed into a mould and frozen. it is important to note that the can must not be over two-thirds full. all creams in the making increase in volume and therefore they must have sufficient room for churning. see that all parts of the freezer work freely before starting. if rusty or stiff use a drop or two of salad oil and then turn until it works freely. recipes gal.--peach ice cream pare and cut in thin slices one quart of peaches and then add one and one-half cups of sugar and set aside for one hour. now place in a saucepan three pints of milk, one-fourth cup of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil. cook for ten minutes and then remove and add two well-beaten eggs, one pint of milk, one cup of sugar. beat hard and then cool. now crush and rub the peaches through a fine sieve, add to the prepared custard and freeze in the usual manner. strawberry ice cream wash and stem one pint of berries. crush, using a potato masher. cover with one cup of sugar and then let stand for one-half hour. rub through a sieve into a bowl and place in the ice box until needed. now place in a saucepan. one and one-half quarts of milk, one-fourth cup of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in milk and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then remove from the fire and add one egg, three-quarters cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla. beat hard and then let cool. set in the ice box until needed. when ready to use, beat for three minutes with a dover egg beater. add the strawberries slowly and beat again. pour into the can and freeze. this amount will make two servings for a family of four or five. peaches, raspberries, etc., may be used to replace the strawberries. orange ice cream three cups of milk. six tablespoons of cornstarch. place in a saucepan and stir until the starch is dissolved and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes and then remove and cool. when the mixture is cool, add one cup of strained orange juice, yolks of two eggs, one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of orange extract, one teaspoon of vanilla extract. mix thoroughly and then pour into the freezer and start to freeze; when about to remove the dasher add the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. give the freezer a few more turns to thoroughly mix and then remove the dasher. secure the can so that the salt will not get into the cream. pack in salt and ice to ripen for one and one-half hours. use a mixture of one pint of salt to three pints of finely crushed ice for freezing. vanilla ice cream place three cups of milk in a saucepan and add four tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch and bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then partially cool and add one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla, one cup of cream. beat to mix and then chill. then freeze. frozen strawberry custard a small two-quart freezer will make sufficient for the ordinary family at a very small outlay. it will require about ten pounds of ice and one and one-quarter pounds of salt. break the ice very fine and use a bowl to measure with. allow three parts of the ice to one part of salt for the freezing mixture and four parts of ice to one part salt for the packing mixture. make a custard by placing three cups of milk in a saucepan and adding one-half cup of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the cold milk and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and then remove and add two well beaten eggs, one and one-quarter cups of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla. beat to thoroughly mix and then add one pint of crushed strawberries. freeze and then pack, and allow to ripen for two hours. do not fill the can that contains the cream mixture more than three-quarters full. this permits the cream to expand. frozen cherry custard stone one quart of cherries. place in a sauce pan and add one cup of sugar. cook in their own juice and sugar until soft. now place in a saucepan three cups of milk, one-fourth cup of cornstarch. dissolve the starch and bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then add three-quarters cup of sugar, two well-beaten eggs, the prepared cherries. beat to mix, then chill find freeze. frozen pineapple custard pare and grate one medium-sized pineapple and then place in a bowl and add one and three-quarters cups of sugar. now place in a saucepan three cups of milk, one-fourth cup of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the starch and then brine; to a boil and cook for ten minutes. now add two well-beaten eggs. beat to blend well and remove from fire. add the prepared pineapple. beat again to thoroughly mix and then freeze in the usual manner, using about three parts ice to one part salt. pack away to ripen for two hours. water ice soak three tablespoons of gelatin in one cup of cold water for one-half hour, then place in a hot-water bath to melt. strain and then add one pint of fruit juice, such as strawberries, cherries, currants, grape juice or peaches, or one and one-half cups of orange juice or seven-eighths cup of lemon juice. now place two cups of sugar in a saucepan and add one quart of water. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add the gelatine and fruit juice and then cool and freeze. these stock recipes will enable the housewife to provide variety in the way of delicious, inexpensive desserts with very little trouble. a two quart freezer will require about ten pounds of ice and about one and one-half pounds of salt. frozen marshmallow pudding place in a saucepan two and one-half cups of milk, four tablespoons of cornstarch. stir until dissolved and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. now add two well-beaten eggs, one cup of sugar, one cup of marshmallow whip. stir until well blended and then cool. freeze, using a mixture of three parts ice to one part salt. let stand for one and one-half hours to ripen. strawberry parfait place a scant one-half glass of an eight-ounce glass of apple jelly in a bowl and add the white of one egg. beat with a dover egg beater until the mixture will firmly hold its shape. place in a bowl directly on the ice. have one cup of firm strawberries and then wash carefully to remove sand, then hull them. turn on a cloth to drain. place on the ice to chill. to serve, gently fold the berries into the cream and then fill into parfait glasses. sprinkle with finely shredded cocoanut and serve. chocolate parafait place in a mixing bowl white of one egg, one-half glass of apple jelly. beat until the mixture holds its shape and then fold in one cup of whipped cream and then prepared chocolate. pour into a mould and pack with ice and salt for two and one-half hours. to prepare the chocolate: place one cup of sugar in a saucepan and add five tablespoons of water. heat slowly to the boiling point, and then boil for one minute, then add two ounces of chocolate, cut in tine pieces. stir until the chocolate is melted, taking care that the mixture does not boil, then add one-quarter teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of vanilla. beat to mix. cool, and add to the prepared cream. diet to reduce weight correct eating is essential to health and because of this the proper cooking and serving of food plays an important part, in either the building up or reducing of weight to a desired average. as a rule, stout people seldom realize that they are eating food that, is entirely unsuited to them; and not only do they love starchy and over-rich foods, but also they frequently consume a liberal portion of sweets. now unwise eating seldom produces its effects at once. when noticed, the body is already burdened with heavy layers of fat, that not only cause their bearer to be distressed and uncomfortable, but also cause disease. not all of us can eat every food that is put before us, but we can so arrange our menus that we will be able to balance the diet and in this way supply the body with just its required needs. eating over-large portions of rich desserts, fatty foods and starchy products causes these foods to turn into a fatty tissue, and then be stored in the body as adipose tissue. so, in order to get good results, the person who wishes to reduce should learn to thoroughly chew all foods. by this i mean chew the food very fine, so that it will be thoroughly mixed with the saliva and then flow without much effort to the stomach. you know that all starchy foods are changed by the action of the saliva into invert sugars; they then go to the stomach where they are thoroughly diluted with gastric juices and finally passed into the intestines, where the final processes of digestion take place. this form of starch is stored by the liver and kidneys, and thus passes out to the various tissues to be held in the body as fat. to reduce this fleshy tissue it is necessary to prevent the storage of more sugars, starches and fats in the body, and to cause that which is already stored there to be gradually consumed to prevent starving. many people who go on a diet for reducing flesh in a few days complain of great, weariness, exhaustion and gnawing hunger in the pit of the stomach. a diet that cuts down the supply of food with the intention of reducing is extremely dangerous unless it is supervised by a physician. but persons who wish to make a visible reduction of flesh in a time ranging from five to six weeks can do so, if they will learn the foods that cause and feed these flesh-forming tissues and learn to replace this with non-fat-forming foods. and summer time is an ideal time to accomplish a reduction of flesh for those who wish to try it. a series of menus for one week--breakfasts ( ) blackberries, about one-half cup (no sugar or cream) soft-boiled or poached egg two slices of toast (no butter) four leaves of lettuce black coffee ( ) one-half cantaloupe three-inch piece of broiled ham two slices of toast (no butter) four leaves of lettuce black coffee or tea with lemon ( ) juice of one-half grape fruit (no sugar) piece of broiled fish two slices of toast (no butter) black coffee ( ) juice of one orange broiled tomatoes three pieces of bacon two slices of toast (no butter) black coffee ( ) stewed huckleberries (no sugar) hamburg steak (broiled) two slices of toast (no butter) black coffee ( ) stewed peaches (no sugar) omelet toasted whole-wheat bread (two slices) black coffee ( ) baked prunes (no sugar) cream beef, about one-half cup two slices of toast black coffee what these breakfasts eliminate the sugar and cream from fruit and coffee and the butter from the toast--all of which are fat-forming foods. toasting bread dexterizes the starch and thus helps the digestion of this starchy product. breakfast may be eaten from to . a.m., and is so balanced that those who board or take their meals in restaurants may easily follow the diet. now, during the warm weather, it is most important to eat lightly during the noon period, and for this reason a light luncheon will be provided. those who are employed in sedentary occupations should partake of a milk and _egg_ shake, or chocolate egg and milk; and this will be sufficient until the evening meal, or for luncheon you may have ( ) plate of lettuce toasted cheese sandwich one small slice of bread, toasted (no butter) stewed fruit, one-half cup tea or coffee (clear) ( ) water-cress tomato salad one slice of toast (no butter) baked apple tea or coffee (clear) ( ) radishes water-cress salad with three slices of bacon brown betty tea or coffee ( ) clear tomato soup deviled egg slice of toast (no butter) stewed peaches tea or coffee ( ) string-bean salad toast (no butter) cup custard tea ( ) poached egg on slice of toast cantaloupe tea ( ) broiled fish lettuce raspberries tea butter and potatoes are eliminated from this meal. use skim milk, which has had its fat content removed in the cream, but which still contains the full nutritive value of the milk. ( ) dinner radish watercress broiled steak spinach string beans one slice of toast (no butter) stewed fresh fruit coffee ( ) olives radishes broiled fish peas steamed squash lettuce one slice of toast (no butter) sliced peaches coffee ( ) clam broth baked peppers cream sauce made with skim milk crushed corn stewed cucumbers lettuce one slice of toast (no butter) watermelon coffee ( ) young onions lamb chops baked tomato lettuce one slice of toast (no butter) cantaloupe coffee ( ) tomato canape broiled chicken peas steamed cabbage lettuce stewed peaches coffee ( ) minced clams on toast egg plant string beans lettuce cup custard coffee ( ) water-cress pot roast of beef stewed tomatoes lima beans cucumber salad one slice of toast (no butter) stewed apricots coffee this meal eliminates potatoes, butter and the rich heavy desserts. the portions should be about three ounces of lean meat and one-half cup of each vegetable, three leaves of lettuce. use french dressing on all salads and one-half cup of fruit for dessert. this amount of food will not only satisfy, but also will, if persisted in, give satisfactory results in a reduction of flesh. this means that you cannot eat candy and other sweets between meals, and if you feel that you must have something sweet, try a piece of chewing gum. if fruits are too sour, try corn syrup for sweetening; about one-half cup to each quart of prepared fruit. fresh fruits develop their own natural sweetness if they are baked instead of stewed in a saucepan. just place them in a casserole dish with this amount of syrup or plain water and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. cinnamon toast place two ounces of butter in a bowl and cream well. add five tablespoons of sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon extract or powdered cinnamon. cream and then spread on nicely toasted bread. fried oysters unless the oyster is attractive in appearance, single dipped and fried an attractive brown, it is a failure as a fried oyster; few housewives seem to be able to turn out a perfect product. use large oysters, and look them over carefully for bits of shell. wash and then roll in highly seasoned corn flour. let dry off for ten minutes and then dip in prepared egg, and then roll in fine bread crumbs. stand aside to dry for ten minutes. fry only three or four at a time in hot fat. care must be taken to have the fat sufficiently hot. usually about degrees fahrenheit will do. if you do not use a fat thermometer to test the fat, then try it with a piece of bread in the following manner: place a crust of bread in the fat and begin to count , , , , etc., until you reach : the bread should then be a deep golden brown. then proceed to fry the oysters, keeping the fact in mind that more than three or four in at once will reduce the temperature of the fat and thus permit the oyster to soak up the grease. to prepare the corn flour one cup of corn flour, two teaspoons of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika. sift three times. to prepare the egg dip: one egg, six tablespoons of oyster liquid, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of prated onion. beat well to mix and then use. to prepare the bread crumbs, put dried bread through the food chopper, then sift and store until needed. oysters au gratin, italienne mince two green peppers fine and place in a bowl, and add sufficient celery minced fine to measure one cupful, and one onion, grated, two cups of thick cream sauce, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, twenty-five prepared oysters, two cups of cooked macaroni. mix and then pour into an au gratin dish. cover with fine bread crumbs and then with three tablespoons of grated cheese. bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. oyster loaf cut a slice from the top of french rolls and scoop out the crumbs. brush the inside of the loaf with melted butter and place in the oven and brown. now place one cup of thick cream sauce in a saucepan and add one-half cup of finely diced celery parboiled, two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, two tablespoons of finely minced celery, one tablespoon of grated onion, twenty-five oysters. wash and look carefully over the oysters for bits of shell. drain and pat dry and then cut in half and add two tablespoons of lemon juice, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, three-quarters teaspoon of white pepper. mix and then heat to the boiling point, and fill into four rolls and serve, garnished with parsley. spiced oysters look over twenty-five oysters and then place them in their own liquid over the fire and bring to a boil. let scald for two minutes and then drain. wash in cold water. strain the oyster liquid back into the saucepan after measuring. to three-quarters cup of oyster liquid add one-half cup of vinegar, one onion, grated, one green pepper, chopped fine, one bay leaf, one teaspoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, three cloves, two allspice, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. bring to a boil and let cook for ten minutes. pour over the oysters into all glass jars and then seal and set in a cool place. oysters en brochette cut thinly sliced bacon in pieces the size of an oyster. wash and look carefully over the oysters for bits of shell, then pat dry on a towel. now thread a strip of bacon on a meat skewer and then an oyster and so on until the skewer is full, having the bacon first and last on the skewer. fasten the ends of skewer with a small knob of potato or turnip. dust the oysters and bacon thoroughly with flour and lay on a baking sheet and bake in hot oven for ten minutes. serve with chili sauce. yankee oyster pie two cups of diced potatoes, parboiled, three medium-sized onions, diced and parboiled. grease a baking dish and then place a layer of onions and potatoes in the bottom and then a layer of oysters. sprinkle the oyster with one-half cup of finely diced celery. season each layer of oysters: cover with one and one-half cups of thick cream sauce and then with a crust of plain pastry. wash the top of pastry with cold water and bake for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. deviled oysters wash. look over and then chop fine twenty-five ovsters. place in a bowl and then add one cup of very thick cream sauce, one tablespoon of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard, one tablespoon worcestershire sauce, two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, one-half cup of fine bread crumbs. mix thoroughly and then pour on a platter and set aside to chill. now scrub clean one dozen deep shells. fill with the prepared mixture and then brush with beaten egg and cover with fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. the oyster is one of our most democratic luxuries; it is in very high favor in our most luxurious restaurants, and yet it is held in equal esteem in our most moderate-priced lunch rooms. oysters are sold both in and out of the shell, fresh and canned, and they may be eaten and cooked in almost every conceivable way. among the best known varieties are blue point, buzzard bays, cape cods, lynnhavens, maurice rivers, rockaways, saddle rocks, sea tags, shrewsberrys and coruits and oak creeks. many of these titles have really lost their real significance by trade misuses. blue points, for example, is often, though incorrectly, applied to all small oysters, irrespective of their source. the oyster season opens in september and continues on until may. three sizes are usually recognized by the trade--half shells, the smallest culls, the medium size and the box, which is the largest. true oyster lovers really prefer the large lynnhavens and others on the deep shell. the epicure delights in eating raw oysters; and while this satisfies his appetite, it is also understood that the raw oyster virtually is assimilated without taxing the digestion. oysters may be found in almost all parts of the civilized world, each locality having its own special species. it is a universal custom to omit the oyster from the bill of fare during the months of may, june, july and august. we have in their places the salt oyster and the clam. oysters may be served on either the deep or flat shell, on a bed of finely crushed ice with a slice of lemon, worcestershire sauce, catsup, horseradish or tabasco sauce. nice crisp celery and toasted crackers generally accompany raw oysters. do not, under any circumstances, cover the oyster with ice. oysters may be made into cocktails or may be frozen. to make a cocktail one-half cup of catsup, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one tablespoon of grated onion, two drops of tabasco sauce, juice of one-half lemon. mix well and use for four oyster cocktails, allowing five small oysters per person. frappe oysters place oysters in freezer and freeze until soft mush, and then serve in cocktail or sherbet glasses with garnish of lemon and finely minced parsley. oysters may also be prepared in many ways--stews, pans, broiled, baked, fried and roasted are among the popular ways of preparing them. dry oyster pan wash and look over one dozen large oysters to free from bits of shell. lay on a cloth to drain. now place two tablespoons of butter in a clean saucepan and add the oysters and one-half teaspoon of celery salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. bring to a boil, cook for three minules and then turn in a hot dish and serve at once. to prepare a wet pan add one-half cupful ol strained oyster juice to the dry pan. pan a la crouton prepare a dry pan and then dish on a slice of nicely browned and buttered toast. pan a la suisse dip soda crackers in hot water and then place in a hot oven to toast. prepare a dry pan, adding one tablespoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, three tablespoons of finely minced celery. cook slowly for eight minutes and then dish on the prepared crackers and garnish with a slice of lemon. broiled oysters have the oysters opened in the deep shell and then remove the oysters and wash and carefully look over for bits of shell. roll in highly seasoned mayonnaise and then in fine bread crumbs, and return to the shell. sprinkle with bits of finely chopped bacon and broil or bake in a hot broiler or oven for eight minutes. serve in shell with a garnish of lemon. broiled oysters, virginia heat the griddle very hot and then pat the oysters dry, place on griddle and let brown slightly; turn on the other side. lift when slightly brown, on to a piece of toast. baste with a tablespoon of melted butter and garnish with finely chopped parsley and a slice of lemon. broiled oysters a la maryland place the oysters in a hot frying pan and brown on both sides lightly. lift to a piece of toast and cover with cream sauce and garnish with finely minced parsley and a slice of bacon. oyster farci eighteen small oysters, one hard-boiled egg, one sweetbread, parboiled, six mushrooms, pared and parboiled. chop fine and place in a bowl, and add one cup of thick cream sauce, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, four tablespoons of finely minced celery, two level teaspoons of salt, one level teaspoon of paprika, one-half level teaspoon of mustard, three-quarters cup of fine bread crumbs, three tablespoons of melted butter. mix thoroughly and then fill into well-cleaned deep oyster shells, fill slightly about the edge of the shell. brush with beaten egg and then with fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat or bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. oyster fritters chop twenty-five small oysters fine and then measure the liquid, and add sufficient milk to make one and one-quarter cups. place in a bowl and add two cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, the prepared oysters, one well-beaten egg. beat to mix; then fry like fritters in hot fat. for oyster pancakes, use the oyster-fritter mixture and bake like griddle cakes on a hot griddle. oyster omelet place yolks of three eggs in a bowl and add four tablespoons of cream sauce. drain and pat dry one dozen oysters. chop fine and add to yolks of eggs with one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, two tablespoons of bread crumbs. mix and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. pour into an omelet pan containing three tablespoons of bacon fat and cook until firm; turn and fold and roll, and then garnish with bacon. oyster timbale pare the timbale shells after the recipes given with the irons. have the shells hot and then fill with oysters à la newburg. oysters a la newburg one and one-half cups of thick cream sauce, yolks of two eggs, juice of one lemon, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. now drain and pat dry twenty-five oysters. add to sauce and heat slowly until boiling point is reached. cook for five minutes and then fill into shells and serve at once. steamed oysters scrub the oysters in the shell and place in a colander over a pot of boiling water. cover closely until the shell opened and the oyster starts to curl. remove from the steamer and lift off the flat shell, serving in the deep shell with lightly seasoned melted butter, celery and slice of lemon. sweet potatoes sweet potatoes are the roots or tubes of a vine-like plant; it is a native of tropical climate, but it is grown in states as far north as new york. the delicious yams of the southern states and the west indies are made into many attractive foods. the food value of the sweet potato is closely allied to that of the white potato, but it contains from to per cent. sugar, where the ordinary white potato has no sugar. and, then, too, this common vegetable will provide a variety of delectable dishes. sweet potato croquettes wash and cook the potatoes until tender. use six large sweet potatoes. drain, cool and peel. mash fine and then place in a bowl and add one tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. mould into croquettes and then dip in beaten egg and then in fine crumbs and fry golden brown in hot fat. serve with cheese sauce. sweet potato nests cook sweet potatoes and peel and mash and then form into nests. place the nests on a well-greased baking dish and fill with creamed dried beef. place in the oven for ten minutes and heat. sprinkle with grated cheese. sweet potatoes may be used for a border for stews, for goulashes, etc. try this method of baking the potato: wash well, scrubbing with a vegetable brush. dry and then grease thoroughly and place in oven to bake. this method prevents a thick coarse skin from forming with the pulp attached to it. french fried sweet potatoes pare and cut the potatoes as for french frying and then cook in hot fat until golden brown. broiled sweet potatoes pare cold, boiled potatoes and then cut in thin slices. dip in bacon fat and broil in a broiler until golden brown. sweet potato cookies one cup of brown sugar, four tablespoons of shortening. cream well and then add one cup of mashed sweet potatoes, one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, three-quarters cup of raisins, one egg. work to a smooth dough and then roll out on floured pastry board and cut one-quarter inch thick and then bake for eight minutes in a hot oven. west indies sweet potato pudding one cup of brown sugar, three tablespoons of shortening. cream well and then add two cups of sweet potatoes that have been rubbed through a fine sieve, one and one-quarter cups of milk, one well-beaten egg, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. beat to thoroughly mix and then pour in a baking dish and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. sweet potato biscuit two cups of mashed sweet potatoes, one cup of milk, four tablespoons of shortening, one egg, four tablespoons of sugar. beat to mix and then sift together one quart of flour, three tablespoons of baking powder, one and one-half teaspoons of salt. add to the potato mixture and work to a smooth dough. roll on a slightly floured pastry board and cut with knife into square. place on a baking sheet and wash well with milk, then bake in hot oven for fifteen minutes. sweet potato pudding, kentucky style pare four large sweet potatoes and then cut in thin paper-like slices. now grease a baking dish well and place a layer of prepared sweet potatoes, and then dust lightly with cinnamon and cover with four tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. repeat until the dish is full and then place. one and one-half cups of milk in a bowl and add one whole egg, yolk of one egg, one-half cup of sugar. beat well to mix and then add two teaspoons of vanilla. pour over the potatoes and bake for fifty minutes in a slow oven. add to white of egg, which has been left over for this purpose, and add one-half glass of currant jelly. beat until the mixture will hold its shape and then pile high on the cold pudding and serve. sweet potato pineapple wash and cook until tender six large sweet potatoes and then pare and mash well and then add one tablespoon of butter, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. pile on a baking dish and mould to shape of a pineapple. make the pineapples eyes with the handle of a spoon and then brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with fine bread crumbs and then with two tablespoons of grated cheese. bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. sweet potato cakes, georgia style cook and then peel and mash sufficient sweet potatoes to measure two cupfuls. place in a bowl and then add two tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two tablespoons of finely minced red pepper, six strips of bacon, minced fine and nicely browned. mould into flat cakes and roll in flour and brown in the hot bacon fat. candied sweet potatoes wash and cook the potatoes in their skins until tender and then drain and peel. now place in a frying pan three-quarters cup of syrup, piece of butter size of a walnut, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, one-quarter teaspoon of nutmeg. bring to a boil and then add the potatoes and then let them marinate in the syrup, turning frequently for twenty minutes. keep the pan where the potatoes will cook slowly, adding four tablespoons of boiling water. potato souffle rub two cups of mashed potatoes through a fine sieve to remove the lumps. place in a bowl and add yolks of two eggs, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of grated onion, one-half cup of milk. beat to mix and then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. place in a well-greased pan and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. potato croquettes mince fine sufficient bacon to measure four tablespoons after chopping. place in a frying pan and add two grated onions; brown gently and then add two cups of mashed potatoes, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. mix thoroughly and then mold into croquettes. roll in flour and then dip in beaten egg and roll in fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. white potatoes potatoes au gratin cut cold boiled potatoes into dice and then season with salt and pepper and place a layer in a baking dish. sprinkle with fine crumbs and one tablespoon of finely minced onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley. place in a second layer and season, then pour over the last layer two cups of cream sauce. sprinkle with fine crumbs and a little grated cheese and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. potato custards rub one cup of mashed potatoes through a fine sieve into a bowl and add one cup of milk, two well-beaten eggs, one teaspoon of salt, pinch of mace. mix thoroughly and then turn into a baking dish and bake in a moderate oven until firm, usually about twenty minutes. potato cup for salad boil medium-sized potatoes in their jackets. cool and then peel. with a teaspoon scoop out a well in the centre, leaving a thin wall of potato. now trim neatly into shape. place in a bowl and marinate in french dressing, turning frequently so that each position may be seasoned. now prepare a filling as follows: one cold boiled beet, cut into tiny dice, one-half cup of cooked peas, one onion, grated, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one-half cup of cold boiled potatoes, cut into tiny dice. toss the vegetables gently to mix. season with salt and pepper and reduce four tablespoons of mayonnaise with two tablespoons of vinegar. fill into the potato cups and place in a nest of crisp lettuce leaves. garnish with mayonnaise and serve ice cold. new method of making french fried potatoes cut large cold boiled potatoes into cubes as for french fried potatoes and dust lightly with flour and brown quickly in hot fat. this method prevents the potato from being soggy in the centre. potato crust for meat pies mash boiled potatoes and then rub through a sieve to remove the lumps. now add to one quart of prepared potatoes, three tablespoons of shortening, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of grated onion, one well-beaten egg, six tablespoons of milk. beat thoroughly to mix and then spread in a layer about one inch thick on meat pies. brush the top with milk and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. potato dumplings grate four large cold boiled potatoes into a mixing bowl and add one and one-half cups of flour, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one small onion, grated, three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one egg, three tablespoons of water. mix to a smooth dough and then form into balls the size of an egg. drop into boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes. lift and drain well and serve with either brown stew or cheese sauce. baked potatoes select large, well-shaped potatoes, and wax and grease thoroughly with shortening and place in the oven or broiler to bake. when done, cut a slice from the top and scoop out the contents of the baked potatoes into a bowl. mash the potatoes and add a little milk, salt and pepper to taste and one tablespoon of butter to each potato. beat until they are very light and fluffy and then fill back into the potatoes, piling up high. place a strip of bacon on top of the prepared potatoes and place in a hot oven to brown the bacon. dust with paprika and serve. potato salad six boiled potatoes, diced, three onions, chopped fine, two green peppers, chopped fine. place in bowl and mix; then add one cup of mayonnaise dressing, one-fourth cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. serve. jellied potato salad prepare one quart of thinly sliced cold boiled potatoes and then add two cups of lettuce, shredded very fine, three medium-sized onions, chopped fine, two green peppers, chopped fine, five tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, two teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper. cover with three-quarters cup of mayonnaise dressing, one-quarter cup of vinegar. toss gently to mix. now chill a baking pan by placing on ice. make two quarts of lemon gelatine. pour some gelatine in the pan and turn it so as to make one-half-inch coating of gelatine all over the pan. now spread on the potato salad in an even layer. pour over the salad a little gelatin every few minutes to fill the crevices and cover the top. set aside to mould and then when ready to serve, dip the pan in warm water for a few minutes and then unmould on a pastry board. cut into squares and place in a nest of crisp lettuce leaves and garnish with a teaspoon of mayonnaise dressing. gutney run potato cake mince fine sufficient salt pork to measure one-half cup. place in a frying pan and add three-quarters cup of chopped green onions. cook slowly until tender, and then add one quart of mashed potatoes, well seasoned. mix well and then turn into a bowl. cool, and then form into cakes and roll in flour, and brown in hot pork fat. serve with well-seasoned cream gravy. hashed-brown potatoes peel cold boiled potatoes and then cut in one-quarter-inch dice. dust well with flour and then place four tablespoons of shortening in a frying pan and when smoking hot add the potatoes. toss gently until nicely browned and add the seasoning. corn nowhere do they cook corn as tender as it is usually prepared in the corn belt. select full, well-shaped ears of corn and remove the husk, leaving just the last layer. now fold back this layer of husk and remove all the silk from the corn, using a stiff vegetable brush for this purpose. refold the husk about the corn and cook it. how to cook the corn: have a large kettle containing plenty of boiling water. add one teaspoon of sugar, add corn and boil twelve minutes for small ears and fifteen to eighteen minutes for large ears; cover pot closely. to dry corn--lancaster county recipe select firm, full ears of corn and husk. remove the silk with a cloth and then plunge the ears of corn into boiling water and cook for five minutes. remove and dip in cold water and then cut from the cob with a sharp knife. spread on shallow trays and dry in a commercial or homemade drier. this corn may be dried in the oven at a temperature of about degrees fahrenheit. leave the oven door open so that the moisture may quickly evaporate. the lancaster county farmers dry this corn in the sun and cover the trays with mosquito netting; they are brought in at night to protect them from the dampness and dew, which would start a mould on the corn while it is drying. corn fritters for two people score and scrape the corn from two medium-sized ears, and then place in a bowl and add one well-beaten egg, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, three-quarters cup of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one half teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper. beat to thoroughly mix and then either fry in hot fat or bake on a griddle. salted corn remove the husk from the corn, leaving just a single layer against the corn: fold back this single layer of husk and remove all the silk, wiping with a dry cloth. place two inches of salt in the bottom of a deep crock and stand the ears so that each one will be entirely alone and encased in salt. stand the tip end down, pack closely with salt and place two-inch layer on top cover and place in a cool place. it is most important that the ears do not touch. tomatoes tomato egg custard prepare four tomatoes by cutting slice from top and scooping out the centre with spoon; break into a small bowl two eggs, adding two tablespoons of milk, one teaspoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. beat to mix and then pour into the prepared tomatoes. sprinkle each tomato with fine bread crumbs and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. tomatoes and eggs, pardue place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of stewing tomatoes, one grated onion, one tablespoon of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, three level tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch, salt and paprika in the cold tomatoes and bring to a boil. cook for ten minutes and then fill into custard cups. now break into each cup one egg and sprinkle with fine crumbs. place a tiny bit of butter in the centre of the cup. bake in a moderate oven for eighteen minutes. tomato omelet dip two tomatoes in boiling water to loosen the skin. peel and then cut in slices. place two tablespoons of shortening in a pan and fry the sliced tomatoes, turning frequently. prepare an omelet and cook, using another pan. when the omelet is dry and ready to fold over pour the prepared tomatoes over it. season, fold and then roll and serve. baked tomatoes cut a slice from the top of the tomato and with a spoon remove the centres. chop the centres fine and then place in a bowl and add one onion, grated, two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three-quarters cup of fine bread crumbs, three tablespoons of melted shortening. grease the tomatoes to prevent bursting and then fill, forming into a point at the top. place in a greased baking pan and add one-half cup of hot water. bake for forty minutes. tomato fritters cook a sufficient amount of tomatoes to measure two cups, adding one onion, grated, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, pinch of cloves, one-half cup of cornstarch, dissolved in, one-half cup of cold water. cook until thick and then pour into a shallow pan and set in a cool place to mould for four hours. cut into oblongs and then dip in beaten egg and roll in fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. tomatoes au gratin slice six medium-sized tomatoes in thin slices. place a one-half inch layer of bread crumbs in a small baking dish, then a layer of tomatoes, then the bread crumbs and again the tomatoes. repeat this until the dish is full. pour over it one cup of thick cream sauce and sprinkle with fine crumbs. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. roast tomatoes when preparing the roast for dinner wipe four tomatoes and then place them in the pan and roast with the meat, basting frequently. tomatoes and string beans there are many vegetables that may be combined with tomatoes for the sake of variety. place two cups of cooked string beans in a saucepan and add one and one-half cups of stewed tomatoes, one onion, grated, one teaspoon of sugar, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one tablespoon of cornstarch. dissolve the seasoning and starch in the cold tomatoes before adding to the beans. lima beans, cauliflower and corn may be used to replace the string beans. baked egg-plant and tomatoes pare the egg-plant and then cut into slices. sprinkle lightly with salt and then cover and set aside for two hours. wash and then drain well and cut into dice. place in a baking dish and add two green peppers, chopped fine, one onion, chopped fine, two teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, two cups of prepared tomatoes. sprinkle the top with fine crumbs and grated cheese. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. to prepare the tomatoes rub two cups of cold stewed tomatoes through a fine sieve and add six tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook slowly for five minutes. green tomatoes mince for pies cut one-quarter peck green tomatoes in small pieces and then sprinkle with three tablespoons of salt. place in a square of cheese-cloth and then tie up and hang where it can drain all night. in the morning place a one and one-half pound can of corn syrup in a saucepan and add one-half pound of brown sugar, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of ginger, two packages of raisins, one-half cup of salad oil. bring the mixture to a boil and then cook slowly for one-half hour. fill into jars and then process in a hot-water bath for twenty minutes. seal and test for leaks. store in a cool, dry place. this makes a delicious pie filling. tomato dumplings place in a mixing bowl two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, four teaspoons of baking powder. sift to mix and then rub in four tablespoons of shortening and use two-thirds of a cup of water to make a dough. divide into five parts and then roll each piece into squares. place in the centre of each one a peeled tomato, cut in slices, and season with a little grated onion, parsley, salt and pepper. fold the dough over. place in a baking sheet and brush the tops with beaten eggs. bake in a hot oven for thirty minutes. serve with cheese sauce. stuffed tomatoes with chicken salad prepare the chicken sandwich filling. select firm, medium-sized tomatoes and then cut a slice from the top, and with a spoon scoop out the centres of the tomatoes. fill with the salad sandwich mixtures and then roll in wax paper. tomato toast cook a sufficient amount of tomatoes to measure one and one-half cups. now add one medium-sized onion, cut in thin slices, one green pepper, chopped very fine. cook slowly until the onion is soft and then rub through a fine sieve and add two tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in three tablespoons of water. bring to a boil and then season. now pour over thick slices of bread toasted brown and sprinkle with grated cheese. baked tomatoes (cold) select firm tomatoes. cut a slice from the top and then with a spoon carefully scoop out the centres. rub the outside of the tomatoes with plenty of shortening. place in a baking dish and pour into the dish holding the tomatoes one-half cup of water. this will prevent the skin from bursting. now place in a bowl four eggs, three-quarters cup of milk, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. beat to mix and then pour into the tomatoes. bake in a moderate oven until the custard is firm in the centre. cool and then set on ice to chill. serve with russian dressing. apple butter without cider pare one-half basket of apples. place the parings in a preserving kettle and cover with cold water. cook until soft and then strain the liquid. measure and place six quarts of this juice in a preserving kettle and add the apples, sliced very thin. cook and then add one and one-half level tablespoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-quarter teaspoon of ginger, one-half cup of cider vinegar, one and one-half pounds of brown sugar, or two and one-half pounds of syrup. stir to blend thoroughly. cook slowly until very thick. place an asbestos mat under the preserving kettle. to conserve the apple butter for future use: fill into sterilized jars and adjust the rubber and lid. seal securely and place in hot water bath for twenty minutes, to sterilize. remove and cool and dip the top of jars in melted parawax. this apple butter will keep until used. lancaster apple butter place in the preserving kettle one and one-half gallons of cider. pare and core and cut in thin slices one-half basket of apples. boil the cider one-half hour, add apples and cook until mixture is very thick and a dark brown in color, adding two level tablespoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of cloves, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one pound of brown sugar or one and one-half pounds of syrup. this must be stirred frequently with a large wooden spoon to prevent scorching. place an asbestos mat under the kettle and cook slowly. hard, rapid boiling spoils the flavor of this butter. the farmer's wife usually makes her apple butter in a large kettle hung on a tripod in the yard and after the mixture is at the boiling point, she adds just a stick of wood at a time to the fire and constantly stirs the mixture. pickled red cabbage select a firm head of cabbage, cut in half and shred fine a sufficient amount of it to measure about two cups. place the cabbage in a bowl and add two onions, chopped fine, one green pepper, chopped fine, now place in a saucepan one tablespoon of bacon fat, one-half cup of vinegar, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard. heat to the boiling point, then pour over the cabbage, chill and then serve. braised red cabbage chop fine the balance of the head of red cabbage; place in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. cook for five minutes and then turn into a colander and let the cold water run on it. let drain well and then place four tablespoons of bacon fat in a frying pan and add three onions, minced fine and the prepared cabbage. cover closely and let smother for twenty minutes over a slow fire. turn frequently and just before serving season with one-half teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of white pepper, one tablespoon of vinegar. cranberry roll place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder. sift to mix and then rub in four tablespoons of shortening and mix to a dough with the following mixture: place in a cup three tablespoons of syrup, three tablespoons of water. blend well and then roll the dough out one-half inch thick on a floured pastry board and cover with the cooked cranberries. sprinkle with brown sugar. roll as for jelly roll, tucking the ends in well. place in well-greased baking pan and brush the top with milk. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. serve with vanilla sauce. to barbecue fish use the large size fish: black striped bass, cod, white or rock fish. in the early spring, shad may be used. scale and cleanse the fish and split down the back. remove the fins and head and place in well-greased gridiron and cook until brown. lift to a hot dish and cover with boiling mixture, made as follows: place in a small saucepan juice of one lemon, two tablespoons of melted butter, one tablespoon of catsup, one tablespoon of minced parsley, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, one-half cup of water, one tablespoon of cornstarch, one quarter teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of salt. stir to blend well and then bring to a boil. cook slowly for three minutes and then spread over the fish and serve. neck chops in casserole have the butcher cut one and one-half pounds of neck chops into four pieces and then wipe with a damp cloth. roll in flour and brown quickly in hot fat. lift to a casserole dish and add one cup of finely chopped onions, four tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one and one-half cups of brown gravy. cover the dish close and place in a slow oven for one and one-half hours. make a brown gravy by adding four tablespoons of flour to the fat left in the frying pan after browning the meat. angel cake sift one cup of flour, three-quarters cup of sugar, one level teaspoon of cream tartar. sift five times and then beat the whites of five eggs stiff and cut, and fold in the sugar and flour mixture. turn into a greased tube pan and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. making scrapple and hogshead cheese when the family is small, thrifty women usually make the scrapple and hogshead cheese at the same time. have the butcher select for you a nice hogshead; split and then remove the eyes, brains and tongue. now scald and cleanse well, rinsing in plenty of cold water. place in a preserving kettle and add just sufficient cold water to cover the head. now add two onions, two cloves, one bunch of pot or soup herbs, one level teaspoon of poultry seasoning. cook slowly until the meat will leave the bones, then place a colander in a large bowl or pan and turn in the head. measure the liquid and return to the pot. now remove the bones from the head and chop sufficient meat very fine to measure three cups and set aside for making the scrapple. cut the balance of the meat into pieces about one inch square and place two cups of the stock in a small saucepan. add juice of one lemon or six tablespoons of cider vinegar, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. add the head meat that has been cut into the inch pieces. rinse loaf-shaped pans with cold water, pour in the cheese and set aside in a cool place to mould. use the same as cold cuts of meat with mustard or horseradish sauce. the scrapple add the three cups of finely chopped head to the stock in preserving kettle and bring to a boil. now add, for each quart of liquid, two-thirds cup of cornmeal, one-half cup of buckwheat, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper. mix and add very slowly, stirring constantly. when it is sufficiently thick to hold the spoon upright, rinse the baking pan with cold water and then pour in the scrapple. set aside for twenty-four hours to mould. this can be used for breakfast by cutting into slices and frying a crisp brown or made into croquettes, rolled in flour and nicely brown in hot fat. serve with tomato sauce. snow pudding one cup of milk, four level tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the starch, then bring to a boil and cook slowly in hot water bath for half an hour, adding two tablespoons of sugar, white of one egg, beaten stiff, six drops of vanilla. beat hard to blend, then rinse four custard cups with cold water and pour in the pudding. set aside to mould and serve with custard sauce, which is made as follows: place in a saucepan one cup of milk, two tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve, then bring to a boil and cook slowly for fifteen minutes. now add two tablespoons of sugar, one-half teaspoon of vanilla, yolk of one egg. beat hard to mix, then pour over the unmoulded snow pudding. fried mush place in a saucepan two cups of boiling water, one teaspoon of salt, two-thirds cup of cornmeal. stir to prevent lumping and then cook slowly for one-half hour. now rinse a bread pan with cold water and turn in the mush. let mould for twenty-four hours, then cut in one-half inch slices. dip in flour and fry brown in hot fat. ye kentucky corn dodgers place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of boiling water, one teaspoon of salt, two-thirds cup of cornmeal. stir to mix thoroughly, then cook for twenty minutes and cool. form into sticks the size of a bread stick, roll in flour and brown in hot fat. ye old virginia batter bread place in a mixing bowl one cup of cornmeal, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of salt, four tablespoons of syrup, three tablespoons of shortening. pour over one and one-half cups of boiling water. beat to blend thoroughly, then let cool and add three-quarters cup of flour, two well-beaten eggs, four level teaspoons of baking powder, one and one-quarter cups of milk. beat to mix thoroughly, then pour in a well-greased baking dish and bake in a hot oven for thirty minutes. serve from the dish. polish corn dish place in a saucepan two cups of boiling water, one-half cup of finely chopped onion, two-thirds cup of cornmeal. stir to prevent lumping and cook slowly for twenty minutes. now add one-half cup of finely shredded dried beef, one teaspoon of paprika. beat hard to mix thoroughly and then serve with tomato sauce. yankee mush place in a saucepan two and one-half cups of boiling water, one-half teaspoon of salt, two-thirds cup of cornmeal. sift the cornmeal in boiling water very slowly and then stir well to prevent lumping. draw the saucepan to the side of the range and allow to cook very slowly for one-half hour. serve in the place of the morning cereal with honey and milk. for variety add one-half cup of chopped seeded raisins, or one-half cup of finely chopped peanuts, one-half cup of finely chopped figs, one-half cup of finely chopped dates, one-half cup of finely chopped seeded prunes, one-half cup of finely chopped dried apricots, one-half cup of finely chopped cocoanut. europe also gives us some novel methods of using cornmeal. carolina corn pone place in a saucepan two cups of boiling water, three-quarters cup of cornmeal, one teaspoon of salt. stir to blend and free from lumps, then cook for ten minutes. turn into a mixing bowl and add six tablespoons of syrup, three tablespoons of shortening, one and one-half cups of sour milk, one and one-quarter teaspoons of baking soda, dissolved in the sour milk, six tablespoons of flour. beat to mix, then pour in a hot well-greased baking pan just enough to cover the pan one-quarter inch deep. bake in hot oven for eighteen minutes. cut into squares and serve. cornmeal sausages place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of boiling water, one cup of finely chopped onion, one cup of finely chopped left-over meat, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, one-half teaspoon of poultry seasoning, two-thirds cup of cornmeal. stir well to prevent lumping and cook slowly for one-half hour. turn into a bowl and let cool. form into sausages, then roll in flour and brown in hot fat. serve with brown gravy, cream or tomato sauce. chili sauce place in a preserving kettle two quarts of stewed tomatoes, two cups of finely sliced onions, one cup of finely chopped green peppers, one-half cup of finely chopped sweet red peppers, one and one-half cups of vinegar, one cup of brown sugar, one and one-half tablespoons of cinnamon, two teaspoons of cloves, one teaspoon of allspice, two teaspoons of celery seed, two teaspoons of mustard seed, one teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of mustard, four tablespoons of salt. stir to thoroughly mix and then cook until very thick. cool and then rub through a fine sieve. pour into sterilized jars and adjust the rubber and lid and seal. process for twenty minutes in a hot water bath. remove, cool and then store in a cool, dry place. italian polenta place in a saucepan two and one-half cups of boiling water. and then add one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of grated onion, three-quarters cup of cornmeal. stir to prevent lumping and cook for three-quarters of an hour very slowly. now add one-half cup of grated cheese and stir well to blend thoroughly. serve in saucers like a cereal. cover with tomato sauce and finely grated cheese. tomato marmalade grate the yellow rind from two medium-sized oranges, taking care to grate very lightly. place in a small pan and add one-half cup of water. let stand one day and then cook slowly until soft. add this rind to the juice of two oranges, one lemon. then place in a preserving kettle and add two quarts of stewed tomatoes, rubbed through a fine sieve. one package of seeded raisins, two pieces of candied ginger cut into bits, four cups of sugar, and the following spices tied in a piece of cheese-cloth: two teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of cloves, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of allspice. cook until the mixture is very thick like jam and then remove the spice bag. pour into sterilized glasses and cool and cover with paraffine. store in a cool place. sweet red pepper marmalade remove the seeds from thirty sweet red peppers and then wash well and put through the food chopper. place in a saucepan and add two cups of stewed tomatoes. cook until the peppers are soft and then cool and rub through a fine sieve. measure and return to the kettle and add for every eight cups of pepper and tomatoes: juice of two oranges, juice of one lemon, one-half package of seeded raisins, one-half cup of maraschino cherries, cut into bits, one piece of candied citron, put through food chopper, two-thirds cup of sugar for each cup of prepared pepper pulp. cook slowly until the mixture is very thick and then pour into sterilized glasses. cool and cover with paraffine and store in a cool place. sauerkraut remove the coarse, bruised outside leaves of the cabbage and then shred the head fine, using a slaw cutter. now line the bottom of a small barrel or wooden bucket with the outside leaves and then place in a layer of the shredded cabbage and cover with salt. repeat until the utensil is nearly full, pounding down well with wooden mallet when packing. sprinkle the salt over the top and cover with large cabbage leaves and then with a cheese-cloth wrung out of salt water. tuck in the ends carefully and then place board on the kraut and weight it down with a heavy stone. now, it is necessary that the cabbage be covered with brine; remove the scum as it rises to the top. the kraut will be ready for use in six weeks and it must be kept in a very cool place or it must be canned. to can sauerkraut fill into sterilized all-glass jars and then fill the jar to overflowing with boiling water. adjust the rubber and lid and partially tighten. process in hot water bath for one hour, then remove and seal securely. store in a dry, cool place. brining cauliflower prepare the cauliflower as directed above, using a large keg or crock. pack the cauliflower head down until the keg or crock is three-quarters full and then fill to overflowing with brine made as follows: place in a boiler eight quarts of water, eight cups of salt. bring to a boil and skim, then cool. cover the cauliflower with a piece of clean cheese-cloth and then place on it a board which is weighted down on top, to keep the cauliflower covered in the brine. this weight need not be as heavy as that used for the kraut. cauliflower prepared in this manner late in october and november can be used for the table by freshening it in water and cooking in a manner similar to that in which the salted beans are cooked, or it may be canned in three months, when there will be a supply of fruit jars. to can the brined cauliflower, remove from the brine and wash in cold running water. let stand for one hour and then fill into the sterilized jars; fill jars with boiling water; adjust the rubbers and lids and partially seal. place in a hot-water bath and process for one hour. remove, seal securely and then cool and store in a cool, dry place. salting cauliflower select the nice heads of cauliflower and remove the outer leaves, and then trim into shape. now place a layer of salt one inch deep in the bottom of the keg or crock and then place the cauliflower head down and pack well with salt. do not allow them to touch each other. have the salt one inch above the cauliflower stalk. finally cover with a clean cloth and set in a cool place. salted beans remove the strings from the beans and then place a layer of salt in the crock. add a layer of beans and then a layer of salt, and repeat until the crock is filled to within two inches of the top. have the layer on top two inches deep and then add one quart of water to every one-half bushel basket of beans. cover closely and then store in a cool place. do not wash the beans. yorkshire pudding about one-half hour before serving the dinner, pour six tablespoons of fat from the roast beef into a baking pan and grease the pan thoroughly. set where the pan will heat and then place in a bowl one and one-quarter cups of milk, one egg, one teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of white pepper, one teaspoon of grated onion, two cups of sifted flour, two teaspoons of baking powder. beat with a dover egg beater for five minutes and then turn this batter in the well-heated pan and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. when nearly done, baste the pudding with one-half cup of the gravy that is to be served with the beef. stuffed pepper mangoes place the peppers in a large tub and cover with the following brine: eight quarts of water, three cups of salt. it is necessary to cover the peppers with a cloth and then place a board and a light weight on top to keep them in the brine for seventy-two hours. now remove from the brine and place in fresh water for two hours and then remove from the water, and with a sharp knife cut a small circle from the top of the pepper. set aside to replace as a cover. now remove the seeds and the white pithy part. soak in cold water for one hour and then drain and fill with the following mixture. filling for twenty-five peppers: chop fine sufficient cabbage to measure three pints. place in a large bowl and add one pint of finely chopped onions, one cup of finely chopped green peppers, one cup of finely chopped red peppers, one cup of finely chopped celery, two ounces of mustard seed, one ounce of celery seed, one-half cup of grated horseradish, one-half cup of salt, one-half cup of brown sugar, one quart of vinegar, one teaspoon of cayenne pepper, two teaspoons of paprika, one teaspoon of mustard. mix thoroughly and then fill into the peppers, taking care not to pack too closely. sew the lid or circle which has been cut out of the top with a darning needle and heavy string. place closely in a crock. now place in the preserving kettle three quarts of vinegar, two quarts of water, one cup of salt, two ounces of celery seed, three ounces of mustard seed, one-half cup of whole cloves, one-quarter cup of whole allspice, two sticks of cinnamon, six blades of mace. bring to a boil and pour over the mangoes and let cool. now add three-quarters cup of salad oil and set in a cool place. watch to see that the pickle does not evaporate. the mangoes may be packed in all-glass quart fruit jars and sealed, then processed for twenty minutes in a hot water bath, after which they should be cooled and stored in a dry, cool place. neck of beef, polish style select one pound of meat from the neck and wipe with a damp cloth. roll in flour and brown quickly in hot fat. place in a saucepan and add one-half cup of flour to the fat left in the frying pan. brown well and add one quart of water. bring to the boiling point. pour over the meat and cook very slowly for one and three-quarters hours. season, add a pinch of caraway seed and serve with boiled noodles. fried pies place in a mixing bowl two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking powder. sift and then rub in five tablespoons of flour and work to a smooth dough with one-half cup of ice-cold water. roll out one-quarter inch thick and spread with the mixture prepared for the pork pie. brush the edges with water and press them firmly together. let stand for fifteen minutes and then fry like crullers in hot fat. ye olde-tyme pork pie the english housewife usually uses individual pans or custard cups for this pie. line either custard cups or individual pie plates with pastry made as follows: place in a mixing bowl two cups of sifted flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one level tablespoon of baking powder. sift to mix and then rub into the flour three-quarters cup of finely chopped suet and mix to a dough with one-half cup of milk or water. roll one-quarter inch thick on floured pastry board and then line the dishes and fill them with the following mixture. place in a bowl one pound of sausage meat, two cups of bread crumbs, one-half cup of grated onions, four tablespoons of finely minced parsley, eight tablespoons of cream sauce or thick brown gravy. mix thoroughly and then divide into five individual pies. cover with the top crust and cut gashes in the top crust. brush with milk or water and bake in a slow oven for one hour. mustard sauce one tablespoon of evaporated milk, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of mustard, two tablespoons of salad oil. blend well and then add two tablespoons of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, and serve. braised onions peel medium-sized onions and then parboil and drain. now place one tablespoon of shortening in a saucepan and roll the onions in flour and brown lightly in fat. cover closely and let cook very slowly for twenty minutes, shaking the saucepan occasionally and add four tablespoons of water. english pepperpot wash and cleanse thoroughly two well-cracked calves' feet. place in a soup kettle and add a good-sized veal bone and one bunch of potherbs, two large onions, cut fine, one small carrot, cut in dice, one small turnip, diced. add sufficient water to cover, usually about four quarts. cook slowly for four hours and then strain off the stock and chop the meat fine from the feet, and also the meat which has been picked from the bones. add to the stock together with one teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one-half teaspoon of thyme. add the dumplings made as follows: place in a bowl one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one level tablespoon of baking powder, two tablespoons of grated onion, one-half teaspoon of powdered thyme. mix thoroughly and then rub in two tablespoons of shortening and mix to a dough with six tablespoons of milk. form into balls and drop in boiling stock. cook for twenty minutes, then thicken slightly with flour and serve. creamed codfish soak the boneless fish overnight and then parboil for twenty minutes. or place one package of shredded codfish in a napkin and dip in hot water and then squeeze dry. place one and one-half cups of milk, in a saucepan and add six tablespoons of flour. stir to dissolve and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add the prepared fish and two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, one teaspoon of paprika. heat and then serve on toast. chili con carne cut one pound stewing meat into inch pieces and place in a saucepan two cups water. cook slowly until tender, then add one cup of baked beans, two onions, minced fine, one cup of tomato, one teaspoon of chili powder. bring to a boil and cook slowly for twenty minutes and then place in a bowl four tablespoons of flour, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of vinegar, five tablespoons of water. beat to dissolve and add to the chili con came. cook for five minutes and then serve. fried fish, english style cleanse the fish thoroughly, then wash well and drain. roll in flour, then season and fry in hot fat until golden brown. serve with mustard sauce. chow-chow wash and cut into large pieces sufficient tomatoes to measure three pints. place in a china bowl and add one pint of small onions, and cover with one cup of salt. let stand one-half day. then drain and place in a preserving kettle and add one pint of cauliflower, parboiled, one dozen green peppers, cut into pieces, one-half dozen red peppers, cut into pieces, one quart of string beans, cut in inch pieces and parboiled, one quart of strong cider vinegar, three cups of water. bring to a boil and cook one-half hour. now place in a bowl one-half cup of flour, one-quarter cup of mustard, one tablespoon of paprika, one teaspoon of turmeric, one ounce of mustard seed, one tablespoon of celery seed, one cup of vinegar. mix thoroughly before adding to the chow and then stir to blend thoroughly and cook for fifteen minutes. fill into all-glass jars and seal while hot. quinces the quince is the fruit of a tree of the apple and pear family, and a true native of southern europe and asia. it is cultivated in all temperate climates. the ancient greeks and romans accredited the quince with many healing powers. there is a legend of a beautiful grecian maid who discovered the true secret of making marmalade, and this was afterward served by maids of athens to their sweethearts after the conquests. the name marmalade is from the portuguese, which is marmelo. the quince is a fruit that cannot be eaten in its raw state, but is most delicious in jam, jelly marmalade and quince butter, and vies with apple and guava as the best fruit for jelly making. the large, smooth fruit is the first choice, and it must be carefully handled as it bruises quickly; parts which are bruised very rapidly discolor to a dark brown. to keep the quinces any length of time, wipe them frequently with a dry cloth, and set on a wire tray so that there may be a free circulation of air around the place, and place in a cool, dry and well-ventilated room. the seeds of the quince are rich in a mucilage-like matter, and they form a jelly-like paste when soaked in water. fancy quince marmalade prepare the quinces as for roman quince marmalade and measure the fruit. to four quarts of cooked quinces and juice add one package of seedless raisins, one medium-sized bottle of maraschino cherries, cut into tiny bits, two cups of finely chopped almonds or other nuts, two and one-half quarts of granulated sugar. place in the preserving kettle and bring to a boil. cook slowly until a thick marmalade and then fill into sterilized jars. adjust the rubber and lid and seal. process in a hot water bath for fifteen minutes and then store in a cool, dry place. quince jelly wash the quinces and then cut in half, and remove the seeds and cores and pare. cut the pared quince in thin slices and then place in a bowl and cover with cold water. place the parings and seeds of the quinces in a preserving kettle, and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and cook until the parings are very soft. mash frequently and turn into a jelly bag, and let drip. measure the quince juice or liquid and return it to the preserving kettle. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. then add three-quarters cup of sugar for each cup of juice. stir to thoroughly dissolve the sugar and then bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. pour into sterilized glasses. cool and cover with melted paraffin and store in the usual manner for jellies. now place the quinces which were cut into thin slices and cover with cold water in the preserving kettle, covering the sliced quinces with water two inches above the fruit in the kettle. bring to a boil and then cook slowly until the sliced quinces are soft. drain off the juice and then measure the cooked fruit. return to the kettle and add one quart of sugar, one cup of water to every three quarts of cooked sliced quinces. place on stove and cook slowly until a very thick jam. fill in sterilized jars and adjust the rubber and lid and seal. process in hot water bath for fifteen minutes and then cool and store. use the liquid strained from the cooked quinces for jelly, following the rule for quince jelly. roman quince marmalade wash the quinces, and then pare and cut into thin slices. place in a preserving kettle and cover with cold water. place on the stove and cook until tender. now place the parings, cores and seeds in a separate kettle and cover with cold water. bring to a boil and cook slowly until the pulp is very soft. strain and add this liquid to the quinces which are cooking. cook the quinces until very soft. then mash through a fine sieve. now measure this crushed pulp and juice and return to the preserving kettle. bring to a boil and cook for fifteen minutes, and add two-thirds quart of sugar for every quart of the prepared quince pulp. stir the sugar until it dissolves and then bring to a boil, and cook slowly until the mixture is a thick jam. pour into sterilized glasses or bowls and cool. cover with melted paraffin. this roman quince marmalade was accredited with the power to heal coughs and colds. quince chips wash and pare one dozen quinces, and then cut into quarters and remove the cores. now cut into thin slices and place in a preserving kettle, and cover with cold water. cook until tender and then cover the parings, cores and seeds with cold water, and cook until very soft. strain off the liquid and return this liquid to the preserving kettle and boil to reduce to two cups; then add four pounds of sugar. stir to thoroughly dissolve the sugar and then boil until it forms a thread when tested from the prongs of a fork. now add the well-drained quinces that have been cooked until they are tender, and let the mixture simmer for two hours. remove the kettle and set aside overnight. the next morning reheat the quinces and let boil for two hours. set aside for twenty-four hours and repeat for three days. turn into a sieve or put through a colander to drain. when well drained and nearly dry, separate each piece of quince and roll in granulated sugar. let dry in a warm room and then pack into boxes lined with wax paper. place wax paper between the layers. the liquor drained from the quinces may be placed in glasses and stored for quince jelly. this delicious greek confection was served at banquets and on all gala occasions. beef croquettes one and one-half cups of finely cooked beef, one cup of very thick cream sauce, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, one-quarter teaspoon of mustard, two tablespoons of grated onion. mix thoroughly and then form into croquettes and roll lightly in flour. dip in beaten egg and then in fine crumbs, and fry until golden brown in hot fat. spanish steak have the butcher cut two pounds from either the round or the chuck steak and then wipe with a damp cloth. now pat well with flour and lay on a baking dish. place in a hot oven and baste every ten minutes, using about one cup of boiling water. cook for twenty minutes and then add one cup of sliced onions, one cup of well-drained tomatoes. return to the oven and bake for fifteen minutes and then remove and season with salt and paprika and four tablespoons of grated cheese. return to the oven for five minutes. just a pig's head and set of feet have the butcher split the head and then cleanse, removing the brain and tongue. discard the eyes. then wash in plenty of cold water and cleanse thoroughly. place the head, feet and tongue in a large preserving kettle and cover with cold water and add one and one-half cups of sliced onions, two carrots, cut in dice, one and one-half cups of dried celery leaves, one-half ounce of celery seed, one-half ounce of mustard seed, one tablespoon of thyme, one tablespoon of sage, one tablespoon of sweet marjoram, one dozen whole allspice, one bunch of potherbs. bring to a boil and skim frequently and cook until the meat on the head and feet is tender. remove the head, feet and tongue and boil the liquid for ten minutes to reduce. strain and then measure. to two and one-half quarts of this stock add one tablespoon of black pepper, three tablespoons of salt, two cups of oatmeal, three cups of cornmeal, one cup of whole-wheat flour, and then meat, chopped fine from the set of pig's feet. cook slowly, stirring frequently. cook until very thick, like mush, on the back part of the range, and then rinse a square loaf-shaped pan with cold water. pour in the scrapple and then place the balance of the stock, three pints, in a preserving kettle and add one cup of vinegar. bring to a boil and cook for fifteen minutes to reduce. add the meat, removed from the head and cut into neat pieces. rinse a loaf-shaped pan with cold water, and then pour in the mince. set in a cool place to mould. the scrapple may be formed into croquettes and dipped in flour and fried until golden brown, or it may be cut into thin slices and fried in the usual manner. cut the head cheese in slices and serve with mustard sauce. cook the brains for breakfast or luncheon. candy to melt chocolate for dipping either the plain or sweet chocolate may be used for dipping. to prevent streaking or turning gray, the chocolate must be melted at a low temperature, so fill the lower part of the double boiler with boiling water. place the top compartment in position, then add the chocolate which has been cut fine. add one tablespoon of salad oil to each half-pound. stir frequently until the chocolate melts and then dip in the fondant centres, nuts or pieces of candied fruit. place to dry on a board which has been covered with oil cloth. ginger crystals soak three level tablespoons of gelatine in one-half cup of cold water for one hour. then place in a saucepan that is free from grease two cups of sugar, one cup of water. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes, then add the prepared gelatine. stir to dissolve thoroughly, then bring to a boil again and cook for twelve minutes. remove from the fire and add one tablespoon of lemon juice, two-thirds cup of crystallized ginger, cut in tiny bits. rinse an oblong pan with cold water and drain well. turn in the cooked mixture and set in a cool place for twelve hours to become firm. then loosen from the pan and remove. turn on the table and cut into blocks. roll in granulated sugar and let stand to crystallize. bon-bons the first thing to do is to prepare the fondant, which is easily done if you own a candy thermometer. just place in a saucepan that is absolutely free from grease two cups of granulated sugar, one-fourth cup of white corn syrup, one-half cup of boiling water, one-half teaspoon of cream of tartar. adjust candy thermometer to side of saucepan. set in a warm place for a few minutes to melt the sugar and then stir well. wipe the sides of the saucepan with a damp cloth to remove the sugar crystals. place the saucepan on the stove and bring to a boil. cook until it reaches degrees on the candy thermometer. remove from the stove. pour on well oiled meat platter and let cool. when cool, work to a creamy mass and then knead like bread dough. place in a bowl and let stand for one day to ripen in a cool place. cover bowl with a cloth that has been wrung very dry from hot water. this fondant may be used between halves of english walnuts, as centres for chocolates or to cover almonds or pieces of fruit. it can also be used for dipping and making bon-bons. sugarless candy this fruit paste is the invention of an old italian fruit merchant who specialized years ago in crystallized fruits. put through the food chopper one-quarter pound of cocoanut, one-half pound of seedless raisins, one-half pound dates, figs, one pound shelled nuts, add two tablespoons syrup, form in balls and oblongs. to use fondant for dipping place one-half of the fondant in the top part of a double boiler and fill the lower part with boiling water. add about one tablespoon of boiling water to the fondant and stir continually to reduce to a thick cream. dip in the pieces of nut, candied fruit or balls of plain-flavored fondant. let dry on waxed paper or oil cloth covered board. when the fondant becomes too dry for further dipping, scrape from the pan, using a wooden spoon and form into balls. dip them in melted chocolate. one-half pound of shelled peanuts, one-half pound of prunes, one-half pound of apricots, one-half pound of citron. mix and form into balls or cylinders. roll in finely chopped cocoanut or finely chopped nuts; or line a tin box, such as the sugar wafers come in, with wax paper, and then fill with the fruit mixture. press hard to make it firm and let stand for four hours. remove from the box and cut in half-inch slices. a box packed with an assortment of these delicious homemade candies will make a very desirable present. christmas dinner a selection of menus for family of ten persons no. celery radishes oyster cocktail fillets of codfish tartare sauce potato balls parsley butter pickled cucumbers chow-chow roast turkey, new england filling brown gravy cranberry jelly lettuce canadian dressing plum pudding vanilla sauce coffee nuts raisins no. for family of six home-made piccalilli water-cress clear tomato soup grilled oysters pan broiled chicken bacon garnish brown gravy currant jelly sweet potato pone string beans lettuce russian dressing mince pie coffee nuts raisins no. for family of four grape-fruit cocktail celery fried smelts tartare sauce cole slaw baked guinea hen brown gravy spiced preserve baked white potatoes creamed onions lettuce sour cream dressing pumpkin pie coffee nuts raisins no. for just us two grape-fruit maraschino panned oysters fillet of halibut creole sauce broiled squab bacon garnish currant jelly browned sweet potatoes mashed turnips lettuce mayonnaise dressing individual mince tarts coffee nuts raisins the marketing list will be as follows for menu no. : one bunch of celery containing six stalks. (it will be real economy to purchase the well-bleached celery, as this has less waste.) two bunches of radishes, fifty small oysters for the cocktails, one and one-half pounds of sliced cod, one-quarter peck of white potatoes, one-quarter peck of onions, fifteen pound turkey, one bunch of parsley, one pound of cranberries, one-half peck of sweet potatoes, two large cauliflower, one large head of lettuce, home-made pickled cucumber and chowchow, home-made plum pudding, one-half pound of almonds, one and one-half pounds of layer raisins. fillet of codfish, tartare sauce divide slices into neat fillets and season and roll in flour. dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. tartare sauce use eggless mayonnaise as a base for this sauce. place in a soup plate three tablespoons of evaporated milk, one teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon of paprika, one-quarter teaspoon of white pepper. mix and then beat one cup of salad oil and then add one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, three onions, grated, one large sour pickle, chopped fine, one tablespoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of salt. mix well and then serve cold. in preparing the potato balls, use the left-over portion after making the balls into mashed potatoes. cook the balls in boiling water, usually about ten minutes. drain and then cover with a cloth to make mealy. then roll in melted butter and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. candied sweet potatoes cook the potatoes in their skins and then cool and remove the skins. now place in heavy iron frying pan one and one-half cups of syrup, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of nutmeg. bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add the sweet potatoes and baste continually with the syrup, allowing them to simmer slowly for twenty minutes. do not cut or slice the potatoes. preparing the turkey select a full plump bird rather than a large lean one. remove all pin-feathers and then singe and draw. remove the neck and wash well in plenty of warm water. prepare the following filling: new england filling put the coarse outside branches of the celery through the food chopper and add one quart of onions, one-half bunch of parsley, one and one-quarter pounds of stale bread. turn into a bowl and add one level tablespoon of salt, one level teaspoon of pepper, one and one-half teaspoons of poultry seasoning, one-half cup of melted shortening. mix thoroughly and then fill into the bird. sew the opening with a darning needle and a stout string. place part of the filling in the front of the breast bone, then draw the flap of skin over to the back and fasten. now rub the bird well with shortening and pat one cup of flour over the breast, wings, thighs and legs. place in large roasting pan and place in a hot oven. let the turkey brown slightly, then turn the breast down, reducing the heat to moderate and commence to baste with prepared mixture. baste every ten minutes, allowing the turkey one-half hour to heat and twenty minutes to the pound or about three and one-half hours. lum gum gue spread saltine crackers thickly with marshmallow whip. now spread with jelly and top off with more marshmallow. cover with finely chopped nuts. place in hot oven to brown slightly. century cheese sandwiches one-half cup of cottage cheese, two pimentoes, chopped fine, one onion, grated, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, four tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix and spread on thin slices of buttered bread. place a crisp leaf of lettuce between bread crumbs. cut diagonally across the sandwich, forming into triangles. place a slice of pickle on top and serve. fruit sandwiches chop fine one-half cup of seeded raisins, one-half cup of figs, stones prunes or apricots, one tablespoon of syrup, one tablespoon of lemon juice. mix to blend thoroughly, then spread upon the butter-thin crackers. cover with a second cracker and serve. lace cookies place in a mixing bowl one cup of syrup, four tablespoons of shortening, one egg, three and one-half cups of oatmeal, three-quarters cup of flour, one level tablespoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of vanilla. beat just enough to mix, then form into round balls and set three inches apart on well-greased baking sheet. bake for fifteen minutes in moderate oven. place one-half teaspoon of marshmallow on each cookie. grandmother's fruit cake place in a mixing bowl one cup of sugar, one cup of syrup, three-quarters cup of shortening, two eggs. cream until light and then add three tablespoons of cocoa, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves, three-quarters cup of black coffee, four cups of sifted flour, three tablespoons of baking powder, two cups of seeded raisins, one cup of finely chopped nuts, one-half cup of finely chopped citron, one-half cup of finely dried apricots, one-half cup of finely chopped stoned prunes. mix thoroughly, then grease the pan and line with three thicknesses of paper. grease and flour the paper. pour in the cake mixture and make smooth on top. bake one and one-quarter hours in a slow oven. set the baking pan in another one and add one cup of boiling water to the pan in which the cake pan is set. this amount will make four and one-half pounds of cake, and it may be divided into two pans if so desired. when the cake is cool, remove from the paper and spread with a good jam or preserve. set in an air-tight can to blend. when ready to use, wipe the cake with a damp cloth and spread with chocolate or white icing. moravian fruit cake place in a mixing bowl three-quarters cup of syrup, one-half cup of sugar, one-half cup of shortening, two tablespoons of cocoa, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of ginger, one-half teaspoon of cloves, three cups of flour, two level tablespoons of baking powder, three-quarters cup of milk, one egg. beat to mix and then add one and one-half cups of seeded raisins, one cup of dried apples, chopped fine, one cup of finely chopped nuts, one-half cup of finely chopped citron. mix in the fruit thoroughly, then grease the pan and line with paper. grease and flour the paper. turn in the cake mixture and bake in a slow oven for one hour. a small fruit cake place in a mixing bowl one-half cup of seeded raisins, one-half cup of finely chopped nuts, one-half cup of finely chopped citron, one-half cup of finely chopped apricots, one cup of syrup, one-half cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of shortening, one-half cup of cold coffee, one egg, two and one-half cups of flour, two tablespoons of baking powder. mix thoroughly and bake like a moravian fruit cake. a war cake of place in a mixing bowl one and one-half cups of molasses, one cup of shortening, one cup of quince or peach preserves, one cup of finely chopped nuts, three-quarters cup of finely chopped candied orange peel, one-half cup of finely chopped candied lemon peel, three cups of seeded raisins, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves, five cups of sifted flour, three level tablespoons of baking powder, one egg, one and one-half cups of thin apple sauce. mix thoroughly and then grease the pan and line with paper. grease and flour the paper, turn in the mixture and bake one and one-half hours in a slow oven. tom-tiddle gingerbread place in a mixing bowl one cup of molasses, one-half cup of brown sugar, one-half cup of shortening, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of allspice. mix and then add one cup of cold coffee, four cups of sifted flour, three level tablespoons of baking powder. beat to mix. pour into greased and floured baking pan, cover with prepared crumbs and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. toasted cheese sandwiches cut bread into strips the width of a finger. toast them, place a thin slice of cheese on the toast and toast again. dust with paprika. delmonte dressing place in a mixing bowl four finely chopped pimentoes, one grated onion, four tablespoons of finely chopped parsley, seven tablespoons of salad oil, three tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika, three tablespoons of catsup. mix and then serve. leisurely preparation of the christmas dinner makes for its success. each family is an authority in itself as to the choice of the piece de resistance. turkey, duck, goose, chicken, guinea hen, suckling pig, shoulder of fresh pork and the baked ham afford a splendid variety. suggestive menus no. clear tomato soup celery roast turkey filling brown gravy cranberry jelly mashed white potatoes creamed onions coleslaw mince pie coffee no. home-made pickles celery soup radishes roast goose potato filling roast apples currant jelly sweet potato pone cauliflower celery and cabbage salad cranberry pie coffee no. olives celery pea soup baked fresh country shoulder of pork brown gravy apple sauce candied sweet potatoes spinach lettuce french dressing pumpkin pie coffee no. chow-chow celery water-cress oysters on half shell champagne style sauce baked ham currant jelly browned sweet and white potatoes spiced cucumber rings corn peas lettuce cranberry roll coffee roast goose select a plump bird and remove the pin-feathers. singe and draw, then wash well in warm water, using a vegetable brush to scrub the skin. plunge into cold water. now place the goose in a preserving kettle and add one fagot of soup herbs, two onions. sufficient boiling water to cover. bring to a boil and cook for three-quarters of an hour. remove and let cool. place one-half cup of shortening in a large frying pan and add one and one-half cups of finely chopped onions. cook until soft and add two cups of mashed potatoes, one cup of fine bread crumbs, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, one-half cup of finely chopped celery leaves, one-half cup of finely chopped pimentoes, the meat picked from the neck and giblets, chopped fine, also one teaspoon of thyme, three-quarters teaspoon of sweet marjoram, one-quarter teaspoon of sage, one-half teaspoon of poultry seasoning. cook slowly, turning frequently for one-half hour. cool and then fill the goose. sew the opening with darning needle and stout string. fasten the flap and neck, then rub the bird well with plenty of shortening. dust thickly with flour. place in a roasting pan in hot oven for twenty minutes, then commence to baste, using boiling water. reduce the heat to moderate, turn the goose breast down and cook for two and one-half hours. about one-half hour before removing from the oven, turn the bird on its back and let the breast brown nicely. lift to a warm plate and garnish with roast or baked apples. to make the gravy, drain nearly all the fat from the pan, add sufficient boiling water and cook for a few minutes. pea soup soak one cup of dried peas in one quart of warm water overnight. in the morning, wash and drain, then mince four ounces of salt pork fine. place in a saucepan and add one and one-half cups of sliced onions. cook slowly until soft, but not brown, then add the peas and five pints of cold water, one bunch of soup herbs, one-half teaspoon of poultry seasoning. add well-cracked bones from the shoulder. bring to a boil and cook slowly for three and one-half hours. cool, then put through a coarse sieve into a bowl and set aside until needed. to serve: reheat and add two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley. if too thick, reduce with a little boiling water. fresh country shoulder of pork select a plump shoulder of pork, weighing about seven and one-half pounds. have the butcher bone and roll the shoulder. now put the coarse branches and sufficient green tops of celery through the food chopper to measure one cup. place in a bowl and add one cup of finely chopped onion, one-half teaspoon of sage, one teaspoon of poultry seasoning, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper. mix well and then pack into the shoulder. wipe shoulder, rub well with shortening, and pat in one cup of flour. place in a roasting pan and place in a hot oven. let brown for thirty minutes. reduce the even heat to moderate and commence to baste, using boiling water, and baste every fifteen minutes. cook for three and one-quarter hours. turn frequently and when ready to serve, lift to a warm platter and garnish with parsley. drain the excess fat from the pan and add the required amount of boiling water to make the gravy. hungarian goulash cut one pound of lean stewing beef in pieces and place in a saucepan and cover with boiling water. cook slowly until tender and then add one-half cup of onions, one carrot, diced, one fagot of soup herbs. when the meat is tender, season with one teaspoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika. thicken the gravy with browned flour and then add one-half cup of sour cream. garnish with finely chopped parsley. menus for six persons for christmas day breakfast a.m. grape-fruit cereal and cream broiled mackerel parsley butter lyonnaise potatoes hot rolls coffee christmas dinner p.m. clear tomato soup celery cole slaw tuna fish à la newburg potato balls sliced cucumbers roast turkey game filling brown gravy cranberry sauce candied sweet potatoes spinach corn lettuce russian dressing individual plum puddings coffee or breakfast a.m. sliced oranges cereal and cream broiled ham parsley butter poached eggs grilled potatoes corn muffins coffee dinner p.m. celery pickles olives sardine canape bouillon miniature codfish balls tomato sauce parsley potato balls cucumbers baked sugar-cured ham currant jelly champagne style sauce paprika potatoes peas asparagus salad delmonte dressing individual hot mince tarts coffee almost any choice of meat may replace the turkey or ham. chicken guinea hen, duck, geese, squabs or baby pig and any one of these will blend very nicely and balance the meal. for six persons prepare the grapefruit early the evening before and then set in the ice box until needed. use a prepared breakfast cereal, such as corn flakes, etc. this eliminates cooking the cereal. broiled mackerel select two medium-sized or three small mackerel and place in a large pan to soak early the day before christmas. place the skin side up and cover with warm water. just after the evening meal, drain the mackerel, cover again with warm water and let stand overnight. this will remove the excess salt. in the morning, place in a large baking pan, set in the broiler or hot oven and baste every four minutes with boiling water. cook for fifteen minutes for a large mackerel and about ten minutes for small fish. lift to a hot platter and cover with parsley butter two ounces of butter, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. work to a smooth mass, then spread on the fish and serve with a lemon cut in wedge-shaped pieces. tuna fish a la king open a can of tuna fish and turn into a china dish. now place in a saucepan one and one-half cups of milk, four tablespoons of flour. stir to blend, then bring to a boil and cook five minutes. add three tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one tablespoon of grated onion, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. add the tuna fish, which has been broken into large flakes. heat. when smoking hot, serve in ramekins. set the ramekin on a tea plate and then place in a small pile four potato balls, which have been rolled in melted butter covered with finely minced parsley, then sliced and well-seasoned cucumbers. clear tomato soup use one can of tomato soup, one quart of water, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of grated onion, two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, two beef cubes. heat slowly, then serve with tiny squares of toast. lyonnaise potatoes one-half cup of finely chopped onions, one quart of thinly sliced cold-boiled potatoes. mix and then place one-half cup of shortening in a frying pan and when hot, add the potatoes. cook slowly until well browned. to prepare individual plum puddings take large pudding and mould it into small ones. set in a double boiler and heat. for menu no. broil or bake the ham. to grill potatoes: cut them into thin slices and place on a baking pan. brush with shortening and broil in the gas oven for ten minutes. paprika potatoes select medium-sized potatoes and bake. when ready to serve, split open. place a piece of butter in each potato and dust with paprika. use canned asparagus for the salad. sardine canape open a large can of sardines and turn on a plate; let drain. then cut and toast for each person an oblong piece of bread. spread with butter. then lay on the toast two sardines. sprinkle them with one tablespoon of finely minced pimentoes, one teaspoon of finely minced onion, one teaspoon of finely minced parsley. serve with wedge-shaped section of sliced ham. use the bouillon cubes for making the bouillon. miniature codfish balls one and one-half cups of mashed potatoes, three-quarters cup of prepared codfish, one onion, grated, one-half cup of finely minced parsley. mix and then form into tiny balls. roll in flour and then dip in beaten egg and roll in fine crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat. roll cooked potato balls in melted butter and parsley. baked sugar-cured ham boil the ham and then remove the skin and trim. now place in a bowl one cup of brown sugar or molasses, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of thyme. mix, spread over the ham and bake in a hot oven for one and one-quarter hours. baste every ten minutes with boiling water. new year's menu breakfast sliced bananas cereal and cream codfish cakes tomato sauce toast coffee dinner barley broth with vegetables lamb cutlets, mentone mashed potatoes mashed turnips celery salad raisin pie coffee supper radishes celery salmon à la king potato cakes coleslaw chocolate cake tea salmon a la king place in a saucepan two cups of milk, six tablespoons of flour. stir to dissolve, then bring to a boil and cook for minutes. add one can salmon free from bones and skin. juice of one lemon, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, two well-beaten eggs. heat to boiling point and serve on toast. lamb cutlets mentone have the butcher cut the neck of lamb or mutton for cutlets. wipe with a damp cloth and place in a saucepan with two onions, one quart of boiling water. cook slowly until tender, then remove the cutlets and flatten well. roll in flour and then brown in hot fat. now add one and one-half cups of sliced onions to the fat in the pan, left from browning the cutlets. toss and brown very lightly. now add one cup of water and cook until the onions are soft and the water evaporated. dust three level tablespoons of flour over the onions and toss to blend thoroughly. then add one-half can of tomato soup, three-quarters of a cup of water. bring to a boil; add the cutlets and let simmer for ten minutes. lift the onions to a hot platter, then place the cutlets on top and pour the gravy over the meat. garnish with one tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. raisin pie place one package of seedless raisins in a saucepan and add one cup of syrup, three-quarters of a cup of water, six tablespoons of cornstarch. dissolve the starch in the water before adding to the syrup and raisins, then bring to a boil. cook slowly for five minutes and then cool and use for the pie. when ready to place in the pie add one tablespoon of lemon juice, grated rind of one-quarter lemon. tomato sauce place one-half can of tomato soup in a saucepan and add one-half cup of water, two level tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. virginia style baked ham purchase a boiled boneless ham and place in baking pan. open one and one-half pound can of syrup and add two tablespoons of cinnamon, one tablespoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon of allspice, one teaspoon of cloves, one teaspoon of ginger. mix well, then spread on the ham and dust lightly with the flour. baste frequently with the syrup. bake in a slow oven for one and one-fourth hours. menus for the new year's party planning a real, old-fashioned watch party to see the old year out and the new one in will afford a real entertainment. have the folks arrive about o'clock and then pass an hour and a half in dancing, singing and generally having a real good old-fashioned time. then about . serve the supper, so that just before midnight all are ready with a toast to the new year. arrange so that each guest is in his place standing, with a wassail cup in hand, and then at three minutes of , darken the room. when o'clock is struck, turn on the lights and drink a happy new year. new year merrymaking is as old as the history of england. there the head of the house assembles the family around the wassail bowl to drink the healths of every one. the saxon phrase "wasshael" means "your health"; hence the wassail bowl. in many of the shires and counties the lads and lassies secure a large bowl and ornament it with ribbons and artificial flowers, and, with this visit the gentry, all the while singing songs suitable to the occasion. an english wassail place two gallons of cider in a large punch bowl and add a large lump of ice, one-half dozen bananas, cut in thin slices, one-half dozen oranges, cut in slices and then in small pieces, one medium-sized bottle of maraschino cherries, small baked apple. cut the cherries into tiny bits and use the juice also. put in one baked apple for each guest. the apples are afterward eaten with a fork. mix and serve. here are some suggestions for supper: menu no. celery olives home-made pickles chicken à la king potato croquettes cheese crackers cake jelly coffee menu no. radishes celery home-made relishes virginia baked ham potato salad rolls butter coffee cake country supper radishes celery home-made relishes roast suckling pig brown gravy apple sauce mashed white potatoes sauerkraut coleslaw bread and butter cranberry pie coffee an old custom of the new year has been revived--making calls. folks now visit about on new year's day very much in the same way as grandma entertained and kept open house on this day. to serve on new year's visits: celery olives pimento sandwiches baked ham sandwiches celery and cheese sandwiches tea, coffee or cocoa other folks will prefer to entertain with a new year's dinner. perhaps this will give a suggestion: oysters on half shell celery ye olde-tyme vegetable soup boiled fish egg sauce baked ham champagne style sauce browned potatoes peas coleslaw mince or apple pie coffee nuts raisins cod basslano the serving of a fish entree with the sunday dinner gives just the right zest to the meal. select two slices of cod or other sliced fish. cut into small fillets and season and then roll in flour. dip in beaten egg and then roll in fine bread crumbs. fry until golden brown in hot fat and serve with tartare sauce. roast loin of pork select a five- or six-pound cut and have the butcher remove the entire chine bone. wipe and place in a baking pan and pat in one cup of flour. core one apple for each service and place meat in the hot oven. let brown and then reduce the heat and allow one-half hour for the meat to the pound to cook in a moderate oven. baste with boiling water. cranberry dumplings chop two cups of cranberries very fine and add one-half cup of seedless raisins, one cup of brown sugar. place in the mixing bowl one and one-half cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of baking powder. stiffen to mix and then rub in three tablespoons of shortening and work to a dough with one-half cup of cold water. roll out one-quarter inch thick and spread with cranberry mixture. roll like for jelly roll and then wrap in a pudding cloth. plunge in a saucepan containing boiling water; cook for forty minutes and then lift and drain. serve, cut in inch-wide slices with sweetened cranberry sauce. many persons like the old-fashioned idea of entertaining on new year's day with a real old-time dinner. an ideal number is either eight or twelve persons. put the full quota of leaves in the dining-room table and pad it nicely. cover with your best table cloth. a miniature tree or a bush of mistletoe or holly for a centre-piece is both seasonable and appropriate. to serve this meal with one maid, it must be arranged so as to relieve her of the waitress tasks. mould the butter into balls and arrange the service, allowing at least twenty-two inches between the guests. place the celery and relish in glass dishes at intervals along the side of the table and serve the salad with the dinner. a suggestive colonial menu oyster soup celery home-made relishes roast beef, yorkshire pudding brown gravy horseradish sauce mashed potatoes buttered onions spiced cantaloupe and watermelon rind beet and cabbage salad plum pudding mince pie coffee recipes for twelve persons strain the juice of fifty stewing oysters, then look them over carefully and remove all bits of shell. wash and then place in a saucepan and add two tablespoons of butter. now place in a large saucepan four pints of milk, one pint of oyster liquid, one-half cup of flour. stir to dissolve the flour thoroughly and then bring quickly to a boil. bring the oysters quickly to the scalding point; add to the milk with two tablespoons of finely minced parsley, one teaspoon of grated onion, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of white pepper. let simmer slowly for a few minutes. serve with old-fashioned water crackers. roast beef yorkshire pudding select a fancy prime cut from a young steer and have the butcher cut off the chine and trim for roasting. place in a baking pan without seasoning. place in lowest part of the broiling oven. cook, allowing fifteen minutes to the pound. turn the meat every fifteen minutes and baste with its own fat. cooking the meat before the flame gives it the flavor and appearance of the old-time open-fire roasting. about twenty minutes before serving the meal, place one-half cup of the drippings from the roasting pan in a baking pan and place in the oven to heat. while heating, prepare the pudding. place in a bowl two and one-half cups of milk, two eggs. beat to mix thoroughly and then add one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of grated onion, two and one-half cups of flour, two level tablespoons of baking powder. beat to remove the lumps and then pour into hot, well-greased baking pan about three-quarters of an inch deep. bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes, basting three times with the drippings from the roast. add the flour to the pan in which the meat was roasted. brown well and add three cups of cold water, salt and pepper to taste. bring to the boiling point and cook for a few minutes, then serve. some people like english horseradish sauce with the roast meat. and they serve the gravy over the pudding. place in a saucepan. one-half cup of water, one-half cup of white vinegar, five tablespoons of cornstarch. stir to dissolve the starch and then bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. add one-half cup of sour cream, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one teaspoon of white pepper, one small glass of grated horseradish. heat, stirring frequently, to the boiling point. beet and cabbage salad shred fine one small head of cabbage. place in salt water to crisp for one hour. now drain. turn on a cloth to dry. place in a bowl and add one cup of finely shredded celery, two onions, chopped fine, two green peppers, chopped fine, one cup of mayonnaise dressing, one and one-half teapoons of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. toss to mix thoroughly and then serve on individual salad plates. garnish with finely chopped pickled beets in the form of a border around each service. a market list for twelve persons: nine pounds of standing rib-loin cut, fifty oysters, four branches of celery, five points of milk, one-half pint of cream for coffee, one-quarter pound of coffee, one-quarter peck of onions, one bunch of beets, one small head of lettuce, two peppers, two dozen rolls, one pound of butter, two eggs, one-half pound of plum pudding, one extra large pie, making twelve small cuts, one-quarter pound of sugar. corn relish place in a preserving kettle one can of shoepeg corn, one quart of cooked string beans, one quart of cooked lima beans, eight green peppers, cut in small pieces, one small head of cabbage, shredded fine, one ounce of mustard seed. equal parts of vinegar and water to cover. bring to a boil and cook for thirty-five minutes. now place in a bowl one cup of flour, one-half cup of yellow mustard, one-half cup of salt, one-half cup of sugar, one ounce of paprika, two cups of vinegar. stir to dissolve and then add to the boiling mixture. cook for fifteen minutes and then fill into all-glass jars and seal. store in a cool dry place. for eight couples in english communities it is the custom to sit up and watch the departing year out and to welcome in the new. the farmers in the north country visit the orchards, while the folk in the highlands visit and return calls. the custom of new year's calling is very old indeed, and in the years of long ago the beau brummels and dandies of the times enjoyed the new year's calling as a very rare sport. the mummers who are abroad this day follow the ancient custom of dear old scotland, where these rites have prevailed for many centuries. toast the old year out and new one in with a loving cup: ring out the old with all its hate, ring in the new with love and cheer, ring on, oh bells of time; ring with joy, ere ye be too late. to prepare a loving cup for welcoming the new year for fifteen persons: new year's punch one and one-half gallons of cider, one-half dozen bananas, sliced thin, one small bottle of cherries, cut into bits. place a large lump in the ice bowl and stir to blend. serve in tall punch glasses. a midnight repast oysters à la newburg pimento sandwiches pickles celery salted nuts new year's punch coffee or creamed chicken delmonte celery salad home-made pickles olives rolls butter new year's punch tea or coffee a punch may be made with part grape juice and part lemonade and then the fruit added. oysters a la newburg for fifteen persons. look over carefully and then wash one hundred stewing oysters. drain. now place in a saucepan one quart of oyster liquid, one quart of milk, three-quarters cup of flour. stir to dissolve thoroughly; bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. now pan the oysters in their own juice by placing in a saucepan and constantly stirring until they reach the boiling point. add the prepared sauce with two onions, minced fine, one tall can of pimentoes, chopped fine, two well-beaten eggs, one level tablespoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, one-half teaspoon of white pepper, one-half cup of finely chopped parsley. heat slowly until boiling point is reached and then serve on thick slices of toast. pimento sandwiches put one tall can of pimentoes, two stalks of celery, eight stalks of parsley, two onions, through the food chopper and then add one cup of cottage cheese, half-cup of mayonnaise, one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of paprika. mix well and then spread the rye bread with the following: four ounces of butter, two tablespoons of mayonnaise dressing, one teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of mustard. place in a mixing bowl and beat until a cream, then spread the mixture on the loaf and cut in thin slices. spread the pimento mixture and cover with a second slice of bread. cut into triangles. creamed chicken delmonte select a large stewing chicken about six and one-half to seven pounds. singe and draw, then wash. place in a preserving kettle with two onions, one clove, one carrot, cut in dice, two branches of celery, cut in small pieces, one fagot of soup herbs, two and one-half quarts of boiling water. cover closely and bring to a boil. simmer slowly until tender and then cool in the stock. now remove the skin and cut meat in neat pieces, about one inch square. place in a large saucepan one quart of chicken stock, three-quarters cup of flour. stir to blend thoroughly and then bring to a boil. cook for five minutes and add two onions, minced fine, and one tall can of pimentoes, minced fine, one quart of celery, cut in inch blocks and parboiled, three well-beaten eggs, one tablespoon of salt, one and one-half teaspoons of paprika, the prepared chicken meat, juice of two small lemons. heat until very hot and then serve on toast. lay three tips of canned asparagus that has been heated in its own juice and then sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. * * * * * fresh fruits and vegetables [illustration] on your table--all the year round it is now possible to serve the same fruits and vegetables on your table in december as in july. save the excess from your gardens and orchards in the summer and help solve the winter food problems. "atlas" e-z seal jars are real preservers. being all glass, they are absolutely sanitary, and they are so "e-z" to close and open, that a child can operate them. made in one-half pint, pint, quart and one-half gallon sizes. manufactured by hazel-atlas glass company wheeling, w. va. * * * * * index a accompaniment for lamb and mutton, admiral sauce, a few pointers about vegetables, a la mode canadienne, almond coffee cakes, american sauce, angel cake, small, animal cookies, anise seed rusk, appetizers, apple and raisin filling for duck, and rice custard, butter without cider, cake, croquettes, custard pie, dowdy, apples, baked, spiced, apricot shortcake, artichoke fried in batter, hollandaise sauce, the jerusalem, vinaigrette, artichokes, asparagus and celery salad, vinaigrette, aunt polly rives's one-egg cake, a war cake of , b babas, baby lima bean croquettes, beans, baked, bacon and onion sandwiches, baked apples, baby lima beans, bananas, beans with salt pork, chicken, and noodles, dried corn, eggplant and tomatoes, eggs in corn cases, peppers, emince of lamb in green fish, green peppers, ham, virginia, omelet, onions, pears, and cranberries, potatoes, prunes, , shad, slice of ham, squab, squash, sugar-cured ham, tomatoes, chelsea, (cold), baking, successful, points for, the bread, balls, cousin hetty's fish, crab meat, miniature codfish, olive cheese, spinach, baltimore dressing, banana custard pie, fritters, , ice cream, muffins, pancakes, rice pudding, sauce, shortcake, stuffing for chicken, bananas à la jamique, baked, fried, bannocks, barbecue of boiled ham, bass, broiled, basslano, cod, batardi sauce, batter, artichoke fried in, bread, the, , tripe fried in, waffle, bean sausage, soup, beans, boston baked, salted, tomatoes and string, bearnaise sauce, beef, brown pot roast of shin, chili of, creole, croquettes, delmonico roast, fillet of, how to cook corn, neck of (polish style), pot roast of shin (english style), spanish, stew, beet and cabbage salad, beets, buttered and spiced, belgian rice balls, belgian pancakes, bengal curry of lamb, betty, brown, orange, raspberry fruit, beverages, biscuit, squash, sweet potato, biscuits, cocoanut, currant, raisin, rusk or tea, sweet, turkey meat, blackberry pudding, black nut cake, blond french dressing, bohemian relish, sauce, boiled dressing, hominy with cheese sauce, pork, potatoes, salt cod, bon-bons, bone and stuffed shoulder of lamb, boston baked beans, brown bread, , , bouillon, court, box, dough, braids, brains, to prepare, braised celery, onions, , ox tails, with baked dried peas, red cabbage, rolled flank steak, sweetbreads, bran bread, muffins, bread, batter, ye old virginia, boston brown, , , bran, brest, buttermilk, california orange, care of, after baking, famous french, to make, food value of, graham, griddle cakes, bread, louisiana, prune, rye, scotch oat, southern spoon, the staff of life, wheat entire, yesterday's bran, breakfast, , , christmas, new year's, breast of guinea hen (terrapin style), brest bread, brining cauliflower, brioche, broiled bass, chicken, bacon garnish, (virginia style), hamburg steak, mackerel, oysters, à la maryland, virginia, salt mackerel (flemish style), shad roe, sweet potatoes, broth, oyster, brown betty, emince fowl, pot roast of shin beef, sauce, buckwheat cakes, buffet supper, bun, spanish, , buns, cinnamon, sticky, cocoanut, english bath, plain, st. nazaire, butter cream icing, english, french, italian, lancaster apple, london, onions fried in, parsley, , swiss, buttered and spiced beets, butterfish, creole, buttermilk bag pudding, bread, cheese pie, custard, doughnuts, butterscotch pie, c cabbage, braised red, cream, pickled red, pudding, soup, cake, angel, small, aunt polly rives's one-egg, apple, a war, of , black nut, california prune, cheap fruit, cheese, chocolate layer, cinnamon, devil's food, cake for two, fruit, , , inexpensive, ginger, grandmother's fruit, gutney run potato, * loaf, (one-egg), moravian fruit, spice, nut honey, orange short, peach, pound, large, small, raisin, rumanian fruit, small fruit, swiss crumb, two-layer, white fruit, pound, yeast-raised, how to make, cakes, almond coffee, bread griddle, buckwheat, cornmeal griddle, drop, english seed, fish, griddle, , vermont rhubarb, honey, indian griddle, jack o'lantern, potato, rice batter, griddle, sausage, squash, sweet potato (georgia style), virginia griddle, calas, calf's heart à la mode, california orange bread, prune cake, canadian sauce, canadienne, à la mode, canape à la mode, cheese, italian, , la brete, olive, sardine, the, tomato, candied sweet potato, , candied sweet potatoes with honey, candy, sugarless, caramel pudding, sauce, care of the bread after baking, carolina corn pone, carrots à la brabanconne, cartheoth, eggs, casserole, neck chops in, cauliflower, brining, salting, celery, braised, curly, parisian, purée, sauce, soup, century cheese sandwiches, charlotte, prune, russe, chartreuse, salmon, cheap fruit cake, cheese and pepper sandwiches, cake, canape, cutlets, dressing, head, loaf, making scrapple and hogshead, sandwiches, sauce, , chelsea rabbit, cherry custard, dumplings, roly-poly, sauce, chicken à la king, and green pepper sandwiches, and noodles, baked, and rice curry, baked, banana stuffing for, broiled (virginia style), custard, dumplings, fricasse, gumbo okra, how to prepare for chicken salad or cold cuts, loaf, , mousse, poindexter, filling of, pot roast (cedar hollow style), roast, (split style), roll, salad sandwiches, tamales, chili con carne, of beef, sauce, chips, quince, chocolate butter cream, cornstarch pudding, filling for cakes made from cocoa, * * * * * [illustration: "_i never grate chocolate anymore!_"] i give my icings, fillings, pies and puddings "_that chocolaty taste_" of runkel's without bothering to grate chocolate. runkel's all-purpose cocoa is the finest quality chocolate, _already a powder, all ready to use_! you need no special recipes. just use three level tablespoonfuls ( / oz.) of runkel's all-purpose cocoa instead of each "square" ( oz.) of cooking chocolate. it not only improves the flavor, but saves / the cost. interesting dessert book, "_the new cocoa cookery_", will be sent you gratis upon request. runkel bros., inc. domestic science department west th street, new york city [illustration: runkel's all-purpose cocoa _for drinking, baking and cooking_] * * * * * chocolate, how to prepare, icing, layer cake, parfait, pie, rice pudding, sauce, , chop suey, chops, to cook, chow-chow, chowder, conecticut fish, salt, christmas breakfast, dinner, , , , goodies, chuck, the, cider, apple butter with, jelly pie, sauce (champagne sauce), cinnamon buns, sticky, cake, toast, clam cocktail, fritters, (red river boathouse style), clams, deviled, steamed salt oyster of, clear soup, tomato soup, cobbler, southern style, cocktail, clam, grape-juice, long island sound, oyster, rhubarb, to make a, cocoanut biscuits, buns, icing, pudding, cod basslano, boiled salt, cod, salt, vermont, coddled eggs, codfish, creamed, fillet of, tartar sauce, coffee, , à la creme, au lait, custard, parfait style, epicurean creole, noir, turkish, cold spice, tongue, cole slaw, , colonial cream, congress pie, connecticut fish chowder, cooked salad dressing, cookies, animal, crumb, honey, lace, soft, chocolate, sweet potato, cooking the fancy cuts, corn, baked dried, beef hash, cases, baked eggs in, cream of, supreme, fritters, for two people, muffins, pudding, relish, salted, scalloped, to dry (lancaster county recipe), cornmeal griddle cakes, sausages, correct method of boiling meat, temperature for deep-fat frying, cottage pudding, country cheese sandwiches, dressing, style green apple pie, supper, court bouillon, cousin hetty's fish balls, crab meat, à la king, au gratin, balls, served in cream, ravigotte, crabs, deviled, fried, soft shell, cranberries, baked pears and, cranberry conserve, dumplings, jelly, , jelly, using syrup, roll, , cream cabbage, chocolate butter, coffee shake, colonial, finnan haddie, ginger, horseradish sauce, malvern, of corn, supreme, of cucumber, of onion, of tomato, puffs, sauce, soups, tapioca pudding, creamed chicken delmonte, codfish, mushrooms, creole beef, fried fish, butterfish, liver and bacon, rice, sauce, tripe, crescents, croquettes, apple, baby lima beans, beef, eggplant, lima beans, nut and pepper, potato, sweet potato, turkey, veal, crullers, louisiana, or doughnuts, how to fry, crumb cookies, crystals, ginger, cucumber, cream of, salad, sauce, cup, ginger ale, cup, how to make the cider, mint, peach, curly celery, currant biscuits, sling, curry, chicken and rice, of mutton, custard, buttermilk, cherry, chicken, frozen, cherry, pineapple, strawberry, honey, macaroni, onion, orange and rice, pie, raspberry cup, rice and apple, sauce, tomato egg, custards, fruit cup, potato, cutlet, fish, cutlets, cheese, egg, lamb, mentone, macaroni, to prepare breaded, d dates, to stuff, with ginger, deep-fat frying, correct temperature for, delicacies, ginger, prune, delicious english scones, delmonico roast beef, delmonte, creamed chicken, dressing, desserts, deviled clams, crabs, egg salad, deviled eggs, parisienne, oysters, devil's food cake, diet to reduce weight, dinner, , , christmas, , , , new year's, thanksgiving, dinners, series of, , dipping, to make chocolate for, to use fondant for, dish, polish corn, dishes, potato, dodgers, ye kentucky corn, dough box, vienna, straight, doughnuts, buttermilk, with fruit centre, doughs, sweet, dowdy apple, dowdy, new england style, dressing, baltimore, blond french, boiled, cheese, cooked salad, country, delmonte, french, italian, old english mustard, orange, ottawa, paprika, pimento, rich boiled salad, roquefort, russian, salad, sour cream cucumber, thousand islands, dried fruit, drinks, summer, drop cakes, dry filling, measure, oyster pan, , duck, roast, dumplings, cherry, chicken, cranberry, for stew, lemon, liver, peach, potato, rhubarb, tomato, e egg cutlets, lemonade, salad, eggless mayonnaise, eggs, la grenadier, cartheoth, coddled, fried, how to cook, pickled, poached, rice bananas and poached, emince of giblets, enchildas, english bath buns, butter, dressing for lamb or mutton chops, ham pie, muffins, mustard sauce, rocks, scones, delicious, seed cakes, pepperpot, wassail, water-cress salad, entire wheat bread, epicurean creole coffee, f fagot of soup herbs, fall menu, , family thanksgiving dinner for six persons from a new england farm house, fancy quince marmalade, farci, oyster, fats, feet, just a pig's head and set of, fillet fish (southern style), of beef, à la riga, chicken, poindexter, codfish, tartare sauce, filling and gravy, dry, for duck, apple and raisin, grandma perkins's spicy, new england, olive sandwich, prepared, wild game, finger or sandwich rolls, fish, baked, cakes, creole fried, cutlet, fillet (southern style), fried, (english style), tartare sauce for, grilled, loaf, , sauce, shell, souffle, soup, , , to barbecue, to boil, to broil, to prepare for frying, tuna à la king, , flour, to prepare corn, fluffy omelet, flukes, fondant icing, food value of bread, for eight couples, menu no. , no. , fore quarters, the, fowl, brown emince, frappé oysters, french bread, famous, to make, butter, dressing, fried onions, sweet potatoes, pancake, pea soup, seasonings, fresh country shoulder of pork, fricassee chicken, of rabbit, bananas, crab meat, crabs, eggs, fish, fish (english style), mush, noodles, oysters, pies, pig's feet, rabbit, fritters, banana, , clam, (red river boathouse style), corn, orange, oyster, tomato, , frozen cherry custard, lemon custard, marshmallow pudding, pineapple custard, strawberry custard, fruit cake, , , cheap, white, centre, doughnuts with, cup custards, custard sauce, dried, pudding, salad, sandwiches, sauce, soup, whip, fruits, frying, deep-fat, to prepare fish for, g galatin à la melba, garlic, garnish, vegetable, gelatine, mince, rhubarb, gems, sour milk, giblet gravy, giblets, emince of, ginger ale cup, salad, cake, cream, crystals, delicacies, jelly, gingerbread, soft, tom tiddle, gloucester cod à la king, gnocchi di lemolina, golden brown, goodies, christmas, goose, roast, goulash, goulash, hungarian, graham bread, grandma perkins's spicy filling, grandmother's fruit cake, grape-juice cocktail, tapioca blanc mange, gravy, filling of, giblet, green tomato and apple mince, mince, for pie, griddle cakes, , grilled fish, oysters, on half shell, potatoes, gue, lum gum, guinea hen marie, pot pie, gumbo, oyster, gutney run potato cake, h haddie, cream finnan, hallowe'en, ham, baked, slice of, sugar-cured, virginia, , barbecue of boiled, loaf, roast fresh, haphazard measuring, haricot, lamb, hash, corn beef, tennessee turkey, hashed-brown potatoes, havana banana pastry, head cheese, heart, calf's à la mode, hen, breast of guinea (terrapin style), herb sauce, herbs, soup, fagot of, hind quarters, hollandaise, mock, sauce, , home-made yeast, honey and nut bran muffins, honey and raspberry ade, apple pudding, cakes, cookies, custard, icing, raisin tapioca, recipes, rice pudding, horseradish sauce, how to bake the pancake, brew a cup of tea, cook corn beef, eggs, rice american style, distinguish between lamb and mutton, fry crullers or doughnuts, make fruit soup, the cider cup, this delicious rice cake, yeast-raised cake, a fagot of soup herbs, a stock pot, chicken for chicken salad or cold cuts, chocolate, ice cream, recipes, the menu, use leftover lamb, huckleberry shortcake, hungarian goulash, i ice cream, how to prepare, water, icing, butter cream, chocolate, cocoanut, fondant, honey, orange water, plain water, water, white mountain, if necessary to keep meat three or four days, indian griddle cakes, rice, individual lamb potpies, irish pancakes, scones, italian butter, canape, , dressing, polenta, rice, j jack o' lantern cakes, japanese rice, jellied potato salad, jelly, cranberry, , ginger, orange, prune and nut, quince, roll, jerusalem artichoke, jewish or kosher mince-meat, juice, orange, just a pig's head and set of feet, k kidney, old philadelphia stewed, pie, l la brete canape, lace cookies, lamb and mutton, accompaniments for, how to distinguish between, baked emince of, in green peppers, bengal curry of, boiled with ravoli, bone and stuffed shoulder of, cutlets, mentone, haricot, how to use left-over, roast shoulder of, lancaster apple butter, large pound cake, leftover turkey, lemon custard pie, dumplings, marmalade, pudding, sauce, lemonade, egg, lettuce, try this dressing on plain, lima bean croquettes, liver and bacon, creole, dumplings, loaf cake, (one-egg), cheese, chicken, , fish, , ham, meat, oyster, to prepare, lobster, à la newburg, lobsters, to boil, to broil, loin, to roast, london butter, long island deep-sea pie, sound cocktail, * * * * * mrs. g.l. harting's home-made jellies, preserves and jams _are different_ they contain nothing but granulated sugar and naturally ripened fruit--as named on label. only the most clean and sanitary methods are employed in their making. absolutely pure, clean and wholesome note:--mrs. wilson personally recommends mrs. g.l. harting's jellies, preserves, and jams. * * * * * louisiana corn bread, crullers, lum gum gue, lunn, sally, luncheon rolls, lyonnaise potatoes, m macaroni and cheese, au gratin, custard, cutlets, mileuse, neapolitan, olives and cheese, souffle, to prepare, mackerel, broiled, salt (flemish style), maintenon sauce (for au gratin dishes), making a chocolate sauce using cocoa, scrapple and hogshead cheese, malvern cream, mangoes, stuffed pepper, marmalade, fancy quince, lemon, pudding, roman quince, scotch orange, sweet red pepper, tomato, mayonnaise, eggless, meal eliminates, pudding, measure, dry, measuring haphazard, measurements, meat, correct method of boiling, crab, fried, if necessary to keep three or four days, loaf, puddings, roll, time for roasting in gas broiler, when boiling or stewing, meatless mincemeat, meats, , roasting and baking, menu, fall, , menu for family of four, of six, just us two, how to prepare, new year's, no. , , no. , suggestive colonial, winter, menus for six persons for christmas day, the new year's party, menus, selection of, for family of ten persons, some suggestive, suggestive, method, sponge, mexican chill sauce, midnight repast, mileuse, macaroni, mince gelatine, green tomato, and apple, how to prepare, onion and potato, pie, minced giblets on toast, mincemeat, for two, jewish or kosher, meatless, new england, orange, ye-olde-tyme, miniature codfish balls, mint cup, sauce, mock cherry pie, hollandaise, turtle soup, molasses cake, moravian fruit cake, omelet, spice cake, mountain buttermilk rye muffins, mousse, chicken, pineapple, muffins, banana, bran, corn, english, honey and nut bran, mountain buttermilk rye, nut ginger, oatmeal, rice, , whole wheat, mulligatawny, soup, mush, fried, yankee, mushroom sauce, mushrooms, creamed, to prepare, mustard sauce, , mutton, curry of, roast, my ideal apple sauce, n neapolitan, macaroni, neck chops in casserole, of beef (polish style), nests, sweet potato, new england filling, mincemeat, new method of making french fried potatoes, new year's breakfast, dinner, new year's menu, punch, supper, noodles, fried, to make, north carolina peach custard pie, nut and pepper croquettes, ginger muffins, honey cake, o oatmeal drops, muffins, o'brien potatoes, okra, chicken gumbo, old english mustard dressing, philadelphia stewed kidney, virginia shortcake, olive canape, cheese balls, filling for meat and poultry, salad, sandwiches, sandwich filling, sauce, olives, omelet, , baked, fluffy, in tomato cases, moravian, oyster, plain, spanish, , tomato, onion and potato mince, cream of, custard, relish, sauce, onions, baked, braised, , french fried, fried in butter, in ramekins, orange and rice custard, betty, cream pie, dressing, fritters, ice cream, jelly, juice, mincemeat, preserve in syrup, pudding, salad, sauce, shortcake, souffle, syrup, water icing, oranges, ottawa dressing, oven temperature, ox tail soup, oyster broth, cocktail, sauce, farci, fritters, gumbo, loaf, omelet, pan, dry, pie, purée of, sauce, timbale, oysters à la newburg, , au gratin, italienne, broiled, à la maryland, virginia, deviled, en brochette, frappé, fried, grilled, on half shell, on the half shell, spiced, steamed, salt clams or, tripe and, p pan à la suisse, à la crouton, dry oyster, pancake, french, how to bake, pancakes au fait, banana, belgian, for two, irish, plain, potato, swiss onion and potato, yankee, paprika dressing, potatoes, pardue, tomatoes and eggs, parfait, chocolate, strawberry, parisian celery, tea, parisienne, deviled eggs, parker house rolls, parsley butter, , sauce, pastry, for custard pie, two, havana banana, patties, sweetbreads, pea pudding, shore pie, souffle, soup, peach cake, crumb pudding, peach cup, custard pie, dumplings, ice cream ( gal.), roll, shortcake, pear bread pudding, sauce, tarts, pears, baked, stewed, peas, purée of, pepper pot, english, pickled eggs, red cabbage, tripe, , pie, apple custard, banana custard, buttermilk cheese, butterscotch, chocolate, cider jelly, congress, custard, english ham, green apple, country style, guinea hen pot, kidney, lemon custard, long island deep-sea, mince, mock cherry, north carolina peach custard, orange cream, oyster, pea shore, peach custard, rabbit, raisin, squash, turkey pot, yankee oyster, ye olde-tyme pork, pies, fried, green tomato mince for, potato crust for meat pies, to cook rhubarb for, pig's feet, fried, pimento cream sauce, dressing, pimento sandwiches, , pineapple mousse, sweet potato, pineappleade, pinwheels, plain buns, omelet, pancakes, water icing, planked shad, squab, steak, plum pudding (romany style), poached eggs, on french toast, points for successful baking, polaska, sweetbreads, polenta à la naples, italian, polish corn dish, pone, carolina corn, sweet potato, popovers, , pork, boiled, fresh country shoulder of, roast loin of, tenderloin, pot, pepper, roast beet, spanish, shin beef (english style), the stock, potato cakes, candied sweet, croquettes, crust for meat pies, cup for salad, custards, dishes, dumplings, pancakes, * salad, souffle, potatoes, au gratin, baked, boiled, broiled sweet, candied sweet, french fried sweet, grilled, hashed-brown, lyonnaise, new method for making french fried, o'brien, paprika, sweet, white, pot pies, individual lamb, poultry, pound cake, large, small, white, prepared filling, preparing the turkey, prune and nut jelly, bread, charlotte, delicacies, salad, sauce, prunes, baked, , spiced, pudding, banana rice, blackberry, cabbage, caramel, chocolate corn starch, rice, cocoanut, corn, cottage, cream tapioca, pudding, frozen marshmallow, fruit, honey apple, rice, lemon, marmalade, meal, orange, pea, peach crumb, pear bread, plum (romany style), pumpkin, raisin, raspberry crumb, , rhubarb and tapioca, rice, roast beef yorkshire, sauce, snow, , spinach, steamed roly-poly, swedish rice, sweet potato (kentucky style), vanilla, welsh cheese, west indies sweet potato, yorkshire, puddings, meat, plum, to prepare individual, puffs, cream, rhubarb, pumpkin pudding, punch, new year's, raspberry, pureé, celery, of oysters, of peas, spinach alsace, tomato, vegetable, pye, ye old-time oyster, - q quarters, hind, quick breads, quince chips, jelly, quinces, r rabbit, chelsea, fricassee of, fried, pie, scotch, sour, rabbits, raisin biscuits, cake, pie, pudding, ramekins, onions in, ravigotte sauce, , crab, rabbit, welsh, ravoli, lamb boiled with, raspberry crumb pudding, cup custard, fruit betty, punch, rasp rolls, real old vermont oyster soup, recipes, for twelve persons, honey, how to prepare, relish, bohemian, corn, onion, rhubarb, and raisin conserve, tapioca pudding, cocktail, dumplings, fruit sauce, gelatine, puffs, shortcake, rice, and apple custard, balls, belgian, bananas and poached eggs, batter cakes, boiled salad dressing, creole, griddle cakes, indian, italian, japanese, muffins, , pudding, rich parker house rolls, roast beef yorkshire pudding, chicken, (split style), duck, fresh ham, goose, loin of pork, mutton, shoulder of lamb, veal, tomatoes, roasting and baking meats, rocks, english, roe, broiled shad, roll, chicken, cranberry, , jelly, meat, peach, rolls, finger or sandwich, luncheon, parker house, rasp, rich parker house, roly-poly, cherry, roman quince marmalade, roquefort dressing, round, steak, rumanian fruit cake, rump, , steak, rusk, anise seed, or tea biscuits, russian, russian dressing, rusk, rye bread, s saboyon sauce, salad, asparagus and celery, beet and cabbage, cucumber, deviled egg, dressing, cooked, egg, english water-cress, fruit, ginger ale, jellied potato, olive, orange, potato, cup for, prune, salmon, sardine and potato, shrimp, spinach, stuffed tomatoes with chicken, sally lunn, , salmon a la king, chartreuse, salad, sandwiches, salt, chowder, cod, vermont, pork, baked beans with, salted beans, corn, salting cauliflower, sandwiches, bacon and onion, century cheese, cheese, and pepper, chicken and green pepper, chicken salad, country cheese, fruit, olive, pimento, , salmon, sardine, tiger-eye, toasted cheese, , sardine and potato salad, canape, sandwiches, sausage, bean, cakes, sausages, cornmeal, sauce, admiral, american, * * * * * mrs. schlorer's mayonnaise and olive-naise [illustration: delicious sandwich filler and relish the salad dressing de luxe] manufactured by the schlorer delicatessen co. philadelphia, pa. * * * * * [illustration: vogt's pure food ready to eat meat specialties best yet liberty brand hams and bacon _at your_ provision insist on seeing the brand ] * * * * * sauce, apple, my ideal, artichoke, hollandaise, banana, batardi, bearnaise, blackberry, sweet spiced, bohemian, brown, canadian, caramel, celery, cheese, , cherry, chili, chocolate, , cider (champagne sauce), cream, horseradish, creole, cucumber, custard, english mustard, fish, fruit, custard, herb, hollandaise, , horseradish, lemon, maintenon (for au gratin dishes), mexican chili, mint, mushroom, mustard, , olive, onion, orange, oyster, cocktail, parsley, pear, pimento cream, prune, pudding, ravigotte, , rhubarb-fruit, saboyon, supreme, sweetened cream, tartare, , tomato, , to serve with fish (boiled fish), vanilla, virginia, sauces, , sauerkraut, to can, sautéing, , scallions à l'italienne, scalloped corn, scones, english, delicious, irish, scotch, scotch oat bread, orange marmalade, rabbit, scones, scrapple, the, seasonings, french, selection of menus for family of ten persons, series of dinners, - menus for one week (breakfasts), (luncheon), shad, baked, planked, shake, cream coffee, shank, shell fish, shortcake, apricot, banana, huckleberry, old virginia, peach, rhubarb, shoulder clod, shrimp, salad, sirloin, steak, sling, currant, small fruit cake, pound cake, snapper, stewed, turtle and, snow pudding, , soft chocolate cookies, cookies, gingerbread, shell crabs, some soups using the turkey stock, suggestive menus, souffle, fish, macaroni, of spinach, orange, pea, potato, squash, soup, bean, cabbage, celery, clear, tomato, fish, , french pea, fruit, herbs, fagot of, how to prepare fagot of, mock turtle, mulligatawny, ox tail, oyster, real old vermont, pea, turkey (italian), vegetable, soups, cream, fish, sour cream cucumber dressing, milk gems*, rabbit, southern spoon bread, style cobbler, spanish bun, , kidney stew, macaroni, omelet, , pot roast beef, steak, spiced apples, oysters, prunes, spinach, à la bourgeois, à la mode, balls, nests, pudding, salad, (scotch style), souffle of, with hollandaise sauce, sponge cake (one egg), (three eggs), (two egg), method, squab, planked, squash, au gratin, baked, , biscuit, cakes, italienne, pie, souffle, steak, braised rolled flank, broiled hamburg, planked, round, rump, sirloin, spanish, steamed oysters, roly-poly pudding, salt oysters or clams, stew, beef, dumplings for, spanish kidney, to prepare a, stewed pears, snapper, sticky cinnamon buns, st. nazaire buns, stock pot, how to prepare, some soups using turkey, to make the, straight dough vienna, strawberry custard tart, ice cream, parfait, string beans, italian style, stuffed pepper mangoes, tomatoes with chicken salad, suey, chop, sugarless candy, suggestive colonial menu, menu for family home wedding, persons, o'clock dinner, menus, summer drinks, sunshine sauce for vegetables, supper, , , buffet, country, for evening affair, new year's, supreme sauce, swedish rice pudding, sweet biscuits, doughs, potato biscuit, cakes (georgia style), cookies, croquettes, nests, pineapple, pone, pudding (kentucky style), potatoes, red pepper marmalade, spiced blackberry sauce, sweetbread patties, sweetbreads, braised, polaska, sweetened cream sauce, swiss butter, crumb cake, onion and potato pancakes, syrup, orange, preserve in, t talls, braised ox, tamales, chicken, tapioca, honey raisin, tartare sauce, , for fried fish, tart, strawberry custard, tarts, pear, tea, how to brew a cup of, parisian, temperature, oven, tenderloin, pork, tennessee turkey hash, terrapin, the batter, canapé, fore quarters, real secret, stock pot, thousand islands dressing, tiger-eye sandwiches, time for roasting meat in gas broiler, toast, cinnamon, french, poached egg on, minced giblets on, tomato, toasted cheese sandwiches, , to barbecue fish, boil fish, lobsters, broil fish, lobster, to can sauerkraut, cook rhubarb for pies, turtle and snapper, veal, dry corn (lancaster county recipe), make a cocktail, brioche using bread dough, noodles, , the famous french bread, meringue, stock, melt chocolate for dipping, pan broil, prepare a stew, brains, breaded cutlets, corn flour, fish for frying, individual plum puddings, loaf, macaroni, the mushrooms, roast loin, stuff dates with ginger, use fondant for dipping, tomato canape, cases, omelet in, cream of, dumplings, egg custard, fritters, , marmalade, omelet, purée, sauce, , toast, tomatoes, and eggs, pardue, string beans, au gratin, baked, chelsea, (cold), eggplant and, country style, roast, tom tiddle gingerbread, tongue, cold spice, tripe and oysters, creole, fried in batter, pickled, , try this dressing on plain lettuce, tuna fish à la king, , turkey, au gratin, croquettes, meat biscuits, pot pie, preparing the, soup (italian), stocks, some soups using, (terrapin style), utilising the leftover, turkish coffee, turtle and snapper, to cook, two-layer cake, u utilizing the leftover turkey, v vanilla ice cream, pudding, sauce, veal, croquettes, roast shoulder of, to cook, vegetable garnish, purée, soup, vegetables, a few pointers about, à la jardiniere, vermont rhubarb griddle cakes, vienna, dough, straight, vinaigrette, artichoke, asparagus, virginia broiled oysters, griddle cakes, sauce, style baked ham, w waffle batter, waffles, wassail, an english, water ice, icing, weight, diet to reduce, welsh cheese pudding, rarebit, west indies sweet potato pudding, what these breakfasts eliminate, wheat bread, entire, whip, fruit, white fruit cake, mountain icing, potatoes, pound cake, whole wheat muffins, why dough falls, wild game filling, winter menu, y yankee mush, oyster pie, pancakes, yearling, yeast, home-made, yeast-raised cake, how to make, ye kentucky corn dodgers, olde-tyme mincemeat, pork pie, old-time oyster pye, - virginia batter bread, yesterday's bran bread, yorkshire pudding, a table for use of the economical housewife converting dry measure into lbs. and oz. +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ | | / pk. | qt. | pk. | bu. | +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |apples | lbs. | lb. oz. | - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |beans, lima | lbs. oz. | lb. oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |beans, string | lb. oz. | oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |beans, wax | lb. oz. | oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |carrots | lbs. oz. | lb. oz. | - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |cranberries | lbs. | lb. oz. | lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |kale | oz. | oz. | lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |onions | lbs. oz. | lb. oz.| - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |parsnips | lbs. oz. | lb. oz. | - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |peas, dried | lbs. oz.| lb. oz.| - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |peas, green, unshelled | lbs. oz. | lb. oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |potatoes, irish | lbs. oz.| lb. oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |potatoes, sweet | lbs. oz. | lb. oz.| - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |tomatoes | lbs. oz.| lb. oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |turnips | | | | | +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |cherries | lbs. oz. | lb. oz.| lbs. | lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ |peanuts | lb. oz. | oz.| - / lbs.| lbs.| +-----------------------+--------------+-------------+------------+--------+ the law provides that apples, cucumbers, cabbage, pears, peaches may be sold by numerical count. boiling +------------------------------------++--------------------------------+ | meats || vegetables | +------------------------------------++--------------------------------+ | time || time | +------------------------------------++--------------------------------+ |mutton |per pound, minutes. || potatoes | to min.| +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |corned beef | " " " || asparagus | to " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |ham | " " " || peas | to " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |turkey | " " " || string beans | to " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |chicken | " " " || lima beans | to " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |fowl | " " " || spinach | to " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |tripe | " " " || turnips | minutes. | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ || beets | hour. | +------------------------------------++------------------+-------------+ | fish || cabbage | minutes. | +------------------------------------++------------------+-------------+ | time || cauliflower | " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |codfish | " " to min.|| brussels sprouts | " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |halibut | " " to min.|| onions | " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |bluefish | " " to min.|| green corn | " | +------------+-----------------------++------------------+-------------+ |lobster | " " to min.|| rice | " | +------------------------------------++------------------+-------------+ baking +-----------------------------------------------------+ | meats | +------------------------------------------------------ | | time | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | beef, ribs, rare | per pound, minutes.| +----------------------------+------------------------+ | beef, ribs, well done | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | round of beef | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | mutton, leg, rare | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | mutton, leg, well done | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | mutton, loin, rare | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | lamb, well done | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | veal, well done | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | pork, well done | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | chicken | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | goose | " " " | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | fillet, hot oven | minutes. | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | braised meats | - / hours. | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | turkey, pounds | hours | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | birds, small, hot oven | to min. | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | ducks, tame | hour. | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | ducks, wild, very hot oven | minutes. | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | | | fish | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | large fish | hour, about | +----------------------------+------------------------+ | small fish | to mins. | +----------------------------+------------------------+ broiling +-------------------------------------------+ | time | +-------------------------------------------+ | steak, inch thick | to min. | +--------------------------+----------------+ | steak, - / inch thick | to " | +--------------------------+----------------+ | mutton chops, french | minutes. | +--------------------------+----------------+ | mutton chops, english | " | +--------------------------+----------------+ | spring chicken | " | +--------------------------+----------------+ | quail | to min. | +--------------------------+----------------+ | grouse | minutes. | +--------------------------+----------------+ | squabs | to min. | +--------------------------+----------------+ | shad, bluefish, trout | to " | +--------------------------+----------------+ | small fish | to l " | +--------------------------+----------------+ weights and measures gills = pint. pints = quart. quarts = gallon. ounces = pound. / kitchen cupful = gill. kitchen cupful = / pint or gills. kitchen cupfuls = quart. cupfuls of granulated sugar } = pound - / cupfuls of powdered sugar } tablespoonful of sugar = / oz. tablespoonful of butter = butter size of an egg = oz. cupful of butter = / pound. cupfuls of flour } = pound quart } tablespoonfuls of dry material = cupful. tablespoonfuls of liquid = cupful. proportions to eggs to quart of milk for custards. to eggs to pint of milk for custards. / teaspoonful of salt to quart of milk for custards. teaspoonful of vanilla to quart of milk for custards. ounces of gelatine to - / quarts of liquid. level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to quart of milk. level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to quart of flour. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to cupful of flour. * * * * * [illustration: novelty fortune combination ranges] [illustration: range shown is novelty fortune e spacious broiling oven, white enamel pan with rack. white enamel splasher. spacious cooking top. pouch feed for coaling fire without removing lids. duplex grates. deep ash pit. large gas oven. front oven burner. large gas cooking top. burners operate from front of range. full " coal oven. drop oven doors enamel trimmed. nickelled brackets. beautiful--sturdy--efficient.] a poor range will spoil the best cook you are not always to blame when a roast goes bad in the oven--when a cake falls in the centre--the fault may be with your gas range--your oven does not heat uniformly or you have to use too much gas to get the results you are after. the fortune gas range was designed to help you cook. the fortune is not merely our conception of what a good gas range should be. the fortune gas range is, on the other hand, the result of exhaustive scientific study--stands today without a peer. the flex-o-tuf iron used in its construction insures long life and continued good service--you can depend upon it. you know that it does not waste fuel, and because domestic science teachers and lecturers have endorsed it, that it is the one and most practical range for you. _send for descriptive circulars._ abram cox stove company american and dauphin sts., philadelphia, pa. _makers of novelty hot water, steam and vapor systems. warm air pipe and pipeless furnaces. coal and combination ranges. laundry stoves, hot water supply boilers. fortune gas range and gas water heaters._ the cooking manual of practical directions for economical every-day cookery. by juliet corson. superintendent of the new york cooking school. "_how well can we live, if we are moderately poor?_" new york: dodd, mead & company, broadway. . copyright by juliet corson . preface. this book is intended for the use of those housekeepers and cooks who wish to know how to make the most wholesome and palatable dishes at the least possible cost. in cookery this fact should be remembered above all others; a good cook never wastes. it is her pride to make the most of everything in the shape of food entrusted to her care; and her pleasure to serve it in the most appetizing form. in no other way can she prove her excellence; for poor cooks are always wasteful and extravagant. housekeepers can safely make this book a guide for those of their cooks who are willing to learn new and good methods of cooking familiar foods. lest it should be said that undue preference is given to foreign ways of cooking, the author begs her readers to remember how much of the success of any dish depends upon its taste; if it is well-flavored, and palatably seasoned, the eaters of it do not closely criticise its component parts. it is just there that benefit is derived from european culinary skill; the judicious use of a few inexpensive sweet herbs, and savory sauces, will raise a side dish, made from the cheapest cut of meat, in gustatory excellence far above a badly cooked porterhouse steak, or a large but poorly flavored roast. because the art of utilizing every part of food is eminently french, the new york cooking school plan has been to adapt foreign thrift to home kitchen use. to provide enough at each meal; to cook and serve it so as to invite appetite; to make a handsome and agreeable dish out of the materials which the average cook would give away at the door, or throw among the garbage; all are accomplishments that our american wives and daughters will be glad to learn from their european sisters. the day has passed for regarding cooking as a menial and vulgar labor; and those who give some thought to their daily food usually gain in vigor and cheerfulness. it is a truism that food is concentrated force. the manipulation of a motive power capable of invigorating both body and mind, is an occupation worthy to employ intelligence and skill. in countries where the people depend upon meagre supplies this art is brought to perfection. the _pot-au-feu_ of france and switzerland, the _olla podrida_ of spain, the _borsch_ of poland, the _tschi_ of russia, the _macaroni_ of italy, the _crowdie_ of scotland, all are practical examples of this fact. in no country in the world is there such an abundance of food as in america; all the needful ingredients for making these national dishes, or their equivalents, can be found in the markets of our cities, and most of them are the products of this country. this being true, there is no reason why american cookery should be so comparatively limited--why the question of "what shall we have for dinner to-day?" should be the despair of the inexperienced housekeeper. if in no other land is there such profusion of food, certainly in none is so much wasted from sheer ignorance, and spoiled by bad cooking. in europe provinces would live upon what towns waste here. the very herbs of the field in the hands of a skilful cook can be transformed into palatable and nutritious viands. the plainest and cheapest materials can be prepared for the table in an appetizing and satisfactory form. let our readers test this fact by cooking according to the receipt any dish named in the chapter upon "cheap dishes without meat," and the author will stake her culinary reputation that the food so prepared will be both palatable and nourishing. many persons regard the practice of serving several dishes at a meal as troublesome and expensive. the first objection may hold good; but the best results in any direction are never gained without trouble. the second is wholly untenable; soup, fish, vegetables, and bread, are all less costly than heavy joints of meat; if hunger can be partly satisfied on them, and it is true that a thick slice of bread and a bowl of soup will content the hungriest stomach, less meat will be required, and consequently less expense incurred. this is an excellent reason why the housewife should not spend the bulk of her market money on a large roast of beef, or a leg of mutton, but should rather divide the amount among the different dishes of soup, fish, a _ragout_, or stew of some cheap cut of meat, and a few vegetables; and now and then indulge in a plain pudding, or a little fruit for dessert. with judicious marketing and proper cooking, the food of our well-to-do classes might be made far better than two-thirds of that now served on the tables of the wealthy; and the poor might learn that their scrag-end of mutton would furnish them with at least three dishes. to forward in some measure this result, the present collection of cooking school receipts is offered to the public, with the assurance that every one given has been tested by the author, and is complete in every detail, as economical as care and use can make it, and plain enough for ordinary households. the quantities mentioned in the various receipts are calculated to serve for a family of eight persons, when two or more dishes constitute a dinner, with the addition of soup; of course when only one dish is to form the meal, with bread and vegetables, a larger quantity must be allowed. communications from all parts of the country state that the principles of kitchen economy as taught in the new york cooking school and widely disseminated by the press, have been put into practice in many families, to the great improvement of health and temper; for an illy fed man can neither be strong nor cheerful; the hours spent at table should be full of harmony and content, or the meal will fail to meet the requirements of the body. the question of the hour is "how well can we live, if we are moderately poor?" the author of the cooking school manual is doing her best to answer it satisfactorily. she has worked earnestly in a comparatively new field of labor, and she prays that strong hands may unite in the effort to show how excellent a thing it is to make the best and most of the bountiful supply our country's teeming bosom bears at every harvest tide. contents. chapter i. general rules for marketing. page meats--poultry--game--fish--vegetables--fruit--sweet herbs chapter ii. soup. general stock--flavoring, thickening, and coloring soups--consommé--vermicelli and macaroni soup--rice and tomato soup--scotch broth without meat--scotch broth with meat--spinach soup--sorrel soup--pea soup--lentil soup chapter iii. fish. baked blackfish--broiled shad with _maître d'hotel_ butter-- fried smelts--fillet of sole _au gratin_--fish chowder, st. james style--club house fish cakes--sardine sandwiches-- warmed up boiled fish, with dutch sauce chapter iv. relishes. anchovies--sardines--pickled herrings--scalloped oysters-- welsh rarebit--golden buck--mock crab--english bread and butter--epicurean butter chapter v. side dishes or entrÉes. beef steak, with parisian potatoes--plain rump steak-- portuguese beef--bubble and squeak--stewed kidneys--haricot or stew of mutton--epigramme of lamb with piquante sauce-- spanish sauce--kromeskys with spanish sauce--sheep's tongues with spinach--broiled sheep's kidneys--liver rolls--fried brains with tomato sauce--calf's liver larded--blanquette of veal--stuffed breast of veal--pork cutlets with robert sauce--pork chops with curry--broiled pigs' feet--english pork pie--fried chicken, spanish style--chicken fricassee--grilled fowl--minced chicken with macaroni--broiled pigeons--salmi of duck--civet of hare--jugged hare--stuffed eggs--how to make omelettes-- plain omelette--omelette with fine herbs--omelette with ham-- omelette with oysters--omelette with mushrooms--spanish omelette--oriental omelette--omelette with preserves--how to cook macaroni--macaroni with béchamel sauce--macaroni milanaise style--macaroni with tomato sauce--timbale of macaroni, with vanilla cream sauce chapter vi. large roasts. roast beef with yorkshire pudding--roast loin of veal stuffed--roast lamb with mint sauce--roast pork with apple sauce--roast turkey with cranberry sauce--roast chicken with duchesse potatoes--roast duck with watercresses--roast goose with onion sauce--roast wild duck--roast partridge with bread sauce chapter vii. boiled meats. leg of mutton with caper sauce--boiled ham with madeira sauce--_À la mode_ beef--boiled fowl with oyster sauce chapter viii. salads and salad sauces. spring salad--watercress salad--mint salad--cauliflower salad--dandelion salad--asparagus salad--shad-roe salad--green pea salad--orange salad--spinach salad--tomato salad--nasturtium salad--cream dressing--english salad sauce--remolade--sweet sauce--piquante salad sauce--green remolade--oil sauce--ravigote sauce--egg dressing--anchovy salad sauce--swiss dressing--spring dressing--mayonnaise--hot salad sauce--romaine salad dressing chapter ix. vegetables. asparagus with melted butter--green peas--string beans--baked beets--brussels sprouts--stuffed cabbage--red cabbage--baked cauliflower--baked turnips--glazed onions--mushroom pudding--boiled potatoes--lyonnaise potatoes--stuffed potatoes--potato snow--bermuda potatoes--broiled potatoes--saratoga potatoes--broiled tomatoes--stuffed tomatoes--fried beans--ham and beans--kolcannon--carrot stew--baked mushrooms--stuffed lettuce--stewed parsnips chapter x. cheap dishes without meat. potato soup--crowdie--peas-pudding--red herrings with boiled potatoes--oatmeal porridge--cheese pudding--polenta--fish pudding--lentils--stewed lentils--fried lentils--norfolk dumplings--salt cod with parsnips--pickled mackerel--potato pudding chapter xi. cheap dishes with meat. three dishes from a neck of mutton--barley broth with vegetables--mutton stew--fried pudding--neck of pork stuffed--pigs' feet fried--pigs' tongue and brains--roast tripe--ragout of haslet--cock-a-leeky--italian cheese--gammon dumpling--toad-in-the-hole--bacon roly-poly--baked ox-heart--tripe and onions--peas and bacon--pot-au-feu--ragout of mutton chapter xii. the children's chapter. oatmeal porridge--a good breakfast--stewed fruit--ripe currants--blackberry jam--baked fruit--broiled chops--beefsteak--broiled chicken--boiled eggs--baked potatoes--boiled potatoes--apple cake--fruit farina--plain cookies--plain gingerbread--strawberry shortcake--apple custard chapter xiii. cookery for invalids. gruels--arrowroot gruel--arrowroot jelly--arrowroot wine jelly--calf's-foot jelly--sago gruel--sago milk--tapioca jelly--rice caudle--refreshing drinks--filtered water--jelly water--flaxseed lemonade--barley water--nourishing drinks--iceland moss--chocolate--egg broth--egg tea--very strong beef tea--quick beef tea--farina gruel--nutritious foods--bread jelly--crackers and marmalade--chicken jelly--chicken broth--beefsteak juice--salmon steak--broiled oysters chapter xiv. bread. aerated homemade bread--homebrewed yeast--homemade bread--milk bread--rice bread--potato bread--pulled bread--baking powder--loaf bread--breakfast rolls--tea biscuit--finger biscuit--cream breakfast rolls--breakfast twist--how to freshen stale bread--toast the cooking manual. chapter i. marketing. in order to market intelligently and economically, we must bear in mind the three great divisions of foods generally accepted in their consideration, and endeavor to adapt them to the requirements of our households; if we remember that carbonaceous, or heat-giving foods, such as the inner part of the cereals, fat meat, milk, honey, liver, grapes, peas, beans, potatoes, beets, carrots, and parsnips, are the best diet for hard steady workers, and for invalids suffering from wasting diseases; that nitrogenous, or flesh-forming foods, such as lean meat, unbolted flour, oatmeal, eggs, cheese, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, spinach, asparagus, and artichokes, are most suitable for those who work rapidly but with intervals of rest; and that brain-workers should subsist chiefly on light and digestible articles, such as fish, oysters, fruits, game, and vegetables containing mineral salts in excess; we can arrange the daily marketing so as to give a pleasant variety and at the same time satisfy all appetites. buy only small quantities of perishable things such as green vegetables, fruit, fish, eggs, cream, and fresh butter; buy dry groceries and preserved stores in quantities large enough to entitle you to wholesale prices; and pay cash in order to avail yourself of the lowest market price. make your purchases as early in the day as possible in order to secure a choice of fresh articles; and trade with respectable dealers who give full weight and honest measure. =meats.=--while meats are in season all the year, they are better at stated times; for instance, pork is prime in late autumn and winter; veal should be avoided in summer for sanitary reasons; and even our staples, beef and mutton, vary in quality. the flesh of healthy animals is hard and fresh colored, the fat next the skin is firm and thick, and the suet or kidney-fat clear white and abundant; if this fat is soft, scant and stringy, the animal has been poorly fed or overworked. beef should be of a bright red color, well marbled with yellowish fat, and surrounded with a thick outside layer of fat; poor beef is dark red, and full of gristle, and the fat is scant and oily. mutton is bright red, with plenty of hard white fat; poor mutton is dull red in color, with dark, muddy-looking fat. veal and pork should be bright flesh color with abundance of hard, white, semi-transparent fat; when the fat is reddish and dark, the meat is of an inferior quality; veal and pork should be eaten very fresh. when meat of any kind comes into the house it should be hung up at once in some cool, dark place, and left until wanted. =poultry.=--fresh poultry may be known by its full bright eyes, pliable feet, and soft moist skin; the best is plump, fat, and nearly white, and the grain of the flesh is fine. the feet and neck of a young fowl are large in proportion to its size, and the tip of the breast-bone is soft, and easily bent between the fingers; the body of a capon is large, fat, and round, the head comparatively small, and the comb pale and withered; a young cock, has short, loose, soft spurs, and a long, full, bright red comb; old fowls have long, thin necks and feet, and the flesh on the legs and back has a purplish shade; chickens, capons, and fowls, are always in season. turkeys when good are white and plump, have full breasts and smooth legs, generally black, with soft, loose spurs; hen turkeys are smaller, fatter, and plumper, but of inferior flavor; full grown turkeys are the best for boning and boiling, as they do not tear in dressing; old turkeys have long hairs, and the flesh is purplish where it shows under the skin on the legs and back. about march they deteriorate in quality. turkey-poults are tender, but lack flavor. young ducks and geese are plump, with light, semi-transparent fat, soft breast-bone, tender flesh, leg joints which will break by the weight of the bird, fresh colored and brittle beaks, and windpipes that break when pressed between the thumb and fore-finger. they are best in fall and winter. young pigeons have light red flesh upon the breast, and full, fresh colored legs; when the legs are thin, and the breast is very dark, the birds are old. squabs are tender and delicious. the giblets of poultry consist of the head, neck, wings, feet, gizzard, heart, and liver; and make good soup, fricassees, pies, and various _entrées_, or side dishes. =game.=--fine game birds are always heavy for their size; the flesh of the breast is firm and plump, the skin clear; and if a few feathers be plucked from the inside of the leg and around the vent, the flesh of freshly killed birds will be fat and fresh colored; if it is dark, and discolored, the game has been hung a long time. the wings of good ducks, geese, pheasants, and woodcock are tender to the touch; the tips of the long wing feathers of partridges are pointed in young birds, and round in old ones. quail, snipe, and small birds should have full tender breasts. young rabbits and hares have short necks, thick knees, and forepaws which can be easily broken; old ones are very poor. buffalo meat is somewhat similar in appearance to beef, save that the flesh is darker, and the fat redder; it is tender and juicy when it has been kept long enough, say about two months in winter; the tongue, when cured, is excellent. venison should be tender, and very fat, or it will be dry and tasteless. bear meat, when fat and tender, is savory and nourishing. =fish.=--sea fish, and those which live in both salt and fresh water, such as salmon, shad, and smelts, are the finest flavored; the muddy taste of some fresh water species can be overcome by soaking them in cold water and salt for two hours or more before cooking; all kinds are best just before spawning, the flesh becoming poor and watery after that period. fresh fish have firm flesh, rigid fins, bright, clear eyes, and ruddy gills. oysters, clams, scallops, and mussels, should be eaten very fresh, as they soon lose their flavor after being removed from the shell. lobsters and crabs should be chosen by their brightness of color, lively movement, and great weight in proportion to their size. =vegetables.=--all juicy vegetables should be very fresh and crisp; and if a little wilted, can be restored by being sprinkled with water and laid in a cool, dark place; all roots and tubers should be pared and laid in cold water an hour or more before using. green vegetables are best just before they flower; and roots and tubers are prime from their ripening until spring germination begins. =fruit.=--all fruit should be purchased ripe and sound; it is poor economy to buy imperfect or decayed kinds, as they are neither satisfactory nor healthy eating; while the mature, full-flavored sorts are invaluable as food. =sweet herbs.=--sweet and savory herbs are absolutely indispensable to good cooking; they give variety and savory flavors to any dish into which they enter, and are nearly all of some decided sanitary use; the different kinds called for in the various receipts further on in this work can be bought at almost any grocery store, or in the market; but we advise our readers to obtain seeds from some good florist and make little kitchen gardens of their own, even if the space planted be only a box of mould in the kitchen window. sage, thyme, summer savory, sweet marjoram, tarragon, sweet basil, rosemary, mint, burnet, chervil, dill, and parsley, will grow abundantly with very little care; and when dried, and added judiciously to food, greatly improve its flavor. parsley, tarragon and fennel, should be dried in may, june, and july, just before flowering; mint in june and july; thyme, marjoram, and savory in july and august; basil and sage in august and september; all herbs should be gathered in the sunshine, and dried by artificial heat; their flavor is best preserved by keeping them in air-tight tin cans. bay leaves can be procured at any drug store, or german grocery, at a very moderate expense; they have the flavor of laurel. an excellent and convenient spice-salt can be made by drying, powdering, and mixing by repeated siftings the following ingredients: one quarter of an ounce each of powdered thyme, bay leaf, and pepper; one eighth of an ounce each of rosemary, marjoram, and cayenne pepper, or powdered capsicums; one half of an ounce each of powdered clove and nutmeg; to every four ounces of this powder add one ounce of salt, and keep the mixture in an air-tight vessel. one ounce of it added to three pounds of stuffing, or forcemeat of any kind, makes a delicious seasoning. =a bouquet of sweet herbs.=--the bouquet, or fagot, of sweet herbs, so often called for in foreign cooking, is made as follows: wash three or four sprigs of parsley, lay in their midst one sprig of thyme, and two bay leaves; fold the parsley over the thyme and bay leaves, tie it in a cork-shaped roll, about three inches long and one inch thick. the bouquet is used for seasoning soups, sauces, stews, and savory dishes in general, and is removed when the dish is served. chapter ii. soups. =soup= is the most satisfactory and nourishing of all dishes when it is properly made. its value depends upon what is put into it, but even in its most economical form it constitutes a hearty meal when eaten with bread and vegetables. it can be made from the merest scraps and trimmings of meat; from the heads, tails, and feet of animals; from the bones and skin of fish; and from cereals and vegetables alone. pot liquor in which meat has been boiled should always be saved and used for soup the next day, when by the removal of all fat, by careful skimming, and the addition of a few vegetables or some dumplings, rice, or macaroni, it will make a palatable broth. experiments made by french chemists prove that the delicacy and richness of soup may be increased by first soaking the meat in tepid water enough to cover it, and adding this to the second water in which the meat is put over the fire, just as it reaches the boiling point. . =general stock.=--part i.--where there is a family of any size it is well to keep a clean pot or sauce-pan on the back of the stove to receive all the clean scraps of meat, bones, and remains of poultry and game, which are found in every kitchen; but vegetables should not be put into it, as they are apt to sour. the proper proportions for soup are one pound of meat and bone to one and a half quarts of cold water; the meat and bones to be well chopped and broken up, and put over the fire in cold water, being brought slowly to a boil, and carefully skimmed as often as any scum rises; and being maintained at a steady boiling point from two to six hours, as time permits; one hour before the stock is done, add to it one carrot and one turnip pared, one onion stuck with three cloves, and a bouquet of sweet herbs. part ii.--when the soup is to be boiled six hours, two quarts of cold water must be allowed to every pound of meat; this will be reduced to one quart in boiling. two gills of soup are usually allowed for each person at table when it is served as the first part of the dinner, and meats are to follow it. care should be taken that the stock-pot boils slowly and constantly, from one side, as rapid and irregular boiling clouds and darkens the stock as much as imperfect skimming. stock should never be allowed to cool in the stock-pot, but should be strained into an earthen jar, and left standing to cool uncovered, and all the fat removed, and saved to clarify for drippings; the stock is then ready to heat and use for soup, or gravy. when stock has been darkened and clouded by careless skimming and fast boiling, it can be clarified by adding to it one egg and the shell, mixed first with a gill of cold water, then with a gill of boiling soup, and stirring it briskly into the soup until it boils; then remove it to the back of the fire where it will not boil, and let it stand until the white and shell of the egg have collected the small particles clouding the soup; then strain it once or twice, until it looks clear. . =flavoring, thickening, and coloring soups.=--the flavor of soup stock may be varied by using in it a little ham, anchovy, sausage, sugar, or a calf's foot. herbs in the sprig, and whole spices should be used in seasoning, as they can easily be strained out. all delicate flavors, and wine, should be added to soup just before serving it, unless the contrary is expressly directed in the receipt, because boiling would almost entirely evaporate them: one gill of wine is usually allowed to every three pints of soup. soups which precede a full dinner should be less rich than those which form the bulk of the meal. corn starch, arrow root, and potato flour are better than wheat flour for thickening soup. the meal of peas and beans can be held in suspension by mixing together dry a tablespoonful of butter and flour, and stirring it into the soup; a quarter of a pint of peas, beans, or lentils, is sufficient to make a quart of thick soup. two ounces of macaroni, vermicelli, pearl barley, sago, tapioca, rice, or oatmeal, are usually allowed for each quart of stock. if you wish to darken soup use a teaspoonful of caramel; but avoid burnt flour, carrot, and onion, as all these give a bad flavor. caramel can be made from the following receipt; melt half a pound of loaf sugar in a thick copper vessel, stirring it frequently with a wooden spoon, and boiling it slowly until it assumes a rich brown color, but do not let it burn; when brown enough add one quart of cold water, stir well, and boil gently at the side of the fire for twenty minutes; then cool, strain, and bottle tight. in using the caramel add it just as you are about to serve the soup, or sauce colored with it. . =clear soup, or consommé.= (_two quarts for eight persons._)--this is made by straining two quarts of stock, which has been cooled and freed from fat, through a piece of flannel or a napkin until it is bright and clear; if this does not entirely clear it, use an egg, as directed for clarifying soup; then season it to taste with salt, using at first a teaspoonful, and a very little fine white pepper, say a quarter of a saltspoonful; and color it to a bright straw color with caramel, of which a scant teaspoonful will be about the proper quantity. _consommé_ is sent to the table clear, but sometimes a deep dish containing poached eggs, one for each person, with enough _consommé_ to cover them, accompanies it. . =poached eggs for consommé.=--break the eggs, which should be very fresh, into a deep sauce-pan half full of boiling water, seasoned with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a gill of vinegar; cover the sauce-pan, and set it on the back part of the fire until the whites of the eggs are firm; then lift them separately on a skimmer, carefully trim off the rough edges, making each egg a regular oval shape, and slip them off the skimmer into a bowl of hot, but not boiling water, where they must stand for ten minutes before serving. . =vermicelli and macaroni soup.=--these soups are both made as for _consommé_; and to every quart of stock is added two ounces of one of these pastes blanched as follows. put the paste into plenty of boiling water, with one tablespoonful of salt to each quart of water, and boil until tender enough to pierce with the finger nail; then drain it, and put it in cold water until required for use, when it should be placed in the two quarts of hot soup long enough to heat thoroughly before serving. . =rice and tomato soup.=--strain, and pass through a sieve with a wooden spoon, one pint of tomatoes, either fresh or canned, stir them into two quarts of good, clear stock, free from fat; season it with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; taste, and if the seasoning seems deficient add a little more, but do not put in too much for general liking, for more can easily be added, but none can be taken out. add four ounces of rice, well washed in plenty of cold water, and boil the soup slowly for three quarters of an hour before serving. . =scotch broth without meat.=--steep four ounces of pearl barley over night in cold water, and wash it well in fresh water; cut in dice half an inch square, six ounces of yellow turnip, six ounces of carrot, four ounces of onion, two ounces of celery, (or use in its place quarter of a saltspoonful of celery seed;) put all these into two and a half quarts of boiling water, season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and as much cayenne as you can take up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade; boil slowly for two hours; then stir in quarter of a pound of oatmeal, mixed to a smooth batter with cold water, see if seasoning be correct, add two or three grates of nutmeg, and boil half an hour. meantime, cut two slices of bread in half inch dice, fry light brown in hot fat, and lay the bits in the soup tureen; when the soup is ready pour it over them, and serve. this soup is very rich and nutritious, and should be served with light dinners. . =scotch broth with meat.=--put four ounces of barley to soak in warm water. from two pounds of the shoulder of mutton, cut the lean meat in dice half an inch square; cut up the rest in small pieces and make a stock as directed in receipt _no. ._, _part i._, using two and a half quarts of water, and boiling and skimming for two hours; at the end of an hour and a half put the dice of meat into a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter, and fry them brown; stir in one ounce of flour; cut in dice six ounces each of yellow turnip and carrot, chop four ounces of onion, and put these with the meat; add the barley, and the stock strained, season with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and simmer one hour. then serve with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley sprinkled in the soup. . =spinach soup.=--blanch two quarts of spinach, by putting it into a large pot full of boiling water, with two tablespoonfuls of salt, cover until it boils up once; then remove the cover, and with a wooden spoon press the spinach under water as fast as it rises to the surface; boil it steadily until it is tender enough to pierce easily with the finger nail; then drain it; run plenty of cold water from the faucet over it, while it is still in the colander; drain it again, chop it fine, and pass it through a kitchen sieve with the aid of a wooden spoon; boil two quarts of milk, add the spinach to it, thicken it by stirring in one tablespoonful of corn starch dissolved in cold milk; season it with one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and the same of nutmeg; and serve it as soon as it boils up. . =sorrel soup.=--put one pint of sorrel into a sauce-pan with a dessertspoonful of salt, and one gill of cold water; cover it, and cook until it is tender enough to pierce with the finger nail, then drain, wash it well with cold water, chop it and pass it through the kitchen sieve with a wooden spoon; meantime brown half an ounce of chopped onion in a sauce-pan with one ounce of butter; add one ounce of flour, and stir till brown; then add two quarts of hot water, or hot water and stock, and the sorrel, and season with one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same of nutmeg; mix the yolks of two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cold water, add to them half a pint of boiling soup, and gradually stir the mixture into the soup, boiling it a minute after it is thoroughly blended; meantime cut two slices of bread into half inch dice, fry them brown in smoking hot fat, drain them free from grease on a napkin, put them into a soup tureen, pour the soup on them, and serve at once. . =pea soup.=--use half a pint of dried peas for thick soup, or one pint for a _purée_, to two quarts of stock or cold water. bring slowly to a boil; add a bone or bit of ham, one turnip and one carrot peeled, one onion stuck with three cloves, and simmer three hours stirring occasionally to prevent burning; then pass the soup through a sieve with the aid of a potato masher; and if it shows any sign of settling stir into it one tablespoonful each of butter and flour mixed together dry; this will hold the meal in solution; meantime fry some dice of stale bread, about two slices, cut half an inch square, in hot fat, drain them on a napkin, and put them in the bottom of the soup tureen in which the pea soup is served. . =lentil soup.=--the seed of the lentil tare commonly cultivated in france and germany as an article of food, ranks nearly as high as meat, as a valuable food, being capable of sustaining life and vigor for a long time; this vegetable is gradually becoming known in this country, from the use of it by our french and german citizens; and from its nutritive value it deserves to rank as high as our favorite new england beans. for two quarts of lentil soup half a pint of yellow lentils should be well washed, and put to boil in three pints of cold water, with a small carrot, an onion, two sprigs of parsley, and two bay leaves, and boiled gently until the lentils are soft enough to break easily between the fingers; every half hour one gill of cold water should be added, and the lentils again raised to the boiling point, until they are done; they should then be drained in a colander, and passed through a sieve with a wooden spoon, using enough of the liquor to make them pass easy, and mixed with the rest of the soup; it is then ready to simmer for half an hour, and serve hot; with dice of fried bread half an inch square, like those used for pea soup. these dice of fried bread are called _condé_ crusts. chapter iii. fish. when fish is rather deficient in flavor, a little vinegar rubbed over the skin; and a few sweet herbs boiled with it will greatly improve it. for boiling, large fish should be placed on the fire in cold water, and small ones in hot water; both are done when the fins pull out easily. fish soup is the most economical of all fish dishes; baked fish the second best; broiled fish retains nearly all its nourishment; and boiled fish is the poorest of all. the following technical terms are used to denote different methods of cooking fish: to dress fish _à la hollandaise_ is to boil it in sea water; _à l'eau de sel_, in salt and water; _au court bouillon_, with cold water, white wine or vinegar, sweet herbs, soup vegetables, lemon, and whole spices; _à la bonne eau_, with sweet herbs and cold water; _au bleu_, in equal quantities of red wine and cold water, highly flavored with spices and aromatic herbs. . =boiled cod with oyster sauce.=--lay two pounds of cod in enough cold water to cover it, with a tablespoonful of salt, for an hour or more before cooking; then put it to boil in three quarts of cold water, with two tablespoonfuls of salt; as soon as the fish is done, set the kettle containing it off the fire, and let the fish stand in it until you are ready to use it; meantime put a pint of oysters on the fire to boil in their own liquor; as soon as they boil drain them, and put the liquor again on the fire to boil; mix together in a sauce-pan over the fire one ounce of butter and one ounce of flour, as soon as it bubbles, gradually pour in the boiling oyster liquor, and stir with an egg whip until the sauce is quite smooth; season with half a teaspoonful of salt, an eighth of a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same of nutmeg; and add the oysters. take up the fish, serve it on a napkin, and send it to the table with a bowl containing the oyster sauce. . =baked blackfish.=--have a fish weighing from two to two and a half pounds cleaned by the fishmonger; rub it well with a handful of salt, to remove the slime peculiar to this fish, wash it well, and wipe it with a clean, dry cloth; stuff it with the following forcemeat. put four ounces of stale bread to soak in sufficient luke-warm water to cover it; meantime fry one ounce of chopped onion in one ounce of butter until it is light brown; then wring the bread dry in a clean towel, put it into the onion with two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, one ounce of salt pork chopped fine, one teaspoonful of chopped capers or pickles, one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and one gill of broth or hot water; stir until it is scalding hot, when it will cleave from the bottom and sides of the sauce-pan; then stuff the fish with it, and lay it in a dripping pan on one ounce of carrot and one ounce of onion sliced, one bay leaf and two sprigs of parsley; cover the fish with slices of salt pork, season it with a saltspoonful of salt, and one fourth that quantity of pepper, and bake it in a moderate oven for half an hour, basting it occasionally with a little butter, or stock. when it is done, put it on a dish to keep hot while you prepare a sauce by straining the drippings in the pan, and adding to them one tablespoonful each of walnut catsup, worcestershire sauce, chopped capers, and chopped parsley. pour a little of this sauce in the bottom of the dish under the fish, and serve the rest with it in a bowl. . =broiled shad with maître d'hotel butter.=--choose a medium sized shad, weighing about three pounds, have it cleaned and split down the back; turn it occasionally for an hour or more, in a marinade made of one tablespoonful of salad oil, or melted butter, one of vinegar, a saltspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; lay it on a gridiron, rubbed with a little butter to prevent sticking, broil it slowly, doing the inside first, and, after laying it on a hot dish, spread over it some _maître d'hotel_ butter. . =maître d'hotel butter.=--mix together cold, one ounce of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; and spread it over the broiled shad. this butter is excellent for any kind of broiled fish, or for steaks. . =fried smelts, french style.=--carefully wipe two pounds of cleaned smelts with a dry cloth; dip them in milk, then roll them in finely powdered cracker crumbs, next in an egg beaten with a saltspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and then again in cracker crumbs; fry them in enough smoking hot fat to cover them, until they are golden brown; take them from the fat with a skimmer, lay them on a napkin, or a piece of paper to absorb all fat; and serve them laid in rows with a few quarters of lemon on the side of the dish. . =fillet of sole au gratin.=--choose two flounders weighing about three pounds. lay them on the table with the dark side uppermost; with a sharp, thin-bladed knife cut down to the back bone, following the dark line in the middle of the fish; then turn the edge of the knife outward, and cut towards the fins, keeping the blade flat against the bone, and removing one quarter of the flesh of the fish in a single piece; proceed in the same way until you have eight fillets; carefully cut the skin from them; season them with salt and pepper, lay them on a buttered dish suitable to send to table, sprinkle them thickly with sifted cracker crumbs, and a little grated parmesan, or any rich, dry cheese; put a few bits of butter over them, using not more than an ounce in all, and brown them in a quick oven. serve them as soon as they are nicely browned. this is a very savory and delicate dish, requiring some practice to do nicely, but comparatively inexpensive, and well worth all trouble taken in making it. . =st. james fish chowder.=--put half a pound of sliced salt pork in the bottom of a deep sauce-pan and fry it brown; take it out, and put in layers of potatoes, onions and fish sliced, seasoning each layer plentifully with salt and pepper; using about three pounds of fish, and a quart each of potatoes and onions; cover with cold water, bring gradually to a boil, and cook slowly for thirty minutes; then add two pounds of sea-biscuits soaked for five minutes in warm water, and boil five minutes longer and serve. this receipt calls for the addition of half a pint of port wine, and a bottle of champagne to be added to the chowder just before serving; but it is quite good enough without, and far less expensive. . =club house fish cakes.=--wash and boil one quart of potatoes, putting them on the fire in cold water enough to cover them, and a tablespoonful of salt. put one and a half pounds of salt codfish on the fire in plenty of cold water, and bring it slowly to a boil; as soon as it boils throw off that water, and put it again on the fire in fresh cold water; if the fish is very salt change the water a third time. free the fish from skin and bone; peel the potatoes, mash them through a colander with a potato masher, season them with quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper and an ounce of butter; add the yolks of two eggs, and the fish; mix well, and make into cakes, using a little flour to prevent sticking to the hands. fry them golden brown in enough smoking hot fat to nearly cover them; observe that in frying any article of food it will not soak fat if the latter be hot enough to carbonize the outside at once, and smoking hot fat will do that. . =sardine sandwiches.=--butter sixteen thin slices of bread on both sides, put between each two a very thin layer of sardines, sprinkled with a little lemon juice, and brown them in a quick oven. . =warmed up boiled fish, with dutch sauce.=--put the cold fish on the fire in plenty of cold water and salt, and let it come slowly to a boil; meantime make a sauce for it as follows. . =dutch sauce.=--put one ounce of butter, and one ounce of flour in a sauce-pan over the fire, and stir constantly until it bubbles; then add gradually one gill of boiling water, remove the sauce from the fire, stir in the yolks of three eggs, one at a time, add one saltspoonful of dry mustard; add one tablespoonful of vinegar and three of oil, gradually, drop by drop, stirring constantly till smooth. when the fish is warmed take it up carefully without breaking and serve with the dutch sauce in a boat. chapter iv. relishes. the dishes known as relishes are usually eaten at dinner just after the soup or fish; they are in reality the restorers of appetite; they are usually cold, and are sent to the table on small oval dishes, or ornamental boats. . =anchovies.= (_one for each person._)--the best anchovies are small and plump, with white scales, and dark red pickle; they are prepared for the table by soaking two hours in cold water, taking out the back-bone, removing the scales and some of the small bones, and serving them with oil or vinegar in a suitable dish, or pickle shell. . =sardines.= (_one for each person._)--sardines are served by wiping them, and serving them on a small dish with quarters of lemons beside them. . =pickled herrings.= (_one for each person._)--these are served in a boat with a few capers, and a little chopped parsley sprinkled over them. . =scalloped oysters.= (_one shell for each person._)--blanch one quart of oysters by bringing just to a boil in their own liquor, then strain them, saving the liquor, and keeping it hot; wash them in cold water and drain them; mix one ounce of butter and one ounce of flour together in a sauce-pan over the fire; as soon as it is smooth gradually stir in one pint of the oyster liquor, which must be boiling; season the sauce with half a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful each of white pepper and nutmeg; put the oysters into it to heat, while you thoroughly wash eight or ten deep oystershells with a brush; fill them with the oysters, dust them thickly with bread crumbs; put a small bit of butter on each one, and brown them in a quick oven; they should be sent to the table laid on a napkin neatly folded on a platter. . =welsh rarebit.=--grate one pound of rich cheese, mix it over the fire with one gill of ale, working it smooth with a spoon; season it with a saltspoonful of dry mustard; meantime make two large slices of toast, lay them on a hot dish, and as soon as the cheese is thoroughly melted, pour it over the toast and send it to the table at once. . =golden buck.=--prepare the cheese and toast as in receipt no. ; cut the toast in eight pieces; while the cheese is melting poach eight eggs, by dropping them gently into plenty of boiling water containing a teaspoonful of salt, and half a gill of vinegar; as soon as the whites are firm, take them carefully out on a skimmer, trim off the edges, and slip them again into warm water, while you divide the cheese on the pieces of toast; then lay an egg on each piece, and serve at once. the success of the dish depends upon having the eggs, cheese, and toast ready at the same moment, putting them together very quickly, and serving them before they cool. . =mock crab.=--break up half a pound of soft, rich cheese with a fork, mix with it a teaspoonful of dry mustard, a saltspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, and a dessertspoonful of vinegar; serve it cold, with a plate of thin bread and butter, or crisp crackers. . =english bread and butter.=--cut an even slice off a large loaf of fresh homemade bread; butter the cut end of the loaf thinly, then hold it against the side with the left hand and arm, and with a sharp, thin knife, cut an even slice not more than an eighth of an inch thick; a little practice, and a steady grasp of bread and knife, will enable any one to produce regular whole slices; fold each one double, with the butter inside; and cut as many as you require; serve them on a clean napkin, and send them to the table with any other of the above relishes. . =cheese straws.=--sift six ounces of flour on the pastry board, make a hole or well in the centre; into this well put two tablespoonfuls of cream, three ounces of grated parmesan, or any rich dry cheese, four ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a teaspoonful of white pepper, and the same quantity of grated nutmeg, together with as much cayenne as you can take up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade; mix all these ingredients with the tips of the ringers, to a firm paste, knead it well, roll it out an eighth of an inch thick; and with a sharp knife, or pastry jagger, cut it in straws about eight inches long, and quarter of an inch wide; lay the strips carefully on a buttered tin, and bake them light straw color in a moderate oven. these cheese straws make a delicious accompaniment to salad. . =epicurean butter.=--bone and skin four anchovies or sardines, and chop them fine; chop a tablespoonful of chives, and the same quantity of tarragon leaves, four small green pickles, the yolks of two hard boiled eggs; mix with these ingredients, a level teaspoonful of french mustard, a saltspoonful of salt, and two ounces of sweet butter; pass them all through a fine sieve with the aid of a wooden spoon; put it on the ice to cool, and then mould it in balls the size of a walnut, by rolling small lumps between two little wooden paddles; serve it with crackers and cheese. these receipts are given because many persons call for them; the author begs leave to accompany them with the assurance that a prolonged diet of any of them will produce a well grounded dyspepsia in a very moderate length of time. chapter v. side dishes, or entrÉes. the multitude of dishes known as _entrées_, represent to a great extent the economical use of food for which the french are so celebrated; they are based upon the principles of suitable combination. usage has classed certain sorts of food together as fit adjuncts; for instance, _bon vivants_ instruct us that white sauces and light wines are the best accompaniments for fish, poultry, and the white meats; and that brown sauces, and rich, heavy wines, naturally follow with the dark meats and game. these general principles readily apply to the preparation of the numberless made dishes which are the glory of european cookery, and which transform the remains of an ordinary meat breakfast into a delicious luncheon, or an inviting side-dish for dinner. the fact that the secret of all good cookery is economy, must be our apology for treating this division of our subject at some length; and we beg our readers to test our receipts before accusing us of attempting to introduce obnoxious and difficult culinary methods into american kitchens. . =how meat should be broiled.=--in broiling all meats, you must remember that the surface should not be cut or broken any more than is absolutely necessary; that the meat should be exposed to a clear, quick fire, close enough to sear the surface without burning, in order to confine all its juices; if it is approached slowly to a poor fire, or seasoned before it is cooked, it will be comparatively dry and tasteless, as both of these processes are useful only to extract and waste those precious juices which contain nearly all the nourishing properties of the meat. . =parisian potatoes.=--pare and cut one quart of raw potatoes in balls the size of a walnut, reserving the trimmings to use for mashed potatoes; put the balls over the fire in plenty of cold water and salt, and boil them until just tender enough to pierce easily with a fork; which will be in about fifteen minutes; drain them, lay them on a towel a moment to dry them, and then brown them in enough smoking hot lard to immerse them entirely; when they are brown take them up in a colander, and sprinkle them with a saltspoonful of salt, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. . =to broil a beefsteak.=--rub the bars of the gridiron smooth, and then grease them slightly; lay on a sirloin steak weighing about three pounds; put the gridiron over a hot fire; if the fire is not clear throw a handful of salt into it to clear it; broil the steak, turning it frequently so that it cannot burn, until it is done to the required degree; do not cut into it to ascertain this, but test it by pressing the tips of the fingers upon it; if it spring up again after the pressure is removed it is done rare; if it remains heavy and solid it is well done; while it is broiling prepare a _maître d'hotel_ butter according to receipt no. ; spread it over the steak after you have laid it on a hot dish, and arrange the _parisian potatoes_ at the sides of the dish; send it to the table at once. after the proper cooking of a steak comes the immediate eating thereof, if it is to be found perfect. . =plain rump steak.=--broil three pounds of tender rump steak according to directions in receipt no. , put it on a hot dish, season it with a level teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, spread over it one ounce of butter, and lay two tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish on the side of the platter, and serve it hot, without delay. . =portuguese beef.=--cut in thin shavings two pounds of cold beef, and put it into a sauce-pan with half a pint of any brown gravy, and heat it gradually; in another pan put one small onion chopped fine, the rind of one orange chopped, the juice, quarter of a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, as much cayenne as can be taken up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, and one gill of port wine; boil these ingredients rapidly until the liquid is reduced one half, and then mix them with the beef; fry in hot fat some slices of bread, cut in the shape of hearts, about two inches long and one inch wide, pile the beef in a mound on a hot dish, lay the _croutons_ of fried bread around it, and serve it hot. . =bubble and squeak.=--cut about two pounds of cold meat in neat slices, put them into a pan with an ounce of butter, and brown them; at the same time chop one head of tender cabbage, without the stalks, put it into a sauce-pan with two ounces of butter, a saltspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and stir it occasionally over the fire until it is quite tender; when both are done, lay the slices of beef in the centre of a hot dish, and arrange the cabbage around it; serve it hot. . =stewed kidneys.=--cut one large beef kidney in thin slices about an inch long; fry two ounces of onion in one ounce of butter, until pale yellow; add the kidney, fry or rather _sauter_ it, for about five minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning; then stir in one ounce and a half of flour, season with one saltspoonful of salt, a quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same of powdered sweet herbs made as directed on page , and one gill of boiling water; cook ten minutes longer; meantime make eight heart-shaped _croutons_ of bread, as directed in receipt no. ; add one gill of madeira wine to the kidneys, pour them on a hot dish, sprinkle them with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, arrange the _croutons_ around the border of the dish, and serve hot at once. the success of this dish depends on serving it while the kidneys are tender; too much cooking hardens them; and they must not be allowed to stand after they are done, or they deteriorate. . =haricot or stew of mutton.=--trim a neck of mutton, weighing about two pounds, of all superfluous fat, cut it into cutlets, put them in a deep sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, and fry them brown; pour off all fat, add two ounces of flour, stir till brown, moisten with one quart and a half of stock, or water, and stir occasionally until the haricot boils; meantime cut one quart of carrots and turnips, half and half, in small balls, and add them, with one dozen button onions, a bouquet of sweet herbs, half a saltspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of salt; simmer for one hour; take up the cutlets with a fork, skim out the vegetables, and remove the bouquet; lay the cutlets in a wreath on a hot dish, place the vegetables in the centre, and strain the gravy over all. green peas, new turnips, or new potatoes, may replace the first named vegetables. the dish should always be sent to the table hot. . =epigramme of lamb, with piquante sauce.=--boil a breast of young mutton, weighing from two to three pounds until tender, either in the stock-pot, or in hot water seasoned with salt, two cloves stuck in a small onion, and a bouquet of sweet herbs made as directed in the first chapter; when it is tender enough to permit the bones to be drawn out easily, take it up, lay it on a pan, put another, containing weights, on it, and press it until it is cold; then cut it in eight triangular pieces, about the size of a small cutlet; season them with salt and pepper; roll them first in sifted cracker dust, then in an egg beaten with a tablespoonful of cold water, and again in cracker dust; fry them light brown in enough smoking hot fat to cover them. . =piquante sauce.=--while the lamb is frying, chop one tablespoonful of capers, two of shallot, or small, finely flavored onion, and the same quantity of green gherkins; place them over the fire in a sauce-pan with one gill of vinegar, two bay leaves, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same of powdered thyme, and boil quickly until the vinegar is reduced to one third of its original quantity; then add half a pint of rich brown gravy of any kind, or of spanish sauce, which may always be kept on hand; boil the sauce gently for five minutes, take out the bay leaves, and pour a little of the sauce on the bottom of a hot platter; when the pieces of breast are brown, take them up with a skimmer, and lay them on soft paper, or on a clean napkin for a moment, to free them from grease, and arrange them in a wreath on the platter containing the sauce; serve them at once, with the rest of the sauce in a gravy boat. . =spanish sauce.=--fry one ounce of ham or bacon, cut in half-inch dice, with one ounce of fat; add to it, as soon as brown, two ounces of carrot sliced, two ounces of onion sliced; stir in two ounces of dry flour, and brown well; then add one quart of stock; or if none is on hand, one quart of water, and half a pound of lean meat chopped fine; season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and a bouquet of sweet herbs, made as directed in the first chapter; simmer gently for an hour, skimming as often as any scum rises; then strain the sauce, add one gill of wine to it, and use it to dress any dark meat, game, or baked fish. this sauce will keep a week or longer, in a cool place. . =kromeskys, with spanish sauce.=--cut one pound of cold roast lamb, or mutton, in half inch dice; chop one ounce of onion, and fry it pale yellow in one ounce of butter; add one ounce of flour, and stir until smooth; add half a pint of spanish sauce, or water, if no sauce is at hand, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, one level teaspoonful of salt, one level saltspoonful of white pepper, half a saltspoonful of powdered herbs, as much cayenne as can be taken up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, and the chopped meat; two ounces of mushrooms, slightly warmed with quarter of an ounce of butter, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice, improve the flavor of the _kromeskys_ exceedingly; stir until scalding hot, add the yolk of one raw egg, cook for two minutes, stirring frequently; and turn out to cool on a flat dish, slightly oiled, or buttered, to prevent sticking, spreading the minced meat about an inch thick; set away to cool while the batter is being made. . =plain frying batter.=--mix quarter of a pound of flour with the yolks of two raw eggs, a level saltspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, quarter of a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, one tablespoonful of salad oil, (which is used to make the batter crisp,) and one cup of water, more or less, as the flour will take it up; the batter should be stiff enough to hold the drops from the spoon in shape when they are let fall upon it; now beat the whites of the two eggs to a stiff froth, beginning slowly, and increasing the speed until you are beating as fast as you can; the froth will surely come; then stir it lightly into the batter; heat the dish containing the meat a moment, to loosen it, and turn it out on the table, just dusted with powdered crackers; cut it in strips an inch wide and two inches long, roll them lightly under the palm of the hand, in the shape of corks, dip them in the batter, and fry them golden brown in smoking hot fat. serve them on a neatly folded napkin. they make a delicious dish, really worth all the care taken in preparing them. . =sheep's tongues with spinach.=--boil eight sheep's tongues in the stock pot, or in hot water with a bouquet of sweet herbs, and a gill of vinegar, for about an hour, or until they are quite tender; then remove them from the stock, lay them on their sides on a flat dish, place over them another dish with weights on it, and allow them to cool: trim them neatly, put them into a sauce-pan with enough spanish sauce, or brown gravy to cover them, and heat them gradually. . =to boil spinach.=--wash and trim one quart of green spinach, put it into a sauce-pan holding at least three quarts of boiling water, and three tablespoonfuls of salt, and boil it rapidly, with the cover off, until it is tender enough to pierce easily with the finger nail, which will be in from three to seven minutes, according to the age of the spinach; then drain it in a colander, wash it in cold water, thoroughly drain it again, and chop it very fine, or pass it through a sieve with a wooden spoon; put it into a sauce-pan with enough spanish sauce or brown gravy to moisten it, season it with a saltspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of white pepper, and heat it until it steams; arrange the tongues in a wreath on a hot platter, put the spinach in the centre, and pour the gravy in which the tongues were heated, over them. serve hot at once. . =broiled sheep's kidneys.=--split eight kidneys lengthwise, skin them, lay them for half an hour in a dish containing a tablespoonful of salad oil, the same of some spiced vinegar, or table sauce, and a saltspoonful of salt and pepper mixed equally; turn them frequently; then roll them in cracker dust, lay them on a greased gridiron, and broil them, the inside first; when done brown, place them on a hot dish, with a small piece of _maître d'hotel_ butter in each, made according to receipt no. , and send them hot to the table. . =liver rolls.=--cut two sheep's livers in slices half an inch thick; season them with salt and pepper; spread over each a layer of sausage meat as thick as the liver, season that, roll each slice up, and tie it in place with a string; on the bottom of a baking pan put one ounce of carrot, and one ounce of onion sliced, two bay leaves, one sprig of thyme, three of parsley, and an ounce of salt pork sliced; lay the liver on these, put over each roll a tablespoonful of brown gravy, or spanish sauce, and bake them in a moderate oven about forty minutes, or until they are thoroughly cooked; lay them on a hot platter, add a gill of stock or water to the pan they were baked in, stir the vegetables about in it, and strain it over the liver. serve at once. . =fried brains with tomato sauce.=--lay four pieces of calf's brains in cold water and salt for one hour, to draw out the blood; meantime begin a tomato sauce as directed below; carefully remove the outer skin without breaking the brains; put them over the fire in enough cold water to cover them, with half a gill of vinegar, two bay leaves, a sprig of parsley, and an onion stuck with three cloves; bring them to a boil, and simmer slowly for ten minutes; take them up carefully, and lay them in cold water and salt to cool. when cool, cut each one in two pieces, roll them first in cracker dust, then in one raw egg beaten with a tablespoonful of cold water, then again in cracker dust, and fry them in plenty of smoking hot fat; as soon as they are golden brown take them up on a skimmer, and lay them on a soft paper or napkin to absorb all fat, and then arrange on a platter containing half a pint of tomato sauce. . =tomato sauce.=--put into a thick sauce-pan half a can, or one pint of tomatoes, one ounce of carrot, and the same quantity of onion sliced, one ounce of salt pork cut in small bits, a bouquet of sweet herbs, made as directed in chapter first, four cloves, one clove of garlic, if it is liked, one teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and a gill of stock, gravy, or water; simmer slowly one hour, and pass through a sieve with a wooden spoon. this is an excellent sauce for any breaded side dish. . =calf's liver larded.=--the operation of larding is done by passing strips of larding pork, which is firm, white, fat pork, cut two inches long, and quarter of an inch square, in rows along the surface of a liver, placing the strips of pork in the split end of a larding needle, and with it taking a stitch about a quarter of an inch deep and one inch long in the surface of the liver, and leaving the ends of the pork projecting equally; the rows must be inserted regularly, the ends of the second coming between the ends of the first, and so on, until the surface is covered; the liver is then laid in a dripping pan on one ounce of carrot, one ounce of onions, and one ounce of salt pork sliced, half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, three sprigs of parsley, one of thyme, three bay leaves, and six cloves; a gill of spanish sauce or brown gravy is poured over it, and it is cooked in a moderate oven about an hour, until it is thoroughly done. the liver should be laid on a hot platter, while half a pint of spanish sauce or gravy is stirred among the vegetables it was cooked with, and then strained over it. if served hot it is a most delicious and economical dish, being nearly as satisfactory to appetite as a heavy joint of roast meat. . =blanquette of veal.=--cut three pounds of the breast of veal in pieces two inches square, put them in enough cold water to cover them, with one saltspoonful of white pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, a bouquet of sweet herbs, made as directed in chapter first, and an onion stuck with three cloves; bring slowly to a boil, skim carefully until no more scum rises, and cook gently for thirty or forty minutes until the veal is tender; then drain it, returning the broth to the fire, and washing the meat in cold water; meantime make a white sauce by stirring together over the fire one ounce of butter and one ounce of flour, until they are smooth, then adding a pint and a half of the broth gradually, season with a little more salt and pepper if they are required, and with quarter of a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg; when the sauce has boiled up well, stir into it with an egg-whip the yolks of two raw eggs, put in the meat, and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally; a few mushrooms are a great improvement to the blanquette; or it may be served with two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley sprinkled over it after it is put on a hot platter. . =stuffed breast of veal.=--have the butcher make what is called a pocket in a three pound breast of veal, by cutting the flesh of the upper side free from the breast bones, taking care to leave three outer sides of the meat whole, so as to hold the stuffing; prepare a bed of vegetables, herbs, and pork, as directed for liver, in receipt no. ; stuff the breast, sew it up, lay it on the vegetables, put four ounces of salt pork cut in thin slices on the top, season it with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and bake it in a moderate oven about one hour, till thoroughly done; serve it with a brown gravy made the same as the liver gravy in receipt no. . . =stuffing for veal.=--steep four ounces of bread in tepid water; chop one ounce of onion, and fry it yellow in one ounce of butter; wring the bread dry in a towel and add it to the butter and onion; season with one saltspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful each of pepper and powdered thyme, or mixed spices, and stir till scalding hot, then remove from the fire, stir in the yolk of one raw egg, and stuff the breast of veal with it. this is a very good stuffing for poultry, or lamb. . =broiled pork cutlets.=--make a robert sauce, according to directions given below. broil two pounds of cutlets from the neck of pork, being careful not to burn them, and dish them in a wreath on a hot platter with robert sauce poured on the dish. . =robert sauce.=--chop two ounces of onion, fry pale yellow with one ounce of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of spiced vinegar, and reduce one half by quick boiling; add half a pint of spanish sauce, or brown gravy, and boil slowly for fifteen minutes; then season with a saltspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and two teaspoonfuls of french mustard, and serve. . =pork chops with curry.=--first boil a quarter of a pound of rice according to receipt no. . fry two pounds of pork chops cut from the loin, brown in a very little butter, pour off all the grease, add to them half a pint of spanish sauce, and a tablespoonful of curry powder mixed smooth with two tablespoonfuls of cold water; cover the sauce-pan, and simmer the chops for fifteen minutes; then dish them in a wreath on a hot platter, pour the sauce on the bottom of the dish, and fill the centre with rice. . =boiled rice.=--wash a quarter of a pound of rice in plenty of cold water, put it into a quart of boiling water with a tablespoonful of salt, and boil it fast for twenty minutes; shake it out into a colander, drain it, and shake it from the colander into the centre of the dish of chops; do not stir it with a spoon. . =broiled pigs' feet.=--boil four well cleaned pickled pigs' feet in stock or boiling water with sweet herbs, until they are tender enough to permit the bones to come out readily; split them in halves, take out all the large bones; trim and shape them neatly, and cool them; when cold season them with pepper and salt, dip them first in melted butter and then in cracker dust, and broil them over a clear, moderate fire, turning them frequently; serve with a little melted butter, lemon juice, and chopped parsley over them. . =english pork pie.=--make a plain pie crust by mixing together with the hand, half a pound of flour and quarter of a pound of butter, with enough cold water to make a stiff paste; roll out about six times on a well floured pastry board, folding the paste evenly each time; line the side of an earthen pie dish nearly to the bottom; in the bottom put a thin layer of bacon, about four ounces sliced; pare and slice half a quart of potatoes; chop two ounces of onion; cut two pounds of fresh lean pork in two-inch pieces; lay all these in the dish in layers, season with half a saltspoonful of pepper and the same quantity of powdered sage; fill the dish with any good cold gravy, cover with crust, wetting the edges to make them fit tight; ornament the surface according to your fancy, with leaves and fancy shapes cut out of the pastry; brush over with a raw egg beaten with a tablespoonful of water; bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes; cover the top with paper, and bake one hour longer; serve hot, or cold, as desired. . =fried chicken, spanish style.=--cut up a four pound chicken as for a _fricassee_, sprinkle the pieces with salt, and spanish red pepper; put four ounces of lard in a frying pan on the fire, and when smoking hot, put in the legs, back, thighs, and wings; when they are half done, add the pieces of breast, two ounces of chopped onion, one clove of garlic chopped, a bouquet of sweet herbs, made as directed in chapter first, and fry seven minutes; add half a pound of raw ham cut in half inch dice, and fry till the chicken is tender; take it out and keep it hot, while you fry four large tomatoes cut in dice, and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste; then add the chicken, make it quite hot, and serve all together on a platter, like a _fricassee_. . =chicken fricassee.=--cut a four pound tender chicken in joints, put it over the fire in enough cold water to cover it, with one dessertspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, a bouquet of sweet herbs, made as directed in chapter first, two ounces of carrot, pared and left whole, and one dozen button onions peeled; skim frequently as often as any scum rises, simmer slowly until the chicken is tender, about an hour, and then take it up to keep hot while the sauce is made; strain out the vegetables, and set the broth to boil; mix one ounce of butter and one ounce of flour together over the fire until they become a smooth paste; then gradually add a pint and a half of the broth, stirring the sauce with an egg-whip until it is quite smooth, season it to taste with salt and pepper, and dish it on a hot platter; half a can of mushrooms greatly improve the flavor of the _fricassee_. . =grilled fowl.=--cut the legs and second joints from two cold roast fowls; score them closely, season them with pepper and salt, and lay them by, ready to broil. mince the rest of the meat fine. make a white sauce by mixing together over the fire two ounces of butter and two of flour until they form a smooth paste; gradually add enough boiling milk to make a good thick sauce, season with half a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and the same quantity of grated nutmeg; add the minced fowl, and heat; now broil the legs and thighs, and after dishing the mince on a hot platter, lay them on it, and serve hot. . =minced chicken with macaroni.=--put four ounces of macaroni to blanch as directed in receipt no. . cut two pounds of cold roast fowl in small slices, or scallops; and heat them in a white sauce, as directed in receipt no. : dish them in a border of macaroni, and serve hot. . =macaroni with cheese.=--blanch four ounces of macaroni by putting it to boil in two quarts of boiling water and a tablespoonful of salt; boil it until it is tender enough to pierce with the finger nail, drain it in a colander, wash it well in cold water, and let it remain in water while you prepare a white sauce of one ounce of butter, one of flour, and boiling milk, as directed in receipt no. :--put the macaroni into it with two ounces of grated cheese, parmesan is the best; heat it thoroughly; dish it in a border around the minced fowl, which should be piled in the middle of the dish. . =broiled pigeons.=--carefully pluck and draw eight pigeons, split them down the middle of the back, flatten them by pounding them with the blade of a heavy knife, broil them on a greased gridiron, the inside first; lay each one on a slice of buttered toast, and dress them with a little _maître d'hotel_ butter, made according to receipt no. . . =salmi of duck.=--cut two cold roast wild ducks in joints; put them into a sauce-pan with enough spanish sauce to cover them, and add two dozen olives with the stones removed; season to taste with salt and pepper, being guided in this by the seasoning of the spanish sauce; heat thoroughly; meantime cut a dozen heart shaped _croutons_, or slices of bread about two inches long and one wide, and fry them brown in plenty of hot fat; when the _salmi_ is hot, pour it on a hot dish, and arrange the _croutons_ around the border; serve hot. . =civet of hare.=--skin a pair of leverets, or young hares, carefully wipe them outside with a damp cloth; remove the entrails, and wash the interior with a cup of vinegar, which must be saved; cut them into joints as you would divide a chicken for _fricassee_; cut the back and loins in pieces about two inches square; peel two dozen button onions, and fry them light brown in two ounces of butter, with half a pound of lean ham cut in half inch dice; add the hare, and brown well; stir in two ounces of dry flour, add three gills of broth, and one gill of the vinegar used to wash the hare, or two gills of claret, season with one teaspoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of ground cloves, and half a saltspoonful of pepper; simmer gently about one hour, until the hare is tender, and serve on a hot platter like chicken _fricassee_. . =jugged hare.=--prepare two hares as for a _civet_, in receipt no. ; in the cup of vinegar and half a pint of spanish sauce, (or in their place one pint of claret,) put the yellow rind of one lemon, a bouquet of sweet herbs, prepared as in chapter first, eight cloves, two blades of mace, two inches of stick cinnamon, eight allspice, one ounce of onion whole, one ounce of carrot whole; boil all these together half an hour when you are preparing the hare, as in receipt no. ; lay the browned pieces of hare in an earthen jar; season them a little with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; strain the gravy made as above into the jar; put on the cover; fasten it in place with a paste made of flour and water, and oiled on the top to prevent cracking. bake the hare in a moderate oven three hours. when you are nearly ready to dish it, cut a slice of bread two inches thick, the entire side of a large loaf, trim it to a perfect oval, fry it light brown in hot fat, put it on a platter, arrange the hare on it, and pour the gravy over; serve hot. . =stuffed eggs.=--boil eight eggs for ten minutes, until quite hard, lay them in cold water until they are quite cold; make a white sauce, as directed in receipt no. ; soak two ounces of stale bread in tepid water for five minutes, and wring it dry in a towel; put one ounce of grated cheese, parmesan is the best, in a sauce-pan with one saltspoonful of salt, half that quantity of white pepper, as much cayenne as can be taken up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, two ounces of butter, and a gill of the white sauce; cut the eggs carefully in halves lengthwise after removing the shells, rub the yolks through a sieve with a silver spoon, and add them with the bread to the sauce, as prepared above; stir these ingredients over the fire until they cleave from the sides of the sauce-pan, when they will be scalding hot; on a hot platter put a layer of the white sauce as a foundation for the eggs; fill the whites with the forcemeat, rounding it up to look like the entire yolk of an egg, set them on a dish in a pyramid, and heat them in a moderate oven; send whatever white sauce you have left to the table in a boat, with the dish of eggs. when, after preparing the eggs for the oven, they are sprinkled with grated cheese, and cracker dust, and then browned, they are called gratinated eggs, or stuffed eggs, _au gratin_, and are served without any sauce. . =how to make omelettes.=--there is no great difficulty in making omelettes, and as they may be expeditiously prepared and served they are a convenient resource when an extra dish is required at short notice; care should be taken to beat the eggs only until they are light, to put the omelette into a well heated and buttered pan, and _never to turn it in the pan_, as this flattens and toughens it; if the pan be large, and only three or four eggs be used in making the omelette, the pan should be tipped and held by the handle so that the eggs will cook in a small space upon one side of it; instead of spreading all over it, and becoming too dry in the process of cooking. there are three secrets in the making of a good omelette, namely, the separate beating of the eggs, the knack of stirring it upon the fire, and the method of transferring it from the fire to the table. if you will carefully follow the directions here given, you can produce a dish dainty enough to satisfy the most fastidious eater. . =plain omelette.=--if you have to serve eight persons, make three omelettes as follows: put one half an ounce (about a tablespoonful) of butter into a clean, smooth frying-pan, and set it upon the back of the stove to melt; stir the yolks of three eggs with a saltspoonful of salt for one minute; beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth with an egg-whip, beginning slowly, and gradually increasing the speed until the froth will not leave the dish if it be turned bottom up; this will take from three to five minutes, according to the freshness of the eggs; now pour the yolks into the froth, and mix them gently with a silver spoon, turning the bowl of the spoon over and over, but do not stir in a circle, or rapidly; put the frying-pan containing the melted butter over the fire, pour in the omelette, and stir it with a large two-pronged fork (a carving fork will do), carefully raising the edges with the fork as fast as they cook, and turning them toward the centre, until the omelette lies in the middle of the pan in a light mass, cooked soft or hard to suit the taste; when done to the desired degree, turn it out upon a hot dish _without touching it with either fork or spoon_, and send it to the table immediately. another excellent method is to beat three eggs, without separating the whites and yolks, with one tablespoonful of milk, and a little salt and pepper, and put them into a frying-pan containing two ounces of butter browned; let the omelette stand for a moment, and then turn the edges up gently with a fork, and shake the pan to prevent it burning or sticking at the bottom; five minutes will fry it a delicate brown, and it should then be doubled and sent to the table at once on a hot dish. three eggs will make an omelette large enough for two persons, if any other dish is to be served with it. there are several varieties of omelettes, each named after the ingredient prominent in the composition. we subjoin some excellent receipts, which may be based upon the first-mentioned method of preparation and cooking. . =omelette with herbs.=--stir into the yolks of three eggs a saltspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one tablespoonful of chopped mushrooms, and one tablespoonful of shallot or white onion; beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, add them to the yolks, and cook as in the first receipt. . =omelette with ham, tongue, or cheese.=--use chopped or grated ham, or tongue, or cheese, in the proportion of one tablespoonful to one egg; proceed to mix and cook in the same way as for omelette with herbs. . =omelette with oysters.=--blanch one dozen small blue point oysters, by bringing them just to a boil in their own liquor, seasoned with a dust of cayenne, a saltspoonful of salt, and a grate of nutmeg; mix an omelette as above, omitting the herbs, place it over the fire, and when it begins to cook at the edges, place the oysters, without any liquor, in its centre, and fold and serve it in the same manner as the omelette with herbs. . =omelette with mushrooms.=--choose a dozen small, even sized mushrooms; if they are canned, simply warm them in the essence in which they are preserved, and if they are fresh, peel them by dipping them, held by the stem, into boiling water for one moment, and heat them over the fire with half an ounce of butter and half a saltspoonful of salt put over them; prepare the omelette as above, and as soon as the edges begin to cook, place the mushrooms in the centre, and fold and serve like the omelette with herbs. . =spanish omelette.=--peel two large ripe tomatoes, cut them in thin slices, put them into a frying pan with an ounce of butter, a saltspoonful of salt, and a dust of pepper, and toss them to prevent burning, until they are just cooked through; make an omelette as above, and as soon as its edges are cooked put in the tomatoes, and fold and serve the same as the omelette with herbs. . =oriental omelette.=--heat a thick earthen plate over a charcoal or wood fire, until it will melt butter enough to cover the bottom of it, dust on the butter a little pepper, and sprinkle on a little salt; break into it as many eggs as will lay upon it without crowding, and brown them underneath; then set them where the heat of the fire will strike their tops, and let them color a pale yellow; salt them a little, and serve them very hot upon the same dish upon which they were cooked. . =omelette with preserves.=--prepare an omelette as directed in receipt no. , substituting any kind of jelly or preserves for the oysters. . =how to cook macaroni.=--this is one of the most wholesome and economical of foods, and can be varied so as to give a succession of palatable dishes at a very small cost. the imported macaroni can be bought at italian stores for about fifteen cents a pound; and that quantity when boiled yields nearly three times its bulk, if it has been manufactured for any length of time. in cooking it is generally combined with meat gravy, tomato sauce, and cheese; gruyere and parmesan cheese, which are the kinds most used by foreign cooks, can be readily obtained at any large grocery, the price of the former being about thirty-five cents per pound, and the latter varying from forty to eighty cents, according to the commercial spirit of the vendor; the trade price quoted on grocers' trade lists being thirty-eight cents per pound, for prime quality. this cheese is of a greenish color, a little salt in taste and flavored with delicate herbs; the nearest domestic variety is sage-cheese, which may be used when parmesan can not be obtained. if in heating parmesan cheese it appears oily, it is from the lack of moisture, and this can be supplied by adding a few tablespoonfuls of broth, and stirring it over the fire for a minute. when more macaroni has been boiled than is used, it can be kept perfectly good by laying it in fresh water, which must be changed every day. there are several forms of italian paste, but the composition is almost identical, all being made from the interior part of the finest wheat grown on the mediterranean shores: the largest tubes, about the size of a lead pencil, are called _macaroni_; the second variety, as large as a common pipe-stem, is termed _mazzini_; and the smallest is _spaghetti_, or threads; _vermicelli_ comes to market in the form of small coils or hanks of fine yellowish threads; and _italian paste_ appears in small letters, and various fanciful shapes. macaroni is generally known as a rather luxurious dish among the wealthy; but it should become one of the chief foods of the people, for it contains more gluten, or the nutritious portion of wheat, than bread. . =macaroni with béchamel sauce.=--heat three quarts of water, containing three tablespoonfuls of salt, to the boiling point; boil half a pound of _macaroni_ in it until it is tender enough to pierce easily with the finger nail; then drain it in a colander, and wash it well in cold water; while it is boiling make a _béchamel_, or white sauce, as in receipt no. : put just enough of it with the _macaroni_ to moisten it, heat it thoroughly; shake it up well with two forks to make the cheese fibrous, put it on a hot dish, sprinkle with half an ounce of grated parmesan cheese, and serve it hot. . =béchamel sauce, with parmesan cheese.=--stir together over the fire two ounces of butter, and two ounces of flour, until they are perfectly blended, boiling one pint of milk meantime; when the butter and flour are smooth, pour the boiling milk into them, stir in two ounces of grated parmesan gradually and melt it thoroughly, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth; if cream is used instead of milk, and the parmesan cheese omitted, the same is called _cream béchamel_. . =macaroni milanaise style.=--have ready some tomato sauce, made according to receipt no. , or use some fresh tomatoes passed through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and highly seasoned; and two ounces of grated parmesan cheese; put half a pound of imported italian _macaroni_ in three quarts of boiling water, with two tablespoonfuls of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper in coarse pieces, called _mignonette_ pepper, and a teaspoonful of butter; boil rapidly for about twenty minutes, or until you can easily pierce it with the finger nail, then drain it in a colander, run plenty of cold water from the faucet through it, and lay it in a pan of cold water until you are ready to use it. put into a sauce-pan one gill of tomato sauce, one ounce of butter, and one gill of spanish sauce, or any rich meat gravy free from fat, and stir until they are smoothly blended: put a half inch layer of _macaroni_ on the bottom of a dish, moisten it with four tablespoonfuls of the sauce, sprinkle over it half an ounce of the grated cheese; make three other layers like this, using all the _macaroni_, cheese, and sauce, and brown the _macaroni_ in a hot oven for about five minutes; serve it hot. . =macaroni with tomato sauce.=--boil half a pound of _spaghetti_ or _macaroni_ as directed in receipt no. , and lay it in cold water. make a tomato sauce as follows, and dress the _macaroni_ with it, using only enough to moisten it, and sprinkling the top with half an ounce of grated cheese; serve it hot. . =tomato sauce.=--boil together, for one hour, half a can of tomatoes, or six large, fresh ones, one gill of broth of any kind, one sprig of thyme, one sprig of parsley, three whole cloves, three peppercorns, and half an ounce of onion sliced; rub them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and set the sauce to keep hot; mix together over the fire one ounce of butter, and half an ounce of flour, and when smooth, incorporate with the tomato sauce. . =timbale of macaroni.= (_a sweet dish._)--boil half a pound of _macaroni_ of the largest size, in boiling water and salt for fifteen minutes; drain it in a colander, wash it well, lay by one quarter of it, and put the rest into a sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, one pint of milk or cream, four ounces of sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring, and a saltspoonful of salt; simmer it gently while you line a well buttered three pint plain mould with the best pieces you have reserved, coiling them regularly in the bottom and up the sides of the mould; put what you do not use among that in the sauce-pan, and as soon as it is tender fill the mould with it, and set it in a hot oven for fifteen minutes; then turn it out on a dish, dust it with powdered sugar, and serve it hot, with a pudding sauce. . =vanilla cream sauce.=--put three ounces of powdered sugar into a sauce-pan with one ounce of corn starch, and one gill of cold water; mix them smooth off the fire; then put the sauce-pan on the fire and pour in half a pint of boiling milk, stirring smooth with an egg-whip for about ten minutes, when the sauce will be thoroughly cooked; flavor it with one teaspoonful of vanilla, and serve with pudding at once. chapter vi. large roasts. since roast or rather baked meats so often play the chief part in american dinners, a few directions will be useful in connection with their cooking. the object in cooking meat is to prepare it for easy mastication and complete digestion; and it should be accomplished with the least possible waste of the valuable juices of the meat. the roasting of meat before the fire is not often possible in ordinary kitchens, but with a well managed oven the same result can be attained. if meat is placed before a slow fire, or in a cool oven, the little heat that reaches it serves only to draw out its juices, and with them its nutritious elements. the albumen of its cut surfaces coagulates at the temperature of a bright, clear fire, or a hot oven, and thus seals up the juices so that only a part of them escape, and those are collected in the form of a rich brown, highly flavored crust, upon the surface of well roasted meat. a good temperature for baking meat is from ° to ° fahr. if the meat is put into a very hot oven for a few moments to harden the outside, the heat can subsequently be moderated, and the cooking finished more slowly, so that the meat will be sufficiently well done, but not burned. meats should be roasted about twenty minutes to a pound, to be moderately well done; the fire should be clear, and steady, in order that an equal heat may reach the joint and keep its interior steam at the proper degree of heat; after the right length of time has elapsed, care being taken meantime that the meat does not burn, it may be tested by pressing it with the fingers; if it is rare it will spring back when the pressure is removed; if it is moderately well done the resistance to pressure will be very slight; and if it is thoroughly cooked it will remain heavy under the fingers; never test it by cutting into it with a knife, or puncturing it with a fork, for in this way you waste the rich juices. if you wish to froth roast meat, dredge a little flour over its surface, and brown it a few moments before serving it. if it is to be glazed, brush it with clear stock concentrated to a paste by rapid boiling, or dust a little powdered sugar over it, and in both cases return it to the oven to set the glaze. . =roast beef with yorkshire pudding.=--have three ribs of prime beef prepared by the butcher for roasting, all the bones being taken out if it is desirable to carve a clean slice off the top; secure it in place with stout twine; do not use skewers, as the unnecessary holes they make permit the meat-juices to escape; lay it in the dripping pan on a bed of the following vegetables, cut in small pieces; one small onion, half a carrot, half a turnip, three sprigs of parsley, one sprig of thyme, and three bay leaves; _do not put any water in the dripping pan_; its temperature can not rise to a degree equal in heat to that of the fat outside of the beef, and can not assist in its cooking, but serves only to lower the temperature of the meat, where it touches it, and consequently to soften the surface and extract the juices; _do not season it until the surface is partly carbonized by the heat_, as salt applied to the cut fibre draws out their juices. if you use a roasting oven before the fire, the meat should be similarly prepared by tying in place, and it should be put on the spit carefully; sufficient drippings for basting will flow from it, and it should be seasoned when half done; when entirely done, which will be in fifteen minutes to each pound of meat, the joint should be kept hot until served, but should be served as soon as possible to be good. when gravy is made, half a pint of hot water should be added to the dripping pan, after the vegetables have been removed, and the gravy should be boiled briskly for a few minutes, until it is thick enough, and seasoned to suit the palate of the family; some persons thicken it with a teaspoonful of flour, which should be mixed with two tablespoonfuls of cold water before it is stirred into the gravy. . =yorkshire pudding.=--put seven ounces of flour into a bowl with one teaspoonful of salt; mix it smoothly with enough milk, say half a pint, to make a smooth, stiff batter; then gradually add enough more milk to amount in all to one pint and a half, and three eggs well beaten; mix it thoroughly with an egg-whip, pour it into a well buttered baking pan, bake it in the oven one hour and a half, if it is to be served with baked beef; or if it is to accompany beef roasted before the fire, one hour in the oven, and then half an hour under the meat on the spit, to catch the gravy which flows from the joint. to serve it cut it into pieces two or three inches square before taking it from the pan, and send it to the table on a hot dish covered with a napkin, with the roast beef. . =roast loin of veal.=--take out the chine, or back-bone, from a loin of veal weighing about six pounds, being careful to leave the piece of meat as whole as possible; chop up the bones and put them in a dripping pan with two ounces of carrot, one ounce of turnip, and quarter of an ounce of parsley; stuff the veal with a forcemeat made as in receipt no. , roll it up neatly, tie it firmly with stout cord, lay it on the vegetables in the pan, and roast it one hour and a half. when done take it from the pan, and keep it hot while you prepare the gravy by putting half a pint of hot water in the pan, boiling it up once, and straining it; or if desirable thicken it with a teaspoonful of flour smoothly dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of cold water and stirred with the gravy. . =stuffing for veal.=--cut two ounces of salt pork in quarter inch dice, and fry it brown in half an ounce of butter, with one ounce of chopped onion; while these ingredients are frying, soak eight ounces of stale bread in tepid water, and then wring it dry in a napkin; add it to the onion when it is brown, with one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, half a saltspoonful of powdered thyme, and the same quantity of dried and powdered celery, and white pepper, and one teaspoonful of salt; mix all these over the fire until they are scalding hot, and cleave from the pan; then stir in one raw egg, and use it with the veal. . =roast lamb with mint sauce.=--choose a plump, fat fore-quarter of lamb, which is quite as finely flavored and less expensive than the hind-quarter; secure it in shape with stout cord, lay it in a dripping pan with one sprig of parsley, three sprigs of mint, and one ounce of carrot sliced; put it into a quick oven, and roast it fifteen minutes to each pound; when half done season it with salt and pepper, and baste it occasionally with the drippings flowing from it. when done serve it with a gravy-boat full of mint sauce. . =mint sauce cold.=--melt four ounces of brown sugar in a sauce boat with half a pint of vinegar, add three tablespoonfuls of chopped mint, and serve cold with roast lamb. . =hot mint sauce.=--put one pint of vinegar into a sauce-pan with four ounces of white sugar, and reduce by rapid boiling to half a pint, stirring to prevent burning; add a gill of cold water, and boil for five minutes; then add three tablespoonfuls of chopped mint, and serve with lamb. . =roast pork with apple sauce.=--neatly trim a loin of fresh pork weighing about six pounds; put it into a dripping pan on three bay leaves, quarter of an ounce of parsley, one ounce of onion, and the same quantity of carrot sliced, and roast it about twenty minutes to each pound; when half done, season it with salt and pepper; when brown, serve it with a border of parisian potatoes, prepared according to receipt no. , and send it to the table with a bowl of apple sauce. . =apple sauce.=--pare and slice one quart of good tart apples; put them into a sauce-pan with half a pint of cold water; stir them often enough to prevent burning, and simmer them until tender, about twenty minutes will be long enough; then rub them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, add a saltspoonful of powdered cloves, and four ounces of sugar, or less according to the taste; serve in a bowl, with the roast pork. . =roast turkey with cranberry sauce.=--choose a fat tender turkey weighing about six or seven pounds; pluck it, carefully remove the pin-feathers, singe the bird over the flame of an alcohol lamp, or a few drops of alcohol poured on a plate and lighted; wipe it with a damp towel and see that it is properly drawn by slitting the skin at the back of the neck, and taking out the crop without tearing the skin of the breast; loosen the heart, liver, and lungs, by introducing the fore-finger at the neck, and then draw them, with the entrails, from the vent. unless you have broken the gall, or the entrails, in drawing the bird _do not wash it_, for this greatly impairs the flavor, and partly destroys the nourishing qualities of the flesh. twist the tips of the wings back under the shoulders, stuff the bird with forcemeat made according to receipt no. ; bend the legs as far up toward the breast as possible, secure the thigh bones in that position by a trussing cord or skewer; then bring the legs down, and fasten them close to the vent. pound the breast bone down, first laying a towel over it. lay a thin slice of salt pork over the breast to baste it until sufficient drippings run from the bird; baste it frequently, browning it on all sides by turning it about in the pan; use a clean towel to turn it with, _but do not run a fork into it or you will waste its juices_: when it is half done season it with two teaspoonfuls of salt and one saltspoonful of powdered herbs, made according to directions in chapter first; when it has cooked about twenty minutes to each pound, dish it, and keep it hot while you make a gravy by adding half a pint of water to the drippings in the pan, first taking off a little of the superfluous fat, and thickening it if desired with a teaspoonful of flour mixed with two tablespoonfuls of cold water; serve the turkey hot with a gravy-boat full of gravy and a dish of cranberry sauce made according to receipt no. . the same directions for drawing, trussing, and roasting will apply to other poultry and game. . =forcemeat for roast poultry.=--steep eight ounces of stale bread in tepid water for five minutes, and wring it dry in a clean towel; meantime chop fine four ounces each of fresh veal and pork, or use instead, eight ounces of good sausage meat; grate eight ounces of good rather dry cheese; fry one ounce of onion in one ounce of butter to a light yellow color; add the bread, meat, and cheese, season with a saltspoonful of powdered herbs, made according to directions in chapter first, a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and two whole eggs; mix well and use. . =cranberry sauce.=--carefully pick and wash one quart of cranberries; put them over the fire in a sauce-pan with half a pint of cold water; bring them to a boil, and boil them gently for fifteen minutes, stirring them occasionally to prevent burning; then add four ounces of white sugar, and boil them slowly until they are soft enough to pass through a sieve with a wooden spoon; the sauce is then ready to serve. . =roast chicken with duchesse potatoes.=--prepare and roast a pair of chickens as directed in receipt no. ; or for the stuffing named in that receipt substitute no. ; meantime boil one quart of potatoes, for mashing, and make twelve heart-shaped _croutons_ or pieces of bread fried in hot fat: lay the duchesse potatoes around the chickens when it is dished, and the _croutons_ in an outer circle, with the points outward. . =duchesse potatoes.=--mash one quart of hot boiled potatoes through a fine colander with the potato masher; mix with them one ounce of butter, one level teaspoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of white pepper, quarter of a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, and the yolks of two raw eggs; pour the potato out on a plate, and then form it with a knife into small cakes, two inches long and one inch wide; lay them on a buttered tin, brush them over the top with an egg beaten up with a teaspoonful of cold water, and color them golden brown in a moderate oven. . =roast duck with watercresses.=--prepare and roast a pair of ducks as directed in receipt no. , and serve them with a border of a few watercresses, and a salad bowl containing the rest of a quart, prepared as in receipt no. . . =romaine sauce for watercresses.=--grate half an ounce of onion, and use two tablespoonfuls of vinegar to wash it off the grater; to these add a saltspoonful of sugar, a tablespoonful of lemon juice, three tablespoonfuls of olive oil, six capers chopped fine, as much cayenne as can be taken up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, a level saltspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; mix well, and use for dressing watercresses, or any other green salad. a few cold boiled potatoes sliced and mixed with this dressing, and a head of lettuce, makes a very nice potato salad. . =roast goose with onion sauce.=--prepare a goose as directed in receipt no. ; stuff it with onion stuffing made according to receipt no. ; serve it with a gravy boat full of onion sauce made according to receipt no. . . =sage and onion stuffing.=--pare six ounces of onion, and bring them to a boil in three different waters; soak eight ounces of stale bread in tepid water, and wring it dry in a towel; scald ten sage leaves; when the onions are tender, which will be in about half an hour, chop them with the sage leaves, add them to the bread, with one ounce of butter, the yolks of two raw eggs, one level teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper; mix and use. . =onion sauce.=--prepare six ounces of onions as in receipt no. ; chop them fine, pass them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and put them into half a pint of boiling milk, with one ounce of butter, one saltspoonful of salt, and one quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper. . =roast wild duck.=--prepare a pair of ducks as directed in receipt no. ; do not stuff them, but tie over the breasts slices of pork or bacon; roast fifteen minutes to the pound; serve with gravy in a boat and quarters of lemon on the same dish. . =roast partridge.=--prepare a pair of partridges as in receipt no. , but do not stuff them; tie over the breasts slices of pork or bacon, and roast about twenty-five minutes; serve with bread sauce. . =bread sauce.=--peel and slice an onion weighing full an ounce, simmer it half an hour in one pint of milk, strain it, and to the milk add two ounces of stale bread, broken in small pieces, one ounce of butter, one saltspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of nutmeg and pepper mixed; strain, passing through a sieve with a spoon, and serve hot. chapter vii. boiled dishes. boiling is the most economical way of cooking, if properly done; there are several important points to be considered in this connection. we have already said that the best method of cooking meat is that which preserves all its nourishing juices; if in addition to this we can prepare it in such a way as to present a large available surface to the action of the digestive juices, we would seem to have reached culinary perfection. judicious boiling accomplishes this: and we cannot do better than to follow liebig's plan to first plunge the meat into boiling water, and boil it five minutes to coagulate the albumen to a sufficient depth to form a crust upon the surface, and thus confine the juices, and then add enough cold water to reduce the temperature to ° fahr., if the meat is to be rare, or to ° fahr., if it is to be well done; and to maintain this gentle heat until the meat is tender. there is comparatively little waste in boiling, from the fact that fat melts less quickly than in broiling or roasting, and the covering of the pot retards evaporation, while the water absorbed by the meat adds to its bulk to a certain extent without detracting from its quality. a strainer or plate should be placed in the bottom of the pot to prevent burning; the pot should be skimmed clear as soon as it boils, and the subsequent simmering should be gentle and steady; there should always be sufficient water to cover the meat in order to keep it plump. less body of heat is required to boil in copper or iron pots, than in those made of tin, especially if the latter have polished surfaces which throw off the heat. the pot-liquor from boiled meat should always be strained into an earthen jar and left to cool; the fat can then be taken off for kitchen use, and the liquor utilized as the basis for some kind of soup. . =leg of mutton with caper sauce.=--put a leg of mutton, weighing about six pounds, on the fire in enough boiling hot water to cover it; boil it for five minutes, skimming it as often as any scum rises, then pour in enough cold water to reduce the heat to about ° fahr., season with a tablespoonful of salt, and simmer the meat at that heat until it is tender, allowing about twenty minutes cooking to each pound of meat; if turnips are to be served with it as a garnish, choose them of equal size, pare them smoothly, and boil them with the mutton; if the vegetables are cooked first take them up without breaking, and set them back off the fire, in a little of the mutton stock, to keep hot. just before dishing the meat, make a caper sauce, as directed in receipt no. ; serve the mutton on a hot dish, with the turnips laid around it, and send the sauce in a gravy-boat to the table with it. . =caper sauce.=--put one ounce of butter and one ounce of flour in a sauce-pan over the fire, and stir until smoothly melted; gradually pour in half a pint of boiling water, season with one teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and stir until the sauce coats the spoon when you lift it out; take it from the fire, and stir in two ounces of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of small capers, and serve at once. _do not permit the sauce to boil after you have added the butter, as it may turn rancid._ . =boiled ham with madeira sauce.=--choose a ham by running a thin bladed knife close to the bone, and if the odor which follows the cut is sweet the ham is good; soak it in cold water for twenty-four hours, changing the water once; scrape it well, and trim off any ragged parts; put it in enough cold water to cover it, with an onion weighing about one ounce, stuck with six cloves, and a bouquet made according to directions in chapter first, and boil it four hours. take it from the fire and let it cool in the pot-liquor. then take it up carefully, remove the skin, dust it with sifted bread or cracker crumbs, and brown it in the oven. serve it either hot or cold; if hot send it to the table with a gravy boat full of madeira sauce. . =madeira sauce.=--put over the fire in a thick sauce-pan one pint of spanish sauce made according to receipt no. , or the same quantity of any rich brown gravy, season with salt and pepper to taste; the seasoning must depend on the flavor of the gravy; when scalding hot add half a pint of madeira wine, and stir till the sauce is thick enough to coat the spoon; then strain through a fine sieve, and serve hot. . =beef á la mode jardiniere.=--daube a seven pound piece of round of beef, by inserting, with the grain, pieces of larding pork, cut as long as the meat is thick, and about half an inch square, setting the strips of pork about two inches apart; this can be done either with a large larding needle, called a _sonde_, or by first making a hole with the carving-knife steel, and then thrusting the pork in with the fingers; lay the beef in a deep bowl containing the _marinade_, or pickle, given in receipt no. , and let it stand from two to ten days in a cool place, turning it over every day. then put it into a deep pot just large enough to hold it, together with the _marinade_, and turn it occasionally over the fire until it is nicely browned; cover it with hot stock or water, and simmer it gently four hours. when it has been cooking three hours cut about four ounces each of carrots and turnips in the shape of olives; pare two dozen button onions; and cut one pint of string beans in pieces one inch long; put all these vegetables on the fire in cold water, in separate vessels, each containing a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of sugar, and let them boil till tender; then lay them in cold water to keep them white, until ready to use them. when the meat is tender, take it up, and keep it warm; strain the sauce in which it has cooked, and stir it over the fire until it is thick enough to coat the spoon; drain the vegetables, and let them scald up in the sauce, and pour all over the beef. . =marinade.=--cut in slices, four ounces each of carrot and onion, two ounces of turnip, and one ounce of leeks; chop a quarter of an ounce each of parsley and celery, if in season; slice one lemon; add to these one level tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, six cloves, four allspice, one inch of stick cinnamon, two blades of mace, one gill of oil and one of vinegar, half a pint of red wine, and one pint of water. mix all these ingredients thoroughly, and use the _marinade_ for beef, game, or poultry, always keeping it in a cool place. . =boiled fowl with oyster sauce.=--prepare a pair of fowls in accordance with receipt no. , but do not stuff them; put them into boiling water enough to cover them, with a level tablespoonful of salt to each quart of water; skim until clear, and boil slowly until tender, about fifteen minutes to a pound; when nearly done, make an oyster sauce, as directed in receipt no. , and serve it on the same dish with the fowls, sprinkling them with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. . =oyster sauce.=--blanch one quart of oysters by bringing them to a boil in their own liquor; drain them, saving the liquor; wash them in cold water, and set them away from the fire until you are ready to use them; stir one ounce of butter and one ounce of flour together over the fire until they form a smooth paste, strain into them enough of the oyster liquor and that the chicken was boiled in to make a sauce as thick as melted butter; season with a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, and the same of grated nutmeg; put in the oysters, and serve. chapter viii. salads and salad sauces. "the very herbs of the field yield nourishment, and bread and water make a feast for a temperate man," says plato; and indeed the healthfulness of fresh vegetables is well enough known in our day; we include under this term not only the edible roots, but the young shoots of succulent plants, rich in nitrates and mineral salts, which play an important part in the preparation of salads. americans are beginning to realize the wealth of green food abounding in their gardens and fields, which they have too long abandoned to their beasts of burden. we are wise in letting the ox eat grass for us, but with the grass he too often consumes tender herbs which might find a place on our own tables, to the advantage of appetite and digestion. dandelion, corn-salad, chicory, mint, sorrel, fennel, marshmallows, tarragon, chives, mustard, and cresses, and their numerous kind, grow wild, or can be cultivated with but little trouble; and should find their way to favor in every family, for with the oil and vinegar employed in dressing them, they promote digestion, and purify the system; while the condiments used with them are of decided medicinal value. there is some degree of truth in the idea that a salad-maker is born, not made, and yet with due care and delicate manipulation, almost any deft-handed and neat-minded individual may become an expert salad dresser. most careful preparation of the green vegetables is imperatively necessary to the production of a good salad; they must be freshened in cool water, cleaned of all foreign matter, well drained upon a clean napkin; and, above all, torn with the fingers, and not cut with a knife. then the various ingredients should be very delicately and deliberately compounded, and withal by a quick and cunning hand, and the result will be perfection. below we give the receipts for a class of salads best adapted for general use. in the preparation of all salads only good oil should be used, as none other will produce invariably satisfactory results. the very best salads are often the result of the inspiration of the moment, when the necessity arises for substituting some ingredient near at hand for one not to be obtained, as in the case of the shad-roe salad mentioned below. the formula called for russian caviare, but russian caviare was not to be had, and a cold shad-roe was; the consequence was its substitution and the alteration of one or two other ingredients, and the result, we do not hesitate to say, was the production of one of the most delicious salads ever invented. let careful housekeepers not given to these "foreign dishes" remember that they are not only appetizing but economical. . =spring salad.=--break one pint of fresh mustard tops, and one of cresses, tear one good-sized lettuce, and chop two green onions; place all lightly in a dish, and ornament it with celery and slices of boiled beet. use it with a cream dressing. . =watercress salad.=--serve one quart of watercresses with one chopped green onion, one teaspoonful of ground horseradish, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, and two of oil, simply poured over. . =mint salad.=--wash and clean the tender tops of one quart of spearmint, lay them in a bowl with one tablespoonful of chopped chives, and dress them with brown sugar and vinegar, or _sweet sauce_. this is an excellent accompaniment for roast lamb. . =cauliflower salad.=--place in a salad bowl one underdone cauliflower, broken in branches, six small silver onions, six radishes, ornament with the hearts of two white lettuces, and one dessertspoonful each of chopped olives and capers; dress it with cream sauce, or plain oil and vinegar. . =dandelion salad.=--this salad is a favorite european dish; one pint of the plants are carefully washed and placed in a salad bowl with an equal quantity of watercresses, three green onions or leeks sliced, a teaspoonful of salt, and plenty of oil or cream dressing. this is one of the most healthful and refreshing of all early salads. . =asparagus salad.=--cut the green tops of two bunches of cold asparagus one inch long, mix them with the leaves of one lettuce, a few sprigs of mint, and a teaspoonful of powdered sugar, ornament with tufts of leaves, and serve with a mayonnaise. . =shad-roe salad.=--boil two roes, separate the grains by washing them in vinegar, place them in a salad bowl, with one head of tender lettuce and one pint of ripe tomatoes cut thin; dress them with two tablespoonfuls each of oil, lemon juice, and strained tomato pulp, seasoned with cayenne pepper. . =green pea salad.=--place one pint of cold boiled peas in a bowl with one tablespoonful of powdered sugar; pour over them two tablespoonfuls of oil and one of vinegar, and garnish with two cucumbers delicately sliced. this salad is excellent with a mayonnaise. . =orange salad.=--divest four under-ripe oranges of all rind and pith, slice them into a dish, season with a little cayenne pepper, add the rind of one minced, the juice of one lemon and a tablespoonful of oil if desired; decorate with tarragon tops. . =spinach salad.=--place one pint of lettuce leaves, and one pint of tender spinach tops in a bowl with a few fresh mint leaves, dress them with oil and vinegar plain, and decorate them with sliced hard boiled eggs. a ravigote sauce is excellent with this salad. . =tomato salad.=--slice one quart of ripe tomatoes, sprinkle with cayenne pepper, garnish with chervil or fennel, and dress with oil or lemon juice three tablespoonfuls of each. . =nasturtium salad.=--tear two white lettuces into the salad bowl, sprinkle over them one tablespoonful of pickled nasturtiums, or capers, dress with simple oil and vinegar, and garnish with fresh nasturtium blossoms. in mixing salad dressings, first, carefully stir together all the ingredients except the oil and vinegar, and add these gradually and alternately a few drops at a time. . =cream dressing.=--where oil is disliked in salads the following dressing will be found excellent. rub the yolks of two hard boiled eggs very fine with a spoon, incorporate with them a dessertspoonful of mixed mustard, then stir in a tablespoonful of melted butter, half a teacupful of thick cream, a saltspoonful of salt, and cayenne pepper enough to take up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, and a few drops of anchovy or worcestershire sauce; add very carefully sufficient vinegar to reduce the mixture to a smooth creamy consistency; and pour it upon lettuce carefully prepared for the table. . =english salad sauce.=--break the yolk of one hard boiled egg with a silver fork, add to it a saltspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of dry mustard, a mashed mealy potato, two dessertspoonfuls each of cream and oil, and one tablespoonful of vinegar; mix until smooth and firm. . =remolade.=--beat a fresh raw egg, add to it a teaspoonful of mixed mustard, and three tablespoonfuls of oil; when smooth add just enough vinegar to change the color slightly. . =sweet sauce.=--mix well two tablespoonfuls of oil, the raw yolk of one egg, a saltspoonful of salt, a half that quantity of pepper, one tablespoonful of vinegar, and a dessertspoonful of moist sugar. . =piquante salad sauce.=--mix together the yolks of two hard boiled and two raw eggs; add one tablespoonful each of cream and oil; and, when smooth, enough chili or tarragon vinegar to season sharply, about two tablespoonfuls. . =green remolade.=--one dessertspoonful each of chopped tarragon, chives, and sorrel, pounded in a mortar; add a saltspoonful of salt, half that quantity of mignonette pepper, one tablespoonful of mixed mustard, a gill of oil, and the raw yolks of three eggs; when pounded quite smooth, dilute it with a little vinegar, and strain it through a sieve. . =oil sauce.=--pound in a mortar one shallot or two button onions, the yolks of two hard boiled eggs, a saltspoonful of herbs, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and enough oil to thicken it, about one gill. . =ravigote sauce.=--clean and chop a few salad herbs, put one teaspoonful of each into a small pan with a tablespoonful of meat jelly or thick stock, and a little pepper and salt; stir till the jelly is hot, and then add one tablespoonful of vinegar, and two of good oil; when thoroughly mixed set the sauce-pan into a cool place, or pour out the mixture on a dish until it is wanted for use. . =egg dressing.=--chop the yolks and whites of two hard boiled eggs separately, but not fine; strew them upon any salad after having dressed it with two tablespoonfuls of cream, and one of white vinegar. . =anchovy salad sauce.=--mix until smooth two raw eggs, one teaspoonful of the essence of anchovy, one tablespoonful of vinegar, and two of oil. . =swiss dressing.=--pound two ounces of old cheese in a mortar, add one tablespoonful of vinegar, a little salt and pepper, and dilute to the consistency of cream with oil. . =spring dressing.=--beat the yolks of two raw eggs, add a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of dry mustard, chop one leek or two new onions, and mix them in, then add three tablespoonfuls of oil and one of vinegar and mix thoroughly; tear up two heads of lettuce, putting thin slices of boiled beets upon it, and pour the dressing over all. . =mayonnaise.=--place in the bottom of a salad bowl the yolk of one raw egg, a level teaspoonful of salt, the same quantity of dry mustard, a saltspoonful of white pepper, as much cayenne as can be taken up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, and the juice of half a lemon; mix these ingredients with a wooden salad spoon until they assume a creamy white appearance; then add, drop by drop, three gills of salad oil, stirring the _mayonnaise_ constantly; if it thickens too rapidly, thin it with a little of the juice from the second half of the lemon, until all is used; and towards the finish add gradually four tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. keep it cool until wanted for use. . =hot salad sauce.=--this sauce when cold is an excellent and economical substitute for the more expensive _mayonnaise_. part .--put one ounce each of butter and flour into a sauce-pan over the fire, and stir until it is melted, add gradually half a pint of boiling water, season with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper, stir till smooth, and set a little away from the fire, while you make the following sauce. part .--put the yolk of one raw egg in a salad bowl, add a quarter of a saltspoonful of salt, half that quantity of grated nutmeg, as much cayenne as you can take up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade; mix these ingredients with a wooden salad spoon thoroughly, and then add, a few drops at a time and alternately, three tablespoonfuls of oil, and one of vinegar. pour the preparation marked _part _, into this, gradually stirring until the sauces are thoroughly mixed; cool and use. this sauce will keep for weeks in a cool place. . =romaine salad dressing.=--grate half an ounce of onion, mix it with a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a saltspoonful each of salt and powdered sugar, a level saltspoonful each of white pepper, and dry mustard, then gradually add three tablespoonfuls of oil, and one of vinegar. use for lettuce or tomato salad. chapter ix. vegetables. soft water is the best for boiling all vegetables. fresh vegetables boil in one-third less time than stale ones. green vegetables should be put into plenty of boiling water and salt, and boiled rapidly, without covering, only until tender enough to pierce with the finger nail; a bit of common washing soda, or of carbonate of ammonia, as large as a dried pea, put into the boiling water with any of the vegetables except beans, counteracts any excess of mineral elements in them, and helps to preserve their color. a lump of loaf sugar boiled with turnips neutralizes their excessive bitterness. cabbage, potatoes, carrots, turnips, parsnips, onions, and beets, are injured by being boiled with fresh meat, and they also hurt the color of the meat, and impair its tenderness and flavor. when vegetables are cooked for use with salt meat, the meat should first be cooked and taken from the pot liquor, and the vegetables boiled in the latter. the following table will be a guide in boiling vegetables, but it must be remembered that the youngest and freshest boil in the least time; and that in winter all the roots except potatoes require nearly double the time to cook, that they would take in summer, when they are new; spinach, ten to fifteen minutes; brussels sprouts, peas, cauliflowers, and asparagus, fifteen to twenty minutes; potatoes, cabbage, corn, and string-beans, twenty to thirty minutes; turnips, onions, and squash, twenty to forty minutes; beets, carrots, and parsnips, about one hour. . =asparagus with melted butter.=--trim the white tough ends from two bunches of asparagus, tie it in packages of about a dozen stalks each; put them into three quarts of boiling water, with three tablespoonfuls of salt, and boil them gently until done, about twenty minutes; meantime make some drawn butter according to receipt for caper sauce, omitting the capers; fit two slices of toast to the bottom of the dish you intend to use, dip it for one instant in the water in which the asparagus has been boiled, lay it on the dish, and arrange the asparagus in a ring on it with the heads in the centre; send the butter to the table in a gravy boat, with the dish of asparagus. . =green peas.=--boil two quarts of freshly shelled peas in two quarts of boiling water with half an ounce of butter, one bunch of green mint, and one teaspoonful each of sugar and salt, until they begin to sink to the bottom of the sauce-pan: drain them in a colander, season them with a saltspoonful of salt, and a quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, and send them to the table hot. . =string beans.=--these beans are generally marketed while they are unripe, and cooked in the shell; in that condition two quarts of them should be stringed, split in halves, cut in pieces two inches long, and thrown into boiling water with a tablespoonful of salt, _but no soda or ammonia should be added, as its action discolors them_; a few sprigs of parsley and an ounce of pork can be boiled with them to their improvement; when they are tender, which will be in about half an hour, they should be drained, and served with melted butter, made as for caper sauce, but without the capers. . =baked beets.=--clean eight smooth beets with a soft cloth or brush; bake them in a moderate oven about one hour; rub off the skin, baste them with butter and lemon juice, return them to the oven for five minutes, and serve them hot. . =brussels sprouts.=--trim two quarts of brussels sprouts, wash them thoroughly, put them in three quarts of boiling water with two tablespoonfuls of salt, and boil them gently until tender, about fifteen minutes, shaking the sauce-pan occasionally; then drain them in a colander, being careful not to break them; put them again into the sauce-pan with one ounce of butter, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a saltspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper; toss them gently over the fire, while you make some rounds of buttered toast for the bottom of a platter; when this is ready shake the brussels sprouts upon it, and serve hot. some persons like the addition of two ounces of grated parmesan cheese; and others serve them with the _béchamel_ sauce named in receipt no. . . =stuffed cabbage.=--cut the leaves of a large white cabbage as whole as possible, cut out the stalks, wash the leaves well, and boil them _only until tender_, in three quarts of boiling water and salt, with a piece of soda as large as a dried pea; have ready some sausage meat highly seasoned, and as soon as the cabbage is tender carefully drain it in a colander, run cold water from the faucet over it, and, without tearing the leaves, lay them open on the table, two or three upon each other, making eight or ten piles. divide the sausage meat, and lay a portion in the centre of each, fold the cabbage over it in a compact roll and tie it in place with cord; lay the rolls on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, put over each a tablespoonful of any rich brown gravy and brown a little in a quick oven; serve at once, on small rounds of toast. . =red cabbage.=--cut a firm head of red cabbage in shreds, lay it in a sauce-pan with the following ingredients; one gill of vinegar, one teaspoonful each of ground cloves and salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, two ounces of butter, and two ounces of sugar; stew it gently until tender, about one hour, shaking the pan to prevent burning, and serve it hot. . =baked cauliflower.=--thoroughly wash a large cauliflower, boil it in plenty of boiling water and salt, until tender, about twenty minutes; drain it whole; pour over it one gill of _béchamel_ sauce, made as in receipt no. , dust it thickly with cracker dust, or bread crumbs, and parmesan cheese, mixed in equal proportions, and brown it ten minutes in a quick oven. . =baked turnips.=--pare six large yellow turnips, slice them, and boil them till tender in plenty of salted water; drain them, put them on a flat dish in layers, pour over them half a pint of _béchamel_ sauce, dust them thickly with crumbs and grated parmesan cheese; brown them in a quick oven, and serve hot. . =glazed onions.=--pare three dozen button onions, put them on a tin dish, pour over them a very little spanish sauce or brown gravy, just enough to moisten them, season them with a teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; brown them in a quick oven, shaking them occasionally to color them equally; serve hot. . =mushroom pudding.=--cleanse a quart of fresh mushrooms, cut them in small pieces, mix them with half a pound of minced ham or bacon, season them with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper; spread them on a roly-poly crust made by mixing one pound of flour, half a pound of shortening, and a teaspoonful of salt, with about one pint of water: roll up the crust, tie it tightly in a floured cloth, and boil it about two hours in boiling stock, or salted water; serve hot with bread, or vegetables. . =boiled potatoes.=--potatoes should be prepared for boiling by first carefully washing them, removing the deep eyes or defective parts, and then paring off one ring all around the potato; place them in cold water with a little salt; when cooked, which will be in from twenty to thirty minutes, pour off all the water, cover them with a clean, coarse towel, _leaving off the lid of the pot_, and set them on a hot brick on the back of the fire to steam. potatoes treated in this way can be kept fresh, hot and mealy for hours. medium-sized and smooth potatoes are the most economical to use, and the kind should be selected in reference to the season. . =lyonnaise potatoes.=--chop two ounces of onion, and fry it pale yellow in two ounces of butter; meantime peel boiled potatoes, either hot or cold, cut them in slices, put them into the pan containing the onion and butter, season them with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, fry them pale brown, shaking the pan to prevent burning, and tossing it to brown them evenly; sprinkle with two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, and serve at once. . =stuffed potatoes.=--wash twelve large potatoes with a brush; bake them _only until they begin to soften_; not more than half an hour; cut off one end, scoop out the inside with a teaspoon into a sauce-pan containing two ounces of butter, one saltspoonful of white pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, and two ounces of grated parmesan cheese; stir all these ingredients over the fire until they are scalding hot; then fill the potato skins with the mixture, put on the ends, press the potatoes gently in shape, heat them in the oven, and serve them on a hot dish covered with a napkin, the potatoes being laid on the napkin. _observe never to cover a baked potato unless you want it to be heavy and moist._ . =potato snow.=--peel a quart of white potatoes, and boil them as directed in receipt no. ; drain them thoroughly, put them in a sieve over the dish in which they are to be served, and rub them through it with a potato masher, or a wooden spoon; do not stir them after they are put into the dish, and serve them hot. . =bermuda or new potatoes.=--wash a quart of new potatoes thoroughly, put them into plenty of boiling water and salt, and boil them until tender enough to pierce easily with a fork; drain off the water, cover them with a towel, let them steam five minutes, and serve them in their jackets. . =broiled potatoes.=--boil a quart of even sized potatoes until tender, but do not let them grow mealy; drain off the water, peel the potatoes, cut them in half inch slices, dip them in melted butter, and broil them over a moderate fire; serve hot, with a little butter melted. . =saratoga potatoes.=--peel a quart of potatoes, cut them in very thin slices, and lay them in cold water and salt for an hour or more; then dry them on a towel, throw them into a deep kettle of smoking hot fat, and fry them light brown; take them out of the fat with a skimmer into a colander, scatter over them a teaspoonful of salt, shake them well about, and turn them on a platter to serve. . =broiled tomatoes.=--wipe half a dozen large red tomatoes, cut them in half inch slices, dip them in melted butter, season them with salt and pepper, dip them in cracker crumbs, and broil them on an oiled gridiron over a moderate fire, being very careful not to break the slices in turning them. serve them with chops for breakfast. . =stuffed tomatoes.=--cut off the tops from eight or ten large smooth round tomatoes; scoop out the inside, and put it into a sauce-pan with quarter of a pound of scraps of ham, bacon or tongue minced fine, a saltspoonful of salt, two ounces of butter, half an ounce of chopped parsley, and four ounces of grated cheese and bread crumbs mixed; stir these ingredients over the fire until they are scalding hot, fill the tomato skins with this forcemeat, fit them neatly together, dust them with sifted bread crumbs, put over each a very little sweet oil to prevent burning, brown them in a quick oven, and serve them on a hot dish with their own gravy turned over them. . =saratoga onions.=--slice half a dozen delicately flavored onions in small strips; drop them into plenty of smoking hot fat, fry them pale brown, and drain them for a moment in a colander. serve hot for breakfast or lunch. . =fried beans.=--fry two ounces of chopped onions in one ounce of butter until golden brown; put into them about a quart of cold boiled white beans, season them with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, moisten them with half a pint of any brown gravy, and serve them hot. . =ham and beans.=--put into a sauce-pan two ounces of butter, half a saltspoonful each of salt and pepper, one quart of cold beans, and quarter of a pound of ham chopped fine; moisten these ingredients with a little gravy of any kind, heat them thoroughly, and serve at once. . =kolcannon.=--mince an ounce of onion, fry it pale yellow in one ounce of butter, add to it equal parts of cold boiled potatoes and cabbage, season with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, and fry for fifteen minutes; serve hot for breakfast or lunch. . =carrot stew.=--clean, boil, and quarter three large carrots; cut the pieces in two; simmer them gently in milk enough to cover them, season with a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper; when they are quite tender take them off the fire long enough to stir in the raw yolk of an egg, return them to the fire two minutes to cook the egg, and serve them hot at once. . =baked mushrooms.=--clean a quart of medium sized mushrooms, trim off the roots, dip them first in some _maître d'hotel_ butter made of equal parts of chopped parsley, lemon juice, and sweet butter, then roll them in cracker or bread crumbs, lay them on a dish, and just brown them in a quick oven. . =stuffed lettuce.=--choose four round firm heads of lettuce, first bring them to a boil in hot water and salt, drain them carefully, cut out the stalk end, fill the inside of the head with minced veal or chicken highly seasoned, lay them on a baking pan, put a tablespoonful of some brown gravy over each, and then bake in a moderate oven about fifteen minutes. . =stewed parsnips.=--wash eight parsnips, carefully cut each in four pieces, boil them in plenty of water, until tender, from twenty minutes to an hour, according to the season; then drain off the water, make a layer of quarter of a pound of salt pork on the bottom of the pot, put the parsnips in again, and fry them until brown; serve the pork with them on a platter. chapter x. cheap dishes without meat. "bread is the staff of life;" in all ages and countries farinaceous foods have formed the bulk of man's sustenance; under this general term we include macaroni, which contains more gluten than bread and consequently is more nourishing, the different wheat flours, oat and barley meal, pearl barley, peas, beans, and lentils; the latter are the nearest article to meat in point of nourishment, containing heat-food in quantity nearly equal to wheat, and twice as much flesh food. lentils have been used for food in older countries from time immemorial, and it is quite time that we should become acquainted with their merits; a lentil soup is given in the second chapter, and in this we append some excellent directions for cooking this invaluable food. one quart of lentils when cooked will make four pounds of hearty food. there are two varieties in market; the small flat brown seed, called lentils _à la reine_; and a larger kind, about the size of peas, and of a greenish color; both sorts are equally well flavored and nutritious. there is no reason why, with judicious seasoning, the "dinner of herbs" should lack the gustatory enjoyment which is popularly supposed to belong to the repast furnished by the "stalled ox;" especially if we are economical enough to save towards making it any pot-liquor, or cold meat gravy or drippings, which are left from a feast-day. . =potato soup.=--slice six onions, fry them brown with two ounces of drippings, then add two ounces of flour and brown it; add four quarts of boiling water, and stir till the soup boils; season with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper; add one quart of potatoes peeled and cut fine, and boil all until they are tender; then stir in four ounces of oatmeal mixed smooth with a pint of cold water, and boil fifteen minutes; this soup should be stirred often enough to prevent burning; when it is nearly done mix together off the fire one ounce each of butter and flour, and stir them into the soup; when it boils up pass through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and serve hot with plenty of bread. . =scotch crowdie.=--boil one pound of oatmeal one hour in four quarts of any kind of pot-liquor, stirring often enough to prevent burning; season with one tablespoonful of salt, a level saltspoonful of pepper, one ounce of butter, and serve with plenty of bread. . =peas-pudding.=--soak three pints of dried peas in cold water over night; tie them loosely in a clean cloth, and boil them about two hours in pot-liquor or water, putting them into it cold and bringing them gradually to a boil; drain them, pass them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, season them with a level tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, one ounce of butter, and one egg, if it is on hand; mix, tie in a clean cloth, and boil half an hour longer; then turn it from the cloth, on a dish, and serve hot. . =red herrings with potatoes.=--soak a dozen herrings in cold water for one hour; dry and skin them, split them down the back, and lay them in a pan with two ounces of drippings, two ounces of onion chopped fine, a saltspoonful of pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of vinegar; and set them in a moderate oven to brown for ten or fifteen minutes: meantime, boil one quart of potatoes, with a ring of the paring taken off, in plenty of boiling water and salt, pouring off the water as soon as they are tender, and letting them stand on the back of the fire, covered with a dry towel, for five minutes; serve them with the herrings, taking care to dish both quite hot. . =oatmeal porridge.=--boil two ounces of chopped onion in two quarts of skim milk; mix half a pound of oatmeal smooth with about a pint of milk, pour it into the boiling milk, season it with a tablespoonful of salt, boil it about twenty minutes, stirring to prevent burning, and serve hot. . =cheese pudding.=--into two quarts of boiling water, containing two tablespoonfuls of salt, stir one pound of yellow indian meal, and three quarters of a pound of grated cheese; boil it for twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then put it in a buttered baking pan, sprinkle over the top quarter of a pound of grated cheese, and brown in a quick oven. serve hot. if any remains, slice it cold and fry it brown. . =polenta.=--boil one pound of yellow indian meal for half an hour, in two quarts of pot-liquor, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; then bake it for half an hour in a buttered baking dish, and serve it either hot; or, when cold, slice it and fry it in smoking hot fat. this favorite italian dish is closely allied to the hasty-pudding of new england, whose praises have been sung by poe-tasters. . =fish pudding.=--make a plain paste by mixing quarter of a pound of lard or sweet drippings with half a pound of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and just water enough to make a stiff paste; roll it out; line the edges of a deep pudding dish with it half way down; fill the dish with layers of fresh codfish cut in small pieces, using two or three pounds, season each layer with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and chopped onions, using one tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, two bay leaves, a saltspoonful of thyme, four ounces of onion, and half an ounce of parsley; fill up the dish with any cold gravy, milk, or water, cover with paste, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven; finish by baking half an hour in a moderate oven; serve hot. . =lentils boiled plain.=--wash two pounds of lentils well in cold water, put them over the fire, in four quarts of cold water with one ounce of drippings, one tablespoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, and boil slowly until tender, that is about three hours; drain off the little water which remains, add to the lentils one ounce of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a little more salt and pepper if required, and serve them hot. always save the water in which they are boiled; with the addition of a little thickening and seasoning, it makes a very nourishing soup. . =stewed lentils.=--put plain boiled lentils into a sauce-pan, cover them with any kind of pot-liquor, add one ounce of chopped onion, two ounces of butter, quarter of an ounce of chopped parsley, and stew gently for twenty minutes; serve hot. . =fried lentils.=--fry one ounce of chopped onion brown in two ounces of drippings, add plain boiled lentils, see if they are properly seasoned, and brown them well; serve hot. . =norfolk dumplings.=--mix well together two pounds of flour, one dessertspoonful of salt, and two pints of milk; divide the dough in twelve equal parts, and drop them into a pot of boiling pot-liquor, or boiling water; boil them steadily half an hour. they should be eaten hot, with gravy, sweet drippings, or a little molasses. . =salt cod with parsnips.=--soak three pounds of salt fish over night, with the skin uppermost, and boil it about one hour, putting it into plenty of cold water. meantime pare half a dozen parsnips, and cut them in quarters, boil them half an hour, or longer, until tender, drain them, and dish them around the fish. while the fish and parsnips are cooking make the following sauce: mix two ounces of flour and one ounce of butter or sweet drippings, over the fire until a smooth paste is formed; then pour in half a pint of boiling water gradually, stirring until the sauce is smooth, add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, season with one saltspoonful of salt, and half that quantity of pepper; let the sauce boil up thoroughly for about three minutes, and serve it with the fish and parsnips. a hard boiled egg chopped and added to the sauce improves it. . =pickled mackerel.=--when fresh mackerel or herrings can be bought cheap, clean enough to fill a two quart deep jar, pack them in it in layers with a seasoning of a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of powdered herbs a saltspoonful each of pepper and allspice, and cover with vinegar and cold water, in equal parts. bake about one hour in a moderate oven. serve with plain boiled potatoes. . =potato pudding.=--wash and peel two quarts of potatoes; peel and slice about six ounces of onions; skin and bone two bloaters or large herrings; put all these ingredients in a baking dish in layers seasoning them with a dessertspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper; pour over them any cold gravy you have on hand, or add two or three ounces of drippings; if you have neither of these, water will answer; bake the pudding an hour and a half; serve hot, with bread. chapter xi. cheap dishes with meat. those parts of meat which are usually called inferior, and sold at low rates, such as the head, tongue, brains, pluck, tripe, feet, and tail, can be cooked so as to become both nourishing and delicate. they are more generally eaten in europe than in this country, and they are really worthy of careful preparation; for instance, take the haslet _ragout_, the receipt for which is given further on in this chapter. the author owes this receipt to the fortunate circumstance of one day procuring a calf's liver direct from the slaughter-house, with the heart and lights attached; the liver was to be larded and cooked as directed in receipt no. , at a cooking lesson; the _chef_ said, after laying aside the liver, "i will make for myself a dish of what the ladies would not choose," and at the direction of the author he cooked it before the class; the ladies tasted and approved. the nutritive value and flavor of the dishes specified in this chapter are less than those of prime cuts of meat, but properly combined with vegetables and cereals, they completely take the place of those more expensive foods; they should be thoroughly cooked, and well masticated; and can usually be digested with greater ease than the more solid flesh. . =three dishes from a neck of mutton.=--part i.--barley broth with vegetables.--trim a neck of mutton into neat cutlets, and reserve them for _part _; put the bones and trimmings into three quarts of cold water, boil slowly, and skim thoroughly: add six ounces of barley which has been soaked in cold water over night, a bouquet of sweet herbs, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and one saltspoonful of pepper, and simmer for two hours; strain out one quart of the broth for _part _, then add six ounces of carrots, four ounces of onions, and four ounces of yellow turnips cut in dice about half an inch square, six ounces of oatmeal mixed to a smooth batter with cold water, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, which will be about half an hour: taste to try the seasoning and serve hot.--part ii.--mutton stew.--cut half a quart each of yellow turnips and potatoes into balls as large as marbles, saving the trimmings to put into soup, and for mashed potatoes; peel six ounces of small onions; put all these in separate vessels to boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork; meantime put the cutlets in a hot pan containing an ounce of drippings, and fry them brown quickly; stir among them one ounce of dry flour; brown it, add one quart of boiling water; season with one teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper; drain the vegetables, put them with the meat and gravy, and serve hot.--part iii.--fried pudding.--to the quart of broth strained off as directed in _part i_, and brought to the boiling point, gradually add sufficient indian meal to thicken it, about half a pound will generally be enough; season with a teaspoonful of salt, and boil it for twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally to prevent burning; pour it out into a deep earthen dish, and let it stand long enough to grow solid; then cut it in slices, and fry it brown in drippings; it can be eaten with molasses for dessert. with proper management all these dishes can be ready at one time, and will form a good and wholesome dinner. . =neck of pork stuffed.=--clean a neck of fresh pork, fill it with sage and onion stuffing, made according to receipt no. ----; put it in a dripping pan, with some small potatoes, peeled and washed well in cold water, roast it brown, seasoning with a teaspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, when it is half done; when it is thoroughly cooked serve it with the potatoes laid around it, and a gravy made from the drippings in the pan cleared of fat, and thickened with a teaspoonful of flour. . =pigs' feet fried.=--thoroughly burn all the hairs off with a poker heated to a white heat; then scald the feet, wipe them dry, and put them over the fire to boil in cold water, with two ounces each of carrot and onion, the latter stuck with six cloves, two tablespoonfuls of salt, quarter of an ounce of parsley made into a bouquet with three bay leaves and a sprig of thyme; boil them slowly four hours, or more, until you can easily remove the bones. split the feet in two pieces, and take out all the large bones; have ready some sifted crumbs of cracker, or dry bread, a little milk, or an egg beaten with a teaspoonful of water; dry the pieces on a clean towel, roll them first in the crumbs, then dip them in the milk or egg, and roll them again in the crumbs; fry them in smoking hot lard, which you must afterwards strain and save to use again, and lay them neatly on a hot dish; they will make an appetizing and nourishing meal. . =pigs' tongue and brains.=--soak them in cold water with two tablespoonfuls of salt for two hours; then put them into cold water over the fire, with two ounces each of carrot and onion, the latter stuck with three cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs, and a tablespoonful of vinegar, and boil slowly fifteen minutes; take out the brains leaving the tongue still boiling, and put them in cold water to cool; then carefully remove the thin membrane or skin covering the brains, without breaking them; season them with a saltspoonful of salt and quarter of a saltspoonful of pepper, roll them in cracker crumbs, and fry them brown in smoking hot fat. by this time the tongue will be tender; take it up, lay it on a dish between the brains, put a few sprigs of parsley, celery, mint or watercresses, around them and serve them hot. this inexpensive dish is very delicate and nutritious. . =roasted tripe.=--cut some tripe in pieces three inches long by six wide; cover each one with highly seasoned sausage-meat, roll up, and tie with a string; lay the rolls in a dripping pan, dredge them well with flour, and set them in the oven to bake, basting them with the liquor which flows from them; when they are nicely browned, dish them up with a slice of lemon on each one. some melted butter may be put over them if desired. . =ragout of haslet.=--wash the lights, cut them in two inch pieces, put them into a sauce-pan with one ounce each of butter, salt pork sliced, onion chopped, one dessertspoonful of salt, and half a saltspoonful of black pepper; two bay leaves, two sprigs of parsley and one of thyme, tied in a bouquet, one ounce of flour, one gill of vinegar, half a pint of cold gravy or cold water, and six potatoes peeled and cut in dice; stew all these ingredients gently together for two hours, and serve as you would a stew, with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley sprinkled over the top. . =cock-a-leeky.=--pluck, singe, and draw a cheap fowl, as directed in receipt no. ----; break the breast bone down with a rolling-pin, tie the fowl in a plump shape, put it into a sauce-pan with four quarts of cold water, one pound of rice, first washed in cold water, a tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, and a bunch of leeks weighing about a pound, cut in two-inch pieces. boil all gently for three hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the rice burning; serve the fowl on one dish with a tablespoonful of parsley chopped and sprinkled over it, and the rice and broth in a soup tureen or deep dish. . =italian cheese.=--chop a pig's pluck, and two pounds of scraps or trimmings of fresh pork, season this forcemeat to taste with the spice salt of mixed spices and sweet herbs named in chapter first; put it into an earthen jar with a lid, seal the lid with a paste made of flour and water, and oiled upon the surface to prevent cracking; put the jar in a moderate oven, and bake the cheese three hours, slowly. this dish is eaten cold with bread, in place of butter, and makes a hearty meal. . =gammon dumpling.=--make a plain paste of two pounds of flour, one dessertspoonful of salt, half a pound of finely chopped suet or scraps, and sufficient cold water to mix it to a stiff dough; roll this out about half an inch thick, spread over it about two pounds of any cheap cut of bacon or ham, finely chopped, roll up the dumpling as you would a roly-poly pudding, tie it tightly in a clean cloth, and boil it in boiling water, or boiling pot-liquor, for about three hours. serve it hot, with plain boiled potatoes. . =toad-in-the-hole.=--cut two pounds of the cheapest parts of any good meat into small pieces, roll them in flour, pepper, and salt, and fry them brown in two ounces of drippings; meantime prepare a batter as follows; mix one pound of flour, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, half a nutmeg grated, and two eggs, stirred in without beating; gradually add three pints of skim-milk, making a smooth batter; add the meat and its gravy to this batter, put it in a greased baking dish, and bake it slowly about two hours. serve it with plain boiled potatoes. . =bacon roly-poly.=--boil a pound and a half of bacon for half an hour; then slice it thin; peel and slice six apples and the same number of onions; make a stiff dough of two pounds of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and cold water; roll it out half an inch thick; lay the bacon, apples, and onion all over it, roll it up, tie it tightly in a clean cloth, and boil it about two hours, in plenty of boiling water. serve it with boiled potatoes, or boiled cabbage. . =baked ox-heart.=--clean the heart thoroughly; stuff it with the following forcemeat; one ounce of onion chopped fine, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a saltspoonful of powdered sage or thyme, a teaspoonful of salt, half a small loaf of bread, and enough warm water to moisten the bread; mix, stuff the heart with it, and bake it an hour in a good hot oven, basting it occasionally with the liquor that flows from it, and when half done seasoning it well with salt and pepper. serve hot with plain boiled potatoes, or with potatoes peeled, and baked in the pan with the heart. . =tripe and onions.=--cut two pounds of tripe in pieces two inches square; peel and slice six large onions and ten potatoes; slice a quarter of a pound of salt pork or bacon; put the bacon in the bottom of a pot, with the tripe and vegetables in layers on it, seasoning with a tablespoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and the same of powdered herbs; mix a pound of flour gradually with a quart and a half of cold water, pour it over the tripe and vegetables, and boil it gently for two hours. serve hot with bread. . =peas and bacon.=--cut a quarter of a pound of fat bacon in small bits, and fry it brown with two ounces of onions sliced; then add four ounces of split peas, one tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of sugar, and four quarts of cold water; boil it until the peas are reduced to a pulp, which will be about three hours; then stir in sufficient oatmeal to thicken it, and boil slowly twenty minutes, stirring it occasionally; serve hot; or when cold, slice and fry it brown. . =pot-au-feu.=--put into four quarts of cold water one pound of cheap lean meat, and one pound of liver whole, some bones, cut into bits, two tablespoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, four leeks cut in pieces, and the following vegetables whole; four carrots, four turnips, and four onions, each stuck with two cloves; boil all gently for three hours, skimming occasionally, and adding two tablespoonfuls of cold water about every half hour; take up the meat and the liver on a platter, arrange the vegetables neatly around them, and serve the broth in a tureen, with plenty of bread. . =ragout of mutton.=--cut four pounds of the scrag end of mutton in small pieces; peel a quart of turnips and cut them in round pieces as large as a walnut, and fry them brown in four ounces of fat; take them up, mix into the fat four ounces of flour, and brown it; add the mutton and sufficient cold water to cover the meat, and stir until it boils; season with a tablespoonful of salt, half a saltspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of sugar, and an ounce of onion if the flavor is liked; simmer gently until the meat is tender, about two hours; then add the turnips, heat them, and serve hot. chapter xii. the children's chapter. any elaborate discussion of the relations of food to the needs of the body would not come within the scope of a work of this character; but there are a few facts concerning the diet of children to which we would call the attention of those mothers who wish their little brood to brighten home with radiant eyes, rosy cheeks, plump, graceful forms, and hearts bubbling over with the vivacity which springs from perfect health. let them discard sago, arrowroot, and tapioca, all largely composed of starch, as comparatively useless in nourishing the growing body, which calls for the most complete nutrients; these often do very well in illness, where no great degree of nourishment is necessary, and where simply a given quantity of bland, innutritious food is required to help the system do without stronger aliment, calculated to irritate overworked and sensitive organs. indigestible articles, such as fat meat, rich pastry, hot bread, unripe fruit and vegetables, tea, coffee, spices, and stimulants, should be avoided in the diet of children. good wheaten bread, farina, ripe fruit, fresh vegetables, meat-juices, milk, and sugar, should make up the list of staples; when meats are used they should be nutritious and digestible, such as good mutton, young beef, and tender poultry; bread and milk and fruit, for breakfast; meat, vegetables, bread and some light dessert, for dinner; bread and milk, or their equivalents, for supper; in other words, plain food and plenty of it, will keep mind and body in a sound condition, and supply all the requirements of growth. meats should be carefully cooked, so as to preserve all their natural juices; but no rich sauces, or made gravies, should accompany them to the table; a few ripe vegetables cooked until perfectly tender, roasted or baked potatoes, seed-bearing fruits, generally stewed, and plenty of light bread at least a day old, should be eaten with the meat. in stewing fruit only enough water should be used to prevent burning, and plenty of sugar should be employed to sweeten it; all fruit is less apt to be injurious if eaten early in the day. eggs should be plain boiled, and rather soft. milk should be boiled when there is any undue action of the bowels; otherwise it should be used uncooked with plenty of bread. hearty, vigorous children, who play much in the open air, can digest more meat than those who are confined indoors; and the cravings of a healthy appetite should always be appeased, care being taken that the stomach has the proper intervals of rest. regularity of meals is really most important at all ages; the digestive organs must have time to assimilate their food supply. in childhood and youth, the period of growth, the needs of the system are more pressing than at any other time of life; if at this time children are fed on rich and stimulating food, they will be prone to fevers; if they are underfed they suffer both mentally and physically from slow starvation; equal and regular nutrition is imperative to the well being of the little ones, if we would have them grow up capable of performing in the fullest degree the highest functions of life. therefore give the children plenty of plain, wholesome food; their active systems will appropriate it. if they continue serene in temper, equable in disposition, and generally healthy,--if the eyes are bright, the skin clear, the sleep serene,--the diet is proper and sufficient. in the following receipts for preparing children's food the quantities are calculated for four. . =oatmeal porridge.=--oatmeal is an extremely strengthening food; when it is well cooked it produces a large volume of nutritive matter in proportion to its bulk; and combined with milk it is the strongest and best of the cereals. its flavor is sweet and pleasant; it appears in market in two forms, a rather rough meal, and the unbroken grain, after the husk has been removed; in either shape it should be thoroughly boiled, and combined with milk. a good thick porridge can be made by stirring four ounces of oatmeal into a quart of boiling milk, and then pouring this into a quart of water boiling on the fire, and allowing it to boil half or three-quarters of an hour; care must be taken not to burn it; just before it is done it should be seasoned with a teaspoonful of salt; and sweetened to taste at the table. . =a good breakfast= can be made of fresh milk sweetened with a little sugar and eaten with bread a day old, lightly buttered. . =stewed fruit.=--put a quart of apples pared and sliced over the fire in a thick sauce-pan, with half a pint of water, to prevent burning, and when tender break them well up and sweeten them with four ounces or more of sugar, according to the flavor of the apples. serve them with bread and butter in the morning, or at noon. . =ripe currants.=--a pound of ripe currants mashed, and mixed with half a pound, or more, of sugar, makes an excellent accompaniment for bread, being served spread upon the slices. . =blackberry jam.=--this is an invaluable addition to the breakfast, or noon dinner, in place of butter. it is an excellent agent for regulating the action of the bowels. it is made by boiling with every pound of thoroughly ripe blackberries half a pound of good brown sugar; the boiling to be continued one hour, and the berries well broken up. . =baked fruit.=--in addition to baking apples in the ordinary way, plums, peaches, pears, and berries, are good when put into a stone jar with layers of stale bread and sugar, and about a gill of water, and baking the fruit slowly in a moderate oven for an hour and a half. . =broiled chops.=--trim nearly all the fat from a pound of loin mutton chops, broil them over a clear, bright fire for about fifteen minutes, taking care not to burn them; when they are done put them on a hot platter, season them with half a teaspoonful of salt, and if they are very dry put a little butter over them, using not more than a quarter of an ounce. serve them with mashed potatoes. . =beefsteak.=--a tender sirloin steak is the best cut for general use. it should be chosen in accordance with the directions given in the chapter on marketing, and broiled over a brisk, clear fire for about twenty minutes; the seasoning of salt should be added after it is taken from the fire, and placed on a hot dish; and but very little butter, if any, should be used. serve it with baked potatoes, finely broken with a fork. . =broiled chicken.=--a tender, but not very fat chicken, makes an excellent dinner for children. it should be plucked, singed, split down the back, carefully drawn, and wiped with a damp cloth, but not washed; the joints and breast-bone should be broken with the rolling pin, the chicken being covered with a folded towel to protect the flesh; it should then be broiled, inside first, over a clear, brisk fire, or better still, laid in a pan on a couple of slices of bread, and quickly roasted in a hot oven; by the latter process all the juices of the bird are saved; some gravy will flow from a good chicken, and from this the superfluous fat should be removed; if the chicken is very fat the bread under it should not be given to the children. . =boiled eggs.=--eggs are usually spoiled in cooking; if they are plunged into boiling water, and maintained at the boiling point, the effect is to harden the albumen while the yolk remains almost raw, and make them totally unfit for digestion. a good way to cook them is to place them over the fire in cold water, bring them slowly to a boil, and then at once set the vessel containing them back from the fire, and let the eggs stand in the water about one minute if they are to be soft, and two minutes, or longer, if they are to be hard. poor eggs cooked in this way are superior in flavor and digestibility to new-laid eggs boiled rapidly. one minute is quite long enough to boil them if they are wanted in their best condition. . =baked potatoes.=--potatoes for baking should be of equal and medium size, with smooth skins; they should be well washed with a brush or cloth, and put into a quick oven; they will bake in from twenty to thirty-five minutes, according to variety and ripeness; as soon as you find they yield readily when pressed between the fingers, they are done; and should be served at once, _uncovered_. if they stand they grow heavy, and if you put them in a covered dish you will make them watery. . =boiled potatoes.=--potatoes for children's use should be very carefully boiled; and if not used as soon as they are done, should be kept hot and dry, by pouring off the water, covering them with a dry cloth, and setting them on the back of the stove. after washing them thoroughly, pare them entirely, or take off one ring around each; if they are new, put them over the fire in hot water; if they are old, put them on in cold water; in either case, add a tablespoonful of salt, and boil them from fifteen to thirty minutes, as they require, until you can pierce them easily with a fork; then drain off all the water, cover them with a clean dry towel, and set them on the back of the fire until you are ready to use them. . =apple cake.=--grate a small loaf of stale bread; pare and slice about a quart of apples; lightly butter a pudding mould, dust it well with flour, and then with sugar, and fill it with layers of bread crumbs, apples, and sugar, using a very little cinnamon to flavor it; let the top layer be of crumbs, and put a few bits of butter on it; bake the cake for one hour in a moderate oven; and serve it for dessert. . =fruit farina.=--sprinkle three tablespoonfuls of farina into one quart of boiling milk, using a sauce-pan set into a kettle of boiling water, in order to prevent burning; flavor and sweeten to taste, and boil for half an hour, stirring occasionally; then add one pint of any ripe berries, or sliced apples, and boil until the fruit is cooked, about twenty minutes: the pudding may be boiled in a mould or a cloth after the fruit is added. it should be served with powdered sugar. . =plain cookies.=--beat one egg with one cup of sugar to a cream, work two ounces of butter soft, and beat it with the egg and sugar, grate in quarter of a nutmeg, add one gill of milk, and prepared flour enough to make a sufficiently stiff paste to roll out about a pound. roll an eighth of an inch thick, cut out with a biscuit cutter, or an inverted cup, and lay on a floured baking pan, and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. . =plain gingerbread.=--partly melt one ounce of butter, stir it into half a pint of molasses, with a tablespoonful of ground ginger, and half a pint of boiling water, stir in smoothly half a pound of prepared flour, and pour the batter into a buttered baking pan; bake it about half an hour in a quick oven, trying it with a broom straw, at the end of twenty minutes; as soon as the straw passes through it without sticking, the cake is done. . =strawberry shortcake.=--rub two ounces of butter into a pound of prepared flour, mix it stiff enough to mould with about half a pint of milk; put the dough upon a round tin plate, gently flattening with the roller; bake it about twenty minutes in a quick oven, trying it with a broom straw to be sure it is done, before taking it from the oven; let it cool a little, tear it open by first separating the edges all around with a fork, and then pulling it in two pieces; upon the bottom put a thick layer of strawberries, or any perfectly ripe fruit, plentifully sprinkled with sugar; then lay on the fruit the upper half of the shortcake, with the crust down; add another layer of fruit, with plenty of sugar, and serve it with sweet milk or cream. this is rather rich, but a small piece may be given to the children as a treat, at the noon dinner. . =apple custard.=--pare and core six apples; set them in a pan with a very little water, and stew them until tender; then put them in a pudding dish without breaking, fill the centres with sugar, and pour over them a custard made of a quart of milk, five eggs, four ounces of sugar, and a very little nutmeg; set the pudding-dish in a baking-pan half full of water, and bake it about half an hour. serve it either hot or cold, at the noon dinner. chapter xiii. cookery for invalids. . =diet for invalids.=--there are three alimentary conditions in illness; the first prevails where the system suffers from the reaction consequent upon over-taxation, when rest is the first demand; then only palliative foods meet the calls of nature, those which give repletion to the sense of hunger, and tide the system over a certain period of relaxation and recuperation; gelatinous soups, and gruels of arrowroot, sago, and tapioca, will do very well at this stage. the second condition, when the body, failing under the pressure of disease, needs an excess of nutrition, is serious enough to demand the interposition of the physician--the doctor is the proper person to decide what shall be eaten; we will offer only a few suggestions concerning refreshing drinks. at the third point, when the patient is beyond the reach of danger, when foods are ordered which shall yield the greatest possible amount of nutrition, the culinary skill of the nurse may be displayed. it is here that we would give the paragraphs concerning highly nutritive foods. the reader will please to note that the quantities in this chapter are calculated for the use of one person. . =gruels.=--we have already said that in certain physical conditions the lack of nutrition is what the body requires,--a period of comparative inaction, combined with repletion;--in such a condition the following aliments will suffice. . =arrowroot gruel.=--mix one ounce of arrowroot with sufficient cold water to make a smooth paste; into this pour a gill or more of boiling water, stirring the mixture until it is quite clear; sweeten it with a little sugar, and use it at once. . =arrowroot jelly.=--dissolve two teaspoonfuls of bermuda arrowroot in just enough cold water to mix it to a smooth liquid paste, stir it into a quarter of a pint of water boiling upon the fire, with two tablespoonfuls of white sugar; continue stirring until the mixture becomes clear, then remove from the fire and stir in one teaspoonful of lemon-juice, put into a mould wet with cold water until it is cold. if the patient's condition will permit, cream and sugar may be eaten with it. . =arrowroot wine jelly.=--following the above process, make a jelly of one cup of boiling water, two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, one tablespoonful of brandy or three tablespoonfuls of wine. this jelly is more stimulating than the gruel, and may meet some especial cases; but, unless used with brandy, for impaired digestive powers, we do not believe it to be of permanent value. . =calf's foot jelly.=--thoroughly clean a calf's foot; put it into an earthen jar, with half the rind of a fresh lemon, two gills of sweet milk, and one pint of cold water; close the jar tightly, put it into a moderate oven, and slowly bake it for three hours; then strain and cool it, and remove all fat, before using; it is bland and harmless. . =sago gruel.=--soak one ounce of sago, after washing it well in a pint of tepid water for two hours; then simmer it in the same water for fifteen minutes, stirring it occasionally; then sweeten and flavor it to taste, and use at once. . =sago milk.=--prepare the sago as in previous receipt, but boil it in milk instead of water; and when it has cooked for two hours it is ready for use. . =tapioca jelly.=--wash one ounce of tapioca, soak it over night in cold water, and then simmer it with a bit of lemon peel until it is thoroughly dissolved; sweeten it to taste, and let it cool before using. . =rice candle.=--mix an ounce of ground rice smoothly with a little cold water, and stir it into a pint of boiling water; boil it for fifteen minutes, and then sweeten it to taste and flavor it with nutmeg. use it warm or cold. . =isinglass milk.=--soak quarter of an ounce of clear shreds of isinglass in a pint of cold milk for two hours; then reduce it by boiling to half a pint, and sweeten to taste. cool it before using. . =refreshing drinks.=--in feverish conditions cooling drinks, that is beverages which are in themselves refrigerant, such as lemonade, and those which are made from aromatic herbs, are grateful and helpful to the patient, but pure, distilled or filtered water, is the best for invalids. hot drinks lower the temperature of the body by evaporation; excessively cold drinks check perspiration, and endanger congestion of some vital part; but water of a moderate temperature is innocuous. even in dangerous fevers the burning thirst of the sufferer can safely be assuaged by the frequent administration of small bits of ice. in cases of incomplete nutrition, cocoa, chocolate, and other preparations of the fruit of the cocoa-palm, are invaluable adjuncts; the active principle of all these is identical, and the chief nutritive element is oil. a very small quantity of cocoa will sustain life a long time. . =filtered water.=--put a quart of clear water over the fire, and just bring it to a boil; remove it, and strain it three or four times through flannel; then cool it in a covered jar or pitcher, and give it to the patient in small quantities as the condition requires. . =jelly water.=--mix one large teaspoonful of wild-cherry or blackberry jelly in a glass of cool water; drink moderately, and at intervals. . =flaxseed lemonade.=--pour one quart of boiling water over four tablespoonfuls of whole flaxseed, and steep three hours covered. then sweeten to taste, and add the juice of two lemons, using a little more water if the liquid seems too thick to be palatable. this beverage is very soothing to the irritated membranes in cases of severe cold. . =barley water.=--wash two ounces of pearl barley in cold water until it does not cloud the water; boil it for five minutes in half a pint of water; drain that off, put the barley into two quarts of clean water, and boil it down to one quart. cool, strain, and use. pearl barley largely contains starch and mucilage, and makes an excellent soothing and refreshing draught in fevers and gastric inflammations. nourishing drinks.--these are useful when liquid nourishment is better suited to the invalid's condition than solid food. . =iceland moss chocolate.=--dissolve one ounce of iceland moss in one pint of boiling milk; boil one ounce of chocolate for five minutes in one pint of boiling water; thoroughly mix the two; and give it to the invalid night and morning. this is a highly nutritive drink for convalescents. . =egg broth.=--beat an egg until it is frothy, stir into it a pint of boiling hot meat broth, free from fat, season it with a saltspoonful of salt, and eat it hot, with thin slices of dry toast; it may be given to assist the patient in gaining strength. . =egg tea.=--beat the yolk of an egg in a cup of tea, and let the sick person drink it warm; the yolk is more readily digested than the white, and has a better flavor; and the tea is a powerful respiratory excitant, while it promotes perspiration, and aids the assimilation of more nourishing foods. . =very strong beef tea.=--(_this tea contains every nutritious element of the beef._)--cut two pounds of lean beef into small dice, put it into a covered jar _without water_, and place it in a moderate oven for four hours, then strain off the gravy, and dilute it to the desired strength with boiling water. . =beef tea.=--(_a quick preparation for immediate use._)--chop one pound of lean beef fine, put it into a bowl, and cover it with cold water; let it stand for fifteen or twenty minutes, and then pour both beef and liquid into a sauce-pan, and place them over the fire to boil from fifteen to thirty minutes as time will permit; then strain off the liquid, season it slightly, and serve it at once. . =farina gruel.=--stir one ounce of farina into one pint of boiling water, and boil it down one half, using a farina kettle, or stirring occasionally to prevent burning, then add half a pint of milk, boil up once, and sweeten to taste. use warm. farina is a preparation of the inner portion of the finest wheat, freed from bran, and floury dust; it contains an excess of nitrogenous, or flesh-forming material, readily absorbs milk or water in the process of cooking, is quickly affected by the action of the gastric juices; and is far superior as a food to sago, arrowroot, tapioca, and corn starch. . =nutritious foods.=--we have called attention to the fact that the nurse's most important office is exercised when the invalid begins to regain health; the task of rebuilding exhausted vitality demands a thoughtful care that only a tender hearted woman can bestow; and lacking which the skill of the most enlightened physician is often set at naught. happy the woman who can here assist the restoration of the vital powers; she holds in her own hands a force which wealth cannot buy. to such ministering angels we dedicate this portion of our little work, in the hope that countless sick beds will be comforted thereby. . =bread jelly.=--remove the crust from a roll, slice the crumb, and toast it; put the slices in one quart of water, and set it over the fire to simmer until it jellies; then strain it through a cloth, sweeten it, and flavor it with lemon juice; put it into a mould and cool it upon the ice before using. . =crackers and marmalade.=--toast three soda crackers, dip them for one minute in boiling water, spread them with a little sweet butter, and put between them layers of orange marmalade, or any other preserve or jelly; put plenty upon the top cracker, and set them in the oven for two or three minutes before serving. this makes a delicate and inviting lunch for convalescents. . =chicken jelly.=--skin a chicken, removing all fat, and break up the meat and bones by pounding; cover them with cold water, heat them slowly in a steam-tight kettle, and simmer them to a pulp; then strain through a sieve or cloth, season to taste, and return to the fire without the cover, to simmer until the liquid is reduced one half, skimming off all fat. cool to form a jelly. if you have no steam-tight kettle, put a cloth between the lid and any kettle, and the purpose will be served. . =chicken broth.=--dress a chicken or fowl, cut it in joints, put them in a chopping bowl, and chop them into small pieces, using flesh, bones, and skin. to every pound of the chicken thus prepared put one pint of cold water and one level teaspoonful of salt; if pepper is desired it should be either enough cayenne to lie on the point of a small pen-knife blade, or a half saltspoonful of ground _white_ pepper. put all these ingredients over the fire in a porcelain lined sauce-pan, bring them slowly to a boil, remove the pan to the side of the fire, where it will simmer slowly, the heat striking it on one side; simmer it in this way for two hours, and then strain it through a napkin, set it to cool; if any fat rises to the surface in cooling remove it entirely. eat it either cold, say half a teacupful when a little nourishment is required; or warm a pint, and eat it with graham crackers at meal time. . =beefsteak juice.=--quickly broil a juicy steak, and after laying it on a hot platter, cut and press it to extract all the juice; season this with a very little salt, and pour it over a slice of delicately browned toast; serve it at once. . =salmon steak.=--choose a slice of salmon nearly an inch thick, remove the scales, wipe with a dry cloth, roll it first in cracker dust, then dip it very lightly in melted butter, and season with a dust of white pepper and a pinch of salt; then roll it again in cracker dust, and put it over a clear fire on a greased gridiron, to broil slowly, taking care that it does not burn before the flakes separate; serve it with some fresh watercresses and plain boiled potatoes. (any _red-blooded_ fish may be used in the same way.) . =broiled oysters.=--dry some large oysters on a napkin; roll them in cracker dust, dip them in melted butter as for salmon steaks, again in cracker dust, dust over them a very little salt and white pepper, or cayenne, and broil them on a buttered wire gridiron, over a clear fire. they will be done as soon as they are light brown. they make a very delicate and digestible meal. chapter xiv. bread. the preparation of wheat and other grains, in the form of bread, is one of the most important of all culinary operations, and to many persons one of the most difficult. it is impossible to set exact rules as to the quantity of flour or liquid to be used, for the quality of the flour varies as much as that of the grain from which it is made; and some varieties, excessive in gluten, will absorb nearly one-third more liquid than others, and produce correspondingly more bread. for this reason in buying flour we must choose that which contains the most gluten; this kind will remain in a firm, compact mass when pressed in the hand, and will retain all the lines and marks of the skin; or if mixed with water it will take up a great deal in proportion to its bulk, and will form a tough, elastic dough. gluten in flour corresponds with the nitrates or flesh-formers in flesh, and abounds in hard winter wheat. the flour containing much of it is never extremely white. the object of making bread, that is of mixing water with the flour and subsequently exposing the dough to intense heat, is to expand and rupture the cells of the grain so as to expose the greatest possible surface to the action of the digestive fluids; this is accomplished in several ways; by the formation of air cells through the medium of acetous fermentation, as in yeast bread; by the mechanical introduction of carbonic acid gas, as in ærated bread; by the mixture with the flour of a gas-generating compound, which needs only the contact of moisture to put it in active operation; and by the beating into the dough of atmospheric air. no organic change in the elements of the flour is necessary, like that produced by the partial decomposition of some of its properties, in bread raised with yeast; so long as proper surface is obtained for the action of the gastric juices, the purpose of raising is accomplished. bread raised without fermentation can be made from the following receipt, and there is no question of its healthfulness. . =aerated homemade bread.=--mix flour and water together to the consistency of a thick batter; then beat it until fine bubbles of air thoroughly permeate it; for small biscuit, pour it into patty pans, and bake in a good brisk oven; for bread in loaves more flour is thoroughly kneaded in with the hands, until the dough is full of air-bubbles, and then baked at once, without being allowed to stand. when bread is to be raised by the acetous fermentation of yeast, the sponge should be maintained at a temperature of ° fahr. until it is sufficiently light, and the baking should be accomplished at a heat of over °. when yeast is too bitter from the excess of hops, mix plenty of water with it, and let it stand for some hours; then throw the water off, and use the settlings. when yeast has soured it may be restored by adding to it a little carbonate of soda or ammonia. when dough has soured, the acidity can be corrected by the use of a little carbonate of soda or ammonia. if the sponge of "raised bread" be allowed to overwork itself it will sour from excessive fermentation, and if the temperature be permitted to fall, and the dough to cool, it will be heavy. thorough kneading renders yeast-bread white and fine, but is unnecessary in bread made with baking-powder. great care should be taken in the preparation of yeast for leavened bread, as the chemical decomposition inseparable from its use is largely increased by any impurity or undue fermentation. experience and judgment are necessary to the uniform production of good bread; and those are gained only by repeated trials. we subjoin one of the best receipts which we have been able to procure, for making yeast. . =homebrewed yeast.=--boil two ounces of the best hops in four quarts of water for half an hour, strain off the liquor and let it cool till luke-warm, and then add half a pound of brown sugar and two heaping tablespoonfuls of salt; use a little of this liquor to beat up one pound of the best flour, and gradually mix in all of it with the flour; let it stand four days to ferment in a warm place near the fire, stirring it frequently. on the third day boil and mash three pounds of potatoes, and stir them into it. on the fourth day strain and bottle it; it will keep good for months. . =homemade bread.=--put seven pounds of flour into a deep pan, and make a hollow in the centre; into this put one quart of luke-warm water, one tablespoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, and half a gill of yeast; have ready three pints more of warm water, and use as much of it as is necessary to make a rather soft dough, mixing and kneading it well with both hands. when it is smooth and shining strew a little flour upon it, lay a large towel over it folded, and set it in a warm place by the fire for four or five hours to rise; then knead it again for fifteen minutes, cover it with the towel, and set it to rise once more; then divide it into two or four loaves, and bake it in a quick oven. this quantity of material will make eight pounds of bread, and will require one hour's baking to two pounds of dough. in cold weather, the dough should be mixed in a warm room, and not allowed to cool while rising; if it does not rise well, set the pan containing it over a large vessel of boiling water; it is best to mix the bread at night, and let it rise till morning, in a warm and even temperature. . =milk bread.=--take one quart of milk, heat one-third of it, and scald with it half a pint of flour; if the milk is skimmed, use a small piece of butter; when the batter is cool, add the rest of the milk, one cup of hop yeast, half a tablespoonful of salt, and flour enough to make it quite stiff; knead the dough until it is fine and smooth, and raise it over night. this quantity makes three small loaves. . =rice bread.=--simmer one pound of rice in three quarts of water until the rice is soft, and the water evaporated or absorbed; let it cool until it is only luke-warm; mix into it nearly four pounds of flour, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and four tablespoonfuls of yeast; knead it until it is smooth and shining, let it rise once before the fire, make it up into loaves with the little flour reserved from the four pounds, and bake it thoroughly. . =potato bread.=--take good, mealy boiled potatoes, in the proportion of one-third of the quantity of flour you propose to use, pass them through a coarse sieve into the flour, using a wooden spoon and adding enough cold water to enable you to pass them through readily; use the proper quantity of yeast, salt, and water, and make up the bread in the usual way. a saving of at least twenty per cent is thus gained. . =pulled bread.=--take from the oven an ordinary loaf of bread when it is about _half baked_, and with the fingers, _while it is yet hot_, pull it apart in egg-sized pieces of irregular shape: throw them upon tins, and bake them in a slow oven to a rich brown color. this bread is excellent to eat with cheese or wine. where bread is made with baking powder the following rules should be closely observed: if any shortening be used, it should be rubbed into the flour before it is wet; _cold_ water or sweet milk should always be used to wet it, and the dough should be kneaded immediately, and only long enough to thoroughly mix it and form it into the desired shape; it should then be placed in a well-heated oven and baked quickly--otherwise the carbonic acid gas will escape before the expanded cells are fixed in the bread, and thus the lightness of the loaf will be impaired. as a very large margin of profit is indulged in by the manufacturers of baking powders, we subjoin a good formula for making the article at home at a considerable saving. . =baking powder.=--mix thoroughly by powdering and sifting together several times the following ingredients; four ounces of tartaric acid, and six ounces each of bi-carbonate of soda, and starch. keep the mixture in an air-tight can. the following receipts will be found useful and easy: . =loaf bread.=--sift together two or three times one pound of flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one saltspoonful of salt, and one teaspoonful of fine sugar; mix with enough cold sweet milk to make the dough of the consistency of biscuit; or, if you have no milk, use cold water. work the dough only long enough to incorporate the flour well with the milk or water; put it into a baking-pan buttered and slightly warmed, and set it immediately into a hot oven; after about five minutes cover it with paper so that the crust may not form so quickly as to prevent rising; bake about three-quarters of an hour. this bread is sweet and wholesome, and may be eaten by some persons whose digestion is imperfect, with greater safety than yeast-fermented bread. . =breakfast rolls.=--mix well by sifting, one pound of flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, and one heaping teaspoonful of pulverized or fine sugar; into a small portion of the above rub two ounces of lard, fine and smooth; mix with the rest of the flour, and quickly wet it up with enough cold milk to enable you to roll it out about half an inch thick; cut out the dough with a tin shape or with a sharp knife, in the form of diamonds, lightly wet the top with water, and double them half over. put them upon a tin, buttered and warmed, and bake them in a hot oven. . =tea biscuit.=--mix as above, using the same proportions, and cutting out with a round biscuit-cutter; when they are baked, wash them over with cold milk, and return them to the oven for a moment to dry. . =finger biscuit.=--mix as above, cut out with a sharp knife in strips three inches long, one inch wide, and one-quarter of an inch thick; lay them upon a buttered tin so that they will not touch, brush them over with an egg beaten up with one tablespoonful of milk, and bake them in a hot oven. . =cream breakfast rolls.=--mix as above, substituting cream for the milk in moistening the dough; cut them out with an oval cutter, two inches long and one and a half inches wide; brush the tops with cream, and pull them slightly lengthwise; then fold them together, leaving a slight projection of the under side; put them on a buttered tin, brush the tops with cream, and bake them in a hot oven. . =breakfast twist.=--mix as for breakfast rolls, cut in strips three inches long and half an inch thick; roll each one out thin at the ends, but leave the centre of the original thickness; place three strips side by side, braid them together, and pinch the ends to hold them; when the twists are all made out, lay them upon a buttered tin, brush them over with milk, and bake them in a hot oven. a little fine sugar dusted over the tops glazes them and improves their flavor. hot rolls and biscuits should be served well covered with a napkin. . =how to freshen stale bread.=--a loaf of stale bread placed in a close tin vessel, and steamed for half an hour will be completely freshened. . =toast.=--but few persons know how to prepare toast properly. it should be made with the aim of evaporating from the bread all the superfluous water, and transforming its tough and moist substance into digestible food: for this reason the slices should be exposed gradually to heat of a gentle fire, first upon one side and then upon the other, for one minute, and after that they may be toasted golden-brown; at this stage it has become pure wheat farina, and is not liable to produce acetous fermentation in the stomach; besides, it will now absorb the butter thoroughly, and both substances will be in condition to be freely subjected to the action of gastric juice, and consequently will be digested with ease. dry toast should be sent to the table the instant it is made. buttered toast should be set into the oven for about five minutes to render it crisp. index. _À la mode_ beef, anchovies, apple cake, " custard, arrowroot jelly, asparagus with melted butter, bacon roly-poly, baking powder, barley broth with vegetables, barley water, batter for frying, bay leaves, beans, fried, beef, to choose, beefsteak for children, " juice, " to broil, beef, roast, with yorkshire pudding, " portuguese, beets, baked, biscuit, blackberry jam, blackfish, baked, birds, to choose, boiled dishes, bouquet of sweet herbs, brains, fried, with tomato sauce, bread, " aerated, homemade, " and butter, english, " homemade, " how to freshen stale, " loaf, " milk, " potato, " pulled, " rice, breakfast rolls and twist, , brussels sprouts, bubble and squeak, butter, epicurean, " _maître d'hotel_, cabbage, stuffed, calf's foot jelly, " liver, larded, caramel, carrot stew, cauliflower, baked, cheese pudding, " straws, chicken, broiled for children, " broth, " fricassee, " fried spanish style, " jelly, " minced with macaroni, " roast, children's chapter, the, chops, broiled, chowder, st. james, clams, to choose, cock-a-leeky, cod, boiled with oyster sauce, _condé_ crusts, consommé, cookies, crabs, to choose, crackers and marmalade, croutons, currants, ripe, diet for brain workers, " for children, " for invalids, " for rapid workers, " for steady workers, drinks, nourishing, " refreshing, duck, roast, with watercresses, " salmi of, " to choose, eggs, _au gratin_, " boiled for children, " broth, " poached, " stuffed, " tea, entrées, farina, " gruel, " with fruit, fillet of sole, fish, _à la bonne eau_, " _à l'eau de sel_, " _à la hollandaise_, " _au court bouillon_, " _au bleu_, " cakes, club house, " chowder, " pudding, " to choose, " warmed up, flaxseed lemonade, flour, to choose, foods, carbonaceous, " farinaceous, " flesh-forming, " for children, " heat, " nitrogenous, " nutritious, forcemeat for poultry, fowls, boiled with oyster sauce, " grilled, " to choose, fruit for children, " to choose, gammon dumpling, geese, to choose, gingerbread, glaze, golden buck, goose, roast, with onion sauce, gravy for roast meat, green peas, gruels, ham and beans, ham, boiled with madeira sauce hare, civet of, " jugged, " to choose, haslet ragout, herbs, sweet, herrings, pickled, iceland moss chocolate, isinglass milk, italian cheese, jelly water, jelly, bread, kidneys, broiled, " stewed, kolcannon, kromeskys with spanish sauce, lamb, epigramme of, larding, lentils, " boiled, " fried, " stewed, lettuce stuffed, liver rolls, lobsters, to choose, macaroni, " milanaise style, " with béchamel sauce, " with cheese, " with tomato sauce, " timbale of, mackerel, pickled, _marinade_ for beef, marketing, _mayonnaise_, mock crab, mushrooms, baked, " pudding, mussels, to choose, mutton haricot, " leg of, " ragout, " stew, " three dishes from neck of. " to choose, norfolk dumplings, oatmeal porridge, onions, glazed, " saratoga, omelettes, how to make, " oriental style, " plain, " spanish style, " with cheese, " with ham, " with herbs, " with mushrooms, " with oysters, " with preserves, " with tongue, oysters, broiled, " scalloped, " to choose, ox-heart, baked, parmesan cheese, parsnips, stewed, partridge, roast, " to choose, peas and bacon, peas-pudding, pheasants, to choose, pigeons, broiled, " to choose, pigs' feet, broiled, " fried, pig's tongue and brains, polenta, pork chops with curry, " cutlets, broiled, " neck of, " pie, english, " roast, with apple sauce, " to choose, poultry, to choose, potatoes, baked, " bermuda, " boiled, " boiled for children, " boiled in jackets, " duchesse, " lyonnaise, " parisian, " pudding, " new, " saratoga, " snow, " stuffed, pot-au-feu, quail, to choose, red cabbage, red herrings with potatoes, relishes, rice, boiled, " caudle, roasts, " to froth, " to glaze, " to test, rump steak, sago gruel, " milk, salad, asparagus, " cauliflower, " dandelion, " green pea, " mint, " nasturtium, " oil, " orange, " shad-roe, " spinach, " spring, " tomato, " watercress, salad sauce, anchovy, " cream, " egg, " english, " green remolade, " hot, " mayonnaise, " oil, " piquante, " ravigote, " remolade, " romaine, salmon steak, salt cod with parsnips, sardines, " sandwiches, sauce, apple, " _béchamel_, " bread, " caper, " cranberry, " dutch, " madeira, " mint, cold, " mint, hot, " onion, " oyster, " piquante, " robert, " romaine, " spanish, " tomato, , " vanilla cream, " white, with eggs, " white, without eggs, scallops, to choose, scotch broth with meat, " without meat, scotch crowdie, shad, broiled, sheeps' kidneys, broiled, " tongues with spinach, side dishes, smelts, fried, sole, fillet of, soup, clear, " to clarify, " to flavor, thicken, and color " lentil, " macaroni, " pea, " potato, " rice and tomato, " sorrel, " spinach, " vermicelli, spaghetti, spinach, boiled, stuffing for meat, " veal, " sage and onion, strawberry shortcake, string beans, tapioca jelly, toad-in-the-hole, toast, tomatoes, broiled, " stuffed, tripe and onions, tripe, roasted, turkey, roast, with cranberry sauce, " to choose, turnips, baked, veal, blanquette of, " roast loin of, " stuffed, " to choose, vegetables, " to choose, " to boil, venison, to choose, water, filtered, welsh rarebit, wild duck, roast, " to choose, wild goose, to choose, woodcock, to choose, yeast homebrewed, " how to restore bitter, " how to restore sour, yorkshire pudding, +--------------------------------------------------------+ |standardized punctuation | |standardized hyphenations | |page : changed pototoes to potatoes | |page : changed scollops to scallops | |index: changed pease pudding to peas-pudding | |index: numbers refer to page numbers, not recipe numbers| +--------------------------------------------------------+ (this file was produced from images generously made available by the digital & multimedia center, michigan state university libraries.) [illustration: with a hand signature of rufus estes] good things to eat as suggested by rufus a collection of practical recipes for preparing meats, game, fowl, fish, puddings, pastries, etc. by rufus estes formerly of the pullman company private car service, and present chef of the subsidiary companies of the united states steel corporations in chicago [illustration] chicago published by the author copyrighted by rufus estes, chicago foreword that the average parent is blind to the faults of its offspring is a fact so obvious that in attempting to prove or controvert it time and logic are both wasted. ill temper in a child is, alas! too often mistaken for an indication of genius; and impudence is sometimes regarded as a sign of precocity. the author, however, has honestly striven to avoid this common prejudice. this book, the child of his brain, and experience, extending over a long period of time and varying environment, he frankly admits is not without its faults--is far from perfect; but he is satisfied that, notwithstanding its apparent shortcomings, it will serve in a humble way some useful purpose. the recipes given in the following pages represent the labor of years. their worth has been demonstrated, not experimentally, but by actual tests, day by day and month by month, under dissimilar, and, in many instances, not too favorable conditions. one of the pleasures in life to the normal man is good eating, and if it be true that real happiness consists in making others happy, the author can at least feel a sense of gratification in the thought that his attempts to satisfy the cravings of the inner man have not been wholly unappreciated by the many that he has had the pleasure of serving--some of whom are now his stanchest friends. in fact, it was in response to the insistence and encouragement of these friends that he embarked in the rather hazardous undertaking of offering this collection to a discriminating public. to snatch from his daily toil a few moments, here and there, in order to arrange with some degree of symmetry, not the delicacies that would awaken the jaded appetite of the gourmet, but to prepare an ensemble that might, with equal grace, adorn the home table or banquet board, has proven a task of no mean proportions. encouraged by his friends, however, he persevered and this volume is the results of his effort. if, when gathered around the festal board, in camp or by fireside, on train or ship, "trying out" the recipes, his friends will pause, retrospectively, and with kindly feelings think from whence some of the good things emanated, the author will feel amply compensated for the care, the thought, the labor he has expended in the preparation of the book; and to those friends, individually and collectively, it is therefore dedicated. sketch of my life i was born in murray county, tennessee, in , a slave. i was given the name of my master, d. j. estes, who owned my mother's family, consisting of seven boys and two girls, i being the youngest of the family. after the war broke out all the male slaves in the neighborhood for miles around ran off and joined the "yankees." this left us little folks to bear the burdens. at the age of five i had to carry water from the spring about a quarter of a mile from the house, drive the cows to and from the pastures, mind the calves, gather chips, etc. in my mother moved to nashville, tennessee, my grandmother's home, where i attended one term of school. two of my brothers were lost in the war, a fact that wrecked my mother's health somewhat and i thought i could be of better service to her and prolong her life by getting work. when summer came i got work milking cows for some neighbors, for which i got two dollars a month. i also carried hot dinners for the laborers in the fields, for which each one paid me twenty-five cents per month. all of this, of course, went to my mother. i worked at different places until i was sixteen years old, but long before that time i was taking care of my mother. at the age of sixteen i was employed in nashville by a restaurant-keeper named hemphill. i worked there until i was twenty-one years of age. in i came to chicago and got a position at clark street, where i remained for two years at a salary of ten dollars a week. in i entered the pullman service, my first superintendent being j. p. mehen. i remained in their service until . during the time i was in their service some of the most prominent people in the world traveled in the car assigned to me, as i was selected to handle all special parties. among the distinguished people who traveled in my care were stanley, the african explorer; president cleveland; president harrison; adelina patti, the noted singer of the world at that time; booth and barrett; modjeski and paderewski. i also had charge of the car for princess eulalie of spain, when she was the guest of chicago during the world's fair. in i set sail from vancouver on the empress of china with mr. and mrs. nathan a. baldwin for japan, visiting the cherry blossom festival at tokio. in mr. arthur stillwell, at that time president of the kansas city, pittsburg & gould railroad, gave me charge of his magnificent $ , private car. i remained with him seventeen months when the road went into the hands of receivers, and the car was sold to john w. gates syndicate. however, i had charge of the car under the new management until , since which time i have been employed as chef of the subsidiary companies of the united states steel corporation in chicago. hints to kitchen maids it is always necessary to keep your kitchen in the best condition. ~breakfast~--if a percolator is used it should first be put into operation. if the breakfast consists of grapefruit, cereals, etc., your cereal should be the next article prepared. if there is no diningroom maid, you can then put your diningroom in order. if hot bread is to be served (including cakes) that is the next thing to be prepared. your gas range is of course lighted, and your oven heated. perhaps you have for breakfast poached eggs on toast, deerfoot sausage or boiled ham. one of the above, with your other dishes, is enough for a person employed indoors. when your breakfast gong is sounded put your biscuits, eggs, bread, etc., in the oven so that they may be ready to serve when the family have eaten their grapefruit and cereal. ~luncheon~--this is the easiest meal of the three to prepare. yesterday's dinner perhaps consisted of roast turkey, beef or lamb, and there is some meat left over; then pick out one of my receipts calling for minced or creamed meats; baked or stuffed potatoes are always nice, or there may be cold potatoes left over that can be mashed, made into cakes and fried. ~dinner~--for a roast beef dinner serve vegetable soup as the first course, with a relish of vegetables in season and horseradish or chow-chow pickle, unless you serve salad. if quail or ducks are to be served for dinner, an old indian dish, wild rice, is very desirable. prepare this rice as follows: place in a double boiler a cupful of milk or cream to each cupful of rice and add salt and pepper to taste. it requires a little longer to cook than the ordinary rice, but must not be stirred. if it becomes dry add a little milk from time to time. do not serve dishes at the same meal that conflict. for instance, if you have sliced tomatoes, do not serve tomato soup. if, however, you have potato soup, it would not be out of place to serve potatoes with your dinner. fish should never be served without a salad of some kind. the above are merely suggestions that have been of material assistance to me. table of weights and measures four teaspoonfuls of a liquid equal tablespoonful. four tablespoonfuls of a liquid equal / gill or / cup. one-half cup equals gill. two gills equal cup. two cups equal pint. two pints ( cups) equal quart. four cups of flour equal pound or quart. two cups of butter, solid, equal pound. one half cup of butter, solid, equals / pound ounces. two cups of granulated sugar equal pound. two and one half cups of powdered sugar equal pound. one pint of milk or water equals pound. one pint of chopped meat equals pound. ten eggs, shelled, equal pound. eight eggs with shells equal pound. two tablespoonfuls of butter equal ounce. two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar equal ounce. four tablespoonfuls of flour equal ounce. four tablespoonfuls of coffee equal ounce. one tablespoonful of liquid equals / ounce. four tablespoonfuls of butter equal ounces or / cup. all measurements are level unless otherwise stated in the recipe. good things to eat soups ~asparagus soup~--take three pounds of knuckle of veal and put it to boil in a gallon of water with a couple of bunches of asparagus, boil for three hours, strain, and return the juice to the pot. add another bunch of asparagus, chopped fine, and boil for twenty minutes, mix a tablespoonful of flour in a cup of milk and add to the soup. season with salt and pepper, let it come to a boil, and serve at once. ~bean soup~--one-half pound or one cup is sufficient for one quart of soup. soups can be made which use milk or cream as basis. any kind of green vegetable can be used with them, as creamed celery or creamed cauliflower. the vegetable is cooked and part milk and part water or part milk and part cream are used. ~bisque of clams~--place a knuckle of veal, weighing about a pound and one-half, into a soup kettle, with a quart of water, one small onion, a sprig of parsley, a bay leaf, and the liquor drained from the clams, and simmer gradually for an hour and a half, skimming from time to time; strain the soup and again place it in the kettle; rub a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter with an equal amount of flour together and add it to the soup when it is boiling, stirring until again boiling; chop up twenty-five clams very fine, then place them in the soup, season and boil for about five minutes, then add a pint of milk or cream, and remove from the fire immediately, and serve. ~bisque of lobster~--remove the meat of the lobster from its shell and cut the tender pieces into quarter-inch dice; put the ends of the claw-meat and any tough portions in a saucepan with the bones of the body and a little cold water and boil for twenty minutes, adding a little water from time to time as may be necessary; put the coral to dry in a moderate oven, and mix a little flour with some cold milk, and stir the milk, which should be boiling, stirring over the fire for ten minutes, then strain the water from the bones and other parts, mix it with milk, add a little butter, salt, pepper and cayenne to taste, and rub the dry coral through a fine-haired sieve, putting enough into the soup having it a bright pink color. place the grease fat and lobster dice in a soup tureen, strain the boiling soup over them, and serve at once. ~bisque of oysters~--place about thirty medium-sized oysters in a saucepan together with their own juice and poach them over a hot fire, after which drain well; then fry a shallot colorless in some butter, together with an onion, sprinkle over them a little curry and add some of the oyster juice, seasoning with salt and red pepper. pound the oysters to a good firm paste, moistening them with a little of their juice, and strain through fine tammy cloth. warm them over the fire, but do not let them boil; add a small quantity of thickening of potato flour mixed with a little water. when about to serve incorporate some cream and fine butter, garnishing with some chopped oysters and mushrooms, mixed with breadcrumbs and herbs. add a little seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg, some raw egg yolks, and roll this mixture into ball-shape pieces, place them on a well-buttered baking sheet in a slack oven and poach them, then serve. ~black bean soup~--wash one pint of black beans, cover with one quart of cold water and let soak over night. in the morning pour off the water and pour over three pints of cold water. cook, covered, until tender, four or five hours, add one tablespoonful of salt the last hour, rub through a strainer, add the strained beans to the water in which they were boiled, return to the soup kettle. melt one tablespoonful of flour, stir this into the hot soup, let boil, stirring constantly; add a little pepper, slice thinly one lemon, put all the slices into the tureen and pour the soup over. serve very hot. ~chestnut soup~--peel and blanch the chestnuts, boil them in salted water until quite soft, pass through a sieve, add more water if too thick, and a spoonful of butter or several of sweet cream. season to taste and serve with small squares of bread fried crisp in butter or olive oil. ~chicken gumbo, creole style~--for about twelve or fifteen, one young hen chicken, half pound ham, quart fresh okra, three large tomatoes, two onions, one kernel garlic, one small red pepper, two tablespoons flour, three quarts boiling water, half pound butter, one bay leaf, pinch salt and cayenne pepper. to mix, mince your ham, put in the bottom of an iron kettle if preferred with the above ingredients except the chicken. clean and cut your chicken up and put in separate saucepan with about a quart or more of water and teaspoonful of salt; set to the side of the fire for about an hour; skim when necessary. when the chicken is thoroughly done strip the meat from the bone and mix both together; just before serving add a quart of shrimps. ~cream of celery soup~--chop fine one head of celery and put on to cook in one pint of water. boil until tender, add one pint of milk, thicken with a spoonful of butter, season to taste, and strain. then add one cupful of whipped cream and serve at once. ~egg soup~--beat three eggs until light, then add one-half cupful of thick sweet cream and one cupful of milk, pour over this two quarts of boiling water, set on the fire until it comes to a boil, season to taste, then pour over broken bread in the tureen and serve. ~green pea soup~--put one quart of green peas into two cups of boiling water, add a saltspoon of salt, and cook until tender. rub peas and liquor through a puree strainer, add two cups of boiling water, and set back where the pulp will keep hot. heat two cups of milk, add a teaspoon of flour rubbed into a rounding tablespoon of butter, season with salt, pepper, and a level teaspoon of sugar. add to the hot vegetable pulp, heat to the boiling point, and serve. ~green tomato soup~--chop fine five green tomatoes and boil twenty minutes in water to cover. then add one quart hot milk, to which a teaspoonful soda has been added, let come to a boil, take from the fire and add a quarter cupful butter rubbed into four crackers rolled fine, with salt and pepper to taste. ~onion soup~--cut three onions small, put one-quarter cup of butter in a kettle and toast one tablespoon flour till bright yellow in color; in it mix with this the onions, pour on as much broth as is wanted, add a little mace and let boil, then strain, allow to cook a little longer, add yolk of two eggs, and serve. ~peanut soup~--made like a dry pea soup. soak a pint and one-half nut meats over night in two quarts of water. in the morning add three quarts of water, bay-leaf, stalk of celery, blade of mace and one slice of onion. boil slowly for four or five hours, stirring frequently to keep from burning. rub through a sieve and return to the fire, when heated through again add one cupful of cream. serve hot with croutons. ~sago soup~--wash one-half cup sago in warm water, add desired amount of boiling broth (meat or chicken), a little mace, and cook until the sago is soft, and serve. ~salmon soup~--take the skin and bones from canned salmon and drain off the oil. chop fine enough of the fish to measure two-thirds of a cup. cook a thick slice of onion in a quart of milk twenty minutes in a double boiler. thicken with one-quarter cup of flour rubbed smooth with one rounding tablespoonful of butter. cook ten minutes, take out the onion, add a saltspoon of pepper, one level teaspoon of salt and the salmon. rub all through a fine strainer, and serve hot. the amount of salmon may be varied according to taste. ~sorrel soup~--wash thoroughly a pint of sorrel leaves and put in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of butter, four or five of the large outside leaves, a sliced onion, and a few small sprigs of parsley. toss over the fire for a few minutes, then sift into the pan two tablespoonfuls of flour and stir until blended with the butter remaining. transfer to the soup kettle and pour in gradually, stirring all the time, three quarts of boiling water. cook gently for fifteen or twenty minutes, then add a cupful of mashed potato and one of hot milk. season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. have in the soup tureen some croutons of bread toasted brown, pour the hot soup over them and serve. the sorrel should be cut in fine pieces before cooking. this is one of the delicacies of the early spring, its slightly acid flavor making it particularly appetizing. ~tomato soup~--put one quart can of tomatoes, two cups of water, one-half level tablespoon of sugar, one level teaspoon of salt, four whole cloves, and four peppercorns together in a saucepan and simmer twenty minutes. fry a rounding tablespoon of chopped onion and half as much minced parsley in a rounding tablespoon of butter until yellow, add two level tablespoons of cornstarch. stir until smooth, then turn into the boiling soup and simmer ten minutes. add more salt and pepper and strain. ~tomato soup~--into a saucepan put one quart can of tomatoes and two cups of broth from soup bones. to make this cover the bones and meat with cold water and simmer slowly for several hours. add to tomato and stock a bit of bay leaf, one stalk celery cut in pieces, six peppercorns, a level teaspoon of salt and a rounding teaspoon of sugar. cook slowly until tomato is soft. meanwhile put a rounding tablespoon of butter in a small saucepan and when melted and hot turn in a medium-sized onion cut fine. when this has cooked slowly until yellow, but not browned, add enough of the tomato to dilute it, then turn all back into the larger saucepan. mix and press through a strainer to take out the seeds and bits of vegetables, reheat, and serve with small croutons. ~tomato soup, corned beef stock~--put one quart can tomatoes on to boil, add six peppercorns, one-half inch blade of mace and a bit of bay leaf the same size. fry one sliced onion in one level tablespoonful butter or beef fat until slightly colored, add this to the tomato, and simmer until the tomato is quite soft, and the liquor reduced one-half. stir in one-fourth teaspoon of soda, and when it stops foaming turn into a puree strainer and rub the pulp through. put the strained tomato on to boil again and add an equal amount of corned beef liquor, or enough to make three pints in all. melt one heaped tablespoon butter in a smooth saucepan, add one heaped tablespoon cornstarch, and gradually add part of the boiling soup. stir as it thickens, and when smooth stir this into the remainder of the soup. add one teaspoon salt and one-fourth teaspoon paprika. reserve one pint of this soup to use with spaghetti. serve buttered and browned crackers with the soup. ~vegetable broth~--take turnips, carrots, potatoes, beets, celery, all, or two or three, and chop real fine. then mix with them an equal amount of cold water, put in a kettle, just bring to a boil, not allowing it to boil for about three or four hours, and then drain off the water. the flavor will be gone from the vegetables and will be in the broth. ~vegetable soup~--take one-half a turnip, two carrots, three potatoes, three onions and a little cabbage. run through a meat chopper with coarse cutter and put to cook in cold water. cook about three hours. if you wish you can put a little bit of cooking oil in. when cooked add one quart of tomatoes. this will need about six quarts of water. the most nutritious soups are made from peas and beans. ~vegetable soup~ (without stock)--one-half cup each of carrot and turnip, cut into small pieces, three-fourths cup of celery, cut fine, one very small onion sliced thin, four level tablespoons of butter, three-fourths cup of potato, cut into small dice, one and one-half quarts of boiling water, salt and pepper to taste. prepare the vegetables and cook the carrot, celery and onion in the butter for ten minutes without browning. add the potato and cook for three minutes longer, then add the water and cook slowly for one hour. rub through a sieve, add salt and pepper to taste, and a little butter if desired. ~white soup~--put six pounds of lean gravy beef into a saucepan, with half gallon of water and stew gently until all the good is extracted and remove beef. add to the liquor six pounds of knuckle of veal, one-fourth pound ham, four onions, four heads of celery, cut into small pieces, a few peppercorns and bunch of sweet herbs. stew gently for seven or eight hours, skimming off the fat as it rises to the top. mix with the crumbs of two french rolls two ounces of blanched sweet almonds and put in a saucepan with a pint of cream and a little stock, boil ten minutes, then pass through a silk sieve, using a wooden spoon in the process. mix the cream and almonds with the soup, turn into a tureen, and serve. ~wine soup~--put the yolks of twelve eggs and whites of six in an enameled saucepan and beat thoroughly. pour in one and a half breakfast cupfuls of water, add six ounces of loaf sugar, the grated rind and strained juice of a large lemon, one and one-half pints of white wine. whisk the soup over a gentle fire until on the point of boiling, removing immediately. turn into a tureen, and serve with a plate of sponge cakes or fancy biscuits. (this soup should be served as soon as taken from fire.) ~chestnut soup~--peel and blanch the chestnuts, boil them in salted water until quite soft, pass through a sieve, add more water if too thick, and a spoonful of butter or several of sweet cream, season to taste, and serve with small squares of bread fried crisp in butter or olive oil. fish ~boiled codfish, with cream sauce~--take out the inside of a cod by the white skin of the belly, taking care to remove all blood. place the fish in a kettle with salted cold water; boil fast at first, then slowly. when done take out and skin. pour over it a sauce made as follows: one-fourth pound butter put into a stewpan with one tablespoonful of flour, moistened with one pint of cream or rich milk, and salt and pepper, and also one teaspoonful essence of anchovies. place the pan over the fire and let thicken, but not boil. ~boiled mackerel~--prepare and clean some mackerel. put in water and boil until they are done. when cooked, drain and put the mackerel on a hot dish. blanch some fennel in salted water. when it is soft drain and chop finely. put one tablespoonful in half pint of butter sauce. serve in a sauce boat with the fish. ~boiled salmon with sauce tartare~--scrape the skin of the fish, wipe, and if you have no regular fish kettle with a perforated lid, tie in a piece of cheesecloth and place gently in a kettle of boiling salted water. push the kettle back on the fire (where it will simmer gently, instead of boiling hard) and cook, allowing about six minutes to the pound. remove carefully, drain, and chill. if the fish breaks and looks badly take out the bones, flake, pile lightly on the platter and pour the sauce over it. this may be a hot sauce hollandaise or a cold sauce tartare. ~broiled mackerel~--draw and wash the mackerel. cut off heads and rub over with salt and leave for an hour. rub a gridiron with olive oil, lay the mackerel on it and broil over a charcoal fire. place some chopped parsley and onions on a hot dish, with the hot fish, squeezing over the mackerel a little lemon juice. serve hot. ~broiled mackerel, with black butter~--take some mackerel, open and remove bones. season with butter, pepper, and salt. place the fish on a gridiron and broil over a clear fire. put a part of the butter in a saucepan and stir it over the fire until it is richly browned, squeezing into it a little lemon juice. place the fish on a hot dish, arrange some sprigs of parsley around it, and pour over it the butter sauce, and serve hot. ~codfish cones~--when it is not convenient to make and fry fish balls try this substitute. pick enough salt codfish into shreds to measure two cups and let stand in cold water for two or more hours, then drain dry. make a sauce from one cup of hot milk, two level tablespoons each of flour and butter, and cook five minutes. mash and season enough hot boiled potatoes to measure two cups, add the sauce and the fish and beat well with a fork. shape in small cones, set on a butter pan, brush with melted butter and scatter fine bread crumbs over. set in oven to brown. ~codfish hash~--take a cup of cooked cod, pick in pieces and soak in cold water for twelve hours. boil some potatoes and add them to the finely chopped fish, a little at a time. put in a saucepan with some butter and stir. let it cook gently. ~finnan haddie fish cakes~--the finnan haddie parboiled with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, season with melted butter, salt and pepper, add a beaten egg, and mold into cakes. ~fish, east india style~--peel two medium-sized onions, cut into thin slices. put in a stewpan with a small lump of butter and fry until lightly browned. pour over them some white stock, judging the quantity by that of the fish; one ounce of butter, little curry powder, salt, lemon juice, a little sugar, and cayenne pepper. boil the stock for fifteen or twenty minutes, then strain into a stewpan, skim and put in the fish, having it carefully prepared. boil gently, without breaking the fish. wash and boil half a cup of rice in water, and when cooked it should be dried and the grains unbroken. turn the curry out on a hot dish, garnish with croutons of fried bread. serve hot, with the rice in separate dish. ~fish en casserole~--one of those earthen baking dishes with close-fitting cover of the same ware and fit for placing on the table is especially useful for cooking fish. for instance, take two pounds of the thick part of cod or haddock, both of which are cheap fish. take off the skin and lay in the casserole. make a sauce from two cups of milk heated, with a good slice of onion, a rounding tablespoon of minced parsley, a small piece of mace, a few gratings of the yellow rind of lemon, half a level teaspoon of salt, and a little white pepper. cook in the top of a double boiler for twenty minutes. heat one-quarter cup of butter in a saucepan, add three level tablespoons of flour, and cook smooth, turn on the hot milk after straining out the seasonings. cook until thick and pour over the fish. cover and bake half hour, then if the fish is done serve in the same dish with little finely minced parsley scattered over. ~louisiana cod~--melt one-quarter cup of butter and let it begin to color, add two level tablespoons of flour and stir until smooth. add one cup of water and cook five minutes. add half a level teaspoon of salt, half as much pepper, and a teaspoon of lemon juice. chop fine one medium-size onion and one small green pepper, after taking out the seeds. brown them in two tablespoons of butter, add one cup of strained tomatoes, a bit of bay leaf, and the prepared sauce. put slices of cod cut an inch thick into a casserole, pour on the sauce, cover closely, and bake in a slow oven three-quarters of an hour. ~metelote of haddock~--wash and skin the haddock and remove the flesh from the bones in firm pieces suitable for serving. put the head, bones and trimmings to cook in cold water and add a small sliced onion and salt and pepper. boil six good-sized onions until tender, then drain and slice and put half of them into a buttered baking dish. arrange the pieces of fish on these, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add the remaining onions. drain the fish from the trimmings, add to it two tablespoons lemon juice and pour it over onions and fish. cover very closely and cook in the oven until the fish is tender. then drain off the liquid, heat it to the boiling point, and thicken it with two eggs slightly beaten and diluted with a little of the hot liquid. arrange the onions on a hot platter and place the fish on top, then pour over the thickened liquid. ~a mold of salmon~--if where one cannot get fresh fish, the canned salmon makes a delicious mold. serve very cold on a bed of crisp lettuce or cress. drain off the juice from a can of salmon, and flake, picking out every fragment of bone and skin. mix with the fish one egg lightly beaten, the juice of a half lemon, a cup fine dry bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to season. pack in a buttered mold which has a tight-fitting tin cover, steam for two hours, and cool. after it gets quite cold set on the ice until ready to carve. ~oysters a la poulette~--one quart oysters, four level tablespoons butter, four level tablespoons flour, one-half level teaspoon salt, one-fourth level teaspoon celery salt, one-half cup oysters liquor, one cup each of chicken stock and milk, juice one-half lemon. look over the oysters, heat quickly to the boiling point, then drain and strain the liquor through cheesecloth. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and celery salt, and when blended add the oyster liquor, chicken stock and milk, stirring until thick and smooth. cook for five minutes, then add the oysters and lemon juice, and serve at once. ~oyster fricasse~--put one pint of oysters into a double boiler or into the top of the chafing dish. as soon as the edges curl add the slightly beaten yolks of three eggs, a few grains of pepper and half a teaspoon of salt. set over hot water and as soon as the egg thickens add a teaspoon of lemon juice. spread on slices of toasted brown bread and garnish with celery tips. celery salt is a good addition to the seasoning. ~rechauffe of finnan haddie~--cover a finnan haddie with boiling water and let it simmer for twenty minutes, then remove the kettle and flake, discarding the skin and bones. for three cups of fish scald two cups of thin cream and add to the fish. season with paprika or a dash of cayenne, and when thoroughly heated stir in the yolks of two eggs, diluted with a little hot cream. ~scalloped clams in shell~--chop the clams very fine and season with salt and cayenne pepper. in another dish mix some powdered crackers, moistened first with warm milk, then with clam liquor, a beaten egg and some melted butter, the quantity varying with the amount of clams used; stir in the chopped clams. wash clean as many shells as the mixture will fill, wipe and butter them, fill heaping full with the mixture, smoothing with a spoon. place in rows in a baking pan and bake until well browned. send to the table hot. ~scalloped shrimps~--make a sauce with a level tablespoon of cornstarch, a rounding tablespoon of butter and one cup of milk cooked together five minutes. season with one-quarter level teaspoon of salt and a few grains of cayenne. add one can of shrimps after removing all bits of shell and mincing them fine. use, if preferred, the same amount of fresh shrimps. put into buttered scallop shells, scatter fine bread crumbs over the top of each, and dot with bits of butter. set in a quick oven to brown the crumbs, and serve hot in the shells. ~stewed codfish~--take a piece of boiled cod, remove the skin and bones and pick into flakes. put these in a stewpan, with a little butter, salt, pepper, minced parsley and juice of a lemon. put on the fire and when the contents of the pan are quite hot the fish is ready to serve. ~codfish cones~--when it is not convenient to make and preparation into shapes, dip them into egg beaten with cream, then in sifted breadcrumbs and let them stand for half an hour or so to dry; then fry them a delicate color after plunging into boiling lard. take them out, drain, place on a napkin on a dish and serve. the remainder of the chicken stock may be used for making consomme or soup. beef, veal and pork ~beef en casserole~--have a steak cut two inches thick and broil two minutes on each side. lay in a casserole and pour round two cups of rich brown sauce; add three onions cut in halves. ~beef hash cakes~--chop cold corned beef fine and add a little more than the same measure of cold boiled potatoes, chopped less fine than the beef. season with onion juice, make into small cakes, and brown in butter or beef drippings; serve each cake on a slice of buttered toast moistened slightly. ~beef ragout~--another way to serve the remnants of cold meat is to melt one rounding tablespoon of butter in a pan and let it brown lightly. add two rounding tablespoons of flour and stir until smooth and browned; add one cup of strained tomato and one cup of stock or strained gravy, or part gravy and part water. when this sauce is thickened add two cups of meat cut in small, thin slices or shavings. stir until heated through and no longer, as that will harden the meat. season with salt and pepper, and serve at once. ~boiled boned ham~--wash a ham, place it in a saucepan, cover with cold water and boil for four or five hours, according to its size. take out the bone, roll the ham and place it in a basin with a large weight on top. when cold put it on a dish, garnish with parsley, and serve. ~boned ham~--have the bone taken from a small ham and put into a kettle of cold water with one onion cut in quarters, a dozen cloves, and a bay leaf. cook slowly until tender and do not test it until you have allowed fifteen minutes to the pound. take from the kettle, remove the skin, brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs and set in the oven to brown. ~breaded cutlets~--have the cutlets cut into portions of the right size for serving. dust each side with salt and pepper. beat one egg with a tablespoon of cold water, dip the cutlets in this and roll in fine bread crumbs. fry three slices of salt pork in the frying-pan and cook the cutlets in this fat. as veal must be well done to be wholesome, cook it slowly about fifteen minutes. serve with a gravy made from the contents of the pan or with a tomato sauce. ~broiled liver and bacon~--as broiling in most cases is wasteful, the liver and bacon are generally fried together, but the dish is somewhat spoiled by this method. the best way is to fry the well-trimmed slices of bacon, and after having washed and sliced the liver, say a third of an inch thick, dry it on a cloth and dip in flour. place in the bacon fat and broil over a clear fire, adding pepper and salt while cooking. when done lay on a dish, placing a piece of bacon on each piece of liver. ~broiled pig's feet~--thoroughly clean as many pig's feet as are required, and split lengthwise in halves, tying them with a broad tape so they will not open in cooking. put in a saucepan with a seasoning of parsley, thyme, bay leaf, allspice, carrots and onions, with sufficient water to cover. boil slowly until tender, and let them cool in the liquor. dip in the beaten yolks of eggs and warmed butter. sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with bread crumbs seasoned with very finely chopped shallot and parsley. put on a gridiron over a clear fire and broil until well and evenly browned. unbind and arrange on a dish, garnish with fried parsley and serve. ~broiled sheep's kidneys~--to broil sheep's kidneys cut them open, put them on small skewers. season with salt and pepper and broil. when done serve with shallot or maitre d'hotel sauce. ~brunswick stew~--cut up one chicken, preferably a good fat hen, cover with cold water, season with salt and pepper, and cook slowly until about half done. add six ears of green corn, splitting through the kernels, one pint butter beans and six large tomatoes chopped fine. a little onion may be added if desired. cook until the vegetables are thoroughly done, but very slowly, so as to avoid burning. add strips of pastry for dumplings and cook five minutes. fresh pork can be used in place of the chicken and canned vegetables instead of the fresh. ~calves' tongues~--wash and put into a saucepan with half a dozen slices of carrot, an onion sliced, five cloves, a teaspoon of whole peppercorns, and half a level tablespoon of salt. cover with boiling water and simmer until tender. drain and cool a little, then take off the skin. drop back into the hot liquid to reheat. serve with a sauce. melt one-quarter cup of butter, add three slightly rounding tablespoons of flour, stir and cook until browned, add two cups of broth, brown stock of rich gravy melted in hot water, one-half level teaspoon of salt, the same of paprika, a saltspoon of allspice, one tablespoon of vinegar, a few grains of cayenne, and half a tablespoon of capers. pour over the tongues and serve. ~corned beef hash~--to two cups of chopped cold corned beef, add two cups of chopped cold boiled potatoes. heat three tablespoons of bacon fat in a frying pan and add the meat and potato, add pepper and salt, if necessary, and moisten with water. cook slowly until a nice brown underneath. roll from the pan on to a hot platter. garnish with parsley and serve with pickled beets. ~english pot roast~--cut one pound of cold roast into two-inch pieces, slice four good sized potatoes thin, also one onion, into a deep dish, put a layer of the beef, one of potatoes, one of onions, salt and pepper, another layer of meat, potatoes and onions, season again, add one cup gravy, and over all put a thick layer of potatoes. bake three hours--the longer and slower the better. ~frankfort sausage~--for this use any part of the pig, but equal quantities of lean and fat. mince fine, season with ground coriander seed, salt, pepper, and a small quantity of nutmeg. have ready skins, well cleaned and soaked in cold water for several hours, fill with the seasoned meat, secure the ends and hang in a cool, dry place until needed. ~fried ham~--cut off a thick slice of ham. place in a saucepan over the fire, with sufficient water to cover and let come to a boil. pour off the water, and fry the ham slowly until it is brown on both sides. season with pepper and serve. eggs are usually served with fried ham. they may be fried in the same pan or separately, in sufficient grease to prevent burning. season with salt and pepper, place around the ham. ~ham and chicken pie~--trim off the skin of some cold chicken and cut the meat into small pieces. mix with an equal quantity of finely chopped lean ham and a small lot of chopped shallot. season with salt, pepper and pounded mace, moisten with a few tablespoonfuls of white stock. butter a pie dish, line the edges with puff paste and put in the mixture, placing puff paste over the top. trim it around the edges, moisten and press together, cut a small hole in the top, and bake in a moderate oven. when cooked, pour a small quantity of hot cream through the hole in the top of the pie, and serve. ~ham croquettes~--chop very fine one-fourth of a pound of ham; mix with it an equal quantity of boiled and mashed potatoes, two hard boiled eggs chopped, one tablespoonful chopped parsley. season to taste. then stir in the yolk of an egg. flour the hands and shape the mixture into small balls. fry in deep fat. place on a dish, garnish with parsley and serve. ~hash with dropped eggs~--mince or grind cold cooked meat and add two-thirds as much cold chopped vegetables. the best proportions of vegetables are half potato and one-quarter each of beets and carrots. put a little gravy stock or hot water with butter melted in it, into a saucepan, turn in the meat and vegetables and heat, stirring all the time. season with salt, pepper, and a little onion juice if liked. turn into a buttered baking dish, smooth over, and set in the oven to brown. take up and press little depressions in the top, and drop an egg into each. set back into the oven until the egg is set, but not cooked hard. serve in the same dish. ~lamb chops en casserole~--trim off the superfluous fat from the chops, and place them in a casserole with a medium sized onion, sliced and separated into rings. cover each layer of chops with the onion rings, then add a pint of boiling water. cover and cook for one hour and one-half in a moderate oven. add salt and pepper and some sliced carrot, and cook until the carrot is tender. remove the chops to a hot platter and pour over them the gravy which may be thickened, then garnish with the carrot. ~lamb curry~--cut the meat into small pieces, (and the inferior portions, such as the neck can be utilized in a curry), roll in flour and fry in hot olive oil, pork fat, or butter, until a rich brown. mince or slice an onion and fry in the same way. then put into a saucepan, cover with boiling water, and simmer until the bones and gristly pieces will slip out. when the meat is sufficiently tender add a cupful each strained tomato and rice, then a powder. cook ten minutes longer and serve. ~meat pie~--chop fine, enough of cold roast beef to make two cupfuls, also one small onion, pare as many potatoes as desired and boil, mash and cream as for mashed potatoes. drain a cupful of tomato liquid free from seeds, stir meat, onion and tomato juice together, put in a deep dish, spread potatoes over the top and bake in a hot oven. ~minced mutton~--mince the meat from a cold roast of mutton, put into a saucepan. make a roux, moisten with a little stock and season with salt and pepper, adding butter and some gherkins. put the minced meat into the sauce and let it cook without boiling. serve with thin slices of bread around the plate. ~pig's ears, lyonnaise~--singe off all the hair from pig's ears, scrape and wash well and cut lengthwise into strips. place them in a saucepan with a little stock, add a small quantity of flour, a few slices of onion fried, salt and pepper to taste. place the pan over a slow fire and simmer until the ears are thoroughly cooked. arrange on a dish, add a little lemon juice to the liquor and pour over the ears. serve with a garnish of fried bread. ~pork cutlets and anchovy sauce~--broil on a well greased gridiron, over the fire, nicely cut and trimmed cutlets of pork. place frills on the bones of the cutlets. serve very hot with anchovy sauce. ~ragout of cooked meat~--cut one pint of cold meat into half-inch dice, removing the fat, bone and gristle. put the meat into a stew pan, cover with boiling water and simmer slowly two or three hours or until very tender. then add half a can of mushrooms cut fine, two tablespoons of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. wet one tablespoonful of cornstarch to a smooth paste with a little cold water and stir into the boiling liquor, add a teaspoon of caramel if not brown enough. cook ten minutes and serve plain or in a border of mashed potatoes. the seasoning may be varied by using one teaspoon of curry powder, a few grains of cayenne or half a tumbler of currant jelly and salt to taste. ~rice and beef croquettes~--to use up cold meat economically combine two cups of chopped beef or mutton with two cups of freshly boiled rice. season well with salt, pepper, onion juice, a large teaspoon of minced parsley, and a teaspoon of lemon juice. pack on a large plate and set away to cool. after the mixture is cold, shape into croquettes, dip into beaten egg, roll in fine crumbs and fry in smoking hot fat. ~rolled rib roast~--have the backbone and ribs removed and utilize them for making a stew for lunch. tie the meat into a round shape and sprinkle it with salt and pepper, then dredge with flour and place in a dripping pan. have the oven hot when the meat is first put into it, in order that it may be seared over quickly to prevent the juices from escaping. then reduce the heat and baste with the fat in the pan. when done place on a hot platter and surround with riced potato. ~sheep's brains, with small onions~--take sheep's brains. soak in lukewarm water and blanch. stew with thin slices of bacon, a little white wine, parsley, shallots, cloves, small onions, salt and pepper. when done arrange the brains on a dish, with the onion's around; reduce the sauce and serve. calves' brains may be dressed in the same way. ~sheep's tongues~--sheep's tongues are usually boiled in water and then broiled. to dress them, first skin and split down the center. dip them in butter or sweet oil, mixed with parsley, green onions, mushrooms, clove of garlic, all shredded fine, salt and pepper. then cover with bread crumbs and broil. serve with an acid sauce. ~shoulder of veal braised~--buy a shoulder of veal and ask the butcher to bone it and send the bones with the meat. cover the bones with cold water and when it comes to a boil skim, then add a little onion and carrot and a few seasoning herbs and any spices desired. simmer gently for an hour or so until you have a pint of stock. to make the stuffing take a stale loaf, cut off the crust and soak in a little cold water until soft. rub the crumbs of the loaf as fine as possible in the hands, then add to the soaked and softened crust. chop a half cup of suet fine, put into a frying pan a tablespoon of the suet, and when hot add an onion chopped fine. cook until brown then add to the bread with regular poultry seasoning or else salt, pepper, and a bit of thyme. mix well and stuff the cavity in the shoulder, then pull the flaps of the meat over and sew up. put the rest of the suet in the frying pan and having dusted the meat with flour, salt and pepper and a sprinkling of sugar, brown on all sides in the fat into the bottom of the braising pan, which may be any shallow iron pot or granite kettle with a tight cover, put a layer of thin sliced onions and carrots, a bit of bay leaf and sprigs of parsley, and on this lay the meat. add two or three cloves, pour hot stock around it, cover closely and braise in a hot oven for three hours. ~spanish chops~--gash six french chops on outer edge, extending cut more than half way through lean meat. stuff, dip in crumbs, egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat five minutes and drain on brown paper. for the stuffing mix six tablespoons of soft bread crumbs, three tablespoons of chopped cooked ham, two tablespoons chopped mushroom caps, two tablespoons melted butter, salt and pepper to taste. ~haricot of mutton~--to make a la bourgeoise, cut a shoulder of mutton in pieces about the width of two fingers. mix a little butter with a tablespoonful of flour and place over a slow fire, stirring until the color of cinnamon. put in the pieces of meat, giving them two or three turns over the fire, then add some stock, if you have it, or about half pint of hot water, which must be stirred in a little at a time. season with salt, pepper, parsley, green onions, bay leaf, thyme, garlic, cloves, and basil. set the whole over a slow fire and when half done skim off as much fat as possible. have ready some turnips, cut in pieces, and stew with the meat. when done take out the herbs and skim off what fat remains, reducing the stock if too thin. ~veal croquettes~--make a thick sauce from one cup of milk, two level tablespoons of butter, and four level tablespoons of flour. cook five minutes, season with salt, pepper and celery salt, and a few drops of lemon juice, and a tablespoon of finely minced parsley. add two cups of cold cooked veal chopped fine and cool the mixture. shape into little rolls, dip in an egg beaten with one tablespoon of water then roll in fine bread crumbs. fry in deep smoking hot fat. be sure to coat the whole surface with egg and to have the fat very hot, as the mixture has been cooked once and merely needs beating to the center and browning on the outside. ~veal loaf~--mince fine three pounds lean raw veal and a quarter of a pound of fat pork. add a half onion chopped fine or grated, a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful pepper and a teaspoonful seasoning herbs. mix well, add two-thirds of a cup cracker crumbs, a half cup veal gravy, the yolk of one egg and the whites of two beaten together. form into a loaf, pressing firmly together. brush over with the yolk of an egg, dust with finely rolled cracker crumbs and set in a greased rack in the dripping pan. when it begins to brown, turn a cup of hot water into the pan and baste frequently until done. it will take about an hour and a half in a moderate oven. ~veal patties~--make a sauce of two level tablespoons each of butter and flour, one cup of stock or boiling water, and one cup of thin cream. cook five minutes, add two cups of finely chopped cooked veal, half a level teaspoon of salt, a saltspoon of pepper, also the beaten yolks of two eggs, and a tablespoon of finely minced parsley. as soon as the egg thickens take from the fire and fill hot pastry cases. ~virginia stew~--a half grown chicken or two squirrels, one slice of salt pork, twelve large tomatoes, three cups of lima beans, one large onion, two large irish potatoes, twelve ears of corn, one-fourth pound of butter, one-fourth pound of lard, one gallon of boiling water, two tablespoonfuls salt and pepper; mix as any ordinary soup and let it cook for a couple of hours or more, then serve. ~broiling steak~--while many prefer steak fairly well done, still the great majority desire to have it either rare, or certainly not overdone. for those who wish a steak well done--completely through--and still not to have the outside crisp to a cinder, it is necessary to cut the steak possibly as thin as one-half inch, and then the outside can have that delicious and intense scorching which quickly prevents the escape of juices, and also gives the slightly burned taste which at its perfect condition is the most delicious flavor from my own preference that can be given to a steak. by this i do not mean a steak burned to a cinder, but slightly scorched over a very hot fire. ~for rare broiled steak~--for those who are fond of rare steak it can be cut from one inch to one and one-quarter inches in thickness and the outside thoroughly and quickly broiled, leaving the inside practically only partially cooked, so that the blood will follow the knife and still the steak has been heated completely through and a thin crust on either side has been well cooked, which has formed the shell to retain the juices. ~properly frying steak~--to fry steak properly (although some claim it is not proper to fry steak under any circumstances), it is necessary to have the butter, oleo, fat or grease piping hot, for two reasons: first, the steak sears over quickly, and the juices are thus retained within the steak to better advantage than by the slow process of cooking, but even more important is the fact that the incrustation thus formed not only holds the juices within the steak, but prevents the fat from penetrating and making the steak greasy, soggy and unattractive. as a rule, however, we must acknowledge that broiled steak is in varying degrees largely superior to fried steak. ~broiled loin steaks~--two loin steaks of about a pound each: season with salt and pepper to taste, baste on either side with a little oil. place on a broiler over a bright charcoal fire, and broil for six minutes, on each side. serve on a hot dish with bordeaux sauce and garnish with rounds of marrow. ~fried hamburg steak, with russian sauce~--select a piece of buttock beef, remove the fat and chop very fine. add finely chopped shallot, two eggs, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. mix well and form into balls. roll in bread crumbs and fry with a little clarified butter four or five minutes, turning frequently. serve with russian sauce. ~fried sausage meat~--roll sausage meat into small balls, wrapping each in a thin rasher of bacon and fasten with a skewer. fry lightly in a little butter. serve with fried parsley and croutons of fried bread. serve hot. ~roast beef, american style~--lay the meat on sticks in a dripping pan, so as not to touch the water which is placed in the bottom of the pan. season with salt and pepper and roast for three or four hours, basting frequently. when done sift over the top browned cracker crumbs and garnish with parsley. ~roast beef on spit~--remove most of the flap from sirloin and trim neatly. have a clear brisk fire and place the meat close to it for the first half hour, then move it farther away, basting frequently, and when done sprinkle well with salt. the gravy may be prepared by taking the meat from the dripping pan which will have a brown sediment. pour in some boiling water and salt. strain over the meat. a thickening of flour may be added if necessary. garnish with horseradish and serve with horseradish sauce. ~roast ribs of beef~--break off the ends of the bones of the desired amount of ribs; take out the shin-bone, and place the meat in a baking pan. sprinkle with salt and spread some small lumps of butter over it and dust with flour, baking in a moderate oven till done. serve hot and garnish with horseradish. ~roast shoulder of pork~--remove the bone from a shoulder of pork and spread it over inside with a stuffing of sage and onions, filling the cavity where the bone was taken out. roll up and secure with a string, put in a pan and roast in a very hot oven till done. when done put on a dish, skim off the fat in the pan, add a little water and a tablespoon of made mustard, boil the gravy once and pass through a strainer over the meat and serve. ~smoked beef with cream~--place the finely minced beef in a stewpan with a lump of butter, cooking it for two minutes, and moisten slightly with a little cream, add two tablespoonfuls of bechamel sauce. serve as soon as it boils up. ~steak~--cut the steak half an inch thick from between the two ribs, remove all gristle and fat, and trim in the shape of a flat pear. sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and oil to prevent outside hardening. broil ten minutes over a moderate and even fire. place about four ounces of maitre d'hotel butter on a dish. lay the steak upon it and garnish with fried potatoes, serving either piquant, d'italian, or tomato sauce. ~stewed sausage with cabbage~--procure a medium sized white cabbage, remove all the green leaves, and cut it into quarters, removing the center stalks. wash thoroughly in cold water, drain well and cut into small pieces. put in boiling salted water for five minutes. take out and put in cold water and cool moderately. drain in a colander and put in a saucepan with one gill of fat from soup stock or one ounce of butter. season with a pinch of salt and one-half pinch of pepper, a medium sized onion and a carrot cut into small quarters. put on the cover of the saucepan, set on a moderate fire and cook for half an hour. take twelve sausages, prick them with a fork, add them to the cabbage and allow all to cook together for twelve minutes. dress the cabbage on a hot dish and arrange the sausages and carrot on top. serve very hot. ~suckling pig~--the pig should not be more than a month or six weeks old, and if possible should be dressed the day after it is killed. first, scald it as follows: soak the pig in cold water for fifteen minutes, then plunge it into boiling water. hold it by the head and shake around until the hairs begin to loosen. take out of the water and rub vigorously with a coarse towel, until all hairs are removed. cut the pig open, remove the entrails, wash thoroughly in cold water. dry on a towel, cut the feet off at the first joint leaving enough skin to turn over and keep it wrapped in a wet cloth until ready for use. salads ~asparagus salad~--cook the asparagus in salted water, drain and chill. serve with french dressing or sprinkle lightly with a little oil dressing; let stand a half hour and serve with mayonnaise or boiled dressing as any one of the three distinct kinds is appropriate with this salad. ~beet salad~--bake the beets until tender, remove the skins and place them in the ice box to chill. shred a white cabbage finely and sprinkle well with salt and use lettuce leaves to line the salad bowl. slice the beets, place them on the lettuce, spread with a layer of cabbage, garnish with sliced beets cut in points and dress with mayonnaise or boiled dressing. ~birds nest salad~--have ready as many crisp leaves of lettuce as may be required to make a dainty little nest for each person. curl them into shape and in each one place tiny speckled eggs made by rolling cream cheese into shape, then sprinkle with fine chopped parsley. serve with french dressing hidden under the leaves of the nest. ~cabbage salad~--chop or shave fine, half a medium size head of cabbage that has been left in cold water until crisp, then drain. season with salt and pepper, then pour over it a dressing made this way: beat the yolks of two eggs, add two tablespoons of melted butter and beat again. add two tablespoons thick sour cream, two tablespoons sugar, a sprinkle of mustard and half cup of vinegar. beat until thoroughly mixed, pour over the cabbage and toss lightly until uniformly seasoned. ~cauliflower mayonnaise~--take cold boiled cauliflower, break into branches, adding salt, pepper and vinegar to season. heap on a platter, making the flowers come to a point at the top. surround with a garnish of cooked and diced carrots, turnips, green peas. pour mayonnaise over all, chill and serve. another garnish for cauliflower is pickled beets. ~celery and nut salad~--cut enough celery fine to measure two cups, add one cup of finely shredded or shaved cabbage and one and one-half cups of walnut meats, broken in small pieces, but not chopped. mix and moisten on a serving dish and garnish with celery tips. ~creole salad~--half cup of olive oil, five tablespoons of vinegar, half teaspoon of powdered sugar, one teaspoon salt, two tablespoons chopped red pepper, three tablespoons chopped green peppers, half bermuda onion, parsley and lettuce and serve. ~fish salad~--remove skin and bones and flake cold cooked fish. sprinkle with salt and pepper and add a few drops of lemon juice. arrange on a bed of shredded lettuce in the shape of a fish. cover with mayonnaise or cream dressing and garnish with hard boiled eggs and parsley. ~jellied cucumber~--pare and slice cucumbers and cook in water to cover until tender. drain, season with salt, a few grains of cayenne, and to one cup of the cooked cucumber add a level teaspoon of gelatin dissolved in a spoonful of cold water. stir the soaked gelatin in while the cucumber is hot. set into a cold place to chill and become firm. if a large mold is used break up roughly into pieces, if small molds are taken then unmold onto lettuce leaves and serve with mayonnaise. ~nut and celery salad~--cover one cup of walnut meats and two slices of onion with boiling water, to which is added a teaspoon of salt. cook half an hour, drain, turn into ice cold water for ten minutes, then rub off the brown skin. add the nuts broken in small pieces to two cups of celery cut in small pieces crosswise. use only the white inner stalks, serve with a cream dressing. ~salad~--two cups of apples cut into small pieces, one cup celery cut into small pieces, one cup english walnuts. serve on a lettuce leaf with mayonnaise dressing, made without mustard, and thinned with cream. garnish dish that dressing is made in with a little garlic. ~spanish tomatoes~--choose ten or a dozen large tomatoes, cut a slice from the stem end of each and scoop out the inside. put the pulp into a basin with two ounces of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, half a pound of chestnuts, boiled and grated, and seasoning of salt and white pepper to taste. fill the tomatoes with this, which should be about the consistency of thick cream, spread with a thick mayonnaise, garnish with chopped parsley and serve on lettuce leaves. ~tomato baskets~--tomato baskets are charming accessories for holding vegetable salad, chicken, shrimps, cold beans, asparagus tips, shredded celery, cucumbers cut in cubes and minced peppers. choose firm, smooth tomatoes, not too large and as nearly one size as possible. dip for half a minute in boiling water, skin and set in ice box to chill. cut out pulp and seeds, dress the cavity with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar, then fill with the salad, seasoned with french dressing or mayonnaise. handles of watercress may be attached to these baskets. set on lettuce or cress, as desired. ~trianon salad~--cut one grape fruit and two oranges in sections and free from seeds and membrane. skin and seed one cup white grapes and cut one-third cup pecan nut meats in small pieces. mix ingredients, arrange on a bed of romaine and pour over the following dressing: mix four tablespoons olive oil, one tablespoon grape juice, one tablespoon grape vinegar, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, one-eighth teaspoon pepper and one tablespoon finely chopped roquefort cheese. this dressing should stand in the ice-box four or five hours to become seasoned. ~cream dressing~--mix one-half level tablespoon each of salt and mustard, three-quarters level tablespoon of sugar, one egg slightly beaten, two and one-half tablespoons of melted butter, three-quarters cup of cream, and heat in a double boiler. when hot add very slowly one-quarter cup of hot vinegar, stirring all the time. when thickened strain and cool. ~french dressing~--for party of six five tablespoons of oil and three of vinegar, juice of half lemon, two drops tabasco, tablespoon of salt, slice of onion, and boil for three minutes and ready for service. strain and bottle and put in ice box, shake before using each time. ~salad dressing~--when making salad for a large family take quart bottle with a rather wide mouth, put in one-half cup of vinegar, one and one-half cups of olive oil, two level teaspoons of salt and one-half level teaspoon of pepper; cork the bottle tightly and shake vigorously until an emulsion is made. the proportion of vinegar may be larger if not very strong and more salt and pepper used if liked. use from the bottle and shake well each time any is used. instructions for preparing poultry before dressing. to serve poultry tender and delicate; it should be kept some hours after being killed before boiling or roasting. poultry intended for dinner should be killed the evening before. when poultry has ceased to bleed, before picking put it into cold water, in a vessel large enough to completely cover it. then take out and soak in boiling water for a few minutes. pick it, being careful to take out all the small feathers. when cleaning the inside of poultry or game be sure not to break the gall bladder, for it will give a bitter taste to the meat. be equally careful not to tear the intestines near the gizzard, as it will make the inside dirty and spoil the whole bird. poultry and poultry dressings ~bohemian chicken~--select a young and tender chicken and prepare as for frying or broiling. place in a frying pan a pat of butter and place on the fire. beat to a smooth, thin batter two eggs, three spoonfuls of milk and a little flour, season, dip each piece of the chicken in this batter and fry a rich brown in the heated butter. ~chicken a la tartare~--have a chicken dressed and split down the back; it should not weigh over two and a half pounds. put one quarter cup of butter in a frying pan with a teaspoon of finely minced parsley, half a teaspoon of salt and a little pepper. brown each half of the chicken in the butter and on both sides. take up the chicken, brush the inside over with an egg beaten with one tablespoon of cold water, lay in a dripping pan and dust over the egg half a cup of fine bread crumbs mixed with the same amount of minced cooked ham. set in a hot oven and finish cooking. serve on a hot dish with sauce tartare. the chicken will cook best if laid in a wire broiler resting on the dripping pan. ~chicken broiled in paper~--split a chicken and let it soak for two hours in oil mixed with parsley, sliced onion, cloves, salt and pepper. put each half in papers, enclosing all the seasoning and broil over a very slow fire. when done take off the paper, bacon, etc., and serve with sauce a la ravigotte. ~chicken croquettes~--stir a pint of fine chopped chicken into a cup and a quarter of sauce made of one-third cup of flour, three tablespoons of butter, a cup of chicken stock and one-fourth cup of cream, season with a few drops of onion juice, a teaspoon of lemon, one teaspoonful celery salt and pepper. when thoroughly chilled form into cylindrical shapes, roll in egg and bread crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve surrounded with peas and figures stamped upon cooked slices of carrot. season with salt, paprika and butter. ~chicken croquettes~--take two chickens weighing about two pounds each, put them into a saucepan with water to cover, add two onions and carrots, a small bunch of parsley and thyme, a few cloves and half a grated nutmeg, and boil until birds are tender; then remove the skin, gristle and sinews and chop the meat as fine as possible. put into a saucepan one pound of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir over the fire for a few minutes and add half a pint of the liquor the chickens were cooked in and one pint of rich cream, and boil for eight or ten minutes, stirring continually. remove the pan from the fire, season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg and a little powdered sweet marjoram, add the chopped meat and stir well. then stir in rapidly the yolks of four eggs, place the saucepan on the fire for a minute, stirring well, turn the mass onto a dish, spread it out and let it get cold. cover the hands with flour and form the preparation into shapes, dip them into egg beaten with cream, then in sifted breadcrumbs and let them stand for half an hour or so to dry; then fry them a delicate color after plunging into boiling lard. take them out, drain, place on a napkin on a dish and serve. the remainder of the chicken stock may be used for making consomme or soup. ~chicken croquettes with fish flavor~--the foundation of all croquettes is a thick white sauce which stiffens when cold, so that mixed with minced fish, chicken or other compounds it can be easily handled and shaped into pears, cylinders, ovals, etc. when cooked the croquettes should be soft and creamy inside. this sauce is made as follows:-- scald in a double boiler one pint rich milk or cream. melt in a granite saucepan two even tablespoons butter, then add two heaping tablespoonfuls cornstarch or flour, and one tablespoon of flavor. when blended add one-third of the hot cream and keep stirring as it cooks and thickens. when perfectly smooth put in all the cream. the sauce should be very thick. add the seasoning, a half teaspoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful celery salt, white peppers or paprika to taste, then the meat. in shaping the croquettes take about a tablespoonful of the mixture and handling gently and carefully, press gently into whatever shape is desired. have ready a board sprinkled lightly with bread or cracker crumbs, and roll the croquettes lightly in this, taking care not to exert pressure sufficient to break them. coat the croquettes with some slightly salted beaten egg. then roll again in the crumbs. fry in deep hot fat, a few at a time, then drain on paper. ~chicken pot pie~--cut a fowl into pieces to serve and cook in water to cover until the bones will come out easily. before taking them out drop dumplings in, cover closely and cook ten minutes without lifting the cover. the liquid should be boiling rapidly when the dough is put in and kept boiling until the end. for the dumplings sift two cups of flour twice with half a level teaspoon of salt and four level teaspoons of baking powder. mix with about seven-eighths cup of milk, turn out on a well floured board and pat out half an inch thick. cut into small cakes. if this soft dough is put into the kettle in spoonfuls the time of cooking must be doubled. the bones and meat will keep the dough from settling into the liquid and becoming soggy. arrange the meat in the center with dumplings around the edge and a sprig of parsley between each. thicken the liquid and season with salt and pepper as needed and a rounding tablespoon of butter. ~chicken timbales~--mix three-fourths of a cupful of flour with a half teaspoonful of salt. add gradually while stirring constantly, one-half cupful of milk and one well beaten egg and one tablespoonful of olive oil. shape, using a hot swedish timbale iron, and cook in deep fat until delicately brown. take from the iron and invert on brown paper to drain. to make the filling for a dozen timbales, remove bones and skin from a pint bowlful of the white or white and dark meat mixed of cold boiled or roasted chicken, and cut in half inch pieces. put over the first in a saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour and when melted and blended add milk and chicken broth, a cupful and a half or more as desired to make a rich cream sauce. season with salt and pepper, add the chicken and, if preferred, one-half cupful of mushrooms cut in pieces the same size as the chicken. then brown in butter before adding to the sauce. fill the timbales. ~deviled chicken~--split the chickens down the back and broil until done, lay on a hot dripping pan and spread on a sauce, scatter fine crumbs over and set in a quick oven to brown. for the sauce beat a rounding tablespoon of butter light with one-half teaspoon of mixed mustard, one teaspoon of vinegar and a pinch of cayenne. ~fricassed turkey or goose giblets~--scald and pick giblets. put them in a saucepan with a piece of butter, a bunch of parsley, green onions, thyme, bay-leaf and a few mushrooms; warm these over the fire, with a sprinkle of flour moistened with stock or water, adding salt and pepper to taste. reduce to a thick sauce, adding to it the yolks of two eggs, and let simmer without boiling. serve with sprinkling of vinegar. ~fried chicken~--cut up two chickens. put a quarter of a pound of butter, mixed with a spoonful of flour, into a saucepan with pepper, salt, little vinegar, parsley, green onions, carrots and turnips, into a saucepan and heat. steep the chicken in this marinade three hours, having dried the pieces and floured them. fry a good brown. garnish with fried parsley. ~jellied chicken~--for jellied chicken have on hand three pounds of chicken that has been boiled and cut from the bone in strips. mix a quart of rich chicken stock that has been boiled down and cleared with a teaspoonful each of lemon juice, chopped parsley, a dash of celery salt and a quarter teaspoonful each of salt and paprika. at the last stir in a teaspoonful of granulated gelatin that has been dissolved. when the jelly begins to thicken add the chicken and turn it into a mold. to have the chicken scattered evenly through the jelly, stand the dish containing the jelly in a pan of ice and turn in the jelly layer by layer, covering each with chicken as soon as it begins to thicken. ~marbled chicken~--steam a young fowl until tender or cook it gently in a small amount of water. cut all the meat from the bones, keeping the white and dark meat separate. chop the meat with a sharp knife, but do not grind it, season with salt and pepper. press into a mold making alternate layers of light and dark meat. strain the broth in which the fowl was cooked and which should be reduced by cooking to a small amount, season with salt and pepper, add a tablespoon of butter after skimming clear of all fat. pour this broth over the meat and set all in the ice chest until cold and firm. unmold and cut in thin slices with a sharp knife, then if liked garnish with cress and sliced lemon and serve. ~potted chicken~--truss a small broiler in shape and lay in casserole. brush it generously with melted butter, put on the cover, and cook twenty minutes. now add one cup of rich stock or beef extract dissolved in hot water to make a good strength. cover and finish cooking. serve uncovered in the same dish with spoonfuls of potato balls, small carrots sliced and tiny string beans laid alternately round the chicken. the vegetables should each be cooked separately. ~pressed chicken~--cut as for a stew. skin the feet and place in the bottom of a stew pan. arrange the fowl on top, just cover with water, and cook slowly until tender. do not let the meat brown. separate the dark and light meat and throw away the feet, from which the gluten has been extracted. chop liver, skin, heart and gizzard fine. add these chopped giblets to a dressing of stale bread crumbs seasoned and moistened with a little hot water and butter. arrange the large pieces of meat around the sides and bottom of a baking dish, alternating dark and light, and fill alternately with dressing and chicken until the dish is full. remove the fat from the water in which the chicken was cooked, heat boiling hot and pour over the chicken. put into a press for several hours and when cold slice. ~roast chicken~--having drawn and trussed the chicken put it between some slices of bacon, take care to fasten the feet to the spit to keep it together, baste it with its gravy, when well done through, serve with cress round the dish, season with salt and vinegar. the chicken and bacon should be covered with buttered paper, until five minutes of the bird being done, then take off the paper, and finish the roasting by a very bright fire. ~stuffed chicken~--put a pint of milk into a saucepan with a good handful of crumbs of bread and boil until very thick. set away to cool. add to this parsley, chopped green onion, thyme, salt, pepper, piece of butter and the yolks of four eggs, and place in body of chicken, sewing up the opening. roast the chicken between rashers of bacon. ~turkey giblets a la bourgeoise~--the giblets of turkey consist of the pinions, feet, neck and gizzard. after having scalded pick them well and put in a saucepan with a piece of butter, some parsley, green onions, clove of garlic, sprig of thyme, bay-leaf, a spoonful of flour moistened with stock, salt and pepper. brown to a good color. ~turkey truffles~--take a fat turkey, clean and singe it. take three or four pounds of truffles, chopping up a handful with some fat bacon and put into a saucepan, together with the whole truffles, salt, pepper, spices and a bay-leaf. let these ingredients cook over a slow fire for three-quarters of a hour, take off, stir and let cool. when quite cold place in body of turkey, sew up the opening and let the turkey imbibe the flavor of the truffles by remaining in a day or two, if the season permits. cover the bird with slices of bacon and roast. ~anchovy stuffing~--put some large fine chopped onions into a frying pan with a little oil or butter and fry them to a light brown. put them in a basin and add some breadcrumbs that have been dipped in water and squeeze quite dry. then add a small piece of liver of the bird to be stuffed. the filling of seven or eight salted anchovies, a pinch of parsley, with a few chopped capers. work these well together, sprinkle over a little pepper and thicken the mixture with yolks of eggs, when it is ready for use. ~chestnut stuffing~--peel a sound good-sized shallot, chop it up fine, place it in a saucepan on a hot fire with one tablespoonful of butter and heat it for three minutes without browning. then add one-fourth pound of sausage meat and cook for five minutes longer. add ten finely chopped mushrooms and a dozen well pounded cooked peeled chestnuts and stir all well together, season with one pinch of salt, half pinch of pepper, one-half saltspoon of powdered thyme, and one teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley. let this come to a boil, add one half ounce of sifted bread crumbs and twenty-five or thirty whole cooked and shelled chestnuts and mix all well together, being careful not to break the chestnuts. allow to cool and then is ready for use. ~chestnut stuffing for turkey~--put a dozen or fifteen large chestnuts into a saucepan of water, and boil them until they are quite tender, then take off the shells and skins, put into a mortar and pound them. put four ounces of shredded beef suet into a basin, stir in one-half pound of bread crumbs, season with salt and pepper to taste, and squeeze in a little lemon juice. mix in a pound of chestnuts and stuffing will be ready for use. ~chestnut stuffing with truffles~--remove the dark or outer skins from some chestnuts, immerse in boiling water for a few minutes, remove the light skins and boil for about twenty minutes, put in a saucepan one pound of fat bacon and two shallots, and keep these over the fire for a few minutes. then add the whole chestnuts, also one-half pound of chestnuts previously cut out into small pieces, put in pepper, spices and salt to taste, and a small quantity of powdered margoram and thyme. hold it over the fire a little longer, turning it occasionally. it is then ready for use. ~chicken liver stuffing for birds~--chop a half pound of fat chicken livers in small pieces and put them in a frying pan, with two finely chopped shallots, two ounces of fat ham, also chopped thyme, grated nutmeg, pepper, salt and a small lump of butter. toss it about over the fire until partly cooked. then take it off and leave it until cold. pound in a mortar, then it is ready to use. ~chicken stuffing~--take the heart, liver, and gizzard of a fowl, chop fine, season to taste and mix with boiled rice, worked up with a little butter. stuff the chicken with this. ~giblet stuffing for turkey~--put the giblets in a saucepan over the fire with boiling water to cover, sprinkle over a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper and boil gently until tender. save the water in which the giblets were boiled to use for gravy. chop the giblets quite fine, put them in a frying pan over the fire with four ounces of butter, two breakfast cups of stale breadcrumbs and a good seasoning of salt, pepper and any powdered sweet herbs except sage. stir all these ingredients together until they are of a light brown, add a wine glass of sherry or madeira wine, and the force meat is ready for use. ~pickled pork stuffing for turkeys~--chop up very fine a quarter of a pound of fat and lean salted pork, break quite fine a couple of breakfast cupfuls of bread and put them in a frying pan over the fire with two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, fry to a brown and season with salt, pepper and any sweet herbs except sage. ~potato stuffing~--cut some peeled raw potatoes into slices of moderate thickness and then cut into squares, rinse with cold water, drain and place them in a saucepan with a couple of ounces of butter, a chopped onion and one or two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a little salt and pepper and grated nutmeg, place the lid on the pan, keeping the pan at the side of the fire and shaking contents occasionally until nearly cooked, then chop fine an equal quantity of pig's liver and stir into the potatoes a few minutes before serving. ~stuffing for birds~--peel two large onions, parboil them, then drain and chop them fine. soak one breakfast cup of bread crumbs in as much milk as they will absorb without becoming too soft. pour four ounces of butter in a stewpan, place it over the fire, and when the butter is melted put in the onions, breadcrumbs and one tablespoon of chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. add a small quantity of grated nutmeg. add the beaten yolks of two eggs and stir the mixture over the fire until it is reduced to a paste, without allowing it to boil. the stuffing is then ready. it can be made in larger or smaller quantities according to the number of the birds to be stuffed. ~stuffing for boiled turkey or rabbit~--remove the outer peel of one pound of chestnuts, then put them in boiling water until the inner skins can easily be removed, then trim them and put them into small lined saucepan, cover them with broth and boil until the pulp and the broth has been well reduced. pass the chestnuts through a fine wire sieve. chop fine one-fourth pound of cold boiled fat bacon and mix it with the chestnut puree, season to taste with salt, pepper and minced lemon peel. the stuffing will then be ready to serve. ~stuffing for ducks~--peel a fair size onion and sour cooking apple, chop them both very fine, and mix them with six ounces of finely grated stale breadcrumbs, one scant tablespoonful of sage leaves either powdered or finely mixed, one tablespoon butter, a little salt and butter. bind the whole together with a beaten egg and it is then ready for the ducks. ~stuffing for fish~--weigh two pounds of breadcrumbs without the crusts, and cut it into small squares, mix in one-half tablespoon of powdered curry and a liberal quantity of salt and pepper. dissolve six ounces of butter in one-half pint of warm water and beat in the yolks of four eggs. pour the liquid mixture over the bread and stir it well, but do not mash it. it is then ready to serve. ~stuffing for fowls~--trim off the crusts from two pounds of bread, put the crumbs into a basin of cold water, soak it for five minutes then turn it onto a sieve and drain well, pressing out the water with a plate. when nearly dry cut the bread into small squares and season it well with powdered sage, salt and pepper. warm one breakfast cupful of butter, beat in an egg and three teacupfuls of warm water and pour it over the bread, stirring it lightly, but not mashing it. allow it to soak for ten minutes and the stuffing will then be ready to serve. ~stuffing for goose~--roast fifty chestnuts, using care not to let them burn, remove the inner and outer peels and chop them fine. chop the goose's liver, put it in a saucepan with one-half tablespoonful of chopped parsley, shallots, chives, and a little garlic and about two ounces of butter, fry them for a few minutes, then put in the chopped chestnuts with one pound of sausage meat, and fry the whole for fifteen minutes longer. the stuffing is then ready for use. ~stuffing for poultry~--put two handfuls of rice into a saucepan of water and parboil it, mix in ten or twelve chestnuts peeled or cut into small slices, one pan full of pistachio nuts and one handful of currants. put the mixture in a saucepan with four ounces of butter, stir it well over the fire until thoroughly incorporated, season with pepper and salt and if liked a little ground cinnamon, and it is then ready for use. this stuffing is used for turkeys and other birds or anything else that is roasted whole. ~stuffing for poultry galantine~--cut into squares three pounds of cooked flesh of either ducks or fowls; peel and chop two hard boiled eggs and one medium-size onion. mix all of these together with three breakfast cupfuls of stale breadcrumbs, three well beaten eggs and one-half cupful of poultry fat that has been warmed; season to taste with pepper, salt and sage. after the force meat has been spread in the boned duck, or other bird, about one cupful of chopped jelly strewn over it will be an improvement and will set in the force meat. ~stuffing for rabbits~--peel two onions and boil, when they are tender drain and mince them. chop one-half pound pickled pork and few fine herbs, stir them in with the onions, then stir in the yolks of two eggs and add a sufficient quantity breadcrumbs to make it fairly consistent. season to taste with pepper and salt, using a very little of the latter on account of the salt in the pork. then stuffing is ready for use. ~stuffing for a suckling pig and 'possum~--put two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped onions into a saucepan with one teaspoon of oil. toss them over the fire for five or six minutes, add eight ounces of rice boiled in stock, an equal quantity of sausage meat, four or five ounces of butter, a small quantity of minced parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. turn the mixture into a basin and add three eggs to make the whole into a stiff paste. it is then ready for use. ~stuffing for turkey (roasted)~--to one pound of sifted breadcrumbs add one-half pound of butter, one pound of boiled and mashed potatoes and a little summer savory rubbed to a fine powder, add sufficient eggs to stiffen and season with salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. a little sausage meat, grated ham and a few oysters or chopped mushrooms may be added; they are a marked improvement, as are also a few walnuts roasted, chestnuts and filberts, and the same may also be served in the gravy with the bird. ~stuffing for veal~--trim off the skin and mince fine one-fourth pound of beef suet. mix with it one cupful of bread crumbs, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, two tablespoons of finely minced ham and the grated peel of a lemon. season the stuffing to taste with pepper and salt and bind it with one beaten egg. it is then ready to use. ~truffle and chestnut stuffing~--peel off the thick outer skin of the chestnuts, pat them into a saucepan with a bay leaf, a lump of salt, and plenty of coriander seeds. cover them with water, and boil until nearly tender. drain the chestnuts and peel off the inner skin, for every half pound of chestnuts, weighed after they are boiled and peeled, allow one-half pound of bacon, one-quarter pound of truffles, and the chestnuts all cut up into small pieces; season to taste with salt, pepper and spices and add a little each of powdered thyme and marjoram; toss the mixture for a few minutes longer over the fire and it is then ready for use. ~truffle stuffing for turkey~--brush well one and one-half pounds of truffles, peel them, mince the peel very fine, cut the truffles into slices, put them all into a saucepan with one-quarter pound of minced fat bacon and any obtainable fat from the turkey. also a good size lump of butter, with salt and pepper to taste. cook for ten minutes and let it get cold before using. a turkey should be stuffed with this three days before it is cooked, and truffle sauce should accompany it. ~english stuffing~--first, take some stale bread (use your own judgment as to the quantity), and brown it in your oven. also one onion (red ones preferred), a quarter of a pound of fresh pork, or sausages, and run it through your meat grinder with a few stalks of celery; place it in a saucepan, in which a small lump of butter has been dissolved. beat one or two eggs in a pint of sweet milk. stir all ingredients well. place on the fire or in the oven and continue to stir, so as to see that the onions are cooked. after you have this done set in a cool place; when the above articles are cold, place inside the turkey. your seasoning that you place in the turkey, or make your gravy with, is sufficient. roast it in the same way as you have done in the past. lunch dishes ~bread, with cream cheese filling~--for this use the steamed boston brown bread and a potato loaf of white. take the crust from the white loaf, using a sharp knife. then instead of cutting crosswise cut in thin lengthwise pieces. treat the brown loaf in the same way. butter a slice of the white bread on one side and do the same with a brown slice. put the two buttered sides together with a thin layer of fresh cream cheese between. next butter the top of the brown slice of bread, spread again with cream cheese and lay a second slice of buttered white bread on top. repeat until there are five layers, having the white last. now with a sharp knife cut crosswise in thin slices. sometimes the cream cheese filling can be varied with chopped pistachio nuts or olives, or it can be omitted entirely. in any case, it is delicate and appetizing. ~cheese croquettes~--cut one pound of american cheese into small dice. have ready a cupful of very hot cream sauce, made by blending a tablespoonful each of flour and butter, and when melted adding a scant cup of hot milk. stir until smooth and thickened. add the cheese to this sauce, also the yolks of two eggs diluted with a little cream. stir the whole and let it remain on the stove a moment until the cheese gets "steady." season with salt, red and white pepper, and just a grating of nutmeg. put this mixture on the ice until cold, then form into small croquettes and roll in fine bread or cracker crumbs. dip in beaten egg, then again roll in the crumbs, drop into boiling fat and cook to a golden brown. ~chicken and pimento sandwiches~--add to finely minced chicken, roasted or boiled, an equal amount of pimentos. moisten with mayonnaise and spread between wafer thin slices of white or brown bread. a leaf of lettuce may also be added. ~cress sandwiches~--take thin slices of rare roast beef and cut into small pieces. add an equal quantity of minced watercress dressed with a teaspoonful of grated horseradish, a little salt and paprika to season, and enough softened butter or thick cream to moisten. blend the ingredients well, and spread between thin slices of buttered graham or whole wheat bread. cut in neat triangles, but do not reject the crust. ~banana sandwiches~--remove the skin and fibers from four bananas, cut them in quarters and force through a ricer. mix with the pulp the juice of half a lemon, a dash of salt and nutmeg and set it away to become very cold while you prepare the bread. this should be cut in very thin slices, freed from crusts and trimmed into any preferred shape. slightly sweeten some thick cream and add a speck of salt. spread the bread with a thin layer of the cream, then with the banana pulp put together and wrap each in waxed paper, twist the ends, and keep very cold until serving time. ~german rye bread sandwiches~--put between buttered slices of rye bread chopped beef, cheese or chicken, and cover with finely chopped pickle, dill or the plain sour pickle. another variation of the german sandwich is a layer of bologna sausage, then a thin layer of pumpernickel covered with another thin slice of rye bread. cut into strips half an inch wide and the length of the slice. ~grilled sardines on toast~--drain the sardines and cook in a buttered frying-pan or chafing dish until heated, turning frequently. place on oblong pieces of hot buttered toast, and serve. ~ham sandwiches~--chop two cups of ham, using a little fat with the lean. mix one tablespoon of flour with enough cold water to make smooth, add one-half cup of boiling water, and cook five minutes; then add the ham and one teaspoon of dry mustard. mix well and press into a bowl or jar. ~japanese sandwiches~--these are made of any kind of left-over fish, baked, broiled or boiled. pick out every bit of skin and bone, and flake in small pieces. put into a saucepan with just a little milk or cream to moisten, add a little butter and a dusting of salt and pepper. work to a paste while heating, then cool and spread on thin slices of buttered bread. ~kedgeree~--for this take equal quantities of boiled fish and boiled rice. for a cupful each use two hard boiled eggs, a teaspoonful curry powder, two tablespoonfuls butter, a half tablespoonful cream, and salt, white pepper and cayenne to season. take all the skin and bone from the fish and put in a saucepan with the butter. add the rice and whites of the boiled eggs cut fine, the cream, curry powder and cayenne. toss over the fire until very hot, then take up and pile on a hot dish. rub the yolks of the boiled eggs through a sieve on top of the curry, and serve. ~sandwich fillings~--other timely and appetizing fillings are green pepper and cucumber chopped fine and squeezed dry, then seasoned with mayonnaise, any of the potted and deviled meats seasoned with chopped parsley or cress with a teaspoonful creamed butter to make it spread, cheese and chopped spinach moistened with lemon juice and mayonnaise, veal chopped fine with celery or cress and mayonnaise, camembert cheese heated slightly, just enough to spread, a boston rarebit made with cream and egg left over scrambled eggs and cress, roast chicken and chopped dill pickles, cheese and chopped dates or figs, orange marmalade, and sardines pounded to a paste with a few drops of lemon juice added. ~sandwiches from cold mutton~--chop very fine, and to each pint add a tablespoonful of capers, a teaspoonful each chopped mint and salt, a dash of pepper, and a teaspoonful lemon juice. spread thickly on buttered slices of whole wheat bread, cover with other slices of buttered bread, and cut in triangles. ~tongue canapes~--cut bread into rounds, toast delicately, spread with potted tongue. in the centre put a stuffed olive and surround with a row of chopped beet and another of chopped white of egg. ~corn toast~--toast some slices of stale bread and butter, then pour over some canned corn, prepared as for the table, sprinkling a little pepper over it. if you have not already done so. do not prepare so long before serving as to soak the bread too much. peas are also good used the same way. ~tongue toast~--mince boiled smoked tongue very fine, heat cream to the boiling point and make thick with the tongue. season to taste with pepper, nutmeg, parsley or chopped green peppers and when hot stir in a beaten egg and remove from the fire at once. have ready as many slices as are required, spread with the creamed tongue and serve at once. if you have no cream make a cream sauce, using a tablespoonful each of butter and flour and a cup of milk. ~luncheon surprise~--line buttered muffin cups with hot boiled rice about half an inch thick. fill the centers with minced cooked chicken seasoned with salt and pepper and a little broth or gravy. cover the tops with rice and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. unmold on a warm platter and serve with a cream sauce seasoned with celery salt. if liked, two or three oysters may be added to the filling in each cup. ~sardine rarebit~--one level tablespoon butter, one-fourth level teaspoon salt, one-fourth level teaspoon paprika, one level teaspoon mustard, one cup thin cream or milk, one cup grated cheese, one-fourth pound can sardines, boned and minced, two eggs, toast or crackers. melt the butter, add the salt, paprika, mustard, cream and cheese and cook over hot water, stirring until the cheese is melted. then add the sardines and eggs slightly beaten. when thick and smooth serve on toast or crackers. ~banana croquettes~--remove skins and scrape bananas. sprinkle with powdered sugar and moisten with lemon juice. let stand twenty minutes; cut in halves crosswise. dip in egg, then in fine cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat. when done drain on brown paper. serve with lemon sauce. ~bacon and green peppers~--select firm green peppers, cut into rings, removing all the seeds. soak for twenty minutes in salted ice water. drain and dry and fry in the pan in which the bacon has cooked crisp. keep the bacon hot meanwhile. when the peppers are tender heap them up in the center of a small platter and arrange the slices of bacon around them. ~cheese ramekins~--use two rounding tablespoons of grated cheese, a rounding tablespoon of butter, one-quarter cup of fine breadcrumbs, the same of milk, and a saltspoon each of mustard and salt, the yolk of one egg. cook the crumbs in the milk until soft, add the stiffly beaten white of the egg. fill china ramekins two-thirds full and bake five minutes. serve immediately. ~cheese timbales~--crumble into timbale cups, alternate layers of bread and american cheese. pour over them a mixture of eggs, milk, salt, pepper and mustard, allowing one egg and a tablespoonful of milk to each timbale. cook in the oven or on top of the stove in a shallow pan of hot water, kept covered. ~fried bananas~--peel some bananas and cut in halves crosswise, roll in flour and fry in deep hot fat. set on end and pour a hot lemon sauce around them. ~minced cabbage~--wash a cabbage and lay in cold water for half an hour. with a sharp knife cut it into strips or shreds, an inch long, then drop them into iced water. beat a pint of cream very stiff. drain the cabbage, sprinkle lightly with salt, and stir it into the whipped cream, turning and tossing until it is thoroughly coated with the white foam. the cabbage should be tender and crisp for this dish. ~nut hash~--chop fine cold boiled potatoes and any other vegetables desired that happen to be on hand. put them into a buttered frying-pan and heat quickly and thoroughly, salt to taste, then just before serving stir in lightly a large spoonful of nut meal for each person to be served. ~peanut meatose~--dissolve one cup of cornstarch in two cups of tomato juice, add two cups of peanut butter and two teaspoons of salt. stir for five minutes, then pour into cans and steam for four or five hours. ~remnants of ham with peas~--cut the ham into small cubes, measure and add an equal quantity of peas. in using canned peas rinse them well with cold water and drain. mix the peas and ham and for one and one-half cups add a cup of white sauce seasoned with a teaspoon of lemon juice, a dash each of nutmeg and cayenne and salt to taste. mix well and add one egg well beaten. turn into a buttered baking dish, cover with buttered breadcrumbs and bake in a hot oven until well browned. ~scotch snipe~--four slices bread buttered, one-half box sardines (one-half pound size), five drops of onion juice, six drops lemon juice, few grains salt, two level teaspoons grated cheese, one tablespoon thick cream. remove the skins and bones from the sardines, mince fine and add seasonings, cheese and cream. mix to a paste, spread on bread and heat thoroughly in the oven. ~squash flower omelet~--put to soak in cold water. then boil about fifteen minutes, strain in a colander and cut up, not too fine. now a regular omelet is made but fried in a little bit of olive oil instead of butter, and just before it is turned over the flowers are spread on top. brown quick and turn out on a hot platter. ~vegetable roast~--take cooked beans or peas, pass through a colander to remove the skins, and mix with an equal quantity of finely chopped nut meats. season to taste. put one-half the mixture into a buttered baking dish, spread over it a dressing made as follows: pour boiling water on four slices of zweiback, cover, let stand for a few minutes, then break them up with a fork and pour over one-half cup of sweet cream, season with salt and sage. cover the dressing with the remainder of the nut mixture, pour over all one-half cup of cream, and bake for one and one-half hours. serve in slices with cranberry sauce. ~walnut loaf~--one pint of dry breadcrumbs, one and one-half cups of chopped or ground nut meats, mix well with salt and sifted sage to suit the taste, add two tablespoons of butter, one beaten egg and sufficient boiling water to moisten. form into a loaf and bake in a granite or earthen dish in a modern hot oven. game, gravy and garnishes ~roasted canvas-back duck~--procure a fine canvas-back duck, pick, singe, draw thoroughly and wipe; throw inside a light pinch of salt, run in the head from the end of the head to the back, press and place in a roasting pan. sprinkle with salt, put in a brisk oven, and cook for eighteen minutes. arrange on a very hot dish, untruss, throw in two tablespoons of white broth. garnish with slices of fried hominy and currant jelly. redhead and mallard ducks are prepared the same way. ~broiled wild duck~--pick, singe and draw well a pair of wild ducks, split them down the back without detaching, place them skin downwards on a dish, season with salt and pepper and pour over two tablespoons of oil. boil the birds well in this marinade, place them on a broiler on a brisk fire, broil for seven minutes on each side. place them on a hot dish and cover with maitre d'hotel butter, garnish with watercress, and serve. ~roast duck with orange sauce~--scrape a tablespoonful each of fat, bacon, and raw onion and fry them together for five minutes. add the juice of an orange and a wine-glassful of port wine, the drippings from the duck and seasoning of salt and pepper. keep hot without boiling and serve with roast duck. ~chicken gravy~--put into a stockpot the bones and trimmings of a fowl or chicken with a small quantity of stock and boil them. add flour and butter to thicken it, and then place the pot on the side of the stove and let simmer. stir well and after the gravy has simmered for some minutes skim and strain it, and it will be ready to serve. ~gravy for wild fowl~--put into a small saucepan a blade of mace, piece of lemon peel, two tablespoonfuls each of mushroom catsup, walnut catsup and strained lemon juice; two shallots cut in slices, two wineglasses of port wine. put the pan over the fire and boil the contents; then strain, add it to the gravy that has come from the wild fowl while roasting. if there is a large quantity of gravy less wine and catsup will be necessary. ~salmi of game~--cut cold roast partridges, grouse or quail into joints and lay aside while preparing the gravy. this is made of the bones, dressing, skin, and general odds and ends after the neatest pieces of the birds have been selected. put this (the scraps) into a saucepan, with one small onion minced, and a bunch of sweet herbs, pour in a pint of water and whatever gravy may be left, and stew, closely covered, for nearly an hour. a few bits of pork should be added if there is no gravy. skim and strain, return to the fire, and add the juice of a half lemon, with a pinch of nutmeg, thicken with browned flour if the stuffing has not thickened it sufficiently, boil up and pour over the reserved meat, which should be put into another saucepan. warm until smoking hot, but do not let it boil. arrange the pieces of bird in heap upon a dish and pour the gravy over them. lenten dishes ~orange fool~--take the juice of six oranges, six eggs well beaten, a pint of cream, quarter of a pound of sugar, little cinnamon and nutmeg. mix well together. place over a slow fire and stir until thick, then add a small lump of butter. ~plum porridge~--take a gallon of water, half a pound of barley, quarter of a pound of raisins, and a quarter of a pound of currants. boil until half the water is wasted. sweeten to taste and add half pint of white wine. ~rice soup~--boil two quarts of water and a pound of rice, with a little cinnamon, until the rice is tender. take out the cinnamon and sweeten rice to taste. grate half a nutmeg over it and let stand until it is cold. then beat up the yolks of three eggs, with half a pint of white wine, mix well and stir into the rice. set over a slow fire, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. when it is of good thickness it is ready to serve. ~rice milk~--boil half pound of rice in a quart of water, with a little cinnamon. let it boil until the water is wasted, taking great care it does not burn. then add three pints of milk and the yolk of an egg. beat up and sweeten to taste. ~forced meat balls for turtle soup~--cut off a very small part of the vealy part of a turtle, mince it very fine and mix it with a very small quantity of boned anchovy and boiled celery, the yolks of one or two hard-boiled eggs, and two tablespoons of sifted breadcrumbs, with mace, cayenne pepper and salt to taste, a small quantity of warm butter, and well beaten egg. form the paste into balls, plunge them into a frying-pan of boiling butter or fat, fry them to a good color, and they are ready. they should be added to the soup hot. ~truffles for garnish~--choose large round truffles, wash them thoroughly and peel them, and put the required number into a saucepan, pour over them enough chicken broth or champagne to nearly cover them, add an onion stuck with three or four cloves, a clove of garlic, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a little of the skimmings of the chicken broth or fat. place the pan on the fire and boil for fifteen minutes with the lid on, then remove from the fire, and let the truffles cool in their liquor. remove them, drain, and they are ready for use. another way to fix them is to boil them ten minutes and cut them into various shapes. the trimmings from them as well as the liquor may be used in making sauce. ~fried parsley~--carefully pick the stems from the parsley, dry it on a cloth, put into a frying basket, then into hot fat. be careful that the fat is not too hot. fry for a few minutes. ~beef marrow quenelles~--put one-half pound beef marrow into a basin, with an equal quantity of breadcrumbs, add two tablespoons of flour; salt and pepper to taste. work it into a smooth paste with the yolks of six eggs and the whites of one. take it out a little at a time and poach in boiling salted water, drain, trim, and serve very hot. ~calf's liver quenelles~--steep a thick layer of bread in milk, until well soaked, then squeeze and mix with half a pound of finely ground calf's liver, and season with parsley, chives and lemon peel in small quantities, and all finely ground. dust in salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of flour. bind the mixture with beaten eggs. divide the mixture with a tablespoon into small quantities and shape each one like an oval. plunge the ovals into a saucepan of boiling water and boil for a half an hour. chop some bacon, place it in a frying-pan with a lump of butter and fry until brown. when the quenelles are cooked pour the hot bacon and fat over them, and serve. ~chicken quenelles~--mix together one teacupful each of breadcrumbs and finely pounded cooked chicken. season highly with salt and cayenne and bind with raw egg yolks. mold into pieces about the size and shape of an olive, between two spoons. roll in egg and cracker dust and fry them, or poach them in boiling broth or water until they float, and use them as desired. miscellaneous ~beauregard eggs~--two level tablespoons butter, two level tablespoons flour, one-half level teaspoon salt, one cup milk, four hard-boiled eggs. make a white sauce of the butter, flour, salt and milk, and add the whites of the eggs chopped fine. cut buttered toast in pointed pieces and arrange on a hot plate to form daisy petals. cover with the sauce and put the egg yolks through a ricer into the center. ~egg and potato scallop~--fill a buttered baking dish with alternate layers of cold boiled potatoes sliced thin, hard-boiled eggs also sliced, and a rich white sauce poured over each layer. cover the top with buttered crumbs and set in the oven until the crumbs are browned. ~eggs scrambled in milk~--half pint of milk, five eggs. heat the milk in a saucepan and when it is just at the boiling point stir in the eggs, which should have been beaten enough to mix them thoroughly. stir steadily until they thicken, add a half teaspoonful of salt and serve at once. ~egg with white sauce for luncheon~--cut stale bread into one-fourth slices and shape into rounds, then saute in olive oil. arrange on a hot platter and on each place a french poached egg. cover with marnay sauce, sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs and put in oven just long enough to brown crumbs. for the marnay sauce, cook one and one-half cups of chicken stock with one slice of onion, one slice carrot, bit of bay leaf, a sprig of parsley and six peppercorns until reduced to one cup, then strain. melt one-fourth cup of butter, add one-fourth cup flour, and stir until well blended, then pour on gradually while constantly heating the chicken stock and three-fourths cup scalded milk. bring to the boiling point and add one-half teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon paprika, two tablespoons of parmesean cheese and one-half cup goose or duck liver, cut in one-third inch cubes. ~light omelet~--separate your eggs and beat the yolks until thick and light colored, adding a tablespoonful cold water for each yolk and a seasoning of salt and pepper. beat the whites until they are dry and will not slip from the dish, then turn into them the beaten yolks, folding carefully until thoroughly blended. have the pan hot and butter melted, turn in the mixture, smothering it over the top, cover and place on asbestos mat on top of stove until well risen, then uncover and set in the oven to dry. try it with a heated silver knife thrust in the middle. when done, cut across the middle, fold and turn out, dust with sugar, glaze and serve quickly. ~omelet for one~--beat the yolks of two eggs until creamy, add four tablespoons of milk and saltspoon of salt. add the whites beaten stiff and put into a hot pan in which a rounding teaspoon of butter is melted. the mixture should begin to bubble almost at once; cook three or four minutes, slipping a knife under now and then to keep the under side from burning. when the top begins to set, fold it over and turn on a hot platter. ~scrambled eggs with mushrooms~--pare, wash and slice half a pound of fresh mushrooms, put them in a sautoir; cover, shake the sautoir once in awhile and cook ten minutes. break and beat five or six eggs in a saucepan, adding seasoning of salt, pepper, nutmeg and one-half ounces of butter cut into bits. add the mushrooms, set over the fire, stir constantly with wooden paddle, and when eggs are thick and creamy turn into a heated dish, garnish with toasted bread points, and serve at once. ~scrambled eggs with peppers~--scrambled eggs on toast with chopped sweet green peppers make an excellent breakfast dish. toast four slices of bread, butter, and put where the platter on which they are arranged will keep hot. put a tablespoonful of butter in a hot frying-pan, as soon as it bubbles turn in half a dozen eggs which have been broken into a bowl, and mix with half a dozen tablespoonfuls of water. as the whites begin to set, whip together quickly with a silver knife. sprinkle over the top two finely cut peppers from which the seeds have been removed, stir through the eggs, let the whole cook a half minute, then pour over the slices of toast, garnish with sprigs of parsley, and serve at once. ~scotch eggs~--shell six hard-boiled eggs and cover with a paste made of one-third stale breadcrumbs cooked soft in one-third cup milk, then mix with one cup lean boiled ham minced very fine and seasoned with cayenne pepper, one-half teaspoon mixed mustard and one raw egg beaten. roll slightly in fine breadcrumbs and fry in hot deep fat a delicate brown. ~bananas with oatmeal~--add a teaspoonful of salt to a quart of rapidly boiling water and sprinkle in two cups of rolled oatmeal. set the saucepan into another dish of boiling water (double boiler), cover and cook at least one hour. longer cooking is preferable. have ready half a banana for each person to be served. the banana should be peeled and cut in thin slices. put a spoonful of the hot oatmeal over the bananas in the serving dishes. pass at the same time sugar and milk or cream. other cereals may be served with bananas in the same way. ~spawn and milk~--have the water boiling fast. salt to taste, then holding a handful of meal high in the left hand, let it sift slowly between the fingers into the bubbling water, stirring all the time with the right hand. stir until a thin, smooth consistency obtains, then push back on the fire where it will cook slowly for several hours, stirring occasionally with a "pudding stick" or wooden spoon. it will thicken as it cooks. serve in bowls with plenty of good rich milk. ~boiled samp~--soak two cupfuls over night in cold water. in the morning wash thoroughly, cover with boiling water, and simmer gently all day. do not stir, as that tends to make it mushy, but shake the pot frequently. as the water boils away add more, but not enough to make much liquid. about a half hour before serving add a cupful rich milk, tablespoon butter, and salt to season. let this boil up once, and serve hot. ~molded cereal with banana surprise~--turn any left-over breakfast cereal, while still hot, into cups rinsed in cold water, half filling the cups. when cold, scoop out the centers and fill the open spaces with sliced bananas, turn from the cups onto a buttered agate pan, fruit downward, and set into a hot oven to become very hot. remove with a broad-bladed knife to cereal dishes. serve at once with sugar and cream or milk. ~thickened butter~--place in a saucepan the yolks of a couple of eggs. break them gently with a spoon, adding four ounces of butter, melted but not browned. set the pan over a slow fire, stirring until of the required consistency. ~shrimp butter~--pick and shell one pound of shrimps, place them in a mortar and pound, add one-half pound of butter when well mixed; pass the whole through a fine sieve. the butter is then ready for use. ~sardine butter~--remove the skins and bones from seven or eight sardines; put them in a mortar and pound until smooth. boil two large handfuls of parsley until tender, squeeze it as dry as possible, remove all stalks and stems and chop it. put the parsley in the mortar with the fish and four ounces of butter, then pound again. when well incorporated mold the butter into shapes. keep on ice until ready for serving. excellent for hot toast. ~maitre d'hotel butter~--quarter of a pound of butter, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, salt and pepper and juice of two lemons. mix thoroughly and keep in cool place. ~cauliflower in mayonnaise~--select some large, cold boiled cauliflowers and break into small branches, adding a little salt, pepper and vinegar to properly season. heap them on a dish to form a point. surround with a garnish of cooked carrots, turnips and green vegetables, pour some white mayonnaise sauce over all, and serve. ~sardine cocktail~--drain and skin one-half box boneless sardines and separate into small pieces. add one-half cup tomato catsup, mixed with two teaspoons worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoon tabasco sauce, the juice of one lemon, and salt to taste. chill thoroughly and serve in scallop shells, placing each shell on a plate of crushed ice. ~sauce for various shellfish in the shape of cocktail~--for the truffle sauce melt three tablespoons of butter, add three tablespoons of flour, and stir until well blended, then pour on gradually while heating constantly one cup milk and one-half cup heavy cream. bring to the boiling point and add two chopped truffles, two tablespoons madeira wine, salt and pepper to taste. ~baked milk~--put fresh milk into a stone jar, cover with white paper and bake in a moderate oven until the milk is thick as cream. this may be taken by the most delicate stomach. ~mint vinegar~--fill in a wide-mouthed bottle or a quart fruit jar with fresh mint leaves, well washed and bruised a little. let the leaves fall in without pressing. fill the jar with cider vinegar, put on the rubber, and turn the cover tightly. let stand three weeks, uncover, and drain off the vinegar into bottles and keep well corked. ~blackberry vinegar~--mash the berries to a pulp in an earthenware or wooden vessel. add good cider vinegar to cover and stand in sun during the day and in the cellar at night, stirring occasionally. next morning strain and add the same amount fresh berries. crush and pour the whole, the strained juice, and set in the sun again all day and in the cellar at night. the third day strain to each quart of the juice one pint water and five pounds sugar. heat slowly and when at boiling point skim, and after it boils strain and bottle. ~homemade vinegar~--for pineapple vinegar, cover the parings and some of the fruit, if you wish, with water. a stone crock or glass jar is the best receptacle for this purpose. add sugar or sirup, according to the condition of the fruit, and set in the sun where it can ferment thoroughly. skim frequently to remove all impurities, and when as acid as desired, strain and bottle. gooseberry vinegar is made by crushing gooseberries not quite ripe, covering with cold water (three quarts of water to two of fruit) and allowing it to stand for two days. press and strain. allow a pint of sugar and half a yeast cake to each gallon of the liquid. set in the sun, and when the fluid has worked clear, strain and leave in a warm place until as sharp as desired. a cloth should be tied over the top of the jar to keep out insects and dust. ~samp and beans~--soak a quart of the samp and a scant pint pea beans over night in cold water, each in a separate vessel. in the morning put the samp over to cook in a large pot, covering with fresh boiling water. simmer gently about two hours, protecting from scorch, by an asbestos mat and a frequent shaking of the pot. as the samp commences to swell and the water dries out add more. after two hours add the beans that have been soaking, together with a pound of streaked salt pork. season with salt and pepper and continue the cooking all day, shaking frequently. just before serving add butter and more salt if it needs it. ~dressing for italian ravioli~--nine eggs beaten very light. one quart of spinach boiled and drained until dry. chop very fine. add salt and pepper to taste, one cup grated american cream cheese, little nutmeg, one-half pint breadcrumbs soaked in milk, two tablespoonfuls olive oil, three tablespoonfuls of cream. cracker meal enough to thicken. ~noodle dough for italian ravioli~--make noodle crust as you would for noodles. roll very fine and cover half the crust with ravioli dressing half-inch thick. turn over the other half to cover. mark in squares as shown in figure. cut with a pie cutter after marking. drop one by one in salted boiling water, cook about twenty minutes, drain and arrange on platter and sprinkle each layer with grated cheese and mushroom sauce. ~bologna sausage~--chop fine one pound each of beef, pork, veal and fat bacon. mix with three-fourths of a pound of fine chopped beef suet and season with sage, sweet herbs, salt and pepper. press into large skins thoroughly cleaned and soaked in cold salt water for several hours before being used, fasten tightly on both ends and prick in several places. place in a deep saucepan, cover with boiling water, simmer gently for an hour, lay on straw to dry and hang. ~lemon jelly~--grate two lemons and the juice of one. the yolks of three eggs, two cups of sugar. butter, the size of an egg. boil until thick. ~margarettes~--one half-pound of peanuts, one pound of dates chopped fine. one cup of milk in the dates and boil, add peanuts. make a boiled icing. take the long branch crackers, spread the filling between the crackers, put on the icing and put in the oven to brown. vegetables ~brussels sprouts~--wash well in salted water about two pounds of brussels sprouts and pick them over well. place them on a fire in a saucepan filled with water, a little salt and bicarbonate of soda. with the lid off boil fast till tender; about twenty to twenty-five minutes. when done drain them and dry on a cloth. put in a large saucepan a good-sized lump of butter and a little salt and pepper. toss the sprouts in this until they become quite hot again, but do not fry them. serve on a quartered round of buttered toast. ~brussels sprouts maitre d'hotel~--boil the sprouts and then place them in a saucepan with a lump of butter and beat them well. put half a pound of fresh butter in a pan with two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, the juice of a couple of lemons, a little salt and white pepper and mix together well with a spatula, and when it boils stir quickly. place the sprouts on a dish and turn the sauce over them. ~brussels sprouts sauted~--one pound of brussels sprouts should be thoroughly washed and boiled and then put into a pan over the fire together with a good-sized lump of butter, a little salt, and toss for eight minutes. sprinkle over them a little chopped parsley, and serve when done. ~baked mushrooms in cups~--peel and cut off the stalks of a dozen or more large fat mushrooms, and chop up fine. put the trimmings in a stewpan with some water or clear gravy, and boil well. when nicely flavored strain the liquor, return it to the stewpan with the mushrooms and a moderate quantity of finely chopped parsley, season to taste with salt and pepper, and boil gently on the side of the stove for nearly three-quarters of an hour. beat four eggs well in one-half teacupful of cream, and strain. when the mushrooms are ready move the stewpan away from the fire and stir in the beaten eggs. butter some small cups or molds, fill each with the mixture, and bake in a brisk oven. prepare some white sauce; when baked turn the mushrooms out of the molds on a hot dish, pour the sauce around them, and serve. ~boiled chestnuts served as vegetables~--peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts and steep them in boiling water until the skin can be easily removed, and throw them into a bowl of cold water. put two ounces of butter into a saucepan with two tablespoons of flour and stir the whole over a fire until well mixed. then pour in one-half pint or more of clear broth and continue stirring over the fire until it boils. season with salt, throw in the chestnuts and keep them simmering at the side of the fire until tender. when served in this way they make a good vegetable for roasted meat or poultry, particularly turkey. ~boiled corn~--choose short, thick ears of fresh corn, remove all the husks except the inner layer: strip that down far enough to remove the silk and any defective grains and then replace it, and tie at the upper end of each ear of corn. have ready a large pot half full of boiling water, put in the corn and boil steadily for about twenty minutes, if the ears are large, and fifteen minutes if they are small. remove from the boiling water, take off the strings, and serve hot at once. if desirable, the inner husk may be removed before serving, but this must be done very quickly, and the ears covered with a napkin or a clean towel to prevent the heat from escaping. serve plenty of salt, butter and pepper with the corn. these may be mixed by heating them together, and serve in a gravy bowl. ~boiled onions with cream~--peel twelve medium-sized onions, pare the roots without cutting them, place in a saucepan, cover with salted water, add a bunch of parsley, and boil for forty-five minutes; take them from the saucepan, place them on a dish, covering with two gills of cream sauce, mixed with two tablespoonfuls of broth, garnish, and serve. ~corn fritters~--prepare four ears of fresh corn by removing the outer husks and silks; boil and then drain well. cut the grains from the cobs and place in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, add one-fourth pound of sifted flour, two eggs and a half pint of cold milk. stir vigorously, but do not beat, with a wooden spoon for five minutes, when it will be sufficiently firm; butter a frying-pan, place it on a fire, and with a ladle holding one gill put the mixture on the pan in twelve parts, being careful that they do not touch one another, and fry till of a good golden color, cooking for four or five minutes on each side. dress them on a folded napkin, and serve. ~broiled eggplant~--peel an eggplant and cut it into six slices each half an inch thick. put them into a dish and season with salt and pepper and pour over them one tablespoon of sweet oil. mix well and arrange the slices of the eggplant on a broiler and broil on each side for five minutes, then place on a dish which has been heated and pour over a gill of maitre d'hotel sauce, and serve. ~fried eggplant~--select a nice large eggplant, peel, remove the seeds, and cut into pieces about one and one-half inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide. put them on a plate, sprinkle well with salt and leave standing for an hour or so. then wrap the pieces in a cloth and twist it around so as to squeeze as much juice as possible from them without breaking. sprinkle over with flour, covering each side well, and place them in a frying basket. put a large lump of fat in a stewpan and when it boils put in the basket. as each plant is nicely browned take out of the basket, sprinkle with salt and lay on a sheet of paper in front of a fire so as to drain as free as possible from fat. serve on a napkin spread over a hot dish. ~eggplant fritters~--boil the eggplant in salted water mixed with a little lemon juice. when tender, skin, drain and mash them. for every pint of pulp, add one-half breakfast cup full of flour, two well beaten eggs, and season with salt and pepper to taste. shape into fritters and fry in boiling fat until brown. ~broiled mushrooms on toast~--trim off the stalks of the required quantity of large mushrooms, peel, score them once across the top, place them on a gridiron and grill over a slow fire, turning when done on one side. trim the crusts off some slices of bread and toast on both sides. cut rounds out of the toast the same size as the mushrooms, butter them and place a mushroom on each. put a lump of butter in each mushroom and sprinkle over with salt and pepper. place a fancy dish-paper on a hot dish, and serve the mushrooms-on-toast, with a garnish of fried parsley. ~deviled mushrooms~--cut off the stalks even with the head and peel and trim the mushrooms neatly. brush them over inside with a paste brush dipped in warm butter, and season with salt and pepper, and a small quantity of cayenne pepper. put them on a gridiron and broil over a clear fire. when cooked put the mushrooms on a hot dish, and serve. ~mushrooms in cream~--peel and trim the required quantity of mushrooms. put some cream in a pan over the fire and season with pepper and salt to taste. rub the mushrooms in salt and pepper, and as quickly as the cream comes to a boil put them in and let boil for four minutes. serve hot. ~boiled spanish onions~--boil spanish onions in salted water thirty minutes. drain and add butter or drippings, salt and pepper, covering the pan to prevent steam from escaping. cook slowly for about three hours, basting frequently with drippings. care should be taken that they do not burn. ~baked onions~--put six large onions into a saucepan of water, or water and milk in equal proportions, add salt and pepper and boil until tender. when done so they can be easily mashed work them up with butter to the consistency of paste, cover with breadcrumbs, and bake in a moderate oven. if preferred they may be boiled whole, put in a baking dish covered with butter and breadcrumbs, then baked. ~fried onions~--peel and slice into even rounds four medium-sized onions. place them first in milk then in flour, fry in very hot fat for eight minutes. remove them carefully and lay on a cloth to dry. place a folded napkin on a dish, lay the onions on, and serve very hot. garnish with fried parsley. ~glazed onions~--peel the onions and place in a saucepan with a little warmed butter, add sugar and salt to taste, pour over a little stock. place over a moderate fire and cook slowly till quite tender and the outside brown. remove and serve on a dish. a little of the liquor, thickened with flour, may be served as a sauce. ~fried spanish onions~--peel and slice two pounds of spanish onions. place them in a hot frying-pan, containing two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, add salt and pepper. ~boiled oyster plant~--scrape a bunch of oyster plants, dropping into cold water to which a little vinegar has been added. cut in small pieces and boil in salted water until tender. season with butter, pepper and cream. cream may be omitted if desired. ~broiled potatoes~--peel a half dozen medium-sized cooked potatoes, halve them and lay upon a dish, seasoning with a pinch of salt, and pour over them two tablespoons of butter and roll them thoroughly in it. then arrange them on a double broiler, and broil over a moderate fire for three minutes on each side. serve in a folded napkin on a hot dish. ~parsnip fritters~--peel and boil some parsnips until tender, then drain thoroughly and mash, mixing in with them two beaten eggs, salt to taste, and sufficient flour to bind them stiffly. divide and mold the mixture into small round cakes with floured hands. put a large piece of butter into a stewpan, place on the fire and let it boil. then put in the cakes and fry to a nice golden brown color. take out and drain them, and serve on a napkin spread over a hot dish, with a garnish of fried parsley. ~mashed parsnips~--wash and scrape some parsnips, cut in pieces lengthwise, put them in a saucepan with boiling water, a little salt and a small lump of drippings. boil till tender, remove and place in a colander to drain, and press all the waste out of them. mash them till quite smooth with a wooden spoon, put them in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of milk or a small lump of butter, and a little salt and pepper; stir over the fire until thoroughly hot again, turn out on to a dish, and serve immediately. ~potato balls~--mash thoroughly a pound of boiled potatoes and rub them through a wire sieve. mix in a quarter of a pound of grated ham, a little chopped parsley, and a small onion chopped very fine, together with a small quantity of grated nutmeg, and the beaten yolks of two eggs. roll this mixture into balls of equal size, then roll in flour and egg-breadcrumbs, and fry in dripping or brown them in the oven, and serve on a hot dish. ~potatoes and onions sauted~--take an equal amount of small new potatoes and onions of equal size, peel and place in a saute pan with a good-sized piece of butter, tossing them over the fire for a quarter of an hour, being careful not to let them burn. put in enough water to half cover the vegetables, add a little salt and pepper, place the lid over the pan and stew gently for half an hour, then squeeze a little lemon juice in it and turn on a hot dish, and serve. ~potatoes lyonnaise~--cut into round slices eight boiled potatoes, lay in a frying-pan with an ounce and a half of butter and the round slices of a fried onion, seasoning with a pinch each of salt and pepper. cook for six minutes, or until they become well browned, tossing them all the while. sprinkle over with a small quantity of chopped parsley, and serve. ~stewed mushrooms~--peel and remove the stalks from some large mushrooms, wash and cut them into halves; put two ounces of butter into a small lined saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of flour and stir this over the fire, then mix in by degrees one and one-half breakfast cupfuls of milk; while boiling and after being thickened, put in the mushrooms. season to taste with salt, pepper and a small quantity of powdered mace, and stew gently on the side of the fire until tender. when cooked turn the mushrooms on to a hot dish, garnish with some croutons of bread that have been fried to a nice brown, and serve. ~stuffed onions, steamed~--peel eight large onions and boil for ten minutes, and salt them slightly. remove them from the fire, drain quite dry, push about half the insides out; chop the parts taken out very small, together with a little sausage meat; add one teacupful of breadcrumbs, one egg, and salt and pepper to taste. put this mixture into the cavity in the onions, piling a little on the top and bottom so that none shall be left. arrange them in a deep pan. put them in a steamer over a saucepan of water and steam for one hour and a half. put the pan in the oven to brown the tops of the onions, adding one breakfast cupful of butter to prevent burning. arrange them tastefully on a dish, and serve hot. ~potato croquettes~--take four boiled potatoes and add to them half their weight in butter, the same quantity of powdered sugar, salt, grated peel of half a lemon and two well beaten eggs. mix thoroughly and roll into cork-shaped pieces and dip into the beaten yolks of eggs, rolling in sifted breadcrumbs. let stand one hour and again dip in egg and roll in crumbs. fry in boiling lard or butter. serve with a garnish of parsley. ~creamed potatoes~--cut into cubes or dices about half a pound of boiled potatoes and place in a shallow baking pan. pour over them enough milk or cream to cover them and put in the oven or on the side of the stove and cook gently until nearly all the milk is absorbed. add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful each of finely chopped parsley, and salt, and half a saltspoonful of pepper, mixed well together. when they have become thoroughly warmed turn into a dish, and serve immediately. ~apples and onions~--select sour apples, pare, core and thinly slice. slice about half as many onions, put some bacon fat in the bottom of a frying-pan and when melted add the apples and onions. cover the pan and cook until tender, cooking rather slowly. sprinkle with sugar, and serve with roast pork. ~bacon and spinach~--line a pudding dish with thin slices of raw bacon. take boiled spinach, ready for the table, season with butter, salt and pepper. take also some boiled carrots, turnips and onions. whip up the yolk of an egg with pepper and salt, and stir into the carrots and turnips. arrange the vegetables alternately in the dish and partially fill with boiling water. steam for an hour. turn out on a flat dish, and serve with a rich brown gravy. ~boiled celery~--trim off the tops of the celery about one-third of their length, and also trim the roots into rounding shape. save the tops for making cream of celery and for garnishes, cook the celery in salted water until tender, drain, lay on toast, and pour a cream sauce over. ~boston baked beans~--pick over a quart of small pea beans, wash thoroughly and soak over night in warm water. in the morning parboil them until the skins crack open. pour off the water. put into the bottom of a glazed earthenware pot, made expressly for the purpose, a pint of hot water in which have been dissolved a half tablespoonful salt, two tablespoonfuls molasses, a half teaspoonful mustard, and a pinch of soda. pack in the beans until about a third full, then place in it a pound (or less, if preferred) of streaked pig pork, the skin of which has been scored. cover with a layer of beans, letting the rind of the pork just show through. now add enough more seasoned hot water to cover the beans, and bake covered in a slow oven all day or night. when done the beans should be soft, tender and moist but brown and whole, and the pork cooked to a jelly. ~breaded potato balls~--pare, boil and mash potatoes and whip into three cups of potato three level tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of hot milk, salt and pepper to taste; also two teaspoons of onion juice and two level tablespoons of chopped parsley, one-quarter cup of grated mild cheese and two well-beaten eggs. beat well and set aside to cool. mold into small balls, roll each in beaten egg, in fine stale breadcrumbs, and then fry in deep hot fat. ~cabbage and cheese~--boil the cabbage in two waters, then drain, cool and chop. season well with salt and pepper and spread a layer in a buttered baking dish. pour over this a white sauce made from a tablespoonful each of flour and butter and a cup of milk. add two or three tablespoonfuls of finely broken cheese. now add another layer of cabbage, then more of the white sauce and cheese, and so on until all the material is used. sprinkle with fine crumbs, bake covered about half an hour, then uncover and brown. ~cauliflower au gratin~--select a firm, well-shaped cauliflower, and after the preliminary soaking in cold salt water throw into a kettle of boiling water and cook half an hour, until tender. drain, pick off the flowers and lay to one side, while you pick the stalks into small pieces. lay on the bottom of a rather shallow buttered baking dish, sprinkle with pepper, grated cheese and cracker crumbs. dot with pieces of butter. add a little milk, then a layer of the flowerets and another sprinkling of milk, cheese and pepper. ~cauliflower fritters~--soak and boil the cauliflower in the usual way, then separate into flowers. dip each piece into a thin batter, plunge into boiling fat and fry a delicate brown. serve very hot on napkins. if preferred, the pieces may be dipped into a mixture of salt, pepper, vinegar and oil, then fried. ~creamed spaghetti~--have two quarts of water boiling in a kettle and one-third of a pound of spaghetti. hold a few pieces of the spaghetti at a time in the water and as the ends soften turn them round and round and down into the kettle. when all are in the water put on a cover and cook the spaghetti twenty minutes, then drain. make a cream sauce with a rounding tablespoon each of flour and butter and one cup of cream. season with one-half teaspoon of salt and a few grains of pepper. stir in the spaghetti cut in inch pieces, turn on to a dish, and sprinkle with finely grated cheese. ~fried corn~--cut the corn off the cob, leaving the grains as separate as possible. fry in just enough butter to keep it from sticking to the pan, stirring very often. when nicely browned add salt and pepper and a little rich cream. do not set near the fire after adding the cream. ~fried tomatoes~--wipe some smooth solid tomatoes and slice and fry in a spider with butter or pork fat. season well with salt and pepper. ~glazed carrots with peas~--wash, scrape and cut three medium-sized carrots in one-fourth inch slices, then, in cubes or fancy shapes, drain and put in saucepan with one-half cup butter, one-third cup sugar, and one tablespoon fine chopped fresh mint leaves. cook slowly until glazed and tender. drain and rinse one can french peas and heat in freshly boiling water five minutes. again drain and season with butter, salt and pepper. mound peas on hot dish and surround with carrots. ~glazed sweet potatoes~--put two rounding tablespoons of butter and one of sugar into a casserole and set on the back of the range to heat slowly. when hot lay in raw, pared sweet potatoes cut in halves, lengthwise. dust with salt and pepper and put in another layer of seasoned potatoes and enough boiling water to stand one-half inch deep in the dish. put on the close-fitting cover and set in the oven to cook slowly. when the potatoes are tender serve in the same dish with the sweet sauce that will not be entirely absorbed in the cooking. this way of preparing sweet potatoes pleases the southern taste, which demands sugar added to the naturally sweet vegetable. ~glazed sweet potatoes~--sweet potatoes, like squash and peas, lose a little of their sweetness in cooking, and when recooked it is well to add a little sugar. slice two large cooked sweet potatoes and lay in a small baking dish, sprinkle with a level tablespoon of sugar and a few dashes of salt and pepper, add also some bits of butter. pour in one-half cup of boiling water, bake half an hour, basting twice with the butter and water. ~green melon saute~--there are frequently a few melons left on the vines which will not ripen sufficiently to be palatable uncooked. cut them in halves, remove the seeds and then cut in slices three-fourths of an inch thick. cut each slice in quarters and again, if the melon is large, pare off the rind, sprinkle them slightly with salt and powdered sugar, cover with fine crumbs; then dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs again, and cook slowly in hot butter, the same as eggplant. drain, and serve hot. when the melons are nearly ripe they may be sauted in butter without crumbs. ~japanese or chinese rice~--wash one cup of rice, rubbing it through several waters until the water runs clear. put in porcelain-lined stewpan with a quart of soup stock and bay leaves and boil twenty minutes. the stock must be hot when added to the rice. shake the kettle in which it is cooking several times during the cooking and lift occasionally with a fork. do not stir. pour off any superfluous stock remaining at the end of twenty minutes, and set on the back of the stove or in the oven, uncovered, to finish swelling and steaming. just before serving add one cup of hot tomato juice, a quarter cup of butter, a tablespoon chopped parsley, a dash of paprika, and one tablespoon of grated cheese. serve with grated cheese. ~lima beans with nuts~--soak one cup of dry lima beans over night. in the morning rip off the skins, rinse and put into the bean pot with plenty of water and salt to season, rather more than without the nuts. let cook slowly in the oven and until perfectly tender; add one-half cup of walnut meal, stirring it in well; let cook a few minutes, and serve. ~macaroni with apricots~--stew twenty halves of fresh apricots in half a cup of sugar and enough water to make a nice sirup when they are done. before removing from the fire add a heaping tablespoonful of brown flour and cook until the sirup is heavy and smooth. parboil ten sticks of macaroni broken in two-inch pieces, drain, add to one pint of scalding hot milk two ounces of sugar. throw in the parboiled macaroni and allow it to simmer until the milk is absorbed; stir it often. pour all the juice or sauce from the apricots into the macaroni, cover the macaroni well, set on back of the stove for fifteen minutes, then take off and allow to cool. when cold form a pile of macaroni in the center of the dish and cover with apricots, placing them in circles around and over it. ~macaroni and cheese~--cook macaroni broken up into short length in boiling salted water. boil uncovered for twenty or thirty minutes, then drain. fill a buttered pudding dish with alternate layers of macaroni and grated cheese, sprinkling pepper, salt and melted butter over each layer. have top layer of cheese, moisten with rich milk, bake in moderate oven until a rich brown. ~scrambled cauliflower~--trim off the coarse outer leaves of a cauliflower. after soaking and cooking, drain well and divide into branches. sprinkle with nutmeg, salt and pepper and toss into a frying pan with hot butter or olive oil. ~macaroni or spaghetti served in italian style~--break a pound of macaroni or spaghetti into small pieces. put into boiling salted water and boil about twenty minutes. then drain and arrange on platter. sprinkle on each layer grated cheese and mushroom sauce. serve hot. ~mushroom sauce, italian style~--(for macaroni, spaghetti, ravioli and rice.)--a small piece of butter about the size of an egg. one or two small onions, cut very small. about two pounds of beef. let all brown. prepare as you would a pot roast. add italian dried mushrooms, soaked over night in hot water, chopped in small pieces. add about one-half can of tomatoes. let all cook well. salt and pepper to taste. add a little flour to thicken. ~mold spinach~--remove roots and decayed leaves, wash in several waters until no grit remains. boil in water to nearly cover until tender, drain, rinse in cold water, drain again, chop very fine; reheat in butter, season with salt and pepper and pack in small cups. turn out and garnish with sifted yolk of egg. ~nut parsnip stew~--wash, scrape and slice thin two good-sized parsnips. cook until perfectly tender in two quarts of water. when nearly done add a teaspoon of salt and when thoroughly done a teaspoon of flour mixed with a little cold water, stir well and let boil until the flour is well cooked, then stir in one-half cup of walnut meal, let boil up once, and serve immediately. ~potatoes a la maitre d'hotel~--slice cold boiled potatoes thin. melt a rounding tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, add a heaping pint bowl of the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and heat. now add a teaspoon of lemon juice and the same of finely minced parsley, and serve at once. potatoes au gratin--make a white sauce, using one tablespoonful of butter, one of flour, one-half a teaspoonful salt, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of white pepper and one cupful of milk. cut cold boiled potatoes into thick slices, or, better still, into half-inch cubes. butter a baking dish, put in it a layer of the sauce, then one of the potatoes, previously lightly seasoning with salt and pepper. continue until all are in, the proportion of potato being about two cupfuls. to one cupful of dried and sifted breadcrumbs, add one teaspoonful of melted butter and stir until it is evenly mixed through. spread this over the contents of the baking dish, and place in a quick oven for twenty minutes, or until nicely browned. for a change, a little onion juice, chopped parsley or grated cheese may be added to the sauce. ~potato creamed~--cut cold boiled potatoes into small dice and cover them in a small saucepan with milk. let them stand where they will heat slowly and absorb nearly all the milk. when hot add to one pint of potatoes a tablespoon of salt and a dash of white pepper. sprinkle a little finely chopped parsley over the top as a garnish. ~potato mold~--mash some potato smoothly, add to it some butter and a little milk to make it smooth but not wet. season with white pepper and salt and add enough chopped parsley to make it look pretty. press into greased mold and bake for half an hour until lightly browned. dust with crumbs and serve. ~potato parisienne~--potato marbles seasoned with minced parsley, butter and lemon juice are liked by many. others find that they are not sufficiently seasoned, that is, the seasoning has not penetrated into the potatoes, especially if a large cutter has been used. this method will be found to remedy this fault, giving a seasoning which reaches every portion of the potato. it may not be quite so attractive as the somewhat underdone marbles, but the flavor is finer. pare the potatoes and steam or boil them until soft, being careful they do not cook too fast. drain off the water and let them stand uncovered until dry. then cut in quarters lengthwise, and then in thin slices, letting them drop into a stewpan containing melted butter, salt and paprika. when all are sliced cover them and let them heat for a few minutes, add minced parsley and lemon juice, shake them about so the seasoning will be well mixed and serve at once. ~potato puffs~--~no. ~--to one cup of mashed potato add one tablespoon of butter, one egg, beaten light, one-half cup of cream or milk, a little salt. beat well and fill popover pans half full. bake until brown in quick oven. ~potato puffs~--~no. ~--add hot milk to cold mashed potato beat up thoroughly. add one or two well-beaten eggs, leaving out the yolks if preferred whiter. drop in spoonfuls on a buttered tin, place a piece of butter on the top of each and bake a delicate brown or put in a pudding dish and butter the top and bake till of a light brown on top. fifteen minutes in a hot oven will be sufficient. ~rice a la georgienne for five persons~--wash one pound of rice in several changes of cold water until water is clear, and cook until soft, but not soft enough to mash between the fingers. let it drip, cool and drip again. add it to one-quarter pound of melted butter, not browned, season with salt and pepper. mix thoroughly; bake in covered dish for twenty minutes. ~rice in tomatoes~--cook some rice in boiling salted water until tender and season highly with pepper. cut a small slice from the top of each ripe tomato, take out the seeds, fill with the seasoned rice, put a bit of butter on each, set in the oven and bake until the tomato is tender. ~rice served in italian style with mushroom sauce~--steam or boil one-half pound of rice until done, then drain. remove meat from mushroom sauce. drop rice into mushroom sauce and cook about five minutes. pour on platter and sprinkle heavy with grated cheese. ~scalloped tomatoes~--drain a half can of tomatoes from some of their liquor and season with salt, pepper, a few drops of onion juice and one teaspoonful sugar. cover the bottom of a small buttered baking dish with buttered cracker crumbs, cover with tomatoes and sprinkle the top thickly with buttered crumbs. bake in a hot oven. buttered cracker crumbs are made by simply rolling common crackers with a rolling pin and allowing one-third cupful of melted butter to each cupful of crumbs. this recipe takes about one and one-third cupfuls of crumbs. ~spaghetti a l'italienne~--let it cook until the water nearly boils away and it is very soft. the imported spaghetti is so firm that it may be cooked a long time without losing its shape. when the water has boiled out, watch it and remove the cover so it will dry off. then draw the mass to one side and put in a large lump of butter, perhaps a tablespoon, and let it melt, then stir in until the butter is absorbed, and pour on one cup of the strained juice from canned tomatoes. season with salt and paprika, and let it stew until the spaghetti has absorbed the tomato. the spaghetti, if cooked until soft, will thicken the tomato sufficiently and it is less work than to make a tomato sauce. turn out and serve as an entree, or a main dish for luncheon and pass grated sap sago or other cheese to those who prefer it. when you have any stock like chicken or veal, add that with the tomato or alone if you prefer and scant the butter. ~stuffed cabbage~--cut the stalk out of two or more young cabbages and fill with a stuffing made from cooked veal, chopped or ground very fine, seasoned well with salt and pepper, and mixed with the beaten yolk of an egg. tie a strip of cheese cloth round each cabbage, or if small, twine will hold each together. put into a kettle with boiling water to cover and cook until tender. drain, unbind and serve hot. ~stuffed egg plant~--wash a large egg plant, cut in halves the long way and scoop the inside out with a teaspoon, leaving each shell quite empty, but unbroken. cook the inside portion in one-half cup of water, then press through a strainer and mix with one-half cup of bread crumbs, one rounding tablespoon of butter and season with salt and pepper. the shells should lie in salt and water after scraping, and when ready to fill them wipe them dry and pack the filling. scatter fine crumbs over the top, dot with butter and bake twenty minutes. ~stuffed potatoes~--select smooth, even sized potatoes and bake until done. remove one end, carefully scrape out the center of each mash and season with salt and butter, add a generous portion of nut meat and fill the shells with the mixture. cover with the piece that was cut off, wrap each potato in tissue paper and serve. ~corn stewed with cream~--select a half dozen ears of indian corn, remove the silks and outer husks, place them in a saucepan and cover with water. cook, drain, and cut the corn off the cobs with a sharp knife, being very careful that none of the cob adheres to the corn. place in a stewpan with one cup of hot bechamel sauce, one-half breakfast-cupful of cream and about one-quarter of an ounce of butter. season with pepper and salt and a little grated nutmeg. cook gently on a stove for five minutes, place in a hot dish and serve. sauces ~cucumber sauce~--pare two good sized cucumbers and cut a generous piece from the stem end. grate on a coarse grater and drain through cheese cloth for half an hour. season the pulp with salt, pepper and vinegar to suit the taste. serve with broiled, baked or fried fish. ~gherkin sauce~--put a sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, two finely chopped shallots, and a cayenne pepper, and salt into a saucepan, with one breakfast cup of vinegar. place pan on fire and when contents have boiled for thirty minutes, add a breakfast cup of stock or good broth. strain it through a fine hair sieve and stir in one and one-half ounces of liquefied butter mixed with a little flour to thicken it. place it back in the saucepan and when it boils stir in it a teaspoonful or so of parsley very finely chopped, two or three ounces of pickle gherkins, and a little salt if required. ~giblet sauce~--put the giblets from any bird in the saucepan with sufficient stock or water to cover them and boil for three hours, adding an onion and a few peppercorns while cooking. take them out, and when they are quite tender strain the liquor into another pan and chop up the gizzards, livers, and other parts into small pieces. take a little of the thickening left at the bottom of the pan in which a chicken or goose has been braised, and after the fat has been taken off, mix it with the giblet liquor and boil until dissolved. strain the sauce, put in the pieces of giblet, and serve hot. ~gooseberry sauce~--pick one pound of green gooseberries and put them into a saucepan with sufficient water to keep them from burning, when soft mash them, grate in a little nutmeg and sweeten to taste with moist sugar. this sauce may be served with roast pork or goose instead of apple sauce. it may also be served with boiled mackerel. a small piece of butter will make the sauce richer. ~half-glaze sauce~--put one pint of clear concentrated veal gravy in a saucepan, mix it with two wine-glassfuls of madeira, a bunch of sweet herbs, and set both over the fire until boiling. mix two tablespoonfuls of potato flour to a smooth paste with a little cold water, then mix it with the broth and stir until thick. move the pan to the side of the fire and let the sauce boil gently until reduced to two-thirds of its original quantity. skim it well, pass it through a silk sieve, and it is ready for use. ~ham sauce~--after a ham is nearly all used up pick the small quantity of meat still remaining, from the bone, scrape away the uneatable parts and trim off any rusty bits from the meat, chop the bone very small and beat the meat almost to a paste. put the broken bones and meat together into a saucepan over a slow fire, pour over them one-quarter pint of broth, and stir about one-quarter of an hour, add to it a few sweet herbs, a seasoning of pepper and one-half pint of good beef stock. cover the saucepan and stir very gently until well flavored with herbs, then strain it. a little of this added to any gravy is an improvement. ~horseradish sauce~--place in a basin one tablespoonful of moist sugar, one tablespoonful of ground mustard, one teacupful of grated horseradish, and one teaspoonful of turmeric, season with pepper and salt and mix the ingredients with a teacupful of vinegar or olive oil. when quite smooth, turn the sauce into a sauceboat, and it is ready to be served. ~lemon butter~--cream four level tablespoons of butter and add gradually one tablespoon of lemon juice mixing thoroughly. ~lemon sauce for fish~--squeeze and strain the juice of a large lemon into a lined saucepan, put in with it one-fourth pound butter and pepper, and salt to taste. beat it over the fire until thick and hot, but do not allow to boil. when done mix with sauce the beaten yolks of two eggs. it is then ready to be served. ~lobster butter~--take the head and spawn of some hen lobsters, put them in a mortar and pound, add an equal quantity of fresh butter, and pound both together, being sure they are thoroughly mixed. pass this through a fine hair sieve, and the butter is then ready for use. it is very nice for garnishing or for making sandwiches. ~maitre d'hotel butter~--cream one-fourth cup of butter. add one-half teaspoon salt, a dash of pepper and a tablespoon of fine chopped parsley, then, very slowly to avoid curdling, a tablespoon of lemon juice. this sauce is appropriate for beefsteak and boiled fish. ~sauce a la metcalf~--put two or three tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, and when it melts add about a tablespoonful of liebig's extract of beef; season and gradually stir in about a cupful of cream. after taking off, add a wine-glassful of sherry or madeira. ~parsley and lemon sauce~--squeeze the juice from a lemon, remove the pips, and mince fine the pulp and rind. wash a good handful of parsley, and shake it as dry as possible, and chop it, throwing away the stalks. put one ounce of butter and one tablespoonful of flour into a saucepan, and stir over fire until well mixed. then put in the parsley and minced lemon, and pour in as much clear stock as will be required to make the sauce. season with a small quantity of pounded mace, and stir the whole over the fire a few minutes. beat the yolks of two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cold stock, and move the sauce to the side of the fire, and when it has cooled a little, stir in the eggs. stir the sauce for two minutes on the side of the fire, and it will be ready for serving. ~poivrade sauce~--put in a stewpan six scallions, a little thyme, a good bunch of parsley, two bay-leaves, a dessert-spoonful of white pepper, two tablespoons of vinegar and two ounces of butter, and let all stew together until nearly all the liquor has evaporated; add one teacupful of stock, two teacupfuls of spanish sauce. boil this until reduced to one-half, then serve. ~royal sauce~--put four ounces of fresh butter and the yolks of two fresh eggs into a saucepan and stir them over the fire until the yolks begin to thicken, but do not allow them to cook hard. take sauce off the fire and stir in by degrees two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, two tablespoons of indian soy, one finely chopped green gherkin, one small pinch of cayenne pepper, and a small quantity of salt. when well incorporated keep sauce in a cold place. when cold serve with fish. ~sauce for fish~--simmer two cups of milk with a slice of onion, a slice of carrot cut in bits, a sprig of parsley and a bit of bay-leaf for a few minutes. strain onto one-quarter cup of butter rubbed smooth with the same flour. cook five minutes and season with a level teaspoon of salt and a saltspoon of pepper. ~sauce mayonnaise~--place in an earthen bowl a couple of fresh egg yolks and one-half teaspoonful of ground english mustard, half pinch of salt, one-half saltspoonful red pepper, and stir well for about three minutes without stopping, then pour in, one drop at a time, one and one-half cupfuls of best olive oil, and should it become too thick, add a little at a time some good vinegar, stirring constantly. ~sauce tartare~--use one-half level teaspoon of salt and mustard, one teaspoon of powdered sugar, and a few grains of cayenne beaten vigorously with the yolks of two eggs. add one-half cup of olive oil slowly and dilute as needed with one and one-half tablespoon of vinegar. add one-quarter cup of chopped pickles, capers and olives mixed. ~tartar sauce~--mix one tablespoon of vinegar, one teaspoon of lemon juice, a saltspoon of salt, a tablespoon of any good catsup and heat over hot water. heat one-third cup of butter in a small saucepan until it begins to brown, then strain onto the other ingredients and pour over the fish on the platter. ~shrimp sauce~--pour one pint of poivrade sauce and butter sauce into a saucepan and boil until somewhat reduced. thicken the sauce with two ounces of lobster butter. pick one and one-half pints of shrimps, put them into the sauce with a small quantity of lemon juice, stir the sauce by the side of the fire for a few minutes, then serve it. ~sauce for fried pike~--peel and chop very fine one small onion, one green pepper, half a peeled clove, and garlic. season with salt, red pepper and half a wine-glassful of good white wine. boil about two minutes and add a gill of tomato sauce and a small tomato cut in dice shaped pieces. cook about ten minutes. rolls, bread and muffins ~breakfast rolls~--sift a quart of flour and stir into it a saltspoonful of sugar, a cup of warm milk, two tablespoonfuls of melted shortening and two beaten eggs. dissolve a quarter of a cake of compressed yeast in a little warm milk and beat in last of all. set the dough in a bowl to rise until morning. early in the morning make lightly and quickly into rolls and set to rise near the range for twenty minutes. ~egg rolls~--two cups flour, one level teaspoon salt, two level teaspoons baking powder, two level tablespoons lard, two level tablespoons butter, one egg, one-half cup milk. sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder, work in the shortening with the fingers. add the egg well beaten and mixed with the milk. mix well, toss onto a floured board and knead lightly. roll out and cut in two-inch squares. place a half-inch apart in a buttered pan. gash the center of each with a sharp knife. brush over with sugar and water, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. ~excellent tea rolls~--scald one cup of milk and turn into the mixing bowl. when nearly cool add a whole yeast cake and beat in one and a half cups of flour. cover and let rise. add one-quarter cup of sugar, one level teaspoon of salt, two beaten eggs, and one-third cup of butter. add flour enough to make a dough that can be kneaded. cover and let rise. roll out one-half inch thick, cut in rounds, brush one-half each with melted butter, fold and press together. set close together in the pan, cover with a cloth, let rise, and bake. ~light luncheon rolls~--heat one cup of milk to the scalding point in a double boiler, add one rounding tablespoon of butter, one level tablespoon of sugar, and one level teaspoon of salt. stir and set into cold water until lukewarm, then add one yeast cake dissolved in one-quarter cup of lukewarm water, and two cups of flour. beat hard for two or three minutes, cover, and let rise until very light. add flour to make a dough that can be kneaded and let rise again. knead, shape into small rolls. set them close together in a buttered baking pan, let rise light, and bake in a quick oven. ~a pan of rolls~--scald one pint of milk and add one rounding tablespoon of lard. mix in one quart of sifted bread flour, one-quarter cup of sugar, a saltspoon of salt and one-half yeast cake dissolved in one-half cup of lukewarm water. cover and let rise over night. in the morning roll half an inch thick cut into rounds, spread a little soft butter on one-half of each, fold over and press together. let rise until light and bake in a quick oven. rolls may be raised lighter than a loaf of bread because the rising is checked as soon as they are put into the oven. ~raised graham rolls~--scald two cups of milk and melt in it two level tablespoons of butter and one-half level teaspoon of salt. when cool add two tablespoons of molasses and one-half yeast cake dissolved in a little warm water. add white flour to make a thin batter, beat until smooth and set in a warm place until light. when well risen stir in whole meal to make a dough just stiff enough to knead. knead until elastic then place it in the original bulk. flour the board and turn the risen dough out carefully, pat out one inch thick with the rolling pin and make into small rolls. place these rolls close together in the pan, brush over with milk and let rise until very light. bake in a quick oven. ~rye breakfast cakes~--beat the egg light, add one-half cup of sugar, two cups of milk, a saltspoon of salt, one and one-half cups of rye meal, one and one-half cups of flour and three level teaspoons of baking powder. bake in a hot greased gem pan. ~breakfast cakes~--sift one cup of corn meal, one-quarter teaspoon of salt and two level teaspoons of sugar together, stir in one cup of thick sour milk, one-half tablespoonful melted butter, one well beaten egg and one-half teaspoon of soda, measured level. beat hard and bake in gem pans in a quick oven. ~scotch oat cakes~--can be either fried on a griddle or broiled over a fire. the meal for this purpose should be ground fine. put a quart of the meal in a baking dish with a teaspoonful of salt. pour in little by little just enough cold water to make a dough and roll out quickly before it hardens into a circular sheet about a quarter of an inch thick. cut into four cakes and bake slowly for about twenty minutes on an iron griddle. do not turn but toast after they are cooked. ~scotch scones~--two cups flour, four level teaspoons baking powder, two level tablespoons sugar, one level teaspoon salt, three level tablespoons butter, one whole egg or two yolks, one cup buttermilk. sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, and work in the butter with the fingers, then add the buttermilk and egg well beaten. mix well, turn onto floured board and knead slightly. roll out one-half inch thick. cut with small biscuit cutter and cook on a hot griddle, turning once. ~log cabin toast for breakfast~--this is made up of long strips of bread cut to the thinness of afternoon tea sandwiches, then toasted a delicate brown. all are lightly buttered and piled on a hot plate log cabin fashion. ~old fashion rusks~--at night make a sponge as for bread with two cups of scalded milk, a teaspoon of salt, yeast and flour. in the morning put half a cup of butter into two cups of milk and heat until the butter is barely melted, add this to the sponge, one cup of sugar and three beaten eggs. add flour to make a dough that can be kneaded. let rise very light. roll out one and one-half inches thick, cut in round cakes, let rise and bake a deep yellow color. ~waffles southern style~--one pint of flour, one pint buttermilk, one egg, half teaspoon soda dissolved in little water, one teaspoon sugar, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon baking powder, one tablespoon cornmeal, one tablespoon melted butter. mix as any other batter cake or waffles. ~whole wheat popovers~--put two-thirds cup of whole wheat meal, one and two-thirds cup of white flour, and one-half level teaspoon of salt into a sifter and sift three times. pour two cups of milk on slowly and stir until smooth. beat two eggs five minutes, add to the first mixture, and beat again for two minutes. turn into hot greased iron gem pans and bake half an hour in a rather quick oven. ~berry muffins~--mix two cups sifted flour, one-half teaspoon salt and two rounded teaspoons baking powder. cream one-quarter cup of butter with one-half cup sugar, add well beaten yolk of one egg, one cup milk, the flour mixture and white of egg beaten stiff. stir in carefully one heaped cup blueberries which have been picked over, rinsed, dried and rolled in flour. bake in muffin pans twenty minutes. ~buttermilk muffins~--sift four cups of flour, one-quarter cup of cornmeal, and one level teaspoon each of salt and soda three times. beat two eggs well, add a level tablespoon of sugar, four cups of buttermilk, the dry ingredients, and beat hard for two minutes. bake in muffin rings or hot greased gem pans. one-half the recipe will be enough for a small family. ~english muffins~--one pint milk, two level tablespoons shortening (butter or lard), two level teaspoons sugar, one level teaspoon salt, one yeast cake dissolved in one-fourth cup lukewarm water, flour. scald the milk and add the shortening, sugar, and salt. when lukewarm add the yeast and sufficient flour to make a good batter. here one's judgment must be used. beat well and let rise until double in bulk. warm and butter a griddle and place on it buttered muffin rings. fill not quite half full of the batter, cover and cook slowly until double, then heat the griddle quickly and cook for about ten minutes, browning nicely underneath. then turn them and brown the other side. when cool split, toast and butter. ~graham muffins~--heat to the boiling point two cups of milk, add a tablespoon of butter and stir until melted. sift two cups of whole wheat flour, one-half cup of white flour, two teaspoons of baking powder. pour on the milk and butter, beat, add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, then the stiffly beaten whites. bake in hot greased gem pans. ~hominy muffins~--sift twice together one and one-half cups of flour, three level teaspoons of baking powder, one level tablespoon of sugar, and a saltspoon of salt. to one cup of boiled hominy add two tablespoons of melted butter and one cup of milk. add to the dry ingredients and beat, then add two well beaten eggs. pour the batter into hot greased gem pans and bake. ~muffins~--sift a saltspoon of salt, two level teaspoons of baking powder, and two cups of flour together. beat the yolks of two eggs, add one cup of milk, two tablespoons of melted butter, and the dry ingredients. beat, add lightly the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, fill hot buttered gem pans two-thirds full, and bake in a hot oven. ~quick muffins in rings~--beat two eggs, yolks and whites separately. add to the yolks two cups of milk, one level teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of melted butter and two cups of flour in which two level teaspoons of baking powder have been sifted, and last the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. when well mixed bake in greased muffin rings on a hot griddle. turn over when risen and set, as both sides must be browned. ~boiled rice muffins~--to make muffins with cooked rice, sift two and one-quarter cups of flour twice with five level teaspoons of baking powder, one rounding tablespoon of sugar, and a saltspoon of salt. put in one well beaten egg, half a cup of milk, and three-quarters cup of boiled rice mixed with another half cup of milk, and two tablespoons of melted butter. beat well, pour into hot gem pans and bake. ~boston brown bread~--to make one loaf sift together one cup of cornmeal, one cup rye meal, and one cup of graham flour, with three-quarters cup of molasses and one and three-quarters cup sweet milk. add one-half teaspoonful of soda dissolved in warm water. turn into a well buttered mold which may be a five-pound lard pail, if no other mold is handy. set on something that will keep mold from bottom of kettle and turn enough boiling water to come half way up on the mold. cover the kettle and keep the kettle boiling steadily for three and one-half hours. if water boils away add enough boiling water to keep the same amount of water in kettle. put in molds and cut when cool. ~crisp white corncake~--two cups scalded milk, one cup white cornmeal, two level teaspoons salt. mix the salt and cornmeal and add gradually the hot milk. when well mixed, pour into a buttered dripping pan and bake in a moderate oven until crisp. serve cut in squares. the mixture should not be more than one-fourth inch deep when poured into pan. ~croutons~--croutons made coarsely are no addition to a soup. for the best sort, cut out stale bread into half-inch slices, spread with butter, then trim away the crust. cut into small cubes, put into a pan and set in a hot oven. if the croutons incline to brown unevenly shake the pan. ~egg bread~--one pint of boiling water, half pint white cornmeal to teaspoon salt, two tablespoonfuls of butter, two eggs, one cup milk, bake in a moderate oven. ~graham bread~--put one cup of scalded and cooled milk, one cup of water, two cups of flour and one-half yeast cake dissolved in one cup of lukewarm water into a bowl and let rise over night. in the morning add a level teaspoon of salt, two rounding cups of graham flour and one-half cup sugar. beat well, put into two pans and let rise until light and bake one hour. ~nut bread~--one and one-half cups of white flour, two cups of graham flour, one-half cup of cornmeal, one-half cup of brown sugar and molasses, one pint of sweet milk, one cup of chopped walnuts, two teaspoons of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of salt. bake in a long pan for three-quarters of an hour. ~oatmeal bread~--over a pint of rolled oats pour a quart of boiling water. when cool add one teaspoonful suet, one teaspoon butter, one-half cup molasses and one-half yeast cake dissolved in a little water. stir this thoroughly and then add two quarts sifted flour. do not knead this and allow it to rise over night, and in the morning stir it again, and then put it in well buttered bread pans: let it rise until it fills the pans and then bake in a moderate oven. it takes a little longer to bake than white bread. ~oatmeal bread~--cook one cup of rolled oats in water for serving at breakfast, and one cup of molasses, one and one-half cups of lukewarm water in which is dissolved one yeast cake and one teaspoon of salt. mix in enough flour to make a stiff dough, cover and let rise. when very light stir down, put in pans, let rise light and bake in a slow oven. the heat should be sufficient at first to check the rising, then the baking should be slow. ~oriental oatmeal bread~--take two cupfuls of rolled oats, put in bread pan, turn on four cupfuls of boiling water, stir for awhile. add, while hot, a heaping tablespoonful of lard or one scant tablespoonful of butter and one of lard, two teaspoonfuls of salt and four tablespoonfuls of sugar and three of molasses. now add two cupfuls of cold water (making six cups of water in all) and, if cool enough, add one yeast cake dissolved in a very little water. now stir in all the white flour it will take until it is as stiff as you can manage it with the spoon. set in warm place over night, and in the morning with spoon and knife fill your tins part full, let rise to nearly top of pan, then bake an hour for medium size loaves. ~raisin bread~--scald three cups of milk and add one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. cool and add one-half yeast cake, dissolved in one-quarter cup of lukewarm water. mix in enough flour to make a drop batter and set to rise. when this sponge is light put in two cups of seeded raisins and enough flour to make a soft dough, but stiff enough to knead. let rise again, then mold into two loaves. let the loaves double in size and bake slowly, covering with another pan for the first twenty minutes of baking. ~steamed brown bread~--beat one egg light, add one cup of cornmeal, one cup rye-meal and one and one-half cups of flour sifted with a half level teaspoon of salt. add one cup of molasses, and after it is turned out put in one level teaspoon of soda and fill with boiling water. add to the other one-third cup more of the water. pour into well buttered mold and steam four hours. ~southern corncake~--mix two cups of white cornmeal, a rounding tablespoon of sugar and a level teaspoon of salt, then pour enough hot milk or milk and water to moisten the meal well, but not to make it of a soft consistency. let stand until cool, then add three well beaten eggs and spread on a buttered shallow pan about half an inch thick. bake in a quick oven, cut in squares, split and butter while hot. ~steamed corn bread~--sift together one cup cornmeal and flour and a level teaspoon of salt. put one level teaspoon soda in one tablespoon of water, add to one-half cup of molasses and stir into the meal with one and two-thirds cups of milk. beat and turn into a greased mold. steam four hours, take off the lid of the mold and set in the oven fifteen minutes. ~steamed graham bread~--put into a mixing bowl two cups of sour milk, one cup of molasses, one level teaspoon of salt, two of soda and then enough graham flour to make a batter as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, adding one-half cup of seeded raisins. pour into a two-quart mold or lard pail well greased, cover closely and set in a kettle of boiling water that comes two-thirds the depth of the mold. cover the kettle and keep the water boiling constantly for four hours. ~whole wheat bread~--scald one cupful of milk and one teaspoonful of butter, one of salt, one cup of water and one tablespoonful of sugar. when lukewarm add half a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a little water and enough wheat flour to make a thin batter. beat vigorously until smooth and let rise until very light. add as much whole wheat flour as you can beat in with a spoon. pour into greased tins, let rise until light and bake in moderate oven for one hour. ~asparagus fritters~--make a thick sauce with one-half cup of milk, one rounding tablespoon of butter and one-quarter cup of flour. stir in one cup of cooked asparagus tips and cool. add one beaten egg and cook on a hot buttered griddle in small cakes. ~corn fritters~--one-half can corn, one-half cup flour, one-half level teaspoon baking powder, one level teaspoon salt, a dash of cayenne and one egg. chop the corn fine and add the flour, sifted with the baking powder, salt and cayenne. add the egg yolk, well beaten and fold in the white beaten stiff. drop by spoonfuls into hot fat one-half inch deep. turn once while cooking. when done, drain on brown paper and serve. ~crumb griddle cakes~--soak one pint of bread crumbs in one pint of sour milk for an hour, then add a level teaspoon of soda dissolved in one cup of sweet milk, and one well beaten egg, half a teaspoon of salt and flour enough to make a drop batter as thick as griddle cakes are usually made. ~hominy cakes~--to two cups of boiled hominy add two tablespoons of melted butter. break the whole very fine with spoon or fork. add two well beaten eggs, one-third teaspoon of salt, and a saltspoon of pepper. form into little cakes, after adding enough milk to make it of the right consistency to handle. set cakes on buttered dish and dust with a little finely grated cheese. bake in hot oven and serve at once. ~oatmeal cake~--mix fine oatmeal into a stiff dough with milk-warm water, roll it to the thinness almost of a wafer, bake on a griddle or iron plate placed over a slow fire for three or four minutes, then place it on edge before the fire to harden. this will be good for months, if kept in a dry place. ~pineapple pancakes~--make a batter using half pound sifted flour and three good sized eggs with a cupful of milk. this makes a very thin batter. when smooth and free from lumps, bake in a well buttered frying pan, making the cakes about eight inches in diameter. as soon as brown on one side turn. when cooked on both sides remove to a hot serving dish and sprinkle with sweetened pineapple. bake the remainder of batter in the same way, piling in layers with the pineapple between the cakes. cut in triangular pieces like pie and serve very hot. ~squash fritters~--to two cups of mashed dry winter squash add one cup of milk, two well beaten eggs, one teaspoon of salt, a little pepper and one heaping teaspoon of baking powder. beat well and drop by spoonfuls into hot butter or cooking oil and fry. pies and pastries ~a good crust for great pies~--to a peck of flour, add the yolks of three eggs. boil some water, put in half a pound of fried suet and a pound and a half of butter. skim off the butter and suet and as much of the liquor as will make a light crust. mix well and roll out. ~crust for custards~--take a half pound of flour, six ounces of butter, the yolks of two eggs, three spoonfuls of cream. mix well and roll very thin. ~dripping crust~--take a pound and a half of beef drippings; boil in water, strain and let it get cold, taking off the hard fat. scrape off and boil it four or five times; then work it up well into three pounds of flour, then add enough cold water to make dough, just stiff enough to roll. this makes a very fine crust. ~paste for tarts~--one pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of butter and just enough cold water to mix together. beat well with a rolling pin. ~puff paste~--take a quarter of a peck of flour, rub in a pound of butter, make it up into a light paste with a little cold waters, just stiff enough to handle; then roll out to about the thickness of a crown piece. spread over with butter and sprinkle over with flour, then double up and roll out again. double and roll out seven or eight times. it is then fit for all kinds of pies and tarts that require a puff paste. ~apple pie~--make up a puff paste crust and lay some around the sides of a dish. pare and quarter apples. put a layer of apples in the dish, sprinkle with sugar, and add a little lemon peel, cut up fine, a little lemon juice, a few cloves; then the rest of the apples, sugar and so on. sweeten to taste. boil the peels and cores of the apples in a little water, strain and boil the syrup with a little sugar. pour over the apples. put on the upper crust and bake. a little quince or marmalade may be used, if desired. pears may be used instead of apples, omitting the quince or marmalade. pies may be buttered when taken from oven. if a sauce is desired, beat up the yolks of two eggs, add half pint of cream, little nutmeg and sugar. put over a slow fire, stirring well until it just boils up. take off the upper crust and pour the sauce over the pie, replacing the crust. ~apple pie--southern style~--for four pies half pound butter, quarter pound of lard, half dinner teaspoon of salt, work four cups flour and the above ingredients with a fork, and then mix with ice water and mix it so it will just stick together. then ready for use. ~beaten cream pie~--line a plate with good paste, prick in several places to prevent rising out of shape. bake and spread over some jelly or jam about half an inch thick, and cover with one cup of cream beaten stiff with two rounding tablespoons of powdered sugar and flavored with one teaspoon of vanilla. ~large lemon pie~--mix three level teaspoons of corn starch smooth in a little cold water, and stir into three cups of boiling water. cook five minutes; stir in one level tablespoon of butter, the juice and grated yellow rind of two lemons, one and one-half cups of sugar, and the yolks of three eggs. cook until the egg thickens, take from the fire and cool. line a large pie plate with paste and gash it in several places to prevent rising unevenly, bake and fill with the mixture. cover with a meringue made from the white of three eggs beaten with six level tablespoons of powdered sugar. set in the oven to color. ~lemon pie~--this is an old fashion pie, because it is baked between two crusts, yet many have called it the best of all kinds. grate the yellow rind of two lemons, take off all the white skin and chop the remainder very fine, discarding all the seeds. add two cups of sugar and two beaten eggs. mix well and pour into a paste lined plate cover, and bake thirty minutes. ~nut mince pies~--one cup of walnut meats chopped fine, two cups of chopped apple, one cup of raisins, one and one-half cups of sugar mixed with one teaspoon each of cinnamon and allspice and one-half teaspoon each of cloves and salt, one-half cup of vinegar and one-half cup of water or fruit juice. mix thoroughly. this quantity makes two large pies. ~pineapple cream pie~--one-half cup butter, one cup sugar, one can shredded pineapple, one-half cup milk, two eggs. cream the butter, add gradually the sugar, then the pineapple, milk and eggs well beaten. mix well and bake in one crust like custard pie. when cool cover with a meringue or with whipped cream sweetened and flavored with vanilla. ~plain pie paste~--sift one and one-half cups of flour with a saltspoon of salt and rub in one-quarter cup of lard. moisten with very cold water until a stiff dough is formed. pat out and lay on one-quarter cup of cold butter rolled out in a sheet. fold in three layers, turn half way round, and pat out again. fold and roll twice more. this will make one large pie with two crusts. ~cherry pie~--make a good crust, lining the sides of a pie pan. place stoned cherries, well sweetened, in the pan and cover with upper crust. bake in slow oven. (a few red currants may be added to the cherries if desired.) plums or gooseberry pies may be made in the same way. ~cherry pie~--roll two large soda crackers into fine dust and stone cherries enough to measure two cups. line a pie plate with good rich paste and scatter one-half cup of sugar over. sprinkle one-half of the cracker dust, and over that one-half of the cherries. repeat the three layers, pour on one cup of cherry juice and cold water, cover with paste and bake in a moderate oven. ~fresh raspberry pie~--line a pie plate with rich paste, fill with raspberries and scatter on sugar to sweeten. cover with a crust and bake in a quick oven. when done draw from the oven, cut a gash in the top, and pour in the following mixture: the yolks of two eggs beaten light with a tablespoon of sugar and mixed with one cup of hot thin cream. set back in the oven for five minutes. ~green currant pie~--stew and mash a pint of rather green currants, sweeten abundantly, add a sprinkling of flour or a rolled cracker and bake with two crusts. dust generously with powdered sugar. ~green tomato pie~--take green tomatoes not yet turned and peel and slice wafer thin. fill a plate nearly full, add a tablespoonful vinegar and plenty of sugar, dot with bits of butter and flavor with nutmeg or lemon. bake in one or two crusts as preferred. ~lemon cream pie~--stir into one cup of boiling water one tablespoonful of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. cook until thickened and clear, then add one cup of sugar, a teaspoonful of butter, and the juice and grated rind of two lemons. add the beaten yolks of three eggs and take from the fire. have ready the bottom crust of a pie that has been baked, first pricking with a fork to prevent blisters. place the custard in the crust and bake half an hour. when done take from the oven and spread over the top a meringue made from the stiffly whipped whites of the eggs, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. shut off the oven so it will be as cool as possible giving the meringue plenty of time to rise, stiffen and color to a delicate gold. ~apple fritters~--beat the yolks of eight eggs and the white of four together. add a quart of cream. put over a fire and heat until you can bear your finger in it. add quarter of a pint of sack, three-quarters of a pint of ale and make a posset of it. when cool put in nutmeg, ginger, salt and flour. the batter should be pretty thick. add pippins, sliced or scraped and fry in deep fat. ~apple slump~--fill a deep baking dish with apples, pared, cored and sliced. scatter on a little cinnamon and cover with good paste rolled a little thicker than for pie. bake in a moderate oven until the apples are done, serve in the same dish, cutting the crust into several sections. before cutting, the crust may be lifted and the apples seasoned with butter and sugar, or the seasoning may be added after serving. a liquid or a hard sauce may be served with the slump. if the apples are a kind that do not cook easily bake half an hour, then put on the crust and set back in the oven. ~bread puffs with sauce~--when bread dough is raised light, cut off small pieces and pull out two or three inches long. fry like doughnuts in deep fat and put into a deep dish, turn over the puffs a cream sauce seasoned with salt and pepper. ~cherry dumplings~--sift two cups of pastry flour with four level teaspoons of baking powder and a saltspoon of salt. mix with three-quarters cup of milk or enough to make a soft dough. butter some cups well, put a tablespoon of dough in each, then a large tablespoon of stoned cherries and another tablespoon of dough. set in a steamer or set the cups in a pan of hot water and into the oven to cook half an hour. serve with a sweet liquid sauce. ~cottage cheese tartlets~--one cup cheese, three level tablespoons sugar, few grains salt, two teaspoons melted butter, one tablespoon lemon juice, yolks two eggs, one-fourth cup milk, whites two eggs. press the cheese through a potato ricer or sieve, then add the sugar, salt, butter, lemon juice, and the egg yolks well beaten and mixed with the milk. mix well and fold the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. line individual tins with pastry and fill three-fourths full with the mixture. bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. ~prune tarts~--wash the prunes thoroughly and soak over night or for several hours. cook in the same water. when very tender rub them through a sieve. to one cup of the pulp add one tablespoon of lemon juice, the yolks of two eggs beaten with one-half cup of thin cream and a few grains of salt. mix well and sweeten to taste, then fold in the whites of two eggs beaten very stiff. line small tins with paste, fill with the mixture and bake in a moderate oven. serve cold. ~raspberry dumplings~--wash one cup of rice and put into the double boiler. pour over it two cups of boiling water, add one-half teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar and cook thirty minutes or until soft. have some small pudding cloths about twelve inches square, wring them out of hot water and lay them over a small half pint bowl. spread the rice one-third of an inch thick over the cloth, and fill the center with fresh raspberries. draw the cloth around until the rice covers the berries and they are a good round shape. tie the ends of the cloth firmly, drop them into boiling water and cook twenty minutes. remove the cloth and serve with lemon sauce. ~tart shells~--roll out thin a nice puff paste, cut with a small biscuit cutter. with cutter take out the centers of two or three of these, lay the rings thus made on the third and bake immediately. shells may also be made by lining pattypans with the paste; if the paste is light the shells will be fine and may be used for tarts or oyster patties. filled with jelly and covered with meringue (a tablespoonful of sugar to the white of an egg), and browned in the oven. ~bavarian cream~--soak one-quarter of a box of gelatin in cold water until it is soft, then dissolve it in a cup of hot milk with one-third of a cup of sugar. flavor with vanilla and set away to cool. whip one pint of cream and when the gelatin is cold and beginning to stiffen stir in the cream lightly. form in mold. ~boiled custard~--heat two cups of milk in a double boiler and pour on to the yolks of three eggs beaten light, with three rounding tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt. return to the double boiler and cook until the spoon will coat with the custard. cool and add flavoring. ~calla lilies~--beat three eggs and a rounding cup of sugar together, add two-thirds cup of flour and one-half teaspoon of lemon flavoring. drop in teaspoonfuls on a buttered sheet, allowing plenty of room to spread in baking. bake in a moderate oven, take up with a knife, and roll at once into lily shape. bake but four or five at a time because if the cakes cool even a little they will break. fill each with a little beaten and sweetened cream. ~cocoa custard~--for three cups of milk allow four teaspoons of cocoa, three beaten eggs, three tablespoons of sugar, and three-quarters teaspoon of vanilla. heat the milk, stir in the cocoa, and cool a little before pouring over the egg and sugar. bake in custard cups set in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven. ~coffee cream~--have one and one-half cups of strong coffee hot, add one level tablespoon of gelatin soaked in one-half cup of milk for fifteen minutes. when well dissolved add two-thirds cup of sugar, a saltspoon of salt, and the yolks of three eggs beaten light, stir in the double boiler till thick, take from the fire, and add the white of three eggs beaten stiff and one-half teaspoon of vanilla. fill molds that have been dipped in cold water, set in cool place and when firm unmold and serve with powdered sugar and cream. ~coffee cup custard~--one quart milk, one-fourth cup ground coffee, four eggs, one-half cup sugar, one-fourth level teaspoon salt, one-half teaspoon vanilla. tie the coffee loosely in a piece of cheesecloth and put into double boiler with the milk. scald until a good coffee color and flavor is obtained, then remove from the fire. remove the coffee. beat the eggs and add the sugar, salt and vanilla, then pour on gradually the milk. strain into cups, place in a pan of hot water, and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the middle. less vanilla is required when combined with another flavoring. cakes, crullers and eclairs ~almond cakes~--one pound sifted flour, one-half pound butter, three-fourths pound sugar, two eggs, one-half teaspoon ground cinnamon, four ounces of almonds blanched and chopped very fine. two ounces of raisins finely chopped. mix all the dry ingredients together, then rub in the butter, add eggs and spices last of all, roll out half an inch thick, cut in fancy shapes and bake in a slow oven. ~almond cheese cakes~--blanch and pound to a fine paste one cupful almonds. as you pound them add rose water, a few drops at a time to keep them from oiling. add the paste to one cupful milk curd, together with a half cup cream, one cupful sugar, three beaten egg yolks and a scant teaspoonful of rose water. fill patty pans lined with paste and bake in hot oven ten minutes. ~aunt amy's cake~--take two eggs, one and one-half cups of sugar, one cup of sour milk, one-half cup of butter, two cups of flour and one teaspoonful of soda. spice to taste. this is a good cake and one which is also inexpensive in baking. use a moderate oven and bake in loaves rather than sheets. ~baltimore cake~--beat one cupful of butter to a cream, using a wood cake spoon. add gradually while beating constantly two cupfuls fine granulated sugar. when creamy add a cupful of milk, alternating with three and one-half cupfuls pastry flour that has been mixed and sifted with two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. add a teaspoonful of vanilla and the whites of six eggs beaten stiff and dry. bake in three buttered and floured shallow cake tins, and spread between the layers and on top the following icing: put in a saucepan three cups sugar, one cup water. heat gradually to the boiling point, and cook without stirring until the syrup will thread. pour the hot syrup gradually over the well beaten whites of three eggs and continue beating until of the right consistency for spreading. then add one cupful chopped and seeded raisins, one cup chopped pecan meats and five figs cut in strips. ~baltimore cake--~for this cake use one cupful butter, two cupfuls sugar, three and one-half cupfuls flour, one cupful sweet milk, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, the whites of six eggs and a teaspoonful of rose water. cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, beating steadily, then the milk and flavoring, next the flour sifted with the baking powder, and lastly the stiffly beaten whites folded in at the last. bake in three layer cake tins in an oven hotter than for loaf cake. while baking prepare the filling. dissolve three cupfuls sugar in one cupful boiling water, and cook until it spins a thread. pour over the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs, stirring constantly. add to this icing one cupful chopped raisins, one cupful chopped nut meats, preferably pecans or walnuts, and a half dozen figs cut in fine strips. use this for filling and also ice the top and sides with it. ~bread cake--~cream one cup of sugar and one-half cup of butter, add one-half cup of milk, two cups of flour sifted with three teaspoons of baking powder and last the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and half a teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. bake in one loaf. ~bride's cake--~one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one-half cupful of butter, one-half cupful of sweet milk, two cupfuls of flour, one-quarter cupful cornstarch, six egg whites, one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking powder, one teaspoonful vanilla. cream the sugar and butter, add milk, flour and cornstarch into which the baking powder has been thoroughly sifted, stir in the whites of eggs quickly with the flavoring. ~buttermilk cake--~cream three tablespoons of butter with one cup of sugar, add one cup of buttermilk, one well beaten egg, two cups of flour sifted with four teaspoons of baking powder and one-half cup of seeded raisins cut in pieces and rolled in flour. ~chocolate cake--~beat one cup of butter to a cream with two cups of sugar, add the yolks of five eggs, beaten until light-colored, and one cup of milk. sift three and one-half cups of flour with five level teaspoons of baking powder and add to the first mixture. stir well and fold in the beaten whites of two eggs. beat in layer cake tins and spread the following mixture between when the cakes are nearly cold. beat one and one-half cups of powdered sugar, three level tablespoons of cocoa, one teaspoon of vanilla, and the whites of three eggs together until a smooth mixture is made that will spread easily. the exact amount of sugar varies a little on account of size of eggs. ~chocolate cake~--cook one cup of sugar, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of grated chocolate and the beaten yolk of one egg together until smooth. when done add a teaspoon of vanilla and cool. beat one-half cup of butter to a cream, add one cup of sugar slowly, and beat smooth. add two beaten eggs, one-half cup of milk, two cups of flour in which two-thirds teaspoon of soda has been sifted and when well beaten add the cool chocolate mixture. bake in four layers and put together with a white boiled icing. ~chocolate cake~--cook one cup of sugar, one-half cup of milk, one cup of grated chocolate and the beaten yolk of one egg together until smooth. when done add a teaspoon of vanilla and cool. beat one-half cup of butter to a cream, add one cup of sugar slowly and beat smooth. add two beaten eggs, one-half cup of milk, two cups of flour in which two-thirds teaspoon of soda has been sifted, and when well beaten add the cool chocolate mixture. bake in four layers and put together with a white boiled icing. ~chocolate layer cake~--beat a half cupful butter to a cream, adding gradually one cupful sugar. when light beat in a little at a time, a half cupful milk and a teaspoonful vanilla. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth and sift a teaspoonful and a half with two cupfuls flour. add the sifted flour to the mixture. then fold in the whipped whites. have three buttered layer cake tins ready and put two-thirds of the mixture into two of them, into the third tin put the remainder of the batter, having first added to it two tablespoons melted chocolate. bake the cakes in a rather quick oven for twenty minutes. put a layer of the white cake on a large plate and cover with white icing, on this lay a dark layer and cover with more of the white icing. on this put the third cake and cover with the chocolate icing. put into a graniteware pan one cupful and a half cupful water and cook gently until bubbles begin to rise from bottom. do not stir or shake while cooking. take at once from the stove and pour in a thin stream over the stiffly whipped whites of two eggs. beat it until thick, flavor with vanilla, and use two-thirds of this for the white icing. into the remainder put a tablespoon and a half melted chocolate and a suspicion of cinnamon extract, and frost the top and sides of the cake. ~chocolate loaf cakes~--cream one cup of butter, add two and one-half cups of sugar and beat to a cream. beat the yolks of five eggs light, add to the butter and sugar, with one cup of milk and three cups of flour in which four level teaspoons of baking powder have been sifted, the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs and two teaspoons of vanilla flavoring and two squares of chocolate melted. bake in a moderate oven. ~cocoa cake~--cream one-half cup of butter, add one cup of sugar, and beat again. add the beaten yolks of three eggs and a teaspoon of vanilla. sift two cups of pastry flour twice with one-quarter cup of cocoa and four level teaspoons of baking powder. add to the first mixture alternately with three-quarters cup of milk, beat hard, and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. bake in a loaf and cover with white icing. ~cream cake or pie~--this recipe makes a simple layer cake to be filled in various ways. cream one-quarter cup of butter with one cup of sugar, add the beaten yolks of two eggs and one teaspoon of vanilla. now beat hard, then mix in one-half cup of milk alternately with one and one-half cups of flour sifted twice with two level teaspoons of baking powder. beat just enough to make smooth, then fold in lightly the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and pour into an oblong shallow pan that is buttered, floured and rapped to shake out all that is superfluous. bake about twenty minutes, take from pan and cool. just before serving split the cake and fill with a cooked cream filling or with sweet thick cream beaten, sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored to the taste. ~cream layer cake~--cream one-quarter cup of butter well with one cup of sugar, add the yolks of three eggs beaten light, one-half cup of milk, then one and one-half cups of flour sifted twice with three level teaspoons of baking powder. stir in lightly last of all the whites of three eggs beaten stiff. bake in a pan large enough to make one thin cake and bake. cool and split, then spread on one-half pint of cream beaten light, sweetened, and flavored with a few drops of vanilla. put on the top cake and dust with powdered sugar. ~date cake~--sift two cups of flour with four level teaspoons of baking powder, one-half level teaspoon of salt and one-quarter cup of butter. beat one egg, add three-quarters cup of milk and mix into the ingredients. add last one and one-half cups of dates stoned and cut into small pieces and rolled in flour. bake in a sheet in a moderate oven and serve warm or with a liquid sauce as a pudding. ~eggless cake~--one and one-half cups sugar, one cup sour milk, three cups sifted flour, one-half cup shortening, one teaspoon soda, one-half teaspoon cinnamon, one-half teaspoon nutmeg, one cup chopped raisins, salt. ~feather cake~--sift one cup of sugar, two cups of sifted flour, three level teaspoons of baking powder and a few grains of salt. add one cup of milk, one well beaten egg, three tablespoons of melted butter and a teaspoon of vanilla or lemon flavoring or a level teaspoon of mixed spices. beat hard and bake in a loaf in a moderate oven about half an hour. ~fig cake~--two cupfuls of sugar, two-thirds of a cup of butter, one cupful of milk, four even cupfuls of flour, five eggs, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of soda, sifted with the flour, mix the butter and sugar until creamed, add the unbeaten yolks of the eggs, add the milk and the flour slowly, beating all the time, lastly the whites of the eggs. flavor two cupfuls of chopped figs and mix in. bake quickly. ~fig layer cake~--cream one-quarter cup of butter with one cup of sugar, add one beaten egg, one cup of milk, two cups of flour sifted twice with four teaspoons of baking powder. bake in layer tins. for the filling-chop one-half pound of figs fine, add one-half cup of sugar and one-quarter cup of cold water. cook in a double boiler until soft, let cool, and spread between the cakes. ~fruit cake~--one cup dark sugar, one-half cup butter, one cup molasses, one cup coffee (cold liquid), three eggs, three tablespoons mixed spices, one pound currants, two pounds raisins, three cups flour, three teaspoons baking powder, one-fourth pound citron. ~gold cake~--mix the yolks of four eggs, one cup of sugar, one-half cup of sweet milk, one-half cup of butter, three cups of flour sifted three times, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and one-half teaspoon of soda. beat very thoroughly. use a moderate cake oven. ~hickory nut cake~--cream one cup of butter with two cups of sugar, add the well beaten yolks of four eggs, and one-half cup of milk. sift three level teaspoons of baking powder twice with two and one-half cups of pastry flour. reserve one-half cup of the flour and add the remainder to the first mixture. now fold in the whites of four eggs beaten stiff, one teaspoon of lemon juice, half a dozen gratings of the yellow rind of lemon and one cup each of seeded and chopped raisins and of chopped hickory nuts mixed with the reserved half cup of flour. bake in a moderate oven, cover with a white icing and garnish without meats. ~huckleberry cakes~--mix together one quart of flour, one teaspoon salt, four teaspoons baking powder and one-half cup of sugar. mix one-third cup butter, melted with one cup of milk. add it to the flour and then add enough more milk to make a dough stiff enough to keep in shape when dropped from a spoon. flour one pint of berries, stir in quickly, and drop by the large spoonful on a buttered pan or in muffin rings. bake twenty minutes. ~ice cream cake~--cream three-quarters cup of butter with two cups of fine granulated sugar. add one cup of milk with two cups of flour and three-quarters cup of cornstarch sifted twice with five level teaspoons of baking powder. fold in slowly the whites of seven eggs and bake in layers. ~layer cake~--one and one-half cups of sugar, two-thirds of a cup of butter, the whites of six eggs, one cup of sweet milk, two and one-half cups of pastry flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, flavor with lemon, put two-thirds of the mixture into jelly tins. to the rest add two tablespoonfuls of molasses, one-half cup of raisins (seeded), three figs (chopped), one teaspoonful cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful allspice, two tablespoonfuls of flour. bake, when cool, together with jelly, having the dark layer in the center. ~margarettes~--one-half pound of peanuts, one pound of dates chopped fine. one cup of milk in the dates, and boil, add peanuts. make a boiled icing. take the long branch crackers, spread the filling between the crackers, put on the icing, and put in the oven to brown. ~plain cake~--beat together one-half cup of butter and two cups of sugar until light and creamy, add the well beaten yolks of three eggs, one-half cup of milk, three cups of flour in which three teaspoons of baking powder have been sifted, and last the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. add any flavoring preferred and bake in a moderate oven. ~plain tea cake~--cream two level tablespoons of butter and one cup of sugar together, add one beaten egg, one cup of milk and two cups of flour in which three level teaspoons of baking powder have been sifted. bake in a sheet, and serve while fresh. ~raisin cake~--one cup butter, three eggs, one and one-half cups sugar, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda, one cup raisins, little nutmeg, three cups flour. one can use two eggs and one-half cup butter; then bake as usual. ~rockland cake~--two cups sugar, one cup butter beaten to a cream, five eggs, one cup milk, four cups flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one teaspoonful essence of lemon. ~snippodoodles~--one cup of sugar, one tablespoon of butter, one-half cup of milk, one egg, one cup of flour, one teaspoon of cinnamon. cream the butter, add the sugar, then the eggs well beaten, then the flour, baking powder and cinnamon, sifted together, and the milk. spread very thin on the tin sheet and bake. when nearly done sprinkle with sugar; when brown remove from the oven, cut into squares and remove quickly with a knife. they should be thin and crispy. ~snow cake~--beat the white of four eggs stiff. cream one-half cup of milk and one cup of butter and one cup of sugar, add one-half cup of milk and two cups of flour sifted twice with three level teaspoons of baking-powder. fold in the whites of the eggs last and half a teaspoon or more of lemon or vanilla flavoring. ~spice cakes~--for little spice cakes cream one-half cup of butter with one cup of sugar, add one beaten egg, one-half cup of sour milk, and one-half level teaspoon each of soda, baking powder, and cinnamon, and a few gratings of nutmeg sifted with two and one-half cups of pastry flour. stir in one-half cup each of chopped walnut meats and seeded and chopped raisins. roll out thin and cut in shape or put small spoonfuls some distance apart on a buttered pan and press out with the end of a baking powder can until as thin as needed; do not add more flour. bake slowly. ~sponge cake~--whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, beat the yolks thoroughly, then beat both together, then add one scant cup of granulated sugar (beating again), one scant cup of flour (beat again), and one teaspoon of baking powder. sift the flour three or four times, stir the baking powder in the flour, and lastly add five tablespoons of hot water. ~sultana tea cakes~--into three-quarters of a pound of flour stir a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of baking powder, three ounces of butter and lard mixed in equal portions, three ounces of sifted sugar and two ounces of sultanas. chop one and half ounces of candied lemon peel, add that and moisten all with two well beaten eggs and a little milk if necessary. work these ingredients together, with a wooden spoon turn on to a board and form into round cakes. place them on a floured baking sheet and cook in a quick oven. five minutes before the cakes are done brush them over with milk to form a glaze, and when ready to serve cut each through with a knife and spread liberally with butter. ~sunshine cake~--cream one cup of butter, add two cups of sugar and beat, add one cup of milk, the yolks of eleven eggs beaten until very light and smooth, and three cups of flour sifted with four teaspoons of baking powder three times to make it very light. turn into a tube baking pan and bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. ~tea cake~--this cake is to be eaten warm with butter. rub a rounding tablespoon of butter into three cups of flour sifted with a saltspoon of salt, six level teaspoons of baking powder and one-quarter cup of sugar. beat one egg light, add one and one-half cups of milk and the dry ingredients and beat well. pour into a long buttered pan and bake about twenty minutes. do not slice this cake, but cut through the crust with a sharp knife and break apart. this mixture can be baked in muffin tins, but it saves time to bake it in a loaf. ~velvet cake~--one-half cup butter, one and one-half cups sugar, yolks four eggs, one-half cup milk, one and one-half cups flour, one-half cup cornstarch, four level teaspoons baking powder, whites four eggs, one-third cup almonds blanched shredded. cream the butter, add gradually the sugar, then the egg-yolks well beaten. beat well and add the milk, the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder sifted together, and egg whites beaten stiff. beat well and turn into buttered shallow pan. sprinkle with the almonds, then with powdered sugar and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. ~white patty cakes~--cream one-third cup of butter with one cup of sugar, add one-half cup of milk, one and three-quarter cups of flour sifted twice with two and one-half level teaspoons of baking powder, and flavor with a mixture of one-third teaspoon of lemon flavoring and two-thirds teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. bake in little plain patty pans and cover the top of each with white icing. garnish with two little leaves cut from angelica and a bit of red candied cherry. ~coffee cream cakes and filling~--roll good plain paste three-eighths of an inch thick and cut in rounds and through a pastry tube force a cream cake mixture to make a border come out even with the edge of the round, and bake in a hot oven. fill and frost. for the cream cake mixture put one cup of boiling water, one-half cup of butter and one level tablespoon of sugar together in a saucepan and boil one minute, then add one and three-quarters cups of flour all at once. stir rapidly and when the cooked mixture cleaves from the pan add five eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. do not beat the eggs before adding. ~coffee eclairs~--put one cup of hot water, one-half cup of butter and one-half teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan over the fire. the instant it boils add quickly one and one-half cups of sifted pastry flour. stir thoroughly for five minutes, or till it all clears from the pan in a lump. let it cool slightly and then add five eggs whole, one at a time. mix very thoroughly, then drop the dough with a spoon on to a buttered baking pan in pieces about four inches long and one and one-half inches wide and some distance apart. bake in a quick oven until well puffed up and done through; they will settle as soon as removed if not baked sufficiently. when cool, cut along one edge and fill with the prepared cream and frost with coffee icing. ~crumpets~--scald two cups of milk, add four tablespoons of melted butter and when lukewarm one level teaspoon of salt and three and one-half cups of flour. beat hard, add one-half yeast cake, dissolved in one-half cup of lukewarm water and beat again. let rise until light, then grease large muffin rings and set them on a hot griddle. fill each ring not over half full and bake slowly until a light brown, turn rings and contents over, bake a little longer, then slip rings off. serve hot. if any are left over, split, toast and butter them. ~crullers~--scald one cup of milk, and when lukewarm add one yeast cake dissolved in one-quarter cup of lukewarm water, and add one and one-half cups of flour and a level teaspoon of salt. cover and let rise until very light; add one cup of sugar, one-quarter cup of melted butter, three well beaten eggs, one-half of a small nutmeg grated and enough more flour to make a stiff dough. cover and let rise light, turn on to a floured board and roll out lightly. cut into long narrow strips and let rise on the board. now twist the strips and fry until a light brown color, and dust over with powdered sugar. ~dutch crullers~--cream one cup of sugar and one-half cup of butter, add one egg and beat, then one cup of sour milk. sift one level teaspoon of flour and add to the mixture, now beat in enough sifted pastry flour to make a dough that can be rolled out. cut in rings and taking hold of each side of a ring twist it inside out. fry in deep hot fat. ~individual shortcakes~--sift two cups of flour, three teaspoons of baking powder, and one-half level teaspoon of salt together. add two well beaten eggs and one-half cup of melted butter. beat and pour into greased muffin pans until they are two-thirds full. bake in a hot oven, then split and butter. crush a quart box of any kind of berries, sprinkle with one-half of cup of sugar and use as a filling for the little shortcakes. ~raised doughnuts~--scald one cup of milk. when lukewarm add one-quarter of a yeast cake dissolved in one-quarter of a cup of lukewarm water, one teaspoon salt and flour enough to make a stiff batter. let it rise over night. in the morning add one-third of a cup of shortening (butter and lard mixed), one cup light brown sugar, two eggs well beaten, one-half nutmeg grated and enough flour to make a stiff dough. let it rise again, toss on floured board, pat and roll out. shape with the biscuit cutter and work between the hands until round. place on the floured board, let rise one hour, turn and let rise again. fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. cool and roll in powdered sugar. ~sour milk doughnuts~--beat two eggs light, add one cup of sugar and beat, one-half cup of butter and lard mixed, and beat again. stir one level teaspoon of soda into one pint of sour milk, add to the other ingredients and mix with enough sifted pastry flour to make a dough as soft as can be rolled. take a part at a time, roll half an inch thick, cut in rings and fry. use nutmeg, cinnamon, or any flavoring liked. these doughnuts are good for the picnic basket or to carry out to the boys at their camp. ~sugar cookies~--beat to a cream one cupful of shortening, half lard and half butter, one cupful granulated sugar. add one cup rich sour cream and two eggs unbeaten, four cupfuls flour sifted with one teaspoonful soda and a half teaspoonful baking powder. stir just enough to make a stiff dough, toss on to the lightly floured molding board and knead another cupful of flour into it. this mixing gives the cookies a fine grain. flavor with a little nutmeg, roll out, cut into cookies, and bake. ~soft ginger cookies~--put a level teaspoon of soda in a measuring cup, add three tablespoons of boiling water, one-quarter cup of melted butter or lard, a saltspoon of salt, a level teaspoon of ginger, and enough sifted pastry flour to make a dough as soft as can be handled. shape small bits of dough, lay in the greased baking pan and press out half an inch thick; bake carefully. candies ~candied violets~--gather the required quantity of perfect sweet violets, white or blue. if possible, pick in the early morning while the dew is still on them. spread on an inverted sieve and stand in the air until dried, but not crisp. make a sirup, using a half pound of pure granulated sugar and a half pint of water. cook without stirring until it spins a thread. take each violet by the stem, dip into the hot sirup and return to the sieve, which should be slightly oiled. leave for several hours. if the flowers then look preserved and clear they will not require a second dipping, but if they appear dry as if some portions of the petals were not properly saturated, dip again. now have ready a half cupful of melted fondant. add a drop or two of violet extract and a few drops of water to reduce the fondant to a thin, grayish, paste-like consistency. dip the flowers in this one at a time, dust with powdered crystallized sugar, and lay on oiled paper to harden. rose leaves may he candied in the same way, substituting essence of rose for the violet and a drop or two of cochineal to make the required color. a candy dipper or fine wire can be used for dipping the rose petals. ~creamed walnuts~--cook two cups of sugar and one-half cup of water together until the sirup threads. add a teaspoon of vanilla, take from the range and beat until thick and creamy. make small balls of the candy and press half a walnut meat into each side. drop on to a plate of granulated sugar. ~crystallized cowslips~--these make a prized english confection, much used for ornamenting fancy desserts. the flowers are gathered when in full bloom, washed gently and placed on a screen to dry. when this is accomplished the stems are cut to within two inches of the head and the flowers are then laid heads down on the tray of the crystallizing tin, pushing the stalks through so the flowers shall be upright. when full put the tray in the deep tin and fill with the same crystallizing sirup, pouring around the sides and not over the flowers. when dry, arrange in baskets or use in decorating. ~fruit paste~--take equal weights of nut meats, figs, dates and prepared seedless raisins. wipe the figs and remove the stems, remove the scales and stones from the dates. mix well and chop fine or run it all through a meat chopper. mold it on a board in confectioners' sugar until you have a smooth, firm paste. roll out thin and cut into inch squares or small rounds. roll the edge in sugar, then pack them away in layers with paper between the layers. ~glace figs~--make a sirup by boiling together two cups of sugar and one and a half cups of water. wash and add as many figs as can be covered by the sirup. cook until they are tender and yellow, then remove from the fire and let them stand in the sirup over night. in the morning cook for thirty minutes, and again let them stand over night. then cook until the stems are transparent. when cold drain and lay them on a buttered cake rack or wire broiler and let them remain until very dry. ~pineapple marshmallows~--this is a good confection for thanksgiving. soak four ounces gum arabic in one cupful pineapple juice until dissolved. put into a granite saucepan with a half pound of powdered sugar, and set in a larger pan of hot water over the fire. stir until the mixture is white and thickened. test by dropping a little in cold water. if it "balls," take from the fire and whip in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs. flavor with a teaspoonful vanilla or orange juice, then turn into a square pan that has been dusted with cornstarch. the mixture should be about an inch in thickness. stand in a cold place for twelve hours, then cut into inch squares and roll in a mixture of cornstarch and powdered sugar. ~raisin fudge~--put into a saucepan one heaped tablespoon butter, melt and add one-half cup milk, two cups sugar, one-fourth cup molasses and two squares chocolate grated. boil until it is waxy when dropped into cold water. remove from fire, beat until creamy, then add one-half cup each of chopped raisins and pecans. pour into a buttered tin, and when cool mark into squares. ~simple way of sugaring flowers~--a simple way of sugaring flowers where they are to be used at once consists in making the customary sirup and cooking to the crack degree. rub the inside of cups with salad oil, put into each cup four tablespoonfuls of the flowers and sugar, let stand until cold, turn out, and serve piled one on top of the other. ice cream and sherbets ~baltimore ice cream~--two quarts of strawberries, two cups of granulated sugar, half cup powdered sugar, one pint cream, about two spoonfuls vanilla, half cup chopped nuts, heat the berries and sugar together, when cool mix other ingredients and freeze. ~black currant ice cream~--stew one cupful black currants five minutes, then press through a fine sieve. add a cupful rich sirup and a cupful thick cream, beat well, then freeze. when stiff pack in an ornamental mold, close over and pack in ice and salt. when ready to serve turn out on a low glass dish, garnish with crystallized cherries and leaves of angelica. ~frozen ice~--cook one cup of rice in boiling salted water twelve minutes. drain and put it in the double boiler, one quart milk, one cup sugar and one saltspoon salt. cook till soft, then rub through a sieve. scald one pint of cream and mix with it the beaten yolks of four eggs. cook about two minutes, or until the eggs are scalding hot, then stir this into the rice. add more sugar, if needed, and one tablespoonful vanilla. chill and pack firmly in the freezer or round the mold. turn out and ornament the top with fresh pineapple cut in crescent pieces or with quartered peaches and serve a fresh fruit sirup sauce with the cream. ~fruit ice~--three lemons, three oranges, three bananas, three cups sugar, three pints cold water, by pressing juice from orange and lemons, strain well, peel banana, rub through strainer into the fruit juice, add the sugar, then the water, stir until the sugar is dissolved, pour into freezer. the ice that is used should be pounded until fine, and the right kind of salt should be used. ~ice cream with maple sauce~--scald one quart of cream, add one-half cup of sugar, a bit of salt, and when cold freeze as usual, first flavoring with vanilla or extract of ginger. reduce some pure maple sirup by boiling until quite thick, stir into it some sliced pecans or walnuts and serve hot with each portion of the cream. ~pineapple cream~--two cups of water, one cup of sugar, boil fifteen minutes, let cool, add one can grated pineapple. freeze to mush, fold in one-half pint of whipped cream, let stand an hour, but longer time is better. ~vanilla ice cream~--put two cups of milk in a double boiler, add a pinch of soda and scald, beat four eggs light with two cups of sugar, pour the hot milk on slowly, stirring all the time; turn back into double boiler and cook until a smooth custard is formed. cool and flavor strongly with vanilla because freezing destroys some of the strength of flavoring. stir in a pint of sweet cream and freeze. ~cranberry sherbet~--this is often used at a thanksgiving course dinner to serve after the roast. to make it boil a quart of cranberries with two cupfuls of water until soft, add two cupfuls sugar, stir until dissolved, let cool, add the juice of one or two lemons and freeze. this may be sweeter if desired. serve in sherbet glasses. ~currant sherbet~--mash ripe red currants well and strain the juice. to two cups of the juice add two cups of sugar, two cups of water, and bring to boiling point. cook a few minutes and skim well, then pour while hot slowly on to the whites of two eggs beaten stiff. beat a few minutes, cool, and freeze. ~lemon ginger sherbet~--this is made the same as the lemon with the addition of four ounces of candied ginger cut in fine bits and added to the sirup with the grated yellow rind of a lemon. boil until clear, add lemon juice and a little more of the rind and proceed as with the ice. ~lemon sherbet~--put two cups of sugar into four cups of water and cook five minutes after it begins to boil. add one-half level tablespoon of gelatin soaked in a tablespoon of cold water for fifteen minutes. stir one cup of lemon juice and freeze. ~pineapple sorbet~--peel and cut up a small sugar loaf pineapple and let it stand in a cool place over night with a pint of sugar added to it. an earthen jar is best for holding the pineapple, whose acid properties forbid its standing in tin. in the morning strain, pressing out as much of the juice as possible. add to this a pint of water and the grated rind of an orange. boil ten minutes, add the juice of one lemon and two oranges, freeze about fifteen minutes until of a smooth, even, cream-like texture, and serve after the meat course at dinner. if you desire a granite which is frozen as hard as ice cream, but should be of a rough-grained consistency, set the mixture away packed in ice and let it remain there for two or three hours. scrape the frozen part occasionally from the sides of the can and stir long enough to mix the ice with the mass, but not long enough to make it creamy. serve in a cup made of the half skin of an orange with the pulp scraped out. ~tea sherbet~--make a quart of fine flavored tea in the usual way, pour off, sweeten to taste, add the juice of half a lemon and the fine shredded peel, and freeze. ~glace des gourmets~--make a custard of one pint milk, six egg yolks, one cup sugar and a few grains of salt. strain and add one pint cream, one cup almonds (blanched, cooked in caramel, cooled, and pounded), and one tablespoon vanilla. whip one pint heavy cream and add one-half pound powdered sugar, one tablespoon of rum, one teaspoon of vanilla and one-fourth pound of macaroons broken in small pieces. freeze the first mixture and put in a brick mold, cover with second mixture, then repeat. pack in salt and ice, using two parts crushed ice to one part rock salt and let stand two hours. remove from mold and garnish with macaroons in brandy. ~maple parfait~--beat four eggs slightly in a double boiler, pour in one cup of hot maple sirup, stirring all the time. cook until thick, cool, and add one pint of thick cream beaten stiff. pour into a mold and pack in equal parts of ice and salt. let stand three hours. ~pineapple parfait~--cook for five minutes over the fire one cup granulated sugar and a quarter cup of water. beat the yolks of six eggs until lemon colored and thick, then add the sirup little by little, constantly beating. cook in a double boiler until the custard coats the spoon, then strain and beat until cold. add two cupfuls pineapple pulp pressed through a sieve and fold in a pint of cream whipped stiff. pack and bury in the ice and salt mixture. ~strawberry parfait~--hull, wash and drain some sweet strawberries. press through a strainer enough to give about two-thirds of a cup of pulp. cook together in a graniteware saucepan one cupful granulated sugar and half a cup of water until it spins a thread. do not stir while cooking. whip two whites of eggs stiff and then pour the hot sirup over them and continue beating them until the mixture is cold. as it thickens add the crushed berries, a spoonful at a time. have ready a pint of cream whipped to a solid froth, stir lightly into the egg and berry mixture, then pack into a covered mold and bury in ice and salt, equal proportions, leaving it for several hours. ~violet parfait~--this is made the same as white parfait, using one-third cup of grape juice instead of the boiling water, and adding half a cup of grape juice and the juice of half a lemon to the cream before beating. ~vanilla parfait~--cook a half cup each sugar and water over the fire until it threads. do not stir after the sugar has dissolved. beat the whites of three eggs until very stiff, pour the sirup slowly over it, beating constantly. flavor with vanilla, and when cold fold in a pint of cream whipped stiff. pour into a mold and pack. preserves, pickles and relish ~cherry pickles~--stem, but do not pit, large ripe cherries. put into a jar and cover with a sirup made from two cups of sugar, two cups of vinegar and a rounding teaspoon each of ground cloves and cinnamon cooked together five minutes. let stand two days, pour off the vinegar, reheat and pour over the cherries, then seal. ~chili sauce~--peel and slice six large ripe tomatoes, add four onions chopped fine, three-quarters of a cup of brown sugar, one-quarter cup of salt, four cups of vinegar and two teaspoons each of ginger and cloves and one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper. cook together one hour and seal in small glass jars. ~cold catsup~--cut four quarts of tomatoes fine, add one cup of chopped onion, one cup of nasturtium seeds that have been cut fine, one cup of freshly grated horseradish, three large stalks of celery chopped, one cup of whole mustard seeds, one-half cup of salt, one tablespoonful each of black pepper, cloves and cinnamon, a tablespoon of mace, one-half cup of sugar and four quarts of vinegar. mix all well together and put in jars or bottles. it needs no cooking, but must stand several weeks to ripen. ~creole sauce~--scald and peel twenty-four tomatoes. remove the seeds from green peppers and cut the pulp and four onions fine. shred one ounce dried ginger, mix and add four tablespoons each of sugar and salt, three cups of vinegar and one-half pound seedless raisins. boil slowly three hours, then put away in wide-mouthed bottles. ~gingered green tomatoes~--to one peck small green tomatoes allow eight onions. slice all together and sprinkle with one cupful of salt. let them stand twenty-four hours, then drain and cover with fresh water. make a strong ginger tea, allowing one quart of boiling water to a pound of bruised ginger root. let it simmer gently for twenty minutes until the strength of the ginger is extracted. scald the chopped tomatoes in this. drain. mix together one ounce ground ginger, two tablespoonfuls black pepper, two teaspoonfuls ground cloves, a quarter pound white mustard seed, one-half cupful ground mustard, one ounce allspice, three ounces celery seed and three pounds brown sugar. now put the sliced onions and tomatoes in a kettle with sugar and spices in alternate layers, and pour over them enough white wine vinegar to cover well. cook the pickle until tender, then pack in jars and seal. ~green tomato mince~--to two quarts chopped apples, greenings are best, allow two quarts chopped green tomatoes, one pound each seeded raisins and cleaned currants, one-half nutmeg, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful ground cloves, six cups granulated sugar and a cupful and a half of cider vinegar. boil slowly three or four hours and can. ~picalilli~--allow to one gallon sliced green tomatoes one pint grated horseradish, eleven ounces brown sugar, two tablespoons each of fine salt and ground mustard. put the tomatoes in a large stone crock, sprinkle the salt over them and let stand over night with a slight press on top. in the morning add to the tomatoes and let stand several weeks until it has formed its own vinegar. always keep the pickle under the liquor and have it in a cool place. ~pepper relish~--chop fine a small head of white cabbage, six large green peppers, and a nice bunch of celery. put in a large bowl and sprinkle with a half cup of salt, mix well, cover and let stand over night. next morning drain and mix in two tablespoons of mustard seed, and pack in a stone jar. put in a porcelain kettle three pints of vinegar, two tablespoons sugar, one tablespoon each of whole cloves, allspice and whole pepper, a clove of garlic and one onion minced. simmer gently twenty minutes, strain and pour boiling hot over the vegetables. when cold cover and keep in a cool place. ~tomato catsup~--this catsup has a good relish on account of the onion in it. wash ripe tomatoes, cut them in slices and cook slowly for one hour. press through a sieve to take out the seeds and skin. to one quart of this pulp and juice add one tablespoon of cinnamon, one of black pepper and one of mustard, one teaspoon of cayenne, one-half cup of salt and two onions chopped fine. simmer two and one-half hours, then add two cups of vinegar, cook an hour longer. put in bottles and seal. ~tomato chutney~--cut up and peel twelve large tomatoes and to them add six onions chopped fine, one cup of vinegar, one cup of sugar, a handful of finely chopped raisins, salt to taste, a half teaspoonful of cayenne and a half teaspoonful of white pepper. boil one and one-half hours and bottle or put in stone jars. ~vegetable relish~--use two quarts each of cooked and finely chopped beets and cabbage, add four cups sugar, two tablespoons salt, one tablespoon black pepper, a half tablespoon cayenne, a cup of grated horseradish and enough cold vinegar to cover. bottle in glass jars and keep in a cool place. ~apple and grape jelly~--pull the grapes off the stems of six large bunches, put them in a preserving kettle, just cover with water. pare and slice six large fall pippin apples. put them with the grapes. when boiled soft strain through a flannel bag. to a pint of juice allow three quarters of a pound of sugar. boil the juice fifteen minutes, skim and add the sugar, which has been heated. boil ten or fifteen minutes. this will fill three jelly glasses. ~black currant jelly~--this is one of the best old-fashioned remedies for sore throats, while a teaspoonful of it dissolved into a tumbler of cold water affords a refreshing fever drink or family beverage on a hot day. stem large ripe black currants and after washing put into the preserving kettle, allowing a cupful of water to each quart of fruit. this is necessary because the black currant is drier than the red or white. mash with a wooden spoon or pestle, then cover and cook until the currants have reached the boiling point and are soft. turn into a jelly bag and drain without squeezing. to each pint of the juice allow a half pound loaf sugar. stir until well mixed, then cook just ten minutes from the time it commences to boil. overcooking makes it tough and stringy. pour in sterilized glasses and when cold cover with paraffin. ~canned pineapple~--pare the pineapple and carefully remove the eyes with a sharp-pointed silver knife. chop or grate or shred it with a fork, rejecting the core. weigh, and to every pound of fruit allow a half pound of sugar, put all together in the preserving kettle, bring quickly to boiling, skim, and remove at once. put into jars and fill to overflowing with sirup, and seal. ~cherry preserves~--select large red cherries, stem and stone them, and save the juice. weigh the fruit and an equal amount of sugar. sprinkle the sugar over the cherries and let stand six hours, then put into a preserving kettle, add the juice, and heat slowly. simmer until the cherries are clear, and skim carefully several times. seal in jars and keep in a cool, dark place. ~cranberry conserve~--to three and a half pounds cranberries add three pounds sugar, one pound seeded raisins and four oranges, cut in small pieces after peeling. cook gently about twenty minutes, take from the fire, add one pound walnut meats, and cool. ~cherry jelly~--the juice of cherries does not make a firm jelly without the addition of gelatin. this means that it will not keep, but must be eaten soon after making. but if a soft jelly will satisfy it can be made, and kept like other jellies, without gelatin. to make this jelly crush ripe cherries and cook until soft, with just enough water to keep from burning. strain and measure, to each cup of juice allow a cup of sugar. simmer the juice ten minutes, heat the sugar and drop into the boiling juice. in a few minutes a soft jelly will form. ~cranberry mold~--this is an extremely pretty way of serving cranberries in individual molds. wash a quart of cranberries and put in a porcelain or granite saucepan. sprinkle over the top of the berries two cupfuls of sugar and on top of the sugar pour one cupful cold water. set over the fire and cook slowly. when the berries break into a boil, cover just a few moments, not long, or the skins will burst, then uncover and cook until tender. do not strain, but pour at once into small china molds. this gives a dark rich looking mold that is not too acid and preserves the individuality of the fruit. if you wish to use some of the cranberries in lieu of maraschino cherries, take up some of the most perfect berries before they have cooked too tender, using a darning needle or clean hat pin to impale them. spread on an oiled plate and set in warming oven or a sunny window until candied. ~currant and raspberry jelly~--some of the finest jellies and jams are made from raspberries combined with currants. for jelly use two-thirds of currant juice to one-third raspberry juice and finish in the usual way. ~fig preserves~--take the figs when nearly ripe and cut across the top in the form of a cross. cover with strong salted water and let stand three days, changing the water every day. at the end of this time cover with fresh water, adding a few grape or fig leaves to color, and cook until quite green. then put again in cold water, changing twice daily, and leave three days longer. add a pound granulated sugar to each pound figs, cook a few moments, take from the fire and set aside for two days. add more sugar to make sweet, with sliced and boiled lemon or ginger root to flavor, and cook until tender and thick. ~green grape marmalade~--if, as often happens, there are many unripened grapes still on the vines and frost threatens, gather them all and try this green grape marmalade. take one gallon stemmed green grapes, wash, drain and put on to cook in a porcelain kettle with one pint of water. cook until soft, rub through a sieve, measure and add an equal amount of sugar to the pulp. boil hard twenty-five minutes, watching closely that it does not burn, then pour into jars or glasses. when cold cover with melted paraffin, the same as for jelly. ~green tomatoes canned for pies~--to fifteen pounds round green tomatoes sliced thin allow nine pounds granulated sugar and a quarter pound ginger, washed, scraped and cut very thin, and four lemons scrubbed and sliced thin, removing all seeds. put this mixture over the fire with a pint of water and cook about half an hour, taking care the contents of the kettle do not scorch. turn into sterilised glass jars and seal air tight. a tablespoonful of cinnamon and a half tablespoonful each of cloves and allspice may be added to the sauce while cooking if desired. ~pear and blueberry preserves~--pick over and wash two quarts of blueberries, add water to nearly cover and stew them half hour. mash them well, when all are broken turn into a bowl covered with cheese cloth. drain well and when cool squeeze out all the juice. put the blueberry juice on to boil, add one pint of sugar to each pint of juice and remove all scum. allow one quart of sliced pears to one pint of juice. use hard pears not suitable for canning. cook them in the syrup, turning over often and when soft and transparent skim them out into the jars. boil down the syrup and strain over the fruit. fill to overflowing and seal. ~preserved currants~--weigh seven pounds of currants before picking over, then stem them and throw out all that are not perfect. put seven pounds of sugar with three pints of currant juice and boil three minutes, add the currants, one pound of seeded raisins, and cook all twenty minutes. seal in small jars. ~preserved strawberries~--the following method for preserving strawberries is highly recommended. weigh the berries and allow an equal amount of sugar. as two cups weigh a pound, the sugar can be measured. put the sugar into the preserving kettle with enough cold water to moisten it, but not enough to make it a liquid. set the kettle on the back of the range, and when the sugar has entirely dissolved lay in the fruit and heat. as soon as it boils skim and cook five minutes. do not stir or mash the berries. now spread them around on deep platters or enameled pans and cover with panes of window glass. set in the sun, and the syrup will gradually thicken. turn into small jars and seal. ~rhubarb jam~--add to each pound of rhubarb cut without peeling, a pound of sugar and one lemon. pare the yellow peel from the lemon, taking care to get none of the bitter white pith. slice the pulp of the lemon in an earthen bowl, discarding the seeds. put the rhubarb into the bowl with the sugar and lemon, cover and stand away in a cool place over night. in the morning turn into the preserving kettle, simmer gently three-quarters of an hour or until thick, take from the fire, cool a little and pour into jars. ~spiced crabapples~--wash the crabapples, cut out the blossoms end with a silver knife. to four pounds of fruit take two pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one heaping teaspoon each of broken cinnamon, cassia buds and allspice, add one scant tablespoon whole cloves. tie the spices in a thin bag and boil with the vinegar and sugar five minutes. skim them, add the apples and simmer slowly until tender; which will take about ten or fifteen minutes. skim out the apples, putting them in a large bowl or jar. boil the sugar five minutes longer and pour over the fruit. next day drain off the syrup, heat to the boiling point and pour again over the apples. do this for the next two days, then bottle and seal while hot. ~spiced crabapple jelly~--with crabapples still on hand a nice spiced jelly can be made to serve with meats. cook the apples without peeling until tender. strain through a jelly bag, add vinegar to taste with cloves and cinnamon. cook twenty minutes, add an equal quantity of sugar that has been heated in the oven. boil five minutes, skim and turn in glasses. ~spiced ripe tomato~--peel ripe tomatoes and weigh. for each seven pounds allow two cups of vinegar, seven cups of sugar, one ounce of whole allspice, the same of stick cinnamon and one-half ounce of whole cloves. cook the tomatoes half an hour or until soft, cutting to pieces while cooking. add the vinegar, sugar and spices tied in a muslin bag. cook until thick like marmalade. serve with cold meats. ~tomato figs~--scald eight pounds of yellow tomatoes and remove the skins. pack them in layers with an equal weight of sugar. after twenty-four hours drain off the juice and simmer five minutes, add the tomatoes and boil until clear. remove the fruit with a skimmer and harden in the sun while you boil down the syrup until thick; pack jars two-thirds full of the tomatoes, pour the syrup over and seal. add the juice of four lemons, two ounces of green ginger root tied up in a bag and the parboiled yellow rind of the lemons to the juice when boiling down. ~wild grape butter~--if the wild frost grapes are used, take them after the frost has ripened them. stem and mash, then mix with an equal quantity of stewed and mashed apple. rub the mixture through a sieve, add half as much sugar as there is pulp and cook until thick, being careful that it does not burn. it is a good idea to set preserves and fruit butters in the oven with the door ajar to finish cooking as there is then much less danger of burning or spattering. ~yellow tomato preserves~--allow a pound sugar to each pound tomatoes and half cup of water to each pound fruit. cover the tomatoes with boiling water, then skim. make a syrup with the sugar, and when boiling skim and add the tomatoes. have ready a sliced lemon that has been cooked in boiling water and a little sliced ginger. add to the tomatoes. cook until the tomatoes are clear, remove, pack in jars, cook the syrup until thick, pour over and seal. ~mince meat~--one peck sour apples, three pounds boiled beef, two pounds suet, one quart canned cherries, one quart grape juice, one pint cider, one pint apple butter, one glass orange marmalade, half pound candied orange peel, half pound citron, two pounds currants, two pounds raisins, two tablespoonfuls salt. put all together and boil up well. this may be canned for future use. souffles ~asparagus souffle~--only very tender asparagus should be used. cut it fine and boil tender in salted water. add the well beaten yolks of four eggs, one tablespoonful of soft butter, a saltspoon of salt and a little pepper. then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and bake in a steady oven. canned asparagus can be substituted for fresh. ~cabbage souffle~--chop a solid white head of cabbage and cook in salted water until tender. drain and place in a buttered dish in layers with a sprinkling of grated cheese between. mix two tablespoonfuls each of flour and butter, add one cupful of rich milk, the beaten yolks of two eggs and a saltspoon of salt and mustard, stir over the fire until it boils. then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, pour over the cabbage and bake for half an hour. ~cheese souffle~--mix together one-half cup breadcrumbs, a quarter teaspoon salt, a half teaspoonful mustard and a dash of cayenne. add a tablespoonful butter, a cup and a half milk and cook over hot water. when heated remove. add while hot two cups grated cheese and the well beaten yolks of three eggs. cool. when ready to bake add the beaten whites of four eggs and a cup of whipped cream. fill individual cups half full, set in a pan of hot water and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven. ~corn souffle~--to one pint of sweet grated corn (canned corn) drain and run through a food chopper (may be used), add the well beaten yolks of two eggs, one pint of sweet milk, one small teaspoonful of salt, one and one-half tablespoonfuls of sugar and the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. mix well and bake in a buttered casserole or ramequins for forty minutes. ~guernsey cheese souffle~--pin a narrow folded paper thoroughly buttered on the inside, around six or eight ramequins and butter the ramequins thoroughly. melt two tablespoonfuls butter and in it cook two tablespoonfuls of flour and a quarter teaspoonful each of salt and paprika. when the mixture looks frothy stir in half a cup of milk and stir until boiling. then add four ounces grated cheese and the beaten yolks of three eggs. lastly fold in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs. put the mixture into the ramequins letting it come up to the paper or nearly to the top of the dishes. set the ramequins on many folds of paper in a dish, pour in boiling water to half fill, and let bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is well puffed up and firm to the touch. remove the buttered paper, set the ramequins in place and serve at once. a green vegetable salad seasoned with french dressing and a browned cracker may accompany the dish. ~souffle of carrots~--boil the carrots and mash them fine, add a little sugar to taste, a pinch of salt, a spoonful of flour and a good lump of butter, the well beaten yolks of four eggs, and lastly fold in the stiffly beaten whites. bake in a quick oven in the dish in which it may be served. ~tomato souffle~--stew three cupfuls of tomato down to two, add seasoning to taste and six eggs, the whites beaten stiff, and bake for ten or fifteen minutes or until set. serve as soon as done. filling for cakes ~coffee cream for charlotte and eclair~--flavor one pint of rich thick cream with one-fourth cup of black coffee and one teaspoon of lemon, add about a half a cup of sugar, chill and whip it until thick enough to stand. pour it into molds lined with thin sponge cake or lady fingers. fill them level and ornament the top with some of the cream forced through tube. ~filling~--for the filling scald one cup of milk with three level tablespoons of ground coffee and let stand where it will be hot but not boil, for five minutes. strain, add one-half cup of sugar, three level tablespoons of flour and a pinch of salt. cook in a double boiler fifteen minutes, add one beaten egg and cook two minutes, stirring to keep smooth. cool and add one-quarter teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. fill the cream cakes and cover with cream beaten thick, sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with a few drops of vanilla. ~filling for cake~--soak a level tablespoon of gelatin in one tablespoon of cold water for half an hour, add one tablespoon of boiling water and stir. beat one pint of cream stiff, then beat in the soaked gelatin, add powdered sugar to make sweet and a small teaspoon vanilla flavoring or enough to suit the taste. put this filling in thick layers between the cakes and cover the top one with a white icing. ~fig or date frosting~--these frostings are excellent to use upon any kind of cake, but as they are rather rich in themselves, they seem better suited for light white cake. if figs are preferred they should be chopped fine. if dates, the stones and as much as possible of the white lining should be removed and then they should be chopped fine. for a good size loaf of cake, baked in two layers, use a scant quarter of a pound of either the chopped dates or figs, put into a double boiler or saucepan with a very little boiling water, just enough to make the mass pliable. let them stand and heat while the syrup is boiling. for this two cups of fine granulated sugar and half a cup of boiling water are required. boil without stirring till the syrup taken upon the spoon or skewer will "thread." do not allow it to boil too hard at first. when the sugar is thoroughly melted, move the saucepan to a hotter part of the stove so that it may boil more vigorously. have ready the whites of two eggs beaten dry, now to them add the fig or date paste and pour the boiling syrup in a fine stream over the two, beating all the time. beat occasionally while cooling, and when thoroughly cold add one teaspoonful of lemon extract, and it is ready for use. these frostings may be a trifle sticky the day they are made, especially if the syrup is not boiled very long, but the stickiness disappears by the second day, even if kept in a stone jar. ~lemon jelly~--grate two lemons, add the juice, one cup of white sugar, one large spoonful of butter and the yolks of three eggs. stir constantly over the fire until it jellies, when cold spread between cakes. ~maple icing~--scrape half a pound of maple sugar and melt, add two tablespoons of boiling water. while hot pour over the cake. be sure to melt the sugar before adding the water. ~mocha filling and icing~--a rich but much liked filling for small cakes is made by boiling one cup of sugar and one-half cup of very strong or very black coffee together until the syrup will thread. in the meantime wash one cup of sweet butter in cold water to take out all the salt. put in a piece of cheesecloth and pat it until all the moisture is dried out. beat until creamy, adding slowly the beaten yolk of one egg and the syrup. spread this filling between layer cakes, but it is more often used to pipe over the top of small cakes. ~orange filling~--one-half cup of sugar, two and one-half level tablespoons flour, grated rind of one-half orange, one-third cup of orange juice, one tablespoon lemon juice, one egg beaten slightly, one teaspoon melted butter. mix the ingredients and cook in double boiler for twelve minutes, stirring constantly. cool before using. desserts ~apples stuffed with dates~--core large, slightly acid apples and fill with stoned dates. pour over them equal parts of sugar and water boiled together. baste the apples frequently while baking. serve as a dessert at dinner or luncheon. ~apple sponge pudding~--one cup of sifted pastry flour and sift it with one level teaspoon of baking-powder. beat the yolks of three eggs until light colored, add one cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the three eggs and then the flour. spread the batter thinly on a large shallow pan and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. turn out of the pan, trim off any hard edges, spread with stewed, sweetened, and flavored apples, and roll up at once like a jelly roll. serve with a liquid sauce or a syrup made from sugar and water. ~apricot kisses~--beat the whites of two eggs until very light and still, flavor with one-half teaspoon vanilla and then carefully fold in one cup of fine granulated sugar. lay a sheet of paraffin paper over the bottom of a large baking part and drop the mixture on the paper, in any size you wish from one teaspoon to two tablespoons. have them some distance apart so they will not run together. bake them in a very moderate oven and be careful to bake sufficiently, say forty-five minutes. they should be only delicately colored and yet dry all through. when done remove to a platter and break the top in, remove a little of the inside and fill pulp of sifted peaches, sweetened and mixed with equal parts of whipped cream. sprinkle pistachio nuts over the top and serve fancy cakes. ~baked custard~--beat four eggs, whites and yolks together lightly, and add a quart of milk, four tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt and flavoring. bake in stoneware cups or a shallow bowl, set in a pan of water. ~baked bananas, porto rican fashion~--select rather green bananas, put them, without removing the skins, into hot ashes or a very hot oven and bake until the skins burst open. send to the table in a folded napkin. the skins help hold in the heat and are not to be removed until the moment of eating. serve plenty of butter with them. ~banana and lemon jelly cream~--soak one-half box of gelatin in one cup of cold water. shave the rind of one lemon, using none of the white, and steep it with one square inch stick of cinnamon in one pint of boiling water ten minutes. add the soaked gelatin, one cup of sugar and three-fourths of a cup of lemon juice, and when dissolved strain into shallow dishes. when cold cut it in dice or break it up with a fork, and put it in a glass dish in layers with spiced bananas. pour a cold boiled custard over them and cover with a meringue. brown the meringue on a plate and slip it off over the custard. ~custard pudding~--line a baking dish with slices of sponge cake. make a boiled custard with four cups of milk and the yolks of five eggs, one-half cup of sugar and flavored with vanilla. pour the custard into the baking-dish. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with one-half cup of powdered sugar and spread over the top. set in a very slow oven to brown slightly. ~custard souffle~--mix one-fourth cup of sugar, one cup flour and one cup of cold milk. stir till it thickens, add one-fourth cup of butter, cool, stir in the beaten yolks of four eggs and then the stiffly beaten whites. turn into a buttered shallow dish, set in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven half an hour. serve at once. ~fig and rhubarb~--wash two bunches of rhubarb and cut into inch pieces without peeling. put into boiler with a cupful sugar and four or five figs cut in inch pieces. put on the cover and cook over hot water until the rhubarb is tender and the syrup is rich and jelly-like in consistency. raisins are nice cooked in rhubarb the same way. if preferred, and you are to have a hot oven anyway, put the rhubarb and figs or raisins in a stone pot, cover closely and bake in the oven until jellied. ~cold rhubarb dessert~--peel tender stalks and cut enough into half-inch pieces to measure two cups. cook with one cup of water, the grated rind from a large orange and two cups of sugar. do not stir while cooking, but lift from the range now and then to prevent burning; when soft but not broken, add two and one-half tablespoons of gelatin soaked fifteen minutes in one-half cup of cold water. stir with a fork just enough to mix and pour all into a large mold. when formed, unmold, and serve with cream. ~german dessert~--beat two eggs and a pinch of salt, add two cupfuls of milk and pour into a deep plate. soak slices of bread in this, one at a time until softened, but not enough to break. melt a rounding tablespoon of butter in a pan and in this brown the bread on both sides. serve with an orange pudding sauce or any kind of liquid sauce preferred. ~lemon sponge~--soak one-half box of gelatin in one-half cup of cold water. add the juice of four lemons to one cup of sugar then the beaten yolks of four eggs, add two cups of cold water, and bring to a boiling-point. stir in the soaked gelatin and strain into a large bowl set in a pan of ice. beat now and then until it begins to harden, then add the unbeaten whites of four eggs and beat continuously until the sponge is light and firm. fill into molds before the sponge is too hard to form into the shape of the mold. ~mosaic jelly~--one and one-half cups of milk, two level tablespoons sugar, rind of one-half lemon, one-half bay-leaf, one level tablespoon granulated gelatin, one-fourth cup of water, yolks two eggs. scald the milk with the sugar, lemon rind, and bay-leaf, then add the gelatin soaked in water for twenty minutes. stir until dissolved and strain the hot mixture gradually into the egg yolks slightly beaten. return to double boiler and stir until thickened. remove from fire and color one-half of the mixture either pink or green, and turn each half into a shallow pan wet with cold water. when cold cut into squares or oblongs. line a mold with lemon jelly and garnish with the colored pieces. add the remaining jelly, chill thoroughly and serve on a platter garnished with whipped cream. ~pineapple bavarian cream~--grate enough pineapple to make two cups. soak two level teaspoons of gelatin in one-half cup of cold water for twenty minutes. heat the pineapple to the scalding point, add the soaked gelatin and stir until dissolved, then add one-third cup sugar, stir and fold in three cups of beaten cream. turn into molds and chill. ~scalloped apple~--measure two even cups of fine breadcrumbs and pour over them one-quarter cup of melted butter. mix two rounding tablespoons of sugar with the grated yellow rind and the juice of one lemon and four gratings of nutmeg. butter a baking dish, scatter in some crumbs, put in one pint of pared, cored and sliced apples, scatter on one-half of the seasoning, another pint of apples, the remainder of the seasoning and cover with the last of the crumbs. put a cover on the dish and bake twenty minutes, uncover and bake twenty minutes longer. ~spanish cream~--put one and two-thirds teaspoons of gelatin into one-third cup of cold water. heat two cups of milk in a double boiler, add the yolks of two eggs, beaten with one-half cup of sugar until light, and when the custard thickens take from stove and set in pan of cold water. beat the whites of two eggs until stiff, and dissolve the soaked gelatin in three-quartets cup of boiling water. when the custard is cool, add a teaspoon of vanilla, the strained gelatin and the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. stir all together lightly and turn into mold. ~steamed pudding~--beat one-half cup of butter with one cup of sugar to a cream, add two beaten eggs and cup of flour sifted with one teaspoon each of cinnamon and soda, two cups of breadcrumbs, soaked in one cup of sour milk. add one cup of chopped and seeded raisins and one-half cup of chopped dates. steam two hours and serve with whipped cream. ~strawberry sarabande~--whip a cupful thick cream until very stiff, then fold carefully into it a pint of fresh berries cut in small pieces with a silver knife. have ready a tablespoonful gelatin soaked in a quarter cup cold water for half an hour, then dissolved by setting the cup containing it in hot water. add by degrees to the berries and cream, whipping it in so that it will not string. add three tablespoonfuls powdered sugar and when it stiffens turn into a cold mold and set on the ice. when ready to serve turn out onto a pretty dessert platter. ~walnut sundae~--put one cone of vanilla ice cream in a sherbet cup, or better yet in a champagne glass and sprinkle with minced walnuts. ~yorkshire pudding~--take an equal number of eggs and tablespoonful of sifted flour, and when the eggs are well beaten mix them in with the flour, add some salt and a little grated nutmeg, and then pour in as much new milk as will make a batter of the consistency of cream, stir the batter with a fork well for ten minutes and then put in at once into a baking tin, which must be very hot, containing a couple of tablespoons of hot drippings. set the pudding in oven to bake or before the fire under the roasting meat. when ready to serve cut the pudding into squares and send to the table on a separate dish. ~apple pudding~--butter a pudding dish and line it with slices of toasted stale bread buttered and wet with milk. over these put a thick layer of peeled, cored, and sliced tart apples, and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg. over these put a cover of more toast buttered, moistened and sprinkled with sugar. cover with a plate and bake for two hours in a moderate oven, taking off the plate toward the last that the top may brown. serve with maple or other syrup for sauce. ~apple pudding~--four cups flour, one level teaspoon salt, six level teaspoons baking powder, four level tablespoons butter, two cups milk, two cups finely chopped apple, one-half cup butter, two cups sugar, one and one-half quarts water. sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. work in the butter with the fingers and add the milk. mix well, turn onto floured board, roll out one-half inch thick, cover with the apple and roll up like a jelly roll. press the ends together and press down the side, to keep the apple in. place in a buttered pan and add the butter, sugar and water. bake in a moderate oven for one and one-half hours. ~apple sponge pudding~--one cup of sifted pastry flour and one level teaspoon of baking powder. beat the yolks of three eggs until light colored, add one cup of sugar and the juice of one lemon. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the three eggs and then the flour. spread the batter thinly on a large shallow pan and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. turn out of the pan, trim off any hard edges, spread with stewed sweetened and flavored apples, and roll up at once like a jelly roll. serve with a liquid sauce or a syrup of sugar and water. ~baked cherry pudding~--cream one-quarter cup of butter with one-half cup of sugar, add the yolks of two eggs beaten very light, two cups of milk, two cups of flour sifted twice with four level teaspoons of baking powder, and last, the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. stone cherries to measure three cups, drain off the juice and put them into a pudding dish. ~baked pudding~--stir one-half cup of flour smooth in one cup of cold milk, add two unbeaten eggs and beat several minutes, then add one cup more of milk and a saltspoon of salt. stir together, pour into a buttered baking dish and set directly into the oven. serve with lemon thickened sauce. ~cocoa rice meringue~--heat one pint of milk, add one-quarter cup of washed rice and a saltspoon of salt. cook until tender. add one level tablespoon of butter, one-half cup of seeded raisins, half a teaspoon of vanilla, and one slightly rounding tablespoon of cocoa, cook five minutes. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and one-half cup of beaten cream. turn into a buttered baking dish, cover with the whites of three eggs beaten stiff, with one-third cup of powdered sugar and a level tablespoon of cocoa. set in a moderate oven for a few minutes until the meringue is cooked. ~cottage pudding~--beat the yolk of one egg, add one cup of granulated sugar, one-half cup of milk, one and one-half cups of flour in two spoons of baking powder, stir in the white of one egg beaten stiff. bake in a moderate oven. ~cranberry and custard pudding~--here is a new suggestion which comes from a high authority. take one sugar cooky or four lady fingers, if you have them, and crumble into a baking dish. cover with a thin layer of cranberry preserves or jelly, dot with small lumps of butter and add a sprinkle of cinnamon. beat three eggs (separately) very lightly, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and two cupfuls of milk. pour over the fruit and cake, bake as a custard and serve with whipped cream. ~custard pudding~--line a baking dish with slices of sponge cake. make a boiled custard with four cups of milk and the yolks of five eggs, one-half cup of sugar, and flavored with vanilla. pour the custard into the baking dish. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with one-half cup of powdered sugar and spread over the top. set in a very slow oven to brown slightly. ~date meringue~--beat the whites of five eggs until stiff, add three rounding tablespoons of powdered sugar, and beat again. add a teaspoon of lemon juice and a half a pound of stoned and chopped dates. turn into a buttered baking dish and bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. serve with a boiled custard. ~egg souffle~--make a sauce from one cup of hot milk and two level tablespoons each of butter and flour, cooked together five minutes in a double boiler. add the yolks of four eggs beaten well, stir enough to mix well and remove from the fire. add half a level teaspoon of salt and a few grains of cayenne. fold in the whites of the eggs beaten stiff, turn into a buttered dish, set in a pan of hot water, and bake in a slow oven until firm. serve in the same dish. ~fruit pudding~--one and one-half cups flour, two and one-half cups raisins, one-half cup molasses, one-half cup milk, two tablespoons butter, one teaspoon cinnamon, one-half teaspoon allspice, one-half teaspoon nutmeg, one-half teaspoon salt, mix all together, one-half teaspoon soda, dissolved in hot water, steam two hours. hard or liquid sauce, or both. ~indian tapioca pudding~--one-third cup tapioca, one-fourth cup cornmeal, one quart scalded milk, half cup molasses, two tablespoons butter, one-half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon ginger and cinnamon mixed, one cup cold milk. soak the tapioca in cold water for one hour, then drain. pour the hot milk on to the cornmeal gradually. add the tapioca and cook in double boiler until transparent. add molasses, butter, salt, and spice, and turn into a buttered baking dish. pour the cold milk over the top and bake for one hour in a moderate oven. ~lemon meringue pudding~--soak one cup of fine breadcrumbs in two cups of milk until soft. beat one-quarter cup of butter and one-half of sugar together until greasy, stir all into the milk and crumbs. grate a little yellow lemon peel over the top and pour into a buttered baking dish. set in a moderate oven until firm and slightly browned. make a meringue of the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and four level tablespoons of powdered sugar. spread over the pudding, return to the oven and color a little. ~lemon pudding~--three eggs, one scant cup sugar, one lemon juice and rind, two cups of milk, two liberal tablespoons cornstarch, one heaping teaspoon butter. scald the milk and stir in the cornstarch, stirring all the time until it thickens well, add the butter and set aside to cool. when cool beat the eggs, light; add sugar, the lemon juice and grated rind, and whip in a great spoonful at a time, the stiffened cornstarch and milk. bake in a buttered dish and eat cold. ~little steamed pudding~--cream one-quarter cup butter with one-half cup of sugar, add one-quarter cup milk, then one cup of flour sifted with two teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt, and last fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. have some small molds or cups buttered, fill half full with the batter, cover with buttered paper, and steam three-quarters of an hour. serve hot with a sauce. ~new hampshire indian meal pudding~--bring a quart of milk to a boil, then sprinkle in slowly about a cup and a quarter of yellow meal, stirring constantly. (an exact rule for the meal cannot be given, as some swells more than others.) as soon as the milk is thickened take from the fire and cool slightly before adding three-quarters of a cup of molasses, half a teaspoonful salt and a tablespoonful ginger. beat the mixture until smooth, and lastly turn in a quart of cold milk, stirring very little. pour into a well greased pudding-dish and set in a very slow oven. this pudding needs about five hours of very slow baking to insure its becoming creamy, instead of hard and lumpy. the batter, after the cold milk is added should be about the consistency of pancake batter. serve with cream or maple syrup. ~orange pudding~--take one cup of fine stale breadcrumbs, not dried, and moisten them with as much milk as they will absorb and become thoroughly softened. beat the yolks of four eggs with the whites of two, add four tablespoons of sugar and the grated peel of one orange, using of course only the outer cells. stir this into the softened crumbs, then beat the other two whites until stiff and fold them into the mixture. turn it into a well buttered mold and steam it two hours. turn out into a hot dish and serve with orange sauce. ~peach tapioca~--prepare a dish of tapioca in the usual way, into a buttered pudding dish put a layer of cooked and sweetened tapioca, then a layer of peaches, fresh or canned. next add another layer of tapioca, then more peaches, and so on until the dish is full. flavor with lemon and sprinkle three-fourths of a cup of sugar over all, then bake in a very hot oven until a light brown. ~raspberry dumplings~--wash one cup of rice and put into the double boiler. pour over it two cups of boiling water, add one-half teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar and cook thirty minutes or until soft. have some small pudding cloths about twelve inches square, wring them out of hot water and lay them over a small half pint bowl. spread the rice one-third of an inch thick over the cloth, and fill the center with fresh raspberries. draw the cloth around until the rice covers the berries and they are good round shape. tie the ends of the cloth firmly, drop them into boiling water and cook twenty minutes. remove the cloth and serve with lemon sauce. ~spoon pudding~--cream one tablespoonful butter with two tablespoonfuls sugar. add two tablespoonfuls flour, pinch of salt, one tablespoonful cornstarch, beaten yolk of one egg and tablespoonful of cream. beat well, and lastly add beaten white of egg and one teaspoonful baking powder. pour over berries and steam forty minutes. serve with whipped cream. ~squash pudding~--one pint of finely mashed cooked squash, one cup of sugar, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a little salt, the juice and grated rind of one lemon, add slowly one quart of boiling milk, stirring well, and when a little cooled, add five well beaten eggs. bake in a pudding dish set in a pan of hot water, in a moderate oven, until firm in the center. serve with cream. ~steamed berry pudding~--sift two cups of flour with four teaspoons of baking powder, rub in a rounding tablespoon of butter, add two beaten eggs, one cup of milk, one-half cup of sugar, and last two cups of blueberries. the berries should be rinsed in cold water, shaken in a cheese cloth until dry and then roiled in flour before adding. pour into a pudding mold, and steam one and one-quarter hours. serve with liquid sauce. ~steamed pudding~--beat one-half cup of butter with one cup of sugar to a cream, add two beaten eggs and cup of flour sifted with one teaspoon each of cinnamon and soda, two cups of breadcrumbs, soaked in one cup of sour milk. add one cup of chopped and seeded raisins and one-half cup of chopped dates. steam two hours and serve with whipped cream. ~tapioca meringue~--soak one-half cup granulated tapioca in a pint of cold water for half an hour. cook slowly twenty minutes until transparent. if too thick, add a little more boiling water. boil one quart of milk in a farina kettle with a pinch of salt and the yellow rind of half lemon. beat the yolks of four eggs with a cup of sugar, add slowly to the milk, stirring until smooth and creamy, but do not allow it to boil. when thickened, remove from the fire, add a teaspoonful flavoring and blend thoroughly. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with three tablespoonfuls powdered sugar and a teaspoonful flavoring, spread over the top of the pudding which should have been poured in the serving dish and set in a coolish oven to puff and color a golden yellow. ~tapioca pudding~--cover one cup of the flake tapioca with cold water and let it stand two hours. stir occasionally with a fork to separate the lumps. put in a farina kettle with a pint and a half water. slice three tart apples and put in with the tapioca, together with sugar to sweeten to taste. stir all together and cook until the apples are soft and the tapioca clear. serve hot or cold. peaches may be used in place of the apple. serve with cream. ~tapioca souffle~--soak three tablespoonfuls pearl tapioca in water to cover for three or four hours. then add a quart of milk and cook until the tapioca is perfectly clear and the milk thickened. it will take about twenty minutes, and unless you use the farina kettle, must be stirred constantly. add the yolks of four eggs beaten with two-thirds cup sugar and cook two or three minutes, stirring steadily. whip the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, fold through the cooked cream, and take directly from the fire. flavor with lemon or vanilla and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. chill and serve. this may also be served as a pudding without the final baking. ~whole wheat pudding~--put one cup of milk, one-half cup of molasses, two cups of graham or whole wheat flour, one cup of chopped raisins and half a saltspoon of salt into a bowl and add one level teaspoon of soda, dissolved in a tablespoon of warm water, beat hard for three minutes. pour the thin batter into a buttered pudding mold and steam two and a half hours. serve with a lemon sauce or cream. ~yorkshire pudding~--take an equal number of eggs and tablespoonful of sifted flour and when the eggs are well beaten mix them in with the flour, add some salt and a little grated nutmeg and then pour in as much new milk as will make a batter of the consistency of cream, stir the batter with a fork well for ten minutes and then put in at once into a baking tin, which must be very hot, containing a couple of tablespoons of hot drippings. set the pudding in oven to bake or before the fire under the roasting meat. when ready to serve cut the pudding into squares and send to the table on a separate dish. sauce for puddings ~fruit syrup sauce~--one cup fruit syrup, one-half cup sugar, one teaspoon butter. use the syrup from apricots, peaches, cherries, quinces or any fruit you prefer. the amount of sugar will depend upon the acidity of the fruit. mix the cornstarch with the sugar, add the syrup and boil all together five minutes. add the butter last. ~lemon sauce~--grate the rind and squeeze the juice of one lemon. mix together three teaspoons cornstarch, one cup of sugar and two cups of boiling water, and cook ten minutes, stirring constantly. add the lemon rind and juice and one teaspoon of butter. ~lemon sauce~--mix three dessert spoons of cornstarch with one cup of sugar, pinch of salt, in a saucepan, pour on two cups boiling water and stir quickly as it thickens. when it is smooth set it back where it will simply bubble and simmer, and stir occasionally. add the grated rind and juice of one lemon and one rounding tablespoon butter. if this is too thick add more hot water as it thickens in cooling, and you want it thin enough to pour easily. ~lemon sauce~--mix three tablespoons of cornstarch with one cup of cold water and turn on one cup of boiling water. boil ten minutes, then add one cup of sugar, the juice and grated yellow rind of one lemon and two rounding tablespoons of butter. ~lemon sauce for fritters~--mix four level teaspoons of cornstarch with one cup of sugar, and stir at once into two cups of boiling water, add the juice and grated yellow rind of one lemon and cook six minutes, add three level tablespoons of butter. ~orange sauce no. ~--mix one and a half tablespoons of cornstarch with one cup of sugar, and stir it into one pint of boiling water. let it cook quickly and stir as it thickens, and after ten minutes add two tablespoons of butter and one-half cup of orange juice. cook two minutes longer then serve. ~orange sauce no. ~--chip the yellow rind from an orange and squeeze the juice over it. let stand half an hour. stir one-quarter cup of flour into one cup of sugar and turn into two cups of boiling water. cook ten minutes, add a pinch of salt, the orange rind and juice, stir and strain. ~raspberry sauce for ice cream~--if you think that a good ice cream is yet not quite fine enough, pour a raspberry sauce over each portion as served. add one-quarter cup of sugar to one cup of raspberry juice prepared as for jelly-making, and simmer five minutes. add a rounding teaspoon of arrow-root made smooth in one tablespoon of cold water, and cook five minutes. now add one tablespoon of strained lemon juice and let boil up once. ~sauce for cherry pudding~--put two cups of cherry juice, or juice and water, into a saucepan, stir in three level tablespoons of corn starch and cook fifteen minutes. add two-thirds cup of sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice. ~sauce for batter pudding~--beat together in a bowl three rounding tablespoons of sugar, two level tablespoons of butter and one of flour. when the mixture is white add one-half cup of boiling water and stir until all is well melted. add a little lemon juice and serve. ~sauce for puddings~--beat the whites of three eggs until stiff, add one-half cup powdered sugar and the grated yellow rind of half a lemon. pour on slowly one cup of boiling water, stirring all the time and the sauce is ready to serve. ~strawberry sauce~--beat together one-half cupful of butter and a cup of sugar until white and light. the success of this sauce depends upon the long beating. add to the creamed butter and sugar the stiffly whipped white of an egg and a cupful of strawberries mashed to a pulp. beverages ~cocoa with whipped cream~--heat four cups of milk to the scalding point over hot water, or in a double boiler. milk should be heated by direct contact with the fire. mix a few grains of salt, three level tablespoons of cocoa and one-fourth cup of sugar to a paste with a little of the milk, then add three-fourths cup of boiling water and boil one minute, add to the hot milk and beat two minutes by the clock. serve with a tablespoon of beaten or whipped cream on top of each cup. ~currant julep~--pick over currants and measure two cups. mash them and pour on two cups of cold water. strain and chill the juice. put one tablespoon of simple syrup in a tall glass, add three bruised fresh mint leaves and fill with the currant juice. add three or four perfect raspberries and serve. the syrup is made by simmering for twenty minutes, one cup of sugar and two of water. ~currant shrub~--pick over and mash two quarts of ripe currants, add one pint of vinegar, and let stand over night. set on the range and bring to the boiling point, then strain twice. measure the clear liquid, and allow one cup of sugar to each cup of liquid. simmer twenty minutes and seal in bottles. ~raspberry shrub~--put one quart of ripe raspberries in a bowl, add two cups of vinegar, mash the berries slightly, and let stand over night. in the morning, scald and strain until clear. measure, and to each cup of juice add one cup of sugar, boil twenty minutes and seal. ~strawberry syrup~--pick over, rinse, drain and remove the hulls from several quarts of ripe berries. fill a porcelain lined double boiler with the fruit and set it over the lower boiler half full of boiling water, and let it heat until the juice flows freely. mash the berries, then turn out into a cloth strainer and cook the remainder of the fruit in the same way. when all the juice is pressed out, measure it and allow an equal amount of sugar. let the juice come to the boiling point, add the sugar and cook five minutes from the time the whole begins to boil. turn into jars or bottles and seal the same as canned fruit. this is excellent for beverages, flavoring ice cream and other fancy creams, and will be found desirable for many purposes when fresh fruit is not at hand. additional recipes +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ |transcribers note: from page the index is one page out. this has| |been left as in the original of this text version for authenticity.| +-------------------------------------------------------------------+ table of contents a apple slump apples and onions apples, scalloped apples stuffed with dates b bacon and green peppers bacon and spinach baked milk bananas, fried bananas with oatmeal beef-- broiled steak, rare en casserole english pot roast hamburg steak, fried, russian sauce hash cakes hash with dropped eggs loin steaks, broiled pie ragout of rib roast roast, american style roast on spit rolled rib roast smoked with cream steak, fried boiled samp bread-- bread, brown, boston. egg graham nut oatmeal oriental oatmeal raisin steamed brown steamed graham whole wheat bread with cream cheese filling bread puffs with sauce brunswick stew brussel's sprouts-- maitre d'hotel sauted c cabbage, stuffed cabbage and cheese cake--fancy-- almond almond cheese aunt amy's baltimore , bread bride's buttermilk chocolate , chocolate layer chocolate loaf cocoa cream layer cream (or pie) date eggless feather fig fig layer fruit golden hickory nut huckleberry ice cream layer margarettes plain plain tea raisin rockland snow spice sponge sultana tea sunshine tea velvet white patty cakes--hot-- breakfast hominy oatmeal rye breakfast scotch scones scotch oat calla lilies calves' tongues candies-- cowslips crystallized figs, glace fruit paste fudge, raisin pineapple marshmallows sugaring flowers violets, candied walnuts, creamed carrots, glazed with peas catsup, tomato cauliflower-- au gratin fritters in mayonnaise scrambled celery, boiled charlotte and eclair, coffee cream for cheese croquettes cheese ramekins cheese timbales cherry preserves chestnuts, boiled chicken-- a la tartare bohemian broiled in paper croquettes , deviled fried jellied marbled potted pot pie pressed roast stuffed timbales chicken gravy chicken livers for birds chili sauce chutney, tomato clams, scalloped in shell cocoa with whipped cream cocktail sauce for shellfish coffee cream coffee cream cakes and filling coffee eclairs cookies-- sugar soft ginger corn-- boiled fried fritters stewed with cream toast corn beef hash corncake, crisp, white corncake, southern cranberry conserve -- cranberry mold cream-- bavarian pineapple and bavarian spanish creole sauce croquettes-- banana beef with rice flavor with fish croutons crullers crullers, dutch crumpets crust-- dripping for custards for pies currant julep currant shrub custard-- boiled , cocoa coffee cup pudding d dessert-- cold rhubarb german doughnuts-- raised sour milk dressing-- french salad trianon duck-- canvasback, roasted roast with orange sauce wild, broiled dumplings-- cherry raspberry , e eggs-- beauregard light omelet omelet for one scrambled in milk scrambled with mushrooms scrambled with peppers with potato scallop with white sauce egg plant-- broiled fried fritters stuffed f fig and rhubarb filling filling-- for cake orange fish-- cod, boiled, cream sauce codfish cones codfish hash codfish, stewed east india style en casserole finnan-haddie fish cakes finnan-haddie, rechauffe haddock, metelote of louisiana cod mackerel, boiled mackerel, broiled, black butter mackerel, broiled salmon, boiled, sauce tartare salmon, mold of forced meat balls for turtle soup fried parsley fritters-- apple asparagus corn squash frosting, fig or date frozen ice fruit ice g game, salmi of giblets-- turkey or goose, fricasseed turkey, a la bourgeoise h ham-- boiled boned boned croquettes fried with chicken pie glace des gourmets gravy for wild fowl green melon, saute griddle cakes, crumb i ice cream-- baltimore black currant pineapple vanilla with maple syrup icing-- maple with mocha filling instructions for preparing poultry before dressing italian ravioli-- dressing for noodle dough for j jam-- currant green grape marmalade pear and blueberry rhubarb strawberry jelly-- apple and grape black currant cherry crabapple, spiced currant and raspberry lemon mosaic k kedgeree kisses, apricot l lamb-- chops en casserole curry lemon butter lima beans with nuts lobster butter luncheon surprise m macaroni or spaghetti, italian style macaroni with apricots maitre d'hotel butter meringue date mince meat minced cabbage mutton, minced molded cereal with banana surprise muffins-- berry boiled rice buttermilk english graham hominy quick, in rings mushrooms-- broiled on toast deviled in cream stewed mushroom sauce, italian style n nut hash nut parsnip stew o onions-- baked boiled, spanish boiled with cream fried fried, spanish glazed stuffed and steamed oysters-- a la poulette fricassee oyster plant boiled orange fool p pancakes, pineapple parfait-- maple pineapple strawberry vanilla violet parsnips-- fritters mashed paste for tarts peanut meatose pepper relish piccalilli pickles, cherry pies-- apple apple, southern style beaten cream cherry fresh raspberry green currant green tomato lemon lemon cream nut mince pineapple cream pie paste, plain pigs' ears, lyonnaise pigs' feet, broiled pork-- cutlets, anchovy sauce roast shoulder of pineapple-- canned sorbet plum porridge potatoes-- au gratin balls broiled creamed , lyonnaise maitre d'hotel mold parisienne puffs sauted with onions stuffed potato balls, breaded potato croquettes poultry stuffing-- anchovy chestnut chestnut with truffles chicken giblet for turkey pickled pork for turkey potato poultry and poultry dressing preserves-- fig fig, tomato ripe tomato, spiced wild grape butter yellow tomato pudding-- apple apple sponge , baked baked cherry cottage custard cranberry and custard fruit indian tapioca lemon lemon meringue little steamed new hampshire indian meal peach tapioca spoon squash steamed , tapioca whole wheat yorkshire , puff paste q quenelles-- beef marrow calf's liver chicken r ragout of cooked meat raspberry shrub remnants of ham with peas rice-- a la georgienne in tomatoes italian style with mushrooms japanese or chinese rice milk rice soup rolls--hot-- breakfast egg light luncheon pan popovers, whole wheat raised graham tea rusk, old fashioned s salad-- asparagus beet bird's nest cabbage cauliflower with mayonnaise celery and nut creole cucumber, jellied fish spanish tomato tomato basket samp and beans sandwich-- banana chicken and pimento cold mutton cress german rye bread ham japanese sandwich fillings sardine butter sardine cocktail sardine rarebit sauce-- cucumber fish for batter pudding for cherry pudding for fried pike for puddings fruit syrup gherkin giblet gooseberry half glace ham horseradish lemon lemon for fish lemon, for fritters mayonnaise orange parsley and lemon poivrade raspberry, for ice cream royal shrimp strawberry tartare sausage-- frankfort stewed with cabbage scotch snipe sheeps' brains with small onions sheep's kidneys, broiled sheeps' tongues sherbet-- cranberry currant lemon lemon ginger tea shortcake, individual shrimp butter shrimps scalloped souffle-- asparagus cabbage carrot cheese corn custard egg guernsey cheese tapioca tomato soup-- asparagus bean bisque of clam bisque of lobster bisque of oyster black bean chestnut , chicken gumbo, creole style cream of celery egg green pea green tomato -- onion peanut sago salmon sorrel tomato tomato, corned beef stock vegetable (broth) vegetable white wine spanish chops spaghetti, a la italian spaghetti creamed spawn and milk spinach mold squash flower omelet strawberry sarabande strawberry syrup stuffing-- english for birds for boiled turkey or rabbit , , for ducks for fish for fowls for geese for suckling pig or 'possum for veal suckling pig sundae, walnut sweet potatoes, glaced t tartlets, cottage cheese tart shells tarts, prune thickened butter toast, log cabin tomatoes-- fried green, gingered green, minced scalloped tongue canapes tongue toast turkey truffles v veal-- breaded cutlets croquettes loaf patties shoulder of braised vegetable roast vinegar-- blackberry homemade mint virginia stew w waffles, southern style walnut loaf designed, engraved and printed by the franklin company, chicago scanned images of public domain material from the internet archive. breakfasts and teas novel suggestions for social occasions compiled by paul pierce editor and publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine. superintendent of food exhibits at the st. louis worlds's fair. honorary commissioner of foods at the jamestown exposition. * * * * * chicago brewer, barse & co. copyrighted by paul pierce to women editors. in appreciation of the many favorable press notices and high editorial comment given to my previous efforts in the compilation of books on suggestions for entertaining and in the publication of my magazine, _what to eat_, this book on "breakfasts and teas," is inscribed. full well i realize the difficulties under which most women editors labor in their duty of suggesting new ideas for entertaining, and i hold a sincere appreciation for the good they perform in elevating the women of our country to a higher plain of civilization. when the woman is done with the school room and finds herself in the social whirl it is then she begins to see that she has another and very important course of learning to acquire and forthwith she submits herself to the tutorage of the editor of the woman's page. no school teacher of the world has such a large class to instruct as this woman editor. her pupils are numbered by the thousands and tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands. the knowledge she must impart is not of the kind that has been set down by past generations and which once learned suffices as a supply for all future dispensations. it is a knowledge of the day, which is constantly changing and which must be gleaned each day for the lessons of the morrow. this little book embraces the latest information on the title it bears, and all herein contained, that may be of help to the woman editor, she is welcome to use if she will comply with the publisher's rule of giving the proper credit to the volume. publisher's announcement. "breakfast and teas" is a companion book to that most interesting and helpful series of social works compiled by paul pierce, publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine, and the world's authority on all problems pertaining to the drawing room and the table. the other books are "dinners and luncheons," "parties and entertainments," "suppers," and "weddings and wedding celebrations." the contents of each volume are selected with especial regard for the extent of their helpfulness for the perplexed hostess. the instructions that are given will afford suggestions for all the different kinds of social functions the host or hostess ever will have occasion to give or to attend, and therefore all the volumes combined will furnish a veritable library for the person who entertains or who attends entertainments, and no person with a regard for correct social forms should fail to be supplied with all five of the books. in the directions special attention is given to the suggestions afforded for other kinds of entertainments, so that in each entertainment described the reader will find ideas for a dozen or more entertainments of a similar nature. contents chapter i. breakfasts at high noon--typical breakfast menu--breakfast decorations--two bride-elect breakfasts--silver wedding day breakfast--a family breakfast--light informal breakfast. chapter ii. two bon voyage breakfasts--who takes the cake?--breakfast and tea for christmas or thanksgiving. chapter iii. a cuban breakfast. chapter iv. spring and autumn breakfasts--april breakfast--a maypole breakfast--may breakfast--an autumn breakfast--a musical romance--a red rose breakfast--chrysanthemum breakfast--pond lily breakfast--a tulip breakfast--a grape breakfast--woman's club breakfast--breakfast al fresco. chapter v. the modern 'five o'clock' tea--an afternoon tea--telling fortunes by teagrounds. chapter vi. scotch teas--a gypsy tea out of doors. chapter vii. japanese teas. chapter viii. two valentine teas. chapter ix. a grandmother's tea party--an april fool tea--a colonial tea--pretty rose tea--omber shades of rose--a bouquet tea--spring planting--a high tea--book-title teas--patriotic tea--debut tea--yellow tea--a candle-light tea--a flower tea--an exchange tea--a watermelon tea. chapter x. unique ideas for teas--a chocolatiere--a kaffee klatch--a "rushing" tea for sorority--sandwiches for teas--novelties in tea serving--summer porch tea parties. chapter i. breakfasts at high noon. a very swell repast for a swagger set. by the operation of one of those laws of occult force, the power of which we feel while we are totally ignorant of its rules, we fix upon the noonday as the time for some of our chief social functions. as a matter of fact we are at our best at this time of the day, both physically and mentally; and we naturally choose it for our special entertainments and enjoyments. one of the chief of these is the noonday breakfast, which meets several social demands. it is the proper service for the return of nearly every obligation in the form of hospitality which may have been received by the giver during the closing season. this noonday breakfast very much resembles the morning breakfast of the french country-house in the variety of foods. this repast always is most attractive to an american because of its informality, and the viands are enticing. this morning breakfast of the parisian is really like a little dinner, and that is what we wish to serve to meet all the varied obligations that are to be wiped out by an artistic and choice return entertainment, whether it be called luncheon or noonday breakfast. when a luncheon or noonday breakfast by formal invitation is given, the service is identical with that of dinner _a la russe_, and the bill of fare similar, although less extended; but the pleasantest repasts are those where perfect service is secured without formality. first, the table: lay it as carefully as for dinner and in much the same way, save that an embroidered or delicately colored cloth may replace the white dinner linen; under this cloth lay the usual thick one of felt or canton flannel. the small dessert and fruit, flowers and relishes, may form a part of the table decoration. now that castors are seldom used, unless of fine old silver and ornamental form, place conveniently about the table salt, pepper, the oil and vinegar stand, and the table sauces in their original bottles set in silver holders. olives, salted almonds, cheese-straws and sandwiches may be put upon the table in pretty china, silver and glass ornamental dishes; in short, all save the hot dishes may form part of the ornamentation. hot plates are required for all the food except the raw shell-fish, salad and dessert, and should be ready for immediate use, together with a reserve of silver, or means for washing it. the coffee service may be laid before the hostess or upon the side table, at convenience; chocolate is similarly served, and is a favorite breakfast beverage, especially when it is made with eggs, after the mexican method. tea is not on the regulation breakfast list, but of course it may be served if it is desired. cider, malt liquors, the lighter wines, and in summer the various "cups" or fruit punches are in order; the breakfast wines are sherry, hock or rhine wine, sauterne and champagne; and when a variety is served the preference of each guest is ascertained by the attendant before filling the glasses. breakfast menu. the following is an excellent bill of fare for a noonday breakfast: _little neck clams_ _cold wine soup_ _angels on horseback_ _chicken patties_ _newberg lobster_ _green peas with new turnips_ _grape fruit sherbet_ _broiled birds with orange salad_ _white custards_ _cannelons with jelly_ _strawberries in cream_ _black coffee_ for a simple repast for a few persons, two relishes may be omitted, only one _entree_ being served; then the sherbet, the birds, and one desert, with coffee; this combination would make a most acceptable small breakfast. blue point oysters, as all small oysters are called, may be used in their season, in place of the clams. both are of much dietetic value, the clams being the most stimulating and nutritious, and the oysters the most tonic and digestible. the cold wine soup is a valuable tonic nutrient; and each dish possesses some special value of its own. cold wine soup. wash quarter of a pound of fine sago in cold water, put it over the fire in two quarts of cold water, and boil it gently until the grains are transparent; then dissolve with it half a pound of fine sugar, add a very little grated nutmeg, a dust of cayenne, and an even teaspoonful of salt; when the sugar is melted add a bottle of claret, and as much cold water as is required to make the soup of an agreeable creamy consistency; cool it before serving. angels on horseback. this is one of the gastronomic inspirations of urbain dubois, the _chef_ of the great emperor of germany. remove all bits of shell from fine oysters and lay them upon a clean towel; cut as many slices of thin bacon, about the size of the oysters; run them alternately upon bright metal skewers, dust them with cayenne, lay the skewers between the bars of a double-wire grid-iron, and broil the "angels" over a quick fire until the bacon begins to crisp; then transfer the skewers to a hot dish garnished with lemon and parsley, or with cresses, and send at once to table. in serving, a skewerful of "angels" is laid upon a hot plate, and the eater removes them with a fork. the success of this dish depends upon the rapidity with which it is cooked and served. chicken patties. the housewife is advised to procure the cooked patty cases at the baker's shops, ready to be heated and filled with the following _ragout_. for a dozen patties remove the bones and skin from a pint bowlful of the white meat of cold boiled or roasted chicken, and cut it into one-half inch pieces. open a can of mushrooms, save the liquor, and cut the mushrooms about the size of the chicken; put over the fire in a saucepan a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, stir them until they are smoothly blended; then gradually stir in the mushroom liquor and enough milk to make a sauce which should be as thick as cream after it has boiled; add the chicken and mushrooms, a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper; place the saucepan in a pan containing boiling salted water and keep hot until it is time to fill the hot patty cases and serve them. green peas with new turnips. peal about a dozen new turnips of medium size, boil them until tender in salted boiling water; meanwhile smoothly mix in a saucepan a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and gradually stir in a pint of milk. open a can of french peas, drain them, run cold water through them, draining again, and heat them in the sauce, seasoning them palatably with salt and white pepper. when the turnips are tender scoop a hollow in the center of each, fill it with peas, and arrange them upon the rest of the peas on a hot shallow dish. typical breakfast menu. here is a typical breakfast menu: grape fruit, plain or prepared by removing the center and putting in it a spoonful of rum and a lump of sugar; some cereal with cream or fruit; a chafing dish preparation, oysters in some way, mushrooms, or eggs, or a mixture on toast; hot bread of some kind, waffles, corn cakes, pancakes, flannel cakes, etc.; coffee and coffee cake. breakfast decorations. the sunburst done in one color is a very popular design for summer hostesses. suppose one is giving a pond lily breakfast. in the center of the table have a cut glass bowl of the lilies. from beneath the bowl radiate long streamers of pale green ribbon ending at the plates of the guests with name cards decorated with the lilies cut out of watercolor paper. half way between the bowl and the plate, the ribbon is knotted about a bouquet of the flowers or a bunch of maidenhair ferns which will become the corsage bouquet of the guest. sometimes several strands of narrower ribbon are used giving more rays; a very pretty effect. do not have artificial light at a summer breakfast. garden flowers are all the rage, either one kind or several kinds mixed. coreopsis, mignonette, featherfew, nasturtiums, lilies, sweet peas, geraniums, all the simple garden flowers are used now in place of the hothouse products. breakfast to bride-elect. to a bride. happy is the bride whom the sun shines on, and happy today are you; may all of the glad dreams you have dreamed in all of your life come true; may every good there is in life step down from the years to you. there's nothing so sweet as a maid is sweet, on the day she becomes a bride; oh, the paths that ope to the dancing feet! oh, the true love by her side! oh, the gray old world looks a glad old world, and it's fields of pleasure, wide. a breakfast for a bride-elect can be made very dainty and pretty by following out a pink color scheme, unless one prefers the more common scheme of white. cover the table with the prettiest, whitest damask, and over this lay lace-trimmed or openwork doilies, with a foundation of pink satin underneath. for flowers have pink begonias (very pretty and effective), carnations, roses, azaleas or cyclamens. arrange the flowers in a center basket with a large pink butterfly bow on the handle. light the table with pink candles and shades in silver or china candlesticks. have the place cards in heart shapes with pen and ink sketches or watercolors of brides, or tiny cupids. mark the bride-elect's chair by a large bow of ribbon or a bouquet of pink flowers matching those on the table. if white flowers are used, lilies of the valley and hyacinths make a pretty bouquet, tied with white gauze ribbon. serve this menu: _grape fruit with rum and cherries_ _turkey cutlets_ _stuffed peppers (serve on heart-shaped pieces of bread)_ _tiny heart-shaped hot rolls_ _peach mangoes_ _sweetbread salad in tomato cups on lettuce leaf_ _cheese straws_ _ice cream in shape of wedding bells filled with candied fruits_ _cocoanut cake and angel food in heart shape_ _coffee_ a tiny bouquet of violets tied with gauze ribbon at each plate makes the table pretty and is a dainty souvenir for the guest. sometimes the individual favors are tiny wicker hampers filled with fine flowers tied with white silk cord. for the bride-elect. a white breakfast is the daintiest and prettiest for the bride-elect. have the table decorations in white. for the center have a large round basket of bride roses, and at each plate tiny french baskets filled with maidenhair fern and white pansies, or apple blossoms, for individual favors. tie the handle of each basket with white gauze ribbon, looping the baskets together with the ribbon forming a garland for the table. serve strawberries in large white tulips or bride roses, and have the ices in form of wedding bells. for name cards have two wedding bells tied with white satin ribbons. silver wedding day breakfast. for the breakfast the table is crossed by a broad band of white carnations, sprinkled with diamond dust. arranged in billows over the table is silver gauze, silver candelabra, and all the handsome silver, which the hostess possesses. the menu is: _bouillon_ _lobster cutlets_ _tartar sauce_ _cucumber sandwiches_ _breast of turkey, larded and broiled_ _green peas_ _current jelly_ _hot rolls_ _pear and celery salad, with german cherries served in hearts of lettuce_ _caramel ice cream, with pecan meringue_ _old madeira is served with the meat course, then sauterne_. a family breakfast. _grape fruit with cherries and pineapple_ _creamed fish_ _new potatoes with sauce of parsley and drawn butter_ _sliced cucumbers_ _hot biscuits_ _fried chicken_ _asparagus on toast_ _sweetbreads_ _waffles and maple syrup_ _strawberry shortcake, with frozen whipped cream_ _coffee_ light informal breakfast. first serve a fluffy egg omelet with saratoga potatoes, and fish and cheese sandwiches cut in hearts and rings. next cucumber boats filled with cucumber and tomato salad mixed with sour cream dressing, resting on lettuce leaves. with this an innovation in the shape of square ginger wafers. place by each plate salted almonds and bread and butter on bread and butter plates. the last course is a popular new england combination, warm apple sauce and huckleberry muffins. tea is the beverage. chapter ii. two bon voyage breakfasts. "i take my leave of you shall not be long but i'll be here again." i. use the national colors for decorations for a bon voyage breakfast. this will remind the guest of honor that "east, west, hame's best." use blue and white hyacinths and red tulips, carnations or roses and tiny silk flags can be used for place cards. carry out the same idea in the ices, candies, etc. one pretty floral decoration for a bon voyage breakfast is a ship and the place cards can have a tiny ocean steamer for decoration. ask each guest to bring some little gift. tie these with tissue paper and baby ribbon, leaving a long end of the ribbon. make a little bag of flowered chintz or silk and place the gifts inside. have cards labeled monday, tuesday, wednesday, etc., one for each day of the voyage. slip the end of the ribbon through a card and leave the labeled ends of the ribbons sticking out of the top of the bag. this will give a little remembrance for each day on shipboard, a very pleasant remembrance too. a packet of ship letters each labeled a certain day, is another gift much prized by travelers. ii. have three tables, with six guests at a table with la france roses for decorations, and silver for all the courses laid at each cover. the guest cards are little circular marine water color sketches, no two alike. the menu is as follows: _grape fruit with strawberries_ _salmon croquettes_ _fried mush_ _jelly_ _steamed chicken_ _hot rolls_ _shoestring potatoes_ _coffee_ _vegetable salad_ _wafers with melted cheese_ _molded cherry jelly with english walnuts, served with whipped cream_ _sponge cakes_ the grape fruit is served in halves with one large strawberry in the center of the fruit. the salmon croquettes are molded in pyramidal form, a bit of cress laid on the top, and the mush which has been made the night before is cut in cubes an inch square, dipped in eggs and cracker dust, then dropped in deep fat, the only way to fry mush a delicate brown and preserve its softness. a spoonful of current jelly completes a color scheme. steamed chicken. grind with a food chopper the meat of two raw chickens and half a pound of pickled pork. add a cup of sifted bread crumbs, half a cup of thick sweet cream, half a cup of butter, half a can of chopped mushrooms, a little minced parsley, salt and pepper. mix thoroughly with the hands and put into well greased timbale cups and steam three hours. sauce. make a sauce for this by mixing the liquor of the mushrooms, half a cup of cream, the rest of the mushrooms, chopped; heat and thicken with half a cup of cracker dust. serve very hot. vegetable salad. with the smallest sized potato scoop, cut out a pint of potato balls about the size of common marbles and boil in salted water until tender. let them cool, and add a pint of the largest peas, three stalks of minced celery, a good sized cucumber cut fine, ten drops of onion juice. salt and pepper any good cooked dressing, to which add two large spoonfuls of thick cream and two of olive oil. serve on a lettuce leaf, pour over the dressing, and last of all put on the top of the salad three little balls of red pickled beet cut with the potato scoop, and half embedded in the dressing. make a gelatine jelly, flavored with juice of two lemons and cherries. serve with whipped cream, into which beat finely sifted crumbs of three macaroons. who takes the cake? "who takes the cake?" is a most merry-making scheme to assist in entertaining at a breakfast. the hostess provides upon slips of paper, what may be termed cake-conundrums. these are neatly written and wound upon coarse steel knitting needles into little rolls and tied with baby-ribbon to match the color scheme of the table. these are brought in just after serving the coffee and passed to the guests. the hostess announces that each is to guess the name of the cake suggested on her slip; adding, the one who gives the most correct answers wins the prize of a delicious cake. this should be exhibited. the hostess has a list of the answers, and when one misses the "hit," she reads it aloud to the merriment of the crowd. for instance, one slip reads: name the president's cake. the answer is (election). the parenthesis must not appear on the slips. a list recently used, and very wittily selected, is given for suggestion: name the geologist's cake. (mountain.) name the advertiser's cake. (puff.) name the farmer's cake. (corn.) name the tailor's cake. (measure.) name the milliner's cake. (ribbon.) name the devout cake. (angel food.) name the jeweler's cake. (gold.) name the lover's cake. (kisses.) name the author's cake. (short cake.) name the pugilist's cake. (pound.) name the office-seeker's cake. (washington.) name the idler's cake. (loaf.) many others can be added by the clever hostess. breakfast and tea for christmas or thanksgiving. breakfast. _oranges and grapes_ _farina with dates and cream and sugar_ _chicken croquettes_ _oysters in potato balls_ _rice muffins with maple syrup_ _coffee_ _chocolate with whipped cream_ tea. _scalloped oysters_ _turkey salad_ _cheese balls_ _bread and butter sandwiches_ _strawberry trifle_ _gipsy jelly with whipped cream_ _lemon cocoanut cake_ _meringues filled with preserved walnuts_ _tea_ _cocoa with whipped cream_ oysters in potato balls. cook the potatoes the day before. while hot mash them, season nicely with salt, paprika and a little celery salt. add a generous lump of butter, and one or two lightly beaten eggs. form into little balls with the hands floured. the next morning scoop out a hollow large enough to hold two or three nicely seasoned oysters, press over the part removed, egg and bread-crumb, and fry in a wire basket in deep hot fat. drain a minute on unglazed paper, and serve at once. rice muffins. sift together half a teaspoonful of salt, a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, and two cupfuls of flour. add two well-beaten eggs to one cupful of sweet milk, and stir into the flour, with one teaspoonful of melted butter and one cupful of dry boiled rice. beat thoroughly, and bake in buttered pans for thirty-five minutes. serve with maple syrup. turkey salad. cut the cold turkey meat into dice and mix it with twice the quantity of diced celery and one cupful of broken walnut meats. mix all well together and moisten with a good boiled dressing. serve in a nest of bleached lettuce. cheese balls. roll rich pastry out very thin, cut it into circles with a small tumbler, put two teaspoonfuls of grated cheese in the center of each, add a dash of cayenne and a teaspoonful of finely chopped walnut meats, then draw the edges of the paste together over the cheese, pinching it well to form a little ball. bake in a hot oven to a very pale brown. before serving reheat in the oven. strawberry trifle. cut one large stale sponge cake in horizontal slices the whole length of the loaf. they should be half an inch thick. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff snow, divide it into two portions; into one stir two level tablespoons of powdered sugar and one-half of a grated cocoanut; into the other stir the same amount of powdered sugar and one-half pound of sweet almonds blanched and pounded. spread the slices of cake with these mixtures, half with the cocoanut and half with the almond, and replace them in their original form. the top crust should be cut off before slicing the cake as it is used for a lid. hold the sliced cake firmly together and with a sharp knife cut down deep enough to leave only an inch at the bottom, and take out the center, leaving walls only one inch thick. soak the part removed in a bowl with one cupful of rich custard flavored with lemon. rub it to a smooth batter, then whip into it one cupful of cream which has been whipped to a dry stiff froth. fill the cavity of the cake with alternate layers of this mixture and very rich preserved strawberries. then put on the lid and ice with a frosting made with the whites of three eggs, one heaping cupful of powdered sugar and the juice of one lemon. spread it smoothly over the sides and top of the cake, and keep in a very cold place until time to serve. then place it on a silver or crystal dish, and put alternate spoonfuls of the whipped cream mixture and preserved strawberries around the base. meringues filled with preserved walnuts. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff firm snow, stir into it three-fourths of a pound of powdered sugar, flavor with a little lemon or rose water, and continue to beat until very light. then drop them from a spoon, a little more than an inch apart, on well buttered paper, keeping them as nearly egg-shaped as possible. place the paper on a half-inch board and bake in a slow oven until well dried out. remove from the paper, scrape out the soft part from the underside, and before serving fill with preserved walnuts and stick each two together. the preserved walnuts are a very delicious sweet but one rarely met with. chapter iii. a cuban breakfast. the palm, of course, is the key note for decoration, as it is the characteristic plant of the tropics. but in order to be true to the scheme in mind, that is, to make your surroundings appear truly southern and create a local atmosphere, a marked difference should be made between the arrangement of our usual american interior and the room which aims at the imitation of a cuban home. light and air are most important, the factors _sine qua non_, and the scene of the _almuerzo_ (breakfast) should not recall the hot house, the conservatory, nor the dimly lighted, heavily curtained apartment of our northern dwellings. there should be space, plenty of windows, the fewest possible hangings, and these light in weight and color. for the mantel and table decorations dwarf palms are very effective, while larger ones of many varieties are appropriate for corners and other available places. very pretty souvenirs can be made of small palm leaf fans. a cuban landscape and the name of a guest are painted thereon, and tiny cuban and american flags tied on the handle make a neat finish. as most of the dishes served will be new to the guests, it is advisable to have at each place a menu card where they may see how the dishes are called, that they may not only relish them knowingly but remember their excellence. the hour for breakfast is noon, although it may be taken as late as one o'clock. here is a typical breakfast which can be easily reproduced with the material at our command. _almuerzo_ _olives_ _aeles sausage_ _eggs in revoltillo_ _boiled rice_ _fried plantains_ _fish in escabeche_ _new potatoes_ _tenderloin steak_ _lettuce salad_ _guava paste and fresh cheese_ _cocoanut desert_ _fruit_ _coffee_ the olives should be served with cracked ice; the aeles sausage (imported) in very thin slices. eggs in revoltillo. fry in a little butter a good sized onion chopped fine; when brown, add three fresh tomatoes and one sweet green pepper cut into small bits. salt to taste and let simmer until the tomatoes are quite cooked, then add six eggs which have been beaten. stir while cooking and serve soft as you would scrambled eggs. boiled rice. rice in cuba is an indispensable article of food, and no meal is complete without it. there is no little art required in its preparation, and it is imperative that it should be dry and tender at once. like most simple things, it has a certain knack to it. having thoroughly washed the rice, place it in a saucepan with three or four times the same quantity of water; salt generously and allow to boil until the grain is soft but not broken; drain off carefully all the water, cover the saucepan tightly and place at the back of the stove, where it will finish cooking slowly and become dry through the action of the steam. a small piece of lard added a few moments before serving glazes the rice and brings out its flavor. each grain should stand apart from its neighbors. some cubans add a single kernel of garlic after removing the water. the quantity is so small that there is but a suspicion of a taste, and it gives this frugal dish a certain _cachet_. fried plantains are essential to every breakfast in the tropics, but they are not always obtainable here. a very good substitute is the ordinary banana. it should not be over ripe. fry until a rich brown in hot fat. these three dishes should be served at one course. fish in escabeche. take three pounds of bonito or halibut in slices, fry and lay for several hours in a sauce made of half a pint of vinegar, in which the following ingredients have boiled for a few minutes: three or four cloves, a bay leaf, a pinch of thyme, a kernel of garlic, a sliced onion, half a teaspoonful of coloring pepper, three tablespoonfuls of good salad oil and a few capers, olives and pickles. hard boiled eggs may also be used for garnishing. it is eaten cold, and will keep, well covered in a stone jar, for weeks. (this dish is invaluable in summer.) serve with new potatoes, boiled, over which a lump of butter and a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley have been placed. tenderloin steak. the best restaurants in habana prepare the steak as follows: take a tender filet of beef, cut in cross sections an inch and a half thick, wrap each piece in greased paper, and broil over a brisk fire. remove the papers, add butter, salt, pepper and plenty of lemon juice--say the juice of two lemons for a whole filet. in cuba they use the juice of the sour orange, but that is not to be had here. this is the _creole_ style, and is simply a modification of the french way. if you want the steak _a la espanola_, it should be fried instead of broiled, and when well done each piece surmounted by a _mojo_. the _mojo_ is a little mound consisting of onions and green peppers chopped very fine, and lemon juice added to the gravy. guava paste is easily obtained from any importer, and it is the proper thing to eat it with fresh cream cheese or sliced edam cheese. cocoanut dessert. this is purely a tropical dish, but americans are very fond of it. peel and grate a cocoanut; make a syrup out of four cups of sugar and two of water; when the syrup begins to thicken (when it has boiled about five minutes) throw in the grated cocoanut and cook on a moderate fire half an hour more; stir in the beaten yolks of three eggs and a wine glass full of sherry. remove from the fire. the final point of your breakfast is the coffee, and in cuban eyes the affair will be a success or a failure according to the quality of this supreme nectar. the berry should be the best obtainable; freshly roasted, or at least the flavor refreshened by heating the grain in the oven a few minutes before using. grind and percolate at the last moment. serve black and _very strong_, in very small cups. chapter iv. spring and autumn breakfasts. the centerpiece is of moss and ferns with arbutus blossoms peeping out, with a border of green and white fairy lamps mushroom form. miniature flower beds, marked off with tiny white shells are in each of the four corners of the table. in one lilies of the valley stand upright, narcissii are in another, white tulips in a third and white lilacs wired on a tiny bush make the fourth. the name cards have tiny photographs of a farm with the name of the guests in gilt script. at each place is a tiny may basket of moss filled with arbutus, spring beauties, and wild violets, for a souvenir. the ice cream in flower forms is brought in in a spun sugar nest resting on twigs of pussy willows. the menu is a very simple one and includes grape fruit, the center cut out and filled with a lump of sugar soaked in rum, cream of clams, shredded whitefish in shells with horseradish and cucumbers, filet of beef with mushrooms, new potatoes, new asparagus, mint ice, squab on toast with shoestring potatoes, current jelly; salad of cucumbers, pecan nuts and lettuce with french dressing; ice cream, white cake, and black cake, coffee and cream de menthe. april breakfast. april's lady wears the pussywillow for her flower, and this makes a delightful springlike motif for decoration. for the breakfast have round tables or one long table with twig baskets of pussywillows tied with bows of soft grasses, raffia dyed a silvery grey. the table is set with the old-fashioned willow pattern china, quaint sheffield silver and is unmarked by any of the small dishes of sweets that fill breakfast tables. the name cards are decorated with sprays of pussywillows in the upper left corner and miniatures of famous women writers of this and the past decade taken from magazines: george eliot, miss austen, miss mulock, jean ingelow, elizabeth barrett browning, felicia hemans, louisa m. alcott, mrs. humphrey ward, mrs. burton harrison, mary e. wilkins freeman, elizabeth stuart phelps, margaret deland. the menu is strawberries in little twig baskets with brown paper caps filled with sugar, planked fish with sliced cucumbers, deviled sweetbreads and mushrooms on toast squares, saratoga potatoes, hot rolls, brandy peaches, waffles and hot syrup, coffee. a maypole breakfast. this breakfast is given the last week in may and can be copied by the summer hostess substituting different flowers in season. the guests are seated at small tables, each table being decorated with a different kind of flower--the iris, marguerites, sweet peas, roses, mignonette, etc. before each plate stands a tiny maypole about the size of a lead pencil, wound with baby ribbon of different colors. these are souvenirs for each guest. for the first course have fresh strawberries served with their leaves and blossoms. then a cream of celery soup served in cups. croutons are served with this. the soft shell crabs are served on a bed of water cress and radishes cut in fancy shapes. with them is served a thick mayonnaise on half a lemon; and cucumbers with french dressing. the brown and white bread sandwiches are cut in the shape of palm leaves. delicious orange sherbet is served in champagne glasses. then comes broiled chicken with new potatoes, french peas and hot rolls. the fruit salad is served in head lettuce with square wafers accompanying. the ice cream is molded in the form of red and white apples, with a cluster of real apple blossoms laid on each plate. with this is served a white cake with whipped cream and french coffee. may breakfast. carry out the may basket idea for a breakfast. by searching the ten-cent stores one can find little imitation cut glass baskets with handles. use a large cut glass basket or bowl with wire handle over the top for the center of the table and one of the smaller baskets filled with pansies, valley lilies or may flowers at each place. or make a pretty crystal wreath a short distance from the center by using crystal candlesticks with white candles and shades of glass beads, alternated by the little glass baskets filled with dainty flowers or maidenhair fern. or use these baskets for green, white or pink bonbons. another pretty may basket idea is to suspend little baskets of flowers from the back of each chair and use an immense basket of flowers for the center of the table. suitable toasts for the name cards, which should be little flower baskets cut out of water color paper and decorated, would be sentences describing mayday in various countries. or, use sentiments of flowers. here are some: the red rose: "i love you." the daisy: "there is no hope." lily of the valley: "my heart withers in secret." the lilac: "you are my first love." violets: "i am faithful." you will enjoy hunting for flower sentiments. for the menu serve: tomato bisque, wafers; sweetbread croquettes, peas, new potatoes, creamed asparagus, lemon sherbet; spring salad (radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, with french dressing on lettuce leaf), strawberries, served with hulls on and around a paper cup or mound of fine sugar; white cake with chocolate icing. an autumn breakfast. if one loves the reigning color, brown, give a brown breakfast in which all shades from seal to orange are used in pretty combination. a flat wreath of brown foliage extends inside the plate line. in the center of the table is a pyramid made of the tiny artificial oranges, buds and blossoms that are shown in the milliners' windows. from this pyramid radiate streamers of light brown tulle in wavy lines across the table to the wreath at the edge. yellow candles with autumn leaf shades in yellows and browns are placed inside the space between the center and the wreath. the name cards are placed inside little boxes decorated with pyrographic work and suitable for jewel boxes. the creamed lobster is served in cups covered with brown tissue paper, the browned chops, browned fried potatoes, and browned rice croquettes are served on plates decorated with a design of brown oak leaves and acorns. the ice cream is chocolate frozen in shape of large english walnuts and the little squares of white cake bear the design of a leaf in tiny chocolate candies. a musical romance. have it for entertainment at breakfast with prizes for the one who answers best. each question is answered by the name of a song. questions. . who was the lover? . who was his sweetheart? . in what country were they born? . on what river was his home? . what was his favorite state? . where did he first meet her? . what part of the day was it? . how was her hair arranged? . what flower did he offer her? . when did he propose to her? . what did he say to her? . what was her reply? . when were they married? . her maid of honor was from scotland; what was her name? . the best man was a soldier; who was he? . when in the civil war did the groom and best man become acquainted? . a little sister of the bride was flower girl; what was her name? . in what church was the ceremony solemnized? . in the thoroughfares of what foreign city did they spend their honeymoon? . what motto greeted them as they entered their new dwelling? . who did the bridegroom finally turn out to be? answers. . ben bolt. . sweet marie. . america. . suanne river. . maryland, my maryland. . comin' through the rye. . in the gloaming. . her golden hair was hanging down her back. . sweet violets. . after the ball. . won't you be my sweetheart? . if you ain't got no money you needn't come around. . in springtime, gentle anne. . annie laurie. . warrior bold. . while we were marching through georgia. . marguerite. . church across the way. . streets of cairo. . home, sweet home. . the man that broke the bank at monte carlo. the answers to the above should not be arbitrary. there are many songs that afford quite as good answers as those given above, and the score should credit anyone that makes a reply which fits the question. a red rose breakfast. "i find earth not gray, but rosy, heaven not grim, but fair of hue." here is a pretty breakfast for the month of june. have for the centerpiece a huge bowl of jacque-minot roses. use long sprays of the leaves and arrange the flowers very loosely in the bowl. have for the boutonnieres at each cover a bunch of red rose buds tied with scarlet ribbon. the place cards are also red roses cut to the required shape from rough drawing paper and appropriately colored. of course the red touch will be introduced as frequently as possible into the menu. serve tomato soup, salmon salad and claret water ice. cakes must be glazed in red, and the ice cream, served in artistic little baskets of spun sugar, to take the form of red roses. have side dishes filled with pink coated almonds and candied rose petals. then, during the dessert course, introduce what is called a rose shower. this will be on the order of the literary salads that were so popular some time ago, but it is newer. the idea is this: cut from red tissue paper a couple of dozen little leaf shaped pieces to be crimped and creased and coaxed into representing rose petals. on each petal write a familiar quotation relating to the rose. these leaves are to be passed around the table, each guest taking one, and when done with it, passing it on. prizes will be offered to the guests who are able to name the authors of the largest number of quotations. here are some of the verses: that which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet. --_shakespeare_. but earthlier happy is the rose distilled than that which, withering on the virgin thorn grows, lives, and dies in single blessedness. --_shakespeare_. the rose is fairest when 'tis budding new; and hope is brightest when it dawns from fears. the rose is sweetest washed with morning dew, and love is loveliest when embalmed in tears. --_scott_. 'tis the last rose of summer left blooming alone. --_moore_. you may break, you may shatter the vase if you will, but the scent of the roses will hang round it still. --_moore_. he wears the rose of youth upon him. --_shakespeare_. as though a rose should shut and be a bud again. --_keats_. she wore a wreath of roses, that night when first we met. --_t. h. bayley_. the rose that all are praising is not the rose for me. --_t. h. bayley_. loveliest of lovely things are they on earth that soonest pass away. the rose that lives his little hour is prized beyond the sculptured flower. --_bryant_. flowers of all hue and without thorn the rose. --_milton_. a rosebud set with little wilful thorns, and sweet as english air could make her, she. --_tennyson_. let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they be withered. --_bible_. gather ye rosebuds while ye may, old time is still a flying; and this same flower that smiles today, tomorrow wille be dying. --_herrick_. their lips were four red roses on a stalk. --_shakespeare_. and i will make thee beds of roses and a thousand fragrant posies. --_marlowe_. these, of course, will be only about half enough, but the hostess can add others to them. the prize for the best list of answers should suggest roses in some way. chrysanthemum breakfast. the time ten o'clock. invitations, to be on a large sized visiting card, this wise: mrs. ---- at home, wednesday morning, november seventh, nineteen -- ---- ten o'clock, ---- street, please reply. breakfast. enclose card in envelope to match. have three schemes of color for decorations--white chrysanthemums for parlor, pink for library, and yellow for dining-room. serve at small tables, with rich floral center pieces, and handsomely draped with battenburg, or linen center piece and plate tumbler doylies. place cards, two and one-half inches by six in size, should be decorated with a spray of chrysanthemums on a shaded background in water colors, leaving sufficient blank for a name and outlining the top card with cut edges of leaves. first course. a small cluster of grapes served on dessert plates. second course. baked apple--(remove the core and fill with cooked oat meal; bake and serve with whipped cream over the whole.) third course. chicken croquettes, scalloped potatoes, buttered rolls, celery, coffee. fourth course. fruit and nut salad, served in small cups on a bread and butter plate, with a wafer. fifth course. ice cream, in chocolate, pink and white layers; angel food, and pink and white layer cake. have a dish of salted almonds on each table. pond lily breakfast. white and green are the colors for a september breakfast. have the dining room decorated with luxuriant ferns and dainty, fragrant water lilies, the fireplace banked with ferns, the lilies scattered carelessly over the mantel. in the center of the table have a miniature rowboat heaped high with the lilies. for the souvenirs have very small oars which could afterwards be used for paper knives; besides clusters of lilies. harp music is the most in harmony with our ideas of lilies and the lily naiads, so the soft strains will form a delightful accompaniment to the breakfast. this is the menu: _cream of lettuce soup_ _steamed white fish_ _hollandaise sauce_ _potato balls_ _maitre de hotel sauce_ _jellied chicken_ _cauliflower, creamed_ _asparagus_ _cheese salad_ _metropolitan ice cream_ _small cakes_ _niagara grapes_ _coffee_ cream of lettuce soup. break the outer green leaves from two heads of lettuce. place neatly together and with a sharp knife cut into shreds. put them into one quart of white stock and simmer gently for half an hour. press through a colander, return to the fire. rub together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add two tablespoonfuls of hot stock and rub smooth, add this to the soup, stirring constantly until it thickens. add a level tablespoonful of grated onion, one cupful of cream and a seasoning of salt and white pepper. when ready to serve, beat the yolk of one egg lightly, pour into a tureen, turn the hot soup over it and add a heaping tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. the fish is garnished with cress. cheese salad. mash very fine the cold yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, and rub with them a coffee cupful of finely grated cheese, a teaspoonful of mustard, a saltspoonful of salt and one-half as much white pepper. when all are well mixed, add two tablespoonfuls each of oil and vinegar, alternately. heap this upon fresh lettuce and garnish with the whites of eggs cut into rings, and a few tips of celery. serve with hot buttered crackers. the ice cream is served on lily leaves. the cakes are white, with green icing. this is the music selected: solo--"to a water lily" _mcdowell_ old song--"lily dale" vocal solo--"row gently here, my gondolier" _schumann_ a tulip breakfast. a pretty idea is a tulip breakfast. the centerpiece is a large basket filled with tulips of different colors. a pretty course is strawberries served in real tulips lying on fancy plates with the stems tied with narrow ribbon the same shade as the tulip. the ice cream is served in shape of a tulip, and the salad is in a cup of green tissue paper imitating four tulip leaves. this is the plan for finding places. the name cards are decorated with tiny landscapes. on the back of the card is written the title of a song and the guest finds her own name in the title. for example a guest named mamie will find her place by the words "mamie, come kiss your honey boy," one named alice will find hers "oh, don't you remember sweet alice, ben bolt;" mollie in "do you love me, mollie darling," etc. the menu is: _fruit cup (strawberries, oranges, white grapes with whipped cream)_ _bouillon, wafers, radishes_ _escalloped fish, wafers, pickles_ _veal loaf, whipped potatoes, green peas_ _hot rolls, pickles, sherbet_ _fruit salad, wafers_ _ice cream in shape of tulips, strawberries served in real tulips_ _white cake, bonbons_ _coffee_ a grape breakfast. may the juice of the grape enliven each soul, and good humor preside at the head of each bowl. nothing could be prettier nor more appropriate for september than a grape breakfast. if possible, have the design of the lunch cloth in grapes, and use a pyramid of purple and white grapes for the center of the table. lay perfect bunches of grapes tied with lavender ribbon on the cloth for decoration. serve grapes in some fashion with each course, single, in tiny bunches, or the leaves decorating the plates. mold gelatine in a grape mold and color with grape juice. use white grapes for the salad and grape juice to drink. serve grape jelly with the meat course. woman's club breakfast. have the table of honor a round table with a large round basket of white flowers and everything corresponding in white. use roses, carnations or any white flower you choose. have oblong tables radiating from the center table with place for four on each side and two at the outer ends. this leaves no guest seated with her back to the honor table. have the oblong tables decorated in pink. have name cards with carnations thrust through the corner, at each plate. make the breakfast a daylight affair, unless the day is a dark one. serve chopped fresh sweet cherries sweetened and with a little rum or white wine poured over them; let stand for several hours in the refrigerator and serve in stem glasses. chicken croquettes molded in form of small chickens, or broiled chicken with water cress; creamed potatoes, sliced cucumbers, hot rolls, spiced peaches served in champagne glasses; whole tomatoes stuffed with cooked cauliflower and nuts set on branch of cherry or strawberry leaves; cheese sandwiches made very thin; ice cream molded in form of strawberries, small cakes frosted, (place half of a large strawberry on top of each piece of cake before serving). breakfast al fresco. a breakfast al fresco is just the thing to entertain a party of young girls. have the tables on the porch. at each plate have a cluster of flowers answering a conundrum. give each girl a card containing the conundrum and ask her to find her place at the table by the flower answering the questions. these questions will not be hard for a hostess to arrange and will of course depend on the flowers she can secure. here are a few sample ones given at a recent breakfast: who will attend our next entertainment? phlox. what happened when gladys lost her hat in the lake? a yellow rose (a yell arose). what paper gives the most help in decoration? justicia (just tissue). what will the far north do for you? freesia. for what hour were you invited? four o'clock. what is the handsomest woman in the world? american beauty. use pink and green for the color scheme and add a little touch of these two colors to everything served. tie the skewers of the chops with pink and green ribbons and have the ice cream one layer of pistachio and one of strawberry. chapter v. the modern "five o'clock." "a cup she designates as mine with motion of her dainty finger; the kettle boils--oh! drink divine, in memory shall thy fragrance linger!" although indebted to england for the afternoon tea, it is a very informal affair across the water. it doubtless originated in suburban homes, where during the hunting and holiday seasons, large and merry house-parties are entertained for weeks together. returning late from driving or field sports the tired guests require some light refreshment before making their toilets for the evening dinner. the english hostess very sensibly meets this claim upon her hospitality by serving tea and biscuit in library or drawing-room. from this small beginning comes the american "five o'clock," one of the prettiest of all social functions, and still smiled upon by dame fashion as a favorite method of entertaining. decorative in character, it gives opportunity to display the treasures of porcelain, glass, silver, embroidered napery and all the lovely table-appointments that everywhere delight the heart of woman. more exquisite than ever before are the little tea-tables--a succession of crescent shaped shelves, rising one above the other, two, three or four in number, as the taste inclines. upon these, resting on cobwebs of linen or lace, are placed the priceless cups, tiny spoons, graceful caddy and all other articles necessary to the service. the silver caddy is now a thing of sentiment as well as use--one recently bestowed as a bridal gift bearing engraved upon it this little verse: "we sit and sip--the time flies fast, my cup needs filling,--project clever! she comes and i grown bold at last say 'darling, make my tea forever!'" in the future of married life, how sweet this reminder of the past, when all the days were golden in the light of love, youth and hope! another couplet pretty and suggestive is found in "a cup and a welcome for everyone, and a corner for you and me." amid flowers and softly shaded lights sits the gracious woman who pours the liquid gold into the fragile cups, dispensing meanwhile, smiles and the bright charming small talk that is so necessary to the success of these occasions. a wise hostess selects for this important position the most brilliant, tactful woman within her circle of friends. the menu, although by no means regulated on the english house-party plan, should consist of trifles--sandwiches, wafers, fancy cakes, ices, and possibly a salad. foreigners understand the value of the simple feast which makes frequent entertaining possible and a delight rather than a burden. in america the menu, decorations, etc., grow more and more elaborate from the ambition of each successive hostess to out-do her neighbor, until the economy and beauty of simplicity is irretrievably lost in the greater expense, fatigue and crush of a more pretentious function. at the afternoon tea guests may come and go in street toilet, with or without a carriage in accordance with preference and pocketbook. however elegant the appointments and surroundings of this special function, the progressive hostess must remember that her culture will be judged by the quality of the beverage she serves. it is an age of luxury and refined taste in palate, as in other things, and _tea_ is no longer tea, unless of a high grade and properly brewed. the woman who trusts her domestic affairs to a housekeeper, or in the event of attending to them herself, depends wholly for the excellence of an article upon the price she pays, is a very mistaken one. without informing herself she may very naturally conclude that russian or caravan tea is cultivated, buds and blossoms in the land of the czar, until later on, when her ignorance meets a downfall in some very embarrassing way. the high-class, fancy teas of china are prepared by special manipulation and for the use of wealthy families in the celestial empire and are therefore never exported to other countries. russian tea-merchants, recognizing this, send shrewd buyers across the desert into china just at the season to secure the choicest pickings for future consumption by the nobility of their own country. of late years the "five o'clocks" and consequent craze for fine teas in america has tempted them to obtain a small quantity above the requirements of their titled patrons in russia and this they export to the united states. if genuine, the name russia or caravan tea signifies the choicest and most expensive grade procurable the world over. it will be remembered that among the many gifts bestowed when in this country by its recent guest, li hung chang, were beautifully ornamented boxes and packages of this delicately flavored and fragrant tea. the high class grades from india and ceylon, although not as costly as the russian, may be used by the hostess of the modern "five o'clock" without risk to her reputation as a woman of culture. she will consent, however, "that tea boiled, is tea spoiled," and avail herself of the pretty and convenient silver-ball, or the closely covered pot or cups in which these rare teas should never brew over three minutes. for the famous tea service of china and japan, tiny covered cups are always presented. the american hostess will regret when too late, the many advantages of the afternoon tea, alas! foolishly sacrificed upon the altar of her vanity to excel in the extravagance of hospitality. even now experience teaches that "a tea" means anything from its original intention of informal, pleasant social intercourse with light refreshments, to the function which includes hundreds of guests, who are entertained at a banquet presenting the most expensive achievements of florist and caterer. in repudiation of this is the strict code of etiquette requiring that "an invitation be worded to indicate truthfully the exact character of the hospitality it extends. courtesy to guests compels this, that they may be able to conform in toilet to the occasion and thus avoid the mortification of being under or over-dressed, the _latter_ to be counted as much the greater misfortune." this from a very ancient book, it is true, but its lesson in good manners is none the less pertinent now than when written in the dead past. it remains with the hostess, whether one shall enjoy the pleasures and privileges of the pretty five o'clock. whether in the line of elegance or simplicity, the tea russian or ceylon, it can be dainty, well served, and lovely with flowers of sweet graciousness and cordial welcome. these united may be depended upon to make it the social success coveted by every woman who poses as a hostess, whether in cottage or palace! nowhere are the artistic instincts of a modern hostess more charmingly brought to bear than in the appointments of her tea-table. to show individuality in this cosy afternoon ceremony, is an aim not difficult to reach. the russian table should have a cloth with insertion bands of the strong muscovite peasant lace that is brightened by red and blue threads in the pattern; a tea caddy of niello work; and a brass samovar, of course. facilities for fitting out a japanese tea-table can be found almost everywhere. the "correct" outfit consists of a low lacquered table, lotus-blossom cups--with covers and without handles--and a plump little teapot heated over an _hibachi_ of glowing charcoal. it is not a japanese custom to have the tea-table covered, but the famous embroiderers of yokohama, having learned to cater to foreign tastes, now send out tea-cloths of the sheerest linen lawn, with the national bamboo richly worked in white linen floss above the broad hem-stitched hem. these are exquisitely dainty in appearance, but can be easily and successfully laundered--a very important consideration. but the quaintest of all is the dutch table, where the sugar basin is supported over the heads of chased silver female figures; the cream jug is in the form of a silver cow, and the beguiling jamaica shows richly dark through a black forest spirit bottle. cakes and wafers have lost favor at tea-tables. they have been replaced by little savories, which harmonize with the popular antique silver and china, by passing under their old-fashioned name of "whets;" for the afternoon tea, originally intended to be a light refreshment, had become a detriment to the dinner. savories, on the contrary, are a whet to the appetite and clear the palate for the due appreciation of the dinner. two or three different kinds are usually served. anybody possessed of a little cooking knowledge can arrange a variety of them at a minimum of trouble and expense, and in their variety lies half their charm. there are many kinds of fish, both preserved in oil and smoked, that may be used. these should be sprinkled with chopped _fines herbes_, placed upon thin slices of fresh bread--from which the crust has been carefully cut--rolled and served "_en pyramide_." toasted crumpets, heavily buttered, spread with _caviar_ upon which a little lemon juice has been squeezed and served hot, are considered a great delicacy at english tea-tables. another way of serving _caviar_ is to spread it on thin bread and butter, which is then rolled up like tiny cigars. russians declare, however, that the less done to _caviar_ the better it will be, and to send it to the tea-table in its original jar, with an accompaniment of fresh dry toast and quartered lemon, is the fashion preferred by connoisseurs. it takes a grand dame, so to speak, to give a tea. the vulgarian almost always overdoes it. she gets things to eat, while the woman who knows gets people, and doesn't care what they have to eat. there is nothing about a whole shop of provisions, while people who dress well, look well, talk well and behave well, make up that charming circle called society. the tea table may be green and white. palms, ferns, mignonette, mosses and clusters of leaves lend themselves to the nicest effects against the whites of the table-cloth and china. if color is preferred, there are tulips and daffodils of gorgeous beauty, and good for a week's wear. nothing but white damask is used by gentlewomen. the woman who gives a tea never pours it. there are other things she can do to please her callers. tea is usually served with candlelight, and to be a success need cost next to nothing, for nothing need be served that is substantial enough to dislocate the appetite for dinner. some women serve an old fashioned beat biscuit, about the size of an english walnut, with the cup of tea. these biscuits are awfully good, but only the old mammies who have survived the war know how to make them, and there is where the old families have the advantage of the new people. others serve brown sandwiches made of boston brown bread and butter. more slices of lemon than cream jugs are used. cream is something of a nuisance, and if people don't take lemon they can take tea as li hung chang does. for a guest to have a preference and emphasize it, is downright rude. to be asked to a lady's house is glory enough for any one. the grumbler can go to a restaurant and take a cup and drink it up for a dime. an afternoon tea. send out the invitation for an afternoon tea a week or ten days or even two weeks beforehand. use visiting cards and below the name or in the lower left corner, the hours: to , or any hours one chooses. on the top of the card or below the name write the name of the guest for whom the tea is given, if it is an affair in honor of some guest. decorate the rooms simply or elaborately as one chooses. for a small tea simply fill the vases with flowers, and make a special feature of the tea table in the dining room. have a center basket of flowers and ferns tied with satin ribbons on the handle, or have cut glass vases at the corners. use lighted candles, white, or the color of your flowers, if carrying out a certain color scheme in the dining-room. pink, red or yellow are liked for this room as they are warm, bright colors. if the tea is given in spring or summer, green and white are liked. have candles and shades match the color scheme and place silk or satin of the color used under the mats and doilies. on the table have cut glass or fine china dishes filled with candies, chocolates, salted nuts and candied fruits. tea may be served from one end of the table and an ice from the other. have a friend pour tea. place before her the small cups, saucers, spoons. she fills the cups and hands them to the guests or to those assisting in the dining-room. the cream, sugar or slices of lemon are passed by assistants. piles of plates are on the table by the one serving ice. the ice is served into a cut glass cup and placed on the plate with a spoon. cakes are passed; so are the bonbons. serve tea and chocolate or coffee. if one wish a more elaborate collation, pass assorted sandwiches, which are on plates on the table, or have a plate containing chicken salad on a lettuce leaf, olives and wafers. waiters are best when the refreshments include two or three courses. the ices may be brought in or served from the table and the coffee and tea served from the table. ask from five to ten friends to assist in the parlors, to see that guests go to the dining-room and that strangers are introduced. stand at the entrance or before a bank of palms in a window or corner and greet the guests. the guest or guests of honor stand with the hostess and she introduces them. a great many ladies do not wear gloves when receiving, but it is proper to wear them. it would seem that the hands would keep in better condition to shake hands with guests, if gloves were worn. bank the mantels with ferns and flowers and cover the lights with pretty shades of tissue paper. use pink or green and white in the parlors and red, yellow or pink in the dining-room. serve a fruit punch from a table covered with a white cloth and trimmed with smilax, ferns and flowers. use a large punch bowl and glass cups. have a square block of ice in the bowl. if a cut-glass punch bowl is used, care should be used lest the ice crack it. temper the bowl by putting in cold water and adding a few bits of ice at a time until it is chilled. do not put ice into a warm bowl or one that has not been thus tempered. if there is music have a string orchestra concealed behind palms in a corner of the hall or dining-room. telling fortunes by teagrounds. first, the one whose fortune is to be told should drink a little of the tea while it is hot, and then turn out the rest, being careful not to turn out the grounds in doing so, and also not to look at them, as it is bad luck. then she must turn the cup over, so that no water remains, for drops of water in the teagrounds signify tears. next, she must turn the cup around slowly toward her three times, wishing the wish of her heart as she turns it. after this she must rest it a minute against the edge of a saucer--to court luck. then the fortune-teller takes it and reads the fortune. three small dots in a row stand for the wish. if near the top it will soon be realized. if at the bottom some time will elapse. if the grounds are bunched together it signifies that all will be well with the fortune-seeker, but if they are scattered it means much the reverse. a small speck near the top is a letter. a large speck, a photograph, or present of some kind, either one depending on the shape of the speck. the sticks are people--light or dark, short or tall, according to their color and length. a small one means a child. a thick one, a woman. if they lie crosswise they are enemies. if straight up, intimate friends, or pleasant acquaintances to be made. if a large speck is near them, it means they are coming for a visit, bringing a valise or trunk. if there is a bottle shape near a stick it means a physician. if a book shape, a minister or lawyer. if many fine specks, a married man. the sticks with a bunch of grounds on their backs are bearers of bad news, or they will "say things" about you. a long line of grounds with no openings between foretells a journey by water. if openings, by rail. a large ring, closed, means an offer of marriage to an unmarried woman. to a married one, it means a fortunate undertaking. to a man, success in business. a small ring is an invitation. dust-like grounds bunched together at the bottom or side are a sum of money. a triangle signifies good luck, so does an anchor or a horseshoe. a half moon or star to married people means a paying investment. to unmarried, a new lover or sweetheart. a pyramid is extremely lucky. a square or oblong, new lands. flowers, a present. leaves, sickness and death. fruit of any kind, health. a hand, warning, if the fingers are spread. if closed, an offer of friendship or marriage. a cross signifies trouble. any musical instrument, a wedding. bird, suit at law. cat, deception. dog, faithful friend. horse, important news. snake, an enemy. turtle, long life. rabbit, luck. house, offer of marriage, or a removal. flag, some surprise or a journey to another country. a heart is the most propitious sign of all, as it means happiness, fidelity, long life, health and wealth. chapter vi. scotch tea. . to give an odd function that is not a complete fizzle is a fine art. easy enough it is for the hostess to plan an out-of-the-ordinary affair, but to have the party turn out a success is, as the kiplingites are eternally quoted as saying, "quite another story." for music have the highlander's bag-pipe, the door opened by a man in the striking garb of scotland. for decoration use white heather and primroses. in the dining-room have the words "we'll take a cup o' kindness yet" in large letters and conspicuously framed in pine. presiding at the table have young girls in scottish costume who dispense the "cup o' kindness" from a silver teapot nestling-in a "cosey"; (a padded cloth cover) to keep hot the favorite feminine beverage. the delectable dishes dear to the highlander's heart are passed for the approval of feminine palates. these viands include scones, a sort of muffin made with flour, soda, sugar and water. these are split and filled with orange marmalade straight from dundee and, as everybody knows, the best in the whole culinary world. scones are baked on griddles, and are especially popular in the country houses of scotland. then there is a rich pastry called shortbread, made of butter, sugar and flour--no water--and beaten up; rolled out about an inch thick and baked in sheets. shortbread is a great delicacy in scotland. there are oat cakes also, a biscuit made of oatmeal, shortening and water. two kinds of cake--black fruit cake and sultana cake, which is a pound cake containing sultana raisins--complete the course of highland dainties. on the walls drape the striking plaids of scotland, worked with the names of the different clans. in the reception-room have the words, "a wee drappie," framed in pine. the inscription should be over a table on which is served mulled wine from a silver pitcher kept in hot water. even a white-ribboner would call mulled claret delicious or get a black mark from the recording angel for prevarication. "better lo'ed ye canna be, will ye no come back again." makes a last pleasing inscription over the entrance for the departing guest. scotch tea. . followed by supper. a scotch day, modeled after a genuine party in "bonnie scotland," is a pleasing idea for the entertainment of a lenten house party. from twelve to twenty-four guests are entertained, the ladies being asked to come at three o'clock and the gentlemen at half past six. as every woman, no matter what her condition in life, works industriously knitting or crocheting lace or embroidering, each guest brings her bit of handwork and the afternoon is spent in chatting while fair fingers ply the needles. at five o'clock the guests are invited to the dining-room where they are seated at a large table. at a typical scotch tea the centerpiece is an oblong piece of satin in any preferred color edged with a ruffle of white lace. in the center of this is a tall vase holding a miscellaneous bouquet, and at the corners of the centerpiece are small vases of similar design holding similar bouquets. all edibles are on the table at once, there is no removing of courses. the teacups, silver teapot with satin cosey, silver or china hot water pitcher and sugar and cream are placed in front of the hostess. the hostess asks the taste of the guest as to sugar and cream and fixes the tea herself. the maid passes the tea and then retires, and the service becomes informal, the guests assisting. at each place is a small tea plate, knife and spoon, but no napkins and none of the numberless dishes generally seen on american tables. no water glasses are placed on the table. instead there is a pitcher, carafe or siphon on the side-board or serving table, which is passed to the guest should he ask for water. the table is nicely balanced by dishes in pairs, there are two plates of butter, one fresh and one salted at either end of the table, two plates of bread, two plates of fancy cakes, two dishes of of bread, two plates of fancy cakes, two dishes of jelly, etc. the menu for the tea is white and graham bread and fresh and salted butter, tea, scones, strawberry jam, orange marmalade, fancy cakes, including macaroons, jelly cake made in two layers and called jelly sandwiches and sometimes tiny cold pancakes. the last course is fresh strawberries served on the stem with powdered sugar. the men arrive at half past six o'clock and are served tea in the library, smoking room or den. preceding the supper which is served at half past nine o'clock, the guests talk, play cards or have music. the supper table is arranged much as the tea-table save between the small vases are small candleholders with lighted candles. the host and hostess are at either end of the table and each serves a meat, the plates being passed by a maid and by the guests. there is a vegetable dish at each end of the table. the meats and vegetables are served on one plate, the only extra plate being the small bread and butter plate with the bread and butter knife laid across it. the maid removes the first course dishes and places a large bowl of strawberries and dessert saucers before the hostess who serves strawberries, the maid and the guests passing the saucers. the guests hand the nuts, cheese, fresh fruits and other edibles about, doing away with the services of the maid. the supper menu includes a hot beef-steak and onion or other meat pie, cut by the hostess, hot fish, finnan haddie being a great favorite, cold tongue, mashed potatoes, cauliflower, celery, cheese, bottled pop, lemonade, white bread, graham bread, scones, fresh and salted butter, jellies and jams, marmalade. the second course is fresh strawberries, oranges, bananas, english walnuts. after supper cards, music and chatting fill in the hours until midnight and sometimes longer for the bonnie scots are typical night owls. a gypsy tea out of doors. a gypsy tea is the occasion of entertainment of young men by young women, wherein the young men have nothing to do but come and be treated just as hospitably and courteously as is possible. the girls must do all the hard work, all the planning, all the inviting and bear all the responsibilities of every kind. twelve or more girls meet and appoint committees to attend to the necessary arrangements--one committee to select a picnic ground, another to invite the young gentlemen whom they desire to attend, another to arrange for the music, and another to get the refreshments. all the other committees work under the directions of the committee on arrangements. a gypsy tea always begins at twilight. the girls who are to select the picnic ground must exercise much judgment in deciding on a convenient and picturesque location, and as dancing is always an attractive feature of such an outing, they should see that there is a suitable pavilion nearby. then there must be a spot well adapted for a campfire, for a gypsy tea would never be a success without a campfire burning in the twilight. other essentials are a kettle and tripod. three rough poles are made to form a tripod and the kettle is suspended from the vertex of the angles or the crossing point of the poles. music, in which string instruments figure most conspicuously, should be selected, as this lends itself best to the weird effect which should be sought. three or four pieces will generally be sufficient and they may consist of a violin, guitar, banjo and snare drum or the drum may be omitted if not convenient. the committee appointed to gather the refreshments must have the assistance of all the other women of the club, for its work is very arduous and necessitates great care and precaution and good judgment. each girl must subscribe something to eat, and care should be taken that all the girls do not contribute cakes, pies and pickles. get plenty of cold meats, sandwiches and you might have some nuts of some kind or sweet potatoes or raw eggs or something to roast in the campfire. in a gypsy tea the young women must all go to the grounds by themselves, unattended by the men and the men are to arrive in a body later; they have previously been informed of the exact location and hour when they will be expected. the young women should all wear gypsy costumes and one must be a fortune teller or good at pretending that she can tell fortunes. if suitable arrangements can be made for their reaching the grounds without appearing too conspicuous they may wear the gypsy costumes as outer garments en route. otherwise each girl can slip on something easily divested, over the gypsy dress and remove it at the picnic grounds before the young men arrive, donning it again before time to start home. arrangements should be made for a vehicle to make the round of all the girl's homes on the day of the gypsy tea to gather up the refreshments and take them to the picnic ground previously selected. on the day of the outing all the girls gather at an appointed place and go together to the grounds by such means of transportation as they deem best suited to the conditions. the vehicle containing the refreshments and other needful appendages may follow. on reaching the grounds the girls all get busy making the preparations and getting everything in excellent condition for the arrival of the boys. the tripods are arranged, the kettle is hung, the campfire is built, and the grounds are made to look artistic. when the men arrive just at the hour of sundown, everything is in readiness. the fire is burning brightly, the fortune teller is at her post, the kettle is steaming and the refreshments are spread on table cloths laid on the grass. then the tea is made and each man enjoys a dainty but toothsome repast. after tea the baskets and equipments are replaced in the wagon and the grounds cleared. the remainder of the evening may be spent in dancing, fortune telling and the like. chapter vii. a japanese tea. . in japan the hostess serves the tea from the table. there is a charcoal burner over which the water is kept lukewarm, not hot. the tea is powdered very fine. it is in the teapot or cups as the hostess chooses. the water is poured over it and off quickly for the tea in the cup is very weak and only straw-colored, not dark as we make it. it is drunk without cream or sugar. with it are served tiny wafer-like sweet cakes and dishes of bonbons are on the table, no nuts, just bonbons. nothing is on the table save the tea equipment, tiny cups and saucers and dishes of sweets. as the water is only lukewarm one can easily have the five o'clock teakettle on the table (though that is not japanese). as fast as the water boils pour into a pitcher and keep the kettle replenished, pouring into the cups from the pitcher. or have the maids bring the water from the kitchen. in japan the geisha girls are employed in the public teahouses to entertain men visitors so "maids" will be a better term by which to call the young girls who help you. if one wishes to make their room japanese, fill the vases with imitation peach or cherry blossoms, hang japanese lanterns in doorways and japanese banners, which can be made from paper napkins and bright red paper for a background. the incense sticks are very inexpensive and any large department store which deals in japanese goods including the five and ten cent stores, keep them. serve date sandwiches cut in shape of dominoes and dotted with currants, or nut or any sandwiches desired cut in this shape and so decorated, chocolate with whipped cream, strawberries arranged around a mound of powdered sugar, a spray of strawberry leaves and blossoms laid on the plate, or any fresh berries. serve small cakes domino shape covered with white icing, dotted with tiny chocolate candies representing the domino spots. or if one wishes to serve ice cream with the berries have it moulded in a two quart can, then turned out on a round platter, making a column of ice cream. surround with fresh berries at the base with a few large perfect berries on top. a japanese tea. . instead of using the orthodox square at home cards, write the invitations on long, thin, narrow slips of paper, the lettering running from the bottom to the top and from right to left; a few queer birds, the suggestion of a lantern and a falling chrysanthemum splashed in carelessly in sepia, are very effective touches. the cherry-blossoms are used in decorating, which are simply little, round, white paper petals with the edges dipped in red dye, fastened to boughs and put up everywhere, as are also the fluffy chrysanthemums, dainty butterflies, and a profusion of cheap little fans. a huge japanese umbrella hangs over the tea-table, at which four girls dressed in kimonas preside, while two others are in the drawing room. the kimonas, which are very easily made, are all different in color, although a two-color scheme would, perhaps, be prettier--say white and yellow, or white and mauve, with chrysanthemums to correspond. the refreshments are, perhaps, the most novel part of the whole idea. instead of the conventional salads, ices, cakes, etc., the guests are served with delicious tea, in the daintiest of japanese cups, and hot buttered baps. during the afternoon have selections from "the geisha," "the mandarin," "the little tycoon," and "the mikado." a japanese tea. . at a japanese tea, several small tables are used, set at intervals in the room; these are generally presided over by the hostess and the ladies who receive with her, each being furnished with a tea service. they are laid in white damask or linen embroidered in a japanese design, the center is occupied by a circular mound of red blossoms which symbolize the emblem of the flowery kingdom's flag, combining the national colors also red and white. in the middle of the mound, slightly elevated, there is placed a "jinriki-sha," which is the riding vehicle of japan, a two-wheeled affair resembling our modern dog-cart; it is drawn by a man in costume and seated in it is a woman, also in costume, holding above her and large enough to extend over the table, one of those grotesque paper umbrellas, which are as much a part of that country as its rice and tea. the edges of these are festooned with red and white flowers and hung with the smaller sized, globe shaped lanterns that are used profusely about the room also, for decorating and lights. candelabra likewise is used, and it should be of that quaint looking black material that is decidedly oriental in appearance and is the latest thing in such bric-a-brac. white tapers with red shades show off to advantage above this dark fancifully wrought metal, shedding a softly subdued radiance, at once pretty and restful to the eye. the chrysanthemum, while not the national flower, is the imperial favorite and best beloved bloom of the people, therefore it is the proper one for decoration, united with potted plants, palms, vines, etc. all hues and kinds may be combined in the general adornment of room or rooms (the red and white being confined to the tables alone), for twining, banking or bouquets, just as fancy dictates, and the furnishings admit. the chrysanthemum, gorgeous in itself and lavishly employed, makes a superb decoration, and if, for a background, the walls, doors, windows, etc., are draped in japanese tapestry goods, with friezes of the flowers, the result will prove singularly striking and beautiful. of course, japanese china is used, and as to the things to eat there can be offered thin sardine sandwiches, delicate wafers, fruits, confections. this is merely a suggestion; individuals use their own ideas, and at different places customs change. ices served should be in oblong squares with round red centers to represent the flag of japan. souvenirs for guests, if any are given, ought to be small cups and saucers of the genuine ware or fac-simile in candy, tied with red and white ribbons. chapter viii. two valentine teas. here's to a cup of tea. it holds intoxication great for me. i find it makes me want to dare do bold things right then and there; to steal a kiss from phyllis fair, as she pours tea. pink is the color scheme; the invitations are written on rose-tinted cardboard, cut heart-shape and adorned with floral love-knots. the hostess can wear a pink gown and the rosy-hue effect is also carried out in the dining-room decorations. on a blank space of the wall have two hearts formed of pink carnations and smilax, and pierced by a gilded arrow. beneath, on a pink cardboard, lettered in gold, have this verse: "love always looks for love again; if ever single it is twain, and till it finds its counterpart it bears about an aching heart." the long table, covered with snowy cloth, has the valentine idea in heart design used as much as possible in the decorations. the candles are pink and the paper shades in the shape of roses; pink bonbons bearing appropriate mottoes and tiny cakes covered with pink frosting, are in heart-shaped dishes; around the dishes are garlands of green, caught in a bow-knot with a narrow pink satin ribbon. in the center of the table is a large heart-shaped cake, fringed with smilax and pink roses, and on the top, pink figures numbered from one to sixteen. before the cake is cut, a silver tray holding corresponding numbers is passed, with the explanation that one of the pieces contains a tiny gold heart, and that the finder will surely succumb to cupid's darts before another year. in another piece is a dime which will bring the lucky possessor success, wealth and happiness. the place-cards consist of heart shaped booklets with the name of the guest in gold, and an artistic sketch of cupid equipped with bow and arrow. on the leaves are the following conundrums: what kind of a ship has two mates and no captain? (courtship.) what is the difference between a mouse and a young woman? (one wishes to harm the cheese, the other to charm the he's.) the souvenirs are square cards, on which are quaint pen sketches, and rhymes, each peculiarly adapted to the one that receives it, and, of course, more or less personal. the ices are heart-shaped and the two maids who act as waitresses represent the queen of hearts, attired in dresses bedecked with hearts, and small crowns of hearts upon their heads. have a heart hung from the chandelier, the guests in turn being placed about eight feet from it, then request them to hold the left hand over one eye, raise the right arm even with the heart, and keeping it in that position, walk rapidly straight ahead and hit it with a finger, striking horizontally. it is declared easy to do until tried. a valentine tea. . here are some contests for a valentine tea. call on each one for an impromptu valentine. award a book of rhymes for the best. turn down the lights and require each man to propose to his partner. prepare red cardboard hearts and write fortunes on them with baking powder and water. ask each guest to select a heart and hold it to the fire when the writing will appear. provide a fish pond with comic valentines. provide a long table, sheets of fancy paper, flowers, pictures, paste, scissors and watercolors and ask each to make an original valentine. the game of hearts, the auction of hearts and the auction of valentines are old but excellent ways of amusing a company. for the auction of hearts the girls are in a separate room and a clever auctioneer calls off their charms and merits and knocks them down to the highest bidder, who does not know who he has bought until all are sold. a fancy dress party, each girl representing a valentine, is a delightful entertainment for the evening. a small boy may be used for cupid and blindfolded. he takes a man from one side of the room and presents him to a girl on the other side of the room. chapter ix. a grandmother's tea party. one of the newest suggestions for an original hospitality is "a grandmother's tea party." if you have an "at home" day, as every busy woman should, and you want to serve tea to your guests, offer it to them as it was offered fifty years or more ago. first of all, collect all of your antique table service. every family has some dear old treasures of the kind--tea cups, old linen, flower vases, silver epergns, etc. you probably have somewhere laid away a wonderful old damask cloth which dates back at least half a century. cover the table with this and scatter over it a handful of carnations, allowing them to fall at haphazard. the centerpiece will be in the form of a huge cake placed on a high glass dish. this confection might be resplendent in a design of blossoms and turtle-doves carried out in variously tinted icings as the old-time cakes so often were. on either side of the cake dish are placed tall epergns--veritable antique pieces built high with pyramids of fruit. bonbons--they should be called sugar plums in this connection--must be old-fashioned sweets quaintly wrapped in fringed papers. often the tall glass lamps will also be procurable in a pattern of fifty years ago. this will produce a thoroughly charming little table with a quaintness and a touch of femininity that everyone will enjoy. the woman who is looking for a new way to serve tea on her day at home couldn't do better than to attempt this. it is easy to do; it costs little, it is pretty; it is feminine. an april fool tea. send invitations asking your guests to dress as foolish as possible. the hostesses costume can be combinations of several, as a decollete corsage, short walking skirt, one high-heeled slipper and one bedroom slipper, one side of her hair braided and hanging down and the other piled up high and decorated with feathers from the duster. or she can dress as "folly" with pointed black velvet bodice, white blouse, red and yellow striped skirts, pointed cap and wear a small black masque covering the upper part of the face, and carry a stick wound with red and yellow ribbon with tiny bells fastened by ribbons. if you care to take the trouble and the expense (though it need not be very great), you can construct a maze or labyrinth by which the guests approach your door. make this of frames of wood covered with sheeting, newspapers or heavy cartridge paper, and make as many turns in it as you choose. when the front door is reached have it fly back and display the sign: "april fool. try the back door." if you have a side entrance you can have a similar sign and prolong the agony. have a dummy hostess at the back door and direct the guests to one or two wrong rooms before they reach the right dressing room. have a masked person standing at the door of the parlor as hostess. when the guest starts to shake hands, display the sign "april fool, i am not the hostess." have two or three hostesses before the right one is reached. have the room full of surprises in the way of decorations, cabbage heads and vegetables for bouquets, tin lanterns for lights, a den for stuffed animals and similar fakes. no talking of any kind will be permitted for the first hour, though two or three notebooks and pencils can be displayed for those who feel they must express their thoughts. the examination of the "fool" costumes will take place in deaf and dumb show. give a bunch of onions tied with green calico for the worst costume. ring a big dinner bell at six o'clock and arrange one or two childish games to be played to fill in the time before tea or ask the guests to represent some noted character in pantomime, the others to guess which character is portrayed. for the tea pass cards numbered from one to ten and have the guests call for their supper by indicating four numbers-- , fork; , sandwich; , plate; , pickle; , napkin; , glass of water; , cup of coffee; , cake; , spoon; , ice cream. for instance, a guest writing on his card , , , , would receive a fork, plate, napkin and glass of water for his supper. have several waiters and put names on the lists so that all the articles may be brought in at once. after waiting until those who get articles of food try to eat them, for of course, the sandwiches, cake, pickles and ice cream must be "april fool" ones made of sawdust, cotton and similar substances. serve real sandwiches, coffee, cake and ice cream. a colonial tea. a delightful way to entertain six elderly lady friends would be to give a colonial tea. word the invitations thus: "my dear madame:--ye distinguished honor of your presence is requested thursday, ye second of october, from three of ye clock until ye early candlelight, at four hundred and seven, sheridan road, ye city of ----, ye state of ----, to meet your most obedient and humble servant, mistress ----." light the rooms with candlelight and decorate with nosegays of garden flowers and autumn leaves. seat the guests at round tables. have all the viands on the table at once. let the menu be cold turkey, pressed chicken, cold tongue, tiny pocketbook rolls, jellies and preserves, gelatines, pound cake and fruit cake, hot tea and chocolate. decorate the table with old-fashioned flowers in quaint vases. women of that age generally prefer to bring their own needlework and visit, so have a brief program of old-fashioned music, or an interesting old-fashioned story read. pretty rose tea. one of the most beautiful "rose" teas can be given if one has a rose garden. hundreds of dozens of roses, white for the drawing-room, red for the hall and library, yellow for the music room and pink for the dining room can be used. the roses are placed in immense oriental bowls on polished table tops. the tea table has an immense basket of pink and white roses in rare varieties and the surface of the table is covered with a smilax mat bordered with pink roses and tiny electric light bulbs looking like glow worms. the ice cream is in the shape of a pink cup with green handles filled with fruit the whole being of ice cream and very delicious. with this is served little pink cakes and candy roses and chocolate with whipped cream. omber shades of rose. a beautiful color effect can be secured for a tea by placing on a long table a series of french baskets of roses shading from american beauty to white. the basket at the lower end of the table is in the american beauty shade, the next basket of roses of a lighter shade, the third a deep pink, the fourth a pale pink and the fifth basket bride roses. tied to these baskets are ribbons in the omber shades of rose. the candles between the baskets are the same shades as the different roses and the electric lights of the chandelier are hooded in rose like shades of varying hues. a bouquet tea. let the invitations read somewhat in this way: "will you take tea with us under the trees tuesday afternoon at five o'clock? please wear a bunch of roses. hoping that we may have the pleasure of your company, believe me, sincerely yours, ----." the piazza is the most natural place for the guests to assemble, and after hats have been laid aside within doors, the four walls of the house may be left behind, and on the shaded piazza, made charming with a few bowls of roses, the bouquet game can be played, making a pleasant beginning to the party. this game is most suitable for a gathering not too large, as it somewhat taxes the memory. the guests are placed at one side of the piazza in a long line and each is provided with a bouquet, holding a few less flowers than there are guests, that is: if there are fifteen guests, each should have a dozen flowers. each person then takes the name of a flower and as the hostess calls the roll each says slowly and distinctly, "i am a pansy," "i am a rose," "a tulip," "a violet," as the case may be. the hostess writes these names down so that she may have them for reference. she may call the roll once again when this is done to freshen memories, and then until the end of the game no one, under any circumstances, may reveal her flower identity. then one at a time, beginning at the right hand, each guest is called to the center facing the line to be asked one question by every one in turn in the line. in her answers the one in the center must include the questioners' flower identity. no. , for instance, is "lily" and asks the person in the center. "what animal do you like best?" he answers, "tiger-lily" and then lily presents him with a flower. no. may be "sunflower" and the one in the center cannot remember it, so when asked a question he says to sunflower or no. , "weed i know you not" and gives sunflower a flower, and so all down the line until the end when the one who has been in the center takes his place in the line and the next in turn comes out to the middle of the piazza to face the ranks and try his memory. of course many of the flower names can only be brought in awkwardly, but there is a chance for some cleverness and fun. the game makes merry fun if all enter into the spirit of it. if any one gets entirely out of flowers he drops out of the game. at the end prizes are given to the man and the girl having the largest number of flowers in their bouquets. spring planting. spring planting is another good contest: plant the days of the year and what will come up?--dates. plant a kiss and what?--(two lips) tulips plant a girl's complexion and what?--pinks. plant tight shoes and what?--acorn. plant a millionaire and what?--(astor) aster. plant a disciple of st. paul and what?--timothy. plant a landing for boats and what?--docks. plant an unfortunate love affair and what?--bleeding heart. plant some cats and what?--cat tails. plant a government building and what?--mint. plant the author of "the marble faun" and what?--hawthorn. plant a tramp and what?--(beat) beet. plant a dude and what?--coxcomb. plant something black and what?--nightshade. plant a vessel for holding liquid and what?--pitcherplant plant the signet of a king of israel and what?--solomon's seal. plant a fortune hunter and what?--(marry gold) marigold. plant a little puppy and what?--dogwood. plant a happy love affair and what?--hearts-ease. plant a lover's request and what?--forget-me-not. plant a wise man and what?--sage. an israelite with the habit of traveling and what?--wandering jew. plant a young lady on a foggy morning and what?--maid-in-the-mist. plant an afternoon hour and what? four o'clock. plant a bird in old clothes and what?--ragged robin. plant the unmarried man's bane and what?--bachelors buttons. plant something neat and what?--spruce. plant a dainty piece of china and what?--buttercup. plant a cow and what?--milkweed. plant solomon's sceptre and what?--goldenrod. plant a little boy and what?--johnny-jump-up. plant a young minister and what?--jack-in-the-pulpit. plant a royal lady and what?--queen-of-the-meadow. then if the hostess has even a bit of a garden, a bell rung out under the trees calls the merry throng to partake of old-fashioned "high tea" at little tables set where the afternoon shadows slant restfully, and with the birds' music about, the charm of out-of-doors will add flavor to the dainties. tea biscuit, chicken salad and tea or chocolate, ices or frozen custard and sponge cake are most suitable. a high tea. a high tea is one of the most complimentary entertainments to which a hostess may invite her friends in the afternoon. the number of guests is limited, but the possibilities for decoration, daintiness and elegance are unlimited. the exact hour is written on the invitation, as high tea at : o'clock (or : o'clock). the guests may number about twenty-four, but twelve or sixteen is a desirable number. they arrive exactly at the appointed hour. they are seated at small tables having places for four at each table. the menu is a little more substantial than for a reception. here is a typical "high tea" menu: _hot bouillon_ _sweetbread and mushroom patties_ _tiny pickles_ _creamed chicken in green peppers_ _cauliflower scalloped_ _hot rolls_ _spiced cherries_ _asparagus salad_ _grated parmesan cheese_ _ice cream in form of fruits, flowers, or any desired form_ _angel food_ _coffee_ this menu, of course, may be varied. clam cocktail, grape fruit, a fruit cup or hot fruit soup may be served for the first course, croquettes, any sort of salad and ice cream or gelatines. an original embroidery contest to precede the tea is to secure the large pattern initials which come very inexpensive, getting the initial of each guest. prepare oblong pieces of linen or lawn which will fold into envelope shape, six by fourteen inches. give each guest a piece of the linen and the pattern for her initial. she embroiders the initial in the corner or center of the flap to the "envelope" which is a stock and turnover case when finished. each guest is given her turnover case to finish as a souvenir. give prizes for the best initial, the one completed first and for the slowest. a simple menu for high tea. for a high tea for ladies, serve first an oyster cocktail in glasses, fruit punch or brandied peaches. then serve sweetbread salad, with bread and butter sandwiches. frozen eggnog and fig cake are a change from the regulation ice cream. follow by tea. a "book-title" tea. . the latest novelty in afternoon entertainments in england is what is called a "book-title" tea. of course, this would be just as amusing in the evening, and any refreshments may be served that the hostess prefers. the guests are all expected to devise and wear some particular badge or ornament which indicates, more or less clearly, the title of some book, preferably works which are well known. the "badges" worn may be very clever and most tastefully executed. "dodo" may be impersonated by showing a bar of music containing the two representative notes of the tonic sol-fa method. "little men" is represented by a badge bearing the names of little great men, such as napoleon, lord roberts, etc. a lady may wear around her neck fragments of china tied by a ribbon. this represents "the break-up of china," lord charles beresford's book. another lady, whose name is alice, may wear a necklace of little mirrors, and this represents "alice through a looking glass." an ingenious design consists of a nickel coin, a photo of a donkey, another nickel coin, and a little bee, meaning "nickolas nickleby." a daisy stuck into a tiny miller's hat stands for "daisy miller," and the letters of the word olive twisted on a wire for "oliver twist." two little gates, made of paste board and a jar, represents "gates ajar," and a string of little dolls dressed as men, "all sorts and conditions of men." there are many other interesting and ingenious designs. a book title tea. . this is an original entertainment for a few friends. have amusing pen and ink sketches handed around together with a small note book and pencil for each guest. explain that each sketch is supposed to represent some well-known book and each guest is given an opportunity to put on his or her thinking cap and name the volume in his note book and pass the sketch on. this novel game affords no end of mirth and enjoyment and at a given time the hostess looks over the books and corrects them. the house of seven gables is very simple and easy to guess, it being simply a rough sketch of a house with seven gables. an old-fashioned girl is represented by a girl of ye olden time in simple and quaint costume with a school bag on her arm. a small snow covered house is enough to suggest "snow bound" to many of the guests. the lady and the tiger ought not to puzzle anyone, it is a simple sketch of a lady's head in one corner and a tiger in the other. on one card appears th of march, which seems more baffling than all the others. it proves to be "middlemarch." a large letter a in vivid red of course represents "a scarlet letter." "helen's babies" is a sketch of two chubby boys in night robes. "heavenly twins" is represented by twin stars in the heavens. "darkest africa" needs nothing but the face of a darkey boy with mouth stretched from ear to ear. one of the sketches is a moonlight scene with ships going in opposite directions and is easily guessed to represent "ships that pass in the night." anyone with originality can devise many other amusing and more difficult sketches. prizes might be given to the one who guesses the largest number correctly. patriotic tea. "while other constellations sink and fade, and orient planets cool with dying fires, columbia's brilliant star can not be stayed, and, heaven-drawn, towards higher arcs aspires; a star of destiny whose searching rays light all the firmament's remotest ways." "that force which is largely responsible for the greatness and grandeur of the republic is the woman behind the man behind the gun." booklets with small silk flags mounted on the covers and bearing these quotations with tiny red, white and blue pencils attached make suitable favors for the guests at a high tea. for one contest give twenty minutes in which to write a list of words ending in "nation" as, carnation, condemnation, etc. for this prize give a red, white and blue streamer on which tiny flags of all nations are fastened. for a second contest allow a given length of time in which to write correctly the words of the american national anthem. a book containing a description of national music would make a suitable prize for this contest. decorate the dining room with silk flags and red, white and blue bunting and in the center of the table have a blue vase filled with red and white hyacinths or carnations or roses. have the ice cream frozen in form of a bust of washington on a shield in three colors. debut tea. the leading color in the refreshment room is yellow. the table has a beautiful lace cover and in the center is a large basket of yellow roses, the golden gate variety. around the center are candles with yellow silk shades and a silver compote holding green glace grapes tied with yellow ribbon. the mantel is filled with ferns and a mass of yellow roses in the center. the electric lights at either side of the mantel have yellow silk shades. instead of ice cream and cake, the menu for the afternoon tea is a delicious meringue filled with whipped cream and wine jelly, coffee and glace grapes. yellow tea. yellow is a pretty color for a bridal tea given in june. use scores of yellow candles in crystal candlesticks and candelabra and yellow roses in vases, baskets and wall pockets on window and book ledges, plate rails, book cases and hung in the doorways by yellow ribbons. an immense basket of yellow roses and ferns with a white cupid in the center is pretty in the center of the tea-table. outside this basket have a border of individual crystal candlesticks with yellow tapers and small golden hearts attached to the tapers. the bonbons are yellow hearts and all the refreshments are yellow and heart shaped. a candlelight tea. illuminate the rooms with candles in different colors with shades to correspond, green and white in the parlor, setting a row of candles in a straight line across the mantel and banking them with masses of feathery green. use pink in the dining or supper room. have a round table lighted by pink candles and pink shades in flower forms, placing the candles either in a pyramid in the center or in a wreath with christmas green tied with broad pink ribbon, in the center. at each plate put a tiny dresden candle stick (such as come in desk sets) with pink candles for favors. serve hot bouillon, oyster and mushroom patties, tiny pickles, creamed chicken in green peppers, cauliflower au gratin, hot rolls, spiced cherries, asparagus salad, grated parmesan cheese, wafers, ice cream in form of pink candles with lighted tapers, christmas cakes. a flower tea. for early september a flower tea is a most enjoyable affair and is easily arranged with little expense. have the invitations sent out at least a week before the event. the parlors should be tastefully arranged and decorated with flowers. wild flowers are in abundance at this time and they are always bright and cheery. let each guest, as she arrives, be presented with a bouquet of flowers, no two being alike. for amusement there is nothing better and more instructive than the following: pass to each lady a sheet of paper with a pencil, the paper containing typewritten questions. explain to the company that the contest is to last fifteen or twenty minutes as desired. the printed questions are to be answered by the name of flowers. here are appropriate questions for the contest, with correct answers: what lady veils her face? maid-of-the-mist. who is the sad lady? ane-mone. what lady weeps for her love? mourning-bride. who is the bell of the family? bell-flower. what untruthful lady shuns the land? false-mermaid. what young lady is still the baby of the family? virginia creeper. what lady comes from the land where ladies bind their feet? rose-of-china. who is the neat lady? prim-rose. after the given time expires let each guest sign her name to the paper she holds and exchange with her nearest neighbor. then the fun begins as one rises and reads the questions and answers. each lady should mark the paper she holds and in rotation they rise and give the number of correct answers, not mentioning the name on the paper. when it has been decided which paper holds the greatest number of correct answers, the contestant's name is given as winner, and she is presented with a dainty souvenir, such as a flower vase, or a dainty painting of flowers. other games and contests may follow, all suggestive of flower land. the afternoon-tea should be dainty and appropriate. a big doll, literally covered with flowers, makes a pretty centerpiece for the table. let ice lemonade be served, each glass having a sweet flower floating on its surface. the cakes should be in the form of flowers and the bonbons, flower candies. it is pretty to call each guest by the name of the flower given her when she arrives. if there is music after tea let a song of the flowers be rendered. an exchange tea. this style of party is intensely amusing, and will keep a large company interested for several hours of an evening or afternoon, as it is one continued round of mirth-provoking "sells," in which everybody is "sold." it is not so much in vogue for small affairs, where only a few guests are invited, but where a large crowd is to be entertained it is just the thing to furnish enjoyment and fun. this is how it is arranged. when requested to attend an exchange tea, each person, male and female, picks out from his belongings, personal or otherwise, such an article as he or she does not want, and after wrapping it well, takes it to the party. of course, everybody desires to get rid of his parcel, and the exchange business waxes warm and furious as it progresses, for usually not one individual obtains anything which he wishes to keep, as a "pig in a poke" is scarcely ever a bargain. constant exchanging is not compulsory, so that if by any lucky chance you have gotten rid of your own bundle, and become the proud possessor of another whose hidden treasures happen to suit you, then you are privileged to stop and hold on to your prize. generally speaking, however, the contents of the mysterious parcels are hardly ever desirable, which creates all the more excitement and enthusiastic bargaining, and in the end each one will be left with something ridiculous or utterly useless, upon his hands. and that's just where the fun comes in. serve this menu: _cold sliced chicken, garnished with tiny radishes and hard-boiled eggs_ _olives_ _nut sandwiches_ _orange and pineapple salad_ _sweet wafers_ _strawberry ice cream_ _iced tea_ a watermelon tea. ask a congenial party, being sure that all are fond of watermelon. have the fruit on ice at least twenty-four hours before serving, and above all things give this affair when the temperature is up in the nineties if you want it fully appreciated. have a sharp knife and cut the melons at the table (for it is such a decorative fruit), and use only white dishes and flowers. let each guest count the seeds in the piece or pieces and give a souvenir to the one having the largest number. a pretty prize and appropriate is to procure a very small and symmetrical melon, cut off the end, hollow out and line with oiled paper, fill with bonbons and tie the end on with broad pink satin ribbon. if expense is no object, have a quartet of colored singers with banjos concealed and let them sing good old plantation songs for an hour or two, not forgetting "den, oh, dat watermelon." grape juice is a good drink to serve this party. have the tumblers half filled with finely cracked ice. chapter x. unique ideas for tea. a chocolatiere. a chocolatiere is a pretty affair. the decoration is an immense mound of bride roses in the center of the dining room table. the refreshments are baskets of chocolate ice cream filled with whipped cream. the cakes are chocolate squares. the candies are all chocolate and cream, and hot chocolate is served. chocolatieres are very popular entertainments for young girls and for matrons. they are given in the morning or afternoon. as nearly every woman loves chocolate, they are pretty certain to please the guests. a kaffee klatch. the kaffee klatsch is an afternoon affair where ladies meet and chat as they sew and are served a luncheon of german dishes--cold meats, salads, coffee-cake, pickles, coffee, etc. each guest is given a bit of needlework, button-holes to work, or a small doily to embroider and a prize is given for the best work. have a number of tea towels, cheesecloth dusters, canton flannel bags for brooms, silverware towels, etc., cut and ready to hem. when the ladies assemble, let them hem these as a gift for the bride (for whom the kaffee klatsch is given) to take home with her. ask each to tell some of her first experiences in housekeeping, and at the close of the afternoon take a vote on the funniest experience, the cleverest in emergency and the best told. to do this successfully, you will have to lead the conversation and not let the ladies know they are talking purposely. another way is to assign topics as for a conversation party, giving such topics as: "my first attempt at making bread," "my first housecleaning," "unexpected guests," "my first pie," etc. or, ask each guest to write her first housekeeping experience (some funny incident) and bring it. have the papers read aloud, but not the names. let the guests guess whose the experiences are. use this contest. what stitch is: hard to live with? (cross stitch.) a part of a cough? (hemstitch.) a part of a window? (blindstitch.) is found on a fowl? (featherstitch.) is a fish and something everyone has? (herring-bone.) is made of many links? (chainstitch.) is not forward? (backstitch.) is useless without a key? (lockstitch.) repeats itself? (over and over stitch.) for a prize for the best answers give a little leather sewing case fitted with needles and thread. a "rushing" tea for sorority. generally speaking, one will use their sorority colors in flowers and ribbons and their insignia cut from paste-board and covered with tissue paper of the desired color. a gigantic insignia would make a suitable wall decoration. hang pennants of the colors everywhere, and if it is a musical sorority, work in the staff and notes in the decorations. these can be painted on cheap white muslin or paper and tacked about the walls. if one cares to learn a little musical yell, do so as a surprise. if the "rushing" is for new members, one can easily plan a series of funny tableaux picturing the new member in various incidents: leaving home, or breaking home ties; arriving at college; crossing the campus; meeting the president; meeting her roommate; unpacking, etc. insist upon the new members' answering each question to the tune of some college song, or else coach the old members to answer all questions by new members in this manner. have a sorority of dolls dressed in the colors, each doll holding a pennant, in the center of the table. paint the staff and notes on the muslin table-cloth and make little paper drums to hold the salted nuts and bonbons. serve grape juice, a salad of mixed fruits, sweet wafers and chocolate. sandwiches for teas. the first requisite in the preparation of good sandwiches is to have perfect bread in suitable condition. either white, brown or entire wheat bread may be used, but it should be of close, even texture, and at least one day old. for very small, dainty sandwiches to be served at afternoon teas or breakfasts, the bread may be baked at home in baking-powder tins. these should be only half-filled, and allowed to rise before baking. the butter should be softened by creaming, not melting, and spread smoothly on the bread before it is cut. cut the slices as thin as possible, and when a variety is offered it is well to keep each kind of a different shape, as, for instance, circles of anchovy, triangles of chicken, fingers of game and squares of fruit butters. flavored butters are much used in making sandwiches, and are simply and easily prepared. fresh, unsalted butter should be used. after creaming the butter, add the flavoring material, and beat until smooth and thoroughly blended. caviare, anchovy, sardines, oysters, salmon, lobster, cheese, cress, chives, chili, chutney, olives, parsley, cucumbers, horseradish and paprika are all used for flavoring these various butters. for afternoon teas, fruit and flower butters make delicious sandwiches. of these the most popular are strawberry, pineapple, red raspberry and peach. lemon butter mixed with fresh grated cocoanut is also a delectable sandwich filling, and cherry jelly with shavings of dried beef another. butters flavored with rose or violet petals are very delicate and attractive, but, as may easily be imagined, find little favor with the sterner sex, who prefer their refreshments of a more substantial order. anchovy sandwiches--rub the yolks of hard-boiled eggs to a paste, season to taste with anchovy essence, and add a few olives, stoned and chopped very fine. spread this mixture on very thin slices of buttered bread and cut into dainty shapes. caviare sandwiches--spread thinly-buttered bread with fresh caviare seasoned with lemon juice and on top of this lay a little minced lobster. finish with another piece of buttered bread. olive sandwiches--scald and cool twelve large olives, stone them, and chop very fine. add one spoonful of mayonnaise dressing, and one teaspoonful of cracker dust; mix well, and spread on buttered bread. queen sandwiches--mince finely two parts of cooked chicken or game to one part of cooked tongue, and one part minced cooked mushrooms or truffles. add seasoning and a little lemon juice, and place between thin slices of buttered bread. lobster sandwiches--pound two tablespoonfuls of lobster meat fine; add one tablespoonful of the coral, dried and mashed smooth, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, a dash of nutmeg, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of paprika, and two tablespoonfuls of soft butter. mix all to a smooth paste and spread between thin bread and butter. jelly sandwiches--mix a cupful of quince jelly with half a cupful of finely chopped hickory or pecan nuts, and spread on buttered bread. date sandwiches--wash, dry and stone the dates, mash them to a pulp, and add an equal amount of finely chopped english walnut or pecan meats. moisten slightly with lemon juice. spread smoothly on thinly-sliced brown bread. fig sandwiches--stem and chop very fine a sufficient number of figs. add enough water to make of the consistency of marmalade, and simmer to a smooth paste. flavor with a little lemon juice, and when cool spread on thin slices of buttered bread, and sprinkle thickly with finely chopped nuts. fruit sandwiches--cut equal quantities of fine fresh figs, raisins and blanched almonds very small. moisten with orange juice and spread on white bread and butter. beef sandwiches--to two parts of chopped lean, rare beef, add one part of finely minced celery, salt, pepper, and a little made mustard. place on a lettuce leaf between thin slices of bread and butter. ginger and orange sandwiches--soften neufchatel cheese with a little butter or rich cream. spread on white bread, cut in very thin slices, and cover with finely minced candied orange peel and preserved ginger. place over another slice of bread. candied lemon peel and preserved citron, finely minced, also make a delicious sandwich filling. novelties in tea serving. if you wish to vary the serving of your tea add three cloves to the lemon and sugar. or a thin slice of apple added with sugar is delicious. in sweden a piece of stick cinnamon is added by some to tea while it is steeping. summer porch tea parties. one of the prettiest decorations for a porch tea party is a hanger or pocket for flowers made by cutting pockets in large round pieces of bamboo, the rods being about three feet long. these pockets are filled with scarlet lilies and hung in the corners and on the posts of the porch. hang red chinese lanterns in the open spaces and have red paper fans in chinese jars on tables and ledges. the porch boxes along the railings can have their real contents almost concealed in ferns, and scarlet lilies stuck in amid the ferns. across one corner the gay striped hammock, with its open meshes filled with wild cucumber and clematis vines fastened against the house, makes a background for the punch bowl. orange ice and cream cake can be served on plates decorated with gold and white, with a bunch of daisies tied with pale green gauze ribbon on each plate. summer porch tea party. . a porch tea party given in the summer is a most enjoyable affair. the guests are seated on the porch which has immense jardinieres filled with garden flowers, and draperies of large american flags. the punchbowl is just inside the door in the hall. the guests bring their needlework and as they sew, one of the number reads a group of original stories. following this have a little contest called the menu. the prize for the correct list is a solid silver fork with a rose design. the refreshments are lemon sherbet, macaroons, sweet wafers, pecans and bonbons. menu. _soups_. _the capital of portugal_. _an imitation reptile_. _roasts_. _a gentle english author_. _found in the orient_. _boiled meats_. _woman's chief weapon_. _a son of noah_. _game_. _a universal crown_. _a part of caesar's message and a male relative_. _relishes_. _a complete crush_. _elevated felines_. _lot's wife_. _vegetables_. _slang for stealing_. _to pound_. _pudding_. _what we don't want our creditors to do_. _fruits_. _what a historian delights in_. _must be married at home_. _wines_. _what a lover says to his sweetheart_. _imitation agony_. _a sailor's harbor_. answers: soups: lisbon, mock turtle; roasts: lamb, turkey; boiled meats: tongue, ham; game: hare, venison; relishes: jam, catsup, salt; vegetables: cabbage, beef; pudding: suet; fruits: dates, canteloupe; wines: madeira, champagne, port. may gautry ( - ) how to cook fish by olive green [page iii] contents chap. i. the catching of unshelled fish ii. fish in season iii. eleven court bouillons iv. one hundred simple fish sauces v. ten ways to serve anchovies vi. forty-five ways to cook bass vii. eight ways to cook blackfish viii. twenty-six ways to cook bluefish ix. five ways to cook butterfish x. twenty-two ways to cook carp xi. six ways to cook catfish xii. sixty-seven ways to cook codfish xiii. forty-five ways to cook eels xiv. fifteen ways to cook finnan haddie [page iv] xv. thirty-two ways to cook flounder xvi. twenty-seven ways to cook frog legs xvii. twenty-two ways to cook haddock xviii. eighty ways to cook halibut xix. twenty-five ways to cook herring xx. nine ways to cook kingfish xxi. sixty-five ways to cook mackerel xxii. five ways to cook mullet xxiii. fifteen ways to cook perch xxiv. ten ways to cook pickerel xxv. twenty ways to cook pike xxvi. ten ways to cook pompano xxvii. thirteen ways to cook red snapper xxviii. one hundred and thirty ways to cook salmon xxix. fourteen ways to cook salmon-trout [page v] xxx. twenty ways to cook sardines xxxi. ninety-five ways to cook shad xxxii. sixteen ways to cook sheepshead xxxiii. nine ways to cook skate xxxiv. thirty-five ways to cook smelts xxxv. fifty-five ways to cook soles xxxvi. twenty-five ways to cook sturgeon xxxvii. fifty ways to cook trout xxxviii. fifteen ways to cook turbot xxxix. five ways to cook weakfish xl. four ways to cook whitebait xli. twenty-five ways to cook whitefish xlii. eight ways to cook whiting xliii. one hundred miscellaneous recipes xliv. back talk xlv. additional recipes index [page ] how to cook fish * * * * * the catching of unshelled fish "first catch your hare," the old cookery books used to say, and hence it is proper, in a treatise devoted entirely to the cooking of unshelled fish, to pay passing attention to the catching, or what the head of the house terms the masculine division of the subject. as it is evident that the catching must, in every case precede the cooking--but not too far--the preface is the place to begin. shell-fish are, comparatively, slow of movement, without guile, pitifully trusting, and very easily caught. observe the difference between the chunk of mutton and four feet of string with which one goes crabbing, and the complicated hooks, rods, flies, and reels devoted to the capture of unshelled fish. an unshelled fish is lively and elusive past the power of words to portray, and in this, undoubtedly, lies its desirability. people will travel for two nights and a day to some spot [page ] where all unshelled fish has once been seen, taking $ . worth of fishing tackle, "marked down from $ . for to-day only," rent a canoe, hire a guide at more than human life is worth in courts of law, and work with dogged patience from gray dawn till sunset. and for what? for one small bass which could have been bought at any trustworthy market for sixty-five cents, or, possibly, some poor little kitten-fish-offspring of a catfish--whose mother's milk is not yet dry upon its lips. other fish who have just been weaned and are beginning to notice solid food will repeatedly take a hook too large to swallow, and be dragged into the boat, literally, by the skin of the teeth. note the cheerful little sunfish, four inches long, which is caught first on one side of the boat and then on the other, by the patient fisherman angling off a rocky, weedy point for bass. but, as grover cleveland said: "he is no true fisherman who is willing to fish only when fish are biting." the real angler will sit all day in a boat in a pouring rain, eagerly watching the point of the rod, which never for an instant swerves a half inch from the horizontal. the real angler will troll for miles with a hand line and a spinner, winding in the thirty-five dripping feet of [page ] the lure every ten minutes, to remove a weed, or "to see if she's still a-spinnin'." vainly he hopes for the muskellunge who has just gone somewhere else, but, by the same token, the sure-enough angler is ready to go out next morning, rain or shine, at sunrise. it is a habit of unshelled fish to be in other places, or, possibly, at your place, but at another time. the guide can never understand what is wrong. five days ago, he himself caught more bass than he could carry home, at that identical rocky point. a man from la porte, indiana, whom he took out the week before, landed a thirty-eight pound "muskie" in trolling through that same narrow channel. in the forty years that the guide has lived in the place, man and boy, he has never known the fishing to be as poor as it is now. why, even "ol' pop somers" has ceased to fish! but the real angler continues, regardless of the local sage. he who has heard the line sing suddenly out of his reel, and, after a hard-fought hour, scooped a six-pound black bass into the landing net, weary, but still "game," is not dismayed by bad luck. he who can cast a fly a hundred feet or more finds pleasure in that, if not in fishing. whoever has taken in a muskellunge of any size will ever after troll patiently, even through masses of weed. [page ] whoever has leaned over the side of a sailboat, peering down into the green, crystalline waters of the gulf, and seen, twenty feet down, the shimmering sides of a fifteen-pound red grouper, firmly hooked and coming, will never turn over sleepily, for a last nap, when his door is almost broken in at a.m. and, fish or no fish, there are compensations. into a day of heart-breaking and soul-sickening toil, when all the world goes wrong, must sometimes come the vision of a wooded shore, with tiny dark wavelets singing softly on the rocks and a robin piping cheerily on the topmost bough of a maple. tired eyes look past the musty ledger and the letter files to a tiny sapphire lake, set in hills, with the late afternoon light streaming in glory from the far mountains beyond. it may be cold up north, but down in the gulf they are fishing--scudding among the florida keys in a little white sailboat, landing for lunch on a strand as snowy as the northern streets, where the shimmering distances of white sand are paved with shell and pearl, and the tide thrums out its old song under the palms. and fish? two-hundred and fifty pounds is the average day's catch for a small sailboat cruising among the florida keys. yet, when all is said and done, the catching of fish is a matter of luck--a gambler's chance, [page ] if you will have it so. the cooking, in unskilled hands, is also a lottery, but, by following the appended recipes, becomes an art to which scientific principles have been faithfully applied. having caught your fish, you may cook him in a thousand ways, but it is doubtful whether, even with the finest sauce, a pompano will taste half as good as the infantile muskellunge, several pounds under the legal weight, fried unskilfully in pork fat by a horny-handed woodsman, kneeling before an open fire, eighteen minutes after you had given up all hope of having fish for dinner, and had resigned yourself to the dubious prospect of salt pork, eggs, and coffee which any self-respecting coffee-mill would fail to recognize. all of which is respectfully submitted by o.g. [page ] fish in season bass--all the year. blackfish--april to november . bluefish--may to november . butterfish--october to may . carp--july to november . codfish--all the year. eels--all the year. flounder--all the year. haddock--all the year. halibut--all the year. herring--october to may . kingfish--may to november . mackerel--april to october . mullet--june to november . perch--september to june . pickerel--june to january . pike--june to january . pompano--may to august and november to january . red snapper--october to april . salmon--all the year. salmon trout--october to april . shad--january to june . sheepshead--june to november . [page ] skate--september to july . smelts--august to april . sole--november to may . sturgeon--june to october . trout--april to september . turbot--january to july . weakfish--may to october . whitebait--may to april . whitefish--november to march . salt, smoked, and canned fish are never out of season. [page ] eleven court bouillons i put into the bottom of the fish-kettle a thick layer of sliced carrots and onion, and a sliced lemon. season with parsley, thyme, a bay-leaf, half a dozen whole peppers, and three or four whole cloves. lay the fish on top of this and cover with equal parts of cold water and white wine, or with water and a little lemon-juice or vinegar. put the kettle over the fire and let it heat slowly. the fish must always be put into it while cold and after boiling allowed to cool in the water. ii cut fine a stalk of celery, a carrot, an onion, and a small sweet pepper. fry in butter, and add eight cupfuls of water, one cupful of vinegar, and the trimmings of fish. season with salt and pepper, add half a bay-leaf, four cloves, and two sprigs of parsley. boil for ten minutes and let cool thoroughly before cooking the fish in it. [page ] iii one pint of water, one quart of white wine, one tablespoonful of butter, a bunch of parsley, four young onions, a clove of garlic, a bunch of thyme, a bay-leaf, a carrot, and a blade of mace. bring to the boil and let cool thoroughly before cooking the fish in it. iv fry a large onion in two tablespoonfuls of butter. add half a can of tomatoes, salt, pepper, allspice, and minced parsley to season, and half a cupful of tomato catsup. add also one cupful of sliced carrot and sufficient water to cover the fish. v one onion, two bay-leaves, four whole cloves, a stalk of celery, two sprigs of parsley and three quarts of cold water. add any trimmings of fish at hand, simmer for two hours, season with salt and pepper, and strain. cool before using. vi chop fine one onion, one stalk of celery, and two or three sprigs of parsley. fry in butter, add two tablespoonfuls of salt, six pepper-corns, a bay-leaf, three cloves, two quarts of [page ] boiling water, and two cupfuls of vinegar or sour wine. boil for fifteen minutes, strain, and cool. rub the fish with salt and lemon-juice before cooking. vii chop fine a large onion and a carrot. add three bay-leaves, a few sprigs of parsley, a pinch of powdered thyme, and three tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. add enough water to cover the fish. the vinegar may be omitted and equal parts of water and white wine used for liquid. viii chop fine a quarter of a pound of bacon and an onion. fry, add a can of tomatoes, a chopped clove of garlic, and cayenne, salt, and pepper to season. add sufficient boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes. cool before putting in the fish. ix half a carrot, half an onion, two cloves, three sprigs of parsley, three pepper-corns, two tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice or vinegar, a teaspoonful of salt, a blade of mace, half a bay-leaf, half a teaspoonful of paprika, a dash of celery salt, and two quarts of cold water. bring to the boil and cool before using. [page ] x fry an onion in butter. add half a teaspoonful of beef extract, a pinch of celery seed, a few drops of worcestershire, a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, half a cupful of vinegar, and salt and pepper to season. add two quarts of cold water, bring to the boil, and cool before using. xi four quarts of water, one onion, one slice of carrot, two tablespoonfuls of salt, one tablespoonful of pepper, two cloves, one tablespoonful of vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, and a bouquet of sweet herbs. boil for an hour before putting in the fish. [page ] one hundred simple fish sauces admiral sauce add two pounded anchovies, four chopped shallots, a teaspoonful of chopped capers, and a little grated lemon-peel to one cupful of drawn-butter sauce. reheat, season with salt and pepper and lemon-juice. serve hot. albert sauce boil three chopped shallots with a tablespoonful of butter and one-fourth cupful of vinegar. add one cupful of freshly grated horseradish, half a cupful of white stock and one cupful of veloute sauce. boil until thick, rub through a sieve, reheat, add the yolks of three eggs beaten with a cupful of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits, and a little minced parsley. allemande sauce--i put two cupfuls of white stock into a saucepan with half a dozen mushrooms, chopped fine, a two-inch strip of lemon-peel, salt and [page ] pepper to season, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. simmer for an hour and strain. thicken with a teaspoonful of flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold stock or water, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. reheat, but do not boil. take from the fire and add a tablespoonful of butter. allemande sauce--ii cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour. add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. beat the yolks of three eggs and add the sauce gradually to the eggs, beating constantly. strain, add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoonful of butter. serve hot. anchovy butter soak, bone, dry, and pound eight salted anchovies. add twice their bulk of fresh butter, mix thoroughly, press forcibly through a fine sieve, add a little more butter and the juice of a lemon. make into small pats and keep in a cold place. anchovy butter sauce prepare a pint of brown sauce according to directions elsewhere [page ] given and season with melted butter, lemon-juice, and anchovy essence. anchovy sauce--i stir two tablespoonfuls of anchovy essence into one cupful of melted butter. season with cayenne and powdered mace. anchovy sauce--ii pound three anchovies smooth with three tablespoonfuls of butter, add two teaspoonfuls of vinegar and a quarter of a cupful of water. bring to the boil and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. strain through a sieve and serve hot. anchovy sauce--iii add a tablespoonful of anchovy paste to a cupful of drawn-butter sauce and season with lemon-juice and paprika. aurora sauce add one half cupful of mushroom liquor to one cupful of béchamel sauce. add also three tablespoonfuls of stewed and strained tomatoes, and one tablespoonful of butter. reheat, add a few cooked mushrooms cut into dice, and serve. [page ] avignonnaise sauce chop together four shallots and two beans of garlic. fry in olive-oil, add two cupfuls of béchamel sauce, bring to the boil, add the yolks of three eggs, two tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese, and a little minced parsley. heat, but do not boil, and use as soon as it thickens. bearnaise sauce--i bring to the boil two tablespoonfuls each of vinegar and water. simmer in it for ten minutes a slice of onion. take out the onion and add the yolks of three eggs beaten very light. take from the fire, add salt and pepper to season, and four tablespoonfuls of butter beaten to a cream. the butter should be added in small bits. bearnaise sauce--ii beat the yolks of five eggs, add a pinch of salt and one tablespoonful of butter. heat in a double-boiler until it begins to thicken, then take from the fire and add two more tablespoonfuls of butter. season with minced fine herbs and parsley and add a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. bearnaise sauce--iii beat the yolks of two eggs very light [page ] and put into a double-boiler. add gradually three tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, then the same quantity of boiling water, then one tablespoonful of lemon-juice. season with salt and cayenne and serve immediately. quick bearnaise sauce beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoonfuls of oil and four of water. add a cupful of boiling water and cook slowly until thick and smooth. take from the fire, and add minced onion, capers, olives, pickles, and parsley and a little tarragon vinegar. bÉchamel sauce cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. bombay sauce season drawn-butter sauce highly with chopped pickle, curry powder, and tarragon vinegar. bordelaise sauce fry in butter a tablespoonful of chopped shallots and two minced beans of garlic. add [page ] half a cupful of claret, a pinch of red pepper, and a pint of espagnole sauce. boil until thick, take from the fire and add lemon-juice and minced parsley to season. add also a quarter of a pound of beef marrow cut in small pieces and parboiled in salted water. serve at once. white bordelaise sauce fry a tablespoonful of chopped onions in butter, add a wineglassful of white wine and a cupful of veloute sauce. season to taste, boil for five minutes, take from the fire, add one tablespoonful each of minced parsley, lemon-juice, and butter. brown sauce--i brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter. add two cupfuls of milk or cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. brown sauce--ii fry in pork fat two slices of onion, a slice of carrot, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of parsley. add a heaping teaspoonful of flour and, when brown, a cupful of stock. cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, strain, add the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to season. [page ] brown butter sauce melt butter in a frying-pan and cook until brown, taking care not to burn. take from the fire and add lemon-juice or vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. serve hot. butter sauce mix chopped hard-boiled eggs with a liberal amount of melted butter. season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. caper sauce--i add half a cupful of capers to two cupfuls of drawn-butter sauce. caper sauce--ii prepare a pint of drawn-butter sauce and add to it two tablespoonfuls of capers, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, and salt and pepper to season. claret sauce reheat one cupful of brown sauce, season with grated onion, add half a cupful of claret, bring to the boil, and serve. colbert sauce put into a saucepan one cupful of espagnole [page ] sauce, two tablespoonfuls of beef extract, the juice of a lemon, red and white pepper and minced parsley to season, and half a cupful of butter in small bits. heat, but do not boil, and serve at once. cream sauce cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour. add two cupfuls of cream or milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly season with salt and pepper. cucumber sauce--i chop two cucumbers, drain, and add one tablespoonful of grated onion and half of a minced bean of garlic. season with salt, pepper, and vinegar, and add enough olive-oil to make a smooth paste. serve immediately. cucumber sauce--ii grate four large cucumbers and drain. season the pulp with salt, pepper, grated onion, and tarragon vinegar. add enough whipped cream to make a smooth mixture and serve at once. cucumber sauce--iii chop a cucumber finely, season with salt, [page ] pepper, and vinegar and add it to hollandaise sauce. curry sauce fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in butter and add a tablespoonful of flour mixed with a teaspoonful of curry powder. mix thoroughly, add one cupful of cold water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, season with salt and onion juice, and serve hot. drawn-butter sauce cook to a smooth paste two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour. add two cupfuls of cold water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper. dutch sauce cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add one cupful of white stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, take from the fire and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with half a cupful of cream. cook in a double-boiler for three minutes, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice and strain. [page ] duxelles sauce--i cook in butter one cupful of chopped mushrooms; and one tablespoonful each of minced onion and parsley. add to one pint of spanish sauce and serve. duxelles sauce--ii prepare a pint of veloute sauce, add a wineglassful of white wine and two tablespoonfuls of beef extract. boil for five minutes, add two tablespoonfuls each of chopped mushrooms and cooked beef tongue or ham. add a little minced parsley, reheat, and serve. egg sauce--i add one half cupful of sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs to two cupfuls of drawn-butter sauce. egg sauce--ii prepare a cream sauce according to directions previously given, and add the yolks of two raw eggs, a tablespoonful of grated onion, a hard-boiled egg, chopped fine, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. espagnole sauce add a small bay-leaf, a blade of mace, and [page ] two cloves, to two cupfuls of white stock. simmer for fifteen minutes. cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour; add the heated stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add one tablespoonful each of chopped ham, onion, celery, carrot, and parsley, with salt and paprika to season. simmer for an hour, strain, and serve very hot. fine herb sauce--i fry in butter one tablespoonful each of minced parsley and onion. add to one pint of white sauce and reheat. season with salt and pepper, and serve. fine herb sauce--ii prepare according to directions given for brown italian sauce, using butter instead of oil and half a cupful of minced parsley instead of the thyme and bay-leaf. season with grated nutmeg and add to either spanish or veloute sauce. flemish sauce prepare a cupful of drawn-butter sauce, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well-beaten, and pepper, grated nutmeg, made mustard, vinegar, and minced parsley to season. [page ] add gradually half a cupful of melted butter and serve. garlic sauce peel the garlic and boil for an hour, changing the water four times. drain, chop, and mix to a smooth paste with melted butter. the flavour is mild and resembles almond. sauce À la gasconne chop together a tablespoonful of capers and a bean of garlic. fry in olive-oil, seasoning with pepper and grated nutmeg. add a wineglassful of white wine, a cupful of veloute sauce, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of thyme. boil for fifteen minutes, skim, add another wineglassful of white wine, strain, and add the yolks of three eggs well beaten. season with lemon-juice, butter, anchovy essence, and minced parsley. geneva sauce brown one tablespoonful of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of thick stock and one cupful of red wine, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add two small onions chopped, a bunch of sweet herbs, two tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, and salt and pepper to [page ] season. simmer for half an hour, add a wineglassful of madeira, strain, and serve. gooseberry sauce boil a pint of green gooseberries for ten minutes in water to cover. drain, press through a sieve, and mix with an equal quantity of white sauce. hessian sauce mix four tablespoonfuls of freshly grated horseradish with an equal quantity of fresh bread-crumbs, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a little salt and pepper. mix to a smooth paste with sour cream and serve with baked fish. hollandaise sauce--i beat half a cupful of butter to a cream and add gradually the yolks of two eggs well beaten. then add the juice of half a lemon and pepper and salt to season. place the bowl over boiling water and beat with an egg-beater until thick and smooth. take from the fire and beat for a few moments. be careful not to cook it too long. hollandaise sauce--ii put a bay-leaf and a chopped onion in two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, bring to the [page ] boiling point, strain and cool. cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour, add a half cupful of cold water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs beaten with the vinegar. reheat for a moment, seasoning with salt and pepper, strain, and serve immediately. lemon-juice may be used in place of the vinegar. horseradish sauce--i add half a cupful of freshly grated horseradish to a cupful of drawn-butter sauce. season with lemon-juice and beat until smooth. horseradish sauce--ii prepare a cream sauce according to directions previously given, and add three tablespoonfuls of freshly grated horseradish and half a cupful of melted butter. serve with boiled fish. horseradish sauce--iii to one cupful of spanish sauce add two tablespoonfuls of prepared horseradish, two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs, a teaspoonful of powdered sugar, and salt, pepper, and made mustard to season. [page ] heat in a double-boiler, and just before serving add one-half cupful of whipped or cold cream. (cow cream, not cosmetic.) italian sauce fry in butter two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley and one tablespoonful of chopped mushrooms and shallots. add two cupfuls of white wine and boil until reduced half. add one cupful of veloute sauce and one half cupful of stock. boil until thick, skim, and serve. brown italian sauce fry in olive-oil half a cupful of chopped mushrooms, four chopped shallots, a sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf. add half a cupful of white wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced half. take out the thyme and bay-leaf, add a cupful of spanish sauce, skim, boil, and serve. japanese sauce chop fine a shallot and two cloves of garlic. add two tablespoonfuls each of walnut catsup, soy, and worcestershire sauce. season highly with paprika, add two cupfuls of tarragon vinegar, and let stand for two weeks. strain, and serve with fish. [page ] jersey sauce brown four tablespoonfuls of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of brown stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and worcestershire. lemon sauce--i melt half a cupful of butter and add to it the juice of a large lemon. when very hot take from the fire and pour over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. lemon sauce--ii prepare a pint of drawn-butter sauce according to directions previously given, season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and lemon-juice, and add half a cupful of melted butter. livournaise sauce soak, bone, and pound to a pulp eight salted anchovies. add the yolks of two eggs, well beaten. add slowly half a cupful of olive-oil and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. season with pepper, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. serve very cold. lobster sauce--i add half a cupful of chopped cooked lobster [page ] meat and the pounded coral to each cupful of drawn-butter sauce. season with paprika, butter, and lemon-juice. lobster sauce--ii prepare a hollandaise sauce and mix with finely-cut cooked lobster meat. season with melted butter, lemon-juice, tabasco, and worcestershire. maÎtre d'hÔtel sauce work into half a cupful of butter all the lemon-juice it will take and add a teaspoonful or more of minced parsley. or, melt the butter without burning, take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. mayonnaise put into an earthen bowl the yolk of a fresh egg and a pinch of salt, a dash of red pepper, and half a teaspoonful of dry mustard. place the bowl on ice or in ice-water. pour one cupful of olive-oil into a small pitcher from which it will drop easily. when the egg and seasoning are thoroughly mixed, begin to add the oil, using a silver teaspoon, and rubbing rather than stirring. add the oil until a clear spot is formed upon the egg, and then mix [page ] until smooth. only a few drops can be added at first, but the quantity may be gradually increased. the clear spot on the egg is an infallible test of the right quantity of oil. if too much oil is added the dressing will curdle. a few drops of lemon-juice and long beating will usually make it right again. if this fails, set the bowl directly on the ice in the refrigerator, and let stand for half an hour. if it is still curdled, begin again with the yolk of another egg and add the curdled mayonnaise by degrees to the new dressing. when the mayonnaise is so thick that it is difficult to stir it, add the juice of half a lemon, if desired. milanaise sauce melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add two chopped mushrooms and two boned and pounded anchovies. add two tablespoonfuls of flour and cook until the flour is brown. add one cupful of brown stock and one tablespoonful each of sherry and vinegar drained from capers. cook until thick, stirring constantly, seasoning with salt, cayenne, and made mustard. simmer for twenty minutes, strain, add one tablespoonful of capers, boil for five minutes, and serve. mushroom sauce prepare a drawn-butter sauce according to [page ] directions previously given and add to it one cupful of chopped cooked mushrooms. niÇoise sauce rub through a fine sieve the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs. put into a deep bowl, with two raw yolks, a tablespoonful of made mustard, and salt and pepper to season. add gradually half a cupful of olive-oil and a little vinegar, finishing with two tablespoonfuls of minced fine herbs. nonpareil sauce add chopped hard-boiled eggs and chopped cooked mushrooms to hollandaise sauce. normandy sauce add one tablespoonful of mushroom catsup to one pint of veloute sauce and cook for ten minutes. add one fourth cupful of strong fish stock, bring to the boil, take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. strain, add a tablespoonful of butter, and serve. olive sauce prepare according to directions given for jersey sauce, adding half a dozen chopped olives instead of the worcestershire. [page ] oyster sauce--i prepare a cream sauce according to directions previously given, using the oyster liquor for part of the liquid. add parboiled oysters cut fine, and season with paprika and lemon-juice. oyster sauce--ii cook two dozen oysters in their liquor with a little water, butter, white and red pepper, and grated nutmeg. thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, the juice of a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. serve with boiled fish. parsley sauce--i prepare a drawn-butter sauce according to directions previously given, add half a cupful of fine minced parsley, and season with lemon-juice. parsley sauce--ii boil two large bunches of parsley in water to cover for five minutes. strain the water, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. season with salt, [page ] pepper, and grated nutmeg, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits, and a little minced parsley. parsley and lemon sauce squeeze the juice out of a lemon, remove the seeds, and chop the pulp fine with a bunch of parsley. add a little of the grated peel. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add the parsley and lemon and one and one half cupfuls of stock. season with salt, pepper, and powdered mace, and boil for ten minutes. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little cold stock, and serve. persillade sauce put into a bowl one fourth cupful of olive-oil with a tablespoonful of made mustard, the juice of two lemons, two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, and salt and pepper to season. add a few drops of tarragon vinegar, mix thoroughly, and serve. piquant sauce--i cook together a teaspoonful of chopped onion, a pinch of sugar, a few drops of worcestershire sauce, and one tablespoonful each [page ] of chopped capers and pickles, with two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, and salt and cayenne to season. prepare a spanish sauce and add the mixture to it. piquant sauce--ii mix together half a cupful of beef stock, two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of chopped pickle, one tablespoonful each of chopped onion, capers, and parsley, a teaspoonful each of sugar and salt, and paprika to season. poor man's sauce brown a tablespoonful of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add two tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup and one of anchovy essence. strain and serve. portuguese sauce put six tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan with the yolks of two eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. season with salt and pepper and heat thoroughly but do not boil. take from the fire, stir until thick, and serve immediately. poulette sauce simmer for ten minutes a pint of white [page ] sauce, seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. beat the yolks of three eggs light and pour the hot sauce over them slowly. cook for two minutes in a double boiler, and serve immediately. ravigote sauce put one cupful of stock into a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of white wine and three tablespoonfuls of chopped chives and parsley. season with salt and pepper and simmer for twenty minutes. thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon, and serve. cold ravigote sauce chop together a tablespoonful each of parsley, chives, chervil, tarragon, and shallot. add to a stiff mayonnaise and tint green, if desired, with color paste. remoulade sauce mix two tablespoonfuls each of capers and minced anchovies, add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, a teaspoonful of dry mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. add one half bean of garlic, chopped very fine, and enough olive-oil to make a smooth paste. add a few drops of vinegar and serve. [page ] royale sauce cook together half a cupful of butter and the beaten yolks of three eggs until the yolks begin to thicken. take from the fire and add by degrees two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of indian soy, one finely chopped small pickle, and cayenne and salt to season. mix thoroughly and cool. serve cold. sardine sauce add skinned, boned, and mashed sardines to mayonnaise. beat until smooth and serve with cold fish. shad roe sauce boil, drain, skin, and mash a shad roe. season with salt, pepper, grated onion, and powdered mace. add half a cupful of madeira and half a cupful or more of melted butter. serve with shad or any other fish. shrimp sauce add one cupful of chopped cooked shrimps to each pint of white sauce. season with lemon-juice, paprika, and tabasco sauce. sicilian sauce slice four onions, fry brown and drain carefully. [page ] put into a saucepan with two cupfuls of espagnole sauce, a wineglassful of sherry, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. reheat, strain, and serve. spanish sauce prepare according to directions given for brown sauce, using one cupful of highly seasoned stock for liquid. supreme sauce prepare according to directions given for drawn-butter sauce, using chicken stock and a little cream for liquid. take from the fire, and add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of half a lemon. tartar sauce--i chop together capers, olives, parsley, and pickles. add one half cupful of the mixture to a cupful of mayonnaise. tartar sauce--ii mix together one tablespoonful each of vinegar and worcestershire sauce, add a teaspoonful of lemon-juice and a pinch of salt. brown half a cupful of butter and strain into the hot vinegar. serve hot. [page ] tartar sauce--iii prepare a cupful of drawn-butter sauce and add to it a teaspoonful each of made mustard, grated onion, and chopped pickle. take from the fire, season with salt and cayenne, add the beaten yolk of an egg, and serve. tomato sauce--i prepare according to directions given for drawn-butter sauce, using tomato-juice or stewed and strained canned tomatoes for liquid. tomato sauce--ii chop together capers, pickles, onion, and olives. there should be half a cupful in all. add one half cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, a teaspoonful each of made mustard and sugar, and salt and cayenne to season highly. serve very hot. tomato sauce--iii chop fine an onion and a clove of garlic. fry in butter and add half a can of stewed and strained tomatoes. thicken with butter and flour cooked together, season with salt and pepper and serve. [page ] brown tomato sauce fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in butter, add one tablespoonful of flour and one half cupful each of stock and stewed and strained tomato. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and kitchen bouquet. strain and serve. veloute sauce cook together three tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add one cupful of white stock and one quarter cupful of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, cayenne, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. simmer for an hour, strain, and serve. venetienne sauce--i cook together for five minutes two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, six pepper-corns, a tablespoonful of chopped ham, six parsley roots, a sprig of thyme and a bay-leaf. strain, and add to one cupful of veloute sauce. reheat, add a teaspoonful of minced parsley and serve. venetienne sauce--ii add minced parsley, tarragon vinegar, [page ] grated nutmeg, and a tablespoonful of butter to allemande sauce. vinaigrette sauce mix four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil with one tablespoonful of vinegar. season with salt and paprika and add to it minced parsley, pickle, and capers. whipped cream sauce mix a teaspoonful of dry mustard with a tablespoonful of vinegar and two tablespoonfuls of freshly grated horseradish. mix with one fourth cupful of mayonnaise, and when smooth fold in carefully one cupful of whipped cream. season with salt and red pepper and serve very cold with cold fish. white sauce cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add one cupful of white stock and one half cupful of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper. one and one half cupfuls of milk may be used instead of the stock and cream. [page ] ten ways to serve anchovies i clean, bone, and trim the fish. arrange on a dish, alternating with quarters of hard-boiled eggs. moisten with olive-oil, sprinkle with parsley, and serve with toasted crackers. ii split the anchovies, wash in white wine, and bone them. make a paste with the yolks of eggs, equal parts of minced cooked fish, and bread-crumbs. stuff the anchovies, dip into batter, and fry in deep fat. iii pound the fish in a mortar, seasoning with minced parsley, grated onion, and cayenne. serve on small circles of fried bread, as a first course at dinner. iv drain a bottle of anchovies and mash fine with enough butter to make a smooth paste. season with lemon-juice and cayenne. spread [page ] on fingers of toast and lay a whole anchovy on each piece. v wash eight salted anchovies, remove the skin and bones, and soak in clear water for an hour. drain and wipe dry. arrange on lettuce leaves with sliced hard-boiled eggs and pour over a french dressing. vi toast circles of bread, spread with butter, cover with chopped hard-boiled eggs, make a hollow in the egg, lay an anchovy upon it, and set into a hot oven for five minutes. vii toast thin circles of graham bread, butter, and cover each piece with anchovies. sprinkle with lemon-juice and paprika and put into hot oven for five minutes. viii clean and rinse the fish and dry on a cloth. butter a small baking-dish, put in a layer of cracker crumbs, then a layer of anchovies, then sugar and crumbs. repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. beat the yolks of two eggs with half a cupful [page ] of cream and a little sugar. pour over the fish and bake in the oven. ix use salted norwegian anchovies soaked for two hours in cold water. split down the back, bone and skin, cut into strips, and arrange on a platter. mince separately parsley, capers, boiled carrots, beets, and the whites and yolks of hard-boiled eggs. arrange small piles of contrasting colors among the fish and pour over a french dressing. x fry thin circles of bread, put a pimola in the centre, and curl an anchovy around it. fill the remaining space with chopped hard-boiled eggs and serve as a first course at dinner or luncheon. [page ] forty-five ways to cook bass baked bass--i scale, wash, and clean, leaving the head intact. make a stuffing of two cupfuls of bread-crumbs, one cupful of butter, two eggs well beaten, and enough cold water to make a smooth paste. season with pepper, salt, grated lemon, minced parsley, thyme, and marjoram. split the fish, stuff, and sew up. lay thin slices of salt pork over the fish and put into a baking-pan with a little boiling water seasoned with wine and tomato juice. bake carefully, basting frequently. the gravy may be thickened and served with the fish. baked bass--ii split the fish and stuff with seasoned mashed potatoes. put a little boiling water and a tablespoonful of butter into the baking-pan, and baste frequently while cooking. baked bass--iii rub the inside of the fish with salt, sprinkle [page ] the outside with pepper and salt, cover with sliced onion and salt pork. dredge with flour and put into the baking-pan with sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. baste frequently while cooking, remove the pork and onion, thicken the sauce with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour blended and mixed with a little tomato catsup. pour the hot sauce over the fish and serve. baked bass--iv make a stuffing of one cupful of bread-crumbs, one teaspoonful each of melted butter, worcestershire sauce, tomato catsup, minced parsley, minced onion, minced olives or pickles, lemon-juice, salt, black pepper, and paprika to taste, and sufficient cold water to moisten. sew up the fish and bake as usual. serve with tartar sauce. baked bass with white wine put a bass into a baking-dish with salt, pepper and mushroom liquor to season, and enough white wine to moisten. cover with buttered paper and bake for fifteen minutes. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add three tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire [page ] and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with a little cold water, and the juice of half a lemon. add a tablespoonful of butter and the juice in the baking-pan. pour over the bass and serve. baked bass with shrimp sauce marinate the cleaned fish for an hour in oil and vinegar. put into a baking-pan with slices of salt pork underneath and on top and sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. add a teaspoonful of butter to the water and baste two or three times during the hour of baking. strain the gravy and set aside. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour and cook until brown. add one cupful of the liquid left in the baking-pan, making up the required quantity with boiling water if necessary. cook until thick, stirring constantly; season with cayenne and lemon-juice, and add half a can of shrimps chopped fine. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. baked and stuffed black bass mix together one cupful of bread-crumbs, two small onions chopped, two eggs well beaten, and cold water to moisten. season with worcestershire, tabasco and minced parsley. stuff a bass with this [page ] mixture, rub with melted butter, and bake with a little boiling water, basting as required. baked bass À la newport clean the fish, gash the top, season with salt and pepper, and cover with thin slices of salt pork. pour a little boiling water into the pan and bake slowly, basting as required. serve with the pork. bacon may be used instead. baked bass À la manhattan butter a baking-dish, put in the cleansed fish, rub with melted butter, season with salt and pepper, and cover with thin slices of bacon and bread crumbs. add a little boiling water and bake in a very hot oven, basting as required. baked bass and tomatoes select one large black bass or two small ones; clean the head and let it remain on the fish. slice four tomatoes and cut in halves. make a plain bread dressing; open the fish, rub the inside lightly with salt and soft butter; lay a thick layer of tomatoes in, then a layer of the bread dressing, alternating them until the fish is well stuffed; then bind with a tape. lard the fish with strips of salt pork. lay in a baking-pan, add one cupful of hot water [page ] and one tablespoonful of butter, and bake, basting often. in fifteen minutes take the pan out of the oven and spread the fish with a layer of thinly sliced tomatoes, seasoned with a sprinkling of salt, some melted butter, and a light sprinkling of grated cheese. bake until the tomatoes are done, then carefully remove to a platter, taking off the tape first. garnish with parsley and serve. baked black bass À la babette clean the fish, salt it well, and put into a baking-pan with a cupful of water. put lumps of butter on top, and season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. bake for an hour, basting often. add a wineglassful of sherry and a little catsup to the sauce remaining in the pan. thicken with a teaspoonful of flour, rubbed smooth with a little cold water. baked fillets of bass cut bass into small fillets, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put into a shallow pan, cover with buttered paper and bake for twelve minutes in a hot oven. serve with a border of boiled rice and hollandaise sauce. black bass À la montmorency clean, skin, and bone a bass, and cut into [page ] pieces. butter a baking-dish, put in the fish, season with salt, pepper, and white wine; cover with buttered paper and set in the oven until the fish is partly cooked. take out the fish and arrange in a baking-pan. add to the remaining liquor a chopped onion, half a dozen mushrooms, and two sprigs of parsley finely chopped. add a little stock and thicken with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. pour this sauce over the fish, lay a large mushroom on each piece, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. sprinkle with lemon-juice before serving. stuffed sea-bass clean the fish and cover it with a marinade of olive-oil and vinegar. soak for an hour. fill the fish with chopped salt pork and mushrooms, put into a baking-pan with slices of salt pork underneath and on top, and sufficient boiling water. bake for forty minutes, cover with slices of tomatoes and half of a sweet green pepper chopped fine. dot with butter and bake for twenty minutes more. take up the fish and rub the sauce through a colander. stir in a tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour, add one teaspoonful of sugar and two teaspoonfuls of grated onion. dilute with boiling [page ] water if too thick, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. bass À la bordelaise split a large sea-bass. put into a baking-dish with a wineglassful of claret and salt and pepper to season. sprinkle with chopped shallot, cover with buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. lay the bass on a platter, put the juice in a saucepan with half a teaspoonful of beef extract, four chopped mushrooms, and a bruised bean of garlic. thicken with flour browned in butter, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve very hot. boiled bass clean the fish, put it into warm salted water and simmer for twenty minutes. boiled sea-bass with egg sauce boil the fish according to directions previously given. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of the water in which the fish was boiled, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and lemon-juice; add three hard-boiled eggs [page ] coarsely chopped, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled bass with mushrooms boil a bass in water to cover, adding to the water four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, six pepper-corns, and a little salt. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour and cook thoroughly. add one cupful or more of boiling water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add the juice of half a lemon, half a can of mushrooms chopped fine, and pepper and salt and minced parsley to season. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled black bass with cream sauce clean the bass and sew it up in coarse cheese-cloth. boil in enough water to cover, adding half a cupful of vinegar, a sliced onion, six or eight whole peppers, a blade of mace, and salt to season. take up the fish and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling. strain and set aside. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour and cook thoroughly. add a cupful of the strained liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season to taste, add half a cupful of cream, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and [page ] garnish with sliced lemons. black sea-bass À la poulette prepare a poulette sauce and pour over a black sea bass boiled according to directions previously given. cold bass with tartar sauce boil the fish in court bouillon and drain. chop fine parsley, pickles, olives, and capers. mix with a stiff mayonnaise and spread over the fish. serve with a border of sliced cucumbers. broiled bass clean the fish, split it, and cut each half into two or three pieces. dip in oil or melted butter, sprinkle with flour, and broil carefully. broiled black bass clean and split the fish, remove the bone, rub with melted butter or oil, and broil carefully. pour over a little melted butter, and garnish with lemon and parsley. bass stewed with tomatoes clean the fish, remove the bones and cut [page ] into square pieces. fry two sliced onions in olive-oil. lay the fish upon it, season with salt and pepper and pour over a can of tomatoes which have been rubbed through a sieve. season with salt and pepper, cover closely, and cook for an hour. serve in the same dish. fried bass with bacon clean and cut up the fish, season with pepper and salt, roll in flour, and fry in hot lard. serve with rashers of bacon fried separately. garnish with parsley and lemon. fried black bass scale, clean, and cut up the fish, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and fry in deep fat. breaded fillet of bass clean the fish and cut into convenient pieces. season with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve very hot with tartar sauce. breaded bass with bacon clean the fish and cut into pieces. season with pepper and salt, roll in flour, then in beaten egg, then in bread-crumbs. fry in deep fat and serve with a border of rashers of bacon fried [page ] separately. garnish with parsley. boiled sea-bass with parsley sauce put two medium-sized cleaned sea-bass into a fish-kettle with a bunch of parsley. cover with salted and acidulated water, bring to the boil, simmer for half an hour, drain, garnish with lemon and parsley, and serve with a parsley sauce. fried sea-bass with tartar sauce clean and wipe small sea-bass, score the sides deeply, dip in milk, roll in flour, fry in deep fat, drain, sprinkle with salt, and garnish with quartered lemons and fried parsley. serve with tartar sauce. matelote of sea-bass clean three pounds of sea-bass and cut in convenient pieces for serving. put into a saucepan with a bunch of parsley, salt and pepper to season, and a teaspoonful of sweet herbs. add two onions, sliced, and two small cloves of garlic. cover with equal parts of stock and claret and simmer slowly until the fish is done. move the fish carefully to a serving-dish and strain the liquid into [page ] another saucepan. brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in as much butter as is required to make a smooth paste, add the liquid, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add to the sauce three tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovy and some mushrooms and small button onions fried brown in butter. pour over the fish and serve. broiled sea-bass select a large fish, clean, and split. season with salt and pepper, rub with olive-oil, and broil carefully. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce and garnish with lemon and parsley. sea-bass À la buena vista prepare and clean a large sea-bass. cut a long, deep incision lengthwise on each side. place in a buttered baking-dish with a chopped onion, a bunch of parsley, a pinch of sweet herbs, half a can of tomatoes and a small green pepper, shredded. sprinkle with salt and pepper, add two cupfuls of stock and one cupful of port wine. dot with butter and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes, basting freely. take up the fish, and strain the sauce. melt a tablespoonful of butter, brown in it a tablespoonful of flour, add two cupfuls of well-seasoned beef stock and cook until [page ] thick, stirring constantly. combine these two sauces, cover the fish with broiled tomatoes, pour the sauce over, sprinkle with parsley and lemon-juice, and serve. boiled sea-bass with melted butter sauce boil the fish in acidulated water according to directions previously given. drain, garnish with parsley, and serve with a sauce made by melting half a cupful of butter with the juice of a lemon, and seasoning with white pepper and a little grated nutmeg. sea-bass À la francaise clean and trim two large sea-bass. put into a saucepan, with salt and pepper to season, three tablespoonfuls of butter, two large onions, sliced, a bunch of parsley, and enough claret to cover the fish. simmer for forty minutes, drain, and place on a serving-dish. take out the parsley and keep the liquid warm. brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in two tablespoonfuls of butter, add the onions and liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add stock or water if there is not enough liquid. add a tablespoonful each of melted butter and minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] sea-bass with black butter boil medium-sized sea-bass in salted and acidulated water, drain, and marinate with salt, pepper, and vinegar. brown a cupful of butter in a saucepan, skim, pour the top part over the fish, leaving the sediment in the pan, garnish with fried parsley, and serve. striped bass with shad roe clean a four-pound striped bass and soak the soft roes of four shad in cold water. put the bass into a fish-kettle with an onion, salt and pepper to season, a small bunch of parsley, a tablespoonful of butter, two wineglassfuls of white wine, and enough white stock to cover. cover, cook for half an hour or more, basting as required, and drain. strain the liquid and add it to a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. add the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of butter. cook the roes for five minutes in salted and acidulated water, drain, cut in two, and arrange around the fish. pour the sauce over, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. fillets of striped bass À la bordelaise clean two striped bass and cut into fillets. [page ] cover the trimmings with water, add one cupful of white wine, two cupfuls of white stock, a sliced onion, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to season. skin the fillets, season with salt, and marinate for half an hour in oil and lemon-juice. drain, sprinkle with flour, dip in egg yolks beaten smooth with a little melted butter, then in crumbs. broil carefully, basting with melted butter as required. fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in two tablespoonfuls of flour and cook to a smooth paste. add the liquid strained from the fish trimmings and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add half a cupful of stewed and strained tomato, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. season with red pepper and lemon-juice, pour over the fish, and serve. fillets of striped bass À la manhattan clean and trim a four-pound bass, skin, remove the bones, and chop very fine. add four tablespoonfuls of butter, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and add enough cream to make a stiff paste. shape into cutlets, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat, or sauté in clarified butter. drain. and serve with tomato sauce. [page ] striped bass with caper sauce clean and trim a large striped bass, cut two incisions across the back, tie in a circle, and boil slowly in salted and acidulated water for forty minutes. drain, pour over a caper sauce, garnish with parsley, and serve. striped bass À la dauphine clean and trim a striped bass. put into a fish-kettle with salt, pepper, a bunch of parsley, a pinch of sweet herbs, a sliced onion, two cupfuls of white wine, two cupfuls of water, and four tablespoonfuls of butter. cook for forty minutes in a moderate oven, basting frequently. drain the fish, strain the liquor, and add enough white stock or oyster liquor to make the required quantity of sauce. cook two tablespoonfuls of flour in one tablespoonful of butter, add the liquid, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add three egg yolks well beaten with four tablespoonfuls of butter, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of paprika. bring to the boiling point, pour over the fish, and serve. garnish with fried mushrooms. striped bass À la cardinal clean and trim a striped bass. cook in a [page ] fish-kettle with two cupfuls of water, one cupful of white wine, four tablespoonfuls of butter, a bunch of parsley, an onion, and a carrot, sliced, and salt and pepper to season. simmer for forty minutes and drain. add two cupfuls of white stock to the liquid, strain, and skim off the fat. cook two tablespoonfuls of flour in a tablespoonful of butter, add the strained liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire and add the yolks of four eggs, beaten with the juice of a lemon, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and a pinch of paprika. bring to the boil, then take from the fire, add sufficient dried and pounded lobster coral to color, pour over the fish, and serve. striped bass À la hollandaise clean and trim a striped bass and simmer half an hour in salted and acidulated water to cover. drain, garnish with parsley, and serve with hollandaise sauce. striped bass À la commodore clean and stuff a striped bass. put into a fish-kettle with a bunch of parsley, a cupful of mixed vegetables cut fine, a cupful of white wine, a cupful of oyster liquor, and enough water or stock to cover. simmer for forty [page ] minutes and drain. strain the gravy, skim off the fat, and set aside. brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in one tablespoonful of butter, add one cupful of stock and cook until very thick, stirring constantly. add the strained sauce and reheat, stirring until smooth. add a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, four tablespoonfuls of butter, and lemon-juice to taste. pour over the fish and serve. striped bass À l'americaine cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a pint of oysters, with their liquor, and the yolks of two eggs, well beaten. cook until thick, stirring constantly. prepare and trim a striped bass, fill with the oyster mixture, season, and sew up. put into a fish-kettle with enough white wine and water, in equal parts, to cover. add a sliced onion, a bunch of parsley, a little salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of butter. simmer for an hour and drain. strain the gravy and skim off the fat. cook together two tablespoonfuls of flour and one of butter, add the strained liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, the juice of a lemon, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. bring to the boil, pour [page ] over the fish, and serve. garnish with fried oysters. striped bass À la marseilles clean a large striped bass and divide into fillets. put into a fish-boiler with three tablespoonfuls of butter, two large onions, sliced, a bunch of parsley, a bay-leaf, salt and pepper to season, and red wine and water, in equal parts, to cover. simmer for an hour, drain the fish, take out the parsley, strain the liquid, and spread the cooked onions over the fish. cook three tablespoonfuls of flour in two tablespoonfuls of butter, add the strained liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the juice of a small lemon, a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. when the butter is melted, pour over the fish and serve. striped bass À la conti clean and trim a large striped bass. put into a baking-pan with four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, a small onion, chopped fine, salt and pepper to season, a bunch of parsley, and two cupfuls each of white wine and white stock. cover and cook for an hour in a moderate oven, basting often. drain the fish and remove the parsley. strain the sauce. brown [page ] two tablespoonfuls of flour in one of butter, add the strained liquid, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. pour over the fish and serve. [page ] eight ways to cook blackfish blackfish À l'americaine draw two large blackfish, trim, and clean thoroughly. put into a baking-dish with two chopped onions fried in butter. add two cupfuls of cold water and half a cupful of port wine. season with salt and pepper, a pinch of powdered cloves, mace, allspice, and thyme, two bay-leaves, a small bunch of parsley, and two leeks. cover tightly and cook for an hour. lift out the fish and strain the liquid. thicken it with a tablespoonful of butter, blended with an equal quantity of flour. bring to the boil, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and minced parsley and lemon-juice to season. pour over the fish and serve. blackfish with fine herbs put the cleaned fish into a baking-dish with chopped onions, parsley and mushrooms. gash the fish and fill the incisions with butter and chopped onion. moisten with equal parts [page ] of white wine and stock, cover with buttered paper, and cook in a moderate oven for half an hour, basting frequently. take out the fish, strain the sauce, and add stock to make the necessary quantity. thicken with a tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour, and pour over the fish. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. sprinkle with lemon-juice before serving. broiled blackfish with chilli sauce clean the fish, season with salt and pepper, rub with oil, and broil slowly. fry in butter a chopped shallot and two chilli peppers. add two chopped tomatoes, a wineglassful of catawba wine, and a cupful of stock. boil to the consistency of a thick sauce, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and a little chopped parsley. spread over the fish. matelote of blackfish cover four pounds of cleaned blackfish with equal parts of claret and water. add salt and pepper to season, two small cloves of garlic, two onions sliced, and a bunch of parsley. boil for half an hour and strain the liquid. thicken it with two tablespoonfuls of butter blended with a little flour. add two tablespoonfuls [page ] of butter, a tablespoonful of anchovy paste, and lemon-juice to season. strain over the fish and garnish with fresh fried mushrooms and small white onions sprinkled with sugar and fried brown in clarified butter. stewed blackfish À la newport cook four pounds of blackfish in catawba wine and water to cover, seasoning with parsley and onion, three cloves, salt, and half a dozen pepper-corns. boil for half an hour, strain the sauce, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour browned in butter. cook until thick, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of half a lemon. strain over the fish and surround with a border of baked tomatoes. baked blackfish--i put two cleaned blackfish into a buttered baking-pan with one cupful of port wine and two cupfuls of water. add salt, white and red pepper, grated nutmeg, minced parsley, and sweet herbs to season. dot the fish with butter, cover with buttered paper, and bake for forty-five minutes, basting as required. take out the fish, strain the sauce, and put it into a saucepan with two cupfuls of stock. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of butter [page ] blended with an equal quantity of flour, and boil for ten minutes. skim, add two tablespoonfuls each of butter and anchovy paste, and lemon-juice to taste. reheat, pour over the fish, and serve. baked blackfish--ii remove the skin and fins from a six-pound fish and place in a baking-pan. cover with two cupfuls of bread-crumbs moistened with hot water, and seasoned with butter, salt, pepper, sage, summer savory, and sweet marjoram. bake for an hour and a half and serve with any preferred sauce. blackfish with port wine sauce put two cleaned blackfish into a pan with one cupful of port wine, one cupful of water, one cupful of white stock, and salt, pepper, minced parsley, and sweet herbs to season. cover and simmer for forty minutes. take out the fish, add two cupfuls of stock to the sauce, thicken with one tablespoonful of butter blended with two of flour, and cook until of the proper consistency. strain through a cloth, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and lemon-juice and red pepper to season. pour over the fish and serve. [page ] twenty-six ways to cook bluefish baked bluefish À l'italienne score and scale the bluefish and put it into a buttered pan with three tablespoonfuls each of white wine and mushroom liquor, a tablespoonful of chopped onion, half a dozen chopped mushrooms and salt and pepper to season. cover with buttered paper and bake for fifteen minutes. take out the fish and add to the sauce half a teaspoonful of beef extract, dissolved in half a cupful of boiling water. add a wineglassful of white wine and thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and browned flour. pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. baked bluefish--i clean, scrape, and split the fish and take out the backbone. gash the flesh and insert a thin slice of salt pork under the skin. make a stuffing of one cupful of bread-crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of chopped salt pork, and salt, [page ] minced parsley, chopped onion, red pepper, kitchen bouquet, and tomato catsup to season. add one egg well beaten. fill the fish and sew up. lay on thin slices of salt pork and bake, basting frequently with the fat. garnish with cress and lemon. baked bluefish--ii clean a large bluefish, put into a baking-pan, pour over it a cupful of boiling salted water, cover and bake for an hour, basting frequently. put on a serving platter, and thicken the sauce with browned flour, seasoning with salt, pepper, worcestershire and tomato catsup. serve with a garnish of sliced lemon. baked bluefish--iii make a stuffing of bread-crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of minced onion, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, three tablespoonfuls of butter, one egg well-beaten, and salt and pepper to season. stuff the fish and tie securely. bake in a pan with a cupful of hot water and a tablespoonful of butter, basting frequently. take out the fish, boil up the sauce, add a tablespoonful of catsup, a tablespoonful of browned flour wet with four tablespoonfuls of cold water, and the juice of a lemon. cook until thick, and strain. [page ] baked bluefish--iv prepare a stuffing of crumbs, grated onion, beaten egg and capers. stuff a large bluefish and sew up. season with salt and pepper, rub with butter, and add sufficient boiling water. bake, baste frequently, and serve with any preferred sauce. baked bluefish--v make a stuffing of one cupful of bread-crumbs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, and salt and pepper to season. fill the fish and sew firmly. gash the fish and lay strips of pork in the gashes. cover with crumbs, dot with butter and add sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. bake for an hour, basting frequently. garnish with parsley and lemon and serve with tomato sauce. baked bluefish--vi slit a large bluefish, take out the bone, put in a buttered baking-dish and season with salt and pepper. fry a chopped onion in butter, add half a dozen chopped mushrooms, three tablespoonfuls of chopped cooked egg-plant, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. add two cupfuls of stock, and cook for fifteen minutes. thicken with a tablespoonful or more of flour rubbed smooth in cold water, [page ] and pour over the fish. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. baked bluefish with white wine sauce put a cleaned bluefish into a buttered pan with salt, pepper, minced parsley, sweet herbs, a sliced onion, two cupfuls of white wine, and one cupful of white stock. cover with a buttered paper and cook for forty minutes, basting as required. take out the fish, strain the sauce, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour cooked in butter. boil for ten minutes, add three tablespoonfuls of butter, the juice of half a lemon and three egg yolks well beaten. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. baked bluefish À la naples prepare the fish according to directions given for baked bluefish--ii. fry in butter for five minutes two tablespoonfuls each of chopped onion, carrot, and lean raw ham. add twelve pepper-corns, two cloves, and a sprig of marjoram. add two and one half tablespoonfuls of flour and cook until brown. add gradually one cupful of brown stock and one and one fourth cupfuls of white wine. cook until [page ] thick, stirring constantly, strain, reheat, pour over the fish, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. boiled bluefish prepare according to directions given for boiled bass. broiled bluefish--i split the fish down the back and soak for half an hour in brine. rinse in fresh water, dry on a towel and broil on a buttered broiler. serve on a hot platter with melted butter poured over, and garnish with watercress and sliced lemon. broiled bluefish--ii clean and split down the back, season with salt and pepper, and broil according to directions previously given. sprinkle with minced parsley and lemon-juice and pour over a little melted butter. serve with a border of mashed potatoes. pan-broiled bluefish lay the fish flesh side down in a well greased, very hot pan. turn with a pancake-turner. [page ] broiled bluefish au beurre-noir broil a bluefish according to directions previously given. mix together one tablespoonful each of vinegar and minced parsley, one teaspoonful of lemon-juice, and salt and pepper to season. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan and when it browns add the other ingredients. bring to the boil and pour it over the broiled fish. broiled bluefish with mustard sauce broil a bluefish according to directions previously given, and sprinkle with lemon-juice. pour over a cream sauce to which prepared mustard has been added. matelote of bluefish prepare according to directions given for matelote of blackfish, using white wine instead of claret. stuffed bluefish--i prepare according to directions given for stuffed sea-bass. stuffed bluefish--ii scrape, clean, and dry a large bluefish. [page ] chop three onions fine and fry in butter. add enough mashed potatoes to make the required quantity of stuffing, and season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and melted butter. fill the fish and sew up. rub with melted butter, put a little hot water into the pan, and bake for thirty minutes, basting as required. garnish with lemon and parsley. escalloped bluefish flake cold cooked bluefish and mix it with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes. fill buttered shells, sprinkle with grated cheese, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. fillets of bluefish À la duxelles skin, bone, and fillet a bluefish. season with salt and pepper, and cook with melted butter and lemon-juice until firm. take from the fire and cool. prepare a duxelles sauce, boil down until thick, and cook the fish with it. dip in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with the diluted sauce poured around the fish. fillets of bluefish with anchovy sauce prepare the fish according to directions [page ] given in the preceding recipe, cooking with white wine as well as lemon-juice. prepare a cream sauce, and add to it two tablespoonfuls each of butter and anchovy paste. pour over the fish and serve. bluefish À l'icarienne scale and score a two-pound bluefish, and put in a buttered baking-dish with three tablespoonfuls each of mushroom liquor and white wine, and salt and pepper to season. cover with a buttered paper and bake for fifteen minutes. take out the fish and add to the sauce three tablespoonfuls of stewed and strained tomatoes and one tablespoonful of chopped, cooked, smoked beef tongue. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. bluefish À la venetienne prepare according to directions for baked bluefish à la italienne, adding to it a chopped tomato and six whole mushrooms. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, brown in the oven, and sprinkle with minced parsley. fried fillets of bluefish cut the fish into fillets and soak for half an hour in olive-oil and lemon-juice. dip in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in seasoned [page ] cracker crumbs, and set into a cold place for an hour. fry in deep fat and serve with tartar sauce. fried bluefish clean the fish, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour and fry in plenty of hot lard. drain on brown paper and garnish with parsley. steamed bluefish season the fish with salt and pepper and pour over it a cupful of vinegar. let stand for an hour, pour off the vinegar, and steam for twenty minutes. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] five ways to cook butterfish fried butterfish--i trim, draw, and clean the fish. wipe dry, dip in milk, roll in flour and fry in a frying-pan in plenty of clear hot fat. drain on a cloth, sprinkle with salt, and garnish with lemon and parsley. fried butterfish--ii clean, wash and dry the fish, rub with flour, season with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg, then in cracker dust or sifted bread-crumbs. fry in deep fat. fried butterfish--iii clean and gash the fish, roll in corn-meal and sauté in hot salt pork fat. serve with tartar sauce. butterfish with fine herbs prepare according to directions given for sole with fine herbs. [page ] boiled butterfish cover well-cleaned and lightly-gashed butterfish with boiling water, season with one chopped onion, parsley and thyme, salt and pepper. boil gently for about ten minutes if small. take from the water, and serve with scalded milk seasoned with butter, pepper, salt, and minced parsley. [page ] twenty-two ways to cook carp baked carp--i clean a carp and cover it with salted cold water and vinegar. soak for an hour, then drain and dry. stuff with seasoned crumbs, sew up, and put into a deep baking-pan. brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with bread-crumbs and dot with butter. add two sliced onions and a pinch of sweet herbs, a cupful each of sweet wine and stock, and a teaspoonful of anchovy paste. bake for an hour, basting as needed. take out the fish, strain the liquor, thicken with a tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour, and season with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, and a pinch of sugar. baked carp--ii let the fish stand in vinegar for fifteen minutes. stuff with seasoned crumbs and sew up. brush with beaten egg, cover with crumbs, and dot with butter. put into a baking-pan with two chopped onions, a bunch of parsley, a cupful [page ] of water, and a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. bake in a moderate oven, basting as required. add enough water to make a cupful of the liquid remaining after taking up the fish. thicken with a tablespoonful of flour blended with an equal quantity of butter, strain, add the juice of a lemon, and pepper and salt to season. stewed carp--i clean and scale a carp, pouring boiling vinegar over the fish to facilitate the process. wrap in a cloth and cook it gently in court bouillon. serve with a sauce made of court bouillon, strained and thickened, with a few capers and a little anchovy sauce added. stewed carp--ii mix together one tablespoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a pinch of powdered mace. rub a cleaned fish with it, both inside and out. leave it in a cold place for two hours. then put into a kettle, cover with boiling water, add a small onion sliced, a sprig of parsley, a bay-leaf, and a teaspoonful of marjoram. simmer until done, drain, and serve with cream sauce. boiled carp put a cleaned carp into a saucepan with [page ] sufficient beef stock to cover. add an onion, four cloves, a bunch of sweet herbs, and salt to season. simmer until the fish is done. take out the fish and strain the sauce. add two cupfuls of beef stock and thicken with browned flour. boil until thick, add a wineglassful of white wine and the juice of half a lemon. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. pickled carp put a cleaned carp into a fish-kettle and pour over it boiling vinegar and a cupful of claret. add two carrots and three onions chopped fine, and sage, thyme, bay-leaves, parsley, cloves, and bruised garlic to season. simmer for an hour and let cool in the liquid. carp À l'italienne clean, scale, and slice the fish. fry with onion, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper, using plenty of butter. add white wine to cover and simmer for ten minutes; then put in the oven and bake until tender. add two lemons sliced and one cupful each of chopped almonds and currants. cook long enough to soften the currants, adding stock if necessary. carp À l'allemande clean and cut into strips two pounds of [page ] carp. add one wineglassful of claret, one cupful of beef stock, one cupful of chopped mushrooms, a carrot and an onion chopped fine, and salt, pepper, thyme, clove and parsley to season. simmer for an hour, add a tablespoonful of capers, and serve on buttered toast. carp À la bordelaise chop fine an onion, a carrot, and a bunch of parsley. add two cupfuls of white wine, a clove of garlic, three cloves, and salt and pepper to season. cook for fifteen minutes, then add two quarts of cold water. boil the carp in this sauce and drain. prepare a sauce as follows: chop fine a small onion and a shallot. season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft with a wineglassful of claret. add two cupfuls of beef stock and bring to the boil. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of browned flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water, season with salt, red pepper, minced parsley, and chives, and add a small piece of cooked chopped marrow. pour over the fish and serve very hot. broiled carp broil as usual and serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley poured over it. [page ] carp À la franÇaise cut the cleaned fish into square pieces and put it into a saucepan with four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, one cupful of claret, and a tablespoonful of butter blended with an equal quantity of flour. add a chopped clove of garlic, a shallot, a quarter of a pound of mushrooms, and salt, pepper, and minced parsley to season. cook for twenty minutes and serve. fried carp--i soak the fish over night in salt water. drain, rinse in cold water, season with pepper and salt, dredge in flour, and fry in butter. fried carp--ii cook the carp in court bouillon, drain, and cut in slices. cover with a very thick cream sauce and let cool. dip in crumbs, then in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. fried carp--iii clean the fish and cut it into convenient pieces. dip in milk then in seasoned flour, and fry in hot fat. carp À la coblentz boil the fish with one cupful of rhine wine, two cupfuls of white [page ] stock, two carrots and two onions sliced, half a cupful of sliced mushrooms and minced parsley, salt, pepper, and sweet herbs to season. add water if the stock is not sufficient to cover. boil for half an hour, take the fish up, then thicken the sauce with butter and flour, and add the juice of half a lemon with another tablespoonful of butter. pour over the fish and serve. baked carp À la mariniÈre clean the fish and line it with bacon. boil carefully in court bouillon to which one quarter of the quantity of white wine has been added. boil for five minutes, then put the pan into the oven and bake for an hour and a half, basting frequently. take out the fish, strain the liquid, thicken with browned flour, add a wineglassful of white wine, and boil until thick. rub through a sieve and add three tablespoonfuls of butter. pour over the fish and serve. steamed carp scale and clean the fish and steam until done. serve with sour cream or with a drawn-butter sauce seasoned with lemon-juice. carp in matelote cook the cleaned carp in a fish-kettle with [page ] two sliced onions, a bunch of parsley, a little salt, a few pepper-corns, two cloves of garlic, a quart of red wine and a pint of water. cook slowly for forty minutes and take out the fish. strain the sauce and reduce by rapid boiling to one quart. thicken with butter and browned flour and boil for half an hour. skim, add three tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of anchovy paste, and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. carp À la bourguinotte stew the carp in red wine, drain, and place on a platter. cook four shallots, two cloves, a blade of mace, a pinch of thyme, a bay-leaf, and a mushroom for five minutes in enough red wine to cover. add enough beef stock to make the required quantity of sauce, and thicken with butter and browned flour. cook until thick, strain, and pour over the fish. carp À la pÉrigueux cook the carp in wine and drain. chop six truffles fine, add a tablespoonful of chopped raw ham, a pinch of thyme, and a bay-leaf. cook for ten minutes in sufficient white wine to cover. add a cupful of beef stock and thicken with butter and browned flour. [page ] cook until thick, rub through a sieve, add a tablespoonful of butter and a little anchovy paste and the juice of half a lemon. carp À la lyons clean the fish and cut into thick slices. soak for an hour in a marinade of oil and vinegar, season with salt, pepper, thyme, bay-leaves, and chopped onion. drain, dip in flour, then in beaten egg, then in bread-crumbs, mixed with parmesan cheese. fry in deep fat and garnish with lemon and parsley. carp À la provenÇale stew the carp in court bouillon and white wine. drain and place on a platter. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of chopped ham and olive-oil, four bruised cloves of garlic, a pinch of thyme, a bay-leaf, a tablespoonful of capers, a peeled lemon sliced, a small bunch of parsley, and paprika to season. cook for five minutes, add enough beef stock to make the required quantity of sauce, and cook for ten minutes. thicken with browned flour, rub through a sieve, skim, add a tablespoonful of butter and a little anchovy paste, and pour over the fish. [page ] six ways to cook catfish catfish stewed with tomatoes slice the fish and fry in butter. when half cooked, add a cupful of water, a chopped onion, a red pepper, and a can of tomatoes. cook slowly for half an hour and serve with buttered toast. fried catfish--i clean and cut the fish in squares. season with salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce. dip in egg, then in crumbs or corn-meal, and fry in deep fat. fried catfish--ii prepare the fish according to directions given above, dredge with seasoned flour, and fry in butter in a frying-pan. fried catfish--iii skin and clean the fish, cut into pieces. soak for an hour in olive-oil and vinegar, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. [page ] stewed catfish soak the skinned fish in brine for an hour. put into a saucepan with a chopped onion, cover with cold water, and simmer until they are tender. take out the fish, season with salt, pepper, and butter, and thicken the liquid in which they were cooked with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together and mixed with half a cupful of boiling cream. bring to the boil, add a teaspoonful of minced parsley and one egg well beaten. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. boiled catfish boil the fish according to directions previously given. thicken the remaining liquid with butter rolled in flour, season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, add two chopped hard-boiled eggs, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] sixty-seven ways to cook codfish baked codfish--i rub the inside of a small fresh cod with butter and lemon-juice and put on a buttered drainer in a fish-kettle. rub with butter, sprinkle with chopped mushrooms, shallots, and parsley, lemon-juice, and minced garlic. pour over the fish three cupfuls of white wine, bring to the boil, and simmer for an hour and a half. baste as required. thicken the liquor with butter and flour and serve with the sauce. baked codfish--ii stuff the fish with seasoned crumbs and season with pepper and salt. pour over two cupfuls of sherry and a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup. add two cupfuls of stock, cover with buttered paper, and bake, basting often. when nearly done, sprinkle with bread-crumbs and dot with butter, and bake until brown. take up the fish carefully, [page ] add a teaspoonful of beef extract and a little anchovy paste to the liquor in the baking-pan, strain, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of half a lemon, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. baked codfish--iii prepare according to directions given for baked codfish--i, adding a pint of parboiled oysters to the sauce. baked salt codfish prepare the fish according to directions given in the recipe for boiled salted cod. mix with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, season, add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and enough hot milk to make very soft. put into a buttered baking-dish, rub with butter, and bake until brown. serve with cream or drawn-butter sauce. creamed and baked codfish put into a stoneware platter creamed codfish prepared according to directions elsewhere given, and surround with a border of mashed potatoes beaten light with an egg. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. [page ] baked codfish À la montreal butter a baking-dish and put in the centre a large piece of prepared codfish. surround with boiled potatoes, rub all thoroughly with butter, season with pepper and salt, and bake in the oven, basting frequently. serve in the same dish, sprinkling with minced parsley. baked codfish À la nantucket prepare a stuffing of one cupful of cracker crumbs, one cupful of oysters, one quarter of a cupful of melted butter, and salt, pepper, minced parsley, and lemon-juice to season. clean a four-pound cod, sprinkle with salt and pepper, brush over with lemon-juice, stuff, and sew. rub with butter, sprinkle with crumbs, and add sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. bake until done, basting as required. baked codfish with cheese sauce rub the fish with butter and lemon-juice, put it on the grating in the baking-pan, season with salt and pepper, and bake, pouring a cupful of white stock under the grating. take up the fish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. strain the liquid, thicken with butter rolled in flour, and season with lemon-juice, grated onion, and four tablespoonfuls of grated [page ] parmesan cheese. bring to the boil and serve poured around the fish. quick baked codfish put a thick slice of codfish into a baking-pan. rub with butter, season with pepper and salt, and add sufficient boiling water to moisten. bake for half an hour, basting frequently. thicken the gravy with butter and flour, pour over the fish, and serve. baked rock cod with dressing season bread-crumbs with grated onion, sage, salt, and pepper. add a tablespoonful of butter broken into bits, and sufficient milk to moisten. fill and sew up the fish. lay in a baking-pan on thin slices of salt pork, rub with butter, and cover with thin slices of pork. pour over two tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup and half a cupful of boiling water. bake for an hour, basting frequently. baked cod À la bedford soak the cleaned fish for two hours in olive-oil seasoned with salt, pepper, and worcestershire. drain and put into a baking-dish, rub with butter, and sprinkle with crumbs. add two wineglassfuls [page ] of catawba wine and two cupfuls of oyster liquor. cover with buttered paper and bake for forty minutes. take up the fish, thicken the sauce with butter and flour, season with lemon-juice and minced parsley, pour around the fish, and serve. baked codfish with cream parboil part of a codfish in salted water. remove the bones and put the pieces into a baking-dish in layers with cream sauce and seasoning between. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated nutmeg, and bake. boiled salt codfish--i soak two pounds of salted cod over night, put into fresh water, bring to the boil and serve with melted butter. boiled salt codfish--ii soak the fish over night, change the water, and simmer until done. serve with a drawn-butter sauce. boiled salted codfish with egg sauce prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. cook one teaspoonful [page ] of corn-meal until thick in one cupful of milk, add one cupful of mashed potatoes, the codfish chopped, two tablespoonfuls of butter, two well-beaten eggs, and pepper to taste. prepare an egg sauce, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled codfish with oyster sauce boil the fish in salted water, seasoned with pepper, cloves, and lemon peel. prepare a cream sauce, and cook oysters in it until the edges curl, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled codfish with cream sauce boil the codfish slowly in salted water. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add salt, pepper, and anchovy paste to season, pour over the fish. sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. boiled codfish À la hollandaise boil the fish according to directions previously given and serve with hollandaise sauce. [page ] boiled codfish with caper sauce--i prepare according to directions given for boiled codfish with cream sauce, omitting the anchovy paste, and adding two tablespoonfuls each of capers and melted butter. boiled codfish with caper sauce--ii boil a small fresh codfish in court bouillon, and allow it to cool partially in the liquor. serve with caper sauce. boiled codfish creamed sew up the fish in a cloth dredged with flour, and boil in salted and acidulated water. unwrap, and serve with sauce made of half a cupful each of milk and boiling water, thickened with two tablespoonfuls of butter rolled in flour. take from the fire, add two eggs well-beaten, and salt, pepper, and minced parsley to season. add a tablespoonful of capers or tarragon vinegar, pour over the fish, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. boiled codfish with egg sauce prepare the fish according to directions given in the recipe for boiled codfish with oyster sauce. serve with egg sauce. [page ] codfish balls with egg sauce free two pounds of fresh cod from all bones; chop it and season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and a little finely chopped lemon peel, adding chopped parsley, marjoram, a little soaked bread-crumbs with the water drained well out; mix with two unbeaten eggs and form into balls the size of a tomato. fry a large sliced onion in two ounces of butter, add a cupful of boiling water, let it boil up, then put in the balls. when cooked, beat three eggs, strain in the juice of two large lemons, adding a little chopped parsley; stir this well in without letting it boil, then dish up the balls and strain the sauce over. garnish with parsley. if liked, add three or four cut-up tomatoes to the balls. codfish À la creole--i flake one pound of cooked codfish, add to it one cupful of boiled rice, half a can of tomatoes strained, a chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt and pepper to season. cook slowly for half an hour. codfish À la creole--ii soak over night two pounds of salt codfish. fry brown in lard a chopped onion and a bean of garlic. mix with three tablespoonfuls [page ] of browned flour and cook thoroughly. add a can of tomatoes which have been rubbed through a sieve and simmered until very thick. drain and rinse the fish, pour boiling water upon it and let stand until cool. pick out the bones, add to the sauce, and reheat. codfish puffs prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. mix with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and mix thoroughly, using a little hot cream to moisten it. add four eggs well beaten and mix thoroughly. drop by spoonfuls into boiling fat and fry brown. codfish au gratin cook in court bouillon and cool in the liquor. scrape off the skin, take out the bones, and put in the baking-dish in which it is to be served. sprinkle it thickly with grated cheese and pour over a béchamel sauce. sprinkle with crumbs and bake golden brown. escalloped codfish and macaroni mix together equal parts of cooked and broken macaroni and flaked boiled cod. mix with cream sauce. fill a buttered baking-dish, [page ] sprinkle thickly with grated cheese, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. fricassÉed salt codfish soak over night in cold water two pounds of salt codfish. take out the bones, cover with fresh water, and bring to the boil. fry in olive-oil two chopped onions and a green pepper, with a sliced tomato, a bruised clove of garlic, and a chilli pepper. add six cupfuls of stock, three tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and two cupfuls of peeled raw potatoes cut into dice. cook until the potatoes are nearly done, then add the codfish and boil for five or ten minutes. creamed codfish flake cold cooked codfish, or salted codfish which has been soaked and boiled. mix with a cream sauce, adding one or two well-beaten eggs to the sauce just before serving. escalloped codfish with cheese prepare according to directions given for creamed codfish. cover with grated cheese, crumbs, and butter, and bake in the oven. [page ] broiled salt codfish soak two pounds of salt codfish over night. in the morning change the water, add a chopped onion, bring to the boil, and cool. drain, wipe dry, rub with melted butter, and broil. serve with drawn-butter sauce. codfish soufflÉ boil half a pound of salt codfish according to directions previously given. mash the fish and mix with two cupfuls of mashed potatoes, pepper to season, and the yolks of two eggs well beaten. beat thoroughly, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, and bake in a hot oven until well puffed and brown. codfish and macaroni soak over night half a pound of salt codfish. boil for twenty minutes two ounces of broken macaroni. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one of flour, and cook thoroughly. add one cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and grated onion, add the fish and macaroni, and cook for an hour in a double-boiler. codfish À la bonne femme soak over night three pounds of salt codfish. [page ] boil for twenty-five minutes a quart of peeled potatoes, with salt, parsley, a clove, and an onion in the water. add the fish and cook for ten minutes longer. arrange the fish on a platter with the drained potatoes for a border. melt one teaspoonful of butter, add one of flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of water in which the fish was cooked and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a teaspoonful of vinegar and a tablespoonful of melted butter. season with pepper, pour over the fish and the potatoes, and serve. codfish À la beauregard prepare according to directions given for creamed codfish, using fresh codfish and omitting the egg. serve on buttered toast and cover with hard-boiled eggs rubbed through a sieve. stewed codfish À la lincoln clean and bone four pounds of fresh codfish. slice and scald two small onions, drain and fry soft in salt pork fat. cut the fish into cubes and season with salt and pepper. boil the bones in water to cover, with onion and pork fat. put the fish into a buttered [page ] sauce-pan and strain the boiling liquid over it, using enough to cover. add the juice of half a lemon, and thicken with one heaping tablespoonful of butter cooked with two of flour. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and tomato or mushroom catsup. just before the fish is done add one quart of drained oysters and cook until the oysters are plump. boiled cods' tongues with egg sauce soak the tongues over night, change the water, and boil for ten minutes. serve with drawn-butter sauce. fried codfish tongues wash the tongues, dip in cold milk and roll in seasoned flour. fry in butter, and serve with tomato sauce. cods' tongues À la poulette prepare according to directions given for boiled cods' tongues with egg sauce and serve with a poulette sauce, using for liquid the water in which the tongues were boiled. codfish tongues À la beurre noir prepare the tongues according to directions [page ] given in the recipe for boiled cods' tongues with egg sauce. drain and serve with brown butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and lemon-juice. codfish fritters cut into strips fresh boiled cod, or freshened and boiled salt cod. dip in fritter batter and fry in deep fat. devilled codfish flake cold cooked fish. mix with an equal quantity of bread-crumbs the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, and melted butter, grated onion, minced parsley, and pepper and salt to season. add milk or oyster liquor to moisten and fill buttered shells. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. codfish À la seville wash and dry one cupful of rice, brown it in olive-oil, and drain. put into a stewpan and cover with fillets of fresh cod, fried in the oil. add a sliced onion fried, half a dozen sliced tomatoes, and salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice to season. add two cupfuls of stock, put a buttered paper on top, cover the pan, and bake half an hour in the oven. take out the fish carefully, mix the rice and [page ] seasoning together, and serve as a border around the fish. codfish À la bÉchamel prepare according to directions given for creamed codfish, omitting the egg and using white stock and milk in equal parts instead of cream. escalloped codfish À la bÉchamel prepare according to directions given for codfish à la béchamel, adding the yolks of three eggs. arrange in a baking-dish with layers of seasoned crumbs, and add sufficient milk to moisten. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. codfish À la flamande prepare boiled codfish according to directions previously given. melt one tablespoonful of butter and cook in it a teaspoonful of flour. add one cupful of boiling water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, four tablespoonfuls of made mustard, and pepper, vinegar, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley to season. add gradually half a cupful of melted butter, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] stewed codfish À la shrewsbury stuff the fish with drained oysters and seasoned crumbs, adding two tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits. sew up, put on the grating in a fish-kettle, seasoning with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. dot with butter and add the oyster liquor, and two cupfuls each of stock and water. simmer for forty minutes, basting as required. take up the fish, thicken the sauce with butter and flour cooked together, and boil for ten minutes. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, the juice of a lemon, and the yolks of two eggs well beaten. strain over the fish and serve. salt codfish À la brandade cut the fish in pieces and soak in cold water for twenty-four hours. put into fresh cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer for twenty minutes. drain, bone, and cool. mix to a cream with lemon-juice and olive-oil, adding a little milk if it becomes too thick. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and garlic. serve with toasted crackers and cheese. stewed cod with oysters cut fresh cod into fillets, and put in a baking-pan, [page ] with salt, pepper, and chopped onion to season. add one cupful of white wine and the liquor of two dozen parboiled oysters. cook slowly for fifteen minutes, take out the fish, thicken the sauce with butter and flour cooked together, add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, season with lemon-juice, and pour the sauce over the fish. garnish with the parboiled oysters and serve. salted cod with brown butter soak the fish for twenty-four hours and prepare according to directions given for boiled salted cod. drain, wipe dry, and fry brown in butter, adding a little minced parsley. codfish steak cut the fish into steaks, about two inches thick, season with salt and pepper, and let stand for two hours. dredge with corn-meal and fry in salt pork fat. sprinkle with lemon-juice and serve. broiled codfish steaks with bacon prepare the steaks according to directions previously given and serve with a border of thin slices of bacon fried crisp. [page ] broiled codfish steaks soak in salted water for fifteen minutes, wipe dry, and let stand for an hour in olive-oil and vinegar. drain, season, and broil on a well-buttered gridiron. serve with melted butter and minced parsley. breaded codfish steaks season the steaks with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried codfish steaks clean the steaks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dip into flour. sauté in salt pork fat. codfish steaks À la narragansett fry the steaks with a chopped onion in butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. take out and put a tablespoonful of flour into the frying-pan. cook thoroughly, add two cupfuls of water and half a cupful of wine, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, season with minced parsley and lemon-juice, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] codfish hash flake cold cooked cod, mix with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, and season to taste. cook until light brown in butter. matelote of codfish mix together one cupful of oysters, two cupfuls of bread-crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one egg, and a small onion, chopped. stuff a small boned codfish and sew up. lay the fish on slices of bacon in a baking-pan and cover the top with bacon. add sufficient boiling water and bake for an hour, basting as required. stewed codfish flake cold cooked cod and reheat with butter, pepper, salt, minced parsley, cayenne, and lemon-juice. serve very hot on toast. fillets of codfish clean and bone the fish and cut into thick strips. put into a buttered saucepan with a little stock, season, sprinkle with minced parsley, and set into the oven, covered with a buttered paper. serve in a deep platter with a border of mashed potatoes. [page ] fried cod prepare the fish according to directions given for fillet of codfish. season, dredge with flour, dip in egg and bread-crumbs, and fry in deep fat. fried codfish À la maÎtre d'hÔtel prepare according to directions given for fried codfish. serve with a sauce of melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. fried fillets of codfish mix together one tablespoonful of olive-oil, two tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, and salt, grated onion, and paprika to season. soak fillets of codfish in this for an hour, then drain, dip into beaten egg, then into crumbs, and fry in deep fat. drain on brown paper and serve with tartar sauce. broiled codfish split the tail end of the fish and broil. serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. codfish pie prepare creamed codfish according to directions previously given, seasoning with grated onion. fill a buttered baking-dish and cover [page ] with mashed potato, beaten very light with an egg and a little cream. rub with melted butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake in a quick oven. escalloped codfish prepare the fish according to directions previously given. flake and prepare according to directions given for creamed codfish. put into a buttered baking-pan with layers of seasoned crumbs between, add milk to moisten, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. [page ] forty-five ways to cook eels braised eel skin and clean an eel, cut it into two-inch pieces, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for an hour. soak in cold water for ten minutes, drain, and dry. put into a buttered saucepan, seasoning with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. cover with sliced lemon, chopped shallot, minced parsley, and a few pepper-corns. cover the pan and bake in the oven until the fish is brown. take out the eel and put into a deep dish. add to the sauce one cupful of stock, bring to the boil, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. boil until thick, take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs beaten smooth with a little stock, bring to the boil, add a little lemon-juice, strain over the fish, and serve. broiled eels--i skin, clean and cut up a large eel. dip into beaten egg, then into [page ] crumbs seasoned with grated lemon rind, nutmeg, minced parsley, sweet herbs, pepper, and salt. broil skin side down on a buttered gridiron, turning when done. serve with anchovy or tartar sauce. broiled eels--ii clean and cut the eels into three-inch lengths. let stand for half an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with pepper and salt. drain, broil, and garnish with fried parsley. broiled eels with sour sauce clean the eels and cut into five-inch lengths. boil for ten minutes in one cupful of vinegar and enough cold water to cover, seasoning with salt, pepper-corns, carrot, onion, and parsley. cool in the water, dip in crumbs, then in eggs beaten with a tablespoonful of olive-oil for each egg, then in bread-crumbs. broil as usual. serve with a sauce made of two tablespoonfuls of chopped shallots, fried in two tablespoonfuls of butter, added to a wineglassful each of white wine and vinegar. add two cupfuls of stock and thicken with browned flour cooked in butter. boil for five minutes, add one tablespoonful each of chopped mushrooms, parsley, pickles, and capers, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. garnish with lemons and parsley. [page ] fried eels--i prepare and cut up the fish according to directions previously given and soak for several hours in vinegar with salt, pepper, and grated lemon-peel. drain, dip into batter, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried eels--ii prepare according to directions previously given and cut into two-inch pieces. dredge with flour and sauté in hot lard, or dip into egg and bread-crumbs and fry in deep fat. they may also be dipped into corn-meal before frying. fried eels--iii prepare the eels according to directions given for stewed eels à la americaine, sprinkling with shallot and parsley also. let stand for several hours, dip into egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried eels--iv clean the eels, cut into two-inch pieces, and parboil for eight minutes. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip into corn-meal, and sauté in salt pork fat. [page ] eels fried in batter cut a large cleaned eel into joints, and soak for several hours in cold water, to which salt, pepper, and vinegar have been added. drain dip in batter, and fry in hot fat. drain on brown paper and serve with tomato sauce. eels À la lyonnaise clean two large eels, cut into four-inch lengths and remove the bones. cook in equal parts of white wine and water to cover, adding salt, pepper, a sliced onion, a clove of garlic, and a bunch of parsley. drain the fish and strain the liquid. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth with two tablespoonfuls of butter. boil for fifteen minutes and skim. add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of a lemon. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve with a garnish of small onions fried in butter and sugar. eels À la villeroy clean two large eels and cut into lengths. cover with salted and acidulated water, add a bunch of parsley, a sliced onion, and a pinch of powdered sweet herbs. boil slowly for ten minutes, cool, and drain. melt one tablespoonful of butter and cook in it two [page ] tablespoonfuls of flour. add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire and season to taste. add the yolks of four eggs well beaten and cool. dip the pieces of eel in this sauce, and set on ice. roll in cracker crumbs, dip in beaten egg, then in bread-crumbs, and fry brown in deep fat. eels À la tartar cut up the eel and cook in court bouillon with wine. drain, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with a stiff mayonnaise mixed with chopped parsley, olives, pickles, and capers. eels À l'indienne chop fine an onion, half a carrot, and a stalk of celery. fry in butter, dredge with flour, and cook thoroughly. add enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce, and cook until thick, stirring constantly, season with mace, thyme, a bay-leaf, minced parsley, and curry powder. strain through a sieve and pour over eels stewed in wine and seasoned with vegetables according to directions previously given. serve with a border of boiled rice sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. [page ] eels À la normandy fry in butter a pound and a half of prepared eels. add a wineglassful of white wine or cider, a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. simmer for ten minutes, add one cupful of white stock, half a dozen mushrooms, a dozen oysters, and half a dozen shrimps. when cooked take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, and serve at once. stuffed eels À l'italienne skin the eel but keep the head on. remove the back-bone and stuff with seasoned crumbs, mixed with minced parsley and mushrooms. skewer in the form of a circle; put into a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a small bunch of parsley, a chopped onion, two cupfuls of white wine, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. bake for an hour, basting as required. drain, take out the parsley, and add to the sauce two cupfuls of brown stock, and one cupful of chopped mushrooms. boil for five minutes and thicken with browned flour cooked in butter. season with minced parsley and lemon-juice, pour the sauce around the eel, and serve. eels À la london fry four chopped onions in butter, dredge [page ] with flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of stock, half a cupful of port wine, two bay-leaves, and salt and pepper to season. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add one large cleaned eel, cut into two-inch lengths, cover, and cook for fifteen minutes. serve on toast. eels À la reine prepare and cut up the eels. fry in butter with half a can of mushrooms, and dredge with flour. add one cupful of stock and half a cupful of white wine. bring to the boil, season with salt, pepper, and a chopped onion, and cook until the eel is tender. skim, take from the fire, and add the juice of half a lemon, beaten smooth with the yolks of two eggs. eels À la poulette stew the eels in white wine with carrot, onion, parsley, bay-leaf, thyme, pepper-corns, and salt to season. drain and serve with poulette sauce. fricassÉe of eel prepare the eel according to directions previously given, cook in equal parts of white wine and water, seasoning with mace, pepper, nutmeg, cloves, sweet herbs, allspice, and salt. [page ] boil until the eels are tender, then skim out. add a little anchovy paste to the sauce, with a tablespoonful of butter, bring to the boil, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, pour over the fish, and serve. fricassÉed eels skin, clean, and cut up. cover with cold water, add salt, and minced parsley to season, cover, and cook slowly for an hour. thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour blended together and made smooth with cold water. season highly with pepper, and serve. stewed eels with cucumbers clean and skin two eels, cut into pieces and soak in cold water for an hour. drain, cover with wine and water, seasoning with salt, pepper, onion, and parsley, and simmer for fifteen minutes. take out the fish and add three sliced and parboiled cucumbers. strain the sauce, thicken with flour cooked in butter, and boil for ten minutes. skim, add the yolks of four eggs well beaten and take from the fire. season with red pepper and lemon-juice, strain over the fish, and serve. stewed eels--i put into a saucepan three fourths of a cupful [page ] of butter and fry in it four small chopped onions. add a tablespoonful of flour, cook through, and add two cupfuls of boiling water or stock. cook until thick, stirring constantly, then put in one large cleaned eel cut into inch pieces; cover and cook for fifteen minutes. stewed eels--ii wash and skin a pint of eels, cut them in pieces three inches long, pepper and salt them, and put them into a stewpan. pour in one pint of good soup stock, adding one large onion, shredded, three cloves, a teaspoonful of grated lemon-peel, and a wineglassful of port wine. stew slowly for half an hour, and pour into a hot dish. strain the liquor and add a wineglassful of cream thickened with flour, and boil up once. pour over the eels and serve. stewed eels--iii clean, skin, and joint the eels. cover with boiling water, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, and cook for ten minutes. drain, cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour. add two cupfuls of the water in which the eels were cooked. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and grated onion, then add the eels and [page ] reheat. simmer for twenty minutes, add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and serve. stewed eels--iv prepare according to directions given above, using veal or fish stock, instead of water, and adding a bay-leaf to the seasoning. stewed eels À l'anglaise cook prepared eels in half a bottle of port wine, seasoned with carrot, onion, parsley, bay-leaf, thyme, salt, pepper-corns, cloves, mace, and chopped mushrooms. cover with buttered paper, simmer for half an hour and drain. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter and cook in it two tablespoonfuls of flour. add a chopped shallot and enough of the eel liquor to make the required quantity of sauce. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add half a cupful of stock, and two wineglassfuls of port wine. bring to the boil, strain, add a few chopped mushrooms, a tablespoonful of butter, and minced parsley, lemon-juice, and anchovy paste to season. pour the sauce over the eels, and serve. stewed eels À l'americaine use three pounds of cleaned and skinned eel with all the fat removed. cut in two-inch pieces, season with pepper and salt and chopped [page ] onion, and put in a double-boiler with half a cupful of butter. sprinkle with parsley, cover tightly, and cook for about an hour and a half. serve in a deep dish. stewed eels À la poulette cut cleaned eels into two-inch pieces and cook until tender in stock. thicken with butter and flour cooked together, add half a dozen chopped mushrooms, and salt, pepper, grated onion, and minced parsley to season. boil for twenty minutes, add the juice of a lemon, and serve. stewed eels À la canotiere fry a chopped onion in butter, add a pound of rice and cook brown. add four cupfuls of fish stock, seasoning with red and white pepper, caver, and cook for twenty minutes. take from the fire, add half a cupful each of butter and tomato sauce. prepare the eels according to directions given for eels à la lyonnaise, adding a tablespoonful of anchovy essence to the sauce. serve with a border of the rice. stewed eels À la genevoise prepare two eels, cut into four-inch lengths. [page ] put into a saucepan with a sliced carrot, an onion, a bunch of parsley, two cloves of garlic, and salt and pepper-corns to season. put in enough cider to cover the fish, and simmer for fifteen minutes. take up the fish, strain the sauce, and thicken it with two tablespoonfuls of butter. add two tablespoonfuls of butter to the sauce, reheat, pour over the eels, and garnish with small onions fried brown in butter and sugar. matelote of eels--i prepare and cut up the fish according to directions previously given. put into a saucepan with one cupful each of stock and claret, a bruised clove of garlic, a whole pepper, a sliced onion, a bay-leaf, and a pinch each of thyme, cloves, parsley, and salt. take out the fish, strain the sauce, add to it a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, and pour over the fish. matelote of eels--ii cut a pound and a half of prepared eels into two-inch pieces and fry for two minutes in butter. add a wineglassful of claret, and three tablespoonfuls each of stock and mushroom liquor. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and a pinch of powdered sweet herbs. add six small onions and six button mushrooms. cook for half [page ] an hour and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. matelote of eels--iii prepare two eels and cut them into two-inch lengths. cover with cold salted water and bring to the boil. add an onion, a dozen cloves, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. boil for fifteen minutes, drain, dry, roll in flour and fry brown in butter. add two cupfuls of boiling water, and salt, pepper, and fine herbs to season. add a cupful of button onions peeled and fried brown in butter and sugar. cover and simmer for one hour. if the sauce should evaporate, add more boiling water. when done, add half a cupful of wine and serve. matelote of eels À la parisienne clean and cut the eels into four-inch pieces. cover with white wine and season with sliced carrot and chopped mushrooms. add also the liquor from three dozen parboiled oysters. simmer until the eels are done and drain. add to the liquor half a cupful of white stock, and thicken with flour cooked in butter. add two wineglassfuls of white wine and boil until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, and add the yolks of four eggs beaten [page ] smooth with the juice of half a lemon, a tablespoonful of butter, and a grating of nutmeg. add the parboiled oysters, and a handful of button mushrooms. reheat, pour over the fish, and serve. matelote of eels À la genoise prepare the eels and cut into four-inch lengths. cover with claret or burgundy and add sliced carrot, onion, minced parsley, chopped mushrooms, thyme, a bay-leaf, mace, cloves, and pepper-corns to season. simmer until done and drain. add to the liquor half a cupful of beef stock and thicken it with browned flour. strain through a fine sieve, add a tablespoonful of butter, a little anchovy paste, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, a grating of nutmeg; and a little lemon-juice. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. matelote of eels À la bordelaise cut the eels into three-inch lengths, and cover with a bottle of claret. season with carrot, onion, parsley, chopped mushrooms, thyme, bay-leaf, mace, cloves, and peppercorns. simmer for half an hour and drain. thicken the liquor with browned flour rubbed smooth with butter, add two wineglassfuls [page ] of claret, and bring to the boil. skim, add a teaspoonful of capers, a pounded clove of garlic, a little butter, grated nutmeg, and anchovy paste to season. reheat, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled eels cut into short pieces a pound and a half of eels which have been skinned and cleaned. put into a saucepan, cover with cold water, add a tablespoonful of salt, six whole peppers, one red onion, and a cupful of vinegar. simmer for half an hour; drain and serve on a platter with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. pickled eels clean and cut three pounds of eels into six-inch lengths. cover with salt, let stand for three hours, then rinse thoroughly. boil together for fifteen minutes one cupful of vinegar, one cupful of water, a sliced onion, two bay-leaves, three allspice, and a slice of lemon. put in half of the eels and simmer until tender, take out, and cook the remaining half. let the vinegar cool before pouring over the eels. green eels boil together an onion, a bunch of parsley, [page ] a pinch of celery seed, and a teaspoonful of mixed spices in a little water. add two cleaned and cut eels with water to cover and simmer until done. strain the sauce, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, and pour over the eels. serve with boiled potatoes and cucumber salad. baked eels skin and parboil, cut into two-inch pieces, and put into a baking-pan. dredge with flour, season with salt and pepper and add half a cupful of water. bake for twenty minutes and take out. thicken the gravy with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little of the liquid. add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and enough boiling water to make the sauce of the proper consistency. bring to the boil and pour around the eels. baked eels with tartar sauce clean and skin two large eels. wrap in a wet cloth and simmer for fifteen minutes in court bouillon. cook in the liquor. take out, wipe dry, and cover with seasoned crumbs. spread with two eggs beaten with one tablespoonful of olive-oil and sprinkle with crumbs. put into a baking-pan with two tablespoonfuls [page ] of butter, and bake for half an hour, basting twice. serve with tartar sauce. english eel pie skin, clean, and cut up two large eels. cook with one tablespoonful of butter, half a cupful of chopped mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a minced onion, a bay-leaf, salt, pepper, the rind of a lemon, a wineglassful of sherry and a cupful of beef stock. cook until the eels are tender, strain the sauce, and thicken with butter and flour. line a baking-dish with pastry, put the eels in it, and pour the sauce over, with sliced hard-boiled eggs on top. cover with pastry, brush with yolk of egg, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. serve either hot or cold. collared eels clean, split, and bone one large eel, and season with salt and pepper. chop together three hard-boiled eggs, a beet, a tablespoonful of capers, two pickles, one onion, and three anchovies. add salt and pepper, cover the eel with the mixture, tie in a cloth, and cook with a bay-leaf for half an hour in equal parts of vinegar and water. drain, untie, and put into a mould with aspic jelly, or with beef stock to which sufficient dissolved gelatine has been added. serve cold with mayonnaise. [page ] eels en brochette boil the eel in a court bouillon and cut into two-inch pieces. dip into egg and crumbs and string on steel skewers, alternating with squares of bacon. bake in the oven and serve on toast. creamed eels clean and cut up the eels, and stew according to directions previously given. pour over a cream sauce, seasoned with salt, paprika, onion juice, and minced parsley. [page ] fifteen ways to cook finnan-haddie boiled finnan-haddie--i divide into convenient pieces, cover with boiling water, add a teaspoonful of sugar, and boil for fifteen minutes. take up on a hot platter, remove the skin, and dot with butter. boiled finnan-haddie--ii cover the fish with boiling water, boil for five minutes, drain, cover with melted butter, and serve with plain boiled potatoes. broiled finnan-haddie--i brown a haddie on a greased broiler. cover with hot water, let stand for ten minutes and drain. spread with butter and sprinkle with pepper. broiled finnan-haddie--ii cut the haddie into small squares, skin and parboil it. wipe dry, broil on a buttered gridiron and serve with melted butter. [page ] broiled finnan-haddie--iii wash the fish thoroughly, and let stand in cold water for three quarters of an hour, then cover with boiling water for five minutes, wipe dry, rub with butter and lemon-juice, and broil for fifteen minutes. serve with melted butter or tartar sauce. broiled finnan-haddie--iv wash the fish and soak for half an hour in cold water, skin side up. cover with water just below the boiling point, and let stand for fifteen minutes. wipe dry, brush with olive-oil, and broil slowly. serve with melted butter and lemon-juice. baked finnan-haddie--i pour boiling water over the fish, and let it stand for ten minutes. take it out of the water, lay it in a baking-pan, brush with butter and pepper, and bake for fifteen minutes. baked finnan-haddie--ii put a haddie into a frying-pan, pour over it half a cupful of milk, and half a cupful of water. heat slowly and let stand just below the boiling point for half an hour. pour off [page ] the liquid, spread with butter, and bake for twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. escalloped finnan-haddie prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. after drying, remove the skin and bones and flake with a fork. butter a baking-dish and put the fish into it. pour over it a sauce made of two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together and added to two cupfuls of milk. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. toasted finnan-haddie brush the fish with butter and sprinkle it with pepper. broil until cooked through, and serve with toast. finnan-haddie À la delmonico flake half a pound of freshened finnan-haddie, and fry in a little butter. add one cupful of cream beaten with the yolk of a raw egg. thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little of the cream. add a hard-boiled egg chopped fine, and a teaspoonful of grated cheese. serve on toast. [page ] savory finnan-haddie dip the fish in boiling water, take out all the bones and skin. mash the meat with a tablespoonful each of butter and cream, seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. cook until thick and pour over slices of buttered toast. finnan-haddie hash prepare the fish according to directions given for boiled finnan-haddie. mix with an equal quantity of hot mashed potatoes, moisten with cream, and season with chopped green peppers fried in oil. finnan-haddie with tomatoes lay a haddie in a deep dish, cover with boiling water, and let stand for ten minutes. drain and remove skin and break in good-sized flakes. cook two level tablespoonfuls of butter and a tablespoonful of finely minced onion in a saucepan until golden brown. add one cupful of the solid part of canned tomatoes. when it begins to simmer, add salt and pepper to taste. then add the prepared fish and simmer for five minutes. add one tablespoonful of finely minced parsley and serve. [page ] creamed finnan-haddie parboil, drain, and flake the fish. reheat with shredded fried green peppers in a cream sauce. canned pimentos may be used instead of the green peppers. [page ] thirty-two ways to cook flounder baked flounder clean and split two flounders and take out all the small bones. lay the fish in a buttered dish, sprinkle with chopped mushrooms, minced parsley, onion, and grated bread-crumbs, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. dot with butter and bake. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, and thicken two cupfuls of milk with it. season with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, anchovy paste, and minced parsley. add a tablespoonful of capers, drain the butter from the fish, pour over the sauce, and serve. baked flounder À l'italienne cook together a tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, one tablespoonful each of chopped mushrooms and shallots, and two cupfuls of white wine. [page ] reduce half by rapid boiling. add one cupful of chicken stock and half a cupful of milk or beef stock, and thicken with flour blended with butter. season with salt and pepper and boil down until very thick. prepare a flounder according to directions given in the preceding recipe. season with salt and pepper, rub with butter, pour over one cupful of white wine, cover with the sauce, and sprinkle thickly with crumbs. bake in a moderate oven until done. serve in the same dish. baked flounder À la bonvallet put a cleaned flounder into a baking-pan with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped onion, a tablespoonful of butter, a wineglassful of white wine, and a cupful of white stock. bake carefully, basting as required. take up the fish, add another cupful of stock, and thicken the sauce with two tablespoonfuls of flour, blended with an equal quantity of butter. take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs well beaten and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. spread this sauce over the fish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. sprinkle with lemon-juice and serve. baked flounder À la parisienne stuff a cleaned flounder with seasoned [page ] crumbs and put into a buttered baking-dish. dot with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour over half a cupful each of oyster liquor and white wine. cover with buttered paper and bake for forty minutes, basting as required. take up the fish, strain the sauce, and prepare a sauce according to directions given in the first part of the recipe for flounder pie à la normandy. add the strained liquid to the sauce, pour over the fish, cover with crumbs, and brown in the oven. baked flounder À la st. malo put the cleaned fish into a buttered baking-dish with chopped onions, parsley, salt, pepper, a tablespoonful of butter and two cupfuls of cider. add also a little mussel or oyster liquor if at hand. bake for half an hour in a moderate oven, basting as needed. drain the sauce, thicken with a tablespoonful of butter cooked with an equal quantity of flour, add more butter and a squeeze of lemon-juice. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. baked fillets of flounder in wine fillet the fish. mix together four tablespoonfuls of sherry, half a cupful of butter, one tablespoonful each of onion-juice, lemon-juice, [page ] and salt, and add pepper to season. bring to the boil, dip the fillets into it, arrange in a baking-dish, cover with the remaining sauce and bake in a hot oven for ten minutes. fry in butter a slice each of onion and carrot, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of parsley. add a tablespoonful of flour and cook thoroughly. add one cupful of chicken stock and half a cupful of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and seasoning with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. add the gravy from the baking-pan, strain, reheat, pour over the fish, and serve. baked fillets of flounder remove the back-bone and cut the fish into four pieces. roll up each piece and pin with a toothpick. soak for an hour in oil and lemon-juice. roll in seasoned crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs. put into a baking-pan, upon thin slices of salt pork, sprinkle with chopped onion and olives, cover, and bake. garnish with sliced lemons. flounder with fine herbs put the prepared fish into a pan with two tablespoonfuls of butter, the juice of a lemon, and salt and pepper to season. add one cupful each of water and white wine, cover and [page ] cook for half an hour. drain the fish, thicken the sauce with a tablespoonful of flour cooked in butter, boil, strain, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. flounder À la franÇaise cover a flounder with white wine, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a bunch of parsley, a few chives, a bay-leaf, and a little chopped onion. boil for ten minutes. take up the fish carefully, rub the sauce through a sieve, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with half a cupful of butter, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. flounder À la janin fill a flounder with seasoned crumbs mixed with chopped mushrooms, shallots, and parsley. put on a buttered baking-dish, season with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and pour over half a cupful each of sherry and oyster liquor. bake until done, basting as required. take up the fish, add a cupful of stock to the sauce, and thicken with browned flour. add two tablespoonfuls of butter and a little lemon-juice. strain over the fish and garnish with parboiled oysters. [page ] flounder À la provenÇale clean two flounders and let stand for four hours in a marinade of olive-oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, parsley, thyme, bay-leaves, and bruised garlic. put into a baking-dish with the seasoning, a teaspoonful of butter and one cupful each of stock and white wine. bake for half an hour, basting as needed. drain, strain, and skim the sauce, thicken with butter and flour, take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs well beaten and lemon-juice to taste. season with red pepper and minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. breaded turbans of flounder fillet three flounders, season with salt and pepper, dip into melted butter, roll up and fasten with a toothpick. dip into egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. turbans of flounder with anchovies drain a bottle of anchovies from the oil. mix with two tablespoonfuls of butter, half a cupful of stock, a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and salt and pepper to season. pound to a paste, and add the yolks of two raw eggs. prepare the fillets of flounder according to [page ] directions given in the preceding recipe. spread with the forcemeat, roll up, and pin with toothpicks. roll in melted butter, then in flour, and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. turbans of flounder with oysters prepare according to directions given above, stuffing with chopped oysters and seasoned crumbs. fricassÉe of flounder clean the flounders, cut into convenient pieces, season with salt, dredge with flour, and fry in boiling fat. chop a dozen oysters, and put into a saucepan with their liquor, one cupful of white wine, a tablespoonful of anchovy paste, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. fried flounder prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip into milk, then into flour, and sauté in pork fat. or, dip in beaten egg [page ] and bread-crumbs and fry in deep fat. garnish with lemon and parsley. fried fillets of flounder prepare the fillets according to directions given in the preceding recipe. keep in a cold place for half an hour, fry in deep fat, and serve with tartar sauce. fillets of flounder au gratin cook together three tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, a slice of onion, and a bay-leaf. add two cupfuls of chicken stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. strain, and add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. dip the fillets of fish into melted butter, season with salt and pepper, cover with sauce and bread-crumbs. bake for twenty minutes in a very hot oven. fillets of flounder À la lyons bone the fish and cut into fillets. wash in cold salted water and wipe dry. dip in egg and seasoned bread-crumbs, and fry in hot drippings. serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley, or tomato sauce, or a sauce made as follows: cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour and thicken with it a cupful [page ] of cream or milk. add a tablespoonful each of lemon-juice chopped pickles, and capers, a teaspoonful each of minced parsley and mustard, and the mashed yolk of a hard-boiled egg. beat thoroughly together and serve either hot or cold. fillets of flounder À la normandy prepare the fillets according to directions previously given, and season with pepper and salt. fry a small chopped onion in butter and add two chopped hard-boiled eggs, and one tablespoonful of minced parsley. season with pepper and salt, add a tablespoonful of butter, and cook to a smooth paste. spread the fillets with this paste, put a parboiled mussel on each one, roll and tie with a string. add to the mussel liquor one cupful of cream and simmer the fillets in it for six minutes. take out and cut the strings. thicken the sauce with the yolks of two eggs beaten with four tablespoonfuls of cream, add a teaspoonful of butter and a few drops of lemon-juice. add a few parboiled mussels to the sauce, reheat, pour over the fish, and serve. stuffed fillets of flounder--i prepare the fillets according to directions [page ] previously given, season with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour. put half of the fillets into a buttered baking-dish. chop together a button onion, a small bunch of parsley, half a stalk of celery and half a can of mushrooms. mix two tablespoonfuls of butter with one teaspoonful of flour, and add to the chopped mixture with the yolks of two raw eggs. season with salt, red and black pepper, and mix thoroughly. spread the fillets in the pan with this stuffing and lay the other fillets on top. cover with buttered paper and cook for twelve minutes. serve with the remaining mushrooms heated and sprinkle with lemon-juice. stuffed fillets of flounder--ii prepare the fillets according to directions previously given. put each two together, with mashed potato beaten light with egg between. cover with crumbs, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. fillets of flounder with green peas prepare the fillets according to directions previously given, dip into melted butter, and season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. skewer into shape with toothpicks and arrange [page ] in a baking-dish. half cover with stock made from the fish trimmings and bake for ten minutes. arrange in a circle on a platter, and fill the centre with green peas seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter. strain the stock, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, and serve separately as a sauce. steamed fillets of flounder prepare the fillets according to directions previously given, and spread with chopped pickles, olives, capers, parsley, and onions. roll up, fasten with toothpicks, and steam or bake, basting with stock, or dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. stuffed fillets of flounder À la delmonico prepare the fillets according to directions previously given. cover with half a cupful of white wine, one cupful of fish stock made from the bones, and salt and paprika to season. simmer for twenty minutes. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add half a cupful of stock and cook until very thick, stirring constantly. add half a cupful each of shrimps and oysters chopped fine, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, the yolk of an egg, and two drops of tabasco sauce. dip the fillets in this mixture [page ] and cool. when cold dip in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. rolled fillets of flounder prepare the fillets as directed and spread with anchovies, lobster, shrimps, or sardines, mashed to a paste with butter. roll up, fasten with toothpicks, and bake, fry, sauté, or stew, as preferred. broiled fillets of flounder À la brighton season the fillets with salt, pepper, and oil. broil carefully and put on slices of buttered toast. surround with parboiled oysters and pour over a sauce made of water and the oyster liquor, thickened with butter and flour cooked together, and seasoned with anchovy paste. fillets of flounder À la diep-poise prepare the fillets as directed, seasoning with salt and pepper, brown in melted butter, and cool. sprinkle with crumbs, dip in eggs beaten with an equal quantity of melted butter, roll in fresh crumbs and broil, basting with oil. serve with melted butter, minced parsley, and lemon-juice. [page ] flounder pie À la normandy chop fine two carrots and two onions, two sprigs of parsley, a stalk of celery and a bit of bay-leaf. fry in butter, seasoning with salt and pepper, and powdered mace. add two cupfuls of boiled milk and cook slowly for twenty-five minutes. press through a sieve, add two cupfuls of cream, and reheat. add the fillets of a two-pound flounder, the mussels taken from a quart of mussel shells, a quart of oysters, parboiled in their liquor, and drained, and half a pound of cleaned fresh mushrooms. cook for two minutes. thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten with one tablespoonful of butter and two of cream. fill a baking-dish lined with pastry, cover with crust, and bake. broiled flounder À la chivry cut the flounder into fillets as previously directed. soak for an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with salt, pepper, onion, and parsley. dip in crumbs and broil, basting with oil. serve with quartered lemon. flounder with white wine sauce put the prepared fish into a baking-dish [page ] with two tablespoonfuls of butter, two cupfuls of white wine, and salt and pepper to season. cover and cook for twenty minutes, adding more water if necessary. drain the fish, thicken the gravy with a tablespoonful of flour cooked in butter, bring to the boil, add the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of butter, pour over the fish, and serve. flounder au gratin fry in butter chopped parsley, shallot, and button mushrooms. season with salt and pepper and spread on the bottom of a baking-dish. lay on them a trimmed flounder, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, moisten with white wine, and cook carefully. serve in the same dish. [page ] twenty-seven ways to cook frog legs fried frog legs--i beat the yolk of an egg with a cupful of milk and add flour enough to make a smooth batter. dip into the batter frog legs which have been marinated in oil and vinegar, and fry in deep fat. fried frog legs--ii clean, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. fried frog legs--iii parboil for three minutes, drain, wipe dry, dip in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with a border of green peas, or with cream sauce. fried frog legs--iv parboil for five minutes, blanch in cold [page ] water, drain, and wipe dry. season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and sauté in butter. serve with a garnish of fried parsley. fried frog legs--v soak the prepared legs in milk for fifteen minutes. dip in seasoned flour without wiping and fry in deep fat. fried frog legs--vi parboil for five minutes in salted and acidulated water. drain, dip into beaten egg, then in corn-meal, and fry golden-brown in salt pork fat. frog legs sautÉ put a tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan, and when it bubbles put in the frog legs with a sprig of parsley, and salt and pepper to season. fry brown, and garnish with slices of lemon. southern fried frog legs parboil the legs for three minutes in salted water. beat together one egg and half a cupful of milk. season the legs with salt and pepper, dip into the milk, then into cracker crumbs rolled fine, and fry in deep fat. [page ] fried frog legs À l'anglaise season the frog legs with salt and pepper and soak for an hour in lemon-juice. roll in flour, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tomato sauce. fried frog legs À la franÇaise marinate for an hour in vinegar with salt, pepper, parsley, chopped onion, bay-leaves, and thyme. drain, roll in flour, and sauté in hot fat. garnish with lemon and parsley. broiled frog legs soak the legs for half an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with salt and pepper. broil on a double-broiler, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. baked frog legs prepare and clean one dozen frog legs. butter a baking-dish, sprinkle with chopped mushrooms and crumbs, and lay the frog legs on them. season with salt and pepper and sweet herbs. sprinkle with crumbs, squeeze over the juice of a lemon, and pour in a cupful of brown sauce. cover and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. [page ] fricassÉe of frog legs--i simmer the prepared legs in milk until tender. drain and put in a platter. spread with butter and keep warm. cook together one tablespoonful of flour and two of butter, add the milk in which the legs were cooked and enough more to make a pint. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, paprika, and minced parsley, take from the fire, and add two eggs well beaten with the juice of half a lemon. bring to the boil, pour over the frog legs, and serve. fricassÉe of frog legs--ii prepare and skin the legs and boil until tender in veal stock to cover, with pepper and salt to season, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a bit of lemon-peel. add a small slice of onion and cook until the legs are tender. strain the liquid, thicken it with butter and flour and a little cream cooked together. add the frog legs and a few canned mushrooms cut fine. bring to the boil and serve. fricassÉe of frog legs--iii brown a dozen frog legs in butter with half a teaspoonful of chopped onions. add one half cupful of water and one half cupful of sherry. cover and cook for twenty minutes. beat the yolks of four eggs with [page ] two tablespoonfuls of cream, add a little of the hot liquid, pour into the pan, and bring to the boil. skim out the frog legs, put on a platter, and strain the sauce over them. brown fricassÉe of frog legs melt one tablespoonful of butter and brown in it two tablespoonfuls of flour. add sufficient brown stock to make the required quantity of sauce and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, grated lemon-peel, grated onion, sweet herbs, anchovy paste, and a pinch of allspice. dip the frog legs in flour and fry brown. arrange on a platter, cover with broiled mushrooms, pour the sauce over, and serve. stewed frog legs--i soak the frog legs for an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, adding a teaspoonful of chopped onion. fry brown in butter a small onion, a tomato, and a green pepper, all chopped fine. add two tablespoonfuls of flour and cook to a smooth paste. add the frog legs and enough water or stock to keep from burning. cover and cook for ten or fifteen minutes. [page ] stewed frog legs--ii melt one tablespoonful of butter and brown in it one tablespoonful of flour, add one cupful of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a dozen prepared frog legs simmer for ten minutes, season with salt and pepper, take from the fire, add the yolk of an egg beaten smooth with a little cold water; bring to the boil and serve at once. stewed frog legs--iii soak the prepared legs in milk for fifteen minutes, dip in seasoned flour, and fry in hot butter for three minutes. cover with hot water and simmer for twenty minutes. bring half a cupful of cream to the boil, stir in a tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add to the frog legs, cook three minutes longer, season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley, and serve. stewed frog legs--iv brown a dozen frog legs in butter, sprinkle with flour, and add enough cream to make the required quantity of sauce. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a teaspoonful each of onion-juice and minced parsley, and salt and pepper to season. take from [page ] the fire, and add the yolks of two eggs beaten smooth with a little cold milk, bring to the boil, and serve very hot. frog legs À la hollandaise fry the prepared frog legs in butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. add half a wineglassful of white wine, cover, and simmer for five minutes; then add two cupfuls of hollandaise sauce, two teaspoonfuls of finely chopped parsley, and a little lemon-juice. bring to the boil and serve very hot. frog legs À la provenÇale cover the bottom of a saucepan with olive-oil, and sprinkle with finely minced garlic. lay the frog legs on this, cover and cook until brown. squeeze over the juice of half a lemon, sprinkle with parsley, and serve. frog legs au beurre noir boil the legs in court bouillon for five minutes. drain, arrange on a serving-dish, sprinkle with minced parsley, and keep warm. brown half a cupful of butter in a frying-pan, taking care not to burn. add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar and salt and pepper to season. pour over the frog legs and serve. [page ] frog legs À la poulette--i parboil a dozen frog legs, drain and cool. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of milk, or white stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add salt and pepper to season, and the frog legs. cover and cook for twenty minutes. take from the fire, add the yolk of an egg beaten smooth with a little cold water, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. bring to the boil, and serve at once. frog legs À la poulette--ii season prepared frog legs with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and fry brown in butter. add two tablespoonfuls of flour and two cupfuls of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a wineglassful of white wine, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and the yolks of four eggs beaten smooth with the juice of a lemon. bring to the boil and serve. frog legs patties boil the legs until the meat drops from the bone, remove the bone, reheat in cream sauce, and season to taste. fill patty-shells and serve. [page ] frog legs À la creole melt a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan and fry in it a chopped onion, a tablespoonful of chopped raw ham, and half a green pepper shredded. season highly with salt and pepper, add four cupfuls of stock, a tablespoonful of rice, six sliced okras, and one sliced tomato. cook thoroughly for twenty minutes. add four cupfuls of prepared frog legs, and simmer until they are tender. half of this recipe is sufficient for a small family. [page ] twenty-two ways to cook haddock broiled haddock--i clean and dry a fresh haddock, rub with vinegar, sprinkle with flour, and broil on a well greased gridiron. serve with shrimp or anchovy sauce. broiled haddock--ii soak the fish for an hour in a marinade of oil and vinegar. drain, wipe dry, broil, and serve with melted butter. broiled haddock À la maÎtre d'hÔtel clean and split a haddock, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled smoked haddock rub the fish with melted butter, season with pepper, and broil. serve very hot. [page ] fried fillets of haddock--i skin, clean and fillet a haddock. season with pepper and salt, dip into egg and crumbs and fry brown in deep fat. fried fillets of haddock--ii cut the fish into fillets and marinate in oil and vinegar with a little onion. drain, dip in batter, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tomato sauce. fried smoked haddock soak a haddock for four hours in olive-oil to cover. drain and fry in a frying-pan with a little of the oil. season with pepper and serve very hot. baked haddock--i make a stuffing of equal parts of chopped bacon and bread-crumbs, season with salt and pepper, anchovy essence, and add a raw egg to bind. stuff a cleaned haddock and sew up. mix one tablespoonful of flour with one of cold water, add one cupful of boiling water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovy. pour the sauce into a baking-pan, put the fish on it, and bake for an hour, [page ] basting as required. baked haddock--ii make a stuffing of one cupful of cracker crumbs, one fourth of a cupful of butter, and salt, minced onion, pickles, pepper, and parsley to season. stuff the fish, sew up, cover with strips of salt pork, dredge with flour, and bake until brown, basting as required. serve with any preferred sauce. baked haddock--iii stuff the fish with crumbs and chopped veal, seasoning to taste and using a raw egg to bind. rub with beaten egg, sprinkle with crumbs, and bake in a moderate oven, basting with melted butter as required. serve with anchovy sauce. baked fillets of haddock clean and fillet a fish, put into a pan with melted butter, and season with pepper, salt, and lemon-juice. sprinkle with minced parsley, cover with buttered paper, and bake in the oven. serve with italian sauce. baked haddock with sauce clean and cut up the fish, and remove the [page ] bones. cut into small pieces. butter a baking-dish, sprinkle with crumbs, put in a layer of the fish, and spread with crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme and grated onion, and mixed to a paste with raw egg. repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. add enough milk to moisten, and bake. for the sauce, simmer the bones and trimmings of the fish, strain, season, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together and blended with a little cold water. baked haddock with oyster stuffing remove the skin, head, and tail, and take out as many bones as possible. divide into two fillets. sprinkle with salt and brush with lemon-juice. lay one fillet on a greased fish sheet in a dripping-pan, and cover thickly with seasoned oysters dipped in buttered cracker crumbs. cover with the other fillet, brush with egg slightly beaten, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake for fifty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with hollandaise sauce. haddock rarebit cut the haddock into slices an inch thick. [page ] free from bone and skin. lay in a greased baking-dish, and season with salt and pepper. grate sufficient cheese to cover, and season with salt, red pepper, and mustard. make to a smooth paste with cream or beaten egg. put into a hot oven and cook until the cheese melts and browns, and the fish is firm. take up carefully on a platter, and pour one tablespoonful of sherry over each slice. boiled haddock with white sauce boil the fish in salted and acidulated water, with a bunch of parsley to season. cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour, and add salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. add two cupfuls of boiling water, bring to the boil, strain, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of a lemon, pour over the fish and serve. boiled haddock with egg sauce mix finely grated bread-crumbs with half the quantity of chopped beef suet. season with minced parsley, shallot, thyme, pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg. bind with a raw egg. stuff and sew up the fish and boil in salted water. for the sauce, melt one tablespoonful of butter, add two of flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of [page ] boiling water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add two chopped hard-boiled eggs, season to taste, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled haddock with lobster sauce boil the fish gently in salted boiling water to cover. melt three tablespoonfuls of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook thoroughly. add gradually two cupfuls of boiling water and cook until thick. season with lemon-juice and cayenne. strain the sauce and reheat. add the finely-cut meat of a small boiled lobster and the pounded coral. pour over the fish and serve. stewed haddock split the fish lengthwise and cut into pieces. boil the bones and trimmings in water to cover, and strain. butter a baking-dish, put the fish into it with the flesh downward, and sprinkle each piece with salt, cayenne, mace, and flour. pour over it two cupfuls of the fish liquor, cover, and simmer for twenty minutes. add two teaspoonfuls of anchovy essence and one cupful of sherry. blend together two tablespoonfuls each of flour and butter, make smooth with a little of the gravy, and thicken all of it. simmer for ten [page ] minutes and serve with the gravy poured over the fish. garnish with lemon and parsley. haddock and oysters clean and fillet a haddock. cover the trimmings with water and add the liquor drained from a pint of oysters. add a slice of onion, a pinch of powdered sweet herbs, and a slice of carrot. simmer to form a stock. put a layer of sliced onion into a saucepan, and arrange upon it the fillets of fish, and a pint of oysters; sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the juice of a lemon, cover with sliced onion, strain the stock over, cover and simmer until the fillets are tender. arrange the fillets on a hot dish with the oysters, strain the liquid, thicken it with the yolks of four eggs, pour over, and serve. fillets of haddock À la royale prepare the fillets and put into a basin with a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with pepper, salt, minced parsley and chopped shallots. drain, dip into batter and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. haddock À la crÈme boil the fish in salted and acidulated water. [page ] melt two tablespoonfuls of butter and cook in it two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour. add four cupfuls of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with pepper, salt, grated onion, and minced parsley. put the fish upon a serving-dish, skin it carefully, and pour the sauce over it. put a border of mashed potatoes around the fish, rub with melted butter and put into the oven until the potato is brown. haddock cutlets prepare a sauce according to directions given in the preceding recipe, using one fourth the quantity of milk. mix the sauce with cold cooked haddock, minced very fine, and cool. shape into cutlets, dip into egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. [page ] eighty ways to cook halibut broiled halibut--i cut into steaks, dust with salt and pepper, cover with melted butter, and let stand for half an hour. dredge with flour and broil. serve with a garnish of sliced lemon and parsley. broiled halibut--ii freshen salt halibut for an hour or two in cold water, drain, season with pepper, and wrap each slice in tough paper well buttered, twisting the ends. broil for eight minutes. take from the papers and serve with any preferred sauce. broiled halibut--iii season with salt and pepper and broil on a buttered gridiron over a clear fire. serve with plenty of melted butter. [page ] broiled halibut--iv sprinkle halibut steaks with salt, rub thoroughly with melted butter and broil until brown. garnish with lemon and parsley. broiled halibut--v rub halibut steaks with olive-oil and lemon-juice, and broil over a clear fire. season with pepper and salt and serve with melted butter. broiled halibut À la boston broil one side of halibut steaks until heated through, then turn, and spread the other side with a paste of butter, flour, chopped onion, and tomato pulp. cook until brown and serve with the crust side up. halibut À la rarebit sprinkle two halibut steaks with salt and pepper, brush with melted butter, and bake until done. arrange on a platter, pour over a welsh rarebit, and serve. halibut À la majestic skin and bone halibut steaks, and cut into fillets. lay in a buttered baking-dish, spread with butter, and add a wineglassful of white [page ] wine, and a little boiling water. cover with buttered paper, and set into a hot oven until cooked. take the pan out, cover the fish with a layer of sweet spanish peppers, spread with cream sauce, sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese, dot with butter, and brown in a hot oven. serve in the same dish. halibut À la conant in a buttered baking-pan put three thin slices of fat salt pork, three slices of onion and a bit of bay-leaf. on top of these lay a halibut steak and spread over it one tablespoonful each of butter and flour blended together. cover with buttered cracker crumbs and small strips of salt pork, and bake for twenty minutes. garnish with lemon and parsley. halibut À la maÎtre d'hÔtel soak two halibut steaks for an hour in lemon-juice, seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. mix together two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, and two cupfuls of boiling water. cook until thick, stirring constantly. put the slices of halibut into a buttered pan, cover with the sauce, and bake for twenty minutes, basting as required. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] halibut À la creole--i wash a thick piece of halibut, put on a buttered baking-dish, and season with salt and pepper. cover with finely minced garlic, add one cupful of canned tomatoes and enough boiling water to keep from burning. bake until done, basting as required. halibut À la creole--ii lay halibut steak for an hour in oil and vinegar, adding chopped onion and minced parsley to the marinade. drain and put the fish into a baking-pan. turn over it a sauce made of one cupful of strained tomatoes, a tablespoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of flour, and salt, paprika, and grated onion to season. cover closely and bake until tender. sprinkle with grated cheese and cook for five minutes longer. transfer the fish carefully to a hot platter and pour the sauce around it. halibut À la creole--iii boil together a pint of stewed tomatoes, a cupful of water, a slice of onion, and three cloves. blend together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour, and stir into the sauce when it boils. season with salt and pepper, and cook for ten minutes. strain and [page ] cool. skin the fish according to directions given in the recipe for baked halibut--i. put on a buttered tin sheet in a baking-pan, season with salt and pepper, and bake, basting frequently with the sauce. baked halibut--i take three or four pounds of the fish and remove the dark skin, by dipping it into boiling water and scraping. rub the flesh with salt and pepper, put it into a baking-pan, and add enough milk to cover the bottom of the pan an inch deep. bake for an hour, basting frequently with the milk. take out the fish, remove the bone and skin, and serve with egg sauce. baked halibut--ii soak six pounds of halibut in salt water for two hours. wipe dry and score the outer skin. bake for an hour in a moderately hot oven, basting with melted butter and hot water. add a little boiling water to the gravy, a tablespoonful of walnut catsup, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to season, and the juice of a lemon. thicken with browned flour rubbed smooth with a little cold water. [page ] baked halibut--iii take a thick cut of halibut and soak for half an hour in salted water. put into a baking-pan with two slices of carrot, a slice of onion, and half a bay-leaf. pour over it a cupful of boiling water and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. bake for an hour, basting frequently, and serve with any preferred sauce. baked halibut--iv lay a thick piece of halibut into a buttered pan, cover with thin slices of salt pork, and dredge with salt, pepper, and flour. cover the bottom of the pan with boiling water, and bake for an hour. baste with the gravy in the pan and melted butter, adding salt, pepper, and flour as needed. a bay-leaf, a sprig of parsley, two slices of carrot, and half an onion or a clove of garlic may be put into the dripping-pan. baked halibut--v prepare according to directions given for baked halibut--ii, seasoning the gravy with lemon- and onion-juice, celery salt, and half a cupful of claret. [page ] baked halibut with lobster sauce put a piece of halibut on a buttered fish sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour. cover the bottom of the pan with water, add a sprig of parsley, a slice of onion, two slices of carrot, three tablespoonfuls of butter, and a bit of bay-leaf. bake for an hour, basting as required, and serve with lobster sauce. baked halibut with tomato sauce cook together for twenty minutes two cupfuls of tomatoes, one cupful of water, a slice of onion, three cloves, and a teaspoonful of sugar. cook together three tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, stir into the hot mixture, and cook until thick. strain, and pour half of the sauce around two pounds of halibut placed on a buttered tin sheet. bake for thirty-five minutes, basting often. transfer to a hot platter and pour the remaining sauce around. baked halibut with cream cover the fish with cream sauce, then with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake. [page ] baked fillets of halibut au gratin bake half a dozen fillets of halibut for half an hour, seasoning with salt and pepper and basting with milk. cover with a cream sauce to which half a cupful of grated cheese has been added, then with fried crumbs. reheat and serve in the same dish. baked halibut steaks with oysters soak two halibut steaks for an hour in a marinade of oil and vinegar. lay thin slices of salt pork upon a buttered tin sheet, and spread thin slices of salt pork upon it. lay one of the steaks upon the pork. dip oysters in melted butter, then in cracker crumbs, and cover the steak with them. put the other steak on top, cover with thin slices of pork and bake for forty minutes, basting with the juice in the pan or with butter melted in hot water. a few minutes before taking up, remove the pork from the top and cover with cracker crumbs and melted butter. serve with hollandaise sauce to which parboiled oysters have been added. baked fillets of halibut skin, bone and fillet two halibut steaks. [page ] dip in melted butter, season with salt, pepper, lemon- and onion-juice. roll up each fillet, fasten with a wooden toothpick, and bake for twenty minutes, basting with butter melted in hot water. serve with any preferred sauce. baked halibut steaks--i put a halibut steak into a buttered baking-dish, and spread with a dressing made of one cupful of crumbs, one tablespoonful of butter, and grated onion, minced parsley, grated nutmeg, salt, and red and black pepper to season. lay another steak on top, season with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and bake for half an hour. baked halibut steaks--ii wash the steaks and soak for an hour in olive-oil and lemon-juice. put into a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with minced onion and parsley, and pour over a cream sauce, using white stock instead of milk, if preferred. put a layer of flaked cooked halibut into a buttered baking-dish, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add a layer of chopped mushrooms and a few tablespoonfuls of the sauce. repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. [page ] baked halibut steaks--iii trim the steaks, lay them in a baking-pan, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, dot with butter, pour over one cupful of cream and bake for fifteen minutes in a quick oven, basting with cream. baked chicken halibut prepare a dressing according to directions given in the preceding recipe. stuff a chicken halibut, sew up and bake in a buttered pan, basting with melted butter and salted hot water. serve with hollandaise sauce. baked halibut steaks with tomatoes soak the steaks for an hour in olive-oil and lemon-juice. cook together for fifteen minutes a can of tomatoes and a seeded chopped green pepper, half an onion, a teaspoonful of sugar, and pepper and salt to season. rub through a colander and cool. put the drained fish in a buttered baking-pan, pour the sauce over, and bake. devilled halibut--i flake cold cooked halibut. make a forcemeat of bread-crumbs, the yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, and salt, [page ] paprika, grated onion, and minced parsley to season. mix the fish, moisten with oyster liquor, and fill buttered individual shells. cover with crumbs, season with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. devilled halibut--ii flake a pound of cooked halibut. mix together the pounded yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, one tablespoonful of olive-oil, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, a teaspoonful of made mustard, a pinch of cayenne, a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, half a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, and enough vinegar to make a smooth paste. mix thoroughly with the fish, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs sliced or quartered. moulded halibut with green peas chop a pound of raw halibut very fine. add to it the yolk of an egg well beaten, and salt, red and white pepper to season. add a teaspoonful of corn-starch rubbed smooth with two thirds of a cupful of milk and one third of a cupful of cream, whipped solid. fill buttered individual moulds, put into a pan of hot [page ] water, and bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes. turn out on a platter and surround with cooked peas, reheated in cream sauce. sandwiches of chicken halibut cut chicken halibut into thin fillets. put together in pairs with chopped oysters between, rubbed to a paste with seasoned crumbs and cream. rub with melted butter, sprinkle with lemon-juice, and season with salt and pepper. put into a shallow pan with half a cupful of white wine, and bake for twenty minutes. arrange on a platter, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve with hollandaise sauce. turbans of halibut have a slice of halibut cut two inches thick. take off the skin and cut into cylinders with a small tin baking-powder box. steam until firm and serve with a cream sauce flavored with parsley and lemon. or, bake in milk and serve with cream sauce, using stewed and strained tomato for half of the liquid. halibut and lobster À la hollandaise reheat equal quantities of boiled and flaked lobster and halibut in hollandaise sauce. [page ] halibut steak À la jardiniÈre--i soak halibut steaks for an hour in salt and water. wipe dry and rub with melted butter. butter a china baking-dish, sprinkle chopped onion on the bottom and put in the steaks. on top put a boiled carrot cut into dice, half a dozen sliced tomatoes, a shredded green pepper, and half a cupful of green peas. add enough salted boiling water to keep the fish from scorching, put a tablespoonful of butter on top, cover, and bake until done. drain the liquor carefully from the pan, add three tablespoonfuls of white wine, and thicken with a teaspoonful of butter rolled in browned flour. serve separately as a sauce. halibut À la jardiniÈre--ii cover two slices of halibut with a chopped onion, two tomatoes sliced, a shredded and seeded green pepper, a dozen chopped almonds, a tablespoonful of melted butter, and salt to season. bake for half an hour, pour over the sauce from the pan, and serve. halibut in cucumbers cook the halibut until tender in court bouillon, drain, and flake with a fork. make a cream sauce, seasoning with curry powder. pare, cut in halves, and parboil in beef stock [page ] as many cucumbers as are required. scoop out the inside of each half, fill with the creamed fish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven until the cucumbers are soft. serve with a garnish of lemon and parsley. halibut with anchovy sauce four tablespoonfuls of butter, four tablespoonfuls of flour, one eighth teaspoonful of pepper, one half teaspoonful of salt, two hard-boiled eggs chopped, two cupfuls of cream, two drops of tabasco, one teaspoonful of anchovy essence, one and one half cupfuls of cold cooked halibut, flaked. mix the ingredients in the order given and cook for ten minutes. serve with brown bread spread with cheese and chopped olives. halibut au gratin flake cold cooked halibut and mix with an equal quantity of cream sauce. put into buttered individual shells, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. escalloped halibut prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe, and add the yolks of two eggs well beaten. fill a baking-dish, [page ] using alternate layers of fish and grated cheese. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. halibut steak À la flamande butter a baking-pan, sprinkle with chopped onion, and lay a halibut steak upon it. pour over the beaten yolk of an egg, season with salt and pepper, add the juice of half a lemon, and one tablespoonful of butter cut into small pieces. bake for thirty minutes. add to the liquid remaining in the pan enough boiling water to make the required quantity of sauce, and thicken it with browned flour. creamed halibut flake cold cooked halibut and mix with cream sauce. add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, the juice of half a lemon, and three tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese. spread on buttered toast, sprinkle with minced parsley and serve. halibut salad take cold cooked halibut cut small, salt and pepper lightly, and sprinkle with lemon-juice. for the dressing boil three large peeled potatoes until mealy. drain, let dry, and [page ] beat to a dry powder with a fork. add one saltspoonful of salt, the same of mustard and pepper, one rounding teaspoonful of powdered sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar beaten in gradually. pour over the halibut and decorate with lettuce or green tops. turkish halibut place on the bottom of a baking-pan two or three slices of onion, then a cutlet of halibut, and put a tablespoonful of butter cut into small bits over the top of the fish. cut three skinned tomatoes into quarters, slice a sweet green pepper into ribbons, and put the tomatoes and pepper on the fish. put the pan on the shelf of the oven to cook first the vegetables, but do not let it remain there long enough to discolor or change their shape; then remove it to the bottom of the oven, baste it well, and finish the cooking. when done place it carefully on a hot dish, and pour over it the juice from the pan. halibut pie butter a china baking-dish and sprinkle with chopped shallots and parsley. add a layer of chopped halibut, and salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped shallots, and parsley [page ] to season. dot with butter and cover with sliced hard-boiled eggs. add a cupful of cream sauce, and two wineglassfuls of white wine. wet the edge, cover with pastry, gash, brush with egg and bake for an hour and a half in a moderate oven. make a hole in the centre and moisten the pie with milk if it becomes too dry. steamed halibut put the prepared fish on a plate, cover with a cloth, and put in a steamer. steam for two hours and pour over an egg sauce. halibut mousselines mince enough uncooked halibut to make two cupfuls, add one cupful of soft bread-crumbs and one half cupful of cream. press through a colander, season with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, a suspicion of mace and worcestershire sauce. fold in carefully the beaten whites of four eggs. turn into buttered moulds (round-bottomed ones) and steam one half hour. turn out on separate plates, surround with sauce, make a stock of the fish bones and water, and add it to two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour cooked together. there should be one and one half cupfuls of stock. add one half [page ] cupful of cream, and when boiling add salt, pepper, and one tablespoonful of grated horseradish soaked in lemon-juice. halibut steaks À la maÎtre d'hÔtel season the steaks with salt and pepper, and rub thoroughly with oil. broil in a double-broiler, and serve with melted butter, minced parsley, and lemon-juice. timbale of halibut chop half a pound of raw halibut and press it through a sieve. mix a cupful of bread-crumbs to a smooth paste with half a cupful of milk, and cook until it thickens. take from the fire, add the fish pulp and the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs. fill buttered timbale moulds with the mixture and cook in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. serve with cream or tomato sauce. fillets of halibut À la poulette free the fish of skin and bones and cut it into fillets. sprinkle with lemon-juice, salt, and pepper. cover with sliced onion and let stand for half an hour. remove the onion, dip into melted butter, roll up each piece, and fasten with a wooden toothpick. dip once [page ] more into the butter, dredge thickly with flour and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. cut the whites of three hard-boiled eggs into rings, and arrange around the fillets after taking up. sprinkle the grated yolks over the fish and serve with cream sauce. cold halibut fillet prepare half a dozen fillets of halibut, remove the skin and bone, and boil in court bouillon. drain and sprinkle with olive-oil, lemon-juice, minced parsley, and chopped onion. serve with tartar sauce. fillets of halibut with tomato sauce prepare the fillets according to directions previously given, and bake, basting with tomato-juice and melted butter. serve with tomato sauce. fillets of halibut stuffed with oysters prepare the fillets according to directions given for fillets of halibut à la poulette. roll each one around an oyster, fasten with a wooden toothpick, and bake as usual. [page ] fillets of halibut with brown sauce put the seasoned fillets into a buttered pan with sufficient boiling water, and bake, basting as required. drain off the water, add to it a teaspoonful of beef extract, and thicken with browned flour. pour the sauce over the fish, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake until the crumbs are brown. fillets of halibut with potato balls cut the solid meat into fillets, seasoning with salt, pepper, onion- and lemon-juice. brown slightly in pork fat, then place in a baking-dish. prepare a cream sauce, adding to it a slice each of carrot and onion, a bay-leaf, and minced parsley and grated nutmeg to season. strain over the fish and bake for twelve minutes. serve with a border of steamed potato balls. fried fillets of halibut--i prepare the fillets according to directions previously given and soak for an hour in a marinade of oil, vinegar, and minced onion. drain, dip in batter, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. [page ] fried fillets of halibut--ii clean and fillet the fish. dip into beaten egg, then into crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. mayonnaise of halibut with cucumbers boil or steam halibut steaks according to directions previously given. remove the skin, cover with thinly sliced cucumbers, and pour over a mayonnaise dressing. halibut loaf cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one tablespoonful of flour. add half a can of chopped mushrooms, two cupfuls of chopped cooked halibut, pepper, salt, onion-juice, and anchovy paste to season, and two eggs beaten smooth with four tablespoonfuls of cream. pour into a buttered mould, cover set into a pan of hot water and cook steadily for an hour. turn out and garnish with potato balls. halibut and eggs flake a pound of cooked halibut and mix with six eggs well beaten. [page ] season with salt and pepper and cook in butter, stirring constantly until the eggs set. serve on buttered toast. halibut in ramekins prepare the fish according to directions given for halibut in cucumbers. fill buttered individual dishes, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. halibut fish balls flake cold cooked halibut and mix with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes beaten very light with egg. season with salt, pepper, and melted butter. shape into balls, dip into melted butter, dredge with flour, and fry in deep fat. breaded halibut prepare according to directions given for halibut à la creole--i, sprinkling with minced parsley as well as garlic. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. coquilles of halibut flake cold cooked halibut, and mix with cream sauce. season with mushroom catsup, fill buttered individual shells, cover with fried [page ] bread-crumbs and heat thoroughly in the oven. halibut with caper sauce boil the halibut in salted and acidulated water. pour over a caper sauce. halibut pudding three pounds of halibut, six eggs, one quarter pound butter, one quart sweet milk, two tablespoonfuls of corn-starch, one tablespoonful of flour. skin and bone the fish and run through a meat-chopper. add flour and corn-starch, mixing well. add butter, rubbing all to a cream; next the eggs, one at a time, thoroughly beating after each one. add milk gradually, one quarter teaspoonful pepper and one and one half teaspoonfuls of salt. beat until it thickens. grease and line a deep baking-pan with browned bread-crumbs. fill with the fish mixture and sprinkle crumbs on top. bake for an hour and a half in a moderate oven; cover at first, then remove the cover and let it brown well. boiled halibut--i put two pounds of halibut into a saucepan and cover it with fresh water. add a sliced onion, half a carrot sliced, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a small bunch of parsley, a pinch [page ] of powdered sweet herbs, and two tablespoonfuls of salt. simmer until done, drain, and serve with melted butter to which a little anchovy paste has been added. boiled halibut--ii rub the fish with salt, sprinkle with lemon-juice, and keep in a cool place for an hour. cover with cold water, bring quickly to the boil, and simmer until done. serve with egg sauce. boiled halibut steaks au gratin soak the steaks in salted water for an hour, drain, and sprinkle with oil and lemon-juice. put into a covered baking-pan, sprinkle with chopped onion and a tablespoonful of melted butter, and add a cupful of boiling water. cover and cook until nearly done, then uncover, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake brown. serve with tartar sauce. boiled halibut steaks cover the steaks with court bouillon or hot water, and add a slice each of carrot, onion, and celery, a bay-leaf, four cloves, six peppercorns, and the juice of half a lemon. simmer until done, drain and serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] boiled halibut À la bechamel prepare boiled halibut according to directions previously given, and serve with bechamel sauce, seasoning with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. add four tablespoonfuls of butter and a pinch of sugar, and strain over the fish. boiled halibut with parsley sauce boil the halibut in salted and acidulated water. for the sauce boil a cupful of chopped parsley for five minutes in a cupful of water. strain the water through a sieve, and thicken with a tablespoonful of butter blended with a tablespoonful of flour. take from the fire, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, a little minced parsley, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and a few drops of lemon-juice or vinegar. strain over the fish and serve. carbonade of halibut skin the halibut and cut into large cubes. dip into melted butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, and onion-juice, then into beaten egg, then into crumbs. put into a buttered [page ] baking-pan, spread with egg and butter, and cook in a hot oven for twelve minutes. serve with hollandaise sauce. fried halibut--i cut into steaks, and sauté in butter in a frying-pan, or dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. fried halibut--ii season halibut steaks with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and sauté in salt pork fat. serve the pork with the fish. fried halibut--iii soak halibut steaks for an hour in a marinade of oil and vinegar. drain, dredge with seasoned flour, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs. fry in deep fat. [page ] fried halibut with tomato sauce remove the skin and bones from small halibut steaks, dip in milk, roll in seasoned flour, and fry light brown. serve with a sauce of stewed, strained, and seasoned tomatoes thickened with butter and flour, cooked together. escalloped halibut au parmesan cut in thin slices four pounds of halibut meat. put into a buttered pan with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and chopped onions to season. cover, cook slowly, and then drain. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add a quart of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs well beaten and half a cupful of grated cheese. put into a buttered baking-dish a layer of fish, cover it with sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. sprinkle thickly with crumbs and grated cheese, dot with butter, and bake in a moderate oven. breaded halibut steaks dip halibut steaks into egg and bread crumbs, and broil on a buttered gridiron, basting with melted butter or olive-oil. halibut timbales chop fine a slice of raw halibut, and rub it through a sieve. season one cupful of the pulp with salt, red pepper, and onion-juice, then add gradually the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs, and one cupful of whipped cream. fill buttered timbale moulds, cover [page ] with buttered paper, and bake for fifteen minutes in a pan of hot water. turn out and serve with any preferred sauce. halibut à la poulette melt one fourth of a cupful of butter, and season it with salt, pepper, grated onion, and lemon-juice. dip prepared fillets of halibut into it, roll up, and fasten with a wooden toothpick. dredge with flour and bake, basting with melted butter. arrange on a platter, pour over a cream sauce and sprinkle thickly with chopped hard-boiled eggs. [page ] twenty-five ways to cook herring stewed herring clean the fish and cut off the heads. pack in layers in an earthen pot, and sprinkle salt and pepper over each layer. chop together carrots and onions, enough to cover the fish, and fry in butter with parsley, a few peppercorns, and a minced clove of garlic. pour over the vegetables enough white wine to cover the fish, and bring to the boil. simmer for half an hour, then strain over the fish and cook over a slow fire until done. matelote of herring cut off the heads and tails and divide each herring lengthwise into two fillets. put a small amount of butter into a frying-pan and add enough flour to absorb nearly all of it, then add a little chopped parsley and a few chopped shallots. lay the fish in the pan, add enough red wine to cover, and cook over [page ] a hot fire. garnish with small onions fried in butter and sugar, and sautéd mushrooms. broiled herring clean and split the fish. let stand for an hour in olive-oil, seasoned with minced parsley. broil over a slow fire and serve with melted butter, lemon-juice and minced parsley. broiled herring with mustard sauce clean and cut off the heads of the fish, but do not split. dip in seasoned oil and let stand for an hour. broil over a slow fire. mix together one teaspoonful of flour and one tablespoonful of mustard. add one cupful of white stock and bring to the boil. add one tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. pour over the fish and serve. broiled smoked herring put the cleaned herring into a bowl, cover with boiling water, let stand for ten minutes, skin, wipe dry, broil, and serve with melted butter. [page ] broiled herring with cream sauce soak for an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with salt and pepper. broil and serve with a cream sauce. add to the sauce a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and a few drops of vinegar. fried herring--i clean and cut up the fish, dip in milk, roll in flour and fry in hot fat. serve with a cream sauce, to which four tablespoonfuls of prepared mustard have been added. fried herring--ii clean and cut up the fish, dredge with salt, pepper, and flour, and put into a frying-pan with hot lard. fried herring--iii remove the head and tail, clean, gash down to the bone, roll in corn-meal, and fry in salt pork fat. garnish with lemon and parsley. herring À la normandy chop a large onion fine and fry it. when brown, fry half a dozen prepared herrings in the same fat. when brown add salt, pepper, [page ] and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. bring to the boil and pour over the herring. serve with mustard. smoked herring À la marine cut off the heads of smoked herrings and put the rest in a bowl. cover with hot water and soak for two hours. take them out, skin, bone, and soak for two weeks in enough oil to cover, with sliced onions, pepper-corns, and bay-leaves. keep in a cool place. boiled herring clean the fish thoroughly, and rub with salt and vinegar. skewer their tails in their mouths and boil for ten or twelve minutes. drain and serve with melted butter and parsley. herring relish soak six holland herrings over night. remove the backbones, cut up into inch pieces, and add three onions sliced thin. cover with vinegar and serve the next day. herring salad soak four salt herrings in water over night. [page ] drain and chop fine. mix with four boiled beets, three heads of celery boiled, four peeled sour apples, two onions, three pickles, and two pounds of lean roast veal. chop very fine, season with salt and pepper, and pour over enough oil to moisten, and enough vinegar to suit the taste. serve very cold with a garnish of hard-boiled eggs. herring salad À la brenoise peel and cut into dice a quart of cold boiled potatoes, four peeled and cored sour apples, the fillets of four salt herrings, a cucumber pickle and two boiled beets. add salt, pepper, chopped onion, vinegar, mustard and mayonnaise dressing. sprinkle with minced parsley before serving. swedish herring salad soak two salted holland herrings for twenty-four hours. remove the bones and cut into dice. add an equal amount of cooked meat cut into dice and half the quantity each of boiled potatoes, sour apples, and beets chopped fine. chop one tablespoonful of capers and four hard-boiled eggs. add to the salad with three tablespoonfuls of cream, two of olive-oil, two of vinegar, and pepper, sugar, and mustard to taste. press in a mould, and serve on platter with a [page ] garnish of parsley. serve with the same kind of dressing that was mixed with the salad. smoked herring salad put the crisp leaves of a head of lettuce into a salad bowl. skin and remove the bone from two smoked herrings, chop fine and mix with the lettuce. pour over a french dressing to which a chopped hard-boiled egg has been added. pickled herring soak in milk and water over night. next day put the herring into a stone jar with alternate layers of sliced onion, a few slices of lemon, a few cloves, bay-leaves, and whole peppers, and enough mustard seed to season. rub the roe through a sieve, add a tablespoonful of brown sugar and add it to the herring. pour over enough vinegar to cover the fish and let stand three or four days before using. herring balls parboil three red herrings, skin, and remove the bones. add an equal quantity of baked potatoes, skinned and mashed. make to a paste with cream and melted butter, season to [page ] taste, and shape into balls. dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. baked smoked herring wash thoroughly, wipe dry, wrap in clean wet manilla paper, and put into a quick oven for fifteen minutes. served with sliced lemon. baked fresh herring clean a dozen fresh herrings, removing the head and tail. butter a deep earthen dish, put in a layer of fish, two slices of lemon, and three or four slices of onion. season with pepper and salt and repeat until the dish is full, cover with vinegar, tie a sheet of buttered brown paper over the dish, and bake in a slow oven for six hours. the bones will be dissolved. marinade of herring soak white salted herrings for two hours in milk to cover. split, remove the bones, and cut each half into three pieces. pack in layers in a deep jar, seasoning between the layers with minced shallot, pounded clove and white pepper. add here and there a bit of bay-leaf and a slice of fresh lemon with half the rind taken off. use the roe with the herring. season the top layer, cover with [page ] vinegar, add three tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, and let stand for two days before using. escalloped herring soak four or five norway herrings over night. divide the fish down the back, remove the skin and bones, and cut into eight squares. arrange in a baking-pan with alternate layers of cold boiled potatoes, seasoning each layer with butter and red pepper. have potatoes on top. pour over three eggs beaten with three cupfuls of milk. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for forty minutes. grilled smoked herring soak over night and in the morning cover with hot water and let stand for half an hour. put into cold water for ten minutes, then wipe dry and broil. serve with hot corn bread. grilled fresh herring dip in seasoned melted butter, then in crumbs, and broil carefully, basting with melted butter if required. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. [page ] nine ways to cook kingfish. boiled kingfish clean the fish and boil with enough fish stock to cover. drain carefully, garnish with parsley, and serve with either brown or white sauce. boiled kingfish À la hollandaise scale and clean two large kingfish, and boil in salted and acidulated water, with a bunch of parsley, a slice each of carrot and onion, and a pinch of powdered sweet herbs. cover with buttered paper and simmer until done. garnish with parsley and serve with hollandaise sauce. fried kingfish--i cut the fish into fillets, remove the skin, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, dip in beaten egg, then in bread-crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] fried king fish--ii prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. cook until firm in melted butter and lemon-juice. drain, cool, dip in batter, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried kingfish--iii clean and fillet the fish, dip in milk, roll in flour and fry. drain, season, garnish with lemons, and serve with tomato sauce. broiled king fish clean thoroughly, wipe dry, and slit down the back; season with salt and pepper and baste with oil before and during the broiling. serve with melted butter, minced parsley, and lemon-juice. baked king fish clean four kingfish, cut off the fins and gash from head to tail on each side. place on a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with chopped shallots, parsley, and mushrooms. sprinkle with salt and pepper and put small bits of butter in the incisions. pour over two wine-glassfuls of white wine and baste with the liquid while baking. thicken a cupful of beef stock with butter and browned flour, and [page ] pour over the fish when nearly done. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. sprinkle with lemon-juice before serving. baked king fish with white sauce prepare the fish according to directions given in the recipe for baked kingfish, omitting the mushrooms and the seasoning. pour over one cupful of white wine, and half a cupful of white stock. baste with the liquid while baking. take up the fish carefully, and add to the liquid remaining in the pan enough white stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and a little lemon-juice. strain over the fish and serve. kingfish À la meuniÈre prepare and season eight small kingfish, dredge with flour, brown in butter, and finish cooking in the oven. when done, pour over two tablespoonfuls of butter which has been cooked brown, sprinkle with lemon-juice and minced parsley, and serve in the baking-dish. [page ] sixty-five ways to cook mackerel broiled spanish mackerel--i cut a fish down the middle, take out all the bones, and cut again in halves. dry on a cloth and sprinkle with salt and pepper. beat two eggs, add an equal quantity of olive-oil, dip the fish into this, then into bread-crumbs, and broil over a clear fire. broiled spanish mackerel--ii split the mackerel down the back and broil carefully over a clear fire. season with butter, pepper, and salt. broiled fresh mackerel--i split two fresh mackerel, remove the backbone, season with salt and pepper, rub with olive-oil, and broil. serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. [page ] broiled mackerel--ii draw and wash the mackerel, cut off the head, rub with olive-oil, and broil. sprinkle with minced parsley, onions, and lemon-juice, and serve very hot. broiled mackerel--iii split a mackerel down the back, take out the backbone, sprinkle with salt, and broil on a buttered gridiron. serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, salt, and pepper. a little minced parsley may be added. broiled mackerel with anchovy butter split and broil a fresh mackerel and serve with melted butter, seasoned with anchovy paste. broiled mackerel au beurre noir open the mackerel, remove the bones, sprinkle with pepper and salt, spread with butter, and broil. cook a tablespoonful of butter until brown, take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon, and pour over the fish. garnish with parsley. [page ] broiled mackerel À la livournaise broil a spanish mackerel, seasoning with salt and pepper, and basting with oil. serve with a sauce made of eight pounded anchovies mixed with mayonnaise and seasoned with pepper, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. the sauce is served cold. broiled mackerel with normandy sauce soak cleaned mackerel in oil with chopped onion and parsley to season. leave the roe inside. rub the inside with lemon-juice and butter, wrap in oiled paper, and broil over a slow fire for forty minutes. prepare a cream sauce and add to it two tablespoonfuls each of mushroom catsup and fish stock, or boiling water in which a little anchovy paste has been dissolved. bring to the boil, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs and the juice of half a lemon. add one tablespoonful of butter, pour over the fish, and serve. broiled mackerel À la fleurette split a spanish mackerel, remove the bones, and season with salt, pepper, and olive-oil, basting with oil as needed. for the sauce, [page ] cook in a saucepan, without browning, four chopped shallots, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a teaspoonful each of chopped chives and parsley, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and a tablespoonful of flour. cook until smooth, stirring constantly, take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of half a lemon, pour over the fish, and serve. broiled salt mackerel--i soak the fish over night in cold water. in the morning drain, cover with boiling water, and let stand for an hour. rinse in cold water, wipe dry, and soak for twenty minutes in oil and vinegar or lemon-juice. broil and serve with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. broiled salt mackerel--ii prepare the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. take the fish from the hot water and cover for five minutes with cold water. wipe dry, soak in olive-oil and lemon-juice for half an hour, drain, broil, and serve with tartar sauce. [page ] broiled salt mackerel--iii soak over night, drain, wipe, rub with butter, and broil. pour over it a sauce made of a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of lemon-juice or vinegar, a tablespoonful of hot water, a pinch of pepper, and a chopped cucumber pickle. bring to the boil and pour over the fish. broiled salt mackerel with cream soak over night in cold water, drain, wipe dry, rub with oil, and broil. serve on a hot platter and pour over half a cupful of hot cream. sprinkle with minced parsley. broiled mackerel with tarragon sauce soak the cleaned fish for an hour in olive-oil, and broil. serve with melted butter seasoned with pepper, salt, and tarragon vinegar. boiled mackerel--i boil in water or stock to cover, seasoning with onion, sweet herbs, pepper, salt, cloves, and vinegar. strain the liquor, thicken it with butter and flour blended together, and add to it minced parsley [page ] and hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine. pour over the fish and serve. boiled mackerel--ii boil in salted water until done and drain. serve with egg sauce. boiled mackerel-iii boil a fresh mackerel in salted and acidulated water. drain, and serve with a cream sauce. boiled mackerel--iv clean a fresh mackerel and split it down the back. put it in a dripping-pan and pour over it two cupfuls of boiling water, two tablespoonfuls each of vinegar and lemon-juice, and a teaspoonful of salt. add a sliced onion and boil for three quarters of an hour. take up the fish, strain the liquid, add a teaspoonful of capers, bring to the boil, and pour over the fish. boiled mackerel with gooseberry sauce boil the mackerel in salted and acidulated water. boil two cupfuls of gooseberries in water to cover until soft. drain, rub through [page ] a sieve, and mix with an equal quantity of the fish broth, thickened with butter and flour. add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. boiled mackerel À la persillade boil the fish according to directions given in the preceding recipe. beat together with an egg-beater half a cupful of olive-oil, the juice of two lemons, two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, one tablespoonful of mustard, and a little tarragon vinegar. pour over the fish and serve. fresh boiled mackerel clean the mackerel, sprinkle with vinegar, wrap in a floured cloth and baste closely. boil for three-quarters of an hour in salted water, drain, and take off the cloth. strain a cupful of the water in which the fish was boiled, and bring to the boil with a tablespoonful of walnut catsup, a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, and the juice of half a lemon. thicken with butter and browned flour. boiled mackerel À la bolonaise clean four fresh mackerel, remove the heads and tails and cut in halves crosswise. put into a saucepan with sliced onions, a bunch [page ] of parsley, salt and pepper, a little white wine, and enough boiling water to cover. cover with buttered paper and simmer for fifteen minutes. take out the fish, strain the broth, and thicken a pint of it with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and a little tarragon vinegar. pour over the fish and serve. boiled salt mackerel--i soak the fish in cold water over night and in the morning rinse thoroughly. wrap in a cloth and put to boil in cold water. bring slowly to the boiling point and cook for thirty minutes. unwrap carefully, take out the backbones, and pour over a little melted butter and cream, seasoning with pepper. or, serve with a sauce made of a cupful of milk thickened with a teaspoonful of cornstarch, and season with butter, pepper, salt, and minced parsley. take from the fire, add one egg well beaten, and pour over the fish. garnish with lemon and parsley. boiled salt mackerel--ii soak over night in cold water and in the morning rinse thoroughly. boil, drain, and pour over a cupful of hot cream in which a [page ] tablespoonful of butter has been melted. boiled salt mackerel--iii wash thoroughly, cover with cold water to which a chopped onion and a little black pepper have been added, and boil until the flesh loosens from the bone. drain, and serve with melted butter and minced parsley. boiled salt mackerel--iv soak the fish over night in cold water, and in the morning cover with hot water for half an hour. drain and boil in acidulated water or in milk until done. serve with a cream sauce to which chopped hard-boiled eggs have been added, or with tomato sauce. boiled salt mackerel--v soak the fish over night in cold water, drain, and simmer for fifteen minutes in water to cover, adding a teaspoonful of vinegar, a bay-leaf, a slice of onion, and a sprig of parsley. when tender, place on a hot platter and pour over it a cream sauce. boiled salt mackerel--vi prepare the fish according to directions [page ] given in the preceding recipe, and simmer for twenty minutes in acidulated water. drain and pour over it a cream sauce. boiled salt mackerel--vii prepare according to directions given in the preceding recipe. pour over a sauce made of stewed and strained tomatoes, thickened with butter and browned flour, and seasoned with pepper, salt, sugar, and grated onion. baked mackerel--i clean the mackerel, split down the back and cut each fish in four pieces. put in a baking-dish in layers, seasoning each layer with bay-leaves, cloves, pepper-corns, and sliced onions or shallots. cover with one cupful of stock, three tablespoonfuls each of white wine and vinegar, one tablespoonful each of anchovy sauce and mushroom catsup, and a teaspoonful of worcestershire. bake in a moderate oven. take out the fish carefully, strain the sauce over them, and let cool. baked mackerel--ii split a fresh mackerel, take out the backbone, dry thoroughly, and sprinkle the inside with salt and pepper. drain the liquor from a [page ] quart of oysters and put aside a dozen of the large ones. chop the remaining oysters coarsely. fry two chopped onions in butter, add the chopped oysters with three chopped hard-boiled eggs and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. season with salt and pepper and cool. mix with the yolks of two raw eggs and a tablespoonful of butter. stuff the fish and sew up. put into a baking-pan, cover with buttered paper, and bake for twenty minutes, basting as required. add the oysters and bake for five minutes longer. serve the fish on a warm platter with lemon-juice squeezed over it, and place the oysters around it on thin circles of toast spread with anchovy paste. garnish with parsley and lemon and serve very hot. baked mackerel--iii gash two cleaned fresh mackerel, and put in a buttered baking-dish with two tablespoonfuls of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, a chopped shallot, and salt and pepper to season. cover with buttered paper and bake for fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. take up the fish and add to the gravy a little chopped onion, mushrooms, shallot, parsley, and garlic fried together, and [page ] enough white stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire and add the yolks of three eggs well beaten. add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoonful of butter, and pour over the fish. baked mackerel--iv soak a fresh cleaned fish for half an hour in olive-oil and lemon-juice. lay in a baking-pan upon thin slices of fat salt pork, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for twenty-five minutes. serve with tomato sauce. baked fillet of mackerel remove the head and backbone from a large fresh mackerel, and place the roe on top. chop fine six shallots or three small onions, half a pound of mushrooms, and three or four sprigs of parsley. add a teaspoonful of salt, and a pinch of pepper. put half of this mixture in a buttered baking-pan, lay the fish upon it, and pour over six tablespoonfuls of white wine. spread the remaining seasoning on top, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, cover with buttered paper, and bake for thirty minutes. pour over a little melted butter, garnish with lemon and parsley, and serve in the dish in which it is baked. [page ] baked fillets of mackerel butter an oval baking-dish and spread chopped oysters on the bottom. arrange upon it the fillets of four fresh mackerel, skinned and seasoned with salt and pepper. sprinkle with chopped onion, parsley, and mushrooms, cover with one cupful of beef stock thickened with browned flour, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter and bake for half an hour. sprinkle with lemon-juice and serve in the same dish. baked fillets of mackerel clean and fillet the fish. put in a buttered baking-dish, season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley, squeeze lemon juice over, pour on a little melted butter, cover with buttered paper, and bake. drain, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. baked fillets of mackerel with cream cook the prepared fillets in melted butter and drain. thicken two cupfuls of white stock with butter and flour cooked together, add a wineglassful of white wine, take from the fire, and add the yolks of two eggs well beaten. cover the fillets with the sauce, [page ] sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese, dot with butter, and bake brown. sprinkle with lemon-juice and serve in the same dish. mackerel baked in cream skin and bone a large fish. cut it into four pieces, season it and fry in butter. drain it and keep warm. mix a cupful of white stock with two tablespoonfuls of sherry and the yolk of an egg. cook until it thickens, and pour over the fish, seasoning with minced parsley and onion. sprinkle with crumbs and bake until brown. baked fresh mackerel with fine herbs split and clean the fish, remove the head and tail, put into a buttered dripping-pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and pour over two-thirds of a cupful of milk. bake for twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. baked spanish mackerel with fine herbs butter a baking-dish, sprinkle with chopped shallots, parsley and mushrooms, lay a cleaned mackerel upon it, sprinkle with more chopped shallots, parsley and mushrooms, season with [page ] salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and dots of butter. add two wineglassfuls of white wine and a cupful of white stock. cover with a buttered paper and boil, basting frequently. thicken the sauce with a tablespoonful of flour cooked in butter, pour over the fish, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake brown. squeeze lemon-juice over the top and serve in the same dish. baked mackerel with oyster stuffing make a stuffing of a dozen chopped oysters, a cupful of bread crumbs, the chopped yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, and onion-juice, minced parsley, salt, and pepper to season. bind with the yolk of a raw egg and fill a cleaned fresh mackerel with the stuffing. put the fish on a buttered baking-dish, dredge with flour and pour around it a cupful each of boiling water and stock. bake until done, basting often with melted butter and the drippings. when done slide on to a hot platter and add to the remaining liquid sufficient warm water to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with browned flour, seasoned with tomato catsup and worcestershire, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] baked salt mackerel soak over night in cold water. in the morning drain, cover with boiling water, and let stand for five minutes. drain and put into a baking-pan. rub with butter, season with pepper, and pour over half a cupful of cream or milk. bake until brown. baked salt mackerel with cream sauce soak a salt mackerel over night. in the morning drain, rinse, and put into a baking-pan with a pint of milk. bake for twenty minutes, take up the fish, and thicken the milk with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. season with salt and pepper, pour over the fish, and serve. fried mackerel fry three slices of salt pork, and add to the fat a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. fry in this fresh mackerel, dredged with flour. season with melted butter. the mackerel may be dipped in beaten egg before it is dipped in flour. fried salt mackerel soak all day in cold water, changing the [page ] water every two hours. in the morning drain, wipe dry, roll in flour and fry in melted butter. serve with melted butter and parsley. mackerel À la havraise clean the fish, take out the backbone and put into a baking-pan. to each mackerel add four tablespoonfuls of butter, two tablespoonfuls of chopped shallots, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. add two cupfuls of white wine, cover and cook slowly for thirty minutes. take up the fish, thicken the sauce with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, and boil, for five minutes. take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs beaten with a cupful of cream, season with lemon-juice and minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. spanish mackerel À la castillane open a spanish mackerel, take out most of the backbone, season with salt and pepper, and stuff with seasoned crumbs. put into a buttered baking-dish with two sliced onions, a bunch of parsley, half a cupful of sherry, and two cupfuls of white stock. cover with a buttered paper and cook for half an hour in the oven, basting as needed. take up the fish, strain the sauce and thicken with butter and flour cooked together. season with lemon-juice and [page ] anchovy paste, add a tablespoonful of butter, pour over the fish, and serve. spanish mackerel À l'espagnole put a cleaned spanish mackerel in a buttered pan with one cupful each of wine and white stock. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add a bunch of parsley, and a clove of garlic, cover with buttered paper, and simmer for forty minutes. take up the fish, thicken the sauce with browned flour, season with lemon-juice and melted butter, pour over the fish, and serve. spanish mackerel À la nassau clean and gash a large mackerel. put in a buttered dish with salt, pepper, half a dozen peeled and sliced tomatoes, two wineglassfuls of white wine and half a cupful of water. add two sliced and parboiled onions, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and half a cupful of mushrooms. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, cover with buttered paper, and bake for half an hour, basting as needed. take out the fish and add enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, pour over the fish, cover with crumbs, [page ] dot with butter, and bake brown. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve. spanish mackerel À la vÉnitienne put the cleaned mackerel into a baking-pan with salt, pepper, grated onion, grated nutmeg, minced parsley, a tablespoonful of butter and half a cupful each of white wine and white stock. cover with a buttered paper and cook for forty minutes, basting as needed. take out the fish and add two cupfuls of white stock to the sauce. bring to the boil, take from the fire, thicken with the yolks of four eggs and add two tablespoonfuls of butter, two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. mackerel À la tyrol wash and dry two fresh fish, and put into a saucepan with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped parsley and onion, and two tablespoonfuls of cider. cover and cook for half an hour, then add one cupful of white stock thickened with flour and butter, the yolk of an egg, and a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. strain the sauce over the fish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve in the same dish. [page ] fillets of mackerel À la horly clean and fillet the fish, remove the skin and bones and soak for an hour in oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with chopped onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and sweet herbs. drain, dredge with flour, dip in beaten eggs, roll in crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tomato sauce. fillets of mackerel À l'indienne fillet two large fresh mackerel, cut in two and remove the skin. simmer for fifteen minutes with two tablespoonfuls each of melted butter and curry powder mixed with two wineglassfuls of white wine. season with salt and pepper. prepare a cream sauce and add to it two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve with a border of plain boiled rice. mackerel À la bretonne wash and split a large mackerel, wipe dry, dredge with flour, and fry brown in butter. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. salt mackerel À la bretonne soak the fish for twelve hours and prepare according to directions given above. serve with melted butter. [page ] scotch mackerel pie make a forcemeat of the roe and some parsley, onion, butter, bread crumbs, thyme, sweet marjoram, and the yolk of an egg. cut the fish into strips, spread with the filling, and roll. arrange in a deep dish, pour in half a cupful of stock, and cover with a layer of mashed potatoes. bake for three quarters of an hour and serve. toasted salt mackerel soak over night in cold water, and hang up for a day or two until perfectly dry. put in a dry tin and set into the oven for ten minutes. mackerel en papillotes oil a sheet of paper a little larger than the fish. lay a slice of cooked ham on each piece of paper, and spread with chopped onion, carrot, parsley, and green pepper fried together in butter. lay a mackerel on the ham, spread with the fried vegetables, cover with another slice of ham, and fold the paper over, twisting the ends. bake for fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. serve in the paper. potted mackerel pound together an ounce of black pepper [page ] and six blades of mace. mix with two ounces of salt and half an ounce of grated nutmeg. rub thoroughly into pieces of fresh mackerel, and fry in oil. drain, and put the fish in a stone jar. fill with vinegar, and put two tablespoonfuls of oil on top. cover closely and let stand for two days before using. fillets of mackerel with ravigote sauce cook the fillets of four fish in a buttered dish with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and half a cupful of white wine. for the sauce chop fine four shallots and put into a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of butter and four tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. reduce half by boiling and add a pint of white stock thickened with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, pour over the fish, and serve. mackerel with white wine sauce cook three fresh mackerel in a cupful of white wine, with butter, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, minced onion, and parsley to season. [page ] take out the fish, and add two cupfuls of white stock to the gravy. thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs well beaten. pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake brown. sprinkle with lemon-juice and serve in a baking-dish. spanish mackerel salad drain the oil from a can of pickled spanish mackerel, and cut the fish in slices. boil a bunch of red beets for half an hour in water to cover, then drain and bake for half an hour in a hot oven. peel, slice thin, and cool thoroughly. mix with the mackerel, add a small bunch of radishes sliced thin, and half a dozen sliced pickles. surround with lettuce leaves and pour over a french dressing. stuffed mackerel with anchovy sauce stuff the prepared fish with seasoned crumbs mixed with chopped shallots, parsley, and mushrooms. sew up and bake, basting with oil. serve with cream sauce, seasoned with anchovy essence. [page ] german pickled mackerel skin, bone, and cut into pieces four pounds of fresh mackerel, and put it in layers into a stone jar, sprinkling each layer with pepper, salt, bay-leaves, and sweet herbs. cover with vinegar, seal firmly, and bake for six hours in a moderate oven. [page ] five ways to cook mullet broiled mullet soak the cleaned fish for an hour in salted and acidulated water. drain, wipe dry, split, rub with seasoned butter, and broil. broiled mullets with melted butter rub prepared mullets with seasoned flour and broil, basting with olive-oil as required. serve with melted butter and minced parsley. mullet À la maÎtre d'hÔtel clean four mullets and soak in olive-oil to cover for thirty minutes, with a bunch of parsley, a sliced onion, and salt and pepper to season. drain, broil, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. baked mullet clean the fish and soak for an hour in salted and acidulated water. drain, wipe dry, stuff with seasoned crumbs, sew up, rub with butter [page ] and put into a baking-pan, adding enough hot water to keep from burning. baste as required and serve with any preferred sauce. fried mullet cut the cleaned fish in convenient pieces for serving and sauté in pork fat, or dip in egg and seasoned crumbs and fry in deep fat. [page ] fifteen ways to cook perch fried perch--i clean the fish, dip in flour, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in plenty of fat. drain and garnish with lemon and parsley. fried perch--ii dip the cleaned perch in flour and fry brown in salt pork fat. fried perch--iii prepare and clean the fish, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and corn-meal, and fry in deep fat. broiled perch rub the prepared fish with butter, season with salt and pepper, and broil. garnish with fried parsley and lemon. boiled perch boil the cleaned fish with parsley, a tablespoonful [page ] of butter, and salt and pepper to season. drain, strain the liquid, thicken with butter and flour, season to taste, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled perch with oyster sauce prepare and clean the fish and simmer until done in salted and acidulated water. drain and serve with oyster sauce. perch À l'allemande put two large cleaned perch into a saucepan with two chopped carrots, a sprig of parsley, a celery root, a sliced onion and a pinch of salt. cover with white wine and simmer for twenty minutes. drain and keep warm. take out the onion, parsley and celery root, add half a cupful of chopped mushrooms, and cook for five minutes. cook with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour thickened together, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of two lemons. pour over the fish and serve. stewed perch À la bateliÈre put four pounds of cleaned perch into a saucepan with salt and pepper to season, two sliced onions, a bunch of parsley, and claret [page ] and water in equal parts to cover. simmer for half an hour, drain, remove the parsley and thicken the sauce with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together. add a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, the juice of half a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. pour over the fish and serve. perch À la franÇaise boil the perch in white wine, and when cooked, skin and arrange on a serving-dish. pour over a cream sauce to which has been added chopped cooked carrots and mushrooms and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. add also to the sauce a tablespoonful of butter and grated nutmeg and lemon-juice to season. perch À la maÎtre d'hÔtel prepare according to directions given for mullet à la maître d'hôtel. perch À la normandy prepare and clean the fish and put into a stewpan with a chopped onion, a bunch of parsley, a pinch of salt, and enough white wine to cover. simmer for fifteen minutes, take up the fish, and strain the liquid. add one cupful of oyster liquor and boil the liquid [page ] until reduced half. take from the fire, add one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, cooked together, stir until smooth, return to the fire, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire and add slowly the yolks of three eggs well beaten. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. perch À la sicily cook three or four large perch for twenty minutes with a bunch of parsley in salted and acidulated water. put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of malt vinegar, one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, a small chopped onion, a bay-leaf, and four pepper-corns. boil for ten minutes, strain, and cool. cook together four tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour. when brown, add a pint of beef stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the strained vinegar, the beaten yolks of six eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. perch À la stanley clean four large perch, put into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, a small bunch of parsley, a pint of rhine wine, a pint [page ] of white stock, and salt and pepper to season. simmer slowly until done, drain, and keep warm. thicken the sauce with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with the juice of a lemon and three tablespoonfuls of butter. bring to the boil, add a dozen parboiled oysters, pour over the fish, and serve. baked perch prepare and clean the fish, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and sew up. bake with a little white wine and melted butter. perch salad clean and boil the fish, drain, and cool. serve very cold on lettuce with mayonnaise. [page ] ten ways to cook pickerel broiled pickerel À la maÎtre d'hÔtel prepare and clean the fish and cut into pieces suitable for serving. dip in seasoned oil, broil, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. fried pickerel--i prepare and clean the fish and cut into pieces suitable for serving. dip in beaten egg and cracker dust and fry in deep fat. fried pickerel--ii prepare and clean the fish and cut into steaks. dip in corn-meal and fry in hot fat. add one cupful of cream to the fat remaining in the pan and thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. season with salt and pepper, add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, pour over the fish and serve. [page ] fried pickerel with tomato sauce prepare and clean the fish and cut into pieces of a suitable size for serving. dip in milk, roll in flour, and fry brown in plenty of hot lard. drain and serve with tomato sauce. fried pickerel À la crÈme clean the fish and cut into pieces suitable for serving. roll in flour, and fry diced salt pork crisp. strain the fat, fry the fish in it, take up and keep warm. add a tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of flour to the fat remaining in the pan. when cooked, add enough cream to make the required quantity of sauce, and a pinch of soda. cook until thick, stirring constantly, add the salt pork fat and pour over the fish. baked pickerel--i lay the cleaned fish in a baking-pan, spread with butter, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with flour. bake as usual, basting with a cupful of hot water to which has been added a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of half a lemon. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] baked pickerel--ii clean the fish, remove the backbone, and soak for an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice. cover the bottom of a baking-dish with thin slices of salt pork, lay the fish upon the pork, rub the fish with butter, cover and bake for forty minutes. serve with hollandaise or tartar sauce. baked pickerel with oyster sauce lay the fish in a buttered baking-pan, spread with butter, season with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. bake in a hot oven, basting with a cupful of hot water to which a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of a lemon have been added. serve with oyster sauce. baked pickerel with egg sauce put the prepared fish in a buttered baking-pan, and bake slowly, basting with melted butter and hot water. serve with egg sauce. stuffed pickerel prepare, clean, and split the fish. remove the backbone and stuff with crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper, sweet herbs, and melted [page ] butter. mix with a beaten egg, stuff the fish, sew up, and bake, basting with melted butter as required. pickerel À la babette butter a kettle and cover the bottom with sliced celery and onion. lay the prepared and cleaned fish upon it, add a bunch of parsley and a tablespoonful of butter. season with salt and white pepper, add a dozen peppercorns, a sliced lemon, a dozen pounded almonds, and cold water to cover. simmer slowly until done. take up the fish, beat the yolks of three eggs with a tablespoonful of cold water, take out the parsley, thicken the sauce, pour over the fish, sprinkle with parsley and serve. [page ] twenty ways to cook pike. fried pike--i prepare and clean the fish, and cut into pieces suitable for serving. fry brown in butter, add to the butter a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, a bit of ginger root, a grating of nutmeg, salt and pepper to season, and enough claret to cover. simmer until tender, add the juice of an orange and a teaspoonful of butter. serve with sauce poured over the fish. fried pike--ii clean the fish and cut it into pieces suitable for serving. dip in egg and crumbs and fry in oil. fried pike À la hollandaise clean the fish and cut it into steaks. soak for two hours in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with pepper, salt, minced [page ] parsley, and grated nutmeg. drain, dip in flour, fry in lard, and serve with hollandaise sauce. boiled pike with melted butter boil the fish with a bunch of parsley in salted and acidulated water to cover. serve with melted butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and lemon-juice. boiled pike with caper sauce prepare and clean a fish, put into a fish-kettle, and simmer for forty minutes in court-bouillon to cover. serve with caper sauce. boiled pike with horseradish sauce boil a large fish in salted and acidulated water with a bunch of parsley. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add three cupfuls of cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and three tablespoonfuls of freshly grated horseradish. pour over the fish, and serve. boiled pike with egg sauce put the cleaned fish into a fish-kettle and [page ] cover with cold water. add half a cupful of vinegar, a teaspoonful each of cloves and pepper-corns, a bay-leaf, half a lemon sliced, and a tablespoonful of salt. boil until the fins pull off easily, take up and skin the fish carefully. pour over an egg sauce made with a portion of the liquid in which the fish was cooked. boiled pike À la dubois prepare and clean the fish and cook it in equal parts of white wine and water, adding minced carrots and celery, sweet herbs and parsley, half a dozen pepper-corns, and salt to season. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of the liquid and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce and two tablespoonfuls of butter. pour over the fish and serve. baked pike--i clean a four-pound pike and put into a buttered baking-pan with enough hot water to keep from burning. score the upper side deeply, cover with chopped salt pork, sprinkle with salt and pepper and dredge with flour. bake for half an hour, basting as required. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] baked pike--ii put the cleaned fish into a buttered baking-dish with two onions sliced, two bay-leaves, pepper and salt to season, and one cupful of sour cream. rub the fish with butter, sprinkle thickly with bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese, and bake until brown. pour the liquid remaining in the pan around the fish and serve. baked pike À la franÇaise marinate the prepared fish for two hours in oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt, pepper, chopped onion, and minced parsley. put into the oven in the marinade, adding one cupful of stock and a wineglassful of white wine. bake slowly, basting as required. take up the fish, strain the sauce, thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, season with anchovy essence, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and two tablespoonfuls of capers. pour over the fish and serve. stuffed and baked pike clean and draw the fish, stuff with seasoned crumbs, sew up and put into a buttered baking-dish in the form of a circle. score the [page ] fish deeply, sprinkle with pepper and salt, minced parsley, chopped onion, and chopped mushrooms. add a cupful of sherry and a cupful of beef stock, cover, and bake, basting frequently with the liquid. take up the fish carefully, and add to the liquid enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour cooked brown in butter, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, lemon-juice, red pepper, and anchovy essence to season. pour over the fish, and serve. pike baked in sour cream. clean a four-pound pike, cut into steaks, and free from skin and bone. put into a buttered baking-dish with two small onions chopped and two bay-leaves. season with salt and cayenne, add one cupful of sour cream and bake. put on a serving-dish, cover with crumbs and dots of butter and brown in the oven. add enough stock to the liquid to make the required quantity of sauce, thicken with butter and flour, season, add a dash of lemon-juice, pour around the fish, sprinkle with minced parsley and serve. pike salad flake cold cooked pike with a silver fork, [page ] mix with mayonnaise and chopped capers, and serve very cold on lettuce leaves. roasted pike prepare a large fish, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and sew up. spread with butter, sprinkle with chopped onion, minced parsley, minced pickle, and pounded anchovies. sprinkle with salt and pepper, put in a buttered baking-dish, and bake slowly for an hour, basting with melted butter as required. add half a cupful of white wine and one cupful of white stock to the drippings. thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of a lemon. bring to the boil, pour over the fish and serve. pike À l'allemande prepare according to directions given for carp à l'allemande. crimped pike À la hollandaise prepare and clean the fish and cut into steaks. soak in ice-water for two hours. boil until tender in salted and acidulated water to cover and serve with hollandaise sauce. [page ] pike À la franÇaise cut a cleaned and prepared pike into thick steaks, and marinate for two hours in oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with salt, pepper, minced onion and parsley, and a pinch of sweet herbs. drain, dip in crumbs, and broil. serve with any preferred sauce. pike À la normandy clean and draw a large fish and tie in a circle. put into a fish-kettle with sliced onion, a bay-leaf, a pinch of thyme, a sprig of parsley, and salt and pepper to season. add two cupfuls each of white wine and white stock and enough water to cover. add a tablespoonful of butter, cover and simmer for forty minutes. take up the fish, strain the sauce and thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with the juice of a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. strain over the fish and serve. pickled pike draw and clean a pike, put into a fish-kettle, cover with claret, add three bay-leaves, and simmer until tender. let cool in the liquor. serve with french dressing, mayonnaise, or tartar sauce. [page ] ten ways to cook pompano broiled pompano--i clean and split the fish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, rub with butter, and broil. squeeze lemon-juice over it and serve. broiled pompano--ii split the fish, remove the backbone, season with salt and pepper, and put on a tin sheet. rub with butter and broil under the gas flame. broiled pompano--iii clean and split the fish, rub with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in crumbs, and broil. broiled pompano À la maÎtre d'hÔtel clean and split the fish, rub with salt, pepper, and olive-oil, and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. [page ] fried pompano--i cut the cleaned fish into slices, dredge with flour, and fry brown in butter. serve with any preferred sauce. fried pompano--ii cut the cleaned fish into strips, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in fat to cover. fillets of pompano cut a prepared and cleaned pompano into strips. marinate for an hour in oil and vinegar, seasoned with salt and pepper. drain, dip in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, and put in a buttered paper and bake until done. serve with tomato sauce. fillets of pompano À la duchesse cut a cleaned pompano into strips, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and onion-juice, and put into a small baking-pan. steam until done, take up carefully and spread each one with seasoned mashed potato mixed with well-beaten egg. bake in the oven until puffed and brown and serve immediately. [page ] fillets of pompano au gratin split the fish in two lengthwise, and remove the bone and skin. cut into strips, season with salt, pepper, and butter, roll up, and tie or fasten with toothpicks or skewers. simmer slowly until done in equal parts of white wine and water, adding a little maître d'hôtel sauce. pompano À la cardinal butter a baking-dish and lay upon it a large cleaned and split pompano. open a can of sweet spanish peppers, drain, and cover the fish with them. sprinkle with chopped onion, minced parsley, chopped mushrooms, crumbs, and dots of butter. add one cupful of stock, and a wineglassful of port wine. bake for twenty minutes, basting as required, take up carefully, and serve with fried sweet potatoes. [page ] thirteen ways to cook red snapper fried red snapper clean the fish, skin, and remove the backbone. slice lengthwise in long thin strips, roll up and fasten with a toothpick or skewer. dip in egg, then in cracker dust, and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. boiled red snapper--i clean and draw the fish and boil slowly in salted and acidulated water to cover. drain and serve with any preferred sauce. boiled red snapper--ii clean a red snapper, sew it up in mosquito netting, and boil it in salted and acidulated water. drain carefully, unwrap, and serve with tomato sauce. baked red snapper--i prepare and clean the fish, stuff with [page ] seasoned crumbs and chopped oysters. put on a buttered tin sheet and lay into a baking-pan. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour and bake for an hour, basting with melted butter and hot water as required. serve with any preferred sauce. baked red snapper--ii clean and season the fish, rub with vinegar, and put into a baking-pan. dot with butter, sprinkle with parsley, and bake, basting with melted butter and hot water as required. serve with tomato sauce. baked red snapper--iii clean the fish, leaving the head on, and stuff with seasoned crumbs, cover with sliced tomatoes and sliced lemon, and bake, basting occasionally with melted butter and hot water. baked red snapper with tomato sauce season four pounds of prepared and cleaned red snapper with salt and pepper. cover with thin slices of bacon, dredge with flour, and put into a buttered baking-pan with two cupfuls of boiling water. bake slowly. while it is baking fry brown two slices of chopped [page ] bacon, add a chopped onion, a pepper pod, a can of tomatoes, and salt and black pepper to taste. cook until it thickens, pour over the fish, and finish baking. take up carefully. baked red snapper À la crÉole clean, split, and bone a large red snapper, lay it together again, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and put into a buttered baking-pan. fry in butter a chopped onion, half a dozen sliced mushrooms, two fresh tomatoes, and one green pepper chopped. add a cupful of stock, spread over the fish and bake for twenty minutes, basting with melted butter and hot water as required. take up carefully, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. stuffed red snapper make a stuffing of one cupful of chopped oysters, half a cupful of cracker crumbs, one egg well beaten, a teaspoonful of chopped onion, a tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and salt, pepper, and paprika to season. add cream or oyster liquor to make soft, fill the fish, and sew up. put a layer of salt pork, sliced tomato, and sliced onion into a baking-pan, lay the fish upon it, cover with chopped salt pork, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour, add two cupfuls of stock and bake for an hour, basting as [page ] required. take up the fish carefully, rub the tomatoes and liquid through a purée sieve, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, pour around the fish, and serve. stuffed red snapper À la crÉole cook together a can of tomatoes, six chopped onions, a cupful of dry bread crumbs, a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, three tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt, red and black pepper to season. stuff the prepared and cleaned red snapper with the mixture, sew up, spread with the remaining dressing, dot with butter, and bake for an hour. take up carefully. steamed red snapper lay a cleaned red snapper in a steamer on a bed of sliced tomatoes and chopped onion. steam slowly for an hour or more, turning once. serve with oyster or tartar sauce. red snapper À la babette clean the fish and rub with salt and pepper inside and out. boil in salted water to which has been added a small bunch of parsley, a celery root, two sliced onions, a chopped carrot, and a blade of mace. when done, take up, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, [page ] and brown in the oven. strain the liquid, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, pour around the fish, and serve. red snapper À la beaufort put the prepared and cleaned fish into a fish-kettle with a pint each of white wine, white stock, and water, adding salt and sweet herbs to season, and half a cupful of mixed vegetables cut fine. simmer for an hour, drain, skin, and put on a serving-dish. strain the liquid, thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together, add a teaspoonful of beef extract, salt and cayenne pepper to season, take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs, beaten with the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of butter, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] one hundred and thirty ways to cook salmon broiled salmon--i marinate slices of salmon in olive-oil with salt and pepper, minced parsley, bay-leaves, and mixed herbs to season. soak in the marinade for an hour or more and broil, basting with the marinade. serve with caper sauce. broiled salmon--ii take a young fish weighing from four to six pounds, clean, split, remove the backbone and broil. sprinkle with lemon-juice and red pepper. broiled salmon--iii take three pounds of the tail part of the salmon, let it stand for six hours in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, with minced parsley, two bay-leaves and a sprig of thyme. drain and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce to which a teaspoonful of chopped chives has been added. [page ] salmon broiled in paper season salmon steaks with pepper and salt, wrap in buttered paper, twisting the ends, broil and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. broiled salmon steaks--i season with pepper and salt, broil carefully on a buttered gridiron, pour over melted butter, garnish with parsley, and serve. broiled salmon steaks--ii sprinkle with pepper and salt, dredge with flour, and broil, basting with melted butter as required. spread with melted butter, or with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled salmon steaks--iii marinate the steaks for an hour in oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and pepper. broil carefully and serve with any preferred sauce. broiled salmon À la ravigote marinate salmon steaks in seasoned oil and lemon-juice, and broil quickly. serve with ravigote sauce. [page ] salmon cutlets in papillotes butter large sheets of white paper, sprinkle with crumbs, and fold tightly over small cutlets of salmon. broil carefully over a slow fire and serve in the papers. salmon cutlets with caper sauce marinate for two hours slices of salmon in oil with minced parsley and onion. dip large pieces of paper in oil and wrap carefully around each slice, fastening firmly. broil carefully and serve with a cream sauce to which capers have been added. salmon steaks with parsley sauce season salmon steaks, dip in melted butter, then in corn-meal, and broil. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of cold water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, season with salt and pepper, add the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and pour over the fish. boiled salmon--i wash and wipe a small salmon, wrap in a cloth, tie securely and put into the fish-kettle. cover with cold water, add a handful of [page ] salt, and boil slowly until done. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and of flour, add two cupfuls of boiling cream and a tablespoonful of the water in which the fish is cooked. cook until thick, stirring constantly, season with salt and minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled salmon--ii chop together a carrot, an onion and a stalk of celery. fry in butter, add half a cupful of vinegar, four cloves, four pepper-corns, a bay-leaf, a sprig of parsley, and six cupfuls of boiling water. boil for an hour, strain, cool, and boil the salmon in it. serve with any preferred sauce. boiled salmon with egg sauce tie a large chunk of salmon in mosquito netting and simmer until done in salted and acidulated water. drain, skin, and, if possible, remove the bone. serve with drawn-butter sauce to which chopped hard-boiled eggs have been added. boiled salmon with green sauce boil a small salmon in salted and acidulated water. take up carefully and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to two cupfuls. cook together [page ] two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add the reduced liquid, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of chopped capers, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, and one tablespoonful of butter. pour over the fish and serve. boiled salmon steaks--i wrap each steak separately in mosquito netting. put into boiling water to which has been added a slice of onion, a bay-leaf, a blade of mace, four tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, and a teaspoonful of salt. simmer for twenty minutes, remove carefully, drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. boiled salmon steaks--ii boil the steaks slowly in salted and acidulated water to cover or in court-bouillon seasoned with wine. serve with hollandaise sauce. boiled salmon steaks--iii cook the steaks in water to cover and add a celery root, a small bunch of parsley, salt and pepper to season, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. strain the liquid, thicken with a tablespoonful each [page ] of butter and flour cooked together, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled salmon À la piquant boil slices of salmon in court-bouillon seasoned with wine. drain, garnish with parsley, and serve with piquant sauce. boiled salmon À la waldorf boil a large piece of salmon in salted and acidulated water, seasoned with herbs and spice. drain and keep warm. add two cupfuls of the liquid in which the fish was cooked, one wineglassful of white wine, and two anchovies rubbed to a paste. boil for fifteen minutes, then add in small bits a tablespoonful of butter. serve the sauce separately. salmon with oyster sauce boil two pounds of fresh salmon in salted and acidulated water to cover, with a chopped onion, two cloves, eight pepper-corns, and a small bunch of parsley. drain, and serve with oyster sauce. salmon cutlets with oyster sauce boil large slices of salmon in salted water [page ] until done. fry a small onion, chopped, in oil, add four dozen oysters, cut small, two tablespoonfuls of flour, the liquor drained from the oysters, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and pepper, salt, and anchovy essence to season. when thick, take from the fire, add the beaten yolks of four eggs, and reheat but do not boil. pour the sauce into a platter, and cool. lay the slices of salmon on the sauce, brush with egg, sprinkle with crumbs and brown in the oven. salmon À la suprÊme boil a salmon in court-bouillon with wine, drain, cool, skin, and serve with tartar sauce. mayonnaise of salmon cook fresh salmon in a court-bouillon, drain, cool, skin, and serve with mayonnaise. salmon pudding flake the fish, add half the quantity of bread crumbs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, a teaspoonful of onion juice, and pepper and salt to season. beat two eggs light with two tablespoonfuls of cream, mix with the fish, put into a buttered mould and boil for an hour and a half. serve with a cream sauce seasoned with [page ] lemon-juice and anchovy paste. baked salmon--i put four salmon steaks into a buttered saucepan with two cupfuls each of white wine and white stock. season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, minced parsley, and a pinch of allspice. add a heaping teaspoonful of butter and flour cooked together. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs well beaten and a little minced parsley. arrange a mound of seasoned mashed potatoes in a deep platter. take the skin from the steaks and arrange them around it. pour the sauce over, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. baked salmon--ii wash and wipe a small fish. rub with pepper and salt and sprinkle with paprika and powdered mace. bake carefully, basting with melted butter and its own dripping. take up the fish carefully and add to the gravy enough stock or water to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with butter and flour cooked together, season with tomato catsup and lemon-juice. pour around the fish and serve. [page ] baked salmon--iii rub a small cleaned salmon with olive-oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put into a buttered baking-pan, and add one cupful of boiling water and two tablespoonfuls of butter. baste every ten minutes until done. take up the fish and keep it warm. thicken the gravy with a teaspoonful or more of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water. season with grated onion, lemon-juice, and tomato catsup. baked salmon with cream sauce wrap a large middle cut of salmon in buttered paper and fasten firmly. bake in a buttered baking-pan, basting with butter melted in hot water. take from the oven at the end of an hour, remove the paper carefully, and keep warm. bring to the boil one cupful of cream and add one tablespoonful of corn-starch rubbed smooth with a little cold cream. add one tablespoonful each of butter and minced parsley, and pepper and salt to season. pour the sauce over the fish or serve separately. salmon baked in paper season a large piece of salmon with salt, [page ] pepper, and lemon-juice, wrap in a large piece of buttered paper and pin firmly. put into a buttered baking-pan, cover and bake for an hour, basting frequently with hot water and melted butter. take off the paper and serve with any preferred sauce. baked salmon steaks put the steaks in a buttered baking-dish. lay bits of butter upon them, seasoning with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and grated onion. bake carefully, basting as required, and serve with caper or tomato sauce. baked salmon cutlets put salmon steaks into a buttered baking-pan with half a cupful of hot water and half a cupful of white wine. sprinkle with salt, paprika, and grated nutmeg. cover with raw oysters and crumbs fried in butter. bake for twenty minutes. take up the fish carefully. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add the liquor from the pan and a teaspoonful of anchovy paste. cook until thick, stirring constantly, pour around the fish, and serve. salmon À la windsor season salmon steaks with salt and pepper, [page ] dip in egg and crumbs, put into a buttered baking-pan, and bake quickly. serve with any preferred sauce. stuffed salmon clean, bone, and parboil a small salmon. rub the inside with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. stuff with chopped oysters, minced parsley, and seasoned crumbs. fold together, put into a buttered baking-dish, and bake for half an hour, basting with its own dripping. salmon steaks À la flamande sprinkle a buttered dripping-pan with chopped onion, and season with pepper and salt. lay salmon steaks on top, brush with the yolk of a beaten egg, cover with a layer of chopped onion and parsley, season with salt, red pepper, lemon-juice, and dots of butter, and bake for half an hour. salmon en papillotes use six small salmon steaks. season with salt and pepper. butter sheets of white paper a little larger than the steaks and lay on each one a thin slice of lean boiled ham. cook together in butter a chopped onion, a handful of chopped mushrooms, a minced bean of garlic, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. [page ] spread a thin layer on the ham, lay a slice of salmon upon it, spread with the cooked vegetables, cover with another slice of ham, put another piece of oiled paper over, and fold carefully at the edges. bake in a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes, and serve in the papers. fillets of salmon en papillotes cut salmon steaks into fillets, dip into melted butter and lemon-juice, fold in buttered paper, and bake for half an hour in a slow oven. serve in the papers and pass hollandaise sauce. salmon cutlets en papillotes cut slices of salmon into cutlets. beat together three tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, the yolk of an egg, a teaspoonful of minced onion and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper, spread the mixture over, fold each piece in buttered paper, fastening securely, and bake for half an hour. serve in the papers. fried salmon--i cut slices of salmon into small pieces and put into a saucepan with pepper, salt, minced parsley, and lemon-juice to season. add [page ] sufficient butter and fry carefully. serve with ravigote or any preferred sauce. fried salmon--ii wrap slices of salmon in oiled paper, fastening firmly, and fry in deep fat. drain carefully and serve in the paper. fried salmon--iii sprinkle salmon steaks with salt and flour, brush with the beaten yolk of an egg and fry in hot olive-oil. drain, garnish with fried parsley, and serve. fried salmon steaks dredge the steaks with seasoned flour or dip into egg and seasoned crumbs and fry. fried salmon cutlets--i steam salmon steaks, cool, cut into fillets, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tartar or hollandaise sauce. fried salmon cutlets--ii prepare very thick cream sauce and mix with it cold cooked salmon cut fine. season with red pepper, salt, and lemon-juice and let [page ] cool. shape into cutlets, dip into beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. fried salmon cutlets--iii rub cold boiled salmon smooth with one-third the quantity of mashed potatoes. season with salt, pepper, and pounded mace. shape into cutlets, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. salmon cutlets À l'anglaise cut slices of salmon in the shape of cutlets, season with salt and pepper and fry in butter. drain and serve with ravigote sauce. salmon À la lyons fry slices of salmon in butter with pepper and salt to season. serve with a hollandaise sauce to which cooked oysters, cooked shrimps, and minced parsley have been added. salmon cutlets with milanaise sauce cut slices of salmon into small pieces, dip into white wine and wrap in buttered paper, fastening securely. fry carefully in butter, [page ] remove the papers, garnish with parsley, and serve with milanaise sauce. fillets of salmon À l'orly cut fresh salmon into small pieces, remove the skin, and marinate for an hour in lemon-juice seasoned with salt and pepper. drain, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tomato sauce. salmon À l'allemande put a large middle cut of salmon into a saucepan, with a sliced carrot, a large onion, a bunch of parsley, salt and pepper to season, half a cupful of butter, two cupfuls of claret, and enough stock to cover. cover with buttered paper and cook slowly for an hour. take up the fish carefully and keep warm. strain the liquid, skim the fat, and thicken with butter and flour cooked together until brown. add a tablespoonful of butter, seasoned with lemon-juice and anchovy essence, pour over the fish, and serve. salmon À l'admiral fry in butter two chopped onions, two parsley roots, a bunch of chopped parsley with a sprig of thyme, a broken bay-leaf, a [page ] clove, and three small chopped carrots. add one cupful of white wine, put a small cleaned salmon into a buttered baking-dish, spread the vegetables over, cover, and cook until tender, basting with the drippings or with hot water if needed. take out the fish, strain the liquid, add to it a cupful of cream and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. pour it around the fish and garnish with lemon and parsley. salmon À la bordeaux clean a small salmon, stuff with seasoned crumbs and oysters, and put into a fish-kettle with two tablespoonfuls of butter, two onions sliced, a bunch of parsley, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. add two cupfuls each of stock, water, and white wine. cover the fish with buttered paper and simmer for an hour. drain the fish and keep warm. prepare a sauce according to directions given in the recipe for salmon à la genoise, using the liquid strained from the fish. salmon À la candace put a large cut of salmon on the drainer in a fish-kettle and cover it with a small slice of raw ham. add two cupfuls of rhine wine, a quart of stock, and a bunch of parsley. cover with buttered paper, [page ] simmer for an hour, drain, and remove the skin. strain the liquid, thicken with flour cooked brown in butter, add a tablespoonful of butter, cayenne, and lemon-juice to season. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. salmon À la chambord put a large middle cut of salmon into a saucepan with sliced carrots and onions, a bunch of parsley, two tablespoonfuls of butter and two cupfuls each of white wine and white stock. season with salt and pepper-corns, cover, and simmer slowly for an hour. take up the fish carefully and keep warm. strain the liquid and thicken with flour cooked brown in butter. add half a cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, the juice of a lemon, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and a teaspoonful of anchovy essence. pour over the fish and serve. salmon À l'espagnole cut fresh salmon in small pieces suitable for serving, and fry in butter. drain and keep warm. add two tablespoonfuls of flour to the butter, in which the fish is cooked, and brown. add two cupfuls of stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take [page ] from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. salmon À la genoise boil a small fresh salmon in salted and acidulated water to cover, drain, and skin. arrange on a serving-dish and keep warm. chop fine a small slice of ham, a slice of carrot, a small stalk of celery, an onion, a parsley root, and three or four shallots. add a sprig of thyme, a bay-leaf, a blade of mace, and two cloves. fry in butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour and cook until brown. add two cupfuls of claret and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add half a cupful of beef stock, bring to the boil, and strain through a sieve. reheat, add a tablespoonful of butter, and minced parsley, lemon-juice, grated nutmeg, and anchovy essence to season. pour around the fish and serve. salmon À l'italienne flake cold salmon fine with a silver fork and mix with an equal quantity of cold cooked spaghetti cut fine. reheat in a cream sauce, add a few capers and serve very hot. [page ] salmon steaks À la mariniÈre marinate salmon steaks in seasoned oil, drain, and broil. cover with small boiled onions and cooked oysters. pour over a sauce made according to directions given in the recipe for salmon à la genoise, and serve. salmon À la marseilles boil a small salmon in salted and acidulated water. skin and put on a serving-dish. spread over it some very thick cream sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, brush with beaten egg, cover with crumbs again, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and brown in the oven. serve with a sauce made of equal parts of white wine and stock, thickened with butter and flour cooked together. salmon À la maryland prepare and clean a small salmon and simmer in salted water until done. prepare a drawn-butter sauce and add to it half a cupful of butter. when the butter is melted, take from the fire and add quickly two eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. [page ] salmon À la naples fry salmon steaks in butter, seasoning with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. when half cooked, add half a cupful of white wine to the butter, cover, and simmer slowly until done. cover the salmon with cooked oysters, pour the liquid remaining in the pan over the fish, and serve. salmon À la provence season four salmon steaks and cook with a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of a lemon. add a dozen oysters, half a dozen small shrimps, and one cupful of white stock thickened with flour and butter cooked together. simmer until the oysters are cooked, take from the fire, add the yolk of an egg beaten smooth with a tablespoonful of sherry, and serve with triangles of fried bread. salmon À la provenÇale put a large cut of salmon into a saucepan and cover with salted and acidulated water. add a sliced onion, a carrot, a bunch of parsley, and salt, pepper, sweet herbs, and a pinch of allspice to season. cover the fish with buttered paper and cook slowly for [page ] an hour. chop together a small onion, a clove of garlic, and a few sprigs of parsley. fry in olive-oil, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and cook until the flour is brown. add two cupfuls of brown stock and one cupful of stewed and strained tomato. cook until thick, stirring constantly, seasoning with red and white pepper and lemon-juice. remove the skin from the fish, pour the hot sauce over it, and serve. fillets of salmon À la vÉnitienne put salmon steaks into a buttered baking-pan with fine match-like strips of larding pork laid on each side. season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, add one cupful of white wine and cover with a sheet of buttered paper, having a small hole in the centre. bake for forty minutes, basting often. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a tablespoonful each of butter and lemon-juice and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. pour around the fish and serve. salmon À la waldorf marinate salmon steaks for an hour in [page ] lemon-juice. cover with stock, add pepper, salt and minced parsley to season, and simmer slowly until done. drain, thicken the sauce, add a tablespoonful of butter, and serve separately. salmon mousse rub half a pound of raw salmon to a smooth paste with water, adding gradually a dozen chopped raw oysters, half a cupful of tomato sauce and the yolks of three eggs. when smooth, fold in the stiffly beaten whites, season with salt and pepper, and press through a purée sieve into small buttered moulds. put into a baking-pan, surround with hot water, and bake for fifteen or twenty minutes in a moderate oven. unmould and serve with any preferred sauce. salmon mousse À la martinot pound to a pulp with a little water, half a pound of raw salmon, and add the well-beaten whites of two eggs. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a cupful of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, red and white pepper, grated onion, and mushroom essence. take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten smooth with two [page ] tablespoonfuls of cream. cool the sauce, and when cold mix it with the fish. fold in carefully one cupful of whipped cream and fill a buttered mould with the fish. put the mould in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. for the sauce, cook together for ten minutes a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, a teaspoonful each of chopped onion, salt, and sugar, and half a can of tomatoes. rub through a sieve, and add the yolks of four eggs beaten smooth with a tablespoonful of cream and a grating of nutmeg. take from the fire and add two tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits. return to the fire, and add a little lemon-juice or tarragon vinegar. strain, and add a little whipped cream. salmon steaks with claret sauce put four steaks into a buttered saucepan with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season, add a bunch of parsley, a teaspoonful of mixed sweet herbs, a chopped onion, and two cupfuls of claret. cover with a buttered paper, simmer until done, and drain. strain the sauce, thicken with flour cooked brown in butter, skim, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of a lemon; pour over the fish and serve. [page ] salmon mayonnaise with cucumbers steam salmon steaks until tender, remove the skin, and cool. cover with thinly sliced cucumbers, mask with mayonnaise, and serve with a border of lettuce leaves and sliced hard-boiled eggs. creamed salmon on toast reheat a cupful of cold flaked salmon, either fresh or canned, in cream sauce. take from the fire, add one egg beaten smooth with half a cupful of cream, pour over buttered toast, and serve. curried salmon chop a spanish onion, fry it in butter, and add a tablespoonful of curry powder mixed with a teaspoonful of flour. add two cupfuls of stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add cold cooked salmon, cut into small pieces, and reheat. serve in a border of boiled rice. chartreuse of salmon wash a cupful of rice in several waters, drain and parboil for five minutes in salted water at a galloping boil. drain in a colander, [page ] return to the saucepan, add a pinch of salt and three cupfuls of milk or stock. steam until tender, then add three tablespoonfuls of butter melted and mixed with one tablespoonful of curry powder and two tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice. mix thoroughly and line a two-quart buttered mould with the rice. fill the center with flaked cooked salmon, seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon-juice, cover with rice, steam for half an hour and serve with egg sauce. fricassee of salmon cut two pounds of salmon steaks into strips. put into a saucepan with half a cupful of water, salt and pepper to season, a clove, a blade of mace, a tablespoonful of sugar, a chopped onion, and a heaping teaspoonful of mustard mixed with half a cupful of vinegar. bring to the boil, add six tomatoes peeled and sliced, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and a wineglassful of sherry. simmer for forty-five minutes and serve either hot or cold. salmon with eggs steam salmon steaks until tender, cool, and lay upon a platter covered with lettuce leaves. season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice and surround with slices of hard-boiled eggs. mix together a tablespoonful of melted butter, a teaspoonful of made mustard, and [page ] salt and pepper to season. spread over the egg slices and serve. jellied salmon--i simmer salmon steaks in court-bouillon until done. drain and arrange on a platter. spread with mayonnaise, tinted green with spinach juice to which a little dissolved gelatine has been added. serve cold. jellied salmon--ii mix two cupfuls of cold boiled salmon with one tablespoonful of lemon-juice, one teaspoonful of minced parsley, two drops of tabasco sauce and one tablespoonful of granulated gelatine dissolved in cold water. add it to half a cupful of cooked salad dressing. wet in cold water one large mould or several small ones, fill with the salmon and put on ice until thoroughly chilled. serve with sliced cucumbers and tartar sauce. salmon pie butter a baking-dish and line the sides with a rich biscuit crust. fill the pan with fresh or canned salmon, seasoned with salt and pepper, lemon-juice, a pinch of mace, and a teaspoonful of onion juice. spread over the salmon a cupful of boiled lobster which has [page ] been seasoned with melted butter and worcestershire sauce. cover with biscuit crust, slit diagonally down the centre, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. cold salmon patties season chopped salmon highly with salt and pepper, grated nutmeg and melted butter. add the beaten yolk of an egg to bind. line patty-tins with puff paste or rich pastry, fill with the salmon mixture, cover with the paste, and bake. pickled salmon--i boil large fresh pieces of salmon in salted and acidulated water to cover. bring to the boil one quart of vinegar, six blades of mace, half a dozen white peppers, half a dozen cloves, a teaspoonful of made mustard, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a cupful of water in which the fish was boiled. let the fish cool in the water, then put it in an earthen jar, pour the boiling liquid over, and let stand for a day or two before using. pickled salmon--ii cut the fish into large pieces and cook until done in salted and acidulated water. drain, cool, and skin. put into a preserving-kettle [page ] two quarts of vinegar, one cupful of boiling water, four blades of mace, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a dozen cloves, two tablespoonfuls of mustard seed, an onion sliced, a dozen pepper-corns, one small red pepper, two bay-leaves, and a teaspoonful of celery seed. bring to the boil, put in the fish, boil up once and cool. let stand for two or three days before using. pickled salmon--iii boil large pieces of salmon in salted and acidulated water, drain, and cool. add one quart of the water in which the fish was cooked, two quarts of vinegar, a tablespoonful of pepper-corns, grated nutmeg and a dozen blades of mace. boil for half an hour and cool. pour over the salmon, add a tablespoonful of olive-oil, cover, and keep in a cool place for two or three days before using. spiced salmon mix half a cupful of vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, two cloves, a bay-leaf, an inch of stick cinnamon, a teaspoonful of salt and a pinch of black pepper. bring to the boil and pour over salmon steaks which have been boiled, drained, and cooled. let stand for [page ] two or three hours before serving. salmon soufflÉ cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add half a cupful of stale bread crumbs, a teaspoonful of grated onion, a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and the yolks of three eggs, well-beaten. add one cupful of flaked salmon, mix thoroughly, and fold in the salmon, and bake in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes. serve with any preferred sauce. salmon on toast reheat two cupfuls of cold salmon steaks in a cupful of drawn-butter sauce, seasoning with salt and red pepper. take from the fire and add one egg beaten light with three tablespoonfuls of cream. pour over slices of fried bread, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. salmon timbales flake a pound of cooked salmon and rub to a paste. season with salt, pepper, and grated onion, add a tablespoonful of chopped almonds and [page ] the unbeaten whites of three eggs. mix thoroughly and stir in one cupful of cream whipped solid. put into small buttered moulds, set into boiling water, and bake for twenty minutes. turn out and serve with hollandaise sauce. salmon turbot--i cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and three of flour. add two cupfuls of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add two eggs, well beaten, a teaspoonful of minced parsley and the juice of half a lemon. put into a baking-pan alternate layers of the sauce and cold flaked salmon, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. salmon turbot--ii cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt and pepper to season. put a layer of flaked salmon into a buttered baking-dish, spread with the sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. bake for half an hour. [page ] salmon box line a square tin mould with hot boiled rice, fill the centre with cold boiled salmon flaked and seasoned with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. cover with rice, steam for an hour, turn out on a platter, and serve with egg sauce. salmon with cucumber sauce put a large cut of salmon into a buttered saucepan with salt, pepper, a bunch of parsley, a chopped onion, and sweet herbs. add half a cupful of white wine and enough stock to cover. simmer until the fish is done and drain carefully. strain the liquid and thicken with flour cooked in butter. peel and slice three small cucumbers, parboil in salted water, drain, and fry in butter with a little sugar. add to the sauce with a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. salmon croquettes--i cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, add one cupful of cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add one egg well beaten, and one pound of cold cooked salmon flaked. let cool, shape into croquettes, [page ] dip into egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. salmon croquettes--ii cook together one tablespoonful of butter and three tablespoonfuls of flour. add one cupful of cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, red pepper, and minced parsley, take from the fire, add the juice of a lemon and a can of flaked salmon. mix thoroughly and cool. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. salmon croquettes--iii cook together one tablespoonful of flour and two of butter, add a cupful of cream or milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add an egg well beaten, half a cupful of crumbs, a small can of flaked salmon, and salt, red pepper, and powdered mace to season. mix thoroughly, cool, shape into croquettes, dip into egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. salmon croquettes--iv cook together two tablespoonfuls each of [page ] butter and flour and add one cupful of cream in which the yolks of two eggs have been beaten. cook until very thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add a pound can of salmon, flaked, salt and pepper to season, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. stir in the beaten whites of the eggs and cool. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tomato sauce. salmon croquettes--v cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour. add one cupful of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a small can of flaked salmon, pepper and salt to season, and three eggs well beaten. reheat, but do not boil. when it thickens, take from the fire, and cool. when cold, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. salmon croquettes--vi cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour. add one cupful of milk and cook until very thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and celery salt. add two cupfuls of canned salmon freed from skin, fat, and bone and chopped fine. mix thoroughly and spread on a platter to cool. shape into croquettes, dip in crumbs, [page ] then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with green peas. swedish salmon croquettes cook one cupful of white stock with a tablespoonful of butter, the yolks of two eggs, and parsley, pepper and salt, and grated onion to season. add a can of flaked salmon and cook until thick, stirring constantly. cool, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. salmon cutlets cook together one tablespoonful of butter and three of flour. add one cupful of cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a can of salmon, chopped, the juice of half a lemon, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and salt and red pepper to season. mix thoroughly, and cool. shape into cutlets, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. salmon chops prepare according to directions given for salmon croquettes, shape into chops, dip into egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tartar sauce. [page ] baked salmon loaf--i put a cupful of milk into a double-boiler and add enough bread crumbs to make a smooth paste. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a can of salmon, chopped, half a cupful of cream, salt and red pepper to season and three eggs beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten whites last. mix thoroughly, pour into a buttered mould, set into a pan of hot water, and bake until firm in a moderate oven. salmon loaf--ii mash a can of salmon, add the juice of a lemon, and half a cupful of fresh bread-crumbs, three tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter and four eggs beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten whites last. put into a buttered mould and steam for an hour. add to the oil drained from the salmon one cupful of boiling milk, one tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and a tablespoonful of butter. cook until thick, stirring constantly, take from the fire, add one egg well beaten, a teaspoonful of tomato catsup and mace and pepper to season. turn the mould out on a platter and pour the sauce around it. [page ] salmon loaf--iii flake a can of salmon and mix it with the pounded yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, a tablespoonful of capers, and pepper, salt, mace, and parsley to season. dissolve a teaspoonful of anchovy paste in a cupful of boiling water, add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice and a tablespoonful of soaked gelatine. heat until the gelatine is dissolved and mix with the fish. butter a mould and arrange upon it the rings of the hard-boiled eggs. put the fish into it and put on ice until perfectly cold and firm. turn out on a platter and serve with mayonnaise. salmon loaf--iv drain the oil from a can of salmon, remove skin, fat, and bone, and flake the fish with a silver fork. add the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, half a cupful of bread crumbs, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and pepper, salt, and minced parsley to season. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, put into a buttered pan, and bake for half an hour. add to the drained oil one cupful of milk. thicken it with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, and add one egg well beaten. [page ] fricasseed salmon reheat a can of flaked salmon in a cupful of drawn-butter sauce, adding half a cupful of cream, and salt, red and white pepper to season. take from the fire, add one egg, well beaten, pour over buttered toast, and sprinkle with parsley. curried salmon--i chop a small onion fine, and fry brown in butter. add to it the liquor drained from a can of salmon, and a tablespoonful of flour. when the flour is smooth, add half a cupful of water, a teaspoonful each of curry powder and lemon-juice, and salt and pepper to taste. add a can of salmon flaked, reheat, and serve. curried salmon--ii fry a chopped onion in olive-oil, and when the onion is brown add a tablespoonful of flour mixed with a teaspoonful of curry powder. add one cupful of boiling water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. reheat flaked canned salmon in the sauce and serve with a garnish of sliced lemon. curried salmon--iii fry a chopped onion brown in olive-oil. [page ] add two teaspoonfuls of curry powder and a tablespoonful of flour. when the flour is cooked, add two cupfuls of hot water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a tablespoonful of tomato catsup or chutney sauce and salt and pepper to season. add a can of salmon flaked. reheat and serve. creamed salmon bring to the boil one cupful of cream and half a cupful of milk. add a teaspoonful of butter and two teaspoonfuls of corn-starch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and add one can of flaked salmon. fill ramekins with the mixture, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. creamed salmon on toast prepare the fish according to directions given for baked creamed salmon. pour over slices of buttered toast, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. baked creamed salmon cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour, add two cupfuls of milk or cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add salt, pepper and minced parsley to season, and a can of flaked [page ] salmon. reheat and arrange in a baking-dish with alternate layers of crumbs and butter, having crumbs and butter on top. bake in the oven until brown. salmon patties prepare creamed salmon according to directions given in the recipe for baked creamed salmon. fill patty-shells and serve. escalloped salmon--i prepare creamed salmon according to directions given for baked creamed salmon. put into a buttered baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. escalloped salmon--ii cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour. add a cupful of water, the juice of a lemon, a small onion chopped, the yolks of three boiled eggs mashed smooth, and pepper and salt to season. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a can of flaked salmon, reheat, and serve. coquilles of salmon prepare creamed salmon according to [page ] directions given in the recipe for baked creamed salmon, seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon-juice. put into buttered shells or individual dishes with alternate layers of cooked mushrooms. sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese, dot with butter and brown in the oven. devilled salmon prepare creamed salmon according to directions given for baked creamed salmon, adding half a cupful of worcestershire sauce and the juice of a lemon. fill individual dishes or a large baking-dish, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. banked salmon reheat a can of salmon in a cream sauce. arrange on a platter and put around it a border of mashed potatoes. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. pressed salmon mix together two beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, two cupfuls of bread crumbs, a can of salmon, flaked, and salt and pepper to [page ] season, turn into a buttered mould, steam for half an hour, and serve cold with mayonnaise or tartar sauce. moulded salmon free a pint can of salmon from fat, skin, and bone and flake the fish with a silver fork. add salt and pepper to season, half a cupful of cracker crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of butter melted, and three eggs beaten separately, mix thoroughly, put into a buttered mould and steam for an hour. serve with drawn-butter sauce to which chopped olives and capers have been added. salmon in green peppers prepare creamed salmon according to directions given for baked creamed salmon. cut slices from the tops of sweet green peppers, remove the seeds and fibre, fill with the prepared salmon, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, put into a pan of hot water and bake for twenty or thirty minutes. salmon en casserole chop a large onion and fry it in butter. add a cupful of bread crumbs and one and one half cupfuls of milk. bring to the boil, [page ] add salt and pepper to season, a flaked can of salmon, and two eggs well beaten. pour into a buttered casserole, dot with butter, and bake brown. sprinkle with minced parsley and serve. broiled smoked salmon--i soak for twelve hours, changing the water three times. drain, wipe dry, dip in olive-oil and vinegar, and broil. serve with a garnish of lemon and parsley. broiled smoked salmon--ii cut into narrow strips, parboil for ten minutes, drain, cover with cold water, let stand for fifteen minutes, wipe dry, and broil. season with red pepper and lemon-juice and serve with buttered toast. broiled smoked salmon--iii cut smoked salmon into strips and broil carefully. pour over it melted butter and lemon-juice, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. broiled smoked salmon--iv parboil slices of smoked salmon for twenty minutes, drain, cool, rub with flour, broil carefully, and serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] broiled smoked salmon--v wash thoroughly and soak for a few hours very salt. cover with warm water, simmer for fifteen or twenty minutes, drain, wipe dry, rub with butter, and broil. broiled salmon À la maÎtre d'hÔtel soak the smoked salmon for an hour in cold water, then drain and wipe dry. brush with melted butter and broil carefully. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. smoked salmon cut it into thin slices, warm it up in a little olive-oil, strain the oil when it is warmed, add to it lemon-juice and minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. broiled kippered salmon cut the salmon into strips, wrap in buttered paper, and broil carefully over a clear fire. remove the paper and serve. fried kippered salmon soak slices of kippered salmon in olive-oil for several hours. drain off the oil and fry the salmon slices in it. serve with melted butter [page ] and lemon-juice. broiled salt salmon soak the fish for thirty-six hours in cold water, changing the water often. drain, wipe dry, rub with melted butter, broil, and serve with egg sauce. boiled salt salmon soak the fish over night, drain, rinse, and simmer for fifteen or twenty minutes. season with pepper and butter and garnish with parsley. pickled salt salmon prepare according to directions given for pickled salmon, soaking the salt fish for twelve hours before cooking. salt salmon in papillotes cut the fish into strips, soak for an hour in cold water, drain, and dry. season with pepper and wrap each piece in tough, well-buttered paper, twisting the ends. broil carefully over clear coals, unwrap and serve with any preferred sauce. p.s. this is an insignificant fraction of what we really know about salmon. we are saving the rest for a piscatorial encyclopedia. [page ] fourteen ways to cook salmon-trout fried salmon-trout cutlets cut cutlets from a large salmon-trout, dip in seasoned crumbs, and sauté in hot fat. serve with cream sauce. boiled salmon-trout--i wrap the prepared and cleaned fish in mosquito netting, tie firmly, cover with cold salted water, bring to the boil and boil slowly until done. serve with any preferred sauce. boiled salmon-trout--ii prepare and clean a salmon-trout, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and put on the grate in a fish-kettle. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add a bunch of sweet herbs, a clove of garlic and two tablespoonfuls of butter. add enough claret to cover and simmer until done. drain the fish, strain the liquid, thicken if [page ] desired, and serve the sauce separately. boiled salmon-trout--iii wrap a small cleaned fish in mosquito netting, sew up, and simmer in salted and acidulated water until tender. take up carefully, remove the netting, garnish with lemon and parsley, and serve with egg or cream sauce. boiled salmon-trout--iv clean a salmon-trout, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and put into a fish-kettle with equal parts of white wine and stock or water to cover. add a carrot, an onion, a bay-leaf, and two or three beans of garlic. cook the fish slowly, drain, and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to one pint. thicken with butter and flour, pour over the fish, and serve. baked salmon-trout--i clean a salmon-trout, stuff it with seasoned crumbs, and sew up. put into a fish-kettle with a quart of white wine, half a cupful of butter, a chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a can of button mushrooms, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. cover and cook in a moderate oven for an hour. take up [page ] carefully, skin the fish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. reduce the gravy by rapid boiling, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, and serve in a gravy-boat. baked salmon-trout--ii prepare and clean the fish and put into a buttered baking-pan with enough water to keep from burning. bake slowly, basting as required with melted butter and hot water. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a cupful of cream, and half a cupful of boiling water in which a bit of soda has been dissolved. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. pour the sauce around the fish and serve. baked salmon-trout--iii have a large salmon-trout cleaned and larded. put into a buttered baking-pan, rub the fish with salt and pepper, and pour over a wineglassful of madeira. cover with buttered paper and bake, basting every ten or fifteen minutes with the liquid. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] salmon-trout À la genoise prepare and clean a salmon-trout, remove the backbone, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and put into a buttered pan with half a cupful of sherry, two cupfuls of stock, a bunch of parsley, a sliced onion, and salt, pepper, and sweet herbs to season. cover with a buttered paper and cook slowly, basting often. take up the fish, strain the liquid, and add enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with flour cooked in butter, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and lemon-juice and anchovy essence to season. serve the sauce separately, salmon-trout À la hollandaise prepare and clean the salmon-trout and cook in salted and acidulated water, seasoning with salt, pepper, and parsley. drain, and serve with a hollandaise sauce to which chopped cooked oysters have been added. salmon-trout À la maÎtre d'hÔtel prepare and clean a salmon-trout, split and broil, basting with oil if required. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. salmon-trout À la richelieu put a cleaned salmon-trout into a baking-dish, [page ] with two tablespoonfuls of butter, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season, and enough white wine to keep from burning. cover with a buttered paper and bake, basting frequently with the liquid. drain the fish and add enough white stock or oyster liquid to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with flour cooked in butter. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with the juice of a lemon, reheat, pour over the fish, and serve. pickled salmon-trout clean the fish thoroughly and cut into strips. cover the bottom of a baking-dish with sliced onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with pieces of fish, add more onions, and cover with cold water, made very acid with good vinegar. add a few cloves, a bit of ginger root, and a pinch of allspice. bake slowly until the fish is tender and serve cold. salmon-trout with shrimp sauce prepare and clean a salmon-trout and cook in salted and acidulated water to cover, adding a bunch of parsley. drain and serve with shrimp sauce. [page ] twenty ways to cook sardines. broiled sardines--i broil a dozen large sardines on a double broiler. lay on fingers of toast, garnish with lemon, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled sardines--ii drain the fish and broil quickly on a double-broiler. serve on toast and garnish with lemon and parsley. broiled sardines--iii drain large sardines, broil, lay on fingers of hot buttered toast, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and brown in the oven. broiled sardines on toast drain large sardines, skin carefully, broil on a double-broiler, arrange on fingers of hot buttered toast, and pour over a tablespoonful of melted butter and a cupful of canned tomatoes. boil slowly until [page ] tender, take up carefully, rub the sauce through a coarse sieve, bring to the boil, and add a cupful of cream beaten smooth with a tablespoonful of flour. cook until thick, stirring constantly; take from the fire, add a teaspoonful of minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. baked sardines--i skin a dozen sardines and heat in the oven. drain the oil from them, bring to the boil, add one cupful of water, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and salt and pepper to season. take from the fire, add the yolk of an egg beaten with a teaspoonful each of vinegar and made mustard, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve with toasted crackers. baked sardines--ii drain the oil from large sardines, roll in cracker dust, season with pepper and lemon-juice, and brown in the oven. serve with toasted crackers. baked sardines--iii drain and skin a dozen large sardines, put in the oven, and keep warm. bring the oil to a boil, add a teaspoonful of worcestershire [page ] sauce and a teaspoonful of tomato catsup. arrange the fish on fingers of buttered toast, pour over the fish, and serve. baked sardines--iv marinate drained sardines in lemon-juice, then drain, sprinkle with cracker crumbs, and put into a hot oven for ten minutes. cook together a heaping teaspoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of tomato-juice, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, grated onion, and sugar. arrange the sardines on toasted strips of brown bread, pour the sauce over, and serve. fried sardines drain large sardines, dip in egg and crumbs, fry, and serve on toast. curried sardines--i rub to a paste one tablespoonful of butter, one teaspoonful each of french mustard and curry powder, using lemon-juice to make smooth. drain and skin large sardines, spread with the paste, broil, and serve on toast with a border of broiled tomatoes. curried sardines--ii mix together a teaspoonful each of sugar [page ] and curry powder, add a cupful of cream and the juice of half a lemon, bring to the boiling point, add a dozen sardines, and heat thoroughly. serve on toast with fried apple and sliced fried onion. devilled sardines skin, split and bone a dozen sardines. season with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, and made mustard. let stand for an hour in the seasoning. broil and serve on toast, garnishing with lemon and parsley. sardines À la maÎtre d'hÔtel skin large sardines, arrange on fingers of buttered toast, and heat in the oven. add to one cupful of cream sauce a tablespoonful of grated onion, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, salt and pepper to season, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. pour over the fish and serve. sardines À la piedmont skin a dozen sardines and put in the oven to heat. put into a saucepan the yolks of four eggs well beaten with one teaspoonful each of malt vinegar, tarragon vinegar, and made mustard. add a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of butter. stir until thick, [page ] but do not boil. put the sardines on circles of fried or toasted bread, pour the sauce over, and serve. stuffed sardines drain the oil from large sardines, skin and bone them, and stuff with chopped mushrooms, fine herbs, and bread crumbs made smooth with brown stock. wrap in buttered paper, heat thoroughly in the oven, unwrap carefully, and serve on a hot dish. sardine salad drain a dozen large sardines, remove the skin and bone, and lay upon a bed of lettuce leaves. sprinkle with hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, pour over a french dressing and serve with toasted crackers. sardines in crusts scoop out the crumbs from stale french rolls and toast or fry in deep fat. cook together a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a little boiling water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with anchovy paste and worcestershire sauce, and add drained and flaked sardines. reheat, fill the shells, fit on the covers, and serve with quarters of lemon. [page ] sardine canapes skin, bone, and mash sardines. rub to a smooth paste, using melted butter and lemon-juice, and seasoning with salt and tabasco sauce. toast small triangles of crustless bread, butter them, spread with the sardine mixture, heat thoroughly in the oven, and serve piping hot as a first course at dinner or luncheon. sardine in egg cups cut hard-boiled eggs in halves crosswise and take out the yolks. cut a thin slice off the bottom of each cup. rub the yolks to a smooth paste with olive-oil and add half a dozen sardines skinned, boned, and mashed. season with salt, pepper, mustard and lemon-juice, fill the egg cups, and serve on lettuce leaves with french or mayonnaise dressing. sardine egg cups À la bearnaise prepare according to directions given in the preceding recipe. heat in a double-boiler, or in the oven, being careful to keep dry. pour over a bearnaise sauce and serve hot. sardines À la cambridge boil and chop a peck of spinach. add one [page ] cupful of fresh bread crumbs and four tablespoonfuls of melted butter. mix thoroughly and add a dozen skinned and boned sardines pounded to a paste. heat thoroughly, adding stock or water if needed. put on a platter, shape into a mound, lay sardines on top and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs and lemon. sardine rarebit toast strips of bread, lay a broiled sardine on each, and keep warm. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, and gradually, as the cheese melts, the yolk of an egg beaten smooth with one fourth of a cupful of cream. when smooth and thick, season with salt and tabasco sauce; pour over the sardines and serve. garnish with lemon and parsley. [page ] ninety-five ways to cook shad broiled shad--i prepare and clean the fish, split, and remove the backbone. season with salt and pepper, dip in oil, broil carefully, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled shad--ii marinate the prepared fish for an hour in olive-oil, seasoned with salt, pepper, minced onion, and parsley. drain and broil, basting with the oil as required. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. the onion and parsley may be omitted from the seasoning. broiled shad--iii clean the shad, split, remove the backbone and marinate for an hour in oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and pepper. drain, sprinkle with crumbs, and broil carefully. serve with fine herbs sauce. [page ] broiled shad--iv prepare, clean, and split the fish. put on a platter skin side down and sprinkle with sugar, pepper, and salt. let stand over night, broil, and serve with melted butter. broiled shad--v clean, split, season with salt and pepper, broil on a buttered gridiron, and serve with plenty of melted butter. broiled salt shad soak for twelve hours in tepid water, drain and put into ice-cold water for half an hour. drain, wipe dry, sprinkle with pepper, and broil on a buttered gridiron, skin side up. serve with plenty of melted butter. fried shad--i prepare and clean the fish and cut into suitable pieces for serving. roll in seasoned flour and sauté in hot fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried shad--ii clean, split, and take out the backbone, cut into strips, season to taste, and fry in hot lard until brown. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] boned fried shad remove the head and tail, then take out the back and side bones. cut into convenient pieces for serving, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. shad cutlets cut the cleaned fish into convenient pieces for serving, dip into egg and crumbs and fry in fat to cover. serve on a bed of spinach and garnish with hard-boiled eggs. boiled shad boil the fish in salted and acidulated water or in court-bouillon. drain carefully, garnish with lemon and parsley and serve with maître d'hôtel or hollandaise sauce. boiled shad with egg sauce sew the cleaned fish in mosquito netting, and boil slowly in salted and acidulated water. drain, remove the netting, and serve with egg sauce. boiled roe shad clean the fish and do not break the roe. sprinkle with salt and pepper, wrap in separate squares of mosquito netting, tie firmly and [page ] put into a fish-kettle, side by side. cover with salted water and simmer until done. drain, remove the cloth carefully, and serve with egg or hollandaise sauce. boiled shad with hollandaise sauce cook the prepared fish slowly in salted and acidulated water, drain, and serve with hollandaise sauce. shad in court-bouillon put the prepared and cleaned fish on a perforated sheet in a fish-kettle. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, two sliced onions, and salt, pepper, mace, and parsley to season. add enough claret to cover and simmer slowly until done. drain, strain the liquid and thicken with flour cooked in butter. take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, the juice of half a lemon, and red pepper to season. pour over the fish and serve. cold boiled shad boil a cleaned shad in salted and acidulated water or in court-bouillon. serve very cold with tartar sauce. [page ] boiled shad À la virginia chop together an onion, a carrot, and a stalk of celery. fry in butter. cover a prepared shad with boiling salted and acidulated water, and add the cooked vegetables to it. add also two tablespoonfuls of white wine, a blade of mace, half a dozen peppercorns, two cloves, and a bay-leaf. simmer slowly until the fish is done, drain, and serve with a drawn-butter sauce, using the strained cooking liquor for liquid. boiled salt shad soak the fish all day in warm water, changing the water frequently, wipe off the salt, and plunge into ice-water for an hour. put into a fish-kettle with boiling water to cover, and simmer until done. season with pepper and serve with plenty of melted butter. baked shad--i bake a shad in a buttered baking-pan, adding enough boiling water to keep from burning. baste while baking with melted butter and lemon-juice, seasoning with pepper and salt. cook together a tablespoonful each of butter and flour until brown. add slowly a cupful of stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take [page ] from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. baked shad--ii clean a large fish and stuff with seasoned crumbs mixed with minced parsley, adding enough melted butter to make a smooth paste. score one side of the fish deeply and lay a small strip of salt pork in each gash. put the fish in a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour, and add enough boiling water to keep from burning. baste as required with the drippings, adding more boiling water if necessary. serve with hollandaise sauce or drawn-butter sauce to which the mashed roe has been added. baked shad--iii stuff a fish with seasoned crumbs made smooth with melted butter. season the fish with salt and pepper and cover with thin slices of breakfast bacon. bake until well done, basting with melted butter and hot water. add a teaspoonful each of lemon-juice and anchovy essence to the gravy remaining in the pan and thicken with flour browned in butter. serve the sauce separately. [page ] baked shad--iv stuff a large fish with seasoned crumbs, adding chopped onion and melted butter to taste. sew up the fish and put into a buttered baking-pan with a cupful of salted boiling water and two tablespoonfuls of butter. dredge with flour, and bake, basting with the drippings. take up the fish carefully and thicken the gravy with two tablespoonfuls of flour browned in butter and made smooth with a little cold water. add a cupful of stock or water, the juice of a lemon, and worcestershire sauce and kitchen bouquet to season. strain through a sieve and serve with the fish. baked shad--v stuff the cleaned fish with seasoned crumbs made very rich with melted butter. wrap in a large sheet of buttered paper, fastening it securely, and bake in a moderate oven. remove the paper carefully and serve with any preferred sauce. baked shad--vi leave the head on. make a stuffing of bread-crumbs, cold ham or bacon minced fine, sweet marjoram, pepper, salt, mace or ground cloves and a raw egg, or two if necessary, to bind. put the fish [page ] into a deep buttered baking-pan fastening its tail in its mouth; put into the pan enough water to cover, add half a cupful of port or claret, and a tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour. baste frequently with the gravy and bake until done. pour the gravy over and serve. baked shad--vii prepare a stuffing of two cupfuls of bread-crumbs, the beaten yolk of an egg, a tablespoonful of powdered sweet herbs, a tablespoonful of chopped onion, a teaspoonful of lemon-juice and salt, pepper, worcestershire and powdered cloves to season. stuff and sew up a prepared shad, lay on a buttered baking-pan, cover with slices of salt pork, dredge with flour, season with salt and pepper and bake, basting with hot water and melted butter as required. serve with hollandaise sauce. baked shad--viii clean a shad and stuff with seasoned crumbs mixed with beaten eggs. cover a buttered baking-dish with sliced raw potatoes, lay the shad upon it, add enough stock or water to keep from burning and bake. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] baked shad--ix stuff the fish with cracker crumbs, mixed with minced parsley, capers, and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and pepper, and adding enough melted butter to make a smooth paste. put the fish in a buttered baking-pan, rub with butter, dredge with flour, and add enough boiling water to keep from burning. baste every ten minutes with the gravy in the pan and melted butter, dredging lightly after each basting with seasoned flour. serve with brown sauce. baked shad--x trim and clean a small shad, put it into a buttered baking-dish, seasoning with salt, pepper, minced onion and half a cupful of white wine. add water or stock, if necessary, to keep from burning. cover with buttered paper and bake for half an hour. prepare a cupful of allemande sauce and add to it the liquid drained from the fish and a little chopped cooked spinach. strain over the fish and serve. shad baked in milk clean a large roe shad, saving the roe and removing the back-bone. soak stale bread in cold water and squeeze dry. chop a large onion [page ] fine and fry in butter. add the bread, and salt, pepper, parsley, and sage to season. cook thoroughly, take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs well beaten. stuff the fish, sew up, rub with salt and put in a buttered baking-pan with thin slices of salt pork or bacon to cover the top. fill the pan with sweet milk, leaving only the pork exposed. bake slowly, basting often. take up the fish carefully, strain the liquor, thicken with butter and flour, and serve separately. fry the roe in butter, cut in slices, and garnish the fish with it. baked shad À la virginia clean the fish and stuff with seasoned crumbs made very rich with melted butter. put in a baking-pan with enough boiling water to keep it from burning, and bake until done, basting with melted butter and the liquid in the pan. take up the fish carefully and keep warm. thicken the gravy with a tablespoonful of flour browned in butter, and mix smooth with cold water. season with catsup, lemon-juice, sherry or madeira. serve the sauce separately. baked shad À la carolina clean a large roe shad, leaving the head on, [page ] take out the backbone and stuff with the boiled roe chopped, six chopped hard-boiled eggs, half a cupful of bread-crumbs, a chopped onion, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt, pepper, and minced parsley to season. stuff the fish, sew up and put in a buttered baking-pan, adding enough hot water to keep from burning, three or four slices of bacon, and salt and pepper to season. baste often and serve with tartar sauce. baked shad with fine herbs sprinkle a buttered baking-dish with chopped onion and parsley, lay the prepared fish upon it and sprinkle with onion and parsley, seasoning with salt, pepper, and dots of butter. add half a cupful of white wine and a cupful of white stock. cover with a buttered paper and bake in a moderate oven. take up the fish carefully and thicken the gravy with flour cooked in butter. pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. squeeze the juice of a lemon over and serve. baked shad stuffed with oysters rub a large cleaned fish with salt inside and out. stuff with oysters and seasoned crumbs made very rich with melted butter, and bake, [page ] basting with melted butter and hot water. thicken the gravy with flour browned in butter, adding a little hot water or stock if necessary, season with lemon-juice and catsup and serve the sauce separately. stuffed shad--i make a stuffing of two cupfuls of bread-crumbs, half a cupful of tomatoes, an onion chopped fine, half a cupful of melted butter, and salt and pepper to season. stuff the fish, sew up, rub with butter, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and bake for an hour, basting often with melted butter and hot water. serve with tomato sauce. stuffed shad--ii season a cupful of cracker crumbs with grated onion, minced capers and parsley, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to season. or, fry a small chopped onion in butter, add a cupful of crumbs, season with salt, pepper and lemon-juice, take from the fire and add the yolk of an egg beaten smooth with a little milk. stuff the cleaned shad and sew up. cover the bottom of a baking-dish with thin slices of salt pork, lay the fish upon it, cover with more pork, add enough boiling water to keep from burning, [page ] and bake, basting frequently. for the sauce, melt half a cupful of butter and add to it the juice of half a lemon and three tablespoonfuls of claret. serve the sauce separately. stuffed shad--iii prepare a shad as for boiling and stuff with seasoned crumbs, adding the beaten yolk of an egg to bind. fill the fish and sew up; put into a baking-pan enough water or stock to keep from burning and two tablespoonfuls of butter. bake carefully, basting as required. take up the fish and add to the liquid enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with flour browned in butter, season with lemon-juice, catsup, and sherry or madeira. pour around the fish and serve. roasted shad marinate the cleaned fish for an hour in oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and thyme. drain, wrap in oiled paper, fastening securely, and bake carefully. take up the fish and serve with ravigote sauce. [page ] toasted shad put into a baking-pan a tablespoonful of butter and lay a cleaned and split shad upon it, skin-side up. place it under a gas flame until the skin is puffed and blistered. turn out on a hot platter; season with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and serve garnished with lemon and parsley. planked shad--i prepare the fish as for boiling, butter the plank, and tack the fish upon it, skin-side down. season the fish with salt, pepper, and butter and bake in the oven. serve on the plank. planked shad--ii split the shad as for broiling and tack it on a buttered fish plank, skin-side down. rub with melted butter and cook under a gas flame or in the oven. season with salt, pepper, and melted butter, surround with a border of mashed potatoes, garnish with lemon and parsley and serve on the plank. planked shad--iii tack the split fish on a buttered board, flesh-side up. put into the oven and bake until brown, basting with melted butter seasoned [page ] with walnut catsup. serve with a garnish of pickled walnuts. planked shad--iv tack a large split shad skin-side down on a buttered plank. spread with butter, season with salt and pepper, and pour over a tablespoonful of walnut catsup or white wine. cook under a gas flame, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve with any preferred sauce. panned shad split the fish down the back, remove the backbone, and put into a buttered baking-pan, flesh-side up. rub with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake in the oven. garnish with lemon and parsley and serve with any preferred sauce. stewed shad prepare and clean a small shad and soak it for two or three hours in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice seasoned with onion and parsley. put it in a buttered stewpan with half a wineglassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, four sprigs of parsley, a sprig of celery, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and two cloves. add [page ] two handfuls of picked and washed sorrel or spinach, chopped fine. season with salt and pepper and simmer slowly for two hours. take up the fish, thicken the gravy with butter and flour cooked together, pour over the fish and serve. pickled shad--i boil a shad in salted water to cover, drain and cool. add to the water in which it was boiled half as much vinegar and a red pepper pod, whole cloves, allspice, and mace to season. boil for an hour. cut the fish into large pieces, put into an earthen jar and pour the boiling spiced liquid over the fish. cover and let stand for two days before using. pickled shad--ii cut a large shad into pieces, put a layer in the bottom of an earthen crock, sprinkle with salt, and add a few whole cloves, allspice, peppers, and bay-leaves. cover with fish, add more spices, and pour on strong vinegar to cover. cover the dish, bake for four hours in a moderate oven, and let stand for three or four days before using. serve cold. creamed shad cook together a tablespoonful each of butter [page ] and flour, add two cupfuls of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a teaspoonful of grated onion, take from the fire and add the beaten yolks of two eggs, and salt, pepper, and minced parsley to season. add two cupfuls of cold cooked shad flaked fine, put into a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with crumbs and brown in the oven. shad vert-prÉ prepare and clean a small shad and put into a buttered baking-dish with salt and pepper to season, two finely chopped shallots and half a wineglassful of white wine. cover with buttered paper and bake in a moderate oven. take up the fish, add the juice to a cupful of allemande sauce and tint green with minced parsley and spinach juice. pour over the fish and serve. broiled shad roe--i soak two shad roes for twenty minutes in seasoned olive-oil, drain and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled shad roe--ii wash and dry the roe and broil on a well-greased broiler, rubbing with butter while broiling. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. [page ] broiled shad roe--iii parboil a large shad roe, drain, rub with melted butter, and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled shad roe--iv parboil the roe for ten minutes in salted water, drain, and plunge into ice-water for ten minutes. wipe dry and put on ice for half an hour. rub with oil and lemon-juice, broil, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled shad roe--v wash a shad's roe in cold water, wipe it dry, rub with butter, and broil. garnish with lemon and parsley. broiled shad roe with bacon marinate the roe in seasoned oil, broil carefully, surround with slices of broiled bacon, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. fried shad roe--i sauté in hot lard, turning carefully. garnish with lemon and parsley. [page ] fried shad roe--ii season the roes with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in fat to cover. drain, and serve with tomato sauce. fried shad roe--iii parboil the roe in salted water, drain, plunge into cold water, and let stand for ten minutes. drain, wipe dry, cut in half-inch slices, dip in seasoned lemon-juice, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in fat to cover. fried shad roe--iv parboil the roe, drain, and cool. dredge with seasoned flour and sauté in butter. fried shad roe--v parboil the roe for ten minutes in salted and acidulated water. drain, plunge into cold water, and cool. drain, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry brown in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried shad roe--vi season the roe, dip it in corn-meal and sauté in butter or lard. or, parboil, cool, season, dip in beaten egg, then in cracker crumbs and sauté in butter or lard. [page ] fried shad roe--vii parboil the shad roes in salted water to which a slice of lemon and a sprig of parsley have been added. cool in the liquid, drain, wipe dry, dip in beaten egg, then in cracker crumbs, and fry brown in butter. take up, strain the cooking liquid into the frying-pan, add a teaspoonful each of worcestershire and catsup, and bring to the boil. thicken with a tablespoonful of flour browned in butter and made smooth with a little sherry or madeira. bring to the boil, pour over the roes and serve. shad roe sautÉ plunge a large shad roe into boiling water, then into cold water, drain, and sauté until brown in butter. add a tablespoonful of butter to a cupful of cream, bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper, pour over the fish and serve. baked shad roe--i butter a baking-dish and sprinkle thickly with chopped onion, parsley, and mushrooms. lay the roes upon it, sprinkle with more onion, parsley, and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and dot with butter. add half a cupful of white wine and one cupful of white stock. [page ] bake carefully, basting as required. drain, thicken the gravy with flour cooked in butter, pour over the roes, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve. baked shad roe--ii boil the shad roe slowly until done. drain and put into a buttered baking-dish. season with salt and pepper, spread with butter, and dredge thickly with flour. bake in a moderate oven, basting frequently with melted butter and hot water. baked shad roe--iii cover the roe from a large shad with boiling water and drain. put into a buttered baking-pan with two tablespoonfuls of butter, one cupful of stock and salt and paprika to season. bake slowly until done, strain the liquid and thicken with the yolks of three eggs beaten with one cupful of cream. pour over the sauce, and serve with thin slices of broiled bacon. baked shad roe--iv lay the roe in a buttered baking-pan, season, add a little milk, and bake about fifteen minutes, basting often. take up, sprinkle [page ] with lemon-juice, salt, cayenne, and minced parsley, and pour over a cream sauce, to which the yolks of two well-beaten eggs have been added. baked shad roe--v butter a baking-dish, put in two shad roes, season with salt and pepper, and add half a cupful of white wine. bake carefully, basting as required. chop an onion, two sprigs of parsley, and ten mushrooms. fry in butter, add the liquid drained from the fish, and thicken with a little flour rubbed smooth in cold water. spread the paste upon the roe, cover with large fresh mushrooms, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve immediately in the same dish. baked shad roe--vi butter an earthen dish and sprinkle with chopped onion, parsley, mushrooms, and bread-crumbs. lay two skinned shad roes upon it, cover with crumbs, mushrooms, minced onion, and parsley, and pour over one cupful of white stock mixed with a tablespoonful of sherry. bake for half an hour, drain off the sauce, strain it and thicken with flour and butter, cooked together. pour over the fish, cover [page ] with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with lemon-juice, and brown in the oven. shad roe baked with bacon cover the bottom of a baking-pan with thin slices of bacon, lay the shad roes upon it, cover with bacon, and bake in a very hot oven. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve with bacon as a garnish. shad roe baked in tomato sauce boil the roe, drain, cool, and skin. cook together for ten minutes one cupful of canned tomatoes, one cupful of stock or water, a slice of onion, and salt and pepper to season. cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour, add the tomato, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. rub the sauce through a strainer. put the roe on a buttered baking-dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with the sauce and bake. serve in the dish in which it was baked. shad roe baked with cream sauce brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt [page ] and pepper and continue according to directions given for shad roe baked in tomato sauce. escalloped shad roe--i boil the roes in salted and acidulated water, drain, and flake with a fork. spread a layer of the roe in a shallow buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with chopped hard-boiled eggs, season with minced parsley and lemon-juice, add a thin layer of cream sauce and repeat. cover with buttered crumbs and bake brown. escalloped shad roe--ii prepare according to directions given above, sprinkling crumbs on each layer of cream sauce, and adding grated cheese to the crumbs on top. escalloped shad roe--iii boil the roes in salted and acidulated water, plunge into cold water, cool, drain, wipe dry, and mash. add the chopped yolks of three hard-boiled eggs to a cupful of well seasoned drawn-butter sauce. mix the sauce with the roes. butter a baking-dish, sprinkle with seasoned crumbs, add the roe mixture, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. [page ] escalloped shad roe--iv parboil in salted water the roes of two shad, drain, plunge into ice-water for ten minutes, drain, wipe dry, and flake with a fork. add the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs rubbed smooth with a teaspoonful of anchovy paste and the juice of half a lemon. add also one cupful of bread-crumbs, salt, cayenne, and minced parsley to season, and one cupful of drawn-butter sauce. butter a baking-pan, sprinkle with crumbs, fill with the mixture, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. shad roe croquettes--i boil the roe for fifteen minutes in salted water, drain, and mash. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and corn-starch, add two cupfuls of hot cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the mashed roe, and salt, cayenne, grated nutmeg, and lemon-juice to season. cool, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. shad roe croquettes--ii simmer shad roes in salted boiling water for [page ] fifteen minutes, drain, and plunge into cold water. when cold, drain, dry, cut into slices two inches thick, season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, dip in egg, roll in crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tartar sauce. shad roe croquettes--iii boil the roe, cool, skin, and mash fine. cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, and add one-half cupful of cream and one-half cupful of stock. cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of two well-beaten eggs, and the mashed roe, and cool. season with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, and minced parsley, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with hollandaise sauce. shad roe croquettes--iv parboil two shad roes, drain, cool, skin, and mash. cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add one cupful of boiling cream or milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the beaten yolks of two eggs, and minced parsley, lemon-juice, grated nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. reheat, stir until thick, add the mashed shad roe, mix thoroughly, and cool. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, [page ] fry in deep fat, and serve with tartar sauce. shad roe croquettes--v cook the roe in boiling salted and acidulated water for fifteen minutes, drain, and mash. beat together one-fourth cupful each of corn-starch and butter, add one and one half cupfuls of hot cream, and cook for ten minutes, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon, a grating of nutmeg, salt and paprika to season, the mashed roe, and a few chopped mushrooms fried. cool, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. shad roe croquettes--vi simmer two shad roes in salted boiling water for fifteen minutes. take from the fire, drain, skin, and mash. cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add gradually one cupful of boiling cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs, the mashed roe, one tablespoonful each of lemon-juice and minced parsley, and salt, pepper, cayenne, and grated nutmeg to season. cool, shape into [page ] croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and put into the ice-box for an hour. fry in deep fat and serve with tartar sauce. shad roe croquettes--vii boil the roe of a large shad until done, drain, mash, and mix with half a cupful of bread-crumbs, a beaten egg, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and salt and paprika to season. shape into small flat cakes and sauté in melted butter, or dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. shad roe croquettes--viii parboil the roes in salted and acidulated water, drain, and plunge into ice-water to cool. drain and flake with a fork. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add a cupful of milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, season with salt and pepper, add the mashed roes and two eggs well-beaten. season with lemon-juice and anchovy paste, reheat, but do not boil. cool, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and cracker crumbs and let stand for an hour before frying in deep fat. [page ] shad roe À la baltimore put two or three roes into a well-buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a cupful and a half of stock, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. cover and cook in the oven for fifteen minutes. take up the roe and add slowly to the liquid the yolks of three eggs beaten smooth with one cupful of cream. cook over hot water until thick, adding two tablespoonfuls of butter and salt and pepper to season. pour over the fish, garnish with broiled bacon and serve. shad roe À la brooke parboil two shad roes, drain, cool, and skin. put into a saucepan, cover with white wine, add a clove, a blade of mace, and salt to season. simmer for half an hour. wash and drain two cupfuls of scallops, put into a saucepan and cover with salted boiling water, adding a bit of bay-leaf, four whole allspice, and two cloves. cover the dish and boil for half an hour. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a cupful of the water in which the scallops were boiled, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, add a teaspoonful of minced garlic, and gradually three tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits. take [page ] from the fire and add the yolks of three eggs well-beaten. put the roe into a serving-dish, cover with the scallops, and freshly grated horseradish. pour the sauce over, reheat, and serve. shad roe À la maÎtre d'hÔtel marinate the roes for an hour in oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and pepper. drain, broil, and serve with a maître d'hôtel sauce to which chopped onion has been added. shad roe À la maryland put two or three roes in a well-buttered baking-pan, season with salt and pepper, add half a cupful each of stock and sherry, spread the roe with butter, cover, and bake for fifteen minutes. take up carefully and thicken the liquid with the yolks of three eggs beaten smooth with a cupful of cream. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, pour over the roe, garnish with fried bacon, and serve. panned shad roe boil a shad roe for fifteen minutes in salted water, drain, and break up with a fork. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add the [page ] shad roe with the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs mashed fine, a small cupful of bread-crumbs, and pepper, salt, and minced parsley to season. reheat and serve very hot. shad roes en brochette parboil shad roes for fifteen minutes, drain, and plunge into cold water. when cool, cut into small pieces and roll in flour. string on slender skewers with alternate squares of bacon cut very thin and broil over a clear fire or cook in the oven until the bacon is crisp. the flour may be omitted. serve with melted butter or maître d'hôtel sauce. shad roe kromeskies parboil a shad roe, drain, cool, skin, and cut into small pieces. season with salt and pepper, wrap a thin slice of bacon around each piece, and fasten with a toothpick. fry in deep fat and serve with any preferred sauce. shad roes with brown butter sauce boil the roes slowly in salted and acidulated water, drain, and pour over half a cupful of butter melted and browned, and mixed with a tablespoonful of vinegar. [page ] shad roe with mushrooms boil a shad roe, flake with a fork, and add an equal quantity of fresh or canned mushrooms cut in small pieces. cook together a tablespoonful each of butter and flour and add half a cupful of cream mixed with the beaten yolks of two eggs. mix with the mushrooms and roe. fill ramekins, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. creamed shad roe with mushrooms parboil a shad roe, plunge into cold water, drain, cool, cut into squares, and sauté in butter until brown. season with salt and pepper and add half a cupful of cooked mushrooms and one cupful of boiling cream. thicken with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold cream, season with salt and red pepper, and serve very hot. shad roe with eggs boil a shad roe and flake fine with a fork. beat three eggs, season with salt and pepper, add the roe, and cook in a chafing-dish or frying-pan with plenty of melted butter. [page ] shad roe with oysters fry the shad roe according to directions previously given and serve with fried oysters and broiled bacon. shad roe with brown sauce soak a shad roe in water for half an hour, scald, drain, cool, and cut in slices. sauté in butter and drain, cook a tablespoonful of flour in the butter, add one cupful of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, paprika, worcestershire, and curry powder; pour over the fish and serve. [page ] sixteen ways to cook sheepshead boiled sheepshead clean and salt the fish and soak in cold water for an hour. drain, wipe dry, and cut several deep gashes across both sides. put the fish on the drainer of the fish-kettle, pour the juice of a lemon over it, and cover with equal parts of milk and water. add salt and pepper and minced parsley to season and simmer gently until the fish is done. drain carefully and serve the sauce separately, thickening if desired. boiled sheepshead with oyster sauce boil a prepared and cleaned fish in salted and acidulated water with a bunch of parsley, a sliced onion, and some sweet herbs. drain, garnish with parsley, and serve with a holandaise sauce to which cooked oysters have been added. [page ] broiled sheepshead prepare and clean a large sheepshead, score the sides deeply, and broil, seasoning with salt and pepper, and basting with oil. melt half a cupful of butter and add to it the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of anchovy essence. pour over the fish and serve. fried fillets of sheepshead prepare and clean the fish and cut in fillets. dip into salted milk, then in flour, then in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. sheepshead with caper sauce boil according to directions previously given and serve with caper sauce. sheepshead with drawn butter clean a medium sized fish, rub with salt and pepper, steam for an hour, take up carefully, garnish with parsley and lemon, and serve with drawn-butter sauce. sheepshead with parsley sauce cook the prepared and cleaned fish in salted and acidulated water to cover, drain, and serve with parsley sauce. [page ] sheep shead À la bahama prepare and clean a large sheepshead and remove the fins. score deeply to the bone on both sides and put into a buttered fish-pan with a chopped onion, a small bunch of parsley, four sliced tomatoes, and four chopped chilli peppers. add salt and pepper to season, one cupful of catawba wine, and enough white stock to cover. cover with a buttered paper and boil until done. drain, strain the liquid through a coarse sieve, and add enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with flour cooked in butter, take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and the juice of half a lemon. cover the fish with broiled tomatoes, pour the sauce around, and serve. sheepshead À la birmingham prepare and clean a large sheepshead and put into a buttered fish-pan with four tablespoonfuls of butter, a bunch of parsley, a shredded green pepper, a chopped onion, six peeled and sliced tomatoes, two cupfuls each of white wine and water, and salt and paprika to season. simmer until the fish is done, drain, and keep warm. strain the liquid and thicken with flour browned in butter. pour [page ] over the fish and serve with rice and baked green peppers. sheepshead À la caroline clean a sheepshead, cut off the fins and score to the bone on each side. put into a buttered baking-pan with two tablespoonfuls of butter, a bunch of parsley, a small chopped onion, a shredded green pepper, and salt and pepper to season. add one cupful of white wine and two cupfuls of water or white stock. cover with buttered paper and bake in a moderate oven, basting often with the liquid. take up the fish, strain the liquid, thicken with flour cooked in butter, take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, the juice of a lemon and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. pour over the fish and serve. sheepshead À la crÉole chop together an onion, a green pepper, a tomato, four mushrooms, a clove of garlic and a bunch of sweet herbs. fry in olive-oil, add a tablespoonful of flour and cook until the flour is brown. add one cupful of beef stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. put six slices of sheepshead into a buttered baking-pan, spread with the sauce, and bake slowly for an hour. [page ] sheepshead À la hollandaise prepare and clean a sheepshead, cover with salted and acidulated water, and simmer until done. drain and serve with hollandaise sauce. sheep shead À l'indienne cook a large sheepshead in a fish-boiler with two cupfuls each of water and white wine, two tablespoonfuls of butter, two chopped onions, a chopped green pepper, a bunch of parsley, and salt, pepper, and sweet herbs to season. cover with buttered paper, boil until done and drain. cook three tablespoonfuls of butter with two tablespoonfuls each of flour and curry powder, add the liquid drained from the fish, and enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and skim off the fat. add two tablespoonfuls each of butter and chutney sauce, take from the fire, add the juice of a lemon, pour over the fish, and serve with plain boiled rice. sheepshead À la louisianne prepare and clean a large sheepshead and put into a buttered baking-dish with two sliced onions, a chopped green pepper, a cupful of stewed and [page ] strained tomatoes, two cupfuls of white wine, a bunch of parsley, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt and white pepper to season. cover with buttered paper and bake for forty minutes, basting as necessary. when done, drain the fish and keep it warm. strain the liquid and add enough brown stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with flour browned in butter, add the juice of a lemon and a little minced parsley. pour over the fish and serve with a border of plain boiled rice. sheepshead À la majestic butter a baking-pan and line it with sliced onions and tomatoes, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. lay upon it a cleaned sheepshead weighing three pounds. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and flour, and add enough stock and white wine to keep from burning. baste as required and serve with the onions and tomatoes around the platter. sheepshead À la mobile prepare and clean a large fish and cut it into thin slices. put into a buttered saucepan with half a dozen sliced tomatoes, two sliced onions, a bunch of parsley, two bruised beans of garlic, and [page ] salt, paprika, and sweet herbs to season. add equal parts of claret and white stock to cover. cover with buttered paper, bring to the boil, and simmer for forty minutes. drain, strain the sauce, thicken with flour browned in butter, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of a lemon, pour over the fish and serve. [page ] nine ways to cook skate fried skate prepare and clean the fish and cut into suitable pieces for serving. dip in flour, then in egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. boiled skate prepare and clean a small skate and cut into convenient pieces for serving. put into a kettle an onion and a carrot sliced, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, a tablespoonful each of salt and pepper-corns, and half a cupful of vinegar. put the fish on this, add cold water to cover, and boil slowly for forty-five minutes. drain and serve with any preferred sauce. boiled skate with black butter boil the skate until tender in salted and acidulated water to cover, with onion, thyme, parsley, bay-leaves, and pepper to season. drain the fish and pour over half a cupful of browned butter to which a [page ] tablespoonful of vinegar has been added. boiled skate with caper sauce cook the fish in salted and acidulated water to cover, adding a sliced onion, two bay-leaves, and a bunch of parsley to the water, with salt and pepper to season. drain, place on a hot dish, and serve with caper sauce. boiled skate with oyster sauce boil the fish in salted and acidulated water to cover, drain, and serve with oyster sauce. baked skate skin the fish and cut into suitable pieces for serving. put into a buttered saucepan with the juice of half a lemon and a bunch of sweet herbs. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and pour in two cupfuls of milk. when nearly tender, drain, brown in the oven, thicken the sauce with butter and flour cooked together, pour around the fish and serve. skate with fine herbs butter a baking-dish and put into it pieces of prepared skate. sprinkle with chopped mushrooms, onion, and parsley, season with [page ] salt and pepper, add two wineglassfuls of sherry and half a cupful of stock. sprinkle with crumbs and bake. take up the fish carefully and add to the liquid enough brown stock to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with butter and flour cooked together, add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, and the juice of half a lemon. pour around the fish and serve. skate À l'italienne put the prepared fish into a buttered saucepan with a bean of garlic, one bay-leaf, two sprigs of thyme, a tablespoonful of butter, three cloves, and salt and pepper to season. sprinkle with flour, cover the fish with milk, and simmer gently until done, then drain. put into a serving-dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, and garnish with boiled button onions and triangles of fried bread. strain the sauce over and serve. skate À la royale parboil small pieces of skate, drain, cool, and marinate in oil and vinegar, seasoning with salt and pepper. drain, dip in batter, and fry. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] thirty-five ways to cook smelts broiled smelts--i dip prepared smelts in lemon-juice and seasoned melted butter, then in flour; broil in a double-broiler, and serve with remoulade sauce. broiled smelts--ii draw and clean large smelts, dip in oil, season with salt and pepper, and broil on a double-broiler. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled smelts--iii split and bone large smelts, rub with seasoned oil, and broil. serve with bearnaise sauce. broiled smelts--iv soak the prepared fish for an hour in seasoned olive-oil, drain, broil carefully, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. [page ] broiled smelts--v take off the heads, split the fish, remove the back-bone, and broil for five minutes on a buttered broiler. garnish with lemon and parsley and serve with melted butter, made very hot with red pepper. broiled boned smelts À la bearnaise split a dozen good-sized smelts, take out the back-bone, rub with seasoned oil, and broil on a double-broiler. pour bearnaise sauce into the platter, lay the smelts upon it, and serve. broiled smelts with onion sauce clean six or seven large smelts, dip in beaten egg, then into seasoned crumbs, and string on skewers by the heads. broil, basting with melted butter as required. fry two teaspoonfuls of chopped onion in butter, but do not brown. take from the fire, add a teaspoonful of vinegar, and an equal quantity of minced parsley. pour into a bowl and put on ice until cool. when ready to serve, mix a tablespoonful and a half of fresh butter with the sauce and make it into small balls. serve one ball of the butter with each fish. [page ] baked smelts--i remove the heads, split, dip in melted butter, then in flour. put into a buttered baking-pan, bake for ten minutes, sprinkle with cayenne and lemon-juice, and serve. baked smelts--ii put prepared smelts into a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and mushrooms, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. pour over half a cupful of white wine, cover with a cream sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve in the baking-dish. baked smelts--iii clean eighteen or twenty smelts and put into a baking-dish with one tablespoonful each of chopped onion and celery, a wineglassful of white wine, and salt and pepper to season. cover with large fresh mushrooms and a cupful of spanish sauce. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven. sprinkle with parsley, squeeze lemon-juice over, and serve. [page ] baked smelts À la duxelles put a dozen cleaned and prepared smelts into a buttered baking-dish and sprinkle with chopped onion, parsley, mushrooms, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, cover with drawn-butter sauce to which a wineglassful of white wine has been added. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for thirty minutes. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve. baked smelts À la manton prepare according to directions given for baked smelts a la duxelles, omitting the chopped onion and the wine from the sauce. sprinkle with crumbs and grated parmesan cheese, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. squeeze the juice of a lemon over and serve. fried smelts--i dip the prepared fish into seasoned, melted butter, then into corn-meal, and fry in deep fat. or, dip in beaten egg and corn-meal. fried smelts--ii clean the fish, season with salt and pepper, and sauté in hot fat. or, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. [page ] fried smelts--iii dredge the cleaned fish with flour, dip in egg and crumbs, and sauté in a frying-pan with butter, or fry in deep fat. fried smelts--iv dip the cleaned smelts in cream, then in seasoned flour, and fry in fat to cover. serve with tartar sauce. fried smelts--v clean small smelts, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and crumbs, and string on skewers, piercing the head with a skewer. fry in deep fat and serve with mayonnaise or tartar sauce. fried smelts--vi clean the smelts, trim off the tails, and remove the back-bone. sprinkle with salt and pepper inside and out and skewer into circles with tooth-picks. dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tartar sauce. fried smelts À l'anglaise dip the cleaned fish into cracker crumbs, then in beaten eggs, then in cracker crumbs, and fry brown in deep fat. serve with tartar [page ] sauce. fried smelts au beurre noir clean the smelts, season with salt and pepper, dip in corn-meal, then in beaten egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. drain and serve with brown butter sauce. if desired, the fish may be skewered in circles before frying. fried smelts À la parisienne wash the smelts, remove the bone, wipe dry, dredge with flour, put their tails in their mouths, fasten with a tooth-pick, and fry in very hot fat. garnish with hard-boiled eggs and serve with tartar sauce. fried smelts with salt pork clean the smelts, leaving them whole. dip into fine crumbs or corn-meal. cut half a pound of fat salt pork into dice, and fry until crisp. take up the pork, fry the fish in the fat, and drain on brown paper. make a cream sauce, using the pork fat instead of butter, add to it the diced pork, pour around the fish and serve. [page ] stuffed smelts--i stuff the cleaned fish with bread-crumbs mixed with tomato and melted butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. bake in a buttered pan and serve with any preferred sauce. stuffed smelts--ii stuff cleaned smelts with chopped oysters and seasoned crumbs. roll in melted butter, then in crumbs, and bake for fifteen minutes, basting with melted butter; the breading may be omitted if a more simple dish is desired. serve with bearnaise sauce. stuffed smelts--iii cook to a paste one cupful of crumbs and one cupful of milk. beat smooth, add one egg well-beaten, a teaspoonful each of minced parsley, lemon-juice, and chopped olives, and one cupful of chopped oysters. stuff large smelts, lay them in a pan lined with buttered paper, skewer the head and tail together, and fill the circles with stuffing. steam for fifteen minutes or sprinkle with crumbs and butter and bake. stuffed smelts À l'italienne prepare, clean, and split the smelts, stuff [page ] with seasoned crumbs, and arrange in a buttered baking-dish, cover with italian sauce, and bake. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve. chopped oysters or cooked fish may be used with, or instead of, the crumbs. stuffed smelts au gratin chop half a pound of raw fish, either sea-bass or salmon, and pound in a mortar to make very fine. add two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs which have been soaked in hot milk and squeezed dry. add the yolks of two eggs and the white of one, two tablespoonfuls of cream, and salt and pepper to season. rub until very smooth and fold in lastly two tablespoonfuls of whipped cream. let cool thoroughly. fry two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion in butter with two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley and a quarter of a pound of chopped fresh mushrooms. season with salt and pepper and set aside. stuff the smelts with the fish paste. butter a silver platter and spread it thinly with the fried onions and mushrooms. add two tablespoonfuls of white wine and lay the fish upon it. sprinkle with salt and pepper, spread with the rest of the onion and mushrooms, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve in the same dish. [page ] smelts au gratin clean and dry eighteen smelts. fry together in butter a chopped onion, two shallots, twice the quantity of mushrooms, a minced bean of garlic, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. butter a baking-dish, spread the cooked vegetables upon it, and lay upon it the prepared fish. season with salt and pepper, moisten with half a glassful of white wine, cover with large fresh mushrooms, pour over a cupful of spanish sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. sprinkle with lemon-juice and minced parsley and serve. the smelts may be boned if desired. smelts au beurre noir roll the cleaned smelts in flour, sauté in butter, and arrange on fingers of buttered toast. brown half a cupful of butter, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, pour over the fish, and serve. smelts À la boulanger clean and dry the fish, dip into cream, then into flour, and fry in deep fat. smelts À la davis prepare and clean the fish, remove the bone, [page ] dip in milk, season with salt and pepper, dip in flour, and brown in butter. melt two tablespoonfuls of peanut butter, add to it the juice of a lemon, pour over the fish and serve, garnishing with lemon and parsley. smelts À la toulouse clean and bone a dozen large smelts. cook in a saucepan with white wine and mushroom liquor or stock, seasoning with salt and pepper. drain, and add the remaining liquid to a cupful of allemande sauce. add a few button mushrooms and a tablespoonful of butter to the sauce. pour over the smelts and serve. smelts À la dresden clean and remove the bone from large smelts and stuff them with seasoned crumbs, chopped oysters, and mushrooms rubbed to a paste with melted butter. butter a serving-dish, lay the prepared fish upon it, cover with chopped onion, and squeeze over the juice of a lemon. add a tablespoonful of butter and a cupful of white stock and bake half an hour. serve with any preferred sauce. boiled smelts cook smelts in salted and acidulated water, or in court bouillon, [page ] drain and serve with tartar sauce. smelts with mayonnaise dip the cleaned fish into beaten egg, then into crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve cold with mayonnaise. stewed smelts clean the fish and remove the heads. put into a buttered china baking-dish. add enough fish or veal stock to cover, and chopped onions, capers, parsley, thyme, pepper and salt, and white wine to season. bring to the boil, pour over the fish and bake for ten or fifteen minutes. serve in the same dish. smelts with fine herbs chop together chives and parsley, and sprinkle a buttered baking-dish. season with salt and pepper, lay prepared smelts upon it, sprinkle with chopped onions and seasoning, add half a cupful of white wine, cover with buttered paper and bake for ten minutes. take up carefully, thicken the liquid with butter and flour cooked together, and serve with the fish. [page ] smelt croquettes clean and split smelts and remove the backbone. pound fine a pound of cooked halibut, seasoning with salt, white pepper, and sherry. add enough very thick cream sauce to make a stiff paste, and cool. shape into croquettes and roll a smelt around each one, fastening it by sticking the tail through the head. dip in egg and crumbs and fry in hot lard to cover. serve with tartar sauce. smelts in matelote chop together an onion, a sprig of parsley, three mushrooms, and a bean of garlic. fry in oil and season with salt and pepper. put the cleaned smelts into the pan, add enough white wine to cover, and simmer until done. strain the liquid, thicken it with butter and flour cooked together, pour over the fish, and serve with a garnish of lemon and parsley. [page ] fifty-five ways to cook soles note:--if the imported sole is not readily obtainable, flounder or pompano makes a very acceptable substitute. boiled soles trim the soles, rub with lemon-juice and boil in salted water. drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. broiled sole--i marinate for an hour in oil and lemon-juice seasoned with salt and pepper. broil on a double-broiler and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled sole--ii clean and skin a sole, dip in melted butter and lemon-juice, then in seasoned crumbs, and broil. remove the bone from an anchovy and rub it to a paste with a small lump of butter. add a wineglassful of white wine and the juice of half a lemon and keep the sauce warm. [page ] place the sole on a hot dish, pour the sauce over and serve. baked fillets of sole--i butter a baking-pan, sprinkle with chopped onions and parsley, lay fillets of sole upon it, spread with butter, season with salt and pepper, add a wineglassful of white wine, and bake in the oven, basting frequently. take up the fish carefully, add to the liquid a dozen chopped mushrooms, a tablespoonful of fresh bread-crumbs and minced parsley to season. lay the fillets on a baking-dish, spread with the paste, cover with large fresh mushrooms, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve very hot in the same dish. baked fillets of sole--ii put the prepared fillets in a buttered baking-dish, sprinkling with chopped onion, parsley, and mushrooms, and seasoning with salt and pepper. add a tablespoonful of butter and enough white wine and white stock in equal parts to keep from burning. bake, basting frequently. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a cupful of brown stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take up the fish, drain the liquor from the pan into the [page ] sauce, and reheat. spread the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. fillets of sole baked in white wine butter a baking-dish and put into it six fillets of sole. add half a cupful of hot water and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, seasoning with minced parsley, grated onion, salt, cayenne, and powdered mace. add one cupful of white wine and cook until thick, stirring constantly. drain the fish, pour the sauce over, and serve. baked sole with wine sauce clean a large sole, trimming off the gills and dark skin and scraping the white side. make a deep cut on each side of the back-bone and take off the fins. put into a buttered baking-pan with salt and pepper to season and two cupfuls of white wine. bake for twenty minutes. cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add a cupful of cold water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. strain the liquor from the fish into the sauce, bring to the boil, [page ] add one tablespoonful each of butter and minced parsley, pour over the fish and serve. fried sole--i remove the skin, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. fried sole--ii skin and clean a pair of soles and marinate for an hour in oil and lemon-juice. dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. cool, trim, dip into melted butter, then into the beaten yolks of eggs, then into seasoned crumbs. sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and broil slowly, basting with melted butter if needed. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. fried fillets of sole--i marinate a sole for an hour in white wine, seasoned with salt, pepper, and sweet herbs. drain, cut into fillets, dip in milk, dredge with flour, and fry in hot lard. fried fillets of sole--ii sprinkle the prepared fillets with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, dip in egg and crumbs, repeat, fry in fat to cover, and serve with tartar sauce. [page ] fried fillets of sole À l'orly soak the prepared fillets for an hour in lemon-juice seasoned with grated onion, minced parsley, salt and pepper. drain, dry, dredge with flour or dip in batter. fry in deep fat and serve with tomato sauce. fried sole À l'anglaise dredge the prepared fish with flour, brush with the beaten yolk of an egg, cover with crumbs, and fry in deep fat. fried sole À la colbert--i cut the fish into fillets, dip in milk, then in flour, and fry brown. serve with melted butter and garnish with lemon and parsley. fried sole À la colbert--ii select six small soles, cut off their heads, and make an incision down the back-bone. season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in hot fat, drain, and serve with colbert sauce. fried soles with shrimp sauce fillet the fish, dip in flour, then into egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with shrimp sauce. [page ] sole À l'aurore butter a shallow platter, lay a sole upon it, cover with buttered paper and put into the oven for ten minutes. take it out and remove the back-bone, filling its place with chopped onions and parsley. replace the upper side of the fish, cover with a cupful of cream sauce and put in the oven for ten or fifteen minutes. rub the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve over the fish, and garnish with the whites in rings, sliced lemon, and parsley. fillets of sole À la bercy cook some fillets of sole in butter, seasoning with salt, pepper, and minced onion. take up the fish, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. fillets of sole À la bordeaux season the prepared fillets with salt and pepper, dip in melted butter, then into flour, then into beaten eggs, then into bread-crumbs. fry brown in deep fat, garnish with lemon and parsley, and serve with tomato sauce. [page ] soles À la colbert skin and trim the soles and boil in salted water until done. chop fine a head of endive and fry it in butter. add two cupfuls of stock, bring to the boil, take from the fire, and add the yolk of an egg beaten smooth with a little cream. place the soles on a hot dish, pour over the sauce, and serve. fillets of sole À la crÈme simmer the prepared fillets in salted and acidulated water to cover, seasoning with salt and pepper, sliced onion, cloves, and parsley. cook together a tablespoonful each of butter and flour and add one cupful of cream and half a cupful of stock. cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, season with salt and pepper, and add the yolks of two eggs beaten smooth with a teaspoonful of lemon-juice and a tablespoonful of melted butter. pour the sauce over the fillets and serve. sole À la dieppoise butter a baking-dish, sprinkle with chopped shallot, and lay upon it the fillets of three soles. add half a wineglassful of white wine and three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor. cook for six [page ] minutes, take up, and reduce the liquid half by rapid boiling. add to it one cupful of allemande sauce, a dozen cooked mussels or oysters, and half a dozen small cooked mushrooms. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of half a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. fillets of sole À la franÇaise fry the fillets with a chopped onion and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley in seasoned butter. serve with italian sauce. fillets of sole À l'italienne arrange the prepared fillets in a buttered saucepan, with salt, pepper, chopped onion, and half a cupful of white wine. cook for ten minutes and drain carefully, reserving the liquid. add four tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, and two cupfuls of spanish sauce. add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and the juice of half a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. fillets of sole À la joinville season the prepared fillets with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and put into a buttered baking-pan with a tablespoonful of butter [page ] and half a cupful of white wine. cover, cook for ten minutes, and drain, reserving the liquid. arrange on a serving-dish and cover with cooked mushrooms, oysters, and lobster. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add the fish gravy and two cupfuls of white stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a pinch of red pepper, and enough pounded lobster coral to tint. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. fillets of sole À la joinville--ii butter a flat baking-dish and arrange in it, crown-shaped, the prepared and cleaned fillets of three soles. add half a wineglassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, and salt and pepper to season. cook for six minutes, take up the fish, and put on a hot dish. cover with allemande sauce, garnish with broiled mushrooms and serve. sole À la maÎtre d'hÔtel simmer fillets of sole for six minutes in salted and acidulated water to cover. drain and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. [page ] fillets of sole À la maÎtre d'hÔtel put the fillets into a buttered baking-tin, sprinkle with salt and lemon-juice, cover with buttered paper, and cook in a hot oven for six minutes. put the bones and trimmings of the fish into a saucepan with cold water to cover and simmer slowly. cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add the strained fish stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add one-fourth cupful of cream, reheat, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, a dash of lemon-juice, and salt and pepper to season. arrange the fillets on a hot platter, drain the liquid from the pan into the sauce, pour over the fish, and serve. fillets of sole À la marÉchale season the prepared fillets with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, and cover with a thin coating of béchamel sauce. put on ice for an hour, dip in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and sauté in clarified butter, drain, and serve with béchamel sauce. sole À la normandy--i make a stuffing of bread-crumbs, sweet [page ] herbs, oysters, mushrooms, truffles, and a quarter of a pound of ham, all chopped very fine and mixed to a paste with stock. stuff the fish with this, sprinkle with lemon-juice, dot with butter, sprinkle with crumbs, minced parsley, and salt and pepper to season. add half a cupful of white stock and bake slowly, basting frequently and adding more stock if required. sole À la normandy--ii butter a baking-dish and cover with sliced onions, parboiled. lay the sale upon them, seasoning with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. add the juice of a lemon and white wine to cover. bake in a slow oven, basting with the gravy, and adding melted butter if necessary. serve with a sauce made by adding half a cupful of cream to the gravy and thickening with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. sole À la normandy--iii put the fillets from three soles in a buttered saucepan with half a wineglassful of white wine, three tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor, and salt and pepper to season. cover and cook for six minutes, drain, and arrange on a serving-dish. boil the gravy for five minutes, [page ] add a cupful of allemande sauce, a dozen oysters, and six sliced mushrooms. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the juice of half a lemon, pour over the fish, and serve. sole À la normandy--iv butter a baking-dish and put the fish into it with two dozen oysters, a dozen mussels, a chopped onion, a sprig each of thyme and parsley, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to season. add one cupful each of red wine and stock, cover, and cook until nearly done. drain and keep warm, lay the oysters and mussels over the sole. add to the liquid enough stock to make the required quantity of sauce, strain, and thicken with flour cooked in butter. take from the fire, add the beaten yolks of two eggs, pour over the fish, and serve. fillets of sole À la normandy put the fillets in a buttered saucepan with salt and pepper to season, a tablespoonful of butter, a chopped onion, and half a cupful of white wine. cover and cook for ten minutes, then take up the fish and drain carefully. cook together without browning, two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add the liquid [page ] drained from the pan and enough oyster liquor and white stock to make three cupfuls of sauce. cook until thick, stirring constantly, skim, take from the fire, and add the yolks of four eggs well-beaten, two tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits, the juice of half a lemon, and a few cooked oysters, mussels, and scallops cut fine. pour the sauce over and serve. fillets of sole À l'orly marinate the prepared fillets for half an hour in lemon-juice with pepper and salt to season. put the trimmings of the fish into a saucepan with a bunch of sweet herbs and white wine to cover. season with salt and pepper, boil rapidly for fifteen minutes and strain. dredge the fillets with flour, fry in boiling fat, and serve the sauce separately. fillets of sole À la provence simmer the fillets in white wine to which a little olive-oil has been added, seasoning with minced parsley and garlic, grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. drain, sprinkle with lemon-juice, and serve with a border of fried onions. [page ] fillets of sole À la rouen put the prepared fillets into a buttered baking-pan and squeeze lemon-juice over them. cover with buttered paper and bake. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of fish stock and half a cupful of cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, paprika, and lemon-juice. pour over the fish and serve. fillets of sole À la trouville put the prepared fillets into a buttered pan with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, half a cupful of white wine, and half a cupful of stock. cover and cook quickly, then drain the fish and keep warm. put into the pan in which the fish was cooked two dozen large oysters, two cupfuls of scallops, and a dozen large mushrooms. simmer slowly until cooked, drain, and cover the fish with them. add stock if necessary to make the required quantity of sauce, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour cooked together. pour the sauce over, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. fillets of sole À la vÉnitienne--i put the prepared fillets into a buttered pan [page ] with salt, pepper, nutmeg, a chopped onion, and half a cupful of white wine. cover and cook for ten minutes. add two cupfuls of stock and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. fillets of sole À la vÉnitienne--ii simmer the fillets for ten minutes in a saucepan with clarified butter, lemon-juice, white pepper, and salt. simmer other fillets without trimming in the same manner. drain and cool. cut the untrimmed fillets into dice, mix with thick allemande sauce, grated parmesan cheese, and salt, white pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. spread this preparation very thinly on an earthen dish, and when it is cool cut into pieces the size and shape of the fillets; dip in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, and fry in fat to cover. warm the fillets and arrange in a circle alternately with the breaded ones. serve with any preferred sauce. sole au gratin--i make a paste of bread-crumbs and chopped [page ] mushrooms, seasoning with pepper, salt, and minced parsley, and using cream for the liquid. butter a serving-dish, spread with a layer of the paste, lay the fish upon it, and pour over it a wineglassful of white wine and an equal quantity of veal or chicken stock. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve in the dish in which it was cooked. sole au gratin--ii butter a baking-pan, sprinkle with crumbs, chopped onion, and minced parsley. season the fish with salt, pepper, and ginger, and stuff with whole oysters, shrimps, and mushrooms. cover with a layer of bread-crumbs, parsley, and butter, add half a wineglassful of white wine, and bake until done. sole au gratin--iii put the prepared fish into a buttered baking-dish, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with minced parsley, add enough white wine to keep from burning, and bake. take up carefully, cover with italian sauce, sprinkle thickly with crumbs, and brown in the oven. sole au gratin--iv cook together in butter a chopped onion, [page ] half a dozen mushrooms, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and a bean of garlic, with salt and pepper to season. spread on the bottom of a buttered baking-dish and lay the seasoned fillets upon it. add half a wineglassful of white wine and bake for five minutes. cover with fresh mushrooms, pour over a cupful of spanish sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. squeeze the juice of half a lemon over it and serve. stewed soles with oyster sauce soak the fish for two hours in seasoned vinegar and simmer until done in salted and acidulated water. serve with oyster sauce. fillets of sole with anchovies fry the fillets in olive-oil, seasoning with salt and pepper, cool, and cut into small pieces. add four anchovies cut into small bits, pour over a french dressing and serve with toasted crackers. fillets of sole in cases fry in butter one cupful of chopped mushrooms, two tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, and one tablespoonful of minced parsley, seasoning with pepper and salt. cut the soles in fillets, spread with the [page ] mixture, tie with thread, put into a buttered pan, cover, and bake. put each fillet into a small paper case, fill with cream sauce, lay a mushroom on the top of each, and serve. fillets of sole with fine herbs prepare according to directions given for fillets of sale à la joinville--ii, adding to the sauce a chopped onion and two shallots browned in butter, with twice the quantity of chopped mushrooms, and a bean of garlic. season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. soles with fine herbs trim the fish and put into a buttered baking-pan, sprinkling with chopped mushrooms, parsley, and grated onion. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add enough white wine to keep from burning, cover with buttered paper, and bake. take up the fish and add the drained liquid to a cupful of allemande sauce and reheat. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, the juice of half a lemon, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. pour over the fish and serve. fillets of sole with mushrooms bake the fillets for ten minutes and cool. [page ] cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add half a cupful of stock and half a cupful of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a pound of fresh mushrooms chopped fine and simmer until the mushrooms are cooked. cool the mushroom mixture and spread upon the fillets. set the baking-pan into another of hot water, reheat in the oven, and serve with hollandaise sauce. fillets of sole with oysters fry the fillets in butter and cover with allemande sauce to which chopped cooked oysters have been added. fillets of sole with ravigote sauce fry the fillets in seasoned butter, adding a little lemon-juice when done. pour over ravigote sauce and serve. fillets of sole in turbans put the bones and trimmings cut from fillets of sole in cold water to cover, simmer for half an hour, strain, and add a pinch of salt to the liquid. when it boils, put in the fillets rolled up, and fastened with a toothpick. simmer for ten minutes and prepare [page ] a cream sauce, using for liquid half fish stock and half milk or cream. pour over the fish and serve. fillets of sole with wine butter a baking-pan, lay the fillets in it, season with salt and pepper, and spread with butter. add half a cupful of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and bake for five or ten minutes. take up the fish carefully and add to the liquid a teaspoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. take from the fire, add the yolk of two eggs, beaten smooth with half a cupful of cream; pour over the fish and serve. rolled fillets of sole beat together until smooth two tablespoonfuls of anchovy paste, a teaspoonful of lemon-juice, a pinch of mustard, a dash of cayenne, and two tablespoonfuls of fresh butter. spread long narrow fillets of sole with the butter, roll and fasten with wooden tooth-picks. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, and bake, wrapping in buttered paper if desired. these fillets may be fried in butter with parsley and onions, or dipped in egg and crumbs, and fried in deep fat, or cooked with wine and lemon-juice in stock made [page ] from the bone and trimmings, and served with the strained stock thickened with butter and flour cooked together. stuffed fillets of sole wind long, thin, narrow fillets of sole around small carrots to keep their shape, fastening with tooth-picks. simmer the trimmings of the fish for half an hour in two cupfuls of boiling water to cover, seasoning with salt and paprika. cover the fillets with one cupful of this stock and half a cupful of white wine. simmer for twenty minutes. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one-half cupful of fish stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add one-half cupful of chopped shrimps and one-half cupful of chopped oysters, the yolk of one egg well beaten, and worcestershire, salt, and tabasco sauce to season. take out the carrots and replace with the cooked mixture. cool, dip the fillets in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with any preferred sauce. chaudfroid of soles marinate the fillets of three soles in seasoned lemon-juice. chop half a dozen mushrooms and cook for five minutes in butter, [page ] seasoned with pepper and salt. add enough bread-crumbs to make a smooth paste, cool, and spread on the fillets. fold each piece of fish so that the stuffing will be in the middle, arrange on a buttered baking-dish, cook in a moderate oven, and cool. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and add one cupful of fish stock made from the bones and trimmings of the soles. take from the fire, add a little cream, and stir until cold. pour the sauce over the fillets, garnish with lemon, parsley, and hard-boiled eggs, and serve very cold. fritters of sole rub two tablespoonfuls of butter into half a pound of flour, add a pinch of salt, the beaten yolk of an egg, and enough cold water to make a very stiff paste. roll the paste very thin and cut into pieces large enough to wrap fillets of sole, which have been seasoned with pepper and salt, and lemon-juice. fry in deep fat and serve with tartar sauce. [page ] twenty-five ways to cook sturgeon boiled sturgeon--i cover a cut of sturgeon with salted and acidulated water. add an onion, six cloves, a slice of carrot, three bay-leaves, a small bunch of parsley, and a cupful of wine. simmer slowly until done, drain, and serve with some of the cooking liquor thickened with flour, browned in butter. boiled sturgeon--ii boil the fish in court bouillon and serve with drawn-butter sauce. broiled sturgeon steaks--i parboil sturgeon steaks for fifteen minutes, drain, wipe dry, season with salt and pepper, and broil. serve with melted butter or maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled sturgeon steaks--ii skin and soak for an hour in cold salted [page ] water. drain, wipe dry, and soak for an hour in a marinade of oil and vinegar. drain and broil. serve with melted butter and lemon-juice. broiled sturgeon steaks--iii skin the steaks and soak in cold, salted water for an hour, drain, season, and broil, basting with melted butter as required. season with melted butter and garnish with lemon quarters and parsley. or, brown a tablespoonful of flour in butter, add half a cupful of cold water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, lemon-juice, and worcestershire sauce, or anchovy essence. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. fried sturgeon--i parboil slices of sturgeon in milk for fifteen minutes, drain, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned flour, and fry brown in butter. fried sturgeon--ii cut the fish into cutlets, dredge with flour, dip into egg and crumbs, and sauté in a frying-pan. drain off the fat, add a little flour and cook to a smooth paste. add boiling water to make a sauce, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with grated onion, [page ] pepper and salt and sweet herbs. reheat the fish in the sauce, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and serve. fried sturgeon--iii cut sturgeon steaks into small cutlets. dip into egg and crumbs, fry in fat to cover, and serve with any preferred sauce. baked sturgeon--i skin a large cut of sturgeon, parboil for fifteen minutes, drain, cover with a marinade of oil and vinegar, and let stand for an hour. gash the surface deeply and fill the incision with a force meat of bread-crumbs and minced salt pork, seasoning with lemon-juice, pepper, and minced parsley, and adding enough melted butter to make smooth. cover, add enough boiling water to keep from burning, and bake, basting frequently. baked sturgeon--ii skin a large cut of sturgeon, parboil for fifteen minutes, drain, and cool. rub with a marinade of oil and vinegar, cover, and bake with enough water to keep from burning. serve with caper sauce. [page ] baked sturgeon--iii skin a six-pound cut of sturgeon and parboil for twenty minutes. drain and put into a baking-pan on a layer of thinly sliced bacon. add enough boiling water to keep from burning, and bake until done, basting often. baked sturgeon--iv skin a six-pound cut of sturgeon, soak in salted water for an hour, drain, and parboil in fresh water. make a stuffing of bread-crumbs, chopped salt pork, sweet herbs, and enough melted butter to make a smooth paste. score the upper-side of the fish deeply and fill the gashes with the stuffing. put in a buttered baking-pan with enough water to keep from burning, and bake for an hour, basting as required. serve with drawn-butter sauce, seasoned with capers and catsup. baked sturgeon--v cover a buttered baking-pan with thin slices of salt pork. sprinkle with chopped carrot, turnip, and onion, and lay a thick cut of sturgeon upon it. season the fish with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, and cover with thin slices of pork. cook for ten minutes, [page ] then add one cupful of boiling water, and cook slowly, basting as required. dredge with seasoned flour after each basting, and add more boiling water if necessary. after the fish has cooked for an hour, remove the pork, and drop it into the pan. pour a wineglassful of sherry over the fish, spread with butter, and dredge thickly with flour. bake until the fish is a rich brown color. take out the pork and add enough boiling water to the liquid in the pan to make the required quantity of sauce. thicken with butter and flour cooked together, strain, and serve with the fish. sturgeon À la cardinal clean two pounds of sturgeon, bind into shape with tape, and put it into a buttered saucepan with acidulated water to cover. add an onion, four cloves, a blade of mace, a sliced carrot, and a bunch of sweet herbs. simmer gently until the fish is done and serve with lobster sauce. sturgeon À la franÇaise skin and clean a five-pound cut of sturgeon, and tie into shape with strings. put into a buttered saucepan with sliced carrots and onions, a bunch of parsley, three blades of mace, three cloves [page ] of garlic, and salt and pepper to season. add red wine and white stock in equal parts to cover. simmer until done, drain, and keep warm. take enough of the strained liquid to make a sauce, and thicken with butter and flour cooked together. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of anchovy essence, a dash of paprika, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and the juice of a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. sturgeon À la normandy remove the skin from a five-pound cut of sturgeon, cover with thin slices of salt pork, and tie into shape with a string. put into a saucepan with sliced vegetables, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one cupful of white wine, two cupfuls of white stock, a little oyster or mussel liquor, and salt and sweet herbs to season. cover and cook slowly for an hour, basting with the liquid frequently. when done, drain the fish, and keep warm. strain the liquid, skim off the fat, thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs beaten with the juice of a lemon, and two tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits. take the pork off the sturgeon, pour the sauce over, and serve. [page ] sturgeon À la russe soak two pounds of sturgeon in salted water to cover for ten or twelve hours. drain and marinate in vinegar for an hour. put it into a fish-kettle with boiling water to cover, adding two onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a little salt. when nearly done drain, dredge with flour, and brown in the oven, basting with melted butter. bone and skin two anchovies and put them into a saucepan with a wineglassful of white wine, a small onion, a bit of lemon-peel, and a cupful of stock. boil for five minutes, strain, thicken with flour and butter cooked together, take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of cream, and pour over the fish, or serve separately. stewed sturgeon--i marinate slices of sturgeon in vinegar for ten minutes. drain, dry, dredge with flour, and fry brown in hot fat. add enough veal stock to cover the fish, and a wineglassful of madeira; cover and simmer for an hour. add a tablespoonful of capers and serve. stewed sturgeon--ii cut sturgeon steaks into small pieces and [page ] parboil for fifteen minutes. drain, season with salt and pepper, and cook slowly in butter until done. add one cupful of milk, bring to the boil, and add one tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and serve. sturgeon steak--i put a large sturgeon steak into a buttered baking-pan with salt, pepper, sliced onion, a bunch of parsley, and some sweet herbs. add claret and white stock to cover. cover with a buttered paper and cook slowly until done. drain and serve with any preferred sauce. sturgeon steak--ii cover a sturgeon steak with boiling water, let stand for five minutes, and drain. marinate for five hours in melted butter, lemon-juice, and vinegar, seasoning with salt and pepper. drain, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. beat the yolks of two eggs, add a teaspoonful of made mustard and the marinade drained from the fish. cook over hot water until thick, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] grilled sturgeon cut the sturgeon into slices an inch thick. dip in flour, then into egg and crumbs, and broil, basting with oil as needed. season with salt and pepper and serve with any preferred sauce. panned sturgeon cut two pounds of sturgeon into squares, parboil, drain, and cool. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of milk, and some of the liquid drained from the fish. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, pour over the fish and serve. pickled sturgeon skin a six-pound cut of sturgeon and soak in cold water for half an hour. drain, cover with boiling water, parboil for fifteen minutes, drain, and cool. bring to the boil three pints of vinegar to which has been added a sliced onion, two bay-leaves, a dozen cloves, three blades of mace, a tablespoonful of mustard seed, a dozen pepper-corns, a small red pepper, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. boil for fifteen minutes, pour over the sturgeon, and let stand covered for two or three days before using. [page ] roasted sturgeon clean and skin a six-pound cut of sturgeon, season with salt and pepper, and wrap in a large sheet of buttered paper with carrots and onions sliced, two bay-leaves, sprigs of chive and parsley, the juice of a lemon, and a tablespoonful of olive-oil. tie up and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. unwrap the paper, take out the vegetables, and serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] fifty ways to cook trout broiled trout--i clean and split the fish and let stand for an hour in melted butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, and sweet herbs. sprinkle with crumbs, broil, squeeze lemon-juice over, then serve. broiled trout--ii gash a cleaned trout and marinate in oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and pepper, minced chives, and parsley, and a little thyme. drain, sprinkle with crumbs and chopped herbs, and broil carefully. serve with any preferred sauce. broiled trout À la maÎtre d'hÔtel clean the fish but do not split. score deeply on both sides, dip in seasoned oil, broil, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. broiled brook-trout clean and split the fish, wipe dry, dip in seasoned oil and broil. [page ] serve with any preferred sauce. broiled trout with bacon wash, clean, and split a trout, and remove the back-bone. put a strip of bacon in place of the bone, tie the fish into its original shape and broil over a clear fire. garnish with fried parsley. boiled trout--i put the fish into cold court bouillon, bring to the boiling point, and simmer for six minutes, drain, and serve with cream sauce. boiled trout--ii tie a large trout in a cloth and boil it in salted and acidulated water to cover, adding an onion, a stalk of celery, and a bunch of parsley. when done, drain and keep warm. stick blanched almonds into the fish, sharp side down, and pour over a cream sauce to which chopped hard-boiled eggs and parsley have been added. boiled brook-trout--i put the cleaned trout in a saucepan with [page ] enough claret to cover. add a slice of lemon, two cloves, four pepper-corns, a blade of mace, and a pinch of salt. simmer slowly until done and let cool in the liquid. take out, strain a little of the liquid over them, and serve. boiled brook-trout--ii prepare and clean four large trout, pour over then two cupfuls of boiling vinegar, two cupfuls of white wine, and enough water to cover. add an onion, three cloves, three stalks of celery, four bay-leaves, a small bunch of parsley, a teaspoonful of peppercorns, and a little salt. cover, boil until done, drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. fried trout--i roll the cleaned fish in seasoned flour and fry in deep fat. fried trout--ii clean the fish, split, season with salt, dredge with flour, and sauté for five minutes in hot butter. [page ] fried trout--iii salt the fish and dip in equal parts of flour and corn-meal, thoroughly mixed. sauté in salt pork fat. fried brook-trout clean and split the fish, dip in seasoned flour or corn-meal, and sauté in butter or salt pork fat. fried fillets of trout--i remove the fillets from slices of sea-trout, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. fried fillets of trout--ii boil and cool a trout and divide into fillets, removing the bone. season with lemon-juice, chopped onion, and minced parsley, and cover with a very thick cream sauce. dip into crumbs, then into beaten egg, then into crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with any preferred sauce. fried trout with mushroom sauce dip slices of sea-trout in beaten egg, then [page ] in seasoned crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with the sauce given in the recipe for baked trout with mushroom sauce. trout with remoulade sauce sauté a small trout in butter, drain on brown paper, and serve with remoulade sauce. fillets of trout À l'aurore sauté the fillets of a cleaned trout in butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. drain and serve with aurora sauce. baked trout--i scrape and clean the trout, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and put into a buttered baking-dish. lay a thin slice of salt pork on each fish, sprinkle with three or four tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, add a can of mushrooms drained from the liquor, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, three tablespoonfuls of butter, and one cupful of stock. bake, basting frequently. thicken the liquid with butter and flour cooked together, pour over the fish, and serve. baked trout--ii clean a large sea or lake trout. prepare a [page ] stuffing of bread-crumbs, seasoning with chopped onions, celery, salt, pepper, and melted butter. cook the stuffing for ten minutes, using as little water as possible. stuff the fish, put into a buttered baking-pan with enough hot water to keep from burning. cover the fish with thin slices of salt pork and bake until done, adding more hot water if required. brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter, add half a cupful of cream, and enough boiling water to make a smooth thick sauce. season with salt and pepper, add a few capers, pour around the fish, and serve. baked trout--iii stuff a large sea or lake trout with mashed potatoes, seasoning with butter, pepper, salt, and grated onion. butter a baking-pan and cover the bottom with thin slices of tomatoes. lay the fish upon it, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and enough water to keep from burning. bake until done and serve with the tomatoes and sliced hard-boiled eggs. baked brook-trout--i clean and score small trout, dip in seasoned melted butter, and put in a buttered baking-pan. cover with buttered paper and bake, [page ] basting with their own liquid until done. serve with any preferred sauce. baked brook-trout--ii chop fine three or four large mushrooms and a truffle, fry for a moment in butter, season with salt and cayenne, add enough melted butter to make a smooth paste, and stuff large brook-trout with the mixture. put in a buttered baking-pan, sprinkle with minced parsley, and pour over half a cupful of stock to which two tablespoonfuls of butter have been added. bake for half an hour, basting as required. baked brook-trout--iii soak a cupful of bread-crumbs in milk, squeeze dry, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, the yolk of an egg, and pepper, salt, thyme, and lemon-juice to season. stuff the fish, sew up, put in a buttered baking-pan, dredge with flour, dot with butter, and bake. baked trout with white wine--i put the cleaned fish in a small buttered baking-pan with white wine to moisten, and salt and pepper to season. cover with buttered paper and bake, basting with the liquid. take up the fish, thicken [page ] the liquid with butter and flour cooked together, add a little more butter, pour over the fish, and serve. baked trout with white wine--ii take the fillets from a three-pound trout and bake for ten minutes in a buttered baking-pan. fry a chopped onion in butter, add a tablespoonful of flour and half a cupful of white wine. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and add two tablespoonfuls of butter, broken into bits. pour the sauce over the fillets and bake for fifteen minutes longer. baked trout À la chambord split and bone the cleaned fish and put in a buttered baking-pan skin side down. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and crumbs, and put into the oven. cover the bones and trimmings with cold water, adding two tablespoonfuls of butter, a sliced onion, and two cupfuls of stock. boil for half an hour, strain, add a can of mushrooms, chopped, and enough crumbs to thicken. season with salt, pepper, and anchovy paste. take up the fish carefully, put on a serving-dish, cover with the sauce, put in the oven for a few moments, and serve. [page ] trout with fine herbs put half a dozen cleaned trout in a buttered baking-dish with half a glassful of white wine, and a finely chopped shallot. bake for ten minutes, strain the liquid, and add to it one cupful of allemande sauce. add also a small chopped onion, two shallots, twice the quantity of mushrooms, and a bean of garlic, all minced and fried in butter. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and lemon-juice; pour over the fish and serve. baked trout with mushroom sauce butter a baking-dish, sprinkle with bread-crumbs, lay a sea-trout upon it, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, squeeze over the juice of half a lemon, and bake, adding enough water to keep from burning. brown a tablespoonful of flour in butter, add the liquid drained from the fish, one cupful each of mushroom and oyster liquor, and a wineglassful of madeira. cook until thick, stirring constantly, take from the fire, and add a few cooked oysters, shrimps, and mushrooms. season with salt and pepper and serve separately. baked trout with polish sauce put a cleaned trout into a buttered baking-pan, [page ] rub with butter, and season with salt and pepper. fry a chopped onion in butter, add half a cupful of white wine and two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, and pour over the fish. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake slowly until done. melt one and one-half cupfuls of butter and add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and three hard-boiled eggs chopped very fine. serve the sauce separately. stuffed trout clean, split, and stuff a trout, using seasoned crumbs or chopped oysters. put in a buttered baking-dish, lay in the fish, season with salt and pepper, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, pour over a little white wine, and bake in the oven. serve in the dish in which they were baked. trout baked in papers stuff trout with seasoned crumbs, cover each one with a thin slice of salt pork, and wrap in buttered paper, fastening the papers securely; bake and serve in the papers. brook-trout in paper cases stuff the fish with seasoned crumbs or chopped oysters or raw fish pounded to a pulp and mixed to a paste with the beaten white of egg [page ] and a little cream. lay a very thin slice of salt pork on each fish and wrap in buttered paper. bake in a hot oven. remove the string and serve in the paper. serve any preferred sauce separately. trout in cases clean, parboil, and trim the fish, wrap in buttered paper, bake, and serve with fine herb sauce. trout À l'aurore boil and skin the fish, put on a serving-dish, cover with allemande sauce, and the chopped yolks of hard-boiled eggs. brown in the oven and serve with aurora sauce. trout À la cambaceres prepare six trout according to directions given in the recipe for trout with shrimp sauce. serve with one cupful of spanish sauce, adding two chopped truffles, half a dozen chopped mushrooms, a dozen chopped olives, and three tablespoonfuls of stewed and strained tomato. pour over the fish and serve. [page ] trout À la chambord stuff cleaned trout with chopped oysters or seasoned crumbs, and put into a buttered baking-dish. add half a wineglassful of white wine, a sprig of celery, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, two cloves, and salt and pepper to season. bake in the oven, basting frequently. take up the fish, strain the liquid, and add it to a cupful of spanish sauce, with a chopped truffle, four cooked mushrooms, chopped, and a dozen cooked oysters. pour the sauce over the fish and serve. trout À la chevaliÈre boil, skin, trim the fish, cover with very thick cream sauce and let cool. dip in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, sprinkle thickly with grated parmesan cheese, and bake in a buttered baking-dish, basting with melted butter as required. serve with allemande sauce, seasoned with white wine, chopped cooked mushrooms, and anchovy essence. trout À la geneva dip the trout in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice seasoned with salt, pepper, and grated onion. broil carefully. heat one cupful [page ] of stock with a teaspoonful of anchovy essence and a tablespoonful each of minced parsley and claret. pour over the fish and serve. trout À la gasconne prepare the fish according to directions given in the recipe for trout à l'italienne, and pour over it a sauce à la gasconne. trout À la hussar stuff a cleaned trout through the mouth with butter mixed with finely chopped sweet herbs. dip in seasoned oil and broil. trout À l'italienne boil a large sea-trout in salted water, drain, skin, and serve with italian sauce, seasoned with butter, anchovy paste, nutmeg, and lemon-juice. trout À la provence cook the cleaned trout in salted and acidulated water with a sliced carrot, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of thyme. drain, and cover with a sauce made by boiling for fifteen minutes one cupful of stewed tomatoes, a chopped onion, two sprigs of parsley, two truffles, and [page ] half a dozen mushrooms. strain over the fish, garnish with olives, and serve. trout À la royale stuff a large trout with seasoned crumbs, and cover it with claret, adding mushrooms, parsley, chopped onion, thyme, a bay-leaf, pepper-corns, and mace to season. drain the fish and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to one cupful. strain, mix with allemande sauce, seasoning with anchovy paste, red pepper, and lemon-juice. trout À la vÉnitienne clean a large trout and score it deeply. fill the openings with butter highly seasoned with chopped sweet herbs, and marinate for an hour in oil. drain, sprinkle with seasoned bread-crumbs mixed with chopped sweet herbs, and broil. serve with any preferred sauce. trout au gratin--i parboil, drain, and skin. put on a buttered baking-dish, season with pepper, salt, minced parsley, chopped shallots, and chopped mushrooms. cover with brown sauce, pour over half a cupful of [page ] sherry and bake. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve in the same dish. trout au gratin--ii clean and bone a two-pound trout. put in a buttered baking-pan, skin side down. dot with butter, season with cayenne, sprinkle with chopped anchovies, cover with half a pound of grated american cheese, and pour over one cupful of sour cream. bake for half an hour, basting as required. trout au beurre noir clean and score the fish, dip in seasoned flour, sauté in hot butter, and take up. brown half a cupful of butter, take from the fire, add the juice of a lemon and a teaspoonful of minced parsley, pour over the fish, and serve. trout with shrimp sauce put the cleaned trout on the grate in a fish kettle, adding salted water to cover. add also a sliced carrot, a sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves and half a wineglassful of white wine. simmer until done, drain, and serve with shrimp sauce. [page ] tenderloin of trout with wine sauce cut a large sea-trout in pieces and simmer until done in salted and acidulated boiling water to which a large sliced onion has been added. drain and keep warm. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour and add enough of the liquid drained from the fish to make a thick sauce. cook until thick, stirring constantly, take from the fire, add one cupful of madeira wine and three eggs well-beaten. put the fish in a buttered baking-pan, sprinkle with seasoned crumbs, cover with mushrooms, then with oysters and shrimps. pour the sauce over and bake until the oysters are done. serve in the dish in which it was baked. steamed trout lay the prepared fish in a steamer and place over boiling water, steam until done and serve with plenty of melted butter or egg sauce. steamed brook-trout clean the fish, season lightly with salt and pepper and steam until tender. serve with hollandaise or tartar sauce. [page ] trout en papillotes stuff cleaned trout with chopped oysters and seasoned crumbs. wrap a thin slice of salt pork around each one, season with salt and pepper, wrap in buttered paper, fasten firmly, and bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes. serve in the papers. escalloped trout boil two trout in salted water, drain and flake, removing all the bones. fry a small chopped onion in butter, add a tablespoonful of flour and two cupfuls of milk. cook until thick, stirring constantly. put a layer of the boned fish in a buttered baking-pan, add a layer of the sauce, sprinkle with minced parsley, and repeat until the dish is full. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. [page ] fifteen ways to cook turbot boiled turbot wash the fish carefully and soak it for an hour in salted water, drain, and rinse in fresh water. with a sharp knife score the black skin in a straight line from head to tail. boil the fish in salted and acidulated water to cover, drain, garnish with parsley and lemon, and serve with any preferred sauce. broiled turbot clean a small turbot and marinate for an hour in seasoned oil and vinegar or lemon-juice. drain, broil, and serve with any preferred sauce. broiled turbot À la provence soak the fish for four hours in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with sliced carrot, onion, bay-leaf, thyme, parsley, and garlic. drain, broil the fish on one side, and put in a buttered baking-dish with the marinade. add two cupfuls of white wine, and [page ] bake, basting frequently. take up the fish, and add the remainder of the bottle of wine to the liquid. boil for five minutes, rub through a sieve, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, season with anchovy paste, minced parsley, and capers. pour over the fish and serve. baked turbot rub a small cleaned turbot with melted butter, sprinkle with minced parsley, powdered mace, and salt and pepper to season. let stand for an hour and put into a buttered baking-dish. brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, bake, and serve with any preferred sauce. turbot À la bÉchamel reheat cold flaked turbot in a béchamel sauce, adding a few cooked oysters. turbot au beurre noir cut cold cooked turbot into small fillets. brown half a cupful of butter, add tarragon vinegar to taste, and pepper, salt, and minced parsley to season. reheat the fish in the sauce and serve. [page ] turbot À la crÈme--i reheat cold flaked turbot in a cream sauce, seasoning with grated nutmeg and lemon-juice. turbot À la crÈme--ii cook together three tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add a quart of cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with pepper, salt, minced parsley, and grated onion. butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of cold cooked turbot flaked fine, cover with sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. sprinkle with chopped eggs and parsley. turbot au gratin--i remove the skin, fat, and bone from cold turbot, and flake fine with a fork. fry in butter a slice of onion chopped, a small slice of carrot minced, a bit of bay-leaf, and a pinch of mace. add a tablespoonful of flour, one cupful of milk, and half a cupful of stock or water. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper and rub through a sieve. put a layer of the flaked fish in the bottom of a buttered baking-dish, spread with the sauce, [page ] sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and repeat until the dish is full. cover with crumbs, sprinkle with cheese, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. turbot au gratin--ii boil a fish, drain, and cool. flake with a fork, and mix with bechamel sauce to which has been added the yolks of four eggs well-beaten, half a cupful of grated parmesan cheese, and lemon-juice and grated nutmeg to season. mix lightly, put into a buttered baking-dish, cover with crumbs, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. cream may be poured over the fish before sprinkling with the crumbs. turbot À la hollandaise clean a medium sized turbot and make a deep incision down the back from head to tail. rub with lemon-juice and boil in salted and acidulated water until tender. drain and serve with hollandaise sauce. fillets of turbot À l'indienne cut a small turbot into fillets and fry in butter with a little curry powder to season. serve with velouté sauce. [page ] fillets of turbot À la marÉchale clean and boil the fish and cut into convenient pieces for serving. cool, cover with a very stiff cream sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry. serve with any preferred sauce. fillets of turbot À la ravigote sauté the prepared fillets in butter, seasoning with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. drain, and serve with ravigote sauce. fillets of turbot soak a medium sized turbot in salted water for half an hour, drain, rinse in fresh water, and cut into fillets. dip in seasoned melted butter and broil or sauté in melted butter. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. fillets of turbot with cream separate cold cooked turbot into fillets and reheat in a cream sauce. [page ] five ways to cook weakfish fried weakfish clean, wash, wipe dry, dip in milk, roll in flour, fry in hot fat to cover, and serve with any preferred sauce. baked weakfish--i arrange the fish on a buttered baking-dish with minced onion, parsley, and mushrooms, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. moisten with equal parts of white wine and white stock. cover with small bits of butter, bring to the boil, and finish cooking in the oven. take up the fish and thicken the sauce with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. squeeze lemon-juice over and serve in the baking-dish. baked weakfish--ii clean and split the fish, season with salt and pepper, and put into a buttered baking-pan, skin side up. rub with butter and bake. pour over melted butter, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. [page ] fillets of weakfish in cases spread the fillets with chapped oysters mixed with the unbeaten white of egg. season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chapped shallots, parsley, and mushrooms. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, wrap in buttered paper, and bake slowly far half an hour. serve with velouté sauce, seasoned with lemon-juice. fillets of weakfish À l'orly season the fillets with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, dip in flour, then in well-beaten eggs to which two tablespoonfuls of olive-oil have been added, and then in crumbs. fry in deep fat and serve with tomato sauce. fillets of weakfish À la havraise season the fillets with salt and pepper and fry for a few minutes in butter. drain and keep warm. add to the butter two cupfuls of velouté sauce and a wineglassful of white wine. boil for five minutes, take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon, and three tablespoonfuls of butter. reheat, but do not boil. add a few cooked mushrooms or oysters to the sauce, pour over the fish, and serve. [page ] turbans of weakfish take the fillets of four small weakfish, remove the skin and most of the bones. spread with chopped oysters mixed with seasoned crumbs, roll up, fasten with skewers, put in a buttered baking-pan, cover with buttered paper, and bake until done. take out the skewers, cool, dip in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, fry in deep fat, drain, and serve with ravigote sauce. [page ] four ways to cook whitebait fried whitebait--i heat together one cupful of lard and one cupful of olive-oil. sprinkle the whitebait thickly with seasoned flour and shake free of all that does not adhere readily. fry quickly in a frying-basket, season with salt and cayenne, and serve immediately. fried whitebait--ii wash the whitebait in ice-water, drain, wipe dry, dip in milk, then in equal parts of cracker dust and seasoned flour. fry in deep fat, season with salt and cayenne, and serve. fried whitebait--iii cover the fish with cold water, drain, and throw them into a cloth strewn with sifted flour. shake them in the cloth to make the flour adhere to them, then toss them in a sieve. the fish will not stick together if they are fresh. have ready plenty of boiling beef fat, and fry the whitebait in a wire basket, a few at a time. when they are crisp without being brown they are done enough. drain, sprinkle [page ] with salt, and serve immediately. devilled whitebait fry the whitebait according to directions previously given, season very highly with cayenne pepper, and serve. [page ] twenty-five ways to cook whitefish boiled whitefish boil a large whitefish in salted and acidulated water, adding a bunch of parsley and a sliced onion to the water. drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. boiled whitefish À la mackinac clean and split the fish and put into a buttered dripping-pan, skin-side down. add enough salted water barely to cover, and simmer for half an hour. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce and garnish with hard-boiled eggs. fried whitefish--i clean and trim the fish and cut into convenient pieces for serving. dip in seasoned flour and sauté in hot lard in a frying-pan. fried whitefish--ii cut the fish in slices, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry in fat to cover. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] fried whitefish--iii clean and dry the fish, cut into fillets, dip in seasoned crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, and fry quickly in fat to cover. serve with tartar sauce. broiled whitefish--i clean, trim, and split a large whitefish, season with salt, pepper, and oil, and broil. garnish with lemon and parsley and serve with tartar sauce. broiled whitefish--ii put a cleaned and split whitefish on a wire broiler, season with salt and cayenne, lay a few thin slices of bacon on top, put the broiler on a baking-pan, and cook in the oven without turning. put on a platter, add a little butter, and rub hard-boiled eggs through a sieve over the fish. garnish with parsley and lemon. broiled whitefish--iii clean and split the fish, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with lemon-juice, and broil. pour over melted butter and serve. baked whitefish--i clean and split a large fish, remove the bone, and put in a buttered baking-pan skin-side down. season with salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice, [page ] sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake. serve with any preferred sauce. baked whitefish--ii make a stuffing of one and one-half cupfuls of dry bread-crumbs, seasoning with salt and pepper. add a heaping tablespoonful of butter and one egg well-beaten. stuff the fish and sew it up. put in a buttered baking-pan, pour in one cupful of vinegar, and bake until done, basting with butter and hot water. take up the fish and thicken the gravy with two tablespoonfuls of flour browned in butter and rubbed smooth with a little cold water. baked white fish--iii dip the fillets of whitefish in beaten egg, then in crumbs, then in egg, then in crumbs, and lastly in beaten egg. bake in a buttered dripping-pan for twenty-five minutes and serve with cream sauce. baked fillets of whitefish cut a large cleaned whitefish into fillets, removing as much as possible of the bone. season with salt and pepper, dip into beaten egg, then in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and lastly [page ] in beaten egg. bake in a thickly buttered baking-dish, drain on brown paper, garnish with fried parsley, and serve with parsley sauce. baked whitefish À la bordeaux stuff a large whitefish with seasoned crumbs, put into a buttered baking-pan, rub with butter, dredge with seasoned flour, add one cupful of claret, and bake. take up the fish, strain the liquid, add a little more claret, thicken with flour, brown in butter, season with red pepper, and serve separately. stuffed whitefish make a stuffing of bread-crumbs, seasoning with salt, pepper, sweet herbs, and melted butter. add a beaten egg to bind, stuff the fish, and sew up. bake slowly, basting with melted butter and water, and serve with tartar sauce. stuffed whitefish with oyster sauce make a stuffing of two cupfuls of bread-crumbs, half a cupful of chopped salt pork fried crisp, a chopped hard-boiled egg, half a cupful of vinegar, and salt, pepper, butter, sage, and mustard to season. stuff the fish, tie in mosquito netting, and steam until [page ] done. pour over a cream sauce to which cooked oysters and a little lemon-juice and minced parsley have been added. whitefish À la crÈme--i cook the fish until done in boiling salted water, drain, and remove the large bones. cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, grated onion, minced parsley, and grated nutmeg, take from the fire and add half a cupful of butter. add also the white of an egg well-beaten. put the fish on a serving-dish, spread the sauce over it and brown in the oven. whitefish À la crÈme--ii clean a whitefish and simmer until done in salted, boiling water. drain, remove the large bones. put into a buttered baking-pan, sprinkle with chopped onion and minced parsley, seasoning with grated nutmeg, salt, and pepper. cover with cream sauce to which three tablespoonfuls of butter have been added, and put into a hot oven for ten or fifteen minutes. [page ] whitefish au gratin--i boil a whitefish in salted water and flake fine with a fork. bring to the boil two cupfuls of milk and thicken it with a tablespoonful of corn-starch rubbed smooth in a little cold water. take from the fire, add salt and pepper to season, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and two eggs well-beaten. butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of fish, cover with sauce, season with grated nutmeg, and repeat until the dish is full. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. whitefish au gratin--ii skin and bone the fish, cut into small squares, and season with salt and pepper. brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter, and add gradually two cupfuls of stock or milk. cook until thick, stirring constantly, seasoning with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, minced parsley, grated onion, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of the fish, cover with sauce, and repeat until the dish is full. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. whitefish À la maÎtre d'hÔtel clean, split, and bone a large whitefish, dip in seasoned oil, broil, [page ] and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. whitefish À la point shirley clean, split, and bone the fish, and put into a buttered baking-pan, skin-side down. season with salt, red pepper, and lemon-juice, add enough boiling water to keep from burning, and bake. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. planked whitefish--i butter a fish-plank and tack a large cleaned and split whitefish on it, skin side down. rub with butter, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the oven or under a gas flame. put a border of mashed potato mixed with the beaten white of egg around the fish, using a pastry tube and forcing bag. put into the oven for a few minutes to brown the potato, and serve with a garnish of lemon and parsley. planked whitefish--ii clean and split a large whitefish, remove the bone, and tack on a buttered fish-plank, skin-side down. season with salt, pepper, butter, and lemon-juice, and bake in the oven. [page ] creamed whitefish À la madison steam a large whitefish until tender, take out the bones, and flake fine. cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, add two cupfuls of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with parsley, thyme, grated onion, salt, and pepper, take from the fire, add two eggs well-beaten, and three tablespoonfuls of butter. put in a buttered baking-dish a layer of fish, then a layer of sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. brown in the oven. jellied whitefish boil two pounds of whitefish in salted and acidulated water, with four bay-leaves, a tablespoonful of pepper-corns, and half a dozen cloves. take out the fish, strain the liquid, and reduce by rapid boiling to a quantity barely sufficient to cover the fish. add the juice of a lemon and two ounces of dissolved gelatine. flake the fish with a fork, removing all skin, fat, and bone, mix with the liquid, pour into a fish mould, wet with cold water, and put on ice until firm. serve with mayonnaise or tartar sauce. whitefish croquettes one cupful of cold boiled fish flaked fine. [page ] add to it half a cupful of mashed potatoes, half a cupful of bread-crumbs, half a cupful of cream, the beaten yolks of two eggs, and salt and pepper to season. shape into croquettes, dip into the beaten white of eggs, then into crumbs, and fry in deep fat. garnish with parsley and serve with any preferred sauce. whitefish with fine herbs put a large whitefish in a buttered baking-pan with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, minced parsley, chopped onions, and mushrooms to season. moisten with white wine and white stock, and bake, basting frequently. cover with velouté sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, bake brown, squeeze lemon-juice over, and serve. [page ] eight ways to cook whiting broiled whitings trim the fish and score on both sides, dip in oil, broil, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. boiled whitings clean and trim the fish, boil in salted water, drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. fried whitings trim and skin the fish, skewer in a circle, dip into beaten eggs, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry in fat to cover. serve with any preferred sauce. fillets of whiting À la maÎtre d'hÔtel sauté the prepared fillets in fresh butter, seasoning with pepper and salt. drain, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. fillets of whiting À la marÉchale parboil the prepared fillets, drain, cool, spread with very thick [page ] cream sauce, dip in crumbs, then in beaten eggs, then in crumbs, and fry in fat to cover. serve with any preferred sauce. fillets of whiting À l'orly fillet the whitings and remove the skin from each. marinate for two hours in oil and vinegar with pepper, salt, thyme, bay-leaf, parsley, and shallot to season. drain, dip in flour, and fry in deep fat. fillets of whiting À la royale prepare according to directions given in the recipe for fillets of whiting à l'orly, dipping in batter before frying. whiting with fine herbs clean and skin the fish well and fasten them with their tails in their mouths. put on a buttered baking-dish, season with salt, pepper, and powdered sweet herbs, pour over a little melted butter, cover, and bake. allow one fish for each person and serve in the dish in which they are baked. [page ] one hundred miscellaneous recipes baked fish prepare a cream sauce, seasoning with grated onion, minced parsley, and powdered mace. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. put a layer of cold cooked flaked and seasoned fish into a buttered baking-dish, spread with the sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. this may be baked in individual dishes if desired. fish balls prepare a fish stock from the skin, bones, and trimmings of fish, seasoning with bay-leaf, onion, mace, cloves, and garlic. boil slowly for an hour in water to coyer. chop the raw fish with a few blanched almonds and a little garlic. season with salt, pepper, and mace, and shape into small balls. strain the stock, bring it to the boil, drop the balls in, and simmer slowly for twenty minutes. skim out the balls and put on ice. beat six eggs thoroughly with a [page ] little cold water and add them gradually to the boiling stock. cook in a double-boiler until smooth and thick. take from the fire, add the juice of two lemons, and a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. pour the sauce over the balls, sprinkle with capers and minced parsley, and serve very cold. cold boiled fish clean and skin a large fish and put on a piece of buttered paper in the bottom of a fish-pan. add a sliced onion, two beans of garlic, and enough salted water to cover. simmer until done. take it up and squeeze over it the juice of a lemon. boil two eggs hard, chop the whites fine and sift the yolks. cut cold boiled beets in fancy shapes. put a row of the chopped whites of eggs down the middle of the fish, on each side of that a row of the yolks, and next to the yolks a row of the beets. pour over a french dressing, garnish with lettuce leaves, and serve. fish À la brunswick cook any large fish in salted water, adding one cupful of vinegar, and sliced onions, celery root, and parsley to season. for the sauce mix the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs with the yolks of two [page ] raw eggs, add a teaspoonful of prepared mustard, and a little salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon-juice, chopped parsley, onion, capers, shallots, and chopped pickle. mix to a smooth paste with oil, add the finely chopped whites of the eggs, spread over the drained fish, and serve. fish aux bouillabaisse heat a tablespoonful of sweet oil, cut a small piece of onion into bits, and let brown in the oil, add a cupful of strained tomatoes, a tiny bit of garlic, a bay-leaf, a little thyme, a lemon-peel, a dash of tabasco, a little tomato catsup, salt, pepper, parsley, and white wine; let this boil for half an hour, then add the fish and boil for twenty minutes. serve on buttered toast with the sauce poured over. garnish with parsley. bouillabaisse--i cut into pieces and remove the bones from three pounds of fish, add six shrimps or one lobster or two crabs, cooked, and cut into large pieces, add one-half pint of olive-oil; fry lightly, and add one lemon and two tomatoes, one onion, and one carrot, all sliced, one pinch of saffron,--as much as lies on a ten cent piece,--a bay-leaf, and some parsley. a bean of garlic is used, unless the [page ] casserole is rubbed with it before cooking. stir for ten minutes, add one cupful of stock and one wineglassful of white wine or cider. cook for fifteen minutes longer, pour out into a bowl, place slices of toast in the casserole, and cover with the fish and vegetables, allowing the sauce sufficient time to soak into the toast, and adding salt and pepper to taste. bouillabaisse--ii put into a saucepan about four pounds of different varieties of fish, including one lobster. the fish should be cleaned and cut into small square pieces; the lobster should be cut in sections, leaving the shell on. add a bunch of parsley, three sliced tomatoes, one large whole clove of garlic, chopped fine, three bay-leaves, half a dozen cloves, one teaspoonful of saffron, three sliced onions, one cupful of olive-oil, salt and pepper to season, and enough water to cover. bring to the boil, and simmer for thirty minutes. line a soup tureen with thin slices of toasted bread, pour the contents of the sauce over it, and serve in soup plates, with both forks and spoons. this is a genuine french recipe. canapes of fish toast small squares of bread and make a [page ] border of stiffly beaten white of egg around each one, using a pastry bag and tube. bake in a quick oven until light brown. fill the centre with creamed fish and serve very hot. fish cakes--i season hot mashed potatoes with salt, pepper, and butter, and add one beaten egg to each two cupfuls of potatoes. add an equal amount of cold cooked flaked fish and enough cream or drawn-butter sauce to make a smooth mixture. shape into small flat cakes, dredge with seasoned flour, and sauté in bacon fat. serve with a garnish of fried bacon. fish cakes--ii chop the cooked fish and season with grated onion, sweet herbs, powdered mace, and salt and pepper. add half as much bread-crumbs as fish, mix with the unbeaten white of egg and a little melted butter, shape into small flat cakes, dredge with flour, and fry in butter. fish chops mix cold cooked flaked fish with a little very thick cream sauce, and season with lemon-juice and minced parsley. shape into chops, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. stick a small piece of [page ] macaroni in the small end of each chop to represent the bone. serve with tartar sauce. chartreuse of fish--i butter a small mould and put in alternate layers of seasoned mashed potatoes, cold cooked flaked fish, seasoned, and sliced hard-boiled eggs. pour over enough cream to moisten, cover with potatoes and steam for twenty minutes. turn out on a hot platter, garnish with parsley, and serve with any preferred sauce. chartreuse of fish--ii mix one cupful of stale bread-crumbs with two cupfuls of cold cooked flaked fish and two eggs well-beaten. season to taste, adding a little worcestershire sauce. put into a buttered mould, steam for thirty minutes, and serve with any preferred sauce. fish chowder skin three or four pounds of fresh fish and cut into convenient pieces for serving. cut a quarter of a pound of fat salt pork into dice, and fry crisp. skim out the dice and fry two sliced onions brown in the fat. strain the fat into a deep kettle, cover with [page ] sliced raw potatoes, add the fish, salt and pepper to season, and enough boiling water or fish stock to cover. simmer slowly until the fish is almost done, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, half a dozen split boston crackers, four cupfuls of boiling milk, and the onion and pork dice. reheat and serve. coquilles of fish flake cold boiled fish and mix it with cream sauce. season with anchovy essence, salt and pepper, then fill buttered shells with the mixture, cover with fried crumbs, heat thoroughly in the oven, and serve. court bouillon fish slice the fish in pieces (red fish is best), season with salt and pepper, and boil until done. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan, when hot slice in one large onion and brown it, add one-half can of tomatoes, season with one teaspoonful of pepper, one-half teaspoonful of allspice, some finely chopped parsley, and one-half cupful of tomato catsup. just before it begins to boil add one wineglassful of good claret. cut some bread into small cubes, fry in butter to garnish the dish. place the fish in the centre of the platter, pour the gravy over and garnish with the bread cubes. [page ] fish À la crÈme--i reheat cold cooked fish, flaked, in a cream sauce. fish À la crÈme--ii butter a stoneware platter and put upon it cold cooked flaked fish mixed with cream sauce. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and surround with a border of mashed potato mixed with beaten egg, using a pastry bag and tube. sprinkle with cheese and bake in the oven. fish À la crÈme--iii scald one quart of milk in a double-boiler with a blade of mace, a bay-leaf, and a sprig of parsley. thicken with one tablespoonful each of corn-starch and butter rubbed together. take from the fire, add salt and pepper to season, and the beaten yolks of two eggs. put a layer of fish in a buttered baking-dish, then a layer of sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. creamed fish mix cold cooked flaked fish with cream sauce and season to taste. peel large cucumbers, cut in two lengthwise, boil until tender in [page ] salted water, scoop out the pulp, and fill with the hot fish. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. creamed fish with oysters reheat cold cooked flaked fish with an equal quantity of oysters in cream sauce. simmer until the edges of the oysters curl. creamed fish on toast mix cold cooked flaked fish with cream sauce, season with lemon-juice, pour over hot buttered toast, and serve. fish À la crÈole chop an onion and a clove of garlic and fry in lard. add three tablespoonfuls of flour, cook until brown, and add one can of strained tomatoes. have the fish cut into convenient pieces for serving, dredge with seasoned flour, and sauté in butter until brown. pour the sauce over, simmer until done, and serve. fish croquettes--i mix cold cooked flaked fish with one-third the quantity of mashed potatoes and add enough drawn-butter sauce to make a smooth paste, season with salt, pepper, and worcestershire, cool, shape into [page ] croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. fish croquettes--ii prepare a very thick cream sauce and mix it with twice as much cold cooked fish flaked fine. season to taste and cool. add bread-crumbs or an egg, or both, if the mixture is not stiff enough. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with any preferred sauce. curried fish--i fry two chopped onions in butter and add a tablespoonful of flour mixed with a teaspoonful of curry powder. add two cupfuls of water or stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. reheat in this sauce cold cooked flaked fish; take from the fire, season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, and serve in a border of boiled rice. curried fish--ii season cold cooked flaked fish with grated onion and lemon-juice and reheat in curry sauce. curried fish--iii fry two chopped onions in butter and add enough flour to make a smooth paste. add enough stock to make the required quantity of [page ] sauce, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season highly with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, cayenne, curry powder, and a little sugar. reheat cold boiled fish in this sauce and serve with boiled rice. curried fish--iv fry a chopped onion in butter, and add enough curry powder to season highly. add a cupful of stock or milk, and cold cooked fish cut into small slices. simmer for ten minutes, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. curried fish in ramekins reheat cold cooked flaked fish in curry sauce, fill buttered individual dishes, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, and brown in the oven. fish cutlets mix cold cooked flaked fish with very thick cream sauce and season to taste. shape into cutlets, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. devilled fish--i make a paste with a teaspoonful of dry [page ] mustard, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and cayenne. fill small buttered shells with cold cooked flaked fish, spread with the paste, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. devilled fish--ii mix cold cooked flaked fish with cream sauce and chopped hard-boiled eggs, seasoning with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and made mustard. fill small shells--clam shells are usually used--and cool. brush the tops with beaten egg, sprinkle with crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tartar sauce. devilled fish--iii mix together one tablespoonful each of mustard, lemon-juice, and hot water, add a teaspoonful of worcestershire, and salt and paprika to season. broil the fish until it begins to brown, spread with the mixture, dip in crumbs, and finish broiling. serve with tartar sauce. escalloped fish--i reheat equal quantities of cold cooked flaked fish and cold cooked maraconi cut small in equal parts of tomato sauce and [page ] oyster liquor. season with salt and pepper, grated onion, paprika, and minced parsley. if desired, this mixture may be put into a buttered baking-dish, covered with crumbs, dotted with butter, and browned in the oven. escalloped fish--ii fill a buttered baking-dish half full of cold cooked flaked fish seasoned to taste. cover with cream sauce, seasoned with grated onion, chopped celery, minced parsley, and clove. cover with mashed potato, beaten light with the stiffly beaten white of egg, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. cream may be used instead of the cream sauce. escalloped fish--iii mix cold baked flaked fish with the remnants of the stuffing. arrange in a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of seasoned cracker crumbs, having crumbs on top. pour over enough cream to moisten, and bake brown. escalloped fish--iv into a well-buttered baking-dish put a layer of cold baked fish flaked. add a layer of the stuffing, if any, sprinkle with [page ] crumbs, dot with butter, and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. pour over enough cream or cream sauce to moisten, and bake until well browned. escalloped fish au gratin add one egg well-beaten to three cupfuls of seasoned mashed potato. make a border of the potato around a stoneware platter. put a layer of béchamel sauce on the bottom of the platter, then a layer of cold cooked flaked fish, cover with sauce, sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve in the same dish. escalloped fish in shells allow one cupful of cream sauce to each cupful of cold cooked flaked fish, seasoning with salt, pepper, grated onion, and lemon-juice. add chopped hard-boiled eggs if desired, or the yolk of one egg beaten smooth with a little hot cream. fill buttered shells with the mixture, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. sprinkle also with minced parsley or grated parmesan cheese, or sweet green pepper. filled fish clean a fish thoroughly and take the flesh [page ] carefully from the skin. do not injure the skin. take out the bones, chop the meat fine, and mix with an equal quantity of bread-crumbs. season with grated onion, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. add half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of blanched and pounded almonds, three whole eggs, and the yolks of two more. fill the skin, preserving the natural shape of the fish, and sew up. simmer in court bouillon until done, drain, and stick the body of the fish full of blanched almonds shredded. strain the liquid in which the fish was cooked, thicken with butter and flour cooked together, season with lemon-juice, pour around the fish, and serve. fish fritters mix any cold cooked flaked fish with an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, seasoning with grated onion. make into a paste with beaten egg, shape into balls, dredge with flour, and fry in deep fat. dip in egg and crumbs before frying if desired. fish in green peppers prepare creamed fish according to directions previously given. cut a slice from the pointed ends of green peppers, and remove the seeds carefully. stuff with the fish mixture, sprinkle with crumbs, [page ] and lay a bit of butter on top of each one. put into a baking-pan with a little hot water and bake carefully, basting as required. fish hash cut salt pork into dice, fry crisp, and skim out the pork. mix together equal parts of cold cooked flaked fish and cooked potatoes, cut small. season to taste and cook slowly in the pork fat until brown. arrange the dice around the platter as a garnish. jellied fish salad mix cold flaked fish, which has been cooked in court bouillon, with mayonnaise. add sufficient soaked and dissolved gelatine to make the mixture very hard. one package of gelatine will solidify one quart of the mixture. pour into a mould wet in cold water and put on the ice to harden. turn out and serve with a garnish of hard-boiled eggs and lettuce. kedjeree--i prepare a cream sauce, take from the fire, season to taste, and add two eggs well-beaten. add cold cooked flaked fish and boiled rice in equal parts, seasoning the rice with salt, pepper, cayenne, [page ] mace, and melted butter. reheat and serve. kedjeree--ii moisten cold flaked fish with one egg beaten with two tablespoonfuls of milk and a tablespoonful of melted butter. heat thoroughly in a double-boiler, season to taste, and serve with rice which has been cooked for ten minutes in stock. crÉole kedjeree--i cook together for five minutes one cupful of cold cooked flaked fish, one cupful of cold boiled rice, one hard-boiled egg chopped fine, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt, red pepper, and curry powder to season. serve on buttered toast. crÉole kedjeree--ii prepare according to directions given above, adding chopped onion and garlic, and a little lemon-juice to the seasoning. fish loaf line a buttered baking-dish with mashed potato that has been well seasoned with pepper and salt, and made light with well-beaten eggs. fill the centre with creamed fish, seasoned to taste, cover [page ] with more mashed potato, rub with butter, and bake until the top is nicely browned. serve in the same dish. fish with lemon sauce put to boil in a wide porcelain-lined kettle sufficient water to cook the fish. add one-half cupful of vinegar, and one-half cupful of wine. add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and when melted, put in the slices of fish, which have already been seasoned. boil until the fish is tender. in the meantime, beat the yolks of four eggs until light with half a cupful of sugar, and the juice of two lemons. remove one cupful of fish stock from the kettle with the fish. let boil until thoroughly mixed, shaking the pan to prevent curdling. put on a serving-dish, and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. baked fish with lemon sauce bake the fish in a pan with water and butter, taking care to add water when all in the pan has been absorbed. when the fish is done, drain off all the gravy which is in the pan, and put on the stove to boil with one cupful of white wine. beat the yolks of four eggs with one-half cupful of sugar, stir a little wine in, add the juice of two lemons, put back on the stove to thicken, and just before [page ] serving, pour the sauce over the fish. half the quantity of sauce can be used for a small family. cream lemon fish boil the sliced fish until tender, in enough water to cover, to which a lump of butter, half a cupful of vinegar, and salt and pepper have been added. beat the yolks of two eggs and two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and add the juice of one lemon. take the fish out of the water, and put on the platter in which it is to be served. thicken the gravy with flour that has first been dissolved in a little water. when thick, pour two cupfuls of the gravy over the eggs and lemon, stirring all the time. when cold, add one-half cupful of cream whipped stiff, and pour over the fish. masked fish cover the bottom of an earthen baking-dish with sliced onion, add a thick layer of sliced raw potatoes, seasoning with salt and red pepper. cover with a layer of fish, add a layer of sliced tomatoes, cover with raw potato, and fill the bowl with stock or water in which one-half cupful of butter has been melted. bake for two hours in a slow oven. [page ] stewed fish À la marseilles cook three pounds of fish with a crab in equal parts of hot water and cider, seasoning with minced garlic, parsley, and thyme, a bay-leaf, and a clove. cook for half an hour and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little cold water, and salt, pepper, and lemon-juice to season. add a green pepper chopped fine, and two pods of okra. simmer for fifteen minutes and serve in the dish in which it is cooked. fish en matelote--i cut any firm-fleshed fish into strips and season with salt and pepper. parboil two sliced onions, drain, season, add a cupful of hot water and half a cupful of sherry. add the fish and simmer until done. thicken with butter cooked in flour, and serve. fish en matelote--ii cut three or four kinds of fish into convenient pieces for serving, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. cover with water and claret in equal parts, and add parsley, thyme, and bay-leaves to season. simmer until done. take the fish up carefully and strain the [page ] cooking liquor. fry a dozen or more small white onions brown in butter. add two tablespoonfuls of flour and the liquid drained from the fish. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and add boiling water or stock, if too thick. when the onions are done, take from the fire, season with lemon-juice, add a few cooked mushrooms, pour over the fish, and serve. matelote of fish À la normandy fry brown in butter with sliced onions two pounds of fresh sliced fish, using several kinds. add two tablespoonfuls of flour, half a dozen sliced mushrooms, salt, pepper, and lemon-juice to season, a pinch of sweet herbs, and claret and stock in equal parts to cover. simmer for half an hour and serve in a casserole. fish mousselines mince enough uncooked white fish to make two cups, add one cupful of soft bread-crumbs and one-half cupful of cream. press through a colander, season with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, a suspicion of mace, and worcestershire sauce. fold in carefully the beaten whites of four eggs. turn into buttered moulds (round bottomed ones) and steam one-half hour. turn out on separate plates, surround [page ] with the sauce, and drop tiny balls of boiled potato in the sauce. for sauce, make a stock of the fish bones and add to it two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour cooked together. there should be one and one-half cupfuls of stock. add one-half cupful of cream; and, when boiling, salt, pepper, and one tablespoonful of grated horse-radish soaked in lemon-juice. mould of fish line a buttered mould with seasoned mashed potato and fill the centre with alternate layers of creamed fish and sliced hard-boiled eggs. cover with the potato and steam or bake. turn out and serve with any preferred sauce. fish patties--i mix cold cooked flaked fish with cream sauce and put into buttered patty-shells with alternate layers of crumbs. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. fish patties--ii reheat cold cooked flaked fish in béchamel sauce, adding a few cooked mushrooms. fill patty-shells and brown in the oven. [page ] fish and oyster pie butter a baking-dish and put in a layer of cold cooked fish, seasoning with pepper and salt. sprinkle with bread-crumbs, add a layer of oysters, and season with nutmeg and minced parsley. repeat until the dish is full. cover with crumbs and dot with butter, or with a rich biscuit dough, and bake. if the biscuit crust is used, rub with butter, and bake until brown. fish pie soak one cupful of stale bread-crumbs in milk, add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, salt, pepper, minced parsley, and thyme to season, and beat until smooth. skin and bone two medium-sized fish, using bass, cod, flounder, or mackerel. scrape and pound half of the flesh and add it to the bread paste. cut the rest of the fish into slices, season it, and arrange in layers in a deep baking-dish, spreading each layer with the paste and seasoning. cover with thin slices of bacon and pour over one cupful of stock. cover the pie with pastry, leaving a hole in the middle for the steam to escape. cover with buttered paper and bake for three hours in a slow oven. take off the paper, brown the crust, and pour into the hole half a cupful of stock to which a tablespoonful of sherry or white wine [page ] has been added. serve cold. normandy fish pie fill a baking-dish with any kind of fish, freed from skin, fat, and bone, and cut into small pieces. season with minced parsley, grated nutmeg, salt, cayenne, black pepper, and mushroom catsup. moisten with white wine and brandy in equal parts, cover, bake, and serve very hot. fish piquant boil the fish whole in water seasoned well with onion, celery, salt, red pepper, and a tiny bit of garlic. when tender, drain, and put on a platter. mix a lump of butter the size of an egg with three tablespoonfuls of flour, then add the juice of one or two lemons (according to size). stir into this three cupfuls of the water in which the fish was boiled, put back on the stove, and stir until thickened. remove from the fire, pour over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, add some cut up pickles and olives, pour over the fish, and garnish with parsley or celery tops. pickled fish--i cut any kind of fish into pieces, dredge with flour, and fry. cover with hot vinegar, adding a sprig of mint, and a pod of pepper. let [page ] cool in the liquid, drain, and serve very cold. pickled fish--ii cut any firm-fleshed fish into small pieces, dredge with seasoned flour, and fry brown in butter. cover with boiling water to which half a cupful of vinegar has been added. add a chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, and a teaspoonful each of ground mace, cloves, and allspice. simmer for an hour and serve very hot. potted fish--i pound cold cooked flaked fish to a paste, seasoning highly with salt, mustard, red and black pepper. add melted butter to moisten, pack closely in small stone jars or cups and steam for half an hour. cover with melted butter and keep in a cool place until ready to use. potted fish--ii cut the fish into convenient pieces for serving. for every six pounds of fish allow one-fourth cupful each of salt, black pepper, and stick cinnamon, one-eighth cupful of allspice and one teaspoonful of clove. put a layer of the fish in the bottom of an earthen pot, [page ] dredge with flour, sprinkle with spices, dot with butter, and continue until the dish is full. fill the jar with equal parts of vinegar and water, cover tightly, and bake for five hours in a slow oven. serve cold. potted fish--iii clean, skin, split, bone, and cut in small pieces three shad or half a dozen small mackerel. pack in layers in a small stone jar, sprinkling each layer with salt, cayenne, and whole spices. cover with vinegar, close the jar tightly, and bake for five or six hours in a slow oven. let stand for two or three days before using. all the small bones will be dissolved. rÉchauffÉ of fish--i take two cupfuls of cold cooked flaked fish and put into the chafing dish with two tablespoonfuls of butter, one cupful of crumbs, salt and pepper to season, and one egg beaten smooth with half a cupful of cream. simmer for five or six minutes. rÉchauffÉ of fish--ii reheat one cupful of cooked flaked fish and one cupful of cooked macaroni in butter. season with salt, pepper, and tabasco sauce, and [page ] add one cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes. heat thoroughly and serve. rÉchauffÉ of fish--iii prepare a cream sauce, using for liquid equal parts of cream and fish stock. add cold cooked flaked fish which has been seasoned with salt, pepper, oil, and lemon-juice. reheat, season with anchovy paste and minced parsley, and serve. rÉchauffÉ of fish--iv allow one cupful of egg sauce and four cupfuls of mashed potato to each two cupfuls of cold cooked flaked fish. put a layer of potato in a baking-dish, lay the fish upon it, add the sauce, cover with potato, spread with melted butter, and brown in the oven. rÉchauffÉ of fish--v brown a tablespoonful of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, cayenne, ginger, and mace. reheat cold cooked flaked fish in the sauce. rÉchauffÉ of fish--vi reheat one and one-half cupfuls of stewed [page ] and strained tomatoes, seasoning with salt and pepper. warm cold cooked flaked fish in the sauce, take from the fire, add the yolk of an egg beaten with a little cold water, and serve. the fish may be put on a serving-dish and the sauce poured over it if desired. fish À la reine--i mix one pound of cold cooked flaked fish with cream sauce, seasoning with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. add three chopped mushrooms and the yolk of one egg well-beaten and reheat, but do not boil. serve in paper cases or shells. fish À la reine--ii reheat cold cooked flaked fish in a cream sauce, seasoning with pepper, salt, and minced parsley. add a cupful of chopped cooked mushrooms, and when very hot, take from the fire and stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. serve in patty-shells or individual dishes. fish rissoles--i flake cold cooked fish, add one-third the quantity of grated bread-crumbs, season with salt, pepper, grated onion, and melted butter, and add enough well-beaten yolk of egg to make a smooth [page ] paste. cut pie-paste into three-inch squares. place a teaspoonful of the minced fish in each square and cover with the paste. wet the edges to make sure they adhere. dip the rissoles in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. fish rissoles--ii season a cupful of cold cooked flaked fish with salt, pepper, and melted butter. soak a french roll soft in half a cupful of milk, add the fish, and beat until smooth. season with a little grated onion and mix with two eggs well-beaten. bake in small buttered cups, turn out, and serve with any preferred sauce. fish salad cut a large fish into slices and boil the trimmings in water to cover with a chopped onion, a little butter, and pepper and salt to season. boil for fifteen minutes, strain, and simmer the sliced fish in it until done. take up the fish carefully and squeeze the juice of three lemons into the liquid. season with cayenne, take from the fire and add the yolks of six eggs and the whites of three beaten with a little cold water. reheat but do not boil; pour over the fish and let cool. serve very cold. [page ] fish salad À la tyrolienne add one cupful of cooked shrimps, cut into dice, to two cupfuls of cold cooked flaked fish. mix with four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of capers, a pinch of celery seed, and a little pepper. add one green pepper freed from seeds and shredded. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves with a garnish of hard-boiled eggs. stewed fish--i cover the trimmings of a large fish with cold water, boil for half an hour, and strain. add two fried onions and cover the fish with the liquid. add the juice of half a lemon and one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour cooked to a smooth paste. simmer until the fish is done, season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and mushroom catsup, add one quart of parboiled oysters, and serve. stewed fish--ii boil three sliced onions in water to cover until tender, and drain. season the onions with salt, pepper, cloves, mace, and allspice. cover with thick slices of fish. add white wine or claret and water in equal parts to cover, and bring to the boil. simmer until [page ] the fish is done, and thicken the liquid with butter and flour cooked together. stewed or sharp fish put in a fish-kettle on the stove one tablespoonful of fresh butter, when melted add half an onion cut fine, a tiny piece of garlic, cut fine; let brown, then add a tablespoonful of flour, lightly browned, and enough water to cook the fish. to this liquor add some cut up celery or celery seed, some finely chopped parsley, two cloves, one bay-leaf, a tiny pinch of mace, a small pinch of cayenne pepper, some black pepper, a little ginger, and one tablespoonful of fresh butter. when this mixture begins to boil, add the fish, which has been cut up, and salted. cook until done. remove the fish to a platter, and add to the liquor one cupful of sweet milk, stirring constantly; boil for one minute, then pour over the beaten yolks of two eggs, stirring all the time. slice a lemon over the fish, then pour the liquor over. serve hot or cold. sweet sour fish first cut up and salt the fish. shad or trout is best. put in a fish-kettle with one and one-half cupfuls of water and one cupful of vinegar, add one onion cut in slices, one dozen raisins, one [page ] lemon cut in slices, two bay-leaves, and six cloves. when this mixture begins to boil, put in the fish and cook thoroughly. when done, remove the fish to a platter. put the liquor back on the stove, add three tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar (which has been melted and browned in a frying pan), then add two tablespoonfuls of flour which has been rubbed smooth with a little water. let boil well and pour over the fish. if not sweet enough, add more sugar. serve cold. sweet sour fish with wine put to boil in a fish-kettle one cupful of water, one-half cupful of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, six cloves, one-half teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and one onion cut in slices. boil thoroughly, then strain and add to it one lemon cut in slices, one wineglassful of red wine, one dozen raisins, and one tablespoonful of pounded almonds. return to the fire, and when it comes to a boil, add the fish, cut up and salted. cook until done, remove the fish to a platter, and to the liquor add a small piece of leb-kuchen or ginger cake, and stir in the well-beaten yolks of four eggs; stir carefully or it will curdle. if not sweet enough, add more sugar. [page ] pour over the fish. shad or trout is the best fish to use. spiced fish--i cook together for ten minutes one cupful of vinegar, one tablespoonful of sugar, and six each of whole allspice, cloves, and peppercorns. strain over two cupfuls of cold cooked flaked fish, and serve very cold. spiced fish--ii cool five pounds of sliced fish in salted water, drain, cool, and skin. boil together a quart of vinegar, two blades of mace, a small onion sliced, a small red pepper, two tablespoonfuls of grated horse-radish, six cloves, a bay-leaf, a tablespoonful of mustard seed, and half a cupful of water. put the fish into an earthen jar, pour over the hot spiced vinegar and let stand in a cold place for two days before using. fish timbales pound in a mortar one pound of fresh raw fish and press through a purée sieve. to every cupful of fish pulp add a tablespoonful of bread-crumbs soaked until soft in cream. add also the beaten yolk of one egg, and salt, pepper, grated onion, and nutmeg to [page ] season. beat thoroughly, and for every cupful of pulp, fold in the whites of two eggs beaten stiff. fill a well-buttered mould three-quarters full, set it into a pan of warm water, cover with buttered paper, and bake for twenty minutes. do not let the water boil. turn out on a platter and serve with any preferred sauce. fish timbale--i run through a meat-chopper twice half a pound of white fleshed fish. add one cupful of soft bread-crumbs which have been boiled to a smooth paste in a little milk. cool, add to the fish, press through a sieve, add six tablespoonfuls of cream, and salt and pepper to season. fold in carefully the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs. butter a small timbale mould, fill with the mixture, and put in a baking-pan half full of boiling water. cover with buttered paper, bake for twenty minutes, and serve with cream sauce. fish timbale--ii chop cold cooked fish fine and mix to a smooth paste with bread-crumbs soaked in milk. season with melted butter and grated onion and moisten with the beaten yolks of eggs. bake in buttered individual moulds, turn out, and serve with a sauce made of one cupful of stewed [page ] and strained tomatoes mixed with a wineglassful of sherry and half a cupful of cream, and thickened with the beaten yolks of two eggs. add a few shrimps and cooked oysters to the sauce, pour around the timbales, and serve. fish timbales--iii chop fine one cupful of raw fish and rub it through a sieve. season with salt, pepper, and grated onion, and add a dozen blanched almonds, chopped fine. fold in one cupful of whipped cream and the whites of four eggs beaten very stiff. fill small buttered moulds, set into a pan of hot water, and bake carefully. fish timbale--iv add one cupful of cold cooked flaked fish to one cupful of very thick cream sauce and season with salt, cayenne, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs, well-beaten, and cool. fold in the whites of three eggs beaten stiff, fill buttered individual moulds two-thirds full, set into a pan of hot water, and bake for fifteen or twenty minutes. serve with any preferred sauce. [page ] turban of fish--i prepare a cream sauce, seasoning with grated onion, powdered mace, minced parsley, and lemon-juice. add the yolks of two eggs. put a layer of cold cooked flaked fish in a buttered baking-dish, season with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, spread with the sauce, and repeat until the dish is full. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and brown in the oven. turban of fish--ii cut thin slices of fish into narrow strips, remove the skin, dip in seasoned oil, and roll up, fastening with wooden toothpicks. dip in seasoned flour or in beaten egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with any preferred sauce. if preferred do not roll the fish, but fry the strips straight. fish turbot reheat any kind of cold cooked fish in a cream sauce, adding the beaten yolk of an egg to the sauce. put into a buttered baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese if desired, and bake brown, or put the fish and the sauce in the baking-pan in separate layers. [page ] fish toast mix cold cooked flaked fish with cream sauce, seasoning with salt, pepper, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. add the yolks of two eggs, beaten with a little milk, and heat thoroughly, but do not boil. spread on very hot buttered toast. fish À la vinaigrette flake cold cooked fish and arrange on a platter with a border of lettuce leaves. pour over it a french dressing to which chopped olives, capers, and pickles have been added. [page ] back talk the author, though at present unable to contemplate calmly even a pair of fish-net curtains, is willing to admit that there are more ways of cooking fish than appear here. the blank pages appended are for additional recipes. o.g. [page ] index anchovies, ten ways to serve, _ff_, anchovy butter sauce, bass, in season, ; forty-five ways to cook, _ff_. (see also sea-bass and striped bass.) à la bordelaise, à la buena vista, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , ; with white wine, ; with shrimp sauce, boiled, ; sea, with egg sauce, ; with parsley sauce, ; with mushrooms, ; black, with cream sauce, breaded, with bacon, broiled, ; black, cold, with tartar sauce, fillet of, breaded, fried, with bacon, ; black, ; with tartar sauce, matelote of, stewed, with tomatoes, stuffed, ; à la newport, ; à la manhattan, ; with tomatoes, ; à la babette, ; fillets, ; à la montmorency, ; sea, blackfish, in season, ; eight ways to cook, _ff_. à l'américaine, baked, no. i, ; no. ii, broiled, with chili sauce, matelote of, stewed, à la newport, with fine herbs, with port wine sauce, bluefish, in season, ; twenty-six ways to cook, _ff_. à la icarienne, à la venetienne, baked, no. i, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, ; no. iv, ; no. v, ; no. vi, ; à la italienne, ; à la naples, boiled, broiled, ; no. ii, ; à la beurre noir, ; with mustard sauce, ; escalloped, fillets of, à la duxelles, ; with anchovy sauce, fried, fried fillets of, matelote of, pan-broiled, steamed, stuffed, no. i, ; no. ii, bouillons, court, eleven varieties of, - butter-fish, in season, ; five ways to cook, _ff_. boiled, fried, no. i, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, with fine herbs, carp, in season, ; twenty-two ways to cook, _ff_. à l'allemande, à la bordelaise, à la bourguinotte, à la coblentz, à la française, à la italienne, à la lyons, à la périgueux, à la provençale, baked, nos. i, ii, ; à la marinière, boiled, broiled, fried, no. i, no. ii, no. iii, in matelote, pickled, steamed, stewed, no. i, ; no. ii, catching of unshelled fish, _ff_. catfish, in season, ; six ways to cook, _f_. boiled, fried, no. i, no. ii, no. iii, stewed, codfish, in season, ; sixty-seven ways to cook, _ff_. à la beauregard, à la béchamel, à la bonne femme, à la creole, no. i, no. ii, à la flamande, à la seville, au gratin, baked, no. i, no. ii, no. iii, , ; salt, ; à la montreal, ; à la nantucket, ; with cheese sauce, ; quick, ; rock, with dressing, ; à la bedford, ; with cream, balls, boiled, no. i, no. ii, ; salted, with egg sauce, , ; with oyster sauce, ; with cream sauce, ; à la hollandaise, ; with caper sauce, ; no. ii, ; creamed, boiled tongue of, with egg sauce, broiled salt, , creamed and baked, , devilled, escalloped, with macaroni, ; with cheese, fricasséed salt, fillets of, ; fried, fried, ; à la maître d'hôtel, fried tongue of, fritters, matelote of, pie, puffs, salt, à la brandade, ; with brown butter, soufflé, steak, ; broiled with bacon, ; no. ii, ; breaded, ; fried, ; a la narragansett, stewed, à la lincoln, ; à la shrewsbury, ; with oysters, , tongue of, à la poulette, ; à la beurre noir, with macaroni, court bouillons, eleven varieties of, - eels, in season, ; forty-five ways to cook, _ff_. à la indienne, à la london, à la lyonnaise, à la normandy, à la poulette, à la reine, à la tartar, à la villeroy, baked, ; with tartar sauce, boiled, broiled, no. i, no. ii, , ; with sour sauce, collared, creamed, english pie, fricassée of, , fried, no. i, no. ii, no. iii, no. iv, ; in batter, green, matelote of, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; à la parisienne, ; à la genoise, ; à la bordelaise, pickled, stewed, with cucumbers, ; no. i, ; nos. ii, iii, iv, , ; à l'anglaise ; à l'américaine, ; à la poulette, ; à la canotière, ; à la genevoise, stuffed, à la italienne, finnan-haddie, fifteen ways to cook, _ff_. à la delmonico, baked, nos. i, ii, boiled, nos. i, ii, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , creamed, escalloped, hash, savory, toasted, with tomatoes, fish, unshelled, the catching of, _ff_; in season, fish sauces, one hundred varieties of, _ff_. flounder, in season, ; thirty-two ways to cook, _ff_. à la française, à la janin, à la provençale, au gratin, baked, ; à la italienne, ; à la bonvallet, ; à la parisienne, ; à la st. malo, ; fillets of, in wine, , breaded turban of, ; with anchovies, ; with oysters, broiled, fillets of, au gratin, ; à la lyons, ; à la normandy, ; with green peas, ; stuffed, nos. i, ii, ; steamed, ; rolled, ; broiled, fricassée of, fried, ; fillets of, pie à la normandy, with fine herbs, with wine sauce, frog legs, twenty-seven ways to cook, _ff_. à la creole, à la hollandaise, à la poulette, nos. i, ii, à la provençale, au beurre noir, baked, broiled, fricassée of, nos. i, ii, iii, ; brown, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, , ; southern, ; à l'anglaise, ; à la française, patties, sauté, southern fried, stewed, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , haddock, in season, ; twenty ways to cook, _ff_. à la crème, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; fillets of, ; with sauce, ; with oyster stuffing, boiled, with white sauce, ; with egg sauce, ; with lobster sauce, broiled, nos. i, ii, à la maître d'hôtel, ; smoked, cutlets, fillets of, à la royale, fried fillets of, nos. i, ii, ; smoked, rarebit, stewed, with oysters, halibut, in season, ; eighty ways to cook, _ff_. à la conant, à la creole, nos. i, ii, iii, à la maître d'hôtel, à la majestic, à la poulette, à la rare bit, au gratin, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, ; with lobster sauce, ; with tomato sauce, ; with cream, ; fillets au gratin, ; steaks with oysters, ; chicken, ; steaks, nos. i, ii, iii, boiled, ; steaks au gratin, ; steaks, nos. i, ii, ; à la béchamel, ; with parsley sauce, breaded, ; steaks of, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, , ; à la boston, carbonade of, coquilles of, creamed, devilled, nos. i, ii, , escalloped, ; au parmesan, fillets of, à la poulette, ; cold, ; with tomato sauce, ; with oysters, ; with brown sauce, ; with potato balls, fish balls of, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, with tomato sauce, fried fillets of, nos. i, ii, , in cucumbers, in ramekins, loaf, mayonnaise of, with cucumber, moulded, with green peas, mousselines, pie, pudding, salad, sandwiches of, steak à la jardinière, nos. i, ii, à la flamande, steamed, timbale, , turbans of, turkish, with anchovy sauce, with caper sauce, with eggs, with lobster à la hollandaise, herring, in season, ; twenty-five ways to cook, _ff_. à la normandy, baked smoked, ; fresh, balls, boiled, broiled, ; with mustard sauce, ; smoked, ; with cream sauce, escalloped, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, grilled smoked, ; fresh, marinade of, matelote of, pickled, relish, salad, ; à la brenoise, ; swedish, ; smoked, smoked, à la marine, stewed, kingfish, in season, ; nine ways to cook, _ff_. à la meunière, baked, ; with white sauce, boiled, ; à la hollandaise, broiled, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, , mackerel, in season, ; sixty-five ways to cook, _ff_. à la bretonne, ; salt, à la havraise, à la tyrol, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , , ; fillet of, , ; with cream, ; fresh, with fine herbs, ; spanish, ; with oyster stuffing, ; salt, ; salt, with cream sauce, boiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , ; with gooseberry sauce, ; à la persiallde, ; fresh, ; à la bolonaise, ; salt, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, , , broiled spanish, nos. i, ii, ; fresh, nos. i, ii, iii, ; with anchovy butter, ; au beurre noir, ; à la livournaise, ; with normandy sauce, ; à la fleurette, ; salt, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; with cream, ; with tarragon sauce, en papillotes, fillets of, à la horly, ; à la indienne, , fried, ; salt, german pickled, potted, scotch pie, spanish à la castillane, ; à la espagnole, ; à la nassau, ; à la vénitienne, ; salad, stuffed, with anchovy sauce, toasted salt, with white wine sauce, miscellaneous recipes, one hundred, _ff_. mullet, in season, ; five ways to cook, _f_. à la maître d'hôtel, baked, broiled, ; with melted butter, fried, perch, in season, ; fifteen ways to cook, _ff_. à l'allemande, à la française, à la maître d'hôtel, à la normandy, à la sicily, à la stanley, baked, boiled, ; with oyster sauce, broiled, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, salad, stewed, à la batelière, pickerel, in season, ; ten ways to cook, _ff_. à la babette, baked, nos. i, ii, ; with oyster sauce, ; with egg sauce, broiled, à la maître d'hôtel, fried, nos. i, ii, ; with tomato sauce, ; à la crème, stuffed, pike, in season, ; twenty ways to cook, _ff_. à l'allemande, à la française, à la normandy, baked, nos. i, ii, , ; à la française, ; stuffed, ; in sour cream, boiled, with melted butter, ; with caper sauce, ; with horseradish sauce, ; with egg sauce, ; à la duboise, crimped à la hollandaise, fried, nos. i, ii, ; à la hollandaise, pickled, roasted, salad, pompano, in season, ; ten ways to cook, _ff_. à la cardinal, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, ; à la maître d'hôtel, fillets of, ; à la duchesse, ; au gratin, fried, nos. i, ii, recipes, one hundred miscellaneous, _ff_. red snapper, in season, ; thirteen ways to cook, _ff_. à la babette, à la beaufort, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; with tomato sauce, ; à la creole, boiled, nos. i, ii, fried, steamed, stuffed, ; a la creole, salmon, in season, ; one hundred and thirty ways to cook, _ff_. à l'amiral, à l'allemande, à la bordeaux, à la candace, à la chambord, à la espagnole, à la genoise, à la italienne, à la lyons, à la marseilles, à la maryland, à la naples, à la provençale, à la provence, à la supreme, à la waldorf, à la windsor, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; with cream sauce, ; in paper, ; steaks, ; cutlets, banked, boiled, nos. i, ii, , ; with egg sauce, ; with green sauce, ; steaks, nos. i, ii, iii, ; à la piquant, ; à la waldorf, box, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, ; in paper, ; steaks, nos. i, ii, iii, ; à la ravigote, broiled kippered, ; salt, broiled smoked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, , ; à la maître d'hôtel, chartreuse of, chops, coquilles of, creamed, ; on toast, , ; baked, croquettes, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, , , ; swedish, curried, ; nos. i, ii, iii, cutlets, in papillotes, , , ; with caper sauce, ; with parsley sauce, ; with oyster sauce, devilled, en casserole, en papillotes, escalloped, nos. i, ii, fillets of, en papillotes, ; à la horly, , fricassee of, , fried, nos. i, ii, iii, ; steaks, ; cutlets, , ; with milanaise sauce, fried kippered, in green peppers, jellied, ; no. ii, loaf, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , , mayonnaise of, ; with cucumbers, moulded, mousse, ; à la martinot, on toast, patties, , pie, pickled, nos. i, ii, iii, pickled salt, pressed, pudding, salt, in papillotes, smoked, soufflé, spiced, steaks, à la flamande, ; with claret sauce, ; à la marinière, stuffed, timbales, turbot, nos. i, ii, with cucumber, with eggs, with oyster sauce, salmon-trout, in season, ; fourteen ways to cook, _ff_. à la genoise, à la hollandaise, à la maître d'hôtel, à la richelieu, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, boiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , fried, cutlets, pickled, with shrimp sauce, sardines, twenty ways to cook, _ff_. à la cambridge, à la maître d'hôtel, à la piedmont, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, ; on toast, canapes, curried, nos. i, ii, devilled, fried, in crusts, in egg cups, ; à la bearnaise, rarebit, salad of, stuffed, sauces, one hundred varieties of, _ff_. admiral, albert, à la gasconne, allemande, no. i, ; no. ii, anchovy butter, ; anchovy no. i, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, aurora, avignonnaise, bearnaise, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, ; quick, béchamel, bombay, bordelaise, ; white, brown, ; no. ii, ; butter, butter, caper, ; no. ii, claret, colbert, cream, cucumber, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, curry, drawn-butter, dutch, duxelles, ; no. ii, egg, ; no. ii, espagnole, fine herb, ; no. ii, flemish, garlic, geneva, gooseberry, hessian, hollandaise, ; no. ii, horseradish, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, italian, ; brown, japanese, jersey, lemon, ; no. ii, ; with parsley, livournaise, lobster, ; no. ii, maître d'hôtel, mayonnaise, milanaise, mushroom, niçoise, nonpareil, normandy, olive, oyster, ; no. ii, parsley, ; no. ii, ; with lemon, persillade, piquant, ; no. ii, poor man's, portuguese, ravigote, ; cold, remoulade, royale, sardine, shad-roe, shrimp, sicilian, spanish, supreme, tartar, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, tomato, ; no. ii, ; no. iii, ; brown, veloute, venitienne, ; no. ii, vinaigrette, whipped cream, white, sea-bass, à la buena vista, à la française, à la poulette, boiled, with egg sauce, ; with parsley sauce, ; with melted butter sauce, broiled, fried, with tartar sauce, matelote of, stuffed, with black butter, shad, in season, ; ninety-five ways to cook, _ff_. baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, x, - ; in milk, ; à la virginia, ; à la carolina, ; with fine herbs, ; stuffed with oysters, boiled, ; with egg sauce, ; roe, ; with hollandaise sauce, ; cold, ; à la virginia, ; salt, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, , ; salt, creamed, cutlets, fried, nos. i, ii, ; boned, in court-bouillon, panned, pickled, nos. i, ii, planked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , roasted, stewed, stuffed, nos. i, ii, iii, , toasted, vert-pré, shad-roe, various ways to cook, _ff_. à la baltimore, à la brooke, à la maître d'hôtel, à la maryland, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, - ; with bacon, ; in tomato sauce, ; with cream sauce, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, , ; with bacon, croquettes, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, - en brochette, escalloped, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, , fried, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, , kromeskies, panned, sauté, with bass, with brown butter sauce, with brown sauce, with eggs, with mushrooms, ; creamed, with oysters, sheepshead, in season, ; sixteen ways to cook, _ff_. à la bahama, à la birmingham, à la caroline, à la creole, à la hollandaise, à l'indienne, à la louisianne, à la majestic, à la mobile, boiled, ; with oyster sauce, broiled, fried fillets of, with caper sauce, with drawn butter, with parsley sauce, skate, in season, ; nine ways to cook, _ff_. à l'italienne, à la royale, baked, boiled, ; with black butter, ; with caper sauce, ; with oyster sauce, fried, with fine herbs, smelts, in season, ; thirty-five ways to cook, _ff_. à la boulanger, à la davis, à la dresden, à la toulouse, au beurre noir, au gratin, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, ; à la duxelles, ; à la manton, boiled, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, , ; à la bearnaise, ; with onion sauce, croquettes, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, , ; à l'anglaise, ; au beurre noir, ; à la parisienne, ; with salt pork, in matelote, stewed, stuffed, nos. i, ii, iii, ; à l'italienne, ; au gratin, with fine herbs, with mayonnaise, sole, in season, ; fifty-five ways to cook, _ff_. baked fillets of, nos. i, ii, ; with wine sauce, boiled, broiled, nos. i, ii, chaudfroid of, fillets of, in white wine, ; à la percy, ; à la bordeaux, ; à la crème, ; à la française, ; à l'italienne, ; à la joinville, ; à la maréchale, ; à la provence, ; à la trouville, ; with anchovies, ; à la venetienne, nos. i, ii, , ; in cases, ; with fine herbs, ; with mushrooms, ; with oysters, ; with ravigote sauce, ; in turbans, ; with wine, ; rolled, ; stuffed, fried, nos. i, ii, ; fillets of, nos. i, ii, ; à la horly, ; à l'anglaise, ; à la colbert, nos. i, ii, ; with shrimp sauce, striped bass, with shad-roe, à l'américaine, à l'aurore, à la cardinal, à la colbert, à la commodore, à la conti, à la dauphine, à la dieppoise, à la maître d'hôtel, à la marseilles, à la normandy, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, - ; fillets of, au gratin, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, fillets of, à la bordelaise, ; à la manhattan, fritters of, stewed, with oyster sauce, with caper sauce, with fine herbs, sturgeon, in season, ; twenty-five ways to cook, _ff_. à la cardinal, à la française, à la normandy, à la russe, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, iv, boiled, nos. i, ii, ; steaks, nos. i, ii, iii, , fried, nos. i, ii, iii, , grilled, panned, pickled, roasted, steak, nos. i, ii, stewed, nos. i, ii, trout, in season, ; fifty ways to cook, _ff_. à l'aurore, à la cambaceres, à la chambord, à la chevalière, à la gasconne, à la geneva, à la hussar, à l'italienne, à la provence, à la royale, à la vénitienne, au beurre noir, au gratin, nos. i, ii, , baked, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; brook, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; with white wine, nos. i, ii, ; à la chambord, ; with mushroom sauce, ; with polish sauce, ; in papers, boiled, nos. i, ii, ; brook, , broiled, nos. i, ii, ; à la maître d'hôtel, ; brook, ; with bacon, en papillotes, escalloped, fillets of, à l'aurore, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; brook, ; fillets of trout, nos. i, ii, ; with mushroom sauce, in cases, , steamed, stuffed, tenderloin of, with fine herbs, with remoulade sauce, with shrimp sauce, turbot, in season, ; fifteen ways to cook, _ff_. à la béchamel, à la crème, nos. i, ii, à la hollandaise, au beurre noir, au gratin, nos. i, ii, , baked, boiled, broiled, ; à la provence, fillets of, à l'indienne, ; à la maréchale, ; à la ravigote, ; with cream, weakfish, in season, ; five ways to cook, _ff_. baked, nos. i, ii, fillets of, in cases, ; à l'orly, ; à la havraise, fried, turbans of, whitebait, in season, ; four ways to cook, _ff_. devilled, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, whitefish, in season, ; twenty-five ways to cook, _ff_. à la crème, nos. i, ii, à la maître d'hôtel, à la point shirley, au gratin, nos. i, ii, baked, nos. i, ii, iii, , ; fillets of, ; à la bordeaux, boiled, ; à la mackinac, broiled, nos. i, ii, iii, creamed, à la madison, croquettes, fried, nos. i, ii, iii, , jellied, planked, nos. i, ii, stuffed, ; with oyster sauce, with fine herbs, whiting, eight ways to cook, _ff_. boiled, broiled, fillets of, à la maître d'hôtel, ; à la maréchale, ; à l'orly, ; à la royale, fried, with fine herbs, transcriber's notes: to show the original charm of this book, it was transcribed exactly as printed. all spelling errors were retained. the reader, if interested, may check this against the original images which were included in the html edition of this text. these retained errors include such things as "lawyer" for "layer," "maringue" for "meringue," varied spellings of "ramekin," and the contributors names. stevenson memorial cook book [illustration] published by sarah hackett stevenson memorial lodging house association endorsed by the chicago association commerce subscriptions investigating committee prairie avenue chicago index page appetizers beverages bread cakes candies cheese dishes cookies desserts egg dishes fillings and icings fish household hints meats and fowl pickles pies preserves frozen dishes puddings salads sandwiches sauces shell fish soups time required vegetables weights and measures * * * * * copyright, by sarah hackett stevenson memorial lodging house association dedicated --to-- sarah hackett stevenson whose life was devoted to service for humanity compiled by mrs. william d. hurlbut assisted by the executive committee mrs. herbert d. sheldon mrs. carl s. junge mrs. a. donald campbell mrs. sarah a. graham mrs. a. c. allen mrs. george k. spoor mrs. wm. s. tasker mrs. wm. irving clock mrs. edward d. gotchy trustees hon. wm. b. mckinley, m. c. hon. henry horner judge of probate court (ex-officio) mrs. w. h. winslow president chicago woman's club (ex-officio) mrs. george watkins mrs. george s. blakeslee mrs. thomas d. mcmicken mrs. edward l. phelps mrs. hermann vander ploeg mrs. a. c. allen mrs. herbert d. sheldon foreword during the year on the streets of chicago were hundreds of women who had been thrown out of employment. the genuine helplessness and hopelessness of these women appealed strongly to the generous heart of a wonderful woman, dr. sarah hackett stevenson, one time president of the chicago woman's club. she went before this club and stated that there was no place in this great city where a woman without funds could find shelter--a woman who would work if given an opportunity. she demanded in the name of humanity that this, her club, do something at once to relieve the situation. her plea had its effect, and money was subscribed for beginning work. other clubs responded to the call for help and contributed both furnishings and funds. and what was called the woman's model lodging house was opened to the public. no questions were asked of those who came for shelter--the past was not the thing to be dealt with--only the present and future. a charge of cents a night was made, and if they were without money work was given them and they were paid for it--they, in turn, paying for their lodging. it was the principle of the organization that the actual handling of this money helped to preserve self-respect and that they might not feel themselves objects of charity. this principle has held through the years and no woman or child is turned from the door as long as there is a place to rest. hon. william b. mckinley of champaign, ill., gave as a memorial to dr. stevenson the present home at prairie avenue, which will accommodate sixty women and about fifty children. the organization has become one of the strongest in the city--a delegated body of eighty-two members who represent women's organizations of cook county. for the last few years the work has grown and broadened, until almost every trouble and sorrow that can come to women and children is brought to this door. the woman who is on the downward path of years, when it is so hard to find employment, her little money gone, often weakened both mentally and physically from lack of nourishment and worry--she might be any one's mother--if not able to work for her lodging, is supplied from the loan fund. often she can return the small amount and she does not feel that she has received charity, but that the hand of a friend has grasped hers, and her faith in humanity is restored. the young girl who is alone and without money is safe from the cheap rooming houses of the city. the mother with her little family, who has been left, by desertion or death, without the father's protection comes to this home and remains until she can gather up the thread of existence once more. often she is saved from placing her children in institutions or giving them for adoption. an average of women and children are cared for in the lodging house each day. as time brought the need of better facilities for the care of the children, the generous friend of the institution, wm. b. mckinley, gave the building at prairie avenue for nursery purposes. here the children are cared for during the day, while the mother is seeking employment, or otherwise adjusting her affairs. a limited number of neighborhood children are also cared for. a trained nurse and kindergartner are employed. twenty-four hour feedings for bottle babies are furnished so that the little ones diet may not be disturbed. in this department children are given daily care. the mother has charge of her family at night. every effort is made by this organization to keep the mother and her children together. we believe that separation should be only after every other method has failed. a visit to the stevenson memorial will interest you and you are most welcome at all times. mrs. herbert d. sheldon, _president._ appetizers "_nor love thy life, nor hate, but while thou livest, live well._" cheese toast canape mrs. c. a. carscadin toast small squares or rounds of bread on one side; on the other side grate cheese and set in oven until cheese is melted; add paprika. cheese canapes mrs. e. s. smith cut bread in quarter-inch slices. spread lightly with french mustard. sprinkle with grated cheese and finely chopped olives. brown slightly in oven. sardine and egg canape mrs. c. a. carscadin toast small pieces of bread; cover with a paste made of sardines and a little lemon juice, and top with the yolks of hard boiled egg put through the ricer. sardine canape mrs. j. a. kaerwer two cans small sardines; one teaspoonful catsup; one teaspoonful lemon juice; a dash of tabasco sauce. place slice of bread on leaf of lettuce then lay two small sardines across with chopped eggs, and last add catsup, lemon juice and tabasco sauce. sardine canape mrs. j. a. kaerwer two cans of sardines boned; two tablespoonfuls chopped pickled beets; mix thoroughly and spread on slices of bread; sprinkle chopped eggs over same and serve. sardine canape mrs. a. d. campbell mash sardines with silver fork, after removing tails and loose skin. cover with juice of one-half lemon. spread on thin slices of bread, cut either round or oblong. cover with grated cheese and toast until cheese melts. serve hot. salmon and tomato canape mrs. c. a. carscadin on a small piece of toast put a paste of salmon, and on this a slice of ripe tomato with mayonnaise. lobster canape mrs. louis geyler chop one-half cup of lobster meat fine and mix thoroughly with the white of two hard boiled eggs which has been pressed through a ricer. season with salt, pepper, one teaspoonful mustard and moisten with thick mayonnaise. saute circular pieces of bread until brown, then spread with the mixture. sprinkle over the top a thin layer of hard boiled yolks and lobster pressed through the ricer. canapes mrs. louis geyler dip edges of toast in egg, then in finely minced parsley or chervil; spread with anchovy butter and garnish with cold boiled eggs, olives and capers; or on the same foundation use tartar sauce, boned anchovies curled around edge and garnish with a stuffed olive or gherkin fan; a gherkin fan is made by cutting it in thin slices, not quite through, and putting the ends together; or cover toast with tomato slices, curl anchovy in center and season with lemon, onion juice and paprika; or garnish with powdered egg yolk and diced whites; or spread toast with anchovy butter, cover with mayonnaise mixed with chili sauce. mushroom canape (hot) miss agnes sieber cook fresh mushrooms in butter, place on rounds of toast, spread with chervil or parsley butter; pipe a mound of beaten egg white, seasoned with salt and pepper, on each mushroom and place in hot oven until maringue is brown. prune and bacon canape (hot) miss agnes sieber remove stones from large prunes and olives; stuff olives with capers and bits of anchovy; put them in the prunes, wrap each prune with bacon and tie with a thread. place in hot oven until bacon is crisp, remove thread and place on disks of toast spread with parmesan butter. tongue canape mrs. f. a. sieber spread toast with mustard cream, garnish with tiny strips of tongue, put a lozenge of white meat of chicken in center, on this put a slice of truffle, both marinated in french dressing. canape a la vanderbilt mrs. paul klein-exel. slice of tomatoes on lettuce; combination of crabmeat, celery and pearl onions. serve with oil mayonnaise. tunnyfish canape mrs. f. a. sieber spread toast with horseradish butter, lay on strips of tunnyfish and garnish with slices of gherkin. tomato canape elizabeth jennings lightly toast circles of bread, cut out with biscuit cutter, one-half inch thick. cover each circle with a slice of tomato. sprinkle with salt and pepper. cover tomato with layer of caviar, garnishing edge with finely cut white of hard boiled egg. instead of caviar, the tiny white onions (bottled) or yolk of egg finely chopped may be substituted. serve on plate with fancy paper doily. anchovy paste canape mrs. paul klein-exel. slice of toast, cut shape of tomato; spread with anchovy paste; topped with tomato slice, and yellow american cheese, browned and melted in oven. toast only one side of bread. sardinola canape mrs. frederick t. hoyt cut rounds of fresh bread and toast lightly in oven. cover with sardinola paste, then sprinkle grated cheese over top, then brown slightly and serve while hot. chicken, ham or tongue canapes mrs. louis geyler spread toast with mustard butter, cover with minced chicken and garnish with olives, pickles, capers and pearl onions; or border edge of toast with minced tongue or ham, fill center with chicken mixed with mayonnaise and garnish with minced truffles. anchovies and tomatoes cover anchovies with lemon juice and paprika; in an hour or two place them on tomato slices sprinkled with pulverized egg yolk and garnish with the egg white cut in strips. artichoke fonds or celery cups parboil six artichokes, or celery hearts cut in cups, in salted acidulated water, cool and marinate in french dressing; fill cups with diced or shredded mixed vegetables and top with mayonnaise; or coat the cups with aspic and fill with caviar. canned artichokes which are already cooked may be used. cucumber crowns cut peeled cucumbers into inch lengths, scoop out centers, leaving a little at the bottom, fill with lobster or shrimp cream and garnish edge with anchovies, mixed olives, capers or pimentoes; or fill with caviar mixed with lemon juice and garnish with pearl onions and minced cress. shrimps and eggs cut hard boiled eggs in halves, remove yolks and fill with shredded shrimps mixed with mayonnaise; garnish with powdered yolks and serve on lettuce leaves. easter appetizer mrs. a. j. atwater hard boil as many eggs as you have services; peel and cut the whites to represent baskets, carefully scoop out the yolks and fill the baskets with caviar. toast rounds of bread, cover with the yolks which have been put through ricer, stand a basket in the center of each and serve with a thin slice of lemon. sweetbread canape mrs. louis geyler spread brown bread toast with creamed butter mixed with pate de foie gras; cover with cooked sweetbreads mixed with cucumber, pepper, gras and mayonnaise. garnish with sweet red peppers. canape mrs. w. d. hurlbut spread rounds of toast with liver sausage; garnish with yolks of hard boiled egg put through ricer; in the center place a spoonful of minced stuffed olives. sardine canape mrs. j. g. sherer spread rounds of toast with mayonnaise; cover with a slice of tomato; mince sardines with yolk of a hard boiled egg and finely chopped stuffed olives; cover the tomato with this mixture and place a spoonful of mayonnaise on top. crab flake canape mrs. j. g. sherer rounds of bread toasted on one side; spread untoasted side with a mixture of butter and parmesan cheese. to a small quantity of cream sauce, add one cup crab flakes and heat. put mounds of crab flakes on the buttered toast and put under blaze long enough to brown slightly. sausage and olive canape mrs. p. d. swigart toast rounds of bread on one side; spread the untoasted side with mayonnaise, and on this lay a slice of summer sausage as thin as it can be cut; top with minced olive and pimento in mayonnaise. olive and nut canape mrs. h. clay calhoun to one cup minced stuffed olives add one-half cup minced nut meats and one-half cup oil mayonnaise; mix well and spread on toasted bread cut in any shape you want. garnish with a little mound of mayonnaise sprinkled with paprika. fruit cocktail mrs. w. d. hurlbut shred some pineapple; add grape fruit pulp and seeded white grapes; cover with hot sugar and water syrup and let stand until cold; flavor with sherry and serve in cocktail glasses that have been chilled by filling with ice an hour before time to serve. fruit cocktail mrs. a. donald campbell scoop out rounds of watermelon and cantaloupe, thoroughly chilled; put in glasses, sprinkle with pulverized sugar and pour over each two tablespoonfuls ice cold ginger ale. garnish with cherry. strawberry cocktail mrs. h. w. keil select large ripe berries, and if very sandy, wash them. remove hulls and cut them in halves lengthwise; fill glasses with berries and pour over them a dressing made by mixing one cup of water and two tablespoonfuls sugar, let boil three minutes; cool and add one-half cup claret; let this dressing be ice cold when poured over the berries. serve. cherry cocktail mrs. j. g. sherer select the big california cherries; take out the stones and insert in their places walnut, almond or hazel nut meats. half fill the glasses with a cold syrup made of fruit juice and a little sugar. orange cocktail mrs. h. f. vehmeyer remove the skin from the orange sections, place in a chilled cocktail glass and pour over a syrup made of sweetened orange juice and a little sherry. decorate with sugar coated mint sprays. tomato cocktail mrs. magda west select uniform sized tomatoes; cut in halves lengthwise. in each glass place a small, crisp leaf of head lettuce; put one-half of a tomato on each and half fill the glass with cocktail sauce. shrimp cocktail mrs. a. m. cameron boil green shrimp until tender, about twenty-five minutes. peel and break in halves, if large; dice celery and olives with the shrimp, mix well and cover with a cocktail sauce. sardine cocktail mrs. w. d. hurlbut drain sardines from oil in box; remove skin, tail and bones; break into small pieces; mince celery and mix with it; put in cocktail glass and cover with sauce made of one-half cup catsup, juice of one lemon; tablespoonful horseradish and a little salt. crabmeat cocktail mrs. c. a. carscadin two tablespoonfuls crabmeat to each person. to one cup tomato catsup add juice of one lemon, two tablespoonfuls grated horseradish thinned with vinegar; a few drops of tabasco sauce and just before serving, a tablespoonful cracked ice. crab flake cocktail mrs. j. g. sherer to one cup of japanese crab flakes mince one stalk of celery, one teaspoonful capers and mix well. fill green pepper cases with the mixture and cover with two tablespoonfuls cocktail sauce. clam cocktail sauce three tablespoonfuls of tomato, or mushroom catsup; three tablespoonfuls lemon juice; one tablespoonful horseradish; a few drops tabasco; salt and paprika. stir well and allow about two tablespoonfuls of the sauce for each cocktail. cocktail sauce mix well four tablespoonfuls tomato catsup; one of vinegar; two of lemon juice; one of grated horseradish; one of worcestershire sauce; one teaspoonful salt and a few drops of tabasco. have very cold when poured over cocktails. cocktail sauce mrs. w. l. gregson one tablespoonful freshly grated horseradish; one tablespoonful vinegar; half a teaspoonful tabasco sauce; two tablespoonfuls lemon juice; one tablespoonful chili sauce; half a teaspoonful worcestershire sauce. mix and let stand on ice until ready to serve. cocktail sauce two tablespoonfuls each tomato catsup and sherry wine; one tablespoonful lemon juice; a few drops tabasco sauce; half a teaspoonful minced chives and a little salt. have thoroughly chilled before pouring over cocktail. cocktail sauce rub a bowl with a clove of garlic; two tablespoonfuls tomato catsup; one tablespoonful grated horseradish; one tablespoonful mushroom catsup; one teaspoonful lemon juice; one teaspoonful finely chopped chives; a few drops of tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. soups _all human history attests: that happiness for man--the hungry sinner-- since eve ate apples--much depends on dinner._ --byron. cream of asparagus mrs. k. t. cary cook one bunch of asparagus twenty minutes, drain and reserve tops; add two cups of stock and one slice of onion minced; boil thirty minutes. rub through sieve and thicken with two tablespoonfuls butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed together. add salt, pepper, two cups milk and the tips. cream of bean soup mrs. e. d. kenfield put one quart of milk to heat. while it is heating, put the cooked beans through colander. blend one tablespoonful butter with one of flour; pour over this the hot milk. season with salt and pepper, stir until smooth, and then add the beans. pea or asparagus soup can be made in the same way. cream of cabbage cut up one small head of cabbage and boil until quite tender. put it through a colander, add one quart of milk, salt and pepper and thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour rubbed together. cream of celery mrs. w. d. hurlbut cut four heads celery into small pieces and boil it in three pints of water with one-fourth pound of lean ham minced; simmer gently for an hour. strain through a sieve and return to the pan adding one quart of milk, salt and pepper; thicken with two tablespoonfuls of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed to a paste. serve with whipped cream on top. cream of corn mrs. a. donald campbell put one can of corn on to simmer with one pint of water and one small onion sliced; cook thirty minutes. strain, return to the pan, adding one quart of milk, salt and pepper and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour and butter. serve hot with a spoonful of whipped cream on top. cream of lima beans mrs. a. j. atwater if dried beans are used, soak them over night; in the morning drain and add three pints of cold water; cook until soft and run through a sieve. slice two onions and a carrot and cook in two tablespoonfuls of butter; remove vegetables, add two tablespoonfuls flour, salt and pepper, stirring until very smooth; add to this one cup of milk or cream and put into the strained soup; reheat and add two tablespoonfuls more of butter in small pieces. cream of mushroom soup mrs. j. h. harris one-half pound of mushrooms, cleaned and chopped fine, add to four cups of chicken broth, cook twenty minutes; thicken with two tablespoonfuls butter and two of flour blended with one cup of boiling water. when the boiling point is reached add one cup of cream and the well beaten yolks of two eggs. mushroom soup mrs. harry freeman one-half pound mushrooms, washed and peeled and chopped very fine; cover with one pint of water and boil one-half hour slowly; one quart milk scald in double boiler; season with one tablespoonful butter, salt and pepper; add mushrooms and let come to a boil. just before serving, add finely chopped parsley. thicken milk with one tablespoonful flour mixed with cold water and put through a strainer. cream of rice soup mrs. w. i. clock one cup rice; one large onion; one quart milk; one tablespoonful butter. boil rice in salted water until tender, press through sieve, and add milk slowly, stirring constantly until all is well mixed, lastly add butter and season to taste. cream of spinach wash and cook enough spinach to make a pint; chop it fine and put in a pan with two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful salt and a few gratings of nutmeg; cook and stir it about ten minutes; add three pints of soup stock, let it boil up and put it through a strainer. set it on the fire again and when at the boiling point remove and add one tablespoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of sugar. thicken with flour mixed with milk or water. cream of tomato cook one quart of tomatoes with one slice onion, two teaspoonfuls sugar and one-fourth teaspoonful soda about fifteen minutes; rub through a sieve and set to one side. scald one quart of milk and thicken with flour diluted with cold water; be careful that the mixture is free from lumps; cook from fifteen to twenty minutes; when ready to serve combine the mixtures, add bits of butter, salt and pepper and a spoonful of whipped cream on top. chowder mrs. c. a. carscadin one can of corn; one cupful of diced potatoes; one and one-half inch cube of fat salt pork; one tablespoonful onion juice; four cupfuls of scalded milk; two tablespoonfuls of butter; a teaspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of pepper. cut pork into small bits and fry until nicely browned; add onion juice and milk and potatoes, which have been boiled in salted water until tender; corn, salt and pepper. let all just come to the boiling point. put a few rolled crackers in each plate and pour in chowder. tomatoes may be added if liked. clam soup chop fine clams. put over the fire the liquor that was drained from them and a cup of water; add the chopped clams and boil half an hour; season to taste with salt, pepper and butter; boil up again and add one quart of milk, boiling hot, and two crackers which have been rolled fine. serve. mock chicken soup l. e. kennedy two tablespoonfuls flour; one and one-half pints beef stock; two tablespoonfuls cream; one egg; butter size of an egg. put butter and flour in a saucepan, stir until smooth; add stock little by little; just before taking from the fire add the cream and egg well beaten together. salt and pepper to taste. court bouillon mrs. robert woods take six nice slices of red fish, roll them in flour, season with salt and fry in hot lard, but not entirely done, simply brown on both sides, and set aside. for the sauce, fry in hot lard a large onion chopped fine and a spoonful of flour. when brown, stir in a wineglass of claret, large spoonfuls of garlic and parsley chopped fine, three bay leaves, a spray of thyme, a piece of strong red pepper and salt to taste. lastly, add your fried fish and cook slowly for an hour. serve with toast bread. tomato bouillon clara l. scott four cups tomato; four stalks celery; one small onion; four cups water; sugar, salt and pepper to taste; boil until celery is well done. strain and serve in cups with whipped cream. vegetable bouillon mrs. w. l. gregson two tablespoonfuls of sugar; one carrot; one onion; one pint tomatoes; three stalks celery (or salt spoon of celery seed); two whole cloves; one salt spoon pepper; one bay leaf; blade of mace; one teaspoonful salt; two quarts cold water; white of one egg; small piece of butter. burn sugar in kettle, add onion and brown; add carrot and celery, and then cold water and other ingredients except butter and egg. mix thoroughly, boil, strain through two thicknesses of cheese-cloth, add butter and serve. jellied tomato bouillon mrs. p. j. lanten put one quart of tomatoes in pan and simmer twenty minutes; add one-third package of gelatine and stir until dissolved. strain through a fine sieve, season with salt, pepper and put in ice box to harden. cut in cubes in bouillon cups and serve with thin slices of lemon. creole gumbo mrs. robert woods clean a nice young chicken, cut in pieces and fry in hot lard. add a large sliced onion, a spoonful of flour, two dozen boiled shrimps, two dozen oysters and a few pieces of ham. fry all together and when brown add a quart and a half of water, and let boil for an hour. season with chopped parsley, salt and strong pepper. just before removing and while boiling, stir in quickly a teaspoonful of the powdered file. take away and pour in tureen. serve hot with rice cooked dry. creole gumbo no. mrs. robert woods cut an old fat chicken into small pieces, chop small four onions, place the onions in five ounces of lard and let cook until well browned. then put in four spoonfuls of flour and let cook five minutes. put in half gallon good rich stock, add a can of tomatoes, can of okra, season with salt, pepper and cayenne. tie a small quantity of thyme, sweet bay leaves and parsley in a bit of cloth. then add twenty-four large shrimps, half dozen hard shell crabs and twenty-four oysters. let the whole cook for two hours on slow fire. serve with rice boiled dry for each person. brown soup mrs. joseph t. bowen after boiling a soup bone thoroughly, add a can of tomatoes; strain and put it on the stove again; brown flour enough to thicken it to the consistence of cream; add a lemon or two (sliced very thin and boiled a few minutes in water); one teaspoonful each of ground cloves; cinnamon and allspice. just before you wish to serve add the hard boiled yolk of an egg for each person; chop the whites and put in the tureen. split pea soup mrs. w. d. hurlbut wash well a pint of split peas and cover with cold water, adding one-third teaspoonful of soda; let them remain in this over night to swell. in the morning put them in a kettle with a close fitting top; pour over them three quarts of cold water, adding half a pound of lean ham or bacon cut into slices or pieces; also a teaspoonful salt, a little pepper and a stalk of celery cut fine. when the soup begins to boil, skim the froth from the surface. cook slowly from three to four hours, stirring occasionally until the peas are all dissolved. strain through a colander and leave out meat. it should be quite thick. if not rich enough, add a small piece of butter. serve with small squares of toasted bread cut up and added. potato soup anna moss peel and slice five medium sized potatoes, cook in boiling salted water; when soft put through a strainer. scald one quart of milk with one small onion sliced, remove onion and add milk slowly to potatoes. melt three tablespoonfuls butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, one teaspoonful salt, one-quarter spoonful celery salt and dash of white pepper and stir until thoroughly mixed, add to the boiling soup; cook one minute, strain and serve; sprinkle with chopped parsley. meat jelly l. e. kennedy two pounds of lean beef; one-half gallon cold water; six whole cloves; one-half box gelatin soaked in one-half cupful of water for fifteen minutes; six black pepper corns; one tablespoonful salt; two tablespoonfuls sherry; the juice of one lemon. cut the beef into the water, add peppercorns, cloves and salt and let simmer slowly four hours. add the gelatin and strain; to this add lemon juice and pour into a mold. when cold it will slice nicely. rice and tomato soup boil to a pulp, in a quart of water, twelve ripe tomatoes which have been peeled and cut up. strain, place on stove and add two tablespoonfuls butter rubbed into two tablespoonfuls of flour; add salt, pepper and sugar to taste, onion juice and minced parsley. cook ten minutes and stir in one cup of cooked rice. onion soup mrs. e. p. rowen slice and boil until tender eight medium sized onions; have a strong soup stock ready; add the onions and season to taste. in each plate place a piece of toast and grate parmesan cheese over it, then slowly add the soup the heat of which will melt the cheese. serve. oxtail soup mrs. h. j. keil one nice meaty oxtail; two medium sized carrots; two onions; one small turnip; two-thirds teaspoonful kitchen bouquet; one bay leaf; four peppercorns; two or three celery leaves; dash of pepper; salt to taste. wash and cover oxtail with water, add carrots cut in cubes. cut onion and turnip fine and put in a muslin bag with bay leaf, peppercorns and celery leaves. this will leave only the carrot and meat in soup for table. bring to a boil and simmer for about four hours. add pepper, salt and kitchen bouquet and serve. pea puree mrs. h. p. e. hafer boil one can of peas with a half a pound of salt pork until very soft. strain and squeeze through a colander. add one pint of soup stock and one-half pint of cream. salt and pepper to taste. serve with whipped cream. duchess soup one quart of milk; three slices of onion; one tablespoonful flour; one tablespoonful butter; three tablespoonfuls grated cheese; two egg yolks beaten; one teaspoonful kitchen bouquet. simmer onion in butter, but do not brown; add flour and milk and stir until smooth, then add the cheese and kitchen bouquet. just before taking up add the yolks of eggs. whip some cream and put one teaspoonful in each cup. satisfaction soup alice clock one cup navy beans; four slices bacon; one no. can of tomatoes; one small onion; one level tablespoonful salt; one-fourth tablespoonful black pepper. soak navy beans over night, in morning put beans on to boil with a pinch of soda in water. when they come to a boil, pour off this water, return to stove, cover with clear water, add onion and bacon, let boil until tender. when tender strain through sieve, being sure to press all through, as far as possible. next add the strained tomatoes and seasoning and lastly, thin with cream or milk to consistency desired. scotch broth mrs. c. a. bowman cut mutton into small pieces and let it stew all day. boil one-fourth pint pearl barley in a little water until tender; strain it dry, chop fine two large onions and turnips and put with the barley and meat into a stew pan. strain the broth into it, also the water from the barley and let it boil one and a half hours and skim. season with salt and pepper. fish "_the fish called the flounder, perhaps you may know, has one side for use and another for show; one side for the public, a delicate brown, and one that is white, which he always keeps down._" --holmes. fish delight mrs. william blanchard mix enough uncooked white fish or halibut to make two cups; add half a cup soft bread crumbs; three-fourths cup cream. press through a colander, season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and a little worcestershire sauce. fold in carefully beaten whites of the two eggs. turn into buttered molds and steam one hour. serve hot with hollandaise sauce. steamed halibut, lobster sauce mrs. w. r. mcghee butter a steamer and place a thick slice of halibut steak on it; put over hot water and cook until done. remove to hot platter and pour over it hot lobster sauce. lobster sauce: remove the meat from a fresh lobster, about one and one-half pounds; make a rich cream sauce, add the lobster and pour over halibut. baked halibut one thick slice of halibut; one small onion; one tablespoonful butter; one saltspoonful pepper; one teaspoonful kitchen bouquet; one level teaspoonful salt; one-half cup water. chop the onion and put in bottom of baking pan. put halibut on top and dust with salt and pepper. pour over the water to which has been added the kitchen bouquet, and then add the melted butter. bake in rather quick oven until nicely browned. garnish with parsley and slices of lemon and pour over sauce left in pan. fish souffle mrs. w. i. clock one cup baked fish; four eggs; one cup bread crumbs; one heaping tablespoonful butter. mix flaked fish and fresh bread or crumbs, place in greased baking dish, pour over the beaten eggs and milk; the seasoning should be added to the fish and bread crumbs before placing in dish. add the butter in small pieces over the top of the dish, before placing in oven. bake in hot oven thirty minutes. fish with tomato sauce mrs. robert woods bake a well selected fish in oven after seasoning with pepper and salt. when done serve with sauce made as follows: pour a quantity of sweet oil in a saucepan. when hot, add two sliced onions and when they are cooked, add flour and let onions brown in same. strain a can of tomatoes and add thereto a small glass of good wine, and a box of mushrooms chopped fine. let sauce cook, after adding a boquet of thyme, sweet bay, cloves, green onions and garlic. use red pepper only; and pour over baked fish and serve. codfish balls mrs. c. a. jennings one and one-half cupfuls of raw codfish picked up; three cupfuls of raw potatoes, diced; one egg; butter size of a walnut; boil potatoes and fish together until potatoes are soft. mash, and add pepper and a dash of salt, butter and unbeaten egg and beat until light and thoroughly mixed. shape roughly in a tablespoon and fry in smoking fat. cod fish balls belle shaw half pint measure of raw potatoes, cut in small pieces; one-half pint cod, picked to small pieces. boil together until potatoes are tender; pour off water and mash very fine; add one egg, one tablespoonful cream and dash pepper. form on a spoon and fry in hot lard. lay on brown paper to absorb grease. serve with cream sauce if desired. sauce: one tablespoonful butter; one tablespoonful flour; cook but do not brown. add to this a pint boiling milk, a pinch salt, and a few pieces of cod to flavor. codfish puff mrs. grant beebe two cups shredded codfish; one cup milk; one tablespoonful flour for thickening; three eggs. put milk on stove to warm, then add thickening, then codfish that has been soaked and drained, then the beaten yolks. lastly fold in the whites beaten. broiled finnan haddie mrs. w. d. hurlbut wash fish well; lay in dripping pan, cover with fresh water and allow to stand an hour. drain, place on fish plank, brush with melted butter and put under blaze, not too close, and broil for twenty minutes, or until a nice brown. take out plank, surround the edge with mashed potatoes, decorate with hard boiled eggs and sprigs of parsley. fried shad roe mrs. w. r. mcghee boil shad roe for fifteen minutes in acidulated salted water; remove, cover with cold water and let stand for a few minutes; dry thoroughly and roll in cracker crumbs, egg and again in crumbs and fry. garnish with lemon slices. stuffing for fish mrs. max mauermann one cup cracker crumbs; one saltspoon salt; one saltspoon pepper; one saltspoon chopped onions; one saltspoon parsley; one teaspoonful capers; one teaspoonful chopped pickles; small piece of butter. shad roe, baked--casserole mrs. louis geyler boil roe in salted water (acidulated) five minutes, drain, and cover with cold water five minutes; drain and wipe dry. brush with melted butter, dust with salt and pepper and paprika. put in casserole, pour on one-half cup stock and one-fourth cup best sherry or water and bake twenty minutes. add to sauce two or three yolks mixed with one cup cream and strain over roe. or pour over thin tomato sauce. frogs legs a la poulette mrs. w. d. hurlbut trim and clean the frogs legs; boil three minutes. cover with a sauce made as follows: three tablespoonfuls butter and three of flour rubbed together; add one-half cup of cream and one cup of chicken stock; season with salt and pepper and just before serving add the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, and one-half tablespoonful lemon juice. very nice served in a chafing dish. frogs legs, tartare sauce trim and wipe the desired number of frogs legs; sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in fine cracker crumbs, beaten egg and again in crumbs. fry three minutes in deep hot fat. drain and serve at once with tartare sauce. salmon en casserole mrs. george d. milligan one pint milk; three tablespoonfuls flour; stir until smooth; cook and remove from fire; add one-half cup butter. when cool add two well beaten eggs, pepper and salt and bake in casserole, putting a layer of sauce, then salmon and finish with bread crumbs on top. bake about thirty minutes. moulded salmon mrs. c. a. robinson one can of salmon; three eggs; one-half pint milk; chopped parsley, pepper and salt and a little worcestershire sauce. chop the salmon very fine, first picking away all skin and bone; beat the eggs, add the seasoning, mix thoroughly and steam two hours in a mould. salmon croquettes mrs. george longwell one pound of salmon; one cup cream; two tablespoonfuls butter; one tablespoonful flour; three eggs, seasoning. chop the salmon fine, make a cream sauce of the butter, flour and cream; add the salmon and seasoning; boil one minute; stir in one well beaten egg and remove from fire. when cold, make into croquettes; dip in cracker crumbs, then in beaten eggs, again in cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat. cold salmon loaf mrs. r. e. p. kline one pound can of salmon; one-half tablespoonful each of sugar and flour; one tablespoonful melted butter; one teaspoonful salt; one-half teaspoonful mustard; dash of cayenne; yolks of two eggs, beaten; three-fourths cup milk or cream; one-fourth cup vinegar. pick salmon over and put with other ingredients (after carefully blending them) into double boiler; cook until eggs are done; remove from fire and add three tablespoonfuls of gelatin, softened in cold water. mould, chill, and serve with cucumber sauce. sauce: one-half cup cream, beaten; season with salt, pepper and a little onion juice. add two tablespoonfuls vinegar and one cucumber chopped fine and drained as dry as possible. salmon en surprise mrs. t. d. mcmicken moisten one cup flaked salmon with butter sauce, pinch minced parsley; one hard boiled egg, chopped fine. line individual buttered molds with mashed potatoes. fill centers with fish, cover with potato. turn out carefully, roll in egg crumbs and fry brown. garnish with a slice of hard boiled egg on top of mold and parsley. smoked sturgeon and scrambled eggs mrs. w. d. hurlbut mince one-half pound smoked sturgeon; beat six eggs until light, add sturgeon; have butter heated in a skillet, add the mixture and scramble. serve with toast points. egg sauce for fish mrs. maxwell cook together a tablespoonful each of butter and flour; pour upon this a cupful of sweet milk and stir until thick and smooth. season with salt and white pepper, add one hard boiled egg chopped fine; and one raw egg beaten light. stir just long enough for the sauce to return to the boil and serve. shell fish "_i wiped away the weeds and foam, i fetched my sea-born treasures home._" oyster sausage mrs. w. l. gregson one-half pound of veal; one pint oysters; one-fourth pound of suet; all chopped fine. add enough rolled cracker to make into patties; dip in egg and fry in butter. oyster croquettes mrs. frank maccoy two sets of calf brains, stewed in salt water; one quart oysters, stew in their own liquor until they curl, cut in small pieces. chop brains and mix with oysters; two tablespoonfuls melted butter; a few drops onion juice; four tablespoonfuls bread crumbs; one-half cup cream. if too dry add a little of the oyster juice. bake in shells. deviled oysters one pint of oysters, seasoned with salt and pepper, stiffened with cracker dust to hold shape, place in oyster shells, pour over melted butter. put shells in a dripping pan and bake in a quick oven to a light brown. creamed oysters in chafing dish mrs. marquis regan put large tablespoonful of butter in chafing dish, when melted add two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, mix thoroughly, then add juice strained from one quart of oysters, cook until thickness of cream, constantly stirring, then add oysters, cook until edges curl, season to taste with salt and pepper, serve on toasted crackers. oysters scalloped with celery blanch ellis layton one quart of bulk oysters, one-half dozen stalks of celery, cut into one-half inch pieces. drain the oysters, reserving the liquor. cover bottom of baking dish with crumbs of bread or crackers, then a layer of the oysters, with a generous dash of salt and pepper and plenty of butter. over this put a lawyer of the celery, fill the dish in this way and pour over one cup of the oyster liquor. on top sprinkle a thick layer of the crumbs, adding butter in small pieces. bake one hour in a moderate oven. oyster pie line a shallow pudding pan with light pastry, put in oysters, milk, butter, salt and pepper, bake in a very quick oven minutes; one pint of oysters, one pint milk, one tablespoonful butter, salt and pepper to taste. roast oysters on the half shell mrs. w. d. hurlbut scrub the shells of live oysters until free from sand; place in dripping pan in a hot oven and roast until shells open; take off the top shell, being careful not to spill the juice in lower shell; serve in the shell with side dish of melted butter. panned oysters mrs. h. clay calhoun clean one pint of oysters and drain from their liquor. put in a stewpan and cook until oysters are plump and edges begin to curl. shake pan to prevent oysters from adhering to pan. season with salt, pepper and two tablespoonfuls butter and put over small slices of toast. garnish with parsley. oyster fricassee mrs. arthur m. lucius clean one pint of oysters, heat oyster liquor to boiling point, strain through double thickness of cheese-cloth; add oysters to liquor and cook until plump. remove oysters with skimmer and add enough cream to oysters to make one cupful. melt two tablespoonfuls butter and add two of flour; then pour on gradually the hot liquor; add salt, paprika, one teaspoonful finely minced parsley and one egg slightly beaten. pour over oysters and serve. broiled oysters mrs. w. d. hurlbut clean oysters and dry on a towel. dip in butter, then in cracker crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper; place in a buttered wire broiler and broil until juice runs; turn and cook other side. place on toast, mince celery over the oysters and pour over all a thin cream sauce. broiled oysters mrs. w. k. mitchell select large oysters; wrap a thin slice of bacon around each, fastening with a toothpick; place in a broiler, which in turn is put in a dripping pan to catch the drippings; broil until bacon is brown and crisp, turning to cook other side. garnish with parsley. oysters in brown sauce one pint oysters; one-fourth cup butter; one-fourth cup flour; one cupful oyster liquor; one-half cup milk; one teaspoonful kitchen bouquet; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-eighth teaspoonful pepper. parboil and drain the oysters. brown the butter, add the flour and stir until well blended, add oyster liquor, milk, kitchen bouquet, salt, pepper and oysters. serve in patty cases or ramekins. casserole of oysters miss agnes sieber line ramekins or large casserole with minced chicken, seasoned well, and moistened with a little cream. fill with parboiled oysters cut in pieces, and mushrooms sliced sauted in butter and mixed with the following sauce: cook three tablespoonfuls salt pork fat with three of flour, add salt, cayenne, nutmeg and parsley; also thyme and mushroom parings. cook a moment, add one and one-half cups white stock, and simmer one hour, skimming often. strain, add about one-half cup hot cream or enough to make sauce right consistency. add four drops lemon juice. cover with more chicken, sprinkle with buttered crumbs, and brown in oven. oysters and macaroni mrs. h. clay calhoun boil macaroni in salted water, drain through a colander. drain oysters until the liquor is all off. in a casserole put alternate layers of macaroni, oysters and a thick cream sauce, until dish is filled; sprinkle top with grated cheese and bake about half an hour. omelette aux huitres mrs. r. woods drain two dozen oysters. have ready some hot lard and throw them in. let fry until they begin to curl, then spread over them four well beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper and stir all together until done. serve hot. fried scallops clean one quart of scallops, turn into a saucepan and cook until they begin to shrivel; drain and dry between towels. roll in fine cracker crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper, dip in egg and again in crumbs and fry in deep fat. garnish with slices of lemon dipped in parsley. jambalaya of rice and shrimps mrs. robert woods boil two dozen of large shrimps; when cold, peel and set aside. fry in hot lard a chopped onion and a cupful of rice washed in cold water. let the onion and rice fry well, add the shrimps, stirring constantly. when browned, add enough water to cover the whole. season with salt and pepper, a bay leaf, thyme and chopped parsley. let boil slowly, and add water until the rice is well cooked. when done, let it dry and serve hot. shrimp fricassee mrs. ada woods boil the desired quantity of shrimp and set aside. for sauce fry in three tablespoonfuls bacon drippings a large onion, chopped fine; when browned, add three tablespoonfuls flour and blend; add slowly about a quart of water, stirring constantly; when smooth add the shrimp; season with a bay leaf, thyme, a tablespoonful chopped parsley and a clove of garlic, minced. let cook slowly until ready to serve. boil rice until dry and creamy and serve with the above. shrimp ramikins mrs. max mauermann one pint of shrimp; one tablespoonful flour; one tablespoonful butter; one tablespoonful catsup; one tablespoonful cream; one cup hot soup stock; two yolks eggs; salt, cayenne pepper and grated onion. heat butter, add flour, then other ingredients. cook until smooth, then add shrimp. fill the ramikins with mixture and cover with cracker crumbs and butter. bake six minutes. shrimp wiggle mrs. willard brown make a rich cream sauce; add one can of shrimp and one can of green peas; allow to cook until all is well heated, serve on toast. crab a la creole one can japanese crab meat; four tablespoonfuls shortening; two green peppers; one large onion; three tomatoes; one cupful milk; two tablespoonfuls flour; one teaspoonful kitchen bouquet, one teaspoonful salt, one-fourth teaspoonful pepper. make a white sauce by melting half the shortening, add flour and when well mixed slowly add milk; stir until creamy, add salt and pepper. in another saucepan melt the other half of shortening, when hot, fry onion and pepper, minced, for ten minutes. then add tomatoes, cut up, and when tender add kitchen bouquet and crab meat and stir slowly into the white sauce. when well mixed, pour over buttered toast and serve. lobster a la bouquet one good sized lobster; two ounces butter; one small onion; one can mushrooms; one pint boiling water; one teaspoonful kitchen bouquet; one teaspoonful salt; one saltspoonful pepper. put the butter and chopped onion in saucepan, cook until onion is brown, then add two tablespoonfuls flour and the water. when boiling add salt and pepper. strain and add mushrooms and kitchen bouquet. simmer for ten minutes then stand over hot water. cut lobster in good sized pieces, put into sauce, cover the pan closely, let stand ten minutes longer over hot water and serve. meats and fowl "_some hae meat and canna eat, and some wad eat that want it. but we hae meat and we can eat, and, so the lord be thank it._" beefsteak roll mrs. j. e. kelly use a large slice of round steak cut one-half inch thick. make a dressing by mixing together: one cupful grated breadcrumbs, two-thirds teaspoonful salt, one well-beaten egg, one tablespoonful melted butter, one small onion, grated, a few dashes of paprika and a half teaspoonful powdered sweet herbs. lay the steak on a board, sprinkle with salt and pepper, spread thickly with the dressing and roll up. wind with soft cord to hold in place. put three tablespoonfuls of pork fat in a frying pan and when very hot, dredge the roll with flour and brown it quickly on all sides. place meat in kettle that has a tight fitting cover. meanwhile, add to the fat in the pan two slices of minced onion, and one tablespoonful flour. stir until very smooth, pour in a cupful of stock (or hot water) and when the gravy boils, pour over the roll with a pint of strained tomato. season to taste with salt and pepper, cover the kettle closely and as soon as the contents boil, place where it will simmer for about two hours. when cooked, remove the strings, and serve on a heated platter, with the strained gravy poured over it. hamburger pot dinner mrs. antonio sterba with two pounds hamburger steak, mix well one cup raw rice (wash well); one medium sized onion, chopped; season and make into balls. line bottom of a pot with small pieces of suet; when this is melted, place meat balls in the pot, cover with water, and cook until rice is about done. add one can of tomatoes (quart can). a half hour before serving, peel enough medium-sized potatoes to circle the platter to be used. place these on top of tomatoes. when potatoes are done, arrange them around the outside rim of the platter with the meat balls in the center, and pour over the meat enough gravy for first serving. remainder of gravy may be used on table in a casserole or gravy dish. care must be used in measuring the rice--too much will cause the balls to fall to pieces. one advantage of this dish is that it may be prepared the day before, or the morning before serving, with the exception of the potatoes. calves' hearts stuffed and braised mrs. w. r. mcghee remove veins, arteries, and blood clots, wash, stuff and sew. sprinkle with salt, pepper, roll in flour and brown richly in hot dripping. place in dutch oven or in one of the small vessels in fireless cooker. half cover with boiling water, surround with six slices carrot, one stalk celery, broken in pieces, one onion sliced, two sprays parsley, a bit of bay leaf, three cloves and one-half teaspoonful peppercorns. cover closely and bake slowly two or more hours basting often if cooked in dutch oven. if necessary, add more water. remove hearts to serving platter, strain and thicken the liquor with flour diluted with water. season with salt, pepper and one-half teaspoonful kitchen bouquet. luncheon beef mrs. i. a. wilcox one cup or more of cold cooked beef chopped; one cup of bread crumbs; season with salt, pepper and butter. place in baking dish and cover with buttered bread crumbs. pour milk in dish until you can just see it. bake in oven till light brown on top. can use any kind of cold cooked beef, as steak, roast, or boiled beef. if you have a few cold mashed potatoes, put them through ricer on top of meat to form upper crust. dot with butter and let brown. pot roast mary s. vanzwoll round steak one and one-half inches thick. salt and pepper. pound a cup of flour in, on both sides. sear both sides in melted fat, and butter. put in baking dish and cover with water. cook in oven two and one-half hours. spanish steak mrs. w. h. hart one and one-half pounds round steak, ground; one and one-half pounds of pork steak, ground; one heaping cupful bread crumbs; one cupful canned or fresh tomatoes; two green peppers, minced; one-half cupful minced onion; one egg; two teaspoonfuls salt. mix all together and bake forty-five minutes in flat cake. braised beef mrs. i. s. blackwelder round steak about three inches thick (about two pounds); place in a hot skillet and turn so that it is seared on both sides, to prevent escape of juices. in a covered baking pan make a bed of chopped vegetables (potatoes, turnips, carrots, onions, etc.); season well. place upon it the beef with enough water to keep the mess steaming for four hours. cover tight. mother's beef loaf mrs. f. e. lyons three pounds round steak, ground; three eggs; two-thirds cup cracker crumbs; three teaspoonfuls ground sage; two teaspoonfuls salt; one teaspoonful pepper. mix together thoroughly and bake in a x -inch bread pan, from one to one and one-half hours. meat pie butter an earthen baking dish and line to the depth of one and one-half inches with hot mashed potatoes, season with finely chopped chives (one tablespoonful to two cups mashed potatoes). fill center with chopped left-over cold beef, veal or chicken. moisten with brown or cream sauce, to which add one-half tablespoonful minced parsley and onion juice. cover with a layer of the potato mixture, make several openings in top of pie and brush top over with beaten egg, diluted with milk. bake in hot oven until heated through and well browned. serve hot in baking dish. braised larded liver mrs. w. r. mcghee skewer, tie in shape (if necessary) and lard the upper side of calf's liver. place in a deep pan with remnants of lardoons; season with salt and pepper; dredge with flour. surround with one-half each carrot, onion, celery, cut in dice; one-half teaspoonful peppercorns, six cloves, bit of bay leaf and two cups brown stock or water. cover closely and bake slowly two hours, uncover the last twenty minutes of cooking. remove from pan, serve with the french onions or pour around brown sauce. hamburg steak sue c. woodman mix one egg and a little salt and pepper; make into balls and bake in closed pan quickly. pot roast mrs. c. s. junge procure a boston cut of roast of beef; brown a minced onion in skillet with butter and bacon fat; in this brown all sides of the roast. remove the roast and in the fat stir two tablespoonfuls of flour and fill skillet nearly full of hot water. season this gravy well with salt, pepper, bay and garlic and pour over roast in casserole. place a few slices of tomato on top or pour in a cup of strained tomato; place some carrots around the roast and put in cooker for at least four hours. brain patties mrs. e. iglehart plunge the calf's brains into boiling water for three minutes, remove from water and pick off the dark muscles, roll into cracker dust or bread crumbs in small patties and drop into hot fat. salt and pepper. roast beef souffle mrs. h. s. hart one tablespoonful butter melted in sauce pan, one tablespoonful of flour added and well mixed, one cup milk. chop beef, or any kind of cold meat quite fine and add to milk after it has thickened; salt and pepper to taste. then stir in the yolks of three eggs, cook slightly, cool, add beaten whites of eggs. put in greased dish and bake about half an hour. is nice served with tomato sauce or peas. about one and one-half cups of the chopped meat for the above. meat loaf mrs. l. e. brown two pounds of round steak; one pound fresh pork; four tomatoes; three pimentoes; two eggs; four crackers, rolled; salt, pepper and paprika. mix altogether; bake in bread pan two hours in moderate oven. sauce: one and one-half tablespoonfuls butter, flour and milk. season with liquid from meat. tough steaks mrs. e. s. smith pour a mixture of two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; and one of olive oil over a steak. let stand several hours before broiling. the result is delicious. veal croquettes belle shaw two pounds veal, chopped fine; one teaspoonful chopped parsley; two eggs, hard boiled and chopped; salt and pepper, to taste. soak enough bread crumbs, and add to mixture; form balls. roll in egg and cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat. boned and stuffed leg of lamb mrs. h. l. baumgardner order a leg of lamb boned at the market. make a stuffing as for chicken. put in roasting pan with a small sliced onion, one-fourth cup each of turnip and carrot, season with bay leaf and parsley. add three cupfuls of hot water, salt and pepper. cook slowly until done. serve with currant jelly sauce. currant jelly sauce: to the regular brown gravy you would make with roast, add one-half cupful of currant jelly which has been beaten and a little lemon juice; well stirred together and let all boil a minute or two. lamb stew a la creole wipe three pounds lamb, cut from neck or shoulder. cut into pieces two inches square. melt one-fourth cup dripping, add meat and stir and brown evenly. add two onions, thinly sliced, one sprig parsley, small bit bay leaf, two cloves and one-half teaspoonful peppercorns (tie last three spices in a bit of cheese cloth), and boiling water to nearly cover meat. simmer slowly until meat is tender (about one and one-half hours). then add two or three small carrots, scraped and cut in lengthwise pieces, season with salt. parboil six medium-sized potatoes cut in thick slices five minutes, drain, add to stew; add two cups thick tomato puree and simmer slowly until vegetables are tender. add more water if necessary. remove spices, add one cup french peas when heated through, turn into deep, hot platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley. lamb hash with green peppers mrs. w. d. hurlbut mince cold roast lamb in about half inch pieces; add a sweet green pepper, minced (discarding seeds); add the gravy and heat thoroughly. serve on toast. recipe for corning beef mrs. w. t. foster five tablespoonfuls of salt; two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar; one-half teaspoonful salt peter, or less; this is for five pounds of beef. cover with water; leave three or four days and boil in same water. mock terrapin mrs. w. h. muschlet two cupfuls cold boiled or roast lamb cut into small pieces. put a tablespoonful of butter into double boiler; when melted add one tablespoonful of flour. rub smooth; add one pint of milk; stir continuously till it thickens; then set pot back where it won't cook hard, and add one well beaten egg, a tablespoonful minced parsley, a little nutmeg, red pepper, salt to taste, two hard boiled eggs cut (not too fine); then the lamb. let it keep hot, but not boil, till lamb is thoroughly heated. when serving, add a teaspoonful lemon juice. veal loaf with egg mrs. h. b. rairden two and one-half pounds of veal; two pork chops, ground together; three eggs; three rolled crackers; one teaspoonful each salt and pepper. mix well together. put half of mixture in a loaf pan, peel six eggs which have been hard boiled, clip off the ends so they fit closely together, and lay them in the center of the loaf; place the balance of the meat about them, fill up pan, packing it solid; put in double baker on top of stove to steam for one and one-half hours, spread butter over top and put in oven to finish baking. in slicing it you get the slice of hard boiled egg in the center. veal loaf mrs. a. donald campbell one and one-half pounds of veal and one slice of salt pork, chopped fine. add two tablespoonfuls of cracker dust; one egg; piece of butter size of an egg; one teaspoonful each of salt and pepper; little grated nutmeg; dash of worcestershire sauce. mix well and bake in a loaf shaped pan with cracker crumbs and bits of butter on top. bake about one and three-quarters hours. baked spiced ham, alabama style mrs. k. t. cary soak a fifteen pound ham in cold water to cover over night. wash, scrub and trim off inedible parts. set over a trivet in a boiler and cover with boiling water. mix four cups brown sugar, one large sliced onion, one red chili pepper pod, one tablespoonful each of whole cloves, allspice and cassia buds, two thinly sliced lemons, discarding seeds, add to water in boiler. cover and cook slowly two and one-half hours. remove from boiler, peel off rind and put ham in dripping pan, fat side up. bake slowly two and one-half hours, basting with one cup sherry wine (using a tablespoon) a little at a time until all is used, then baste with dripping in pan thirty minutes, before removing from oven, sprinkle fat side with equal measures of brown sugar and fine bread crumbs, stick with cloves and brown richly. serve hot champagne, horseradish or mustard sauce. koldolma mrs. f. w. waddell two pounds of veal; one pound fresh pork; one-half lemon, bay leaf and one small bottle capers; one clove of garlic; juice of one onion. put all through grinder, salt, pepper to taste. roll in small soft balls. enclose neatly in cabbage leaves, secure with toothpicks. place in dutch oven which has previously melted one-fourth pound of butter with a little chopped parsley. alternate layers with a small sifting of flour until all are in pan. let simmer in one pint of water (boiling) without allowing any steam to escape for two hours; remove and thicken broth with yolks of five eggs. serve eight persons. virginia ham mrs. g. w. plummer buy a center cut of ham, two inches thick (about two and one-half or three pounds); soak over night in milk (sweet or sour) sufficient to cover ham. about two hours before serving time drain off enough milk so that the top of ham is uncovered; spread over this uncovered top; one tablespoonful dry ground mustard mixed with two tablespoonfuls brown sugar; bake in a slow oven. the milk will disappear in a rich brown gravy; if it gets too low in pan add water. when ready to serve remove ham to platter, add flour to fat in pan and when well cooked, add boiling water to make gravy of consistency of thick cream. lemon slices and sherry may be added. it may need to be strained if milk curds are objected to; pour around ham. has flavor of finest "old virginia ham." ham en casserole mrs. a. donald campbell have ham cut two inches thick, leaving on rind. pour over it good, generous cup of milk and one-half cup brown sugar, partly dissolving sugar in the milk on top of stove, before pouring over ham. cook all in casserole two hours. serve with rings of fried apples on chop plate. rognons aux tomatoes mrs. r. woods cut in small pieces a fresh kidney and fry in hot lard. when almost done add to it a sliced onion, half cup of tomatoes and a slice of ham. let all fry together, and when done add a spoonful of flour, a piece of red pepper and a spoonful of chopped garlic and parsley. thin with a little water, season with salt, and let boil a few minutes, when it is done. easter ham mrs. e. iglehart one-half pint grated bread crumbs, one cup currants, one saltspoonful of salt, one saltspoonful sweet marjoram or thyme, one salt spoonful of black pepper, moisten with sweet milk. boil small ham until tender, remove bone and skin, fill in the cavity with dressing, wind with cord into shape, puncture with skewer in the fat parts and fill the holes with dressing. bake in a closed pan in a hot oven one hour. ham puff mrs. a. donald campbell scald one pint of milk, one cup flour; stir constantly until thick. let cool, then add beaten yolks of eight eggs. beat thoroughly, add beaten whites, a little suet, one and one-half cups of chopped, boiled ham, and one-half cup butter. set tin in pan of water, and bake three-fourths of an hour. keep standing in water until served. ham loaf mrs. w. c. thorbus two pounds of ham, ground; one pound of pork loin, ground; two eggs, beaten; one cupful rolled cracker crumbs; one cupful milk; pepper to taste. mix all together, put in a baking tin and pour over it one cupful tomatoes and bake two hours. jamabala of ham mrs. h. clay calhoun one large slice of raw ham; one large onion; put through the grinder and fry. when thoroughly cooked add two cups boiled rice; one quart of tomatoes and half of a sweet green pepper, chopped fine. serve hot on toast. barbecued roast pork mrs. chase place pork roast in dry self-basting or similar roaster. place in oven for thirty minutes. in meantime put one cup of vinegar, one teaspoonful red pepper, one teaspoonful black pepper, one teaspoonful salt in saucepan and bring to a boil. baste roast every fifteen or twenty minutes with this sauce at boiling point, draining off sauce after each basting and returning sauce to saucepan, which should be kept at the boiling point. drain off sauce and serve in separate dish. crown roast of young pork mrs. m. dippen have crown roast made of young pork ribs, same as of lamb; fill the center with medium sized potatoes, boiled and rolled in butter and minced parsley; surround with fried apples. broiled sausage mrs. w. d. hurlbut one and one-half or two pounds of well seasoned sausage meat mold it into a flat cake; place in a frying basket which, in turn, is put in a larger pan, to catch the drippings. put under the blaze and let it broil slowly; when nicely browned on one side turn it over and brown that side. when done remove to hot platter and surround with fried apples. pork chops with potatoes mrs. c. s. junge in a casserole place a layer of sliced raw potatoes and over it sprinkle of flour. put in a layer of chops and a layer of potatoes and repeat until casserole is full. nearly cover with milk that is seasoned with salt and pepper. sprinkle cheese over top and bake two hours. grandmother's pork noodles mrs. h. d. sheldon one-half pound of salt pork, sliced; six medium onions; six medium potatoes; noodles. boil salt pork until very nearly done. add potatoes and onions. cook until they are beginning to be tender. have about two quarts of water left. add noodles and finish cooking. this will make a thick stew. pork chop casserole mrs. george d. milligan sprinkle bottom of dish with flour; place pork chops then on top a layer of sliced raw potatoes and onions, finish with bread crumbs. bake until potatoes are done. use no liquid. baked pork chops sue c. woodman cut thick, wash and dip in flour; place in deep pan; season with pepper, salt, and a little sage. cover tightly and bake forty minutes in quick oven. stuffed pork tenderloins mrs. c. e. balluff split two large tenderloins and flatten out as wide as possible, spread one with a very thick layer of dressing (such as is used for turkey dressing). place the second tenderloin on this and tie them together, roast in a medium oven, basting frequently with boiling water and a small piece of melted butter. stuffed spareribs mrs. h. l. middleton have two sets of ribs cracked across the middle; rub the insides with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. cook sauerkraut half an hour, drain and fill the ribs; tie or sew closely together and put in oven. pour over the ribs the water in which the sauerkraut was boiled. when one side is browned, turn them over and brown the other side. serve with brown gravy. delmonico club house sausage miss a. brennan to every twenty-one pounds of meat: lean pork, seven pounds; fat, seven pounds; round beef, seven pounds. seven ounces salt; one and one-half ounces black pepper; one coffee cup powdered sage and summer savory; one teaspoonful cayenne, slack; one tablespoonful freshly ground ginger; one tablespoonful ground mustard. get your meat ground at the butchers. mix the sausage yourself. mix spices all together with salt, working it through the meat with your hands. fried pickled pigs' feet mrs. w. d. hurlbut have butcher split the pigs' feet; boil until bones are ready to fall out; put in an earthen dish and cover with a mild vinegar which has been boiled for ten minutes with a few slices of onion and spices; when the vinegar is cold the pigs' feet will be sufficiently pickled. drain, roll in flour and fry. english sausage mrs. c. a. carscadin six pounds lean pork; two pounds fat pork; one pound loaf bread thoroughly soaked in water; two ounces salt; one ounce best white pepper; two medium sized nutmegs, grated. mix all together, put into chopper. leg of pork is best, but shoulder will do. escalloped sweetbreads mrs. e. k. parker one pair sweetbreads; one can mushrooms; two cups of cream; butter size of an egg; one tablespoonful flour. parboil sweetbreads twenty minutes then chop rather fine; add mushrooms and chop. put butter in spider and let it melt and as it begins to brown, add the flour and stir; then add cream, stirring all the time to prevent lumps. put in the sweetbreads and mushrooms and let cook a few minutes. add one teaspoonful worcestershire sauce and pour mixture in baking dish. put cracker crumbs and lumps of butter on top and bake half an hour. creamed sweetbreads with tomato sauce mrs. w. d. hurlbut parboil sweetbreads in acidulated salt water, cook slowly for twenty minutes; drain, plunge into cold water. make a rich cream sauce, separate sweetbreads and mix with the cream sauce; put in ramekins, cover with bread crumbs; in the center place a tablespoonful tomato sauce; put in oven and bake until crumbs are brown; place a sprig of parsley on top and serve. chicken a la king mrs. w. c. thorbus heat two tablespoonfuls butter until it bubbles; add one chopped green pepper; let cook slowly for three minutes, then add one tablespoonful flour; salt and pepper to taste and enough rich milk to make a smooth thickened sauce; when thoroughly done add two cupfuls cooked chicken and let it heat through. mushrooms may be added. chicken noodles and mushrooms mrs. w. d. hurlbut pick the meat from the bones and cut in rather large pieces; add a can of mushrooms and the thickened chicken gravy. boil noodles twenty minutes in salted water; drain and add noodles to the chicken. mix all together and let heat thoroughly. serve with toast points. chicken a la creole mrs. r. woods clean and cut up two young chickens, sprinkle with salt and pepper and fry in hot lard. when done, put in a dish and set aside. and now start your sauce. fry an onion and add flour for thickening. when brown, add a can of sweet peppers, let fry a little, then add the tomatoes and a few bay leaves and a sprig of thyme. when the sauce is done throw in the fried chickens, but do not let the whole boil long. sweet bread patties parboil one pair sweetbreads in boiling, salted, acidulated water, fifteen minutes. drain and cut in one-half inch cubes. add one-half the measure of small mushrooms, heated in the liquor in the can, drained, cooled and sliced, and one tablespoonful pimento cut into bits. reheat in one and one-half cups of sauce (cream) and serve in patty shells. baked macaroni and chicken bertha z. bisbee stew until tender a nice fat hen, in plenty of water. pick meat off bones and shred rather finely. boil one pound of macaroni or spaghetti twenty minutes in plenty of water to which has been added a teaspoonful of salt. drain as dry as possible. cover the bottom of a buttered baking dish with the macaroni, adding chicken and macaroni in alternate layers. add one cup of cream to the gravy in which the chicken was cooked, salt and pepper to taste, and thicken with flour or corn starch. pour enough over the macaroni and chicken to cover it. bake in a slow oven until nicely browned on top. real cottage chicken mrs. f. w. waddell boil one package of macaroni in salted water in the usual manner. use three or four pounds chicken. place in dutch oven whole. after browning, four tablespoonfuls of butter with a little parsley cover tightly and simmer forty-five minutes. remove cover and add salt and pepper. when sufficiently cooked, so that the fowl will slip from the bone, turn out fire and let cool. remove bones and place in receptacle once more. add one pint of pure cream, the macaroni previously cooked, and let boil up just three minutes, and let stand until ready to serve. better to stand for an hour. bouchees a la reine mrs. robert woods take good sized young hen and boil it. when done take all the meat, chop it, but not too fine and keep the "bouillon." have ready some mushrooms and truffles cut in small pieces. fry an onion in hot lard, add flour and brown well; in this throw your meat, mushrooms and truffles. give two or three turns in the pan and add the bouillon to make the sauce. do not make it too thin. season with a little pepper. the small "pates" are ordered from the confectioner and are kept warm until needed. when the filling is done and you are ready to serve, fill each pate with the stew and send warm to the table. chicken in aspic mrs. e. s. bailey draw one large chicken; boil until meat drops from bones and there is about one pint of liquid. chop chicken and add a teaspoonful of salt and one-half teaspoonful pepper; also one tablespoonful of celery salt. hard boil three eggs and soak one-half package gelatine five minutes and add to hot liquid. chill mold and put in layer of chicken and three eggs and put balance of chicken in. then pour the liquid on mold and chill. chicken terrapin for six people mrs. j. p. cobb one cup of chicken cut the size of an egg; one cup of canned mushrooms; make a cream sauce of the chicken stock; when this is boiled up, add the chicken and mushrooms, yolk of one egg beaten, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, teaspoonful sherry. serve on platter with whipped cream or brown with bread crumbs. spanish chicken mrs. lester tennant cut up two chickens, about five pounds in all; good fat yellow hens are the best. put in a good sized pot and put in cold water enough to cover about two inches over all; cover and let heat very slowly; stew until meat can be picked from the bones. when the liquor the chicken is cooked in becomes cold, remove all fat and save to make stew in. cut up six fair sized potatoes; one large onion; two large green peppers; one clove of garlic; one can of mushrooms; one can tomatoes; one can of peas; one bottle of little stuffed olives. remove meat from chicken bones, then put in tomatoes, potatoes, peas, etc., in the liquor. cut each mushroom through and add one wineglass each of olive oil and good white wine; three fair sized bay leaves; a large pinch of thyme; a few sprigs of parsley; salt; celery salt; black pepper and tobasco sauce to taste. when potatoes are done, add one large tablespoonful butter, put in the chicken meat and the stew is ready to serve. have plenty of toast to serve chicken on. this will serve sixteen people and may be made the day before. curry of chicken en casserole mrs. w. p. hilliard clean, singe, dress and cut up a three and one-half pound chicken as for fried chicken; melt one-third cup butter in an iron frying pan; sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper; arrange in hot frying pan and cook ten minutes, turning so as to brown evenly; add giblets; continue cooking ten minutes longer. arrange chickens in a hot casserole with one thinly sliced onion; one-half tablespoonful salt, and broth or boiling water to cover; cover casserole and simmer in oven until chicken is tender. remove chicken; strain liquor; melt one-fourth cup butter; add two tablespoonfuls flour, mixed with two tablespoonfuls curry powder; stir until smooth. add strained liquor (there should be two cups); one-third cup currant jelly and salt to season. turn one-half of sauce into casserole; arrange chicken over sauce and cover with remaining sauce. serve in casserole. serve boiled rice with chicken curry. salmi of duck mrs. s. e. baumgardner cut cold roast duck in pieces and heat in the following sauce: one tablespoonful butter; one small onion chopped fine; a stalk of celery and one sliced carrot; saute until brown then add one tablespoonful flour; two cups water; a bayleaf; a spray of parsley; a few cloves and salt and pepper; let cook a few minutes. strain, put in the duck; add six olives sliced lengthwise; a small can of mushrooms, cut in two; let all heat and serve. creole chicken cut two chickens in pieces for serving; sprinkle with salt and pepper. melt one-half cup butter; add one-half cup finely chopped onion; add chickens, saute a golden brown, turning chickens to evenly brown; remove chickens; add one-half cup flour; stir until well blended; then pour on two cups chicken stock and two cups tomato puree; one mild red pepper, finely chopped; one-half can mushrooms, drained and thinly sliced; one cup finely cut celery; season with salt and pepper. add chickens and simmer until tender. dispose on hot serving platter; surround with sauce; garnish with parsley. chicken curry with mushrooms in chafing dish mrs. m. regan one medium sized can of boneless chicken; one-half can of french mushrooms; one heaping teaspoonful indian currypowder; one large tablespoonful of butter; two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour and two cups milk. put butter in chafing dish, when melted add flour; then milk slowly, and salt and pepper to taste. when creamy add chicken cut fine and chopped mushrooms; stir constantly until heated thoroughly and just before serving add curry powder. eat on hot toast. squab en casserole mrs. w. d. hurlbut wash squabs and stuff with boiled rice in which the cooked, minced giblets of the squabs have been mixed; place in casserole and pour a little melted butter over each squab; sprinkle with salt and pepper and onion salt. use the water in which the giblets were cooked for stock, there should be one cup. put in oven and bake until tender. pigeon pie mrs. culbertson dress, clean and truss six young, fat pigeons. brown them richly in tried out salt pork fat. put in a dutch oven or kettle, cover with boiling water. add two stalks celery, broken in pieces; a bit of bay leaf; one-half teaspoonful pepper-corns; one onion sliced; six slices of carrot; two sprays parsley and simmer five to six hours or until tender. add one-half tablespoonful salt last hour of cooking. remove pigeons; strain liquid and thicken with one-fourth cup butter, cooked one minute with one-fourth cup flour, stirring constantly, until gravy is smooth. arrange pigeon in a deep baking dish; pour over gravy and cover with a baking powder crust, and bake in a hot oven. a good imitation of maryland fried chicken mrs. j. g. sherer it may be made from rabbit. choose a young tender rabbit; cut it into pieces of desired size; put pieces in a pot, cover with boiling water, and parboil gently for twenty minutes; dip each piece in flour, egg and cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat until a rich brown. evaporate by boiling some of the water in which the meat was boiled. use some of it with milk in making "cream gravy." rabbit stew mrs. j. g. sherer rub the inside of a saucepan with a dose of garlic; put in pieces of hare left; add three-quarters cup of stewed tomatoes; two raw carrots, cut into small cubes; one small onion, sliced; a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and about a cup of hot water. cover tightly and cook until the potatoes are tender (and carrots). thicken and serve in a border of steamed rice and serve with tiny dumplings. belgian hare en casserole mrs. j. g. sherer separate a dressed hare into pieces of desired shape; rub each piece with a little lemon juice and oil which have been stirred together. let the meat stand covered a few hours; sprinkle with paprika and brown each piece in a little fat in a "sizzling hot" frying pan. some use two or three slices of fat bacon cut into small pieces for the browning. when golden brown, put the meat in the casserole, cover with boiling water; cover and place in a very moderate oven. at the end of half an hour add two cups of stock or hot water; one tablespoonful of lemon juice, or vinegar, a bit of bay leaf and two teaspoonfuls of onion juice. cook in a moderate oven about three hours. bring to the table without removing the cover. and if you have any of the belgian hare en casserole left, make for lunch the next day, the savory little rabbit stew. chop suey mrs. j. g. sherer one pound veal; one pound pork; one can mushrooms; eight stalks celery; fifteen onions; two tablespoonfuls molasses; little flour on top. cut meat in small pieces and simmer about twenty minutes; add mushrooms and molasses; then celery and onions. cook slowly until tender. sprinkle a little flour over it and mix well; then salt, paprika and about three tablespoonfuls or more (to taste) of chop suey sauce. simmer meat without water; serve with boiled rice. chop suey mrs. c. s. junge cut tender, fresh, lean pork, chicken, veal or all of these into thin, inch squares and saute well in bacon fat. have ready one-half as much in bulk of celery; cut in inch pieces and an onion; saute these in same fat. after this, saute mushrooms; put altogether and barely cover with hot water, chicken or veal broth. add chinese potatoes and sprouted barley, if they can be procured; add one tablespoonful of molasses; one teaspoonful of salt; one teaspoonful of chinese soy; a dash of pepper and put in cooker for three hours or more. chop suey mrs. w. f. barnard one pound pork from shoulder; one pound veal from leg; fry one-half hour in a little fat. when brown, add a little water and cook ten minutes, and add one cup celery cut up; one onion, cut up. when nearly done, sprinkle with flour enough to thicken, add two tablespoonfuls of molasses. serve with rice. chestnut stuffing mrs. s. e. baumgardner shell and blanch four cupfuls french chestnuts; cook in boiling salted water until tender; put through a ricer; season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg; two tablespoonfuls butter and one-half cupful of cream. add this to your regular bread mixture for stuffing fowl. chestnut stuffing shell and blanch french chestnuts, there should be two cups. cook in boiling salted water until soft. drain, mash and pass through a potato ricer; add one-four cup butter; one teaspoonful salt; one-eighth teaspoonful pepper; a few grains nutmeg and one-half cup cream. melt one-fourth cup butter, pour over one cup soft bread crumbs; mix well; combine mixtures and use as filling for turkey, capon or guinea chicken. oyster dressing for fowls mrs. w. s. kiskaddon for an eight or ten-pound turkey cut the brown crust from slices of stale bread until you have as much as the inside of a pound loaf. put into a suitable dish and pour tepid water over it; take up a handful at the time and squeeze it hard and dry with both hands, placing it as you go along in another dish; now when all is pressed dry, toss it all up lightly through your fingers; now add pepper and salt--about a tablespoonful--also powdered summer savory and sage, and one pint of oysters drained and slightly chopped. for geese and ducks the dressing may be made the same. rice dressing for duck or goose mrs. h. p. e. hafer boil one cup of rice tender. chop one stalk celery; two onions; one outside of green pepper; a little piece of garlic; fry in butter and add boiled rice. sauces hollandaise sauce mrs. a. donald campbell one tablespoonful flour and one teaspoonful butter; mix over fire until smooth; add, gradually, one pint of boiling water, until all is the consistency of cream. boil for two or three minutes and season with one salt spoon of salt; one-half teaspoonful mustard; one-quarter teaspoonful pepper. take from fire and add yolks of two eggs, well beaten; mixing all until smooth. add slowly, three tablespoonfuls oil and one tablespoonful vinegar. lemon juice instead of vinegar makes it much more delicate. hollandaise sauce belle shaw two tablespoonfuls butter; one tablespoonful flour; one-half pint boiling water; one-half teaspoonful salt; add gradually yolks of two eggs, well beaten; juice of one-half lemon; one-half teaspoonful onion juice; cook over hot water. be careful not to get sauce too thick. tartar sauce no. mrs. carl s. junge sweet cucumber pickles; green peppers and onion. chop fine and mix with mayonnaise salad dressing. tartar sauce no. mrs. carl s. junge tablespoonful mixed capers; tablespoonful cucumber pickles, chopped; teaspoonful parsley; teaspoonful tarragon; teaspoonful mixed mustard; one-half pint mayonnaise dressing. rich gravy without meat mrs. t. m. butler heat a sufficient amount of lard or drippings in a skillet into which two or three tablespoonfuls of flour have been stirred until a very light brown; then add two-thirds milk to one-third water and season with salt and pepper, adding a level teaspoonful of extract of beef and stir until completely dissolved. a vegetable sauce one-half teaspoonful kitchen boquet; one level tablespoonful flour; two tablespoonfuls butter; one-fourth teaspoonful salt; two cupfuls hot milk; two egg yolks; blend flour and butter; add salt and milk and boil until smooth and of the desired thickness. then gradually add the yolks of eggs and kitchen boquet. this may be served on any vegetable desired. creole sauce one teaspoonful kitchen boquet; one onion; five shallots; two green peppers; one tablespoonful butter; one tablespoonful flour; four large tomatoes; one-half bean garlic; one teaspoonful salt; one teaspoonful sugar; six canned mushrooms; one-half teaspoonful parsley. slice fine onion, shallots and pepper. cook in butter to a light brown; stir constantly. then the garlic minced, and the flour. stir all together and add tomatoes, seasoning, mushrooms, and parsley. cook twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. just before serving, add one teaspoonful kitchen boquet. mushroom sauce three tablespoonfuls kitchen boquet; one-third cupful butter; one-third cupful flour; one teaspoonful salt; dash cayenne; one teaspoonful onion juice; two cupfuls milk; one can mushrooms. melt the butter, add flour and milk gradually, stirring all the while. when cooked, add the salt, cayenne, onion and kitchen boquet. drain and chop mushrooms; add to sauce and cook three minutes. tomato celery sauce two teaspoonfuls kitchen boquet; one quart tomatoes; one teaspoonful sugar; three pepper-corns; one tablespoonful butter; one head of celery; one onion; one green pepper; one bay leaf; four cloves; salt and pepper; one tablespoonful flour. place the tomatoes in a saucepan; add the celery cut up into inch lengths; the onion slices and spices. simmer slowly for twenty minutes, pass through a sieve; return to the fire, and stew down until you have one cupful of puree. blend the flour and butter together in a double boiler; stir in the tomato-celery puree, and stir until smooth and thick; season with kitchen boquet, salt and pepper. if too thick, add a little water or stock. this is fine to serve with meat loaf, salmon loaf or rice croquettes, etc. sauce bernaise heat a granite saucepan slightly and break into it four eggs. beat the eggs briskly over a slow fire, but do not let them boil; mix four tablespoonfuls hot water and two tablespoonfuls beef extract, and as the eggs begin to cook stir in the mixture, adding the juice of one lemon, one tablespoonful onion juice and one teaspoonful tarragon vinegar, salt and pepper. when this is well mixed pour on beef-steak and serve. mint sauce one bunch mint; one tablespoonful sugar; three-fourths cup vinegar. rinse the mint in cold water; chop very fine; dissolve the sugar in the vinegar; add the mint; let it stand for one hour to infuse before using. if the same is wanted hot, heat the vinegar and stir in the mint just before using. sauce allemande mrs. bertha c. hansen four tablespoonfuls butter; four tablespoonfuls flour; one egg yolk; one cup white stock; one cup cream; one-half teaspoonful salt; few grains pepper. make same as a thin white sauce. just before serving, add the yolk of one egg and cook slightly. horse-radish dressing for roast beef mrs. e. d. gotchy to a cup of grated horse-radish, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-half cup thick, sweet, cream. mix the ingredients thoroughly, then add vinegar to taste. vegetables "_oh, muckle is the powerful grace that lies in herbs._" a porto rican dinner mrs. g. w. plummer one quart cooked red kidney beans (canned beans are good and save fire); four good sized ripe tomatoes (or the solid tomatoes from a can); four medium sized onions; four green sweet peppers; one-fourth pound nut meats (pecans, almonds or english walnuts are best); two dozen green olives; salt to taste. process: if tomatoes are fresh, skin and put in a chopping bowl with onions and peppers, which last should have seeds and white fiber first removed; chop all until about size of a lima bean. put into skillet a heaping tablespoonful of drippings, from ham or bacon preferred; when hot add chopped vegetables and cook until all are soft and well blended. about fifteen minutes before serving add nut meats and olives cut into strips. in the meantime, heat the beans by themselves; turn all together and cook ten minutes, when it is ready to serve. service: half an hour before time to serve, wash well, enough rice to make a border around your chop platter. put it into gallopin boiling water, quite heavily salted; water should be at least four times quantity of rice. boil until barely done; drain in a collander and set to drain in the mouth of the oven for five minutes. dispose around the edge of the platter; pour the bean mixture (which should be moist), in the middle, garnish with a wreath of parsley between rice and beans. this, with a green salad and french dressing is an abundant and satisfying dinner. no meat should be served. stuffed potatoes select large uniform sized potatoes. scrub them with a vegetable brush. bake in a hot oven, the temperature of the oven should be such that it will bake a potato of medium size in forty to forty-five minutes. remove a thin slice from the side lengthwise of potatoes; scoop out the pulp, pass through the ricer; add two tablespoonfuls of butter or bacon fat; moisten with hot milk; add two tablespoonfuls each finely chopped chives or onion. season with salt and pepper, beat thoroughly and return to the shells, using pastry bag and tube, brush over with slightly beaten egg and return to oven to brown delicately. a "different" dinner mrs. g. w. plummer a fine, firm head of cauliflower; enough rice to form a border for your chop platter; four tablespoonfuls grated or shredded ripe cheese; one teacupful rich milk; two tablespoonfuls bacon drippings. garnish with blanched lettuce leaves, canned pimento and parsley. process: wash, trim and put to boil in a large granite or aluminum kettle, the whole head of cauliflower in plenty of salted water. do not cover. when about half done, put into an iron skillet two tablespoonfuls of bacon drippings and when smoking hot turn in the dry rice which has previously been well washed and dried on a clean towel. parch this rice in the drippings, stirring constantly until a golden brown. then dip the water in which the cauliflower boils, spoonful by spoonful, into the rice; as it absorbs the water add more until the rice is puffed, dry and thoroughly done; a little onion may be cooked in with rice if liked. in the meantime make a fine, thick white sauce, using butter and twice the quantity of flour; cook but do not brown; add milk and rub smooth; add shredded cheese, red pepper and salt; cook to a smooth masking sauce. service: put cauliflower, unbroken, in center of platter; mask with sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese. around the flower dispose the lettuce in such a way as to simulate a growing head. encircle this with border of rice and put an outside border of parsley. the pimento should be cut in strips and laid up the sides of flower inside lettuce leaves. sunday night supper dish mrs. g. w. plummer wash round, solid, medium sized tomatoes (one for each service) and cut in half but do not skin. insert slivers of onion in each half tomato on cut side. dip cut side in egg, beaten with a little water, seasoned with salt and paprika; then in rolled bread crumbs or rolled shredded wheat biscuit. two tablespoonfuls of bacon drippings heated to a smoke in skillet or on cake griddle. put in tomatoes, cut side down, and fry until a golden brown; then turn carefully; reduce heat and cook gently until cooked but not broken. remove to platter and place on each a generous spoonful of the following sauce: sauce: add dripping to that in skillet in which tomatoes were cooked to make two tablespoonfuls; add four tablespoonfuls flour; one thin slice of onion and cook four minutes; add two cups milk; celery salt, salt and pepper and when incorporated add one-half cupful grated or shredded cheese and cook until smooth. cuban rice mrs. w. f. barnard one and one-half pounds fresh pork, ground; one onion, chopped; one egg; salt and pepper. make into little round balls. one quart of tomatoes, strained. boil meat balls in tomato juice for one hour. cook rice and serve as a vegetable, pouring meat and tomatoes around it on platter. indian vegetable curry mrs. jean wallace butler one pound can baked beans; one pound can lima beans; one pound can green string beans; one pound can wax beans; two pound can tomatoes; eight large onions; one heaping teaspoonful cross & blackwell's curry; one tablespoonful salad oil. remove all vegetables from cans; heat the beans in large cooking vessel; heat tomatoes separately, seasoning very strongly with salt and pepper. slice onions and boil in water. when sufficiently cooked, add onions and tomatoes to other vegetables. fry curry in salad oil to a nice brown. add to the vegtables, and simmer half an hour. while this is simmering, boil rice to serve on plate with curry. this serves ten people. in winter time, for large family you can double recipe, and keep frozen. better every time reheated. no bread, butter or anything else is served with this, except indian chutney. potato puff balls scoop out the inside of hot baked potatoes, force the pulp through a ricer, there should be two cups. add two tablespoonfuls butter; moisten with rich cream; season with salt and paprika, while beating constantly; add one slightly beaten egg yolk and one-half teaspoonful finely chopped parsley; cook one minute, stirring constantly. remove from range and fold in the stiffly beaten white of one egg. shape in balls and roll in finely chopped seasoned nut meats; place on buttered pan and brown delicately in the oven. arrange around broiled whitefish. potato fluff mrs. w. d. hurlbut pass enough hot boiled potatoes through a ricer to make three cups; season with pepper, salt, a big piece of butter and half a cup of cream; beat an egg very light, beat it in the potato; turn into a buttered baking dish; sprinkle bread crumbs on top and bake until browned. stuffed sweet potatoes mrs. louis geyler bake three large sweet potatoes; cut in halves lengthwise; carefully scoop out pulp and press through a ricer. reserve the shells. season with one-half teaspoonful of salt; one-fourth teaspoonful paprika; one-half tablespoonful powdered sugar; three tablespoonfuls butter; and one-third cup hot cream or rich milk. beat them thoroughly, then stir in one-half cup finely chopped almonds, blanched; refill shells. cut marshmallows in four pieces and cover each portion. bake in a moderate oven until heated through and marshmallows are delicately browned. french fried sweet potatoes mrs. a. m. cameron wash and peel very large sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise; as you would white potatoes; fry in the same manner and sprinkle lightly with salt; serve at once. sweet potato croquettes two cupfuls of mashed sweet potatoes; one cupful of hot milk; two eggs; one teaspoonful salt; two tablespoonfuls of butter; bread crumbs; one tablespoonful of butter. beat the potatoes and milk, gradually stir in the melted butter; salt and one of the eggs well beaten. form into croquette balls; dip in beaten egg and bread crumbs. fry in deep fat until golden brown. drain on paper and serve with cream sauce. potato surprise prepare a rich mashed potato in the usual way, using six medium-sized potatoes and hot cream instead of milk. beat until fluffy, then add one tablespoonful each finely chopped chives or onion juice and one tablespoonful parsley; add one-third cup finely minced ham. beat again and turn into a buttered baking dish, piling it well in the center. cover lightly with buttered cracker crumbs, well seasoned with salt and pepper. bake in oven fifteen minutes. serve in baking dish. mashed potatoes with green peppers and onions mrs. w. d. hurlbut pass through a ricer six large hot boiled potatoes; add two tablespoonfuls butter and gradually one-third cupful hot thin cream; season with salt and whip until light and fluffy. parboil a green pepper (removing seeds and veins) eight minutes; drain and chop fine; mix with two tablespoonfuls finely chopped onion; add gradually to potatoes and heat again. serve immediately with roast goose, duck or pork. jumbalaya mrs. m. t. wagner one minced onion fried in butter; one-half cup of ham minced; one cup of rice; four cups of tomato juice (if there is not juice enough in a can of tomatoes to make the required quantity, add water); one teaspoonful curry powder; one teaspoonful thyme; a few bay leaves broken up fine; three teaspoonfuls salt and a few grains of cayenne. mix all together and bake one and one-quarter hours. savory rice mrs. w. r. mcghee cook one cupful rice, well washed, in three quarts boiling salted water until partly done; drain; add to rice two cupfuls well seasoned chicken broth; put into double boiler and let it steam until rice is soft and stock is absorbed. stir in one-fourth cup butter and one tablespoonful finely chopped chives or onion; if onion is used then add one-half tablespoonful chopped parsley. easy rice croquettes mrs. c. a. carscadin two cups boiled rice (salted); one beaten egg; grated rind of one lemon; add to rice, roll in flour; fry in hot lard. lay on brown paper and sprinkle well with sugar. have rice as soft as possible. stuffed tomatoes with shrimp mrs. j. e. kelly use six large tomatoes, and scrape out pulp; put little butter in pan and fry the pulp with one small onion, cut fine, and one can of shrimps; add one egg (beaten), and enough bread crumbs to make soft filling. season with salt and pepper. fill tomatoes, and sprinkle dry bread crumbs, or cracker crumbs, over top and small piece of butter on each. bake fifteen minutes and serve hot. rice with tomatoes and green peppers finely chop one bermuda onion, two green peppers; mix with one cup minced raw ham. saute ten minutes (without browning) in four tablespoonfuls butter. add one cup of washed rice and three cups of chicken stock or beef broth. simmer one-half hour stirring occasionally with a fork. then add four tomatoes peeled and chopped; one-half tablespoonful salt; a few grains cayenne and one-fourth teaspoonful paprika. cover and cook over hot water until rice is tender. serve as a vegetable. spaghetti--italian style mrs. j. h. shanley one package spaghetti, unbroken, boiled until tender, then let cold water run through it. fill iron spider with sliced onions and cook until tender, not brown; add two small green peppers, chopped fine; one can mushrooms and one pound chopped steak. cook together long enough to season, about ten minutes. put in with the spaghetti in a baking dish, and add one quart tomatoes, strained. mix thoroughly and sprinkle with grated cheese, viz: layer of spaghetti, then cheese, etc. also put cheese on top to form crust. bake until heated through. italian spaghetti mrs. c. a. jennings one heaping tablespoonful butter; two medium-sized onions; one bead of garlic; one can tomatoes; two-thirds package spaghetti. cut onions and garlic fine and put in saucepan to fry with butter a light brown. add the tomatoes, strained and let simmer one hour. put spaghetti in large vessel of salted boiling water and keep boiling fast for forty minutes. have hot dish ready; into this put spaghetti and tomatoes and a small cup of grated herkimer or other snappy american cheese. mix thoroughly; serve with small dish of same cheese to springle over spaghetti at table. scalloped tomatoes alice clock one no. size tin of tomatoes; one medium-sized onion; six slices bacon; two cups fresh bread crums. chop the onion and bacon, fry to crisp brown; place first a layer of tomatoes, then a layer of bread crumbs, then a layer of onion and bacon; over which salt and pepper is shaken. repeat layers until all material is used. bake forty-five minutes in moderate oven. italian macaroni mrs. w. i. clock one-half pound streaky salt pork, no bones, very little lean meat; three onions; a suspicion of garlic; one teacup of chopped parsley; one no. can of tomatoes; four heaping teaspoonfuls granulated sugar; one teaspoonful salt; one-fourth teaspoonful pepper; two tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese; one pound of spaghetti. put finely chopped pork, onions and parsley into frying pan and fry to nice brown; add sugar, salt, pepper and cheese. at same time the above is cooking have the tomatoes heating in enameled saucepan; also have water boiling ready to put spaghetti in, for it must actually boil twenty-five minutes to be tender. after the tomatoes have cooked about ten minutes, put through sieve and add to pork and onions and let all simmer while spaghetti cooks. put spaghetti in collander to drain. serve by placing a layer of spaghetti in deep dish, then sauce and cheese, and so on each layer until all material is used; serve very hot. macaroni mrs. gussie enos boil macaroni one-half hour. put one pint milk; one and one-half cups grated cheese; one tablespoonful butter; one tablespoonful flour; salt and pepper together and boil all until smooth. put layer of macaroni and layer of sauce with sauce on top. bake one-half hour. hominy croquettes to one-half cup hominy (taken from a carton); add two cups hot stewed and strained tomato pulp; cook in a double boiler until hominy is tender. stir in two tablespoonfuls butter; three-fourths teaspoonful salt; one-fourth teaspoonful paprika. spread mixture on a plate to cool. then shape into balls the size of small lemons, roll in crumbs, dip in egg and again in crumbs and fry in hot deep fat. drain on brown paper and serve with cheese sauce. hominy grits mrs. w. d. hurlbut put two cupfuls of milk and two of water into a double boiler; add a little salt and one cupful of hominy grits; let boil hard one hour; do not stir. the moisture will all be absorbed and it will be light and creamy. use as a vegetable or in place of potatoes. tomatoes, creole style wash and wipe the desired number of medium-sized tomatoes. cut a slice from the blossom ends, scoop out pulp, sprinkle with salt in the inside, invert on plate, let stand one hour. melt two tablespoonfuls butter, add two tablespoonfuls flour mixed with one-half teaspoonful salt, one-fourth teaspoonful paprika and few grains cayenne. stir until blended, then pour on slowly one-half cup cream. stir until smooth and add one cup green corn, cut from cob, and mixed with one-half tablespoonful each red and green pepper, finely chopped. flavor delicately with onion juice. fill tomatoes, cover with buttered crumbs and bake in moderate oven until tomatoes and corn are tender. tomatoes on half shell mrs. r. mcneil cut tomatoes in half without peeling. place them in baking dish. put in a piece of butter on each, and dust with salt and pepper. put in oven and cook until tender. have ready squares of toasted bread. on each place a half tomato and pour around white sauce and serve hot. baked tomatoes mrs. w. o. king select nice smooth tomatoes; slice off top and remove pulp and seeds. rub this through collander. add one-half cup of each bread and cracker crumbs, pepper, salt and minced onion to tomatoes with a little butter. stuff tomatoes, place top on, using toothpicks; bake one hour in a moderate oven. fried tomatoes mrs. c. s. junge green or ripe tomatoes may be used. slice and dip in flour. place in skillet with plenty of bacon fat and a little butter. fry until brown and lift carefully onto a platter. in the remaining fat stir a tablespoonful of flour, then pour a cup and a half of milk. when creamed, turn over tomatoes and serve. baked noodles mrs. e. lewis phelps one box of home made noodles, boil until tender then drain. butter a baking dish; put in a layer of noodles; sprinkle with grated cheese and seasoning; then another layer of noodles; then two cups of cooked boiled ham chopped fine; chopped green pepper and chopped onion; put the remainder of noodles on top and add cheese, etc. beat up four or five eggs; add milk enough to cover all the noodles. set pan into pan of water and bake slowly until eggs are done. can add buttered cracker crumbs on top if liked. corn pudding helen m. bailey six ears corn; two eggs; one-half pint milk; pinch salt; pinch pepper; cut corn from cob, beat eggs, and add milk, eggs and seasoning to corn. bake until light brown. corn oysters mrs. e. s. smith mix one pint of grated corn; three tablespoonfuls of milk; one teacup of flour; a piece of butter the size of an egg. drop by dessertspoonfuls into a little hot butter. fry on both sides. corn croquettes one cupful of stewed or canned corn; one-half cupful of dried bread crumbs; one-half cupful of milk; one beaten egg; one teaspoonful of salt; one teaspoonful of baking powder; one tablespoonful of flour. chop corn, mix with bread crumbs, milk and other ingredients. drop from spoon into deep fat and fry until light brown. green peppers stuffed with rice, tomatoes and nut meats cut a slice from the stem ends of six medium-sized mild, green peppers; remove seeds and veins; parboil in boiling water eight minutes. drain. have ready one and one-half cups hot boiled rice; mix with three-fourths cup thick tomato puree; add one cup chopped english walnut meats. season with salt, pepper and a few grains of cayenne; add one teaspoonful each finely chopped parsley and chives or onion. fill peppers. arrange on buttered dripping pan; cover with buttered cracker crumbs and bake in oven until heated through and crumbs are brown. green peppers stuffed with onions parboil six green peppers eight minutes (discarding seeds and veins) in boiling water to cover. drain, keep warm. cover one-half dozen silver skin onions with boiling water, heat to boiling point and drain. cover again, with boiling salted water and cook until tender, drain and finely chop, mix with one cup soft bread crumbs, add three tablespoonfuls melted butter, season highly with salt, pepper and one-half teaspoonful finely chopped parsley. fill prepared peppers (if too dry add one tablespoonful cream) with mixture, cover with buttered crumbs, set them in buttered gem pans and bake in oven until peppers are tender and crumbs are brown. green peppers stuffed with corn mrs. t. d. caliger select sweet green peppers of medium size; cut a thick slice from stem ends; remove seeds and veins. soak in salt water one hour, drain, and fill with following mixture. put three cups of canned corn into a saucepan, with two tablespoonfuls finely chopped green peppers, butter and one tablespoonful of onion juice. simmer slowly fifteen minutes, stirring often to prevent burning. cover tops of peppers with buttered bread crumbs, and bake one-half hour in moderate oven. egg plant and shrimp mrs. ada woods boil a whole egg plant, cutting off the stem end. when done take off skin and put the inside to drain. put a cup of stale bread crumbs, a grated onion, salt and pepper, tablespoonful parsley and a clove of garlic minced fine, in a skillet with two tablespoonfuls bacon drippings, and fry until brown; add this to the egg plant, put in two dozen shrimps, broken up, and when all is well mixed put in the oven and brown. french fried egg plant mrs. a. m. cameron prepare egg plant in the usual way; drain and cut as you would potatoes for french fry; sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour; place in a frying basket and fry strips until crisp and a pretty brown; drain on brown paper. baked stuffed egg plant cut slice from stem end; reserve for cover, scoop out inside, leaving a wall one-fourth inch thick, sprinkle inside with salt and pepper, finely chop pulp. cook one-half onion, finely chopped, in one tablespoonful butter three minutes without browning, add three fresh mushrooms, finely chopped, four tablespoonfuls finely chopped lean raw ham, season with salt, pepper; cook five minutes, stirring constantly. add egg plant pulp, three-fourths cup soft bread crumbs, one-half teaspoonful finely chopped parsley. mix well, refill shell, cover with buttered crumbs. bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. new string beans mrs. w. d. hurlbut cut two thin slices of bacon crosswise in narrow shreds, using shears for this purpose. saute to a delicate brown. add two cups hot, cooked, well-drained string beans and one-half tablespoonful grated onion or onion juice. shake the frying pan to thoroughly mix the ingredients, season with salt and pepper. turn into hot serving dish. creamed peas as an entree mrs. c. a. carscadin cut with a cookie cutter a round of bread from a thick slice, then a ring with a doughnut cutter. dip in melted butter and toast a delicate brown in the oven. fill them with peas in cream sauce. french fried onions bertha z. bishee peel onions, slice and separate rings. beat an egg, white and yolk together; salt and pepper to taste and stir in enough flour--about a tablespoonful--to make a thin batter. pour over the onion rings, making sure that they are well coated, and fry a handful at a time in deep fat, which must be hot enough to brown quickly. drain and serve covered with a napkin. baked spanish onion alice clock three spanish onions; two cups of fresh bread crumbs; one pint milk; one heaping tablespoonful butter. take greased baking dish. place alternate layers of sliced onion, and bread crumbs, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. when materials are used up, pour over the pint of milk; and the butter cut in small pieces is placed on the top last. bake slowly, until onion can be pierced easily. scalloped cabbage miss kennedy cut one-half of boiled cabbage in small pieces; sprinkle with salt, pepper and one finely chopped pimento; pour over one and one-fourth cups thin white sauce, mixed with one-third cup grated cheese. mix well and turn into a buttered baking dish; cover with buttered and seasoned cracker crumbs. place in oven and bake until crumbs are brown. cabbage rolls mrs. c. s. junge parboil in salt water the large leaves of a cabbage. take them from the water and place singly on the cake board and pepper them. mix half and half, chopped beef and pork and season. make into rolls twice the size of an egg. round these roll several cabbage leaves and fasten with tooth picks. place these in the skillet with two tablespoonfuls of bacon fat or lard with a little butter. turn in a small amount of water and cook covered over a slow fire. when water cooks off add more in small quantities for nearly an hour. remove tooth picks and serve. cauliflower au gratin miss june baumgardner boil cauliflower until tender; separate so that a flower will be in each ramekin. make a white sauce and grate three tablespoonfuls yellow american cheese in it; when the cheese is melted pour over the vegetable in ramekin, put a few buttered bread crumbs on top and put in the oven to brown. parsnip saute wash parsnips and cook until tender in boiling water. drain and cover with cold water; with the hands slip off the skins. mash and rub through a strainer. season pulp with salt, pepper and butter, shape in flat cakes and dredge with flour. saute a golden brown in equal parts hot butter and chicken fat. fried summer squash wash, wipe and cut tender squash in one-half inch slices, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour, dip in egg, then in fine cracker crumbs, repeat and fry in deep, hot fat, drain and serve. creamed celery cabbage mrs. h. clay calhoun cut celery cabbage in inch lengths, boil until tender in salted water; drain and pour over a rich cream sauce. baked, stuffed artichokes mrs. francis a. sieber six artichokes; four ounces fat pork; two cups chopped mushrooms; two tablespoonfuls chopped shallots; one teaspoonful minced parsley; one tablespoonful flour; one tablespoonful butter; one-half cup spinach sauce; one-half teaspoonful salt, a little pepper, nutmeg; one cup broth; one glass white wine. prepare artichokes, boil thirty minutes and drain. mince pork and fry with shallots; add mushrooms and parsley and simmer ten minutes. blend with it the flour mixed with butter; add spanish sauce and seasoning. stuff artichokes, and tie each with string; brown outside in a little olive oil, add the broth and wine. cover and cook forty minutes in moderate oven. when they are ready to serve remove the strings and arrange on a hot platter and pour the sauce over them. garnish with a whole mushroom on top of each. mushrooms mrs. h. p. e. hafer peal one pound fresh mushrooms. fry in butter slowly for three-quarters of an hour. add two cups of soup stock and one-half cup of cream and thicken with flour. serve on toast. stuffed mushrooms mrs. k. larson brush twelve large mushrooms. remove stems. chop finely, and peel caps. melt three tablespoonfuls butter, and one-half tablespoonful finely chopped shallot, and chopped stems. then cook ten minutes. add one and one-half tablespoonfuls of flour, chicken stock to moisten, a slight grating of nutmeg, and one-half teaspoonful finely chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. cool mixture and fill caps, well rounding over top. cover with buttered cracker crumbs, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. stewed mushrooms mrs. e. r. hornig peel and wash mushrooms, cut one or two onions very fine and stew in a tablespoonful of butter, add mushrooms, season with pepper and salt and sprinkle over a little flour. cook about fifteen minutes and serve hot. stewed cucumbers mrs. e. r. hornig pare and cut lengthwise in quarters, remove seeds. put into hot butter, or finely cut bacon, season with salt and pepper. cook about fifteen minutes over a slow fire, or until they appear glossy. add a teaspoonful vinegar or a little sour cream. serve hot. fried cucumbers mrs. william h. fahrney peel and slice, medium thick, large cucumbers; dip in batter and cracker crumbs and fry in hot fat until brown. kohlrabbi mrs. e. r. hornig take three bunches of kohlrabbi, remove hard leaves, strip tender leaves from their ribs, cut them up fine. peel kohlrabbi, cut in slices quarter of an inch thick, and add tender green leaves. put on to boil with cold water, just enough to cover, until tender. season with pepper and salt, blend a teaspoonful of flour with butter, add to vegetable, and stew a few minutes longer. serve hot. salads "_'twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat; back to the world, he'd turn his weary soul, and plunge his fingers in the salad bowl._" tea salad mrs. frederick dunn upon a leaf of head lettuce, place a round of boiled ham. (one slice of ham will make two rounds.) then place a thick slice of tomato; and next a half a hard boiled egg, cut crosswise; then a ring of sweet green peppers; and over all pour thousand island dressing. garnish with parsley and radish rosettes. two such portions served on a salad plate makes an appetizing dish, or it can be served on a large platter at the table, or passed. perfection salad mrs. louis geyler one envelope knox's sparkling gelatine; one-half cup cold water; one-half cup mild vinegar; one pint boiling water; one teaspoonful salt; one cup finely shredded celery; one cucumber chopped finely; one bunch radishes chopped; one green pepper chopped; one-half cup sugar; juice of one lemon; little onion juice; seeds of one pomegranite. soak gelatine in cold water five minutes; add vinegar; lemon juice; onion juice; boiling water; sugar and salt. strain and when beginning to set, add ingredients. turn into ring mold and chill. serve on lettuce leaves, garnish with asparagus tips in center and tomatoes quartered around it. use cooked mayonnaise as dressing. chicken salad mrs. jarvis weed to the white meat and a very little bit of the dark meat of a chicken add one cupful blanched almonds, a cupful of celery and about six slices of hawaiian pineapple shredded. cover with an oil mayonnaise and mix well. frozen fruit salad mrs. c. h. bushnell three cakes blue label cream cheese; one-half pint mayonnaise dressing; one pint whipped cream; one ten-cent bottle maraschino cherries; one can white cherries; one can pineapple cut fine; one-half cup pecan nuts. beat cheese to cream, mix with fruit, put in melon mold and freeze about three hours. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. frozen salad mrs. a. e. kaltenbrun five eggs beaten separately. one cup of vinegar; one cup of milk and cream mixed; one tablespoonful butter; one-half teaspoonful mustard; one-fourth teaspoonful salt; one cup of sugar. cook until thick. let cool and add: two bottles whipping cream, any kind of fruit--preferably pineapple, oranges, peaches, etc., and freeze like a mousse. baking powder can molds are splendid. slice and serve with cherry on lettuce. frozen salad mrs. thos. d. caliger melt one tablespoonful butter and add yolks of two eggs, well beaten; mix three and one-half tablespoonfuls flour, three tablespoonfuls sugar, one teaspoonful salt, one-third teaspoonful paprika, few grains cayenne. add to the above mixture: two-thirds cup milk; one-third cup vinegar. cook same in double boiler until thick. stir constantly; when cooked, beat two minutes and chill; then add two large tablespoonfuls of pineapple juice, four cupfuls of fruit cut fine, one bottle of whipped cream. pack in ice and salt for three hours. slice and serve on lettuce leaves. hawaiian salad mrs. c. a. jennings one large or two small heads of lettuce; four medium sized tomatoes; one alligator pear. place lettuce leaves on plate with two or three slices of tomatoes. cover with rings of alligator pear cut very thin. serve with french dressing. french dressing: rub salad dish with bead of garlic (omit if objectionable). one-half teaspoonful salt, generous dash of paprika, four tablespoonfuls olive oil, one and one-half tablespoonfuls vinegar. this will serve six people. cottage cheese and prune salad mrs. lyman holsey one and one-fourth cups cottage cheese; one and one-half dozen medium sized prunes: one-fourth cup chopped hickory nuts; one-fourth teaspoonful salt; dash paprika. wash prunes. remove pits and let soak over night. mix remaining ingredients and stuff prunes with this mixture. place on lettuce leaf and serve with french dressing. fruit salad belle hallen molt one can pineapple cubed; one pound malaga grapes seeded and cut in half; one-fourth pound pecans; one-fourth pound marshmallows cut in half. dressing: yolks of four eggs; one-half teaspoonful mustard; one-half teaspoonful salt; juice of one lemon; one-half cup of cream; boil in double boiler until thick and smooth. let this get cold and add one-half pint whipped cream and pour over and mix thoroughly with fruit and let stand in icebox four hours before serving, giving the marshmallows a chance to become creamy. it will come out like a thick fluff. fruit salad mrs. c. b. martin into a quart of boiling water, put two packages of lemon jello; when thoroughly dissolved, strain; and when cool mix in one cup of chopped nuts; one cup of green grapes, seeded and cut in half; one cup of sliced pineapple; one-half cup pimento; two cups chopped cabbage; stir and add to jello. fruit salad mrs. j. blackburn green california grapes cut in half and seeded, a little celery cut in dice, pecan nuts cut in halves and a few quartered olives. mix carefully with salad dressing and before serving add one-half cup of cream. best ever salad mrs. kathryn m. haskell one orange cut in quarters; one banana cut in small oblong pieces; one small can of pineapple cut in small pieces; one-half cup chopped english walnuts. dressing: two eggs beaten lightly; one-fourth cup pineapple juice; one-fourth cup lemon juice; one-half cup sugar; cook until it thickens; let get cold and pour over fruit. tomato stuffed with cottage cheese and almonds katherine blade peel nice ripe tomatoes; scoop out the centers and fill with cottage cheese and minced almonds; place a spoonful mayonnaise on top and sprinkle minced almonds over the mayonnaise. tomato en surprise mrs. j. e. kelly peel a nice large tomato and empty its contents; take some cold slaw and celery hashed up very fine and mix it with mayonnaise dressing; and add a pinch of salt and a dash of paprika. mix well and fill the tomato with this mixture. the tomatoes must be served very cold. a novel salad dish mrs. campbell take large and long cucumbers, cut them through the middle lengthwise, scrape out the inside and one has a pretty green boat in which to serve the salad. this is particularly pretty with lobster or shrimp salad on account of the contrast in the color. christmas salad marian blade two large grapefruit; one cup chopped celery; one cup chopped tart apples; one-half cup hickory nut meats. cut grapefruit in small pieces, being careful to remove all partitions and tough parts. drain off juice, add celery, apples, nuts and mayonnaise. toss together and serve on small leaves of cabbage. garnish with round pieces of pimentos to resemble holly berries and pieces of green pepper cut to resemble holly leaves. date and pineapple salad mrs. lyman one pound dates; four slices pineapple; one cup nut meats. wash the dates and steam for five minutes, dry in oven. cut in half removing the seed. chop nut meats. cut pineapple into small cubes and mix with nut meats. marinate with french dressing and stuff dates with mixture. serve on lettuce leaf with mayonnaise dressing. neapolitan salad mrs. lyman holsey two cups of cottage cheese; one-half cum cream; one-half teaspoonful salt. mix cheese with cream and salt. color one-third of mixture with beet juice, pink. mold in brick shaped tin which has been dipped in very cold water. put in a layer of white, then the pink, then white. chill thoroughly before turning out. slice with very sharp knife dipped in hot water. serve on lettuce leaves. anchovie bonnes-bouches mrs. trumen fillet some anchovies, cut them into thin strips, and put them on a dish with some shredded lettuce leaves, small radishes, some capers, thin slices of lemon and chopped parsley. arrange all tastefully, season with lemon juice mixed with salad oil, garnish with stoned olives and the yolks and the whites of hard boiled eggs. cucumber salad mrs. j. t. brown one cucumber cut very fine; one can grated pineapple; juice of four lemons; sugar to taste; two tablespoonfuls of gelatine. cook the gelatine in a little water; then add the juice of pineapple and lemons; when it begins to set add the cucumber and pineapple. put in molds, serve with a cream mayonnaise dressing. cucumber salad mrs. maxwell peel the cucumbers, cut them in thin slices without cutting the slices off, thus giving the appearance of a whole cucumber. insert in each opening thin slices of radishes with the peel on, sliced to the exact size of the cucumber. chill thoroughly and serve with french dressing. butter bean salad mrs. lyman one pint butter beans (canned or cooked); one cup chopped celery; one tablespoonful finely chopped onion; one tablespoonfud finely chopped green pepper. mix ingredients together lightly. garnish with grated cheese, and serve with french dressing. cream cheese mrs. c. e. ellis one neufachatel cheese; one-half that quantity of butter; one tablespoonful cream; dash of tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper. tint pink with vegetable coloring; roll in nuts, finely chopped. serve on a lettuce leaf. banana salad cut bananas lengthwise, roll them in mayonnaise then in ground peanuts and serve on lettuce leaves. normandy salad mrs. theresa b. orr one can french peas washed and strained. one-half pound english walnuts cut the size of the peas. mix dressing with nuts. toss with peas and serve on lettuce leaves. piquant raisins for salads mrs. lyman carefully seed one-half pound cluster raisins. rinse quickly in hot water and drain well. add one-fourth cup cold water, let stand one or two hours, then simmer, covered, until raisins begin to plump. add one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar and simmer until vinegar is absorbed. remove from fire, place tea towel under cover to absorb moisture and let stand until cold. these raisins are used as garnish or component part of salads. cabbage slaw mrs. t. m. butler chop up very fine one-half of medium sized cabbage head, one stalk of celery and one sweet pepper, salt to season, add one-half cup of sugar and enough vinegar to moisten the mixture. potato salad four cupfuls sliced boiled potatoes; one small onion, chopped; one-half cupful weak vinegar; one teaspoonful salt; one-eighth teaspoonful pepper; three tablespoonfuls olive oil; two slices bacon diced; four stalks celery; chopped lettuce; one tablespoonful minced parsley. put onion in a large bowl, add salt and vinegar, and let stand ten minutes; then slice in the potatoes while still warm and mix thoroughly. add oil, the celery cut fine, the bacon fried to a crisp, and the bacon fat; then the parsley. arrange on a bed of lettuce and garnish with beets and hard cooked eggs that have been chopped. potato salad mrs. campbell cut cold boiled potatoes into dice and mix them with two minced raw onions and one tablespoonful minced parsley. sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, stir lightly together and add one small diced cucumber and a hard boiled egg, also diced. set in ice box for an hour. when ready to serve, stir in one cucumber cut into dice and mix with two-thirds cupful of salad dressing. garnish with hard boiled eggs and olives. to serve with a salad mrs. c. a. carscadin cream together one cake blue label cream cheese, and one-quarter pound or less of roquefort cheese; fold into this one bottle of cream whipped stiff. this will serve eight people. ham salad edna blade chop one cupful of cooked ham very fine. soak one tablespoonful of knox gelatine in one tablespoonful of cold water for half an hour, then dissolve in one cupful of hot water with one teaspoonful each of onion juice and chopped parsley. add to the ham and stir occasionally until the mixture thickens; fold in one cupful of whipped cream and add one-half saltspoonful of paprika. form it into little basket shapped molds and, when set, partly fill each little pink basket with mayonnaise. surround with tiny lettuce leaves and simulate handles by two arched plumes of parsley. placed on pretty plates, these form a delectable decorative fancy. if the larder does not contain the leftover meat, a can of deviled ham may be substituted. lobster salad mrs. campbell take a can of lobster, taking care to free it from any pieces of shell; set it on ice while you make a good mayonnaise dressing and set that on ice also. have ready one-half as much celery as you have lobster, cut into one-half inch lengths; mix lobster meat and celery together, sprinkle with salt and cayenne, then stir in one cup of mayonnaise. arrange two or three lettuce leaves together to form a shell and put two or three teaspoonfuls of the salad on each. garnish with hard boiled eggs cut lengthwise. oyster salad miss anna brennan allow six oysters to each person. parboil them in their liquid and drain at once. when cool cut each one in four pieces. break tender young leaves of lettuce and mix in equal parts with oysters. pour over all the following dressing. allow one egg to two persons. boil eggs twenty minutes. when cold cut whites in slices and mix with oysters and lettuce. mash yolks fine in deep bowl and add one raw yolk. stir in olive oil slowly until it is a smooth paste. season with lemon juice, english mustard and salt. add oil until as thick as cream. pour over salad. dandelion salad mrs. maxwell pick the young tender leaves of the dandelion, wash and lay in ice water for half an hour. drain, shake dry and pat still drier between the folds of a napkin. turn into a chilled bowl, cover with a french dressing, turn the greens over and over in this and send at once to the table. tomato jelly mrs. a. donald campbell cook, for twenty minutes, two cups of tomatoes, with slice of onion; one teaspoonful salt; dash of pepper; strain and add one tablespoonful knox gelatine, which has already been soaked in cold water. stir all until gelatine is entirely dissolved; then pour in a ring mold that has been dipped in cold water. when ready to serve turn out on a bed of lettuce leaves and fill center with chopped celery well mixed with mayonnaise. salad dressing mrs. h. p. sieh one-half cup olive oil; one teaspoonful paprika; one teaspoonful worcestershire sauce; a pinch mustard; one-half cup sugar; one-third teaspoonful salt. mix all together well and add vinegar until the right consistency. salad dressing mrs. e. hilliard three yolks of eggs, one tablespoonful sugar, one-quarter teaspoonful mustard; one-tenth teaspoonful cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful salt, one pint sweet oil, few drops at a time, one-quarter cup vinegar, one-quarter cup lemon juice. add sweet cream before using. excellent salad dressing mrs. frederick dunn two tablespoonfuls granulated sugar; two teaspoonfuls dry mustard; little red pepper; eight yolks eggs; eight tablespoonfuls vinegar; two teaspoonfuls salt; two teaspoonfuls butter. cook in double boiler five minutes; when cold add one cup chopped pecan nuts or blanched almonds, twenty-four chopped marshmallows, two cups whipped cream. pour over apricots or fruit salad. garnish with maraschino cherries. this serves sixteen persons. cream salad dressing mrs. n. a. flanders two tablespoonfuls butter; two tablespoonfuls sugar; two eggs; one-half cup whipped cream; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-half teaspoonful mustard (together); one-eighth cayenne pepper; one-fourth cup vinegar. mix sugar, salt and mustard together in small pot, add vinegar and put on fire to heat. beat eggs very light in a round bottomed bowl. add the vinegar and other ingredients. stand bowl in a pan of hot water over fire, and beat with a dover beater until it thickens. take the bowl out at once and beat in the butter. set aside to cool. add whipped cream before serving. (last item not necessary.) cream salad dressing mrs. j. h. shanley four tablespoonfuls butter; one tablespoonful sugar; one-half cupful vinegar; one tablespoonful flour; one teaspoonful each, salt and dry mustard; one cupful milk; three eggs; dash cayenne pepper. let the butter get hot; add flour and stir until smooth, being careful not to brown. add milk, stir, and let boil up. place saucepan in another of hot water; beat eggs, salt, mustard, add vinegar and stir into boiling mixture. continue stirring until it thickens. when cold, bottle. mrs. luff's mayonnaise yolks of three eggs; two teaspoonfuls mustard; one teaspoonful salt; one saltspoonful white pepper; two tablespoonfuls salad oil: two tablespoonfuls sugar; one tablespoonful flour, heaping; one-half cup hot vinegar; one cup milk or cream. beaten whites added last. put in double boiler and stir until it begins to thicken. take it off stove and beat until cool. fruit salad dressing mrs. a. r. swickheimar butter size of an egg; three eggs; juice of two oranges; juice of one lemon; one-half can pineapple juice; one-half cup sugar; one-third spoonful dry mustard; one teaspoonful flour. cook in double boiler until thick; set aside to cool; add one cup of cream, whipped. fruit salad dressing mrs. frank sessions yolks of two eggs, well beaten; two tablespoonfuls each of oil, vinegar and sugar; one-half teaspoonful salt and dash of paprika. put in bowl over the teakettle, beat until cool. just before serving add the beaten whites and a little cream. fruit dressing mrs. a. e. kaltenbrun to the juice of one can of pineapple add: one tablespoonful flour; one-half cup sugar; a pinch of salt; tablespoonful butter. cook until creamy, let cool and add one bottle of whipped cream, one-half pound of dates and marshmallows. serve on fruit. fruit salad dressing mrs. t. m. butler two eggs, well beaten, add one cup of sugar; one-half cup of pineapple juice, one-fourth cup of lemon juice or juice of one lemon. place in double boiler and cook until creamy and thick. let it cool and just before serving whip one-half pint of cream and stir in the sauce. salad dressing mrs. w. h. muschlet one heaping teaspoonful flour; one heaping teaspoonful colemans mustard; one-half cup granulated sugar; one teaspoonful salt; mix all together. yolks of three eggs; one-half cup vinegar; one cup cream or cream and milk; large lump butter; little paprika. cook in double boiler until thickened. before getting cold stir in the beaten whites. italian salad dressing mrs. theresa b. orr yolks of three eggs boiled hard and mashed fine. one small spoonful salt; one small spoonful mustard; a little cayenne pepper; one saltspoonful of powdered sugar; four tablespoonfuls olive oil; one tablespoonful lemon juice; one tablespoonful vinegar. do not let come to boil but stir constantly. sour cream salad dressing mrs. a. r. swickheimar three eggs beaten with one cup sour cream; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one-half teaspoonful mustard; one-half cup vinegar; one tablespoonful flour. cook in double boiler; when cold, add one-third cup olive oil. thousand island dressing mrs. carolyn chandler to a foundation of either boiled dressing or mayonnaise, add: chili sauce, catsup, hard boiled egg and green olives. serve on either lettuce hearts or french endive. thousand island dressing mrs. f. b. woodland three tablespoonfuls mayonnaise dressing; one tablespoonful tarragon vinegar; two tablespoonfuls chili sauce; one tablespoonful cream; a little dash salt, pepper and paprika; dash english mustard; and some chopped chives or onions. mrs. phelps' thousand island salad dressing mrs. e. lewis phelps rub the bowl with garlic; two tablespoonfuls cooked salad dressing, cream this with one tablespoonful chives, cut fine; one tablespoonful green pepper and one of red peppers, both cut fine; one tablespoonful roquefort cheese; four tablespoonfuls home made chili sauce. cooked salad dressing mrs. h. d. sheldon one-half tablespoonful salt; one-half tablespoonful flour; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one teaspoonful dry mustard, little cayenne pepper; yolks of two eggs; three-fourths cup milk; one-fourth cup vinegar; butter size of egg. mix all dry materials, then add eggs well beaten; butter, milk and vinegar. cook until thick, stirring constantly. thin with cream. boiled dressing mrs. arthur hammer one teaspoonful each of mustard and sugar; two teaspoonfuls flour; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-eighth teaspoonful paprika; one egg and one cup of milk. have butter the size of an egg hot in a spider; have the above ingredients thoroughly mixed and put in the hot butter, stirring constantly until thick. add vinegar and lemon to taste and beat until smooth. waltham salad dressing b. c. hansen one cup of sour cream; two egg yolks; one-fourth cup vinegar; two teaspoonfuls salt; two teaspoonfuls sugar; one teaspoonful mustard; one-eighth teaspoonful pepper. to cream, add egg yolks, slightly beaten, vinegar and remaining ingredients, thoroughly mixed. cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. roquefort cheese dressing mrs. a. e. kaltenbrun take a ripe piece of cheese, cream with a fork and add cream or vinegar until it makes a paste. add oil and vinegar, salt and paprika as for french dressing. cheese mayonnaise half a cream cheese; four tablespoonfuls of olive oil; one tablespoonful of vinegar; one teaspoonful of salt; dash of cayenne. rub the cheese to a paste with the olive oil, seasonings and vinegar until it is thick like an egg mayonnaise. to some the flavor of oil is unpleasant, but a very good mayonnaise can be made without oil, provided you use two eggs instead of the one egg yolk ordinarily required. pies "_no soil upon earth is so dear to our eyes as the soil we first stirred in terrestrial pies._" pie crust unfailing mrs. h. s. mount one cup flour; two tablespoonfuls of lard; three tablespoonfuls of boiling water; pinch salt; baking powder enough to cover the end of silver knife. put lard into water. beat well; then add to dry ingredients, and roll out. pie crust anna may price one cup shortening; one-half cup boiling water; cream. two cups sifted flour and two level teaspoonfuls baking powder. pie crust mrs. n. l. hurlbut one cup flour; two heaping tablespoonfuls lard; pinch salt; one teaspoonful baking powder. cold water enough to make dough. handle as little as possible. lemon cream pie mrs. becker bake crust separate. one heaping tablespoonful lard; one-half cup flour; two tablespoonfuls water; one-fourth teaspoonful salt. filling: two cups water; juice of one lemon; yolks of two eggs; two tablespoonfuls corn starch; one-half cup sugar; pinch of salt. boil filling separate and when cool fill in baked crust. beat whites of eggs with two tablespoonfuls sugar and put on the top. lemon pie juice of three lemons; three eggs; pint milk; one-half cup sugar; one-fourth cup rolled crackers; one lemon rind. lemon cream pie mrs. willet wanzer bake the crust, then fill with the following: one cup sugar; one lemon juice and peel; three egg whites saved for frosting; three heaping teaspoonfuls flour stirred up in a little cold water; one teacup boiling water; mix together and boil up. then place in baked crust. stir whites of eggs until thick. add about one-half cup sugar, a little at a time. then place on pie and brown slightly. lemon cream pie mrs. h. clay calhoun one cupful granulated sugar; one tablespoonful butter, creamed; two tablespoonfuls flour; juice of one large lemon; yolks of two eggs; one cupful milk; stir all together and fold the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs in last. lemon pie mrs. r. f. morrow one lemon; one-half orange; one cup sugar; yolks three eggs; one cup water; one tablespoonful (heaping) flour; one lump butter; beat all together and cook until thick custard. put into crust; with whites beat stiff one spoonful sugar. flat custard pie mrs. earl combs four eggs beaten; one quart of milk; two tablespoonfuls flour; one pinch salt; one tablespoonful butter; put in hot pan. then pour custard and bake about twenty minutes. when done put creamed sugar on top while hot. creamed sugar. one cup powdered sugar; two tablespoonfuls butter; one teaspoonful vanilla; cream all together. cranberry pie mrs. harry m. boon one pint cranberries; one-half cup raisins. wash and cut up raisins, put with cranberries with a small cup of sugar; cook and when soft put in pie crust. boston cream pie mrs. j. g. sherer two cups milk; three-fourths cup sugar; three-fourths cup cocoanut; pinch salt. put in double boiler and heat. teaspoonful vanilla; three tablespoonfuls corn starch dissolved in a little milk; beaten whites of four eggs last; then beat steadily. bake crust first. beat a bottle of cream until stiff; sweeten it with three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a teaspoonful vanilla and spread on pie. cream pie mrs. willet wanzer two egg yolks; four heaping teaspoonfuls sugar; two cups milk; one-half tablespoonful butter; three even tablespoonfuls corn starch; one teaspoonful vanilla. cook in double boiler until it thickens. then spread on the baked pie crust, and put the whites beaten with sugar added on top, and brown slightly. to be eaten cold. chocolate added makes a very delicious pie. butter scotch pie mrs. william molt make and bake crust first, before adding filling. one cup light brown sugar; butter size of an egg; one tablespoonful flour; pinch of salt; mix thoroughly, then add one cup of milk and boil in double boiler until thick; then add beaten yolks of two eggs. add to the baked crust; beat whites of the two eggs stiff, with a little sugar and brown slightly in oven. cream pie mrs. t. m. butler one egg, one tablespoonful of flour, three-fourths cup of sugar, butter size of a walnut, one pint of milk. stir constantly while cooking until thickened and fill previously baked crust and sprinkle over with cocoanut and nutmeg. butter-scotch pie mrs. p. d. swigart one and one-half ounces butter; three-fourths cup light brown sugar; two eggs; one and one-half cups sweet milk. put butter in pan, mix in brown sugar, stirring constantly until caramel color, then add milk and boil until sugar is melted. separate the yolks from whites, add to yolks one-half cup flour and one teaspoonful corn starch. add enough water to make a thick paste, stir into ready baked pie crust, put whites to which sugar has been added on top and brown. instead of whites of egg for top of pie, whipped cream may be substituted. butter-scotch pie mrs. earl combs one-half cup brown sugar; one-half cup white sugar; two yolks of eggs; two tablespoonfuls flour; one large cup milk; two tablespoonfuls butter; dissolve sugar and butter with a small amount of milk; and let boil until it threads a little. mix flour with a little water to thin paste and then add milk and yolks of eggs. stir all together and boil until smooth, thick paste. put in baked crust. whip whites, put in little sugar, and put on top. bake a golden brown. filling for pumpkin pie mrs. w. h. hart one scant cupful sugar beaten into two eggs; one teaspoonful flour; two heaping tablespoonfuls of cooked pumpkin; spices to suit taste; one and one-half cupfuls of sweet milk. mix in order given; this makes one large pie. when done and before serving, spread the top with whipped cream; nuts can also be added. blueberry pie mrs. c. s. junge one cup of flour; two heaping tablespoonfuls of lard; three tablespoonfuls of sour cream. mix lightly into crust. sprinkle a layer of flour in lower crust and fill with berries. sprinkle over them two tablespoonfuls of flour and a cup and a half of sugar. put in two tablespoonfuls of water and add upper crust. heat stones of cooker fifteen minutes beginning as you begin your pie. bake pie forty minutes. sour cream pie mrs. h. freeman one cup sour cream; one cup sugar; one-half cup seeded raisins, chopped fine; yolks two eggs; one-half teaspoonful cloves, and cinnamon. mix one teaspoonful flour with sugar; spread on the pie after it is baked, whites of two eggs beaten to a froth, stiff, with two tablespoonfuls sugar. set in oven and brown slightly. cream must be sour. mock cherry pie belle shaw one cup cranberries, split lengthwise (work out seeds); one-half cup raisins chopped fine; one cup sugar with one tablespoonful flour mixed with it. mix all together; pour in one-half cup boiling water; add one teaspoonful vanilla. bake between rich crusts. pumpkin pie mrs. max mauermann one cup pumpkin; one-fourth cup of sugar; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-fourth teaspoonful cinnamon; one-fourth teaspoonful mace; one-half teaspoonful vanilla; one egg and one yolk, beaten separately, and whites added last; one-half cup milk; one-fourth cup cream; one tablespoonful corn starch. bake in plain pastry until set. rice raisin pie mrs. c. a. carscadin boil one cup of raisins in one cup of water for five minutes; then add three tablespoonfuls boiled rice and one cup of sugar. boil another five minutes and add a tablespoonful butter and bake in two crusts. dutch apple pie mrs. h. abells line pie plate with crust and fill with quartered apples. add to one cup of sugar, one large tablespoonful of flour and stir into one cup of cream; pour over apples. grate nutmeg over all and bake without upper crust. sweet potato pie mrs. earl combs one pound of sweet potatoes mashed; two cups of sugar; one cup of cream; one-half cup butter; three eggs well beaten; little nutmeg, pinch of salt. bake in crust. sweet potato pie mrs. thomas d. caliger three medium sized potatoes. boil soft and mash fine. mix with it yolks of three eggs; sugar, to taste; one tablespoonful butter; flavoring, nutmeg and vanilla to taste. whip whites of eggs, and add small portion of ground citron. potato pie mrs. charles t. daily four medium sized potatoes; two eggs; one and one-half cups milk; one cup sugar; one teaspoonful vanilla; butter the size of an egg; grate a little nutmeg on top of pie. mash the potatoes and whip them until light and fluffy; add milk and run through sieve to remove all lumps; add other ingredients; put whole in crust and cook slowly in moderate oven until done. prune tarts mrs. litson stone stewed prunes; chop fine; then stew them in their own liquor ten minutes; sweeten and thicken with flour or corn starch. when nearly cool, fill puff paste forms and pile high with whipped cream and serve. desserts "_among the great, whom heaven hath made to shine, how few have learned the art of arts,--to dine!_" kiss torte mrs. f. dunn six whites of eggs; two cups granulated sugar; one teaspoonful vinegar; one teaspoonful vanilla. beat the whites of eggs to a stiff, dry froth; add the sugar a little at a time and beat; add the vanilla and vinegar. grease a spring form pan and pour in the mixture. bake about one hour in a slow oven. serve with crushed strawberries or raspberries and whipped cream. can be baked in individual molds and the centers filled with berries, etc. very delicious. bake forty minutes in a slow oven. kiss torte mrs. harry m. boon three egg whites beaten very stiff; gradually put in above one cup of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful vinegar, one-half teaspoonful vanilla. bake in a very light warm oven in two layers. fill with one quart ice cream, whip cream on top, use berries if you desire, with cream. serves four or five people. recipe can be doubled. cherry torte mrs. h. s. mount thicken cherries with corn starch. torte: two tablespoonfuls butter; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one yolk egg. work little by little into above mixture one cup of flour; put in pie tin and fill with cherries. bake in oven twenty minutes. date torte mrs. w. f. barnard one cupful sugar; three eggs; one cup sliced date; one cup sliced nut meats; three tablespoonfuls flour; one-half teaspoonful salt; one teaspoonful baking powder. bake about one hour. serve with whipped cream. pineapple cream mrs. c. s. junge one cup whipped cream; fifteen marshmallows cut into quarter inch squares; four slices pineapple cut into this mixture and let stand on ice for two hours. bananas or prunes may be used this same way. pineapple bavarian cream mrs. c. s. junge one tablespoonful knox gelatin; one quarter cup cold water; one-half can grated pineapple; one-quarter cup sugar; one-half tablespoonful lemon juice; one and one-half cups whipped cream. soak gelatin in the cold water. heat pineapple and add sugar, lemon juice and gelatin. chill in pan of ice water, stirring constantly. when it begins to thicken, beat until frothy. fold in cream and turn into molds. when cold serve with maraschino cherry on top. pineapple meringue mrs. may f. kenfield heat one can of grated pineapple and one-half cup granulated sugar and when boiling, thicken with about two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, dissolved in one-fourth cup of water. boil five minutes. add juice of one-half lemon and three beaten egg yolks. remove and cool. fill pastry shells and cover with a meringue, made of three whites, beaten stiff, with eight tablespoonfuls powdered sugar. serve very cold. pineapple sponge one small fresh pineapple or one and one-half pint can of the fruit; one small cup of sugar; one-half package knox gelatine; one-halm cup water; whites of four eggs. soak gelatine two hours in one and one-half cups water. chop pineapple, put it with juice in a small saucepan with sugar and the remainder of the water. simmer ten minutes, add gelatine, take from fire immediately and strain (if you prefer to leave the pineapple in, take out before straining) into a basin. when partly cold, add whites of eggs beaten. beat until mixture begins to thicken. serve with soft custard, flavored with wine. whipped cream secret mrs. w. h. muschlet for one pint whipped cream soak a scant tablespoonful granulated gelatine in enough water, cold, to barely cover, until soft; then add a small half teacupful of boiling water and stir until the gelatine is completely dissolved; after which add three-quarters of a cupful of sugar and flavoring. turn into a bowl and beat it with an egg beater until it is white, like marshmallows, and begins to become firm. just as soon as it has reached that point, but before it commences to grow stringy, beat it by spoonfuls into the cream. this will increase the bulk of the latter, and it will keep firm any length of time. spanish cream pint milk with one-half box keystone gelatine in double boiler; yolks of two eggs and five tablespoonfuls sugar beaten together very lightly; pour milk, etc., into egg mixture; then return to double boiler and stir constantly. beat whites of two eggs, pour mixture very gradually with same and stir until cold; then add two tablespoonfuls cream and pour into mold. stand two hours on ice before serving. be careful and have mold damp inside, but not wet, before using. dream whip mrs. w. i. clock one pint whipping cream; one-half pound marshmallows; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one teaspoonful vanilla; one-fourth pound pecan nuts (other nuts can be substituted if desired). cut the marshmallows up with scissors, add to stiffly beaten cream; also add sugar and vanilla. let stand all one day. when ready to serve place a small amount in glasses, adding the chopped nuts, chocolate sauce or any fruit desired. this cream and marshmallow combination can be served as the foundation of any number of desserts. charlotte russe katharine orr one-half pint whipping cream; one tablespoonful keystone white gelatine; one-fourth cup hot water; one-fourth cup powdered sugar; whites of two eggs; flavor with vanilla. add gelatine when cold to whipped cream and sugar; then flavoring and well beaten whites of eggs. pour over lady fingers and decorate top with cookies standing up. dresden chocolate one cup stale bread crumbs; one-half grated chocolate; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one-fourth teaspoonful salt. put in oven in buttered tin until chocolate melts. serve with whipped cream. chocolate lady finger dessert mrs. s. friedlander eighteen large lady fingers divided in half and put in a pan flat side up and pan lined with waxed paper. melt two cakes baker's chocolate (sweet) in double boiler with three tablespoonfuls water and two tablespoonfuls sugar. let cool, then add yolks of four eggs, beating one at a time. beat four whites stiff and add to above mixture. take layers of lady fingers, then one of the chocolate mixture, another of lady fingers and so on, making three layers of lady fingers and two of the chocolate mixture. when ready to serve, whip two bottles of cream and put on top. candied cherries and chopped nuts may be added also. riz au lait mrs. r. woods boil one-half a cupful of rice in a pint of water until very tender and creamy. add one cup of milk, a small piece of lemon rind, a handful currants and sugar to taste. let cook slowly for fifteen minutes and remove from fire. beat yolk of an egg in a spoonful of milk and stir in the rice; do not set back on fire. serve cold. prune souffle mrs. william molt to one cup stewed prunes, seeded, add three tablespoonfuls sugar; one-half teaspoonful vanilla and beaten whites of three eggs folded in lightly. steam for two hours in double boiler. (when adding water to boiler be sure it is boiling hot.) serve hot with whipped cream. maple cream custard mrs. jarvis weed three bottles cream; three eggs beaten very light; one cup pure maple syrup; put all together in a double boiler and stir constantly until very smooth. line a dish with lady fingers and pour the custard over them; put in ice box and serve when very cold. peach surprise mrs. w. i. clock canned peaches; maccaroons; whipping cream. take the juice of peaches and add macaroons broken up. fill the centers of halves of peaches with this mixture, and serve with whipped cream. caramel custard en surprise mrs. t. d. mcmicken caramel custard baked in individual molds. unmold on rounds of sponge cake a little larger than the custard molds, cover with meringue creamed with almond extract. sprinkle with sugar and brown. decorate with blanched almonds on top. blueberry shortcake mrs. c. a. jennings one-half cup butter; one cup sugar; one-half cup milk; two eggs; two and one-half cups flour; two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder; one pint blueberries. mix batter and add berries last. bake in muffin rings or shallow dripping pan. serve hot. peach shortcake mrs. w. n. hurlbut two cups flour; four level teaspoonfuls baking powder; half teaspoonful salt; two teaspoonfuls sugar; one-third cup butter; three-quarters cup milk. mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, work in butter with finger tips, and add milk gradually. toss on floured board, divide in two parts, bake in hot oven on large cake tins. spilt and spread with butter. sweeten sliced peaches to taste. crush slightly, and put between and on top of cakes. cover with whipped cream. thorn apples prepare a syrup by boiling eight minutes two cups sugar and three-fourths cup of water. wipe, core and pare eight apples (greenings). drop apples into syrup as soon as pared. cook slowly until soft but not broken, skim syrup when necessary. drain from syrup, fill cavities with quince yelly and stick apples thickly with blanched, shredded and delicately toasted almonds. chill and serve with cream as dessert or use as a garnish with cold meats. food for the gods mrs. j. f. nichols one cup sugar; one teaspoonful baking powder; four tablespoonfuls, heaping, cracker crumbs; three eggs, beaten separately; one cup dates; one cup nuts. bake slowly in oven. serve with whipped cream. strawberry foam mrs. a. j. langan one cup strawberries, mashed; one cup sugar; white of one egg beaten stiff; whip all together for ten minutes, serve on pieces of angel food or sunshine cake. crumb tartar mrs. wm. j. maiden one cupful sugar; one cup dates, pitted and chopped; one cupful nuts, chopped; two eggs; one tablespoonful flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; pinch of salt. mix eggs, sugar and salt, then flour and baking powder, adding the dates and nuts last. bake in slow oven and serve with whipped cream. figs as a dessert dried figs make a very agreeable dish, but they must be prepared the day before and set away on ice. soak them, simmer slowly until plump. drain and pile in a bon-bon dish. serve with whipped cream around the dish. flavor and sweeten with vanilla. hot apple dessert dish mrs. eustace pare, quarter, core and slice five or six large apples. put these in a serving dish suitable for the oven, in layers, with seeded raisins and one cup of sugar. cover and let bake until apple is tender. remove the cover and set marshmallows over the top of the apples, using as many as desired; return dish to the oven, for a minute only, to heat the marshmallows, and brown them slightly. serve with or without cream. puddings "_the pudding's proof does in the eating lie, success is yours, whichever rule you try._" fig pudding mrs. c. b. martin one cup suet; one cup sugar; one cup milk; one cup of figs, ground; three cups flour; one-half teaspoonful salt; one teaspoonful each of cinnamon and baking powder. steam two hours. steamed fig pudding mary roberts three ounces beef suet; one-half ounce figs, chopped fine; two and one-third cups stale bread crumbs; one-half cup milk; two eggs; one cup sugar; three-fourths spoonful salt. chop suet and work with hands until creamy; then add figs. soak bread crumbs in milk. add eggs, well beaten; then sugar and salt. combine mixture. steam three hours in a buttered mould. serve with following sauce: sauce: two eggs; one cup powdered sugar; three tablespoonfuls wine; beat yolks until thick, add one-half of the sugar. beat whites stiff, add remaining sugar. combine, and add wine. fig pudding mrs. w. k. mitchell one cup suet; one cup sugar; one cup milk; three cups flour; one cup figs, ground; two eggs; one-half teaspoonful salt; one teaspoonful each of cinnamon and baking powder. mix all together and steam about two hours. chocolate pudding mrs. c. a. bowman one pint of milk; two tablespoonfuls corn starch; one tablespoonful sugar; pinch of salt. boil until thick, add one heaping teaspoonful cocoa dissolved in a little boiling water, and last the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. let all cook one minute and flavor with vanilla. chocolate pudding mrs. j. l. putnam one pint of milk; one tablespoonful baker's cocoa; one tablespoonful corn starch; one egg; one and one-half cups sugar. heat milk in double boiler. mix dry ingredients and beat in egg. add to scalded milk. boil fifteen minutes. remove from fire and whip with egg beater. add one teaspoonful vanilla. serve with cream. steamed chocolate pudding mrs. william h. fahrney one and one-half tablespoonfuls butter; two-thirds cup sugar; one egg; one cup milk; one-half teaspoonful salt; two and one-fourth cups flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; two squares of chocolate, melted. steam in a buttered pudding mold, tightly covered, for two hours. cream sauce: one-fourth cup butter; one cup powdered sugar; stir until creamy; then add one cup whipped cream just before serving; flavor. steamed chocolate pudding mrs. h. r. foster three-fourths cup sugar; one tablespoon butter, creamed. two eggs; one-half cup milk; one and one-half cups sifted flour; one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking powder; two squares melted chocolate, or two tablespoonfuls cocoa; one teaspoonful vanilla. steam one hour and serve with hard sauce. chocolate ice-box pudding two cakes sweet chocolate; two tablespoonfuls boiling water; one-fourth cup confectioner's sugar; yolks four eggs; whites four eggs; nut meats; lady fingers. melt chocolate in top of double boiler; remove from range, add boiling water and the yolks of eggs beaten until thick and light. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. line a small pan (dimensions, / x / x / ) with wax paper. put in a layer of split lady fingers cut to fit and cover bottom; cover these with half of the chocolate mixture; sprinkle with bits of trimmings of lady fingers and nut meats. cover with a layer of lady fingers, pour over remainder of chocolate mixture, sprinkle with nut meats and chill in refrigerator twenty-four hours. serve with whipped cream. caramel pudding mrs. h. r. foster one-half pint brown sugar; one-half pint cold water; one-fourth box gelatine; four eggs, whites; one-half teaspoonful vanilla. soak gelatine in one gill of cold water. put sugar and other gill of water in saucepan and boil until it becomes a thick syrup. add gelatine and vanilla and again heat to boiling point. beat whites to stiff froth. pour hot syrup on eggs, beating until cold. turn into mold and serve on flat dish with custard sauce made from yolks of eggs. molasses pudding mrs. c. a. carscadin one egg well beaten; two tablespoonfuls sugar, rounded; one tablespoonful butter, level; one pinch salt; one-half cup molasses; one and one-half cups flour, well sifted; one teaspoonful baking powder; one teaspoonful soda, level, dissolved in one-half cup boiling water. steam in buttered tins two hours. sauce: two eggs; one-half cup sugar; pinch salt; half teaspoonful vanilla; cream together and add one cup of whipped cream. ice-box pudding katherine t. peck scant one-fourth cup unsalted butter; one cup granulated sugar; cream together. add yolks of three eggs, one at a time, rind of one lemon, half; and juice of one lemon. beat the whites of the three eggs and add last. place mixture alternately with lady fingers, three dozen lady fingers will serve eight people. put oil paper in bottom of dish to lift pudding out easily. serve with whipped cream. place in ice-box until thoroughly chilled. can be made the night before. ice box cake mrs. j. f. nichols one dozen lady fingers; one tablespoonful sugar; three eggs, separated; one cake sweet chocolate. melt chocolate in double boiler with tablespoonful warm water. add mixture of yolks of eggs and sugar, well beaten, a little vanilla, and lastly well-beaten whites of eggs. dip each lady finger in mixture, arrange in form which has been wet with cold water, and fill in. place in ice box over night. serve with whipped cream. ice box cake mrs. h. s. mount three cakes sweet chocolate, three tablespoonfuls powdered sugar, three tablespoonfuls hot water, two dozen lady fingers. melt chocolate, sugar and water in double boiler and add half beaten yolks of six eggs. cook until thick. when cold add beaten whites of six eggs. line a mold with lady fingers and pour half the mixture on them, then fill with lady fingers, repeating with the chocolate mixture. made twenty-four hours before served. just before serving, whip one-half pint cream and put on top of cake. grate a little chocolate over all. sponge pudding mrs. c. a. carscadin one-fourth cup sugar; one-half cup flour; one pint milk; one-fourth cup butter; five eggs. mix sugar and flour, and add milk and cook until thick and smooth. let cool, then add butter. separate eggs, beat yolks until light and fold into mixture. add whites beaten stiff, and pour into buttered dish. stand dish in pan of water and bake in moderate oven one-half hour. sauce: one-fourth cup butter; one-half cup powdered sugar; four tablespoonfuls cream added slowly, one teaspoonful vanilla. set mixture over pan of boiling water until creamy. sunshine pudding mrs. carscadin one-half cup flour; one-fourth cup sugar; one-fourth butter; one pint milk; five eggs. mix sugar and flour; add milk; and cook until smooth in double boiler. take off stove and add butter. separate eggs, beat yolks and add. beat whites until stiff and add. butter pan, set in pan of water and bake. sauce: one-fourth cup butter; one-half cup powdered sugar; four tablespoonfuls cream, added slowly. date pudding mrs. w. i. clock one cupful sugar; one cupful chopped nut meats; one cupful dates; two eggs; one-half cupful milk; one tablespoonful flour and one teaspoonful baking powder. bake twenty or thirty minutes in moderate oven. when baking the pudding raises beautifully, but when done it falls in the center; this is the correct occurrence. peach pudding mrs. e. oliver butter pudding dish. slice six large peaches in it. batter: one cup sugar; one egg; one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking powder; butter size of an egg; three tablespoonfuls of milk; flour enough to make a soft batter. pour over peaches and bake twenty minutes. serve hot, with cream. cream pudding one cup nut meats; one cup dates; cut very coarse. one tablespoonful bread crumbs; one cup sugar; two eggs, beaten separately; add whites last. bake twenty minutes in slow oven. serve cold with whipped cream. sour cream pudding mrs. william h. fahrney one cup brown sugar; two eggs; pinch of salt; one cup sour cream; one teaspoonful soda; two cups flour; three-fourths cup nuts. bake. sauce: cream one cup powdered sugar and one-fourth cup butter; add one egg; one teaspoonful vanilla or tablespoonful sherry wine. apple pudding miss flora gill one cup sugar; one cup flour; two eggs; one-half cup of sweet milk; fill a three-pint baking dish with sliced apples, two-thirds full. add one-half cup of sugar, a little cinnamon, and some water. bake until very tender. when still very hot pour over the top a cake batter made as follows: beat one cup of sugar with yolks of two eggs; one tablespoonful soft butter, and milk and flour. mix two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder with flour before adding to the batter. fold in stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and add extract of vanilla. bake half an hour in a moderate oven. serve with prepared sauce. lemon pudding mrs. w. i. clock mix three tablespoonfuls corn starch; three cups boiling water; two cups sugar; two egg yolks; juice of two lemons, little grated rind of one. dissolve three tablespoonfuls of corn starch in a little cold water, add to the boiling water. have saucepan in water bath. add sugar and lemons, cook for twenty minutes. remove from fire and stir in beaten egg yolks; set mixture in oven for two minutes and serve with cream. sour milk blueberry pudding mrs. c. s. junge one-half cup sugar; one-quarter cup butter; cream these. two eggs well beaten; one-half cup sour milk; one-half teaspoonful soda; one cup flour with one cup blueberries. bake thirty minutes and serve with sauce made with one cup of powdered sugar stirred with one tablespoonful of butter and flavored with vanilla. carrot pudding mrs. p. d. swigart one and one-half cups flour; one cup sugar; one cup suet; two cups raisins; one cup grated sweet potatoes; one cup grated carrots; one teaspoonful each salt and soda. steam three hours; put three tablespoonfuls hot water on soda. sauce: two yolks of eggs; one cup powdered sugar; cream the above. last thing, add a cup whipped cream. carrot pudding mrs. frederick t. hoyt one cup chopped raw carrots; one cup chopped raw potatoes; one cup chopped suet; two cups chopped raisins; one cup brown sugar; one cup flour; one teaspoonful salt, cinnamon and allspice; a little nutmeg; one teaspoonful soda in about two tablespoonfuls hot water. mix well, put in mold, and steam two and one-half hours; serve with a good pudding sauce. pudding sauce: one cup sugar; two egg yolks; one cup sherry wine; beat all until very light, add one pint cream, which has been whipped very stiff. prune pudding mrs. eustace whites of five eggs beaten with one-half teaspoonful of salt; add one cup of powdered sugar sifted with one even teaspoonful cream of tartar. add five large cooked prunes chopped. bake twenty-two minutes in ungreased custard cups. set in pan of hot water. slow oven. serve with whipped cream. steamed marmalade pudding mrs. t. d. mcmicken one cup orange marmalade; one-fourth cup butter; one-third teaspoonful soda; two cups stale bread crumbs. dissolve soda in a little hot water; combine marmalade, one egg, butter, soda, and bread crumbs. pack in a mold. steam one and one-half hours. serve with marshmallow cream. graham pudding mrs. r. h. wheeler one cup molasses; one cup sweet milk; two and one-half cups graham flour; one cup sultana raisins; one saltspoonful salt; two teaspoonfuls soda dissolved in warm water. steam in pudding mold two hours. sauce: one egg thoroughly beaten. add one cup pulverized sugar; one cup whipped cream; one-half teaspoonful vanilla. brown betty butter the inside of a baking dish, cover the bottom with a layer of tart apples, peeled and sliced. sprinkle this with sugar and cinnamon or nutmeg and put over it a layer of crumbs, strewing it with bits of butter. repeat the layers of apple and crumbs until the dish is full, making the top crumbs with an extra quantity of butter. cover the pudding dish, put it in the oven, and bake slowly for twenty or thirty minutes; uncover, brown lightly; serve in the dish in which it was cooked, with either hard or liquid sauce. surprise pudding mrs. c. e. upham four thin slices bread, buttered and cut in squares; one egg; one-third cup sugar; four tablespoonfuls molasses; three cups milk; turn all over bread. let stand half an hour and mash well together; then bake one and one-half hours slowly. be careful it does not turn to whey. if in a shallow pan, a big hour is long enough. sauce: beat white of one egg, then beat yolk; mix, add one cupful sugar, vanilla, and beat all together. beating separately makes it very frothy. cherry pudding mrs. p. d. swigart one-half cup sugar; one tablespoonful butter; one egg; one-half cup milk or water; one and one-half cups flour; one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking powder. steam forty minutes, put cherries in cups, then the batter. sauce: one and one-half cups cherry juice; one tablespoonful butter; sweeten; thicken with corn starch. simple hasty fruit pudding mrs. c. s. junge one tablespoonful butter; two tablespoonfuls sugar; three tablespoonfuls flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; two tablespoonfuls milk; one egg. turn this mixture over sliced peaches, bananas, oranges, blueberries, pineapples or plums and bake twenty minutes in moderate oven. serve with cream or with hard sauce made by rubbing butter and sugar together. economical pudding mrs. minnie a. watkins fill a mold with dry pieces of cake, alternating layers with bananas that have been scraped and cut lengthwise. fill up mold with a boiled custard thickened with yolks of eggs. put on ice. serve cold with whipped cream. also serve toasted brazilian nut meats with it. philadelphia rice pudding mrs. b. z. bisbee wash well one-fourth cup of rice. put in a baking dish with one quart of milk, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, lump of butter size of a walnut; flavor to taste with nutmeg and cinnamon. bake in a very slow oven four hours; when it commences to brown on top stir well. serve cold. noonday dessert for school children mrs. minnie a. watkins hot steamed rice served with rich canned peaches, and cream, either plain or whipped. serve english walnut meats with same. mother's rice pudding mrs. f. e. lyons one quart milk; three tablespoonfuls rice; three tablespoonfuls sugar; one teaspoonful vanilla. put in a very slow oven and bake from two and one-half hours to three hours. (if heated on top of stove before putting in oven, it will save time baking.) honeycomb pudding mrs. c. a. bowman one-half cup brown sugar; one-half cup milk; one cup molasses; one teaspoonful soda; two eggs; tablespoonful butter; one cup flour. bake and serve with whipped cream or hard sauce. individual puddings miss nora edmonds one-half cupful flour; one-fourth cupful sugar; one-fourth cupful butter; one pint of milk and five eggs. mix flour and sugar, add milk and cook in double boiler until smooth. remove from stove and put in butter. when cold add beaten yolks of eggs and fold in stiffly beaten whites last. put in buttered pans and bake in water. sauce: one-fourth cupful butter; one-half cupful powdered sugar and four tablespoonfuls cream added. tapioca cream mrs. a. h. schweizer soak one tablespoonful of pearl tapioca until soft in enough water to cover it. this will require several hours. put it into a double boiler with a cupful of water and cook until the pearls are clear; drain off the water and stir in half a pint of grape juice heated, one tablespoonful sugar, and cook ten minutes longer. serve with cream when cold. english pudding mrs. william molt one-half pound suet; one quart milk; two eggs; one pound currants; one pound raisins; one cup nut meats, chopped fine; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful salt and flour enough to make a stiff batter. steam for four to five hours. serve with foam sauce. foam sauce: white of one egg; enough confectionery sugar to make stiff and enough hot water to make it smooth. orange pudding mrs. h. b. rairden in bottom of pudding dish lay slices of cake; cover with slices of oranges. make a custard of one small cup sugar; one tablespoonful corn starch; one pint of milk and a small piece of butter. pour over the cake and oranges and bake. english pudding miss j. eliza ball one cup molasses; one-half cup sugar; one-half cup butter; two eggs; one cup milk. spice and fruit. flour enough to make a stiff batter. soda and cream of tartar or baking powder as preferred. liquid pudding sauce: beat one egg and one cup of white sugar to a froth. make a very thin batter with one pint of water and butter the size of an egg. pour butter boiling hot over egg and sugar just as it goes to the table. christmas pudding mrs. joel h. norton chop the meats from one pound english walnuts; chop one pound figs; one pound raisins seeded; one cup suet. rub the above well in flour; grate one nutmeg into three cups flour and one teaspoonful salt. moisten with one cup milk. dissolve well one teaspoonful soda in one cup molasses, and add last with one tablespoonful brandy. dip a square of cloth in boiling water; then quickly flour center. mold in form of a ball and tie securely with string. boil three or four hours in boiling water in very large kettle or boiler. hang up to dry and when thoroughly dry place in jar with an apple to keep from molding. make a week or two before you wish to use it. boil it in boiling hot water for one hour when ready to use. any sauce will do, but whipped cream sweetened with maple sugar is delicious. brandy can be poured over pudding and set on fire if you wish, if served at table. nut pudding mrs. r. e. p. kline two cups flour; one-half cup sugar; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one-half teaspoonful salt; two eggs well beaten; one cup milk; one and one-half cups english walnuts blanched and broken or chopped; one-third cup melted butter. grease mold well and steam three hours. sauce: one and one-half cups sugar and three-fourths cup water boiled until it threads. then pour over the well beaten yolks of three eggs, stirring all the time. when cool, add flavoring and two cups whipped cream. nut pudding miss julia hunt two cups boiling water; one and three-fourths cups brown sugar, boil ten minutes. two and one-half tablespoonfuls (heaping) corn starch mixed well with one-third cup cold water; add to boiling syrup; boil a few minutes until mixture thickens, then add one-half cup broken walnut meats and vanilla. pour into molds and chill. raisins and currants may be added if desired. serve with cream or whipped cream. pudding sauce mrs. r. f. morrow one cup brown sugar; one-fourth cup butter; yolks of two eggs; one-half cup cream; cook to a custard. add beaten whites, and one-fourth cup brandy. pudding sauce mrs. weatherell blend one tablespoonful butter, one cup sugar and white of one egg (do not beat egg separately). dissolve one tablespoonful corn starch and a little salt and add to one pint of boiling water. let cook ten minutes. then add the butter, egg and sugar, and whip until foamy. flavor to taste. pudding sauce mrs. h. d. sheldon two eggs; one cup powdered sugar; one cup cream; a pinch of salt. beat eggs and gradually add sugar until a smooth creamy consistency. just before serving add whipped cream. fruit sauce mrs. may f. kenfield for steamed or baked puddings: one-half cup of butter and one and one-half cups of powdered sugar; cream together and add yolk of one egg. then to this add a cupful of crushed strawberries or any fruit in season. hard sauce mrs. w. d. hurlbut four tablespoonfuls butter; eight of powdered sugar; frothed white of one egg; half a glass of wine. cream butter and sugar together; add wine, then white of the egg. set in a cool place to harden. grate nutmeg over top. grape sauce remove the pulps of the grapes from the skins, boil the pulp until the seeds can be separated, strain through a collander, add the skins, and boil five minutes, after which add two-thirds the amount in sugar. boil twenty minutes, stirring constantly. strawberry sauce one-half cup butter; one cup sugar; then add one cup crushed strawberries. this can be made only in strawberry season. frozen dishes "_seek roses in december, ices in june._" --byron. nesselrode pudding miss agnes seiber three cups milk; one and one-half cups sugar; yolks five eggs; one-half teaspoonful salt; one pint cream; one-fourth cup pineapple syrup; one and one-half cup prepared french chestnuts. make custard of first four ingredients, strain, cool, add cream, pineapple syrup and chestnuts; then freeze. to prepare chestnuts, shell, cook in boiling water until soft, and force through a strainer. line a two-quart melon mold with part of the mixture; to remainder add one-half cup candied fruit cut in small pieces, one-quarter cup sultana raisins, and eight chestnuts broken in pieces, first soaked several hours in maraschino syrup. fill mould, cover, pack in salt and ice, and let stand two hours. serve with whipped cream, sweetened and flavored with maraschino syrup. macaroon ice cream mrs. g. shelly roll until fine one-half pound dried macaroons; add one-half cup sherry wine, let stand three hours. whip one and one-half pints heavy cream until solid, then fold in macaroons. cook one cup of sugar and one-half cup water for two minutes; cool and add to one quart thin cream, combine mixtures, add three-fourths tablespoonful each vanilla and almond extracts and a pinch of salt. freeze, pack in mold and let stand in ice and salt from two to three hours. frozen peaches miss b. l. chandler one can or twelve large peaches, two coffee cupfuls sugar; one pint water and the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth; break the peaches rather fine and stir all the ingredients together; freeze the whole into form. strawberry ice cream three pints thin cream; two boxes berries; two cups sugar; few grains salt. wash and hull berries, sprinkle with sugar, cover and let stand two hours. mash, and squeeze through cheese-cloth; then add salt. freeze cream to consistency of mush, add gradually fruit juice, and finish freezing. peach ice cream mrs. r. j. roulston one quart peaches, one pint milk, two cups sugar, one pint cream. put sugar in peaches and dissolve before sifting. mix and rub through a potato ricer after sugar is dissolved. add milk and cream. freeze. chocolate ice cream one quart thin cream; one cup sugar; few grains salt; one and one-half squares baker's chocolate or one-fourth cup prepared cocoa; one tablespoonful vanilla. melt chocolate, and dilute with hot water to pour easily, add to cream; then add sugar, salt and flavoring, and freeze. fig ice cream mrs. george lomax three cups milk; one cup sugar; yolks five eggs; one teaspoonful salt; one pound figs, finely chopped; one and one-half cups heavy cream; whites five eggs; one tablespoonful vanilla; two tablespoonfuls brandy. make custard of yolks of eggs, sugar and milk; strain, add figs, cool and flavor. add whites of eggs beaten until stiff and heavy cream beaten until stiff; freeze and mold. ice cream mrs. everett maynard one quart cream, one pint milk, two eggs, two cups sugar, one-half cup flour. sift flour and sugar; beat eggs and milk and cook in double boiler. strain, and add vanilla to taste. pineapple cream two cups water; one cup sugar; one can grated pineapple; two cups cream; make syrup by boiling sugar and water fifteen minutes; strain, cool, and add pineapple, and freeze to a mush. fold in whip from cream; let stand thirty minutes before serving. serve in frappe glasses and garnish with candied pineapple. maple parfait mrs. earl combs one cup of maple syrup: three eggs; a pinch salt; two cups whipped cream; one teaspoonful lemon juice; beat eggs very light, bring maple syrup to boiling point: pour it on the eggs, beating while pouring. cook all together until thick, then set aside to cool. when cool, add whipping cream, mix thoroughly, turn into mold, cover closely and bury in ice and salt for three hours. angel parfait mrs. frank a. simmons boil together one-half cup sugar and one-half cup water until a soft ball can be formed. whip whites of three eggs until foamy but not stiff; pour syrup in a fine stream over them, beating until cold. add one tablespoonful vanilla. fold in one pint thick cream, beaten stiff. turn into a quart mold and pack in salt and ice for four hours. serve in high glasses and decorate with candied cherries. cafe parfait l. e. kennedy one pint whipping cream; two tablespoonfuls black coffee; sugar to taste. whip until stiff; put into a colander to drain. pack in ice for three hours. grape parfait put one cup of sugar over the fire with half a cup of grape-juice, bring to a boil and cook until it will spin a thread from the tip of the spoon. have ready the yolks of three eggs, beaten well, pour the grape-juice syrup upon it, and add two cups of whipped cream. turn into a mold, pack in ice, salt and leave for three hours. frozen pudding mrs. k. t. cary two-third quart milk, two tablespoonfuls flour, two tablespoonfuls gelatine, two eggs, one pint cream, two cups granulated sugar, one-half pound apricots or cherries, vanilla to taste. soak gelatine in warm water two hours. put milk in double boiler and scald. stir eggs, flour and one cup of sugar together and add to milk. cook twenty minutes. after it is cold add gelatine, cup of sugar, cream and vanilla. freeze. bisque mrs. henry thayer one pint of cream whipped; three eggs beaten separately; one and one-half pints of sugar; one tablespoonful vanilla, stir gently together, put into ring mold and pack in ice and salt for five or six hours. frozen fruit cocktails peel, seed and chop three large oranges; shred or chop one fresh pineapple or a can of the fruit; peel and mince fine three bananas. pour over all one cupful of grapejuice, sweeten the mixture to taste, and turn into a freezer. the fruit must not be frozen too hard, but it should be well chilled and partially congealed. serve in fruit cocktail glasses, with or without whipped cream on top. grape water ice boil one quart of water and one pound of granulated sugar for five minutes without stirring after the boil is reached. add to this two cupfuls of grapejuice, the juice of two oranges and of two lemons, and the grated peel of one of each fruit. turn into a freezer and freeze slowly. pineapple sherbet soak a tablespoonful of gelatine into two tablespoonfuls of cold water and pour over this one pint of boiling water. set aside until cold. add to it one cupful of sugar, one can of chopped or shredded pineapple, and half a pint of grapejuice. freeze. serve in sherbet glasses. chocolate sauce for ice cream mrs. e. oliver two squares bitter chocolate; one cup hot water; one-half cup sugar; one teaspoonful vinegar; pinch of salt and flavoring, boil ten minutes. tea sherbet mrs. a. h. wagoner make half a pint of ceylon tea; after five minutes standing, drain off the tea and put it aside until cold. add one pint of grapejuice, half a cupful of white sugar, and turn it into a freezer. when half frozen, put in a dozen quartered maraschino cherries, and continue to freeze until the mixture is so stiff that the dasher will not turn. pack for an hour before using. fruit sherbet one-half envelope knox sparkling gelatine; one orange; one and one-half cups sugar; one lemon; three cups rich milk. grate the outside of both orange and lemon. squeeze out all the juice, add to this the sugar. when ready to freeze, stir in the milk slowly to prevent curdling. take part of a cup of milk, add the gelatine. after standing five minutes, place in a pan of water (hot) until dissolved, then stir into the rest of the milk and fruit juice. freeze. this makes a large allowance for five persons. apricot sherbet miss maude higgins one quart apricots; one quart milk; one pound sugar. put fruit through soup sieve. then mix all together and freeze in ice cream freezer. milk sherbet mrs. harry hankins one and one-half quarts milk, one cup cream, one pint sugar. partly freeze. add juice of three lemons and two oranges, whites of two eggs, beaten stiff. turn freezer slowly until frozen. a delicious sherbet whip one-half pint cream very stiff, sweeten with confectionery sugar; set away to chill. chop fine one large banana, one orange, one-half cup english walnuts, one-half cup preserved pineapple, one-half large marshmallow. just before serving beat the fruit and nut mixture through the cream and serve at once in sherbet cups with a cherry on top. enough for six persons. maple mousse yolks four eggs beaten very light; heat one cup of maple syrup in double boiler, when hot stir into the beaten yolks, and put back into double boiler and cook until thick. when cold mix lightly with one pint of cream whipped. turn into mold and pack in ice and salt for four hours. peach mousse mrs. j. h. shanley whip one pint of thick cream until it is fluffy; add one cupful of sugar and one teaspoonful vanilla. mash up a pint can of peaches and mix them in with the cream. pour this mixture into a mold that has been wet with cold water. pack the mold in equal parts of chopped ice and coarse salt and let it stand for four hours, when it will be ready to use. maple mousse mrs. t. d. mcmicken two-thirds cup maple syrup; two eggs; one-third quart cream; beat yolks ten minutes, add syrup gradually and put in double boiler and cook twenty minutes. beat whites till dry, pour cooked yolks and syrup over while hot, and set to cool. whip cream and pour cold cooked syrup over, being careful to only fold in. put in mold and pack in ice and salt, half and half, two or three hours. grape mousse whip stiff one pint of cream, sweetening it as you whip it with three-quarters of a cup of powdered sugar. when the cream is stiff and firm, fold in half a cupful of grapejuice, pack the mixture in a mold in ice and salt, cover this closely, and let it stand for three or four hours. cafe mousse l. e. kennedy yolks of five eggs; one-half cupful coffee; one cupful sugar; one pint whipped cream. pack in freezer and let stand four or five hours. cafe mousse genevieve macklem one pint of whipped cream, very stiff, one-half cup hot coffee, very strong; one-half cup sugar; two eggs, yolks beaten with sugar; pour coffee on yolks and stir until cool or beat. pour this on whipped cream and add whites of two eggs well beaten. pour into mold, cover tight, and pack in salt and ice for five or six hours. orange punch juice of six oranges and grated rind of one. mix with one pint water, one cup sugar and one cup cherries, bananas and chopped nuts. after this is well frozen, take out dasher and beat in one-half pint of whipped cream. repack and let stand for three or four hours. cocoa frappe mix half a pound of cocoa and three cupfuls of sugar; cook with two cupfuls of boiling water until smooth; add to three and a half quarts of scalding milk (scalded with cinnamon bark); cook for ten minutes. beat in the beaten whites of two eggs mixed with a cupful of sugar and a pint of whipped cream. cool, flavor with vanilla extract, and freeze. serve in cups. garnish with whipped cream. pineapple frappe two cups water; one cup sugar; juice three lemons; two cups ice-water; one can shredded pineapple or one pineapple, shredded. make syrup by boiling water and sugar fifteen minutes; add pineapple and lemon juice; cool, strain, add ice-water, and freeze to a mush, using equal parts ice and salt. if fresh fruit is used, more sugar will be required. frozen egg-nog mrs. will j. davis put one quart of milk, a good sized stick of cinnamon; six cloves and six whole allspice in a double boiler and scald. beat the yolks of a dozen eggs until thick and light, gradually adding two cups of sugar, beating constantly. add one-half teaspoonful each of salt and nutmeg. strain spices from milk and pour milk slowly into the egg mixture, continue beating. cook over hot water, stirring constantly, until thick enough. remove from stove, cool, then add three pints thick cream and freeze slightly. when about to serve add one-fourth cup each of jamaica rum and cognac. fruit punch mamie johnson two cups sugar; one-half cup orange juice; one cup water; one-half cup lemon juice; one cup strawberry juice; one cup pineapple juice and one-half cup maraschino cherries. boil sugar and water to a syrup and add the fruit juices. let stand twenty minutes and strain and chill. add whole cherries. sweeten to taste or weaken if necessary. serve ice cold. cranberry punch mrs. frank germaine stew one quart of berries until soft. pass through a sieve; add to pulp juice of three oranges, one tablespoonful liquid from maraschino cherries and sugar to sweeten. cook twenty minutes, cool and freeze. garnish each cup with a teaspoon of whipped cream, candied cherries and a mint leaf. set sherbet cups on plates and serve with lady fingers. watermelon ice mrs. charles s. clark put watermelon pulp in potato ricer and squeeze juice out of it. for one quart of liquid add juice of two lemons and sugar to taste. freeze. lemon ice sue c. woodman juice four lemons; two cups sugar; strain juice into sugar; let stand two hours on ice; one pint milk or cream. freeze. lemon ice mrs. alice snively four cups water, two cups sugar, three-fourths cup lemon juice. make a syrup of the sugar and water. add lemon juice. freeze. orange ice four cups water; two cups sugar; two cups orange juice; one-fourth cup lemon juice; grated rind of two oranges. make syrup by boiling water and sugar for twenty minutes; add fruit juice and grated rind; cool, strain and freeze. almond ice two pints milk; eight ounces cream, two ounces orange-flower water; eight ounces sweet almonds; four ounces bitter almonds. pound all in marble mortar, pouring in from time to time a few drops of water; when thoroughly pounded add the orange-flower water and half of the milk; pass this, tightly squeezed, through a cloth; boil the rest of the milk with the cream and keep stirring it with a wooden spoon; as soon as it is thick enough, pour in the almond milk; give it one boiling, take it off and let cool in a bowl or pitcher before pouring it into the mold for freezing. frozen lemonade mrs. frederick t. hoyt boil one pound of sugar in one pint water for five minutes, add one pint of cold water, the grated rind of one lemon, and the strained juice of four. turn into a freezer, and turn until frozen like snow, serve in lemonade glasses, and topped with a piece of candied or fresh lemon. lemon ice belle shaw juice of four lemons; whites four eggs; two cups sugar; two cups water; one tablespoonful gelatine. add gelatine to whites of eggs; mix sugar, water and lemon juice together, then add to beaten whites of eggs, and freeze. three-of-a-kind ice l. e. kennedy three oranges; three lemons; three cupfuls sugar; the whites of three eggs and three cupfuls water. freeze. this will serve twenty. bread "_here is bread which strengthens men's hearts, and, therefore, is called 'the staff of life.'_" spoon bread mary s. vanzwoll one cup buttermilk; one cup boiled rice; one-half cup corn meal; one egg; one tablespoonful melted lard or butter; one-half teaspoonful soda in water; salt. bake in medium oven thirty minutes. oatmeal bread mrs. f. w. bentley one cake compressed yeast; one quart flour, half white and half oatmeal flour; one tablespoonful brown sugar; one teaspoonful salt; one tablespoonful drippings of bacon, melted (hot); one-half cup molasses; put in half water and half milk enough to make a stiff batter. let it rise and mold into two loaves. let rise to half its size, and bake in moderate oven thirty-five minutes. nut bread mrs. stevens four cups flour; one cup sugar; two cups nuts; two and one-half cups milk; one egg; four teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful salt. mix dry ingredients together. beat egg, add milk to egg and pour in the flour, stirring as little as possible. make in two loaves and let stand covered twenty minutes. then bake in moderate oven forty minutes. nut bread mrs. t. m. butler sift four cups of flour, one cup of light brown sugar sifted three times, one cup of pecans chopped, four teaspoonfuls of baking powder; one teaspoonful salt. all dry mixture work with hands, add one and one-half cups of sweet milk, one egg beaten light, place in pans, let stand twenty minutes. then bake forty-five minutes. nut bread mrs. h. d. sheldon two cups of graham flour; one cup of white flour; three teaspoonfuls of baking powder; one teaspoonful salt; one-third cup sugar, sifted together. one tablespoonful melted butter; one and three-fourths cup of milk; one cup of english walnuts. mix in order given. bake in bread tin about an hour. nut bread mrs. w. f. barnard three cups flour; four even teaspoonfuls baking powder; one cup sugar; one teaspoonful salt; one egg; one and one-half cups sweet milk; one cup nut meats. bake slowly one hour. nut loaf mrs. r. mcneil two cups of flour; three-fourths cup of sugar; one-half teaspoonful salt; three-fourths cup walnuts crushed; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; one egg. beat egg with milk; add to the mixed and sifted dry ingredients, let rise half an hour, and bake. graham bread mrs. john t. gilchrist one cup white flour; two cups graham flour; one teaspoonful salt; one teaspoonful soda; one-half cup dark molasses; one and one-half cups sweet milk; one cup seeded raisins. bake in a slow oven for forty-five minutes. raisin graham bread mrs. clara a. baldwin one-half cup to one cup seeded raisins; one egg; two-thirds cup molasses; one rounding teaspoonful soda dissolved in a little hot water; two cups milk; four cups graham flour. mix and bake one and one-half hours in slow oven. raisin bread mrs. t. d. mcmicken one and one-half cups sour milk; one and one-half teaspoonfuls soda; one-fourth cup molasses; one-half teaspoonful salt; graham flour till stiff enough to drop from spoon. one-half cup raisins. southern brown bread sue c. woodman one and one-half cups sour milk; one level teaspoonful soda; scant cup brown sugar; two cups graham flour; one cup raisins; one teaspoonful salt; bake one hour. boston brown bread mrs. emma c. portman two cups milk, sour; two cups graham flour; one cup wheat flour; three tablespoonfuls molasses or sugar; one teaspoonful soda. take pound baking powder cans, lard them well and fill two-thirds full; put on lids and set in a kettle which is half full of boiling water; put on the kettle lid and keep boiling three hours; replenishing often with boiling water. boston brown bread no. mrs. m. a. stewart one cup sweet milk; one cup sour milk; one cup new orleans molasses; one-half teaspoonful salt; one teaspoonful soda; one cup corn meal; two cups graham flour. add a few raisins which greatly improve the flavor. put in a five-pound pail, set in cold water (one quart). from time it commences to boil let cook for three hours. my mother's brown bread mrs. grant beebe one cup molasses; one cup milk (sweet or sour); one cup of graham flour and one cup corn meal, stiff; two cups raisins, two eggs; two even teaspoonfuls soda; one tablespoonful brown sugar; one teaspoonful salt. bake one hour in moderate oven. johnny cake mary s. vanzoll one cup sweet milk; two eggs; one dessert spoonful of sugar; one-half cup yellow corn meal; one-half cup flour to make like cake batter; one-fourth cup melted butter; salt; heaping teaspoonful baking powder. corn cake mrs. j. l. putnam scald one cup white corn meal with one pint of milk; while hot add one tablespoonful of buttered bread crumbs, one of sugar and a little salt. the yolks and whites of three eggs beaten separately. pour into a well buttered frying pan and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. corn meal gems mrs. k. larson one-half cup corn meal; one cup flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; one tablespoonful sugar; one tablespoonful melted butter; one-half teaspoonful salt; three-fourths cup milk; one egg. mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk gradually and egg well beaten and melted butter. bake in hot oven in buttered gem pans for twenty-five minutes. corn gems josephine hurlbut put two cups of corn meal into a bowl; pour over one cup of boiling milk; add a tablespoonful butter; cover the bowl, allow the mixture to stand until cool; add another cup of cold milk; the yolks of two eggs, well beaten; one-half teaspoonful salt; half cupful flour, and two teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat thoroughly, then fold in the well beaten whites of two eggs. bake in gem pans in a moderately quick oven thirty minutes. baking powder biscuits mrs. h. b. rairden thirteen tablespoonfuls flour; one teaspoonful salt; four level teaspoonfuls baking powder; one tablespoonful lard; mix together with milk enough to make dough. parker house rolls mrs. h. r. foster scald one pint of milk; one yeast cake put in warm water; two tablespoonfuls sugar; two tablespoonfuls butter; one teaspoonful salt; three cups flour; mix. raise until double; then add flour to make soft dough. raise again, and make in roll pans and raise again. bake in hot oven. oatmeal gems mrs. henry crossman two tablespoonfuls left-over cooked oatmeal, beat in one egg, one-half cup sweet milk, one teaspoonful baking powder, one scant cup flour, pinch salt. bake in hot oven in iron gem pans fifteen minutes. light biscuit mrs. a. j. atwater take a piece of bread dough that will make as many biscuit as you wish; lay it out rather flat in a bowl; break into it two eggs, one-half cup sugar; one-half cup butter. mix this thoroughly with enough flour to keep it from sticking to hands and board. knead well for fifteen to twenty minutes; make it into small biscuits; place in greased pan and let rise until they are even with top of pan. bake in quick oven for half an hour. potato biscuit mrs. h. s. mount one cup of milk; three potatoes (cooked and riced); one tablespoonful lard; one teaspoonful butter; one and one-half teaspoonful salt; two teaspoonfuls sugar. let cool and add one cake yeast dissolved in lukewarm water. two eggs well beaten; four cups flour; let raise three hours. then roll out about one-half inch thickness. butter, cut, turn over with silver knife and shape like parker house rolls. raise two hours more and bake about ten minutes. will make about fifty rolls. southern potato biscuits mrs. granville richardson three cups flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful salt; one cup hot mashed potatoes; three tablespoonfuls butter or other shortening; one-half cup milk; one egg. mash the potatoes through a strainer, add salt, milk, butter or shortening and then the egg well beaten. beat until smooth, then sift in the flour and baking powder. turn on a floured board, cut with small biscuit cutter, put into hot oven and bake twenty minutes. "abbie's" corn bread mrs. edward e. swadener one cupful corn meal; one cupful flour; one-third cupful sugar; one teaspoonful baking powder; salt. put these through flour sieve, add one tablespoonful melted butter. beat one egg very light in a cup, add enough milk to fill the cup, stir this in the flour; then add one-half cup more of milk. use your judgment about quantity of milk. bake either in one pan or in muffin pan. muffins mrs. john m. stahl beat three eggs and add two cupfuls milk; one quart of flour; two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder; one tablespoonful sugar; one teaspoonful salt; one tablespoonful melted lard put in the last thing. bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. this makes eighteen muffins. afternoon tea rolls mrs. c. n. eastman one cup hot mashed potatoes; one cup sugar; one cup melted butter; one cake compressed yeast; four eggs; one cup lukewarm water; flour enough to knead. soak the cake of yeast in lukewarm water at noontime. put sugar in bowl with mashed potatoes at same time. then at night put these together. in the morning, add melted butter and eggs well beaten. stir in enough flour to knead and let rise until light. make into small tea rolls and let rise until very, very light. bake twenty-five minutes in moderate oven. cream powdered sugar and butter to a paste and spread on top of rolls just before serving. oatmeal muffins dr. v. racine one and one-fourth cups cooked oatmeal; one and one-fourth cup bran flour; two heaping tablespoonfuls white flour; one heaping teaspoonful baking powder; one saltspoon salt; two heaping tablespoonfuls cocoanut; one-half cupful raisins (seeded); two eggs beaten light. mix the eggs and cooked oatmeal; add the dry ingredients. the dough should be very stiff. if too moist, use more bran. bake in your gem pans or muffin rings in a moderate oven. bran muffins josephine hurlbut two cups bran; two cupfuls flour; two teaspoonfuls salt; two cupfuls sour milk or buttermilk; one-half cup sugar; one tablespoonful shortening; one egg; one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking soda; one teaspoonful baking powder; one-half cup water. beat shortening, egg and sugar together until creamy; to the sour milk add the soda dissolved in boiling water; then the bran, flour, salt, baking powder and the egg and sugar mixture. mix thoroughly and divide into buttered gem pans and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. sweet milk may be used by substituting three teaspoonfuls of baking powder for the soda and baking powder specified above. muffins mrs. harry m. boon one and three-fourths cups flour; one-half cup sugar; one egg; two teaspoonfuls baking powder and three-fourths cup milk. stir all together and bake in muffin tins in hot oven. muffins mrs. thomas h. iglehart two cups milk; two eggs; three cups flour; three spoons baking powder; pinch salt. beat eggs, add milk; then flour, into which baking powder has been put. bake in hot oven. blueberry muffins esther blade beat one egg; add one cup sweet milk; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one pinch of salt; one and one-half cups of flour with two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one cup blueberries floured. grease tins. bake in hot oven about twenty minutes. muffins mrs. george d. milligan big spoonful of shortening (butter or substitute); one egg; three tablespoonfuls sugar; one cup milk; two cups flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake twenty or twenty-five minutes. cold water muffins mrs. edward e. swadener one-half pint of cold water put in a bowl and break two eggs in it, beat it until it froths; then add one cupful flour, one scant teaspoonful salt. bake in a moderate oven forty-five minutes. sally lunn mrs. j. p. cobb one cup milk. quarter cup butter; one-half cup sugar; two eggs beaten separately; teaspoonful baking powder (sifted in the flour); enough flour to make the batter. bake in quick oven. french coffee cake mrs. h. p. sieh one cup butter and lard mixed; one cup granulated sugar; two eggs; one cup milk; two cups flour (sifted); two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful vanilla; or one-half teaspoonful nutmeg to suit taste. bake fifteen to twenty minutes. frosting: one-half cup granulated sugar; one tablespoonful flour; one tablespoonful butter; one tablespoonful cinnamon; mix all together and spread over top of cake before baking. coffee cake mrs. crouch one egg; two tablespoonfuls each of butter and sugar; one cup milk; two cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder. put in pan, melt two tablespoonfuls butter and pour over the top, then sprinkle thickly with granulated sugar and cinnamon. cinnamon cake mrs. c. e. upham one scant cup sugar; two eggs; one teaspoonful salt; one tablespoonful fat or substitute; one cup milk; two cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake twenty minutes; take out and spread butter on top; also cinnamon and sugar, mixed. put back in oven one minute. cinnamon rolls mrs. a. j. atwater one quart bran; one pint graham flour; one teaspoonful salt; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one-half teaspoonful soda; one pint sour milk; scant half pint molasses; one tablespoonful melted butter; one cup nut meats. bake one hour. breakfast puffs mrs. e. n. wilder one pint sour milk; one teaspoonful soda; flour enough to make stiff enough to roll. fry like doughnuts. eat with syrup. toast patty cases mrs. a. j. atwater cut the crust from a small loaf of baker's bread; divide into two or two and one-half inch slices; toast on all six sides. with a sharp knife cut around the inside edge of one side and carefully scoop out the bread, leaving a bottom and four toast sides. you can brush the inside with melted butter and brown if you wish or use as it is. use as patty shells. yorkshire pudding mrs. j. l. putnam sift one even teaspoonful of salt and one of baking powder twice with a pint of flour. beat two eggs light and add to two cups of milk; turn in the sifted flour and mix quickly. have ready in a roasting pan six tablespoonfuls of fat reserved from the drippings from the roast of beef. set it upon the upper grating of the oven. when it begins to bubble hard, pour the batter into it and cook quickly. cut into squares and serve with the roast. yorkshire pudding to serve with roast beef mrs. c. a. carscadin two cups of flour in a bowl with half a teaspoonful salt; beat three eggs and stir into the flour; add two cups milk; stir until smooth; turn into a pan with some beef drippings and bake thirty to forty minutes. if beef is placed on a rack put the pudding under the roast. cut in squares and serve with the roast. popovers mrs. w. i. clock one cup of flour; one-fourth teaspoonful salt; seven-eighths cup of milk; two eggs; one-half teaspoonful of melted butter. put all into a bowl together and beat for five minutes with egg beater. grease muffin pan well, bake in hot oven for thirty minutes. oven must not be hot before putting popovers in. popovers mrs. r. f. morrow three eggs; one-half teaspoonful salt--beat light; one cup flour; one cup milk. bake one-half hour in hot buttered tins. makes eight popovers. french pancakes mrs. charles t. daily one cup flour; three eggs, very well beaten separately; a pinch of salt; milk enough to make a real thin batter. have skillet very hot and greased and spread batter thin. banana pancakes mrs. c. s. junge mash three bananas to a pulp. beat two eggs well. add two teaspoonfuls of sugar and pinch of salt. in two cups of sour milk put small teaspoonful of soda. mix all together and stir in enough flour to make a thin batter and bake on a griddle. raw potato pancakes mrs. e. r. hornig peel and grate about eight medium sized raw potatoes, add one scant teaspoonful salt, two well beaten eggs. mix thoroughly. fry in lard on hot griddle to a rich brown color on both sides. potato pancakes mrs. f. b. woodland boil three medium sized potatoes. dry and mash. add two eggs, beaten; one cup flour; one cup milk; one-half teaspoonful salt; dash pepper; two teaspoonfuls baking powder. fry in buttered pan. bread pancakes mrs. e. r. hornig cover half a small loaf of stale bread with sour milk, let stand over night. add one tablespoonful salt, two teaspoonfuls soda, two eggs, and enough flour to make proper consistency. fry on hot griddle. soft waffles mrs. thomas meeks butler sift together one quart of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; one teaspoonful of sugar; one-half teaspoonful salt; mix in one tablespoonful of butter, add two well beaten eggs. beating the yolks together, then the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth. add the yolks and one and one-half pints of milk. add the whites of the eggs after mixing the whole into a smooth batter not too thin and pour into well greased irons. waffles v. f. hollenberger mix one pint flour: one pint milk to a smooth paste. add small cup butter, barely melted. add to this the well beaten yolks of three eggs, then the beaten whites. just before baking, add one teaspoonful baking powder, beat well for two minutes, and bake on very hot iron. waffles mrs. j. f. nicols one pint of milk; one-half cup butter; three eggs; flour enough to make batter; salt; two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder. mix milk, butter, yolks of eggs--stir, then add flour and salt. stir in beaten whites of eggs. just before cooking add baking powder. beat briskly. waffles mrs. charles t. daily two cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful salt; three tablespoonfuls melted butter; one and one-half cups milk; three eggs. sift dry ingredients, add yolks, well beaten, milk, butter and stiffly beaten whites. beat well and cook on a hot waffle iron, well greased. carrie watkins' waffles bertha z. bisbee three eggs; two cups milk; three tablespoonfuls melted butter; three cups flour; one teaspoonful sugar; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; pinch of salt. beat whites and yolks separately; add milk to yolks, then salt, sugar and butter, then flour and baking powder. when the iron is hot, fold in the well beaten whites of eggs and bake immediately. glorified hoe cakes mrs. archy s. corken (this recipe won a $ . tribune prize for wartime conservation recipes.) two cups yellow cornmeal; one teaspoonful salt; three and one-half cups buttermilk; cottage cheese; one cup flour; one tablespoonful sugar; one teaspoonful soda; green pepper. sift together cornmeal, flour, salt and sugar into a bowl. pour three cups buttermilk (or sour milk) over the sifted ingredients, and beat well. dissolve one teaspoonful soda in one cup of sour milk and beat thoroughly into the butter. spread on well greased hot griddle and fry until little bubbles cover the surface. turn quickly. have ready some cottage cheese seasoned with salt and pepper in which has been mixed chopped green pepper or pimento. spread one-half inch thick on top of hoe cake. cut cake into quarters and serve on hot plate. this recipe makes four griddle size cakes. amber syrup mrs. harry m. boon one cup brown sugar; two cups granulated sugar; two cups boiling water. boil five minutes and when cool add ten drops vanilla. it is hard to distinguish this from maple syrup. cakes "_now, now the mirth comes with the cake full of plums._" --herrick. marshmallow cake mrs. j. h. shanley one-half cup butter; one and one-half cups sugar; two and one-half cups flour; one-half cup milk; two level teaspoonfuls baking powder; five eggs; one teaspoonful vanilla. bake in layers and spread with the marshmallow paste between layers and on top; also marshmallows cut in half. marshmallow paste: three-fourths cup sugar; one-fourth cup milk, boiled together six minutes. melt one-fourth pound marshmallows, add two tablespoonfuls water; combine with the boiled sugar and milk, add vanilla and beat until stiff enough to spread. gold cake mrs. charles s. daily one and one-half cups sugar; three-fourths cup butter; four yolks of eggs; three whites of eggs; three-fourths cup milk; two cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful flavoring. cream butter and sugar, then add the beaten yolks of eggs, add flavoring to this, then add milk and flour alternately, first sifting flour and baking powder together. beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add last, folding them in gently. bake in a loaf cake pan forty minutes in a modern oven. cocoanut cream cake mrs. h. s. mount one-half cup butter; one and one-half cup sugar; one cup cold water; three cups sifted flour (sifted three times); two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder; whites four eggs beaten stiff; flavor with vanilla. cream butter and sugar. add one-third water and beat thoroughly; then add one cup flour and beat again. add second one-third cup of water and second cup of flour and continue beating. into last cup of flour add baking powder and add last one-third cup of water with the last cup of flour and beat thoroughly. then flavor and fold in the beaten whites of eggs; carefully put in three layer tins. grate a whole cocoanut. whip one pint of cream. after cakes are cool put whipped cream on first layer, then cover with freshly grated cocoanut. continue the same until the last layer is well covered with whipped cream, and then cocoanut. orange cake mrs. martin k. northam one-third cup butter; one cup sugar; grated rind of one orange; one-half cup milk or water; one and one-half cups sifted pastry flour; two level teaspoonfuls baking powder; yolks of two eggs, beaten light; whites of two eggs, beaten dry. this makes two small layers. filling: the unbeaten white of one egg; add to this one-fourth cup orange pulp and juice, with the rotary egg beater gradually beat in one and one-half cups powdered sugar, beating it slowly. when that is stiff enough to hold its shape spread upon the cake. long beating makes this icing spongy and white. eggless cake mrs. w. h. muschlet one cup apple sauce, unsweetened; one teaspoonful soda; one cup of sugar; one-half cup butter; one and one-half cup flour--depends on consistency of apple sauce; one teaspoonful ground cinnamon; one teaspoonful ground allspice; one-half teaspoonful cloves; one-half teaspoonful nutmeg; one-half cup citron, cut in small pieces; one or over cups of nuts. mix flour, nuts and citron well. cream butter and sugar till it pops; add apple sauce; which turns brown. then add spices, flour, nuts and citron. bake in moderate oven in flat pan about minutes, probably minutes. if preferred iced, cut in squares. make double quantity, as the longer kept the better. lady baltimore cake mrs. l. b. maxwell take one cupful of butter; two cupfuls sugar; three and one-half cupfuls of flour; one cupful sweet milk; whites of six eggs; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; and one teaspoonful rose-water. cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, beating continually; then the milk and flavoring; next the flour and baking powder and lastly the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, which should be folded into the dough. bake in three layer cake tins in quite hot oven. to make the filling, dissolve three cups of sugar in one cupful boiling water; cook it until it threads; then pour it onto the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs, stirring constantly. to this icing add one cupful of chopped raisins, one cupful of nutmeats (pecans preferred) and five figs cut into very thin strips. this makes enough icing for top and sides of cake. tutti frutti cake mrs. wm. j. maiden two tablespoonfuls butter; one cupful sugar; one cupful milk; one egg; two cupfuls flour; two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder; one-half cupful dates (pitted and chopped); one-half cupful english walnuts, chopped; one-half cupful raisins or figs (or both), chopped; three tablespoonfuls chocolate or cocoa; one teaspoonful vanilla. this makes two layers. filling: three cupfuls x sugar; three tablespoonfuls cocoa; six tablespoonfuls melted butter; six tablespoonfuls hot coffee; one teaspoonful vanilla. mix well and put on cake. cream cake mrs. w. s. holabird one-half cup butter; one cup sugar; yolks of two eggs beaten light; one and three-fourths cups sifted pastry flour; two level teaspoonfuls baking powder; one-half cup cold water; whites of two eggs beaten dry; flavoring to suit. cream filling: one-fourth cup sifted flour; one cup hot milk; one-third cup sugar; one-fourth teaspoonful salt; one egg beaten light; one ounce chocolate; one teaspoonful vanilla extract. mix flour and salt with a very little cold milk; stir into the hot milk and cook ten minutes, add the chocolate and stir until it is melted and evenly blended with the flour mixture. then beat in the egg mixed with the sugar, and lastly the vanilla. lady finger cake mrs. c. a. bowman five eggs, beaten separately; six lady fingers, browned and grated; three-fourths cup almonds, ground fine; one cup sugar; vanilla to taste. mix all together, putting in stiffly beaten whites last. bake in two layers in moderate oven. filling: yolk of one egg; one and one-half teaspoonfuls corn starch; sugar and vanilla to taste. spread between layers and put whipped cream on top. weary willy mrs. c. a. carscadin whites of two eggs broken in a cup; enough soft butter to make the cup half full; fill the cup with milk. sift one and one-half cups pastry flour; one cup sugar; two teaspoonfuls baking powder and pinch of salt. turn the cup of liquid into the dry ingredients, flavor and beat ten minutes. bake in rather slow oven in layers or loaf. if well beaten this is a delicious, fine grained cake. sunshine cakes charlotte pangburn seven eggs; the whites and yolks beaten separately and very stiffly. then add one-fourth teaspoonful each of salt and cream of tartar; then fold in one cup of sugar sifted three times; also one cup of flour sifted three times, then flavoring, preferably orange flavor. bake in a slow oven forty-five minutes. delicious white cake mrs. w. f. barnard one and one-half cups sugar; one-half cup butter; one cup sweet milk; two cups flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; whites of four eggs. cream sugar and butter, add milk, then flour and baking powder. lastly, add whites of eggs, stirring very little after whites are in. white cake (layer) mrs. knap whites of eight eggs; one and one-fourth cups of granulated sugar; one-half cup water; three-fourths cup butter; two and one-half cups flour; two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. flavor. sunshine cake mary roberts whites of seven eggs; yolks of five eggs; two-thirds cup flour, sifted five times; one cup sugar; one pinch salt; one-third teaspoonful cream of tartar; extract to taste. beat whites very stiff, then add sugar; beat lightly, then add yolks beat thoroughly; add flour, stir lightly; then add extract. put cream of tartar in eggs when half beaten. good layer cake mrs. h. d. sheldon one cup sugar; one-half cup butter; two eggs; one cup milk; two and one-half cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; flavoring. cream sugar and butter, add eggs beaten lightly, then milk. sift flour three times before measuring, baking powder with flour in final sifting. good layer cake mrs. w. f. barnard one-half cup butter; one cup sugar; one-half cup sweet milk; three eggs, beaten separately; one and one-half cups flour; one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking powder. cream butter and sugar; add milk, yolks, flour and baking powder, and fold in whites. bake in two layers or loaf. grafton cake mrs. floyd e. jennison beat two tablespoonfuls of butter (or substitute) to a cream; add gradually one and one-half cups of sugar; the yolks of two eggs (beaten light) and one cupful of warm water. stir in two and one-half cups of pastry flour and beat continuously for five minutes. add two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one of vanilla and beat again. now add the stiffly beaten whites, folded in carefully. bake in two layers. the robert e. lee cake mrs. deborah kaufman three eggs; one cup sugar; one-half cup hot water; one and one-fourth cups flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; the grated rind of one orange. beat sugar and yolks of eggs with small portion of orange peel and half of the beaten whites of eggs. add hot water, and last the sifted flour with baking powder, and pinch of salt. bake in two layers in hot oven. filling: the rest of the grated rind of orange, half cup sugar, the remaining whites of eggs; whip together and place between layers while cake is hot. crumb cake mrs. a. donald campbell one cup sugar; one cup flour; one-half cup butter; rub all together with one-half teaspoonful cinnamon and nutmeg; one-half teaspoonful salt. set aside one-half cup of mixture. then to portion left add one good sized cup of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one-half cup of milk, one egg. mix thoroughly and put in baking pan and sprinkle the mixture, set aside, on top and bake slowly. wheatless sponge cake sabin school four eggs; three-fourths cup sugar; one-fourth cup corn starch; one-fourth cup potato flour; one-fourth teaspoonful vanilla. beat whites of eggs stiff, add sugar and beat again. add yolks beaten separately; fold in corn starch and potato flour sifted together; add vanilla. bake in slow oven thirty-five minutes. sponge cake mrs. e. p. rowen two eggs, well beaten together; one cup sugar, beat into eggs for five minutes; one cup flour; one heaping teaspoonful baking powder in flour; one-half cup boiling water added last. put into oven immediately. prune cake mrs. c. b. martin one and one-half cups sugar and two tablespoonfuls butter creamed; yolks of three eggs; white of one egg; add one cup chopped prunes, sweetened and cooked; english walnuts; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one-fourth teaspoonful cloves; little nutmeg; one cup sweet milk; level teaspoonful soda; heaping teaspoonful baking powder; two and one-half cups flour. makes three layers. icing: cream two cups pulverized sugar and one tablespoonful butter; add whites of two eggs beaten stiff. war cake mrs. m. a. flanders one-half cup corn syrup; four scant tablespoonfuls butter; one-half cup milk; one egg, white and yolk beaten separately; fourteen graham crackers rolled fine; two tablespoonfuls flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; one-half teaspoonful vanilla; two tablespoonfuls chopped nuts and two tablespoonfuls raisins. eggless, milkless, butterless cake mrs. c. e. seaton put in a saucepan one cupful of brown sugar; one cupful of water, two cupfuls of seeded raisins; one-third cupful of lard; one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-quarter teaspoonful nutmeg; one-half teaspoonful cloves, ground, and a pinch of salt. place over the fire and boil for five minutes. let cool, then add one teaspoonful soda dissolved in a little hot water; two cupfuls flour, in which one-half teaspoonful of baking powder has been sifted. put in a loaf cake pan and bake one hour in a moderate oven. butterless, eggless, milkless cake mrs. m. a. flanders two cups raisins; one-half teaspoonful allspice; one-half teaspoonful cinnamon; two tablespoonfuls shortening; one-half teaspoonful salt; one cup boiling water; one cup brown sugar; one-half cup dates; boil five minutes; when cool, add two cups flour, one teaspoonful baking soda, dissolved in warm water. bake in a loaf. blueberry cake mrs. henry crossman one quart of flour; three tablespoonfuls sugar; one teaspoonful baking powder; pinch of salt; two eggs; two cupfuls milk; piece of butter size of egg. scatter baking powder, salt and sugar into flour and sift well, add the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk; stir all together a few minutes, then add berries, slightly floured. bake in long square tin for twenty minutes or half an hour. sponge cake mrs. earl combs three eggs; four tablespoonfuls of cold water: one cup powdered sugar; one cup flour and a pinch of salt; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; beaten whites of two eggs; bake in loaf or layers. fig cake mrs. j. e. kelly one-half cup raisins; one-half cup figs, cut fine; a level teaspoonful soda; one cup boiling water. sit to one side while mixing; one cup sugar; one-half cup butter; one egg; one teaspoonful lemon extract; one heaping teaspoonful cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful cloves; two cups flour; add first mixture and bake in moderate oven. frosting: one and one-half cups powdered sugar; one-half cup butter, creamed together; two tablespoonfuls grated chocolate; two tablespoonfuls strong coffee; one teaspoonful vanilla. do not cook frosting. layer cake with apple filling mrs. w. f. becker three tablespoonfuls butter; one scant cup sugar; one scant cup milk; yolks of two eggs; one one-fourths cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful vanilla. cream butter and sugar and add eggs; beat five minutes; add milk; then add flour sifted with baking powder; add vanilla, and beat five minutes and put in two layer pans, put filling between layers and on top. filling: whites of two eggs; one-half cup sugar; two large grated apples; one teaspoonful vanilla. beat one-half hour. apple sauce cake mrs. h. d. sheldon one-fourth cup butter; one cup sugar; one egg yolk; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful cloves; little nutmeg; one cup apple sauce; one level teaspoonful soda; one cup raisins; two cups flour; pinch of salt. cream butter and sugar, add egg well beaten and soda dissolved in the apple sauce; add raisins, mixed with flour and spices. frosting: one cup of confectioners' sugar; two tablespoonfuls melted butter, enough hot water to spread. date cake mrs. edward s. smith one cup of dates chopped fine; sprinkle over them one cup of boiling water, and one scant teaspoonful of soda. let stand while you mix the cake. one cup of sugar; one tablespoonful of butter; one and one-third cups of flour; one-half cup of nut meats; vanilla. mix and add dates. bake slowly thirty-five minutes. chocolate fudge cake mrs. j. g. sherer dissolve two ounces chocolate in five tablespoonfuls boiling water. cream one-half cup butter, adding gradually one and one-half cupfuls sugar; add yolks of four eggs, beaten thoroughly, then add the chocolate; one-half cupful milk; one and three-fourths cupfuls flour; two level teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful vanilla and add beaten whites last. filling: two cups sugar; one cup milk; one-half cup chocolate; butter size of a walnut. boil until thick enough and beat until rather stiff. spread on cake. chocolate cake sharlotte pangburn two cups of brown sugar; one-half cup of butter; one-half cup of sour milk; two eggs. cream this together. then dissolve one teaspoonful (level) soda in one-half cup of hot water; one teaspoonful baking powder. grate one-third cake of baker's chocolate; add hot water and soda and stir with cake. lastly add two heaping cups of flour. for layer or loaf cake. chocolate cake mrs. t. c. hollenberger one-half cake chocolate; three-fourths cup brown sugar; one-half cup sweet milk; cook until smooth. add one teaspoonful vanilla. when cold, add to the following: cake one-half cup butter, one cup brown sugar, two eggs, one-half cup milk, one and one-half cups flour, one teaspoonful soda. beat whites of eggs separately. graham cracker cake mrs. paul klein-exel one-third cup butter; one cup of sugar; three-fourths cup milk; three eggs beaten separately; one package of graham crackers, ground fine; one cup of nuts, one walnut; two teaspoons baking powder. bake in two layers for twenty minutes. hickory nut cake mrs. william s. wood one and one-half cupfuls sugar; one-half cupful butter; one cupful sour milk; one teaspoonful soda; two eggs; three cupfuls flour; one cupful stoned raisins; one and one-half cupfuls nut meats, cut up, and one teaspoonful cinnamon. potatoe cake mrs. william molt one cup cold boiled potatoes, grated; two cups flour; one cup grated chocolate; two cups sugar; three-fourths cup butter; one-half cup each of chopped almonds and raisins; one-half teaspoonful each of ground cloves, cinnamon and vanilla; five eggs, beat in one at a time; one cup sour cream, or milk; one teaspoonful soda. bake one hour. lizzie's no-egg cake mrs. c. a. carscadin one cup sour milk; one teaspoonful soda; one cup chopped raisins; two cups flour; one teaspoonful each of cinnamon and cloves; one cup granulated sugar; one-half cup butter and a pinch of salt. poor man's cake mrs. k. larson one tablespoon butter; one cup sugar; one teaspoonful soda; one teaspoonful baking powder; two cups flour; one cup raisins; two teaspoons vanilla; one teaspoonful allspice; one cup sour milk; one egg beaten. rye bread torte mrs. harry m. boon four eggs, separate yolks and whites; three-fourths cup butter; one and three-fourths cups each of sugar and rye bread. let the rye bread dry so it can crumble. baked in two layers with whipped cream between makes a very rich cake. dark cake mrs. c. a. carscadin one-half cup brown sugar; one egg; one-quarter cup each of butter, molasses and strong coffee; one and one-quarter cups flour; one-half cup each of raisins and currants; one-half teaspoonful each of soda, cinnamon and cloves; one-quarter teaspoonful mace. mix together in above order and bake. devil's cake mrs. r. h. wheeler part : one cup light brown sugar; one cupful baker's chocolate (two squares); one-half cupful milk; thoroughly cook in double boiler and when cool mix with part . part : one-half cupful butter (scant); one cupful brown sugar; yolks of three eggs; one-half cupful milk; two cupfuls flour; one teaspoonful soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls warm water. chocolate frosting: one cupful sugar; butter size of a walnut; four tablespoonfuls cream; dessertspoonful vanilla; two squares baker's chocolate. cook in double boiler slowly. white frosting: whites of four eggs; two cupfuls sugar; two tablespoonfuls water; one cup nutmeats; two teaspoonfuls vanilla. cook six or seven minutes in double boiler. devil's food cake sue c. woodman yolk of one egg; one-half cup milk; two squares baker's chocolate; one tablespoonful butter. cook till thick. add one cup sugar; one-half cup milk; one-half cup flour; one teaspoonful soda; one teaspoonful vanilla; bake in two layers. filling: one tablespoonful cocoa; one tablespoonful corn starch; one-half cup sugar; a small piece butter; one-half cup chopped raisins; one cup milk; one teaspoonful vanilla. cook until thick. spice cake mrs. harry m. boon three-fourths cup sour milk; three-fourths teaspoonful soda; one cup sugar; one-half cup chopped raisins; one-quarter cup chopped walnut meats; piece of butter size of an egg; two eggs; two level teaspoonfuls cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful each nutmeg and ginger; one and one-half cups flour, sifted. bake in medium oven three-quarters of an hour. southern pork cake miss katharine orr one-half pound fat salt pork, minced; one and one-half pounds seeded raisins; three eggs; five cups flour; one cup nut meats; two cups (large) sugar; one cup of molasses; one teaspoonful soda in dry flour; two teaspoonfuls cinnamon in dry flour; one teaspoonful cloves in dry flour. pour one pint boiling water over salt pork in bowl, and add all ingredients, whip eggs and put in last next to flour. bake one hour. mrs. roosevelt's recipe for spice cake mrs. theodore roosevelt one cup butter; two cups sugar; one cup milk; four eggs; four cups flour; two teaspoonfuls royal baking powder; one teaspoonful ground cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful nutmeg. black fruit cake mrs. n. l. hurlbut four pounds dried brown sugar; one pound flour, browned; three-fourths pound butter; one wine glass each of milk, mixed with one of brandy and one of wine; one teaspoonful of soda; one cup molasses; three pounds currants; three pounds raisins; one pound citron; ten eggs; two teaspoonfuls each allspice and cloves; two tablespoonfuls cinnamon and one whole nutmeg. cream butter and sugar together; mix soda in the milk with the brandy and wine; then molasses and spices; beat eggs separately. put paper in bottom of pans and bake in slow oven two hours. cinnamon cake bertha z. bisbee one cup each of granulated sugar and milk; two cups flour; a pinch of salt; one tablespoonful butter or lard; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one egg. put batter in pan, sprinkle brown sugar thickly over the top, also cinnamon; put lumps of butter all over top. bakes in about fifteen minutes. fillings and icings cocoanut filling boil together one cupful sugar and one-half cupful water until they form a soft ball when tested in cold water; pour slowly while hot into the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, beating all the time. when stiff add one teaspoonful vanilla extract and one cupful cocoanut. put between layers of a cake. custard filling dissolve two tablespoonfuls cornstarch in a little milk, put in double boiler with a scant cupful milk and one teaspoonful butter; stir until it begins to thicken; beat the yolks of two eggs and one-half cupful sugar until very light; pour on some of the boiling custard; now turn this back into the double boiler and stir a few minutes, adding flavoring. when cool spread between layers of cake and sprinkle cocoanut or ground nuts over; cover top of cake with thin layer of the custard and sprinkle with nuts. orange filling miss edmonds mix one-half cup sugar and two tablespoonfuls flour; add grated rind of one-half orange and one-quarter cupful of orange juice and one-half tablespoonful lemon juice; one egg, slightly beaten; melt one teaspoonful butter and add the mixture, stirring constantly until it reaches the boiling point. cool before using. maple filling mrs. louis geyler two-thirds cup maple syrup, fill up cup with water; add one-fourth cup sugar; one-fourth cup cornstarch, and one-fourth cup butter. when cool add one-half pint bottle whipped cream. mocha filling sue c. woodman one tablespoonful butter; one tablespoonful cocoa; one tablespoonful cold coffee; one and one-fourth cup powdered sugar; one teaspoonful vanilla. mocha filling one-half pint milk; one-half cup black coffee; one-half cup sugar; yolks of three eggs; three tablespoonfuls blanched almonds chopped fine. icing of three whites and chocolate. mocha cake filling mrs. louis geyler one large cup strong coffee; two-thirds cup sugar; one tablespoonful cornstarch; cook until clear. before taking off stove, add large dessertspoonful of butter. when cool, add one-half pint bottle cream whipped. fig filling cook in a double boiler one-half pound figs, finely chopped; one-third cupful sugar; one-third cupful boiling water and one tablespoonful lemon juice, until thick enough to spread. nut filling for cake mrs. e. r. blew one cup sour cream, one cup hickory nuts chopped fine, one cup sugar. cook in double boiler till thick enough to spread. sour cream filling for layer cake mrs. w. f. becker one cup sour whipping cream; one-half cup sugar; one-half cup walnuts chopped; one teaspoonful vanilla. lemon filling mrs. g. d. prentiss one cupful sugar; one egg; one tablespoonful butter; juice and grated rind of one lemon. boil over hot water until thick and creamy. lemon icing mrs. j. t. wilcox whites of two eggs beaten to a froth, one pound powdered sugar and one lemon grated. white icing and filling mrs. de vries cook together one and one-half cupfuls sugar and one-third cupful water until it threads; let cool a little and break in the whites of two eggs well beaten. beat until cold and put between layers and on top. marshmallow icing mrs. w. d. hurlbut one cup granulated sugar; one-fourth cup water; stir until dissolved and boil until it forms soft balls when dropped into cold water. one-half pound marshmallows in double boiler with two tablespoonfuls hot water, stir until melted; now pour hot syrup gradually into this mixture, beating constantly, add flavor, beat until cold. chocolate icing mrs. e. g. cooley one cupful granulated sugar; one egg; three tablespoonfuls sweet milk; two squares baker's chocolate. stir the whole egg, unbeaten, into the sugar; add the milk and grated chocolate. cook, stirring constantly, for three minutes; flavor with one teaspoonful vanilla. let cool before putting on cake. chocolate cream frosting miss nora edmonds beat the whites of two eggs; stir into them enough powdered sugar to make a smooth paste; add one teaspoonful vanilla. spread on cake. melt enough bitter chocolate to make a coating over this. quick icing miss shay four tablespoonfuls butter creamed, add six tablespoonfuls sugar; spread on cake, using a knife dipped in hot water to make it smooth. boiled icing two cupfuls sugar, one-fourth teaspoonful cream of tartar and one-half cupful cold water. stir until it boils. when it just drops, beat in seven teaspoonfuls to the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs; then boil the syrup until it threads, add to the eggs, beating all the time. fruit icing into one-fourth cupful of orange, lemon or other strained fruit juice rub as much sifted confectioner's sugar as will form a smooth, glossy icing; it must be thick enough to be applied without running. tutti frutti icing mrs. a. donald campbell mix with boiled icing one ounce each of citron, candied cherries, seedless raisins, pineapple and almonds cut very fine. cookies walnut jumbles one and one-half cupfuls of sifted pastry flour; one teaspoonful of baking powder; one-half cupful of granulated sugar; one-quarter cupful of butter; one-half cupful of shredded walnuts; one egg; one-quarter cupful of milk. method: sift flour, baking powder and sugar together, rub butter in as for pie pastry. beat egg well and add milk. beat this into the flour, then add nuts. knead lightly and roll half an inch thick. now strew sugar over, press down with rolling pin and cut into small rings with a doughnut cutter. spice jumbles use the recipe of walnut jumbles with these variations: take three-quarters cupful of mixed chopped nuts, one teaspoonful of mixed spices, cinnamon, cloves and allspice, and if need be add more milk if dough gets too thick. top may be strewn with chopped nuts also. anise tea cakes four eggs; one pound of fine granulated sugar; one pound of sifted pastry flour; one teaspoonful of fine anise seed. method: beat eggs and sugar for at least half an hour, then beat in gradually as much of the flour that is needed to be able to handle at once. take onto a floured board and using rest of flour kneed and roll about half an inch thick and cut with small round cutters. now brush flat tins with melted wax, strew anise seed over and place the cakes half an inch apart. let stand over night, then bake a golden color. they will look as though they were frosted. children's sponge cakes mrs. c. a. carscadin one and one-half cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one cup sugar; two eggs broken in a cup and cup filled with milk or cream. stir all together in a mixing bowl, beat hard for five minutes and bake about ten minutes in muffin pans. french tea cakes mrs. c. a. carscadin one-half cup brown sugar; one-half cup butter; creamed; one-half cup milk; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one cup quaker oats; one cup flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; two eggs and one cup of raisins. bake in muffin tins. hot tea cakes two tablespoonfuls butter; one-half cup sugar; one-eighth teaspoonful salt; one egg; one and one-half cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; three-fourths cup milk; half teaspoonful vanilla. mix in order given and bake in muffin tins ten or twenty minutes. lightning cake mrs. w. f. barnard one large cup flour; one large teaspoonful baking powder; one scant cup sugar. put two eggs in cup and fill up with milk. put sugar, flour and baking powder together, throw in milk and eggs; then add five level tablespoonfuls of soft butter, vanilla, and then salt. bake in gem pans. afternoon tea cakes mrs. w. n. hurlbut one cup butter; half cup sugar, beaten to a cream; two cups flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; two eggs. drop the mixture from a teaspoon into a floured pan and bake in moderate oven. brownies mrs. w. n. hurlbut two eggs; one cup sugar; half cup butter; half cup flour; two squares melted baker's chocolate; half cup chopped walnuts; one teaspoonful vanilla. beat butter, sugar and unbeaten eggs together. bake on buttered paper and cut while hot, in squares. egg rolls mrs. w. n. hurlbut one pint flour; two eggs; half teaspoonful salt; half cup milk; four tablespoonfuls butter; three level teaspoonfuls baking powder. sift flour with dry ingredients; cut butter into flour with a knife, beat eggs until light and add to milk. add this to flour and mix lightly. roll out on floured board till three-quarters of an inch thick. shape, brush over tops with white of egg, and sprinkle with granulated sugar. bake fifteen minutes in quick oven. southern cookies mrs. t. d. mcmicken one cup butter; one and one-half cups sugar, creamed together; beat in three eggs; one cup milk; three cups flour; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one cup chopped nuts; one-half cup raisins. drop on buttered tins. oatmeal macaroons mary roberts three cups rolled quaker oats; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; one tablespoonful butter; one cup white sugar; two eggs; one-half teaspoonful almond extract. cream butter and sugar, then add eggs, well beaten. mix rolled oats and baking powder together, add to butter and eggs. drop one-half teaspoonful, about two inches apart, in well buttered pan. bake in moderate oven. if not quite stiff enough add more rolled oats. macaroons mrs. w. d. hurlbut one tablespoonful butter and one-half scant cup sugar creamed. one well beaten egg; one and one-half cups dry oatmeal; one teaspoonful each of salt and baking powder and two teaspoonfuls almond extract. stir and drop on well greased pans. macaroons beaten whites of two eggs; one and three-fourths cupfuls granulated sugar; two cups shredded cocoanut; one-half cupful chopped walnut meats; two cupfuls corn flakes. mix all together and drop on well buttered tins. bake until brown. soft white cookies with raisin filling mrs. m. a. flanders one and one-half cups sugar; three-fourths cup shortening; one egg; one-half cup milk; one level teaspoonful soda dissolved in a little milk; salt, nutmeg. mix well one cup sugar (reserving one-half cup for sprinkling on top of cookies before baking) with shortening, egg, milk, soda, pinch of salt and a sprinkle of nutmeg and flour. use enough flour to enable to roll and cut. raisin filling: one-half pound raisins; one-half cup water; one-half tablespoonful butter; flour. put raisins in a pan with water and butter and as they come to a boil, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour, mixed with a little water. put one layer of cookies in baking pan, spread with the raisin mixture, then place another cookie on top of each; sprinkle with sugar and bake. butter cookies mrs. j. r. kline one pound butter; one cup sugar; two eggs; rind one-half lemon; juice of one-half lemon; six cups flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; one cup almonds chopped fine. cream the butter; add the sugar, then the yolks of eggs, slightly beaten. add rind of lemon, and the flour well mixed with the baking powder; then the lemon juice with only enough flour to handle. chill the dough, and when thoroughly cold roll. cut with the small biscuit cutter, brush with white of egg. sprinkle a little sugar on each cookie, also some chopped almonds. bake in moderate oven a delicate brown ten to fifteen minutes. will keep for weeks. rocks mrs. f. b. woodland one cup butter; one and one-half cups sugar; three eggs; two and one-half cups flour; one pound dates, stoned and chopped fine; one pound of walnuts, chopped a little; a teaspoonful soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls hot water; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one and one-half teaspoonfuls allspice. drop on buttered tins and bake. the dates measure one full cup. the walnuts about two cups. these are stirred in the last with part of the flour. don't roll, but dip with a teaspoon. old-fashioned sugar cookies mrs. c. w. woodman two cups of sugar; one cup melted shortening; two eggs; one cup sour cream; one teaspoonful soda; one teaspoonful nutmeg; a little lemon flavoring; one teaspoonful baking powder in flour; one teaspoonful salt. flour enough to roll. cookies mrs. j. a. osborne one and one-half cups sugar; scant cup sour cream; one-half cup butter; one level teaspoonful soda and nutmeg; two eggs, beaten whites added last; heaping teaspoonful baking powder in flour. roll thick and sprinkle with sugar. favorite cookies mrs. earl combs one and one-half cupfuls of sugar; one cupful of butter; one-half cup of sour milk; one level teaspoonful baking powder; one teaspoonful grated nutmeg; flour enough to roll out, making it quite soft. mix butter and sugar, then add milk and soda, nutmeg and flour lastly. roll thin and put a little sugar on each cooky and bake in hot oven. oatmeal and cocoanut cookies mrs. t. c. hollenberger one cup light brown sugar; one-half cup shortening (scant); one egg; one cup flour and one teaspoonful baking powder; one cup oatmeal and shredded cocoanut mixed; a little salt and vanilla. this will be quite stiff. drop from spoon in small pats. corn flake cookies mrs. s. friedlander three cups corn flakes; one cupful flour; three-fourths cup shortening (butter and lard); one-half cup raisins, chopped; two teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful cinnamon; two eggs; one cup sugar. drop with spoon on greased tins. cornflake kisses mary roberts two eggs, well beaten; three-fourths cup sugar, beaten into eggs. add cornflakes until substance will hold shape when dropped from teaspoon, on to buttered paper. bake fifteen minutes in slow oven. nut kisses mrs. c. a. carscadin to the white of one egg, well beaten, add ten teaspoonfuls pulverized sugar, a little ground cinnamon and cloves and a cup of chopped nuts; flavor with vanilla. put teaspoonful of mixture on bottom side of pie pan and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven. meringue shells mrs. c. a. carscadin whites of four eggs beaten twenty minutes; one cup sugar; one teaspoonful vanilla; one-half teaspoonful vinegar. bake forty-five minutes to one hour. moderate oven. cream puffs mrs. paul klein-exel. one-half cup flour; one-half cup of boiling water; one-quarter cup butter; two eggs; one-quarter teaspoon of salt. add salt and butter to water. when boiling add flour all at once, stirring constantly until mixture leaves the side of pan. remove from fire, add unbeaten eggs, and beat constantly while adding one at a time. macaroon cookies mrs. w. d. ("ma") sunday four cups cornflakes; one cup shredded cocoanut; one cup granulated sugar; one cup chopped almonds. beat whites of four eggs very stiff, and mix all together. bake in a slow oven about twenty minutes. hermits mrs. j. h. shanley cream one and one-half cups of butter and two cups of brown sugar; beat four eggs and add to butter and sugar; one level teaspoonful soda in a tablespoonful of hot water; then add two and one-half cups flour; one pound of dates (cut small) and about one cup chopped walnuts; flavor with vanilla. drop by spoonfuls on pan and cook for about minutes. rocks mrs. h. b. rairden one pound brown sugar; one pound raisins; one pound currants; one pound walnuts; one-half teaspoonful each cinnamon and nutmeg; one-half cup sour milk; one-half teaspoonful soda; three eggs; flour enough to make stiff. drop on well buttered tins and bake. marguerites mrs. w. l. gregson make frosting from two tablespoonfuls of thick sweet cream and powdered sugar; flavor; spread frosting over long salted wafers; sprinkle with chopped nuts and bake in moderate oven. allow to stand in dripping pan until cool, to guard against breaking. melted chocolate or pink fruit coloring added to frosting makes variety. dainty for afternoon teas, etc. christmas cookies mrs. adolph holeman one-half pound of butter; one-half pound of sugar; two eggs, beaten separately; one pound of flour; one teaspoonful baking powder; one teaspoonful vanilla. roll out thin and cut spreading top of cookies with the white of egg and sprinkle sugar over the tops before baking. these will keep for months in a dry place. oatmeal cookies mrs. a. j. atwater one cup sugar; one cup lard; one cup raisins, ground fine; two eggs, beaten light; two cups oatmeal dry; one-half cup cold water; dash salt; one teaspoonful soda; sifted flour enough to make stiff dough. oatmeal cookies mrs. w. d. ("ma") sunday one cup sugar; one-fourth cup lard; one-half cup butter; three eggs beaten; one and one-half cups sifted flour; two cups dry oatmeal; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one and one-half cups chopped, seeded raisins; one and one-half teaspoonfuls soda, mixed with one tablespoonful vinegar. drop on greased pans. bake in quick oven. oatmeal cookies mrs. minnie e. bodwell cookies: one-half cup of lard; one-half cup of butter; one cup of sugar; two-thirds cup of sour milk; one level teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in milk; two cups of oatmeal; two cups of flour. filling: one-half pound of dates put through chopper; one-half cup of white sugar; one-half cup of cold water. boil all together until thick; when cool and cookies are warm, spread filling between two cookies; it is then ready to serve, very nice. lace oatmeal wafers mrs. f. t. hoyt one cup of sugar; one tablespoonful of butter; two eggs beaten separately; two and one-half cups of uncooked oatmeal; two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; teaspoonful of vanilla; one pinch of salt. mix well, adding the stiffly beaten whites of eggs last. drop a small teaspoonful on greased pans, far apart, and bake in quick oven. drop clove cookies mrs. c. e. upham two cups sugar; one cup shortening; two eggs; one cup molasses; two teaspoonfuls soda dissolved in little hot water; six scant cups flour; one cup cold water; three teaspoonfuls salt; one teaspoonful cloves; one teaspoonful cinnamon; raisins if wanted. drop with a teaspoon. drop cookies (light) two cups of sugar; one cup of shortening; two eggs beaten light; one cup of milk (sour); one teaspoonful each of soda, salt baking powder--the latter well mixed with the four cups of flour--and grated nutmeg or any desired flavoring. mix well and drop in small teaspoonfuls upon a greased pan. allow room to spread. bake in a quick oven. peanut cookies mrs. l. ficklen one cup sugar; two eggs; two teaspoonfuls butter; one cup peanuts rolled; enough flour with baking powder to make stiff batter. chocolate cookies mrs. h. s. mount cream one cup of shortening, one cup of brown cugar, one cup of white sugar. then add four squares (one-half of one-half pound cake), melted chocolate, one-fourth cup milk, one-half teaspoonful of baking powder, flour enough to roll very thin. bake in cookie pans. chocolate nut cookies mrs. j. w. moss one tablespoonful grated chocolate; one cup chopped nut meats; one cup seeded raisins; one cup sugar; one egg; two tablespoonfuls butter; one-half cup milk; one and three-fourths cups flour; one teaspoonful powdered cinnamon; one teaspoonful vanilla extract. chocolate fingers three eggs; one-half pound of powdered sugar; one-half pound of sifted pastry flour; two ounces of powdered chocolate. method: beat sugar and eggs for half an hour, sift chocolate and sugar together, then stir into the flour. beat well, then with a pastry squirt form oblong cakes, size of a finger on waxed tins. set away over night, then bake as other cookies in moderate heat. they have the appearance of being frosted owing to the light components rising to the top during night. if you have no pastry tube or squirt, form little round mounds by dipping up portions with a small spoon dipped in cold water. when baking the above cakes be sure to use only moderate heat. remove cakes from pan as soon as done and place in tin pails or cans as soon as cold. if kept in closed tin small cakes will keep a long time and remain palatable. drop cookies (dark) one cup of brown sugar; one-quarter cup shortening; one egg; one-half cup each of hot water and molasses; one teaspoonful each of soda, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and salt; one-half teaspoonful of ground nutmeg, all sifted thoroughly with two and one-half cups of flour. mix well, drop in small spoonfuls upon a greased tin, and bake in a quick oven. this makes a small batch. ginger snaps w. b. mckinley (his mother's recipe) two cups brown sugar; two cups molasses; one cup lard or butter; one-half cup sweet milk; one teaspoonful salt; two tablespoonfuls soda; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful cloves; two tablespoonfuls ginger; add flour enough to roll. put molasses, lard, sugar and spices on the stove, let get hot. when cool dissolve the soda in the milk, add flour and milk alternately, roll very thin and bake. ginger bread mrs. a. p. roberts one cupful molasses; two cupfuls sour milk; three cupfuls flour; one-half teaspoonful each nutmeg and cinnamon; scant half cupful sugar; two eggs; one heaping teaspoonful ginger and a teaspoonful soda dissolved in the sour milk. soft gingerbread mrs. t. c. hollenberger two-thirds cup molasses, fill cup with sugar; one-half cup butter, fill cup with hot water; two cups flour; two teaspoonfuls ginger; one-half teaspoonful cinnamon; one teaspoonful soda, dissolved in a little of the hot water; one egg. ginger bread mrs. eustace one cup molasses; one cup brown sugar; one-half cup butter and lard; two eggs; two scant teaspoonfuls of soda in one cup of sour milk; three cups of flour; one teaspoonful each of ginger and cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful each of cloves and allspice. bake slowly. ginger bread mrs. w. f. barnard two-thirds cup molasses, fill up cup with granulated sugar; one-half cup butter, fill cup up with hot water; two scant cups flour; one egg, beaten light; one teaspoonful ginger; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one teaspoonful soda. bake in moderate oven about one-half hour. colonial gingerbread mrs. floyd e. jennison one cup molasses; one-half cup sugar; one-half cup shortening. pour over the above, one cup warm water in which one level dessertspoonful of soda has been dissolved. let mixture cool; then add two and one-half cupfuls flour (sifted); one teaspoonful each of ginger and cinnamon and lastly two well beaten eggs and one cup (or less) of english walnut meats. raisins may be added, if desired. chocolate gingerbread one-half cup molasses; one tablespoonful each of melted butter and lard; one-half cup brown sugar; one-fourth teaspoonful each of ginger and cinnamon; one heaping tablespoonful grated sweet chocolate, mixed to a paste with a little hot water. blend the ingredients thoroughly, then stir in one teaspoonful soda in one cupful of sour milk; flour to stiffen. bake twenty minutes. cinnamon stars two tablespoonfuls of butter; one cupful of sugar; two eggs; one and one-half cupfuls of sifted pastry flour; one teaspoonful of cinnamon; one-fourth teaspoonful of baking powder. method: cream butter, sugar and eggs until light, sift all dry ingredients together, then stir into egg mixture. take onto a floured board, using a very little more flour if needed. roll quite thin, then cut with a star cutter. bake on waxed tins in a very moderate oven. california cookies mrs. e. t. clissold one cup molasses; one egg; one-half cup milk; one cup chopped raisins; one-half cup butter; one-half cup sugar; one-half teaspoonful each of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon; one teaspoonful soda. drop in spoonfuls in buttered tins. bake quickly. doughnuts mrs. h. p. sieh two cups sugar; four eggs; one cup buttermilk; six tablespoonfuls hot lard; one teaspoonful nutmeg, one of soda and one of salt. flour to make a good rolling dough. cut and cook in hot lard. molasses squares mrs. e. oliver one cup sugar; one egg; two tablespoonfuls shortening; three-fourths cup molasses; one teaspoonful soda dissolved in molasses; one cup milk; two and one-half cups flour (after sifting); one cup raisins; one teaspoonful each cinnamon, cloves and one-half teaspoonful nutmeg. beat egg, add shortening, molasses, milk, spices and last the raisins (floured). bake in two shallow pans. any desired frosting. ginger blocks four tablespoonfuls of butter or butterine; one-third cupful sugar; one egg; one-half cupful of golden drip syrup; one-half cupful of milk; one and three-quarters cupfuls of sifted pastry flour; one teaspoonful of baking powder; two teaspoonfuls of ginger. method: cream butter, sugar and yolk; then add the sirup and beat hard. sift dry ingredients together, and then add, alternating with the milk. whip white of egg and fold in. bake in square tins. when done cut into blocks and sift confectioners' sugar over. to make the blocks of uniform size trim the very outer edge of cake before cutting. these rims can be used for a pudding some other day. puff balls mrs. j. dana brown one egg; three-fourths cupful sugar; one scant cupful milk; one and one-half cupfuls flour; and one-half teaspoonful baking powder; pinch of salt. mix and roll out and cut with the smallest biscuit cutter and dropped in hot fat. doughnuts mrs. j. h. shanley three eggs; one cup sugar; one cup sweet milk; three teaspoonfuls baking powder sifted with three cups flour; spice and flavoring to suit your taste. when these are put into the boiling lard they sink, but rise almost at once and turn themselves. they never break apart when frying, as they contain no shortening, yet they are sufficiently rich to satisfy anyone. doughnuts mrs. t. c. hollenberger three eggs beaten very light; one cup sugar; four tablespoonfuls melted lard, add to the eggs and beat all together. one teaspoonful salt and a little nutmeg or lemon rind grated; one cup thick sour milk with one-half teaspoonful soda dissolved in it; add flour with one heaping teaspoonful baking powder sifted with flour--three cups, with enough more to make a very soft dough. doughnuts miss shay two eggs, well beaten; add one and one-half cupfuls sugar; one-half grated nutmeg; one cup milk; two heaping tablespoonfuls butter, melted; two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder sifted in the flour and flour enough to make the dough roll easily, about three pints of flour. pickles "_how cam'st in such a pickle?_" --shakespeare. sliced pickle mrs. william h. fahrney one peck cucumbers; thirty small onions; four green peppers; two red peppers; slice and soak over night in salt water. soak cucumbers separately, rinse in cold water. one-half gallon vinegar; two tablespoonfuls mustard seed; one tablespoonful celery seed; six cups brown sugar; one-fourth teaspoonful tumeric; one teaspoonful powdered alum. let the vinegar and seasoning come to a boil, add the onions and peppers, cook five minutes; then add the cucumbers and cook five minutes. can hot. mustard pickle mrs. william molt one quart tiny cucumbers; one quart large cucumbers, cut or sliced; one quart green tomatoes, cut in pieces; one large cauliflower, divided; five green peppers, chopped fine; one quart button onions, cut up. to four quarts of water add one pint salt and pour over the vegetables and let stand twenty-four hours; then heat in same brine just enough to scald; turn into colander and drain. mix one-half cup flour; six tablespoonfuls mustard; two tablespoonfuls tumeric, with enough cold vinegar to make a smooth paste; add one cup sugar and enough vinegar to make two quarts in all; boil this until it thickens and is smooth. add this to the pickles and cook until they are heated through, about fifteen minutes; pack in mason jars and seal. mustard pickles for two quart jar mrs. wm. j. maiden three tablespoonfuls coleman's mustard; one-fourth cupful salt; piece of horseradish root; fill jar with vinegar. wash and wipe pickles and pack in jar, then pour over the above mixture. pickles alice h. tolmie slice small cucumbers with a large onion, put in salt brine and let stand for three hours, then drain and boil in following syrup: one quart vinegar, one pound sugar, one-half cup mustard seed, one tablespoonful ginger, one teaspoonful each of celery seed and tumeric powder. boil five minutes and can. mixed pickles mrs. h. d. sheldon one quart of small cucumbers; one quart of white onions; one quart green tomatoes; two large cauliflower; soak in weak salt water over night; scald in same brine and drain. paste: six tablespoonfuls dry mustard; one tablespoonful tumeric powder; one and one-half cups flour; two cups brown sugar; five pints vinegar. add vegetables to paste; heat through and seal in cans. cucumber pickles mrs. samuel friedlander twelve long cucumbers; five large onions, sliced and salted. let stand over night. in morning drain well. boil three pints vinegar; one and one-half pounds sugar; one red pepper, cut in strips; two tablespoonfuls dry mustard; a tablespoonful whole white peppers; one tablespoonful whole black pepper; two tablespoonfuls mustard seed. boil until tender and can hot. cucumber pickle florence trainer two dozen large cucumbers, chopped fine and salted over night; one cup salt; four large onions; two stalks celery; one red pepper; chop all fine. heat three cups cider vinegar; one cup water; two cups brown sugar; three tablespoonfuls mustard seed; three tablespoonfuls ground mustard; one tablespoonful celery seed; one-fourth teaspoonful cayenne pepper. when hot, pour over chopped mixture and cook ten minutes. then bottle. pickled onions mrs. w. l. gregson peel and drop in hot brine. the third day heat the brine again and pour over them; the sixth day make a new strong brine; the tenth day drain and pour scalding vinegar containing a very little ginger root over them. let stand on the stove until thoroughly heated through, but do not cook; pour into jars and seal hot. a little alum in the brine makes them firmer, and white wine vinegar aids in keeping them white, but malt vinegar adds to the flavor. tomato relish mrs. a. donald campbell one peck ripe tomatoes, peeled, chopped fine and drained in jelly bag over night; in the morning add two cups chopped celery, six large onions chopped fine; two large green peppers (without seeds), chopped fine; two cups sugar; half cup salt; two ounces white mustard seed; one quart cider vinegar. mix well and bottle; it does not require heating and will keep for years. oil pickles mrs. a. c. allen one-half peck small cucumbers; one pint silver skin onions, slice thin and place in stone jar alternately, sprinkling salt between. let stand over night; pour off brine and wash thoroughly; add the following: one teacup olive oil, two tablespoonfuls white mustard seed, two tablespoonfuls celery seed, four pepper corns and vinegar to cover. oil cucumber pickles mrs. e. d. gotchy cut one hundred small cucumbers into thin slices; put in earthen crock in layers with salt for four hours; drain off liquor and mix with three pints of sliced onions, three ounces white mustard seed, three ounces celery seed, three ounces of ground white pepper. dissolve small lump alum in vinegar; add to it two cups olive oil; add white vinegar enough to cover. pickles for immediate use mrs. s. a. power mix together one cupful each of salt and dry mustard; add it to one gallon of good vinegar, spices of various kinds and a little sugar, if liked, may be added. drop the well washed cucumbers into this pickle each day as they grow. these pickles will keep indefinitely. dill pickles mrs. w. t. klenze one hundred medium sized cucumbers; one small red pepper; one big bunch of dill; some cherry leaves; ten quarts of water; one quart of vinegar; two cups salt. mason jars, two quart size. lay cucumbers in salt water over night (one-half cup salt to four quarts water). boil water, vinegar and salt; let cool over night. drain cucumbers and place in jars in layers between cherry leaves and dill. pack cucumbers tight; add a small piece of red pepper, cover with brine and screw down cover. will keep. one cup of mustard seeds and one cup of horseradish root, shaved fine, may be added. piccalili mrs. h. b. rairden one peck of green tomatoes; eight large onions; one cup salt; slice and let stand over night. in the morning drain and add three quarts of water and let come to a good boil, then drain well through a colander. put back in kettle and add two quarts vinegar; one pound of sugar; half pound of white mustard; two tablespoonfuls ground pepper; two of cinnamon; one of cloves; two of ginger; one of allspice and half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper. boil all together until tender; it will take from thirty minutes to an hour to cook. stir it often to prevent scorching. seal in glass jars; add more sugar if liked sweeter. beet relish mrs. r. mcneil one quart cooked beets, chopped fine; one quart cabbage, chopped fine; one cup each of grated horseradish, chopped onion and sugar; one teaspoonful salt; one pint vinegar. heat vinegar, pour over all and seal. pepper relish sue c. woodman twelve green peppers; twelve red peppers; ten medium onions; chop together. pour boiling water over and let stand five minutes; strain and repeat. three cups of vinegar; one cup sugar; two tablespoonfuls salt; one-half cup mustard seed; cook thirty minutes. bottle. pepper hash mrs. john t. gilchrist nine sweet peppers; one large head cabbage; six large onions; chop fine and add one-half cup salt. stand over night and drain in morning. add two cups sugar; cup white mustard seed; one tablespoonful celery seed; vinegar to cover. do not remove pepper seeds and do not cook. put in earthen jar, covered with a plate. olive oil pickles mrs. a. j. atwater forty cucumbers, dill size, scrub and slice with rind; one-half cup salt; a layer of cucumbers and a layer of salt in a crock; put weight on top and let stand for two hours; pour off water and add ten onions, four green peppers, sliced fine; two ounces mustard seed; one pint olive oil; one ounce celery seed. pack in jars and cover with vinegar. uncooked chili sauce mrs. herman vander ploeg one peck ripe tomatoes; two cups chopped onions; two cups chopped celery; two cups sugar; one-half cup salt; four ounces white mustard seed; one teaspoonful powdered mace; one teaspoonful black pepper; one teaspoonful powdered cinnamon; four chopped green peppers; three pints vinegar. chop the onions and peppers, add tomatoes peeled and chopped; sugar, salt, mustard seed, mace, pepper, cinnamon and vinegar. seal and if screw top jars are used, turn upside down overnight. canned tomato soup mrs. edwin oliver fourteen quarts of sliced ripe tomatoes; fourteen stalks celery; fourteen sprigs parsley; two bay leaves; twenty-one cloves; seven medium sized onions. boil until tender and strain. then blend fourteen tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour; eight tablespoonfuls salt; sixteen tablespoonfuls sugar; one-fourth tablespoonful paprika. cook until the desired thickness; makes about eight quarts. if milk is used, add soda. corn relish mrs. a. j. langan one dozen ears of corn, boil ten miutes, cut from cob; one head of cabbage; four green peppers; four red peppers; one cup sugar; three pints vinegar; one small box coleman's mustard; one tablespoonful celery seed; salt to taste; one teaspoonful tumeric. mix well; boil twenty minutes and seal. corn relish mrs. samuel friedlander twelve ears of corn, cut from cob; twelve green peppers; two red peppers; two quarts ripe tomatoes; a head cabbage; one quart onions, chopped all together; add one quart sugar; one-half cup salt; two quarts vinegar; one ounce celery seed: one ounce mustard seed; one ounce dry mustard; one tablespoonful tumeric. mix and boil forty minutes. seal hot in air tight cans. corn relish mrs. r. heidorn twelve ears corn; six cucumbers; six large onions; two stalks celery; six green peppers; three red peppers; three tablespoonfuls salt; two cups sugar; three tablespoonfuls dry mustard; three tablespoonfuls flour; one-half ounce tumeric; two quarts vinegar; boil one hour and seal hot. corn relish mrs. e. l. phelps two dozen ears of corn, cut from the cob; six red peppers; six green peppers; large head of cabbage; two tablespoonfuls salt; three cups sugar; two quarts vinegar (diluted); one-half pound dry mustard; add celery and onions as much as you like. cook the salt, mustard, sugar and vinegar together; add cabbage, celery and onions. cook a little, then add corn; let boil up and can air tight. corn salad sue. c. woodman four large onions; one cabbage; four green peppers; one red pepper; twenty ears of corn; one and one-half cups sugar; one-half cup salt. make paste of and pour on above; one-half cup flour; one-half teaspoonful tumeric; three tablespoonfuls mustard; one quart vinegar. boil twenty minutes. chili sauce mrs. r. heidorn twenty-four ripe tomatoes; four white onions; three green peppers; four tablespoonfuls salt; one of cinnamon; one-half of ground cloves and allspice mixed; one teacup sugar; one pint vinegar; boil three hours, seal hot. chili sauce belle shaw one peck tomatoes; six large onions; four green peppers; two red peppers; six tablespoonfuls white sugar; three tablespoonfuls salt; three cups vinegar; two tablespoonfuls whole cloves; two tablespoonfuls whole allspice; two stalks whole cinnamon; chop tomatoes, pepper and onions, very fine; tie spices in two bags, loosely. boil three hours, slowly. chili sauce mrs. h. d. sheldon thirty large tomatoes; eight onions (medium), three green peppers chopped fine; two red peppers chopped fine; ten tablespoonfuls brown sugar; three tablespoonfuls salt; two tablespoonfuls cinnamon; one-half tablespoonful cloves; one quart vinegar. peel and slice tomatoes, put in kettle with remaining ingredients, cook slowly until thick, add vinegar when nearly done. spiced currants mrs. c. a. robinson four pounds of currants; one and one-half pints of vinegar; one-half pint of water; pound of brown sugar; one tablespoonful cinnamon; one teaspoonful cloves; one nutmeg. boil slowly three hours. never fail catsup mrs. minnie e. bodwell one gallon of ripe tomatoes, after having been boiled and strained; one pint of vinegar; five tablespoonfuls of salt; two tablespoonfuls of black pepper; three ounces of white mustard seed ground finely; one teaspoonful of cayenne pepper; one teaspoonful of cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful of allspice. cook all together for four hours. tomato catsup sue c. woodman cut up one peck of tomatoes over night with one cup salt. boil well and strain. add: one tablespoonful ground cloves; one tablespoonful allspice; one tablespoonful mace; one tablespoonful white mustard seed; one tablespoonful black pepper; one teaspoonful red pepper; one-half cup sugar; one pine white wine vinegar. boil down one-half. bottle. currant catsup mrs. j. h. ostrander clean and stew four pounds of ripe currants; add two pounds of brown sugar and one pint of vinegar; boil steadily and slowly until thick; add one teaspoonful each of ground pepper, cloves and cinnamon; boil for five minutes longer. bottle and seal. vegetables for winter soup mrs. c. e. seaton one peck ripe tomatoes; one head of cabbage; one bunch carrots; six large onions; nine ears of corn; six stalks celery; two green peppers; one large bunch parsley. scald the skins off the tomatoes and cut in rather large pieces; shred cabbage; peel and slice carrots; peel and chop onions; cut corn from cob; cut celery as for salad; remove the seeds from peppers, chop them and the parsley quite fine. mix all together and boil for one hour in a porcelain or agate kettle, stirring often to prevent scorching; about ten minutes before it is done, add salt to taste. seal hot in glass jars. potatoes may be added to the soup in the winter. sweet watermelon pickle mrs. n. f. swartwout remove the thin rind (green), also all of the ripe melon, using only the white portion of the rind. nine pounds fruit, three pounds sugar, one quart vinegar. after soaking the rinds over night in strong salt water and then rinsing in hot water; put the fruit, sugar and vinegar together in preserving kettle and boil until tender. skim out fruit and put into the liquid a bag of spices and boil until a little thick; then pour over the fruit. if there is not enough syrup to cover it add a little more vinegar. preserves "_the best of families have their family 'jars.'_" four fruit jam mrs. w. c. thorbus one quart cranberries cut coarsely; one cup sultana raisins; six ries; one quart gooseberries; two quarts granulated sugar. boil forty minutes and put in jelly glasses. cranberry conserve sue c. woodman one quart cranberries cut coarsely; one cup sultana raisins; six oranges; soak raisins; cut up oranges; mix. equal measure of sugar; cook. stir constantly. rhubarb conserve mrs. john ingram six pounds rhubarb; six pounds granulated sugar; one-half pound english walnuts; six oranges, pulp and juice. boil until proper consistency. plum conserve mrs. a. c. allen one box of blue plums; one pound of raisins, chopped; three pounds sugar; juice of four oranges; rind of two oranges chopped. boil the rind in water until bitterness is gone. cook for one-half hour. heavenly hash mrs. w. d. hurlbut a five-pound basket of big blue plums; wash and seed them, put in preserving kettle with one pint water; add (everything but the seeds of) five oranges and five lemons, putting the skins through a meat chopper; four pounds of seedless raisins, also put through the chopper; one pound of walnut meats broken and lastly five pounds of sugar. let boil until quite thick, then put in glasses and when cold cover with paraffine. pear chips mrs. m. evans seven pounds pear chips; seven pounds sugar; one-fourth pound candied ginger; three lemons sliced; two oranges. cook oranges and lemons slowly before adding to pears; then cook slowly for two hours. sun cooked strawberries mrs. h. d. sheldon use cup for cup sugar and fruit. let sugar stand on fruit over night. drain juice and cook slowly until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. add fruit and heat through. turn out on platters and stand in sun until thick as desired. pieces of glass over each platter helps cook more rapidly. seal as you would jelly in glasses. harlequin jam good housekeeping one orange; twenty-five peaches; twelve pears; twelve plums; one pound white grapes; one-fourth pound almonds, blanched; three-fourths cup of sugar to one cup of fruit. cook two hours. blackberry jam two quarts blackberries; one and one-half quarts sugar; one cup water. cook well for half an hour. apricot jam mrs. herman vander ploeg one pound dried apricots; three pounds granulated sugar; one-half ounce bitter almonds; three pints cold water. soak the apricots in the water over night (wash first), and in the morning boil until tender. add sugar and almonds blanched and boil another half hour, or until mixture sets. yellow tomato preserves mrs. t. b. orr two quarts tomatoes; two lemons ground, use juice and all; four chopped large sour apples; two and one-half cups brown sugar; two teaspoonfuls cinnamon; one teaspoonful ground ginger; one-half teaspoonful cloves. cook slowly until thick. put in jars. tomato butter mrs. a. donald campbell seven pounds large ripe tomatoes; four pounds brown sugar; one-half cup vinegar; one teaspoonful each of ginger and cloves; one tablespoonful cinnamon. cover tomatoes with boiling water and let stand five minutes; rub off skins and cut off stem ends. slice into a porcelain kettle and cook until soft; add sugar and stew until very thick; add spices and vinegar and cook short time longer. pour in quart mason jars and seal while hot. this is particularly good with meat or game. east indian preserve mrs. george d. milligan six pounds yellow tomatoes--small ones; six pounds sugar; one pound raisins, large ones with seeds; put them in water until they plump up; two ounces green ginger root (obtainable at a chinese store); six lemons sliced; put tomatoes in kettle and put on enough water to cover them; then add the other ingredients and boil until thick. quince honey aunt margaret peel and grate three large quinces and one tart apple. make a syrup of three pints of granulated sugar and one pint of water; have the syrup boiling briskly; stir in the grated fruit and boil twenty minutes. apricot marmalade mrs. j. g. sherer one basket of apricots; one pineapple; three oranges; five pounds cane sugar. peel oranges, scald peeling and scrape off white and then put all through grinder. boil all slowly one hour, stirring constantly or it will stick. apricot and pineapple marmalade mrs. a. donald campbell one large, or two small, pineapples, put through meat chopper with large knife; one and one-half pounds apricots; weighed after they are peeled and pitted; two pounds sugar; one-half pint water. boil slowly for an hour. fig marmalade mrs. john t. gilchrist cut five pounds rhubarb into inch pieces. add one quart of water and cook as for sauce. put one pound figs through a food chopper. heat five pounds sugar and add to hot sauce, then figs. add juice of two lemons. cook slowly for about one hour, stirring often. peach marmalade mrs. f. j. macnish equal parts of peaches (run through a fine collander) and sugar, cooked two hours. peach marmalade mrs. j. h. shanley nine medium sized peaches, cut small; one orange, chopped fine (with skin); one cup sugar. cook until it thickens, put in jelly glasses and seal. pie plant marmalade mrs. t. b. orr two quarts pie plant pared and cut in inch length pieces; four large oranges, chopped (use juice); one-half pound almonds, blanched and chopped; four pounds sugar; mix all together and let stand in bowl all night. cook slowly in enamel kettle until thick. seal with paraffine in glasses. orange marmalade mrs. t. m. flournoy six oranges; three lemons, parboiled, and save the water; either put the skins through the chopper or slice them very thin; add eight cupfuls water, using that in which the fruit was boiled, and sixteen cupfuls of sugar; let stand over night. next day let it boil gently until it jellies. orange marmalade mrs. c. b. martin one grapefruit; six oranges; two lemons (sliced like wafers); two quarts of cold water; let stand over night. in the morning, boil slowly until fruit can be pierced with a straw; add seven and one-half pounds granulated sugar and boil until thick enough. orange marmalade miss julia hunt six pounds of pumpkin (after cut), cut one inch long, three-fourths inch wide and one-half inch thick; cover with five pounds sugar; let stand over night. six lemons, juice and rind; two oranges sliced and the rinds cut in small pieces; three-fourths ounce ginger, the preserved is best. simmer until the rind softens, then add to the pumpkin and boil until the right consistency. quick orange marmalade mrs. a. donald campbell take one-third lemons and two-thirds oranges (eight oranges and four lemons makes large enough quantity to cook up at one time and makes twelve glasses). take off the yellow part of the peel from one-half of each; cut into small pieces and drop into the preserving kettle; take off the white part of the peel, between the yellow part and the pulp; be sure none of the white goes into the marmalade, as it makes it bitter. slice the fruit across in thin slices, and add it to the cut up peel; put teacup of water to each whole fruit (oranges and lemons) and cook until the fruit is soft. when cooked, add three-fourths cup of sugar for each whole fruit and boil hard until it jells. the quicker it is cooked the better, as long cooking, especially after the sugar is added, tends to destroy the flavor and makes the mixture taste strong. rhubarb marmalade mrs. j. l. putman boil for twenty minutes, four pounds of rhubarb cut into small pieces, leaving the skin on. add the juice of five lemons, the rind of which has been sliced off thinly, boiled in a little water for about twenty minutes or until soft; and chopped fine. to this add six pounds of granulated sugar, one pound of blanched almonds, chopped or cut, and one wine-glass of jamaica ginger. boil all together until thick. rhubarb marmalade mrs. john t. gilchrist cut rhubarb very fine and to each cupful add the juice and pulp of one orange, one tablespoonful lemon juice and one teaspoonful grated orange peel and one and one-half cups sugar. let stand until sugar is dissolved. boil rapidly until transparent. spiced rhubarb mrs. john ingram two and one-half pounds rhubarb; skin and cut in one inch pieces; two pounds granulated sugar, mixed with one teaspoonful cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful ground cloves; seven-eighths cup vinegar. bring to boiling point and simmer till thick. spiced rhubarb mrs. john t. gilchrist sprinkle two and one-half pounds sliced rhubarb with one pound of sugar and let stand over night. drain in the morning and add to the juice one cup water and one-half cup vinegar. put on, boil with a spice bag containing one-half teaspoonful each of ground cloves, mace, allspice, ginger and cinnamon. boil until it makes a good syrup, then add rhubarb and cook until thick. spiced cherries mrs. c. a. bowman take eight quarts of large red cherries (stoned), cover with cold vinegar, let stand over night. next day turn off all the juice in the jar, measure the cherries and take equal parts of sugar and cherries. take one tablespoonful cloves, six sticks of cinnamon, pounded a little, put in cheesecloth bag, put in jar with sugar and cherries. stir every few hours for several days until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. put in fruit jars. spiced grapes mrs. j. g. s. remove the skins from seven pounds of grapes, boil until soft and pass through sieve. boil four pounds of sugar and one quart of vinegar together, add skins, boiled grapes, one tablespoonful powdered cloves; two tablespoonfuls powdered cinnamon and boil all together for two and one-half or three hours. spiced grape jelly mrs. w. d. hurlbut one peck of grapes; one quart vinegar; six pounds sugar; one ounce whole cloves; one-fourth ounce stick cinnamon. boil grapes, spices and vinegar together until the grapes are tender. press through sieve and boil the juice thirty minutes. add heated sugar, boil five minutes, testing to see whether it has jellied. cook longer if necessary. pour into hot sterilized jelly glasses and cover with wax. crab apple and damson plum jelly mrs. c. a. carscadin four quarts of crabapples; one quart of damson plums. wash fruit and put on with cold water enough to cover. let cook until soft, drain through a jelly bag and return to kettle with an equal quantity of sugar. boil until it jells. this makes a tart jelly which tastes like currants. quince and cranberry jelly mrs. c. a. carscadin three large quinces; one quart of cranberries. wash and quarter the quinces, removing the seeds; pick over and wash the cranberries and put them in the preserving kettle with the quinces; add cold water to nearly cover fruit; cook slowly until soft. allow juice to drip through a jelly bag. boil twenty-five minutes and add an equal quantity of heated sugar. boil five minutes, skim and put in heated glasses. seal. mint jelly mrs. w. c. thorbus two bunches of fresh mint; one pint boiling water; one-half box gelatin, soaked in one-half cupful cold water; one-half cupful lemon juice; one cupful sugar. crush mint and steep in water one-half hour; soak gelatin in cold water and add to mint; add sugar and lemon juice. strain and color with burnette's leaf green paste. amber jelly mrs. m. evans one grape fruit; one orange; one lemon; after washing fruit, slice very thin, rejecting only seeds and tough inner pulps of grape fruit. cut slices in halves and quarters, measure and add two and one-half times the quantity of water and set aside for twenty-four hours. then boil gently for fifteen minutes, and set aside another twenty-four hours. add sugar, measure for measure, to fruit and juice and boil until it jellies, which will be for one hour and a half or two hours. before cooking dissolve the sugar through the fruit and juice. then do not stir at all while the process of cooking is going on. the rinds should be transparent and the jelly a clear amber hue when done. quince and cranberry jelly mrs. george k. spoor four pounds quince; two quarts cranberries; cook until mushy; then strain for juice and add one cup sugar to every cup of juice. boil fifteen minutes. this makes a beautifully colored jelly. pickled peaches or pears mrs. j. a. kaerwer one quart vinegar; two quarts water (eight cups); four pounds sugar (nine cups); put stick cinnamon and five cents worth of cloves in bag and boil fifteen minutes. peal fruit and pour hot syrup over fruit and let stand over night. drain syrup off fruit and reboil syrup. pour hot on fruit a second time. the third morning boil syrup again twenty minutes, and then boil fruit in syrup. can and seal. pickled peaches mrs. n. l. hillard for ten pounds of peaches take five pounds of light brown sugar, one ounce whole cloves, one ounce cinnamon stick and one pint vinegar; let it come to a boil and pour over the peaches; let stand until next day; pour off liquid; reheat and pour over fruit again; the third day reheat the liquid and put in the peaches, a few at a time, and boil; then put in jars and seal. rose apples mrs. c. e. jones peel and core six small apples. put into a saucepan with one cupful of sugar, one and one-half cups of water and five cents worth of red cinnamon drops. boil gently until apples are tender and a pretty pink color. remove carefully to a dish and let the syrup continue boiling until it jellies. pour over the apples. serve as a garnish or in glass sherbet cups and top with whipped cream. mince meat mrs. t. b. orr one-half beef tongue chopped fine; six large sour apples; one quart of wine; one cup molasses; juice of one large orange and grated rind; two lemons, that is, juice and grated rind; two pints granulated sugar; one pint currant jelly; two tablespoonfuls cinnamon; one tablespoonful salt; one-half teaspoonful black pepper; two nutmegs; one large cup suet chopped fine, cooked; two pounds seeded raisins; one cup chopped citron; brandy enough to make moist. use cold, strong coffee if brandy is objectionable. mince meat a. e. loring one quart bowl each of chopped lean beef and of chopped apples; two quinces chopped fine; one-half bowl each of suet and molasses; one and one-half bowls each of brown sugar; raisins; currants; one-half bowl of candied lemon and orange peel chopped fine; one-half bowl of citron chopped fine, grated rind and juice of two lemons; one glass jelly; one pint of boiled cider; one pint of sweet cider; four level teaspoonfuls cinnamon; one level teaspoonful cloves; one-third teaspoonful white pepper; three teaspoonfuls salt and one grated nutmeg. allow meat to cool in the water in which it was cooked; remove all membrane from suet and cream it with your hand; chop meat, add suet, apples, quinces, molasses, sugar, raisins, currants, orange and lemon peel, citron, lemon juice, jelly and cider; heat gradually and let it simmer three hours. when cool add the spices and if desired, brandy to taste. mince meat mix together one cup chopped apples; one-half cup raisins, seeded and chopped; one-half cup currants; one-fourth cup butter; one tablespoonful molasses; one tablespoonful boiled cider; one cup sugar; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one-half teaspoonful each of cloves and grated nutmeg; one salt spoon mace. add enough stock in which meat was cooked to moisten; heat gradually to boiling point and simmer one hour; then add one cup chopped meat and two tablespoonfuls currant jelly. cook fifteen minutes. green tomato mince meat mrs. ada woods one peck green tomatoes, wash well and cut off blossom end; put through meat chopper; put on stove and pour over them boiling water and scald; drain this water off, put back on stove and repeat the process. after they have been scalded and drained three times, add one peck of apples, washed, cored and quartered and put through the meat chopper; five pounds sugar; two pounds raisins; one and one-half pounds beef suet; two tablespoonfuls salt; three tablespoonfuls cinnamon; one teaspoonful cloves; two teaspoonfuls nutmeg and one teaspoonful allspice. cook one and one-half hours, stirring constantly as it burns very easily; add three cups vinegar and seal while hot. mince meat mrs. j. p. cobb one-half pound suet; five pounds stoned raisins; three pounds dried currants; one and one-half pound citron; six pounds sugar; one and one-half pints molasses; six pounds round of beef; one-half peck sour apples; one quart boiled cider; one quart california brandy; one pint california sherry; three nutmegs; one-half cup cinnamon; one-fourth cup ground cloves. mince meat mrs. elizabeth iglehart six pounds round beef chopped fine; eight pounds chopped apples; four pounds raisins with seeds; four pounds currants; one and one-half pounds suet shredded; two and one-half pounds sugar; one-half pint alcohol; two quarts cider; two quarts water; one nutmeg grated; four heaping teaspoonfuls cinnamon; one heaping teaspoonful cloves; six heaping teaspoonfuls allspice; two pounds chopped cooked figs; one pound chopped citron; one pint good whiskey. mix meat and fruits thoroughly, then add the liquor. beverages _then said the judge, "a sweeter draught from a fairer hand was never quaffed."_ --whittier. grape juice mint julep midlothian country club one teaspoonful powdered sugar; enough water to dissolve sugar; a dozen sprigs of mint; put in bottom of glass; fill glass with fine ice and pour white grape juice over that to nearly fill glass, serve with slices of orange, pineapple and sprigs of mint on top. grape juice mrs. r. c. foster to ten pounds of new york concord grapes add three pints of boiled water. cook and strain. put in one pound of granulated sugar. let stand over night to clear. strain in the morning, bring to a boil and skim. have jars, or bottles, hot, and bottle immediately. grape juice lemonade mix the juice of two lemons with half a cup of granulated sugar, then stir in one pint of grape juice; continue to stir it until the sugar is dissolved, add enough cold water to make a quart of liquid; turn into a pitcher in which there is a piece of ice. add a few thin slices of lemon from which the seeds have been removed, and a few maraschino cherries. serve with an extra supply of lemon and pineapple, cherries and sprigs of fresh mint, that each glass may be decorated. mulled grape juice wash and pick over one cupful of seedless raisins; set over the fire with two cupfuls of cold water and four sticks of cinnamon; simmer very slowly, never reaching a hard boil, for three-quarters of an hour. add to them one quart of grape juice, and let this become scalding hot, take from fire, add juice of a lemon and serve hot. grape juice mrs. e. lewis phelps wash and stem four pints of blue grapes. have a gallon jug scalded and drained; put in grapes and cover with a syrup made of two pounds of sugar and eight cups of water; fill jug with boiling water; cork tightly. following morning drive cork in tighter and cover with wax. will be ready to serve in three weeks. grape juice mrs. w. d. hurlbut ten pounds of grapes; three pounds of sugar; one cup water. put the grapes and water in the preserving kettle, heat until pulp and seeds separate. strain through jelly bag. then add sugar to the juice heated to boiling point, then pour into hot sterilized bottles and seal. when serving add crushed ice. grape juice highball put a piece of ice in each glass; rather more than half fill the glasses with grape juice, then fill with charged water (from a syphon). cherry julep mrs. louis geyler cook one pint of red cherries, stoned, in one-half cupful sugar syrup until soft; cool and add one-half cupful cider; one-half cupful maraschino and a few sprigs of mint. crush mint cherries, fill tall glasses with shaved ice and mixture alternately and stir, without touching glasses with hands, until they are well frosted. garnish with a slice of pineapple and a sprig of mint dipped in powdered sugar. ginger ale punch miss agnes sieber add one bunch of mint to juice of five lemons and one cupful sugar; bruise mint and let stand several hours on ice. squeeze through cloth and add one lemon and one orange cut in thin half slices and two pints of ginger ale; add ice and one pint ginger ale. garnish with mint. mint punch cook one cupful sugar with two cupfuls water, grated rind of an orange and a lemon, a piece of stick cinnamon and twelve cloves. cool and strain, add juice of three lemons and four oranges; one bunch of fresh mint leaves and two drops of oil of spearmint. place on ice for two hours. strain again and add one-fourth cupful preserved ginger, cut in dice. color green and add ice and one pint club soda. garnish with mint. strawberry punch mash one quart strawberries, add juice of one-half pineapple, one lemon, two oranges and two cupfuls sugar cooked in five cupfuls water. place on ice and strain into pitcher filled with ice and add whole strawberries and any fruits in season. chocolate milk shake one-fourth cup finely crushed ice; two tablespoonfuls chocolate syrup; one-half cup milk; one-fourth cup apollinaris water or soda water from syphon. put ice in tumbler, add remaining ingredients, and shake until well mixed. serve with or without whipped cream, sweetened and flavored. ginger ale mrs. c. a. carscadin one and three-fourths pounds of sugar; one and one-half ounce whole ginger; two and one-half ounces cream of tartar; one lemon sliced; seven quarts of boiling water and two cents worth of yeast. put the sugar and spices in a stone jar; pour boiling water over them and let them stand covered in a cool place for twenty-four hours. then add the yeast, dissolved in luke warm water, and let stand again for twenty-four hours. put in bottles, cork well and after three days it is ready for use. gingerade mrs. w. l. gregson one quart of cold water, one cup sugar, one-fourth ounce white ginger root, juice two oranges and one lemon. put the water and sugar to boil, add ginger root broken into small bits. let it boil twenty minutes after boiling begins, remove from the fire and add fruit juice. strain and cool. serve with powdered ice and a preserved or sweet cherry in each glass. black cow midlothian country club put fine ice in glass and nearly fill with sarsaparilla, pour cream carefully on top of that and serve. a delicious fruit cup midlothian country club put one pint of water, one pound of sugar and the grated yellow rind of one lemon on to boil for five minutes; strain and while hot slice into it two bananas; one grated pineapple and one-fourth pound stoned cherries. when ready to serve add the juice of six lemons. put in the center of your punch bowl, as guard, a block of ice; pour over it two quarts of apollinaris, add the fruit mixture and at the last moment one dozen strawberries and mix all together. chocolate frappe s. blanche backman put a quart of rich milk in a double boiler, stir into it gradually three-fourths of a cup grated chocolate and sweeten to taste. boil five minutes, stirring all the while; then pour into an earthen dish and add a teaspoonful of vanilla and set on ice. have chopped ice in the bottom of the glasses; then fill the glasses within a quarter of an inch of the brim. put sweetened whipped cream on top. if desired the whipped cream can be dotted in the middle with fruit jelly. creamy cocoa stir together in a saucepan half a cup cocoa, half a cup flour, half a cup granulated sugar and half a teaspoonful salt. add gradually one quart boiling water and let mixture boil five minutes, stirring it constantly. remove from fire, add a quart boiling milk, and serve. if desired a spoonful whipped cream may be put in each cup before filling with cocoa. (flour should be sifted before measured.) the above recipe will serve twelve persons. currant lemonade mrs. w. l. gregson one glass of currant jelly; one cup sugar; two lemons; beat the jelly very thoroughly with the sugar and add the lemon juice and two quarts water and a generous piece of ice. iced coffee iced coffee served with orange is also delicious. add half cup orange syrup to three cups coffee and shake in a shaker with a little chopped ice. turn into thin glasses and add a spoonful whipped cream. cocoa egg-nog beat white of an egg to a stiff froth, adding tiny pinch of salt. sweeten, flavor with vanilla and put aside about two teaspoonfuls. add. yolk to the rest and beat well, then add enough rather rich cold cocoa to fill tumbler. stir well together and put the remainder of the beaten white on top. serve at once, and ice cold. lemon triffle two lemons; two oranges; twelve lumps loaf sugar; two teaspoonfuls brandy; two teaspoonfuls jamaica rum; a little grated nutmeg; one-half pint double cream, whipped. grate rind of one orange and two lemons and squeeze juice of all on the sugar and let stand until dissolved. stir well and serve in glasses with a spoonful of cream on top. this serves four persons. raspberry vinegar mrs. w. w. backman mash six quarts of berries (red or black). pour two quarts of cider over the berries and let them stand all day and night. the next day mash six more quarts of berries; strain first six quarts and pour over last six quarts of berries and let stand another night and day; then strain all again. to every pint of juice add one pint of sugar and boil about twenty minutes; then bottle. when serving, use about one-third of the raspberry vinegar to two-thirds water. egg-nog beat separately the white and yolk of an egg. stir a heaping teaspoonful of sugar and a tablespoonful of grape juice into the yolk; pour into tall glass, add the whipped white and fill glass with unskimmed milk. serve cold with light cakes or thin bread and butter. sandwiches "_would you know how first he met her? she was cutting bread and butter._" spanish sandwich filling one large onion; three carrots; two red peppers; two green peppers (without seeds); two eggs, hard boiled; two sour pickles. chop all the vegetables and pickle very fine; squeeze dry in a cheese cloth, add the chopped eggs and one-half cup mayonnaise. luncheon sandwich mrs. c. s. junge fry two slices of bacon for each sandwich. toast bread. pour over the first layer of toast a little of the bacon fat. in remaining fat stir a tablespoonful flour, add a cup and a half of milk and cook until creamed. on the slice of toast place a slice of cold roast beef, chicken or veal, and on that two slices of tomatoes; then the slices of bacon. place on the second slice of toast and turn over all the creamed gravy, and serve. tasty filling mrs. w. d. hurlbut one bunch of radishes, washed but with the skins left on and a bit of the green stem; one spanish onion peeled; chop together until very fine. make a highly seasoned boiled mayonnaise, mix with the radishes and onion and spread thin slices of buttered bread; put a lettuce leaf over the mixture and then another slice of buttered bread. anchovy sandwich mrs. francis a. sieber two tablespoonfuls creamed butter; one-half cup grated cheese; one teaspoonful french mustard; one teaspoonful tarragon vinegar; and anchovy paste. add one tablespoonful minced olives, pickles, salt and paprika. spread on bread. chicken and bacon sandwich mrs. louis geyler mix equal portions of chicken, bacon and celery; add one teaspoonful minced green pepper and a few drops of tarragon vinegar. lay lettuce strips across sandwiches and when serving, lay a slice of tomato on each and cover with the minced chicken mixture. top with a spoonful of mayonnaise. sandwich (chicken and ham) miss agnes sieber mix one cup minced chicken with two-thirds cup minced ham; add four tablespoonfuls each of chopped pickles, piementoes and creamed cheese, mashed smooth. add paprika and spread on bread. beefsteak sandwich mrs. w. r. mcghee have a cut of tenderloin of beef for each sandwich; butter two slices of bread and lay them side by side; broil the steak, seasoning well and lay on one piece of bread; on the other place a slice of spanish onion which has been thoroughly chilled to make it brittle. cheese, pecan nut and pimento sandwich cut boston brown bread and white bread into thin slices and stamp into rings with a doughnut cutter. beat one-fourth cupful of butter to a cream; gradually beat in half a cupful (measured light) of grated cheese, half a teaspoonful paprika and one-fourth cupful sliced pecan nut meats. use this to spread the prepared bread; drop on the mixture here and there thin slices of piemento, then press the two pieces together. cheese sandwiches mrs. helen armstrong one hard boiled egg; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-fourth pound grated cheese; one-half teaspoonful pepper; one-half teaspoonful mustard; one tablespoonful melted butter; three tablespoonfuls lemon juice or vinegar. rub yolk of egg to paste and add salt and pepper, butter and mustard; then add lemon juice to make right consistency. spread between thin slices of bread. dream sandwiches mrs. w. l. clock one-half cup of pecan nuts chopped fine; one-half cup stoned raisins; one apple; juice of one-half lemon; one spoonful sugar. mix with a small amount of cream and spread it on bread thin. it makes an excellent filling for sandwiches. hot cheese sandwiches these are particularly nice for sunday evening teas. slice the bread very thin; put a thick layer of grated cheese between the two forms; sprinkle with salt and a dash of cayenne pepper and press the bread well together. fry them to a delicate brown on each side in equal parts of hot lard and butter and serve very hot. hot cheese sandwich mrs. w. d. hurlbut on a slice of bread, well buttered, place a fairly thick piece of yellow american cheese; sprinkle with salt and paprika pepper; cover with another slice of buttered bread and place under the blaze in the broiler to toast; when one side is done turn over and toast other side. by the time both sides are toasted the cheese is quite soft. jane dabney's cheese sandwich mary s. vanzwoll one and one-half cups grated cheese; one egg; two tablespoonfuls cream. spread on bread and cover with a slice of bacon. brown in a medium oven. cheese and nut sandwiches mary barwick wells chop pecans, hickory nuts or english walnuts; mix with an equal quantity of cream or neufchatel cheese. butter thin slices of bread and spread with the cheese and nuts. between the slices lay a heart-leaf of lettuce dipped in mayonnaise dressing. cucumber sandwich mrs. f. e. place peel and slice cucumbers like wafers; put on the ice several hours before using. mix with an oil mayonnaise and spread between thin slices of bread. filling for piemento sandwiches mrs. j. e. kelly two tablespoonfuls sugar; one teaspoonful salt; one tablespoonful flour; mix. yolks of two eggs, beaten; one-half cup water; one-half cup vinegar; one teaspoonful butter. cook in double boiler till thick. add to: three eagle brand cream cheese; one small can pimentoes; one cupful walnuts or pecans; grind pimentoes and nuts and cream into the cheese. layer sandwiches five slices of boston brown bread, put together with cream cheese reduced with sweet cream or mayonnaise; cut down in half-inch slices. olive sandwiches chop one-third olives and two-third chicken livers that have been thoroughly cooked and mashed quite smooth; mix with thick mayonnaise dressing. serve in white bread, ice cold. egg and green pepper sandwich six hard boiled eggs; one green pepper; two tablespoonfuls olive oil; one tablespoonful ketchup; one-fourth teaspoonful salt and mustard; cream. chop eggs and pepper, mix other ingredients and add to chopped eggs, moisten with cream and spread between thin slices of buttered bread. cut in fancy shapes and keep in damp cloth until ready to serve. maple sandwich judith slocum put one cupful of finely shaved maple sugar through the meat chopper with one cupful of blanched almonds, then mix to a paste with thick sweet cream. spread on slices of brown bread and white bread. date and nut sandwiches remove the stones and scales from the dates and break them up with a fork. chop pecan meats fine and use twice as many dates as nuts. mix together and moisten with creamed butter, add a dash of salt. spread between thin slices of bread. carrot and nut sandwich peel and chop carrots very fine; allow a cup of minced nut meats to each cup of carrots and mix with mayonnaise. egg dishes baked eggs mrs. c. a. bowman cover bottom of pan with fresh bread crumbs; drop eggs on them, being careful not to break them; dot with butter and seasoning and bake. omelet mrs. e. lewis phelps one and one-half tablespoonful flour; one and one-half tablespoonful butter; blend over fire and add one cup of milk. (this should be thick and stiff when cooked.) when about cold, add one cup grated cheese (yellow american preferred); beat the yolks of seven eggs stiff, and when cold fold in the beaten whites; add a little salt. mince some cold boiled ham, onion and green pepper for a center filling. set the dish in pan of water and bake. egg balls mrs. ben craycroft serve with salad. rub the yolks of four hard boiled eggs to a paste; add a dash of salt, same of pepper; six drops of worcestershire sauce, and one teaspoonful melted butter. moisten with the beaten yolk of one egg and shape in small balls. roll in flour and saute in butter. fry to a delicate brown. escalloped eggs mrs. ben craycroft six eggs; two tablespoonfuls of cream to each egg; season with pepper, butter and salt and sprinkle cracker or bread crumbs over the top. bake in rather quick oven. escalloped eggs make a force meat of chopped ham, fine bread crumbs, pepper, salt, a little minced parsley and some melted butter. moisten it with milk to a soft paste and half fill patty pans with the mixture. break an egg carefully upon the top of each, dust with pepper, salt and sift some very finely powdered cracker over it all. set in hot oven and bake until the eggs are well set (about eight minutes), and serve hot. a sitting of eggs mrs. ben craycroft take the number of eggs to be cooked and separate the whites and yolks. beat the whites to a froth, add a little salt. butter a pan; then pour in the whites; then dip the yolks around in the whites; put in oven, bake two or three minutes and serve. ham omelet mrs. gorham chop fine cold boiled ham. beat four eggs; add two tablespoonfuls milk, salt and pepper to taste. mix with ham and fry on hot griddle, dropping a spoonful at a time. serve hot. any cold meat may be utilized in the same way. omelet mrs. edward e. swadener four eggs; one-half cupful milk. separate the whites of the eggs, beat to a stiff froth; beat the yolks well and add salt, pepper and one-half cupful milk. fold in the beaten whites. have the oven hot; have the spider hot, put in a generous tablespoonful butter (bacon or ham drippings may be used), and when it melts add eggs. let the omelet "set," then put it into the hot oven to brown. it should slip out of the spider without breaking if enough butter (or substitute) has been used. have platter heated on which the omelet is to be served. eggs poached with artichokes mrs. francis a. sieber cover eight rounds of toast with eight artichoke fonds (cooked or canned). put a whole poached egg in center of each, and cover with brown sauce seasoned with ham. dust eggs with powdered parsley. eggs in green peppers mrs. louis geyler chop one-half dozen hard boiled eggs; add one-half cup minced ham, and fill a buttered dish lined with crumbs with alternate layers of eggs and cream sauce, seasoned with salt, minced green peppers, parsley and chives. spread crumbs on top, dot with butter, and bake; or bake in green peppers. spanish egg mrs. harry h. small blend two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and one tablespoonful of flour in a chafing dish. add one pint of milk and cook to a thick cream. add salt and paprika and a dash of cayenne pepper. then add half a pound of american cheese cut in very small pieces and cook until well blended together. have one large onion and one green pepper cut in chips and fried as tender as butter, taking care not to brown the onion. add to the onion and pepper one-half can of tomatoes, cook for five minutes together, and add to the cream sauce. have six eggs boiled hard, slice and add to the mixture. serve on toast on hot plates. eggs in batter one egg; one and one-half tablespoonfuls thick cream; two tablespoonfuls fine stale bread crumbs; one-fourth teaspoonful salt. mix cream, bread crumbs and salt. put one-half tablespoonful of mixture in egg-shirrer. slip in egg and cover with remaining mixture. bake six minutes in moderate oven. scotch eggs for breakfast mrs. a. m. studley boil six eggs twenty minutes. when cold, remove shells. roll in sausage meat about one-half inch thick all over; put in the ice box over night. then fry, turning all the time till brown. serve on platter, cutting them open, and garnish with saratoga potatoes. poached eggs on rice toast put one quart of rice into one quart of boiling water, to which has been added one teaspoonful salt, boil rapidly for fifteen minutes, then place on back of stove and steam twenty minutes. when the rice has absorbed all of the water press into a square mold or bread pan and set aside to cool. when cold cut into slices, place in wire broiler and toast over hot fire. poach as many eggs as you have slices of toast and place an egg on each slice. sprinkle with pepper and salt and serve very hot. eggs delicious alice clock six hard boiled eggs; one pint milk; one tablespoonful (heaping) butter; two tablespoonfuls flour; one tin sifted peas. mix the butter and flour smoothly; slowly add milk while stirring constantly over slow fire, until white sauce is nicely smooth. season sauce to taste, with paprika and salt; and add hard-boiled eggs, cut in halves. pour over the whole the sifted peas, and as soon as the peas are heated, being careful not to stir, serve on rounds of toast. this amount will serve six people. egg relish mrs. a. donald campbell one cupful of bread crumbs; one cup cream and five eggs. when the cream has been absorbed by the crumbs and the eggs well beaten add pepper and salt with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. fry as an omelet. egg garnish boil six eggs. cut them into halves, and remove yolks. fill the whites with chopped cucumbers, over which a french dressing has been poured. serve these upon shredded lettuce. a luncheon dish mrs. william e. mason butter baking dish; drop in six eggs, whole; grate american cheese, thickly. sprinkle a little salt, pepper and small pieces of butter over them and bake slowly. serve in baking dish. eggs a la buckingham make five slices milk toast, and arrange on platter. use receipe for scrambled eggs, having the eggs slightly under-done. pour eggs over toast, sprinkle with four tablespoonfuls grated mild cheese. put in oven to melt cheese, and finish cooking eggs. eggs a la goldenrod charlotte v. thearle three hard boiled eggs, one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful flour, one cup milk, one-half teaspoonful salt, one-third teaspoonful pepper, five slices toast, parsley. make a thin white sauce with butter, flour, milk and seasonings. separate yolks from whites of eggs. chop whites finely and add them to the sauce. cut four slices of toast in halves lengthwise. arrange on platter and pour over the sauce. force the yolks through a potato ricer or strainer, sprinkling over the top. garnish with parsley and remaining toast cut in points. eggs a la martin one cup white sauce, six eggs, one-fourth pound grated cheese. break eggs carefully into a well buttered pudding dish, cover with white sauce and sprinkle cheese over all. bake fifteen minutes in moderate oven. eggs a la lee mrs. harry f. atwood cover circular pieces of toasted bread with thin slices cold boiled ham. arrange on each a dropped egg, and pour around mushroom sauce. sauce: clean one-fourth pound mushrooms, break cap in pieces, and saute five minutes in one tablespoonful butter. add one cup chicken stock and simmer five minutes. rub through a sieve and thicken with one tablespoonful each butter and flour cooked together. season with salt and pepper. eggs a la francoise poach two eggs in boiling water acidulated with lemon juice and slightly salted. arrange the eggs on rounds of toasted bread, pour over a tomato sauce made as follows, and garnish with toast points. sauce: put one large tablespoonful butter in the chafing dish (or skillet), one teaspoonful minced onion, one tablespoonful minced carrot and fry. with this blend two level tablespoonfuls flour and add one cup of canned tomatoes sifted, and one-third teaspoonful beef extract. dissolve in one tablespoonful hot water, simmer and strain. to boil eggs for an invalid have water boiling, pour over eggs and cover tightly; put on back of stove and stand five minutes. the whites of the eggs will be firmly set and the yolks soft. cheese dishes "_wilt, please, your honor, taste of these._" --shakespeare. cheese balls mrs. w. h. hart one and one-half cupfuls cream cheese; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-fourth teaspoonful paprika; three eggs, whites beaten firm; cracker crumbs. add salt and paprika to cheese, then fold in whites and roll into small balls; roll in cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat. cheese souffle mrs. max mauerman two tablespoonfuls flour; two tablespoonfuls butter; one-half cup grated cheese; four eggs; one pint of milk. method: rub butter and flour together over fire; when they bubble, add gradually hot milk. remove from fire; add the beaten yolks; cool the mixture; then add the beaten whites, stirring all together thoroughly. put in baking dish well buttered, bake in moderately hot oven for fifteen or twenty minutes or until it sets like custard. serve at once. cheese souffle mrs. frank sessions break a slice of fresh bread about three inches thick into small pieces, pour over it a cup of milk, let stand while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. grate enough yellow american cheese to make three heaping tablespoonfuls; beat three eggs until light and frothy; add the cheese and eggs to the bread, mix thoroughly and put in a buttered baking dish; bake half an hour or until brown. serve immediately. frozen cheese rub two neufchatel cheese to a paste, add one cup whipped cream, one-half cup finely chopped olives, one-fourth cup finely chopped pimentoes. season with salt, cayenne, lemon juice or vinegar to taste. soften one teaspoonful granulated gelatine in one tablespoonful cold water, dissolve over hot water, cool and add to cheese, mix well and turn into one-half pound baking powder cans previously wet with cold water, cover with a piece of white paper, adjust covers and pack in ice and salt. let stand for several hours. serve with salad course with toasted water crackers. sunday supper mush mrs. a. donald campbell one cup corn meal; one quart of milk, salted to taste. cook in double boiler. just before removing, add one egg. spread the mixture on a board three-fourths inch thick. when cold, cut in shapes and put slice of american cheese on top, put in buttered dish and set in oven long enough for cheese to melt and brown. cheese delight mrs. h. clay calhoun one-half pound american cheese; two eggs, well beaten; salt and paprika to taste. cook in a double boiler until thick. serve on round of bread and toast in oven. cheese rice mrs. ralph wilder fill a baking dish with alternate layers of cooked salted rice and grated cheese; moisten with milk and cover with bits of butter; add dash of red pepper if liked. bake to golden brown. cheese straws mrs. elizabeth f. pearce one cupful grated cheese; salt and pepper to taste; two tablespoonfuls melted butter; three tablespoonfuls cold water, and flour sufficient for soft dough. cut into strips. bake in a quick oven until brown and crispy. cheese balls susy m. horton beat two eggs very light, and just enough grated cheese to handle the mixture, red pepper and salt to taste. roll into balls, the size of a walnut, dip in egg and cracker crumbs and fry in hot lard a delicate brown. to be served hot with salad. welsh rarebit mrs. harry h. small one pound of american cheese cut in dice; butter the size of an egg; melt butter and cheese in a chafing dish, blending together until smooth. beat up one egg and stir into cheese, adding milk until the right consistency. add mustard salt and paprika and a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. serve on thin slices of toast, on hot plates. welsh rarebit one cup hot milk; one-quarter pound grated cheese; one-half teaspoonful salt; one-quarter teaspoonful mustard; one teaspoonful flour; one teaspoonful butter; one egg; dash of cayenne. put the milk to heat. mix the grated cheese, flour, mustard, salt, cayenne and egg well beaten, add milk when hot, a little at a time, to the mixture, stirring all the time. cook until smooth and very creamy. take from heat and add butter, stirring well. serve hot on slices of toast. the milk should be added slowly. toast bread on one side only. pour rarebit on untoasted side. cheese wafers mrs. helen armstrong beat the whites of two eggs very stiff; add pepper and salt; mix in gently half a cup grated cheese; spread lightly over salted wafers. sprinkle with cheese and brown in moderate oven. cheese balls mrs. fred l. kimmey whites of three eggs; one cup grated cheese; one tablespoonful flour; pinch of salt and red pepper. form into balls, roll in cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat. this makes fifteen small balls. candies "_a wilderness of sweets._" --milton. fondant mrs. e. a. thompson two and one-half pounds fine granulated sugar; one and one-half cups water; one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar. place in a saucepan, set on back of stove. when clear let come to a boil until it reaches degrees, or until it holds together when dropped into cold water. take from fire and cool. when lukewarm, beat until thick enough to kneed, turn out on marble or platter and work until thick. fondant one pound white sugar and half cup water, stir over the fire until it dissolves, no longer. then boil, without stirring, until it makes a very soft ball when tested in water (cold). pour out on a platter and when slightly cool beat until you have a creamy mass, then work and knead with the hands until it is soft and smooth. never boil but one pound of sugar at a time no matter how much candy you intend making. pack your fondant all together in an earthen bowl and cover with a damp cloth until the next day. then shape into the desired forms. use for all kinds of french creams. mexican caramels mrs. a. donald campbell one cup granulated sugar; one large cup milk or cream; one-fourth teaspoonful soda. caramel the sugar and add soda to milk warmed; after caramel is dissolved add two cups of brown sugar; do not let boil until sugar is thoroughly dissolved; then boil until it hardens when dropped in cold water. add cup of nut meats. coffee caramels one cupful sugar and one-half cupful cream and one-quarter cupful strong coffee. stir constantly over a hot fire, and turn on a greased tin. maple caramels one cupful sugar (maple) and three-quarters of a cupful of cream, placed in a saucepan. stir constantly over a hot fire until it reaches the hard boil stage. remove from fire, and turn on a greased tin. vanilla caramels two level cups "coffee c" brown sugar; one-half cup corn syrup; two-thirds cup cream; one cup chopped nuts. boil sugar, cream and corn syrup without stirring until hard ball forms when tried in cold water. add nuts and vanilla, remove from fire and pour at once into buttered tin. do not stir caramels. when cold, remove from pan in one sheet and cut in squares. wrap in wax paper. chocolate caramels put in a saucepan half a cupful each of molasses, white sugar and brown sugar; a cupful of grated chocolate and a cupful of cream or milk. stir the mixture constantly over the fire until it reaches the hard-boil stage. then add a teaspoonful vanilla and turn it onto a buttered tin, making the paste an inch thick. mark it into inch squares and cut before it is quite cold. chocolate caramels mrs. e. a. thompson two squares chocolate; one cup sugar; one cup molasses; one cup milk; one-half cup melted butter. boil on the top of stove over a brisk fire until it becomes brittle when dropped in cold water. do not stir, but shake the vessel while boiling. pour into a buttered tin and check off into squares. vanilla caramels one cupful sugar and three-quarters of a cupful cream, placed in a saucepan. stir constantly over a hot fire until it reaches the hard-boil stage. remove from fire, add a teaspoonful vanilla and turn on a greased tin. karo caramels boil one cup sugar, one cup karo corn syrup, one-fourth cup water six minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls butter, and cook to the soft ball stage. beat in a teaspoonful of vanilla extract or half a cup candied cherries cut in halves; beat thoroughly and turn into a shallow buttered dish. when cold cut in cubes and wrap in confectioner's paper. english walnut candy the white of one egg, beaten stiff; add a pound of confectioners' sugar; stirring the sugar and egg till the mixture is stiff enough to roll into little balls. add vanilla, and press the balls of candy between the halves of an english walnut. cocoanut candy two cups white sugar; one cup milk; one cup molasses; one-half cup butter; try as molasses candy, and when done add one and one-half cups cocoanut and one teaspoonful vanilla. maple cream to one pound of maple sugar take half a pint cream. cook until it hardens in water. stir frequently. beat until cool. chocolate creams put three squares of chocolate in a dish over a tea kettle to melt. boil two cups of white sugar, one cup water, one teaspoonful of glucose until stringy; beat until creamy; mold into the desired shapes and dip in chocolate. put on whole nuts if desired. nougat one cupful almonds, chopped and placed in oven to dry, being careful not to brown. put into a saucepan two and one-half cupfuls powdered sugar and a tablespoonful lemon juice. place it on fire and stir with a wooden spoon until it is melted and slightly colored. let stand for a few minutes, so it will be thoroughly melted, then turn in the hot almonds, mix them together quickly, not stirring long enough to grain the sugar, and turn it on to an oiled slab or tin. spread it out in an even sheet an eighth of an inch thick. while it is still warm mark off into squares. break into pieces when cold. sugared almonds put a cupful granulated sugar in a saucepan with a little water, stir until it is dissolved, then let it cook to the boil stage without touching except to test. turn in half cupful of blanched almonds and stir off the fire until the nuts are well covered with the granulated sugar, but turn them out before they become a mass. boil another cupful of sugar and turn the coated almonds into it, and stir again in the same way, giving them a second coating of sugar, but do not leave them in the pan until they are all stuck together. burnt almonds place a cupful of brown sugar into a saucepan with a very little water. stir until the sugar is dissolved. let it boil a minute, then pour in half a cupful of almonds and stir over the fire until the sugar granulates and is a little brown. when the nuts are well coated, and before they get into one mass, turn them out and separate any that are stuck together. marshmallows one-half box granulated gelatin soaked in three-fourths cup cold water (scant); two cups sugar cooked with three-fourths cup boiling water (scant) only until dissolved. pour over gelatin, add flavoring and pinch salt and let stand until lukewarm. beat first with egg beater, then with a spoon until stiff enough to spread in sheets. pour into pans thickly dusted with mixture of powdered sugar and little corn starch. when chilled, turn on marble slab or platter and cut in cubes, roll in powdered sugar mixture and serve. marshmallows soak four ounces of gum arabic in a cupful of water until it is dissolved. strain it to take out any black specks in it. put the dissolved gum arabic into a saucepan with half a pound of powdered sugar. place the saucepan in a second pan containing boiling water; stir until the mixture becomes thick and white. when it is beginning to thicken test it by dropping a little into cold water; when it will form a ball remove it from fire. stir into it the whites of three eggs whipped to a stiff froth. this will give a spongy texture. lastly, flavor it with two teaspoonfuls of orange water. turn the paste into a pan covered thick with cornstarch; the layer of paste should be one inch thick. after the paste has stood for a while turn it onto a slab and cut it into inch squares; dust them well with cornstarch or confectioner's sugar. as the paste is more or less cooked it will be more or less stiff. peppermint or wintergreen patties mrs. e. a. thompson one pound confectioner's sugar; six large tablespoonfuls water; six drops oil of peppermint or wintergreen; a little bit of cream of tartar put into a cup with a bit of sugar and the oil. boil until it ropes, then remove from fire and stir in the cream of tartar, oil and the sugar. chocolate peppermints mrs. a. h. wagoner take two pounds confectioner's sugar and add enough water to make it the right consistency to roll into balls. flavor with peppermint and roll out on waxed paper with a rolling pin. cut out the peppermints. with water in the under part of the chafing dish melt half a pound of baker's chocolate and dip the peppermint on the end of a fork. set on waxed paper to harden. sea foam two cups light brown sugar; one-half cup water; boil together until a little dropped in cold water forms a soft ball. remove from fire. beat in a deep bowl the whites of two eggs to a froth, add candy syrup, one-half teaspoonful vanilla and beat in until it begins to stiffen. drop with spoon on waxed paper and press on a nut meat. will keep moist in a glass jar. divinity fudge mrs. a. donald campbell whites of two eggs, well beaten; two cups granulated sugar; one-third cup karo corn syrup boiled together with one-half cup hot water; boil until syrup forms hard (not brittle) strands when dropped in cold water; one teaspoonful vanilla. pour the boiling mixture over whites of eggs, beating constantly; beat mixture until pure white. add nuts or cherries, etc., which should be cut up before cooking syrup. turn entire mixture out on buttered platter; let stand an hour, or until hard enough to cut. divinity candy two and one-half cups granulated sugar; one-half cup corn syrup; one-half cup cold water; whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth. boil the first three ingredients until a little dropped into cold water can be formed into a firm ball. when done pour over the eggs and beat until stiff, then add one cup walnut meats. spread in a buttered pan and cut into squares. ocean foam one cup sugar; one-half cup corn syrup; one-half cup water. boil mixture until hard when dropped in cold water. add stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, beat until it stiffens and becomes foamy. add one cup nuts and vanilla to flavor. pour into buttered tin. fudges emily l. wegner two cups granulated sugar; one cup milk; one-half teaspoonful butter; two squares baker's bitter chocolate. put on sugar and milk, let it come to a boil before adding butter and chocolate. beat constantly. cook from fifteen to twenty minutes. this may be varied by adding chopped nuts or grated cocoanut. fudge boil together a pint of milk; a cup of granulated sugar; a cup of grated chocolate and butter the size of an egg. when a drop of the mixture hardens in cold water add a teaspoonful vanilla, beat until smooth and creamy; spread in a buttered pan and cut into squares. chocolate fudge one cupful milk; two squares or ounces of chocolate; two cupfuls granulated sugar placed in granite sauce pan. let chocolate syrup boil till it hardens, when a little can be dropped in cold water or on ice to see if it is done. then stir in a heaping tablespoonful butter and pour the mixture at once on a well buttered tin. nuts can be added to this if desired. caramel fudge two cups granulated cane sugar; three-fourths cup milk; one-half cup butter; one teaspoonful vanilla; one cup nuts. place the butter, milk and one and one-half cups sugar in one pan, and let it boil. in another pan melt the half cup sugar, and when melted pour upon it the boiling mixture. remove from fire and beat until it thickens; add vanilla and nuts. pour on buttered platter. peanut butter fudge two cups confectionery sugar; two tablespoonfuls peanut butter; one-half cup milk. when mixture starts to boil, stir constantly until it thickens. pour into buttered tin. cream of caramel fudge boil two and one-half cupfuls brown sugar, one cupful cream. when hard turn on a greased tin. maple fudge break into small pieces a pound of maple sugar and put it over the fire with a cupful of milk. bring it to a boil, add a tablespoonful of butter and cook until a little dropped in cold water becomes brittle. take from fire, stir until it begins to granulate a little about the sides of the pan, and then pour into a greased pan. mark into squares with a knife. maple sugar fudge boil two and one-half cupfuls maple sugar, one cupful cream. when little hard turn on greased tin. cocoanut fudge boil two and one-half cupfuls white sugar, one cupful cream. add one tablespoonful butter, and when hard pour on greased tin. candied orange peel mrs. a. j. langan take nice thick orange peel, soak over night in salt water. in the morning take out peel, boil in fresh water until tender, then add sugar, pound for pound, boil until the peel is clear and thick. seal in glass jars, and when wanted cut in long strips, roll in sugar and serve. orange or grape fruit straws mrs. harry pagin, valparaiso, ind. take peeling of two large oranges, or grape fruit, or both, and cut with scissors in narrow lengthwise strips. cover with cold water, put on stove and boil twenty minutes. pour off water. cover with water and boil twenty minutes more. pour off water. cover with water and boil twenty minutes more. pour off water and add one cup sugar and one-half cup of hot water. let simmer until almost dry, taking care not to burn. take from stove and roll, a few at a time, in granulated sugar. honey candy four tablespoonfuls honey, one pint white sugar, water enough to dissolve sugar; boil until brittle when tried in water. when cool pull. butter scotch mrs. r. a. dandliker two cups sugar; two tablespoonfuls vinegar; two tablespoonfuls water; four tablespoonfuls molasses; one-half cup butter. boil about fifteen minutes, then add two teaspoonfuls vanilla. cook till it hardens in water, do not stir. pour into buttered pans. three minute butter-scotch use three-fourths cup sugar, one tablespoonful water, butter size of an egg, one-half tablespoonful vinegar. boil until brittle; pour on buttered plates. walnut molasses balls one cup new orleans molasses; cream of tartar size of a pea; three cups white sugar; one-half cup water. boil mixture slowly until soft ball forms when tried in cold water. add butter size of an egg and boil until brittle when tried in cold water. add one-half teaspoonful soda and remove from fire. spread three cups black walnut meats thickly on well buttered tin and pour candy over same. when cool knead into balls. molasses candy put into a saucepan one cupful of brown sugar, two cupfuls of new orleans molasses and a tablespoonful each of butter and vinegar. mix them well and boil until it will harden when dropped in water. then stir in a teaspoonful baking soda, which will whiten it, and turn it into a greased tin to cool; when it can be handled, pull it until white and firm. draw it into sticks and cut into inch lengths. molasses kisses one level cup sugar; two cups molasses; two level teaspoonfuls corn starch; one-eighth teaspoonful soda. mix sugar and corn starch thoroughly and beat in molasses. when well blended heat slowly, stirring constantly. when mixture forms hard ball if dropped in cold water, remove from fire, add soda and pour into buttered pan. when cool, pull until straw colored, cut and wrap in waxed paper. cream taffy two cups sugar; one cup water; two tablespoonfuls vinegar; one teaspoonful cream tartar. cook until brittle; pour into buttered pan. then cool enough to handle; pull until white. peanut candy put into a saucepan three-fourths cup corn syrup, three-fourths cup sugar, a large piece of butter, and one and one-half tablespoonfuls of vinegar. boil until a little dropped into cold water becomes brittle. then add one pound salted peanuts. spread into buttered pan and cut into squares or oblongs. stuffed dates take some fondant, small pieces of walnuts, almonds, bits of date, a few raisins, a small piece of citron; mix well; if not wet enough when molded add a few drops of water and lemon juice. take the seeds from the dates and fill with this mixture. roll in granulated sugar. old-fashioned taffy put into a saucepan two and one-half cupfuls of sugar and one-half cupful of water. stir until it is dissolved. then wash the sides of the pan and let it boil without touching a few moments, and add a tablespoonful butter and let boil until it will crack when tested in cold water. add a teaspoonful vanilla and turn in onto a tin to cool. mark it off into squares before it becomes cold. puffed rice candy helen collins one cup granulated sugar; one-fourth cup water; one-fourth cup molasses; one teaspoonful butter; one drop oil of peppermint. boil sugar, water, molasses and butter until it forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water. remove from fire, add peppermint, stir and pour over one package of puffed rice, stirring until rice is coated. peanut candy fill a small square tin half an inch deep with shelled peanuts, leaving the skins on. boil some sugar until done and pour it over the nuts, just covering them. cut into squares before it becomes cold. peppermints two cups sugar; one-half cup water; one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar; seven or eight drops of oil of peppermint. boil until a drop of syrup on tip of fork looks like a fine hair. remove from fire, add cream of tartar and peppermint, and stir until creamy. drop on waxed paper. after dinner mints two level cups sugar; one-fourth teaspoonful cream of tartar; one-half cup boiling water; three drops peppermint. boil sugar, water and cream tartar until dissolved. let boil without stirring until it forms soft ball when dropped in cold water. set aside to cool. when lukewarm add peppermint and beat until creamy. drop from spoon on wax paper or marble slab. if preferred, use checkerberry or creme de menthe. pop corn balls twelve quarts all white grains pop corn, warm and pour over this in a large dishpan the following syrup while hot: half cup molasses or corn syrup; half cup sugar; three tablespoonfuls water. boil until it crisps in cold water. stir with a spoon all the candy thoroughly through the corn. butter fingers, then press with hands into balls. weights and measures ten eggs equal one pound. one quart of flour equals one pound. two cupfuls of butter equal one pound. one generous pint of liquid equals one pound. two cupfuls of granulated sugar equal one pound. two heaping cupfuls of powdered sugar equal one pound. one pint finely chopped meat, packed solidly, equals one pound. four saltspoonfuls equal one teaspoonful. three teaspoonfuls equal one tablespoonful. sixteen tablespoonfuls equal one cupful. four tablespoonfuls salt equal one ounce. one and one-half tablespoonfuls granulated sugar equal one ounce. two tablespoonfuls of flour equal one ounce. a piece of butter the size of an egg equals about one and one-half ounces. one pint of loaf sugar equals ten ounces. one pint of brown sugar equals twelve ounces. one pint of granulated sugar equals sixteen ounces. one pint of wheat flour equals nine ounces. one pint of corn meal equals eleven ounces. use two teaspoonfuls of soda to one pint of sour milk. use one teaspoonful of soda to one cupful of molasses. one-half teaspoonful cream of tartar with one teaspoonful baking soda equals two teaspoonfuls baking powder. time required for cooking the following meats and vegetables. beef, sirloin, rare, per pound, eight to ten minutes. beef, sirloin, well done, per pound, twelve to fifteen minutes. chickens, three or four pounds weight, one to one and one-half hours. duck, tame, from forty to sixty minutes. lamb, well done, per pound, fifteen minutes. pork, well done, per pound, thirty minutes. turkey, ten pounds, three hours. veal, well done, per pound, twenty minutes. potatoes, boiled, thirty minutes. potatoes, baked, forty-five minutes. sweet potatoes, boiled, forty-five minutes. sweet potatoes, baked, one hour. squash, boiled, twenty-five minutes. squash, baked, forty-five minutes. green peas, boiled, twenty to forty minutes. string beans, one to two hours. green corn, from twenty to thirty minutes. asparagus, fifteen to thirty minutes. spinach, one to two hours. tomatoes, one hour. cabbage, forty-five minutes to two hours. cauliflower, one to two hours. dandelions, two to three hours. beet greens, one hour. onions, one to two hours. beets, one to five hours. turnips, forty-five minutes to one hour. parsnips, from one-half to one hour. household hints when peeling onions, if you will hold the onions under the running cold water, there will be no discomfort experienced. put a thimble over the end of rods and you can easily run it through your curtains, or an old glove finger will answer the purpose if thimble is too large. to mark a hem in linen, remove thread from the machine and run the goods through the hemmer as though stitching; you will find a perfect hem turned down. for removing odor of onions from hands, use celery or powdered celery seed. a handful of salt rubbed around sink will help remove all grease and keep it sweet and clean. a tiny pinch of soda will sweeten cream slightly soured. to remove bread or cake from pans, apply wet cloth to bottom of pan. tack a piece of asbestos on end of ironing board for iron stand. burn a piece of camphor gum to rid house of mosquitoes. to break glass evenly, tie a string around the glass, saturated with kerosene, then fill with cold water as high as the string; set fire to the string, and glass will snap at point of string. if a silver spoon is placed in a jelly glass the boiling jelly can be poured in without the least danger of breaking the glass. to cream butter and sugar easily when butter is hard, warm the sugar slightly. for angel, sunshine and all sponge cakes, add the cream of tartar to the eggs when half beaten, and if soda is called for, add it to the flour. lime water and linseed oil is an excellent application for burns. to caramelize sugar: put in a smooth granite saucepan or omelet pan, place over hot part of stove and stir constantly until melted and of the color of maple syrup. care must be taken to prevent sugar from adhering to sides of pan or spoon. to renovate food chopper and sharpen its knives, grind a piece of sand soap through it. before using new tinware, if you will rub it well with lard and heat it thoroughly in oven, it will not rust. to remove paint from window pains, rub with baking soda. to remove match scratches from painted woodwork, rub with slice of lemon, then with whiting, and wash with soap and water. in making pancakes, two tablespoons of snow stirred in quickly is equal to one egg. two apples placed in your cake box will keep the cake moist. if in cooking you have accidentally put too much salt in anything, a small amount of brown sugar will counteract it. [illustration] _c. henning_ _exclusive furs_ _ stewart bldg._ _ n. state st._ _chicago._ * * * * * b. l. chandler & co. hairdressers and wigmakers _importers and manufacturers of hair goods_ first class work scalp treatment hairdressing facial massage shampooing manicuring =tel. wentworth = = harvard ave.= (directly under "l" station) * * * * * don't worry ... _about the_ flavor or color. _just before serving gravies. stews. soups. etc. add a dash of_ =_kitchen bouquet_= _you will find that it imparts a wonderfully rich brown color and delicious flavor and appetizing relish that can be obtained in no other way._ write for free sample the palisade manufacturing co. west hoboken, n.j. * * * * * englewood state bank rd street and yale avenue =our aim= to conduct a bank of the highest character in every respect. to take the greatest care in the protection of our depositors. to make the fullest possible response to all of the banking requirements of our customers. to extend never-failing welcome and courtesy to all--men, women and children--who for any purpose enter our bank. our banking office is a clean, comfortable and pleasant place to enter and transact business. we have thousands of satisfied customers and we invite other thousands. =officers= frank h. tinsley, president bryan g. tighe, vice-president e. w. stansbury, cashier e. e. hart, assistant cashier w. m. goldsberry, assistant cashier * * * * * for good things to eat trade at the metropolitan grocery co. rd and harvard ave. phone: normal * * * * * _the white front_ _grocery and market_ _now located permanently_ =_corner rd and stewart avenue_= _where you will always find_ _the best in groceries and meats_ =_telephone: wentworth _= * * * * * =our place of business= =our exclusive styles= =our merchandising methods= the service rendered by intelligent sales people, are the topic of conversation where women are gathered together. come and see our =ready to wear= =dresses, suits and coats= =gordon-torrance company= third floor, tower building michigan ave. and madison street * * * * * use morton's salt [illustration: it pours] [illustration] [illustration] you will appreciate the additional savor morton's salt will add to your favorite recipe. _convenient_ _sanitary_ _economical_ morton salt company chicago * * * * * washers that wash central _judd co_ vacuum electric washers gas heated horton ironers (mangles) stevens bdg. th state st. * * * * * phones: central , th floor, stevens' building [illustration] the "easy" is a double-vacuum gas heated electric washer and is rightly named, for it is easy to understand. easy to operate. easy to clean. easy to move about. easy on the clothes. you may "wash while you cook" * * * * * _society stationery_ _of every_ _description_ barnard & miller _phone_ _franklin_ _printers_ year books annual reports booklets _and_ announcements _service and quality_ _our specialty_ - north lasalle street chicago * * * * * [illustration] phone calumet adams' laundry - indiana ave. catering to the better trade hand work domestic finish chicago * * * * * =barnard & miller= =_printers · chicago_= none generously made available by early canadiana online (http://www.canadiana.org) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) images of the original pages are available through early canadiana online. see http://www.canadiana.org/eco/itemrecord/ ?id= f a c d d transcriber's note: obvious typographical errors have been corrected, but inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained. advertisements are presented as in the original--several before the text with the remainder after the text. my pet recipes tried and true contributed by the ladies and friends of st. andrew's church quebec * * * * * * by appointment furriers to the queen. holt, renfrew & co. quebec and toronto. the .. largest manufacturers of fine furs in canada exclusive designs in ladies' persian lamb and sealskin coats fine hudson bay and russian sable skins, silver, white and blue fox skins. recipes are useless unless you have the ingredients to demonstrate them. this is where we shine we carry the very best of groceries in quebec. we make a specialty of the choicest goods. everything is fresh and appetizing. if you are among our customers you are aware of these facts. if not give us a trial order. a. grenier family grocer and wine merchant & st. john street .. telephone .. established glover, fry & co. ... importers of ... fancy dry goods novelties received weekly dress and mantle departments under first class modistes. special orders executed promptly latest novelties in millinery, straw, chip and felt hats ... new shapes. gentlemen's clothing made to order within hours. first class fit and workmanship guaranteed all goods marked in plain figures. one price only. glover, fry & co. & fabrique street, quebec. under the distinguished patronage of h. r. h. princess louise, h. e. lady stanley of preston, also her excellency lady aberdeen. for ladies tailor made garments. d. morgan, place d'armes - quebec. ladies costumes of all descriptions in cloth made to order on short notice, also cloaks, ulsters, etc., etc. medicine .. when you need medicine you want the best. that is natural. a man may be contented with an $ . overcoat even though he knows some other men wear coats that cost $ . . a woman may wear $ gloves and see the $ kind without being disturbed. it is different with medicine. everyone wants the highest quality; and that is the only kind we keep. we are particular in selecting and buying our drugs; careful in making our medicines and exact in compounding prescriptions. we solicit your trade on these assurances. henry willis, chemist and druggist st. john street, - - - quebec. s. j. shaw & co. st. john street, ... and ... corner mountain hill and notre-dame st. house furnishing hardware fancy moulds and slicers. telephones {upper town, {lower town, [illustration: m. timmons & son manufacturers of ginger ale soda water &c. quebec] the best in the universe. the ... magi caledonia mineral waters are famous for the relief afforded in rheumatism, indigestion, dyspepsia, liver, kidney and bladder troubles, blood and skin diseases, female complaints, etc. surpassing in the cures the most celebrated european spas. at the world's columbian exhibition, the highest distinction was awarded the magi caledonia springs waters over all competitors--medal and diploma. m. timmons & son, sole agents & bottlers, - cote d'abraham, quebec. * * * * * * my pet recipes tried and true contributed by the ladies and friends of st. andrew's church quebec "we may live without poetry, music and art; we may live without conscience, and live without heart; we may live without friends; we may live without books; but civilized man cannot live without cooks." --owen meredith. quebec "daily telegraph" printing house rhymes to remember... "_always have lobster sauce with salmon, and put mint sauce your roasted lamb on. in dressing salad mind this law with two hard yolks use one raw. roast pork, sans apple sauce, past doubt is hamlet with the prince left out. broil lightly your beefsteak--to fry it argues contempt of christian diet. it gives true epicures the vapors to see boiled mutton minus capers. boiled turkey, gourmands know, of course is exquisite with celery sauce. roasted in paste, a haunch of mutton might make ascetics play the glutton. to roast spring chickens is to spoil them, just split them down the back and broil them, shad, stuffed and baked is most delicious, t'would have electrified apicius. roast veal with rich stock gravy serve, and pickled mushrooms too, observe, the cook deserves a hearty cuffing who serves roast fowl with tasteless stuffing. but one might rhyme for weeks this way, and still have lots of things to say; and so i'll close, for reader mine, this is about the hour to dine._" soup. "the best soups are made with a blending of many flavors. don't be afraid of experimenting with them. where you make one mistake you will be surprised to find the number of successful varieties you can produce. if you like a spicy flavor try two or three cloves, or allspice, or bay leaves. all soups are improved by a dash of onion, unless it is the white soups, or purées from chicken, veal, fish, etc. in these celery may be used. in nothing as well as soups can a housekeeper be economical of the odds and ends of food left from meals. one of the best cooks was in the habit of saving everything, and announced one day, when her soup was especially praised, that it contained the crumbs of gingerbread from her cake box! creamed onions left from a dinner, or a little stewed corn, potatoes mashed, a few baked beans--even a small dish of apple sauce have often added to the flavor of soup. of course, all good meat gravies, or bones from roast or boiled meats, can be added to your stock pot. a little butter is always needed in tomato soup. in making stock, use a quart of water for every pound of meat and bone. cut the meat in pieces, crack the bones, place all in the kettle, pour over it the proper quantity of cold water; let it soak a while on the back of the range before cooking. let soup boil slowly, never hard, (an hour for each pound of meat) strain through a sieve or coarse cloth. never let the fat remain on your soup. let get cold and lift it off, or skim it off hot." brown stock. mrs. w. cook. four pounds shin of beef, or other meats and bones--four carrots, four onions, one turnip, one small head of celery, one half tablespoonful of salt, one half teaspoonful of peppercorns, six cloves, five pints of cold water. cut up the meat bone and place it in a large saucepan, pour over the water, skim when boiling, prepare the vegetables, add them to the saucepan; cover closely and boil slowly four hours. the spice should be added with the vegetables. cream of celery soup. mrs. ernest f. wurtele. one quart chicken or veal broth; one quart milk; one half cupful rice; one teaspoonful salt; one head celery; seasoning. use for this soup a quart of chicken or veal broth and about a quart of milk; pick over and wash the rice, rinse it well in cold water, and put it in a thick saucepan over the fire with a pint of milk and a teaspoonful of salt; wash a head of celery and grate the white stalks, letting the grated celery fall into milk enough to cover it; put the grated celery with the rice and gently simmer them together until the rice is tender enough to rub through a sieve with a potato masher, adding more milk if the rice absorbs what has first been put with it. after the rice has been rubbed through the sieve, return it to the saucepan, place it again over the fire, and gradually stir with it the quart of stock or broth; if this quantity of stock does not dilute the soup to a creamy consistency, add a little milk; let the soup get scalding hot, season it with salt, white pepper, and a very little grated nutmeg, and serve at once. celery soup. mrs. stocking. four large potatoes, three large onions, six or eight stalks of celery. chop all the vegetables very fine, and place in an earthern kettle and cover with boiling water, stir often till cooked, then add one quart of milk and let boil; add butter, pepper and salt to taste. this receipt will serve six persons. chicken cream soup. mrs. duncan laurie. take the carcase of a roast chicken or turkey, break the bones, and cover with a quart of cold water and simmer for two hours adding boiling water, to keep the original quantity. strain and return to kettle, add one chopped onion, two grated raw potatoes, one half small turnip grated, and one half cup rice. boil until rice is very soft. strain again, and return to kettle and let boil, and add one pint milk, one teaspoon cornstarch rubbed smooth in a tablespoon butter and a little salt and pepper, serve hot. consomme À la toledo--clear soup. miss stevenson. one quart stock, two eggs, two gherkins, a little red and green colouring, two tablespoonfuls cream, whites and shells of two eggs, one wine glass of sherry, and a little nutmeg. beat the two whole eggs, pour over them the cream (hot.) season the custard with pepper, salt and nutmeg, colour half red and half green, pour both parts into buttered tins, poach in hot water until firm. beat the whites and shells of eggs with a little cold water, add them to the stock, pour it into a saucepan and whisk over the fire till boiling; draw on one side and simmer ten minutes. cut the custard in shapes, rinse then in warm water, shred the gherkins, strain the soup, add the wine and garnishing just before serving. cauliflower soup. one cauliflower, two yolks of egg, one half pint of cream, one quart chicken stock. boil together the stock and cauliflower, for twenty minutes, take out the cauliflower, put aside some of the best parts, pass remainder through a sieve, mix together the yolks and cream, add them to the soup, put all in a saucepan and stir over the fire until it begins to thicken, put the pieces of cauliflower into a tureen and pour the soup over them; the stock used in this soup is better without any other vegetables. fish soup. two pounds of raw fish, one tablespoonful parsley, one and one half ounces butter, one ounce flour of rice, one half pint milk, one quart of water, pepper, and salt. boil together the bones and skin of fish for half an hour. strain, melt butter in a saucepan, stir into it the flour, add strained water from the pan. cut up the fish into small pieces, add it, also salt and pepper, boil slowly ten minutes, add parsley at last minute. giblet soup. miss beemer. giblets from two or three fowls; two quarts of water; one of stock; two tablespoons of butter, ditto of flour; salt, pepper, and onion if desired. put giblets on to boil in the water and boil gently till reduced to one quart (about two hours); take out the giblets, cut off tough parts and chop fine the remainder. return to the liquor and add stock. cook butter and flour together until a rich brown, and add to the soup; season, cook gently half an hour; stir in half a cup of bread crumbs and in a few minutes serve hot. kidney soup. miss stevenson. one ox kidney, one quart second stock or water, one tablespoon hardy sauce, one tablespoon mushroom ketchup, one ounce butter, one ounce rice flour, pepper, salt and cayenne. wash and dry the kidney, cut into thin slices; mix together the flour, pepper and salt and roll the kidney in it. brown them quickly in the butter, pour over the stock, skim when boiling. add sauce and simmer slowly two hours. lentil soup. mrs. theophilus oliver. one half pound of lentils, one carrot, one onion, one ounce dripping, salt, pepper corns, one quart of water, one tablespoon of flour. soak the lentils all night, wash well, scrape carrot, and onion cut up. put the dripping into a saucepan, when warm, put in vegetables, lentils and flour. stir for five minutes until all fat is absorbed, add the water warm, some herbs tied in a bit of muslin. boil for an hour or more. rub through a sieve, return to saucepan. reheat and serve. ox tail soup. mrs. w. cook. divide an ox tail into lengths of an inch and a half; melt an ounce of butter in a stew pan and fry the pieces in this, turning them about for five minutes. add two quarts of stock or water and bring gently to a boil. throw in a teaspoonful of salt, and carefully remove the scum as it rises. add a carrot, a turnip and an onion with two cloves stuck in it, a little celery, a blade of mace and a small bouquet of garum. stew gently two and one half hours. strain the soup and put the pieces of ox tail in cold water to free them of fat. mix an ounce and one half of flour smoothly with a little cold water, add to the stock and simmer for twenty minutes. add a little cayenne, a few drops of lemon juice and a glass of port wine if liked and serve. oyster soup. miss miriam strang. one quart boiling water, one quart milk, stir in one teacup rolled cracker crumbs, season with pepper and salt to taste. when all come to a boil add one quart of oysters; stir well so as to keep from scorching, then add a piece of butter size of an egg; let it boil up just once, then remove from the fire immediately. cream of pea soup. miss ruth scott. one tin of peas and one pint of water, a very small piece of onion, let it boil about twenty minutes, strain and mash through sieve. two tablespoonfuls of butter, and one of flour, well blended together. add that to the peas. last of all add a pint or _more of boiling milk_. put on the stove till it thickens, but be careful not to let it boil. palestine soup. mrs. w. cook. wash and pare two pounds of artichokes and put them in a stewpan with a slice of butter, two or three strips of bacon rind, which have been scalded and scraped and two bay leaves. put the lid on the stew pan and let the vegetables "sweat" over the fire for eight or ten minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to keep them from sticking. pour on water to cover the artichokes and stew gently till soft. rub them through a sieve, mix the liquor they were boiled in with them, make the soup hot and add boiling milk until it is as thick as double cream. add pepper and salt to taste. just before serving, mix with the soup a quarter of a pint of hot cream. this addition will be a valuable one, but may be dispensed with. puree de petit pois. miss stevenson. one pint green peas, two yolks of egg, one gill cream, one and one half pints stock, salt and pepper. strain the liquid from the peas, put them with the stock in a saucepan and simmer twenty minutes; pass them through a sieve, pour back to the pan, add yolks, cream, pepper and salt, and stir over the fire until it begins to thicken; do not allow it to boil. a spray of mint boiled with the peas is a great improvement. puree de veau. four ounces pounded veal, one pint stock, one ounce butter, one ounce flour, yolks of two eggs, few drops of lemon juice, one half pint whipped cream. mix veal and butter together in a saucepan, add flour, then by degrees the stock (hot) just boil up. mix yolks and add little by little the cream, a few drops of cochineal, salt and pepper, pour over this the contents of the saucepan very carefully. tomato soup. mrs. henry thomson. one pint of stewed tomatoes, add a pinch of soda, stir till it ceases foaming, then add one pint boiling water and one pint of milk, strain and put on the stove and when near boiling, add a tablespoonful of cornstarch, wet it with a little cold milk, one tablespoon butter, a little pepper and salt to taste. tomato soup. miss edith henry. take a tin of tomatoes and add half a pint of water. let this boil for half an hour till the tomatoes are well broken. add a tablespoonful of cornstarch, dissolved in a little cold water and mix well. flavor with salt and pepper to taste, and half a small onion. then add a quart of milk. let this boil and stir well, so that it will mix, and be careful that it does not burn on the bottom of the pan. turkish soup. mrs. w. cook. one quart of white stock, one half teacupful of rice, yolks of two eggs, one tablespoon cream, salt and pepper. in preparing this soup boil first the rice in the stock for twenty minutes. then pass the whole through a wire sieve, rubbing through such of the rice as may stick with a spoon, then stir it thoroughly to beat out such lumps as the rice may have formed and return all to the saucepan. the yolk of egg, cream, pepper and salt, must now be well beaten together and added to the stock and rice, the whole stirred over the fire for two minutes, care being taken to prevent boiling after the eggs are put in, or they will curdle. this soup should be served very hot and is excellent. turtle bean soup. miss fraser. one pint of black beans, boil in two quarts of water, one onion, two carrots, small teaspoon of allspice, five or six cloves, a small bit of bacon or ham. a good bone of roast beef or mutton, let all boil till quite tender perhaps two hours. then turn into a colander, take out the bone and rub all the rest with a wooden spoon through the colander, if this is too thick add some stock or water. some meat balls can be added. fish and oysters. "now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both."--macbeth. rule for selecting fish. if the gills are red, the eyes full, and the whole fish firm and stiff, they are fresh and good; if on the contrary, the gills are pale, the eyes sunken, the flesh flabby, they are stale. baked codfish. mrs. david bell. choose a good sized fresh codfish, prepare it for cooking without beheading it, fill the inside with a dressing of bread crumbs, a finely chopped onion, a little chopped suet, pepper and salt and moisten all with an egg. sew up the fish and bake, basting with butter or dripping. if butter, beware of too much salt. baked codfish. mrs. r. m. stocking. pick very fine one cup of codfish; soak several hours in cold water; have ready two cups of mashed potatoes and mix well with one egg, a cup of milk, one half cup of butter, little salt and pepper; put this in a baking dish and cover the top with bread crumbs; moisten with milk; bake one-half hour. curried fish. mrs. w. cook. one pound cooked white fish, one apple, two ounces of butter, one onion, one pint of fish stock, one tablespoon curry-powder, one tablespoon flour, one teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar, salt and pepper, six ounces of rice. slice the apple and onion, and brown them in a pan with a little butter, stir in them the flour and curry powder, add the stock by degrees; skim when boiling and simmer slowly one half hour, stir in them the lemon juice, also a very small teaspoon sugar; strain and return to the saucepan, cut up the fish into neat pieces, and put them into the saucepan also, when quite hot dish with a border of rice. fish cream. mrs. j. g. scott. one can of salmon, one quart of milk, one cup of flour, one cup of butter, three eggs, one cupful of bread crumbs, one half cupful grated cheese, one onion, one bunch of parsley, two bay leaves. take the canned salmon, or boil a fish, and when cool take out the bones and break the fish in small pieces. put on to boil one quart of milk, an onion, a bunch of parsley, and two bay leaves; after boiling strain through a colander, then add a cup of flour mixed smooth with cold milk and a cup of butter; beat up three eggs and pour into the mixture. put in a baking dish alternate layers of fish and cream until the dish is full, putting cream top and bottom. place on top one cup of bread crumbs and one half cup of grated cheese. salt to taste, and cayenne pepper. bake twenty minutes. fish mould. mrs. a. cook. boil a fresh haddock, remove the bones and pick it in pieces, soak some bread in milk; put the fish, bread, a small piece of butter, one or two eggs, pepper and salt together in a bowl and beat them well together. put the mixture in a mould and steam, turn out, and garnish with parsley. tomato sauce is nice poured round the mould when turned out. the fish should be about twice the quantity of the bread. tomato sauce. six tomatoes, two ounces butter, one half ounce flour, one half pint stock, one teaspoon of salt, one fourth teaspoon of pepper. place the tomatoes in a pan and pour over them the stock, add salt and pepper. place the pan over the fire and cook all slowly for half an hour. place a wire sieve over a basin and rub the tomatoes and stock through the sieve. melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour stir well together, pour over the tomatoes and stock and stir all over the fire till boiling, when the sauce is ready for use. tinned tomatoes do not take so long to boil. fish scallop. miss ruth scott. remains of cold fish of any sort, one half pint of cream, one half tablespoonful anchovy sauce, one half teaspoonful made mustard, one half teaspoonful walnut ketchup, pepper and salt, bread crumbs. put all the ingredients into a stew pan, carefully picking the fish from the bones; set it on the fire, let it remain till nearly hot, and stir occasionally. then put in a deep dish, with bread and small bits of butter on top; put in the oven till nearly browned. serve hot. fish pie. mrs. andrew thomson. boil one haddock, take the best part of the fish, one pint of milk and a piece of butter as large as an egg, half a cup of flour, two yolks of eggs, stir together, and then mix well with the fish. put in a pudding dish, and take a half cup of bread crumbs, half a cup of grated cheese, put in the oven for ten minutes, salt and pepper to taste. potted herrings. mrs. david bell. scale and clean fresh herrings, then taking the fish by the tail you can easily remove the backbone drawing it towards the head. the smaller bones will melt in the vinegar; remove the heads and roll each fish up, tail end inside, and wind a thread round each roll, lay them in the vessel they are to remain in till used, a stone earthernware crock is best. make scalding hot with spices as much vinegar as will cover them, pour it over the fish and keep them hot about the stove for about an hour, when they will be well cooked through; do not let them boil or they will break. keep in a cool place. spices: whole white pepper, whole allspice, and a blade of mace if it is liked. lobster cutlets. mrs. farquharson smith. mince the lobster fine, and season with pepper and salt, make good and thick with drawn butter. mix with the lobster enough to make it stick together. shape with the hands into cutlets, roll in bread crumbs and fry in hot lard. _the sauce:_--make rather a thin custard, season with pepper, salt and a little nutmeg and chopped parsley, place over the cutlets. lobster stew. mrs. ernest f. wurtele. take a boiled lobster and split it open, cut the meat into small pieces and put into a saucepan with one pint of milk; when boiling add two tablespoons of flour dissolved in a little water, and boil ten minutes. season with salt, pepper and a small piece of butter. just before serving pour in a wineglassful of sherry. canned lobster may be used with very good results. oyster pie.--famous. one cup melted butter is put in a lined saucepan, and three tablespoons of flour which are rubbed well into the butter, one half teaspoon of mace, a little pepper and salt. the juice of the oysters is put into this to make it thin, and little by little one quart of boiling milk to one quart of oysters. last the oysters are put in very carefully and given a very short boil. the whole is pretty thick and is then put into a pie dish with pie crust over; one cup of cream is put in just before the oysters are emptied into the pie dish. oyster pie or patties. miss m. a. ritchie. crust:--one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one half cup of water. sauce:--one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, one cup of cream or milk, one pint of oysters. escaloped oysters. madame j. t. butter the dish; cover the bottom of the dish with bread crumbs, add a layer of oysters, season with pepper and salt, then bread crumbs and oysters until you have three layers. finish with crumbs, cover the top with small pieces of butter, bake half an hour. creamed oysters on toast. mrs. r. m. stocking. one quart of milk, two tablespoons flour three tablespoons butter, pepper and salt. put milk in double boiler, mix butter and flour thoroughly, adding a little cold milk before stirring into the hot milk; cook: one pint of oysters, let simmer in their liquor for about five minutes, then skim out, drop into the cream sauce. prepare thin slices of crisp toast, lay on heated platter; pour over creamed oysters, serve at once. delicious. oyster croquettes. miss stevenson. twenty-five oysters, one dessertspoonful chopped parsley, three ounces butter, one and one half ounces flour, one gill milk or cream, one teaspoon lemon juice, one egg, three tablespoons bread crumbs, salt and pepper. boil the oysters in their own liquor five minutes, cut them in rough pieces, melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, add cream by degrees, also oyster liquor, boil two minutes, add then the parsley, pepper, and salt, put in the oysters and allow the mixture to cool. form it then into croquettes on a slightly floured board. roll in the beaten egg and bread crumbs and fry in hot fat two minutes. moulded salmon. miss marion stowell pope. one tin of salmon chopped, one cup fine bread crumbs, four eggs broken in four tablespoons melted butter, one teaspoon chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. put into a plain buttered mould and sprinkle with flour, cover and steam one hour. _sauce for the above:_--one teaspoon cornstarch, a little butter, one and one half cups of milk, pepper, salt and nutmeg to taste. a little tomato ketchup or anchovy sauce added. when it comes to the boil, add one well beaten egg; pour round the mould and serve hot. creamed salmon. miss h. barclay. one can salmon minced fine, draw off the liquor. for the dressing, boil one pint milk, two tablespoons butter, salt and pepper to taste. have ready one pint of bread crumbs, place a layer in the bottom of the dish, then a layer of fish, then a layer of dressing, and so on, leaving crumbs for the last layer, and bake till brown. meats. meats. mrs. david bell. to make beefsteak tender, rub a pinch of baking soda on each side of the steak about an hour before cooking and roll it up on itself in the meantime. a very small pinch of brown sugar used in the same way is good, but the soda is thought preferable. meat balls. mrs. waddle. mash finely some potatoes, pass through a sieve, stir in the yolks of two eggs, one ounce of butter, pepper and salt. mince finely some beef or tongue. mix all well together, add a little parsley, roll into balls, cover with egg and bread crumbs, fry in hot lard. let them dry before the fire on paper. very good. spiced beef. rub well into a round weighing forty pounds, three ounces saltpetre, let stand six or eight hours, pound three ounces allspice, one pound black pepper, two pounds salt, and seven ounces brown sugar; rub the beef well with the salt and spices. let it remain fourteen days turning it every day and rub with the pickle, then wash off the spices and put in a deep pan, cut small six pounds of suet, put some in the bottom of the pan, the greater part on the top, cover with coarse paste and bake eight hours; when cold take off the paste pour off the gravy, it will keep six months. spiced beef. miss j. e. fraser. two pounds of raw steak from the round, free from bone, fat or sinew, chopped very fine, six soda biscuits rolled fine, one cup of milk, two eggs beaten in one tablespoon salt, one dessertspoon of pepper, and add a little spice if you like. butter an earthenware jar as large round the top as the bottom and press the mixture in very lightly. cover with butter one half inch thick. cover the jar with a plate and bake in an oven for two hours. serve whole or cut in slices. nicer cold. beef À la mode. mrs. i. t. smythe. one half pound of meat, cut up into four inch squares and two or three inches thick, add onion chopped fine, one teaspoon salt, and one half teaspoon pepper, cover with boiling water and place in jar and cook in oven for two hours. beef olives. mrs. george m. craig. thin slices of steak cut into squares about the size of hand; make a dressing similar to chicken, bake, then put on the steak and roll, put in the saucepan with some onion and butter in a little water, let it simmer for an hour and a half to two hours. cold meat cutlets. mrs. a. cook. half pound cold meat or chicken, one ounce butter, one ounce of flour, one gill white stock, one teaspoon chopped parsley, one half saltspoon grated nutmeg, small teaspoon of salt, saltspoon of pepper, grated rind of half a small lemon. pass chicken twice through the mincer, then melt the butter, stir into it the flour, get it perfectly smooth and add stock, don't let it brown, stir until it boils and boil two minutes, add the chicken, (when properly cooked will leave the pan clearly) add pepper, salt, nutmeg, parsley and lemon, put it away to cool. in using cold beef, a teaspoon anchovy essence or paste is an improvement, and to mutton a teaspoon mushroom catsup. when the mixture is cold, place some flour on board to prevent sticking and form into rolls with square edges, beat the egg, place breadcrumbs mixed with pepper and salt on paper, put the rolls first in the egg, then in crumbs, have sufficient fat in pan and when the white smoke rises, put the rolls in and fry three minutes, drain on paper. brown sauce may be served and mashed peas or potatoes placed in the centre. cured mutton hams. mrs. w. cook. quarter of a pound bay salt, ditto of common salt, one ounce saltpetre, four ounces brown sugar, one ounce allspice, four ounces black pepper (whole), the allspice or one ounce of coriander seed must be bruised not ground, one quart of water: boil all together a few minutes and rub on hot. in three weeks the hams will be ready to hang if well rubbed with the pickle everyday. sufficient pickle for two. braised mutton. mrs. archie cook. one boned shoulder of mutton, four ounces of bread crumbs, two ounces of suet, rind of half a lemon, bunch of mixed vegetables, one tablespoon chopped parsley, other herbs if liked, one egg, a little milk, one teaspoon of salt, half teaspoon of pepper. chop suet finely (or fat from mutton will do) add breadcrumbs, parsley, grated lemon rind and salt, moisten with egg and milk. place mixture in mutton, roll up and tie securely. slice vegetables and put them with bones in saucepan also two cloves, a bay leaf and peppercorns, pour over them a pint of stock or water, place mutton on top and boil slowly about one and one half hours according to size of meat, then brush it over with glaze or sprinkle with flour, pepper and salt and bake it half an hour. place on a dish, pour fat from pan and stir in half ounce of flour (browned) add stock in which meat was cooked, also one tablespoon mushroom catsup and one tablespoon worcester sauce, pepper and salt, boil two minutes and strain around meat. vegetables in stock can be cut to ornament the dish. genuine irish stew. mrs. duncan laurie. take the feet and legs of a pig, cut off at the hams, two will be sufficient for a family of eight. singe off the hair and thoroughly cleanse them, removing the toes by scorching. cut the legs in pieces suitable for stewing, put down in cold water and cook slowly for three hours. pare and cut up nine or ten good sized potatoes and add to your stew with salt and pepper, about one half an hour before dishing. after the potatoes have been put in, the greatest care must be taken to prevent them from sticking to the pot and burning, therefore you must stir frequently with a spoon. what remains from dinner pour into a mould and it will become a jelly, which is nice eaten cold for breakfast. to stew a fresh tongue. mrs. archie cook. wash it very well and rub it well with common salt and a little saltpetre; let it lie two or three days; then boil till the skin will peel off; put it into a saucepan with part of the liquor it has boiled in and a pint of good stock, season with black and jamaica pepper, two or three pounded cloves. add a glassful of white wine, a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup and one of lemon pickle, thicken with butter rolled in flour. stew the tongue till quite soft in this sauce; the wine can be added when dished or left out if preferred. lambs' tongues stewed. mrs. archie cook. six tongues, three heaping tablespoons of butter, one large onion, two slices of carrot, three slices of white turnip, three tablespoons flour, one of salt, a little pepper, one quart of stock or water and some sweet herbs. boil the tongues one hour and a half in clear water, take them up, cover with cold water, and draw off the skins. put the butter, onion, turnip and carrot in the stewpan and cook slowly for fifteen minutes, then add the flour and cook until brown, stirring all the time. stir the stock into this and when it boils up, add the tongues, salt, pepper and herbs; simmer gently for two hours. cut the carrots, turnips and potatoes into cubes. boil the potatoes in salted water ten minutes and the carrots and turnips one hour. place the tongues in the centre of a hot dish, arrange the vegetables around them, strain the gravy, over all. garnish with parsley. roast fillet of veal. mrs. rattray. take a good sized, white, fat leg of veal, weighing some ten or twelve pounds. remove the meat carefully from the bone and take out the bone. then pin the meat securely into a nice round with skewers; fill the cavity from which the bone was taken with the following dressing. roast in a slow oven, allowing one quarter of an hour for each pound, and be sure to keep it thoroughly basted with plenty of beef dripping. dressing. make ready one coffee cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one half teaspoonful summer savory, pepper and salt to taste. take a good sized onion, peel, slice, and fry it well with a piece of butter the size of an egg; pour the liquor from this into your bread crumbs and blend all thoroughly together. be careful not to put the onion in, only the fried butter and onion juice. when the meat is cooked, remove from pan and make a rich brown gravy to serve with it. garnish your dish with fried bacon and slices of lemon. stuffing for veal. mrs. w. clint. chop half a pound of beef suet very fine, put in a basin, with eight ounces of bread crumbs, four ounces of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of equal quantities of powdered thyme and marjoram, the rind of a lemon grated, the juice of half a one; season with pepper and salt, and a quarter of a nutmeg; mix the whole with two eggs; this will do also for turkey or baked fish. yorkshire pudding. mrs. george cressman. two eggs, four tablespoonfuls of flour, a little salt and milk to make a batter the thickness of cream. when the beef is roasted pour off the boiling dripping into another pan, turn in the batter and bake to a good brown. game. accompaniments.--with wild ducks, cucumber sauce, currant jelly or cranberry sauce. roast duck with apples. miss beemer. pluck and singe a duck, draw it without breaking the intestines, wipe it with a wet towel and lay it in a baking pan; wipe a dozen small sour apples with a wet cloth, cut out the cores without breaking the apples, and arrange them around the duck; put the pan into a hot oven and quickly brown the duck, then moderate the heat of the oven and continue the cooking for about twenty minutes, or until the apples are tender but not broken, baste both duck and apples every five minutes until they are done, and then serve them on the same dish. it is a great improvement some think, to parboil the duck for fifteen minutes with an onion in the water, and the strong fishy flavor that is sometimes so disagreeable in wild ducks will have disappeared. a carrot will answer the same purpose. roast quail with bread sauce. peel and slice an onion and put it over the fire in a pint of milk; pluck and singe half a dozen quail, draw them without breaking the intestines, cut off the heads and feet, and wipe them with a wet towel; rub them all over with butter; season them with pepper and salt, and roast them before a very hot fire for fifteen minutes basting them three or four times with butter. have some slices of toast laid under them to catch the drippings. while the birds are roasting make a bread sauce as follows; roll a pint bowlfull of dry bread, and sift the crumbs; use the finest ones for the sauce, and the largest for the frying later; remove the onion from the milk in which it has been boiling, stir into the milk the finest portion of the crumbs, season it with a saltspoonful of white pepper and a grate of nutmeg, stir in a tablespoonful of butter, and stir the sauce until it is smooth; then place the saucepan containing it in a pan of boiling water to keep it hot; put two tablespoonfuls of butter over the fire in a frying pan, and when it is smoking hot put into it the coarse half of the crumbs, dust them with cayenne pepper, and stir them until they are light brown; then at once put them on a hot dish; put the bread sauce into a gravy-boat ready to send it to the table. arrange to have the fried breadcrumbs, sauce and quail done at the same time; serve the birds on the toast which has been laid under them; in serving the quail, lay each bird on a hot plate, pour over it a large spoonful of the bread sauce and on that place a spoonful of the fried bread crumbs. venison steak. mrs. ernest f. wurtele. take a piece of frozen venison, and put into water in which has been put two tablespoons of vinegar. just leave until the ice comes to the surface of the meat, take the meat out and remove the ice with a knife; wipe dry and flour well, put a good piece of butter in the pan; let brown, put the steak in salt, and pepper, fry on both sides, then add a cup of rich milk, push the pan to the back of the stove and cover it and let it stew slowly for one and a half hours--if the steak is very dry lard it with salt pork before frying. stewed pigeons. mrs. harry laurie. for two pair of pigeons stuff first with bread, summer savory, butter, pepper, salt. put eight or nine slices of fat pork, in an iron pot to fry, until the pork is well browned, then take it out and put in the pigeons and let brown thoroughly, keep turning to prevent burning. then add one pint of stock, season if required, put back slices of pork and let stew for an hour and a half (at least) quietly. if gravy is not thick enough, add a tablespoon of brown flour. about quarter of an hour before done, put in a can of green peas--then serve. stewed hare. can be prepared in the same manner as the above for stewed pigeons, with the addition of spices: cloves a few, and a little more of cinnamon. bread sauce. mrs. benson bennett. one half pint boiled milk to one cup of fine bread crumbs, one small onion, two cloves, one piece of mace, salt to taste, let simmer five minutes, add small piece of butter. cranberry jelly. pare, quarter, and core twelve good sized tart apples, place in a porcelain kettle with two quarts of cranberries, cover well with cold water and stew until soft, then strain through a jelly bag, add to this juice two pounds of confectioner's sugar, and boil as you would any other jelly, until it falls from the skimmer; when you dip it in skim off any froth that arises while boiling, put in moulds and let it get firm before using. plain dressing for fowls. mrs. w. clint. one cup and a half of bread crumbs (not too stale), one heaped teaspoon each of parsley, thyme and savory, one dessert spoonful butter, half teaspoon salt, quarter of a teaspoon pepper, mix all together with a little milk. plain dressing for geese and ducks. one cup breadcrumbs or potatoes, one cup or more of stewed onions, one tablespoon sage, pepper, salt and a little butter, mix with a little milk. vegetables. "cheerful cooks make every dish a feast."--massinger. always have the water boiling when you put your vegetables in, and keep it constantly boiling until they are done. cook each kind by itself when convenient. all vegetables should be well seasoned. apples. mrs. david bell. when the barrel of apples you have bought, begins to make your mind uneasy, because they can spoil faster than you can use them, a good plan is to peel, core and stir them with a very little sugar and screw them down in your jam jars. they will keep for a couple of months and will be handy to fill a tart or as apple sauce, etc.; they do not need to be cooked too much and some of the firmer sorts may remain in quarters solid enough for a pie. another plan is to peel but not core the suspicious ones, then let them freeze solid, when frozen pack them in a box and cover. keep them where they will not thaw. when you wish for a dish of baked apples, put them in your baking pan, scatter a little sugar over them and put them in a quick oven without letting them thaw, when done, they should each be whole and a pretty brown color. beans. beans are a nice winter vegetable, but cooked with pork as "baked beans," are too strong for daily use, but are a desirable article of food cooked more plainly. choose the small white beans, put them in a saucepan with as much cold water, as will cover them well and a small pinch of baking soda; when they have simmered a few minutes drain off the water and replace it with hot water and a little salt; if possible let them cook without boiling hard; when tender drain, and dish with a liberal piece of butter and a dust of pepper. they are also good thrown when drained into the frying pan with some dripping, pepper and salt, and heated a few minutes over the fire. the only attention they require in cooking is lest they melt into soup when nearly cooked. fried beets. mrs. duncan laurie. boil until tender, slice and put in stewpan with a teaspoon of vinegar, half the juice of a lemon, one half teaspoonful each sugar and salt, a grate of nutmeg and a dash of pepper. add two tablespoonfuls of stock, a teaspoon butter, and let simmer one half hour. creamed cabbage. miss j. e. fraser. cut a medium sized cabbage in quarters. take out the stem, put into a kettle of boiling water, cook for ten minutes, drain and cover with cold water. this will destroy the odor so unpleasant. when cold, chop fine, season with salt and pepper. make a sauce of two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon flour, mix smooth, add one pint of milk; cook in this sauce slowly for three quarters of an hour. stewed cucumbers. mrs. david bell. peel a nice straight cucumber, cut in four lengthwise, scoop out all seeds, and cut it in pieces about three inches long; throw these into a saucepan of boiling water with a little salt. when they bend under the touch, they are done, drain in a sieve, then put in a stewpan with a good sized piece of butter, finely chopped parsley salt and pepper. toss over the fire till thoroughly heated through and serve in a hot dish. oyster cabbage. mrs. d. m. cook. mince fine one half a cabbage, boil for ten minutes and strain off water. then cover cabbage with milk and let come to a boil, add rolled cracker crumbs, butter size of a walnut, salt and pepper to taste. corn omelet. boil one half dozen ears of corn, cut corn from the cob; beat four eggs separately, add to the corn the beaten yolks, salt and pepper, put in the whites last, fry in a pan with plenty of butter. macaroni and cheese. miss h. barclay. boil quarter of a pound of macaroni in water, for half an hour, cool and chop. make a sauce of one tablespoonful butter, one dessertspoon of flour, half pint milk, one teaspoonful of mustard. boil one minute; mix all together with three ounces of grated cheese. put in a shallow dish sprinkling top with cheese. bake a golden brown and garnish with toast. macaroni. mrs. thom. one half pound macaroni, one half pound cheese, one quarter pound of butter, pint of milk, mustard and cayenne. boil macaroni in salt and water until tender, drain and lay in dish. put pint of milk on fire, just before boiling, add one tablespoon flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, butter, nearly all the cheese grated, mustard and cayenne. boil until thick as custard, then pour over macaroni, sprinkle remainder of cheese on top with some small pieces of butter; if used immediately bake twenty minutes, if allowed to get cold one half hour. cream-baked onions. mrs. j. s. thom. pare as many good-sized onions as required and cover with boiling water, boil for ten minutes, then drain. cover again with boiling water to which add one half teaspoon of salt, and cook till tender. drain carefully and put the onions in a baking dish, place on each a teaspoon of butter, add pepper and salt to taste, then fill the dish half full of milk and cover with a layer of fine bread-crumbs. bake till a delicate brown. corn oysters. mrs. frank glass. one pint green grated corn, two tablespoons of milk, two eggs, two tablespoons of butter, flour to make a batter. fry with butter. oyster pancakes. mrs. waddle. one quart of new milk, three eggs, one half dozen green corn grated, one half teacup melted butter, one teaspoon salt and pepper. flour enough to make a thin batter, fry with butter. stirred potatoes with eggs. miss grace macmillan. eight cold boiled potatoes chopped fine. put into the saucepan a piece of butter the size of an egg. when it melts stir in the potatoes, stirring them till brown, then pour in four well beaten eggs, and stir them well through the potatoes. serve very hot. sweet potatoes stuffed. mrs. archibald laurie. four large sized sweet potatoes baked until tender, then cut carefully in two. cut a piece off each end, so they will stand, then scoop out, leaving the skins perfect. mash the potato fine with an egg dressing as follows: boil four eggs hard, mash the yolks to a paste with cream to thin, salt and pepper to taste and a little mustard if liked; with this mixture fill the skins, place a piece of butter on top of each, and bake until well browned. serve in individual saucers with a small doyley under. potato frill. mrs. frank glass. boil and mash some potatoes, working in a little milk and butter but not enough to make the paste soft; while hot add one beaten egg. shape this paste into a fence on the inside round of a shallow dish, fluting it with the round handle of a knife. set one minute in a hot oven but not long enough to cause the fence to crack. glaze quickly with butter and pour the meat carefully within the wall. the mince should not be so thin as to wash away the frill. potato puff. miss cordelia jackson. take two cupfuls of cold mashed potato, and stir into it six teaspoonfuls of melted butter, beating to a white cream before adding anything else. then put with this two eggs, whipped very light and a teacupful of cream or milk, salting to taste. beat all well, pour into a deep dish, and bake in a quick oven until it is nicely browned. if properly mixed it will come out of the oven light, puffy and delectable. potato pears. mrs. j. s. thom boil six or eight large potatoes, when well done mash thoroughly, adding a little butter, cream, pepper and salt. mould into shape of pears, putting a clove into stem and brush over with beaten egg, and put into the oven to brown slightly. potato fricassÉ. mrs. j. t. smythe. cut into thin slices one half pound of fat salt pork. place in stewpan, when brown, add an onion sliced and a little cold water, cook a few minutes. cut up a number of good sized potatoes, add this to onion and pork and one half teaspoon of pepper. cover well with cold water. let this boil hard for hours. if about half an hour before serving, it is found not to be thick enough, take off cover and boil until it does thicken. peas with cream sauce. mrs. stocking. put one quart of peas in a kettle of salted boiling water and cook fifteen minutes; drain, put a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, add a tablespoon of flour, mix; add a cup of milk; stir constantly until boiling; add salt, pepper and then the peas; stand over boiling water about five minutes and serve as garnish to baked, broiled or fried sweetbreads. creamed rice. mrs. lawrence. two thirds cup raw rice, one quart of milk, one half cup sugar, flavor with grated rind of lemon or nutmeg. cook in a pie dish in moderate oven for one and half hour. to boil rice. miss m. sampson. have enough boiling water with a pinch of salt to more than cover the rice, boil for twenty minutes, do not stir, strain through a collander when cooked, and serve. spinach on toast. mrs. frank glass. cook twenty minutes in boiling salted water. drain and chop fine. put a tablespoon of butter into a saucepan with a teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of nutmeg, pepper and salt. stir in the spinach and beat smooth while it heats; at the last, add one tablespoonful of cream or two of milk. pour upon crustless slices of buttered toast laid upon a flat dish. vegetable marrow. mrs. david bell. cut in slices half an inch thick, peel and remove the spongy portion; fry in hot dripping or butter, pepper and salt; also nice to make a light batter and dip the slices in, afterwards frying a golden brown. entrÉes and meats rÉchauffÉ. beef croquettes. miss francis fry. two cups beef (minced fine), one cup stock, two pounds flour, one pound butter, one teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar, ditto of onion and salt, one half teaspoon pepper, two eggs, bread or biscuit crumbs. make a thick sauce by cooking flour and butter; add gradually stock and lemon juice, season; add chopped meat with the onion and one egg. cook five minutes and turn out to cool. form into shape roll in beaten egg and crumbs, and fry in boiling lard. cream of chicken. mrs. archie cook. pound three quarters of a pound of chicken, veal or rabbit until quite smooth, then pound one half pound of panada (bread soaked in hot milk), and mix the two together, add two tablespoonfuls of thick soubise sauce, an ounce and a quarter butter, two tablespoons sherry, a little pepper and salt and three whole eggs. pass the mixture through a fine wire sieve and then add two tablespoons of thick cream. butter some small timbale moulds and fill them with the mixture, remembering to hit the moulds on the table after having put the mixture into them and steam them about fifteen minutes. turn them out carefully and serve hot. tomato sauce poured around them is an improvement. if preferred they can be cold and decorated with aspic jelly and a ragout made of truffles, cooked tongue, or ham and button mushrooms, or a little tomato salad could be used. soubise sauce. put some onions to soak for ten minutes in boiling water. peel them, cut in halves or quarters. put them in a small saucepan with a lump of fresh butter; simmer very slowly until the onions are quite cooked, add salt to taste; thicken with flour, or flour and fine bread crumbs, and add cream or milk. pass through a sieve, must be thick and smooth. some people like a pinch of sugar. jellied chicken. mrs. archibald laurie. take an old fowl, boil until so tender the bones will leave the meat; set aside to cool: next day skim off the fat and boil down to one quart, to this add one ounce of sheet gelatine previously steeped in a little cold water. pepper and salt to taste, with a little ground savory. put the meat in a pie dish and by degrees add the liquid to avoid having the meat all in one place. this should turn out well when cold. make a dozen chicken croquettes. mrs. andrew thomson. white of two chickens well minced, one wineglass of sherry, one half pint of cream, pepper and salt and a little cayenne to taste, mix well and put into a buttered mould; steam for one hour. chicken mould. (served cold.) madame j. t. put over one large chicken in a pint and a half of cold water, with a medium sized onion, three stalks of celery, and a small bunch parsley. let simmer gently (not boil), for two hours. then remove chicken, pick the meat from the bones, and cut into pieces about an inch long. put the bones back into the broth and let this boil down to three quarters of a pint. add gradually two cups cream in which a tablespoonful of flour has been dissolved. when the flour has thickened remove from fire and add two well beaten eggs and a very little nutmeg. garnish a mould with slices of hard boiled egg and sprigs of parsley. pour in chicken mixture. allow to set and serve on lettuce leaves. this will serve eight people. curry. (excellent.) mrs. w. cook. take several small onions, chop them up very fine, put them into a pan with a piece of butter, stew them over the fire until the onions are quite dissolved and turned to a light brown. cut meat into small pieces and rub the curry powder well into the raw meat. put it into a stew pan with onion and an apple minced fine and a teaspoonful of cream, and let it all simmer for two or three hours. it must not boil. fish rÉchauffÉ one pound cooked fish, one tablespoon each of mushroom ketchup, essence of anchovy, harvey's sauce and mustard, one ounce of butter, rolled flour and one half a pint of cream, a wall of potatoes. divide the fish into flakes, place it with cream and butter into a stew pan, until very hot. mash the potatoes, and add to them one tablespoon cream, one yolk of egg, pepper and salt; well butter a wall mould and sprinkle with browned bread crumbs, and place it in the oven till hot, turn it out on a silver dish and pour the ragoût in the centre. garnish with lemon and parsley. fish croquettes. miss fry. mash freshly boiled potatoes, add one egg and flour to make a stiff dough. roll out thin and cut with a round cutter. spread on one half the cake chopped fish, mixed with parsley, fold over and press down the edges. fry in lard. hominy croquettes. mrs. benson bennett. to a cupful of cold boiled hominy, add a tablespoonful of melted butter, and stir, moistening by degrees with a cupful of milk beating to a soft light paste, one teacupful of white sugar, and lastly a well beaten egg. roll in oval balls with floured hands in egg and bread crumbs and fry in hot lard. potted head. miss edith m. henry. take the shank (lower), of meat, cover with water, boil until tender enough to cut up in dice, take off and cut the meat into dice, then throw back into pot, flavor with pepper, salt, mace, celery seed, cayenne pepper, allspice and cloves. then have ready a little gelatine, mix all through well and let boil a short time, then pour into a cold shape. kegeree. mrs. benson bennett. one teacup of freshly boiled rice, one half quarter of boiled salmon, two soft boiled eggs, lump of butter, salt and pepper. mix all together and put it in a mould to steam. devilled liver. mrs. henry thomson. to three pounds of uncooked liver, one quarter of a pound of uncooked salt pork, one half pint of bread crumbs, three tablespoons of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one half a teaspoon each of cayenne pepper, mace and cloves. mode.--chop the liver and pork very fine, add the other ingredients mixing well, put it into a covered mould, and set in a saucepan of cold water, cover and place on the fire to cook two hours. take out the mould, uncover and let it stand in an open oven to let the steam off. this is a cold dish. meat croquettes. madame j. t. one tablespoon butter, one tablespoon flour, two tablespoon of stock, one tablespoon milk. let boil until it thickens, then add small teaspoonful onion juice (grated), one teaspoon lemon juice, one small teaspoon lemon rind, pepper and salt, one grate of nutmeg. when well blended, add one beaten up egg, cupful of chopped meat (any kind.) let this mixture cool in a soup plate and roll into cork shaped croquettes with finely grated bread crumbs and fry in lard hot. serve on a napkin with parsley and lemon rind. mock patÉ de foie gras. mrs. blair. rub the bottom of a stew-pan five times across with a piece of fresh cut garlic, put in three pounds of larded calf's liver, with two chopped shallots, a laurel leaf, a bay leaf, a blade of mace, four pepper corns, two cloves, a saltspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of loaf sugar, and half a pint of stock: simmer gently for four hours. then cut the liver into thin slices, place in a basin, and cover with the liquid: let it remain until next day. then pound the liver to a paste, add a tablespoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of white pepper; add three quarters of a pound of clarified butter; pound well together and pass through a wire sieve; put into pots; smooth over the top with a knife, then pour over hot clarified butter or lard and keep in a cool place. potato croquettes. mrs. j. g. scott. take two cupfuls of cold mashed potatoes, beat up with two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and three eggs, make into rolls, cover with cracker dust, or bread crumbs and fry. kidney stew. mrs. septimus barrow. one tablespoon flour, one half tablespoon of salt, one saltspoon pepper, three gills stock or water, one tablespoon mushroom ketchup, two ounces butter or bacon fat. first: wash the kidney and remove the core--cut into thin slices; mix together pepper, salt and flour, roll kidney in it. brown it quickly in the butter, then add stock or water; skim well and cook very slowly for two hours. stewed sweetbreads. mrs. ernest wurtele. soak the sweetbreads in salt and water for twenty minutes, then take them out, wipe them well, and take off the skin. parboil them for twenty minutes or half an hour, after which you stew them in a little milk, till they are tender, add a little salt and pepper, make a little sauce of the milk and serve. use a double kettle when stewing. cold entrÉe. mrs. frank duggan. an entrée that supplies the want of fish for luncheon. take the contents of one can of sardines, mince fine with a silver fork removing bits of bone, the tails, etc., etc., add celery salt, pepper and salt to taste, a tablespoonful of lemon juice, a quarter teaspoonful worcester sauce, a few drops of harvey's sauce, the same of anchovy sauce. add a tablespoonful of capers. mix the whole thoroughly with a little thick cream, (sweet), or mayonnaise. mould into minature pyramids and serve on lettuce leaves: further garnish the dish with parsley. one can of sardines will be sufficient to make four pyramids. finely chopped celery may be added before the mayonnaise. stuffed tomatoes (hot entrÉe.) mrs. james laurie. six tomatoes, three ounces cooked white meat of any kind, one small shallot, one teaspoon chopped parsley, pepper and salt, two tablespoons bread crumbs, one egg. take out the centre from the tomatoes; cut the meat into very small pieces, mix with the bread crumbs, parsley, shallot, pepper, salt, and egg. with this fill the tomatoes, put a small piece of butter on each and bake fifteen minutes in a good oven. mock turkey. mrs. henry thomson. three pounds veal, one fourth pound salt pork, finely minced cup bread crumbs (large coffee cup), two eggs, one teaspoonful salt, same of pepper, a little sweet herbs, steam four hours. turbot À la crÈme au gratin. madame j. t. boil one quart of milk twenty minutes, with one onion, one bunch parsley, one bunch thyme; mix in a little cold milk, one quartercup flour, and add gradually to boiled milk also salt, pepper and a grate of nutmeg. when thick, remove from fire, add one quarter pound fresh butter, the yolks two eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of grated gruyere cheese. pass through a coarse sieve and pour over two and one half pounds of boiled fish removed from bones and flaked, putting in the dish first a layer of sauce, then a layer of fish, another layer of sauce and another of fish. on top layer put sauce, thickly sprinkled with bread crumbs and grated gruyere cheese. brown one half an hour in the oven and serve. this quantity will serve ten or twelve people. jellied tongue. miss mitchell. take a corned tongue, soak it for twelve hours then boil slowly, pare and skin, and put it in your mould. have ready half a package of gelatine and a half a thinly cut lemon, place on the tongue and pour your jelly over it. turn out when cold. salads and salad dressing. "to make a perfect salad, there should be a spendthrift for oil, a miser for vinegar, a wise man for salt, and a madcap to stir the ingredients up, and mix them well together."--spanish proverb. apple and celery salad. mrs. r. m. stocking. one day at the house of a charming friend, from dishes of dainty blue, i ate something good which puzzled me much, the secret i'll tell to you. . "this looks like salad, my dear," said i, "t'is celery surely i see, and mayonnaise yellow and thick and rich, what may this rare flavor be." . "a firm spicy apple," she said with a smile, "cut into pieces like dice-- i used equal parts, with celery white, and my salad was made in a trice." cabbage salad. mrs. smythe. cut a cabbage into fine pieces. place in water for a couple of hours with one onion sliced thin. throw water off, pass through colander. cover it with the dressing and let it stand for five or six hours. a couple of beets can be chopped up finely and placed with it; this salad will keep for a couple of days. salad dressing. one cup cream, one table spoon sugar, one dessert spoon mustard, one half dessert spoon of pepper and salt, one small onion sliced fine, a couple of radishes sliced, two hard boiled eggs. crush the yolks into the cream, one pinch mint, two tablespoons vinegar. if cream is not thick enough, crush up potatoes and mix with it. sour cream can be used as well as sweet cream. chicken salad. miss stevenson. one cold chicken, one teaspoonful white pepper, one half head celery, one grain cayenne, yolks two eggs, one tablespoonful vinegar, one tablespoonful capers, one head of lettuce, one gill salad oil, one tablespoonful of cream, white of egg beaten to a stiff froth. cut the chicken into small square pieces and remove the skin. the celery should be well washed and also cut into pieces of a similar size. put into a bowl the yolks of eggs, drop into this drop by drop, the oil, and beat them together, the mixture should resemble thick cream, add the vinegar. put the chicken and celery together in a salad bowl and pour over the compound, sprinkle on also pepper and salt and cayenne; mix all thoroughly together with a fork. arrange the lettuce around the edge of the salad bowl, sprinkle the capers over the top and garnish the centre with tips of celery. lobster, chicken or veal salad. mrs. a. j. elliot. cut up a chicken, (roast or boiled) fine, salt and pepper well, add a large or two small heads of celery and if lobster some beet-root and the white of a hard boiled egg. crush the yolk with a pinch of salt, half a teaspoon of pepper, a large teaspoon of mustard, two teaspoons of brown sugar, one teaspoon of olive oil or butter melted, one wineglass of vinegar; mix well with a raw egg well beaten, half a pint of sour or sweet cream, and mix with other ingredients: garnish with either salad or parsley. this is excellent. lettuce chicken salad. mrs. duncan laurie. having skinned a pair of cold chickens, either mince or divide into small threads. mix with it a little smoked tongue or cold ham, grated rather than chopped. have ready one or two fine fresh lettuces, washed, drained and cut small. put the cut lettuce in a bowl, place upon it the minced chicken in a close heap in the centre. for the dressing: the yolks of four eggs well beaten, a teaspoon of white sugar, a little cayenne, no salt: if you have ham or tongue with the chicken two teaspoonfuls of made mustard, two tables of vinegar, and four tables of salad oil. stir this mixture well, put it into a small saucepan and let boil three minutes (not more), stirring it all the time, then set to cool, when quite cold cover with it thickly the heap of chicken in centre of salad. to ornament it have ready one half dozen hard boiled eggs, which after the shell is peeled off must be thrown directly into a pan of cold water to prevent discoloring. cut each egg (white and yolk together) lengthways, into four large pieces of equal size and shape, lay the pieces upon the salad all round the heap of chicken in a slanting direction. have ready also some red cold beet, cut in small cones of equal size, arrange them outside the circle of egg. this salad should be prepared immediately before dinner or supper. the colder it is the better. salmon or lobster salad dressing. mrs. andrew t. love. two eggs, two tablespoons melted butter, one tablespoon mustard, one half cup milk, (with a small pinch baking soda to prevent curdling), one half cup vinegar, salt and pepper. mix mustard and butter, then eggs well beaten, milk, stir well, add vinegar, boil gently till as thick as cream. celery chopped up and added gives a nice flavor and crispness. if cooked in a double boiler it is less likely to burn. this does nicely with chicken or lamb. something nice for the salad course of a luncheon. mrs. frank duggan. select round tomatoes of equal size; peel and scoop out the seeds from the stem end. place the tomatoes on the ice till shortly before serving; then fill with celery that has been chopped fine and mixed with mayonnaise. arrange the filled tomatoes on lettuce leaves on a flat dish or plate. garnish the dish further by placing the ends of celery and sprigs of parsley on top of each tomato. serve with toasted cheese, biscuits, or salted wafers. be generous with the filling. use plenty of the mayonnaise and celery and fill tomatoes to the top. salad dressing. mrs. r. stuart. two eggs (well beaten), one cup sweet milk, one half cup vinegar (scant) one teaspoon mixed mustard, one tablespoon butter (melted). pepper and salt to taste, _mix thoroughly_. set in kettle of boiling water and stir till it thickens, (about four minutes), when ready to use it add two tablespoons cream. salad sandwiches. mrs. j. laurie. for twenty four slices of bread and butter, take two small tomatoes, one small lettuce, one bunch cress, two tablespoons salad oil, one tablespoon of vinegar, pepper and salt. shred all the salad finely. mix well with the dressing and put a little on half the bread and butter. cover with the other half, press together and trim neatly. salad dressing without oil. mrs. gilmour. the yolks of two egg boiled half an hour, one half egg spoon of mustard, one dessert spoon of sugar, pinch of salt, a little pepper. one cup of sour or sweet cream, one dessert spoon of vinegar. salad dressing for tomatoes. mrs. a. j. elliot. half a cup of butter, one cup of sweet milk, one cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of salt, two tablespoons of made mustard, a dash of sugar and cayenne, and four eggs. slice tomatoes and arrange in layers. garnish dish with either salad or parsley. method: scald the milk and melt the butter with it, pour this on the eggs well beaten, add the salt and then the vinegar, this last slowly, and stir all the time. then cook in a pot in hot water, until as thick as custard, when cold add the mustard.--prepared mustard is made as follows: two tablespoons mustard, one teaspoon sugar, half a teaspoon salt, enough boiling water to mix. half this quantity is enough for ordinary use. the above recipe is also good for chicken. eggs. humpty dumpty sat on the wall. humpty dumpty had a great fall. all the king's horses and all the king's men could not set humpty dumpty back again. --mother goose. try the freshness of eggs by putting them into cold water; those that sink the soonest are the freshest. never attempt to boil an egg without watching the time-piece. put the eggs in boiling water. in three minutes eggs will be boiled soft; in four minutes the white part will be cooked; in ten minutes they will be hard enough for salad. preserving eggs. mrs. farquharson smith. (which keeps them from june to june.) half a gallon of fresh lime to five gallons of water added by degrees, two and one half gallons the first day, the rest next, then add one half gallon coarse salt, stir two or three times a day for three days, after this drop in four eggs gently. to test the strength of the lime-water drop in an egg that you know to be fresh, and if it floats the lime is too strong, add another gallon or more of water until you find the egg dropping to the bottom. curÉe eggs. miss mitchell. boil six eggs quite hard, then shell and cut them in half; have drawn butter not too thick, flavor with curée powder. place your eggs on a side dish, pour your curée round and finish with parsley: makes a pretty lunch dish. poached eggs. have nicely cut hot buttered toast, with a little anchovy paste. after poaching your eggs, put them on the toast and sprinkle finely chopped parsley over them. garnish the dish with parsley. anchovy eggs. madame j. t. boil three eggs hard, turn in the water for the first two minutes. let boil for one hour; cut in two, remove the yolks and leave the whites in cold water not to discolor. pound three anchovies in a mortar with one tablespoon butter, small pinch of pepper, one shake cayenne, one half teaspoon lemon juice and the yolks of the eggs. when pounded smooth put back into the eggs. sardines can be used instead of the anchovies. stuffed eggs. mrs. w. clint. three eggs, one teaspoon of butter, one teaspoon of parsley, two tablespoons minced ham. boil the eggs for ten minutes; take off the shells, cut lengthwise, take out the yolks, mash them in a basin, add the butter melted, the minced ham and the parsley. put the mixture into the whites of the eggs. put the two halves together. serve on shallow dish with the following white sauce: one tablespoon each of butter, flour, and salt, one cup milk, one saltspoon pepper. melt the butter add the flour, then the milk (gradually) and pepper and salt. baked omelet. mrs. duncan laurie. one cupful boiling milk, beat the yolks of four eggs, add hot milk, and a tablespoonful melted butter, wet three teaspoonfuls flour in a little cold milk add the beaten whites and beat all, salt and pepper to taste. bake twenty minutes. cheese omelet. mrs. henry thomson. three eggs, well beaten, grated cheese the size of an egg, salt, three tablespoons of fresh cream. omelet. miss m'gee. seven eggs, one cup of milk, one teaspoonful flour, parsley, pepper and salt. beat the whites and yolks separately, add the milk, pepper, salt, and chopped parsley and the flour dissolved in a little milk, then add the whites, put in the frying pan, leave on top of the stove for three minutes and put in the oven for five minutes. omelette. miss maud thomson. the yolks of four beaten eggs, four tablespoons of milk, a pinch of salt: beat the whites of the four eggs as stiff as possible, add to the above, turn into a frying pan, until the mixture sets and then put in the oven until a golden brown. cheese dishes. cheese straws. mrs. j. macnaughton. mix one cupful of any good cheese grated with one cupful of flour, one half saltspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper and butter the size of an egg. add enough cold water to enable you to roll thin. cut in strips and bake five or to ten minutes in a quick oven. cheese scallop. miss fraser. soak one cup of dried bread crumbs in fresh milk. into this beat the yolks of three eggs, add one teaspoon of butter, and half a pound of grated cheese. strew upon the top sifted bread crumbs, and bake a delicate brown. whip the whites of the three eggs to a stiff froth; put on top and return to the oven for a few minutes. the chafing dish. a relish and a savory. welsh rarebit. miss grace m'millan. allow for each person one egg, one tablespoonful of grated cheese, one half teaspoonful of butter, one saltspoon of salt, and a few grains of cayenne. cook like custard until smooth. spread on toast and serve at once. welsh rarebit. miss beemer. select richest and best american cheese, (canadian will do), the milder the better, as melting brings out strength. to make five rarebits take one pound cheese grate and put in the saucepan; add ale (old is best) enough to thin the cheese sufficiently, say about a wine glassful to each rarebit. place over the fire, stir until it is melted. have ready a slice of toast for each rarebit (crusts trimmed); put a slice on each plate, and pour cheese enough over each piece to cover it. serve _at once_. golden buck a "golden buck" is merely the addition of a poached egg which is put carefully on top of rarebit. lobster À la newburg. mrs. j. g. scott. two pounds of lobster, one half cup of cream, two eggs (hard boiled), one tablespoon flour, two tablespoons of sherry wine, two tablespoons of butter, salt and cayenne pepper to taste. break the lobster meat into moderately small pieces, mash the yolks of the eggs with a silver spoon and gradually add half the cream. place the butter in a granite ware saucepan, add the flour, let it cook slowly for one minute and then pour in the balance of the cream and stir until the liquid thickens. add the first mixture and then the lobster meat and the whites of the eggs sliced, season with cayenne pepper, and salt, add the wine and serve at once. lobster À la newburg. mrs. harry laurie. two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of flour, stir until smooth, add one cup of cream, let it heat through, then add one can of lobster. pepper and salt to taste and one half cup of sherry or port wine, if desired; serve at once on squares of toast. canned chicken or salmon can be done the same way. oyster cocktail. miss ritchie. one dessertspoonful tomato sauce, one shake of tabasco, a sprinkle of horse radish, about half a dozen oysters, and the same on top. serve in small tumblers on a plate with pounded ice around them and with oyster biscuits. crustine. mrs. a. cook. boil the liver of two chickens, (or turkey will do), pound them to a paste with a piece of butter the size of a walnut, a teaspoon of anchovy and a little cayenne. serve on hot toast. small anchovies whole, laid on top are an improvement. pies. "who dare deny the truth, there's poetry in pie."--longfellow. "ingenuity, good judgment and great care should be used in making all kinds of pastry. use very cold water, and just as little as possible; roll thin and always from you; prick the bottom crust with a fork to prevent blistering; then brush it well with the white of egg, and sprinkle thick with granulated sugar. this will give you a firm rich crust. "for all kinds of fruit pies, prepare the bottom crust as above. stew the fruit and sweeten to taste. if juicy put a good layer of corn-starch on top of the fruit before putting on the top crust. this will prevent the juice from running out, and will form a nice jelly throughout the pie. be sure you have plenty of incisions in the top crust; then pinch it closely around the edge; sprinkle some granulated sugar on top, and bake in a moderate oven." cocoanut custard pie. mr. joseph fleig. (baker, grenoble hotel, n. y.) place on a deep pie plate a thin layer of pie crust, put a good rim on the side and put into this one half cup of dried cocoanut; fill up with a custard made as follows: three eggs, three ounces of sugar beaten together with flavoring of lemon, vanilla or nutmeg, little salt and add one pint of milk. the custard must be three quarters of an inch thick. lemon pie filling. mrs. james laurie. mix together two cups of white sugar, yolks of three eggs, juice of two lemons, grated rind of half a lemon; put it on the stove to boil and add at once one tea-cup boiling water, stir smooth, then add two tablespoons of corn starch, mixed in a little cold water, and one tablespoon of butter, boil until it custards. lemon pie. mrs. george cressman. grate one lemon, put this down to boil with two-thirds of a cup of water for ten minutes, strain through fine sieve, then add one cup sugar, the juice of a lemon and butter half the size of an egg, let boil a few minutes. mix two teaspoonfuls of corn-starch and yolk of one egg in half cup milk stir in the mixture letting it boil until thick. beat whites of two eggs into stiff froth for frosting. lemon pie. mrs. strang. take two lemons, three eggs, two tablespoonfuls melted butter, eight tablespoonfuls white sugar; squeeze the juice of the lemons and grate the rind of one, stir together the yolks of three eggs and white of one with the sugar, butter, juice and rind, then one (coffee) cup of sweet cream or milk, beat all for a minute or two; have ready a plate lined with paste, into which pour the mixture which will be sufficient for two pies of the ordinary size. bake till the pastry is done. meanwhile beat the remaining whites to a stiff froth and stir in four spoonfuls of white sugar. take the pies from the oven and spread over equal parts upon each and return them quickly to the oven and bake a delicate brown. take care that the oven be not too hot, or they will brown too quickly and cause the pie to fall when taken out. pastry. four tablespoons of butter, ten teaspoons flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one salt spoon salt, enough water to make a very soft paste. mock cherry pie. mrs. w. w. henry. one cup cranberries cut up, one half cup of raisins chopped, one half cup of cold water, one teaspoonful vanilla, one tablespoonful corn-starch, two-thirds cup sugar, a little salt. this makes one pie. mince meat. mrs. henry thomson. one pound of suet, one pound of fresh tongue, one pound apples, one pound sugar, one pound raisins, one pound currants, two nutmegs, a large teaspoon of cinnamon, ditto of cloves and salt, one half pound of candied peel. pie plant pie. mrs. r. m. stocking. one cup sugar, well beaten with yolks of two eggs; add one pint of pie plant, bake with one crust, then spread beaten whites, with tablespoon sugar over top; return to oven a few moments. raisin pie. one cup chopped raisins, one half cup chopped apples, four tablespoons vinegar, one tablespoon cornstarch, one cup of boiling water, one cup sugar, pinch of salt, mix together, bake with two crusts. sour cream pie. one cup thick sour cream, pinch of salt, one egg, one half cup sugar, scant tea-spoon of flour, one half cup raisins; beat cream, sugar, and flour together, lay the raisins round on the top; bake with two crusts. pumpkin pie. miss beemer. one coffeecup of mashed pumpkin, reduced to the proper consistency with rich milk and melted butter or cream, one tablespoonful of flour, a small pinch of salt, one teaspoon of ginger, ditto of cinnamon, one-half nutmeg, one-half teaspoon lemon extract, two-thirds cup of sugar, and two eggs. paste. one third-cup cup of lard, a little salt; mix slightly with one and one-half cups of flour; moisten with very cold water, just enough to hold together, get into shape for your tin as soon as possible. brush the paste with white of egg. bake in a hot oven until a rich brown. puddings. "the proof of the pudding lies in the eating." almond pudding mrs. stocking. one pint of milk, two eggs, two heaping tablespoons of maple sugar, one heaping tablespoon of cornstarch, flavor with almond; cook milk, sugar, and cornstarch in double boiler, adding yolks of eggs when boiling; pour into pudding dish, cover with whites of the eggs, and brown in oven, to be served cold. apple batter pudding. mrs. ernest f. wurtele. stew the apples in a pie dish, when soft place the following batter on top: one egg, one tablespoon each of sugar and butter, two tablespoonfuls each of milk and flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, bake forty five minutes in a slow oven, serve with cream. banana pudding. miss j. p. m'gie. two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch wet with cold water, one cup of white sugar and one third of a cup of butter. stir together in a dish, pour on boiling water to make a thick custard; stir in the well beaten yolks of three eggs, bring to a boil. slice thin a few ripe bananas, pour the custard over them. put whipped cream on top or if not cream the whites of the three eggs well beaten with sugar. to be eaten cold. bread pudding. mrs. archibald laurie. sliced bread to fill a pudding bowl; one layer of bread, one layer of fruit with sugar to taste and small lumps of butter. continue until bowl is full, put a plate on top and steam for at least two hours, more will do no harm. turn out a few minutes before wanted to let the juice penetrate the bread that was uppermost. cottage pudding. mrs. w. w. henry. after rubbing together a cupful of sugar and a tablespoon of butter, add two eggs, and after beating the mixture until light, add a cupful of milk; mix well in a sieve a pint of sifted flour and three teaspoons of baking powder, rub through the sieve into the mixture already made, beat quickly and pour the batter into one large pudding dish or two small ones. sprinkle with sugar, bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes or thirty if there be two. serve hot with lemon sauce or any sweet sauce. lemon sauce.--beat two eggs very light, and add one cup of sugar, one tablespoon of melted butter, one small tablespoon of cornstarch, beat all together, then add one cup of boiling water, cook five minutes, boiling all the while. cook a little longer if set in a basin of hot water, take from the fire, and add juice of lemon. chocolate pudding. one quart of milk scalded, two eggs well beaten, add gradually one cup sugar. with the eggs and sugar mix two thirds cup of cornstarch, and three heaping tablespoons grated chocolate dissolved over hot water, stir into the milk until a soft custard, add one teaspoon of vanilla, serve with whipped cream. chocolate pudding. mrs. w. j. fraser. one quart of milk, one pint of bread crumbs, one tea cup of sugar, three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of chocolate, one half teaspoonful essence of vanilla. let the milk come to a boil, scald the bread crumbs, when almost cool, beat the yolks of three eggs, add sugar and chocolate, to the bread and milk. bake one half hour, slow oven. when cool, beat the whites of three eggs and put meringues. caramel pudding. mrs. rattray. take one coffee cup full of brown sugar, put it in a frying pan over a slow fire and burn it, then pour it into one and a half pints of milk in a saucepan and place the latter on the fire to come to a boil, but do not stir it in case the milk should crack. blend three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch with a little cold milk, and when the milk and sugar boil stir the starch in. put it in a mould to get cold and eat with whipped cream. caramel pudding. mrs. w. w. welch. one pint of milk, one pound of brown sugar, one coffee cup of chopped walnuts, two heaping tablespoons of cornstarch, pinch of salt. put the milk in a double boiler, when boiling put in cornstarch dissolved in a little cold milk; let it cook a few minutes, put in the sugar which has been previously burnt a little, then add the nuts, stir a few minutes, flavor with vanilla, put into a mould, and eat with whipped cream. cocoanut sponge. miss lampson. two cups of stale sponge cake crumbs, two cups of milk, one cup of grated cocoanut, yolks of two eggs and whites of four, one cup of white sugar, one tablespoonful of rose water, a little nutmeg. scald the milk and beat into this the cake crumbs. when nearly cold add the eggs, sugar, rose water and lastly the cocoanut. bake three quarters of an hour in a buttered pudding dish. eat cold, with white sugar sifted over it. dutch apple cake, lemon sauce. mrs. stocking. one pint of flour, one half teaspoon salt, one and one half teaspoons baking powder, butter size of an egg; sift flour, salt and baking powder together then rub in the butter thoroughly; beat one egg light with two-thirds of a cup of milk and stir into the dry mixture; spread one half inch thick on a baking pan; pare and core and cut in eight pieces, four apples and stick them into the dough, in rows, and sprinkle over them two tablespoons sugar and bake quickly; serve with sauce as follows: two cups cold water, ditto of sugar; when it boils, add three teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water; take from fire as soon as it thickens and add one tablespoon of butter and the rind and juice of one lemon, or one teaspoon lemon extract; serve hot. fried cream. mrs. farquharson smith. everyone should try this receipt; it will surprise many to know how soft cream could be enveloped in the crust while it is an exceedingly good dish for a dinner course or for lunch or tea. when the pudding is hard, it can be rolled in the egg and bread crumbs. the moment the egg touches the hot lard it hardens and secures the pudding which softens to a creamy substance very delicious. ingredients, one pint of milk, five ounces of sugar (little more than half a cupful,) butter the size of a hickory nut, yolks of three eggs, two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, and one tablespoonful of flour, (a generous half cupful altogether), stick of cinnamon one inch long, one half teaspoonful of vanilla. put the cinnamon into the milk and when it is just about to boil, stir in the sugar, cornstarch and flour, the two latter rubbed smooth with two or three tablespoons of extra cold milk: stir it over the fire for fully two minutes, to cook well the starch and flour; take it from the fire, stir in the beaten yolks of the eggs and return it a few minutes to set them; now again taking it from the fire remove the cinnamon, stir in the butter and vanilla and pour it on a buttered platter until one third of an inch high. when cold and stiff cut the pudding into parallelograms, about three inches long and two inches wide: roll them carefully, first in sifted cracker crumbs then in eggs (slightly beaten and sweetened) then again in cracker-crumbs. dip these into boiling hot lard (a wire basket should be used if convenient) and when of fine color, take them out and place them in the oven for four or five minutes to better soften the pudding. sprinkle over pulverized sugar and serve immediately. feather pudding. mrs. w. r. dean. one tablespoon butter, one cup white sugar, two eggs, a little salt, one cup sweet milk, two tablespoons baking powder three cups of flour, one and one half teaspoons flavoring. steam one hour. eat with sauce. fig pudding. mrs. thom. one cup suet, one half pound figs cut fine, two cups bread-crumbs, one cup flour, one half cup brown sugar, one egg, one cup of milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, steam three hours. gelatine pudding (pink.) mrs. w. r. dean. put one ounce pink gelatine and one quart of milk in a bowl on the stove where it will not get hot; when dissolved add yolks of four eggs, beaten with four tablespoons sugar, stir well, let it just come to the boil, then add the whites well beaten, with four tablespoons of sugar and a dessert spoon vanilla. turn into a mould and let it cool, then turn out and garnish with whipped cream. this is a very pretty dish. graham pudding. mrs. w. w. henry. one and one half cups of graham flour, one cup of milk, one half cup of molasses, one cup chopped raisins, one half teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful of soda. sift the graham in order to make it light, but return the bran to the sifted mixture, dissolve the soda in one tablespoon of milk and add the remainder of milk with the molasses and salt, pour this mixture upon the graham and beat well, add the raisins and pour the pudding into a mould. steam four hours, turn out and serve with sauce. honey comb pudding. miss bickell. one cup flour mixed with one cup sugar, one half cup butter and one of milk melted, together, five eggs well beaten; last of all put in two teaspoons soda and one of salt. steam one hour and a half. medley pudding. mrs. theophilus h. oliver. three eggs, the weight of three eggs in butter, in sugar, and in flour, beat the butter to a cream. add the eggs well beaten to the sugar and flour. put into small teacups. bake for twenty minutes. manitoba pudding. mrs. strang. four cups flour, two cups of suet, two cups raisins, one cup currants, two cups sugar (brown), a little baking powder, a little essence of lemon, a little allspice, a chopped apple, a little salt, wet with a small quantity of water, boil four hours. foaming sauce. one half teacup butter, ditto of sugar, beat to a froth, put in a dish and set in a pan of hot water, add one tablespoon of hot water, if liked a little vanilla. stir one way until it comes to a very light foam. marmalade pudding. mrs. w. r. dean. two dessertspoons marmalade, two cups bread crumbs, butter size of two walnuts, one half pint of milk, two eggs, two ounces of sugar. melt the butter and mix with the bread crumbs, marmalade and sugar, add the eggs well beaten and the milk, pour into a well buttered mould, tie a cloth closely over it and boil one and one half hours. serve with sauce. christmas plum pudding. mrs. w. thom. one pound each of raisins, currants and suet, three quarters of a pound of bread crumbs, one quarter pound flour, one half pound candied peel, one half pint brandy, one half nutmeg, one quarter pound brown sugar and six eggs. boil six hours and steam two or three more when required. caramel sauce. one cup brown sugar, one ounce of butter, and dessertspoon cornstarch, stirred till brown, add boiling water and one wine glass of brandy. old english plum pudding. mrs. john jack. one pound each of stoned raisins, currants, beef kidney suet, granulated sugar, bread crumbs, and flour, one half pound candied lemon and citron peel mixed; one tablespoon salt, one teaspoonful each of finely ground nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves, eight fresh eggs, one half ounce bitter almonds chopped fine, the red part of three large carrots grated, breakfast cupful of strong coffee, strained at breakfast, cupful of molasses, and enough pure apple cider to make the whole of the proper consistency. mix thoroughly and stand in a warm place over night, put into mould or pudding bag, tie tightly and boil gently for twelve hours. in serving make a sauce of flour, water, butter, and sugar flavored with brandy. place the pudding on a hot dish, stick a sprig of berried holly in the centre, pour a wineglassful of brandy around it and set fire to it. english plum pudding. mrs. blair. two pounds and a half raisins, three quarters of currants, two pounds finest moist sugar, two pounds bread crumbs, sixteen eggs, two pounds finely chopped suet, six ounces mixed candied peel, juice and rind of two lemons, one ounce of ground nutmeg, one ounce of cinnamon, half ounce pounded bitter almonds, gill of brandy or if objected to, any flavoring at hand. stone and cut up the raisins do not _chop_ them; wash and dry the currants; cut the candied peel into thin slices; mix all the dry ingredients well together and moisten with the eggs, which should be well beaten; then stir in the flavoring, and when all is thoroughly mixed, add about half a pound of flour and put the pudding into a stout new cloth; or boil in two moulds for twelve hours and serve with rich sauce. plum pudding without eggs. mrs. david bell. two cups of flour, two cups of raisins, two of currants, two cups of suet, one tablespoon sugar, enough water to make a stiff batter, colour with burnt sugar, spice to taste, salt, and lemon peel. _just before_ putting on to boil stir in a couple of tablespoonfuls of raw sago; boil in a cloth, not a shape. plum pudding. madame j. t. four eggs, yolks and whites beaten together, one half cup brown sugar, one cup molasses, one cup stoned raisins, two cups currants, one cup bread crumbs, two cups chopped suet, three quarters of a nutmeg, grated, the grated rind of a large lemon, one cup flour and one teaspoon baking powder. steam for three and a half hours in a tightly closed pudding mould well buttered, keeping the water boiling _constantly_. before serving sprinkle thickly with sugar and pour over this one half cup brandy, and light. serve with this a sauce made with the juice and rind (grated) of one lemon, put over to boil with one half cup sugar, one half cup water, add one tablespoon cornstarch, one half cup sherry, one half cup brandy. this quantity will serve sixteen people. palace pudding. mrs. smythe. two eggs, one cup of flour, one half cup sugar, one quarter cup butter, one teaspoon baking powder, one half teaspoon nutmeg, cream butter, add sugar, eggs, the flour sifted with baking powder, also nutmeg. grease tin and bake half an hour. sauce.--one dessertspoon butter, one dessertspoon of flour, rub well together, add slowly about one cup boiling water, three dessertspoons brown sugar, one teaspoon of molasses. boil slowly until it thickens and flavor as desired. quay pudding. one cup flour, one half cup sugar, one quarter cup butter one teaspoon soda, one tablespoon jam, two eggs. cream butter with sugar, add to this the eggs and jam, the flour sifted with the soda. put into a buttered mould and steam for two hours and serve with lemon sauce. railroad pudding. mrs. george elliott. four eggs, beat whites and yolks separately, a cup of sugar to the whites, beat again, then add the yolks, mix a teaspoon of baking powder in a cup of flour and mix the flour and eggs and beat again. put a sheet of buttered paper in a square pan and bake. when done turn it on a heated towel, the buttered side up and take off the paper and spread with a thick jam or marmalade, roll up quickly and pour sweetened whipped cream over, flavor with vanilla. rice pudding. mrs. w. w. henry. one cup of rice boiled soft in water, add a pint of cold milk, and a piece of butter size of an egg, salt to taste, yolks of four eggs, rind of lemon grated. mix and bake one half hour. beat the whites of four eggs, stir in a pint of sugar, juice of one good sized lemon. after the pudding is baked and cooled a little pour this over and brown in the oven. eat cold; this will keep for several days. suet pudding. (plain.) mrs stuart oliver. three quarters of a pound of flour, one quarter of a pound suet chopped fine; mix with an egg and milk. victoria pudding. mrs. archibald laurie. the weight of two eggs in butter, sugar, and flour. butter and sugar to be beaten to a cream, add the well beaten eggs, two tablespoons of marmalade, then the sifted flour, one half teaspoon soda, dissolved in boiling water. steam for three hours, not less. strawberry sauce for plain blanc mange. the whites of two eggs, one cup pulverized sugar, one cup strawberries. mix all together and whip until stiff. strawberry sauce for puddings. mrs. w. w. henry. one cupful of fine granulated sugar, one-half cupful of butter boiled together until it creams, (a wooden spoon best for this), beat the white of an egg until stiff, then add one cup of mashed strawberries, and beat again; add to the mixture, stir well together. hard sauce. mrs. gaudet. . one cup of brown sugar, one tablespoon of butter, three drops of vanilla, half a glass of sherry, whipped lightly. . one glass of sherry, a tablespoon of molasses, and a tablespoon of sugar. desserts. "custards for supper and an endless host of other such lady-like luxuries."--shelley. orange float. mrs. ernest f. wurtele. one quart of water, the juice and pulp of two lemons, one coffee cup of sugar. when boiling add four tablespoons of cornstarch; let it boil fifteen minutes stirring all the time, when cold pour over the top of four or five peeled and sliced oranges. over this spread beaten whites of three eggs. sweeten and add a few drops of vanilla. velvet cream. a large teacupful of white wine, the juice of a nice lemon, one half ounce of isinglass, sugar to taste, let boil together, till nearly all the isinglass is dissolved, then strain and add one pint of cream. let it stand until nearly cold and then put it into the mould. it requires to be made some hours before it is turned out. prune jelly. put about three dozen prunes into one quart of boiling water and let them boil for one hour, take out the prunes and stone them making use of half the kernels as a flavoring. put the prunes back into the water, with the blanched kernels, adding one cup of sugar and let boil half an hour more. dissolve half a box of cox's gelatine in water and add to the above and boil ten minutes longer. put into a mould and serve cold with whipped cream. frozen pudding. make a custard with three eggs and about one pint of milk, flavor with vanilla and a small cup of white sugar. put four tablespoons of brown sugar in a frying pan and brown it well. take from the stove and stir till off the boil, then stir into the custard. put all in a dipper or deep dish; take a large dish full of snow and coarse salt, put the dipper into this and stir the custard until it is quite thick. put into a mould and leave in a cool place. serve with whipped cream. arrowroot wine jelly. wet two heaping teaspoons of arrowroot with a little cold water, stir it into a cup of boiling water in which has been dissolved teaspoons of white sugar. stir while it boils ten minutes. add one tablespoon of brandy, or three of sherry. put into a mould and serve cold with custard as a sauce. this is very nice for invalids, omitting the sauce. rice blanc mange. one half pound ground rice, one quart of milk, three ounces of sugar, the rind of half a lemon, one half teaspoonful of vanilla. boil the rice in the milk for twenty minutes with the sugar and rind of lemon, then remove the rind and add the vanilla. put it into a wet mould. lemon jelly. miss clint. dissolve one package or twelve sheets of gelatine in a little warm water. then add three and one half pints of boiling water, one pound of sugar and the juice of four lemons. cool in a mould. coffee jelly. mrs. gaudet. two tablespoons of coffee, one package of gelatine, one glass of sherry boiled down to one pint. iced apples with cream. mrs. w. w. welch. pare and core six apples; cook them in a syrup made of one cup of sugar, and two of water; drop the apples into the boiling syrup; when they are tender put them on a platter, when cool cover with a thin layer of meringue and brown. let the syrup boil until reduced to one half cupful, when cold, will form a jelly, cut into squares and place over and around the apples. serve cold with sugar and cream. fruit jelly. miss fry. to one large box of gelatine add one half pint cold water. when dissolved add juice of three lemons, two cups sugar, one pint of boiling water. arrange in layers in a mould. four bananas and two or more oranges (sliced) six castane nuts chopped fine, six figs, one quarter lb. dates cut into small pieces. strain jelly over this and cool. serve with whipped cream. a lining of ladies fingers is an improvement. compote of apples. miss septimus barrow. take five apples, wipe, but do not peel them, take the cores out of four of them and put them in a deep dish. slice the fifth apple and put the slices and a small lemon sliced with the four apples. one quarter lb. brown sugar to be sprinkled over apples. one half pint of water. bake until perfectly soft but do not let them lose their shape. put them in a dish, press and strain the cut up pieces over the cooked apples. to be eaten cold. pommes À la vesuve. miss lampson. pile some apple marmalade high in a dish; get ready some macaroni boiled in water well drained, and afterwards sweetened with white sugar, and flavored with brandy; cut it into short lengths, lay it as a bordering round the mountains of marmalade; dust the whole over with powdered sugar, and on the apex form a crater with half a dozen nubs of sugar; pour a gill of brandy over the top, and just before serving set fire to it and place it on the table flaming. lemon sponge. miss beemer. one half box gelatine, juice of three lemons, one pint of cold water, one half pint of hot water, two teacups of sugar, whites of three eggs. soak one-half box of gelatine in the pint of cold water ten minutes; then dissolve on the fire adding the juice of the lemons with the hot water and sugar. boil all together two or three minutes; pour into a dish, and let it remain until nearly cold and beginning to set; then add the whites of eggs well beaten and whisk ten minutes. when it becomes the consistency of sponge, wet the inside of cups with the white of eggs, pour in the sponge and set in a cold place. serve with thin custard, made with the yolks of four eggs, one tablespoonful of cornstarch, one-half teacup of sugar, one pint of milk, teaspoonful of vanilla. boil until sufficiently thick and serve cold over the sponge. the sponge should be allowed to stand twenty-four hours. orange soufflÉ. pare and slice six oranges, boil one cup sugar, one pint of milk, the yolks of three eggs, one tablespoon of cornstarch. as soon as thick, pour over the oranges; beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth; sweeten: put on top and brown in oven. serve cold. bananas may be used instead of oranges and are far more wholesome from contact with the heat. gelatine, with fruit. take one ounce box of gelatine; put to soak in a pint of cold water for an hour. take the juice of three lemons and one orange, with three cups of sugar; add this to the gelatine, and pour over all three pints of boiling water: let this boil up once, stirring all the time. take two moulds of the same size, and pour half your jelly into each. stir into one mould half a cup of candied cherries, and into the other one pound of blanched almonds. the almonds will rise to the top. let these moulds stand on ice, or in a cool place until thoroughly set, twenty-four hours is best. when ready to serve loosen the sides, and place the almond jelly on top the other, on a fruit platter. slice down and serve with whipped cream. easy ice cream. one pint of cream, half a pint of milk, teacupful of sugar, two eggs beaten separately, the whites being added last, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. stir thoroughly but do not cook, it is quite as nice without. this will be sufficient for six persons. dissolve half a pound of macaroons in the above mixture before it is frozen and a delicious ice cream may be had. trifle. miss ruth scott. one pint of cream well beaten, sugar and flavoring to taste. one quarter of a pound of macaroons which have soaked in sherry for a few minutes. put in a deep dish alternate layers of macaroons and cream. preserved cherries and almonds (whole) are a great improvement. caramel cream. mrs. benson bennett. boil two coffee cups of dark brown sugar, butter the size of an egg and two thirds of a cup of thin sweet cream. twelve minutes after it commences to boil dissolve half a cup of gelatine in a little cold water, add this to the boiling mixture and nearly a pint of sweet cream all but the two thirds of a cup used in the beginning. strain and flavor with a tablespoonful of vanilla; pour into a pudding mould and let it stand over night on the ice. serve with whipped cream. claret jelly. mrs. gilmour. one ounce of gelatine, one cup of sugar, the rind and juice of two lemons, two or three pieces of cinnamon, one and one half pints of water, one half pint of claret, one glass of brandy. if cox's gelatine or lady charlotte, is used it will have to be soaked first in a little of the cold water, if the leaf gelatine, boiling water can be poured on it. put all together into a saucepan with whites of three eggs, put on the fire until it boils and then strain through a flannel bag. cup custard. mr. joseph fleig. (baker to grenoble hotel, n. y.) five eggs, six ounces of sugar, one quart of milk, extract to flavor, spread cups or moulds with unsalted butter, fill up with the custard, and place in pan filled with one inch water in good oven. spanish cream. mrs. w. r. dean. yolks of two eggs, two tablespoons sugar, two tablespoons ground rice, one pint of milk. beat the eggs a little. put all together on the fire and stir constantly until it thickens. pour into glass dish and garnish with blanched almonds and strips of citron. spanish cream. miss green. soak one half package of gelatine in one pint of milk for half an hour; while this is soaking take two eggs (separate them) beating the yolks with one half a cup of white sugar, till light, and whip the whites to a stiff froth: when the gelatine is soaked, put the sauce pan on the fire and let gelatine and milk come to the boil: then add the yolks and remove from fire, add the whites and one teaspoon of vanilla. put in a wet mould and cool. charlotte russe. miss edith henry. to make the jelly for bottom of mould one half a package of gelatine soaked in a little over a tumbler of water, sugar to taste, one half a small cup of cooking wine and enough cochineal to color. let this stand until stiff. one pint of sweet cream, one half a box of gelatine dissolved, wine to taste, one teaspoon of vanilla, a little over half a cup of sugar: whip cream stiff, then add sugar, wine, vanilla and lastly the gelatine. beat well together and pour into your mould lined with ladies fingers and jelly. wine cream. mrs. w. crawford. two cups of cream, half a cup of sugar, one box of gelatine dissolved in half a cup of sherry over a steamer, when dissolved, strain into cream, and put in a mould and in a cool place. pineapple water ice. mrs. harry laurie. two large juicy pineapples, one and one half pounds of sugar, one quart of water, juice of two lemons. pare the pineapples, grate them and add the juice of the lemons. boil the sugar and water together for five minutes. when cold add the pineapple and strain through a sieve. turn into freezer and freeze. lemon water ice. four large juicy lemons, one quart of water, one orange, one and one quarter pounds of sugar. put the sugar and water over to boil. chip the yellow rind from three lemons and the orange, add to the syrup, boil five minutes and stand away to cool. square the juice from the orange and lemon add it to the cold syrup, strain it through a cloth and freeze. rolled jelly. mrs. w. w. welch. two eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. take the yolks and beat to a cream with one cup of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of milk, then add one cup of flour, one heaping teaspoon of baking powder and the well beaten whites last, also extract as fancied. when baked place on a wet cloth and trim outside edges, cover with preserves, roll in the cloth and let it stand for ten minutes, eat with whipped cream. junket. mrs. stuart oliver. slightly warm one quart milk, add junket tablet dissolved, and two or three tablespoonfuls sugar. keep in a warm place near fire till solid. then remove to a cool place till served. serve with cream and maple sugar or preserves. cakes. "with weights and measures just and true, oven of even heat, well buttered tins and quiet nerves, success will be complete." "in making cake, the ingredients should be of the first quality--the flour super-fine, and always sifted; the butter fresh and sweet and not too much salted. coffee a, or granulated sugar is best for cakes. much care should be taken in breaking and separating the eggs, and equal care taken as regards their freshness. break each egg separately in a teacup; then into the vessels in which they are to be beaten. never use an egg when the white is the least discolored. before beating the whites remove every particle of yolk. if any is allowed to remain, it will prevent them becoming as stiff and dry as required. deep earthen bowls are best for mixing cake, and a wooden spoon or paddle is best for beating batter. before commencing to make your cake, see that all the ingredients required are at hand. by so doing the work may be done in much less time. "the lightness of a cake depends not only upon the making, but the baking also. it is highly important to exercise judgment respecting the heat of the oven, which must be regulated according to the cake you bake, and the stove you use. solid cake requires sufficient heat to cause it to rise and brown nicely without scorching. if it should brown too fast cover with thick brown paper. all light cakes require quick heat and are not good if baked in a cool oven. those having molasses as an ingredient scorch more quickly, consequently should be baked in a moderate oven. every cook should use her own judgment, and by frequent baking she will in a very short time be able to tell by the appearance of either bread or cake whether it is sufficiently done." scripture cake. mrs. stocking. one cup butter judges v. four cups flour i. kings iv. three cups sugar jeremiah vi. two cups raisins i. samuel xxx. two cups figs i. samuel xxx. one cup water genesis xxiv. one cup almonds jeremiah i. six eggs isaiah x. one tablespoon honey exodus xvi. one teaspoon cream exodus xii. baking powder three teaspoonfuls a pinch of salt job vi. spices to taste i. kings x. follow solomon's advice for making good boys and you will have a good cake.--proverbs xxiii. . christmas fruit cake. mrs. thom. one pound of flour, one pound of butter beaten to a cream, six eggs beaten separately, two wineglasses of brandy, one pound sugar, one pound of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of prunes, one pound figs chopped, one half pound mixed candied peel, one half pound almonds, one half teaspoon mixed spice or nutmeg. fruitcake. two pounds of raisins, two pounds of currants, one half pound of citron, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, eight ounces of butter, ten eggs, two nutmegs, one half ounce of mace, one tablespoon of cloves, same of cinnamon, one glass of brandy, one tablespoon of baking powder, one cup of molasses. stir butter and sugar together until very light, beat whites and yolks separately and bake in a slow oven. orange frosting. one pound of frosting sugar, juice of one lemon and one orange, grate rind of orange. caramel cake. one tablespoon of butter, one cup of sugar, three eggs, one half cup of milk, one and one half cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder. filling.--two cups of sugar, two thirds cup of milk, boil thirteen minutes, add butter the size of a small egg, one good teaspoon of vanilla, when done stir till thick enough to spread and not to run, bake in three, spread between and on top. charlotte russe cake. mrs. richard turner. one cup of flour, one cup of sugar, three eggs, two teaspoons baking powder, three tablespoons boiling water. bake same as sandwich cake. the filling.--one large cup of cream, one fourth package gelatine, dissolved in a little milk; whip cream to a stiff froth, then add gelatine, sugar, flavoring to taste. ice the top. cornstarch cake. mrs. james laurie. one half pound of butter and two cups white sugar stirred together, add the yolks of four eggs, one cup of milk, two cups of cornstarch and one of flour sifted well, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder and add the whites of the four eggs last. flavor a little and line tins with buttered paper. spongecake. (splendid.) mrs. erskine scott. beat four eggs, over one cup of white sugar, for half an hour, then mix one cup of flour, after it is in the pan pour some essence of lemon on the top and bake immediately. sponge cake. miss k. h. marsh. beat seven eggs together with their weight in white sugar for half an hour, then sift in the weight of four eggs in flour. add a little lemon to flavor and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. sponge cake. mrs. farquharson smith. ten eggs; very fresh, one pound fine sugar, the weight of five eggs in flour, the rind of two lemons and juice of one. break the eggs on the sugar and beat them twenty minutes with two pronged steel carving fork until in a lovely light cream, then grate the lemon rind into it with the juice of one lemon. sift the flour several times and next mix in the flour most carefully barely stirring to mix it in, if stirred too much it will make the cake heavy. beat it with the back of the fork towards you. the oven should be a little quick at first until the cake rises, if baking too quickly place a piece of white paper over it and buttered paper should be placed in the pans. n. b.--delicious if properly made. sponge cake. mrs. andrew t. love. six eggs, the weight of five in sugar, and three in flour, beat the whites and yolks separately, lemon flavoring. easy sponge cake. mrs. blair. four eggs, two even cups of sugar, three-fourth's cup _hot_ water, one and three fourth's cups of flour, even measure, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, salt, flavor with lemon. beat the eggs separately. to the yolks gradually add the sugar. mix well. then add hot water. mix the baking powder with the flour and add a portion, then part of the well beaten whites, and so on until all is used. flavor. it will be thin but do not add any more flour, for it is all right. bake in a moderate oven. it may be baked very thin, cut into shapes like dominos; frost, and mark the lines and dots with a camel's hair brush dipped in chocolate. cacouna cake. miss k. h. marsh. three cups of sugar, two cups of butter, seven eggs, one pound of raisins, wineglass of wine, one nutmeg, one cup sour milk and one teaspoon soda, five cups of flour. beat the butter to a cream, then add the sugar and the eggs (well beaten), the fruit, spice and wine, then the flour and lastly the soda dissolved in a cup of sour milk. delicious angel's food. miss ritchie. beat the whites of eleven eggs to a stiff froth, then stir in carefully a cup and a half of sifted granulated sugar, (or better still of castor sugar,) a teaspoonful of vanilla and one cup of flour that has been sifted with a teaspoonful of cream of tartar five times; add this very carefully and mix thoroughly, turn into an ungreased pan and bake in a moderate oven for about fifty-five minutes. when done turn upside down and when cool it will either drop out or it may be easily removed from the pan with a knife. chocolate cake. miss m. a. ritchie. dissolve two ounces of chocolate in five tablespoonfuls boiling water. cream half a cup of butter adding gradually one and a half cups of sugar; add the yolks of four eggs, beat thoroughly; then add the chocolate, half a cup of cream or milk, a cup and three quarters of flour, two rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, stir them carefully into the mixture, and it is ready to bake either in a loaf-pan or in three layer cake pans. frost with boiled icing flavored with chocolate. chocolate cake. mrs. g. cressman. one and one half squares of chocolate melted in one half cup of milk, two eggs, reserving white of one egg for frosting, one cup sugar, one teaspoonful soda in one half cup of milk, and one and one quarter cups of flour. bake in dripping pan. boiled frosting, one cup of sugar and white of one egg. maple cream cake. one cup of sugar, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls butter, a little less than two cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake in two tins. frosting, one cup and a half of maple sugar, one half cup cream, boil until quite thick then beat until it creams, add the white of one egg, keep beating until thick. cocoa cake. miss maud thomson. rub one half cup butter to a cream, with one cup of sugar, add the beaten yolks of two eggs, and beat well. mix one and one half cups of flour, one teaspoonful baking powder and two teaspoonfuls cocoa, thoroughly beat the whites of eggs stiff, measure one-half cup of milk, and then add a little milk and flour alternately to the egg mixture, lastly add the whites of eggs and one teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla. bake in a shallow pan about twenty minutes and then frost with plain cocoa frosting. icing.--mix one half teaspoonful cocoa with one cup powdered sugar, add one tablespoonful lemon juice and one tablespoonful boiling water or enough to make the sugar into a paste that settles to a level the moment you stop stirring. spread at once on the hot cake. corn cake. mrs. w. w. henry. one cup of corn meal, one cup of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, sifted with the flour, one egg, two tablespoons melted butter, two tablespoons sugar, little salt, one and one fourth cups of sweet milk, bake in quick oven. crewe cake. miss m. c. one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, three teaspoons of baking powder, five eggs, one half pound of butter, a little milk, vanilla or lemon flavoring. christmas cake. mrs. george m. craig. one cup melted butter, one cup milk, one cup sugar, one cup molasses, six eggs, six cups of flour, two pounds of currants, two pounds raisins, two ounces peel, one teaspoonful of durkee's baking powder to every cup of flour. cocoanut cake. (splendid.) miss. beemer. two cups of sugar and one half cup of butter beaten to a cream, slowly add one cup of milk; mix two teaspoonfuls of baking powder with three cups of flour, add this gradually, mixing and then beating, finally the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth and one teaspoonful of lemon extract. this can be made in layers (three) or baked in a square pan. icing. whites of two eggs, one half pound of cocoanut, and enough powdered sugar to make it sufficiently stiff, one teaspoonful lemon extract. cream cake. mrs. w. r. dean. one cup of butter, one cup of cream or sour milk, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, four eggs, one teaspoon soda mixed in vinegar and stirred in at the last. bake in shallow tins. railroad cake. one tea-cup flour, one ditto of sugar, two teaspoons cream of tartar, one half teaspoon of soda, four eggs. this will form a thick batter. butter pan and bake about ten minutes. mountain cake. one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, one half pound well beaten butter, one cup sweet milk, six eggs, one teaspoon cream of tartar, one half teaspoon soda dissolved in the milk. mountain cake. mrs. benson bennett. three fourths cup of butter and two cups of sugar beaten to a cream, four eggs beaten very light, three cups of flour with two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one half cup of sweet milk with one teaspoonful of baking soda, bake about twenty-five minutes. marble cake. mrs. w. r. dean. one cup white sugar, one fourth cup butter, three eggs (whites and yolks beaten separately) one half cup milk, two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder. separate this batter into three parts. in one part put a square of chocolate dissolved in a little hot water, in another part put one teaspoon cochineal to color it. take a spoonful of each color (white, brown, pink) alternately and bake in long tin pan. icing. white of one egg well beaten, one teaspoon of vanilla, and pulverized sugar. marble cake. miss mildred powis. (light part.) one fourth cup butter, three fourths cup white sugar, one fourth cup milk, one cup flour, whites of two eggs, one teaspoon of baking powder. dark part. one fourth cup butter, one half cup brown sugar, one fourth cup molasses, one fourth cup milk, one and one fourth cups of flour, yolks of two eggs, one good teaspoon baking powder, one half a teaspoon (good) each of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace. put into the pan a spoonful at a time of each part. macaroon tart. mr. joseph fleig. (baker, grenoble hotel, n. y.) make a paste of three quarters of a pound flour, five ounces of sugar, one half pound butter and two eggs. roll part of this out to one fourth inch thick layer and spread over a round shallow cake pan about one half inch deep. bake very slightly. when cold spread with thin layer of jam or jelly, then put with bag and star tube, stripes of macaroon over and bake in a slow oven nice and brown. put some icing between the stripes after tart is baked. paste for macaroons and macaroon tart. take one pound hoide's almond paste and mix fine with one pound powdered sugar then add gradually the whites of about eight eggs until the paste gets smooth and soft enough to pass through the bag and tube. for macaroons make paste softer and use round tube or teaspoon. bake on paper in slow oven. buckeye cake. mrs. polley. two cups sugar, two thirds cup of butter, three eggs beaten separately, one cup of sweet milk, two teaspoons of baking powder sifted with three cups of flour, one teaspoon extract of lemon. harrison cake. one cup of sugar, one cup of butter, four eggs well beaten, one cup molasses, one pound stoned raisins, one teaspoonful each of saleratus, cloves, cinnamon and allspice, one nutmeg and four cups of flour. orange cake. mrs. a. j. elliott. two cups of flour, one scant cup of milk, one cup of sugar, half a cup of butter, two eggs, one teaspoon soda and two of cream of tartar. divided in six parts and spread as thin as possible in pans of uniform size. bake about three minutes: when done lay together with layers of orange filling between. method: cream sugar and butter together, then add milk in which the soda and cream of tartar has been dissolved, then the eggs well beaten and lastly the flour into which drop a pinch of salt. beat well and don't scrimp the butter. orange filling.--the juice and part of the grated rind of two oranges, then add one cup of sugar. one tablespoon of flour dissolved in cup of water which is gradually added, then beat the yolk of the egg well, and mix well together, and boil in a steamer until it is as thick as custard or boil about three quarters of an hour. the steamer is the safest as the flour is liable to stick to the pan otherwise. orange cake. miss fry. two cups of flour, one cup of sugar, one half cup milk, two teaspoons baking powder, one tablespoon butter, one tablespoon orange juice, two eggs. beat eggs and sugar, add butter (melted), orange juice and rind of one orange, then milk. add flour and powder and bake one half hour. filling:--juice and rind of one orange, one tablespoon each of lemon juice and cornstarch, two tablespoons sugar, one teaspoon butter, one egg. put orange juice rind, and lemon juice into a cup, then fill with cold water. when it boils, add cornstarch with cold water. beat yolk of egg with sugar, add this, then butter. when cold spread between layers. icing. beat whites of two eggs, add three fourths cup powdered sugar. lady cake. mrs. george lawrence. one half cup butter, one and one half cups granulated sugar, one cup lukewarm water, two and one half cups of sifted flour, four eggs, whites only, one lemon juice and grated rind, two teaspoons of vanilla extract, two teaspoons of baking powder. cream the butter in an earthen dish with silver spoon, stirring till light cream color, add sugar beating thoroughly. sift the flour, add one half of it and the cup of water a little of each, till cup is finished. beat whites of eggs stiff and dry, add one half, beat, then the rest of the flour. beat well, add the juice, and grated rind of lemon or vanilla as preferred, next the baking powder and the balance of the beaten eggs. turn quickly into a deep, well buttered tin, and bake for three quarters of an hour. the tin should be ready for use immediately the baking powder is added. when cold, frost with white icing. lemon cake. miss beemer. one half cup of butter creamed well with one and a half cups of sugar, stir in the yolks of three eggs and one cup of milk; two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted with three cups of flour and added alternately with the whites of the three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. bake in rather a quick oven in three tins of uniform size, and place, between layers, a frosting made of the grated rind of one, and juice of two lemons, and three fourths cup of sugar. let boil and throw it over the well beaten whites of two eggs. this cake is one that keeps well for five or six days. nut cake. mrs. george m. craig. one cup sugar, half a cup of butter whipped to a cream with sugar, four eggs, one tablespoonful of milk if needed, quarter of pound of almond nuts chopped fine, two ounces lemon peel, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one cup of flour. new port cake. mrs. theophilus oliver. two eggs, one half cup of white sugar, one half cup of butter, (melted) one quart of flour, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one cup sweet milk, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in hot water. bake in a deep pan (eaten hot). plain cake. mrs. gilmour. one half cup butter, one cup sugar, three eggs, two cups of flour, two and one half teaspoons baking powder, one cup of milk. sandwich cake. mrs. frank laurie. four eggs, one cup sugar, one cup flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder; mix the yolks and the sugar together, then whip up the whites, mix in with the yolks and sugar, then add the flour and the baking powder putting the latter into the flour. bake in a hot oven. sandwich cake. miss m. sampson. two thirds cup sugar, one egg, two thirds cup milk, butter the size of an egg, one and one half cupfuls of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake in a quick oven. spanish bun. mrs. thom. one and one half cups sugar, four eggs, leave out the whites of three for icing, three fourths cup butter, one cup milk, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one teaspoon ginger, one half nutmeg, two cups flour, three spoonfuls baking powder. bake in flat tin well greased. icing. take the whites of three eggs, beat to a stiff froth then add a cup of light brown sugar; while the cake is hot, spread this over, return to the oven and brown. white cake. (delicious.) mrs. stocking. one cup sugar, one half cup butter, whites of two eggs, one cup of milk or water, two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, cream the butter, stir in sugar, then add milk or water, beaten whites, flour, and lastly the extract. nut filling.--one cup milk, one cup nut meats, one tablespoon flour, one egg, one half cup sugar, salt. heat milk sugar and nuts, add egg and flour stirred together; cook until thick. walnut cake. mrs. peiffer. cream one cup granulated sugar and one fourth of butter, and two eggs, then two heaping cups flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder sifted four times: while your flour is still heaped in the mixing bowl on top of the butter, etc., add one heaping saucer chopped walnuts, then use as much as you need of one cup sweet milk to make a nice stiff batter, not too thin. icings for cakes. apple filling for cake. mrs. w. w. henry. one apple grated, one cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla, the white of one egg beaten stiff. chocolate frosting. miss maud thomson. white of one egg, eight tablespoons powdered sugar, one inch square of chocolate, one half teaspoon vanilla. do not whip the egg but stir the sugar into it beating until smooth. place the chocolate in a teacup, float the latter in a saucepan full of boiling water. cover the pan and when the chocolate melts stir into the frosting and add vanilla and spread upon the cake. chocolate icing (original). mrs. e. a. pfeiffer. one cup granulated sugar, two squares of chocolate, boil till thick (do not stir) then turn into beaten white of one egg. boiled icing. one cup granulated sugar, boiled till it threads, then turned into the beaten whites of two eggs, and whip till cold. chocolate paste. mrs. benson bennett. melt two ounces baker's chocolate, add one tablespoonful of water, and three of milk, one piece of butter, one egg well beaten, one cup of sugar, make as in lemon marmalade. fig cake filling. mrs. stocking. one pound figs, one half cup sugar, two thirds cup of water. boil figs after being chopped fine with sugar and water until thick. maple syrup icing. miss m. w. home. one cup maple syrup, boil until it will harden slightly when dropped in cold water, then pour on the stiffly beaten white of an egg and stir constantly until it thickens, then spread on cake. maple sugar icing. mrs. albert clint. one cup of maple sugar, six teaspoonsful water, boiled till thick. white of one egg beaten crisp to be stirred in with the syrup until cool, then spread on the cake. stir quickly when mixing the syrup and egg. orange jelly icing. two oranges, one lemon, one cup of sugar, one cup of water, one tablespoonful of cornstarch. grate the rinds, add the juice of oranges and lemon; mix the cornstarch with a little water, put in a saucepan and let it come to the boil until thick and clear, stir constantly. when cool enough spread between cakes. soft icing for cakes. two cups of white sugar (teacups), three fourths cup of sweet milk, one half a tablespoonful of washed butter. boil for ten minutes, take off and stir constantly till it begins to thicken, then spread immediately over cakes. put in flavoring to taste when you begin to stir. cream icing. mrs. rattray. take a piece of butter about one half the size of an almond, wash thoroughly to remove salt, beat it to a cream with one tablespoonful of rich cream, flavor with a few drops of lemon, vanilla or any flavoring preferred, then thicken with powdered sugar and spread on cake with a knife dipped in cold water. let stand before using an hour or longer. gingerbread and small cakes. gingerbread. mrs. farquharson smith. three fourths pound of butter, two cups of milk, five cups of flour, two cups of molasses, two cups of sugar, five eggs, four tablespoons of ginger. mix butter and sugar together. mix the molasses and milk and flour, then the eggs, whip the latter well but not separately, the risings put in last, one teaspoonful of baking soda, and two of cream tartar; if sour milk or cream is used the latter need not be used; a large flat pan with well buttered paper. cooked in a moderate oven it takes about three quarters of an hour to bake. sour cream makes it much richer and not quite so much butter required. sponge gingercake. mrs. andrew t. love. four eggs, three cups molasses, one cup sugar, one half cup of milk or water, one half cup butter, three small tablespoons ginger, one half teaspoon nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, one and one half pounds flour light weight, three teaspoon baking powder, lemon or vanilla flavoring. soft gingerbread. mrs. w. r. dean. one quart of flour, rub in it one half cup butter, one pint of molasses, two eggs, one tablespoon ginger, two teaspoons soda dissolved in a tumbler of milk. about forty minutes to bake. soft gingerbread. miss beemer. two cups molasses, one half cup of shortening (lard), three fourths cup boiling water, one tablespoon each of ginger, cinnamon and saleratus, (soda) two tablespoonfuls vinegar, three and one half cups of flour, one teaspoon salt (even), melt the molasses and shortening on the stove slowly, mix the saleratus with the boiling water and add it to the above, then add the vinegar; mix the ginger, cinnamon and salt with the flour and stir in slowly. bake in a long flat tin in a moderate oven about half an hour. cookies. mrs. w. h. polley. three eggs, three cups sugar, one and one half cups of butter, one half cup sweet milk, one teaspoonful saleratus, one tablespoonful of caraway seeds and enough flour to roll out. molasses cookies. one cup molasses boiled, one half cup lard, one half cup of butter, one teaspoonful each of ginger and saleratus, flour enough to roll out. oatmeal cookies. mrs. waddle. one cup hot water, one cup butter and lard mixed, one cup of sugar, two cups of oatmeal, two cups of flour, one teaspoon soda in a little boiling water, roll thin and bake in a hot oven. cookies. (splendid). mrs. frank glass. one cup sugar, one cup butter, two eggs, three teaspoons baking powder, one tablespoon water, flour to roll, one teaspoon vanilla, roll out but a little of the dough at a time. ginger snaps. one and one half cups molasses, one cup brown sugar, pinch of ginger, one teaspoon soda, one half cup sour milk, one half cup of butter, one half cup lard, flour to roll. doughnuts. one half cup butter and one cup sugar beaten together, three eggs beaten light, one half cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda, flour enough to roll fry in hot lard. fried cakes. mrs. henry thomson. one cup sugar, butter size of an egg, one cup milk, two eggs, one quart of flour, two teaspoons cream of tartar, one half teaspoon of soda, spice to taste. crullers. mrs. archibald laurie. one cup sour cream, two eggs beaten separately, three fourths of a cup sugar, one half teaspoon soda dissolved in boiling water, one teaspoon cream of tartar sifted with flour, flour enough to roll rather soft, and boil in fresh lard. crullers. miss green. one pint of cream, four eggs, one cup of sugar, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, flour enough to make a batter fit for rolling. croquignoles. madame a. grenier. one half pint of cream, one half pint of milk, four eggs well beaten, three quarters of a pound of granulated sugar, one quarter of a pound of butter blended with the flour, one teaspoon of soda dissolved in vinegar, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, flour enough to roll out. croquignoles. mrs. archie cook. three eggs, one cup of milk, one quarter of a pound of butter, one and one half cups of sugar, three teaspoons of baking powder, flour enough to roll out and a little essence of lemon. doughnuts. mr. joseph fleig. (baker, grenoble hotel, n. y.) one half pound sugar, three oz. butter, four eggs, one pint of milk, a little essence of lemon and two pounds of flour with one ounce of baking powder. wafer jumbles. one half pound sugar, one half pound butter and one half pound flour, three eggs and vanilla flavoring. place on a long flat pan using bag and tube, bake in good oven. puffets. (hot tea cake.) mrs. benson bennett. one and one half pints of flour, three eggs, one half cup of butter, one half cup of powdered sugar, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one ditto of carbonate of soda, one half pint of milk. boston cream cake. mrs. john macnaughton. boil one quarter pound butter in one half pint of water. stir in while boiling six ounces of flour. take from the fire and stir in gradually (when it has cooled a few minutes) five eggs well beaten. add one quarter teaspoon soda and a little salt. above recipe makes about two dozens cakes. they must be baked from twenty minutes to half an hour. be sure to let them bake enough. do not think them burning unless you see them doing so. cream for filling. boil three quarters of a pint of milk, and stir in while boiling two eggs, one cup of sugar, and one half a cup of flour beaten together very smoothly. flavor to taste, and when cool fill the cake through a small slit made in the side of each with a sharp knife. the cakes must also be cool before they are filled. domino cakes. mix together as quickly as possible two cupfuls of sugar with one of butter, then the beaten yolks and lastly the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs, and a teaspoonful extract of lemon. mix in just enough flour to roll the mass out very thin and cut it into domino shape. after the cakes are in the pan, brush with the white of an egg, using a feather, and sprinkle them with comfits. bake a light brown. these are delicious and pretty, and will keep fresh a long time. queen cakes. mrs. smythe. one cup of flour, four tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons butter, one half teaspoon baking powder, ditto of lemon extract, two eggs and a few currants. beat eggs with sugar, add butter melted, then the flour and essence of lemon, sprinkle a few currants at the bottom of small moulds. bake about fifteen minutes. shrewsbury cakes. miss henry. rub to a cream six ounces of sugar, with six ounces of butter, add two well beaten eggs and work in twelve ounces flour, adding a teaspoonful of rose water. roll out thin and cut into small cakes. confections. "sweet meats, messengers of strong prevailment in an unhardened youth."--shakespeare. salted almonds. mrs. benson bennett. blanch, put into a baking pan, and to each pound allow a tablespoonful of butter, stand them in the oven, watch and shake until all are nicely browned; take out and lift carefully from the grease, dust thickly with salt, and put in a cool place at once. butter scotch. (original.) mrs. e. a. pfeiffer. one pint of maple syrup, butter size of an egg, boil till stiff when dropped in cold water. chocolate creams. mrs. edward c. powers. two pounds confectioner's sugar, one fourth pound grated cocoa-nut, one tablespoonful vanilla, a pinch of salt, whites of three eggs (beaten very stiff); mix all together, and roll into small balls; let stand one-half hour; then dip into the chocolate prepared thus: one half cake baker's chocolate (grated fine), two tablespoonfuls butter. warm the butter; mix in the chocolate. when cool dip the creams in, and set on a buttered plate to harden. vanilla taffy. three cups of granulated sugar, one cup of cold water, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar. cook _without stirring_ until it threads; add one tablespoonful of vanilla; let cool; pull until white; cut into small squares. everton toffee. mrs. frank laurie. put one pound of brown sugar, a breakfast cupful of cold water, eight ounces of unsalted butter, mix well together in a small preserving pan, stir till quite through the boil. test the strength of the toffee as you do barley sugar. butter scotch. mrs. w. r. dean. two cups brown sugar, one tablespoon water, butter size of an egg. boil without stirring. try it in cold water, and it is done when it hardens on the spoon. (add one teaspoon vanilla if preferred). pour on buttered plates. mark into squares before it hardens, and when it is cool it will break off neatly. chocolate fudge. four cups sugar (white), two cups milk, one pound butter, one cup grated chocolate, vanilla to taste. nuts may be added. boil and beat thoroughly (as for sucre à la crême) pour on buttered plates and cut into squares. nut candy. two cups white granulated sugar, one half cup sweet milk. boil for _about_ ten minutes, and add three quarters cup cut up walnuts. remove from stove and beat thoroughly and when it thickens pour out on buttered plates. cocoanut candy may be made same way. if the candy does not thicken after being beaten, it is not boiled sufficiently and can be put back on stove. stir constantly through, if the _nuts_ are in. pickles. "peter piper picked a peck of pickled peppers."--mother goose. canadian tomato chutney. (splendid.) mrs. rattray. one peck green tomatoes, twelve large red onions, one large cauliflower, two heads celery, two heads garlic, six red peppers. wash tomatoes and dry them; peel the onions, cut the cauliflower into small pieces, also the celery and peppers and scald and separate the garlic. when all are prepared slice the tomatoes and onions, and put a deep layer into your preserving pan mixing some of the other ingredients with them, then sprinkle with coarse salt, and continue layer by layer until all are in the pan. let this stand twenty-four hours, then drain the liquor off and add the following, placing all on the fire to boil at least two hours, or until soft; three pints of vinegar, three pounds brown sugar, one tablespoonful of cloves (ground), and ditto of cinnamon, allspice and pepper, one ounce of turmeric powder. stir all from the bottom frequently lest it should stick and scorch. tomato chutney. mrs. j. macnaughton. slice one peck of green tomatoes into a jar, sprinkle a little salt over each layer and let stand for twenty-four hours, drain off the liquor; put the tomatoes into a kettle with a teaspoonful each of the following spices: ground ginger, allspice, cloves, mace, cinnamon, a teaspoonful of scraped horse-radish, twelve small or three large red peppers, three onions, a cup full of brown sugar, cover all with vinegar; boil slowly for three hours. crab apple pickle. mrs. j. macnaughton. one quart good vinegar, six cups brown or maple sugar, one teaspoonful each cloves, cinnamon and allspice. boil vinegar and sugar together, skim and add spices. take the blossom end from the apples and put as many in at a time as will lie on the top of the vinegar without crowding and cook until easily pierced with a straw. seal in glass fruit jars. chili sauce. mrs. waddle. six large tomatoes, three small green peppers, one onion, two large tablespoons sugar, salt to taste, one and one half cups vinegar, tomatoes peeled, peppers and onions chopped fine and all boiled one hour. chow chow. mrs. septimus barrow. one peck green tomatoes chopped fine, one dozen good large onions chopped fine, two quarts vinegar, two pounds brown sugar, one tablespoon each of allspice and cloves, two tablespoons each of ground mustard, black pepper and salt, one half teacup grated horse-radish. mix all together and stew until perfectly tender, stirring often to prevent burning. seal in glass jars while hot. chow chow. (original.) mrs. e. a. pfeiffer. two gallon tomatoes, twelve onions, two quarts vinegar (malt), one quart of sugar (brown), two tablespoons of coarse salt, ditto of mustard, and black pepper, one tablespoon of allspice and ditto of cloves. celery sauce. mrs. theophilus oliver. fifteen ripe tomatoes, two peppers, five large onions, seven and a half tablespoonfuls of white sugar, two and one half tablespoonfuls of salt, three cups of vinegar, two heads of celery, chop celery onions, and peppers, and boil all together an hour and a half. mustard pickle. mrs. j. macnaughton. six ounces ground mustard, two ounces corn starch, one and one half ounces of turmeric, one ounce curry powder, two quarts white wine vinegar. mix the ingredients in cold vinegar and stir into the rest of the vinegar when boiling. stir half an hour and pour over the pickles which have been covered with a strong brine of salt and boiled for three minutes, then strained and put in bottles or jars. this is nice for cauliflower and is sufficient for one large head which must be cut into small pieces. other vegetables such as gherkins may be used. pickle for corn beef. mrs. henry thomson. two gallons of water (soft the best), two and one half pounds salt, one half pound sugar, two ounces of salt petre. pickled peaches. miss edith henry. eight pounds of peaches, four pounds of white sugar, one quart of vinegar, one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of cloves. select large firm freestone peaches, remove the skins and put into a jar. put the sugar, vinegar, and spices into a kettle, let it come to a boil, skim, and pour over the fruit. the next day pour off the syrup and boil again and pour over the peaches. then the third day, put the fruit and all into the kettle and boil until tender, or about ten minutes. if you use ground spices put in cheese cloth bag. sweet tomato pickle. mrs. john jack. one peck of green tomatoes sliced, six large onions sliced, strew a teacupful of salt over them, let them remain over night, drain off in the morning, then take two quarts of water and one of vinegar, boil them in it fifteen or twenty minutes, put them in a sieve to drain, then take four quarts vinegar, two pounds brown sugar, half pound white mustard seed, two tablespoonfuls ground allspice, same of cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and mustard and one teaspoonful cayenne pepper. put all in a kettle and cook fifteen minutes slowly. follow directions, and you will pronounce them capital. tomato catsup. miss green. one peck of ripe tomatoes, one quart onions in an enamel kettle: boil till soft, mash and strain through a coarse sieve. one quart or more vinegar and from two to three tablespoons of salt, one ounce of mace and one tablespoon each of black pepper, cayenne pepper, and ground cloves, one and one half pounds brown sugar. mix and boil slowly for two hours. bottle and seal. preserves. "will't please your honor taste of these conserves." --shakespeare. canning fruit. miss m. sampson. to can strawberries, raspberries or plums: to each pound of sugar add one half pint of water, boil till you have a rich syrup, let stand till cold; have your jars packed full of raw fruit (not crushed) and fill with the cold syrup, put on the covers and screws, (not the rubber rings,) and place in cold water up to the neck of the jars, you will need straw or chips between the jars to prevent them touching each other or burning on the bottom, let the water boil for fifteen minutes, have some hot syrup to fill jars, put on rubber rings, screw up tightly and keep in a cool dark place. canned fruit juices. mrs. farquharson smith. fruit juice may be kept for a long time by canning the same as whole fruit. they are convenient for water ices and summer beverages. mash the fruit and rub the pulp through a fine sieve. mix about three pounds of sugar with one quart of fruit juice and pulp. fill mason's jars with the syrup, cover and place in a heater with cold water to cover nearly to the top of the jar. let the water boil half an hour, then fill each jar to the brim, seal and cool in the water. to brandy peaches. to three pounds of sugar add a pint and a half water; boil and skim it; prepare eight pounds of ripe clingstone peaches: wash and rub with a coarse towel until all the down is off, then pierce them with a fork and throw them into the syrup and boil them until a sharp straw can punctuate them: as they soften put them into your jar, which must be kept closely covered. boil your syrup until it thickens, while hot, add a quart of the best brandy and throw it over your peaches, tie the jar down closely. currant jelly. currants should not be over ripe. equal parts of red and white currants or currants and raspberries make a delicately colored and flavored jelly. pick over and remove the leaves and poor fruit, and if filthy wash and drain them but do not stem them. mash them in a porcelain kettle, with wooden pestle without heating as that makes the jelly dark. let them drain in a flannel bag over night. _do not_ squeeze them, or the jelly will be cloudy. in the morning measure a bowl of sugar for each bowl of juice, and heat the sugar carefully in an earthern dish in the oven. stir it often to prevent burning: boil the juice twenty minutes and skim thoroughly. add the hot sugar and boil from three to five minutes or till it thickens on a spoon when exposed to the air. turn at once into glasses and let them remain in the sun several days then cover with paper dipped in brandy and paste paper over the tops of the glasses. one who is authority on this subject recommends covering with melted paraffine, or putting a lump of paraffine in the jelly while still hot. after draining the juice, the currants may be squeezed and a second quality of jelly made, it may not be clear but will answer for some purposes. candied peel. mrs. david bell. put the lemon or orange skins, in strong salt and water, when they are soft enough to pass a straw through, take them out and soak them changing the water till all the salt taste is gone, then simmer them in thin brown sugar syrup till clear; take them out, place on a dish, and let them remain for a day or two. boil the syrup till thick, then fill the skins with it and put away to dry. lemon honey. (filling.) mrs. frank glass. one pound of butter, four pounds of sugar, two dozen eggs leaving out eight whites, rind and juice of one dozen lemons. put all together, and let simmer until it thickens like honey. put into jars, can be kept for years. pumpkin jam. mrs. henry thomson. peel and seed, then, cut into pieces two or three inches square, lay on a dish to dry till next day, then put into the preserving pan and barely cover with molasses. to a medium sized pumpkin put one ounce cloves and about a dessertspoon of ginger or as much as will taste; let it boil until the pumpkin is quite soft. one half dozen apples (sour) just cored not peeled is a great improvement. the molasses must only come to the top of your pieces, not nearly cover them. fruit jelly. mrs. duncan laurie. dissolve two ounces of tartaric acid in one quart of cold water, pour it on to five pounds of strawberries, currants, or raspberries. let it stand twenty-four hours. then strain it without pressing or bruising the fruit. to every pint of clear juice add one and one half pounds of white sugar. stir frequently till the sugar is dissolved. then bottle and cork air tight. keep in a cool, dark place. when required for use dissolve one ounce gelatine in one half pint boiling water, add one and one half pints syrup. pour in a mould and set away to stiffen. serve with whipped cream. grape jelly. mrs. george elliott. mash the grapes in a preserving pan, put them over the fire and cook until thoroughly done. strain through a jelly bag and to each pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. boil the juice rapidly for ten minutes, add the sugar made hot in the pan in the oven, and boil rapidly three minutes more. excellent. marmalade. mrs. farquharson smith. cut the oranges in half and work in a spoon to remove the inside. slice the peel very fine. take the skin and seeds from the pulp and mix peel and pulp together and weigh them. for every pound of fruit, pour three pints of cold water over it and let stand twenty four hours. boil till chips are tender (about an hour and a half). this absorbs a great deal of the fluid. let it stand another twenty-four hours. to every pound of boiled fruit, put one and one quarter pounds of sugar. boil till syrup jellies, and chips are transparent. boil pippins and skins in a gallon of water, and strain. bitter orange marmalade. mrs. r. stewart. one dozen bitter oranges, three sweet oranges, three lemons. slice or shave the bitter oranges and lemons _very thin_ laying aside the pips in a bowl; pare or slice the sweet oranges. to every pint of fruit add four pints cold water, cover the pips with water, let stand for twenty-four hours, boil till quite tender putting the pips in a muslin bag when ready: to every pound of fruit add one and one half pounds white sugar and boil till it jellies, from twenty to thirty minutes. currant marmalade. mrs. w. w. henry. seven pounds of currants, six pounds of sugar, two pounds of raisins, two oranges. cook one and one half hours. strain out the juice of currants, seed the raisins, and chop fine. use all of the orange but the seeds, chop fine. rhubarb marmalade. mrs. theophilus oliver. peel and cut the rhubarb into small pieces, take the rind of one lemon, cut into chips; to each two pounds of the rhubarb then weigh three quarters of a pound of white sugar to each pound of the fruit. put the fruit and sugar in a basin in layers and let it stand all night. pour off the syrup and boil it for twenty minutes, add the fruit and boil for twenty minutes more, when the marmalade should be ready to put in pots. preserved raw pineapple. mrs. w. cook. pare the pineapples and take out all the eyes. with a sharp knife, cut the pineapple in thin slices cutting down sides until the heart is reached, this is to be discarded. weigh the sliced pineapple and put in a large earthen dish. add to it as many pounds of granulated sugar as there are pounds of fruit and stir well. pack this mixture in quart or pint jars: cover tightly and put away. the pineapple will keep a year or more and be perfectly tender and fine flavored. it is best to choose fruit not over ripe. preserved tomatoes. (original). mrs. e. a. pfeiffer. take two gallons large smooth green tomatoes, make a pickle of three pints of vinegar, and one quart of water, two tablespoons salt, one tablespoon each, spice, cloves and cinnamon, one pound of sugar: scald spices ten minutes in vinegar and water, then add tomatoes and scald till tender, slice for table, pour sauce over. n. b. strain spices, over the tomatoes, and seal while warm; some prefer without salt. to preserve tomatoes for winter use. mrs. ernest f. wurtele. to fifteen pounds tomatoes, put three ounces of white sugar, and three ounces of salt, boil very hard for twenty minutes. fill up pint jars to overflowing and screw down tight; as they cool off, screw them again so as to be sure they are quite tight. this quantity fills ten pint jars. skin the tomatoes before boiling, this is quickly done by pouring boiling water over them. beverages. boston cream. (a summer drink). mrs. w. fraser. make a syrup of four pounds of white sugar, with four quarts of water; boil; when cold add four ounces of tartaric acid, one and one half ounce of essence of lemon, and the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth; bottle. a wineglass of the cream to a tumbler of water, with sufficient carbonate of soda to make it effervesce. claret cup. mrs. henry thomson. six bottles of claret, one of sherry, three wine glasses of brandy, five bottles of soda water, sugar to taste. ginger beer. mrs. duncan laurie. one quarter pound white ginger, two ounces cream tartar, two pounds white sugar, juice of two lemons, three gallons of hot water; boil one hour, cork while hot. gingerette. mrs. albert clint. four and one half pounds of loaf sugar, one and one half ounce tartaric acid, four ounces tincture of ginger, one ounce essence of capsicum, two drops of cassia. put the above ingredients into a crock that will hold two gallons of boiling water; one pound of brown sugar to be burnt in a pan till it is the color of coffee, then add to it the other ingredients. the boiling water is the last thing to be poured on the ingredients. stir until the sugar is dissolved. when cold, bottle, cork tight and put away for use. the burnt sugar gives it a pretty colour. ginger cordial. mrs. erskine scott. ten lemons, one gallon of whisky, six ounces of root ginger, (to be bruised) and put with the whiskey on the lemons, after cutting them up in slices, and left for three weeks. then take five pounds of white sugar, and pour over it three pints of boiling water, and put on the fire until it is melted. when it is cold, pour over the lemons, having first strained them, bottle and cork tight. grape juice. mrs. george lawrence. to ten pounds grapes (concord), two pounds white sugar, wash grapes, cover them with water in preserving kettle, and boil for thirty minutes, strain through coarse cheese cloth, let cool, add sugar, boil twenty minutes longer, and bottle while _boiling hot_, and cork and seal with sealing wax. grape wine. mrs. e. a. pfeiffer. take fresh blue grapes, stems must be green, mash well, put in preserving pan, and warm, not boiling heat, strain, first through cheese cloth, then through flannel, return to pan, sugar to taste, bring to boiling heat, bottle while hot, cork well and seal. have kept it over a year without any fermentation. original. grape juice. mrs. j. macnaughton. pick over and wash your grapes. concords are said to be preferable. put them in your porcelain kettle with just enough water to prevent sticking. when the skins crack remove from fire, pour into a flannel bag, not more than a quart at once, and press out the juice. add nearly half as much sugar as juice and return to the kettle. when the sugar is all dissolved and the juice boiling, pour into cans and seal. pint cans are preferable; when opened this can be diluted with water to suit the taste, and will keep perfectly sweet for several days if kept in a cool place. raspberry acid. mrs. george m. craig. dissolve five ounces of tartaric acid in two quarts of water, pour it on twelve pounds of red raspberries in a large bowl, let it stand twenty-four hours, strain it without pressing: to a pint of this liquor, add one and a half pounds of white sugar, stir until dissolved, bottle but do not cork for several days, when it is ready for use two or three tablespoons in a glass of ice water will make a delicious drink. raspberry vinegar. mrs. stuart oliver. cover with vinegar and let them stand about a week, stirring every day, then strain the fruit and to each pint add a pound of sugar. boil till it seems as a syrup about one half an hour, bottle, cork when cold. lemon syrup. mrs. thom. one pound powdered frosting sugar, one quarter pound tartaric acid, one quarter pound carbonate of soda, forty drops essence of lemon. add the latter to the sugar, mix well. having dried it well pass it through a sieve, and keep in a closely corked bottle. a teaspoonful will suffice for a tumbler of water. lemon syrup. mrs. farquharson smith. two ounces citric acid, one ounce tartaric acid, one half ounce epsom salts, five pounds white sugar. grate the rind of three lemons, juice of six lemons, three pints boiling water, when cold add the whites of two eggs well beaten, strain through muslin, and then bottle. lemon syrup. mrs. archibald laurie. one quart juice of fresh lemons, the yellow skin only of six lemons, one quart boiling water, four pounds white sugar. let it stand for twenty-four hours. if not quite dissolved melt over a gentle heat. filter through a jelly bag and bottle tightly corked, will keep for three months in a cool place. cooking for the sick. nourishing cream for convalescents. mrs. blair. beat the yolks of four eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and the rind (grated lightly), and juice of an orange, or lemon. add a teaspoonful of powdered sugar to the whites of the eggs and beat until stiff. place the vessel containing the beaten yolks in a pot of boiling water, cook gently, stirring all the time. when it begins to thicken stir in the whites of the eggs until thoroughly mixed, then put it to cool. serve in small glasses. beef tea for invalids. mrs. w. cook. one pound lean beef and one pound veal, cut up small, and put in a wide mouthed jar. pour two wineglasses of cold water or wine on it, one teaspoon salt, and a little mace if liked. cork the jar well and tie a bladder over it. place the jar in a deep saucepan of cold water which must not be allowed to cover the cork. let it boil slowly four hours or more and strain through a sieve. one tablespoonful of this is equal to a cup of ordinary beef tea. calf's foot jelly. make your stock of calves feet and two ox feet. add to it if very firm a pint of water, juice of four lemons and rind of two, five eggs, shells and all, whites beaten well, one ounce cinnamon, one ounce cloves, sugar to taste, about one and one half pounds and one bottle of sherry. put all into the pan and stir well. let it boil a minute or two and then throw in a cup of cold water, cover closely for ten minutes, skim and run through the bag. gruel. mrs. smyth. one large cup oatmeal, cover with cold water, stir well and let stand a few minutes. strain, adding a little more boiling water or half milk, to the water strained. stir it until it comes to the boil. cook five minutes or longer. when ready for serving, add a little salt, sugar and nutmeg. baked lemon for a cold. mrs. septimus barrow. dose a teaspoonful. bake a lemon till soft, take out all the inside, and mix with as much sugar as it will hold, strain and stand till cold when it will jelly. bread, buns, fritters. boston brown bread. mrs. richard turner. one cup graham flour, one cup corn meal, one cup wheat flour, one large cup raisins, one teaspoon baking soda, one half cup warm water, one pinch of salt. steam four hours: nice sliced and steamed for breakfast. brown bread. mrs. r. stewart. one cup graham flour, one cup wheat, one cup yellow corn meal, one cup sweet milk, one half cup molasses. pinch of salt and a teaspoon baking soda dissolved in milk. mix the flour, stir in the molasses, then the milk and soda. steam three hours. home made bread. mrs. frank glass. soak a cake of yeast in one quart of water, then add six pints of flour and two teaspoons of salt. let it stand over night in a rather warm place. in the morning make it up with another pint of water and three pints of flour. let stand for an hour or so, then knead it well and make into loaves, letting them stand another hour, or until well risen. (buns made from part of the sponge.) take a part of the sponge and add two teaspoonfuls of butter and one egg. tea biscuit. mrs. hyde. one pint of flour (sifted three times,) one teaspoon cream of tartar, one half teaspoon of soda, two teaspoons of sugar, pinch of salt, one dessert spoon of lard or butter, moisten with milk, and yolk of beaten egg. taffy buns. miss m. w. home. make a good biscuit crust, roll out rather thin spread with the following mixture. three quarters of a cup brown sugar, one quarter of a cup of butter mixed together until smooth, roll as you would a roly-poly, cut in slices about an inch thick, and bake in rather a hot oven. spanish bun. mrs. thom. one and one half cups sugar, four eggs, leave out the whites of three for icing, three quarters of a cup of butter, one cup milk, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one teaspoon ginger, one half nutmeg, two cups flour, three teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake in flat tin well greased. icing. take three whites of three eggs and beat to a stiff froth, then add a cup of light brown sugar, while the cake is hot spread this over, return to the oven and brown. french rolls or twists. miss lampson. one quart of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, one small cup brewer's yeast, flour enough to make a stiff batter. let it rise, and when very light, work in one egg and two spoonfuls of butter, and knead in flour till stiff enough to roll. let it rise again, and when very light, roll out, cut in round or braids or any shape preferred. n. b. the egg and butter may be omitted. butter-milk scones. mrs. frank laurie. one quart of flour, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar and one of baking soda, a little piece of butter the size of an egg and one teaspoonful of salt; mix the butter well in the flour with the hands, put the salt, baking powder into the flour when sifting, add enough butter-milk to thicken. bake in a moderate oven. graham muffins. madame j. t. one cup graham flour, one half cup ordinary flour, three quarters cup milk two tablespoons sugar, one large teaspoon baking powder, one large tablespoon butter, one beaten up egg and salt. muffins. mrs. gilmour. butter the size of an egg, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, two mashed potatoes, one and one half cups of tepid water or milk, one cake of yeast, flour enough to make a stiff batter. put to rise over night, and in the morning put into buttered rings; put to rise again until rings are full, then bake in a slow oven. muffins. mrs. henry thomson. two cups sweet milk, four cups of flour, two eggs, two tablespoons of melted butter, four teaspoons baking powder and pinch of salt. pop overs. mrs. farquharson smith. a breakfast cup of flour, a cup of milk, three eggs and a pinch of salt: beat the eggs very well, add them to the milk and beat in the flour; the mixture ought to be the consistency of good custard. butter the moulds very well before putting in the batter; don't put more than a tablespoonful in each. the oven should be very hot and the pop-overs will only take ten minutes to bake. pop overs. miss m'gee. three eggs well beaten, add a tablespoon of melted butter and a little salt, pour this mixture over one cup of flour and add milk enough to make a thin batter. johnny cake. mrs. stuart oliver. one pint of sour milk, one teaspoonful of soda, (good) one egg, butter size of an egg, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, about two small cups each of indian meal and flour (to make a thin batter.) short-cake. mrs. r. m. stocking. one pint of flour, one cup of sour cream, one small teaspoon soda, three eggs. shortbread. mrs. w. reid. place on a bake-board two pounds of sifted flour, one pound butter (if salt, wash,) and half a pound of sugar; this quantity will make four cakes. knead all altogether and when well mixed form into cakes half an inch thick, pinch round the edge, and probe all over with a fork, place some confits in the centre, then a sheet of stiff paper under each cake, place on the baking sheet and bake in an oven of moderate heat. almond shortbread. mrs. w. cook. one pound ground sweet almonds, eight ounces sugar, eight ounces sifted flour, eight ounces good butter. the yolks of eight eggs, about eight drops of essence of ratafia. first see that the ground almonds are fresh. mix them with the flour and sugar and then very, very carefully add a few drops of ratafia. mix everything thoroughly. make a space in centre, and in this drop the yolks of the eggs. then melt the butter, add that and mix up the whole together until it is a nice firm stiff paste. this should now be rolled a great many times; cannot be rolled too much. when sufficiently rolled to appear like a strip of cream coloured satin a quarter of an inch thick, cut in small squares with a sharp knife. pinch the edges of each square and in centre of each cake, put a split half of blanched almond. butter baking tins and bake in a moderate oven to a fine pale yellow tint. these are delicious and are particularly good in summer eaten with fruit. scotch short bread. mrs. blair. one pound of flour, one half pound butter, six ounces sugar; cream butter and sugar, add flour. roll into a smooth ball and work down until half an inch in thickness, an operation which is rather difficult for a novice, as it is apt to crack at the edges; but the knack is soon learned, and the more it is worked the better. prick with a small skewer, strew with large carraway comfits, and bake slowly, a pale brown. banana fritters. mrs. george elliott. take six bananas, peel and dip in beaten white of egg, then roll in bread crumbs. fry in butter a golden brown. put them on a dish, squeeze lemon juice over them, also a little sifted sugar. apple fritters. mrs. harry laurie. three tart apples, two eggs; one cup milk; one teaspoonful salt; about one and one half cups of flour; one teaspoonful baking powder. pare and core the apples; cut them into rings; dust with sugar and cinnamon; stand aside to use. beat eggs without separating until light; add milk, salt and sufficient flour to make a soft batter; beat well and add the baking powder; beat again; have ready very hot a deep pan of lard, dip each ring of apple in the batter, drop it in the fat and fry until brown. serve hot, dusted with powdered sugar. french pancakes. mrs. benson bennett. four eggs, weight of four eggs in butter, sugar and flour, one half a teaspoonful of soda, one half teaspoonful of cream of tartar. as much milk as will make a batter. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the four eggs well beaten stir in all the other ingredients. bake in tin plates. scotch haggis. mrs. andrew t. love. boil a sheep's draught for three quarters of an hour in as much water as will cover it. grate down the liver and mince the heart and lights very fine. mince two pounds of onions, and two pounds of beef suet, put in three or four handsful of oatmeal with pepper and salt to taste. having these ingredients very well mixed, put them into the bag with a little of the boilings of the draught. pick the bag well to prevent its bursting. it requires from three to four hours boiling, so if you make it a day or two before you intend using it, it is better to boil it two hours after it is made, and two hours when going to use it. great care must be taken in having the bag very particularly scraped and cleansed by frequent washings in salt and water. the liver and heart, etc., are better, to be boiled before, then they can be grated down easily. half of this receipt makes a very good sized haggis. index. pages. soups to fish and oysters to meats to game to vegetables to entrées and meats réchauffé to salads and salad dressing to eggs to cheese dishes the chafing dish to pies to puddings to desserts to cakes to icings for cakes to gingerbread and small cakes to confections to pickles to preserves to beverages to cooking for the sick to bread, buns, fritters to scotch haggis * * * * * * you will find it to your interest to make inquiries about the quebec & lake st. john ry. the new route to the far-famed saguenay and the only rail line to the delightful summer resorts and fishing grounds north of quebec and to lake st. john and chicoutimi, through the .. canadian adirondacks .. [illustration: quebec & lake st john railway the new route to the far-famed saguenay.] trains connect at chicoutimi with saguenay steamers for tadousac, cacouna, murray bay and quebec. a round trip unequalled in america, through matchless forest, mountain, river and lake scenery, down the majestic saguenay by daylight and back to the fortress city. touching at all the beautiful sea-side resorts, on the lower st. lawrence, with their chain of commodious hotels. hotel roberval, lake st. john, has first class accommodation for guests, and is run in connection with the island house, at grand discharge, of lake st. john, the centre of the ouananiche fishing grounds. parlor and sleeping cars magnificent scenery, beautiful climate. apply to the ticket agents of all principal cities. a beautifully illustrated guide book free on application. alex. hardy, j. g. scott, gen. pass. agent, quebec. secy. & manager. the quebec railway, light & power co. operate a constant service of electric cars from all points of the city to montmorency falls, ste. anne de beaupré and intermediate stations at popular fares. they also supply incandescent and arc lighting to residences and stores at extremely low prices. any information can be obtained from the general manager or superintendent. edward a. evans, general manager. office at the railway station. corner of st. paul and ramsay sts. telephone no. . ladies .. when you desire a most up-to-date job in the printing line, remember we have the largest and most complete job office in town. .. the daily telegraph .. victor lafrance. bookbinder. no. buade street, opposite post office. general job establishment --from-- plain cheap work up to the richest & most elaborately designed bindings. largest and most complete plant in this city. [illustration] there's durability an well as elegance about our furniture that makes it attractive to all--if you doubt it, come and see. furniture bought of us, while not intended for rough usage, will stand it all right. the children can play on it, though you'll be just as well pleased if it is used for comfort rather than for playing. james perry, st. paul street, quebec. ..fine.. flavoring extracts best goods ---- best prices! imperial extract company chicago. ...sole agent for quebec... ..the red cross pharmacy.. corner st. john and palace sts. the chinic hardware co branch store: fabrique street, - quebec. make a specialty of house furnishing hardware ---- and ---- - - kitchen utensils - - can furnish practically everything from... a steel range -- to a -- larding needle. all new and practical kitchen helps being added to the stock as they appear on the markets of canada, united states, england, france and germany. terms: cash. telephone . j. & j. daly dealers in provisions beef, game, poultry, eggs, butter, hams, ....bacon, fresh and salt pork, &c.... , montcalm market, ... quebec ... up-to-date people patronize pfeiffer's dye works and laundry. shirt, collars and cuffs laundered in the newest style of finish. "the domestic finish." no high gloss to look like celluloid or paper collars, but a nice medium finish that has all the appearance of new work. high gloss finish is all out of style. gentlemen these times always ask for the "domestic finish." we have equipped ourselves with the latest machines for this high grade of work. kid gloves cleaned by a new process, giving them the same soft finish as new kid. try us and be convinced. fall is approaching--our dyeing departments are equipped in the same manner as the laundry, with all the latest and most up-to-date machinery and appliances for the handling of all grades of work, from the most delicate fabrics to the heaviest and coarsest material. fine lace, ladies dresses, gents' suits, curtains, portieres, rugs, etc. carpets cleaned in a superior manner; all moths removed by our process of cleaning. all the orders entrusted to the pfeiffer dye works and laundry are under the personal supervision of the proprietors. all our work returned with the quickest despatch. customers have not to wait until near midnight to have their goods returned. all orders returned early saturday afternoon. branch office, phone . main office, phone . cote du passage, levis. , , mcmahon st., quebec. the... chafing dish. [illustration] we offer the chafing dish with the utmost confidence that to the user it will prove the most satisfactory and economical of cooking utensils. the prices range from $ to $ . our booklet "the chafing dish," containing thirty-two recipes, sent free on application. g. seifert & sons, fabrique street, quebec. none the cook's decameron a study in taste containing over two hundred recipes for italian dishes by mrs. w. g. waters "show me a pleasure like dinner, which comes every day and lasts an hour."-- talleyrand circa to a. v. in memory of certain ausonian feasts preface montaigne in one of his essays* mentions the high excellence italian cookery had attained in his day. "i have entered into this discourse upon the occasion of an italian i lately receiv'd into my service, and who was clerk of the kitchen to the late cardinal caraffa till his death. i put this fellow upon an account of his office: where he fell to discourse of this palate-science, with such a settled countenance and magisterial gravity, as if he had been handling some profound point of divinity. he made a learned distinction of the several sorts of appetites, of that of a man before he begins to eat, and of those after the second and third service: the means simply to satisfy the first, and then to raise and acute the other two: the ordering of the sauces, first in general, and then proceeded to the qualities of the ingredients, and their effects: the differences of sallets, according to their seasons, which ought to be serv'd up hot, and which cold: the manner of their garnishment and decoration, to render them yet more acceptable to the eye after which he entered upon the order of the whole service, full of weighty and important considerations." it is consistent with montaigne's large-minded habit thus to applaud the gifts of this master of his art who happened not to be a frenchman. it is a canon of belief with the modern englishman that the french alone can achieve excellence in the art of cookery, and when once a notion of this sort shall have found a lodgment in an englishman's brain, the task of removing it will be a hard one. not for a moment is it suggested that englishmen or any one else should cease to recognise the sovereign merits of french cookery; all that is entreated is toleration, and perchance approval, of cookery of other schools. but the favourable consideration of any plea of this sort is hindered by the fact that the vast majority of englishmen when they go abroad find no other school of cookery by the testing of which they may form a comparison. this universal prevalence of french cookery may be held to be a proof of its supreme excellence--that it is first, and the rest nowhere; but the victory is not so complete as it seems, and the facts would bring grief and humiliation rather than patriotic pride to the heart of a frenchman like brillat-savarin. for the cookery we meet in the hotels of the great european cities, though it may be based on french traditions, is not the genuine thing, but a bastard, cosmopolitan growth, the same everywhere, and generally vapid and uninteresting. french cookery of the grand school suffers by being associated with such commonplace achievements. it is noted in the following pages how rarely english people on their travels penetrate where true italian cookery may be tasted, wherefore it has seemed worth while to place within the reach of english housewives some italian recipes which are especially fitted for the presentation of english fare to english palates under a different and not unappetising guise. most of them will be found simple and inexpensive, and special care has been taken to include those recipes which enable the less esteemed portions of meat and the cheaper vegetables and fish to be treated more elaborately than they have hitherto been treated by english cooks. the author wishes to tender her acknowledgments to her husband for certain suggestions and emendations made in the revision of the introduction, and for his courage in dining, "greatly daring," off many of the dishes. he still lives and thrives. also to mrs. mitchell, her cook, for the interest and enthusiasm she has shown in the work, for her valuable advice, and for the care taken in testing the recipes. contents prologue part i the first day the second day. the third day. the fourth day the fifth day. the sixth day. the seventh day the eighth day the ninth day. the tenth day. part ii--recipes sauces no. . espagnole or brown sauce. . velute sauce. . bechamel sauce. . mirepoix sauce (for masking). . genoese sauce. . italian sauce. . ham sauce (salsa di prosciutto). . tarragon sauce. . tomato sauce. . tomato sauce piquante. . mushroom sauce. . neapolitan sauce. . neapolitan anchovy sauce. . roman sauce (salsa agro-dolce). . roman sauce (another way). . supreme sauce. . pasta marinate (for masking italian frys). . white villeroy. soups . clear soup. . zuppa primaverile (spring soup). . soup alla lombarda. . tuscan soup. . venetian soup. . roman soup. . soup alla nazionale. . soup alla modanese. . crotopo soup. . soup all'imperatrice. . neapolitan soup. . soup with risotto. . soup alla canavese. . soup alla maria l'ia. . zuppa d'erbe (lettuce soup). . zuppa regina di riso (queen's soup). minestre . a condiment for seasoning minestre, &c. . minestra alla casalinga. . minestra of rice and turnips. . minestra alla capucina. . minestra of semolina. . minestrone alla milanese. . minestra of rice and cabbage. . minestra of rice and celery. . anguilla alla milanese (eels). . filletti di pesce alla villeroy (fillets of fish). . astachi all'italiana (lobster). . baccala alla giardiniera (cod). . triglie alla marinara (mullet). . mullet alla tolosa. . mullet alla triestina. . whiting alla genovese. . merluzzo in bianco (cod). . merluzzo in salamoia (cod). . baccala in istufato (haddock). . naselli con piselli (whiting). . ostriche alla livornese (oysters). . ostriche alla napolitana (oysters). . ostriche alla neneziana (oysters). . pesci diversi alla casalinga (fish). . pesce alla genovese (sole or turbot). . sogliole in zimino (sole). . sogliole al tegame (sole). . sogliole alla livornese (sole). . sogliole alla veneziana (sole). . sogliole alla parmigiana (sole). . salmone alla genovese (salmon). . salmone alla perigo (salmon). . salmone alla giardiniera (salmon). . salmone alla farnese (salmon). . salmone alla santa fiorentina (salmon). . salmone alla francesca (salmon). . fillets of salmon in papiliotte. beef, mutton, veal, lamb, &c. . manzo alla certosina (fillet of beef). . stufato alla fiorentina (stewed beef). . coscia di manzo al forno (rump steak). . polpettine alla salsa piccante (beef olives). . stufato alla milanese (stewed beef). . manzo marinato arrosto (marinated beef). . manzo con sugo di barbabietole (fillet of beef). . manzo in insalata (marinated beef). . filetto di bue con pistacchi (fillets of beef with pistacchios). . scalopini di rizo (beef with risotto). . tenerumi alla piemontese (tendons of veal). . bragiuole di vitello (veal cutlets). . costolette alla monza (veal cutlets). . vitello alla pellegrina (breast of veal). . frittura piccata al marsala (fillet of veal). . polpettine distese (veal olives). . coste di vitello imboracciate (ribs of veal). . costolette di montone alla nizzarda (mutton cutlets). . petto di castrato all'italiana (breast of mutton). . petto di castrato alla salsa piccante (breast of mutton). . tenerumi d' agnello alla villeroy (tendons of lamb). . tenerumi d' agnello alla veneziana (tendons of lamb). . costoletto d'agnello alla costanza (lamb cutlets). tongue, sweetbread, calf's head, liver, sucking pig, &c. . timballo alla romana. . timballo alla lombarda. . lingua alla visconti (tongue). . lingua di manzo al citriuoli (tongue with cucumber). . lingue di castrato alla cuciniera (sheep's tongues). .. lingue di vitello all'italiana (calves' tongues). . porcelletto alla corradino (sucking pig). . porcelletto da latte in galantina (sucking pig). . ateletti alla sarda. . ateletti alla genovese. . testa di vitello alla sorrentina (calf's head). . testa di vitello con salsa napoletana (calf's head). . testa di vitello alla pompadour (calf's head). . testa di vitello alla sanseverino (calf's head). . testa di vitello in frittata (calf's head). . zampetti (calves' feet). . bodini marinati. . animelle alla parmegiana (sweetbread). . animelle in cartoccio (sweetbread). . animelle all'italiana (sweetbread). . animelle lardellate (sweetbread). . frittura di bottoni e di animelle (sweetbreads and mushrooms). . cervello in filiserbe (calf's brains). . cervello alla milanese (calf's brains). . cervello alla villeroy (calf's brains). . frittuta of cervello (calf's brains). . cervello alla frittata montano (calf's brains). . marinata di cervello alla villeroy (calf's brains). . minuta alla milanese (lamb's sweetbread). . animelle al sapor di targone (lamb's fry). . fritto misto alla villeroy. . fritto misto alla piemontese. . minuta di fegatini (ragout of fowls' livers). . minuta alla visconti (chickens' livers). . croutons alla principessa. . croutons alla romana. fowl, duck, game, hare, rabbit, &c. . soffiato di cappone (fowl souffle). . pollo alla fiorentina (chicken). . pollo ali'oliva (chicken). . pollo alla villereccia (chicken). . pollo alla cacciatora (chicken). . pollastro alla lorenese (fowl). . pollastro in fricassea al burro (fowl). . pollastro in istufa di pomidoro (braized fowl). . cappone con riso (capon with rice). . dindo arrosto alla milanese (roast turkey). . tacchinotto all'istriona (turkey poult). . fagiano alla napoletana (pheasant). . fagiano alla perigo (pheasant). . anitra selvatica (wild duck). . perniciotti alla gastalda (partridges). . piccioni alla diplomatica (snipe). . piccioni alla minute (pigeons) . piccioni in ripieno (stuffed pigeons). . lepre in istufato (stewed hare). . lepre agro-dolce (hare). . coniglio alla provenzale (rabbit). . coniglio arrostito alla corradino (roast rabbit). . coniglio in salsa piccante (rabbit). vegetables . asparagi alla salsa suprema (asparagus). . cavoli di bruxelles alla savoiarda (brussels sprouts). . barbabietola alla parmigiana (beetroot). . fave alla savoiarda (beans). . verze alla capuccina (cabbage). . cavoli fiori alla lionese (cauliflower). . cavoli fiori fritti (cauliflower). . cauliflower alla parmigiana. . cavoli fiori ripieni. . sedani alla l'armigiana (celery). . sedani fritti all'italiana (celery). . cetriuoli alla parmigiana (cucumber). . cetriuoli alla borghese (cucumber). . carote al sughillo (carrots). . carote e piselli alla panna (carrots and peas). . verze alla certosina (cabbage). . lattughe al sugo (lettuce). . lattughe farcite alla genovese (lettuce). . funghi cappelle infarcite (stuffed mushrooms). . verdure miste (macedoine of vegetables). . patate alla crema (potatoes in cream). . cestelline cli patate alla giardiniera (potatoes). . patate al pomidoro (potatoes with tomato sauce). . spinaci alla milanese (spinach). . insalata di patate (potato salad). . insalata alla navarino (salad). . insalata di pomidoro (tomato salad). . tartufi alla dino (truffles). macaroni, rice, polenta, all other italian pastes . macaroni with tomatoes macaroni alla casalinga. . macaroni al sughillo. . macaroni alla livornese. . tagliarelle and lobster. . polenta. . polenta pasticciata. . battuffoli. . risotto all'italiana. . risotto alla genoxese. . risotto alla spagnuola. . risotto alla capuccina. . risotto alla parigina. . ravioli. . ravioli alla fiorentina. . gnoechi alla romana. . gnoechi alla lombarda. . frittata di riso (savoury rice pancake). omelettes and other egg dishes . uova ai tartufi (eggs with truffles). . uova al pomidoro (eggs and tomatoes). . uova ripiene (canapes of egg). . uova alla fiorentina (eggs). . uova in fili (egg canapes). . frittata di funghi (mushroom omelette). . frittata eon pomidoro (tomato omelette). . frittata con asparagi (asparagus omelette). . frittata eon erbe (omelette with herbs). . frittata montata (omelette souffle'). . frittata di proseiutto (ham omelette). sweets and cakes . bodino off semolina. . crema rappresa (coffee cream). . crema montata alle fragole (strawberry cream). . croccante di mandorle (cream nougat). . crema tartara alla caramella (caramel cream). . cremona cake. . cake alla tolentina. . riso all'imperatrice. . amaretti leggier (almond cakes). . cakes alla livornese. . genoese pastry. . zabajone. . iced zabajone. . panforte di siena (sienese hardbake). new century sauce . fish sauce. . sauce piquante (for meat, fowl, game, rabbit, &c.). . sauce for venison, hare, &c. . tomato sauce piquante. . sauce for roast pork, ham, &c. . for masking cutlets, &c. part i. the cook's decameron prologue the marchesa di sant'andrea finished her early morning cup of tea, and then took up the batch of correspondence which her maid had placed on the tray. the world had a way of treating her in kindly fashion, and hostile or troublesome letters rarely veiled their ugly faces under the envelopes addressed to her; wherefore the perfection of that pleasant half-hour lying between the last sip of tea and the first step to meet the new day was seldom marred by the perusal of her morning budget. the apartment which she graced with her seemly presence was a choice one in the mayfair hotel, one which she had occupied for the past four or five years during her spring visit to london; a visit undertaken to keep alive a number of pleasant english friendships which had begun in rome or malta. london had for her the peculiar attraction it has for so many italians, and the weeks she spent upon its stones were commonly the happiest of the year. the review she took of her letters before breaking the seals first puzzled her, and then roused certain misgivings in her heart. she recognised the handwriting of each of the nine addresses, and at the same time recalled the fact that she was engaged to dine with every one of the correspondents of this particular morning. why should they all be writing to her? she had uneasy forebodings of postponement, and she hated to have her engagements disturbed; but it was useless to prolong suspense, so she began by opening the envelope addressed in the familiar handwriting of sir john oglethorpe, and this was what sir john had to say-- "my dear marchesa, words, whether written or spoken, are powerless to express my present state of mind. in the first place, our dinner on thursday is impossible, and in the second, i have lost narcisse and forever. you commented favourably upon that supreme of lobster and the ris de veau a la renaissance we tasted last week, but never again will you meet the handiwork of narcisse. he came to me with admirable testimonials as to his artistic excellence; with regard to his moral past i was, i fear, culpably negligent, for i now learn that all the time he presided over my stewpans he was wanted by the french police on a charge of murdering his wife. a young lady seems to have helped him; so i fear narcisse has broken more than one of the commandments in this final escapade. the truly great have ever been subject to these momentary aberrations, and narcisse being now in the hands of justice--so called--our dinner must needs stand over, though not, i hope, for long. meantime the only consolation i can perceive is the chance of a cup of tea with you this afternoon." "j. o." sir john oglethorpe had been her husband's oldest and best friend. he and the marchesa had first met in sardinia, where they had both of them gone in pursuit of woodcock, and since the marchesa had been a widow, she and sir john had met either in rome or in london every year. the dinner so tragically manque had been arranged to assemble a number of anglo-italian friends; and, as sir john was as perfect as a host as narcisse was as a cook, the disappointment was a heavy one. she threw aside the letter with a gesture of vexation, and opened the next. "sweetest marchesa," it began, "how can i tell you my grief at having to postpone our dinner for friday. my wretched cook (i gave her seventy-five pounds a year), whom i have long suspected of intemperate habits, was hopelessly inebriated last night, and had to be conveyed out of the house by my husband and a dear, devoted friend who happened to be dining with us, and deposited in a four-wheeler. may i look in tomorrow afternoon and pour out my grief to you? yours cordially, "pamela st. aubyn fothergill." when the marchesa had opened four more letters, one from lady considine, one from mrs. sinclair, one from miss macdonnell, and one from mrs. wilding, and found that all these ladies were obliged to postpone their dinners on account of the misdeeds of their cooks, she felt that the laws of average were all adrift. surely the three remaining letters must contain news of a character to counterbalance what had already been revealed, but the event showed that, on this particular morning, fortune was in a mood to strike hard. colonel trestrail, who gave in his chambers carefully devised banquets, compounded by a bengali who was undoubtedly something of a genius, wrote to say that this personage had left at a day's notice, in order to embrace christianity and marry a lady's-maid who had just come into a legacy of a thousand pounds under the will of her late mistress. another correspondent, mrs. gradinger, wrote that her german cook had announced that the dignity of womanhood was, in her opinion, slighted by the obligation to prepare food for others in exchange for mere pecuniary compensation. only on condition of the grant of perfect social equality would she consent to stay, and mrs. gradinger, though she held advanced opinions, was hardly advanced far enough to accept this suggestion. last of all, mr. sebastian van der roet was desolate to announce that his cook, a japanese, whose dishes were, in his employer's estimation, absolute inspirations, had decamped and taken with him everything of value he could lay hold of; and more than desolate, that he was forced to postpone the pleasure of welcoming the marchesa di sant' andrea at his table. when she had finished reading this last note, the marchesa gathered the whole mass of her morning's correspondence together, and uttering a few italian words which need not be translated, rolled it into a ball and hurled the same to the farthest corner of the room. "how is it," she ejaculated, "that these english, who dominate the world abroad, cannot get their food properly cooked at home? i suppose it is because they, in their lofty way, look upon cookery as a non-essential, and consequently fall victims to gout and dyspepsia, or into the clutches of some international brigandaccio, who declares he is a cordon bleu. one hears now and again pleasant remarks about the worn-out latin races, but i know of one latin race which can do better than this in cookery." and having thus delivered herself, the marchesa lay back on the pillows and reviewed the situation. she was sorry in a way to miss the colonel's dinner. the dishes which the bengali cook turned out were excellent, but the host himself was a trifle dictatorial and too fond of the sound of his own voice, while certain of the inevitable guests were still worse. mrs. gradinger's letter came as a relief; indeed the marchesa had been wondering why she had ever consented to go and pretend to enjoy herself by eating an ill-cooked dinner in company with social reformers and educational prigs. she really went because she liked mr. gradinger, who was as unlike his wife as possible, a stout youth of forty, with a breezy manner and a decided fondness for sport. lady considine's dinners were indifferent, and the guests were apt to be a bit too smart and too redolent of last season's monte carlo odour. the sinclairs gave good dinners to perfectly selected guests, and by reason of this virtue, one not too common, the host and hostess might be pardoned for being a little too well satisfied with themselves and with their last new bibelot. the fothergill dinners were like all other dinners given by the fothergills of society. they were costly, utterly undistinguished, and invariably graced by the presence of certain guests who seemed to have been called in out of the street at the last moment. van der roet's japanese menus were curious, and at times inimical to digestion, but the personality of the host was charming. as to sir john oglethorpe, the question of the dinner postponed troubled her little: another repast, the finest that london's finest restaurant could furnish, would certainly be forthcoming before long. in sir john's case, her discomposure took the form of sympathy for her friend in his recent bereavement. he had been searching all his life for a perfect cook, and he had found, or believed he had found, such an one in narcisse; wherefore the marchesa was fully persuaded that, if that artist should evade the guillotine, she would again taste his incomparable handiwork, even though he were suspected of murdering his whole family as well as the partner of his joys. that same afternoon a number of the balked entertainers foregathered in the marchesa's drawing-room, the dominant subject of discourse being the approaching dissolution of london society from the refusal of one human to cook food for another. those present were gathered in two groups. in one the colonel, in spite of the recent desertion of his oriental, was asserting that the government should be required to bring over consignments of perfectly trained indian cooks, and thus trim the balance between dining room and kitchen; and to the other mrs. gradinger, a gaunt, ill-dressed lady in spectacles, with a commanding nose and dull, wispy hair, was proclaiming in a steady metallic voice, that it was absolutely necessary to double the school rate at once in order to convert all the girls and some of the boys as well, into perfectly equipped food-cooking animals; but her audience gradually fell away, and in an interval of silence the voice of the hostess was heard giving utterance to a tentative suggestion. "but, my dear, it is inconceivable that the comfort and the movement of society should depend on the humours of its servants. i don't blame them for refusing to cook if they dislike cooking, and can find other work as light and as well paid; but, things being as they are, i would suggest that we set to work somehow to make ourselves independent of cooks." "that 'somehow' is the crux, my dear livia," said mrs. sinclair. "i have a plan of my own, but i dare not breathe it, for i'm sure mrs. gradinger would call it 'anti-social,' whatever that may mean." "i should imagine that it is a term which might be applied to any scheme which robs society of the ministrations of its cooks," said sir john. "i have heard mathematicians declare that what is true of the whole is true of its parts," said the marchesa. "i daresay it is, but i never stopped to inquire. i will amplify on my own account, and lay down that what is true of the parts must be true of the whole. i'm sure that sounds quite right. now i, as a unit of society, am independent of cooks because i can cook myself, and if all the other units were independent, society itself would be independent--ecco!" "to speak in this tone of a serious science like euclid seems rather frivolous," said mrs. gradinger. "i may observe--" but here mercifully the observation was checked by the entry of mrs. st. aubyn fothergill. she was a handsome woman, always dominated by an air of serious preoccupation, sumptuously, but not tastefully dressed. in the social struggle upwards, wealth was the only weapon she possessed, and wealth without dexterity has been known to fail before this. she made efforts, indeed, to imitate mrs. sinclair in the elegancies of menage, and to pose as a woman of mind after the pattern of mrs. gradinger; but the task first named required too much tact, and the other powers of endurance which she did not possess. "you'll have some tea, mrs. fothergill?" said the marchesa. "it's so good of you to have come." "no, really, i can't take any tea; in fact, i couldn't take any lunch out of vexation at having to put you off, my dear marchesa." "oh, these accidents will occur. we were just discussing the best way of getting round them," said the marchesa. "now, dear,"--speaking to mrs. sinclair--"let's have your plan. mrs. gradinger has fastened like a leech on the canon and mrs. wilding, and won't hear a word of what you have to say." "well, my scheme is just an amplification of your mathematical illustrations, that we should all learn to cook for ourselves. i regard it no longer as impossible, or even difficult, since you have informed us that you are a mistress of the art. we'll start a new school of cookery, and you shall teach us all you know." "ah, my dear laura, you are like certain english women in the hunting field. you are inclined to rush your fences," said the marchesa with a deprecatory gesture. "and just look at the people gathered here in this room. wouldn't they--to continue the horsey metaphor--be rather an awkward team to drive?" "not at all, if you had them in suitable surroundings. now, supposing some beneficent millionaire were to lend us for a month or so a nice country house, we might install you there as mistress of the stewpans, and sit at your feet as disciples," said mrs. sinclair. "the idea seems first-rate," said van der roet; "and i suppose, if we are good little boys and girls, and learn our lessons properly, we may be allowed to taste some of our own dishes." "might not that lead to a confusion between rewards and punishments?" said sir john. "if ever it comes to that," said miss macdonnell with a mischievous glance out of a pair of dark, flashing celtic eyes, "i hope that our mistress will inspect carefully all pupils' work before we are asked to eat it. i don't want to sit down to another of mr. van der roet's japanese salads made of periwinkles and wallflowers." "and we must first catch our millionaire," said the colonel. during these remarks mrs. fothergill had been standing "with parted lips and straining eyes," the eyes of one who is seeking to "cut in." now came her chance. "what a delightful idea dear mrs. sinclair's is. we have been dreadfully extravagant this year over buying pictures, and have doubled our charitable subscriptions, but i believe i can still promise to act in a humble way the part of mrs. sinclair's millionaire. we have just finished doing up the 'laurestinas,' a little place we bought last year, and it is quite at your service, marchesa, as soon as you liketo occupy it." this unlooked-for proposition almost took away the marchesa's breath. "ah, mrs. fothergill," she said, "it was mrs. sinclair's plan, not mine. she kindly wishes to turn me into a cook for i know not how long, just at the hottest season of the year, a fate i should hardly have chosen for myself." "my dear, it would be a new sensation, and one you would enjoy beyond everything. i am sure it is a scheme every one here will hail with acclamation," said mrs. sinclair. all other conversation had now ceased, and the eyes of the rest of the company were fixed on the speaker. "ladies and gentlemen," she went on, "you have heard my suggestion, and you have heard mrs. fothergill's most kind and opportune offer of her country house as the seat of our school of cookery. such an opportunity is one in ten thousand. surely all of us---even the marchesa--must see that it is one not to be neglected." "i approve thoroughly," said mrs. gradinger; "the acquisition of knowledge, even in so material a field as that of cookery, is always a clear gain." "it will give gradinger a chance to put in a couple of days at ascot," whispered van der roet. "where mrs. gradinger leads, all must follow," said miss macdonnell. "take the sense of the meeting, mrs. sinclair, before the marchesa has time to enter a protest." "and is the proposed instructress to have no voice in the matter?" said the marchesa, laughing. "none at all, except to consent," said mrs. sinclair; "you are going to be absolute mistress over us for the next fortnight, so you surely might obey just this once." "you have been denouncing one of our cherished institutions, marchesa," said lady considine, "so i consider you are bound to help us to replace the british cook by something better." "if mrs. sinclair has set her heart on this interesting experiment. you may as well consent at once, marchesa," said the colonel, "and teach us how to cook, and--what may be a harder task--to teach us to eat what other aspirants may have cooked." "if this scheme really comes off," said sir john, "i would suggest that the marchesa should always be provided with a plate of her own up her sleeve--if i may use such an expression--so that any void in the menu, caused by failure on the part of the under-skilled or over-ambitious amateur, may be filled by what will certainly be a chef-d'oeuvre." "i shall back up mrs. sinclair's proposition with all my power," said mrs. wilding. "the canon will be in residence at martlebridge for the next month, and i would much rather be learning cookery under the marchesa than staying with my brother-in-law at ealing." "you'll have to do it, marchesa," said van der roet; "when a new idea catches on like this, there's no resisting it." "well, i consent on one condition--that my rule shall be absolute," said the marchesa, "and i begin my career as an autocrat by giving mrs. fothergill a list of the educational machinery i shall want, and commanding her to have them all ready by tuesday morning, the day on which i declare the school open." a chorus of applause went up as soon as the marchesa ceased speaking. "everything shall be ready," said mrs. fothergill, radiant with delight that her offer had been accepted, "and i will put in a full staff of servants selected from our three other establishments." "would it not be as well to send the cook home for a holiday?" said the colonel. "it might be safer, and lead to less broth being spoilt." "it seems," said sir john, "that we shall be ten in number, and i would therefore propose that, after an illustrious precedent, we limit our operations to ten days. then if we each produce one culinary poem a day we shall, at the end of our time, have provided the world with a hundred new reasons for enjoying life, supposing, of course, that we have no failures. i propose, therefore, that our society be called the 'new decameron.'" "most appropriate," said miss macdonnell, "especially as it owes its origin to an outbreak of plague--the plague in the kitchen." the first day on the tuesday morning the marchesa travelled down to the "laurestinas," where she found that mrs. fothergill had been as good as her word. everything was in perfect order. the marchesa had notified to her pupils that they must report themselves that same evening at dinner, and she took down with her her maid, one of those marvellous italian servants who combine fidelity with efficiency in a degree strange to the denizens of more progressive lands. now, with angelina's assistance, she proposed to set before the company their first dinner all'italiana, and the last they would taste without having participated in the preparation. the real work was to begin the following morning. the dinner was both a revelation and a surprise to the majority of the company. all were well travelled, and all had eaten of the mongrel french dishes given at the "grand" hotels of the principal italian cities, and some of them, in search of adventures, had dined at london restaurants with italian names over the doors, where--with certain honourable exceptions--the cookery was french, and not of the best, certain italian plates being included in the carte for a regular clientele, dishes which would always be passed over by the english investigator, because he now read, or tried to read, their names for the first time. few of the marchesa's pupils had ever wandered away from the arid table d'hote in milan, or florence, or rome, in search of the ristorante at which the better class of townsfolk were wont to take their colazione. indeed, whenever an englishman does break fresh ground in this direction, he rarely finds sufficient presence of mind to controvert the suggestions of the smiling minister who, having spotted his inglese, at once marks down an omelette aux fines herbes and a biftek aux pommes as the only food such a creature can consume. thus the culinary experiences of englishmen in italy have led to the perpetuation of the legend that the traveller can indeed find decent food in the large towns, "because the cooking there is all french, you know," but that, if he should deviate from the beaten track, unutterable horrors, swimming in oil and reeking with garlic, would be his portion. oil and garlic are in popular english belief the inseparable accidents of italian cookery, which is supposed to gather its solitary claim to individuality from the never-failing presence of these admirable, but easily abused, gifts of nature. "you have given us a delicious dinner, marchesa," said mrs. wilding as the coffee appeared. "you mustn't think me captious in my remarks--indeed it would be most ungracious to look a gift-dinner in the--what are you laughing at, sir john? i suppose i've done something awful with my metaphors--mixed them up somehow." "everything mrs. wilding mixes will be mixed admirably, as admirably, say, as that sauce which was served with the manzo alla certosina," sir john replied. "that is said in your best style, sir john," replied mrs. wilding; "but what i was going to remark was, that i, as a poor parson's wife, shall ask for some instruction in inexpensive cooking before we separate. the dinner we have just eaten is surely only within the reach of rich people." "i wish some of the rich people i dine with could manage now and then to reach a dinner as good," said the colonel. "i believe it is a generally received maxim, that if you want a truth to be accepted you must repeat the same in season and out, whenever you have the opportunity," said the marchesa. "the particular truth i have now in mind is the fact that italian cookery is the cookery of a poor nation, of people who have scant means wherewith to purchase the very inferior materials they must needs work with; and that they produce palatable food at all is, i maintain, a proof that they bring high intelligence to the task. italian culinary methods have been developed in the struggle when the cook, working with an allowance upon which an english cook would resign at once, has succeeded by careful manipulation and the study of flavouring in turning out excellent dishes made of fish and meat confessedly inferior. now, if we loosen the purse-strings a little, and use the best english materials, i affirm that we shall achieve a result excellent enough to prove that italian cookery is worthy to take its stand beside its great french rival. i am glad mrs. wilding has given me an opportunity to impress upon you all that its main characteristics are simplicity and cheapness, and i can assure her that, even if she should reproduce the most costly dishes of our course, she will not find any serious increase in her weekly bills. when i use the word simplicity, i allude, of course, to everyday cooking. dishes of luxury in any school require elaboration, care, and watchfulness." menu--dinner {*} zuppa d'uova alla toscana. tuscan egg-soup. sogliole alla livornese. sole alla livornese. manzo alla certosina. fillet of beef, certosina sauce. minuta alla milanese. chickens' livers alla milanese. cavoli fiodi ripieni. cauliflower with forcemeat. cappone arrosto con insalata. roast capon with salad. zabajone. spiced custard. uova al pomidoro. eggs and tomatoes. * the recipes for the dishes contained in all these menus will be found in the second part of the book. the limits of the seasons have necessarily been ignored. the second day wednesday's luncheon was anticipated with some curiosity, or even searchings of heart, as in it would appear the first-fruits of the hand of the amateur. the marchesa wisely restricted it to two dishes, for the compounding of which she requisitioned the services of lady considine, mrs. sinclair, and the colonel. the others she sent to watch angelina and her circle while they were preparing the vegetables and the dinner entrees. after the luncheon dishes had been discussed, they were both proclaimed admirable. it was a true bit of italian finesse on the part of the marchesa to lay a share of the responsibility of the first meal upon the colonel, who was notoriously the most captious and the hardest to please of all the company; and she did even more than make him jointly responsible, for she authorised him to see to the production of a special curry of his own invention, the recipe for which he always carried in his pocket-book, thus letting india share with italy in the honours of the first luncheon. "my congratulations to you on your curry, colonel trestrail," said miss macdonnell. "you haven't followed the english fashion of flavouring a curry by emptying the pepper-pot into the dish?" "pepper properly used is the most admirable of condiments," the colonel said. "why this association of the colonel and pepper?" said van der roet. "in this society we ought to be as nice in our phraseology as in our flavourings, and be careful to eschew the incongruous. you are coughing, mrs. wilding. let me give you some water." "i think it must have been one of those rare grains of the colonel's pepper, for you must have a little pepper in a curry, mustn't you, colonel? though, as miss macdonnell says, english cooks generally overdo it." "vander is in one of his pleasant witty moods," said the colonel, "but i fancy i know as much about the use of pepper as he does about the use of oil colours; and now we have, got upon art criticism, i may remark, my dear vander, i have been reminded that you have been poaching on my ground. i saw a landscape of yours the other day, which looked as if some of my curry powder had got into the sunset. i mean the one poor blind old wilkins bought at your last show." "ah, but that sunset was an inspiration, colonel, and consequently beyond your comprehension." "it is easy to talk of inspiration," said sir john, "and, perhaps, now that we are debating a matter of real importance, we might spend our time more profitably than in discussing what is and what is not a good picture. some inspiration has been brought into our symposium, i venture to affirm that the brain which devised and the hand which executed the tenerumi di vitello we have just tasted, were both of them inspired. in the construction of this dish there is to be recognised a breath of the same afflatus which gave us the florentine campanile, and the medici tombs, and the portrait of monna lisa. when we stand before any one of these masterpieces, we realise at a glance how keen must have been the primal insight, and how strenuous the effort necessary for the evolution of so consummate an achievement; and, with the savour of the tenerumi di vitello still fresh, i feel that it deserves to be added to the list of italian capo lavori. now, as i was not fortunate enough to be included in the pupils' class this morning, i must beg the next time the dish is presented to us--and i imagine all present will hail its renaissance with joy--that i may be allowed to lend a hand, or even a finger, in its preparation." "veal, with the possible exception of lombard beef, is the best meat we get in italy," said the marchesa, "so an italian cook, when he wants to produce a meat dish of the highest excellence, generally turns to veal as a basis. i must say that the breast of veal, which is the part we had for lunch today, is a somewhat insipid dish when cooked english fashion. that we have been able to put it before you in more palatable form, and to win for it the approval of such a connoisseur as sir john oglethorpe, is largely owing to the judicious use of that italian terror--more dire to many english than paper-money or brigands--garlic." "the quantity used was infinitesimal," said mrs. sinclair, "but it seems to have been enough to subdue what i once heard sir john describe as the pallid solidity of the innocent calf." "i fear the vein of incongruity in our discourse, lately noted by van der roet, is not quite exhausted," said sir john. "the colonel was up in arms on account of a too intimate association of his name with pepper, and now mrs. sinclair has bracketed me with the calf, a most useful animal, i grant, but scarcely one i should have chosen as a yokefellow; but this is a digression. to return to our veal. i had a notion that garlic had something to do with the triumph of the tenerumi, and, this being the case, i think it would be well if the marchesa were to give us a dissertation on the use of this invaluable product." "as mrs. sinclair says, the admixture of garlic in the dish in question was a very small one, and english people somehow never seem to realise that garlic must always be used sparingly. the chief positive idea they have of its characteristics is that which they gather from the odour of a french or italian crowd of peasants at a railway station. the effect of garlic, eaten in lumps as an accompaniment to bread and cheese, is naturally awful, but garlic used as it should be used is the soul, the divine essence, of cookery. the palate delights in it without being able to identify it, and the surest proof of its charm is manifested by the flatness and insipidity which will infallibly characterise any dish usually flavoured with it, if by chance this dish should be prepared without it. the cook who can employ it successfully will be found to possess the delicacy of perception, the accuracy of judgment, and the dexterity of hand, which go to the formation of a great artist. it is a primary maxim, and one which cannot be repeated too often, that garlic must never be cut up and used as part of the material of any dish. one small incision should be made in the clove, which should be put into the dish during the process of cooking, and allowed to remain there until the cook's palate gives warning that flavour enough has been extracted. then it must be taken out at once. this rule does not apply in equal degree to the use of the onion, the large mild varieties of which may be cooked and eaten in many excellent bourgeois dishes; but in all fine cooking, where the onion flavour is wanted, the same treatment which i have prescribed for garlic must be followed." the marchesa gave the colonel and lady considine a holiday that afternoon, and requested mrs. gradinger and van der roet to attend in the kitchen to help with the dinner. in the first few days of the session the main portion of the work naturally fell upon the marchesa and angelina, and in spite of the inroads made upon their time by the necessary directions to the neophytes, and of the occasional eccentricities of the neophytes' energies, the dinners and luncheons were all that could be desired. the colonel was not quite satisfied with the flavour of one particular soup, and mrs. gradinger was of opinion that one of the entrees, which she wanted to superintend herself, but which the marchesa handed over to mrs. sinclair, had a great deal too much butter in its composition. her conscience revolted at the action of consuming in one dish enough butter to solace the breakfast-table of an honest working man for two or three days; but the faintness of these criticisms seemed to prove that every one was well satisfied with the rendering of the menu of the day. menu--lunch tenerumi di vitello. breast of veal. piccione alla minute. pigeons, braized with liver, &c. curry menu--dinner zuppa alla nazionale. soup alla nazionale. salmone alla genovese. salmon alla genovese. costolette alla costanza. mutton cutlets alla costanza. fritto misto alla villeroy. lamb's fry alla villeroy. lattughe al sugo. stuffed lettuce. dindo arrosto alla milanese. roast turkey alla milanese. crema montata alle fragole. strawberry cream. tartufi alla dino. truffles alla dino. the third day "i observe, dear marchesa," said mrs. fothergill at breakfast on thursday morning, "that we still follow the english fashion in our breakfast dishes. i have a notion that, in this particular especially, we gross english show our inferiority to the more spirituelles nations of the continent, and i always feel a new being after the light meal of delicious coffee and crisp bread and delicate butter the first morning i awake in dear paris." "i wonder how it happens, then, that two goes of fish, a plateful of omelette, and a round and a half of toast and marmalade are necessary to repair the waste of tissue in dear england?" van der roet whispered to miss macdonnell. "it must be the gross air of england or the gross nature of the--" the rest of miss macdonnell's remark was lost, as the marchesa cried out in answer to mrs. fothergill, "but why should we have anything but english breakfast dishes in england? the defects of english cookery are manifest enough, but breakfast fare is not amongst them. in these england stands supreme; there is nothing to compare with them, and they possess the crowning merit of being entirely compatible with english life. i cannot say whether it may be the effect of the crossing, or of the climate on this side, or that the air of england is charged with some subtle stimulating quality, given off in the rush and strain of strenuous national life, but the fact remains that as soon as i find myself across the channel i want an english breakfast. it seems that i am more english than certain of the english themselves, and i am sorry that mrs. fothergill has been deprived of her french roll and butter. i will see that you have it to-morrow, mrs. fothergill, and to make the illusion complete, i will order it to be sent to your room." "oh no, marchesa, that would be giving too much trouble, and i am sure you want all the help in the house to carry out the service as exquisitely as you do," said mrs. fothergill hurriedly, and blushing as well as her artistic complexion would allow. "i fancy," said mrs. sinclair, "that foreigners are taking to english breakfasts as well as english clothes. i noticed when i was last in milan that almost every german or italian ate his two boiled eggs for breakfast, the sign whereby the englishman used to be marked for a certainty." "the german would probably call for boiled eggs when abroad on account of the impossibility of getting such things in his own country. no matter how often you send to the kitchen for properly boiled eggs in germany, the result is always the same cold slush," said mrs. wilding; "and i regret to find that the same plague is creeping into the english hotels which are served by german waiters." "that is quite true," said the marchesa; "but in england we have no time to concern ourselves with mere boiled eggs, delicious as they are. the roll of delicacies is long enough, or even too long without them. when i am in england, i always lament that we have only seven days a week and one breakfast a day, and when i am in italy i declare that the reason why the english have overrun the world is because they eat such mighty breakfasts. considering how good the dishes are, i wonder the breakfasts are not mightier than they are." "it always strikes me that our national barrenness of ideas appears as plainly in our breakfasts as anywhere," said mrs. gradinger. "there is a monotony about them which--" "monotony!" interrupted the colonel. "why, i could dish you up a fresh breakfast every day for a month. your conservative tendencies must be very strong, mrs. gradinger, if they lead you to this conclusion." "conservative! on the contrary, i--that is, my husband--always votes for progressive candidates at every election," said mrs. gradinger, dropping into her platform intonation, at the sound of which consternation arose in every breast. "i have, moreover, a theory that we might reform our diet radically, as well as all other institutions; but before i expound this, i should like to say a few words on the waste of wholesome food which goes on. for instance, i went for a walk in the woods yesterday afternoon, where i came upon a vast quantity of fungi which our ignorant middle classes would pronounce to be poisonous, but which i--in common with every child of the intelligent working-man educated in a board school where botany is properly taught--knew to be good for food." "excuse me one moment," said sir john, "but do they really use board-school children as tests to see whether toadstools are poisonous or not?" "i do not think anything i said justified such an inference," said mrs. gradinger in the same solemn drawl; "but i may remark that the children are taught from illustrated manuals accurately drawn and coloured. well, to come back to the fungi, i took the trouble to measure the plot on which they were growing, and found it just ten yards square. the average weight of edible fungus per square yard was just an ounce, or a hundred and twelve pounds per acre. now, there must be at least twenty millions of acres in the united kingdom capable of producing these fungi without causing the smallest damage to any other crop, wherefore it seems that, owing to our lack of instruction, we are wasting some million tons of good food per annum; and i may remark that this calculation pre-supposes, that each fungus springs only once in the season; but i have reason to believe that certain varieties would give five or six gatherings between may and october, so the weight produced would be enormously greater than the quantity i have named." here mrs. gradinger paused to finish her coffee, which was getting cold, and before she could resume, sir john had taken up the parole. "i think the smaller weight will suffice for the present, until the taste for strange fungi has developed, or the pressure of population increased. and before stimulating a vastly increased supply, it will be necessary to extirpate the belief that all fungi, except the familiar mushroom, are poisonous, and perhaps to appoint an army of inspectors to see that only the right sort are brought to market." "yes, and that will give pleasant and congenial employment to those youths of the working-classes who are ambitious of a higher career than that of their fathers," said lady considine, "and the ratepayers will rejoice, no doubt, that they are participating in the general elevation of the masses." "perhaps mrs. gradinger will gather a few of her less deadly fungi, and cook them and eat them herself, pour encourager les autres," said miss macdonnell. "then, if she doesn't die in agonies, we may all forswear beef and live on toadstools." "i certainly will," said mrs. gradinger; "and before we rise from table i should like--" "i fear we must hear your remarks at dinner, mrs. gradinger," said the marchesa. "time is getting on, and some of the dishes to-day are rather elaborate, so now to the kitchen." menu--lunch. risotto alla genovese. savoury rice. pollo alla villereccia. chicken alla villereccia. lingue di castrato alla cucinira. sheeps' tongues alla cucinira. menu--dinner zuppa alla veneziana. venetian soup. sogliole alla giardiniera. sole with vegetables. timballo alla romana. roman pie. petto di castrato alla salsa di burro. breast of mutton with butter sauce. verdure miste. mixed vegetables. crema rappresa. coffee cream. ostriche alla veneziana. oyster savoury. the fourth day the colonel was certainly the most severely critical member of the company. up to the present juncture he had been sparing of censure, and sparing of praise likewise, but on this day, after lunch, he broke forth into loud praise of the dish of beef which appeared in the menu. after specially commending this dish he went on-- "it seems to me that the dinner of yesterday and to-day's lunch bear the cachet of a fresh and admirable school of cookery. in saying this i don't wish to disparage the traditions which have governed the preparation of the delicious dishes put before us up to that date, which i have referred to as the parting of the ways, the date when the palate of the expert might detect a new hand upon the keys, a phrase once employed, i believe, with regard to some man who wrote poetry. to meet an old friend, or a thoroughly tested dish, is always pleasant, but old friends die or fall out, and old favourite dishes may come to pall at last; and for this reason i hold that the day which brings us a new friend or a new dish ought to be marked with white chalk." "and i think some wise man once remarked," said sir john, "that the discovery of a dish is vastly more important than the discovery of a star, for we have already as many stars as we can possibly require, but we can never have too many dishes." "i was wondering whether any one would detect the variations i made yesterday, but i need not have wondered, with such an expert at table as colonel trestrail," said the marchesa with a laugh. "well, the colonel has found me out; but from the tone of his remarks i think i may hope for his approval. at any rate, i'm sure he won't move a vote of censure." "if he does, we'll pack him off to town, and sentence him to dine at his club every day for a month," said lady considine. "what crime has this particular club committed?" said mrs. sinclair in a whisper. "vote of censure! certainly not," said the colonel, with an angry ring in his voice. mrs. sinclair did not love him, and had calculated accurately the carrying power of her whisper. "that would be the basest ingratitude. i must, however, plead guilty to an attack of curiosity, and therefore i beg you, marchesa, to let us into the secret of your latest inspiration." "its origin was commonplace enough," said the marchesa, "but in a way interesting. once upon a time--more years ago than i care to remember--i was strolling about the piazza navona in rome, and amusing myself by going from one barrow to another, and turning over the heaps of rubbish with which they were stocked. all the while i was innocently plagiarising that fateful walk of browning's round the riccardi palace in florence, the day when he bought for a lira the romana homocidiorum. the world knows what was the outcome of browning's purchase, but it will probably never fathom the full effect of mine. how do his lines run?" "these i picked the book from. five compeers in flank stood left and right of it as tempting more-- a dog's-eared spicilegium, the fond tale o' the frail one of the flower, by young dumas, vulgarised horace for the use of schools, the life, death, miracles of saint somebody, saint somebody else, his miracles, death and life." "well, the choice which lay before me on one particular barrow was fully as wide, or perhaps wider than that which met the poet's eye, but after i had espied a little yellow paper-covered book with the title la cucina partenopea, overo il paradiso dei gastronomi, i looked no farther. what infinite possibilities of pleasure might lie hidden under such a name. i secured it, together with the story of barlaam and josaphat, for thirty-five centesimi, and handed over the coins to the hungry-eyed old man in charge, who regretted, i am sure, when he saw the eager look upon my face, that he had not marked the books a lira at least. i should now be a rich woman if i had spent all the money i have spent as profitably as those seven sold. besides being a master in the art of cookery, the author was a moral philosopher as well; and he addresses his reader in prefatory words which bespeak a profound knowledge of life. he writes: 'though the time of man here on earth is passed in a never-ending turmoil, which must make him often curse the moment when he opened his eyes on such a world; though life itself must often become irksome or even intolerable, nevertheless, by god's blessing, one supreme consolation remains for this wretched body of ours. i allude to that moment when, the forces being spent and the stomach craving support, the wearied mortal sits down to face a good dinner. here is to be found an effectual balm for the ills of life: something to drown all remembrance of our ill-humours, the worries of business, or even family quarrels. in sooth, it is only at table that a man may bid the devil fly away with solomon and all his wisdom, and give himself up to an earthly delight, which is a pleasure and a profit at the same time.'" "the circumstances under which this precious book was found seem to suggest a culinary poem on the model of the 'ring and the book,"' said mrs. sinclair, "or we might deal with the story in practical shape by letting every one of us prepare the same dish. i fancy the individual renderings of the same recipe would vary quite as widely as the versions of the unsavoury story set forth in mr. browning's little poem." "i think we had better have a supplementary day for a trial of the sort mrs. sinclair suggests," said miss macdonnell. "i speak with the memory of a preparation of liver i tasted yesterday in the kitchen--one of the dishes which did not appear at dinner." "that is rather hard on the colonel," said van der roet; "he did his best, and now, see how hard he is trying to look as if he didn't know what you are alluding to!" "i never in all my life--" the colonel began; but the marchesa, fearing a storm, interfered. "i have a lot more to tell you about my little neapolitan book," she went on, "and i will begin by saying that, for the future, we cannot do better than make free use of it. the author opens with an announcement that he means to give exact quantities for every dish, and then, like a true neapolitan, lets quantities go entirely, and adopts the rule-of-thumb system. and i must say i always find the question of quantities a difficult one. some books give exact measures, each dish being reckoned enough for four persons, with instructions to increase the measures in proportion to the additional number of diners but here a rigid rule is impossible, for a dish which is to serve by itself, as a supper or a lunch, must necessarily be bigger than one which merely fills one place in a dinner menu. quantities can be given approximately in many cases, but flavouring must always be a question of individual taste. latitude must be allowed, for all cooks who can turn out distinguished work will be found to be endowed with imagination, and these, being artists, will never consent to follow a rigid rule of quantity. to put it briefly, cooks who need to be told everything, will never cook properly, even if they be told more than everything. and after all, no one takes seriously the quantities given by the chef of a millionaire or a prince; witness the cook of the prince de soubise, who demanded fifty hams for the sauces and garnitures of a single supper, and when the prince protested that there could not possibly be found space for them all on the table, offered to put them all into a glass bottle no bigger than his thumb. some of francatelli's quantities are also prodigious, as, for instance, when to make a simple glaze he calls for three pounds of gravy beef, the best part of a ham, a knuckle of veal, an old hen, and two partridges." menu--lunch maccheroni al sugillo. macaroni with sausage and tomatoes. manzo in insalata. beef, pressed and marinated. lingue di vitello all'italiana. calves' tongues. menu--dinner. zuppa alla modanese. modenese soup. merluzzo in salamoia. cod with sauce piquante. pollastro in istufa di pomidoro. stewed chicken with tomatoes. porcelletto farcito alla corradino. stuffed suckling pig. insalata alla navarino. navarino salad. bodino di semolino. semolina pudding. frittura di cocozze. fried cucumber. the fifth day the following day was very warm, and some half-dozen of the party wandered into the garden after lunch and took their coffee under a big chestnut tree on the lawn. "and this is the th of june," said lady considine. "last year, on this very day, i started for hombourg. i can't say i feel like starting for hombourg, or any other place, just at present." "but why should any one of us want to go to hombourg?" said sir john. "nobody can be afraid of gout with the admirable diet we enjoy here." "i beg you to speak for yourself, sir john," said lady considine. "i have never yet gone to hombourg on account of gout." "of course not, my dear friend, of course not; there are so many reasons for going to hombourg. there's the early rising, and the band, and the new people one may meet there, and the change of diet--especially the change of diet. but, you see, we have found our change of diet within an hour of london, so why--as i before remarked--should we want to rush off to hombourg?" "i am a firm believer in that change of diet," said mrs. wilding, "though in the most respectable circles the true-bred briton still talks about foreign messes, and affirms that anything else than plain british fare ruins the digestion. i must say my own digestion is none the worse for the holiday i am having from the preparations of my own 'treasure.' i think we all look remarkably well; and we don't quarrel or snap at each other, and it would be hard to find a better proof of wholesome diet than that." "but i fancied mrs. gradinger looked a little out of sorts this morning, and i'm sure she was more than a little out of temper when i asked her how soon we were to taste her dish of toadstools," said miss macdonnell. "i expect she had been making a trial of the british fungi in her bedroom," said van der roet; "and then, you see, our conversation isn't quite 'high toned' enough for her taste. we aren't sufficiently awake to the claims of the masses. can any one explain to me why the people who are so full of mercy for the mass, are so merciless to the unit?" "that is her system of proselytising," said the colonel, "and if she is content with outward conversion, it isn't a bad one. i often feel inclined to agree to any proposition she likes to put forward, and i would, if i could stop her talking by my submission." "you wouldn't do that, colonel, even in your suavest mood," said van der roet; "but i hope somebody will succeed in checking her flow of discourse before long. i'm getting worn to a shadow by the grind of that awful voice." "i thought your clothes were getting a bit loose," said the colonel, "but i put that phenomenon down to another reason. in spite of mrs. wilding's praise of our present style of cooking, i don't believe our friend vander finds it substantial enough to sustain his manly bulk, and i'll tell you the grounds of my belief. a few mornings ago, when i was shaving, i saw the butcher bring into the house a splendid sirloin, and as no sirloin has appeared at table, i venture to infer that this joint was a private affair of vander's, and that he, as well as mrs. gradinger, has been going in for bedroom cookery. here comes the marchesa; we'll ask her to solve the mystery." "i can account for the missing sirloin," said the marchesa. "the colonel is wrong for once. it went duly into the kitchen, and not to mr. van der roet's bedroom; but i must begin with a slight explanation, or rather apology. next to trial by jury, and the reverence paid to rank, and the horror of all things which, as poor corney grain used to say, 'are not nice,' i reckon the sunday sirloin, cooked and served, one and indivisible as the typical fetish of the great english middle class. with this fact before my eyes, i can assure you i did not lightly lay a hand on its integrity. my friends, you have eaten that sirloin without knowing it. you may remember that yesterday after lunch the colonel was loud in praise of a dish of beef. well, that beef was a portion of the same, and not the best portion. the manzo in insalata, which pleased the colonel's palate, was that thin piece at the lower end, the chief function of which, when the sirloin is cooked whole, seems to lie in keeping the joint steady on the dish while paterfamilias carves it. it is never eaten in the dining-room hot, because every one justly prefers and goes for the under cut; neither does it find favour at lunch next day, for the reason that, as cold beef, the upper cut is unapproachable. i have never heard that the kitchen hankers after it inordinately; indeed, its ultimate destination is one of the unexplained mysteries of housekeeping. i hold that never, under any circumstances, should it be cooked with the sirloin, but always cut off and marinated and braized as we had it yesterday. thus you get two hot dishes; our particular sirloin has given us three. the parts of this joint vary greatly in flavour, and in texture as well, and by accentuating this variation by treatment in the kitchen, you escape that monotony which is prone to pervade the table so long as the sirloin remains in the house. mrs. sinclair is sufficiently experienced as a housekeeper to know that the dish of fillets we had for dinner last night was not made from the under cut of one sirloin. it was by borrowing a little from the upper part that i managed to fill the dish, and i'm sure that any one who may have got one of the uppercut fillets had no cause to grumble. the filetto di bue which we had for lunch to-day was the residue of the upper cut, and, admirable as is a slice of cold beef taken from this part of the joint, i think it is an excellent variation to make a hot dish of it sometimes. on the score of economy, i am sure that a sirloin treated in this fashion goes a long way further." "the marchesa demolishes one after another of our venerable institutions with so charming a despatch that we can scarcely grieve for them," said sir john. "i am not philosopher enough to divine what change may come over the british character when every man sits down every day to a perfectly cooked dinner. it is sometimes said that our barbarian forefathers left their northern solitudes because they hankered after the wine and delicate meats of the south, and perhaps the modern briton may have been led to overrun the world by the hope of finding a greater variety of diet than he gets at home. it may mean, marchesa, that this movement of yours for the suppression of english plain cooking will mark the close of our national expansion." "my dear sir john, you may rest assured that your national expansion, as well as your national cookery, will continue in spite of anything we may accomplish here, and i say good luck to them both. when have i ever denied the merits of english cookery?" said the marchesa. "many of its dishes are unsurpassed. these islands produce materials so fine, that no art or elaboration can improve them. they are best when they are cooked quite plainly, and this is the reason why simplicity is the key-note of english cookery. a fine joint of mutton roasted to a turn, a plain fried sole with anchovy butter a broiled chop or steak or kidney, fowls or game cooked english fashion, potatoes baked in their skins and eaten with butter and salt, a rasher of wiltshire bacon and a new-laid egg, where will you beat these? i will go so far as to say no country can produce a bourgeoises dish which can be compared with steak and kidney pudding. but the point i want to press home is that italian cookery comes to the aid of those who cannot well afford to buy those prime qualities of meat and fish which allow of this perfectly plain treatment. it is, as i have already said, the cookery of a nation short of cash and unblessed with such excellent meat and fish and vegetables as you lucky islanders enjoy. but it is rich in clever devices of flavouring, and in combinations, and i am sure that by its help english people of moderate means may fare better and spend less than they spend now, if only they will take a little trouble." menu--lunch gnocchi alla romana. semolina with parmesan. filetto di bue al pistacchi. fillet of beef with pistachios bodini marinati. marinated rissoles. menu--dinner. zuppa crotopo. croute au pot soup. sogliole alla veneziana. fillets of sole. ateletti alla sarda. atelets of ox-palates, &c. costolette di montone alla nizzarda. mutton cutlets. pollo alla fiorentina. fowl with macaroni. crema tartara alla caramella. caramel cream. uova rimescolati al tartufi. eggs with truffles. the sixth day the following morning, at breakfast, a servant announced that sir john oglethorpe was taking his breakfast in his room, and that there was no need to keep anything in reserve for him. it was stated, however, that sir john was in no way indisposed, and that he would join the party at lunch. he seated himself in his usual place, placid and fresh as ever; but, unharmed as he was physically, it was evident to all the company that he was suffering from some mental discomposure. miss macdonnell, with a frank curiosity which might have been trying in any one else, asked him point-blank the reason of his absence from the meal for which, in spite of his partiality for french cookery, he had a true englishman's devotion. "i feel i owe the company some apology for my apparent churlishness," he said; "but the fact is, that i have received some very harrowing, but at the same time very interesting, news this morning. i think i told you the other day how the vacancy in my kitchen has led up to a very real tragedy, and that the abhorred fury was already hovering terribly near the head of poor narcisse. well, i have just received from a friend in paris journals containing a full account of the trial of narcisse and of his fair accomplice. the worst has come to pass, and narcisse has been doomed to sneeze into the basket like a mere aristocrat or politician during the terror i was greatly upset by this news, but i was interested, and in a measure consoled, to find an enclosure amongst the other papers, an envelope addressed to me in the handwriting of the condemned man. this voix d'outre tombe, i rejoice to say, confides to me the secret of that incomparable sauce of his, a secret which i feared might be buried with narcisse in the prison ditch." the marchesa sighed as she listened. the recipe of the sauce was safe indeed, but she knew by experience how wide might be the gulf between the actual work of an artist and the product of another hand guided by his counsels, let the hand be ever so dexterous, and the counsels ever so clear. "will it be too much," she said, "to ask you to give us the details of this painful tragedy?" "it will not," sir john replied reflectively. "the last words of many a so-called genius have been enshrined in literature: probably no one will ever know the parting objurgation of narcisse. i will endeavour, however, to give you some notion as to what occurred, from the budget i have just read. i fear the tragedy was a squalid one. madame, the victim, was elderly, unattractive in person, exacting in temper, and the owner of considerable wealth--at least, this is what came out at the trial. it was one of those tangles in which a fatal denouement is inevitable; and, if this had not come through mademoiselle sidonie, it would have come through somebody else. the lovers plotted to remove madame by first drugging her, then breaking her skull with the wood chopper, and then pitching her downstairs so as to produce the impression that she had met her death in this fashion. but either the arm of mademoiselle sidonie--who was told off to do the hammering--was unskilled in such work, or the opiate was too weak, for the victim began to shriek before she gave up the ghost. detection seemed imminent, so narcisse, in whom the quality of discretion was evidently predominant, bolted at once and got out of the country. but the facts were absolutely clear. the victim lived long enough to depose that mademoiselle sidonie attacked her with the wood chopper, while narcisse watched the door. the advocate of narcisse did his work like a man. he shed the regulation measure of tears; he drew graphic pictures of the innocent youth of narcisse, of his rise to eminence, and of his filial piety as evidenced by the frequent despatch of money and comestibles to his venerable mother, who was still living near bourges. once a year, too, this incomparable artist found time to renew his youth by a sojourn in the simple cottage which saw his birth, and by embracing the giver of his life. was it possible that a man who treated one woman with such devotion and reverence could take the life of another? he adduced various and picturesque reasons to show that such an event must be impossible, but the jury took the opposite view. some one had to be guillotined, and the intelligent jury decided that paris could spare narcisse better than it could spare mademoiselle sidonie. i fear the fact that he had deigned to sell his services to a brutal islander may have helped them to come to this conclusion, but there were other and more weighty reasons. of the supreme excellence of narcisse as an artist the jury knew nothing, so they let him go hang--or worse--but of mademoiselle sidonie they knew a good deal, and their knowledge, i believe, is shared by certain english visitors to paris. she is one of the attractions of the fantasies d'arcadie, and her latest song, bonjour coco, is sung and whistled in every capital of europe; so the jury, thrusting aside as mere pedantry the evidence of facts, set to work to find some verdict which would not eclipse the gaiety of la ville lumiere by cutting short the career of mademoiselle sidonie. the art of the chef appealed to only a few, and he dies a mute, but by no means inglorious martyr: the art of the chanteuse appeals to the million, the voice of the many carries the day, and narcisse must die." "it is a revolting story," said mrs. gradinger, "and one possible only in a corrupted and corrupting society. it is wonderful, as sir john remarks, how the conquering streams of tendency manifest themselves even in an affair like this. ours is a democratic age, and the wants and desires of the many, who find delight in this woman's singing, override the whims of the pampered few, the employers of such costly luxuries as men cooks." "you see you are a mere worm, sir john," laughed miss macdonnell, "and you had better lay out your length to be trampled on." "yes, i have long foreseen our fate, we who happen to possess what our poor brother hankers after. well, perhaps i may take up the worm's role at once and 'turn', that is, burn the recipe of narcisse." "o sir john, sir john," cried mrs. sinclair "any such burning would remind me irresistibly of mr. mantalini's attempts at suicide. there would be an accurate copy in your pocket-book, and besides this you would probably have learnt off the recipe by heart." "yes, we know our sir john better than that, don't we?" said the marchesa; "but, joking apart, sir john, you might let me have the recipe at once. it would go admirably with one of our lunch dishes for to-morrow." but on the subject of the sauce, sir john--like the younger mr. smallweed on the subject of gravy--was adamant. the wound caused by the loss of narcisse was, he declared, yet too recent: the very odour of the sauce would provoke a thousand agonising regrets. and then the hideous injustice of it all: narcisse the artist, comparatively innocent (for to artists a certain latitude must be allowed), to moulder in quicklime, and this greedy, sordid murderess to go on ogling and posturing with superadded popularity before an idiot crowd unable to distinguish a remoulade from a ravigotte! "no, my dear marchesa," he said, "the secret of narcisse must be kept a little longer, for, to tell the truth, i have an idea. i remember that ere this fortunes have been made out of sauces, and if this sauce be properly handled and put before the public, it may counteract my falling, or rather disappearing rents. if only i could hit upon a fetching name, and find twenty thousand pounds to spend in advertising, i might be able once more to live on my acres." "oh, surely we shall be able to find you a name between us," said mrs. wilding; "money, and things of that sort are to be procured in the city, i believe; and i daresay mr. van der roet will design a pretty label for the sauce bottles." menu--lunch. pollo all'olive. fowl with olives. scaloppine di rive. veal cutlets with rice. sedani alla parmigiana. stewed celery. menu--dinner. zuppa primaverile. spring soup sote di salmone al funghi. salmon with mushrooms. tenerumi d'agnello alla veneziana. breast of lamb alla veneziana. testa di vitello alla sorrentina. calf's head alla sorrentina. fagiano alla perigo. pheasant with truffles. torta alla cremonese. cremona tart. uova alla fiorentina. egg savoury. the seventh day "it seems invidious to give special praise where everything is so good," said mrs. sinclair next day at lunch, "but i must say a word about that clear soup we had at dinner last night. i have never ceased to regret that my regard for manners forbade me ask for a second helping." "see what it is to have no manners," said van der roet. "i plunged boldly for another portion of that admirable preparation of calf's head at dinner. if i hadn't, i should have regretted it for ever after. now, i'm sure you are just as curious about the construction of these masterpieces as i am, mrs. sinclair, so we'll beg the marchesa to let us into the secret." "mrs. sinclair herself had a hand in the calf's-head dish, 'testa di vitello alla sorrentina,' so perhaps i may hand over that part of the question to her. i am very proud that one of my pupils should have won praise from such a distinguished expert as mr. van der roet, and i leave her to expound the mystery of its charm. i think i may without presumption claim the clear soup as a triumph, and it is a discovery of my own. the same calf's head which mrs. sinclair has treated with such consummate skill, served also as the foundation for the stock of the clear soup. this stock certainly derived its distinction from the addition of the liquor in which the head was boiled. a good consomme can no doubt be made with stock-meat alone, but the best soup thus made will be inferior to that we had for dinner last night. without the calf's head you will never get such softness, combined with full roundness on the tongue, and the great merit of calf's head is that it lets you attain this excellence without any sacrifice of transparency." "i have marvelled often at the clearness of your soups, marchesa," said the colonel. "what clearing do you use to make them look like pale sherry?" "no one has any claim to be called a cook who cannot make soup without artificial clearing," said the marchesa. "like the poet, the consomme is born, not made. it must be clear from the beginning, an achievement which needs care and trouble like every other artistic effort, but one nevertheless well within the reach of any student who means to succeed. to clear a soup by the ordinary medium of white of egg or minced beef is to destroy all flavour and individuality. if the stock be kept from boiling until it has been strained, it will develop into a perfectly clear soup under the hands of a careful and intelligent cook. the fleeting delicate aroma which, as every gourmet will admit, gives such grateful aid to the palate, is the breath of garden herbs and of herbs alone, and here i have a charge to bring against contemporary cookery. i mean the neglect of natural in favour of manufactured flavourings. with regard to herbs, this could not always have been the rule, for i never go into an old english garden without finding there a border with all the good old-fashioned pot herbs growing lustily. i do not say that the use of herbs is unknown, for of course the best cookery is impossible without them, but i fear that sage mixed with onion is about the only one which ever tickles the palate of the great english middle-class. and simultaneously with the use of herb flavouring in soup has arisen the practice of adding wine, which to me seems a very questionable one. if wine is put in soup at all, it must be used so sparingly as to render its presence imperceptible. why then use it at all? in some sauces wine is necessary, but in all cases it is as difficult to regulate as garlic, and requires the utmost vigilance on the part of the cook." "my last cook, who was very stout and a little middle-aged, would always use flavouring sauces from the grocer's rather than walk up to the garden, where we have a most seductive herb bed," said mrs. wilding; "and then, again, the love of the english for pungent-made sauces is another reason for this makeshift practice. 'oh, a table-spoonful of somebody's sauce will do for the flavouring,' and in goes the sauce, and the flavouring is supposed to be complete. people who eat their chops, and steaks, and fish, and game, after having smothered the natural flavour with the same harsh condiment, may be satisfied with a cuisine of this sort, but to an unvitiated palate the result is nauseous." "yet as a churchwoman, mrs. wilding, you ought to speak with respect of english sauces. i think i have heard how a libation of one of them, which was poured over a certain cathedral, has made it look as good as new," said miss macdonnell, "and we have lately learned that one of the most distinguished of our party is ambitious to enter the same career." "i would suggest that sir john should devote all that money he proposes to make by the aid of his familiar spirit--the ghost of narcisse--to the building of a temple in honour of the tenth muse, the muse of cookery," said mrs. sinclair; "and what do you think, sir john, of a name i dreamt of last night for your sauce, 'the new century sauce'? how will that do?" "admirably," said sir john after a moment's pause; "admirably enough to allow me to offer you a royalty on every bottle sold. 'the new century sauce', that's the name for me; and now to set to work to build the factory, and to order plans for the temple of the tenth muse." menu--lunch. maccheroni al pomidoro. macaroni with tomatoes, vitello alla pellegrina. veal cutlets alla pellegrina. animelle al sapor di targone. sweetbread with tarragon sauce. menu--dinner. zuppa alla canavese. soup alla canavese naselli con piselli. whiting with peas. coscia di manzo al forno. braized ribs of beef. lingua alla visconti. tongue with grapes. anitra selvatica. wild duck. zabajone ghiacciato. iced syllabub. crostatini alla capucina. savoury of rice, truffles, &c. the eighth day "we are getting unpleasantly near the end of our time," said the colonel, "but i am sure not one of us has learnt one tithe of what the marchesa has to teach." "my dear colonel trestrail," said the marchesa, "an education in cookery does not mean the teaching of a certain number of recipes. education, i maintain, is something far higher than the mere imparting of facts; my notion of it is the teaching of people to teach themselves, and this is what i have tried to do in the kitchen. with some of you i am sure i have succeeded, and a book containing the recipe of every dish we have tried will be given to every pupil when we break up." "i think the most valuable lesson i have learnt is that cookery is a matter for serious study," said mrs. sinclair. "the popular english view seems to be that it is one of those things which gets itself done. the food is subjected to the action of heat, a little butter, or pepper, or onion, being added by way of flavouring, and the process is complete. to put it bluntly, it requires at least as much mental application to roast a fowl as to cut a bodice; but it does not strike the average englishwoman in this way, for she will spend hours in thinking and talking about dressmaking (which is generally as ill done as her cooking), while she will be reluctant to give ten minutes to the consideration as to how a luncheon or supper dish shall be prepared. the english middle classes are most culpably negligent about the food they eat, and as a consequence they get exactly the sort of cooks they deserve to get. i do not blame the cooks; if they can get paid for cooking ill, why should they trouble to learn to cook well?" "i agree entirely," said mrs. wilding. "that saying, 'what i like is good plain roast and boiled, and none of your foreign kickshaws,' is, as every one knows, the stock utterance of john bull on the stage or in the novel; and, though john bull is not in the least like his fictitious presentment, this form of words is largely responsible for the waste and want of variety in the english kitchen. the plain roast and boiled means a joint every day, and this arrangement the good plain cook finds an admirable one for several reasons: it means little trouble, and it means also lots of scraps and bones and waste pieces. the good plain cook brings all the forces of obstruction to bear whenever the mistress suggests made dishes; and, should this suggestion ever be carried out, she takes care that the achievement shall be of a character not likely to invite repetition. not long ago a friend of mine was questioning a cook as to soups, whereupon the cook answered that she had never been required to make such things where she had lived; all soups were bought in tins or bottles, and had simply to be warmed up. cakes, too, were outside her repertoire, having always been 'had in' from the confectioner's, while 'entrys' were in her opinion, and in the opinion of her various mistresses, 'un'ealthy' and not worth making." "my experience is that, if a mistress takes an interest in cooking, she will generally have a fairly efficient cook," said mrs. fothergill. "i agree with mrs. sinclair that our english cooks are spoilt by neglect; and i think it is hard upon them, as a class, that so many inefficient women should be able to pose as cooks while they are unable to boil a potato properly." "and the so-called schools of cookery are quite useless in what they teach," said miss macdonnell. "i once sent a cook of mine to one to learn how to make a clear soup, and when she came back, she sent up, as an evidence of her progress, a potato pie coloured pink and green, a most poisonous-looking dish--and her clear soups were as bad as ever." said the colonel, "i will beg leave to enter a protest against the imperfections of that repast which is supposed to be the peculiar delight of the ladies, i allude to afternoon tea. i want to know why it is that unless i happen to call just when the tea is brought up--i grant, i know of a few houses which are honourable exceptions--i am fated to drink that most abominable of all decoctions, stewed lukewarm tea. 'will you have some tea? i'm afraid it isn't quite fresh,' the hostess will remark without a blush. what would she think if her husband at dinner were to say, 'colonel, take a glass of that champagne. it was opened the day before yesterday, and i daresay the fizz has gone off a little'? tea is cheap enough, and yet the hostess seldom or never thinks of ordering up a fresh pot. i believe it is because she is afraid of the butler." "i sympathise with you fully, colonel," said lady considine, "and my withers are unwrung. you do not often honour me with your presence on tuesdays, but i am sure i may claim to be one of your honourable exceptions." "indeed you may," said the colonel. "perhaps men ought not to intrude on these occasions; but i have a preference for taking tea in a pretty drawing-room, with a lot of agreeable women, rather than in a club surrounded by old chaps growling over the latest job at the war office, and a younger brigade chattering about the latest tape prices, and the weights for the spring handicaps." "all these little imperfections go to prove that we are not a nation of cooks," said van der roet. "we can't be everything. heine once said that the romans would never have found time to conquer the world if they had been obliged to learn the latin grammar; and it is the same with us. we can't expect to found an empire all over the planet, and cook as well as the french, who--perhaps wisely--never willingly emerge from the four corners of their own land." "there is energy enough left in us when we set about some purely utilitarian task," said mrs. wilding, "but we never throw ourselves into the arts with the enthusiasm of the latin races. i was reading the other day of a french costumier who rushed to inform a lady, who had ordered a turban, of his success, exclaiming, 'madame, apres trots nun's d'insomnie les plumes vent placees.' and every one knows the story of vatel's suicide because the fish failed to arrive. no englishman would be capable of flights like these." "really, this indictment of english cookery makes me a little nervous," said lady considine "i have promised to join in a driving tour through the southern counties. i shudder to think of the dinners i shall have to eat at the commercial hotels and posting-houses on our route." "english country inns are not what they ought to be, but now and then you come across one which is very good indeed, as good, if not better, than anything you could find in any other country; but i fear i must admit that, charges considered, the balance is against us," said sir john. "when you start you ought to secure sir john's services as courier, lady considine," said the marchesa. "i once had the pleasure of driving for a week through the apennines in a party under his guidance, and i can assure you we found him quite honest and obliging." "ah, marchesa, i was thinking of that happy time this very morning," said sir john. "of arezzo, where we were kept for three days by rain, which i believe is falling there still. of cortona, with that wonderful little restaurant on the edge of the cliff, whence you see thrasumene lying like a silver mirror in the plain below. of perugia, the august, of gubbio, citta di castello, borgo san sepolcro, urbino, and divers others. if you go for a drive in italy, you still may meet with humours of the road such as travellers of old were wont to enjoy. i well remember on the road between perugia and gubbio we began to realise we were indeed traversing mountain paths. on a sudden the driver got down, waved his arms, and howled to some peasants working in a field below. these, on their part, responded with more arm-waving and howling, directed apparently towards a village farther up the hill, whereupon we were assailed with visions of brigands, and amputated ears, and ransom. but at a turn of the road we came upon two magnificent white oxen, which, being harnessed on in front, drew us, and our carriages and horses as well, up five miles of steep incline. these beautiful fellows, it seemed, were what the driver was signalling for, and not for brigands. again, every inn we stayed at supplied us with some representative touch of local life and habit. here the whole personnel of the inn, reinforced by a goodly contingent of the townsfolk, would accompany us even into our bedrooms, and display the keenest interest in the unpacking of our luggage. there the cook would come and take personal instructions as to the coming meal, throwing out suggestions the while as to the merits of this or that particular dish, and in one place the ancient chambermaid insisted that one of the ladies, who had got a slight cold, should have the prete put into her bed for a short time to warm it. you need not look shocked, colonel. the prete in question was merely a wooden frame, in the midst of which hangs a scaldino filled with burning ashes--a most comforting ecclesiastic, i can assure you. all the inns we visited had certain characteristics in common. the entrance is always dirty, and the staircase too, the dining rooms fairly comfortable, the bedrooms always clean and good, and the food much better than you would expect to find in such out-of-the-way places; indeed i cannot think of any inn where it was not good and wholesome, while often it was delicious. in short, lady considine, i strongly advise you to take a drive in italy next spring, and if i am free i shall be delighted to act as courier." "sir john has forgotten one or two touches i must fill in," said the marchesa. "it was often difficult to arrange a stopping-place for lunch, so we always stocked our basket before starting. after the first day's experience we decided that it was vastly more pleasant to take our meal while going uphill at a foot-pace, than in the swing and jolt of a descent, so the route and the pace of the horses had to be regulated in order to give us a good hour's ascent about noon. fortunately hills are plentiful in this part of italy, and in the keen air we generally made an end of the vast store of provisions we laid in, and the generous fiascho was always empty a little too soon. our drive came to an end at fano, whither we had gone on account of a strange romantic desire of sir john to look upon an angel which browning had named in one of his poems. ah! how vividly i can recall our pursuit of that picture. it was a wet, melancholy day. the people of fano were careless of the fame of their angel, for no one knew the church which it graced. at last we came upon it by the merest chance, and sir john led the procession up to the shrine, where we all stood for a time in positions of mock admiration. sir john tried hard to keep up the imposition, but something, either his innate honesty or the chilling environment of disapproval of guercino's handiwork, was too much for him. he did his best to admire, but the task was beyond his powers, and he raised no protest when some scoffer affirmed that, though browning might be a great poet, he was a mighty poor judge of painting, when he gave in his beautiful poem immortality to this tawdry theatrical canvas. 'i think,' said sir john, 'we had better go back to the hotel and order lunch. it would have been wiser to have ordered it before we left.' we were all so much touched by his penitence that no one had the heart to remind him how a proposition as to lunch had been made by our leading philistine as soon as we arrived, a proposition waved aside by sir john as inadmissible until the 'guardian angel' should have been seen and admired." "i plead guilty," said sir john. "i think this experience gave a death-blow to my career as an appreciator. anyhow, i quite forget what the angel was like, and for reminiscences of fano have to fall back upon the excellent colazione we ate in the externally unattractive, but internally admirable, albergo del moro." menu--lunch. astachi all'italiana. lobster all'italiana filetto di bue alla napolitana. fillet of beef with neapolitan sauce. risotto alla spagnuola. savoury rice. menu--dinner. zuppa alla romana. soup with quenelles. salmone alla genovese. salmon alla genovese. costolette in agro-dolce. mutton cutlets with roman sauce. flano di spinacci. spinach in a mould. cappone con rive. capon with rice. croccante di mandorle. almond sweet. ostriche alla napolitana. oyster savoury. the ninth day "since i have been associated with the production of a dinner, i have had my eyes opened as to the complicated nature of the task, and the numerous strings which have to be pulled in order to ensure success," said the colonel; "but, seeing that a dinner-party with well-chosen sympathetic guests and distinguished dishes represents one of the consummate triumphs of civilisation, there is no reason to wonder. to achieve a triumph of any sort demands an effort." "effort," said miss macdonnell. "yes, effort is the word i associate with so many middle-class english dinners. it is an effort to the hosts, who regard the whole business as a mere paying off of debts; and an effort to the guests, who, as they go to dress, recall grisly memories of former similar experiences. it often astonishes me that dinner-giving of this character should still flourish." "the explanation is easy," said van der roet; "it flourishes because it gives a mark of distinction. it is a delicious moment for mrs. johnson when she is able to say to mrs. thompson, 'my dear, i am quite worn-out; we dined out every day last week, and have four more dinners in the next five days.' these good people show their british grit by the persistency with which they go on with their penitential hospitality, and their lack of ideas in never attempting to modify it so as to make it a pleasure instead of a disagreeable duty." "it won't do to generalise too widely, van der roet," said sir john. "some of these good people surely enjoy their party-giving; and, from my own experience of one or two houses of this sort, i can assure you the food is quite respectable. the great imperfection seems to lie in the utter want of consideration in the choice of guests. a certain number of people and a certain quantity of food shot into a room, that is their notion of a dinner-party." "of course we understand that the success of a dinner depends much more on the character of the guests than on the character of the food," said mrs. sinclair; "and most of us, i take it, are able to fill our tables with pleasant friends; but what of the dull people who know none but dull people? what gain will they get by taking counsel how they shall fill their tables?" "more, perhaps, than you think, dear mrs. sinclair," said sir john. "dull people often enjoy themselves immensely when they meet dull people only. the frost comes when the host unwisely mixes in one or two guests of another sort--people who give themselves airs of finding more pleasure in reading stevenson than the sixpenny magazines, and who don't know where hurlingham is. then the sheep begin to segregate themselves from the goats, and the feast is manque." "considering what a trouble and anxiety a dinner-party must be to the hostess, even under the most favouring conditions, i am always at a loss to discover why so many women take so much pains, and spend a considerable sum of money as well, over details which are unessential, or even noxious," said mrs. wilding. "a few flowers on the table are all very well--one bowl in the centre is enough--but in many houses the cost of the flowers equals, if it does not outrun, the cost of all the rest of the entertainment. a few roses or chrysanthemums are perfect as accessories, but to load a table with flowers of heavy or pungent scent is an outrage. lilies of the valley are lovely in proper surroundings, but on a dinner-table they are anathema. and then the mass of paper monstrosities which crowd every corner. swans, nautilus shells, and even wild boars are used to hold up the menu. once my menu was printed on a satin flag, and during the war the universal khaki invaded the dinner table. ices are served in frilled baskets of paper, which have a tendency to dissolve and amalgamate with the sweet. the only paper on the table should be the menu, writ plain on a handsome card." "no one can complain of papery ices here," said the marchesa. "ices may be innocuous, but i don't favour them, and no one seems to have felt the want of them; at least, to adopt the phrase of the london shopkeeper, 'i have had no complaints.' and even the ice, the very emblem of purity, has not escaped the touch of the dinner-table decorator. only a few days ago i helped myself with my fingers to what looked like a lovely peach, and let it flop down into the lap of a bishop who was sitting next to me. this was the hostess's pretty taste in ices." "they are generally made in the shape of camelias this season," said van der roet. "i knew a man who took one and stuck it in his buttonhole." "i must say i enjoy an ice at dinner," said lady considine. "i know the doctors abuse them, but i notice they always eat them when they get the chance." "ah, that is merely human inconsistency," said sir john. "i am inclined to agree with the marchesa that ice at dinner is an incongruity, and may well be dispensed with. i think i am correct, marchesa, in assuming that italy, which has showered so many boons upon us, gave us also the taste for ices." "i fear i must agree," said the marchesa. "i now feel what a blessing it would have been for you english if you had learnt from us instead the art of cooking the admirable vegetables your gardens produce. how is it that english cookery has never found any better treatment for vegetables than to boil them quite plain? french beans so treated are tender, and of a pleasant texture on the palate, but i have never been able to find any taste in them. they are tasteless largely because the cook persists in shredding them into minute bits, and i maintain that they ought to be cooked whole--certainly when they are young--and sautez, a perfectly plain and easy process, which is hard to beat. plain boiled cauliflower is doubtless good, but cooked alla crema it is far better; indeed, it is one of the best vegetable dishes i know. but perhaps the greatest discovery in cookery we italians ever made was the combination of vegetables and cheese. there are a dozen excellent methods of cooking cauliflower with cheese, and one of these has come to you through france, choux-fleurs au gratin, and has become popular. jerusalem artichokes treated in the same fashion are excellent; and the cucumber, nearly always eaten raw in england, holds a first place as a vegetable for cooking. i seem to remember that every one was loud in its praises when we tasted it as an adjunct to manzo alla certosina. why is it that celery is for the most part only eaten raw with cheese? we have numberless methods of cooking it in italy, and beetroot and lettuce as well. there is no spinach so good as english, and nowhere is it so badly cooked; it is always coarse and gritty because so little trouble is taken with it, and i can assure you that the smooth, delicate dish which we call flano di spinacci is not produced merely by boiling and chopping it, and turning it out into a dish." menu--lunch minestrone alla milanese. vegetable broth. coniglio alla provenzale. rabbit alla provenzale. insalata di pomidoro. tomato salad. menu--dinner. zuppa alla maria pia. soup alla maria pia. anguilla con ortaggi alla milanese. eels with vegetables. manzo con sugo di barbabietoli. fillet of beef with beetroot sauce. animelle alla parmegiana. sweetbread with parmesan. perniciotti alla gastalda. partridges alla gastalda. uova ripiani. stuffed eggs. the tenth day the sun rose on the tenth and last day at the "laurestinas" as he was wont to rise on less eventful mornings. at breakfast the marchesa proposed that the lunch that day should be a little more ornate than usual, and the dinner somewhat simpler. she requisitioned the services of six of the company to prepare the lunch, and at the same time announced that they would all have a holiday in the afternoon except mrs. sinclair, whom she warned to be ready to spend the afternoon in the kitchen helping prepare the last dinner. four dishes, all admirable, appeared at lunch, and several of the party expressed regret that the heat of the weather forbade them from tasting every one; but sir john was not of these. he ate steadily through the menu, and when he finally laid down his knife and fork he heaved a sigh, whether of satisfaction or regret it were hard to say. "it is a commonplace of the deepest dye to remark that ingratitude is inherent in mankind," he began; "i am compelled to utter it, however, by the sudden longing i feel for a plate from the hand of the late lamented narcisse after i have eaten one of the best luncheons ever put on a table." "experience of one school of excellence has caused a hankering after the triumphs of another," said miss macdonnell "there is one glory of the marchesa, there is, or was, another of narcisse, and the taste of the marchesa's handiwork has stimulated the desire of comparision. never mind, sir john, perhaps in another world narcisse may cook you--" "oh stop, stop, for goodness' sake," cried sir john, "i doubt whether even he could make me into a dainty dish to set before the king of tartarus, though the stove would no doubt be fitted with the latest improvements and the fuel abundant." "really, sir john, i'm not sure i ought not to rise and protest," said mrs. wilding, "and i think i would if it weren't our last day." "make a note of sir john's wickedness, and pass it on to the canon for use in a sermon," said van der roet. "i can only allow you half-an-hour, laura," said the marchesa to mrs. sinclair, "then you must come and work with me for the delectation of these idle people, who are going to spend the afternoon talking scandal under the chestnuts." "i am quite ready to join you if i can be of any help," said mrs. gradinger. "when knowledge is to be acquired, i am always loath to stand aside, not for my own sake so much as for the sake of others less fortunate, to whom i might possibly impart it hereafter." "you are very good," said the marchesa, "but i think i must adhere to my original scheme of having mrs. sinclair by herself. i see coffee is now being taken into the garden, so we will adjourn, if you please." after the two workers had departed for the kitchen, an unwonted silence fell on the party under the chestnuts. probably every one was pondering over the imminent dissolution of the company, and wondering whether to regret or rejoice. the peace had been kept marvellously well, considering the composition of the company. mrs. fothergill at times had made a show of posing as the beneficent patron, and mrs. gradinger had essayed to teach what nobody wanted to learn; but firm and judicious snubbing had kept these persons in their proper places. nearly every one was sorry that the end had come. it had been real repose to mrs. wilding to pass ten days in an atmosphere entirely free from all perfume of the cathedral close. lady considine had been spending freely of late, and ten days' cessation of tradesmen's calls, and servants on board wages, had come as a welcome relief. sir john had gained a respite from the task he dreaded, the task of going in quest of a successor to narcisse. now as he sat consuming his cigarette in the leisurely fashion so characteristic of his enjoyment--and those who knew him best were wont to say that sir john practiced few arts so studiously as that of enjoyment--he could not banish the figure of narcisse from his reverie. a horrible thought assailed him that this obsession might spring from the fact that on this very morning narcisse might have taken his last brief walk out of the door of la roquette, and that his disembodied spirit might be hovering around. admirable as the cookery of the marchesa had been, and fully as he had appreciated it, he felt he would give a good deal to be assured that on this the last evening of the new decameron he might sit down to a dinner prepared by the hand of his departed chef. that evening the guests gathered round the table with more empressement than usual. the marchesa seemed a little flurried, and mrs. sinclair, in a way, shared her excitement. the menu, for the first time, was written in french, a fact which did not escape sir john's eye. he made no remark as to the soup; it was the best of its kind, and its french name made it no better than the other triumphs in the same field which the marchesa had achieved. but when sir john tasted the first mouthful of the fish he paused, and after a reflective and regretful look at his plate, he cast his eye round the table. all the others, however, were too busily intent in consuming the turbot la vatel to heed his interrogative glance, so he followed suit, and after he had finished his portion, asked, sotto voce, for another bit. in the interval before the service of the next dish sir john made several vain attempts to catch the marchesa's eye, and more than once tried to get in a word; but she kept up a forced and rather nervous conversation with lady considine and van der roet, and refused to listen. as sir john helped himself to the next dish, venaison sauce grand veneur, the feeling of astonishment which had seized him when he first tasted the fish deepened into something like consternation. had his palate indeed deceived him, or had the marchesa, by some subtle effort of experimental genius, divined the secret of narcisse--the secret of that incomparable sauce, the recipe of which was safely bestowed in his pocket-book? occasionally he had taken a brief nap under the verandah after lunch: was it possible that in his sleep he might have murmured, in her hearing, words which gave the key of the mystery, and the description of those ingredients which often haunted his dreams? one thing was certain, that the savour which rose from the venison before him was the same which haunted his memory as the parting effort of the ill-starred narcisse. sir john was the least superstitious of mortals, still here he was face to face with one of these conjunctions of affairs which the credulous accept as manifestations of some hidden power, and sceptics as coincidences and nothing more. all the afternoon he had been thinking of narcisse, and yearning beyond measure for something suggestive of his art; and here, on his plate before him, was food which might have been touched by the vanished hand. the same subtle influence pervaded the chartreuse a la cardinal, the roast capon and salad, and the sweet. at last, when the dinner was nearly over, and when the marchesa had apparently said all she had to say to van der roet, he lifted up his voice and said, "marchesa, who gave you the recipe for the sauce with which the venison was served this evening?" the marchesa glanced at mrs. sinclair, and then struck a hand-bell on the table. the door opened, and a little man, habited in a cook's dress of spotless white, entered and came forward. "m. narcisse," said the marchesa, "sir john wants to know what sauce was used in dressing the venison; perhaps you can tell him." here the marchesa rose and left the room, and all the rest followed her, feeling it was unmeet that such a reunion should be witnessed by other eyes, however friendly they might be. * * * * * "now, you must tell us all about it," said lady considine, as soon as they got into the drawing-room, "and how you ever managed to get him out of this scrape." "oh, there isn't much to tell," said the marchesa. "narcisse was condemned, indeed, but no one ever believed he would be executed. one of my oldest friends is married to an official high up in the ministry of justice, and i heard from her last week that narcisse would certainly be reprieved; but i never expected a free pardon. indeed, he got this entirely because it was discovered that mademoiselle sidonie, his accomplice, was really a miss adah levine, who had graduated at a music-hall in east london, and that she had announced her intention of retiring to the land of her birth, and ascending to the apex of her profession on the strength of her parisian reputation. then it was that the reaction in favour of narcisse set in; the boulevards could not stand this. the journals dealt with this new outrage in their best fashoda style; the cafes rang with it: another insult cast upon unhappy france, whose destiny was, it seemed, to weep tears of blood to the end of time. there were rumours of an interpellation in the chamber, the position of the minister of the interior was spoken of as precarious, indeed the eclaireur reported one evening that he had resigned. pockets were picked under the eyes of sergents de ville, who were absorbed in proclaiming to each other their conviction of the innocence of narcisse, and the guilt of cette coquine anglaise. cabmen en course ran down pedestrians by the dozen, as they discussed l'affaire narcisse to an accompaniment of whip-cracking. in front of the cafe des automobiles a belated organ-grinder began to grind the air of mademoiselle sidonie's great song bonjour coco, whereupon the whole company rose with howls and cries of, 'a bas les anglais, a bas les juifs. 'conspuez coco.' in less than five minutes the organ was disintegrated, and the luckless minstrel flying with torn trousers down a side street. for the next few days la haute gomme promenaded with fragments of the piano organ suspended from watch chains as trophies of victory. but this was not all. paris broke out into poetry over l'affaire narcisse, and here is a journal sent to me by my friend which contains a poem in forty-nine stanzas by aristophane le beletier, the cher maitre of the 'moribonds,' the very newest school of poetry in paris. i won't inflict the whole of it on you, but two stanzas i must read-- "'puisse-je te rappeler loin des brouillards maudits. vers la france, sainte mere et nourrice! reviens a lutece, de l'art vrai paradis, je t'evoque, o monsieur narcisse! quitte les saignants bifteks, de tes mains sublimes gueris le sein meurtri de ta mere! detourne ton glaive trenchant de tes freles victimes vers l'albion et sa triste megere.'" "dear me, it sounds a little like some other parisian odes i have read recently," said lady considine. "the triste megere, i take it, is poor old britannia, but what does he mean by his freles victimes?" "no doubt they are the pigeons and the rabbits, and the chickens and the capons which narcisse is supposed to have slaughtered in hecatombs, in order to gorge the brutal appetite of his english employer," said miss macdonnell. "after disregarding such an appeal as this m. narcisse had better keep clear of paris for the future, for if he should go back and be recognised i fancy it would be a case of 'conspuvez narcisse."' "the french seem to have lost all sense of exactness," said mrs. gradinger, "for the lines you have just read would not pass muster as classic. in the penultimate line there are two syllables in excess of the true alexandrine metre, and the last line seems too long by one. neither racine nor voltaire would have taken such liberties with prosody. i remember a speech in phaedre of more than a hundred lines which is an admirable example of what i mean. i dare say some of you know it. it begins:-- "perfide! oses-tu bien te montrer devant moi? monstre," but before the reciter could get fairly under way the door mercifully opened, and sir john entered. he advanced towards the marchesa, and shook her warmly by the hand, but said nothing; his heart was evidently yet too full to allow him to testify his relief in words. he was followed closely by the colonel, who, taking his stand on the hearth-rug, treated the company to a few remarks, couched in a strain of unwonted eulogy. in the whole course of his life he had never passed a more pleasant ten days, though, to be sure, he had been a little mistrustful at first. as to the outcome of the experiment, if they all made even moderate use of the counsels they had received from the marchesa, the future of cookery in england was now safe. he was not going to propose a formal vote of thanks, because anything he could say would be entirely insufficient to express the gratitude he felt, and because he deemed that each individual could best thank the marchesa on his or her behalf. there was a momentary silence when the colonel ceased, and then a clearing of the throat and a preliminary movement of the arms gave warning that mrs. gradinger was going to speak. the unspoken passage from racine evidently sat heavily on her chest. abstracted and overwrought as he was, these symptoms aroused in sir john a consciousness of impending danger, and he rushed, incontinent, into the breach, before the lady's opening sentence was ready. "as colonel trestrail has just remarked, we, all of us, are in debt to the marchesa in no small degree; but, in my case, the debt is tenfold. i am sure you all understand why. as a slight acknowledgment of the sympathy i have received from every one here, during my late trial, i beg to ask you all to dine with me this day week, when i will try to set before you a repast a la francaise, which i hope may equal, i cannot hope that it will excel, the dinners all'italiana we have tasted in this happy retreat. narcisse and i have already settled the menu." "i am delighted to accept," said the marchesa. "i have no engagement, and if i had i would throw my best friend over." "and this day fortnight you must all dine with me," said mrs. sinclair. "i will spend the intervening days in teaching my new cook how to reproduce the marchesa's dishes. then, perhaps, we may be in a better position to decide on the success of the marchesa's experiment." * * * * * the next morning witnessed the dispersal of the party. sir john and narcisse left by an early train, and for the next few days the reforming hand of the last-named was active in the kitchen. he arrived before the departure of the temporary aide, and had not been half-an-hour in the house before there came an outbreak which might easily have ended in the second appearance of narcisse at the bar of justice, as homicide, this time to be dealt with by a prosaic british jury, which would probably have doomed him to the halter. sir john listened over the balusters to the shrieks and howls of his recovered treasure, and wisely decided to lunch at his club. but the club lunch, admirable as it was, seemed flat and unappetising after the dainty yet simple dishes he had recently tasted; and the following day he set forth to search for one of those italian restaurants, of which he had heard vague reports. certainly the repast would not be the same as at the "laurestinas," but it might serve for once. alas! sir john did not find the right place, for there are "right places" amongst the italian restaurants of london. he beat a hasty retreat from the first he entered, when the officious proprietor assured him that he would serve up a dejeuner in the best french style. at the second he chose a dish with an italian name, but the name was the only italian thing about it. the experiment had failed. it seemed as if italian restaurateurs were sworn not to cook italian dishes, and the next day he went to do as best he could at the club. but before he reached the club door he recalled how, many years ago, he and other young bloods used to go for chops to morton's, a queer little house at the back of st. james' street, and towards morton's he now turned his steps. as he entered it, it seemed as if it was only yesterday that he was there. he beheld the waiter, with mouth all awry, through calling down the tube. the same old mahogany partitions to the boxes, and the same horse-hair benches. sir john seated himself in a box, where there was one other luncher in the corner, deeply absorbed over a paper. this luncher raised his head and sir john recognised van der roet. "my dear vander, whatever brought you here, where nothing is to be had but chops? i didn't know you could eat a chop." "i didn't know it myself till to-day," said van der roet, with a hungry glance at the waiter, who rushed by with a plate of smoking chops in each hand. "the fact is, i've had a sort of hankering after an italian lunch, and i went out to find one, but i didn't exactly hit on the right shop, so i came here, where i've been told you can get a chop properly cooked, if you don't mind waiting." "ah! i see," said sir john, laughing. "we've both been on the same quest, and have been equally unlucky. well, we shall satisfy our hunger here at any rate, and not unpleasantly either." "i went to one place," said van der roet "and before ordering i asked the waiter if there was any garlic in the dish i had ordered. 'garlic, aglio, no, sir, never.' whereupon i thought i would go somewhere else. next i entered the establishment of baldassare romanelli. how could a man with such a name serve anything else than the purest italian cookery, i reasoned, so i ordered, unquestioning, a piatio with an ideal italian name, manzo alla terracina. alas! the beef used in the composition thereof must have come in a refrigerating chamber from pastures more remote than those of terracina, and the sauce served with it was simply fried onions. in short, my dish was beefsteak and onions, and very bad at that. so in despair i fell back upon the trusty british chop." as van der roet ceased speaking another guest entered the room, and he and sir john listened attentively while the new-comer gave his order. there was no mistaking the colonel's strident voice. "now, look here! i want a chop underdone, underdone, you understand, with a potato, and a small glass of scotch whisky, and i'll sit here." "the colonel, by jove," said sir john; "i expect he's been restaurant-hunting too." "hallo!" said the colonel, as he recognised the other two, "i never thought i should meet you here: fact is, i've been reading about agricultural depression' and how it is the duty of everybody to eat chops so as to encourage the mutton trade, and that sort of thing." "oh, colonel, colonel," said van der roet. "you know you've been hungering after the cookery of italy, and trying to find a genuine italian lunch, and have failed, just as sir john and i failed, and have come here in despair. but never mind, just wait for a year or so, until the 'cook's decameron' has had a fair run for its money, and then you'll find you'll fare as well at the ordinary italian restaurant as you did at the 'laurestinas,' and that's saying a good deal." part ii--recipes sauces as the three chief foundation sauces in cookery, espagnole or brown sauce, velute or white sauce, and bechamel, are alluded to so often in these pages, it will be well to give simple italian recipes for them. australian wines may be used in all recipes where wine is mentioned: harvest burgundy for red, and chasselas for chablis. no. . espagnole, or brown sauce the chief ingredient of this useful sauce is good stock, to which add any remnants and bones of fowl or game. butter the bottom of a stewpan with at least two ounces of butter, and in it put slices of lean veal, ham, bacon, cuttings of beef, fowl, or game trimmings, three peppercorns, mushroom trimmings, a tomato, a carrot and a turnip cut up, an onion stuck with two cloves, a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, parsley and marjoram. put the lid on the stewpan and braize well for fifteen minutes, then stir in a tablespoonful of flour, and pour in a quarter pint of good boiling stock and boil very gently for fifteen minutes, then strain through a tamis, skim off all the grease, pour the sauce into an earthenware vessel, and let it get cold. if it is not rich enough, add a little liebig or glaze. pass through a sieve again before using. no. . velute sauce the same as above, but use white stock, no beef, and only pheasant or fowl trimmings, button mushrooms, cream instead of glaze, and a chopped shallot. no. . bechamel sauce ingredients: butter, ham, veal, carrots, shallot, celery bay leaf, cloves, thyme, peppercorns, potato flour, cream, fowl stock. prepare a mirepoix by mixing two ounces of butter, trimmings of lean veal and ham, a carrot, a shallot, a little celery, all cut into dice, a bay leaf, two cloves, four peppercorns, and a little thyme. put this on a moderate fire so as not to let it colour, and when all the moisture is absorbed add a tablespoonful of potato flour. mix well, and gradually add equal quantities of cream and fowl stock, and stir till it boils. then let it simmer gently. stir occasionally, and if it gets too thick, add more cream and white stock. after two hours pass it twice slowly through a tamis so as to get the sauce very smooth. no. . mirepoix sauce (for masking) ingredients: bacon, onions, carrots, ham, a bunch of herbs, parsley, mushrooms, cloves, peppercorns, stock, chablis. put the following ingredients into a stewpan: some bits of bacon and lean ham, a carrot, all cut into dice, half an onion, a bunch of herbs, a few mushroom cuttings, two cloves, and four peppercorns. to this add one and a quarter pint of good stock and a glass of chablis, boil rapidly for ten minutes then simmer till it is reduced to a third. pass through a sieve and use for masking meat, fowl, fish, &c. no. . genoese sauce ingredients: onion, butter, burgundy, mushrooms, truffles, parsley, bay leaf, espagnole sauce (no. ), blond of veal, essence of fish, anchovy butter, crayfish or lobster butter. cut up a small onion and fry it in butter, add a glass of burgundy, some cuttings of mushrooms and truffles, a pinch of chopped parsley and half a bay leaf. reduce half. in another saucepan put two cups of espagnole sauce, one cup of veal stock, and a tablespoonful of essence of fish, reduce one-third and add it to the other saucepan, skim off all the grease, boil for a few minutes, and pass through a sieve. then stir it over the fire, and add half a teaspoonful of crayfish and half of anchovy butter. no. . italian sauce ingredients: chablis, mushrooms, leeks, a bunch of herbs, peppercorns, espagnole sauce, game gravy or stock, lemon. put into a stewpan two glasses of chablis, two tablespoonsful of mushroom trimmings, a leek cut up, a bunch of herbs, five peppercorns, and boil till it is reduced to half. in another stewpan mix two glasses of espagnole (no. ) or velute sauce (no ) and half a glass of game gravy, boil for a few minutes then blend the contents of the two stewpans, pass through a sieve, and add the juice of a lemon. no. . ham sauce, salsa di prosciutto ingredients: ham, musca or sweet port, vinegar, basil spice. cut up an ounce of ham and pound it in a mortar then mix it with three dessert spoonsful of port or musca and a teaspoonful of vinegar a little dried basil and a pinch of spice. boil it up, and then pass it through a sieve and warm it up in a bain-marie. serve with roast meats. if you cannot get a sweet wine add half a teaspoonful of sugar. australian muscat is a good wine to use. no. . tarragon sauce ingredients: tarragon, stock, butter, flour. to half a pint of good stock add two good sprays of fresh tarragon, simmer for quarter of an hour in a stewpan and keep the lid on. in another stewpan melt one ounce of butter and mix it with three dessert-spoonsful of flour, then gradually pour the stock from the first stewpan over it, but take out the tarragon. mix well, add a teaspoonful of finely chopped tarragon and boil for two minutes. no. . tomato sauce ingredients: tomatoes, ham, onions, basil, salt, oil, garlic, spices. broil three tomatoes, skin them and mix them with a tablespoonful of chopped ham, half an onion, salt, a dessert-spoonful of oil, a little pounded spice and basil. then boil and pass through a sieve. whilst the sauce is boiling, put in a clove of garlic with a cut, but remove it before you pass the sauce through the sieve. no. . tomato sauce piquante ingredients: ham, butter, onion, carrot, celery, bay leaf, thyme, cloves, peppercorns, vinegar, chablis, stock, tomatoes, velute or espagnole sauce, castor sugar, lemon. cut up an ounce of ham, half an onion, half a carrot, half a stick of celery very fine, and fry them in butter together with a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, one clove and four peppercorns. over this pour a third of a cup of vinegar, and when the liquid is all absorbed, add half a glass of chablis and a cup of stock. then add six tomatoes cut up and strained of all their liquid. cook this in a covered stewpan and pass it through a sieve, but see that none of the bay leaf or thyme goes through. mix this sauce with an equal quantity of velute (no. ) or espagnole sauce, (no. ), let it boil and pass through a sieve again and at the last add a teaspoonful of castor sugar, the juice of half a lemon, and an ounce of fresh butter. (another tomato sauce may be made like this, but use stock instead of vinegar and leave out the lemon juice and sugar.) no. . mushroom sauce ingredients: velute sauce, essence of mushrooms, butter. mix two dessert-spoonsful of essence of mushrooms with a cupful of velute sauce (no. ), reduce, keep on stirring, and just before serving add an ounce of butter. this sauce can be made with essence of truffle, or game, or shallot. no. . neapolitan sauce ingredients: onions, ham, butter, marsala, blond of veal, thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns, cloves, mushrooms, espagnole sauce (no. ), tomato sauce, game stock or essence. fry an onion in butter with some bits of cut-up ham, then pour a glass of marsala over it, and another of blond of veal, add a sprig of thyme, a bay leaf, four peppercorns, a clove, a tablespoonful of mushroom cuttings, and reduce half. in another saucepan put two cups of espagnole sauce, one cupful of tomato sauce, and half a cup of game stock or essence. reduce a third, and add the contents of the first saucepan, boil the sauce a few minutes, and pass it through a sieve. warm it up in a bain-marie before using. no. . neapolitan anchovy sauce ingredients: anchovies, fennel, flour, spices, parsley, marjoram, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, cream. wash three anchovies in vinegar, bone and pound them in a mortar with a teaspoonful of chopped fennel and a pinch of cinnamon. then mix in a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and marjoram, a squeeze of lemon juice, a teaspoonful of flour, half a gill of boiled cream and the bones of the fish for which you will use this sauce. pass through a sieve, add a clove of garlic with a cut in it, and boil. if the fish you are using is cooked in the oven, add a little of the liquor in which it has been cooked to the sauce. take out the garlic before serving. instead of anchovies you may use caviar, pickled tunny, or any other pickled fish. no. . roman sauce (salsa agro-dolce) ingredients: espagnole sauce, stock, burnt sugar, vinegar, raisins, pine nuts or almonds. mix two spoonsful of burnt sugar with one of vinegar, and dilute with a little good stock. then add two cups of espagnole sauce (no. ), a few stoned raisins, and a few pinocchi* (pine nuts) or shredded almonds. keep this hot in a bain-marie, and serve with cutlets, calf's head or feet or tongue. *the pinocchi which italians use instead of almonds can be bought in london when in season. no. . roman sauce (another way) ingredients: espagnole sauce, an onion, butter, flour, lemon, herbs, nutmeg, raisins, pine nuts or almonds, burnt sugar. cut up a small bit of onion, fry it slightly in butter and a little flour, add the juice of a lemon and a little of the peel grated, a bouquet of herbs, a pinch of nutmeg, a few stoned raisins, shredded almonds or pinocchi, and a tablespoonful of burnt sugar. add this to a good espagnole (no. ), and warm it up in a bain-marie. no. . supreme sauce ingredients: white sauce, fowl stock, butter. put three-quarters of a pint of white sauce into a saucepan, and when it is nearly boiling add half a cup of concentrated fowl stock. reduce until the sauce is quite thick, and when about to serve pass it through a tamis into a bain-marie and add two tablespoonsful of cream. no. . pasta marinate (for masking italian frys) ingredients: semolina flour, eggs, salt, butter (or olive oil), vinegar, water. mix the following ingredients well together: two ounces of semolina flour, the yolks of two eggs, a little salt, and two ounces of melted butter. add a glass of water so as to form a liquid substance. at the last add the whites of two eggs beaten up to a snow. this will make a good paste for masking meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets which are to be fried in the italian manner, but if for meat or vegetables add a few drops of vinegar or a little lemon juice. no. . white villeroy ingredients: butter, flour, eggs, cream, nutmeg, white stock. make a light-coloured roux by frying two ounces of butter and two ounces of flour, stir in some white stock and keep it very smooth. let it boil, and add the yolks of three eggs, mixed with two tablespoonsful of cream and a pinch of nutmeg. pass it through a sieve and use for masking cutlets, fish, &c. soups no. . clear soup ingredients: stock meat, water, a bunch of herbs (thyme, parsley, chervil, bay leaf, basil, marjoram), three carrots, three turnips, three onions, three cloves stuck in the onions, one blade of mace. cut up three pounds of stock meat small and put it in a stock pot with two quarts of cold water, three carrots, and three turnips cut up, three onions with a clove stuck in each one, a bunch of herbs and a blade of mace. let it come to the boil and then draw it off, at once skim off all the scum, and keep it gently simmering, and occasionally add two or three tablespoonsful of cold water. let it simmer all day, and then strain it through a fine cloth. some of the liquor in which a calf's head has been cooked, or even a calf's foot, will greatly improve a clear soup. the stock should never be allowed to boil as long as the meat and vegetables are in the stock pot. no. . zuppa primaverile (spring soup) ingredients: clear soup, vegetables. any fresh spring vegetables will do for this soup, but they must all be cooked separately and put into the soup at the last minute. it is best made with fresh peas, asparagus tips, and a few strips of tarragon. no. . soup alla lombarda ingredients: clear soup, fowl forcemeat, bechamel (no. ), peas, lobster butter, eggs, asparagus. make a firm forcemeat of fowl and divide it into three parts, to the first add two spoonsful of cream bechamel, to the second four spoonsful of puree of green peas, to the third two spoonsful of lobster butter and the yolk of an egg; thus you will have the italian colours, red, white, and green. butter a pie dish and make little quenelles of the forcemeat. just before serving boil them for four minutes in boiling stock, take them out carefully and put them in a warm soup tureen with two spoonsful of cooked green peas and pour a very fresh clear soup over them. hand little croutons fried in lobster butter separately. no. . tuscan soup ingredients: stock, eggs. whip up three or four eggs, gradually add good stock to them, and keep on whisking them up until they begin to curdle. keep the soup hot in a bain-marie. no. . venetian soup ingredients: clear soup, butter, flour, parmesan, eggs. make a roux by frying two ounces of butter and two ounces of flour, add an ounce of grated cheese and half a cup of good stock. mix up well so as to form a paste, and then take it off the fire and add the yolks of four eggs, mix again and form the again and form the paste into little quenelles. boil these in a little soup, strain off, put them into the tureen and pour a good clear soup over them. no. . roman soup ingredients: stock, butter, eggs, salt, crumb of bread, parsley, nutmeg, flour, parmesan. mix three and a half ounces of butter with two eggs and four ounces of crumbs of bread soaked in stock, a little chopped parsley, salt, and a pinch of nutmeg. reduce this and add two tablespoonsful of flour and one of grated parmesan. form this into little quenelles and boil them in stock for a few minutes put them into a tureen and pour a good clear soup over them. no. . soup alla nazionale ingredients: clear soup, savoury custard. make a savoury custard and divide it into three parts, one to be left white, another coloured red with tomato, and the third green with spinach. put a layer of each in a buttered saucepan and cook for about ten minutes, cut it into dice, so that you have the three italian colours (red, white, and green) together, then put the custard into a soup tureen and pour a good clear soup over it. no. . soup alla modanese ingredients: stock, spinach, butter, salt, eggs, parmesan, nutmeg, croutons. wash one pound of spinach in five or six waters, then chop it very fine and mix it with three ounces of butter, salt it and warm it up. then let it get cold, pass through a hair sieve, and add two eggs, a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, and very little nutmeg. add this to some boiling stock in a copper saucepan, put on the lid, and on the top put some hot coals so that the eggs may curdle and help to thicken the soup. serve with fried croutons. no. . crotopo soup ingredients: clear soup, veal, ham, eggs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, rolls. pound half a pound of lean veal in a mortar, then add three ounces of cooked ham with some fat in it, the yolk of an egg, salt, pepper, and very little nutmeg. pass through a sieve, cut some small french rolls into slices, spread them with the above mixture, and colour them in the oven. then cut them in halves or quarters, put them into a tureen, and just before serving pour a very good clear soup over them. no. . soup all'imperatrice ingredients: breast of fowl, eggs, salt, pepper, ground rice, nutmeg, clear stock. pound the breast of a fowl in a mortar, and add to it a teaspoonful of ground rice, the yolk of an egg, salt, pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg. pass this through a sieve, form quenelles with it, and pour a good clear soup over them. no. . neapolitan soup ingredients: fowl, potato flour, eggs, bechamel sauce, peas, asparagus, spinach, clear soup. mix a quarter pound of forcemeat of fowl with a tablespoonful of potato flour, a tablespoonful of bechamel sauce (no. ), and the yolk of an egg; put this into a tube about the size round of an ordinary macaroni; twenty minutes before serving squirt the forcemeat into a saucepan with boiling stock, and nip off the forcemeat as it comes through the pipe into pieces about an inch and a half long. let it simmer, and add boiled peas and asparagus tips. if you like to have the fowl macaroni white and green, you can colour half the forcemeat with a spoonful of spinach colouring. serve in a good clear soup. no. . soup with risotto ingredients: risotto (no. ), eggs, bread crumbs, clear or brown soup. if you have some good risotto left, you can use it up by making it into little balls the size of small nuts. egg and bread crumb and fry them in butter; dry them and put them into a soup tureen with hot soup. the soup may be either clear or brown. no. . soup alla canavese ingredients: white stock, butter, onions, carrot, celery, tomato, cauliflower, fat bacon, parsley, sage, parmesan, salt, pepper. chop up half an onion, half a carrot, half a stick of celery, a small bit of fat bacon, and fry them in two ounces of butter. then cover them with good white stock, boil for a few minutes, pass through a sieve, and add two tablespoonsful of tomato puree. then blanch half a cauliflower in salted water, let it get cold, drain all the water out of it, and break it up into little bunches and put them into a stock pot with the stock, a small leaf of dried sage, crumbled up, and a little chopped parsley, and let it all boil; add a pinch of grated cheese and some pepper. serve with grated parmesan handed separately. no. . soup alla maria pia ingredients: white stock, eggs, butter, peas, white beans, carrot, onion, leeks, celery, cream croutons. soak one pound of white beans for twelve hours, then put them into a stock pot with a little salt, butter, and water, add a carrot, an onion, two leeks, and a stick of celery, and simmer until the vegetables are well cooked; then take out all the fresh vegetables, drain the beans and pass them through a sieve, but first dilute them with good stock. put this puree into a stock pot with good white stock, and when it has boiled keep it hot in a bain-marie until you are about to serve; then mix the yolk of three eggs in a cup of cream, and add this to the soup. pour the soup into a warm tureen, add some boiled green peas, and serve with fried croutons handed separately. no. . zuppa d' erbe (lettuce soup) ingredients: stock, sorrel, endive, lettuce, chervil, celery, carrot, onion, french roll, parmesan cheese. boil the following vegetables and herbs in very good stock for an hour: two small bunches of sorrel, a bunch of endive, a lettuce, a small bunch of chervil, a stick of celery, a carrot and an onion, all well washed and cut up. then put some slices of toasted french roll into a tureen and pour the above soup over them. serve with grated parmesan handed separately. no. . zuppa regina di riso (queen's soup) ingredients: fowl stock, ground rice, milk, butter. put a tablespoonful of ground rice into a saucepan and gradually add half a pint of milk, boil it gently for twelve minutes in a bainmarie, but stir the whole time, so as to get it very smooth. just before serving add an ounce of butter, pass it through a sieve, and mix it with good fowl stock. minestre minestra is a thick broth, very much like hotch-potch, only thicker. in italy it is often served at the beginning of dinner instead of soup; it also makes an excellent lunch dish. two or three tablespoonsful of no. will be found a great improvement to any of these minestre. no. . a condiment for seasoning minestre, &c. ingredients: onions, celery, carrots, butter, salt, stock, tomatoes, mushrooms. cut up an onion, a stick of celery, and a carrot; fry them in butter and salt; add a few bits of cooked ham and veal cut up, two mushrooms, and the pulp of a tomato. cook for a quarter of an hour, and add a little stock occasionally to keep it moist. pass through a sieve, and use for seasoning minestre, macaroni, rice, &c. it should be added when the dish is nearly cooked. no. . minestra alla casalinga ingredients: rice, butter, stock, vegetables. all sorts of vegetables will serve for this dish. blanch them in boiling salted water, then drain and fry them in butter. add plenty of good stock, and put them on a slow fire. boil four ounces of rice in stock, and when it is well done add the stock with the vegetables. season with two or three spoonsful of no. , and serve with grated cheese handed separately. no. . minestra of rice and turnips ingredients: rice, turnips, butter, gravy, tomatoes. cut three or four young turnips into slices and put them on a dish, strew a little salt over them, cover them with another dish, and let them stand for about two hours until the water has run out of them. then drain the slices, put them in a frying-pan and fry them slightly in butter. add some good gravy and mashed-up tomatoes, and after having cooked this for a few minutes pour it into good boiling stock. add three ounces of well-washed rice, and boil for half-an-hour. minestra loses its flavour if it is boiled too long. in lombardy, however, rice, macaroni, &c., are rarely boiled enough for english tastes. no. . minestra alla capucina ingredients: rice, anchovies, butter, stock, and onions. scale an anchovy, pound it, and fry it in butter together with a small onion cut across, and four ounces of boiled rice. add a little salt, and when the rice is a golden brown, take out the onion and gradually add some good stock until the dish is of the consistency of rice pudding. no. . minestra of semolina ingredients: stock, semolina, parmesan. put as much stock as you require into a saucepan, and when it begins to boil add semolina very gradually, and stir to keep it from getting lumpy cook it until the semolina is soft, and serve with grated parmesan handed separately. to one quart of soup use three ounces of semolina. no. . minestrone alla milanese ingredients: rice or macaroni, ham, bacon, stock, all sorts of vegetables. minestrone is a favourite dish in lombardy when vegetables are plentiful. boil all sorts of vegetables in stock, and add bits of bacon, ham, onions braized in butter, chopped parsley, a clove of garlic with two cuts, and rice or macaroni. put in those vegetables first which require most cooking, and do not make the broth too thin. leave the garlic in for a quarter of an hour only. no. . minestra of rice and cabbage ingredients: rice, cabbage, stock, ham, tomato sauce. cut off the stalk and all the hard outside leaves of a cabbage, wash it and cut it up, but not too small, then drain and cook it in good stock and add two ounces of boiled rice. this minestre is improved by adding a little chopped ham and a few spoonsful of tomato sauce. no. . minestra of rice and celery ingredients: celery, rice, stock. cut up a head of celery and remove all the green parts, then boil it in good stock and add two ounces of rice, and boil till it is well cooked. fish no. . anguilla alla milanese (eels). ingredients: eels, butter, flour, stock, bay leaves, salt, pepper, chablis, a macedoine of vegetables. cut up a big eel and fry it in two ounces of butter, and when it is a good colour add a tablespoonful of flour, about half a pint of stock, a glass of chablis, a bay leaf, pepper, and salt, and boil till it is well cooked. in the meantime boil separately all sorts of vegetables, such as carrots, cauliflower, celery, beans, tomatoes, &c. take out the pieces of eel, but keep them hot, whilst you pass the liquor which forms the sauce through a sieve and add the vegetables to this. let them boil a little longer and arrange them in a dish; place the pieces of eel on them and cover with the sauce. it is most important that the eels should be served very hot. any sort of fish will do as well for this dish. no. . filletti di pesce alla villeroy (fillets of fish) ingredients: fish, flour, butter, villeroy. any sort of fish will do, turbot, sole, trout, &c. cut it into fillets, flour them over and cook them in butter in a covered stewpan; then make a villeroy (no. ), dip the fillets into it and fry them in clarified butter. no. . astachi all'italiana (lobster) ingredients: lobsters, velute sauce, marsala, butter, forcemeat of fish, olives, anchovy butter, button mushrooms, truffles, lemon, crayfish, italian sauce. two boiled lobsters are necessary. cut all the flesh of one of the lobsters into fillets and put them into a saucepan with half a cup of velute sauce (no. ) and half a glass of marsala, and boil for a few minutes. put a crouton of fried bread on an oval dish and cover it with a forcemeat of fish, and on this place the whole lobster, cover it with buttered paper, and put it in a moderate oven just long enough to cook the forcemeat. then make some quenelles of anchovy butter, olives, and button mushrooms, mix them with italian sauce (no. ), and garnish the dish with them, and round the crouton arrange the fillets of lobster with a garnish of slices of truffle. add a dessert-spoonful of crayfish butter and a good squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce, and serve. no. . baccala alla giardiniera (cod) ingredients: cod or hake, carrots, turnips, butter, herbs. boil a piece of cod or hake and break it up into flakes, then cut up two carrots and a turnip; boil them gently, and when they are half boiled drain and put them into a stewpan with an ounce of butter, half a teacup of boiling water, salt, and herbs. when they are well cooked add the fish and serve. fillets of lemon soles may also be cooked this way. no. . triglie alla marinara (mullet) ingredients: mullet, salt, pepper, onions, parsley, oil, water. cut a mullet into pieces and put it into a stewpan (with the lid on), with salt, pepper, a cut-up onion, some chopped parsley, half a wineglass of the finest olive oil and half a pint of water, and in this cook the fish gently. arrange the fillets on a dish, pour a little of the broth over them, and add the onion and parsley. instead of mullet you can use cod, hake, whiting, lemon sole, &c. no. . mullet alla tolosa ingredients: mullet, butter, salt, onions, parsley, almonds, anchovies, button mushrooms, tomatoes. cut off the fins and gills of a mullet, put it in a fireproof dish with two ounces of butter and salt. cut up a small bit of onion, a sprig of parsley, a few blanched almonds, one anchovy, and a few button mushrooms, previously softened in hot water, and put them over the fish and bake for twenty minutes then add two tablespoonsful of tomato sauce or puree, and when cooked serve. if you like, use sole instead of mullet. no. . mullet alla triestina ingredients: mullet (or sole or turbot), butter, salt half a lemon, chablis. put the fish in a fireproof dish with one and a half ounces of butter, salt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and half a glass of chablis. put it on a very, slow fire and turn the fish when necessary. when it is cooked serve in the dish. no. . whiting alla genovese ingredients: whiting, butter, pepper, salt, bay leaf claret, parsley, onions, garlic capers, vinegar, espagnole sauce, mushrooms, anchovies. put one or two whiting into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, salt, pepper, two bay leaves, and a glass of claret or burgundy; cook on a hot fire and turn the fish when necessary. have ready beforehand a remoulade sauce made in the following manner: put in a saucepan / ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, half an onion, a clove of garlic (with one cut), four capers, one anchovy, all chopped up except the garlic. then add three tablespoonsful of vinegar and reduce the sauce. add two glasses of espagnole sauce (no. ) and a little good stock; boil it all up (take out the garlic and bay leaves) and pass through a sieve, then pour it over the whiting. boil it all again for a few minutes, and before serving garnish with a few button mushrooms cooked separately. the remoulade sauce will be much better if made some hours beforehand. no. . merluzzo in bianco (cod) ingredients: cod or whiting, salt, onions, parsley, cloves, turnips, marjoram, chervil, milk. boil gently in a big cupful of salted water two onions, one turnip, a pinch of chopped parsley, chervil, and marjoram and four cloves. after half an hour pass this through a sieve (but first take out the cloves), and add an equal quantity of milk and a little cream, and in this cook the fish and serve with the sauce over it. no. . merluzzo in salamoia (cod) ingredients: cod, hake, whiting or red mullet, onions, parsley, mint, marjoram, turnips, mushrooms, chervil, cloves, salt, milk, cream, eggs. put a salt-spoonful of salt, two onions, a little parsley, marjoram, mint, chervil, a turnip, a mushroom, and the heads of two cloves into a stewpan and simmer in a cupful of milk for half an hour, then let all the ingredients settle at the bottom, and pass the broth through a hair sieve, and add to it an equal quantity of milk or cream, and in it cook your fish on a slow fire. when the fish is quite cooked, pour off the sauce, but leave a little on the fish to keep it warm; reduce the rest in a bain-marie; stir all the time, so that the milk may not curdle. thicken the sauce with the yolk of an egg, and when about to serve pour it over the fish. no. . baccala in istufato (haddock) ingredients: haddock or lemon sole, carrots, anchovies, lemon, pepper, butter, onions, flour, white wine, stock. stuff a haddock (or filleted lemon sole) with some slices of carrot which have been masked with a paste made of pounded anchovies, very little chopped lemon peel, salt and pepper. then fry an onion with two cuts across it in butter. take out the onion as soon as it has become a golden colour, flour the fish and put it in the butter, and when it has been well fried on both sides pour a glass of marsala over it, and when it is all absorbed add a cup of fowl or veal stock and let it simmer for half an hour, then skim and reduce the sauce, pour it over the fish and serve. no. . naselli con piselli (whiting) ingredients: whiting, onions, parsley, peas, tomatoes, butter, parmesan, bechamel sauce. cut a big whiting into two or three pieces and fry them slightly in butter, add a small bit of onion, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and fry for a few minutes more. then add some peas which have been cooked in salted water, three tablespoonsful of bechamel sauce (no. ), and three of tomato puree, and cook all together on a moderate fire. no. . ostriche alla livornese (oysters) ingredients: oysters, parsley, shallot, anchovies, fennel pepper, bread crumbs, cream, lemon. detach the oysters from their shells and put then into china shells with their own liquor. have ready a dessert-spoonful of parsley, shallot, anchovy and very little fennel, add a tablespoonful of bread crumbs and a little pepper, and mix the whole with a little cream. put some of this mixture on each oyster, and then bake them in a moderate fire for a quarter of an hour. at the last minute add a squeeze of lemon juice to each oyster and serve on a folded napkin. no. . ostriche alla napolitana (oysters) ingredients: oysters, parsley, celery, thyme, pepper, garlic, oil, lemon. prepare the oysters as above, but rub each shell with a little garlic. put on each oyster a mixture made of chopped parsley, a little thyme, pepper, and bread crumbs. then pour a few drops of oil on each shell, put them on the gridiron on an open fire, grill for a few minutes, and add a little lemon juice before serving. no. . ostriche alla veneziana (oysters) ingredients: oysters, butter, shallots, truffles, lemon juice, forcemeat of fish. take several oysters out of their shells and cook them in butter, a little chopped shallot, and their own liquor, add a little lemon juice and then put in each of the deeper shells a layer of forcemeat made of fish and chopped truffles, then an oyster or two, and over this again another layer of the forcemeat, cover up with the top shell and put them in a fish kettle and steam them. then remove the top shell and arrange the shells with the oysters on a napkin and serve. no. . pesci diversi alla casalinga (fish) ingredients: any sort of fish, celery, parsley, carrots, garlic, onion, anchovies, almonds, capers, mushrooms, butter, salt, pepper, flour, tomatoes. chop up a stick of celery, a sprig of parsley, a carrot, an onion. pound up an anchovy in brine (well cleaned, boned, and scaled), four shredded almonds, three capers and two mushrooms. put all this into a saucepan with one ounce of butter, salt and pepper, and fry for a few minutes, then add a few spoonsful of hot water and a tablespoonful of flour and boil gently for ten minutes, put in the fish and cook it until it is done. if you like, you may add a little tomato sauce. no. . pesce alla genovese (sole or turbot) ingredients: fish (sole, mullet, or turbot), butter, salt, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, parsley, nutmeg, pepper, spice, mushrooms, tomatoes, flour, anchovies. fry an onion slightly in one and a half ounces of butter, add a small cut-up carrot, half a stick of celery, a sprig of parsley, and a salt anchovy (scaled), which will dissolve in the butter. into this put the fish cut up in pieces, a pinch of spice and pepper, and let it simmer for a few minutes, then add two cut-up mushrooms, a tomato mashed up, and a little flour. mix all together, and cook for twenty minutes. no. . sogliole in zimino (sole) ingredients: sole, onion, beetroot, butter, celery, tomato sauce or white wine. cut up a small onion and fry it slightly in one ounce of butter, then add some slices of beetroot (well-washed and drained), and a little celery cut up; to this add fillets of sole or haddock, salt and pepper. boil on a moderate on the fish kettle. when the beetroot is nearly cooked add two tablespoonsful of tomato puree and boil till all is well cooked. instead of the tomato you may use half a glass of chablis. no. . sogliole al tegame (sole) ingredients: sole (or mullet), butter, anchovies, parsley, garlic, capers, eggs. put an ounce of butter and an anchovy in a saucepan together with a sole or mullet. fry lightly for a few minutes, then strew a little pepper and chopped parsley over it, put in a clove of garlic with one cut, and cook for half an hour, but turn the fish over when one side is sufficiently done. a few minutes before taking it off the fire add three capers and stir in the yolk of an egg at the last minute. do not leave the garlic in more than five minutes. no. . sogliole alla livornese (sole) ingredients: sole, butter, garlic, pepper, salt, tomatoes, fennel. fillet a sole and put it in a saute-pan with one and a half ounces of butter and a clove of garlic with one cut in it, then sprinkle over it a little chopped fennel, salt and pepper, and let it cook for a few minutes. turn over the fillets w hen they are sufficiently cooked on one side, take out the garlic and cover the fish with a puree of tomatoes at the last. no. . sogliole alla veneziana (sole) ingredients: sole, anchovies, butter, bacon, onion, stock, chablis, salt, nutmeg, parsley, spanish olives, one bay leaf. fillet a sole and interlard each piece with a bit of anchovy. tie up the fillets and put them in a saute-pan with two ounces of butter, a slice of bacon or ham, and a few small slices of onion. cover half over with good stock and a glass of chablis, and add salt, a pinch of nutmeg, a bunch of parsley, and a bay leaf. cover with buttered paper, and cook on a slow fire for about an hour. drain the fish, pass the liquor through a sieve, reduce it to the consistency of a thick sauce, and pour it over the fish. garnish each fillet with a spanish olive stuffed with anchovy. no. . sogliole alla parmigiana (sole).* ingredients: sole, parmesan, butter, cream, cayenne. fillet a sole and wipe each piece with a clean cloth, then place them in a fireproof dish, and put a small piece of butter on each fillet. then make a good white sauce, and mix it with two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan and half a gill of cream. cover the fish well with the sauce, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. *lemon soles may be used in any of the above-named dishes. no. . salmone alla genovese (salmon) ingredients: salmon, genoese sauce (no. ), butter, lemon. boil a bit of salmon, drain it, take off the skin, and mask it with a genoese sauce, to which add a spoonful of the water in which the salmon has been boiled, and at the last add a pat of fresh butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. no. . salmone alla perigo (salmon) ingredients: salmon, forcemeat of fish, truffles, butter, madeira, croutons of bread, crayfish tails, anchovy butter. cut a bit of salmon into well shaped fillets, and marinate them in lemon juice and a bunch of herbs for two hours, wipe them, put a layer of forcemeat of fish over each, and decorate them with slices of truffle. when put them into a well-buttered saute-pan with half a cup of stock and a glass of madeira or marsala, cover with buttered paper, and put them into a moderate oven for twenty minutes. arrange the fillets in a circle on croutons of bread, garnish the centre with crayfish tails and with truffles cut into dice, a quarter of a pint of velute sauce (no. ), and half a teaspoonful of anchovy butter. glaze the fillets and serve. no. . salmone alla giardiniera (salmon) ingredients: salmon, forcemeat of fish, vegetables, butter, bechamel, and espagnole sauce. prepare the fillets as above (no. ), and put on each a layer of white forcemeat of fish. cook a macedoine of vegetables separately, and garnish each fillet with some of it, then cook them in a covered stewpan put a crouton of bread in an entree dish and garnish it with cooked peas, mixed with bechamel sauce (no. ), stock, and butter. around this place the fillets of fish, leaving the centre with the peas uncovered. pour some rich espagnole sauce (no. ) round the fillets and serve. no. . salmone alla farnese (salmon) ingredients: salmon, oil, lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg, mayonnaise sauce, lobster butter, gelatine, velute sauce, olives, anchovy butter, white truffles, mushrooms in oil, crayfish. boil a piece of salmon, and when cold cut it into fillets and marinate them for two hours in oil, lemon juice, salt, thyme pepper, and nutmeg. then make a good mayonnaise and add to it some lobster butter mixed with a little dissolved gelatine and velute sauce (no. ). wipe the fillets and arrange them in a circle on a dish, and pour the mayonnaise over them. then decorate the border of the dish with aspic jelly, and in the centre put some stoned spanish olives stuffed with anchovy butter, truffles, mushrooms in oil, and crayfish tails. no. . salmone alla santa fiorentina (salmon) ingredients: salmon, eggs, mayonnaise, parsley, flour. marinate a piece of boiled salmon for an hour; take out the bone and cut the fish into fillets, wipe them, roll them in flour and dip them in eggs beaten up or in mayonnaise sauce, and fry them a good colour. arrange in a circle on the dish, garnish with fried parsley, and serve with dutch or mayonnaise sauce. any fillets of fish may be cooked in this manner. no. . salmone alla francesca (salmon) ingredients: salmon, butter, onions, parsley, salt, pepper, nutmeg, stock, chablis, espagnole sauce (no. ) mushrooms, anchovy butter, lemon. put a firm piece of salmon in a stewpan with one and a half ounces of butter, an onion cut up, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley (blanched), salt, pepper, very little nutmeg, a cup of stock, and a glass of chablis. cook for half an hour over a hot fire, turn the salmon occasionally, and if it gets dry, add a cup of espagnole sauce. let it boil until sufficiently cooked, and then put it on a dish. into the sauce put four mushrooms cooked in white sauce, half a teaspoonful of anchovy butter and a little lemon juice. pour the sauce over the salmon and serve. no. . fillets of salmon in papiliotte ingredients: salmon, oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, herbs. cut a piece of salmon into fillets, marinate them in oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and herbs for two hours. wipe and put them into paper souffle cases with a little oil, butter, and herbs. cook them on a gridiron, and serve with a sauce piquante made in the following manner: half a pint of rich espagnole sauce (no. ) and a dessert-spoonful of new century{*} sauce, warmed up in a bain-marie. *can be obtained at messrs lazenby's, wigmoree street, w. beef, mutton, veal, lamb, &c. no. . manzo alla certosina (fillet of beef) ingredients: fillet of beef or rump steak, bacon, olive oil, salt, nutmeg, anchovies, herbs, stock, garlic. put a piece of very tender rump steak or fillet of beef into a stewpan with two slices of fat bacon and three teaspoonsful of the finest olive oil; season with salt and a tiny pinch of nutmeg; let it cook uncovered, and turn the meat over occasionally. when it is nicely browned add an anchovy minced and mixed with chopped herbs, and a small clove of garlic with one cut across it. then cover the whole with good stock, put the cover on the stewpan, and when it is all sufficiently cooked, skim the grease off the sauce, pass it through a sieve, and pour it over the beef. leave the garlic in for five minutes only. no. . stufato alla florentina (stewed beef) ingredients: beef, mutton, or veal, onions, rosemary, burgundy, tomatoes, stock, potatoes, butter, garlic. cut up an onion and three leaves of rosemary, fry them slightly in an ounce of butter, then add meat (beef, mutton, or veal), cut into fair-sized pieces, salt it and fry it a little, then pour half a glass of burgundy over it, and add two tablespoonsful of tomato conserve, or better still, fresh tomatoes in a puree. cover up the stewpan and cook gently, stir occasionally, and add some stock if the stew gets too dry. if you like to add potatoes, cut them up, put them in the stewpan an hour before serving, and cook them with the meat. a clove of garlic with one cut may be added for five minutes. no. . coscia di manzo al forno (rump steak) ingredients: rump steak, ham, salt, pepper, spice, fat bacon, onion, stock, white wine. lard a bit of good rump steak with bits of lean ham, and season it with salt, pepper, and a little spice, slightly brown it in butter for a few minutes, then cover it with three or four slices of fat bacon and put it into a stewpan with an onion chopped up, a cup of good stock, and half a glass of white wine; cook with the cover on the stewpan for about an hour. you may add a clove of garlic for ten minutes. no. . polpettine alla salsa piccante (beef olives) ingredients: beef steak, butter, onions, stock, sausage meat. cut some thin slices of beef steak, and on each place a little forcemeat of fowl or veal, to which add a little sausage meat: roll up the slices of beef and cook them with butter and onions, and when they are well browned pour some stock over them, and let them absorb it. serve with a tomato sauce (no. ), or sauce piquante made with a quarter of a pint of rich espagnole (no. ), and a dessert-spoonful of new century sauce (see no. note). no. . stufato alla milanese (stewed beef) ingredients: rump steak, bacon, ham, salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, butter, onions, burgundy. beat a piece of rump steak to make it tender and lard it well, cut up some bits of fat bacon and dust them over with salt, pepper, and a tiny pinch of cinnamon, and put them on the steak. stick three cloves into the steak, then put it into a stewpan, add a little of the fat of the beef chopped up, an ounce of butter, an onion cut up, and some bits of lean ham. put in sufficient stock to cover the steak, add a glass of burgundy, and stew gently until it is cooked. no. . manzo marinato arrosto (marinated beef) ingredients: beef, salt, larding bacon, burgundy, vinegar, spices, herbs, flour. beat a piece of rump steak, or fillet to make it tender; sprinkle it well with salt and some chopped herbs, and leave it for an hour; then lard it and marinate it as follows: half a pint of red wine (australian harvest burgundy is best), half a glass of vinegar, a pinch of spice, and a bouquet of herbs; leave it in this for twenty-four hours then take it out, drain it well sprinkle it with flour, and roast it for twenty minutes before a clear fire, braize it till quite tender, then press and glaze it. the thin end of a sirloin is excellent cooked this way. serve cold. no. . manzo con sugo di barbabietole (fillet of beef) ingredients: beef, beetroot, salt. cut up three raw beetroots put them into an earthen ware pot and cover them with water. keep them in some warm place, and allow them to ferment for five, six, or eight days according to the season; the froth at the top of the water will indicate the necessary fermentation. the take out the pieces of beetroot, skim off all the froth, and into the fermented liquor put a good piece of tender rump steak or fillet with some salt. braize for four hours and serve. no. . manzo in insalata (marinated beef) ingredients: beef, oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, parsley, capers, mushrooms, olives, vegetables. cook a fillet of beef (or the thin end of a sirloin), which has been previously marinated for two days in oil, salt, pepper, vinegar, and chopped parsley. when cold press and glaze it, garnish it with capers, mushrooms preserved in vinegar or gherkins, olives, and any kind of vegetables marinated like the beef. serve cold. no. . filetto di bue con pistacchi (fillets of beef with pistacchios) ingredients: fillet of beef, oil, salt, flour, pistacchio nuts, gravy. cut a piece of tender beef into little fillets, and put a them in a stewpan with a tablespoonful of olive oil and salt. after they have cooked for a few minutes, powder them with flour, and strew over each fillet some chopped pistacchio nuts. add a few spoonsful of very good boiling gravy, and cook for another half-hour. no. . scalopini di riso (beef with risotto) ingredients: rump steak, butter, rice, truffles, tongue, stock, mushrooms. slightly stew a bit of rump steak with bits of tongue and mushrooms; let it get cold, and cut it into scallops. butter a pie dish, and garnish the bottom of it with cooked tongue and slices of cooked truffle, then over this put a layer of well-cooked and seasoned risotto (no. ), then a layer of the scallops of beef, and then another layer of risotto. heat in a bain-marie, and turn out of the pie dish, and serve with a very good sauce poured round it. no. . tenerumi alla piemontese (tendons of veal) ingredients: tendons of veal, fowl forcemeat, truffles, risotto (no. ), a cock's comb, tongue. tendons of veal are that part of the breast which lies near the ribs, and forms an opaque gristly substance. partly braize a fine bit of this joint, and press it between two plates till cold. cut it up into fillets, and on each spread a thin layer of fowl forcemeat, and decorate with slices of truffle. put the fillets into a stewpan, cover them with very good stock, and boil till the forcemeat and truffles are quite cooked. prepare a risotto all'italiana (no. ), put it on a dish and decorate it with bits of red tongue cut into shapes, and in the centre put a whole cooked truffle and a white cock's comb, both on a silver skewer. place the tendons of veal round the dish. add a good espagnole sauce (no. ) and serve. if you like, leave out the risotto and serve the veal with espagnole sauce mixed with cooked peas and chopped truffle. no. . bragiuole di vitello (veal cutlets) ingredients: veal, salt, pepper, butter, bacon, carrots, flour, chablis, water, lemon. cut a bit of veal steak into pieces the size of small cutlets, salt and pepper them, and put them in a wide low stewpan. add two ounces of butter, a cut-up carrot, and some bits of bacon also cut up. when they are browned, add a spoonful of flour, half a glass of chablis, and half a glass of water, and cook on a slow fire for half an hour, then take out the cutlets, reduce the sauce, and pass it through a sieve. put it back on the fire and add an ounce of butter and a good squeeze of lemon, and when hot pour it over the cutlets. no. . costolette alla manza (veal cutlets) ingredients: veal cutlets (fowl or turkey cutlets), forcemeat, truffles, mushrooms, tongue, parsley, pasta marinate (no. ). cut a few horizontal lines along your cutlets, and on each put a little veal or fowl forcemeat, to which add in equal quantities chopped truffles, tongue, mushrooms, and a little parsley. over this put a thin layer of pasta marinate, and fry the cutlets on a slow fire. no. . vitello alla pellegrina (breast of veal) ingredients: breast of veal, butter, onions, sugar, stock, red wine, mushrooms, bacon, salt, flour, bay leaf. roast a bit of breast of veal, then glaze over two spanish onions with butter and a little sugar, and when they are a good colour pour a teacup of stock and a glass of burgundy over them, and add a few mushrooms, a bay leaf, some salt, and a few bits of bacon. when the mushrooms and onions are cooked, skim off the fat and thicken the sauce with a little flour and butter fried together; pour it over the veal and put the onions and mushrooms round the dish. no. . frittura piccata al marsala (fillet of veal) ingredients: veal, butter, marsala, stock, lemon, bacon. cut a tender bit of veal steak into small fillets, cut off all the fat and stringy parts, flour them and fry them in butter. when they are slightly browned add a glass of marsala and a teacup of good stock, and fry on a very hot fire, so that the fillets may remain tender. take them off the fire, put a little roll of fried bacon on each, add a squeeze of lemon juice, and serve. no. . polpettine distese (veal olives) ingredients: veal steak, butter, bread, eggs, pistacchio nuts, spice, parsley. cut some slices of veal steak very thin as for veal olives, and spread them out in a well-buttered stewpan. on each slice of veal put half a spoonful of the following mixture: pound some crumb of bread and mix it with a whole egg; add a little salt, some pistacchio nuts, herbs, and parsley chopped up, and a little butter. roll up each slice of veal, cover with a sheet of buttered paper, put the cover on the stewpan and cook for three-quarters of an hour in two ounces of butter on a slow fire. thicken the sauce with a dessert-spoonful of flour and butter fried together. no. . coste di vitello imboracciate (ribs of veal) ingredients: ribs of veal, butter, eggs, parmesan, bread crumbs, parsley. cut all the sinews from a piece of neck or ribs of veal, cover the meat with plenty of butter and half cook it on a slow fire, then let it get cold. when cold, egg it over and roll it in bread crumbs mixed with a tablespoonful of grated parmesan; fry in butter and serve with a garnish of fried parsley and a rich sauce. a dessert-spoonful of new century sauce mixed with quarter of a pint of good thick stock makes a good sauce. (see no. .) no. . costolette di montone alla nizzarda (mutton cutlets) ingredients: mutton cutlets, butter, olives, mushrooms, cucumbers. trim as many cutlets as you require, and marinate them in vinegar, herbs, and spice for two hours. before cooking wipe them well and then saute them in clarified butter, and when they are well coloured on both sides and resist the pressure of the finger, drain off the butter and pour four tablespoonsful of espagnole sauce (no. ) with a teaspoonful of vinegar and six bruised pepper corns over them. arrange them on a dish, putting between each cutlet a crouton of fried bread, and garnish with olives stuffed with chopped mushrooms and with slices of fried cucumber. no. . petto di castrato all'italiana (breast of mutton) ingredients: breast of mutton, veal, forcemeat, eggs, herbs, spice, parmesan. stuff a breast of mutton with veal forcemeat mixed with two eggs beaten up, herbs, a little spice, and a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, braize it in stock with a bunch of herbs and two onions. serve with italian sauce (no. ). no. . petto di castrato alla salsa piccante (breast of mutton) ingredients: same as no. . when the breast of mutton has been stuffed and cooked as above, let it get cold and then cut it into fillets, flour them over, fry in butter, and serve with tomato sauce piquante (no. ), or one dessert-spoonful of new century sauce in a quarter pint of good stock or gravy. no. . tenerumi d'agnello alla villeroy (tendons of lamb) ingredients: tendons of lamb, eggs, bread crumbs, truffles, butter, stock, villeroy sauce. slightly cook the tendons (the part of the breast near the ribs) of lamb, press them between two dishes till cold, then cut into a good shape and dip them into a villeroy sauce (no. ) egg and bread-crumb, and saute them in butter. when about to serve, put them in a dish with very good clear gravy. a teaspoonful of chopped mint and a tablespoonful of chopped truffles mixed with the bread crumbs will be a great improvement. no. . tenerumi d' agnello alla veneziana (tendons of lamb) ingredients: tendons of lamb, butter, parsley, onions, stock. fry the tendons of lamb in butter together with a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and an onion. serve with good gravy. no. . costolette d' agnello alla costanza (lamb cutlets) ingredients: lamb cutlets, butter, stock, cocks' combs, fowl's liver, mushrooms. fry as many lamb cutlets as you require very sharply in butter, drain off the butter and replace it with some very good stock or gravy. make a ragout of cocks' combs, bits of fowl's liver and mushrooms all cut up; add a white sauce with half a gill of cream mixed with it, and with this mask the cutlets, and saute them for fifteen minutes. tongue, sweetbread, calf's head, liver, sucking pig, &c. no. . timballo alla romana ingredients: cold fowl, game, or sweetbread, butter, lard, flour, parmesan, truffles, macaroni, onions, cream. make a light paste of two ounces of butter, two of lard, and half a pound of flour, and put it in the larder for two hours. in the meantime boil a little macaroni and let it get cold, then line a plain mould with the paste, and fill it with bits of cut-up fowl, or game, or sweetbread, bits of truffle cut in small dice, grated parmesan, and a little chopped onion. put these ingredients in alternately, and after each layer add enough cream to moisten. fill the mould quite full, then roll out a thin paste for the top and press it well together at the edges to keep the cream from boiling out. bake it in a moderate oven for an hour and a half, turn it out of the mould, and serve with a rich brown sauce. decorate the top with bits of red tongue and truffles cut into shapes or with a little chopped pistacchio nut. no. . timballo alla lombarda ingredients: macaroni, fowl or game, eggs, stock, velute sauce (no. ), tongue, butter, truffles. butter a smooth mould, then boil some macaroni, but take care that it is in long pieces. when cold, take the longest bits and line the bottom of the mould, making the macaroni go in circles; and when you come to the end of one piece, join on the next as closely as possible until the whole mould is lined; paint it over now and then with white of egg beaten up; then mask the whole inside with a thin layer of forcemeat of fowl, which should also be put on with white of egg to make it adhere; then cut up the bits of macaroni which remain, warm them up in some good fowl stock and velute sauce much reduced, a little melted butter, some bits of truffle cut into dice, tongue, fowl, or game also cut up in pieces. when the mould is full, put on another layer of forcemeat, steam for an hour, then turn out and serve with a very good brown sauce. no. . lingua alla visconti (tongue) ingredients: tongue, glaze, bread, spinach, white grapes, port. soak a smoked tongue in fresh water for forty-eight hours, then boil it till it is tender. peel off the skin, cut the tongue in rather thick slices, and glaze them. prepare an oval border of fried bread, cover it with spinach about two inches thick, and on this arrange the slices of tongue. fill in the centre of the dish with white grapes cooked in port or muscat. no. . lingua di manzo al citriuoli (tongue with cucumber) ingredients: ox tongue, salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley, bacon, veal, carrots, onions, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, stock. gently boil an ox tongue until you can peel off the skin, then lard it, season it with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and chopped parsley, and boil it with some bits of bacon, ham, veal, a carrot, an onion, two bay leaves, thyme and two cloves. pour some good stock over it and let it simmer gently until it is cooked. put the tongue on a dish and garnish it with slices of fried cucumber. boil the cucumber for five minutes before you fry it, to take away the bitter taste. serve the tongue with a sauce piquante, made with one dessert-spoonful of new century sauce to a quarter pint of good espangole sauce (no. ). no. . lingue di castrato alla cuciniera (sheep's tongues) ingredients: sheep's tongues, bacon, beef, onions, herbs, spice, eggs, butter, flour. cook three or four sheep's tongues in good stock, and add some slices of bacon, bits of beef, two onions, a bunch of herbs, and a pinch of spice. let them get cold, flour them and mask them with egg beaten up and fry quickly in butter. serve with italian sauce (no. ) no. . lingue di vitello all'italiana (calves' tongues) ingredients: calves' tongues, salt, butter, stock, water, glaze, potatoes, ham, truffles, sauce piquante. rub a good handful of salt into two or three calves' tongues and leave them for twenty-four hours, then wash off all the salt and soak them in fresh water for two hours. stew them gently till tender, take them out, skin and braize them in butter and good stock for half an hour. let them get cold and cut them into slices about half an inch thick; put the slices into a buttered saute-pan and cover them with a good thick glaze; let them get quite hot and then arrange them on a border of potatoes, and garnish each slice with round shapes of cooked ham and truffle. fill the centre with any vegetables you like; fried cucumber is excellent, but if you use it do not forget to boil it for five minutes before you fry it to take away the bitter taste. serve with a sauce piquante (no. , or no. ). no. . porcelletto alla corradino (sucking pig) ingredients: sucking pig, ham, eggs, parmesan, truffles, mushrooms, garlic, bay leaves, coriander seeds, pistacchio nuts, veal forcemeat, suet, bacon, herbs, spice. bone a sucking pig, remove all the inside and fill it with a stuffing made of veal forcemeat mixed with a little chopped suet, ham, bacon, herbs, two tablespoonsful of finely chopped pistacchio nuts, a pinch of spice, six coriander seeds, two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan, cuttings of truffles and mushrooms all bound together with eggs. sew the pig up and braize it in a big stewpan with bits of bacon, a clove of garlic with two cuts, a bunch of herbs and one bay leaf, for half an hour. then pour off the gravy, cover the pig with well-buttered paper, and finish cooking it in the oven. garnish the top with vegetables and truffles cut into shapes, slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley. serve with a good sauce piquante (no. ). do not leave the garlic in for more than ten minutes. no. . porcelletto da latte in galantina (sucking pig) ingredients: sucking pig, forcemeat of fowl, bacon, truffles, pistacchio nuts, ham, lemon, veal, bay leaves, salt, carrots, onions, shallots, parsley, stock, chablis, gravy. bone a sucking pig all except its feet, but be careful not to cut the skin on its back. lay it out on a napkin and line it inside with a forcemeat of fowl and veal about an inch thick, over this put a layer of bits of marinated bacon, slices of truffle, pistacchio nuts, cooked ham, and some of the flesh of the pig, then another layer of forcemeat until the pig's skin is fairly filled. keep its shape by sewing it lightly together, then rub it all over with lemon juice and cover it with slices of fat bacon, roll it up and stitch it in a pudding cloth. then put the bones and cuttings into a stewpan with bits of bacon and veal steak cut up, two bay leaves, salt, a carrot, an onion, a shallot, and a bunch of parsley. into this put the pig with a bottle of white wine and sufficient stock to cover it, and cook on a slow fire for three hours. then take it out, and when cold take off the pudding-cloth. pass the liquor through a hair sieve, and, if necessary, add some stock; reduce and clarify it. decorate the dish with this jelly and serve cold. no. . ateletti alla sarda ingredients: veal or fowl, ox palates, stock, tongue, truffles, butter, mushrooms, sweetbread. soak two ox palates in salted water for four hours, then boil them until the rough skin comes off, and cook them in good stock for six hours, press them between two plates and let them get cold. roll some forcemeat of veal or fowl in flour, cut it into small pieces about the size of a cork, boil them in salted water, let them get cold and cut them into circular pieces. cut the ox palates also into circular pieces the same size as the bits of forcemeat, then thinner circles of cooked tongue and truffles. string these pieces alternately on small silver skewers. reduce to half its quantity a pint of velute sauce (no. ), and add the cuttings of the truffles, mushroom trimmings, bits of sweetbread, and a squeeze of lemon juice. let it get cold and then mask the atelets (or skewers with the forcemeat, &c.) with it, and fry them quickly in butter. fry a large oval crouton of bread, scoop out the centre and fill it with fried slices of cucumber and truffles boiled in a little chablis. stick the skewers into the crouton and pour the sauce round it. for a maigre dish use fillets of fish, truffles, mushrooms, and bechamel sauce (no. ). the cucumber should be boiled for five minutes before it is fried. no. . ateletti alla genovese ingredients: veal, sweetbread, calf's brains, ox palates, mushrooms, fonds d'artichauds, cocks' combs, eggs, parmesan, bread crumbs. cook two ox palates as in the last recipe, then take equal quantities of veal steak, sweetbread, calf's brains, equal quantities of mushrooms, fonds d'artichauds, and cocks' combs. fry them all in butter except the palates, but be careful to put the veal in first, as it requires longer cooking; the brains should go in last. then put all these ingredients on a cutting board and add the palates (cooked separately); cut them all into pieces of equal size, either round or square, but keep the ingredients separate, and string them alternately on silver skewers, as in the last recipe. then pound up all the cuttings and add a little crumb of bread soaked in stock, the yolks of three eggs, the whites of two well beaten up, two dessert-spoonsful of grated parmesan, salt to taste, and chopped truffles. mix all this well together and mask the atelets with it; egg and bread crumb them and fry in butter. when they are a good colour, serve with fried parsley. no. . testa di vitello alla sorrentina (calf's head) ingredients: calf's head, veal, sweetbread, truffles, mushrooms, pistacchio nuts, eggs, herbs, spice, stock, bacon, ham. boil a half calf's head well, and when it is half cold, bone it and fill it with a stuffing of veal, the calf's brains, sweetbread, truffles, mushrooms, pistacchio nuts, the yolks of two eggs, herbs, and a little spice. then stitch it up and braize it in good stock, with some slices of bacon, ham, and a bunch of herbs. serve with brain sauce mixed with cream. no. . testa di vitello con salsa napoletana (calf's head) ingredients: calf's head, calf's liver, bacon, suet, truffles, almonds, olives, calf's brains, capers, spice, coriander seeds, herbs, ham, stock. boil half a calf's head, bone it and fill it with a stuffing made of four ounces of calf's liver, well chopped up and pounded in a mortar; two ounces of bacon, one ounce of suet, three truffles, six almonds, three olives, six coriander seeds, six capers, the calf's brains, a pinch of spice and a teaspoonful of chopped herbs. roll up the head, tie it up and put it into a stewpan with some bits of bacon, ham, and very good stock, and stew it slowly. serve with neapolitan sauce (no. ), or with tomato sauce piquante (no. ). no. . testa di vitello alla pompadour (calf's head) ingredients: calf's head, calf's brains, cream, eggs, truffles, cinnamon, stock, butter, parmesan. boil and bone half a calf's head and fill it with a stuffing made of the calf's brains, a gill of cream, the yolks of two eggs, two truffles cut up, a little chopped ham, and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. boil it in good stock, and when it is sufficiently cooked take it out and mask it all over with a mixture of butter, yolk of egg, and a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, then brown it in the oven and serve hot. no. . testa di vitello alla sanseverino (calf's head) ingredients: calf's head, sweetbread, fowl's liver, anchovies, herbs, capers, garlic, bacon, ham, malmsey or muscat. boil and bone half a calf's head, and fill it with a stuffing made of half a pound of sweetbread, a fowl's liver, two anchovies, a teaspoonful of chopped herbs, a few chopped capers, and the calf's brains. roll the head up, stitch it together and braize it in half a tumbler of malmsey or australian muscat (burgoyne's), half a cup of very good white stock, some bits of ham and bacon, and a clove of garlic with two cuts. cook it gently for four hours and serve it with its own sauce. do not leave the garlic in longer than ten minutes. no. . testa di vitello in frittata (calf's head) ingredients: calf's head, eggs, parmesan, ham, pepper, butter, croutons. a good rechauffe' of calf's head may be made in the following manner: after the head has been well boiled in good stock, cut it into slices and mask these with a mixture of eggs well beaten up, grated parmesan, pepper, and chopped ham. fry in butter, and garnish with fried parsley and fried croutons. serve with a sauce made of a quarter of a pint of good bechamel (no. ) and a dessert-spoonful of new century sauce. no. . zampetti (calves' feet) ingredients: calves' or pigs' feet, butter, leeks or small onions, parsley, salt, pepper, stock, tomatoes, eggs, cheese, cinnamon. blanch and bone two or more calves' or pigs' feet and put them into a stewpan with butter, leeks, or onions, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a little stock. let them boil till the liquid is somewhat reduced, then add good meat gravy and two tablespoonsful of tomato puree, and just before taking the stewpan off the fire, add the yolks of two eggs beaten up, a tablespoonful of grated cheese, and a tiny pinch of cinnamon. mix all well together and serve very hot. no. . bodini marinati ingredients: veal forcemeat, truffles, sweetbread, mushrooms, herbs, flour, pasta marinate (no. ), tongue, butter. make a mixture of truffles, tongue, sweetbread, mushrooms, and herbs, all chopped up, and add it to a forcemeat of veal, the proportions being two-thirds veal forcemeat and the other ingredients one third. mix this well and form it into little balls about the size of a pigeon's egg, flour them and mask them all over with pasta marinate (no. ). fry them in butter over a slow fire, so that the balls may be well cooked through, and when they are the right colour dry them in a napkin and serve very hot. these bodini may be made with various ingredients; they will be most delicate with a forcemeat of fowl and bits of brain mixed with herbs, truffle, cooked ham, or tongue. they are also excellent made with fish (sole, mullet, turbot, &c.), either cooked or raw, and marinated in lemon, salt, pepper, oil, nutmeg, and parsley. no. . animelle alla parmegiana (sweetbread) ingredients: sweetbread, bread crumbs, parmesan, butter. blanch as many sweetbreads as you require, and then roll them in bread crumbs mixed with grated parmesan, salt, and pepper; wrap them up in buttered grease-proof paper and grill them. when they are cooked, take off the paper, and serve with a good sauce in a sauce-boat. no. . animelle in cartoccio (sweetbread) ingredients: sweetbread, butter, herbs, salt, pepper, bread crumbs, parmesan, lemons, gravy, tomatoes. blanch a pound of sweetbread cuttings, mix it with two ounces of melted butter, chopped herbs, salt, and pepper, and put it into paper souffle cases. then strew over each some bread crumbs mixed with grated parmesan, put the cases in the oven, and when they are browned serve either with good gravy and lemon juice or with tomato sauce (no. ). no. . animelle all'italiana (sweetbread) ingredients: sweetbread, butter, onions, salt, herbs, eggs, glaze, risotto (no. ), truffles, quenelles of fowl, espagnole sauce, white sauce. blanch as many sweetbreads as you require, cut them into quarters and saute them in butter with a small onion cut up, salt, and a bunch of herbs. then pour over them two cups of white sauce and cook gently for twenty minutes; take out the sweetbreads and put them in a stewpan. reduce the sauce, and add to it a mixture made of the yolks of four eggs, one and a half ounce of butter and a teaspoonful of glaze; pass it through a sieve, pour it over the sweetbreads, and keep them warm in a bain-marie. have ready a good risotto all'italiana (no. ), and put it into a border mould (but first decorate the inside of the mould with slices of truffle), put it in a moderate oven, and when it is warm turn it out on a dish. place the sweetbreads on the risotto and fill in the centre with quenelles of fowl and espagnole sauce (no. ). no. . animelle lardellate (sweetbread) ingredients: sweetbreads, larding, bacon, stock, a macedoine of vegetables. blanch two sweetbreads, lard them, and cook them very slowly in good stock. skim the stock and reduce it to a glaze to cover the sweetbreads. then cut them into three or four pieces and arrange them round a dish, but see that the larding is well glazed over. in the centre of the dish place a piece of bread in the shape of a cup and fill this with a macedoine of vegetables. no. . frittura di bottoni e di animelle (sweetbread and mushrooms) ingredients: sweetbread, fresh button mushrooms, flour, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, butter, lemons. peel some button mushrooms and cut them in halves. boil a sweetbread, and cut it into pieces about the same size as the mushrooms, flour, egg, and bread crumb them, and fry in butter; then serve with a garnish of fried parsley. hand cut lemons with this dish. no. . cervello in fili serbe (calf's brains) ingredients: calf's brains, stock, butter, parsley, lemon. boil half a calf's brain in good stock for ten minutes then drain and pour a little melted butter and the juice of half a lemon over the brain; add some chopped parsley fried for one minute in butter, and serve as hot as possible. no. . cervello alla milanese (calf's brains) ingredients: calf s brains, eggs, bread crumbs, butter. scald a calf's brain and let it get cold. wipe it on a cloth, and get it as dry as possible, then cut it into pieces about the size of a walnut, egg and bread crumb them, fry in butter, and strew a little salt over them. no. . cervello alla villeroy (calf's brains) ingredients: calf's brains, eggs, flour, mushrooms, velute sauce. scald a calf's brain, and when cold cut it up and mask each piece with a thick sauce made of well-reduced velute (no. ), mixed with chopped cooked mushrooms; flour them over and dip them into the yolk of an egg, and fry as quickly as possible. no. . frittura of liver and brains ingredients: calf's liver and brains (or lamb's or pig's fry), butter, ham, flour, puff pastry. cut up half a pound of liver in small slices, flour and fry them in butter or dripping, together with a calf's or pig's or sheep's brain, previously scalded and also cut up. serve with bits of fried ham and little diamond-shaped pieces of puff pastry. no. . cervello in frittata montano (calf's brains) ingredients: calf's brains, stock, cream, eggs, spice, parmesan, butter. boil a calf's brain in good stock for ten minutes, let it get cold, cut it up into little balls, and mask each piece with a mixture made of half a gill of cream, the yolks of two eggs, a little spice, a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, and the whites of two eggs well beaten up. fry the balls in butter, and serve as hot as possible. you may mask and cook the calf's brain without cutting it up, if you prefer it so. no. . marinata di cervello alla villeroy (calf's brains) ingredients: calf's brains, stock, bechamel sauce, eggs, butter, lemon, forcemeat of fowl, flour. boil a calf's or sheep's brain in good stock, wipe it well, and cut it up. reduce a pint of bechamel (no. ), and add to it the yolks of three eggs, an ounce of butter, and the juice of a lemon. when it boils throw in the cut-up brain; let it cool, then take out the brain and form it into little balls about the size of a small walnut. make a forcemeat of fowl, and add a dessert-spoonful of flour to it, and spread it out very thin on a paste-board, and into this wrap the balls of brain, each separately. dip them into a pasta marinate (no. ), and fry them a golden brown. no. . minuta alla milanese (lamb's sweetbread) ingredients: lamb's sweetbread, butter, onions, stock, chablis, salt, lemon, herbs, cocks' combs, fowls' livers. cut up equal quantities of lamb's sweetbreads, cocks' combs, fowls' livers in pieces about the size of a filbert, flour and fry them slightly in butter and a small bit of onion, add half a glass of chablis, a cup of good stock, and a bunch of herbs. reduce the sauce, and thicken it with a tablespoonful of butter and flour fried together. make a border of risotto all'italiana (no. ), and put the sweetbread, &c., together with the sauce in the centre. no. . animelle al sapor di targone (lamb's fry) ingredients: lamb's fry, ham, garlic, larding bacon, spice, herbs, butter, flour, stock. the lamb's fry should be nearly all sweetbread, and very little liver. lard each piece with bacon and ham, and roll it in chopped herbs and a pinch of pounded spice. then dip it in flour and braize in good stock, to which add three ounces of butter, some bits of bacon, ham, a bay leaf, herbs, and a clove of garlic with two cuts. cook until the fry is well glazed over, and serve with tarragon sauce (no. ). do not leave the garlic in longer than ten minutes. no. . fritto misto alla villeroy ingredients: cocks' combs, calf's brains, sweetbread, stock, truffles, mushrooms, villeroy, eggs, bread crumbs. cook some big cocks' combs, bits of calf s brains, and sweetbread in good stock, then drain them and marinate them slightly in lemon juice and herbs. prepare a villeroy (no. ), and add to it cuttings of sweetbread, brains, truffles, mushrooms, &c. when it is cold, mask the cocks' combs and other ingredients with it, egg and bread-crumb them, and fry them a golden brown. no. . fritto misto alla piemontese ingredients: sweetbread, calf s brains, ox palate, flour, eggs, chablis, salt, herbs butter. make a thin paste with a tablespoonful of flour, the yolks of two eggs, two spoonsful of chablis, and a little salt. mix this up well, and if it is too thick add a little water. beat up the whites of the two eggs into a snow. in the meantime blanch a sweetbread, half a calf's brain, and a few bits of cooked ox palate; boil them all up with a bunch of herbs; cut them into pieces about the size of a walnut, and dip them into the paste so that each piece is well covered, then dip them into the beaten-up whites of egg, and fry them very quickly in butter. this fry is generally served with a garnish of french beans, which should not be cut up, but half boiled, then dried, floured over and fried together with the other ingredients. the ox palates should be boiled for at least six hours before you use them in this dish. no. . minuta di fegatini (ragout of fowls' livers) ingredients: fowls' or turkeys' livers, flour, butter, parsley, onions, salt, pepper, stock, chablis. cut the livers in half, flour them, and fry lightly in butter with chopped parsley, very little chopped onion, salt and pepper, then add a quarter pint of boiling stock and half a glass of chablis, and cook until the sauce is somewhat reduced. you can also cook the livers simply in good meat gravy, but in this case they should not be floured. serve with a border of macaroni (no. ), or risotto (no. ), or polenta (no. ). no. . minuta alla visconti (chickens' livers) ingredients: fowls' livers, eggs, cheese, butter, cream, cayenne pepper. braize two fowls' livers in butter, then pound them up, and mix with a little cream, a tablespoonful of grated cheese and a dust of cayenne. spread this rather thickly over small squares of toast, and keep them hot whilst you make a custard with half an ounce of butter, an egg well beaten up, and a tablespoonful of cheese. stir it over the fire till thick and then spread it on the hot toast. serve very hot. this makes a good savoury. no. . croutons alla principesca ingredients: croutons, tongue, sweetbread, truffles, fowl or game, velute sauce, stock, eggs, butter. fry a bit of bread in butter till it is a light brown colour, then cut it into heart-shaped pieces. prepare a ragout with bits of tongue, sweetbread, fowl or game, truffles, two or three spoonsful of well-reduced velute sauce (no. ), and two or three of reduced gravy. put a spoonful of the ragout in each crouton, and over it a layer of fowl forcemeat half an inch thick; trim the edges neatly, glaze them with the yolk of eggs beaten up, and put them in a buttered fireproof dish in the oven for twenty minutes. then glaze them with reduced stock and serve hot. for a maigre dish use fish for the ragout and forcemeat. no. . croutons alla romana ingredients: bread, fowl forcemeat, tongue, truffles, herbs, cream, stock, butter, flour, eggs. cut a bit of crumb of bread into round or square shapes, and on each put a spoonful of fowl or rabbit forcemeat, a little chopped tongue, and a slight flavouring of chopped herbs; cover with a slice of bread the same shape as the underneath piece, put them in a buttered fireproof dish, and moisten them well with cream, butter, and stock. cook until all the liquor is absorbed, but turn them over so that both sides may be well cooked, then flour and dip them into beaten-up eggs; fry them a good colour and serve very hot. for a maigre dish use forcemeat of fish or lobster, and more cream instead of stock. fowl, duck, game, hare, rabbit, &c. no. . soffiato di cappone (fowl souffle) ingredients: fowl, bechamel, stock, semolina flour, potatoes, salt, eggs, butter, smoked tongue or ham. prepare a puree of fowl or turkey and a small quantity of grated tongue or ham, and whilst you are pounding the meat add some good gravy or stock. then make a bechamel sauce (no. ) and add two table-spoonsful of semolina flour, a boiled potato and salt to taste, boil it up and add the puree of fowl, then let it get nearly cold, add yolks of eggs and the white beaten up into a snow. (for one pint of the puree use the yolks of three eggs.) pour the whole into a buttered souffle case, and half an hour before serving put it in a moderate oven and serve hot. you can use game instead of fowl, and serve in little souffle cases. no. . pollo alla fiorentina (chicken) ingredients: fowl, butter, vegetables, rice or macaroni, peppercorns, stock, ham, tomatoes, bay leaves, onions, cloves, liebig. roll up a fowl in buttered paper and put it in the oven in a fireproof dish with all kinds of vegetables and a few peppercorns. leave it there for about two hours, then put the fowl and vegetables into two quarts of good stock and let it simmer for one hour; serve on well-boiled rice or macaroni and pour the following sauce over it. sauce: two pounds tomatoes, one big cup of good stock, a quarter pound of chopped ham, three bay leaves, one onion stuck with cloves, one teaspoonful of liebig. simmer an hour and a half. no. . pollo all'oliva (chicken) ingredients: fowl, onions, celery, salt, parsley, carrots, butter, stock, olives, tomatoes. cut up half an onion, a stick of celery, a sprig of parsley, a carrot, and cook them all in a quarter pound of butter. into this put a fowl cut up and let it act brown all over, turn when necessary and then baste it with boiling stock. add four spanish olives cut up and four others pounded in a mortar, eight whole olives and three tablespoonsful of tomato puree reduced, and when the fowl is well cooked pour the sauce over it. no. . pollo alla villereccia (chicken) ingredients: fowl, butter, flour, stock, bacon, ham, mushrooms, onions, cloves, eggs, cream, lemons. cut up a fowl into quarters and put it into a saucepan with three ounces of butter and a tablespoonful of flour put it on the fire, and when it is well browned add half a pint of stock, bits of bacon and ham, butter, three mushrooms (previously boiled), an onion stuck with three cloves. when this is cooked skim off the grease, pass the sauce through a sieve, and add the yolks of two eggs mixed with two tablespoonsful of cream. lastly, add a squeeze of lemon juice to the sauce and pour it over the fowl. no. . pollo alla cacciatora (chicken) ingredients: the same as no. and tomatoes. cook the fowl exactly as above, but add either a puree of tomatoes or tomato sauce. no. . pollastro alla lorenese (fowl) ingredients: fowl, butter, parsley, lemon, small onions, bread crumbs. cut up a fowl and put it into a frying pan with two ounces of butter, one onion cut up and a sprig of chopped parsley, salt and pepper; put it on the fire and cook it, but turn the pieces several times: then take them out and roll them whilst hot in bread crumbs, and fry them. serve with cut lemons. no. . pollastro in fricassea al burro (fowl) ingredients: fowl, butter, fat bacon, ham, mushrooms, truffles, herbs, spice, gravy. cut up a fowl and cook it in a fricassee of butter, bacon, ham, herbs, mushrooms, truffles, spice, and good gravy or stock. serve in its own gravy. no. . pollastro in istufa di pomidoro (braized fowl) ingredients: fowl, bacon, ham, bay leaf, spice, garlic, burgundy, tomatoes. braize a fowl with bits of fat bacon, ham, a bay leaf, a clove of garlic with one cut in it, a pinch of spice, and a glass of burgundy. only leave the garlic in for five minutes. when cooked serve with tomato sauce (no. ). no. . cappone con riso (capon with rice) ingredients: capon, veal forcemeat, fat bacon, stock, rice, truffles, mushrooms, cocks' combs, kidneys or fowls' liver, supreme sauce, milk, chablis. stuff a fine capon with a good firm forcemeat made of veal, tongue, ham, and chopped truffles; cover it with larding bacon; tie it up in buttered paper, and cook it in very good white stock. in the meantime boil four ounces of rice in milk till quite stiff, mix in some chopped truffles, and make ten little timbales of it. take out the capon when it is sufficiently cooked and place it on a dish; garnish it with cooked mushrooms, cocks' combs, kidneys, or fowls' livers, and pour a sauce supreme (no. ) over it; round the dish place the timbales of rice, and between each put a whole truffle cooked in white wine. serve a sauce supreme in a sauce bowl. no. . dindo arrosto alla milanese (roast turkey) ingredients: turkey, sausage meat, prunes, chestnuts, a pear, butter, marsala, salt, rosemary, bacon, carrot, onion, turnip, garlic. blanch for seven or eight minutes three prunes, quarter of a pound of sausage meat, three tablespoonsful of chestnut puree, two small slices of bacon, half a cooked pear, and saute them in butter; chop up the liver and gizzard of the turkey, mix them with the other ingredients, and add half a glass of marsala; use this as a stuffing for the turkey, and first braize it for three quarters of an hour with salt, butter, a blade of rosemary, bits of fat bacon, a carrot, a turnip, an onion, three cloves, and a clove of garlic with a cut; then roast it before a clear fire for about twenty minutes; put it back into the sauce till it is ready to serve. only leave the garlic in ten minutes. no. . tacchinotto all'istrione (turkey poult) ingredients: a turkey poult, ham, mace, bay leaves, lemons, water, salt, onions, parsley, celery, carrots, chablis. truss a turkey poult, and cover it all over with slices of ham or bacon, put two bay leaves and four slices of lemon on it, and sprinkle with a small pinch of mace, then sew it up tight in a dishcloth, and stew it in good stock, salt, an onion, parsley, a stick of celery, a carrot, and a pint of chablis; cook for an hour, take it out of the cloth, and pour a good rich sauce over it. it is also good cold with aspic jelly. no. . fagiano alla napoletana (pheasant) ingredients: pheasant, macaroni, gravy, butter, parmesan, tomatoes. lard a pheasant, roast it, and serve it on a layer of macaroni cooked with good reduced gravy, two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, and a puree of tomatoes. serve with neapolitan sauce (no. ) in a sauce bowl. no. . fagiano alla perigo (pheasant) ingredients: pheasant, butter, truffles, larding bacon, madeira. make a mixture of three tablespoonsful of chopped truffles, three ounces of butter and a little salt, and with this stuff a pheasant. then cover it with slices of fat bacon and keep it in a cool place till next day. a few hours before serving, roast the pheasant and baste it well with melted butter and a wine-glass of madeira or marsala. make a crouton of fried bread the shape of your dish, and over this put a layer of forcemeat of fowl and a number of small fowl quenelles; cover them with buttered paper, then put the dish in the oven for a few minutes so as to settle the forcemeat. when the pheasant is cooked, place it on the crouton and garnish it with slices of truffle which have been previously cooked in madeira, and serve with a perigord sauce. no. . anitra selvatica (wild duck) ingredients: wild duck, butter, fowls' livers, marsala, gravy, turnips, carrots, parsley, mushrooms. cut a wild duck into quarters and put it into a stewpan with two fowls' livers cut up and fried in butter. when the pieces of duck are coloured on both sides, pour off the butter, and in its place pour a glass of marsala, a cup of stock, and a cup of espagnole sauce (no. ), and cook gently for ten minutes. in the meantime shape and blanch six young turnips and as many young carrots, put them into a stewpan, and on the top of them put the pieces of wild duck, liver, &c. pass the liquor through a sieve and pour it over the wild duck, add a bunch of parsley and other herbs and five little mushrooms cut up, and cook on a slow fire for half an hour. skim the sauce, pass it through a sieve and add a pinch of sugar. put the pieces of wild duck in an entree dish, add the vegetables, &c., pour the sauce over and serve. no. . perniciotti alla gastalda (partridges) ingredients: partridges, cauliflower, bacon, sausage, fowls' livers, carrots, onions herbs, stock, gravy, butter, madeira. cut a cauliflower into quarters, blanch for a few minutes, drain, and put it into a saucepan with some bits of bacon. let it drain on paper till dry, then arrange the bits in a circle in a deep stewpan, and in the centre put a small bit of sausage, the livers of the partridges, a fowl's liver cut up, a carrot, an onion, and a bunch of herbs. cover about three-quarters high with good stock and gravy, put butter on the top and boil gently for an hour; then take out the sausage, replace it by two or three partridges, and simmer for three-quarters of an hour. in the meantime cut a sausage in thin slices and line a mould with it. when the birds are cooked, take them out, drain and cut them up, and fill the mould with alternate layers of partridge and cauliflower, and steam for half an hour. five minutes before serving turn the mould over on a plate, but do not take it off, so as to let all the grease drain off. cut up the fowls' and partridges' livers, make them into scallops and glaze them. wipe off all the grease round the mould; take it off, garnish the dish with the scallops of liver and serve hot with an espagnole sauce (no. ) reduced, and add a glass of madeira or marsala, and a glass of essence of game to it. this is an excellent way of cooking an old partridge or pheasant. no. . beccaccini alla diplomatica (snipe) ingredients: snipe, ham, larding bacon, herbs, marsala, croutons, truffles, cocks' combs, mushrooms, sweetbread, tongue. truss fourteen snipe and cook them in a mirepoix made with plenty of ham, fat bacon, herbs, and a wine glass of marsala. when they are cooked pour off the sauce, skim off the grease and reduce it. take the two smallest snipe and make a forcemeat of them by pounding them in a mortar with the livers of all the snipe, then dilute this with reduced espagnole sauce (no. ) and add it to the first sauce. cut twelve croutons of bread just large enough to hold a snipe each, and fry them in butter. add some chopped herbs and truffles to the forcemeat, spread it on the croutons, and on each place a snipe and cover it with a bit of fat bacon and buttered paper. put them in a moderate oven for a few minutes, arrange them on a dish, and pour some of their own sauce over them. garnish the spaces between the croutons with white cocks' combs, mushrooms, and truffles. the truffles should be scooped out and filled with a little stuffing of sweetbread, tongue, and truffles mixed with a little of the sauce of the snipe. serve the rest of the sauce in a sauce-boat. no. . piccioni alla minute (pigeons) ingredients: pigeons, butter, truffles, herbs, fowls' livers, sweetbread, salt, flour, stock, burgundy. prepare two pigeons and put them into a stewpan with two ounces of butter, two truffles cut up, two fowls' livers, half-pound of sweetbread cuttings (boiled), a bunch of herbs and salt. let them brown a little, then add a dessert-spoonful of flour mixed with stock, and half a glass of burgundy, and stew gently for half an hour. no. . piccioni in ripieno (stuffed pigeons) ingredients: pigeons, sweetbread, parsley, onions, carrots, salt, pepper, bacon, stock, chablis, fowls' livers, and gizzards. cut up a sweetbread, a fowl's liver and gizzard, an onion, a sprig of parsley, and add salt and pepper. put this stuffing into two pigeons, tie larding bacon over them, and put them into a stewpan with a glass of chablis, a cup of stock, an onion, and a carrot. when cooked pass the sauce through a sieve, skim it, add a little more sauce, and pour it over the pigeons. no. . lepre in istufato (stewed hare) ingredients: hare, butter, onions, garlic, marjoram, celery, ham, salt, chablis, stock, mushrooms, spice, tomatoes. put into a stewpan three ounces of butter, an onion cut up, a clove of garlic with a cut across it, a sprig of marjoram, and a little cut-up ham. fry these slightly, put the hare cut up into the same stewpan, and let it get brown. then pour a glass of chablis and a glass of stock over it; add a little tomato sauce or a mashed-up tomato, a pinch of spice, and a few mushrooms; take out the garlic and let the rest stew gently for an hour or more. keep the cover on the stewpan, but stir the stew occasionally. no. . lepre agro-dolce (hare) ingredients: hare, vinegar butter, onion, ham, stock salt, sugar, chocolate, almonds, raisins. cut up a hare and wash the pieces in vinegar, then cook them in butter, chopped onion, some bits of ham stock and a little salt. half fill a wine-glass with sugar and add vinegar until the glass is three-quarters full mix the vinegar and sugar well together, and when the hare is browned all over and nearly cooked, pour the vinegar over it and add a dessert spoonful of grated chocolate a few shredded almonds and stoned raisins. mix all well together and cook for a few minutes more. this is a favourite roman dish. no. . coniglio alla provenzale (rabbit) ingredients: rabbit, flour butter, stock, chablis, parsley onion, spice, mushrooms. cut up a rabbit, wipe the pieces, flour them over, and fry them in butter until they are coloured all over. then pour a glass of chablis over them, add some chopped parsley, half an onion, three mushrooms, salt, and a cup of good stock. cover the stewpan and cook on a moderate fire for about three-quarters of an hour. should the stew act too dry, add a spoonful of stock occasionally. no. . coniglio arrostito alla corradino (roast rabbit) ingredients: rabbit, pig's fry, butter, salt, pepper, fennel, bay leaf, onions. make a stuffing of pig's fry (previously cooked in butter), salt, pepper, fennel, an onion, all chopped up, and a bay leaf. with this stuff a rabbit well and braize it for half an hour, then roast it before a brisk fire and baste it well with good gravy. if you like, put in a clove of garlic with one cut whilst it is being braized, but only leave it in for five minutes. serve with ham sauce (salsa di prosciutto, no. .) a fowl may be cooked in this way. no. . coniglio in salsa piccante (rabbit) ingredients: rabbit, butter, flour, celery, parsley, onion, carrot, mushrooms, cloves, spices, burgundy, stock, capers, anchovies. cut up a rabbit, wipe the pieces well on a dishcloth, flour them over and put them into a frying-pan with two ounces of butter and fry for about ten minutes. then add half a stick of celery, parsley, an onion, half a carrot, and three mushrooms, all cut up, three cloves, a pinch of spice and salt, a glass of burgundy, and the same quantity of stock; cover the stewpan and cook for half an hour, then put the pieces of rabbit into another stewpan and pass the liquor through a sieve; press it well with a wooden spoon, so as to get as much through as possible, pour this over the rabbit and add four capers and an anchovy in brine pounded in a mortar, mix all well together, let it simmer for a few minutes, then serve hot with a garnish of croutons fried in butter. vegetables no. . asparagi alla salsa suprema (asparagus) ingredients: asparagus, butter, nutmeg, salt, supreme sauce (no. ) gravy, lemon, parmesan. cut some asparagus into pieces about an inch long and cook them in boiling water with salt, then drain and put them into a saute pan with one and a half ounce of melted butter and sautez for a few minutes, but first add salt, a pinch of nutmeg, and a dust of grated cheese. pour a little supreme sauce over them, and at the last add a little gravy, one ounce of fresh butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice. no. . cavoli di bruxelles alla savoiarda (brussels sprouts) ingredients: brussels sprouts, butter, pepper, stock, bechamel sauce, parmesan, croutons. take off the outside leaves of half a pound of brussels sprouts, wash and boil them in salted water. let them get cool, drain, and put them in a pie-dish with two ounces of fresh butter, a quarter pint of very good stock, a little pepper, and a dust of grated parmesan. when they are well glazed over, pour off the sauce, season with three tablespoonsful of boiling bechamel sauce (no. ), and serve with croutons fried in butter. no. . barbabietola alla parmigiana (beetroot) ingredients: beetroot, white sauce, parmesan, cheddar. boil a beetroot till it is quite tender, peel it, cut into slices, put it in a fireproof dish, and cover it with a thick white sauce. strew a little grated parmesan and cheddar over it. put it in the oven for a few minutes, and serve very hot in the dish. no. . fave alla savoiarda (beans) ingredients: beans, stock, a bunch of herbs, bechamel sauce. boil one pound of broad beans in salt and water, skin and cook them in a saucepan with a quarter pint of reduced stock and a hunch of herbs. drain them, take out the herbs, and season with two glasses of bechamel sauce (no. ). no. . verze alla capuccina (cabbage) ingredients: cabbage or greens, anchovies, salt, butter, parsley, gravy, parmesan. boil two cabbages in a good deal of water, and cut them into quarters. fry two anchovies slightly in butter and chopped parsley, add the cabbages, and at the last three tablespoonsful of good gravy, two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan, salt and pepper, and when cooked, serve. no. . cavoli fiodi alla lionese (cauliflower) ingredients: cauliflower, butter, onions, parsley, lemon, espagnole sauce. blanch a cauliflower and boil it, but not too much. cut up a small onion, fry it slightly in butter and chopped parsley, and when it is well coloured, add the cauliflower and finish cooking it, then take it out, put it in a dish, pour a good espagnole sauce (no. ) over it, and add a squeeze of lemon juice. no. . cavoli fiodi fritti (cauliflower) ingredients: cauliflower or broccoli, gravy, lemon, salt, eggs, butter. break up a broccoli or cauliflower into little bunches, blanch them, and put them on the fire in a saucepan with good gravy for a few minutes, then marinate them with lemon juice and salt, let them get cold, egg them over, and fry in butter. no. . cauliflower alla parmigiana ingredients: cauliflower, butter, parmesan, cheddar, espagnole, stock. boil a cauliflower in salted water, then sautez it in butter, but be careful not to cook it too much. take it off the fire and strew grated parmesan and cheddar over it then put in a fireproof dish and add a good spoonful of stock and one of espagnole (no. ), and put it in the oven for ten minutes. no. . cavoli fiori ripieni ingredients: cauliflower, butter, stock, forcemeat of fowl, tongue, truffles, mushrooms, parsley, espagnole, eggs. break up a cauliflower into separate little bunches, blanch them, and put them in butter, and a quarter pint of reduced stock. make a forcemeat of fowl, add bits of tongue, truffles, mushrooms, and parsley, all cut up small and mixed with butter. with this mask the pieces of cauliflower, egg and breadcrumb them, fry like croquettes, and serve with a good espagnole sauce (no. ). no. . sedani alla parmigiana (celery) ingredients: celery, stock, ham, salt, pepper, cheddar, parmesan, butter, gravy. cut all the green off a head of celery, trim the rest. cut it into pieces about four inches long, blanch and braize them in good stock, ham, salt, and pepper. when cooked, drain and arrange them on a dish, sprinkle with grated parmesan and cheddar, and add one and a half ounce of butter, then put them in the oven till they have taken a good colour, pour a little good gravy over them and serve. no. . sedani fritti all'italiana (celery) ingredients: same as no. , eggs, bread crumbs, tomatoes. prepare a head of celery as above, and cut it up into equal pieces. blanch and braize as above, and when cold egg and breadcrumb and sautez in butter. serve with tomato sauce. no. . cetriuoli alla parmigiana (cucumber) ingredients: cucumber, butter, cheese, gravy, salt, cayenne. cut a cucumber into slices about half an inch thick, boil for five minutes in salted water, drain in a sieve, and fry slightly in melted butter, then strew a little grated parmesan over it, and add a good thick gravy, put it into the oven for ten minutes to brown, and serve as hot as possible. no. . cetriuoli alla borghese (cucumber) ingredients: cucumber, cream, salt, bechamel sauce, butter, parmesan, cayenne pepper. cook a cucumber as in no. , braize it for five minutes, add to it a good rich bechamel (no. ), mixed with cream and grated parmesan spread this well over the cucumber, and put it into the oven for ten minutes keeping the rounds of cucumber separate, so as to arrange them in a circle on a very hot dish. care should be taken not to cook the cucumber too long, or it will break in pieces and spoil the look of the dish. no. . carote al sughillo (carrots) ingredients: carrots, stock, butter, sausage, pepper. boil some young carrots in stock, slice them up, and put them in a stewpan with a sausage cut up; cook for quarter of an hour on a slow fire, then stir up the fire, and when the carrots and sausage are a good colour add a good espagnole sauce (no. ), and serve. no. . carote e piselli alla panna (carrots and peas) ingredients: young carrots, peas, cream, salt. half cook equal quantities of peas and young carrots (the carrots should be cut in dice, and will require a little longer cooking), then put them together in a stewpan with three or four tablespoonsful of cream, and cook till quite tender. serve hot. no. . verze alla certosine (cabbage) ingredients: cabbage, butter, salt, leeks or shallots, sardines, cheese. any vegetable may be cooked in the following simple manner: boil them well, then slightly fry a little bit of leek or shallot and a sardine in butter; drain the vegetables, put them in the butter, and cook gently so that they may absorb all the flavour, and at the last add a dust of grated cheese and a tiny pinch of spice. no. . lattughe al sugo (lettuce) ingredients: lettuce, parmesan, bacon, stock, butter, croutons of bread, gravy. take off the outside leaves of a lettuce, blanch and drain them well. put on each leaf a mixture of grated parmesan, salt, little bits of chopped bacon or ham, add a little good stock, cover over with buttered paper, and cook in a hot oven for five minutes. then drain off the stock and roll up each leaf with the bacon, &c., put them on croutons of fried bread and pour some good thick gravy over them. no. lattughe farcite alla genovese (lettuce) ingredients: lettuce, forcemeat of fowl or veal, ham, espagnole sauce. prepare a lettuce as above, and spread on each leaf a spoonful of forcemeat of fowl or veal, add a little cooked ham chopped up, roll up the leaves, and cook as above. drain them on a cloth, arrange them neatly on a dish, and pour some good espagnole sauce (no. ) over them. no. . funghi cappelle infarcite (stuffed mushrooms) ingredients: mushrooms, bread, stock, garlic, parsley, salt, parmesan, butter, eggs, cream. choose a dozen good fresh mushrooms, take off the stalks and put the tops into a saucepan with a little butter. see that they lie bottom upwards. then cut up and mix together half the stalks of the mushrooms, a little bread crumb soaked in gravy, the merest scrap of garlic and a little chopped parsley. put this into a separate saucepan and add to it two eggs, half a gill of cream, salt, and two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan. mix well so as to get a smooth paste and fill in the cavities of the mushrooms with it. then add a little more butter, strew some bread crumbs over each mushroom, and cook in the oven for ten to fifteen minutes. no. . verdure miste (macedoine of vegetables) ingredients: cauliflower, carrots, celery, spinach, butter, cream, pepper, parmesan. boil some carrots, cauliflower, spinach, and celery (all cut up) in water. then put them in layers in a buttered china mould, and between each layer add a little cream, pepper, and a little grated parmesan and cheddar. fill the mould in this manner, and put it in the oven for half an hour, so that the vegetables may cook without adhering to the mould. turn out and serve. no. . patate alla crema (potatoes in cream) ingredients: potatoes, butter, parmesan, white stock, cream, pepper, salt. boil two pounds of potatoes in salted water for a quarter of an hour, peel and cut them into slices about the size of a penny, then arrange them in layers in a very deep fireproof dish (with a lid), and on each layer pour a little melted butter, a little good white stock and a dust of grated parmesan. reduce a pint and a half of cream to half its quantity, add a little pepper, and pour it over the potatoes. put the dish in the oven for twenty minutes. serve as hot as possible. no. . cestelline di patate alla giardiniera (potatoes) ingredients: potatoes, white stock, salt, butter, peas, asparagus, sprouts, beans, &c. choose some big sound potatoes, cut them in half and scoop out a little of the centre so as to form a cavity, blanch them in salted water and cook for a quarter of an hour in good white stock and a little butter. then fill in the cavities with a macedoine of cooked vegetables and add a little cream to each. no. . patate al pomidoro (potatoes with tomato sauce) ingredients: potatoes, butter, salt, tomatoes, lemon, stock. peel three or four raw potatoes, cut them in slices about the size of a five-shilling piece, then put them into a stewpan with two ounces of melted butter, and cook them gently until they are a good colour, add salt, drain off the butter, then glaze them by adding half a glass of good stock. arrange them on a dish, pour some good tomato sauce over them, and add a little butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. no. . spinaci alla milanese (spinach) ingredients: spinach, butter, velute sauce, salt, pepper, flour, stock. wash three pounds of spinach at least six times, boil it in a pint of water, then mince it up very fine, pass it through a hair-sieve, and put it in a saucepan with one and a half ounces of butter, add a cupful of reduced velute sauce (no. ) with cream, salt, and pepper, add a dessert-spoonful of flour and butter mixed, and boil until the spinach is firm enough to make into a shape, garnish with hardboiled eggs cut into quarters, and pour a good espagnole sauce (no. ) round the dish. no. . insalata di patate (potato salad) ingredients: new potatoes, oil, white vinegar, onions, parsley, tarragon, chervil, celery, cream, salt, pepper, tarragon vinegar, watercress, cucumber, truffles. steam as many new potatoes as you require until they are well cooked, let them get cold, cut them into slices and pour three teaspoonsful of salad oil and one of white vinegar over them. then rub a salad bowl with onion, put in a layer of the potato slices, and sprinkle with chopped parsley, tarragon, chervil, and celery, then another layer of potatoes until you have used all the potatoes; cover them with whipped cream seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little tarragon vinegar, and garnish the top with watercress, a few thin slices of truffle cooked in white wine, and some slices of cooked cucumber. no. . insalata alla navarino (salad) ingredients: peas, bean onions, potatoes, tarragon, chives, parsley, tomatoes, anchovies, oil, vinegar, ham. mix a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of chopped onion, a teaspoonful of tarragon and chopped chives with half a gill of oil and half a gill of vinegar. put this into a salad bowl with all sorts of cooked vegetables: peas, haricot beans, small onions, and potatoes cut up, and mix them w ell but gently, so as not to break the vegetables. then add two or three anchovies in oil, and on the top place three or four ripe tomatoes cut in slices. a little cooked smoked ham cut in dice added to this salad is a great improvement. no. . insalata di pomidoro (tomato salad) ingredients: tomatoes, mayonnaise, shallot, horseradish, gherkin, anchovies, fish, cucumber, lettuce, chervil, tarragon, eggs. mix the following ingredients: two anchovies in oil boned and minced, a gill of mayonnaise sauce, a little grated horseradish, very little chopped shallot, a little cold salmon or trout, and a small gherkin chopped. with this mixture stuff some ripe tomatoes. then make a good salad of endive or lettuce, a teaspoonful of chopped tarragon and chervil, season it with oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper (the proportions should be three of oil to one of vinegar), put a layer of slices of cucumber in the salad, place the tomatoes on the top of these, and decorate them with hard-boiled eggs passed through a wire sieve. no. . tartufi alla dino (truffles) ingredients: truffles, fowl forcemeat, champagne. allow one truffle for each person, scoop out the inside, chop it up fine and mix with a good forcemeat of fowl. with this fill up the truffles, place a thin layer of truffle on the top of each, and cook them in champagne in a stewpan for about half an hour. then take them out, make a rich sauce, to which add the champagne you have used and some of the chopped truffle, put the truffles in this sauce and keep hot for ten minutes. serve in paper souffle cases. macaroni, rice, polenta, and other italian pastes{*} * italian pastes of the best quality can be obtained at cosenza's, wigmore street, nw. for the following dishes, tagliarelle and spaghetti are recommended. no. . macaroni with tomatoes ingredients: macaroni, tomatoes, butter, onion, basil, pepper, salt. fry half an onion slightly in butter, and as soon as it is coloured add a puree of two big cooked tomatoes. then boil quarter of a pound of macaroni separately, drain it and put it in a deep fireproof dish, add the tomato puree and three tablespoonsful of grated parmesan and cheddar mixed, and cook gently for a quarter of an hour before serving. this dish may be made with vermicelli, spaghetti, or any other italian paste. no. . macaroni alla casalinga ingredients: macaroni, butter, stock, cheese, water, salt, nutmeg. cut up a quarter pound of macaroni in small pieces and put it in boiling salted water. when sufficiently cooked, drain and put it into a saucepan with two ounces of butter, add good gravy or stock, three tablespoonsful of grated parmesan and cheddar mixed, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg. stir over a brisk fire, and serve very hot. no. . macaroni al sughillo ingredients: macaroni, stock, tomatoes, sausage, cheese. half cook four ounces of macaroni, drain it and put it in layers in a fireproof dish, and gradually add good beef gravy, four tablespoonsful of tomato puree, and thin slices of sausage. sprinkle with grated parmesan and cheddar, and cook for about twenty minutes. before serving pass the salamander over the top to brown the macaroni. no. . macaroni alla livornese ingredients: macaroni, mushrooms, tomatoes, parmesan, butter, pepper, salt, milk. boil about four ounces of macaroni, and stew four or five mushrooms in milk with pepper and salt. put a layer of the macaroni in a buttered fireproof dish, then a layer of tomato puree, then a layer of the mushrooms and another layer of macaroni. dust it all over with grated parmesan and cheddar, put it in the oven for half an hour, and serve very hot. no. . tagliarelle and lobster ingredients: tagliarelle, lobster, cheese, butter. boil half a pound of tagliarelle, and cut up a quarter of a pound of lobster. butter a fireproof dish, and strew it well with grated parmesan and cheddar mixed, then put in the tagliarelle and lobster in layers, and between each layer add a little butter. strew grated cheese over the top, put it in the oven for twenty minutes, and brown the top with a salamander. no. . polenta polenta is made of ground indian-corn, and may be used either as a separate dish or as a garnish for roast meat, pigeons, fowl, &c. it is made like porridge; gradually drop the meal with one hand into boiling stock or water, and stir continually with a wooden spoon with the other hand. in about a quarter of an hour it will be quite thick and smooth, then add a little butter and grated parmesan, and one egg beaten up. let it get cold, then put it in layers in a baking-dish, add a little butter to each layer, sprinkle with plenty of parmesan, and bake it for about an hour in a slow oven. serve hot. no. . polenta pasticciata ingredients: polenta, butter, cheese, mushrooms, tomatoes. prepare a good polenta as above, put it in layers in a fireproof dish, and add by degrees one and a half ounces of melted butter, two cooked mushrooms cut up, and two tablespoonsful of grated cheese. (if you like, you may add a good-sized tomato mashed up.) put the dish in the oven, and before serving brown it over with salamander. no. . battuffoli ingredients: polenta, onion, butter, salt, stock, parmesan. make a somewhat firm polenta (no. ) with half a pound of ground maize and a pint and a half of salted water, add a small onion cut up and fried in butter, and stir the polenta until it is sufficiently cooked. then take it off the fire and arrange it by spoonsful in a large fireproof dish, and give each spoonful the shape and size of an egg. place them one against the other, and when the first layer is done, pour over it some very good gravy or stock, and plenty of grated parmesan. arrange it thus layer by layer. put it into the oven for twenty minutes, and serve very hot. no. . risotto all'italiana ingredients: rice, an onion, butter, stock, tomatoes, cheese. fry a small onion slightly in butter, then add half a pint of very good stock. boil four ounces of rice, but do not let it get pulpy, add it to the above with three medium-sized tomatoes in a puree. mix it all up well, add more stock, and two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan and cheddar mixed, and serve hot. no. . risotto alla genovese ingredients: rice, beef or veal, onions, parsley, butter, stock, parmesan, sweetbread or sheep's brains. cut up a small onion and fry it slightly in butter with some chopped parsley, add to this a little veal, also chopped up, and a little suet. cook for ten minutes and then add two ounces of rice to it. mix all with a wooden spoon, and after a few minutes begin to add boiling stock gradually; stir with the spoon, so that the rice whilst cooking may absorb the stock; when it is half cooked add a few spoonsful of good gravy and a sweetbread or sheep's brains (previously scalded and cut up in pieces), and, if you like, a little powdered saffron dissolved in a spoonful of stock and three tablespoonsful of grated parmesan and cheddar mixed. stir well until the rice is quite cooked, but take care not to get it into a pulp. no. . risotto alla spagnuola ingredients: rice, pork, ham, onions, tomatoes, butter, stock, vegetables, parmesan. put a small bit of onion and an ounce of butter into a saucepan, add half a pound of tomatoes cut up and fry for a few minutes. then put in some bits of loin of pork cut into dice and some bits of lean ham. after a time add four ounces of rice and good stock, and as soon as it begins to boil put on the cover and put the saucepan on a moderate fire. when the rice is half cooked add any sort of vegetable, by preference peas, asparagus cut up, beans, and cucumber cut up, cook for another quarter of an hour, and serve with grated parmesan and cheddar mixed and good gravy. no. . risotto alla capuccina ingredients: risotto (no. ) eggs, truffles, smoked tongue, butter. make a good risotto, and when cooked put it into a fireproof dish. when cold cut into shapes with a dariole mould and fry for a few minutes in butter, then turn the darioles out, scoop out a little of each and fill it with eggs beaten up, cover each with a slice of truffle and garnish with a little chopped tongue. put them in the oven for ten minutes. no. . risotto alla parigina ingredients: risotto (no. ), game, sauce, butter. make a good risotto, and when cooked pour it into a fireproof dish, let it get cold, and then cut it out with a dariole mould, or else form it into little balls about the size of a pigeon's egg. fry these in butter and serve with a rich game sauce poured over them. no. . ravioli ingredients: flour, eggs, butter, salt, forcemeat, parmesan, gravy or stock. make a paste with a quarter pound of flour, the yolk of two eggs, a little salt and two ounces of butter. knead this into a firm smooth paste and wrap it up in a damp cloth for half an hour, then roll it out as thin as possible, moisten it with a paste-brush dipped in water, and cut it into circular pieces about three inches in diameter. on each piece put about a teaspoonful of forcemeat of fowl, game, or fish mixed with a little grated parmesan and the yolks of one or two eggs. fold the paste over the forcemeat and pinch the edges together, so as to give them the shape of little puffs; let them dry in the larder, then blanch by boiling them in stock for quarter of an hour and drain them in a napkin. butter a fireproof dish, put in a layer of the ravioli, powder them over with grated parmesan, then another layer of ravioli and more parmesan. then add enough very good gravy to cover them, put the dish in the oven for about twenty-five minutes, and serve in the dish. no. . ravioli alla fiorentina ingredients: beetroot, eggs, parmesan, milk or cream, nutmeg, spices, salt, flour, gravy. wash a beetroot and boil it, and when it is sufficiently cooked throw it into cold water for a few minutes, then drain it, chop it up and add to it four eggs, one ounce of grated parmesan, one ounce of grated cheddar, two and a half ounces of boiled cream or milk, a small pinch of nutmeg and a little salt. mix all well together into a smooth firm paste, then roll into balls about the size of a walnut, flour them over well, let them dry for half an hour, then drop them very carefully one by one into boiling stock and when they float on the top take them out with a perforated ladle, put them in a deep dish, dust them over with parmesan and pour good meat or game gravy over them. no. . gnocchi alla romana ingredients: semolina, butter, parmesan, eggs, nutmeg, milk, cream. boil half a pint of milk in a saucepan, then add two ounces of butter, four ounces of semolina, two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan, the yolks of three eggs, and a tiny pinch of nutmeg. mix all well together, then let it cool, and spread out the paste so that it is about the thickness of a finger. put a little butter and grated parmesan and two tablespoonsful of cream in a fireproof dish, cut out the semolina paste with a small dariole mould and put it in the dish. dust a little more parmesan over it, put it in the oven for five minutes and serve in the dish. no. . gnocchi alla lombarda ingredients: potatoes, flour, salt, parmesan and gruyere cheese, butter, milk, eggs. boil two or three big potatoes, and pass them through a hair sieve, mix in two tablespoonsful of flour, an egg beaten up, and enough milk to form a rather firm paste; stir until it is quite smooth. roll it into the shape of a german sausage, cut it into rounds about three quarters of an inch thick, and put it into the larder to dry for about half an hour. then drop the gnocchi one by one into boiling salted water and boil for ten minutes. take them out with a slice, and put them in a well-buttered fireproof dish, add butter between each layer, and strew plenty of grated parmesan and cheddar over them. put them in the oven for ten minutes, brown the top with a salamander, and serve very hot. no. . frittata di riso (savoury rice pancake) ingredients: rice, milk, salt, butter, cinnamon, eggs, parmesan. boil quarter of a pound of rice in milk until it is quite soft and pulpy, drain off the milk and add to the rice an ounce of butter, two tablespoonsful of grated parmesan, and a pinch of cinnamon, and when it has got rather cold, the yolks of four eggs beaten up. mix all well together, and with this make a pancake with butter in a frying pan. omelettes and other egg dishes no. . uova al tartufi (eggs with truffles) ingredients: eggs, butter, cream, truffles, velute sauce, croutons. beat up six eggs, pass them through a sieve, and put them into a saucepan with two ounces of butter and two tablespoonsful of cream. put the saucepan in a bain-marie, and stir so that the eggs may not adhere. sautez some slices of truffle in butter, cover them with velute sauce (no. ) and a glass of marsala, and add them to the eggs. serve very hot with fried and glazed croutons. instead of truffles you can use asparagus tips, peas, or cooked ham. no. . uova al pomidoro (eggs and tomatoes) ingredients: eggs, salt, tomatoes, onion, parsley, butter, pepper. cut up three or four tomatoes, and put them into a stewpan with a piece of butter the size of a walnut and a clove of garlic with a cut in it. put the lid on the stewpan and cook till quite soft, then take out the garlic, strain the tomatoes through a fine strainer into a bain-marie, beat up two eggs and add them to the tomatoes, and stir till quite thick, then put in two tablespoonsful of grated cheese, and serve on toast. no. . uova ripiene (canapes of egg) ingredients: eggs, butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg, cheese, parsley, mushrooms, bechamel and espagnole sauce, stock. boil as many eggs as you want hard, and cut them in half lengthwise; take out the yolks and mix them with some fresh butter, salt, pepper, very little nutmeg, grated cheese, a little chopped parsley, and cooked mushrooms also chopped. then mix two tablespoonsful of good bechamel sauce (no. ) with the raw yolk of one or two eggs and add it to the rest. put all in a saucepan with an ounce of butter and good stock, then fill up the white halves with the mixture, giving them a good shape; heat them in a bain-marie, and serve with a very good clear espagnole sauce (no. ). no. . uova alla fiorentina (eggs) ingredients: eggs, butter, parmesan, cream, flour, salt, pepper, curds. boil as many eggs as you require hard, then cut them in half and take out the yolks and pound them in a mortar with equal quantities of butter and curds, a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, salt and pepper. put this in a saucepan and add the yolks of eight eggs and the white of one (this is for twelve people), mix all well together and reduce a little. with this mixture fill the hard whites of the eggs and spread the rest of the sauce on the bottom of the dish, and on this place the whites. then in another saucepan mix half a gill of cream and an ounce of butter, a dessert-spoonful of flour, salt, and pepper; let this boil for a minute, and then glaze over the eggs in the dish with it, and on the top of each egg put a little bit of butter, and over all a powdering of grated cheese. put this in the oven, pass the salamander over the top, and when the cheese is coloured serve at once. no. . uova in fili (egg canapes) ingredients: eggs, butter, mushrooms, onions, flour, white wine, fish or meat stock, salt, pepper, croutons of bread. put into a saucepan two ounces of butter, three large fresh mushrooms cut into slices, and an onion cut up, fry them slightly, and when the onion begins to colour add a spoonful of flour, a quarter of a glass of chablis, salt and pepper, and occasionally add a spoonful of either fish or meat stock. let this simmer for half an hour, so as to reduce it to a thick sauce. then boil as many eggs as you want hard; take out the yolks, but keep them whole. cut up the whites into slices, and add them to the above sauce, pour the sauce into a dish, and on the top of it place the whole yolks of egg, each on a crouton of bread. no. . frittata di funghi (mushroom omelette) ingredients: mushrooms, butter, eggs, bread crumbs, parmesan, marjoram, garlic. clean four or five mushrooms, cut them up, and put them into a frying-pan with one and a half ounces of butter, a clove of garlic with two cuts in it, and a little salt; fry them lightly till the mushrooms are nearly cooked, and then take out the garlic. in the meantime beat up separately the yolks and the whites of two or three eggs, add a little crumb of bread soaked in water, a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, and two leaves of marjoram; go on beating all up until the crumb of bread has become entirely absorbed by the eggs, then pour this mixture into the frying-pan with the mushrooms, mix all well together and make an omelette in the usual way. no. . frittata con pomidoro (tomato omelette) ingredients: eggs, tomatoes, butter, marjoram, parsley, spice. peel two tomatoes and take out the seeds; then mix them with an ounce of butter, chopped marjoram, parsley, and a tiny pinch of spice. add three eggs beaten up (the yolks and whites separately), and make an omelette. no. . frittata con asparagi (asparagus omelette) ingredients: eggs, asparagus, butter, ham, herbs, cheese. blanch a dozen heads of asparagus and cook them slightly, then cut them up and mix with two ounces of butter, bits of cut-up ham, herbs, and a tablespoonful of grated parmesan. add them to three beaten-up eggs and make an omelette. no. . frittata con erbe (omelette with herbs) ingredients: eggs, onions, sorrel, mint, parsley, asparagus, marjoram, salt, pepper, butter. chop a little sorrel, a small bit of onion, mint, parsley, marjoram, and fry in two ounces of butter, add some cut-up asparagus, salt, and pepper. then add three eggs beaten up and a little grated cheese, and make your omelette. no. . frittata montata (omelette souffle) ingredients: eggs, parmesan, pepper, parsley. beat up the whites of three eggs to a froth and the yolks separately with a tablespoonful of grated parmesan, chopped parsley, and a little pepper. then mix them and make a light omelette. no. . frittata di prosciutto (ham omelette) ingredients: eggs, ham, parmesan, mint, pepper, clotted cream. beat up three eggs and add to them two tablespoonsful of clotted cream, one tablespoonful of chopped ham, one of grated parmesan, chopped mint and a little pepper, and make the omelette in the usual way. sweets and cakes no. . bodino of semolina ingredients: semolina, milk, eggs, castor sugar, lemon, sultanas, rum, butter, cream, or zabajone (no. ). boil one and a half pints of milk with four ounces of castor sugar, and gradually add five ounces of semolina, boil for a quarter of an hour more and stir continually with a wooden spoon, then take the saucepan off the fire, and when it is cooled a little, add the yolks of six and the whites of two eggs well beaten up, a little grated lemon peel, three-quarters of an ounce of sultanas and two small glasses of rum. mix well, so as to get it very smooth, pour it into a buttered mould and serve either hot or cold. if cold, put whipped cream flavoured with stick vanilla round the dish; if hot, a zabajone (no. ). no. . crema rappresa (coffee cream) ingredients: coffee, cream, eggs, sugar, butter. bruise five ounces of freshly roasted mocha coffee, and add it to three-quarters of a pint of boiling cream; cover the saucepan, let it simmer for twenty minutes, then pass through a bit of fine muslin. in the meantime mix the yolks of ten eggs and two whole eggs with eight ounces of castor sugar and a glass of cream; add the coffee cream to this and pass the whole through a fine sieve into a buttered mould. steam in a bain-marie for rather more than an hour, but do not let the water boil; then put the cream on ice for about an hour, and before serving turn it out on a dish and pour some cream flavoured with stick vanilla round it. no. . crema montata alle fragole (strawberry cream) ingredients: cream, castor sugar, maraschino, strawberries or strawberry jam. put a pint of cream on ice, and after two hours whip it up. pass three tablespoonsful of strawberry jam through a sieve and add two tablespoonsful of maraschino; mix this with the cream and build it up into a pyramid. garnish with meringue biscuits and serve quickly. you may use fresh strawberries when in season, but then add castor sugar to taste. no. . croccante di mandorle (cream nougat) ingredients: almonds, sugar, lemon juice, butter, castor sugar, pistachios, preserved fruits. blanch half a pound of almonds, cut them into shreds and dry them in a slow oven until they are a light brown colour; then put a quarter pound of lump sugar into a saucepan and caramel it lightly; stir well with a wooden spoon. when the sugar is dissolved, throw the hot almonds into it and also a little lemon juice. take the saucepan off the fire and mix the almonds with the sugar, pour it into a buttered mould and press it against the sides of the mould with a lemon, but remember that the casing of sugar must be very thin. (you may, if you like, spread out the mixture on a flat dish and line the mould with your hands, but the sugar must be kept hot.) then take it out of the mould and decorate it with castor sugar, pistacchio nuts, and preserved fruits. fill this case with whipped cream and preserved fruits or fresh strawberries. no. . crema tartara alla caramella (caramel cream) ingredients: cream, eggs, caramel sugar, vanilla or lemon flavouring. boil a pint of cream and give it any flavour you like. when cold, add the yolks of eight eggs and two tablespoonsful of castor sugar, mix well and pass it through a sieve; then burn some sugar to a caramel, line a smooth mould with it and pour the cream into it. boil in a bain-marie for an hour and serve hot or cold. no. . cremona cake ingredients: ground rice, ground maize, sugar, one orange, eggs, salt, cream, maraschino, almonds, preserved cherries. weigh three eggs, and take equal quantities of castor sugar, butter, ground rice and maize (the last two together); make a light paste with them, but only use one whole egg and the yolks of the two others, add the scraped peel of an orange and a pinch of salt. roll this paste out to the thickness of a five-shilling piece, colour it with the yolk of an egg and bake it in a cake tin in a hot oven until it is a good colour, then take it out and cut it into four equal circular pieces. have ready some well-whipped cream and flavour it with maraschino, put a thick layer of this on one of the rounds of pastry, then cover it with: the next round, on which also put a layer of cream, and so on until you come to the last round, which forms the top of the cake. then split some almonds and colour them in the oven, cover the top of the cake with icing sugar flavoured with orange, and decorate the top with the almonds and preserved cherries. no. . cake alla tolentina ingredients: sponge-cake, jam, brandy or maraschino, cream, pine-apple. make a medium-sized sponge-cake; when cold cut off the top and scoop out all the middle and leave only the brown case; cover the outside with a good coating of jam or red currant jelly, and decorate it with some of the white of the cake cut into fancy shapes. soak the rest of the crumb in brandy or maraschino and mix it with quarter of a pint of whipped cream and bits of pineapple cut into small dice; fill the cake with this; pile it up high in the centre and decorate the top with the brown top cut into fancy shapes. no. . riso all'imperatrice ingredients: rice, sugar, milk, ice, preserved fruits, blanc-mange, maraschino, cream. boil two dessert-spoonsful of rice and one of sugar in milk. when sufficiently boiled, drain the rice and let it get cold. in the meantime place a mould on ice, and decorate it with slices of preserved fruit, and fix them to the mould with just enough nearly cold dissolved isinglass to keep them in place. also put half a pint of blanc-mange on the ice, and stir it till it is the right consistency, gradually add the boiled rice, half a glass of maraschino, some bits of pineapple cut in dice, and last of all half a pint of whipped cream. fill the mould with this, and when it is sufficiently cold, turn it out and serve with a garnish of glace fruits or a few brandy cherries. no. . amaretti leggieri (almond cakes) ingredients: almonds (sweet and bitter), eggs, castor sugar. blanch equal quantities of sweet and bitter almonds, and dry them a little in the oven, then pound them in a mortar, and add nearly double their quantity of castor sugar. mix with the white of an egg well beaten up into a snow, and shape into little balls about the size of a pigeon's egg. put them on a piece of stout white paper, and bake them in a very slow oven. they should be very light and delicate in flavour. no. . cakes alla livornese ingredients: almonds, eggs, sugar, salt, potato flour, butter. pound two ounces of almonds, and mix them with the yolks of two eggs and a spoonful of castor sugar flavoured with orange juice. then mix two ounces of sugar with an egg, and to this add the almonds, a pinch of salt, and gradually strew in one and a half ounces of potato flour. when it is all well mixed, add one ounce of melted butter, shape the cakes and bake them in a slow oven. no. . genoese pastry ingredients: eggs, sugar, butter, flour, almonds, orange or lemon, brandy. weigh four eggs, and take equal weights of castor sugar, butter, and flour. pound three ounces of almonds, and mix them with an egg, melt the butter, and mix all the ingredients with a wooden spoon in a pudding basin for ten minutes, then add a little scraped orange or lemon peel, and a dessert-spoonful of brandy. spread out the paste in thin layers on a copper baking sheet, cover them with buttered paper, and bake in a moderately hot oven. these cakes must be cut into shapes when they are hot, as otherwise they will break. no. . zabajone ingredients: eggs, sugar, marsala, maraschino or other light-coloured liqueur, sponge fingers. zabajone is a kind of syllabub. it is made with marsala and maraschino, or marsala and yellow chartreuse. reckon the quantities as follows: for each person the yolks of three eggs, one teaspoonful of castor sugar to each egg, and a wine-glass of wine and liqueur mixed. whip up the yolks of the eggs with the sugar, then gradually add the wine. put this in a bain-marie, and stir until it has thickened to the consistency of a custard. take care, however, that it does not boil. serve hot in custard glasses, and hand sponge fingers with it. no. . iced zabajone ingredients: eggs, castor sugar, marsala, cinnamon, lemon, stick vanilla, rum, maraschino, butter, ice. mix the yolks of ten eggs, two dessert-spoonsful of castor sugar, and three wine-glasses of marsala, add half a stick of vanilla, a small bit of whole cinnamon, and the peel of half a lemon cut into slices. whip this up lightly over a slow fire until it is nearly boiling and slightly frothy; then remove it, take out the cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon pool, and whip up the rest for a minute or two away from the fire. add a tablespoonful of maraschino and one of rum, and, if you like, a small quantity of dissolved isinglass. stir up the whole, pour it into a silver souffle dish, and put it on ice. serve with sponge cakes or iced wafers. no. . pan-forte di siena (sienese hardbake) ingredients: honey, almonds, filberts, candied lemon peel, pepper, cinnamon, chocolate, corn flour, large wafers. boil half a pound of honey in a copper vessel, and then add to it a few blanched almonds and filberts cut in halves or quarters and slightly browned, a little candied lemon peel, a dust of pepper and powdered cinnamon and a quarter pound of grated chocolate. mix all well together, and gradually add a tablespoonful of corn flour end two of ground almonds to thicken it. then take the vessel off the fire, spread the mixture on large wafers, and make each cake about an inch thick. garnish them on the top with almonds cut in half, and dust over a little powdered sugar and cinnamon, then put them in a very slow oven for an hour. new century sauce * * the new century sauce may be bought at messrs. lazenby's, wigmore street, w no. . fish sauce add one dessert-spoonful of the sauce to a quarter pint of melted butter sauce. no. . sauce piquante (for meat, fowl, game, rabbit, &c.) one dessert-spoonful to a quarter pint of ordinary brown or white stock. it may be thickened by a roux made by frying two ounces of butter with two ounces of flour. no. . sauce for venison, hare, &c. two dessert-spoonsful of new century sauce to half a pint of game gravy or sauce, and a small teaspoonful of red currant jelly. no. . tomato sauce piquante fry three medium-sized tomatoes in one and a half ounce of butter. pass this through a sieve, then boil it up in a bain-marie till it thickens, and add one dessertspoonful of new century sauce. no. . sauce for roast pork, ham, &c. add to any ordinary white or brown sauce one dessert-spoonful of new century sauce and two of port or burgundy if the sauce is brown, two of chablis if white. no. . for masking cutlets, &c. making a roux by frying two ounces of butter with two ounces of flour, and add two tablespoonsful of boiling stock. stir in one dessert-spoonful of new century sauce. let it get cold, and it will then be quite firm and ready for masking cutlets, &c. produced from scanned images of public domain material from the google print project.) transcriber's note obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been maintained. a list of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. oe ligatures have been expanded. the lady's own cookery book, and new dinner-table directory; in which will be found a large collection of original receipts, including not only the result of the authoress's many years observation, experience, and research, but also the contributions of an extensive circle of acquaintance: adapted to the use of persons living in the highest style, as well as those of moderate fortune. third edition. london: published for henry colburn. . preface. the receipts composing the volume here submitted to the public have been collected under peculiarly favourable circumstances by a lady of distinction, whose productions in the lighter department of literature entitle her to a place among the most successful writers of the present day. moving in the first circles of rank and fashion, her associations have qualified her to furnish directions adapted to the manners and taste of the most refined luxury; whilst long and attentive observation, and the communications of an extensive acquaintance, have enabled her equally to accommodate them to the use of persons of less ample means and of simpler and more economical habits. when the task of arranging the mass of materials thus accumulated devolved upon the editor, it became his study to give to them such a form as should be most convenient for constant reference. a glance at the "contents," which might with equal propriety be denominated an index, will, he flatters himself, convince the reader that this object has been accomplished. it will there be seen that the receipts, upwards of sixteen hundred in number, are classed under eleven distinct heads, each of which is arranged in alphabetical order--a method which confers on this volume a decided advantage over every other work of the kind, inasmuch as it affords all the facilities of a dictionary, without being liable to the unpleasant intermixture of heterogeneous matters which cannot be avoided in that form of arrangement. the intimate connexion between the science of cookery and the science of health, the sympathies subsisting between every part of the system and the stomach, and the absolute necessity of strict attention not less to the manner of preparing the alimentary substances offered to that organ than to their quality and quantity, have been of late years so repeatedly and so forcibly urged by professional pens, that there needs no argument here to prove the utility of a safe guide and director in so important a department of domestic economy as that which is the subject of this volume. in many more cases, indeed, than the uninitiated would imagine, is the healthy tone of the stomach dependent on the proper preparation of the food, the healthy tone of the body in general on that of the stomach, and the healthy tone of the mind on that of the body: consequently the first of these conditions ought to command the vigilance and solicitude of all who are desirous of securing the true enjoyment of life--the _mens sana in corpore sano_. the professed cook may perhaps be disposed to form a mean estimate of these pages, because few, or no learned, or technical, terms are employed in them; but this circumstance, so far from operating to the disparagement of the work, must prove a strong recommendation to the public in general. the chief aim, in fact, of the noble authoress has been to furnish such plain directions, in every branch of the culinary art, as shall be really useful to english masters and english servants, and to the humble but earnest practitioner. let those who may desire to put this collection of receipts to the test only give them a fair trial, neither trusting to conceited servants, who, despising all other methods, obstinately adhere to their own, and then lay the blame of failure upon the directions; nor committing their execution to careless ones, who neglect the means prescribed for success, either in regard to time, quantities, or cleanliness; and the result will not fail to afford satisfactory evidence of their pleasant qualities and practical utility. contents. page general directions catalogue of things in season--fish--game and poultry--fruit--roots and vegetables general rules for a good dinner dinner for fourteen or sixteen ---- ---- twelve or fourteen ---- ---- ten or twelve ---- ---- eight ---- ---- six ---- ---- four soups. almond asparagus ib. calf's-head carrot ib. clear ib. ---- herb cod's-head ib. crawfish ib. ----, or lobster ib. curry, or mulligatawny eel ib. fish ib. french ib. friar's chicken giblet ib. gravy hare ib. hessian mock-turtle ib. mulligatawny onion ox-head green pea ib. winter pea pea portable potato ib. rabbit ib. root ib. scotch leek soup, to brown or colour ib. soups and brown sauces, seasoning for ib. soups ib. ---- without meat ---- for the poor ---- and bouilli ib. soupe à-la-reine ib. ---- maigre ---- santé spanish ib. turnip veal ib. vegetable ib. vermicelli west india, or pepper-pot ib. white broths. broth for the poor ---- ---- ---- sick ib. barley chervil ib. hodge-podge ib. leek porridge ib. madame de maillet's ib. mutton pork ib. pottage ib. scotch pottage ib. scotch turnip ib. veal ib. fish. carp and tench ----, to stew ib. cod, to stew ----, ragout of ib. ----, head, to boil ib. crab, to dress ---- or lobster, to butter ib. ---- ---- ----, to stew crawfish, to make red ib. eels, to broil whole ib. ----, to collar ----, to fry ----, to pot ib. ----, to pickle ib. ----, to roast ib. ----, to spitchcock ib. ----, to stew fish, to recover when tainted ib. ----, in general, to dress ----, to dress in sauce ib. ----, hashed in paste ib. ----, to cavietch ib. gudgeon ib. haddock, to bake ib. ---- pudding herring ib. lampreys to pot ib. lobsters, to butter ----, to fricassee ib. ----, to hash ib. ----, to pot ----, to stew ib. ---- curry powder ib. ---- patés ib. ---- salad mackarel à la maitre d'hotel ib. ----, to boil ib. ----, to broil ib. ----, to collar ib. ----, to fry ib. ----, to pickle ib. ----, to pot ib. ----, to souse ---- pie ib. mullet, to boil ib. ----, to broil ib. ----, to fry ib. oysters, to stew ib. ----, ragout ----, to pickle ib. ---- patés ib. oyster loaves ---- pie ib. perch, to fricassee pike, to dress ib. ----, stuffed, to boil ib. ----, to boil à-la-française ib. ----, to broil ib. ----, in court bouillon ----, fricandeau ib. ----, german way of dressing ib. ----, to pot ib. ----, to roast ----, au souvenir ib. ----, à la tatare ib. salmon, to dress ib. ----, en caisses ib. ----, à la poële scallops ib. shrimps, to pot ib. smelts, to fry ib. ----, to pickle ib. ----, to pot soles, to boil ib. ----, to boil à-la-française ib. ----, to stew ib. water souchi ib. sprats, to bake sturgeon, to roast ib. turbot, to dress ib. ----, plain boiled ----, to boil ib. ----, to boil in gravy ib. ----, to boil in court bouillon with capers ib. ----, to fry ---- or barbel, glazed ib. ----, en gras ib. ----, or barbel, en maigre ib. turtle, to dress whiting, to dry ib. made dishes. asparagus forced in french rolls eggs, to dress ib. ----, buttered ib. ----, scotch ----, for second course ib. ----, to fry as round as balls ib. ----, fricassee of ib. ----, à la crême ib. ham, essence of maccaroni in a mould of pie-crust ib. ---- ib. omelets ----, asparagus ----, french ib. ragout for made dishes ib. trouhindella ib. meats and vegetables. artichokes, to fricassee bacon, to cure ib. barbicue ib. beef, alamode ---- ---- in the french manner ib. ----, rump, with onions ----, rump, to bake ib. ----, rump, cardinal fashion ib. ----, sausage fashion ----, ribs and sirloin ib. ----, ribs, en papillotes ib. ----, brisket, stewed german fashion ----, to bake ib. ----, bouilli ib. ----, relishing ----, to stew ib. ----, cold, to dress ----, cold boiled, to dress ib. ----, cold, to pot ib. ---- steaks, to broil ib. ---- ---- and oysters ---- (rump steaks) broiled, with onion gravy ib. ---- steaks, to stew ---- olives ----, pickle for ib. ----, to salt ib. ----, to dry ----, hung ib. ----, for scraping ----, italian ib. ----, red ib. ----, collar of bisquet, to make ib. boar's-head, to dress whole brawn, to keep ib. hog's-head, like brawn ib. mock-brawn ib. cabbage, farced calf's-head ib. ----, like turtle ib. ----, to hash ----, fricassee ----, to pickle ib. ---- liver cauliflowers with white sauce ib. celery, to stew ib. ---- à-la-crême ib. collops, scotch ib. ----, brown scotch ----, white ib. ----, to mince ---- of cold beef ib. cucumbers, to stew ib. curry-powder ib. ----, indian farcie forcemeat ib. fricandeau ham, to cure ib. ----, westphalia, to cure ----, english, to make like westphalia ----, green ----, to prepare for dressing without soaking ib. ----, to dress ib. ----, to roast ----, entrée of ib. ----, toasts ib. ---- and chicken, to pot ib. herb sandwiches hog's puddings, black ib. ---- ----, white ib. kabob, an indian ragout lamb, leg, to boil ---- ----, with forcemeat ib. ----, shoulder of, grilled ib. ----, to ragout ib. ----, to fricassee ib. meat, miscellaneous directions respecting ----, general rules for roasting and boiling ib. ----, half roasted or under done ib. mustard to make mutton, chine, to roast ib. ---- chops, to stew ib. ---- cutlets ib. ---- ----, with onion sauce ib. ---- hams, to make ----, haricot ----, leg ib. ----, leg, in the french fashion ib. ----, or beef, leg, to hash ----, loin, to stew ib. ----, neck, to roast ib. ----, neck, to boil ib. ----, neck, to fry ----, saddle, and kidneys ib. ----, shoulder, to roast in blood ib. ----, shoulder or leg, with oysters ib. ----, roasted, with stewed cucumbers ib. ----, to eat like venison ----, in epigram ib. mushrooms to stew brown ib. newmarket john ib. ox-cheek to stew ib. ox-tail ragout peas to stew ib. ----, green, to keep till christmas pickle, red, for any meat ib. pie, beef-steak ib. ----, calf's-head ib. ----, mutton or grass-lamb ib. ----, veal ----, veal and ham ib. ----, veal olive ib. ----, beef olive ib. pig, to barbicue ib. ----, to collar ib. ----, to collar in colours ----, to pickle or souse ib. ----, to roast ib. ----, to dress lamb-fashion ib. pigs'-feet and ears, fricassee of ---- ---- ---- ----, ragout of ib. pig's-head, to roll ib. pilaw, an indian dish ib. pork, to collar ----, to pickle ib. ----, chine, to stuff or roast ib. ---- cutlets ----, gammon, to roast ib. ----, leg, to broil ib. ----, spring, to roast ib. potatoes, to boil ib. ----, to bake potato balls ib. potatoes, croquets of ib. ----, to fry ib. ----, to mash ----, french way of cooking ib. ----, à-la-maitre d'hotel ib. rice to boil ib. rissoles ib. rice robinson, to make a salad, to dress ib. sausages, bologna ib. ----, english ib. ----, oxford ----, for scotch collops ib. ----, veal ib. ----, without skins spinach, the best mode of dressing ib. ----, to stew ib. sweetbreads, ragout of savoury toasts, to relish wine tomato, to eat with roast meat tongues, to cure ib. ----, to smoke ----, to bake ib. ----, to boil ib. ----, to pot ib. ---- and udder to roast ----, sheep's, or any other, with oysters ib. tripe, to dress ib. ----, to fricassee ib. truffles and morels, to stew ib. veal, to boil ----, to collar ib. ----, to roast ib. ----, roasted, ragout of ib. ----, to stew ----, with rice, to stew ib. ----, served in paper ib. ----, bombarded ib. ---- balls ----, breast ib. ----, breast, with cabbage and bacon ib. ----, breast, en fricandeau ib. ----, breast, glazed brown ib. ----, breast, stewed with peas ----, breast, ragout ib. ---- collops, with oysters ---- collops, with white sauce ---- cutlets, to dress ib. ---- cutlets, larded ib. ----, fillet, to farce or roast ib. ----, fillet, to boil ----, half a fillet, to stew ib. ----, knuckle, white ib. ----, knuckle, ragout ib. ----, leg, and bacon, to boil ----, loin, to roast ib. ----, loin, to roast with herbs ib. ----, loin, fricassee of ib. ----, loin, bechamel ----, neck, stewed with celery ib. ---- olives ib. ---- rumps ----, shoulder, to stew ib. ---- steaks ib. ---- sweetbreads, to fry ib. ---- sweetbreads, to roast vegetables, to stew ib. venison, haunch, to roast ib. ----, to boil ib. ----, haunch, to broil ----, to recover when tainted ib. ----, red deer, to pot ib. ----, excellent substitute for ib. water-cresses, to stew poultry. chicken, to make white ----, to fricassee ib. ----, white fricassee of ----, or fowl, cream of ----, to fry ib. ----, to heat ib. ----, dressed with peas ib. ---- and ham, ragout of ib. ----, or ham and veal patés duck, to boil ib. ----, to boil à-la-française ib. ----, à-la-braise ib. ----, to hash ----, to stew with cucumbers ib. ----, to stew with peas ib. fowls, to fatten in a fortnight ib. ----, to make tender ib. ----, to roast with anchovies ib. ----, with rice, called pilaw ib. ----, to hash ----, to stew ib. goose, to stuff ib. ----, liver of, to dress ib. pigeons, to boil ib. ----, to broil pigeons, to jug ----, to pot ib. ----, to stew ib. ----, biscuit of ----, en compote ib. ----, à la crapaudine ----, in disguise ib. ----, in fricandeau ib. ----, aux poires ----, pompeton of ib. ----, au soleil ib. ----, à la tatare, with cold sauce ----, surtout of ib. poultry, tainted, to preserve ib. pullets, with oysters ib. ----, to bone and farce rabbits, to boil ib. ----, to boil with onions ib. ----, brown fricassee of ib. ----, white fricassee of ib. turkey, to boil ---- with oysters ib. ---- à la daube ib. ----, roasted, delicate gravy for ---- or veal stuffing ib. game. hare, to dress ----, to roast ib. ----, to hash ----, to jug ib. ----, to mince ----, to stew ib. ---- stuffing ib. partridge, to boil ----, to roast ib. ----, à la paysanne ib. ----, à la polonaise ib. ----, à la russe ----, rolled ib. ----, stewed ib. ----, salme of ib. ----, to pot ---- pie ib. pheasant, to boil ib. ----, with white sauce ----, à la braise ib. ----, à l'italienne ib. pheasant, puré of widgeon, to dress ib. wild-duck, to roast ib. woodcocks and snipes, to roast ib. ----, à la française ib. ----, to pot ib. sauces. anchovy, essence of ---- pickle ib. ---- sauce ib. ----, to recover ib. bacchanalian sauce bechamel ib. beef bouilli, sauce for ib. ---- à la russe, sauce for bread sauce ib. ---- ---- for pig ib. browning for made dishes ib. butter, to burn ----, to clarify ib. ----, plain melted ib. ----, to thicken for peas ib. caper sauce carp sauce ib. ----, light brown sauce for ib. ---- and tench, sauce for ib. ----, white sauce for ib. ----, or tench, dutch sauce for ---- sauce for fish ib. cavechi, an indian pickle ib. celery sauce, white ---- ----, brown ib. chickens, boiled, sauce for ib. ---- or game, sauce for ib. ----, white sauce for ib. consommé ib. cream sauce for white dishes cullis, to thicken sauces ib. ----, brown ib. ----, à la reine ib. ----, turkey ---- of veal, or other meat ib. dandy sauce, for all sorts of poultry and game ib. devonshire sauce ducks, sauce for ib. dutch sauce ib. ---- sauce for fish ib. ---- sauce for meat or fish ib. ---- sauce for trout egg sauce ib. exquisite, the ib. fish sauce ib. ---- sauce, excellent white ----, white sauce for, with capers and anchovies ib. ----, stock ib. forcemeat balls for sauces ib. fowls, white sauce for ---- of all kinds, or roasted mutton, sauce for ib. general sauce genoese sauce, for stewed fish ib. german sauce gravy, beef ib. ---- beef, to keep ----, brown ib. green sauce, for green geese or ducklings ib. ham sauce hare or venison sauce ib. harvey's sauce ib. hashes or fish, sauce for ib. ----, white, or chickens, sauce for ib. horseradish sauce ib. italian sauce ketchup ib. lemon sauce ib. liver sauce for boiled fowls ib. lobster sauce ib. marchioness's sauce meat jelly for sauces ib. mixed sauce ib. mushroom ketchup ---- sauce mutton, roasted, sauce for ib. onion sauce ib. ---- ----, brown ib. oyster sauce ib. pepper-pot ib. pike sauce piquante, sauce ib. poivrade sauce poor man's sauce ib. quin's fish sauce ib. ragout sauce ib. ravigotte, sauce ib. ---- ----, à la bourgeoise ib. relishing sauce remoulade, sauce ib. rice sauce richmond sauce ib. roast meat, sauce for ib. robert, sauce ib. salad sauce ib. shalot sauce spanish sauce ib. steaks, sauce for ib. sultana sauce ib. tomato ketchup ib. ---- sauce turkey, savoury jelly for ib. ---- or chicken sauce ---- or fowl, boiled, sauce for ib. venison sauce ib. ---- ----, sweet ib. walnut ketchup ib. white sauce ---- wine sweet sauce ib. confectionary. almacks almond butter ib. ---- cheesecakes ib. ---- cream ---- paste ib. ---- puffs angelica, to candy ib. apples, to do ib. ----, (pippins) to candy ib. ----, (pippins) to dry ib. ----, to preserve green ----, (golden pippins) to preserve ib. ----, (crabs) to preserve ib. ----, (siberian crabs) to preserve, transparent ib. ----, (golden pippins) to stew ib. ----, cheese ----, conserve of ib. ----, demandon ib. ----, fraise ib. ----, fritters ----, jelly ib. ----, (crab) jam or jelly ----, (pippin or codling) jelly ib. ---- and pears, to dry ib. apricots in brandy ---- chips ib. ---- burnt cream ib. ----, to dry ib. ----, jam ---- and plum jam ib. ---- paste ib. ----, to preserve ib. ----, to preserve whole ----, to preserve in jelly ib. bances, french ib. barberries, to preserve biscuits ib. ----, dutch ib. ----, ginger ----, lemon ib. ----, ratafia ib. ----, table ib. blancmange ib. ----, dutch bread ib. ----, diet ib. ----, potato ----, rice ib. ----, rye ib. ----, scotch, short ib. loaves, buttered ib. loaf, egg buns ib. ----, bath ----, plain ib. butter, to make without churning ib. ----, black ib. ----, spanish cake ib. ----, excellent ib. ----, great ib. ----, light ib. ----, nice ib. ----, plain ----, very rich ----, without butter ib. ----, almond ib. ----, almond, clear ----, apple ----, apricot clear ib. ----, biscuit ib. ----, bread ib. ----, breakfast ----, breakfast, excellent ib. ----, breakfast, bath ib. ----, butter ib. ----, caraway ----, caraway, small ----, cocoa-nut ib. ----, currant, clear ib. ----, egg ib. ----, enamelled ib. ----, epsom ib. ----, ginger ----, ginger, or hunting ib. ----, gooseberry, clear ib. ----, jersey ib. ----, jersey merveilles ib. ----, london wigs ----, onion ib. ----, orange ib. ----, orange clove ib. ----, orange-flower ----, plum ib. ----, plum, clear ib. ----, portugal ib. ----, potato ib. ----, pound ib. ----, pound davy ----, quince, clear ib. ----, ratafia ib. ----, rice ib. ----, rock ----, royal ib. ----, savoy or sponge ib. ----, seed ib. ----, shrewsbury ----, sponge ----, sugar ib. ----, sugar, little ib. ----, sweet ib. ----, tea ib. ----, tea, dry ----, thousand ib. ----, tunbridge ib. ----, veal ib. ----, yorkshire calves'-foot jelly ib. cheese, to make ib. ----, the best in the world ----, to stew ----, cream ib. ----, cream, princess amelia's ib. ----, cream, irish ib. ----, rush ----, winter cream ib. ----, cream, to make without cream ib. ----, damson ib. ----, french ----, italian ib. ----, lemon ib. cheesecakes ib. ----, almond ----, cocoa-nut ib. ----, cream ib. ----, curd ----, lemon ib. ----, orange ib. ----, scotch ib. cherries, to preserve ----, to preserve (morella) ib. ----, brandy ----, to dry ib. ----, dried, liquor for ib. cherry jam cocoa jam ib. cocoa-nut candy ib. coffee, to roast ib. ----, to make the foreign way ib. cream, to make rise in cold weather ----, to fry ib. ----, and curd, artificial ib. ----, of rice ----, almond ib. ----, barley ib. ----, french barley ib. ----, chocolate ----, citron ib. ----, clotted ib. ----, coffee ib. ----, eringo ib. ----, fruit ----, preserved fruit ib. ----, italian ib. ----, lemon ib. ----, lemon, without cream ----, lemon, frothed ib. ----, orange ib. ----, orange, frothed ----, imperial, orange ib. ----, pistachio ib. ----, raspberry ib. ----, ratafia ib. ----, rice ib. ----, runnet whey ----, snow ib. ----, strawberry ib. ----, sweetmeat ib. ----, whipt ib. cucumbers, to preserve green ib. curd, cream ----, lemon ib. ----, paris ib. currants, to bottle ib. ----, or barberries, to dry ----, to ice ib. ----, white, to preserve ib. currant jam ----, jelly, black or red ib. ----, juice ib. ----, paste custard ib. ----, almond damsons, to bottle ib. ----, to dry ib. ----, to preserve without sugar dripping, to clarify for crust ib. dumplings ib. ----, currant ----, drop ib. ----, kitchen hard ib. ----, yest ib. eggs ----, whites of ib. figs, to dry ib. flowers, small, to candy ib. ----, in sprigs, to candy flummery, dutch ib. ----, hartshorn ib. fondues fritters, yorkshire ib. fruit, to preserve ib. ----, to preserve green ib. ----, of all sorts, to scald ib. gingerbread ----, thick ----, cakes or nuts ib. gooseberries, to bottle ib. ----, in jelly ib. ----, to preserve ----, paste of grapes, to dry ib. ----, to preserve ib. greengages, to preserve ib. hartshorn jelly hedgehog ib. ice and cream ib. ----, lemon iceing for cakes ib. jaunemange ib. jelly, coloured ib. ----, gloucester ----, lemon ib. ----, nourishing ib. ----, orange ib. ----, restorative ----, strawberry ib. ----, wine ib. lemons or seville oranges, to preserve lemon caudle ib. ---- or chocolate drops ib. ---- puffs ---- tart ib. ----, solid ib. ----, syrup of ib. macaroons ib. marmalade, citron ib. ----, cherry ----, orange ib. ----, scotch, orange ----, red quince ib. ----, white quince marchpane ib. marrow pasties melons or cucumbers, to preserve ib. melon compote ib. mince-meat ib. ---- without meat ----, lemon mirangles ib. moss ib. muffins oranges, to preserve ib. ----, seville, to preserve orange butter ib. ----, candied ib. ---- cream ib. ---- jelly ---- paste ib. ---- puffs ib. ---- sponge ---- and lemon syrup ib. oranges for a tart ib. orange tart ib. panada pancakes ib. ----, french ----, grillon's ib. ----, quire of paper ib. ----, rice ib. paste ib. ----, for baking or frying ib. ----, for pies ----, for raised pies ib. ----, for tarts ib. ----, for tarts in pans ib. ----, for small tartlets ib. ----, potato ib. ----, rice ----, royal ib. ----, short or puff ib. ----, short ib. ----, short, with suet ----, sugar ib. peaches, to preserve in brandy ib. pears, to pot ----, to stew pie, chicken ib. ----, giblet ib. ----, common goose ib. ----, rich goose ib. ----, ham and chicken ib. ----, hare ----, lumber ib. ----, olive ib. ----, partridge ib. ----, rich pigeon ----, high veal ib. ----, vegetable ib. ----, yorkshire christmas ib. pineapple, to preserve in slices ib. ---- chips plums, to dry green ib. ----, green, jam of ib. ----, great white, to preserve posset ib. ----, sack ib. ----, sack, without milk ib. ----, sack, or jelly puffs ib. ----, cheese ib. ----, chocolate ib. ----, german ib. ----, spanish pudding ib. ----, good ib. ----, very good ib. ----, excellent ----, plain ib. ----, scalded ----, sweet ib. ----, all three ib. ----, almond ib. ----, amber ----, princess amelia's ib. ----, apple-mignon ib. ----, apple ib. ----, arrow-root ----, pearl barley ib. ----, batter ib. ----, plain batter ib. ----, norfolk batter ----, green bean ib. ----, beef-steak ib. ----, bread ib. ----, bread, rich ----, bread and butter ib. ----, raisin-bread ib. ----, buttermilk ib. ----, carrot ib. ----, charlotte ----, cheese ib. ----, citron ib. ----, cocoa-nut ib. ----, college ----, new college ib. ----, cottage ----, currant ib. ----, custard ib. ----, fish ----, french ib. ----, gooseberry ib. ----, hunters' ----, jug ib. ----, lemon ib. ----, small lemon ib. ----, maccaroni ib. ----, marrow ib. ----, nottingham ----, oatmeal ib. ----, orange ib. ----, paradise ----, pith ----, plum ib. ----, plum, rich ----, potato ib. ----, pottinger's ----, prune ib. ----, quaking ib. ----, ratafia ----, rice ib. ----, plain rice ib. ----, ground rice ----, rice, hunting ib. ----, kitchen rice ib. ----, rice plum ib. ----, small rice ib. ----, swedish rice ib. ----, rice white pot ----, sago ib. ----, spoonful ib. ----, plain suet ib. ----, tansy ib. ----, tapioca ----, neat's tongue ib. quatre fruits ib. quinces, to preserve ib. ramaquins raspberries, to preserve ----, to preserve in currant jelly ib. ----, jam ----, paste ib. rice crust, apple tart with rolls ib. ----, excellent ib. ----, little ----, breakfast ib. ----, brentford ib. ----, dutch ib. ----, french ----, milton runnet ib. rusks ib. ----, and tops and bottoms ib. sally lunn slipcote ib. soufflé ib. ---- of apples and rice ib. strawberries, to preserve for eating with cream strawberries, to preserve in currant jelly ----, to preserve in gooseberry jelly ----, jam ib. sugar, to clarify ib. syllabub ----, everlasting ib. ----, solid ib. ----, whipt ib. taffy trifle ib. trotter jelly ib. veal and ham patés ib. venison pasty vol-au-vent ib. wafers ib. ----, sugar ib. walnuts, to preserve ib. ----, white ib. whey, mustard ib. yest ib. ----, excellent ----, potato ib. pickles. general directions almonds, green ib. artichokes ib. ----, to boil in winter ib. asparagus barberries ib. beet-root ib. ---- and turnips cabbage ib. ----, red ib. capers capsicum ib. cauliflower ib. clove gilliflower, or any other flower, for salads ib. codlings ib. cucumbers ----, large, mango of ----, sliced ib. ----, stuffed ib. ----, to preserve french beans herrings, to marinate ----, red, trout fashion ib. india pickle, called picolili ib. lemons ----, or oranges mango cossundria melons ib. ----, to imitate mangoes ib. ----, or cucumbers, as mangoes ib. mushrooms ----, brown ----, to dry ib. ----, liquor and powder ib. mustard pickle ib. nasturtiums onions ib. ----, spanish, mango of orange and lemon-peel ib. oysters ib. peaches, mango of purslain, samphire, broom-buds, &c. quinces ib. radish pods ib. salmon ----, to marinate samphire ib. smelts ib. suckers ib. vinegar, for pickling ib. ----, camp ----, chili ib. ----, elder-flower ib. ----, garlic ----, gooseberry ib. ----, plague or four thieves' ----, raisin ib. ----, raspberry ib. walnuts, black ----, green ----, ketchup of ib. wines, cordials, liqueurs, &c. ale, to drink in a week ----, very rare ib. ----, orange ib. aqua mirabilis bitters ib. cherry brandy ib. cherry water, cordial ib. cordial, very fine cup ib. elder-flower water ib. elder-berry syrup ib. ginger beer imperial lemonade ib. ----, clarified ----, milk ib. ----, transparent ib. lemon water ib. mead ib. mithridate brandy nonpareil ib. noyau orange juice ib. oranges, or lemons, spirit of ib. orange-water, cordial ib. orgeat ib. punch, excellent ----, milk ib. ----, norfolk ib. ----, roman raspberry liqueur ib. ---- vinegar ib. ratafia brandy ib. shrub ----, currant ib. spruce beer ib. wine, bittany ----, champagne, sham ----, cherry ib. ----, cowslip ib. ----, currant ----, currant, or elder ----, currant, black ib. ----, currant, red ib. ----, currant, red or white ib. ----, damson ----, elder ib. ----, elder flower ----, frontiniac, sham ib. ----, mixed fruit ib. ----, ginger ib. ----, gooseberry ----, grape ----, lemon ----, madeira, sham ib. ----, orange ib. ----, port, sham ----, raisin ib. the lady's own cookery book. general directions. the following directions may appear trite and common, but it is of the greatest consequence that they be strictly observed: attend to minute cleanliness. never wipe a dish, bowl, or pan, with a half dirty napkin, or give the vessel a mere rinse in water and think that it is then fit for use. see that it be dried and pure from all smell before you put in any ingredient. never use the hands when it is possible to avoid it; and, when you do, have a clean basin of water to dip them in, and wipe them thoroughly several times while at work, as in mixing dough, &c. use silver or wooden spoons; the latter are best for all confectionery and puddings. take care that the various spoons, skewers, and knives, be not used promiscuously for cookery and confectionery, or even for different dishes of the same sort. if an onion is cut with any knife, or lies near any article of kitchen use, that article is not fit for service till it has been duly scoured and laid in the open air. the same remark applies to very many strong kitchen herbs. this point is scarcely ever enough attended to. in measuring quantities, be extremely exact, having always some particular vessel set apart for each ingredient (best of earthenware, because such cannot retain any smell) wherewith to ascertain your quantities. do nothing by guess, how practised soever you may deem yourself in the art: nor say "oh! i want none of your measures for such a thing as a little seasoning," taking a pinch here and there. be assured you will never in that way make a dish, or a sauce, twice in the same manner; it may be good by _chance_, but it will always be a _chance_, and the chances are very much against it; at all events it will not be precisely the _same_ thing, and precision is the very essence of good cookery. the french say _il faut que rien ne domine_--no one ingredient must predominate. this is a good rule to please general taste and great judges; but, to secure the favour of a particular palate it is not infallible: as, in a good herb soup, for instance, it may better delight the master or mistress that some one herb or savoury meat _should_ predominate. consult, therefore, the peculiarities of the tastes of your employer; for, though a dish may be a good dish of its kind, if it is not suited to the taste of the eater of what avail is it? let not the vanity of the cook induce you to forget the duty of a servant, which is, in the first place, to please his master: be particular, therefore, in enquiring what things please your employer. many capital cooks will be found for great feasts and festivals, but very few for every-day service, because this is not "eye-service," but the service of principle and duty. few, indeed, there are who will take equal pains to make one delicate dish, one small exquisite dinner, for the three hundred and sixty-five days in the year; yet this is by far the most valuable attainment of the two. the great secret of all cookery consists in making fine meat jellies; this is done at less expence than may be imagined by a _careful, honest_ cook. for this purpose let all parings of meats of every kind, all bones, however dry they may appear, be carefully collected, and put over a very slow fire in a small quantity of water, always adding a little more as the water boils down. skim this juice when cool: and, having melted it a second time, pass it through a sieve till thoroughly pure: put no salt or pepper; use this fine jelly for any sauce, adding herbs, or whatever savoury condiments you think proper, at the time it is used. be careful all summer long to dry vegetables and herbs. almost every herb and vegetable may be dried and preserved for winter use; for on these must chiefly depend all the varied flavours of your dishes. mushrooms and artichokes strung on a string, with a bit of wood knotted in between each to prevent their touching, and hung in a dry place, will be excellent; and every species of culinary herb may be preserved either in bottles or paper bags. a catalogue of things in season. january. _fish._ cod, skate, thornback, salmon, soles, eels, perch, carp, tench, flounders, prawns, lobsters, crabs, shrimps, cockles, muscles, oysters, smelts, whiting. _game and poultry._ hares, pheasants, partridges, wild ducks, widgeon, teal, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, squab-pigeons, tame rabbits, woodcocks, snipes, larks, blackbirds, and wood-pigeons. _fruit._ portugal grapes, the kentish russet, golden french kirton, dutch pippins, nonpareils, pearmains, russetting apples, and all sorts of winter pears. _roots and vegetables._ many sorts of cabbages, savoys, sprouts, and greens, parsnips, carrots, turnips, potatoes, celery, endive, cabbage-lettuces, leeks, onions, horseradish, small salad under glasses, sweet herbs, and parsley, green and white brocoli, beet-root, beet-leaves and tops, forced asparagus, cucumbers in hotbeds, french beans and peas in the hothouse. february. _fish._ cod, skate, thornback, salmon, sturgeon, soles, flounders, whitings, smelts, crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimps, oysters, eels, crawfish, carp, tench, and perch. _game and poultry._ hares and partridges till the th. turkeys, capons, pullets with eggs, fowls, chickens, tame rabbits, woodcocks, snipes, all sorts of wild-fowl, which begin to decline in this month. _fruit._ nearly the same as last month. _roots and vegetables._ the same as last month. march. _fish._ cod and codlings, turbot, salmon, skate, thornback, smelts, soles, crabs, lobsters, prawns, flounders, plaice, oysters, perch, carp, tench, eels, gudgeons, mullet, and sometimes mackerel, comes in. _poultry._ turkeys, pullets, fowls, chickens, ducklings, tame rabbits, pigeons, guinea-fowl. _fruit._ pineapples, the golden ducket, dorset pippins, rennetings, loan's pearmain, nonpareils, john apples, the later bonchretien and double-blossom pears. _roots and vegetables._ carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, beet, leeks, onions, green and white brocoli, brocoli sprouts, brown and green cole, cabbage sprouts, greens, spinach, small salad, parsley, sorrel, corn salad, green fennel, sweet herbs of all sorts, cabbage lettuces, forced mushrooms, asparagus forced, cucumbers in hotbeds, french beans and peas in hothouses, and young radishes and onions. april. _fish._ salmon, turbot, mackerel, skate, thornback, red and grey mullet, gurnets, pipers, soles, lobsters, oysters, prawns, crawfish, smelts, carp, perch, pike, gudgeons, eels, and plaice. _game and poultry._ pullets, fowls, chickens, ducklings, pigeons, tame rabbits, and sometimes young leverets, guinea-fowl. _fruit._ a few apples and pears, pineapples, hothouse grapes, strawberries, cherries, apricots for tarts, and green gooseberries. _roots and vegetables._ carrots, potatoes, horseradish, onions, leeks, celery, brocoli sprouts, cabbage plants, cabbage lettuce, asparagus, spinach, parsley, thyme, all sorts of small salads, young radishes and onions, cucumbers in hotbeds, french beans and peas in the hothouse, green fennel, sorrel, chervil, and, if the weather is fine, all sorts of sweet herbs begin to grow. may. _fish._ turbot, salmon, soles, smelts, trout, whiting, mackerel, herrings, eels, plaice, flounders, crabs, lobsters, prawns, shrimps, crawfish. _game and poultry._ pullets, fowls, chickens, guinea-fowl, green geese, ducklings, pigeons, tame rabbits, leverets, and sometimes turkey poults. _fruit._ strawberries, green apricots, cherries, gooseberries, and currants, for tarts, hothouse pineapples, grapes, apricots, peaches, and fine cherries. _roots and vegetables._ spring carrots, horseradish, beet-root, early cauliflower, spring cabbage, sprouts, spinach, coss, cabbage, and silesia lettuces, all sorts of small salads, asparagus, hotspur beans, peas, fennel, mint, balm, parsley, all sorts of sweet herbs, cucumbers and french beans forced, radishes, and young onions, mushrooms in the cucumber beds. june. _fish._ turbot, trout, mackerel, mullet, salmon, salmon trout, soles, smelts, eels, lobsters, crabs, crawfish, prawns, and shrimps. _game and poultry._ spring fowls, and chickens, geese, ducks, turkey poults, young wild and tame rabbits, pigeons, leverets, and wheatears. _fruit._ pineapples, currants, gooseberries, scarlet strawberries, hautboys, several sorts of cherries, apricots, and green codlings. _roots and vegetables._ young carrots, early potatoes, young turnips, peas, garden beans, cauliflowers, summer cabbages, spinach, coss, cabbage, and silesia lettuces, french beans, cucumbers, asparagus, mushrooms, purslain, radishes, turnip-radishes, horseradish, and onions. july. _fish._ turbot, salmon, salmon trout, berwick and fresh water trout, red and grey mullet, johndories, skate, thornback, maids, soles, flounders, eels, lobsters, crawfish, prawns, and shrimps. _game and poultry._ leverets, geese, ducks and ducklings, fowls, chickens, turkey poults, quails, wild rabbits, wheatears, and young wild ducks. _fruit._ pineapples, peaches, apricots, scarlet and wood strawberries, hautboys, summer apples, codlings, summer pears, green-gage and orleans plums, melons, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, cherries of all kinds, and green walnuts to pickle. _roots and vegetables._ carrots, potatoes, turnips, onions, cauliflowers, marrowfat and other peas, windsor beans, french beans, mushrooms, sorrel, artichokes, spinach, cabbages, cucumbers, coss and cabbage lettuces, parsley, all sorts of sweet and potherbs, mint, balm, salsify, and field mushrooms. august. _fish._ codlings, some turbot, which goes out this month, skate, thornback, maids, haddock, flounders, red and grey mullet, johndories, pike, perch, gudgeons, roach, eels, oysters, crawfish, some salmon, salmon trout, berwick and fresh water trout. _game and poultry._ leverets, geese, turkey poults, ducks, fowls, chickens, wild rabbits, quails, wheatears, young wild ducks, and some pigeons. _fruit._ pineapples, melons, cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples, pears, all sorts of plums, morella cherries, filberts and other nuts, currants, raspberries, late gooseberries, figs, early grapes, mulberries, and ripe codlings. _roots and vegetables._ carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, onions, horseradish, beet-root, shalots, garlic, cauliflower, french beans, later peas, cucumbers, cabbages, sprouts, coss lettuce, endive, celery, parsley, sweet herbs, artichokes, artichoke suckers, chardoons, mushrooms, and all sorts of small salads. september. _fish._ cod, codlings, skate, thornback, haddocks, soles, whitings, herrings come in full season, salmon, smelts, flounders, pike, perch, carp, tench, eels, lampreys, oysters, cockles, muscles, crawfish, prawns, and shrimps. _game and poultry._ hares, leverets, partridges, quails, young turkeys, geese, ducks, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, pigeons, wild and tame rabbits, wild ducks, widgeon, teal, plover, larks, and pippets. _fruit._ pineapples, melons, grapes, peaches, plums, nectarines, pears, apples, quinces, medlars, filberts, hazel nuts, walnuts, morella cherries, damsons, white and black bullace. _roots and vegetables._ carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, leeks, horseradish, beet-root, onions, shalots, garlic, celery, endive, coss and cabbage lettuces, artichokes, french beans, latter peas, mushrooms, cucumbers, red and other cabbages, cabbage plants, jerusalem artichokes, parsley, sorrel, chervil, thyme, all sorts of sweet herbs, mint, balm, all sorts of small salad. october. _fish._ cod, codlings, brill, haddocks, whiting, soles, herrings, cole-fish, halibut, smelts, eels, flounders, perch, pike, carp, tench, oysters, cockles, muscles, lobsters, crabs, crawfish, prawns, and shrimps. _game and poultry._ hares, leverets, pheasants, partridges, moor-game, grouse, turkeys, geese, ducks, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, pigeons, wild and tame rabbits, all sorts of wild-fowl, larks, plovers, woodcocks, snipes, wood-pigeons, pippets. _fruit._ pineapples, peaches, grapes, figs, medlars, all sorts of fine apples and pears, white plums, damsons, white and black bullace, quinces, filberts, walnuts, and chesnuts. _roots and vegetables._ carrots, parsnips, potatoes, turnips, leeks, horseradish, onions, shalots, garlic, beet-root, artichokes, latter cauliflowers, red and white cabbages, savoys, cabbage plants, green and white brocoli, chardoons, green and brown cole, celery, endive, spinach, sorrel, chervil, parsley, purslain, all sorts of sweet herbs, coss and cabbage lettuces, rocambole, and all sorts of small salads. november. _fish._ cod, salmon, herrings, barbel, halibut, smelts, flounders, whiting, haddock, pipers, gurnets, pike, perch, carp, tench, eels, lobsters, crabs, oysters, muscles, cockles, crawfish, prawns, and shrimps. _game and poultry._ the same as last month. _fruit._ pineapples, all sorts of winter pears, golden pippins, nonpareils, all sorts of winter apples, medlars, white and black bullace, and walnuts kept in sand. _roots and vegetables._ turnips, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, beets, chardoons, onions, shalots, garlic, rocambole, cauliflowers in the greenhouse, red and other cabbages, savoys, cabbage plants, winter spinach, forced asparagus, late cucumbers, forced mushrooms, parsley, sorrel, chervil, thyme, all sorts of sweet herbs, celery, endive, cabbage lettuces, brown and green cole, and all sorts of small salads under glasses. december. _fish._ cod, codlings, halibut, skate, sturgeon, soles, salmon, gurnets, haddock, whiting, sometimes turbots come with the soles, herrings, perch, pike, carp, tench, eels, lobsters, crabs, crawfish, muscles, cockles, prawns, shrimps, thames flounders, and smelts. _game and poultry._ hares, pheasants, partridges, moor or heath game, grouse, turkeys, geese, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, all sorts of wild-fowl, wood cocks, snipes, larks, wild and tame rabbits, dottrels, wood-pigeons, blackbirds, thrushes, plover both green and grey. _fruit._ all sorts of winter pears and apples, medlars, chesnuts, portugal grapes and grapes hung in the room, and walnuts kept in sand. _roots and vegetables._ same as the last month. * * * * * beef, mutton, and veal, are in season all the year; house lamb in january, february, march, april, may, october, november, and december. grass lamb comes in at easter and lasts till april or may; pork from september till april or may; roasting pigs all the year; buck venison in june, july, august, and september; doe and heifer venison in october, november, december, and january. general rules for a good dinner. there should be always two soups, white and brown, two fish, dressed and undressed; a bouilli and petits-patés; and on the sideboard a plain roast joint, besides many savoury articles, such as hung beef, bologna sausages, pickles, cold ham, cold pie, &c. some or all of these according to the number of guests, the names of which the head-servant ought to whisper about to the company, occasionally offering them. he should likewise carry about all the side-dishes or _entrées_, after the soups are taken away in rotation. a silver lamp should be kept burning, to put any dish upon that may grow cold. it is indispensable to have candles, or plateau, or epergne, in the middle of the table. beware of letting the table appear loaded; neither should it be too bare. the soups and fish should be dispatched before the rest of the dinner is set on; but, lest any of the guests eat of neither, two small dishes of patés should be on the table. of course, the meats and vegetables and fruits which compose these dinners must be varied according to the season, the number of guests, and the tastes of the host and hostess. it is also needless to add that without iced champagne and roman punch a dinner is not called a dinner. these observations and the following directions for dinners are suitable to persons who chuse to live _fashionably_; but the receipts contained in this book will suit any mode of living, and the persons consulting it will find matter for all tastes and all establishments. there is many an excellent dish not considered adapted to a fashionable table, which, nevertheless, is given in these pages. a dinner for fourteen or sixteen persons. n.b. it is the fashion to lay two table-cloths, and never to leave the table uncovered. of course, the individual things must be varied according to the season. first course. queen soup, white, removed by plain boiled turbot. petits patés of oysters. +----------+ | plateau, | | or | | epergne, | | or | | candles. | +----------+ petits patés of chickens. herb soup, brown, removed by dressed fish (salmon.) remove the whole and set on as follows:-- sweetbreads, stewed beef, small larded. with beef vegetables. pies. reindeer tongues, dressed peas. rissoles of highly dressed in veal and ham, sauce. served in sauce. macaroni, +----------+ dressed with | | eggs. parmesan | plateau. | cheese. | | +----------+ mutton stuffed cabbage. supreme of cutlets fowls. glazed in onion sauce. vol-au-vent. roasted turkey, small breast with truffles, of veal morels, chesnuts, &c. glazed brown, with peas under. on the sideboard, fish sauces, cold pie, hot ham, saddle of mutton roasted; pickles, cucumbers, salad, mashed potatoes, greens, and cauliflowers, crumbs of bread, and grated parmesan cheese. these should be handed round, to eat with soup, or game, or fowl, if liked. second course. larded hare, removed by souffle[ -*]. cauliflower, orange with cheese. jelly. apples in compote. +----------+ puffs and | | stewed tartlets. | plateau. | partridges. | | +----------+ dressed italian pigeons. cream. creams in glasses. small puddings, two roasted pheasants, jerusalem with sauce. one larded, artichokes. one plain, removed by fondu[ -+]. [ -*] light sweet pudding. [ -+] melted cheese. remove the whole. third course. gruyère[ -*] pickles. cheese pickles. and schabzieger[ -*]. savoury toasts. bologna brawn. sausages. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | +----------+ cold pie. cold pie. savoury toasts. anchovies. kipper salmon. stilton and parmesan. radishes, cucumbers, salad, butter, &c. to be handed from the side table. [ -*] swiss cheeses. dessert. cream ice, pistachio nuts and removed by figs. orange chips. a preserved pineapple. dried cake. preserved sweetmeats. plums. +----------+ chantilly | | pyramid with basket. | plateau. | various sweetmeats. | | +----------+ almonds cake. preserves of and raisins. apricots. brandy water ice sugared cherries. à la macedoine, walnuts. removed by grapes. dinner for twelve or fourteen persons. first course. white soups, lamb cutlets and removed by plain fish: stewed chicken. asparagus sauce. removed by bouilli, dressed according to any of the various receipts. patés. dressed vegetable fricandeau, or in a mould. beef olives. sorrel sauce. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | small +----------+ small ham, savoury pies. glazed. macaroni in a mould. patés. breast of veal, stewed white, as per receipt. dressed eggs. small ragout of any of the brown soups, mutton. removed by any of the dressed fish. sideboard furnished with plain joint and vegetables of all sorts, pickles, &c. second course. charlotte. plover's eggs. grouse. tart. jelly. custards. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | partridges. +----------+ woodcocks. trifle. fried artichokes. dressed sea kale. leveret. third course. various cheeses, with red herring. savoury toasts. +----------+ | | radishes, cucumbers, | plateau. | sausages, &c. &c. | | +----------+ savoury toasts. potted game. dessert. ice water, chesnuts. removed by walnuts. pineapple. various cake. green figs. apples. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | filberts. +----------+ grapes. various cake. plums. pears. ice cream, removed by peaches. dinner for ten or twelve persons. first course. scotch collops, brown soup, ragout of brown. removed by ham. fish, removed by boiled turkey, white sauce. vol-au-vent fricandeau, of chicken. +----------+ with spinach. | | | plateau. | | | cutlets with +----------+ rissoles tomata sauce. of fowl. white soup, removed by dressed fish, removed by macaroni roast mutton. patés in paste. of veal. sideboard--salad, brocoli, mashed potatoes, cold pie, potted meats. second course. orange jelly. peahen, plum puddings. larded. +----------+ | | stewed truffles. | plateau. | blancmange. | | +----------+ tart, two eggs, with sponge cake, wild fowls. white sauce, with custard. cheesecakes. sideboard, sea kale, pickles, greens, potatoes. third course. gruyère--schabzieger. butter. celery. grated parmesan. +----------+ | | radishes. | plateau. | cheese in | | square pieces. +----------+ salad. dessert. ice. biscuits. currants. apricots. various cakes. strawberries. preserved orange. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | preserved pine. +----------+ cherries. cakes. peaches. gooseberries. wafers. ice. dinner for eight persons. first course. dressed patés of veal asparagus. and ham. fish, removed by loin of mutton, rolled with tomata sauce. +----------+ | | dressed tongues. | plateau. | beef olives. | | stewed spinach. +----------+ soup, removed by roast neck of veal, with rich white sauce and mushrooms. macaroni. stewed spinach. sideboard, a bouilli, a joint, pickles, plain boiled vegetables, &c. second course. stewed pigeons, dressed removed by dressed eggs. a fondu. french beans. +----------+ | | apple tart. | plateau. | four small | | plum puddings. +----------+ roast fowl, fried with dressed ham. artichokes. water cresses, removed by souffle. when a plain roast fowl, there should be on the sideboard egg sauce or bread sauce; if a plain duck, wine sauce or onion sauce. cheese course. various cheeses, bologna sausages, pickles. savoury toasts, &c. &c. dessert. ice cream, removed by a large cake stuck with sweetmeats. oranges. brandy dry preserves. cherries. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | +----------+ wet preserves. apples. brandy peaches. strawberries. dinner for six persons. first course. asparagus soup, removed by small ham. fish, sea kale, removed by white sauce. roast veal bechamelled. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | +----------+ stewed turnips, alamode mutton cutlets, browned. beef. sauce piquante. second course. turkey poult stuffed, blancmange. glazed brown, croquets fine rich brown sauce of potatoes. under. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | +----------+ dressed peas. stewed duck, tart. with truffles, morells, &c. third course. two or three sorts of cheeses (plain), a small fondu, relishes, &c. dessert. ice, brandy peaches. removed by apples. preserved citron. +----------+ | | | plateau. | | | +----------+ large cake oranges. like a hedgehog, dry preserves. stuck with almonds. dinner for four persons. first course. hare soup, removed by fish, removed by bouilli beef. +----------+ | | tendrons de veau. | plateau. | dressed ham. | | brocoli. +----------+ chicken pie second course. raspberry widgeon. stewed cream. french beans. +----------+ | | croquettes | plateau. | tart. of potatoes. | | +----------+ partridge. cheese as usual. dessert. orange chips. dry preserves. wet preserves. wafers. soups. _almond soup._ take lean beef or veal, about eight or nine pounds, and a scrag of mutton; boil them gently in water that will cover them, till the gravy be very strong and the meat very tender; then strain off the gravy and set it on the fire with two ounces of vermicelli, eight blades of mace, twelve cloves, to a gallon. let it boil till it has the flavour of the spices. have ready one pound of the best almonds, blanched and pounded very fine; pound them with the yolks of twelve eggs, boiled hard, mixing as you pound them with a little of the soup, lest the almonds should grow oily. pound them till they are a mere pulp: add a little soup by degrees to the almonds and eggs until mixed together. let the soup be cool when you mix it, and do it perfectly smooth. strain it through a sieve; set it on the fire; stir it frequently; and serve it hot. just before you take it up add a gill of thick cream. _asparagus soup._ put five or six pounds of lean beef, cut in pieces and rolled in flour, into your stewpan, with two or three slices of bacon at the bottom: set it on a slow fire and cover it close, stirring it now and then, till your gravy is drawn; then put in two quarts of water and half a pint of pale ale; cover it close and let it stew gently for an hour. put in some whole pepper and salt to your taste. then strain out the liquor and take off the fat; put in the leaves of white beet, some spinach, some cabbage lettuce, a little mint, sorrel, and sweet marjoram, pounded; let these boil up in your liquor. then put in your green tops of asparagus, cut small, and let them boil till all is tender. serve hot, with the crust of a french roll in the dish. _another._ boil three half pints of winter split peas; rub them through a sieve; add a little gravy; then stew by themselves the following herbs:--celery, a few young onions, a lettuce, cut small, and about half a pint of asparagus, cut small, like peas, and stewed with the rest; colour the soup of a pea green with spinach juice; add half a pint of cream or good milk, and serve up. _calf's head soup._ take a knuckle of veal, and put as much water to it as will make a good soup; let it boil, skimming it very well. add two carrots, three anchovies, a little mace, pepper, celery, two onions, and some sweetherbs. let it boil to a good soup, and strain it off. put to it a full half pint of madeira wine; take a good many mushrooms, stew them in their own liquor; add this sauce to your soup. scald the calf's head as for a hash; cut it in the same manner, but smaller; flour it a little, and fry it of a fine brown. then put the soup and fried head together into a stewpan, with some oysters and mushrooms, and let them stew gently for an hour. _carrot soup._ take about two pounds of veal and the same of lean beef; make it into a broth or gravy, and put it by until wanted. take a quarter of a pound of butter, four large fine carrots, two turnips, two parsnips, two heads of celery, and four onions; stew these together about two hours, and shake it often that they may not burn to the stewpan; then add the broth made as above, boiling hot, in quantity to your own judgment, and as you like it for thickness. it should be of about the consistency of pea-soup. pass it through a tamis. season to your taste. _another._ take four pounds of beef, a scrag of mutton, about a dozen large carrots, four onions, some pepper and salt; put them into a gallon of water, and boil very gently for four hours. strain the meat, and take the carrots and rub them very smooth through a hair sieve, adding the gravy by degrees till about as thick as cream. the gravy must have all the fat taken off before it is added to the carrots. turnip soup is made in the same way. _clear soup._ take six pounds of gravy beef; cut it small, put it into a large stewpan, with onions, carrots, turnips, celery, a small bunch of herbs, and one cup of water. stew these on the fire for an hour, then add nine pints of boiling water; let it boil for six hours, strain it through a fine sieve, and let it stand till next day; take off the fat; put it into a clean stewpan, set it on the fire till it is quite hot; then break three eggs into a basin, leaving the shells with them. add this to the soup by degrees; cover close till it boils; then strain it into a pan through a fine cloth. when the eggs are well beaten, a little hot soup must be added by degrees, and beaten up before it is put into the stewpan with the whole of the soup. _clear herb soup._ put celery, leeks, carrots, turnips, cabbage lettuce, young onions, all cut fine, with a handful of young peas: give them a scald in boiling water; put them on a sieve to drain, and then put them into a clear consommé, and let them boil slowly till the roots are quite tender. season with a little salt. when going to table put a little crust of french roll in it. _cod's head soup._ take six large onions, cut them in slices, and put them in a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of the freshest butter. set it in a stove to simmer for an hour, covered up close; take the head, and with a knife and fork pick all the fins you can get off the fish. put this in a dish, dredge it well with flour, and let it stand. take all the bones of the head and the remainder, and boil them on the fire for an hour, with an english pint of water. strain off the liquor through a sieve, and put it to your onions; take a good large handful of parsley, well washed and picked clean; chop it as fine as possible; put it in the soup; let it just boil, otherwise it will make it yellow. add a little cayenne pepper, two spoonfuls of anchovy, a little soy, a little of any sort of ketchup, and a table-spoonful of vinegar. then put the fish that has been set aside on the plate into the stewpan to the soup, and let it simmer for ten minutes. if not thick enough add a small piece of butter rolled in flour. _crawfish soup._ boil off your crawfish; take the tails out of the shells; roast a couple of lobsters; beat these with your crawfish shells; put this into your fish stock, with some crusts of french rolls. rub the whole through a tamis, and put your tails into it. you may farce a carp and put in the middle, if you please, or farce some of the shells and stick on a french roll. _crawfish, or lobster soup._ take some middling and small fishes, and put them in a gallon of water, with pepper, salt, cloves, mace, sweetherbs, and onions; boil them to pieces, and strain them out of the liquor. then take a large fish, cut the flesh off one side, make forcemeat of it, and lay it on the fish; dredge grated bread in it, and butter a dish well; put it in the oven and bake it. then take one hundred crawfish, break the shells of the tails and claws, take out the meat as whole as you can; pound the shells and add the spawn of a lobster pounded; put them into the soup, and, if you like, a little veal gravy; give them a boil or two together. strain the liquor off into another saucepan, with the tops of french bread, dried, beat fine, and sifted. give it a boil to thicken; then brown some butter, and put in the tails and claws of the crawfish, and some of the forcemeat made into balls. lay the baked fish in the middle of the dish, pour the soup boiling hot on it; if you like, add yolks of eggs, boiled hard, pounded, and mixed by degrees with the soup. _curry or mulligatawny soup._ boil a large chicken or fowl in a pint of water till half done; add a table-spoonful of curry powder, with the juice of one lemon and a half; boil it again gently till the meat is done. for a large party you must double the quantity of all the articles, and always proportion the water to the quantity of gravy you think the meat will yield. _eel soup._ take two pounds of eels; put to them two quarts of water, a crust of bread, two or three blades of mace, some whole pepper, one onion, and a bunch of sweet herbs. cover them close, and let them stew till the liquor is reduced to one half, and if the soup is not rich enough it must boil till it is stronger.--then strain it, toast some bread, and cut it in small. this soup will be as good as if meat were put into it. a pound of eels makes a pint of soup. _fish soup._ stew the heads, tails, and fins, of any sort of flat fish or haddock. strain and thicken with a little flour and butter; add pepper, salt, anchovy, and ketchup, to taste. cut the fish in thick pieces, and let them stew gently till done. _french soup._ take the scrag end of a neck of mutton, or two pounds of any meat, and make it into very strong broth; then take one large cabbage, three lettuces, three carrots, one root of celery, and two onions; cut them all small, and fry them with butter. pour your broth upon your vegetables a little at a time, cover it up close, and let it stew three hours or more. serve with the vegetables. _friar's chicken._ stew a knuckle of veal, a neck of mutton, a large fowl, two pounds of giblets, two large onions, two bunches of turnips, one bunch of carrots, a bunch of thyme, and another of sage, eight hours over a very slow stove, till every particle of juice is extracted from the meat and vegetables. take it off the stove, pass it through a hair tamis; have ready a pound of grated veal, or, what is better, of grated chicken, with a large bunch of parsley, chopped very fine and mingled with it. put this into the broth; set it on the stove again, and while there break four raw eggs into it. stir the whole for about a quarter of an hour and serve up hot. _giblet soup._ no. . take the desired quantity of strong beef gravy; add to it a few slices of veal fried in butter; take a piece of butter rolled in flour, and with it fry some sliced onion and thyme; when made brown, add it to the soup. when sufficiently stewed, strain and put to it two spoonfuls of ketchup, a few spoonfuls of madeira, and a little lemon juice. the giblets being separately stewed in a pint of water, add their gravy to the soup. _giblet soup._ no. . parboil the giblets, and pour the water from them; put them into fresh water or thin gravy, with a large onion stuck with cloves; season it to your taste; boil them till the flesh comes from the bones. mix the yolk of an egg with flour into a paste; roll it two or three times over with a rollingpin; cut it in pieces, and thicken the soup with it. _giblet soup._ no. . take three pair of goose giblets; scald and cut them as for stewing; set them on the fire in three quarts of water, and when the scum rises skim them well: put in a bundle of sweet herbs, some cloves, mace, and allspice, tied in a bag, with some pepper and salt. stew them very gently till nearly tender: mix a quarter of a pound of butter with flour, and put it in, with half a pint of white wine, and a little cayenne pepper. stew them till thick and smooth; take out the herbs and spices; skim well; boil the livers in a quart of water till tender, and put in. serve up in a terrine or dish. _gravy soup._ no. . put two pounds of gravy beef, cut in small pieces, with pepper, salt, some whole pepper, and a piece of butter, the size of a walnut, into a stewpan. when drawn to a good gravy, pour in three quarts of boiling water; add some mace, four heads of celery, one carrot, and three or four onions. let them stew gently about an hour and a half; then strain; add an ounce and half of vermicelli, and let it stew about ten minutes longer. _gravy soup._ no. . take two ox melts, cut them in pieces, season them with pepper and salt, and dredge them with flour. shred two large onions, fry them of a nice brown colour, put them at the bottom of the saucepan with a piece of butter. take one ox rump, stew it with carrots and celery and twelve allspice. then put all together and strain well. this quantity will make three quarts. you may send the ox rump to table in the soup, if approved. two carrots and two heads of celery will be sufficient. _gravy soup._ no. . cut the lean part of a shin of beef, the same of a knuckle of veal, and set the bones of both on the fire, in two gallons of water, to make broth. put the meat in a stewpan; add some lean bacon or ham, one carrot, two turnips, two heads of celery, two large onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, some whole pepper, two race of ginger, six cloves. set these over the fire, let it draw till all the gravy is dried up to a nice brown; then add the broth that is made with the bones. let it boil slowly four or five hours. make the soup the day before you want to use it, that you may take the fat clean from the top, also the sediment from the bottom. have ready some turnips, carrots, and cabbage lettuces, cut small, and one pint of young peas; add these to your soup; let it boil one hour, and it will be ready, with salt to your taste. _hare soup._ skin the hare, and wash the inside well. separate the limbs, legs, shoulders, and back; put them into a stewpan, with two glasses of port wine, an onion stuck with four cloves, a bundle of parsley, a little thyme, some sweet basil and marjoram, a pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper. set the whole over a slow fire, and let it simmer for an hour; then add a quart of beef gravy and a quart of veal gravy; let the whole simmer gently till the hare is done. strain the meat; then pass the soup through a sieve, and put a penny roll to soak in the broth. take all the flesh of the hare from the bones, and pound it in a mortar, till fine enough to be rubbed through a sieve, taking care that none of the bread remains in it. thicken the broth with the meat of the hare; rub it all together till perfectly fine, like melted butter, not thicker; heat it, and serve it up very hot. be careful not to let it boil, as that will spoil it. _another._ half roast a good-sized hare; cut the back and legs in square pieces; stew the remaining part with five pints of good broth, a bunch of sweet herbs, three blades of mace, three large shalots, shred fine, two large onions, one head of celery, one dozen white pepper, eight cloves, and a slice of ham. simmer the whole together three hours; then strain and rub it through a hair sieve with a wooden spoon; return the gravy into a stewpan; throw in the back and legs, and let it simmer three quarters of an hour before you send it to table. _hessian soup._ take seven pints of water, one pint of split peas, one pound of lean beef, cut into small slices, three quarters of a pound of potatoes, three ounces of ground rice, two heads of celery, two onions, or leeks. season with pepper and salt, and dried mint, according to your taste. let it all boil slowly together till reduced to five pints. _another._ one pound of beef, one pint of split peas, three turnips, four ounces ground rice, three potatoes, three onions, one head of celery, seven pints of water. boil till reduced to six pints; then strain it through a hair sieve, with a little whole pepper. _mock turtle soup._ no. . take a calf's head, very white and very fresh, bone the nose part of it; put the head into some warm water to discharge the blood; squeeze the flesh with your hand to ascertain that it is all thoroughly out; blanch the head in boiling water. when firm, put it into cold water, which water must be prepared as follows: cut half a pound of fat bacon, a pound of beef suet, an onion stuck with two cloves, two thick slices of lemon; put these into a vessel, with water enough to contain the head; boil the head in this, and take it off when boiled, leaving it to cool. then make your sauce in the following manner: put into a stewpan a pound of ham cut into slices; put over the ham two knuckles of veal, two large onions, and two carrots; moisten with some of the broth in which you have boiled the head to half the depth of the meat only; cover the stewpan, and set it on a slow fire to sweat through; let the broth reduce to a good rich colour; turn up the meat for fear of burning. when you have a very good colour, moisten with the whole remaining broth from the head; season with a very large bundle of sweet herbs, sweet basil, sweet marjoram, lemon-thyme, common thyme, two cloves, and a bay leaf, a few allspice, parsley, and green onions and mushrooms. let the whole boil together for one hour; then drain it. put into a stewpan a quarter of a pound of very fresh butter, let it melt over a very slow fire; put to this butter as much flour as it can receive till the flour has acquired a very good brown colour; moisten this gradually with the broth till you have employed it all; add half a bottle of good white wine; let the sauce boil that the flour may be well done; take off all the scum and fat; pass it through a sieve. cut the meat off the calf's head in pieces of about an inch square; put them to boil in the sauce; season with salt, a little cayenne pepper, and lemon juice. throw in some forcemeat balls, made according to direction, and a few hard yolks of eggs, and serve up hot. _mock turtle._ no. . take a calf's head with the skin on; let it be perfectly well cleaned and scalded, if it is sent otherwise from the butcher's. you should examine and see that it is carefully done, and that it looks white and clean, by raising the skin from the bone with a knife. boil it about twenty minutes; put it in cold water for about ten minutes; take the skin clean from the flesh, and cut it in square pieces. cut the tongue out, and boil it until it will peel; then cut it in small pieces, and put it all together. line the bottom of a soup-pot with slices of ham, a bay-leaf, a bunch of thyme, some other herbs, and an onion stuck with six cloves. cover all this with a slice of fat bacon, to keep the meat from burning, dry it in a clean cloth, and lay it in the pot with salt, cayenne pepper, and as much mace as will lie on a shilling: and cover the meat over with the parings of the head, and some slices of veal. add to it a pint of good strong broth; put the cover over the pot as close as possible, and let it simmer two hours. when the head is tender, make the browning as follows: put into a stewpan a good quarter of a pound of butter; as it boils, dredge in a very little flour, keeping it stirring, and throw in by degrees an onion chopped very fine, a little thyme, parsley, &c. picked, also chopped very fine. put them in by degrees, stirring all the time; then add a pint of good strong broth, a pint of good madeira wine, and all the liquor with your meat in the stewpot. let them boil all together, till the spirit of the wine is evaporated, for that should not predominate. add the juice of two or three large lemons; then put in the head, tongue, &c.; skim the fat off as it rises. dish it very hot; add forcemeat balls and hard eggs, made thus: take six or eight and boil them hard; then take the yolks, and pound them in a mortar with a dust of flour, and half or more of a raw egg, (beaten up) as you may judge sufficient. rub it all to a paste; add a little salt; then roll them into little eggs, and add them, with the forcemeat balls, to the turtle when you dish it. _mock turtle._ no. . neat's feet instead of calf's head; that is, two calf's feet and two neat's feet. _mock turtle._ no. . two neat's and two calf's feet cut into pieces an inch long, and put into two quarts of strong mutton gravy, with a pint of madeira. take three dozen oysters, four anchovies, two onions, some lemon-peel, and mace, with a few sweet herbs; shred all very fine, with half a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, and add them to the feet. let all stew together two hours and a quarter. just before you send it to table, add the juice of two small lemons, and put forcemeat balls and hard eggs to it. _mulligatawny soup._ no. . cut in pieces three fowls; reserve the best pieces of one of them for the terrine; cut the remainder very small: add to them a pound of lean ham, some garlic, bay-leaves, spices, whole mace, peppercorns, onions, pickles of any kind that are of a hot nature, and about four table-spoonfuls of good curry-powder. cover the ingredients with four quarts of strong veal stock, and boil them till the soup is well flavoured: then strain that to the fowl you have reserved, which must be fried with onions. simmer the whole till quite tender, and serve it up with plain boiled rice. _mulligatawny soup._ no. . boil a knuckle of veal of about five pounds weight; let it stand till cold; then strain, and fry it in a little butter. strain the liquor, and leave it till cold; take the fat off. fry four onions brown in butter, add four dessert spoonfuls of curry-powder, a little turmeric, a little cayenne; put all these together in the soup. let it simmer for two hours, and if not then thick enough, add a little suet and flour, and plain boiled rice to eat with it; and there should be a chicken or fowl, half roasted, and cut up in small pieces, then fried in butter of a light brown colour, and put into the soup instead of the veal, as that is generally too much boiled. _mulligatawny soup._ no. . have some good broth made, chiefly of the knuckle of veal: when cold skim the fat off well, and pass the broth when in a liquid state through the sieve. cut a chicken or rabbit into joints, (chicken or turkey is preferable to rabbit,) fry it well, with four or five middle-sized onions shred fine; shake a table-spoonful of curry-powder over it, and put it into the broth. let it simmer three hours, and serve it up with a seasoning of cayenne pepper. _onion soup._ no. . take twelve large spanish onions, slice and fry them in good butter. let them be done very brown, but not to burn, which they are apt to do when they are fried. put to them two quarts of boiling water, or weak veal broth; pepper and salt to your taste. let them stew till they are quite tender and almost dissolved; then add crumbs of bread made crisp, sufficient to make it of a proper thickness. serve hot. _onion soup._ no. . boil three pounds of veal with a handful of sweet herbs, and a little mace; when well boiled strain it through a sieve, skim off all the fat. pare twenty-five onions; boil them soft, rub them through a sieve, and mix them with the veal gravy and a pint of cream, salt, and cayenne pepper, to your taste. give it a boil and serve up; but do not put in the cream till it comes off the fire. _onion soup._ no. . take two quarts of strong broth made of beef; twelve onions; cut these in four quarters, lay them in water an hour to soak. brown four ounces of butter, put the onions into it, with some pepper and salt, cover them close, and let them stew till tender: cut a french loaf into slices, or sippets, and fry them in fresh butter; put them into your dish, and boil your onions and butter in your soup. when done enough, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and pour it into your dish with the fried sippets. you may add poached eggs, if it pleases your palate. _ox head soup._ bone the head and cut it in pieces; wash it extremely clean from the blood; set it on the fire in three gallons of water. put in a dozen onions, eight turnips, six anchovies, and a bundle of sweet herbs. let all stew together very gently, till it is quite tender. carefully skim off all the fat as it boils, but do not stir it. take cabbage lettuce, celery, chervil, and turnips, all boiled tender and cut small; put them into the soup, and let them boil all together half an hour. _another._ to half an ox's head put three gallons of water, and boil it three hours. clean and cut it small and fine; let it stew for an hour with one pint of water, which must be put to it boiling; then add the three gallons boiling. _green pea soup._ no. . take a knuckle of veal of about four pounds, chop it in pieces, and set it on the fire in about six quarts of water, with a small piece of lean ham, three or four blades of mace, the same of cloves, about two dozen peppercorns, white and black, a small bundle of sweet herbs and parsley, and a crust of french roll toasted crisp. cover close, and let it boil very gently over a slow fire till reduced to one half; then strain it off, and add a full pint of young green peas, a fine lettuce, cut small, four heads of celery, washed and cut small, about a quarter of a pound of fresh butter made hot, with a very little flour dredged into it, and some more lettuce cut small and thrown in. just fry it a little; put it into the soup; cover it close, and let it stew gently over a slow fire two hours. have a pint of old peas boiled in a pint of water till they are very tender, then pulp them through a sieve; add it to the soup, and let it all boil together, putting in a very little salt. there should be two quarts. toast or fry some crust of french roll in dice. _green pea soup._ no. . put one quart of old green peas into a gallon of water, with a bunch of mint, a crust of bread, and two pounds of fresh meat of any sort. when these have boiled gently for three hours, strain the pulp through a colander; then fry spinach, lettuce, beet, and green onions, of each a handful, not too small, in butter, and one pint of green peas, boiled; pepper and salt. mix all together, and let them just boil. the spinach must not be fried brown, but kept green. _green pea soup._ no. . boil the shells of your youngest peas in water till all the sweetness is extracted from them; then strain, and in that liquor boil your peas for the soup, with whole pepper and salt. when boiled, put them through a colander; have ready the young peas boiled by themselves; put a good piece of butter in a frying-pan with some flour, and into that some lettuce and spinach; fry it till it looks green, and put it into the soup with the young peas. when the greens are tender, it is done enough. _green pea soup._ no. . boil a quart of old peas in five quarts of water, with one onion, till they are soft; then work them through a sieve.--put the pulp in the water in which the peas were boiled, with half a pint of young peas, and two cabbage lettuces, cut in slices; then let it boil half an hour; pepper and salt, to your taste.--add a small piece of butter, mixed with flour, and one tea-spoonful of loaf sugar. _green pea soup._ no. . make a good stock for your soup of beef, mutton, and veal; season to your palate; let it stand till cold, then take off all the fat. take some old peas, boil them in water, with a sprig of mint and a large lettuce, strain them through a sieve; mix them with your soup till of proper thickness. then add three quarters of a pint of cream; simmer it up together, and have ready half a pint of young peas, or asparagus, ready boiled to throw in. if the soup is not of a fine green, pound some spinach, and put in a little of the juice, but not too much. _green pea soup._ no. . take a quart of old peas, three or four cabbage lettuces, two heads of celery, two leeks, one carrot, two or three turnips, two or three old onions, and a little spinach that has been boiled; put them over the fire with some good consommé, and let them do gently, till all are very tender. rub the whole through a tamis, or hair-sieve; put it in the pot. have about half a pint of very young peas, and the hearts of two cabbage lettuces, cut fine and stewed down in a little broth. put all together, with a small faggot of mint, and let it boil gently, skimming it well. when going to table, put into it fried bread, in dice, or crust of french roll. this quantity will be sufficient for a terrine. _winter pea soup._ take two quarts of old peas, a lettuce, a small bit of savoury, a handful of spinach, a little parsley, a cucumber, a bit of hock of bacon; stew all together till tender. rub the whole through a colander; add to it some good gravy, and a little cayenne or common pepper. these quantities will be sufficient for a large terrine. send it up hot with fried bread. _pea soup._ no. . take two pints of peas, one pound of bacon, two bunches of carrots and onions, two bunches of parsley and thyme; moisten the whole with cold water, and let them boil for four hours, adding more water to them if necessary. when quite done, pound them in a mortar, and then rub them through a sieve with the liquor in which they have been boiling. add a quart of the mixed jelly soup, boil it all together, and leave it on a corner of the fire till served. it must be thick and smooth as melted butter, and care taken throughout that it does not burn. _pea soup._ no. . take about three or four pounds of lean beef; cut it in pieces and set it on the fire in three gallons of water, with nearly one pound of ham, a small bundle of sweet herbs, another of mint, and forty peppercorns. wash a bunch of celery clean, put in the green tops; then add a quart of split peas. cover it close, and let the whole boil gently till two parts out of three are wasted. strain it off, and work it through a colander; put it into a clean saucepan with five or six heads of celery, washed and cut very small; cover it close, and let it stew till reduced to about three quarts: then cut some fat and lean bacon in dice, fry them just crisp; do the same by some bread, and put both into the soup. season it with salt to your taste. when it is in the terrine, rub a little dried mint over it. if you chuse it, boil an ox's palate tender, cut it in dice, and put in, also forcemeat balls. _pea soup._ no. . to a quart of split peas put three quarts of water, two good turnips, one large head of celery, four onions, one blade of ginger, one spoonful of flour of mustard, and a small quantity of cayenne, black pepper, and salt. let it boil over a slow fire till it is reduced to two quarts; then work it through a colander with a wooden spoon. set it on the fire, and let it boil up; add a quarter of a pound of butter mixed with flour; beat up the yolks of three eggs, and stir it well in the soup. gut a slice of bread into small dice; fry them of a light brown; put them into your soup-dish, and pour the soup over them. _pea soup._ no. . boil one onion and one quart of peas in three quarts of water till they are soft; then work them through a hair sieve. mix the pulp with the water in which the peas were boiled; set it over the fire and let it boil; add two cabbage lettuces, cut in slices, half a pint of young peas, and a little salt. let it boil quickly half an hour; mix a little butter and flour, and boil in the soup. _portable soup._ strip all the skin and fat off a leg of veal; then cut all the fleshy parts from the bone, and add a shin of beef, which treat in the same way; boil it slowly in three gallons of water or more according to the quantity of the meat; let the pot be closely covered: when you find it, in a spoon, very strong and clammy, like a rich jelly, take it off and strain it through a hair sieve into an earthen pan. after it is thoroughly cold, take off any fat that may remain, and divide your jelly clear of the bottom into small flatfish cakes in chinaware cups covered. then place these cups in a large deep stewpan of boiling water over a stove fire, where let it boil gently till the jelly becomes a perfect glue; but take care the water does not get into the cups, for that will spoil it all. these cups of glue must be taken out, and, when cold, turn out the glue into a piece of new coarse flannel, and in about six hours turn it upon more fresh flannel, and keep doing this till it is perfectly dry--if you then lay it by in a dry warm place, it will presently become like a dry piece of glue. when you use it in travelling, take a piece the size of a large walnut, seasoning it with fresh herbs, and if you can have an old fowl, or a very little bit of fresh meat, it will be excellent. _potato soup._ five large carrots, two turnips, three large mealy potatoes, seven onions, three heads of celery; slice them all thin, with a handful of sweet herbs; put them into one gallon of water, with bones of beef, or a piece of mutton; let them simmer gently till the vegetables will pulp through a sieve. add cayenne pepper, salt, a pint of milk, or half a pint of cream, with a small piece of butter beaten up with flour. _rabbit soup._ one large rabbit, one pound of lean ham, one onion, one turnip, and some celery, two quarts of water; let them boil till the rabbit is tender. strain off the liquor; boil a pint of cream, and add it to the best part of the rabbit pounded; if not of the thickness you wish, add some flour and butter, and rub it through a sieve. it must not be boiled after the cream is added. _root soup._ potatoes, french turnips, english turnips, carrots, celery, of each six roots; pare and wash them; add three or four onions; set them on the fire with the bones of a rump of beef, or, if you have no such thing, about two pounds of beef, or any other beef bones. chop them up, and put them on the fire with water enough to cover them; let them stew very gently till the roots are all tender enough to rub through a sieve. this done, cut a few roots of celery small, and put it to the strained soup. season it with pepper and salt, and stew it gently till the celery is tender; then serve it with toast or fried bread. a bundle of herbs may be boiled in it, just to flavour it, and then taken out. _scotch leek soup._ you make this soup to most advantage the day after a leg of mutton has been boiled, into the liquor from which put four large leeks, cut in pieces. season with pepper and salt, and let it boil gently for a quarter of an hour. mix half a pint of oatmeal with cold water till quite smooth; pour this into the soup; let it simmer gently half an hour longer; and serve it up. _to brown or colour soup._ to brown soup, take two lumps of loaf-sugar in an iron spoon; let it stand on the stove till it is quite black, and put it into soup. _seasoning for soups and brown sauces._ salt a bullock's liver, pressing it thoroughly with a great weight for four days. take ginger and every sort of spice that is used to meat, and half a pound of brown sugar, a good quantity of saltpetre, and a pound of juniper-berries. rub the whole in thoroughly, and let it lie six weeks in the liquor, boiling and skimming every three days, for an hour or two, till the liver becomes as hard as a board. then steep it in the smoke liquor that is used for hams, and afterwards hang it up to smoke for a considerable time. when used, cut slices as thin as a wafer, and stew them down with the jelly of which you make your sauce or soup, and it will give a delightful flavour. _soup._ no. . a quarter of a pound of portable soup, that is, one cake, in two quarts of boiling water; vegetables to be stewed separately, and added after the soup is dissolved. _soup._ no. . take a piece of beef about a stone weight, and a knuckle of veal, eight or ten onions, a bunch of thyme and parsley, an ounce of allspice, ten cloves, some whole pepper and salt; boil all these till the meat is all to pieces. strain and take off the fat. make about a quart of brown beef gravy with some of your broth; then take half a pound of butter and a good handful of flour mixed together, put it into a stewpan, set it over a slow fire, keeping it stirring till very brown; have ready what herbs you design for your soup, either endive or celery; chop them, but not too small; if you wish for a fine soup add a palate and sweetbreads, the palate boiled tender, and the sweetbreads fried, and both cut into small pieces. put these, with herbs, into brown butter; put in as much of your broth as you intend for your soup, which must be according to the size of your dish. give them a boil or two, then put in a quart of your gravy, and put all in a pot, with a fowl, or what you intend to put in your dish. cover it close, and, let it boil an hour or more on a slow fire. should it not be seasoned enough, add more salt, or what you think may be necessary: a fowl, or partridge, or squab pigeons, are best boiled in soup and to lie in the dish with it. _soup._ no. . cut three pounds of beef and one pound of veal in slices and beat it. put half a pound of butter and a piece of bacon in your pan, brown it, and sprinkle in half a spoonful of flour. cut two onions in; add pepper and salt, a bit of mace, and some herbs, then put in your meat, and fry it till it is brown on both sides. have in readiness four quarts of boiling water, and a saucepan that will hold both water and what is in your frying-pan. cover it close; set it over a slow fire and stew it down, till it is wasted to about five pints; then strain it off, and add to it what soup-herbs you like, according to your palate. celery and endive must be first stewed in butter; and peas and asparagus first boiled, and well drained from the butter, before you put it to the soup. stew it some time longer, and skim off all the fat; then take a french roll, which put in your soup-dish; pour in your soup, and serve it up. just before you take it off the fire, squeeze in the juice of a lemon. if veal alone is used, and fowl or chicken boiled in it and taken out when enough done, and the liquor strained, and the fowl or chicken put to the clear liquor, with vermicelli, you will have a fine white soup; and the addition of the juice of a lemon is a great improvement. the french cooks put in chervil and french turnips, lettuce, sorrel, parsley, beets, a little bit of carrot, a little of parsnips, this last must not boil too long--all to be strained off: to be sent up with celery, endive (or peas) or asparagus, and stuffed cucumbers. _soup without meat._ take two quarts of water, a little pepper, salt, and jamaica pepper, a blade of mace, ten or twelve cloves, three or four onions, a crust of bread, and a bunch of sweet herbs; boil all these well. take the white of two or three heads of endive, chopped, but not too small. put three quarters of a pound of butter in a stewpan that will be large enough to hold all your liquor. set it on a quick fire till it becomes very brown; then put a little of your liquor to prevent its turning, or oiling; shake in as much flour as will make it rather thick; then put in the endive and an onion shred small, stirring it well. strain all your liquor, and put it to the butter and herbs; let it stew over a slow fire almost an hour. dry a french roll, and let it remain in it till it is soaked through, and lay it in your dish with the soup. you may make this soup with asparagus, celery, or green peas, but they must be boiled before you put them to the burnt butter. _soup for the poor._ eight pails of water, two quarts of barley, four quarts of split peas, one bushel of potatoes, half a bushel of turnips, half a bushel of carrots, half a peck of onions, one ounce of pepper, two pounds of salt, an ox's head, parsley, herbs, boiled six hours, produce one hundred and thirty pints. boil the meat and take off the first scum before the other ingredients are put in. _another._ to feed one hundred and thirty persons, take five quarts of scotch barley, one quart of scotch oatmeal, one bushel of potatoes, a bullock's head, onions, &c., one pound and half of salt. _soup and bouilli_ may be made of ox-cheek, stewed gently for some hours, and well skimmed from the fat, and again when cold. small suet dumplings are added when heated for table as soup. _soupe à la reine, or queen's soup._ soak a knuckle of veal and part of a neck of mutton in water; put them in a pot with liquor, carrots, turnips, thyme, parsley, and onions. boil and scum it; then season with a head or two of celery; boil this down; take half a pound of blanched almonds, and beat them; take two fowls, half roasted, two sweetbreads set off; beat these in a mortar, put them in your stock, with the crumbs of two french rolls; then rub them through a tamis and serve up. _another._ for a small terrine take about three quarters of a pound of almonds; blanch, and pound them very fine. cut up a fowl, leaving the breast whole, and stew in consommé. when the breast is tender, take it out, (leaving the other parts to stew with the consommé) pound it well with the almonds and three hard-boiled yolks of eggs, and take it out of the mortar. strain the consommé, and put it, when the fat is skimmed off, to the almonds, &c. have about a quarter of a pint of scotch barley boiled very tender, add it to the other ingredients, put them into a pot with the consommé, and stir it over the fire till it is boiling hot and well mixed. rub it through a tamis, and season it with a little salt; it must not boil after being rubbed through. _soupe maigre._ no. . take the white part of eight loaved lettuces, cut them as small as dice, wash them and strain them through a sieve. pick a handful of purslain and half a handful of parsley, wash and drain them. cut up six large cucumbers in slices about the thickness of a crown-piece. peel and mince four large onions, and have in readiness three pints of young green peas. put half a pound of fresh butter into your stewpan; brown it of a high colour, something like that of beef gravy. put in two ounces of lean bacon cut clean from the rind, add all your herbs, peas, and cucumbers, and thirty corns of whole pepper; let these stew together for ten minutes; keep stirring to prevent burning. put one gallon of boiling water to a gallon of small broth, and a french roll cut into four pieces toasted of a fine yellow brown. cover your stewpan, and let it again stew for two hours. add half a drachm of beaten mace, one clove beaten, and half a grated nutmeg, and salt to your taste. let it boil up, and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. send it to table with all the bread and the herbs that were stewed in it. _soupe maigre._ no. . take of every vegetable you can get, excepting cabbage, in such quantity as not to allow any one to predominate; cut them small and fry them brown in butter; add a little water, and thicken with flour and butter. let this stew three hours very gently; and season to your taste. the french add french rolls. _soupe maigre._ no. . half a pound of butter, put in a stewpan over the fire, and let it brown. cut two or three onions in slices, two or three heads of celery, two handfuls of spinach, a cabbage, two turnips, a little parsley, three cabbage lettuces, a little spice, pepper and salt. stew all these about half an hour; then add about two quarts of water, and let it simmer till all the roots are tender. put in the crust of a french roll, and send it to table. _soupe maigre._ no. . cut three carrots, three turnips, three heads of celery, three leeks, six onions, and two cabbage lettuces in small pieces; put them in your stewpan with a piece of butter, the size of an egg, a pint of dried or green peas, and two quarts of water, with a little pepper and salt. simmer the whole over the fire till tender; then rub it through a sieve or tamis; add some rice, and let it simmer an hour before you serve it up. _soupe maigre._ no. . take three carrots, three turnips, three heads of celery, three leeks, six onions, two cabbage lettuces; cut them all in small pieces, and put them in your stewpan, with a piece of butter about the size of an egg, and a pint of dried or green peas, and two quarts of water. simmer them over the fire till tender, then rub through a sieve or tamis. add some rice, and let it simmer an hour before you serve it up. _soupe santé, or wholesome soup._ take beef and veal cut in thin slices; put sliced turnips, carrots, onions, bacon, in the bottom of your stewpan; lay your meat upon these, and over it some thin thyme, parsley, a head or two of celery. cover the whole down; set it over a charcoal fire; draw it down till it sticks to the bottom; then fill up with the above stock. let it boil slowly till the goodness is extracted from your meat; then strain it off. cut and wash some celery, endive, sorrel, a little chervil, spinach, and a piece of leek; put these in a stewpan, with a bit of butter. stew till tender, then put this in your soup; give it a boil up together, and skim the fat off. cut off the crust of french rolls; dry and soak them in some of your soup; put them into it, and serve your soup. _spanish soup._ put the scrag end of a neck of veal, two calves' feet, two pounds of fresh beef, one old fowl, into a pot well tinned, with six quarts of water, and a little salt, to raise the scum, which must be very carefully taken off. let these boil very gently two hours and a half, till the water is reduced to four quarts; then take out all the meat, strain the broth, and put to it a small quantity of pepper, mace, cloves, and cinnamon, finely pounded, with four or five cloves of garlic. a quarter of an hour afterwards add eight or ten ounces of rice, with six ounces of ham or bacon, and a drachm of saffron put into a muslin bag. observe to keep it often stirred after the rice is in, till served up. it will be ready an hour and a half after the saffron is in. you should put a fowl into it an hour before it is ready, and serve it up whole in the soup. this soup will keep two or three days. _turnip soup._ make a good strong gravy of beef or mutton; let it stand till cold; take off all the fat; pare some turnips and slice them thin; stew them till tender, then strain them through a sieve; mix the pulp with the gravy, till of a proper thickness:--then add three quarters of a pint of cream; boil it up, and send it to table. _veal soup._ take a knuckle of veal, and chop it into small pieces; set it on the fire with four quarts of water, pepper, mace, a few herbs, and one large onion. stew it five or six hours; then strain off the spice, and put in a pint of green peas until tender. take out the small bones, and send the rest up with the soup. _vegetable soup._ no. . take a quart of beef jelly and the same quantity of veal jelly: boil it, have some carrots and turnips, cut small, previously boiled in a little of the jelly; throw them in, and serve it up hot. _vegetable soup._ no. . take two cabbage and two coss lettuces, one hard cabbage, six onions, one large carrot, two turnips, three heads of celery, a little tarragon, chervil, parsley, and thyme, chopped fine, and a little flour fried in a quarter of a pound of butter (or less will do). then add three quarts of boiling water; boil it for two hours, stir it well, and add, before sending it to table, some crumbs of stale bread: the upper part of the loaf is best. _vegetable soup._ no. . let a quantity of dried peas (split peas), or haricots, (lentils) be boiled in common water till they are quite tender; let them then be gradually passed through a sieve with distilled water, working the mixture with a wooden spoon, to make what the french call a _puré_: and let it be made sufficiently liquid with distilled water to bear boiling down. then let a good quantity of fresh vegetables, of any or all kinds in their season, especially carrots, lettuces, turnips, celery, spinach, with always a few onions, be cut into fine shreds, and put it into common boiling water for three or four minutes to blanch; let them then be taken out with a strainer, added to and mixed with the _puré_, and the whole set to boil gently at the fire for at least two hours. a few minutes before taking the soup from the fire, let it be seasoned to the taste with pepper and salt. the soup, when boiling gently at the fire, should be very frequently stirred, to prevent its sticking to the side of the pan, and acquiring a burnt taste. _vegetable soup._ no. . cut two potatoes, one turnip, two heads of celery, two onions, one carrot, a bunch of sweet herbs; put them all into a stewpan; cover close; draw them gently for twenty minutes, then put two quarts of good broth, let it boil gently, and afterwards simmer for two hours. strain through a fine sieve; put it into your pan again; season with pepper and salt, and let it boil up. _vegetable soup._ no. . take four turnips, two potatoes, three onions, three heads of celery, two carrots, four cabbage lettuces, a bunch of sweet herbs, and parsley. the vegetables must be cut in slices; put them into a stewpan, with half a pint of water; cover them close; set them over the fire for twenty minutes to draw; add three pints of broth or water, and let it boil quickly. when the vegetables are tender rub them through a sieve. if you make the soup with water, add butter, flour, pepper, and salt. let it be of the thickness of good cream, and add some fine crumbs of bread with small dumplings. _vermicelli soup._ break the vermicelli a little, throw it into boiling water, and let it boil about two minutes. strain it in a sieve, and throw it into cold water: then strain and put it into a good clear consommé, and let it boil very slowly about a quarter of an hour. when it is going to table, season with a little salt, and put into it a little crust of french roll. _west india soup, called pepper pot._ a small knuckle of veal and a piece of beef of about three pounds, seven or eight pounds of meat in all; potherbs as for any other soup. when the soup is skimmed and made, strain it off. the first ingredient you add to the soup must be some dried ocre (a west india vegetable), the quantity according to your judgment. it is hard and dry, and therefore requires a great deal of soaking and boiling. then put in the spawn of the lobsters you intend for your soup, first pounding it very fine, and mixing it by degrees with a little of your soup cooled, or it will be lumpy, and not so smooth as it should be. put it into the soup-pot, and continue to stir some time after it is in. take about two middling handfuls of spinach and about six hearts of the inside of very nice greens; scald both greens and spinach before you put them to the soup, to take off the rawness; the greens require most scalding. squeeze them quite dry, chop and put them into the soup; then add all the fat and inside egg and spawn you can get from the lobsters, also the meat out of the tails and claws. add the green tops only of a large bundle of asparagus, of the sort which they call sprew-grass, previously scalded; a few green peas also are very good. after these ingredients are in, the soup should no more than simmer; and when the herbs are sufficiently tender it is done enough. this soup is not to be clear, on the contrary thick with the lobster, and a perfect mash with the lobster and greens. you are to put in lobster to your liking; i generally put in five or six, at least of that part of them which is called fat, egg, and inside spawn, sufficient to make it rich and good. it should look quite yellow with this. put plenty of the white part also, and in order that none of the goodness of the lobsters should be lost, take the shells of those which you have used, bruise them in a mortar, and boil them in some of the broth, to extract what goodness remains; then strain off the liquor and add it to the rest. scoop some potatoes round, half boiling them first, and put into it. season with red pepper. put in a piece of nice pickled pork, which must be first scalded, for fear of its being too salt; stew it with the rest and serve it. _white soup._ no. . take two chickens; skin them; take out the lungs and wash them thoroughly; put them in a stewpan with some parsley. add a quart of veal jelly, and stew them in this for one hour over a very slow fire. then take out the chickens, and put a penny roll to soak in the liquor; take all the flesh of the chickens from the bones, and pound it in a mortar, with the yolk of three eggs boiled hard. add the bread (when soaked enough) and pound it also with them; then rub the whole finely through a sieve. add a quart more jelly to the soup, and strain it through a sieve; then put the chicken to the soup. set a quart of cream on the fire till it boils, stirring it all the time; when ready to serve, pour that into the soup and mix it well together. have ready a little vermicelli, boiled in a little weak broth, to throw into the soup, when put into the terrine. _white soup._ no. . have good stock made of veal and beef; then take about a pound of veal, and the like quantity of ham, cut both into thin slices, and put them into a stewpan, with a pint of water and two onions cut small. set it on the fire and stew it down gently, till it is quite dry, and of a rather light brown colour; then add the stock, and let it all stew till the veal and ham are quite tender. strain it off into the stewpot; add a gill or more of cream, some blanched rice boiled tender, the quantity to your own judgment, the yolks of six eggs beaten up well with a little new milk: let the soup be boiling hot before the eggs are added, which put to it by degrees, keeping it stirring over a slow fire. serve it very hot: to prevent curdling, put the soup-pot into a large pot of boiling water, taking care that not the least drop of water gets in, and so make it boiling hot. _white soup._ no. . cut one pound of veal, or half a fowl, into small pieces; put to it a few sweet herbs, a crust of bread, an ounce of pearl barley well washed. set it over a slow fire, closely covered; let it boil till half is consumed; then strain it and take off the fat. have ready an ounce of sweet almonds blanched, pound them in a marble mortar, adding a little soup to prevent their oiling. mix all together. when you send it up, add one third of new milk or cream, salt and pepper to taste. _white soup._ no. . take a knuckle of veal, and put water according to the quantity of soup you require; let it boil up and skim it; then put in three ounces of lean bacon or ham, with two heads of celery, one carrot, one turnip, two onions, and three or four blades of mace, and boil for three or four hours. when properly boiled, strain it off, taking care to skim off all the fat; then put into it two ounces of rice, well boiled, half a pint of cream beaten up, and five or six yolks of eggs. when ready to serve, pour the soup to the eggs backward and forward to prevent it from curdling, and send it to table. you must boil the soup once after you add the cream, and before you put it to the eggs. three laurel leaves put into it in summer and six in winter make a pleasant addition, instead of sweet almonds. _white soup._ no. . make your stock with veal and chicken, and beat half a pound of almonds in a mortar very fine, with the breast of a fowl. put in some white broth, and strain off. stove it gently, and poach eight eggs, and lay in your soup, with a french roll in the middle, filled with minced chicken or veal, and serve very hot. _white soup._ no. . take a knuckle of veal; stew it with celery, herbs, slices of ham, and a little cayenne and white pepper; season it to your taste. when it is cleared off, add one pound of sweet almonds, a pint of cream, and the yolks of eight eggs, boiled hard and finely bruised. mix these all together in your soup; let it just boil, and send it up hot. you may add a french roll; let it be nicely browned. the ingredients here mentioned will make four quarts. _white soup._ no. . stock from a boiled knuckle of veal, thickened with about two ounces of sweet almonds, beaten to a paste, with a spoonful of water to prevent their oiling; a large slice of dressed veal, and a piece of crumb of bread, soaked in good milk, pounded and rubbed through a sieve; a bit of fresh lemon-peel and a blade of mace in the finest powder. boil all together about half an hour, and stir in about a pint of cream without boiling. broths. _broth for the poor._ a good wholesome broth may be made at a very reasonable rate to feed the poor in the country. the following quantities would furnish a good meal for upwards of fifty persons. take twenty pounds of the very coarse parts of beef, five pounds of whole rice, thirteen gallons of water; boil the meat in the water first, and skim it very well; then put in the rice, some turnips, carrots, leeks, celery, thyme, parsley, and a good quantity of potatoes; add a good handful of salt, and boil them all together till tender. _another._ four hundred quarts of good broth for the poor may be made as follows:--good beef, fifty pounds weight; beeves' cheeks, and legs of beef, five; rice, thirty pounds; peas, twenty-three quarts; black pepper, five ounces and a half; cayenne pepper, half an ounce; ground ginger, two ounces; onions, thirteen pounds; salt, seven pounds and a half; with celery, leeks, carrots, dried mint, and any other vegetable. _broth for the sick._ no. . boil one ounce of very lean veal, fifteen minutes in a little butter, and then add half a pint of water; set it over a very slow fire, with a spoonful of barley and a piece of gum arabic about the size of a nut. _broth for the sick._ no. . put a leg of beef and a scrag of mutton cut in pieces into three or four gallons of water, and let them boil twelve hours, occasionally stirring them well; and cover close. strain the broth, and let it stand till it will form a jelly; then take the fat from the top and the dross from the bottom. _broth for the sick._ no. . take twelve quarts of water, two knuckles of veal, a leg of beef, or two shins, four calves' feet, a chicken, a rabbit, two onions, cloves, pepper, salt, a bunch of sweet herbs. cover close, and let the whole boil till reduced to six quarts. strain and keep it for use. _barley broth._ take four or five pounds of the lean end of a neck of mutton, soak it well in cold water for some time, then put it in a saucepan with about four quarts of water and a tea-cupful of fine barley. just before it boils take it off the fire and skim it extremely well; put in salt and pepper to your taste, and a small bundle of sweet herbs, which take out before the broth is sent up. then let it boil very gently for some hours afterwards; add turnips, carrots, and onions, cut in small pieces, and continue to boil the broth till the vegetables are quite done and very tender. when nearly done it requires to be stirred frequently lest the barley should adhere. _another._ put on whatever bones you have; stew them down well with a little whole pepper, onions, and herbs. when done, strain it off, and next day take off all the fat. take a little pearl barley, boil it a little and strain it off; put it to the broth, add a coss lettuce, carrot, and turnip, cut small. boil all together some time, and serve it up. _chervil broth for cough._ boil a calf's liver and two large handfuls of chervil in four quarts of spring water till reduced to one quart. strain it, and take a coffee-cupful night and morning. _hodge-podge._ stew a scrag of mutton: put in a peck of peas, a bunch of turnips cut small, a few carrots, onions, lettuce, and some parsley. when sufficiently boiled add a few mutton chops, which must stew gently till done. _leek porridge._ peel twelve leeks; boil them in water till tender; take them out and put them into a quart of new milk; boil them well; thicken up with oatmeal, and add salt according to the taste. _madame de maillet's broth._ two ounces of veal, six carrots, two turnips, one table-spoonful of gum arabic, one table-spoonful of rice, two quarts of water; simmer for about two hours. _mutton broth._ the bone of a leg of mutton to be chopped small, and put into the stewpan with vegetables and herbs, together with a little drop of water, and drawn as gravy soup; add boiling water. _pork broth._ take a leg of pork fresh cut up; beat it and break the bone; put it into three gallons of soft water, with half an ounce of mace and the same quantity of nutmeg. let it boil very gently over a slow fire, until two thirds of the water are consumed. strain the broth through a fine sieve, and when it is cold take off the fat. drink a large cupful in the morning fasting, and between meals, and just before going to bed, warmed. season it with a little salt. this is a fine restorative. _potage._ boil a leg of beef, and a knuckle of veal, with a bunch of sweet herbs, a little mace and whole pepper, and a handful of salt. when the meat is boiled to rags or to a very strong broth, strain it through a hair sieve, and when it is cold, take off the fat. with raw beef make a gravy thus: cut your beef in pieces, put them in a frying-pan with a piece of butter or a slice of bacon, fry it very brown, then put it to some of your strong broth, and when it grows browner and thick till it becomes reduced to three pints of gravy, fill up your strong broth to boil with a piece of butter and a handful of sweet herbs. afterwards a chicken must be boiled and blanched and cut in slices; and two or three sweetbreads fried very brown; a turnip also sliced and fried. boil all these half an hour, and put them in the dish in which you intend to serve up, with three french rolls (cut in halves) and set it over a fire with a quart of your gravy, and some of your broth, covered with a dish, till it boils very fast, and as it reduces fill up with your broth till your bread is quite soaked. you may put into the dish either a duck, pigeon, or any bird you please; but whichever you choose, roast it first, and then let it boil in the dish with your bread. this may be made a pea soup, by only rubbing peas through a sieve. _scotch pottage._ place a tin saucepan on the fire with some boiling water; stir in scotch oatmeal till it is of the desired consistence: when done, pour it in a basin and add milk or cream to it. it is more nutritious to make it of milk instead of water, if the stomach will bear it. the scotch peasantry live entirely on this strengthening food. the best scotch oatmeal is to be bought at dudgeon's, in the strand. _scotch broth._ boil very tender a piece of thin brisket of beef, with trimmings of any other meat, or a piece of gravy beef; cut it into square pieces; strain off the broth and put it in a soup-pot; add the beef, cut in squares, with plenty of carrots, turnips, celery, and onions, cut in shapes and well boiled before put to the broth, and, if liked, some very small suet dumplings first boiled. season it to your palate. _turnip broth._ have a sufficient quantity of good strong broth as for any other soup, taking care that it is not too strongly flavoured by any of the roots introduced into it. peel a good quantity of the best turnips, selecting such as are not bitter. sweat them in butter and a little water till they are quite tender. rub them through a tamis, mix them with the broth; boil it for about half an hour. add half a pint of very good cream, and be careful not to have too fierce a fire, as it is apt to burn. _another._ put one pound of lean veal, pulled into small pieces in a pipkin, with two large or three middling turnips. cover the pipkin very close, to prevent water from getting into it; set it in a pot of water, and let it boil for two or three hours. a tea-cupful of the broth produced in the pipkin may be taken twice or thrice a day. _veal broth._ no. . take ten or twelve knuckles, such as are cut off from legs and shoulders of mutton, at the very shank; rub them with a little salt, put them in a pan of water for two or three hours, and wash them very clean; boil them in a gallon of spring water for an hour. strain them very clean, then put in two ounces of hartshorn shavings, and the bottom crust of a penny loaf; let it boil till the water is reduced to about three pints; strain it off, and when cold skim off the fat. take half a pint warm before you rise, and the same in bed at night. make it fresh three times a week in summer, and twice a week in winter: do not put in any lamb bones. this is an excellent thing. _veal broth._ no. . soak a knuckle of veal for an hour in cold water; put it into fresh water over the fire, and, as the scum rises, take it off; let it stew gently for two hours, with a little salt to make the scum rise. when it is sufficiently stewed, strain the broth from the meat. put in some vermicelli; keep the meat hot; and as you are going to put the soup into the terrine add half a pint of cream. _veal broth._ no. . take one pound of lean veal, one blade of mace, two table-spoonfuls of rice, one quart of water; let it boil slowly two hours; add a little salt. _veal broth._ no. .--_excellent for a consumption._ boil a knuckle of veal in a gallon of water; skim and put to it half a pound of raisins of the sun, stoned, and the bottoms of two manchets, with a nutmeg and a half sliced, and a little hartshorn. let it boil till reduced to half the quantity; then pound it all together and strain. add some brown sugar-candy, some rose-water, and also the juice of a lemon, if the patient has no cough. fish. _carp and tench._ scale the fish, take out the gut and gall; save all the blood. split the carp if large; cut it in large pieces, and salt it. boil some sliced parsley roots and onions tender in half a pint of water, adding a little cayenne pepper, ginger, cloves, and allspice, a lemon sliced, a little vinegar, and moist sugar, one glass of red wine, and some butter rolled in flour. then put in the fish, and let it boil very fast for half an hour in a stewpan. the blood is to be put in the sauce. _carp, to stew._ scale, gut, and cleanse them; save the roes and milts; stew them in some good broth: season, to your taste, with a bundle of herbs, onions, anchovies, and white wine; and, when they are stewed enough, thicken the sauce with the yolks of five eggs. pass off the roes, dip them in yolk of egg and flour, and fry them with some sippets of french bread; then fry a little parsley, and, when you serve up, garnish the dish with the roes, parsley, and sippets. _another way._ have your carp fresh out of the water; scale and gut them, washing the blood out of each fish with a little claret; and save that after so doing. cut your carp in pieces, and stew in a little fresh butter, a few blades of mace, winter savory, a little thyme, and three or four onions; after stewing awhile, take them out, put them by, and fold them up in linen, till the liquor is ready to receive them again, as the fish would otherwise be boiled to pieces before the liquor was reduced to a proper thickness. when you have taken out your fish, put in the claret that you washed out the blood with, and a pint of beef or mutton gravy, according to the quantity of your fish, with some salt and the butter in which you stewed the carp; and when this butter is almost boiled to a proper thickness put in your fish again; stew all together, and serve it up. two spoonfuls of elder vinegar to the liquor when taken up will give a very agreeable taste. _cod, to stew._ cut a cod into thin pieces or slices; lay them in rows at the bottom of a dish; put in a pint of white wine, half a pound of butter, a few oysters, with their liquor, a little pepper and salt, with some crumbs of bread. stew them all till they are done enough. garnish the dish with lemon. _cod, ragout of._ wash the cod clean, and boil it in warm water, with vinegar, pepper, salt, a bay-leaf, and lemon. make a sauce of burnt butter, fried flour, capers, and oysters. when you serve it up put in some black pepper and lemon-juice. _cod's head, to boil._ take vinegar and salt, a bunch of sweet herbs, and an onion; set them on the fire in a kettle of water; boil them and put in the head; and, while it is boiling, put in cold water and vinegar. when boiled, take it up, put it into a dish, and make sauce as follows:--take gravy and claret, boiled with a bundle of sweet herbs and an onion, two or three anchovies, drawn with two pounds of butter, a pint of shrimps, oysters, the meat of a lobster shred fine. you may stick little toasts on the head, and lay on and about the roe, milt, and liver. garnish the dish with fried parsley, lemon, barberries, horseradish, and fried fish. _crab, to dress._ take all the body and the meat of the legs, and put them together in a dish to heat, with a little broth or gravy, just to make them moist. when hot, have ready some good broth or gravy, with an anchovy dissolved in it, and the juice of a small lemon, heated; afterwards thicken it up with butter, and stir it in the crab, as it is, hot: then serve all up in the shell. _crab or lobster, to butter._ the crabs or lobsters being boiled and cold, take all the meat out of the shells and body; break the claws and take out the meat. shred it small; add a spoonful or two of claret, a little vinegar, and a grated nutmeg. let it boil up till it is thoroughly hot; then put in some melted butter, with anchovies and white gravy; thicken with the yolk of an egg or two, and when very hot put it into the large shell. put crumbs of bread over it, and brown it with a salamander. _crab, or lobster, to stew._ no. . a little cayenne, vinegar, butter, flour, and salt. cover it with water and let it stew gently. _crab, or lobster, to stew._ no. . when the lobsters are boiled, take out the tail and claws, and dip them in white wine; strew over them nutmeg, cloves, mace, salt, and pepper, mixed together. then pour over them some melted butter with a little white wine in it; send them to the bakehouse, and let them stand in a slow oven about half an hour. pour out the butter and wine, and pour on some fresh butter; when cold, cover them, and keep them in a cold place. _crab, or lobster, to stew._ no. . boil the lobsters; when cold take out all the meat; season it well with pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace pounded. put it into an earthen pot with as much clarified butter as will cover it; bake it well. while warm, take it out of the pot, and let the butter drain from it. break it as fine as you can with a spoon or knife; add more seasoning if required; put it as close as possible in the pot, and cover with clarified butter. the hen lobsters are best for this purpose, as the eggs impart a good colour. it may be pounded in a marble mortar, but, if baked enough, will do as well without it. _crawfish, to make red._ rub the fish with aqua vitæ, which will produce the desired effect most completely. _eels broiled whole._ skin, wash, and dry your eels, and score them with the knife, seasoning them with pepper, salt, thyme, parsley, and crumbs of bread, turning them round and skewering them across; you may either roast or broil them as you like best: the sauce to be melted butter with lemon juice. _eels, to collar._ scour large silver eels with salt; slit them, and take out the back-bones; wash and dry them; season with shred parsley, sage, an onion, and thyme. then roll each into collars, in a cloth; tie them close with the heads, bones, and a bundle of herbs, and boil them in salt and water. when tender, take them up, and again tie them close; drain the pickle, and put them into it. _eels, to fry._ cut every eel into eight pieces; mix them with a proper quantity of yolks of eggs, and well season with pepper, and salt, and bread rubbed fine, with parsley and thyme; then flour them, and fry them. you may cook them as plain as you like, with only salt and flour, and serve them up with melted butter and fried parsley. _eels, to pot._ into an earthen pan put jamaica and common pepper, pounded fine, and salt; mix them and strew some at the bottom of the pan; cut your eels and lay them over it, and strew a little more seasoning over them. then put in another layer of eels, repeating this process till all the eels are in. lay a few bay leaves upon them, and pour as much vinegar as you may think requisite; cover the pan with brown paper and bake them. pour off the liquor, cover them with clarified butter, and lay them by for use. _eels, to pickle._ drain, wash, and well cleanse your eels, and cut off the heads. cut them in lengths of four or five inches, with their skins on; stew in them some pepper and salt, and broil them on a gridiron a fine colour: then put them in layers in a jar, with bay-leaf, pepper, salt, a few slices of lemon, and a few cloves. pour some good vinegar on them; tie strong paper over, and prick a few holes in it. it is better to boil the seasoning with some sweet herbs in the vinegar, and let it stand to be cold before it is put over the eels. two yolks of eggs boiled hard should be put in the vinegar with a tea-spoonful of flour of mustard. two yolks are sufficient for twelve pounds of eels. _eels, to roast._ skin your eels; turn, scotch, and wash them with melted butter; skewer them crosswise; fix them on the spit, and put over them a little pepper, salt, parsley, and thyme; roast them quick. fry some parsley, and lay it round the dish; make your sauce of butter and gravy. _eels, to spitchcock._ leave the skin on the eels; scour them with salt; wash them; cut off their heads and slit them on the belly side; take out the bone and guts. wash and wipe them well; cut them in pieces three inches long, and wipe them quite dry. put two ounces of butter, with a little minced parsley, thyme, sage, pepper and salt, and a little chopped shalot, in a stewpan; when the butter is melted, stir the ingredients together, and take the pan off the fire; mix the yolks of two eggs with them and dip the eels in, a piece at a time; then roll them in bread crumbs, making as much stick on as you can. rub the gridiron with a bit of suet; set it over a clear fire, and broil your eels of a fine crisp brown; dust them with crisp parsley. sauce, anchovy and butter, or plain butter in a boat. _another way._ wash your eels well in their skins with salt and water; dry and slit them; take out the back-bone, and slash them: season them with chopped parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. clean the inside with melted butter; cut them into pieces about three inches long and broil them; make the sauce with butter and orange juice. _eels, to stew._ take five pounds of middling shafflings, cut off their heads, skin, and cut them in pieces as long as your finger. wash them in several waters; dry them well with a cloth, lay them in a pan, sprinkle over them half an ounce of white salt, and let them lie an hour. lay them in a stewpan, and add half a pint of french white wine, a quarter of a pint of water, two cloves beaten, a blade of mace, a large onion peeled, and the rind of a lemon; stew all these gently half an hour: then take the eels out of the liquor, skim off all the fat, and flour the eels all over; put to the liquor in which they were stewed an anchovy, washed and boned, and mix sorrel and parsley, half a handful of each, and half a pound of fresh butter. let it just boil up; put in the eels; when they boil, lay them on sippets in your dish, and send them up hot to table. _another way._ cover the fish close in a stewpan with a piece of butter as big as a walnut rolled in flour, and let it stew till done enough, which you will know by the eels being very tender. take them up and lay them on a dish; strain your sauce, and give it a quick boil and pour it over the fish. garnish with lemon. _fish, to recover when tainted._ when fish of any kind is tainted plunge it in cold milk, which will render it sweet again. _fish, in general, to dress._ take water, salt, half a pint of vinegar, a sprig of thyme, a small onion, and a little lemon peel; boil them all together, then put in your fish, and when done enough take them out, drain them well, and lay them over a stove to keep hot. if you fry fish, strew some crumbs of grated bread very fine over them, and fry them in sweet oil; then drain them well and keep them hot. _fish, to dress in sauce._ cut off the heads, tails, and fins, of two or three haddocks or other small fish; stew them in a quart of water, with a little spice and anchovy, and a bunch of sweet herbs, for a quarter of an hour; and then skim. roll a bit of butter in flour, and thicken the liquor; put down the fish, and stew them with a little chopped parsley, and cloves, or onions. _fish hashed in paste._ cut the fish into dice about three quarters of an inch square; prepare white sauce the same as for fowls, leaving out the mushrooms and truffles; add a little anchovy sauce to give it a good colour, and a pinch of cayenne pepper and salt. when the sauce is done, throw in the dice of fish, and when thoroughly hot serve it. there should be a little more butter in the sauce than is commonly used in the white sauce for fowls. _fish, to cavietch._ cut the fish into slices, season them with pepper and salt, and let them lie for an hour; dry them well with a cloth, flour and fry them brown in oil: boil a quantity of vinegar proportionate to that of the fish to be prepared: cover the fish with slices of garlic and some whole pepper and mace; add the same quantity of oil as vinegar, mix them well together, and salt to your taste. when the fish and liquor are quite cold, slice onions and lay at the bottom of the pan; then put a layer of fish, and so on, till the whole is in. the liquor must be cold before it is poured on the fish. _gudgeon._ dress as you would smelts. _haddocks, to bake._ bone two or three haddocks, and lay them in a deep pan with pepper, salt, butter and flour, and two or three anchovies, and sufficient water to cover them. cover the pan close for an hour, which is required to bake them, and serve them in the saucepan. _haddock baked._ let the inside of the gills be drawn out and washed clean; fill with bread crumbs, parsley, sweet herbs chopped, nutmeg, salt, pepper, a bit of butter, and grated lemon-peel; skewer the tail into the mouth, and rub it well with yolk of egg. strew over bread crumbs, and stick on bits of butter. bake the fish in a common oven, putting into the dish a little white wine and water, a bit of mace, and lemon-peel. serve up with oyster sauce, white fish sauce, or anchovy sauce; but put to the sauce what gravy is in the dish, first skimming it. _haddock pudding._ skin the fish; take out all the bones, and cut it in thin slices. butter the mould well, and throw round it the spawn of a lobster, before it is boiled. put alternate slices of haddock and lobster in the mould, and season to your taste. beat up half a pint of cream or more, according to the size of the mould, with three eggs, and pour on it: tie a cloth over, and boil it an hour. stew oysters to go in the dish. garnish with pastry. _herring._ the following is a swedish dish: take salted herring, some cold veal, an apple, and an onion, mince them all fine, and mix them well together with oil and vinegar. _lampreys, to pot._ well cleanse your lampreys in the following manner: the intestines and the pipe which nature has given them instead of a bone must be taken clear away, by opening them down the belly from head to tail. they must then be rubbed with wood-ashes, to remove the slime. then rub with salt, and wash them in three or four waters. let them be quite free from water before you proceed to season them thus:--take, according to the quantity you intend to pot, allspice ground with an equal quantity of black pepper, a little mace, cayenne pepper, salt, about the same quantity as that of all the other seasoning; mix these well together, and rub your lampreys inside and out. put them into an earthen pan or a well-tinned copper stewpan, with some good butter under and over, sufficient to cover them, when dissolved. put in with them a few bay-leaves and the peel of a lemon. let them bake slowly till they are quite done; then strain off the butter, and let them lie on the back of a sieve till nearly cold. then place them in pots of suitable size, taking great care to rub the seasoning well over them as you lay them in; because the seasoning is apt to get from the fish when you drain them. carefully separate the butter which you have strained from the gravy; clarify it, and, when almost cold, pour it into your pots so as to cover your fish completely. if you have not sufficient butter for this purpose you must clarify more, as the fish must be entirely hid from sight. they are fit for use the next day. great care must be taken to put them into the pots quite free from the gravy or moisture which they produce. _another way._ skin your fish, cleanse them with salt, and wipe them dry. beat some black pepper, mace, and cloves; mix them with salt, and season your fish with it. put them in a pan; cover with clarified butter; bake them an hour and season them well; remove the butter after they are baked; take them out of their gravy, and lay them on a coarse cloth to drain. when quite cold, season them again with the same seasoning. lay them close in the pot; cover them completely with clarified butter; and if your butter is good, they will keep a long time. _lobsters, to butter._ put by the tails whole, to be laid in the middle of the dish; cut the meat into large pieces; put in a large piece of butter, and two spoonfuls of rhenish wine; squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and serve it up. _lobster fricassee._ cut the meat of a lobster into dice; put it in a stewpan with a little veal gravy; let it stew for ten minutes. a little before you send it to table beat up the yolk of an egg in cream: put it to your lobster, stirring it till it simmers. pepper and salt to your taste. dish it up very hot, and garnish with lemon. _lobsters, to hash._ take the meat out of a boiled lobster as whole as you can. break all the shells; to these and the remains of the body, the large claws excepted, as they have no goodness in them, put some water, cayenne pepper, salt, and common pepper. let them stew together till the liquor has a good flavour of the lobster, but observe that there must be very little water, and add two teaspoonfuls of anchovy pickle. strain through a common sieve; put the meat of the lobster to the gravy; add some good rich melted butter, and send to table. lobster sauce is made in the same way, only the meat should be cut smaller than for hashing. hen lobsters are best. _lobsters, to pot._ boil four moderate-sized lobsters, take off the tails, and split them. take out the flesh as whole as possible; pick the meat out of the body and chine; beat it fine, and season with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and mace, and season separately, in the same manner, the tails and claws, which must also be taken out as whole as you can. clarify a pound of the very finest butter; skim it clean; put in the tails and claws, with what you have beaten, and let it boil a very short time, stirring it all the while lest it should turn. let it drain through a sieve, but not too much; put it down close in a pot, and, when it is a little cooled, pour over the butter which you drained from it. when quite cold, tie it down. the butter should be the very best, as it mixes with the lobster spawn, &c., and is excellent to eat with the rest or spread upon bread. _lobsters, to stew._ half boil two fine lobsters; break the claws and take out the meat as whole as you can; cut the tails in two, and take out the meat; put them in a stewpan, with half a pint of gravy, a gill of white wine, a little beaten mace, cayenne pepper, salt, a spoonful of ketchup, a little anchovy liquor, and a little butter rolled in flour. cover and stew them gently for twenty minutes. shake the pan round frequently to prevent the contents from sticking; squeeze in a little lemon. cut the chines in four; pepper, salt, and broil them. put the meat and sauce in a dish, and the chines round for garnish. _lobster curry powder._ eleven ounces of coriander seed, six drachms of cayenne pepper, one ounce of cummin, one ounce and a half of black pepper, one ounce and a half of turmeric, three drachms of cloves, two drachms of cardamoms. _lobster patés._ rub two ounces of butter well into half a pound of flour; add one yolk of an egg and a little water, and make it into a stiff paste. sheet your paté moulds very thin, fill them with crumbs of bread, and bake lightly. turn out the crumbs and save them. cut your lobster small; add to it a little white sauce, and season with pepper and salt. take care that it is not too thin. fill your moulds; cover with the crumbs which you saved, and a quarter of an hour before dinner put them into the oven to give them a light colour. oyster patés are done the same way. _lobster salad._ boil a cauliflower, pull it in pieces, and put it in a dish with a little pepper, salt, and vinegar. have four or five hard-boiled eggs, boiled beet-root, small salad, and some anchovies, nicely cleaned and cut in lengths. put a layer of small salad at the bottom of the dish, then a layer of the cauliflower, then the eggs cut in slices, then the beet, and so on. take the claws and tail of the lobster, cut as whole as possible, and trim, to be laid on the top. the trimmings and what you can get out may be put in at the time you are laying the cauliflower, &c. in the dish. make a rich salad sauce with a little elder vinegar in it, and pour it over. lay the tails and claws on the top, and cross the shreds of the anchovies over them. _mackarel à la maitre d'hotel._ boil the fish, and then put it in a stewpan, with a piece of butter and sweet herbs. set it on the fire till the butter becomes oil. _mackarel, to boil._ boil them in salt and water with a little vinegar. fennel sauce is good to eat with them, and also coddled gooseberries. _mackarel, to broil._ you may split them or broil them whole; pepper and salt them well. for sauce, scald some mint and fennel, chop them small; then melt some butter and put your herbs in. you may scald some gooseberries and lay over your mackarel. _mackarel, to collar._ collar them as eels, only omit the sage, and add sweet herbs, a little lemon-peel, and seasoning to your taste. _mackarel, to fry._ for frying you may stuff the fish with crumbs of bread, parsley well chopped, lemon-peel grated, pepper and salt, mixed with yolk of egg. serve up with anchovy or fennel sauce. _mackarel, to pickle._ cut the mackarel into four or five pieces; season them very high; make slits with a penknife, put in the seasoning, and fry them in oil to a good brown colour. drain them very dry; put them into vinegar, if they are to be kept for any time; pour oil on the top. _mackarel, to pot._ proceed in the same manner as with eels. _mackarel, to souse._ wash and clean your fish: take out the roes, and boil them in salt and water; when enough, take them out and lay them in the dish; pour away half the liquor they were boiled in, and add to the rest of the liquor as much vinegar as will cover them and two or three bay leaves. let them lie three days before they are eaten. _mackarel pie._ cut the fish into four pieces; season them to your taste with pepper, salt, and a little mace, mixed with a quarter of a pound of beef suet, chopped fine. put at the bottom and top, and between the layers of fish, a good deal of young parsley, and instead of water a little new milk in the dish for gravy. if you like it rich, warm about a quarter of a pint of cream, which pour in the pie when baked; if not, have boiled a little gravy with the heads. it will take the same time to bake as a veal pie. _mullet, to boil._ let them be boiled in salt and water, and, when you think them done enough, pour part of the water from them, and put a pint of red wine, two onions sliced, some nutmeg, salt, and vinegar, beaten mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, and the juice of a lemon. boil all these well together, with two or three anchovies; put in your fish; and, when they have simmered some time, put them into a dish and strain the sauce over. if you like, shrimps or oysters may be added. _mullet, to broil._ let the mullet be scaled and gutted, and cut gashes in their sides; dip them in melted butter, and broil them at a great distance from the fire. sauce--anchovy, with capers, and a lemon squeezed into it. _mullet, to fry._ carefully scale and gut the fish, score them across the back, and then dip them into melted butter. melt some butter in a stewpan; let it clarify. fry your mullet in it; when done, lay them on a warm dish. sauce--anchovy and butter. _oysters, to stew._ take a quart of large oysters; strain the liquor from them through a sieve; wash them well, and take off the beards. put them in a stewpan, and drain the liquor from the settlings. add to the oysters a quarter of a pound of butter mixed with flour and a gill of white wine, and grate in a little nutmeg with a gill of cream. keep them stirred till they are quite thick and smooth. lay sippets at the bottom of the dish; pour in your oysters, and lay fried sippets all round. _another way._ put a quarter of a pound of butter into a clean stewpan, and let it boil. strain a pint of oysters from their liquor; put them into the butter; and let them stew with some parsley minced small, a little shalot shred small, and the yolks of three eggs well beaten up with the liquor strained from the oysters. put all these together into the stewpan with half a pound more butter; shake it and stew them a little; if too much, you make the oysters hard. _oysters, ragout of._ twenty-five oysters, half a table-spoonful of soy, double the quantity of vinegar, a piece of butter, and a little pepper, salt, and flour. _oysters, to pickle._ blanch the oysters, and strain off the liquor; wash the oysters in three or four waters; put them into a stewpan, with their liquor and half a pint of white wine vinegar, two onions sliced thin, a little parsley and thyme, a blade of mace, six cloves, jamaica pepper, a dozen corns of white pepper, and salt according to your taste. boil up two or three minutes; let them stand till cold; then put them into a dish, and pour the liquor over them. _oyster patés._ no. . stew the oysters in their own liquor, but do not let them be too much done; beard them; take a table-spoonful of pickled mushrooms, wash them in two or three cold waters to get out the vinegar; then cut each mushroom into four, and fry them in a little butter dusted over with flour. take three table-spoonfuls of veal jelly, and two spoonfuls of cream; let it boil, stirring all the while; add a small bit of butter. season with a pinch of salt, and one of cayenne pepper. throw the oysters, which you have kept warm in a cloth near the fire, into the sauce; see that it is all hot; then have the patés ready, fill them with the oysters and sauce, and put a top on each. when the paste of oyster patés is done, remove the tops gently and cleanly with a knife; take out the flaky part of the paste inside and from the inside of the top; cut six little pieces of bread square so as to fill the inside; lay on the top of the paste. then place them on a sheet of paper in a dish, and put them before the fire, covering them with a cloth to keep them hot. when you are going to serve them take out the piece of bread, and fill the patés with the oysters and sauce. _oyster patés._ no. . spread some puff-paste about half an inch thick. cut out six pieces with a small tea-cup. rub a baking sheet over with a brush dipped in water, and put the patés on it at a little distance from each other. glaze them thoroughly with the yolk and white of egg mixed up; open a hole at the top of each with a small knife; cut six tops of the size of a crown-piece, and place them lightly on the patés. let them be baked, and when done remove the tops, and place the crust on paper till ready to serve up; then fill them with oysters (as described in the preceding recipe) put the tops over them, and dish them upon a folded napkin. _oyster patés._ no. . parboil your oysters, and strain them from their liquor, wash the beard, and cut them in flour. put them in a stewpan, with an ounce of butter rolled in flour, half a gill of cream, and a little grated lemon-peel, if liked. free the oyster liquor from sediment, reduce it by boiling to one half; add cayenne pepper and salt. stir it over the fire, and fill your patés. _oyster loaves._ cut out the crumb of three french rolls; lay them before the fire till they are hot through, turning them often. melt half a pound of butter; put some into the loaves; put on their tops, and boil them till they are buttered quite through. then take a pint of oysters, stewed with half a pint of water, one anchovy, a little pepper and salt, a quarter of a pound of butter, and as much sauce as will make your sauce thick. give it a boil. put as many oysters into your loaves as will go in; pour the rest of the sauce all over the loaves in the dish in which they are served up. _oyster pie._ beard the oysters; scald and strain them from their liquor, and season the liquor with pepper, salt, and anchovy, a lump of butter, and bread crumbs. boil up to melt the anchovies; then just heat your oysters in it; put them all together into your pie-dish, and cover them with a puff-paste. if you put your oysters into a fresh pie, you must cover them at the top with crisped crumbs of bread; add more to the savouring if you like it. _perch, to fricassee._ boil the perch, and strip them of the bones; half cover them with white wine; put in two or three anchovies, a little pepper and salt, and warm it over the fire. put in a little parsley and onions, with yolks of eggs well beaten. toss it together; put in a little thick butter; and serve it up. _pike, to dress._ if you would serve it as a first dish, do not scale it; take off the gills, and, having gutted it, boil it in court bouillon, as a side-dish, or _entrée_. it may be served in many ways. cut it into pieces, and put it into a stewpan, with a bit of butter, a bunch of all sorts of sweet herbs, and some mushrooms; turn it a few times over the fire, and shake in a little flour; moisten it with some good broth and a pint of white wine, and set it over a brisk fire. when it is done, add a trifle of salt and cayenne pepper, the yolk of three eggs, and half a pint of cream, stirring it till well mixed. serve up hot. _pike stuffed, to boil._ clean a large pike; take out the gills; prepare a stuffing with finely grated bread, all sorts of sweet-herbs, particularly thyme, some onions, grated lemon-peel, oysters chopped small, a piece of butter, the boiled yolk of two eggs, and a sufficient quantity of suet to hold the ingredients together. put them into the fish, and sew it up. turn the tail into the mouth, and boil it in pump water, with two spoonfuls of vinegar and a handful of salt. it will take forty minutes to boil, if a large fish. _pike, to boil, à-la-française._ wash well, clean, and scale a large pike, and cut it into three pieces; boil an equal quantity of white wine and water with lemon-peel, and when the liquor boils put your pike in, with a handful of salt. when done, lay it on sippets, and stick it with bits of fried bread. sauce--melted butter, with slices of lemon in it, the yolks of three eggs, and some grated nutmeg. pour your sauce over the pike, and serve it up. _pike, to broil._ split it, and scotch it with a knife on the outside; season it with salt; put the gridiron on a clear fire, make it very hot, then lay on the pike; baste it with butter, turn it often, and, when broiled crisp and stiff put it into a dish, and serve it up with butter and the juice of lemons, or white wine vinegar. garnish with slices of oranges or lemons. _pike in court bouillon._ scale and well wash your pike; lay it in a pan; pour vinegar and salt over it; let it lie for an hour, then take it out, season with pepper, a little salt, sweet herbs, cloves, and a bay leaf, with a piece of butter. wrap it up in a napkin, and put it into a stewpan, with some white wine, a lemon sliced, a little verjuice, nutmeg, cloves, and a bay leaf. let this liquor boil very fast; put in the pike, and when done lay it on a warm dish, and strain the liquor into a saucepan; add to it an anchovy washed and boned, a few capers, a little water, and a piece of butter rolled in flour: let these simmer till of proper thickness, and pour them over the fish. _pike fricandeau._ cut a pike in several pieces, according to its size, after having scaled, gutted, and washed, it. lard all the upper part with bacon cut small, and put it into a stewpan with a glass of red wine (or white wine if for white sauce) some good broth, a bunch of sweet-herbs, and some lean veal cut into dice. when it is stewed and the sauce strained off, complete it in the manner of any other fricandeau; putting a good sauce under it, either brown or white, as you chuse. _pike, german way of dressing--delicious!_ take a pike of moderate size; when well washed and cleansed, split it down the back, close to the bone, in two flat pieces. set it over the fire in a stewpan with salt and water; half boil it. take it out; scale it; put it into the stewpan again, with a very little water, and some mushrooms, truffles, and morels, an equal quantity, cut small; add a bunch of sweet herbs. let it stew very gently, closely covered, over a very slow fire, or the fish will break; when it is almost done, take out the herbs, put in a cupful of capers, chopped small, three anchovies split and shred fine, a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a table-spoonful of grated parmesan cheese. pour in a pint of white wine, and cover the stewpan quite close. when the ingredients are mixed, and the fish quite done, lay it in a warm dish, and pour the sauce over it. _pike, to pot._ after scaling the fish, cut off the head, split it, take out the back-bone, and strew it over with bay salt and pepper. cover and bake it; lay it on a coarse cloth to drain, and when cold put it in a pot that will just hold it, and cover with clarified butter. if not well drained from the gravy it will not keep. _pike, to roast._ scale and slash the fish from head to tail; lard it with the flesh of eels rolled up in sweet-herbs and seasoning; fill it with fish and forced meat. roast it at length; baste and bread it; make the sauce of drawn butter, anchovies, the roe and liver, with mushrooms, capers, and oysters. ornament with sliced lemon. _pike au souvenir._ wash a large pike; gut and dry it; make a forcemeat with eel, anchovy, whiting, pepper, salt, suet, thyme, bread crumbs, parsley, and a bit of shalot, mixed with the yolks of eggs; fill the inside of the fish with this meat; sew it up; after which draw with your packing-needle a piece of packthread through the eyes of the pike, through the middle and the tail also in the form of s; wash it over with the yolk of an egg, and strew it with the crumbs of bread. roast or bake it with a caul over it. sauce--melted butter and capers. _pike à la tatare, or in the tartar fashion._ clean your pike; gut and scale it; cut it into bits, and lay it in oil, with salt, cayenne pepper, parsley, scallions, mushrooms, two shalots, the whole shred very fine; grate bread over it and lay it upon the gridiron, basting it, while broiling, with the rest of the oil. when it is done of a good colour, serve it in a dry dish, with sauce _à la remoulade_ [see sauces] in a sauce-boat. _fresh salmon, to dress._ cut it in slices, steep it in a little sweet butter, salt and pepper, and broil it, basting it with butter while doing. when done, serve over it any of the fish sauces, as described (see the sauces), or you may serve it with court bouillon, which will do for all kinds of fish whatever. _salmon, to dress _en caisses_, that is, in small paper cases._ take two slices of fresh salmon, about the thickness of half a finger; steep it an hour in sweet butter with mushrooms, a clove of garlic, and a shalot, all shred fine, half a laurel-leaf, thyme, and basil, reduced to a fine powder, salt, and whole pepper. then make a neat paper box to contain your salmon; rub the outside of it with butter, and put the salmon with all its seasoning and covered with grated bread into it; do it in an oven, or put the dish upon a stove, and, when the salmon is done, brown it with a salamander. when you serve it, squeeze in the juice of a large lemon. if you serve it with spanish sauce, the fat must be taken off the salmon before you put in the sauce. _salmon à la poële, or done on the stove._ put three or four slices of fillet of veal, and two or three of ham, having carefully cut off the fat of both, at the bottom of a stewpan, just the size of the salmon you would serve. lay the salmon upon it, and cover it with thin slices of bacon, adding a bunch of parsley, scallions, two cloves of garlic, and three shalots. boil it gently over a moderate stove fire, a quarter of an hour; moisten it with a glass of champagne, or fine white wine; let it continue to stew slowly till thoroughly done; and the moment before you serve it strain off the sauce, laying the salmon in a hot dish. add to the sauce five or six spoonfuls of cullis; let it boil up two or three times, and then pour it over the salmon, and serve up. _scallops._ pick the scallops, and wash them extremely clean; make them very dry. flour them a very little. fry them of a fine light brown. make a nice, strong, light sauce of veal and a little ham; thicken a very little, and gently stew the scallops in it for half an hour. _shrimps, to pot._ pick the finest shrimps you can procure; season them with a little mace beaten fine, and pepper and salt to your taste. add a little cold butter. pound all together in a mortar till it becomes a paste. put it into small pots, and pour over it clarified butter. _another way._ to a quart of pickled shrimps put two ounces of fresh butter, and stew them over a moderate fire, stirring them about. add to them while on the fire twelve white peppercorns and two blades of mace, beaten very fine, and a very little salt.--let them stew a quarter of an hour: when done, put them down close in pots, and pour clarified butter over them when cold. _smelts, to fry._ dry and rub them with yolk of egg; flour or strew some fine bread crumbs on them; when fried, lay them in the dish with their tails in the middle of it. anchovy sauce. _smelts, to pickle._ take a quarter of a peck of smelts, and put them into a jar, and beat very fine half an ounce of nutmegs, and the same quantity of saltpetre and of pepper, a quarter of an ounce of mace, and a quarter of a pound of common salt. wash the fish; clean gut them, after which lay them in rows in a jar or pan; over every layer of smelts strew your seasoning, with some bay-leaves, and pour on boiled red wine sufficient to cover them. put a plate or a cover over, and when cold tie them down close. _smelts, to pot._ clean the inside of the fish, and season them with salt, pounded mace, and pepper. bake them, and when nearly cold lay them upon a cloth; then put them into pots, taking off the butter from the gravy; clarify it with more butter, and pour it on them. _soles, to boil._ the soles should be boiled in salt and water. anchovy sauce. _soles, to boil, à-la-française._ put a quart of water and half a pint of vinegar into an earthen dish; skin and clean a pair of soles; put them into vinegar and water, let them remain there for two hours. dry them with a cloth, and put them into a stewpan, with a pint of wine, a quarter of a pint of water, a little sweet marjoram, a very little thyme, an onion stuck with four cloves, and winter savory. sprinkle a very little bay salt, covering them close. let them simmer gently till they are done; then take them out, and lay them in a warm dish before the fire. put into the liquor, after it is strained, a piece of butter rolled in flour; let it boil till of a proper thickness; lay your soles in the dish, and pour the sauce over them. a small turbot or any flat fish may be done the same way. _soles, to stew._ cut and skin the soles, and half fry them; have ready the quantity you like of half white wine and half water, mixed with some gravy, one whole onion, and a little whole pepper. stew them all together, with a little shred lemon, and a few mushrooms. when they are done enough, thicken the sauce with good butter, and serve it up. _water souchi._ put on a kettle of water with a good deal of salt in it, and a good many parsley roots; keep it skimmed very clean, and when it boils up throw in your perch or whatever fish you use for the purpose. when sufficiently boiled, take them up and serve them hot. have ready a pint or more of water, in which parsley roots have been boiled, till it has acquired a very strong flavour, and when the fish are dished throw some of this liquor over them. the dutch sauce for them is made thus:--to a pint of white wine vinegar add a blade or two of mace; let it stew gently by the fire, and, when the vinegar is sufficiently flavoured by the mace, put into it about a pound of butter. shake the saucepan now and then, and, when the butter is quite melted, make all exceedingly hot; have ready the yolks of four good eggs beaten up. you must continue beating them while another person gently pours to them the boiling vinegar by degrees, lest they should curdle; and continue stirring them all the while. set it over a gentle fire, still continuing to stir until it is very hot and of the thickness you desire; then serve it. _sprats, to bake._ wipe your sprats with a clean cloth; rub them with pepper and salt, and lay them in a pan. bruise a pennyworth of cochineal; put it into the vinegar, and pour it over the sprats with some bay-leaves. tie them down close with coarse paper in a deep brown pan, and set them in the oven all night. they eat very fine cold. you may put to them a pint of vinegar, half a pint of red wine, and spices if you like it; but they eat very well without. _sturgeon, to roast._ put a walnut-sized bit of butter (or more if it is a large fish), rolled in flour, in a stewpan, with sweet-herbs, cloves, a gill of water, and a spoonful of vinegar; stir it over the fire, and when it is lukewarm take it off, and put in your sturgeon to steep. when it has been a sufficient time to take the flavour of the herbs, roast it, and when done, serve it with court bouillon, or any other fish sauce. _turbot, to dress._ wipe your turbot very dry, then take a deep stewpan, put in the fish, with two bay-leaves, a handful of parsley, a large onion stuck with cloves, some salt, and cayenne; heat a pint of white wine boiling hot, and pour it upon the turbot; then strain in some very strong veal gravy, (made from your stock jelly,) more than will cover it; set it over a stove, and let it simmer very gently, that the full strength of the ingredients may be infused into it. when it is quite done, put it on a hot dish; strain the gravy into a saucepan, with some butter and flour to thicken it. plaice, dabs, and flounders, may be dressed in the same way. _turbot, plain boiled._ make a brine with two handfuls of salt in a gallon of water, let the turbot lie in it two hours before it is to be boiled; then set on a fish-kettle, with water enough to cover it, and about half a pint of vinegar, or less if the turbot is small; put in a piece of horseradish; when the water boils put in the turbot, the white side uppermost, on a fish-plate; let it be done enough, but not too much, which will be easily known by the look. a small one will take twenty minutes, a large one half an hour. then take it up, and set it on a fish-plate to drain, before it is laid in the dish. see that it is served quite dry. sauce--lobster and white sauce. _turbot, to boil._ put the turbot into a kettle, with white wine vinegar and lemon; season with salt and onions; add to these water. boil it over a gentle fire, skimming it very clean. garnish with slices of lemon on the top. _turbot, to boil in gravy._ wash and well dry a middling sized turbot; put it with two bay-leaves into a deep stew-dish, with some cloves, a handful of parsley, a large onion, and some salt and pepper, add a pint of boiling hot white wine, strain in some strong veal gravy that will more than cover the fish, and remove it on one side that the ingredients may be well mixed together. lay it on a hot dish, strain the gravy into a saucepan with some butter and flour, pour a little over the fish, and put the remainder in a sauce terrine. _turbot, to boil in court bouillon, with capers._ be very particular in washing and drying your turbot. take thyme, parsley, sweet-herbs of all sorts, minced very fine, and one large onion sliced; put them into a stewpan, then lay in the turbot--the stewpan should be just large enough to hold the fish--strew over the fish the same herbs that are under it, with some chives and a little sweet basil; pour in an equal quantity of white wine and white wine vinegar, till the fish is completely covered; strew in a little bay salt with some pepper. set the stewpan over a stove, with a very gentle fire, increasing the heat by degrees, till it is done sufficiently. take it off the fire, but do not take the turbot out: let it stand on the side of the stove. set a saucepan on the fire, with a pound of butter and two anchovies, split, boned, and carefully cleansed, two large spoonfuls of capers cut small, some chives whole, and a little cayenne, nutmeg grated, a little flour, a spoonful of vinegar, and a little broth. set the saucepan over the stove, keep shaking it round for some time, and then leave it at the side of the stove. take up the stewpan in which is the turbot, and set it on the stove to make it quite hot; then put it in a deep dish; and, having warmed the sauce, pour it over it, and serve up. soles, flounders, plaice, &c. are all excellent dressed in the same way. _turbot, to fry._ it must be a small turbot. cut it across, as if it were ribbed; when it is quite dry, flour it, and put it into a large frying-pan with boiling butter enough to cover it; fry it brown, then drain it. put in enough claret to cover it, two anchovies, salt, a scruple of nutmeg and ginger, and let it stew slowly till half the liquor is wasted; then take it out, and put in a piece of butter, of the size of a walnut, rolled in flour, and a lemon minced, juice and all. let these ingredients simmer till of a proper thickness. rub a hot dish with an eschalot or onion; pour the sauce in, and lay the turbot carefully in the midst. _turbot or barbel, glazed._ lard the upper part of your turbot or barbel with fine bacon. let it simmer slowly between slices of ham, with a little champagne, or fine white, and a bunch of sweet-herbs. put into another stewpan part of a fillet of veal, cut into dice, with one slice of ham; stew them with some fine cullis, till the sauce is reduced to a thick gravy. when thoroughly done, strain it off before you serve it, and, with a feather, put it over your turbot to glaze it. then pour some good cullis into the stewpan, and toss it up as a sauce to serve in the dish, adding the juice of a lemon. _turbot, to dress _en gras_, or in a rich fashion._ put into a stewpan a small quantity of broth, several slices of veal, and an equal quantity of ham, a little cayenne, and a bunch of sweet-herbs. let it stew over a very slow stove, and add a glass of champagne. when this is completely done, serve it with any of the sauces, named in the article sauces, added to its own. _turbot or barbel, to dress _en maigre,_ or in a lean fashion._ put into a stewpan a large handful of salt, a pint of water, a clove of garlic, onions, and all sorts of sweet kitchen herbs, the greater variety the better, only an equal quantity of each. boil the whole half an hour over a slow fire; let it settle. pour off the clear part of the sauce, and strain it through a sieve; then put twice as much rich milk as there is of the brine, and put the fish in it over a very slow fire, letting it simmer only. when your turbot is done, pour over it any of the sauces named as being proper for fish in the article sauces. _turtle, to dress._ after having killed the turtle, divide the back and belly, cleaning it well from the blood in four or five waters, with some salt; take away the fins from the back, and scrape and scald them well from the scales; then put the meat into the saucepan, with a little salt and water just to cover it; stew it, and keep skimming it very clean all the while it is stewing. should the turtle be a large one, put a bottle of white wine; if a small one, half that quantity. it must be stewed an hour and a half before you put in the wine, and the scum have done rising; for the wine being put in before turns it hard; and, while it is stewing, put an onion or two shred fine, with a little parsley, thyme, salt, and black pepper. after it has stewed tender, take it out of the saucepan, and cut it into small pieces; let the back shell be well washed clean from the blood, and rub it with salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, and onions, shred fine, mixed well together; put a layer of seasoning into the shell, and lay on your meat, and so continue till the shell is filled, covering it with seasoning. if a large turtle, two pounds of butter must be cut into bits, and laid between the seasoning and the meat. you must thicken the soup with butter rolled in flour. an hour and a half is requisite for a large turtle. _whiting, to dry._ take the whiting when they come fresh in, and lay them in salt and water about four hours, the water not being too salt. hang them up by the tails two days near a fire, after which, skin and broil them. made dishes. _asparagus forced in french rolls._ take out the crumb of three french rolls, by first cutting off a piece of the top crust; but be careful to cut it so neatly that the crust fits the place again. fry the rolls brown in fresh butter. take a pint of cream, the yolks of six eggs beaten fine, a little salt and nutmeg; stir them well together over a slow fire until the mixture begins to be thick. have ready a hundred of small asparagus boiled; save tops enough to stick in the rolls; the rest cut small and put into the cream; fill the rolls with it. before you fry the rolls, make holes thick in the top crust to stick the asparagus in; then lay on the piece of crust, and stick it with asparagus as if it was growing. _eggs, to dress._ boil or poach them in the common way. serve them on a piece of buttered toast, or on stewed spinach. _eggs buttered._ no. . take the yolks and whites; set them over the fire with a bit of butter, and a little pepper and salt; stir them a minute or two. when they become rather thick and a little turned in small lumps, pour them on a buttered toast. _eggs buttered._ no. . put a lump of butter, of the size of a walnut; beat up two eggs; add a little cream, and put in the stewpan, stirring them till they are hot. add pepper and salt, and lay them on toast. _eggs buttered._ no. . beat the eggs well together with about three spoonfuls of cream and a little salt; set the mass over a slow fire, stirring till it becomes thick, without boiling, and have a toast ready buttered to pour it upon. milk with a little butter, about the size of a walnut, may be used instead of the cream. _eggs, scotch._ take half a pound of the flesh of a fowl, or of veal, or any white meat (dressed meat will do), mince it very small with half a pound of suet and the crumb of a french roll soaked in cream, a little parsley, plenty of lemon-peel shred very small, a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg; pound all these together, adding a raw egg, till they become a paste. boil as many eggs as you want very hard; take out the yolks, roll them up in the forcemeat, and make them the size and shape of an egg. fry them till they are of a light brown, and toss them up in a good brown sauce. quarter some hard-boiled eggs, and spread them over your dish. _eggs for second course._ boil five eggs quite hard; clear away the shells, cut them in half, take out the yolks, and put the whites into warm water. pound the yolks in a mortar till they become very fine. have ready some parsley and a little onion chopped as fine as possible; add these to the yolks, with a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper. add a sufficient quantity of hot cream to make it into a thick even paste; fill the halves of the whites with this, and keep the whole in hot water. prepare white sauce; place the eggs on a dish in two rows, the broad part downward; pour the sauce over them, and serve up hot. _eggs to fry as round as balls._ put three pints of clarified butter into a deep stewpan; heat it as hot as for fritters, and stir the butter with a stick till it turns round like a whirlpool. break an egg into the middle, and turn it round with the stick till it is as hard as a poached egg. the whirling round of the butter makes it as round as a ball. take it up with a slice; put it in a dish before the fire. do as many as you want; they will be soft, and keep hot half an hour. serve on stewed spinach. _eggs, fricassee of._ boil the eggs pretty hard; cut them in round slices; make white sauce and pour it over them; lay sippets round your dish, and put a whole yolk in the middle. _eggs à la crême._ boil the eggs, which must be quite fresh, twelve minutes; and throw them into cold water. when cold, take off the shell without breaking the white. have a little shalot and parsley minced fine and mixed; pass it with a little fresh butter. when done enough, set it to cool. cut the eggs through the middle; put the whites into warm water; pound the yolks very fine; put them into your stewpan, with a little cream, pepper, and salt. make the whole very hot, and dish. two gills of cream will be sufficient for ten eggs. _ham, essence of._ take six pounds of ham; cut off all the skin and fat, and cut the lean into slices about an inch thick; lay them in the bottom of a stewpan, with slices of carrots, parsnips, six onions sliced; cover down very close, and set it over a stove. pour on a pint of veal cullis by degrees, some fresh mushrooms cut in pieces, if to be had, if not, mushroom powder, truffles, morels, two cloves, a basil leaf, parsley, a crust of bread, and a leek. cover down close, and let it simmer till the meat is quite dissolved. a little of this sauce will flavour any lighter sauce with great zest and delicacy. _maccaroni in a mould of pie crust._ prepare a paste, as generally made for apple-pies, of an oval shape; put a stout bottom to it and no top; let it bake by the fire till served. prepare a quarter of a pound of maccaroni, boil it with a little salt and half an ounce of butter; when done, put it in another stewpan with an ounce more of butter, a little grated cheese, and a spoonful of cream. drain the maccaroni, and toss it till the cheese be well mixed; pour it into a dish; sprinkle some more grated cheese over it, and baste it with a little butter. when ready to be served, put the maccaroni into the paste, and dish it up hot without browning the cheese. _maccaroni, to dress._ no. . stew one pound of gravy beef to a rich gravy, with turnips and onions, but no carrots; season it high with cayenne, and fine it with whites of eggs. when the gravy is cold, put in the maccaroni; set it on a gentle fire; stir it often that it may not burn, and let it stew an hour and a half. when you serve it up add of cheshire cheese grated as much as will make the maccaroni relishing. _maccaroni._ no. . boil two ounces of maccaroni in plenty of water an hour and a half, and drain it through a sieve. put it into a saucepan, and beat a little bit of butter, some pepper and salt, and as much grated cheese as will give a proper flavour. put it into the saucepan with the maccaroni, and add two spoonfuls of cream. set it on the fire, and stew it up. put it on your dish; strew a little grated cheese over it, and brown with a salamander. _maccaroni._ no. . boil the maccaroni till tender; cut it in pieces about two inches long; put it into either white or brown sauce, and let it stew gently for half an hour. either stir in some grated cheese, or send it in plain. pepper and salt to your taste. _maccaroni._ no. . soak a quarter of a pound of maccaroni in milk for two hours; put it into a stewpan, boil it well, and thicken with a little flour and butter. season it with pepper and salt to your taste; and add three table-spoonfuls of cream. put it in a dish; add bread crumbs and sliced cheese, and brown with a salamander. _maccaroni._ no. . set on the fire half a gallon of water; when it boils put into it one pound of maccaroni, with a quarter of a pound of salt; let it boil a quarter of an hour, then strain very dry, put it in a stewpan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; let it fry a quarter of an hour longer. add pepper and grated cheese; stew them together; then put the maccaroni into a terrine, and shake some grated cheese on it. it is very good with a-la-mode beef gravy instead of butter. _maccaroni._ no. . boil a quarter of a pound of maccaroni till it is quite tender; lay it on a sieve to drain; then put it into a tossing-pan with about a gill of cream and a piece of butter rolled in flour. boil five minutes, pour it on a plate, and lay parmesan cheese toasted all over it. _maccaroni._ no. . break a quarter of a pound of pipe maccaroni into pieces about an inch long, put it into a quart of boiling broth; boil it for three hours; then strain it off from the broth, and make a sauce with a bit of butter, a little flour, some good broth, and a little cream; when it boils add a little parmesan cheese. put your maccaroni into the sauce, and just stir it together. put it on the dish for table, with grated parmesan cheese over it, and give it a good brown colour with a hot shovel or salamander. _maccaroni._ no. . boil three ounces of maccaroni in water till quite tender; lay it on a sieve to drain; when dry, put it into a stewpan, over a charcoal fire, with three or four spoonfuls of fresh cream, one ounce of butter, and a little grated parmesan cheese. set it over a slow fire till quite hot, but it must not boil; pour it into your hot dish; shake a little of the cheese over the top, and brown with a salamander. _omelets._ should be fried in a small frying-pan, made for the purpose; with a small quantity of butter. their great merit is to be thick; therefore use only half the number of whites that you do of yolks of eggs. the following ingredients are the basis of all omelets: parsley, shalot, a portion of sweet-herbs, ham, tongue, anchovy, grated cheese, shrimps, oysters, &c. _omelet._ no. . slice very thin two onions, about two ounces each; put them in a stewpan with three ounces of butter; keep the pan covered till done, stirring now and then, and, when of a nice brown, stir in as much flour as will produce a stiff paste. add by degrees as much water or milk as will make it the thickness of good cream, and stew it with pepper and salt; have ready hard-boiled eggs (four or five); you may either shred or cut them in halves or quarters. _omelet._ no. . beat five eggs lightly together, a small quantity of shalot, shred quite fine; parsley, and a few mushrooms. fry, and be careful not to let it burn. when done add a little sauce. _omelet._ no. . break five eggs into a basin; add half a pint of cream, a table-spoonful of flour, a little pounded loaf-sugar, and a little salt. beat it up with a whisk for five minutes; add candied citron and orange peel; fry it in two ounces of butter. _omelet._ no. . take six or seven eggs, a gill of good cream, chopped parsley, thyme, a very small quantity, shalot, pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg. put a little butter in your frying-pan, which must be very clean or the omelet will not turn out. when your butter is melted, and your omelet well beat, pour it in, put it on a gentle fire, and as it sets keep moving and mixing it with a spoon. add a little more butter if required. when it is quite loose from the bottom, turn it over on the dish in which it is to be served. _omelet._ no. . break eight eggs into an earthen pan, with a little pepper and salt, and water sufficient to dissolve the salt; beat the eggs well. throw an ounce and a half of fresh butter into a frying-pan; melt it over the fire; pour the eggs into the pan; keep turning them continually, but never let the middle part be over the fire. gather all the border, and roll it before it is too much done; the middle must be kept hollow. roll it together before it is served. a little chopped parsley and onions may be mixed with the butter and eggs, and a little shalot or pounded ham. _omelet._ no. . four eggs, a little scraped beef, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, lemon peel, parsley, burnet, chervil, and onion, all fried in lard or butter. _asparagus omelet._ beat up six eggs, put some cream to them. boil some asparagus, cut off the green heads, and mix with the eggs; add pepper and salt. make the pan hot; put in some butter; fry the omelet, and serve it hot. _a french omelet._ beat up six eggs; put to them a quarter of a pint of cream, some pepper, salt, and nutmeg; beat them well together. put a quarter of a pound of butter, made hot, into your omelet-pan, and fry it of a light brown. double it once, and serve it up plain, or with a white sauce under it. if herbs are preferred, there should be a little parsley shred, and green onion cut very fine, and serve up fried. _ragout for made dishes._ boil and blanch some cocks' combs, with sweetbreads sliced and lambs' stones; mix them up in gravy, with sweet-herbs, truffles, mushrooms, oysters, and savoury spice, and use it when you have occasion. _trouhindella._ chop fine two pounds of veal, fat and lean together; slice crumb of bread into some warm milk: squeeze it out of the milk and put it to the veal; season with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; make it up in three balls, and fry it in butter half an hour. put a quart of mutton or veal broth into the pan, and let it stew three quarters of an hour, or till it is reduced to a quarter of a pint of strong gravy. meats and vegetables. _artichokes, to fricassee._ scrape the bottom clean; cut them into large dice, and boil them, but not too soft. stove them in a little cream, seasoned with pepper and salt; thicken with the yolks of four eggs and melted butter, and serve up. _bacon, to cure._ no. . use two pounds of common salt; one pound of bay salt; one pound of brown sugar; two ounces of saltpetre; two ounces of ground black pepper. _bacon, to cure._ no. . take half a pound of saltpetre, or let part of it be petre salt, half a pound of bay salt, and one pound of coarse sugar; pound and mix them well together. rub this mixture well into the bacon, and cover it completely with common salt. dry it thoroughly, and keep it well packed in malt dust. _bacon, to cure._ no. . for sixty pounds' weight of pork take three pounds of common salt, half a pound of saltpetre, and half a pound of brown sugar. the sugar must be put on first and well rubbed in, and last of all the common salt. let the meat lie in salt only a week, and then hang it at a good distance from the fire, but in a place where a fire is constantly kept. when thoroughly dry, remove it into a garret, and there let it remain till wanted for use. _barbicue._ cut either the fore quarter or leg of a small pork pig in the shape of a ham; roast it well, and a quarter of an hour before it is enough done, baste it with madeira wine; then strain the madeira and gravy in the dripping-pan through a sieve; mix to your taste with cayenne pepper and lemon-juice; and serve it in the dish. _alamode beef._ no. . take a piece of the round of beef, fresh and tender; beat it well, and to six pounds of beef put one pound of bacon, cut into large pieces for larding, and season it with pepper, cloves, and salt. lard your beef, and put it into your stewpan, with a bay-leaf or two, and two or three onions, a bunch of parsley, a little lemon-peel, three spoonfuls of vinegar, and the same quantity of beer. cover it close, and set it over a gentle charcoal fire; stew it very gently that your liquor may come out; and shake it often to prevent its sticking. as the liquor increases, make your fire a little stronger, and, when enough done, skim off all the fat, and put in a glass of claret. stew it half an hour longer, and when you take it off your fire squeeze in the juice of a lemon, and serve up. it must stew five hours; and is as good cold as hot. _alamode beef._ no. . lard the mouse-buttock with fat bacon, sprinkled with parsley, scallions, mushrooms, truffles, morels, one clove of garlic shred fine, salt, and pepper. let it stew five or six hours in its own gravy, to which add, when it is about half done, a large spoonful of brandy. it should be done in an earthen vessel just large enough to contain it, and may be served hot or cold. _alamode beef._ no. . lard a piece of beef with fat bacon, dipped in pepper, vinegar, allspice, and salt; flour it all over; cut two or three large onions in thin slices; lay them at the bottom of the stewpan with as much butter as will fry your beef; lay it in and brown it all over; turn it frequently. pour to it as much boiling water as will cover it; add a little lemon-peel, and a bunch of herbs, which must be taken out before done enough; when it has stewed about two hours turn it. when finished, put in some mushrooms or ketchup, and serve up. _alamode beef, in the french manner._ take the best part of the mouse-buttock, between four and seven pounds, larded well with fat bacon, and cut in square pieces the length and thickness of your beef. before you lard it, take a little mace, six cloves, some pepper and salt, ground all together, and mix it with some parsley, shalot, and a few sweet-herbs; chop them small, roll your bacon in this mixture, and lard your beef. skewer it well, and tie it close with a string; put two or three slices of fat bacon at the bottom of your stewpan, with three slices of carrot, two onions cut in two, and half a pint of water; put your beef in, and set your stewpan on the fire. after the beef has stewed about ten minutes, add more hot water, till it half covers the meat; let it boil till you feel with your finger that your beef is warm or hot through. lay two or three slices of fat bacon upon your beef, add a little mace, cloves, pepper, and salt, a few slices of carrot, a small bunch of sweet-herbs, and celery tied together, a little garlic if you like it. cut a piece of paper, of the size of your cover; well grease it with butter or lard; put it over your pan, cover it close, and let it stew over a very slow fire seven or eight hours. if you like to eat the beef cold, do not uncover the pan till it is so, for it will be the better for it. if you choose to stew a knuckle of veal with the beef, it will add greatly to the flavour. _rump of beef, with onions._ having extracted the bones, tie it compactly in a good shape, and stew it in a pan that will allow for fire at the top. put in a pint of white wine, some good broth, a slice of veal, two of bacon, or ham, which is better, a large bunch of kitchen herbs, pepper and salt. when the beef is nearly half done, add a good quantity of onions. the beef being thoroughly done, take it out and wipe off the grease; place it in the dish in which it is to be served at table, put the onions round it, and pour over it a good sauce, any that suits your taste. _rump of beef, to bake._ bone a rump of beef; beat it thoroughly with a rolling-pin, till it is very tender; cut off the sinew, and lard it with large pieces of bacon; roll your larding seasoning first--of pepper, salt, and cloves. lard athwart the meat that it may cut handsomely; then season the meat all over with pepper and salt, and a little brown sugar. tie it neatly up with packthread across and across, put the top undermost, and place it in an earthen pan. take all the bones that came out of it, and put them in round and round the beef, so that it cannot stir; then put in half a pound of butter, two bay-leaves, two shalots, and all sorts of seasoning herbs, chopped fine. cover the top of the pot with coarse paste; put it in a slow oven; let it stand eight hours; take it out, and serve it in the dish in which it is to go to table, with its own juice, and some have additional broth or gravy ready to add to it if it is too dry. _rump of beef, cardinal fashion._ choose a rump of beef of moderate size, say ten or twelve pounds; take out the bones; beat it, and lard it with a pound of the best bacon, mingled with salt and spices, without touching the upper parts. rub half a quarter of a pound of saltpetre in powder into the meat that it may look red; and put it into a pan with an ounce of juniper-berries a little bruised, a tea-spoonful of brown sugar, a little thyme, basil, and a pound of salt; and there let it remain, the pan being covered close, for eight days. when the meat has taken the salt, wash it in warm water, and put some slices of bacon upon the upper part on that side which is covered with fat, and tie a linen cloth over it with packthread. let it stew gently five hours, with a pint and a half of red wine, a pint of water, six onions, two cloves of garlic, five carrots, two parsnips, a laurel leaf, thyme, basil, four or five cloves, parsley, and scallions. when it is done, it may be either served up hot, or left to cool in its own liquor, and eaten cold. _beef, sausage fashion._ take a slice of beef, about half an inch thick and four or five wide; cut it in two equal parts; beat them well to make them flat, and pare the edges neatly. mince your parings with beef suet, parsley, onions, mushroom, a shalot, two leaves of basil, and mix them into a forcemeat with the yolks of four eggs. a little minced ham is a great addition. spread this forcemeat upon the slices of beef, and roll them up in the form of sausages. tie them with packthread, and stew them in a little broth, a glass of white wine, salt, pepper, an onion stuck with cloves, a carrot, and a parsnip. when they are done, strain off the liquor, and, having skimmed off the fat, reduce it over the fire to the consistence of a sauce; take care that it be not too highly flavoured, and serve it over your sausages, or they may be served on sorrel, spinach, or any other sauce you prefer. _ribs and sirloin of beef._ when the ribs and sirloin are tender, they are commonly roasted, and eaten with their own gravy. to make the sirloin still better, take out the fillet: cut it into thin slices, and put it into a stewpan, with a sauce made with capers, anchovies, mushrooms, a little garlic, truffles, and morels, the whole shred fine, turned a few times over the fire, with a little butter, and moistened with some good cullis. when the sauce is skimmed and seasoned to your taste, put in the fillet with the gravy of the meat, and heat and serve it over the ribs or sirloin. _rib of beef, en papillotes, (in paper.)_ cut a rib of beef neatly, and stew it with some broth and a little pepper and salt. when the meat is done enough, reduce the sauce till it sticks to the rib, and then steep the rib in butter, with parsley, scallions, shalots, and mushrooms, shred fine, and a little basil in powder. wrap the rib, together with its seasoning, in a sheet of white paper, folding the paper round in the form of a curling paper or papillote; grease the outside, and lay it upon the gridiron, on another sheet of greased paper, over a slow fire. when it is done, serve it in the paper. _brisket of beef, stewed german fashion._ cut three or four pounds of brisket of beef in three or four pieces of equal size, and boil it a few minutes in water; in another pan boil the half of a large cabbage for a full quarter of an hour; stew the meat with a little broth, a bunch of parsley, scallions, a little garlic, thyme, basil, and a laurel-leaf; and an hour afterwards put in the cabbage, cut into three pieces, well squeezed, and tied with packthread, and three large onions. when the whole is nearly done, add four sausages, with a little salt and whole pepper, and let it stew till the sauce is nearly consumed; then take out the meat and vegetables, wipe off the grease, and dish them, putting the beef in the middle, the onions and cabbage round, and the sausages upon it. strain the sauce through a sieve, and, having skimmed off the fat, serve it over the ragout. the beef will take five hours and a quarter at the least to stew. _beef, to bake._ take a buttock of beef; beat it in a mortar; put to it three pounds of bacon cut in small pieces; season with pepper and salt, and mix in the bacon with your hands. put it into a pot, with some butter and a bunch of sweet-herbs, covering it very close, and let it bake six hours. when enough done, put it into a cloth to strain; then put it again into your pot, and fill it up with butter. _beef bouilli._ take the thick part of the brisket of beef, and let it lie in water all night; tie it up well, and put it to boil slowly, with a small faggot of parsley and thyme, a bag of peppercorns and allspice, three or four onions, and roots of different sorts: it will take five or six hours, as it should be very tender. take it out, cut the string from it, and either glaze it or sprinkle some dry parsley that has been chopped very fine over it; sprinkle a little flour on the top of it, with gherkin and carrot. the chief sauce for it is _sauce hachée_, which is made thus: a little dressed ham, gherkin, boiled carrot, and the yolk of egg boiled, all chopped fine and put into brown sauce. _another way._ take about eight or nine pounds of the middle part of the brisket; put it into your stew-kettle (first letting it hang up for four or five days) with a little whole pepper, salt, and a blade or two of mace, a turnip or two, and an onion, adding about three pints or two quarts of water. cover it up close, and when it begins to boil skim it; let it stand on a very slow fire, just to keep it simmering. it will take five hours or more before it is done, and during that time you must take the meat out, in order to skim off the fat. when it is quite tender take your stewpan, and brown a little butter and flour, enough to thicken the gravy, which you must put through a colander, first adding sliced carrots and turnips, previously boiled in another pot. you may also, if you choose, put in an anchovy, a little ketchup, and juice of lemon; but these are omitted according to taste. when the gravy is thus prepared, put the meat in again; give it a boil, and dish it up. _relishing beef._ take a round of the best piece of beef and lard it with bacon; half roast it; put it in a stewpan, with some gravy, an onion stuck with cloves, half a pint of white wine, a gill of vinegar, a bunch of sweet-herbs, pepper, cloves, mace, and salt; cover it down very close, and let it only simmer till it is quite tender. take two ox-palates, two sweetbreads, truffles, morels, artichoke-bottoms, and stew them all together in some good gravy, which pour over the beef. have ready forcemeat balls fried, made in different shapes; dip some sippets into butter, fry and cut them three-corner-ways, stick them into the meat; lay the balls round the dish. _beef, to stew._ take a pound and a half of the fat part of a brisket, with four pounds of stewing beef, cut into pieces; put these into a stewpan, with a little salt, pepper, a bunch of sweet-herbs and onions, stuck with cloves, two or three pieces of carrots, two quarts of water, and half a pint of good small beer. let the whole stew for four hours; then take some turnips and carrots cut into pieces, a small leek, two or three heads of celery, cut small, and a piece of bread toasted hard. let these stew all together one hour longer; then put the whole into a terrine, and serve up. _another way._ put three pounds of the thin part of the brisket of beef and half a pound of gravy beef in a stewpan, with two quarts of water, a little thyme, marjoram, parsley, whole pepper and salt, a sufficient quantity, and an onion; let it stew six hours or more; then add carrots, turnips, (cut with a machine) and celery cut small, which have all been previously boiled; let the vegetables be stewed with the beef one hour. just before you take it off the fire, put in some boiled cabbage chopped small, some pickled cucumbers and walnuts sliced, some cucumber liquor, and a little walnut liquor. thicken the sauce with a lump of butter rolled in flour. strew the cut vegetables over the top of the meat. _cold beef, to dress._ slice it as thin as possible; slice, also, an onion or shalot; squeeze on it the juice of a lemon or two; then beat it between two plates, as you do cucumbers. when it is very well beaten, and tastes sharp of the lemon, put it into the dish, in which it is to be served; pick out the onion, and strew over it some fine shred parsley and fine bread crumbs; then pour on it oil and mustard well mixed; garnish with sliced lemon. _cold boiled beef, to dress._ when your rump or brisket of beef has been well boiled in plain water, about an hour before you serve it up take it out of the water, and put it in a pot just large enough to contain it. there let it stew, with a little of its own liquor, salt, basil, and laurel; and, having drained, put it into the dish on which it is to be served for table, and pour over it a sauce, which you must have previously ready, made with gravy, salt, whole pepper, and a dash of vinegar, thickened over the stove with the yolks of three eggs or more, according to the size of the beef and the quantity of sauce wanted. then cover beef and all with finely grated bread; baste it with butter, and brown it with a salamander. _cold beef, to pot._ cut the beef small; add to it some melted butter, two anchovies well washed and boned, a little jamaica pepper beat very fine. beat them well together in a marble mortar till the meat is yellow; then put it into pots, and cover it with clarified butter. _beef steaks to broil._ when your steak is nearly broiled, chop some large onions, as fine as possible, and cover the steak thickly with it, the last time you turn it, letting it broil till fit to send to table, when the onion should quite cover the steak. pour good gravy in the dish to moisten it. _beef steaks and oysters._ put two dozen oysters into a stewpan with their own liquor; when it boils add a spoonful of water; when the oysters are done drain them in a sieve, and let the liquor settle; then pour it off clear into another vessel; beard them, and add a pint of jelly gravy to the liquor; add a piece of butter and two spoonfuls of flour to thicken it. let this boil fifteen minutes; then throw in the oysters, and let it stand. take a beef-steak, pare it neatly round, and dress it as usual; when done, lay it on a hot dish, and pour the sauce and oysters over it. _rump steaks broiled, with onion gravy._ peel and slice two large onions; put them into a stewpan with two table-spoonfuls of water; set it on a slow fire till the water is boiled away and the onions have become a little brown. add half a pint of good broth; boil the onions till tender; strain the broth from them, and chop them fine; thicken with flour and butter, and season with mushroom ketchup, pepper, and salt; put the onions in, and boil it gently for five minutes: pour the gravy over a broiled rump-steak. _beef steaks, to stew._ pepper and salt two fine rump steaks; lay them in a stewpan with a few cloves, some mace, an onion, one anchovy, a bundle of sweet herbs, a gill of white wine, and a little butter mixed with flour; cover them close, stew them very gently till they are tender, and shake the pan round often to keep them from sticking. take them carefully out, flour and fry them of a nice brown in fresh butter, and put them in a dish. in the mean time strain off the gravy from the fat out of the frying-pan, and put it in the sauce, with a dozen oysters blanched, and a little of the oyster liquor; give it a boil up, pour it over the steaks, and garnish with horseradish. you may fry them first and then stew them; put them in a dish, and strain the sauce over them without any oysters, as a common dish. _another way._ beat three pounds of rump steaks; put them in a stewpan, with a pint of water, the same quantity of small beer, six cloves, a large onion, a bunch of sweet-herbs, a carrot, a turnip, pepper, and salt. stew this very gently, closely covered, for four or five hours; but take care the meat does not go to rags, by being done too fast. take up the meat, and strain the gravy over it. have turnips cut into balls, and carrots into shapes, and put them over the meat. _beef olives._ take a rump of beef, cut into steaks, about five inches long and not half an inch thick. lay on some good forcemeat, made with veal; roll them, and tie them round once or twice, to keep them in a neat shape. mix some crumbs of bread, egg, a little grated nutmeg, pepper and salt; fry them brown; have ready some good gravy, with a few truffles, morels, and mushrooms, boiled together. pour it into the dish and send them to table, after taking off the string that tied them in shape. _another way._ cut steaks from the inside of the sirloin, about an inch thick, six inches long, and four or five broad: beat and rub them over with yolk of egg; strew on bread crumbs, parsley chopped, lemon-peel shred, pepper and salt, and chopped suet. roll them up tight, skewer them; fry or brown them in a dutch oven; stew them in some beef broth or gravy until tender. thicken the gravy with a little flour; add ketchup, and a little lemon juice, and, to enrich it, add pickled mushrooms, hard yolks of eggs, and forcemeat balls. _pickle for beef._ to four gallons of water put a sufficient quantity of common salt; when quite dissolved, to bear an egg, four ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of bay salt, and half a pound of coarse sugar. boil this pickle for twenty minutes, skim it well, and strain it. when quite cold, put in your beef, which should be quite covered with the pickle, and in nine days it will be fit for use; or you may keep it three months, and it will not be too salt. the pickle must be boiled and well skimmed at the end of six weeks, and every month afterwards; it will then keep three months in summer and much longer in winter. _beef, to salt._ into four gallons of water put one pound and a half of coarse brown sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, and six pounds of bay salt; boil and skim as long as any scum rises. when cold, put in the meat, which must be quite covered with pickle: once in two months boil up the pickle again, skimming carefully. add in the boiling two ounces of coarse sugar, half a pound of bay salt, and the same pickle will be good for twelve months. it is incomparable for hung beef, hams, or neats' tongues. when you take them out of this pickle, clean, dry, and put them in a paper bag, and hang them up in a dry place. pork may be pickled in the same manner. _beef, to salt._ eight pounds of salt, six ounces of saltpetre, one pound and a half of brown sugar, four gallons of water; boil all together, skim and put on the beef when cold; the beef to be kept under the pickle with a weight. _beef, to dry._ salt it in the same way as your hams; keep it in your pickle a fortnight or three weeks, according to its size; hang it up to dry for a few days; then have it smoked the same as hams. _hung beef._ no. . take a round, ribs, rump, or sirloin; let it lie in common salt for a month, and well cover it with the brine. rub a little saltpetre over it two or three days before it is hung up; observing, before it is put up to dry, to strew it over with bran or oatmeal, to keep it from the dust; or, which will answer the same purpose, wrap it up in strong coarse paper. it is not to be smoked; only hang it up in the kitchen, and not too near the fire. the time of hanging to dry must be regulated by the quantity of air in which it is suspended, or left to the discretion of the person who has the care of it. the time which it must lie in water before dressing depends upon the driness of the meat. half boil it in simmering water, and afterwards roast. it must not be cut till cold. _hung beef._ no. . take the under-cliff of a small buttock of beef, two ounces of common salt, and one ounce of saltpetre, well beaten together: put to it half a pint of vinegar with a sprig of thyme. rub the beef with this pickle every morning for six days, and let it lie in it. then dry it well with a cloth, and hang it up in the chimney for a fortnight. it must be made perfectly dry before it will be fit for eating; it should also be kept in a dry place. _hung beef._ no. . take the tenderest part of beef, and let it hang in the cellar as long as you can, taking care that it is not in the least tainted. take it down, wash it well in sugar and water. dry six-pennyworth of saltpetre and two pounds of bay salt, and pound them fine; mix with it three large spoonfuls of brown sugar; rub your beef thoroughly with it. take common salt, sufficient according to the size of the beef to salt it; let it lie closely covered up until the salts are entirely dissolved, which will be in seven or eight days. turn it every day, the under part uppermost, and so on for a fortnight; then hang it where it may have a little warmth of the fire. it may hang in the kitchen a fortnight. when you use it, boil it in hay and pump water very tender: it will keep boiled two or three months, rubbing it with a greasy cloth, or putting it for two or three minutes into boiling water to take off any mouldiness. _beef for scraping._ to four pounds of lean buttock of beef take one ounce of saltpetre and some common salt, in which let the meat lie for a month; then hang it to dry for three weeks. boil it for grating when wanted. _italian beef._ take a round of beef, about fifteen or eighteen pounds; rub it well with three ounces of saltpetre, and let it lie for four hours in it. then season it very well with beaten mace, pepper, cloves, and salt sufficient; let it then lie in that seasoning for twelve days; wash it well, and put it in the pot in which you intend to bake it, with one pound of suet shred fine, and thrown under and over it. cover your pot and paste it down: let it stew six hours in its own liquor, and eat it cold. _red beef._ twelve pounds of ribs of beef boned, four ounces of bay salt, three ounces of saltpetre; beat them fine, and mix with half a pound of coarse sugar, two pounds of common salt, and a handful of juniper berries bruised. rub the beef well with this mixture, and turn it every day about three weeks or a month; bake it in a coarse paste. _another way._ take a piece of brisket of beef, about sixteen or eighteen pounds; make the pickle for it as follows:--saltpetre and bay salt, one pound and a half of each, one pound of coarse brown sugar, and six pounds of common salt; add to these three gallons of water. set it on the fire and keep it stirring, lest the salts should burn; as it boils skim it well till clear: boil it about an hour and a half. when it is quite cold, put in the beef, and let it lie in a pan that will hold it properly; turn it every day, and let it remain in about a fortnight. take it out, and just wash it in clean water, and put it into the pot in which you stew it with some weak broth; then add slices of fat bacon, fat of veal, any pieces of fat meat, the more fat the better, especially of veal, also a pint of brandy, a full pint of wine, a handful of bay-leaves, a few cloves, and some blades of mace, about two large carrots, one dozen of large onions, a good bundle of sweet-herbs, some parsley, and two or three turnips. stew it exceedingly gently for eight hours. the broth should cover the meat while it is stewing, and keep the slices of fat as much over it as you can; the seldomer you uncover the pot the better. when you think it sufficiently tender, which try with your finger, take it off, and, though it may appear tender enough to fall to pieces, it will harden sufficiently when it grows cold. it should remain in the pot just as it is taken off the fire till it is very nearly if not quite cold. it will eat much better for being so left, and you will also not run the risk of breaking the beef in pieces, as you would by removing it whilst hot. _collar of beef._ bone the navel and navel round; make sufficient pickle to cover it, as strong as to bear an egg, with bay salt; beat two ounces of saltpetre very fine, and strew half of it on your beef before you lay it in your pickle. then lay it in an earthen pan, and press it down in the liquor with a weight, as it must be all covered. let it remain thus for four or five days, stirring it however once every day. take it out, let the brine drain from it, lay it on a table, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, cloves, and mace, some parsley, thyme, and sweet marjoram, of each a little, and eight anchovies sliced; roll it up with these like brawn, and bind it quite fast with strong tape. then put it into a pan, deep enough for it to stand upright; fill the pan with water, and cover it with paste. make your oven very hot, put it in, and let it remain there five or six hours; then take it out, and, having removed the tape, roll it in a cloth; hang it up till cold. if you think it not salt enough, before you bake it, put a little salt with your spice and herbs, for baking in water abates much of its saltness. _another._ salt a flank of beef with white salt, and let it lie for forty-eight hours. wash it, and hang it in the wind to dry for twenty-four hours. then take pepper, salt, cloves, saltpetre, all beaten fine, and mix them together; rub the beef all over; roll it up hard, and tie it fast with tape. put it in a pan, with a few bay-leaves, and four pounds of butter. cover the pot with rye paste, and bake it with household bread. _bisquet, to make._ cut some slips of white paper; butter and place them at the bottom and sides of the pan you make your bisquet in; then cut thin collops of veal, or whatever meat you make it of; lay them on the paper, and cover them with forcemeat. put in anything else you like, carrots, &c.; close the top with forcemeat and veal, and paper again; put it in the oven or stove, and, when done, and you want to dish it, turn the pan upside down from the dish; take the paper off, and pour good gravy on it. _boar's head, to dress whole._ when the head is cut off, the neck part must be boned, and the tongue taken out. the brains also must be taken out on the inside, so as not to break the bone and skin on the outside. when boned, singe the hair off, and clean it; then put it for four or five days into a red pickle made of saltpetre, bay salt, common salt, and coarse brown sugar, rubbing the pickle in every day. when taken out of the pickle, lay the tongue in the centre of the neck or collar; close the meat together as close as you can, and bind it with strong tape up to the ears, the same as you would do brawn; then put it into a pot or kettle, the neck downward, and fill the pot with good broth and rhenish wine, in the proportion of one bottle of wine to three pints of broth, till it is covered a little above the ears. season the wine and broth with small bunches of sweet-herbs, such as basil, winter savory, and marjoram, bay-leaves, shalots, celery, carrots, turnips, parsley-roots, with different kinds of spices. set it over the fire to boil; when it boils, put it on one side to boil gently, till the head is tender. take it out of the liquor, and put it into an earthen pan; skim all the fat off the liquor; strain it through a sieve into the head; put it by until it is quite cold, and then it will be fit for use. _brawn, to keep._ put some bran and three handfuls of salt into a kettle of water; boil and strain it through a sieve, and, when cold, put your brawn into it. _hog's head like brawn._ wash it well; boil it till the bones will come out; when cold, put the inside of the cheek together with salt between; put the ears round the sides. put the cheeks into a cloth, press them into a sieve, or anything round; lay on a weight for two days. have ready a pickle of salt and water, with about a pint of malt, boiled together; when cold, put in the head. _mock brawn._ take two pair of neats' feet; boil them very tender, and take the flesh clean from the bones. boil the belly piece of pork till nearly done, then bone it, and roll the meat of the feet up very tight in the pork. take a strong cloth, with some coarse tape; roll it round very tight; tie it up in the cloth; boil it till it is so tender that a skewer may go through it; let it be hung in a cloth till it is quite cold; after which put it into some sousing liquor, and keep it for use. _cabbage, farced._ take a fine white-heart cabbage, about as big as a quarter of a peck, lay it in water two or three hours, half boil it, put it in a colander to drain, then cut out the heart, but take very great care not to break off any of the outside leaves. fill it with forcemeat made thus:--take a pound of veal, half a pound of bacon, fat and lean together; cut them small, and beat them fine in a mortar, with the yolks of four eggs boiled hard; season with pepper and salt, a little beaten mace, a very little lemon-peel, some parsley chopped fine, a very little thyme, and three anchovies. when these are beat fine, take the crumb of a stale roll, some mushrooms, either fresh or pickled, and the heart of the cabbage which you cut out. chop it very fine; mix all together with the yolk of an egg; fill the hollow of the cabbage, and tie it round with thread. lay some slices of bacon in the bottom of a stewpan, and upon these some thin slices of coarse beef, about one pound: put in the cabbage, cover it close, and let it stew gently over a slow fire, until the bacon begins to stick to the bottom of the pan. shake in a little flour; then put in a quart of good broth, an onion stuck with cloves, two blades of mace, some whole pepper, a little bundle of sweet-herbs; cover close, and let it stew gently an hour and a half. put in a glass of red wine, give it a boil, and take it up; lay it in a dish, and strain the gravy over it, untying the packthread first. this is a very good dish, and makes the next day an excellent hash, with a veal steak nicely boiled and laid on it. _calf's head._ scald the hair off; trim and pare it, and make it look as neat as possible. take out the bones, and have ready palates boiled tender, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, oysters just scalded, and very good forcemeat: stuff all this into the head, and sew it close in a cloth. boil it gently for full three hours. make a strong good gravy for sauce. garnish with fried bacon. _calf's head, to dress like turtle._ the wool must be scalded off in the same manner as the hair is taken off a little pig, which may be done at the butcher's; then wash and parboil it; cut the meat from the bones, and put it in a saucepan, with as much of the broth as will just cover it. put in half a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, and some common pepper and salt, a large onion, and a faggot of sweet-herbs; take out the herbs and the onion before it breaks. about half an hour before it is done, put three quarters of a pint of white or raisin wine; have ready the yolks of six or eight eggs boiled hard, which you must make into small balls, and put in just before you serve it up. it will take two hours and a half, or perhaps three hours doing, over a slow fire. _calf's head, to hash._ no. . let the calf's head be washed dean, and boiled tender; then cut the meat off one half of the head in small slices. to make the sauce, take some parsley, thyme, and a very little onion, let them be chopped fine; then pass them in a stewpan over the fire, with some butter, till tender. add some flour, a very little pepper and salt, and some good strong broth, according to your quantity of meat; let it boil, then skim it, put the meat into it, and add a little lemon-juice and a little white wine; let all boil together about ten minutes. there may be some force-meat balls added, if liked. the other half of the head must be scored like diamonds, cross and across; then rub it with some oiled butter and yolk of egg; mix some chopped parsley and thyme, pepper, salt, a little nutmeg, and some bread crumbs; strew the head all over with this; broil it a nice light brown, and put it on the hash when dished. scald the brains, and cut them in four pieces; rub them with yolk of egg, then let them be crumbed, with the same crumbs and herbs as the head was done with, and fried a light brown; lay them round the dish with a few slices of bacon or ham fried. the brains may be done, to be sent up alone on a plate, as follows:--let the brains be washed and skinned; let them be boiled in broth, about twenty-five minutes; make a little white sauce of some butter, flour, salt, a little cream, and a little good broth; let it just boil; then pick a little green sage, a little parsley picked very small, and scalded till tender; the brains, parsley, and sage, must be strained off, and put into the white sauce, and let it come to a boil, just before you put them on the dish to send up. _calf's head, to hash._ no. . take half a calf's head, cover it with water in a large saucepan, and boil it till the meat comes from the bone. cut it into pieces; put it into some of the liquor in which the head was boiled, and let it stew till it becomes thick. add a little salt and mace, and put it into a mould. _calf's head, to hash._ no. . your calf's head being half boiled and cooled, cut it in thin slices, and fry it in a pan of brown butter; put it into your tossing pan with gravy; stew it till tender; toss it up with burnt butter, or butter rolled in flour. garnish with forcemeat balls, and fritters, made of the brains, mixed up with eggs, a little cream, a dust of flour, nutmeg, and a little parsley, boiled and chopped fine. mix them all well together, and fry them in little cakes; put a few bits of bacon and lemon round the dish. _calf's head, to hash._ no. . half boil the head; cut it into round pieces; season with nutmeg, salt, pepper, and a large onion. save all the gravy, put in a pint of white wine, a quarter of a pound of butter, and four spoonfuls of oyster liquor: let it stew with the meat, not too fast: thicken it with a little butter and a dozen of oysters, and, when dished, add some rolled bacon, forcemeat balls, and the brains fried in thin cakes, very brown, and the size of a crown-piece, laid round the dish. garnish with lemon and pickled mushrooms; lemon pickle is an addition. _calf's head, to hash._ no. . have the head well cleaned; boil it well, cut in slices half of the head, and have some good ragout of forcemeat, truffles, mushrooms, morels, and artichoke bottoms, also some veal sweet-herbs. season your ragout, and throw in your slices, a bit of garlic and parsley, with some thyme, and squeeze a lemon in it, but be cautious to have it skimmed well. take the other part of the head, and score it like diamonds; season with salt and pepper, and rub it over with an egg and some crumbs of bread. then broil it, pour the hash into the dish; let the half head lie in the middle, and cut and set off the brains afterwards in slices. fry bacon, and lay slices round the dish with sliced lemon. _calf's head fricassee._ clean well a calf's head, boil it and cut in square pieces of about an inch; put half a pint of its own liquor, and mix it well with some mushrooms, sweetbreads, yolks of eggs, artichoke bottoms, and cream. season with nutmeg and mace, and squeeze in a lemon: but serve it up hot. _calf's head, to pickle._ take out the bones and clean the head carefully: wash it well with eggs, seasoning it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, thyme, and parsley. put some forcemeat on it, and roll it up. boil it tender; take it up, lay it in sturgeon-pickle for four days; and if you please you may cut it in pieces as you would sturgeon. _calf's liver._ lay it for a few hours in milk, then dry and fry it in butter. _cauliflowers, with white sauce._ boil the cauliflowers in small pieces till tender; drain them in a sieve; when quite dry lay them in a dish; season the sauce with a little pepper and salt, and pour it pretty thick over them. _celery, to stew._ cut and trim a dozen heads of celery; put them in cold water to blanch; stew them in a little butter, salt, and water. when done enough they should be quite soft, but not broken. drain them, and have ready a rich white sauce, the same that is used for boiled chickens, only without truffles or mushrooms; pour this sauce over the celery, and serve hot. _another way._ take a dozen white heads of celery, cut about two inches long, wash them clean, and put them in a stewpan, with a pint of gravy, a glass of white wine, a bundle of sweet-herbs, pepper, and salt: cover close, and stew them till they are tender. then take out the sweet-herbs; put in a piece of butter mixed with flour; let it stew till it is thick, and dish it up. _celery à la crême._ take a dozen white heads of celery, cut about two inches long; wash them very clean, and boil them in water till they are very tender; have ready half a pint of cream, a little butter mixed with flour, a little nutmeg, and salt; boil it up till thick and smooth; put in the celery, give it a toss or two, and dish it up. _scotch collops._ take a piece of the fillet of veal, as much as will cut into fifteen pieces, of the size and thickness of a crown-piece; shake a little flour over it; put a little butter into a frying-pan, and melt it; fry the slices of veal quick till they are brown, and lay them in a dish near the fire. then prepare a sauce thus: take a little butter in a stewpan and melt it; add a table-spoonful of flour; stir it about till it is as smooth as cream; put in half a pint each of beef and veal jelly, cayenne pepper and salt, a pinch of each, and one glass of white wine, twenty-four pieces of truffles the size of a shilling, and a table-spoonful of mushrooms: wash them thoroughly from vinegar; squeeze the juice of half a lemon; stew the sauce gently for one hour; then throw in the veal, and stew it all together for five minutes. serve quite hot, laying the veal regularly in the dish. _another way._ cut the lean part of a leg of veal into thin collops; beat them with the back of a knife; season with pepper and salt, shred thyme and parsley, and flour them well. reserve some of the meat to make balls. taking as much suet as meat, shred it small; then beat it in a mortar; season with pepper, salt, shred herbs, a little shred onion, and a little allspice. put in an egg or two, according to the quantity. make balls, and fry them in good dripping; keep them warm. then fry your collops with clarified butter, till they are brown enough; and, while they are warming in the pan, put in your sauce, which must be made thus:--have some good glaze, a little white wine, a good piece of butter, and two yolks of eggs. put your balls to the collops; flour and make them very hot in the pan; put in your sauce, shake them well, and let them boil. if you would have them white, put strong broth instead of glaze and half a pint of cream. _scotch collops, brown._ cut your collops thin and from the fillet. season them with salt and pepper, and fry them off quick and brown. brown a piece of butter thickened with flour, and put in some good gravy, mushrooms, morels, truffles, and forcemeat balls, with sweetbread dried. squeeze in a lemon, and let the whole boil till of a proper thickness. then put in your collops, but do not let them boil; toss them up quick, and serve up. _collops, white._ no. . take a small slice of veal, cut thin slices from it, and beat them out very thin: butter a frying-pan very lightly, place them in it, and pass them on the fire, but not to get any colour. trim them round, and put them into white sauce. _collops, white._ no. . cut the veal very thin; put it into a stewpan with a piece of butter and one clove of shalot; toss it in a pan for a few minutes. have ready to put to it some cream, more or less according to the quantity of veal, a piece of butter mixed with flour, the yolk of an egg, a little nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of lemon-pickle. stir it over the fire till it is thick enough, but do not let it boil. if you choose forcemeat balls, have them ready boiled in water, and take out the shalot before you dish up: ten minutes will do them. _collops, white._ no. . hack and cut your collops well; season with pepper and salt, and fry them quick of a pale colour in a little bit of butter. squeeze in a lemon: put in half a pint of cream and the yolks of four eggs. toss them up quick, and serve them hot. _collops, to mince._ chop some beef as fine as possible; the under part of roasted beef without any fat is best. put some onions, pepper, and salt to it. then put a little butter in the frying-pan; when it is melted, put in the meat, and stew it well. add a cupful of gravy; if you have none, water will do. just before it is done put in a little vinegar. _collops of cold beef._ take off all the fat from the inside of a sirloin of beef; cut it neatly into thin collops, about the size of a crown or half-crown piece, as you like for size, and cut them round. slice an onion very small; boil the gravy that came from the beef when roasted, first clearing it of all the fat, with a little water; season it with pepper, and, instead of salt, anchovies dissolved in walnut ketchup, or the liquor from pickled walnuts, and a bundle of sweet-herbs. let this boil before you put in the collops; put them in with a good piece of butter rolled in a little flour; shake it round to thicken it, and let it do no longer than till the collops are thoroughly heated, lest they be hard. this does better than fresh meat. serve it hot with pickles, or slices of stewed cucumbers, cut round, like the meat, and placed alternately with it round the dish. _cucumbers, to stew._ pare twelve cucumbers, and slice them rather thicker than for eating; put them to drain, and lay them in a coarse cloth till dry. flour and fry them brown in butter; then put to them some gravy, a little claret, some pepper, cloves, and mace; let them stew a little; then roll a bit of butter in flour, and toss them up. a sufficient quantity of onion should be sliced thin, and done like the cucumbers. _curry powder, from a resident in india._ no. . half a pound of coriander seed, two ounces of black pepper, two ounces of cummin seed, one ounce of turmeric, one ounce and half of ground rice: all the above must be finely pounded; add cayenne to your taste. mix all well together; put it into a dish close before the fire; roast it well for three or four hours; and, when quite cold, put it into a bottle for use. _curry powder._ no. . thirteen ounces of coriander seed,* two ounces of fenugreek seed,* (if not liked this may be omitted,) one ounce of cayenne pepper, or powdered capsicums, six ounces of pale-coloured turmeric,* five ounces of black pepper. pound the whole very fine; set it in a dutch oven before the fire to dry, turning it often; when cold put it into a dry bottle; cork, and keep it in a dry place. so prepared, curry-powder will keep for many years. the ingredients marked thus * may be procured at apothecaries' hall, or at any wholesale chemist's. _curry powder._ no. . one pound of turmeric, one pound of coriander seed, one pound of ginger, six ounces of cardamom, four ounces of cummin, one ounce of long pepper, pounded and mixed together. cayenne pepper may also be added. _curry, indian._ no. . curry may be made of chicken, rabbits, lobster, or of any species of fish, flesh, or fowl. fry the material with onions, as for mulligatawny, a small piece of garlic, eight almonds, and eight sweet chesnuts. put it all into a stewpan, with a spoonful or two of curry-powder, a large tea-cupful of strong good gravy, and a large piece of butter. let the whole stew gently till the gravy becomes very thick and is nearly evaporated. particular attention should be paid in sending this dish up hot, and always with plenty of rice in a separate dish; most people like pickle with it. _curry._ no. . chop one or two onions very fine; put them into a stewpan with some butter, and let them remain on a slow fire till they are well done, taking care not to let them burn. pour off the butter: put in one dessert spoonful of powder and a little gravy; stir it about till it is well mixed; set it on a slow fire till it is all sufficiently done. put in a little lemon-juice; when nearly done, thicken the gravy with flour. let the rice be very well picked and afterwards cleansed; it ought to be washed in several waters, and kept in water till it is going to be boiled. have the meat or fish ready, pat it into the stewpan, and stir it about till it is well mixed. the rice must be boiled twenty minutes quickly, and the scum taken off; the water to be thrown off and the saucepan uncovered till it is dry enough. meat used for this curry must be previously fried. _curry._ no. . fry onions, ginger, garlic, and meat, in one ounce of butter, of a light brown; stew it with a table-spoonful of curry-powder and three pints of water, till it comes to a pint and a half. a good half hour before dinner, put in greens, such as brocoli, cauliflower, sliced apple, and mango, the juice of one lemon, grated ginger, and cayenne, with two spoonfuls of cream, and a little flour to thicken it. _curry._ no. . skin and prepare two chickens as for a fricassee; wash them very clean, and stew them in a pint and a half of water for about five minutes. strain off the liquor, and put the chickens in a clean dish. slice three large onions, and fry them in about two ounces of butter. put in the chickens, and fry them together till they are brown. take a quarter of an ounce of curry-powder, and salt to your palate, and strew over the chickens while they are frying; then pour in the liquor in which they were first stewed, and let them stew again for half an hour. add a quarter of a pint of cream and the juice of two lemons. have rice boiled dry to eat with it. rabbits do as well as chickens. _curry._ no. . take two chickens, or in the same proportion of any other kind of flesh, fish, or fowl; cut the meat small; strew a little salt and pepper over it; add a small quantity of onion fried in butter; put one table-spoonful of curry-powder to your meat and onions; mix them well together with about three quarters of a pint of water. put the whole in a stewpan covered close; let it stew half an hour before you open the pan; then add the juice of two lemons, or an equal quantity of any other souring. let it stew again till the gravy appears very thick and adheres to the meat. if the meat floats in the gravy, the curry will not be considered as well made. salt to your palate. _curry._ no. . mix together a quart of good gravy, two spoonfuls of curry-powder, two of soy, a gill of red wine, a little cayenne pepper, and the juice of a lemon. cut a breast of veal in square pieces, and put it in a stewpan with a pint of gravy; stew slowly for a quarter of an hour; add the rest of the gravy with the ingredients, and stew till done. _curry._ no. . take a fowl, fish, or any meat you like; cut it in slices; cut up two good sized onions very fine; half fry your fowl, or meat, with the onions, in a quarter of a pound of butter. add two table-spoonfuls of curry-powder, fry it a little longer, and stew it well; then add any acid you like, a little salt, and half a pint of water. let all stew together until the meat is done. _farcie, to make._ take the tender part of a fillet of veal, free from sinew, and mince it fine, with a piece of the fat of ham, some chopped thyme, basil, and marjoram, dried, and a little seasoning according to the palate. put the whole in a stewpan, and keep stirring it till it is warm through; then put it on a sieve to drain. when the liquor has run from it, pound the farcie, while warm, in a mortar, adding the drained liquor, by degrees, till the whole is again absorbed in the meat, which must be pounded very fine. put it in an earthen pot, and steam it for half an hour with a slice of fat ham; cover over the pot to prevent the steam from getting to it; when cold, pour on some good jelly made of the lean of ham and veal, and take care to pour it on cold (that is, when the jelly is just dissolved,) otherwise it will raise the farcie. when livers are to be had, put a third of them with the ham and veal, as above directed, and the farcie will be better. _forcemeat, to make._ no. . chop small a pound of veal, parsley, thyme, a small onion, and a pound of beef; grate the inside of three french rolls, and put all these together, with pepper, salt, soup, and nutmeg, seasoning it to your taste; add as many eggs as will make it of a proper stiffness, and roll them into balls. _forcemeat._ no. . take half a pound of the lean of a leg of veal, with the skin picked off, cut it into small pieces, and mince it very small; shred very fine a pound of beef-suet and grate a nutmeg into both; beat half as much mace into it with cloves, pepper, and salt, a little rosemary, thyme, sweet marjoram, and winter savory. put all these to the meat in a mortar, and beat all together, till it is smooth and will work easily with your hands, like paste. break two new laid eggs to some white bread crumbs, and make them into a paste with your hands, frying it in butter. if you choose, leave out the herbs. _forcemeat._ no. . a pound of veal, full its weight in beef suet, and a bit of bacon, shred all together; beat it in a mortar very fine; season with sweet-herbs, pepper, and salt. when you roll it up to fry, add the yolks of two or three eggs to bind it; you may add oysters or marrow. _fricandeau._ take a piece of veal next to the udder; separate the skin, and flatten the meat on a clean cloth; make slits in the bottom part, that it may soak up seasoning, and lard the top very thick and even. take a stewpan that will receive the veal without confining it; put at the bottom three carrots cut in slices, two large onions sliced, a bunch of parsley, the roots cut small, a little mace, pepper, thyme, and a bay-leaf; then lay some slices of very fat bacon, so as entirely to cover the vegetables, and make a pile of bacon in the shape of a tea-cup. lay the veal over this bacon; powder a little salt over it; then put sufficient broth, and some beef jelly, lowered with warm water, to cover the bottom of the stewpan without reaching the veal. lay a quantity of fine charcoal hot on the cover of the pan, keeping a very little fire beneath; as soon as it begins to boil, remove the stewpan, and place it over a very slow and equal fire for three hours and a half, removing the fire from the top; baste it frequently with liquor. when it has stewed the proper time, try if it is done by putting in a skewer, which will then go, in and out easily. put a great quantity of fire again on the top of the stewpan till the bacon of the larding becomes quite firm; next remove the veal, and keep it near the fire; reduce the liquor to deep rich gravy to glaze it, which pour over the top only where it is larded; and, when it is served, put the fricandeau in a dish, and the puré of spinach, which is to be ready according to the receipt given in the proper place, (see spinach to stew,) to lay round the dish. _ham, to cure._ no. . take a ham of young pork; sprinkle it with salt, and let it lie twenty-four hours. having wiped it very dry, rub it well with a pound of coarse brown sugar, a pound of juniper berries, a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, half a pint of bay salt, and three pints of common salt, mixed together, and dried in an iron pot over the fire, stirring them the whole time. after this, take it off the fire, when boiled, and let it lie in an earthen glazed pan three weeks, but it must be often turned in the time, and basted with the brine in which it lies. then hang it up till it has done dripping; and dry it in a chimney with deal saw-dust and juniper berries. _ham, to cure._ no. . for two hams, take half a pound of bay salt, two ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of sal prunella, half a pound of brown sugar, half a pound of juniper berries, half a pound of common salt; beat them all, and boil them in two quarts of strong beer for half an hour very gently. leave out one ounce of saltpetre to rub the hams over-night. put them into the pickle, and let them lie a month or five weeks, basting them every day. pickle in the winter, and dry in wood smoke; let them hang up the chimney a fortnight. _ham, to cure._ no. . hang up a ham two days; beat it well on the fleshy side with a rollingpin; rub in an ounce of saltpetre, finely powdered, and let it lie a day. then mix together an ounce of sal prunella with two large handfuls of common salt, one handful of bay salt, and a pound of coarse sugar, and make them hot in a stewpan. while hot, rub it well in with two handfuls more of common salt; then let it lie till it melts to brine. turn the meat twice every day for three weeks, and dry it like bacon. _ham, to cure--the thorpe way._ no. . the following are the proportions for two hams, or pigs' faces: boil one pound of common salt, three ounces of bay salt, two ounces and a half of saltpetre, and one pound of the coarsest brown sugar, in a quart of strong old beer. when this pickle is cold, well rub the hams or faces with it every day for a fortnight. smoke them with horse litter for two hours; then hang them to dry in a chimney where wood is burned for a fortnight, after which, hang them in a dry place till wanted for use. they are not so good if used under eight months or after a year old. _ham, to cure._ no. . for one large ham take one pound of coarse sugar, one pound common salt, a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, and two ounces of bay salt, boiled in a quart of strong ale, or porter. when cold put it to your ham; and let it lie in the pickle three weeks, turning the ham every day. _ham, to cure._ no. . put two ounces of sal prunella, a pound of bay salt, four pounds of white salt, a pound of brown sugar, half a pound of saltpetre, to one gallon of water; boil it a quarter of an hour, keeping, it well skimmed, and, when cold, pour it from the sediment into the vessel in which you steep, and let the hams remain in the pickle about a month; the tongues a fortnight. in the same manner dutch beef may be made by letting it lie in the pickle for a month, and eight or ten days for collared beef; dry them in a stove or chimney. tongues may be cured in the same manner. _ham, to cure._ no . four gallons of spring water, two pounds of bay salt, half a pound of common salt, two pounds of treacle, to be boiled a quarter of an hour, skimmed well, and poured hot on the hams. let them be turned in the pickle every day, and remain three weeks or a month; tongues may be cured in the same way. _ham, to cure._ no. . one ounce of pepper, two of saltpetre, one pound of bay salt, one ounce of sal prunella, one pound of common salt. rub these in well, and let the ham lie a week after rubbing; then rub over it one pound of treacle or coarse sugar. let it lie three weeks longer; take it up, steep it twenty-four hours in cold water, and then hang it up. _ham, to cure._ no. . one pound of common salt, half a pound of bay salt, four ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of black pepper; mix them together, and rub the ham very well for four days, until the whole is dissolved. then take one pound and a half of treacle and rub on, and let it lie in the pickle one month; turning it once a day. when you dress it, let the water boil before you put it in. _ham, to cure._ no. . into four gallons of water put one pound and a half of the coarsest sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, and six pounds of common salt; boil it, carefully taking off the scum till it has done rising; then let it stand till cold. having put the meat into the vessel in which you intend to keep it, pour on the liquor till it is quite covered. if you wish to keep the meat for a long time, it will be necessary once in two or three months to boil the pickle over again, clearing off the scum as it rises, and adding, when boiling, a quarter of a pound of sugar, half a pound of salt, and half an ounce of saltpetre; in this way the pickle will keep good for a year. when you take the meat out of the pickle, dry it well before it is smoked. hams from fifteen to twenty pounds should lie in pickle twenty-four days; small hams and tongues, fifteen days; a small piece of beef about the same time. hams and beef will not do in the same pickle together. after the hams are taken out, the pickle must be boiled again before the beef is put in. the same process may be used for beef and tongues. _ham, to cure._ no. . mix one pound and a half of salt, one pound and a half of coarse sugar, and one ounce of saltpetre, in one quart of water; set it on the fire, and keep stirring the liquor till it boils. skim it. when boiled about five minutes take it off, and pour it boiling hot on the leg of pork, which, if not quite covered, must be turned every day. let it remain in the pickle one month; then hang it in the chimney for six weeks. these proportions will cure a ham of sixteen pounds. when the ham is taken out of the pickle, the liquor may be boiled up again and poured boiling hot upon pigs' faces. after that boil again, and pour it cold upon a piece of beef, which will be excellent. it will then serve cold for pigs' or sheep's tongues, which must be well washed and rubbed in a little of the liquor and left in the remainder. _ham, to cure._ no. . take a ham of fifteen pounds, and wash it well with a quarter of a pint of vinegar, mixed with a quarter of a pound of the coarsest sugar. next morning rub it well with three quarters of a pound of bay salt rolled, on the lean part; baste it often every day for fourteen days, and hang it up to dry. _ham, to cure._ no. . three ounces of saltpetre, bay salt and brown sugar two ounces of each, a small quantity of cochineal; mix them all together, and warm them over the fire. rub the hams well with it, and cover them over with common salt. _ham, to cure._ no. . take a quantity of spring water sufficient to cover the meat you design to cure; make the pickle with an equal quantity of bay salt and common salt; add to a pound of each one pound of coarse brown sugar, one ounce of saltpetre, and one ounce of petre-salt; let the pickle be strong enough to bear an egg. if you design to eat the pork in a month or six weeks, it is best not to boil the pickle; if you intend it for the year, the pickle must be boiled and skimmed well until it is perfectly clear; let it be quite cold before you use it. rub the meat that is to be preserved with some common salt, and let it lie upon a table sloping, to drain out all the blood; wipe it very dry with a coarse cloth before you put it into the pickle. the proportion of the pickle may be this: four pounds of common salt, four pounds of bay salt, three pounds of coarse sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, and two ounces of petre-salt, with a sufficient quantity of spring water to cover what you do, boiled as directed above. let the hams lie about six weeks in the pickle, and then send them to be smoked. beef, pork, and tongues, may be cured in the same manner: ribs of beef done in this way are excellent. _ham, to cure._ no. . wash the ham clean; soak it in pump water for an hour; dry it well, and rub into it the following composition: saltpetre two ounces, bay salt nine ounces, common salt four ounces, lump sugar three ounces; but first beat them separately into a fine powder; mix them together, dry them before the fire, and then rub them into the ham, as hot as the hand can bear it. then lay the ham sloping on a table; put on it a board with forty or fifty pounds weight; let it remain thus for five days; then turn it, and, if any of the salt is about it, rub it in, and let it remain with the board and weight on it for five days more; this done rub off the salt, &c. when you intend to smoke it, hang the ham in a sugar hogshead, over a chaffing-dish of wood embers; throw on it a handful of juniper-berries, and over that some horse-dung, and cover the cask with a blanket. this may be repeated two or three times the same day, and the ham may be taken out of the hogshead the next morning. the quantity of salt here specified is for a middle sized ham. there should not be a hole cut in the leg, as is customary, to hang it up by, nor should it be soaked in brine. hams thus cured will keep for three months without smoking, so that the whole quantity for the year may be smoked at the same time. the ham need not be soaked in water before it is used, but only washed clean. instead of a chaffing-dish of coals to smoke the hams, make a hole in the ground, and therein put the fire; it must not be fierce: be sure to keep the mouth of the hogshead covered with a blanket to retain the smoke. _westphalia ham, to cure._ no. . cut a leg of pork to the shape of a westphalia ham; salt it, and set it on the fire in a skillet till dry, and put to it two ounces of saltpetre finely beaten. the salt must be put on as hot as possible. let it remain a week in the salt, and then hang it up in the chimney for three weeks or a month. two ounces of saltpetre will be sufficient for the quantity of salt required for one ham. _westphalia ham, to cure._ no. . let the hams be very well pricked with a skewer on the wrong side, hanging them in an airy place as long as they will keep sweet, and with a gallon of saltpetre make a pickle, and keep stirring it till it will bear an egg; boil and skim it and put three pounds of brown sugar to it. let the hams lie about a month in this pickle, which must be cold when they are put in; turn them every day; dry them with saw-dust and charcoal. the above is the quantity that will do for six hams. _westphalia ham, to cure._ no. . rub every ham with four ounces of saltpetre. next day put bay salt, common salt, and coarse sugar, half a pound of each, into a quart of stale strong beer, adding a small quantity of each of these ingredients for every ham to be made at that time. boil this pickle, and pour it boiling hot over every ham. let them lie a fortnight in it, rubbing them well and turning them twice a day. then smoke the ham for three days and three nights over a fire of saw-dust and horse-litter, fresh made from the stable every night; after which smoke them for a fortnight over a wood fire like other bacon. _westphalia ham, to cure._ no. . for two hams the following proportions may be observed: wash your hams all over with vinegar, and hang them up for two or three days. take one pound and a half of the brownest sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of bay salt, and a quart of common salt; mix them together; heat them before the fire as hot as you can bear your hand in, and rub it well into the hams before the fire, till they are very tender. lay them in a tub made long for that purpose, or a butcher's tray, that will hold them both, one laid one way and the other the contrary way, and strew the remainder of the ingredients over them. when the salt begins to melt, add a pint of vinegar, and let them lie three weeks, washing them with the liquor and turning them every day. dry them in saw-dust smoke; hang them in a cellar; and if they mould it will do them no harm, as these hams require damp and not extreme driness. juniper-berries thrown into the fire at which they are smoked greatly improve their flavour. _westphalia ham, to cure._ no. . one pound of common salt, one pound of bay salt, four ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of black pepper; pound them separately, then mix them, and rub the ham very well until the whole is used. rub one pound of treacle on them; lay them in the pickle one month, turning them every day. the quantity here specified will do for two hams. before you hang them up, steep them in a pail of water for twelve hours. _westphalia ham, to cure._ no. . make a good brine of salt and water, sufficiently strong to bear an egg; boil and skim it clean, and when quite cold rub the meat with sal prunella and saltpetre mixed together. put it in a vessel, and pour your brine into it; and, when the ham has been in the brine about fourteen days, take it out, drain it, and boil the brine, putting in a little salt, and letting it boil till clear. skim it, and when cold put in your ham, rubbing it over with saltpetre, &c. as you did at first. then let your ham again lie in the brine for three weeks longer; afterwards rub it well with bran, and have it dried by a wood fire. _english hams, to make like westphalia._ no. . cut your legs of pork like hams; beat them well with a wooden mallet, till they are tender, but great care must be taken not to crack or break the skin, or the hams will be spoiled. to three hams take half a peck of salt, four ounces of saltpetre, and five pounds of coarse brown sugar; break all the lumps, and mix them well together. rub your hams well with this mixture, and cover them with the rest. let them lie three days; then hang them up one night, and put as much water to the salt and sugar as you think will cover them; the pickle must be strong enough to bear an egg: boil and strain it, and, when it is cold, pack your hams close, and cover them with the pickle at least an inch and half above their tops. let them lie for a fortnight; then hang them up one night; the next day rub them well with bran, and hang them in the chimney of a fire-place in which turf, wood, or sawdust is burned. if they are small they will be dry enough in a fortnight; if large, in two or three days more. then hang them up against a wall near a fire, and not in a damp place. tongues may be cured in the same manner, and ribs of beef may be put in at the same time with the hams. you must let the beef lie in the pickle three weeks, and take it out when you want to boil it without drying it. _english hams, to make like westphalia._ no. . cut off with the legs of young well grown porkers part of the flesh of the hind loin; lay them on either side in cloths, and press out the remaining blood and moisture, laying planks on them with heavy weights, which bring them into form; then salt them well with common salt and sugar finely beaten, and lay them in troughs one upon another, pressed closely down and covered with hyssop. let them remain thus for a fortnight; then pass through the common salt, and with saltpetre rub them well over, which may be continued three or four days, till they soak. take them out, and hang them in a close barn or smoke-loft; make a moderate fire under them, if possible of juniper-wood, and let them hang to sweat and dry well. afterwards hang them up in a dry and airy place to the wind for three or four days, which will remove the ill scent left by the smoke; and wrap them up in sweet hay. to dress them, put them into a kettle of water when it boils; keep them well covered till they are done, and very few can distinguish them from the true westphalia. _english hams, to make like westphalia._ no. . take a ham of fifteen or eighteen pounds weight, two ounces of saltpetre, one pound of coarse sugar, one ounce of petre-salt, one ounce of bay salt, and one ounce of sal prunella, mixed with common salt enough to cover the ham completely. turn your ham every other day, and let it remain in salt for three weeks. take it out, rub a little bran over it, and dry it in a wood fire chimney, where a constant fire is kept: it will be fit for eating in a month. the quantity of the above ingredients must be varied according to the size of your ham. before you dress it soak it over-night in water. hams from bacon pigs are better than pork. an onion shred small gives it a good flavour. _green hams._ salt a leg of pork as for boiling, with a little saltpetre to make it red. let it lie three weeks in salt, and then hang for a month or six weeks; but if longer it is of no consequence. when boiled, stuff with young strawberry leaves and parsley, which must be particularly well washed or they will be gritty. _ham, to prepare for dressing without soaking._ put the ham into a coarse sack well tied up, or sew it up in a cloth. bury it three feet under ground in good mould; there let it remain for three or four days at least. this is an admirable way. the ham eats much mellower and finer than when soaked. _ham, to dress._ boil the ham for two hours; take it out and trim it neatly all round; prepare in a stewpan some thin slices of veal, so as to cover the bottom; add to it two bunches of carrots sliced, six large onions, two cloves, two bunches of parsley, a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, a pint of beef jelly, a bottle of white wine, and three pints of boiling water. place the ham in the stewpan, and let it boil an hour and three quarters; then serve it immediately without sauce, preserving the sauce for other use. _ham, to roast._ tie or sew up the ham in a coarse cloth, put it into a sack, and bury it three or four feet under ground, for three or four days before you dress it. wash it in warm water, pare it, and scrape the rind. spit and lay it down to roast. into a broad stewpan put a pint of white wine, a quart of good broth, half a pint of the best vinegar, two large onions sliced, a blade of mace, six cloves, some pepper, four bay-leaves, some sweet basil, and a sprig of thyme. let all these have a boil; and set the liquor under the ham, and baste very frequently with it. when the ham is roasted, take up the pan; skim all the fat off; pour the liquor through a fine sieve; then take off the rind of the ham, and beat up the liquor with a bit of butter; put this sauce under, and serve it. _ham, entrée of._ cut a dozen slices of ham; take off the fat entirely; fry them gently in a little butter. have a good brown rich sauce of gravy; and serve up hot, with pieces of fried bread, cut of a semicircular shape, of the same size as the pieces of ham, and laid between them. _ham toasts._ cut slices of dressed ham, and thin slices of bread, or french roll, of the same shape; fry it in clarified butter; make the ham hot in cullis, or good gravy, thickened with a little floured butter. dish the slices of ham on the toast; squeeze the juice of a seville orange into the sauce; add a little pepper and salt; and pour it over them. _ham and chicken, to pot. mrs. vanbrugh's receipt._ put a layer of ham, then another of the white part of chicken, just as you would any other potted meat, into a pot. when it is cut out, it will shew a very pretty stripe. this is a delicate way of eating ham and chicken. _another way._ take as much lean of a boiled ham as you please, and half the quantity of fat; cut it as thin as possible; beat it very fine in a mortar, with a little good oiled butter, beaten mace, pepper, and salt; put part of it into a china pot. then beat the white part of a fowl with a very little seasoning to qualify the ham. put a layer of chicken, then one of ham, then another of chicken at the top; press it hard down, and, when it is cold, pour clarified butter over it. when you send it to table in the pot, cut out a thin slice in the form of half a diamond, and lay it round the edge of the pot. _herb sandwiches._ take twelve anchovies, washed and cleaned well, and chopped very fine; mix them with half a pound of butter; this must be run through a sieve, with a wooden spoon. with this, butter bread, and make a salad of tarragon and some chives, mustard and cress, chopped very small, and put them upon the bread and butter. add chicken in slices, if you please, or hard-boiled eggs. _hog's puddings, black._ no. . steep oatmeal in pork or mutton broth, of milk; put to it two handfuls of grated bread, a good quantity of shred herbs, and some pennyroyal: season with salt, pepper, and ginger, and other spices if you please; and to about three quarts of oatmeal put two pounds of beef suet shred small, and as much hog suet as you may think convenient. add blood enough to make it black, and half a dozen eggs. _hog's puddings, black._ no. . to three or four quarts of blood, strained through a sieve while warm, take the crumbs of twelve-pennyworth of bread, four pounds of beef suet not shred too fine, chopped parsley, leeks, and beet; add a little powdered marjoram and mint, half an ounce of black pepper, and salt to your taste. when you fill your skins, mix these ingredients to a proper thickness in the blood; boil them twenty minutes, pricking them as they rise with a needle to prevent their bursting. _hog's puddings, black._ no. . steep a pint of cracked oatmeal in a quart of milk till tender; add a pound of grated bread, pennyroyal, leeks, a little onion cut small, mace, pepper, and salt, to your judgment. melt some of the leaf of the fat, and cut some of the fat small, according to the quantity made at once; and add blood to make the ingredients of a proper consistence. _hog's puddings, white._ no. . take the pith of an ox, and lay it in water for two days, changing the water night and morning. then dry the pith well in a cloth, and, having scraped off all the skin, beat it well; add a little rose-water till it is very fine and without lumps. boil a quart or three pints of cream, according to the quantity of pith, with such spices as suit your taste: beat a quarter of a pound of almonds and put to the cream. when it is cold, rub it through a hair sieve; then put the pith to it, with the yolks of eight or nine eggs, some sack, and the marrow of four bones shred small; some sweetmeats if you like, and sugar to your taste: if marrow cannot be procured suet will do. the best spices to put into the cream are nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon; but very little of the last. _hog's puddings, white._ no. . take a quart of cream and fourteen eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat them but a little, and when the cream boils up put in the eggs; keep them stirring on a gentle fire till the whole is a thick curd. when it is almost cold, put in a pound of grated bread, two pounds of suet shred small, having a little salt mixed with it, half a pound of almonds well beaten in orange-flower water, two nutmegs grated, some citron cut small, and sugar to your taste. _hog's puddings, white._ no. . take two pounds of grated bread; one pint and a half of cream; two pounds of beef suet and marrow; half a pound of blanched almonds, beat fine with a gill of brandy; a little rose-water; mace, cloves, and nutmeg, pounded, a quarter of an ounce; half a pound of currants, well picked and dried; ten eggs, leaving out half the whites; mix all these together, and boil them half an hour. _kabob, an india ragout._ this dish may be made of any meat, but mutton is the best. take a slice from a tender piece, not sinewy, a slice of ginger, and a slice of onion, put them on a silver skewer alternately, and lay them in a stewpan, in a little plain gravy. this is the kabob. take rice and split peas, twice as much rice as peas; boil them thoroughly together, coloured with a little turmeric, and serve them up separately or together. the ginger must be steeped over-night, that you may be able to cut it. _another way._ to make the kabob which is usually served up with pilaw, take a lean piece of mutton, and leave not a grain of fat or skin upon it; pound it in a mortar as for forcemeat; add half a clove of garlic and a spoonful or more of curry-powder, according to the size of the piece of meat, and the yolk of an egg. mix all well together; make it into small cakes; fry it of a light brown, and put it round the pilaw. _leg of lamb, to boil._ divide the leg from the loin of a hind quarter of lamb; slit the skin off the leg, and cut out the flesh of one side of it, and chop this flesh very small; add an equal quantity of shred beef suet and some sweet-herbs shred small; season with nutmeg, pepper, and salt; break into it two eggs. mix all well together, put it into the leg, sew it up, and boil it. chop the loin into steaks, and fry them, and, when the leg is boiled enough, lay the steaks round it. take some white wine, anchovies, nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of butter; thicken with the yolks of two eggs; pour it upon the lamb, and so serve it up. boil your lamb in a cloth. _leg of lamb, with forcemeat._ slit a leg of lamb on the wrong side, and take out as much meat as possible, without cutting or cracking the outward skin. pound this meat well with an equal weight of fresh suet: add to this the pulp of a dozen large oysters, and two anchovies boned and clean washed. season the whole with salt, black-pepper, mace, a little thyme, parsley, and shalot, finely shred together; beat them all thoroughly with the yolks of three eggs, and, having filled the skin tight with this stuffing, sew it up very close. tie it up to the spit and roast it. serve it with any good sauce. _shoulder of lamb, grilled._ half roast, then score, and season it with pepper, salt, and cayenne. broil it; reserve the gravy carefully; pass it through a sieve to take off all fat. mix with it mushroom and walnut ketchup, onion, the size of a nut, well bruised, a little chopped parsley, and some of the good jelly reserved for sauces. put a good quantity of this sauce; make it boil, and pour it boiling hot on the lamb when sent to table. _lamb, to ragout._ roast a quarter of lamb, and when almost done dredge it well with grated bread, which must be put into the dish you serve it up in; take veal cullis, salt, pepper, anchovy, and lemon juice; warm it, lay the lamb in it, and serve it up. _lamb, to fricassee._ cut the hind quarter of lamb into thin slices, and season them with spice, sweet-herbs, and a shalot; fry and toss them up in some strong broth, with balls and palates, and a little brown gravy to thicken it. _miscellaneous directions respecting meat._ a leg of veal, the fillet without bone, the knuckle for steaks, and a pie; bone of fillet and knuckle for soup.--shoulder of veal, knuckle cut off for soup.--breast of veal, thin end stews, or re-heats as a stew.--half a calf's head boils, then hashes, with gravy from the bones.--for mock turtle soup, neats' feet instead of calf's head, that is, two calves' feet and two neats' feet.--giblets of all poultry make gravy.--ox-cheek, for soup and kitchen.--rump of beef cut in two, thin part roasted, thick boiled: or steaks and one joint, the bone for soup.--the trimmings of many joints will make gravy.--to boil the meat white, well flour the joint and the cloth it is boiled in, not letting any thing be boiled with it, and frequently skimming the grease.--lamb chops fried dry and thin make a neat dish, with french beans in cream round them. a piece of veal larded in white celery sauce, to answer the chops.--dressed meat, chopped fine, with a little forcemeat, and made into balls about the size of an egg, browned and fried dry, and sent up without any sauce.--sweetbreads larded in white celery sauce.--to remove taint in meat, put the joint into a pot with water, and, when it begins to boil, throw in a few red clear cinders, let them boil together for two or three minutes, then take out the meat, and wipe it dry.--to keep hams, when they are cured for hanging up, tie them in brown paper bags tight round the hocks to exclude the flies, which omission occasions maggots.--ginger, where spice is required, is very good in most things. _meat, general rule for roasting and boiling._ the general rule for roasting and boiling meat is as follows: fifteen minutes to a pound in roasting, twenty minutes to a pound in boiling. on no account whatever let the least drop of water be poured on any roast meat; it soddens it, and is a bad contrivance to make gravy, which is, after all, no gravy, and totally spoils the meat. _meat, half-roasted or under-done._ cut small pieces, of the size of a half-crown, of half-roasted mutton, and put them into a saucepan with half a pint of red wine, the same quantity of gravy, one anchovy, a little shalot, whole pepper, and salt; let them stew a little; then put in the meat with a few capers, and, when thoroughly hot, thicken with butter rolled in flour. _mustard, to make._ mix three table-spoonfuls of mustard, one of salt, and cold spring water sufficient to reduce it to a proper thickness. _chine of mutton, to roast._ let the chine hang downward, and raise the skin from the bone. take slices of lean gammon of bacon, and season it with chives, parsley, and white pepper; spread them over the chine, and lay the bacon upon them. turn the skin over them, and tie it up; cover with paper, and roast. when nearly done, dredge with crumbs of bread, and serve up, garnishing with mutton cutlets. _mutton chops, to stew._ put them in a stewpan, with an onion, and enough cold water to cover them; when come to a boil, skim and set them over a very slow fire till tender; perhaps about three quarters of an hour. turnips may be boiled with them. _mutton cutlets._ cut a neck of mutton into cutlets; beat it till very tender; wash it with thick melted butter, and strew over the side which is buttered some sweet-herbs, chopped small, with grated bread, a little salt, and nutmeg. lay it on a gridiron over a charcoal fire, and, turning it, do the same to that side as the other. make sauce of gravy, anchovies, shalots, thick butter, a little nutmeg, and lemon. _mutton cutlets, with onion sauce._ cut the cutlets very small; trim all round, taking off all the fat; cut off the long part of the bone; put them into a stewpan, with all the trimmings that have been cut off, together with one onion cut in slices; add some parsley, a carrot or two, a pinch of salt, and six table-spoonfuls of mutton or veal jelly, and let them stew till the cutlets are of a brown colour all round, but do not let them burn. take out the cutlets, drain them in a sieve, and let them cool; then strain the sauce till it becomes of a fine glaze, and re-warm them. have ready some good onion sauce; put it in the middle of the dish; place the cutlets--eight, if they are small--round it, and serve the glaze with them; take care it does not touch the onion sauce, but pour it round the outside part. _mutton hams, to make._ cut a hind quarter of mutton like a ham. take one ounce of saltpetre, one pound of coarse sugar, and one pound of common salt; mix them together, and rub the ham well with them. lay it in a hollow tray with the skin downward; baste it every day for a fortnight; then roll it in sawdust, and hang it in wood smoke for a fortnight. boil and hang it in a dry place; cut it out in rashers. it does not eat well boiled, but is delicious broiled. _haricot mutton._ take a neck of mutton, and cut it in the same manner as for mutton chops. when done, lay them in your stewpan, with a blade of mace, some whole peppercorns, a bunch of sweet-herbs, two onions, one carrot, one turnip, all cut in slices, and lay them over your mutton. set your stewpan over a slow fire, and let the chops stew till they are brown; turn them, that the other side may be the same. have ready some good gravy, and pour on them, and let them stew till they are very tender. your ragout must be turnips and carrots cut into dice, and small onions, all boiled very tender, and well stirred up in the liquor in which your mutton was stewed. _another way._ fry mutton chops in butter till they are brown, but not done through. lay them flat in a stewpan, and just cover them with gravy. put in small onions, whole carrots, and turnips, scooped or cut into shapes; let them stew very gently for two hours or more. season the chops before you fry them with pepper and salt. _leg of mutton._ to give a leg of mutton the taste of mountain meat, hang it up as long as it will keep fresh; rub it every day with ginger and coarse brown sugar, leaving it on the meat. _leg of mutton in the french fashion._ a leg of mutton thus dressed is a very excellent dish. pare off all the skin as neatly as possible; lard the leg with the best lard, and stick a few cloves here and there, with half a clove of garlic, laid in the shank. when half roasted, cut off three or four thin pieces, so as not to disfigure it, about the shank bone; mince these very fine with sage, thyme, mint, and any other sweet garden herbs; add a little beaten ginger, very little, three or four grains; as much cayenne pepper, two spoonfuls of lemon juice, two ladlefuls of claret wine, a few capers, the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs: stew these in some meat jelly, and, when thoroughly stewed, pour over your roast, and serve it up. do not spare your meat jelly; let the sauce be in generous quantity. _leg of mutton or beef, to hash._ cut small flat pieces of the meat, taking care to pare the skin and sinews, but leaving as much fat as you can find in the inside of the leg; season with a little salt and cayenne pepper and a little soup jelly; put in two whole onions, two bunches of parsley, the same of thyme, and a table-spoonful of mushroom-powder. take two or three little balls of flour and butter, of the size of a nut, to thicken the sauce; beat it well together; let this simmer a little while; take off the scum; put in the meat, and let it boil. serve up hot, with fried bread round it. _another way._ take the mutton and cut it into slices, taking off the skin and fat; beat it well, and rub the dish with garlic; put in the mutton with water, and season with salt, an onion cut in half, and a bundle of savoury herbs; cover it, and set it over a stove and stew it. when half stewed, add a little white wine (say two glasses) three blades of mace, and an anchovy; stew it till enough done; then take out the onion and herbs, and put the hash into the dish, rubbing a piece of butter in flour to thicken it, and serve it up. _loin of mutton, to stew._ cut your mutton in steaks, and put it into as much water as will cover it. when it is skimmed, add four onions sliced and four large turnips. _neck of mutton, to roast._ draw the neck with parsley, and then roast it; and, when almost enough, dredge it with white pepper, salt, and crumbs; serve it with the juice of orange and gravy. _neck of mutton, to boil._ lard a neck of mutton with lemon-peel, and then boil it in salt and water, with sweet-herbs. while boiling, stew a pint of oysters in their own liquor, half a pint of white wine, and the like quantity of broth; put in two or three whole onions and some anchovies, grated nutmeg, and a little thyme. thicken the broth with the yolks of four eggs, and dish it up with sippets. lay the oysters under the meat, and garnish with barberries and lemon. _neck of mutton, to fry._ take the best end of a neck of mutton, cut it into steaks, beat them with a rolling-pin, strew some salt on them, and lay them in a frying-pan: hold the pan over a slow fire that may not burn them: turn them as they heat, and there will be gravy enough to fry them in, till they are half done. then put to them some good gravy; let them fry together, till they are done; add a good bit of butter, shake it up, and serve it hot with pickles. _saddle of mutton and kidneys._ raise the skin of the fore-chine of mutton, and draw it with lemon and thyme; and with sausage-meat farce part of it. take twelve kidneys, farce, skewer, and afterwards broil them; and lay round horseradish between, with the gravy under. _shoulder of mutton, to roast in blood._ cut the shoulder as you would venison; take off the skin, and let it lie in blood all night. take as much powder of sweet-herbs as will lie on a sixpence, a little grated bread, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and lemon-peel, the yolks of two eggs boiled hard, about twenty oysters, and some salt; temper these all together with the blood; stuff the meat thickly with it, and lay some of it about the mutton; then wrap the caul of the sheep about the shoulder; roast it, and baste it with blood till it is nearly done. take off the caul, dredge, baste it with butter, and serve it with venison sauce. if you do not cut it venison fashion, yet take off the skin, because it will eat tough; let the caul be spread while it is warm, and, when you are to dress it, wrap it up in a cloth dipped in hot water. for sauce, take some of the bones of the breast; chop and put to them a whole onion, a little lemon-peel, anchovies, and a little spice. stew these; add some red wine, oysters, and mushrooms. _shoulder, or leg of mutton, with oysters._ make six holes in either a shoulder or leg of mutton with a knife: roll in eggs with your oysters, with crumbs and nutmeg, and stuff three or four in every hole. if you roast, put a caul over it; if for boiling, a napkin. make some good oyster sauce, which lay under, and serve up hot. _roasted mutton, with stewed cucumbers._ bone a neck and loin of mutton, leaving on only the top bones, about an inch long; draw the one with parsley, and lard the other with bacon very closely; and, after skewering, roast them. fry and stew your cucumbers; lay them under the mutton, and season them with salt, pepper, vinegar, and minced shalot, and put the sauce under the mutton, garnishing with pickled cucumbers and horseradish. _mutton to eat like venison._ boil and skin a loin of mutton; take the bones, two onions, two anchovies, a bunch of sweet-herbs, some pepper, mace, carrot, and crust of bread; stew these all together for gravy; strain it off, and put the mutton into a stewpan with the fat side downward; add half a pint of port wine. stew it till thoroughly done. _mutton in epigram._ roast a shoulder of mutton till it is three parts done, and let it cool; raise the skin quite up to the knuckle, and cut off all to the knuckle. sauce the blade-bone; broil it, and hash the rest, putting in some capers, with good gravy, pickled cucumbers, and shalots. stir them well up, and lay the blade-bone on the skin. _mushrooms, to stew brown._ take some pepper and salt, with a little cayenne and a little cream; thicken with butter and flour. to do them white, cut out all the black inside. _newmarket john._ cut the lean part of a leg of mutton in little thin collops; beat them; butter a stewpan, and lay the collops all over. have ready pepper, salt, shalot or garlic, and strew upon them. set them over a very slow fire. as the gravy draws, turn over the collops, and dredge in a very little flour; have ready some good hot gravy. shake it up all together, and serve with pickles. _ox-cheek, to stew._ choose one that is fat and young, which may be known by the teeth; pick out the eye-balls; cut away the snout and all superfluous bits. wash and clean it perfectly; well dry it in a cloth, and, with the back of a cleaver, break all the bones in the inside of the cheek; then with a rollingpin beat the flesh of the outside. if it is intended for the next day's dinner, proceed in this manner:--quarter and lard it with marrow; then pour on it garlic or elder vinegar so gently that it may sink into the flesh; strew salt over it, and let it remain so till morning. then put it into a stewpan, big enough, if you do both cheeks, to admit of their lying flat close to one another; but first rub the pan well with garlic, and with a spoon spread a pound of butter and upwards at the bottom and sides of the pan. strew cloves and beaten mace on the cheeks, also thyme and sweet marjoram, finely chopped; then put in as much white wine as will cover them an inch or more above the meat, but wash not off the other things by pouring it on. rub the lid of the pan with garlic, and cover it so close that no steam can escape. make a brisk fire under it, and, when the cover is so hot that you cannot bear your hand on it, then a slack fire will stew it, but keep it so that the cover be of the same heat as long as it is stewing. it must not be uncovered the whole time it is doing: about three hours will be sufficient. when you take it up, be careful not to break it; take out the loose bones; pour the liquor on the cheek; clear from the fat and the dross, and put lemon-juice to it. serve it hot. _another way._ soak it in water, and make it very clean; put it in a gallon of water, with some potherbs, salt, and whole pepper. when stewed, so that the bones will slip out easily, take it up and strain off the soup; put a bit of butter in the frying-pan with some flour, and fry the meat brown, taking care not to burn it. put some of the soup to the flour and butter, with ketchup, mushrooms, anchovy, and walnut liquor. lay the cheek in a deep dish, and pour the sauce over it. _ox-tail ragout._ some good gravy must first be made, and the tail chopped through every joint, and stewed a long time in it till quite tender, with an onion stuck with cloves, a table-spoonful of port or madeira wine, a tea-spoonful of soy, and a little cayenne. thicken the gravy with a little flour. _another._ take two or three ox-tails; put them in a saucepan, with turnips, carrots, onions, and some black peppercorns; stew them for four hours. take them out; cut them in pieces at every joint; put them into a stewpan with some good gravy, and scraped turnip and carrot; or cut them into the shape of a ninepin; pepper and salt to your taste; add the juice of half a lemon; and send it to table very hot. _peas, to stew._ take a quart of fine peas, and two small or one large cabbage lettuce; boil the lettuce tender; take it out of the water, shake it well, and put it into the stewpan, with about two ounces of butter, three or four little onions cut small, and the peas. set them on a very slow fire, and let them stew about two hours; season them to your taste with pepper and a tea-spoonful of sugar; and, instead of salt, stew in some bits of ham, which you may take out or leave in when you serve it. there should not be a drop of water, except what inevitably comes from the lettuce. _another way._ to your peas, add cabbage lettuces cut small, a small faggot of mint, and one onion; pass them over the fire with a small bit of butter, and, when they are tender and the liquor from them reduced, take out the onion and mint, and add a little white sauce. take care it be not too thin; season with a little pepper and salt. _green peas, to keep till christmas._ gather your peas, when neither very young nor old, on a fine dry day. shell, and let two persons holding a cloth, one at each end, shake them backward and forward for a few minutes. put them into clean quart bottles; fill the bottles, and cork tight. melt some rosin in a pipkin, dip the necks of the bottles into it, and set them in a cool dry place. _another way._ shell the peas, and dry them in a gentle heat, not much greater than that of a hot summer's day. put them when quite dry into linen bags, and hang them up in a dry place. before they are boiled, at christmas or later, steep them in half milk, half water, for twelve or fourteen hours; then boil them as if fresh gathered. beans and french beans may be preserved in the same manner. _red pickle, for any meat._ a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, a large common basinful of coarse sugar, and coarse salt. a leg of pork to lie in it a fortnight. _beef steak pie._ rump steaks are preferable to beef; season them with the usual seasoning, puff-paste top and bottom, and good gravy to fill the dish. _calf's head pie._ parboil the head; cut it into thin slices; season with pepper and salt; lay them into a crust with some good gravy, forcemeat balls, and yolks of eggs boiled hard. bake it about an hour and a half; cut off the lid; thicken some good gravy with a little flour; add some oysters; serve it with or without a lid. _mutton or grass lamb pie._ take a loin of mutton or lamb, and clear it from fat and skin; cut it into steaks; season them well with pepper and salt; almost fill the dish with water; lay puff paste at top and bottom. _veal pie (common)._ make exactly as you would a beef-steak pie. _veal pie (rich)._ take a neck, a fillet, or a breast of veal, cut from it your steaks, seasoned with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a few cloves, truffles, and morels; then slice two sweetbreads; season them in the same manner, and put a layer of paste round the dish; then lay the meat, yolks of eggs boiled hard, and oysters at the top: fill it with water. when taken out of the oven, pour in at the top through a funnel some good boiled gravy, thickened with cream and flour boiled up. _veal and ham pie._ take two pounds of veal cutlets, or the best end of the neck, cut them in pieces about half the size of your hand, seasoned with pepper and a very little salt, and some dressed ham in slices. lay them alternately in the dish with forcemeat or sausage meat, the yolks of three eggs boiled hard, and a gill of water. _veal olive pie._ make your olives as directed in the receipt for making olives; put them into a crust; fill the pie with water: when baked, pour in some good gravy, boiled and thickened with a little good cream and flour boiled together. these ingredients make an excellent pie. _beef olive pie._ make your olives as you would common beef olives; put them into puff paste, top and bottom; fill the pie with water, when baked, pour in some good rich gravy. _pig, to barbicue._ the best pig for this purpose is of the thick neck breed, about six weeks old. season the barbicue very high with cayenne, black pepper, and sage, finely sifted; which must be rubbed well into the inside of the pig. it must then be sewed up and roasted, or, if an oven can be depended upon, it will be equally good baked. the sauce must be a very high beef gravy, with an equal quantity of madeira wine in it. send the pig to table whole. be careful not to put any salt into the pig, as it will change its colour. _pig, to collar._ have your pig cut down the back, and bone and wash it clean from the blood; dry it well, and season it with spice, salt, parsley, and thyme, and roll it hard in a collar; tie it close in a dry cloth and boil it with the bones, in three pints of water, a quart of vinegar, a handful of salt, a faggot of sweet-herbs, and whole spice. when tender, let it cool and take it off; take it out of the cloth, and keep it in the pickle. _pig, to collar in colours._ boil and wash your pig well, and lay it on a dresser: chop parsley, thyme, and sage, and strew them over the inside of the pig. beat some mace and cloves, mix with them some pepper and salt, and strew that over. boil some eggs hard, chop the yolks, and put them in layers across your pig; boil some beet-root, and cut that into slices, and lay them across; then roll it up in a cloth and boil it. before it is cold, press it with a weight, and it will be fit for use. _pig, to pickle or souse._ take a fair fat pig, cut off his head, and cut him through the middle. take out the brains, lay them in warm water, and leave them all night. roll the pig up like brawn, boil till tender, and then throw it into an earthen pan with salt and water. this will whiten and season the flesh; for no salt must be put into the boiling for fear of turning it black. then take a quart of this broth and a quart of white wine, boil them together, and put in three or four bay-leaves: when cold, season your pig, and put it into this sauce. it will keep three months. _pig, to roast._ chop the liver small by itself: mince blanched bacon, capers, truffles, anchovy, mushrooms, sweet-herbs and garlic. season and blanch the whole. fill your pig with it; tie it up; sprinkle some good olive oil over it; roast and serve it up hot. _another way._ put a piece of bread, parsley, and sage, cut small, into the belly with a little salt; sew up the belly; spit the pig, and roast it; cut off the ears and the under-jaws, which you will lay round; making a sauce with the brains, thick butter and gravy, which lay underneath. _pig, to dress lamb fashion._ after skinning the pig, but leaving the skin quite whole, with the head on, chine it down, as you would do mutton, larding it with thyme and lemon-peel; and roast it in quarters like lamb. fill the other part with a plum-pudding; sew the belly up, and bake it. _pigs' feet and ears, fricassee of._ clean the feet and ears, and boil them very tender. cut them in small shreds, the length of a finger and about a quarter of an inch in breadth; fry them in butter till they are brown but not hard; put them into a stewpan with a little brown gravy and a good piece of butter, two spoonfuls of vinegar, and a good deal of mustard--enough to flavour it strong. salt to your taste; thicken with very little flour. put in half an onion; then take the feet, which should likewise be boiled as tender as for eating; slit them quite through the middle; take out the large bones; dip them in eggs, and strew them over with bread crumbs, seasoned with pepper and salt; boil or fry them, and put them on the ragout, into which squeeze some lemon-juice. _pigs' feet and ears, ragout of._ split the feet, and take them out of souse; dip them in eggs, then in bread-crumbs and chopped parsley; fry them in lard. drain them; cut the ears in long narrow slips; flour them; put them into some good gravy; add ketchup, morels, and pickled mushrooms; stew them into the dish, and lay on the feet. _pig's head, to roll._ take the belly-piece and head of pork, rub it well with saltpetre and a very little salt; let it lie three or four days; wash it clean; then boil the head tender, and take off all the meat with the ears, which cut in pieces. have ready four neats' feet, also well boiled; take out the bones, cut the meat in thin slices, mix it with the head, and lay it with the belly-piece: roll it up tight, and bind it up, and set it on one end, with a trencher upon it; set it within the tin, and place a heavy weight upon that, and let it stand all night. in the morning take it out, and bind it with a fillet; put it in some salt and water, which must be changed every four or five days. when sliced, it looks like brawn. it is also good dipped in butter and fried, and eaten with melted butter, mustard, and vinegar: for that purpose the slices should be only about three inches square. _pilaw, an indian dish._ take six or eight ribs of a neck of mutton; separate and take off all the skin and fat, and put them into a stewpan with twelve cloves, a small piece of ginger, twelve grains of black pepper, and a little cinnamon and mace, with one clove of garlic. add as much water as will serve to stew these ingredients thoroughly and make the meat tender. then take out the mutton, and fry it in nice butter of a light brown, with some small onions chopped fine and fried very dry; put them to the mutton-gravy and spice in which it was stewed, adding a table-spoonful of curry-powder and half an ounce of butter. after mixing all the above ingredients well together, put them to the rice, which should be previously half boiled, and let the whole stew together, until the rice is done enough and the gravy completely absorbed. when the pilaw is dished for table, it should be thinly covered with plain boiled rice to make it look white, and served up very hot. _pork, to collar._ bone and season a breast of pork with savoury spice, parsley, sage, and thyme; roll it in a hard collar of cloth; tie it close, and boil it, and, when cold, keep it in souse. _pork, to pickle._ having boned your pork, cut it into such pieces as will lie most conveniently to be powdered. the tub used for this purpose must be sufficiently large and sound, so as to hold the brine; and the narrower and deeper it is the better it will keep the meat. well rub the meat with saltpetre; then take one part of bay and two parts of common salt, and rub every piece well, covering it with salt, as you would a flitch of bacon. strew salt in the bottom of the tub; lay the pieces in it as closely as possible, strewing salt round the sides of the tub, and if the salt should even melt at the top strew no more. meat thus cured will keep a long time. _another way._ cut your pork into small pieces, of the size you would boil at one time; rub all the pieces very well with salt, and lay them on a dresser upon boards made to slope that the brine may run off. after remaining three or four days, wipe them with a dry cloth; have ready a quantity of salt mixed with a small portion of saltpetre: rub each piece well with this mixture, after which cover them all over with salt. put them into an earthen jar, or large pan, placing the pieces as close together as possible, closing the top of the jar or pan, so as to prevent all external air from getting in; put the shoulder pieces in a pan by themselves. pork prepared in this manner will keep good a year. _chine of pork, to stuff and roast._ make your stuffing of parsley, sage, thyme, eggs, crumbs of bread, and season it with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and shalot; stuff the chine thick, and roast it gently. when about a quarter roasted, cut the skin in slips, making your sauce with lemon-peel, apples, sugar, butter, and mustard, just as you would for a roast leg. _another way._ take a chine of pork that has hung four or five days; make holes in the lean, and stuff it with a little of the fat leaf, chopped very small, some parsley, thyme, a little sage, and shalot, cut very fine, and seasoned with pepper and salt. it should be stuffed pretty thick. have some good gravy in the dish. for sauce, use apple sauce. _pork cutlets._ cut off the skin of a loin or neck of pork and make cutlets; season them with parsley, sage, and thyme, mixed together with crumbs of bread, pepper, and salt; broil them, and make sauce with mustard, butter, shalot, and gravy, and serve up hot. _gammon, to roast._ let the gammon soak for twenty-four hours in warm water. boil it tender, but not too much. when hot, score it with your knife; put some pepper on it, and then put it into a dish to crisp in a hot oven; but be mindful to pull the skin off. _leg of pork, to broil._ after skinning part of the fillet, cut it into slices, and hack it with the back of your knife; season with pepper, salt, thyme, and sage, minced small. broil the slices on the gridiron, and serve with sauce made with drawn butter, sugar, and mustard. _spring of pork, to roast._ cut off the spring of a knuckle of pork, and leave as much skin on the spring as you can, parting it from the neck, and taking out the bones. rub it well with salt, and strew it all over with thyme shred small, parsley, sage, a nutmeg, cloves, and mace, beaten small and well mixed together. rub all well in, and roll the whole up tight, with the flesh inward. sew it fast, spit it lengthwise, and roast it. _potatoes, to boil._ no. . the following is the celebrated lancashire receipt for cooking potatoes:--cleanse them well, put them in cold water, and boil them with their skins on exceedingly slow. when the water bubbles, throw in a little cold water. when they are done, drain the water completely away through a colander; return them into a pot or saucepan without water; cover them up, and set them before the fire for a quarter of an hour longer. do not pare the potatoes before they are boiled, which is a very unwholesome and wasteful practice. _potatoes, to boil._ no. . scrape off the rind; put them into an iron pot; simmer them till they begin to crack, and allow a fork to pierce easily; then pour off the water, and put aside the lid of the pot, and sprinkle over some salt. place your pot at the edge of the fire, and there let it remain an hour or more, and during this time all the moisture of the potatoes will gradually exhale in steam, and you will find them white or flaky as snow. take them out with a spoon or ladle. _potatoes, to boil._ no. . boil them as usual; half an hour before sending to table, throw away the water from them, and set the pot again on the fire; sufficient moisture will come from the potatoes to prevent the pot from burning; let them stand on the half stove, and not be peeled until sent to table. _potatoes, to bake._ wash nicely, make into balls, and bake in the dutch oven a light brown. this forms a neat side or corner dish. _potato balls._ pound some boiled potatoes in a mortar, with the yolks of two eggs, a little pepper, and salt; make them in balls about the size of an egg; do them over with yolk of egg and crumbs of bread; then fry them of a light brown for table; five balls for a corner dish. _croquets of potatoes._ boil some potatoes in water, strain them, and take sufficient milk to make them into a mash, rather thick; before you mix the potatoes put the peel of half a lemon, finely grated, one lump of sugar, and a pinch of salt; strain the milk after heating it, and add the potatoes; mash them well together; let the mash cool; roll it into balls of the shape and size of an egg; let there be ten or twelve of them; brush them over with the yolk of egg, and roll them in crumbs of bread and a pinch of salt. do this twice over; then fry them of a fine brown colour, and serve them with fried parsley round. _potatoes, to fry._ after your potatoes are nicely boiled and skinned, grate them, and to every large table-spoonful of potatoes add one egg well beat, and to each egg a small spoonful of cream, with some salt. drop as many spoonfuls as are proper in a pan in which is clarified butter. _potatoes, to mash._ after the potatoes are boiled and peeled, mash them in a mortar, or on a clean board, with a broad knife, and put them into a stewpan. to two pounds of potatoes put in half a pint of milk, a quarter of a pound of butter, and a little salt; set them over the fire, and keep them stirred till the butter is melted; but take care they do not burn to the bottom. dish them up in what form you please. _potatoes, french way of cooking._ boil the potatoes in a weak white gravy till nearly done; stir in some cream and vermicelli, with three or four blades of mace, and let it boil till the potatoes are sufficiently done, without being broken. _potatoes, à-la-maitre d'hotel._ cut boiled potatoes into slices, not too thin; simmer them in a little plain gravy, a bit of butter rubbed in a little flour, chopped parsley, pepper, and salt, and serve hot. _rice, to boil._ to boil rice well, though a simple thing, is rarely well done. have two quarts of water boiling, while you wash six ounces of rice, picked clean. change the water three or four times. when the rice is clean, drain and put it into the boiling water. boil twenty minutes; add three quarters of a table-spoonful of salt. drain off the water well--this is the most essential point--set it before the fire, spread thin to dry. when dry, serve it up. if the rice is not dry, so that each grain separates easily from the others, it is not properly boiled. _another way._ put one pound of rice into three quarts of boiling water; let it remain twenty minutes. skim the water, and add one ounce of hog's lard and a little salt and pepper. let it simmer gently over the fire closely covered, for an hour and a quarter, when it will be fit for use. this will produce eight pounds of savoury rice. _rissoles._ no. . take a roasted fowl, turkey, or pullet; pull it into shreds; there must be neither bone nor skin. cut some veal and ham into large dice; put it into a stewpan, with a little thyme, carrots, onions, cloves, and two or three mushrooms. make these ingredients simmer over a slow fire for two hours, taking care they do not burn; put in a handful of flour, and stir well, with a pint of cream and as much good broth; let the whole then stew for a quarter of an hour; continue to stir with a wooden spoon to prevent its burning. when it is done enough, strain it through a woollen strainer; then put in the whole meat of the poultry you have cut, with which you must make little balls of the size of pigeons' eggs. dip them twice in very fine crumbs of bread; wrap them in paste, rolled very thin; then fry them in lard, which should be very hot. _rissoles._ no. . take the fleshy parts and breasts of two fowls, which cut into small dice, all of an equal size; then throw them into some white sauce, and reduce it till it becomes very thick and stiff. when this is cold, cut it into several pieces, and roll them to the size and shape of a cork; then roll them in crumbs of bread very fine; dip them into some white and yolks of eggs put up together with a little salt, and roll them again in bread. if they are not stiff enough to keep their shape, this must be repeated; then fry them of a light brown colour, drain them, wipe off the grease, and serve them with fried parsley between them. _rissoles._ no. . take of the puré made as directed for pheasant, veal, or game, (see pheasant under the head game) a sufficient quantity for eight rissoles, then a little of the jelly of veal, say about half a pint; put in it a pinch of salt and of cayenne pepper, two table-spoonfuls of cream, the yolk of one egg, and a piece of butter of the size of a walnut; mix this sauce well together over the fire, strain it, and then add the puré. let it cool, and prepare a little puff-paste sufficient to wrap the rissoles once over with it, taking care to roll the paste out thin. fry them, and send them up with fried parsley, without sauce. the rissoles must be made stiff enough not to break in the frying. _rice._ one pound of veal or fowl, chopped fine; have ready some good bechamel sauce mixed with parsley and lemon-juice; mix it of a good thickness. when cold, make it up into balls, or what shape you please; dip them in yolks of eggs and bread crumbs, and fry them a few minutes before they go to table. they should be of a light brown, and sent up with fried parsley. _a robinson, to make._ take about eight or ten pounds of the middle of a brisket of beef; let it hang a day; then salt it for three days hung up; afterwards put it in strong red pickle, in which let it remain three weeks. take it out, put it into a pot with plenty of water, pepper, a little allspice, and onion; let it simmer for seven or eight hours, but never let it boil. when quite tender, take out all the bones, spread it out on a table to cool, well beat it out with a rollingpin, and sprinkle with cayenne, nutmeg, and very little cloves, pounded together. put it in a coarse cloth after it is rolled; twist it at each end to get out the fat, and bind it well round with broad tape; in that state let it remain three days. _salad, to dress._ two or three eggs, two or three anchovies, pounded, a little tarragon chopped very fine, a little thick cream, mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper, mixed well together. after these are all well mixed, add oil, a little tarragon, elder, and garlic vinegar, so as to have the flavour of each, and then a little of the french vinegar, if there is not enough of the others to give the requisite taste. _bologna sausages._ have the fillets of young, tender porkers, and out of the weight of twenty-five pounds three parts are to be lean and one fat; season them well in the small shredding with salt and pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and a pint of white wine, mixed with a pint of hog's blood; stirring and beating it well together, with a little of the sweet-herbs finely chopped; with a funnel open the mouths of the guts, and thrust the meat gently into it with a clean napkin, as by forcing it with your hands you may break the gut. divide them into what lengths you please; tie them with fine thread, and let them dry in the air for two or three days, if the weather be clear and a brisk wind, hanging them in rows at a little distance from each other in the smoke-loft. when well dried, rub off the dust they contract with a clean cloth; pour over them sweet olive-oil, and cover them with a dry earthen vessel. _english sausages._ chop and bruise small the lean of a fillet of young pork; to every pound put a quarter of a pound of fat, well skinned, and season it with a little nutmeg, salt, and pepper, adding a little grated bread; mix all these well together, and put it into guts, seasoned with salt and water. _another way._ take six pounds of very fine well fed pork, quite free from gristle and fat; cut it very small, and beat it fine in a mortar; shred six pounds of suet, free from skin, as fine as possible. take a good deal of sage, the leaves picked off and washed clean, and shred fine as possible; spread the meat on a clean table; then shake the sage, about three large spoonfuls, all over; shred the yellow part of the rind of a lemon very fine, and throw that over, with as much sweet-herbs, when shred fine, as will fill a large spoon; grate two nutmegs over it, with two tea-spoonfuls of bruised pepper, and a large spoonful of salt. then throw over it the suet, and mix all well together, and put it down close in a pot. when you use it, roll it up with as much beaten egg as will make the sausages roll smooth; let what you fry them in be hot before you put them into the pan; roll them about, and when they are thoroughly hot, and of a fine light brown colour, they are done. by warming a little of the meat in a spoon when you are making it, you will then taste if it is seasoned enough. _oxford sausages._ take the best part of a leg of veal and of a leg of pork, of each three pounds; skin it well, and cut it into small dice. take three pounds of the best beef suet (the proportion of which you may increase or diminish according to your taste,) skin it well; add a little sage, and chop it all together as fine as forcemeat. when chopped, put in six or seven eggs and a quarter of a pound of cold water, and season to your liking with pepper and salt. work it up as if you were kneading dough for bread; roll it out in the form of sausages, and let the pan you fry them in be hot, with a bit of butter in it. _sausages for scotch collops._ take beef suet and some veal, with a little winter savory, sage, thyme, and some grated nutmeg, beaten cloves, mace, and a little salt and pepper. let these be well beaten together; then add two eggs beat, and heat all together. roll them up in grated bread, fry, and send them up. _veal sausages._ take half a pound of the lean of a leg of veal; cut it in small pieces, and beat it very fine in a stone mortar, picking out all the little strings. shred one pound and half of beef-suet very small; season it with pepper, salt, cloves, and mace, but twice as much mace as cloves, some sage, thyme, and sweet marjoram, according to your palate. mix all these well with the yolks of twelve eggs; roll them to your fancy, and fry them in lard. _sausages without skins._ take a pound and quarter of the lean of a leg of veal and a pound and quarter of the lean of a hind loin of pork; pick the meat from the skins before you weigh it; then take two pounds and half of fresh beef-suet picked clean from the skins, and an ounce and half of red sage leaves, picked from the stalks; wash and mince them as fine as possible; put them to the meat and suet, and mince as fine as you can. add to it two ounces of white salt and half an ounce of pepper. pare all the crust from a stale penny french roll, and soak the crumb in water till it is wet through; put it into a clean napkin, and squeeze out all the water. put the bread to the meat, with four new-laid eggs beaten; then with your hands work all these things together, and put them into a clean earthen pan, pressed down close. they will keep good for a week. when you use this meat, divide a pound into eighteen parts; flour your hands a little, and roll it up into pretty thick sausages, and fry them in sweet butter; a little frying will do. _spinach, the best mode of dressing._ boil the spinach, squeeze the water from it completely, chop it a little; then put it and a piece of butter in a stewpan with salt and a very little nutmeg; turn it over a brisk fire to dry the remaining water. then add a little flour; mix it well, wet it with a little good broth, and let it simmer for some time, turning it now and then to prevent burning. to dress it _maigre_, put cream instead of broth, and an onion with a clove stuck in it, which you take out when you serve the spinach. garnish with fried bread. observe that if you leave water in it, the spinach cannot ever be good. _another way._ clean it well, and throw it into fresh water; then squeeze and drain it quite dry. chop it extremely small, and put it into a pan with cream, fresh butter, salt, and a very small quantity of pepper and nutmeg: add an onion with two cloves stuck in it, and serve it up very hot, with fried bread sippets of triangular shape round the dish. _spinach, to stew._ pick the spinach very carefully; put it into a pan of water; boil it in a large vessel with a good deal of salt to preserve the green colour, and press it down frequently that it may be done equally. when boiled enough to squeeze easily, drain it from the water, and throw it into cold water. when quite cold, make it into balls, and squeeze it well. then spread it on a table and chop it very fine; put a good piece of butter in a stewpan, and lay the spinach over the butter. let it dry over a slow fire, and add a little flour; moisten with half a pint of beef jelly and a very little warm water: add a little cayenne pepper. this spinach should be very like thick melted butter, and as fine and smooth as possible. _another way._ take some fine spinach, pick and wash it extremely clean. when well boiled, put it into cold water, and squeeze it in a cloth very dry; chop it very small; put it in a stewpan with a piece of butter and half a pint of good cream; stir it well over the fire, that it may not oil; and put in a little more cream just as you are going to dish it. _sweetbreads, ragout of._ wash your sweetbreads; put them into boiling water, and, after blanching them, throw them into cold water; dry them with a linen cloth; and put them in a saucepan over the fire with salt, pepper, melted bacon, and a faggot of sweet-herbs. shake them together, and put some good gravy to moisten them; simmer over the fire, and thicken to your liking. _another._ take sweetbreads and lamb's fry, and parboil them, cutting them into slices, and cocks'-combs sliced and blanched, and season them with pepper and salt, and other spices; fry them in a little lard; drain and toss them in good gravy, with two shalots, a bunch of sweet-herbs, mushrooms, and truffles. thicken it with a glass of claret; garnish with red beet root. _savoury toasts, to relish wine._ cut six or seven pieces of bread about the size of two fingers, and fry them in butter till they are of a good colour; cut as many slices of ham of the same size, and put them into a stewpan over a slow fire, for an hour; when they are done take them out, and stir into the stewpan a little flour; when of a good colour moisten it with some broth, without salt; then skim off the fat, and strain the sauce through a sieve. dish the ham upon the fried bread, and pour the sauce over. _another._ rasp some crumb of bread; put it over the fire in butter; put over it a minced veal kidney, with its fat, parsley, scallions, a shalot, cayenne pepper and salt, mixed with the whites and yolks of four eggs beat: put this forcemeat on fried toasts of bread, covering the whole with grated bread, and passing the salamander over it. serve it with a clear beef gravy sauce under it. _tomata to eat with roast meat._ cover the bottom of a flat saucepan with the tomatas, that they may lie one upon another; add two or three spoonfuls of water, a little salt and pepper, to your taste; cover the pan, and stew them; in six or seven minutes turn them, and let them stew till they are soft. send them up with their liquor. _tongues, to cure._ no. . take two fine bullocks' tongues; wash them well in spring water; dry them thoroughly with a cloth, and salt them with common salt, a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, a quarter of a pound of treacle, and a quarter of a pound of gunpowder. let them lie in this pickle for a month; turn and rub them every day; then take them out and dry them with a cloth; rub a little gunpowder over them, and hang them up for a month, when they will be fit to eat, previously soaking a few hours as customary. _tongues, to cure._ no. . one pound of bay salt, half a pound of saltpetre, two ounces of sal prunella, two pounds of coarse sugar; make your brine strong enough with common salt to float an egg. the quantity of water is seven quarts, boil all together, and scum it well for half an hour. when cold, put the tongues in, and wash them in warm water before dressing. for table be sure never to let them boil, but simmer slowly for four or five hours. _tongues, to cure._ no. . take two fine neats' tongues; cut off the roots, and cut a nick in the under side; wash them clean, and dry with a cloth. rub them with common salt, and lay them on a board all night. next day take two ounces of bay salt, one of sal prunella, and a handful of juniper-berries, all bruised fine; mix them with a quarter of a pound of coarse sugar and one pound of common salt. rub the tongues well with this mixture; lay them in a long pan, and turn and rub them daily for a fortnight. take them out of the pickle, and either dry or dress them. _tongues, to cure._ no. . mix some well bruised bay salt, and a little saltpetre, with common salt, and with a linen cloth rub the tongues and salt them, most particularly the roots; and as the brine consumes put some more, till the tongues are hard and stiff. when they are salted, roll them up, and dry them in bran. _tongues, to cure._ no. . have the roots well cleansed from the moisture, and with warm water wash and open the porous parts, that the salt may penetrate, and dry them well. cover them for a week with a pickle made of common salt, and bay salt well boiled in it; then rub them with saltpetre, and to make them of a good red colour you must take them out, and rub and salt them well so that the salt penetrates, pressing them down hard with a board that, when they are put to dry, they may keep their due proportion. the usual way of drying them is with burnt sawdust, which, with the salt, gives the dusky colour that appears on the outside before they are boiled. _tongues, to cure._ no. . well rub into the tongue two ounces of saltpetre, a pound of common salt, and a quarter of a pound of treacle; and baste every day for three weeks. _tongue, to smoke._ wipe the tongue dry, when taken out of the pickle; glaze it over with a brush dipped in pyroligneous acid, and hang it up in the kitchen. _tongue, to bake._ season your tongues with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; lard them with large lardoons, and have them steeped all night in vinegar, claret, and ginger. season again with whole pepper, sliced nutmeg, whole cloves, and salt. bake them in an earthen pan; serve them up on sippets, and lay your spice over them, with slices of lemon and some sausages. _tongue, to boil._ put a good quantity of hay with your tongues, tying them up in a cloth, or else in hay. boil them till they are tender and of a good colour, and they will eat short and mellow. _tongue, to pot._ prick the tongues with a skewer, and salt them with bay-salt and saltpetre, to make them red. boil them till they will just peel; season with mace and a little pepper, to your liking; bake them in a pot well covered with butter, and they will keep as long as any potted meat. _tongue and udder, to roast._ have the tongue and udder boiled and blanched, the tongue being salted with saltpetre; lard them with the whole length of large lardoons, and then roast them on a spit, basting them with butter: when roasted, dress them with grated bread and flour, and serve up with gravy, currant-jelly by itself, and slices of lemon. _sheep's tongue, or any other, with oysters._ boil six tongues in salt and water till they are sufficiently tender to peel. slice them thin, and with a quart of large oysters put them in a dish, with some whole spice and a little claret, and let them stew together. then put in some butter, and three yolks of eggs well beaten. shake them all well together, and put some sippets and lay your tongues upon them. _tripe, to dress._ take of the finest tripe, and, when properly trimmed, cut it in pieces about four inches square; put it in a stewpan, with as much white wine as will almost cover it: slice in three or four race of ginger, quarter in a nutmeg, put in a good deal of salt, a bundle of herbs, rosemary, thyme, sweet marjoram, and onion. when this has stewed gently a good while, take out a pint of the clearest liquor, free from fat or dross, and dissolve in it some anchovies finely picked. take up the tripe, a bit at a time, with a fork, and lay it in a warmed dish; pour on it the liquor in which the anchovies were dissolved. sprinkle on it a little lemon juice. those who are fond of onions or garlic may make either the prevailing ingredient. _tripe, to fricassee._ cut into slices the fat part of double tripe; dip them into eggs or batter, and fry them to lay round the dish. cut the other part into long slips, and into dice, and toss them up with onion, chopped parsley, melted butter, yolks of eggs, and a little vinegar. season with pepper and salt, and serve up. _truffles and morels, to stew._ well wash the truffles, cut them into slices, of the size and about the thickness of half-a-crown; put them into a stewpan, with a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper, and a little butter, to prevent their being burnt. let them stew ten minutes; have ready a good brown sauce of half a pint of beef and the same of veal jelly, thickened with a little butter and flour; add to it any trimmings of the truffles or morels, and boil them also in it; put in one pinch of cayenne pepper. strain the truffles or morels from the butter they were first stewed in; throw them into the sauce; warm the whole again, and serve hot. _veal, to boil._ veal should be boiled well; a knuckle of six pounds will take very nearly two hours. the neck must be also well boiled in a good deal of water; if boiled in a cloth, it will be whiter. serve it with tongue, bacon, or pickled pork, greens of any sort, brocoli, and carrots, or onion sauce, white sauce, oyster sauce, parsley and butter, or white celery sauce. _veal, to collar._ bone and wash a breast of veal; steep it in three waters, and dry it with a cloth; season it with savoury spice, some slices of bacon, and shred sweet-herbs; roll them in a collar of cloth, and boil it in salt and water, with whole spice; skim it clean and take it up, and when cold put it in the pickle. _another way._ take the meat of a breast of veal; make a stuffing of beef-suet, crumb of bread, lemon peel, parsley, pepper, and salt, mixed up with two eggs; lay it over the meat, and roll it up. boil an hour and a half, and send it to table with oyster sauce. _veal, to roast._ veal will take a quarter of an hour to a pound: paper the fat of the loin and fillet; stuff the fillet and shoulder with the following ingredients: a quarter of a pound of suet, chopped fine, parsley, and sweet-herbs chopped, grated bread, lemon-peel, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and yolk of egg; butter may supply the want of suet. roast the breast with the caul on it till almost done; take it off, flour and baste it. veal requires to be more done than beef. for sauce use salad pickles, brocoli, cucumbers, raw or stewed, french beans, peas, cauliflower, celery, raw or stewed. _veal, roasted, ragout of._ cut slices of veal about the size of two fingers and at least as long as three; beat them with a cleaver till they are no thicker than a crown-piece; put upon every slice some stuffing made with beef-suet, ham, a little thyme, parsley, scallions, and a shalot. when the whole is minced, add the yolks of two eggs, half a table-spoonful of brandy, salt, and pepper; spread it on the veal and roll it. cover each piece with a thin slice of bacon, and tie it carefully. then put them on a small delicate spit covered with paper; and, when they are done, take off the paper carefully, grate bread over them, and brown them at a clear fire. serve them with a gravy sauce. _veal, to stew._ cut the veal into small pieces; season with an onion, some salt and pepper, mace, lemon-peel, and two or three shalots; let them stew in water, with a little butter, or port wine, if you like. when enough done, put in some yolks of eggs beaten, and boil them quick. dish and serve them up. _veal, with rice, to stew._ boil half a pound of rice in three quarts of water in a small pan with some good broth, about a pint, and slices of ham at the bottom, and two good onions. when it is almost done, spread it, about twice the thickness of a crown-piece, over a silver or delft dish in which it is to be served [it must be a dish capable of bearing the fire]. lay slices of veal and ham alternately--the veal having already been dressed brown. cover the meat with rice in such a manner that it cannot be seen; put your dish upon a hot stove; brown the rice with a salamander; drain off the fat that may be in the dish, and serve it dry, or, if it is preferred, with any of the good sauces, for which there are directions, poured under it. _veal served in paper._ cut some slices of veal from the fillet, about an inch thick, in a small square, about the size of a small fricandeau; make a box of paper to fit neatly; rub the outside with butter, and put in your meat, with sweet oil or butter, parsley, scallions, shalots, and mushrooms, all stewed very fine, salt, and whole pepper. set it upon the gridiron, with a sheet of oiled paper under it, and let it do by a very slow fire, lest the paper burn. when the meat is done on one side turn it on the other. serve it in the box, having put over it very gently a dash of vinegar. _bombarded veal._ take a piece of a long square of bacon; cut it in thin slices; do the same with veal, and lay the slices on your bacon. having made a piece of good forcemeat, spread it thin on your veal, having previously seasoned the latter with pepper and salt. roll these up one by one; spit them on a lark spit, quite even; wash them over with eggs and crumbs of bread; then roast them, and serve up with a good ragout. _veal balls._ take two pounds of veal; pick out the skin and bones; mix it well with the crust of a french roll, soaked in hot milk, half a pound of veal suet, two yolks of eggs, onion, and chopped parsley; season with pepper and salt. roll the balls in raspings; fry them of a gold colour: boil the bones and the bits of skin to make the gravy for them. _breast of veal._ to fricassee it like fowls, parboil it; turn it a few times over the fire with a bit of butter, a bunch of parsley, scallions, some mushrooms, truffles, and morels. shake in a little flour; moisten with some good stock broth; and when the whole is done and skimmed, thicken it with the yolks of three eggs beat with some milk; and, before it is served, add a very little lemon juice. _breast of veal, with cabbage and bacon._ cut the breast of veal in pieces, and parboil it; parboil also a cabbage and a bit of streaked bacon, cut in slices, leaving the rind to it. tie each separately with packthread, and let them stew together with good broth; no salt or pepper, on account of the bacon. when the whole is done, take out the meat and cabbage, and put them into the terrine you serve to table. take the fat off the broth, put in a little cullis, and reduce the sauce over the stove. when of a proper thickness pour it over the meat, and serve up. _breast of veal en fricandeau._ lard your veal, and take a ragout of asparagus, (for which see ragouts,) and lay your veal, larded or glazed, upon the ragout. the same may be done with a ragout of peas. _breast of veal, glazed brown._ take a breast of veal, cut in pieces, or whole if you prefer it. stir a bit of butter and a spoonful of flour over the fire, and, when it is of a good colour, put in a pint of broth, and afterwards the veal. stew it over a slow fire, and season with pepper and salt, a bunch of parsley, scallions, cloves, thyme, laurel, basil, and half a spoonful of vinegar. when the meat is done and well glazed, skim the sauce well, and serve it round it. _breast of veal, to stew with peas._ cut the nicest part of the breast of veal, with the sweetbread; roast it a little brown; take a little bit of the meat that is cut off the ends, and fry it with butter, salt, pepper, and flour; take a little hot water just to rinse out the gravy that adheres to the frying-pan, and put it into a stewpan, with two quarts of hot water, a bundle of parsley, thyme, and marjoram, a bit of onion or shalot, plenty of lemon-peel, and a pint of old green peas, the more mealy the better. let it stew two or three hours, then rub it through a sieve with a spoon; it should be all nice and thick; then put it again in the stewpan with the meat, having ready some hot water to add to the gravy in case it should be wanted. a thick breast will take two hours, and must be turned every now and then. boil about as many nice young peas as would make a dish, the same as for eating; put them in about ten minutes before you take it up, skimming all the fat nicely off; and season it at the same time with salt and cayenne to your taste. _another way._ cut your veal into pieces, about three inches long; fry it delicately; mix a little flour with some beef broth, with an onion and two cloves; stew this some time, strain it, add three pints or two quarts of peas, or heads of asparagus, cut like peas. put in the meat; let it stew gently; add pepper and salt. _breast of veal ragout._ bone and cut out a large square piece of the breast of veal; cut the rest into small pieces, and brown it in butter, stewing it in your ragout for made dishes; thicken it with brown butter, and put the ragout in the dish. lay diced lemon, sweetbreads, sippets, and bacon, fried in batter of eggs; then lay on the square piece. garnish with sliced oranges. _veal collops, with oysters._ cut thin slices out of a leg of veal, as many as will make a dish, according to the number of your company. lard one quarter of them, and fry them in butter; take them out of the pan and keep them warm. clean the pan, and put into it half a pint of oysters, with their liquor, and some strong broth, one or two shalots, a glass of white wine, two or three anchovies minced, and some grated nutmeg; let these have a boil up, and thicken with five eggs and a piece of butter. put in your collops, and shake them together till the sauce is tolerably thick. set them on the stove again to stew a little; then serve up. _veal collops, with white sauce._ cut veal that has been already roasted into neat small pieces, round or square; season them with a little pepper and salt; pass them quick of a pale colour in a bit of butter of the size of a walnut; add the yolks of five eggs, and half a pint of cream, with a very small onion or two, previously boiled; toss them up quick, and serve hot. _veal cutlets, to dress._ cut the veal steaks thin; hack and season them with pepper, salt, and sweet-herbs. wash them over with melted butter, and wrap white paper buttered over them. roast or bake them; and, when done, take off the paper, and serve them with good gravy and seville orange-juice squeezed on. _another way._ take the best end of a neck of veal and cut your cutlets; four ribs will make eight cutlets. beat them out very thin, and trim them round. take chopped parsley, thyme, shalots, and mushrooms, pass them over the fire, add a little juice of lemon, lemon-peel, and grated nutmeg. dip in the cutlets, crumb them, and boil them over a gentle fire. save what you leave from dipping them in, put some brown sauce to it, and put it under them when going to table, first taking care to remove the grease from it. lamb cutlets are done the same way. _veal cutlets, larded._ cut a neck of veal into bones; lard one side, and fry them off quick. thicken a piece of butter, of the size of a large nut, with a little flour, and whole onion. put in as much good gravy as will just cover them, and a few mushrooms and forcemeat balls. stove them tender; skim off all grease; squeeze in half a lemon, and serve them up. _fillet of veal, to farce or roast._ mince some beef suet very small, with some sweet marjoram, winter savory, and thyme; season with salt, cloves, and mace, well beaten; put in grated bread; mix them all together with the yolk of an egg; make small holes in the veal, and stuff it very thick with these. put it on the spit and roast it well. let the sauce consist of butter, gravy, and juice of lemon, very thick. dish the veal, and pour the sauce over it, with slices of lemon laid round the dish. _fillet of veal, to boil._ cut out the bone of a fillet of veal; put it into good milk and water for a little while: make some forcemeat with boiled clary, raw carrots, beef suet, grated bread, sweet-herbs, and a good quantity of shrimps, nutmeg, and mace, the yolks of three eggs boiled hard, some pepper and salt, and two raw eggs; roll it up in butter, and stuff the veal with it. boil the veal in a cloth for two hours, and scald four or five cucumbers, in order to take out the pulp the more easily. this done, fill them with forcemeat, and stew them in a little thin gravy. for sauce take strong white gravy, thickened with butter, a very little flour, nutmeg, mace, and lemon-peel, three anchovies dissolved in lemon-juice, some good cream, the yolk of an egg beaten, and a glass of white wine. serve with the cucumbers. _half a fillet of veal, to stew._ take a stewpan large enough for the piece of veal, put in some butter, and fry it till it is firm, and of a fine brown colour all round; put in two carrots, two large onions, whole, half a pound of lean bacon, a bunch of thyme and of parsley, a pinch of cayenne pepper and of salt: add a cupful of broth, and let the whole stew over a very slow fire for one hour, or according to the size of your piece of veal, until thoroughly done. have ready a pint of jelly soup, in which stew a table-spoonful of mustard and the same of truffles cut in small pieces; add one ounce of butter and a dessert spoonful of flour to thicken; unite it well together; put in a glass of white wine, and boil. when ready to serve, pour it over the veal; let there be sauce sufficient to fill the dish; the veal must be strained from the vegetables, and great care taken that the sauce is well passed through the sieve, to keep it clear from grease. _knuckle of veal, white._ boil a knuckle of veal in a little water kept close from the air, with six onions and a little whole pepper, till tender. the sauce to be poured over it, when dished in a little of its own liquor--two or three anchovies, a little mace, half a pint of cream, and the yolk of an egg, thickened with a little flour. _knuckle of veal ragout._ cut the veal into slices half an inch thick; pepper, salt, and flour them; fry them of a light brown; put the trimmings, with the bone broken, an onion sliced, celery, a bunch of sweet-herbs; pour warm water to cover them about an inch. stew gently for two hours; strain it, and thicken with flour and butter, a spoonful of ketchup, a glass of wine, and the juice of half a lemon. give it a boil, strain into a clean saucepan, put in the meat, and make it hot. _leg of veal and bacon, to boil._ lard the veal with bacon and lemon-peel; boil it with a piece of bacon, cut in slices; put the veal into a dish, and lay the bacon round it. serve it up with green sauce made thus: beat two or more handfuls of sorrel in a mortar, with two pippins quartered, and put vinegar and sugar to it. _loin of veal, to roast._ roast, and baste with butter; set a dish under your veal, with vinegar, a few sage leaves, and a little rosemary and thyme. let the gravy drop on these, and, when the veal is roasted, let the herbs and gravy boil once or twice on the fire: serve it under the veal. _loin of veal, to roast with herbs._ lard the fillet of a loin of veal; put it into an earthen pan; steep it three hours with parsley, scallions, a little fennel, mushrooms, a laurel-leaf, thyme, basil, and two shalots, the whole shred very fine, salt, whole pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and a little sweet oil. when it has taken the flavour of the herbs, put it upon the spit, with all its seasoning, wrapt in two sheets of white paper well buttered; tie it carefully so as to prevent the herbs falling out, and roast it at a very slow fire. when it is done take off the paper, and with a knife pick off all the bits of herbs that stick to the meat and paper, and put them into a stewpan, with a little gravy, two spoonfuls of verjuice, salt, whole pepper, and a bit of butter, about as big as a walnut, rolled in flour. before you thicken the sauce, melt a little butter; mix it with the yolk of an egg, and rub the outside of the veal, which should then be covered with grated bread, and browned with a salamander. serve it up with a good sauce under, but not poured over so as to disturb the meat. _loin of veal, fricassee of._ well roast a loin of veal, and let it stand till cold. cut it into slices; in a saucepan over the stove melt some butter, with a little flour, shred parsley, and chives. turn the stewpan a little for a minute or so, and pepper and salt the veal. put it again into the pan, and give it three or four turns over the stove with a little broth, and boil it a little: then put three or four yolks of eggs beaten up to a cream, and some parsley shred, to thicken it, always keeping it stirred over the fire till of sufficient thickness; then serve it up. _loin of veal bechamel._ when the veal is nicely roasted, cut out part of the fillet down the back; cut it in thin slices, and put some white sauce to what you have cut out. season it with the juice of lemon and a little pepper and salt; put it into the veal, and cover the top with crumbs of bread that has been browned, or salamander it over with crumbs, or leave the skin of the veal so that you can turn it over when the seasoning part is put in. _neck of veal, stewed with celery._ take the best end of a neck, put it into a stewpan with beef broth, salt, whole pepper, and two cloves, tied in a bit of muslin, an onion, and a piece of lemon-peel. add a little cream and flour mixed, some celery ready boiled, and cut into lengths; and boil it up. _veal olives._ no. . are done the same way as the beef olives, only cut off a fillet of veal, fried of a fine brown. the same sauce is used as for beef, and, if you like, small bits of curled bacon may be laid in the dish. garnish with lemon and parsley. _veal olives._ no. . wash eight or ten scots collops over with egg batter; season and lay over a little forcemeat; roll them up and roast them; make a good ragout for them; garnish with sliced orange. _veal olives._ no. . take a good fillet of veal, and cut large collops, not too thin, and hack them well; wash them over with the yolk of an egg; then spread on a good layer of forcemeat, made of veal pretty well seasoned. roll them up, and wash them with egg; lard them over with fat bacon, tie them round, if you roast them; but, if to be baked, you need only wash the bacon over with egg. garnish with slices of lemon, and for sauce take thick butter and good gravy, with a piece of lemon. _veal olives._ no. . lay over your forcemeat; first lard your collops, and lay a row of large oysters; and then roll them up, and roast or bake them. make a ragout of oysters, sweetbreads fried, a few morels and mushrooms, and lay in the bottom of your dish, and garnish with fried oysters and grated bread. _veal rumps._ take three veal rumps; parboil and put them into a little pot, with some broth, a bunch of parsley, scallions, a clove of garlic, two shalots, a laurel leaf, thyme, basil, two cloves, salt, pepper, an onion, a carrot, and a parsnip: let them boil till they are thoroughly done, and the sauce is very nearly consumed. take them out, let them cool, and strain the sauce through a rather coarse sieve, that none of the fat may remain. put it into a stewpan, with the yolks of three eggs beat up, and a little flour, and thicken it over the fire. then dip your veal rumps into it, and cover them with grated bread; put them upon a dish, and brown them with a salamander. serve them with sour sauce, for which see the part that treats of sauces. _shoulder of veal, to stew._ put it in an earthen pan, with a gill of water, two spoonfuls of vinegar, salt, whole pepper, parsley and scallions, two cloves of garlic, a bay leaf, two onions, two heads of celery, three cloves, and a bit of butter. cover the pan close, and close the edges with flour and water. stew it in an oven three hours; then skim and strain the sauce, and serve it over the veal. _veal steaks._ cut a neck of veal into steaks, and beat them on both sides: beat up an egg, and with a feather wet your steaks on both sides. add some parsley, thyme, and a little marjoram, cut small, and seasoned with pepper and salt. sprinkle crumbs of bread on both sides of the steaks, and put them up quite tight and close into paper which has been rubbed with butter. they may be either broiled or baked in a pan. _veal sweetbreads, to fry._ cut each of your sweetbreads in three or four pieces and blanch them: put them for two hours in a marinade made with lemon-juice, salt, pepper, cloves, a bay leaf, and an onion sliced. take the sweetbreads out of the marinade, and dry them with a cloth; dip them in beaten yolk of eggs, with crumbs of bread; fry them in lard till they are brown; drain them; fry some parsley, and put it in the middle of the dish, and serve them. _veal sweetbreads, to roast._ lard your sweetbreads with small lardoons of bacon, and put them on a skewer; fasten them to the spit and roast them brown. put some good gravy into a dish; lay in the sweetbreads, and serve them very hot. you ought to set your sweetbreads and spit them; then egg and bread them, or they will not be brown. _vegetables, to stew._ cut some onions, celery, turnips, and carrots, into small squares, like dice, but not too small; stew them with a bunch of thyme in a little broth and butter; fry them till they are of a fine brown colour; turn them with a fork, till quite soft; if they are not done enough, put a little flour from the dredging-box to brown them; skim the sauce well, and pass it through a sieve; add a little cayenne pepper and salt; put the vegetables in, and serve them up. _haunch of venison, to roast._ no. . butter and sprinkle your fat with salt; lay a sheet of paper over it; roll a thin sheet of paste and again another sheet of paper over the paste, and with a packthread tie and spit it. baste the sheet of paper with butter, and let the venison roast till done enough. be careful how you take off the papers and paste, basting it with some butter during that time, and dredge up: then let it turn round some time to give the fat a colour. the object of pasting is to save the fat. have currant-jelly with it, and serve it up. _haunch of venison, to roast._ no. . let your haunch be well larded with thick bacon; seasoning it with fine spices, parsley, sweet-herbs, cut small, pepper, and salt. pickle it with vinegar, onions, salt, pepper, parsley, sweet basil, thyme, and bay-leaves: and, when pickled enough, spit it, and baste it with the pickle. when roasted, dish it up with vinegar, pepper, and thick sauce. _haunch of venison, to roast._ no. . have the haunch well and finely larded with bacon, and put paper round it: roast and serve it up with sauce under it, made of good cullis or broth, gravy of ham, capers, anchovies, salt, pepper, and vinegar. _venison, to boil._ have your venison a little salted, and boil it in water. meanwhile boil six cauliflowers in milk and water; and put them into a large pipkin with drawn butter; keep them warm, and put in six handfuls of washed spinach, boiled in strong broth; pour off the broth, and put some drawn butter to it; lay some sippets in the dish, and lay your spinach round the sides; have the venison laid in the middle, with the cauliflower over it; pour your butter also over, and garnish with barberries and minced parsley. _haunch of venison, to broil._ take half a haunch, and cut it into slices of about half an inch thick; broil and salt them over a brisk fire, and, when pretty well soaked, bread and serve them up with gravy: do the same with the chine. _venison, to recover when tainted._ boil bay salt, ale, and vinegar together, and make a strong brine; skim it, and let it stand till cool, and steep the venison for a whole day. drain and press it dry: parboil, and season it with pepper and salt. _another way._ tie your venison up in a clean cloth; put it in the earth for a whole day, and the scent will be gone. _red deer venison, to pot._ let the venison be well boned and cut into pieces about an inch thick, and round, of the diameter of your pot. season with pepper and salt, something higher than you would pasty, and afterwards put it into your pots, adding half a quarter of butter, and two sliced nutmegs, cloves and mace about the same quantity of each, but rather less of the cloves. then put into your pots lean and fat, so that there may be fat and lean mixed, until the pots are so nearly filled as to admit only a pint of butter more to be put into each. make a paste of rye-flour, and stop your pots close on the top. have your oven heated as you would for a pasty; put your pots in, and let them remain as long as for pasty; draw them out, and let them stand half an hour; afterwards unstop them, and turn the pots upside down; you may remove the contents, if you like, into smaller pots; in which case take off all the butter, letting the gravy remain, and using the butter for the fresh pots; let them remain all night; the next day fill them with fresh butter. to make a pie of the same, proceed in the same way with the venison, only do not season it so high; but put in a liberal allowance of butter. _venison, excellent substitute for._ skin a loin of mutton; put to it a quarter of a pint of port wine, half a pint of spring water, two spoonfuls of vinegar, an onion with three cloves, a small bunch of thyme and parsley, a little pepper and salt, to your taste. stew them with the mutton very slowly for two hours and a half; baste it with the liquor very often; skim off the fat, and send the gravy in the dish with the mutton. sauce--the same as for venison. _water cresses, to stew._ when the cresses are nicely picked and well washed, put them into a stewpan with a little butter under them. let them stew on a clear fire until almost done; then rub them through a sieve; put them again into a pan, with a dust of flour, a little salt, and a spoonful of good cream: give it a boil, and dish it up with sippets. the cream may be omitted, and the cresses may be boiled in salt and water before they are rubbed through the sieve, and afterwards stewed, but it takes the strength out, therefore it is best not to boil them first. poultry. _chicken, to make white._ feed them in the coop on boiled rice; give them no water at all to drink. scalded oatmeal will do as well. _chicken, to fricassee._ no. . empty the chicken, and singe it till the flesh gets very firm. carve it as neatly as possible; divide the legs at the joints into four separate pieces, the back into two, making in all ten pieces. take out the lungs and all that remains within; wash all the parts of the chicken very thoroughly in lukewarm water, till all the blood is out. put the pieces in boiling water, sufficient to cover them, about four tea-cupfuls, and let them remain there ten minutes; take them out, preserve the water, and put them into cold water. when quite cool, put two ounces of fresh butter into a stewpan with half a pint of mushrooms, fresh or pickled; if pickled, they must be put into fresh cold water two or three hours before; the water to be changed three times; put into the stewpan two bunches of parsley and two large onions; add the chicken, and set the stewpan over the fire. when the chickens have been fried lightly, taking care they are not in the least browned, dust a little salt and flour over them; then add some veal jelly to the water in which they were blanched; let them boil about three quarters of an hour in that liquor, skimming off all the butter, and scum very cleanly; then take out the chicken, leaving the sauce or liquor, and lay it in another stewpan, which place in a basin of hot water near the fire. boil down the sauce or liquor, adding some more veal jelly, till it becomes strong, and there remains sufficient sauce for the dish; add to this the yolk of four eggs and three table-spoonfuls of cream: boil it, taking great care to keep it constantly stirring; and, when ready to serve, having placed the chicken in a very hot dish, with the breast in the middle, and the legs around, pour the sauce well over every part. the sauce should be thicker than melted butter, and of a yellow colour. _chicken, to fricassee._ no. . cut the chicken up in joints; put them into cold water, and set them on the fire till they boil; skim them well. save the liquor. skin, wash, and trim the joints; put them into a pan, with the liquor, a small bunch of parsley and thyme, a small onion, and as much flour and water as will give it a proper thickness, and let them boil till tender. when going to table, put in a yolk of egg mixed with a little good cream, a little parsley chopped very fine, juice of lemon, and pepper and salt to your taste. _chicken, to fricassee._ no. . take two chickens and more than half stew them; cut them into limbs; take the skin clean off, and all the inside that is bloody. put them into a stewpan, with half a pint of cream, about two ounces of butter, into which shake a little flour, some mace, and whole pepper, and a little parsley boiled and chopped fine. thicken it up with the yolks of two eggs; add the juice of a lemon, and three spoonfuls of good white gravy. _chicken, to fricassee._ no. . have a frying-pan, with sufficient liquor to cover your chicken cut into pieces; half of the liquor to be white wine and water. take one nutmeg sliced, half a dozen cloves, three blades of mace, and some whole pepper; boil all these together in a frying-pan; put half a pound of fresh butter and skim it clean; then put in your chickens, and boil them till tender; add a small quantity of parsley. take four yolks and two whites of eggs; beat them well with some thick butter, and put it to your chicken in the pan; toss it over a slow fire till thick, and serve it up with sippets. _chicken, white fricassee of._ cut in pieces chickens or rabbits; wash and dry them in a cloth; flour them well, and fry in clarified butter till they are a little brown, but, if not enough done, put them in a stewpan, and just cover them with strong veal or beef broth. put in with them a bunch of thyme, an onion stuck with cloves, a little pepper and salt, and a blade of mace. cover and stew till tender, and till the liquor is reduced about one half. put in a quarter of a pound of butter, the yolk of two eggs beat, and a quarter of a pint of cream. stir well; let it boil; if not thick enough, shake in some flour; and then put in juice of lemon. _cream of chicken, or fowl._ for this purpose fowls are preferable, because the breasts are larger. take two chickens, cut off the breast, and roast them; the remainder put in a stewpan with two pounds of the sinewy part of a knuckle of veal. boil the whole together to make a little clear good broth: when the breasts are roasted, and your broth made, take all the white of the breast, put it in a small stewpan, and add to it the broth clean and clear. it will be better to cut the white of the chickens quite fine, and, when you find that it is boiled soft, proceed in the same manner as for cream of rice and pass it. just in the same way, make it of the thickness you judge proper, and warm in the same manner as the cream of rice: put in a little salt if it is approved of. _chickens, to fry._ scald and split them; put them in vinegar and water, as much as will cover them, with a little pepper and salt, an onion, a slice or two of lemon, and a sprig or two of thyme, and let them lie two hours in the pickle. dry them with a cloth; flour and fry them in clarified butter, with soft bread and a little of the pickle. _chickens, to heat._ take the legs, wings, brains, and rump, and put them into a little white wine vinegar and claret, with some fresh butter, the water of an onion, a little pepper and sliced nutmeg, and heat them between two dishes. _chickens, dressed with peas._ singe and truss your chickens; boil one half and roast the other. put them into a small saucepan, with a little water, a small piece of butter, a little salt, and a bundle of thyme and parsley. set them on the fire, and put in a small lump of sugar. when they boil, set them over a slow fire to stew. lay your boiled chickens in a dish; put your peas over them; then lay the roasted ones between, and send to table. _chicken and ham, ragout of._ clear a chicken which has been dressed of all the sauce that may be about it. if it has been roasted, pare off the brown skin, take some soup, veal jelly, and cream, and a table-spoonful of mushrooms; if pickled, wash them in several waters to take out the vinegar: put them in the jelly, and keep this sauce to heat up. cut up the chicken, the wings and breast in slices, the merrythought also, and divide the legs. heat the fowl up separately from the sauce in a little thin broth: prepare six or eight slices of ham stewed apart in brown gravy; dip each piece of the fowl in the white sauce, and lay them in the middle of the dish with a piece of the ham alternately one beside another, taking care that as little of the white sauce as possible goes on the ham, to preserve its colour. lay the legs one on each side of the meat in the middle; and pour the sauce in the middle, taking care not to pour it over the ham. _chicken, or ham and veal patés._ cut up into small dice some of the white of the chicken, or the most delicate part of veal already dressed; take sufficient white sauce, with truffles, morels, and mushrooms, and heat it up to put in the patés. when ready, pour it amply into them, and serve up hot. _another._ take the white of a chicken or veal, cut it up in small dice; do the same with some ham or tongue; warm it in a little broth, and take a good white sauce, such as is used for pheasants, and heat it up thoroughly. _duck, to boil._ pour over it boiling milk and water, and let it lie for an hour or two. then boil it gently for a full half hour in plenty of water. serve with onion sauce. _duck, to boil, à la française._ to a pint of rich beef gravy put two dozen of roasted peeled chesnuts, with a few leaves of thyme, two small onions if agreeable, a race of ginger, and a little whole pepper. lard a fine tame duck, and half roast it; put it into the gravy; let it stew ten minutes, and add a pint of port wine. when the duck is done, take it out; boil up your gravy to a proper thickness, but skim it very clean from the fat; lay your duck in the dish, and pour the sauce over it. _duck à la braise._ lard the duck; lay a slice or two of beef at the bottom of the pan, and on these the duck, a piece of bacon, and some more beef sliced, an onion, a carrot, whole pepper, a slice of lemon, and a bunch of sweet-herbs. cover this close, and set it over the fire for a few minutes, shaking in some flour: then pour in a quart of beef broth or boiling water, and a little heated red wine. stew it for half an hour; strain the sauce, and skim it; put to it some more wine if necessary, with cayenne, shalot, a little mint, juice of a lemon, and chopped tarragon. if agreeable to your taste, add artichoke bottoms boiled and quartered. _duck, to hash._ when cut in pieces, flour it; put it into a stewpan with some gravy, a little red wine, shalot chopped, salt and pepper; boil these; put in the duck; toss it up, take out the lemon, and serve with toasted sippets. _duck, to stew with cucumbers._ half roast the duck, and stew it as before. slice some cucumbers and onions; fry and drain them very dry; put them to the duck, and stew all together. _duck, to stew with peas._ half roast the duck, put it into some good gravy with a little mint and three or four sage-leaves chopped. stew this half an hour; thicken the gravy with a little flour; throw in half a pint of green peas boiled, or some celery, in which case omit the mint. _fowls, to fatten in a fortnight._ gather and dry, in proper season, nettle leaves and seed; beat them into powder, and make it into paste with flour, adding a little sweet olive-oil. make this up into small crams: coop the birds up and feed them with it, giving them water in which barley has been boiled, and they will fatten in the above-mentioned time. _fowl, to make tender._ pour down the throat of the fowl, about an hour before you kill it, a spoonful of vinegar, and let it run about again. when killed, hang it up in the feathers by the legs in a smoky chimney; then pluck and dress it. this method makes fowls very tender. _fowl, to roast with anchovies._ put a bit of butter in your stewpan with a little flour; keep stirring this over the fire, but not too hot, till it turns of a good gold colour, and put a little of it into your gravy to thicken it. _fowl with rice, called pilaw._ boil a pint of rice in as much water as will cover it. put in with it some whole black pepper, a little salt, and half a dozen cloves, tied up in a bit of cloth. when the rice is tender take out the cloves and pepper, and stir in a piece of butter. boil a fowl and a piece of bacon; lay them in a dish, and cover them with the rice. lay round the dish and upon the rice hard eggs cut in halves and quarters, and onions, first boiled and then fried. _fowl, to hash._ cut the fowl in pieces; put it in some gravy, with a little cream, ketchup, or mushroom-powder, grated lemon-peel, a few oysters and their liquor, and a piece of butter mixed with flour. keep stirring it till the butter is melted. lay sippets in the dish. _fowl, to stew._ take a fowl, two onions, two carrots, and two turnips; put one onion into the fowl, and cut all the rest into four pieces each. add two or three bits of bacon or ham, a bay-leaf, and as much water as will prevent their burning when put into an earthen vessel; cover them up close, and stew them for three hours and a half on a slow fire. serve up hot or cold. _goose, to stuff._ having well washed your goose, dry it, and rub the inside with pepper and salt. crumble some bread, but not too fine; take a piece of butter and make it hot; cut a middle-sized onion and stew in the butter. cut the liver very small, and put that also in the butter for about a minute just to warm, and pour it over the head. it must then be mixed up with an egg and about two spoonfuls of cream, a little nutmeg, ginger, pepper and salt, and a small quantity of summer savory. _another way._ chop fine two ounces of onions, and an ounce of green sage leaves; add four ounces of bread crumbs, the yolk and white of an egg, a little salt and pepper, and sometimes minced apples. _goose's liver, to dress._ when it is drawn, leave the gall sticking to it; lay it in fresh water for a day, and change the water several times. when you use it, wipe it dry, cut off the gall, and fry it in butter, which must be made very hot before the liver is put in: it must be whole and fried brown--no fork stuck in it. serve with a little ketchup sauce. _pigeons, to boil._ chop sweet-herbs and bacon, with grated bread, butter, spice, and the yolk of an egg; tie both ends of the pullets, and boil them. garnish with sliced lemon and barberries. _pigeons, to broil._ cut their necks and wings close, leaving the skin of the neck to enable you to tie close, and with some grated bread put an anchovy, the two livers of pigeons, half a grated nutmeg, a quarter of a pound of butter, a very little thyme, a little pepper and salt, and sweet marjoram shred. mix all together, and into each bird put a piece of the size of a walnut, after sewing up the vents and necks, and, with a little nutmeg, pepper, and salt, strewed over them, broil them on a slow charcoal fire, basting and turning very often. use rich gravy or melted butter for sauce, and season to your taste. _pigeons, to jug._ pick and draw the pigeons, and let a little water pass through them; parboil and bruise the liver with a spoon; mix pepper, salt, grated nutmeg, parsley shred fine, and lemon-peel, suet cut small, in quantity equal to the liver, the yolks of two eggs boiled hard and also cut fine; mix these with two raw eggs, and stuff the birds, tying up the necks and vents. after dipping the pigeons into water, season them with salt and pepper; then put them into a jug, with two or three pieces of celery, stopping it very close, to prevent the steam escaping. set them in a kettle of cold water; lay a tile on the top, and boil three hours; take them out, and put in a piece of butter rolled in flour; shake it round till thick, and pour it over the pigeons. _pigeons, to pot._ truss and season them with savoury spice; put them into a a pot or pan, covering them with butter, and bake them. take out, drain, and, when cold, cover them with clarified butter. fish may be potted in the same way, but always bone them when baked. _pigeons, to stew._ no. . truss your pigeons as for boiling. take pepper, salt, cloves, mace, some sweet-herbs, a little grated bread, and the liver of the birds chopped very fine; roll these up in a bit of butter, put it in the stomach of the pigeons, and tie up both ends. make some butter hot in your stewpan, fry the pigeons in it till they are brown all over, putting to them two or three blades of mace, a few peppercorns, and one shalot. take them out of the liquor, dust a little flour into the stewpan, shaking it about till it is brown. have ready a quart of small gravy and a glass of white wine; let it just boil up: strain out all the spice, and put the gravy and pigeons into the stewpan. let them simmer over the fire two hours; put in some pickled mushrooms, a little lemon juice, a spoonful of ketchup, a few truffles and morels. dish and send to table with bits of bacon grilled. some persons add forcemeat balls, but they are very rich without. _pigeons, to stew._ no. . shred the livers and gizzards, with as much suet as there is meat; season with pepper, salt, parsley, and thyme, shred small; fill the pigeons with this stuffing; lay them in the stewpan, breasts downward, with as much strong broth as will cover them. add pepper, salt, and onion, and two thin rashers of bacon. cover them close; let them stew two hours or more, till the liquor is reduced to one half, and looks like gravy, and the pigeons are tender; then put them in a dish with sippets. if you have no strong broth, you may stew in water; but you must not put so much water as broth, and they must stew more slowly. _pigeons, to stew._ no. . cut six pigeons with giblets into quarters, and put them into a stewpan, with two blades of mace, salt, pepper, and just water sufficient to stew them without burning. when tender, thicken the liquor with the yolk of an egg and three spoonfuls of fresh cream, a little shred thyme, parsley, and a bit of butter. shake all together, and garnish with lemon. _pigeons, biscuit of._ wash, clean, and parboil, your pigeons, and stew them in strong broth. have a ragout made for them of strong gravy, with artichoke bottoms and onions, seasoning them with the juice of lemons, and lemons diced, truffles, mushrooms, morels, and bacon cut as for lard. pour the broth into a dish with dried sippets, and, after placing your pigeons, pour on the ragout. garnish with scalded parsley, lemons, and beet-root. _pigeons, en compote._ no. . the pigeons must be young and white, and the inside entirely taken out. let none of the heart or liver remain, which is apt to render them bitter. make some forcemeat of veal, and fill the pigeons with it; then put them in a braise, with some bacon, a slice of lemon, a little thyme, and bay-leaf, and let them stew gently for an hour. the sauce is made of cucumbers and mushrooms, and they must be sweated in a little butter till tender; then strain it off the butter, and put in some strong gravy and a little flour to thicken it. lastly, add the yolks of two eggs and a little good cream, which, when put to it, must be well stirred, and not suffered to boil, as it would curdle and spoil the sauce. _pigeons, en compote._ no. . have the birds trussed with their legs in their bodies, but stuffed with forcemeat; parboil and lard them with fat bacon; season with pepper, spices, parsley, and minced chives; stew them very gently. while they are stewing, make a ragout of fowls' livers, cocks'-combs, truffles, morels, and mushrooms, and put a little bacon in the frying-pan to melt; put them in, and shake the pan three or four times round; then add some rich gravy, and let it simmer a little, and put in some veal cullis and ham to thicken it. drain the pigeons, and put them into this ragout; let them just simmer; take them up, put them into your dish, and pour the ragout over. _pigeons, en compote._ no. . lard, truss, and force them; season and stew them in strong broth. have a ragout garnished with sippets, sweetbreads, and sprigs of parsley; then fry the pigeons in a batter of eggs and sliced bacon. you may garnish most dishes in the same way. _pigeons, à la crapaudine._ cut the birds open down the back, and draw the legs through the skin inside, as you would do a boiled fowl, then put into a roomy saucepan some butter, a little parsley, thyme, shalots, and, if you can have them, mushrooms, all chopped together very fine. put the pigeons in this, and let them sweat in the butter and herbs for about five minutes. while they are warm and moist with the herbs and butter, cover them all over with fine bread crumbs; sprinkle a little salt upon them, and boil them on a slow fire. the sauce may be either of mushrooms or cucumbers, made by sweating whichever you choose in butter till quite tender, then adding a little gravy, cream, and flour. _pigeons in disguise._ draw, truss, and season the pigeons with salt and pepper, and make a nice puff; roll each pigeon in a piece of it; tie them in a cloth, but be careful not to let the paste break. boil them in plenty of water for an hour and a half; and when you untie them take great care they do not break; put them into a dish, and pour a little good gravy to them. _pigeons in fricandeau._ draw and truss the pigeons with the legs in the bellies, larding them with bacon, and slit them. fry them of a fine brown in butter: put into the stewpan a quart of good gravy, a little lemon-pickle, a tea-spoonful of walnut ketchup, cayenne, a little salt, a few truffles, morels, and some yolks of hard eggs. pour your sauce with its ingredients over the pigeons, when laid in the dish. _pigeons aux poires._ let the feet be cut off, and stuff them with forcemeat, in the shape of a pear, rolling them in the yolk of an egg and crumbs of bread, putting in at the lower end to make them look like pears. rub your dish with a piece of butter, and then lay them over it, but not to touch each other, and bake them. when done, lay them in another dish, and pour some good gravy into it, thickening with the yolk of an egg; but take care not to pour it over the pigeons. _another way._ cut off one leg; truss the pigeons to boil, and let the leg come out of the vent; fill them with forcemeat: tie them with packthread, and stew them in good broth. roll the pigeons in yolks of eggs, well beaten with crumbs of bread. lard your stewpan, but not too hot, and fry your birds to the colour of a popling pear; lay them in a dish, and send up gravy and orange in a terrine with them. _pigeons, pompeton of._ butter your pan, lay in it some sliced bacon, and cover all the inside of it with forcemeat. brown the pigeons off in a pan, and put them in a good ragout, stewing them up together, and put also a good ladleful of ragout to the forcemeat: then lay your pigeons breast downward, and pour over them the ragout that remains; cover them with forcemeat, and bake them. turn them out, and serve up. _pigeons au soleil._ make some forcemeat, with half a pound of veal, a quarter of a pound of mutton, and two ounces of beef, and beat them in a mortar with salt, pepper, and mace, till they become paste. beat up the yolks of four eggs, put them into a plate, and mix two ounces of flour and a quarter of a pound of grated bread. set on your stewpan with a little rich beef gravy; tie up three or four cloves in a piece of muslin, and put into it; then put your pigeons in, and stew them till nearly done; set them before the fire to keep warm, and with some good beef dripping in your pan, enough to cover the birds, set it on the fire; when boiling, take one at a time, and roll it in the meat that was beaten, then in the yolk of an egg, till they are quite wet; strew them with bread and flour in boiling dripping, and let them remain till brown. _pigeons à la tatare, with cold sauce._ singe and truss the pigeons as for boiling, and beat them flat, but not so as to break the skin; season them with salt, pepper, cloves, and mace. dip them in melted butter and grated bread; lay them on a gridiron, and turn them often. should the fire not be clear, lay them upon a sheet of paper buttered, to keep them from being smoked. for sauce, take a piece of onion or shalot, an anchovy, and two spoonfuls of pickled cucumbers, capers, and mushrooms: mince these very small by themselves; add a little pepper and salt, five spoonfuls of oil, one of water, and the juice of a lemon, and mix them well together with mustard. pour the sauce cold into the dish, and lay the birds, when broiled, upon it. _pigeons, surtout of._ take some large tame pigeons; make forcemeat thus: parboil and bruise the livers fine; beat some boiled ham in a mortar; mix these with some mushrooms, a little chopped parsley, a clove of garlic shred fine, two or three young onions minced fine, a sweetbread of veal, parboiled and minced very fine, pepper, and salt. fill the pigeons with this stuffing; tie them close, and cover each pigeon with the forcemeat: tie them up in paper to keep it on, and while roasting have some essence of ham heated; pour it into your dish, and lay your pigeons upon it. _to preserve tainted poultry._ have a large cask that has been just emptied, with part of a stave or two knocked out at the head, and into the others drive hooks to hang your fowls, but not so as to touch one another, covering the open places with the staves or boards already knocked out, but leaving the bung-hole open as an air vent. let them dry in a cool place, and in this way you may keep fish or flesh. _pullets with oysters._ boil your pullets. put a quart of oysters over the fire till they are set; strain them through a sieve, saving the liquor, and put into it two or three blades of mace, with a little thyme, an onion, parsley, and two anchovies. boil and strain all these off, together with half a pound of butter; draw it up, and squeeze into it half a lemon. then let the oysters be washed, and set one by one in cold water; put them in the liquor, having made it very hot, and pour it over the pullets. garnish, if you please, with bacon and sausages. _pullets to bone and farce._ bone the pullets as whole as you possibly can, and fill the belly with sweetbreads, mushrooms, chesnuts, and forcemeat balls; lard the breast with gross lard, pass them off in a pan, and either roast or stew them, making a sauce with mushrooms and oysters, and lay them under. _rabbits, to boil._ truss and lard them with bacon, boiling them white. take the liver, shred with it fat bacon for sauce, and put to it very strong broth, vinegar, white wine, salt, nutmeg, mace, minced parsley, barberries, and drawn butter. lay your rabbits in the dish, and let the sauce be poured over them. garnish the dish with barberries and lemon. _rabbits, to boil with onions._ truss the rabbits close; well wash; boil them white; boil the onions by themselves, changing the water three times. strain them well, and chop and butter them, putting in a quarter of a pint of cream; then serve up the rabbits covered with onions. _rabbits, brown fricassee of._ fry your rabbits brown, and stew it in some gravy, with thyme, an onion, and parsley, tied together. season, and thicken it with brown thickening, a few morels, mushrooms, lemon, and forcemeat balls. _rabbits, white fricassee of._ no. . cut the rabbits in slices; wash away the blood; fry them on a slow fire, and put them into your pan with a little strong broth; seasoning, and tossing them up with oysters and mushrooms. when almost done, put in a pint of cream, thickened with a piece of butter and flour. _rabbits, white fricassee of._ no. . take the yolks of five eggs and a pint of cream; beat them together, and put two ounces of butter into the cream, until the rabbits are tender. put in this liquor to the rabbits, and keep tossing them over the fire till they become thickened, and then squeeze in a lemon; add truffles, mushrooms, morels, artichoke bottoms, pallets, cocks-combs, forcemeat balls, or any of these. _rabbits, white fricassee of._ no. . cut them in the same manner as for eating, and put them into a stewpan, with a pint of veal gravy, a little beaten mace, a slice of lemon-peel, and anchovy, and season with cayenne pepper and salt. stew over a slow fire, and, when done enough, thicken the gravy with butter and flour; then strain and add to it two eggs, mixed with a glass of cream, and a little nutmeg. take care not to let it boil. _turkey, to boil._ fill a large turkey with oysters; take a breast of veal, cut in olives; bone it, and season it with pepper, salt, nutmegs, cloves, mace, lemon-peel, and thyme, cut small; take some lean veal to make forcemeat, with the ingredients before mentioned, only adding shalot and anchovies; put some in the olives and some in the turkey, in a cloth; roast or bake the olives. take three anchovies, a little pepper, a quarter of a pint of gravy, as much white wine; boil these with a little thyme till half is consumed; then put in some butter, meat, oysters, mushrooms, fried balls, and bacon; put all these in a pan, and pour on the turkey; lay the olives round, and garnish the dish with pickles and lemon. if you want sauce, add a little gravy, and serve it up. _turkey, with oysters._ boil your turkey, and serve with the same sauce as for pullets, only adding a few mushrooms. _turkey à la daube._ bone a turkey, and season it with pepper and salt; spread over it some slices of ham, over them some forcemeat, over that a fowl, boned, and seasoned as the turkey, then more ham and forcemeat, and sew it up. cover the bottom of a stewpan with veal and ham cut in slices; lay in the turkey breast downward: chop all the bones to pieces, and lay them on the turkey; cover the pan close, and set it over the fire for five minutes. put as much clear broth as will cover it, and let it do for two hours. when it is more than half done, put in one ounce of the best isinglass and a bundle of sweet-herbs; skim off all the fat, and, when it is cold, break it with whites of eggs as you do other jelly. put part of it into a pan or mould that will hold the turkey, and, when it is cold, lay the turkey upon it with the breast downward; then cover it with the rest of the jelly. when you serve it, turn it out whole upon the dish. _roasted turkey, delicate gravy for._ prepare a very rich brown gravy with truffles cut in it; slit the skins off some chesnuts with a knife, and fry them in butter till thoroughly done, but not burned, and serve them whole in the sauce. there may be a few sausages about the turkey. _turkey or veal stuffing._ mix a quarter of a pound of beef suet, the same quantity of bread crumbs, two drachms of parsley, a drachm and a half of sweet marjoram, or lemon-thyme, and the same of grated lemon-peel; an onion or shalot chopped fine, a little salt and pepper, and the yolks of two eggs, all pounded well together. for a boiled turkey, add the soft part of a dozen oysters, a little grated ham or tongue, and an anchovy, if you please. game. _hare, to dress._ stuff and lard the hare, trussing it as for roasting: put it into a fish-kettle, with two quarts of strong beef gravy, one of red wine, a bunch of sweet-herbs, some slices of lemon, pepper, salt, a few cloves, and a nutmeg. cover it up close, and let it simmer over a slow fire till three parts done. take it up, put it into a dish, and strew over it crumbs of bread, a few sweet-herbs chopped fine, some grated lemon-peel, and half a nutmeg. set it before the fire, and baste it till it is of a fine light brown; and, while it is doing, skim the gravy, thicken it with the yolk of an egg and a piece of butter rolled in flour, and, when done, put it in a dish, and the rest in a boat or terrine. _hare, to roast._ take half a pint of cream, grate bread into it; a little winter savory, thyme, and parsley; shred these very fine; half a nutmeg grated, and half of the hare's liver, shred; beat an egg, yolk and white together, and mix it in with it, and half a spoonful of flour if you think it too light. put it into the hare and sew it up. have a quart of cream to baste it with. when the hare is roasted, take some of the best of the cream out of the dripping-pan, and make it fine and smooth by beating it with a spoon. have ready melted a little thick butter, and mix it with the cream, and a little of the pudding out of the hare's belly, as much as will make it thick. _another way._ lard the hare well with bacon; make a pudding of grated bread, and chop small the heart and liver, parboiled, with beef-suet and sweet-herbs. with the marrow mix some eggs, spice, and cream; then sew it in the belly of the hare; roast, and serve it up with butter, drawn with cream, gravy, or claret. _hare, to hash._ cut the hare into small pieces, and, if any stuffing is left, rub it small in gravy, and put to it a glass of red wine, a little pepper, salt, an onion, and a slice of lemon. toss it up till hot through, and then take out the lemon and onion. _hare, to jug._ no. . cut and put it into a jug, with the same ingredients as for stewing, but no water or beer; cover it closely; set it in a kettle of boiling water, and keep it boiling three hours, or until the hare is tender; then pour your gravy into the stewpan, and put to it a glass of red wine and a little cayenne; but if necessary put a little more of the gravy, thicken it with flour; boil it up; pour it over the hare, and add a little lemon-juice. _hare, to jug._ no. . cut and joint the hare into pieces; scald the liver and bruise it with a spoon; mix it with a little beaten mace, grated lemon-peel, pepper, salt, thyme, and parsley shred fine, and a whole onion stuck with a clove or two; lay the head and neck at the bottom of the jar; lay on it some seasoning, a very thin slice of fat bacon, then some hare, and bacon, seasoned well in. stop close the jug or jar with a cork, to prevent any water getting in or the steam evaporating; set it in a pot of hot water, and let it boil three hours; then have ready some strong beef gravy boiling, and pour it into the jug till the hare is just covered; shake it, pour it into your dish, and take out the onion. _hare, to jug._ no. . cut the hare in pieces, but do not wash it; season with an onion shred fine, a bunch of sweet-herbs, such as thyme, parsley, sweet marjoram, and the peel of one lemon. cut half a pound of fat bacon into thin slices; then put it into a jug, first a layer of hare and then one of bacon; proceed thus till the jug is full: stop it close, that no steam may escape; then put it in a pot of boiling water, and let it boil three hours. take up the jug; put in a quarter of a pound of butter mixed with flour; set it in your kettle again for a quarter of an hour, then put it in your dish. garnish with lemon-peel. _hare, to jug._ no. . cut the hare in pieces, and half season and lard them. put the hare into a large-mouthed jug, with two onions stuck with cloves, and a faggot of sweet-herbs; close down, and let it boil three hours. take it out, and serve up hot. _hare, to mince._ boil the hare with onions, parsley, and apples, till tender; shred it small, and put in a pint of claret, a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg, with two or three anchovies, and the yolks of twelve eggs boiled hard and shred very small; stirring all well together. in serving up, put sufficient melted butter to make it moist. garnish the dish with whites of eggs, cut in half, and some of the bones. _hare, to stew._ cut off the legs and shoulders, and cut out the back bone; cut into slices the meat that comes off the sides: put all these into a vessel with three quarters of a pint of small beer, the same of water, a large onion stuck with cloves, whole pepper, some salt, and a slice of lemon. let this stew gently for an hour closely covered, and then put a quart of good gravy to it, stewing it gently two hours longer, till tender. take out the hare, and rub half a spoonful of smooth flour in a little gravy; put it to the sauce and boil it up; add a little cayenne and salt if necessary; put in the hare, and, when hot through, serve it up in a terrine stand. _hare stuffing._ two ounces of beef suet, three ounces of bread crumbs, a drachm of parsley, half a drachm of shalot, the same of marjoram, lemon-thyme, grated lemon-peel, and two yolks of egg. _partridge, to boil._ cover them with water, and fifteen minutes will boil them. sauce--celery, liver, mushroom, or onion sauces. _partridge, to roast._ half an hour will be sufficient; and for sauce, gravy and bread sauce. _partridge à la paysanne._ when you have picked and drawn them, truss and put them on a skewer, tie them to a spit, and lay them to roast. put a piece of fat bacon on a toasting fork, and hold it over the birds, that as it melts it may drop upon them while roasting. after basting them well in this manner, strew over a few crumbs of bread and a little salt, cut fine some shalots, with a little gravy, salt and pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. mix all these over the fire; thicken them up; pour them into a dish, and lay your partridges upon them. _partridge à la polonaise._ pick and draw a brace of partridges, and put a piece of butter in their bellies; nut them on the spit, and cover them with slices of bacon, and over that with paper, and lay them down to a moderate fire. while roasting, cut same shalots and parsley very small; mix these together, adding slices of ginger with pepper and salt; take a piece of butter, and work them up into a stiff paste. when the birds are nearly done, take them up; gently raise the wings and legs, and under each put a piece of paste; then hold them tight together, and squeeze over them a little orange juice and a good deal of zest from the peel. serve them up hot with good gravy. _partridge à la russe._ pick, draw, and cut into quarters some young partridges, and put them into white wine; set a stewpan with melted bacon over a brisk fire; then put your partridges in, turning them two or three times. add a glass of brandy; set them over a slow fire, and, when they have stewed some time, put in a few mushrooms cut into slices, with good gravy. simmer them briskly, and skim the fat off as it rises. when done, put in a piece of butter rolled in flour, and squeeze in the juice of lemon. _partridge rolled._ lard some young partridges with ham and bacon, and strew over some salt and pepper, with beaten mace, sweet-herbs cut small, and some shred lemon-peel. take some thin beef steaks, taking care that they have no holes in them, and strew over some seasoning, squeezing over some lemon-juice. lay a partridge upon each steak, roll it up, and tie it round to keep it together, and pepper the outside. set on a stewpan, with some slices of bacon and an onion cut in pieces; then carefully lay the partridges in, put some rich gravy to them, and stew gently till they are done. take the partridges out of the beef; lay them in a dish, and pour over them some rich essence of ham. _partridge stewed._ stuff the craws with bread crumbs, grated lemon-peel, a bit of butter, shalot chopped, parsley, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and yolk of egg; rub the inside with pepper and salt. half roast them; then stew them with rich gravy and a little madeira, a piece of lemon-peel, an onion, savory, and spice, if necessary, for about half an hour. take out the lemon-peel and onion, and thicken with a little flour; garnish with hard yolks of eggs; add artichoke bottoms boiled and quartered. _salme of partridges._ cut up the partridges neatly into wings, legs, and breast; keep the backs and rumps apart to put into sauce; take off all the skin very clean, so that not a bit remains; then pare them all round, put them in a stewpan, with a little jelly gravy, just to cover them; heat them thoroughly, taking care they do not burn; strain off the gravy, and leave the partridge in the pan away from the fire, covering the pan. take a large onion, three or four slices of ham, free from all fat, one carrot, cut in dice, a dessert-spoonful of mushrooms, clear washed from vinegar if they are pickled, two cloves, a little parsley and thyme, and a bit of butter, of the size of a walnut; fry these lightly; add a glass and a half of white wine, together with the jelly in which the partridges were heated, and as much more as will make up a pint of rich sauce, thickened with a little flour and butter; put in the parings of the birds except the claws; let them stew for an hour and a half on the corner of the stove; skim very clear; put in one lump of sugar, and strain the whole through a sieve; put the saucepan containing the partridges in boiling water, till thoroughly heated; lay the different parts of the birds neatly in a very hot dish; pour the sauce over them; have some slices of bread cut oval, rather broad at one end, neatly fried; lay them round the dish, and serve up. _partridge, to pot._ for two brace of partridges take a small handful of salt, and of pepper, mace, and cloves, a quarter of an ounce each. with these, when well mixed, rub the birds thoroughly, inside and outside. take a large piece of butter, season it well, put it into them, and lay them in pots, with the breasts downward. the pots must be large enough to admit the butter to cover them while they bake. set them in a moderate oven; let them stand two hours; then take them out, and let them well drain from the gravy. put them again into the pots; clear the butter in which they were baked through a sieve, and fill up the pots with it. _partridge pie._ bone your partridges, and stuff them with forcemeat, made of breast of chicken and veal, ham and beef-suet, all chopped very fine, but not pounded in a mortar, which would spoil it. season with mace, pepper, salt, a very little shalot, and lemon-peel. put the whole into a stewpan; keep it stirred; add three eggs; have a raised crust, and lay thin slices of good fat bacon at the bottom and all round. _pheasant, to boil._ boil the birds in abundance of water; if they are large, they will require three quarters of an hour; if small, about half an hour. for sauce--stewed white celery, thickened with cream, and a bit of butter rolled in flour; pour this over them. _pheasant, with white sauce._ truss the bird with the legs inward, (like a fowl for boiling); singe it well; take a little butter and the fat of some bacon, and fry the pheasant white; when sufficiently firm, take it out of the pan; then put a spoonful of flour into the butter; fry this flour white; next add a pint of veal or game jelly; put in a few mushrooms, if pickled to be well washed; cut small a bunch of parsley, a large onion, a little thyme, one clove, a pinch of salt, cayenne pepper, and a small lump of sugar; stew the bird in this sauce till done; this may be known by putting a fork into the flesh, and seeing that no blood issues out; then skim off the fat and drain the pheasant; then strain and boil the gravy in which it has been stewed; have ready a few mushrooms fried white in butter; then thicken the gravy with the yolk of four eggs and two table-spoonfuls of cream, throw in the mushrooms, place the pheasant in a hot dish, pour the sauce over it, and serve it up. _pheasant à la braise._ put a layer of beef, the same of veal, at the bottom of the stewpan, with a thin slice of bacon, a little bit of carrot, an onion stuck with cloves, a bunch of sweet-herbs, some black and white pepper, and a little beaten mace, and put in your pheasant; put over it a layer of veal and the same of beef; set it on the fire for five or six minutes; then pour two quarts of boiling water, cover it down close, and put a damp cloth round the outside of the cover to prevent the steam escaping: it must stew gently for an hour and a half; then take up the pheasant and keep it hot, and let the gravy stew till reduced to about a pint; strain it off, and put it into a saucepan, with a sweetbread, which must have been stewed with the bird, some liver of fowls, morels, truffles, artichoke bottoms, and the tops of asparagus, and let these simmer in the gravy; add two spoonfuls of red wine and of ketchup, and a piece of butter rolled in flour; let them stew for five or six minutes: lay the pheasant in the dish, pour the ragout over it, and lay forcemeat balls round it. _pheasant à l'italienne._ cut the liver small: and to one bird take but six oysters; parboil them, and put them into a stewpan with the liver, a piece of butter, some parsley, green onions, pepper and salt, sweet-herbs, and a little allspice; let them stand a little over the fire, and stuff the pheasant with them; then put it into a stewpan, with some oil, green onions, sweet basil, parsley, and lemon juice, for a few minutes; take them off, cover your pheasant with slices of bacon, and put it upon a spit, tying some paper round it while roasting. then take some oysters, and stew them in their own liquor a little, and put in your stewpan four yolks of eggs, half a lemon cut in dice, a little beaten pepper, scraped nutmeg, parsley cut small, an anchovy cut small, a rocambole, a little oil, a small glass of white wine, a little of ham cullis; put the sauce over the fire to thicken, then put in the oysters, and make the sauce relishing, and, when the pheasant is done, lay it in the dish, and pour the sauce over it. _pheasant, puré of._ chop the fleshy parts of a pheasant, the wings, breast, and legs, very fine, and pound them well in a mortar. warm a pint of veal jelly, and stew the bird in it. strain the whole through a sieve. mix it all to the consistency of mashed potatoes. serve in a dish with fried bread round it. _widgeon, to dress._ to eat widgeon in perfection, half roast the birds. when they come to table, slice the breast, strew on pepper and salt, pour on a little red wine, and squeeze the juice of an orange or lemon over; put some gravy to this; set the plate on a lamp; cut up the bird; let it remain over the lamp till enough done, turning it. a widgeon will take nearly twenty minutes to roast, to eat plain with good gravy only. _wild duck, to roast._ it will take full twenty minutes--gravy sauce to eat with it. _woodcocks and snipes, to roast._ twenty minutes will roast the woodcocks, and fifteen the snipes. put under either, while roasting, a toast to receive the trail, which lay under them in the dish. melted butter and good gravy for sauce. _woodcocks à la française._ pick them, then draw and truss them; let their breasts be larded with broad pieces of bacon; roast and serve them up on toasts dipped in verjuice. _woodcocks, to pot._ the same as you pot pigeons. sauces. _essence of anchovies._ take two pounds of anchovies, one ounce of bay salt, three pints of spring water, half a gill of red port, half a gill mushroom ketchup; put them into a saucepan until the anchovies are all dissolved; let them boil; strain off the liquor with a one hair sieve, and be careful not to cork it until it is quite cold. _anchovy pickle._ take two pounds of bay salt, three quarters of a pound of saltpetre, three pints of spring water, and a very little bole armeniac, to grate on the liquor to give it a colour; it must not be put to the anchovies until it is cold. if anchovies are quite dry, put them into a jar, with a layer of bay salt at the bottom, and a little on the top. _anchovy sauce._ take one or two anchovies; scale, split, and put them into a saucepan, with a little water, or good broth, a spoonful of vinegar, and a small round onion. when the anchovy is quite dissolved, strain off the liquor, and put into your melted butter to your taste. _to recover anchovies._ when anchovies have, through the loss of the pickle, become rusty or decayed, put two pounds of saltpetre to a gallon of water, and boil it till reduced to a fourth part, continuing to skim it as it rises; then add a quarter of an ounce of crystal tartar; mix these, and stir them well. take away the spoiled fish, put them together lightly, and pour in the new pickle, mixed with a pint of good old pickle, and stop them up close for twenty-four days. when you open them again, cover them with fine beaten bay salt; let them remain about four days; and, as you take them out for use, cover them carefully down. _bacchanalian sauce._ take a spoonful of sweet oil, a gill of good broth, and a pint of white wine vinegar, adding two glasses of strong white wine: boil them together till half is consumed; then put in some shalot, garden cresses, tarragon, chervil, parsley, and scallions, all shred very fine, with some large pepper. let the whole boil up, and serve it. a little cullis added will improve it. _bechamel, or white sauce._ no. . take half a quarter of a pound of butter, three pounds of veal, cut into small slices, a quarter of a pound of ham, some trimmings of mushrooms, truffles, and morels, two white onions, a bunch of parsley, and thyme, put the whole into a stewpan, and set it on the fire till the meat is made firm; then put in three spoonfuls of flour, moistened with boiling hot thin cream. keep this sauce rather thin, so that while you reduce it the ingredients may have time to be stewed thoroughly. season with a little salt and cayenne pepper, and strain it through a sieve. this is excellent for pouring over roast veal instead of butter, and is a good sauce for hashed veal, for any white meat, and for all sorts of vegetables. _bechamel._ no. . two pounds of lean veal, cut in square pieces, half an inch thick; half a pound of lean ham. melt in your stewpan two ounces of butter; simmer it until nearly ready to catch the stewpan, which must be avoided: add three table-spoonfuls of flour. when well mixed, add three pints of broth, or water, pouring in a little at a time that the thickening may be smooth. stir till it boils; set it on the corner of the hob to boil gently for two hours. season with an onion, twelve peppercorns, a few mushrooms, a faggot of parsley, a sprig of thyme, and a bay-leaf. let the sauce be reduced to a quart; skim off the fat; and strain through a tamis. _bechamel._ no. . proceed much in the same way as for the brown sauce, (see cullis) only it is not to be drawn down brown, but filled up and thickened with flour and water, some good cream added to it, and then strained. _sauce for beef bouilli._ four hard eggs well mixed up with half a table-spoonful of made mustard, eight capers, and one table spoonful of reading sauce. _sauce for boiled beef à la russe._ scrape a large stick of horseradish, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it with the beef; when boiled a little, put it into some melted butter; boil it some time, and send it up in the butter. some persons like to have it sent up in vinegar. _bread sauce._ no. . put into half a pint of water a good sized piece of bread-crumb, not new, with an onion, a blade of mace, a few peppercorns, in a bit of cloth; boil them a few minutes; take out the onion and spice, mash the bread smooth, add a little salt and a piece of butter. _bread sauce._ no. . take a french roll, or white bread crumb; set it on the fire, with some good broth or gravy, a small bag of peppercorns, and a small onion; add a little good cream, and a little pepper and salt; you may rub it through a sieve or not. _bread sauce._ no. . take the crumb of a french roll; put it into a saucepan, with two large onions, some white peppercorns, and about a pint of water. let it boil over a slow fire till the onions are very tender; then drain off the water; rub the bread and onions through a hair sieve; put the pulp into a stewpan, with a bit of butter, a little salt, and a gill of cream; and keep it stirring till it boils. _bread sauce._ no. . put bread crumbs into a stewpan with as much milk as will soak them; moisten with broth; add an onion and a few peppercorns. let it boil or simmer till it becomes stiff: then add two table-spoonfuls of cream, melted butter, or good broth. take out the onion and peppercorns when ready to serve. _bread sauce for pig._ to the sauce made as directed in no. add a few currants picked and washed, and boil them in it. _browning for made dishes._ beat four ounces of loaf sugar very fine: put it into an iron frying-pan, with an ounce of butter; set it over a clear fire, mixing it well all the time: when it begins to be frothy, the sugar is dissolving; hold it high over the fire. when the butter and sugar is of a deep brown, pour in a little white wine; stir it well; add a little more wine, stirring it all the time. put in the rind of a lemon, a little salt, three spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, half an ounce of whole allspice, four shalots peeled; boil them slowly eight minutes, then pour into a basin, cover it close, and let it stand till next day. skim and bottle it. a pint of white wine is the proper quantity for these ingredients. _another._ take some brown sugar, put a little water to it, set it on the fire, and let it boil till it nearly comes to burning, but it must not quite burn, as it would then be bitter: put some water to it, and when cold strain it off, and put it in a bottle. when you want to give a higher colour to gravy or sauce, you will find this very useful. _butter, to burn._ put your butter into a frying-pan over a slow fire; when it is melted, dust in some flour, and keep stirring it till it is thick and brown: then thicken some with it. _butter, to clarify._ let it slowly melt and then stand a little; and when it is poured into pots, leave the milk, which will settle at the bottom. _another way._ melt the butter, and skim it well before it is poured upon any thing. _plain melted butter--very simple, but rarely well done._ keep either a plated or tin saucepan for the sole purpose of melting butter. put into it a little water and a dust of flour, and shake them together. cut the butter in slices; as it melts, shake it one way; let it boil up, and it will be smooth and thick. _another._ mix a little flour and water out of the dredger, that it may not be lumpy; then put in a piece of butter, set it over a quick fire; have it on and off every instant to shake it, and it will not oil, but will become thick and smooth. _to thicken butter for peas, &c._ put two or three spoonfuls of water in a saucepan, sufficient to cover the bottom. when it boils, put half a pound of butter; when it is melted, take off the saucepan, and shake it round a good while, till very smooth. _caper sauce._ chop half of the capers, and the rest put in whole; chop also a little parsley very fine, with a little bread grated very fine, and add salt: put these into smooth melted butter. _carp sauce._ one pint of lisbon wine, with a small quantity of mace, cloves, and cinnamon, three anchovies, a bit of bay-leaf, a little horseradish not scraped, and a slice or two of onion; let the whole boil about a quarter of an hour, and, when cold, mix as much flour with the sauce as will make it of a proper thickness. set it over the stove; keep it stirred till it boils. just before you serve up, put in a quarter of a pint of cream, more or less according to the thickness of your sauce. boil the carp in as much water as will cover them, with some wine, a little vinegar, and slices of lemon and onion. _another._ four large anchovies, eight spoonfuls of white wine, four of vinegar, two onions, whole, a nutmeg quartered, some mace, whole pepper, two or three cloves; boil it nearly half away, then strain it off, thicken it with butter and flour, and three spoonfuls of thick cream; the sauce should not be too thick. _light brown sauce for carp._ to the blood of the carp put thyme, parsley, onions, and anchovies; chop all these small, and put them together in a saucepan. add half a pint of white wine, a quarter of a pint of elder vinegar, and a little tarragon vinegar: mix all these together, set the pan on the fire, and boil till it is almost dry. mix some melted butter with the sauce, and pour it on the fish, being plain boiled. _sauce for carp and tench._ boil a pint of strong gravy drawn from beef, with three or four anchovies, a small bit of lemon-peel and horseradish, a little mushroom ketchup, and a great deal of black pepper. when boiled enough, strain it off, and when it is cold take off all the fat. then add nearly half a pound of butter, well mixed with flour, to make it of a proper thickness. when it boils, add a cupful of red wine and a little lemon-juice. _white sauce for carp._ boil half a pint of white wine, a quarter of a pint of elder vinegar, a little tarragon vinegar, half a pint of water, a bunch of sweet-herbs, an onion stuck with cloves, and some mace, till the goodness is out of the ingredients. thicken with melted butter, the yolk of an egg beat, and a quarter of a pint of good cream. _dutch sauce for carp or tench._ take six fine anchovies well washed and picked, put them in a stewpan, add to them four spoonfuls of vinegar, eight spoonfuls of water, one large onion sliced, two or three blades of mace, and four or five cloves. let them stand one hour before the sauce is wanted; set them on the stove, and give them a boil up; strain the liquor into a clean stewpan; then add the yolks of four eggs well beaten; put to it some good thick melted butter; add half a pint of very nice thick cream. mix all these well together; put it on a slow fire; stir it till it boils; season to your taste. _carp sauce, for fish._ put a little lean bacon and some slices of veal at the bottom of a stewpan, with three or four pieces of carp, four anchovies, an onion, two shalots, and tarragon, or any root to flavour to your taste. let it remain over a very slow fire for half an hour, and, when it begins to thicken, or to stick to the pan, moisten it with a large glass of white wine, two spoonfuls of cullis, and the same quantity of broth. skim and strain it through a sieve; it will want no salt. _cavechi, an indian pickle._ no. . this is excellent for sauce. into a pint of vinegar put two cloves of garlic, two spoonfuls of red pepper, two large spoonfuls of india soy, and four of walnut pickle, with as much cochineal as will colour it, two dozen large anchovies boned and dissolved in the juice of three lemons, and one spoonful of mustard. use it as an addition to fish and other sauce, or in any other way, according to your palate. _cavechi._ no. . take three cloves, four scruples of coriander seed, bruised ginger, and saffron, of each ten grains, three cloves of garlic, and one pint of white wine vinegar. infuse all together by the fireside for a fortnight. shake it every day; strain off the liquor, and bottle it for use. you may add to it a pinch of cayenne. _cavechi._ no. . one pint of vinegar, half an ounce of cayenne, two table-spoonfuls of soy, two of walnut pickle, two of ketchup, four cloves of garlic, and three shalots cut small; mix them well together. _celery sauce, white._ make some strong boiled gravy, with veal, a good deal of spice, and sweet-herbs; put these into a stewpan with celery cut into pieces of about two or three inches in length, ready boiled, and thicken it with three quarters of a pound of butter rolled in flour, and half a pint of cream. boil this up, and squeeze in some lemon-juice; pour some of it into the dish. this is an excellent sauce for boiled turkey, fowl, or veal. when the stuffing is made for turkey, make some of it into balls, and boil them. _celery sauce, brown._ put the celery, cut into pieces about an inch long, and the onions sliced, with a small lump of butter; stew them on a slow fire till quite tender; add two spoonfuls of flour, half a pint of veal or beef broth, salt, pepper, and a little milk or cream. boil it a quarter of an hour. _sauce for boiled chickens._ take the yolks of four eggs, three anchovies, a little of the middle of bacon, and the inside of half a lemon; chop them all very fine; add a little thyme and sweet marjoram; thicken them all well together with butter, and pour it over the chickens. _another._ shred some anchovies very fine, with the livers of the chickens and some hard eggs; take a little of the boiling water in which the chickens were boiled, to melt the butter. add some lemon juice, with a little of the peel cut small. _sauce for cold chicken or game._ chop a boned anchovy or two, some parsley, and a small onion; add pepper, oil, vinegar, mustard, and ketchup, and mix them all together. _white sauce for chickens._ half a pint of cream, with a little veal gravy, three tea-spoonfuls of the essence of anchovies, half a tea-spoonful of vinegar, one small onion, one dozen cloves: thicken it with flour and butter; rub it through a sieve, and add a table-spoonful of sherry. _consommé._ to make this foundation of all sauces, take knuckle of veal and some new ham. one pound of ham will be sufficient for six pounds of veal, with onions and roots of different sorts, and draw it down to a light colour: fill up with beef broth, if there is not enough. when the scum rises, skim it well, and let it simmer gently for three or four hours, keeping it well skimmed. strain it off for use. _cream sauce for white dishes._ put a bit of butter into a stewpan, with parsley, scallions, and shalots, the whole shred fine, and a clove of garlic entire; turn it a few times over the fire; shake in some flour, and moisten it with two or three spoonfuls of good cream. boil it a quarter of an hour, strain off the sauce, and, when you are ready to use it, put in a little good butter, with some parsley parboiled and chopped very fine, salt, and whole pepper, thickening it over the fire. _cullis, to thicken sauces._ take carrot, turnip, onion; put them in the bottom of a stewpan; slice some veal and ham, and lay over your carrot, with thyme, parsley, and seasoning; put this over a fire gently; when it sticks to the bottom, pour in some good stock, put in the crumb of some french rolls, boil them up together, strain it through a sieve, and rub the bread through; this will thicken any brown sauce. fish cullis must be as above, only with fish instead of meat. _brown cullis._ take two pounds of veal and half a pound of ham, with two or three onions; put a little bit of butter in the bottom of your stewpan, and lay in it the veal and ham cut small, with the onions in slices, a little of the spices of different sorts, and a small piece of bay leaf. let it stew gently over the stove until it comes to a fine colour; then fill it up with broth, but, if you have no broth, with water; then make some smooth flour and water, and put it to it, until you find it thick enough: let it boil gently half an hour; skim the grease from it, and strain it. _another._ put a piece of butter in a stewpan; set it over a fire with some flour to it; keep it stirring till it is of a good colour; then put some gravy to it; this cullis will thicken any sauce. _cullis à la reine, or queen's stock._ cut some veal into thin slices; beat them, and lay them in a stewpan, with some slices of ham; cut a couple of onions small, and put them in; cut to pieces half a dozen mushrooms and add them to the rest, with a bunch of parsley; and set them on a very gentle stove fire to stew. when they are quite done, and the liquor is rich and high tasted, take out all the meat, and put in some grated bread; boil up once, stirring them thoroughly. _turkey cullis._ roast a large turkey till it is brown; cut it in pieces; put it into a marble mortar, with some ham, parsley, chives, mushrooms, a handful of each, and a crust of bread; beat them up into a paste. take it out, and put it into a deep stewpan, with a pint of veal broth; stir it all well together; cover it, and set it over the stove; turn it constantly, adding more veal broth. when thoroughly dissolved, pass it through a hair sieve, and keep it for use. it will give any sauce a fine flavour; but cullises are generally used for the sorts of meat of which they are made. some of the above, for instance, would make an excellent sauce for a turkey, added to any other gravy; then put them over a slow fire to stew gently. take the flesh of a fine fowl, already roasted, from the bones; beat it in a marble mortar; add this to the cullis in the stewpan. stir it well together, but take great care that it does not boil; pound three dozen of sweet almonds blanched to a thin paste, in a marble mortar, with a little boiled milk; add it to the cullis, and, when the whole is dissolved, it is fit for use. this is good for all white sauces and white soups. _cullis of veal, or any other meat._ put some small pieces of veal into a stewpan, with the like quantity of ham, about a pound to a quarter of a pint of water. stew gently with onions and different herbs, till all the juice of the meat is extracted; then boil it quicker, till it begins to stick to the dish. take the meat and vegetables out of the pan; add a little butter and flour to the gravy; boil it till it becomes of a good colour; then add, if you like, some good broth; put the meat in again to simmer for two hours; skim it well; strain through a sieve, and keep it for use. _dandy sauce, for all sorts of poultry and game._ put a glass of white wine into a stewpan, with half a lemon cut in slices, a little rasped bread, two spoonfuls of oil, a bunch of parsley and scallions, a handful of mushrooms, a clove of garlic, a little tarragon, one clove, three spoonfuls of rich cullis, and a thin slice of fine smoked ham. let the whole boil together till it is of a fine rich consistency; pass it through the sieve; then give it another turn over the fire, and serve it up hot. _devonshire sauce._ cut any quantity of young walnuts into small pieces; sprinkle a little salt on them; next day, pound them in a mortar and squeeze the juice through a coarse thin cloth, such as is used for cheese. to a pint of juice add a pound of anchovies, and boil them slowly till the anchovies are dissolved. strain it; add half a pint of white wine vinegar, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, and forty peppercorns; boil it a quarter of an hour, and, when cold, rack it off and bottle it. a quarter of a pint of vinegar put to the dregs that have been strained off, and well boiled up, makes an excellent seasoning for the cook's use in hashes, fish sauce, &c. _sauce for ducks._ stew the giblets till the goodness is extracted, with a small piece of lean bacon, either dressed or not, a little sprig of lemon-thyme, some parsley, three or four sage leaves, a small onion quartered, a few peppercorns, and plenty of lemon-peel. stew all these well together; strain and put in a large spoonful of port wine, a little cayenne pepper and butter, and flour it to thicken. _dutch sauce._ put into a saucepan some vinegar and water with a piece of butter; thicken it with the yolks of two eggs; squeeze into it the juice of a lemon, and strain it through a sieve. _dutch sauce for fish._ slice a little horseradish, and put it into a quarter of a pint of water, with five or six anchovies, half a handful of white peppercorns, a small onion, half a bay-leaf, and a very little lemon peel, cut as thin as possible. let it boil a quarter of an hour; then strain and thicken with flour and butter and the yolk of an egg. add a little elder vinegar, and then squeeze it through a tamis. it must not boil after being strained, or it will curdle. _dutch sauce for meat or fish._ put two or three table-spoonfuls of water, as many of vinegar, and as many of broth, into a saucepan, with a piece of butter; thicken it with the yolks of two eggs. if for fish, add four anchovies; if not, leave them out. squeeze into it the juice of a lemon, and strain it through a sieve. _dutch sauce for trout._ put into a stewpan a tea-spoonful of floor, four of vinegar, a quarter of a pound of butter, the yolks of five eggs, and a little salt. set it on the fire, and keep continually stirring. when thick enough, work it well that you may refine it; pass it through a sieve; season with a little cayenne pepper, and serve up. _egg sauce._ take two or three eggs, or more if you like, and boil them hard; chop the whites first and then the yolks with them, and put them into melted butter. _the exquisite._ put a little cullis into a stewpan, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut rolled in twice as much flour, salt, and large pepper, the yolks of two eggs, three or four shalots cut small, and thicken it over the fire. this sauce, which should be very thick, is to be spread over meat or fish, which is afterwards covered with finely grated bread, and browned with a hot salamander. _fish sauce._ no. . one pound of anchovies, stripped from the salt, and rinsed in a little port wine, a quarter of an ounce of mace, twelve cloves, two races of ginger sliced, a small onion or shalot, a small sprig of thyme, and winter savory, put into a quart of port wine, and half a pint of vinegar. stew them over a slow fire covered close; strain the liquor through a hair sieve, cover it till cold, and put it in dry bottles. by adding a pint of port wine and the wine strained that the anchovies were rinsed in you may make an inferior sort. when used, shake it up: take two spoonfuls to a quarter of pound of butter; if not thick enough add a little flour. _fish sauce._ no. . take a pint of red wine, twelve anchovies, one onion, four cloves, a nutmeg sliced, as much beaten pepper as will lie upon a half-crown, a bit of horseradish sliced, a little thyme, and parsley, a blade of mace, a gill of vinegar, two bay-leaves. simmer these all together until the anchovies are dissolved; then strain it off, and, when cold, bottle it up close. shake the bottle up when you use it; take two table-spoonfuls to a quarter of a pound of butter, without flour and water, and let it boil. _fish sauce._ no. . take chili pods, bruise them well in a marble mortar, strain off the juice. to a pint bottle of juice add a table-spoonful of brandy and a spoonful of salt. the refuse put into vinegar makes good chili vinegar. this is an excellent relishing sauce. _fish sauce._ no. . take some gravy, an onion sliced, some anchovies washed, thyme, parsley, sliced horseradish, and seasoning; boil these together. strain off the liquor; put into it a bit of thickening and some butter. draw this up together, and squeeze in a lemon. you may add shrimps or oysters. if for lobster sauce, you must cut your lobster in slices, and beat the spawn in a mortar, with a bit of lobster, to colour your sauce. _fish sauce._ no. . a faggot of sweet-herbs, some onion, and anchovy, with a slice of lemon, boiled in small gravy or water; strain, and thicken it with butter and flour, adding a spoonful of soy, or more, if agreeable to your taste. _fish sauce._ no. . take some of the liquor in which you boil the fish; add to it mace, anchovies, lemon-peel, horseradish, thyme, a little vinegar, and white wine; thicken it up with butter, as much as will serve for the fish. if it is for salmon, put in oysters, shrimps, and cockles; take away the liquor, and boil the whole in vinegar. _fish sauce._ no. . take a quarter of a pint of vinegar, the same of white wine, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the same of cloves, pepper, and six large anchovies, a stick of horseradish, an onion, a sprig of thyme, and a bit of lemon-peel; boil all together over the fire; strain it off, and melt your butter for the sauce. _fish sauce._ no. . take half a pint of cream and half a pint of strong broth; thicken them with flour and butter, and when it boils put in it a little anchovy and lemon-juice, and put it over your fish. _fish sauce._ no. . to every pint of walnut liquor put one pound of anchovies; boil them till quite dissolved, and strain off the liquor. to a quart of the liquor put one pint of vinegar, a quarter of an ounce of a mixture of cloves, mace, allspice, and long pepper, and a dozen shalots. boil again till they are very tender; strain off the liquor, and bottle it for use. this is an excellent sauce. _fish sauce._ no. . boil a bit of horseradish and anchovy in gravy with a little lemon-peel and mace; add some cream; thicken it with flour and butter. if you have no gravy, ketchup is a good substitute; but a little always put in is good. _fish sauce._ no. . boil a piece or two of horseradish in gravy; put into it a bit of mace and lemon-peel; add a little anchovy, either before or after it has been boiled; thicken with cream, and add a spoonful of elderberry vinegar: let the acid be the last thing for fear of curdling it. if you have no gravy, ketchup and water is a good substitute. _fish sauce._ no. . take a quarter of a pint of gravy, well boiled with a bit of onion, lemon-peel, and horseradish, four or five cloves, a blade of mace, and a spoonful of ketchup; boil it till it is reduced to four or five spoonfuls; then strain it off, and put to it four or five spoonfuls of cream; thicken it with butter, and put in a spoonful of elder vinegar or lemon-juice: anchovies are sometimes added. _fish sauce._ no. . take two quarts of claret or port, a pint, or more, to your taste, of the best vinegar, which should be tart, one pound of anchovies unwashed, the pickle of them and all, half an ounce of mace, half a quarter of an ounce of cloves, six or eight races of ginger, a good piece of horseradish, a spoonful of cayenne pepper, half the peel of a lemon, a bunch of winter savory and thyme, and three or four onions, a piece of garlic, and one shalot. stew all these over a slow fire for an hour; then strain the liquor through a coarse sieve, and bottle it. you may stew the ingredients over again with more wine and vinegar for present use. when you use it, it must be put into the saucepan with the butter, instead of water, and melt it together. if you keep it close stopped, it will be good many years. _fish sauce._ no. . take twenty-four large anchovies, bones and all, ten or twelve shalots, a handful of horseradish, four blades of mace, one quart of rhenish, or any white wine, one pint of water, one lemon cut in slices, half a pint of anchovy liquor, one pint of claret, twelve cloves, half a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper: boil them till reduced to a quart; strain off and bottle the liquor. two spoonfuls will be sufficient to one pound of butter. _fish sauce._ no. . a spoonful of red wine, and the same of anchovy liquor, put into melted butter. _an excellent white fish sauce._ an anchovy, a glass of white wine, a bit of horseradish, two or three blades of mace, an onion stuck with cloves, a piece of lemon-peel, two eggs, a quarter of a pint of good broth, two spoonfuls of cream, a large piece of butter, with some flour mixed well in it; keep stirring it till it boils; add a little ketchup, and a small dessert spoonful of the juice of a lemon, and stir it the whole time to prevent curdling. serve up hot. _another._ take eight spoonfuls of white wine, three of vinegar, one of soy or ketchup, three anchovies, one onion, a few sweet-herbs, a little mace, cloves, and white pepper; let it stew gently till it is reduced to six spoonfuls; then strain it off, and add half a pound of fresh butter rolled in a little flour, and six spoonfuls of cream. let it boil after the cream and butter are added. _white sauce, with capers and anchovies, for any white fish._ put a bit of butter, about the size of an egg, rolled in flour, into a stewpan; dilute it with a large wine glass of veal broth, two anchovies, cut fine, minced parsley, and two spoonfuls of cream. stew it slowly, till it is of the proper consistency. _fish stock._ put into a pot a scate, cut in pieces, with turnips, carrots, thyme, parsley, and onion. cut in pieces an eel or two, and some flounders; put them into a stewpan with a piece of butter; stew them down till they go to pieces; put them to your scate; boil the whole well, and strain it off. _forcemeat balls, for sauces._ to make forcemeat balls for soups, without grease, commonly called _quenelles_, soak the crumb of two penny rolls in milk for about half an hour; take it out, and squeeze out the milk; put the bread into a stewpan, with a little white sauce, made of veal jelly, a little butter, flour, and cream, seasoned, a spoonful of beef or mutton jelly, some parsley, shalots, and thyme, minced very fine. stew these herbs in a little butter, to take off their rawness. set them to reduce the panada of bread and milk, which you must keep constantly stirring with a wooden spoon, when the panada begins to get dry in the pan, which prevents its sticking; when quite firm, take it from the fire, and mix with it the yolks of two eggs. let it cool, and use when wanted. this panada must always be prepared beforehand, in order to have it cold, for it cannot be used warm; when cold, roll it into balls, but let them be small; pound the whole as large as possible in a mortar, for the more they are pounded the more delicate they are. then break two eggs, and pound them likewise; season with a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt, and spices, in powder. when the whole is well mixed together, try a small bit, rolling it with a little flour, then putting it into boiling water with a little salt; if it should not be firm enough, add another egg, without beating the white. when the whole is mixed once more, rub it through a sieve, roll it into balls, and serve up hot in sauces. _white sauce, for fowls._ some good veal gravy, boiled with an anchovy or onion, some lemon-peel, and a very little ketchup. put in it the yolk of hard egg to thicken it, and add what cream you think proper. _another._ take a pint of milk, the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, a spoonful of mushroom pickle, a little salt, nutmeg, a small piece of butter, rolled in flour; stir all together till thick. pour it over the fowls, and garnish with lemon or parsley. _white sauce, for boiled fowls._ have ready a sauce, made of one pint of veal jelly, half a quarter of a pound of butter, two small onions, and a bunch of parsley; then put three table-spoonfuls of flour, half a pint of boiling hot cream, the yolks of three eggs, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and the same of salt; boil all up together, till of a tolerable thickness; keep it hot, and take care that it does not curdle. make ready some slices of truffles, about thirty-four, the size and thickness of a shilling, boil them in a little meat jelly; strain them, and add the truffles to the sauce previously made. when ready to serve, pour the sauce and truffles over whatever meat they are destined for. _sauce, for roasted fowls of all kinds, or roasted mutton._ cut some large onions into square pieces; cut some fat bacon in the same manner, and a slice of lean ham; put them in a stewpan; shake them round constantly, to prevent their burning. when they are of a fine brown colour, put in some good cullis, more or less, according to the quantity you want to make. let them stew very gently, till the onions are tender; then put in two tea-spoonfuls of mustard, and one table-spoonful of vinegar. serve it hot. _a very good general sauce._ take some mint, balm, basil, thyme, parsley, and sage; pick them from the stalks, cut them very fine, slice two large onions very thin; then put all the ingredients into a marble mortar, and beat them till they are quite mixed; add some cayenne pepper and salt; beat all these well together, and mix them by degrees in some good cullis, till it is of the thickness of cream. put them in a stewpan, boil them up; strain the gravy from the herbs, pressing it from them very hard with the back of a spoon; add to the gravy half a glass of wine, half a spoonful of salad oil, the squeeze of a lemon, and a pinch of sugar. this sauce is excellent for most dishes. _genoese sauce for stewed fish._ this sauce is made by stewing fish. make marinade of carrots, parsley roots, onions, mushrooms, a bay-leaf, some thyme, a blade of mace, a few cloves, and some spices: fry the whole white in butter; pour in a pint of white wine, or less, according to the quantity of sauce required; put in the fish, and let it stew thoroughly to make the sauce. then take a little browned flour and butter, and mix it with the reserved liquor; add three or four spoonfuls of gravy from veal jelly; let these stew very gently on the corner of the stove; skim off the grease; put in a little salt and cayenne pepper, and add two spoonfuls of the essence of anchovy and a quarter of a pound of butter kneaded with flour. squeeze in the juice of a whole lemon, and cover the stewed fish with this sauce, which ought to be made thick and mellow. _german sauce._ put the same quantity of meat jelly and fresh made broth into a stewpan, with a little parsley parboiled and chopped, the livers of two roasted or boiled fowls, an anchovy, and some capers, the whole shred very fine, a bit of butter about the size of an egg, half a clove of garlic, salt, and a little cayenne pepper. thicken it over the fire. exceedingly good with poultry, pigeons, &c. _beef gravy._ cut in pieces some lean beef, according to the quantity of gravy you may want; put it into a stewpan, with an onion or two, sliced, and a little carrot; cover it close, set it over a gentle fire, and pour off the gravy as it draws from it. then let the meat brown; keep turning it to prevent its burning, pour over some boiling water, and add a few cloves, peppercorns, a bit of lemon, and a bunch of sweet-herbs. gently simmer it, and strain it with the gravy that was drawn from the meat, some salt, and a spoonful of ketchup. _beef gravy, to keep for use._ cover a piece of six or eight pounds with water; boil it for twenty minutes or half an hour: then take out the meat, beat it thoroughly, and cut it in pieces, to let out the gravy. put it again into the water, with a bunch of sweet-herbs, an onion stuck with cloves, a little salt, and some whole pepper. let it stew, but not boil, till the meat is quite consumed; pass it through a sieve, and let it stand in a cool place. it will keep for a week, if the weather is not very hot. if you want to use this for a hash of brown meat, put a little butter in your frying-pan, shake in a little flour as it boils, and add a glass of claret: if for a white sauce to fowls or veal, melt the butter in the gravy, with a glass of white wine, two spoonfuls of cream, and the yolks of four or six eggs, according to the quantity of sauce required. _brown gravy._ put a piece of butter, about the size of a hen's egg, into a saucepan; when it is melted, shake in a little flour, and let it brown; then by degrees stir in the following ingredients: half a pint of small beer, the same quantity of water, an onion, a piece of lemon-peel cut small, three cloves, a blade of mace, some whole pepper, a spoonful of mushroom-pickle, the same quantity of ketchup, and an anchovy. let the whole boil together a quarter of an hour; strain it off, and it will be a good sauce. _another._ take the glaze that remains at the bottom of the pot after you have stewed any thing à la braise, provided it be not tainted game; skim it, and strain it through a sieve; then put in a bit of butter about the size of a walnut, mixed with flour; thicken it over the fire, and add the juice of a lemon, and a little salt and cayenne pepper. _green sauce for green geese, or ducklings._ half a pint of the juice of sorrel, with a little grated nutmeg, some bread crumb, and a little white wine; boil it a quarter of an hour, and sweeten with sugar, adding scalded gooseberries and a piece of butter. _another._ pound a handful of spinach and another of sorrel together in a mortar; squeeze and put them into a saucepan; warm, but do not let it boil. _ham sauce._ when your ham is almost done, let the meat be picked clean from the bone, and mash it well; put it into a saucepan with three spoonfuls of gravy; set it over a slow fire, stirring it all the while, otherwise it will stick to the bottom. when it has been on for some time, add a small bundle of sweet-herbs, pepper, and half a pint of beef gravy; cover it up; stew it over a gentle fire, and when quite done strain off the gravy. this is very good for veal. _sauce for hare or venison._ in a little port wine and water melt some currant jelly, or send in the jelly only; or simmer port wine and sugar for twenty or thirty minutes. _harvey's sauce._ three table-spoonfuls of walnut ketchup, two of essence of anchovies, one tea-spoonful of soy, and one of cayenne pepper. mix these together; put them, with a clove of garlic, into a pint bottle, and fill it up with white wine vinegar. _sauce for hashes or fish, and good with any thing and every thing._ take two or more spoonfuls of good cullis, according to the quantity you intend to make, a glass of white wine, a shalot, a small onion, a few mushrooms, truffles, morels, and a bunch of sweet-herbs, with a little grated lemon-peel, a slice of ham, and the yolk of an egg. thicken it with a bit of butter rolled in flour, and let it stew till the ingredients are quite soft. _sauce for white hashes or chickens._ a pint of new milk, the yolk of two eggs, well beaten, two ounces of butter, well mixed with flour; mix it all together in a saucepan, and, when it boils, add two spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup; it must be stirred all the time, or it will not do. if used for cold veal or lamb, the meat must be cut as thin as possible, the sauce made first to boil, and then the meat put into it, till it is hot enough for table. _horseradish sauce._ a tea-spoonful of mustard, one table-spoonful of vinegar, three of thick cream, and a little salt; grate as much horseradish into it as will make it as thick as onion sauce. a little shalot may be added. _italian sauce._ put into a stewpan two spoonfuls of sweet oil, a handful of mushrooms cut small, a bunch of parsley, scallions, and half a laurel-leaf, two cloves, and a clove of garlic; turn the whole a few times over the fire, and shake in a little flour. moisten it with a glass of white wine and twice as much good cullis; let it boil half an hour; skim away the fat, allowing it to cool a little for that purpose; set it on again, and serve it; it will be found to eat well with any white meat. _ketchup._ put a pint of the best white wine vinegar into a wide-mouthed quart bottle; add twelve cloves of shalots, peeled and bruised; take a quarter of a pint of the strongest red wine and boil it a little; wash and bone about a dozen anchovies, let them dissolve in the wine, and, when cold, put them into the vinegar bottle, stopping it close with a cork, and shaking it well. into the same quantity of wine put a spoonful of pepper bruised, a few races of split ginger, half a spoonful of cloves bruised, and a few blades of large mace, and boil them till the strength of the spice is extracted. when the liquor is almost cold, cut in slices two large nutmegs, and when quite cold put into it some lemon-peel. put that into the bottle, and scrape thin a large, sound horseradish root, and put that also into the bottle; stop it down close; shake it well together every day for a fortnight, and you may then use it. _lemon sauce._ pare a lemon, and cut it in slices; pick out the seeds and chop them small: then boil the lemon and bruise it. mix these in a little gravy; and add it to some melted butter, with a little lemon-peel chopped fine. _liver sauce for boiled fowls._ boil the liver just enough to spread; add a little essence of anchovy and grated lemon-peel, the yolk of a hard egg, and the juice of a lemon: mix it well together, and stir it into some butter. _lobster sauce._ no. . pull the lobster to pieces with a fork; do not chop it; bruise the body and the spawn with the back of a spoon; break the shell; boil it in a little water to give it a colour; strain it off. melt some butter in it very smooth, with a little horseradish, and a little cayenne pepper; mix the body of the lobster well with the butter; then add the meat, and give it a boil, with a spoonful of ketchup and a spoonful of gravy. _lobster sauce._ no. . put the red spawn of a hen lobster in a mortar; add half an ounce of butter; pound it smooth, and run it through a hair sieve with the back of a spoon. cut the meat of the lobster into small pieces, and add as much melted butter to the spawn as will suffice; stir it till thoroughly mixed; then put to it the meat of the lobster, and warm it on the fire; but do not let it boil. _lobster sauce._ no. . take the spawn of one large lobster, and bruise it well in a mortar: take a sufficient quantity of strong veal gravy, the yolk of an egg, and a little cream, and thicken with flour and butter. _the marchioness's sauce._ put as much bread rasped very fine as you can take at two handfuls into a stewpan, with a bit of butter of the size of a walnut, a kitchen-spoonful of sweet oil, a shalot cut small, salt and large pepper, with a sufficient quantity of lemon-juice to lighten the whole. stir it over the fire till it thickens. this sauce may be served with all sorts of meat that require a sharp relishing sauce. _meat jelly for sauces._ every sort of dish requires good sauce, and for every sauce it is absolutely necessary to have a good meat jelly. the following may be depended upon as being excellent: a shin of beef, about eight pounds, rather more than less; a knuckle of veal, about nine pounds; a neck of mutton, about nine pounds; two fowls; four calves' feet: carefully cut off all fat whatever, and stew over a stove as slowly as possible, till the juice is entirely extracted. this will produce about seven quarts of jelly. no pepper, salt, or herbs of any kind. these should be added in using the jelly, whether for soups, broths, or sauces; but the pure jelly is the thing to have as the foundation for every species of cookery. _another._ three shanks, or two pounds, of mutton in two quarts of water; stew down to a pint and a half, with a carrot, and an onion. _a mixed sauce._ take parsley, scallions, mushrooms, and half a clove of garlic, the whole shred fine; turn it a few times over the fire with butter; shake in a little flour, and moisten it with good broth: when the sauce is consumed to half the original quantity, add two pickled gherkins cut small, and the yolks of three eggs beaten up with some more broth; a little salt and cayenne will complete the sauce. _mushroom ketchup._ no. . take a bushel of the large flaps of mushrooms, gathered dry, and bruise them with your hands. put some of them into an earthen pan; throw some salt over them; then put in more mushrooms, then more salt, till you have done. add half an ounce of beaten mace and cloves, and the same quantity of allspice; and let them stand five or six days, stirring them every day. tie a paper over and bake for four hours in a slow oven; strain out the liquor through a cloth, and let it stand to settle. pour it off clear from the sediment: to every gallon of liquor put a quart of red wine; if not salt enough, add a little more salt, with a race of ginger cut small, and half an ounce of cloves and mace, and boil till reduced nearly one third. strain it through a sieve into a pan; next day pour it from the settlings, and bottle it for use. _mushroom ketchup._ no. . mash your mushrooms with a great deal of salt; let them stand two days; strain them, and boil the liquor once or twice, observing to scum it well. then put in black pepper and allspice, a good deal of each, and boil them together. bottle the liquor, and put five or six cloves into each bottle. _mushroom ketchup._ no. . pick the mushrooms clean, but by no means wash them; put them into an earthen pipkin with salt, cover them close with a coarse paste, and put them in the oven for seven hours or thereabout. squeeze them a little, and pour off the liquor, which must be put upon fresh mushrooms, and bake these as long as the first. then pour off the liquor, after pressing, and boil it well with salt sufficient to keep. boil it half away till it appears clammy. when cold, bottle it up. _mushroom ketchup._ no. . into a quart of red wine put some flaps of mushrooms, half a pound of anchovies, some thyme, two onions sliced, parsley, cloves, and mace. let them stew gently on the fire; then strain off the liquor, a spoonful of which, with a little gravy, butter, and lemon, will make excellent fish sauce, and be always ready. _mushroom sauce._ mix a little flour with a good piece of butter; boil it up in some cream, shaking the saucepan; then throw in some mushrooms with a little salt and nutmeg: boil this up; or, if you like it better, put the mushrooms in butter melted with a little veal gravy, some salt, and grated nutmeg. _sauce for roasted mutton._ wash an anchovy clean; put to it a glass of red wine, some gravy, a shalot cut small, and a little lemon-juice. stew these together; strain them, and mix the liquor with the gravy that runs from the mutton. _onion sauce._ let the onions be peeled; boil them in milk and water, and put a turnip into the pot; change the water twice: pulp them through a colander, or chop them as you please; then put them into a saucepan, with butter, cream, a little flour, and some pepper and salt. _brown onion sauce._ peel and slice the onions, to which put an equal quantity of cucumber or celery, with an ounce of butter, and set them on a slow fire; turn the onions till they are highly browned; stir in half an ounce of flour; add a little broth, pepper, and salt; boil it up for a few minutes; add a spoonful of claret or port, and some mushroom ketchup. you may sharpen it with a little lemon-juice. rub through a tamis. _oyster sauce._ no. . take two score of oysters, put them, with their own liquor, a few peppercorns, and a blade of mace, into a saucepan, and let them simmer a little over the fire, just to plump them; then with a fork shake each in the liquor so as to take off all the grit; strain the liquor, add to it a little good gravy and two anchovies, and thicken it with flour and butter, nearly as thick as custard. _oyster sauce._ no. . wash the oysters from their liquor; strain it, and put that and the oysters into a little boiled gravy and just scald them: add a piece of butter mixed with flour, cream, and ketchup. shake all up; let it boil, but not much, lest the oysters grow hard and shrink; but be very careful they are enough done, as nothing is more disagreeable than the oysters tasting raw. _pepper-pot._ a good stock made with beef bones or mutton, one small carrot, one onion, three turnips, two heads of celery, a little thyme and sweet-herbs; season to your taste; boil these, and put them through a tamis; then add a little flour and butter; make up some flour and water in little balls, and boil them in the pepper-pot. _sauce for pike, or any other fresh-water fish._ take half a pint of good beef broth, three table-spoonfuls of cream, one onion sliced fine, a middling sized stick of horseradish scraped, seven or eight peppercorns, three or four cloves, two anchovies; boil well in a piece of butter as big as a walnut well rolled in flour. pike should be boiled with the scales on. _sauce piquante._ pound a table-spoonful of capers and one pound of minced parsley as fine as possible, add the yolks of three hard eggs; rub them together with a table-spoonful of mustard. bone six anchovies, pound them, and rub them through a hair sieve; mix with these two spoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar, one of shalot, and a few grains of cayenne pepper. rub all together in a mortar till thoroughly incorporated; then stir them into half a pound of good gravy, or melted butter, and pass the whole through a sieve. _sauce piquante, to serve hot._ put into a stewpan a bit of butter, with two onions sliced, a carrot, a parsnip, a little thyme, laurel, basil, two cloves, two shalots, a clove of garlic, parsley, and scallions; turn the whole over the fire till it is well coloured; then shake in some flour, and moisten it with some broth, a spoonful of white wine vinegar, and a squeeze of a lemon, and strain it through a sieve, adding a little cayenne and salt. it is good with every thing. _another._ simmer a gill of white wine with as much broth, and, when it is consumed to half, put in a shalot, a little garlic, and some salad herbs shred very fine; let it boil, and then add a bit of butter of the size of a walnut, mixed with flour, salt, and whole pepper, thickening the whole over the fire. _sauce piquante, to serve cold._ shred very fine all sorts of garden-herbs, thyme, sage, parsley, chervil, half a clove of garlic, and two shalots; dilute the whole with a small tea-spoonful of mustard, salad oil, a little vinegar, the squeeze of a lemon; add a little salt and cayenne. you may add an anchovy: this is excellent with cold partridge or game, or any hot or cold veal. _poivrade sauce._ boil half a pint of the best vinegar, half a pint of water, two large onions, half a handful of horseradish, and a little pounded white pepper, some salt and shalot, all together a quarter of an hour. if you would have it clear, strain and bottle it: if you chuse, add a little gravy when you use it. _poor man's sauce._ a handful of parsley leaves picked from the stalks, shred fine, and a little salt strewed over; shred six young green onions, put them to the parsley, with three table-spoonfuls of oil, and five of vinegar, some ground black pepper, and salt. pickled french beans or gherkins, cut fine, may be added, or a little grated horseradish. _quin's fish sauce._ a pint of old mushroom ketchup, a pint of old walnut pickle, six anchovies finely pounded, six cloves of garlic, three pounded, three not, and half a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper. _ragout sauce._ one ounce of salt; half an ounce of mustard; a quarter of an ounce of allspice; black pepper ground, and lemon-peel grated, half an ounce each; of ginger and nutmeg grated, a quarter of an ounce each; cayenne pepper two drachms. pound all these, and pass them through a sieve, infused in a quart of vinegar or wine, and bottle them for use. spice in ragout is indispensable to give it a flavour, but not a predominating one. _sauce de ravigotte._ pick some parsley, sage, mint, thyme, basil, and balm, from the stalks, and cut them fine; slice two large onions very thin: put all these into a mortar, beat them thoroughly, and add pepper and salt, some rocambole, and two blades of mace cut fine. beat these well, and mix them by degrees with gravy till of the thickness of butter; put them into a stewpan, and boil them up. strain the gravy from the herbs; add to it a glass of wine and a spoonful of oil; beat these together, and pour it into a sauce-boat. _sauce ravigotte à la bourgeoise._ tie some parsley, sage, mint, thyme, and basil, in a bunch; put them into a saucepan of boiling water, and let them boil about a minute; take them out, squeeze the water from them, chop them very fine, and add a clove of garlic and two large onions minced very fine. put the whole into a stewpan, with half a pint of broth, some pepper, and salt; boil it up, and add a spoonful of vinegar. _relishing sauce._ put a wine glass of good stock jelly, made into broth, into a stewpan, half a spoonful of the best white wine vinegar, a little salt, a few whole peppercorns, and a bit of butter, the size of a walnut, mixed up with a little flour in balls, some tarragon, chervil, pimpernel, thyme, and shalot, with garden cresses; boil these herbs in water, having cut them very small; put them into the sauce, and thicken it to a thin creamy consistency over the fire. this sauce is good with any thing, fish, flesh, or fowl. _sauce à-la-remoulade._ no. . take two large spoonfuls of capers cut fine, as much parsley, two anchovies, washed and boned, two cloves of garlic, and a little shalot; cut them separately, and then mix them together; put a little rich gravy into a stewpan, with two spoonfuls of oil, one of mustard, and the juice of a large lemon. make it quite hot, and put in your other ingredients, with salt, pepper, and the leaves of a few sweet-herbs, picked from their stalks. stir it well together, and let it be four minutes over a brisk fire. _sauce à-la-remoulade._ no. . put into a stewpan a shalot, parsley, scallions, a little bit of garlic, two anchovies, some capers, the whole shred very fine. dilute it with a little mustard, oil, and vinegar, and two table-spoonfuls of good cullis. _sauce à-la-remoulade._ no. .--_for cold chicken, or lobster salad._ two yolks of eggs boiled hard must be bruised very fine, with a tea-spoonful of cold water; add a tea-spoonful of mustard, and two table-spoonfuls of salad oil. when these are well mixed, add a tea-spoonful of chopped parsley, one clove of shalot, and a little tarragon; these must be chopped very fine, and well mixed; then add three table-spoonfuls of vinegar and one of cream. the chicken or lobster should be cut in small thick pieces (not sliced) and placed, with small quarters of lettuces and hard eggs quartered, alternately, so as to fill the dish in a varied form. the sauce is then poured over it. _rice sauce._ steep a quarter of a pound of rice in a pint of milk, with onion, pepper, &c. when the rice is boiled quite tender, take out the spice, rub it through a sieve, and add to it a little milk or cream. this is a very delicate white sauce. _richmond sauce, for boiled chicken._ half a pint of cream, the liver of the chicken, a little parsley, an anchovy, some caper liquor, the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, a little pepper, salt, nutmeg, and juice of lemon, with a piece of butter, about the size of a walnut, to thicken it. send it up hot, with the chicken. _sauce for any kind of roasted meat._ while the mutton, beef, hare, or turkey, is roasting, put a plate under it, with a little good broth, three spoonfuls of red wine, a slice of onion, a little grated cheese, an anchovy, washed and minced, and a bit of butter; let the meat drop into it. when it is taken up, put the sauce into a pan that has been rubbed with onion; give it a boil up; strain it through a sieve, and serve it up under your roast, or in a boat. _sauce robert._ melt an ounce of butter, and put to it half an ounce of onion, mixed fine; turn it with a wooden spoon till it takes a light brown colour; stir into it a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, and the same quantity of port wine. add half a pint of broth, a quarter of a tea-spoonful of pepper, and the same of salt; give them a boil; add a tea-spoonful of mustard, the juice of half a lemon, and one or two tea-spoonfuls of vinegar or tarragon. _another._ cut a few large onions and some fat bacon into square pieces; put these together into a saucepan over a fire, and shake them well to prevent their burning. when brown, put in some good veal gravy, with a little pepper and salt; let them stew gently till the onions are tender; then add a little salt, vinegar, and mustard, and serve up. _sauce for salad._ the yolk of one egg, one tea-spoonful of mustard, one tea-spoonful of tarragon vinegar, three table-spoonfuls of oil, one table-spoonful of common vinegar, chives, according to taste. _shalot sauce, for boiled mutton._ mince four shalots fine, put them into a stewpan, with about half a pint of the liquor in which the mutton is boiled; put in a table-spoonful of vinegar, a quarter of a tea-spoonful of pepper, a little salt, a bit of butter, of the size of a walnut, rolled in flour; shake them together, and boil. _spanish sauce._ put a cullis (that is always the stock or meat jelly,) in good quantity into a stewpan, with a glass of white wine, the same quantity of fresh made broth, a bunch of parsley, and shalots, one clove of garlic, half a laurel leaf, parsley, scallions, onions, any other root you please for the sake of flavour, such as celery or carrots. boil it two hours over a slow fire, take the fat off, and strain it through a sieve; and then add salt, large pepper, and the least sprinkle of sugar. this is very good with beef, mutton, and many sorts of game, venison and hare in particular; for which substitute a glass of red wine instead of white. _sauce for steaks._ a glass of small beer, two anchovies, a little thyme, parsley, an onion, some savory, nutmeg, and lemon-peel; cut all these together, and, when the steaks are ready, pour the fat out of the pan, and put in the small beer, with the other ingredients and a piece of butter rolled in flour: let it simmer, and strain it over the steaks. _sultana sauce._ put a pint of cullis into a stewpan with a glass of white wine, two slices of peeled lemons, two cloves, a clove of garlic, half a laurel-leaf, parsley, scallions, onions, and turnip. boil it an hour and a half over a slow fire, reducing it to a creamy consistency; strain it very carefully through a sieve, and then add a little salt, the yolk of an egg boiled hard and chopped, and a little boiled parsley shred fine. this sauce is very good with poultry. _tomata ketchup._ take a quart of tomata pulp and juice, three ounces of salt, one ounce of garlic pounded, half an ounce of powdered ginger, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves; add two ounces of anchovies or a wine-glassful of the essence, as sold in the shops. boil all in a tin saucepan half an hour; strain it through a fine hair sieve. to the strained liquor add a quarter of a pint of vinegar, half a pint of white wine, half a quarter of an ounce of mace, which is to be pounded, and a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper. let the whole simmer together over a gentle fire twenty minutes; then strain it through fine lawn or muslin. when cold bottle it up, and be careful to keep it close corked. it is fit for use immediately. the best way to obtain the pulp and juice free from the skin and seeds is to rub it through a hair sieve. _tomata sauce._ no. . roast the tomatas before the fire till they are very tender; save all the liquor that runs from them while roasting; then with a spoon gently scoop out the pulp from the skins; avoid touching them with your fingers: add to the pulp a small quantity of shred ginger, and a few young onions cut very small. salt it well, and mix the whole together with vinegar, or the best common wine. put it into pint bottles, as it keeps best with only a bladder tied over. this is to mix with all other sauces in the small cruet for fish. _tomata sauce._ no. . take twelve or fifteen tomatas, ripe and red; cut them in half, and squeeze out all the water and seeds; add capsicums, and two or three table-spoonfuls of beef gravy; set them on a slow fire or stove, for an hour, till melted; rub them through a tamis into a clean stewpan, with a little white pepper and salt; then simmer for a few minutes. the french cooks add a little tarragon vinegar, or a shalot. _tomata sauce._ no. . when the fruit is ripe, bake it tender, skin, and rub the pulp through a sieve. to every pound of pulp add a quart of chili vinegar, one ounce of garlic, one of shalots, both sliced, half an ounce of salt, a little cayenne pepper, and the juice of three lemons. boil all together for twenty minutes. _savoury jelly for a turkey._ spread some slices of veal and ham in the bottom of a stewpan, with a carrot and turnip, and two or three onions. stew upon a slow fire till the liquor is of as deep a brown as you wish. add pepper, mace, a very little isinglass, and salt to your taste. boil ten minutes; strain through a french strainer; skim off all the fat; put in the whites of three eggs, and pass all through a strainer till it is quite clear. _sauce for turkey or chicken._ boil a spoonful of the best mace very tender, and also the liver of the turkey, but not too much, which would make it hard; pound the mace with a few drops of the liquor to a very fine pulp; then pound the liver, and put about half of it to the mace, with pepper, salt, and the yolk of an egg, boiled hard, and then dissolved; to this add by degrees the liquor that drains from the turkey, or some other good gravy. put these liquors to the pulp, and boil them some time; then take half a pint of oysters and boil them but a little, and lastly, put in white wine, and butter wrapped in a little flour. let it boil but a little, lest the wine make the oysters hard; and just at last scald four spoonfuls of good cream, and add, with a little lemon-juice, or pickled mushrooms will do better. _sauce for boiled turkey or fowl._ take an anchovy, boil it in a quarter of a pint of water; put to it a blade of mace and some peppercorns; strain it off; then put to it two spoonfuls of cream, with butter and flour. _venison sauce._ take vinegar, water, and claret, of each a glassful, an onion stuck with cloves, salt, anchovies, pepper and cloves, of each a spoonful; boil all these together, and strain through a sieve. _sweet venison sauce._ take a small stick of cinnamon, and boil it in half a pint of claret; then add as much finely grated bread-crumbs as will make a thick pap; and, after it has boiled thoroughly, sweeten it with the powder of the best sugar. _walnut ketchup._ no. . take walnuts when they are fit to pickle, beat them in a mortar, press out the juice through a piece of cloth, let it stand one night, then pour the liquor from the sediment, and to every pint put one pound of anchovies; let them boil together till the anchovies are dissolved; then skim, and to every pint of liquor add an eighth of an ounce of mace, the same of cloves and jamaica pepper, half a pint of common vinegar, half a pound of shalots, with a few heads of garlic, and a little cayenne. boil all together till the shalots are tender, and when cold bottle up for use. a spoonful of this ketchup put into good melted butter makes an excellent fish-sauce; it is equally fine in gravy for ducks or beef-steaks. _walnut ketchup._ no. . take half a bushel of green walnuts, before the shell is formed, and grind them in a crab-mill, or beat them in a marble mortar. squeeze out the juice, through a coarse cloth, wringing the cloth well to get out all the juice, and to every gallon put a quart of wine, a quarter of a pound of anchovies, the same quantity of bay salt, one ounce of allspice, half an ounce of cloves, two ounces of long pepper, half an ounce of mace, a little ginger, and horseradish, cut in slices. boil all together till reduced to half the quantity; pour it into a pan, when cold, and bottle it. cork it tight, and it will be fit for use in three months. if you have any pickle left in the jar after the walnuts are used, put to every gallon two heads of garlic, a quart of red wine, and of cloves, mace, long, black, and jamaica pepper, one ounce each; boil them all together till reduced to half the quantity; pour the liquor into a pan; bottle it the next day for use, and cork it tight. _walnut ketchup._ no. . pound one hundred walnuts very fine, put them in a glazed pan with a quart of vinegar; stir them daily for ten days; squeeze them very dry through a coarse cloth. boil the liquor, and skim it as long as any thing will rise; then add spice, ginger, anchovies instead of salt, and boil it up for use. _walnut ketchup._ no. . take one hundred walnuts, picked in dry weather, and bruise them well in a mortar. squeeze out the juice; add a large handful of salt; boil and skim it well; then put into the juice an equal quantity of white wine vinegar, or the vinegar in which pickled walnuts have been steeped, a little red wine, anchovies unwashed, four or five cloves of garlic, as many blades of mace, two dozen cloves, and a little whole pepper. boil it six or seven minutes, and when cold bottle it. if higher spiced the better. _walnut ketchup._ no. . pound your walnuts; strew some salt upon them, and let them stand a day or two; strain them; to every pint of juice put half a pound of anchovies, and boil them in it till they are dissolved. then strain the liquor, and to every pint add two drachms of mace, the same quantity of cloves, some black pepper, one ounce of dried shalots, and a little horseradish. _white sauce._ put some good veal or fowl cullis into a stewpan, with a piece of crumb of bread, about the size of a tea-cup, a bunch of parsley, thyme, scallions, a clove of garlic, a handful of butter, mushrooms, and a glass of white wine: let the whole boil till half the quantity is consumed. strain it through a coarse sieve, keeping the vegetables apart; then add to it the yolks of three eggs beaten up in three table-spoonfuls of cream, and thicken it over the fire, taking care to keep it continually stirred lest the eggs should curdle. you may either add your vegetables or not. this sauce may be used with all sorts of meat or fish that are done white. _another._ take some cream, a very little shalot, and a little salt; when warmed upon the fire add a piece of butter rolled in flour; stir it gently one way, and make it the consistency of cream. this sauce is excellent for celery, chickens, veal, &c. _white wine sweet sauce._ break a stick of cinnamon, and set it over the fire in a saucepan, with enough water to cover it; boil it up two or three times; add a quarter of a pint of wine and about two spoonfuls of powdered sugar, and break in two bay-leaves; boil all these together; strain off the liquor through a sieve; put it in a sauceboat or terrine, and serve up. confectionary. _almacks._ take plums, or apricots, baking pears, and apples, of each a pound; slice the pears and apples, and open the plums; put them in layers in an earthen mug, and set it in a slow oven. when the fruit is soft, squeeze it through a colander; add a pound of sugar; place it on the fire, and let it simmer, till it will leave the pan clear. then put it into an earthen mould to cut out for use, or drop it on a plate, and let it stand till it is so dry that paper will not stick to it, then put it by for use. you must stir it all the time it is on the fire, or it will burn. _almond butter._ put half a pound of blanched almonds, finely beaten, into a quart of cream and a pint of milk mixed well together. strain off the almonds, and set the cream over the fire to boil. take the yolks of twelve eggs and three whites well beaten; let it remain over the fire; keep stirring till it begins to curdle. put it into a cloth strainer and tie it up, letting it stand till the thin has drained off. when cold, break it with a spoon, and sweeten with sifted sugar. _almond cheesecakes._ take a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds and twelve or fourteen apricot or peach kernels; blanch them all in cold water, and beat them very fine with rose-water and a little sack. add a quarter of a pound of fine powder sugar, by degrees, and beat them very light: then put a quarter of a pound of the best butter just melted, with two or three spoonfuls of sweet thick cream; beat them well again. then, add four eggs, leaving out the whites, beaten as light as possible. when you have just done beating, put a little grated nutmeg. bake them in a nice short crust; and, when they are just going into the oven, grate over them a little fine sugar. _almond cream._ beat half a pound of fine almonds, blanched in cold water, very fine, with orange-flower water. take a quart of cream boiled, cooled, and sweetened; put the almonds into it by degrees, and when they are well mixed strain it through canvass, squeezing it very well. then stir it over the fire until it thickens; if you like it richly perfumed, add one grain of ambergris, and if you wish to give it the ratafia flavour, beat some apricot kernels with it. _unboiled almond cream._ take half a pound of almonds; blanch them, and cut out all their spots: then beat them very fine, in a clean stone or wooden mortar, with a little rose-water, and mix them with one quart of sweet cream. strain them as long as you can get any out. take as much fine sugar as will sweeten it, a nutmeg cut into quarters, some large mace, three spoonfuls of orange-flower water, as much rose-water, with musk or ambergris dissolved in it; put all these things into a glass churn; shake them continually up and down till the mass is as thick as butter; before it is broken, pour it all into a clean dish; take out the nutmeg and the mace; when it is settled smooth, scatter some comfits or scrape some hard sugar upon it. _almond paste, for shapes, &c._ blanch half a pound of almonds in cold water; let them lie twenty-four hours in cold water, then beat them in a mortar, till they are very fine, adding the whites of eggs as you beat them. put them in a stewpan over a stove fire, with half a pound of double-refined sugar, pounded and sifted through a lawn sieve; stir it while over the fire, till it becomes a little stiff; then take it out, and put it between two plates, till it is cold. put it in a pan, and keep it for use. it will keep a great while in a cool place. when you use it, pound it a little in a mortar, or mould it in your hands; then roll it out thin in whatever shape you choose, or make it up into walnuts or other moulds; press it down close that it may receive the impression of the nut, &c., and with a pin take it out of the mould and turn it out upon copper sheets, and so proceed till you have a sufficient quantity. the mould should be lightly touched with oil. bake them of a light brown; fill them with sweetmeats, &c. and such as should be closed, as nuts, &c. cement together with isinglass boiled down to a proper consistence. _almond puffs._ take one pound of fine sugar, and put water to it to make a wet candy: boil it till pretty thick; then put in a pound of beaten almonds, and mix them together, still keeping it stirred over a slow fire, but it must not boil, till it is as dry as paste. then beat it a little in a mortar; put in the peel of a lemon grated, and a pound of sifted sugar; rub them well together, and wet this with the froth of whites of eggs. _another way._ blanch and beat fine two ounces of sweet almonds, with orange-flower water, or brandy; beat the whites of three eggs to a very high froth, and then strew in a little sifted sugar till it is as stiff as paste. lay it in cakes, and bake it on paper in a cool oven. _angelica, to candy._ take the youngest shoots; scrape and boil them in water till tender, and put them on a cloth to drain. make a very strong syrup of sugar; put in the angelica while the syrup is hot, but not boiling. set it in a tin before the fire, or in the sun, for three or four days, to dry. _apples, to do._ scoop as many apples as you choose to do; dip them several times in syrup, and fill them with preserved raspberries or apricots; then roll them in paste, and when baked put on them either a white iceing, or with the white of an egg rub them over; sift on sugar, and glaze them with a hot salamander. _pippins, to candy._ take fine large pippins; pare and core them whole into an earthen platter: strew over them fine sugar; and sprinkle on the sugar a little rose-water. bake them in an oven as hot as for manchet, and stop it up close. let them remain there half an hour; then take them out of the dish, and lay them on the bottom of a sieve; leave them three or four days, till quite dry, when they will look clear as amber, and be finely candied. _pippins, to dry._ take two pounds of fine sugar and a pint of water; let it boil up and skim it; put in sixteen quarters of kentish pippins pared and cored, and let them boil fast till they are very clear. put in a pint of jelly of pippins, and boil it till it jellies; then put in the juice of a lemon; just let it boil up, and put them in bottles. you may put in the rind of an orange, first boiled in water, then cut in long thin pieces, and put it into the sugar at the same time with the pippins. _apples, to preserve green._ take green apples the size of a walnut, codlings are the best, with the stalks on; put them into spring water with vine leaves in a preserving pan, and cover them close; set them on a slow fire. when they are soft, take off the skins, and put them with vine leaves in the same water as before, and when quite cold put them over the fire till they are quite green. then put them into a dish without liquor; sift loaf sugar over them while they are hot; when dry, they make a good syrup. _golden pippins, to preserve._ into a pint of clear spring water put a pound of double-refined sugar, and set it on the fire. neatly pare and take out the stalks and eyes of a pound of pippins; put them into the sugar and water; cover them close, and boil them as fast as you can for half a quarter of an hour. take them off a little to cool; set them on again to boil as fast and as long as they did before. do this three or four times till they are very clear; then cover them close. _crabs, to preserve._ gently scald them two or three times in a thin syrup; when they have lain a fortnight, the syrup must be made rich enough to keep, and the crabs scalded in it. _siberian crabs, to preserve (transparent.)_ take out the core and blossom with a bodkin; make a syrup with half their weight of sugar; put in the apples, and keep them under the syrup with a spoon, and they will be done in ten minutes over a slow fire. when cold, tie them down with brandy paper. _another way._ to each pound of fruit add an equal quantity of sugar, which clarify with as little water as possible, and skim it thoroughly; then put in the fruit, and boil it gently till it begins to break. take out the apples, boil the syrup again till it grows thick, and then pour it over them. they are not to be pared; and half the stalk left on. _golden pippins, to stew._ cut the finest pippins, and pare them as thin as you can. as you do them, throw them into cold water to preserve their colour. make a middling thick syrup, of about half a pound of sugar to a pint of water, and when it boils up skim it, and throw in the pippins with a bit of lemon-peel. keep up a brisk fire; throw the syrup over the apples as they boil, to make them look clear. when they are done, add lemon-juice to your taste; and when you can run a straw through them they are done enough. put them, without the syrup, into a bowl; cover them close, and boil the syrup till you think it sufficiently thick: then take it off, and throw it hot upon the pippins, keeping them always under it. _apple cheese._ seven pounds of apples cored, one pound and three quarters of sugar, the juice and peel of two lemons; boil these in a stewpan till quite a thick jelly. bake the apple till soft; break it as smooth as possible; put it into pots, and tie down close. _conserve of apples._ take as many golden rennets as will fill the dish that is to go to table; pick them of a size; pare them, and take out the cores at the bottom, that they may appear whole at the top. with the cores and about half a glass of water make a syrup; when it is half done, put in your apples, and let them stew till they are done. be careful not to break them; place them in your dish; that your syrup may be fine, add the white of an egg well beaten; skim it, and it will be clarified. squeeze into it the juice of a lemon, with the peel cut in small shreds. this should boil a minute; then throw over the syrup, which should be quite a jelly. _apple demandon._ the whites of seven or eight very fresh eggs, put into a flat dish, with a very little finely sifted sugar, and beaten to a very thick froth. it will require to be beaten full half an hour before it becomes of a sufficient substance. it is then to be put over the apple and custard, and piled up to some height; after which place it in a very quick oven, and let it remain till it becomes partially of a light brown colour. it should be done immediately before it is sent up to table. _apple fraise._ pare six large apples, take out the cores, cut them in slices, and fry them on both sides with butter; put them on a sieve to drain; mix half a pint of milk and two eggs, with flour, to batter, not too stiff; put in a little lemon-peel, shred very fine, and a little beaten cinnamon. put some butter into a frying-pan, and make it hot; put in half the batter, and lay the apples on it; let it fry a little to set it; then put the remaining batter over it; fry it on one side; then turn it, and fry the other brown: put it into a dish; strew powder-sugar over it, and squeeze on it the juice of a seville orange. _apple fritters._ pare six large apples and cut out the cores; cut them in slices as thick as a half-crown piece. mix half a pint of cream and two eggs with flour into a stiff batter, put in a glass of wine or brandy, a little lemon-peel, shred very fine, two ounces of powder-sugar: mix it well up, and then put in the apples. have a pan of hog's lard boiling hot; put in every slice singly as fast as you can, and fry them quick, of a fine gold colour on both sides; then take them out, and put them on a sieve to drain; lay them on a dish, and sprinkle them with sugar. for fritters be careful that the fat in which you fry them is quite sweet and clean. _apple jelly._ no. . pare and slice pippins, or sharp apples, into a stewpan, with just as much water as will cover them; boil them as fast as possible till half the liquid is wasted; then strain them through a jelly-bag, and to every pint of juice put three quarters of a pound of sugar. boil it again till it becomes jelly; put lemon-juice and lemon-peel to the palate. some threads of lemon-peel should remain in the jelly. _apple jelly._ no. . take about a half sieve of john apples, or golden pippins; pare them, and put them in a clean bright copper pan; add as much river water as will cover them; set them over a charcoal fire, turning them now and then, till they are boiled tender. put a hair-sieve over a pan, and throw them on to drain; then put the apples in a large pan or mortar, and beat them into pulp. put them back into the copper pan, adding about half the water that came from them; then set them on the fire, and stir them till they boil two or three minutes. strain them into a flannel jelly-bag; it should run out quite slowly, and be thick like syrup; you should allow it six or eight hours to run or drop. then measure the jelly into a bright copper pan, and to each pint add one pound of treble-refined sugar; put it on a slow fire till the sugar is melted; then let the fire be made up, that it may boil; keep skimming it constantly. when you hold up the skimmer near the window, or in the cool, and you perceive it hangs about half an inch, with a drop at the end, then add the juice of half a lemon, if a small quantity. take it off the fire, and pour it into gallipots. the apples that are supposed to have the most jelly in them in this country are the john apple. the best time to make the jelly is the autumn; the riper they get, the less jelly. if the flannel bag is quite new, it should be washed in several clean warm waters, without soap. the jelly, if well made, should appear like clear water, about the substance of currant-jelly. _apple jelly._ no. . take apples, of a light green, without any spot or redness, and rather sour; cut them in quarters, taking out the cores, and put them into a quart of water; let them boil to a pulp, and strain it through a hair-sieve, or jelly-bag. to a pint of liquor take a pound of double-refined sugar; wet your sugar, and boil it to a thick syrup, with the white and shell of an egg: then strain your syrup, and put your liquor to it. let it boil again, and, as it boils, put in the juice of a lemon and the peel, pared extremely thin, and cut as fine as threads; when it jellies, which you may know by taking up some in your spoon, put it in moulds; when cold, turn it out into your dish; it should be so transparent as to let you see all the flowers of your china dish through it, and quite white. _crab jam or jelly._ pare and core the crabs; to fifteen pounds of crabs take ten pounds of sugar, moistened with a little water; boil them well, skimming the top. when boiled tender, and broke to the consistency of jam, pour it into your pans, and let it stand twenty-four hours. it is better the second year than the first. the crabs should be ripe. _pippin or codling-jelly._ slice a pound of pippins or codlings into a pint of clear spring water; let them boil till the water has extracted all the flavour of the fruit; strain it out, and to a pint of this liquor take a pound of double-refined sugar, boiled to sugar again; then put in your codling liquor; boil it a little together as fast as you can. put in your golden pippins; boil them up fast for a little while; just before the last boiling, squeeze in the juice of a lemon; boil it up quick once more, taking care the apples do not lose their colour; cut them, and put them in glasses with the jelly. it makes a very pretty middle or corner dish. _apples and pears, to dry._ take kirton pippins or royal russets, golden pippins or nonpareils; finely pare and quarter the russets, and pare and take out the core also of the smaller apples. take the clean tops of wicker baskets or hampers, and put the apples on the wickers in a cool oven. let them remain in till the oven is quite cold: then they must be turned as you find necessary, and the cool oven repeated till they are properly dry. they must stand some time before they are baked, and kept carefully from the damp air. the richer the pears the better; but they must not be over-ripe. _apricots in brandy._ the apricots must be gathered before they are quite ripe, and, as the fruit is usually riper on one side than the other, you must prick the unripe side with the point of a penknife, or a very large needle. put them into cold water, and give them a great deal of room in the preserving-pan; and proceed in the same manner as directed for peaches. if they are not well coloured, it is owing to an improper choice of the fruit, being too ripe or too high coloured, provided the brandy be of the right sort. _apricot chips._ cut apricots when ripe in small thin pieces; take double-refined sugar, pounded very small and sifted through a fine sieve, and strew a little at the bottom of a silver basin; then put in your chips, and more of your sugar. set them over a chaffing-dish of coals, shaking your basin, lest the chips should stick to the bottom, till you put in your sugar. when your sugar is all candied, lay them on glass plates; put them in a stove, and turn them out. _apricot burnt cream._ boil a pint of cream with some bitter almonds pounded, and strain it off. when the cream is cold, add to it the yolks of four eggs, with half a spoonful of flour, well mixed together; set it over the fire; keep stirring it till it is thick. add to it a little apricot jam; put it in your dish; sift powdered sugar over it, and brown it with your salamander. _apricots, to dry._ pare and stone a pound of apricots, and put to them three quarters of a pound of double-refined sugar, strewing some of the sugar over the apricots as you pare them, that they may not lose colour. when they are all pared put the remainder of the sugar on them; let them stand all night, and in the morning boil them on a quick fire till they are clear. then let them stand till next day covered with a sheet of white paper. set them on a gentle fire till scalding hot; let them stand three days in the syrup; lay them out on stone plates; put them into a stove, and turn them every day till they are dry. _apricot jam._ take two pounds of apricot paste in pulp and a pint of strong codling liquor; boil them very fast together till the liquor is almost wasted; then put to it one pound and a half of fine sugar pounded; boil it very fast till it jellies; put it into pots, and it will make clear cakes in the winter. _apricot and plum jam._ stone the fruit; set them over the fire with half a pint of water; when scalded, rub them through a sieve, and to every pound of pulp put a pound of sifted loaf-sugar. set it over a brisk fire in a preserving-pan; when it boils, skim it well, and throw in the kernels of the apricots and half an ounce of bitter almonds blanched; boil it together fast for a quarter of an hour, stirring it all the time. _apricot paste._ take ripe apricots, pare, stone, and quarter them, and put them into a skillet, setting them on embers, and stirring them till all the pieces are dissolved. then take three quarters of their weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy; put in the apricots, and stir it a little on the fire; then turn it out into glasses. set it in a warm stove; when it is dry on one side, turn the other. you may take apricots not fully ripe, and coddle them, and that will do also. _another._ pare and stone your apricots; to one pound of fruit put one pound of fine sugar, and boil all together till they break. then to five pounds of paste put three pounds of codling jelly, and make a candy of three pounds of fine sugar. put it in all together; just scald it, and put it in little pots to dry quickly. turn it out to dry on plates or glasses. _apricots, to preserve._ stone and pare four dozen of large apricots, and cover them with three pounds of fine sugar finely beaten; put in some of the sugar as you pare them. let them stand at least six or seven hours; then boil them on a slow fire till they are clear and tender. if any of them are clear before the rest, take them out and put them in again. when the rest are ready, let them stand closely covered with paper till next day. then make very strong codling jelly: to two pounds of jelly add two pounds of sugar, which boil till they jelly; and while boiling make your apricots scalding hot; put the jelly to the apricots, and boil them, but not too fast. when the apricots rise in the jelly and jelly well, put them in pots or glasses, and cover closely with brandy paper. _another way._ cut in half, and break in pieces, ripe apricots; put them in a preserving pan, simmer for a few minutes, and pass through a fine hair sieve: no water to be used. add three quarters of a pound of white powdered sugar to a pound of fruit; put in the kernels; mix all together, and boil for twenty minutes: well skim when it begins to boil. put it into pots; when cold, cover close with paper dipped in brandy, and tie down with an outer cover of paper. _apricots, to preserve whole._ gather the fruit before it is too ripe, and to one pound put three quarters of a pound of fine sugar. stone and pare the apricots as you put them into the pan; lay sugar under and over them, and let them stand till next day. set them on a quick fire, and let them just boil; skim well; cover them till cold, or till the following day; give them another boil; put them in pots, and strew a little sugar over them while coddling, to make them keep their colour. _apricots, to preserve in jelly._ to a pound of apricots, before they are stoned and pared, weigh a pound and a quarter of the best pounded sugar. stone and pare the fruit, and, as you pare, sprinkle some sugar under and over them. when the sugar is pretty well melted, set them on the fire and boil them. keep out some sugar to strew on them in the boiling, which assists to clear them. skim very clear, and turn the fruit with a ladle or a feather. when clear and tender, put them in glasses; add to the syrup a quarter of a pint of strong pippin liquor, and nearly the weight of it in sugar; let it boil awhile, and put it to the apricots. the fire should be brisk, as the sooner any sweetmeat is done the clearer and better it will be. let the liquor run through a jelly-bag, that it may clear before you put the syrup to it, or the syrup of the apricots to boil. _french bances._ take half a pint of water, a bit of lemon-peel, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and a little orange-flower water; boil them gently three or four minutes; take out the lemon-peel, and add to it by degrees half a pint of flour: keep it boiling and stirring until it is a stiff paste; then take it off the fire, and put in six eggs, well beaten, leaving out three whites. beat all very well for at least half an hour, till it is a stiff light paste; then take two pounds of hog's-lard; put it in a stewpan; give it a boil up, and, if the bances are of a right lightness, fry them; keep stirring them all the time till they are of a proper brown. a large dish will take six or seven minutes boiling. when done, put them in a dish to drain; keep them by the fire; strew sugar over them; and, when you are going to fry them, drop them through the handle of a key. _barberries, to preserve._ tie up the finest maiden barberries in bunches; to one pound of them put two pounds and a quarter of sugar; boil the sugar to a thick syrup, and when thick enough stir it till it is almost cold. put in the barberries; set them on the fire, and keep them as much under the syrup as you can, shaking the pan frequently. let them just simmer till the syrup is hot through, but not boiling, which would wrinkle them. take them out of the syrup, and let them drain on a lawn sieve; put the syrup again into the pot, and boil it till it is thick. when half cold put in the barberries, and let them stand all night in the preserving-pan. if the syrup has become too thin, take out the fruit and boil it again, letting it stand all night: then put it into pots, and cover it with brandy paper. _biscuits._ take one pound of loaf sugar, finely beaten and sifted; then take eight eggs, whites and all; beat them in a wooden bowl for an hour; then take a quarter of a pound of blanched almonds, beat them very small with some rose-water; put them into the bowl, and beat them for an hour longer; then shake in five ounces of fine flour and a spoonful of coriander seed, and one of caraways. beat them half an hour; butter your plates, and bake them. _another way._ take one pound of flour; mix it stiff with water; then roll it very thin; cut out the biscuits with cutters, and bake them. _dutch biscuits._ take the whites of six eggs in fine sugar, and the whites of four in flour; then beat your eggs with the sugar and flour well with a whisk: butter your pans, and only half fill them; strew them over with sugar before you put them in the oven; grate lemon-peel over them. _ginger biscuits._ one pound of flour, half a pound of butter, half a pound of loaf sugar, rather more than one ounce of ginger powdered, all well mixed together. let it stand before the fire for half an hour; roll it into thin paste, and cut out with a coffee-cup or wine-glass: bake it for a few minutes. _lemon biscuits._ blanch half a pound of sweet almonds in cold water; beat them with the whites of six eggs, first whipped up to a froth; put in a little at a time as they rise; the almonds must be very fine. then add one pound of double-refined sugar, beaten and sifted; put in, by degrees, four ounces of fine flour, dried well and cold again; the yolks of six eggs well beaten; the peels of two large lemons finely grated: beat these all together about half an hour; put them in tin pans; sift on a little sugar. the oven must be pretty quick, though you keep the door open while you bake them. _another way._ take three pounds of fine sugar, and wet it with a spoonful and a half of gum-dragon, and put in the juice of lemons, but make the mass as stiff as you can: mix it well, and beat it up with white of eggs. when beaten very light, put in two grains of musk and a great deal of grated lemon; drop the paste into round papers, and bake it. _ratafia biscuits._ blanch two ounces of bitter almonds in cold water, and beat them extremely fine with orange-flower water and rose-water. put in by degrees the whites of five eggs, first beaten to a light froth. beat it extremely well; then mix it up with fine sifted sugar to a light paste, and lay the biscuits on tin plates with wafer paper. make the paste so light that you may take it up with a spoon. lay it in cakes, and bake them in a rather brisk oven. if you make them with sweet almonds only, they are almond puffs or cakes. _table biscuits._ flour, milk, and sugar, well mixed together. shape the biscuits with the top of a glass, and bake them on a tin. _blancmange._ no. . to one pint of calves' foot or hartshorn jelly add four ounces of almonds blanched and beaten very fine with rose and orange-flower water; let half an ounce of the almonds be bitter, but apricot kernels are better. put the almonds and jelly, mixed by degrees, into a skillet, with as much sugar as will sweeten it to your taste. give it two or three boils; then take it up and strain it into a bowl; add to it some thick cream: give it a boil after the cream is in, and keep it stirred while on the fire. when strained, put it into moulds. _blancmange._ no. . boil three ounces of isinglass in a quart of water till it is reduced to a pint; strain it through a sieve, and let it stand till cold. take off what has settled at the bottom: then take a pint of cream, two ounces of almonds, and a few bitter ones; sweeten to your taste. boil all together over the fire, and pour it into your moulds. a laurel leaf improves it greatly. _blancmange._ no. . take an ounce of isinglass dissolved over the fire in a quarter of a pint of water, strain it into a pint of new milk; boil it, and strain again; sweeten to your taste. add a spoonful of orange-flower water and one of mountain. stir it till it is nearly cold, and put it into moulds. beat a few bitter almonds in it. _blancmange._ no. . into two quarts of milk put an ounce of isinglass, an ounce of sugar, half the peel of a lemon, and a bit of cinnamon. keep stirring till it boils. _dutch blancmange._ steep an ounce of the best isinglass two hours in a pint of boiling water. take a pint of white wine, the yolks of eight eggs well beaten, the juice of four lemons and one seville orange, and the peel of one lemon; mix them together, and sweeten to your taste. set it on a clear fire; keep it stirred till it boils, and then strain it off into moulds. _bread._ forty pounds of flour, a handful of salt, one quart of yest, three quarts of water; stir the whole together in the kneading trough. strew over it a little flour, and let it stand covered for one hour. knead it and make it into loaves, and let them stand a quarter of an hour to rise, before you put them in the oven. _diet bread, which keeps moist._ three quarters of a pound of lump sugar, dissolved in a quarter of a pint of water, half a pound of the best flour, seven eggs, taking away the whites of two; mix the liquid sugar, when it has boiled, with the eggs: beat them up together in a basin with a whisk; then add by degrees the flour, beating all together for about ten minutes; put it into a quick oven. an hour bakes it. tin moulds are the best: the dimensions for this quantity are six inches in length and four in depth. _potato bread._ boil a quantity of potatoes; drain them well, strew over them a small quantity of salt, and let them remain in the vessel in which they were boiled, closely covered, for an hour, which makes them mealy: then peel and pound them as smooth as flour. add eight pounds of potatoes to twelve of wheaten flour; and make it into dough with yest, in the way that bread is generally made. let it stand three hours to rise. _rice bread._ boil a quarter of a pound of rice till it is quite soft; then put it on the back of a sieve to drain. when cold, mix it with three quarters of a pound of flour, a tea-cupful of milk, a proper quantity of yest, and salt. let it stand for three hours; then knead it very well, and roll it up in about a handful of flour, so as to make the outside dry enough to put into the oven. about an hour and a quarter will bake a loaf of this size. when baked, it will produce one pound fourteen ounces of very good bread; it is better when the loaves are not made larger than the above-mentioned quantity will produce, but you may make any quantity by allowing the same proportion for each loaf. this bread should not be cut till it is two days old. _rye bread._ take one peck of wheaten flour, six pounds of rye flour, a little salt, half a pint of good yest, and as much warm water as will make it into a stiff dough. let it stand three hours to rise before you put it into the oven. a large loaf will take three hours to bake. _scotch short bread._ melt a pound of butter, pour it on two pounds of flour, half a tea-cupful of yest, two ounces of caraway seeds, one ounce of scotch caraways; sweeten to your taste with lump sugar, then knead it well together and roll it out, not too thin; cut in quarters and pinch it round: prick it well with a fork. _buttered loaves._ take three quarts of new milk; put in as much runnet as will turn it; whey the curds very clean; break them small with your hands; put in nine yolks of eggs and one white, a handful of grated bread, half a handful of flour, and a little salt. mix these well together, working it well with your hands; roll it into small loaves, and bake them in a quick oven three quarters of an hour. then take half a pound of butter, four spoonfuls of clear water, half a nutmeg sliced very thin, and a little sugar. set it on a quick fire, stirring it quickly, and let it boil till thick. when the loaves are baked, cut out the top and stir up the crumb with a knife; then pour some of the butter into each of them, and cover them up again. strew a little sugar on them: before you set them in the oven, beat the yolk of an egg and a little beer together, and with a feather smear them over with it. _egg loaf._ soak crumb of bread in milk for three hours; strain it through a sieve; then put in a little salt, some candied citron and lemon-peel cut small, and sugar to your taste. put to your paste the yolks only of six or eight new-laid eggs, and beat it till the eggs are mixed. whip the whites of the eggs till they are frothed; add to the other ingredients, and mix them well. butter the pan or dish in which you bake your loaf. when baked, turn it out into your dish, scrape some fine sugar upon it, and glaze with a hot shovel. _buns._ no. . two pounds of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter; rub the butter in the flour like grated bread; set it to the fire to dry: put in one pound of currants and a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, with a few caraway seeds, and two spoonfuls of good yest; make the dough into small buns; set them to rise half an hour: you may put two or three eggs in if you like. _buns._ no. . one pound of fine flour, two pounds of currants, a few caraway seeds, a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, a pint of new milk, and two table-spoonfuls of yest; mix all well together in a stiff paste, and let it stand half an hour to rise; then roll them out, and put them in your tins; let them stand another half hour to rise before you bake them. the above receipt answers equally well for a cake baked in a tin. _buns._ no. . take flour, butter, and sugar, of each a quarter of a pound, four eggs, and a few caraway seeds. this quantity will make two dozen. bake them on tins. _bath buns._ take a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar finely powdered, the same quantity of butter, and nearly double of flour dried before the fire, a walnut-shell full of caraway-seeds just bruised, and one egg. work all these up together into a paste, the thickness of half-a-crown, and cut it with a tea-cup, flour a tin; lay the cakes upon it; take the white of an egg well beat and frothed; lay it on them with a feather, and then grate upon them a little fine sugar. _another way._ take one pound of fine flour, dry it well by the fire, sift it, and rub into it a pound of butter, the yolks of four eggs, the whites of two, both beaten light, three spoonfuls of cream, and the like quantity of white wine and ale yest. let this sponge stand by the fire to rise; then beat it up extremely well and light with your hand; grate in a nutmeg; continue beating till it is ready for the oven; then add a pound of rough caraway seeds, keeping a few out to strew on the top of the cakes before they are put into the oven. _plain buns._ take three pounds of flour, six ounces of butter, six ounces of sugar sifted fine, six eggs, both yolks and whites. beat your eggs till they will not slip off the spoon; melt the butter in a pint of new milk, with which mix half a pint of good yest; strain it into the flour, and throw in half an ounce of caraway seeds. work the whole up very light; set it before the fire to rise; then make it up into buns of the size of a penny roll, handling them as little as possible. twenty minutes will bake them sufficiently. _butter, to make without churning._ tie up cream in a fine napkin, and then in a coarse cloth, as you would a pudding: bury it two feet under ground; leave it there for twelve hours, and when you take it up it will be converted into butter. _black butter._ to one quart of black gooseberries put one pint of red currants, picked into an earthen jar. stop it very close, and set it in a pot of cold water over the fire to boil till the juice comes out. then strain it, and to every pint of liquor put a pound of sugar; boil and skim it till you think it done enough: put it in flat pots, and keep it in a dry place. it will either turn out or cut in slices. _spanish butter._ take two gallons of new milk, boil it, and, when you take it off the fire, put in a quart of cream, giving it a stir; then pour it through a sieve into an earthen pan: lay some sticks over your pan, and cover it with a cloth; if you let it stand thus two days, it will be the better. skim off the cream thick, and sweeten it to your taste; you may put in a little orange-flower water, and whip it well up. _cake._ five pounds of flour dried, six pounds of currants, a quart of boiled cream, a pound and a half of butter, twenty eggs, the whites of six only, a pint of ale yest, one ounce of cinnamon finely beaten, one ounce of cloves and mace also well beaten, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little salt, half a pound of orange and citron. put in the cream and butter when it is just warm; mix all well together, and let it stand before the fire to rise. put it into your hoop, and leave it in the oven an hour and a quarter. the oven should be as hot as for a manchet. _an excellent cake._ beat half a pound of sifted sugar and the same quantity of fresh butter to a cream, in a basin made warm; mixing half a pound of flour well dried, six eggs, leaving out four whites, and one table-spoonful of brandy. the butter is to be beaten in first, then the flour, next the sugar, the eggs, and lastly, the brandy. currants or caraways may be added at pleasure. it must be beaten an hour, and put in the oven immediately. _a great cake._ take six quarts of fine flour dried in an oven, six pounds of currants, five pounds of butter, two pounds and a half of sugar, one pound of citron, three quarters of a pound of orange-peel, and any other sweetmeat you think proper; a pound of almonds ground very small, a few coriander seeds beat and sifted, half an ounce of mace, four nutmegs, sixteen eggs, six of the whites, half a pint of sack, and half a pint of ale yest. _light cake._ one pound of the finest flour, one ounce of powdered sugar, five ounces of butter, three table-spoonfuls of fresh yest. _a nice cake._ take nine eggs; beat the yolks and whites separately; the weight of eight eggs in sugar, and five in flour: whisk the eggs and the sugar together for half an hour; then put in the flour, just before the oven is ready to bake it. both the sugar and the flour must be sifted and dried. _a plain cake._ take a pound of flour, well dried and sifted; add to it one pound of sugar also dried and sifted; take one pound of butter, and work it in your hands till it is like cream; beat very light the yolks of ten eggs and six whites. mix all these by degrees, beating it very light, and a little sack and brandy. it must not stand to rise. if you choose fruit, add one pound of currants, washed, picked, and dried. _a very rich cake._ two pounds and a half of fresh butter, twenty-four eggs, three-pounds of flour, one pound and a half of sugar, one ounce of mixed spice, four pounds of currants, half a jar of raisins, half of sweet almonds, a quarter of a pound of citron, three quarters of orange and lemon, one gill of brandy, and one nutmeg. first work the butter to a cream; then beat the sugar well in; whisk the eggs half an hour; mix them with the butter and sugar; put in the spice and flour; and, when the oven is ready, mix in the brandy, fruit, and sweetmeats. it will take one hour and a half beating. let it bake three hours. _cake without butter._ beat up eight eggs for half an hour. have ready powdered and sifted one pound of loaf sugar; shake it in, and beat it half an hour longer. put to it a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds beat fine with orange-flower water; grate the rind of a lemon into the almonds, and squeeze in the juice. mix all together. just before you put it in the oven, add a quarter of a pound of dry flour; rub the hoop or tin with butter. an hour and a half will bake it. _another._ take ten eggs and the whites of five; whisk them well, and beat in one pound of finely sifted sugar, and three quarters of a pound of flour: the flour to be put in just before the cake is going to the oven. _almond cake._ take a pound of almonds; blanch them in cold water, and beat them as small as possible in a stone mortar with a wooden pestle, putting in, as you beat them, some orange-flower water. then take twelve eggs, leaving out half of the whites; beat them well; put them to your almonds, and beat them together, above an hour, till it becomes of a good thickness. as you beat it, sweeten it to your taste with double-refined sugar powdered, and when the eggs are put in add the peel of two large lemons finely rasped. when you beat the almonds in the mortar with orange-water, put in by degrees about four spoonfuls of citron water or ratafia of apricots, or, for want of these, brandy and sack mixed together, two spoonfuls of each. the cake must be baked in a tin pan; flour the pan before you put the cake into it. to try if it is done enough, thrust a straw through it, and if the cake sticks to the straw it is not baked enough; let it remain till the straw comes out clean. _another._ take twelve eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat the yolks by themselves till they look white; put to them by degrees one pound of fine sifted sugar; put in, by a spoonful at a time, three quarters of a pound of fine flour, well dried and sifted, with the whites of the eggs well beaten, and continue this till all the flour and the whites are in. then beat very fine half a pound of fine almonds, with sack and brandy, to prevent their oiling; stir them into the cake. bake it three quarters of an hour. ratafia cake is made in the same manner, only keep out two ounces of the almonds, and put in their stead two of apricot kernels; if you have none, use bitter almonds. _almond cakes._ take one pound of almonds, blanch them; then take one pound of double-refined sugar, beaten very small; crack the almonds, one by one, upon the tops; put them into the sugar; mix them, and then beat them well together till they will work like paste. make them into round cakes; take double-refined sugar, pounded and sifted, beat together with the white of an egg, and, when the cakes are hardened in the oven, take them out, and cover one side with sugar with a feather; then put them into the oven again, and, when one side is hardened, take them out and do the same on the other side. set them in again to harden, and afterwards lay them up for use. _clear almond cakes._ take the small sort of almonds; steep them in cold water till they will blanch, and as you blanch them throw them into water. wipe them dry, and beat them in a stone mortar, with a little rose-water, and as much double-refined sugar, sifted, as will make them into clear paste. roll them into any size you please; then dry them in an oven after bread has been drawn, so that they may be dry on both sides; when they are cold, make a candy of sugar; wet it a little with rose-water; set it on the fire; stir it till it boils, then take it off, and let it cool a little. with a feather spread it over the cakes on one side; lay them upon papers on a table; take the lid of a baking-pan, put some coals on it, and set it over the cakes to raise the candy quickly. when they are cold, turn the other side, and serve it in the same manner. _apple cake._ take one pound and a half of white sugar, two pounds of apples, pared and cut thin, and the rind of a large lemon; put a pint of water to the sugar, and boil it to a syrup; put the apples to it, and boil it quite thick. put it into a mould to cool, and send it cold to table, with a custard, or cream poured round it. _another._ one pound of apples cut and cored, one pound of sugar put to a quarter of a pint of water, so as to clarify the sugar, with the juice and peel of a lemon, and a little seville orange. boil it till it is quite stiff; put it in a mould; when cold it will turn out. you may put it into a little warm water to keep it from breaking when taken out. _apricot clear cakes._ make a strong apple jelly, strain it, and put apricots into it to boil. slit the apricots well, cover them with sugar, and boil them clear. strain them, and put them in the candy when it is almost boiled up; and then put in your jelly, and scald it. _biscuit cake._ take eggs according to the size of the cake, weigh them, shells and all; then take an equal weight of sugar, sifted very fine, and half the weight of fine flour, well dried and sifted. beat the whites of the eggs to snow; then put the yolks in another pan; beat them light, and add the sugar to them by degrees. beat them until very light; then put the snow, continuing to beat; and at last add by degrees the flour. season with lemon-peel grated, or any peel you like; bake it in a slow oven, but hot enough to make it rise. _bread cake._ take two pounds of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, four eggs, one spoonful of good yest, half a pound of currants, half a pound of lisbon sugar, some grated lemon-peel, and nutmeg. melt the butter and sugar in a sufficient quantity of new milk to make it of a proper stiffness. set it to rise for two hours and a half before the fire, and bake it in an earthen pan or tin in a quick oven, of a light brown. caraway seeds may be added--two ounces to the above quantity. _breakfast cakes._ to a pound of fine flour take two ounces of fresh butter, which rub very well in with a little salt. beat an egg smooth, and mix a spoonful of light yest with a little warm milk. mix as much in the flour as will make a batter proper for fritters; then beat it with your hand till it leaves the bottom of the bowl in which it is made. cover it up for three or four hours; then add as much flour as will form a paste proper for rolling up; make your cakes half an hour before you put them into the oven; prick them in the middle with a skewer, and bake them in a quick oven a quarter of an hour. _excellent breakfast cakes._ water the yest well that it may not be bitter; change the water very often; put a very little sugar and water to it just as you are going to use it; this is done to lighten and set it fermenting. as soon as you perceive it to be light, mix up with it new milk warmed, as if for other bread; put no water to it; about one pound or more of butter to about sixteen or eighteen cakes, and a white of two of egg, beat very light; mix all these together as light as you can; then add flour to it, and beat it at least a quarter of an hour, until it is a tough light dough. put it to the fire and keep it warm, and warm the tins on which the cakes are to be baked. when the dough has risen, and is light, beat it down, and put it to the fire again to rise, and repeat this a second time; it will add much to the lightness of the cakes. make them of the size of a saucer, or thereabouts, and not too thick, and bake them in a slow oven. the dough, if made a little stiffer, will be very good for rolls; but they must be baked in a quicker oven. _bath breakfast cakes._ a pint of thin cream, two eggs, three spoonfuls of yest, and a little salt. mix all well together with half a pound of flour. let it stand to rise before you put it in the oven. the cakes must be baked on tins. _butter cake._ take four pounds of flour, one pound of currants, three pounds of butter, fourteen eggs, leaving out the whites, half an ounce of mace, one pound of sugar, half a pint of sack, a pint of ale yest, a quart of milk boiled. take it off, and let it cool. rub the butter well in the floor; put in the sugar and spice, with the rest of the ingredients; wet it with a ladle, and beat it well together. do not put the currants till the cake is ready to go into the oven. butter the dish, and heat the oven as hot as for wheaten bread. you must not wet it till the oven is ready. _caraway cake._ no. . melt two pounds of fresh butter in tin or silver; let it stand twenty-four hours; then rub into it four pounds of fine flour, dried. mix in eight eggs, and whip the whites to a froth, a pint of the best yest, and a pint of sack, or any fine strong sweet wine. put in two pounds of caraway seeds. mix all these ingredients thoroughly; put the paste into a buttered pan, and bake for two hours and a half. you may mix with it half an ounce of cloves and cinnamon. _caraway cake._ no. . take a quart of flour, a quarter of a pint of good ale yest, three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, one quarter of a pound of almonds, three quarters of a pound of caraway comfits, a handful of sugar, four eggs, leaving out two of the whites, new milk, boiled and set to cool, citron, orange, and lemon-peel, at your discretion, and two spoonfuls of sack. first rub your flour and yest together, then rub in the butter, and make it into a stiff batter with the milk, eggs, and sack; and, when you are ready to put it into the oven, add the other ingredients. butter your hoop and the paper that lies under. this cake will require about three quarters of an hour baking; if you make it larger, you must allow more time. _caraway cake._ no. . take four quarts of flour, well dried, and rub into it a pound and a quarter of butter. take a pound of almonds, ground with rose-water, sugar, and cream, half an ounce of mace, and a little cinnamon, beaten fine, half a pound of citron, six ounces of orange-peel, some dried apricots, twelve eggs, four of the whites only, half a pound of sugar, a pint of ale yest, a little sack, and a quart of thick cream, well boiled. when your cream is nearly cold, mix all these ingredients well together with the flour; set the paste before the fire to rise; put in three pounds of double-sugared caraways, and let it stand in the hoop an hour and a quarter before it is put into the oven. _small caraway cakes._ take one quart of fine flour, fourteen ounces of butter, five or six spoonfuls of ale yest, three yolks of eggs, and one white; mix all these together, with so much cream as will make it into a paste; lay it before the fire for half an hour; add to it a handful of sugar, and half a pound of caraway comfits; and when you have worked them into long cakes, wash them over with rose-water and sugar, and pick up the top pretty thick with the point of a knife. your oven must not be hotter than for manchet. _cocoa-nut cakes._ grate the cocoa-nut on a fine bread grater; boil an equal quantity of loaf-sugar, melted with six table-spoonfuls of rose-water; take off all the scum; throw in the grated cocoa-nut, and let it heat thoroughly in the syrup, and keep constantly stirring, to prevent its burning to the bottom of the pan. have ready beaten the yolks of eight eggs, with two table-spoonfuls of rose-water; throw in the cocoa-nut by degrees, and keep beating it with a wooden slice one hour; then fill your pans, and send them to the oven immediately, or they will be heavy. _currant clear cakes._ take the currants before they are very ripe, and put them into water, scarcely enough to cover them; when they have boiled a little while, strain them through a woollen bag; put a pound and a quarter of fine sugar, boiled to a candy; then put a pint of the jelly, and make it scalding hot: put the whole into pots to dry, and, when jellied, turn them on glasses. _egg cake._ beat eight eggs, leaving out half the whites, for half an hour; half a pound of lump-sugar, pounded and sifted, to be put in during that time; then, by degrees, mix in half a pound of flour. bake as soon after as possible. butter the tin. _enamelled cake._ beat one pound of almonds, with three quarters of a pound of fine sugar, to a paste; then put a little musk, and roll it out thin. cut it in what shape you please, and let it dry. then beat up isinglass with white of eggs, and cover it on both sides. _epsom cake._ half a pound of butter beat to a cream, half a pound of sugar, four eggs, whites and yolks beat separately, half a quartern of french roll dough, two ounces of caraway seeds, and one tea-spoonful of grated ginger: if for a plum-cake, a quarter of a pound of currants. _ginger cakes._ to a pound of sugar put half an ounce of ginger, the rind of a lemon, and four large spoonfuls of water. stir it well together, and boil it till it is a stiff candy; then drop it in small cakes on a wet table. _ginger or hunting cakes._ no. . take three pounds of flour, two pounds of sugar, one pound of butter, two ounces of ginger, pounded and sifted fine, and a nutmeg grated. rub these ingredients very fine in the flour, and wet it with a pint of cream, just warm, sufficiently to roll out into thin cakes. bake them in a slack oven. _ginger or hunting cakes._ no. . rub half a pound of butter into a pound of flour; add a quarter of a pound of powder-sugar, one ounce of ginger, beat and sifted, the yolks of three eggs, and one gill of cream. a slow fire does them best. _ginger or hunting cakes._ no. . one ounce of butter, one ounce of sugar, twelve grains of ginger, a quarter of a pound of flour, and treacle sufficient to make it into a paste; roll it out thin, and bake it. _gooseberry clear cakes._ take the gooseberries very green; just cover them with water, and, when they are boiled and mashed, strain them through a sieve or woollen bag, and squeeze it well. then boil up a candy of a pound and a quarter of fine sugar to a pint of the jelly; put it into pots to dry in a stove, and, when they jelly, turn them out on glasses. _jersey cake._ to a pound of flour take three quarters of a pound of fresh butter beaten to a cream, three quarters of a pound of lump sugar finely pounded, nine eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, nutmeg to your taste. add a glass of brandy. _jersey merveilles._ one pound of flour, two ounces of butter, the same of sugar, a spoonful of brandy, and five eggs. when well mixed, roll out and make into fancy shapes, and boil in hot lard. the jersey shape is a true-lover's knot. _london wigs._ take a quarter of a peck of flour; put to it half a pound of sugar, and as much caraways, smooth or rough, as you like; mix these, and set them to the fire to dry. then make a pound and half of butter hot over a gentle fire; stir it often, and add to it nearly a quart of milk or cream; when the butter is melted in the cream, pour it into the middle of the flour, and to it add a couple of wine-glasses of good white wine, and a full pint and half of very good ale yest; let it stand before the fire to rise, before you lay your cakes on the tin plates to bake. _onion cake._ slice onions thin; set them in butter till they are soft, and, when they are cold, put into a pan to a quart basin of these stewed onions three eggs, three spoonfuls of fine dried bread crumbs, salt, and three spoonfuls of cream. put common pie-crust in a tin; turn it up all round, like a cheesecake, and spread the onions over the cake; beat up an egg, and with a brush spread it in, and bake it of a fine yellow. _orange cakes._ put the seville oranges you intend to use into water for two days. pare them very thick, and boil the rind tender. mince it fine; squeeze in the juice; take out all the meat from the strings and put into it. then take one-fourth more than its weight in double-refined sugar; wet it with water, and boil it almost to sugar again. cool it a little; put in the orange, and let it scald till it looks clear and sinks in the syrup, but do not let it boil. put it into deep glass plates, and stove them till they are candied on the tops. turn them out, and shape them as you please with a knife. continue to turn them till they are dry; keep them so, and between papers. lemon cakes are made in the same way, only with half the juice. _another way._ take three large oranges; pare and rub them with salt; boil them tender and cut them in halves; take out the seeds; then beat your oranges, and rub them through a hair sieve till you have a pound; add one pound and a quarter of double-refined sugar, boiled till it comes to the consistency of sugar, and put in a pint of strong juice of pippins and juice of lemon; keep stirring it on the fire till the sugar is completely melted. _orange clove cake._ make a very strong jelly of apples, and to every pint of jelly put in the peel of an orange. set it on a quick fire, and boil it well; then run it through a jelly-bag and measure it. to every pint take a pound of fine sugar; set it on the fire, make it scalding hot, and strain it from the scum. take the orange-peel, boiled very tender, shred it very small, and put it into it; give it another scald, and serve it out. lemon clove cake may be done the same way, but you must scald the peel before the sugar is put in. _orange-flower cakes._ dip sugar in water, and let it boil over a quick fire till it is almost dry sugar again. to half a pound of sugar, when it is perfectly clear, add seven spoonfuls of water; then put in the orange-flowers: just give the mixture a boil up; drop it on china or silver plates, and set them in the sun till the cakes are dry enough to be taken off. _plum cake._ no. . take eight pounds and three quarters of fine flour well dried and sifted, one ounce of beaten mace, one pound and a half of sugar. mix them together, and take one quart of cream and six pounds of butter, put together, and set them over the fire till the butter is melted. then take thirty-three eggs, one quart of yest, and twelve spoonfuls of sack; put it into the flour, stir it well together, and, when well mixed, set it before the fire to rise for an hour. then take ten pounds of currants washed and dried, and set them to dry before the fire, one pound of citron minced, one pound of orange and lemon-peel together, sliced. when your oven is ready, stir your cake thoroughly; put in your sweetmeats and currants; mix them well in, and put into tin hoops. the quantity here given will make two large cakes, which will take two hours' baking. _plum cake._ no. . one pound of fine flour well dried and sifted, three quarters of a pound of fine sugar, also well dried and sifted. work one pound to a cream with a noggin of brandy; then add to it by degrees your sugar, continuing to beat it very light. beat the yolks of ten eggs extremely light; then put them into the butter and sugar, a spoonful at a time; beat the whites very light, and when you add the flour, which should be by degrees, put in the whites a spoonful at a time; add a grated nutmeg and a little beaten mace, and a good pound of currants, washed, dried, and picked, with a little of the flour rubbed about them. work them into the cake. cut in thin slices a quarter of a pound of blanched almonds, and two ounces of citron and candied orange-peel. between every layer of cake, as you put it into the hoop, put in the sweetmeats, and bake it two hours. _plum cake._ no. . rub one pound of butter into two pounds of flour; take one pound of sugar, one pound of currants, and mix them with four eggs; make them into little round cakes, and bake them on tins. half this quantity is sufficient to make at a time. _clear plum cake._ make apple jelly rather strong, and strain it through a woollen bag. put as many white pear plums as will give a flavour to the jelly; let it boil; strain it again through the bag, and boil up as many pounds of fine sugar for a candy as you had pints of jelly; and when your sugar is boiled very high, add your jelly; just scald it over the fire; put it in little pots, and let it stand with a constant fire. _portugal cakes._ put one pound of fine sugar, well beaten and sifted, one pound of fresh butter, five eggs, and a little beaten mace, into a flat pan: beat it up with your hand until it is very light; then put in by degrees one pound of fine flour well dried and sifted, half a pound of currants picked, washed, and well dried; beat them together till very light; bake them in heart pans in a slack oven. _potato cakes._ roast or bake mealy potatoes, as they are drier and lighter when done that way than boiled; peel them, and beat them in a mortar with a little cream or melted butter; add some yolks of eggs, a little sack, sugar, a little beaten mace, and nutmeg: work it into a light paste, then make it into cakes of what shape you please with moulds. fry them brown in the best fresh butter; serve them with sack and sugar. _pound cake._ take a pound of flour and a pound of butter; beat to a cream eight eggs, leaving out the whites of four, and beat them up with the butter. put the flour in by degrees, one pound of sugar, a few caraway seeds, and currants, if you like; half a pound will do. _another._ take half a pound of butter, and half a pound of powdered lump-sugar; beat them till they are like a cream. then take three eggs, leaving out the whites of two; beat them very well with a little brandy; then put the eggs to the butter and sugar; beat it again till it is come to a cream. shake over it half a pound of dried flour; beat it well with your hand; add half a nutmeg, half an ounce of caraway seeds, and what sweetmeat you please. butter the mould well. _pound davy._ beat up well ten eggs and half a pound of sugar with a little rose-water; mix in half a pound of flour, and bake it in a pan. _clear quince cakes._ take the apple quince, pare and core it; take as many apples as quinces; just cover them with water, and boil till they are broken. strain them through a sieve or woollen bag, and boil up to a candy as many pounds of sugar as you have of jelly, which put in your jelly; just let it scald over the fire, and put it into paste in a stove. the paste is made thus: scald quinces in water till they are tender; then pare and scrape them fine with a knife and put them into apple jelly; let it stand till you think the paste sufficiently thickened, then boil up to a candy as many pounds of sugar as you have of paste. _ratafia cakes._ bitter and sweet almonds, of each a quarter of a pound, blanched and well dried with a napkin, finely pounded with the white of an egg; three quarters of a pound of finely pounded sugar mixed with the almonds. have the whites of three eggs beat well, and mix up with the sugar and almonds; put the mixture with a tea-spoon on white paper, and bake it in a slow heat; when the cakes are cold, they come off easily from the paper. when almonds are pounded, they are generally sprinkled with a little water, otherwise they become oily. instead of water take to the above the white of an egg or a little more; to the whole of the above quantity the whites of four eggs are used. _rice cake._ ground rice, flour and loaf-sugar, of each six ounces, eight eggs, leaving out five of the whites, the peel of a lemon grated: beat all together half an hour, and bake it three quarters of an hour in a quick oven. _another._ take one pound of sifted rice flour, one pound of fine sugar finely beaten and sifted, and sixteen eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat them a quarter of an hour at least, separately; then add the sugar, and beat it with the eggs extremely well and light. when they are as light as possible, add by degrees the rice-flour; beat them all together for an hour as light as you can. put in a little orange-flower water, or brandy, and candied peel, if you like; the oven must not be too hot. _rock cakes._ one pound of flour, half a pound of clarified butter, half a pound of currants, half a pound of sugar; mix and pinch into small cakes. _royal cakes._ take three pounds of very fine flour, one pound and a half of butter, and as much currants, seven yolks and three whites of eggs, a nutmeg grated, a little rose-water, one pound and a half of sugar finely beaten; knead it well and light, and bake on tins. _savoy or sponge cake._ take twelve new-laid eggs, and their weight in double refined sugar; pound it fine, and sift it through a lawn sieve; beat the yolks very light, and add the sugar to them by degrees; beat the whole well together till it is extremely light. whisk the whites of the eggs to a strong froth; then mix all together by adding the yolks and the sugar to the whites. have ready the weight of seven eggs in fine flour very well dried and sifted; stir it in by degrees, and grate in the rind of a lemon. butter a mould well, and bake in a quick oven. about half an hour or forty minutes will do it. _another._ take one pound of jordan and two ounces of bitter almonds; blanch them in cold water, and beat them very fine in a mortar, adding orange-flower and rose-water as you beat them to prevent their oiling. then beat eighteen eggs, the whites separately to a froth, and the yolks extremely well, with a little brandy and sack. put the almonds when pounded into a dry, clean, wooden bowl, and beat them with your hand extremely light, with one pound of fine dried and sifted sugar; put the sugar in by degrees, and beat it very light, also the peels of two large lemons finely grated. put in by degrees the whites of the eggs as they rise to a froth, and in the same manner the yolks, continuing to beat it for an hour, or until it is as light as possible. an hour will bake it; it must be a quick oven; you must continue to beat the cake until the oven is ready for it. _seed cake._ no. . heat a wooden bowl, and work in three pounds of butter with your hands, till it is as thin as cream; then work in by degrees two pounds of fine sugar sifted, and eighteen eggs well beaten, leaving out four of the whites; put the eggs in by degrees. take three pounds of the finest flour, well dried and sifted, mixed with one ounce and a half of caraway seeds, one nutmeg, and a little mace; put them in the flour as you did the sugar, and beat it well up with your hands; put it in your hoop; and it will take two hours' baking. you may add sweetmeats if you like. the dough must be made by the fire, and kept constantly worked with the hands to mix it well together. if you have sweetmeats, put half a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of lemon-peel, and put the dough lightly into the hoop, just before you send it to the oven, without smoothing it at top, for that makes it heavy. _seed cake._ no. . take a pound and a half of butter; beat it to a cream with your hand or a flat stick; beat twelve eggs, the yolks in one pan and the whites in another, as light as possible, and then beat them together, adding by degrees one pound and a half of well dried and sifted loaf-sugar, and a little sack and brandy. when the oven is nearly ready, mix all together, with one pound and a half of well dried and sifted flour, half a pound of sliced almonds, and some caraway seeds: beat it well with your hand before you put it into the hoop. _seed cake._ no. , _called borrow brack._ melt one pound and a half of butter in a quart of milk made warm. mix fourteen eggs in half a pint of yest. take half a peck of flour, and one pound of sugar, both dried and sifted, four ounces of caraway seeds, and two ounces of beaten ginger. mix all well together. first put the eggs and the yest to the flour, then add the butter and the milk. make it into a paste of the substance of that for french bread; if not flour enough add what is sufficient; and if too much, put some warm new milk. let it stand for above half an hour at the fire, before you make it up into what form you please. _shrewsbury cakes._ take three pounds and a half of fresh butter, work the whey and any salt that it may contain well out of it. take four pounds of fine flour well dried and sifted, one ounce of powdered cinnamon, five eggs well beaten, and two pounds of loaf-sugar well dried and sifted. put them all into the flour, and work them well together into a paste. make it into a roll; cut off pieces for cakes and work them well with your hands. this quantity will make above six dozen of the size of those sold at shrewsbury. they require great care in baking; a short time is sufficient, and the oven must not be very hot. _sponge cake._ take seven eggs, leaving out three whites; beat them well with a whisk; then take three quarters of a pound of lump-sugar beat fine: put to it a quarter of a pint of boiling water, and pour it to the eggs; then beat it half an hour or more; when you are just going to put it in the oven, add half a pint of flour well dried. you must not beat it after the flour is in. put a paper in the tin. a quick oven will bake this quantity in an hour. it must not be beaten with a spoon, as it will make it heavy. _another._ take twelve eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat them to froth; shake in one pound of lump-sugar, sifted through a fine sieve, and three quarters of a pound of flour well dried; put in the peel of two lemons grated and the juice of one; beat all well in with a fork. _sugar cakes._ take half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, two ounces of flour, two eggs, but the white of one only, a little beaten mace, and a little brandy. mix all together into a paste with your hands; make it into little cakes, and bake them on tins. you may put in six ounces of currants, if you like. _little sugar cakes._ take double-refined sugar and sift it very fine; beat the white of an egg to a froth; take gum-dragon that has been steeped in juice of lemon or orange-flower water, and some ambergris finely beaten with the sugar. mix all these together in a mortar, and beat it till it is very white; then roll it into small knobs, or make it into small loaves. lay them on paper well sugared, and set them into a very gentle oven. _sweet cakes._ take half a pound of butter, and beat it with a spoon till it is quite soft; add two eggs, well beaten, half a pound of currants, half a pound of powdered sugar, and a pound of flour, mixed by degrees with the butter. drop it on, and bake them. blanched almonds, powdered to paste, instead of currants, are excellent. _tea cakes._ take loaf sugar, finely powdered, and butter, of each a quarter of a pound, about half a pound of flour, dried before the fire, a walnut-shellful of caraway seeds, just bruised, and one egg. work all together into a paste, adding a spoonful of brandy. roll the paste out to the thickness of a half-crown, and cut it with a tea-cup. flour a tin, and lay the cakes upon it. take the white of an egg, well beaten and frothed, dip a feather in this, and wash them over, and then grate upon them a little fine sugar. put them into a slackish oven, till they are of a very pale brown. _dry tea cakes._ boil two ounces of butter in a pint of skimmed milk; let it stand till it is as cold as new milk; then put to it a spoonful of light yest, a little salt, and as much flour as will make it a stiff paste. work it as much, or more, than you would do brown bread; let it lie half an hour to rise; then roll it into thin cakes; prick them very well quite through, to prevent their blistering, and bake them on tin plates in a quick oven. to keep crisp, they must be hung up in the kitchen, or where there is a constant fire. _thousand cake._ one pound of flour, half a pound of butter, six ounces of sugar, five eggs, leaving out three whites; rub the flour, butter, and sugar, well together; pour the eggs into it; work it up well; roll it out thin, and cut them with a glass of what size you please. _tunbridge cakes._ one pound and a half of flour, one pound of butter; rub the butter into the flour; strew in a few caraways, and add the yolks of two eggs, first beaten, and as much water as will make it into a paste: roll it out thin, and prick it with a jagging iron; run the cakes into what shape you please, or cut them with a glass. just as you put them into the oven, sift sugar on them, and a very little when they come out. the oven must be as hot as for manchets. bake them on paper. _veal cake._ take thin slices of veal, and fat and lean slices of ham, and lay the bottom of a basin or mould with one slice of each in rows. chop some sweet-herbs very small, and fill the basin with alternate layers of veal and ham, sprinkling every layer with the herbs. season to your taste; and add some hard yolks of eggs. when the basin is full, pour in some gravy. put a plate on the top, and a weight on it to keep the meat close. bake it about an hour and a half, and do not turn it out till next day. _yorkshire cakes._ take two pounds of flour, three ounces of butter, the yolks of two eggs, three spoonfuls of yest that is not bitter; melt the butter in half a pint of milk; then mix them all well together; let it stand one hour by the fire to rise; then roll the dough into cakes pretty thin. set them a quarter of an hour longer to the fire to rise; bake them on tins in a moderate oven; toast and butter them as you do muffins. _calves' foot jelly._ no. . to two calves' feet put a gallon of water, and boil it to two quarts; run it through a sieve, and let it stand till it is cold; then take off all the fat, and put the jelly in a pan, with a pint of white wine, the juice of two lemons, sugar to your taste, and the whites of six eggs. stir these together near half an hour, then strain it through a jelly-bag; put a piece of lemon-peel in the bag; let it pass through the bag till it is clear. if you wish this jelly to be very clear and strong, add an ounce of isinglass. _calves' foot jelly._ no. . boil four calves' feet in three quarts of water for three or four hours, or till they will not hold together, now and then skimming off the fat. the liquor must be reduced to a quart. when you have quite cleared it from the fat, which must be done by papering it over, add to it nearly a bottle of white wine, sherry is the best, the juice of four or five lemons, the peel also pared very thin, so that no white is left on it, and sugar to your taste. then beat up six whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and with a whisk keep stirring it over the fire till it boils. then pour it into the jelly-bag, and keep changing it till it comes clear. this quantity will produce about a quart of jelly strong enough to turn out of moulds. _calves' foot jelly._ no. . take two feet to two quarts of water; reduce it to three pints of jelly. then add the juice and peel of four lemons, one ounce of isinglass, the shells and whites of four eggs, a little cinnamon, mace, and allspice, and a good half pint of madeira. _calves' foot jelly._ no. . stew a calf's foot slowly to a jelly. melt it with a little wine, sugar, and lemon-peel. _cheese, to make._ strain some milk into a cheese tub, as warm as you can from the cow; put into it a large quantity of strong runnet, about a spoonful to sixty quarts; stir it well with a fleeting dish; and cover it close with a wooden cover, made to fit your tub. about the middle of june, let it stand thus three quarters of an hour, in hotter weather less, in cold weather somewhat longer. when it is come, break it pretty small with a dish, and stir it gently till it is all come to a curd; then press it down gently with your dish and hand, so that the whey do not rise over it white; after the whey is pretty well drained and the curd become tolerably hard, break it into a vat very small, heaped up as high as possible, and press it down, at first gently and then harder, with your hands, till as much whey as possible can be got out that way, and yet the curd continues at least two inches above the vat; otherwise the cheese will not take press, that is, will be sour, and full of eyes and holes. then put the curd into one end of a good flaxen cloth, and cover it with the other end, tucking it in with a wooden cheese knife, so as to make it lie smooth and keep the curd quite in; then press it with a heavy weight or in a press, for five or six hours, when it will be fit to turn into a dry cloth, in which press it again for four hours. then take it out, salt it well over, or it will become maggoty, and put it into the vat again for twelve hours. take it out; salt it a second time; and leave it in a tub or on a dresser four days, turning it every day. this done, wash it with cold water, wipe it with a dry cloth, and store it up in your cheese-loft, turning and wiping it every day till it is quite dry. the reason of mouldiness, cracks, and rottenness within, is the not well pressing, turning, or curing, the curd and cheese. _the best cheese in the world._ to make a cheese in the style of stilton cheese, only much better, take the new milk of seven cows, with the cream from the milk of seven cows. heat a gallon of water scalding hot, and put into it three or four handfuls of marigolds bruised a little; strain it into the tub containing the milk and cream, and put to it some runnet, but not so much as to make it come very hard. put the curd into a sieve to drain; do not break it all, but, as the whey runs out, tie up the cloth, and let it stand half an hour or more. then cut the curd in pieces; pour upon it as much cold water as will cover it, and let it stand half an hour. put part of it into a vat or a hoop nearly six inches deep; break the top of it a little, just to make it join with the other, and strew on it a very little salt; then put in the other part, lay a fifty-pound weight upon it, and let it stand half an hour. turn it, and put it into the press. turn it into wet clean cloths every hour of the day. next morning salt it; and let it lie in the salt a night and a day. keep it swathed tight, till it begins to dry and coat, and keep it covered with a clean cloth for a long time. the month of august is the best time for making this cheese, which should be kept a year before it is cut. _cheese, to stew._ scrape some rich old cheese into a saucepan, with a small piece of butter and a spoonful of cream. let it stew till it is smooth; add the yolk of one egg; give it a boil all together. serve it up on a buttered toast, and brown it with a salamander. _cream cheese._ take a basin of thick cream, let it stand some time; then salt it, put a thin cloth over a hair-sieve, and pour the cream on it. shift the cloth every day, till it is proper; then wrap the cheese up to ripen in nettle or vine leaves. _another._ take a quart of new milk and a quart of cream; warm them together, and put to it a spoonful of runnet; let it stand three hours; then take it out with a skimming-dish; break the curd as little as possible; put it into a straw vat, which is just big enough to hold this quantity; let it stand in the vat two days; take it out, and sprinkle a little salt over it; turn it every day, and it will be ready in ten days. _princess amelia's cream cheese._ wash the soap out of a napkin; double it to the required size, and put it wet into a pewter soup-plate. put into it a pint of cream; cover it, and let it stand twenty-four hours unless the weather is very hot, in which case not so long. turn the cheese in the napkin: sprinkle a little salt over it, and let it stand twelve hours. then turn it into a very dry napkin out of which all soap has been washed, and salt the other side. it will be fit to eat in a day or two according to the weather. some keep it in nut leaves to ripen it. _irish cream cheese._ take a quart of very thick cream, and stir well into it two spoonfuls of salt. double a napkin in two, and lay it in a punch-bowl. pour the cream into it; turn the four corners over the cream, and let it stand for two days. put it into a dry cloth within a little wooden cheese-vat; turn it into dry cloths twice a day till it is quite dry, and it will be fit to eat in a few days. keep it in clean cloths in a cool place. _rush cheese._ take a quart of cream, put to it a gill of new milk; boil one half of it and put it to the other; then let it stand till it is of the warmth of new milk, after which put in a little earning, and, when sufficiently come, break it as little as you can; put it into a vat that has a rush bottom, lay it on a smooth board, and turn it every day till ripe. _winter cream cheese._ take twenty quarts of new milk warm from the cow; strain it into a tub; have ready four quarts of good cream boiled to put to it, and about a quart of spring water, boiling hot, and stir all well together; put in your earning, and stir it well in; keep it by the fire till it is well come. then take it gently into a sieve to whey it, and after that put it into a vat, either square or round, with a cheese-board upon it, of two pounds weight at first, which is to be increased by degrees to six pounds; turn it into dry cloths two or three times a day for a week or ten days, and salt it with dry salt, the third day. when you take it out of the vat, lay it upon a board, and turn and wipe it every other day till it is dry. it is best to be made as soon as the cows go into fog. the cheeses are fit to eat in lent, sometimes at christmas, according to the state of the ground. _to make cream cheese without cream._ take a quart of milk warm from the cow and two quarts of boiling water. when the curd is ready for the cheese-vat, put it in, without breaking it, by a dishful at a time, and fill it up as it drains off. it must not be pressed. the cheese-vat should have holes in it all over like a colander. take out the cheese when it will bear it, and ripen it upon rushes: it must be more than nine inches deep. _damson cheese._ take the damsons full ripe, and squeeze out the stones, which put into the preserving-pan, with as much water as will cover them: let them simmer till the stones are quite clear, and put your fruit into the liquor. take three pounds of good powder sugar to six pounds of fruit; boil it very fast till quite thick; then break the stones, and put the whole kernels into it, before you put it into moulds for use. _another._ boil up one pound of damsons with three quarters of a pound of sugar; when the fruit begins to break, take out the stones and the skins; or, what is a better way, pulp them through a colander. then peel and put in some of the kernels; boil it very high; it will turn out to the shape of any pots or moulds, and is very good. _french cheese._ boil two pints of milk and one of cream, with a blade of mace and a little cinnamon: put the yolks of three eggs and the whites of two, well beaten, into your milk, and set on the fire again, stirring it all the while till it boils. take it off, and stir it till it is a little cooled; then put in the juice of two lemons, and let it stand awhile with the lemons in it. put it in a linen strainer, and hang it up to drain out the whey. when it is drained dry, take it down, and put to it a spoonful or two of rose-water, and sweeten it to your taste: put it into your pan, which must be full of holes; let it stand a little; put it into your dish with cream, and stick some blanched almonds about it. _italian cheese._ one quart of cream, a pint of white wine, the juice of three lemons, a little lemon-peel, and sugar to your taste; beat it with a whisk a quarter of an hour; then pour it on a buttered cloth, over a sieve, to drain all night, and turn it out just before it is sent to table. strew comfits on the top, and garnish as you like. _lemon cheese--very good._ into a quart of thick sweet cream put the juice of three lemons, with the rind finely grated; sweeten it to your taste; beat it very well; then put it into a sieve, with some fine muslin underneath it, and let it stand all night. next day turn it out, and garnish with preserved orange or marmalade. half the above quantity makes a large cheese. do not beat it till it comes to butter, but only till it is near coming. it is a very pretty dish. _cheesecake._ no. . take four quarts of new milk and a pint of cream; put in a blade or two of mace, with a bag of ambergris; set it with as much runnet as will bring it to a tender curd. when it has come, break it as you would a cheese, and, when you have got what whey you can from it, put it in a cloth and lay it in a pan or cheese-hoop, placing on it a weight of five or six pounds, and, when you find it well pressed out, put it into an earthen dish, bruising it very small with a spoon. then take two ounces of almonds, blanch and beat them with rose-water and cream; mix these well together among your curd; sweeten them with loaf-sugar; put in something more than a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, with the yolks of six eggs mixed together. when you are ready to put it into crust, strew in half a pound of currants; let the butter boil that you make your crust with; roll out the cakes very thin. the oven must not be too hot, and great care must be taken in the baking. when they rise up to the top they are sufficiently done. _cheesecake._ no. . blanch half a pound of the best sweet almonds, and beat them very fine. add two spoonfuls of orange-flower or rose-water, half a pound of currants, half a pound of the finest sugar, beaten and sifted, and two quarts of thick cream, which must be kept stirred over a gentle fire. when almost cold, add eight eggs, leaving out half the whites, well beaten and strained, a little beaten mace and finely powdered cinnamon, with four well pounded cloves. mix them well into the rest of the ingredients, keeping it still over the fire as before. pour it well beaten into puff-paste for the oven, and if it be well heated they will be baked in a quarter of an hour. _cheesecake._ no. . take two quarts of milk, make it into curd with a little runnet; when it is drained as dry as possible, put to it a quarter of a pound of butter; rub both together in a marble mortar till smooth; then add one ounce of almonds blanched; beat two naples biscuits, and about as much crumb of roll; put seven yolks of eggs, but only one white; season it with mace and a little rose-water, and sweeten to your taste. _cheesecake._ no. . break one gallon of milk with runnet, and press it dry; then beat it in a mortar very small; put in half a pound of butter, and beat the whole over again until it is as smooth as butter. put to it six eggs, leaving out half the whites; beat them very light with sack and rose-water, half a nutmeg grated, half a quarter of a pound of almonds beaten fine with rose-water and a little brandy. sweeten to your taste; put in what currants you like, make a rich crust, and bake in a quick oven. _cheesecake._ no. . a quart of milk with eight eggs beat together; when it is come to a curd, put it into a sieve, and strain the whey out. beat a quarter of a pound of butter with the curd in a mortar, with three eggs and three spoonfuls of sugar; pound it together very light; add half a nutmeg and a very little salt. _cheesecake._ no. . take a pint of milk, four eggs well beaten, three ounces of butter, half a pound of sugar, the peel of a lemon grated; put all together into a kettle, and set it over a clear fire; keep stirring it till it begins to boil; then mix one spoonful of flour with as much milk as will just mix it, and put it into the kettle with the rest. when it begins to boil, take it off the fire, and put it into an earthen pan; let it stand till the next morning; then add a quarter of a pound of currants, a little nutmeg, and half a glass of brandy. _almond cheesecake._ blanch six ounces of sweet and half an ounce of bitter almonds; let them lie half an hour on a stove or before the fire; pound them very fine with two table-spoonfuls of rose or orange-flower water; put in the stewpan half a pound of fresh butter, add to this the almonds, six ounces of sifted loaf-sugar, a little grated lemon-peel, some good cream, and the yolks of four eggs; rub all well together with the pestle; cover the pattypans with puff paste, fill them with the mixture, and bake it half an hour in a brisk oven. _cocoa-nut cheesecakes._ take a cocoa-nut, which by many is thought far superior to almonds; grate it the long way; put to it some thick syrup, mixing it by degrees. boil it till it comes to the consistence of cheese; when half cold add to it two eggs; beat it up with rose-water till it is light: if too thick, add a little more rose-water. when beaten up as light as possible, pour it upon a fine crust in cheesecake pans, and, just before they are going into the oven, sift over some fine sugar, which will raise a nice crust and much improve their appearance. the addition of half a pound of butter just melted, and eight more eggs, leaving out half of the whites, makes an excellent pudding. _cream cheesecake._ two quarts of cream set on a slow fire, put into it twelve eggs very well beat and strained, stir it softly till it boils gently and breaks into whey and a fine soft curd; then take the curd as it rises off the whey, and put it into an earthen pan; then break four eggs more, and put to the whey; set it on the fire, and take off the curd as before, and put it to the rest: then add fourteen ounces of butter, half a pound of light naples biscuit grated fine, a quarter of a pound of almonds beat fine with rose-water, one pound of currants, well washed and picked, some nutmeg grated, and sugar to your taste: a short crust. _curd cheesecake._ just warm a quart of new milk; put into it a spoonful of runnet, and set it near the fire till it breaks. strain it through a sieve; put the curd into a pan, and beat it well with a spoon. melt a quarter of a pound of butter, put in the same quantity of moist sugar, a little grated nutmeg, two naples biscuits, grated fine, the yolks of four eggs beat well, and the whites of two, a glass of raisin wine, a few bitter almonds, with lemon or seville orange-peel cut fine, a quarter of a pound of currants plumped; mix all well together, and put it into the paste and pans for baking. _lemon cheesecake._ grate the rind of three to the juice of two lemons; mix them with three sponge biscuits, six ounces of fresh butter, four ounces of sifted sugar, half a gill of cream, and three eggs well beaten. work them well, and fill the pan, which must be lined with puff-paste; lay on the top some candied lemon-peel cut thin. _another._ boil the peel of two lemons till tender; pound it in a mortar very fine; blanch and pound a few almond kernels with the peel. mix a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, the yolks of six eggs, all together in the mortar, and put it in the puff-paste for baking. this quantity will make twelve or fourteen cakes. _orange cheesecake._ take the peel of one orange and a half and one lemon grated; squeeze out the juice; add a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of melted butter, four eggs, leaving out the whites, a little naples biscuit grated, to thicken it, and a little white wine. put almonds in it if you like. _scotch cheesecake._ put one ounce of butter into a saucepan to clarify; add one ounce of powder sugar and two eggs; stir it over a slow fire until it almost boils, but not quite. line your pattypans with paste; bake the cakes of a nice brown, and serve them up between hot and cold. _cherries, to preserve._ no. . take either morella or carnation; stone the fruit; to morella cherries take the jelly of white currants, drawn with a little water, and run through a jelly-bag; to a pint and a half of jelly, add three pounds of fine sugar. set it on a quick fire; when it boils, skim it, and put in a pound of stoned cherries. let them not boil too fast at first; take them off at times; but when they are tender boil them very fast till they are very clear and jelly; then put them into pots or glasses. the carnation cherries must have red currant jelly; if you have not white currant jelly for the morella, codling jelly will do. _cherries, to preserve._ no. . to three quarters of a pound of cherries stoned take one pound and a quarter of sugar; leave out a quarter of a pound to strew on them as they boil. put in the preserving-pan a layer of cherries and a layer of sugar, till they are all in; boil them quick, keeping them closely covered with white paper, which take off frequently, and skim them; strew the sugar kept out over them; it will clear them very much. when they look clear they are done enough. take them out of the syrup quite clear from the skim; strain the syrup through a fine sieve; then put to it a quarter of a pint of the juice of white currants, put them into the pan again, and boil it till it is a hanging jelly. just before it is quite done put in the cherries; give them a boil, and put them into pots. there must be fourteen spoonfuls of water put in at first with the cherries. _cherries, to preserve._ no. . stone the cherries, and to twelve pounds of fruit put nine pounds of sugar; boil the sugar-candy high; stir it well; throw in the cherries; let them not boil too fast at first, stirring them often in the pan; afterwards boil them fast till they become tender. _morella cherries, to preserve._ when you have stalked and stoned your cherries, put to them an equal weight of sugar: make your syrup, skim it, and take it off the fire. skim it again well, and put in your cherries, shaking them with care in the pan. boil them, not on a quick fire, lest the fruit should crack; and take them off the fire several times. let them boil till done; put your cherries into pots; strain the syrup through muslin, and boil it again till thoroughly done. _morella cherries, to preserve in brandy._ take two pounds of morella cherries, when not too ripe, but finely coloured, weighed with their stalks and stones. put a quart of water and twelve ounces of double-refined sugar into a preserving-pan, and set it over a clear charcoal fire. let it boil a quarter of an hour; skim it clean, and set it by till cold. then take away the stalks and stones, and, when the syrup is quite cold, put the stoned cherries into the syrup, set them over a gentle fire, and let them barely simmer till their skins begin to rise. take them from the fire; pour them into a basin; cut a piece of paper round of the size of the basin; lay it close upon the cherries while hot, and let them stand so till next day. set a hair sieve in a pan, and pour the cherries into it; let them drain till the syrup is all drained out: boil the syrup till reduced to two-thirds, and set it aside till cold. put your cherries into a glass jar; put to them a spoonful of their own syrup and one of brandy, and continue to do so till the jar is filled within two inches of the top: then put over it a wet bladder, and a piece of leather over that; tie it down close, and keep it in a warm place. if you do not mind the stones, merely cut off the stalks of the cherries. _brandy cherries._ to each bottle of brandy add half a pound of white sugar-candy: let this dissolve; cut the large ripe morella cherries from the tree into a glass or earthen jar, leaving the stalks about half the original length. when the jar is full, pour upon the cherries the brandy as above. let the fruit be completely covered, and fill it up as the liquor settles. cork the jar, and tie a leather over the top. apricot kernels blanched and put in are an agreeable addition. _cherries, to dry._ stone the cherries, and to ten pounds when stoned put three pounds of sugar finely beaten. shake the cherries and sugar well together; when the sugar is quite dissolved, give them a boil or two over a slow fire, and put them in an earthen pot. next day scald them, lay them on a sieve, and dry them in the sun, or in a oven, not too hot. turn them till they are dry enough, then put them up; but put no paper. _liquor for dried cherries._ take some red currants, and boil them in water till it is very red; then put it to your cherries and sugar it; this makes them of a good colour. _cherry jam._ take twelve pounds of stoned cherries; boil and break them as they boil, and, when you have boiled all the juice away, and can see the bottom of the pan, put in three pounds of sugar finely beaten: stir it well in; give the fruit two or three boils, and put it in pots or glasses, and cover with brandy paper. _cocoa._ take three table-spoonfuls of cocoa and one dessert spoonful of flour; beat them well together, and boil in a pint and a half of spring water, upon a slow fire, for two or three hours, and then strain it for use. _cocoa-nut candy._ grate a cocoa-nut on a fine bread grater; weigh it, and add the same quantity of loaf-sugar: melt the sugar with rose-water, of which, for a small cocoa-nut, put six table-spoonfuls. when the syrup is clarified and boiling, throw in the cocoa-nut by degrees; keep stirring it all the time, whilst boiling, with a wooden slice, to prevent it burning to the bottom of the pan, which it is very apt to do, unless great care is taken. when the candy is sufficiently boiled, spread it on a pasteboard previously rubbed with a wet cloth, and cut it in whatever shape you please. to know when the candy is sufficiently boiled, drop a small quantity on the pasteboard, and if the syrup does not run from the cocoa-nut, it is done enough; when the candy is cold, put it on a dish, and keep it in a dry place. _coffee, to roast._ for this purpose you must have a roaster with a spit. put in no more coffee than will have room enough to work about well. set it down to a good fire; put in every now and then a little fresh butter, and mix it well with a spoon. it will take five or six hours to roast. when done, turn it out into a large dish or a dripping-pan, till it is quite dry. _another way._ take two pounds of coffee, and put it into a roaster. roast it one hour before a brisk fire; add two ounces of butter, and let it roast till it becomes of a fine brown. watch, that it does not burn. two hours and a half will do it. take half a pound for eight cups. _coffee to make the foreign way._ take demarara--bean dutch coffee--in preference to mocha coffee; wash it well. when it is very clean, put it in an earthen vessel, and cover it close, taking great care that no air gets to it; then grind it very thoroughly. put a good half pint of coffee into a large coffee-pot, that holds three quarts, with a large table-spoonful of mustard; then pour upon it boiling water. it is of great consequence that the water should boil; but do not fill the coffee-pot too full, for fear of its boiling over, and losing the aromatic oil. then pour the whole contents backwards and forwards several times into a clean cup or basin, wiping the basin or cup each time--this will clear it sufficiently. let it then stand ten minutes, after which, when cool, pour it clear off the grounds steadily, into clean bottles, and lay them down on their sides, well corked. do not throw away your coffee grounds, but add another table-spoonful of mustard to them, and fill up the vessel with boiling water, doing as before directed. be sure to cork the bottles well; lay them down on one side, and before you want to use them set them up for a couple of hours, in case any sediment should remain. let it come to the boil, always taking care that it is neither smoked nor boils over. all coffee should be kept on a lamp while you are using it. by following this receipt as much coffee will be obtained for threepence as you would otherwise get for a shilling; and it is the best possible coffee. _to make cream rise in cold weather._ dip each pan or bowl into a pail of boiling water before you strain the milk into it. put a close cover over each for about ten minutes: the hot steam causes the cream to rise thick and rich. _cream, to fry._ take two spoonfuls of fine flour and the yolks of four eggs; grate in the rind of one lemon; beat them well with the flour, and add a pint of cream. mix these very well together; sweeten to your taste, and add a bit of cinnamon. put the whole in a stewpan over a slow fire; continue to stir it until it is quite hot; but it must not boil. take out the cinnamon; beat two eggs very well, and put them into the cream; butter a pewter dish; pour the cream in it; put it into a warm oven to set, but not to colour it. when cold, cut it into pieces, and have ready a stewpan or frying-pan, with a good deal of lard; dredge the cream with flour; fry the pieces of a light brown, grate sugar over them, glaze with a salamander, and serve them very hot. _artificial cream and curd._ a pint of good new milk, nine whites of eggs beat up, and well stirred and mixed with the milk; put it on a slow fire to turn; then take it off, and drain it through a fine sieve, and set it into a basin or mould. to make the cream for it, take a pint of milk and the yolks of four eggs well beat, boil it with a bit of cinnamon over a slow fire; keep it constantly stirring; when it is as thick as rich cream, take it off, and stir it a little while afterwards. _cream of rice._ wash and well clean some very good rice; put it into a stewpan, with water, and boil it gently till quite soft, with a little cinnamon, if agreeable to the taste. when the rice is boiled quite soft, take out the cinnamon. then take a large dish, and set it on a table: have a clean tamis--a new one would be better--a tamis is only the piece of flannel commonly used in kitchens for passing sauces through--and give one end of the tamis to a person on the opposite side of the table to hold, while you hold the other end with your left hand. having a large wooden spoon in your right, you put two or three spoonfuls of boiled rice into this tamis, which is held over the large dish, and rub the rice upon it with the spoon till it passes through into the dish. whatever sticks to the tamis take off with a silver spoon and put into the dish. when you have passed the quantity you want, put it in a basin. it should be made fresh every day. warm it for use in a small silver or tin saucepan, adding a little sugar and madeira, according to your taste. _almond cream._ make this in the manner directed for pistachio cream, adding half a dozen bitter almonds to the sweet. _barley cream._ take half a pint of pearl barley, and two quarts of water. boil it half away, and then strain it out. put in some juice of lemons; sweeten it to your taste. steep two ounces of sweet almonds in rose-water; and blanch, stamp, and strain them through into the barley, till it is as white as milk. _french barley cream._ boil your barley in two or three waters, till it looks white and tender; pour the water clean from the barley, and put as much cream as will make it tolerably thick, and a blade or two of mace, and let it boil. to a pint and a half of cream put two ounces of almonds, blanched and ground with rose-water. strain them with cold cream; put the cream through the almonds two or three times, wringing it hard. sweeten to your taste; let it boil; and put it in a broad dish. _chocolate cream._ boil a quart of thick cream, scraping into it one ounce of chocolate. add about a quarter of a pound of sugar; when it is cold put nine whites of eggs; whisk it, and, as the froth rises, put it into glasses. _citron cream._ to a quarter of a pound of citron pounded put three gills of cream: mill it up with a chocolate-stick till the citron is mixed; put it in sugar if needful. _clotted cream._ set the milk in the usual way; when it has stood twelve hours, it is, without being skimmed, to be placed in a stove and scalded, of course not suffered to boil, and then left to stand again for twelve hours; then take off the cream which floats at the top in lumps, for which reason it is called clotted cream; it may be churned into butter; the skim milk makes cheese. _coffee cream._ take two ounces of whole coffee, one quart of cream, about four ounces of fine sugar, a small piece of the yellow rind of a lemon, with rather less than half an ounce of the best picked isinglass. boil these ingredients, stirring them now and then, till the cream is highly flavoured with the coffee. it might, perhaps, be better to flavour the cream first, and then dissolve the isinglass and put it to it. take it off the fire; have ready the yolks of six eggs beaten, which add to the cream, and continue to beat it till it is about lukewarm, lest the eggs should turn the cream. strain the whole through a fine sieve into the dish in which you mean to serve it, which must be first fixed into a stewpan of boiling water, that will hold it so commodiously, that the bottom only will touch the water, and not a drop of the water come to the cream. cover the cream with the lid of a stewpan, and in that lid put two or three bits of lighted charcoal, moving them from one part to another, that it may all set alike; it should only simmer. when it has done in this manner for a short time, take off the cover of the stewpan; if not done enough, cover it again, and put fresh charcoal; it should be done so as to form a weak jelly. take it off, and keep it in a cool place till you serve it. if you wish to turn it out in a mould, boil more isinglass in it. tea cream is made in the same manner. _eringo cream._ take a quarter of a pound of eringoes, and break them into short pieces; put to them a pint of milk; let it boil till the eringoes are very tender; then pour the milk from them; put in a pint of cream to the eringoes; let them boil; put in an egg, beaten well, to thicken, and dish it up. _fruit cream._ scald your fruit; when done, pulp it through a sieve; let it stand till almost cold; then sweeten it to your taste; put it into your cream, and make it of whatever thickness you please. _preserved fruit creams._ put half a pound of the pulp of any preserved fruit in a large pan: add to it the whites of three eggs, well beaten; beat these well together for an hour. take it off with a spoon, and lay it up high on the dish or glasses. raspberries will not do this way. _italian cream._ boil a pint of cream with half a pint of new milk; when it boils throw in the peel of an orange and a lemon, with a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a small pinch of salt. when the cream is impregnated with the flavour of the fruit, mix and beat it with the yolks of eight eggs; set it on the fire to be made equally thick; as soon as it is thick enough for the eggs to be done, put into it an ounce of dissolved isinglass; drain it well through a sieve: put some of the cream into a small mould, to see if it is thick enough: if not, add more isinglass. lay this preparation in a mould in some salt or ice; when it is quite stiff, and you wish to send it up, dip a napkin in hot water, and put it round the mould, which turn upside down in the dish. _another._ put two table-spoonfuls of sifted sugar, half of a gill of white wine, with a little brandy, a table-spoonful of lemon-juice, and the rind of a lemon, in a basin, with a pint of cream well whipped together; put thin muslin in the shape or mould, and set it in a cold place, or on ice, till wanted. _lemon cream._ no. . take five large lemons and rasp off all the outside; then squeeze the lemons, and put what you have rasped off into the juice; let it stand two or three hours, if all night the better. take eight whites of eggs and one yolk, and beat them well together; put to it a pint of spring water: then mix them all, and sweeten it with double-refined sugar according to your taste. set it over a chaffing-dish of coals, stirring it till it is of a proper thickness; then dish it out. be sure not to let it boil. _lemon cream._ no. . pare three smooth-skinned lemons; squeeze out the juice; cut the peel in small pieces, and put it to the juice. let it stand two or three hours closely covered, and, when it has acquired the flavour of the peel, add to it the whites of five eggs and the yolks of three. beat them well with two spoonfuls of orange-flower water; sweeten with double-refined sugar; strain it; set it over a slow fire, and stir it carefully till it is as thick as cream; then pour it into glasses. _lemon cream._ no. . set on the fire three pints of cream; when it is ready to boil, take it off, and squeeze a lemon into it. stir it up; hang it up in a cloth, till the whey has run out; sweeten it to your taste, and serve it up. _lemon cream._ no. . take the sweetest cream, and squeeze in juice of lemon to your taste: put it into a churn, and shake it till it rises or ferments. sweeten it to your taste, but be sure not to put any sugar before you churn it, for that will hinder the fermentation. _lemon cream._ no. . pare two lemons, and squeeze to them the juice of one larger or two smaller; let it remain some time, and then strain the juice to a pint of cream, and add the yolks of four eggs beaten and strained; sweeten it, and stir it over the fire till thick. you may add a little brandy, if agreeable. _lemon cream without cream._ squeeze three lemons, and put the parings into the juice; cover and let it remain three hours; beat the yolks of two eggs and the whites of four; sweeten this; add a little orange-flower water, and put it to the lemon-juice. set the whole over a slow fire till it becomes as thick as cream, and take particular care not to let it boil. _lemon cream frothed._ make a pint of cream very sweet, and add the paring of one lemon; let it just boil; put the juice of one large lemon into a glass or china dish, and, when the cream is nearly cold, pour it out of a tea-pot upon the juice, holding it as high as possible. serve it up. _orange cream._ squeeze the juice of four oranges to the rind of one; pat it over the fire with about a pint of cream, and take out the peel before the cream becomes bitter. boil the cream, and, when cold, put to it the yolks of four eggs and the whites of three, beaten and strained, and sugar to your taste. scald this, but keep stirring all the time, until of a proper thickness. _orange cream frothed._ proceed in the same way as with the lemon, but put no peel in the cream; merely steep a bit a short time in the juice. _imperial orange cream._ take a pint of thick sweet cream, and boil it with a little orange-peel. when it just boils, take it off the fire, and stir it till it is no hotter than milk from the cow. have ready the juice of four seville oranges and four lemons; strain the juice through a jelly-bag, and sweeten it well with fine sugar, and a small spoonful of orange-flower water. set your dish on the ground, and, your juice being in it, pour the cream from as great a height as you can, that it may bubble up on the top of the cream; then set it by for five or six hours before you use it, if the weather is hot, but in winter it may stand a whole night. _pistachio cream._ take a quarter of a pound of pistachio-nuts and blanch them; then beat them fine with rose-water; put them into a pint of cream; sweeten it, let it just boil, and put it into glasses. _raspberry cream._ to one pint of cream put six ounces of jam, and pulp it through a sieve, adding the juice of a lemon; whisk it fast at the edge of your dish; lay the froth on the sieve, and add a little more of the juice. when no more froth will rise, put your cream into a dish or cups; heap the froth well on. _ratafia cream._ boil three or four laurel-leaves in one pint of cream, and strain it; when cold, add the yolks of three eggs beaten and strained; then sweeten it; put in it a very little brandy; scald it till thick, and keep stirring it all the time. _rice cream._ boil a quart of milk with a laurel-leaf; pour it on five dessert spoonfuls of ground rice; let it stand two hours; then put it into a saucepan, and boil it till it is tender, with rather less than a quarter of a pound of sugar. beat the yolks of two eggs, and put them into it when it is almost cold; and then boil till it is as thick as a cream. when it is sent to table, put in a few ratafia biscuits. _runnet whey cream._ turn new milk from the cow with runnet; press the whey from it; beat the curd in a mortar till it is quite smooth; then mix it with thick cream, and froth it with a froth-stick; add a little powdered sugar. _snow cream._ sweeten the whites of four eggs, add a pint of thick sweet cream and a good spoonful of brandy. whisk this well together; take off the froth, and lay it upon a sieve; when all the froth that will rise is taken off, pour what has run through to the rest. stir it over a slow fire, and let it just boil; fill your glasses about three parts full, and lay on the froth. _strawberry cream._ exactly the same as raspberry. _sweetmeat cream._ slice preserved peaches, apricots, or plums, into good cream, sweetening it with fine sugar, or the syrup in which they were preserved. mix these well together, and put it into glasses. _whipt cream, to put upon cake._ sweeten a pint of cream to your taste; grate in the peel of a lemon, and steep it some hours before you make use of your cream. add the juice of two lemons; whip it together; and take off the top into a large piece of fine muslin, or gauze, laid within a sieve. let this be done the night before it is to be used. in summer it may be done in the morning of the same day; but the whipt cream must be drained from the curd before it is put upon the cake. _cucumbers, to preserve green._ take fine large green cucumbers; put them in salt and water till they are yellow; then green them over fresh salt and water in a little roch alum. cover them close with abundance of vine leaves, changing the leaves as they become yellow. put in some lemon-juice; and, when the cucumbers are of a fine green, take them off and scald them several times with hot water, or make a very thin syrup, changing it till the raw taste of the cucumbers is taken away. then make a syrup thus: to a pound of cucumbers take one pound and a half of double-refined sugar; leave out the half pound to add to them when boiled up again; put lemon-peel, ginger cut in slices, white orris root, and any thing else you like to flavour with; boil it well; when cool, put it to the cucumbers, and let them remain a few days. boil up the syrup with the remainder of the sugar; continue to heat the syrup till they look clear. just before you take the syrup off, add lemon-juice to your taste. _cream curd._ boil a pint of cream, with a little mace, cinnamon, and rose-water, and, when as cool as new milk, put in half a spoonful of good runnet. when it turns, serve it up in the cream dish. _lemon curd._ to a pint of cream, when it boils, put in the whites of six eggs, and one lemon and a half; stir it until it comes to a tender curd. then put it into a holland bag, and let it drain till all the whey is out of it; beat the curd in a mortar with a little sugar; put it in a basin to form; about two or three hours before you use it, turn it out, and pour thick cream and sugar over it. _paris curd._ put a pint of cream on the fire, with the juice of one lemon, and the whites of six eggs; stir it till it becomes a curd. hang it all night in a cloth to drain; then add to it two ounces of sweet almonds, with brandy and sugar to your taste. mix it well in a mortar, and put it into shapes. _currants, to bottle._ gather your fruit perfectly dry, and not too ripe; cut each currant from the stalk separately, taking care not to bruise them; fill your bottles quite full, cork them lightly, set them in a boiler with cold water, and let them simmer a quarter of an hour, or according to the nature and ripeness of the fruit. by this process the fruit will sink; pour on as much boiling water as will cover the surface and exclude air. should they mould, move it off when you use the fruit, and you will not find the fruit injured by it. cork your bottles quickly, after you take them out of the water; tie a bladder over, and put them in a dry place. this method answers equally well for gooseberries, cherries, greengages, and damsons. _another way._ gather the currants quite dry; clip them off the stalks; if they burst in pulling off they will not do. fill some dry common quart bottles with them, rosin the corks well over, and then tie a bladder well soaked over the cork, and upon the leather; all this is absolutely necessary to keep the air out, and corks in; place the bottles, with the corks downwards, in a boiler of cold water, and stuff hay between them to keep them steady. make a fire under them, and keep it up till the water boils; then rake it out immediately, and leave the bottles in the boiler till the water is quite cold. put them into the cellar in any vessel that will keep them steadily packed, the necks always downward. when a bottle is opened, the currants must be used at once. the bottles will not be above half full when taken out of the boiler, and they must not be shaken more than can be avoided. this process answers equally well for apricots, plums, and cherries. _currants or barberries, to dry in bunches._ when the currants, or barberries, (which should be maiden barberries) are stoned and tied up in bunches, take to one pound of them a pound and a half of sugar. to each pound of sugar put half a pint of water; boil the syrup well, and put the fruit into it. set it on the fire; let it just boil, and then take it off. cover it close with white paper; let it stand till next day; then make it scalding hot, and let it stand two or three days, covered close with paper. lay it in earthen plates; sprinkle over it fine sugar, put it on a stove to dry; lay it on sieves till one side is dry; then turn and sift sugar on it. when dry enough lay it between papers. _currants, to ice._ take the largest and finest bunches of currants you can get; beat the white of an egg to a froth; dip them into it; lay them, so as not to touch, upon a sieve: sift double-refined sugar over them very thick, and let them dry in a stove or oven. _white currants, to preserve._ take the largest white currants, but not the amber colour; strip them, and to two quarts of currants put a pint of water; boil them very fast, and run them through a jelly-bag to a pint of juice. put a pound and half of sugar, and half a pound of stoned currants; set them on a brisk fire, and let them boil very fast till the currants are clear and jelly very well; then put them into glasses or pots, stirring them as they cool, to make them mix well. paper them down when just cold. _red currants, to preserve._ mash the currants and strain them through a thin strainer; to a pint of juice take a pound and a half of sugar and six spoonfuls of water. boil it up and skim it well. put in half a pound of stoned currants; boil them as fast as you can, till the currants are clear and jelly well; then put them into pots or glasses, and, when cold, paper them as other sweetmeats. stir all small fruits as they cool, to mix them with the jelly. _another way._ take red and white currants; squeeze and drain them. boil two pints of juice with three pounds of fine sugar: skim it; then put in a pound of stoned currants; let them boil fast till they jelly, and put them into bottles. _currant jam._ to a pound of currants put three quarters of a pound of lump sugar. put the fruit first into the preserving-pan, and place the sugar carefully in the middle, so as not to touch the pan. let it boil gently on a clear fire for about half an hour. it must not be stirred. skim the jelly carefully from the top, and add a quarter of a pound of fruit to what remains from the jelly; stir it well, and boil it thoroughly. the proportion of fruit added for the jam must always be one quarter. in making jelly or jam, it is an improvement to add to every five pounds of currants one pound of raisins. _currant jam or jelly._ take two pounds of currants and half a pound of raspberries: to every pound of fruit add three quarters of a pound of good moist sugar. simmer them slowly; skim the jam very nicely; when boiled to a sufficient consistency, put it into jars, and, when cold, cover with brandy paper. _black or red currant jelly._ strip the fruit when full ripe; put it into a stone jar; put the jar, tied over with white paper, into a saucepan of cold water, and stew it to boiling on the stove. strain off the liquor, and to every pint of red currants weigh out a pound of loaf-sugar, if black, three quarters of a pound; mix the fruit and the sugar in lumps, and let it rest till the sugar is nearly dissolved. then put it in a preserving-pan, and simmer and skim it till it is quite clear. when it will jelly on a plate, it is done, and may be put in pots. _currant juice._ take currants, and squeeze the juice out of them; have some very dry quart bottles, and hold in each a couple of burning matches. cork them up, to keep the smoke confined in them for a few hours, till the juice is put in them. fill them to the neck with the currant juice; then scald them in a copper or pot with hay between. the water must be cold when the bottles are put in: let them have one boil. _another way._ boil a pint of currant juice with half a pint of clarified sugar; skim it; add a little lemon to taste, and mix with a quart of seed. _currant paste._ mash red and white currants; strain them through a linen bag; break in as much of the strained currants as will make the juice thick enough of seeds; add some gooseberries boiled in water. boil the whole till it jellies; let it stand to cool; then put a pound of sugar to every pint, and scald it. _custard._ no. . one quart of cream, twelve eggs, the whites of four, the rind of one lemon, boiled in the cream, with a small quantity of nutmeg, and a bay-leaf, bitter and sweet almonds one ounce each, a little ratafia and orange-flower water; sweeten to your taste. the cream must be quite cold before the eggs are added. when mixed, it must just be made to boil, and then fill your cups. _custard._ no. . take one pint of cream, boil in it a few laurel-leaves, a stick of cinnamon, and the rind of a lemon; when nearly cold, add the yolks of seven eggs, well beaten, and six ounces of lump sugar; let it nearly boil; keep stirring it all the while, and till nearly cold, and add a little brandy. _custard._ no. . a quart of cream, and the yolks of nine eggs, sugared to your taste; if eggs are scarce, take seven and three whites; it must not quite boil, or it will curdle; keep it stirred all the time over a slow fire. when it is nearly cold, add three table-spoonfuls of ratafia; stir till cold, otherwise it will turn. it is best without any white of eggs. _custard._ no. . take a pint of cream; blanch a few sweet almonds, and beat them fine; sweeten to your palate. beat up the yolks of five eggs, stir all together, one way, over the fire, till it is thick. add laurel-leaves, bitter almonds, or ratafia, to give it a flavour; then put it into cups. _custard._ no. . make some rice, nicely boiled, into a good wall round your trifle dish; strew the rice over with pink comfits; then pour good custard into the rice frame, and stripe it across with pink and blue comfits alternately. _almond custard._ blanch and pound fine, with half a gill of rose-water, six ounces of sweet and half an ounce of bitter almonds; boil a pint of milk; sweeten it with two ounces and a half of sugar; rub the almonds through a sieve, with a pint of cream; strain the milk to the yolks of eight eggs, well beaten--three whites if thought necessary--stir it over a fire till of a good thickness; when off the fire, stir it till nearly cold to prevent its curdling. _to bottle damsons._ take ripe fruit; wipe them dry, and pick off the stalks; fill your bottles with them. the bottles must be very clean and dry. put the corks lightly into them, to keep out the steam when simmering: then set them up to the necks in cold water, and let them simmer a quarter of an hour, but not boil, or the fruit will crack. take them out, and let them stand all night. next day, cork them tight, rosin the corks, and keep them in a dry place. _damsons, to dry._ pick out the finest damsons, and wipe them clean. to every pound of fruit take half a pound of sugar; wet the damsons with water; and put them into the sugar with the insides downward. set them on the fire till the sugar is melted; let them lie in the sugar till it has thoroughly penetrated them, heating them once a day. when you take them out, dip them in hot water, and lay them to dry. _damsons, to preserve without sugar._ when the damsons are quite ripe, wipe them separately, and put them into stone jars. set them in an oven four or five times after the bread is drawn. when the skins shrivel they are done enough; if they shrink much, you must fill up the jar with more fruit, and cover them at last with melted suet. _dripping, to clarify for crust._ boil beef dripping in water for a few minutes; let it stand till cold, when it will come off in a cake. it makes good crust for the kitchen. _dumplings._ take of stale bread, suet, and loaf-sugar, half a pound each; make the whole so fine as to go through a sieve. mix it with lemon-juice, and add the rind of a lemon finely grated. make it up into dumplings, and pour over them sweet sauce without wine. _currant dumplings._ a quarter of a pound of apple, a quarter of a pound of currants, three eggs, some sugar, bitter almonds, lemon or orange peel, and a little nutmeg. boil an hour and a half. _drop dumplings._ to a piece of fresh butter, of the size of an egg, take three spoonfuls of flour, and three yolks of eggs; stir the butter and eggs well together; add a little salt and nutmeg, and then put the flour to it. drop the batter with a small spoon into boiling water, and let it boil four or five minutes; pour the water from the dumplings, and eat them with a ragout, or as a dish by itself. _another way._ break two eggs into half a pint of milk, and beat them up; mix with flour, and put a little salt. set on the fire a saucepan with water, and, when it boils, drop the batter in with a large spoon, and boil them quick for five minutes. take them out carefully with a slice, lay them on a sieve for a minute to dry, put them into a dish, cut a piece of butter in thin slices, and stir among them. send them up as hot as you can. _kitchen hard dumplings._ mix flour and water with a little salt into a stiff paste. put in a few currants for change, and boil them for half an hour. it improves them much to boil them with beef or pork. _yest dumplings._ a table-spoonful of yest, three handfuls of flour, mix with water and a little salt. boil ten minutes in a deep pot, and cover with water when they rise. the dough to be made about the size of an apple. the quantity mentioned above will make a dozen of the proper size. _another way._ make nice light dough, by putting your flour into a platter; make a hollow in the middle of it, and pour in a little good small beer warmed, an egg well beaten, and some warm milk and water. strew salt upon the flour, but not upon the mixture in the middle, or it will not do well. then make it into as light a dough as you can, and set it before the fire, covered with a cloth, a couple of hours, to rise. make it into large dumplings, and set them before the fire six or seven minutes; then put them into boiling water with a little milk in it. a quarter of an hour will do them. _eggs._ eggs left till cold will reheat to the same degree as at first. for instance, an egg boiled three minutes and left till cold will reheat in the same time and not be harder. it may be useful to know this when fresh eggs are scarce. _whites of eggs._ beat up the whites of twelve eggs with rose-water, some fine grated lemon-peel, and nutmeg; sweeten to your taste, and well mix the whole. boil it in four bladders, tied up in the shape of an egg, till hard; they will take half an hour. when cold, lay them in a dish; mix half a pint of good cream, a gill of sack, and half the juice of a seville orange; sweeten and mix it well, and pour it over the eggs. _another way._ beat two whites in a plate in a cool place till quite stiff and they look like snow. lay it on the lid of a stewpan; put it in a cool oven, and bake it of a light brown for about ten minutes. _figs, to dry._ take figs when thoroughly ripe, pare them very thin, and slit them at the top. to one pound of fruit put three quarters of a pound of sugar, and to the sugar a pint of water; boil the syrup at first a little, skim it very clean, and set it over coals to keep it warm. have ready some warm water, and when it boils put in your figs; let them boil till tender; then take them up by the stalk, and drain them clean from water. put them into the syrup over the fire for two or three hours, turning them frequently; do the same morning and evening, keeping them warm, for nine days, till you find them begin to candy. then lay them out upon glasses. turn them often the first day, on the next twice only; they will quickly dry if they are well attended to. a little ambergris or musk gives the fruit a fine flavour. peaches and plums may be done the same way. _small flowers, to candy._ take as much fine sugar as you think likely to cover the flowers, and wet it for a candy. when boiled pretty thick, put in your flowers, and stir, but be careful not to bruise them. keep them over the fire, but do not let them boil till they are pretty dry; then rub the sugar off with your hands as soon as you can, and take them out. _flowers in sprigs, to candy._ dissolve gum arabic in water, and let it be pretty thin; wet the flowers in it, and put them in a cloth to dry. when nearly dry, dip them all over in finely sifted sugar, and hang them up before the fire, or, if it should be a fine sunshiny day, hang them in the sun till they are thoroughly dry, and then take them down. the same may be done to marjoram and mint. _dutch flummery._ steep two ounces of isinglass two hours in a pint of boiling water; take a pint of white wine, the yolks of eight eggs, well beaten, the juice of four lemons, with the rind of one. sweeten it to your taste; set it over the fire, and keep it stirring till it boils. _hartshorn flummery._ no. . take half a pound of hartshorn; boil it in four quarts of water, till reduced to one quarter or less; let it stand all night. blanch a quarter of a pound of almonds, and beat them small; melt the jelly, mix with it the almonds, strained through a thin strainer or hair sieve; then put a quarter of a pint of cream, a little cinnamon, and a blade of mace; boil these together, and sweeten it. put it into china cups, and, when you use it, turn it out of the cups, and eat it with cream. _hartshorn flummery._ no. . put one pound of hartshorn shavings to three quarts of spring water; boil it very gently over a slow fire till it is reduced to one quart, then strain it through a fine sieve into a basin; let it stand till cold; then just melt it, and put to it half a pint of white wine, a pint of good thick cream, and four spoonfuls of orange-flower water. scald the cream, and let it be cold before you mix it with the wine and jelly; sweeten it with double-refined sugar to your taste, and then beat it all one way for an hour and a half at least, for, if you are not careful in thus beating, it will neither mix nor even look to please you. dip the moulds first in water, that they may turn out well. keep the flummery in cups a day before you use it; when you serve it, stick it with blanched almonds, cut in thin slices. calves' feet may serve instead of hartshorn shavings. _hartshorn flummery._ no. . take one pound of hartshorn shavings, and put to it three quarts of water; boil it till it is half consumed; then strain and press out the hartshorn, and set it by to cool. blanch four ounces of almonds in cold water, and beat them very fine with a little rose and orange-flower water. make the jelly as warm as new milk, and sweeten it to your taste with the best sugar; put it by degrees to the almonds, and stir it very well until they are thoroughly mixed. then wring it through a cloth, put it into cups, and set it by to jelly. before you turn them out, dip the outside in a little warm water to loosen them; stick them with blanched almonds, cut in thin long pieces. three ounces of sweet almonds, and one of apricot or peach kernels, make ratafia flummery. if you have none of the latter, use bitter almonds. _fondues._ boil a quarter of a pound of crumb of bread in milk; beat it with a wooden spoon; grate half a pound of cheshire cheese, add the yolks of three eggs, and a quarter of a pound of butter; beat all well together. beat up three whites of eggs to a thick froth; put this in last, and beat the whole well together. bake in two paper cases or a dish, in a quick oven, for twenty minutes. _yorkshire fritters._ to two quarts of flour take two spoonfuls of yest, mixed with a little warm milk. let it rise. take nine eggs, leaving out four whites, and temper your dough to the consistence of paste. add currants or apples, and a little brandy or rose-water. roll the fritters thin, and fry them in lard. _fruit, to preserve._ strip the fruit, put it into a stone jar, set the jar in a saucepan of water, and stew it to boiling on the stove. strain off the liquor, and to every pint allow a pound of loaf sugar. mix the fruit and the sugar in lumps in a stone vessel, but not till the sugar is nearly dissolved: then put it in a preserving-pan, and simmer and strain it till it is quite clear. when it will jelly on a plate, it is done, and may be put into pots. _fruit, to preserve green._ take green pippins, pears, plums, apricots, or peaches; put them into a preserving-pan; cover them with vine-leaves, and then with clear spring water. put on the cover of the pan, and set them over a very clear fire; take them off as soon as they begin to simmer, and take them carefully out with a slice. then peel and preserve them as other fruit. _fruit of all sorts, to scald._ put your fruit into scalding water, sufficient nearly to cover it; set it over a slow fire, and keep it in a scald till tender, turning the fruit where the water does not cover. when it is very tender, lay paper close to it, and let it stand till it is cold. then, to a pound of fruit put half a pound of sugar, and let it boil, but not too fast, till it looks clear. all fruit must be done whole, excepting pippins, and they are best in halves or quarters, with a little orange-peel and the juice of lemon. _gingerbread._ no. . to a pound and a half of flour add one pound of treacle, almost as much sugar, an ounce of beaten ginger, two ounces of caraway seeds, four ounces of citron and lemon-peel candied, and the yolks of four eggs. cut your sweetmeats, mix all, and bake it in large cakes, or tin plates. _gingerbread._ no. . into one pound and a half of flour work three quarters of a pound of butter; add three quarters of a pound of treacle, two ounces of sugar, half an ounce of ginger, a little orange-peel beaten and sifted. some take a pound and a quarter of treacle and two ounces of ginger. _gingerbread._ no. . two pounds of flour, two ounces of caraway seeds, one tea-spoonful of powdered ginger, half a spoonful of allspice, and the same of pearl-ash, two ounces of preserved orange, the same of lemon-peel, and half a pound of butter; mix these ingredients well together, and make it into a stiff paste with treacle, as stiff as you would make paste for a tart; then put it before the fire to rise for one hour, after which you may roll it out, and cut it into cakes, or mould it, as you like. _gingerbread._ no. . take a pound of treacle and half a pound of butter; melt them together over a fire; have ready a pound and a half of flour well dried, into which put at least half an ounce of ginger well beaten and sifted, as many coriander seeds, half a pound of sugar, a little brandy, and some candied orange-peel; then mix the warm treacle and butter with the flour; make it into flat cakes, and bake it upon tins. _gingerbread._ no. . two pounds of flour well dried, one pound of treacle, one pound of sugar, one nutmeg, four ounces of sweetmeats, one ounce of beaten ginger, one pound of fresh butter, melted with the treacle, and poured hot upon the other ingredients; make it into a paste, and let it lie till quite cold; then roll it out, and bake it in a slow oven. _gingerbread._ no. . one pound of treacle, the same weight of flour, butter and sugar of each a quarter of a pound, ginger and candied lemon-peel of each half an ounce. rub the butter, ginger, and sugar, well together, before you put in the treacle. _thick gingerbread._ to a pound and a half of flour take one pound of treacle, almost as much sugar, an ounce of beaten ginger, two ounces of caraway seed, four ounces of citron and lemon-peel candied, and the yolks of four eggs. cut the sweetmeats; well mix the whole; and bake in large cakes on tin plates. _gingerbread cakes or nuts._ melt half a pound of butter, and put to it half a pound of treacle, two spoonfuls of brandy, and six ounces of coarse brown sugar. mix all these together in a saucepan, and let the whole be milk warm; then put it to a pound and a quarter of flour, half an ounce of ginger, some orange-peel finely grated, and as much candied orange as you like. _gingerbread nuts._ a quarter of a pound of treacle, the same of flour, one ounce of butter, a little brown sugar, and some ginger. mix all together, and bake the nuts on tins. sweetmeat is a great addition. _gooseberries, to bottle._ pick them in dry weather before they are too large; cut them at both ends with scissars, that they may not be broken; put them into very dry bottles, and fill them up to the neck with cold spring water. put the bottles up to their necks in water, in a large fish-kettle, set it on the fire, and scald them. take it off immediately when you perceive the gooseberries change colour. next day, if the bottles require filling, have ready some cold spring water which has been boiled, and fill half way up the neck of the bottles; then pour in a little sweet oil, just sufficient to cover the water at the top of the bottle, and tie them over with a bladder. _gooseberries in jelly._ make as much thick syrup as will cover the quantity of gooseberries you intend to do; boil and skim it clear: set it by till almost cold. have ready some green hairy gooseberries, not quite ripe, and the skins of which are still rather hard; cut off the remains of the flower at one end, leaving the little stalk on at the other; with a small penknife slit down the side, and with the point of the knife carefully remove the seeds, leaving the pulp. put the gooseberries into the syrup when lukewarm; set it on the fire, shake it frequently, but do not let it boil. take it off, and let the gooseberries stand all night: with a spoon push them under the syrup, or cover them with white paper. next day set them on the fire, scald them again, but they must not boil, and shake them as before. proceed in the same manner a third time. the jelly to put them in must be made thus: take three pints of the sharpest gooseberries you can get--they must be of the white sort--to one pint of water; and the quantity you make of this jelly must of course be proportioned to that of the fruit. boil them half an hour, till all the flavour of the fruit is extracted; strain off the liquor; let it settle, pour off the clear, and to each pint add one pound of double-refined sugar. boil it till it jellies, which you may see by putting a little into a spoon or cup. put a little of the jelly at the bottom of the pot to prevent the gooseberries from sinking to the bottom; when it is set, put in the rest of the gooseberries and jelly. when cold, cover with brandy paper. _gooseberries, to preserve._ pick the white gooseberries, stamp and strain them; then take the largest of them when they just begin to turn; stone them, and to half a pound of gooseberries put a pound of the finest sugar, and beat it very fine. take half a pound of the juice which you have strained; let it stand to settle clear; and set it, with six spoonfuls of water, on a quick fire; boil it as fast as you can; when you see the sugar, as it boils, look clear, they are enough; which will be in less than a quarter of an hour. put them in glasses or pots, and paper them close. next day, if they are not jellied hard enough, set them for a day or two in a hot stove, or in some warm place, but not in the sun; and, when jellied, put the papers close to them after being wetted and dried with a cloth. _another way._ stone your gooseberries, and as you stone them put them into water: then weigh them, and to eight ounces of gooseberries take twelve ounces of double-refined sugar. put as much water as will make it a pretty thick syrup, and when boiled and skimmed let it cool a little; then put the gooseberries into the syrup, and boil them quick, till they look clear. take them out one by one, and put them into glass bottles; then heat the syrup a little, strain it through muslin, pour it on the fruit, and it will jelly when cold. _gooseberry paste._ pick off the eyes of the gooseberries, and put them in water scarcely sufficient to cover them; let them boil, and rub them through a sieve. boil up a candy of sugar; put in your paste, and just scald it a little. add one pound of sugar to a pint of the paste, and put into pots to dry in the stove: when candied over, turn them out on glasses. _grapes, to dry._ scald bunches of grapes in water till they will peel; when they are peeled and stoned, put them into fresh cold water, cover them up close, and set them over the fire till they begin to green. then take them out of the water and put them to the syrup; after it has been well skimmed. cut a paper that will exactly fit the skillet, and let it rest upon the syrup. cover the skillet, and set it over a slow fire, till the grapes look green; put them into a thicker syrup, and, when they are as green as you wish them to be, take them out of the syrup, and let them dry in the stove in bunches. _grapes, to preserve._ stone your grapes, and peel off the skin; cover them and no more with codling jelly, and let them boil fast up: then take them off the fire, let them stand until they are cold, and boil them again till they become green. put a pound of sugar to a pint of the grapes, and let them boil fast till they jelly. _greengages, to preserve._ gather the plums before they are too ripe, and take as much pump water as will cover them. put to the water a quarter of a pound of double-refined sugar, boil it, and let it stand to be cold. prick the greengages with a large needle in four places to the stone; wrap each of them lightly in a vine-leaf, and set them over a slow fire to green. do so for three days running; on the last day, put in a spoonful of old verjuice or lemon-juice, and a small lump of alum. next day draw them, and, after taking off the vine-leaves, put them in a thick syrup, first boiled and cleared. finish them by degrees, by heating them a little every day till they look clear. _another way._ stone and split the fruit without taking off the skin. weigh an equal quantity of sugar and fruit, and strew part of the sugar over the greengages, having first laid them on dishes, with the hollow part uppermost. take the kernels from the stones, peel and blanch them. the next day, pour off the syrup from the fruit, and boil it very gently with the other sugar eight minutes. skim it, and add the fruit and kernels. simmer the whole till quite clear, taking off any scum that rises. put the fruit, one by one, into small pots, and pour the syrup and kernels to it. _hartshorn jelly._ boil one pound of hartshorn shavings over a very gentle fire, in two quarts of water, till it is reduced to one quart; let it settle, and strain it off. put to this liquor the whites of eight or nine eggs, and four or five of their shells, broken very fine, the whites well beaten, the juice of seven or eight lemons, or part oranges; sweeten with the best sugar, and add above a pint of rhenish or lisbon wine. mix all these well together, and boil over a quick fire, stirring all the time with a whisk. as soon as it boils up, strain it through a flannel bag, throwing it backward and forward till it is perfectly clear. boil lemon-peel in it to flavour it. the last time of passing it through the bag, let it drip into the moulds or glasses. _hedgehog._ blanch two quarts of the best almonds in cold water; beat them very fine in a mortar, with a little canary wine and orange-flower water; make them into a stiff paste; then beat in the yolks of twelve eggs, leaving out five whites; add a pint of good cream; sweeten to your taste, and put in half a pound of good butter melted. set it on a slow fire, and keep it constantly stirring till it is stiff enough. make it up into the form of a hedgehog; stick it full of blanched almonds, slit and stuck up like the bristles; put it in a dish, and make hartshorn jelly, and put to it, or cold cream, sweetened with a glass of white wine, and the juice of a seville orange; plump two currants for the eyes. _ice and cream._ mix a little cream and new milk together in a dish; put in runnet, as for cheesecakes; stir it together. pour in some canary wine and sugar. then put the whites of three eggs and a little rose-water to a pint of cream; whip it up to a froth with a whisk, and, as it rises, put it upon the runnet and milk. lay in here and there bunches of preserved barberries, raspberry jam, or any thing of that sort you please. whip up more froth, and put over the whole. _lemon ice._ grate the peel of two lemons on sugar, and put it into a bowl, with the juice of four lemons squeezed, and well stir it about; then sweeten it with clarified sugar to your taste, and add to it three spoonfuls of water. throw over a little salt on the ice; put the ice in the bottom of the pail; put the ice-pot on it, and cover it also with ice. turn the pot continually, and in about a minute or two open it, and continue to stir it till it is frozen enough; after this stir every now and then. _iceing for cakes._ beat the white of an egg to a strong froth; put in by degrees four ounces of fine sugar, beaten and sifted very fine, with as much gum as will lie on a sixpence. beat it up for half an hour, and lay it over your cakes the thickness of a straw. _another._ take the whites of four eggs and a pound of double-refined sugar, pounded and sifted; beat the eggs a little; put the sugar in, and whip it as fast as possible; then wash your cake with rose-water, and lay the iceing on; set it in the oven with the lid down till it is hard. _jaunemange._ steep two ounces of isinglass for an hour in a pint of boiling water; put to it three quarters of a pint of white wine, the juice of two oranges and one lemon, the peel of a lemon cut very fine, and the yolks of eight eggs. sweeten and boil it all together; strain it in a mould, and, when cold, turn it out. make it the day before you use it. _another way._ one ounce of isinglass, dissolved in a good half pint of water, the juice of two small lemons, the peel of half a lemon, the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, half a pound of sugar, half a pint of white wine: mix these carefully together, and stir them into the isinglass jelly over the fire. let it simmer a few minutes; when a little cool, pour it into your moulds, taking care to wet them first; turn it out the next day. _coloured jelly, to mix with or garnish other jelly._ pare four lemons as thin as possible; put the rinds into a pint and a half of water; let them lie twelve hours: then squeeze the lemons; put the water and juice together; add three quarters of a pound of the best sugar, but if the lemons are large, it will require more sugar. when the sugar is quite melted, beat up the whites of six new-laid eggs to a froth; mix all together, and strain it through a hair sieve into a saucepan; set it on a slow fire, and keep it stirred till it is near boiling and grows thick. then take it off, and keep stirring it the same way till it cools. the colouring is to be steeped in a cup of water, and then strained into the other ingredients. care must be taken to stir it always one way. the eggs are the last thing put in; the whole must be well mixed with a whisk till thoroughly incorporated. _gloucester jelly._ of rice, sago, pearl barley, candied eringo root, of each one ounce; add two quarts of water; simmer it over the fire till it is reduced to one quart; strain it. this will produce a strong jelly; a little to be dissolved in white wine or warm milk, and to be taken three or four times a day. _another way._ pearl barley, whole rice, sago, and candied eringo root, of each one ounce, and half an ounce of hartshorn shavings, put into two quarts of spring water; simmer very gently till reduced to one quart, and then rub it through a fine sieve. half a coffee-cup to be taken with an equal quantity of milk in a morning fasting, and lie an hour after it, and to be taken twice more in the day. you may then put a small quantity of wine or brandy instead of milk. _lemon jelly._ put the juice of four lemons, and the rind pared as thin as possible, into a pint of spring water, and let it stand for half an hour. take the whites of five eggs; sweeten, and strain through a flannel bag. set it over a slow fire, and stir it one way till it begins to thicken. you may then put it in glasses or dishes, and colour with turmeric. _nourishing jelly._ dissolve two ounces of isinglass in a quart of port wine, with some cinnamon and sugar: sweeten to your taste with the best white sugar. it must not be suffered to boil, and will take two or three hours to dissolve, as the fire must be very slow: stir it often to prevent its boiling. it must be taken cold. _orange jelly._ no. . squeeze the juice of nine or ten china oranges and one seville orange through a sieve into an earthen pan, adding a quarter of a pound of double-refined sugar. take an ounce and a half, good weight, of the best isinglass, the peel of seven of the oranges grated, and the bitter squeezed out through a towel; boil this peel in the isinglass, which must be put over the fire in about a pint of water just to melt it. stir it all the time it is on the fire; strain and pour it to the juice of the oranges, which boil together for about ten minutes. when you take it off, strain it again, and put it into moulds. _orange jelly._ no. . set on the fire one ounce of isinglass in a quarter of a pint of warm water till it is entirely dissolved. take the juice of nine oranges; strain off clear half a pint of mountain wine, sweetened with lump sugar to your taste, and colour it with a very little cochineal. boil all together for a few minutes, and strain it through a flannel bag, till it is quite clear: pour it to the peels, and let it stand till it is a stiff jelly. _orange jelly._ no. . one ounce of isinglass, dissolved in a pint of water, the juice of six china oranges, a bit of the rind, pared thin, sweetened to the taste, scalded, and strained. you may scoop the rind and fill the oranges, and, when cold, halve or quarter them. _restorative jelly._ take two pounds of knuckle of veal and a pound and a half of lean beef; set it over the fire with four pints of water; cover it close, and stew it till reduced to half. while stewing, put in half an ounce of fine isinglass, picked small, a little salt, and mace. strain it off clear, and when cold take off every particle of fat. warm it in hot water, and not in a pan. take a tea-cupful twice a day. _strawberry jelly._ boil two ounces of isinglass in a quarter of a pint of water over a gentle fire, and skim it well. mash a quart of scarlet strawberries in an earthen pan with a wooden spoon; then put in the isinglass, some powdered sugar, and the juice of a good lemon--this quantity is for six small moulds; if you do not find it enough, add a little more water; then run it through a tamis, changing it two or three times. _wine jelly._ on two ounces of isinglass and one ounce of hartshorn shavings pour one pint of boiling water; let it stand a quarter of an hour covered close; then add two quarts of water, and boil it well till the isinglass is dissolved; add a pint of dry wine, sugar to your taste, four lemons, and the whites of seven eggs well beaten. boil it quick, and keep it stirring all the time; then pour it through a jelly-bag, and strain it two or three times till quite clear. _lemons or seville oranges, to preserve._ take fine large lemons or seville oranges; rasp the outside skin very fine and thin; put them in cold water, and let them lie all night. put them in fresh water, and set them on the fire in plenty of water, and, when they have had two or three boils, take them off, and let them lie all night in cold water. then put them into fresh water, and let them boil till they are so tender that you can run a straw through them. if you think the bitterness not sufficiently out, put them again into cold water, and let them lie all night. lemons need not soak so long as oranges. to four oranges or lemons put two pounds of the best sugar and a pint of water; boil and skim it clear, and when it is cold put in the oranges, and let them lie four or five days in cold syrup; then give them a boil every day till they look clear. make some pippin or codlin jelly thus: to a pint of either put one pound of sugar, and let it boil till it jellies; then heat the oranges, and put them to the jelly and half their syrup; boil them very fast a quarter of an hour, and, just before you take them off the fire, put in the juice of two or three lemons; put them in pots or porringers, that will hold them single, and that will admit jelly enough. to four oranges or lemons, put a pound and a half of jelly and the same quantity of syrup, but boiled together, as directed for the oranges. malaga lemons are the best; they are done in the same manner as the oranges, only that they do not require so much soaking. _lemon caudle._ take a pint of water, the juice of two lemons, the rind of half a lemon pared as thin as possible from the white, a blade of mace, and some bread shred very small; sweeten to your taste. set the whole on the fire to boil; when boiled enough, which you will perceive by the bread being soft, beat three or four eggs well together till they are as thin as water; then take a little out of the skillet and put to the eggs, and so proceed till the eggs are hot; then put them to the rest, stirring well to prevent curdling. _lemon or chocolate drops._ take half a pound of fine-sifted double-refined sugar; grate into it the yellow rind of a fair large lemon; whip the white of an egg to a froth, with which wet the sugar till it is as stiff as good working paste. drop it as you like on paper, with a little sugar first sifted on it; bake in a very slow oven. for chocolate drops, grate about an ounce of chocolate as you did of lemon-peel, which must then be left out. _lemon puffs._ into half a pound of double-refined sugar, beat fine and sifted, grate the yellow rind of a large lemon. whip up the white of an egg to a froth, and wet it with the froth, till it is as stiff as a good working paste. lay the puffs on papers, and bake them in a very slow oven. _lemon tart._ a quarter of a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with a little sweet cream; put in half a pound of sugar, the yolks only of eight eggs, half a pound of butter, the peel of two lemons grated. beat all together fine in a mortar; lay puff paste about the dish; bake it half an hour. _lemon solid._ put the juice of a lemon, with the rind grated, into a dish: sweeten it to your taste; boil a quart of cream till it is reduced to three half pints; pour it upon the lemon, and let it stand to cool. it should be made the day before it is used. _syrup of lemons._ to three pounds of the best sugar finely beaten put one pint of lemon juice, set by to settle, and then poured off clear: put it in a silver tankard, and set that in a pot of boiling water. let this boil till the sugar is quite dissolved, and when cold bottle it; take care that in the boiling not the least water gets in. skim off any little scum that rises. _macaroons._ take half a pound of almonds, blanched and pounded, and half a pound of finely pounded lump sugar. beat up the whites of two eggs to a froth; mix the sugar and almonds together; add the eggs by degrees; and, when they are well mixed, drop a spoonful on wafer-paper. they must be baked as soon as made in a slow oven. _citron marmalade._ boil the citron very tender, cutting off all the yellow rind; beat the white very well in a wooden bowl; shred the rind, and to a pound of pulp and rind take a pound and a half of sugar, and half a pint of water. when it boils, put in the citron, and boil it very fast till it is clear; put in half a pint of pippin jelly, and boil it till it jellies very well; then add the lemon-juice, and put it into your pots or glasses. _cherry marmalade._ take eight pounds of cherries, not too ripe; stone them; take two pounds of sugar beaten, and the juice of four quarts of currants, red and white. put the cherries into a pan, with half a pound of the sugar, over a very hot fire; shake them frequently; when there is a good deal of liquor, put in the rest of the sugar, skimming it well and boiling it as fast as possible, till your syrup is almost wasted; then put in your currant juice, and let it boil quick till it jellies; keep stirring it with care; then put it in pots. _another way._ take five pounds of cherries stoned and two pounds of loaf sugar; shred your cherries, wet your sugar with the juice that runs from them, then put the cherries into the sugar, and boil them pretty fast, till they become a marmalade. when cold, put it into glasses for use. _orange marmalade._ no. . pare your oranges very thin, and lay them in water two or three days, changing the water twice a day; then take them out, and dry them with a linen cloth. take their weight in sugar beat fine; cut the oranges in halves, take out the pulp, pick out the seeds, and take off the skins carefully. boil the rinds very tender in a linen cloth; cut them in strips whilst hot, and lay them in the pan in which you design to boil the marmalade. put a layer of sugar, and a layer of orange rinds, alternately, till all are in; let them stand till the sugar is quite dissolved; add the juice of a lemon; set them on a stove, and let them boil fast till nearly done; then put in the pulp, and boil them again till quite done. take them off, and add the juice of a lemon; let them stand in pots for a few days, and they will be fit for eating. lemon marmalade may be done in the same way, only with a much greater quantity of sugar, or sugar mixed with sugar-candy. _orange marmalade._ no. . take six dozen seville oranges; pare thin three dozen, the other three rasp thin, and keep the parings and raspings separate. cut all the six dozen in halves; squeeze out the juice, but not too hard; scoop out the pulp with a tea-spoon; pick out the seeds, and keep the pulp. boil the skins, changing the water two or three times, to take off the bitterness, till they are tender enough for a straw to pierce them. when they are boiled, scoop out and throw away the stringy part; boil the parings three times in different waters; beat the boiled skins very fine in a marble mortar; beat the boiled rinds in the same manner. the pulp, skin, rinds, and juice, must be all weighed, but not yet mixed; for each pound in the whole take one pound of loaf sugar, which must first be mixed with a little water, boiled alone, well skimmed, and thoroughly cleared. the pulp, skins, and juice, must then be put into this syrup, well mixed, and boiled together for about half an hour; after which put in the rasped rinds, beaten as above directed, and boil all together for a short time. put the marmalade into small pots, and cover with brandy paper. _orange marmalade._ no. . take a dozen of seville oranges and their weight in sugar finely powdered. pare the oranges as thin as possible; the first peel is not used in marmalade; it is better to grate off the outer peel and put them in water. let them lie two or three days, changing the water every day; then cut the oranges in quarters, and take out all the pulp; boil the peels in several waters, till they are quite tender and not bitter. then put to the sugar half a pint of water, and boil it to a syrup, till it draws as fine as a hair; put in the peels sliced very thin, and boil them gently about a quarter of an hour. while the peels are boiling, pick out all the seeds and skins from the pulp; then put the pulp to the orange-peel; let it boil till it is clear; put a little in a saucer, and when it jellies it is done enough. _scotch orange marmalade._ weigh the oranges, and take an equal weight of sugar; wipe the fruit with a wet cloth; grate them, cut them across, and squeeze them through a hair sieve. boil the skins tender, so that the head of a pin will easily pierce them; take them off the fire, squeeze out the water, scrape the pulp from them, cut the skins into very thin chips, and let them boil until they are very transparent. then put in the juice and so much of the gratings as you choose; let it all boil together till it will jelly, which you will know by letting a little of it cool in a saucer. _red quince marmalade._ no. . take one pound and a half of quinces, two pounds of sugar, a pint of water, and a quarter of a pint of the juice of quinces; boil it tender, and skim it well. when done enough, put into it a quarter of a pint of the juice of barberries. skim it clear as long as any thing rises. _red quince marmalade._ no. . scald as many fine large quinces as you would use, and grate as many small ones as will make a quart of juice, or according to the quantity you want. let this settle; after you have pressed it through a coarse cloth, strain it through a jelly-bag, that what you use may be perfectly clear. to every pint of this liquor put a pound and a half of sugar, and a pound and a half of the scalded quinces, which must be pared and cored before they are weighed. set it at first on a pretty brisk fire; when it begins to boil, slacken the fire; and when it begins to turn red cover it close. as soon as it is of a fine bright red, take it off, as it turns of a blackish muddy colour in a moment if not carefully watched. a small bit of cochineal, tied up in a bit of rag and boiled with it, gives it a beautiful colour. before you have finished boiling, add barberry juice, to your judgment, which improves the flavour. _red quince marmalade._ no. . pare the quinces, quarter them, and cut out all the hard part; to a pound of quinces put a pound and a half of sugar and half a pound of the juice of barberries, boiled with water, as you do jelly or other fruit, boiling it very fast, and break it very small; when it is all to pieces and jellied, it is enough. if you wish the marmalade to be of a green colour, put a few black bullaces to the barberries when you make the jelly. _white quince marmalade._ pare and quarter the quinces, and put as much water as will cover them; boil them all to pieces to make jelly, and run it through a jelly-bag. take a pound of quinces, quarter them, and cut out all the hard parts; pare them, and to a pound of fruit put a pound and a half of finely beaten sugar and half a pint of water. let it boil till very clear; keep stirring it, and it will break as you wish it. when the sugar is boiled very thick, almost to a candy, put in half a pint of jelly, and let it boil very fast till it becomes a jelly. take it off the fire, and put in juice of lemon; skim it well, and put it into pots or glasses. _marchpane._ blanch one pound of almonds as white as you can; take three quarters of a pound of fine white sugar well pounded; beat them up together with a little rose-water, to prevent the almonds from oiling. take out the mixture, work it like paste, make it into cakes, lay them on wafers, and bake them. boil rose-water and sugar till it becomes a syrup; when the cakes are almost done, spread this syrup all over them, and strew them with comfits. _another way._ take a pound of almonds finely beaten, and a pound of fine sugar, sifted through a hair sieve; mix these together; then add the whites of four eggs, beaten up to a froth; mix the whole well together, and scald it over your fire, still keeping it well-stirred, to prevent burning. let it stand till cold; afterwards roll it on papers, and bake it. _marrow pasties._ make the pasties small, the length of a finger; put in large pieces of marrow, first dipped in egg, and seasoned with sugar, beaten cloves, mace, and nutmeg. strew a few currants on the marrow, and either bake or fry them. _melons or cucumbers, to preserve._ cut and pare a thoroughly ripe melon into thick slices; put them into water till they become mouldy; then put them into fresh water over the fire to coddle, not to boil. make a good syrup; when properly skimmed, and while boiling, put your melon in to boil for a short time. the syrup should be boiled every day for a fortnight; do not put it to the melon till a little cold: the last time you boil the syrup, put it into a muslin bag; add one ounce of ginger pounded and the juice and rind of two lemons; but, if a large melon, allow an additional ounce of ginger. _melon compote._ cut a good melon as for eating; peel it, carefully taking off the green part entirely, but not more. take out all the inside, and steep the slices for ten days in the best vinegar, keeping it well covered. take out the slices, and put them over the fire in fresh vinegar; let them stew till quite tender. then drain and dry them in a cloth; stick bits of cloves and cinnamon in them; lay them in a jar, and make a syrup, and pour over them. tie the jar close down. this kind of sweetmeat is eaten in geneva with roast meat, and is much better than currant jelly or apple sauce. the melon must be in good order, and within three or four days of being ripe enough to eat. _mince meat._ no. . one pound of beef, one pound and a half of suet, one pound of currants, half a pound of chopped raisins, one pound of sugar, if moist, half a pint of brandy, a pint of raisin wine, mace, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, pounded together. sweetmeats, candied lemon, and fresh peel, may be added, when used for baking. _mince meat._ no. . one pound of beef suet, one pound of apples peeled and cored, one pound of raisins stoned and chopped very fine, the same of currants well picked, half a pound of sugar made very fine, a glass of brandy, a glass of wine, half an ounce of allspice, the juice of two large lemons, the rind chopped as fine as possible: add sweetmeats to your taste. _mince meat._ no. . take one pound of beef and two pounds of suet shred fine, two pounds of currants, one pound of the best raisins stoned, but not chopped, three quarters of a pound of sugar, four fine pippins or russetings chopped fine, some grated lemon-peel, half an ounce of cinnamon, the same of nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of mace, wine and brandy to your taste, and whatever sweetmeats you please. _mince meat without meat._ no. . twelve pounds of currants, very well washed, dried, and picked, six pounds of raisins stoned and chopped very small, a quarter of a pound of cloves, three ounces of mace, and two of nutmegs, pounded very fine, the rind of three large fresh lemons pared very thin and chopped fine, six pounds of powder sugar, a quart of sack, a quart of brandy, one hundred golden rennets, pared, cored, and chopped small: mix all well together, and let it stand two days, stirring it from the bottom twice or thrice a day. add three whole dried preserved oranges and an equal weight of dried citron. mix in the suet a day or two before you use it. add lemon-juice to your taste, and that only to the quantity you mean to bake at once. without suet these ingredients will keep for six months. _mince meat without meat._ no. . to make a mince meat that will keep for five or six years, take four pounds of raisins of the sun, stoned and chopped very fine, five pounds of currants, three pounds of beef suet shred very fine, the crumb of a half-quartern loaf, three pounds of loaf-sugar, the peel of four lemons grated, half an ounce of nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the same of cloves, and one pint of good brandy. when you make your pies, add about one third of apple chopped fine; and to each pie put six or eight small slices of citron and preserved orange-peel, with a table-spoonful of sweet wine, ratafia, and a piece of a large lemon mixed together. _mince meat without meat._ no. . three pounds of suet, three pounds of apples, pared and cored, three pounds of currants washed, picked, and dried, one pound and a half of sugar powdered, three quarters of a pound of preserved orange-peel, six ounces of citron, the juice of six lemons, one pint of sack and one of brandy, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the same of nutmeg, and of cloves and cinnamon half a quarter of an ounce each. _lemon mince meat._ cut three large lemons, and squeeze out the juice; boil the peels together with the pulp till it will pound in a mortar; put to it one pound of beef suet, finely chopped, currants and lump sugar, one pound of each; mix it all well together; then add the juice with a glass of brandy. put sweetmeats to your taste. _mirangles._ put half a pint of syrup into a stewpan, and boil it to what is called blow; then take the whites of three eggs, put them in another copper pan, and whisk them very strong. when your sugar is boiled, rub it against the sides of the stewpan with a table-spoon; when you see the sugar change, quickly mix the whites of eggs with it, for if you are not quick your sugar will turn to powder. when you have mixed it as light as possible, put in the rind of one lemon; stir it as little as possible: take a board, about one foot wide and eighteen inches long, and put a sheet of paper on it. with your table-spoon drop your batter in the shape of half an egg: sift a little powdered sugar over them before you put them in the oven. let your oven be of a moderate heat; watch them attentively, and let them rise, and just let the outside be a little hard, but not the least brown; the inside must be moist. take them off with a knife, and just put about a tea-spoonful of jam in the middle of them; then put two of them together, and they will be in the shape of an egg; you must handle them very gently. _moss._ take as much white starch as sugar, and sift it; colour some of the sugar with turmeric, some with blue powder, some with chocolate, and some with the juice of spinach; and wet each by itself with a solution of gum-dragon. strain and rub it through a hair sieve, and let them dry before you touch them. _muffins._ mix flour in a pan, with warm new milk and water, yest and salt, according to your judgment. beat it up well with a wooden spoon till it is a stiff batter; then set it near the fire to rise, which will be in about an hour. it must then be well beaten down, and put to rise again, and, when very light, made into muffins, and baked in flat round irons made for the purpose. the iron must be made hot, and kept so with coals under it. take out the batter with a spoon, and drop it on a little flour sprinkled lightly on a table. then lay them on a trencher with a little flour; turn the trencher round to shape them, assisting with your hand if they need it. then bake them; when one side is done, turn them with a muffin knife, and bake the other. _oranges, to preserve._ make a hole at the stalk end; take out all the seeds, but no pulp; squeeze out the juice, which must be saved to put to them, taking great care you do not loosen the pulp. put them into an earthen pan, with water; boil them till the water is bitter, changing it three times, and, in the last water put a little salt, and boil them till they are very tender, but not to break. take them out and drain them; take two pounds of sugar and a quart of pippin jelly; boil it to a syrup, skim it very clear, and then put in your oranges. set them over a gentle fire till they boil very tender and clear; then put to them the juice that you took from them; prick them with a knife that the syrup may penetrate. if you cut them in halves, lay the skin side upwards, and put them up and cover them with the syrup. lemons and citrons may be done in the same way. _whole oranges, to preserve._ take six oranges, rasp them very thin, put them in water as you do them, and let them lie all night. in the morning boil them till they are tender, and then put them into clear water, and let them remain so two or three days. take the oranges, and cut a hole in the top, and pick out the seeds, but not the meat; then take three pounds of fine sugar, and make a thin syrup, and, when boiled and skimmed, put in your oranges, and let them boil till they are clear. take them out, and let them stand three or four days; then boil them again till the syrup is rather thick. put half a pound of sugar and half a pint of apple jelly to every orange, and let it boil until it jellies; put them into pots, and place any substance to keep down the orange in the pot till it cools. _seville oranges, to preserve._ put seville oranges in spring water, where let them remain three or four days, shifting the water every day. take them out, and grate off a little of the outside rind very carefully without touching the white, only to take away a little of the bitter; make a thin syrup, and, when it is sufficiently cleared and boiled, take it off, and, when it is only warm, put the oranges in and just simmer them over the fire. put them and the syrup into a pan, and in a day or two set them again on the fire, and just scald them. repeat this a day afterwards; then boil a thick syrup; take the oranges out of the thin one, and lay them on a cloth to drain, covered over with another; then put them to the thick syrup, as you before did to the thin one, putting them into it just hot, and giving them a simmer. repeat this in a few days if you think they are not sufficiently done. the insides must be left in. _butter orange._ take a pint of the juice of oranges and eight new-laid eggs beaten well together; mix and season them to your taste with loaf-sugar; then set it on the fire; keep stirring till it becomes thick; put in a bit of butter of the size of a walnut, stirring it while on the fire; then dish it up. _candied orange._ take twelve oranges, the palest you can get; take out the pulp, pick out the seeds and skins; let the outsides soak in water with a little salt all night: then boil them in a good quantity of spring water, till tender, which will be about nine or ten hours. drain and cut them in very thin slices; add them to the pulp, and to every pound take one pound and a half of sugar beaten fine. boil them together till clear, which will be in about three quarters of an hour. _orange cream._ grate the peels of four seville oranges into a pint of water, then squeeze the juice into the water. well beat the yolks of four eggs; put all together; and sweeten with double-refined sugar. press the whole hard through a strong strainer; set it on the fire, and stir it carefully one way, till it is as thick as cream. _orange jelly._ dissolve two ounces of isinglass in a pint of water; add a pint of the juice of four china oranges, two seville oranges, and two lemons. grate the peel of them all, and sweeten to your palate. _orange paste._ pick all the meat out of the oranges, and boil the rinds in water till they are very tender. cut off all the outside, and beat the pulp in a mortar till it is very fine. shred the outside in long thin bits, and mix it with the meat, when you have taken out all the seeds. to every pint of juice put half a pint of the pulp, and mix all together. then boil up a candy of sugar; put in your paste, and just scald it; add a good pound of sugar to a pint of the paste; put it into a broad earthen pan, set it on a stove, let it remain till it candies; skim it off with a spoon, drop it on glasses to dry, and as, often as it candies keep skimming it. _another way._ to six ounces of sugar put six ounces at least of fine flour, mixed with a little orange-flower water, but no eggs, as they would make it too dry. moisten with water, taking care that it is neither too hard nor too soft. rub the pan with a little fine oil. _orange puffs._ pare off the yellow peel of a large seville orange, but be careful not to touch the white; boil it in three several waters to take out the bitterness; it will require about three hours' boiling. beat it very fine in a marble mortar, with four ounces of fine lump sugar, four ounces of fresh butter, the yolks of six eggs, four good spoonfuls of sweet thick cream, and one spoonful of orange-flower water. beat all these ingredients so well together that you cannot discern a particle of the orange-peel. roll out your puff paste as thin as possible, lay it in pattypans, fill them with the ingredients, but do not cover them. bake them in an oven no hotter than for cheesecakes; but for frying you must make them with crust without butter, and fry them in lard. _another way._ take one pound of single-refined sugar sifted and the rind of an orange grated, a little gum-dragon, and beaten almonds rubbed through a sieve. mix all these well together; wet it into paste, and beat it in a mortar; add whites of eggs whipped to a frost. _orange sponge._ dissolve two ounces of isinglass in one pint of water; strain it through a sieve; add the juice of two china oranges and some lemon; sugar it to your taste. whisk it till it looks like a sponge; put it into a mould, and turn it out. _orange and lemon syrup._ to each pint of juice, which must be put into a large pan, throw a pound and a half of sugar, broken into small lumps, which must be stirred every day till dissolved, first carefully taking off the scum. let the peel of about six oranges be put into twelve quarts, but it must be taken out when the sugar is melted, and you are ready to bottle it. proceed in the same way with lemon, only taking two pounds of sugar to a pint of juice. _oranges for a tart._ pare some oranges as thin as possible; boil them till they are soft. cut and core double the number of good pippins, and boil them to pap, but so as that they do not lose their colour; strain the pulp, and add one pound of sugar to every pint. take out the orange-pulp, cut the peel, make it very soft by boiling, and bruise it in a mortar in the juice of lemons and oranges; then boil it to a proper consistence with the apple and orange-pulp and half a pint of rose-water. _orange tart._ take eight seville oranges; cut them in halves, pick out all the seeds; then pick out all the orange as free from the white skins as possible. take the seeds out of the cores, and boil them till tender and free from bitter. when done enough, dry them very well from the water, and beat five of the orange-peels in a marble mortar till quite smooth. then take the weight of the oranges in double-refined sugar, beaten fine, and sifted; mix it with the juice, and pound all well in the mortar; the peel that was left unbeaten you slice into your tart. you may keep out as much sugar as will ice the tart. make the crust for it with twelve ounces of flour, six ounces of butter, melted in water, and the yolks of two eggs, well beaten and mixed into your flour. be sure to prick the crust well before it goes into the oven. half this quantity makes a pretty-sized tart. _another way._ take as many oranges as you require. cut the peel extremely thin from the white, and shred it small. clear the oranges entirely from the white, and cut them in small pieces like an apple, taking out the seeds. sweeten as required, and bake in a nice paste. in winter, apples may be mixed. _panada._ take oatmeal, clean picked and well beaten; steep it in water all night; strain and boil it in a pipkin, with some currants, a blade or two of mace, and a little salt. when it is well boiled, take it off; and put in the yolks of two or three new-laid eggs, beaten with rose-water. set it on a gentle fire, and stir it that it may not curdle. sweeten with sugar, and put in a little nutmeg. _pancakes._ no. . mix a quart of milk with as much flour as will make it into a thin batter; break in six eggs; put in a little salt, a glass of raisin wine, a spoonful of beaten ginger; mix all well together; fry and sprinkle them with sugar. in making pancakes or fritters, always make your batter an hour before you begin frying, that the flour may have time to mix thoroughly. never fry them till they are wanted, or they will eat flat and insipid. add a little lemon-juice or peel. _pancakes._ no. . to a pint of cream put three spoonfuls of sack, half a pint of flour, six eggs, but only three whites; grate in some nutmeg, very little salt, a quarter of a pound of butter melted, and some sugar. after the first pancake, lay them on a dry pan, very thin, one upon another, till they are finished, before the fire; then lay a dish on the top, and turn them over, so that the brown side is uppermost. you may add or diminish the quantity in proportion. this is a pretty supper dish. _pancakes._ no. . break three eggs, put four ounces and a half of flour, and a little milk, beat it into a smooth batter; then add by degrees as much milk as will make it the thickness of good cream. make the frying-pan hot, and to each pancake put a bit of butter nearly the size of a walnut; when melted, pour in the batter to cover the bottom of the pan; make them of the thickness of half a crown. the above will do for apple fritters, by adding one spoonful more flour; peel and cut your apples in thick slices, take out the core, dip them in the batter, and fry them in hot lard; put them in a sieve to drain; grate some loaf sugar over them. _french pancakes._ beat the yolks of eight eggs, which sweeten to your taste, nearly a table-spoonful of flour, a little brandy, and half a pint of cream. they are not to be turned in the frying-pan. when half done, take the whites beaten to a strong froth, and put them over the pancakes. when these are done enough, roll them over, sugar them, and brown them with a salamander. _grillon's pancakes._ two soup-ladles of flour, three yolks of eggs, and four whole ones, two tea-spoonfuls of orange-flower water, six ratafia cakes, a pint of double cream; to be stirred together, and sugar to be shaken over every pancake, which is not to be turned--about thirty in number. _quire of paper pancakes._ take to a pint of cream eight eggs, leaving out two whites, three spoonfuls of fine flour, three of sack, one of orange-flower water, a little sugar, a grated nutmeg, a quarter of a pound of butter melted in the cream. mix a little of the cream with flour, and so proceed by degrees that it may be smooth: then beat all well together. butter the pan for the first pancake, and let them run as thin as possible to be whole. when one side is coloured, it is enough; take them carefully out of the pan, lay them as even on each other as possible; and keep them near the fire till they are all fried. the quantity here given makes twenty. _rice pancakes._ in a quart of milk mix by degrees three spoonfuls of flour of rice, and boil it till it is as thick as pap. as it boils, stir in half a pound of good butter and a nutmeg grated. pour it into a pan, and, when cold, put in by degrees three or four spoonfuls of flour, a little salt, some sugar, and nine eggs, well beaten up. mix them all together, and fry them in a small pan, with a little piece of butter. _paste._ take half a pound of good fresh butter, and work it to a cream in a basin. stir into it a quarter of a pound of fine sifted sugar, and beat it together: then work with it as much fine flour as will make a paste fit to roll out for tarts, cheesecakes, &c. _paste for baking or frying._ take a proper quantity of flour for the paste you wish to make, and mix it with equal quantities of powdered sugar and flour; melt some butter very smooth, with some grated lemon-peel and an egg, well beat; mix into a firm paste; bake or fry it. _paste for pies._ french roll dough, rolled out with less than half the quantity of butter generally used, makes a wholesome and excellent paste for pies. _paste for raised pies._ put four pounds of butter into a kettle of water; add three quarters of a pound of rendered beef suet; boil it two or three minutes; pour it on twelve pounds of flour, and work it into a good stiff paste. pull it into lumps to cool. raise the pie, using the same proportions for all raised pies according to the size required: bake in a hot oven. _another way._ take one pound of flour, and seven ounces of butter, put into boiling water till it dissolves: wet the flour lightly with it. roll your paste out thick and not too stiff; line your tins with it; put in the meat, and cover over the top of the tin with the same paste. this paste is best made over-night. _paste for tarts._ to half a pound of the best flour add the same quantity of butter, two spoonfuls of white sugar, the yolks of two eggs and one white; make it into a paste with cold water. _paste for tarts in pans._ take a pound of flour, the same of butter, with five yolks of eggs, the white of one, and as much water as will wet it into a pretty soft paste. roll it up, and put it into your pan. _paste for very small tartlets._ take an egg or more, and mix it with some flour; make a little ball as big as a tea-cup; work it with your hands till it is quite hard and stiff; then break off a little at a time as you want it, keeping the rest of the ball under cover of a basin, for fear of its hardening or drying too much. roll it out extremely thin; cut it out, and make it up in what shape you please, and harden them by the fire, or in an oven in a manner cold. it does for almonds or cocoa-nut boiled up in syrup rich, or any thing that is a dry mixture, or does not want baking. _potato paste._ take two thirds of potato and one of ground rice, as much butter rubbed in as will moisten it sufficiently to roll, which must be done with a little flour. the crust is best made thin and in small tarts. the potatoes should be well boiled and quite cold. _rice paste._ whole rice, boiled in new milk, with a reasonable quantity of butter, to such a consistency as to roll out when cold. the board must be floured while rolling. _another way._ beat up a quarter of a pound of rice-flour with two eggs; boil it till soft; then make it into a paste with very little butter, and bake it. _paste royal._ mix together one pound of flour, and two ounces of sifted sugar; rub into it half a pound of good butter, and make it into a paste not over stiff. roll it out for your pans. this paste is proper for any sweet tart or cheesecake. _short or puff paste._ no. . rub together six ounces of butter and eight of flour; mix it up with as little water as possible, so as to make a stiff paste. beat it well, and roll it thin. this is the best crust of all for tarts that are to be eaten cold and for preserved fruit. have a moderate oven. _short paste._ no. . half a pound of loaf-sugar, and the same quantity of butter, to be rubbed into a pound of flour; then make it into paste with two eggs. _short paste._ no. . to a pound and a quarter of sifted flour rub gently in half a pound of fresh butter, mixed up with half a pint of spring water, and set it by for a quarter of an hour; then roll it out thin; lay on it in small pieces three quarters of a pound more of butter; throw on it a little more flour, roll it out thin three times, and set it by for an hour in a cold place. _short paste._ no. . take one pound of flour, half a pound of fresh butter, and about four table-spoonfuls of pounded white sugar. knead the paste with the yolks of two eggs well beaten up instead of water. roll it very thin for biscuits or tarts. _short paste._ no. . three ounces of butter to something less than a pound of flour and the yolk of one egg; the butter to be thoroughly worked into the flour; if you use sugar, there is no occasion for an egg. _short paste._ no. . three quarters of a pound of butter, and the same of flour; mix the flour very stiff with a little water; put the butter in a clean cloth, and press it thoroughly to get from it all the water. then roll out all the flour and water paste, and lay the butter upon it, double over the paste, and beat it with a rolling-pin. double it up quite thick, lay it in a clean plate, and put it in a cool place for an hour. if it is not light when tried in the oven, it must be beaten again. _short paste._ no. . rub into your flour as much butter as possible, without its being greasy; rub it in very fine; put water to make it into a nice light paste; roll it out; stick bits of butter all over it; then flour and roll it up again. do this three times; it is excellent for meat-pies. _short paste, made with suet._ to one pound of flour take about half a pound of beef suet chopped very small; pour boiling water upon it; let it stand a little time; then mix the suet with the flour, taking as little of the water as possible, and roll it very thin; put a little sugar and white of egg over the crust before it is baked. _sugar paste._ take half a pound of flour, and the same quantity of sugar well pounded; work it together, with a little cream and about two ounces of butter, into a stiff paste; roll it very thin. when the tarts are made, rub the white of an egg, well beaten, over them with a feather; put them in a moderate oven, and sift sugar over them. _peaches, to preserve in brandy._ no. . the peaches should be gathered before they are too ripe; they should be of the hard kind--old newington or the magdalen peaches are the best. rub off the down with a flannel, and loosen the stone, which is done by cutting a quill and passing it carefully round the stone. prick them with a large needle in several places; put them into cold water; give them a great deal of room in the preserving-pan; scald them extremely gently: the longer you are scalding them the better, for if you do them hastily, or with too quick a fire, they may crack or break. turn them now and then with a feather: when they are tender to the feel, like a hard-boiled egg that has the shell taken off, remove them from the fire, carefully take them out, and cover them up close with a flannel. you must in all their progress observe to keep the fruit covered, and, whenever you take it from the scalding syrup, cover it up with a cloth or flannel, or the air will change the colour. then put to them a thin syrup cool. the next day, if you think the syrup too thin, drain it well from the peaches, and add a little more sugar; boil it up, and put it to them almost cold. to a pint of syrup put half a pint of the best pale brandy you can get, which sweeten with fine sugar. if the brandy is dark-coloured, it will spoil the look of the fruit. the peaches should be well chosen, and they should have sufficient room in the glass jars. when the liquor wastes, supply the deficiency by adding more syrup and brandy. cover them with a bladder, and every now and then turn them upside down, till the fruit is settled. _peaches, to preserve in brandy._ no. . scald some of the finest peaches of the white heart kind, free from spots, in a stewpan of water; take them out when soft, and put them into a large table-cloth, four or five times doubled. into a quart of white french brandy put ten ounces of powdered sugar; let it dissolve, and stir it well. put your peaches into a glass jar; pour the brandy on them; cover them very close with leather and bladder, and take care to keep your jar filled with brandy. you should mix your brandy and sugar before you scald the peaches. _peaches, to preserve in brandy._ no. . put newington peaches in boiling water: just give them a scald, but do not let them boil; then take them out, and throw them into cold water. dry them on a sieve, and put them in long wide-mouthed bottles. to half a dozen peaches take half a pound of sugar; just wet it, and make it a thick syrup. pour it over the peaches hot; when cold, fill the bottles with the finest pale brandy, and stop them very close. _pears, to pot._ put in your fruit scored; cover them with apple jelly, and let them boil till they break; then put them in a hair sieve, and rub them through with a spoon till you think it thick enough. boil up as many pounds of sugar to a candy as you have pints of paste, and when the sugar is put in the paste, just scald it, and put it into pots. _pears, to stew._ pare some barland pears; take out the core, and lay them close in a tin saucepan, with a cover fitting quite exact; add the rind of a lemon cut thin and half its juice, a small stick of cinnamon, twenty grains of allspice, and one pound of loaf-sugar, to a pint and a half of water. bake them six hours in a very slow oven. prepared cochineal is often used for colouring. _chicken pie._ parboil and neatly cut up your chickens; dry them, and set them over a slow fire for a few minutes; have ready some forcemeat, and with it some pieces of ham; lay these at the bottom of the dish, and place the chickens upon it; add some gravy well seasoned. it takes from an hour and a half to two hours. _giblet pie._ let the giblets be well cleaned, and put all into a saucepan excepting the liver, with a little water and an onion, some whole pepper, a bunch of sweet-herbs, and a little salt. cover them close, and let them stew till tender; then lay in your dish a puff paste, and upon that a rump-steak peppered and salted; put the seasoned giblets in with the liver, and add the liquor they were stewed in. close the pie; bake it two hours; and when done pour in the gravy. a dutch pie is made in the same way. _common goose pie._ quarter a goose and season it well. make a raised crust, and lay it in, with half a pound of butter at the top, cut into three pieces. put the lid on, and bake it gently. _rich goose pie._ after having boned your goose and fowl, season them well, and put your fowl into the goose, and into the fowl some forcemeat. then put both into a raised crust, filling the corners with the forcemeat. cut about half a pound of butter into three or four pieces, and lay on the top, and bake it well. _ham and chicken pie._ cut some thin slices from a boiled ham, lay them on a good puff paste at the bottom of your dish, and pepper them. cut a fowl into four quarters, and season it with a great deal of pepper, and but a little salt; and lay on the top some hard yolks of eggs, a few truffles and morels, and then cover the whole with slices of ham peppered: fill the dish with gravy, and cover it with a good thick paste. bake it well, and, when done, pour into it some rich gravy. if to be eaten cold, put no gravy. _hare pie._ cut the hare into pieces; season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and jug it with half a pound of butter. it must do above an hour, covered close in a pot of boiling water. make some forcemeat, and add bruised liver and a glass of red wine. let it be highly seasoned, and lay it round the inside of a raised crust; put the hare in when cool, and add the gravy that came from it, with some more rich gravy. put the lid on, and bake it two hours. _lumber pie._ take the best neat's tongue well boiled, three quarters of a pound of beef suet, the like quantity of currants, two good handfuls of spinach, thyme, and parsley, a little nutmeg, and mace; sweeten to your taste. add a french roll grated and six eggs. mix these all together, put them into your pie, then lay up the top. cut into long slices one candied orange, two pieces of citron, some sliced lemon, add a good deal of marrow, preserved cherries and barberries, an apple or two cut into eight pieces, and some butter. put in white wine, lemon, and sugar, and serve up. _olive pie._ two pounds of leg of veal, the lean, with the skin taken out, one pound of beef suet, both shred very small and beaten; then put them together; add half a pound of currants and half a pound of raisins stoned, half a pound of sugar, eight eggs and the whites of four, thyme, sweet marjoram, winter savory, and parsley, a handful of each. mix all these together, and make it up in balls. when you put them in the pie, put butter between the top and bottom. take as much suet as meat; when it is baked, put in a little white wine. _partridge pie._ truss the partridges the same way as you do a fowl for boiling; then beat in a mortar some shalots, parsley cut small, the livers of the birds, and double the quantity of bacon, seasoning them with pepper, salt, and two blades of mace. when well pounded, put in some fresh mushrooms. raise a crust for the pie; cover the bottom with the seasoning; put in the partridges, but no stuffing, and put in the remainder of the seasoning between the birds and on the sides; strew over a little mace, pepper and salt, shalots, fresh mushrooms, a little bacon beaten very fine; lay a layer of it over them, and put the lid on. two hours and a half will bake it, and, when done, take the lid off, skim off the fat, put a pint of veal gravy, and squeeze in the juice of an orange. _rich pigeon pie._ season the pigeons high; lay a puff paste at the bottom of the dish, stuffing the craws of the birds with forcemeat, and lay them in the dish with the breasts downward; fill all the spaces with forcemeat, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, artichoke bottoms cut in pieces, and asparagus tops. cover, and bake it; when drawn, pour in rich gravy. _high veal pie._ veal, forcemeat balls, yolks of eggs, oysters, a little nutmeg, cayenne pepper, and salt, with a little water put into the dish. _vegetable pie._ stew three pounds of gravy beef, with some white pepper, salt, and mace, a bundle of sweet-herbs, a few sweet almonds, onions, and carrots, till the gravy is of a good brown colour. strain it off; let it stand till cold; and take off all the fat. have some carrots, turnips, onions, potatoes, and celery, ready cut; boil all these together. boil some greens by themselves, and add them to the pie when served up. _a yorkshire christmas pie._ let the crust be made a good standing one; the wall and bottom must be very thick. take a turkey and bone it, a goose, a fowl, a partridge, and a pigeon, and season all well. take half an ounce of cloves, the same of black pepper, and two table-spoonfuls of salt, and beat them well together; let the fowls be slit down the back, and bone them; put the pigeon into the partridge, the partridge into the fowl, the fowl into the goose, and the goose into the turkey. season all well first, and lay them in the crust; joint a hare, and cut it into pieces; season it, and lay it close on one side; on the other side woodcocks, or any other sort of game; let them also be well seasoned and laid close. put four or five pounds of butter into the pie; cover it with a very rich paste, put it in a very hot oven, and four hours will bake it. a bushel of flour is about the quantity required for the paste. _pineapple, to preserve in slices._ pare the pines, and cut them in slices of about the same thickness as you would apples for fritters. take the weight of the fruit in the best sugar; sift it very fine, and put a layer of sugar, then a layer of pineapple; let it stand till the sugar is entirely dissolved. then drain off the syrup, and lay the pine in the pot in which you intend to keep it; boil the syrup, adding a little more sugar and water to make it rich; pour it, but not too hot, upon the fruit. repeat this in about ten days; look at it now and then, and, if the syrup ferments, boil it up again, skim it, and pour it warm upon the pine. the parings of the pineapple boil in the water you use for the syrup, and extract all the flavour from them. _pineapple chips._ pare the pineapples; pick out the thistle part: take half its weight of treble-refined sugar; part the apple in halves; slice it thin; put it in a basin, with sifted sugar between; in twelve hours the sugar will be melted. set it over a fire, and simmer the chips till clear. the less they boil the better. next day, heat them; scrape off the syrup; lay them in glasses, and dry them on a moderate stove or oven. _plums, to dry green._ take green amber plums; prick them with a pin all over; make some water boiling hot, and put in the plums; be sure to have so much water as not to be made cold when the plums are put in. cover them very close, and, when they are almost cold, set them on the fire again, but do not let them boil. do so three or four times. when you see the thin skin cracked, put in some alum finely beaten, and keep them in a scald till they begin to green; then give them a boil closely covered. when they are green, let them stand in fresh hot water all night; next day, have ready as much clarified sugar, made into syrup, as will cover them; drain the plums, put them into the syrup, and give them two or three boils. repeat this twice or three times, till they are very green. let them stand in the syrup a week; then lay them out to dry in a hot stove. you may put some of them in codling jelly, and use them as a wet sweetmeat. _green plum jam._ take the great white plums before they begin to turn, when they are at their full growth, and to every pound of plums allow three quarters of a pound of fine sugar. pare and throw the plums into water, to keep their colour; let your sugar be very finely pounded; cut your plums into slices, and strew the sugar over them. you must first take them out of the water, and put them over a moderate fire, and boil them till they are clear and will jelly. you may put in a few of the stones, if you like them. _great white plum, to preserve._ to one pound of plums put three quarters of a pound of fine sugar; dip the lumps of sugar in water just sufficient to wet it through; boil and skim it, till you think it enough. slit the plums down the seam; put them in the syrup with the slit downward, and let them stew over the fire for a quarter of an hour. skim them; take them off; when cold, turn them; cover them up for four or five days, turning them two or three times a day in the syrup; then put them in pots, not too many together. _posset._ take a quart of white wine and a quart of water; boil whole spice in them; then take twelve eggs, and put away half the whites; beat them very well, and take the wine from the fire; then put your eggs, being thoroughly beaten, to the wine. stir the whole together; then set it on a very slow fire, stirring it the whole time, till it is thick. sweeten it with sugar, and sprinkle on it beaten spice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. _another way, richer._ take two quarts of cream, and boil it with whole spice; then take twelve eggs, well beaten and strained; take the cream from the fire, and stir in the eggs, and as much sugar as will sweeten it according to the taste of those who are to drink it; then a pint of wine, or more--sack, sherry, or lisbon. set it on the fire again, and let it stand awhile; then take a ladle, and raise it up gently from the bottom of the skillet you make it in, and break it as little as you can, and do so till you see that it is thick enough. then put it into a basin with a ladle gently. if you do it too much or too quickly it will whey, and that is not good. _sack posset._ to twelve eggs, beaten very much, put a pint of sack, or any other strong rich white wine. stir them well, that they may not curd; put to them three pints of cream and half a pound of fine sugar, stirring them well together. when hot over the fire, put the posset into a basin, and set it over a boiling pot of water until it is like a custard; then take it off, and, when it is cool enough to eat, serve it with beaten spice, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, strewed over it very thick. _sack posset, without milk._ take thirteen eggs; beat them very well, and, while they are beating, take a quart of sack, half a pound of fine sugar, and a pint of ale, and let them boil a very little while; then put the eggs to them, and stir them till they are hot. take it from the fire, and keep it stirring awhile; then put it into a fit basin, and cover it close with a dish. set it over the fire again till it rises to a curd; serve it with beaten spice. _sack posset, or jelly._ take three pints of good cream and three quarters of a pound of fine sugar pounded, twenty eggs, leaving out eight of the whites; beat them very well and light. add to them rather more than a pint of sack; beat them again well; then set it on a stove; make it so hot that you can just endure your finger at the bottom of the pan, and not hotter; stir it all one way; put the cream on the fire just to boil up, and be ready at the time the sack is so. boil in it a blade of mace, and put it boiling hot to the eggs and sack, which is to be only scalding hot. when the cream is put in, just stir it round twice; take it off the fire; cover it up close when it is put into the mould or dish you intend it for, and it will jelly. pour the cream to the eggs, holding it as high from them as possible. _puffs._ blanch a pound of almonds, and beat them with orange-flower water, or rose-water; boil a pound of sugar to a candy; put in the almonds, and stir them over the fire till they are stiff. keep them stirred till cold; then beat them in a mortar for a quarter of an hour. add a pound of sugar, and make it into a paste, with the whites of three eggs beaten to a froth, more or less, as you may judge necessary. bake the puffs in a cool oven. _cheese puffs._ scald green gooseberries, and pulp them through a colander. to six spoonfuls of this pulp add half a pound of butter beaten to a cream, half a pound of finely pounded and sifted sugar, put to the butter by degrees, ten eggs, half the whites, a little grated lemon-peel, and a little brandy or sack. beat all these ingredients as light as possible, and bake in a thin crust. _chocolate puffs._ take a pound of single-refined sugar, finely sifted, and grate as much chocolate as will colour it; add an ounce of beaten almonds; mix them well together; wet it with the froth of whites of eggs, and bake it. _german puffs._ take four spoonfuls of fine flour, four eggs, a pint of cream, four ounces of melted butter, and a very little salt; stir and beat them well together, and add some grated nutmeg. bake them in small cups: a quarter of an hour will be quite sufficient: and the oven should be so quick as to brown both top and bottom. if well baked, they will be more than as large again. for sauce--melted butter, sack, and sugar. the above quantity will make fourteen puffs. _spanish puffs._ take one pint of skim milk, and thicken it with flour; boil it very well till it is tough as paste, then let it cool, put it into a mortar, and beat it very well. put in three eggs, and beat it again, then three eggs more, keeping out one white. put in some grated nutmeg and a little salt. have your pan over the fire, with some good lard; drop the paste in; fry the puffs a light brown, and strew sugar over them when you send them up. _pudding._ boil one pint of milk; beat up the yolks of five eggs in a basin with a little sugar, and pour the milk upon them, stirring it all the time. prepare your mould by putting into it sifted sugar sufficient to cover it; melt it on the stove, and, when dissolved, take care that the syrup covers the whole mould. the flavour is improved by grating into the sugar a little lemon-peel. pour the pudding into your mould, and place it in a vessel of boiling water; it must boil two hours; it may then be turned out, and eaten hot or cold. _another way._ grate a penny loaf, and put to it a handful of currants, a little clarified butter, the yolk of an egg, a little nutmeg and salt; mix all together, and make it into little balls. boil them half an hour. serve with wine sauce. _a good pudding._ take a pint of cream, and six eggs, leaving out two of the whites. beat up the eggs well, and put them to the cream or milk, with two or three spoonfuls of flour, and a little nutmeg and sugar, if you please. _a very good pudding._ scald some green gooseberries, and pulp them through a colander; to six spoonfuls of this pulp add half a pound of butter beaten to a cream, half a pound of finely beaten and sifted sugar, put to the butter by degrees, ten eggs, half the whites, a little grated lemon-peel, a little brandy or sack: beat all these ingredients as light as possible; bake in a thin crust. _an excellent pudding._ cut french rolls in thin slices; boil a pint of milk, and poor over them. cover it with a plate and let it cool; then beat it quite fine. add six ounces of suet chopped fine, a quarter of a pound of currants, three eggs beat up, half a glass of brandy, and some moist sugar. bake it full two hours. _a plain pudding._ three spoonfuls of flour, a pint of new milk, three eggs, a very little salt. boil it for half an hour, in a small basin. _a scalded pudding._ take four spoonfuls of flour, and pour on it one pint of boiling milk. when cold, add four eggs, and boil it one hour. _a sweet pudding._ half a pound of ratafia, half a pint of boiling milk, more if required, stir it with a fork; three eggs, leaving out one white. butter the basin, or dish, and stick jar-raisins about the butter as close as you please; then pour in the pudding and bake it. _all three pudding._ chopped apples, currants, suet finely chopped, sugar and bread crumb, three ounces of each, three eggs, but only two of the whites; put all into a well floured bag, and boil it well two hours. serve it with wine sauce. _almond pudding._ no. . blanch half a pound of sweet almonds, with four bitter ones; pound them in a marble mortar, with two spoonfuls of orange-flower water, and two spoonfuls of rose-water; mix in four grated naples biscuits, and half a pound of melted butter. beat eight eggs, and mix them with a pint of cream boiled; grate in half a nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. mix all well together, and bake it with a paste at the bottom of the dish. _almond pudding._ no. . take a pound of almonds, ground very small with a little rose-water and sugar, a pound of naples biscuits finely grated, the marrow of six bones broken into small pieces--if you have not marrow enough, put in beef suet finely shred--a quarter of a pound of orange-peel, a quarter of citron-peel, cut in thin slices, and some mace. take twenty eggs, only half as many whites; mix all these well together. boil some cream, let it stand till it is almost cold; then put in as much as will make your pudding tolerably thick. you may put in a very few caraway seeds and a little ambergris, if you like. _almond pudding._ no. . two small wine glasses of rose-water, one ounce of isinglass, twelve bitter almonds, blanched and shred; let it stand by the fire till the isinglass is dissolved; then put a pint of cream, and the yolks of six eggs, and sweeten to the taste. set it on the fire till it boils; strain it through a sieve; stir it till nearly cold; then pour it into a mould wetted with rose-water. _amber pudding._ half a pound of brown sugar, the same of butter, beat up as a cake, till it becomes a fine cream, six eggs very well beaten, and sweetmeats, if agreeable; mix all together. three quarters of an hour will bake it; add a little brandy, and lay puff paste round the dish. _princess amelia's pudding._ pare eight or ten fair large apples, cut them into thin slices, and stew them gently in a very little water till tender; then take of white bread grated the quantity of half a threepenny loaf, six yolks and four whites of eggs beat very light, half a pint of cream, one large spoonful of sack or brandy, four spoonfuls of clarified butter; mix these all well together, and beat them very light. sweeten to your taste, and bake in tea-cups: a little baking is sufficient. when baked, take them out of the cups, and serve them with sack, sugar, and melted butter, for sauce. _apple mignon._ pare and core golden pippins without breaking the apple; lay them in the dish in which they are to be baked. take of rice boiled tender in milk the quantity you judge sufficient; add to it half a pint of thick cream, with the yolks of five eggs; sweeten it to your taste, and grate in a little nutmeg; pour it over the apples in the dish; set it in a gentle oven. three quarters of an hour will bake it. glaze it over with sugar. _apple pudding._ no. . coddle six large codlings till they are very soft over a slow fire to prevent their bursting. rub the pulp through a sieve. put six eggs, leaving out two whites, six ounces of butter beaten well, three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar pounded fine, the juice of two lemons, two ounces of candied orange and lemon-peel, and the peel of one lemon shred very fine. you must not put in the peel till it is going to the oven. put puff paste round the dish; sift over a little sugar; an hour will bake it. _apple pudding._ no. . prepare apples as for sauce; when cold, beat in two whole eggs, a little nutmeg, bitter almonds pounded fine, and sugar, with orange or lemon peel, and a little juice of either. bake in a paste. _apple pudding._ no. . take six apples; stew them in as little water as you can; take out the pulped part; add to it four eggs, and not quite half a pound of butter; sweeten it to your taste. let your paste be good, and put it in a gentle oven. _arrow-root pudding._ boil a pint of milk with eight bitter almonds pounded, a piece of cinnamon, and lemon-peel, for some time; then take a large table-spoonful of arrow-root, and mix it with cold milk. mix this afterwards with the boiling milk. all these must become cold before you put in the eggs; then beat together three eggs, a little nutmeg and sugar, and the arrow-root, and strain through a sieve. butter your mould, and boil the pudding half an hour. the mould must be quite full; serve with wine sauce, butter a paper to put over it, and then tie over a cloth. _pearl barley pudding._ boil three table-spoonfuls of pearl barley in a pint and a half of new milk, with a few bitter almonds, and a little sugar, for three hours. strain it; when cold add two eggs; put some paste round the dish, and bake it. _batter pudding._ make a batter, rather stiffer than pancake batter; beat up six eggs, leaving out three of the whites, and put them to the batter, with a little salt and nutmeg. this quantity is for a pint basin, and will take one hour to boil. _another._ three table-spoonfuls of flour, two eggs, and about a tea-cupful of currants; beat up well with a pint of milk, and bake in a slow oven. _plain batter pudding, or with fruit._ put six large spoonfuls of flour into a pan, and mix it with a quart of milk, till it is smooth. beat up the yolks of six and the whites of three eggs, and put in; strain it through a sieve; then put in a tea-spoonful of salt, one of beaten ginger, and stir them well together. dip your cloth in boiling water; flour it, and pour in your pudding; tie it rather close, and boil it an hour. when sent to table, pour melted butter over it. you may put in ripe currants, apricots, small plums, damsons, or white bullace, when in season; but with fruit it will require boiling half an hour longer. _norfolk batter pudding._ yolks and whites of three eggs well beaten, three table-spoonfuls of flour, half a pint of milk, and a small quantity of salt; boil it half an hour. _green bean pudding._ boil and blanch old beans; beat them in a mortar, with very little pepper and salt, some cream, and the yolk of an egg. a little spinach-juice will give a fine colour; but it is good without. boil it for an hour in a basin that will just hold it, and pour over it parsley and butter. serve bacon to eat with it. _beef steak pudding._ cut rump-steaks, not too thick, into pieces about half the size of your hand, taking out all the skin and sinews. add an onion cut fine, also potatoes (if liked,) peeled and cut in slices a quarter of an inch thick; season with pepper and salt. lay a layer of steaks, and then one of potatoes, proceeding thus till full, occasionally throwing in part of the onion. add half a gill of water or veal broth. boil it two hours. you may put in, if you please, half a gill of mushroom ketchup, and a table-spoonful of lemon-pickle. _bread pudding._ cut off all the crust from a twopenny loaf; slice it thin in a quart of milk; set it over a chaffing-dish of charcoal, till the bread has completely soaked up the milk; then put in a piece of butter; stir it well round, and let it stand till cold. take the yolks of seven eggs and the whites of five, and beat them up with a quarter of a pound of sugar, with some nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, cloves, and lemon-peel, finely pounded. mix these well together, and boil it one hour. prepare a sauce of white wine, butter, and sugar; pour it over, and serve up hot. _another way._ boil together half a pint of milk, a quarter of a pound of butter, and the same of sugar, and pour it over a quarter of a pound of crumb of bread. beat up the yolks of four eggs and two whites; mix all well together; put the pudding in tea-cups, and bake in a moderate oven about an hour. serve in wine sauce. the above quantity makes five puddings. _rich bread pudding._ cut the inside of a rather stale twopenny loaf as fine as possible; pour over it boiled milk sufficient to allow of its being beaten, while warm, to the thickness of cream; put in a small piece of butter while hot; beat into it four almond macaroons; sweeten it to your taste. beat four eggs, leaving out two whites; and boil it three quarters of an hour. _bread and butter pudding._ cut a penny loaf or french roll into thin slices of bread and butter, as for tea; butter the bottom of the dish, and cover it with slices of bread and butter; sprinkle on them a few currants, well washed and picked; then lay another layer of bread and butter; then again sprinkle a few currants, and so on till you have put in all the bread and butter. beat up three eggs with a pint of milk, a little salt, grated nutmeg, or ginger, and a few bitter almonds, and pour it on the bread and butter. put a puff paste round the dish, and bake it half an hour. _raisin bread pudding._ boil your bread pudding in a basin; put the stoned raisins in a circle at the top, and from it stripes down, when ready to serve up. _buttermilk pudding._ take three quarts of new milk; boil and turn it with a quart of buttermilk: drain the whey from the curd through a hair sieve. when it is well drained, pound it in a marble mortar very fine; then put to it half a pound of fine beaten and sifted sugar. boil the rind of two lemons very tender; mince it fine; add the inside of a roll grated, a large tea-cupful of cream, a few almonds, pounded fine, with a noggin of white wine, a little brandy, and a quarter of a pound of melted butter. the boats or cups you bake in must be all buttered. turn the puddings out when they are baked, and serve them with a sauce of sack, butter, and sugar. _carrot pudding._ take two or three large carrots, and half boil them; grate the crumb of a penny loaf and the red part of the carrots; boil as much cream as will make the bread of a proper thickness; when cold, add the carrots, the yolks of four eggs, beat well, a little nutmeg, a glass of white wine, and sugar to your taste. butter the dish well, and lay a little paste round the edge. half an hour will bake it. _another way._ take raw carrots, scraped very clean, and grate them. to half a pound of grated carrot put a pound of grated bread. beat up eight eggs, leaving out the whites; mix the eggs with half a pint of cream, and then stir in the bread and carrots, with half a pound of fresh butter melted. _charlotte pudding._ cut as many thin slices of white bread as will cover the bottom and line the sides of a baking-dish, having first rubbed it thick with butter; put apples in thin slices into the dish in layers till full, strewing sugar and bits of butter between. in the mean time, soak as many thin slices of bread as will cover the whole in warm milk, over which lay a plate and a weight to keep the bread close on the apples. bake slowly three hours. to a middling-sized dish put half a pound of butter in the whole. _cheese pudding._ boil a thick piece of stale loaf in a pint of milk; grate half a pound of cheese; stir it into the bread and milk; beat up separately four yolks and four whites of eggs, and a little pepper and salt, and beat the whole together till very fine. butter the pan, and put into the oven about the time the first course is sent up. _another way._ half a pound of cheese--strong and mild mixed--four eggs and a little cream, well mixed. butter the pan, and bake it twenty minutes. to be sent up with the cheese, or, if you like, with the tart. _citron pudding._ one spoonful of fine flour, two ounces of sugar, a little nutmeg, and half a pint of cream; mix them well together with the yolks of three eggs. put it into tea-cups, and divide among them two ounces of citron, cut very thin. bake them in a pretty quick oven, and turn them out on a china dish. _cocoa-nut pudding._ take three quarters of a pound of sugar, one pound of cocoa-nut, a quarter of a pound of butter, eight yolks of eggs, four spoonfuls of rose-water, six naples biscuits soaked in the rose-water; beat half the sugar with the butter and half with the eggs, and, when beat enough, mix the cocoa-nut with the butter; then throw in the eggs, and beat all together. for the crust, the yolks of four eggs, two spoonfuls of rose-water, and two of water, mixed with flour till it comes to a paste. _college pudding._ no. . beat up four eggs, with two ounces of flour, half a nutmeg, a little ginger, and three ounces of sugar pounded, beaten to a smooth batter; then add six ounces of suet chopped fine, six of currants well washed and picked, and a glass of brandy, or white wine. these puddings are generally fried in butter or lard, but they are better baked in an oven in pattypans; twenty minutes will bake them; if fried, fry them till of a nice light brown, or roll them in a little flour. you may add an ounce of orange or citron minced very fine. when you bake them, add one more egg, or two spoonfuls of milk. _college pudding._ no. . take of bread crumb, suet, very finely chopped, currants, and moist sugar, half a pound of each, and four eggs, leaving out one white, well beaten. mix all well together, and add a quarter of a pint of white wine, leaving part of it for the sauce. add a little nutmeg and salt. boil it a full half hour in tea-cups; or you may fry it. this quantity will make six. pour over them melted butter, sugar, and wine. _college pudding._ no. . a quarter of a pound of biscuit powder, a quarter of a pound of beef suet, a quarter of a pound of currants, nicely picked and washed, nutmeg, a glass of raisin wine, a few bitter almonds pounded, lemon-peel, and a little juice. fry ten minutes in beef dripping, and send to table in wine sauce. half these ingredients will make eight puddings. _college pudding._ no. . a quarter of a pound of grated bread, the same quantity of currants, the same of suet shred fine, a small quantity of sugar, and some nutmeg: mix all well together. take two eggs, and make it with them into cakes; fry them of a light brown in butter. serve them with butter, sugar, and wine. _new college pudding._ grate a penny white loaf, and put to it a quarter of a pound of currants, nicely picked and washed, a quarter of a pound of beef suet, minced small, some nutmeg, salt, and as much cream and eggs as will make it almost as stiff as paste. then make it up in the form of eggs: put them into a stewpan, with a quarter of a pound of butter melted in the bottom; lay them in one by one; set them over a clear charcoal fire; and, when they are brown, turn them till they are brown all over. send them to table with wine sauce. lemon-peel and a little juice may be added to the pudding. _another way._ take one pound of suet, half a pound of the best raisins, one pound of currants, half a pound of sugar, half a pound of flour, one nutmeg, a tea-spoonful of salt, two table-spoonfuls of brandy, and six eggs. make them up the size of a turkey's egg; bake or fry them in butter. _cottage pudding._ two pounds of potatoes, boiled, peeled, and mashed, one pint of milk, three eggs, and two ounces of sugar. bake it three quarters of an hour. _currant pudding._ take one pound of flour, ten ounces of currants, five of moist sugar, a little grated ginger, nutmeg, and sliced lemon-peel. put the flour with the sugar on one side of the basin, and the currants on the other. melt a quarter of a pound of butter in half a pint of milk; let it stand till lukewarm; then add two yolks of eggs and one white only, well beaten, and three tea-spoonfuls of yest. to prevent bitterness, put a piece of red-hot charcoal, of the size of a walnut, into the milk; strain it through a sieve, and pour it over the currants, leaving the flour and the sugar on the other side of the basin. throw a little flour from the dredger over the milk; then cover it up, and leave it at the fire-side for half an hour to rise. then mix the whole together with a spoon; put it into the mould, and leave it again by the fire to rise for another half hour. _custard pudding._ no. . take three quarters of a pint of milk, three tea-spoonfuls of flour, and three eggs: mix the flour quite smooth with a little of the milk cold; boil the rest, and pour it to the mixed flour, stirring it well together. then well beat the eggs, and pour the milk and flour hot to them. butter a basin, pour in the pudding. tie it close in a cloth, and boil it half an hour. it may be made smaller or larger, by allowing one egg to one tea-spoonful of flour and a quarter of a pint of milk, and proportionately shortening the time of boiling. it may be prepared for boiling any time, or immediately before it is put into the saucepan, as maybe most convenient. the basin must be quite filled, or the water will get in. _custard pudding._ no. . set on the fire a pint of milk, sweetened to your taste, with a little cinnamon, a few cloves, and grated lemon-peel. boil it up, and pour it the moment it is taken off the fire upon the yolks of seven eggs and the whites of four, stirring it well, and pouring it in by degrees. boil it in a well buttered basin, which will hold a pint and a half. pour wine sauce over it. _custard pudding._ no. . boil a pint of milk and a quarter of a pint of good cream; thicken with flour and water perfectly smooth; break in the yolks of five eggs, sweetened with powdered loaf sugar, the peel of a lemon grated, and half a glass of brandy. line the dish with good puff paste, and bake for half an hour. _custard pudding._ no. . take six eggs, one table-spoonful of flour, and a sufficient quantity of milk to fill the pan. boil it three quarters of an hour. _fish pudding._ pound fillets of whiting with a quarter of a pound of butter; add the crumb of two penny rolls, soaked in cold milk, pepper and salt, with seasoning according to the taste. boil in a mould one hour and a quarter, and then turn it out, and serve up with sauce. _french pudding._ beat twelve eggs, leaving out half the whites, extremely well; take one pound of melted butter, and one pound of sifted sugar, one nutmeg grated, the peel of a small orange, the juice of two; the butter and sugar to be well beaten together; then add to them the eggs and other ingredients. beat all very light, and bake in a thin crust. _gooseberry pudding._ scald a quart of gooseberries, and pass them through a sieve, as you would for gooseberry fool; add three eggs, three table-spoonfuls of crumb of bread, three table-spoonfuls of flour, an ounce of butter, and sugar to your taste. bake it in a moderate oven. _another._ scald the gooseberries, and prepare them according to the preceding receipt; mix them with rice, prepared as for a rice pudding, and bake it. _hunter's pudding._ one pound of raisins, one pound of suet, chopped fine, four spoonfuls of flour, four of sugar, four of good milk, and four eggs, whites and all, two spoonfuls of brandy or sack, and some grated nutmeg. it must boil four hours complete, and should have good room in the bag, as it swells much in the boiling. _jug pudding._ beat the whites and yolks of three eggs; strain through a sieve; add gradually a quarter of a pint of milk; rub in a mortar two ounces of moist sugar and as much grated nutmeg as would cover a sixpence; then put in four ounces of flour, and beat it into a smooth batter by degrees; stir in seven ounces of suet and three ounces of bread crumb; mix all together half an hour before you put it into the pot. boil it three hours. _lemon pudding._ take two large lemons; peel them thin, and boil them in three waters till tender; then beat them in a mortar to a paste. grate a penny roll into the yolks and whites of four eggs well beaten, half a pint of milk, and a quarter of a pound of sugar; mix them all well together; put it into a basin well buttered, and boil it half an hour. _another way._ three lemons, six eggs, a quarter of a pound of butter, some crumb of bread grated, with some lemon-peel and grated sugar. _small lemon puddings._ one pint of cream, one spoonful of fine flour, two ounces of sugar, some nutmeg, and the yolks of three eggs; mix all well together; and stick in two ounces of citron. bake in tea-cups in a quick oven. _maccaroni pudding._ take three ounces of maccaroni, two ounces of butter, a pint and a half of milk boiled, four eggs, half a pound of currants. put paste round the dish, and bake it. _marrow pudding._ boil two quarts of cream with a little mace and nutmeg; beat very light ten eggs, leaving out half the whites; put the cream scalding to the eggs, and beat it well. butter lightly the dish you bake it in; then slice some french roll, and lay a layer at the bottom; put on it lumps of marrow; then sprinkle on some currants and fine chopped raisins, then another layer of thin sliced bread, then marrow again, with the currants and raisins as before. when the dish is thus filled, pour over the whole the cream and eggs, which must be sweetened a little. an oven that will bake a custard will be hot enough for this pudding. strew on the marrow a little powdered cinnamon. _another way._ boil up a pint of cream, then take it off; slice two penny loaves thin, and put them into the cream, with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, stirring it till melted. then put into it a quarter of a pound of almonds beaten well and small, with rose-water, the marrow of three marrow-bones, and the whites of five eggs, and two yolks. season it with mace shred small, and sweeten with a quarter of a pound of sugar. make up your pudding. the marrow should first be laid in water to take out the blood. _nottingham pudding._ peel six apples; take out the core, but be sure to leave the apples whole, and fill up the place of the core with sugar. put them in a dish, and pour over them a nice light batter. bake it an hour in a moderate oven. _oatmeal pudding._ steep oatmeal all night in milk; in the morning pour away the milk, and put some cream, beaten spice, currants, a little sugar if you like it; if not, salt, and as many eggs as you think proper. stir it well together; boil it thoroughly, and serve with butter and sugar. _orange pudding._ no. . take the yolks of twelve eggs and the whites of two, six ounces of the best sugar, beat fine and sifted, and a quarter of a pound of orange marmalade: beat all well together; set it over a gentle fire to thicken; put to it half a pound of melted butter, and the juice of a seville orange. bake it in a thin light paste, and take great care not to scorch it in the oven. _orange pudding._ no. . grate off the rind of two large seville oranges as far as they are yellow; put them in fair water, and let them boil till they are tender, changing the water two or three times. when they are tender, cut them open, take away the seeds and strings, and beat them in a mortar, with half a pound of sugar finely sifted, until it is a fine light paste; then put in the yolks of ten eggs well beaten, five or six spoonfuls of thick cream, half a naples biscuit, and the juice of two more seville oranges. mix these well together, and melt a pound of the best butter, or beat it to a cream without melting: beat all light and well together, and bake it in a puff paste three quarters of an hour. _orange pudding._ no. . grate the peel of four china oranges and of one lemon; boil it in a pint of cream, with a little cinnamon and some sugar. scald crumb of white bread in a little milk; strain the boiled cream to the bread, and mix it together; add the yolks of six and the whites of three eggs; mix all well together. put it into a dish rubbed with a little butter, and bake it of a nice brown colour. serve with wine sauce. _orange pudding._ no. . melt half a pound of fresh butter, and when cold take away the top and bottom; then mix the yolks of nine eggs well beaten, and half a pound of double-refined sugar, beaten and seared; beat all well together; grate in the rind of a good seville orange, and stir well up. put it into a dish, and bake it. _orange pudding._ no. . simmer two ounces of isinglass in water; steep orange-peel in water all night; then add one pint of orange-juice, with the yolks of four eggs, and some white sugar. bake a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes. _orange pudding._ no. . cut two large china oranges in quarters, and take out the seeds; beat them in a mortar, with two ounces of sugar, and the same quantity of butter; then add four eggs, well beat, and a little seville orange-juice. line the dish with puff paste, and bake it. _plain orange pudding._ make a bread pudding, and add a table-spoonful of ratafia, the juice of a seville orange and the rind, or that of a lemon cut small. bake with puff paste round it; turn it out of the tin when sent to table. _paradise pudding._ six apples pared and chopped very fine, six eggs, six ounces of bread grated very fine, six ounces of sugar, six ounces of currants, a little salt and nutmeg, some lemon-peel, and one glass of brandy. the whole to boil three hours. _pith pudding._ take the pith of an ox; wipe the blood clean from it; let it lie in water two days, changing the water very often. dry it in a cloth, and scrape it with a knife to separate the strings from it. then put it into a basin; beat it with two or three spoonfuls of rose-water till it is very fine, and strain it through a fine strainer. boil a quart of thick cream with a nutmeg, a blade of mace, and a little cinnamon. beat half a pound of almonds very fine with rose-water; put them in the cream and strain it: beat them again, and again strain till you have extracted all their goodness; then put to them twelve eggs, with four whites. mix all these together with the pith; add five or six spoonfuls of sack, half a pound of sugar, citron cut small, and the marrow of six bones; and then fill them. half an hour will boil them. _plum pudding._ no. . half a pound of raisins stoned, half a pound of suet, good weight, shred very fine, half a pint of milk, four eggs, two of the whites only. beat the eggs first, mix half the milk with them, stir in the flour and the rest of the milk by degrees, then the suet and raisins, and a small tea-cupful of moist sugar. mix the eggs, sugar, and milk, well together in the beginning, and stir all the ingredients well together. a plum pudding should never boil less than five hours; longer will not hurt it. this quantity makes a large plain pudding: half might do. _plum pudding._ no. . one pound of jar raisins stoned and cut in pieces, one pound of suet shred small, with a very little salt to it; six eggs, beat with a little brandy and sack, nearly a pint of milk, a nutmeg grated, a very little flour, not more than a spoonful, among the raisins, to separate them from each other, and as much grated bread as will make these ingredients of the proper consistence when they are all mixed together. _plum pudding._ no. . take half a pound of crumb of stale bread; cut it in pieces; boil half a pint of milk and pour over it; let it stand half an hour to soak. take half a pound of beef suet shred fine, half a pound of raisins, half a pound of currants beat up with a little salt; mix them well together with a handful of flour. butter the dish, and put the pudding in it to bake; but if boiled, flour the bag, or butter the mould, if you boil it in one. to this quantity put three eggs. _plum pudding._ no. . one pound of beef suet, one pound of raisins stoned, four table-spoonfuls of flour, six ounces of loaf-sugar, one tea-spoonful of salt, five eggs, and half a grated nutmeg. flour the cloth well, and boil it six hours. _plum pudding._ no. . take currants, raisins, suet, bread crumb, and sugar, half a pound of each, five eggs, two ounces of almonds blanched and shred very fine, citron and brandy to taste, and a spoonful of flour. _a rich plum pudding._ a pound and a quarter of sun raisins, stoned, six eggs, two spoonfuls of flour, a pound of suet, a little nutmeg, a glass of brandy: boil it five or six hours. _potato pudding._ no. . boil two pounds of white potatoes; peel them, and bruise them fine in a mortar, with half a pound of melted butter, and the yolks of four eggs. put it into a cloth, and boil it half an hour; then turn it into a dish; pour melted butter, with a glass of raisin wine, and the juice of a seville orange, mixed together as sauce, over it, and strew powdered sugar all over. _potato pudding._ no. . take four steamed potatoes; dry and rub them through a sieve; boil a quarter of a pint of milk, with spice, sugar, and butter; stir the potatoes in the milk, with the yolks of three eggs; beat the whites to a strong froth, and add them to the pudding. bake it in a quick oven. _potato pudding._ no. . boil three or four potatoes; mash and pass them through a sieve; beat them up with milk, and let it stand till cold. then add the yolks of four eggs and sugar; beat up the four whites to a strong froth, and stir it in very gently before you put the pudding into the mould. _potato pudding._ no. . one pound of potatoes, three quarters of a pound of butter, one pound of sugar, eight eggs, a little mace, and nutmeg. rub the potatoes through a sieve, to make them quite free from lumps. bake it. _potato pudding._ no. . mix twelve ounces of potatoes, boiled, skinned, and mashed, one ounce of suet, one ounce, or one-sixteenth of a pint, of milk, and one ounce of gloucester cheese--total, fifteen ounces--with as much boiling water as is necessary to bring them to a due consistence. bake in an earthen pan. _potato pudding._ no. . potatoes and suet as before, and one ounce of red herrings, pounded fine in a mortar, mixed, baked, &c. as before. _potato pudding._ no. . the same quantity of potatoes and suet, and one ounce of hung beef, grated fine with a grater, and mixed and baked as before. _pottinger's pudding._ three ounces of ground rice, and two ounces of sweet almonds, blanched and beaten fine; the rice must be boiled and beaten likewise. mix them well together, with two eggs, sugar and butter, to your taste. make as thin a puff paste as possible, and put it round some cups; when baked, turn them out, and pour wine sauce over them. this quantity will make four puddings. _prune pudding._ mix a pound of flour with a quart of milk; beat up six eggs, and mix with it a little salt, and a spoonful of beaten ginger. beat the whole well together till it is a fine stiff batter; put in a pound of prunes; tie the pudding in a cloth, and boil it an hour and a half. when sent to table, pour melted butter over it. _quaking pudding._ boil a quart of milk with a bit of cinnamon and mace; mix about a spoonful of butter with a large spoonful of flour, to which put the milk by degrees. add ten eggs, but only half the whites, and a nutmeg grated. butter your basin and the cloth you tie over it, which must be tied so tight and close as not to admit a drop of water. boil it an hour. sack and butter for sauce. _another way._ to three quarts of cream put the yolks of twelve eggs and three whites, and two spoonfuls of flour, half a nutmeg grated, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. mix them well together. put it into a bag, and boil it with a quick fire; but let the water boil before you put it in. half an hour will do it. _ratafia pudding._ a quarter of a pound of sweet and a quarter of an ounce of bitter almonds, butter and loaf sugar of each a quarter of a pound; beat them together in a marble mortar. add a pint of cream, four eggs, leaving out two whites, and a wine glassful of sherry. garnish the dish with puff paste, and bake half an hour. _rice pudding._ take a quarter of a pound of rice, a pint and a half of new milk, five eggs, with the whites of two. set the rice and the milk over the fire till it is just ready to boil; then pour it into a basin, and stir into it an ounce of butter till it is quite melted. when cold, the eggs to be well beaten and stirred in, and the whole sweetened to the taste: in general, a quarter of a pound of sugar is allowed to the above proportions. add about a table-spoonful of ratafia, and a little salt: a little cream improves it much. put it into a nice paste, and an hour is sufficient to bake it. the rice and milk, while over the fire, must be kept stirred all the time. _another._ boil five ounces of rice in a pint and a half of milk; when nearly cold, stir in two ounces of butter, two eggs, three ounces of sugar, spice or lemon, as you like. bake it an hour. _plain rice pudding._ take a quarter of a pound of whole rice, wash and pick it clean; put it into a saucepan, with a quart of new milk, a stick of cinnamon, and lemon-peel shred fine. boil it gently till the rice is tender and thick, and stir it often to keep it from burning. take out the cinnamon and lemon-peel; put the rice into an earthen pan to cool; beat up the yolks of four eggs and the whites of two. stir them into the rice; sweeten it to the palate with moist sugar; put in some lemon or seville orange-peel shred very fine, a few bitter almonds, and a little grated nutmeg and ginger. mix all well together; lay a puff paste round the dish, pour in the pudding, and bake it. _another way._ pour a quart of new milk, scalding hot, upon three ounces of whole rice. let it stand covered for an hour or two. scald the milk again, and pour it on as before, letting it stand all night. next day, when you are ready to make the pudding, set the rice and milk over the fire, give it a boil up, sweeten it with a little sugar, put into it a very little pounded cinnamon, stir it well together; butter the dish in which it is to be baked, pour it in, and put it into the oven. this pudding is not long in baking. _ground rice pudding._ boil three ounces of rice in a pint of milk, stirring it all well together the whole time of boiling. pour it into a pan, and stir in six ounces of butter, six ounces of sugar, eight eggs, but half of the whites only, and twenty almonds pounded, half of them bitter. put paste at the bottom of the dish. _rice hunting pudding._ to a pound of suet, half a pound of currants, a pound of jar raisins stoned, five eggs, leaving out two whites, half a pound of ground rice, a little spice, and as much milk as will make it a thick batter. boil it two hours and a half. _kitchen rice pudding._ half a pound of rice in two quarts of boiling water, a pint and a half of milk, and a quarter of a pound of beef or mutton suet, shred fine into it. bake an hour and a half. _rice plum pudding._ half a pound of rice boiled in milk till tender, but the milk must not run thin about it; then take half a pound of raisins, and the like quantity of currants, and suet, chopped fine, four eggs, leaving out half the whites, one table-spoonful of sugar, two of brandy, some lemon-peel, and spice. mix these well together, and take two table-spoonfuls of flour to make it up. it must boil five or six hours in a tin or basin. _small rice puddings._ set three ounces of flour of rice over the fire in three quarters of a pint of milk; stir it constantly; when stiff, take it off, pour it into an earthen pan, and stir in three ounces of butter, and a large tea-cupful of cream; sweeten it to your taste with lump sugar. when cold, beat five eggs and two whites; grate the peel of half a lemon; cut three ounces of blanched almonds small, and a few bitter ones with them. beat all well together; boil it half an hour in small basins, and serve with wine sauce. _swedish rice pudding._ wash one pound of rice six or eight times in warm water; put it into a stewpan upon a slow fire till it bursts; strain it through a sieve; add to the rice one pound of sugar, previously well clarified, and the juice of six or eight oranges, and of six lemons, and simmer it on the fire for half an hour. cover the bottom and the edges of a dish with paste, taking care that the flour of which the paste is made be first thoroughly dried. put in your rice, and decorate with candied orange-peel. _rice white pot._ boil one pound of rice, previously well washed in two quarts of new milk, till it is much reduced, quite tender, and thick; beat it in a mortar, with a quarter of a pound of almonds blanched, putting it to them by degrees as you beat them. boil two quarts of cream with two or three blades of mace; mix it light with nine eggs--only five whites--well beat, and a little rose-water; sweeten it to your taste. cut some candied orange and citron very thin, and lay it in. bake it in a slow oven. _sago pudding._ boil a quarter of a pound of sago in a pint of new milk, till it is very thick; stir in a large piece of butter; add sugar and nutmeg to your palate, and four eggs. boil it an hour. wine sauce. _spoonful pudding._ a table-spoonful of flour, a spoonful of cream or milk, some currants, an egg, a little sugar and brandy, or raisin wine. make them round and about the size of an egg, and tie them up in separate pudding-cloths. _plain suet pudding, baked._ four spoonfuls of flour, four spoonfuls of suet shred very fine, three eggs, mixed with a little salt, and a tea-cupful of milk. bake in a small pie-dish, and turn it out for table. _suet pudding, boiled._ shred a pound of beef suet very fine; mix it with a pound of flour, a little salt and ginger, six eggs, and as much milk as will make it into a stiff batter. put it in a cloth, and boil it two hours. when done, turn it into a dish, with plain melted butter. _tansy pudding._ beat sixteen eggs very well in a wooden bowl, leaving out six whites, with a little orange-flower water and brandy; then add to them by degrees half a pound of fine sifted sugar; grate in a nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of naples biscuit; add a pint of the juice of spinach, and four spoonfuls of the juice of tansy; then put to it a pint of cream. stir it all well together, and put it in a skillet, with a piece of butter melted; keep it stirring till it becomes pretty thick; then put it in a dish, and bake it half an hour. when it comes out of the oven, stick it with blanched almonds cut very thin, and mix in some citron cut in the same manner. serve it with sack and sugar, and squeeze a seville orange over it. turn it out in the dish in which you serve it bottom upwards. _another way._ take five ounces of grated bread, a pint of milk, five eggs, a little nutmeg, the juice of tansy and spinach, to your taste, a quarter of a pound of butter, some sugar, and a little brandy; put it in a saucepan, and keep it stirring on a gentle fire till thick. then put it in a dish and bake it; when baked, turn it out, and dust sugar on it. _tapioca pudding._ take a small tea-cupful of tapioca, and rather more than half that quantity of whole rice; let it soak all night in water, just enough to cover it; then add a quart of milk: let it simmer over a slow fire, stirring it every five minutes till it looks clear. let it stand till quite cold; then add three eggs, well beaten with sugar, and grated lemon-peel, and bake it. it is equally good cold or hot. _neat's tongue pudding._ boil a neat's tongue very tender; when cold, peel and shred it very fine, after grating as much as will cover your hand. add to it some beef suet and marrow. take some oranges and citron, finely cut, some cloves, nutmeg, and mace, not forgetting salt to your taste, twenty-four eggs, half the whites only, some sack, a little rose-water, and as much boiled cream as will make the whole of proper thickness. then put in two pounds of currants, if your tongue be large. _quatre fruits._ take picked strawberries, black currants, raspberries, and the little black cherries, one pound of each, and two quarts of brandy. infuse the whole together, and sweeten to taste. when it has stood a sufficient time, filter through a jelly-bag till the liquor is quite clear. _quinces, to preserve._ put a third part of the clearest and largest quinces into cold water over the fire, and coddle till tender, but not so as to be broken. pare and cut them into quarters, taking out the core and the hard part, and then weigh them. the kernels must be taken out of the core, and tied up in a piece of muslin or gauze. the remaining two-thirds of the quinces must be grated, and the juice well squeezed out; and to a pound of the coddled quinces put a pint of juice; pound some cochineal, tie it up in muslin, and put it to the quinces and juice. they must be together all night; next day, put a pound of lump sugar to every pound of coddled quinces; let the sugar be broken into small lumps, and, with the quince juice, cochineal, and kernels, be boiled together until the quinces are clear and red, quite to the middle of each quarter. take out the quarters, and boil the syrup for half an hour: put the quarters in, and let them boil gently for near an hour: then put them in a jar, boil the syrup till it is a thick jelly, and put it boiling hot over them. _quinces, to preserve whole._ pare the quinces very thin, put them into a well-tinned saucepan; fill it with hard water, lay the parings over the fruit, and keep them down; cover close that the steam may not escape, and set them over a slow fire to stew till tender and of a fine red colour. take them carefully out, and weigh them to two pounds of quinces. take two pounds and a half of double-refined sugar; put it into a preserving-pan, with one quart of water. set it over a clear charcoal fire to boil; skim it clean, and, when it looks clear, put in the quinces. boil them twelve minutes; take them off, and set them by for four hours to cool. set them on the fire again, and let them boil three minutes; take them off, and let them stand two days; then boil them again ten minutes with the juice of two lemons, and set them by till cold. put them into jars; pour on the syrup, cover them with brandy paper, tie them close with leather or bladder, and set them in a dry cool place. _ramaquins._ no. . take two ounces of cheshire cheese grated, two ounces of white bread grated, two ounces of butter, half a pint of cream, and a little white pepper; boil all together; let it stand till cold; then take two yolks of eggs, beat the whole together, and put it into paper coffins. twenty minutes will bake them. _ramaquins._ no. . take very nearly half a pound of parmesan cheese, two ounces of mild gloucester, four yolks of eggs, about six ounces of the best butter, and a good tea-cupful of cream. beat the cheese first in a mortar; add by degrees the other ingredients, and in some measure be regulated by your taste, whether the proportion of any of them should be increased or diminished. a little while bakes them; the oven must not be too hot. they are baked in little paper cases, and served as hot as possible. _ramaquins._ no. . put to a little water just warm a little salt; stir in a quarter of a pound of butter; it must not boil. when well mixed, let it stand till cold: then stir in three eggs, one at a time, beating it well till it is quite smooth; then add three more eggs, beating it well, and half a pound of parmesan cheese. beat it well again, adding two yolks of eggs and a quarter of a pound of cold butter, and again beat it. just before it is going into the oven, beat six eggs to a froth, and beat the whole together. bake in paper moulds and in a quick oven. serve as hot as possible. _ramaquins._ no. . take a quarter of a pound of cheshire cheese, two eggs, and two ounces of butter; beat them fine in a mortar, and make them up in cakes that will cover a piece of bread of the size of a crown-piece. lay them on a dish, not touching one another; set them on a chaffing-dish of coals, and hold a salamander over them till they are quite brown. serve up hot. _raspberries, to preserve._ take the juice of red and white raspberries; if you have no white raspberries, put half codling jelly; put a pint and a half of juice to two pounds of sugar; let it boil, and skim it. then put in three quarters of a pound of large red raspberries; boil them very fast till they jelly and are very clear; do not take them off the fire, that would make them hard, and a quarter of an hour will do them. after they begin to boil fast, put the raspberries in pots or glasses; then strain the jelly from the seeds, and put it to them. when they begin to cool, stir them, that they may not lie at the top of the glasses; and, when cold, lay upon them papers wetted with brandy and dried with a cloth. _another way._ put three quarters of a pound of moist sugar to every quart of fruit, and let them boil gently till they jelly. _raspberries, to preserve in currant jelly._ strip the currants from the stalks; weigh one pound of sugar to one pound of fruit, and to every eight pounds of currants put one pound of raspberries, for which you are not to allow any sugar. wet the sugar, and let it boil till it is almost sugar again; then throw in the fruit, and, with a very smart fire, let it boil up all over. take it off, and strain it through a lawn sieve. you must not let it boil too much, for fear of the currants breaking, and the seeds coming through into the jelly. when it boils up in the middle, and the syrup diffuses itself generally, it is sufficiently done; then take it off instantly. this makes a very elegant, clear currant jelly, and may be kept and used as such. take some whole fine large raspberries; stalk them; put some of the jelly, made as above directed, in your preserving-pan; sprinkle in the raspberries, not too many at a time, for fear of bruising them. about ten minutes will do them. take them off, and put them in pots or glasses. if you choose to do more, you must put in the pan a fresh supply of jelly. let the jelly nearly boil up before you put in the raspberries. _raspberry jam._ no. .--_very good._ take to each pound of raspberries half a pint of juice of red and white currants, an equal quantity of each, in the whole half a pint, and a pound of double-refined sugar. stew or bake the currants in a pot, to get out the juice. let the sugar be finely beaten; then take half the raspberries and squeeze through a coarse cloth, to keep back the seeds; bruise the rest with the back of a wooden spoon; the half that is bruised must be of the best raspberries. mix the raspberries, juice, and sugar, together: set it over a good fire, and let it boil as fast as possible, till you see it will jelly, which you may try in a spoon. _raspberry jam._ no. . weigh equal quantities of sugar and of fruit; put the fruit into a preserving-pan: boil it very quickly; break it; and stir it constantly. when the juice is almost wasted, add the sugar, and simmer it half an hour. use a silver spoon. _raspberry jam._ no. . to six quarts of raspberries put three pounds of refined sugar finely pounded; strain half the raspberries from the seed; then boil the juice and the other half together. as it jellies, put it into pots. the sugar should first be boiled separately, before the raspberries are added. _raspberry paste._ break three parts of your raspberries red and white; strain them through linen; break the other part, and put into the juice; boil it till it jellies, and then let it stand till cold. to every pint put a pound of sugar, and make it scalding hot: add some codling jelly before you put in the seeds. _apple tart with rice crust._ pare and quarter six russet apples; stew them till soft; sweeten with lump-sugar; grate some lemon-peel; boil a tea-cupful of rice in milk till it becomes thick: sweeten it well with loaf-sugar. add a little cream, cinnamon, and nutmeg; lay the apple in the dish; cover it with rice; beat the whites of two eggs to a strong froth; lay it on the top; dust a little sugar over it, and brown it in the oven. _another way._ pare and core as many apples as your dish will conveniently bake; stew them with sugar, a bit of lemon-peel, and a little cinnamon. prepare your rice as for a rice pudding. fill your dish three parts full of apples, and cover it with the rice. _rolls._ take two pounds of flour; divide it; put one half into a deep pan; rub two ounces of butter into the flour; the whites of two eggs whisked to a high froth; add one table-spoonful of yest, four table-spoonfuls of cream, the yolk of one egg, a pint of milk, rather more than new milk warm. mix the above together into a lather; beat it for ten minutes; then cover it, and set it before the fire for two hours to rise. mix in the other half of the flour, and set it before the fire for a quarter of an hour. these rolls must be baked in earthenware cups, rubbed with a little butter, and not more than half filled with dough; they must be baked a quarter of an hour in a very hot oven. _another way._ take one quart of fine flour; wet it with warm milk, and six table-spoonfuls of small beer yest, a quarter of a pound of butter, and a little salt. do not make the dough too stiff at first, but let it rise awhile; then work in the flour to the proper consistency. set it to rise some time longer, then form your rolls of any size you please; bake them in a warmish oven; twenty minutes will bake the small and half an hour the large ones. _excellent rolls._ take three pounds of the finest flour, and mix up the yolks of three eggs with the yest. wet the flour with milk, first melting in the milk one ounce of butter, and add a little salt to the flour. _little rolls._ one pound of flour, two or three spoonfuls of yest, the yolks of two eggs, the white of one, a little salt, moistened with milk. this dough must be made softer than for bread, and beaten well with a spoon till it is quite light; let it stand some hours before it is baked; some persons make it over-night. the dutch oven, which must first be made warm, will bake the rolls, which must be turned to prevent their catching. _breakfast rolls._ rub exceedingly fine two ounces of good butter in a pound and three quarters of fine flour. mix a table-spoonful of yest in half a pint of warm milk; set a light sponge in the flour till it rises for an hour; beat up one or two eggs in half a spoonful of fine sugar, and intermix it with the sponge, adding to it a little less than half a pint of warm milk with a tea-spoonful of salt. mix all up to a light dough, and keep it warm, to rise again for another hour. then break it in pieces, and roll them to the thickness of your finger of the proper length; lay them on tin plates, and set them in a warm stove for an hour more. then touch them over with a little milk, and bake them in a slow oven with care. to take off the bitterness from the yest, mix one pint of it in two gallons of water, and let it stand for twenty-four hours; then throw off the water, and the yest is fit for use; if not, repeat it. _another way._ with two pounds of flour mix about half a pound of butter, till it is like crumbled bread; add two whole eggs, three spoonfuls of good yest, and a little salt. make it up into little rolls; set them before the fire for a short time to rise, but, if the yest is very good, this will not be necessary. _brentford rolls._ take two pounds of fine flour; put to it a little salt, and two spoonfuls of fine sugar sifted; rub in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, the yolks of two eggs, two spoonfuls of yest, and about a pint of milk. work the whole into a dough, and set it to the fire to rise. make twelve rolls of it; lay them on buttered tins, let them stand to the fire to rise till they are very light, then bake them about half an hour. _dutch rolls._ into one pound of flour rub three ounces of butter; with a spoonful of yest, mixed up with warm milk, make it into light paste; set it before the fire to rise. when risen nearly half as big again, make it into rolls about the length of four inches, and the breadth of two fingers; set them again to rise before the fire, till risen very well; put them into the oven for a quarter of an hour. _french rolls._ no. . seven pounds of flour, four eggs leaving out two yolks--the whites of the eggs should be beaten to a snow--three quarters of a pint of ale yest. beat the eggs and yest together, adding warm milk; put it so beat into the flour, in which must be well rubbed four ounces of butter; wet the whole into a soft paste. keep beating it in the bowl with your hand for a quarter of an hour at least; let it stand by the fire half an hour, then make it into rolls, and put them into pans or dishes, first well floured, or, what is still better, iron moulds, which are made on purpose to bake rolls in. let them stand by the fire another half hour, and put them, bottom upwards, on tin plates, in the middle of a hot oven for three quarters of an hour or more: take them out, and rasp them. _french rolls._ no. . take two or three spoonfuls of good yest, as much warm water, two or three lumps of loaf-sugar, and the yolk of an egg. mix all together; let it stand to rise. meanwhile take a quartern of the finest flour, and rub in about an ounce of butter. then take a quart of new milk, and put into it a pint of boiling water, so as to make it rather warmer than new milk from the cow. mix together the milk and yest, and strain through a sieve into the flour, and, when you have made it into a light paste, flour a piece of clean linen cloth well, lay it upon a thick double flannel, put your paste into the cloth, wrap it up close, and put it in an earthen pan before the fire till it rises. make it up into ten rolls, and put them into a quick oven for a quarter of an hour. _french rolls._ no. . to half a peck of the best flour put six eggs, leaving out two whites, a little salt, a pint of good ale yest, and as much new milk, a little warmed, as will make it a thin light paste. stir it about with your hand, or with a large wooden spoon, but by no means knead it. set it in a pan before the fire for about an hour, or till it rises; then make it up into little rolls, and bake it in a quick oven. _milton rolls._ take one pound of fine rye flour, a little salt, the yolk of one egg, a small cupful of yest, and some warm new milk, with a bit of butter in it. mix all together; let it stand one hour to rise; and bake your rolls half an hour in a quick oven. _runnet._ take out the stomachs of fowls before you dress them; wash and cleanse them thoroughly; then string them, and hang them up to dry. when wanted for use, soak them in water, and boil them in milk; this makes the best and sweetest whey. _another way._ take the curd out of a calf's maw; wash and pick it clean from the hair and stones that are sometimes in it, and season it well with salt. wipe the maw, and salt it well, within and without, and put in the curd. let it lie in salt for three or four days, and then hang it up. _rusks._ take flour, water, or milk, yest, and brown sugar; work it just the same as for bread. make it up into a long loaf, and bake it. then let it be one day old before you cut it in slices: make your oven extremely hot, and dry them in it for about two minutes, watching them all the time. _another way._ put five pounds of fine flour in a large basin; add to it eight eggs unbeat, yolks and whites; dissolve half a pound of sugar over the fire, in a choppin (or a scotch quart) of new milk; add all this to the flour with half a mutchkin, (one english pint) of new yest; mix it well, and set it before a good fire covered with a cloth. let it stand half an hour, then work it up with a little more flour, and let it stand half an hour longer. then take it out of the basin, and make it up on a board into small round or square biscuits, place them upon sheets of white iron, and set them before the fire, covered with a cloth, till they rise, which will be in half an hour. put them into the oven, just when the bread is taken out; shut the oven till the biscuits turn brown on the top; then take them out, and cut them through. _rusks, and tops and bottoms._ well mix two pounds of sugar, dried and sifted, with twelve pounds of flour, also well dried and sifted. beat up eighteen eggs, leaving out eight whites, very light, with half a pint of new yest, and put it into the flour. melt two pounds of butter in three pints of new milk, and wet the paste with it to your liking. make it up in little cakes; lay them one on another; when baked, separate them, and return them to the oven to harden. _sally lunn._ to two pounds of fine flour put about two table-spoonfuls of fresh yest, mixed with a pint of new milk made warm. add the yolks of three eggs, well beat up. rub into the flour about a quarter of a pound of butter, with salt to your taste; put it to the fire to rise, as you do bread. make it into a cake, and put it on a tin over a chaffing-dish of slow coals, or on a hot hearth, till you see it rise; then put it into a quick oven, and, when the upper side is well baked, turn it. when done, rasp it all over and butter it; the top will take a pound of butter. _slip-cote._ a piece of runnet, the size of half-a-crown, put into a table-spoonful of boiling water over-night, and strained into a quart of new milk, lukewarm, an hour before it is eaten. _soufflé._ two table-spoonfuls of ground rice, half a pint of milk or cream, and the rind of a lemon, pared very thin, sugar, and a bay-leaf, to be stewed together for ten minutes; take out the peel, and let it stand till cold; then add the yolks of four eggs, which have been well beaten, with sifted sugar; the four whites to be beaten separately to a fine froth, and added to the above, which must be gently stirred all together, put into a tin mould, and baked in a quick oven for twenty minutes. _another way._ make a raised pie of any size you think proper. take some milk, a bay-leaf, a little cinnamon, sugar, and coriander seeds; boil it till it is quite thick. melt a piece of butter in another stewpan, with a handful of flour well stirred in; let it boil some time; strain the milk through, and put all together, adding four or five eggs, beaten up for a long time; these are to be added at the last, and then baked. _soufflé of apples and rice._ prepare some rice of a strong solid substance; dress it up all round a dish, the same height as a raised crust, that is, about three inches high. have some marmalade of apple ready made; mix with it six yolks of eggs, and a small piece of butter; warm it on the stove in order to do the eggs; then have eight whites of eggs well whipped, as for biscuits; mix them lightly with the apples, and put the whole into the middle of the rice. set it in a moderately hot oven, and, when the soufflé is raised sufficiently, send it up quickly to table, as it would soon fall and spoil. _strawberries, to preserve for eating with cream._ take the largest scarlet strawberries you can get, full red, but not too ripe, and their weight in double-refined sugar. take more strawberries of the same sort; put them in a pot, and set them in water over the fire to draw out the juice. to every pound of strawberries allow full half a pint of this juice, adding to it nearly a quarter of a pound more sugar. dip all the sugar in water; set it on the fire; and, when it is thoroughly melted, take it off, and stir it till it is almost cold. then put in the strawberries, and boil them over a quick fire; skim them; and, when they look clear, they are done enough. if you think the syrup too thin, take out the fruit, and boil it more; but you must stir it till it is cold before you put the strawberries in again. _strawberries, to preserve in currant jelly._ boil all the ordinary strawberries you can spare in the water in which you mean to put the sugar to make the syrup for the strawberries. take three quarters of a pound of the finest scarlet or pine strawberries; add to them one pound and a quarter of sugar, which dip in the above-mentioned strawberry liquor; then boil the strawberries quick, and skim them clear once. when cold, remove them out of the pan into a china bowl. if you touch them while hot, you break or bruise them. keep them closely covered with white paper till the currants are ripe, every now and then looking at them to see if they ferment or want heating up again. do it if required, and put on fresh papers. when the currants are ripe, boil up the strawberries; skim them well; let them stand till almost cold, and then take them out of the syrup very carefully. lay them on a lawn sieve, with a dish under them to catch the syrup; then strain the syrup through another lawn sieve, to clear it of all the bits and seeds; add to this syrup full half a pint of red and white currant juice, in equal quantities of each; then boil it quick about ten minutes, skimming it well. when it jellies, which you may know by trying it in a spoon, add the strawberries to it, and let them just simmer without boiling. put them carefully into the pots, but, for fear of the strawberries settling at the bottom, put in a little of the jelly first and let it set; then put in the strawberries and jelly; watch them a little till they are cold, and, as the strawberries rise above the syrup, with a tea-spoon gently force them down again under it. in a few days put on brandy papers--they will turn out in a firm jelly. _strawberries, to preserve in gooseberry jelly._ take a quart of the sharpest white gooseberries and a quart of water; let them come up to a boil, and then strain them through a lawn sieve. to a pint of the liquor put one pound of double-refined sugar; let it boil till it jellies; skim it very well, and take it off; when cool, put in the strawberries whole and picked. set them on the fire; let them come to a boil; take them off till cold; repeat this three or four times till they are clear; then take the strawberries out carefully, that they may not bruise or break, and boil the jelly till it is stiff. put a little first in the bottom of your pots or glasses; when set, put in the rest, first mixed with the strawberries, but not till nearly cold. _strawberry jam--very good._ to one pound of scarlet strawberries, which are by far the best for the purpose, put a pound of powdered sugar. take another half pound of strawberries, and squeeze all their juice through a cloth, taking care that none of the seeds come through to the jam. then boil the strawberries, juice, and sugar, over a quick fire; skim it very clean; set it by in a clean china bowl, covering it close with writing paper; when the currants are ripe, add to the strawberries full half a pint of red currant juice, and half a pound more of pounded sugar: boil it all together for about ten or twelve minutes over a quick fire, and skim it very well. _another way._ gather the strawberries very ripe; bruise them fine; put to them a little juice of strawberries; beat and sift their weight in sugar, and strew it over them. put the pulp into a preserving-pan; set it on a clear fire, and boil it three quarters of an hour, stirring it all the time. put it into pots, and keep it in a dry place, with brandy paper over it. _sugar, to clarify._ break into pieces two pounds of double-refined sugar; put it into a stewpan, with a pint of cold spring water; when dissolved, set it over a moderate fire; beat about half the white of an egg; put it to the sugar, before it gets warm, and stir it well together. when it boils, take off the scum; keep it boiling till no scum rises and it is perfectly clear. run it through a clean napkin; put it in a bottle well corked, and it will keep for months. _syllabub._ take a quart of cream with a slice or two of lemon-peel, to be laid to soak in the cream. take half a pint of sack and six spoonfuls of white wine, dividing it equally into your syllabub. set your cream over the fire, and make it something more than lukewarm; sweeten both sack and cream, and put the cream into a spouted pot, pouring it rather high from the pot into the vessel in which you intend to put it. let it be made about eight or nine hours before you want it for use. _another way._ mix a quart of cream, not too thick, with a pint of white wine, and the juice of two lemons; sweeten it to your taste; put it in a broad earthen pan; then whisk it up. as the froth rises, take it off with a spoon, and put it in your glasses, but do not make it long before you want them. _everlasting syllabub--very excellent._ take a quart and half a pint of cream, one pint of rhenish wine, half a pint of sack, the juice of three lemons, about a pound of double-refined sugar, beaten fine and sifted before you put it into the cream. grate off the rinds of the three lemons used, put it with the juice into the wine, and that to the cream. then beat all together with a whisk just half an hour; take it up with a spoon, and fill your glasses. it will keep good nine or ten days, and is best three or four days old. _solid syllabub._ half a pint of white wine, a wine-glass of brandy, the peel of a lemon grated and the juice, half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and a pint of cream. stir these ingredients well together; then dissolve one ounce of isinglass in half a pint of water; strain it; and when cool add it to the syllabub, stirring it well all the time; then put it in a mould. it is better made the day before you want it. _whipt syllabub._ boil a quart of cream with a bit of cinnamon; let it cool; take out the cinnamon, and sweeten to your taste. put in half a pint of white wine, or sack, and a piece of lemon-peel. whip it with a whisk to a froth; take it off with a spoon as it rises; lay it on the bottom of a sieve; put wine sweetened in the bottom of your glasses, and lay on the syllabub as high as you can. _taffy._ two pounds of moist sugar, an ounce of candied orange-peel, the same of citron, the juice of three lemons, the rind of two grated, and two ounces and a half of butter. keep stirring these on the fire until they attain the desired consistency. pour it on paper oiled to prevent its sticking. _trifle._ no. . take as many macaroons as the bottom of your dish will hold; peel off the wafers, and dip the cakes in madeira or mountain wine. make a very thick custard, with pounded apricot or peach kernels boiled in it; but if you have none, you may put some bitter almonds; pour the custard hot upon the maccaroons. when the custard is cold, or just before the trifle is sent to table, lay on it as much whipped syllabub as the dish can hold. the syllabub must be done with very good cream and wine, and put on a sieve to drain before you lay it on the custard. if you like it, put here and there on the whipped cream bunches of preserved barberries, or pieces of raspberry jam. _trifle._ no. . take a quart of sweet cream; boil it with a blade of mace and a little lemon-peel; sweeten it with sugar; keep stirring it till it is almost cold to prevent it from creaming at top; then put it into the dish you intend to serve it in, with a spoonful or less of runnet. let it stand till it becomes like cheese. you may perfume it, or add orange-flower water. _trifle._ no. . cover the bottom of your dish with maccaroons and ratafia cakes; just wet them all through with mountain wine or raisin wine; then make a boiled custard, not too thick, and when cold pour it over them. lay a whipped syllabub over that. you may garnish with currant jelly. _trotter jelly._ boil four sheep's trotters in a quart of water till reduced to a pint, and strain it through a fine sieve. _veal and ham patés._ chop six ounces of ready dressed lean veal and three ounces of ham very small; put it into a stewpan, with an ounce of butter rolled in flour, half a gill of cream, the same quantity of veal stock, a little lemon-peel, cayenne pepper and salt, to which add, if you like, a spoonful of essence of ham and some lemon-juice. _venison pasty._ bone a neck and breast of venison, and season them well with salt and pepper; put them into a pan, with part of a neck of mutton sliced and laid over them, and a glass of red wine. cover the whole with a coarse paste, and bake it an hour or two; but finish baking in a puff paste, adding a little more seasoning and the gravy from the meat. let the crust be half an inch thick at the bottom, and the top crust thicker. if the pasty is to be eaten hot, pour a rich gravy into it when it comes from the oven; but, if cold, there is no occasion for that. the breast and shoulder make a very good pasty. it may be done in raised crust. a middle-sized pasty will take three hours' baking. _vol-au-vent._ take a sufficient quantity of puff-paste, cut it to the shape of the dish, and make it as for an apple pie, only without a top. when baked, put it on a sheet of writing paper, near the fire, to drain the butter, till dinner time. then take two fowls, which have been previously boiled; cut them up as for a fricassee, but leave out the back. prepare a sauce, the white sauce as directed for boiled fowls. wash a table-spoonful of mushrooms in three or four cold waters; cut them in half, and add them also; then thoroughly heat up the sauce, and have the chicken also ready heated in a little boiling water, in which put a little soup jelly. strain the liquor from the chicken; pour a little of the sauce in the bottom of the paste, then lay the wings, &c. in the paste; pour the rest of the sauce over them, and serve it up hot. the paste should be well filled to the top, and if there is not sauce enough more must be added. _wafers._ take a pint of cream, melt in it half a pound of butter, and set it to cool. when cold, stir into it one pound of well dried and sifted flour by degrees, that it may be quite smooth and not lumpy, also six eggs well beaten, and one spoonful of ale yest. beat all these well together; set it before the fire, cover it, and let it stand to rise one hour, before you bake. some order it to be stirred a little while to keep it from being hard at top. sprinkle over a little powdered cinnamon and sugar, when done. _sugar wafers._ take some double-refined sugar, sifted; wet it with the juice of lemon pretty thin, and then scald it over the fire till it candies on the top. then put it on paper, and rub it about thin; when almost cold, pin up the paper across, and put the wafers in a stove to dry. wet the outside of the paper to take them off. you may make them red with clear gilliflowers boiled in water, yellow with saffron in water, and green with the juice of spinach. put sugar in, and scald it as though white, and, with a pin, mark your white ones before you pin them up. _walnuts, to preserve._ take fine large walnuts at the time proper for pickling; prick, with a large bodkin, seven or eight holes in each to let out the water; keep them in water till they change colour or no longer look green; then put them over a fire in cold water to boil, till they feel just soft, but not too soft. spread them on a coarse cloth to cool, and take away the water; stick in each walnut three or four cloves, three or four splinters of cinnamon, and the same of candied orange; then put them in pots or glasses. boil a syrup, but not thick, which, when cold, pour over the walnuts, and let it stand a day or two; then pour the syrup off; add some more sugar; boil it up once more, and pour it again over the walnuts. when cold, tie them up. _white walnuts._ take nuts that are neither too large nor too small; peel them to the white, taking off all the green with care, and throw them into pump water as you peel them; let them soak one night. boil them quick in fair water, throwing in a handful or two of alum in powder, according to the quantity, that they may be very white. when boiled, put them in fresh water, and take them out again in a minute; lay them on a dry cloth to dry, and lard them with preserved citron; then put them in the syrup you have made for the purpose, while they were larding, and let them soak two or three days before you boil them quite; the syrup must be very clear. one hundred walnuts make about three pounds of sweetmeats. _mustard whey._ take milk and water of each a pint, bruised mustard seed an ounce and a half; boil these together till the curd is perfectly separated: then strain the whey through a cloth, and add a little sugar, which makes it more palatable. _yest._ boil one ounce of hops in three quarts of water until reduced to about three pints. pour it upon one pound of flour; make it into a batter; strain it through a colander, and, when nearly cold, put to it one pint of home-brewed yest. put it into a bottle, and keep it for use. it should stand twenty-four or thirty hours before it is used. _excellent yest._ put a pint of well boiled milk into a hasty-pudding, and beat it till cold and there are few lumps remaining; then put to it two spoonfuls of yest and two of white powdered sugar, and stir it well. put it in a large bowl not far from the fire, and next morning you will find it risen and light. put it all to your flour, which must be mixed with as much warm milk and water as is necessary to make it into dough, and put it to rise in the common way. _potato yest._ boil rather more than a quarter of a peck of potatoes; bruise them through a colander; add half a pound of fine flour, and thin it with cold water till it is like a thick batter. add three table-spoonfuls of good yest; let it stand for an hour, and make your bread. this yest will always serve to make fresh from. _another way._ weigh four pounds of raw potatoes pared; boil them in five pints of water. wash and rub them through a sieve with the water in which they were boiled. add four table-spoonfuls of good brown sugar; when milk-warm, put to the mixture three pennyworth of fresh yest; stir it well, and let it work in an open vessel. it will be fit for use in about twelve or fourteen hours. about a pint and a half of this mixture will raise eighteen pounds of coarse flour; it may be put to rise over-night and will be ready to knead the first thing in the morning. it should be left to rise in the loaf four or five hours, before it is put in the oven. pickles. _general directions._ stone jars, well glazed, are best for all sorts of pickles, as earthen vessels will not resist the vinegar, which penetrates through them. never touch pickles with the hand, or any thing greasy; but always make use of a wooden spoon, and keep them closely tied down, in a cool, dry place. when you add vinegar to old pickles, let it boil, and stand till cold before you use it: on the contrary, when you make pickles, put it on the ingredients boiling and done with the usual spices. _green almonds._ boil a quantity of vinegar proportionate to that of the almonds to be pickled, skim it, and put into it salt, mace, ginger, jamaica and white pepper. put it into a jar, and let it stand till cold. throw your almonds into the liquor, which must cover them. _artichokes._ artichokes should be laid about six hours in a very strong brine of salt and water. then put them into a pot of boiling water, and boil them till you can draw the leaves from the bottom, which must be cut smooth and clean, and put into a pot, with whole black pepper, salt, cloves, mace, bay-leaves, and as much white wine vinegar as will cover them. lastly, pour upon them melted butter an inch thick, and cover them down close. when you take out any for use, put them into boiling water, with a piece of butter to plump them, and you may use them for whatever you please. _artichokes to boil in winter._ boil your artichokes for half a day in salt and water; put them into a pot of boiling water, allowing them to continue boiling until you can just draw off the leaves from the bottom; cut them very clean and smooth, and put them into the pot with cloves, mace, salt, pepper, two bay-leaves, and as much vinegar as will cover them. pour melted butter over to cover them about an inch thick; tie and keep them close down for use, with a piece of butter to plump them. you may use these for what you like. _asparagus._ scrape the asparagus, and cut off the prime part at the ends; wipe them, and lay them carefully in a jar or jelly-pot, pour vinegar over them, and let them lie in this about fourteen days. then boil fresh vinegar, and pour it on them hot; repeat this until they are of a good colour; add a little mace and nutmeg, and tie them down close. this does very well for a made dish when asparagus is not to be had. _barberries._ no. . gather the barberries when full ripe, picking out those that look bad. lay them in a deep pot. make two quarts of strong brine of salt and water; boil it with a pint of vinegar, a pound of white sugar, a few cloves, whole white pepper, and mace, tied in a bag; skim it, and when cold pour it on your barberries. barberries with stones will pickle; they must be without stones for preserving. _barberries._ no. . colour the water of the worst barberries, and add salt till the brine is strong enough to bear an egg. boil it for half an hour, skimming it, and when cold strain it over the barberries. lay something on them to keep them in the liquor: put them into a glass, and cover with leather. _barberries._ no. . boil a strong brine of salt and water, let it stand till quite cold, and pour it upon the barberries. _barberries._ no. . put into a jar some maiden barberries, with a good quantity of salt; tie on a bladder, and when the liquor scums change it. _beet-root._ beet-root must be boiled in strong salt and water, to which add a pint of vinegar and a little cochineal. when boiled enough, take it off the fire, and keep it in the liquor in which it has been boiled. it makes a pretty garnish for a dish of fish, and is not unpleasant to eat. _another._ boil the root till tender, peel it, and, if you think proper, cut it into shapes. pour over it a hot pickle of white wine vinegar, horseradish, a little ginger, and pepper. _beet-root and turnips._ boil your beet-root in salt and water, with a little cochineal and vinegar; when half boiled, put in your turnips pared; when they are done enough, take them off, and keep them in the same liquor in which they were boiled. _cabbage._ shave the cabbage into long slips, or, if you like, cut it in quarters. scald it in salt and water for about four minutes; then take it out, and let it cool. boil some vinegar, salt, ginger, whole pepper, and mace; after boiling and skimming it, let it get cold, and then put in your cabbage, which, if covered down presently, will keep white. _red cabbage._ no. . slice the cabbage very fine crosswise, put it on an earthen dish, sprinkle a handful of salt over it, cover it with another dish, and let it stand twenty-four hours. then put it in a colander to drain, and lay it in your jar; take white wine vinegar enough to cover it, a little cloves, mace, and allspice. put them in whole with one pennyworth of cochineal, bruised fine; boil it up, and put it over the cabbage, hot, or cold, which you like best. cover it close with a cloth till it is cold, and then tie it over with leather. _red cabbage._ no. . slice the cabbage into a colander, sprinkle each layer with salt, let it drain two days; then put it into wide-mouthed bottles, pour on it boiling vinegar, sufficient to cover it, and add a few slices of beet-root. cover the bottle with bladder. _red cabbage._ no. . take a firm cabbage cut in quarters; slice it; boil your vinegar with ginger and pepper; let it stand till cold; then pour it over your cabbage, and tie it down. it will be fit for use in three weeks. _capers._ capers are the produce of, a small shrub, but preserved in pickle, and are grown in some parts of england, but they come chiefly from the neighbourhood of toulon, the produce of which is considered the finest of any in europe. the buds are gathered from the blossom before they open, and then spread on the floor, where the sun cannot reach them, and there they are left till they begin to wither; they are then thrown into sharp vinegar, and in about three days bay salt is added in proper quantity, and when this is dissolved they are fit for packing for sale, and sent all over the world. _capsicum._ let the pods be gathered with the stalks on before they turn red, and with a penknife cut a slit down the side, and take out all the seed, but as little of the meat as possible. lay them in strong brine for three days, changing the brine every day. take them out, lay them on a cloth, and another over them. boil the liquor, put into it some mace and nutmeg beaten small; put the pods into a jar; when the liquor is cold, pour it over them, and tie down with a bladder and leather. _cauliflower._ cut from the closest and whitest heads pieces about the length of your finger, and boil them in a cloth with milk and water, but not till tender. take them out very carefully, and let them stand till cold. with the best white wine vinegar boil nutmeg, cut into quarters, mace, cloves, a little whole pepper, and a bay-leaf, and let it remain till cold. pour this into the jar to your cauliflower, and in three or four days it will be ready for use. _another way._ having cut the flower in bunches, throw them for a minute into boiling salt and water, and then into cold spring water. drain and dry them; cover with double-distilled vinegar; in a week put fresh vinegar, with a little mace and nutmeg, covering down close. _clove gilliflower, or any other flower, for salads._ put an equal weight of the flowers and of sugar, fill up with white wine vinegar, and to every pint of vinegar put a pound of sugar. _codlings._ the codlings should be the size of large walnuts; put vine leaves in the bottom of your pan, and lay in the codlings, covering with leaves and then with water; set them over a gentle fire till they may be peeled; then peel and put them into the water, with vine leaves at top and bottom, covering them close; set them over a slow fire till they become green, and, when they are cold, take off the end whole, cutting it round with a small knife; scoop out the core, fill the apple with garlic and mustard seed, put on the bit, and set that end uppermost in the pickle, which must be double-distilled vinegar cold, with mace and cloves. _cucumbers._ no. . gather young cucumbers, commonly called gherkins--the small long sort are considered the best--wipe them very clean with a cloth; boil some salt and water, and pour over them; keep them close covered. repeat this every day till they are green, putting fresh water every other day: let them stand near the fire, just to keep warm; the brine must be strong enough to bear an egg. when they are green, boil some white wine vinegar, pour it over them, put some mace in with them, and cover them with leather. it is better to put the salt and water to them once only, and they should be boiled up over the fire, in the vinegar, in a bell-metal kettle, with some vine leaves over, to green them. a brass kettle will not hurt, if very clean, and the cucumbers are turned out of it as soon as off the fire. _cucumbers._ no. . in a large earthen pan mix spring water and salt well together, taking two pounds of salt to every gallon of water. throw in your cucumbers, wash them well, and let them remain for twelve hours; then drain and wipe them very dry, and put them into a jar. put into a bell-metal pot a gallon of the best white wine vinegar, half an ounce of cloves and of mace, one ounce of allspice, one ounce of mustard-seed, a stick of horseradish sliced, six bay-leaves, a little dill, two or three races of ginger, a nutmeg cut in pieces, and a handful of salt. boil all together, and pour it over the cucumbers. cover them close down, and let them stand twenty-four hours, then pour off the vinegar from them, boil it, pour it over them again, and cover them close: repeat this process every day till they are green. then tie them down with bladder and leather; set them in a cool dry place, and they will keep for three or four years. beans may be pickled in the same manner. _cucumbers._ no. . wipe the cucumbers clean with a coarse cloth, and put them into a jar. take some vinegar, into which put pepper, ginger, cloves, and a handful of salt. pour it boiling hot over the cucumbers, and smother them with a flannel: let them stand a fortnight; then take off the pickle, and boil it again. pour it boiling on the cucumbers, and smother them as before. the pickle should be boiled in a bell-metal skillet. with two thousand cucumbers put into the pot about a pennyworth of roman vitriol. _large cucumbers, mango of._ take a cucumber, cut out a slip from the side, taking out the seeds, but be careful to let as much of the meat remain as you can. bruise mustard seed, a clove of garlic, some bits of horseradish, slices of ginger, and put in all these. tie the piece on again, and make a pickle of vinegar, whole pepper, salt, mace, and cloves: boil it, and pour it on the mangoes, and continue this for nine days together. when cold, cover them down with leather. _another._ scrape out the core and seed, filling them with whole pepper, a clove of garlic, and other spice. put them into salt and water, covered close up, for twenty-four hours; then drain and wipe them dry. boil as much vinegar with spice as will cover them, and pour it on them scalding hot. _cucumbers sliced._ take cucumbers not full grown, slice them into a pewter dish; to twelve cucumbers put three or four onions sliced, and as you do them strew salt on them; cover them with a pewter dish, and let them stand twenty-four hours. then take out the onions, strain the liquor from the cucumbers through a colander, and put them in a well glazed jar, with a pickle made of white wine vinegar, distilled in a cold still, with seasoning of mace, cloves, and pepper. the pickle must be poured boiling hot upon them, and then cover them down as close as possible. in four or five days take them out of the pickle, boil it, and pour it on as before, keeping the jar very close. repeat this three times; cover the jar with a bladder, and leather over it; the cucumbers will keep the whole year, and be of a fine sea-green, but perhaps not of so fine colour when first you open them; they will become so, however, if the vinegar is really fine. _cucumbers stuffed._ take six or eight middling-sized cucumbers, the smoothest you can procure; pare them, cut a small piece off the end, and scoop out all the seeds; blanch them for three or four minutes in boiling water on the fire; then put them into cold water to make the forcemeat. then take some veal off the leg, calf's udder, fat bacon, and a piece of suet, and put it in boiling water about four minutes; take it out, and chop all together; put some parsley, small green onions, and shalots, all finely chopped, some salt, pepper, and nutmeg, sufficient for seasoning it, some crumbs of bread that have been steeped in cream, the whites of two eggs, and four yolks beaten well in a mortar. stuff your cucumbers with this, and put the piece you cut off each upon it again. lay at the bottom of your stewpan some thin slices of bacon, with the skin of the veal, onions in slices, parsley, thyme, some cloves; put your cucumbers in your stewpan, and cover them with bacon, &c., as at the bottom, and then add some strong broth, just sufficient to cover them. set them over a slow fire covered, and let them stew slowly for an hour. make some brown gravy of a good colour, and well tasted; and, when your cucumbers are stewed, take them out, drain them well from all grease, and put them in your brown gravy; it must not be thick. set it over the stove for two minutes, and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. to make brown gravy, put into your stewpan a quarter of a pound of butter; set it over the fire, and, when melted, put in a spoonful of flour, and keep stirring it till it is as brown as you wish, but be careful not to let it burn; put some good gravy to it, and let it boil some time, with parsley, onions, thyme, and spices, and then strain it to your cucumbers. should any of the cucumbers be left at dinner, you may serve them up another way for supper; cut the cucumbers in two, lengthwise, or, if you like, in round slices; add yolks of eggs beaten, and dust them all well over with crumb of bread rubbed very fine; fry them very hot; make them of a good colour, and serve them in a dish, with fried parsley. _cucumbers, to preserve._ take some small cucumbers, and large ones that will cut in quarters, but let them be as green and as free from seeds as you can get them. put them into a narrow-mouthed jar, in strong salt and water, with a cabbage-leaf to keep them from rising; tie a paper over them, and set them in a warm place till they are yellow. then wash them out, and set them over the fire in fresh water, with a little salt and a fresh cabbage-leaf over them. cover the pan very close, but be sure you do not let them boil. if they are not of a fine green, change the water, which will help them; then make them hot, and cover them as before. when you find them of a good green, take them off the fire, and let them stand till they are cold: then cut the large ones into quarters; take out the seeds and soft parts, put them into cold water, and let them stand two days; but change the water twice each day, to take out the salt; put a pound of refined sugar to a pint of water, and set it over the fire; when you have skimmed it clear, put in the rind of a lemon and an ounce of ginger, scraping off the outside. take your syrup off as soon as it is pretty thick, and, when it is cold, wipe the cucumbers dry and put them into it. boil the syrup once in two or three days for three weeks, and strengthen the syrup if required, for the greatest danger of spoiling them is at first. when you put the syrup to the cucumbers, wait till it is quite cold. _french beans._ no. . gather them when very slender; string and parboil them in very strong salt and water; then take them out, and dry them between two linen cloths. when they are well drained, put them into a large earthen vessel, and, having boiled up the same kind of pickle as for cucumbers, pour as much upon your beans as will cover them well. strain the liquor from them three days successively; boil it up, and put your beans into the vinegar on the fire till they are warm through. after the third boiling, put them into jars for use, and tie them down. _french beans._ no. . take from the small slender beans their stalks, and let them remain fourteen days in salt and water; then wash and well cleanse them from the brine, and put them in a saucepan of water over a slow fire, covering them with vine-leaves. do not let them boil, but only stew, until they are tender, as for eating; strain them off, lay them on a coarse cloth to dry, and put them into pots; boil and skim alegar, and pour it over, covering them close; keep boiling in this manner for three or four days, or until they become green; add spice, as you would to other pickles, and, when cold, cover with leather. _french beans._ no. . put in a large jar a layer of beans, the younger the better, and a layer of salt, alternately, and tie it down close. when wanted for use, boil them in a quantity of boiling water: change the water two or three times, always adding the fresh water boiling; then put them into cold water to soak out the salt, and cut them when you want them for dressing for table. they must not be soaked before they are boiled. _herrings, to marinate._ take a quarter of a hundred of herrings; cut off their heads and tails; take out the roes, and clean them; then take half an ounce of jamaica and half an ounce of common pepper, an ounce of bay salt, and an ounce and a half of common salt; beat the pepper fine, mix it with the salt, and put some of this seasoning into the belly of each herring. lay them in rows, and between every row strew some of the seasoning, and lay a bunch or two of thyme, parsley, and sage, and three or four bay-leaves. cover your fish with good vinegar, and your pot with paste; put the pot into the oven after the household bread is drawn; let it remain all night; and, when it comes out of the oven, pour out all the liquor, take out the herbs; again boil up the liquor; add as much more vinegar as will cover the herrings, skim it clean, and strain it. when cold, pour it over your herrings. _herrings, red, trout fashion._ cut off their heads, cleanse them well, and lay a row at the bottom of an earthen pot, sprinkling them over with bay salt and saltpetre, mixed together. repeat this until your pan is full; then cover them, and bake them gently; when cold, they will be as red as anchovies, and the bones dissolved. _india pickle, called picolili._ no. . lay one pound of ginger in salt and water for a whole night; then scrape and cut it in thin slices, and lay them in the sun to dry; put them into a jar till the other ingredients are ready. peel two pounds of garlic, and cut it in thin slices; cover it with salt for three days; drain it well from the brine, and dry it as above directed. take young cabbages, cut them in quarters, salt them for three days, and dry them as above; do the same with cauliflowers, celery, and radishes, scraping the latter and leaving the tops of the celery on, french beans, and asparagus, which last two must be salted only two days, and dried in the same manner. take long pepper and salt it, but do not dry it too much, three ounces of turmeric, and a quarter of a pound of mustard seed finely bruised; put these into a stone jar, and pour on them a gallon of strong vinegar; look at it now and then, and if you see occasion add more vinegar. proceed in the same manner with plums, peaches, melons, apples, cucumbers; artichoke bottoms must be pared and cut raw; then salt them, and give them just one gentle boil, putting them into the water when hot. never do red cabbage or walnuts. the more every thing is dried, the plumper it will become in the vinegar. put in a pound or two of whole garlic prepared as above to act as a pickle. you need never empty the jar, as the pickle keeps; but as things come into season, do them and throw them in, observing that the vinegar always covers them. if the ingredients cannot be conveniently dried by the sun, you may do them by the fire, but the sun is best. _india pickle._ no. . select the closest and whitest cabbage you can get, take off the outside leaves, quarter and cut them into thin slices, and lay them upon a sieve; salt well between each layer of the cabbage, and let it drain till the next day; then dry it in a cloth, and spread it in dishes before the fire, or the sun, often turning it till dry. put it in a stone jar, with half a pint of white mustard seed, a little mace and cloves beat to a powder, as much cayenne as will lie on a shilling, a large head of garlic, and one pennyworth of turmeric in powder. pour on it three quarts of vinegar boiling hot; cover it close with a cloth, and let it stand a fortnight; then turn it all out into a saucepan. boil it, turning it often, about eight minutes, and put it up in your jar for use. it will be ready in a month. if other things are put in, they should lie in salt three days and then be dried; in this case, it will be necessary to make the pickle stronger, by adding ginger and horseradish, and it must be kept longer before used. _india pickle._ no. . boil one pound of salt, four ounces of ginger, eight ounces of shalots or garlic, a spoonful of cayenne pepper, two ounces of mustard seed, and six quarts of good vinegar. when cold, you may put in green fruit or any vegetable you choose, fresh as you pick them, only wiping off the dust. stop your jar close, and put in a little turmeric to colour it. _lemons._ no. . cut the lemons through the yellow rind only, into eight parts; then put them into a deep pan, a layer of salt and a layer of lemons, so as not to touch one another; set them in the chimney corner, and be sure to turn them every day, and to pack them up in the same manner as before. this you must continue doing fifteen or sixteen days; then take them out of the salt, lay them in a flat pan, and put them in the sun every day for a month; or, if there should be no sun, before the fire; then put them in the pickle; in about six months they will be fit to eat. make the pickle for them as follows: take two pounds of peeled garlic, eight pods of india pepper, when it is green; one pound and a half of ginger, one pound and a quarter of mustard seed, half an ounce of turmeric; each clove of the garlic must be split in half; the ginger must be cut in small slices, and, as no green ginger can be had in europe, you must cover the ginger with salt in a clean earthen vessel, until it is soft, which it will be in about three weeks, or something more, by which means you may cut it as you please; the mustard seed must be reduced, but not to powder, and the turmeric pounded fine: mix them well together, and add three ounces of oil of mustard seed. put these ingredients into a gallon of the best white wine vinegar boiled; then put the whole upon the lemons in a glazed jar, and tie them up close. they will not be fit in less than six months. when the vinegar is boiled, let it stand to be cold, or rather lukewarm, before you put it to the lemons, and if you use more than a gallon of vinegar, increase the quantity of each ingredient in proportion. strictly observe the direction first given, to let the lemons lie in salt fifteen or sixteen days, to turn them every day, and to let them be thoroughly dry before you put the pickle to them; it will be a month at least before they are sufficiently dry. _lemons._ no. . take twelve lemons pared so thin that not the least of the whites is to be seen; slit them across at each end, and work in as much salt as you can, rubbing them very well within and without. lay them in an earthen pan for three or four days, and strew a good deal of salt over them; then put in twelve cloves of garlic, and a large handful of horseradish; dry the lemons with the salt over them in a very slow oven, till the lemons have no moisture in them, but the garlic and the horseradish must not be dried so much. then take a gallon of vinegar, cloves, mace, and nutmegs, broken roughly, half an ounce of each, and the like quantity of cayenne pepper. give them a boil in the vinegar; and, when cold, stir in a quarter of a pound of flour of mustard, and pour it upon the lemons, garlic, &c. stir them every day, for a week together, or more. when the lemons are used in made dishes, shred them very small; and, when you use the liquor, shake it before you put it to the sauce, or in a cruet. when the lemons are dried, they must be as hard as a crust of bread, but not burned. _lemons._ no. . take two dozen lemons, cut off about an inch at one end, scoop out all the pulp, fill them with salt, and sew on the tops. let them continue over the mouth of an oven, or in any slow heat, for about three weeks, till they are quite dried. take out the salt; lay them in an earthen jar; put to them six quarts of the best vinegar which has been boiled; add some long pepper, mace, ginger, and cinnamon, a few bay-leaves, four cloves of garlic, and six ounces of the best flour of mustard. when quite cold, cover up the jar, and let it stand for three weeks or a month. then strain off the liquor, and bottle it. _lemons._ no. . quarter the lemons lengthwise, taking care not to cut them so low as to separate; put a table-spoonful of salt into each. set them on a pewter dish; dry them very slowly in a cool oven or in the sun; they will take two or three weeks to dry properly. for a dozen large lemons boil three quarts of vinegar, with two dozen peppercorns, two dozen allspices, and four races of ginger sliced. when the vinegar is cold, put it, with the lemons, the ingredients, and all the salt, into a jar; add a quarter of a pound of flour of mustard and two dozen cloves of garlic; the garlic must be peeled and softened in scalding water for a little while, then covered with salt for three days, and dried before it is put into the jar. let the whole remain for two months closely tied down and stirred every day; then squeeze the lemons well; strain and bottle the liquor. _lemons._ no. . select small thick-rinded lemons; rub them with a flannel; slit them in four parts, but not through to the pulp; stuff the slits full of salt, and set them upright in a pan. let them remain thus for five or six days, or longer if the salt should not be melted, turning them three times a day in their own liquor, until they become tender. then make a pickle of rape, vinegar, and the brine from the lemons, ginger, and jamaica pepper. boil and skim it, and when cold put it to the lemons, with three cloves of garlic, and two ounces of mustard seed. this is quite sufficient for six lemons. _lemons._ no. . boil them in water and afterwards in vinegar and sugar, and then cut them in slices. _lemons, or oranges._ select fruit free from spots; lay them gently in a barrel. take pure water, and make it so strong with bay-salt as that it would bear an egg; with this brine fill up the barrel, and close it tight. _mango cossundria, or pickle._ take of green mangoes two pounds, green ginger one pound, yellow mustard seed one pound; half dried chives, garlic, salt, mustard, oil, of each two ounces; fine vinegar, four bottles. cut the mangoes in slices lengthwise, and place them in the sun till half dried. slice the ginger also; put the whole in a jar well closed, and set it in the sun for a month. this pickle will keep for years, and improves by age. _melons._ scoop your melons clean from the pulp; fill them with scraped horseradish, ginger, nutmeg, sliced garlic, mace, pepper, mustard-seed, and tie them up. afterwards take the best white wine vinegar, a quartered nutmeg, a handful of salt, whole pepper, cloves, and mace, or a little ginger; let the vinegar and spice boil together, and when boiling hot pour it over the fruit, and tie them down very close for two or three days; but, if you wish to have them green, let them be put over a fire in their pickle in a metal pot, until they are scalding hot and green; then pour them into pots, and stop them close down, and, when cold, cover them with wet bladder and leather. _melons to imitate mangoes._ cut off the tops of the melons, so as that you may take out the seeds with a small spoon; lay them in salt and water, changing it every twenty-four hours for nine successive days: then take them out, wipe them dry, and put into each one clove of garlic or two small shalots, a slice or two of horseradish, a slice of ginger, and a tea-spoonful of mustard seed; this being done, tie up their tops again very fast with packthread, and boil them up in a sufficient quantity of white wine vinegar, bay-salt, and spices, as for cucumbers, skimming the pickle as it rises; put a piece of alum into your pickle, about the size of a walnut; and, after it has boiled a quarter of an hour, pour it, with the fruit, into your jar or pan, and cover it with a cloth. next day boil your pickle again, and pour it hot upon your melons. after this has been repeated three times, and the pickle and fruit are quite cold, stop them up as directed for mushrooms. these and all other pickles should be set in a dry place, and frequently inspected; and, if they grow mouldy, you must pour off the liquor and boil it up as at first. _melons or cucumbers, as mangoes._ pour over your melons or other vegetables boiling hot salt and water, and dry them the next day; cut a piece out of the side; scrape away the seed very clean; and fill them with scraped horseradish, garlic, and mustard seed; then put in the piece, and tie it close. pour boiling hot vinegar over them, and in about three days boil up the vinegar with cloves, pepper, and ginger: then throw in your mangoes, and boil them up quick for a few minutes; put them in jars, which should be of stone, and cover them close. the melons ought to be small and the cucumbers large. should they not turn out green enough, the vinegar must be boiled again. _mushrooms._ no. . gather your mushrooms in august or september, and peel off the uppermost skin; cut the large ones into quarters, and, as you do them, throw them into clear water, but be very careful not to have any worm-eaten ones. you may put the buttons in whole; the white are the best, and look better than the red. take them out, and wash them in another clear water; then put them into a dry skillet without water; and with a little salt set them on the fire to boil in their own liquor, till half is consumed and they are as tender as you wish them; as the scum rises, take it off. remove them from the fire: pour them into a colander, and drain off all the water. have ready pickle, boiled and become cold again, made of the best white wine vinegar; then add a little mace, ginger, cloves, and whole pepper: boil it; put your mushrooms in the pickle when cold, and tie them up close. _mushrooms._ no. . put your mushrooms into salt and water, and wash them clean with a flannel, throw them into water as you do them; then boil some salt and water: when it boils, put in your mushrooms, and let them boil one minute. take them out, and smother them between two flannels; when cold, put them into white wine vinegar, with what spice you choose. the vinegar must be boiled and stand till cold. keep them closely tied down with a bladder. a bit of alum is frequently put to keep them firm. the white mushrooms are done the same way, using milk and water instead of salt and water, distilled vinegar in the room of white wine vinegar, no spices except mace, and a lump of alum. _mushrooms._ no. . cut off the stalks of the small hard mushrooms, called buttons, and wash and rub them dry in a clean flannel. boil some water and salt, and while boiling put in the mushrooms. let them just boil, and strain them through a cloth. make a pickle of white wine vinegar, mace, and ginger, and put to them; then put them into pots, with a little oil over them, and stop them close. _mushrooms._ no. . put young mushrooms into milk and water; take them out, dry them well, and put them into a brine made of salt and spring water. boil the brine, and put in the mushrooms; boil them up for five minutes; drain them quick, covering them up between two cloths and drying them well. boil a pickle of double-distilled vinegar and mace; when it is cold, put in the buttons, and pour oil on the top. it is advisable to put them into small glass jars, as they do not keep after being opened. it is an excellent way to boil them in milk. _mushrooms._ no. . put your mushrooms into water; rub them very clean with a piece of flannel; put them into milk and water, and boil them till they are rather tender. then pour them into an earthen colander, and pump cold water on them till they are quite cold. have ready some salt and water; put them into it; let them lie twenty-four hours; then dry them in a cloth. then put them into a pickle made of the best white wine vinegar, mace, pepper, and nutmeg. if you choose to boil your pickle, it must be quite cold before you put in the mushrooms. _mushrooms._ no. . peel your mushrooms, and throw them into clean water; wash them in two or three waters, and boil them in a little water, with a bundle of sweet-herbs, a good quantity of salt, a little rosemary, and spice of all sorts. when well boiled, let them remain in the liquor for twenty-four hours; pour the liquor into a hot cloth, smothering them for a night and a day; then put in your pickle, which make of elder and white wine vinegar, with all kinds of spice, horseradish, ginger, and lemon-juice. put them into pots, cover with oiled paper, and keep them close for use. _mushrooms._ no. . clean them very well, and take out the gills; boil them tender with a little salt, and dry them with a cloth. make a strong brine; when it is cold, put in the mushrooms, and in about ten days or a fortnight change the brine, and put them into small bottles, pouring oil on the top. _brown mushrooms._ wipe them very clean, put them into a stewpan with mace, cloves, pepper, and salt, and to every quart of mushrooms put about two large spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup; stew them gently over a slow fire for about half an hour, then let them cool. put them into bottles. to each quart of mushrooms put a quarter of a pint of white wine vinegar boiled and cooled; stop the bottles close with rosin. _mushrooms, to dry._ cut off their stalks, and cut or scrape out the gills, and with a little salt put them into a saucepan. set them on the fire, and let them stew in their own liquor; then pour them into a sieve to drain. when dry, put them into a slack oven upon tin plates, and, when quite dry, put them into shallow boxes for use. the liquor will make ketchup. _mushroom liquor and powder._ take about a peck of mushrooms, wash them, and rub them with a piece of flannel, taking out the gills, but do not peel them. put to them half an ounce of beaten pepper, four bay-leaves, four cloves, twelve blades of mace, a handful of salt, eight onions, a bit of butter, and half a pint of vinegar; stew all these as quick as possible; keep stirring till the liquor is quite out of the mushrooms; then drain them, and bottle the liquor and spice when cold. dry the mushrooms in an oven, first on a flat or broad pan, then on sieves, until they can be beaten into powder. this quantity will make about seven ounces. stop the powder close in wide-mouthed bottles. _mustard pickle._ cut cabbages, cauliflowers, and onions, in small pieces or slices; salt them together, and let them stand in the salt for a few days. then take them up in a strainer that the brine may run off; put them in a jar that will hold three quarts; take enough vinegar to cover them; boil it up, pour it on them, and cover it till next day. pour the vinegar off, take the same quantity of fresh vinegar, of black pepper, ginger, and jamaica pepper, each one ounce; boil them up together, let the liquor stand till cold; then mix four tea-spoonfuls of turmeric, and six ounces of flour of mustard, which pour on them cold. cover the pickle up close; let it stand three weeks; and it will be fit for use. the spices must be put in whole. _nasturtiums._ the seed must be full grown and gathered on a dry day. let them lie two or three days in salt and water; take them out, well dry them, and put them into a jar. take as much white wine vinegar as will cover them, and boil it up with mace, sliced ginger, and a few bay leaves, for a quarter of an hour. pour the pickle upon the seeds boiling hot. this must be repeated three days, keeping them covered with a folded cloth. after the third time, take care to let them be quite cold before you stop them up, which you must do very close. _onions._ no. . take your onions when they are dry enough to lay up for winter, the smaller the better they look: put them in a pot, cover them with spring water, with a handful of salt, and let them boil up; then strain them off. take off three coats; lay them on a cloth, and let two persons take hold of it, one at each end, and rub them backwards and forwards till they are very dry. then put them in your jars or bottles, with some blades of mace, cloves, and nutmeg, cut into pieces; take some double-distilled white wine vinegar, boil it up with a little salt; let it stand till it is cold, and put it over the onions. cork them close, and tie a bladder and leather over them. _onions._ no. . take the smallest onions you can get; peel and put them into spring water and salt made very strong. shift them daily for six days; then boil them a very little; skim them well, and make a pickle as for cucumbers, only adding a little mustard seed. let the onions and the pickle both be cold, when you put them together. keep them stopped very close, or they will spoil. _onions._ no. . peel some small white onions, and boil them in water with salt; strain them, and let them remain till cool in a cloth. make the pickle as for mushrooms; when quite cold, put them in and cover them down. should the onions become mouldy, boil them again, carefully skimming off the impurities; then let them cool, and proceed as at first. cauliflowers are excellent done in this way. _onions._ no. . put your small onions, after peeling them, into salt and water, shifting them once a day for three or four days; set them over the fire in milk and water till ready to boil; dry them; and, when boiled and cold, pour over a pickle made of double-distilled vinegar, a bay-leaf or two, salt, and mace. _onions._ no. . parboil small white onions, and let them cool. make a pickle with half vinegar, half wine, into which put some salt, a little ginger, some mace, and sliced nutmeg. boil all this up together, skimming it well. let it stand till quite cold; then put in your onions, covering them down. should they become mouldy, boil the liquor again, but skim it well; let it stand till quite cold before the onions are again put in, and they will keep all the year. _onions._ no. . take the small white round onions; peel off the brown skin. have ready a stewpan of boiling water; throw in as many onions as will cover the top. as soon as they look clear on the outside, take them up quickly, lay them on a clean cloth, and cover them close with another cloth. _spanish onions, mango of._ having peeled your onions, cut out a small piece from the bottom, scoop out a little of the inside, and put them into salt and water for three or four days, changing the brine twice a day. then drain and stuff them, first putting in flour of mustard, then a little ginger cut small, mace, shalot cut small, then more mustard, and filling up with scraped horseradish. put on the bottom piece, and tie it on close. make a strong pickle of white wine vinegar, ginger, mace, sliced horseradish, nutmeg, and salt: put in your mangoes, and boil them up two or three times. take care not to boil them too much, otherwise they lose their firmness and will not keep. put them, with the pickle, into a jar. boil the pickle again next morning, and pour it over them. _orange and lemon peel._ boil the peels of the fruit in vinegar and sugar, and lay them in the pickle; but be careful to cut them in small long slices, about the length of half the peel of your lemon. it must be boiled in water previously to boiling in sugar and vinegar. _oysters._ no. . take a quantity of large oysters with their liquor; wash well all the grit from them, and to every three pints of clear water put half an ounce of bruised pepper, some salt, and a quarter of an ounce of mace. let these boil over a gentle fire, until a fourth part is consumed, skimming it; just scald the oysters, and put them into the liquor; put them into barrels or pots; stop them very close, and they will keep for a year in a cool place. _oysters._ no. . parboil some large oysters in their own liquor; make pickle of their liquor with vinegar, a pint of white wine, mace, salt and pepper; boil and skim it, and when cold put in the oysters, and keep them. _oysters._ no. . take whole pepper and mace, of each a quarter of an ounce, and half a pint of white wine vinegar. set the oysters on the fire, in their own liquor, with a little water, mace, pepper, and half a pound of salt; skim them well as they heat, and only allow them just to boil for fear of hardening them. take them out to dry, skim the liquor, and then put in the rest of the spice with the vinegar. should the vinegar be very strong, reduce it a little, and boil it up again for a short time. let both stand till cold: put your oysters into the pickle: in a day or two, taste your pickle, and, should it not be sharp enough, add a little more vinegar. _oysters._ no. . take the largest oysters you can get, and just plump them over the fire in their own liquor; then strain it from them, and cover the oysters close in a cloth. take an equal quantity of white wine and vinegar, and a little of the oyster liquor, with mace, white pepper, and lemon-peel, pared very thin, also salt, the quantity of each according to your judgment and taste, taking care that there be sufficient liquor to cover them. set it on the fire, and, when it boils, put in the oysters; just give them one boil up; put the pickle in a pot, and the oysters closely covered in a cloth till the pickle is quite cold. _oysters._ no. . simmer them, till done, in their own liquor; take them out one by one, strain the liquor from them, and boil them with one third of vinegar. put the oysters in a jar, in layers, with a little mace, whole and white pepper, between the layers; then pour over them the liquor hot. _oysters._ no. . take whole pepper and mace, of each a quarter of an ounce, and put to them half a pint of white wine vinegar. _peaches, mango of._ take some of the largest peaches, when full grown and just ripening, throw them into salt and water, and add a little bay-salt. let them lie two or three days, covering them with a board; take them out and dry them, and with a sharp knife cut them open and take out the stone; then cut some garlic very fine, scrape a great deal of horseradish, mix the same quantity of mustard seed, a few bruised cloves, and ginger sliced very thin, and with this fill the hollow of the peaches. tie them round, and lay them in a jar; throw in some broken cinnamon, cloves, mace, and a small quantity of cochineal, and pour over as much vinegar as will fill the jar. to every quart put a quarter of a pint of the best mustard, well made, some cloves, mace, nutmeg, two or three heads of garlic, and some sliced ginger. mix the pickle well together; pour it over the peaches, and tie them down close with either leather or a bladder. they will soon be fit for use. in the same manner you may do white plums. _purslain, samphire, broom buds, &c._ pick the dead leaves from the branches of purslain, and lay them in a pan. make some strong brine; boil and skim it clean, and, when boiled and cold, put in the purslain, and cover it; it will keep all the year. when wanted for use, boil it in fresh water, having the water boiling before you put it in. when boiled and turned green, cool it, take it out afterwards, put it into wide-mouth bottles, with strong white wine vinegar to it, and close it for use. _quinces._ cut in pieces half a dozen quinces; put them into an earthen pot, with a gallon of water and two pounds of honey. mix the whole together, and boil it leisurely in a kettle for half an hour. strain the liquor into an earthen pot: and, when cold, wipe the quinces clean, and lay them in it. cover them very close, and they will keep all the year. _radish pods._ make a pickle with cold spring water and bay salt, strong enough to bear an egg; put in your pods; lay a thin board on them to keep them under water, and let them stand ten days. drain them in a sieve, and lay them on a cloth to dry; then take as much white wine vinegar as you think will cover them, boil and put your pods in a jar, with ginger, mace, cloves, and jamaica pepper; put your vinegar boiling hot on them; cover them with a coarse cloth three or four times double, that the steam may come through a little, and let them stand two days; repeat this two or three times. when cold, put in a pint of mustard-seed and some horseradish, and cover them close. _salmon._ no. . cut off the head of the fish, take out the intestines, but do not slit the belly; cut your pieces across, about two or three inches in breadth; take the blood next to the back clean out: wash and scale it; then put salt and water over the fire, and a handful of bay leaves; put in the salmon, and, when it is boiled, take it off and skim it clear. take out the pieces with a skimmer as whole as you can; lay them on a table to drain; strain a handful of salt slightly over them; when they are cold, stick some cloves on each side of them. then take a cask, well washed, and seasoned with hot and cold water, three or four days before you use it; put in the pickle you boiled your salmon in hot, some time before you use it; then take broad mace, sliced nutmeg, white pepper, just bruised, and a little black; mix the pepper with salt, sufficient to season the salmon; strew some pepper, salt, and bay-leaves, at the bottom of the cask; then put in a layer of salmon, then spice, salt, bay-leaves, and pepper, as before, until the cask is full. put on the head, and bore a hole in the top of it; fill up the cask with good white wine vinegar, cork it, and, in two or three days, take out the cork and put more vinegar, and the fat will come out; do so three or four times; then cut off the cork, and pitch it; if it be for present use, put it in a jar, closely covered. _salmon._ no. . well scrape the salmon, take out the entrails, and well wash and dry it. cut it in pieces of such size as you think proper; take three parts of common vinegar and one of water, enough to cover the fish. put in a handful of salt, and stir it till dissolved. add some mace, whole pepper, cloves, sliced nutmeg, and boil all these till the salmon is sufficiently done. take it out of the liquor, and let it cool. put it into a barrel, and over every layer of salmon strew black pepper, mace, cloves, and pounded nutmeg; and, when the barrel is full, pour upon the salmon the liquor in which it was boiled, mixed with vinegar, in which a few bay-leaves have been boiled, and then left till cold. close up the barrel, and keep it for use. _salmon._ no. . cut your fish into small slices, and clean them well from the blood, by wiping and pressing them in a dry cloth; afterwards lay it in a kettle of boiling water, taking care not to break it, and, when nearly boiled, make a pickle as follows: two quarts of water, three quarts of rape vinegar; boil it with a little fennel and salt till it tastes strong; then skim it; let it cool; lay the fish in a kettle, and pour the pickle to it pretty warm. the same process will do for sturgeon, excepting the fennel, and putting a little more salt, or for any other fish. _salmon, to marinate._ cut your salmon in round slices about two inches thick, and tie it with matting, like sturgeon; season it with pepper, mace, and salt; then put it into a broad earthen pan, with an equal quantity of port wine and vinegar to cover it, and add three or four bay-leaves. the pickle also must be seasoned with the spices above-mentioned. the pan must be covered with a coarse cloth, and baked with household bread. _samphire._ pick and lay it in strong brine, cold; let it remain twenty-four hours, boil the brine once on a quick fire, and pour it immediately on the samphire. after standing twenty-four hours, just boil it again on a quick fire, and stand till cold. lay it in a pot, let the pickle settle, and cover the samphire with the clear portion of the pickle. set it in a dry place, and, should the pickle become mothery, boil it once a month, and, when cold, put the samphire into it. _smelts._ lay the smelts in a pot in rows, and lay upon them sliced lemon, mace, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, powdered bay-leaves, and salt. make pickle of red wine vinegar, saltpetre, and bruised cochineal; when cold, pour it on the smelts, and cover the pot close. _suckers, before the leaves are hard._ pare off all the hard ends of the leaves and stalks of the suckers, and scald them in salt and water, and, when cold, put them into glass bottles, with three blades of mace, and thin sliced nutmeg; fill them with distilled vinegar. _vinegar for pickling._ no. . take the middling sort of beer, but indifferently hopped, let it work as long as possible, and fine it down with isinglass; then draw it from the sediment, and put ten pounds weight of the husks of grapes to every ten gallons. mash them together, and let them stand in the sun, or, if not in summer, in a close room, heated by fire, and, in about three or four weeks, it will become an excellent vinegar. should you not have grape husks, you may take the pressing of sour apples, but the vinegar will not prove so good either in taste or body. cyder will make a decent sort of vinegar, and also unripe grapes, or plums, but foul white rhenish wines, set in a warm place, will fine, naturally, into good vinegar. _vinegar._ no. . to a pound and a half of the brownest sugar put a gallon of warm water; mix it well together; then spread a hot toast thick with yest, and let it work very well about twenty-four hours. skim off the toast and the yest, and pour off the clear liquor, and set it out in the sun. the cask must be full, and, if painted and hooped with iron hoops, it will endure the weather better. lay a tile over the bunghole. _vinegar._ no. . to every gallon of water put three pounds of malaga raisins; stop it up close, and let it stand in the cellar two years. _camp vinegar._ infuse a quarter of an ounce of cayenne, four heads of garlic, some shalots, half a drachm of cochineal, a quarter of a pint of ketchup, soy, walnut pickle, and an ounce of black, white, and long pepper, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg, all grossly bruised, a little mace, and cloves, in a quart of the best wine vinegar; cork it close, and put a leather and bladder over it. let it stand before the fire for a month, shaking it frequently. you must let it stand upon the ingredients, and fill up with vinegar as you take any out. this is not only an excellent sauce, but a powerful preservative against infectious disorders. _another._ half an ounce of cayenne pepper, a large head of garlic, half a drachm of cochineal, two spoonfuls of soy, the same of walnut pickle, and a pint of vinegar. _chili vinegar._ gather the pods of capsicum when full ripe; put them into a jar with a clove of garlic and a little cayenne pepper; boil the vinegar, and pour it on hot; fill up your jar: let it stand for a fortnight; pour it off clear, and it will be fit for use. _elder-flower vinegar._ no. . put two gallons of strong alegar to a peck of the pips of elder-flowers, set it in the sun in a stone jar for a fortnight, and then filter it through a flannel bag; when you draw it off, put it into small bottles, in which it will preserve its flavour better than in larger ones; when you mix the flowers and the alegar together, be careful not to drop any stalks amongst the pips. _elder-flower vinegar._ no. . take good vinegar, fill a cask three quarters full, and gather some elder-flowers, nearly or moderately blown, but in a dry day; pick off the small flowers and sprigs from the greater stalks, and air them well in the sun, that they may grow dry, but not so as to break or crumble. to every four gallons of vinegar put a pound of them, sewing them up in a fine rag. _elder-flower vinegar._ no. . pick the flowers before they are too much blown from the stalks, and dry them in the sun, but not when it is very hot. put a handful of them to a quart of the best white wine vinegar, and let it stand a fortnight. strain and draw it off, and put it into a cask, keeping out about a quart. make it very hot, and put it into your cask to produce fermentation. stop it very close, and draw it off when wanted. _elder-flower vinegar._ no. . gather the elder-flowers in dry weather, pick them clean from the stalks, and put two pints of them to a gallon of the best white wine vinegar. let them infuse for ten days, stirring them every day till the last day or two; then strain off the vinegar, and bottle it. _garlic vinegar._ take sixty cloves, two nutmegs sliced, and eight cloves of garlic, to a quart of vinegar. _gooseberry vinegar._ to every gallon of water take six pounds of full ripe gooseberries; bruise them, and put them into a vessel, pouring the water cold upon them. set the vessel in a hot place till the gooseberries come to the top, which they will do in about a fortnight; then draw off the liquor, and, when you have taken the gooseberries out of the vessel, measure the liquor into it again, and to every gallon put a pound of coarse sugar. it will work again, and, when it has done working, stop it down close, set it near the fire or in the sun: it will be fit for use in about six months. if the vessel is not full, it will be ready sooner. _plague, or four thieves' vinegar._ take rue, sage, mint, rosemary, wormwood, and lavender, of each a large handful; put them into a stone jar, with a gallon of the best vinegar; tie it down very close, and let it stand a fortnight in the sun, shaking the jar every day. bottle it, and to every bottle add a quarter of an ounce of camphor, beaten very fine. the best time to make it is in june or july. _raisin vinegar._ put four quarts of spring water to two pounds of malaga raisins, lay a stone or slate over the bung-hole, and set it in the sun till ready for use. if you put it into a stone jar or bottle, and let it stand in the chimney corner, for a proper time, it will answer the same purpose. _raspberry vinegar._ no. . fill a very large jug or jar with raspberries; then pour as much white wine vinegar upon them as it will hold; let it stand four days, stirring it three times every day. let it stand four days more, covered close up, stirring it once a day. strain it through a hair sieve, and afterwards through a flannel bag; and to every pint of liquor add one pound of loaf-sugar. simmer it over the fire, skimming it all the time, till quite clear. as soon as cold, bottle it. this is very good sauce for a plain batter pudding and pancakes. _raspberry vinegar._ no. . take two pounds of sugar; dissolve it in a pint of water; then clarify, and let it boil till it is a thick syrup. take the same quantity of raspberries, or currants, but not too ripe, and pour over them a quarter of a pint of vinegar, in which they must steep for twenty-four hours. pour the fruit and vinegar into the syrup, taking care not to bruise the fruit; then give it one boil, strain it, and cork it up close in bottles. the fruit must be carefully picked and cleaned, observing not to use any that is in the least decayed. to the syrup of currants a few raspberries may be added, to heighten the flavour. an earthen pipkin is the best to boil in. _raspberry vinegar._ no. . fill a jug with raspberries; add as much of the best vinegar as the jug will hold; let the fruit steep ten or twelve days; then strain the liquor through a fine sieve, without squeezing the raspberries; put three pounds of lump sugar to a quart of juice, and skim it. _walnuts, black._ no. . take large full grown walnuts before they are hard; lay them in salt and water for two days: then shift them into fresh water, and let them lie two days longer; change them again, and let them lie two days longer; take them out, and put them in your pickle pot; when the pot is half full, put in some shalots, and a head of garlic. to a hundred of walnuts add half an ounce of allspice, half an ounce of black pepper, six bay-leaves, and a stick of horseradish. then fill your pots, and pour boiling vinegar over them; cover them with a plate, and when cold tie them down. before you put the nuts into salt and water, prick them well with a pin. _walnuts._ no. . about midsummer take your walnuts, run a knitting-needle through them, and lay them in vinegar and salt, sufficiently strong to bear an egg. let them remain in this pickle for three weeks; then make some fresh pickle; shift them into it, and let them lie three weeks longer; take them out, and wipe them with a clean cloth; and tie up every nut in a clean vine-leaf. put them into fresh vinegar, seasoned with salt, mace, mustard, garlic, and horseradish; and to a hundred nuts put one ounce of ginger, one ounce of pepper, and of cloves and mace a quarter of an ounce each, two small nutmegs, and half a pint of mustard seed. all the pickles to be done in raw vinegar (that is, not boiled). it is always recommended to have the largest double nuts, being the best to pickle. _walnuts._ no. . take the large french nuts, wipe them clean, and wrap each in a vine-leaf; put them into a weak brine of salt and water for a fortnight, changing it every day, and lay a slate upon them, to keep them always under, or they will turn black. drain them, and make a stronger brine, that will bear an egg; let them lie in that a fortnight longer; then drain and wipe them very dry, and wrap them in fresh vine-leaves; put them in jars, and pour on them double-distilled vinegar, which must not be boiled. to six or eight hundred nuts put two pounds of shalots, one of garlic, and one of rocambole; a piece of assafotida, of the size of a pea, tied up in a bit of muslin, and put into each jar, of white, black, and long pepper, one pound each, half a pound of mace, a quarter of a pound of nutmegs, two ounces of cinnamon, two ounces of cloves, two pounds of allspice, one pound of ginger, two pounds of mustard-seed, some bay-leaves, and horseradish. the mustard-seed and spice must be a little bruised. mix all these ingredients together, and put in a layer of nuts and then a layer of this mixture; put the assafotida in the middle; and as the pickle wastes take care to keep the jar filled up with vinegar. _walnuts._ no. . take a hundred walnuts, at the beginning of july, before they are shelled; just scald them, that the skin may rub off, then put them into salt and water, for nine or ten days; shift them every day, and keep them covered from the air: dry them; make your pickle of two quarts of white wine vinegar, long pepper, black pepper, and ginger, of each half an ounce; beat the spice; add a large spoonful of mustard-seed; strew this between every layer of nuts. pour liquor, boiling hot, upon them, three or four times, or more, if required. be sure to keep them tied down close. _walnuts._ no. . put into a stone jar one hundred large double nuts. take one ounce of jamaica and four ounces of black pepper, two of ginger, one of cloves, and a pint of mustard-seed; bruise these, and boil them, with a head or two of garlic and four handfuls of salt, in a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover the nuts. when cold, put it to them, and let them stand two days. then boil up the pickle, pour it over the nuts, and tie them down close. repeat this process for three days. _walnuts, green._ wipe and wrap them one by one in a vine-leaf: boil crab verjuice, and pour it boiling hot over the walnuts, tying them down close for fourteen days; then take them out of the leaves and liquor, wrap them in fresh leaves, and put them in your pots. over every layer of walnuts, strew pepper, mace, cloves, a little ginger, mustard seed, and garlic. make the pickle of the best white wine vinegar, boiling in the pickle the same sort of spices, with the addition of horseradish, and pour it boiling hot upon the walnuts. tie them close down; they will be ready to eat in a month, and will keep for three or four years. _walnut ketchup._ to three pints of the best white wine vinegar put nine seville oranges peeled, and let them remain four months. pound or bruise two hundred walnuts, just before they are fit for pickling; squeeze out two quarts of juice, and put it to the vinegar. tie a quarter of a pound of mace, the same of cloves, and a quarter of a pound of shalot, in a muslin rag or bag; put this into the liquor; in about three weeks boil it gently till reduced one half, and when quite cold bottle it. _another._ cut in slices about one hundred of the largest walnuts for pickling; cut through the middle a quarter of a pound of shalots, and beat them fine in a mortar, adding a pint and a half of the best vinegar and half a pound of salt. let them remain a week in an earthen vessel, stirring them every day. press them through a flannel bag; add a quarter of a pound of anchovies; boil up the liquor, scum it, and run it through a flannel bag. put into it two sliced nutmegs, whole pepper, and mace, and bottle it when cold. wines, cordials, liqueurs, &c. _ale, to drink in a week._ tun it into a vessel which will hold eight gallons, and, when it has done working and is ready to bottle, put in some ginger sliced, an orange stuck full of cloves, and cut here and there with a knife, and a pound and a half of sugar. with a stick stir it well together, and it will work afresh. when it has done working, bottle it: cork the bottles well; set them bottom upwards; and the ale will be fit to drink in a week. _very rare ale._ when your ale is tunned into a vessel that will hold eight or nine gallons, and has done working, and is ready to be stopped up, take a pound and a half of raisins of the best quality, stoned and cut into pieces, and two large oranges. pulp and pare them. slice it thin; add the rind of one lemon, a dozen cloves, and one ounce of coriander seeds bruised: put all these in a bag, hang them in the vessel, and stop it up close. fill the bottles but a little above the neck, to leave room for the liquor to play; and put into every one a large lump of fine sugar. stop the bottles close, and let the ale stand a month before you drink it. _orange ale._ boil twenty gallons of spring water for a quarter of an hour; when cool, put it into a tub over a bushel of malt, and let it stand one hour. pour it from the malt, put to it a handful of wheat bran, boil it very fast for another hour; then strain and put it into a clean tub. when cold, pour it off clear from the sediment; put yest to it, and let it work like all other ales. when it has worked enough, put it into the cask. then take the rind and juice of twenty seville oranges, but no seeds; cut them thin and small, put them into a mortar, and beat them as fine as possible, with two pounds of fine lump sugar; put them into a ten-gallon cask, with ten gallons of ale. keep filling up your cask again with ale, till it has done working; then stop it up close. when it has stood eight days, tap it for drink; if you bottle it, let it stand till it is clear before you bottle it, otherwise the bottles may burst. _aqua mirabilis, a very fine cordial._ three pints of sack, three pints of madeira, one quart of spirit of wine, one quart of juice of celandine leaves, of melilot flowers, cardamom seeds, cubebs, galingale, nutmeg, cloves, mace, ginger, two drachms of each; bruise them thoroughly in a mortar, and mix them with the wine and spirits. let it stand all night in the still, closely stopped with rye paste; next morning make a slow fire in the still, and while it is distilling keep a wet cloth about the neck of the still. put so much white sugar-candy as you think fit into the glass where it drops. _bitters._ one drachm of cardamom seed, two scruples of saffron, three ounces of green root, two scruples of cochineal, and four ounces of orange-peel. put these ingredients into a large bottle, and fill it with the very best french brandy, so that they are well covered; after it has stood for three days, take out the liquor, and put it into another large bottle; fill up the first before, and let it stand four or five days; then once more take out the liquor and fill up again, letting it stand ten or twelve days. then take it out again, put it all together, and it will be fit for use. _another way._ ginger and cardamom seed, of each three pennyworth, saffron, orange-peel, and cochineal, of each two pennyworth, put into one gallon of brandy. _cherry brandy._ four pounds of morella cherries, two quarts of brandy, and twelve cloves, to be sweetened with syrup of ginger made in the following manner: one ounce and a half of ginger boiled in a quart of water, till reduced to half a pint; then dissolve in it one pound and a half of sugar, and add it to the brandy. it will be fit for use by christmas. after the cordial is made, you can make a most delightful sweetmeat with the cherries, by dipping them into syrup, and drying them in a cool oven. _cordial cherry water._ nine pounds of the best red cherries, nine pints of claret, eight ounces of cinnamon, three ounces of nutmegs; bruise your spice, stone your cherries, and steep them in the wine; then add to them half a handful of rosemary, half a handful of balm, and one quarter of a handful of sweet marjoram. let them steep in an earthen pot twenty-four hours, and, as you put them into the alembic to distil them, bruise them with your hands; make a gentle fire under them, and distil by slow degrees. you may mix the waters at your pleasure when you have drawn them all. sweeten it with loaf sugar; then strain it into another glass vessel, and stop it close that the spirits may not escape. _a very fine cordial._ one ounce of syrup of gilliflowers, one dram of confection of alkermes, one ounce and a half of borage water, the like of mint water, as much of cinnamon water, well mixed together, bottled and corked. in nine days it will be ready for drinking. _cup._ take the juice of three lemons and the peel of one, cut very thin; add a pint, or rather more, of water, and about half a pound of white sugar, and stir the whole well; then add one bottle of sherry, two bottles of cyder, and about a quarter of a nutmeg grated down. let the cup be well mixed up, and add a few heads of borage, or balm if you have no borage; put in one wine glass of brandy, and then add about another quarter of a nutmeg. let it stand for about half an hour in ice before it is used. if you take champagne instead of cyder, so much the better. _elder-flower water._ to every gallon of water take four pounds of loaf sugar, boiled and clarified with eggs, according to the quantity, and thrown hot upon the elder-flowers, allowing a quart of flowers to each gallon. they must be gathered when the weather is quite dry, and when they are so ripe as to shake off without any of the green part. when nearly cold, add yest in proportion to the quantity of liquor; strain it in two or three days from the flowers, and put it into a cask, with two or three table-spoonfuls of lemon-juice to every two gallons. add, if you please, a small quantity of brandy, and, in ten months, bottle it. _elderberry syrup._ pick the elderberries when full ripe; put them into a stone jar, and set them in the oven, or in a kettle of boiling water, till the jar is hot through. take them out, and strain them through a coarse cloth, wringing the berries. put them into a clean kettle, with a pound of fine lisbon sugar to every quart of juice. let it boil, and skim it well. when clear and fine, put it into a jar. when cold, cover it down close, and, when you make raisin wine, put to every gallon of wine half a pint of elder syrup. _ginger beer._ no. . boil six gallons of water and six pounds of loaf sugar for an hour, with three ounces of ginger, bruised, and the juice and rind of two lemons. when almost cold, put in a toast spread with yest; let it ferment three days; then put it in a cask, with half a pint of brandy. when it has stood ten days, bottle it off, and it will be fit to drink in a fortnight, if warm weather. _ginger beer._ no. . four ounces of ground ginger, two ounces of cream of tartar, three large lemons, cut in slices and bruised, three pounds of loaf sugar. pour over them four gallons of boiling water; let it stand till it is milk warm; then add two table-spoonfuls of yest on a toast; let it stand twenty-four hours, strain it through a sieve, bottle it, and it will be fit for use in three days: the corks must be tied or wired, or they will fly. _ginger beer._ no. . to make ginger beer fit for drinking twenty-four hours after it is bottled, take two ounces of ground ginger, two ounces of cream of tartar, two lemons sliced, one pound and a half of lump sugar; put them into a pan, and pour upon them two gallons of boiling water. when nearly cold, strain it from the lees, add three table-spoonfuls of yest, and let it stand twelve hours. bottle it in stone bottles, well corked and tied down. _ginger beer._ no. . ten gallons of water, twelve pounds of loaf sugar, the whites of four eggs, well beaten; mix them together when cold, and set them on the fire: skim it as it boils. add half a pound of bruised ginger, and boil the whole together for twenty minutes. into a pint of the boiling liquor put an ounce of isinglass; when cold, add it to the rest, and put the whole, with two spoonfuls of yest, into a cask: next day, bung it down loosely. in ten days bottle it, and in a week it will be fit for use. _ginger beer._ no. . one gallon of cold water, one pound of lump sugar, two ounces of bruised ginger, the rind of two large lemons; let these simmer ten minutes. put in an ounce of cream of tartar the moment it boils, and immediately take it off the fire, stirring it well, and let it stand till cold. afterwards add the lemon-juice, straining out the pips and pulp, and put it into bottles, tying down the corks fast with string. this will be fit for use in three days. _imperial._ no. . the juice of two large lemons, rather more than an equal quantity of white wine, and an immoderate proportion of sugar, put into a deep round dish. boil some cream or good milk, and put it into a tea-pot; pour it upon the wine, and the higher you hold the pot the better appearance your imperial will have. _imperial._ no. . four or five quarts of boiling water poured to two ounces of cream of tartar, and the rinds of two lemons cut very thin, with half a pound of sugar. well mix the whole together: and, when cold, add the juice of the two lemons. _imperial._ no. . two ounces of cream of tartar, four ounces of sugar, six quarts of boiling water, poured upon it, the juice and peel of a lemon; to be kept close till cold. _lemonade._ no. . to two quarts of water take one dozen lemons; pare four or six of them very thin, add the juice to the water, and sweeten to your taste with double-refined sugar. boil a quart of milk and put into it; cover and let it stand all night, and strain it through a jelly-bag till it runs clear. leave the lemon-pips to go into the bag with the other ingredients. _lemonade._ no. . the peel of five lemons and two seville oranges pared very thin, so that none of the white is left with it; put them in a basin, with eight ounces of sugar and a quart of boiling water. let it stand all night, and in the morning squeeze the juice to the peels, and pick out the seeds; then put to it a quarter of a pint of white wine; stir all well together; add half a pint of boiling milk, and pour it on, holding it up high. let it stand half an hour without touching it; then run it through a jelly-bag. _lemonade._ no. . three quarts of spring water, the juice of seven lemons peeled very thin, the whites of four eggs well beaten, with as much loaf-sugar as you please: boil all together about half an hour with half the lemon-peel. pour it through a jelly-bag till clear. the peel of one seville orange gives it an agreeable colour. _clarified lemonade._ pare the rind of three lemons as thin as you can; put them into a jug, with the juice of six lemons, half a pound of sugar, half a pint of rich white wine, and a quart of boiling water. let it stand all night. in the morning, add half a pint of boiling milk: then run it through a jelly-bag till quite clear. _milk lemonade._ squeeze the juice of six lemons and two seville oranges into a pan, and pour over it a quart of boiling milk. put into another pan the peel of two lemons and one seville orange, with a pound of sugar; add a pint of boiling water; let it stand a sufficient time to dissolve the sugar; then mix it with the milk, and strain it through a fine jelly-bag. it should be made one day and strained off the next. _transparent lemonade._ take one pound and a half of pounded sugar of the finest quality, and the juice of six lemons and six oranges, over which pour two quarts of boiling water; let it stand twelve hours till cool. pour on the liquor a quart of boiling milk, and let it stand till it curdles; then run it through a cotton jelly-bag till it is quite clear. _lemon water._ take twelve of the largest lemons; slice and put them into a quart of white wine. add of cinnamon and galingale, one quarter of an ounce each, of red rose-leaves, borage and bugloss flowers, one handful each, and of yellow sanders one dram. steep all these together twelve hours; then distil them gently in a glass still. put into the glass vessel in which it drops three ounces of fine white sugar and one grain of ambergris. _mead._ no. . in six gallons of water dissolve fourteen pounds of honey; then add three or four eggs, with the whites; set it upon the fire, and let it boil half an hour. put into it balm, sweet marjoram, and sweet briar, of each ten sprigs, half an ounce of cinnamon, the same of mace, twenty cloves, and half a race of ginger sliced very thin: let it boil a quarter of an hour; then take it off the fire, pour it into a tub, and let it remain till nearly cold. take six ounces of syrup of citron, and one spoonful of ale yest; beat them well together, put it into the liquor, and let it stand till cold. take a sufficient quantity of coarse bread to cover the barrel, and bake it very hard; then take as much ale yest as will spread it over thin, put it into the liquor, and let it stand till it comes to a head. strain it out; put the liquor into a cask, and add to it a quart of the best rhenish wine. when it has done working, stop it up close, and let it stand a month; then draw it out into bottles; tie the corks down close; and let them stand a month. _mead._ no. . ten quarts of honey boiled one hour with thirty quarts of water; when cold, put it into a cask, and add to it one ounce of cinnamon, one of cloves, two of ginger, and two large nutmegs, to be pounded first, and suspended in a linen bag in the barrel from the bung-hole. the scum must be filtered through a flannel bag. _mead._ no. . take eight gallons of spring water, twelve pounds of honey, four pounds of powdered sugar; boil them for an hour, keeping it well skimmed. let it stand all night; the next day, put it into your vessel, keeping back the sediment; hang in your vessel two or three lemon-peels; then stop it up close; in the summer, bottle it in six weeks. _mithridate brandy._ take four gallons of brandy; infuse a bushel of poppies twenty-four hours; then strain it, and put two ounces of nutmegs, the same of liquorice, and of pepper and ginger, and one ounce each of cinnamon, aniseed, juniper-berries, cloves, fennel-seed, and cardamom seed, two drachms of saffron, two pounds of figs sliced, and one pound of the sun raisins stoned. all these must be put into an earthen pot, and set in the sun three weeks; then strain it, and mix with it two ounces of venice treacle, two ounces of mithridate, and four pounds of sugar. this is an approved remedy for the gout in the stomach. _nonpareil._ pare six lemons very thin, put the rinds and juice into two quarts of brandy; let it remain well corked four days. set on the fire three quarts of spring water and two pounds of sugar, and clarify it with two whites of eggs; let it boil a quarter of an hour; take the scum off, and let it stand till cold. put it to your brandy; add two quarts of white wine, and strain it through a flannel bag; fill the cask, and it will clarify itself. you may bottle it in a week. orange-peel greatly improves this liquor. _noyau._ to one gallon of the best white french brandy, or spirit diluted to the strength of brandy, put two pounds and a half of bitter almonds blanched, two pounds of white sugar-candy, half an ounce of mace, and two large nutmegs. to give it a red colour, add four pounds of black cherries. it must be well shaken every day for a fortnight; then let it stand for six weeks, and bottle it off: it improves much by longer keeping. _orange juice._ one pound of fine sugar to a pint of juice; run it through a jelly-bag, and boil it for a quarter of an hour; when cold, skim and bottle it. _spirit of oranges or lemons._ take the thickest rinded oranges or lemons; pare off the rinds very thin; put into a glass bottle as many of these chips as it will hold, and then as much malaga sack as it will hold besides. stop the bottle down close, and, when you use it, take about half a spoonful in a glass of sack. it is a fine spirit to mix in sauces for puddings or other sweet dishes. _cordial orange water._ take one dozen and a half of the highest coloured and thick-rinded oranges; slice them, and put them into two pints of malaga sack, and one pint of the best brandy. take cinnamon, nutmegs, ginger, cloves, and mace, of each one quarter of an ounce bruised, and of spearmint and balm one handful of each; put them into an ordinary still all night, pasted up with rye paste. the next day, draw them with a slow fire, and keep a wet cloth upon the neck of the still; put the loaf sugar into the glass in which it drops. _orgeat._ two quarts of new milk, one ounce of sweet almonds and eighteen bitter, a large piece of cinnamon, and fine sugar to your taste. boil these a quarter of an hour, and then strain. the almonds must be blanched, and then pounded fine with orange-flower water. _another way._ four ounces of sweet almonds finely pounded, two ounces of white sugar-candy, dissolved in spring-water, and a quart of cream; mix all together. put it into a bottle, and give it a gentle shake when going to be used. _excellent punch._ three pints of barley-water and a piece of lemon-peel; let it stand till cold; then add the juice of six lemons and about half a pint of the best brandy, and sweeten it to your taste, and put it in ice for four hours. put into it a little champagne or madeira. _milk punch._ to twenty quarts of the best rum or brandy put the peels of thirty seville oranges and thirty lemons, pared as thin as possible. let them steep twelve hours. strain the spirit from the rinds, and put to it thirty quarts of water, previously boiled and left to stand till cold. take fifteen pounds of double-refined sugar, and boil it in a proper proportion of the water to a fine clear syrup. as soon as it boils up, have ready beat to a froth the whites of six or eight eggs, and the shells crumbled fine; mix them with the syrup; let them boil together, and, when a cap of scum rises to the top, take off the pot, and skim it perfectly clear. then put it on again with some more of the beaten egg, and skim it again as before. do the same with the remainder of the egg until it is quite free from dirt; let it stand to be cool. strain it to the juice of the oranges and lemons; put it into a cask with the spirit; add a quart of new milk, made lukewarm; stir the whole well together, and bung up the cask. let it stand till very fine, which will be in about a month or six weeks--but it is better to stand for six months--then bottle it. the cask should hold fifteen gallons. this punch will keep for many years. many persons think this punch made with brandy much finer than that with rum. the best time for making it is in march, when the fruit is in the highest perfection. _another way._ take six quarts of good brandy, eight quarts of water, two pounds and a half of lump sugar, eighteen lemons, and one large wine-glassful of ratafia. mix these well together; then throw in two quarts of boiling skimmed milk; stir it well, and let it stand half an hour; strain it through a very thick flannel bag till quite fine; then bottle it for use. before you use this punch, soak for a night the rinds of eighteen lemons in some of the spirit; then take it out, and boil it in the milk, together with two large nutmegs sliced. _norfolk punch._ take four gallons of the best rum; pare a dozen lemons and a dozen oranges very thin; let the pulp of both steep in the rum twenty-four hours. put twelve pounds of double-refined sugar into six gallons of water, with the whites of a dozen eggs beat to a froth; boil and scum it well; when cold, put it into the vessel with the rum, together with six quarts of orange-juice, and that of the dozen of lemons, and two quarts of new milk. shake the vessel so as to mix it; stop it up very close, and let it stand two months before you bottle it. this quantity makes twelve gallons of the duke of norfolk's punch. it is best made in march, as the fruit is then in the greatest perfection. _roman punch._ the juice of ten lemons, and of two sweet oranges, the peel of an orange cut very thin, and two pounds of powdered loaf-sugar, mixed together. then take the white of ten eggs, beaten into froth. pass the first mixture through a sieve, and then mix it by degrees, always beating with the froth of the eggs; put the whole into an ice-lead; let it freeze a little; then add to it two bottles of champagne, or rum. turn it round with a ladle. the above is for twelve persons. _raspberry liqueur._ bruise some raspberries with the back of a spoon, strain them, and fill a bottle with the juice; stop it, but not very close. add to a pound of fruit nearly a pound of sugar dissolved into a syrup. let it stand four or five days; pour it from the fruit into a basin; add to it as much rich white wine as you think fit; bottle it, and in a month it will be fit to drink. _raspberry vinegar._ fill a jar with raspberries, gathered dry, and pour over them as much of the best white wine vinegar as will cover them. let them remain for two or three days, stirring them frequently, to break them; strain the liquor through a sieve, and to every pint of it put a pound and a quarter of double-refined sugar; boil it, and take off the scum as it rises. when cool, bottle and cork it up for use. a spoonful of this liquor is sufficient for a small tumbler of water. _ratafia brandy._ apricot or peach kernels, with four ounces of fine sugar to a quart of brandy. if you cannot get apricot kernels, two ounces of bitter almonds, bruised a little, to the same quantity of spirit, will make good ratafia. _shrub._ no. . to a gallon of rum put three pints of orange-juice and one pound of sugar, dissolving the sugar in the juice. then put all together in the cask. it will be fine and fit for use in a few weeks. if the rum be very strong, you may add another pint of juice and half a pound of sugar to the above. _shrub._ no. . take two quarts of the juice of oranges and lemons, and dissolve in it four pounds and a half of sugar. steep one-fourth part of the oranges and lemons in nine quarts of spirits for one night; after which mix the whole together; strain it off into a jug, which must be shaken two or three times a day for ten days; then let it stand to settle for a fortnight; after which draw it off very carefully, without disturbing the sediment. _shrub._ no. . one gallon of rum, one pound and two ounces of double-refined sugar, one quart of orange-juice, mixed and strained through a sieve. _currant shrub._ pick the currants from the stalks; bruise them in a marble mortar; run the juice through a flannel bag. then take two quarts of the clear juice; dissolve in it one pound of double-refined sugar, and add one gallon of rum. filter it through a flannel bag till quite fine. _spruce beer._ for one quarter cask of thirty gallons take ten or twelve ounces of essence of spruce and two gallons of the best molasses; mix them well together in five or six gallons of warm water, till it leaves a froth; then pour it into the cask, and fill it up with more water. add one pint of good yest or porter grounds; shake the cask well, and set it by for twenty-four hours to work. stop it down close. next day, draw it off into bottles, which should be closely corked and set by in a cool cellar for ten days, when it will be as fine spruce-beer as ever was drunk. the grounds will serve instead of yest for a second brewing. in a hot climate, cold water should be used instead of warm. _bittany wine._ take six gallons of water and twelve pounds of sugar; put your sugar and water together. let it boil two hours; then, after taking it off the fire, put in half a peck of sage, a peck and a half of bittany, and a small bunch of rosemary; cover, and let it remain till almost cold; then put six spoonfuls of ale yest; stir it well together, and let it stand two or three days, stirring two or three times each day. then put it in your cask, adding a quarter of a pint of lemon-juice; when it has done working, bung it close, and, when fine, bottle it. _sham champagne._ to every pound of ripe green gooseberries, when picked and bruised, put one quart of water; let it stand three days, stirring it twice every day. to every gallon of juice, when strained, put three pounds of the finest loaf sugar; put it into a barrel, and, to every twenty quarts of liquor add one quart of brandy and a little isinglass. let it stand half a year; then bottle it. the brandy and isinglass must be put in six weeks before it is bottled. _cherry wine._ pound morella cherries with the kernels over-night, and set them in a cool place. squeeze them through canvas, and to each quart of juice put one pound of powdered sugar, half an ounce of coarsely-pounded cinnamon, and half a quarter of an ounce of cloves. let it stand about a fortnight in the sun, shaking it twice or three times every day. _another way._ take twenty-four pounds of cherries, cleared from the stalks, and mash them in an earthen pan; then put the pulp into a flannel bag, and let them remain till the whole of the juice has drained from the pulp. put a pound of loaf sugar into the pan which receives the juice, and let it remain until the sugar is dissolved. bottle it, and, when it has done working, you may put into each bottle a small lump of sugar. _cowslip wine._ no. . to twenty gallons of water, wine measure, put fifty pounds of lump sugar; boil it, and skim it till it is very clear; then put it into a tub to cool, and, when just warm, put to it two tea-spoonfuls of ale yest. let it work for a short time; then put in fifteen pecks of cut cowslips, and the juice of twenty large lemons, likewise the outward rinds pared off as thin as possible. keep it in the tub two or three days, stirring it twice each day. then put it all together in a barrel, cleansed and dried. continue to stir twice a day for a week or more, till it has done working; then stop it up close for three months, and bottle it off for use. the cowslips should be gathered in one day, and the wine made as soon as possible after, as the fresh flowers make the wine of a finer colour than when they are withered; but they will not hurt by being kept for a few days if they are spread on a cloth, and moved every day. _cowslip wine._ no. . to a gallon of water put three pounds of lump sugar; boil them together for an hour, skimming all the while. pour it upon the cowslips, and, when milk warm, put into it a toast, with yest spread pretty thick upon it; let it stand all night, and then add two lemons and two seville oranges to each gallon. stir it well in a tub twice a day for two or three days; then turn it; stir it every day for a fortnight, and bung it up close. it will be fit for bottling in six weeks. to every gallon of water you must take a gallon of cowslips. they must be perfectly dry before they are used, and there should be as many gallons of cowslips as gallons of water; they should be measured as they are picked, and turned into the cask. dissolve an ounce of isinglass, and put to it when cold. the lemons must be peeled. _cowslip wine._ no. . take fourteen gallons of water and twenty-four pounds of sugar; boil the water and sugar one hour; skim it till it is clear. let it stand till nearly cold; then pour it on three bushels of picked cowslips, and put to it three or four spoonfuls of new yest; let it stand and work in your vessel till the next day; then put in the juice of thirty lemons and the peels of ten, pared thin. stir them well together; bung up the vessel close for a month; then bottle it. _currant wine._ no. . gather the currants dry, without picking them from the stalks; break them with your hands, and strain them. to every quart of juice put two quarts of cold water, and four pounds of loaf sugar to the gallon. it must stand three days, before it is put into the vessel. stir it every day, and skim it as long as any thing rises. to ten gallons of wine add one gallon of brandy, and one of raspberries, when you put it in the vessel. let it stand a day or two before you stop it; give it air fourteen days after; and let it stand six weeks before you tap it. _currant wine._ no. . to every gallon of ripe currants put a gallon of cold water. when well broken with the hands, let it stand twenty-four hours. then squeeze the currants well out; measure your juice, and to every gallon put four pounds of lump sugar. when the sugar is well melted, put the wine into a cask, stirring it every day, till it has done hissing; then put into it a quart of brandy to every five gallons of wine; close it well up; bottle it in three months. _currant wine._ no. . put into a tub a bushel of red currants and a peck of white; squeeze them well, and let them drain through a sieve upon twenty-eight pounds of powdered sugar. when quite dissolved, put into the barrel, and add three pints of raspberries, and a little brandy. _currant or elder wine._ after pressing the fruit with the hand or otherwise, to every gallon of juice add two gallons of water that has been boiled and stood to be cold. to each gallon of this mixture put five pounds of lisbon sugar. it may be fermented by putting into it a small piece of toasted bread rubbed over with good yest. when put into the cask, it should be left open till the fermentation has nearly subsided. _black currant wine._ ten pounds of fruit to a gallon of water; let it stand two or three days. when pressed off, put to every gallon of liquor four pounds and a half of sugar. _red currant wine._ gather the fruit dry; pick the leaves from it, and to every twenty-five pounds of currants put six quarts of water. break the currants well, before the water is put to them; then let them stand twenty-four hours, and strain the liquor, to every quart of which put a pound of sugar and as many raspberries as you please. _another way._ take twenty-four pounds of currants; bruise them, and add to that quantity three gallons of water. let it stand two days, stirring it twice a day; then strain the liquor from the fruit; and to every quart of liquor put one pound of sugar. let it stand three days, stirring it twice a day; then put it in your barrel, and put into it six-pennyworth of orris-root well bruised. the above quantities will make five gallons. _red or white currant wine._ take to every gallon of juice one gallon of water, to every gallon of water three pounds and a half of the best lisbon sugar. squeeze the currants through a sieve; let the juice stand till the sugar is dissolved; dip a bit of brown paper in brimstone, and burn in the cask. then tun the wine, and to every three gallons put a pint of brandy. when it has done hissing, stop it close; it will be fit to drink in six months, but it will be better for keeping ten or twelve. _white currant wine._ to each sieve of currants take twenty-five pounds of moist sugar, and to every gallon of juice two gallons of water. squeeze the fruit well with the hands into an earthen pan; then strain it through a sieve. throw the pulp into another pan, filling it with water, which must be taken from the quantity of water allowed for the whole, and to every ten gallons of wine put one bottle of brandy. in making the wine, dissolve the sugar in the water above-mentioned, and put it into the cask; then add the remaining juice and water, stirring it well up frequently. stir it well every morning for ten successive days, and as it works out fill up the cask again until it has done fermenting. then put in your brandy, and bung it quite close. in about eight months it will be fit to drink; but, if you leave it twelve, it will be better. _damson wine._ take four gallons of water, and put to every gallon four pounds of malaga raisins and half a peck of damsons. put the whole into a vessel without cover, having only a linen cloth laid over it. let them steep six days, stirring twice every day; then let them stand six days without stirring. draw the juice out of the vessel, and colour it with the infused juice of damsons, sweetened with sugar till it is like claret wine. put it into a wine vessel for a fortnight; then bottle it up; and it may be drunk in a month. all made wines are the better for brandy, and will not keep without it. the quantity must be regulated by the degree of strength you wish to give to your wine. _elder wine._ no. . take elderberries, when ripe; pick them clean from the stalk; press out the juice through a hair sieve or canvas-bag, and to every gallon of juice put three gallons of water on the husks from which the juice has been pressed. stir the husks well in the water, and press them over again; then mix the first and second liquor together, and boil it for about an hour, skimming it clean as long as the scum rises. to every gallon of liquor put two pounds of sugar, and skim it again very clean; then put to every gallon a blade of mace and as much lemon-peel, letting it boil an hour. after the sugar is put in, strain it into a tub, and, when quite cold, put it into a cask; bung it close down, and look frequently to see that the bung is not forced up. should your quantity be twelve gallons or more, you need not bottle it off till about april, but be sure to do so on a clear dry day, and to let your bottles be perfectly dry; but if you have not more than five or six gallons, you may bottle it by christmas on a clear fine day. _elder wine._ no. . to a gallon of water put a quarter of a peck of berries, and three pounds and a half of lisbon sugar. steep the berries in water forty hours; after boiling a quarter of an hour, strain the liquor from the fruit, and boil it with the sugar till the scum ceases to rise. work it in a tub like other wines, with a small quantity of yest. after some weeks, add a few raisins, a small quantity of brandy, and some cloves. the above makes a sweet mellow wine, but does not taste strong of the elder. _elder wine._ no. . take twenty-four pounds of raisins, of whatever sort you please; pick them clean, chop them small, put them into a tub, and cover them with three gallons of water that has been boiled and become cold. let it stand ten days, stirring it twice a day. then strain the liquor through a hair sieve, draining it all from the raisins, and put to it three pints of the juice of elderberries and a pound of loaf-sugar. put the whole into the cask, and let it stand close stopped, but not in too cold a cellar, for three or four months before you bottle it. the peg-hole must not be stopped till it has done working. the best way to draw the juice from the berries is to strip them into an earthen pan, and set it in the oven all night. _elder wine._ no. . mash eight gallons of picked elderberries to pieces, add as much spring water as will make the whole nine gallons, and boil slowly for three quarters of an hour. squeeze them through a cloth sieve; add twenty-eight pounds of moist sugar, and boil them together for half an hour. run the liquor through your cloth sieve again; let it stand till lukewarm; put into it a toast with a little yest upon it, and let it stand for seven or eight days, stirring it every day. then put it into a close tub, and let it remain without a bung till it has done hissing. before you bung up close, you may add one pint of brandy at pleasure. _elder wine._ no. . half a gallon of ripe berries to a gallon of water; boil it half an hour; strain it through a sieve. to every gallon of liquor put three pounds of sugar; boil them together three quarters of an hour; when cold, put some yest to it; work it a week, and put it in barrel. let it stand a year. to half a hogshead put one quart of brandy and three pounds of raisins. _elder-flower wine._ to six gallons of water put eighteen pounds of lump-sugar; boil it half an hour, skimming it all the time. put into a cask a quarter of a peck of elder-flowers picked clean from the stalks, the juice and rinds of six lemons pared very thin, and six pounds of raisins. when the water and sugar is about milk warm, pour it into the cask upon these ingredients; spread three or four spoonfuls of yest upon a piece of bread well toasted, and put it into the cask; stir it up for three or four days only; when it has done working, bung it up, and in six or eight months it will be fit for bottling. _sham frontiniac._ to three gallons of water put nine pounds of good loaf-sugar; boil it half an hour; when milk-warm, add to it nearly a peck of elder-flowers picked clear from the stalks, the juice and peel of three good-sized lemons, cut very thin, three pounds of stoned raisins, and two or three spoonfuls of yest; stir it often for four or five days. when it has quite done working, bung it up, and it will be fit for bottling in five days. _mixed fruit wine._ take currants, gooseberries, raspberries, and a few rose-leaves, three pints of fruit, mashed all together, to a quart of cold water. let it stand twenty-four hours; then drain it through a sieve. to every gallon of juice put three pounds and a half of lisbon sugar; let it ferment; put it into a cask, but do not bung it up for some time. put in some brandy, and bottle it for use. _ginger wine._ no. . with four gallons of water boil twelve pounds of loaf-sugar till it becomes clear. in a separate pan boil nine ounces of ginger, a little bruised, in two quarts of water; pour the whole into an earthen vessel, in which you must have two pounds of raisins shred fine, the juice and rind of ten lemons. when of about the warmth of new milk, put in four spoonfuls of fresh yest; let it ferment two days; then put it into a cask, with all the ginger, lemon-peel, and raisins, and half an ounce of isinglass dissolved in a little of the wine; in two or three days bung it up close. in three months it will be fit to bottle. put into each bottle a little brandy, and some sugar also, if not sweet enough. _ginger wine._ no. . twenty-six quarts of water, eighteen pounds of white lisbon sugar, six ounces of bruised ginger, the peel of six lemons pared very thin: boil half an hour, and let it stand till no more than blood warm. put it in your cask, with the juice of six lemons, five spoonfuls of yest, and three pounds of raisins. stir it six or seven times with a stick through the bung-hole, and put in half an ounce of isinglass and a pint of good brandy. close the bung, and in about six weeks it will be fit for bottle. let it stand about six months before you drink it. if you like, it may be drawn from the cask, and it will be fit for use in that way in about two months. _ginger wine._ no. . to ten gallons of water put eight pounds of loaf-sugar and three ounces of bruised ginger; boil all together for one hour, taking the scum off as it rises; then put it into a pan to cool. when it is cold, put it into a cask, with the rind and juice of ten lemons, one bottle of good brandy, and half a spoonful of yest. bung it up for a fortnight: then bottle it off, and in three weeks it will be fit to drink. the lemons must be pared very thin, and no part of the white must, on any account, be put in the cask. _ginger wine._ no. . to every gallon of water put one pound and a half of brown sugar and one ounce of bruised ginger, and to each gallon the white of an egg well beaten. stir all together, and boil it half an hour; skim it well while any thing rises, and, when milk-warm, stir in a little yest. when cold, to every five gallons, put two sliced lemons. bottle it in nine days; and it will be fit to drink in a week. _gooseberry wine._ no. . to every pound of white amber gooseberries, when heads and tails are picked off and well bruised in a mortar, add a quart of spring water, which must be previously boiled. let it stand till it is cold before it is put to the fruit. let them steep three days, stirring them twice a day; strain and press them through a sieve into a barrel, and to every gallon of liquor put three pounds of loaf-sugar, and to every five gallons a bottle of brandy. hang a small bag of isinglass in the barrel; bung it close, and, in six months, if the sweetness is sufficiently gone off, bottle it, and rosin the corks well over the top. the fruit must be fall grown, but quite green. _gooseberry wine._ no. . to three quarts of full grown gooseberries well crushed put one gallon of water well stirred together for a day or two. then strain and squeeze the pulp, and put the liquor immediately into the barrel, with three pounds and a half of common loaf-sugar; stir it every day until the fermentation ceases. reserve two or three gallons of the liquor to fill up the barrel, as it overflows through the fermentation. put a bottle of brandy into the cask, to season it, before the wine; this quantity will be sufficient for nine or ten gallons. be careful to let the fermentation cease, before you bung down the barrel. the plain white gooseberries, taken when not too ripe, but rather the contrary, are the best for this purpose. _gooseberry wine._ no. . a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit: melt the sugar, and bruise the gooseberries with an apple-beater, but do not beat them too small. strain them through a hair strainer, and put the juice into an earthen pot; keep it covered four or five days till it is clear: then add half a pint of the best brandy or more, according to the quantity of fruit, and draw it out into another vessel, letting it run into a hair sieve. stop it close, and let it stand one fortnight longer; then draw it off into quart bottles, and in a month it will be fit for drinking. _gooseberry wine._ no. . proceed as directed for white currant wine, but use loaf-sugar. large pearl gooseberries, not quite ripe, make excellent champagne. _grape wine._ pick and squeeze the grapes; strain them, and to each gallon of juice put two gallons of water. put the pulp into the measured water; squeeze it, and add three pounds and a half of loaf-sugar, or good west india, to a gallon. let it stand about six weeks; then add a quart of brandy and two eggs not broken to every ten gallons. bung it down close. _lemon wine._ to every gallon of water put three pounds and a half of loaf-sugar; boil it half an hour, and to every ten gallons, when cold, put a pint of yest. put it next day into a barrel, with the peels and juice of eight lemons; you must pare them very thin, and run the juice through a jelly-bag. put the rinds into a net with a stone in it, or it will rise to the top and spoil the wine. to every ten gallons add a pint of brandy. stop up the barrel, and in three months the wine, if fine, will be fit for bottling. the brandy must be put in when the wine is made. _sham madeira._ take thirty pounds of coarse sugar to ten gallons of water; boil it half an hour; skim it clean, and, when cool, put to every gallon one quart of ale, out of the vat; let it work well in the tub a day or two. then put it in the barrel, with one pound of sugar-candy, six pounds of raisins, one quart of brandy, and two ounces of isinglass. when it has done fermenting, bung it down close, and let it stand one year. _orange wine._ no. . take six gallons of water to twelve pounds of lump-sugar; put four whites of eggs, well beaten, into the sugar and water cold; boil it three quarters of an hour, skim while boiling, and when cold put to it six spoonfuls of yest, and six ounces of syrup of citron, well beaten together, and the juice and rinds of fifty seville oranges, but none of the white. let all these stand two days and nights covered close; then add two quarts of rhenish wine; bung it up close. twelve days afterwards bottle and cork it well. _orange wine._ no. . to make ten gallons of wine, pare one hundred oranges very thin, and put the peel into a tub. put in a copper ten gallons of water, with twenty-eight pounds of common brown sugar, and the whites of six eggs well beaten; boil it for three quarters of an hour; just as it begins to boil, skim it, and continue to do so all the time it is boiling; pour the boiling liquor on the peel: cover it well to keep in the steam, and, two hours afterwards, when blood warm, pour in the juice. put in a toast well spread with yest to make it work. stir it well, and, in five or six days, put it in your cask free from the peel; it will then work five or six days longer. then put in two quarts of brandy, and bung it close. let it remain twelve or eighteen months, and then bottle it. it will keep many years. _orange wine._ no. . to a gallon of wine put three pounds of lump sugar; clarify this with the white of an egg to every gallon. boil it an hour, and when the scum rises take it off; when almost cold, dip a toast into yest, put it into the liquor, and let it stand all night. then take out the toast, and put in the juice of twelve oranges to every gallon, adding about half the peel. run it through a sieve into the cask, and let it stand for several months. _sham port wine._ cover four bushels of blackberries with boiling hot water, squeeze them, and put them into a vessel to work. after working, draw or pour off the liquor into a cask; add a gallon of brandy and a quart of port wine; let it work again; then bung it up for six months, and bottle it. _raisin wine._ no. . take one hundred weight of raisins, of the smyrna sort, and put them into a tub with fourteen gallons of spring water. let them stand covered for twenty-one days, stirring them twice every day. strain the liquor through a hair-bag from the raisins, which must be well pressed to get out the juice; turn it into a vessel, and let it remain four months; then bung it up close, and make a vent-hole, which must be frequently opened, and left so for a day together. when it is of an agreeable sweetness, rack it off into a fresh cask, and put to it one gallon of british brandy, and, if you think it necessary, a little isinglass to fine it. let it then stand one month, and it will be fit to bottle; but the longer it remains in the cask the better it will be. _raisin wine._ no. . take four gallons of water, and boil it till reduced to three, four pounds of raisins of the sun, and four lemons sliced very thin; take off the peel of two of them; put the lemons and raisins into an earthen pot, with a pound of loaf-sugar. pour in your water very hot; cover it close for a day and a night; strain it through a flannel bag; then bottle it, and tie down the corks. set it in a cold place, and it will be ready to drink in a month. _raisin wine._ no. . to one hundred pound of raisins boil eighteen gallons of water, and let it stand till cold, with two ounces of hops. half chop your raisins; then put your water to them, and stir it up together twice a day for a fortnight. run it through a hair-sieve; squeeze the raisins well with your hands, and put the liquor into the barrel. bung it up close; let it stand till it is clear; then bottle it. _raisin wine._ no. . take a brandy cask, and to every gallon of water put five pounds of smyrna raisins with the stalks on, and fill the cask, bunging it close down. put it in a cool dry cellar; let it stand six months; then tap it with a strainer cock, and bottle it. add half a pint of brandy to every gallon of wine. the end. useful works, forming valuable presents, lately published. a new system of practical economy; formed from modern discoveries and the private communications of persons of experience. new edition, much improved and enlarged, with a series of estimates of household expenses, on economical principles, adapted to families of every description. in one thick volume, mo. price s. neatly bound. 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(first instance) changed to _raisin wine._ no. the following words were inconsitently spelled or hyphenated. a-la-mode / alamode bay-leaf / bay leaf bay-leaves / bay leaves beef-steaks / beef steaks beef-suet / beef suet beet-root / beet root bung-hole / bunghole black-pepper / black pepper bread-crumb / bread crumb bread-crumbs calf's-head / calf's head calf's-head / calf's head cocks'-combs / cocks-combs cod's-head / cod's head curry-powder / curry powder dessert-spoonful / dessert spoonful elder-berry / elderberry elder-flower / elder flower eschalot / shalot fire-side / fireside force-meat / forcemeat juniper-berries / juniper berries laurel-leaf / laurel leaf laurel-leaves / laurel leaves lemon-peel / lemon peel loaf-sugar / loaf sugar lump-sugar / lump sugar macaroni / maccaroni maccaroons / macaroons mackarel / mackerel mushroom-powder / mushroom powder mustard-seed / mustard seed olive-oil / olive oil orange-peel / orange peel orange-water / orange water pepper-pot / pepper pot plum-pudding / plum pudding potage / pottage puff-paste / puff paste rolling-pin / rollingpin rump-steaks / rump steaks sauce-boat / sauceboat saw-dust / sawdust scate / skate slip-cote / slipcote souffle / soufflé sweet-herbs / sweet herbs / sweetherbs table-spoonful / table spoonful tea-spoonfuls / teaspoonfuls wine-glass / wine glass wine-glasses / wine glasses wine-glassful / wine glassful none none none none none dr. allinson's cookery book comprising many valuable vegetarian recipes t. r. allinson [illustration: t.r. allinson ex. l.r.c.p. edin.] index a dish of snow allinson's custard almond cheesecakes almond, chocolate, pudding almond custard almond pudding ( ) almond pudding ( ) almond rice pudding a month's menu for one person analysis apple cookery-- apple cake apple charlotte apple dumplings apple fool apple fritters apple jelly apple pancakes apple pudding apple pudding (nottingham) apple sago apple sauce apple tart (open) apples, buttered apples, drying apples (rice) eve pudding apple & barley (pearl) pudding apple charlotte apple custard, baked apple sauce apple soufflé apple & orange compôte apricot cream apricot sauce apricot pudding artichoke salad artichoke soup artichokes à la parmesan artichokes à la sauce blanche artichokes aux tomato asparagus, boiled a week's menu baked apple custard baked custard baked custard pudding banana, wholemeal pudding barley (pearl) and apple pudding barley soup batter, celery batter, jam pudding batter, potato batter, pudding batter, sweet batter, vegetable bean, french, omelet bean pie beans, butter, with parsley sauce belgian pudding bird's nest pudding biscuits-- butter chocolate cocoanut blackberry cream blancmange blancmanges blancmange, chocolate blancmange, eggs blancmange, lemon blancmange-- orange mould ( ) orange mould ( ) blancmange, semolina blancmange, tartlets boiled onion sauce bread and cakes-- barley bannocks buns bun loaf buns, plain chocolate ( ) chocolate ( ) chocolate macaroons cocoanut biscuits cocoanut drops crackers cinnamon madeira cake doughnuts dyspeptics' oatmeal bannocks sally luns unfermented victoria sandwiches wholemeal gems wholemeal rock cakes bread and cheese savoury bread and jam pudding bread pudding (steamed) bread puddings, substantial bread soufflé bread soup bread, wheat & rice bread, wholemeal fermented brown curry sauce brown gravy brown gravy sauce brown sauce ( ) brown sauce ( ) brown sauce & stuffed spanish onions brunak butter beans with parsley sauce butter biscuits buttered apples buttermilk cake buckingham pudding bun pudding cabbage cabbage and eggs cabbage soup cabbage soup (french) cabinet pudding ( ) cabinet pudding ( ) cabinet pudding ( ) cake, lunch cakes-- apple (german) cocoanut rock cornflower crisp oatmeal ginger sponge lemon light madeira orange plain potato potato flour queen's sponge rice ( ) rice ( ) rock seed seed ( ) seed ( ) seed ( ) seed ( ) seed ( ) seed ( ) sly sponge ( ) sponge ( ) sponge, roly-poly tipsy wholemeal wholemeal rock canadian pudding caper sauce caper soup caramel custard caramel cup custard carrot pudding carrot soup ( ) carrot soup ( ) carrots and potatoes carrots and rice carrots with parsley sauce cauliflower au gratin cauliflower and potato pie cauliflower pie cauliflower salad cauliflower soup cauliflower with white sauce celery à la parmesan celery batter celery clear soup celery croquettes celery, italian celery, steamed, with white cheese sauce celery, stewed, with white sauce charlotte, apple cheese & bread savoury cheese and eggs cheese & egg fondu cheese and spanish onions cheesecakes, almond cheesecakes, potato cheese, cream, sandwiches cheese, macaroni cheese omelet cheese, potato cheese salad cheese sandwiches cheese soufflé chestnut pie chestnuts, vanilla chocolate almond pudding chocolate blancmange chocolate biscuits chocolate cake ( ) chocolate cake ( ) chocolate cream chocolate cream (french) chocolate cream, whipped chocolate macaroons cinnamon madeira cakes chocolate mould chocolate pudding chocolate pudding, steamed chocolate sandwiches chocolate sauce chocolate soufflé chocolate trifle chocolate tarts christmas pudding ( ) christmas pudding ( ) christmas pudding ( ) christmas pudding ( ) clear celery soup clear soup clear soup, with dumplings cocoa pudding cocoanut biscuits cocoanut drops cocoanut pudding ( ) cocoanut pudding ( ) cocoanut rock cakes cocoanut soup colcanon college pudding compôte of oranges and apples corn pudding corn soup corn, sweet, fritters cornflower cake crackers cream-- apricot blackberry cheese sandwiches chocolate chocolate (french) chocolate, whipped egg lemon lemon tarts macaroon macaroni orange raspberry russian strawberry swiss vanilla, and stewed pears whipped crisp oatmeal cakes croquettes, potato croquettes, celery crusts for mince pies cucumber salad cup custard currant (black), tea currant sauce, red and white curry balls curry sandwiches curry sauce ( ) curry sauce ( ) curry sauce, brown curry savoury curried eggs curried lentils & rice curried potatoes curried rice curried rice & lentils curried rice and tomatoes custards-- and fruit puddings allinson's almond baked baked apple caramel caramel cup cup frumenty gooseberry gooseberry fool in pastry macaroni macaroon orange pastry pudding pudding, baked pudding without eggs raspberry strawberry savoury ( ) savoury ( ) cutlets, mushroom devonshire sandwiches doughnuts dried apples dumplings, apple dumplings, spinach dumplings, sponge dyspeptics' bread egg cookery-- apple soufflé cheese soufflé chocolate soufflé curried eggs egg and cheese egg & cheese fondu egg and tomato sandwiches egg and tomato sauce egg salad and mayonnaise egg salmagundi with jam egg savoury eggs à la bonne femme eggs à la duchesse eggs au gratin eggs and cabbage eggs and mushrooms eggs, poached eggs, scalloped eggs, scotch eggs, stuffed eggs, sweet creamed eggs, swiss eggs, tarragon eggs, tomato eggs, water forcemeat eggs french eggs mushroom soufflé potato soufflé ratafia soufflé rice soufflé savory creamed eggs savory soufflé spinach tortilla stirred eggs on toast sweet creamed eggs tomato soufflé egg and tomato sandwiches egg blancmange egg caper sauce egg cream egg mayonnaise egg sauce egg sauce with saffron empress puddings eve pudding favourite pie feather pudding flour lentil pudding flour potato cakes forcemeat balls forcemeat eggs french bean omelet french eggs french omelet with cheese french sauce fried onion sauce fritters, apple fritters, rice fritters, savoury ( ) fritters, savoury ( ) fritters, sweet corn fruit and custard pudding fruit, stewed, pudding frumenty gardener omelet giant sago pudding ginger sponge cake golden syrup puddings gooseberry custard gooseberry fool gooseberry soufflé greengage soufflé green pea and rice soup green vegetables ground rice pancakes ground rice pudding gruel gruel barley haggis haricot soup hasty meal pudding ( ) hasty meal pudding ( ) herb omelet herb pie herb sauce horseradish sauce hot-pot index to advertisements-- brunak dr. allinson's-- biscuits blancmange powder books on health breakfast oats crushed wheat custard powder fine ground wheatmeal finest nut oil food for babies food "power" hair restorer hair tonic natural food cocoa natural food chocolate prepared barley salad oil simple ointment specialities tar soap vege-butter wholemeal wholemeal lunch biscuits wholemeal rusks ice, tapioca icing for cakes improved milk puddings invalid cookery-- barley for babies barley for invalids and adults barley gruel barley jelly barley porridge barley puddings barley water black currant tea bran tea cocoa lemon water oatmeal porridge oatmeal water rice pudding italian macaroni jam & bread pudding jam batter pudding jellies, apple jellies, barley jumbles kentish pudding pie leek pie leek soup ( ) leek soup ( ) leeks lemon blancmange lemon cakes lemon cream lemon cream tarts lemon pudding lemon tart lemon trifle lentil flour pudding lentil omelet lentil pie lentil rissoles lentil soup lentil turnovers lentils and rice lentils, curried, & rice lentils, potted, for sandwiches light cakes london pudding lunch cake macaroni cheese macaroni cream macaroni custard macaroni, italian macaroni omelet macaroni pancakes macaroni pudding ( ) macaroni pudding ( ) macaroni savoury macaroni stew macaroon macaroon cream macaroon custard macaroon, chocolate madeira cake malvern pudding marlborough pie marlborough pudding marmalade (orange) pudding mayonnaise egg mayonnaise sauce melon pudding milk froth sauce milk pudding milk puddings, improved milk soup milk soup for children mincemeat ( ) mincemeat ( ) mincemeat pancakes minestra mint sauce mushroom cutlets mushroom and eggs mushroom and potato stew mushroom pie mushroom savoury mushroom soufflé mushroom tart and gravy mushroom tartlets mushroom turnover mushrooms, stewed mustard sauce natural food for babies natural food for invalids and adults newcastle pudding nursery pudding oatmeal bannocks oatmeal cakes (crisp) oatmeal finger rolls oatmeal pancakes oatmeal pie crust oatmeal pudding oatmeal soup olive sauce omelet, french bean omelet (french) with cheese omelet, gardener's omelet, herbs omelet, lentil omelet, macaroni omelet, onion omelet, savoury omelet soufflé ( ) omelet soufflé ( ) omelet soufflé (sweet) omelet, sweet ( ) omelet, sweet ( ) omelet, sweet ( ) omelet, tomato ( ) omelet, tomato ( ) omelet, trappist omelets, cheese onion and rice soup onion omelet onion pie & tomato onion salad onion sauce onion soup (french) onion tart onion tortilla onion turnover onion (boiled) sauce onion (fried) sauce onions (braised) onions and queen's apple pie onions and rice onions (spanish) baked onions (spanish) and cheese onions (spanish) stewed orange cakes orange & apple compôte orange cream orange custard orange flower puff orange flower sauce orange froth sauce orange marmalade pudding orange mould orange mould blancmange ( ) orange mould blancmange ( ) orange pudding orange sauce orange syrup oxford pudding pancake pudding pancakes pancakes, apple pancakes, ground rice pancakes, macaroni pancakes, mincemeat pancakes, oatmeal pancakes with currants paradise pudding parsley sauce parsnip soup pea soup pears (stewed) and vanilla cream pease brose pickled walnut savoury pie, chestnut piecrusts pie, tomato pie-- bean cauliflower cauliflower and potato favourite herb kentish pudding leek lentil marlborough mushroom onions and queen's apple potato potato and cauliflower potato and tomato queen's apple and onion queen's onion queen's tomato savoury tomato and potato vegetable ( ) vegetable ( ) pies plain cake plum pudding poached eggs poor epicure's pudding poppy-seed pudding porridge porridge, barley porridge, oatmeal portuguese rice portuguese soup potato cookery-- potato à la duchesse potato, bird's nest potato cakes potato cheese potato cheesecakes potato croquettes potato pudding potato puff potato rolls, baked potato rolls, spanish potato salad ( ) potato salad ( ) potato salad, mashed potato sausages potato savoury potato snow potato surprise potato with cheese potatoes and carrots potatoes, browned potatoes, curried potatoes, mashed potatoes, mashed (another way) potatoes (milk) potatoes (milk) with capers potatoes, scalloped potatoes, stuffed ( ) potatoes, stuffed ( ) potatoes, stuffed ( ) potatoes, stuffed ( ) potatoes, toasted potato, batter potato and cauliflower pie potato and tomato pie potato flour cakes potato pie potato salad ( ) potato salad ( ) potato soufflé potato soup potatoes and mushroom stew prune pudding prune pudding pudding-- almond ( ) almond ( ) belgian bird's nest bread and jam canadian carrot chocolate almond cocoanut college corn fruit and custard giant sago golden syrup hasty meal ( ) hasty meal ( ) lentil flour london macaroni malvern marlborough melon milk newcastle nursery oatmeal orange orange marmalade oxford pancake potato prune semolina simple simple fruit spanish stewed fruit tapioca winifred puddings-- almond rice apple apple charlotte apple (nottingham) apricot baked custard baked jam barley barley (pearl) and apple batter bread (steamed) bread (substantial) buckingham bun cabinet ( ) cabinet ( ) cabinet ( ) chocolate chocolate mould chocolate (steamed) christmas cocoa custard empress eve feather for babies golden syrup ground rice kentish pie lemon milk, improved orange mould paradise plum poor epicure's poppy-seed prune rice rice (french) rolled wheat rusk simple soufflé sponge dumplings stuffed sweet rolls vanilla chestnuts wholemeal banana yorkshire puffs, potato queen's apple and onion pie queen's onion pie queen's sponge cakes queen's tomato pie raspberry cream raspberry custard raspberry froth raspberry froth sauce ratafia sauce ratafia soufflé rice and carrots rice and green pea soup rice and lentils rice & lentils, curried rice and onions rice and onion soup rice and wheat bread rice cakes ( ) rice cakes ( ) rice, curried rice fritters rice, how to cook rice (ground) pancakes rice (ground) pudding rice (italian) savoury rice (portuguese) rice pudding (french) rice savoury croquettes rice soufflé rice soup rice (spanish) rissoles, lentil rock seed cakes rolled wheat pudding rolls, oatmeal finger rolls, stuffed sweet rolls, unfermented finger rose sauce rusk pudding russian cream saffron with egg sauce sago (giant) pudding salads-- artichoke cauliflower cheese cucumber egg and mayonnaise egg mayonnaise onion potato ( ) potato ( ) potato ( ) potato ( ) potato, mashed spanish winter sally luns sandwiches-- cheese chocolate cream cheese curry devonshire egg and tomato potted lentil tomato and egg tomatoes on toast victoria sauces-- apple apricot boiled onion brown ( ) brown ( ) brown curry brown gravy brown and stuffed spanish onion caper chocolate currant (red and white) curry ( ) curry ( ) egg egg caper egg with saffron french herb horseradish mayonnaise milk froth mint mustard olive onion onions, fried orange orange flower orange froth parsley raspberry froth ratafia rose savoury sorrel spice tartare tomato ( ) tomato ( ) wheatmeal white ( ) white ( ) white savoury white, and spanish onions sausages, potato savouries-- artichokes and tomatoes bean pie bread and cheese butter beans and parsley sauce carrots and rice cauliflower pie cauliflower and potato pie celery à la parmesan celery croquettes cheese and bread chestnut pie colcanon corn pudding curry curry balls favourite pie forcemeat balls fritters, savoury ( ) fritters, savoury ( ) haggis hot-pot lentil (curried) and rice lentil rissoles lentil turnover lentils, potted, for sandwiches minestra mushroom mushroom cutlets mushroom tart and gravy mushroom tartlet mushroom turnover nutroast oatmeal piecrust onion tart onion turnover potato pie potato and mushroom stew potato and tomato pie queen's apple and onion pie queen's onion pie queen's tomato pie savoury, custard ( ) savoury, custard ( ) savoury pie savoury, pickled walnut savoury tartlets spaghetti aux tomato spanish onion, and cheese spanish onions (stewed) spanish onions and white sauce spanish stew spinach dumplings stewed mushrooms stuffed spanish onions and brown sauce sweet corn fritters tomato and onion pie tomato pie tomato à la parmesan tomato tortilla tomatoes au gratin vegetable balls vegetable mould vegetable pie ( ) vegetable pie ( ) vegetable stew yorkshire pudding savoury creamed eggs savoury dishes made with batter savoury egg savoury macaroni savoury omelet savoury potatoes savoury rice (italian) savoury rice croquettes savoury sauce savoury soufflé savoury white sauce scalloped eggs scotch, or curly kale scotch eggs seed cake ( ) seed cake ( ) seed cake ( ) seed cake ( ) seed cake ( ) seed cake ( ) seed cakes, rock semolina blancmange simple fruit pudding simple pudding simple soufflé sly cakes snowballs sorrel sauce sorrel soup ( ) sorrel soup ( ) sorrel soup (french) ( ) soufflé, apple soufflé, bread soufflé, cheese soufflé, chocolate soufflé, gooseberry soufflé, greengage soufflé, mushroom soufflé, omelet soufflé, omelet ( ) soufflé, omelet ( ) soufflé, potatoes soufflé, ratafia soufflé, rice soufflé, savoury soufflé, simple soufflé, sweet omelet soufflé, tomato soups-- artichoke barley bread cabbage cabbage (french) caper carrot ( ) carrot ( ) cauliflower clear clear celery clear, with dumplings cocoanut corn haricot leek ( ) leek ( ) lentil milk milk, for children oatmeal onion and rice onion (french) parsnip pea portuguese potato rice rice and green pea sorrel ( ) sorrel ( ) sorrel (french) ( ) spanish spinach spring st. andrew's summer tapioca and tomato tomato ( ) tomato ( ) tomato and tapioca vegetable vegetable marrow white wholemeal spaghetti aux tomato spanish onion and cheese spanish onions and white sauce spanish onions, stuffed, and brown sauce spanish onions, stewed spanish pudding spanish rice spanish salad spanish stew spice sauce spinach spinach dumplings spinach soup spinach tortilla sponge cake, queen's sponge cake ( ) sponge cake ( ) sponge cakes, ginger sponge cake, roly-poly sponge dumplings sponge mould spring soup stewed fruit pudding stewed mushrooms stewed pears and vanilla cream stewed spanish onions stews-- macaroni mushroom & potato potato & mushroom spanish vegetable stirred eggs on toast strawberry cream strawberry custard stuffed eggs stuffed potatoes ( ) stuffed potatoes ( ) stuffed potatoes ( ) stuffed potatoes ( ) stuffed spanish onions and brown sauce stuffed sweet rolls substantial bread puddings summer salads summer soup sweet batter sweet corn fritters sweet creamed eggs sweet omelet ( ) sweet omelet ( ) sweet omelet ( ) swiss cream swiss eggs syrup, orange tarts-- apple (open) blancmange tartlets cheesecakes, almond chocolate lemon lemon cream onion treacle tartlets, mushroom tartlets, savoury tapioca & tomato soup tapioca ice tapioca pudding tarragon egg tartare sauce tea, black currant tea, bran tipsy cake toasted potatoes tomato aux artichokes tomato and egg sandwiches tomato and egg sandwiches tomato & onion pie tomato & potato pie tomato and tapioca soup tomato eggs tomato omelet ( ) tomato omelet ( ) tomato pie tomato sauce ( ) tomato sauce ( ) tomato sauce and egg tomato soufflé tomato soup ( ) tomato soup ( ) tomato tortilla tomatoes á la parmesan tomatoes and curried rice tomatoes au gratin tomatoes, spaghetti, aux tomatoes on toast treacle tart trifle, chocolate trifle, lemon turnips, mashed turnover, onion turnovers, lentil turnovers, mushroom unfermented bread unfermented finger rolls vegetable balls vegetable batter vegetable marrow soup vegetable mould vegetable pie ( ) vegetable pie ( ) vegetable soup vegetable stew vegetables-- artichokes à la parmesan artichokes à la sauce blanche asparagus, boiled cabbage carrots with parsley sauce cauliflower with white sauce celery (italian) celery, steamed, with white cheese sauce celery, stewed, with white sauce green leeks mushrooms, stewed onions, braised onion tortilla onions (spanish) baked scotch, or curly kale spinach turnips, mashed vanilla chestnuts vanilla cream and stewed pears victoria sandwiches walnuts (pickled), savoury water, barley water eggs water, oatmeal wheatmeal sauce whipped cream white sauce & spanish onions white sauce, savoury white sauce ( ) white sauce ( ) white soup wholemeal banana pudding wholemeal bread (fermented) wholemeal cake wholemeal cookery wholemeal gems wholemeal rock cakes wholemeal soup wholesome cookery-- breakfasts dinners drinks evening meals midday meals suppers winifred pudding winter salads yorkshire pudding introduction this book is written with the object of laying before the public a cookery book which will be useful not only to vegetarians, but also to flesh eaters, who are often at a loss for recipes for non-flesh dishes. nowadays most people admit that "too much meat is eaten"; but when the housewife tries to put before her family or friends a meal in which meat is to be conspicuous by its absence, she is often at a loss how to set about it. vegetarians also frequently stay with non-vegetarian friends, or lodge with others who do not understand how to provide for them. for such this book will especially prove useful, for in it will be found a set of thirty menus, one for each day in a month, giving suitable recipes with quantities for one person only. throughout this book it will be found that the use of wholemeal has been introduced in the place of white flour. those persons who do not care to follow the hygienic principle in its entirety can easily substitute white flour if preferred. the recipes have been written bearing in mind the necessity for a wholesome diet; and they will be found to be less rich than those in most of the cookery books published. should any one wish to make the dishes richer, it can easily be done by an addition of butter, eggs, or cream. let me draw the attention of vegetarians to the use of soaked sago in many dishes. this is a farinaceous food which should be used much more largely in vegetarian cookery than it is. thoroughly soaked sago should be used in all dishes, savouries or sweets, in which a substitute for suet is required to lighten the mixture; that is, in boiled savouries or sweets which are largely made of wholemeal, as, for instance, in vegetable haggis, roly-poly pudding, and all fruit or vegetable puddings which are boiled in a paste. when soaked sago is used (taking a teacupful of dry sago to two breakfastcupfuls of meal) a light paste will be obtained which would mislead any meat eater into the belief that suet or, at any rate, baking powder had been used. baking powder, tartaric acid, soda and bicarbonate of soda, are all most injurious to the system, and these chemicals have been left out of this book entirely. in breads and cakes i have used a small quantity of yeast for the rising of the dough; those who once have got accustomed to the use of yeast will not find it any more trouble than using baking powder. it may here be beneficial to give a few hints as to the harm done by the use of the most commonly introduced chemicals, namely, soda, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, tartaric acid, and citric acid. not only do they delay the digestion of the foods in which they are used, and give rise to various stomach troubles, but also cause rheumatism and gout, and often are the primary cause of stone in the kidney and bladder. another danger lies in the fact that these chemicals are too dear to be supplied pure to the public, which always demands cheap goods, and the result is that many of the chemicals in the market are mixed with other still worse poisons, like arsenic, for instance. self-raising flour, which is liked by so many on account of its convenience, is nothing but ordinary flour mixed with some sort of baking powder; in the same way egg powders are simply starch powders, coloured and flavoured, mixed with baking powder. tartaric acid and citric acid also belong to the class of injurious chemicals. they are often used in the making of acid drinks, when lemons are not handy. they irritate the stomach violently, and often cause acute dyspepsia. these few remarks will, i hope, convince the readers that all these chemicals are best avoided in culinary preparations. even salt and spices are best used in great moderation; if our dishes could be prepared without them it would be far the best; but it takes a long time to wean people entirely from the use of condiments; the first step towards it is to use them as sparingly as possible. i have tried to make this a hygienic cookery book; but there are a number of dishes introduced which can hardly claim to be hygienic; it has to be left to the good judgment of the readers to use them on rare occasions only, and it will be better for the health of each individual if the plainer dishes only are prepared for the daily table. i wish here to impress on vegetarians, and those who wish to give the diet a trial, not to eat much pulse; this is the rock on which many "would-be vegetarians" come to grief. they take these very concentrated, nitrogenous foods in rather large quantities, because they have an idea that only they will support them when the use of meat is abandoned. they are foods which, to be beneficial to the system of the consumer, require a great deal of muscular exertion on his part. the results to persons of sedentary habits of eating pulse foods often are indigestion, heavy and dull feelings, and general discomfort. in my own household butter beans, the most concentrated of all foods, come on the table perhaps once a month, lentils or peas perhaps once a week. none but those persons who have strong digestive organs should eat pulse foods at all; and then only when they have plenty of physical work to do. i have known several people who tried vegetarianism who have given up the trial in despair, and, when i inquired closely into the causes, the abuse of pulse food was generally the chief one. i will now give a list of the composition of the various foods, which may be instructive and useful to those to whom the study of dietetics is new, as well as to vegetarians who may wish to use it for reference. the list is copied from a little pamphlet by a.w. duncan, published by the vegetarian society in manchester. butchers' meat and fish. flesh f. parts albuminoids. gristle, fat. extractives, mineral water. contain ossein, etc. &c. matter. mutton chop . . . . . . mutt'n c.bone -- . . -- . . beef . . . -- . . pork . . . -- . . fowl . . -- -- . . mackerel . . . . . herring . . -- . . bacon . . . . . heat-producers parts flesh- starch, fat. mineral indigestible water. contain formers. sugar, &c. matter. fibre. grains. wheat, white english . . . . . . fine flour, from white soft wheat . . . . . . coarse bran . . . . . . household flour, j.b. . . . . . . oatm'l, fresh scotch . . . . . . buckwheat, husk free . . . . . . pearl barley . . . . . . barley meal . . . . . . rye flour . . . . . . maize . . . . . . rice, cleaned . . . . . . pulse. peas . . . . . . lentils . . . . . . haricots . . . . . . nuts. walnuts[f] . . . . . . filberts[f] . . . . . . cocoa nut, solid kernel . . . . . . roots and tubers. potatoes, k. . . . . . . turnips, white . . . . . . carrots . . . . . . parsnips . . . . . . beetroot . . . . . . jerusalem artichokes . . . . . . onions . . . . . . radishes, c. . . -- . . . leaves, stems, stalks, and whole plants. cabbage . . . . . . sea kale . . -- . . . celery . . -- . . . mushrooms . . . . -- . lettuce . . . . . . watercress . . . . . . irish moss . . -- . . . rhubarb[a] . . -- . . . fruits. apples . . . [b] . . . pears . . . [b] . . . gooseberries . . . [c] . . . grapes . . . [d] . . . strawberr's k. . . . [b] . . . currants, k. . . . [b] . . . cherries[e] k. . . . [b] . . . plums[e] k. . . . [b] . . . peaches[e] . . . [b] . . . bananas . . . . . . figs, turkey . . . . . . dates[e] . . . . . . tomatoes . . -- . -- . vegetable marrow . . . . . . cucumbers . . -- . . . milk and dairy produce. cows' milk . . . . -- . cream . . . . -- . skim milk . . . . -- . asses' mk. wb . . . . -- . goats' mk. wb . . . . -- . hum'n mk. wb . . . . -- . butter . . . . -- . condensed milk,[h] h . . . . -- . cheese, dble. glo'ster, j. . -- . . -- . cheese, american, wb . -- . . -- . hens' eggs[a,g] . -- . . -- . the letters refer to the authorities for the analyses:--j.b., james bell; w.b., a.w. blyth; k., könig, mean of analyses; c., cameron; h., otto hehner; j., johnstone. the other analyses are nearly all taken from professor church's useful work on "food" (published for three shillings by chapman & hall), to which the inquirer is referred. [footnote a: contains . % oxalic acid.] [footnote b: malic acid.] [footnote c: citric acid.] [footnote d: tartaric acid.] [footnote e: without stones.] [footnote f: fresh kernels.] [footnote g: extractives, &c., . %.] [footnote h: mean of analyses, brands. milk sugar, . %; cane sugar, . %.] i now leave this book in the hands of the public. i hope that it will be found useful by many and a help to those who wish to live in a way which is conducive to health and at the same time innocent of slaughter and cruelty. the health of the nation to a great extent is in the hands of our cooks and housewives. if they learn to prepare wholesome and pure food, those who are dependent on them will benefit by it. healthful cookery must result in health to the household and, therefore, to the nation. avoid disease-communicating foods, use those only which are conducive to health, and you will be rewarded by an increase of health and consequently of happiness. soups and stews artichoke soup. lb. each of artichokes and potatoes, spanish onion, oz. of butter, pint of milk, and pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut into dice the artichokes, potatoes, and onion. cook them until tender in quart of water with the butter and seasoning. when the vegetables are tender rub them through a sieve. return the liquid to the saucepan, add the milk, and boil the soup up again. add water if the soup is too thick. serve with allinson plain rusks, or small dice of bread fried crisp in butter or vege-butter. haricot soup. lb. of haricot beans, / lb. of onions, lb. of turnips, carrots, sticks of celery, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, / oz. of parsley, oz. of butter, quarts of water, pepper and salt to taste. cut up the vegetables and set them to boil in the water with the haricot beans (which should have been steeped over night in cold water), adding the butter, herbs, and seasoning. cook all very gently for - / to hours, stirring occasionally. when the beans are quite tender, rub the soup through a sieve, adding more water if needed; return it to the saucepan, add the parsley chopped up finely, boil it up and serve. barley soup. oz. of pearl barley, onions, potatoes, / a teaspoonful of thyme, dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, - / pints of water, / pint of milk, oz. of butter. pick and wash the barley, chop up the onions, slice the potatoes. boil the whole gently for hours with the water, adding the butter, thyme, pepper and salt to taste. when the barley is quite soft, add the milk and parsley, boil the soup up, and serve. bread soup. / lb. of stale crusts of allinson wholemeal bread, onions, turnips, stick of celery, oz. of butter, / oz. of finely chopped parsley, pints of water, / pint of milk. soak the crusts in the water for hours before they are put over the fire. cut up into small dice the vegetables; add them to the bread with the butter and pepper and salt to taste. allow all to simmer gently for hour, then rub the soup through a sieve, return it to the saucepan, add the milk and parsley, and, if the flavour is liked, a little grated nutmeg; boil the soup up and serve at once. cabbage soup. fair-sized cabbage, a large spanish onion, - / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, / saltspoonful of nutmeg, - / pints of milk, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal. after preparing and washing the cabbage, shred up very fine, chop up the onion, set these two in a saucepan over the fire with quart of water, the butter and seasoning, and let all cook gently for hour, or longer it the vegetables are not quite tender. add the milk and thickening when the vegetables are thoroughly tender, and let all simmer gently for minutes; serve with little squares of toasted or fried bread, or allinson plain rusks. cabbage soup (french). medium-sized cabbage, lb. of potatoes, oz. of butter, pints of milk and water equal parts, pepper and salt to taste, dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, and blades of mace, and dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal. wash the cabbage and shred it finely, peel the potatoes and cut them into small dice; boil the vegetables in the milk and water until quite tender, adding the mace, butter, and seasoning. when quite soft, rub the wheatmeal smooth with a little water, let it simmer with the soup for minutes, add the parsley, and serve. caper soup. pints of water, pint of milk, large tablespoonful of capers, / lemon, eggs, - / oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. boil the milk and water and butter, with seasoning to taste; thicken it with the wheatmeal rubbed smooth with a little milk. chop up the capers, add them and let the soup cook gently for minutes; take it off the fire, beat up the eggs and add them carefully, that they may not curdle; at the last add the juice of the half lemon, re-heat the soup without allowing it to boil, and serve. carrot soup ( ). good-sized carrots, head of celery, onion, oz. of allinson wholemeal bread without crust, oz. of butter, pepper and salt, and blade of mace. wash, scrape, and cut the carrots into dice. prepare and cut up the onions and celery. set the vegetables over the fire with pints of water, adding the mace and seasoning. let all cook until quite soft, which will probably be in - / hours. if the carrots are old, they will take longer cooking. when the vegetables are tender, rub all through a sieve, return the soup to the saucepan, add the butter, allow it to boil up, and serve with sippets of toast. carrot soup ( ). good-sized carrots, small head of celery, fair-sized onion, turnip, oz. of breadcrumbs, - / oz. of butter, blade of mace, pepper and salt to taste. scrape and wash the vegetables, and cut them up small; set them over the fire with pints of water, the butter, bread, and mace. let all boil together, until the vegetables are quite tender, and then rub them through a sieve. return the mixture to the saucepan, season with pepper and salt, and if too thick add water to the soup, which should be as thick as cream, boil the soup up, and serve. cauliflower soup. medium-sized cauliflower, - / pints of milk, oz. of butter, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste, a little nutmeg, and the juice of a lemon. prepare the cauliflower by washing and breaking it into pieces, keeping the flowers whole, and boil in - / pints of water, adding the butter, nutmeg, and seasoning. when the cauliflower is quite tender add the milk, boil it up, and thicken the soup with the wheatmeal, which should first be smoothed with a little cold water. lastly, add the lemon juice, and serve the soup with sippets of toast. clear soup. large spanish onion, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, / head of celery, - / oz. butter, carrot, turnip, and pepper and salt to taste. chop the onion up fine, and fry it brown in the butter, in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made, and add pints of water. prepare and cut into small pieces the carrot, turnip, and celery; add these, the nutmeg, herbs, and pepper and salt to the water, with the fried onions. when the vegetables are tender drain the liquid; return it to the saucepan, and boil the soup up. clear soup (with dumplings). large english onions, teaspoonful of herbs, / teaspoonful of nutmeg, carrot, turnip, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter, pints of water. chop up finely the onions and fry them brown in the butter in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made; add the water. cut up in thin slices the carrot and turnip, add these, with the herbs, nutmeg, and seasoning to the soup. let it boil for i hour, drain the liquid, return it to the saucepan, and when boiling add the dumplings prepared as follows: / pint of clear soup, eggs, a little nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. beat the eggs well, mix them with the soup, and season the mixture with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. pour it into a buttered jug; set it in a pan with boiling water, and let the mixture thicken. then cut off little lumps with a spoon, and throw these into the soup and boil up before serving. clear celery soup. large head of celery or small ones, large spanish onion, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and blade of mace. chop the onion and fry it brown in the butter or allinson vege-butter in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made. when brown, add pints of water, the celery washed and cut into pieces, the mace, the pepper and salt. let all cook until the celery is quite soft, then drain the liquid from the vegetables. return it to the saucepan, boil the soup up, and add oz. of vermicelli, sago, or italian paste; let the soup cook until this is quite soft, and serve with sippets of crisp toast, or allinson plain rusks. cocoanut soup. cocoanuts grated, blades of mace, saltspoonful of cinnamon, pints of water, the juice of a lemon, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. boil the cocoanut in the water, adding the mace, cinnamon, and seasoning. let it cook gently for an hour; strain the mixture through a sieve and then return the soup to the saucepan. make a paste of the eggs, wheatmeal, and lemon juice, add it to the soup and let it boil up before serving; let it simmer for minutes, and serve with a little plain boiled rice. corn soup. breakfastcupful of fresh wheat, quart of water, / pint of milk, / oz. of butter, / oz. of finely chopped parsley, oz. of eschalots, seasoning to taste. steep the wheat over night in the water and boil it in the same water for hours, add the butter, the eschalots, chopped up very fine, and pepper and salt. let the whole simmer very gently for another / hour, add the milk and parsley, boil the soup up once more, and serve. leek soup ( ). bunches of leeks, - / pints of milk, oz. of butter, lb. of potatoes, pepper and salt to taste, and the juice of a lemon. cut off the coarse part of the green ends of the leeks, and cut the leeks lengthways, so as to be able to brush out the grit. wash the leeks well, and see no grit remains, then cut them in short pieces. peel, wash, and cut up the potatoes, then cook both vegetables with pints of water. when the vegetables are quite tender, rub them through a sieve. return the mixture to the saucepan, add the butter, milk, and seasoning, and boil the soup up again. before serving add the lemon juice; serve with sippets of toast. leek soup ( ). dozen leeks, - / pints of milk, lb. of potatoes, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and the juice of a lemon (this last may be omitted if not liked). prepare the leeks as in the previous recipe, cut them into pieces about an inch long. peel and wash the potatoes and cut them into dice. set the vegetables over the fire with quart of water, and cook them until tender, which will be in about hour. when soft rub all through a sieve and return the soup to the saucepan. add the milk, butter, and seasoning, boil up, and add the lemon juice just before serving. should the soup be too thick add a little hot water. serve with allinson plain rusks. lentil soup. lb. each of lentils and potatoes, large spanish onion, medium-sized head of celery (or the outer pieces of a head of celery, saving the heart for table use), breakfastcupful of tinned tomatoes or / lb. of fresh ones, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. chop the onion up roughly, and fry it in the butter until beginning to brown. pick and wash the lentils, and set them over the fire with quarts of water or vegetable stock, adding the fried onion. peel, wash, and cut up the potatoes, prepare the celery, cut it into small pieces, and add all to the lentils. when they are nearly soft add the tomatoes. when all the ingredients are quite tender rub them through a sieve. return the soup to the saucepan, add pepper and salt, and more water if the soup is too thick. serve with sippets of toast. macaroni stew. oz. of cold boiled macaroni, large spanish onion, carrot, / lb. of tomatoes, / lb. of mushrooms, oz. of grated cheese, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. wash, prepare, and cut up the vegetables in small pieces. cover them with water and stew them until tender, adding the butter and seasoning. when tender add the macaroni cut into finger lengths, and the cheese. milk soup. onions, turnips, head of celery, pints of milk, pint of water, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. chop up the vegetables and boil them in the water until quite tender. rub them through a sieve, return the whole to the saucepan, add pepper and salt, rub the wheatmeal smooth in the milk, let the soup simmer for minutes, and serve. milk soup (suitable for children). - / pints of milk, egg, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, - / oz. of sultanas, sugar to taste. boil - / pints of milk, add the sugar, beat up the egg with the rest of the milk and mix the wheatmeal smooth with it; stir this into the boiling milk, add the sultanas, and let the soup simmer for minutes. oatmeal soup. oz. of coarse oatmeal, the outer part of a head of celery, spanish onion, turnip, oz. of butter, and pepper and salt. wash and cut the vegetables up small, set them over the fire with quarts of water. when boiling, stir in the oatmeal and allow all to cook gently for hours. rub the mixture well through a sieve, adding hot water it necessary. return the soup to the saucepan, add the butter and pepper and salt, and let it boil up. the soup should be of a smooth, creamy consistency. serve with sippets of toast or allinson plain rusks. onion soup (french). / lb. onions, oz. grated cheese, oz. butter, some squares of allinson wholemeal bread, pepper and salt to taste. peel and chop the onions, and fry them a nice brown in the butter. when brown add to it the cheese and pints of water. boil all up together and season to taste. place the bread in the tureen, pour the boiling soup over it, and serve. parsnip soup. parsnips, onion, head of celery, / oz. of butter, / pint of milk, quart of water, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, tablespoonful of vinegar, pepper and salt. scrape the parsnips and cut them up finely, cut up the celery and onion, and set the vegetables over the fire with the water, butter, and pepper and salt to taste: when they are quite tender rub them through a sieve. return the soup to the saucepan, add the milk and the thickening, boil up for five minutes, and before serving add the vinegar. this latter may be left out if preferred. pea soup. lb. of split peas, lb. of potatoes, peeled, washed, and cut into pieces, spanish onion, carrot, turnip, / head of celery or a whole small one, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, pick and wash the peas, and set them to boil in quarts of water. add the potatoes and the other vegetables, previously prepared and cut into small pieces, the butter and seasoning. when all the ingredients are soft, rub them through a sieve and return them to the saucepan. if the soup is too thick, add more water. boil it up, and serve with fresh chopped mint, or fried dice of allinson wholemeal bread. allow to hours for the soup. pease brose. this is made by the scottish peasant in this way. he puts some pea flour into a basin, and pours boiling water over it, at the same time stirring and thoroughly mixing the meal and water together. when mixed he adds a little salt, pepper, and butter, and eats it with or without oatcake. portuguese soup. onions, tomatoes, oz. of grated cheese, / lb. of stale allinson wholemeal bread, quart of water, oz. of butter, even teaspoonful of herbs, pepper and salt to taste. slice the onions and fry them until brown, add the tomatoes skinned and sliced, the water, herbs, and pepper and salt, and let the whole boil gently for hour. cut up the bread into dice, and put it into the tureen, pour the soup over it, cover, and let it stand for minutes to allow the bread to soak; sprinkle the cheese over before serving. potato soup. lbs. of potatoes, / stick of celery or the outer stalks of a head of celery, saving the heart for table use; large spanish onion, pint of milk, oz. of butter, a heaped up tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut in pieces the potatoes, peel and chop roughly the onion, prepare and cut in small pieces the celery. cook the vegetables in three pints of water until they are quite soft. rub them through a sieve, return the fluid mixture to the saucepan; add the milk, butter, and seasoning, and boil the soup up again; if too thick add more water. mix the parsley in the soup just before serving. rice soup. oz. of rice, oz. of grated cheese, a breakfastcupful of tomato juice, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. boil the rice till tender in - / pints of water, with the butter and seasoning. when quite soft, add the tomato juice and the cheese; stir until the soup boils and the cheese is dissolved, and serve. if too much of the water has boiled away, add a little more. rice and green-pea soup. oz. of rice, breakfastcupful of shelled green peas, pint of milk, quart of water, oz. of butter. boil the rice in the water for minutes, add the peas, the butter and pepper and salt to taste. let it cook until the rice and peas are tender, add the milk and boil the soup up before serving. rice and onion soup. onions, oz. of rice, - / oz. of butter, pints of water, pepper and salt. chop the onions up very finely, and fry them with the butter until slightly browned; add the rice, seasoning, and water, and let the whole cook gently until quite soft. a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley may be added. st. andrew's soup. large potatoes, pint of clear tomato juice (from tinned tomatoes), pint of milk, pint of water, eggs, oz. of butter, seasoning to taste. boil the potatoes in their skins; when tender peel and pass them through a potato masher. put the potatoes into a saucepan with the butter, tomato juice, and water, adding pepper and salt to taste. allow the soup to simmer for minutes, then add the milk; boil up again, remove the saucepan to the cool side of the stove and stir in the eggs well beaten. serve at once with sippets of toast, or allinson plain rusks. scarlet runner soup. - / lbs. of french beans or scarlet runners, onion, carrot, stick of celery, / oz. of butter, teaspoonful of thyme, quarts of water, pepper and salt to taste, and oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal. string the beans and break them up in small pieces, cut up the other vegetables and add them to the water, which should be boiling; add also the butter and pepper and salt. allow all to cook until thoroughly tender, then rub through a sieve. return the soup to the saucepan (adding more water if it has boiled away much), and thicken it with the wheatmeal; let it simmer for minutes, and serve with fried sippets of bread. sorrel soup ( ). / lb. of sorrel, - / lbs. of potatoes, oz. of butter, pepper and salt, pints of water. pick, wash, and chop fine the sorrel, peel and cut up in slices the potatoes, and set both over the fire with the water, butter, and seasoning to taste; when the potatoes are quite tender, pass the soup through a sieve. serve with sippets of toast. sorrel soup ( ). lb. of sorrel, large spanish onion, pints of water, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, / lb. of allinson wholemeal bread cut into small dice. pick, wash, and chop up the sorrel, chop up the onion, and boil both with the water, butter, pepper, and salt until the onion is quite tender. place the bread in the soup-tureen and pour the soup over it. cover it up, and let the bread soak for a few minutes before serving. sorrel soup (french) ( ). lb. of sorrel, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, quarts of water, pepper and salt, eggs. pick and wash the sorrel and drain the water. set it over the fire with the butter and stew for minutes, add the wheatmeal, and stir it with the sorrel for minutes; add the water, pepper and salt to taste, and let the soup simmer for / an hour; before serving add the eggs well beaten, but do not allow them to boil, as this would make them curdle; serve with sippets of toast. spanish soup. pints of chestnuts peeled and skinned, spanish onions, potatoes, turnips cut up in dice, teaspoonful of thyme, dessertspoonful of vinegar, oz. of grated cheese, oz. of butter, quarts of water, pepper and salt to taste. boil the chestnuts and vegetables gently until quite tender, which will take - / hours. rub them through a sieve and return the soup to the saucepan; add the butter; vinegar, and pepper and salt to taste. let it boil minutes, and sift in the cheese before serving. spinach soup. lbs. of spinach, chopped up onion, oz. of butter, pint of milk, the juice of lemon, - / oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, and pepper and salt to taste. this will make about pints of soup. wash the spinach well, and cook it in pint of water with the onion and seasoning. when the spinach is quite soft, rub all through a sieve. mix the wheatmeal with the melted butter as in the previous recipe, stir into it the spinach, add the milk; boil all up, and add the lemon juice last of all. if the soup is too thick, add a little water. spring soup. carrots, turnip, / head celery, small spring onions, tea-cup of cauliflower cut into little branches, heart of small white cabbage lettuce, small handful of sorrel, leaf each of chervil and of tarragon, / pint of peas, / pint asparagus points, / pint croutons, quart of water. cut the carrots and turnip into small rounds, or to shape; add them with the chopped-up celery, whole onions, and cauliflower, to a quart of water, and bring to the boil; simmer for / an hour. stamp the sorrel and lettuce into small round pieces, and add them with the leaf of chervil and tarragon to the soup, together with teaspoonful of sugar. when all is quite tender add the peas and asparagus points, freshly cooked; serve with croutons. summer soup. cucumber, cabbage lettuces, onion, small handful of spinach, a piece of mint, pint shelled peas, oz. butter. wash and cut up the lettuces, also cut up the cucumber and onion, put them into a stewpan, together with / pint of peas, the mint, and butter. cover with about quart of cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer gently for hours. then strain off the liquid and pass the vegetables through a sieve. add them to the liquid again, and set on the fire. season and add / pint green peas previously boiled. tapioca and tomato soup. oz. of tapioca, lb. of tomatoes, carrot, turnip, teaspoonful of herbs, blade of mace, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and pints of water. peel, wash, and cut up finely the vegetables and stew them in the butter for minutes. add the water, the tomatoes skinned and cut in slices, the herbs and seasoning to taste; when the soup is boiling, sprinkle in the tapioca, let all cook until quite tender, pass the soup through a sieve, return it to the saucepan, and boil it up before serving. tomato soup ( ). - / lbs. of tomatoes (or tin of tomatoes), oz. of butter, pints of water (only if tinned tomatoes are used), oz. of rice, large onion, teaspoonful of herbs, pepper and salt to taste. cut the tomatoes into slices, chop fine the onion, and let them cook with the water for about minutes. strain the mixture, return the liquid to the saucepan, and add the other ingredients and seasoning. let the soup cook gently until the rice is tender. tomato soup ( ). tin of tomatoes, or lbs. of fresh ones, large spanish onion or small ones, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, oz. vermicelli, and bay leaves (these may be left out it desired). peel the onion and chop it up roughly. fry it brown with the butter in the saucepan in which the soup should be made. when the onion is browned add the tomatoes (the fresh ones should be sliced), the bay leaves and pints of water; let all cook together for / an hour. then drain the liquid through a strainer or sieve without rubbing anything through; return the soup to the saucepan, add seasoning and the vermicelli, and allow the soup to cook until the vermicelli is soft, which will take from to minutes. vegetable soup. large turnips, large carrots, spanish onions, teacupful of pearl barley, - / oz. butter, / pint of milk, salt and pepper to taste. cover the vegetables with cold water and allow them to boil from to hours, then rub through a sieve and add butter and milk. it too thick, add more milk. boil up and serve. vegetable marrow soup. medium-sized marrow, onion, / oz. of finely chopped parsley, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, pint of milk, quart of water, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. remove the pips from the marrow, cut it into pieces, chop up fine the onions, and cook the vegetables for minutes, adding the butter, pepper, and salt. rub through a sieve, return the soup to the saucepan, rub the fine wheatmeal smooth with the milk, add this to the soup, allow it to simmer for minutes, and add the parsley before serving. white soup. oz. of ground almonds, pint of milk, pint of water, oz. of vermicelli, blades of mace, pepper and salt. let the almonds and mace simmer in the water and milk for / of an hour, remove the mace, add pepper and salt to taste, and the vermicelli. let the soup cook gently until the vermicelli is soft, and serve. batters these dishes take the place of omelets and frequently of pies, to both of which they are in many particulars similar. the batter is used to keep the ingredients together, and adds to their wholesomeness. batter celery. large head of celery, pint of milk, eggs, oz. allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. butter, english onion, pepper and salt to taste. prepare the celery, cut it into small pieces, chop up the onion pretty fine, and stew both gently in half the milk and the butter and seasoning. make a batter meanwhile with the rest of the milk, the eggs and the wheatmeal. when the celery and onion are quite tender mix the batter with them; grease a pie-dish, pour the mixture into it, and bake the savoury for - / hours. eat with potatoes and tomato sauce. batter potato. - / lbs. of potatoes, two good-sized english onions, pint of milk, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, - / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. peel and wash the potatoes, and slice them / inch thick, then dry them on a cloth. chop fine the onions. put the butter into the frying-pan, and let it get boiling hot, turn into it the potatoes and onions, and fry them together, stirring frequently until the vegetables begin to brown and get soft. make a batter of the milk, meal, and eggs, stir the fried potatoes and onions into it, and season with pepper and salt. grease a pie-dish, turn the mixture into it, and bake the savoury for - / hours. serve with vegetables and tomato sauce. this is a very tasty dish. batter vegetable. / lb. of turnips, / lb. of carrots, / lb. of potatoes, / lb. of shelled green peas (if in season), / lb. of onions, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt. cut the vegetables into small dice; fry them in the butter until fairly well cooked. make the batter with the milk, wheatmeal, and the eggs well beaten; add the vegetables and seasoning. bake the mixture in a pie-dish for - / hours in a moderate oven. savouries artichokes aux tomatoes. lbs. of artichokes, - / lbs. of tomatoes (or three parts of a tin of tomatoes), oz. of allinson fine wholemeal, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, / dozen eschalots. parboil the artichokes, drain them, and cut them into slices. make tomato sauce as follows: chop the eschalots up very finely, slice the tomatoes and stew both in / pint of water for minutes, adding seasoning and the butter; thicken the sauce with the wheatmeal, rub through a sieve, pour it over the artichokes and stew both gently until the artichokes are quite tender; serve with potatoes. bean pie. this is made from boiled beans, which are put in a pie-dish, soaked tapioca, flavouring herbs, pepper, salt, and butter are added, a cup of water is poured in to make the gravy, a crust is put on the top, and then baked for hour or so. this is a tasty dish. cold beans are very nice if warmed in a frying-pan with oil or butter, and may be eaten with potatoes, vegetables, and sauce. mashed beans, flavoured with pepper, salt, and mace, and put into pots make an excellent substitute for potted meat. bread and cheese savoury. / lb. of allinson wholemeal bread, oz. of grated cheese, pint of milk, eggs, pepper and salt to taste, a little nutmeg, and some butter. cut the bread into slices and butter them: arrange in layers in a pie-dish, spreading some cheese between the layers, and dusting with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg. finish with a good sprinkling of cheese. whip up the eggs, mix them with the milk and pour the mixture over the bread and cheese in the pie-dish. pour the custard back into the basin, and repeat the pouring over the contents of the pie-dish. if this is done or times the top slices of bread and butter get soaked and then bake better. this should also be done when a bread and butter pudding is made. bake the savoury until brown, which it will be in about / of an hour. butter beans with parsley sauce. pick the beans, wash them, and steep them over night in boiling water, just covering them. allow or oz. of beans for each person. in the morning, let them cook gently in the water they are steeped in with the addition of a little butter, until quite soft, which will be in about hours. the beans should be cooked in only enough water to keep them from burning, therefore, when it boils away, add only just sufficient for absorption. the sauce is made thus: pint of milk, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, a handful of finely chopped parsley, the juice of / a lemon, pepper and salt to taste. boil the milk and thicken it with the flour, which should first be smoothed with a little cold milk, then last of all add the lemon juice, the seasoning, and the parsley. this dish should be eaten with potatoes and green vegetables. carrots and rice. breakfastcupful of rice, medium-sized carrots, oz. of butter, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. boil the rice in quart of water until quite tender and dry; meanwhile slice the carrots and stew them in pint of water and oz. of butter until quite tender, thicken them with the meal, add seasoning and the parsley. set the rice in the form of a ring on a dish, pile the carrots in the centre, sprinkle a few breadcrumbs over the whole, also the butter cut into little bits, and bake the dish in a moderate oven for minutes. cauliflower and potato pie. fair-sized boiled (cold) cauliflower, lb. of cold boiled potatoes, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, - / oz. of butter, oz. of grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. cut up the cauliflower and potatoes, sprinkle half the cheese between the vegetables, make a batter of the milk and eggs and meal, add seasoning to it, place the vegetables in a pie-dish, pour the batter over them, cut the butter into little bits and put them on the top of the pie, sprinkle the rest of the cheese over all, and bake for hour. cauliflower pie. small cauliflower, / lb. of potatoes, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, / pint of milk, oz. of butter, saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt. parboil the cauliflower and potatoes, cut the former into pieces and slice the potatoes; place both in a pie-dish with the butter and seasoning; make a batter of the meal, milk, and the eggs, well beaten; pour it over the vegetables, mix well, and bake - / hours. celery À la parmesan. heads of celery, pint of milk, oz. of parmesan, or any other cooking cheese, tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, oz. of butter. cut the celery into pieces inches long, stew it in the milk until tender; drain the milk and make a sauce of it, thickening with allinson fine wheatmeal, and adding the cheese and seasoning to taste. put the celery into a pie-dish, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the whole, place the butter in little pieces on the top, and bake for minutes in a moderate oven. celery croquettes. or heads of celery, a teacupful of dried and sifted allinson breadcrumbs, eggs, pepper and salt to taste. well wash the celery, remove the coarse outer stalks, and steam the parts used until they are a little tender. then cut them into pieces about inches long, dip them first into the egg whipped up, then into the breadcrumbs, and fry them in boiling butter, vege-butter, or olive oil until a nice brown; dust with pepper and salt, and serve up very hot; eat with white or tomato sauce. chestnut pie. lbs. of chestnuts, head of celery, large spanish onion, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, pepper and salt. boil the chestnuts until partly tender, and remove the skins; cut the celery into pieces, removing the outer very hard pieces only, slice the onion and stew until tender in pint of water; mix all the ingredients together, adding oz. of the butter and seasoning to taste; make some pastry of the meal, oz. of butter, and a little cold water; turn the vegetables into a pie-dish, cover the dish with the pastry, and bake the pie for hour; serve with brown gravy. colcanon. large cabbage, pint of mashed potatoes, oz. of grated cheese, eggs, oz. of butter, / saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. boil the cabbage in pint of water until quite tender, drain the water off to keep for stock, chop the cabbage up fine; mix it with the mashed potatoes, the butter and seasoning and the grated cheese; beat up the eggs, and mix these well with the rest; press the mixture into a greased mould, heat all well through in the oven or in a steamer, turn out and serve with a white sauce. this can be made from cold potatoes and cold cabbage. corn pudding. tin of sweet corn, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. make a batter of the meal, eggs and milk, add the other ingredients, pour the mixture into a pie-dish, and let it bake hour. curry balls. oz. of rice, / oz. of butter, good teaspoonful of curry, eggs, pepper and salt to taste, some oil or butter for frying, and teacupful of raspings. boil the rice in pint of water, adding the butter and seasoning. when the rice is dry and tender mix in the curry, beat up egg, and bind the rice with that. form into balls, dip them in the other egg, well beaten, then into the raspings and fry them a nice brown in oil or vege-butter. curry savoury. breakfastcupful of rice, ditto of egyptian lentils, lb. of tomatoes, dessertspoonful of curry, eggs well beaten, oz. of butter, salt to taste. boil the rice and lentils together until quite tender, and let them cool a little. slice the tomatoes into a pie-dish, mix the curry, eggs, and salt with the rice and lentils, add a little milk if necessary; spread the mixture over the tomatoes, with the butter in bits over the top, and bake the savoury from / to hour. favourite pie. oz. of macaroni, breakfastcupfuls of allinson breadcrumbs, onions, chopped very fine, breakfastcupfuls of tinned tomatoes, eggs, well beaten, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of curry, salt to taste. boil the macaroni until tender, and cut it up into pieces inch long; fry the onion brown in the butter, mix the breadcrumbs with the tomatoes, add the eggs, curry, onion and salt, and mix all this with the macaroni; turn the mixture into a pie-dish, and bake the pie for hour. forcemeat balls. oz. of breadcrumbs, oz. of boiled and grated potatoes, gill of milk, eggs, some allinson fine wheatmeal / teaspoonful of nutmeg, finely chopped onions, handfuls of spinach, handful of parsley, ditto of lettuce, all chopped fine. soak the breadcrumbs in the milk, add the potatoes, eggs well beaten, all the vegetables and seasoning; mix sufficient of the wheatmeal with the rest to make the mixture into a fairly firm paste, form this into balls, drop these in boiling clear soup or water (according to requirements), and boil them for to minutes. haggis. oz. of wheatmeal, oz. of rolled oatmeal, egg, / oz. of oiled butter, / lb. small sago, eggs, large spanish onion, dessertspoonful of mixed powdered herbs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and a little milk if needed. swell the sago over the fire with as much water as it will absorb; when quite soft put into it the butter to melt, and, when melted, mix in the oatmeal and wheatmeal. grate the onion, and whip up the eggs; mix all the ingredients together, not forgetting the herbs and seasoning. the whole should be a thick porridgy mass; if too dry add a little milk. butter a pudding basin, pour into it the mixture, place a piece of buttered paper over it, tie a pudding cloth over the basin, and steam the haggis for hours. herb pie. handful of parsley, handful of spinach, and of mustard and cress, lettuce hearts sliced fine, small onions, and a little butter, eggs, pint of milk, and / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal. chop all the vegetables up finely, and mix them with a batter made of the milk, meal, and eggs; season it with pepper and salt; mix well; pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, place bits of butter over the top, and bake it for - / hours. hot-pot. lbs. of potatoes, / lb. of onions, breakfastcupful of tinned tomatoes, or / lb. of sliced fresh ones, teaspoonful of thyme, - / oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste. those who do not like tomatoes can leave them out, and the dish will still be very savoury. the potatoes should be peeled, washed, and cut into thin slices, and the onions peeled and cut into thin slices. arrange the vegetables and tomatoes in layers; dust a little pepper and salt between the layers, and finish with a layer of potatoes. cut the butter into little bits, place them on the top of the potatoes, fill the dish with hot water, and bake the hot-pot for hours or more in a hot oven. add a little more hot water if necessary while baking to make up for what is lost in the cooking. leek pie. bunch of leeks, lb. of potatoes, / teaspoonful of herbs, a little nutmeg, pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, oz. of butter. cut up into dice the potatoes and leeks, parboil them in pint of water, adding the herbs, butter, and seasoning; place the vegetables in a pie-dish, make a batter with the milk, eggs, and meal, pour it over the vegetables, mix all well, and bake the pie - / to hours in a moderate oven. lentil pie. / lb. of lentils, lb. of potatoes, lb. of tomatoes, spanish onion, heaped-up teaspoonful of herbs, hard-boiled eggs, - / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. have the lentils cooked beforehand. peel, wash, and cut into dice the potatoes and onion, and fry them in the butter until nearly soft. scald and slice the tomatoes, and mix the fried vegetables, lentils, tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning well together. turn the mixture into a pie-dish, and pour over as much water or vegetable stock as may be required for gravy. quarter the eggs and place them on the top. cover with a short crust, and bake the pie for to - / hours. lentil rissoles. / lb. of lentils, finely chopped onion, breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs, breakfastcupful of tinned tomatoes, - / oz. of butter, eggs, pepper and salt to taste, some raspings, butter, vege-butter or oil for frying. pick and wash the lentils, and boil them in enough water to cover them; when this is absorbed add the tomatoes, and if necessary gradually a little more water to prevent the lentils from burning. fry the onion in - / oz. of butter, mix it with the lentils as they are stewing, and add pepper and salt to taste. when the lentils are quite soft, and like a pureé (which will take from to - / hours), set them aside to cool. mix the lentils and the breadcrumbs, beat up one of the eggs and add it to the mixture, beating all well together. if it is too dry, add a very little milk, but only just enough to make the mixture keep together. form into rissoles, beat up the second egg, roll them into the egg and raspings, and fry the rissoles a nice brown in boiling butter or oil. drain and serve. lentil turnovers. oz. of lentils, oz. of mushrooms, english onion chopped very fine, ounce of butter, dessertspoonful of lemon juice, pepper and salt to taste. pick and wash the lentils, and cook them in only as much water as they will absorb. peel, wash, and cut up the mushrooms, chop fine the onion, and fry both in the butter. add them to the lentils now cooking; also the lemon juice and seasoning. when the lentils are quite soft, the whole should be a fairly firm pureé. let it cool, and meanwhile make a paste of oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal and oz. of butter or vege-butter and a little water. roll the paste out thin, cut into squares of about inches. place some of the lentil mixture in each, moisten the edges, turn half over, and press the edges together. bake for minutes in a floured tin, and serve with brown sauce, vegetables, and potatoes. lentils (curried), and rice. breakfastcupful each of lentils and rice, lb. of fresh tomatoes or / a tinful of tinned ones, dessertspoonful of curry, eggs, well beaten, oz. of butter, some breadcrumbs, and salt to taste. roast the rice in a frying-pan in half of the butter until browned; then set it over the fire with - / pints of water and the lentils, picked and washed. when tender set them aside to cool a little. scald and skin the tomatoes, cut them into slices and place them in a buttered pie-dish. smooth the curry with spoonful of water; add the curry, the eggs, and salt to the cooked rice and lentils, and mix all well. spread all over the tomatoes, scatter breadcrumbs over the top, cut up the rest of the butter in pieces and place them here and there over the breadcrumbs. bake the savoury for / of an hour to hour. lentils (potted), for sandwiches. / lb. of lentils, english onion, / a cupful of tinned tomatoes, blade of mace, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. pick and wash the lentils, and set them over the fire to cook, only just covered with water, adding the mace, pepper, and salt. chop fine the onion and fry it a nice brown in the butter; add the fried onions and tomatoes to the lentils, stir them sometimes to prevent burning, and let the lentils cook gently until they have become soft and make a fairly firm purée. if too dry, add a little more water as may be required. when they are done remove the mace and turn the lentils out to get cold. then use for making sandwiches with very thin bread and butter. minestra. breakfastcupful of potatoes cut into small dice, breakfastcupfuls of flagolet beans, onions, carrots, and celery mixed (the latter cut up small), / lb. of rice, oz. of butter, oz. of grated parmesan cheese, pepper and salt to taste. boil the vegetables in quart of water until quite tender, add the rice, also pepper and salt, and cook all together gently until the rice is soft, adding more water if necessary. before serving add the butter and cheese, stir a few minutes, and serve. mushroom cutlets. / lb. of mushrooms, / teacupful of mashed potatoes, teacupful of breadcrumbs, small onion, eggs, oz. of butter, a little milk, teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, / teaspoonful of herbs. peel and cut up the mushrooms, chop up the onion, and fry them in oz. of butter. mix the mushrooms and onion with the breadcrumbs, egg well beaten, add also pepper and salt to taste; if necessary add a little milk to make it into a paste; shape the mixture into cutlets, dip them in the other egg well beaten, and fry them in the rest of the butter. serve with tomato sauce. mushroom pie. - / lbs. of mushrooms, - / lbs. of potatoes, spanish onion, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, and hard-boiled eggs. peel and wash the mushrooms, and cut them into or pieces, according to their size. peel and wash the potatoes, and cut them into pieces the size of walnuts; parboil them with pint of water, and turn them into a pie-dish with the water. chop up the onion, and cook the mushrooms and onion for minutes with the butter in / pint of water, adding the herbs and seasoning. mix all well in the pie-dish, quarter the eggs, and place them on the top, cover with a short crust, and bake the pie for / of an hour to hour. mushroom savoury. ounces of allinson plain rusks eggs, pint of milk, oz. of butter, lb. of mushrooms, small onion chopped fine, and pepper and salt to taste. crush the rusks and soak in the milk; add the eggs well whipped. peel, wash, and cut up the mushrooms, and fry them and the onion in the butter. when they have cooked in the butter for minutes add them to the other ingredients, and season with pepper and salt. pour the mixture into a greased pie-dish, and bake the savoury for hour. serve with green vegetables, potatoes, and tomato sauce. mushroom tartlets. / lb. of mushrooms, oz. of butter, small english onion, tablespoonful of vermicelli broken up small, pepper and salt to taste. peel and wash the mushrooms and cut them up; chop up the onions very fine, melt the butter in the frying-pan and fry the mushrooms and onion in it, adding pepper and salt to taste; a good deal of liquid will run from the mushrooms, stir into it the vermicelli, which let cook in the juice until tender; let the mixture cool, line some tartlet tins with allinson wholemeal crust, fill with the mixture, cover with crust, and press the edges well together; bake in a moderate oven. mushroom tart and gravy. lb. of mushrooms, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter or allinson frying oil, pepper and salt to taste. pick and wash the mushrooms, remove the stalks, dry them and cut them into pieces; make pastry with the meal, oz. of the butter, and a little cold water; roll it out, line a large plate and heap the mushrooms upon it, dredge well with pepper and salt, and cut the rest of the butter into bits to be scattered over the mushrooms; when you line the plate, keep a little of the paste, cut this into thin strips and lay them in diamond shape across the pie; bake the pie / hour in a moderate oven. the gravy.--the stalks of the mushrooms, eschalots chopped very fine, teaspoonful of allinson cornflour, bay leaves, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. fry the stalks and eschalots in the butter, then gently cook them in / pint of water for / hour, adding seasoning and the bay leaves; strain, return the sauce to the saucepan, and thicken it with the cornflour. mushroom turnovers. / lb. of medium-sized mushrooms, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. for the pastry, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter (or tablespoonfuls of allinson frying oil). make the pastry of the meal, butter, and a little water; pick and wash the mushrooms, cut them up in small pieces dredge them with pepper and salt, and fry them in the butter for to minutes. roll the paste out, cut it in squares of about inches, and place as much mushroom on each as it will conveniently hold. press the edges of each square together, folding them in triangular shape, and bake them in a moderate oven for an hour. serve with brown gravy. oatmeal pie-crust. oz. each of medium oatmeal and allinson fine wheatmeal, and - / oz. of vege-butter or butter. make the crust in the usual way with cold water. it will be found beautifully short, very tasty, and more digestible than white flour pastry. onion tart. lb. of spanish onions, lb. of english onions, oz. of butter, eggs, / pint of cream, pepper and salt to taste, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal. slice the onions, and stew them with - / oz. of butter without browning them. when tender let the onions cool, mix with them the eggs, well beaten, and the cream, also the seasoning. make a paste with the meal and the rest of the butter, line with it a baking-tin, keeping back a small quantity of the paste; pour the mixture of onions, eggs, and cream into the paste-lined tin, cut the rest of the paste into thin strips, and lay these crossways over the tart, forming diamond-shaped squares; bake the tart in a moderate oven until golden brown. onion turnover. medium-sized spanish onions, oz. of butter (or allinson frying oil), eggs, pepper and salt. for the pastry, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, - / oz. of butter or oil. chop the onions fine, boil them a few minutes in a little water, and drain them; stew them in the butter for minutes, adding the seasoning beat up the eggs and mix them well with the onions over the fire, remove the mixture as it begins to set. have ready the pastry made with the meal, butter, and a little cold water, roll it out, place the onions and eggs on it, fold the pastry over, pinching the edges over, and bake the turnover brown. serve with gravy. this is a turkish dish. potato pie. slice potatoes and onions, stew with a little water until nearly done, put into a pie-dish, flavour with herbs, pepper, and salt, add a little soaked tapioca and very little butter, cover with short wheatmeal crust, and bake hour. to make a very plain pie-crust use about oz. of butter or a proportionate quantity of allinson frying oil to lb. of wheatmeal. roll or touch with the fingers as little as possible, and mix with milk instead of water. eat this pie with green vegetables. potato and tomato pie. lbs. of potatoes, lbs. of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, oz. of vermicelli or sago, spanish onion, dessertspoonful of thyme, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. for the crust, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, and as much cold water as needed. boil the potatoes in their skins, and when nearly soft drain, peel, and cut them into pieces, scald and skin the tomatoes and cut them into pieces also. mix them with the potatoes in a pie-dish. chop up roughly the onion, and boil in about pint of water, adding the butter and the vermicelli or sago. cook until soft. add pepper and salt, and mix all with the potatoes and tomatoes. sprinkle in the thyme, and mix all the ingredients well. quarter the eggs and place the pieces on the top of the vegetables. make the crust, cover the dish with it, and bake the pie from / of an hour to hour. the crust looks better if brushed over with white of egg before baking. potatoes and mushroom stew. - / lbs. of potatoes, spanish onion, / lb. of mushrooms, oz. of butter, pepper and salt, and teaspoonful of allinson cornflour for thickening. peel, wash, and cut into pieces the potatoes; chop up the onion, and set both over the fire with pint of water, the butter and seasoning; let cook until the potatoes are about half done. meanwhile skin, wash, and cut into pieces the mushrooms, add them to the other ingredients, and let all stew together until tender. thicken the liquid with the cornflour, boil up, and serve. queen's apple and onion pie. breakfastcupfuls of allinson breadcrumbs, eggs, - / lbs. of apples, lbs. of spanish onions, oz. of butter, / teaspoonful of spice, pepper and salt to taste, and a little hot milk; cut into slices the onions and apples, stew them gently (without adding-water) with oz. of the butter, the spice and seasoning until quite tender. mix the breadcrumbs with the eggs, well beaten, and enough hot milk to smooth the breadcrumbs; butter a pie-dish with / oz. of butter, place a layer of breadcrumbs in your dish, a layer of apple and onion, repeat this until your dish is full, finishing with breadcrumbs. place the rest of the butter on the top in little bits, and bake the pie for hour. serve with brown gravy. queen's onion pie. lbs of spanish onions, breakfastcupfuls of allinson breadcrumbs, eggs, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste, and a little hot milk. stew the onions in oz. of butter, adding the herbs and seasoning. prepare the breadcrumbs in the same way as for "queen's onion and apple pie," place the onions and breadcrumbs in layers as in the previous recipe, and bake hour. queen's tomato pie. breakfastcupfuls of allinson breadcrumbs, eggs, lbs. of tomatoes, finely chopped onions, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, a little boiling milk; dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley. cut the tomatoes into slices, and stew them gently with oz. of the butter, the onions and seasoning for minutes, then add the parsley. soak the breadcrumbs with enough hot milk to just moisten them through, add the eggs beaten up. grease a pie-dish, place in it first a layer of breadcrumbs, then one of tomatoes and so on until full, finishing with breadcrumbs. put the rest of the butter in little bits on the top of the pie, and bake it until lightly brown. savoury custard. quart of milk; eggs, oz. of grated cheese, parmesan is the best, but any kind of cooking cheese can be used; / a saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. heat the milk; meanwhile whip the eggs well, and mix the cheese and seasoning with them. mix well with the hot milk, pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake in a moderately hot oven until set. serve with green vegetables and potatoes. savoury custard (another way). quart of milk, eggs, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful each of finely chopped parsley and spring onion. proceed as above; mix the herbs and onion with the custard, and bake until set. savoury fritters ( ). teacupful of mashed potatoes, / lb. of breadcrumbs, large english onion, eggs, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of powdered sage, / saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. chop the onion up fine and fry it brown in the butter. whip up the eggs and mix both ingredients with the breadcrumbs; add the mashed potatoes, herbs, and seasoning, and mix all well together. form into fritters, dredge with flour, and fry them a nice brown. serve with vegetables, potatoes, and sauce. savoury fritters ( ). oz. of onions, oz. of breadcrumbs, teaspoonful of dried sage, eggs, - / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. chop the onions up small and fry them in the butter, or oil a nice brown, then add the sage to them. mix a third of the onions with the breadcrumbs, add the eggs well beaten, pepper and salt; mix all well, form into fritters, and fry in butter or oil. the remainder of the onions place round the fritters on the dish. serve with apple sauce. savoury pickled walnut. / lb. of allinson bread, pint of milk, eggs, pickled walnuts and the vinegar to taste, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, teaspoonful of powdered mixed herbs, grated english onion, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. soak the bread in the milk, add the parsley, herbs, onion, eggs and seasoning. mash up the pickled walnuts, dissolve part of the butter on the stove and add both to the other ingredients; mix all well. butter a pie-dish with the rest of the butter, pour in the mixture, and bake. savoury pie. oz. of haricot beans, / lb. of onions, lb. of tomatoes, / lb. of parboiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, teaspoonful of herbs, oz. of butter, / lb. of fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. have the beans boiled the previous day, place them in a pie-dish, chop up the onions and boil them in a little water until soft, cut the potatoes in small dice, slice the tomatoes, cut up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients thoroughly in the pie dish, adding the herbs, oz. of butter, and seasoning. pour over the mixture pint of water, and let it cook for hour in the oven. make a paste of the wheatmeal, the rest of the butter and a little cold water, cover the vegetables with it, and bake the pie hour in a moderate oven. savoury tartlets. eggs, oz. grated cheese, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of mustard, gill of cream, pepper and salt to taste. for the crust oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, and oz. of butter. whip up the eggs and add to each egg dessertspoonful of water. dissolve the mustard in a little water; mix this, the cheese and seasoning with the eggs. heat the butter in a frying-pan, and when boiling stir in the eggs and cheese mixture, stirring it with a knife over the fire until set. turn the mixture into a bowl to cool. meanwhile have ready the paste for the pastry. rub the butter into the flour, add enough water to make it hold together, mixing the paste with a knife. roll it out thin, line small patty pans, fill with the egg and cheese mixture. moisten the edges of the paste in the patty pans, cover with paste, and press the edges together. bake the little tartlets in a moderately hot oven until done; they will take from to minutes. spaghetti aux tomatoes. lb. of spaghetti, the strained juice of one tin of tomatoes, oz. of butter, pepper and salt. mix the tomato juice with pint of water and let the liquid come to the boil, throw in the spaghetti, taking care to keep the contents of the saucepan boiling fast; add the butter and seasoning, and cook until tender; time from to minutes. serve very hot with grated cheese. spanish onions (stewed). cut up lengthways as many onions as may be required, according to number in family. set them over a fire in a saucepan with a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and teacupful of water; let them stew gently for - / hours, when there will be a lot of juice boiled out of the onions. chop fine a handful of parsley, thicken the liquid on the onions with some allinson fine wheatmeal, add pepper and salt; let the onions simmer a few minutes longer, then mix the parsley with them, and serve at once with squares of toast. this is a very nice dish for the evening meal. spanish onions and cheese. this is a very savoury dish and suitable for an evening meal. lb. of spanish onions, oz. of cheese, a few breadcrumbs, pepper and salt to taste, and oz. of butter. peel and slice the onions thinly and grate the cheese. arrange the onions in a pie-dish in layers, sprinkling cheese and a little pepper and salt between each layer. finish with the cheese, scatter breadcrumbs on the top, cut up the butter into bits and scatter it over the breadcrumbs. pour a small teacupful of water into the pie-dish, and bake about hours. this is nice eaten cold as well as hot. spanish onions and white sauce. choose as many onions of equal size as are required and boil them whole in plenty of water until tender; the time necessary being about to - / hours. then drain them, keeping the water they were boiled in as stock for soup or stew. make the sauce as follows: / pint of milk, oz. of butter, heaped teaspoonful of cornflour, pepper and salt to taste. boil the milk with the butter and seasoning, and thicken it with the cornflour. boil the sauce up again and pour it over the onions, which should be ready on a hot dish on slices of toast. spanish stew. lbs. of potatoes, lb. of spanish onions, lb. of tomatoes, oz. of vermicelli, / pint of milk, oz. of butter, pepper and salt. cut up into dice the potatoes and onions, and stew them with the butter and very little water; when they are tender, add the tomatoes cut in slices, and cook the vegetables minutes longer. add seasoning, the milk and vermicelli, and a little more water if necessary; let the whole simmer for another minutes, and serve. spinach dumplings. lbs. of spinach, eggs, oz. of butter, finely chopped onions, juice of / a lemon, pepper and salt, and some allinson fine wheatmeal. pick and wash the spinach, boil it with the onions without water until quite tender; drain it dry, chop the spinach fine, and mix it with the eggs well beaten, the lemon juice, butter, and seasoning. add as much of the meal as necessary to make the mixture into a soft paste. form into balls, flour them, drop them into boiling water, and boil them to minutes; serve with potatoes and gravy. stewed mushrooms. lb. of mushrooms, small english onion, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour, / pint of milk, / pint of water, pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and dry the mushrooms--if big, quarter them--chop fine the onion, and fry both in the butter for minutes. add the water, milk, and seasoning, and let it all simmer for minutes; thicken with the cornflour, boil up and serve with curried or plain boiled rice. stuffed spanish onions with brown sauce. good-sized spanish onions, breakfastcupful of allinson breadcrumbs, an egg, teaspoonful of powdered dry sage, or a dessertspoonful of minced fresh sage, pepper and salt to taste, and oz. of butter. boil the onions for minutes and drain them. cut a piece off the top of each onion and scoop out enough inside to leave at least inch thick of the outer part. chop up finely the part removed, mix it with the breadcrumbs, the sage, pepper, and salt. beat up the egg, melt oz. of the butter, and mix with the breadcrumbs, and stuff the onions with the mixture. replace the slices cut off the tops of the onions, and tie them on with white cotton. place the onions in a pie-dish or deep tin, put the rest of the butter on the top of the onions, cover them up, and bake them until quite tender. have ready the brown sauce, remove the threads of cotton, and pour the sauce over the cooked onions. sweet corn fritters. / tin of sweet corn, eggs, / pint of milk, / oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper, and salt, / saltspoonful of nutmeg, and some oil or butter. make a batter of the meal, milk, and the eggs well beaten, adding the seasoning and the sweet corn. have some oil (vege-butter) boiling in the frying-pan, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the boiling fat, and fry the fritters a golden brown. serve with slices of lemon or tomato sauce. tomato pie. - / lbs. of tomatoes, / lb. of onions, oz. of butter, oz. of vermicelli, hard-boiled eggs. for the crust, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter. cut up the potatoes and onions into dice, and parboil them in pint of water, adding the butter and seasoning. turn them into a pie-dish, add the tomatoes and eggs cut in slices, mix all the ingredients, and add the vermicelli broken up small. make a paste with the meal, butter, and a little cold water, cover the pie with the crust, and bake for hour. tomato tortilla. lb. of tomatoes, oz. of butter, eggs, pepper and salt to taste. scald, skin, and slice the tomatoes. melt the butter in a frying-pan. add it to the tomatoes with seasoning, and stew in the butter until quite tender and until a good deal of the liquid has steamed away. whip the eggs and stir them into the cooked tomatoes; keep stirring until the mixture has thickened. serve on hot buttered toast. this mixture can also be used cold for sandwiches. tomatoes À la parmesan. large tomatoes, oz. of butter, oz. of parmesan cheese, / pint of milk, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. bake the tomatoes in a tin with the butter and a dredging of pepper and salt. make a sauce with the milk, meal, and cheese, seasoning it with a little cayenne pepper if handy. when the tomatoes are baked, place them on hot buttered toast, pour the sauce over, and serve hot. tomatoes and onion pie. cut tomatoes and spanish onions in slices, put into a pie-dish in alternate layers, add a little soaked tapioca, pepper and salt, and a little butter to taste. put in sufficient water to make gravy, cover with wholemeal crust, bake - / hours; eat with baked potatoes and bread. tomatoes au gratin. medium-sized tomatoes, breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs, teaspoonful each of finely chopped parsley, mint, and eschalot, egg, pepper and salt, oz. of butter. make a stuffing of the breadcrumbs, parsley, mint, and eschalots, adding the egg well beaten, and seasoning. make a small opening in the tomato and take out the seeds with a teaspoon; fill the tomatoes with the stuffing, put them into a tin, place a bit of butter on each, pour / a teacupful of water in the tin, and bake the tomatoes minutes. vegetable balls. these are an excellent addition to stews. boil till soft, and mash up together equal quantities of potatoes, turnips, carrots, lentils, vegetable marrow, and haricot beans, and season nicely with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and mixed herbs. bind with beaten eggs, dip in frying batter, and fry the balls in vege-butter or oil till golden brown. vegetable mould. breakfastcupfuls of mashed potatoes, ditto of parboiled finely cut turnips, carrots, celery, onion, and green peas all mixed, eggs, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, pepper and salt to taste. beat the eggs up and mix all the ingredients well together; butter a mould. fill in the mixture, cover with the lid or tie a cloth over it, and steam for hours. turn out, and serve with brown sauce. vegetable pie ( ). / lb. each of tomatoes, turnips, carrots, potatoes, tablespoonful of sago, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, hard-boiled eggs, oz. of butter, and pepper and salt to taste. prepare the vegetables, scald and skin the tomatoes, cut them in pieces not bigger than a walnut, stew them in the butter and pint of water until nearly tender, add the pepper and salt and the mixed herbs. when cooked, pour the vegetables into a pie-dish, sprinkle in the sago, add water to make gravy if necessary. cut the hard-boiled eggs in quarters and place them on the top of the vegetables, cover with a crust, and bake until it is brown. vegetable pie ( ). / lb. each of carrots, turnips, onions, potatoes, small cauliflower, good sized tomatoes or a cupful of tinned ones, hard-boiled eggs, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of sago, pepper and salt to taste. wash and prepare the vegetables, cut them into pieces the size of nuts; if fresh tomatoes are used, scald and skin them. let all the vegetables stew gently with the butter and pint of water until they are nearly tender; add the herbs, and seasoning; pour the whole into a pie-dish, sprinkling the sago between the vegetables; add water if more is required for the pie to have sufficient gravy; cut up the eggs in quarters, place the pieces on the top of the vegetables, and cover all with a crust. these vegetable pies can be varied according to the vegetables in season; cooked haricot or kidney beans, lentils, green peas, french beans may be used, and vermicelli or tapioca substituted for the sago. vegetable stew. fry spanish onions in oz. of butter, then add turnips, carrots, a little white celery, and pint of water. allow all to stew for hours, then mix a tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal with / pint of milk. add to the stew, and serve. yorkshire pudding. eggs, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter. thoroughly beat the eggs, make a batter of them with the flour and milk, and season it. well butter a shallow tin, pour in the batter, and cut the rest of the butter in bits. scatter them over the batter, and bake it / hour. serve with vegetables, potatoes, and sauce. to use half each of allinson breakfast oats and wheatmeal will be found very tasty. nutroast. lb. breadcrumbs, oz. ground cob nuts, oz. butter (oiled), eggs; small onion chopped very fine, good pinch of mixed herbs, pepper and salt to taste, and enough milk just to smoothly moisten the mixture. mix all the ingredients thoroughly, turn into a buttered bread tin and steam - / - hours; turn out and serve with brown sauce. macaroni macaroni is one of the most nutritious farinaceous foods. it is made from italian wheat, which contains more flesh-forming matter than butcher's meat. in the manufacture of macaroni some of the bran is removed from the flour, but the meal left is still very rich in flesh-forming matter. as the coarser particles of the bran have been taken away, macaroni is slightly constipating, and must therefore always be eaten with green vegetables, onions, or fruit. macaroni should always be boiled before being made into various dishes. it may be cooked in plain water, or in milk and water; a little salt may be added by those who use it, and care should be taken to use just enough water to cook it in, so that when the macaroni is done, little or no fluid may be left, but if any does remain it should be saved for sauce, stock for soup, &c., as it contains valuable nutritive material. macaroni takes from minutes to hour to cook, according to the kind used. that which is slightly yellow is to be preferred to the white, as the latter is usually poorer than the former in mineral salts and flesh-forming substances. from to oz. may be regarded as the amount to be allowed at a meal for grown-up persons. a very simple nourishing and satisfying meal can be made from macaroni plainly boiled; it may be eaten with any kind of vegetables, or baked potatoes, or fried onions, and if desired, with grated cheese, onion, caper, or parsley sauce. macaroni (italian). / lb. of spaghetti or vermicelli, oz. of butter, eggs, oz. of grated cheese, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. boil the macaroni till tender in pints of water, to which the butter has been added. when soft add seasoning, the cheese, and the parsley. beat the eggs well in the dish in which the macaroni is to be served, pour over the mixture of macaroni and other ingredients, mix all well with the eggs, and serve. if neither spaghetti nor vermicelli are handy, use naples macaroni. macaroni cheese. / lb. of macaroni, oz. of grated cheese, some breadcrumbs, pepper and salt to taste, and oz. of butter. boil the macaroni in slightly salted water until soft. then place a layer of it in a pie-dish, sprinkle some of the grated cheese over it, dust with pepper, and repeat the layers of macaroni and cheese, finishing with a sprinkling of cheese, and the breadcrumbs. cut the butter in pieces, and place them here and there on the top. bake it in a moderately hot oven until brown. eat with vegetables and tomato sauce. for those who have a weak digestion plain boiled macaroni with grated cheese added at table is better and lighter. macaroni requires from minutes to / an hour cooking. the genoa macaroni takes longer, the thin spaghetti kind is done in from to minutes, and vermicelli and italian paste are done in a few minutes. macaroni should be thrown into boiling water and be kept boiling, as the pipes or pieces otherwise stick together. the italian paste is mostly used as an addition in clear soup. macaroni cream. oz. of macaroni, oz. of cheese, / oz. of butter, / pint of milk, teaspoonful of allinson cornflour, pepper and salt to taste. boil the macaroni until tender in only as much water as it will absorb. make a sauce of the milk, cornflour, and cheese (you can use parmesan, gruyère, or canadian cheese). place the macaroni in a pie-dish, pour the sauce over it, grate some more cheese over the top, and let the macaroni brown in the oven. macaroni savoury. oz. of boiled macaroni, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, / pint of milk, finely chopped onion, the grated rind of lemon, oz. of grated cheese, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, oz. of butter, / a saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. cut the macaroni in small pieces. make a batter of the milk, eggs, and meal, mix into it all the other ingredients, pour it into a buttered pie-dish, cut up the butter in pieces and spread them on the top. bake the savoury for to - / hours. rice in many households it seems a difficulty to get rice cooked properly, that is having all the grains separate. very often it comes to table in a soft, pulpy mass, which is certainly not appetising. to cook it in a large saucepanful of water which is then drained away is very wasteful, for a great deal of the goodness of the rice is thrown away. the following recipe will be found thoroughly reliable and satisfactory. rice, how to cook. lb. of good rice, quart of water, oz. of butter, salt to taste. wash the rice and set it over the fire with quart of cold water, the butter and salt. let it come to the boil gently, stirring it a little to prevent the rice from sticking to the saucepan. when the rice boils, set it on the side and let it just simmer. it will be sufficiently cooked in to minutes and each grain will be separate. rice should not be cooked too soft, only just cooked through. curried rice. lb. of patna rice, quart of cold water, dessertspoonful of curry, oz. of butter, and salt to taste. wash the rice, mix the curry with the proper quantity of water, and set the rice over the fire with it, adding the butter and seasoning. let the rice come to the boil slowly, and stir it a few times to prevent it sticking to the saucepan. when the rice boils, cover it with a piece of buttered paper, and let it cook very gently, not stirring it again. when all the water is absorbed, serve the rice. do not allow it to get very soft; the rice will take from to minutes' cooking only. curried rice and tomatoes. / lb. of patna rice, dessertspoonful of curry powder, salt to taste, and oz. of butter. wash the rice; mix pint of cold water with the curry powder, put this over the fire with the rice, butter, and salt. cover the rice with a piece of buttered paper and let it simmer gently until the water is absorbed. this will take about minutes. rice cooked this way will have all the grains separate. for the tomatoes proceed as follows: lb. of tomatoes and a little butter, pepper and salt. wash the tomatoes and place them in a flat tin with a few spoonfuls of water; dust them with pepper and salt, and place little bits of butter on each tomato. bake them from to minutes, according to the size of the tomatoes and the heat of the oven. place the rice in the centre of a hot flat dish, put the tomatoes round it, pour the liquid over the rice, and serve. portuguese rice. teacupful of rice, medium-sized onions, tomatoes, oz. of grated cheese, / teaspoonful of herbs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. peel and slice the onions and tomatoes and fry them in the butter for minutes; place the rice over the fire with pint of water; add the onions, tomatoes, herbs, and seasoning, and let all cook until the rice is quite soft; serve in a vegetable dish with the grated cheese sprinkled over. rice and lentils. boil the rice as above; stew egyptian lentils with chopped onions, pepper, salt, and a little butter, until well done. put the rice on a dish, pour over the stewed onions and lentils, serve, and eat with green vegetables. rice and onions. boil whole onions in water until done quite through, remove them from the water, and put in it washed rice with a little pepper, salt, and butter. when done, serve with the onions and eat with a green vegetable. savoury rice (italian). breakfastcupful of rice, tablespoonfuls of grated cheese (parmesan or other cheese), oz. of butter, a pinch of saffron, pepper and salt to taste. boil the rice with water as above, then add the cheese, butter, saffron, and seasoning; mix all well, and serve. savoury rice croquettes. / lb. of patna rice, - / pints of milk, lb. of spanish onions, oz. of butter, eggs, teacupful of raspings, allinson's oil for frying. boil the rice in the milk until soft, and turn it out to get quite cold. meanwhile chop the onions up fine and fry them brown in the butter. form the cold rice into balls, and with the thumb of the right hand hollow them sufficiently to admit of their receiving a stuffing of fried onions, close them again carefully, dip them in the eggs beaten up and then in the raspings, and fry them in boiling oil a light brown. serve with gravy. there are various stuffings which can be used instead of the onions--fried mushrooms chopped up, some olives chopped fine and mixed with hard-boiled yolks of eggs, &c. spanish rice. onions, tomatoes, - / pints of vegetable stock, herbs and seasoning, - / cupfuls of rice, butter. fry the onions and tomatoes in butter until well browned, then place them with the seasoning into the cold stock, and add the rice. when all have boiled slowly for minutes, the rice should have absorbed the stock. serve with cheese grated over. omelets cheese omelet. slices of allinson bread toasted, or allinson rusks, eggs, / lb. of grated cheese, saltspoonful of nutmeg, pint of milk, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. beat up the eggs, and mix them with the milk; crush the toast or rusks with your hands, and soak them in the egg and milk. add the cheese, nutmeg, and seasoning. dissolve half of the butter and mix it with the other ingredients. butter a pie-dish, pour in the mixture, cut the rest of the butter in little pieces, and scatter them over the top. bake the savoury for hour or a little longer until well set. serve hot or cold. french bean omelet. tablespoonfuls of cut boiled french beans, eggs, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, / a teacupful of milk, tablespoonfuls of grated cheese (gruyère or parmesan), pepper and salt to taste, some vege-butter or oil for frying. smooth the meal with the milk, beat up the eggs and add them, the cheese and seasoning to the meal and milk; mix thoroughly with the beans, and fry the omelet in boiling butter or allinson frying oil. french omelet with cheese. eggs, oz. of grated cheese, dessertspoonfuls of water, pepper and salt to taste, and oz. of butter. beat the yolks of the eggs, add to them the water and seasoning; whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix it lightly with the yolks. meanwhile have the butter boiling hot in an omelet pan, pour the mixture into it, and let it fry over a gentle fire. pass a heated salamander or coal-shovel over the top of the omelet. when it has risen, scatter the cheese over it; let the omelet cook a little longer, fold over when the top is still creamy, and serve immediately. gardener's omelet. breakfastcupful of cold boiled vegetables, minced fine (green peas, carrots, turnips, potatoes, &c.), eggs, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, / a gill of milk, pepper and salt, and a little nutmeg to taste, oz. of butter. beat the eggs and milk well together, rub the meal smooth with it, add the vegetables and seasoning, and fry as an omelet. serve with sauce. omelet herb. slices of allinson bread, pint of milk, finely chopped english onion, good tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, teaspoonful of dried mixed herbs, eggs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. soak the bread, fry the onion in - / oz. of butter, and mix it with the soaked bread. add the herbs, parsley, and seasoning, and mix all well. butter a pie-dish with the rest of the butter, pour the mixture into it, and bake. omelet lentil. it you have any cold boiled lentils, for instance, some sandwich mixture you wish to use up, proceed as follows: to teacupful of boiled lentils take well-beaten eggs, and pepper and salt to taste. add dessertspoonful of water to each egg, and mix the lentils and eggs smooth. fry the mixture as an omelet in boiling butter. omelet macaroni. oz. of boiled cold macaroni, eggs, dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, - / oz. of grated cheese, / a saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, - / oz. of butter. cut the macaroni into little pieces; beat the eggs well, and mix them with the macaroni. add the seasoning, parsley, cheese, and nutmeg; mix all well, and fry the omelet with the butter in a large frying-pan. omelet onion. medium-sized english onions, - / oz. of butter, oz. of allinson breadcrumbs, eggs, tablespoonfuls of milk, pepper and salt to taste. peel and slice the onions, bake them in a pie-dish with the butter and seasoning, until quite soft. whip the eggs up, mix them with the milk, breadcrumbs, and the baked onions. put the mixture into a greased pie-dish, and bake in a moderately hot oven. serve with tomato sauce. omelet savoury. soak allinson wholemeal bread in cold milk and water until soft, then rub smooth, grate onion, beat up egg, and add a few flavouring herbs, and pepper and salt to taste. mix the whole together, put in a pie-dish, place a few small pieces of butter on the top, and bake about / hour, or until done. eat with vegetables and potatoes. omelet soufflÉ. eggs, oz. of sifted castor sugar, the grated rind of / a lemon, oz. of butter. beat the yolks of the eggs for minutes with the sugar and lemon rind. whip the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, mix it with the other ingredients, pour the mixture into a well-buttered pie-dish or cake tin, and bake the soufflé in a moderately hot oven from to minutes. serve immediately. omelet soufflÉ (sweet). eggs, oz. of powdered sugar, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of potato flour, and dessertspoonful of orangeflower water. put the yolks of the eggs into a large basin, add the sugar, potato flour, and orange water, and beat all well with a wooden spoon for minutes; beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them lightly with the other ingredients. meanwhile beat the butter in the omelet pan; when boiling pour the mixture into it, and fry the omelet over a gentle fire. when it begins to set round the sides shake it very gently from side to side, and turn the omelet neatly out on a buttered dish. set it in the oven for about minutes, and serve immediately with a little castor sugar sifted over it. omelet tomato ( ). this is made in almost the same way as the savoury omelet, but without the addition of flavouring herbs. average-sized tomatoes are cut up fine, and mixed with the ingredients given above. when tinned tomatoes are used the juice may be made hot and the bread soaked in it instead of in milk and water. omelet tomato ( ). lb. of tomatoes, / lb. of breadcrumbs, large spanish onion, eggs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. stew the finely chopped onions in the butter for minutes in a covered-up saucepan, add pepper and salt, cut the tomatoes up, add these to the other ingredients. let all simmer for minutes; pour the mixture over the breadcrumbs, add the eggs well beaten, mix all up thoroughly, and turn the mixture into one or more well-buttered shallow tins. bake the omelet in a quick oven for to minutes. omelet trappist. oz. of fine breadcrumbs, eggs, - / oz. of butter, / teaspoonful of powdered herbs, pepper and salt to taste, / gill of boiling milk. moisten the breadcrumbs with the milk, add the eggs well beaten, the herbs and seasoning. mix all well and smoothly. melt the butter in the frying-pan, spread the mixture in it, and fry the omelet a golden brown both sides. sweet omelet ( ). eggs, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, lemon, and / a teacupful of new milk. whip the yolks of the eggs well, adding the grated rind of the lemon, half the butter melted, the milk, and sugar. just before frying the omelet, add the lemon juice and the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth. make the rest of the butter boiling hot in an oval omelet pan, the size of the dish on which it is to be served, and fry till lightly browned. sift sugar over it, and serve immediately. sweet omelet ( ). / pint of new milk, eggs, cinnamon and sugar to taste, oz. of butter, and teaspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal. smooth the wheatmeal with the milk, and mix with the other ingredients. make the butter boiling hot in a frying-pan, and fry the omelet till lightly browned. serve immediately with sugar sifted over it. sweet omelet ( ). eggs, tablespoonful of castor sugar, tablespoonfuls of water, oz. of butter, some raspberry and currant jam. melt the butter in an omelet pan, beat the eggs well, stir in the sugar, and pour the mixture into the hot butter. fry a pale golden colour, and turn it on to a hot dish. spread some jam on the omelet, double it, and serve at once. the inside of the omelet should remain creamy. vegetables green vegetables (general remarks). i have not given recipes for the cooking of plain greens, as they are prepared very much alike everywhere in england. there are a number of recipes in this book giving savoury ways of preparing them, and i will now make a few remarks on the cooking of plain vegetables. the english way of boiling them is not at all a good one, as most of the soluble vegetable salts, which are so important to our system, are lost through it. green vegetables are generally boiled in a great deal of salt water; this is drained off when they are tender, and the vegetables then served. a much better way for all vegetables is to cook them in a very small quantity of water, and adding a small piece of butter ( oz. to lb. of greens) and a little salt. when the greens are tender, any water which is not absorbed should be thickened with a little allinson fine wheatmeal and eaten with the vegetables. a great number of them, such as _cabbages, savoys, brussel sprouts, scotch kail, turnip-tops, &c., &c._, can be prepared this way. in the case of vegetables like _asparagus, cauliflower, sea kale, parsnips, artichokes, carrots_ or _celery_, which cannot always be stewed in a little water, this should be saved as stock for soups or sauces. most of these vegetables are very nice with a white sauce; carrots are particularly pleasant with parsley sauce. _spinach_ is a vegetable which english cooks rarely prepare nicely; the continental way of preparing it is as follows: the spinach is cooked without water, with a little salt; when quite tender it is strained, turned on to a board, and chopped very finely; then it is returned to the saucepan with a piece of butter, a little nutmeg, or a few very finely chopped eschalots and some of the juice previously strained. when the spinach is cooking a little allinson fine wheatmeal, smoothed in or tablespoonfuls of milk, is added to bind the spinach with the juice; cook it a few minutes longer, and serve it with slices of hard-boiled egg on the top. _potatoes_ also require a good deal of care. when peeled, potatoes are plainly boiled, they should be placed over the fire after the water has been strained; the potatoes should be lightly shaken to allow the moisture to steam out. this makes them mealy and more palatable. potatoes which have been baked in their skins should be pricked when tender, or the skins be cracked in some way, otherwise they very soon become sodden. a very palatable way of serving potatoes, is to peel them and bake them in a tin with a little oil or butter, or vege-butter; they should be turned occasionally, in order that they should brown evenly. this is not a very hygienic way of preparing potatoes. from a health point of view they are best baked in their skins, or steamed with or without the skins. a good many vegetables may be steamed with advantage; for instance, _cabbage, sprouts, turnips, parsnips, swedes, scotch kail, &c._ any way of preparing greens is better than boiling them in a large saucepanful of water and throwing this away. i may just mention that scotch kail, after being boiled in a little water, should be treated exactly as spinach, and is most delicious in that way; an onion cooked with it greatly improves the flavour. artichokes À la sauce blanche. lbs. of artichokes, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / pint of milk, egg, juice of / a lemon, pepper and salt to taste. peel the artichokes, and boil them in water until tender; cut them into slices / an inch thick and place them on a dish. make a sauce of the milk and meal with seasoning; when the sauce has thickened, remove it from the fire, beat up the egg with the lemon juice and add both to the sauce, pour it over the artichokes, and serve. artichokes À la parmesan. lbs. of artichokes, / pint of milk, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, egg, juice of / a lemon, oz. of grated parmesan or any other cooking cheese. proceed as in the recipe for "celery à la parmesan," add the cheese to the sauce, and serve the same with sauce as above. asparagus (boiled). scrape the white parts of the stalks quite clean, and put them into cold water as they are done. tie them up into bundles, and cut them all the same length. now put them into a saucepan, cover with boiling water, add a little salt, and boil gently and steadily for to minutes. take them out of the water as soon as they are tender, and dish on to rounds of toast with the points to the middle. serve with them rich melted butter in a tureen. cabbage. remove the outer coarse leaves, cut the cabbage in four pieces lengthways, and well wash the pieces in salt water. the salt is added because it kills any insects which may be present. wash the cabbage as often as is necessary in pure water after this to clean it and remove the salt, and then shred it up fine. set it over the fire with / pint of water, oz. of butter, a dash of pepper, and a very little salt. let it cook very gently for hours; when it is quite tender, the liquid can be thickened with a little fine wheatmeal; smooth this with a little milk, or water if milk is not handy; boil it up, and serve. carrots with parsley sauce. scrub and wash as many carrots as are required. cook them in a little water or steam them until quite tender, then slice them and place them in a saucepan. make a white sauce as directed in the recipe for "onions and white sauce," and stir into it a handful of finely-chopped parsley. pour the sauce over the carrots, and let them simmer for ten minutes. serve very hot with baked potatoes. cauliflower with white sauce. trim the cauliflower, cutting away only the bad and bruised leaves and the coarse part of the stalk. put it into salt water to force out any insects in the cauliflower. after soaking, wash it well in fresh water and boil quickly until tender, and serve with white sauce. celery (italian). heads of celery, / pint of milk, oz. of butter, egg, cupful of breadcrumbs, pepper and salt to taste. cut up the celery into pieces, boil it in water for minutes; drain it and put it into the stewpan with the milk, / oz. butter, pepper and salt. simmer the celery gently until tender, put it aside to cool a little, and add the egg well beaten. butter a shallow dish, strew it well with some of the breadcrumbs, and pour in the celery, sprinkle the rest of the breadcrumbs over the top, put the butter over it in little bits, and bake the celery until brown. celery (steamed) with white cheese sauce. prepare the celery as in previous recipe, leaving it in long pieces, and place it in a vegetable steamer, which consists of a large saucepan over which is fitted a perforated top. add a little pepper and salt, and let the celery steam for - / hours. for the sauce you need: pint of milk, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour, - / oz. of grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. boil the milk with the butter, thicken it with the cornflour smoothed first with a spoonful of water, and last add the grated cheese and seasoning; let the sauce simmer, stirring it until the cheese is dissolved. have ready some allinson plain rusks on a flat dish, place the celery on it, pour the sauce over, and serve very hot. celery (stewed) with white sauce. or heads of celery (according to quantity required), oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste. remove the outer hard pieces from the celery, saving them for flavouring soups or sauces; wash well and cut up in pieces about inches long. set over the fire with / pint of water, the butter and seasoning. let cook gently until the celery is quite tender, which will take about hour; add the thickening and the milk. let all gently simmer for a few minutes, and serve. leeks. remove the coarse part of the green stalks of the leeks. if the leeks are gritty cut them right through and wash them well, and if necessary use a brush to get out the sand. tie the leeks in bunches and steam them until tender, which will take about - / hours. make a white sauce as for the cauliflower. put the leeks on pieces of dry toast on a flat dish, pour the sauce over them, and serve. mushrooms (stewed). lb. of mushrooms, oz. of butter, / pint of water, / teaspoonful of herbs, / saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, juice of / a lemon, the yolk of egg, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour. peel and clean the mushrooms, and wash them in water with a dash of vinegar in it. wipe them dry with a cloth; have the water and butter ready in a saucepan with the herbs, and seasoning. stew the mushrooms in this for to minutes. thicken with the cornflour, then stir in the yolk of egg with the lemon juice, and serve. onion tortilla. lb. of spanish onions, - / oz. of butter or oil, eggs. melt the butter in a frying-pan, slice the onions, and fry them for or minutes, beat the eggs, add them to the onions, season with pepper and salt, and fry the whole a light brown on both sides. onions (braised). lbs. of onions, oz. of butter, vege-butter, or oil, pepper and salt to taste. peel and slice the onions, and fry them a nice brown in the butter. then add enough water to make gravy, add pepper and salt, and stew the onions for minutes. eat with wholemeal toast. this is very savoury, and is much liked. onions (spanish) (baked). peel as many onions as are required, making an incision crossways on the top, and put in a baking-dish with / oz. of butter on each large onion, or half that quantity on small ones; dust them over with pepper and salt, and bake them for hours. keep them covered for hours, and let them brown after that. baste the onions from time to time with the butter. scotch or curly kail. scotch kail is best after there has been frost on it. wash the kail, and cut away the coarse stalks, boil it for - / to hours in a small quantity of water, adding a chopped up onion. drain it when soft and chop it fine like spinach. into the saucepan in which the kail was cooked put a piece of butter; melt it, and stir into it tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, and brown it very slightly. then add some of the drained-off kail wafer and stir it smooth with the browned flour. return the chopped scotch kail to the saucepan, add pepper and salt to taste; let it cook for a minute, and serve. spinach. wash the spinach thoroughly, and set it over the fire in a saucepan without any water, as enough water will boil out of the spinach to cook it. heat it gently at first, stirring it a few times to prevent it burning, until enough water has boiled out of the spinach to prevent it from catching. let the spinach cook minutes, then strain it through a colander, pressing the water out with a wooden spoon or plate. put a piece of butter in the saucepan in which the spinach was cooked; when melted, stir into it a spoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, and keep stirring the meal and butter for minute over the fire. return the spinach to the saucepan, mix it well with the butter and meal, and add as much of the strained-off water as is necessary to moisten it; add pepper and salt to taste, and a little lemon juice. let the spinach heat well through before serving. have ready or hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, and decorate the spinach with them. use oz. of butter, an even tablespoonful of the meal, and the juice of / a lemon to lbs. of spinach. turnips (mashed). peel and wash the turnips, and steam them until tender. mash them up in a saucepan over the fire, mixing with them oz. of butter. pile the mashed turnips on a flat dish, and pour a white sauce over them. egg cookery. eggs are a boon to cooks, especially when dishes are wanted quickly. they enter into a great many savoury and sweet dishes, and few cakes are made without them. they can be prepared in a great variety of ways. eggs are a good food when taken in moderation. as they are a highly nutritious article of food, they should not be indulged in too freely. eggs contain both muscle and bone-forming material, in fact everything required for building up the organism of the young bird. the chemical composition of hen's and duck's eggs are as follows:-- hen's egg. duck's egg. water ........ . . nitrogen ..... . . fat .......... . . mineral matter . . ------ ------ . . eggs take a long time to digest if hard boiled. all the fat of the egg is contained in the yolk, but the white of the egg is pure albumen (or nitrogen) and water. eggs are most easily digested raw or very lightly boiled, and best cooked thus for invalids. the best way of lightly boiling an egg is to put it in boiling water, set the basin or saucepan on the side of the stove, and let it stand just off the boil for five or six minutes. eggs often crack when they are put into enough boiling water to well cover them, owing to the sudden expansion of the contents. if they are not covered with water there is less danger of them cracking. one can easily tell stale eggs from fresh ones by holding them up to a strong light. a fresh egg looks clear and transparent, whilst stale ones look cloudy and opaque. there are various ways of preserving eggs for the winter; one of the best is by using the allinson egg preservative. another very good way is to have stands made with holes which will hold the eggs. keep these stands in an airy place in a good current of fresh air, and every week turn the eggs, so that one week they stand the pointed end down, next week the rounded end down. apple soufflÉ. eggs, apples, oz. of castor sugar (or more if the apples are very sour), gill of new milk or half milk and half cream, oz. of allinson cornflour, and the juice of lemon. pare, cut up, and stew the apples with the sugar and lemon juice until they are reduced to a pulp. beat them quite smooth, and return them to the stewpan. smooth the cornflour with the milk, and mix it with the apples, and stir until it boils; then turn the mixture into a basin to cool. separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the yolks well, and mix them with the apple mixture. whisk the whites to a stiff froth, mix them lightly with the rest, and pour the whole into a buttered soufflé tin. bake for minutes in a moderately hot oven, and serve at once. cheese soufflÉ. oz. of parmesan or other good dry, cooking cheese, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, gill of milk, oz. of butter, mustard, pepper, and salt to taste. melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the wheatmeal, season with mustard, pepper, and salt. pour in the milk, and stir until the mixture is set and comes away from the sides of the saucepan. turn into a basin, and let the mixture cool. grate the cheese and stir it in; separate the yolks of the eggs from the whites, and drop the yolks of the eggs, one by one, into the mixture, beating all well. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix it lightly with the other ingredients; turn the mixture into a buttered soufflé tin, and bake the soufflé for minutes. chocolate soufflÉ. eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of castor sugar, large bars of chocolate, oz. of the crumb of the bread, and vanilla essence to taste. cream the butter, and stir into it gradually the yolks of the eggs, the sugar, and chocolate. previously soak the bread in milk or water. squeeze it dry, and add to it the other ingredients. add vanilla and the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish or cake tin. bake / of an hour, and serve immediately. if the soufflé is baked in a cake tin, a serviette should be pinned round it before serving. curried eggs. hard-boiled eggs, medium-sized english onion, cooking apple, teaspoonful of curry powder, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, and salt to taste. prepare the onion and apple, chop them very fine, and fry them in the butter in a stewpan until brown. add / pint of water and a little salt. smooth the curry and wheatmeal with a little cold water, and thicken the sauce with it. let it simmer for minutes, then rub through a sieve. return the sauce to the stewpan, shell the eggs, and heat them up in the sauce; serve very hot on a flat dish. egg and cheese. eggs, teacupful of milk, thickened with dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. butter a pie-dish, pour into it the thickened milk, break the eggs over it, sprinkle the cheese over them, and season to taste. bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are just set. egg and cheese fondu. to each egg / its weight in grated cheese and a / oz. of butter (if only egg is prepared / oz. of butter must be used); mustard, pepper, and salt to taste. whip up the eggs, add dessertspoonful of water for each egg, as in the previous recipe; mix in the cheese, a little made mustard, and pepper and salt. heat the butter in a frying-pan or small stewpan. when hot stir in the mixture of egg and cheese. keep stirring it with a knife, until it becomes a smooth and thickish mass. put on hot buttered toast, and serve. this is an extremely tasty french dish. the mixture, when cold, is excellent for sandwiches. egg and tomato sauce. eggs, teacupful of tomato sauce, and / oz. of butter. melt the butter in a flat dish; break the eggs carefully into it without breaking the yolks, and place the dish on the stove until the eggs are set. heat the tomato sauce, which should be well seasoned, and pour it over the eggs. serve very hot, with sippets of allinson wholemeal toast. egg and tomato sandwiches. eggs, teacupful of tinned tomatoes or / lb. fresh ones, pepper and salt, oz. of butter. melt the butter in a frying-pan, and cook the tomatoes in it until most of the liquid is steamed away; set aside to cool. if fresh tomatoes are used, they should be scalded and skinned before cooking. beat up the eggs and stir them into the cooled tomatoes, adding seasoning to taste. stir the eggs and tomatoes with a knife until set, then turn the mixture into a bowl to get cold, and use for sandwiches. egg salad with mayonnaise. lb. of cold boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, the juice of / a lemon, pepper and salt to taste. cut the potatoes and eggs into slices, dust them with pepper and salt, add the lemon juice, and mix all well together. make the mayonnaise as follows; - / gills of good salad oil, the yolks of eggs, saltspoonful of mustard, lemon juice, pepper, and salt to taste. take a clean cold basin, and place in it the yolks of the eggs beaten up. drop the oil into them, drop by drop, stirring with a wooden spoon quickly all the time. great care should be taken, especially in the beginning, as the eggs easily curdle when the oil is stirred in too fast. when the mayonnaise gets very thick add carefully a little lemon juice to thin it down, then add again oil and lemon juice alternately until all the oil is used up. smooth the mustard with a little lemon juice, and stir it in last of all with sufficient pepper and salt. taste the mayonnaise, and add lemon juice or seasoning as required. vinegar may be used instead of lemon juice if the latter is not conveniently had. the mayonnaise should be made in a cold room, as it may curdle if made in a hot room. should an accident happen, beat up another yolk of egg and start afresh with a little fresh oil, and when going on well stir in, drop by drop, the curdled mayonnaise. mix part of it with the eggs and potatoes, and pour the rest over the salad; garnish with watercress. egg salmagundi with jam. eggs, oz. of butter, the juice of / a lemon, / a teacupful of cream or milk, some apricot or other jam. melt the butter in a frying-pan. beat the eggs, and mix with them the cream or milk and the lemon juice. pour the mixture into the butter, and stir it over the fire until it thickens. stir in some jam, and serve with lady fingers, allinson rusks, or bread fried in butter. egg savoury. hard-boiled eggs, shelled and sliced; in summer use large breakfastcupful of boiled and chopped spinach; in winter scotch kale prepared the same way; some very thin slices of bread and butter, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste, / pint of milk, and some butter. butter a pie-dish and line it with slices of bread and butter. spread a layer of spinach and a layer of slices of eggs; dust with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. repeat the layers, and finish with a layer of bread well buttered. pour over the whole the milk, and bake the savoury from to minutes, or until brown. eggs À la bonne femme. eggs, spanish onion, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of vinegar, and tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs; pepper and salt to taste. peel and slice the onion, and fry it brown in the butter; add the vinegar and seasoning when done. spread the onion on a buttered dish, break the eggs over them, dust these with pepper and salt, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. place a few bits of butter on the top, and bake until the eggs are set, which will only take a few minutes. eggs À la duchesse. quart of milk, eggs, tablespoonful of allinson cornflour, sugar to taste, a piece of vanilla inches long. splice the vanilla and let it boil with the milk and sugar; smooth the cornflour with a spoonful of water, thicken the milk with it, and let it cook gently for or minutes; remove the vanilla. have ready the whites of eggs whipped to a stiff froth, drop it in spoonfuls in the boiling milk; let it simmer for a few minutes until the egg snow has got set, remove the snowballs with a slice, and place them in a glass dish. let the milk cool a little; beat up the yolks of the eggs, mix them carefully with the milk, taking care not to curdle them; stir the whole over the fire to let the eggs thicken, but do not allow it to boil. let the mixture cool, pour the custard into the glass dish, but not pouring it over the snow; serve when quite cold. half the quantity will make a fair dishful. eggs and cabbage. large breakfastcupful of cold boiled cabbage, eggs, teacupful of milk, pepper and salt to taste, / oz. of butter. warm the cabbage with the butter and the milk; meanwhile beat up the eggs. mix all together and season with pepper and salt. turn the mixture into a shallow buttered pie-dish, and bake for minutes. any kind of cold vegetables mashed up can be used up this way, and will make a nice side dish for dinner. eggs au gratin. hard-boiled eggs, - / oz. of grated cheese, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of breadcrumbs, a little nutmeg, and pepper and salt to taste. slice the eggs, place them on a well-buttered flat baking dish, sprinkle them thickly with the grated cheese, and dust with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. spread the breadcrumbs over the top, and scatter the butter in bits over the breadcrumbs. bake until the breadcrumbs begin to brown. forcemeat eggs. eggs, small english onion, a few leaves of fresh sage, or / teaspoonful of dried powdered sage, a few sprigs of parsley, pepper and salt to taste, and some paste rolled thin, made of oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter or vege-butter, and a little cold water. boil the eggs for minutes, set them in cold water, and take off the shells. cut them in half lengthways, remove the yolks, and proceed as follows: chop up the onion very fine with the sage and parsley, and season with pepper and salt. pound the yolks very fine, and add the onion and herbs; fill the whites of the eggs with the mixture. put the halves together, enclose them in paste, brush them over with the white of egg, and bake until the pastry is done, which will take about minutes. serve with vegetables and sauce. french eggs. hard-boiled eggs, / pint of milk, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste. boil the milk with the butter, thicken it with the flour, smoothed previously with a little cold milk; season to taste. when the milk is thickened shell the eggs, cut them into quarters lengthways, and put them into the sauce. last of all, put in the parsley, and serve with sippets of toast laid in the bottom of the dish. mushroom and eggs. hard-boiled eggs, / lb. of mushrooms, teaspoonful of parsley chopped very fine, oz. of butter, pepper and salt. stew the mushrooms in the butter, and season well; chop up the eggs and mix them with the mushrooms, adding the parsley; heat all well through, and serve on sippets of toast. mushroom soufflÉ. eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, oz. of mushrooms, pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut in small pieces the mushrooms, and stew them in / of a teacupful of water. when the mushrooms have stewed minutes, drain off the liquid, which should be a teacupful. melt the butter in a little saucepan, stir into it the wheatmeal, and when this is well mixed with the butter, add the mushroom liquor, stirring the mixture well until quite smooth and thick and coming away from the sides of the saucepan. then stir in the mushrooms, and turn all into a basin and let it cool a little. separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs, and stir each yolk separately into the mixture in the basin. season to taste. whip up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them lightly with the rest. turn the mixture into a buttered pie-dish or soufflé tin, and bake the soufflé minutes. poached eggs. unless an egg-poacher is used, eggs are best poached in a large frying-pan nearly filled with water. a little vinegar and salt should be added to the water, as the eggs will then set more quickly. each egg should first be broken into a separate cup, and then slipped into the rapidly boiling water; cover them up and allow them to boil only just long enough to have the whites set, which will take about minutes. quite newly laid eggs take a little longer. have ready hot buttered toast, remove the eggs from the water with an egg-slice, and slip them on the toast. always have plates and dishes very hot for all kinds of egg dishes. poached eggs are also a very nice accompaniment to vegetables, like spinach, scotch kale, &c., when they are served laid on the vegetables. potato soufflÉ. oz. of butter, eggs, / lb. of castor sugar, / oz. of ground almonds (half bitter and half sweet), oz. of cold boiled and grated potatoes, and - / oz. of sifted breadcrumbs. cream the butter in a basin, which is done by stirring it round the sides of the basin until soft and creamy, when it will make a slight crackling noise. stir in the yolks of the eggs, the sugar, and almonds; beat for minutes, then stir in the potatoes and breadcrumbs, and last of all the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth. turn the mixture into a well-buttered dish, and bake in a moderately hot oven from / of an hour to hour. ratafia soufflÉ. eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, oz. of castor sugar, the grated rind of / lemon, / pint of milk, oz. of ratafias. melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, mix well, and then add the milk, stirring all until the mixture is quite smooth and thick and comes away from the sides of the saucepan. let it cool a little, then stir in the yolks of the eggs well beaten, the lemon rind, the sugar, and lastly, the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth. turn the mixture into a buttered pie-dish or cake tin, with alternate layers of ratafias. bake from / an hour to / of an hour in a moderately hot oven, and serve immediately with stewed fruit. rice soufflÉ. eggs, oz. of rice, pint of milk, sugar to taste, vanilla essence or the peel of / a lemon, and oz. of butter. stew the rice in the milk with the butter, sugar, and the lemon peel, if the latter is used for flavouring. when the rice is tender remove the peel; or flavour with vanilla essence, and let all cool. separate the yolks of the eggs from the whites, and beat each separately into the rice for or minutes. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir them lightly into the mixture. have ready a buttered soufflé tin, pour the mixture into it, and bake the soufflé for minutes in a hot oven. sprinkle with castor sugar, and serve at once. savoury creamed eggs. to each egg take tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, a little chopped parsley, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to taste, and a slice of hot buttered toast. butter the cups as in the last recipe, sprinkle well with parsley, beat up the eggs, season with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and proceed as in "sweet creamed eggs." serve hot. savoury soufflÉ. eggs, oz. allinson fine wheatmeal, gill of milk, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, dessertspoonful of finely minced spring onions, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. proceed as in cheese soufflé, adding (instead of cheese) the parsley and onion. scalloped eggs. / dozen hard-boiled eggs, / pint of milk, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of cheese, tablespoonfuls of brown breadcrumbs, and oz. of butter. shell and quarter the eggs; grease a shallow dish with part of the butter, and put the eggs in it. make a thick sauce of the milk, wheatmeal, and cheese, adding seasoning to taste. pour it over the eggs, cover with breadcrumbs; cut the rest of the butter in little pieces, and scatter them over the breadcrumbs. bake till nicely browned. scotch eggs. hard-boiled eggs, breakfastcupful of allinson breadcrumbs, spanish onion, teaspoonful of powdered sage, dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, egg, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, some oil, vege-butter, or butter for frying. grate the onion, melt the butter, beat up the eggs, and mix them together with the breadcrumbs, herbs, and seasoning. beat the forcemeat smooth, shell the eggs, cover them completely with a thick layer of forcemeat, and fry them a nice brown. serve with brown gravy. spinach tortilla. eggs, oz. of butter, a teacupful of boiled chopped spinach, lemon juice and pepper and salt to taste. sprinkle the lemon juice over the spinach, and season well with pepper and salt, and fry it lightly in the butter. beat the eggs and pour them into the mixture, let the tortilla set, then turn it with a plate, and set the other side. serve hot. stirred eggs on toast. eggs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt, slices of hot buttered toast. whip the eggs up well, add a dessertspoonful of water for each egg, and pepper and salt to taste. heat the butter in a frying-pan, stir in the eggs over a mild fire. keep stirring the mixture with a knife, removing the egg which sets round the sides and on the bottom of the frying-pan, and take the mixture from the fire directly it gets uniformly thick. it should not be allowed to cook until hard. place the stirred eggs on the toast, and serve on a very hot dish. this quantity will suffice for persons. stuffed eggs. hard-boiled eggs, spanish olives, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. halve the eggs lengthway, and carefully remove the yolks. pound these well, and mix them with the olives, which should be previously stoned and minced fine; add the butter and pepper and salt, and mix all well. fill the whites of the eggs with the mixture. pour some thick white sauce, flavoured with grated cheese, on a hot dish, and place the eggs on it. serve hot. sweet creamed eggs. to each egg allow tablespoonfuls of cream, or new milk, teaspoonful of strawberry or raspberry and currant jam, thin slice of buttered toast, sugar and vanilla to taste. butter as many cups as eggs, reckoning egg for each person. place the jam in the centre of the cup; beat up the eggs with the cream or milk, sugar and vanilla, and divide the mixture into the cups. cover each cup with buttered paper, stand the cups in a stew-pan with boiling water, which should reach only half-way up the cups, and steam the eggs until they are set--time from to minutes. turn the eggs out on the buttered toast, and serve hot or cold. swiss eggs. eggs, oz. of gruyère cheese, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. spread the butter on a flat baking dish; lay on it some very thin slices of the cheese. on these break the eggs, keeping the yolks whole; grate the rest of the cheese, mix it with the parsley; strew this over the eggs, and bake them in a quick oven for to minutes. tarragon eggs. hard-boiled eggs, / pint white sauce, teaspoonful chopped tarragon, tablespoonful tarragon vinegar, yolks of eggs. boil the eggs for minutes, and cut them into slices. lay them in a buttered pie-dish, have ready the sauce hot, and mix it into yolks, tarragon, and tarragon vinegar. pour over the eggs, and bake for minutes; serve with fried croûtons round. tomato eggs. to each egg take tablespoonfuls of tomato juice, which has been strained through a sieve; pepper and salt to taste. batter a cup for each egg. beat up the eggs, mix them with the tomato juice, season to taste, and divide into the buttered cups. cover each cup with buttered paper, place them in a saucepan with boiling water, and steam the eggs for minutes. serve the eggs on buttered allinson wholemeal toast. tomato soufflÉ. eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / lb. of fresh tomatoes or a teacupful of tinned tomato, oz. of butter, clove of garlic or shalots, pepper and salt to taste. pulp the tomatoes through a sieve. rub the garlic round a small saucepan, and melt the butter, in it; or chop up very finely the shalots, and mix them with the butter. when the butter is hot, stir in the wheatmeal, then the tomato pulp, and stir until the mixture is thickened and comes away from the sides of the pan, then proceed as before, stirring in one yolk after the other; season with pepper and salt, whip up the whites of the eggs, stir them with the other ingredients, pour into a buttered soufflé pan, and bake minutes. water eggs. eggs, - / oz. of sugar, the rind and juice of / a lemon. boil the sugar and lemon rind and juice in / pint of water for minutes. beat the eggs well, and add to them the sweetened water. strain the mixture through a sieve into the dish in which it is to be served, place it in a larger dish with boiling water in a moderately hot oven, and bake until set. serve hot or cold. salads these wholesome dishes are not used sufficiently by english people, for very few know the value of them. all may use these foods with benefit, and two dinners each week of them with allinson wholemeal bread will prevent many a serious illness. they are natural food in a plain state, and supply the system with vegetable salts and acids in the best form. in winter, salads may be made with endive, mustard and cress, watercress, round lettuces, celery, or celery root, or even finely cut raw red or white cabbage; pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar are added as above. as a second course, milk or bread pudding. salads are invaluable in cases of gout, rheumatism, gallstones, stone in the kidney or bladder, and in a gravelly condition of the water and impure condition of the system. artichoke salad. boil potatoes and artichokes separately, cut into slices; mix, add pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar; eat with allinson wholemeal bread. cauliflower salad. a medium-sized boiled cauliflower, boiled potatoes, juice of / a lemon, or tablespoonfuls of oil. cut up finely the cauliflower and potatoes when cold, mix well with the dressing, and pepper and salt to taste. a little mayonnaise is an improvement, but makes it rich. cheese salad. put some finely shredded lettuce in a glass dish, and over this put some young sliced onions, some mustard and cress, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and two hard-boiled eggs, also sliced. add salt and pepper, and then over all put a nice layer of grated cheese. serve with a dressing composed of equal parts of cream, salad oil, and vinegar, into which had been smoothly mixed a little mustard. cucumber salad. peel and slice a cucumber, mix together / a teaspoonful of salt, / of a teaspoonful of white pepper, and tablespoonfuls of olive oil, stir it well together, then add very gradually tablespoonful of vinegar, stirring it all the time. put the sliced cucumber into a salad dish, and garnish it with nasturtium leaves and flowers. onion salad. large boiled spanish onion, large boiled potatoes, teaspoonful of parsley, pepper and salt to taste, juice of lemon, or tablespoonfuls of olive oil. slice the onion and potatoes when quite cold, mix well together with the parsley and pepper and salt; add the lemon juice and oil, and mix well once more. egg mayonnaise. medium-sized cold boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, bunch of watercress, some mayonnaise. slice the potatoes, and quarter the eggs. arrange them in a dish, sprinkling pepper and salt in between; mix pieces of watercress with the eggs and tomatoes, pour over the mayonnaise, and garnish with more watercress. potato salad ( ). boil potatoes that are firm and waxy when cooked, and cut them in slices; let them soak in / gill of water, grate a small onion and mix it with these; add pepper, salt, vinegar, and oil to taste. the quantity of oil should be about three times the amount of the vinegar used. eat with allinson wholemeal bread. potato salad ( ). lb. of cold boiled potatoes, small beetroot, some spring onions, olives, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, of salad oil, a little tarragon vinegar, salt, pepper, minced parsley. cut the potatoes in small pieces, put these into a salad bowl, cut up the onions and olives, and add them to the potatoes. mix the vinegar, oil, tarragon vinegar, salt, and pepper well together, pour it into the salad bowl, and stir it well. garnish with beetroot and parsley. spanish salad. put into the centre of the bowl some cold dressed french beans or scarlet runners, and before serving pour over some good mayonnaise. garnish the beans with three tomatoes cut in slices and arranged in a circle one overlapping the other. summer salad. large lettuce, head endive, mustard and cress, watercress, spring onions, tomatoes, two hard-boiled eggs. shred the lettuce, endive, onions, tomatoes, and cress, place in a salad bowl with mayonnaise dressing, decorate with slices of egg and tomato and tufts of cress. summer salads. these are made from mixtures of lettuce, spring onions, cucumber, tomatoes, or any other raw or cooked green foods, pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar. cold green peas, french beans, carrots, turnips, and lettuce make a good cold salad for the summer. winter salad. cut up lb. of cold boiled potatoes, grate fine onion and mix with these, add watercress, or mustard and cress, and boiled and sliced beetroot; flavour with pepper, salt, oil, and vinegar as above. hard-boiled eggs may be cut into slices and added, and sliced apples or pieces of orange may be advantageously mixed with the other ingredients. when oranges are added to a salad the onion must be left out. potato cookery potato bird's nest. a plateful of mashed potatoes, lbs. of spinach well cooked and chopped, hard-boiled eggs, oz. of butter. fry the mashed potatoes a nice brown in the butter, then place it on a dish in the shape of a ring. inside this spread the spinach, and place the eggs, shelled, on the top of this. serve as hot as possible. potato cakes fair-sized potatoes, egg, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste, and a pinch of nutmeg. peel, wash, and grate the raw potatoes; beat up the egg and mix it with the potatoes, flour, and seasoning. beat all well together, and fry the mixture like pancakes in oil or butter. potato cheese. oz. of mashed potatoes, lemons, oz. of sugar, oz. of butter. grate the rind of the lemons and pound it well with the sugar in a mortar, add the potatoes very finely mashed; oil the butter and mix this and the lemon juice with the rest of the ingredients; when all is very thoroughly mixed, fill the mixture in a jar and keep closely covered. potato cheesecakes. lb. of mashed potatoes, oz. of grated cheese, oz. of butter, eggs, some bread raspings, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, / a teaspoonful of mustard, pepper and salt to taste. melt the butter and mix it with the mashed potatoes, add the cheese, flour, seasoning, mustard, and of the eggs well beaten. mix all well, and form the mixture into cakes. beat up the second egg, turn the cakes into the beaten egg and raspings, and fry them in oil or butter until brown. serve with tomato sauce and green vegetables. potato croquettes. / lb. of hot mashed potatoes, the yolks of eggs, / a saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt, whole egg, raspings, some allinson nut-oil or butter for frying. beat the potatoes well with the yolks of the eggs and the seasoning; form the mixture into balls; beat the egg well, roll the balls in the egg and breadcrumbs, and fry a nice brown. potato pudding. lb. of potatoes well mashed, oz. of butter, eggs, - / oz. of sugar, the rind and juice of / a lemon, gill of milk. beat the butter, mix it with the mashed potatoes, add the eggs well beaten, also the other ingredients, turn the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake it / hour. potato puff. pint of mashed potatoes, oz. of butter, eggs, / pint of milk, / a saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, and a dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley. beat the butter with a fork until it creams, mix the potatoes with the butter, whip the yolks of the eggs well with the milk, and stir in the other ingredients. add the nutmeg, parsley, and seasoning, and last of all the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. the potatoes, butter, eggs, and milk should be well beaten separately before being used, as the success of the dish depends on this. turn the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake it for hour in a hot oven. potato rolls (baked). lbs. of cold mashed potatoes, boiled spanish onion, oz. of butter, the yolk of egg, a little nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste, and a teaspoonful of powdered thyme. chop up the onion fine, and mix it with the mashed potatoes. warm the butter until melted, and add this, the yolk of egg, and the thyme. mix all well, make the mixture into little rolls inches long, brush them over with a pastry brush dipped in allinson nut-oil or hot butter and bake them on a floured tin until brown, which will take from to minutes. serve with brown sauce and vegetables. potato rolls (spanish). teacupfuls of mashed potatoes, tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, olives, egg well beaten; seasoning to taste. stone the olives and chop them up fine, mix the meal, mashed potato, olive, and egg well together, season with pepper and salt; add a little milk if necessary, make the mixture into rolls, and proceed as in "potato rolls." potato salad ( ). medium-sized cold boiled potatoes, small onion minced very fine, dessertspoonful of finely chopped parsley, oil and lemon juice, pepper and salt to taste. slice the potatoes, let them soak with tablespoonfuls of water, mix them with the onion and parsley, and dress like any other salad. any good salad dressing may be used. potato salad ( ). - / pints of mashed potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, tablespoonfuls of allinson salad oil, / a teacupful of milk, teaspoonful of mustard, pepper, salt, and lemon juice to taste. make a dressing of the oil, milk, mustard, and seasoning. mash the yolks of the eggs and mix them with the lemon juice, and add this to the dressing. chop the whites of the eggs up fine. mix the mashed potatoes, dressing, and chopped whites of eggs well together. turn the mixture into a salad bowl or glass dish, and garnish with parsley or watercress and beetroot. potato salad (mashed). / pint of mashed potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, tablespoonfuls of allinson salad oil, dessertspoonful of sugar, teaspoonful of mustard, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and seasoning; mash the yolks of the eggs quite fine and mix them smooth with the lemon juice, and add this to the dressing. chop the whites of the eggs up very fine, mix all together; turn the mixture smoothly into a salad bowl or glass dish, and garnish with watercress and beetroot. potato sausages. pint of mashed potato, eggs well beaten, breakfastcupful of breadcrumbs, oz. of butter (or allinson nut-oil), / a saltspoonful of nutmeg, pepper and salt. mash the potatoes well with one of the eggs, add seasoning, form the mixture into sausages, roll them in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry them brown. potato snow (a pretty dish). - / lbs. of potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, small beetroot. boil the potatoes till tender, pass them through a potato masher into a hot dish, letting the mashed potato fall lightly, and piling it up high. slice the eggs and beetroot, and arrange alternate slices of egg and beetroot round the base of the potato snow. brown the top with a salamander, or, if such is not handy, with a coal-shovel made red hot. potato surprise. pint of mashed potatoes, oz. of butter, tomatoes, pepper and salt, tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. mix the butter well with the mashed potatoes, season with a little pepper and salt. butter patty pans and line them with a thick layer of potato; place / a tomato in each, with a little of the parsley and a dusting of pepper and salt. cover with mashed potatoes, and brown the patties in the oven. potato with cheese. pint of finely mashed potatoes, / oz. of butter, oz. of grated cheese, a little nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. mix all well with the seasoning, grease some patty pans, fill them with the mixture, and bake them in a moderate oven until golden brown. serve with vegetables and any savoury sauce. potatoes À la duchesse. prepare potatoes as in "milk potatoes," leaving out the parsley; beat up, egg with the juice of lemon, let the potatoes go off the boil, add the egg and lemon juice carefully; re-heat the whole again but do not allow it to boil, to avoid the egg curdling. potatoes (browned). pint of mashed potato, large english onion, oz. of butter, pepper and salt. mince the onion very fine and fry it a golden brown in the butter, mix it well with the mashed potato, and add seasoning to taste; form the mixture into cakes, flour them well, place them in a greased baking tin, with little bits of butter on the top of the cakes, and bake them a nice brown. potatoes and carrots. - / lbs. of boiled potatoes, / lb. of boiled carrots, eggs, oz. of butter pepper and salt to taste, some parsley. mash the potatoes and carrots together, beat the eggs well and mix them with the vegetables, add seasoning; butter a mould, fill it with the mixture, spread the butter on the top, bake the whole for / hour, turn out, and garnish with parsley. potatoes (curried). good-sized potatoes parboiled, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of curry powder, / pint of milk, dessertspoonful of fine wheatmeal, salt and lemon juice to taste. slice the potatoes into a saucepan and pour the milk over them; smooth the curry powder with a little water, pour this over the potatoes, and add the butter and seasoning. let the potatoes cook gently until soft; then thicken with the meal, which should be previously smoothed with a little milk or water. let all simmer for or minutes; add lemon juice, and serve. potatoes (mashed). to mash potatoes well they should be drained when soft and steamed dry over the fire; then turn them into a basin and pass them through a potato masher back into the saucepan; add a piece of butter the size of a walnut (or more according to quantity of potatoes), and a little hot milk, and mash all well through over the fire with a wooden spoon, adding hot milk as required until it is a thick, creamy mass. potatoes (mashed) (another way). finely chopped english onion to pound of potatoes, piece of butter the size of a walnut, pepper and salt to taste. fry the onion a nice brown in the butter, taking care not to burn it. when the potatoes have been passed through the masher back into the saucepan, add the fried onion and seasoning and a little hot milk. mash all well through, and serve very hot. potatoes (milk). boil or steam potatoes in their skins; when soft, peel and slice them. make a sauce of milk, thickened with allinson fine wheatmeal, and season with pepper and salt. let the potatoes simmer in the sauce for minutes. before serving mix into the sauce a spoonful of finely chopped parsley. potatoes (milk) with capers. lb. of potatoes, / pint of milk, tablespoonful of finely chopped capers, teaspoonful of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of allinson wholemeal, boil the potatoes till nearly tender; drain them and cut them in slices. return them to the saucepan, add the milk and seasoning, and when the milk boils add the wheatmeal. let all simmer until the potatoes are tender, add the capers and vinegar. then simmer a few minutes with the capers, and serve. potatoes (savoury). - / lbs. of small boiled potatoes, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of finely chopped onion, eggs, dessertspoonful of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste, clove of garlic. slice the potatoes into the saucepan and let them stew gently for minutes with the butter, onion, and seasoning, shaking them occasionally to prevent burning. rub the inside of a basin with the garlic, break the eggs into it, beat them well with the vinegar, and pour them over the potatoes, shake the whole well over the fire until thoroughly mixed, and serve. potatoes (scalloped). medium-sized boiled potatoes, onions chopped fine, and fried brown, breakfastcupful of milk, oz. of butter, pepper and salt, a little allinson wholemeal. slice the potatoes; butter a pie-dish, put into it a layer of potatoes, over this sprinkle pepper and salt, some of the onion, part of the butter, and a little meal. repeat this until the dish is full, pour the milk over the whole, and bake for hour. potatoes (stuffed) ( ). large potatoes, - / breakfastcupfuls of breadcrumbs, / lb. of grated english onions, teaspoonful of powdered sage, ditto of finely chopped parsley, egg well beaten, piece of butter the size of a walnut, pepper and salt to taste. halve the potatoes, scoop them out, leaving nearly inch of the inside all round. make a stuffing of the other ingredients, adding a very little milk it the stuffing should be too dry; fill the potatoes with it, tie the halves together, and bake them until done. serve with brown sauce. potatoes (stuffed) ( ). large potatoes, spanish onion, large apple, oz. of butter, / teaspoonful of allspice, dessertspoonful of sugar, pepper and salt to taste, a cupful of breadcrumbs. chop the onion and apple fine and stew them (without water) with the butter, allspice, sugar, and seasoning. when quite tender sift in enough breadcrumbs to make a fairly stiff paste. scoop the potatoes out as in previous recipe, fill them with the mixture, tie, bake the potatoes till tender, and serve them with brown sauce and vegetables. potatoes (stuffed) ( ). large boiled potatoes, - / ozs. of grated gruyère or canadian cheese, egg well beaten, pepper and salt to taste, a piece of butter the size of a walnut. halve the potatoes as before, scoop them out, leaving / inch of potato wall all round. mash the scooped out potato well up with the cheese, add the egg, butter, and seasoning, also a little milk if necessary; fill the potatoes, tie them together, brush over with a little oiled butter, and bake them to minutes. serve with vegetables and white sauce. potatoes (stuffed) ( ). large boiled potatoes, large english onion, / oz. of butter, egg well beaten, pepper and salt to taste. halve the potatoes as before, scoop out most of the soft part and mash it up. mince the onion very finely and fry it a nice brown with the best part of the butter, mix all up together, adding the egg and seasoning, fill the potato skins, tie the halves together, brush them over with the rest of the butter (oiled), and put them in the oven until well heated through. serve with vegetables and brown sauce. potatoes (toasted). cut cold boiled potatoes into slices, brush them over with oiled butter, place them on a gridiron (if not handy, in a wire salad basket), and put it over a clear fire. brown the slices on both sides. sauces flesh-eaters have the gravy of meat to eat with their vegetables, and when they give up the use of flesh they are often at a loss for a good substitute. sauces may be useful in more ways than one. when not too highly spiced or seasoned they help to prevent thirst, as they supply the system with fluid, and when made with the liquor in which vegetables have been boiled they retain many valuable salts which would otherwise have been lost. when foods are eaten in a natural condition no sauces are required, but when food is changed by cooking many persons require it to be made more appetising, as it is called. the use of sauces is thus seen to be an aid to help down plain and wholesome food, and being fluid they cause the food to be more thoroughly broken up and made into a porridgy mass before it is swallowed. from a health point of view artificial sauces are not good, but if made as i direct very little harm will result. brown gravy, fried onion sauce, or herb gravy must be used with great caution, or not at all by those who are troubled with heartburn, acidity, biliousness, or skin eruptions of any kind. the water in which vegetables (except cabbage or potatoes) have been boiled is better for making sauces than ordinary water. apple sauce. lb. of apples, gill of water, - / oz. of sugar (or more, according to taste), / a teaspoonful of mixed spice. pare and core the apples, cut them up, and cook them with the water until quite mashed up, add sugar and spice. rub the apples through a sieve, re-heat, and serve. can also be served cold. apricot sauce. / lb. of apricot jam, / a teaspoonful of allinson cornflour. dilute the jam with / pint of water, boil it up and pass it through a sieve; boil the sauce up, and thicken it with the cornflour. serve hot or cold. boiled onion sauce. this is made as "wheatmeal sauce," but plenty of boiled and chopped onions are mixed in it. this goes well with any plain vegetables. brown gravy. put a tablespoonful of butter or olive oil into a frying-pan or saucepan, make it hot, dredge in a tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, brown this, then add boiling water, with pepper and salt to taste. a little mushroom or walnut ketchup may be added it desired. eat with vegetables or savouries. brown sauce ( ). oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, the juice of / a lemon, a blade of mace, pepper and salt to taste. melt the butter in a frying-pan over the fire, stir into it the meal, and keep on stirring until it is a brown colour. stir in gradually enough boiling water to make the sauce of the thickness of cream. add the lemon juice, the mace, and seasoning, and let the sauce simmer for minutes. remove the mace, and pour the sauce over the onions. if the sauce should be lumpy, strain it through a gravy-strainer. brown sauce ( ). tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, eschalots chopped fine, bay leaves, / a lemon (peeled) cut in slices, pepper and salt to taste. brown the meal with the butter; add water enough to make the sauce the thickness of cream; add the eschalots, lemon, bay leaves, and seasoning. let all simmer to minutes; strain, return the sauce to the saucepan, and boil it up before serving. caper sauce. leave out the onions, otherwise make as "wheatmeal sauce." add capers, and cook minutes after adding them. this goes very well with plain boiled macaroni, or macaroni batter, or macaroni with turnips, &c. chocolate sauce. bar of allinson chocolate, / pint of milk, / teaspoonful of cornflour, / teaspoonful of vanilla essence. melt the chocolate over the fire with tablespoonful of water, add the milk, and stir well; when it boils add the cornflour and vanilla. boil the sauce up, and serve. currant sauce (red & white). / pint of both white and red currants, ozs. of sugar, gill of water, / a teaspoonful of cornflour. cook the ingredients for minutes, rub the fruit through a sieve, re-heat it, and thicken the sauce with the cornflour. serve hot or cold. curry sauce ( ). english onions, carrot, good cooking apple, teaspoonful of curry powder, / oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, salt to taste. chop up the onions, carrot, and apple, and stew them in / pint of water until quite tender, adding the curry and salt. when quite soft rub the vegetables well through a sieve; brown the meal in the saucepan in the butter, add the sauce to this, and let it simmer for a few minutes; add a little more water if necessary. curry sauce ( ). onion, even teaspoonful of curry, / pint of water, / oz. of butter, teaspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, a little burnt sugar. grate the onion into the water, add curry, butter, and salt, and let these ingredients cook a few minutes. thicken the sauce with the meal, and colour with burnt sugar. curry sauce (brown). tablespoonfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter (or oil), teaspoonful of curry powder, english onion chopped fine, good tablespoonful of vinegar, a pinch of mint and sage, and salt to taste. fry the onions in the butter until nearly brown, add the meal, and brown; add as much water as required to make the sauce the consistency of cream; add the curry, vinegar, and seasoning. let the whole simmer for to minutes, strain the sauce, return to the saucepan, beat it up, and serve. egg caper sauce. the same as "egg sauce," adding tablespoonful of finely chopped capers before the egg is stirred in, and which should simmer a few minutes. egg sauce. / pint of half milk and water, egg, teaspoonful of allinson cornflour, juice of / lemon, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt. boil the milk and water, add the butter and seasoning. thicken the sauce with the cornflour; beat the egg up with the lemon juice. let the sauce go off the boil; add gradually and gently the egg, taking care not to curdle it. warm up the sauce again, but do not allow it to boil. egg sauce with saffron. / pint of milk and water, egg, teaspoonful of cornflour, a pinch of saffron, pepper and salt to taste. boil the milk and water with the saffron, and see that the latter dissolves thoroughly. add seasoning, and thicken with the cornflour; beat up the egg, and after having allowed the sauce to cool a little, add it gradually, taking care not to curdle the sauce. heat it up, but do not let it boil. to easily dissolve the saffron, it should be dried in the oven and then powdered. french sauce. oz. of butter, oz. each of carrot, turnip, onion, or eschalots, tablespoonful of vinegar, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste, a little thyme. chop the vegetables up fine, and fry them in the butter, adding the thyme. when slightly browned add / pint of water, into which the meal has been rubbed smooth. stir the sauce until it boils, then add the vinegar and seasoning. let all simmer for / an hour, rub the sauce through a sieve, return it to the saucepan, boil up, and serve. fried onion sauce. chop fine an onion, fry, add allinson fine wheatmeal, and make into a sauce like brown gravy. herb sauce. make like "brown gravy," and add mixed herbs a little before serving. horseradish sauce. / pint of water, tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, / oz. butter, salt to taste. boil the water, butter, and horseradish for a few minutes, add salt, and thicken the sauce with the meal rubbed smooth in a little cold water; cook for two minutes, and serve. mayonnaise sauce. / pint of oil, the yolk of egg, the juice of a lemon, / teaspoonful each of mustard, pepper, and salt. place the yolks in a basin, which should be quite cold; work them smooth with a wooden spoon, add the salt, pepper, and mustard, and mix all well. stir in the oil very gradually, drop by drop; when the sauce begins to thicken stir in a little of the lemon juice, continue with the oil, and so on alternately until the sauce is finished. be sure to make it in a cool place, also to stir one way only. it you follow directions the sauce may curdle; should this ever happen, do not waste the curdled sauce, but start afresh with a fresh yolk of egg, stirring in a little fresh oil first, and then adding the curdled mixture. milk froth sauce. / pint of milk, eggs, sugar to taste, some essence of vanilla or any other flavouring, teaspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal. mix the milk, eggs, flour, and flavouring, and proceed as in "orange froth sauce." mint sauce. teacupful of vinegar, teacupful of water, tablespoonful of sugar, heaped-up tablespoonful of finely chopped mint. mix all the ingredients well, and let the sauce soak at least hour before serving. mustard sauce. good teaspoonful of mustard, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, vinegar and salt to taste, teaspoonful of sugar, / pint of water. brown the wheatmeal with the butter in the saucepan, add the mustard, vinegar, sugar, and salt, let all simmer for a few minutes, and then serve. olive sauce. make a white sauce, stone and chop spanish olives, add them to the sauce, and let it cook a few minutes before serving. onion sauce. large spanish onion, / pint of milk, gill of water, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste. chop the onions up fine, and cook them in the water until tender, add the milk, butter and seasoning. smooth the meal with a little water, thicken the sauce, let it simmer for five minutes, and serve. orange flower sauce make a sweet white sauce, and flavour it with tablespoonfuls of orangeflower water. orange froth sauce. the juice of oranges, eggs, sugar to taste, teaspoonful of white flour (not cornflour), add to the orange juice enough water to make / pint of liquid; mix this well with the sugar, the eggs previously beaten, and the flour smoothed with a very little water; put the mixture over the fire in an enamelled saucepan, and whisk it well until quite frothy; do not allow the sauce to boil, as it would then be spoiled. serve immediately. orange sauce oranges, large lumps of sugar, / a teaspoonful of cornflour, some water. rub the sugar on the rind of one of the oranges until all the yellow part is taken off; take the juice of both the oranges and add it to the sugar. mix smooth the cornflour in tablespoonfuls of water, add this to the juice when hot, and stir the sauce over the fire until thickened; serve at once. parsley sauce. this is made as "wheatmeal sauce," but some finely chopped parsley is added five minutes before serving. raspberry froth sauce. / pint of raspberries, gill of water, eggs, sugar to taste, teaspoonful of white flour. boil the raspberries in the water for minutes, then strain through a cloth or fine hair sieve; add a little more water if the juice is not / pint; allow it to get cold, then add the eggs, flour, and sugar, and proceed as for "orange froth sauce." this sauce can be made with any kind of fruit juice. ratafia sauce. oz. of ratafias, / pint of milk; the yolk of egg. bruise the ratafias and put them in a stewpan with the milk; let it boil, remove from the fire, beat up the yolk of egg, and when the milk has cooled a little stir it in carefully; stir again over the fire until the sauce has thickened a little, but do not let it boil. rose sauce. make a sweet white sauce, and flavour with tablespoonfuls of rosewater. savoury sauce. onion, carrots, oz. butter, a teaspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, a little nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. chop up the onion and fry it a nice brown; cut up the carrots into small dice, cook them gently in pint of water with the onion and seasoning until quite soft; then rub the sauce through a sieve, return it to the saucepan, heat it up and thicken it with the meal, if necessary. sorrel sauce. make a white sauce, and add to it a handful of finely chopped sorrel; let it simmer a few minutes, and serve. spice sauce. make a sweet white sauce, and add / teaspoonful of mixed spice before serving. tartare sauce. lb. of mushrooms, small onion, / oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt to taste, juice of / a lemon. cook the mushrooms and onion, chopped fine, in / pint of water for minutes; adding the butter and seasoning. strain the sauce and return it to the saucepan, thicken it with the meal, add the lemon juice, let it simmer or minutes, and serve. tomato sauce ( ). / a canful of tinned tomatoes or lb. of fresh ones, a tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. if fresh tomatoes are used, slice them and set them to cook with a breakfastcupful of water. for tinned tomatoes a teacupful of water is sufficient. let the tomatoes cook gently for minutes, then rub them well through a strainer. return the liquid to the saucepan, add the butter, pepper, and salt, and when it boils thicken the sauce with the meal, which should he smoothed well with a little cold water. let the sauce simmer for a minute, and pour it into a warm sauce-boat. tomato sauce ( ). cut up fresh or tinned tomatoes, cook with water and finely chopped onions; when done rub through a sieve, boil up again, thicken with allinson fine wheatmeal made into a paste with water. add a little butter, pepper, and salt. eat with vegetables or savoury dishes. wheatmeal sauce. mix milk and water together in equal proportions, add a grated onion, and boil; rub a little allinson fine wheatmeal into a paste with cold water. mix this with the boiling milk and water, and let it thicken; add a little pepper and salt to taste. eat this with vegetables. white sauce ( ). / pint of milk, dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, sugar to taste. boil / pint of the milk with sugar, mix the meal smooth in the rest of the milk, add this to the boiling milk and keep stirring until the sauce has thickened, cook for to minutes, strain it through a gravy strainer, re-heat, and flavour with vanilla or almond essence. white sauce ( ). / pint of milk, a dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour or potato flour, a little vanilla essence, teaspoonful of sugar. boil the milk, thicken it with the cornflour previously smoothed with a little water, add sugar and vanilla, boil up, and serve with the pudding. white sauce (savoury). / pint of milk, good dessertspoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, a small piece of butter, size of a nut, pepper and salt to taste. bring part of the milk to the boil, mix the meal smooth with the rest, add the butter and seasoning, and thicken the sauce. let it cook gently a few minutes after adding the meal, and serve. puddings almond pudding ( ). eggs, oz. of castor sugar, oz. of ground sweet almonds, / oz. of ground bitter almonds. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix them lightly with the well-beaten yolks, add the other ingredients gradually. have ready a well-buttered pie-dish, pour the mixture in (not filling the dish more than three-quarters full), and bake in a moderately hot oven until a knitting needle pushed through comes out clean. turn the pudding out and serve cold. almond pudding ( ). / lb. of almond paste, / lb. of butter, eggs, tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, cream, and ratafia flavouring. with a spoonful of water make the ground almonds into a paste, warm the butter, mix the almonds with this, and add the sugar and tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, and the eggs well beaten. mix well, and butter some cups, half fill them, and bake the puddings for about minutes. turn them out on a dish, and serve with sweet sauce. almond rice. / lb. of rice, - / pints of milk, oz. of butter, oz. of ground sweet almonds and a dozen bitter ground almonds, sugar to taste, teaspoonful of cinnamon, some raspberry jam. cook the rice, butter, milk, sugar, and almonds until the rice is quite tender, which will take from to minutes; butter a mould, sift the cinnamon over it evenly, pour in the rice, let it get cold, turn out and serve with sauce made of raspberry jam and water. dip the mould into hot water for / a minute, if the rice will not turn out easily. apple charlotte. lbs. of cooking apples, teacupful of mixed currants and sultanas, heaped up teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, oz. of blanched and chopped almonds, sugar to taste, allinson wholemeal bread, and butter. pare, core, and cut up the apples and set them to cook with teacupful of water. some apples require much more water than others. when they are soft, add the fruit picked and washed, the cinnamon, and the almonds and sugar. cut very thin slices of bread and butter, line a buttered pie-dish with them. place a layer of apples over the buttered bread, and repeat the layers of bread and apples until the dish is full, finishing with a layer of bread and butter. bake from / hour to hour. apricot pudding. tin of apricots, sponge cakes, / pint of milk, eggs. put the apricots into a saucepan, and let them simmer with a little sugar for / an hour; take them off the fire and beat them with a fork. mix with them the sponge cakes crumbled. beat the eggs up with milk and pour it on the apricots. pour the mixture into a wetted mould and bake in a hot oven with a cover over the mould for / an hour. turn out; serve either hot or cold. baked custard pudding. pint of milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla flavouring, nutmeg. warm the milk, beat up the eggs with the sugar, pour the milk over, and flavour. have a pie-dish lined at the edge with baked paste, strain the custard into the dish, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake in a slow oven for / an hour. serve in the pie-dish with stewed rhubarb. barley (pearl) and apple pudding. / lb. of pearl barley, lb. of apples, oz. of sugar, / oz. of butter, the grated rind of a lemon. soak the barley overnight, and boil it in pints of water for hours. when quite tender, add the sugar, lemon rind, and the apples pared, cored, and chopped fine. pour the mixture into a buttered dish, put the butter in bits over the top, and bake for hour. batter jam pudding. pint of milk, oz. of cornflour, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, eggs, some raspberry or apricot jam. rub the cornflour and meal smooth with a little of the milk; bring the rest to boil with the butter, and stir into it the smooth paste. stir the mixture over the fire for about minutes, then turn it into a basin to cool. beat up the yolks of the eggs and add them to the cooked batter; whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and add them to the rest; butter a pie-dish, pour in a layer of the batter, then spread a layer of jam, and so on, until the dish is full, finishing with the batter, and bake the pudding for / an hour. batter pudding. / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pint of milk, eggs, dessertspoonful of sugar, teaspoonful of ground cinnamon (or any other flavouring preferred). beat the eggs well, mix all thoroughly, and bake about / hour. belgian pudding. soak a d. french roll in / pint of boiling milk; for hour, then add / lb. of sultanas, / lb. of currants, oz. of sugar, chopped apples, a little chopped peel, the yolks of eggs, a little grated nutmeg and zest of lemon. mix in lastly the whites of the eggs whisked to a stiff froth, pour into a mould, and boil for hours. serve with a sweet sauce. bird-nest pudding. medium-sized apples, eggs, quart of milk, sugar, the rind of / a lemon and some almond or vanilla essence. pare and core the apples, and boil them in pint of water, sweetened with oz. of sugar, and the lemon rind added, until they are beginning to get soft. remove the apples from the saucepan and place them in a pie-dish without the syrup. heat the milk and make a custard with the eggs, well beaten, and the hot milk; sweeten and flavour it to taste, pour the custard over the apples, and bake the pudding until the custard is set. bread and jam pudding. fill a greased pudding basin with slices of allinson bread, each slice spread thickly with raspberry jam; make a custard by dissolving tablespoonful of cornflour in pint of milk well beaten; boil up and pour this over the jam and bread; let it stand hour; then boil for hour covered with a pudding cloth. serve either hot or cold, turned out of the basin. bread pudding (steamed). / lb. of breadcrumbs, wineglassful of rosewater, pint of milk, oz. of ground almonds, sugar to taste, eggs well beaten, oz. of butter (oiled). mix all the ingredients, and let them soak for / an hour. turn into a buttered mould and steam the pudding for - / to hours. bread soufflÉ. oz. of allinson wholemeal bread, pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of orange or rosewater, sugar to taste, eggs. soak the bread in the milk until perfectly soft; add sugar and the rose or orange water; beat the mixture up with the yolks of the eggs; beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix them lightly with the rest; pour the whole into a well-buttered pie-dish and bake the soufflé for / an hour in a brisk oven; serve immediately. buckingham pudding. / lb. of ratafias, or sponge cakes, eggs, / pint of milk, sugar to taste, vanilla flavouring. butter a mould, press the ratafias all over it, and lay in the sponge cakes cut in slices; then put in more ratafias and sponge cakes until the mould is almost full. beat the yolks of the eggs well together and the whites of eggs. boil the milk and pour it on the eggs, let it cool a little, add sugar and flavouring. pour into the mould. cover it with buttered paper and steam for about hour. turn it out carefully, and serve with jam or sauce round it. bun pudding. stale d. buns, - / pints milk, eggs, oz. sugar. cut the buns in thin slices, put them in a dish, beat the eggs well, add to the milk and sugar, and pour over the buns; cover with a plate, then stand for hours; bake for hour in a moderate oven, or steam for - / hours, as preferred; serve with lemon sauce. cabinet pudding ( ). / lb. of allinson bread cut in thin slices, eggs and milk as in bun pudding, breakfastcupful of currants and sultanas mixed, heaped-up teaspoonful of cinnamon, oz. of butter, oz. of chopped almonds, and sugar to taste. soak the bread as directed in above recipe, add the fruit, which should be previously well washed, picked, and dried, and the cinnamon, almonds, and sugar. dissolve part of the butter, add it to the rest of the ingredients, and mix them all well together. butter a pie-dish with the rest of the butter, and bake the pudding in a moderate oven for hour. cabinet pudding ( ). oz. dried cherries, oz. citron peel, oz. ratafias, stale sponge cakes, pint of milk, eggs, well beaten, a few drops of almond essence, and some raspberry jam. butter a mould and decorate it with the cherries and citron cut into fine strips, break up the sponge cakes and fill the mould with layers of sponge cake, ratafias, and jam. when the mould is nearly full, pour over the mixture the custard of milk and eggs with the flavouring added. steam the pudding for hour, and serve with sauce. cabinet pudding ( ). butter a pint pudding mould and decorate it with preserved cherries, then fill the basin with layers of sliced sponge cakes and macaroons, scattering a few cherries between the layers. make a pint of custard with allinson custard powder, add to it tablespoonfuls of raisin wine and pour over the cakes, &c., steam the pudding carefully for three-quarters of an hour, taking care not to let the water boil into it; serve with wine sauce. canadian pudding. to use up cold stiff porridge. mix the porridge with enough hot milk to make it into a fairly thick batter. beat up or eggs, egg to a breakfastcupful of the batter, add some jam, stirring it well into the batter, bake hour in a buttered pie-dish. carrot pudding. large carrots, eggs, / pint of milk, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, tablespoonfuls of syrup, teaspoonful of cinnamon. scrape and grate the carrots, make a batter of the other ingredients, add the grated carrots, pour the mixture into a buttered mould, and steam the pudding for - / to hours. chocolate almond pudding. / lb. of ground sweet almonds, oz. of castor sugar, oz. of allinson cocoa, eggs, the whites beaten up stiffly, dessertspoonful of vanilla essence. place the yolks of the eggs in the pan, whip them well, add the vanilla essence, the sugar, the almond meal, and the cocoa, beating the mixture all the time; add the whites of the eggs last. pour the mixture into pie-dishes, taking care not to fill them to the top, and bake the puddings the same way as almond puddings. chocolate mould. quart of milk, oz. of potato flour, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, heaped-up tablespoonful of cocoa, dessertspoonful of vanilla essence, and sugar to taste. smooth the potato flour, wheatmeal flour, and cocoa with some of the milk. add sugar to the rest of the milk, boil it up and thicken it with the smoothed ingredients. let all simmer for minutes, stir frequently, add the vanilla and mix it well through. pour the mixture into a wetted mould; turn out when cold, and serve plain, or with cold white sauce. chocolate pudding. / lb. of grated allinson chocolate, / lb. of flour, / lb. of sugar, / lb. of butter, pint of milk, eggs. mix the chocolate, flour, sugar, and butter together. boil up the milk and stir over the fire until it comes clean from the sides of the pan, then take it out and let it cool. break the eggs, whisk the whites and yolks separately, first add the yolks to the pudding, and when they are well stirred in, mix in the whites. put into a buttered basin, and steam for hour. turn out and serve hot. chocolate pudding (steamed). three large sticks of chocolate, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, piece of vanilla inches long dissolve the chocolate in / of the pint of milk, with the rest of the milk mix the wholemeal smooth, add it to the boiled chocolate, and stir the mixture over the fire until it detaches from the sides of the saucepan; then remove it from the fire and let it cool a little. beat up the yolks of the eggs and stir those in, whip the whites to a stiff froth and mix these well through, turn the whole into a buttered mould, and steam the pudding - / hours. serve with white sauce poured round. chocolate trifle. sponge cakes, large bars of chocolate, / pint of cream, white of egg, inches of stick vanilla, oz. of almonds blanched and chopped, oz. of ratafia, / pint of milk. break the sponge cakes into pieces, boil the milk and pour it over them; mash them well up with a spoon. dissolve half the chocolate in a saucepan with tablespoonfuls of water, and flavour it with inch of the vanilla, split; when the chocolate is quite dissolved remove the vanilla. have ready a wetted mould, put into it a layer of sponge cake, next spread some of the dissolved chocolate, sprinkle with almonds and ratafias, repeat until you finish with a layer of sponge cake. grate the rest of the chocolate, whip the cream with the whites of eggs, vanilla, and teaspoonful of sifted sugar; sift the chocolate into the whipped cream. turn the sponge cake mould into a glass dish, spread the chocolate cream over it evenly, and decorate it with almonds. christmas pudding ( ). lb. raisins (stoned), lb. chopped apples, lb. currants, lb. breadcrumbs, / lb. mixed peel, chopped fine, lb. shelled and ground brazil nuts, / lb. chopped sweet almonds, oz. bitter almonds (ground), lb. sugar, / lb. butter, / oz. mixed spice, eggs. wash, pick, and dry the fruit, rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, beat up the eggs, and mix all the ingredients together; if the mixture is too dry, add a little milk. fill some greased basins with the mixture, and boil the puddings from to hours. christmas pudding ( ). oz. breadcrumbs, / lb. currants, / lb. raisins, / lb. sweet almonds, doz. bitter almonds, / lb. moist sugar, oz. of butter, oz. candied peel, eggs, teaspoonful of spice, and teacupful of apple sauce. rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, wash, pick, and dry the fruit, stone the raisins, chop or grind the almonds, beat up the eggs, mixing all well together, at the last stir in the apple sauce. boil the pudding in a buttered mould for hours, and serve with white sauce. christmas pudding ( ). lb. each of raisins, currants, sultanas, chopped apples, and brazil nut kernels; / lb. each of moist sugar, wholemeal breadcrumbs, allinson fine wheatmeal, and sweet almonds and butter; / lb. of mixed peel, / oz. of mixed spice, eggs, and some milk. wash and pick the currants and sultanas; wash and stone the raisins; chop fine the nut kernels, blanch and chop fine the almonds, and cut up fine the mixed peel. rub the butter into the meal and breadcrumbs. first mix all the dry ingredients, then beat well the eggs and add them. pour as much milk as is necessary to moisten the mixture sufficiently to work it with a wooden spoon. have ready buttered pudding basins, nearly fill them with the mixture, cover with pieces of buttered paper, tie pudding cloths over the basins, and boil for hours. christmas pudding ( ). this is a plainer pudding, which will agree with those who cannot take rich things. / lb. each of raisins, sultanas, currants, sugar, butter, and brazil nuts. lb. each of wholemeal breadcrumbs, allinson fine wheatmeal, and grated carrots; beaten-up eggs, / oz. of spice, and some milk. wash and pick the currants and sultanas, wash and stone the raisins, and chop fine the brazil nuts. rub the butter into the wholemeal flour, mix all the ingredients together, and add as much milk as is required to moisten the mixture. fill buttered pudding basins with it, cover with buttered paper, and tie over pudding cloths. boil the puddings for hours. cocoa pudding. / lb. of stale allinson bread, pint of milk, oz. of butter, oz. of sifted sugar, tablespoonful of allinson cocoa, eggs, vanilla to taste. boil the bread in the milk until it is quite soft and mashed up; then add the cocoa, smoothed with a little hot water, the sugar, and vanilla. let the mixture cool a little, add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, then beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add these, mixing all well. bake the pudding in a buttered dish of an hour. cocoanut pudding ( ). / lb. of allinson bread, eggs, pint of milk, grated fresh cocoanut, its milk, and sugar to taste. soak the bread as for the savouries, add the cocoanut, the milk of it, and sugar, and mix all well. butter a pie-dish, pour in the mixture, place a few little pieces of butter on the top, and bake as above. cocoanut pudding ( ). oz. of fresh grated cocoanut, oz. of allinson breadcrumbs, oz. of stoned muscatels, chopped small, oz. of sugar, eggs, pint of milk. mix the breadcrumbs, cocoanut; muscatels, sugar, and the butter (oiled); add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add these to the mixture just before turning the pudding into a buttered pie-dish; bake until golden brown. college pudding. twelve sponge fingers, oz. of ratafia biscuits, oz. blanched almonds, oz. of candied fruit, and pint of custard made with allinson custard powder. butter thickly a pint and a half pudding basin, decorate the bottom with a few slices of the bright coloured fruits, split the sponge fingers and arrange them round the sides of the basin, letting each one overlap the other and cut the tops level with the basin; break up the remainder of the cakes and mix with the chopped almonds, the ratafias crushed, and the remainder of the candied fruits chopped finely; carefully fill the basin with this mixture, not disturbing the fingers round the edge; prepare pint of custard according to recipe on page , and while still hot pour into the basin over the cakes, &c., cover with a plate and put a weight on the top, let stand all night in a cold place; turn out on to a glass dish to serve. custard pudding. quart of milk, oz. of cornflour, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, sugar to taste, and vanilla or other flavouring. proceed as for a blancmange; when the ingredients are cooked, let them cool a little, beat up the eggs, and mix them well with the rest, and bake all for or minutes in a moderate oven. custard pudding without eggs. one dessertspoonful of flour, one packet of allinson custard powder, oz. of butter, pint of milk, and sugar to taste. mix the flour and custard powder to a smooth, thin paste, with a few tablespoonfuls of the milk, boil the rest of the milk with the sugar and butter; when quite boiling pour it into the powder, &c., in the basin, stir briskly, then pour into a greased pie-dish and brown slightly in the oven; before serving decorate the top with some apricot or other jam. empress pudding. / lb. of rice, - / pints of milk, the rind of / a lemon, eggs, some raspberry and currant jam. gently cook the rice with the lemon peel in the milk, until quite soft; let it cool a little and mix with it the eggs, well beaten. butter a cake tin, place a layer of rice into it, spread a layer of jam, and repeat until the tin is full, finishing with the rice. bake the pudding for / of an hour, turn out, and eat with boiled custard, hot or cold. feather pudding. a teacupful of allinson fine wheatmeal, a pinch of salt, / a teacupful of sifted sugar, and oz. of butter; whisk well together, and add a teacupful of fresh milk, and well-beaten eggs. beat steadily for minutes; fill a well-greased tin about three-parts full, and bake in a moderate oven for minutes; serve with apricot sauce poured over and around. to make the sauce, take teacupful of apricot jam, add to it gill of water, make very hot, and rub through a heated gravy strainer over and around the pudding; then serve at once. fruit and custard pudding. cupfuls of stewed and stoned plums (or the same quantity of any other fruit), pint of milk, eggs, large cupful of fine breadcrumbs, sugar to taste, teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and oz. of butter. mix the crumbs and fruit in a bowl, oil the butter and mix it with the other ingredients, adding the sugar and cinnamon; beat up the eggs with the milk, and mix it with the rest of the pudding; have ready a greased pie-dish, pour in the mixture, and bake the pudding until nicely brown. giant sago pudding. oz. of giant sago, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of currants, oz. of sultanas, tablespoonful of sugar, quart of milk. soak the sago in cold water, drain, and cook in a double saucepan, if possible, with - / pints of the milk for hours; mix the meal smooth with the rest of the milk, add this, the fruit and sugar, and cook it gently for another minutes: then pour the pudding into a pie-dish, and bake it in the oven until set or slightly brown on the top. golden syrup pudding ( ). / lb. of golden syrup, teacupful of sago, lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / pint of milk, eggs, oz. of citron peel. soak the sago with the boiling milk until quite soft, adding a little water, if necessary; mix it with the meal and golden syrup into a fairly thick batter; beat up the eggs and mix them well with the other ingredients. butter a mould, cut and arrange the citron in the bottom of it into a star, pour in the batter, tie a cloth over it, and steam the pudding for hours. golden syrup pudding ( ). this pudding is very much liked and easily made. oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, pint of milk, / lb. of golden syrup. make a batter with the meal, eggs, and milk; grease a pudding basin, pour into it first the golden syrup, then the batter without mixing them; put over the batter a piece of buttered paper, tie up with a cloth, and steam the pudding in boiling water for - / hours, taking care that no water boils into it. if liked, the juice of / lemon may be added to the syrup and grated rind put in the batter. before turning the pudding out, dip the pudding basin in cold water for minute. gooseberry soufflÉ. pints of gooseberries, castor sugar to taste, / pint of milk, eggs. stew the gooseberries with / a teacupful of water until quite soft, adding sugar to taste; rub the fruit through a coarse sieve and place it into a pie-dish; beat the yolks of the eggs well, mix them with the milk previously heated, and pour them over the gooseberries, mixing all well. bake the mixture in a moderate oven until set; meanwhile beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, adding a little castor sugar, lay this over the soufflé� a few minutes before it is quite done, let it set in the oven, and serve quickly. greengage soufflÉ. greengages, eggs, tablespoonfuls of ground rice, / oz. of butter, / pint of milk, / a teacupful of water, sugar to taste. skin and stone the fruit; blanch and drop (or grind) the kernels; gently cook the greengages in the water with the kernels and sugar. when the fruit has been reduced to a pulp mix in gradually the ground rice, which should have been smoothed previously with the milk; add the butter and let the whole mixture boil up; draw the saucepan from the fire and stir in the yolks of the eggs and then the whites beaten to a stiff froth. pour the mixture into a well-greased dish, and bake the soufflé� for / an hour in a brisk oven. serve immediately. ground rice pudding. quart of milk, oz. of ground rice, egg, and any kind of jam. boil the milk, stir it into the ground rice, previously smoothed with some of the cold milk. let the mixture cook gently for minutes, stir frequently, draw the saucepan to the side, and when it has ceased to boil add the egg well whipped, and mix well. pour half of the mixture into a pie-dish, spread a layer of jam over it, then pour the rest of the pudding mixture over the jam, and let it brown lightly in the oven. hasty meal pudding ( ). pint of milk, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, sugar to taste, a few drops of almond flavouring, eggs, well beaten, some marmalade or other preserve. boil the milk and meal as for a blancmange, flavour with the sugar and almond essence; let the mixture cool, add the eggs, spread a layer of marmalade or preserve in the bottom of the pie-dish, pour the mixture over, and bake it from to minutes. hasty meal pudding ( ). - / pints of milk, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter; some jam or golden syrup. boil the milk and sift the meal in gradually, stirring all the time; let it cook for or minutes, stirring quickly until it is well cooked and a stiff batter; turn it into a dish, add the butter, and eat the pudding with syrup or jam. lemon pudding. lb. breadcrumbs, eggs, lemons, oz. of sago, pint of milk, oz. of butter, oz. of sugar. soak the sago well in the milk over the fire, add the butter, letting it dissolve, and mix with it the breadcrumbs, the sugar, the juice of the lemons, and the grated rind of . beat the eggs well, mix all the ingredients thoroughly, and pour the mixture into well-greased pudding basins; steam the puddings hours, and serve them with stewed fruit or white sauce. lemon trifle. prepare over night pint of custard made by using dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour and oz. of sugar to pint of milk; let it boil or minutes and put on one side. next morning add the strained juice of lemons and beat together for minutes; when it is perfectly smooth pour it over slices of swiss roll which have been laid close together in a glass dish; let the slices be quite covered with the cream. stand in a cold place for or hours. garnish with glacé cherries. lentil flour pudding. oz. of lentil flour, pint of milk, oz. of sugar, the rind and juice of / lemon, eggs, oz. of butter. boil the milk, smooth the lentil flour with a little water, and pour the boiling milk gradually over it, mixing the lentils well with the milk. add the butter, sugar, lemon rind, and juice; when the mixture has cooled a little, add the eggs, well beaten; bake the pudding in a well-greased dish in a moderate oven until quite set. london pudding. oz. of allinson steam cooked oats (to be obtained from any grocer in lb. boxes), large tablespoonful of sugar, / pint of milk, oz. of butter and pint of custard made with allinson custard powder. boil the milk with the oats, butter, sugar, cook gently for minutes, then pour into a pie-dish and add to the mixture pint of custard made according to recipe given, stir carefully and bake for - / or hours; let it cool for a short time before serving. n.b.--this is a most delicious pudding. macaroni pudding ( ). oz. of macaroni, pints of milk, butter, sugar, eggs. break the macaroni in small pieces and boil it for minutes. drain off all the water, pour in the milk, sugar, and a piece of butter. boil until the macaroni is quite tender. let it cool, then add the eggs well beaten up, and a little grated nutmeg. put the pudding into a pie-dish and bake for / hour. macaroni pudding ( ). oz. macaroni, which should be boiled in milk until quite tender, place in a buttered pie-dish, and pour over a pint of custard made with allinson custard powder, bake for / hour and serve either hot or cold. malvern pudding. / lb. allinson breadcrumbs, oz. of butter, pint of red currants, pint of raspberries, oz. of sugar, / pint of cream. butter a pie-dish well, spread a layer of breadcrumbs, then a layer of the fruit, washed, picked, and mixed, some sugar and bits of butter; repeat these layers until the dish is full, finishing with breadcrumbs and butter; bake the pudding for / an hour, turn it into a glass dish, whip the cream, spread it over the pudding, and sift sugar over all. marlborough pudding. / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, oz. of sugar, / lb. of sultanas, oz. of mixed peel, eggs, a little milk. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, beat in the eggs one by one until well mixed, sift the flour and lightly stir it into the butter, add a little milk if necessary. then put in the peel cut in very fine strips and the sultanas. put into a well-buttered mould, which should be only three-parts full, and steam for hours. turn out and serve with melted butter sauce. melon pudding. lb. of allinson breadcrumbs, apples, - / lbs. of melon, cloves, / pint of milk, oz. of butter, eggs, sugar to taste. peel and cut up the apples and melon, and stew the fruit minutes, adding sugar and the cloves tied in muslin. place a layer of breadcrumbs in a buttered dish, remove the cloves from the fruit, place a layer of fruit over the breadcrumbs, and so on until the dish is full, finishing with a layer of breadcrumbs; beat up the eggs, mix them with the milk, and pour the mixture over the pudding; spread the butter in bits over the top, and bake the pudding hour. milk pudding. the general rule for milk puddings is to take oz. of farinaceous food of any kind to quart of milk. the best way to prepare most of these puddings is to let the ingredients gently cook on the top of the stove and then to turn them into a pie-dish to finish them in the oven for hour or a little longer, according to the heat of the oven. should eggs be added, they should be beaten well, then mixed with the pudding before it goes into the oven. most farinaceous milk puddings are improved by the use of allinson fine wheatmeal with the other ingredients. for instance, use oz. of giant sago and oz. of wheatmeal to quart of milk; or for semolina pudding, the same quantities of wheatmeal and semolina; and for vermicelli pudding the same, with sugar and flavouring to taste. mincemeat pancakes. oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / pint of milk, eggs, some butter, and some mincemeat. make the batter, fry the pancakes, and place a spoonful of mincemeat on each pancake, fold them up, and serve with sifted sugar. newcastle pudding. / lb. of candied cherries, eggs, allinson wholemeal bread and butter in thin slices, sugar to taste, pint of milk, a few drops of almond flavouring. butter a pudding mould and line it with the cherries, fill it with slices of bread and butter; sweeten the milk to taste, and add the flavouring; beat up the eggs, mix them well with the milk, pour the custard over the bread and butter, let it soak for hour; steam the pudding for - / hours, turn out, and serve with any kind of sweet sauce. nursery pudding. / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, a pinch of salt, oz. of vege-butter, and / lb. of sultana raisins. mix all lightly together, then add cupful of golden syrup, the well-beaten yolks of eggs, and teacupful of milk. mix again, and finally add the whites of eggs whisked to a firm froth; use to fill a fancy mould, and steam for hours; turn out carefully, and serve with sauce. oatmeal pancakes. / lb. of fine oatmeal, eggs, pint of milk. make a batter of the ingredients, and fry the pancakes in butter, oil, or vege-butter in the usual way. these are very good, and eat very short. serve with lemon and castor sugar. oatmeal pudding. oz. of allinson breakfast oats, eggs, oz. of soaked sago, gill of milk, oz. of sultanas, oz. of currants, even teaspoonful of cinnamon, sugar to taste, oz. of butter. mix the allinson breakfast oats with the soaked sago, add the eggs, well beaten, the fruit, sugar, butter, cinnamon, and milk; stir all well, butter a mould, pour the mixture into it, cover with a cloth, and steam the pudding for hours. omelet soufflÉ ( ). eggs, macaroons, teaspoonful finely minced citron peel, dessertspoonful of cornflour, and sugar to taste. separate the whites and yolks of the eggs, crush up finely the macaroons and mix well the yolks of the eggs, the macaroons, citron, cornflour, and sugar, adding tablespoonful of water. whip the whites to a stiff froth, mix this lightly with the rest of the ingredients, butter a mould, large enough to be only half full when the mixture is turned into it, and bake the soufflé� in a moderate oven until set and lightly browned. turn out, sift sugar over it, and serve immediately. omelet soufflÉ ( ). eggs, teacupful of milk, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour, oz. of castor sugar, i tablespoonful of orange water. mix the yolks of the eggs with the orange water, the sugar and the cornflour (previously smoothed with the milk), stirring the whole for minutes; whip up the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, and mix this lightly with the other ingredients; have ready a buttered soufflé dish, pour the mixture into it, and bake the soufflé about minutes until it is a golden brown and well risen; sift sugar over it and serve immediately. orange marmalade pudding. / lb. of allinson wholemeal bread, some orange marmalade, pint of milk, eggs, some butter. butter a mould thoroughly, cut the bread into slices and butter them, then arrange the bread and butter in the mould in layers, spreading each layer with marmalade. when the mould is / full, beat up the eggs with the milk and pour it over the layers; let the whole soak for hour; cover the mould tightly, and steam the pudding for - / hours. dip the mould in cold water for minute before turning it out; serve with white sauce. orange mould. the juice of oranges, and of lemon, oz. of sugar, eggs and oz. of allinson cornflour. add enough water to the fruit juices to make quart of liquid; put - / pints of this over the fire with the sugar. with the rest smooth the cornflour and mix with it the eggs, well beaten. when the liquid in the saucepan is near the boil, stir into it the mixture of egg and cornflour; keep stirring the mixture over a gentle fire until it has cooked minutes; turn it into a wetted mould and allow to get cold, then turn out and serve. orange pudding. oranges, pint of milk, eggs, tablespoonful of allinson cornflour, sugar to taste. peel and slice the oranges and remove the pips, place the fruit in a pie-dish, and sprinkle with sugar; boil the milk, and thicken it with the cornflour; let the milk cool, beat up the eggs, and add them carefully to the thickened milk, taking care not to do so while it is too hot; pour the custard over the fruit, and bake the pudding in a moderate oven until the custard is set. serve hot or cold. oxford pudding. / lb. of patna rice, / lb. of sultanas, apples, pared, cored, and chopped up, teaspoonful of cinnamon, and sugar to taste. wash the rice, mix it with the other ingredients, and tie all in a cloth, allowing plenty of room for swelling. let the pudding boil sharply in plenty of boiling water until the rice is soft; time - / hours. pancake pudding. or thin cold pancakes, or stale sponge cakes, some jam, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, vanilla flavouring. spread the pancakes with jam, roll them up and cut them across into slices. butter a mould, form a circle of slices round the bottom of the mould against the sides, overlapping each other, and work these circles right up the mould, fill the centre with the sponge cakes broken into pieces. make a batter of the meal, milk and eggs, adding vanilla to taste; pour this over the rest and steam the pudding for - / hours, turn out, and serve. pancakes. a / lb. each of white flour and fine allinson wheatmeal, eggs, pint of milk, a pinch of salt, some butter, oil, or vege-butter for frying. make a batter of the above ingredients. put a piece of butter the size of a walnut in the frying-pan, and when boiling pour in enough batter to make a thin pancake. fry a golden brown, turn it over, and when browned on the other side fold the pancake over from each side and slip it upon a hot dish, and keep hot in the oven while the other pancakes are being fried. the above quantity will make or pancakes. pancakes with currants. oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / pint of milk, eggs, oz. of currants, sugar and cinnamon to taste, butter for frying. make the batter the usual way, pick and wash the currants and add them to the batter. fry into thin pancakes with vege-butter. paradise pudding. teacupful of sago, breakfastcupful of allinson breadcrumbs, tablespoonfuls of sugar, the grated rind and juice of a lemon, oz. of sultanas, apples chopped small, teaspoonful of cinnamon, and well-beaten eggs. soak the sago over the fire with as much hot water as it will require to soften it, then mix all the ingredients together. turn the mixture into a well-buttered mould, and steam the pudding for hours. serve with sauce. plum pudding. this is a plain pudding which can be eaten instead of christmas pudding by those who are inclined to be dyspeptic / lb. of wholemeal breadcrumbs, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / lb. of raisins, oz. of small sago, oz. of butter, oz. of sugar, eggs, teaspoonful of cinnamon, and some milk. wash and stone the raisins. rub the butter into the wheatmeal. mix together the raisins, butter, wheatmeal, cinnamon, sugar, and breadcrumbs. boil the sago in / pint of milk until soft, adding as much water as the sago will absorb. mix it with the other ingredients, beat up the eggs, add them, and mix all well. if the mixture is too dry add as much milk as is necessary to moisten all well. fill a buttered pudding basin with the mixture, tie over with a pudding cloth, and steam hours. eat with a sweet white sauce. poor epicure's pudding. pint of milk, a stick of cinnamon ( inches long), blanched and sliced almonds, the thin rind of lemon, sugar to taste, eggs, some allinson wholemeal bread, and oz. of butter. boil the milk with the sugar, cinnamon, and almonds; remove the cinnamon, let the milk cool a little, and then add carefully the eggs well beaten. pour the mixture into a wide, rather shallow pie-dish. butter slices of bread on both sides, and cover the pie-dish with these; the bread should be free from crust, and entirely cover the milk. bake in a moderate oven about minutes. poppy-seed pudding. oz. of white poppy-seed, eggs, oz. of sugar, - / oz. of butter, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, tablespoonfuls of orange-water, and / pint of milk. scald the poppy-seed with boiling water, drain this on and crush the seed in a pestle and mortar, adding a little of the milk. when the poppy-seed has been crushed fairly fine, add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, the sugar, meal, butter, orange-water, and the rest of the milk; mix all well, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add this to the rest of the mixture, turn all into a buttered pie-dish, and bake the pudding - / hours. prune pudding. lb. of prunes or french plums, eggs, pint of milk, teaspoonful of allinson cornflour, sugar and flavouring to taste. wash the prunes, remove the stones, and soak the prunes in / pint of water over night. stew them very gently in an enamelled saucepan in the water in which they soaked, and add a little more if needed; when the prunes are quite tender, mash them well with a fork or wooden spoon, and let them cool. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix this with the mashed prunes when quite cold. meanwhile make a custard with the milk, cornflour, and the yolks of eggs, adding sugar and a few drops of almond essence; let it cool. heap the prunes on a glass dish and pour the custard round, and serve. prune pudding. lb. of stoned and stewed prunes, / lb. of thin slices of allinson bread and butter, eggs, pint of milk, sugar to taste. grease a pie-dish and line it with a layer of bread and butter, then arrange a layer of prunes, and so alternately until the dish is full, finishing with bread and butter; pour a little prune juice over, beat up the egg in the milk, adding a little sugar if liked. pour the custard over the mixture, let soak hour, and bake hour. the pudding will be much improved if all the liquid is poured off once or twice, and poured over again. rice pudding (french). oz. of rice, quart of milk, tablespoonfuls of sugar, eggs, teacupful of fine breadcrumbs, the rind of / a lemon; boil the rice in the milk with the sugar and lemon rind; let it gently simmer until quite soft, and until all the milk is absorbed; let the rice cool a little, beat up the yolks of the eggs, and mix them with the rice. thoroughly butter a pudding mould, and sprinkle it all over with the breadcrumbs. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix this well with the rice, and turn the whole gently into the mould, taking care not to displace the breadcrumbs; bake the pudding hour in a moderate oven. it should turn out brown and firm, looking like a cake. serve with fruit sauce or stewed fruit. rolled wheat pudding. oz. of allinson rolled wheat, quart of milk, teacupful of currants and sultanas, a very little sugar. soak the rolled wheat in water for hour. set the milk over the fire, when boiling add the wheat from which the water has been strained. let it cook gently for hour, then add the fruit, turn the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake the pudding from / to hour in a moderate oven. rusk pudding. oz. of allinson rusks, raspberry jam, pint of milk, eggs, a few drops of almond flavouring. spread a little jam between every two rusks, and press them together. arrange them neatly in a buttered mould; beat up the eggs, mix them with the milk, which has been flavoured with almond essence, and pour the custard over the rusks; let them soak for hour, then steam the pudding for / an hour, turn out, and serve with white sauce. semolina blancmange. - / oz. of semolina, pint of milk, oz. of loaf sugar, yolk of egg, a few drops of essence of lemon. soak semolina in / pint of the milk for minutes, then stir it into the remainder of the milk, which must be boiling; add sugar, and stir over a clear fire for minutes. take off and mix in quickly the yolk of an egg beaten up with flavouring. pour into mould previously dipped in water. serve cold with stewed fruit or custard. semolina pudding. oz. of semolina, quart of milk, the rind of / a lemon, tablespoonful of sugar, eggs. mix the semolina smooth with part of the milk; bring the rest of the milk to the boil with the sugar and lemon rind; add the semolina, let all cook for minutes, then remove the lemon rind, and set the mixture aside to cool; beat up the eggs, mix them with the boiled semolina when it is fairly cool, pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake until a golden colour. simple pudding. oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / pint of milk, eggs, even teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, sugar to taste. mix the milk and meal perfectly smooth, add the eggs, well beaten, the sugar and cinnamon. butter some cups, fill them three-parts full, and bake the mixture until done, that is, when a knitting-needle passed through will come out clean. serve with custard or milk sauce. simple fruit pudding. line a plain mould with some slices (about / inch thick) of allinson wholemeal bread, from which the crust has been removed. then fill the dish with any kind of hot stewed fruit, and at once cover it with a layer of bread, gently pressed on to the fruit. when cold, turn out, and serve with either custard or white sauce. simple soufflÉ. / pint of milk, eggs, tablespoonful of allinson fine wheatmeal, sugar to taste, lemon rind or vanilla, any kind of jam. smooth the meal in part of the milk, set the rest over the fire with sugar and a piece of lemon rind or - / inch of stick vanilla; when boiling, stir the smoothed meal into it, and let it gently cook for to minutes, stirring all the time; remove from the fire to cool; beat up the yolks of the eggs, and mix them well with the mixture (remove the vanilla or lemon rind), beat up to a stiff froth the whites of the eggs, and mix them with the rest. spread a layer of jam in a pie-dish, turn the mixture over the jam, and bake the soufflé� until risen and brown. serve immediately. spanish pudding. sponge cakes, pot of apricot jam, pint of milk, eggs, / oz. of butter. slice the sponge cakes lengthways, grease a mould with the butter; line it neatly with some of the slices of the sponge cakes; press them to the mould to keep them in position. next spread a layer of apricot jam, and fill the mould with alternate layers of sponge cake and jam. beat up the yolks of the eggs and mix them with the milk; pour the mixture over the pudding, and bake it in a slow oven until set. let the pudding get cold, and turn it out carefully. have ready the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, with a little sugar; pile the froth over the pudding, and serve with custard. sponge dumplings. eggs, - / gills of milk, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / oz. of butter, mace, pepper, and salt to taste. separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; mix the wheatmeal with the milk, adding the whites of the eggs, a little mace, pepper and salt. stir the mixture over the fire with the butter until it is quite thick and comes away from the saucepan; take the mixture from the fire, and when a little cooled add the yolks. cut off lumps with a spoon and drop them into the boiling soup. stuffed sweet rolls. allinson wholemeal rolls, cooking apples, oz. of ground sweet almonds, oz. of macaroons crushed, oz. of currants, picked and washed, eggs, a little milk, cinnamon, oz. of butter, sugar to taste. halve the rolls lengthways and remove the crumb; soak the crusts for a few minutes in a little cold milk when the stuffing is ready. pare and core the apples, cook them with / teacupful of water, / oz. of the butter, and tablespoonful of sugar, and mash them up to a pulp with a wooden spoon; then add the currants, almonds, macaroons, egg well beaten, and the yolk of the other. mix all well, and add some of the breadcrumbs to make the whole into a fairly firm mass. fill the crusts of the rolls with the mixture, press the two halves of each roll together, place the rolls into a baking tin, sprinkle them with sugar and powdered cinnamon, scatter bits of butter over the crusts, and bake the rolls for / hour. serve with white sauce. tapioca pudding. oz. of tapioca, egg, / pint of cold milk, gill of cold water, / oz. of butter, / oz. of moist sugar, cinnamon to taste. put the tapioca into a basin, and cover it with water. let it soak for hour, until it has absorbed all the water. add the milk and sugar. bring to a boil, and simmer till quite soft and clear. draw to the side of the fire, to cool it a little. break the egg and beat it slightly; mix well with the tapioca; pour into a greased dish, and bake in a moderate oven until it is a golden colour. serve either hot or cold. vanilla chestnuts (for dessert). lb. of chestnuts, / lb. of sugar, teacupful of water, vanilla to taste. boil the chestnuts in plenty of water until tender, but not too soft, that they may not break in peeling. peel them; simmer the sugar and the teacupful of water for minutes, then add the chestnuts. allow all to cook gently until the syrup browns, add vanilla and remove the chestnuts from the fire; when sufficiently cool, turn the whole into a glass dish. wholemeal banana pudding. teacupfuls of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of sago, bananas, tablespoonful of sugar, eggs, / pint of milk. peel the bananas and mash them with a fork. soak the sago with / pint of water, either in the oven or in a saucepan. make a batter with the eggs, meal, and milk; add the bananas, sugar, and sago, and mix all smoothly. turn the mixture into a greased mould and steam the pudding for hours. winifred pudding. oz. of butter, oz. of sugar, eggs, oz. of allinson breadcrumbs, the juice of lemon, flavouring, puff paste. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, beat in the eggs one at a time. pour sufficient boiling milk over the breadcrumbs to soak, and add them to the mixture, add the strained lemon juice and flavouring, and mix well together. border a pie-dish and line with paste; put in the mixture, and bake for about minutes in a moderate oven. sift a little white sugar over, and serve hot or cold. yorkshire pudding. the old-fashioned way of making it is with white flour. try this way. oz. each of allinson breakfast oats and allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste. whip the eggs well, and make a batter of the eggs, milk, meal and oats, adding pepper and salt. pour the mixture into a shallow yorkshire pudding tin, which has been previously well buttered. scatter a few bits of butter on the top, and bake the pudding for hour. serve with baked potatoes, green vegetables, and sauce. pies pie-crusts. ( ) lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, a little cold water. rub the butter into the meal, add enough water to the paste to keep it together, mixing it with a knife, roll out and use. ( ) / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / lb. of mashed potatoes, oz. of butter, tablespoonful of oil, a little cold milk (about cupful). mix the meal and mashed potatoes, rub in the butter and the oil, add enough milk to moisten the paste, mixing with a knife only, and roll out as required. ( ) / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, eggs, oz. of butter, some milk. rub the butter into the meal, beat the eggs well, mix them with the meal, adding enough cold milk to make a firm paste, roll out and use. ( ) / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / lb. of fine breadcrumbs, eggs, oz. of butter, and a little cold milk. mix the ingredients as in ( ), moisten the paste with milk, and roll it out. ( ) (puff crust). lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, lb. of butter, a little cold water. rub / lb. of butter into the meal, add enough cold water to make a stiff paste, roll it out, spread the paste with some of the other butter, and roll the paste up; roll it out again, spread with more butter, roll up again and repeat about times, until all the butter is used up. use for pie-crust, &c., and bake in a quick oven. ( ) / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of sago, oz. of butter. let the sago swell out over the fire with milk and water, mix it with the meal and butter, and roll the paste out and use. ( ) lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, gill of cold milk, oz. vege-butter. rub the butter well into the meal, moisten with the milk (taking a little more than gill if necessary), in the usual way. roll out and use according to requirements. tarts special recipes for every kind of fruit tart are not given, as the same rules apply to all. for the crust either of the recipes given for pie-crusts may be used, and the fruit tarts can be made either open, with a bottom crust only, with top and bottom crust, or with a top crust only. when any dried fruit is used, like prunes, dried apricots, apple-rings, &c., these should first be stewed till tender, and sweetened if necessary, and allowed to cool; then place as much of the fruit as is required into your tart, cover it with a crust, and bake until the crust is done. if an open tart is made, only very little juice should be used, as it would make the crust heavy. summer fruit, like strawberries, raspberries, currants, cherries, and gooseberries need not be previously cooked. mix the fruit with the necessary sugar, and it the tart is made with a top crust only, a little water can be added and an egg-cup or a little tea-cup should be placed in the pie-dish upside down to keep up the crust. blancmange tartlets. pint of milk, oz. of ground rice, teaspoonful of sugar, a few drops of almond essence, any kind of jam preferred. make a blancmange, of the milk, ground rice, and flavouring; grease some patty pans, fill them with the blancmange mixture, place a spoonful of jam on every tartlet, and bake them minutes. cheesecakes (almond). oz. of sweet ground almonds, / oz. bitter ground almonds, oz. castor sugar, egg, dessertspoonful of orange-water. pound the almonds well together with the orange-water, and the sugar, beat the egg and mix it well with the almonds. line or little cheesecake tins with a short crust, bake them, fill with the almond mixture, and serve cold. chocolate tarts. oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of butter, oz. of allinson chocolate (grated), dessertspoonful of sugar, / oz. of ground rice, eggs, well beaten, and pint of milk. mix the milk with the ground rice, add to it the chocolate smoothly and gradually; stir the mixture over the fire until it thickens, let cool a little and stir in the eggs; make the meal and butter into a paste with a little cold water; line a greased plate with it, and pour the cooled custard into it; bake the tart / hour in a moderate oven. marlborough pie. good-sized apples, oz. of butter, eggs, the juice and rind of lemon, teacupful of milk, sugar to taste, and some paste for crust. steam or bake the apples till tender and press them through a sieve while hot, add the butter, and let the mixture cool; beat the yolks of the eggs, add to them the milk, sugar, lemon juice and rind, and add all these to the apples and butter; line a dish with paste, fill it with the above mixture, and bake the pie for / hour in a quick oven; whip the whites of the eggs stiff, adding a little castor sugar, heap the froth over the pie, and let it set in the oven. lemon cream (for cheesecakes). lb. powdered sugar, yolks of eggs, whites of eggs, juice of lemons, grated rind of lemons, / lb. fresh butter. put the ingredients into a double boiler and stir over a slow fire until the cream is the consistency of honey. lemon tart. lemon, breakfastcupful of water, dessertspoonful of cornflour, eggs, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, some short crust made of oz. of allinson's fine wheatmeal and - / oz. of butter. moisten the cornflour with a little of the water; bring the rest of the water to the boil with the juice and the grated rind of the lemon and sugar. thicken the mixture with the cornflour; let it simmer for a few minutes, then set aside to cool; beat up the eggs, mix them well through with the rest of the ingredients, line a flat dish or soup-plate with pastry; pour the mixture into this, cover the tart with thin strips of pastry in diamond shape, and bake the tart / of an hour. treacle tart. to lb. of golden syrup add breakfastcupful of allinson breadcrumbs, the grated rind and juice of lemon. mix well together. line the tins with short paste. put about tablespoonful of the mixture in each tin; bake in a quick oven. blancmanges blancmange. quart of milk, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, oz. of allinson cornflour, oz. of sugar, piece of vanilla inches long, or some vanilla essence. bring - / pints of milk to the boil, adding the vanilla spliced and the sugar; mix the wheatmeal and cornflour smooth with the rest of the milk, add the mixture to the boiling milk, stir all well for to minutes, and then pour it into one or two wetted moulds; when cold, turn out and serve with stewed fruit or jam. blancmange (chocolate). quart of milk, oz. of n.f. cocoa, oz. of allinson cornflour, oz. of sifted allinson fine wheatmeal, sugar to taste, good dessertspoonful of vanilla essence. set the greatest part of the milk over the fire, leaving enough to smooth the cornflour, flour, and cocoa. mix the cornflour, wheatmeal flour, and cocoa, and smooth it with the cold milk. stir the mixture into the boiling milk, and let it all simmer for to minutes, stirring very frequently. add the vanilla essence, stir it well through, pour the mixture into a wetted mould, and let it get cold. turn it out, and serve. blancmange (lemon) (a very good summer pudding). pint of water, tablespoonfuls of allinson cornflour, lemon, eggs, sugar to taste. put the water in an enamel saucepan, and let it boil with the rind of the lemon in it. when boiling, add the cornflour mixed with a little cold water. allow it all to boil for a few minutes; then add sugar and the juice of a lemon. have the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and beat up well with the mixture; then pour into a mould. make a little custard to pour over the blancmange-- / pint of milk, a little sugar, and essence of lemon; whisk in the yolks of the eggs. this makes an excellent custard. blancmange eggs. make a blancmange with pint of milk, oz. of allinson cornflour, and oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal. pierce the ends of or eggs, and let the contents drain away. rinse the shells with cold water, then fill them with the hot blancmange mixture. when cold gently peel off the shells. serve on a glass dish nicely arranged with stewed fruit or jam. orange mould ( ). oranges, lemon, oz. of cornflour, oz. of sugar, eggs, some water. take the juice of the oranges and lemon and the grated rind of the latter. add enough water to the juice to make quart of liquid. set that over the fire to boil (keeping back a / of a pint for mixing the cornflour smooth), and add the sugar. separate the yolks of the eggs from the white; beat up the yolks and add them to the cornflour and juice when those are smooth. when the liquid over the fire boils, stir in the mixture of eggs, cornflour, and juice, and keep all stirring over the fire for minutes. have ready the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, mix it lightly with the rest, and pour the mixture into wetted moulds. turn out when cold and serve when required. orange mould ( ). the juice of oranges and lemon, oz. of sugar, oz. of allinson cornflour, and eggs. add enough water to the fruit juice to make quart of liquid. put - / pints of this over the fire with the sugar. when boiling thicken it with the cornflour, which should be smoothed with the rest of the liquid. stir well over the fire for to minutes; whip up the eggs and stir them carefully into the mixture so as not to curdle them. pour all into a wetted mould, let it get cold, turn it out, and serve. creams apricot creams. pint of cream, the whites of eggs, some apricot jam, inches of vanilla pod, dessertspoonful of castor sugar. split the vanilla, put this and the sugar into the cream; whip this with the whites of eggs until stiff, then remove the vanilla. place a good teaspoonful of apricot jam in each custard glass, and fill up with whipped cream. blackberry cream. quart of blackberries, sugar to taste, / pint of cream, white of eggs. mash the fruit gently, put it into a hair-sieve and allow it to drain. sprinkle the fruit with sugar to make the juice drain more freely; whip the cream and mix with the juice. chocolate cream. quart of milk, oz. of allinson chocolate, eggs, tablespoonful of allinson corn flour, essence of vanilla, sugar to taste. dissolve the chocolate in a few tablespoonfuls of water, stirring it over the fire until a thick, smooth paste; add the milk, vanilla, and sugar. when boiling thicken the milk with the cornflour; remove the mixture from the fire to cool slightly, beat the eggs well, stir them into the thickened chocolate very gradually, and stir the whole over the fire, taking care not to allow it to boil when well thickened let the cream cool; serve in custard glasses or poured over sponge cakes or macaroons. chocolate cream (french) ( ). use the whites of eggs to large bars of chocolate; vanilla to taste. break the chocolate in pieces, and melt it in a little enamelled saucepan with very little water; stir it quite smooth, and flavour with allinson vanilla essence. set the chocolate aside until quite cold, when it should be a smooth paste, and not too firm. beat the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, and mix the chocolate with it, stirring both well together until the chocolate is well mixed with the froth. it the cream is not found sweet enough, add a little castor sugar. serve in a glass dish. this is easily made, and very dainty. chocolate cream (whipped). oz. of allinson chocolate to / pint of cream, white of egg. dissolve the chocolate over the fire with tablespoonfuls of water; let it get quite cold, and then mix it with the cream previously whipped stiff; this will not require any additional sugar. egg cream. the yolks of eggs, / pint of water, juice of lemon, oz. of sifted sugar, a little cinnamon. beat up all the ingredients, put the mixture into a saucepan over a sharp fire, and whisk it till quite frothy, taking care not to let it boil; fill into glasses and serve at once. lemon cream. the juice of lemons and the rind of , eggs, oz. of sugar, dessertspoonful of cornflour. proceed exactly as in "orange cream." macaroon cream. pound - / doz. macaroons, place in a bowl, add or spoonfuls of milk, and mix all to a smooth paste. take a d. jar of cream, whip to a stiff froth. lay a little of the macaroon paste roughly in the bottom of a glass dish, then or spoonfuls of the cream, more paste and cream, then cover with spoonful of cream put on roughly. orange cream. oranges, lemon, eggs, to oz. of sugar (according to taste), dessertspoonful of cornflour, some water. take the juice of the oranges and the juice and grated rind of the lemon. add enough water to the fruit juice to make - / pints of liquid; let this get hot, adding the sugar to it; mix the cornflour smooth with a spoonful of cold water, and thicken the fruit juice with it, letting it boil up for a minute, set aside and let it cool a little; beat the eggs well, and when the liquid has cooled mix them carefully in with it; return the whole over a gentle fire, keep stirring continually until the cream thickens, but take care not to let it boil, as this would curdle it. when cold, serve in custard glasses, or in a glass dish poured over macaroons. raspberry cream. quart of raspberries, sugar to taste, / pint of cream. proceed as in "blackberry cream." russian cream. lay sponge cakes on a glass dish, and soak them with any fruit syrup; then add pint of blancmange. when nearly cold cover the top with ratafia biscuits and decorate with angelica and cherries. strawberry cream. quart of strawberries, sugar to taste, / pint of cream. proceed as in "blackberry cream." swiss cream. / pint of cream, / pint of milk, tablespoonful of allinson cornflour, / lb. of macaroons, oz. of ratafias, vanilla, and sugar to taste. put the cream and milk over the fire, adding a piece of vanilla inches long, and sugar to taste; smooth the cornflour with a tablespoonful of cold milk, mix it with the milk and cream when nearly boiling, stir the mixture over the fire until it has thickened and let it simmer minutes longer, always stirring; remove the vanilla, arrange the macaroons and ratafias on a shallow glass dish, let the cream cool a little, then pour it over the biscuits and serve cold. this makes a delicious dish. whipped creams. quantity of good thick cream according to requirement. the white of egg to / pint. whip it well with a whisk or fork until it gets quite thick; in hot weather it should be kept on ice or standing in another basin with cold water, as the cream might curdle. add sugar to taste and whatever flavouring might be desired, this latter giving the cream its name. when whipped cream is used to pour over sweets, &c., flavour it with stick vanilla; a piece inch long is sufficient for / pint of cream; it must be split and as much as possible of the little grains in it rubbed into the cream. custards almond custard. quart of milk, eggs, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour, wineglassful of rosewater, sugar to taste, / lb. ground almonds. boil the milk with the sugar and almonds; smooth the cornflour with the rosewater and stir it into the boiling milk, let it boil up for a minute. beat up the eggs, leaving out of the whites of the eggs, which are to be beaten to a stiff froth. let the milk cool a little, then stir in the eggs very gradually, taking care not to curdle them; stir over the fire until the custard is nearly boiling, then let it cool, stirring occasionally; pour it into a glass dish, and pile the whipped whites of the eggs on the top of the custard just before serving. baked apple custard. large apples, moist sugar to taste, half a teacupful of water and the juice of half a lemon, pint of custard made with allinson custard powder. peel, cut and core the apples and put into a lined saucepan with the water, sugar, and lemon juice, stew till tender and rub through a sieve; when cold put the fruit at the bottom of a pie-dish and pour the custard over, grate a little nutmeg over the top, bake lightly, and serve cold. baked custard. quart of milk, eggs, sugar, and flavouring to taste. heat the milk until nearly boiling, sweeten it with sugar, and add any kind of flavouring. whip up the eggs, and mix them carefully with the hot milk. pour the custard into a buttered pie-dish, and bake it in a moderately hot oven until set. if the milk and eggs are mixed cold and then baked the custard goes watery; it is therefore important to bear in mind that the milk should first be heated. serve with stewed fruit. caramel custard. - / pints of milk, eggs, dessertspoonful of sugar, / lemon and oz. of castor sugar for caramel. put the dry castor sugar into an enamelled saucepan and let it melt and turn a rich brown over the fire, stirring all the time. when the sugar is melted and browned stir into it about tablespoonfuls of hot water, and the juice of / lemon. then pour the caramel into a mould or cake-tin, and let it run all round the sides of the tin. meanwhile heat the milk near boiling-point, and add the vanilla and sugar. whip up the eggs, stir carefully into them the hot milk, so as not to curdle the eggs. then pour the custard into the tin on the caramel and stand the tin in a larger tin with hot water, place it in the oven, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about minutes or until the custard is set. allow it to get cold, turn out, and serve. caramel cup custard (french). make the custard as in the recipe for "cup custard." take oz. of castor sugar; put it over a brisk fire in a small enamelled saucepan, keep stirring it until quite melted and a rich brown. then cautiously add tablespoonfuls of boiling water, taking care not to be scalded by the spluttering sugar. gradually stir the caramel into the hot custard. let it cool, and serve in custard glasses. cup custard. whole eggs or yolks of eggs, quart of milk, sugar and vanilla to taste. beat the eggs well while the milk is being heated. use vanilla pods to flavour--they are better than the essence, which is alcoholic; split a piece of the pod or inches long, and let it soak in the milk for hour before it is set over the fire, so as to extract the flavour from the vanilla. sweeten the milk and let it come nearly to boiling-point. carefully stir the milk into the beaten eggs, adding only a little at a time, so as not to curdle the eggs. when all is mixed, pour the custard into a jug, which should be placed in a saucepanful of boiling water. keep stirring the custard with a wooden spoon, and as soon as the custard begins to coat the spoon remove the saucepan from the fire, and continue stirring the custard until it is well thickened. in doing as here directed there is no risk of the custard curdling, for directly the water ceases to boil it cannot curdle the custard, although it is hot enough to finish thickening it. if the milk is nearly boiling when mixed with the eggs, the custard will only take from to minutes to finish. when the custard is done place the jug in which it was made in a bowl of cold water, stir it often while cooling to prevent a skin forming on the top. remove the vanilla pod and pour the custard into glasses. should the custard be required very thick, eggs should be used, or the milk can first be thickened with a dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour before mixing it with the eggs. this is an excellent plan; it saves eggs, and the custard tastes just as rich as if more eggs were used. serve in custard glasses, or in a glass dish. custard (allinson). pint of milk or cream, oz. of lump sugar and packet of allinson custard powder. put the contents of the packet into a basin and mix to a smooth, thin paste with about tablespoonfuls of the milk; boil the remainder of milk with the sugar, and when quite boiling pour quickly into the basin, stirring thoroughly; stir occasionally until quite cold, then pour into custard glasses and grate a little nutmeg on the top, or put in a glass dish and serve with stewed or tinned fruits, or the custard can be used with christmas or plum pudding instead of sauce. when the custard has been standing over night, it should be well stirred before using. custard in pastry or kentish pudding pie. line a pie-dish with puff paste, prick well with a fork and bake carefully, then fill the case with a custard made as follows. mix dessertspoonful of flour with the contents of a packet of allinson custard powder, out of a pint of milk take tablespoonfuls and mix well with the flour, custard powder, &c., boil the remainder of milk with sugar to taste and oz. of butter and when quite boiling pour on to the custard powder, stir quickly for a minute, then pour into the pastry case, grate a little nutmeg on the top and bake till of a golden brown; serve either hot or cold. frumenty. quart of milk, / pint of ready boiled wheat (boiled in water), / lb. of sultanas and currants mixed, sugar to taste, eggs, a stick of cinnamon. mix the milk with the wheat (which should be fresh), the sugar and fruit, adding the cinnamon, and let all cook gently over a low fire, stirring frequently; when the mixture is nicely thickened remove it from the fire and let it cool; beat up the eggs and gradually mix them with the rest, taking great care not to curdle them. stir the frumenty over the fire, but do not allow to boil. serve hot or cold. the wheat should be fresh and soaked for hours, and then cooked from to hours. gooseberry custard. make some good puff paste and line a pie-dish with it, putting a double row round the edge. with / lb. of castor sugar stew lb. of green gooseberries until the skins are tender, then rub them through a sieve. scald pint of milk, mix tablespoonful of allinson cornflour to a smooth paste with cold milk, add it to the milk when boiling, let it boil for minutes, gently stirring it all the time, then turn it into a bowl and let it become cool. add / lb. of castor sugar, oz. of butter melted and dropped in gradually whilst the mixture is beaten, then put in the well-beaten yolks of eggs, add the mashed gooseberries in small quantities, and lastly the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth; beat all together for a minute to mix well. pour this into the lined pie-dish and bake or minutes; serve in the pie-dish. this can be made from any kind of acid fruit, and is as good cold as hot. gooseberry fool. top and tail pint of gooseberries, put into a lined saucepan with sugar to taste and half a small teacupful of water, stew gently until perfectly tender, rub through a sieve, and when quite cold add pint of custard made with allinson custard powder, which should have been allowed to become cold before being mixed with the fruit. serve in a glass dish with sponge fingers. n.b.--apple fool is made in exactly the same way as above, substituting sharp apples for the gooseberries. macaroni custard. oz. of allinson macaroni, eggs, tablespoonful of sugar, even dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour, vanilla to taste. boil the macaroni in pint of milk, and add a little water it needed; when quite tender place it on a glass dish to cool; make a custard of the rest of the milk and the other ingredients; flavour it well with vanilla; when the custard is cool pour it over the macaroni, and serve with or without stewed fruit. macaroon custard. / lb. of macaroons, quart of milk, eggs, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour, sugar and vanilla essence to taste. boil the milk and stir into it the cornflour smoothed with a little of the milk; whip up the eggs, and carefully stir in the milk (which should have been allowed to go off the boil) without curdling it; add sugar and vanilla to taste, and stir the custard over the fire until it thickens, placing it in a jug into a saucepan of boiling water. arrange the macaroons in a glass dish, and when the custard is cool enough not to crack the dish, pour it over them and sprinkle some ground almonds on the top. serve cold. orange custard. the juice of oranges and of / a lemon, eggs, oz. of sugar, and dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour. add enough water to the fruit juices to make - / pints of liquid. set this over the fire with the sugar; meanwhile smooth the cornflour with a little cold water, and thicken the liquid with it when boiling. set aside the saucepan, (which should be an enamelled one) so as to cool the contents a little. beat up the eggs, gradually stir into them the thickened liquid, and then proceed with the custard as in the previous recipe. this is a german sweet, and very delicious. raspberry custard. - / pints of raspberries, / pint of red currants, oz. of sugar, eggs, dessertspoonful of allinson cornflour. mix the fruit, and let it cook from to minutes with pint of water; strain the juice well through a piece of muslin or a fine hair-sieve. there should be quart of juice; if necessary add a little more water; return the juice to the saucepan, add the sugar and reheat the liquid; when it boils thicken it with the cornflour, then set it aside to cool. beat up the eggs, add them carefully after the fruit juice has somewhat cooled; stir the custard over the fire until it thickens, but do not allow it to boil, as the eggs would curdle. serve cold in custard glasses, or in a glass dish poured over macaroons or sponge cakes. you can make a fruit custard in this way, with strawberries, cherries, red currants, or any juicy summer fruit. strawberry custard. remove the stalks from lb. of fresh strawberries, place them in a glass dish and scatter over tablespoonfuls of pounded sugar; prepare pint of custard with allinson custard powder according to recipe given above, and while still hot pour carefully over the fruit, set aside to cool, and just before serving (which must not be until the custard has become quite cold) garnish the top with a few fine strawberries. apple cookery apples (buttered). lb. of apples, oz. of butter, ground cinnamon and sugar to taste. pare, core, and slice the apples; heat the butter in a frying-pan, when it boils turn in the apples and fry them until cooked; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and serve on buttered toast. apple cake oz. each of allinson fine wheatmeal and white flour, - / oz. of butter, egg, a little cold water, - / lbs. of apples, heaped-up teaspoonful of cinnamon, and oz. of castor sugar. rub the butter into the meal and flour, beat up the egg and add it, and as much cold water as is required to make a smooth paste; roll out the greater part of it / inch thick, and line a flat buttered tin with it. pare, core, and cut the apples into thin divisions, arrange them in close rows on the paste point down, leaving inch of edge uncovered; sift the sugar and cinnamon over the apples; roll out thinly the rest of the paste, cover the apples with it, turn up the edges of the bottom crust over the edges of the top crust, make incisions in the crust, and bake the cake until brown in a moderately hot oven; when cold sift castor sugar over it, slip the cake off the tin, cut into pieces, and serve. apple charlotte. lbs. of good cooking apples, oz. of chopped almonds, oz. of currants and sultanas mixed, stick of cinnamon about inches long, sugar to taste, the juice of / a lemon, and allinson bread and butter cut very thinly. pare, core, and cut up the apples, and stew them with a teacupful of water and the cinnamon, until the apples have become a pulp; remove the cinnamon, and add sugar, lemon juice, the almonds, and the currants and sultanas, previously picked, washed, and dried; mix all well and allow the mixture to cool; butter a pie-dish and line it with thin slices of bread and butter, then place on it a layer of apple mixture, repeat the layers, finishing with slices of bread and butter; bake for / hour in a moderate oven. apples (drying). those who have apple-trees are often at a loss to know what to do with the windfalls. the apples come down on some days by the bushel, and it is impossible to use them all up for apple pie, puddings, or jelly. an excellent way to keep them for winter use is to dry them. it gives a little trouble, but one is well repaid for it, for the home-dried apples are superior in flavour to any bought apple-rings or pippins. peel your apples, cut away the cores and all the worm-eaten parts--for nearly the whole of the windfalls are more or less worm-eaten. the good parts cut into thin pieces, spread them on large sheets of paper in the sun. in the evening (before the dew falls), they should be taken indoors and spread on tins (but with paper underneath), on the cool kitchen stove, and if the oven is only just warm, placed in the oven well spread out; of course they require frequent turning about, both in the sun and on the stove. next day they may again be spread in the sun, and will probably be quite dry in the course of the day. should the weather be rainy, the apples must be dried indoors only, and extra care must then be taken that they are neither scorched nor cooked on the stove. whilst cooking is going on they will dry nicely on sheets of paper on the plate-rack. when the apples are quite dry, which is when the outside is not moist at all, fill them into brown paper bags and hang them up in an airy, dry place. the apples will be found delicious in flavour when stewed, and most acceptable when fresh fruit is scarce. i have dried several bushels of apples in this way every year. apple dumplings. core as many apples as may be required. fill the holes with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon; make a paste for a short crust, roll it out, and wrap each apple in it. bake the dumplings about or minutes in the oven, or boil them the same time in plenty of water, placing the dumplings in the water when it boils fast. serve with cream or sweet white sauce. apple fool. lbs. of apples, / lb. of dates, / pint of milk, / pint of cream, cloves tied in muslin, and a little sugar. pare, core, and cut up the apples, stone the dates, and gently stew the fruit with a teacupful of water and the cloves until quite tender; when sufficiently cooked, remove the cloves, and rub the fruit through a sieve; gradually mix in the milk, which should be boiling, then the cream; serve cold with sponge-cake fingers. apple fritters. good juicy cooking apples, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / pint of milk, and sugar to taste. pare and core the apples, and cut them into rounds / inch thick; make a batter with the milk, meal, and the eggs well beaten, adding sugar to taste. have a frying-pan ready on the fire with boiling oil, vege-butter, or butter, dip the apple slices into the batter and fry the fritters until golden brown; drain them on blotting paper, and keep them hot in the oven until all are done. apple jelly. pint of water to each lb. of apples. wash and cut up the apples, and boil them in the water until tender; then pour them into a jelly bag and let drain well; take lb. of loaf sugar to each pint of juice, and the juice of lemon to each quart of liquid. boil the liquid, skimming carefully, until the jelly sets when cold if a drop is tried on a plate. it may take from hours to hours in boiling. apple pancakes. make the batter as directed in the recipe for "apple fritters," peel apples, and cut them in thin slices, mix them with the batter, add sugar and cinnamon to taste, a little lemon juice if liked, and fry the pancakes in the usual way. apple pudding. - / lbs. of apples, teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, sugar to taste, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, and - / oz. of butter or vege-butter. pare, core, and cut up the apples; make a paste of the meal, butter and a little cold water; roll the paste out, line a pudding basin with the greater part of it, put in the apples, and sprinkle over them the cinnamon and oz. of sugar--a little more should the apples be very sour; cover the apples with the rest of the paste, and press the edges together round the sides; tie a cloth over the basin and boil the pudding for - / to hours in a saucepan with boiling water. apple pudding (nottingham). baking apples, oz. of sugar, heaped up teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, / pint of milk, eggs, oz. of allinson wholemeal, and oz. of butter. core the apples, mix the sugar and cinnamon, and fill the hole where the core was with it; put the apples into a buttered pie-dish; make a batter of the milk, eggs, and meal, melt the butter and mix it into the batter; pour it over the apples, and bake the pudding for hours in a moderate oven. apple sago. oz. of sago, - / lbs. of apples, the juice of a lemon, a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and sugar to taste. wash the sago and cook it in - / pints of water, to which the cinnamon is added; meanwhile have the apples ready, pared, cored, and cut up; cook them in very little water, just enough to keep the apples from burning; when they are quite soft rub them through a sieve and mix them with the cooking sago, adding sugar and lemon juice; let all cook gently for a few minutes or until the sago is quite soft; put the mixture into a wetted mould, and turn out when cold. apple sauce. lb. of good cooking apples, sugar to taste. pare, core, and cut in pieces the apples, cook them in a few spoonfuls of water to prevent them burning; when quite soft rub the apple through a sieve, and sweeten the sauce to taste. rubbing the sauce through a sieve ensures the sauce being free from pieces should the apple not pulp evenly. apple tart (open). lbs. of apples, cupful of currants and sultanas, oz. of chopped almonds, sugar to taste, teaspoonful of ground cinnamon or the rind of / lemon (which latter should be removed after cooking with the apples), oz. or allinson fine wheatmeal, and - / oz. of butter. pare, core, and cut up the apples; stew them in very little water, only just enough to keep from burning; when nearly done add the currants, sultanas, almonds, cinnamon, and sugar; let all simmer together until the apples have become a pulp; let the fruit cool; make a paste of the meal, butter, and a little water; roll it out and line a round, flat dish with it, and brush the paste over with white of eggs; turn the apple mixture on the paste; cut the rest of the paste into strips / of an inch wide, and lay them over the apples in diamond shape, each inch from the other, so as to make a kind of trellis arrangement of the pastry. if enough paste is left, lay a thin strip right round the dish to finish off the edge, mark it nicely with a fork or spoon, and bake the tart for / hour. serve with white sauce or custard. apples (rice) lbs. of apples, / lb. of rice, the rind of / lemon (or a piece of stick cinnamon if preferred), oz. of sultanas, sugar to taste, oz. of butter, and, if the apples are not sour, the juice of a lemon. boil the rice in pints of water with the lemon rind, then add the apples, pared, cored, and sliced, the sultanas, butter, lemon juice, and sugar; let all simmer gently for / hour, or until quite tender; if too dry add a little more water; remove the lemon rind before serving. eve pudding. / lb. each of apples and breadcrumbs, and / lb. of currants and sultanas mixed, eggs well beaten, sugar to taste, the grated rind and juice of lemon, and oz. of butter. peel, core, and chop small the apples, mix them with the breadcrumbs, sugar, currants, and sultanas (washed and picked), the lemon juice and rind, and the butter, previously melted; whip up the eggs and mix them well with the other ingredients; turn the mixture into a buttered mould, tie with a cloth, and steam the pudding for hours. bread and cakes the advantages of wholemeal bread. people are now concerning themselves about the foods they eat, and inquiring into their properties, composition, and suitability. one food that is now receiving a good deal of attention is bread, and we ought to be sure that this is of the best kind, for as a nation we eat daily a pound of it per head. we consume more of this article of food than of any other, and this is as it ought to be, for bread is the staff of life, and many of the other things we eat are garnishings. it is said we cannot live on bread alone, but this is untrue if the loaf is a proper one; at one time our prisoners were fed on it alone, and the peasantry of many countries live on very little else. not many years ago books treating of food and nutrition always gave milk as the standard food, and so it is for calves and babies. nowadays we use a grain food as the standard, and of all grains wheat is the one which is nearest perfection, or which supplies to the body those elements that it requires, and in best proportions. a perfect food must contain carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and mineral matter in definite quantities; there must be from four to six parts of carbonaceous or heat and force-forming matter to one of nitrogen, and from two to four per cent. of mineral matter; also a certain bulk of innutritious matter for exciting secretion, for separating the particles of food so that the various gastric and intestinal juices may penetrate and dissolve out all the nutriment, and for carrying off the excess of the biliary and other intestinal secretions with the fæces. a grain of wheat consists of an outer hard covering or skin, a layer of nitrogenous matter directly under this, and an inner kernel of almost pure starch. the average composition of wheat is this:-- nitrogen carbon mineral matter water --- from this analysis we observe that the nitrogenous matter is to the carbonaceous in the proportion of one-sixth, which is the composition of a perfect food. besides taking part in this composition, the bran, being in a great measure insoluble, passes in bulk through the bowels, assisting daily laxation--a most important consideration. if wheat is such a perfect food, it must follow that wholemeal bread must be best for our daily use. that such is the case, evidence on every side shows; those who eat it are healthier, stronger, and more cheerful than those who do not, all other things being equal. wholemeal bread comes nearer the standard of a perfect food than does the wheaten grain, as in fermentation some of the starch is destroyed, and thus the proportion of nitrogen is slightly increased. the next question is, how shall we prepare the grain so as to make the best bread from it? this is done by grinding the grain as finely as possible with stones, and then using the resulting flour for bread-making. the grain should be first cleaned and brushed, and passed over a magnet to cleanse it from any bits of steel or iron it may have acquired from the various processes it goes through, and then finely ground. to ensure fine grinding, it is always advisable to kiln-dry it first. when ground, nothing must be taken from it, nor must anything be added to the flour, and from this bread should be made. baking powder, soda, and tartaric acid, or soda and hydrochloric acid, or ammonia and hydrochloric acid, or other chemical agents, must never be used for raising bread, as these substances are injurious, and affect the human system for harm. the only ferment that should be used is yeast; of this the french variety is best. if brewer's yeast is used it must be first well washed, otherwise it gives a bitter flavour to the loaf. a small quantity of salt may be used, but not much, otherwise it adds an injurious agent to the bread. barley bannocks. put / pint of milk into a saucepan allow it to boil; then sprinkle in barley meal, stirring it constantly to prevent lumps till the mixture is quite thick and almost unstirrable. turn the mass out on a meal-besprinkled board and leave to cool. when cool enough to knead, work it quite stiff with dry meal, take a portion off, roll it as thin as a wafer, and bake it on a hot girdle; when done on one side, turn and cook on the other. the girdle is to be swept clean after each bannock. eat hot or cold with butter. bun loaf. lb. allinson wholemeal flour, / lb. butter, / lb. brown sugar, / lb. currants, / lb. raisins, / lb. candied peel, eggs, / teacupful of milk. mix the flour, sugar, currants, raisins, candied peel (cut in thin strips), the butter and eggs well together; mix with the milk; pour into a buttered tin, and bake in a moderate oven for hours. buns ( ). lb. flour, / lb. sugar, oz. currants, oz. butter, or vege-butter, teacupful of milk, oz. french yeast, eggs, a little salt. mix the flour, sugar, salt, and currants in a basin, warm the butter and milk slightly, mix it smoothly with the yeast, then add the eggs well beaten; pour this on the flour, stirring well together till it is all moistened; when thoroughly mixed, set it to rise by the fire for / hour; make into buns, set to rise by the fire for minutes, brush the tops over with egg, and bake from to minutes. buns ( ). / pint water, / pint milk, oz. yeast, oz. sugar, oz. allinson's wholemeal, egg (not necessary). warm water and milk to degrees, dissolve sugar and yeast in it and stir in the meal, leave well covered up in a warm place for minutes. then have ready / lbs. allinson's wholemeal, / lb. vege-butter, oz. sugar, / lb. currants, pinch of salt. melt down vege-butter to oil, make bay of meal, sprinkle currants round, stir the sugar and salt with the ferment till dissolved, then mix in the melted butter and make up into a dough with the meal and currants. keep in warm place for minutes, then knock gas out of dough and leave / hour more; shape buns, place on warm greased tin, prove minutes and bake in moderately warm oven for minutes. buns (plain). lb. flour, oz. butter, or vege-butter, / lb. sugar, egg, / pint milk, drops essence of lemon. warm the butter without oiling it, beat it with a wooden spoon, stir the flour in gradually with the sugar, and mix the ingredients well together; make the milk lukewarm, beat up with it the egg and lemon and stir to the flour; beat the dough well for minutes, divide into pieces, put into patty pans, and bake in a brisk oven for from to minutes. butter biscuits. / lb. butter, lbs. fine wholemeal flour, / pint milk. dissolve the butter in the milk, which should be warmed, then stir in the meal and make into a stiff, smooth paste, roll it out very thin, stamp it into biscuits, prick them out with a fork, and bake on tins in a quick oven for minutes. buttermilk cake. lbs. allinson wholemeal flour, lbs. currants, / lb. sugar, oz. butter, oz. candied lemon peel, pint buttermilk. beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar, then the meal, fruit, and milk, mix thoroughly; butter a cake tin, pour in the mixture, and bake in a slow oven for / hours. buttermilk cakes. lbs. wholemeal flour, pint buttermilk, teaspoonful salt. mix the meal well with the salt, add the buttermilk and pour on the flour; beat well together, roll it out, cut into cakes, and bake for from to minutes in a quick oven. chocolate biscuits. oz. of powdered chocolate, oz. of white sugar, whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. mix all together, and drop in biscuits on white or wafer paper. bake minutes in a moderate oven. chocolate cake ( ). / lb. of fine wheatmeal, / lb. of butter, eggs, / lb. of castor sugar, - / oz. of allinson cocoa, dessertspoonful of vanilla essence. proceed as in recipe of "madeira cake," adding the cocoa and flavouring with vanilla. chocolate cake ( ). work oz. of butter to a cream, add a / lb. of castor sugar, eggs, and a little milk. mix together / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, a heaped tablespoonful of cocoa. add to the butter mixture, and bake on a shallow tin or plate in a quick oven. the cake can be iced when done, and cut, when cold, into diamond-shaped pieces or triangles. chocolate macaroons. / lb. of ground sweet almonds, oz. of cocoa, dessertspoonful of vanilla essence, / lb. of castor sugar, the white of eggs. whip the white of the eggs to a stiff froth, add the sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and almond meal, and proceed as in the previous recipe. cinnamon madeira cake. / lb. of fine wheatmeal, / lb. of butter, / lb. of sugar, / lb. of currants and sultanas mixed (washed and picked) eggs, dessertspoonful of ground cinnamon. proceed as in recipe for "madeira cake," adding the fruit, and cinnamon as flavouring. cocoanut biscuits. breakfastcupfuls of wheatmeal, teacupfuls of grated cocoanut, dessertspoonfuls of sugar, tablespoonfuls of orange water, oz. of butter, a little milk. mix the ingredients, adding a little milk to moisten the paste, mix it well, roll the paste out / in. thick, cut out with a biscuit cutter. prick the biscuits, and bake them in a moderate oven a pale brown. cocoanut drops. / lb. of desiccated cocoanut, / lb. of castor sugar, the whites of eggs. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add the sugar, then the cocoanut. place little lumps of the mixture on the rice wafer paper, as in recipe for "macaroons," and bake in a fairly hot oven. cocoanut rock cakes. lb. of fine wholemeal flour, oz. of desiccated cocoanut, oz. of butter, eggs, a little cold milk, oz. castor sugar. rub the butter into the meal, add the sugar, cocoanut, and the well-beaten eggs. mix, and add only just enough milk to make the mixture keep together. put small lumps on a floured baking tin, and bake in a quick oven. cornflour cake. / lb. of cornflour, eggs, oz. butter, same of castor sugar; separate the yolks of eggs from the whites and beat separately for a / of an hour, cream the butter and sugar, mix with the yolks, then the whites, and lastly the flour, and whisk all together for minutes, and bake for hour in a moderately hot oven. crackers. cupful butter, teaspoonful salt, quarts allinson wholemeal flour. rub thoroughly together with the hand, and wet up with cold water; beat well, and beat in meal to make brittle and hard; then pinch off pieces and roll out each cracker by itself, if you wish them to resemble baker's crackers. crisp oatmeal cakes. lb. of oatmeal, oz. of butter or oil ( tablespoonful of oil is oz.), gill of cold milk. make a dough of the butter, meal, and milk; shake meal plentifully on the board, turn the dough on to it, and having sprinkled this too with meal, work it a little with the backs of your fingers. roll the dough out to the thickness of a crown piece, cut it in shapes, put the cakes on a hot stove, and when they are a little brown on the underside, take them off and place them on a hanger in front of the fire in order to brown the upper side; when this is done they are ready for use. dyspeptics' bread. oz. of allinson wholemeal, egg, a scant / pint of milk and water. separate the yolk from the white of the egg. beat up the yolk with the milk and water, and mix this with the meal into a thick batter; whip up the white of the egg stiff, and mix it well into the batter. grease and heat a bread tin, turn the mixture into it, and bake the loaf for - / hours in a hot oven. this is very delicious bread, very light and digestible. doughnuts. - / lbs. of wheatmeal, / oz. yeast, egg, teaspoonful of cinnamon, tablespoonfuls of sugar, enough lukewarm milk to moisten the dough, some jam and marmalade. dissolve the yeast in a little warm milk, mix all the ingredients, adding the dissolved yeast and enough milk to make the dough sufficiently moist to handle. let it rise - / hours in front of the stove. when risen roll it out / in. thick, cut out round pieces, place a little jam or marmalade in the middle, close up the dough, forming the dough nuts, and cook them in boiling oil or vege-butter until brown and thoroughly done. eat warm. ginger sponge cake (a nice cake for children who do not like gingerbread). breakfast cups of allinson wholemeal flour, breakfast cup of sugar, eggs, oz. of butter or vege-butter, heaped teaspoonfuls of ground ginger, saltspoonful of salt, / gill milk. beat the butter, sugar, and eggs to a cream, mix all the dry ingredients together; add gradually to the butter, &c., lastly the milk. put into a well-greased tin, bake about minutes in a quick oven. when cold cut into finger lengths or squares. icing for cakes. to oz. of sugar take whites of eggs, well beaten, and tablespoonful of orange-or rosewater. whisk the ingredients thoroughly, and when the cake is cold cover it with the mixture. set the cake in the oven to harden, but do not let it remain long enough to discolour. jumbles. lb. of wheatmeal, lb. of castor sugar, / pint of milk, / lb. of butter, lb. ground almonds. cream the butter, add the other ingredients, and moisten with a little rosewater. roll out and cut the jumbles into any shape desired. bake in a gentle oven. lemon cakes. / lb. of castor sugar, / lb. of wheatmeal, sifted fine, the grated rind of a lemon, oz. of butter, and well-beaten eggs. rub the butter into the meal, and mix all the ingredients well together; roll the mixture out thin, lay it on a tin, and when baked cut into diamond squares. light cake. lbs. of brown breadcrumbs, / lb. of sultanas, eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately; oz. of butter, as much milk as required to moisten / lb. of sugar. rub the butter into the breadcrumbs, add the fruit, sugar, yolks, and lukewarm milk. at the last add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. put the mixture in a well-greased tin, and bake hour in a moderate oven. lunch cake. a good lunch cake may be made by rubbing oz. of butter into - / lbs. of allinson wholemeal flour, oz. of sugar. beat up the yolks of eggs with a teacupful of milk, and work into the flour so as to make a stiff batter. add oz. of mixed peel cut small, and / lb. of mixed sultanas. lastly, add the beaten white of the eggs, whisk well, and pour the mixture into a greased cake tin. bake for - / to hours. macaroon. / lb. of ground sweet almonds, oz. of ground bitter almonds, a few sliced almonds, the whites of eggs, and / lb. of castor sugar. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add the sugar, then the almond meal, and mix all well; if the mixture seems very stiff add one or two teaspoonfuls of water. lay sheets of kitchen paper on tins, over this sheets of rice wafers (or, as it is also called, "wafer paper"), which can be obtained from confectioners and large stores; drop little lumps of the mixture on the wafers, allowing room for the spreading of the macaroons, place a couple of pieces of sliced almond on each, and bake them in a quick oven until they are set and don't feel wet to the touch. if the macaroons brown too much, place a sheet of paper lightly over them. madeira cake. / lb. of fine wheatmeal, / lb. of castor sugar, / lb. of butter, eggs, flavouring to taste. beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar, then the eggs well beaten, the meal and the flavouring. line a cake tin with buttered paper, and bake the cake in a moderate oven from to - / hours. oatmeal bannocks. cold porridge, allinson fine wheatmeal. stir sufficient of the meal into any cold porridge that may be left over to form a dough just firm enough to roll out. well grease and sprinkle with flour some baking sheets, roll the dough to the thickness of / an inch, cut into triangular shapes, and bake until brown on both sides. butter and serve hot. oatmeal finger-rolls. use equal parts of medium oatmeal and allinson fine wheatmeal, and add a good / pint of milk and water to pound of the mixed meal. knead into a dough, make it into finger-rolls about inches long, and bake them in a quick oven from to minutes. orange cakes. oz. of allinson wholemeal flour, oz. butter, oz. sugar, grate in the rind of small orange, and mix all well together. beat egg, and stir in with the juice of the orange and sufficient buttermilk to make a smooth, thick batter. half fill small greased tins with this mixture, and bake minutes in a moderate oven. plain cake. - / lbs. meal, breakfastcupful sultanas, oz. ground bitter almonds, oz. chopped sweet almonds, eggs, oz. butter or / teacupful of oil, oz. sugar and teaspoonful cinnamon, / oz. yeast, milk to moisten the cake. dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water, degrees fahrenheit in winter, degrees in summer; make a batter of the yeast and water, with two spoonfuls of the meal, and stand it on a cool place of the stove to rise; do not let it get hot, as this will spoil the yeast. meanwhile prepare the fruit and almonds, mix the meal, fruit, butter (or oil), sugar, cinnamon and eggs; then add the yeast and as much lukewarm milk as is required to moisten the cake. the dough should be fairly firm and wet. let the dough rise in front of the fire. fill into greased cake tins and bake for - / hours. potato flour cakes. a / lb. of potato flour, the same quantity of very fine wheatmeal (sift the latter through a sieve if not very fine), oz. of castor sugar, oz. of butter, the juice of / a lemon, dessertspoonful of ground bitter almonds, and egg. cream the butter, which is done by beating the butter round the sides of the pan with a wooden spoon until it is quite creamy, add the egg well beaten, the lemon juice, then the sugar, meal, potato flour, and bitter almonds. beat the mixture from minutes to / an hour, then drop small lumps of it on floured tins, and bake the little cakes from to minutes. queen's sponge cake. / lb. cornflour, / lb. wheatmeal, / lb. sifted sugar, eggs, rind and juice of a lemon, some vanilla. separate the yolks of the eggs from the whites; stir the yolks well, then sift in gradually, stirring all the time, the sugar and cornflour; add the lemon juice and rind; beat the whites of the eggs to a firm froth, mix it well with the rest; place the mixture in one or more greased cake tins and bake at once in a quick oven. rice cakes ( ). lb. of ground rice, / lb. of castor sugar, eggs, oz. of sweet and bitter ground almonds mixed. mix the almonds with the ground rice, adding the sugar, and the eggs, well beaten; beat all together and bake the cake in a buttered mould, in a moderately hot oven. rice cakes ( ). eggs, / lb. sugar, oz. ground rice, lemon or almond flavouring. beat the eggs a little, add the sugar and flour, and beat well; pour into a tin mould, greased and warmed, only half filling it, and bake in a moderate oven hour. rice and wheat bread. simmer lb. of rice in quarts of water until quite soft. let it cool sufficiently to handle, and mix it thoroughly with lbs. of wheatmeal; work in also / oz. of yeast dissolved in a very little lukewarm water or milk. add a teaspoonful of salt. knead well and set to rise before the fire - / hours. bake in a good hot oven. rock seed cakes. lb. of wholemeal, oz. of sugar, oz. of butter, oz. of ground carraway seeds, about / of a cupful of milk, and eggs. rub the butter into the meal, add sugar, seeds, the eggs well beaten, and the milk. place the mixture in lumps on floured tins, and bake the cakes for half an hour in a hot oven. sally lunn. / of lb. of allinson wholemeal flour, oz. salt butter, egg, - / gills of milk, / an ounce of german yeast. warm the milk and butter in a pan together, rub the yeast smooth with / a teaspoonful of sugar, add the milk and butter. stir this mixture gradually into the flour, add the egg slightly beaten, mix till quite smooth. divide into two, put into well-greased tins, set these in a warm place for hour to rise. put into a quick oven, and bake about minutes. seed cake ( ). / lb. fine wholemeal flour, oz. butter, oz. castor sugar, eggs, / oz. carraway seeds. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs well beaten, and dredge in the flour, add a little cold water it too dry. bake for / an hour. seed cake ( ). - / lbs. of wholemeal, / lb. of butter, / lb. of castor sugar, oz. of ground carraway seeds, the yolks of eggs, and the whites of beaten to a stiff froth. cream the butter, mix all the ingredients well together, adding the whites of the eggs last; line one or more tins with buttered paper, turn the mixture into them, and bake the cake or cakes from to - / hours, according to the size of the cakes and the heat of the oven. if a bright knitting needle passed through the cake comes out clean, the cake is done. seed cake ( ). the same as "madeira cake," adding / oz. of carraway seeds, ground fine, as flavouring. seed cake ( ). lbs. of meal, oz. of sugar, oz. of seed (crushed), / oz. of yeast, eggs, oz. of butter, and a little milk. rub the butter into the meal, add the sugar, seed, and eggs; dissolve the yeast in warm milk and add to it the other ingredients. moisten the dough with sufficient warm milk not to make it stick to your pan. let the dough rise - / hours in a warm place, fill into greased cake tins and bake the cakes - / to hours. seed cake ( ). eggs, their weight in sugar, meal and butter, / oz. of seed. rub the butter to cream, then stir in gradually the other ingredients, first the eggs well beaten, then the sugar, the seed, and last the flour. put in a greased tin and bake to - / hours. seed cake ( ). eggs, their weight in sugar, / their weight in butter, twice their weight in meal, / oz. of seed, a little lukewarm milk. cream the butter first, then add the yolks of eggs, the sugar, seed, and meal, and enough milk to moisten the mixture; lastly, add the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth, and bake at once in a fairly quick oven. sly cakes. lb. allinson wholemeal flour, oz. butter, oz. currants, oz. sugar, and drops essence of lemon; mix the flour and sugar, and make it into a smooth paste with water, but do not make it very wet. roll out times, and spread in the butter as for pastry; roll it very thin, and cut into rounds or square cakes. spread half of them very thickly with currants, press the others very gently on the top, so as to form a sandwich, and bake in a quick oven till a light brown. sponge cake ( ). oz. fine wheatmeal, / lb. castor sugar, eggs, any flavouring to taste. beat up the eggs, sift in the sugar, then the flour, and bake the mixture in a well-greased cake tin in a moderate oven from to - / hours. sponge cake ( ). eggs, the weight of in fine wheatmeal, and the weight of in castor sugar, any flavouring to taste. beat the eggs, sift in the sugar and meal, stirring all the time, add the flavouring, and pour the mixture into one or two greased cake tins, only filling them half full. bake in a moderate oven for about an hour, until a knitting needle comes out clean. sponge cake roly-poly. eggs, the weight of in fine wheatmeal, of in castor sugar, some raspberry and currant jam. mix the ingredients as directed in "sponge cake," line a large, square, flat baking tin with buttered paper, pour the mixture into it, and bake it in a fairly hot oven from to minutes, or until baked through. have a sheet of white kitchen paper on the kitchen table, on which sprinkle some white sugar. turn the cake out of the tin on to the paper, spread the cake with jam, and roll up. this should be done quickly, for if the cake is allowed to cool it will not roll. unfermented bread. this is as sweet and pure a bread as the finger-rolls, and keeps fresh for several days, as it has to be mixed fairly moist. lbs. of allinson wholemeal, - / pints of milk and water; mix these to a thick paste, and put the mixture into some small greased bread tins. loaves the size of the twopenny loaves will want - / hours in a hot oven. unfermented finger-rolls. these are bread in the simplest and purest form, and liked by most. lb. of allinson wholemeal, a good / pint of milk and water mixed; mix the meal and the milk and water into a dough, knead it a few minutes, then make the dough into finger-rolls on a floured pastry-board, rolling the finger-rolls about inches long with the flat hand. place them on a floured baking-tin, and bake them in a sharp oven from / an hour to hour. the time will depend on the heat of the oven. in a very hot oven the rolls will be well baked in / an hour. victoria sandwich. proceed the same as in "sponge cake roly-poly," but bake the mixture in round, flat tins; spread jam on one, and cover with the other cake. wholemeal bread (fermented). this will be found useful where a large family has to be provided for, or where it is desirable to bake bread for several days. lbs. of allinson wholemeal, - / pints of warm water (about ° faht.), teaspoonful salt, / oz. of yeast; dissolve the yeast in the water, add the salt, put the meal into a pan, make a hole in the centre of the meal, pour in the water with the yeast and salt, and mix the whole into a dough. allow it to stand, covered with a cloth, - / hours in front of the fire, turning the pan sometimes, so that the dough may get warm evenly. then knead the dough well through, and if necessary add a little more warm water. make the dough into round loaves, or fill it into greased tins, and bake it for - / hours. the oven should be fairly hot. to know whether the bread is done, a clean skewer or knife should be passed through a loaf. it it comes out clean the bread is done; if it sticks it not sufficiently baked. when it is desired to have a soft crust, the loaves may be baked under tins in the oven. wholemeal cake. lb. of wholemeal, oz. of sugar, teaspoonful of cinnamon, breakfastcupful of currants and sultanas mixed, well-washed and picked over, oz. of chopped sweet almonds, dozen ground bitter almonds, eggs, / oz. of german yeast, / lb. vegebutter, and some warm milk. rub the butter into the meal, add the fruit, cinnamon, almonds and sugar, and the eggs well beaten. dissolve the yeast in a cupful of warm milk (not hot milk) add it to the other ingredients, and make all into a moist dough, adding as much more milk as is required to make the dough sufficiently moist for the spoon to beat all together. cover the pan in which you mix the cake with a cloth, place it in front of the fire, and allow the dough to rise - / hours, turning the pan round occasionally that the dough may be equally warm. then fill the dough into one or several well-greased tins, and bake the cake or cakes from to - / hours (according to the size) in a hot oven. if the cake browns too soon, cover it over with a sheet of paper. wholemeal gems. mix allinson wholemeal flour with cold water into a batter, pouring this into greased and hot gem pans, and baking for / of an hour. all bread should be left for a day or two to set before it is eaten, otherwise it is apt to lie heavy on the stomach and cause a feeling of weight and uncomfortableness. wholemeal rock cakes. lb. of meal, oz. of butter or vege-butter, / lb. of sugar, a cupful of currants and sultanas mixed, oz. of blanched almonds, chopped fine, teaspoonful of cinnamon, or the grated rind of half a lemon, eggs, and very little milk (about / of a teacup). rub the butter into the meal, add the fruit, almonds, sugar, and cinnamon, beat up the eggs with the milk, and mix the whole to a stiff paste. flour or flat tins, place little lumps of the paste on them, and bake the cakes in a quick oven to minutes. particular care must be taken that the paste should not be too moist, as in that case the cakes would run. vege-butter is a vegetable butter, made from the oil which is extracted from cocoanuts and clarified. it can be obtained from some of the larger stores, also from several depôts of food specialities. it is much cheaper than butter, and being very rich, goes further. miscellaneous a dish of snow. pint of thick apple sauce, sweetened and flavoured to taste (orange or rosewater is preferable), the whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. mix both together, and serve. cauliflower au gratin. a fair-sized cauliflower, pint of milk, - / oz. of dried allinson breadcrumbs, oz. of cheese, - / oz. of butter, heaped-up tablespoonful of allinson wholemeal flour, a little nutmeg, and pepper and salt to taste. boil the cauliflower until half cooked, cut it into pieces, and place them in a pie-dish. boil the milk, adding the seasoning, / oz. of the butter, and / a saltspoonful of the nutmeg. thicken with the wholemeal smoothed in a little cold milk or water. stir in the cheese and pour the sauce over the cauliflower. shake the breadcrumbs over the top, cut the rest of the butter in bits, and place them over the breadcrumbs. bake for minutes to / an hour, or until the cauliflower is soft. compÔte of oranges and apples. oranges, fine sweet apples, oz. of ground sweet almonds, syrup as in "orange syrup." peel the oranges and the apples, cut them across in thin slices, coring the apples and removing the pips from the oranges. arrange the fruit into alternate circles in a glass dish, sprinkling the ground almonds between the layers. pour over the whole the syrup. serve when cold. crust for mince pies. / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, / lb. of medium oatmeal, oz. of butter or vege-butter, cupful of cold water. rub the butter into the flour, add the water, and mix all into a paste with a knife. roll the paste out thin on a floured board, cut pieces out with a tumbler or biscuit cutter. line with them small patty pans, and fill them with mincemeat; cover with paste, moisten the edges and press them together, and bake the mince pies in a quick oven; they will be done in to minutes. ground rice pancakes. oz. of ground rice, eggs, pint of milk, jam, some sifted sugar, and powdered cinnamon; butter or oil for frying. make a batter of the milk, eggs, and ground rice. fry thin pancakes of the mixture, sprinkle them with sugar and cinnamon, place a dessertspoonful of jam on each, fold up, sprinkle with a little more sugar; keep hot until all the pancakes are fried, and serve them very hot. when the pancakes are golden brown on one side, they should be slipped on a plate, turned back into the frying-pan, and fried brown on the other side. macaroni pancakes. oz. of macaroni, / pint of milk, eggs, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, sugar to taste, the grated rind of a lemon, butter, and whole lemon. throw the macaroni into boiling water and boil until quite soft; drain it and cut it into pieces inch long. make a batter of the eggs, meal, and milk, add the lemon rind, sugar, and the macaroni; fry pancakes of the mixture, using a small piece of butter not bigger than a walnut for each pancake. sift sugar over the pancakes and serve them very hot with slices of lemon. mincemeat. lb. of apples, lb. of stoned raisins, lb. of currants, oz. of citron peel, oz. of blanched almonds, / lb. butter. chop the fruit up very finely, add the almonds cut up fine, oil the butter and mix well with the fruit. turn the mincemeat into little jars, cover tightly, and keep in a dry and cool place. mincemeat (another). lb. each of raisins, apples, and currants, / lb. of butter, / lb. of blanched and chopped almonds, / lb. of moist sugar, the juice of lemons, and / lb. of mixed peel. wash and pick the currants, wash and stone the raisins, peel, core, and quarter the apples, and cut up the mixed peel; then mince all up together, and add the chopped almonds. melt the butter, mix it thoroughly with the fruit, fill it into one or more jars, cover with paper, and tie down tightly. orange flower puff. / pint of milk, eggs, ozs. of allinson fine wheatmeal, and tablespoonfuls of orange water, some butter or oil for frying. make a batter of the milk, eggs (well beaten), and meal, add the orange water, and fry the batter in thin pancakes, powder with castor sugar, and serve. orange syrup. the rind of oranges, / pint of water, oz. of sugar. boil the ingredients until the syrup is clear, then strain it and pour over the fruit. oranges in syrup. peel oranges, carefully removing all the white pith. put the rinds of these into / pint of cold water; boil it gently for minutes. strain, and add to the water oz, of loaf sugar. boil it until it is a thick syrup, then drop into it the oranges, divided in sections, without breaking the skins. only a few minutes cooking will be needed. the oranges are nicest served cold. raspberry froth. the whites of eggs, tablespoonfuls of raspberry jam. beat the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, then beat the jam up with it and serve at once in custard glasses. this recipe can be varied by using various kinds of jam. rice fritters. oz. of rice, pint of milk, oz. of sugar, oz. of fresh butter, oz. of apricot marmalade, eggs. let the rice swell in the milk with the butter and the sugar over a slow fire until it is tender--this will take about / of an hour; when the rice is done, strain off any milk there may be left. mix in the apricot marmalade and the beaten eggs, stir it well over the fire until the eggs are set; then spread the mixture on a dish, about / an inch thick. when it is quite cold, cut it in long strips, dip them in a batter, and fry them a nice brown. strew sifted sugar over them, and serve. snowballs. - / pints of milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla to taste, and tablespoonful of cornflour. boil the milk with sugar and a piece of vanilla or with dessertspoonful of vanilla essence. smooth the cornflour with a little cold milk, and thicken the milk with it. whip the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth with spoonful of castor sugar, and drop spoonfuls of the froth into the boiling milk. allow to boil until the balls are well set, turning them over that both sides may get done. lift the balls out with a slice, and place them in a glass dish. beat up the yolks of the eggs, stir them carefully in the hot milk; let the custard cool, and pour it into the glass dish, but not over the snowballs, which should remain white. sponge mould. stale sponge cakes, some raspberry jam, pints of milk, oz. of allinson cornflour, sugar to taste, a few drops of almond essence. halve the sponge cakes, spread them with jam, arrange them in a buttered mould, and soak them with / pint of the milk boiling hot. boil the rest of the milk and thicken it with the cornflour as for blancmange; flavour with the essence and sugar; pour the mixture over the sponge cakes, and turn all out when cold. stewed pears and vanilla cream. get tin of pears, open it, and turn the contents into an enamelled stewpan, add some sugar and liquid cochineal to colour the fruit, and let them stew a few minutes. take out the pears carefully without breaking them, and let the syrup cook until it is thick. when the pears are cold lay them on a dish with the cores upwards, and with a spoon scoop out the core, and fill the space left with whipped cream flavoured with vanilla and sweetened; sprinkle them with finely shredded blanched almonds or pistachios, and pour the syrup round them. swiss creams. oz. of macaroons, a little raisin wine and pint of custard, made with allinson custard powder; lay the macaroons in a glass dish and pour over enough raisin wine to soak them, make the custard in the usual way, let it cool and then pour over the cakes; when quite cold garnish with pieces of bright coloured jelly. tapioca ice. teacupful of tapioca, / teacupful of sifted sugar, tinned pineapple. soak the tapioca over night in cold water; in the morning boil it in quart of water until perfectly clear, and add the sugar and pineapple syrup. chop up the pineapple and mix it with the boiling hot tapioca; turn the mixture into a wet mould. when cold turn it out and serve with cream and sugar. tipsy cake. small sponge cakes, / lb. jam, pint of custard made with allinson custard powder. soak the sponge cakes in a little raisin wine, arrange them on a deep glass dish in four layers, spread a little jam on each layer and pour the custard round, decorate the top with candid cherries and almonds blanched and split. a week's menu i have written the following menus to help those who are beginning vegetarianism. when first starting, most housewives do not know what to provide, and this is a source of anxiety. i occasionally meet some who have been vegetarians a long time, but confess that they do not know how to provide a nice meal. they usually eat the plainest foods, because they know of no tasty dishes. when visitors come, we like to provide tempting dishes for them, and show them that appetising meals can be prepared without the carcases of animals. i only give seven menus, that is, one for each day of the week; but our dishes can be so varied that we can have a different menu daily for weeks without any repetition. the recipes here written give a fair idea to start with. instead of always using butter beans, or haricot beans, as directed in one of these menus, lentils or split peas can be substituted. i have not included macaroni cheese in these menus, because this dish is so generally known; it can be introduced into any vegetarian dinner. i have allowed three courses at the dinner, but they are really not necessary. i give them to make the menus more complete. a substantial soup and a pudding, or a savoury with vegetables and sauce and a pudding, are sufficient for a good meal. in our own household we rarely have more than two courses, and often only one course. this article will be of assistance to all those who are wishing to try a healthful and humane diet, and to those meat eaters who wish to provide tasty meals for vegetarian friends. anna p. allinson. , spanish place, manchester square, london, w. _menu i._ tomato soup. tin of tomatoes or lbs. of fresh ones, large spanish onion or / lb. of smaller ones, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of vermicelli and bay leaves. peel the onions and chop up roughly; brown them with the butter in the saucepan in which the soup is made. when the onion is browned, add the tomatoes (the fresh ones must be sliced) and pints of water. let all cook together for / an hour. then drain the liquid through a sieve without rubbing anything through. return the liquid to the saucepan, add the seasoning and the vermicelli; then allow the soup to cook until the vermicelli is soft, which will be in about minutes. sago, tapioca, or a little dried julienne may be used instead of the vermicelli. vegetable pie. / lb. each of tomatoes, turnips, carrots, potatoes, tablespoonful of sago, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, hard-boiled eggs, oz. of butter, and pepper and salt to taste. prepare the vegetables, scald and skin the tomatoes, cut them in pieces not bigger than a walnut, stew them in the butter and pint of water until nearly tender, add the pepper and salt and the mixed herbs. when cooked, pour the vegetables into a pie-dish, sprinkle in the sago, add water to make gravy if necessary. cut the hard-boiled eggs in quarters and place them on the top of the vegetables, cover with a crust made from allinson wholemeal, and bake until it is brown. short crust. oz. of allinson wholemeal, oz. of butter or vege-butter, teacupful of cold water. rub the butter into the meal, add the water, mixing the paste with a knife. roll it out, cut strips to line the rim of the pie-dish, cover the vegetable with the crust, decorate it, and bake the pie as directed. golden syrup pudding. oz. of allinson wholemeal, eggs, pint of milk, and / lb. of golden syrup. grease a pudding basin, and pour the golden syrup into it; make a batter with the milk, meal, and eggs, and pour this into the pudding basin on the syrup, but do not stir the batter up with the syrup. place a piece of buttered paper on the top of the batter, tie a cloth over the basin unless you have a basin with a fitting metal lid, and steam the pudding for / hours in boiling water. do not allow any water to boil into the pudding. dip the basin with the pudding in it for minute in cold water before turning it out, for then it comes out more easily. _menu ii._ clear celery soup. large head of celery or small ones, large spanish onion, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, and blade of mace. chop the onion and fry it brown in the butter (or vege-butter) in the saucepan in which the soup is to be made. when brown, add pints of water, the celery washed and cut into pieces, the mace, the pepper and salt. let all cook until the celery is quite soft, then drain the liquid from the vegetables. return it to the saucepan, boil the soup up, and add oz. of vermicelli, sago, or italian paste; let the soup cook until this is quite soft, and serve with sippets of allinson wholemeal toast. butter beans with parsley sauce. pick the beans, wash them and steep them over night in boiling water, just covering them. allow or oz. of beans for each person. in the morning let them cook gently in the water they are steeped in, with the addition of a little butter, until quite soft, which will be in about hours. the beans should be cooked in only enough water to keep them from burning; therefore, when it boils away, add only just sufficient for absorption. the sauce is made thus: pint of milk, tablespoonful of allinson wholemeal, a handful of finely chopped parsley, the juice of / a lemon, pepper and salt to taste. boil the milk and thicken it with the meal, which should first be smoothed with a little cold milk, then last of all add the lemon juice, the seasoning, and the parsley. this dish should be eaten with potatoes and green vegetables. ground rice pudding. quart of milk, oz. of ground rice, egg, and any kind of jam. boil the milk, stir into it the ground rice previously smoothed with some of the cold milk. let the mixture gook gently for minutes, stir frequently, draw the saucepan to the side, and when it has ceased to boil add the egg well whipped, and mix well. pour half of the mixture into a pie-dish, spread a layer of jam over it, then pour the rest of the pudding mixture over the jam, and let it brown lightly in the oven. _menu iii._ carrot soup. good-sized carrots, small head of celery, fair sized onion, a turnip, oz. of allinson breadcrumbs, - / oz. of butter, blade of mace, pepper and salt to taste. scrape and wash the vegetables, and cut them up small; set them over the fire with pints of water, the butter, bread, and mace. let all boil together until the vegetables are quite tender, and then rub them through a sieve. return the mixture to the saucepan, season with pepper and salt, and if too thick add water to the soup, which should be as thick as cream. boil the soup up, and serve. curried rice and tomatoes. / lb. of patna rice, dessertspoonful of curry powder, salt to taste, and oz. of butter. wash the rice, put it over the fire in cold water, let it just boil up, then drain the water off. mix pint of cold water with the curry powder, put this over the fire with the rice, butter, and salt. cover the rice with a piece of buttered paper and let it simmer gently until the water is absorbed. this will take about minutes. rice cooked this way will have all the grains separate. for the tomatoes proceed as follows: lb. of tomatoes and a little butter, pepper, and salt. wash the tomatoes and place them in a flat tin with a few spoonfuls of water; dust them with pepper and salt, and place little bits of butter on each tomato. bake them from to minutes, according to the size of the tomatoes and the heat of the oven. place the rice in the centre of a hot flat dish, put the tomatoes round it, pour the liquid over the rice, and serve. apple charlotte. lbs. of cooking apples, teacupful of mixed currants and sultanas, heaped-up teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, oz. of blanched and chopped almonds, sugar to taste, allinson wholemeal bread, and butter. pare, core, and cut up the apples and set them to cook with a teacupful of water. some apples require much more water than others. when they are soft add the fruit picked and washed, the cinnamon, and the almonds and sugar. cut very thin slices of bread and butter, line a buttered pie-dish with them. place a layer of apples over the buttered bread, and repeat the layers of bread and apples until the dish is full, finishing with a layer of bread and butter. bake from / of an hour to hour. _menu iv._ rice soup. oz. of rice, oz. of grated cheese, breakfastcupful of tomato juice, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. boil the rice till tender in - / pints of water, with the butter and seasoning. when quite soft, add the tomato juice and the cheese; stir until the soup boils and the cheese is dissolved, and serve. if too much of the water has boiled away, add a little more. hot-pot. lbs. of potatoes, / lb. of onions, breakfastcupful of tinned tomatoes or / lb. of sliced fresh ones, teaspoonful of mixed herbs, - / oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste. those who do not like tomatoes can leave them out, and the dish will still be very savoury. the potatoes should be peeled, washed, and cut into thin slices, and the onions peeled and cut into thin slices. arrange the vegetables and tomatoes in layers; dust a little pepper and salt between the layer, and finish with a layer of potatoes. cut the butter into little bits, place them on the top of the potatoes, fill the dish with hot water, and bake the hot-pot for hours or more in a hot oven. add a little more hot water if necessary while baking to make up for what is lost in the cooking. cabinet pudding. slices of allinson bread toasted, - / pints of milk, eggs, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, oz. of chopped almonds, teacupful of mixed currants and sultanas and any kind of flavouring--cinammon, lemon, vanilla, or almond essence. crush the toast in your hands, and soak it in the milk. whip the eggs up, melt the butter, and add both to the soaked toast. thoroughly mix all the various ingredients together. butter a pie-dish and pour the pudding mixture into it; put a few bits of butter on the top, and bake the pudding for hour in a moderately hot oven. _menu v._ leek soup. bunches of leeks, - / pints of milk, oz. of butter, lb. of potatoes, pepper and salt to taste, and the juice of lemon. cut off the coarse part of the green ends of the leeks, and cut the leeks lengthways, so as to be able to brush out the grit. wash the leeks well, and see no grit remains, then out them in short pieces. peel, wash, and cut up the potatoes, then cook both vegetables with pints of water. when the vegetables are quite tender, rub them through a sieve. return the mixture to the saucepan, add the butter, milk, and seasoning, and boil the soup up again. before serving, add the lemon juice; serve with sippets of toast or allinson rusks. mushroom savoury. slices allinson bread toast, eggs, pint of milk, oz. of butter, lb. of mushrooms, small onion chopped fine, and pepper and salt to taste. crush the toast with your hand and soak it in the milk; add the eggs well whipped. peel, wash, and out up the mushrooms, and fry them and the onion in the butter. when they have cooked in the butter for minutes add them to the other ingredients, and season with pepper and salt. pour the mixture into a greased pie-dish and bake the savoury for hour. serve with green vegetables, potatoes, and tomato sauce. chocolate mould. quart of milk, oz. of potato flour, oz. of allinson fine wheatmeal, heaped-up tablespoonful of cocoa, dessertspoonful of vanilla essence, and sugar to taste. smooth the potato flour, wheatmeal, and cocoa with some of the milk. add sugar to the rest of the milk, boil it up and thicken it with the smoothed ingredients. let all simmer for minutes, stir frequently, add the vanilla, and mix it well through. pour the mixture into a wetted mould; turn out when cold, and serve plain or with cold white sauce. _menu vi._ artichoke soup. lb. each of artichokes and potatoes, spanish onion, oz. of butter, pint of milk, and pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut into dice the artichokes, potatoes, and onion. cook them until tender in quart of water with the butter and seasoning. when the vegetables are tender rub them through a sieve. return the liquid to the saucepan, add the milk and boil the soup up again. add water it the soup is too thick. serve with small dice of bread fried crisp in butter or vege-butter. yorkshire pudding. eggs, / lb. of allinson fine wheatmeal, pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter. thoroughly beat the eggs, make a batter of them with the flour and milk, and season it. well butter a shallow tin, pour in the batter, and cut the rest of the butter in bits. scatter them over the batter and bake it / of an hour. serve with vegetables, potatoes, and sauce. to use half each of allinson breakfast oats and wheatmeal flour will be found very tasty. baked caramel custard. - / pints of milk, eggs, vanilla essence, oz. of castor sugar for the caramel, and a little more sugar to sweeten the custard. heat the milk, whip up the eggs, and carefully stir the hot milk into the beaten eggs; flavour with vanilla and sugar to taste. meanwhile put the castor sugar into a small enamelled saucepan and stir it over a quick fire until it is quite melted and brown. add about tablespoonfuls of hot water to the caramel, stir thoroughly, and pour it into a tin mould or a cake tin. let the caramel run all round the sides of the tin; pour in the custard, and bake it in a moderate oven, standing in a larger tin of boiling water, until the custard is set. let it get cold, turn out, and serve. this is a very dainty sweet dish. _menu vii._ potato soup. lbs. of potatoes, / a stick of celery or the outer stalks of a head of celery, saving the heart for table use, large spanish onion, pint of milk, oz. of butter, a heaped-up tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut in pieces the potatoes, peel and chop roughly the onion, prepare and cut in small pieces the celery. cook the vegetables in pints of water until they are quite soft. rub them through a sieve, return the fluid mixture to the saucepan; add the milk, butter, and seasoning, and boil the soup up again; if too thick, add more water. mix the parsley in the soup just before serving. bread and cheese savoury. / lb. of allinson bread, oz. of grated cheese, pint of milk, eggs, pepper and salt to taste, a little nutmeg, and some butter. cut the bread into slices and butter them; arrange in layers in a pie-dish, spreading some cheese between the layers, and dusting with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg. finish with a good sprinkling of cheese. whip up the eggs, mix them with the milk, and pour the mixture over the bread and cheese in the pie-dish. pour the custard back into the basin, and repeat the pouring over the contents of the pie-dish. if this is done two or three times, the top slices of bread and butter get soaked, and then bake better. this should also be done when a bread and butter pudding is made. bake the savoury until brown, which it will be in about / of an hour. orange mould. the juice of oranges and of lemon, oz. of sugar, eggs, and oz. of allinson cornflour. add enough water to the fruit juices to make quart of liquid; put - / pints of this over the fire with the sugar. with the rest smooth the cornflour and mix with it the eggs well beaten. when the liquid in the saucepan is near the boil, stir into it the mixture of egg and cornflour. keep stirring the mixture over a gentle fire until it has cooked minutes. turn it into a wetted mould and allow to get cold, then turn out and serve. a week's menu nutritive value and chemical composition of various fruits, nuts, grains, and vegetables. (analysis of the _edible portion_.) professor atwater's analysis. proteid calories per cent. in one lb. fruit--fresh. apples . apricots . bananas . blackberries . cherries . cranberries . currants . figs . grapes . huckleberries . lemons . musk-melons . nectarines . oranges . pears . persimmons . pineapple . plums . pomegranates . raspberries . strawberries . water-melons . whortleberries or wimberries . fruit--dried. apples . apricots . citron . currants . dates . figs . grapes . pears . prunes . raisins . apricots (canned) . marmalade . pears (canned) . pineapple " . green vegetables artichoke . asparagus . beetroot . cabbage . " (curly) . " (sprouts) . carrots . cauliflower . celery . corn (green) . cucumber . dandelion . egg plant . horseradish . kohl rabi . leeks . lettuce . mushrooms . olives (green) . " (ripe) . onions . parsnips . potatoes (boiled) . " (chipped) . " (raw) . " (sweet) . pumpkins . radishes . rhubarb . spinach . tomatoes . turnips . nuts--shelled. acorns . almonds . beechnuts . brazil nuts . butternuts . chestnuts (dried) . " (fresh) . cocoanuts . " desiccated . filberts (hazels) . hickory . peanuts . peanut butter . pecans . pine kernels . pistachios . walnuts . " black } " californian} . grain foods, etc. barley meal . " pearled . buckwheat flour . corn flour . corn meal (granular) . " popped . hominy . oatmeal . oats (rolled) . rice . rye flour . " meal . wheat flaked . " flour, or wholemeal . " germs . " gluten . " self-raising . macaroni . " spaghetti . " vermicelli . beans, small white . " lima or butter . lentils . peas (dried) . " (green) . arrowroot --- corn-starch --- sago . tapioca --- cakes. cake, fruit . " gingerbread . " sponge . biscuits. all kinds, average . water . bread. buns, currant . " hot cross . corn, indian . cheap bread . gluten . home-made bread . white bread . whole-wheat bread . rolls, plain . " vienna . " water . rye . various. chocolate . cocoa . candy --- honey --- molasses (cane) . invalid cookery barley. the plants _hordeum distichon_ and _hordeum vulgare_ supply most of the barley used in this country. barley has been used as a food from time out of mind. we find frequent mention of it in the bible, and in old latin and greek books. according to pliny, an ancient roman writer, the gladiators were called hordearii, or "barley eaters," because they were fed on this grain whilst training. these hordearii were like our pugilists, except that they often fought to the death. barley has been used from very ancient days for making an intoxicating drink. in nubia, the liquor made from barley was called bouzah, from which we get our english word "booze," meaning an intoxicating drink. the first intoxicant drink made in this country was ale, and it was made from barley. hops were not used for beer or ale in those days. barley is a good food, and was the chief food of our peasantry until the beginning of the nineteenth century. barley contains about per cent. of sugar, and its flesh-forming matter is in the form of casin the same as is found in cheese. this casin is not elastic like the gluten of wheat, so that one cannot make a light bread from barley. here is the chemical composition of barley meal:-- flesh formers . heat and force formers (carbon)[a] . mineral matters . water . ----- . [footnote a: there is . per cent. of fat in barley, and per cent. of sugar.] from this analysis we can judge that barley contains all the constituents of a good food. in it we find casin and albumen for our muscles; starch, sugar, and fat to keep us warm and give force; and there is a fair percentage of mineral matter for our bones and teeth. allinson's prepared barley may be eaten as porridge or pudding (see directions), and is much more nourishing than rice pudding; it is also good for adding to broth or soup, and to vegetable stews, and is most useful for making gruel and barley water. barley water contains a great deal of nourishment, more than beef tea, and it can be drunk as a change from tea, coffee, and cocoa. during illness i advise and use barley water and milk, mixed in equal parts, and find this mixture invaluable. barley for babies. put teaspoonful of allinson's barley into a breakfast cup; mix this perfectly smooth with cold milk and cold water in equal parts, until the cup is full. pour into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time to prevent it getting lumpy. barley gruel. mix large tablespoonful of allinson's barley with a little cold water, add to this pint of boiling milk and water, boil together a few minutes, take from the fire, let cool, then eat. a little nutmeg gives a pleasant flavour. barley for invalids and adults. use teaspoonfuls of allinson's barley to / pint of milk and water, and prepare as "barley for babies." barley jelly. wash, then steep, oz. of pearl barley for hours, pour / pints of boiling water upon it, stew it quickly in a covered jar in a hot oven till perfectly soft and the water absorbed. when half done, add oz. of sugar and a few drops of essence of lemon. / hours is the correct time for stewing the barley, and it is then a better colour than if longer in preparation. pour it into a mould to set. barley porridge. take tablespoonfuls of allinson's barley, mix smoothly with / pint of cold water, add / pint of boiling milk, and boil to minutes. pour on shallow plates to cool, then eat with allinson wholemeal bread, biscuits, rusks, or toast, or stewed fruits. barley puddings. take tablespoonfuls of allinson's barley, mix smoothly with a little milk, pour upon it the remainder of pint of milk, flavour and sweeten to taste, boil or minutes, then add eggs lightly beaten, pour into a pie-dish, and bake to a golden brown. eat with stewed, fresh, or dried fruits. barley water. mix smoothly tablespoonfuls of allinson's barley with a little cold water, then add it to quart of water in a saucepan, and bring to the boil. pour into a jug, and when cool add the juice of or oranges or lemons. a little sugar may be added when permissible. black currant tea. large tablespoonful of black currant jam, pint boiling water. stir well together, strain when cold, and serve with a little crushed ice if allowed. bran tea. mix oz. of bran with pint of water, boil for / hour, strain, and drink cool. a little orange or lemon juice is a pleasant addition. when this is used as a drink at breakfast or tea, a little sugar may be added to it. brunak. take - / or teaspoonfuls of brunak for each large cupful required, mix it with sufficient water, and boil for or minutes to get the full flavour, then strain and add hot milk and sugar to taste. can be made in a coffee-pot, teapot, or jug if preferred. may be stood on the hob to draw; or if you have any left over from a previous meal it can be boiled up again and served as freshly made. cocoa. put teaspoonful of n.f. cocoa into a breakfast cup; make into a paste with a little cold milk. fill the cup with milk and water in equal parts, pour into lined saucepan, and boil for minute, stirring carefully. this is best without sugar, and should be given cool. lemon water. squeeze the juice of / a lemon into a tumbler of warm or cold water; add just sufficient sugar to take off the tartness. or the lemon may be peeled first, then cut in slices, and boiling water poured over them; a little of the peel grated in, and sugar added to taste. oatmeal porridge. most people, i think, may know how to make porridge; but it is useful to know that if you take pint of water to each heaped-up breakfastcupful of allinson breakfast oats, you have just the amount of water for a fairly firm porridge. when the water has boiled, and you have stirred in the oats, place the saucepan on the side of the stove on an asbestos mat. only an occasional stirring will be required, and there is no fear of burning the porridge. if the porridge is preferred thinner, even cupful to pint of water will be found the proportion. oatmeal water. this is very useful in cases of illness, and is a most pleasant drink in hot weather, when it can be flavoured with lemon juice and sweetened a little. to quart of water take oz. of coarse oatmeal or allinson breakfast oats. let it simmer gently on the stove for about hours. then rub it through a fine sieve or gravy strainer; rub it well through, adding a little more hot water when rubbed dry, so as to get all the goodness out of the oatmeal. if it is thick when it has been rubbed through sufficiently, thin it down with water or hot milk--half oatmeal water and half milk is a good mixture. nothing better can be given to adults or children in cases of colds or feverish attacks. it is nourishing and soothing, and in cases of diarrhoea remedial. rice pudding. wash the rice, put it into a pie-dish, cover with cold water, and bake until the rice is nearly soft throughout. beat up egg with milk, mix with this a little cinnamon or other flavouring, and pour it over the rice; add sugar to taste, and bake until set. sago, tapioca, semolina, and hominy puddings are made after the manner of rice pudding. dr. allinson's natural food for babies. (_to prepare the food_.) put teaspoonful of the food into a breakfast cup; mix this perfectly smooth with parts milk to of water until the cup is full. pour into a saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring all the time to prevent it getting lumpy. it is best without sugar, and should be given cool. for invalids and adults. use teaspoonfuls of the food to / a pint of milk and water, and prepare as above. blancmange. mix large tablespoonfuls of the food to a thin paste with a little cold milk, then add quart of milk, flavour with vanilla, lemon or almonds, sweeten to taste; boil or minutes, and pour into wetted mould. eat with stewed, fresh, or dried fruits, and you have a most nutritious and satisfying dish. gruel. mix large tablespoonful of the food with a little cold water, add to this pint of boiling milk and water, boil together a few minutes, take from the fire, let cool, and then eat. a little nutmeg gives a pleasant flavour. improved milk puddings. mix tablespoonful of the food with of rice, sago, tapioca, or hominy, and make as above. n.b.--the food nicely thickens soups, gravies, &c. porridge. take tablespoonfuls of the food, mix smoothly, with / pint of cold water, add / pint boiling milk, and boil or minutes. pour on shallow plates to cool, then eat with allinson wholemeal bread, biscuits, rusks, toast, or stewed fruits. puddings. take tablespoonfuls of the food, mix smoothly with a little milk, pour upon it the remainder of pint of milk, flavour and sweeten to taste; boil or minutes, then add eggs lightly beaten, pour into a pie-dish, and bake to a golden brown. eat with stewed, fresh, or dried fruits. wholesome cookery i. breakfasts. as breakfast is the first meal of the day, it must vary in quantity and quality according to the work afterwards to be done. the literary man will best be suited with a light meal, whilst those engaged in hard work will require a heavier one. the clerk, student, business man, or professional man, will find one of the three following breakfasts to suit him well:-- no. i.--allinson wholemeal bread, to oz., cut thick, with a scrape of butter; with this take from to oz. of ripe, raw fruit, or seasonable green stuff; at the end of the meal have a cup of cool, thin, and not too sweet cocoa, or brunak, or a cup of cool milk and water, bran tea, or even a cup of water that has been boiled and allowed to go nearly cold. an egg may be taken at this meal by those luxuriously inclined, and if not of a costive habit. the fruits allowed are all the seasonable ones, or dried prunes if there is a tendency to constipation. the green stuffs include watercress, tomatoes, celery, cucumber, and salads. lettuce must be eaten sparingly at this meal, as it causes a sleepy feeling. sugar must be used in strict moderation; jam, or fruits stewed with much sugar must be avoided, as they cause mental confusion and disinclination for brain work. no. ii.-- to oz. of allinson wholemeal or crushed wheat, coarse oatmeal or groats, hominy, maize or barley meal may be boiled for / an hour with milk and water, a very little salt being taken by those who use it. when ready, the porridge should be poured upon platters or soup-plates, allowed to cool, and then eaten with bread. stewed fruits may be eaten with the porridge, or fresh fruit may be taken afterwards. when porridge is made with water, and then eaten with milk, too much fluid enters the stomach, digestion is delayed, and waterbrash frequently occurs. meals absorb at least thrice their weight of water in cooking, so that oz. of meal will make at least oz. of porridge. sugar, syrup, treacle, or molasses should not be eaten with porridge, as they are apt to cause acid risings in the mouth, heartburn, and flatulence. in summer, wholemeal and barleymeal make the best porridges, and they may be taken cold; in autumn, winter, and early spring, oatmeal or hominy are the best, and may be eaten lukewarm. when porridges are eaten, no other course should be taken afterwards, but the entire meal should be made of porridge, bread, and fruit. neither cocoa nor any other fluids should be taken after a porridge meal, or the stomach becomes filled with too much liquid, and indigestion results. to make the best flavoured porridge, the coarse meal or crushed grain should be stewed in the oven for an hour or two; it may be made the day before it is required, and just warmed through before being brought to the table. this may be eaten with allinson wholemeal bread and a small quantity of milk, or fresh or stewed fruit. no. iii.--cut to oz. of allinson wholemeal bread into dice, put into a basin, and pour over about / a pint of boiling milk, or milk and water; cover the basin with a plate, let it stand ten minutes, and then eat slowly. sugar or salt should not be added to the bread and milk. an apple, pear, orange, grapes, banana, or other seasonable fruit may be eaten afterwards. no other foods should be eaten at this meal, but only the bread, milk, and fruit. labourers, artisans, and those engaged in hard physical work may take any of the above breakfasts. if they take no. i., they may allow themselves from to oz. of bread, and should drink a large cup of brunak afterwards, as their work requires a fair amount of liquid to carry off some of the heat caused by the burning up of food whilst they are at work. if no. ii. breakfast is taken, to oz. of meal may be allowed. if no. iii. breakfast is eaten, then or oz. of bread and pint of milk may be taken. n.b.--women require about a quarter less food than men do, and must arrange the quantity accordingly. ii. midday meals. the meal in the middle of the day must vary according to the work to be done after it. if much mental strain has to be borne or business done, the meal must be a light one, and should be lunch rather than dinner. those engaged in hard physical work should make their chief meal about midday, and have a light repast in the evening. lunch.--one of the simplest lunches is that composed of allinson wholemeal bread and fruit. from to oz. of bread may be eaten, and about / lb. of any raw fruit that is in season; afterwards a glass of lemon water or bran tea, brunak, or a cup of thin, cool, and not too sweet cocoa may be taken, or a tumbler of milk and water slowly sipped. the fruit may be advantageously replaced by a salad, which is a pleasant change from fruit, and sits as lightly on the stomach. wholemeal biscuits and fruit, with a cup of fluid, form another good lunch. a basin of any kind of porridge with milk, but without sugar, also makes a light and good midday repast; or a basin of thin vegetable soup and bread, or macaroni, or even plain vegetables. the best lunch of all will be found in allinson wholemeal bread, and salad or fruit, as it is not wise to burden the system with too much cooked food, and one never feels so light after made dishes as after bread and fruit. labouring men who wish to take something with them to work will find oz. of allinson wholemeal bread, / lb. fresh fruit, and a large mug of brunak or cocoa satisfy them well; or instead of cocoa they may have milk and water, lemon water, lemonade, oatmeal water, or some harmless non-alcoholic drink. another good meal is made from / lb. of the wholemeal bread and butter, and a / lb. of peas pudding spread between the slices. the peas can be flavoured with a little pepper, salt, and mustard by those who still cling to condiments. oz. of the wholemeal bread, or oz. of cheese, some raw fruit, or an onion, celery, watercress, or other greenstuff, with a large cup of fluid, form another good meal. / lb. of coarse oatmeal or crushed wheat made into porridge the day before, and warmed up at midday, will last a man well until he gets home at night. or a boiled bread pudding may be taken to work, warmed and eaten. this is made from the wholemeal bread, which is soaked in hot water until soft, then crushed or crumbled, some currants or raisins are then mixed with this, a little soaked sago stirred in; lastly, a very little sugar and spice are added as a flavouring. this mixture is then tied up in a pudding cloth and boiled, or it may be put in a pudding basin covered with a cloth, and boiled in a saucepan. a pleasing addition to this pudding is some finely chopped almonds, or brazil nuts. iii. dinners. as dinner is the chief meal of the day it should consist of substantial food. it may be taken in the middle of the day by those who work hard; but if taken at night, at least five hours must elapse before going to bed, so that the stomach may have done its work before sleep comes on. a dinner may consist of many courses or different dishes, but the simpler the dishes and the less numerous the courses the better. a person who makes his meal from one dish only is the wisest of all. he who limits himself to two courses does well, but he who takes more than three courses lays up for himself stomach troubles or disorder of the system. when only one course is had, then good solid food must be eaten; when two courses are the rule, a moderate amount of each should be taken; and it three different dishes are provided, a proportionately lighter quantity of each. various dishes may be served for the dinner meal, such as soups, omelettes, savouries, pies, batters, and sweet courses. the plainest dinner any one can eat is that composed of allinson wholemeal bread and raw fruit. a man in full work may eat from to oz. of the wholemeal bread, and about the same quantity of ripe raw fruit. the bread is best dry, the next best is when a thin scrape of butter is spread on it. if hard physical work has to be done, a cup of brunak, cocoa, milk and water, or lemon water, should be drunk at the end of the meal. in winter these fluids might be taken warmed, but in summer they are best cool or cold. this wholesome fare can be varied in a variety of ways; some might like a salad instead of the fruit, and others may prefer cold vegetables. a few brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, some spanish nuts, or a piece of cocoanut may be eaten with the bread in winter. others not subject to piles, constipation, or eczema, &c., may take oz. of cheese and an onion with their bread, or a hard-boiled egg. this simple meal can be easily carried to work, or on a journey. wholemeal biscuits or allinson rusks may be used instead of bread if one is on a walking tour, cycling trip, or boating excursion, or even on ordinary occasions for a change. of cooked dinners, the simplest is that composed of potatoes baked, steamed, or boiled in their skins, eaten with another vegetable, sauce, and the wholemeal bread. baked potatoes are the most wholesome, and their skins should always be eaten; steamed potatoes are next; whilst boiled ones, especially if peeled, are not nearly so good. any seasonable vegetable may be steamed and eaten with the potatoes, such as cauliflower, cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, carrot, turnip, beetroot, parsnips, or boiled celery, or onions. recipes for the sauces used with this course will be found in another part of the book; they may be parsley, onion, caper, tomato, or brown gravy sauce. this dinner may be varied by adding to it a poached, fried, or boiled egg. as a second course, baked apples, or stewed fresh fruit and bread may be eaten; or allinson bread pudding, or rice, sago, tapioca, or macaroni pudding with stewed fruit. persons troubled with piles, varicose veins, varicocele, or constipation must avoid this dinner as much as possible. if they do eat it they must be sure to eat the skins of the potatoes, and take the allinson bread pudding or bread and fruit afterwards, avoiding puddings of rice, sago, tapioca, or macaroni. iv. evening meal. evening meal or tea meal should be the last meal at which solid food is eaten. it should always be a light one, and the later it is eaten the less substantial it should be. heavy or hard work after tea is no excuse for a supper. this meal must be taken at least three hours before retiring. from to oz. of allinson wholemeal bread may be allowed with a poached or lightly boiled egg, a salad, or fruit, or some kind of green food. the fluid drunk may be brunak, cocoa, milk and water, bran tea, or even plain water, boiled and taken cool. those who are restless at night, nervous, or sleepless must not drink tea at this meal. fruit in the evening is not considered good, and when taken it should be cooked rather than raw. boiled celery will be found to be lighter on the stomach at this meal than the raw vegetable. when it is boiled, as little water as possible should be used; the water that the celery is boiled in may be thickened with allinson fine wheatmeal, made into sauce, and poured over the cooked celery; by this means we do not loose the valuable salts dissolved out of the food by boiling. mustard and cress, watercress, radishes, and spring onions may be eaten if the evening meal is taken or hours before going to bed. those who are away from home all day, and who take their food to their work may have some kind of milk pudding at this meal. wheatmeal blancmange, or cold milk pudding may occasionally be eaten those who are costive will find a boiled onion or some braized onions very useful. boil the onion in as little water as possible and serve up with the liquor it is boiled in. to prepare braized onions, fry them first until nicely brown, using butter or olive oil, then add a cupful of boiling water to the contents of the frying pan, cover with a plate, and let cook for an hour. this is not really a rich food, but one easy of digestion and of great use to the sleepless. those who want to rise early must make their last meal a light one. those troubled with dreams or restlessness must do the same. very little fluid should be taken last thing at night, as it causes persons to rise frequently to empty the bladder. v. suppers. hygienic livers will never take such meals, even if tea has been early, or hard work done since the tea meal was taken. no solid food must be eaten. the most that should be consumed is a cup of brunak, cocoa, lemon water, bran tea, or even boiled water, but never milk. in winter warm drinks may be taken, and in summer cool ones. vi. drinks. lemon water is made by squeezing the juice of / a lemon into a tumbler of warm or cold water; to this is added just enough sugar to take off the tartness. some peel the lemon first, then cut in slices, pour boiling water over the slices, grate in a little of the peel, and add sugar to taste. brunak.--take - / to teaspoonfuls of brunak for each large cupful required, mix it with sufficient water, and boil for or minutes to get the full flavour, then strain and add hot milk and sugar to taste. can be made in a coffee-pot, teapot, or jug if preferred. may be stood on the hob to draw; or it you have any left over from a previous meal it can be boiled up again and served as freshly made. cocoa.--this is best made by putting a teaspoonful of any good cocoa, such as allinson's, into a breakfast cup; boiling water is then poured upon this and stirred; tablespoonful of milk must be added to each cup, and teaspoonful of sugar where sugar is used, or or teaspoonfuls of condensed milk and no extra sugar. bran tea.--mix oz. of bran with pint of water; boil for / an hour, strain, and drink cool. a little orange or lemon juice is a pleasant addition. when this is used as a drink at breakfast or tea, a little milk and sugar may be added to it. chocolate.--allow bar of allinson's chocolate for each cup of fluid. break the chocolate in bits, put into a saucepan, add a little boiling water, put on the fire, and stir until the chocolate is dissolved, then add rest of fluid and boil or minutes. pour the chocolate into cups, and add about tablespoonful of fresh milk to each cup, but no extra sugar. the milk may be added to the chocolate whilst boiling, if desired. wholemeal cookery most of my readers have received great benefit from eating wholemeal bread instead of white, and they may all gain further good it they will use allinson wholemeal flour in place of white for all cooking purposes. those who are at all constipated, or who suffer from piles, varicose veins, varicocele, back pain, &c., should never use white flour in cooking. those who are inclined to stoutness should use wholemeal flour rather than white. hygienists and health-reformers should not permit white flour to enter their houses, unless it is to make bill-stickers' paste or some like stuff. toothless children must not be given any food but milk and water until they cut at least two teeth. every kind of cookery can be done with wholemeal flour. in making ordinary white sauce or vegetable sauce, this is how we make it; chop fine some onion or parsley; boil in a small quantity of water, stir in wholemeal flour and milk, add a little pepper and salt, thin with hot water, and thus produce a sauce that helps down vegetables and potatoes. in making a brown sauce we put a little butter or olive oil in the frying-pan; let it bubble and sputter, dredge in allinson wholemeal flour, stir it round with a knife until browned, add boiling water, pepper, salt, a little ketchup, and you then have a nice brown sauce for many dishes. if we wish to make it very tasty we fry a finely chopped onion first and add that to it. white sweet sauce is made from wholemeal flour, milk, sugar, and a little cinnamon, cloves, lemon juice, vanilla, or other flavouring. yorkshire puddings, norfolk dumplings, batter puddings, and such puddings can all be made with wholemeal flour, and are more nourishing and healthy, and do not lie so heavy as those made from white flour. pancakes can be made from wholemeal flour just as well as from white. all kinds of pastry, pie-crusts, under crusts, &c., are best made from allinson wholemeal, and if much butter, lard, or dripping is used they will lie just as heavy, and cause heartburn just as much as those made with white flour. there is a substitute for pie-crusts that is very tasty, and not at all harmful. we call it "batter," and it can be used for savoury dishes as well as sweet ones. savoury dishes made with batter. fry some potatoes, then some onions, put them in layers in a pie-dish; next make a batter of allinson wholemeal flour, or eggs, milk, and a little pepper with salt; pour over the fried vegetables as they lie in the dish, bake in the oven from / an hour to hour, until, in fact, the batter has formed a crust; eat with the usual vegetables. or chop fine cold vegetables of any kind, fry onions and add to them, put in a pie-dish, pour some of the batter as above over them, and bake. all kinds of cold vegetables, cold soup, porridge, &c., can go into this, and tinned or fresh tomatoes will make it more savoury. tomatoes may be wiped, put in a pie-dish, batter poured over, and then baked, and are very tasty this way. butter adds to the flavour of these dishes, but does not make them more wholesome or more nourishing. stewed fruit pudding. cut allinson wholemeal bread into slices a little over a / of an inch thick, line a pie-dish with these, having first cut off the hard crusts. then fill the dish with hot stewed fruit of any kind, and at once cover it with a layer of bread, gently pressed on the hot fruit. turn out when cold on to a flat dish, pour over it a white sauce, and serve. substantial bread puddings. soak crusts or slices of allinson bread in hot water, then break fine in a pie-dish, add to this soaked currants, raisins, chopped nuts or almonds, a beaten-up egg, and milk, with sugar and spice, and bake in the oven. or tie the whole up in a pudding-cloth and boil. serve with white sauce or eat with stewed fresh fruit. these puddings can be eaten hot or cold; labourers can take them to their work for dinner, and their children cannot have a better meal to take to school. sweet batter. mix allinson wholemeal flour, milk, or eggs together, and a little sugar and cinnamon, and it is ready for use. stew ripe cherries, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, plums, damsons, or other ripe fruit in a jar, pour into a pie-dish; pour into the batter named above, bake, and this is a good substitute for a fruit pie. prunes can be treated the same way, or the batter can be cooked in the saucepan, poured into a mould, allowed to go cold and set; then it forms wholemeal blancmange, and may be eaten with stewed fresh fruit. rusks, cheesecakes, buns, biscuits, and other like articles as madeira cake, pound cake, wedding cake, &c., can all be made of wholemeal flour. wholemeal soup. chop fine any kinds of greens or vegetables, stew in a little water until thoroughly done, then add plenty of hot water, with pepper and salt to taste, and a / of an hour before serving, pour in a cupful of the "sweet batter," and you get a thick, nourishing soup. to make it more savoury, fry your vegetables before making into soup. _a month's menus for one person_. no. . cauliflower soup. / small cauliflower, / pint milk and water, small piece of butter, teaspoonful of fine wholemeal, pepper and salt to taste. wash and cut up the cauliflower, cook till tender with the milk and water, add butter and seasoning; smooth the meal with a little water, thicken the soup with it, boil up for a minute and serve. wholemeal batter. oz. wholemeal, gill of milk, egg, seasoning to taste. make a batter of the ingredients, butter a flat tin or a small pie-dish, turn the batter into it, and bake it from to minutes. eat with vegetables. blancmange. even dessertspoonful of wheatmeal, ditto cornflour, / pint milk, sugar and vanilla to taste. smooth the meal and cornflour with a little of the milk, bring the rest to the boil, stir in the mixture, add flavouring, let it all simmer for to minutes, stirring all the time. pour into a wetted mould, and turn out when cold. no. . artichoke soup. / lb. artichokes, / lb. potatoes, / pint milk and water (equal parts), / oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut up small the vegetables, and cook them in the milk and water, until tender. rub them through a sieve, return to saucepan, add butter and seasoning, boil up and serve. flagolets. oz. of flagolets, / pint parsley sauce. cook the flagolets till tender, season with pepper and salt, and serve with the sauce. make it as follows; gill of milk, teaspoonful of cornflour, teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt, and a small bit of butter. boil up the milk, thicken with the cornflour, previously smoothed with a spoonful of water; boil up, season, and mix with the parsley before serving. wheatmeal pudding. oz. of fine wheatmeal, egg, / gill of milk, tablespoonful sultanas washed and picked, / oz. of oiled butter, a little grated lemon peel, sugar to taste. beat up the egg and mix well all ingredients; butter a small pie-dish, and bake the pudding about / hour. no. . carrot soup. carrot, potato, and small onion cut up small, pint of water, a little butter, and pepper and salt to taste. cook the vegetables in the water till quite tender, rub them through a sieve, adding a little water if necessary; return to saucepan, add seasoning and butter, boil up and serve. lentil cakes. oz. of picked and washed egyptian lentils, small finely chopped and fried onion, dessertspoonful of cold boiled vermicelli, egg, some breadcrumbs, seasoning to taste. stew the lentils with the onion in just enough water to cover them; when cooked, they should be a thick purée. season to taste, add the vermicelli, and form into or cakes, dip in egg and breadcrumb, and fry in vege-butter, or butter. serve with potatoes and green vegetables. tapioca pudding. oz. small tapioca, / pint of milk, sugar to taste. put the tapioca into a small pie-dish, let it soak in a very little water for half an hour, pour off any which has not been absorbed. pour the milk over the soaked tapioca, and bake it in the oven until thoroughly cooked. eat with or without stewed fruit. no. . clear soup (julienne). / pint vegetable stock, tablespoonful dried julienne (vegetables), a little butter, pepper and salt to taste. cook the julienne in the stock until tender, add butter and seasoning and serve. haggis. oz. of wheatmeal, oz. of rolled oatmeal, egg, / oz. of oiled butter, / gill milk, a teaspoonful of grated onion, a pinch of herbs, pepper and salt to taste. beat up the egg, mix it with the milk, and add the other ingredients. turn the mixture into a small greased basin, and steam the haggis - / hours. serve with vegetables. ground rice pudding. oz. of ground rice, a scanty / pint of milk, sugar and flavouring to taste, / egg. boil the milk, stir the ground rice into it; let it simmer for minutes, then add sugar and flavouring and the / egg well beaten; turn the mixture into a small pie-dish, and bake in the oven until a golden colour. no. . clear tomato soup. tablespoonfuls of tinned tomatoes, or fair-sized fresh one, small finely chopped and fried onion, a teaspoonful of vermicelli, pepper and salt to taste, / pint of water. boil the tomatoes with the onion and water for to minutes, then drain all the liquid; return to the saucepan, season and sprinkle in the vermicelli, let the soup cook until the vermicelli is soft, and serve. macaroni with cheese. oz. of macaroni or spaghetti, a little grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. boil the macaroni in as much water as it will absorb (about / pint). season to taste. when tender serve with grated cheese and vegetables. wheatmeal batter. oz. of meal, oz. of desiccated cocoanut, gill of milk, egg, sugar to taste, / oz. of oiled butter. make a batter of the egg, milk, and meal, add the other ingredients, and bake the batter in a small buttered pie-dish. no. . lentil soup. oz. of egyptian lentils, oz. each of carrots and turnips cut up small, / oz. of onion chopped fine, / oz. of butter, seasoning to taste, pint of water. cook the vegetables and lentils in the water until quite tender, then rub them through a sieve. return to the saucepan, add butter and seasoning, boil up, and serve with sippets of toast. rice and tomatoes. / lb. rice, / pint water, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, large tomato or two small ones. set the rice over the fire with the water (cold) and the butter and seasoning; let it simmer until the water is absorbed and the rice fairly tender. it will take minutes. meanwhile place the tomatoes in a small dish, sprinkle with pepper and salt, place a little bit of butter on each, a few spoonfuls of water in the dish, and bake them from to minutes. spread the rice on a flat dish, place the tomatoes in the middle, pour the juice over, and serve. wheatmeal and sago pudding. dessertspoonful of sago, ditto of wheatmeal, / pint milk, sugar and flavouring to taste. boil the sago and wheatmeal in the milk until the sago is well swelled out. flavour to taste, pour the mixture into a little pie-dish, and bake the pudding until a golden colour. no. . potato soup. / lb. of potatoes, pint of water, small onion, a piece of celery, a little piece of butter, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut up small the vegetables, and cook them in the water till quite tender. rub the mixture through a sieve, add the butter and seasoning, boil up, mix in the parsley, and serve. cauliflower au gratin. small cauliflower, oz. of grated cheese, tablespoonful of breadcrumbs, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt. boil the cauliflower until tender, cut it up and arrange it in a small pie-dish; sprinkle over the cheese and breadcrumbs, dust with pepper and salt, place the butter in little bits over the top, and bake the cauliflower until golden brown. serve with white sauce. (see "sauces.") apple pie. medium-sized cooking apples, sugar and cinnamon or lemon peel to taste. some paste for short crust. pare, core, and cut up the apples, and fill a small pie-dish with them; add sugar and cinnamon to taste, and a little water. cover with paste, and bake in a fairly quick oven until brown, then let cook gently for another / hour in a cooler part of the oven. no. . potato soup ( ). medium-sized potatoes, small onion chopped fine, and fried a nice brown in butter or vege-butter, / pint milk, / pint water, piece of celery, pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut up the potatoes, and cut up the celery. boil with the water until tender. rub the vegetables through a sieve, return the soup to the saucepan, add seasoning, milk, and onion; boil up and serve. sweet corn tart. tablespoonfuls of tinned sweet corn, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, egg, some paste for crust. beat up the egg and mix with the sweet corn, season to taste. roll out the paste and line a plate with it, turn the sweet corn mixture on to the paste, and bake the tart until a light brown. serve with brown sauce or tomato sauce. rice pudding. oz. of rice, / pint of milk, sugar and flavouring to taste. wash the rice and put it into a pie-dish. bring the milk to the boil, pour it over the rice, add the sugar and any kind of flavouring, and bake the pudding till the rice is tender. no. . rice cheese soup. dessertspoonful of rice, / pint water, / pint milk, oz. grated cheese, / oz. butter, seasoning to taste. cook the rice in the milk and water until tender, then add the cheese, butter, and seasoning, and let the soup boil up until the cheese is dissolved. vegetable pie. oz. each of potato, carrot, turnip, celery, tomato (or any other vegetable in season), a small onion, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of sago. chop fine the onion and fry it. boil all the vegetables, previously washed and cut up, in / pint of water. when they are quite tender, put all in a pie-dish, adding seasoning to taste. add enough water for gravy, and sprinkle in the sago. cover with short crust, and bake in a moderately hot oven. stewed prunes and grated cocoanut. stew some californian plums in enough water to cover them well. if possible, they should be soaked over night. grate some fresh cocoanut, after removing the brown outer skin, and serve separately. no. . asparagus soup. / dozen sticks of asparagus, / pint water, / pint milk, level dessertspoonful of cornflour, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. boil the asparagus in the water till tender, add the seasoning, and the cornflour smoothed in the milk, boil up and serve. macaroni with caper sauce. oz. macaroni, / pint white sauce (see "sauces"); teaspoonful capers chopped small, enough of the caper vinegar to taste. boil the macaroni in / pint of water until tender. make the white sauce, then add the capers and vinegar. serve with vegetables. prune batter. or well-cooked californian plums, with a little of the juice, oz. of fine wheatmeal, / oz. of butter, gill of milk, and egg. make a batter of the milk, meal, and egg, oil the butter, and stir it in. place the prunes in a little pie-dish, pour the batter over, and bake until a nice brown. no. . tomato soup. teacupful of tinned tomatoes, or oz. of fresh ones, teaspoonful of cornflour, small onion, pepper and salt to taste, and a little butter. chop the onion up fine, and cook the tomatoes and onion in enough water to make / pint of soup. when cooked minutes rub the vegetables through a sieve; return to the saucepan, boil up, thicken with the cornflour smoothed with a spoonful of water, and add a little piece of butter; serve with sippets of toast. bread steak. one slice of wholemeal bread, a small finely chopped onion, a little milk, half an egg beaten up, pepper and salt, a little piece of butter. dip the bread in milk, then in egg; melt the butter in a frying pan, fry the bread and onion a nice brown, sprinkle with seasoning and serve with potato and greens. semolina pudding. oz. of semolina, / pint of milk, sugar and vanilla to taste. boil the semolina in the milk until well thickened, add sugar and flavouring, pour the mixture into a little pie-dish, and bake until a golden colour. no. . bread soup. slice of allinson bread, small finely chopped onion fried brown, a pinch of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. boil the bread in / pint of water and milk in equal parts, adding the onion and seasoning. when the bread is quite tender, rub all through a sieve, return soup to the saucepan, boil up, and serve. rice and mushrooms. / lb. of rice, / lb. of mushrooms, a little butter and seasoning. cook the rice in / pint of water, as directed in recipe for "rice." peel and wash the mushrooms, place them in a flat tin with a few spoonfuls of water, a dusting of pepper and salt and a bit of butter on each. bake them from to minutes, spread the rice on a flat dish, place the mushrooms in the middle, pour over the gravy, and serve. bread pudding. oz. of bread, oz. sultanas, / doz. sweet almonds chopped fine, well-beaten egg, cinnamon and sugar to taste, / oz. of butter, a little milk. soak the bread in milk, and squeeze the surplus out with a spoon. mix all the ingredients together, add the butter oiled, pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake the pudding from to minutes. no. . onion soup. small spanish onion, medium-sized potato, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt and a pinch of mixed herbs, a little milk. cut up the vegetables and cook them in / pint of water, adding a little herbs. when tender, rub the vegetables through a sieve, return the soup to the saucepan, add the butter and seasoning, and serve. macaroni and tomatoes. oz, of macaroni, / teacupful tinned tomatoes, - / gills of water, a little grated cheese. cook the rice in the water and tomatoes until tender, add seasoning, and serve with grated cheese and vegetables. steamed pudding. oz. wheatmeal, oz. of sago, egg, / oz. of oiled butter, oz. sultanas, / saltspoonful of cinnamon, sugar to taste. soak the sago over the fire in a little water; when almost tender drain off any water that is not absorbed, mix it with the other ingredients, pour the mixture into a soup-or small basin, tie with a cloth, and steam the pudding for an hour. serve with white sauce. no. . green pea soup. / teacupful green peas, / oz. of butter, spray of mint, a teaspoonful of fine meal, a little milk, pepper and salt to taste. boil the green peas in / pint of water, adding seasoning and the mint. when the peas are tender, take out the mint, add the butter, smooth the meal with a little milk, and thicken the soup. let it cook for to minutes, and serve. vermicelli rissoles. ozs. of vermicelli, oz. of grated cheese, egg well beaten, a few breadcrumbs, seasoning to taste, gill of water, a little butter, or vege-butter. boil the vermicelli in the water until tender and all the water absorbed. then add seasoning, the egg, the cheese, and a few breadcrumbs, if the mixture is too moist. form into or little cakes, place little bits of butter on each, and bake them a golden brown. trifle. sponge cakes, gill of custard, a little jam, a few ratafias, / oz. of chopped almond. cut the sponge cakes in half, spread them with jam, arranging them in a little pie-dish, sprinkling crumbled ratafias and the almonds between the pieces of cake. pour the custard over, let it all soak for half an hour, and serve. no. . split pea soup. oz. of split peas cooked overnight, oz. of potatoes cut into pieces, a piece of celery, a slice of spanish onion chopped up, seasoning to taste. soak the peas in water overnight, after picking them over and washing them. set them over the fire in the morning, and cook them with the vegetables till quite tender. then rub all through a sieve. return to the saucepan, add pepper and salt, and a little water if necessary; boil up, and serve with sippets of toast. hot-pot. / lb. potatoes, oz. spanish onion peeled and sliced, / teacupful tomatoes, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. arrange the potatoes, onions, and tomatoes in layers in a small pie-dish, and sprinkle pepper and salt between the vegetables. cut the butter in little bits, and scatter them over the top. fill the dish with boiling water, and boil the hot-pot for to - / hours, adding a little hot water if needed. baked apples and white sauce. wash and core a good-sized apple, fill the core with or stoned dates, and bake it in the oven in a dish or tin with a few spoonfuls of water until well done. serve with sauce. no. . leek soup. leek, / lb. potatoes, / pint water, gill of milk, / oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. peel, wash, and cut up the leek and potatoes, and cook them till tender in the water. then rub the vegetables through a sieve. return to the saucepan, add the milk, butter, and seasoning, boil up, and serve. savoury custard. - / gills of milk, egg, oz. of grated cheese, a pinch of nutmeg, pepper and salt to taste. proceed as in savoury custard, and serve with potatoes and greens. chocolate blancmange. / pint of milk, teaspoonful n.f. cocoa, oz. of half cornflour and fine wheatmeal, sugar and vanilla essence to taste. bring the milk to the boil, mix cocoa, flour, and wheatmeal, and smooth them with a little water. stir the mixture into the boiling milk, sweeten and flavour, keep stirring, and allow to cook minutes. pour into a wetted mould, and allow to get cold. turn out, and serve. no. . turnip soup. / lb. turnip, a small onion, and oz. of potato, a little butter and seasoning, / pint water. wash, peel, and cut up the vegetables, and cook them in the water until tender. rub them through a sieve, return the mixture to the saucepan, add butter and seasoning, boil up, and serve. potato batter. gill of milk, egg, oz. wheatmeal, oz. of vege-butter, oz. cold boiled potatoes. fry the potatoes in the butter, make a batter of the milk, meal, and egg, mix it with the potatoes, add seasoning, pour the mixture in a little pie-dish, and bake the savoury for half an hour. lemon mould. oz. of tapioca, / pint of water, juice and rind of / lemon, large tablespoonful of golden syrup. boil the tapioca until quite tender, with the lemon rind, in the water. take out the rind, add the syrup and lemon juice, mix well, pour the mixture into a wetted mould, turn out when cold, and serve. no. . apple soup. large cooking apple, small finely chopped onion, seasoning and sugar to taste, a little butter, teaspoonful of cornflour, / pint of water. peel and cut up the apple, and cook with the onion in the water till quite tender. rub the mixture through a sieve, return to the saucepan, add the butter, seasoning and sugar, thicken the soup with the cornflour, and serve. rice cheesecakes. oz. rice, gill water, oz. of grated cheese, seasoning, a pinch of nutmeg, egg, a little wheatmeal, and some vege-butter, or butter. cook the rice in the water until quite dry and soft, mix the egg--well beaten--seasoning, and cheese with the rice, and form the mixture into small cakes. roll in wheatmeal, and fry them a golden brown. serve with vegetables and brown sauce. plum pie. / lb. ripe plums, sugar to taste, some paste. wash the plums and put them in a small pie-dish, pour / teacupful of water over them, add sugar, cover the plums with a short crust, and bake the pie a golden brown. no. . celery soup. / stick celery, / small onion, / oz. butter, potato, pepper and salt. wash, peel, and cut up the vegetables, and cook them in / pint of water till tender. rub through a sieve, return to the saucepan, season with pepper and salt, add the butter, boil up, and serve. apple and onion pie. oz. apples, / lb. spanish onions, hard-boiled egg, a little butter, pepper and salt to taste, some paste for a short crust. peel and cut up the apples and onion, stew gently with a little water. when nearly tender, season and add the butter, turn the mixture into a small pie-dish, quarter the egg, and place the pieces on the mixture, cover with a crust, and bake the pie / hour. macaroni pudding. oz. macaroni, / pint milk, eggs, sugar and flavouring to taste. boil the macaroni in water until tender. cut into little pieces and place in a little pie-dish; beat the milk, add the egg, well beaten, carefully with it, add sugar and flavouring, pour the custard over the macaroni, and bake until set. serve with stewed fruit. no. . butter bean soup. oz. of butter beans soaked overnight in pint of water, / small onion cut up small, oz. carrot, oz. celery, / oz. butter. cook all the vegetables until tender, adding water as it boils away. when all is tender, rub the vegetables through a sieve, return to the saucepan, season with pepper and salt, add the butter, boil up the soup, and serve. sausages. teacupful of breadcrumbs, egg well beaten, / small onion chopped fine, / saltspoonful of herbs, / oz. butter, seasoning to taste. oil the butter and mix it with the breadcrumbs, egg, onion, herbs, and seasoning. make the mixture into sausages, roll them into a little breadcrumb, and fry them brown in a little vege-butter. rolled wheat pudding. oz. rolled wheat, / pint milk, tablespoonful of currants and sultanas mixed, sugar to taste. cook the rolled wheat in the milk for fifteen minutes, then add the fruit, and let simmer another minutes. pour the mixture into a small pie-dish, and bake in the oven until golden brown. no. . french soup. small onion chopped fine, oz. of cheese shredded fine, slice of dry toast, / pint of water, a little milk, pepper and salt to taste. break up the toast, and set all the ingredients over the fire; cook till the onion is tender, add / gill of milk, and serve. vegetable pie. / lb. potatoes, peeled and cut in pieces, / spanish onion chopped up, tomato, / oz. butter, pepper and salt, some paste for crust. stew the potatoes and onion in a little water; when tender, cut up the tomato and mix it in, season and add the butter; place the vegetables in a small pie-dish, cover with paste, and bake / hour or until golden brown. chocolate pudding. / oz. ground rice, / pint milk, teaspoonful n.f. cocoa, a little vanilla, sugar to taste, and egg. boil the rice in the milk for minutes, let it cool a little, mix in the egg, well-beaten, cocoa, sugar, and vanilla. pour the mixture into a small pie-dish, and bake for to minutes. no. . sorrel soup. potato, small onion, good handful of sorrel washed and chopped fine, a little butter, pepper and salt, / pint water, gill milk. peel, wash, and cut up the potatoes and onion, boil in the water till tender, and rub through a sieve. return the mixture to the saucepan, add the milk, sorrel, butter, and seasoning. simmer gently for minutes, and serve. savoury batter. oz. fine wheatmeal, gill of milk, egg, teaspoonful finely chopped parsley, / small grated onion, / oz. butter, pepper and salt. make a batter of the meal, egg, and milk, mix in the other ingredients, pour the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake the batter / hour. stewed fruit and custard. any kind of stewed fruit. _custard_: gill of milk, sugar and vanilla to taste, and egg. heat the milk, beat up the egg, and stir the milk into it gradually; pour the mixture into a small jug, place this in a saucepan of fast-boiling water, keep stirring until the spoon gets coated, which shows that the custard is thickening. remove the saucepan from the fire immediately, and continue stirring the custard until it is well thickened. then cool it, placing the jug in cold water. when cold, serve with stewed fruit. no. . green pea soup. / teacupful green peas, or finely chopped spring onions, a little butter, pepper and salt, a dessertspoonful of meal, and gill of milk. cook the green peas and spring onions in / pint of water until quite tender. add the butter and seasoning, thicken the soup with the meal (which should be smoothed with the milk), and boil the soup for a minute or two before serving. mushroom tartlets. / lb. mushrooms, / oz. butter, pepper and salt, / oz. vermicelli, cooked and cold, a little paste for short crust. stew the mushrooms in the butter, after having dried them and cut into pieces. when they are cooked mix them well with the vermicelli. line a couple of patty pans with the paste, and bake the tartlets until golden brown. serve with vegetables. eve pudding. teacupful of breadcrumbs, small apple, peeled, cored, and chopped fine, / oz. citron peel chopped fine, oz. sultanas, / oz. oiled butter, egg well beaten, the juice and rind of a small half-lemon, sugar to taste, and a few finely chopped almonds. mix all the ingredients, pour the mixture into a small buttered basin, cover and steam for hour. serve with sweet sauce. no. . mushroom soup. oz. mushrooms cut up small, / small onion chopped fine, dessertspoonful of fine wheatmeal, pepper and salt, / oz. of butter, a little milk. stew the mushrooms and onions together in the butter until well cooked, add / pint of water, and cook the vegetables for minutes. add seasoning, and the meal smoothed in a little milk. let the soup thicken and boil up, and serve with sippets of toast. butter beans rissoles. oz. butter beans, tablespoonful of cold mashed potatoes, / small onion chopped fine, a pinch of herbs, / oz. of butter, seasoning to taste. soak the beans in butter over night, fry the onion in the butter. boil the beans in as much water as they absorb until quite tender. then pass them through a nut-mill or mash them up, and mix with the fried onion, mashed potatoes, herbs, and seasoning; form into little rissoles, roll in breadcrumbs, place them on a buttered tin, place a few bits of butter on the top, and bake in the oven until a nice brown. serve with vegetables. ratafia custard. / pint hot milk, egg well beaten, oz. ratafia broken up, sugar and flavouring to taste. mix the ingredients, pour the mixture into a small buttered pie-dish, and bake the custard in a moderate oven until set. no. . clear soup with dropped dumplings. make / pint of clear soup, and proceed for dumplings as follows: egg, tablespoonful of milk, teaspoonful of fine wheatmeal. beat up the egg, add the milk and smooth the meal with it, flavour with nutmeg. gradually drop the mixture into the boiling soup, let cook for a minute, and serve. savoury sausages. / teacupful of breadcrumbs, well-beaten egg, / teacupful cold lentil purée small finely chopped onion tried brown. mix the ingredients, adding seasoning. form into sausages, roll them in a little wheatmeal, and bake them a nice brown in the oven. serve with vegetables and sauce. baked custard. / pint hot milk, egg, a little sugar and flavouring. beat the egg, mix it with the milk, sweeten and flavour to taste; pour the custard into a small pie-dish, and bake until set. no. . parsnip soup. / lb. parsnip, / lb. potato, / small onion, / oz. butter, pepper and salt, a little milk. cut up the vegetables, cook them until tender, then rub through a sieve, return the mixture into a saucepan, add butter and seasoning, and as much milk as needed to make up the quantity of soup. boil up and serve. ground rice cutlets. oz. ground rice, egg, / pint milk, a little nutmeg, a pinch of herbs, / oz. grated cheese, seasoning, and breadcrumbs. boil the ground rice in the milk until stiff, add the egg, well beaten, and the other ingredients. butter a flat tin and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, spread the mixture on the tin, sprinkle well with fine breadcrumbs, scatter bits of butter on the top, and bake until golden brown. cut into pieces, dish up, and serve with vegetables and tomato sauce. fruit tart. line a couple of patty pans with paste for short crust. partly bake, then fill with any kind of stewed fruit, and finish baking. serve hot or cold. no. . chestnut soup. / lb. chestnuts, / small grated onion, pepper and salt to taste, / oz. butter, / pint milk, teaspoonful of cornflour. boil, peel, and mash the chestnuts, and set them over the fire with the onion, milk, / pint of water, and the butter. when it has boiled up, bind the soup with the cornflour, boil up, and serve. macaroni savoury. oz. of cold boiled macaroni cut small, / oz. grated cheese, gill milk, egg, oz. fine wheatmeal, / oz. butter, seasoning to taste. make a batter with the milk, egg, and meal, mix together with the macaroni, cheese, and the butter, previously oiled, season to taste; turn the mixture into a small pie-dish, and bake until a golden brown. apple pudding. / lb. apples, saltspoonful of cinnamon, sugar to taste, and some paste as for a short crust. peel, core, and out up the apples. line a pudding basin with paste, fill the basin with the apples, add sugar and cinnamon, cover with paste, and steam the pudding for to / hours. no. . semolina soup. / gill of milk, gill water, / oz. semolina, a very small piece of mace, / oz. butter, / oz. grated cheese, pepper and salt to taste. bring the milk and water to the boil with the mace, thicken with the semolina; cook gently for minutes, remove the mace, add cheese, butter, and seasoning, and serve. macaroni cutlets. oz. cold boiled macaroni, egg, a pinch of herbs, halt a small grated onion, pepper and salt, breadcrumbs, and butter, or vege-butter. beat the egg well, and mix it with the macaroni cut in small pieces. add the herbs, onion, seasoning, and as much breadcrumb as needed to keep the mixture together. shape into cutlets, dip in egg and breadcrumb, and fry a nice brown. serve with vegetables. gooseberry pool. oz. gooseberries, tablespoonful of cream, sugar to taste. cook the goose-berries in / gill of water; when soft enough to pulp, add sugar to taste; rub the fruit through a sieve, let get cold, and mix the gooseberries with the cream. serve with rusks. no. . curry rice soup. oz. rice, pint milk and water (equal parts), saltspoonful of curry, / oz. butter, oz. finely chopped onion, salt to taste. cook the rice with the onion, curry, and seasoning in the milk and water, until the rice is quite tender; add the butter, and serve. sweet corn and tomatoes. teacupful of sweet corn, / teacupful tinned tomatoes, / oz. butter, seasoning to taste. stew together, and serve with baked potatoes. pumpkin tart. / lb. pumpkin, juice of / a lemon, sugar to taste, some paste for short crust. line a plate with paste. meanwhile, stew the pumpkin, cut into dice, with a little water until tender. add sugar and lemon juice, and cover the paste, which should have been previously brushed over with white of egg, and bake the tart until the crust is done. no. . celery soup. / stick celery, / gill milk, dessertspoonful of meal, pepper and salt, a little piece of butter. cut the celery into pieces, set it over the fire with pint of water, let it cook until quite tender, rub it through a sieve; return to the saucepan, add pepper and salt to taste; smooth the meal with part of the milk, add the rest and thicken the soup; boil it up for a few minutes before serving. beetroot fritters. small beet, egg, tablespoonfuls of meal, gill of milk, pepper and salt, a little lemon juice. cut the beetroot into small dice, make a batter with the milk, meal, and egg, mix the beet with it, adding seasoning to taste. let some butter or oil boil in the frying-pan, drop the batter by spoonfuls into the boiling fat; fry a golden brown, and serve the fritters with vegetables and brown sauce. banana pudding. bananas, gill of milk, egg, a teaspoonful of lemon juice. peel and slice the bananas, and cook in the milk until they will mash up well. rub them through a sieve, add the egg, well beaten, and the lemon juice; pour the mixture into a small pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. sandwiches cheese sandwiches. cut some slices of rich cheese and place them between some slices of wholemeal bread and butter, like sandwiches. put them on a plate in the oven, and when the bread is toasted serve on a napkin. cream cheese sandwiches. spread some thin brown bread thickly with cream cheese, then put any kind of jam between the slices; sift with powdered sugar and serve. chocolate sandwiches. / pint cream, bars of good chocolate. grate the chocolate, whip the cream, adding a piece of vanilla / in. long; slit the latter and remove it when the cream is whipped firmly. mix the chocolate with the cream and spread the mixture on thin slices of bread; make into sandwiches. if desired sweeter add a little sugar to the cream. curry sandwiches. pound together the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, a piece of butter the size of an egg, a little salt, a teaspoonful of curry powder, and a tablespoonful of fine breadcrumbs. pound to a smooth paste and moisten with a little tarragon vinegar. devonshire sandwiches. cut some slices of new bread into squares, spread each piece with golden syrup and over this with clotted cream. egg and tomato sandwiches. eggs, / lb. tomatoes, / oz. butter, pepper and salt. skin and slice the tomatoes, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the tomatoes and pepper and salt to taste, and let them simmer for minutes, mashing them well with a wooden spoon; set the saucepan aside and allow the tomatoes to cool. beat up the eggs, mix them with the tomatoes and stir the mixture well over the fire until it is well set, then turn it out and let it get cold; make into sandwiches in the usual way. tomatoes on toast. cut in slices or ripe red tomatoes, after having removed the seeds. arrange in a single layer in a baking tin, sprinkle with fine breadcrumbs seasoned with pepper and salt. put a little bit of butter on each slice, bake minutes, and serve on hot buttered toast; pour the gravy from it round the dish. a few drops of lemon juice are an improvement. [illustration] [illustration] appendix some allinson specialities index the perfect bread wholemeal flour "nf" biscuits allinson wholemeal rusks the allinson natural food for babies and invalids "power" the ideal breakfast food brunak, the health beverage the allinson vegebutter the allinson breakfast oats the allinson crushed wheat allinson blanc-mange powder allinson custard powder delicious cocoa and chocolate prepared barley the allinson vegetable soup finest nut oil prices are subject to alteration without notice the natural food co., limited. , cambridge road, e. [illustration] the perfect bread the perfect bread and the perfect _food_ is the best description of allinson wholemeal bread, which combines the maximum of nutriment at a minimum cost. other essentials of perfection are amply proved by the following facts:-- palatability. allinson bread retains to the full the delicious flavour of fresh-gleaned wheat. nourishment. containing the whole of the grain, it consistently affords that % of brain, bone and muscle building qualities provided by unadulterated wheat. --which wheat is so scientifically cleaned and ground by a patented stone mill process that allinson bread is perfectly digestible under all conditions. economy. in view of recent advice tendered by the government on food economy, the _fact_ that a lb. (approx.) allinson loaf contains as much real nutriment as a pound of beef (costing nearly three times as much) is a point of economy that none can afford to overlook. [illustration: allinson bread] apart from the questions of economy and nourishment, allinson wholemeal bread is undoubtedly the ideal diet when eaten with fresh fruit or salads. in addition, allinson bread is unique as the health-maintaining diet because it retains those essentials of the wheat expressly designed by nature as a natural and all sufficient corrective. free sample lb. loaf. send d. stamps (to pay carriage) for free lb. sample loaf and n.f. biscuits, together with free illustrated booklet on "bread and health," name and address of nearest allinson baker, and particulars of monthly prize distribution of cash prizes and bread trenchers and knives. for / a - / lb. trial bag of allinson wholemeal will be sent in addition to above. allinson wholemeal flour is packed in - / lb., lb., and lb. bags, containing useful recipes for making all kinds of fancy cakes, pastries, and bread. the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. [illustration: allinson bread unadulterated wholemeal] [illustration] wholemeal ..flour.. allinson gold medal wholemeal flour has been rightly termed the "flour of health." the importance of pure unadulterated flour for domestic cookery cannot be exaggerated, and of the purity and nutritive quality of _allinson_ there is no question. it contains the full % nourishment of unadulterated wheat in a form so perfectly digestible that it is the ideal flour for all possible baking purposes. many people who wisely use wholemeal flour for baking bread fail to realize that it can be used with equal success when making puddings, cakes, and pastry, giving to each extra nourishment and retaining all the delicious flavour of fresh-gleaned wheat. monthly competition. £ monthly prize scheme. the proprietors of allinson gold medal wholemeal flour, realizing the immense value of genuine wholemeal as an economic and nourishing factor of our national diet, have arranged a series of monthly competitions for "allinson" housewives in order to stimulate a wider and more general use of wholemeal flour in the making of pastry, cakes, puddings, and home-made bread. each month ladies will be invited to compete in making one or other of the delicious recipes found in the handy recipe book enclosed with each bag of allinson flour. there will be no entrance fee, and cash prizes to the value of £ will be awarded in each competition for the best "dainties" sent in according to the decision of our cookery expert whose award must be accepted as final. st prize will be £ in cash. nd " " £ " of /- will be £ in cash. " /- " £ " of /- will be £ in war loan vouchers. [illustration] each cake must be made in strict accordance with the directions given as to the quantities of the ingredients. allinson wholemeal flour alone must be used. pack the cake carefully and forward it, together with your name and address, in time to reach us by the time indicated on the particulars enclosed with each bag flour. this competition will run until further notice. sold only in sealed bags - / lbs., lbs., lbs. of all health food stores, grocers, bakers, etc. _sole proprietors_: the natural co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. [illustration: allinson wholemeal flour] "nf" biscuits. allinson _wholemeal_ biscuits are at one and the same time the most delicious and nourishing biscuits sold at a popular price. they are guaranteed free from all chemicals and are made from the celebrated allinson gold medal wholemeal flour. as with allinson bread, these biscuits are most easily digestible and wholesome. [illustration: dr. allinson's ginger biscuits] there are four distinct kinds each sold at the same price. lunch biscuits (plain) lunch biscuits (sweet) ginger biscuits cocoanut biscuits oaten biscuits (plain) oaten biscuits (sweet) be sure that dr. allinson's autograph is stamped on each biscuit, and refuse all substitutes. sold by all allinson bakers, health food stores, grocers, etc., or lbs. post paid for / , or a family tin containing lbs. carriage paid for /-to any address in the united kingdom direct from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. allinson wholemeal rusks these delicious rusks contain no chemicals and are consequently far superior to the ordinary kind which contain so much harmful chemical rising material. [illustration: the allinson wholemeal rusks] they can be eaten by the most delicate and are excellent for babies. they contain all the nourishment of pure unadulterated wholemeal and are made both sweet and plain. they are perfectly digestible and form a splendid change of diet for dyspeptics and other sufferers. none genuine without the signature, t.r. allinson, ex-l.r.c.p., edin. of all allinson bakers, grocers, health food stores, etc. d. per lb., or lbs. / post paid direct from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. [illustration: trade mark dr. allinson's natural food] the allinson natural food for babies & invalids a note by dr. allinson, ex-l.r.c.p, edin. no artificial food, nor the milk of any other animal, is equal to a mother's milk. usually the milk of the cow is given as a substitute for mother's milk. it takes the place of mother's milk fairly well, but it has its drawbacks, the chief one is that it curdles in heavy cheese-like masses, which lie heavy on the stomach, are long in digesting, and cause discomfort. the aim of the scientific and practical physician is to prevent this heavy curdling while allowing cow's milk to be taken. some doctors advise lime water to be added to the milk; this causes the milk to curdle in flakes, but it hinders digestion, gives rise to constipation, and may lead to stone in the bladder. some advise barley, wheat, oatmeal or rice water, etc., to be added to the cow's milk. these often answer the purpose, but they have their drawbacks. they all are a trouble to make; barley and rice water are constipating, and oatmeal water is heating. knowing these drawbacks i invented natural food. this, when added to cow's milk, will prevent it curdling in heavy masses, is easily prepared, and besides this, it contains all that the growing baby needs, and thus is a valuable addition to the milk; it nourishes all the organs but clogs none. nine-tenths of the foods made for babies are made on wrong lines. they either contain too much sugar, or they are too starchy, or they are deficient in bone-forming materials, or in laxative principles, or else they contain injurious chemicals. when inventing natural food i tried to overcome every obstacle and make it the best food for infants in the market; the success that has followed its use justifies me in saying that it is second to none. i am a practical physician, and it is my boast that i rarely lose a child in illness, and when babies are reared as i advise they are usually the admiration of all, and live to be a source of delight to their parents. this is the way to prepare the food for babies. one part of water is added to two parts of fresh milk, and to each half-pint of this mixture is added a fairly heaped-up teaspoonful of natural food; mix well, put on the fire, bring to the boil, and when cool the food is ready. all food should be given cool, or not warmer than the temperature of the human blood. in place of a thermometer, the tip of the little finger is a good tester; if the food does not feel hot to this test it will be of the right temperature. sugar should not be added to the food, nor should tinned or condensed milk be ordinarily used. only under exceptional circumstances should tinned milk be used, as on board ship, or when fresh milk cannot be had. also quite as invaluable for nursing mothers and invalids. [illustration: dr. allinson's food for babies] mothers should send a post-card for free booklet, "healthy babies and how to rear them," by t.r. allinson, ex-l.r.c.p. prices natural food in tins, d., d., /-; / , and /-of all health food stores, grocers, chemists, etc.; or /-or / tin (containing lbs. of food) carriage paid from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. "power" the ideal breakfast food mankind is eternally searching for the best form of food. the rational man wants something that will satisfy the cravings of hunger, be tasty, nourish every organ and tissue of the body, and not be too bulky. we have many foods that will fulfil one or two of these conditions, but it is rare to find all combined in one, as in "power." power is pleasant to the taste--nutritious and most _sustaining_. it contains everything necessary for supporting the human frame. it combines proteid elements for building up the muscles; hydro-carbons and carbo-hydrates for heating the body and suppyling the requisite energy for work; mineral matters for bone and teeth; and lastly, a certain amount of "filling" material to occupy the stomach and bowels, cause daily laxation, and so carry away the bile and various other digestive juices, the retention of which means disease. [illustration: dr. allinson says: "power" is the food] it is made in the form of crisp pellets, gives exercise to the teeth, keeps them in good order, and stimulates the salivary glands. further, power is a natural corrective of inestimable worth. it may form the correct diet for young children and the aged. it is perfectly digestible and will prove a tower of strength and a standby under all conditions of life and work. sold in packets only at d by all health food stores, grocers, bakers, etc., or lbs. for /-direct from-- the natural food co., ltd., cambridge road, london, e. brunak _the health beverage_ "it is as refreshing as tea, as tasty as coffee, as comforting as cocoa, and as harmless as water. is as easily made as either of them, and can be taken at any meal or at supper-time. there is not a headache in a barrel of it, and no nervousness in a ton of it. may be drunk by young and old, weak and strong, the brainy man and the athlete; also by invalids, even in diabetes." [illustration] "all who suffer from nervousness and palpitation and headache, wakefulness, loss of memory, low spirits, flushing, trembling, and all who cannot or should not take tea, coffee, or cocoa, may take brunak with perfect safety." sold by all stores and chemists at / per lb. packet, or direct from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. _the allinson_ vegebutter not only vegetarians but many others agree that the allinson vegebutter is the ideal fat for cooking purposes. it does not contain animal fat whatever, being a pure vegetable product both healthful and economical. it is never rancid and is far more digestible than cow butter or any other animal fat. for cooking and frying it is used in the same manner as butter or lard. for pastry it should be softened slightly before rubbing into the flour, and a little more water used in making the paste than if lard or butter were being used. [illustration] of health stores / and /-per tin, or a sample lb. tin for / , or lbs. for /-post free from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. _the allinson_ breakfast oats the allinson breakfast oats are made solely from finest oats grown in our own country--and no country can grow oats equal to ours. being steam-cooked by a patented process, perfectly digestible, and thoroughly relished by men, women, and children alike, always retain the same delicious flavour. equally suited to rich or poor, produce healthy skins, good complexions, and form bone and muscle. one pound weight will go as far as three pounds of butcher's meat, and not cost one-sixth of the price. [illustration] make splendid porridge for the winter months the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. the allinson crushed wheat the allinson crushed wheat is also just splendid for porridge, containing all the % nourishment of the celebrated allinson wholemeal, with all its delicious flavour. it is perfectly digestible and especially suitable for growing children, as without impairing their delicate digestive systems. it builds up brain, bone, and muscle. [illustration: the allinson crushed wheat] nothing is nicer than allinson crushed wheat in savouries and puddings. sold everywhere in lb. bags or direct from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. dainty dishes allinson blanc-mange ---powder--- allinson blanc-mange powder makes the most dainty puddings in six distinct flavours: almond--raspberry--lemon--strawberry--vanilla and pineapple. as with all other allinson specialities, these blanc-mange powders are composed of the purest and most healthful ingredients. they supply nourishment and delicacy of flavour at the same time, and make excellent sweets for both children and "grown-ups." [illustration: blanc-mange & pudding powder assorted flavors] sold in d. boxes containing packets each, sufficient to make pint of delicious blanc-mange. of all health stores, grocers, etc., or two d. boxes post free for /-direct from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. _allinson_ custard powder is as delicious as it is economical to use. one penny packet is sufficient to make a pint of thick creamy custard, in every respect as pure and equal in flavour to home-made custard prepared with new eggs. nothing is nicer in summer-time than allinson custard and fresh fruit, or in winter with stewed prunes or tinned fruit, tarts and puddings. [illustration] sold by all grocers and stores in d. boxes containing packets. two boxes for /-post free from-- [note: stamped, price advanced] the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. delicious cocoa & chocolate nf cocoa forms a most healthful and nutritious food-beverage combining with pure cocoa a portion of cocoa butter and allinson natural food with all its additional nourishment. nothing is more delicious or so capable of building up the body when run down or recovering from an illness, for it is perfectly digestible. nf chocolate is as delicious as the cocoa and equally nourishing for travellers and athletes. [illustration: dr. allinson's prepared nf-cocoa nf cocoa in /-and / tins.] [illustration: dr. allison's nf-chocolate nf chocolate in / lb. packets d.] the / tins of nf cocoa or lb. of chocolate /-sent post free from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. [illustration] prepared barley an ideal drink allinson prepared barley may be eaten as porridge or pudding, and is much more nourishing than rice pudding for children, and more palatable. [illustration: allinson's prepared barley] it greatly improves both the flavour and nourishing qualities of soup, broth and vegetable stews, at little extra cost. especially suitable is it for making barley water, one of the most healthful and refreshing drinks for both summer and winter. properly prepared barley water contains far more nourishment than beef tea, and during illness is the ideal drink, either plain or mixed with equal parts of milk. ask for _allinson_ prepared barley, and be sure the signature is on every tin. of all chemists, grocers, and stores, in d., /-, and / tins; the /-and / tins are sent post free by the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. _the allinson_ vegetable soup here is one of the most useful and economical additions to the housewife's larder. sold in convenient packets, this delicious soup can be instantly made and served either as a separate course or as a sauce with a wholesome vegetable dinner, adding, at the small cost of d. per pint, much actual nourishment and a delicious flavour. [illustration] sold in d., d., and /-packets, by all food stores; or /-packet direct, post free, from-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. _finest_ nut oil nut oil is far preferable to any other kind for use in salads, pastry, and for frying and cooking of every description. [illustration: dr. allinson's finest nut oil (absolutely pure)] "salads are not used sufficiently by english people, for very few know the value of them. all may use these foods with benefit, and two dinners each week of them with wholemeal bread will prevent many a serious illness. they are natural food in a plain state, and supply the system with vegetable salts and acids in the best form. salads should be eaten with wholemeal bread, and the quantity of oil should be about three times the amount of the vinegar used." sold with dr. allinson's signature on every bottle at /-per bottle by all health food stores, grocers, etc.-- the natural food co., ltd. cambridge road, london, e. and pg distributed proofreaders woman's institute library of cookery volume one essentials of cookery cereals bread hot breads woman's institute of domestic arts and sciences, inc. preface the woman's institute library of cookery consists of five volumes that cover the various phases of the subject of cookery as it is carried on in the home. these books contain the same text as the instruction papers of the institute's course in cookery arranged so that related subjects are grouped together. examination questions pertaining to the subject matter appear at the end of each section. these questions will prove helpful in a mastery of the subjects to which they relate, as they are the same as those on which students of the institute are required to report. at the back of each volume is a complete index, which will assist materially in making quick reference to the subjects contained in it. this volume, which is the first of the set, deals with the essentials of cookery, cereals, bread, and hot breads. in _essentials of cookery_, parts and , are thoroughly treated the selection, buying, and care of food, as well as other matters that will lead to familiarity with terms used in cookery and to efficiency in the preparation of food. in _cereals_ are discussed the production, composition, selection, and care and the cooking and serving of cereals of all kinds. in _bread_ and _hot breads_ are described all the ingredients required for bread, rolls, and hot breads of every kind, the processes and recipes to be followed in making and baking them, the procedure in serving them, and the way in which to care for such foods. whenever advisable, utensils for the preparation of food, as well as labor-saving devices, are described, so as to enable beginners in the art of cookery to become acquainted with them quickly. in addition, this volume contains breakfast, luncheon, and dinner menus that will enable the housewife to put into practical, every-day use many of the recipes given. it is our hope that these volumes will help the housewife to acquire the knowledge needed to prepare daily meals that will contain the proper sustenance for each member of her family, teach her how to buy her food judiciously and prepare and serve it economically and appetizingly, and also instil in her such a liking for cookery that she will become enthusiastic about mastering and dignifying this womanly art. contents essentials of cookery the problem of food selection of food food substances food value digestion and absorption of food preparation of food methods of cooking heat for cooking utensils for cooking preparing foods for cooking order of work table for cooking foods care of food menus and recipes terms used in cookery cereals production, composition, and selection cereals as a food preparation of cereals for the table indian corn, or maize wheat rice oats barley rye, buckwheat, and millet prepared, or ready-to-eat, cereals serving cereals italian pastes breakfast menu bread importance of bread as food ingredients for bread making utensils for bread making bread-making processes making the dough care of the rising dough kneading the dough shaping the dough into loaves baking the bread scoring bread use of the bread mixer serving bread bread recipes recipes for rolls, buns, and biscuits toast left-over bread hot breads hot breads in the diet principal requirements for hot breads leavening agents hot-bread utensils and their use preparing the hot-bread mixture baking the hot-bread mixture serving hot breads popover recipes griddle-cake recipes waffle recipes muffin recipes corn-cake recipes biscuit recipes miscellaneous hot-bread recipes utilising left-over hot breads luncheon menu index * * * * * essentials of cookery (part ) the problem of food . without doubt, the greatest problem confronting the human race is that of food. in order to exist, every person must eat; but eating simply to keep life in the body is not enough. aside from this, the body must be supplied with an ample amount of energy to carry on each day's work, as well as with the material needed for its growth, repair, and working power. to meet these requirements of the human body, there is nothing to take the place of _food_, not merely any kind, however, but the _right_ kind. indeed, so important is the right kind of food in the scheme of life that the child deprived of it neither grows nor increases in weight, and the adult who is unable to secure enough of it for adequate nourishment is deficient in nerve force and working power. if a person is to get the best out of life, the food taken into the body must possess real sustaining power and supply the tissues with the necessary building material; and this truth points out that there are facts and principles that must be known in order that the proper selection of food may be made, that it may be so prepared as to increase its value, and that economy in its selection, preparation, use, and care may be exercised. . probably the most important of these principles is the _cooking of food_. while this refers especially to the preparation of food by subjecting edible materials to the action of heat, it involves much more. the cooking of food is a science as well as an art, and it depends for its success on known and established principles. in its full sense, _cookery_ means not only the ability to follow a recipe, thereby producing a successfully cooked dish, but also the ability to select materials, a knowledge of the ways in which to prepare them, an understanding of their value for the persons for whom they are prepared, and ingenuity in serving foods attractively and in making the best use of food that may be left over from the previous meals, so that there will be practically no waste. thus, while cookery in all its phases is a broad subject, it is one that truly belongs to woman, not only because of the pleasure she derives in preparing food for the members of her family, but because she is particularly qualified to carry on the work. . the providing of food in the home is a matter that usually falls to the lot of the housewife; in fact, on her depends the wise use of the family income. this means, then, that whether a woman is earning her own livelihood and has only herself to provide for, or whether she is spending a part of some other person's income, as, for instance, her father's or her husband's, she should understand how to proportion her money so as to provide the essential needs, namely, food, clothing, and shelter. in considering the question of providing food, the housewife should set about to determine what three meals a day will cost, and in this matter she should be guided by the thought that the meals must be the best that can possibly be purchased for the amount of money allowed for food from the family income and that their cost must not exceed the allotment. to a great extent she can control the cost of her foods by selecting them with care and then making good use of what her money has bought. it is only by constant thought and careful planning, however, that she will be able to keep within her means, and she will find that her greatest assistance lies in studying foods and the ways in which to prepare them. . a factor that should not be disregarded in the problem of food is _waste_, and so that the housewife can cope with it properly she should understand the distinction between waste and refuse. these terms are thought by some to mean the same thing and are often confused; but there is a decided difference between them. _waste_, as applied to food, is something that could be used but is not, whereas _refuse_ is something that is rejected because it is unfit for use. for example, the fat of meat, which is often eaten, is waste if it is thrown away, but potato parings, which are not suitable as food, are refuse. in connection with the problem of waste, it may be well to know that leakage in the household is due to three causes. the first one is lack of knowledge on the part of the housekeeper as to the difference between waste and refuse and a consequent failure to market well. as an illustration, many housewives will reject turkey at a certain price a pound as being too expensive and, instead, will buy chicken at, say, cents a pound less. in reality, chicken at cents a pound less than the price of turkey is more expensive, because turkey, whose proportion of meat to bone is greater than that of chicken, furnishes more edible material; therefore, in buying chicken, they pay more for refuse in proportion to good material. the second cause for this leakage in the household is excessive waste in the preparation of food for the table, arising from the selection of the wrong cooking method or the lack of skill in cooking; and the third cause is the serving of too large quantities and a consequent waste of food left on individual plates and unfit for any other use in the home. . another matter that constantly confronts the housewife is what foods she shall select for each day's meals. to be successful, all meals should be planned with the idea of making them wholesome and appetizing, giving them variety, and using the left-overs. every woman should understand that food is cooked for both hygienic and esthetic reasons; that is, it must be made safe and wholesome for health's sake and must satisfy the appetite, which to a considerable degree is mental and, of course, is influenced by the appearance of the food. when the housewife knows how to cook ordinary foods well, she has an excellent foundation from which to obtain variety in the _diet_--by which in these lessons is meant the daily food and drink of any individual, and not something prescribed by a physician for a person who is ill--for then it is simply a matter of putting a little careful thought into the work she is doing in order to get ideas of new ways in which to prepare these same foods and of utilizing foodstuffs she has on hand. however, ample time must always be allowed for the preparation of meals, for no one can expect to produce tasty meals by rushing into the kitchen just before meal time and getting up the easiest thing in the quickest manner. well-planned meals carefully prepared will stimulate interest in the next day's bill of fare and will prove extremely beneficial to all concerned. . in the practice of cookery it is also important that the meals be planned and the cooking done for the sake of building the human body and caring for it. as soon as any woman realizes that both the present and the future welfare of the persons for whom she is providing foods depend on so many things that are included in cookery, her interest in this branch of domestic science will increase; and in making a study of it she may rest assured that there is possibly no other calling that affords a more constant source of enjoyment and a better opportunity for acquiring knowledge, displaying skill, and helping others to be well and happy. the fact that people constantly desire something new and different in the way of food offers the housewife a chance to develop her ingenuity along this line. then, too, each season brings with it special foods for enjoyment and nourishment, and there is constant satisfaction in providing the family with some surprise in the form of a dish to which they are unaccustomed, or an old one prepared in a new or a better way. but the pleasure need not be one-sided, for the adding of some new touch to each meal will give as much delight to the one who prepares the food as to those who partake of it. when cookery is thought of in this way, it is really a creative art and has for its object something more than the making of a single dish or the planning of a single meal. . from what has been pointed out, it will readily be seen that a correct knowledge of cookery and all that it implies is of extreme importance to those who must prepare food for others; indeed, it is for just such persons--the housewife who must solve cookery problems from day to day, as well as girls and women who must prepare themselves to perform the duties with which they will be confronted when they take up the management of a household and its affairs--that these lessons in cookery are intended. in the beginning of this course of study in cookery it is deemed advisable to call attention to the order in which the subject matter is presented. as will be seen before much progress is made, the lessons are arranged progressively; that is, the instruction begins with the essentials, or important fundamentals, of food--its selection, preparation, and care--and, from these as a foundation, advances step by step into the more complicated matters and minor details. the beginner eager to take up the actual work of cookery may feel that too much attention is given to preliminaries. however, these are extremely essential, for they are the groundwork on which the actual cooking of food depends; indeed, without a knowledge of them, very little concerning cookery in its various phases could be readily comprehended. . each beginner in cookery is therefore urged to master every lesson in the order in which she receives it and to carry out diligently every detail. no lesson should be disregarded as soon as it is understood, for the instruction given in it bears a close relation to the entire subject and should be continually put into practice as progress is made. this thought applies with particular emphasis to the sections relating to the essentials of cookery. these should be used in connection with all other sections as books of reference and an aid in calling to mind points that must eventually become a part of a woman's cookery knowledge. by carrying on her studies systematically and following directions carefully, the beginner will find the cooking of foods a simple matter and will take delight in putting into practice the many things that she learns. * * * * * selection of food matters involved in right selection . each one of the phases of cookery has its importance, but if success is to be achieved in this art, careful attention must be given to the selection of what is to be cooked, so as to determine its value and suitability. to insure the best selection, therefore, the housewife should decide whether the food material she purchases will fit the needs of the persons who are to eat it; whether the amount of labor involved in the preparation will be too great in proportion to the results obtained; whether the loss in preparation, that is, the proportion of refuse to edible matter, will be sufficient to affect the cost materially; what the approximate loss in cooking will be; whether the food will serve to the best advantage after it is cooked; and, finally, whether or not all who are to eat it will like it. the market price also is a factor that cannot be disregarded, for, as has been explained, it is important to keep within the limits of the amount that may be spent and at the same time provide the right kind of nourishment for each member of the family. . in order to select food material that will meet the requirements just set forth, three important matters must be considered; namely, the _substances_ of which it is composed; its measure of energy-producing material, or what is called its _food_, or _fuel, value_; and its _digestion_ and _absorption_. until these are understood, the actual cost of any article of food cannot be properly determined, although its price at all times may be known. however, before a study of any of these matters is entered into, it is necessary to know just what is meant by food and what food does for the body. as is well understood, the body requires material by which it may be built and its tissues repaired when they are torn down by work and exercise. in addition it requires a supply of heat to maintain it at normal temperature and provide it with sufficient energy to do the work required of it. the material that will accomplish these important things is food, which may therefore be regarded as anything that, when taken into the body, will build and repair its tissues or will furnish it with the energy required to do its work. food substances . although, as has just been stated, food may be considered as anything that the human engine can make over into tissue or use in living and working, not all foods are equally desirable any more than all materials are equally good in the construction of a steam engine and in the production of its working power. those food substances which are the most wholesome and healthful are the ones to be chosen, but proper choice cannot be made unless the buyer knows of what the particular food consists and what it is expected to do. to aid in the selection of food, therefore, it is extremely necessary to become familiar with the five substances, constituents, or principles of which foods are made up; namely, water, mineral matter, or ash, protein, fat, and carbohydrate. a knowledge of these will help also in determining the cooking methods to adopt, for this depends on the effect that heat has on the various substances present in a food. of course, so far as flavor is concerned, it is possible for the experienced cook to prepare many dishes successfully without knowing the effect of heat on the different food constituents; but to cook intelligently, with that success which makes for actual economy and digestibility, certain facts must be known concerning the food principles and the effect of dry and moist heat on foods. . water.--of the various constituents that are found in the human body, water occurs in the largest quantity. as a food substance, it is an extremely important feature of a person's diet. its chief purpose is to replenish the liquids of the body and to assist in the digestion of food. although nature provides considerable amounts of water in most foods, large quantities must be taken in the diet as a beverage. in fact, it is the need of the body for water that has led to the development of numerous beverages. besides being necessary in building up the body and keeping it in a healthy condition, water has a special function to perform in cooking, as is explained later. although this food substance is extremely essential to life, it is seldom considered in the selection of food, because, as has just been mentioned, nearly all foods contain water. . mineral matter.--ranking next to water in the quantity contained in the human body is mineral matter. this constituent, which is also called _ash_ or _mineral salts_, forms the main part of the body's framework, or skeleton. in the building and maintaining of the body, mineral salts serve three purposes--to give rigidity and permanence to the skeleton, to form an essential element of active tissue, and to provide the required alkalinity or acidity for the digestive juices and other secretions. the origin and distribution of these mineral substances are of interest. plants in their growth seize from the earth the salts of minerals and combine them with other substances that make up their living tissue. then human beings, as well as other living creatures, get their supply of these needed salts from the plants that they take as food, this being the only form in which the salts can be thoroughly assimilated. these salts are not affected by cooking unless some process is used that removes such of them as are readily soluble in water. when this occurs, the result is usually waste, as, for instance, where no use is made of the water in which some vegetables are boiled. as is true of water, mineral matter, even though it is found in large quantities in the body, is usually disregarded when food is purchased. this is due to the fact that this important nutritive material appears in some form in nearly all foods and therefore does not necessitate the housewife's stopping to question its presence. . protein.--the food substance known as protein is a very important factor in the growth and repair of the body; in fact, these processes cannot be carried on unless protein is present in the diet. however, while a certain quantity of protein is essential, the amount is not very large and more than is required is likely to be harmful, or, since the body can make no use of it, to be at least waste material. the principal sources of protein are lean meat, eggs, milk, certain grains, nuts, and the legumes, which include such foods as beans and peas. because of the ease with which they are digested, meat, fish, eggs, and milk are more valuable sources of protein than bread, beans, and nuts. however, as the foods that are most valuable for proteins cost more than others, a mixed diet is necessary if only a limited amount of money with which to purchase foods is available. . so much is involved in the cooking of foods containing protein that the effect of heat on such foods should be thoroughly understood. the cooking of any food, as is generally understood, tends to break up the food and prepare it for digestion. however, foods have certain characteristics, such as their structure and texture, that influence their digestibility, and the method of cooking used or the degree to which the cooking is carried so affects these characteristics as to increase or decrease the digestibility of the food. in the case of foods containing protein, unless the cooking is properly done, the application of heat is liable to make the protein indigestible, for the heat first coagulates this substance--that is, causes it to become thick--and then, as the heat increases, shrinks and hardens it. this fact is clearly demonstrated in the cooking of an egg, the white of which is the type of protein called _albumin_. in a raw egg, the albumin is nearly liquid, but as heat is applied, it gradually coagulates until it becomes solid. if the egg is cooked too fast or too long, it toughens and shrinks and becomes less palatable, less attractive, and less digestible. however, if the egg is properly cooked after the heat has coagulated the albumin, the white will remain tender and the yolk will be fine and mealy in texture, thus rendering it digestible. similar results, although not so evident to the sight, are brought about through the right or wrong way of cooking practically all other foods that contain much protein. milk, whose principal ingredient is a protein known as _casein_, familiar as the curd of cheese, illustrates this fact very plainly. when it is used to make cottage cheese, heating it too long or to too high a degree will toughen the curd and actually spoil the texture of the product, which will be grainy and hard, instead of smooth and tender. . fats.--the food substances just discussed--water, mineral matter, and protein--yield the materials required for building and repairing the tissues of the body, but, as has been explained, the body also requires foods that produce energy, or working power. by far the greater part of the total solids of food taken into the body serve this purpose, and of these fats form a large percentage. although fats make up such a large proportion of the daily food supply, they enter into the body composition to a less extent than do the food substances that have been explained. the fats commonly used for food are of both animal and vegetable origin, such as lard, suet, butter, cream, olive oil, nut oil, and cottonseed oil. the ordinary cooking temperatures have comparatively little effect on fat, except to melt it if it is solid. the higher temperatures decompose at least some of it, and thus liberate substances that may be irritating to the digestive tract. . carbohydrates.--like fats, the food substances included in the term carbohydrates supply the body with energy. however, fats and carbohydrates differ in the forms in which they supply energy, the former producing it in the most concentrated form and the latter in the most economical form. so that the term _carbohydrate_ may be clearly understood and firmly fixed in the mind, it is deemed advisable to discuss briefly the composition of the body and the food that enters it. of course, in a lesson on cookery, not so much attention need be given to this matter as in a lesson on _dietetics_, which is a branch of hygiene that treats of diet; nevertheless, it is important that every person who prepares food for the table be familiar with the fact that the body, as well as food, is made up of a certain number of chemical elements, of which nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen form a large part. protein owes its importance to the fact that of the various food substances it alone contains the element nitrogen, which is absolutely essential to the formation of any plant or animal tissue. the other three elements, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, go to make up the carbohydrates; in fact, it is from the names of these three elements that the term carbohydrate is derived. the carbohydrates include the starches and sugars that are used and eaten in so many forms, and these contain the three elements mentioned, the hydrogen and oxygen contained in them being in the proportion that produces water. thus, as will readily be seen, by separating the name into its parts--_carbo_ (carbon) and _hydrate_ (hydrogen and oxygen in the proportion of two parts of hydrogen and one of oxygen, that is, in the form of water)--carbohydrate is simply carbon united with water. while the facts just brought out have much to do with food economy, they are of interest here chiefly because they help to make clear the term carbohydrate, which, as will be admitted, is the only correct name for the food substance it represents. . starch, one of the chief forms of carbohydrates, is found in only the vegetable kingdom. it is present in large quantities in the grains and in potatoes; in fact, nearly all vegetables contain large or small amounts of it. it is stored in the plant in the form of granules that lie within the plant cells. cooking applied to starch changes it into a form that is digestible. moist heat cooks the granules until they expand and burst and thus thicken the mass. dry heat changes starch first into a soluble form and finally into what is called _dextrine_, this being the intermediate step in the changing of starch into sugar. . sugar, another important form of carbohydrate, is mainly of vegetable origin, except that which is found in milk and called _lactose_. this, together with the fat found in milk, supplies the child with energy before it is able to digest a variety of foods. the sap of various plants contains such large quantities of sugar that it can be crystalized out and secured in dry form. the liquid that remains is valuable as food, for, by boiling it down, it forms molasses. sugar is also present in considerable amounts in all fruits, and much of it is in a form that can be assimilated, or taken up by the body, quickly. a sugar very similar to this natural fruit sugar is made from the starch of corn and is called _glucose_. much of the carbohydrate found in vegetables, especially young, tender vegetables, is in the form of sugar, which, as the vegetables grow older, changes to starch. sugar melts upon the application of heat or, if it is in a melted condition, as sirup or molasses, it boils down and gives off water. when all the water has boiled away, the sugar begins to caramelize or become brown, and develops a characteristic flavor. if the cooking is continued too long, a dark-brown color and a bitter taste are developed. because the sugar in fruits and vegetables is in solution, some of it is lost when they are boiled, unless, of course, the water in which they are cooked is utilized. . cellulose is a form of carbohydrate closely related to starch. it helps to form the structure of plants and vegetables. very little cellulose is digested, but it should not be ignored, because it gives the necessary bulk to the food in which it occurs and because strict attention must be paid to the cooking of it. as cellulose usually surrounds nutritive material of vegetable origin, it must be softened and loosened sufficiently by cooking to permit the nutritive material to be dissolved by the digestive juices. then, too, in old vegetables, there is more starch and the cellulose is harder and tougher, just as an old tree is much harder than a sapling. this, then, accounts for the fact that rapid cooking is needed for some vegetables and slow cooking for others, the method and the time of cooking depending on the presence and the consistency of the cellulose that occurs in the food. . importance of a variety of foods.--every one of the five food substances just considered must be included in a person's diet; yet, with the exception of milk, no single food yields the right amounts of material necessary for tissue building and repair and for heat and energy. even milk is in the right proportion, as far as its food substances are concerned, only for babies and very young children. it will thus be seen that to provide the body with the right foods, the diet must be such as to include all the food substances. in food selection, therefore, the characteristics of the various food substances must be considered well. fats yield the most heat, but are the most slowly digested. proteins and carbohydrates are more quickly digested than fats, but, in equal amounts, have less than half as much food value. water and mineral salts do not yield heat, but are required to build tissue and to keep the body in a healthy condition. in addition, it is well to note that a well-balanced diet is one that contains all of the five food substances in just the right proportion in which the individual needs them to build up the body, repair it, and supply it with energy. what this proportion should be, however, cannot be stated offhand, because the quantity and kind of food substances necessarily vary with the size, age, and activity of each person. food value . nearly all foods are complex substances, and they differ from one another in what is known as their _value_, which is measured by the work the food does in the body either as a tissue builder or as a producer of energy. however, in considering food value, the person who prepares food must not lose sight of the fact that the individual appetite must be appealed to by a sufficient variety of appetizing foods. there would be neither economy nor advantage in serving food that does not please those who are to eat it. while all foods supply the body with energy, they differ very much in the quantity they yield. if certain ones were chosen solely for that purpose, it would be necessary for any ordinary person to consume a larger quantity of them than could be eaten at any one time. for instance, green vegetables furnish the body with a certain amount of energy, but they cannot be eaten to the exclusion of other things, because no person could eat in a day a sufficient amount of them to give the body all the energy it would need for that day's work. on the other hand, certain foods produce principally building material, and if they were taken for the purpose of yielding only energy, they would be much too expensive. meats, for example, build up the body, but a person's diet would cost too much if meat alone were depended on to provide the body with all the energy it requires. many foods, too, contain mineral salts, which, as has been pointed out, are needed for building tissue and keeping the body in a healthy condition. . to come to a correct appreciation of the value of different foods, it is necessary to understand the unit employed to measure the amount of work that foods do in the body. this unit is the calorie, or _calory_, and it is used to measure foods just as the inch, the yard, the pound, the pint, and the quart are the units used to measure materials and liquids; however, instead of measuring the food itself, it determines its food value, or fuel value. to illustrate what is meant, consider, for instance, / ounce of sugar and / ounce of butter. as far as the actual weight of these two foods is concerned, they are equal; but with regard to the work they do in the body they differ considerably. their relative value in the body, however, can be determined if they are measured by some unit that can be applied to both. it is definitely known that both of them produce heat when they are oxidized, that is, when they are combined with oxygen; thus, the logical way of measuring them is to determine the quantity of heat that will be produced when they are eaten and united with oxygen, a process that causes the liberation of heat. the calorie is the unit by which this heat can be measured, it being the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of pint of water degrees fahrenheit, which is the name of the thermometer commonly used in the home. when burned as fuel, a square of butter weighing / ounce produces enough heat to raise pint of water degrees fahrenheit, and it will yield the same amount of heat when it is eaten and goes through the slow process of oxidation in the body. on the other hand, / ounce of sugar upon being oxidized will produce only enough heat to raise the temperature of pint of water about degrees fahrenheit. thus, as will be seen, / ounce of butter has a value of approximately calories, whereas / ounce of sugar contains only about - / calories. other foods yield heat in varying degrees, and their food value is determined in exactly the same way as that of butter and sugar. to give an idea of the composition of various food materials, as well as the number of calories that pound of these food materials will yield, food charts published by the united states department of agriculture are here presented. as an understanding of these charts will prove extremely profitable in the selection of food, a careful study of them at this time is urged. in addition, reference to them should be made from time to time as the various kinds of foods are taken up, as the charts will then be more easily comprehended and their contents of more value. digestion and absorption of food . the third requirement in the selection of food, namely, its digestion and absorption, depends considerably on the persons who are to be fed. food that is chosen for adults entirely would not be the same as that intended for both young persons and adults; neither would food that is to be fed to children or persons who are ill be the same as that which is to be served to robust adults who do a normal amount of work. no hard-and-fast rules can be laid down here for this phase of food selection, but as these lessons in cookery are taken up in turn, the necessary knowledge regarding digestibility will be acquired. [illustration: composition of food materials] [illustration: composition of food materials] * * * * * preparation of food reasons for cooking food . the term cookery, as has been explained, means the preparation of both hot and cold dishes for use as food, as well as the selection of the materials or substances that are to be cooked. the importance of cooking foods by subjecting them to the action of heat has been recognized for ages; and while it is true that there are many foods that appeal to the appetite in their raw state and still others that can be eaten either raw or cooked, there are several reasons why it is desirable to cook food, as will be seen from the following: . cooking makes foods more palatable. this is true of such foods as meat, cereals, and many vegetables, which would be very unappetizing if they were eaten raw. . cooking renders foods more digestible. for instance, the hard grains, such as wheat, and the dried vegetables, such as beans, cannot be readily digested unless they are softened by cooking. but while cooking makes such foods more digestible, it renders others more difficult of digestion, as in the case of eggs, the degree of digestibility depending somewhat on the cooking method used and the skill of the cook. an egg in an almost liquid form, or when only slightly cooked, as a soft-boiled egg, is more easily digested than when it becomes hardened by cooking. then, too, a properly prepared hard-cooked egg is more digestible than an improperly cooked one, although the degree of hardness may be the same. . cooking gives foods greater variety. the same food may be cooked by various methods and be given very different tastes and appearances; on the other hand, it may be combined with a large number of other foods, so as to increase the variety of the dishes in which it is used. the large number of recipes found in cook books show the attempts that have been made to obtain variety in cooked dishes by the combining of different foods. . cooking sterilizes foods either partly or completely. many foods need partial or complete sterilization for safety. they must be completely sterilized if the germs that produce fermentation or putrefaction and thereby spoil food would be destroyed. this is done when fruits and vegetables are canned for keeping. foods that are exposed to dust, flies, and improper handling should be thoroughly cooked in order to destroy any pathogenic germs that might be present. by such germs are meant disease-bearing germs. they differ from germs that produce fermentation and putrefaction, or spoiling, and that must in general be considered as a help, for these play an important part in the raising of bread and the preparation of various foods, as is pointed out later. . cooking develops flavor in many foods. in the case of some vegetables, the flavoring substance is given off in the air by certain methods of cooking and a better flavor is thereby developed. * * * * * methods of cooking cooking processes . food is cooked by the application of heat, which may be either moist or dry. while it is true that the art of cooking includes the preparation of material that is served or eaten raw, cooking itself is impossible without heat; indeed, the part of cooking that requires the most skill and experience is that in which heat is involved. explicit directions for carrying on the various cooking processes depend on the kind of stove, the cooking utensils, and even the atmospheric conditions. in truth, the results of some processes depend so much on the state of the atmosphere that they are not successful on a day on which it is damp and heavy; also, as is well known, the stove acts perfectly on some days, whereas on other days it seems to have a stubborn will of its own. besides the difficulties mentioned, the heat itself sometimes presents obstacles in the cooking of foods, to regulate it in such a way as to keep it uniform being often a hard matter. thus, a dish may be spoiled by subjecting it to heat that is too intense, by cooking it too long, or by not cooking it rapidly enough. all these points must be learned, and the best way to master them is to put into constant practice the principles that are involved in cookery. . without doubt, the first step in gaining a mastery of cookery is to become familiar with the different methods and processes, the ways in which they are applied, and the reasons for applying them. there are numerous ways of cooking food, but the principal processes are boiling, stewing, steaming, dry steaming, braizing, fricasseeing, roasting, baking, broiling, pan broiling, frying, and sautéing. which one of these to use will depend on the food that is to be cooked and the result desired. if the wrong method is employed, there will be a waste of food material or the food will be rendered less desirable in flavor or tenderness. for example, it would be both wasteful and undesirable to roast a tough old fowl or to boil a tender young broiler. the various methods of cookery just mentioned naturally divide themselves into three groups; namely, those involving dry heat, those requiring moist heat, and those in which hot fat is the cooking medium. cooking with dry heat . cooking with dry heat includes broiling, pan broiling, roasting, and baking; but, whichever of these processes is used, the principle is practically the same. in these processes the food is cooked by being exposed to the source of heat or by being placed in a closed oven and subjected to heated air. when dry heat is applied, the food to be cooked is heated to a much greater temperature than when moist heat is used. . broiling.--the cooking process known as broiling consists in exposing directly to the source of heat the food that is to be cooked; that is, in cooking it over or before a clear bed of coals or a gas flame. the aim in broiling is to retain the juices of food and develop flavor. as it is a quick method, foods that are not tender, as, for example, tough meats, should not be broiled, because broiling does not help to render their fibers more tender. in applying this cooking process, which is particularly suitable for tender portions of meat and for young fowl, the food should be exposed to intense heat at first in order to sear all surfaces quickly and thus retain the juices. at the beginning of the cooking, the article that is being broiled should be turned often; then, as soon as the outside is browned, the heat should be reduced if possible, as with a gas stove, and the article allowed to cook until done. if the broiling is done over coals, it is necessary to continue the turning during the entire process. while broiling produces an especially good flavor in the foods to which it is applied, provided they are not tough, it is not the most economical way of cooking. . pan broiling.--pan broiling is an adaptation of the broiling method. it consists in cooking food in a sissing-hot pan on top of the stove without the use of fat. in this process the surfaces of the steak, chop, or whatever the food may be, are quickly seared, after which the article is turned frequently and cooked more slowly until done. the object of pan broiling is the same as that of broiling, and it is resorted to, as a rule, when the fire is not in the right condition for broiling. . roasting.--originally, the term _to roast_ meant to cook before a fire, because, before the time of stoves, practically all food was cooked in the fireplace. food that was to be roasted was placed before the fire in a device that reflected heat, this device being open on the side toward the fire and closed on that toward the room. the roast was suspended in this device, slowly turned, and thus cooked by radiant heat--that is, heat given off in the form of direct rays--the principle being the same as that of broiling, but the application different. nowadays, the term _roasting_ is almost universally applied to the action of both hot air and radiant heat. however, much of what is called roasting is in reality baking. foods cooked in the oven of an ordinary coal or gas range are really baked, although they are said to be roasted, and a covered roasting pan is a misnomer. food must be exposed to the air in the process of cooking if it is to be roasted in the true sense. it may be well to note that successful roasting or broiling depends more on the shape of the article to be roasted or broiled than on its weight. for this reason, thick, compact cuts of meat are usually selected for roasting and thin cuts for broiling. good results also depend very much on the pan selected for the roasting process. one of the great aims in cooking should be to save or conserve all the food possible; that is, if by one process less waste in cooking results, it should be chosen rather than one that will result in loss at the end of the cooking process. . baking.--by baking is meant cooking in a heated oven at temperatures ranging from to degrees fahrenheit. as the term baking is frequently used in a wrong sense, the actual conditions of the process should be thoroughly understood. in both broiling and the original method of roasting, the heat is applied directly; that is, the food is exposed directly to the source of heat. actual baking differs from these processes in that it is done in a closed oven or by means of heated air. starchy foods, such as bread, cakes, and pastry, are nearly always baked, and gradually other foods, such as meats, fish, and vegetables are being subjected to this method of cooking. in fact, persons who are skilled in cooking use the oven more and more for things that they formerly thought had to be cooked in other ways. but the name that is applied to the process depends somewhat on custom, for while meat that is cooked in the oven is really baked, it is usually termed roasted meat. it seems strange, but it is nevertheless true, that ham cooked in the oven has always been termed baked, while turkey cooked in exactly the same way is said to be roasted. cooking with moist heat . the methods of cooking with moist heat, that is, through the medium of water, are boiling, simmering, steaming, dry steaming, and braizing. in every one of these processes, the effect of moist heat on food is entirely different from that of dry heat. however, the method to be selected depends to a great extent on the amount of water that the food contains. to some foods much water must be added in the cooking process; to others, only a little or none at all. if food is not placed directly in large or small quantities of water, it is cooked by contact with steam or in a utensil that is heated by being placed in another containing boiling water, as, for example, a double boiler. as water is such an important factor in cooking with moist heat, something concerning its nature and use should be understood. therefore, before considering the moist-heat cooking processes in detail, the function of water in the body and in cooking and also the kinds of water are discussed. . function of water in the body.--water supplies no energy to the body, but it plays a very important part in nutrition. in fact, its particular function in the body is to act as a solvent and a carrier of nutritive material and waste. in doing this work, it keeps the liquids of the body properly diluted, increases the flow of the digestive juices, and helps to carry off waste material. however, its ability to perform these necessary functions in the right way depends on its quality and its safety. . kinds of water.--water is either hard or soft. as it falls from the clouds, it is pure and soft until it comes in contact with gases and solids, which are dissolved by it and change its character. it is definitely known that the last of the water that falls in a shower is much better than the first, as the first cleanses not only the air, but the roofs and other things with which it comes in contact. in passing through certain kinds of soil or over rocks, water dissolves some of the minerals that are contained there and is thus changed from soft to hard water. if sewage drains into a well or water supply, the water is liable to contain bacteria, which will render it unfit and unsafe for drinking until it is sterilized by boiling. besides rain water and distilled water, there is none that is entirely soft; all other waters hold certain salts in solution to a greater or less degree. the quality of hardness, which is present in nearly all water, is either temporary or permanent. water is temporarily hard when it contains soluble lime, which is precipitated, that is, separated from it, upon boiling. every housewife who uses a teakettle is familiar with this condition. the lime precipitated day after day clings to the sides of the vessel in which the water is boiled, and in time they become very thickly coated. permanent hardness is caused by other compounds of lime that are not precipitated by boiling the water. the only way in which to soften such water is to add to it an alkali, such as borax, washing soda, or bicarbonate of soda. . uses of water in cooking.--it is the solvent, or dissolving, power of water that makes this liquid valuable in cooking, but of the two kinds, soft water is preferable to hard, because it possesses greater solvent power. this is due to the fact that hard water has already dissolved a certain amount of material and will therefore dissolve less of the food substances and flavors when it is used for cooking purposes than soft water, which has dissolved nothing. it is known, too, that the flavor of such beverages as tea and coffee is often greatly impaired by the use of hard water. dried beans and peas, cereals, and tough cuts of meat will not cook tender so readily in hard water as in soft, but the addition of a small amount of soda during the cooking of these foods will assist in softening them. water is used in cooking chiefly for extracting flavors, as in the making of coffee, tea, and soups; as a medium for carrying flavors and foods in such beverages as lemonade and cocoa; for softening both vegetable and animal fiber; and for cooking starch and dissolving sugar, salt, gelatine, etc. in accomplishing much of this work, water acts as a medium for conveying heat. . boiling.--as applied to cooking, boiling means cooking foods in boiling water. water boils when its temperature is raised by heat to what is commonly termed its _boiling point_. this varies with the atmospheric pressure, but at sea level, under ordinary conditions, it is always degrees fahrenheit. when the atmospheric pressure on the surface of the water is lessened, boiling takes place at a lower temperature than that mentioned, and in extremely high altitudes the boiling point is so lowered that to cook certain foods by means of boiling water is difficult. as the water heats in the process of boiling, tiny bubbles appear on the bottom of the vessel in which it is contained and rise to the surface. then, gradually, the bubbles increase in size until large ones form, rise rapidly, and break, thus producing constant agitation of the water. . boiling has various effects on foods. it toughens the albumin in eggs, toughens the fiber and dissolves the connective tissues in meat, softens the cellulose in cereals, vegetables, and fruits, and dissolves other substances in many foods. a good point to bear in mind in preparing foods by boiling is that slowly boiling water has the same temperature as rapidly boiling water and is therefore able to do exactly the same work. keeping the gas burning full heat or running the fire hard to keep the water boiling rapidly is therefore unnecessary; besides, it wastes fuel without doing the work any faster and sometimes not so well. however, there are several factors that influence the rapidity with which water may be brought to the boiling point; namely, the kind of utensil used, the amount of surface exposed, and the quantity of heat applied. a cover placed on a saucepan or a kettle in which food is to be boiled retains the heat, and thus causes the temperature to rise more quickly; besides, a cover so used prevents a loss of water by condensing the steam as it rises against the cover. as water boils, some of it constantly passes off in the form of steam, and for this reason sirups or sauces become thicker the longer they are cooked. the evaporation takes place all over the surface of the water; consequently, the greater the surface exposed, the more quickly is the quantity of water decreased during boiling. another point to observe in the boiling process is that foods boiled rapidly in water have a tendency to lose their shape and are reduced to small pieces if allowed to boil long enough. besides serving to cook foods, boiling also renders water safe, as it destroys any germs that may be present. this explains why water must sometimes be boiled to make it safe for drinking. boiled water, as is known, loses its good taste. however, as this change is brought about by the loss of air during boiling, the flavor can be restored and air again introduced if the water is shaken in a partly filled jar or bottle, or beaten vigorously for a short time with an egg beater. . simmering, or stewing.--the cooking process known as simmering, or stewing, is a modification of boiling. by this method, food is cooked in water at a temperature below the boiling point, or anywhere from to degrees fahrenheit. water at the simmering point always moves gently--never rapidly as it does in boiling. less heat and consequently less fuel are required to cook foods in this way, unless, of course, the time consumed in cooking the food at a low temperature is much greater than that consumed in cooking it more rapidly. aside from permitting economy in the use of fuel, simmering, or stewing, cooks deliciously certain foods that could not be selected for the more rapid methods. for example, tough cuts of meat and old fowl can be made tender and tasty by long cooking at a low temperature, for this method tends to soften the fiber and to develop an excellent flavor. tough vegetables, too, can be cooked tender by the simmering process without using so much fuel as would be used if they were boiled, for whatever method is used they require long cooking. beets, turnips, and other winter vegetables should be stewed rather than boiled, as it is somewhat difficult to cook them tender, especially in the late winter and early spring. if dry beans and peas are brought to the simmering point and then allowed to cook, they can be prepared for the table in practically the same length of time and without so much fuel as if they boiled continuously. . steaming.--as its name implies, steaming is the cooking of food by the application of steam. in this cooking process, the food is put into a _steamer_, which is a cooking utensil that consists of a vessel with a perforated bottom placed over one containing water. as the water boils, steam rises and cooks the food in the upper, or perforated, vessel. steamers are sometimes arranged with a number of perforated vessels, one on top of the other. such a steamer permits of the cooking of several foods at the same time without the need of additional fuel, because a different food may be placed in each vessel. steaming is preferable to boiling in some cases, because by it there is no loss of mineral salts nor food substances; besides, the flavor is not so likely to be lost as when food is boiled. vegetables prepared in this way prove very palatable, and very often variety is added to the diet by steaming bread, cake, and pudding mixtures and then, provided a crisp outside is desired, placing them in a hot oven to dry out the moist surface. . dry steaming.--cooking foods in a vessel that is suspended in another one containing boiling water constitutes the cooking method known as dry steaming. the double boiler is a cooking utensil devised especially for carrying on this process. the food placed in the suspended, or inner, vessel does not reach the boiling point, but is cooked by the transfer of heat from the water in the outside, or lower, vessel. a decided advantage of this method is that no watching is required except to see that the water in the lower vessel does not boil away completely, for as long as there is water between the food and the fire, the food will neither boil nor burn. because of the nature of certain foods, cooking them by this process is especially desirable. the flavor and consistency of cereals and foods containing starch are greatly improved by long cooking in this way. likewise, custards and mixtures containing eggs can be conveniently cooked in a double boiler, because they do not require a high temperature; in fact, their texture is spoiled if they are cooked at the boiling point. to heat milk directly over the flame without scorching it is a difficult matter, and, on the other hand, boiled milk is hard to digest. because of these facts, food containing milk should not be boiled, but should be cooked at a lower temperature in a double boiler. . braizing.--cooking meat in an oven in a closed pan with a small quantity of water constitutes braizing. this cooking process might be called a combination of stewing and baking, but when it is properly carried out, the meat is placed on a rack so as to be raised above the water, in which may be placed sliced vegetables. in this process the meat actually cooks in the flavored steam that surrounds it in the hot pan. the so-called double roasting pans are in fact braizing pans when they are properly used. a pot roast is the result of a modification of the braizing method. cooking with hot fat . of the three mediums of conveying heat to food, namely, hot air, hot water, and hot fat, that of hot fat renders food the least digestible. much of this difficulty, however, can be overcome if an effort is made to secure as little absorption of the fat as possible. if the ingredients of the food are properly mixed before applying the fat and if the fat is at the right temperature, good results can be obtained by the various methods of cooking with hot fat, which are frying, sautéing, and fricasseeing. . frying.--by frying is meant the cooking of food in deep fat at a temperature of to degrees fahrenheit. any kind of fat that will not impart flavor to the food may be used for frying, but the vegetable oils, such as cottonseed oils, combinations of coconut and cottonseed oils, and nut oils, are preferable to lards and other animal fats, because they do not burn so easily. foods cooked in deep fat will not absorb the fat nor become greasy if they are properly prepared, quickly fried, and well drained on paper that will absorb any extra fat. . sautÃ�ing.--browning food first on one side and then on the other in a small quantity of fat is termed sautéing. in this cooking process, the fat is placed in a shallow pan, and when it is sufficiently hot, the food is put into it. foods that are to be sautéd are usually sliced thin or cut into small pieces, and they are turned frequently during the process of cooking. all foods prepared in this way are difficult to digest, because they become more or less hard and soaked with fat. chops and thin cuts of meat, which are intended to be pan-broiled, are really sautéd if they are allowed to cook in the fat that fries out of them. . fricasseeing.--a combination of sautéing and stewing results in the cooking process known as fricasseeing. this process is used in preparing such foods as chicken, veal, or game, but it is more frequently employed for cooking fowl, which, in cookery, is the term used to distinguish the old of domestic fowls from chickens or pullets. in fricasseeing, the meat to be cooked is cut into pieces and sautéd either before or after stewing; then it is served with a white or a brown sauce. ordinarily, the meat should be browned first, unless it is very tough, in order to retain the juices and improve the flavor. however, very old fowl or tough meat should be stewed first and then browned. * * * * * heat for cooking general discussion . inasmuch as heat is so important a factor in the cooking of foods, it is absolutely necessary that the person who is to prepare them be thoroughly familiar with the ways in which this heat is produced. the production of heat for cooking involves the use of fuels and stoves in which to burn them, as well as electricity, which serves the purpose of a fuel, and apparatus for using electricity. in order, therefore, that the best results may be obtained in cookery, these subjects are here taken up in detail. . probably the first fuel to be used in the production of heat for cooking was wood, but later such fuels as peat, coal, charcoal, coke, and kerosene came into use. of these fuels, coal, gas, and kerosene are used to the greatest extent in the united states. wood, of course, is used considerably for kindling fires, and it serves as fuel in localities where it is abundant or less difficult to procure than other fuels. however, it is fast becoming too scarce and too expensive to burn. if it must be burned for cooking purposes, those who use it should remember that dry, hard wood gives off heat at a more even rate than soft wood, which is usually selected for kindling. electricity is coming into favor for supplying heat for cooking, but only when it can be sold as cheaply as gas will its use in the home become general. . the selection of a stove to be used for cooking depends on the fuel that is to be used, and the fuel, in turn, depends on the locality in which a person lives. however, as the fuel that is the most convenient and easily obtained is usually the cheapest, it is the one to be selected, for the cost of the cooked dish may be greatly increased by the use of fuel that is too expensive. in cooking, every fuel should be made to do its maximum amount of work, because waste of fuel also adds materially to the cost of cooking and, besides, it often causes great inconvenience. for example, cooking on a red-hot stove with a fire that, instead of being held in the oven and the lids, overheats the kitchen and burns out the stove not only wastes fuel and material, but also taxes the temper of the person who is doing the work. from what has just been said, it will readily be seen that a knowledge of fuels and apparatus for producing heat will assist materially in the economical production of food, provided, of course, it is applied to the best advantage. coal and coke . varieties of coal.--possibly the most common fuel used for cooking is coal. this fuel comes in two varieties, namely, _anthracite_, or _hard coal_, and _bituminous_, or _soft coal_. their relative cost depends on the locality, the kind of stove, and an intelligent use of both stove and fuel. hard coal costs much more in some places than soft coal, but it burns more slowly and evenly and gives off very little smoke. soft coal heats more rapidly than hard coal, but it produces considerable smoke and makes a fire that does not last so long. unless a stove is especially constructed for soft coal, it should not be used for this purpose, because the burning of soft coal will wear it out in a short time. the best plan is to use each variety of coal in a stove especially constructed for it, but if a housewife finds that she must at times do otherwise, she should realize that a different method of management and care of the stove is demanded. . sizes of coal.--as the effect of coal on the stove must be taken into consideration in the buying of fuel, so the different sizes of hard coal must be known before the right kind can be selected. the sizes known as _stove_ and _egg coal_, which range from about - / to - / inches in diameter, are intended for a furnace and should not be used in the kitchen stove for cooking purposes. some persons who know how to use the size of coal known as _pea_, which is about / to / inch in diameter, like that kind, whereas others prefer the size called _chestnut_, which is about / inch to - / inches in diameter. in reality, a mixture of these two, if properly used, makes the best and most easily regulated kitchen coal fire. . quality of coal.--in addition to knowing the names, prices, and uses of the different kinds of coal, the housewife should be able to distinguish poor coal from good coal. in fact, proper care should be exercised in all purchasing, for the person who understands the quality of the thing to be purchased will be more likely to get full value for the money paid than the one who does not. about coal, it should be understood that good hard coal has a glossy black color and a bright surface, whereas poor coal contains slaty pieces. the quality of coal can also be determined from the ash that remains after it is burned. large chunks or great quantities of ash indicate a poor quality of coal, and fine, powdery ash a good quality. of course, even if the coal is of the right kind, poor results are often brought about by the bad management of a fire, whether in a furnace or a stove. large manufacturing companies, whose business depends considerably on the proper kind of fuel, buy coal by the heat units--that is, according to the quantity of heat it will give off--and at some future time this plan may have to be followed in the private home, unless some other fuel is provided in the meantime. mixed with poor coal are certain unburnable materials that melt and stick together as it burns and form what are known as _clinkers_. clinkers are very troublesome because they often adhere to the stove grate or the lining of the firebox. they generally form during the burning of an extremely hot fire, but the usual temperature of a kitchen fire does not produce clinkers unless the coal is of a very poor quality. mixing oyster shells with coal of this kind often helps to prevent their formation. . coke.--another fuel that is sometimes used for cooking is coke. formerly, coke was a by-product in the manufacture of illuminating gas, but now it is manufactured from coal for use as a fuel. because of the nature of its composition, coke produces a very hot fire and is therefore favorable for rapid cooking, such as broiling. however, it is used more extensively in hotels and institutions than in kitchens where cooking is done on a small scale. gas . value of gas as fuel.--as a fuel for cooking purposes, gas, both _artificial_ and _natural_, is very effective, and in localities where the piping of gas into homes is possible it is used extensively. of the two kinds, artificial gas produces the least heat; also, it is the most expensive, usually costing two or three times as much as natural gas. both are very cheap, however, considering their convenience as a kitchen fuel. heat from gas is obtained by merely turning it on and igniting it, as with a lighted match. its consumption can be stopped at once by closing off the supply, or it can be regulated as desired and in this way made to give the exact amount of heat required for the method of cookery adopted. neither smoke nor soot is produced in burning gas if the burners of the gas stove are adjusted to admit the right amount of air, and no ashes nor refuse remain to be disposed of after gas has been burned. because gas is so easily handled, good results can be obtained by those who have had very little experience in using it, and with study and practice results become uniform and gas proves to be an economical fuel. . measurement of gas.--gas is measured by the cubic foot, and a definite price is charged for each , cubic feet. to determine the quantity used, it is passed through what is called a meter, which measures as the gas burns. it is important that each housewife be able to read the amount registered by the meter, so that she can compare her gas bill with the meter reading and thus determine whether the charges are correct. if only the usual amount of gas has been consumed and the bill does not seem to be correct or is much larger than it has been previously, the matter should be reported to the proper authorities, for the meter may be out of order and in need of repair. [illustration: fig. gas meter dials] . reading a gas meter.--to register the quantity of gas that is consumed, a gas meter, as is shown in fig. , is provided with three large dials, each of which has ten spaces over which the hand, or indicator, passes to indicate the amount of gas consumed, and with one small dial, around which the hand makes one revolution every time cubic feet of gas is consumed. this small dial serves to tell whether gas is leaking when the stoves and lights are not turned on. above each large dial is an arrow that points out the direction in which to read, the two outside ones reading toward the right and the center one toward the left; also, above each dial is lettered the quantity of gas that each dial registers, that at the right registering , cubic feet, that in the center , cubic feet, and that at the left , cubic feet. to read the dials, begin at the left, or the , dial, and read toward the right. in each instance, read the number over which the hand has passed last. for instance, when, as in fig. , the hand lies between and on the left dial, is read; on the center dial, when the hand lies between and , is read also; and on the right dial, when the hand lies between and , the , which is really , is read. . to compute the quantity of gas used, the dials are read from left to right and the three readings are added. then, in order to determine the quantity burned since the previous reading, the amount registered at that time, which is always stated on the gas bill, must be subtracted from the new reading. to illustrate the manner in which the cost of gas consumed may be determined, assume that gas costs cents per , cubic feet, that the previous reading of the gas meter, say on may , was , cubic feet, and that on june the meter registered as shown in fig. . as was just explained, the left dial of the meter reads , the center dial , and the right dial . therefore, put these figures down so that they follow one another, as - - . this means then that the reading on june is , cubic feet. with this amount ascertained, subtract from it the previous reading, or , cubic feet, which will give , cubic feet, or the quantity of gas burned from may to june . since gas costs cents per , cubic feet, the cost of the amount burned, or , cubic feet, may be estimated by dividing , cubic feet by , and multiplying the result by ; thus , ÷ , = . , and . x . = . . prepayment meters.--in many places, gas concerns install what are called prepayment meters; that is, meters in which the money is deposited before the gas is burned. such meters register the consumption of the gas in the same way as the meters just mentioned, but they contain a receptacle for money. a coin, generally a quarter, is dropped into a slot leading to this receptacle, and the amount of gas sold for this sum is then permitted to pass through as it is needed. when this amount of gas has been burned, another coin must be inserted in the meter before more gas will be liberated. kerosene . in communities where gas is not available, kerosene, which is produced by the refinement of petroleum, is used extensively as a fuel for cooking, especially in hot weather when the use of a coal or a wood stove adds materially to the discomfort of the person who does the cooking. kerosene is burned in stoves especially designed for its use, and while it is a cheap fuel it is not always the same in quality. it contains water at all times, but sometimes the proportion of water is greater than at others. the greater the amount of water, the less fuel will be contained in each gallon of kerosene. the quality of kerosene can be determined by checking up the length of time the stove will burn on a specified quantity of each new purchase of it. another product of the refinement of petroleum is _gasoline_. however, it is not used so extensively for fuel as kerosene, because it is more dangerous and more expensive. electricity . the use of electricity for supplying heat for cooking is very popular in some homes, especially those which are properly wired, because of its convenience and cleanliness and the fact that the heat it produces can be applied direct. the first electrical cooking apparatus was introduced at the time of the world's fair in chicago, in , and since that time rapid advancement has been made in the production of suitable apparatus for cooking electrically. electricity would undoubtedly be in more general use today if it were possible to store it in the same way as artificial gas, but as yet no such method has been devised and its cost is therefore greater. electricity is generated in large power plants, and as it is consumed in the home for lighting and cooking it passes through a meter, which indicates the quantity used in much the same manner as a gas meter. it will be well, therefore, to understand the way in which an electric meter is read, so that the bills for electricity can be checked. . reading an electric meter.--an electric meter, which is similar in appearance to a gas meter, consists of three or four dials, which are placed side by side or in the shape of an arc. in the usual type, which is shown in fig. and which consists of four dials placed side by side, each one of the dials contains ten spaces and a hand, or indicator, that passes over numbers ranging from to to show the amount of electricity used. [illustration: fig .] the numbers on the dials represent _kilowatt-hours_, a term meaning the energy resulting from the activity of kilowatt for hour, or watt, which is the practical unit of electrical power, for , hours. since , hours equal kilowatt, , watt-hours equal kilowatt-hour. it will be observed from the accompanying illustration that the dial on the extreme right has the figures reading in a clockwise direction, that is, from right to left, the second one in a counter-clockwise direction, or from left to right, the third one in a clockwise direction, and the fourth one in a counter-clockwise direction; also that above each dial is indicated in figures the number of kilowatt-hours that one complete revolution of the hand of that dial registers. to read the meter, begin at the right-hand dial and continue to the left until all the dials are read and set the numbers down just as they are read; that is, from right to left. in case the indicator does not point directly to a number, but is somewhere between two numbers, read the number that it is leaving. for example, in fig. , the indicator in the right-hand dial points to figure ; therefore, this number should be put down first. in the second dial, the hand lies between and , and as it is leaving , this number should be read and placed to the left of the first one read, which gives . the hand on the third dial points exactly to ; so should be read for this dial and placed directly before the numbers read for the first and second dials, thus, . on the fourth and last dial, the indicator is between and ; therefore , which is the number it is leaving should be read and used as the first figure in the entire reading, which is , . after the reading of the electric meter has been ascertained, it is a simple matter to determine the electricity consumed since the last reading and the amount of the bill. for instance, assume that a meter registers the number of kilowatt-hours shown in fig. , or , , and that at the previous reading it registered , . merely subtract the previous reading from the last one, which will give , or the number of kilowatt-hours from which the bill for electricity is computed. if electricity costs cents a kilowatt-hour, which is the price charged in some localities, the bill should come to x . or $ . . principle of stoves . before stoves for cooking came into use in the home, food was cooked in open fireplaces. even when wood was the only fuel known, a stove for burning it, called the franklin stove, was invented by benjamin franklin, but not until coal came into use as fuel were iron stoves made. for a long time stoves were used mainly for heating purposes, as many housewives preferred to cook at the open fireplace. however, this method of cooking has practically disappeared and a stove of some kind is in use for cooking in every home. . for each fuel in common use there are many specially constructed stoves, each having some advantageous feature; yet all stoves constructed for the same fuel are practically the same in principle. in order that fuel will burn and produce heat, it must have air, because fuel, whether it is wood, coal, or gas, is composed largely of _carbon_ and air largely of _oxygen_, and it is the rapid union of these two chemical elements that produces heat. therefore, in order that each stove may work properly, some way in which to furnish air for the fire in the firebox must be provided. for this reason, every stove for cooking contains passageways for air and is connected with a chimney, which contains a flue, or passage, that leads to the outer air. when the air in a stove becomes heated, it rises, and as it ascends cold air rushes through the passageways of the stove to take its place. it is the flue, however, that permits of the necessary draft and carries off unburned gases. at times it is necessary to regulate the amount of air that enters, and in order that this may be done each stove is provided with _dampers_. these devices are located in the air passages and they are so designed as to close off the air or allow the desired amount to enter. by means of these dampers it is possible also to force the heat around the stove oven, against the top of the stove, or up the chimney flue. a knowledge of the ways in which to manipulate these dampers is absolutely necessary if correct results are to be obtained from a stove. the flue, however, should receive due consideration. if a stove is to give its best service, the flue, in addition to being well constructed, should be free from obstructions and kept in good condition. indeed, the stove is often blamed for doing unsatisfactory work when the fault is really with the flue. . probably one of the most important things considered in the construction of stoves is the economizing of fuel, for ever since the days of the fireplace there has been more or less of a tendency to save fuel for cooking, and as the various kinds grow scarcer, and consequently more expensive, the economical use of fuel becomes a necessity. while most stoves for cooking purposes are so constructed as to save fuel, many of them do not, especially if the method of caring for them is not understood. any housewife, however, can economize in the use of fuel if she will learn how the stove she has must be operated; and this can be done by following closely the directions that come with the stove when it is purchased. such directions are the best to follow, because they have been worked out by the manufacturer, who understands the right way in which his product should be operated. coal, stoves and their operation . general construction.--in fig. is illustrated the general construction of the type of coal stove used for cooking. the principal parts of such a stove, which is commonly referred to as a _cook stove_, or range, are the firebox _a_; the grate _b_; the ash pit _c_, which usually contains an ash-pan _d_; the oven _e_; the dampers _f_, _g_, _h_, and _i_; the flue opening _j_ and flue _k_; openings in the top and suitable lids, not shown, for kettles and pans; and the air space extending from the firebox around three sides of the oven, as shown by the arrows. to prevent the stove from wearing out rapidly, the firebox, in which the fuel is burned, is lined with a material, such as fireclay, that will withstand great heat. the fire in the firebox is supported by the grate, which is in the form of metal teeth or bars, so as to permit air to pass through the fuel from underneath. the grate is usually so constructed that when the fire is raked it permits burnt coal or ashes to fall into the ash-pan, by means of which they can be readily removed from the stove. the oven, which lies directly back of the firebox and is really an enclosed chamber in which food may be cooked, receives its heat from the hot air that passes around it. the dampers are devices that control the flow of air in and out of the stove. those shown at _f_ and _g_ serve to admit fresh air into the stove or to keep it out, and those shown at _h_ and _i_ serve to keep heated air in the stove or to permit it to pass out through the flue. [illustration: fig. ] . building a coal fire.--to build a coal fire is a simple matter. so that the draft will be right for rapid combustion, it is first necessary to close the dampers _f_ and _h _and to open the bottom damper _g_ and the chimney damper _i_. with these dampers arranged, place crushed paper or shavings on the grate; then on top of the paper or shavings place kindling, and on top of the kindling put a small quantity of coal. be careful to place the fuel on the grate loosely enough to permit currents of air to pass through it, because it will not burn readily if it is closely packed. light the fire by inserting a flame from below. when this is done, the flame will rise and ignite the kindling, and this, in turn, will cause the coal to take fire. when the fire is burning well, close the dampers _g_ and _i_ so that the fuel will not burn too rapidly and the heat will surround the oven instead of passing up the chimney; also, before too much of the first supply of coal is burned out, add a new supply, but be sure that the coal is sufficiently ignited before the new supply is added so as not to smother the fire. if only a thin layer is added each time, this danger will be removed. experience has proved that the best results are secured if the fire is built only inches high. when hot coals come near the top of the stove, the lids are likely to warp and crack from the heat and the cooking will not be done any more effectively. another thing to avoid in connection with a fire is the accumulation of ashes. the ash-pan should be kept as nearly empty as possible, for a full ash-pan will check the draft and cause the grate in the firebox to burn out. . adjusting the dampers.--to get the best results from a cook stove, and at the same time overcome the wasting of fuel, the ways in which to adjust the dampers should be fully known. if it is desired to heat the oven for baking, close dampers _f_ and _i_ and open dampers _g_ and _h_. with the dampers so arranged, the heated air above the fire is forced around the oven and up the flue, as is clearly shown by the arrows in fig. . a study of this diagram will readily show that the lower left-hand corner of the oven is its coolest part, since the heated air does not reach this place directly, and that the top center is the hottest part, because the hottest air passes directly over this portion of the oven and the heated air in the oven rises to it. [illustration: fig. ] if it is desired to heat the surface of the stove, so that cooking may be done on top of it, close dampers _f_, _h_, and _i_ and open damper _g_. with the dampers so arranged, the heated air does not pass around the oven, but is confined in the space above it and the firebox, as shown in fig. . while the damper _i_ in the flue is closed in order to confine the heated air as much as possible to the space under the top of the stove, it contains openings that allow just enough air to pass up the flue to maintain the draft necessary for combustion. when the dampers are arranged as mentioned, the hottest place on the surface of the stove is between the firebox and the stovepipe, and the coolest place is behind the damper _h_. . banking a coal fire.--to economize in the use of fuel, as well as to save the labor involved in building a new fire, it is advisable to keep a fire burning low from one meal to another and from one day to the next. as the nature of hard coal is such that it will hold fire for a long time, this can be done by what is called _banking_ the fire. to achieve this, after the fire has served to cook a meal, shake the ashes out of the grate so that the glowing coals are left. then put fresh coal on this bed of coals, and, with the dampers arranged as for building a new fire, allow the coal to burn well for a short time. finally, cover the fire with a layer of fine coal and adjust the dampers properly; that is, close dampers _g_ and _h_ and open dampers _f_ and _i_. if the banking is carefully done the fire should last or hours without further attention. care should be taken, however, to use sufficient coal in banking the fire, so that when it is to be used again the coal will not be completely burned, but enough burning coals will remain to ignite a fresh supply. when the fire is to be used again, rake it slightly, put a thin layer of coal over the top, and arrange the dampers as for starting a fire. as soon as this layer of coal has begun to burn, add more until the fire is in good condition. gas stoves and their operation . gas ranges.--a gas stove for cooking, or _gas range_, as it is frequently called, consists of an oven, a broiler, and several burners over which are plates to hold pans, pots, and kettles in which food is to be cooked. as is true of a coal range, a gas range also requires a flue to carry off the products of unburned gas. gas stoves, or ranges, are of many makes, but in principle all of them are practically the same; in fact, the chief difference lies in the location or arrangement of the oven, broiler, and burners. in fig. is illustrated a simple type of gas range. the oven _a_ of this stove is located above the top of the stove, instead of below it, as in some stoves. an oven so located is of advantage in that it saves stooping or bending over. the door of this oven contains a glass, which makes it possible to observe the food baking inside without opening the door and thereby losing heat. the broiler _b_, which may also be used as a toaster, is located directly beneath the oven, and to the right are the burners _c_ for cooking. the gas for these parts is contained in the pipe _d_, which is connected to a pipe joined to the gas main in the street. to get heat for cooking it is simply necessary to turn on the stop-cocks and light the gas. the four burners are controlled by the stop-cocks _e_, and the oven and the broiler by the stop-cock _f_. the stove is also equipped with a simmering burner for the slow methods of cooking on top of the stove, gas to this burner being controlled by the stop-cock _g_. to catch anything that may be spilled in cooking, there is a removable metal or enamel sheet _h_. such a sheet is a great advantage, as it aids considerably in keeping the stove clean. [illustration: fig. ] . some gas stoves are provided with a _pilot_, which is a tiny flame of gas that is controlled by a button on the gas pipe to which the stop-cocks are attached. the pilot is kept lighted, and when it is desired to light a burner, pressing the button causes the flame to shoot near enough to each burner to ignite the gas. however, whether the burners are lighted in this way or by applying a lighted match, they should never be lighted until heat is required; likewise, in order to save gas, they should be turned off as soon as the cooking is completed. [illustration: fig. ] to produce the best results, the flame given off by gas should be blue. a flame that is yellow and a burner that makes a noise when lighted, indicate that the gas flame has caught in the pipe, and to remedy this the gas must be turned out and relighted. when the gas flame coming from a new burner is yellow, it may be taken for granted that not enough air is being admitted to make the proper mixture. to permit of the proper mixture, each gas pipe extending from the stop-cock and terminating in the burner is provided with what is called a _mixer_. this device, as shown in fig. , consists of several slots that may be opened or closed by turning part _a_, thus making it a simple matter to admit the right amount of air to produce the desired blue flame. if burners that have been in use for some time give off a yellow flame, it is probable that the trouble is caused by a deposit of soot or burned material. such burners should be removed, boiled in a solution of washing soda or lye until the holes in the top are thoroughly cleaned, and then replaced and adjusted. as long as the flame remains yellow, the gas is not giving off as much heat as it should produce and is liable to smoke cooking utensils black. therefore, to get the best results the burners should be thoroughly cleaned every now and then in the manner mentioned. likewise, the pan beneath the burners, which may be removed, should be cleaned very frequently, and the entire stove should be wiped each time it is used, for the better such a stove is taken care of, the better will it continue to do its work. [illustration: fig. ] . fireless-cooking gas stoves.--a style of gas stove that meets with favor in many homes is the so-called fireless-cooking gas stove, one style of which is shown in fig. . such a stove has the combined advantages of a fireless cooker, which is explained later, and a gas stove, for it permits of quick cooking with direct heat, as well as slow cooking with heat that is retained in an insulated chamber, that is, one that is sufficiently covered to prevent heat from escaping. in construction, this type of stove is similar to any other gas stove, except that its oven is insulated and it is provided with one or more compartments for fireless cooking, as at _a_ and _b_. each of these compartments is so arranged that it may be moved up and down on an upright rod, near the base of which, resting on a solid plate _c_, is a gas burner _d_, over which the insulated hood of the compartment fits. when it is desired to cook food in one of these compartments, the hood is raised, as at _b_, and the gas burner is lighted. the food in the cooker is allowed to cook over the lighted burner until sufficient heat has been retained or the process has been carried sufficiently far to permit the cooking to continue without fire. then the insulated hood is lowered until the compartment is in the position of the one shown at _a_. it is not necessary to turn off the gas, as this is done automatically when the hood is lowered. kerosene stoves and their operation [illustration: fig. ] . as has been mentioned, kerosene is used considerably as a fuel in localities where gas cannot be obtained. kerosene stoves are not unlike gas stoves, but, as a rule, instead of having built-in ovens, they are provided with portable ovens, which are heated by placing them on top of the stove, over the burners. such stoves are of two types, those in which cotton wicks are used, as in oil lamps, and those which are wickless, the former being generally considered more convenient and satisfactory than the latter. in fig. is shown a three-burner kerosene stove of the first type mentioned. oil for the burners, or lamps, _a_ is stored in the container _b_, which may be of glass or metal, and it is supplied to the reservoir of each burner by the pipe _c_. each burner is provided with a door _d_, which is opened when it is desired to light the wick. the flame of each burner is controlled by the screw _e_, which serves to raise or lower the wick, and the heat passes up to the opening _f_ in the top of the stove through the cylindrical pipe above the burner. the arrangement of a wickless kerosene stove is much the same as the one just described, but it is so constructed that the oil, which is also stored in a tank at the side, flows into what is called a burner bowl and burns from this bowl up through a perforated chimney, the quantity of oil used being regulated by a valve attached to each bowl. . the burners of kerosene stoves are lighted by applying a match, just as the burners of a gas stove are lighted. in some stoves, especially those of the wickless type, the burners are so constructed that the flame can rise to only a certain height. this is a good feature, as it prevents the flame from gradually creeping up and smoking, a common occurrence in an oil stove. the kerosene-stove flame that gives the most heat, consumes the least fuel, and produces the least soot and odor is blue in color. a yellow flame, which is given off in some stoves, produces more or less soot and consequently makes it harder to keep the stove clean. glass containers are better than metal containers, because the water that is always present in small quantities in kerosene is apt to rust the metal container and cause it to leak. to prevent the accumulation of dirt, as well as the disagreeable odor usually present when an oil stove is used, the burners should be removed frequently and boiled in a solution of washing soda; also, if a wick is used, the charred portion should be rubbed from it, but not cut, as cutting is liable to make it give off an uneven flame. [illustration: fig. ] electric stoves and utensils . electric stoves. electric stoves for cooking have been perfected to such an extent that they are a great convenience, and in places where the cost of electricity does not greatly exceed that of gas they are used considerably. in appearance, electric stoves are very similar to gas stoves, as is shown in fig. , which illustrates an electric stove of the usual type. the oven _a_ is located at one side and contains a broiler pan _b_. on top of this stove are openings for cooking, into which fit lids _c_ that have the appearance of ordinary stove lids, but are in reality electrical heating units, called hotplates. heat for cooking is supplied by a current of electricity that passes through the hotplates, as well as through similar devices in the oven, the stove being connected to the supply of electricity at the connection-box _d_, which is here shown with the cover removed. the heat of the different hotplates and the oven is controlled by several switches _e_ at the front of the stove. each of these switches provides three degrees of heat--high, medium, and low--and just the amount of heat required for cooking can be supplied by turning the switch to the right point. below the switches are several fuse plugs _f_ that contain the fuses, which are devices used in electrical apparatus to avoid injury to it in case the current of electricity becomes too great. [illustration: fig. ] it is not absolutely necessary to have flue connections for an electric stove, as such a stove does not require a draft and gives off no products of combustion to be carried away. in fact, one of the favorable points about an electric stove is that it produces no dirt and causes no inconvenience. when the cooking is done, the electricity can be turned off, after which the stove quickly cools. when electricity is used for cooking, cooking utensils, methods, and recipes can be applied in the same ways as when other means of producing heat are employed. [illustration: fig. ] . small electric utensils.--in addition to electric stoves, there are a number of smaller electrical cooking utensils that can be attached to an electric-light socket or a wall socket. among these are percolators, toasters, hotplates, or grills, chafing dishes, egg poachers, and similar devices. an idea of such utensils for cooking may be formed by referring to fig. , which shows an electric toaster, and fig. , which shows a hotplate, or grill. the toaster is arranged so that bread to be toasted may be placed on each side, as well as on top, of an upright part that gives off heat when the current of electricity is turned on. the grill is so constructed that a pan for cooking may be placed under and on top of the part that gives off heat. * * * * * essentials of cookery (part ) examination questions ( ) give in its full sense the meaning of the term cookery. ( ) how may the housewife control the cost of her foods? ( ) (_a_) explain the difference between waste and refuse. (_b_) to what is leakage in the household due? ( ) what three important matters enter into the problem of purchasing food? ( ) (_a_) name the five substances that are found in food, (_b_) of what value is a knowledge of these food substances? ( ) (_a_) what is the function of protein in the body? (_b_) mention the principal sources of protein, (_c_) explain the effect of heat on foods that contain protein. ( ) (_a_) with what do carbohydrates supply the body? (_b_) mention the two forms of carbohydrates and also some of the foods in which each may be found. ( ) what is a calorie? ( ) give five reasons for cooking food. ( ) mention the twelve principal processes employed in the cooking of food. ( ) describe one method of cooking with: (_a_) dry heat; (_b_) moist heat; (_c_) hot fat. ( ) (_a_) at what temperature does water boil? (_b_) how is hard water affected by boiling? (_c_) explain the uses of water in cooking. ( ) (_a_) what generally controls the kind of stove to be used for cooking? (_b_) explain how it is possible to keep down the cost of cooking in using fuel. ( ) mention the best way in which to become familiar with the operation of a stove. ( ) (_a_) of what value is gas as a fuel? (_b_) what kind of gas flame is best for cooking? ( ) suppose that a gas meter registers , cubic feet on march , and that on april the hand of the left dial is between and , that of the middle dial is between and , and that of the right dial is at . at cents a , cubic feet, what is the cost of the gas consumed? ( ) (_a_) how is heat produced in a stove? (_b_) what is the purpose of the dampers of a stove? ( ) (_a_) how should the dampers of a coal range be adjusted so as to heat the oven for baking? (_b_) how should they be adjusted for cooking on top of the stove? ( ) (_a_) what is the purpose of a mixer on a gas stove? (_b_) how may a gas stove be kept in good condition? ( ) how may the burners of a kerosene stove be kept clean? * * * * * essentials of cookery (part ) * * * * * preparation of food--(continued) utensils for cooking importance of utensils . while success in cooking, as has been pointed out, depends to a considerable extent on the selection of materials and the proper cooking methods, as well as on an understanding of the stove and fuel employed, the importance of the utensils that are to be used must not be overlooked. as is well known, each cooking utensil is fitted to its particular use; in fact, the wrong kind of pan, dish, or other utensil will not bring about the same result as the right one. this does not mean, however, that the housewife must possess a large supply of every kind of utensil, for, really, the expert cook is known by the small number of utensils she uses. of course, the proper handling of utensils, as well as the right selection of them, will come with experience, but before she starts to cook the beginner should endeavor to plan definitely what must be provided. she should likewise remember that the use of an unnecessary number of utensils not only will increase the labor involved in preparing a dish, but will affect considerably the amount of work required to clear them away and wash them after the cooking is done. . the materials of which cooking utensils are made, as well as their shape and size, have also a great bearing on the success with which cooking may be done. as no one material is suitable for all utensils, they are made of various materials, such as wood, tin, glass, enamel, aluminum, sheet iron, and earthenware. in the purchase of a utensil, therefore, it is well to have in mind the use to which the utensil will be put, and then to select one that is made of durable material, that can be easily cleaned, and that will not affect the food that is cooked in it. likewise, the shape of the utensil should receive consideration, for much depends on it. to be satisfactory, a utensil should be without seams or curved edges, because it is difficult to remove particles of food that collect in such places. a vessel that is hard to wash should be avoided, and one that will tip easily is not desirable, either. the size of utensils must be determined by the number of persons for whom food is to be cooked, for the amount of food to be prepared indicates whether a large or a small utensil should be selected. on the other hand, the length of time required for foods to cook depends to a large extent on the size and shape of the utensil. when food is to be cooked a long time, a deep vessel with a comparatively small surface exposed for evaporation should be chosen; but for quick cooking, use should be made of a shallow utensil that will allow a great deal of surface to be exposed, as the evaporation will be accomplished more rapidly. in furnishing a kitchen, it is well to begin with a few essential utensils of the best quality that can be obtained, and then, as needed, to add other well-selected utensils to the equipment. materials used for utensils . aluminum.--because of the properties of aluminum, this metal is used extensively for cooking utensils. it is more costly than most of the materials employed for this purpose, but while the first cost of aluminum pans and kettles may seem large, the extra expense is justified by the durability of the utensils. they last much longer than utensils made of many other materials, for when aluminum is hammered and rolled it becomes extremely hard. some aluminum utensils are very thin, and since they melt and dent very easily they are suitable for only light, careful handling. although heavier aluminum utensils are more expensive than the lighter ones on account of the metal required and the manufacturing process involved, they are harder and more durable. cast aluminum is used for large vessels, such as those required in institutions where large quantities of food are cooked and where pots and kettles are subjected to extremely hard wear, but this is the most expensive kind, for in order to make the aluminum hard enough for casting some harder metal must be mixed with it. one of the disadvantages of aluminum is that it is not always easy to clean, but this is overbalanced by the fact that foods do not burn so readily in aluminum utensils as in other kinds, since the heat is evenly distributed by this metal. . enamel.--good enamel cooking utensils are desirable for some purposes and are only moderately expensive. utensils made of enamel are not so durable as those made of metal, because excessive heat or a sharp blow will cause the enamel to chip. enamel utensils come in various colors, and all can be kept clean easily, but the gray enamel is considered to be the best for wear. . iron and steel.--utensils made of iron and steel are usually inexpensive, but some, especially those of iron, are heavy. these metals are used principally for such utensils as frying pans, or skillets, griddles, waffle irons, and kettles for deep-fat frying. sheet iron makes excellent shallow pans for baking cookies and other cakes, very satisfactory bread pans, and the best kind of pans for omelet and other frying. . earthenware.--a certain number of fairly durable earthenware utensils are necessary in a kitchen equipment. mixing bowls are usually made of earthenware, as are also casseroles, which are covered dishes used for the baking of foods that require long cooking, and other baking utensils. meat, fowl, and some vegetables, such as dried beans, are delicious when prepared in a casserole, as very little flavor or food is lost in such a dish. . tin.--the cheapest metal from which cooking utensils are made is tin, but it is not generally used for utensils in which food is to be cooked, because it melts at too low a temperature. tin is used, however, for such small articles as measures, cutters, apple corers, sieves, strainers, and other things of this kind, and it is especially desirable for them. . copper.--before iron was known copper was the principal material for cooking utensils. the chief point in favor of copper is its durability, but utensils made of it are not practical for use in the ordinary kitchen because they are expensive, heavy, and very difficult to keep clean. . glass.--utensils made of heavy glassware are much used for cooking. glass utensils are especially desirable for custards and other dishes that the cook likes to watch while cooking or that are to be served in the baking dish. glass cooking utensils possess the advantage of retaining the heat well. . wood.--certain utensils made of wood are required in a cooking outfit, a molding board of hardwood and a smaller wooden cutting board being particularly necessary in every kitchen. bowls in which to chop foods, rolling pins, and mixing spoons are usually made of hardwood, and when such wood is used for them they are entirely satisfactory. labor-saving devices . a labor-saving device is any apparatus that will permit a certain piece of work to be accomplished with less exertion than would be necessary to do the same thing without it. a sink and a dustpan are labor-saving devices just as truly as are a bread mixer and a vacuum cleaner, but because a sink and a dustpan are necessities as well, they are not usually thought of as true labor-saving devices. the newer appliances for saving labor are often considered to be quite unnecessary, and indeed some of them are. it is only when such apparatus will, with less labor involved and less time consumed in the process, secure results as good as or better than will another device, and when the cleaning and care of it do not consume so much time and labor as is saved by using it, that it may be considered a true labor-saving device. each housewife must decide for herself whether the expense of a so-called labor-saving device is greater than the value of the time and strength she would use without such a device. [illustration: fig. (_a_) (_b_)] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . common labor-saving devices. every housewife does not have occasion to use all the devices that have been invented to save labor, but a number of these are in such common use, produce such good results, and save so much time and effort that they should be found in every kitchen. among them is the _rotary egg beater_ shown in fig. (_a_). this is so made that one revolution of the wheel to which the crank is attached does about five times as much work as can be done with a fork or with an _egg whip_, which is shown in (_b_). another inexpensive device that is a real help is the _potato ricer_. this device, one style of which is shown in fig. , is really a press through which any fruit or vegetable can be put to make a purée. it is used considerably for mashing potatoes, as it makes them perfectly smooth and saves considerable time and labor. still another useful device is the _meat chopper_, or _grinder_, which is shown in fig. . such a device clamped to the edge of a table takes the place of a chopping bowl and knife, and in addition to being more sanitary it permits the work to be done in a shorter time and with less effort. besides the devices mentioned, there are many small labor-saving devices, such as the _apple corer_, the _berry huller_, the _mayonnaise mixer_, etc., the merits of which every busy housewife will do well to consider. [illustration: fig. ] . bread and cake mixers. where baking is done for only a small number of persons, bread and cake mixers are not indispensable, but they save much labor where baking is done on a large scale. it is comparatively easy, for instance, to knead dough for three or four loaves of bread, but the process becomes rather difficult when enough dough for eight to sixteen loaves must be handled. for large quantities of bread and cake, mixers, when properly used, are labor-saving. in addition, such devices are sanitary, and for this reason they are used in many homes where the bakings are comparatively small. . the type of bread mixer in common use is shown in fig. . it consists of a covered tin pail _a_ that may be fastened to the edge of a table by the clamp _b_. inside of the pail is a kneading prong _c_, in the shape of a gooseneck, that is revolved by turning the handle _d_. the flour and other materials for the dough are put into the pail, and they are mixed and kneaded mechanically by turning the handle. . a cake mixer, the usual type of which is shown in fig. , is similar in construction to a bread mixer. instead of a pail, however, for the dough ingredients, it has a deep pan _a_, and instead of one kneading prong it has several prongs, which are attached to two arms _b_, as shown. these arms are revolved by gear-wheels _c_ that fit in a large gearwheel _d_ attached to a shaft _e_, which is turned by means of a handle _f_. the large number of mixing prongs in a cake mixer are necessary, because cake dough must be thoroughly stirred and beaten, whereas in bread making the dough must be made to form a compact mass. [illustration: fig. ] . dish-washing machines.--although machines for washing dishes are to be had, they are most helpful where large numbers of people are served and, consequently, where great quantities of dishes are to be washed. such machines are usually large and therefore take up more space than the ordinary kitchen can afford. likewise the care and cleaning of them require more labor than the washing of dishes for a small family entails. large quantities of hot water are needed to operate mechanical dish washers, and even where they are installed, the glassware, silver, and cooking utensils must, as a rule, be washed by hand. . fireless cooker.--a device that has proved to be really labor-saving is the fireless cooker, one type of which is shown in fig. . it consists of an insulated box _a_ lined with metal and divided into compartments _b_, with pans _c_ that fit into them. hotplates, or stones, as they are sometimes called, are frequently used if the article to be cooked requires them. these stones, which are shown at _d_, are supported in the compartments by metal racks _e_, and they are lifted in and out by means of wire handles _f_. [illustration: fig .] to use a fireless cooker properly, the food must be cooked for a short time on the stove; then it must be tightly covered and placed in one of the insulated compartments. if hotplates are to be used they must be heated in the same manner. the food loses its heat so gradually in the fireless cooker that the cooking proceeds slowly but effectually. when the previous heating has been sufficient, the food will be cooked and still warm when the cooker is opened hours later. some articles of food occasionally need reheating during the process. by this method of cooking there is no loss of flavor or food value, and the food usually requires no further attention after being placed in the cooker. it also permits of economy in both fuel and time. utensils for furnishing a kitchen . as a guide in purchasing equipment for a kitchen, a list of utensils is here presented. this list is divided into utensils that are necessary and those that are convenient and only at times necessary. in any case, however, the number of utensils and the size must be determined by the quantity of food that is to be prepared. necessary equipment baking dish with cover bread box bread knife bread pans can opener cake knife chopping bowl and knife or food chopper coffee mill coffee pot colander cookie cutter corer, apple cutting board dishpan double boiler egg beater flour sifter forks frying pan, large frying pan, small garbage can grater kettle covers kettles, two or more knife sharpener knives lemon squeezer long-handled fork measuring cup meat board meat knife mixing bowls mixing spoons molding board muffin pan paring knife pepper shaker pie pans potato masher rinsing, or draining, pan roasting pan rolling pin salt box saucepans spatula tablespoons teakettle teapot teaspoons toaster wire strainer wooden spoon convenient equipment bread mixer cake coolers cake mixer cake turner casseroles clock coffee percolator containers for spices and dry groceries cookie sheets cream whip egg whip fireless cooker frying kettle and basket funnel glass jars for canning griddle ice-cream freezer ice pick jelly molds nest of bowls pan for baking fish potato knife potato ricer ramekins quart measure scales scissors set of skewers steamer waffle iron wheel cart * * * * * getting foods ready for cooking preliminary preparation . before foods that require cooking are cooked or before foods that are to be eaten raw are served, they must be properly prepared, for their palatability and their value as food depend considerably on the way in which they are made ready for cooking or for eating. of course, the way in which food should be prepared will depend on how it is to be served, but in any event all foods, for the sake of cleanliness, must first be washed with water or wiped with a clean, damp cloth. . the ways in which vegetables and fruits are made ready for cooking vary. sometimes such foods are cooked with the skins on, and sometimes certain vegetables, such as new potatoes, young carrots and parsnips, vegetable oysters, etc., are made ready in an economical way by scraping off their skins with a knife. vegetables are also peeled, and when this is done a very sharp knife with a thin blade should be used and as little of the food removed as possible. still another way of removing the skins of such foods as tomatoes, nuts, and some fruits is by _blanching_. in this process, the skins are loosened so that they may be removed easily, either by immersing the foods in boiling water or by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to stand in the water for a few minutes, but not long enough to soften them. blanching used in this sense should not be confused with the same word when it means "to take color out" and has reference to a process of bleaching. only when the word means "to remove the covering of" can it be applied to the peeling of tomatoes, fruits, and nuts. vegetables and fruits may be cooked whole or they may be cut into chunks, or pieces, or into slices. . in order to get meats ready for cooking, it is necessary to wipe them clean and usually to trim off all unnecessary bone, fat, and skin. meats may be cooked in large pieces or small pieces or they may be ground, depending on the cooking process to be used. before cooking poultry and fish, they should be thoroughly cleaned and then trimmed and cut to suit the cooking process chosen. if desired, the bones may be removed from poultry or fish before cooking, and sometimes it is advantageous to do so. cream and raw eggs may be whipped or beaten light before they are served or cooked, and after such foods as fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish have been cooked, they may be sliced, chopped, ground, mashed, or cut into dice, or small pieces. mixing of food ingredients . processes involved in mixing.--in cookery, the mixing of ingredients is done for several purposes--to produce a certain texture, to give a smoothness or creaminess to a mixture, or to impart lightness. various processes are involved in the mixing of ingredients, and the results that are accomplished depend entirely on the method that is selected. the most important of these processes with brief explanations of what they mean follow. beating is a rapid motion that picks up material from the bottom and mixes it with that nearer the surface. it is done with a spoon, a fork, an egg whip, or, if the mixture is thin, with a rotary egg beater. sometimes beating is done for the purpose of incorporating air and thus making the mixture light. stirring is usually done with a spoon, and is accomplished by moving the spoon in circles, around and around, through ingredients contained in a pan or a bowl. this is the method that is generally applied to the simple mixing of ingredients. folding is a careful process whereby beaten egg or whipped cream is added to a mixture without destroying its lightness. it is accomplished by placing the egg or cream on top of a mixture in a bowl or a pan, and then passing a spoon down through both and bringing up a spoonful of the mixture and placing it on top. this motion is repeated until the two are well blended, but this result should be accomplished with as few strokes as possible. rubbing is done by pressing materials against the side of a bowl with the back of a spoon. this is the process that is applied when butter and other fats are to be mixed with such dry ingredients as sugar and flour. creaming consists in continuing the rubbing process until the texture becomes soft and smooth and is of a creamy consistency. cutting-in is a method used to combine butter with flour when it is desired to have the butter remain hard or in small pieces. it is done by chopping the butter into the flour with a knife. sifting is shaking or stirring material through a sifter having a fine wire mesh. it is done to remove foreign or coarse material, to impart lightness, or to mix dry ingredients together. ricing is a process whereby certain cooked foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish, may be reduced to the form of a purée. this result is accomplished by forcing the cooked material through a ricer. . application of mixing processes.--in applying the various mixing processes, it is well to bear in mind that good results depend considerably on the order of mixing, as well as on the deftness and thoroughness with which each process is performed. this fact is clearly demonstrated in a cake in which the butter and sugar have not been actually creamed, for such a cake will not have the same texture as one in which the creaming has been done properly. it is also shown in angel food or sunshine cake, for the success of such a cake depends largely on the skill employed in folding in the whites of eggs or in beating the yolks. on the other hand, the lightness of pastry and the tenderness of cookies depend on how each is rolled out, and the kneading of bread is a process that demonstrates that many things can be learned by actually doing them. as progress is made with these cookery lessons, therefore, the application of the mixing processes should not be overlooked. beginners in cookery, owing possibly to the fact that at first they cannot handle soft material skilfully, are liable to make the mistake of getting the ingredients too stiff. yet no beginner need feel the least bit discouraged, for ability in this direction comes with experience; indeed, just as skill in sewing, embroidering, and other processes comes about by practice and persistent effort, so will come skill in cooking. measuring . uniform results in cookery depend on accurate measurement. of course, there are some cooks--and good ones, too--who claim that they do not measure, but as a matter of fact they have, through long experience, developed a judgment, or "sense," of measurement, which amounts to the same thing as if they actually did measure. still, even these cooks cannot be absolutely sure of securing as satisfactory results time after time as are likely to follow the employment of a more accurate method. therefore, to secure the best results, every kitchen should be supplied with the proper measuring utensils, which are scales, a measuring cup, and a set of measuring spoons, or a standard tablespoon and a standard teaspoon. [illustration: fig. ] . scales.--in fig. is shown the type of scales generally included in the kitchen equipment. the material to be weighed is placed on the platform at the top, and the weight of it is indicated on the dial by a pointer, or hand. sometimes these scales are provided with a scoop in which loose materials may be placed in weighing. such scales furnish a correct means not only of measuring materials, but of verifying the weights of foods from the market, the butcher shop, or the grocery. to use them properly, the housewife should learn to balance them exactly, and when she is weighing articles she should always allow for the weight of the container or receptacle, even if it is only the paper that holds the food. [illustration: fig. ] . measuring cups.--weighing the articles called for in a recipe is often a less convenient method than measuring; therefore, in the preparation of foods, measuring is more often resorted to than weighing. as accuracy in measurement is productive of the best results, it is necessary that all measures be as accurate and definite as possible. for measuring the ingredients called for in recipes, use is generally made of a measuring cup like that shown in fig. . such a cup is designed to hold gills, or / pint, and it is marked to indicate thirds and quarters, so that it may be used for recipes of all kinds. if a liquid is to be measured with such a cup, it should be filled to the brim, but if dry material is to be measured with it, the material should be heaped up in the cup with a spoon and then scraped level with a knife, in the manner shown in fig. . in case fractions or parts of a cup are to be measured, the cup should be placed level and stationary and then filled evenly to the mark indicated on the cup itself. . many times it will be found more convenient to measure dry materials with a spoon. this can be done with accuracy if it is remembered that tablespoonfuls make cup, or / pint; tablespoonfuls, / cup; tablespoonfuls, / cup; and tablespoonfuls, / cup. if no measuring cup like the one just described is at hand, one that will hold level tablespoonfuls of dry material may be selected from the kitchen supply of dishes. such a cup, however, cannot be used successfully in measuring a half, thirds, or fourths; for such measurements it will be better to use a spoon. [illustration: fig. ] as a rule, it will be found very convenient to have two measuring cups of standard size, one for measuring dry ingredients and the other for measuring moist or wet ones. if it is impossible to have more than one, the dry materials should be measured first in working out a recipe, and the fats and liquids afterwards. whatever plan of measuring is followed, however, it should always be remembered that recipes are written for the definite quantities indicated and mean _standard_, not approximate, cupfuls, tablespoonfuls, and teaspoonfuls. . measuring spoons.--in addition to a measuring cup or two, a set of measuring spoons will be found extremely convenient in a kitchen. however, if it is impossible to obtain such a set, a teaspoon and a tablespoon of standard size will answer for measuring purposes. three level teaspoonfuls are equal to tablespoonful. when a spoon is used, it is heaped with the dry material and then leveled with a knife, in the manner shown in fig. (_a_). if / spoonful is desired, it is leveled first, as indicated in (_a_), and then marked through the center with a knife and half of its contents pushed off, as shown in (_b_). fourths and eighths are measured in the same way, as is indicated in fig. (_a_), but thirds are measured across the bowl of the spoon, as in (_b_). [illustration: fig. ] . precautions to observe in measuring.--in measuring some of the materials used in the preparation of foods, certain points concerning them should receive attention. for instance, all powdered materials, such as flour, must first be sifted, as the amount increases upon sifting, it being definitely known that a cupful of unsifted flour will measure about - / cupfuls after it is sifted. lumps, such as those which form in salt and sugar, should be thoroughly crushed before measuring; if this is not done, accurate measurements cannot be secured, because lumps of such ingredients are more compact than the loose material. butter and other fats should be tightly packed into the measure, and if the fat is to be melted in order to carry out a recipe, it should be melted before it is measured. anything measured in a cup should be poured into the cup; that is, the cup should not be filled by dipping it into the material nor by drawing it through the material. [illustration: fig. ] . tables of weights and measures.--as foods are sold by weight and by measure, and as recipes always call for certain weights and measures, it is absolutely necessary that every person engaged in the purchase and preparation of foods should be familiar with the tables of weights and measures in common use for such purposes in the united states and practically all other english-speaking countries. in addition, it will be well to have a knowledge of relative weights and measures, so as to be in a position to use these tables to the best advantage. . the table used ordinarily for weighing foods is the table of avoirdupois weight. another table of weights, called the table of _troy weight_, is used by goldsmiths and jewelers for weighing precious metals. it should not be confused with avoirdupois weight, however, because its pound contains only ounces, whereas the avoirdupois pound contains ounces. the table of avoirdupois weight, together with the abbreviations of the terms used in it, is as follows: avoirdupois weight - / grains (gr.)..... = ounce............. oz. ounces................ = pound............. lb. pounds............... = hundredweight..... cwt. hundredweight \ }....... = ton............... t. , pounds / although , pounds make ton, it is well to note that , pounds make _long ton_ (l.t.). the long ton is used by coal dealers in some localities, but the ton, sometimes called the _short ton_, is in more general use and is the one meant unless long ton is specified. . the table of liquid measure is used for measuring all liquids, and is extremely useful to the housewife. this table, together with the abbreviations of its terms, is as follows: liquid measure gills (gi.)........... = pint................. pt. pints................. = quart................ qt. quarts................ = gallon............... gal. - / gallons.......... = barrel............... bbl. barrels \ }............ = hogshead............. hhd. gallons/ . the table of dry measure is used for measuring dry foods, such as potatoes, dried peas and beans, etc. the table of dry measure, with its abbreviations, follows: dry measure pints (pt.)........... = quart................ qt. quarts................ = peck................. pk. pecks................. = bushel............... bu. . tables of relative weights and measures are of value to the housewife in that they will assist her greatly in coming to an understanding of the relation that some of the different weights and measures bear to one another. for example, as dry foods are sold by the pound in some localities, it will be well for her to know the approximate equivalent in pounds of a definite quantity of another measure, say a quart or a bushel of a certain food. likewise, she ought to know that when a recipe calls for a cupful it means / pint, as has been explained. every one is familiar with the old saying, "a pint's a pound the world around," which, like many old sayings, is not strictly true, for while pint is equal to pound of some things, it is not of others. the following tables give approximately the relative weights and measures of most of the common foods: approximate measure of pound of food beans, dried.................. cupfuls butter........................ coffee, whole................. corn meal..................... flour......................... milk.......................... molasses...................... - / meat, chopped, finely packed.. nuts, shelled................. oats, rolled.................. olive oil..................... - / peas, split................... raisins....................... rice.......................... sugar, brown.................. - / sugar, granulated............. sugar, powdered............... - / approximate weight of tablespoonful of food butter........................ / ounce corn starch................... / flour......................... / milk.......................... / sugar......................... / approximate weight of cupful of food butter........................ ounces corn meal..................... corn starch................... flour......................... milk.......................... molasses..................... nuts, shelled................. raisins....................... sugar......................... in measuring, you will find the following relative proportions of great assistance: tsp. = tb. tb. = c. . abbreviations of measures.--in order to simplify directions and recipes in books relating to cookery, it is customary to use the abbreviations of some weights and measures. those which occur most frequently in cook books are the following: tsp. for teaspoonful pt. for pint tb. for tablespoonful qt. for quart c. for cupful oz. for ounce lb. for pound order of work . for successful results in cookery, the work to be done should be planned beforehand and then carried on with systematic care. by following such a plan, a waste of time and material will be prevented and good results will be secured, for there will be little chance for mistakes to occur. the order of work here outlined will serve to make clear the way in which cooking processes can be carried out satisfactorily. first, read the quantity and kind of ingredients listed in the recipe, and study carefully the method by which they are to be prepared and combined. in so doing, determine whether the dish is too expensive and whether the amounts called for will make a dish sufficient in size for the number of persons to be served. if they are too large, carefully divide them to make the right quantity; if they are too small, multiply them to make them enough. the heat itself, which plays such an important part in cooking, should receive attention at the proper time. if the fuel to be used is coal or wood and baking is to be done, build the fire long enough before it is needed, so that it will be burning evenly and steadily. then, while the recipe is being prepared, provided it is to be baked, regulate the heat of the oven. if gas or kerosene is to be used, light it after the recipe is read, and regulate it during the measuring and mixing of the ingredients. before proceeding to prepare a dish, clear enough working space for the utensils that are to be used, as well as for carrying on the various operations without feeling crowded. then, on the cleared space, place the necessary measuring utensils, such as a measuring cup, a knife, a teaspoon, and a tablespoon. select a bowl or a pan for mixing, a spoon for stirring, and, when needed, an egg whip or beater for eggs and separate bowls in which to beat them. choose the utensil in which the mixture is to be cooked, and, if necessary, grease it. during the process of preparing the dish, measure accurately all the ingredients to be used, and check them up with the recipe, so as to be sure that none are missing and that each one is in its proper amount. if all these steps are accurately taken, the mixing, which is the next step, can be accomplished quickly and without error. with all the ingredients properly combined, the mixture is ready for the last step, the cooking or the baking. this must be done with the utmost care, or an otherwise properly prepared dish may be spoiled. table for cooking foods . so that the beginner in cookery may form a definite idea of the length of time required to cook certain foods, there is presented here what is commonly known as a _cookery time table_. it should be remembered that the time required to cook food is influenced by many factors. for instance, the age of vegetables and fruits very largely determines how long they should be cooked; tough meats and fowl require longer cooking than tender ones; and the heat of the oven has much to do with the length of time required for cooking, especially the process of baking or roasting therefore, while this time table will prove of great help to beginners, it can serve only as a guide. to determine whether or not foods have been cooked long enough, it is advisable to apply the proper tests, which are given later in discussing the various foods rather than to depend solely on the time table. in this table, the length of time for cooking is given in minutes (abbreviated min.) and hours (abbreviated hr.) cookery time table meats and fish _broiled_ bacon....................... to min. chicken.................... to min. fish....................... to min. fish, slices............... to min. fish, very small............ to min. lamb chops.................. to min. quail or squabs............. to min. steak, thick............... to min. steak, thin................. to min. veal chops.................. to min. _boiled_ beef, corned................ to hr. chicken, lb............... to - / hr. fish, bluefish, cod, or bass, to lb.......... to min. fish, slices, to lb.... to min. fish, small................ to min. fowl, to lb............. to hr. ham, to lb............ to hr. mutton, leg of.............. to hr. tongue...................... to hr. _roasted_ beef, rib or loin, lb., rare....................... hr. min. beef, rib or loin, lb., well done.................. hr. min. beef, rib or loin, lb., rare....................... hr. min. beef, rib or loin, lb., well done.................. hr. beef, rump, lb., rare... hr. min. beef, rump, lb., well done.. hr. chicken, or lb........ - / to hr. duck, to lb........... - / to - / hr. fish, to lb........... to min. fish, small............... to min. goose, lb.............. to - / hr. lamb, leg of.............. - / to - / hr. mutton, saddle............ - / to - / hr. pork, rib, lb........... to - / hr. turkey, lb............. - / to hr. vegetables _boiled_ asparagus.............. to min. beans, lima or shell.... to min. beans, string.......... to min. beets, old............... to hr. beets, young........... to min. brussels sprouts....... to min. cabbage................ to min. carrots............... / to hr. cauliflower............. to min. green corn............... to min. macaroni................ to min. onions.................. to min. peas.................... to min. potatoes................ to min. rice.................... to min. spinach................. to min. turnips................ / to - / hr. vegetable oysters...... / to - / hr. baked foods beans..................... to hr. biscuits, baking powder ... to min. biscuits, yeast........... to min. bread, ginger............. to min. bread, loaf............... to min. cake, corn................ to min. cake, fruit............ - / to hr. cake, layer............... to min. cake, loaf................ to min. cake, pound............ - / to - / hr. cake, sponge.............. to min. cookies.................... to min. custard................... to min. muffins, baking powder.... to min. pastry.................... to min. potatoes.................. to min. pudding, indian............ to hr. pudding, rice (poor man's). to hr. * * * * * care of food reasons for care . although, as has been explained, the selection and preparation of foods require much consideration from the housewife who desires to get good results in cookery, there is still one thing to which she must give attention if she would keep down the cost of living, and that is the care of food. unless food is properly taken care of before it is cooked, as well as after it is cooked--that is, the left-overs--considerable loss is liable to result through its spoiling or decaying. both uncooked and cooked food may be kept wholesome in several ways, but before these are discussed it may be well to look into the causes of spoiling. with these causes understood, the methods of caring for foods will be better appreciated, and the results in buying, storing, and handling foods will be more satisfactory. . to come to a knowledge of why foods spoil, it will be well to note that nature abounds in _micro-organisms_, or living things so minute as to be invisible to the naked eye. these micro-organisms are known to science as _microbes_ and _germs_, and they are comprised of _bacteria, yeasts_, and _molds_, a knowledge of which is of the utmost importance to the physician and the farmer, as well as the housewife. just in what ways these are beneficial to the farmer and the physician is beyond the scope of the subject of cookery, but in the household their influence is felt in three ways: they are the cause of the decay and spoiling of foods; they are of value in the preparation of certain foods; and they are the cause of contagious diseases. it will thus be seen that while some microbes are undesirable, others exert a beneficial action. . it is only within comparatively recent years that the action of micro-organisms has been understood. it is now definitely known that these minute living things seize every possible chance to attack articles of food and produce the changes known as fermentation, putrefaction, souring, and decay. micro-organisms that cause fermentation are necessary in bread making and vinegar making, but they are destructive to other foods, as, for example, those which are canned or preserved. organisms that cause putrefaction are needed in the making of sauer kraut, salt rising bread, and cheese. molds also help to make cheese, but neither these nor putrefactive organisms are desirable for foods other than those mentioned. it should be remembered, however, that even those foods which require micro-organisms in their making are constantly in danger of the attacks of these small living things, for unless something is done to retard their growth they will cause food to sour or decay and thus become unfit for consumption. some foods, of course, withstand the attacks of micro-organisms for longer periods of time than others. for example, most fruits that are protected by an unbroken skin will, under the right conditions, keep for long periods of time, but berries, on account of having less protective covering, spoil much more quickly. likewise, vegetables without skins decay faster than those with skins, because they have no protective covering and contain more water, in which, as is definitely known, most micro-organisms thrive. . if food is to be kept from decaying, the housewife must endeavor to prevent the growth of micro-organisms, and she can best accomplish this if she is familiar with the ways in which they work. it is for this reason that, whether she possesses a scientific knowledge of bacteria or not, an understanding of some practical facts concerning why food spoils and how to keep it from decaying is imperative. in this part of cookery, as in every other phase, it is the reason why things should be done that makes all that relates to the cooking of food so interesting. in all parts of the work there are scientific facts underlying the processes, and the more the housewife learns about these, the more she can exercise the art of cookery, which, like all other arts, depends on scientific principles. * * * * * methods of care classification . as has been pointed out, it is not the mere presence of micro-organisms that causes the spoiling of food, but their constant growth. therefore, to keep milk from souring, meat from spoiling, bread from molding, canned fruit from fermenting, and so on, it is necessary to know what will prevent the growth of these minute organisms. different foods require different treatment. some foods must be kept very cold, some must be heated or cooked, others must be dried, and to others must be added preservatives. an unwarrantable prejudice has been raised in the minds of many persons against the use of preservatives, but this is due to the fact that the term is not properly understood. in this use, it means anything that helps to preserve or keep safe the food to which it is added. sugar, salt, spices, and vinegar are all preservatives, and are added to food as much for the purpose of preserving it as for seasoning it. canning and drying of foods . among the common methods of caring for foods that are to be used at a future time are canning and drying. canning, which is discussed fully in another section, consists in preserving sterile foods in sealed cans or jars. the aim in canning is to prevent the growth of micro-organisms, and to do this the process known as _sterilizing_--that is, the destroying of bacteria and other micro-organisms by means of heat--is resorted to. canning theories are different now from what they were in former times. for example, housewives formerly made heavy, rich preserves of available fruits because it was thought that sugar must be used in large quantities in order to keep or prevent them from spoiling. while it is true that the sugar assisted, science has since proved that sterilizing is what must be done, so that now only the sugar desired for sweetening need be used. . the other method of keeping food, namely, drying, depends for its success on the fact that such micro-organisms as bacteria cannot grow unless they have a considerable quantity of moisture or water. molds grow on cheese, bread, damp cloth or paper, or articles that contain only a small amount of moisture, but bacteria need from to per cent. of water in food in order to grow and multiply. this explains why in high altitudes and dry climates foods keep for a long time without artificial means of preservation. it also explains why the old-fashioned housekeeper dried fruits and why the preservation of certain meats is accomplished by the combined methods of smoking and drying, the creosote of the smoke given off from the wood used in this process acting as a preservative. all the grains, which are very dry, keep for long periods of time, even centuries, if they are protected from the moisture of the air. peas, beans, and lentils, as well as dried biscuits and crackers, are all examples of how well food will keep when little or no moisture is present. keeping foods with ice . although, as has just been pointed out, moisture is required for the growth of some micro-organisms, both moisture and warmth are necessary for the growth of most of the organisms that cause molding, putrefaction, and fermentation. it is definitely known, also, that in winter or in cold climates food can be kept for long periods of time without any apparent change; in fact, the lower the temperature the less likely are foods to spoil, although freezing renders many of them unfit for use. these facts are what led up to the scientific truth that keeping foods dry and at a low temperature is an effective and convenient method of preventing them from spoiling and to the invention of the refrigerator and other devices and methods for the cold storage of foods. . the refrigerator.--for home use, the refrigerator offers the most convenient means of keeping foods in good condition. as is well known, it is a device that, by means of air cooled by the melting of ice or in some other manner, keeps food at a temperature near the freezing point. all refrigerators are constructed in a similar manner, having two or more layers of wood between which is placed an insulating material, such as cork, asbestos, or mineral wool. the food compartments are lined with tile, zinc, or other rust-proof material, and the ice compartment is usually lined with rust-proof metal, so as to be water-tight and unbreakable. any refrigerator may be made to serve the purpose of preserving food effectively if it is well constructed, the ice chamber kept as full of ice as possible, and the housewife knows how to arrange the foods in the food chambers to the best advantage. the construction and use of refrigerators are based on the well-known scientific fact that air expands and rises when it becomes warm. this can be proved by testing the air near the ceiling of a room, for no matter how warm it is near the floor it will always be warmer above. the same thing occurs in a refrigerator. as air comes in contact with the ice, it is cooled and falls, and the warm air is forced up. thus the air is kept in constant motion, or circulation. [illustration: fig .] . many refrigerators are built with the ice compartment on one side, as in the refrigerator illustrated in fig. . in such refrigerators, there is usually a small food compartment directly under the ice chamber, and this is the coldest place in the refrigerator. here should be stored the foods that need special care or that absorb odors and flavors readily, such as milk, butter, cream, meat, etc., because at this place the air, which circulates in the manner indicated by the arrow, is the purest. the foods that give off odors strong enough to taint others should be kept on the upper shelves of the refrigerator, through which the current of air passes last before being freed from odors by passing over the ice. . in fig. is shown a type of refrigerator in which the ice chamber, or compartment, extends across the entire top. this type is so built as to produce on each side a current of air that passes down from the ice at the center and back up to the ice near the outside walls, as shown by the arrows. a different arrangement is required for the food in this kind of refrigerator, those which give off odors and flavors being placed in the bottom compartment, or farthest from the ice, and those which take up odors and flavors, on the top shelf, or nearest the ice. a careful study of both figs. and is advised, for they show the best arrangement of food in each type of refrigerator. [illustration: fig. ] . care of food in refrigerator.--the proper placing of foods in a refrigerator is extremely important, but certain precautions should be taken with regard to the food itself. cooked foods should never be placed in the refrigerator without first allowing them to cool, for the steam given off when a dish of hot food comes in contact with the cold air makes the refrigerator damp and causes an undue waste of ice by warming the air. all dishes containing food should be wiped dry and carefully covered before they are placed in the refrigerator, so as to keep unnecessary moisture out of it. as butter and milk are likely to become contaminated with odors given off by other foods, they should be properly protected if there is not a separate compartment in which to keep them. the milk bottles should always be closed and the butter carefully wrapped or put in a covered receptacle. onions, cabbage, and other foods with strong odors, when placed in the refrigerator, should be kept in tightly closed jars or dishes, so that the odors will not escape. before fresh fruits and perishable vegetables--that is, vegetables that decay easily--are put into the refrigerator, they should be carefully looked over and all decayed portions removed from them. no food should be placed in the ice chamber, because this will cause the ice to melt unnecessarily. . care of the refrigerator.--it is essential that all parts of the refrigerator be kept scrupulously clean and as dry as possible. to accomplish this, nothing should be allowed to spoil in it, and anything spilled in the refrigerator should be cleaned out immediately. the foods that are left over should be carefully inspected every day, and anything not likely to be used within a day or so should be disposed of. at least once a week the food should be removed from all compartments, the racks taken out, the drain pipe disconnected, and each part thoroughly washed, rinsed with boiling water, and dried. the inside of the refrigerator should likewise be washed, rinsed, and wiped dry, after which the drain pipe should be connected, the shelves put back in place, and the food replaced. the ice chamber of the refrigerator should also be cleaned frequently, the best time to do this being when the ice has melted enough to be lifted out conveniently. to prevent the ice from melting rapidly when it is out of the refrigerator, it may be wrapped in paper or a piece of old blanket, but this covering must be removed when the ice is replaced in the chamber, in order to allow the ice to melt in the refrigerator. otherwise, it would be impossible to chill the refrigerator properly, the temperature remaining the same as that outside, for it is as the ice gradually melts that the air in the refrigerator becomes cool. of course, every effort should be made to keep the ice from wasting. therefore, while the refrigerator should be kept in a convenient place, it should not be exposed to too great heat; also, the doors should be kept tightly closed, and, as has already been explained, hot foods should not be put in until they are sufficiently cooled. attention must be given to the care of the refrigerator, for only when it is clean and dry can the growth of bacteria that attack foods be prevented. keeping foods without ice . while a refrigerator simplifies the preserving of cooked foods and those subject to quick decay, there are many communities in which it is not possible to procure ice conveniently, thus making it necessary to adopt some other means of keeping food. then, too, there are generally quantities of foods, such as winter vegetables, apples, etc., that cannot be stored in a refrigerator, but must be taken care of properly. in such cases, the method of storing depends to a certain extent on conditions. on many farms there are spring houses in which foods may be stored in order to keep them cool during very warm weather; but in the majority of homes, the cellar, on account of its being cool, is utilized for the storage of large quantities of food and even for keeping the more perishable foods when ice cannot be obtained. [illustration: fig. ] . storing foods in cellars.--in order that a cellar may furnish a safe place for keeping food, it must be well built and properly cared for. if it is dug in wet ground and is not well drained, it will become musty and damp, and fruits and vegetables stored in it will be attacked by mold. a small part of the cellar should be without a floor, as many winter vegetables seem to keep better when placed on dry ground, but the remainder should have a flooring of either well-matched boards or cement that can be kept clean and dry. ventilation must also be supplied; otherwise, odors will be retained that will taint the food kept in the cellar. to allow the passage of air and light from the outside and thus secure proper ventilation, the cellar should be provided with windows. these will also assist very much in the cleaning and airing of the cellar, processes that should never be overlooked if good results are desired. in addition to the cleaning of the cellar, constant attention should be given to the foods kept there. foods that have spoiled or are beginning to spoil should be disposed of quickly, for decayed food that is not removed from the cellar will affect the conditions for keeping other foods and may be injurious to the health of the family. [illustration: fig. ] . all foods likely to be contaminated by dust and flies in the cellar must be carefully covered. a screened frame fastened to the wall with brackets, like the one shown in fig. , is excellent for this purpose, because it prevents the attack of vermin and permits of ventilation. if canned goods are to be stored, a cellar cupboard like that shown in fig. is a very good place in which to keep them. separate bins should, if possible, be provided for fruits, potatoes, and other winter vegetables, and, as shown in fig. , such bins should be so built as to allow air to pass through them. [illustration: fig. ] . window boxes.--the woman who lives in an apartment where there is no cellar and who does not wish to keep ice in the refrigerator through the winter will find a window box a very good device in which to keep food. such a box is also a convenience for the woman who has a cellar, but wishes to save steps. a box of this kind is built to fit a kitchen or a pantry window, and is placed outside of the window, so that the opening comes toward the room. such an arrangement, which is illustrated in fig. , will make the contents of the box easily accessible when the window is raised. a box for this purpose may be made of wood or galvanized iron, and it is usually supported by suitable brackets. its capacity may be increased by building a shelf in it half way to the top, and provided it is made of wood, it can be more easily cleaned if it is lined with table oilcloth. [illustration: fig. ] storing of non-perishable foods . it may seem unnecessary to give much attention to the storing of foods that do not spoil easily, but there are good reasons why such foods require careful storage. they should be properly cared for to prevent the loss of flavor by exposure to the air, to prevent the absorption of moisture, which produces a favorable opportunity for the growth of molds, and to prevent the attacks of insects and vermin. the best way in which to care for such foods is to store them in tightly closed vessels. earthenware and glass jars, lard pails, coffee and cocoa cans, all carefully cleaned and having lids to fit, prove to be very satisfactory receptacles for such purposes. . unless coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, and prepared cereals are bought in cans or moisture-proof containers, they should be emptied from the original packages and placed in jars that can be tightly closed, so that they will not deteriorate by being exposed to the air or moisture. for convenience and economy, these jars or cans should be labeled. sugar and salt absorb moisture and form lumps when exposed to the air, and they, too, should be properly kept. a tin receptacle is the best kind for sugar, but for salt an earthenware or glass vessel should be used. it is not advisable to put these foods or any others into cupboards in paper bags, because foods kept in this way make disorderly looking shelves and are easily accessible to vermin, which are always attracted to food whenever it is not well protected. canned goods bought in tin cans do not need very careful storage. it is sufficient to keep them in a place dry enough to prevent the cans from rusting. foods canned in glass, however, should be kept where they are not exposed to the light, as they will become more or less discolored unless they are stored in dark places. flour, meals, and cereals stored in quantities develop mold unless they are kept very dry. for the storing of these foods, therefore, wooden bins or metal-lined boxes kept in a dry place are the most satisfactory. storing of semiperishable foods . practically all vegetables and fruits with skins may be regarded as semiperishable foods, and while they do not spoil so easily as some foods, they require a certain amount of care. potatoes are easily kept from spoiling if they are placed in a cool, dry, dark place, such as a cellar, a bin like that shown in fig. furnishing a very good means for such storage. it is, of course, economical to buy potatoes in large quantities, but if they must be kept under conditions that will permit them to sprout, shrivel, rot, or freeze, it is better to buy only a small quantity at a time. sweet potatoes may be bought in considerable quantity and kept for some time if they are wrapped separately in pieces of paper and packed so that they do not touch one another. carrots, turnips, beets, and parsnips can be kept through the winter in very much the same manner as potatoes. they deteriorate less, however, if they are covered with earth or sand. sometimes, especially in country districts, such winter vegetables are buried in the ground out of doors, being placed at a depth that renders them safe from the attacks of frost. cabbage will keep very well if placed in barrels or boxes, but for long keeping, the roots should not be removed. pumpkin and squash thoroughly matured do not spoil readily if they are stored in a dry place. apples and pears may be stored in boxes or barrels, but very fine varieties of these fruits should be wrapped separately in paper. all fruit should be looked over occasionally, and those which show signs of spoiling should be removed. menus and recipes . as practically every woman knows, a menu, or _bill of fare_, consists of a certain number of dishes given in the order in which they are to be served; likewise, she knows that the dishes called for in a menu must be prepared according to a recipe, or _receipt_, which is the list of ingredients of a mixture giving the exact proportions to be used, together with proper directions for compounding. in all good recipes the items are tabulated in the order in which they are needed, so as to save time and produce good results. items tabulated in this manner also serve to minimize the danger of omitting some of the ingredients of a recipe, for they can be easily checked up when they are given in the proper order. . in preparing recipes, the beginner in cookery usually has difficulty in judging the size of a recipe. the experienced housewife will not follow a recipe exactly when she thinks it will produce more food than she needs to meet the requirements of her family; instead, she will reduce the quantities to suit her wants. likewise, if a recipe will not provide enough, she will increase the quantities accordingly. just how to judge whether or not a recipe will make what is wanted comes only with experience, but the beginner may be guided by the fact that it is never wise to prepare more than enough of one kind of dish, unless, of course, it can be used to good advantage as a left-over. on the other hand, if a recipe is for food that can be kept and used for another meal later, it often pays to make up more, so as to save time, fuel, and labor. in any event, it is always advisable to follow explicitly the directions that are given, for if the recipe is of the right kind they will be given so that success will result from carrying them out in detail. . in order that the beginner in cookery may form a definite idea of the manner in which the dishes of a menu, or bill of fare, may be prepared so that they will be ready to serve in their proper order at meal time, there is here given a simple dinner menu, together with the recipes for preparing the dishes called for and the order in which they should be prepared. while these recipes are not intended to teach methods of cookery, which are taken up later, the student is advised to prepare the menu for her own satisfaction and so that she will be able to report on the success she has had with each dish. menu pan-broiled chops mashed potatoes creamed peas cabbage salad orange fluff with sauce * * * * * recipes pan-broiled chops buy the necessary number of pork, veal, or lamb chops, and proceed to cook them according to the directions previously given for pan broiling. season with salt and pepper just before removing the chops from the pan. mashed potatoes peel the desired number of potatoes, put to cook in a sufficient amount of boiling salted water to cover well, and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. remove from the fire and drain off the water. mash the potatoes with a wooden or a wire potato masher, being careful to reduce all the particles to a pulpy mass in order to prevent lumps, or put them through a ricer. when sufficiently mashed, season with additional salt, a dash of pepper, and a small piece of butter, and add hot milk until they are thinned to a mushy consistency, but not too soft to stand up well when dropped from a spoon. then beat the potatoes vigorously with a large spoon until they are light and fluffy. creamed peas boil until they are soft, two cupfuls of fresh peas in quart of water to which have been added tablespoonful of salt and of sugar, and then drain; or, use can of peas, heat them to the boiling point in their liquid, and then drain. a part of the water in which the fresh peas were cooked or the liquid on the canned peas may be used with an equal amount of milk to make a sauce for the peas, or all milk may be used. sauce for peas c. of milk, or / c. liquid from peas and / c. milk tb. butter / tsp. salt tb. flour melt the butter in a saucepan or a double boiler, work in the flour and salt until a smooth paste is formed, and add the liquid that has been heated. stir until thick and smooth. add to the peas, reheat, and serve. cabbage salad / medium-sized head of cabbage / tsp. salt small red or green sweet pepper dash of pepper small onion salad dressing shred the cabbage finely by cutting across the leaves with a sharp knife or a cabbage shredder. chop the pepper and onion into very small pieces and add to the cabbage. mix well and add the salt and pepper. cabbage-salad dressing / c. vinegar / tsp. mustard, if desired / c. water / tsp. salt tb. butter tb. sugar tb. flour heat the water and the vinegar; melt the butter in a saucepan, add to it the flour, mustard, salt, and sugar, stir until well blended, and then pour in the hot liquid. cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of lumps. pour over the cabbage while hot; allow it to cool and then serve on plates garnished with lettuce. orange fluff / c. sugar / c. orange juice tb. corn starch tb. lemon juice pinch of salt egg whites pt. boiling water mix the corn starch and sugar and salt, stir into the boiling water, and cook directly over the fire until the mixture thickens. continue to cook, stirring constantly for minutes, or place in a double boiler and cook / hour. beat the egg whites until they are stiff. when the corn starch is cooked, remove from the fire and mix thoroughly with the fruit juices. pour over the beaten egg whites and stir slightly until the eggs and corn starch are mixed. pour into sherbet glasses or molds wet with cold water and set aside until ready to serve. sauce for orange fluff tb. corn starch / c. boiling water tb. butter / c. sugar egg yolks / c. orange juice tb. lemon juice moisten the corn starch with a little cold water and stir in / cupful of the boiling water. cook for or minutes. cream the butter, add the sugar and egg yolks, beat the mixture with a fork, and add the remaining / cupful of boiling water. stir this into the corn starch and cook until the eggs thicken slightly. remove from the fire and add the orange and lemon juices. serve cold over the orange fluff. . in the preparation of a meal, it is impossible to follow the order of service given in a menu, because of the different lengths of time required to prepare the different dishes. the order in which the menu here given should be prepared will therefore serve to show the way in which other meals may be planned or other menus carried out. each recipe for this menu is planned to serve six persons, but it can be easily changed in case a different number are to be served. for instance, if there are only four in the family, two-thirds of each ingredient should be used; and if only three, just one-half of each. if eight are to be served, one-third will have to be added to each of the amounts. as has been pointed out, just a little thought will show how other numbers may be provided for. . in preparing the foods called for in this menu, the dessert, which is the last thing given, should be prepared first, because time must be allowed for it to cool before serving. in fact, it may be prepared a half day before it is to be served. so as to allow sufficient time to mash the potatoes after they have boiled, they should be made ready to put on the stove about / hour before the meal is to be served. after the potatoes have been put on to boil, the peas, provided fresh ones are to be used, should be put on to cook, and then the sauce for them should be made. if canned peas are to be used, the sauce should be made after the potatoes have been put on the stove and the peas should be heated and combined with the sauce just before broiling the chops. the cabbage salad may then be prepared, and put in a cool place until it is to be served. the chops should be broiled last, because it is necessary that they be served immediately upon being taken from the fire. terms used in cookery . it is important that every person who is engaged in the preparation of food be thoroughly familiar with the various terms that are used in cookery. many of these are not understood by the average person, because they are foreign terms or words that are seldom employed in other occupations. however, as they occur frequently in recipes, cook books, menus, etc., familiarity with them will enable one to follow recipes and to make up menus in a more intelligent manner. in view of these facts, a table of terms that are made use of in cookery is here given, together with definitions of the words and, wherever it has been deemed necessary, with as accurate pronunciations as can be obtained. the terms are given in bold-faced type, and for easy reference are arranged alphabetically. it is recommended that constant use be made of this table, for much of the success achieved in cookery depends on a clear understanding of the words and expressions that are peculiar to this science. Ã� la; au; aux (ah lah; o; o).--with; dressed in a certain style; as, smelts à la tartare, which means smelts with tartare sauce. au gratin (o gra-tang).--literally, dressed with brown crumbs. in actual practice, also flavored with grated cheese. au naturel (o nat-ü-rayl).--a term applied to uncooked vegetables, to indicate that they are served in their natural state without sauce or dressing applied. potatoes au naturel are served cooked; but unpeeled. béchamel (bay-sham-ayl).--a sauce made with white stock and cream or milk-named from a celebrated cook. biscuit glacé (bis-kü-ee glah-say).--ice cream served in glacéd shells, sometimes in paper cases. bisque.--a thick soup usually made from shellfish or game; also, an ice cream to which finely chopped macaroons have been added. bouchées (boosh-ay).--small patties; literally, a mouthful. boudin (boo-dang).--a delicate side dish prepared with forcemeat. bouquet of herbs.--a bouquet consisting of a sprig of parsley, thyme, and sweet marjoram, a bay leaf, and perhaps a stalk of celery, tied firmly together and used as flavoring in a soup or stew. arranged in this way, the herbs are more easily removed when cooked. café au lait (ka-fay o lay).--coffee with milk. café noir (ka-fay nooar).--black coffee. canapés (kan-ap-ay).--small slices of bread toasted or sautéd in butter and spread with a savory paste of meats, fish, or vegetables. they are served either hot or cold as an appetizer or as a first course for lunch or dinner. canard (kan-ar).--duck. capers.--small pickled buds of a european shrub, used in sauces and in seasoning. capon.--a male fowl castrated for the purpose of improving the quality of the flesh. caramel.--a sirup of browned sugar. casserole.--a covered earthenware dish in which foods are cooked. champignons (shang-pe-nyong).--the french name for mushrooms. chartreuse (shar-truhz).--a preparation of game, meat, fish, etc., molded in jelly and surrounded by vegetables. the name was given to the dish by the monks of the monastery of chartreuse. chiffonade (shif-fong-ad).--salad herbs finely shredded and then sautéd or used in salads. chillies.--small red peppers used in seasoning. chives.--an herb allied to the onion family. chutney.--an east indian sweet pickle. citron.--the rind of a fruit of the lemon species preserved in sugar. collops.--meat cut in small pieces. compote.--fruit stewed in sirup. coquilles (ko-ke-yuh).--scallop shells in which fish or oysters are sometimes served. créole, à la (kray-ol, ah lah).--with tomatoes. croustade (kroos-tad).--a thick piece of bread that has been hollowed out and then toasted or fried crisp. the depression is filled with food. croutons (kroo-tong).--bread diced and fried or toasted to serve with or in soup. curry.--an east indian preparation made of hot seeds, spices, and dried herbs. demi-tasse (duh-mee tass).--literally, a half cup. as commonly used, it refers to a small cup in which after-dinner coffee is served. deviled.--highly seasoned. dill.--a plant used for flavoring pickles. en coquille (ang ko-ke-yuh).--served in shells. entrées (ang-tray).--small made dishes served with lunch or dinner. they are sometimes served as a course between the main courses of a meal. escarole (ays-kar-ol).--a broad-leaved kind of endive. farce or forcemeat.--a mixture of meat, bread, etc., used as stuffing. fillets (fe-lay).--long, thin pieces of meat or fish generally rolled and tied. fillet mignons (fe-lay me-nyong).--small slices from fillet of beef, served with steak. fondant.--sugar boiled with water and stirred to a heavy paste. it is used for the icing of cake or the making of french candies. fondue.--a dish made usually with melted or grated cheese. there are several varieties of this preparation. frappé (frap-pay).--semifrozen. fromage (fro-magh).--cheese. glacé (glah-say).-covered with icing; literally, a shining surface. glaze.--the juices of meat cooked down to a concentration and used as a foundation for soups and gravies. goulash (gool-ash).--a hungarian beef stew, highly seasoned. gumbo.--a dish of food made of young capsules of okra, seasoned with salt and pepper, stewed and then served with melted butter. haricot (har-e-ko).--a small bean; a bit; also, a stew in which the meat and vegetables are finely divided. homard (ho-mar).--lobster. hors d'oeuvres (or-d'uhvr').--relishes. italiene, à la (e-tal-yang, ah lah).--in italian style. jardinière (zhar-de-nyayr).--a mixed preparation of vegetables stewed in their own sauce; also, a garnish of various vegetables. julienne (zhü-lyayn).--a clear soup with shredded vegetables. junket.--milk jellied by means of rennet. kippered.--dried or smoked. larding.--the insertion of strips of fat pork into lean meat. the fat is inserted before cooking. lardon.--a piece of salt pork or bacon used in larding. legumes.--the vegetables belonging to the bean family; namely, beans, peas, and lentils. lentils.--a variety of the class of vegetables called legumes. macédoine (mah-say-dooan).--a mixture of green vegetables. marinade (mar-e-nad).--a pickle used for seasoning meat or fish before cooking. marinate.--to pickle in vinegar or french dressing, as meat or fish is seasoned. marrons (ma-rong).--chestnuts. menu.--a bill of fare. meringue (muh-rang).--a kind of icing made of white of egg and sugar well beaten. mousse (moos).--ice cream made with whipped cream and beaten egg and frozen without turning. nougat (noo-gah).--a mixture of almonds and sugar. paprika.--hungarian sweet pepper ground fine and used as a seasoning. it is less stinging than red or cayenne pepper. pâté (pa-tay).--a little pie; a pastry or patty. pimiento.--sweet red peppers used as a vegetable, a salad, or a relish. pistachio (pis-ta-shioh).--a pale greenish nut resembling an almond. potage (pot-azh).--soup. purée (pü-ray).-a thick soup containing cooked vegetables that have been rubbed through a sieve. ragoût (ra-goo).--a stew made of meat or meat and vegetables and served with a sauce. ramekin.--a preparation of cheese and puff paste or toast, which is baked or browned. this word is sometimes used to designate the dish in which such a mixture is cooked. réchauffé (ray-sho-fay).--a warmed-over dish. rissoles.--small shapes of puff paste filled with some mixture and fried or baked. it also refers to balls of minced meat, egged, crumbed, and fried until crisp. roux (roo).--thickening made with butter and flour. salmi (sal-mee).--a stew or hash of game. salpicon (sal-pee-kong).--minced poultry, ham, or other meats mixed with a thick sauce. sauce piquante (sos-pe-kangt).--an acid sauce. shallot.--a variety of onion. sorbet (sor-bay).--a sherbet, frozen punch, or water ice; the same as sherbet. soufflé (soo-flay).--literally, puffed up. as generally understood, it is a spongy mixture made light with eggs and baked, the foundation of which may be meat, fish, cheese, vegetables, or fruit. soy.--a japanese sauce prepared from the seed of the soy bean. it has an agreeable flavor and a clear brown color and is used to color soups and sauces. stock.--the foundation for soup made by cooking meat, bones, and vegetables. sultanas.--white or yellow seedless grapes, grown in corinth. tarragon (tar-ra-gonk).--an herb used in seasoning certain dressing and sauces; it is also employed in flavoring tarragon vinegar. tartare sauce (tar-tar sos).--a mayonnaise dressing to which have been added chopped pickle, capers, and parsley in order to make a tart sauce for fish. timbale.--a pie raised in a mold; also, a shell filled with forcemeat or ragoût. truffles.--a species of fungi growing in clusters some inches below the soil, and having an agreeable perfume, which is easily scented by pigs, who are fond of them, and by dogs trained to find them. they are found abundantly in france, but are not subject to cultivation. they are used chiefly for seasoning and garnishing. vanilla.--the bean of the tropical orchid or the extract obtained from this fruit. used in flavoring desserts, etc. vinaigrette sauce (ve-nay-grayt sos).--a sauce made with oil and vinegar, to which are added finely minced chives, peppers, or other highly flavored green vegetables and spices. vol au vent (vol o vang).--a crust of light puff paste. also, a large pâté or form of pastry filled with a savory preparation of oysters, fish, or meat and a cream sauce. zwieback (tsouee-bak).--bread toasted twice. * * * * * essentials of cookery (part ) examination questions ( ) what points must be kept in mind in the selection of cooking utensils? ( ) mention three materials used for cooking utensils and explain their advantages. ( ) (_a_) what is a labor-saving device? (_b_) describe one of the labor-saving devices mentioned in the text and tell why it saves labor. ( ) what kind of utensil should be used for: (_a_) the rapid boiling of spaghetti; (_b_) the slow cooking of cereals? ( ) tell how the following are prepared for cooking: (_a_) vegetables; (_b_) meats; (_c_) fish. ( ) describe: (_a_) sifting; (_b_) stirring; (_c_) beating; (_d_) creaming; (_e_) folding. ( ) why is it necessary to measure foods accurately in cooking? ( ) describe the measuring of: (_a_) cupful of flour; (_b_) one-half teaspoonful of butter; (_c_) teaspoonful of baking powder. ( ) (_a_) why should a systematic plan be outlined before beginning to carry out a recipe? (_b_) give briefly the order of work that should be followed. ( ) what factors influence the length of time required to cook foods? ( ) tell why foods spoil. ( ) (_a_) mention the usual methods by which food is kept from spoiling. (_b_) what is meant by the term preservative? ( ) (_a_) what is the aim in canning foods? (_b_) on what principle does success in drying foods depend? ( ) explain the construction of a refrigerator and the principle on which it is based. ( ) describe the placing of the following articles in the refrigerator and tell which should be covered and why: (_a_) milk; (_b_) butter; (_c_) cooked fish; (_d_) cooked tomatoes; (_e_) melons; (f) cheese. ( ) explain how a refrigerator should be cared for. ( ) name the ways in which foods may be kept from spoiling without ice. ( ) how should a cellar in which foods is to be stored be built and cared for? ( ) (_a_) why is it necessary to store non-perishable foods? (_b_) tell the best ways in which to preserve such foods. ( ) (_a_) what is a menu? (_b_) explain the meaning of the term recipe. (_c_) in what order should the recipes of a menu be prepared? * * * * * report on menu after trying out the menu in the manner explained in the text, send with your answers to the examination questions a report of your success. in making out your report, simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified in the following list. thus, if the chops were tender and well done, write, "pan-broiled chops, tender, well done"; if the potatoes were sufficiently cooked and creamy, write "mashed potatoes, sufficiently cooked, creamy"; and so on. pan-broiled chops: tough? tender? underdone? overdone? mashed potatoes: sufficiently cooked? creamy? lumpy? too soft? creamed peas: tender? tough? properly seasoned? improperly seasoned? sauce for peas: smooth? lumpy? thin? of correct thickness? too thick? cabbage salad: properly seasoned? improperly seasoned? crisp? orange fluff: stiff enough? too soft? flavor agreeable? flavor disagreeable? sauce for orange fluff: smooth? lumpy? * * * * * cereals * * * * * production, composition, and selection production of cereals . origin of cereals.--_cereals,_ which is the term applied to the edible seeds of certain grains, originated with the civilization of man. when man lived in a savage state, he wandered about from place to place and depended for his food on hunting and fishing; but as he ceased his roaming and began to settle in regions that he found attractive, it was not long before he became aware of the possibilities of the ground about him and realized the advantage of tilling the soil as a means of procuring food. indeed, the cultivation of the soil for the production of food may be considered as one of the first steps in his civilization. among the foods he cultivated were grains, and from the earliest times to the present day they have been the main crop and have formed the chief food of people wherever it is possible to produce them. the grains belong to the family of grasses, and through cultivation their seeds, which store the nourishment for the growth of new plants, have been made to store a sufficient amount of nourishment to permit man to collect and use it as food. the name cereals was derived from the goddess ceres, whom the romans believed to be the protector of their crops and harvests. numerous grains are produced, but only eight of these cereals are used extensively as food, namely, wheat, corn, oats, rice, barley, rye, buckwheat, and millet. . abundance of production.--with the exception of the desert lands and the arctic regions, cereals of some kind are grown over the entire world. some varieties thrive in the hot countries, others flourish in the temperate regions, and still others mature and ripen in the short warm season of the colder northern climates. in fact, there is practically no kind of soil that will not produce a crop of some variety of grain. since grains are so easily grown and are so plentiful, cereals and foods made from them furnish a large part of the world's food supply. indeed, about one-fourth of all the food eaten by the inhabitants of the world, when it is considered as a whole, is made up of cereals. . economic value of cereals.--the abundance of the world's grain supply makes the cost so moderate that many of the poorer classes of people in various countries, especially those in the far east, live almost entirely on cereals. still there is another factor that controls the low cost of cereals and grains and keeps them within the means of all classes of people, and that is their excellent keeping quality. they require very little care and will keep for an indefinite period of time. because of their unperishable nature, they may be stored in large quantities and distributed to consumers as they are needed and at a price that is fairly uniform. since the cost of cereals is moderate, they should form a large proportion of the diet of the entire family, especially if the family's income will allow only a limited sum to be spent for food. some cereals, of course, are much cheaper than others, and in purchasing this kind of food the housewife should be governed accordingly. those which require an elaborate manufacturing process in their preparation for the market are the most expensive, but they have an advantage in that they require practically no preparation before serving. for the varieties that must be cooked, the cost of preparing the dish, especially if the price of fuel is high, must be taken into consideration, for unless some thought is given to the economical use of the fuel, as well as to the method of cooking employed, the cost of the prepared dish may be greatly increased. however, in the preparation of cereals, very little skill or energy is required and a general knowledge of the best methods for one of them can, as a rule, be applied to all. . cereal products.--besides the cereals already mentioned, a number of products of cereals are extensively used in cookery, chief among them being flour, corn starch, and other starches. although every housewife should possess knowledge of the uses of each of these, instruction in them is not given until later. this section includes particularly the study of grains--whole, cracked, flaked, and those made into grits or meal--and the use and the serving of them, as well as ready-to-eat cereals, which are commonly referred to as _breakfast foods._ the only additional foods to which attention is given at this time are macaroni, spaghetti, and foods of a similar nature, for as these are made from wheat they are truly cereal products. in their preparation for the table, the rules that govern the other cereal foods apply also in a large measure to them. composition of cereals . the composition of all cereals is similar, yet each one has its distinguishing feature. while all the five food substances--water, mineral matter, protein, fat, and carbohydrate--are to be found in cereals, they occur in different quantities in the various kinds. some contain large quantities of protein and others practically none, and while certain ones have considerable fat others possess comparatively small quantities. a characteristic of all cereals, however, is that they contain a large amount of carbohydrate and a small amount of water. it is well to remember, though, that while the food substances of cereals are found in sufficient quantities to sustain life, they will not permit a person to live for long periods of time exclusively on this form of food. likewise, it will be well to observe that the foods made from a certain grain will be quite similar in composition to the grain itself; that is, any change in the composition of the foods must be brought about by the addition of other substances. . all grains are similar in general structure, too. the largest proportion of carbohydrate lies in the center, this substance growing less toward the outside of the grain. the protein lies near the outside, and grows less toward the center. fat is found in small amounts scattered through the entire grain, but most of it is found in the _germ,_ which is a tiny portion of the grain from which the new plant sprouts. the mineral matter of cereals is found chiefly just inside the bran, or outer covering, so that when this covering is removed, as in the process of preparation for food, a certain amount of mineral matter is generally lost. . protein in cereals.--the cereals are essentially a carbohydrate food, but some also yield a large proportion of protein. in this respect they differ from the animal foods that produce the principal supply of protein for the diet, for these, with the exception of milk, do not yield carbohydrates. the grain that contains the most protein is wheat, and in the form in which protein occurs in this cereal it is called _gluten,_ a substance that is responsible for the hardness of wheat. the gluten, when the wheat is mixed with water or some other liquid, becomes gummy and elastic, a fact that accounts for the rubbery consistency of bread dough. cereals that contain no gluten do not make bread successfully. next to wheat, rye contains protein in the greatest amount, and rice contains the least. although protein is the most expensive of the food substances, the kind of protein found in cereals is one of the cheaper varieties. . fat in cereals.--the fat of cereals helps to contribute to their heat-and energy-producing qualities, and, besides, it is one of the cheaper sources of this food substance. of the eight grains, or cereals, used as food, oats and corn contain the most fat, or heat-producing material. the oil of corn, because of its lack of flavor, is frequently used in the manufacture of salad oil, cooking oil, and pastry fat. the fat that occurs in cereals becomes rancid if they are not carefully stored. in the making of white flour, the germ of the wheat is removed, and since most of the fat is taken out with the germ, white flour keeps much better than graham flour, from which the germ is not abstracted in the milling process. . carbohydrate in cereals.--the food substance found in the greatest proportion in cereals is carbohydrate in the form of starch. cereals contain many times more starch than any of the other food substances, rice, which is fully three-fourths starch, containing the most, and oats, which are less than one-half starch, the least. starch is distributed throughout the grain in tiny granules visible only under the microscope, each being surrounded by a covering of material that is almost indigestible. in the various grains, these tiny granules differ from one another in appearance, but not to any great extent in general structure, nutritive value, or digestibility, provided they are cooked thoroughly. the large amount of carbohydrate, or starch, in cereals explains why they are not hard to digest, for, as is well known, starch is more easily digested than either protein or fat. this and the fact that some grains contain also a large amount of fat account for the high energy-producing quality of cereals. while it is safe to say that cereals are chiefly valuable for their starch, the tissue-building material in some grains, although in small proportion, is in sufficient quantity to place them with the protein foods. . mineral matter in cereals.--cereals contain seven or eight of the minerals required in the diet. such a variety of minerals is sure to be valuable to the human body, as it is about one-half of the whole number required by the body for its maintenance. since, as has already been explained, much of the mineral matter lies directly under the coarse outside covering, some of it is lost when this covering is removed. for this reason, the grains that remain whole and the cereal products that contain the entire grain are much more valuable from the standpoint of minerals than those in which the bran covering is not retained. if a sufficient percentage of minerals is secured in the diet from vegetables, fruits, and milk, it is perhaps unnecessary to include whole cereals; but if the diet is at all limited, it is advisable to select those cereals which retain the original composition of the grain. . water in cereals.--cereals contain very little water in their composition. this absence of water is a distinct advantage, for it makes their nutritive value proportionately high and improves their keeping quality. just as the strength of a beverage is lowered by the addition of water, so the nutritive value of foods decreases when they contain a large amount of water. on the other hand, the keeping quality of cereals could scarcely be improved, since the germs that cause foods to spoil grow only in the presence of water. this low proportion of water also permits them to be stored compactly, whereas if water occurred in large amounts it would add materially to their bulk. . cellulose in cereals.--in addition to the five food substances that are found in all cereals, there is always present another material known as cellulose, which, as is pointed out elsewhere, is an indigestible material that occurs on the outside of all grains, as the bran covering, and covers the starch granules throughout the inside of the grain. in fact, it forms a sort of skeleton upon which the grains are built. as long as the cellulose remains unbroken, it prevents the grain from being digested to any extent. however, it forms a valuable protective covering for the grain and it has a certain value, as bulk, in the diet, a fact that is ignored by some persons and overrated by others. it is well to include at least some cellulose in cereal foods when they are taken in the diet, because its presence tends to make food less concentrated. . table showing composition of cereals.--not all grains, or cereals, contain the same amount of food substances and cellulose; that is, while one may be high in protein it may be lacking in some other food substance. the relation that the various grains bear to one another with regard to the food substances and cellulose is clearly set forth in table i. in this table, under the various food substances and cellulose, the grains, with the exception of millet, are mentioned in the order of their value, ranging from the highest down to the lowest in each of the food substances and cellulose. thus, as will be seen, wheat is highest in protein and rice is lowest, oats are highest in fat and rye is lowest, and so on. also, as will be observed, while wheat is highest in protein, it is, as compared with the other cereals, sixth in fat, fourth in carbohydrate, fourth in cellulose, and fifth in mineral matter. in this way may be compared all the other cereals to see in just what way they are of value as a food. table i composition of cereals protein fat carbohydrate cellulose mineral matter or ash wheat oats rice oats oats rye corn rye buckwheat barley oats barley corn barley buckwheat barley buckwheat wheat wheat rye corn rice barley rye wheat buckwheat wheat buckwheat corn corn rice rye oats rice rice * * * * * cereals as a food uses of cereals . cereals and cereal products play a very important part in the food problem, for the prosperity of a country depends on its grain crops and the people of all classes are dependent on them for food. this is evident when it is known that they form a greater proportion of the food consumed than any other single food material. in their widespread consumption, they have many and varied uses. in truth, a meal is seldom served without some cereal food, for if no other is used, bread of some description is almost always included. besides bread, a cooked or a dry cereal is usually served for breakfast, and for some persons this constitutes the main breakfast dish, providing a nourishing and easily digested food when served with milk or cream. this food is especially desirable for children, and for this reason is always among the first solid foods fed to them. . while to most persons the word cereal suggests the idea of a breakfast food, because cereals are used most often for that purpose, they find their place in other meals than breakfast. although they are used less often on the dinner table than elsewhere, they frequently have an important place there, for a number of them are commonly used as dinner dishes and others might be used more frequently, and to advantage, too. in this connection, they are used in soups, and in certain forms, usually the whole or slightly crushed grain, they take the place of a vegetable. some of them, particularly rice, are often used with meat or cheese in making an entree or in combination with eggs, milk, fruit, or various flavorings as a dessert to be served with a heavy or a light meal. cold cooked cereal is often sliced and sautéd and then served with meat or some other heavy protein dish. cereals are also used for lunch or supper, perhaps more often than for dinner, and because of their easy digestion they are to be recommended for the evening meal for all members of the family, but especially for children. when used in this way, they may be served with cream, as for breakfast, or prepared in any other suitable way. whenever cereals are served, whether alone or in combination with other foods, the result is an economical dish and usually an easily digested one, unless, of course, the food with which they are combined is expensive or indigestible. but, to whatever use cereals are put, unless they are thoroughly cooked they are not easily digested and they lose much of their value. in fact, the ready-to-eat cereals, which have been thoroughly cooked, are preferable to those which are poorly cooked in the home. selection and care of cereals . preparation of grains for the market.--so that the housewife may go about the selection of cereals in an intelligent manner, it may be well for her to know how they are prepared for market. after the grains are harvested, the first step in their preparation consists in thrashing, which removes the husks from the outside. in some countries, thrashing is done entirely by hand, but usually it is accomplished by machinery of a simple or a more elaborate kind. occasionally no further treatment is applied, the whole grains being used as food, but generally they receive further preparation. sometimes they are crushed coarsely with or without the bran covering, and in this form they are known as _grits._ at other times they are ground finer and called _meal,_ and still finer and called _flour,_ being used mostly in these two forms for the making of various kinds of breads. then, again, grains are rolled and crushed, as, for example, _cracked wheat_ and _rolled oats._ various elaborate means have been devised by which cereals are prepared in unusual ways for the purpose of varying the diet. sometimes they are used alone, but often certain other materials are used in their preparation for the market. for example, the popular flake cereals, such as corn flakes, are cooked with salt and sometimes with sugar and then rolled thin. some of the cereals are thoroughly cooked, while others are malted and toasted, but the treatment to which they are subjected is generally given to them to improve their flavor and to aid in the work of digestion. . factors that govern cereal selection.--besides knowing about the ways in which cereals are prepared for market, the housewife should be familiar with the factors that govern their selection for use as food. in the first place, cereals should be chosen to suit the needs and tastes of the members of the family, and then attention should be given to the forms in which they can be purchased. some cereals are sold in sealed packages, while others can be bought in bulk. each, however, has its advantages. those sold loose are often lower in price than those sold in package form, but there is a question as to whether, with the chances for incorrect weight, the bulk foods are really much cheaper. cleanliness is, of course, of greater importance with cereals that do not require cooking than with those which are subjected to high temperatures in order to prepare them for the table. therefore, from the standpoint of cleanliness, there is no advantage in purchasing rice and similar raw cereals in packages. . the next thing to consider in the purchase of cereals is their cost. they vary considerably in price, but it has been determined that in food value there is little difference, pound for pound, between the cheap and the expensive cereals, the variation in price being due to their abundance or scarcity and the method used in preparing them for market. the entirely uncooked ones are the cheapest, the partly cooked ones are medium in price, and the thoroughly cooked ones are the most expensive. this difference, however, is practically made up by the expense of the fuel required to prepare them for the table, the cheapest cereal requiring the most fuel and the most expensive, the least. besides varying in price, the different kinds of cereals offer the housewife an opportunity to select the one that is most convenient for her. those which are ready to serve are the best for the meal to which the least possible amount of time can be given for preparation. the other kinds require cooking, of course, but this need not be a hindrance, for they can be prepared on one day and reheated for breakfast the following day, or they can be cooked overnight by the fireless-cooker method. in the case of such cereals, long cooking is usually necessary for good flavor and easy digestion; consequently, the cooking method that will accomplish the desired result with the least expenditure of fuel is the most economical one and the one to select. . table of grain products.--as a further aid in coming to an understanding of cereals, or grains, and their value, there are given in table ii the various uses to which grains are put and the forms in which they occur as food. in this table, as will be observed, the form of the grain product is mentioned first and then the grain from which it is made. a careful study of this table will be profitable to the housewife. . care of cereals.--as carriers of disease, cereals are a less dangerous food than any other. this characteristic of cereals is due to the fact that the cooking all of them require in some part of their preparation destroys any disease germs that might be present. they are not likely to be adulterated with harmful material, either; and, in addition, the sealed packages in which many of the cereals are put up keep them clean and free from contamination. however, care must be given to both the uncooked and the factory-prepared varieties of this food. the packages containing ready-to-eat cereals should not be allowed to remain open for any length of time if it is desired to keep them fresh and crisp, for they absorb moisture from the air very quickly. if they do become moist, however, drying in the oven will in most cases restore their freshness. if it is necessary to open a single package of prepared cereal and all of the contents cannot be utilized at once, as, for instance, when only one or two persons are to be served with that particular cereal, the best plan is to empty the remainder into cans or jars that are provided with covers. uncooked cereals, which are used less quickly than the prepared kinds, are often attacked by mice and other vermin, but such an occurrence can be prevented if the cereal is poured into jars or cans that can be kept tightly closed. considerable care must be given to flour and cereal products purchased in large quantities, for if they are allowed to collect enough moisture, they will become moldy and lose their flavor, and thus be unfit for use. to preserve them well, they should be kept in metal-lined bins or in bins made of carefully matched boards and in a cool, but not damp, place. table ii grain products / pearl barley | hulled wheat / whole grains {hominy: corn | | corn | \ rice | | / farina: wheat or corn | | cream of wheat: wheat | crushed grains {cracked wheat: wheat | | hominy grits: corn | | wheat grits: wheat | \ samp: corn cereals { | / corn | meal {barley | | rice | \ oats | | / flaked: rye, wheat, rice, corn \ prepared cereals {shredded grain: wheat | malted grain: rye, barley, wheat, and corn \ puffed grain: corn, rice, wheat / corn starch {rice \ wheat / macaroni wheat {vermicelli \ spaghetti glucose} usually corn sirup / / wheat cereal coffee {rye \ barley / wheat | rye flour {corn | buckwheat \ rice liquors \ malted drinks} all grains beer | whisky / alcohol: all grains feed for animals: all grains * * * * * preparation of cereals for the table methods of cooking cereals . purpose of cooking.--as the so-called ready-to-eat cereals require practically no further preparation, attention is here given to only those cereals which need additional treatment to prepare them properly for the table. raw grains cannot be taken into the body, for they are neither appetizing nor digestible. the treatment to which they must be subjected is cooking, for the structure of grains is such that cooking is the only means by which the coverings of the starch granules can be softened and broken to make them digestible. but this is not the only effect produced by cooking; besides making raw cereals digestible, cooking renders them palatable, destroys any bacteria or parasites that might be present, and, by means of its various methods, provides a variety of dishes that would otherwise be very much limited. . changes that cereals undergo in cooking.--in the process of cooking, cereals undergo a marked change, which can readily be determined by performing a simple experiment. place an equal amount of flour or corn starch--both cereal products--in two different glasses; mix that in one glass with cold water and that in the other with boiling water. the mixture in which cold water is used will settle in a short time, but if the substance that goes to the bottom is collected and dried it will be found to be exactly the same as it was originally. the mixture in which boiling water is used, however, will not only become a sticky mass, but will remain such; that is, it will never again resume its original form. this experiment proves, then, that grains that come in contact with water at a high temperature, as in cooking, absorb the water and burst their cellulose covering. this bursting frees the granulose, or the contents of the tiny granules, which are deposited in a network of cellulose, and as soon as this occurs it mixes with water and forms what is called soluble starch. starch in this state is ready for digestion, but in the original, uncooked state only a very small part of it, if any, is digestible. [illustration: fig. ] . preparation for cooking cereals.--before the cooking of cereals is attempted, it is advisable for the sake of convenience to get out all utensils as well as all ingredients that are to be used and arrange them so that they will be within easy reach. the way in which this should be done is illustrated in fig. . the utensils and ingredients shown, which are suitable for most methods of cooking cereals and particularly for cooking them by the steaming process, consist of a double boiler _a_; a measuring cup _b_, a knife _c_, and spoons _d_ and _e_, for measuring; a large spoon _f_, for stirring; a salt container; and a package of cereal. the housewife will be able to tell quickly from a recipe just what ingredients and utensils she will need, and by following the plan here suggested and illustrated she will find that her work can be done systematically and with the least expenditure of time. . first steps in the process of cooking.--while cereals may be cooked in a variety of ways, the first steps in all the processes are practically the same. in the first place, the required amount of water should be brought to the boiling point, for if the water is boiling the cereal will thicken more rapidly and there will be less danger of lumps forming. then salt should be added to the water in the proportion of teaspoonful to each cupful of cereal. next, the cereal should be stirred into the boiling salted water slowly enough to prevent it from forming lumps, and then, being constantly stirred, it should be allowed to cook until it thickens. the process up to this point is called _setting_ a cereal, or grain. after the cereal is _set_, it may be boiled, steamed, or cooked in the fireless cooker, but the method of cookery selected should be chosen with a view to economy, convenience, and thoroughness. the terms _setting_ and _set_ should be thoroughly fixed in the mind, so that directions and recipes in which they are used will be readily understood. . cooking cereals by boiling.--very often the cereal, after it is set, is allowed to cook slowly until it is ready to serve; that is, the method of _boiling_ is practiced. this method, however, is not to be recommended, because it is not economical. cereals cooked in this way require constant watching and stirring, and even then it is difficult to keep them from sticking to the cooking utensil and scorching or becoming pasty on account of the constant motion. sometimes, to overcome this condition, a large quantity of water is added, as in the boiling of rice; still, as some of this water must be poured off after the cooking is completed, a certain amount of starch and soluble material is lost. . cooking cereals in the double boiler.--probably the most satisfactory way in which to cook cereals, so far as thoroughness is concerned, is in a double boiler, one style of which is shown at _a_, fig. . this method of cookery is known as _steaming_, or _dry steaming_, and by it the food itself, after it is set, never comes within or degrees of the boiling point. in this method, the cereal is first set in the small, or upper, pan of the double boiler. this pan, which is covered, is placed into the large, or lower, pan, which should contain boiling water, and the cereal is allowed to cook until it is ready to serve. the water in the large pan should be replenished from time to time, for if it is completely evaporated by boiling, the pan will be spoiled and the cereal in the upper pan will burn. this method of cooking has several advantages that should not be disregarded. cereals to which it is applied may be partly cooked on one day and the cooking completed the next morning before breakfast, or they may be completely cooked on one day and merely heated before they are served. then, when cooked at a temperature slightly below the boiling point, the grains remain whole, but become thoroughly softened, because they gradually absorb the water that surrounds them. in addition, the long cooking that is necessary to prepare them at a low temperature develops a delicious flavor, which cannot be obtained by rapid cooking at the boiling point. . cooking cereals in the fireless cooker.--in a kitchen that is equipped with a fireless cooker, it is advisable to use this utensil for cereals, for cooking them by this method secures the greatest economy of fuel and effort. as in the preceding methods, the cereal is first set in the pan that fits into the cooker compartment. while the cereal is at the boiling point, this pan is covered tightly and placed in the fireless cooker, where it is allowed to remain until the cereal is ready to be served. the heat that the cereal holds when it is placed in the cooker is retained, and this is what cooks it. therefore, while this method of cooking requires considerable time, it needs neither additional heat nor labor after the cereal is placed in the cooker. in reality, it is an advantageous way in which to cook cereals, since, if they can be set and placed in the cooker in the evening, they will be ready to serve at breakfast time on the following day. . cooking cereals by dry heat.--an old method of cooking cereals or starchy foods is called _browning_, or _toasting_, and it involves cooking them by dry heat. a thin layer of grain is spread in a shallow pan and this is placed in a slow oven. after the grains have browned slightly, they are stirred, and then they are permitted to brown until an even color is obtained. by this method the flavor of the cereals is developed and their digestibility increased. since grains keep much better after they have been subjected to the process of toasting, this means is used extensively for preserving grains and cereal foods. . points to observe in cooking cereals.--in cooking cereals by any method, except browning, or toasting, it is always necessary to use liquid of some kind. the quantity to use, however, varies with the kind of cereal that is to be cooked, whole cereals and those coarsely ground requiring more liquid than those which are crushed or finely ground. if the liquid is to be absorbed completely when the grain is cooked, it should be in the correct proportion to the grain. to be right, cooked cereals should be of the consistency of mush, but not thin enough to pour. much attention should be given to this matter, for mistakes are difficult to remedy. cereals that are too thick after they are cooked cannot be readily thinned without becoming lumpy, and those which are too thin cannot be brought to the proper consistency unless the excess of liquid is evaporated by boiling. _gruels_ are, of course, much thinner than the usual form of cereal. they are made by cooking cereals rapidly in a large quantity of water, and this causes the starch grains to disintegrate, or break into pieces, and mix with the water. the whole mixture is then poured through a sieve, which removes the coarse particles and produces a smooth mass that is thin enough to pour. the length of time to cook cereals also varies with their kind and form, the coarse ones requiring more time than the fine ones. because of this fact, it is difficult to say just how much time is required to cook the numerous varieties thoroughly. however, little difficulty will be experienced if it is remembered that cereals should always be allowed to cook until they can be readily crushed between the fingers, but not until they are mushy in consistency. * * * * * indian corn, or maize origin, classification, and use . the word _corn_ has been applied to various grains and is now used in a variety of ways in different countries. in ancient times, barley was called corn, and at the present time, in some countries, the entire year's food crop is referred to by this name. the english apply the name corn to wheat, and the scotch, to oats. in the united states, corn is the name applied to the seed of the maize plant, which is a highly developed grass plant that forms the largest single crop of the country. the seeds of this plant grow on a woody cob, and are eaten as a vegetable when they are soft and milky, but as a grain, or cereal, when they are mature. corn is native to america and was not known in europe until columbus took it back with him. however, it did not meet with much favor there, for it was not grown to any great extent until within the last years. those who took it to europe gave it the name _indian corn_, because they had found the indians of america raising it. . of the corn grown in the united states, there are three general kinds: field corn, sweet corn, and pop corn. _field corn_, as a rule, is grown in large quantities and allowed to mature; then it is fed to animals or ground and cooked for the use of man. this corn consists of three varieties, which are distinguished by the color of the grain, one being white, one yellow, and one red. all of them are made into a variety of preparations, but the white and the yellow are used as food for both man and animals, whereas red field corn is used exclusively for animal food. white corn has a mild flavor, but yellow corn is sometimes preferred to it, because foods made from the yellow variety have a more decided flavor. the two principal varieties of field corn, when prepared as cereal food for man, are _hominy_ and _corn meal_. _sweet corn_ is not grown in such large quantities as field corn. it is generally used for food before it is mature and is considered as a vegetable. _pop corn_, when sufficiently dry, swells and bursts upon being heated. it is used more as a confection than as a staple article of food. therefore, at this time, consideration need be given to only the principal varieties of field-corn products, which, as has just been stated, are hominy and corn meal. recipes for hominy and corn meal . hominy is whole corn from which the outside covering has been removed, and for this reason it is high in food value. corn in this form may be procured as a commercial product, but it may be prepared in the home at less expense. as a commercial product, it is sold dry by the pound or cooked as a canned food. dry hominy requires long cooking to make it palatable, and this, of course, increases its cost; but even with this additional cost it is cheaper than canned hominy. sometimes corn from which the covering has been removed is ground or crushed to form what is called _samp_, or _grits_, and when it is ground still more finely corn meal is produced. corn meal is made from both white and yellow corn, and is ground more finely in some localities than in others. it is sold loose by the pound, but it can also be bought in bags or packages of various sizes from pound up. corn meal should be included in the diet of every economical family, for it yields a large quantity of food at a moderately low cost. if it is prepared well, it is very palatable, and when eaten with milk or cream it is a food that is particularly desirable for children, especially for the evening meal, because of its food value and the fact that it is easily digested. . so that the importance of these corn products may be understood and the products then used to the best advantage in the diet, recipes are here given for preparing hominy in the home, for dishes in which hominy forms the principal part, and for dishes in which corn meal is used. to get the best results from these recipes and thereby become thoroughly familiar with the cooking processes involved, it is recommended that each one be worked out in detail. this thought applies as well to all recipes given throughout the various sections. of course, to prepare each recipe is not compulsory; nevertheless, to learn to cook right means actually to do the work called for by the recipes, not merely once, but from time to time as the food can be utilized to give variety to the daily menus in the home. . hominy.--although, as has been mentioned, prepared hominy may be purchased, some housewives prefer to prepare it themselves. hominy serves as a foundation from which many satisfactory dishes can be made, as it is high in food value and reasonable in cost. this cereal can be used in so many ways that it is advisable to prepare enough at one time to meet the demands of several meals. the following recipe for making hominy should provide quarts of this cereal; however, as is true of other recipes--a point that should be remembered throughout the various lessons--the quantities given may be increased or decreased to meet with the requirements of the household. hominy (sufficient for quarts) qt. water tb. lye qt. shelled corn tsp. salt put the water into a large kettle or saucepan, and into the water put the lye. allow the water to come to the boiling point, and then add the corn and let it boil until the skins will slip off the grains when they are pressed between the thumb and the finger. take from the stove, stir sufficiently to loosen the skins, and then remove them by washing the grains of corn in a coarse colander. cover the grains with cold water and return to the fire. when the water boils, pour it off. repeat this process at least three times, so as to make sure that there is no trace of the lye, and then allow the grains to cook in more water until they burst. season them with the salt, and while the hominy thus prepared is still hot put it into a jar or a crock and cover it tight until it is to be used. the water in which the hominy is cooked should remain on it. . buttered hominy.--perhaps the simplest method of preparing cooked hominy is to butter it. in this form it may be served with cream as a breakfast or a luncheon dish, or it may be used in the place of a vegetable. buttered hominy (sufficient to serve six) pt. cooked hominy tb. butter tsp. salt allow a few spoonfuls of water to remain on the cooked hominy. add the butter and the salt, and then heat all thoroughly, stirring the hominy gently so as to incorporate, or mix in, the butter and the salt. serve while hot. . creamed hominy.--the addition of a cream sauce to cooked hominy not only adds to the palatableness of this cereal, but increases its food value. when hominy is served with a sauce, it may be used as a dinner vegetable or as the main dish in a light meal. creamed hominy (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. butter tsp. salt tb. flour pt. cooked hominy heat the milk, and to it add the butter and the salt. then thicken it with the flour. to this sauce add the hominy and allow all to cook slowly for or minutes. serve the creamed hominy hot. . hominy grits.--the cereal sold under the name of _hominy grits_ is prepared commercially by crushing dried hominy grains. it has practically the same food value as hominy, and in appearance resembles cream of wheat. the following recipe shows the simplest way in which to prepare this food, it being usually served as a breakfast cereal in this form: hominy grits (sufficient to serve six) tsp. salt c. water c. hominy grits add the salt to the water and bring it to the boiling point. stir the hominy grits into the water and continue to boil for minutes. then place in a double boiler and cook for to hours. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. [illustration: fig. ] . left-over hominy.--no waste need result from hominy that is not used at the meal for which it is prepared, for it may be utilized in many ways. for example, it may be served cold with fruit and cream, made into croquettes with chopped meat or cheese and either sautéd or baked, or used in soups to increase materially their food value. a dish prepared by combining cooked or left-over hominy with other ingredients to form hominy and cheese soufflé, which is illustrated in fig. , will prove to be very appetizing. hominy and cheese soufflÃ� (sufficient to serve six) - / c. cooked hominy / c. hot milk / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika c. grated cheese eggs work the hominy smooth by mashing it with a fork, and then add the hot milk, salt, paprika, and grated cheese. separate the eggs, beat the yolks thoroughly, and stir them well into the mixture. next, fold in the whites, which should be stiffly beaten, pour the mass into a buttered baking dish, and bake until it is firm in the center. serve hot. . corn-meal mush.--since corn meal is comparatively inexpensive and high in food value, the housewife can make frequent use of it to advantage. in the form of mush, corn meal is easily digested; besides, such mush is a very good breakfast cereal when served hot with milk or cream. although the recipe here given makes a sufficient amount for six persons, a good plan is to increase the quantities mentioned so that there will be enough mush left to mold and use in other ways. corn-meal mush (sufficient to serve six) tsp. salt - / c. water c. corn meal add the salt to the water and bring the salted water to the boiling point. when it is boiling rapidly, sift the corn meal slowly through the fingers into it, and at the same time stir it rapidly so as to prevent the formation of lumps. any mush that contains lumps has not been properly made and should not be served in this condition, as it is unpalatable. keep stirring constantly until the corn meal thickens; then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook from to hours, when it should be ready to serve. this method of cooking mush is the most convenient, because not much stirring is required after the corn meal is thickened. a heavy aluminum kettle or an iron pot is a good utensil in which to cook mush, as it does not burn easily in either, although almost constant stirring is required. when the mush becomes very thick, the heated air, in forcing its way through the mush in the process of boiling, makes the mush pop and very often splash on the hands and burn them. to avoid such an accident, therefore, it is advisable to wrap the hand used for stirring in a towel or a cloth. . sautÃ�d corn-meal-mush.--mush cooked in the manner just explained may be poured into pans, such as bread pans, where it will harden and form a mold that can be sliced as thick or as thin as desired and then sautéd. corn-meal mush prepared in this way pleases the taste of many persons, and while some persons find it harder to digest than just plain mush, it serves to give variety to meals. for sautéing mush, a heavy iron or steel frying pan or griddle should be used, because utensils made of thin material will allow the mush to burn before it browns properly. put enough fat, such as lard, cooking oil, or drippings, into the cooking utensil so that when heated it will be about / inch deep all over the surface. when the utensil is very hot, put in the slices of mush and allow them to brown on one side. then turn the slices over carefully, so as not to break them, and brown them on the other side. as will be observed, corn-meal mush does not brown quickly in sautéing. this characteristic is due to the large amount of moisture it contains. serve the mush hot, and to add to its flavor serve with it sirup or honey. . corn-meal croquettes.--croquettes of any kind add variety to a meal, and because they are attractive they appeal to the appetite. to make croquettes of corn meal, mold mush as for sautéing. then cut this into slices inch thick, and cut each slice into strips inch wide. roll these in slightly beaten egg and then in crumbs, and sauté them in hot fat until they are crisp and brown. serve these croquettes hot with either butter or sirup or both. . left-over corn-meal mush.--sautéd corn-meal mush and corn-meal croquettes can, of course, be made from mush that is left over after it has been cooked to serve as a cereal; however, if there is only a small quantity left, it may be utilized in still another way, namely, as a garnish for the platter on which meat is served. to prepare corn-meal mush in this way, spread it about / inch thick in a pan and allow it to cool. then turn it out of the pan in a sheet on a board that has been floured; that is, covered thinly with flour. cut this sheet of corn meal into small circles with the aid of a round cutter or into diamond shapes with a knife, and then brown both sides of each of these in butter. * * * * * wheat origin and use . wheat, owing to the fact that it is grown in all parts of the world and forms the basis for a large amount of the food of most people, is a very important grain. it was probably a native grass of asia minor and egypt, for in these countries it first received cultivation. from the land of its origin, the use of wheat spread over all the world, but it was not introduced into america until after the discovery of this country by columbus. now, however, the united states raises more wheat than any other one country, and nearly one-fourth of all that is raised in the world. wheat is universally used for bread, because it contains a large amount of the kind of protein that lends a rubbery consistency to dough and thus makes possible the incorporation of the gas or air required to make bread light. the use of wheat, however, is by no means restricted to bread, for, as is well known, many cereal foods are prepared from this grain. . in its simplest food form, wheat is prepared by merely removing the coarse bran from the outside of the wheat grain and leaving the grain whole. this is called _hulled_, or _whole_, _wheat_, and requires soaking or long, slow cooking in order that all its starch granules may be reached and softened sufficiently to make it palatable. the other preparations are made by crushing or grinding the grains from which some of the bran and germ has been removed. besides flour, which, as has been implied, is not considered as a cereal in the sense used in this section, these preparations include _wheat grits_, such foods as _cream of wheat_ and _farina_, and many _ready-to-eat cereals_. in the preparation of wheat grits, much of the bran is allowed to remain, but neither cream of wheat nor farina contains cellulose in any appreciable quantity. as the addition of bran, however, serves to give these foods bulk, a much more ideal breakfast cereal will result if, before cooking, equal portions of the cereal and the bran are mixed. in preparing ready-to-eat wheat cereals for the market, the manufacturers subject the grains to such elaborate methods of cooking, rolling, and toasting that these foods require but very little additional attention before serving. the only wheat products that demand further attention at this time, therefore, are those which must be cooked before they can be served and eaten. recipes for wheat and wheat products . hulled wheat.--inasmuch as hulled, or whole, wheat requires very little preparation for the market, it is a comparatively cheap food. it is used almost exclusively as a breakfast cereal, but serves as a good substitute for hominy or rice. although, as has been mentioned, it requires long cooking, its preparation for the table is so simple that the cooking need not necessarily increase its cost materially. one of the advantages of this food is that it never becomes so soft that it does not require thorough mastication. hulled wheat (sufficient to serve four) c. hulled wheat c. water tsp. salt look the wheat over carefully and remove any foreign matter. then add the water and soak to hours, or overnight. add the salt, cook directly over the flame for / hour, and then finish cooking in a double boiler for to hours. serve with cream or milk and sugar. . wheat grits.--the cereal known as wheat grits is made commercially by crushing the wheat grains and allowing a considerable proportion of the wheat bran to remain. grits may be used as a breakfast cereal, when they should be served hot with cream or milk and sugar; they also make an excellent luncheon dish if they are served with either butter or gravy. the fact that this cereal contains bran makes it an excellent one to use in cases where a food with bulk is desired. the accompanying recipe is for a plain cereal; however, an excellent variation may be had by adding / cupful of well-cleaned raisins / hour before serving. wheat grits (sufficient to serve four) / tsp. salt c. boiling water / c. wheat grits add the salt to the boiling water, sift the wheat grits through the fingers into the rapidly boiling water, and stir rapidly to prevent the formation of lumps. cook for a few minutes until the grits thicken, and then place in a double boiler and cook to hours. . cream of wheat.--in the manufacture of cream of wheat, not only is all the bran removed, as has been stated, but the wheat is made fine and granular. this wheat preparation, therefore, does not require so much cooking to make it palatable as do some of the other cereals; still, cooking it a comparatively long time tends to improve its flavor. when made according to the following recipe it is a very good breakfast dish: cream of wheat (sufficient to serve six) tsp. salt - / c. boiling water / c. cream of wheat add the salt to the boiling water, and when it bubbles sift in the cream of wheat through the fingers, stirring rapidly to prevent the formation of lumps. cook over the flame for a few minutes until it thickens; then place it in a double boiler and cook for to hours. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. . cream of wheat with dates.--dates added to cream of wheat supply to a great extent the cellulose and mineral salts that are taken out when the bran is removed in the manufacture of this cereal. they likewise give to it a flavor that is very satisfactory, especially when added in the manner here explained. cream of wheat with dates (sufficient to serve six) / c. cream of wheat tsp. salt - / c. boiling water / c. dates cook the cream of wheat in the manner directed in art. . wash the dates in hot water, cut them lengthwise with a sharp knife, and remove the seeds. cut each date into four pieces and add them to the cream of wheat minutes before serving, stirring them into the cereal just enough to distribute them evenly. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. . farina.--the wheat preparation called farina is very much the same as cream of wheat, being manufactured in practically the same manner. it is a good breakfast cereal when properly cooked, but it does not contain sufficient cellulose to put it in the class of bulky foods. however, as has been pointed out, this bulk may be supplied by mixing with it, before cooking, an equal amount of bran. in such a case, of course, more water will be needed and the cooking process will have to be prolonged. plain farina should be prepared according to the recipe here given, but, as in preparing cream of wheat, dates may be added to impart flavor if desired. farina (sufficient to serve six) tsp. salt c. boiling water / c. farina add the salt to the boiling water, and as the water bubbles rapidly sift the farina into it slowly through the fingers, stirring rapidly to prevent the formation of lumps. then place it in a double boiler and allow it cook for to hours. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. . graham mush with dates.--graham flour is a wheat product that is high in food value, because in its manufacture no part of the wheat grain is removed. while the use of this flour as a breakfast cereal is not generally known, it can be made into a very appetizing and nutritious dish, especially if such fruit as dates is mixed with it. graham mush with dates (sufficient to serve six) - / c. graham flour c. water tsp. salt c. dates moisten the graham flour carefully with cupful of the cold water. when perfectly smooth, add it to the remainder of the water, to which the salt has been added, and boil rapidly, allowing the mixture to cook until it thickens. then place it in a double boiler and cook to hours. wash the dates, remove the stones, and cut each into four pieces. add these to the mush minutes before serving. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. . left-over wheat cereals.--numerous ways have been devised for utilizing wheat cereals that are left over, so that no waste need result from what is not eaten at the meal for which a cereal is cooked. for instance, left-over hulled wheat can be used in soup in the same way as barley and rice, and plain cream of wheat and farina can be molded, sliced, and sautéd like corn-meal mush and served with sirup. the molded cereal can also be cut into -inch cubes and served with any fruit juice that is thickened slightly with corn starch. besides utilizing left-over wheat cereals in the ways mentioned, it is possible to make them into custards and soufflés, as is shown in the two accompanying recipes, in which cream of wheat may be used in the same manner as farina. farina custard (sufficient to serve six) c. cold farina c. milk eggs / c. sugar / tsp. nutmeg stir the farina and milk together until they are perfectly smooth; then add the eggs, beaten slightly, the sugar, and the nutmeg. bake in a moderately hot oven until firm and serve hot or cold with any sauce desired. farina soufflÃ� (sufficient to serve six) c. cold farina - / c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika c. grated cheese eggs stir the farina smooth with the milk, add the salt, paprika, grated cheese, and egg yolks, which should first be beaten. then beat the egg whites stiff and fold them into the mixture. pour all into a buttered baking dish, place this in a large pan filled with enough hot water to reach almost to the top of the baking dish, and bake in a moderately hot oven until the mixture in the dish is firm in the center. serve at once upon taking from the oven. rice varieties and structure . rice, next to wheat, is used more extensively as a food than any other cereal. it is a plant much like wheat in appearance, but it grows only in warm climates and requires very moist soil. in fact, the best land for rice is that which may be flooded with about inches of water. this cereal is of two kinds, namely, carolina rice and japanese rice. _carolina rice_, which is raised chiefly in the southeastern part of the united states, has a long, narrow grain, whereas _japanese rice_, which originated in japan and is raised extensively in that country and china and india, has a short, flat, oval grain. efforts made to raise the japanese variety in the united states show a peculiarity of this cereal, for when it is planted in the same locality as carolina rice, it soon loses its identity and takes on the shape of the other. although vast crops of rice are raised in the united states, a large quantity of it must be imported, because these crops are not sufficient to supply the demands of this country. . before rice grains are prepared for use as food, they have two coverings. one is a coarse husk that is thrashed off and leaves the grain in the form of unpolished rice and the other, a thin, brown coating resembling bran. this thin coating, which is very difficult to remove, is called, after its removal, _rice polishings_. at one time, so much was said about the harmful effect of polished rice that a demand for unpolished rice was begun. this feeling of harm, however, was unnecessary, for while polished rice lacks mineral matter to a great extent, it is hot harmful to a person and need cause no uneasiness, unless the other articles of the diet do not supply a sufficient amount of this food substance. after the inner coating has been removed, some of the rice is treated with paraffin or glucose and talc to give it a glazed appearance. this is called _polish_, and is sometimes confounded with the term rice polishings. however, no confusion regarding these terms will result if it is remembered that rice polishings are the thin inner coating that is removed and polish is what is added to the rice. in composition, rice differs from the other cereals in that it is practically all starch and contains almost no fat nor protein. . to be perfect, rice should be unbroken and uniform in size, and in order that it may be put on the market in this form the broken grains are sifted out. these broken grains are sold at a lower price than the whole grains, but the only difference between them is their appearance, the broken grains being quite as nutritious as the whole grains. in either form, rice is a comparatively cheap food, because it is plentiful, easily transported, and keeps perfectly for an indefinite period of time with very little care in storage. before rice is used, it should be carefully examined and freed from the husks that are apt to remain in it; then it should be washed in hot water. the water in which rice is washed will have a milky appearance, which is due to the coating that is put on in polishing rice. recipes for rice . rice may be cooked by three methods, each of which requires a different proportion of water. these methods are _boiling_, which requires twelve times as much water as rice; the _japanese method_, which requires five times as much; and _steaming_, which requires two and one-half times as much. whichever of these methods is employed, however, it should be remembered that the rice grains, when properly cooked, must be whole and distinct. to give them this form and prevent the rice from having a pasty appearance, this cereal should not be stirred too much in cooking nor should it be cooked too long. . boiled rice.--boiling is about the simplest way in which to prepare rice for the table. properly boiled rice not only forms a valuable dish itself, but is an excellent foundation for other dishes that may be served at any meal. the water in which rice is boiled should not be wasted, as it contains much nutritive material. this water may be utilized in the preparation of soups or sauces, or it may even be used to supply the liquid required in the making of yeast bread. the following recipe sets forth clearly how rice should be boiled: boiled rice (sufficient to serve eight) c. rice tsp. salt qt. boiling water wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. boil rapidly until the water begins to appear milky because of the starch coming out of the rice into the water or until a grain can be easily crushed between the fingers. drain the cooked rice through a colander, and then pour cold water over the rice in the colander, so as to wash out the loose starch and leave each grain distinct. reheat the rice by shaking it over the fire, and serve hot with butter, gravy, or cream or milk and sugar. . japanese method of cooking rice.--rice prepared by the japanese method may be used in the same ways as boiled rice. however, unless some use is to be made of the liquid from boiled rice, the japanese method has the advantage of being a more economical way of cooking this cereal. japanese method (sufficient to serve eight) c. rice - / tsp. salt c. boiling water wash the rice, add it to the boiling salted water, and boil slowly for minutes. then cover the utensil in which the rice is cooking and place it in the oven for minutes more, in order to evaporate the water more completely and make the grains soft without being mushy. serve in the same way as boiled rice. . steamed rice.--to steam rice requires more time than either of the preceding cooking methods, but it causes no loss of food material. then, too, unless the rice is stirred too much while it is steaming, it will have a better appearance than rice cooked by the other methods. as in the case of boiled rice, steamed rice may be used as the foundation for a variety of dishes and may be served in any meal. steamed rice (sufficient to serve six) c. rice - / tsp. salt - / c. water wash the rice carefully and add it to the boiling salted water. cook it for minutes and then place it in a double boiler and allow it to cook until it is soft. keep the cooking utensil covered and do not stir the rice. about hour will be required to cook rice in this way. serve in the same way as boiled rice. . creamed rice.--to increase the nutritive value of rice, it is sometimes cooked with milk and cream to form what is known as creamed rice. these dairy products added to rice supply protein and fat, food substances in which this cereal is lacking, and also add to its palatability. creamed rice (sufficient to serve six) - / c. milk c. rice - / tsp. salt / c. cream heat the milk in the small pan of a double boiler and add to it the rice and salt. place this pan into the larger one and cook for about hour, or until the rice is soft. then pour the cream over the rice and cook a few minutes longer. serve hot. . oriental rice.--as rice is a bland food, practically lacking in flavor, any flavoring material that may be added in its preparation or serving aids in making it more appetizing. oriental rice, which is prepared according to the following recipe, therefore makes a very tasty dish and one that may be used in place of a vegetable for lunch or dinner. oriental rice (sufficient to serve six) c. rice - / c. stock, or meat broth tb. butter slice onion / c. canned tomatoes steam the rice in the stock until it is soft by the method given for steaming rice. then brown the butter and onion in a frying pan, add the tomatoes, and heat thoroughly. pour this mixture into the rice, mix well, and serve. . browned rice.--another way in which to add variety in serving rice is to brown it. sufficient browned rice for six persons may be prepared by putting cupful of clean rice in an iron frying pan that contains no fat, placing the pan directly over the flame, and stirring the rice until the grains become an even, light brown. rice that has been treated in this way has additional flavor added to it and can be used in the same way as boiled or steamed rice. . savory rice.--rice browned in the manner just explained is used in the preparation of savory rice, a dish that serves as a very good substitute for a vegetable. savory rice may be prepared according to the following recipe: savory rice (sufficient to serve eight) c. browned rice - / c. water tsp. salt / c. chopped celery tb. butter small onion, chopped / c. canned tomatoes / c. chopped pimiento steam the browned rice in the salted water as in steaming rice, and cook the celery, which should be chopped fine, with the rice for the last half hour of the steaming. brown the butter and add to it the onion finely chopped, the tomatoes, and the pimiento. a few minutes before serving time, add this to the rice, mix well, and serve hot. . left-over rice.--there are a variety of ways in which left-over rice may be used. for instance, rice that has been cooked and is not used may be utilized in soups, combined with pancake, muffin, or omelet mixtures, or made into puddings by mixing it with a custard and then baking. it may be served with fruit, made into patties, or combined with tomatoes, cheese, or meat to form an appetizing dish. [illustration: fig. ] . as has been shown, rice is one of the cereals that contain very little cellulose. fruit added to it in the preparation of any dish makes up for this lack of cellulose and at the same time produces a delicious combination. rice combined with pineapple to form a dish like that shown in fig. not only is very attractive but meets with the favor of many; besides, it provides a good way in which to utilize left-over rice. rice with pineapple (sufficient to serve six) c. steamed or creamed rice / c. sugar rings pineapple / c. whipped cream stir the sugar into the rice and if necessary moisten with a little cream. shape the rice into six balls of equal size, making them so that they will be about the same in diameter as the rings of the pineapple, and place one in the center of each pineapple ring. whip the cream with an egg whip or beater until it stands up well, and garnish each dish with the whipped cream before serving. . another satisfactory dish may be made by combining eggs with left-over rice to form rice patties. owing to the protein supplied by the eggs, such a combination as this may be made to take the place of a light meat dish for luncheon or supper, and, to impart additional flavor, it may be served with any sauce desired. rice patties (sufficient to serve six) c. stale crumbs / tsp. salt / tsp. celery salt eggs c. steamed rice add / cupful of the crumbs, the salt, the celery salt, and the eggs, slightly beaten, to the cold steamed rice. if more moisture seems to be necessary, add a very little milk. shape the rice with the other ingredients into round patties, and then roll these in the remainder of the crumbs and sauté them in hot butter. serve the patties hot and with sauce, if desired. . besides left-over rice, small quantities of one or more kinds of left-over meat and stock or gravy can be used to make a very appetizing dish known as spanish rice, which may be used as the main, or heavy, dish in a luncheon. spanish rice (sufficient to serve six) small onion tb. butter - / c. steamed or boiled rice c. chopped meat / c. meat stock or gravy / c. canned tomatoes tb. grated cheese / c. stale crumbs chop the onion and brown it in butter. mix well the browned onion, rice, chopped meat, stock or gravy, and tomatoes, and pour all into a buttered baking dish. then sprinkle the cheese and crumbs on top of the mixture and bake for hour in a slow oven. serve hot. * * * * * oats composition and varieties . as an article of food, oats are used very extensively. in scotland, this cereal formed the principal article of diet for many years, and as the hardiness of the scotch people is usually attributed to their diet the value of oats as a food cannot be overestimated. this grain, or cereal, grows very much like wheat and yields an abundant crop in fairly good soil; but it is unlike wheat in composition, for it contains very little protein and considerable fat. in fact, it contains more fat than any other cereal. because of its lack of protein, it will not make raised bread, and when it must serve the purpose of bread it is made into flat cakes and baked. although it is used to some extent in this way, its greatest use for food, particularly in the united states, is in the form of _oatmeal_ and _rolled oats_. in the preparation of oatmeal for the market, the oat grains are crushed or cut into very small pieces, while in the preparation of rolled oats they are crushed flat between large rollers. recipes for oats . the same methods of cooking can be applied to both oatmeal and rolled oats. therefore, while the recipes here given are for rolled oats, it will be well to note that they can be used for oatmeal by merely substituting this cereal wherever rolled oats are mentioned. . rolled oats.--because of the high food value of rolled oats, this cereal is excellent for cold weather, especially when it is served with hot cream or milk and sugar. it can be prepared very easily, as the accompanying recipe shows. rolled oats (sufficient to serve six) c. rolled oats c. boiling water tsp. salt stir the oats into the boiling water to which the salt has been added. boil minutes, stirring them occasionally to keep them from sticking. then cook them in a double boiler for to hours. during this time, stir the oats as little as possible, so as to prevent them from becoming mushy. serve hot. . rolled oats with apples.--the combination of rolled oats and apples is rather unusual, still it makes a dish that lends variety to a breakfast or a luncheon. such a dish is easily digested, because the apples supply to it a considerable quantity of cellulose and mineral salts. rolled oats with apples (sufficient to serve six) / c. rolled oats c. boiling water / tsp. salt medium-sized apples c. water / c. sugar stir the rolled oats into the boiling salted water and cook them until they set; then place them in a double boiler and cook for to hours. pare and core the apples, and then cook them whole in a sirup made of cupful of water and / cupful of sugar until they are soft, but not soft enough to fall apart. to serve the food, place it in six cereal dishes. put a large spoonful of the cooked oats in each dish, arrange an apple on top of the oats, and then fill the hole left by the core with rolled oats. over each portion, pour some of the sirup left from cooking the apples, and serve hot with cream. [illustration: fig. ] . rolled-oats jelly with prunes.--if an appetizing dish for warm weather is desired, rolled oats may be cooked to form a jelly and then have stewed prunes added to it. such a dish is illustrated in fig. . when served with cream, this combination of rolled oats and prunes is high in food value and consequently may be made the important dish in the meal for which it is used. rolled-oats jelly with prunes (sufficient to serve six) c. rolled oats c. water tsp. salt stewed prunes cook the rolled oats according to the directions already given, and then force them through a fine sieve. remove the seeds from the prunes that have been stewed by cooking them very slowly until they are soft in a sufficient quantity of water to cover them well, drain off all the juice, and place two prunes in the bottom of each of six cups, or molds, that have been moistened with cold water. fill each with the rolled-oats jelly and set them aside to chill. when ready to serve, turn the food out of each mold into a cereal dish and serve with cream and sugar. . left-over rolled oats.--every housewife should refrain from throwing away any left-over rolled oats, because all of this cereal remaining from a previous meal can be used to good advantage. for example, it can be made especially tasty if, before it is cold, it is added to fruit, poured into molds and allowed to stand in them until it is cold, and then served with sugar and cream. fruits of any kind, such as cooked peaches, prunes, and apricots or fresh bananas, may be used for this purpose by cutting them into small pieces. another way of utilizing this cereal when it is warm is to pour it into a pan or a dish, press it down until it is about inch thick, and then, after it is cold, cut it into pieces of any desirable size or shape, brown these pieces in butter, and then serve them with sirup. if the left-over cereal is cold, a good plan would be to serve it with baked apple; that is, for each person to be served, place a spoonful of the cereal in a dish with a baked apple, sprinkle a little cinnamon or nutmeg over it, and then serve it with cream. still another very good way in which to utilize left-over rolled oats is to make it into croquettes according to the following recipe: rolled-oats croquettes (sufficient to serve four) / c. grated cheese / c. crumbs / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika c. cooked rolled oats egg work the cheese with / cupful of the crumbs, the salt, and the paprika into the cold rolled oats; then add the egg, which should be slightly beaten. if more moisture seems to be necessary, add a little milk. form the ingredients into small croquettes, and then roll them in the remaining / cupful of crumbs and sauté then in butter. garnish with parsley and serve. * * * * * barley origin and use . barley is a grain, or cereal, that grows very much like wheat. however, it is hardier than wheat or any other cereals and may be grown through a greater range of climates. barley has been cultivated from the most ancient times; in fact, its cultivation can be traced as far back as man's occupations have been recorded. the grain of this cereal has also played an important part in the advancement of man, for, according to history, some of the present weights and measures originated from it. thus, the troy weight grain is said to have been first fixed by finding the average weight of a barley grain, and the inch of linear measure, by placing three grains of barley end to end. . although several varieties of barley have been cultivated as food from the earliest times, the grain is now used principally in the manufacture of malt. in this form, it is used for the malting of foods and in the making of alcoholic liquors. to produce malt, the barley grains are moistened and allowed to sprout, and during this process of sprouting the starch of the barley is changed to sugar. the grains are then dried, and the sprouts, which are called _malt sprouts_, are broken off and sold as cattle food. the grain that remains, which is really _malt_, is then crushed and combined with other grains for use as malted cereal food. when barley is used to make malt, or fermented, liquors, it is soaked in water, which absorbs the sugar in it; then yeast is added, and this produces alcohol by causing the fermentation of the sugar. . in the united states, _pearl barley_ is the name applied to the most common form of barley used as food. in this form, the layer of bran is removed from the outside of the barley grain, but no change is made in the grain itself. pearl barley is used for soups and as a breakfast cereal, but for whatever purpose it is employed it requires very long cooking to make it palatable. very often the water in which a small amount of pearl barley has been cooked for a long time is used to dilute the milk given to a child who has indigestion or who is not able to take whole milk. recipes for barley . pearl barley.--as a breakfast cereal, possibly the only satisfactory way in which to prepare pearl barley is to cook it in a double boiler, although after it is cooked in this way it may, of course, be used to prepare other breakfast dishes. barley is not liked by everybody; nevertheless, it is an excellent food and its nature is such that even after long cooking it remains so firm as to require thorough mastication, which is the first great step in the digestion of starchy foods. pearl barley (sufficient to serve six) c. pearl barley tsp. salt - / c. boiling water look the barley over carefully and remove any foreign particles it may contain. add it to the boiling salted water, and cook it directly over the flame for minutes. then place it in a double boiler and cook for to hours. for the barley to be cooked properly, the water should be completely absorbed. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. . pearl barley with fruit.--cooked barley does not contain very much flavor. therefore, if a more tasty dish is desired, it is usually necessary to add something, such as fruit, that will improve the flavor. various fruits may be used with barley, as is shown in the accompanying recipe. pearl barley with fruit (sufficient to serve eight) c. pearl barley tsp. salt c. boiling water c. dates, figs, or prunes examine the barley to see that it contains no foreign matter, and then put it to cook in the boiling water to which the salt has been added. after cooking directly over the flame for minutes, place it in a double boiler and cook it for to hours. if dates are to be used, wash them in warm water, remove the seeds, and cut each into four pieces. in the case of figs, soak them in hot water for / hour and then cut them into small pieces. if prunes are desired, stew them as explained in art. , and when the seeds are removed cut them into small pieces. add the fruit to the barley or minutes before removing it from the stove. serve hot with cream or milk and sugar. . left-over barley.--cooked barley that is left over from a meal should not be wasted. that which has been cooked without fruit may be added to meat stock or used with vegetables for soup. also, cooked barley that has had time to set and become stiff may be sautéd in butter until it is slightly brown. when served with meat gravy, barley prepared in this manner makes a very appetizing and satisfying luncheon dish. rye, buckwheat, and millet . rye is a grain that grows very much like wheat, but it can be cultivated in poorer soil and colder climates than this cereal. it is not used alone to any great extent for anything except the making of bread, but it is particularly well adapted for this purpose, since it contains a large amount of gluten, the food substance necessary for successful bread making, and, like wheat, will make yeast bread when used alone. bread made of rye flour has a dark color and a peculiar flavor, and while these characteristics make it unpopular with some persons it is used extensively by certain classes, especially persons from foreign countries. besides its use for bread, rye is frequently combined with other cereals in the manufacture of ready-to-eat cereal foods. . buckwheat is used less extensively than any of the other cereals already mentioned, but it has an advantage over them in that it thrives in soil that is too poor for any other crop. the buckwheat plant grows to a height of about feet and blossoms with a white flower. its seeds, which are three-cornered in shape, bear a close resemblance to beechnuts, and because of this peculiar similarity, this cereal was originally called _beech wheat_. practically the only use to which buckwheat is put is to grind it into very fine flour for griddle cakes, recipes for which are given in another section. . millet as a cereal food finds practically no use in the united states; in fact, in this country it is grown almost exclusively for cattle food, the stalk of the plant being large and juicy and containing a considerable amount of food. the seed of this plant furnishes the smallest grain known for use as food, and because of its size it is very hard to gather. millet, however, is used extensively by some of the people of southern asia and india, who depend on it very largely, since, in some localities, it forms their only cereal food. in these countries, it is ground into flour and used for making bread. prepared, or ready-to-eat, cereals . all the cereals that have been discussed up to this point require cooking; but there are many varieties of cereal food on the market that are ready to eat and therefore need no further preparation. chief among these are the cereal foods known as _flakes_. these are first made by cooking the grain, then rolling it between rollers, and finally toasting it. the grains that are treated in this way for the preparation of flake foods are wheat, corn, rye, and rice. it is well to remember this fact, because the trade name does not always indicate the kind of grain that has been used to make the food. in another form in which cereals, principally wheat, appear on the market, they are cooked, shredded, pressed into biscuits, and then toasted. again, cereals are made into loaves with the use of yeast, like bread, and after being thoroughly baked, are ground into small pieces. wheat generally forms the basis of these preparations, and to it are added such other grains as rye and barley. . the toasting of cereals improves their flavor very materially and at the same time increases their digestibility. in fact, cereals that have been subjected to this process are said to be predigested, because the starch granules that have been browned in the toasting are changed into _dextrine_, and this is one of the stages through which they must pass in their process of digestion in the body. however, the housewife should not allow herself to be influenced unduly by what is said about all prepared cereals, because the manufacturer, who has depended largely on advertising for the sale of his product, sometimes becomes slightly overzealous and makes statements that will bear questioning. for instance, some of these foods are claimed to be muscle builders, but every one should remember that, with the exception of rye and wheat, which build up the tissues to a certain extent, the cereals strengthen the muscles in only a slight degree. others of these foods are said to be nerve and brain foods, but it should be borne in mind that no food acts directly on the nerves or the brain. in reality, only those foods which keep the body mentally and physically in good condition have an effect on the nerves and the brain, and this at best is an indirect effect. serving cereals . although, as is shown by the recipes that have been given, cereals may have a place in practically all meals that the housewife is called on to prepare, they are used more frequently for breakfast than for any other meal. when a cereal forms a part of this meal, it should, as a rule, be served immediately after the fruit, provided the breakfast is served in courses. many persons, of course, like fresh fruit served with cooked or dry cereal, and, in such an event, the fruit and cereal courses should be combined. a banana sliced over flakes or a few spoonfuls of berries or sliced peaches placed on top afford a pleasing change from the usual method of serving cereals. another way in which to lend variety to the cereal and at the same time add nourishment to the diet is to serve a poached egg on top of the shredded-wheat biscuit or in a nest of corn flakes, especially if they have been previously heated. in fact, any of the dry cereals become more appetizing if they are heated thoroughly in a slow oven and then allowed to cool, as this process freshens them by driving off the moisture that they absorb and that makes them tough. to add to both dry and cooked cereals protein and fat, or the food elements in which they are not so high, milk or cream is usually served with them. of these dairy products, which may be served hot or cold, milk adds more protein than cream, and cream more fat than milk. some persons, however, who do not care for milk and cream or cannot take them, substitute a little butter for them or find fruit juice a very good accompaniment, especially to a dry cereal. sugar is generally served with both kinds of cereals, as the majority of persons prefer them slightly sweet; but there is no logical reason for its use except to add flavor. * * * * * italian pastes preparation, varieties, and composition . in addition to the cereals that have already been discussed, macaroni and foods of a similar nature are entitled to a place in this section, because they are made from wheat flour and are therefore truly cereal products. these foods, which are commonly referred to as italian pastes, originated in italy. in that country they were made from a flour called _semolina_, which is derived from a native wheat that is very hard and contains more protein than is required for the making of ordinary dough mixtures. later, when the manufacture of these foods was taken up in the united states, the flour for them had to be imported from italy; but it has since been discovered that flour made from the variety of wheat called _durum_, which is grown in the spring-wheat territory of this country, can be used for producing these pastes. in fact, this kind of flour has proved to be so successful that it now takes the place of what was formerly imported. . to produce the italian pastes, the wheat, from which the bran has been removed, is ground into flour. this flour is made into a stiff dough, which is rolled into sheets and forced over rods, usually of metal, or made into a mass and forced over rods, and allowed to dry in the air. when sufficiently dry, the rods are removed, leaving slender tubes, or sticks, that have holes through the center. because of the manufacturing processes involved in the production of these foods for market, they are higher in price than some cereals, but their value lies in the fact that they are practically imperishable and are easily prepared and digested. . italian pastes are of several varieties, chief among which are _macaroni_, _spaghetti_, and _vermicelli_. macaroni is the largest in circumference; spaghetti, a trifle smaller; and vermicelli, very small and without a hole through the center. these pastes and variations of them are made from the same dough; therefore, the tests for determining the quality of one applies to all of them. these tests pertain to their color, the way in which they break, and the manner in which they cook. to be right, they should be of an even, creamy color; if they look gray or are white or streaked with white, they are of inferior quality. when they are broken into pieces, they should break off perfectly straight; if they split up lengthwise, they contain weak places due to streaks. all the varieties should, upon boiling, hold their shape and double in size; in case they break into pieces and flatten, they are of poor quality. . since the italian pastes are made from wheat, their food substances are similar to those of wheat. as in other wheat products, protein is found in them in the form of gluten, but, owing to the variety of wheat used for them, it occurs in greater proportion in these foods than in most wheat products. in fact, the italian pastes are so high in protein, or tissue-building material, that they very readily take the place of meat. unlike meat, however, they contain carbohydrates in the form of wheat starch. they do not contain much fat or mineral salts, though, being lower in these food substances than many of the other foods made from wheat. recipes for italian pastes . in nearly all recipes for macaroni, spaghetti, and vermicelli, as well as the numerous varieties of these foods, the first steps in their preparation for the table are practically the same, for all of these foods must be cooked to a certain point and in a certain way before they can be used in the numerous ways possible to prepare them. therefore, in order that success may be met in the preparation of the dishes that are made from these foods, these underlying principles should be thoroughly understood. in the first place, it should be borne in mind that while the time required to cook the italian pastes depends on their composition and dryness, the average length of time is about minutes. another important thing to remember is that they should always be put to cook in boiling water that contains teaspoonfuls of salt to each cupful of macaroni, spaghetti, or vermicelli, and that they should be kept boiling until the cooking is done, for if the pieces are not in constant motion they will settle and burn. tests may be applied to determine whether these foods have been cooked sufficiently. thus, if a fork passes through them easily or they crush readily on being pressed between the fingers and the thumb, they are done, but as long as they feel hard and elastic they have not cooked enough. in the majority of recipes here given, macaroni is specified, but spaghetti, vermicelli, or any of the fancy italian pastes may be substituted for the macaroni if one of them is preferred. it should also be remembered that any of these, when cut into small pieces, may be used in soups or served with sauce or gravy. . macaroni with cream sauce.--possibly the simplest way in which to prepare macaroni is with cream sauce, as is explained in the accompanying recipe. such a sauce not only increases the food value of any italian paste, but improves its flavor. macaroni prepared in this way may be used as the principal dish of a light meal, as it serves to take the place of meat. macaroni with cream sauce (sufficient to serve six) - / c. macaroni qt. boiling water tsp. salt / c. crumbs cream sauce tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. milk break the macaroni into inch lengths, add it to the salted boiling water, and cook it until it is tender. to prepare the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, salt, and pepper, stir until smooth, and gradually add the milk, which must be hot, stirring rapidly so that no lumps form. cook the cream sauce until it thickens and then add it to the macaroni. pour all into a baking dish, sprinkle the bread or cracker crumbs over the top, dot with butter, and bake until the crumbs are brown. serve hot. . macaroni with eggs.--since macaroni is high in protein, it takes the place of meat in whatever form it is served, but when it is prepared with eggs it becomes an unusually good meat substitute. therefore, when eggs are added as in the following recipe, no meat should be served in the same meal. macaroni with eggs (sufficient to serve six) c. macaroni qt. boiling water tsp. salt - / c. milk tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper hard-boiled eggs / c. crumbs break the macaroni into inch lengths, add it to the boiling salted water, and cook it until tender. make a cream, or white, sauce of the milk, butter, flour, salt, and pepper as explained in the recipe given in art. . when the macaroni is tender, drain it and arrange a layer on the bottom of a baking dish, with a layer of sliced, hard-boiled eggs on top. fill the dish with alternate layers of macaroni and eggs, pour the sauce over all, and sprinkle the crumbs over the top. then place the dish in the oven and bake the food until the crumbs are brown. serve hot. . macaroni with tomato and bacon.--macaroni alone is somewhat tasteless, so that, as has been pointed out, something is usually added to give this food a more appetizing flavor. in the recipe here given, tomatoes and bacon are used for this purpose. besides improving the flavor, the bacon supplies the macaroni with fat, a food substance in which it is low. macaroni with tomato and bacon (sufficient to serve six) c. macaroni qt. boiling water tsp. salt c. canned tomatoes thin slices bacon break the macaroni into inch lengths and cook it in the boiling salted water until it is tender. place a layer of the cooked macaroni on the bottom of a baking dish; over this layer put cupful of the tomatoes, and on top of them spread four slices of bacon. then add another layer of the macaroni, the other cupful of tomatoes, and a third layer of macaroni. on top of this layer, place the remaining four slices of bacon, and then bake the food for one half hour in a slow oven. serve hot. . macaroni with cheese.--cheese is combined with macaroni probably more often than any other food. it supplies considerable flavor to the macaroni and at the same time provides fat and additional protein. the cooking operation is practically the same as that just given for macaroni with tomatoes and bacon. macaroni with cheese (sufficient to serve six) - / c. macaroni qt. boiling water tsp. salt - / tb. butter - / tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. paprika - / c. milk c. grated or finely cut cheese / c. crumbs break the macaroni into inch lengths and cook it until it is tender in the quarts of boiling water to which teaspoonfuls of salt has been added. melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, the teaspoonful of salt, the pepper, and the paprika, stir until smooth, and then gradually add the milk, which should be hot. allow to cook until it thickens. arrange the cooked macaroni in layers, pouring the sauce and sprinkling salt and cheese over each layer. then cover the top layer with the crumbs and bake the food in a moderate oven for one half hour. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . macaroni with cheese and tomato.--although the food combinations given are very satisfactory, a dish that is extremely appetizing to many persons may be made by combining both cheese and tomato with macaroni. such a nutritious combination, which is illustrated in fig. , can be used as the principal dish of a heavy meal. macaroni with cheese and tomato (sufficient to serve six) c. macaroni c. grated cheese qt. boiling water tb. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. canned tomatoes tsp. salt break the macaroni into inch lengths and cook it until it is tender in the boiling water to which teaspoonfuls of salt has been added. put a layer of the cooked macaroni on the bottom of a baking dish, pour one-half of the tomatoes and one-third of the cheese over it, dot with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. then add another layer of macaroni, the remainder of the tomatoes, one-third more of the cheese, butter, salt, and pepper. finally, arrange another layer of macaroni, put the remaining cheese and some butter on top of it, and bake the food for / hour in a moderate oven. serve hot. . macaroni italian style.--if small quantities of fried or boiled ham remain after a meal, they can be used with macaroni to make a very tasty dish known as macaroni italian style. as ham is a highly seasoned meat, it improves the flavor of the macaroni and at the same time adds nutrition to the dish. macaroni italian style (sufficient to serve six) c. macaroni qt. boiling water tsp. salt tb. butter tb. flour - / c. scalded milk / c. grated cheese tsp. salt / tsp. paprika / c. finely chopped, cold boiled ham / c. crumbs break the macaroni into inch lengths and cook it in the boiling water to which has been added teaspoonfuls of salt. drain, and then reheat it in a white sauce made of the butter, flour, and milk. add the cheese and season with salt and paprika. arrange in layers in a baking dish, placing the cold ham between each two layers of macaroni and having the top layer of macaroni, sprinkle the crumbs on top of the upper layer, and bake the food until the crumbs are brown. garnish with parsley and serve. . macaroni and kidney beans.--the combination of canned kidney beans and macaroni is a rather unusual one, but it makes a very appetizing dish, especially when canned tomatoes are added, as in the recipe here given. macaroni and kidney beans (sufficient to serve eight) c. macaroni qt. water tsp. salt tb. butter tb. flour / c. hot milk / c. canned tomatoes tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. canned kidney beans cook the macaroni in the salted water until it is tender and then drain it. prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, rubbing the flour into it until a smooth paste is formed, and then adding slowly the hot milk. cook this sauce for minutes. force the tomato through a sieve, turn it into the hot sauce, and season all with salt and pepper. pour the sauce over the macaroni and the kidney beans, and then heat all together. when the food is thoroughly heated, turn it into a dish and serve. . spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce.--the accompanying recipe for spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce will serve to illustrate that this form of italian paste may be prepared in the same manner as macaroni; that is, to show how simple it is to substitute one kind of italian paste for another. any of these pastes, as has been mentioned, is especially appetizing when prepared with cheese and tomato. spaghetti with cheese and tomato sauce (sufficient to serve six) c. spaghetti tb. butter qt. boiling water tb. flour tsp. salt / c. grated cheese can tomatoes tsp. salt small onion, chopped / tsp. pepper / c. water boil the spaghetti in the quarts of boiling water to which has been added teaspoonfuls of salt, and after it is tender drain off the water. then proceed to make the sauce. boil the tomatoes and the chopped onion in the / cupful of water for minutes. strain this mixture and to it add the butter and the flour, which should first be mixed with a little cold water. cook this until it thickens and then add the cheese, teaspoonful of salt, and the pepper. pour the entire mixture over the cooked spaghetti, reheat, and serve. . left-over italian pastes.--no cooked italian paste of any kind should ever be wasted. any left-over macaroni, spaghetti, or vermicelli can be reheated and served as it was originally or it can be used in soups. if a sufficient amount is left after a meal, a good plan is to utilize it in croquettes. to make such croquettes, chop the left-over food fine and hold it together with a thick white sauce or with raw eggs. then form it into croquettes of the desired shape, roll these in bread or cracker crumbs, and brown them in butter. breakfast menu . a well-planned breakfast menu is here given, with the intention that it be prepared and used. this menu, as will be observed, calls for at least one of the dishes that have been described, as well as some that have not. directions for the latter, however, are given, so that no difficulty will be experienced in preparing the menu. after the recipes have been followed out carefully, it will be necessary to report on the success that is had with each dish and to send this report in with the answers to the examination questions at the end of this section. the recipes are intended to serve six persons, but they may be changed if the family consists of fewer or more persons by merely regulating the amounts to suit the required number, as is explained elsewhere. menu berries and cream or oranges cream of wheat or rolled oats and cream scrambled eggs buttered toast cocoa or coffee scrambled eggs eggs / c. milk / tsp. salt tb. butter / tsp. pepper beat the eggs slightly and add the salt, pepper, and milk. heat a pan, put in the butter, and, when it is melted, turn in the mixture. cook this mixture until it thickens as much as desired, being careful to stir it and to scrape it from the bottom of the pan, so that it will not burn. remove from the pan and serve hot. buttered toast bread for toasting should as a rule be hours or more old. cut the desired number of slices, making each about / to / inch thick. place the slices on a toaster over a bed of clear coals or on a broiler under a slow gas flame. turn the bread frequently until it assumes an even light brown on both sides. remove from the heat, spread each slice with butter, and serve while hot and crisp. cocoa c. scalded milk tb. cocoa tb. sugar / tsp. salt - / c. boiling water scald the milk in a double boiler. mix the cocoa, sugar, and salt. stir the boiling water into this mixture gradually, and let it boil for several minutes over the fire. then turn the mixture into the hot milk in the double boiler, and beat all with an egg beater for several minutes. a drop of vanilla added to the cocoa just before serving adds to its flavor. boiled coffee scald a clean coffee pot, and into it put level tablespoonfuls of ground coffee. add several crushed egg shells or the white of one egg, pour in cupful of cold water, and shake until the whole is well mixed. add cupfuls of freshly boiling water and put over the fire to boil. after the coffee has boiled for minutes, pour / cupful of cold water down the spout. allow it to stand for a few minutes where it will keep hot and then serve. * * * * * cereals examination questions ( ) (_a_) mention the eight cereals that are used for food. (_b_) how may the universal consumption of cereals be accounted for? ( ) (_a_) explain why cereals and cereal products are economical foods. (_b_) what factors should be considered in the selection of cereals? ( ) (_a_) why are cereals not easily contaminated? (_b_) what care in storage should be given to both prepared and unprepared cereals? ( ) (_a_) explain briefly the composition of cereals. (_b_) describe the structure of cereal grains. ( ) what food substance is found in the greatest proportion in cereals? ( ) what characteristics of cereals make them valuable in the diet? ( ) what material, besides the food substances, is always present in cereals, and what are its purposes? ( ) what is the purpose of cooking cereals? ( ) (_a_) what occurs when starch is cooked in a liquid? (_b_) describe the process of setting a cereal. ( ) (_a_) mention the various methods of cooking cereals, (_b_) what are the advantages of the double-boiler method? ( ) (_a_) what influences the proportion of water required and the length of time necessary to cook cereals? (_b_) is it an advantage to cook cereals for a long time? tell why. ( ) mention the cereals that you would use in winter and tell why you would use them. ( ) (_a_) of what advantage is it to add dates to cream of wheat? (_b_) mention some of the ways in which left-over wheat cereals may be utilized. ( ) (_a_) explain the three methods of cooking rice, giving the proportion of water to rice in each one. (_b_) how should rice grains look when they are properly cooked? ( ) mention several ways in which to utilize left-over rolled oats. ( ) (_a_) what advantages have ready-to-eat cereals over unprepared ones? (_b_) tell why cereals that have been toasted are said to be predigested. ( ) (_a_) what is the advantage of serving milk or cream with cereals? (_b_) how may variety be secured in the serving of cereals? ( ) (_a_) how are italian pastes made? (_b_) mention and describe the three principal varieties of italian paste, (_c_) what tests can be applied to judge the quality of these foods? ( ) (_a_) explain the first steps in cooking macaroni, (_b_) how much does macaroni increase upon being boiled? ( ) (_a_) why may macaroni be substituted for meat in the diet? (_b_) what foods used in the preparation of macaroni make it a better meat substitute? * * * * * report on menu after trying out the breakfast menu given in the text, send with your answers to the examination questions a report of your success. in making out your report, simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified in the following list? cream of wheat: thin? thick? lumpy? smooth? salty? well flavored? rolled oats: thin? thick? lumpy? smooth? salty? well flavored? scrambled eggs: dry? moist? watery? salty? well flavored? buttered toast: thin? thick? crisp? soggy? browned? not sufficiently toasted? unevenly browned? cocoa: smooth? strong? weak? thick? scum formed on top? coffee: strong? weak? muddy? clear? * * * * * bread * * * * * bread-making requirements importance of bread as food . bread is sometimes defined as any form of baked flour, but as the word is commonly understood it means only those forms of baked flour which contain some leavening substance that produces fermentation. the making of bread has come down through the ages from the simplest methods practiced by the most primitive peoples to the more elaborate processes of the present day. in truth, to study the history of bread making would amount to studying the accounts of the progress that has been made by the human race. still, in order that the production of bread from suitable ingredients may be fully understood, it will be well to note the advancement that has been made. . in the earliest times, what was used as bread was made in much the same way as it is today by many uncivilized and semicivilized people. the grain was ground between stones, usually by hand, and then mixed with water to form a dough; then this dough was formed into flat, compact cakes and baked in hot ashes, the result being a food very difficult to digest. later on, some one discovered that by allowing the dough to stand until fermentation took place and then mixing it with new dough, the whole mass would rise, and also that by subjecting this mass to the action of heat, that is, baking it, the mass would be held in place and become a loaf of raised bread that was lighter and, of course, more digestible. it was this discovery that led up to the modern bread-making processes, in which substances known as _leavening agents_, or _ferments_, are used to make bread light, or porous. chief among the substances is yeast, a microscopic plant that produces fermentation under favorable conditions. indeed, so important is this ferment that, in the united states, whenever the term _bread_ is used alone it means _yeast_, or _leavened_, _bread_, whereas, when other leavening agents are used, the bread is referred to as _hot bread_, or _quick bread_, as is fully explained in another section. it will be well to note this fact, for in all cases throughout these cookery lessons yeast, or leavened, bread is always meant when the term bread is used alone. . references in the history of the ancient hebrews show that bread made light by means of fermentation was known thousands of years ago, but it was not until after the accidental discovery of the action of yeast that the making of wholesome and digestible bread became possible. through this important advance in the making of bread came a demand for better grains and more improved methods of making flour. indeed, so much attention has been given to these matters that at present the three important processes relating to bread-making--the raising of wheat, the milling of flour, and the manufacture of yeast--are carefully and scientifically performed. these industries, together with the commercial manufacture of bread, occupy an important place in the business of practically all civilized nations. . among people who are not highly civilized, bread forms the chief article of food and often almost the entire diet, even at the present time; but as man progresses in civilization he seems to require a greater variety of food, and he accordingly devises means of getting it. since bread is only one of the many foods he finds at his disposal, it does not assume a place of so much importance in present-day meals as it formerly did. however, it still makes up a sufficient proportion of the food of every family to warrant such careful and extensive study, as well as such mastery of the processes involved, that the housewife may present to her family only the best quality of this food. although it does not have such extensive use as it had in the past, bread of some description, whether in the form of loaves, biscuits, or rolls, forms a part of each meal in every household. this fact proves that, with the exception of milk, it is more frequently eaten than any other food. a food so constantly used contributes very largely to the family's health if it is properly made. however, there is possibly nothing in the whole range of domestic life that so disturbs the welfare of the entire family as an inferior quality of this food, which, besides proving detrimental to the digestion, adds materially to the household expense. . of course, in many bakeries, bread of an excellent quality is made in a perfectly hygienic manner, and to be able to procure such bread is a wonderful help to the busy housewife or to the woman who finds it inconvenient to make her own bread. still, practically every person enjoys "home-made" bread so much more than what is made commercially that the housewife will do well to make a careful study of this branch of cookery. if it is properly understood, it will not be found difficult; but the woman who takes it up must manifest her interest to master a few essential principles and to follow them explicitly. after she has obtained the knowledge that she must possess, experience and practice will give her the skill necessary to prevent poor results and a consequent waste of material. * * * * * ingredients for bread making ingredients required . possibly the first essential to a correct knowledge of bread making is familiarity with the ingredients required. these are few in number, being merely flour, liquid, which may be either milk or water, sugar, salt, and yeast; but the nature of these, particularly the flour and the yeast, is such as to demand careful consideration. it will be admitted that the more the housewife knows about bread-making materials and processes the greater will be her success in this work. likewise, it is extremely important that this food be made just as wholesome as possible, for next to milk and eggs, bread ranks as a perfect food, containing all the elements necessary for the growth of the body. this does not mean, though, that any of these foods used as the sole article of diet would be ideal, but that each one of them is of such composition that it alone would sustain life for a long period of time. flour . grains used for flour.--as has been pointed out elsewhere, numerous grains are raised by man, but only two of them, namely, wheat and rye, are used alone for the making of yeast, or leavened, bread. the other grains, such as corn, rice, and oats, produce a flat, unleavened cake, so they are seldom used for bread making unless they are mixed with white flour. wheat and rye have been used for bread making for a very long time, and their universal use today is due to the fact that they contain considerable protein in the form of _gluten_. this is the substance that produces elasticity in the dough mixture, a condition that is absolutely essential in the making of raised bread. in fact, the toughness and elasticity of bread dough are what make it possible for the dough to catch and hold air and gas and thus produce a light, porous loaf. . of these two grains, rye is used less extensively in the united states for the making of bread than wheat, although in some countries, particularly the inland countries of continental europe, considerable use is made of it. its limited use here is undoubtedly due to the fact that when rye is used alone it makes a moist, sticky bread, which is considered undesirable by most persons. the reason for this is that, although rye contains a sufficient quantity of gluten, this substance is not of the proper quality to make the elastic dough that produces a light, spongy loaf. therefore, when rye is used, wheat flour is generally mixed with it. the result is a bread having a good texture, but the dark color and the typical flavor that rye produces. . wheat, the other grain used for bread making, is an annual grass of unknown origin. it is used more extensively for food than any other grain. in fact, it has been estimated that the average quantity consumed by each person is about bushels a year, and of this amount by far the greater part is used in the making of bread. since so much of this grain is used as food, considerable time and effort have been spent in developing those qualities which are most desirable for the purpose to which wheat is put and in perfecting the processes whereby wheat flour of a good quality may be obtained. this grain is particularly well adapted for bread making because of the nature of the proteins it contains and the relative proportions of these. these proteins, which occur in the wheat grain in the form of gluten, are known as _gliadin_ and _glutenin_. the gliadin imparts elasticity and tenacity, or toughness, to the gluten, and the glutenin gives it strength. it is not, however, so much the quantity of gluten in the wheat grain that actually determines the quality of flour as the fact that the two varieties must be present in the proper proportions in order for the gluten to have the properties desired for bread making. wheat consists of numerous varieties, but only two of these are grown and used in the united states, namely, _spring_, or _hard, wheat_ and _winter_, or _soft, wheat_. . spring, or hard wheat is so named because it is sown in the spring of the year and is very tough or firm. before this variety was known, the wheat used for bread making was not ideal, and the efforts that were made to produce a grain that would be suitable for this purpose resulted in this variety. to obtain its particular composition, spring wheat must be grown under suitable climatic and soil conditions. in north america, it grows in the north central part of the united states and along the southern border of canada. this variety, which is harvested in the late summer, is characterized by a large proportion of gluten and a correspondingly small amount of starch. it is the presence of the gluten that accounts for the hardness of the spring-wheat grain and the tough, elastic quality of the dough made from the spring-wheat flour. bread dough, to be right, must have this quality, so that the flour made from spring wheat is used almost exclusively for bread; whereas, for cake and pastry, which should have a tender, unelastic texture, flour made from soft wheat is more satisfactory. . winter, or soft wheat derives its name from the fact that it is planted in the autumn and is soft in texture. it is of less importance in the making of bread than spring, or hard, wheat, but it is the kind that has been grown for centuries and from which the varieties of spring wheat have been cultivated. it is a softer grain than spring wheat, because it contains less gluten and more starch. the flour made from it does not produce so elastic a dough mixture as does that made from the other variety of wheat; consequently, the finished product, such as bread, rolls, etc., is likely to be more tender and more friable, or crumbly. it is for this reason that winter, or soft, wheat is not used extensively for bread, but is employed for pastry flour or mixed with spring wheat to make what is called a _blend flour_, which may be used for all purposes. . structure of wheat grain.--in its natural state, wheat contains all the food substances required for the nourishment of the human body in nearly the proper proportions, and in addition it has in its composition sufficient cellulose to give it considerable bulk. it has been estimated that the average composition of this grain is as follows: per cent. protein...................................... . fat.......................................... . carbohydrates................................ . mineral salts................................. . water........................................ . cellulose..................................... . total....................................... . [illustration: fig. ] so that the composition of wheat and the making of wheat flour may be more clearly understood, it will be well to observe the structure of a grain, or kernel, of wheat, which is shown greatly enlarged in fig. . at _a_ is shown the germ of the young plant, which remains undeveloped until the grain is planted. this part contains practically all the fat found in the grain, some starch, and a small quantity of protein. at _b_ is shown the inside of the kernel, or the _endosperm_, as it is called, which is composed of starch granules interlaced with protein and mineral salts. surrounding these, as at _c_, is a layer of coarse cells that contain mineral matter and protein, and between these cells and the outer husk, as at _d, e, f_, and _g_, are layers of bran, which are composed of cellulose and contain mineral salts and small quantities of starch and protein. enveloping the entire kernel is a husk, or bran covering, _h_. this forms a protection to the rest of the grain, but it cannot be used as food, because it is composed almost entirely of cellulose, which is practically indigestible. the center of the grain, or the heart, is the softest part and consists of cells filled with starch. from this soft center the contents of the grain gradually grow harder toward the outside, the harder part and that containing the most gluten occurring next to the bran covering. . milling of wheat flour.--great advances have been made in the production of flour from wheat, and these are very good evidence of man's progress in the way of invention. the earliest method consisted in crushing the grain by hand between two stones, and from this crude device came the mortar and pestle. a little later millstones in the form of thick, heavy disks were brought into use for grinding grain. two of these stones were placed so that their surfaces came together, the lower one being stationary and the upper one made to revolve. early grinding apparatus of this kind was turned by human power, but this kind of power was first displaced by domestic animals and later by wind and water. out of this arrangement, which is still used to some extent in small mills, has grown the present-day complicated machinery of the roller process, by which any part of the grain may be included or rejected. . in the roller process, the grain is crushed between metal rolls instead of being ground between stones. it is first screened in order to separate all foreign matter from it, and then stored in bins. when it is taken from these receptacles, it is put through another cleaning process, called _scouring_, or it is thoroughly washed and dried in order to loosen the dirt that clings to it and to free it entirely from dust, lint, etc. as soon as it is completely cleansed, it is softened by heat and moisture and then passed through a set of corrugated rollers, which are adjustable as are the rubber rollers of a clothes wringer and which flatten and break the grains. after this first crushing, some of the bran is sifted out, while the main portion of the grain is put through another set of rollers and crushed more finely. during the milling, these processes of crushing the grain and removing the bran are repeated from six to nine times, each pair of rollers being set somewhat closer than the pair before, until the grain is pulverized. after the grain has been thus reduced to a powder, it is passed through bolting cloth, which acts as a very fine sieve and separates from it any foreign material that may remain. the result is a very fine, white flour. . graham flour.--sometimes the entire grain, including the bran, germ, etc., is ground fine enough merely for baking purposes and is used as flour in this form. such flour is called graham flour. it contains all the nutriment, mineral matter, and cellulose of the original grain, and is therefore considered valuable as food. however, the objection to this kind of flour is that its keeping quality is not so good as that of the kinds from which the germ has been removed, because the fat contained in the germ is liable to become rancid. . whole-wheat flour.--the best grades of fine white flour make bread of excellent quality, but such bread is not so nutritious as that made from whole-wheat flour. in the making of this kind of flour, some of the choicest varieties of wheat are first moistened in order to soften the woody fiber of the bran and are then sifted until the outer husk of the grain is removed. after this treatment, the grains are dried and then pulverized into various grades of so-called whole-wheat flour. the name whole-wheat flour is misleading, because it implies that all of the grain is used; whereas, since several of the outer layers of bran and the germ are removed in its production, whole-wheat flour is merely flour in which practically all the gluten and the starch are retained. because this variety is not sifted as are the white flours, it is not so fine as they are; but it is not so coarse as graham flour, nor is bread made from it so dark in color. both graham and whole-wheat flours produce a more wholesome bread than any of the varieties of white flour, because they contain more of the nutritive elements and mineral salts, which are necessary in the diet. the bran that is retained in them is not used by the body as food, but it adds bulk to the diet and assists in carrying on the normal functions of the digestive tract. . selection of flour.--if a large quantity of flour must be bought at one time, as, for instance, enough to last through an entire season, it is advisable to test it carefully before the purchase is made, so as to avoid the danger of getting a poor grade. as a rule, however, housewives are obliged to purchase only a small quantity at a time. in such cases, it will not be necessary to test the flour before purchasing it, provided a standard make is selected. very often, too, a housewife in a small family finds it inconvenient to keep on hand a supply of both bread flour and pastry flour. in such an event, a blend flour, which, as has been mentioned, is a mixture of flour made from spring and winter wheat that will do for all purposes, is the kind to purchase. while such flour is not ideal for either bread or pastry, it serves the purpose of both very well. . quality of flour.--flour is put on the market in various grades, and is named according to its quality. the highest grade, or best quality, is called _high-grade patent_; the next grade, _bakers'_; and the next, _second-grade patent_. the lowest grade, or poorest quality, is called _red dog_. this grade is seldom sold for food purposes, but it is used considerably for the making of paste. the quality of flour used in bread making is of very great importance, because flour of poor quality will not, of course, make good bread. every housewife should therefore be familiar with the characteristics of good flour and should buy accordingly. . several tests can be applied to flour to determine its kind and its quality. the first test is its color. bread flour, or flour made from spring wheat, is usually of a creamy-white color, while pastry flour, or that made from winter wheat, is more nearly pure white in color. a dark, chalky-white, or gray color indicates that the flour is poor in quality. the second test is the feel of the flour. a pinch of good bread flour, when rubbed lightly between the thumb and the index finger, will be found to be rather coarse and the particles will feel sharp and gritty. when good pastry flour is treated in the same way, it will feel smooth and powdery. the third test is its adhering power. when squeezed tightly in the hand, good bread flour holds together in a mass and retains slightly the impression of the fingers; poor bread flour treated in the same way either does not retain its shape or, provided it contains too much moisture, is liable to make a damp, hard lump. the odor of flour might also be considered a test. flour must not have a musty odor nor any other odor foreign to the normal, rather nutty flavor that is characteristic of flour. the bleaching and adulteration of flour are governed by the united states laws. bleaching is permitted only when it does not reduce the quality or strength nor conceal any damage or inferiority. such flour must be plainly labeled to show that it has been bleached. . care of flour.--there is considerable economy in buying flour in large quantities, but unless an adequate storing place can be secured, it is advisable to buy only small amounts at a time. flour absorbs odors very readily, so that when it is not bought in barrels it should if possible be purchased in moisture-proof bags. then, after it is purchased, it should be kept where it will remain dry and will not be accessible to odors, for unless the storage conditions are favorable, it will soon acquire an offensive odor and become unfit for use. flour sometimes becomes infested with weevils, or beetles, whose presence can be detected by little webs. to prevent the entrance of insects and vermin of all kinds, flour should be kept in tightly closed bins after it is taken from the barrels or sacks in which it is purchased. if newly purchased flour is found to be contaminated with such insects, it should be returned to the dealer. yeast . nature and action of yeast.--how yeast came to be discovered is not definitely known, but its discovery is believed to have been purely accidental. some mixture of flour and liquid was probably allowed to remain exposed to the air until it fermented and then when baked was found to be light and porous. whatever the origin of this discovery was, it is certain that yeast was used hundreds of years ago and that its action was not at that time understood. even at the present time everything concerning the action of yeast is not known; still continued study and observation have brought to light enough information to show that yeast is the agency that, under favorable conditions, produces light, spongy bread out of a flour mixture. . it has been determined that yeast is a microscopic plant existing everywhere in the air and in dust; consequently, it is found on all things that are exposed to air or dust. in order that it may grow, this plant requires the three things necessary for the growth of any plant, namely, food, moisture, and warmth. carbohydrate in the form of sugar proves to be an ideal food for yeast, and to degrees fahrenheit is the temperature at which the most rapid growth occurs. when these conditions exist and a sufficient amount of moisture is provided, yeast grows very rapidly and produces fermentation. the changes that take place when yeast causes fermentation can be detected very readily by observing the fermenting of fruit juice. as every housewife knows, the first indication of a ferment in fruit juice is the appearance of tiny bubbles, which collect on the sides and the bottom of the vessel containing the fruit and then gradually rise to the top. these bubbles are a form of gas called _carbon-dioxide_, or _carbonic-acid, gas_. if, after they appear, the juice is tasted, it will be found to be slightly alcoholic and to have a somewhat sour or acid taste. the gas, the acid, and the alcohol thus produced are the three results of the action of the ferment. . when yeast is used in the making of bread out of wheat flour, the changes just mentioned take place. to understand the action of this plant, it will be necessary to remember that wheat contains a large proportion of starch. this substance, however, cannot be acted on by the yeast plant; it must first be changed into sugar. the yeast that is added to the flour changes some of the starch into sugar and transforms the sugar into alcohol and carbonic-acid gas. this gas, which is lighter than the dough, rises, and in its efforts to escape expands the elastic, glutinous dough into a mass of bubbles with thin walls until the dough is two or three times its original bulk. the yeast plants, though, must be well distributed throughout the dough; otherwise, there are likely to be no bubbles in some places and large bubbles with thick walls in others. the gas thus formed is prevented from escaping by the toughness or the elasticity of the gluten, and the spaces that it leaves are what produce a light, porous loaf. when the expansion has gone on long enough, the formation of gas is checked and the ferment is killed by baking the dough in a hot oven. during the baking, the alcohol is driven off by heat, some of the starch is browned and forms the crust, and so little acid is produced in the short time in which the yeast is active that it is not noticeable. . commercial yeast.--when yeast plants are deprived of water and food, they cease to multiply. however, under these conditions, they may be kept alive so that when water and food are again provided they will increase in number and carry on their work. advantage has been taken of these characteristics of yeast, for although at one time the making of yeast was entirely a household process, it has now, like butter, cheese, canned fruit, etc., become a commercial product. the first yeast put on the market was collected from the surface of the contents of brewers' vats, where it floated in large quantities; but as this was an impure, unreliable product composed of various kinds of bacteria, it is no longer used for the purpose of making bread. at present, yeast is carefully grown as a pure yeast culture, or product. it is marketed in such a way that when proper food, such as soft dough, or sponge, and a favorable temperature are provided, the plants will multiply and act on the carbohydrate that they find in the food. in fact, the purpose of the well-known process of "setting" a sponge is to obtain a large number of yeast plants from a few. commercial yeast is placed on the market in two forms--_moist_ and _dry_. each of these yeasts has its advantages, so that the one to select depends on the method preferred for the making of bread as well as the time that may be devoted to the preparation of this food. . moist yeast, which is usually called _compressed yeast_, consists of the pure yeast culture, or growth, mixed with starch to make a sort of dough and then compressed into small cakes, the form in which it is sold. the moist condition of this kind of commercial yeast keeps the plants in an active state and permits of very rapid growth in a dough mixture. consequently, it proves very useful for the rapid methods of making bread. it is soft, yet brittle, is of a grayish-white color, and has no odor except that of yeast. since the plants of compressed yeast require very little moisture to make them grow, an unfavorable, or low, temperature is needed to keep the yeast from spoiling; in fact, it is not guaranteed to remain good longer than a few days, and then only if it is kept at a temperature low enough to prevent the plants from growing. this fact makes it inadvisable to purchase compressed yeast at great distances from the source of supply, although it may be obtained by parcel post from manufacturers or dealers. . dry yeast, the other form of commercial yeast, is made in much the same way as moist yeast, but, instead of being mixed with a small amount of starch, the yeast culture is combined with a large quantity of starch or meal and then dried. the process of drying kills off some of the plants and renders the remainder inactive; because of this, the yeast requires no special care and will keep for an indefinite period of time, facts that account for its extensive use by housewives who are not within easy reach of the markets. however, because of the inactivity of the yeast plants, much longer time is required to produce fermentation in a bread mixture containing dry yeast than in one in which moist yeast is used. consequently, the long processes of bread making are brought about by the use of dry yeast. if moist yeast is used for these processes, a smaller quantity is required. . liquid yeast.--some housewives are so situated that they find it difficult to obtain commercial yeast in either of its forms; but this disadvantage need not deprive them of the means of making good home-made bread, for they can prepare a very satisfactory liquid yeast themselves. to make such yeast, flour, water, and a small quantity of sugar are stirred together, and the mixture is then allowed to remain at ordinary room temperature, or degrees fahrenheit, until it is filled with bubbles. if hops are available, a few of them may be added. when such yeast is added to a sponge mixture, it will lighten the whole amount. before the sponge is made stiff with flour, however, a little of it should be taken out, put in a covered dish, and set away in a cool, dark place for the next baking. if properly looked after in the manner explained, this yeast may be kept for about weeks. more certain results and a better flavor are insured in the use of liquid yeast if it is started with commercial yeast, so that whenever this can be obtained it should be used. then, as just explained, some of the liquid containing the yeast or some of the sponge made with it may be retained for the next baking. . quality of yeast.--of equal importance with the quality of flour is the quality of yeast used in the baking of bread. yeast is, of course, accountable for the lightness or sponginess of bread, but, in addition, it improves the flavor of the bread if it is of good quality or detracts from the flavor if it is of poor quality. since the condition of yeast cannot be determined until its effect on the finished product is noted, the housewife should take no chances, but should employ only yeast, whether she uses commercial or liquid, that she knows to be good and reliable. compressed yeast may be easily judged as to quality. it should be grayish white in color, without streaks or spots, and it should have no sour nor disagreeable odor. if home-made yeast is used and the results obtained are not satisfactory, it may be taken for granted that a fresh supply should be prepared. yeast aids . as has already been explained, yeast, in order to grow, requires something on which to feed, and the food that produces the most rapid growth is that which contains carbohydrate. certain of the carbohydrates, however, prove to be better food and produce more rapid growth than others, and these, which are known as yeast aids, are usually added as ingredients in the making of bread. the ones that are most commonly used are sugar and potato water. sugar is almost always added, but it should be limited in quantity, because a dough mixture that is made heavy with sugar will rise very slowly. potato water has been found to be a very satisfactory aid, because the starch of the potato is utilized readily by the yeast. if this aid is to be used, the water in which potatoes are boiled may be saved and, when the ingredients required for the making of bread are mixed, it may be added as a part or all of the liquid required. if it is desired to increase the amount of starch in the potato water, a boiled potato or two may be mashed and added to it. milk and fat in bread . milk is sometimes used as a part or as all of the liquid in bread. while it adds nutritive value and is thought by many persons to improve the texture, it is not absolutely essential to successful bread making. whenever milk is used, it should first be scalded thoroughly. a point that should not be overlooked in connection with the use of milk is that the crust of milk bread browns more readily and has a more uniform color than that of bread in which water is used as liquid. . like milk, fat adds nutritive value to bread, but it is not an essential ingredient. if it is included, care should be taken not to use too much, for an excessive amount will retard the growth of the yeast. almost any kind of fat, such as butter, lard or other clear tasteless fats, or any mixture of these, may be used for this purpose, provided it does not impart an unpleasant flavor to the bread. proportion of bread-making materials . no definite rule can be given for the exact proportion of liquid and flour to be used in bread making, because some kinds of flour absorb much more liquid than others. it has been determined, however, that cupfuls of flour is generally needed for each small loaf of bread. with this known, the quantity of flour can be determined by the amount of bread that is to be made. the quantity of liquid required depends on the quantity and kind of flour selected, but usually there should be about one-third as much liquid as flour. the particular method that is selected for the making of bread, as is explained later, determines the amount of yeast to be used. if it is desired not to have the bread rise quickly, a small quantity, about one eighth cake of compressed yeast or tablespoonfuls of liquid yeast, is sufficient for each loaf; but if rapid rising is wanted, two, three, or four times as much yeast must be used to produce a sufficient amount of carbon dioxide in less time. it should be remembered that the more yeast used, the more quickly will the necessary gas be created, and that, as has already been shown, it is the formation of gas that makes bread light and porous. in addition to flour, liquid, and yeast, teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of sugar, and tablespoonful of fat are the ingredients generally used for each loaf of bread. utensils for bread making [illustration: fig. .] . necessary equipment.--not many utensils are required for bread making, but the ones that are needed must be of the right kind if the best results are to be obtained. the necessary equipment is illustrated in fig. . it includes a mixing bowl and cover _a_; a flour sieve _b_; measuring cups _c_ of standard size, one for moist and one for dry ingredients, measuring spoons _d_, and a case knife or a spatula _e_ for measuring; a long-handled spoon _f_ for mixing; and baking, or bread, pans _g_. unless the table is such that it can be used as a molding board, it will be necessary to provide in addition to the equipment mentioned, a molding board of suitable size. the mixing bowl may be an earthen one or a metal one like that shown in the illustration. the size of the pans used and the material of which the pans are made should also receive attention. the loaves will be found to bake more quickly and thoroughly if they are not made too large and each one is baked in a separate pan. pans that are inches long, / inches wide, and inches deep are of a convenient size. they may be made of tin, sheet iron, aluminum, or heat-resisting glass, the only requirements being that all the pans used at one baking be of the same material, because, as heat penetrates some materials more quickly than others, the baking will then be more uniform. . convenient equipment.--while the utensils shown in fig. are all that are actually required in the making of bread, a bread mixer, one style of which is described in _essentials of cookery_, part , will be found extremely convenient by the housewife who must bake large quantities of bread at one time and who has not a great deal of time to devote to the work. this labor-saving device can be used and, of course, often is used by the housewife who makes only a small quantity of bread, as, for instance, two to four loaves; but it is not actually needed by her, as she can handle such an amount easily and quickly. a _cooler_, which consists of a framework covered with wire netting and supported by short legs, is also a convenient utensil, as it serves as a good place on which to put baked bread to cool. if one of these devices is not available, however, a substitute can be easily made by stretching a wire netting over a wooden frame. * * * * * bread-making processes acquiring skill in bread making . the nature and the quality of the ingredients required to make bread, as well as the utensils that are needed for this purpose, being understood, it is next in order to take up the actual work of making bread. several processes are included in this work; namely, making the dough, caring for the rising dough, kneading the dough, shaping the dough into loaves, baking the loaves, and caring for the bread after it is baked. when the finished product is obtained, the loaves are ready to be scored and served. a knowledge of how to carry out these processes is of the utmost importance, for much of the success achieved in bread making depends on the proper handling of the ingredients. of course, skill in manipulation is acquired only by constant practice, so that the more opportunity the housewife has to apply her knowledge of the processes, the more proficient will she become in this phase of cookery. each one of the processes mentioned is here discussed in the order in which it comes in the actual work of bread making, and while the proper consideration should be given to every one of them, it will be well, before entering into them, to observe the qualities that characterize good wheat bread. . good wheat bread may be described in various ways, but, as has been learned by experience and as is pointed out by united states government authorities, probably the best way in which to think of it, so far as its structure is concerned, is as a mass of tiny bubbles made of flour and water, having very thin walls and fixed in shape by means of heat. the size of the cells and the nature of the bubble walls are points that should not be overlooked. each loaf should be light in weight, considering its size, should be regular in form, and should have an unbroken, golden-brown crust. the top crust should be smooth and should have a luster, which is usually spoken of as the "bloom" of the crust. taken as a whole, the loaf should have a certain sponginess, which is known as its elasticity, and which is evidenced by the way in which the loaf acts when it is pressed slightly out of shape. as soon as the pressure is removed, the loaf should resume its original shape. this test should produce the same results when it is applied to small pieces of the crust and to the cut surface of the loaf. the internal appearance must also receive consideration. to be right, wheat bread should be creamy white in color and should have a definite "sheen," which can best be seen by looking across a slice, rather than directly down into it. as already explained, the holes in it should be small and evenly distributed and their walls should be very thin. these points can be readily determined by holding a very thin slice up to the light. the flavor of bread is also a very important factor, but it is somewhat difficult to describe just the exact flavor that bread should have in order to be considered good. probably the best way in which to explain this is to say that its flavor should be that which is brought about by treating the wheat with salt. while such a flavor may not be known to all, it is familiar to those who have tasted the wheat kernel. * * * * * making the dough preliminary treatment of ingredients . the first step in bread making, and without doubt the most important one, is the making of the dough. it consists in moistening the flour by means of a liquid of some kind in order to soften the gluten and the starch, to dissolve the sugar, and to cement all the particles together, and then combining these ingredients. before the ingredients are combined, however, particularly the flour, the liquid, and the yeast, they must generally be warmed in order to shorten the length of time necessary for the yeast to start growing. much care should be exercised in heating these materials, for good results will not be obtained unless they are brought to the proper temperature. the flour should feel warm and the liquid, whether it be water or milk, should, when it is added, be of such a temperature that it also will feel warm to the fingers. if water is used, it ought to be just as pure as possible, but if milk is preferred it should be used only after it has been scalded. the yeast should be dissolved in a small quantity of lukewarm water. hot water used for this purpose is liable to kill the yeast and prevent the bread from rising, whereas cold water will retard the growth of the yeast. combining the ingredients . as soon as the bread ingredients have received the proper treatment, they are ready to be combined. combining may be done by two different methods, one of which is known as the _short process_ and the other as the _long process_. as their names indicate, these methods are characterized by the length of time required for the bread to rise. each method has its advantages, and the one to select depends on the amount of time and energy the housewife can afford to give to this part of her work. persons who use the long process believe that bread made by it tastes better and keeps longer than that made by the short process; whereas, those who favor the short process find that it saves time and labor and are convinced that the quality of the bread is not impaired. the more rapid methods of making breads are possible only when yeast in the active state is used and when more of it than would be necessary in the long process, in which time must be allowed for its growth, is employed. however, regardless of the method followed, all bread mixtures must be begun in the same manner. the liquids, seasonings, and fat are combined, and to these is added the flour, which should be sifted in, as shown in fig. . . long process.--by the long process, there are two ways of combining the ingredients in order to make bread. one is known as the _sponge method_ and the other as the _straight-dough method_. [illustration: fig. ] . the long-process sponge method is employed when sufficient time can be allowed to permit the natural growth of the yeast. to make bread according to this process, start it in the evening by warming the liquid and dissolving the yeast and then adding these ingredients to the sugar, salt, and fat, which should first be placed in the mixing bowl. stir this mixture well, and then add one-half of the quantity of flour that is to be used, stirring this also. place this mixture, or sponge, as such a mixture is called, where it will remain warm, or at a temperature of from to degrees fahrenheit, through the night. in the morning, stir the remaining flour into the sponge and knead for a few minutes the dough thus formed. when this is accomplished, put the dough in a warm place and allow it to rise until it doubles in bulk. when the dough is in this condition, it is ready to be kneaded again, after which it may be shaped into loaves, placed in the pans, allowed to double in bulk again, and finally baked. . the long-process straight-dough method is a shortened form of the method just explained. it does away with the necessity of one kneading and one rising and consequently saves considerable time and labor. to make bread by this method, combine the ingredients in the evening as for the sponge method, but instead of adding only half of the flour, put all of it into the mixture, make a stiff dough at once, and knead. then allow this to rise during the night, so that in the morning it can be kneaded again and put directly into the bread pans. after it rises in the pans until it doubles in bulk, it is ready to be baked. the only disadvantage of the straight-dough method is that a stiff dough rises more slowly than a sponge, but since the entire night is given to the rising no difficulty will be experienced in carrying out this process. a point to remember, however, is that dough made according to this method must be kept warmer than that made by the sponge method. . quick process.--in the quick process of combining bread ingredients, there are also two methods of procedure--the _sponge method_ and the _straight-dough method_. the chief differences between the methods of this process and those of the long process are in the quantity of yeast used and the length of time required for the bread to rise. more yeast must be used and much less time is required for the completion of the entire process. this shorter period of time is doubtless due to the fact that throughout the process, whether the straight-dough or the sponge method is followed, the mixture must be kept at a uniform temperature of about degrees fahrenheit. . the quick-process sponge method requires only about hours for its completion, and the bread may be started at any time of the day that will allow this amount of time for carrying on the work. for this method, warm the ingredients and then combine the sugar, salt, fat, liquid, and dissolved yeast. into this mixture, stir enough of the flour to make a sponge and put it where it will keep uniformly warm until it has about doubled in quantity and is full of bubbles. then add the remainder of the flour, knead the mixture, and return the dough thus formed to a warm place. when the dough has doubled in bulk, remove it from the bowl to the kneading board, knead it slightly, and then shape it into loaves. place these into the pans, and after allowing them to rise sufficiently, bake them. . the quick-process straight-dough method differs from the quick-process sponge method in that the entire amount of flour is added when the ingredients are first mixed, with the result that a stiff dough instead of a sponge is formed. as has already been learned, this stiff dough rises more slowly than a sponge, but it requires one rising less. it must be kept at a uniform temperature as much of the time as possible, so that the rising will not be retarded. when it has doubled in bulk, remove it from the bowl and knead it. then shape it into loaves, place these in the pans, allow them to rise sufficiently, and proceed with the baking. care of the rising dough . purpose of rising.--rising is an important part of the process of bread making, no matter which method is employed. in a sponge, its purpose is to blend the ingredients after they have been mixed, as well as to permit the growth of the yeast; in a dough, after the gas has been evenly distributed by means of kneading, the purpose of rising is to permit the incorporation of a sufficient quantity of carbon dioxide to make the bread light when it is baked. as has just been explained, three risings are necessary in the sponge method of both the long and the short process, whereas only two are required in the straight-dough methods. the last rising, or the one that takes place after the dough is shaped into loaves, is the one that affects the texture of the bread most, so that it should receive considerable attention. if the dough is not allowed to rise sufficiently at this time, the bread will be too fine in texture and will likely be heavy; and if it is permitted to rise too much, it will be coarse in texture. allowance, however, should be made for the fact that the rising will continue after the bread has been placed in the oven. . temperature for rising.--as has been mentioned, the best results are obtained if the bread dough is kept at a uniform temperature throughout its rising. the temperature at which it rises most rapidly is about degrees fahrenheit; but, unless it can be watched closely, a better plan is to keep it, especially if the long process of bread making is followed, at a temperature that runs no higher than degrees. various methods of maintaining a uniform temperature have been devised, but the ones usually resorted to consist in placing the bowl containing the sponge or the dough in a bread raiser, a fireless cooker, or a vessel of hot water. [illustration: fig. ] . bread raisers can be purchased, but if desired a simple bread-raising device may be constructed from a good-sized wooden box. to make such a device, line the box with tin or similar metal and fit it with a door or a cover that may be closed tight. make a hole in one side of the box into which to insert a thermometer, and, at about the center of the box, place a shelf on which to set the bowl or pan containing the sponge or dough. for heating the interior, use may be made of a single gas burner, an oil lamp, or any other small heating device. this should be placed in the bottom of the box, under the shelf, and over it should be placed a pan of water to keep the air in the box moist, moist air being essential to good results. where large quantities of bread must be baked regularly, such a device will prove very satisfactory. the temperature inside should be kept somewhere in the neighborhood of to degrees fahrenheit if the bread is to rise rapidly; but it may be kept from to degrees if slower rising is desired. . placing the bowl containing the dough mixture in a larger vessel of hot water is a simple and satisfactory way of obtaining a uniform temperature, being especially desirable for a sponge in the quick-process sponge method. the water in the large vessel should be at a temperature of about to degrees fahrenheit. after the bowl of sponge or dough is placed in the water, the large vessel should be covered very carefully, so that the heat from the water will be retained. to maintain the temperature in the vessel and thus keep it right for the bread mixture, the hot water has to be replenished occasionally. if this is done, the sponge or dough will be maintained at a temperature of about degrees and will therefore rise rapidly. [illustration: fig. ] . to insure the best results with the rising of bread mixtures, it is advisable, for the beginner at least, to use a thermometer for determining the temperature of air or water, as this instrument will save considerable time until experience in judging such matters has been gained. a fahrenheit thermometer like that shown in fig. is the ideal kind for use in bread making. as an aid in this process, there are indicated in this illustration the temperature at which dough should be kept for rising and the temperature at which water should be kept outside the bowl to maintain a temperature of to degrees in the dough when the plan mentioned in art. for keeping dough at a uniform temperature is followed. in addition, the oven temperatures for baking bread and rolls, which are explained later, are also shown. the temperature of water can, however, be determined fairly accurately with the hands. if it feels very warm but does not burn the hand, it may be considered at about a temperature of to degrees. in order to prevent the formation of a hard surface on the dough, the bowl in which it rises should be kept tightly covered. a further means of preventing this condition consists in oiling the surface of the dough; that is, brushing it lightly with melted fat. in case a crust does form, it should be well moistened with water or milk and allowed to soften completely before the next kneading is begun. [illustration: fig. ] . time required for rising.--no definite rule can be given for the length of time required for dough to rise, for this depends entirely on the activity of the yeast. if the yeast is active, the dough will rise quickly; but if it is not of good quality or if it has been killed or retarded in its growth by improper handling, the dough will rise slowly. usually, dough should be allowed to rise until it has doubled in bulk. a good way in which to determine when this takes place is to put a small piece of the dough in a glass, such as a measuring glass, a tumbler, or a jelly glass, and mark on this glass where the dough should come when it has increased to twice its size. this glass set beside the vessel containing the dough will show when it has risen sufficiently. this plan is illustrated in figs. and . fig. shows a glass half filled with dough and a bowl of bread dough ready to be placed where they will keep warm for the first rising; and fig. shows the same dough after it has doubled in bulk, as is evident from the fact that the glass is entirely full. kneading the dough [illustration: fig. ] . purpose of kneading.--as has been pointed out, it is necessary to knead dough one or more times in the making of bread, the number of kneadings depending on the method that is employed. the purpose of kneading is to work the dough so as to distribute evenly the gas that is produced by the yeast, to increase the elasticity of the gluten, and to blend the ingredients. it is a very important part of the work of bread making, for to a great extent it is responsible for the texture of the finished product. at first, kneading may be found to be somewhat difficult, but the beginner need not become discouraged if she is not proficient at once, because the skill that is necessary to knead the bread successfully comes with practice. so that the best results may be attained, however, it is advisable that the purpose for which the kneading is done be kept constantly before the mind during the process. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . kneading motions.--several motions are involved in the kneading of bread, and these are illustrated in figs. to . in order to carry out the kneading process, first cover lightly with flour the surface on which the kneading is to be done; this may be a suitable table top or a molding board placed on a table. then remove the dough from the mixing bowl with the aid of a case knife or a spatula, in the manner shown in fig. , and place it on the floured surface. sift a little flour over the dough, so that it appears as in fig. , and flatten it slightly by patting it gently. next, with the fingers placed as shown in fig. , take hold of the edge of the mass at the side farthest from you and fold the dough over the edge nearest you, as fig. illustrates. then work the dough with a downward pressure and, as indicated in fig. , push it out with the palms of the hands. with the motion completed, turn the entire mass around and knead it in the same way in another direction. continue the kneading by repeating these motions until the dough has a smooth appearance, is elastic, does not stick to either the hands or the board, and rises quickly when it is pressed down. [illustration: fig. ] to prevent the dough from sticking to the hands and the board, flour should be added gradually during the process of kneading, but care should be taken not to use too much flour for this purpose. the lightness and sponginess of the finished loaf depend largely on the quantity of flour used at this time, so that if the dough is made too stiff with flour, the bread will be hard and close after it is baked. as soon as the dough can be kneaded without its sticking to either the hands or the board, no more flour need be added; but, in case too much flour is used, the dough may be softened by means of milk or water. such dough, however, is not so satisfactory as that which does not have to be softened. shaping the dough into loaves . after the dough is properly kneaded in the manner just explained, it is placed in the mixing bowl and allowed to rise again. when it has risen sufficiently for the last time, depending on the process employed, it should be kneaded again, if it must be reduced in size, and then shaped into loaves and put in the pans. here, again, much care should be exercised, for the way in which bread is prepared for the pans has much to do with the shape of the loaf after it is baked. [illustration: fig. ] . in order to shape the dough into loaves, first loosen it from the sides of the mixing bowl, using a knife or a spatula for this purpose, and then turn it out on a flat surface on which flour has been sprinkled, as in preparing for kneading. knead the dough a little, and then cut it into pieces that will be the correct size for the pans in which the loaves are to be baked, as shown at the right in fig. . dust each piece with a small quantity of flour and knead it until the large bubbles of gas it contains are worked out and it is smooth and round. in working it, stretch the under side, which is to be the top of the loaf, and form it into a roll that is as long and half as high as the pan and as thick at each end as in the center. a good idea of the size and shape can be formed from the loaf held in the hands in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] . as each loaf is formed, place it in the pan in the manner shown in fig. and allow it to rise until the dough comes to the top of the pan, or has doubled in bulk. so that the loaf will be symmetrical after it has risen--that is, as high at each end as in the middle--the shaped dough must fit well into the corners and ends of the pan. at _a_, fig. , is shown how dough placed in the pan for rising should appear, and at _b_ is illustrated how the dough should look after it has risen sufficiently to permit it to be placed in the oven for baking. to produce the result illustrated at _b_, the dough must be kept in a warm temperature, and to exclude the air and prevent the formation of a hard crust on the dough, it must be covered well with both a cloth and a metal cover. another way in which to prevent the formation of a hard crust consists in greasing the surface of the dough when it is placed in the pan, as at _a_, for rising. [illustration: fig. ] baking the bread . purpose of baking.--the various processes in the making of bread that have been considered up to this point may be successfully carried out, but unless the baking, which is the last step, is properly done, the bread is likely to be unpalatable and indigestible. much attention should therefore be given to this part of the work. so that the best results may be obtained, it should be borne in mind that bread is baked for the purpose of killing the ferment, rupturing the starch grains of the flour so that they become digestible, fixing the air cells, and forming a nicely flavored crust. during the process of baking, certain changes take place in the loaf. the gluten that the dough contains is hardened by the heat and remains in the shape of bubbles, which give the bread a porous appearance; also, the starch contained in the dough is cooked within the loaf, but the outside is first cooked and then toasted. . oven temperature for baking.--in baking bread, it is necessary first to provide the oven with heat of the right temperature and of sufficient strength to last throughout the baking. as is indicated in fig. , the usual oven temperature for successful bread baking is from to degrees fahrenheit, but in both the first and the last part of the baking the heat should be less than during the middle of it. an oven thermometer or an oven gauge is a very good means of determining the temperature of the oven. but if neither of these is available the heat may be tested by placing in the oven a white cracker, a piece of white paper, or a layer of flour spread on a shallow tin pan. if any one of these becomes a light brown in minutes, the oven is right to commence baking. every precaution should be taken to have the oven just right at first, for if the bread is placed in an oven that is too hot the yeast plant will be killed immediately and the rising consequently checked. of course, the bread will rise to some extent even if the yeast plant is killed at once, for the carbon dioxide that the dough contains will expand as it becomes heated and will force the loaf up; but bread baked in this way is generally very unsatisfactory, because a hard crust forms on the top and it must either burst or retard the rising of the loaf. if the heat is not sufficient, the dough will continue to rise until the air cells run together and cause large holes to form in the loaf. in an oven that is just moderately hot, or has a temperature of about degrees, the yeast plant will not be killed so quickly, the dough will continue to rise for some time, and the crust of the bread should begin to brown in about minutes. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . fig. illustrates a loaf of bread that has risen too much. the inside texture is coarse and the shape of the loaf is not good. fig. shows the result of uneven temperature. the high side is caused by exposure to more intense heat than the opposite side, and the crack is the result of a too rapid formation of the crust. sometimes it is advisable to keep the crust from becoming hard too rapidly. in order to do this, and at the same time produce a more even color, the top of the loaf may be moistened by brushing it with milk before it is put into the oven. fig. shows a well-formed loaf of bread that has had the right amount of rising, and fig. shows the inside texture of bread for which the mixing, rising, and baking have been correctly done. . time for baking and care of bread in oven.--the time required for baking bread and the care it should receive in the oven are also important matters to know. how long the bread should bake depends on the size of the loaf. under proper oven temperature, a small loaf, or one made with cupful of liquid, ought to bake in from minutes to hour, while a large loaf requires from - / to hours. as has been explained, the loaf should begin to brown, or have its crust formed, in about minutes after it is placed in the oven, and the baking should proceed rather slowly. [illustration: fig. ] to get the best results in baking, the pans should be placed so that the air in the oven will circulate freely around them. if they are so placed that the loaves touch each other or the sides of the oven, the loaves will rise unevenly and consequently will be unsightly in shape, like those shown in figs. and . if the loaves rise higher on one side than on the other, even when the pans are properly placed, it is evident that the heat is greater in that place than in the other parts of the oven and the loaves should therefore be changed to another position. proper care given to bread while baking will produce loaves that are an even brown on the bottom, sides, and top and that shrink from the sides of the pan. [illustration: fig. ] . care of bread after baking.--as soon as the bread has baked sufficiently, take it from the oven, remove the loaves from the pans, and place them to cool where the air may circulate freely around them. a bread rack, or cake cooler, like the one on which the loaf rests in figs. , , and , is very satisfactory for this purpose, but if such a device is not available, the loaves may be placed across the edges of the empty pans so that nearly the entire surface is exposed. whichever plan is adopted, it should be remembered that the bread must be carefully protected from dust and flies. bread should never be permitted to remain in the pans after it has been baked nor to cool on a flat surface; neither should the loaves be wrapped while they are warm, because the moisture will collect on the surface and the bread will not keep so well. after the loaves have become sufficiently cool, place them in the receptacle in which they are to be kept. this should have been previously washed and dried and then allowed to stand in the sunshine, so as to be free from mold or any substance that will taint or otherwise injure the bread. after the loaves have been put into it, keep it well covered and allow no stale crumbs nor pieces of bread to collect. to keep such a receptacle in good condition, it should be scalded and dried every or days. scoring bread . object of scoring bread.--by the _scoring_ of bread is meant simply the judging of its qualities. persons who understand what good bread is agree very closely on the qualities that should characterize it, and they make these qualities a standard by which any kind of bread may be scored, or judged. those who are not proficient in the making of bread, as well as those who have had very little experience, will do well to have their bread judged by experts or to learn how to score it themselves. by following this plan, they will be able to find out the good and bad points of their bread and then, by ascertaining the causes of any poor qualities, will be in a position to make improvements. so that the beginner may learn how to judge the qualities of her bread, she should study carefully the accompanying score card and its explanation. score card external appearance: per cent. shape................................. size.................................. crust: shade............................... uniformity of color................. character........................... depth............................ -- lightness.............................. internal appearance: even distribution of gas............. moisture.............................. elasticity............................ color................................ flavor................................. --- total............................. . explanation of score card.--a study of the score card will reveal that a certain number of points are given to a loaf of bread for appearance, both external and internal, for lightness, and for flavor. to determine these qualities best, allow the loaf to cool thoroughly after baking. then consider the various points, and decide how nearly perfect the loaf is in respect to each one of them. add the numbers that are determined upon, and the result obtained will show how the bread scores. . the _shape_ of the loaf, in order to be perfect and to score , should be uniform and symmetrical. any such shape as that shown in fig. would fall below perfect. the _size_ of the loaf, for which a score of is given, is determined from the standpoint of thorough baking. the exact size that a loaf must be is a rather difficult thing to state, because the sizes vary considerably, but a loaf of an ungainly size should be guarded against, for it would not score well. bread made in pans of the size already mentioned would score high with regard to size. the _crust_, whose combined characteristics score , should be a golden brown in color in order to receive the score of for its _shade_. a pale loaf or one baked too brown would not receive full credit. if the required color extends uniformly over the entire loaf, the bottom and the sides, as well as the top, more is added to the score of the crust for _uniformity of color_. after these points are scored, a slice of bread should be cut from the loaf in order that the remaining points may be scored. as fresh bread does not cut easily, and as a well-cut slice must be had for this purpose, special care must be taken to obtain the slice. therefore, sharpen a large knife and heat the blade slightly by holding it near a flame; then cut a slice at least / inch thick from the loaf before the blade has had time to cool. with such a slice cut, the _character_ of the crust, by which is meant its toughness or its tenderness, may be determined. a score of is given if it is of sufficient tenderness or is devoid of toughness. the _depth_ of the crust, which depends on the amount of baking the loaf has had, receives a score of if it is perfect. a deep crust, which is the preferred kind, is produced by long, slow baking; bread that is baked only a short time has a thin crust, which is not so desirable and would not score so high. . the _lightness_ of the bread can easily be scored when the bread is cut. it is judged by the size of the holes, and if it is perfect it receives a score of . if the bread is not light enough, the holes will be small and the bread will feel solid and unelastic; if it is too light, the holes will be large and coarse. . the internal appearance, which is scored next, includes several characteristics. for the _even distribution of gas_, which is determined by the uniformity of the holes, points are given. if the kneading has been done right and the bread has risen properly, the gas will be distributed evenly through the loaf, with the result that the holes, which make the bread porous, will be practically the same throughout the entire loaf. such a texture is better than that of a loaf that has some large and some small holes. the _moisture_ in the bread, which receives if it is of the right amount, is tested by pinching a crumb between the fingers. if the crumb feels harsh and dry, the bread is not moist enough, and if it feels doughy, the bread is too moist. the _elasticity_, for which is given, is determined by pressing the finger gently into a cut place in the loaf. the bread may be considered to be elastic if it springs back after the finger is removed and does not break nor crumble. as compared with cake, bread is always more elastic, a characteristic that is due to the quantity of gluten it contains. still it should be remembered that the elasticity must not amount to toughness, for if it does the quality of the bread is impaired. to score for _color_, the inside of the loaf should be of an even, creamy white. a dull white or gray color would indicate that flour of a poor quality had been used, and dark or white streaks in the bread would denote uneven mixing and insufficient kneading. . the last thing to be scored, namely, the _flavor_, merits points. to determine this characteristic, chew a small piece of bread well. if it is not sour nor musty, has a sweet, nutty flavor, and shows that the correct amount of salt and sugar were added in the mixing, it may receive a perfect score. use of the bread mixer . the advantage of a bread mixer in bread making is that it practically does away with hand mixing and kneading; however, all the other steps described are the same, depending on the process used. as has been mentioned, the housewife who bakes such a small quantity as three or four loaves of bread can get along very well without a bread mixer; at least, for so few loaves a bread mixer does not seem so necessary as when six or more loaves are to be made at one time, when it is a decided convenience. however, bread mixers can be had in various sizes to meet the requirements of the housewife. . in using a bread mixer like that described in _essentials of cookery_, part , the ingredients are placed in the mixer and thoroughly mixed together by turning the handle, and after the sponge or the dough has risen, the kneading is performed by again turning the handle. the amount of turning to be done is, of course, regulated by the ingredients and the method that is followed. in addition to the bread mixer mentioned, there is another convenient type that is constructed in two parts, the top part having a sifter in its bottom, through which the flour or other dry ingredients are sifted. the sifting is done with a crank, which also operates a shaft to which is attached a number of knives extending in different directions. these knives accomplish the mixing and the kneading. the bread is allowed to rise in the lower part of the bread mixer, the top part being removed after the mixing and sifting have been accomplished. any of the bread-making methods described may be used with the bread mixer without change in the process, and no kneading need be done by hand except a sufficient amount to shape the loaves after the last rising and before they are placed in the pans. serving bread . bread is one of the foods that every one takes so much as a matter of course that little thought is given to its serving. of course, it does not offer so much opportunity for variety in serving as do some foods; yet, like all other foods, it appeals more to the appetites of those who are to eat it if it is served in an attractive manner. a few ideas as to the ways in which it may be served will therefore not be amiss. as fresh bread is not easily digested, it should not usually be served until it is at least hours old. before it is placed on the table, it should be cut in slices, the thickness of which will depend on the preference of the persons who are to eat it. if the loaf is large in size, the pieces should be cut in two, lengthwise of the slice, but in the case of a small loaf the slices need not be cut. various receptacles for placing bread and rolls on the table, such as a bread boat, a bread plate, and a bread basket, are also used to add variety in serving. whichever of these is selected, it may be improved in appearance by the addition of a white linen doily. for rolls, a hot-roll cover is both convenient and attractive. sometimes, especially when a large number of persons are to be served, a roll is placed between the folds of each person's napkin before they are seated at the table. occasionally bread becomes stale before it is needed on the table. such bread, however, should not be discarded, especially if the loaves are uncut. uncut loaves of this kind may be freshened by dipping them quickly into boiling water and then placing them in a very hot oven until their surface becomes dry. if desired, slices of bread that have become stale may be steamed in order to freshen them; but unless great care is taken in steaming them the bread is liable to become too moist and soggy. * * * * * recipes bread recipes . in order that the beginner may bring into use the bread-making principles and directions that have been set forth, and at the same time become familiar with the quantities of ingredients that must be used, there are here given a number of recipes for the making of bread. these recipes include not only white bread-that is, bread made from white flour--but whole-wheat, graham, rye, and corn bread, as well as bread in which fruit and nuts are incorporated. before these recipes are taken up, though, it will not be amiss to look further into the various ingredients used in the making of bread. . the fat used in bread making may vary in both quantity and kind. for instance, if less than tablespoonfuls is called for in a recipe, this amount may be decreased; but it is not well to increase the amount to any extent. likewise, the fat may be of any kind that will not impart a disagreeable flavour to the finished product. it may be left-over chicken fat, clarified beef fat, lard, butter, cooking oil, or any mixture of clear, fresh fats that may be in supply. the sweetening for bread is, as a rule, granulated sugar, although sirup, molasses, brown sugar, or white sugar of any kind may be employed. sweetening is used merely to give a slightly sweet flavour to the bread, and the kind that is used is of slight importance. the liquid, as has been stated, may be water or milk or any proportion of both. the milk that is used may be either whole or skim. in addition to these two liquids, the whey from cottage cheese or the water in which rice, macaroni, or potatoes have been cooked should not be overlooked. potato water in which a small quantity of potato may be mashed serves as a yeast aid, as has been pointed out. therefore, whenever, in a bread recipe, liquid is called for and the kind to be used is not stated specifically, use may be made of any of the liquids that have been mentioned. the quantity of flour required for a bread recipe will depend entirely on the kind of flour that is to be used, bread flour having a much greater absorbing power for liquid than has pastry or blend flour. when, in the process of mixing the bread, the sponge is stiffened by adding the remaining flour to it, the last cupful or two should be added cautiously, in order not to make the mixture too stiff. in some instances, more flour than the recipe calls for may be required to make the dough of the right consistency. the amount can be determined only by a knowledge of what this consistency should be, and this will be easily acquired with practice in bread making. . the beginner will find it a good plan to begin making bread entirely of white flour, for the reason that it is easier to determine the consistency of the dough mixture at various stages, as well as during the kneading, if there is no coarse material, such as bran, corn meal, nuts, fruits, etc., in the dough. later, when a definite knowledge along this line has been acquired, one after the other of the bread recipes should be tried. they are no more difficult to carry out than the recipes for white bread; indeed, the woman who has had experience in bread making will find that she will be equally successful with all of them. . white bread.--bread made from white flour, which is commonly referred to as _white bread_, is used to a much greater extent than any other kind, for it is the variety that most persons prefer and of which they do not tire quickly. however, white bread should not be used to the exclusion of other breads, because they are of considerable importance economically. this kind of bread may be made by both the quick and the long processes, for the ingredients are the same, with the exception of the quantity of yeast used. the amounts given in the following recipes are sufficient to make two large loaves or three small ones, but, of course, if more bread is desired, the quantity of each ingredient may be increased proportionately. white bread--long process (sufficient for two large or three small loaves) tb. fat tb. sugar / cake compressed yeast, or cake dried yeast tb. salt qt. lukewarm liquid qt. flour c. flour additional for kneading put into the mixing bowl the fat, the sugar, the salt, and the yeast that has been dissolved in a little of the lukewarm liquid. add the remainder of the liquid and stir in half of the flour. place this sponge where it will rise overnight and will not become chilled. in the morning, add the remainder of the flour, stirring it well into the risen sponge, and knead the dough thus formed. allow it to rise until it has doubled in bulk and then knead it again. after it is properly kneaded, shape it into loaves, place them in greased pans, let them rise until they have doubled in bulk, and then bake them. combining the ingredients in the manner just mentioned is following the sponge method of the long process. by adding all instead of half of the flour at night, the straight-dough method of this process may be followed. white bread--quick process (sufficient for two large or three small loaves) tb. fat tb. sugar tb. salt cakes compressed yeast qt. lukewarm liquid qt. flour c. flour additional for kneading put the fat, the sugar, and the salt into the mixing bowl, and then to them add the yeast dissolved in a few tablespoonfuls of the lukewarm liquid. add the remaining liquid and stir in half or all of the flour, according to whether the process is to be completed by the sponge or the straight-dough method. one yeast cake may be used instead of two. however, if the smaller quantity of yeast is used, the process will require more time, but the results will be equally as good. after the dough has been allowed to rise the required number of times and has been kneaded properly for the method selected, place it in greased pans, let it rise sufficiently, and proceed with the baking. . whole-wheat bread.--bread made out of whole-wheat flour has a distinctive flavour that is very agreeable to most persons. this kind of bread is not used so extensively as that made of white flour, but since it contains more mineral salts and bulk, it should have a place in the diet of every family. when made according to the following recipe, whole-wheat bread will be found to be a very desirable substitute for bread made of the finer flours. whole-wheat bread--quick process (sufficient for two small loaves) tb. fat / c. brown sugar tb. salt cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm liquid c. whole-wheat flour c. white flour for kneading place the fat, the sugar, and the salt in the mixing bowl and add the yeast cake dissolved in a little of the liquid. add the remainder of the liquid, and then stir in half or all of the flour, according to whether the sponge or the straight-dough method is preferred. then proceed according to the directions previously given for making bread by the quick process. the long process may also be followed in making whole-wheat bread, and if it is, only one-half the quantity of yeast should be used. . graham bread.--to lend variety to the family diet, frequent use should be made of graham bread, which contains even more bulk and mineral salts than whole-wheat bread. in bread of this kind, both graham and white flour are used. since graham flour is very heavy, it prevents the bread from rising quickly, so the bread is started with white flour. the accompanying recipe contains quantities for the short process, although it may be adapted to the long process by merely using one-half the amount of yeast. graham bread (sufficient for two loaves) tb. fat / c. brown sugar tsp. salt cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm liquid c. white flour c. graham flour c. white flour additional for kneading put the fat, the sugar, and the salt in the mixing bowl, and to them add the yeast that has been dissolved in a little of the liquid. pour over these ingredients the remainder of the liquid and stir in the white flour. when the mixture is to be made stiff, add the graham flour. then knead the dough, let it rise, knead again, place it in greased pans, let rise, and bake. a point to be remembered in the making of graham bread is that sifting removes the bran from graham flour, and if lightness is desired, the flour may be sifted and the bran then replaced. . graham bread with nuts.--to increase the food value of graham bread, nuts are sometimes added. this kind of bread also provides an agreeable variety to the diet. the following recipe is intended to be carried out by the short process, so that if the long process is desired the quantity of yeast must be reduced. graham bread with nuts (sufficient for two loaves) cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm liquid / c. molasses tb. fat tb. salt c. white flour c. graham flour - / c. chopped nuts c. white flour additional for kneading dissolve the yeast in a little of the lukewarm liquid and mix it with the molasses, fat, and salt. add the remaining liquid and the white flour. let this sponge rise until it is light. then stir in the graham flour, adding the nuts while kneading. let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk. shape into loaves, place it in the greased pans, and let it rise until it doubles in size. bake for an hour or more, according to the size of the loaves. . whole-wheat fruit bread.--a very delicious whole-wheat bread is produced by combining fruit, which, besides improving the flavour, adds to the food value of the bread. thin slices of this kind of bread spread with butter make excellent summer sandwiches. if the short process is employed, the amounts specified in the following recipe should be used, but for the long process the quantity of yeast should be decreased. whole-wheat fruit bread (sufficient for three small loaves) yeast cake c. lukewarm liquid tb. fat / c. brown sugar stoned, chopped dates tsp. salt c. whole-wheat flour - / c. seeded raisins or stoned, chopped dates c. white flour for kneading dissolve the yeast cake in a little of the lukewarm liquid and add it to the fat, sugar, and salt that have been put into the mixing bowl. pour in the remainder of the liquid and add half or all of the flour, depending on the bread-making method that is followed. stir in the fruit before all the flour is added and just before the dough is shaped into loaves. after it has risen sufficiently in the greased pans, proceed with the baking. . bran bread.--bread in which bran is used is proportionately a trifle lower in food value than that in which whole wheat or white flour is used. however, it has the advantage of an additional amount of bulk in the form of bran, and because of this it is a wholesome food. bran bread (sufficient for two loaves) c. milk tb. molasses - / tsp. salt / yeast cake / c. lukewarm water c. white flour c. graham flour c. sterilized bran c. white flour additional for kneading scald the milk and to it add the molasses and salt. when this is lukewarm, add to it the yeast cake dissolved in the lukewarm water, as well as the white flour and cupful of the graham flour. cover this mixture and let it rise. when it has risen sufficiently, add the bran and the rest of the graham flour and knead. cover this dough, and let it rise until it doubles in bulk. then shape it into loaves, place it in the greased pans, let it rise again until it doubles in bulk, and bake in a hot oven. . rye bread.--rye bread has a typical flavour that many persons enjoy. when rye flour is used alone, it makes a moist, sticky bread; therefore, in order to produce bread of a good texture, wheat flour must be used with the rye flour. the recipe here given is for the short process of bread making, but by reducing the quantity of yeast it may be used for the long process. rye bread (sufficient for three loaves) tb. fat tb. salt tb. sugar cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm liquid c. rye flour c. white flour c. white flour additional for kneading into the mixing bowl, put the fat, the salt, the sugar, and the yeast that has been dissolved in a small quantity of the lukewarm liquid. then stir in the flour, one-half or all of it, according to whether the sponge or the straight-dough method is followed. when the dough is formed, allow it to rise until it doubles in bulk; then knead it and shape it into loaves for the greased pans. when these have risen until they are double in size and therefore ready for the oven, glaze the surface of each by brushing it with the white of egg and water and put them in the oven to bake. if desired, caraway seed may be added to the dough when it is formed into loaves or simply sprinkled on the top of each loaf. to many persons the caraway seed imparts a flavour to the bread that is very satisfactory. . corn bread.--corn meal is sometimes combined with wheat flour to make corn bread. such a combination decreases the cost of bread at times when corn meal is cheap. bread of this kind is high in food value, because corn meal contains a large proportion of fat, which is more or less lacking in white flour. the following recipe is given for the short process, but it may be used for the long process by merely decreasing the quantity of yeast. corn bread (sufficient for two loaves) yeast cake c. lukewarm liquid tsp. salt tb. sugar tb. fat - / c. white flour c. corn meal c. white flour additional for kneading put the yeast to soak in / cupful of warm water and let it dissolve. heat the liquid and cool it to lukewarm, and then add to it the salt, the sugar, the dissolved yeast, and the melted fat. make a sponge with some of the flour and let it rise until it doubles in bulk. then make a dough with the corn meal and the remaining flour. knead the dough, let it rise again, and form it into loaves. let these rise in the greased pans until they double in bulk; then bake about minutes. . rice bread.--very often variety is given to bread by the addition of rice, which imparts an unusual flavour to bread and effects a saving of wheat flour. oatmeal and other cereals may be used in the same way as rice, and bread containing any of these moist cereals will remain moist longer than bread in which they are not used. rice bread (sufficient for three loaves) / c. uncooked rice - / c. water tb. salt tb. sugar tb. fat / yeast cake c. lukewarm liquid c. white flour c. white flour additional for kneading steam the rice in a double boiler in and a half cupfuls of water until it is soft and dry. add the salt, sugar, and fat, and allow all to become lukewarm. dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm liquid, and add it to the rice. put all in the mixing bowl, stir in cupfuls of flour, and allow the mixture to become very light. add the remainder of the flour and knead lightly. let the dough rise until it has doubled in bulk and knead to reduce the quantity. place in greased pans. when the loaves have risen sufficiently, bake for about minutes. . salt-rising bread.--recipes for bread would be incomplete if mention were not made of salt-rising bread. such bread differs from ordinary bread in that the gas that causes the rising is due to the action of bacteria. salt-rising bread is not universally popular, yet many persons are fond of it. its taste is very agreeable, and, as a rule, its texture is excellent; however, it always has an unpleasant odour. the method given in the accompanying recipe for salt-rising bread differs in no way from the usual method of making it. it is very necessary that the first mixture of corn meal, salt, sugar, and milk be kept at a uniformly warm temperature in order to induce bacteria to grow. any failure to make such bread successfully will probably be due to the violation of this precaution rather than to any other cause. salt-rising bread (sufficient for two loaves) c. fresh milk / c. corn meal tsp. salt tsp. sugar c. lukewarm water c. white flour / c. white flour additional for kneading scald the milk and pour it over the corn meal, salt, and sugar. allow this mixture to stand in a warm place for several hours or overnight, when it should be light. to this batter add the warm water and enough flour to make a drop batter. allow this to stand in a warm place until it is light; and then add the remainder of the flour so as to make a dough, and knead. allow this to rise, shape it into loaves, put it in pans, let it rise again, and bake. recipes for rolls, buns, and biscuits . while the preceding recipes call for bread in the form of loaves, it should be understood that bread may be made up in other forms, such as rolls, buns, and biscuits. these forms of bread may be made from any of the bread recipes by adding to the mixture shortening, sugar, eggs, fruit, nuts, spices, flavoring, or anything else desirable. since these things in any quantity retard the rising of the sponge or dough, they should be added after it has risen at least once. rolls, buns, and biscuits may be made in various shapes, as is shown in fig. . to shape them, the dough may be rolled thin and then cut with cutters, or the pieces used for them may be pinched or cut from the dough and shaped with the hands. after they are shaped, they should be allowed to rise until they double in bulk. to give them a glazed appearance, the surface of each may be brushed before baking with milk, with white of egg and water, or with sugar and water. butter is also desirable for this purpose, as it produces a crust that is more tender and less likely to be tough. rolls, buns, or biscuits may be baked in an oven that has a higher temperature than that required for bread in the form of loaves, as is indicated in fig. , and only to minutes is needed for baking them. if such forms of bread are desired with a crust covering the entire surface, they must be placed far enough apart so that the edges will not touch when they are baking. [illustration: fig. ] so that experience may be had in the preparation of rolls, buns, and biscuits there are given here several recipes that can be worked out to advantage, especially after proficiency in bread making has been attained. . parker house rolls.--of the various kinds of rolls, perhaps none meets with greater favor than the so-called parker house rolls, one of which is shown at _a_, fig. . such rolls may be used in almost any kind of meal, and since they are brushed with butter before they are baked, they may be served without butter, if desired, in a meal that includes gravy or fat meat. parker house rolls (sufficient for dozen rolls) cake compressed yeast pt. lukewarm milk tb. fat tb. sugar tsp. salt pt. white flour c. white flour additional for kneading dissolve the yeast in some of the lukewarm milk. pour the remainder of the warm milk over the fat, sugar, salt, and dissolved yeast, all of which should first be put in a mixing bowl. stir into these ingredients half of the flour, and beat until smooth. cover this sponge and let it rise until it is light. add the remainder of the flour, and knead until the dough is smooth and does not stick to the board. place the dough in a greased bowl, and let it rise again until it doubles in bulk. roll the dough on a molding board until it is about / inch thick. then cut the rolled dough with a round cutter; brush each piece with soft butter; mark it through the center, as at _b_, fig. , with the dull edge of a kitchen knife; and fold it over, as at _c_. place the pieces of dough thus prepared in shallow pans, about inch apart, and let them rise until they are light, when each roll will appear like that shown at _d_. then bake them in a hot oven for about minutes. [illustration: fig. ] . dinner rolls.--as their name implies, dinner rolls are an especially desirable kind of roll to serve with a dinner. they should be made small enough to be dainty, and as an even, brown crust all over the rolls is desirable they should be placed far enough apart in the pans to prevent them from touching one another, as shown in fig. (_a_). if they are placed as in (_b_), that is, close together, only part of the crust will be brown. when made according to the accompanying recipe, dinner rolls are very palatable. dinner rolls (sufficient for - / dozen rolls) cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm milk tb. sugar tb. fat tsp. salt c. white flour egg white / c. white flour additional for kneading [illustration: fig. ] dissolve the yeast in some of the lukewarm milk. put the sugar, fat, salt, and dissolved yeast in the mixing bowl, and pour the remainder of the milk over these ingredients. stir half of the flour into this mixture and allow the sponge to rise. when it is light, add the egg white, which should first be beaten, and the remainder of the flour, and then knead the dough. let the dough rise until it doubles in bulk. roll out the dough until it is / inch thick, and then cut out the rolls with a small round cutter. place these in a shallow pan and let them rise until they are light. then glaze each one with the white of egg to which is added a little water and bake them in a hot oven for about minutes. . luncheon rolls.--if rolls smaller than dinner rolls are desired, luncheon rolls will undoubtedly be just what is wanted. since these are very small, they become thoroughly baked and are therefore likely to be even more digestible than bread or biscuit dough baked in a loaf. for rolls of this kind, the following recipe will prove satisfactory: luncheon rolls (sufficient for dozen rolls) cake compressed yeast - / c. lukewarm milk tb. sugar tb. fat tsp. salt c. white flour egg white / c. white flour additional for kneading combine the ingredients in the manner directed for making dinner rolls. shape the dough into biscuits the size of a small walnut, place them in a shallow pan, spacing them a short distance apart, and let them rise until they are light. next, brush the tops of them with melted butter, and then bake them in a hot oven for about minutes. . whole-wheat rolls.--rolls made of whole-wheat flour are not so common as those made of white flour, and for this reason they appeal to the appetite more than ordinary rolls. whole-wheat rolls have the same advantage as bread made of whole-wheat flour, and if they are well baked they have a crust that adds to their palatableness. whole-wheat rolls (sufficient for dozen rolls) pt. lukewarm milk cake compressed yeast tsp. salt tb. sugar tb. fat c. white flour c. whole-wheat flour / c. white flour additional for kneading set a sponge with the lukewarm milk, in which are put the yeast cake, salt, sugar, fat, and white flour. allow this to become very light, and then add the whole-wheat flour. knead this dough and allow it to double in bulk. then shape it into rolls, allow them to rise, and bake for to minutes. . graham nut buns.--buns made of graham flour and containing nuts are not only especially delightful in flavour, but highly nutritious. because they are high in food value, they may be served with a light meal, such as lunch or supper, to add nutrition to it. the recipe here given will result in excellent buns if it is followed closely. graham nut buns (sufficient for dozen buns) cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm milk tb. brown sugar tsp. salt tb. fat - / c. white flour egg c. chopped nuts - / c. graham flour c. white flour additional for kneading dissolve the yeast in a little of the lukewarm milk. place the sugar, salt, fat, and dissolved yeast in the mixing bowl and add the remainder of the warm milk. stir in the white flour and let the sponge thus formed rise. then add the egg, which should first be beaten, the nuts, and the graham flour. knead the dough and shape it into buns. let these rise and then bake them in a hot oven for about minutes. . nut or fruit buns.--nuts or fruit added to buns made of white flour provide more mineral salts and bulk, substances in which white flour is lacking. buns containing either of these ingredients, therefore, are especially valuable in the diet. besides increasing the food value of the buns, nuts and fruit improve the flavour and make a very palatable form of bun. buns of this kind are made as follows: nut or fruit buns (sufficient for dozen buns) tb. sugar tb. fat tsp. salt cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm milk c. white flour / c. chopped nuts or raisins c. white flour additional for kneading add the sugar, fat, and salt to the yeast dissolved in a little of the milk. then stir in the remainder of the milk and half of the flour. allow this sponge to rise until it is very light, and then add the remainder of the flour and the nuts or the raisins. knead at once and form into buns. let these rise until they are light. then moisten them with milk and sprinkle sugar over them before placing them in the oven. bake for about minutes. . sweet buns.--persons who prefer a sweet bun will find buns like those shown in fig. and made according to the following recipe very much to their taste. the sweetening, eggs, and lemon extract used in this recipe give to the white buns a delightful flavour and help to lend variety to the usual kind of bun. sweet buns (sufficient for - / dozen buns) cake compressed yeast c. lukewarm scalded milk / c. sugar tb. fat tsp. tsp. salt - / c. white flour eggs tsp. lemon extract c. white flour additional for kneading dissolve the yeast in a small amount of the lukewarm milk and add it to the sugar, fat, salt, and remaining milk in the mixing bowl. stir into this mixture half of the flour, beat well, and let the sponge rise until it is light. add the eggs, which should first be beaten, the lemon extract, and the remaining flour. knead until the dough is smooth. let the dough rise again and then shape it into rolls. allow these to rise, and then bake them in a hot oven for about minutes. [illustration: fig. ] . coffee cake.--when an especially good kind of biscuit that can be served for breakfast and eaten with coffee is desired, coffee cake made according to the following recipe should be used. cinnamon sprinkled over the top of such cake imparts a very pleasing flavour, but if more of this flavour is preferred teaspoonful of cinnamon may be mixed with the dough. coffee cake (sufficient for one cake) cake compressed yeast / c. lukewarm milk tb. sugar / tsp. salt c. white flour egg tb. fat / c. brown sugar / c. white flour additional for kneading dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk and add the sugar and the salt. stir in cupful of flour and let the mixture rise. when the sponge is light, add the beaten egg, the fat and the brown sugar creamed, and the remaining flour. knead until the dough is smooth and allow it to rise until it is double in bulk. then roll the dough until it is / inch thick, place it in a shallow pan, and let it rise until it is light. brush the top with tablespoonful of melted butter and sprinkle it with teaspoonfuls of cinnamon and tablespoonfuls of sugar. bake to minutes in a moderately hot oven. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . cinnamon rolls.--to make cinnamon rolls, which are preferred by some persons to coffee cake, use may be made of the preceding coffee-cake recipe. however, instead of rolling the dough / inch thick, roll it / inch thick and brush it with melted butter. then sprinkle it with tablespoonful of cinnamon, / cupful of light-brown sugar, and / cupful of chopped raisins. next, roll this as a jelly roll and cut the roll into / -inch slices, as shown in fig. . place these slices close together in a shallow pan and let them rise until they are light, as in fig. . then bake them in a hot oven for about minutes. toast . as every one knows, toast is sliced bread browned by means of heat. to make toast is not a difficult process, but a certain amount of care must be exercised if good results are desired. the slices used for toast may be cut thick or thin, depending on whether the persons for whom the toast is made prefer a soft or a dry toast and whether the digestibility of the toast is to be taken into consideration. if thick slices are used and they are toasted the usual length of time necessary to make the surfaces brown, the centre of the slices will remain soft. toast made of thin slices and toasted over a slow fire becomes dry and crisp during the process of browning and is more digestible than that which is moist. such toast will not lose its crispness unless the pieces are piled in a heap while they are hot and are allowed to soften from the moisture that collects. while toast is usually served in the form of slices, just as they are cut from the loaf, the pieces may be cut into shapes of various kinds; in fact, toast becomes more attractive if it is cut in unusual shapes. the crust of toast may be trimmed off or left on, as desired. . if the best results are desired in the making of toast, considerable attention must be given to the heat that is to produce the toast. whatever kind is employed, it should be steady and without flame. before a coal or a coke fire is used for this purpose, it should be allowed to burn down until the flame is gone and the coals are hot enough to reflect the heat for toasting. if a gas toaster is used, the gas should be turned sufficiently low for the bread to brown slowly. very good results are obtained from the use of an electric toaster, also. this device has become a rather common household article where electricity is used in the home, and by means of it the toast can be made on the table and served while it is fresh and hot. in whatever way toast is made, it will lose much of its attractiveness unless it is served while it is fresh and before it loses its heat. if toast becomes burned, either from a flame that is too hot or from inattention on the part of the person who is preparing it, it may be made fit for use by scraping it lightly with a knife or by rubbing it across a grater, so as to remove the burned portion. . milk toast.--milk and toast make a combination that is liked by many persons, and when these two foods are combined the result is known as milk toast. to make milk toast, simply pour over the toast rich milk that has been heated and seasoned with salt, a little sugar, and a little butter. thin white sauce may also be used for this purpose if desired. . french toast.--possibly no dish in which toast is used is better known than the so-called french toast. both milk and egg are used in making this dish, and these of course add to the food value of the bread. french toast made according to the following recipe will prove very satisfactory. french toast (sufficient to serve eight) egg c. milk tsp. sugar slices of bread / tsp. salt beat the egg and add it to the milk, salt, and sugar. dip each slice of bread into this liquid, turn it quickly, and then remove it. place the bread thus dipped in a hot frying pan and sauté it until the under side is brown; then turn it and brown the other side. serve hot with sirup or jelly. left-over bread . bread that has become stale need not be wasted, for there are many uses to which it may be put. as such bread has lost much of its moisture, it is desirable for toast, for it browns more quickly and makes crisper toast than fresh bread. thick slices of it may also be cut into cubes or long, narrow strips and then toasted on all sides, to be served with soup instead of crackers. still another use that can be made of stale bread is to toast it and then cut it into triangular pieces to be served with creamed dishes or used as a garnish for meats, eggs, and various entrées. left-over toast may also be cut in this way and used for these purposes. . the ends of loaves, crusts trimmed from bread used for sandwiches, or stale bread or rolls that cannot be used for the purposes that have been mentioned can also be utilised, so none of them need be thrown away. if such pieces are saved and allowed to dry thoroughly in the warming oven or in an oven that is not very hot, they may be broken into crumbs by putting them through a food chopper or rolling them with a rolling pin. after the crumbs are obtained, they should be put through a coarse sieve in order to separate the coarse ones from the fine ones. such crumbs, both coarse and fine, may be kept for some time if they are put into jars or cans. it is a very good plan to keep a supply of bread crumbs on hand, for there are numerous dishes that require the use of bread in this form. for instance, bread crumbs are used for all kinds of scalloped dishes; for making puddings, such as bread pudding, brown betty, etc.; for stuffing fish, fowl, and such vegetables as tomatoes and peppers; for covering the top of baked dishes, such as various egg and cheese dishes; for breading steaks and chops; and for covering croquettes or oysters that are to be fried. they may also be added to muffins, griddle cakes, and even yeast-bread dough. with so many uses to which bread crumbs can be put, no housewife need be at a loss to know how to utilise any scraps of bread that are not, for some reason, suitable for the table. * * * * * bread examination questions ( ) mention the ingredients required for bread making. ( ) from what kind of wheat is bread flour usually made? ( ) (_a_) what is gluten? (_b_) why is it necessary for the making of bread? ( ) (_a_) what is meant by a blend flour? (_b_) when is its use indicated? ( ) how may the kind and quality of flour be judged in purchasing it? ( ) (_a_) what is yeast? (_b_) what things are necessary for its growth? (_c_) what temperature is best for its growth? ( ) (_a_) what is produced by the growth of yeast? (_b_) what part does this play in bread making? ( ) what determines the quantity of yeast to use in bread making? ( ) (_a_) what will hasten the bread-making process? (_b_) what will retard it? ( ) give the general proportions of the main ingredients used for making a loaf of bread. ( ) what are the advantages of: (_a_) the long process of bread making? (_b_) the quick process? ( ) what is: (_a_) a sponge? (_b_) a dough? ( ) (_a_) why must bread dough be kneaded? (_b_) how is it possible to tell when dough has been kneaded sufficiently? ( ) at what temperature should bread be kneaded? ( ) how should bread be cared for after it is removed from the oven? ( ) what points are considered in the scoring of bread? ( ) what part of bread making may be done in a bread mixer? ( ) what are the differences in time and oven temperatures in baking rolls and bread? ( ) mention briefly the procedure in making rolls, buns, and biscuits. ( ) score a loaf of bread you have made and submit the points as you have scored it. * * * * * hot breads * * * * * requirements and processes for making hot breads hot breads in the diet . closely related to yeast breads, or those in which yeast is used as the leavening agent, are breads known as hot breads, or quick breads. as these names indicate, such breads are prepared in a very short time and are intended to be served while they are fresh and hot. hot breads, to call such breads by the name in common use, are made by baking a batter or a dough mixture formed by mixing flour, liquid, salt, and a leavening agent. the nature of the mixture, however, is governed by the proportion of flour and liquid, the two ingredients that form the basis of all bread mixtures; and by incorporating with them such ingredients as eggs, sugar, shortening, flavouring, fruits, nuts, etc. there may be produced an almost endless variety of appetising hot breads, which include popovers, griddle cakes, waffles, muffins, soft gingerbread, corn cake or corn bread, boston brown bread, nut loaf, and baking-powder and beaten biscuit. because of the variety these hot breads afford, they help considerably to relieve the monotony of meals. in fact, the housewife has come to depend so much on breads of this kind that their use has become almost universal. as is well known, however, certain kinds are typical of certain localities; for instance, beaten biscuit and hoe cake are characteristic of the southern states of the united states, while boston brown bread is used most extensively in the new england states and throughout the east. the popular opinion of most persons is that hot breads are injurious. it is perhaps true that they may be injurious to individuals afflicted with some digestive disturbance, but, at any rate, the harmful effect may be reduced to a minimum by the correct preparation and baking of these foods. principal requirements for hot breads . hot breads are quickly and easily made, but in this part of cookery, as in every other phase of it, certain principles must be understood and applied if the most satisfactory results are desired. these principles pertain chiefly to the ingredients used, the way in which they are measured and handled, the proportions in which they are combined, the necessary utensils, and the proper baking of the mixtures that are formed. in the first place, the quality of the ingredients should be carefully considered, because on this depends the quality of the finished product. no one who prepares foods can expect good food to result from the use of inferior materials. next, the proportion of the ingredients demands attention, for much importance is attached to this point. for instance, in making a certain kind of hot bread, the quantity of flour to be used is regulated by the quantity of bread that is desired, and the quantity of flour governs, in turn, the quantities of liquid, leavening, and other ingredients that are to be put into the mixture. when the proportions of ingredients required for a hot bread are known, it is necessary that the ingredients be measured very accurately. leavening material, for example, will serve to make clear the need for accuracy in measuring. a definite quantity of leavening will do only a definite amount of work. therefore, if too little or too much is used, unsatisfactory results may be expected; and, as with this ingredient, so it is with all the materials used for hot breads. the handling of the ingredients and the mixture has also much influence on the success with which hot breads are produced. a heavy touch and excessive handling, both of which are usually characteristic of the beginner, are more likely to result in a tough product than is the light, careful handling of the expert. however, as skill in this matter comes with practice, no discouragement need result if successful results are not forthcoming at the very start in this work. a good rule to follow in this particular, and one that has few exceptions, is to handle and stir the ingredients only enough to blend them properly. in addition to the matters just mentioned, the utensils in which to combine the hot-bread materials and bake the batters or doughs are of importance. while none of these is complicated, each must be of the right kind if the best results are expected. the final point to which attention must be given is the baking of this food. proper baking requires on the part of the housewife familiarity with the oven that is to be used, accuracy in judging temperature, and a knowledge of the principles underlying the process of baking. * * * * * leavening agents classes of leavening agents . as has been pointed out, the ingredients that are actually required in the making of hot breads are flour, liquid, salt, and leavening, and to give variety to breads of this kind, numerous other materials, including sugar, shortening, eggs, fruit, nuts, etc., are often added. with the exception of leavening agents, none of these ingredients requires special attention at present; however, the instruction that is given in _bread_ regarding flour should be kept in mind, as should also the fact that all the materials for hot breads should be of the best quality that can be obtained. as is known by this time, leavening agents are the materials used to leaven, or make light, any kind of flour mixture. these agents are of three classes, namely, _organic, physical_, and _chemical_. the organic agent is the oldest recognized leavening material, it being the one that is used in the making of yeast breads; but as a complete discussion of this class of leavening agents is given in _bread_ and as it is not employed in the making of hot breads, no consideration need be given to it here. physical leavening is accomplished by the incorporation of air into a mixture or by the expansion of the water into steam, and chemical leavening agents are the most modern and accurate of all the agents that have been devised for the quick rising of flour mixtures. physical leavening . physical leavening consists in aerating, or incorporating gas or air into, a mixture that is to be baked, and it is based on the principle that air or gas expands, or increases in volume, when heated. it is definitely known that when air is incorporated into dough and then heated, the air increases / of its own volume for each degree that the temperature is increased. for instance, if the temperature of an aerated mixture is degrees fahrenheit when it is put into the oven, the air or gas will have doubled in volume by the time it has reached degrees fahrenheit. thus, the success of aerated bread depends to some extent on the temperature of the mixture when it goes into the oven. the colder it is at that time, the greater is the number of degrees it will have to rise before it is sufficiently baked, and the more opportunity will the gas have to expand. . the air or gas required for physical leavening is incorporated into a mixture by beating or folding the batter or dough itself, or by folding beaten egg whites into it. if the mixture is thin enough, the beating may be done with a spoon or an egg beater; but if it is thick enough to be handled on a board, air may be incorporated into it by rolling and folding it repeatedly. if eggs are to be used for aerating the batter or dough, the entire egg may be beaten and then added, but as more air can be incorporated into the egg whites, the yolks and whites are usually beaten separately. to make the white of eggs most satisfactory for this purpose, it should be beaten stiff enough to stand up well, but not until it becomes dry and begins to break up. in adding the beaten egg white, it should be folded carefully and lightly into the mixture after all the other ingredients have been combined. beaten egg white may be used to lighten any mixture that is soft enough to permit it to be folded in. . to insure the best results from mixtures that are to be made light by means of physical leavening agents, certain precautions must be taken. such mixtures should be baked as soon as possible after the mixing is done, so that the gas or air will not pass out before the dough is baked. likewise, they should be handled as lightly and quickly as possible, for a heavy touch and too much handling are often the cause of imperfect results. for baking aerated mixtures, heavy irons are better than tin muffin pans; also, the pans that are used should be heated before the mixture is put into them, so that the batter or dough will begin to expand immediately. gem irons should be filled level with an aerated mixture. chemical leavening . chemical leavening is brought about by the action of gas produced by an acid and an alkali. all chemical leavening agents are similar in their action, and they are composed of an acid and an alkali. when an acid and an alkali are brought together in the presence of moisture and heat, the result is the rapid production of carbon dioxide, a gas that expands on being heated, just as all other gases do. in expanding, the gas pushes up the batters or doughs, and these, when baked, set, or harden, into porous shapes. in addition to forming the gas, the acid and the alkali produce a salt that remains in the bread, and it is this salt that is responsible for the harmful effect usually attributed to chemical leavening agents. . the first chemical leavening agents were devised by housewives themselves. they consisted of a combination of saleratus, an alkali made from wood ashes, and sour milk or molasses. the results obtained were more or less satisfactory, but never entirely accurate or certain. later on, chemists by employing the same idea combined an alkali with an acid in powder form and produced an accurate and satisfactory leavening agent in the form of baking powder. the discovery of baking powder, however, has not displaced the use of other combinations that form chemical leavening agents, for soda is still combined with sour milk, molasses, and cream of tartar in the making of various hot breads. therefore, so that a proper understanding of the various chemical leavening agents may be obtained, a discussion of each is here given. . soda and sour milk.--when soda is used with sour milk for leavening purposes, the lactic acid in the milk is so acted upon by the soda as to produce gas. however, these two ingredients--soda and sour milk--do not make an absolutely accurate leavening agent, because the quantity of acid in the sour milk varies according to the fermentation that has taken place. for example, sour milk hours old contains more acid than sour milk that is kept under the same conditions but is only hours old. the proportion of these ingredients that is usually effective in batters and doughs for hot breads is _ level teaspoonful of soda to pint of sour milk._ so as to derive the best results in using these chemical leavening agents, it will be well to observe that if they are mixed together in a cup the milk will bubble and may, provided the quantity is sufficient, run over. these bubbles are caused by the gas that is formed when the acid and soda meet, and when they break gas escapes, with the result that some of it is lost. formerly, it was the custom to mix these leavening substances in this way, and then to add them to the other ingredients. now, however, in order that all gas produced may be kept in the dough mixture, the soda is sifted in with the dry ingredients and the sour milk is added with the liquid ingredients. . a point well worth remembering is that sour milk and soda may be substituted for sweet milk and baking powder in a recipe that calls for these ingredients by using _ teaspoonful of soda to each pint of sour milk_. this information should prove valuable to the housewife, especially if she has accumulated a supply of sour milk that should not be wasted. occasionally it will be found that baking powder and soda are required in the same recipe, but this occurs only when an insufficient amount of soda to produce the desired result is specified. . soda and molasses.--although molasses, which is a product of sugar cane, is sweet, it contains an acid that is formed by the fermentation that continually occurs in it, an evidence of which is the tiny bubbles that may be seen in molasses, especially when it is kept in a warm place. because of the presence of this acid, molasses may be used with soda to form a chemical leavening agent, and when they are combined in hot breads or cake, the chemical action of the two produces carbon dioxide. however, accurate results cannot always be obtained when these ingredients are used, for the degree of acidity in molasses is as uncertain as it is in sour milk. molasses that is old or has been kept in a warm place will contain more acid than molasses that has been manufactured only a short time or that has been kept cool to retard fermentation. the proportion of soda to molasses that can usually be relied on for hot breads and cakes is _ teaspoonful of soda to cupful of molasses_, or just twice the quantity of soda that is generally used with sour milk. to produce the best results, the molasses should be mixed with the liquid ingredients and the soda sifted in with the dry ones. as molasses burns very quickly in a hot oven, all breads or cakes containing it as an ingredient should be baked in an oven of moderate temperature. . soda and cream of tartar.--some housewives are inclined to use soda and cream of tartar for leavening purposes; but there is really no advantage in doing this when baking powder can be obtained, for some baking powders are a combination of these two ingredients and produce the same result. in fact, the housewife cannot measure soda and cream of tartar so accurately as the chemist can combine them in the manufacture of baking powder. nevertheless, if their use is preferred, they should be measured in the proportion of _twice as much cream of tartar as soda._ as in the case of soda alone, these leavening agents should be sifted with the dry ingredients. a small quantity of cream of tartar is used without soda in such mixtures as angel-food cake, in which egg white alone is used to make the mixture light. the addition of the cream of tartar has the effect of so solidifying the egg white that it holds up until the heat of the oven hardens it permanently. . baking powder.--without doubt, baking powder is the most satisfactory of the chemical leavening agents. it comes in three varieties, but they are all similar in composition, for each contains an alkali in the form of soda and an acid of some kind, as well as a filler of starch, which serves to prevent the acid and the alkali from acting upon each other. when moisture is added to baking powder, chemical action sets in, but it is not very rapid, as is apparent when a cake or a muffin mixture is allowed to stand before baking. the bubbles of gas that form in such a mixture can easily be observed if the mixture is stirred after it has stood for a short time. when both moisture and heat are applied to baking powder, however, the chemical action that takes place is more rapid, and this accounts for its usefulness in baking hot breads and cake. . the price of the different kinds of baking powder, which usually varies from cents to cents a pound, is generally an indication of the ingredients that they contain. powders that sell for to cents a pound usually contain cream of tartar for the acid, the high price of this substance accounting for the price of the powder. powders that may be purchased for to cents a pound generally contain acid phosphate of lime, and as this substance is cheaper than cream of tartar, a baking-powder mixture containing it may well be sold for less. the cheapest grade of powders, or those which sell for to cents a pound, have for their acid a salt of aluminum called alum. still other powders that are sometimes made up to sell for to cents a pound contain a mixture of phosphate and alum. . as baking powders vary in price, so do they vary in their keeping qualities, their effectiveness, and their tendency toward being injurious. most phosphate and alum powders do not keep so well as the cream-of-tartar powders, and the longer they are kept, the less effective do they become. the powders that contain phosphate yield more gas for each teaspoonful used than do the other varieties. much controversy has taken place with regard to the different kinds of baking powder and their effects on the digestive tract, but authorities have not yet agreed on this matter. however, if foods made with the aid of baking powders are not used excessively, no concern need be felt as to their injurious effect. the housewife in her choice of baking powder should be guided by the price she can afford to pay and the results she is able to get after she has become well informed as to the effect of the different varieties. she may easily become familiar with the composition of baking powder, for a statement of what substances each kind contains is generally found on the label of every variety. this information is invaluable to the housewife, as it will assist her considerably in making a selection. . the proportion of baking powder to be used in a batter or a dough is regulated by the quantity of flour employed and not, as is the case with soda and molasses or sour milk, by the quantity of liquid, the usual proportion being _ level teaspoonfuls to cupful of flour_. sometimes this proportion is decreased, or teaspoonfuls being used instead of to each quart of flour in the making of large quantities of some kinds of baked foods. in adding baking powder to a mixture, as in adding other dry leavening agents, it should be sifted with flour and the other dry ingredients. . although baking powder may be purchased at various prices, a good grade can be made in the home without much effort and usually for less than that which can be bought ready made. for these reasons, many housewives prefer to make their own. the following recipe tells how to make a cream-of-tartar powder that is very satisfactory: recipe for baking powder / lb. cream of tartar / lb. bicarbonate of soda / lb. corn starch weigh all the ingredients accurately. if the cream of tartar and the bicarbonate of soda are to be purchased from a druggist, it will be better for him to weigh them than for the housewife, as he uses scales that weigh accurately. after all the ingredients are weighed, mix them together thoroughly by sifting them a number of times or by shaking them well in a can or a jar on which the lid has been tightly closed. the baking powder thus made should be kept in a can or a jar that may be rendered air-tight by means of a lid, or cover. * * * * * hot-bread utensils and their use purpose of utensils [illustration: fig. ] . the utensils required for the making of hot breads consist of two kinds: those in which the ingredients are prepared and combined to form the mixture and those in which the mixture is to be baked. as soon as it is known just what ones are needed to carry out the recipe for the hot bread that is to be made, they, together with the necessary ingredients, such as milk, fat, flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, etc., should be collected and arranged in the manner shown in fig. , so that they will be convenient. usually, much of the success of hot breads depends on the quickness and dexterity with which the ingredients are put together, and if the person making them has to interrupt her work every now and then to get out a utensil, she will find that her results will not be so satisfactory and that she will use up more energy than the work really demands. the pans in which the mixture is to be baked need particular attention, for they should be greased and ready to fill before the mixing is begun. if they are to be heated, they should be greased and put into the oven a few minutes before the mixture is ready to be put into them, so that they may be taken from the oven and filled at once. utensils for preparing the mixture . fig. serves very well to illustrate the utensils required for preparing hot-bread mixtures. these consist of a bowl _a_ of the proper size for mixing; a smaller bowl _b_ for beating eggs, provided eggs are to be used; two standard half-pint measuring cups _c_, one for dry ingredients and the other for wet ingredients; a tablespoon _d_, a case knife _e_, and a teaspoon _f_ for measuring and mixing; an egg beater _g_ and a flour sifter. of course, if an egg whip is preferred, it may take the place of the egg beater, but for some hot-bread mixtures use will be found for both of these utensils. utensils for baking the mixture [illustration: fig. ] . the kind of utensil required for the baking of hot-bread mixtures depends entirely on the nature of the mixture and the recipe that is to be prepared. for popovers, popover cups similar to those shown in fig. or gem irons are necessary. muffins require muffin pans like those illustrated at _h_, fig. ; boston brown breads need cans that have tight-fitting lids; soft ginger bread, nut loaf, and corn cake are baked in loaf pans; baking-powder or beaten biscuits are placed in shallow pans or on oiled sheets; griddle cakes must be baked on griddles; and waffles require waffle irons. none of these utensils are likely to present any difficulty in their use except griddles and waffle irons, so in order that these may be thoroughly understood and good results thereby obtained, explanations of them are here given. [illustration: fig. ] . griddles.--a style of griddle in common use is illustrated in fig. , and while it is circular and has a projecting handle, griddles of different shapes and fitted with different handles are to be had. such utensils are made of numerous materials, but the most satisfactory ones are constructed of steel, iron, soapstone, and aluminum. steel and iron griddles must be greased before cakes are baked on them so as to prevent the cakes from sticking; for this reason they are less convenient than soapstone and aluminum griddles, which do not require any grease. the size of griddle to use is governed by the number of persons that are to be served. one that is unusually large, however, should be avoided if a gas stove is used for cooking, as it is difficult to heat a large griddle evenly on such a stove, and even a small one must be shifted frequently so that some spots will not be hotter than others. in this respect, a griddle made of aluminum has the advantage over the other kinds, for this material conducts the heat evenly over its entire surface. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] before a new steel or iron griddle is used, it must be tempered so as to prevent the food that is to be baked on it from sticking. if it is not tempered, much time will be consumed before its surface will be in the right condition to permit baking to proceed without difficulty, and this, of course, will result in wasting considerable food material. tempering may be done by covering the griddle with a quantity of fat, placing it over a flame or in a very hot oven, and then allowing it to heat thoroughly to such a temperature that the fat will burn onto the surface. this same precaution should be observed with new waffle irons and frying pans made of steel or iron if the best results from such utensils are desired. . waffle irons.--a waffle iron, as shown in figs. and , consists of two corrugated griddles fastened together with a hinge in such a way that the surfaces nearly touch when the handles are brought together as in fig. (_a_). these griddles are so suspended in a frame that they may be turned completely over in order to allow each side to be exposed to the heat. the waffle iron illustrated in fig. , shown closed in view (_a_) and open in (_b_), is intended for a coal range. in order to use it, a stove lid is removed from one of the openings and the waffle iron is set in the opening, which allows the griddle part to be turned. the waffle iron shown in fig. is intended for a gas range. as will be noticed, the griddle part rests on a base that is deep enough to permit it to be turned. in using a waffle iron of either kind, it should be heated while the waffle mixture is being prepared; then it should be thoroughly greased on both sides. no excess fat, however, should be used, as it will run out when the griddle is turned over. * * * * * the mixture varieties of mixtures and general proportions . batters and doughs.--the mixtures from which hot breads are produced are of different consistencies, and familiarity with them is necessary if good results in the making of such breads are desired. this difference in the consistencies is due to the proportion of flour and liquid used, a small proportion of flour producing a _batter_ and a large proportion, a _dough_. it will be well to note, however, that some kinds of flour thicken a mixture much more readily than do others. experience in the handling of flour teaches how to vary the other ingredients of a recipe in order to make them correspond to the difference in flour, but the person who lacks a knowledge of cookery, or has had very little experience in the handling of foods, must know the general proportions that are correct under most circumstances. the names of the mixtures that the ingredients produce are _thin batter_, _thick batter_, _soft dough_, and _stiff dough_. . a thin batter is one in which the general proportion of liquid and flour is _ measure of flour_ to _ measure of liquid_. such a batter, when poured, immediately seeks its own level and has the consistency of thin cream. the most common examples of thin batters are popovers and griddle cakes. a thick batter, which is known as a _drop_, or _muffin_, _batter_, is one that is made of _ measures of flour_ and _ measure of liquid_. a batter of this kind may be poured, but it will not immediately seek its own level. muffins, gems, puddings, and cakes are made of thick batters. a soft dough is one whose proportions are _ measures of flour_ and _ measure of liquid_. a dough of this kind will stand up alone--that is, without support at the sides--and has more of the properties of a solid than of a liquid. baking-powder biscuits, tea rolls, and certain kinds of cake are made of this form of dough. a stiff dough is made of _ measures of flour_ and _ measure of liquid_. such a dough will not cling to the mixing bowl, can be handled with the hands, and will not stick when rolled out on a board. pie crust, hard cookies, and beaten biscuit are made of such dough. . applying knowledge of general proportions. while the general proportions just mentioned remain the same in the majority of cases, they vary somewhat when ingredients other than liquid and flour are added. shortening and eggs in particular change the quantity of liquid required, less liquid being necessary when these ingredients are used. to get the best results from a new recipe, it is always advisable upon reading the recipe to notice the proportions that are given and then to try to judge whether they bear a close enough resemblance to the general proportions to make a successful dish. for instance, if a griddle-cake recipe calls for cupfuls of flour and cupful of liquid, the cook who understands what the general proportions for such a batter ought to be would know immediately that the recipe calls for too much flour. likewise, she would know that a recipe for baking-powder biscuits that calls for cupfuls of flour and cupful of liquid would make a dough that would be too soft to handle. besides enabling a woman to judge a recipe, a knowledge of the correct proportions for things of this kind makes it possible for her to combine the ingredients for a certain recipe without resorting to a cook book, or, in other words, to originate a recipe. because of the importance of such an understanding, attention should always be given to details that will assist in obtaining a thorough knowledge of this matter. preparing the mixture . preliminary preparation of ingredients.--before the mixing of the ingredients that are to be used in the batters and doughs of hot breads is begun, all that are needed for the recipe selected should be collected and properly measured. always sift the flour that is to be used for this purpose. this is a rule that never varies with regard to flour to be used for any dough mixture or as a thickening agent. then, to prevent the flour from packing too solidly, measure it by dipping it into the cup with a spoon. to obtain the proper amount, heap the cup and then level it with the edge of a knife. measure with a spoon whatever dry leavening agent is called for, and be sure that it does not contain any lumps. if salt, sugar, and spices are to be used, measure them carefully. mix the leavening agent, the salt, the sugar, and the other dry ingredients with the flour by sifting them together once or twice. measure the butter or other fat by packing it in the spoon and then leveling it with a knife. be particular in measuring the liquid, using neither more nor less than is called for. regarding this ingredient, it should always be remembered that when a cupful is required, a half-pint cup full to the brim is meant and that any fraction of a cupful should be measured with the same exactness. . combining the ingredients.--the manner in which a batter or a dough is mixed is very important, for much of the success of the finished product depends on the order in which the various steps are accomplished. two general methods of combining the ingredients for such mixtures have been devised and either of them may be followed, because they produce equally good results. in one of these methods, the fat is worked into the dry ingredients and the liquid then added. as eggs are usually considered a liquid ingredient, they are beaten and added to the rest of the liquid before it is mixed with the dry ingredients. however, if eggs are to be used for leavening, only the yolks are added with the liquid ingredients, the whites being beaten separately and folded in last. the other method is used only when the mixtures are to contain a small quantity of fat. in this method, all the liquid ingredients, including the eggs, are first mixed together. then the dry ingredients are combined and sifted into the liquid. the fat is melted last and beaten into the dough mixture. if the mixture to be handled is a stiff one, the fat should be put in cold, for adding melted fat makes the dough soft and sticky and therefore difficult to handle. baking the mixture . regulating the oven.--when the ingredients have been properly combined, the mixture is ready to be baked. with the exception of waffles and griddle cakes, the baking of which is explained in connection with the recipes, all hot breads are baked in the oven; therefore, while the mixture is being prepared, the oven should be properly regulated in order that the temperature will be just right when it is time to start the baking. particular thought should be given to this matter, for if no attention is paid to the oven until the mixture is ready to be baked, it will be necessary to allow the mixture to stand until the heat of the oven can be regulated or to put it into the oven and run the risk of spoiling the food. to prevent either of these conditions and to insure success, the fuel, no matter what kind is used, should be lighted before mixing is begun, so that the oven may be heating while the mixture is being prepared, unless, as is sometimes the case, there are steps in the preparation of the mixture that consume considerable time. for instance, looking over raisins and cleaning them or cracking nuts and picking the meats out of the shells should be done before the rest of the ingredients are prepared or the oven is regulated. . correct oven temperatures.--quick breads that are to be baked in the form of loaves require an oven temperature of from to degrees fahrenheit. muffins, biscuits, and the smaller varieties of these breads need a higher temperature, to degrees fahrenheit being best. as they are not so large, the heat has less dough through which to penetrate, and consequently the baking can be accomplished more quickly. . determining and regulating oven temperature.--regulating the oven and testing its temperature present very little difficulty to the housewife of experience, but they are not always easy problems for the woman who is learning to cook. however, if the untrained and inexperienced cook will observe her oven closely and determine the results of certain temperatures, she will soon find herself becoming more successful in this matter. to assist the housewife in this matter, as well as to help in the saving of much loss in fuel and in underdone or overdone food, many stoves are equipped with an oven thermometer, an indicator, or a thermostat. the thermometer is more likely to be reliable than the indicator, as it has a column of mercury like that of any other thermometer and is graduated; also, a certain kind may be secured that can be used with any sort of oven. the indicator is in the form of a dial with a hand attached to a metal spring. this spring contracts and expands with the changes in the temperature of the oven and thus causes the hand to point out the temperature. the thermostat is a device that automatically regulates the heat of the oven. on a stove equipped with a thermostat, it is simply necessary to set the device at the temperature desired. when this temperature is reached, the device keeps it stationary. . if neither an indicator nor a thermometer is available, the heat of the oven may be determined in other ways. some housewives test the oven with the hand, and while such a test is more or less dependent on experience, those who use it find it very satisfactory. if the hand can be held in the oven while is counted slowly, the temperature is that of a moderate oven and will be right for the baking of loaves. an oven that is of the proper temperature for muffins or rolls will permit the hand to be held in it while only is counted slowly. those who do not test with the hand find that placing a piece of white paper in the oven is an accurate way of determining its temperature. such paper will turn a delicate brown in minutes in a moderate oven, and a deeper brown in minutes in a hot oven. . proper placing of the mixture in the oven.--as is pointed out in _essentials of cookery_, part , the top of the oven is hotter than the bottom. this truth and the fact that in an oven, as in any other space, air expands and rises on becoming heated, are points that have much to do with the baking of quick breads, for these are mixtures that rise after being placed in the oven. so that they may rise properly, they should be placed on the bottom first; then, as they become heated, they will have a tendency to rise as the air does. if the food is placed near the top first, the heated air will be likely to press it down and retard its rising. as soon as the rising is completed and the food has baked sufficiently on the bottom, it should be moved up so that it will brown on the top. . testing the baked mixture.--recipes for baked dishes usually state the length of time required to bake them, but such directions cannot always be depended on, because the temperature of the oven varies at different times. the best way in which to judge whether the food has baked the necessary length of time is to apply to it one of the reliable tests that have been devised for this purpose. probably the most satisfactory test is to insert a toothpick as deep as possible into the center of the loaf. the center, rather than some other part of the loaf, is the place where the testing should be done, because the heat penetrates a mixture from the outside and the center is therefore the last part to bake. if the toothpick comes out without particles of dough adhering, the mixture is sufficiently baked in that place and consequently throughout the loaf. in case the dough sticks to the toothpick, the baking is not completed and will have to be continued. since this is a test that is frequently used, a supply of toothpicks, preferably round ones, should be kept in a handy place near the stove. another fairly accurate means of testing baked mixtures that do not form a very hard crust consists in making a dent in the center with the finger. if the dent remains, the baking must be continued, but if it springs back into place, the baking is completed. serving hot breads . hot breads, in contrast with yeast breads, are intended to be eaten hot, and, to be most satisfactory, should be served as soon as possible after they are baked. they usually take the place of bread in the meal for which they are served, but there are various ways of using them whereby variety is given to them and to the meal. a favorite combination with many persons is hot biscuits or muffins served with honey. if honey is not available, jam, preserves, or sirup may be substituted to advantage. a mixture made like baking-powder biscuits and baked or steamed is especially good when served with chicken or meat stew poured over it. the same mixture sweetened and made a trifle richer may be served with fruit and cream for short cake. for afternoon tea, tiny muffins and biscuits about the size of a -cent piece are very attractive. then, too, if they are split and buttered, they may be served with salad for a light luncheon. hot breads baked in the form of a loaf require some attention as far as preparing them for the table is concerned. gingerbread and corn cake are better if they are broken rather than cut while hot. in case they are preferred cut, a sharp knife should be employed, and, to obtain slices that have a good appearance, the knife should be heated and the cutting done before it cools. usually, gingerbread is served plain, but the addition of icing improves it considerably and provides a simple cake that can be used for dessert. * * * * * recipes for hot breads popover recipes . popovers.--a delightful change from the puffs, muffins, and biscuits that are usually served for breakfast or luncheon is afforded by means of popovers, one of which is illustrated in fig. . popovers are not difficult to make. for them is required a thin batter in equal proportions of liquid and flour. in giving the method for mixing popovers, some of the older cook books recommend beating for minutes just before they are baked, because the lightness was formerly supposed to be due to the air that is incorporated by this beating. it is possible, however, to make very light popovers with only enough beating to mix the ingredients thoroughly, and it is now known that the rising is due to the expansion of water into steam in the mixture. this knowledge is useful in that it saves time and energy. popovers (sufficient to serve six) c. flour / tsp. salt c. milk egg mix the flour, salt, and milk in a bowl, and then drop in the unbeaten egg. beat all with a rotary egg beater until the mixture is perfectly smooth and free from lumps. grease and warm gem irons or popover cups. then fill them about two-thirds full of the popover batter. bake in a moderate oven for about minutes or until the popovers can be lifted from the cups and do not shrink when removed from the oven. [illustration: fig. .] . popovers with fruit.--popovers made according to the preceding recipe are particularly good if fruit is added to them. to add the fruit, cut a slit in the side of the popovers as soon as they are removed from the oven and insert a few spoonfuls of apple sauce, marmalade, preserves, jelly, or canned fruit. these may be served either warm or cold as a breakfast dish, or they may be sprinkled with powdered sugar and served with cream for a dessert or a luncheon dish. . nut puffs.--an example of a thin batter not in equal proportions of liquid and flour is afforded by nut puffs. in hot breads of this kind, aeration is used as the leavening agent. in order to assist with the incorporation of air, the egg yolk is well beaten before it is added; but the greater part of the lightness that is produced is due to the egg white, which is beaten and folded in last. the addition of nuts to a batter of this kind considerably increases its food value. nut puffs (sufficient to serve six) - / c. flour tb. sugar tsp. salt c. milk egg tb. fat / c. chopped nuts sift the flour, sugar, and salt together, and add the milk and beaten egg yolk. melt the fat and add it and the chopped nuts. beat the egg white stiff and fold it into the mixture carefully. fill hot, well-greased gem irons level full of the batter, and bake in a hot oven about minutes. [illustration: fig. ] . whole-wheat puffs.--puffs in which use is made of whole-wheat flour instead of white flour are also an example of a thin batter that is made light by aeration. if desired, graham flour may be substituted for the whole-wheat flour, but if it is a coarser bread will be the result. this coarseness, however, does not refer to the texture of the bread, but is due to the quantity of bran in graham flour. whole-wheat puffs, as shown in fig. , are attractive, and besides they possess the valuable food substances contained in whole-wheat flour, eggs, and milk. whole-wheat puffs (sufficient to serve six) - / c. whole-wheat flour tb. sugar tsp. salt c. milk egg tb. fat sift the flour, sugar, and salt together and add the milk and the egg yolk, which should be well beaten. melt the fat and stir it into the batter. beat the egg white stiff, and fold it in carefully. heat well-greased gem irons, fill them level full with the mixture, and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. griddle-cake recipes . procedure in baking griddle cakes.--during the preparation of the batter for griddle cakes, have the griddle heating, so that it will be sufficiently hot when the cakes are ready to be baked. each time, before the baking is begun, grease the griddle, provided it is the kind that requires greasing, by rubbing over it a rind of salt pork or a small cloth pad that has been dipped into a dish of grease. in greasing the griddle, see that there is no excess of grease, as this burns and produces smoke. when the griddle has become hot enough for the batter to sizzle when it is put on, the baking may be started. pour the batter on the griddle from the tip of a large spoon, so that the cakes will form as nearly round as possible. when the top surface is full of bubbles, turn the cakes with a spatula or a pancake turner, and allow them to brown on the other side. by the time the cakes are sufficiently browned on both sides, they should be cooked through and ready to serve. if they brown before they have had time to cook through, the griddle is too hot and should be cooled by moving it to a cooler part of the stove or by reducing the heat. a very important point to remember in the baking of griddle cakes is that they should not be turned twice, as this has a tendency to make them heavy. . griddle cakes.--as is generally known, griddle cakes are thin batters that are made light with a chemical leavening agent. eggs are often used in such batters, but it is possible to make very excellent griddle cakes without the use of any eggs. it should also be remembered that the use of too much egg is more certain to make the cakes tough and less palatable than if none is used. the kind of flour used for griddle cakes has much to do with the consistency of the batter used for them. if, when the first cakes are placed upon the griddle, the batter seems to be either too thick or too thin, liquid or flour may be added to dilute or thicken the batter until it is of the right consistency. for instance, if bread flour is used, more liquid may be needed, and if pastry flour is used, more flour may be required. griddle cakes (sufficient to serve six) c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. salt / c. sugar egg - / c. milk tb. melted fat mix and sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. beat the egg, add to it the milk, and pour this liquid slowly into the dry ingredients. beat the mixture thoroughly and then add the melted fat. bake the cakes on a hot griddle as soon as possible after the batter is mixed. . sour-milk griddle cakes.--very delicious griddle cakes may be made by using sour milk and soda for the liquid and leavening instead of sweet milk and baking powder. besides being particularly appetising, such cakes serve to use up left-over milk that may have soured. there is very little difference between the ingredients for this recipe and one calling for sweet milk, except that sour milk, which is a trifle thicker in consistency than sweet milk, requires less flour to thicken the mixture. sour-milk griddle cakes (sufficient to serve six) - / c. flour / tsp. salt tb. sugar tsp. soda c. sour milk (not thick) egg mix and sift the flour, salt, sugar, and soda. add to these the sour milk and the egg well beaten. if the milk is thick, the quantity should be increased accordingly. beat the mixture thoroughly and bake at once on a hot griddle. . corn griddle cakes.--the addition of corn meal to a griddle-cake mixture adds variety and food value and produces an agreeable flavor. where corn meal is cheap, it is an economical ingredient to use in griddle cakes and other hot breads. corn griddle cakes (sufficient to serve six) / c. corn meal - / c. boiling water c. milk c. flour tsp. baking powder - / tsp. salt / c. sugar egg tb. melted fat add the corn meal to the boiling water, boil minutes, and turn into a bowl. then add the milk. next, mix and sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar, and stir them into the first mixture. beat the egg and add to the whole. finally, stir in the melted fat. bake on a hot griddle. . rice griddle cakes.--if a change in the ordinary griddle cakes that are used for breakfast is desired, rice griddle cakes should be tried. besides lending variety, the addition of rice to a griddle-cake mixture helps to use up any left-over rice that may have been cooked for another purpose. steamed or boiled rice used for this purpose should be broken up with a fork before it is mixed in the batter, so that the grains of rice will not stick together in chunks. rice griddle cakes (sufficient to serve six) - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / c. sugar / tsp. salt / c. cold cooked rice egg - / c. milk tb. melted fat mix and sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. work the rice into the dry ingredients. add the egg, well beaten, the milk, and the melted fat. bake on a hot griddle. . buckwheat cakes.--buckwheat flour is used for griddle cakes more than for any other purpose. when used in this way it has a very typical flavor that most people find very agreeable. many prepared buckwheat flours, to which have been added the quantity of leavening agent necessary to raise the mixture, are on the market for the convenience of those who do not desire to prepare the mixture at home. as a rule, these contain a combination of buckwheat and wheat flour. to make cakes from these flours, add the required amount of liquid, either milk or water, and a little sugar, if necessary, and then proceed to bake them on a griddle. while there is no objection to the use of such flours if they are found agreeable, it is more expensive to use them than to make up the buckwheat mixture at home. a recipe for buckwheat cakes that proves very satisfactory is the following: buckwheat cakes (sufficient to serve six) c. scalded milk / c. fine bread crumbs / tsp. salt / yeast cake / c. lukewarm water - / c. buckwheat flour / c. white flour tb. molasses / tsp. soda pour the scalded milk over the bread crumbs and add the salt. dissolve the yeast cake in / cupful of the lukewarm water and add this to the bread crumbs and milk. stir in the buckwheat and the white flour, and let the mixture rise overnight. in the morning, stir it well and add the molasses, the soda, and / cupful of lukewarm water. bake on a hot griddle. if cakes are to be baked the next day, retain / cupful of the batter, to which may be added flour, milk, salt, and molasses. by doing this each day, a starter may be had for a long period of time. if a strong buckwheat flavor is desired, use all buckwheat flour, but if only a slight buckwheat flavor is desired, make the proportion of wheat flour greater and that of the buckwheat smaller. waffle recipes . procedure in baking waffles.--the procedure in making waffles is very similar to that in making griddle cakes. while the waffle mixture is being prepared, heat the waffle iron. then grease it thoroughly on both sides with a rind of salt pork or a cloth pad dipped in fat, being careful that there is no excess fat, as it will run out when the iron is turned over. with the iron properly greased and sufficiently hot, place several spoonfuls of the batter in the center and close the iron. by so doing, the batter will be pressed out to cover the entire surface. in pouring the batter, do not cover the entire surface of the iron with batter nor place any near the outside edge, for it is liable to run out when the iron is closed. in case this happens, be sure to put in less batter the next time. allow the waffle to brown on the side near the fire and then turn the iron, so as to brown the other side. when the waffle is sufficiently brown, remove it; then grease the iron and repeat the process. [illustration: fig. .] . waffles.--the form of hot bread known as waffles, which are illustrated in fig. , offers the housewife an excellent opportunity to add variety to meals. practically no one dislikes waffles, and they are especially appetising when sprinkled with powdered sugar or served with sirup. they are often served with chicken or other gravy. waffles (sufficient to serve six) c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt eggs - / c. milk tb. melted fat sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately. add the beaten yolks and the milk to the dry ingredients and then stir in the melted fat. beat the egg whites stiff and fold them into the batter. bake according to the directions given in art. . . rice waffles.--rice waffles offer an excellent means of utilizing left-over rice. such waffles are prepared in about the same way as the waffles just mentioned. in working the cooked rice into the dry ingredients, use should be made of a light motion that will not crush the grains, but will separate them from one another. left-over cereals other than rice may also be used in this way. rice waffles (sufficient to serve six) - / c. flour tb. sugar / tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt / c. cooked rice - / c. milk egg tb. melted fat mix and sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and then work the rice into the dry ingredients. add the milk and the well-beaten yolk of egg. stir in the melted fat. beat the egg white stiff, and fold it into the batter. bake as previously directed. muffin recipes [illustration: fig. ] . muffins are examples of thick batters with variations. this form of hot bread, an illustration of which is shown in fig. , may be baked in a pan like that shown at _h_, fig. , or in individual tins. just as other forms of hot breads assist the housewife in making changes or additions to meals, so do muffins, as they are usually relished by nearly every one. . plain muffins.--perhaps the simplest form of muffin is the plain, or one-egg, muffin, which is illustrated in fig. and made according to the accompanying recipe. to a plain-muffin recipe, however, may be added any kind of fruit, nuts, or other ingredients to give variety of flavour. likewise, it may be made richer and sweeter and then steamed or baked to be served with a sauce for dessert. if it is made still richer and sweeter, the result is a simple cake mixture. any given muffin recipe in which sweet milk is used may be made with sour milk by using soda instead of baking powder. plain muffins (sufficient to serve six) c. flour tb. sugar tsp. salt tsp. baking powder c. milk egg tb. melted fat mix and sift the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder, and to these add the milk and beaten egg. then stir in the melted fat. fill well-greased muffin pans about two-thirds full of the mixture and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. . blueberry muffins.--muffins containing blueberries can be made successfully only in blueberry season, but other fruit, as, for example, dates, may be used in place of the blueberries. cranberries are often used in muffins, but to many persons they are not agreeable because of the excessive amount of acid they contain. blueberry muffins (sufficient to serve six) tb. fat / c. sugar egg c. milk - / c. flour / tsp. salt tsp. baking powder c. fresh blueberries cream the fat, and add the sugar gradually. then stir in the beaten egg and milk. reserve / cupful of flour, and mix the remainder with the salt and the baking powder. stir the dry ingredients into the first mixture. next, mix the / cupful of flour with the berries and fold them into the batter. fill well-greased muffin pans about two-thirds full of the batter, and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. . date muffins.--the recipe given for blueberry muffins may be used for date muffins by substituting dates for blueberries. to prepare the dates, wash them in warm water, rinse them in cold water, and then dry them between towels. cut them lengthwise along the seed with a sharp knife, remove the seed, and then cut each date into three or four pieces. [illustration: fig. .] . corn-meal muffins.--to many persons, corn-meal muffins, an illustration of which is shown in fig. , are more agreeable than plain white-flour muffins. corn meal gives to muffins an attractive flavour and appearance and increases their food value slightly; but perhaps its chief value lies in the variety that results from its use. corn-meal muffins (sufficient to serve six) / c. corn meal c. flour tsp. baking powder tb. sugar / tsp. salt / c. milk egg tb. melted fat mix and sift the corn meal, flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. add to these the milk and the well-beaten egg, and stir in the melted fat. fill well-greased muffin pans two-thirds full, and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. . graham muffins.--a pleasing variety in the way of muffins is produced by using part graham flour, but whole-wheat flour may be substituted for the graham flour in case it is preferred. sour milk is used in the recipe here given, but if there is no sour milk in supply, sweet milk and baking powder may be used instead, with merely the correct proportion of soda for the molasses. if the taste of molasses is undesirable, liquid, which may be either sweet or sour milk, may be substituted for it. it is an excellent plan to be able to substitute one thing for another in recipes of this kind, and this may be done if the materials are used in correct proportion. graham muffins (sufficient to serve six) - / c. graham flour c. white flour / tsp. soda tsp. salt c. sour milk / c. molasses egg tb. melted fat mix and sift the graham and the white flour, the soda, and the salt. put the bran that sifts out back into the mixture. add the milk, molasses, and well-beaten egg to the dry ingredients, and then stir in the melted fat. fill well-greased muffin pans two-thirds full and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. . rice muffins.--rice may be combined with white flour in the making of muffins if variety is desired. as rice used for this purpose is added hot, it may be cooked either purposely for the muffins or for something else and only part used for the muffins. cereals other than rice may be used in exactly the same quantity and in the same way in making muffins. rice muffins (sufficient to serve six) - / c. flour tsp. baking powder tb. sugar / tsp. salt - / c. milk egg / c. hot, cooked rice tb. melted fat mix and sift the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt, and to these add half of the milk and the egg, well beaten. mix the remaining half of the milk with the rice and add it to the mixture. stir in the melted fat last. fill well-greased muffin pans two-thirds full, and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. . bran muffins.--the particular value of bran muffins lies in the laxative quality that they introduce into the diet. in addition, they will be found to be very tasty and superior to many other kinds of muffins. bran for such purposes as this may be bought in packages, in the same way as many cereals. bran muffins (sufficient to serve six) - / c. white flour / tsp. soda / tsp. baking powder tsp. salt c. bran - / c. milk / c. molasses egg mix and sift the flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. then add the bran, the milk, the molasses, and the well-beaten egg. fill well-greased muffin pans about two-thirds full, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. corn-cake recipes . corn cake.--corn cakes were among the first breads made of cereal foods in america, being at first often made of only corn meal, water, and salt. these cakes of corn meal were prepared and carried on long journeys made by people when there were no means of rapid transportation. the cakes did not spoil, were not bulky, and contained a great deal of nutriment, so they made a convenient kind of food for such purposes and were called _journey cakes._ from this term came the name _johnny cake,_ which is often applied to cake of this kind. the combining of flour, eggs, shortening, and sugar makes a cake that does not resemble the original very much, but in many localities such cake is still called johnny cake. the proportion of corn meal to flour that is used determines to a large extent the consistency of the cake; the greater the quantity of corn meal, the more the cake will crumble and break into pieces. the addition of white flour makes the particles of corn meal adhere, so that most persons consider that white flour improves the consistency. corn cake (sufficient for one medium-sized loaf) / c. yellow corn meal - / c. flour / c. sugar / tsp. salt tsp. baking powder c. milk egg tb. melted fat mix and sift the corn meal, flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. add the milk and well-beaten egg, and then stir in the melted fat. pour into a well-greased loaf pan and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. . southern corn cake.--in the preceding recipe for corn cake, more flour than corn meal is used, but many persons prefer cake of this kind made with more corn meal than flour. southern corn cake, which contains more corn meal and less white flour, proves very satisfactory to such persons. therefore, which of these recipes should be used depends on the taste of those who are to eat the cake. southern corn cake (sufficient for one medium-sized loaf) c. corn meal / c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt / c. sugar / c. milk egg tb. melted fat mix and sift together the corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. add to them the milk and well-beaten egg, and stir in the melted fat. pour into a well-greased loaf pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. . molasses corn cake.--molasses corn cake, just as its name indicates, is corn cake containing molasses. to those who find the taste of molasses agreeable, this recipe will appeal. others not so fond of molasses will, without doubt, prefer the plain corn cake. besides adding flavour, the molasses in this recipe adds food value to the product. molasses corn cake (sufficient for one medium-sized loaf) c. corn meal / c. flour - / tsp. baking powder tsp. salt / c. milk / c. molasses egg tb. melted fat mix and sift the corn meal, flour, baking powder, and salt. add the milk, molasses, and well-beaten egg and stir in the melted fat. pour into a well-greased loaf pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. biscuit recipes [illustration: fig. ] . baking-powder biscuits.--the ability of the housewife as a cook is very often judged by the biscuits she makes; but they are really very simple to make, and if recipes are followed carefully and measurements are made accurately, only a little experience is required to produce excellent ones. the principal requirement in making baking-powder biscuits, which are illustrated in fig. , is that all the ingredients be kept as cold as possible during the mixing. tiny, thin biscuits may be split, buttered, and served with tea, while larger ones may be served with breakfast or luncheon. in order to utilise left-over biscuits of this kind, they may be split and toasted or dipped quickly into boiling water and heated in a quick oven until the surface is dry. baking-powder biscuits (sufficient to serve six) c. flour tsp. salt tsp. baking powder tb. fat / c. milk mix and sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. chop the fat into the dry ingredients until it is in pieces about the size of small peas. pour the milk into the dry ingredients, and mix them just enough to take up the liquid. make the mixture as moist as possible, and still have it in good condition to handle. then sprinkle flour on a molding board, and lift the dough from the mixing bowl to the board. [illustration: fig. ] hot breads [illustration: fig. .] sprinkle flour thinly over the top and pat out the dough until it is about inch thick. cut the dough with a biscuit cutter, and place the biscuits thus cut out on baking sheets or in shallow pans. if a crusty surface is desired, place the biscuits in the pan so that they are about an inch apart; but if thick, soft biscuits are preferred, place them so that the edges touch. bake to minutes in a hot oven. [illustration: fig. .] . emergency biscuits.--as shown in fig. , emergency biscuits resemble very closely baking-powder biscuits, and so they should, because the recipe given for baking-powder biscuits may be used for emergency biscuits by merely adding more milk--just enough to make the dough a trifle too moist to handle with the hands. when the dough is of this consistency, drop it by spoonfuls in shallow pans, as in fig. , or on baking sheets. then bake the biscuits in a hot oven for to minutes. . pinwheel biscuits.--to create variety, a baking-powder biscuit mixture may be made into pinwheel biscuits, a kind of hot bread that is always pleasing to children. such biscuits, which are illustrated in fig. , differ from cinnamon rolls only in the leavening agent used, cinnamon rolls being made with yeast and pinwheel biscuits with baking powder. pinwheel biscuits (sufficient to serve six) c. flour tsp. salt tsp. baking powder tb. fat f / c. milk tb. butter / c. sugar tb. cinnamon / c. chopped raisins to make the dough, combine the ingredients in the same way as for baking-powder biscuits. roll it on a well-floured board until it is about / inch thick and twice as long as it is wide. spread the surface with the tablespoonfuls of butter. mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle them evenly over the buttered surface, and on top of this sprinkle the chopped raisins. start with one of the long edges and roll the dough carefully toward the opposite long edge, as shown in fig. . then cut the roll into slices inch thick. place these slices in a shallow pan with the cut edges down and the sides touching. bake in a hot oven for about minutes. [illustration: fig. .] . beaten biscuits.--in fig. is illustrated a form of hot bread known as beaten biscuits. such biscuits are used very extensively in the south; in fact, they are usually considered typical of the south. formerly, all the lightness of beaten biscuits was produced by beating, but as the mixture is made today it may be run through a food chopper a few times before it is beaten. if this is done, the labor of beating is lessened considerably, beating for to minutes being sufficient. when the beating is finished, the texture of the dough should be fine and close and the surface should be smooth and flat. beaten biscuits (sufficient to serve twelve) qt. pastry flour tsp. salt / c. fat c. milk or water sift the flour and salt and chop in the fat. moisten with the milk or water and form into a mass. toss this on a floured board, and beat it with a rolling pin for minutes, folding the dough over every few seconds. roll the dough / inch in thickness, form the biscuits by cutting them out with a small round cutter, and prick each one several times with a fork. place the biscuits on baking sheets or in shallow pans, and bake them in a moderate oven for to minutes. [illustration: fig. .] miscellaneous hot-bread recipes [illustration: fig. .] . soft gingerbread.--as a hot bread for breakfast, soft gingerbread like that illustrated in fig. is very satisfactory, and with or without icing it may be served as cake with fruit for luncheon. sweet milk and baking powder are generally used in gingerbread, but sour milk may be substituted for sweet milk and soda in the proper proportion may be used in place of baking powder. if not too much spice is used in a bread of this kind, it is better for children than rich cake, and, as a rule, they are very fond of it. soft gingerbread (sufficient for one medium-sized loaf) c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. soda / c. sugar / tsp. salt tsp. ginger tsp. cinnamon egg / c. milk / c. molasses / c. butter or other fat mix the flour, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt, and spices. beat the egg, add the milk and molasses to it, and stir these into the first mixture. melt the fat and stir it into the batter. pour the batter into a well-greased loaf pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. if preferred, the mixture may be poured into individual muffin pans and baked in a moderate oven for about minutes. . boston brown bread.--a hot bread that finds favor with most persons is boston brown bread, which is illustrated in fig. . hot breads [illustration: fig. .] such bread, instead of being baked in the oven, is steamed for - / hours. it may be made plain, according to the accompanying recipe, or, to give it variety, raisins or currants may be added to it. boston brown bread may be steamed in an ordinary coffee can, such as is shown in fig. , in a large baking-powder can, or in a can that is made especially for this purpose. a regular steaming can for boston brown bread is, of course, very convenient, but the other cans mentioned are very satisfactory. a point to remember in the making of brown bread is that the time for steaming should never be decreased. oversteaming will do no harm, but understeaming is liable to leave an unbaked place through the centre of the loaf. boston brown bread (sufficient for one medium-sized loaf) c. white flour c. graham flour c. corn meal / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder tsp. salt / c. molasses - / c. sweet milk mix and sift the flour, corn meal, soda, baking powder, and salt. add the molasses and milk and mix all thoroughly. grease a can and a cover that fits the can tightly. fill the can two-thirds full of the mixture and cover it. place it in a steamer and steam for - / hours. dry in a moderate oven for a few minutes before serving. . nut loaf.--the use of nuts in a hot bread increases the food value and imparts a very delicious flavour. it is therefore very attractive to most persons, but it is not a cheap food on account of the usual high price of nuts. thin slices of nut bread spread with butter make very fine sandwiches, which are especially delicious when served with tea. nut loaf (sufficient for one medium-sized loaf) c. flour / c. sugar tsp. baking powder tsp. salt tb. fat egg c. milk / c. english walnuts mix and sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt, and then work in the fat. add the egg, well beaten, and the milk, and then stir in the nut meats, which should be chopped. turn into a well-greased loaf pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. utilising left-over hot breads . as a general rule, not much consideration need be given to the utilising of left-over hot breads, for these are not often baked in large quantities and consequently are usually eaten at the meal for which they are intended. still, if any should be left over, they should never be wasted, for there are various ways in which they may be used. the small varieties, such as muffins, biscuits, etc, may be freshened so that they will be almost as good as when first baked by putting them into a hot oven for a few minutes. if they are quite stale, they should be dipped quickly into hot water before being placed in the oven. the moisture on the surface is driven into the interior of the bread by the intense heat, with the result that the biscuits become moist and appear as fresh as they did formerly. if it is not desired to freshen them in this way, biscuits, muffins, and even pieces of corn bread that have become slightly stale may be made delicious by splitting them and then toasting them. luncheon menu . as in the preceding sections, there is here submitted a menu that should be worked out and reported on at the same time that the answers to the examination questions are sent in. this menu is planned to serve six persons, but, as in the case of the other menus, it may be increased or decreased to meet requirements. the recipe for macaroni with cheese and tomatoes may be found in _cereals,_ and that for baking-powder biscuit, as well as that for popovers with apple sauce, in this section. recipes for the remainder of the items follow the menu. menu macaroni with cheese and tomatoes baking-powder biscuit jam watercress-and-celery salad popovers filled with apple sauce tea recipes watercress-and-celery salad arrange on each salad plate a bed of watercress, or, if it is impossible to obtain this, shred lettuce by cutting it in narrow strips across the leaf and use it instead of the watercress. dice one or two stems of celery, depending on the size, and place the diced pieces on top of the watercress or the lettuce. pour over each serving about teaspoonfuls of french dressing made as follows: / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. paprika tb. oil tb. vinegar mix the salt, pepper, and paprika, and beat the oil into them until it forms an emulsion. add the vinegar gradually, a few drops at a time, and continue the beating. pour the dressing over the salad. tea measure teaspoonful of tea for each cupful that is to be served. scald the teapot, put the tea into it, and add the required number of cups of freshly boiling water. allow it to steep until the desired strength is obtained. serve at once, or pour from the leaves, serving cream and sugar with it if desired. * * * * * hot breads examination questions ( ) (_a_) in what way do hot breads differ from yeast breads? (_b_) what are the principal ingredients of hot-bread batters and doughs? ( ) (_a_) what is a leavening agent? (_b_) what is the effect of leavening agents on batters and doughs? ( ) (_a_) how is physical leavening accomplished? (_b_) on what does the success of breads raised by physical leavening depend? ( ) (_a_) how is chemical leavening brought about? (_b_) what two things must be supplied to produce the best action of a chemical leavening agent for making a flour mixture light? ( ) why are soda and sour milk and soda and molasses not accurate leavening agents? ( ) in making a batter or a dough, how much soda should be used with: (_a_) each cupful of sour milk? (_b_) each cupful of molasses? ( ) how should soda and sour milk or soda and molasses be combined with the other ingredients of a hot-bread mixture? ( ) (_a_) in hot-bread batters and doughs, how much baking powder should be used to cupful of flour? (_b_) how should baking powder be combined with the other ingredients? ( ) mention, in the order they should be carried out, the steps for making and baking a dough mixture. ( ) tell what general proportion of liquid and flour is usually used for: (_a_) a thin batter; (_b_) a thick batter; (_c_) a soft dough; (_d_) a stiff dough. ( ) give examples of hot breads made from: (_a_) thin batters; (_b_) thick batters; (_c_) soft doughs; (_d_) stiff doughs. ( ) what will cause a change in the general proportions of liquid and flour for a batter or a dough? ( ) explain briefly the two general methods of combining ingredients for hot-bread mixtures. ( ) what is the approximate temperature for: (_a_) a moderate oven? (_b_) a hot oven? ( ) mention a simple test for: (_a_) a moderate oven; (_b_) a hot oven. ( ) how may hot breads be tested in order to determine whether or not they are properly baked? ( ) why are baking-powder biscuits and popovers mixed differently? ( ) (_a_) why does a loaf of nut bread require longer baking than muffins? (_b_) which should be baked in a moderate oven? ( ) why should gingerbread be baked in a moderate oven? ( ) make a recipe for muffins, using cupfuls of flour and sour milk and soda for liquid and leavening. report on menu after trying out the luncheon menu given in the text, send with your answers to the examination questions a report of your success. in making out your report, simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified here. macaroni with cheese and tomatoes: cooked sufficiently? properly flavoured? too much salt? not enough salt? too much liquid? too little liquid? baking-powder biscuit: tender? tough? light? heavy? good texture? poor texture? sufficiently baked? underdone? overdone? sufficient salt? watercress-and-celery salad: appearance attractive? dressing well mixed? properly seasoned? popovers filled with apple sauce: tender? tough? underdone (this is observed by shrinking or falling after removing the popovers from the popover cups)? overdone? tea: strong? weak? clear? hot? bitter? * * * * * index a abbreviations of measures, absorption and digestion of food, of food, abundance of production of cereals, acquiring skill in bread making, action of yeast, adjusting cook-stove dampers, agents, classes of leavening, leavening, aids, yeast, a la, au, and aux, meaning of terms, la creole, meaning of, albumin, effect of cooking on, aluminum cooking utensils, anthracite, or hard, coal, apple, composition of, corer, artificial gas, ash, or mineral salts, pan, coal-stove, pit, coal-stove, au gratin, meaning of, naturel, meaning of, avoirdupois weight, b bacon, composition of, bacteria, baked hot breads, testing, potatoes, bakers' flour, baking bread, distinction between roasting and, griddle cakes, procedure in, meaning of, oven temperature for bread, powder, -powder biscuits, baking powder, recipe for, purpose of bread, the hot-bread mixture, the hot-bread mixture, utensils for, time for bread, waffles, procedure in, balanced diet, elements of a, banana, composition of, banking a coal fire, barley, left-over, pearl, recipes for, use and origin of, with fruit, pearl, batter, thick, thin, batters and doughs, bean, composition of dry navy, composition of fresh shelled, composition of green string, beaten biscuits, beating of food ingredients, béchamel, meaning of, beech wheat, beef, composition of dried, steak, composition of, suet, composition of, biscuit glace, recipes, biscuits, baking-powder, beaten, emergency, rolls, and buns, recipes for, bisque, meaning of, bituminous, or soft, coal, blanching foods, blend flour, blueberry muffins, body, function of water in the, boiled coffee, rice, boiler, cooking cereals in double, boiling, cooking cereals by, on foods, effect of, point, rice, to sterilize water, boston brown bread, bouchées, meaning of, boudin, meaning of, bouquet of herbs, boxes, window, braizing, bran bread, muffins, bread, after baking, care of, and cake mixer, as food, importance of, baking, baking hot, boston brown, bran, composition of corn, composition of rye, composition of toasted, composition of whole-wheat, convenient equipment for making, corn, distinction between hot and leavened, dough, care of the rising, dough, kneading, dough, motions used in kneading, dough, purpose of kneading, graham, hot, ingredients, quick-process, sponge method of combining, leavened, left-over, long-process, sponge method of making, making, acquiring skill in, making, combining the ingredients in, making, convenient equipment for, making, ingredients for, making, long process of, making, long-process, sponge method of, making, long-process, straight-dough method of, -making materials, proportion of, making, necessary equipment for, -making processes, making, quick process of, making, quick-process, sponge method of, making, quick-process, straight-dough method of, -making requirements, making, utensils for, milk and fat in, mixer, use of, mixers, mixture, preparation of hot-, object of scoring, oven temperature for baking, purpose of baking, quick, recipes, rice, rye, salt-rising, scoring, serving, sponge, utilizing left-over hot, white, whole-wheat, whole-wheat fruit, with nuts, graham, breads, correct oven temperature for hot, distinction between yeast and hot, general proportions used in hot, hot, in the diet, hot, mixtures used for hot, principal requirements for hot, purpose of utensils for making hot, quick, recipes for hot, requirements and processes for making hot, serving hot, varieties of mixtures in hot, breakfast food, composition of cooked oat, foods, meaning of, menu, broiling, pan, brown bread, boston, browned rice, browning, or toasting, of cereals, buckwheat, cakes, composition of, description of, rye, and millet, building a coal fire, buns, fruit or nut, graham nut, nut or fruit, rolls, and biscuits, buns, sweet, butter, composition of, composition of peanut, buttered hominy, toast, buttermilk, composition of, c cabbage salad, -salad dressing, café au lait, meaning of, noir, meaning of, cake, coffee, corn, mixers, molasses corn, southern corn, cakes, buckwheat, corn griddle, griddle, procedure in baking griddle, rice griddle, calorie, or calory, definition of, canapés, meaning of, canard, meaning of, candy, composition of stick, canned fruit, composition of, canning of foods, capers, meaning of, capon, meaning of, caramel, meaning of, carbohydrates, composition of, elements in, in cereals, carbon, carbonic-acid, or carbon-dioxide, gas, card, explanation of score, care of bread after baking, of bread in oven, of cereals, of flour, of food, of food in refrigerator, of food, methods of, of the refrigerator, of the rising bread dough, carolina rice, casein, effect of cooking on, casserole, definition of, use of, celery, composition of, cellars, storing food in, cellulose, cooking foods containing, definition of, in cereals, in the diet, place of, cereal flakes, products, selection, factors that govern, setting a, cereals, abundance of production of, as a food, browning, or toasting, of, by boiling, cooking, by dry heat, cooking, carbohydrates in, care of, cellulose in, composition of, economic value of, fat in, for the table, preparation of, left-over wheat, methods of cooking, mineral matter in, origin of, points to observe in cooking, preparation for cooking, prepared, or ready-to-eat, production of, protein in, purpose of cooking, ready-to-eat, selection of, serving, table showing composition of, undergo in cooking, changes, uses of, water in, champignons, meaning of, chartreuse, meaning of, cheese, composition of cottage, composition of cream, chemical composition of food, leavening, chestnut coal, composition of, chiffonade, meaning of, chillies, meaning of, chives, meaning of, chop, composition of lamb, composition of pork, chopper, meat, chops, pan-broiled, chutney, meaning of, cinnamon rolls, citron, clinkers, coal and coke, anthracite, or hard, bituminous, or soft, chestnut, egg, fire, building a, fire, building a, pea, quality of, coal range, sizes of, stove, -stove dampers, -stove firebox, stove for cooking, general construction of, -stove grate, stoves and their operation, varieties of, cocoa, coconut, composition of, cod, composition of fresh, composition of salt, coffee, cake, coke, and coal, collops, meaning of, commercial yeast, common labor-saving devices, composition and varieties of oats, of apple, of bacon, of banana, of beef steak, of beef suet, of buckwheat, of butter, of buttermilk, of canned fruit, of carbohydrates, of celery, of cereals, of cereals, table showing, of chestnut, of coconut, of cooked macaroni, of cooked oat breakfast food, of corn, of corn bread, of cottage cheese, of cream, of cream cheese, of dried beef, of dried fig, of dry navy bean, of egg white and yolk, of food, chemical, of food materials, of fresh cod, of fresh shelled bean, of fruit jelly, of grape juice, of grapes, of green corn, of green string bean, of honey, of italian pastes, of lamb chop, of lard, of mackerel, of maple sugar, of molasses, of oats, of olive oil, of onion, of oyster, of parsnip, of peanut, of peanut butter, of pork chop, of potato, of raisins, of rice, of rye, of rye bread, of salt cod, of skim milk, of smoked ham, of smoked herring, of stick candy, of strawberry, of sugar, of toasted bread, of walnut, of wheat, of white and yolk of egg, of whole egg, of whole milk, of whole wheat bread, compote, meaning of, compressed yeast, constituents, food principles, or, conveying heat to food, methods of, cooker, cooking cereals in fireless, fireless, cookery, meaning of, terms used in, time table, cooking cereals by boiling, cereals in double boiler, cereals in fireless cooker, cereals, methods of, cereals, points to observe in, cereals, preparation for, cereals, purpose of, cereals with dry heat, food, reasons for, foods, importance of, foods, table for, getting foods ready for, heat for, methods of, methods of using moist heat for, of food, processes, rice, japanese method of, rice, methods of, uses of water in, cooking utensils, aluminum, utensils, copper, utensils, earthenware, utensils, enamel, utensils, glass, utensils, iron and steel, utensils, tin, utensils, wooden, with dry heat, with hot fat, copper cooking utensils, coquilles, meaning of, corer, apple, corn bread, bread, composition of, cake, cake, molasses, -cake recipes, cake, southern, composition of, composition of green, field, griddle cakes, maize, or indian, meal, -meal croquettes, -meal muffins, -meal mush, -meal mush, left-over, meal, recipes for, pop, sweet, cottage cheese, composition of, cracked wheat, cream cheese, composition of, composition of, of tartar and soda, of wheat, of wheat with dates, sauce, creamed hominy, peas, rice, creaming of food ingredients, croquettes, corn-meal, rolled-oats, croutons, meaning of, cups, measuring, curry, custard, farina, cutting-in of food ingredients, d dampers, adjusting cook-stove, coal-stove, date muffins, dates, cream of wheat with, graham mush with, demi-tasse, meaning of, deviled, meaning of, dextrine, formation of, diet, hot breads in the, meaning of, well-balanced, dietetics, definition of, digestion and absorption of food, of food, dill, meaning of, dinner rolls, dish-washing machines, double boiler, cooking cereals in, boiler, use of, dough, kneading bread, making bread, motions used in kneading bread, soft, stiff, doughs and batters, dressing, cabbage-salad, dried beef, composition of, fig, composition of, dry heat, cooking cereals by, heat, cooking with, measure, steaming, yeast, drying of foods, e earthenware cooking utensils, economic value of cereals, effect of boiling on foods, egg beater, rotary, coal, composition of white and yolk of, composition of whole, whip, eggs, scrambled, electric meter, reading an, stoves, stoves and utensils, electricity as a fuel, emergency biscuits, en coquille, meaning of, enamel cooking utensils, endosperm, meaning of, entrées, equipment for bread making, convenient, escarole, meaning of, f factors that govern cereal selection, farce, or forcemeat, meaning of, farina, custard, soufflé, fat and milk in bread, cooking with hot, fat in cereals, fats, ferments, or leavening agents, field corn, fig, composition of dried, fillet mignons, meaning of, fillets, meaning of, firebox, coal-stove, fireless cooker, cooker, cooking cereals in, -cooking gas stoves, flour, bakers', blend, care of, graham, grains used for, high-grade patent, kinds of, made from spring or hard wheat, discussion of, milling of wheat, quality of, red dog, rye, scouring, second-grade patent, selection of, whole-wheat, flue, coal-stove, opening of a coal stove, fluff, orange, sauce for orange, folding of food ingredients, fondant, meaning of, fondue, meaning of, food, absorption of, care of, cereals as a, chemical composition of, cooking of, definition of, digestion and absorption of, digestion of, in cellars, storing, ingredients, beating of, ingredients, creaming of, ingredients, cutting-in of, ingredients, folding of, ingredients, mixing of, ingredients, processes involved in mixing of, ingredients, ricing of, ingredients, rubbing of, ingredients, sifting of, ingredients, stirring of, matters involved in right selection of, methods of caring for, or fuel, value, food, preparation of, principles or constituents, problem of, reasons for cooking, selection of, substances, value, foods, blanching, canning of, drying of, for cooking, preparation of, importance of cooking, importance of variety of, meaning of breakfast, storing of non-perishable, storing of semiperishable, with ice, keeping, without ice, keeping, forcemeat, or farce, meaning of, frappé, meaning of, french toast, fricasseeing, fromage, meaning of, fruit bread, whole-wheat, composition of canned, jelly, composition of, or nut buns, frying, fuel, use of coal as a, use of coke as a, use of electricity as a, use of gas as a, use of kerosene as a, value, food, or, value of gas as, furnishing a kitchen, utensils for, g gas, artificial, as fuel, use of, as fuel, value of, carbonic-acid, or carbon-dioxide, measurement of, meter, meter, reading a, natural, ranges, description of, stove, mixer of a, stove, pilot of a, stoves and their operation, stoves, fireless-cooking, general proportions, applying knowledge of, germ, definition of, germs, gingerbread, soft, glacé, biscuit, meaning of, glass cooking utensils, glaze, meaning of, gliadin, glucose, gluten, glutenin, goulash, meaning of, graham bread, bread with nuts, flour, muffins, mush with dates, nut buns, grain for market, preparation of, products, table of, structure of wheat, grains used for flour, grape juice, composition of, grapes, composition of, grate, coal-stove, green corn, composition of, griddle-cake recipes, cakes, cakes, corn, cakes, procedure in baking, cakes, rice, cakes, sour-milk, griddles, grinder, grits, hominy, wheat, gumbo, meaning of, h ham, composition of smoked, hard water, how to soften, haricot, meaning of, heat, cooking cereals with dry, cooking with dry, for cooking, for cooking, discussion of, methods of cooking with moist, herring, composition of smoked, high-grade patent flour, homard, meaning of, hominy, and cheese soufflé, buttered, creamed, grits, left-over, recipes for, honey, composition of, hors-d'oeuvres, meaning of, hot bread, bread, distinction between leavened and, -bread mixture. baking the, -bread mixture, testing of baked, -bread mixture, preparation of, hot-bread mixture, utensils for baking the, -bread mixture, utensils for preparing the, -bread recipes, miscellaneous, -bread utensils and their use, bread, utilizing left-over, breads, breads, baking of, breads, combining ingredients for, breads, correct oven temperature for, breads, distinction between yeast and, breads in the diet, breads, mixtures used for, breads, principal requirements for, breads, purpose of utensils for making, breads, recipes for, breads, regulating the oven for, breads, requirements and processes for making, breads, serving, breads, varieties of mixtures and general, proportions used in, fat, cooking with, hotplates, hulled, or whole, wheat, wheat, huller, berry, i ice, keeping foods with, indian corn, or maize, ingredients, beating of food, combining hot-bread, creaming of food, cutting-in of food, folding of food, for bread making, mixing of food, preparation of hot-bread, processes involved in mixing food, quick-process, sponge method of combining bread, required for bread making, ricing of food, rubbing of food, sifting of food, stirring of food, iron and steel cooking utensils, irons, waffle, italian pastes, pastes, composition of, pastes, left-over, pastes, preparation of, pastes, recipes for, pastes, varieties of, italiene, meaning of a la, japanese method of cooking rice, rice, jardiniére, meaning of, jelly, composition of fruit, juice, composition of grape, julienne, meaning of, junket, meaning of, k keeping foods with ice, foods without ice, kerosene as a fuel, use of, stoves and their operation, kilowatt-hours in meter reading, kippered, meaning of, kitchen, utensils for furnishing a, kneading bread dough, bread dough, motions used in, bread dough, purpose of, l labour-saving devices, lactose, occurrence of, lamb chop, composition of, lard, composition of, larding, meaning of, lardon, meaning of, leavened bread, leavening agents, agents, classes of, agents, or ferments, chemical, physical, left-over barley, -over bread, -over corn-meal mush, -over hominy, -over hot bread, utilizing, -over italian pastes, -over rice, -over rolled oats, -over wheat cereals, legumes, meaning of, lentils, meaning of, liquid measure, yeast, loaf, nut, loaves, shaping the bread dough into, long process of bread making, process of making white bread, -process, sponge method of bread making, -process, straight-dough method of bread making, luncheon menu, rolls, m macaroni, and kidney beans, composition of cooked, italian style, with cheese, with cheese and tomato, with cream sauce, with eggs, with tomato and bacon, macédoine, meaning of, machines, dish-washing, mackerel, composition of, maize, malt sprouts, maple sugar, composition of, marinade, meaning of, marinate, meaning of, market, preparation of grains for the, marrons, meaning of, materials, proportion of bread-making used for cooking utensils, matter, mineral, mayonnaise mixer, the, meal, corn, recipes for corn, meaning of breakfast foods, measure, dry, liquid, measurement of gas, measures, abbreviations of, measuring, cups, precautions to observe, spoons, meat chopper, grinder, menu, breakfast, luncheon, meaning of, menus and recipes, meringue, meaning of, meter, gas, reading a gas, reading an electric, meters, prepayment, micro-organisms, microbes, milk and fat in bread, composition of skim, composition of whole, soda and sour, toast, millet, buckwheat, and rye, description of, milling of wheat flour, mineral matter, matter in cereals, salts, salts, purpose of, miscellaneous hot-bread recipes, mixer, gas-stove, mayonnaise, use of the bread, mixers, bread, cake, mixing of food ingredients, of food ingredients, processes involved in, processes, application of, mixture, testing baked hot-bread, mixtures used for hot breads, moist heat, cooking with, yeast, molasses and soda, composition of, corn cake, molds, motions used in kneading bread dough, mousse, meaning of, muffin recipes, muffins, blueberry, bran, corn-meal, date, graham, plain, rice, mush, corn-meal, left-over corn-meal, sautéd corn-meal, with dates, graham, n natural gas, navy bean, composition of dry, non-perishable foods, storing of, nougat, meaning of, nut buns, graham, loaf, or fruit buns, puffs, o oat breakfast food, composition of cooked, composition of, oatmeal, oats, composition and varieties of, recipes for, rolled, with apples, rolled, olive oil, composition of, onion, composition of, orange fluff, fluff, sauce for, order of work, oriental rice, oven, coal-stove, for hot breads, regulating the, proper placing of hot-bread mixture in, temperature, determining and regulating, temperature for baking bread, temperature for hot breads, oxygen, oyster, composition of, p pan-broiled chops, broiling, paprika, parker house rolls, parsnip, composition of, pastes, italian, recipes for italian, paté, meaning of, patent flour, high-grade, flour, second-grade, patties, rice, pea coal, peanut butter, composition of, composition of, pearl barley, barley, description of, barley with fruit, peas, creamed, sauce for, physical leavening, pilot, gas-stove, pimiento, meaning of, pineapple, rice with, pinwheel biscuits, piquante, meaning of sauce, pistachio, meaning of, plain muffins, point, boiling, polishings, rice, pop corn, popover recipes, with fruit, pork chop, composition of, potage, meaning of, potato, composition of, ricer, potatoes, baked, powder, baking, recipe for baking, precautions to observe in measuring, preparation for cooking cereals, for cooking foods, of cereals for the table, preparation of food, of grains for the market, of hot-bread ingredients, of hot-bread mixture, of italian pastes, prepared, or ready-to-eat, cereals, preparing the hot-bread mixture, utensils for, prepayment meters, principle of stoves, principles, or constituents, food, problem of food, processes and requirements for making hot breads, application of mixing, bread-making, cooking, involved in mixing food ingredients, production of cereals, products, cereal, table of grain, proportion of bread-making materials, proportions, applying knowledge of general, protein, in cereals, puffs, nut, whole-wheat, purée, meaning of, purpose, of baking bread, of bread rising, of cooking cereals, of kneading bread dough, of utensils for making hot breads, q quality, of coal, of flour, of yeast, quick, bread, hot or, breads, process of combining bread ingredients, process of making white bread, process of making whole-wheat bread, -process, sponge method of combining, bread ingredients, -process, straight-dough method of combining, bread ingredients, r ragoût, meaning of, raisins, composition of, ramekin, meaning of, range, coal, ranges, description of gas, reading, a gas meter, an electric meter, ready, -to-eat cereals, -to-eat, or prepared, cereals, reasons for cooking food, réchauffé, meaning of, recipe, definition of, red-dog flour, refrigerator, care of food in, care of the, refrigerators, refuse, distinction between waste and, meaning of, relative weights and measures, tables of, requirements, and processes for making hot breads, of bread making, rice, boiled, boiling, bread, browned, carolina, composition of, creamed, griddle cakes, japanese, japanese method of cooking, left-over, methods of cooking, muffins, oriental, patties, polishings, recipes for, savory, spanish, steamed, steaming, varieties and structure of, waffles, with pineapple, ricer, potato, ricing of food ingredients, rising, bread dough, care of the, temperature for bread, time required for bread, rissoles, meaning of, roasting, distinction between baking and, meaning of, rolled, oats, -oats croquettes, -oats jelly with prunes, oats, left-over, oats with apples, rolls, buns and biscuits, recipes for, cinnamon, dinner, luncheon, parker house, whole-wheat, rotary egg beater, roux, meaning of, rubbing of food ingredients, rye, bread, bread, composition of, buckwheat, and millet, composition of, description of, flour, s salad, cabbage, watercress-and-celery, salmi, meaning of, salpicon, meaning of, salt cod, composition of, -rising bread, salts, mineral, purpose of mineral, sauce, cream, for orange fluff, for peas, piquante, meaning of, meaning of tartare, meaning of vinaigrette, sautéd corn-meal mush, sauteing, savoury rice, scales, score card, explanation of, scoring bread, bread, object of, scouring of flour, scrambled eggs, second-grade patent flour, selection and care of cereals, of flour, of food, semiperishable foods, storing of, semolina, serving bread, cereals, hot breads, setting a cereal or grain, shallot, meaning of, shaping bread dough into loaves, shelled bean, composition of fresh, sifting of food ingredients, simmering, or stewing, sizes of coal, skim milk, composition of, small electric utensils, smoked ham, composition of, herring, composition of, soda and cream of tartar, soda and molasses, and sour milk, soft dough, gingerbread, softening hard water, soluble starch, sorbet, meaning of, soufflé, meaning of, farina, sour milk, soda and, -milk griddle cakes, southern corn cake, soy, meaning of, spaghetti, with cheese and tomato sauce, spanish rice, sponge method of making bread, long-process, method of making bread, quick-process, spoons, measuring, spring, or hard, wheat, or hard, wheat, flour made from, sprouts, malt, starch, steak, composition of beef, steamed rice, steamer, steaming, dry, rice, steel-and-iron cooking utensils, sterilize water, boiling to, sterilizing, stewing or simmering, stick candy, composition of, stiff dough, stirring of food ingredients, stock, meaning of, storing food in cellars, of non-perishable foods, of semiperishable foods, stove ash pan, coal-, ash pit, coal-, coal, dampers, coal-, flue opening, coal-, oven, coal-, stoves and utensils, electric, fireless-cooking gas, operation of kerosene, principle of, straight-dough method of bread making, -dough method of bread making, long-process, -dough method of bread making, quick-process, strawberry, composition of, string bean, composition of green, structure and varieties of rice, of wheat grain, substances, food, suet, composition of beef, sugar, composition of, composition of maple, sultanas, meaning of, sweet buns, corn, t table, cookery time, of grain products, showing composition of cereals, tables of relative weights and measures, of weights and measures, tarragon, meaning of, tartare sauce, meaning of, temperature, determining and regulating oven, for bread rising, for hot breads, correct oven, terms used in cookery, testing baked hot-bread mixture, thick batter, thin batter, timbale, meaning of, time for baking and care of bread in oven, required for bread rising, table, cookery, tin cooking utensils, toast, buttered, french, milk, toasted bread, composition of, toasting, troy weight, truffles, meaning of, u utensils, aluminum cooking, and their use, hot-bread, copper cooking, earthenware cooking, enamel cooking, for baking the hot-bread mixture, for bread making, for cooking, for furnishing a kitchen, for preparing hot-bread mixture, glass cooking, importance of, iron and steel cooking, materials used for, small electric, tin cooking, wooden cooking, v value, food, food, or fuel, of cereals, economic, of gas as fuel, vanilla, meaning of, varieties and composition of oats, and structure of rice, of coal, of italian pastes, of mixtures used in hot breads, variety of foods, importance of a, vermicelli, vinaigrette sauce, meaning of, vol au vent, meaning of, w waffle irons, waffles, procedure in baking, rice, walnut, composition of, waste and refuse, distinction between, definition of, water as a food substance, boiling to sterilize, how to soften hard, in cereals, in the body, function of, watercress-and-celery salad, weight, avoirdupois, troy, weights and measures, tables of, and measures, tables of relative, wheat, and wheat products, recipes for, beech, bread, composition of whole, cereals, left-over, composition of, cracked, cream of, flour, milling of, grain, structure of, grits, hulled, hulled, or whole, origin and use of, products, recipes for, spring, or hard, winter, or soft, white bread, bread, long process of making, bread, quick process of making, of egg, composition of, whole egg, composition of, milk, composition of, -wheat bread, whole-wheat bread, composition of, -wheat bread, quick process of making, -wheat flour, -wheat fruit bread, -wheat puffs, -wheat rolls, window boxes, winter, or soft, wheat, wooden cooking utensils, work, order of, y yeast, action of, yeast aids, and hot breads, distinction between, commercial, compressed, dry, liquid, moist, or leavened, bread, quality of, yeasts, yolk of egg, composition of, z zwieback, the healthy life cook book by florence daniel second edition a delicious porridge can be made by mixing robinson's "patent" groats "in powder form" ::and:: robinson's "patent" barley "in powder form" in equal proportions and preparing in the usual way. preface this little book has been compiled by special and repeated request. otherwise, i should have hesitated to add to the already existing number of vegetarian cookery books. it is not addressed to the professional cook, but to those who find themselves, as i did, confronted with the necessity of manufacturing economical vegetarian dishes without any previous experience of cooking. an experienced cook will doubtless find many of the detailed instructions superfluous. the original idea was to compile a cookery book for those vegetarians who are non-users of milk and eggs. but as this would have curtailed the book's usefulness, especially to vegetarian beginners, the project was abandoned. at the same time, non-users of milk and eggs will find that their interests have been especially considered in very many of the recipes. all the recipes have been well tested. many of them i evolved myself after repeated experiments. others i obtained from friends. but all of them are used in my own little household. so that if any reader experiences difficulty in obtaining the expected results, if she will write to me, at , tudor street, london, e.c., and enclose a stamped envelope for reply, i shall be glad to give any assistance in my power. i desire to record my gratitude here to the friends who have sent me recipes; to the graduate of the victoria school of cookery, who assisted me with much good advice; to cassell's large dictionary of cookery, from which i gathered many useful hints; to the _herald of health_, which first published recipes for the agar-agar jellies and wallace cheese; and to e. and b. may's cookery book, from whence emanates the idea of jam without sugar. lastly, i would thank mrs. hume, of "loughtonhurst," bournemouth, with whom i have spent several pleasant holidays, and who kindly placed her menus at my disposal. florence daniel. preface to second edition this little cookery book was originally published for that "straiter" sect of food-reformers who abstain from the use of salt, yeast, etc. but, owing to repeated requests from ordinary vegetarians, who find the book useful, i am now including recipes for yeast bread, cheese dishes, nutmeat dishes, etc. i have put all these in the chapter entitled "extra recipes." to go to the opposite extreme there is a short chapter for "unfired feeders." other new recipes have also been added. the note _re_ salads has been borrowed from e.j. saxon, and the vegetable stew in casserole cookery from r. & m. goring, in _the healthy life_. florence daniel. _everyday fitness_ you want food you can eat every day, knowing that it is bringing you nearer and nearer to real fitness, the fitness which lasts all day, and survives even sunday or a summer holiday. 'p.r.' foods are everyday foods. they take the place of white bread, and white flour biscuits, of expensive dairy butter, of sloppy indigestible porridge, and so on. they are the foods which keep you fit all the time--you, and your husband, and the children. they are made along absolutely scientific lines in a factory which is probably unique throughout the world. they are the standard of pure food production. their daily use is the direct route to fitness all the time. you ought to know about them, and try them. send us * d.* (p.o. or stamps), and we will post you a splendid lot of samples and a budget of practical information. do it now. or we can send you our special trial parcel, comprising all the principal 'p.r.' products, carriage paid (in u.k.) for * /-*. the wallace 'p.r.' foods co., ltd., , tottenham lane. hornsey. london, n. * * * * * *the finest coffee the world produces-- 'p.r.' coffee* choicest hill-grown berries, the pick of the world's finest plantations, roasted by electric heat. result: superb favour and freedom from ill effects. ideal for dyspeptics. strongly recommended by the author of this book. -lb. post paid / , or *free sample canister* (to make cups), from the wallace p.r. foods co., ltd., , tottenham lane, hornsey, london, n. [illustration] * * * * * contents i. unfermented bread ii. soups iii. savoury dishes (and nut cookery) iv. casserole cookery v. curries vi. vegetables vii. gravies and sauces viii. egg cookery ix. pastry, sweet puddings, jellies, &c. x. cakes and biscuits xi. jam, marmalade, etc. xii. salads, beverages, etc. xiii. extra recipes xiv. unfired food xv. weights and measures, and utensils xvi. menus, etc. index * * * * * _healthy life booklets bound in art vellum. s. net each._ . the league against health. by arnold eiloart, b.sc., ph.d. . food remedies. by florence daniel. . instead of drugs. by arnold eiloart, b.sc., ph.d. . the healthy life cook book. by florence daniel. . nature versus medicine. by arnold eiloart, b.sc., ph.d. . distilled water. by florence daniel. . consumption doomed. by dr. paul carton. . no plant disease. by arnold eiloart, b.sc., ph.d. . rheumatism and allied ailments. by dr. h. valentine knaggs. . right diet for children. by edgar j. saxon. . some popular food stuffs exposed. by dr. paul carton. . unfired food in practice. by stanley gibbon. . the truth about sugar. by dr. h. valentine knaggs. . how the mind heals and why. by florence daniel. . osteopathy. by florence daniel. . a new suggestion treatment. by dr. stenson hooker . health through breathing. by olgar lazarus. . what to eat and how much. by florence daniel. _nos. , and are in preparation_. london: c. w. daniel, ltd., graham house, tudor street, e.c. * * * * * i.--unfermented bread. . cold water bread. - / lb. fine wholemeal flour to / pint water. put the meal into a basin, add the water gradually, and mix with a clean, cool hand. (bread, pastry, etc., mixed with a spoon, especially of metal, will not be so light as that mixed with a light cool hand.) knead lightly for minutes. (a little more flour may be required while kneading, as some brands of meal do not absorb so much water as others, but do not add more than is absolutely necessary to prevent the fingers sticking.) put the dough on to a floured board and divide into four round loaves. prick with a fork on top. the colder the water used, the lighter the bread, and if the mixing be done by an open window so much the better, for unfermented bread is air-raised. distilled or clean boiled rain-water makes the lightest bread. but it should be poured backwards and forwards from one jug to another several times, in order to aerate it. _another method_ of mixing is the following:--put the water into the basin first and stir the meal quickly into it with a spatula or wooden spoon. when it gets too stiff to be stirred, add the rest of the meal. knead for two minutes, and shape into loaves as above. baking.--bake on the bare oven shelf, floored. if possible have a few holes bored in the shelf. this is not absolutely necessary, but any tinker or ironmonger will perforate your shelf for a few pence. better still are wire shelves, like sieves. (this does not apply to gas ovens.) start with a hot oven, but not too hot. to test, sprinkle a teaspoonful of flour in a patty pan, and put in the oven for five minutes. at the end of that time, if the flour is a light golden-brown colour, the oven is right. now put in the bread and keep the heat of the oven well up for half an hour. at the end of this time turn the loaves. now bake for another hour, but do not make up the fire again. let the oven get slightly cooler. the same result may perhaps be obtained by moving to a cooler shelf. it all depends on the oven. but always start with a hot oven, and after the first half hour let the oven get cooler. always remember, that the larger the loaves the slower must be the baking, otherwise they will be overdone on the outside and underdone in the middle. do not open the oven door oftener than absolutely necessary. if a gas oven is used the bread must be baked on a baking sheet placed on a sand tin. a sand tin is the ordinary square or oblong baking tin, generally supplied with gas stoves, filled with silver sand. a baking sheet is simply a piece of sheet-iron, a size smaller than the oven shelves, so that the heat may pass up and round it. any ironmonger will cut one to size for a few pence. do not forget to place a vessel of water (hot) in the bottom of the oven. this is always necessary in a gas oven when baking bread, cakes or pastry. it must not be forgotten that ovens are like children they need understanding. the temperature of the kitchen and the oven's nearness to a window or door will often make a difference of five or ten minutes in the time needed for baking. one gas oven that i knew never baked well in winter unless a screen was put before it to keep away draughts! rolls.--if you desire to get your bread more quickly it is only a question of making smaller loaves. little rolls may be cut out with a large egg-cup or small pastry cutter, and these take any time from twenty minutes to half an hour. . egg bread. ozs. fine wholemeal, egg, a bare / pint milk and water, butter size of walnut. put butter in a qr. qtn. tin (a small square-cornered tin price - / d. at most ironmongers) and let it remain in hot oven until it boils. well whisk egg, and add to it the milk and water. sift into this liquid the wholemeal, stirring all the time. pour this batter into the hot buttered tin. bake in a very hot oven for minutes, then move to a cooler part for another minutes. when done, turn out and stand on end to cool. . gem bread. put into a basin a pint of cold water, and beat it for a few minutes in order to aerate it as much as possible. stir gently, but quickly, into this as much fine wholemeal as will make a batter the consistency of thick cream. it should just drop off the spoon. drop this batter into very hot greased gem pans. bake for half an hour in a hot oven. when done, stand on end to cool. they may appear to be a little hard on first taking out of the oven, but when cool they should be soft, light and spongy. when properly made, the uninitiated generally refuse to believe that they do not contain eggs or baking-powder. there are proper gem pans, made of cast iron (from s.) for baking this bread, and the best results are obtained by using them. but with a favourable oven i have got pretty good results from the ordinary baking-tins with depressions, the kind used for baking small cakes. but these are a thinner make and apt to produce a tough crust. . hot water rolls. this bread has a very sweet taste. it is made by stirring boiling water into any quantity of meal required, sufficient to form a stiff paste. then take out of the basin on to a board and knead quickly with as much more flour as is needed to make it workable. cut it into small rolls with a large egg-cup or small vegetable cutter. the quicker this is done the better, in order to retain the heat of the water. bake from to minutes. . oatcake. mix medium oatmeal to a stiff paste with cold water. add enough fine oatmeal to make a dough. roll out very thinly. bake in sheets, or cut into biscuits with a tumbler or biscuit cutter. bake on the bare oven shelf, sprinkled with fine oatmeal, until a very pale brown. flour may be used in place of the fine oatmeal, as the latter often has a bitter taste that many people object to. the cause of this bitterness is staleness, but it is not so noticeable in the coarse or medium oatmeal. freshly ground oatmeal is quite sweet. . raisin loaf. lb. fine wholemeal, oz. raisins, oz. mapleton's nutter, water. well wash the raisins, but do not stone them or the loaf will be heavy. if the stones are disliked, seedless raisins, or even sultanas, may be used, but the large raisins give rather better results. rub the nutter into the flour, add the raisins, which should be well dried after washing, and mix with enough water to form a dough which almost, but not quite drops from the spoon. put into a greased tin, which should be very hot, and bake in a hot oven at first. at the end of twenty minutes to half an hour the loaf should be slightly browned. then move to a cooler shelf, and bake until done. test with a knife as for ordinary cakes. for this loaf a small, deep, square-cornered tin is required (price - / d.), the same as for the egg loaf. ozs. fresh dairy butter may be used in place of the ozs. nutter. . shortened bread. into lb. wholemeal flour rub ozs. nutter or ozs. butter. mix to a stiff dough with cold water. knead lightly but well. shape into small buns about inch thick. bake for an hour in a moderate oven. ii.--soups. soups are of three kinds--clear soups, thick soups, and purées. a clear soup is made by boiling fruit or vegetables (celery, for example) until all the nourishment is extracted, and then straining off the clear liquid. a little sago or macaroni is generally added and cooked in this. when carrots and turnips are used, a few small pieces are cut into dice or fancy shapes, cooked separately, and added to the strained soup. thick soups always include some farinaceous ingredients for thickening (flour, pea-flour, potato, etc.). purées are thick soups composed of any vegetable or vegetables boiled and rubbed through a sieve. this is done, a little at a time, with a wooden spoon. a little of the hot liquor is added to the vegetable from time to time to assist it through. . barley broth. carrot, turnip, leeks or small onions, sprigs parsley, sticks celery, tea-cup pearl barley, qts. water. (the celery may be omitted if desired, or, when in season, tea-cup green peas may be substituted.) scrub clean (but do not peel) the carrot and turnip. wash celery, parsley, and barley. shred all the vegetables finely; put in saucepan with the water. bring to the boil and slowly simmer for hours. add the chopped parsley and serve. . cream of barley soup. make barley broth as in no. . then strain it through a wire strainer. squeeze it well, so as to get the soup as thick as possible, but do not rub the barley through. skin / lb. tomatoes, break in halves, and cook to a pulp very gently in a closed saucepan (don't add water). add to the barley soup, boil up once, and serve. in cases of illness, especially where the patient is suffering from intestinal trouble, after preparing as above, strain through a fine muslin. it should also be prepared with distilled, or clean boiled rain-water. . clear celery soup. head celery, tablespoons sago, qts. water. wash the celery, chop into small pieces, and stew in the water for hours. strain. wash the sago, add it to the clear liquid, and cook for hour. for those who prefer a thick soup, pea-flour may be added. allow level tablespoon to each pint of soup. mix with a little cold water, and add to the boiling soup. one or two onions may also be cooked with the celery, if liked. . chestnut soup. lb. chestnuts, - / oz. nutter or butter, tablespoons chopped parsley, tablespoon wholemeal flour, - / pints water. first put on the chestnuts (without shelling or pricking) in cold water, and boil for an hour. then remove shells and put the nuts in an enamelled saucepan with the fat. fry for minutes. add the flour gradually, stirring all the time, then add the water. cook gently for half an hour. lastly, add the parsley, boil up, and serve. it is rather nicer if the flour is omitted, the necessary thickness being obtained by rubbing the soup through a sieve before adding the parsley. those who do not object to milk may use pint milk and pint water in place of the - / pints water. . fruit soup. fruit soups are used extensively abroad, although not much heard of in england. but they might be taken at breakfast with advantage by those vegetarians who have given up the use of tea, coffee and cocoa, and object to, or dislike, milk. the recipe given here is for apple soup, but pears, plums, etc., may be cooked in exactly the same way. lb. apples, qt. water, sugar and flavouring, tablespoon sago. wash the apples and cut into quarters, but do not peel or core. put into a saucepan with the water and sugar and flavouring to taste. when sweet, ripe apples can be obtained, people with natural tastes will prefer no addition of any kind. otherwise, a little cinnamon, cloves, or the yellow part of lemon rind may be added. stew until the apples are soft. strain through a sieve, rubbing the apple pulp through, but leaving cores, etc., behind. wash the sago, add to the strained soup, and boil gently for hour. stir now and then, as the sago is apt to stick to the pan. . haricot bean soup. heaped breakfast-cups beans, qts. water, tablespoons chopped parsley or / lb. tomatoes, nut or dairy butter size of walnut, tablespoon lemon juice. for this soup use the small white or brown haricots. soak overnight in qt. of the water. in the morning add the rest of the water, and boil until soft. it may then be rubbed through a sieve, but this is not imperative. add the chopped parsley, the lemon juice, and the butter. boil up and serve. if tomato pulp is preferred for flavouring instead of parsley, skin the tomatoes and cook slowly to pulp (without water) before adding. . lentil soup. breakfast-cups lentils, carrot, turnip, onions, qts. water, sticks celery, teaspoons herb powder, tablespoon lemon juice, oz. butter. either the red, egyptian lentils, or the green german lentils may be used for this soup. if the latter, soak overnight. stew the lentils very gently in the water for hours, taking off any scum that rises. well wash the vegetables, slice them, and add to the soup. stew for hours more. then rub through a sieve, or not, as preferred. add the lemon juice, herb powder, and butter (nut or dairy), and serve. . macaroni soup. / lb. small macaroni, qts. water or vegetable stock, / lb. onions or lb. tomatoes. break the macaroni into small pieces and add to the stock when nearly boiling. cook with the lid off the saucepan until the macaroni is swollen and very tender. (this will take about an hour.) if onions are used for flavouring, steam separately until tender, and add to soup just before serving. if tomatoes are used, skin and cook slowly to pulp (without water) before adding. if the vegetable stock is already strong and well-flavoured, no addition of any kind will be needed. . pea soup. use split peas, soak overnight, and prepare according to recipe given for lentil soup. . potato soup. peel thinly lbs. potatoes. (a floury kind should be used for this soup.) cut into small pieces, and put into a saucepan with enough water to cover them. add three large onions (sliced), unless tomatoes are preferred for flavouring. bring to the boil, then simmer until the potatoes are cooked to a mash. rub through a sieve or beat with a fork. now add / pint water or pint milk, and a little nutmeg if liked. boil up and serve. if the milk is omitted, the juice and pulp of two or three tomatoes may be added, and the onions may be left out also. . p.r. soup. head celery, large tomatoes, qts. water, large english onions, tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley. this soup figures often in the diet sheet of the physical regenerationists for gouty and rheumatic patients, but in addition to being a valuable medicine on account of its salts, it is the most delicious clear soup that i know of. to make: chop the ingredients to dice, cover closely, and simmer until the quantity of liquid is reduced to one half. . p.r. beef tea substitute. / pint pearl barley, / pint red lentils, qts. cold bran water, flavouring. to make the bran water, boil measure of bran with measures of water for not less than minutes. simmer together the barley, lentils, and bran water for hours. to flavour, put ozs. butter or ozs. nutter into a pan with lb. sliced onions. shake over fire until brown, but do not let them burn or the flavour of the soup will be spoilt. add these to the stock at the end of the first hour. any other vegetable liked may be chopped to dice and added. tomato may be substituted for the onion if preferred and no fat used. strain through a hair sieve, and serve the clear liquid after boiling up. . sago soup. ozs. sago, qts. stock, juice of lemon. wash the sago and soak it for hour. put it in a saucepan with the lemon juice and stock, and stew for hour. . tomato soup. qt. water or white stock, lb. tomatoes. slice the tomatoes, and simmer very gently in the water until tender. rub through a sieve. boil up and serve. . vegetable stock. to qts. water allow pint lentils, or rather less than pint haricots. in addition allow carrot, turnip, onion, and / head of celery. clean apple peelings and cores, and any fresh vegetable cuttings may also be added with advantage. for white stock, use the white haricot beans, rice, or macaroni in place of lentils or brown haricots. soak the pulse overnight, and simmer with the vegetables for hours. any stock not used should be emptied out of the stock pot, and boiled up afresh each day. iii.--savoury dishes. the recipes following are intended to be used as substitutes for meat, fish, etc. the body needs for its sustenance water, mineral salts, [footnote: i allude to mineral salts as found in the vegetable kingdom, not to the manufactured salts, like the ordinary table salt, etc., which are simply poisons when taken as food.] fats and oils, carbo-hydrates (starch and sugar), and proteids (the flesh and muscle-forming elements). all vegetable foods (in their natural state) contain all these elements, and, at a pinch, human life might be supported on any one of them. i say "at a pinch" because if the nuts, cereals and pulses were ruled out of the dietary, it would, for most people, be deficient in fat and proteid. wholewheat, according to a physiologist whose work is one of the standard books on the subject, is a perfectly-proportioned, complete food. hence it is possible to live entirely on good bread and water. nuts are the best substitute for flesh meat. next in order come the pulses. after these come wholewheat and unpolished rice. both nuts and pulses contain, like flesh meat, a large quantity of proteid in a concentrated form. no one needs more than / lb. per day, at most, of either. (eggs, of course, are a good meat substitute, so far as the percentage of proteid is concerned.) . almonds, roasted. take any quantity of shelled almonds and blanch by pouring boiling water on them. the skins can then be easily removed. lay the blanched almonds on a tin, and bake to a pale yellow colour. on no account let them brown, as this develops irritating properties. to be eaten with vegetable stews and pies. (that is, with any stew or pie which contains neither nuts nor pulse.) . chestnuts, boiled. an excellent dish for children and persons with weak digestive powers. the chestnuts need not be peeled or pricked, but merely well covered with cold water and brought to the boil, after which they should boil for a good half hour. drain off the water and serve hot. they may also be boiled, peeled, mashed and eaten with hot milk. . chestnut savoury. boil for minutes. shell. fry in a very little nut fat for minutes. barely cover with water, and stew gently until tender. when done, add some chopped parsley and thicken with chestnut flour or fine wholemeal. for those who prefer it, milk and dairy butter may be substituted for the water and nut fat. . chestnut pie. lb. chestnuts, / lb. tomatoes, short crust. boil the chestnuts for half an hour. shell. skin the tomatoes and cut in slices. well grease a small pie-dish, put in the chestnuts and tomatoes in alternate layers. cover with short crust (pastry recipe no. ) and bake until a pale brown. serve with parsley, tomato, or white sauce. . chestnut rissoles. lb. chestnuts, tablespoon chopped parsley, cornflour and water or egg. boil the chestnuts for half an hour. shell, and well mash with a fork. add the parsley. dissolve tablespoon cornflour in tablespoon water. use as much of this as required to moisten the chestnut, and mix it to a stiff paste. shape into firm, round, rather flat rissoles, roll in white flour, and fry in deep oil or fat to a golden brown colour. serve with parsley or tomato sauce. for those who take eggs, the rissoles may be moistened and bound with a beaten egg instead of the cornflour and water. they may also be rolled in egg and bread-crumbs after flouring. . haricot beans, boiled. / pint beans, oz. butter, water, teaspoon lemon juice. the small white or brown haricots should be used for this dish. wash well, and soak overnight in the water. in the morning put in a saucepan in the same water and bring to the boil. simmer slowly for hours. when done they mash readily and look floury. drain off any water not absorbed. add the butter and lemon juice, and shake over the fire until hot. serve with parsley or white sauce. . haricot rissoles. / pint haricots, oz. butter, medium onion, water, teaspoon lemon juice, teaspoon mixed herbs, or tablespoon chopped parsley. cook the haricots as in preceding recipe. mash well with a fork, add the onion finely grated, and the parsley or herbs. (this may be omitted if preferred.) form into firm, round, rather flat rissoles. roll in white flour. fry in deep oil or fat to a golden brown colour. serve with tomato sauce, brown gravy, or parsley sauce. . lentils, stewed. cup lentils, - / cups water, butter (size of walnut), teaspoon lemon juice. use either the red egyptian, or the green german lentils. wash well in several waters, drain, and put to soak overnight in the water. use this same water for cooking. cook very slowly until the lentils are soft and dry. they should just absorb the quantity of water given. (if cooked too quickly it may be necessary to add a little more.) a little thyme or herb powder may be cooked with the lentils, if liked. when done, drain off any superfluous water, add the butter and the lemon juice, shake over the fire until hot. serve with baked potatoes and tomato sauce. . lentil paste. / pint red lentils, / pint bread-crumbs, ozs. butter or - / oz. nutter, teaspoons lemon juice, / a nutmeg. well wash the lentils and place on the fire with just enough water to cover them. simmer gently until quite soft. add the butter, lemon juice, nutmeg, and bread-crumbs. stir well, heat to boiling point, and cook for minutes. put in jars, and when cold pour some melted butter or nutter on the top. tomato juice may be used in place of the lemon juice if preferred. . lentil and leek pie. cups lentils, small leeks, cups water, short crust. put the lentils, water, and leeks, finely shredded, into a covered jar or basin. bake in a slow oven until done. put into a greased pie-dish and cover with short crust. (if lentils are very dry, add a little more water.) bake. serve with boiled potatoes, brown gravy, and any vegetable in season, except spinach or artichokes. . lentil rissoles. teacup red lentils, teacups bread-crumbs, or teacup kornules, cornflour or egg, - / teacups water, medium-sized onions, grated lemon rind, teaspoons mixed herbs. cook the lentils slowly in a saucepan with the water until they are soft and dry. steam the onions. if kornules are used, add as much boiling water to them as they will only just absorb. if bread-crumbs are used, do not moisten them. add the grated yellow part of the lemon rind and the herbs. mix all the ingredients well together and slightly moisten with rather less than a tablespoonful of water in which is dissolved a teaspoonful of raw cornflour. this is important, as it takes the place of egg for binding purposes. shape into round, flat rissoles, roll in white flour, and fry in boiling oil or fat until a golden-brown colour. a beaten egg may be used for binding in place of the cornflour, and the rissoles may be dipped in egg and rolled in breadcrumbs before frying. serve hot with brown gravy or tomato sauce. or cold with salad. . macaroni and tomato. / lb. macaroni, oz. butter, / lb. tomatoes, parsley. use the best quality of macaroni. the smaller kinds are the most convenient as they cook more quickly. spargetti is a favourite kind with most cooks. break the macaroni into small pieces and drop it into fast boiling water. cook with the lid off until quite tender. be particular about this, as underdone macaroni is not a pleasant dish. (with a little practise the cook will be able to calculate how much water is needed for it all to be absorbed by the time the macaroni is done.) when done, drain well, add the butter, and shake over the fire until hot. while the macaroni is cooking, skin the tomatoes, break in halves, and put into a tightly-covered saucepan. (do not add water.) set at the side of the stove to cook very slowly. they should never boil. when reduced to pulp they are done. pile the macaroni in the middle of a rather deep dish, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. pour the tomato round and serve. . mushroom and tomato. many food reformers consider mushrooms to be unwholesome, and indeed, in the ordinary way, they are best left alone. but if they can be obtained quite fresh, and are not the forced, highly-manured kinds, i do not think they are injurious. but the very large variety, commonly called horse mushrooms, should not be eaten. peel and stalk the mushrooms. examine them carefully for maggots. fry in just enough nutter to prevent them sticking to the pan. cook until quite tender. pile on a warm, deep dish. slice the tomatoes and fry in the same pan, taking care not to add more nutter than is absolutely necessary. when tender, arrange the tomato slices round and on the mushrooms. pour a tablespoonful or more, according to the amount cooked, of hot water into the pan. stir well and boil up. pour the gravy formed over the mushrooms, and serve. . nut cookery. for nut-cookery, a nut mill or food chopper of some kind is necessary. a tiny food chopper, which can be regulated to chop finely or coarsely as required, may be bought for s. at most food-reform stores. it also has an attachment which macerates the nuts so as to produce "nut butter." the larger size at s. is the more convenient for ordinary use. if only one machine can be afforded, the food chopper should be the one chosen, as it can also be used for vegetables, breadcrumbs, etc. the nut-mill proper flakes the nuts, it will not macerate them, and is useful for nuts only. but flaked nuts are a welcome and pretty addition to fruit salads, stewed fruits, etc. if the nuts to be milled or ground clog the machine, put them in a warm oven until they just begin to change colour. then let them cool, and they will be found crisp and easy to work. but avoid doing this if possible, as it dries up the valuable nut oil. . nut roast. breakfast cups bread-crumbs, medium spanish onions, or tomatoes, breakfast cups ground nuts, nutter. any shelled nuts may be used for this roast. some prefer one kind only; others like them mixed. almonds, pine-kernels, new brazil nuts, and new walnuts are nice alone. old hazel nuts and walnuts are nicer mixed with pine-kernels. a good mixture is one consisting of equal quantities of blanched almonds, walnuts, hazel nuts, and pine-kernels; where strict economy is a consideration, peanuts may be used. put a few of each kind alternately into the food chopper and grind until you have enough to fill two cups. mix with the same quantity breadcrumbs. grate the onions, discard all tough pieces, using the soft pulp and juice only with which to mix the nuts and crumbs to a very stiff paste. if onions are disliked, skin and mash two tomatoes for the same purpose. or one onion and one tomato may be used. well grease a pie-dish, fill it with the mixture, spread a few pieces of nutter (or butter) on the top, and bake until brown. _another method_.--for those who use eggs, the mixing may be done with a well-beaten egg. the mixture may also be formed into an oblong roast, greased, and baked on a tin. serve with brown gravy or tomato sauce. . nut rissoles. make a stiff mixture as for nut roast, add a tablespoonful savoury herbs if liked. form into small, flat rissoles, roll them in white flour, and fry in deep fat or oil. serve hot with gravy, or cold with salad. . nut paste. a nourishing paste for sandwiches is made by macerating pine-kernels with the "nut butter" attachment of the food chopper, and flavouring with a little fresh tomato juice. this must be used the same day as made as it will not keep. _another method_.--put equal quantities of pea-nuts and pine-kernels into a warm oven until the latter just begin to colour. the skins of the pea-nuts will now be found to rub easily off. put the mixed nuts through the macerator and mix to a stiff paste with some tomato juice. put in a saucepan and heat to boiling point. pour melted butter over top. this may be kept until the next day, but no longer. . nut and lentil roast and rissoles. proceed as for nut roast or rissoles, but use cold stewed lentils (see recipe) in the place of bread-crumbs. . pine kernels, roasted. put on a tin in a warm oven, bake until a very pale golden colour. on no account brown. serve with vegetable stew. . rice, boiled. cup unpolished rice, cups water. put the rice on in cold water, and bring it gradually to the boil. boil hard for minutes, stirring once or twice. draw it to the side of the stove, where it is comparatively cool, or, if a gas stove is used, put the saucepan on an asbestos mat and turn the gas as low as possible. the water should now gradually steam away, leaving the rice dry and well cooked. serve plain or with curry. . rice, savoury. cook rice as in foregoing recipe. fry a small, finely-chopped onion in very little fat. add this to the cooked rice with butter the size of a walnut, and a pinch of savoury herbs. shake over the fire until hot. serve with peeled baked potatoes and baked tomatoes. . rice and egg fritters. mix any quantity of cold boiled rice with some chopped parsley and well-beaten egg. beat the mixture well, form into small fritters, roll in egg and bread-crumbs or white flour, and fry to a golden brown. serve with egg sauce. . toad-in-the-hole. grease a pie-dish. put in it or small firm tomatoes, or some small peeled mushrooms. make a batter as for yorkshire pudding and pour over. bake until golden brown. . vegetable marrow, stuffed. medium marrow, ozs. butter or - / oz. nutter, dessertspoon sage, medium onions, tablespoons bread-crumbs, tablespoon milk or water. chop the onion small and mix with the bread-crumbs, sage, and milk or water. peel the marrow and scoop out the pith and pips. (cut it in halves to do this, or, better still, if possible cut off one end and scoop out inside with a long knife.) tie the two halves together with clean string. stuff the marrow and bake for minutes on a well-greased tin. lay some of the nutter on top and baste frequently until done. it should brown well. serve with brown gravy or white sauce. . vegetable marrow and nut roast. make a paste as for nut roast (see recipe). peel marrow, scoop out the inside, and stuff. bake from minutes to an hour in a hot oven. baste frequently. . vegetarian irish stew. lb. tomatoes, small spanish onions, medium potatoes, oz. nutter or butter, small carrots or parsnips, or cup fresh green peas. a saucepan with a close-fitting lid, and, if a gas stove is used, an asbestos mat (price - / d. at any ironmongers) is needed for this stew. skin the tomatoes, peel and quarter the onions, and put them into the saucepan with the nutter and shut down the lid tightly. if a gas or oil flame is used, turn it as low as possible. put the asbestos mat over this and stand the saucepan upon it. at the end of hour the onions should be gently stewing in a sea of juice. add the potatoes now (peeled and cut in halves). also the peas, if in season. cook for another hour. if carrot or parsnip is the extra vegetable used, cut into quarters and put in with the onions. when done, the onions are quite soft, and the potatoes, etc., just as if they had been cooked in a steamer. note that the onions and tomatoes must be actually stewing when the potatoes are put in, as the latter cook in the steam arising from the former. consequently, they should be laid on top of the onions, etc., not mixed with them. if cooked on the kitchen range, a little longer time may be needed, according to the state of the fire. never try to cook quickly, or the juice will dry up and burn. the slow heat is the most important point. . vegetable pie. cook the vegetables according to recipe for vegetable stew. when cold put in a pie-dish (gravy and all) and cover with short crust. bake for half an hour. if preferred, the vegetables may be covered with cold mashed potatoes in place of pie-crust. top with a few small pieces of nutter, and bake until brown. . vegetable stew. carrot, turnip, potato, parsnip, jerusalem artichokes, onions, tomatoes, teaspoon lemon juice, nutter size of small walnut. scrub and scrape the carrot, turnip, parsnip and artichokes. peel the potato and onions. shred the onions and put them into a stew-pan with the nutter. shake over the fire, and fry until brown, but do not burn or the flavour of the stew will be completely spoilt. cut the carrot and parsnip and potato into quarters, the artichokes into halves, and put into the stew-pan with the onions. barely cover with water. bring to the boil and stew very gently until tender. skin the tomatoes, break in halves, and cook slowly to a pulp in a separate pan. add these, with the lemon juice, to the stew, and slightly thicken with a little wholemeal flour just before serving. iv.--casserole cookery. casserole is the french word for stew-pan. but "casserole cookery" is a phrase used to denote cookery in earthenware pots. it commends itself especially to food-reformers, as the slow cookery renders the food more digestible, and the earthenware pots are easier to keep clean than the ordinary saucepan. the food is served up in the pot in which it is cooked, this being simply placed on a dish. a large pudding-basin covered with a plate may be used in default of anything better. a clean white serviette is generally pinned round this before it comes to table. various attractive-looking brown crocks are sold for the purpose. but anyone who possesses the old-fashioned "beef-tea" jar needs nothing else. it is important to ensure that a new casserole does not crack the first time of using. to do this put the casserole into a large, clean saucepan, or pail, full of clean cold water. put over a fire or gas ring, and bring slowly to the boil. boil for minutes and then stand aside to cool. do not take the casserole out until the water is cold. . french soup. carrots, turnip, leek, stick celery, / cabbage, bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, qts. water. scrape and cut up carrots and turnip. slice the leek, and cut celery into dice. shred the cabbage. put into the jar with the water, and place in a moderate oven, or on the top of a closed range. if it is necessary to use a gas ring, turn very low and stand jar on an asbestos mat. bring to the boil slowly and then simmer for - / hours. . hot pot. lb. potatoes, carrots, large onion, turnip, / lb. mushrooms or / lb. tomatoes, pint stock or water. wash, peel, and slice thickly the potatoes. wash and scrape and slice the carrots and turnip. skin the tomatoes or mushrooms. put in the jar in alternate layers. moisten with the stock or water. cook as directed in recipe for - / hours after it first begins to simmer. . stewed apples. take hard, red apples. wash, but do not peel or core. put in jar with cold water to reach half way up the apples. cover closely and put in moderate oven for hours after it begins to simmer. at end of hour, add sugar to taste. . vegetable stew. - / lbs. (when prepared and cut up) of mixed seasonable vegetables, including, whenever possible, tomatoes, celery and spinach; one tablespoonful of water. cut up the moist, juicy vegetables such as celery, spinach, onions and tomatoes, place them with the water in a casserole, put lid on and slowly cook for about one hour until enough juice is extracted to safely add the rest of the cut-up vegetables. the whole should now be placed in a slightly greater heat and simmered until the last added vegetables are quite tender. the mixture should be stirred occasionally with a wooden spoon. v.--curries. i do not recommend the use of curries. many food-reformers eschew them altogether. but they are sometimes useful for the entertainment of meat-eating friends, or to tide over the attack of meat-craving which sometimes besets the vegetarian beginner. of course there are curries and curries. cheap curry powders are very much hotter than those of a better quality. when buying curry powder it is best to go to a high-class grocer and get the smallest possible tin of the best he keeps. it will last for years. those who prefer to make their own curry powder may try dr. kitchener's recipe as follows:-- . curry powder. ozs. coriander seed, - / ozs. tumeric, oz. black pepper, / oz. lesser cardamoms, / oz. cinnamon, / oz. cumin seed. put the ingredients into a cool oven and let them remain there all night. next day pound them thoroughly in a marble mortar, and rub through a sieve. put the powder into a well-corked bottle. a spice machine may be used instead of the mortar, but in that case the tumeric should be obtained ready powdered, as it is so hard that it is apt to break the machine. the various ingredients are generally only to be obtained from a large wholesale druggist. . egg curry. large onion, dessertspoon curry powder, oz. butter or nutter, hard-boiled eggs, dessertspoon tomato pulp, teacup water. shred the onion, put it in the stew-pan with the butter, sprinkle the curry powder over, and fry gently until quite brown. shell the eggs and cut them in halves. add the eggs, the tomato pulp, and the water. stir well, and simmer until the liquid is reduced to one-half. this will take about minutes. serve with plain boiled unpolished rice. . german lentil curry. use the ingredients given, and proceed exactly the same as for egg curry. but in place of eggs, take breakfastcup of cold cooked german lentils (see recipe for cooking lentils). use also teacups water in place of the , and only / oz. butter or nutter. . vegetable curry. use the ingredients given and proceed the same as for german lentil curry, using any cold steamed vegetables in season. the best curry, according to an indian authority, is one made of potatoes, artichokes, carrots, pumpkin and tomatoes. _note_.--a writer in cassell's dictionary of cookery says:--"a spoonful of cocoanut kernel dried and powdered gives a delicious flavour to a curry, as does also acid apple." vi.--vegetables. never eat boiled vegetables. no one ever hears of a flesh-eater boiling his staple article of diet and throwing away the liquor. on the contrary, when he does indulge in boiled meat, the liquor is regarded as a valuable asset, and is used as a basis for soup. but his meat is generally conservatively cooked--that is, it is baked, roasted, or grilled, so that the juices are retained. if he has to choose between throwing away the meat or the water in which it has been boiled, he keeps the liquor--witness "beef-tea." for some unknown reason he does not often treat his vegetables in the same way, and suffers thereby the loss of much valuable food material. the vegetarian--being avowedly a thinker and a pioneer--would, it might be imagined, treat what is now one of his staple articles of diet at least as carefully as the out-of-date flesh-eater. but no! for the most part, his vegetables are boiled, and when the best part of the food constituents and all the flavour have been extracted, he dines off a mass of indigestible fibre--mere waste matter--and allows the "broth" to be thrown down the sink, with the consequence that many vegetarians are pale, flabby individuals who succumb to the slightest strain, and suffer from chronic dyspepsia. the remedy is simple. treat vegetables as you used to treat meat. bake or stew them in their own juice. (see recipe for vegetarian irish stew.) at the least, steam them. a little of the valuable vegetable salts are lost in the steaming, but not much. better still, use a double boilerette. a very little water is put into the inner pan and soon becomes steam, so that by the time the vegetable is cooked it has all disappeared. no exact time can be given for cooking vegetables, as this varies with age and freshness. the younger--always supposing it has just come to maturity--and fresher the vegetable, the quicker it cooks. it should not be forgotten that orthodox cooks put all green and root vegetables, except potatoes, to cook in _boiling_ water. this rule should not be neglected when steaming vegetables--the water should be fast boiling. i will conclude with a few remarks about preparing greens, cauliflowers, etc. the general practice is to soak them in cold salted water with the idea of drawing out and killing any insects. but this often results in killing the insects, especially if much salt is used, before "drawing them out." a better plan is to put the trimmed cabbage or cauliflower head downwards into _warm_ water for about half an hour. as i trim brussels sprouts i throw them into a pan of warm water, and the insects crawl out and sink to the bottom of the pan. it is astonishing how many one finds at the bottom of a pan of warm water in which sprouts are soaked. . artichoke, jerusalem. steam until tender, or bake with a small piece of nutter on each artichoke until brown. serve with tomato or white sauce. . asparagus. tie in a bundle and stand in a deep saucepan with the stalks in water, so that the shoots are steamed. serve with melted butter or white sauce. . beetroot. bake or steam. it will take from to hours, according to size. . broad beans. steam until tender, but do not spoil by overcooking. serve with parsley sauce. . broccoli. this is a rather coarser variety of cauliflower. cook in the same way as the latter. . brussels sprouts. these should be steamed for not more than minutes. they are generally spoiled by overcooking. serve plain or with onion sauce. . cabbage. steam. put in vegetable dish, chop well, and add a small piece of butter. . carrot. steam until tender. serve whole or mashed with butter. . cauliflower. steam. this may be done in a large saucepan if a steamer is not available. support the cauliflower on a pudding basin or meat stand--anything which will raise it just above the level of the water. serve with white sauce or tomato sauce. . celery. stew. choose a small head of celery, not a large, coarse head which will be tough. well wash and cut into about pieces. (keep any large coarse sticks, if such are unavoidably present, for soup.) put in stew-pan and barely cover with water. simmer until tender. lift out on to hot dish. thicken the liquor with a little wholemeal flour, add a small piece of butter pour this sauce over celery, and serve. . celeriac. this is a large, hard white root, somewhat resembling a turnip in appearance, with a slight celery flavour. it is generally only stocked by "high-class" greengrocers. it costs from - / d. to d., according to size. it is nicest cut in slices and fried in fat or oil until a golden brown. . cucumber. although not generally cooked, this is very good steamed, and served with white sauce. . green peas. do not spoil these by overcooking. steam in a double boilerette, if possible. about minutes is long enough. . leeks. cut off green leaves rather close to the white part. wash well. steam about minutes. serve with white sauce. . nettles. the young tops of nettles in early spring are delicious. later they are not so palatable. pick the nettles in gloves. grasp them firmly, and wash well. put a small piece of butter or nutter with a little pounded thyme into the saucepan with the nettles. press well down and cook very slowly. a very little water may be added if desired, but if the cooking is done slowly, this will not be needed. when quite tender, dish up on a layer of bread-crumbs, taking care to lose none of the juice. this dish somewhat resembles spinach, which should be cooked in the same fashion, but without the butter and thyme. . onions. if onions are peeled in the open air they will not affect the eyes. only the spanish onions are pleasant as a vegetable. the english onion is too strong for most people. steam medium-sized onions from mins. to hour. serve with white sauce, flavoured with a very little mace or nutmeg, if liked. for baked onions, first steam for minutes and then bake for minutes. put nutter or butter on each onion. cook until brown. onions for frying should be sliced and floured. fry for or minutes in very little fat. this is best done in a covered stew-pan. drain on kitchen paper. . parsnips. steam. cold steamed parsnips are nice fried. sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. . potatoes. scrub well and steam, either with or without peeling. if peeled, this should be done very thinly, as the greater part of the valuable potash salts lie just under the skin. baked.--moderate-sized potatoes take from to minutes. if peeled before baking, cut in halves and put on a greased tin with a little nut-fat or butter on each. chips.--cut into long chips and try in deep oil or fat. a frying-basket and stew-pan are the most convenient utensils, but they take a great deal of fat. a frying-pan and egg-slice will answer the same purpose for small quantities. success depends upon getting the fat the right temperature. it must be remembered that fat and oil do not bubble when they boil. they bubble just before boiling. as soon as they become quite still they boil. a very faint blue smoke now arises. when the fat actually smokes, it is burning and spoilt. if the chips are put in wet, or before the fat boils, they will be sodden and spoilt. a tiny piece of bread may be first put in to test. if this "fizzles" well, the fat is ready. when the chips are golden brown, lift them out with a slice and lay them on paper to drain. then put in vegetable dish and serve quickly. they are spoilt if allowed to cool. mashed.--old potatoes are best mashed after steaming. they should be well beaten with a fork, and a little butter and milk, or nut-butter added. sautÉ.--take cold steamed potatoes and cut into slices. melt a small piece of fat or butter in a pan, and, when hot, put in potatoes. sprinkle with chopped parsley. shake over fire until brown. to use cold potatoes.--chop in small pieces. melt a very little fat in a pan. put in potatoes, and as they get warm mash with a fork, and press down hard on the pan. do not stir. at the end of minutes the under side should be brown. turn out in a roll and serve. . bubble and squeak. mix cold mashed potatoes with any kind of cold green vegetable. heat in a frying-pan with a little butter or fat. . radishes. these are generally eaten raw, but are nice steamed. . sea kale. steam, and serve with white sauce. . scarlet runners and french beans. string, slice thinly, and steam. . spinach. see nettles. . swedes. these are delicious steamed and mashed with butter. . tomatoes. these are generally grilled, fried or baked. to fry, cut in slices and flour. use only just enough fat. bake with or without fat. medium-sized tomatoes take about mins. stuffed.--cut a slice off the top like a lid. scoop out the pulp and mix to a stiff paste with bread-crumbs, a little finely-chopped onion, and a pinch of savoury herbs. fill tomatoes with the mixture, put on the lids, and bake in a tin with a little water at the bottom. . turnip. steam and serve plain, or mash with butter. . vegetable marrow. steam without peeling if they are very young. otherwise, peel. vii.--gravies and sauces. . brown gravy. fry a chopped onion in a very little nutter until a dark brown. (do not burn, or the flavour of the gravy will be spoilt.) drain off the fat and add / pint water. boil until the water is brown. strain. return to saucepan and add flavouring to taste. a teaspoon of lemon juice and a tomato, skinned and cooked to pulp, are good additions. or any vegetable stock may be used instead of the water. thick.--if thick gravy be desired, mix a dessertspoonful wholemeal flour with a little cold water. add the boiling stock to this. return to saucepan and boil for minutes. add a small piece of butter just before serving. _another method_.--add a little "browning" (see recipe) to any vegetable stock. thicken. . egg sauce. make a white sauce (see recipe). boil an egg for minutes, shell, chop finely, and add to the sauce. . parsley sauce. make a white sauce (see recipe). but if the use of milk be objected to, make the sauce of water and wholemeal flour. allow tablespoon finely-chopped parsley to each / pint of sauce. add to the sauce, and boil up. add a small piece of butter or nut-butter just before serving. . sweet lemon sauce. ozs. lump sugar, large lemon. rub the lemon rind well with the sugar. put the sugar into a saucepan with as much water as it will just absorb. boil to a clear syrup. add the lemon juice. make hot, but do not boil. . tomato sauce. pour boiling water on the tomatoes, allow to stand for minute, after which the skins may be easily removed. break the tomatoes (do not cut) and put into a closely-covered saucepan. put on one side of the range, or an asbestos mat over a very low gas ring, and allow to cook slowly to pulp. serve. this simple recipe makes the most delicious sauce for those who appreciate the undiluted flavour of the tomato. but a good sauce may be made by allowing teacup water or carrot stock to each teacup of pulp, boiling up and thickening with wholemeal flour. a little butter may be added just before serving. . white sauce. allow level dessertspoon cornflour to / pint milk. mix the cornflour with a very little cold water in a basin. pour the boiling milk into this, stirring all the time. return to saucepan and boil minutes. add a small piece of butter just before serving. . browning, for gravies and sauces. put ozs. lump sugar in saucepan with as much water as it will just absorb. boil to a clear syrup, and then simmer very gently, stirring all the time, until it is a very dark brown, almost black. it must not burn or the flavour will be spoilt. then add a pint of water, boil for a few minutes. put into a tightly-corked bottle and use as required. viii.--egg cookery. many vegetarians discard the use of eggs and milk for principle's sake, but the majority still find them necessary as a half-way house. but no eggs at all are infinitely to be preferred to any but real new-laid eggs. the commercial "cooking-egg" is an unwholesome abomination. . boiled eggs for invalids. put the egg on in cold water. as soon as it boils take the saucepan off the fire and stand on one side for minutes. at the end of this time the egg will be found to be very lightly, but thoroughly, cooked. . buttered eggs. eggs, tablespoon milk, / oz. fresh butter. beat up the eggs and add the milk. melt the butter in a small stew-pan. when hot, pour in the eggs and stir until they begin to set. have ready some buttered toast. pile on eggs and serve. . egg on tomato. egg, medium tomatoes, butter. skin the tomatoes. break into halves and put them, with a very small piece of butter, into a small stew-pan. close tightly, and cook slowly until reduced to a pulp. break the egg into a cup and slide gently on to the tomato. put on the stew-pan lid. the egg will poach in the steam arising from the tomato. . devilled eggs. boil eggs for minutes. remove shells. cut in halves and take out the yolks. well mash yolks with a very little fresh butter, melted, and curry powder to taste. stuff the whites with the mixture, join halves together, and arrange in a dish of watercress. . scrambled egg and tomato. skin the tomatoes and cook to pulp as in the preceding recipe. beat the egg and stir it in to the hot tomato. cook until just beginning to set. . omelet, plain. whisk the egg or eggs lightly to a froth. put enough butter in the frying-pan to just cover when melted. when this is hot, pour the eggs into it, and stir gently with a wooden spoon until it begins to set. fold over and serve. . savoury omelet. eggs, tablespoons milk, / teaspoon finely-chopped parsley or mixed herbs, / a very small onion (finely minced), teaspoon fresh butter. put butter in the omelet pan. beat the eggs to a fine froth, stir in the milk and parsley, and pour into the hot pan. stir quickly to prevent sticking. as soon as it sets, fold over and serve. . sweet omelet. proceed as in recipe for savoury omelet, but substitute a dessertspoon castor sugar for the onion and parsley. when set, put warm jam in the middle. fold over and serve. . soufflÉ omelet. eggs, dessertspoon castor sugar, grated yellow part of rind of / lemon, butter. separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs. beat the yolks and add sugar and lemon. whisk the whites to a stiff froth. mix very gently with the yolks. pour into hot buttered pan. fold over and serve when set. put jam in middle or not, as preferred. ix.--pastry, sweet puddings, &c. . pastry. pastry should usually be made with a very fine wholemeal flour, such as the "nu-era." there are times, however, when concessions to guests, etc., demand the use of white flour. in such an event, use a good brand of household flour. the more refined the kind, the less nutriment it contains. never add baking-powders of any kind. the secret of making good pastry lies in lightly mixing with a cool hand. if a spoon must be used, let it be a wooden one. roll in one direction only, away from the person. if you must give a backward roll, let it be only once. above all, roll lightly and little. the quicker the pastry is made the better. . puff paste. / lb. fresh-butter or ozs. mapleton's nutter, yolk of egg or teaspoon lemon juice, / lb. flour. if butter is used, wrap it in a clean cloth and squeeze well to get rid of water. beat the yolk of egg slightly. put the flour on the paste board in a heap. make a hole in the centre and put in the yolk of egg or lemon juice, and about tablespoon of water. the amount of water will vary slightly according to the kind of flour, and less will be required if egg is used instead of lemon juice, but add enough to make a rather stiff paste. mix lightly with the fingers and knead until the paste is nice and workable. but do it quickly! next, roll out the paste to about / inch thickness. put all the butter or nutter in the centre of this paste and wrap it up neatly therein. stand in a cool place for minutes. next, roll it out once, and fold it over, roll it out again and fold it over. do this lightly. put it away again for minutes. repeat this seven times! (i do not think many food-reformers will have the time or inclination to repeat the above performance often. speaking for myself, i have only done it once. but as no instructions about pastry are supposed to be complete without a recipe for puff-paste, i include it.) it is now ready for use. do not forget to keep the board and pin well floured, or the pastry will stick. if wholemeal flour is used, it is well to have white flour for the board and pin. see also that the nutter is the same consistency as ordinary butter when kept in a medium temperature. if too hard, it must be cut up and slightly warmed. if oily, it must be cooled by standing tin in very cold water. . short crust. / lb. flour, ozs. nutter or butter. rub the nutter or butter lightly into the flour. add enough cold water to make a fairly stiff paste. roll it out to a / inch thickness. it is now ready for use. . apple charlotte. apples, castor sugar, grated lemon rind, butter or nutter, bread-crumbs or granose flakes. bread-crumbs make the more substantial, granose flakes the more dainty, charlotte. use juicy apples. "mealy" apples make a bad charlotte. if they must be used, a tablespoon or more, according to size, of water must be poured over the charlotte. peel, core, and slice apples. grease a pie-dish. put in a thin layer of crumbs. on this dot a few small pieces nutter. over this put a generous layer of chopped apple. sprinkle with sugar and grated lemon rind. repeat the process until the dish is full. top with crumbs. bake from minutes to half an hour. when done, turn out on to dish, being careful not to break. sprinkle a little castor sugar over. serve hot or cold. boiled custard may be served with it. . apple dumplings. peel and core some good cooking apples, but keep them whole. if you have no apple-corer, take out as much of the core as possible with a pointed knife-blade. fill the hole with sugar and a clove. make short paste and cut into squares. fold neatly round and over apple. bake from to minutes. if preferred boiled, tie each dumpling loosely in a cloth, put into boiling water and cook from minutes to hour. . apple and tapioca. / pint tapioca, lb. apples, pint water, sugar, lemon peel. soak the tapioca in the water overnight. peel and core the apples, cut into quarters, stew, and put in a pie-dish. sprinkle with sugar to taste, and the grated yellow part of a fresh lemon rind. mix in the soaked tapioca and water. bake about hour. serve cold, with or without boiled custard. . batter pudding. eggs, teacup flour, milk. well whisk the eggs. sprinkle in the flour a spoonful at a time. stir gently. when the batter becomes too thick to stir, thin it with a little milk. then add more flour until it is again too thick, and again thin with the milk. proceed in this way until all the flour is added, and then add sufficient milk to bring the batter to the consistency of rather thick cream. have ready a very hot greased tin, pour in and bake in a hot oven until golden brown. by mixing in the way indicated above, a batter perfectly free from lumps is easily obtained. . bombay pudding. cook a heaped tablespoon of semolina in / pint of milk to a stiff paste. spread it on a plate to cool. (smooth it neatly with a knife). when quite cold, cut it into four. dip in a beaten egg and fry brown. serve hot with lemon sauce. this may also be served as a savoury dish with parsley sauce. the quantity given above is sufficient for two people. . bread and fruit pudding. line a pudding-basin with slices of bread from which the crust has been removed. take care to fit the slices together as closely and neatly as possible. stew any juicy fruit in season with sugar to taste. do not add water. (blackcurrants or raspberries and redcurrants are best for this dish.) when done, fill up the basin with the boiling fruit. top with slices of bread fitted well in. leave until cold. turn out and serve. . blanc mange, agar-agar. / oz. prepared agar-agar, - / pints milk, sugar, flavouring. soak a vanilla pod, cinnamon stick, or strip of fresh lemon rind in the cold milk until flavoured to taste. add sugar to taste. put in a saucepan with the agar-agar, and simmer until dissolved (about minutes). pour through a hot strainer into wet mould. turn out when cold. . chocolate jelly. / oz. prepared agar-agar, sticks chocolate, - / pints milk, tablespoon sugar, vanilla flavouring. soak a vanilla pod in the cold milk for hours. soak the agar-agar in cold water for half an hour. squeeze water out and pull to pieces. put it into saucepan with gill milk and / gill water. stand on one side of stove and let simmer very gently until quite dissolved. meanwhile, dissolve chocolate in rest of milk, adding the sugar. pour the agar-agar into the boiling chocolate through a hot strainer. this is necessary as there is generally a little tough scum on the liquid. (if put through a cold strainer, the agar-agar will set as it goes through.) when jelly is quite cold, turn out and serve. . cornflour shape. stew some juicy plums or apples slowly to a pulp with sugar to taste. if apples are used, add cloves or a little grated lemon rind for flavouring. to every pint of fruit pulp allow a level tablespoon of cornflour. dissolve the cornflour in a little cold water and stir into the boiling apple. boil for minutes, stirring all the time. pour into a wet mould. turn out and serve when cold. . custard, boiled. pint milk, eggs, tablespoon castor sugar, flavouring. put some thin strips of the yellow part of a lemon rind, or a vanilla pod, in the cold milk. allow to stand hour or more. then take out the peel, add the sugar, and put over the fire in a double saucepan, if possible. bring to the boil. beat the eggs. take the milk off the fire, let it stop boiling, and pour it slowly into the eggs, beating all the time. put back into the saucepan over a slow fire and stir until the mixture thickens (about minutes). . custard, hogan. qt. milk, eggs, lumps sugar, large tablespoon cornflour. flavour milk as in boiled custard. put nearly all the milk and all the sugar into a -pint jug and stand in a saucepan of boiling water. while this is heating beat the eggs in one basin, and mix the cornflour with the remainder of the milk in another. add the eggs to hot milk, stirring all the time, and finally add the cornflour. stir until the mixture thickens (about minutes). . date pudding. this recipe is inserted especially for those who object to the use of manufactured sugar. / lb. "ixion" plain wholemeal biscuits, / lb. dates, ozs. nutter, heaped tablespoon wholemeal flour, grated rind of lemons, water. grind the biscuits to flour in the food-chopper. wash, stone, and chop the dates. grate off the yellow part of the lemon rinds. rub the nutter into the biscuit-powder. add dates, lemon peel, and flour. mix with enough water to make a paste stiff enough for the spoon to just stand up in alone. be very particular about this, as the tendency is to add rather too little than too much water, owing to the biscuit-powder absorbing it more slowly. put into a greased pudding-basin or mould. steam or boil for hours. "ixion kornules" may be used instead of the biscuits, if preferred. they save the labour of grinding, but they need soaking for an hour in cold water before using. well squeeze, add the other ingredients, and moisten with the water squeezed from the kornules. _another method_.--use the recipe for plum pudding, leaving out all the dried fruit, almonds and sugar, substituting in their place lb. dates or figs. . fig pudding. use the recipe for date pudding, substituting for the dates washed chopped figs. . jam roll, boiled. make a short crust, roll out, spread with home-made jam, roll up, carefully fastening ends, and tie loosely in a floured pudding-cloth. put into fast-boiling water and boil for hour. . jam roll, baked. mix the paste for the crust just a little stiffer than for the boiled pudding. spread with jam and roll up. bake on a greased tin for half-an-hour. . milk puddings. nearly every housewife makes milk puddings, but only one in a hundred can make them properly. when cooked, the grains should be quite soft and encased with a rich thick cream. failure to produce this result simply indicates that the pudding has been cooked too quickly, or that the proportion of grain to milk is too large. allow level tablespoons, not a grain more, of cereal (rice, sago, semolina, tapioca) and level tablespoon sugar to every pint of milk. put in a pie-dish with a vanilla pod or some strips of lemon rind, and stand for an hour in a warm place, on the hob for example. then take out the pod or peel and put into a fairly hot oven. as soon as the pudding boils, stir it well, and move to a cooler part of the oven. it should now cook very slowly for hours. . jelly, orange. juicy oranges, lemon, ozs. lump sugar, water, / oz. prepared agar-agar. rub the skins of the oranges and lemons well with some of the lumps of sugar, and squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemon. soak the agar-agar in cold water for half an hour and then thoroughly squeeze. warm in gill of water until dissolved. put the fruit juice, agar-agar, and enough water to make the liquid up to - / pints, into a saucepan. bring to the boil. pour through a hot strainer into a wet mould. turn out when cold. if difficult to turn out, stand the mould in a basin of warm water for or seconds. . jelly, raspberry & currant. lb. raspberries, / lb. currants, ozs. sugar, / oz. prepared agar-agar, / pint water. soak agar-agar as for orange jelly. cook fruit with / pint water until well done. strain through muslin. warm the agar-agar until dissolved in gill of water. put the fruit juice, sugar, and agar-agar into a saucepan. if liquid measures less than - / pints, add enough water to make up quantity. bring to the boil, pour through a hot strainer into wet mould. turn out when cold and serve. . mincemeat. / lb. raisins, / lb. sultanas, / lb. currants, / lb. castor sugar, / lb. nutter, / a nutmeg, grated rind of lemons, - / lb. apples. well wash all the dried fruit in warm water, and allow to dry thoroughly before using. stone the raisins, pick the sultanas, and rub the currants in a cloth to remove stalks. wash and core the apples, but do not peel them. put all the fruit and apple through a fine food-chopper. add the sugar, grated lemon rind, and nutmeg. lastly, melt the nutter and add. stir the mixture well, put it into clean jars, and tie down with parchment covers until needed for mince pies. . nut pastry. flake brazil nuts or pine-kernels in a nut mill, or chop very finely by hand. do not put them through the food-chopper, as this pulps them together, and the pudding will be heavy. allow heaped cup of flaked nuts to level cups of flour. mix to a paste with cold water. roll out very lightly. cover with chopped apple and sugar, or apples and sultanas, or jam. roll up. tie loosely in a floured pudding-cloth. put into fast-boiling water and boil for hour. . plain pudding. lb. flour, ozs. nutter, a full / pint water. rub the nutter very lightly into the flour, or chop like suet and mix in. add the water gradually, and mix well. put into a pudding-basin, and boil or steam for hours. turn out and serve with golden syrup, lemon sauce or jam. . plum pudding, christmas. / lb. raisins, / lb. sultanas, / lb. currants, / lb. cane sugar, / lb. flour, / lb. sweet almonds, / lb. grated carrot, / lb. grated apple, / lb. nutter, grated rind of lemons, / a nutmeg. well wash the raisins, sultanas and currants in hot water. don't imagine that this will deprive them of their goodness. the latter is all inside the skin. what comes off from the outside is dirt, and a mixture of syrup and water through which they have been passed to improve their appearance. rub the currants in a cloth to get off the stalks, pick the stalks from the sultanas, and stone the raisins. put the currants and sultanas in a basin, just barely cover them with water, cover them with a plate, and put into a warm oven--until they have fully swollen, when the water should be all absorbed. (currants treated in this way will not disagree with the most delicate child. they are abominations if not so treated.) rub the nutter into the flour, or chop it as you would suet. blanch the almonds by steeping them in boiling water for a few minutes: the skins may then be easily removed; chop very finely, or put through a mincer. wash, core, and mince (but do not peel) the apples. grate off the yellow part of the lemon rind. mince or grate the carrots. mix together the flour, nutter, sugar, lemon rind, almonds and nutmeg. then add the raisins, sultanas and currants. lastly, add the grated carrot and apple, taking care not to lose any of the juice. don't add any other moisture. if the directions have been exactly followed, it will be moist enough. put it into pudding-basins or tin moulds greased with nutter, and boil or steam for hours. . railway pudding. eggs, oz. butter, ozs. flour, ozs. castor sugar, tablespoons milk. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. beat the yolks, and add to sugar and butter. add the flour, and lastly, stir in the whites, whisked to a froth, very gently. have ready a hot, greased tin, pour in the mixture quickly, and bake in a very hot oven from to minutes. warm some jam in a small saucepan. slip the pudding out of the tin on to a paper sprinkled with castor sugar. spread with jam quickly and roll up. serve hot or cold. . sago shape. ozs. small sago, sugar to taste, - / pints water, or water and fruit juice. wash the sago. soak it for hours. strain off the water. add to the strainings enough water or the juice from stewed fruit to make - / pints liquid. sweeten if necessary, but if the juice from stewed fruit is used it will probably be sweet enough. this dish is spoiled if made too sweet. put the sago and - / pints liquid into a saucepan and stew for minutes. now add the stewed fruit which you deprived of its juice, stir well, pour into a wet mould, and serve cold. made with water only, and flavoured with a very little sugar and lemon peel, it may be served with stewed fruit. . summer pudding. put a layer of sponge cake at the bottom of a glass dish. cut up a tinned pine-apple (get the pine-apple chunks if possible) and fill dish, first pouring a little of the juice over the cake. melt a very little agar-agar in the rest of the juice. (allow half the / oz. to a pint of juice.) pour over the mixture. serve when cold. . treacle pudding. line a pudding-basin with short crust. mix together in another basin some good cane golden syrup, enough bread-crumbs to thicken it, and some grated lemon rind. put a layer of this mixture at the bottom of the pudding-basin, cover with a layer of pastry, follow with a layer of the mixture, and so on, until the basin is full. top with a layer of pastry, tie on a floured pudding-cloth, and boil or steam for hours. . trifle, simple. put a layer of sponge cake at the bottom of a glass dish. better still, use sections of good home-made jam sandwich. pour hot boiled custard on to this until the cake is barely covered. blanch some sweet almonds, and cut into strips. stick these into the top of the cake until it somewhat resembles the back of a hedgehog! serve when cold. x.--cakes and biscuits. cakes need a hot oven for the first half-hour. if possible, they should not be moved from one shelf to another, but the oven should be cooled gradually by opening the ventilators or lowering the gas. a moderate oven is needed to finish the cooking. all fruit cakes (unless weighing less than lb.) need to be baked from - / to hours. the larger the cake the slower should be the baking. the cake tins should be lined with greased paper. if a gas oven is used, stand the cake tin on a sand tin (see cold water bread). if the cake becomes sufficiently brown on top before it is cooked through, cover with a greased paper to prevent burning. to test if done, dip a clean knife into hot water. thrust it gently down the centre of cake. if done, the knife will come out clean and bright. . cake mixture. / lb. butter, / lb. castor sugar, ozs. flour, eggs. half butter and half nutter gives just as good results and is more economical. beat together the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs to a stiff froth and add. stir in the flour gently. mix well. add a little milk if mixture is too stiff. this makes a madeira cake. for other varieties, mix with the flour dessertspoon caraway seeds for seed cake; tablespoons desiccated cocoanut for cocoanut cake; ozs. candied cherries chopped in halves for cherry cake; ozs. sultanas and the grated rind of lemon for sultana cake; the grated yellow part of lemon rinds for lemon cake. . small cakes. take small eggs and half quantities of the ingredients given for the cake mixture. add the grated rind of half a lemon for flavouring. grease a tin for small cakes with depressions. put a spoonful of the mixture in each depression. bake for minutes in a hot oven. . cocoanut biscuits. / lb. desiccated cocoanut, / lb. sugar, small eggs. proceed as for macaroons, but make the cakes smaller. bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. . "corn wine and oil" cakes. lb. wholemeal flour, / lb. raisins, tablespoons walnut oil, / pint water. this recipe was especially concocted for non-users of milk and eggs. stir the oil well into the flour. add the washed and stoned raisins (or seedless raisins, or sultanas). mix to a dough with the water. divide dough into two portions. roll out, form into rounds, and cut each round into small scones. bake in a hot oven for half an hour. . currant sandwich. ozs. butter, lb. flour, / lb. cane sugar, currants. mix flour and sugar, and rub in the butter. mix with water to plastic dough. divide dough into two cakes, inch in thickness. cover one evenly with currants, lay the other on top, and roll out to the thickness of one-third of an inch. cut into sections, and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. . apple sandwich. make a short crust (see recipe). well grease some shallow jam sandwich tins. roll out the paste very thin and line with it the tins. peel, core, and finely chop some good, juicy apples. spread well all over the paste. sprinkle with castor sugar and grated lemon rind. cover with another layer of thin paste. bake for about minutes in a hot oven. when done, take carefully out of the tin to cool. cut into wedges, sprinkle with castor sugar, and pile on a plate. . fancy biscuits. ozs. flour, ozs. butter, or ozs. butter and egg, ozs. cane sugar, flavouring. flavouring may consist of lemon rind, desiccated cocoanut, cooked currants, carraway seed, mace, ginger, etc. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add flavouring and flour. mix with the beaten egg, if used; it not, treat like the lemon short cake. roll out, cut into shapes, and bake about minutes. . ginger nuts. / lb. nutter, / lb. sugar, pint molasses or golden syrup, / oz. ground cloves and all-spice mixed, tablespoons cinnamon, flour to form dough. beat the nutter and sugar together; add the molasses, spice, etc., and just enough flour to form a plastic dough. knead well, roll out, cut into small biscuits, and bake on oiled or floured tins in a very moderate oven. . jam sandwich. mix ingredients and prepare jam sandwich tins as for sponge cake (see recipe). pour mixture in tins and bake for about minutes in a hot oven. take out, spread one round with warmed jam, place the other on top, and cut when cold. . lemon short cake. lb. flour, ozs. nutter, / lb. sugar, rind of lemon. mix together nutter and sugar, add grated lemon rind, work in flour, and knead well. press into sheets about / in. thick. prick all over. bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. an easy way of baking for the inexpert cook who may find it difficult to avoid breaking the sheets, is to well grease a shallow jam-sandwich tin, sprinkle it well with castor sugar, as for sponge cakes, and press the short cake into it, well smoothing the top with a knife, and, lastly, pricking it. ii. macaroons. ozs. sweet almonds, ozs. castor sugar, eggs. blanch the almonds and flake them in a nut mill. whisk the eggs to a stiff froth adding the sugar a teaspoonful at a time. add the almonds, and stir lightly. drop the mixture, a dessertspoon at a time, on to well-oiled paper, or, better still, rice-paper. shape with a knife into small cakes and put the half of a blanched almond into the centre of each. bake in a moderate oven. . sponge cake. take the weight of two eggs in castor sugar and flour. for a richer cake take the weight of two eggs in sugar and the weight of one only in flour. well grease the cake-tin, and sprinkle with castor sugar until thoroughly covered, and shake out any that remains loose. well whisk the eggs with a coiled wire beater. they must be quite stiff when done. add the sugar, a teaspoon at a time, while whisking. or separate the yolks and whites, beating the yolks and sugar together and whisking the whites on a plate with a knife before adding to the yolks. lastly, dredge in the flour. stir lightly, but do not beat, or the eggs will go down. pour mixture into tin, and bake about one hour in a moderate oven. . sultana scones. oz. cane sugar, ozs. nutter, lb. flour, / lb. sultanas, a short / pint water. mix the flour and sugar; rub in the nutter; add sultanas; make it into a dough with the water; roll out about / in. thick; form into scones; bake in a moderate oven. . sussex cake. lb. flour, ozs. nutter, / lb. sultanas, / lb. castor sugar, grated lemon rind. this cake is included especially for the non-users of milk and eggs. of course it does not turn out quite like the orthodox cake; some people might even call it "puddeny," but it is not by any means unlike the substantial household cake if the directions are minutely followed and the baking well done. but if any attempt is made to make it rich, disaster follows, and it becomes as heavy as the proverbial lead. made as follows, however, i am told it is quite common in some country places:--beat the nutter and sugar to a cream. upon the amount of air incorporated during this beating depends the lightness of the cake. beat the flour into the creamed nutter. now add enough water to make cake of a consistency to not quite drop off the spoon. put the mixture into a greased hot qr. qtn. tin. put in a very hot oven until nicely brown. this will take from minutes to half an hour. cover top with greased paper, and allow oven to get slightly cooler. the baking will take from - / to hours. xi.--jam, marmalade, &c. jam simply consists of fresh fruit boiled with a half to two-thirds its weight of white cane sugar until the mixture jellies. nearly every housekeeper has her own recipe for jam. one that i know of uses a whole pound of sugar to a pound of fruit and boils it for nearly two hours. the result is a very stiff, sweet jam, much more like shop jam than home-made jam. its only recommendation is that it will keep for an unlimited time. some recipes include water. but unless distilled water can be procured, it is better not to dilute the fruit. the only advantage gained is an increase of bulk. the jam may be made just as liquid by using rather less sugar in proportion to the fruit. a delicious jam is made by allowing / lb. sugar to every pound of fruit and cooking for half an hour from the time it first begins to boil. but unless this is poured immediately into clean, hot, dry jars, and tied down very tightly with parchment covers, it will not keep. nevertheless, too much sugar spoils the flavour of the fruit, and too long boiling spoils the quality of the sugar. a copper or thick enamelled iron pan is needed. the best recipe for ordinary use allows / lb. sugar to each pound fruit. put the fruit in the pan with a little of the sugar, and when this boils, add the rest. boil rather quickly for an hour. keep well skimmed. pour into hot, dry jars, and cover. . fruit nut filling. for small, open tarts, the following mixture is a good substitute for the lemon curd that goes to make cheese cakes. peel, core and quarter some juicy apples. put in a double saucepan (or covered jar) with some strips of lemon peel (yellow part only) and cane sugar to taste. cook slowly to a pulp and, when cold, remove the lemon rind. grate finely, or mill some brazil nuts. mix apple pulp and ground nut together in such proportions as to make a mixture of the consistency of stiff jam. fill tarts with mixture and sprinkle top with ground nut. it must be used the same day as made. . jam without sugar. to every pound of fresh fruit allow / lb. dates. wash the fruit, put it in the preserving pan, and heat slowly, stirring well to draw out the juice. wash and stone the dates. add to the fruit, and simmer very gently for minutes. put immediately into clean, hot, dry jars, and tie on parchment covers at once. . lemon curd. lb. lump sugar, lemons (the rinds of grated), yolks of eggs, / lb. butter. put the butter into a clean saucepan; melt, but do not let it boil. add the sugar, and stir until it is dissolved. then add the beaten yolks, and, lastly, the grated lemon rind and juice. stir over a slow fire until the mixture looks like honey and becomes thick. put into jars, cover, and tie down as for jam. . marmalade. to large seville orange (if small, count as ) allow / lb. cane sugar and / pint water. wash and brush oranges, remove pips, cut peel into fine shreds (better still, put through a mincer). put all to soak in the water for hours. boil until rinds are soft. stand another hours. add the sugar, and boil until marmalade jellies. if preferred, half sweet and half seville oranges may be used. . vegetable marrow jam. peel the marrow, remove seeds, and cut into dice. to each pound of marrow allow lb. cane sugar; to every lbs. of marrow allow the juice and grated yellow part of rind of lemon and / a level teaspoon ground ginger. put the marrow into the preserving pan, sprinkle well with some of the sugar, and stand for hours. add the rest of the sugar, and boil slowly for hours. add the lemon juice, rind, and ginger at the end of - / hours. xii.--salads, beverages, &c. . salad. lettuce, tomatoes, mustard and cress, cucumber, olive or walnut oil, lemon juice. wash the green stuff and finely shred it. peel the cucumber, skin the tomatoes (if ripe, the skins will come away easily) and cut into thin slices. place in the bowl in alternate layers. let the top layer be lettuce with a few slices of tomato for garnishing. slices of hard-boiled egg may be added if desired. for the salad dressing, to every tablespoonful of oil allow of lemon juice. drip the oil slowly into the lemon juice, beating with a fork all the time. pour over the salad. . salad. beetroot, mustard and cress, olive or walnut oil, lemon juice, cold vegetables. chop the cold vegetables. french beans and potatoes make the nicest salad. to every cups of vegetables allow cup of chopped beetroot. mix well together, and pour over salad dressing as for no. . a level teaspoonful of pepper is added to a gill of the dressing by those who do not object to its use. . fruit salad. take sweet, ripe oranges, apples, bananas, and grapes. peel the oranges, quarter them, and remove skin and pips. peel and core the apples and cut into thin slices. wash and dry the grapes, and remove from stalks. skin and slice the bananas. put the prepared fruit into a glass dish in alternate layers. squeeze the juice from sweet oranges and pour over the salad. any other fresh fruit in season may be used for this salad. castor sugar may be sprinkled over if desired, and cream used in place of the juice. grated nuts are also a welcome addition. . lemon cordial. lemons, lb. lump sugar. put the sugar into a clean saucepan. grate off the yellow part of the rinds of lemons and sprinkle over the sugar. now moisten the sugar with as much water as it will absorb. boil gently to a clear syrup. add the juice from the lemons, stir well, and pour into clean, hot, dry bottles. cork tightly and cover with sealing-wax or a little plaster-of-paris mixed with water and laid on quickly. add any quantity preferred to cold or hot water to prepare beverage, or use neat as sauce for puddings. . lime cordial. the same as for lemon, but use limes. . orange cordial. the same as for lemon, but use / lb. sugar. a detailed list of fruit and herb teas will be found in the companion volume to this, "food remedies." . wallace cheese. qt. milk, tablespoons lemon juice. strain the lemon juice and pour it into the boiling milk. lay a piece of fine, well-scalded muslin over a colander. pour the curdled milk into this. when it has drained draw the edges of the muslin together and squeeze and press the cheese. leave it in the muslin in the colander, with a weight on it for hours. it will then be ready to serve. this cheese is almost tasteless, and many people prefer it so. but if the flavour of lemon is liked, use more lemon juice. the whey squeezed from the cheese is a wholesome drink when quite fresh. xiii.--extra recipes. . barley water. dessert spoon robinson's "patent" barley, / a lemon, lumps cane sugar. rub the lumps of sugar on the lemon until they are bright yellow in colour and quite wet. (it is the fragrant juice contained in the yellow surface of the lemon rind that gives the delicious lemon flavour without acidity.) mix the barley to a thin paste with a little cold water. this is poured into a pint of boiling water, well stirred until it comes to the boil again and then left to boil for five minutes, after which it is done. add the sugar and lemon juice. . boiled hominy. take one part of hominy and - / parts of water. have the water boiling; add the hominy and boil for fifteen minutes; keep stirring to keep from burning. . brown gravy. dessert-spoon butter, dessert-spoon white flour, hot water. melt the butter in a small iron saucepan or frying pan and sprinkle into it the flour. keep stirring gently with a wooden spoon until the flour is a rich dark brown, but not burnt, or the flavour will be spoilt. then add very gently, stirring well all the time, rather less than half-a-pint of hot water. stir until the mixture boils, when it should be a smooth brown gravy to which any flavouring may be added. strained tomato pulp is a nice addition, but a teaspoonful of lemon juice will suffice. . buttered rice and peas. cup unpolished rice, cups water, cups fresh-shelled peas, tablespoon finely chopped parsley, teaspoon lemon juice, butter size of walnut. put the rice on in the water and bring gradually to the boil. boil hard for five minutes, stirring once or twice. draw it to side of stove, where it is comparatively cool, or, if a gas stove is used, put the saucepan on an asbestos mat and turn the gas as low as possible. the water should now gradually steam away, leaving the rice dry and well cooked. steam the peas in a separate pan. if young, about minutes should be sufficient; they are spoiled by over-cooking. add the cooked peas to the cooked rice, with the butter, parsley, and lemon juice. stir over the fire until the mixture is thoroughly hot. serve with or without tomato sauce and new potatoes. . convalescents' soup. small head celery, large onion, carrot, turnip, tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley, p.r. barley malt meal, mapleton's or p.r. almond or pine-kernel cream, pints boiling water. well wash the vegetables and slice them, and add them with the parsley to the boiling water. (the water should be distilled, if possible, and the cooking done in a large earthenware jar or casserole. see notes _re_ casseroles in chap. iv.) simmer gently for hours, or until quite soft. then strain through a hair sieve. do not rub the vegetables through the sieve to make a purée, simply strain and press all the juices out. the vegetable juices are all wanted, but not the fibre. to each pint of this vegetable broth allow heaped tablespoon barley malt meal, tablespoon nut cream, and / lb. tomatoes. mix the meal to a thin paste with some of the cooled broth (from the pint). put the rest of the pint in a saucepan or casserole and bring to the boil. add the meal and boil for minutes. break up the tomatoes and cook slowly to a pulp (without water). rub through a sieve. (the skin and pips are not to be forced through.) add this pulp to the soup. lastly mix the nut-cream to a thin cream by dripping slowly a little water or cool broth into it, stirring hard with a teaspoon all the time. add this to the soup, re-heat, but do _not_ boil, serve. this soup is rather irksome to make, but is intensely nourishing and easy of digestion. the pine-kernel cream is the more digestible of the two creams. care should be taken not to _cook_ these nut creams. if the soup is for an invalid care should also be taken that, while getting all the valuable vegetable juices, no skin or pips, etc., are included. the vegetable broth may be prepared a day in advance, but it will not keep for three days except in very cold weather. (when it is desired to keep soup it should be brought to the boil with the lid of the stockpot or casserole on, and put away without the lid being removed or the contents stirred.) . fine oatmeal biscuits. ozs. flour, - / ozs. robinson's "patent" groats, ozs. castor sugar, ozs. butter, eggs. cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, then the flour and groats, which should be mixed together. roll out thin and cut out with a cutter. bake in a moderate oven until a light colour. . fine oatmeal gruel. heaped tablespoon robinson's "patent" groats, pint milk or water. mix the groats with a wineglassful of cold water, gradually added, into a smooth paste, pour this into a stew-pan containing nearly a pint of boiling water or milk, stir the gruel on the fire (while it boils) for ten minutes. . macaroni cheese. / lb. macaroni, - / ozs. cheese, / pint milk, teaspoon flour, butter, pepper. the curled macaroni is the best among the ordinary kinds. better still, however, is the macaroni made with fine wholemeal flour which is stocked by some food-reform stores. parmesan cheese is nicest for this dish. stale cheese spoils it. wash the macaroni. put it into fast-boiling water and keep boiling until _very_ tender. drain off the water and replace it with the / pint of milk. bring to the boil and stir in the flour mixed to a thin paste with cold milk or water. simmer for minutes. grate the cheese finely. butter a shallow pie-dish. put the thickened milk and macaroni in alternate layers with the grated cheese. dust each layer with pepper, if liked. top with grated cheese. put some small pieces of butter on top of the grated cheese. put in a very hot oven until nicely browned. . manhu health cake. / lb. butter, / lb. castor sugar, / lb. manhu flour, oz. rice flour, ozs. crystallised ginger, eggs. cream butter and sugar, adding eggs, two at once, not beaten. beat each time after adding eggs, add rice flour, ginger, and lastly flour. bake in moderate oven. . manhu hominy pudding. - / teacupfuls of boiled hominy (see below), pint or less of sweet milk, / teacupful of sugar, eggs (well beaten), teacupful of raisins, spice to taste. mix together and bake twenty minutes in a moderately hot oven. serve hot with cream and sugar or sauce. . parkin. ozs. butter, ozs. moist sugar, ozs. best treacle, / lb. medium oatmeal, / lb. flour, / oz. powdered ginger, grated rind of lemon. some people prefer the addition of carraway seeds to lemon rind. if these are used a level teaspoonful will be sufficient for the quantities given above. the old-fashioned black treacle is almost obsolete now, and is replaced commercially by golden syrup, many brands of which are very pale and of little flavour. to make successful parkin a good brand of pure cane syrup is needed. i always use "glebe." this is generally only stocked by a few "high-class " grocers or large stores, but it is worth the trouble of getting. some food reform stores stock molasses, and this was probably used for the original parkin. it is strongly flavoured and blacker than black treacle, but its taste is not unpleasant. for the sugar, a good brown moist cane sugar, like barbados, is best. put the treacle and butter (or nutter) into a jar and put into a warm oven until the butter is dissolved. then stir in the sugar. mix together the oatmeal, flour, ginger and seeds or lemon rind. pour the treacle, etc., into this, and mix to a paste. roll out lightly on a well-floured board to a / inch thickness. bake in a well-greased flat tin for about minutes, in a rather slow oven. to test if done, dip a skewer into boiling water, wipe, and thrust into the parkin; if it comes out clean the latter is done. cut into squares, take out of tin, and allow to cool. . protose cutlets. lb. minced protose, lb. plain boiled rice, small grated onion, / teaspoon sage. mix the ingredients with a little milk; shape into cutlets, using uncooked macaroni for the bone, and bake in a moderate oven about minutes. . protose salad. breakfast-cupful protose cubes, / breakfast cup minced celery, hard-boiled egg, small radishes, juice of lemons. cut protose into cubes, chop the hard-boiled egg, slice the radishes. add to the minced celery. pour over these ingredients the lemon juice and allow the mixture to stand for one hour. serve upon fresh crisp lettuce. . risotto. / lb. rice, / lb. cheese, large onions. slice and fry the onions in a stew-pan in a little fat; when brown, add - / pints water and the rice. let it cook about an hour, and then add the grated cheese. this dish may be varied with tomatoes when in season. . royal nut roast. / lb. pine kernels, medium-sized tomatoes, medium onion, new-laid eggs. wash, dry and pick over the pine kernels and put them through the macerating machine. skin and well mash the tomatoes. grate finely the onion. mix all together and beat to a smooth batter. whisk the eggs to a stiff froth and add to the mixture. pour into a greased pie-dish. bake in a moderate oven until a golden-brown colour. it should "rise" like a cake. it may be eaten warm with brown gravy or tomato sauce, or cold with salad. . stewed nuttolene. slice one half-pound nuttolene into a baking dish, adding water enough to cover nicely. place it in the oven, and let it bake for an hour. a piece of celery may be added to give flavour, or a little mint. when done, thicken the water with a little flour, and serve. . welsh rarebit. cheese, butter, bread, pepper. cut thin slices of cheese and put them with a little butter into a saucepan. when well melted pour over hot well-buttered toast. dust with pepper. put into a very hot oven for a few minutes and serve. . yeast bread. lbs. flour, salt to taste (about / ounce), ounce yeast, - / quarts of warm water. put the flour into a pan or large basin, add salt to taste, and mix it well in. put the yeast with a lump of sugar into a small basin, and pour a little of the _warm_ water on to if. cold or hot water kills the yeast. leave this a little while until the yeast bubbles, then smooth out all lumps and pour into a hole made in the middle of the flour. pour in the rest of the warm water, and begin to stir in the flour. now begin kneading the dough, and knead until the whole is smooth and damp, and leaves the hand without sticking, which will take about to minutes. time spent in kneading is not wasted. set the pan in a warm place, covered with a clean cloth. be careful not to put the pan where it can get too hot. the fender is a good place, but to the side of the fire rather than in front. let it rise at least an hour, but should it not have risen very much--say double the size--let it stand longer, as the bread cannot be light if the dough has not risen sufficiently. now have a baking-board well floured, and turn all the dough on to it. have tins or earthenware pans, or even pie-dishes well greased. divide the dough, putting enough to half fill the pans or tins. put these on the fender to rise again for to minutes, then bake in a hot oven, about degrees (a little hotter than for pastry). bake (for a loaf about lbs. in a moderate oven) from to minutes. of course the time depends greatly on the size of the loaves and the heat of the oven. the above recipe produces the ordinary white loaf. better bread would, in my opinion, result from the use of a very fine wholemeal flour such as the "nu-era," and the omission of salt. xiv.--unfired food. the true unfired feeder is an ideal, _i.e.,_ he exists only in idea, at least so far as my experience goes! to be truly consistent the unfired feeder should live entirely on raw foods--fruit, nuts and salads. but most unfired feeders utilise heat to a slight extent, although they do not actually cook the food. in addition, most of them use various breadstuffs and biscuits which, of course, are cooked food. "unfired" bread is sold by some health food stores, and is a preparation of wheat which has been treated and softened by a gentle heat. cereals should never be eaten with fruit, but may be eaten with salads and cheese. the mid-day meal of the unfired feeder should consist of nuts or cheese and a large plate of well-chopped salad with some kind of dressing over it; olive oil and lemon-juice or one of the nut-oils and lemon-juice. orange-juice or raw carrot-juice may be used if preferred. when extra nourishment is desired a well-beaten raw egg may be mixed with the dressing. fresh cream may also be used as dressing. fruit is best taken at the evening meal, from - / to lbs. nothing should be taken with it except a little nut-cream or fresh cream and white of egg. distilled water is a great asset to the unfired feeder, because it softens dried fruits so much better than hard water. it can be manufactured at home, or the "still salutaris" bought through a chemist or grocer. the "still salutaris" water is about / per gallon jar. if the water is distilled at home, a "gem" still will be needed. (the gem supplies co., ltd., , southwark street, london s.e.). it is best to use this over a gas ring or "primus" oil stove. the cost of the water comes out at about one penny per gallon, according to the cost of the fuel used. distilled water should never be put into metal saucepans or kettles, as it is a very powerful solvent. a small enamelled kettle or saucepan should be used for heating it, and it should be stored in glass or earthenware vessels only. it should not be kept for more than a month, and should always be kept carefully covered. for salads it is not necessary to depend entirely upon the usual salad vegetables, such as lettuce, endive, watercress, mustard and cress. the very finely shredded hearts of raw brussel sprouts are excellent, and even the heart of a savoy cabbage. then the finely chopped inside sticks of a tender head of celery are very good. also young spinach leaves, dandelion leaves, sorrel and young nasturtium leaves. the root vegetables should also be added in their season, raw carrot, turnip, beet, onion and leek, all finely grated. a taste for all the above-mentioned vegetables, eaten raw, is not acquired all at once. it is best to begin by making the salad of the ingredients usually preferred and mixing in a small quantity of one or two of the new ingredients. for those who find salads very difficult to digest, it is best to begin with french or cabbage lettuce and skinned tomatoes only, or, as an alternative, a saucerful of watercress chopped very finely, as one chops parsley. . cottage cheese. allow the juice of two medium-sized lemons to quart of milk. put the milk and strained lemon-juice into an enamelled pan or fireproof casserole and place over a gas ring or oil stove with the flame turned very low. warm the milk, but do not allow it to boil. when the milk has curdled properly the curds are collected together, forming an "island" surrounded by the whey, which should be a clear liquid. lay a piece of cheese-cloth over a colander and pour into it the curds and whey. gather together the edges of the cloth and hang up the curds to drain for at least thirty minutes. then return to the colander (still in cloth) and put a small plate or saucer (with a weight on top) on the cheese. it should be left under pressure for at least one hour. this cheese will keep two days in cold weather, but must be made fresh every day in warm weather. the milk used should be some hours old, as quite new milk will not curdle. the juice from one lemon at a time should be put into the milk, as the staler the milk the less juice will be needed. _too much_ juice will prevent curdling as effectually as too little. this cheese is greatly improved by the addition of fresh cream. allow two tablespoonsful of cream to the cheese from one quart of milk. mash the cheese with a fork and lightly beat the cream into it. _note_. cheese-cloth, sometimes known as cream-cloth, may be bought at most large drapers' shops at from d. to d. per yard. one yard cuts into four cloths large enough for straining the cheese from one quart of milk. ordinary muslin is not so useful as it is liable to tear. wash in warm water (no soap or soda), then scald well. . dried fruits. these should be well washed in lukewarm water and examined for worms' eggs, etc. then cover with distilled water and let stand for hours or until quite soft and swollen. prunes, figs, and raisins are all nice treated in this way. . egg cream. tablespoons fresh cream, the white of egg. put the white of egg on to a plate and beat to a stiff froth with the flat of a knife. (a palette knife is the best.) then beat the cream into it. this makes a nourishing dressing for either vegetable salad or fruit salad. especially suitable for invalids and persons of weak digestion. . pine-kernel cheese. wash the kernels and dry well in a clean cloth. spread out on the cloth and carefully pick over for bad kernels or bits of hard shell. put through the macerator of the nut-butter mill. well mix with the beaten pulp of a raw tomato (first plunge it into boiling water for a few minutes, after which the skin is easily removed). raw carrot juice, or any other vegetable or fruit juice pulp may also be used. . raw carrot juice. well scrub a medium sized carrot and grate it to a pulp on an ordinary tinned bread grater. put the pulp into a cheese cloth and squeeze out the juice into a cup. . twice baked bread. cut moderately thin slices of white bread. put into a moderate oven and bake until a golden colour. granose biscuits warmed in the oven until crisp serve the same purpose as twice-baked bread, _i.e.,_ a cereal food in which the starch has been dextrinised by cooking. but the biscuits being soft and flaky can be enjoyed by those for whom the twice-baked bread would be too hard. xv.--weights and measures and utensils. if possible sieve all flour before measuring, as maggots are _sometimes_ to be found therein; also because tightly-compressed flour naturally measures less than flour which has been well shaken up. lb. = ozs. = teacupsful or breakfastcupsful, closely filled, but not heaped. / lb. = ozs. = breakfastcupful, closely filled, but not heaped. / lb. = ozs. = teacupful, loosely filled. oz. = tablespoonsful, filled level. / oz. = tablespoonful, filled level. / oz. = dessertspoonful, filled level. gills = pint = - / teacupsful, or nearly breakfastcupsful. gill = small teacupful. unbroken eggs weigh about lb. oz. butter = tablespoon heaped as much above the spoon as the spoon rounds underneath. useful utensils. baking dishes.--earthenware are the best. bread grater.--the simple tin grater, price d., grates bread, vegetables, lemon rind, etc. basins.--large for mixing, small for puddings, etc. egg slice.--for dishing up rissoles, etc. egg whisk.--the coiled wire whisk, price d. or d., is the best. food chopper.--see that it has the nut-butter attachment. frying basket and stew-pan to fit. frying and omelet pans.--cast aluminium are the best. gem pans. jars.--earthenware jars for stewing. jugs.--wide-mouthed jugs are easiest to clean. jelly and blanc mange moulds. lemon squeezer.--the glass squeezer is the best. marmalade cutter. nut mill. nutmeg grater. palette knife.--for beating white of egg, scraping basins, etc. paste board and rolling pin. pestle and mortar. preserving pan.--copper or enamelled. raisin seeder. saucepans.--cast aluminium are the best. scales and weights. sieves.--hair and wire. still.--for distilling water. strainers. tins.--cake tin, qr. qtn. tin, vegetable and pastry cutters. xvi.--menus. the menus given below do not follow the conventional lines which ordain that a menu shall include, at least, soup, savoury and sweet dishes. the hardworking housewife can afford neither the time nor the material to serve up so many dishes at one meal; and the wise woman does not desire to spend any more time and material on the needs of the body than will suffice to keep it strong and healthy. lack of space will not allow me to include many menus. i have only attempted to give the barest suggestions for two weeks. but a study of the rest of the book will enable anyone to extend and elaborate them. three meals a day are the most that are necessary, and no woman desires to cook more than once a day. if possible the cooked meal should be the mid-day one. late dinners may be fashionable, but they are not wholesome. if the exigencies of work make the evening meal the principal one, let it be taken as early as possible. warming up. it often happens that while the father of a family needs his dinner when he comes home in the evening, it is necessary to provide a mid-day dinner for the others, especially if children are included. many housewives thus go to the labour of preparing a hot dinner twice a day, but this may be avoided if the following directions are carefully carried out:--prepare the mid-day meal as if the father were at home, and serve him first. put his portion--savoury, vegetables and gravy--in one soup plate, and cover it immediately with another. do the same with the pudding, and put both dishes away in the pantry. a good hour before they are wanted put into a warm oven. (if a gas oven is used, see that there is plenty of hot water in the floor pan.) when quite hot the food should not be in the least dried up. this is ensured by having the oven warm, but not hot, warming up the food slowly, and, in the first place, covering closely with the soup plate while still hot, so that the steam does not escape. i have eaten many dinners saved for me in this way, and should never have known they were not just cooked if i had not been told. of course, a boiled plain pudding or plum pudding can be returned to its basin and steamed and extra gravy saved and reheated in the tureen. sunday and monday. the cook needs a day of rest once a week as well as other people. and this should be on a sunday if possible, so that she may participate in the recreations of the other members of her family. this is more easily attainable in summer than in winter, for in hot weather many persons prefer a cold dinner. but even in winter, soups, vegetable stews, nut roasts, baked fruit pies, and boiled puddings can all be made the day before. they will all reheat without spoiling in the least. monday is the washing-day in many households, and no housewife wants to cook on that day. in flesh-eating households cold meat forms the staple article of diet. the vegetarian housewife cannot do better than prepare a large plain pudding on the saturday, boil it for two hours, put it away in its basin, and boil it two hours again on monday; with what is left over from sunday, this will probably be sufficient for monday's dinner. breakfasts. a sufficient breakfast may consist simply of bread and nut butter, with the addition of an apple or other fresh fruit. a good substitute for tea and coffee is a fruit soup. where porridge and milk are taken, this would probably not be needed. eggs, cooked tomatoes, marmalade, and grated nuts are all welcome additions. high teas. if tea is taken, let it be as weak as possible. do not let it stand for more than three minutes after making, but pour it immediately off from the leaves into another pot. see that the latter is hot. some of the simpler savoury dishes (omelets, etc.) may be taken at this meal if desired. also lentil and nut pastes, salads, wallace cheese, raisin bread, oatcake, sweet cakes and biscuits, jams, etc. dinners. sunday.--hot nut roast and brown gravy; steamed potatoes and cabbage; fruit tart and custard. monday.--cold nut roast and salad; bubble and squeak; plain pudding and golden syrup. tuesday.--haricot rissoles and tomato sauce; baked potatoes; milk pudding and stewed fruit, or apple and tapioca pudding. wednesday.--lentil soup; jam roll. thursday.--lentil soup; fig pudding. friday.--hot pot; roasted pine kernels; steamed potatoes and cauliflowers; railway pudding. saturday. irish stew; boiled rice and stewed prunes. sunday. vegetable stew; batter pudding; steamed potatoes and cauliflower; summer pudding. monday. stewed lentils; baked tomatoes or onions, and sauté potatoes; milk pudding and stewed fruit. tuesday.--stewed celery or other vegetable in season; roasted pine kernels; mashed potatoes; apple dumplings. wednesday.--barley broth; treacle pudding. thursday.--barley broth; bombay pudding. friday.--macaroni and tomatoes; chip potatoes; nut pastry. saturday.--toad-in-the-hole; baked potatoes; jam tart. note. the same soup is indicated on two consecutive days in order to save labour. few persons object to the same dish twice if it is not to be repeated again for some time. and unless the family be very large, it is as easy to make enough soup for two days as for one. index. almonds, roasted apple, charlotte dumpling sandwich and tapioca apples, stewed artichoke asparagus barley broth cream of barley water batter pudding beef tea substitute beet beverages blancmange bombay pudding bread, cold water egg gem hot water raisin shortened twice bated bread and fruit pudding broad beans broccoli biscuits browning for gravies and sauces brussels sprouts bubble and squeak buttered eggs rice and peas cabbage cake mixture cherry cocoanut corn, wine and oil cakes lemon cake, madeira manhu seed short sponge sultana sussex (without eggs) cakes, small carrot juice (raw) casserole cookery cauliflower celeriac celery soup cheese chestnut, boiled pie rissoles savoury soup chocolate jelly cocoanut biscuits cornflour shape "corn, wine and oil" cake cucumber currant sandwich curries curry powder curried eggs german lentils vegetables custard, boiled hogan date pudding devilled eggs distilled water dried fruits egg boiled for invalids egg bread egg, cream buttered curry devilled poached on tomato sauce scrambled with tomato fancy biscuits fig pudding french beans french soup fruit nut filling fruit salad fruit soup gem bread german lentil curry ginger nuts gravy, brown and thick green peas haricot beans, boiled rissoles soup hogan custard hominy, boiled (manhu) pudding hot pot irish stew, vegetarian jam vegetable marrow without sugar roll sandwich jelly, chocolate orange raspberry and currant leek lemon cordial curd sauce short cake lentil and leek pie paste rissoles soup lentils, stewed lime juice cordial macaroni cheese soup and tomato macaroons manhu health cake marmalade meat substitutes menus milk pudding mincemeat mushroom and tomato nettle nut cookery and lentil roast roast, royal paste pastry rissoles roast nuttolene, stewed oatcake oatmeal biscuits gruel omelet, plain savoury sweet soufflé onions, baked--fried--steamed orange cordial jelly parkin parsley sauce parsnips pastry, to make pastry, nut puff short pea soup pine kernels, roasted pine kernel cheese plain pudding plum pudding (christmas) poached eggs on tomato potatoes baked, chips, fried, mashed, sauté, steamed potato soup p.r. soup protose cutlets salad radish railway pudding raisin loaf raspberry and currant jelly rice, boiled and egg fritters savoury buttered and peas risotto sago soup sago shape salad sauce, brown egg lemon parsley tomato white savoury dishes scarlet runner scones, sultana sea kale soup, barley celery chestnut convalescent's soup, french fruit haricot lentil macaroni pea potato p. r. sago tomato vegetable stock spinach stock summer pudding sunday and monday swede tomato sauce soup stuffed toad-in-the-hole turnip treacle pudding trifle unfired food useful utensils vegetable curry marrow stuffed and nut roast pie stew stock vegetables, to cook wallace cheese warming up weights and measures welsh rarebit xmas pudding yeast bread yorkshire pudding (see batter) concerning advertisements. the publisher of the "healthy life cook book" desires to make the advertisement pages as valuable and helpful as the subject-matter of the book. to this end, instead of following the usual plan of first "catching" the advertisement, and then requesting the author of the book to "puff" it, he only solicits advertisements from those firms that the author already deals with and here conscientiously recommends. t. j. bilson & co. i have dealt with this firm for some years with perfect satisfaction. they stock all the goods mentioned in this book, and i should like to draw special attention to their unpolished rice and seedless raisins, both of which are exceptionally good. to those about to invest in a food-chopper i would recommend the /- size. the other is inconveniently small. emprote. emprote and the other proteid foods produced by the eustace miles proteid foods ltd., is a valuable asset to the vegetarian beginner, who too often tries to subsist upon a dietary deficient in assimilable proteid. energen. the energen foods are another very useful asset to the vegetarian suffering from deficiency of proteid in his dietary and those who are unable to digest starchy foods. food reform restaurant. i have often enjoyed meals at the above restaurant. they cater, and cater well, for the ordinary vegetarian, but with a little care in the selection of the menu, abstainers from salt, fermented bread, etc., can also obtain a satisfactory meal. "the healthy life." i cannot "conscientiously" recommend _the healthy life_, as i happen to be one of its editors and therefore might be biassed. i may, however, mention the valuable work contributed to it by dr. knaggs and mr. saxon. "herald of health." this magazine may be said to be the pioneer among "food-reform" papers and i owe to it my own introduction to most of the more advanced ideas about food-reform. it never fails to be interesting and instructive. the home restaurant. the home restaurant is run throughout by women and may therefore be said to represent the women's movement in food-reform! i would especially recommend its homemade cakes and biscuits. mrs. hume--loughtonhurst. i have spent several holidays with mrs. hume and enjoyed them thoroughly. she provides an excellent vegetarian menu and will make unfermented bread and procure distilled water for those food-reformers who desire them. i. h. co. i continually recommend the saltless "granose" as a dextrinised cereal. the international health association is a most useful institution to both extremes of the food reform movement. the unfired feeder enjoys granose biscuit with his salad, while the beginner who thinks longingly of his flesh food is consoled by protose and nuttolene. keen, robinson & co. robinson's barley is excellent for making barley water quickly, and the groats are very much to be preferred to the ordinary loose fine oatmeal which inevitably contains a quantity of dust, and through exposure acquires a bitter taste. robinson's groats is specially prepared oatmeal put up in tins. manhu food co., ltd. the cereal foods of this company are particularly valuable to those whose digestive powers are weak. being rolled or flaked they are very easily cooked. in some of the foods the starch has been changed so that sufferers from diabetes may use them. mapleton's nut foods. their nutter is quite the best vegetable cooking fat on the market. an objection to vegetable cooking fats, often cited by cooks, is their hardness, which makes them difficult to use for pastry. but nutter is as soft as ordinary butter. the nut table butters are also very good, especially the uncoloured varieties labelled "wallaceite." national anti-vaccination league. at first sight it may not seem that anti-vaccination has anything in common with food reform. but anti-vaccination is concerned with healthy living of which pure feeding is a part. the above league is doing a great educational work. pitman health food co. this firm is extremely enterprising and is managed by a most enthusiastic food reformer. the several varieties of their "vegsal" soups are very good and particularly useful to the cook who is pressed for time. salutaris water co., ltd. salutaris water is pure distilled water the use of which is, in my opinion, of very great importance. this subject is discussed at length in my little book "distilled water." g. savage & sons. this firm has done and is doing a special and excellent work for food reform. besides being an up-to-date stores, they are the proprietors of many very good preparations such as then "nu-era" wholemeal flour and unpolished rice, minerva olive oil, powder-o-nuts (rissole mixture), etc. they pay carriage on /- orders and upwards. shearns. the founder of the fruit stores was known as the "fruit king," and the present proprietor maintains the same standard of excellence. in addition he has established a health stores and restaurant. and i am pleased to note that he has made arrangements to supply the special kitchen utensils needed by the food reform cook. wallace p.r. foods. these, although the last on the list, are not the least in point of value. the wallace bakery is the only one in existence which supplies bread, cakes, etc., made with very fine wholemeal flour, and entirely free from yeast and baking powder. the firm also supplies jams, marmalade, etc., made with fruit and cane sugar, and entirely free from preservatives. * * * * * t. j. bilson & co. , gray's inn road, london, w.c. _importers of, and dealers in dried fruits, nuts and colonial produce._ californian dried apricots, peaches, pears. all kinds of dates, figs, etc. nuts of every description, shelled and nut meals, seedless raisins, green german lentils, etc. *the finest food only kept in stock.* agar agar (vegetable gelatine). food choppers. bilson's coker-nut butter, unequalled for cooking purposes. agents for the ida nut mill, which is the best mill ever offered for grinding all kinds of nuts, cheese, etc. *agents for mapleton's and all health food preparations*. * * * * * *don't* make the mistake, which haphazard vegetarians so often do, of simply missing out the meat and taking "the rest." not one in a hundred can thrive on a diet of vegetables, stewed fruit, puddings and bread and butter. begin right and you will make a splendid success. *by far the easiest, safest and best way* is to use "emprote" as the basis, or principal nourishing ingredient, of any dish that replaces meat. "emprote" is a beautifully prepared proteid powder-food, more nourishing than meat and entirely free from all impurities. its uses are almost innumerable, but the chief points are ( ) that it can be used without any preparation at all, if necessary, and ( ) that it has been proved, in thousands of instances, to be a perfectly adequate and very easily digested substitute for flesh-foods of all kinds. it has enabled all sorts of men and women, under all sorts of conditions, to make a splendid success of sensible food reform. supplied by up-to-date health food stores, in tins, s. d. _(n.b.--e.m. popular proteid is similar to emprote, but less concentrated and a little cheaper.)_ write to-day to eustace miles proteid foods ltd. - , chandos st., london, w.c., for free booklet "how to begin," a free sample of "emprote," and complete price list, mentioning _the healthy life cook book_. * * * * * *energen flour with added gluten, rich in proteid body-building elements*. may be used in *any of the recipes in this book for making pastry, puddings, &c.*, for invalids and those requiring a highly nutritious, strength-giving diet. specially recommended in oases of diabetes, gout, rheumatism, obesity, and indigestion. at all stores and chemists, _sole makers_, the therapeutic foods co. , bedford chambers, covent garden, w.c. [illustration: energen foods create strength and energy.] * * * * * the food reform restaurant , and , furnival street, holborn, e.c. (opposite gray's inn road, next door to roneo, ltd.) the largest vegetarian restaurant latest addition: special dining room luncheons and late dinners. special value in teas from . . open from to . saturdays: in winter, in summer. four rooms seating ; one ; one ; to let for afternoon or evening meetings. * * * * * *post free price list of physical regeneration literature*. by c. leigh hunt wallace. f.i.h., f.r.b.s. _editor of "herald of health quarterly."_ (specimen copy sent on application.) physianthropy. the home cure and eradication of disease. pgs. d. cloth s. - / d. salt in its relation to health and disease. pgs, - / d. mary jane's experiences among those vegetarians. pgs. d. cloth, s. - / d. the drink mania, its cause and only cure. pgs. d. history of ideal toilet cream for vegetarians, fruitarians, hygienists, and wallace-ites; also of curative ointments. pgs. price - / d. by joseph wallace. fermentation: the primary cause of disease in man and animals. pgs. - / d. cholera: its prevention and cure, and home nursing of cases. by c. l. h. w, pgs. - / d. the necessity of small pox in nature as an eradicator of disease. its rational scientific treatment. l- / d. by oskar korschelt. _formerly prof. of chem. in the university of tokio, and director of the chem. lab. of geological club in japan_. *the wallace system of cure* in children's diseases and in diphtheria. english translation. _new edit_. editorial introduction and portrait of joseph wallace. pgs. d. *london: the "herald of health" offices, , southampton row, w.c.* * * * * * an object lesson in sensible food reform --that is how one regular customer describes the excellent meals served daily in the quiet, restful, unpretentious, and admirably managed home restaurant , friday street (between cannon street & queen victoria street), london, e.c. three floors now open. * * * * * when in doubt try bournemouth. bournemouth is ideal for change and rest at almost any time of the year. food reformers will find a comfortable home in a most delightful situation, near cliffs, chine and winter gardens at loughtonhurst. liberal table. inclusive terms from /- per week. electric light. massage by qualified masseur. electric light ray bath. station: bournemouth west. telephone: bournemouth. loughtonhurst, _address_: west cliff gardens, bournemouth. mrs. hume, _proprietress_. * * * * * i.h.a. health foods are the very basis of food reform they were the pioneers of the movement in this country and still stand unrivalled _following are a few of our specialities_: *granose* acknowledged to be the most valuable family food of its kind. granose is wheat in the form of crisp, delicate flakes, thoroughly cooked and so rendered highly digestible. while it is given to very young infants with great success it is an all-round family food and is increasing in popularity everywhere. free samples supplied to _bona-fide_ inquirers. *protose* a delicious substitute for meat, guaranteed to be free from all chemical impurities. thoroughly cooked, highly nutritious, and digestible. made entirely from choice nuts and wheat. *avenola* makes superior porridge in one minute: also good as a basis for vegetarian "roasts." children are delighted with it for breakfast. very nourishing. *nuttolene* without doubt the most delicate and tempting substitute for meat pastes. makes excellent sandwiches and is capable of a variety of uses. *health coffee* a wholesome beverage made entirely from cereals. should be used in place of tea and ordinary coffee. *i.h.a. health biscuits* the distinguishing feature of our biscuits is that they are absolutely pure, nourishing and digestible. we make a variety combining wholesomeness with palatableness. everybody who studies his health should become acquainted with our health foods, for they are *manufactured in the interests of health and not merely for profit.* ask your dealer for our complete price list or send direct to the *international health association, ltd. stanborough park, watford, herts.* * * * * * *manhu cereal foods* british manufacture flaked wheat in lb. packets. an appetising breakfast food, quickly cooked, easily assimilated, where digestion is weak, a natural remedy for constipation manhu flour for brown bread more easily digested than ordinary wholemeal. can be baked without kneading. flaked foods in variety. pure wholesome foods for porridge, puddings, etc. very easily cooked. and manhu diabetic foods starch-changed, palatable, inexpensive. supplied at all health food stores. nearest agents with price lists on application. manufactured by the manhu food co., ltd. vauxhall mills, blackstock street, liverpool, , mount pleasant, london, w.c. * * * * * vaccination. some reasons why you should support the national anti-vaccination league. because it works for the abolition of one of the most absurd, yet disgusting, superstitions that has ever plagued mankind. because those who will not take animal flesh into their mouths should not allow animal poisons to be inserted into their blood. because by the abolition of vaccination, the way is made clear for attending to sanitation, and adopting a better way of living. because by doing so you will help to free our soldiers and sailors from the burden of compulsion, which they detest, which frequently causes serious illness, occasionally even death, and hinders recruiting. because as fast as the numbers of those vaccinated in the united kingdom have decreased, the smallpox death rate has fallen. because in the production of vaccine lymph, calves are subjected to severe torture. because the league has no large endowments or government grants. write miss l. loat, _secretary,_ the national anti-vaccination league, , southampton street, strand, london, w.c. * * * * * four good things "pitman" sea-side paste don't mistake it for a high-class fish paste, it being made from the finest products of the vegetable kingdom, of superior flavour and free from preservatives. will keep indefinitely opened or unopened. makes delicious sandwiches.* - / d. per glass. savoury nuto cream fritters an ideal quickly prepared dish in place of meat. appetising, nutritious, sustaining. full directions on cartons. - / d. per / -lb. packet, d. per -lb. packet. nut meat brawn savoury or tomato. a delightful combination of "pitman" nut meats (the outcome of years of research to produce unique, delicately flavoured, well-balanced, and highly nutritious foods, each a perfect substitute for flesh meat), and pure, carefully seasoned vegetable jelly, so blended to make an appetising and nutritious dish. per tin, / -lb., d.; -lb., - . d.: - / -lb., s. d. delicious vegsal soups makes pint of rich nourishing soup for d. made in twelve varieties: asparagus, brown haricot, celery. green pea, lentil, mulligatawny, mushroom, nuto, nuto cream, nutmarto, spinach, vigar. -oz. tin ( pint), d.; -doz. assorted tins in box, s.; -lb. tins, s. d.; -lb, tins, s. d. _ask your stores for them, or_ assorted orders of s. value carriage paid. _from the sole manufacturers_ _pitman health food co., , aston brook street, birmingham. full catalogue of health foods. diet guide, and copy of "aids to the simpler diet," post free, two stamps_. * * * * * the health-giving table water salutaris distilled aerated or still. also-- "ad" brand of distilled water for cooking purposes. made only by the salutaris water co., ltd., , fulham rd., london. * * * * * the supremely digestible wholemeal flour "nu-era" (regd.) the very best wheat the world produces ground between stones to an exceeding fineness so that the resulting meal is free from all irritating properties--and containing the full food-value of the ripened grain. can be used in place of white flour for all purposes, with immense benefits to flavour _and_ to health. supplied only in sealed linen bags containing -lbs. and -lbs. for prices, particulars, and carriage terms, apply to-- _g. savage & sons_, purveyors of pure food, , aldersgate st., london, e.c. _see also our advertisement on opposite page_ [illustration] * * * * * and pg distributed proofreaders woman's institute library of cookery volume two milk, butter, and cheese eggs vegetables womens institute of domestic arts and sciences, inc. preface this volume, which is the second of the woman's institute library of cookery, deals with such essentials of diet as the dairy products--milk, butter, and cheese--the protein food, eggs, and the energy-producing nutrients, vegetables. in _milk, butter, and cheese_, parts and , are explained the place that milk occupies in the diet, its composition, grades, and the dishes for which it is used; the purchase, care, and use of butter and butter substitutes; and the characteristics, care, and varieties of both domestic and imported cheeses, as well as a number of excellent recipes for cheese dishes. a luncheon menu, in which a cheese dish is substituted for meat, is of interest in this connection, for it shows the housewife, early in her studies, not only how to combine dishes to produce a balanced meal, but also how to make up a menu in which meat is not needed. in _eggs_ are discussed the nutritive value of eggs, the ways in which to select, preserve, cook, and serve them, and how to utilize left-over eggs. so many uses have eggs in the diet and so nourishing is this food that too much attention cannot be paid to its preparation. in this lesson, also, is given a breakfast menu to afford practice in preparing several simple dishes usually served in this meal. in _vegetables_, parts and , every variety of vegetable is discussed as to food value, preparation, place in the meal, and proper methods of serving. with such a fund of knowledge, the housewife will be well equipped to give pleasing variety to her meals. in addition to the instruction in these matters, there are a large number of illustrations, which make clear the important details in every process employed and in many recipes show certain steps as well as the finished result. with such detailed information, it is our desire that as many of the recipes as possible be tried, for it is only through constant practice that the rules and principles of cookery will become thoroughly instilled in the mind. nothing is of more value to the housewife than such a knowledge of food and its preparation, for, as every one knows, proper diet is the chief requisite of good health. to be of the greatest assistance to the woman in the home is the purpose of these volumes--to relieve her household tasks of much of their drudgery and to help her come to a realization of the opportunity for good that is hers. in no better way can she create happiness and contentment in her home than by preparing appetizing, nutritious meals and serving them in the most attractive manner. contents milk, butter, and cheese milk in the diet composition of milk products obtained from milk characteristics of wholesome milk grades of clean milk preserved milk milk in the home recipes for milk dishes and sauces economical use of butter flavor and composition of butter purchase and care of butter cooking with butter serving butter butter substitutes characteristics and care of cheese imported cheese domestic cheese serving cheese recipes for cheese dishes luncheon menu eggs description of eggs and place in the diet nutritive value of eggs selection of eggs preservation of eggs cooking of eggs serving of eggs egg recipes use of left-over eggs breakfast menu vegetables variety in vegetables structure, composition, and food value purchase and care of vegetables classification of vegetables methods of preparing and cooking vegetables sauces for vegetables asparagus and its preparation beans and their preparation beets and their preparation brussels sprouts and their preparation cabbage and its preparation carrots and their preparation cauliflower and its preparation celery and its preparation corn and its preparation cucumbers and their preparation eggplant and its preparation french artichokes and their preparation greens and their preparation jerusalem artichokes and their preparation kohlrabi and its preparation lentils and their preparation mushrooms and their preparation okra and its preparation onions and their preparation parsnips and their preparation peas and their preparation peppers and their preparation white potatoes and their preparation sweet potatoes and their preparation radishes and their preparation salsify and its preparation squash and its preparation tomatoes and their preparation turnips and their preparation vegetable combinations serving vegetables * * * * * milk, butter, and cheese (part ) * * * * * milk milk in the diet . as is well understood, milk is the liquid that is secreted by the mammary glands of female mammals for the nourishment of their young. the word milk as it is commonly used, however, refers to _cow's milk,_ because such milk is employed to a greater extent as human food than the milk from any other animal. cow's milk in its perfectly fresh raw state is a yellowish-white, opaque fluid, called _whole milk,_ and, as is well known, possesses a distinctly sweet taste and characteristic odor. when such milk is allowed to stand for some time without being disturbed, it separates into two distinct layers, an upper and a lower one. the upper layer, which is lighter than the lower one and occupies a smaller space, consists largely of globules of fat and is called _cream;_ the lower layer, which is white or bluish-white in color and is composed of water, solids, and protein, is, when separated from the cream, called _skim milk._ . as an article of diet, milk is very important, because its sole function in nature is to serve as food. it is required by the infant; it is needed in the diet of all growing children; and it is desirable in the preparation of dishes for both young and old. milk is used to such a great extent because it fills many of the requirements of an ideal food. it is generally liked, requires little or no time for preparation, agrees with the majority of persons when used properly, and contains substances that supply energy and build and repair tissue. still, it does not contain these substances in such proportions as to make it an ideal or exclusive article of diet for adults, and it must often be modified to suit the needs of infants, because it is ideal for only the young of the species for which it is intended. therefore, while milk is often called a perfect food, in reality it is perfect for only the calf. when it is desired for the feeding of a very young child, it must be changed to meet the requirements before it can be used with good results. . so important is milk as an article of food that, outside of the purely rural districts, producing the milk supply is a business of considerable importance. this is due to the fact that the purity of milk must be constantly safeguarded in order that clean, safe milk may be provided for the countless numbers that depend on it. in fact, milk undoubtedly bears a closer relation to public health than any other food. to produce an adequate amount of clean, safe, pure milk is one of the food problems of the city and country alike. in the city much of the difficulty is overcome by the ordinances that provide standards of composition and cleanliness, as well as inspection to insure them; but such ordinances are rarely provided for in villages and country districts. when there is no law to prevent it, unclean milk is sometimes used in the manufacture of butter and cheese, but when this happens, great injustice, if not positive harm, is done to the consumers of these articles. then, too, unless milk is carefully inspected, tubercular milk is liable to be used in the making of butter, and such a condition will cause the spreading of tuberculosis as readily as the use of the contaminated milk itself. . with its various products, milk helps to form a very large part of the dietary in most homes, but while nothing can take the place of this food and while it is high in food value, there seems to be a general tendency to think of it as an addition to the bill of fare, rather than as a possible substitute for more expensive food. for instance, milk is very often served as a beverage in a meal in which the quantity of meat or other protein foods is not reduced. from an economical standpoint, as well as from the point of view of the needs of the body, this is really extravagant, for milk is itself largely a protein food. the serving of a glass of milk or of a dish that contains generous quantities of milk offers the housewife an opportunity to cut down considerably the allowance of meat and eggs. because of this fact and because milk and its products may be used to add nutritive value to a food, to give variety, and to improve flavor, they deserve considerable study on the part of the housewife. . since milk may be used in such a variety of ways, it may be easily included in the dietary for the family. being liquid in form, it may always be served without any preparation as a beverage or with other beverages, cereals, and fruits. it also has numerous other uses, being employed in the making of sauces for vegetables and meats, in the place of stock for soups, and as the liquid for bread, cakes, puddings, custards, and many frozen desserts. because of its extensive use, every housewife not only should know how to buy milk and care for it, but should be familiar with its composition, so that she may determine whether or not it suits the needs of her family. in addition, she should know the effect of heat on milk and the various methods of preparation if she would be able to judge what food combinations can be used with milk. composition of milk . as milk is usually taken into the body in liquid form, the common tendency is to regard it as a beverage, rather than as an important source of nourishing food material. however, a knowledge of its composition, as well as the fact that milk becomes a solid food in the stomach and must then be dissolved in the process of digestion, will serve to show that milk contains solids. that it possesses all the elements required to sustain life and promote health is proved by the fact that a child may live for months on milk alone and during this time increase in weight. . the solids contained in milk are proteins, fat, carbohydrate in the form of sugar, and mineral salts, besides which, of course, water occurs in large quantities. the sugar and fat of milk serve as fuel; the mineral salts are chiefly valuable for the growth of bones and teeth and for their effect on the liquids of the body; and the proteins, like the fat and sugar, serve as fuel, but they also make and repair the muscular tissues of the body. in considering the food substances of milk, it will be well to note also that they vary according to the breed, feeding, and individual characteristics of the cow. jerseys and guernseys give milk rich in fat and total solids, and while holstein cows give a greater quantity of milk, such milk has a smaller proportion of fat and total solids. as a rule, though, the composition of milk may be considered as approximately . per cent. protein, per cent. fat, per cent. carbohydrate, and . per cent. mineral matter, making a total of per cent. this indicates the quantity of actual food material in milk, the remainder, or per cent., being water. . protein in milk.--because of the double usefulness of protein--to serve as fuel and to make and repair muscular tissue--this element is regarded as an important ingredient of milk. the protein in milk is called _casein_. the opaque whiteness of milk is largely due to the presence of this substance. as long as milk remains sweet, the lime salts it contains hold this casein in solution; but when it sours, the salts are made soluble and the casein thickens, or coagulates. in addition to casein, milk contains a small amount of protein in the form of _albumin_. this substance, upon being heated, coagulates and causes the formation of the skin that is always found on the top of milk that has been heated. the skin thus formed contains everything that is found in milk, because, as it forms, casein is dried with it and sugar and fat, too, are caught and held there. it is the protein of milk and its characteristic coagulation that are made use of in the making of cheese. in cooking, the protein of milk is probably more affected than any of the other substances, but the degree to which the digestion of milk is thus affected is not definitely known, this being a much disputed question. . fat in milk.--the other substance in milk that serves as fuel, or to produce energy, is fat. it occurs in the form of tiny particles, each surrounded by a thin covering and suspended in the liquid. such a mixture, which is called an _emulsion_, is the most easily digested form in which fat is found. the fat in milk varies more than the other food substances, it being sometimes as low as per cent, and again as high as per cent. however, the average of these two, or per cent., is the usual amount found in most milk. as has been mentioned, the fat globules of milk rise to the top because fat is lighter than water, so that when milk has been undisturbed for some time the top, which is known as _cream_, will be found to contain most of the fat. because of the fat it contains, the cream is yellower in color than the milk underneath. if the cream is beaten, or churned, these fat particles will adhere in a mass, advantage of this fact being taken in the making of butter. . carbohydrate in milk.--the carbohydrate contained in milk is in the form of sugar called _lactose_. it is unlike other sugars in that it is not very sweet and does not disagree with most persons nor upset their digestion. for this reason, it is often given to children, invalids, and persons who have digestive disturbances. however, it is like other carbohydrates in that in solution it ferments. the result of the fermentation in this case is the production of _lactic acid_, which makes the milk sour. with the fat, lactose makes up the bulk of the energy-producing material of milk, and while this is important it is only secondary when compared to the tissue-building power of the protein and minerals. besides being an important part of milk itself, lactose is a valuable by-product in the manufacture of cheese. after being taken from _whey_, which is the clear, straw-colored liquid that remains when the curd, or coagulated portion, is completely removed from the milk, the lactose is refined and sold in the form of a powder that is used for various kinds of infant and invalid feeding. . mineral matter in milk.--considerable quantities of mineral salts, which are chiefly _lime_, _potash_, and _phosphates_, are found in milk. as has already been pointed out, these are important in the building of bone and hard tissue in the body, but in addition they help to keep the fluids of the body in the right condition. because of the work they do, these mineral salts are necessary in the building of the bodies of growing children, and are useful for repair and the regulation of the body processes in adults. in cheese, butter, and cream, which are the products of milk, less of the mineral salts are found in proportion to the quantity than in whole milk, skim milk, and whey. . water in milk.--the percentage of water in milk is much greater than that of all the other food substances combined, there being more than six times as much. while this quantity seems very large, it is an advantage, for milk provides nourishment to persons when they can take neither solid nor more condensed food. on the other hand, the water is a disadvantage, for it is responsible for the rapid spoiling of milk. this fact is clearly shown in the case of condensed milk, where the water is partly or completely evaporated, for milk of this kind keeps much longer without spoiling than either whole or skim milk. products obtained from milk . although milk is used extensively in its natural liquid form, considerable use is also made of the numerous products of milk, chief among which are cream, skim milk, buttermilk, sour milk, whey, butter, and cheese. in fact, all of these occupy such an important place in the dietary of the majority of homes that it is well for every housewife to understand their value. butter and cheese are discussed in detail later, so that at this time no attention need be given to them. the other products, however, are taken up now, with the intention of enabling the housewife to familiarize herself with their production, nature, and use. . cream.--as has been pointed out, the particles of fat that rise to the top of milk when it is allowed to remain undisturbed for some time form the product known as cream. cream may be removed from the milk by skimming it off, or it may be separated from the milk by means of machinery especially designed for the purpose. the greater the proportion of fat in milk, the thicker, or "heavier," will be the cream. various grades of separated cream are placed on the market, the usual ones being those which contain , , , , and per cent, of fat. thin cream, which includes the grades that have only a small percentage of fat, contains a larger quantity of milk than the others and is not so desirable for many purposes. still, it is used to some extent, because it is cheaper and there are definite uses to which it can be put. medium-heavy cream is the kind to select when it is desired for _whipping_. this is a process that consists in beating the cream rapidly until a mass of tiny bubbles form and become stiff, very much as the white of egg does. . skim milk.--after a part or all of the cream has been removed from whole milk, that which remains is called skim milk. while practically all of the fat is taken out when milk is skimmed, very little protein or sugar is removed. therefore, skim milk is still a valuable food, it being used to a large extent for cheese making, for the manufacture of certain commercial foods, and for the feeding of animals. the housewife does not, as a rule, buy skim milk; indeed, in some localities the laws prevent its sale because it is considered an adulterated food. however, it is really a wholesome, valuable food that is cheaper than whole milk, and its use in the home should therefore be encouraged from an economical standpoint. here it may be used in the preparation of many dishes, such as sauces, cakes, biscuits, muffins, griddle cakes, bread, etc., in which butter or other fats are used, and in custards, puddings, ices, and numerous other desserts. . buttermilk.--the milk that remains in butter making after the butter fat has been removed from cream by churning is known by the name buttermilk. such milk is similar to skim milk in composition, and unless butter is made of sweet cream, buttermilk is sour. buttermilk is used considerably as a beverage, but besides this use there are numerous ways in which it may be employed in the preparation of foods, as is pointed out in various recipes. an advantage of buttermilk is that its cost is less than that of whole milk, so that the housewife will do well to make use of it in the preparation of those foods in which it produces satisfactory results. . artificial buttermilk.--several kinds of sour milk that are called buttermilk are to be had, particularly at soda fountains and restaurants. while they are similar to buttermilk they are not the same, because they are produced artificially from whole or skimmed sweet milk. the usual method employed in the making of these artificial buttermilks, as they may well be called, consists in adding to sweet milk tablets containing lactic acid or a certain culture of bacteria that induce fermentation, very much as yeast does, and then keeping it at about body temperature for a number of hours in order to allow the milk to thicken and sour. such milks exert a beneficial action in the digestive tract, and their food value, provided they are made from whole milk, is just as high as that of the original sweet milk. artificial buttermilks therefore prove a valuable source of food supply for persons who find them palatable and who do not care for sweet milk. their food value may be increased by adding cream to them. . sour milk.--ordinary milk contains large numbers of bacteria that produce fermentation. when it is allowed to stand for some time, these bacteria act upon the sugar, or lactose, contained in the milk and change it into lactic acid. this acid gives to the milk a sour taste and at the same time causes the casein of the milk to become a mass known as _curd_, or _clabber_. this mass continues to grow sour and tough until all the milk sugar is converted into lactic acid, so that the longer the milk stands, the more acid it becomes. sour milk, however, is useful in the preparation of various dishes, such as hot breads and griddle cakes. [illustration: fig. ] . whey.--when the curd is completely removed from milk, as in making cheese, a clear, light, yellowish liquid known as whey remains. whey is composed of water, minerals, and milk sugar or lactic acid, and is the least valuable part of the milk. the ingenious housewife will never be at a loss to make use of this product, for, while its food value is slight, the minerals it contains are important ones. whey is sometimes used to furnish the liquid for bread making and, in addition, it may be used as a beverage for persons who cannot digest food as heavy as milk itself. . comparison of food values of milk products.--so that the housewife may become familiar with the food values of milk products, there is here given, in fig. , a graphic table for the comparison of such products. each glass is represented as containing approximately pint or pound of the milk product, and the figures underneath each indicate the number of calories found in the quantity represented. the triangle at the side of each indicates the proportion of ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, and water, the percentage composition being given at the side. housewives as a rule fully appreciate the food value that is to be found in whole milk and cream, but such products as skim milk, buttermilk, and whey are likely to be ignored. characteristics of wholesome milk . so far as the housewife is concerned, the qualities that characterize wholesome milk are without doubt of great interest. she may know of what use milk is in the diet and the food substances of which it is composed, but unless she understands just what constitutes milk of good quality, as well as the nature of inferior milk, she cannot very well provide her family with the kind it should have. therefore, to assist her in this matter, the characteristics of wholesome milk are here discussed. such milk, it will be well to note, must be of the right composition, must not be adulterated, must be fresh--that is, not older when delivered than is permitted by law--and must be as clean as possible. . standard of milk composition.--the housewife usually judges the quality of milk by the amount of cream that rises to the top when milk in a bottle is allowed to remain undisturbed for some time. this is really an excellent test, because milk that contains only a small amount of cream is of poorer quality than that which contains a larger amount; in other words, the more cream milk contains, the higher will be its food value and the greater its energy-producing ability. then, too, milk that is rich in cream usually contains proportionately large amounts of protein and sugar. while the composition of milk has much to do with the quality of this food, it varies, as should be noted, in different breeds and even in individual cows, depending on both the food and the care given to them. for this reason, milk that is mixed is preferable to the milk of a single cow, as the mixing of the milk of a number of cows insures a better average composition. . adulteration of milk.--the composition of milk, and hence its quality, is seriously affected by its adulteration. by this is meant the extraction of any of the food substances from whole milk; the addition of anything that tends to weaken or lower its quality or strength; the use of coloring matter to make it appear of greater value than it actually is; or the use of preservatives to prevent it from souring as soon as it ordinarily would. it is, of course, illegal to adulterate milk, yet it is sometimes done. the most convenient and possibly the most common materials used to adulterate milk are water and skim milk. the addition of water to milk decreases the quantity of all its food substances, but the addition of skim milk reduces the quantity of fat only. the color of the milk is often affected by the use of these adulterants, but when this happens, yellow coloring is usually added to restore the original appearance. sometimes the milk that a dairyman markets contains more fat than the law requires; but even such milk cannot legally be skimmed nor diluted with skim milk. the only thing that may be done to it is to mix it with milk that is low in butter fat and thus obtain a milk that will average the legal percentage. for instance, if milk from a dairy averages per cent, of butter fat, it may be diluted with milk that contains only per cent, of butter fat, because the result of such mixing, which will be milk averaging per cent, of this food substance, will be the legal standard. . to prevent milk from souring, dishonest milk dealers often put into it such preservatives as soda, borax, and formaldehyde. there is no definite way of telling whether or not one of these has been used, except by a chemical analysis. however, if milk does not sour within a reasonable time when no precautions have been taken to keep it sweet, it should be looked on with suspicion, for it undoubtedly contains a preservative. . freshness of milk.--to be most satisfactory for all purposes, milk should be absolutely fresh. however, it is almost impossible to obtain milk in this condition, because it is generally sold at a distance from the source of supply. milk that is sold in small towns and cities is usually and often to hours old when it is delivered; whereas, in large cities, where the demand is so great that milk must be shipped from great distances, it is often to or even hours old when it reaches the consumer. in order that milk may remain sweet long enough to permit it to be delivered at places so far removed from the source of supply, it must be handled and cared for in the cleanest possible way by the dealers. likewise, if the housewife desires to get the best results from it, she must follow the same plan, cooling it immediately on delivery and keeping it cool until it is consumed. the freshness of milk can be determined only by the length of time it will remain sweet when proper care is given to it. . cleanliness of milk.--milk may be of the right composition, free from all adulteration, and as fresh as it is possible to obtain it, but unless it is clean, it is an injurious food. milk is rendered unclean or impure by dirt. in reality, there are two kinds of dirt that may be present in milk, and it is important to know just what these are and what effect they have on milk. . the less harmful of the two kinds of dirt is the visible dirt that gets into the milk from the cow, the stable, the milker, the milking utensils, and similar sources when these are not scrupulously clean. if milk containing such dirt is allowed to stand long enough in pans or bottles for the heavier particles to settle, it will be found as sediment in the bottom of the receptacle. to say the least, the presence of such dirt is always disagreeable and frequently produces foreign flavors. straining the milk through clean absorbent cotton will reveal the presence of such dirt and another kind of dirt that does not show through the opaque fluid. this second kind of dirt is generally found in milk when the first kind is present in any quantity. it is more liable to be harmful than the other, because it enters the milk from the water used in cleaning the receptacles or from some contaminated source. [illustration: fig. ] . whenever dirt is present in milk, bacteria are sure to be there; and the greater the quantity of dirt the greater will be the number of bacteria. should the housewife desire to compare the cleanliness of several lots of milk, she may filter a like quantity from each lot, say a quart or a pint, through small disks of absorbent cotton. if, after the milk has passed through the cotton disk, very little dirt remains on it, as in fig. (_a_), the milk may be considered as comparatively clean; if the cotton disk appears as in (_b_), the milk may be said to be only slightly dirty; if it appears as in (_c_), the milk is dirty; and if it appears as in (_d_), the milk is very dirty. milk that leaves a stain like that in (_d_) contains more bacteria than milk that leaves a stain like that in (_c_), and so on through all the lots of milk. filtering milk in this manner, however, does not indicate whether the bacteria are disease producing. such information can be secured only by microscopic examination, and only then by persons who have a knowledge of such matters. . since, as has been pointed out, bacteria cling to all dirt, the dirt that milk contains is one of the causes of souring and putrefaction of milk, and may be a cause of disease. indeed, it is definitely known that dirty milk sours much more quickly than does clean milk. actual tests in which clean milk was put in a cool place have proved that it will keep for weeks, whereas dirty milk will sour in a day or two, especially in warm weather. this information should point out clearly to the housewife that it is not merely heat that changes milk or causes it to sour. she should understand in addition, that bacteria grow and multiply very rapidly when conditions for their growth are provided. these conditions are moisture, warmth, and the right kind of food, and as all of these are found in milk, this product is really ideal for bacterial development. the only way in which to protect milk is to make sure that no bacteria enter it, or, if they do, to make it impossible for them to grow. this may be done by keeping the milk so cold that they cannot thrive, or by destroying them in various ways, which are taken up later. . in former times, there was not much danger of wide-spread disease from the milk supply, for it was cared for almost entirely by those who kept a few cows and distributed milk to a small number of customers. in fact, it has been only within the past years that large quantities of milk are handled by separate dairies and shipped great distances from the source of supply and that the distribution of milk has become a great industry. when so much milk is handled in one place, it is more or less unsafe unless the dairy is kept extremely clean and is conducted in the most sanitary manner. experience has shown that too much attention cannot be given to the care of milk, for the lives of great numbers of children have been sacrificed through the carelessness of dairymen and persons selling and distributing milk, as well as through the negligence of those who handle the milk after it has entered the home. to overcome much of this carelessness, both the federal government and the various states of this country have set standards for safe milk production, and in order to make their laws effective have established inspection service. independently of these state and national laws, many of the cities, particularly the large ones, have made their own standards, which, as a rule, are very rigid. one of the usual requirements is to compel each person who wishes to sell milk in the city to buy a license, so that the city authorities may keep in touch with those handling milk and so that conditions may be investigated at any time. in view of the care required of dealers in handling milk, the housewife owes it to herself and the members of her family to keep the milk in the home in the best possible manner. grades of clean milk . ever since milk has come to be a commercial product, authorities have been devising ways in which it may be brought to the consumer in a condition that will permit it to be used without causing ill results. their efforts have been rewarded to such an extent that nowadays consumers have little to fear from the milk they purchase, provided they get it from dealers who live up to the laws. chief among the different grades of clean milk is _certified milk,_ and next in order comes _pasteurized milk,_ followed by _sterilized milk_. . certified milk.--the grade of clean milk sold under the name of certified milk is simply natural, raw milk that is produced and marketed under conditions that permit it to be guaranteed as pure, wholesome, and of definite composition. such milk is necessarily higher in price than milk that is less wholesome and sanitary, because of the extra cost to the dairyman in meeting the requirements that make it possible for him to produce clean milk under sanitary conditions. these requirements pertain to the health and cleanliness of those who handle the milk, to the health, housing condition, and care of the herd and the dairy cows, and to the handling and care of milk in the dairy and during transportation and delivery. they are usually established and enforced by an inspection commission appointed by the city, county, or state in which the milk is produced. . if a little careful thought is given to the milk situation, it will be admitted that such precautions are necessary if clean milk is to be the result. such milk cannot be produced if the surroundings are dirty, because dust and flies, which are two sources of contamination, are practically always present in such places. a stable with poor ventilation, without screens to keep out flies, and with floors that will not permit of cleaning, but cause filth and refuse to accumulate, is sure to contaminate milk that is handled in it. in addition, cows that are not well fed, comfortably housed, or carefully groomed cannot be expected to give milk of as good quality as cows that are properly cared for. likewise, if the persons who do the milking are not clean, the milk is subject to contamination from this source. . all such unfavorable conditions can be remedied, and must be in the production of certified milk; but the good accomplished in this direction will be lost if the milk is carelessly handled after milking. therefore, in producing certified milk, only the cleanest water available is allowed to be used in the dairy. impure water is a common source of the contamination of milk in such places. on some farms, the water supply comes from a well that is too near the barn or that is too shallow to avoid being made impure by the germs that filter into it from the barnyard or a cesspool. if vessels in which milk is placed are washed in such water, it is necessary to sterilize them by boiling or steaming before milk is put into them, in order to kill the germs that come from the water. if such a precaution as this is not observed, the germs will multiply rapidly in the milk and, provided they are disease-producing, will make the milk extremely dangerous. besides observing the precautions mentioned, it is necessary that all utensils used in a dairy, such as pails for milking, strainers, containers, etc., be kept scrupulously clean. likewise, they must be sterilized by boiling each time they are used, for, while disease germs may be absent, those which cause the milk to sour are always present and must be destroyed. finally, to prevent any germs that enter milk from multiplying, even when it is properly cared for, the milk has to be cooled to a temperature of degrees fahrenheit or lower immediately after milking and then bottled in sterilized bottles, sealed, and packed in ice, within minutes after milking. . it is by giving attention to all such matters that certified milk is possible. such milk, as will be understood from what has been said, is neither a cooked milk nor a dirty milk that is processed, but a natural, raw milk that is clean at all stages of its production and marketing. because of this fact, it is the best and cleanest milk to be had and may be used without hesitation, not only by grown persons in good health, but for infants and invalids. the sanitary condition of certified milk and the consequent length of time it will remain sweet was demonstrated conclusively as far back as at the paris exposition. at this time, two model dairies in the united states--one located at the university of illinois and the other at briarcliff manor, westchester county, new york--delivered to their booths at the exposition milk that was bottled under the most sanitary conditions at their dairies. during its transit across the ocean the milk was kept at a temperature of to degrees fahrenheit, and on its arrival, weeks after leaving the dairies, it was found to be in a perfectly sweet condition. similar experiments made at later dates, such as shipping certified milk from the east to california, serve to bear out the test made in , and prove what can be done with milk so produced as to be as free as possible from bacteria or the conditions that permit their growth. . pasteurized milk.--while certified milk is undoubtedly the safest kind of milk to use and is constantly growing in favor, much of the milk received in the home is pasteurized. by pasteurized milk is meant milk that has been heated to a temperature of to degrees fahrenheit, kept at this temperature for to minutes, and then cooled rapidly. the result of such a treatment is that any disease-producing germs that are present in the milk, as well as those which are likely to cause intestinal disturbances, are destroyed, and that the milk is rendered safe as food for a time. pasteurizing does not materially change the taste of milk, nor does it seriously affect the digestive properties of this food. it is true, of course, that pasteurized milk is not so good as clean raw milk. still it is better to use such milk than to run the risk of using milk that might be contaminated with the germs of tuberculosis, typhoid fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, or any other of the numerous diseases that have been known to be carried to whole families and communities through the milk supply. . although pasteurizing is done on a large scale in dairies, there is no reason why the housewife cannot pasteurize the milk she buys, provided it is raw milk and she feels that it is not safe to use. if pasteurizing is to be done frequently and large quantities of milk are to be treated, it would be advisable to purchase the convenient apparatus that is to be had. however, if only a small quantity of milk is to be pasteurized at a time, a simple improvised outfit will prove satisfactory, because milk pasteurized in the home may be heated in the bottles in which it is received. such an outfit consists of a dairy thermometer, a deep vessel, and a perforated pie tin or a wire rack of suitable size. . to pasteurize milk in the home, proceed in the manner illustrated in fig. . place the rack or invert the perforated pie tin in the bottom of the vessel, and on it place the bottles of milk from which the caps have not been removed. make a hole through the cap of one bottle, and insert the thermometer into the milk through this hole. then fill the vessel with cold water to within an inch or so of the top of the bottles, taking care not to put in so much water as to make the bottles float. place the vessel over the fire, heat it until the thermometer in the bottle registers a few degrees over degrees fahrenheit, and keep the milk at this temperature for to minutes. at the end of this time, the milk will be sufficiently pasteurized and may be removed from the fire. as soon as it is taken from the water, cool it as rapidly as possible by running cold water into the vessel slowly or by placing the bottles in several changes of water, taking care not to place the hot bottles in very cold water at first, as this may cause them to crack. [illustration: fig. ] when the milk has been cooled by some rapid method, keep it cool until it is used. this precaution is necessary because of the nature of pasteurized milk. the temperature at which milk is pasteurized is sufficient to kill all fully developed bacteria, but those which exist in an undeveloped state, or in the form of spores, develop very rapidly after pasteurization unless the milk is kept cold and clean. if these bacteria were allowed to develop, the purpose of pasteurization would be lost, and the milk would become as dangerous as it was originally. the advantage of cooling milk rapidly will be fully appreciated upon referring to fig. , which illustrates the development of a single germ in milk that is cooled rapidly and in milk that is cooled slowly. [illustration: fig. ] . sterilized milk.--by sterilized milk is meant milk in which all germs are destroyed by sterilization. such milk is not sold by dealers, but the process of sterilization is resorted to in the home when pasteurization is not sufficient to render milk safe. this process, which is the only positive means of destroying all germs, consists in bringing the milk to the boiling point, or degrees fahrenheit, allowing it to boil for three quarters of an hour, and then cooling it rapidly. one who undertakes to treat milk in this way should remember that it is difficult to boil milk, because the solids in the milk adhere to the bottom and sides of the vessel and soon burn. however, this difficulty can be overcome by sterilizing the milk in the bottles in which it is bought. . to sterilize milk, place the sealed bottles on a wire rack or a perforated pie tin in a deep vessel, as for the pasteurizing of milk, and pour cold water into the vessel until it nearly covers the bottles. then raise the temperature of the water quickly to the boiling point, and after it has begun to bubble, allow it to boil for three quarters of an hour. at the end of this time, cool the milk rapidly and then keep it cool until it is used. . although milk thus treated becomes safe, sterilization changes its flavor and digestibility. if milk of this kind must be used, some raw food should be given with it. a diet composed entirely of cooked food is not so ideal as one in which some raw food is included, because raw foods contain substances that are essential to health. the change that takes place in the composition of milk that has been sterilized can be easily observed. such milk on becoming sour does not coagulate as does pasteurized or raw milk, owing to the fact that the lime salts in the milk are so changed by the high temperature as to prevent the thickening process from taking place. then, too, sterilized milk is not likely to become sour even after considerable time. still, such milk is not safe to use except when it is fresh, for instead of fermenting in the usual way it putrefies and is liable to cause such a dangerous sickness as ptomaine poisoning. . modified milk.--for infants who cannot be fed their normal diet, cow's milk must be used as a substitute, but in order to make it a more nearly ideal food for them it must usually be modified, or changed, by adding other materials. when it is so treated, it is known as modified milk. the materials used to modify milk are sterile water, lime water, barley water, cream, skim milk, milk sugar, or some other easily digested carbohydrate, one of these or a combination of them always being employed. the proportion of these ingredients to use varies with the age of the child that is to be fed and must be constantly changed to meet the child's requirements. in the production of modified milk, a physician's prescription and directions should always be followed closely. only the best quality of milk should be used, and, in addition, the greatest care should be taken to have all the bottles, utensils, and materials used as clean and sterile as it is possible to make them. if such conditions cannot be met, it is advisable to pasteurize the modified-milk mixture after the materials have been put together. preserved milk . besides milk that is commonly sold by dairymen and milk dealers, it is possible to buy in the market many grades of so-called preserved milk. such milk is produced by driving off all or part of the water contained in milk, and it is sold as _condensed, evaporated,_ and _powdered milk_. usually, it is put up in tin cans, and while it is not used so extensively as regular milk, many firms are engaged in its preparation. . condensed and evaporated milk.--as has just been mentioned, condensed and evaporated milk is produced by the complete or partial evaporation of the water contained in milk. such milk can be shipped long distances or kept for long periods of time, because it does not contain sufficient moisture to permit the growth of bacteria. in evaporating milk to produce these preserved milks, each gallon is diminished in quantity to about two and one quarter pints, the original per cent. of water being reduced to about per cent. therefore, in order to use such milk, sufficient water must be added to restore it to its original composition. sometimes comparatively large amounts of cane sugar are added to such milks, which, besides sweetening them, assist in their preservation. if cane sugar is not used, the milks are usually made sterile in order to prevent them from spoiling. . powdered milk.--the form of preserved milk known as powdered milk is the result of completely evaporating the water in milk. such milk has the appearance of a dry powdered substance. it does not spoil easily and is so greatly reduced in quantity that it can be conveniently stored. because of these characteristics, this product, for which skim milk is generally used, is extensively manufactured. it is used chiefly by bakers and confectioners, and, as in the case of evaporated or condensed milk, the water that has been evaporated in the powdering process must be supplied when the milk is used. standard grading of milk and cream . in order that a definite idea may be formed of the sanitary and bacteriological standards that are set by milk commissions, there are here given, in table i, the regulations governing the grades and designation of milk and cream that may be sold in the city of new york. as will be observed from a study of this table, only definite grades of milk and cream can be sold in that city; likewise, it must conform to certain standards of purity and the producer must handle it in such a way that it may be delivered to the consumer in as clean and fresh a condition as possible. without doubt, a grading similar to this one will become general throughout the united states eventually, for this is the only way by which the housewife may know with certainty whether or not the milk she purchases is of the right composition and is safe, fresh, and sanitary in every respect. the different qualities of milk and cream as shown by this grading are, of course, sold at different prices, those which require the greatest care and expense in handling selling for the highest price. milk in the home purchase of milk . after the housewife has become familiar with the points that she should know concerning milk, she will be much better equipped to purchase milk of the right kind for her home. however, there are still some points for her to observe when she is purchasing milk if she would supply her family with the best quality of this food. . in the first place, she should buy milk from a reliable dealer who will not object to questioning, and, if possible, she should make an investigation of the dairy that supplies the milk that she uses. if she cannot investigate the dairy personally, she should at least endeavor to obtain information from those who are prepared to give it. if she learns that the conditions in the dairy that is supplying her with milk are not what they should be, she should try to obtain milk from some other source. of course, she should remember that milk of the best and cleanest quality is the highest in price, because of the increased cost of production; but it is usually advisable to pay the higher price, especially if children are to be fed, because cheap milk is liable to be unsafe, at least for any purpose that will require it to be served without cooking. should the income not allow the best quality of milk to be used for all purposes, a cheaper grade can be used for cooking, but it is always economical to purchase the best quality when this food is to be used as a beverage. [illustration: fig. ] . in the next place, the housewife should purchase milk from a dealer who delivers cold milk, because, as has been mentioned, bacteria multiply rapidly in warm milk. she should also try to obtain milk put up in bottles, for such milk has advantages over milk dipped from a can in that it does not have the same chance to become dirty and it affords a greater opportunity to secure accurate measurement. the kind of caps used on milk bottles should also be observed. caps that have to be pried out with a knife or a similar utensil are not nearly so satisfactory as those shown in fig. (_a_), which have small tabs _a_ that permit the cap to be lifted out. in addition to the caps, which serve to keep dirt out of the milk and permit it to be delivered without being spilled, some dealers use covers like that shown in (_b_). such covers are held in place by a wire and serve further to protect the milk from contamination. if milk purchased in bottles is clean, there should be no sediment in the bottom of the bottle after it has been allowed to stand for some time. also, if it is fresh, it will not sour quickly after it is delivered, so that in case it is properly cared for and sours quickly, it may be known to be stale milk. however, if it does not sour in the normal length of time, it should be looked on with suspicion, for, as has been pointed out, such milk may have added to it a preservative to prevent souring. the housewife may expect milk that is delivered cold and is guaranteed to be sanitary and fresh to remain sweet at least hours, provided, of course, it is placed in the refrigerator immediately upon delivery and kept there until used. * * * * * regulations governing the grades and designation of milk and cream which may be sold in the city of new york the following classifications apply to milk and cream. the regulations regarding bacterial content and time of delivery shall not apply to sour cream. grades of milk or cream sold in the city of new york: grade a milk or cream (raw) definition: grade a milk or cream (raw) is milk or cream produced and handled in accordance with the minimum requirements, rules and regulations as herein set forth. tuberculin test and physical condition: . only such cows shall be admitted to the herd as have not reacted to a diagnostic injection of tuberculin and are in good physical condition. . all cows shall be tested with tuberculin and all reacting animals shall be excluded from the herd. bacterial contents: grade a milk shall not contain more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter, and cream more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter when delivered to the consumer or at any time prior to such delivery. necessary scores: equip. , meth. , total time of delivery: shall be delivered within hours after production. bottling: unless otherwise specified in the permit, this milk or cream shall be delivered to consumers only in bottles. labeling: outer caps of bottles shall be white and shall contain the words grade a, raw, in black letters in large type, and shall state the name and address of the dealer. pasteurization: none. milk or cream (pasteurized) definition: grade a milk or cream (pasteurized) is milk or cream handled and sold by dealers holding permits therefor from the board of health, and produced and handled in accordance with the requirements, rules, and regulations as herein set forth. tuberculin test and physical condition: no tuberculin test required, but cows must be healthy as disclosed by physical examination made annually. bacterial contents: grade a milk (pasteurized) shall not contain more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter and cream (pasteurized) more then , bacteria per cubic centimeter when delivered to the consumer or at any time after pasteurization and prior to such delivery. no milk supply averaging more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter shall be pasteurized for sale under this designation. necessary scores: equip. , meth. , total . time of delivery: shall be delivered within hours after pasteurization. bottling: unless otherwise specified in the permit, this milk or cream shall be delivered to the consumer only in bottles. labeling: outer cap of bottles shall be white and contain the word grade a in black letters in large type, date and hours between which pasteurization was completed; place where pasteurization was performed; name of the person, firm, or corporation offering for sale, selling, or delivering same. pasteurization: only such milk or cream shall be regarded as pasteurized as has been subjected to a temperature averaging degrees fahrenheit for not less than minutes. grade b milk or cream (pasteurized) definition: grade b milk or cream (pasteurized) is milk or cream produced and handled in accordance with the minimal requirements, rules, and regulations herein set forth and which has been pasteurized in accordance with the requirements and rules and regulations of the department of health for pasteurization. tuberculin test and physical condition: no tuberculin test required, but cows must be healthy as disclosed by physical examination made annually. bacterial contents: no milk under this grade shall contain more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter and no claim shall contain more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter when delivered to the consumer or at anytime after pasteurization and prior to such delivery. no milk supply averaging more than , , bacteria per cubic centimeter shall be pasteurized in this city for sale under this designation. no milk supply averaging more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter shall be pasteurized outside of the city for sale under this designation. necessary scores: equip. , meth. , total time of delivery: milk shall be delivered within hours and cream within hours after pasteurization. bottling: may be delivered in cans or bottles. labeling: outer caps of bottles containing milk and tags affixed to cans containing milk or cream shall be white and marked grade b in bright green letters in large type, date pasteurization was completed, place where pasteurization was performed, name of the person, firm, or corporation offering for sale, selling, or delivering same. bottles containing cream shall be labeled with caps marked grade b in bright green letters, in large type and shall give the place and date of bottling and shall give the name of person, firm, or corporation offering for sale, selling, or delivering same. pasteurization: only such milk or cream shall be regarded as pasteurized as has been subjected to a temperature averaging degrees fahrenheit for not less than minutes. grade c milk or cream (pasteurized) (for cooking and manufacturing purposes only.) definition: grade c milk or cream is milk or cream not conforming to the requirements of any of the subdivisions of grade a or grade b and which has been pasteurized according to the requirements and rules and regulations of the board of health or boiled for at least two ( ) minutes. tuberculin test and physical condition: no tuberculin test required, but cows must be healthy as disclosed by physical examination made annually. bacterial contents: no milk of this grade shall contain more than , bacteria per cubic centimeter and no cream of this grade show contain more than , , bacteria per cubic centimeter after pasteurization. necessary scores: score time of delivery: shall be delivered within hours after pasteurization. bottling: may be delivered in the cans only. labeling: tags affixed to cans shall be white and shall be marked in red with the words, grade c in large type and "for cooking" in plainly visible type, and cans and shall have properly sealed metal collars, painted red on necks. pasteurization: only such milk or cream shall be regarded as pasteurized as has been subjected to a temperature averaging degrees fahrenheit for not less than minutes. note.--sour milk, buttermilk, sour cream, kumyss, matzoon, zoolac, and similar products shall not be made from any milk of a less grade than that designated for grade b and shall be pasteurized before being put through the process of souring. sour cream shall not contained a less percentage of fats than that designated for cream. no other words than those designated herein shall appear on the label of any container containing milk or cream or milk or cream products except the word certified when authorized under the state law. * * * * * care of milk . necessity for care in the home.--if milk of good quality is bought, and, as has been suggested, this should be done whenever it is possible, the next thing to do is to care for it in such a way that it may be fed to the family in the same condition as it was when delivered. it is, of course, of prime importance that the dairyman deliver clean fresh milk, but this is not sufficient; the milk must remain in this condition until it is used, and this can occur only when the housewife knows how to care for it properly after it enters the home. it is possible to make safe milk unsafe and unsafe milk positively dangerous unless the housewife understands how to care for milk and puts into practice what she knows concerning this matter. indeed, some of the blame laid to the careless handling of milk by dairymen really belongs to housewives, for very often they do not take care of milk in the right way after delivery. as too much attention cannot be given to this matter, explicit directions are here outlined, with the idea of assisting the housewife in this matter as much as possible. . keeping milk clean in the home.--immediately upon delivery, the bottle containing the milk should be placed in the coolest place available, never being allowed to stand on the porch in the sun or where such animals as cats or dogs may come in contact with it. when the milk is to be used, the paper cap should be carefully wiped before it is removed from the bottle, so that any dirt that may be on top will not fall into the milk. if not all the milk is used and the bottle must be returned to the cool place where it is kept, it should be covered by means of an inverted drinking glass or, as shown in fig. , by a glass or porcelain cover. such covers, or _sanitary milk_ _caps_, as they are called, are very convenient for this purpose and may be purchased at a slight cost. . another precaution that should be taken is never to mix stale milk with fresh milk, because the entire quantity will become sour in the same length of time as the stale milk would. also, milk that has been poured into a pitcher or any other open vessel and allowed to stand exposed to the air for some time should never be put back into the bottle with the remaining milk. such milk is sure to be contaminated with the germs that are always present in the dust constantly circulating in the air. it is sometimes necessary to keep milk in a vessel other than the bottle in which it is delivered. in such an event, the vessel that is used should be washed thoroughly, boiled in clean water, and cooled before the milk is poured into it. [illustration: fig. ] . particular care should be taken of the empty milk bottles. they should never be used for anything except milk. before they are returned to the dairyman to be used again, they should first be rinsed with cold water, then washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water, and finally rinsed with hot water. if there is illness in the home, the washed bottles should be put into a pan of cool water, allowed to come to a boil, and permitted to boil for a few minutes. such attention will free the bottles from any contamination they might have received. the dairyman, of course, gives the bottles further attention before he uses them again, but the housewife should do her part by making sure that they are thoroughly cleansed before they are collected by him. . keeping milk cool in the home.--as has been pointed out, milk should, upon being received, be kept in the coolest place available, which, in the majority of homes at the present time, is the refrigerator. in making use of the refrigerator for this purpose, the housewife should put into practice what she learned in _essentials of cookery_, part , concerning the proper placing of food in the refrigerator, remembering that milk should be placed where it will remain the coolest and where it is least likely to absorb odors. she should also bear in mind that the temperature inside of a refrigerator varies with that of the surrounding air. it is because of this fact that milk often sours when the temperature is high, as in summer, for instance, even though it is kept in the refrigerator. . in case a refrigerator is not available, it will be necessary to resort to other means of keeping milk cool. a cool cellar or basement is an excellent substitute, but if milk is kept in either of these places, it must be tightly covered. then, too, the spring house with its stream of running water is fully as good as a refrigerator and is used extensively in farming districts. but even though a housewife has none of these at her disposal, she need not be deprived of fresh milk, for there are still other ways of keeping milk cool and consequently fresh. a very simple way in which to keep milk cool is to weight down the bottles in a vessel that is deeper than they are and then pour cold water into the vessel until it reaches the top of the bottles, replacing the water occasionally as it becomes warm. a still better way, however, so far as convenience and results are concerned, is that illustrated in fig. . as shown, wrap the bottle in a clean towel or piece of cotton cloth so that one corner of it is left loose at the top. then place this end in a pan of cold water that stands higher than the bottle. such an arrangement will keep the cloth wet constantly and by the evaporation of the water from it will cause the milk to remain cool. [illustration: fig. ] cooking milk . points to be observed in cooking milk.--because of the nature of milk and its constituents, the cooking of this liquid is a little more difficult than would appear at first thought. in fact, heating milk to a temperature greater than degrees fahrenheit causes several changes to occur in it, one of which, the coagulation of the albumin, has already been mentioned. as the albumin hardens into the layer that forms on the top of boiled milk, a certain amount of fat, sugar, and casein becomes entangled in it, and if the coagulated skin is rejected, these food substances, in addition to the albumin, are lost. another change that results from boiling is in the fat globules that remain, for these separate and exist no longer in the form of cream. . when milk that is not perfectly fresh is cooked with other materials or soups, sauces, and puddings it sometimes curdles. to prevent curdling, the milk should be heated as rapidly as possible before it is used with the other ingredients. while the separate heating of the milk involves a little more work, time may be gained by heating the milk while the remaining ingredients are being prepared. the curdling of comparatively fresh milk is often caused by the addition of salt, especially if the salt is added when the milk is hot. however, if a pinch of bicarbonate of soda is added to the milk before it is heated, it will not be likely to curdle even though it is not absolutely fresh. when tomato is to be used in soup that contains milk or cream, curdling can be prevented if the milk or the cream to be used is thickened with flour or corn starch or a little soda is added to the tomato before the two are mixed. the mixing is accomplished by pouring the _tomato into the milk_ instead of the milk into the tomato. when acid fruit juices are to be added to milk or cream and the mixture then frozen, curdling can be prevented by thoroughly chilling the milk or cream in the freezer can before combining it with the juices. . as has already been learned, great care must be taken in the heating of milk, because the solids that it contains adhere quickly to the bottom of the pan and cause the milk to scorch. for this reason, milk should never be heated directly over the flame unless the intention is to boil it, and even if it must be boiled every precaution should be taken to prevent it from burning. it should be remembered, too, that a very small scorched area will be sufficient to make a quantity of milk taste burned. the utensil in which milk can be heated in the most satisfactory way is the double boiler, for the milk does not come in direct contact with the heat in this utensil. if a double boiler is not available, good results can be obtained by setting one pan into another that contains water. . milk is often used in place of water for cooking cereals, beverages, puddings, soups, etc. this is good practice and should be followed whenever possible, for when milk is added it serves to increase the nutritive value of the food. it should be observed, however, that more time is required to cook grains or cereals in milk than to cook them in water, because milk contains more solid matter than water and is not absorbed so quickly. another frequent use of milk is in breads and biscuits, where, as is explained in _bread_ and _hot breads_, it produces a browner and more tender crust than water. . variety of ways to use milk in cooking.--because of the numerous purposes for which milk is required in the preparation of foods, the smallest amount of it, whether sweet or sour, can be utilized in cooking; therefore, no milk need ever be wasted. a few of the uses to which this food is oftenest put are mentioned briefly in order that the housewife may be familiar enough with them to call them to mind whenever she desires to carry out a recipe that calls for milk or when she has occasion to utilize milk that she has on hand. milk thickened slightly with flour and flavored with such material as corn, asparagus, celery, tomatoes, beans, peas, or fish makes a delicious soup. in bisques, or thickened soups, and in chowders, the liquid used need not be milk, but these are made very appetizing if milk is used for part or all of the liquid. then, too, sauces or gravies made with milk, thickened with flour, and made rich with butter or other fat lend themselves to a variety of uses. dice of vegetables, meat, fish, or game added to a sauce of this kind and served in pastry cases or over toast provide dishes that are delightful additions to any meal. milk is also used as the basis for custards, blanc manges, ices, sherbets, ice creams, and tapioca, rice, and bread puddings in which eggs, starchy materials, and flavorings are added and the mixture then baked, steamed, boiled, or frozen, as the desired result may require. as is well known, milk is practically indispensable in the making of cakes, cookies, quick breads, and in fact nearly all dough mixtures. even if it has soured, it can be used with soda to take the place of cream of tartar in mixtures that are to be made light, the lactic acid in the sour milk acting with the soda as leavening. left-over milk in comparatively large quantities may also be used in the home for the making of cheese, although this product of milk is usually produced commercially. recipes for milk dishes and sauces foods containing milk . from the discussion given up to this point, it will be noted that milk is used in a large variety of ways and in the making of numerous dishes. however, most of the dishes in which this liquid occurs involve other important materials, so that the recipes for them are usually listed under some other ingredient or division of cookery. for instance, milk is used in the making of ice cream, but as the ice creams are included among cold desserts, recipes for them would naturally come in the section pertaining to this subject. milk is also an important ingredient in puddings, but the recipes for such dishes are given in the section in which puddings and their sauces are discussed. because of this fact, there are only a few recipes that have milk as their basis, and this accounts for the small number of recipes here given. chief among the recipes that involve principally milk are those for junket and white sauce, and while the number of these is small and the use of the dishes not so general as some kinds of food, just as much attention should be given to them as if they occurred in greater numbers and were used more commonly. junket is very easily made and should therefore cause the housewife no concern; likewise, little difficulty will be experienced if the directions here given for white sauces are followed explicitly. recipes for junket . plain junket.--in the stomachs of all animals that use milk as food is found a digestive ferment known as _rennin_. this is taken from the stomachs of calves, made up commercially, and sold in the form of tablets called _junket_. when these tablets are used properly with milk, they coagulate the milk and make an excellent dessert that resembles custard and that is very easy to digest. because of its nature and qualities, this kind of dessert is used largely for invalids and children. the following recipe gives the proportion and directions for making this dessert in its simplest form. plain junket (sufficient to serve eight) junket tablet tb. cold water qt. milk tb. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla or other flavoring dissolve the junket tablet in the cold water. warm the milk very slowly to degrees fahrenheit, testing the temperature to make sure that it is right. if a thermometer is not on hand, this can be done by dropping a drop on the back of the hand. when neither heat nor cold can be felt from this drop of milk, it may be known to be very near the body temperature, the temperature at which rennin is active. if temperature is found to be too high, the milk must be cooled before the tablet is added. when the desired temperature has been reached, add the sugar, the alt, the junket dissolved in the water, and the flavoring. then pour all into individual molds and keep it where it will remain warm for about minutes, at the end of which it should be firm like a custard and may be cooled. keep the junket cool until it is to be served, when it may be turned out of the mold or served in it. as junket will turn to whey if it is broken with a spoon to any extent, serving it in the mold is the better plan. [illustration: fig. ] . junket with. fruit.--the addition of fruit to junket, as in the dish illustrated in fig. , makes an attractive dessert for both sick and well people. if the fruit used is permissible in the diet of an invalid, its combination with junket adds variety to the diet. in the making of this dessert, all juice should be carefully drained from the fruit before the junket is poured over it. canned or fresh fruits may be used with equally good results. junket with fruit (sufficient to serve eight) junket tablet tb. cold water qt. milk / c. sugar / tsp. salt flavoring halves of canned peaches or c. of berries or small fruit make a junket as directed in the preceding recipe. drain all juice from the fruit and place a half peach or a spoonful of fruit in the bottom of each of the eight molds and pour the junket over it to fill the mold. let it solidify and serve cold. . chocolate junket.--chocolate added to plain junket not only varies the junket dessert, but also adds food value, since chocolate contains a large quantity of fat that is easily digested by most persons. where the flavor of chocolate is found agreeable, such junket may be served in place of the plain junket. chocolate junket (sufficient to serve six) c. milk sq. chocolate tb. sugar / c. water / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla junket tablet heat the milk to degrees fahrenheit, testing in the manner explained in art. . melt the chocolate in a saucepan, add to it the sugar and cupful of water, and cook until smooth; then cool and add to the warm milk, putting in the salt, vanilla, and junket tablet dissolved in cupful of the water. turn the junket into a dish or into molds and let stand in a warm place until set; then chill and serve. in preparing this recipe, it will be well to note that if sweet chocolate is used less sugar than is specified may be employed. . caramel junket.--in the making of caramel junket, browned, or caramelized, sugar and water take the place of part of the milk, and while a certain amount of the sugar is reduced in the browning, the caramel is still very high in food value and adds nutritive material to the dessert. there is nothing about caramel junket to prevent its being given to any one able to take plain junket, and if it is made correctly it has a very delightful flavor. caramel junket (sufficient to serve six) c. milk / c. sugar / c. boiling water / tsp. salt tsp. vanilla junket tablet whipped cream / c. chopped nuts heat the milk to degrees fahrenheit. caramelize the sugar by melting it in a saucepan directly over the flame until it is a light-brown color; then stir in the boiling water and cook until the caramel and the water become a sirup, after which cool and add to the milk add the salt, the vanilla, and the junket tablet dissolved in a tablespoonful of cold water pour the mixture into a dish, let it stand in a warm place until it sets; then chill, cover with sweetened whipped cream, sprinkle with chopped nuts, and serve. recipes for white sauce . three white sauces are commonly used for different purposes, and in each one of them milk is the basis. these sauces differ from one another in thickness, and include _thin white sauce_, which is used for cream toast and soups; _medium white sauce_, which is used for dressing vegetables and is flavored in various ways to accompany meats, patties, or croquettes; and _thick white sauce_, which is used to mix with the materials used for croquettes in order to hold them together. to insure the best results, the proportion of flour and liquid should be learned for each kind, and to avoid the formation of lumps the proper method of mixing should be carefully followed out. a white sauce properly made is perfectly smooth, and since only little care is needed to produce such a result it is inexcusable to serve a lumpy sauce. also, nothing is more disagreeable than thick, pasty sauce, but this can be avoided by employing the right proportion of flour and milk. the ingredients and their proportions for the various kinds of white sauce are as follows: thin white sauce c. milk tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt medium white sauce c. milk tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt thick white sauce c. milk tb. butter / c. ( tb.) flour / tsp. salt it will be easy to remember the proportions for these three sauces if it is observed that each one doubles the previous one in the quantity of flour used, the thin one having tablespoonful to cupful of milk, the medium one tablespoonfuls to cupful of milk, and the thick one tablespoonfuls to cupful of milk. to produce these sauces the ingredients may be combined in three different ways, each of which has its advantages. these methods, which are here given, should be carefully observed, for they apply not only to the making of this particular sauce, but to the combining of fat, starch, and liquid in any sauce. _method _.--heat the milk, being careful that it does not scorch. brown the butter slightly in a saucepan, add the flour and salt, and stir the mixture until it is perfectly smooth and has a deep cream color. then add the hot milk gradually, stirring to prevent the formation of lumps. cook minutes, stirring constantly to prevent the sauce from scorching. sauce made according to this method does not require long cooking because the flour added to the hot fat cooks quickly. in fact, it is a very desirable method, for the browned butter and the flour lend flavor to the sauce. many otherwise unattractive or rather tasteless foods can be made much more appetizing by the addition of white sauce made in this way. _method _.--put the milk on to heat. while this is heating, stir the butter, flour, and salt together until they are soft and well mixed; then add the hot milk to them slowly, stirring constantly. place over the heat and finish cooking, or cook in a double boiler. sauce made by this method requires longer cooking than the preceding one and it has less flavor. _method _.--heat the milk, reserving a small portion. stir the flour smooth with the cold milk and add it to the hot milk, stirring rapidly. add the butter and the salt, and continue to stir if cooked over the heat; if cooked in a double boiler, stir only until the mixture is completely thickened and then continue to cook for or minutes. when butter is added to the mixture in this way, it is likely to float on top, especially if too much is used. a better sauce may be made according to this method by using thin cream for the liquid and omitting the butter. milk, butter, and cheese (part ) examination questions ( ) when milk is used in a meal, what kinds of food may be omitted? ( ) name the chief uses of milk in the dietary. ( ) why is it possible for a child to remain in normal condition if given only milk for a long period of time? ( ) name the solids contained in milk and tell for what each one is valuable. ( ) what causes milk to sour? ( ) what are the characteristics of wholesome milk? ( ) what is meant by the adulteration of milk? ( ) what quality of milk is of the most importance to the health of those using milk? ( ) (_a_) why is dirty milk dangerous? (_b_) pour a quart of the milk you purchase regularly through a pad of cotton. note the result and report the condition of the milk by comparing the cotton with the disks shown in fig. . ( ) name some of the ways in which milk is likely to become contaminated. ( ) what is the safest kind of market milk to buy? ( ) describe the conditions under which milk of this kind is marketed. ( ) (_a_) what is pasteurized milk? (_b_) what is the purpose of pasteurization? ( ) how may milk be pasteurized in the home? ( ) (_a_) when should milk be sterilized? (_b_) what changes take place in the sterilization of milk? ( ) what points should be considered in the purchase of milk? ( ) why is it necessary to give milk considerable care in the home? ( ) mention the precautions that should be observed in caring for milk. ( ) (_a_) how is milk affected by cooking? (_b_) describe the best way to heat milk. ( ) give the proportions of flour and liquid required in each of the three varieties of white sauce. * * * * * butter and butter substitutes (part ) * * * * * butter . butter is the fatty constituent of milk. it is obtained by skimming or separating the cream from milk and churning it in order to make the particles of fat adhere to one another. butter is used largely in the household as an article of food, for it is one of the most appetizing and digestible forms of fat. to supply the demand for butter, it is produced domestically in the home and on farms and commercially in dairies and large establishments. the principle of all churns used for butter making is practically the same. they simply agitate the cream so that the butter-fat globules in it are brought together in masses of such size as to enable the butter maker to separate them from the buttermilk. butter is seasoned, or salted, to give it a desirable flavor and to improve its keeping qualities; it is washed, or worked, in order to distribute the salt evenly, to separate from it as much of the curd and other non-fatty constituents of the cream as can be conveniently removed, to bring it into a compact, waxy mass, and to give it texture. the united states authorities have set a standard for the composition of butter, which allows this product to contain not more than per cent. of water and requires it to have at least . per cent. of butter fat. . economical use of butter.--in the home, butter is used on the table and in the cooking of many foods. hardly any article of food has such general use as this one; in fact, a meal is usually considered to be incomplete without it, both as an accompaniment to bread, rolls, biscuits, or whatever variety of these is used, and as an ingredient in the cooking of some foods that require fat. but butter is not cheap, so that the wise and economical use of this food in the home is a point that should not be overlooked by the housewife. this precaution is very important, it having been determined that butter, as well as other fats, is wasted to a great extent; and still it is true that no other material can be so economically utilized. the very smallest amount of any kind of fat should be carefully saved, for there are numerous uses to which it can be put. even though it is mixed with other food, it can always be melted out, clarified--that is, freed from foreign substances--and then used for some purpose in cooking. the chief way in which butter is wasted is in the unnecessary and improper use of it, points that a little careful thought will do much to remedy. . flavor and composition of butter.--that the housewife may have an understanding of the food substances found in butter and also learn how to determine the quantity of butter needed for her family, she should become familiar with the composition of this food. the flavor of butter depends to a great extent on the kind of cream from which it is made, both sweet and sour cream being used for this purpose. of these two kinds, sour cream is the preferable one, because it gives to the butter a desirable flavor. still, the unsalted butter that is made from sweet cream is apparently growing in favor, although it is usually more expensive than salted butter. the difference in price is due to the fact that unsalted butter spoils readily. . so far as its food substances are concerned, butter is composed largely of fat, but it also contains water, protein in the form of casein, and mineral matter. the quantity of water contained in butter determines to a large extent the weight of butter, since water is heavier than fat; but as only per cent, of water is allowed, butter that contains more water than this is considered to be adulterated. as very little milk is retained in butter, only a small percentage of protein is found in this food. however, a considerable quantity of mineral salts are present, and these make it more valuable than most of the other fats. because of the nature of its composition--a very high percentage of fat and a low percentage of protein--butter is distinctly a fuel food, that is, a heat-producing food. of course, there are cheaper fats, some of which are even better heat-producing foods than butter, but as their flavor is not especially agreeable to some persons, they are not used so extensively. in view of the nature of the composition of this food, an ounce of butter a day is the average allowance for each person when the diet of a family contains meat and such other fats as lard, olive oil, etc. at the most, / pound of butter should be purchased each week for each member of the family for table use, and fats cheaper than butter should be used for cooking purposes. . purchasing butter.--as in the case of milk, in order that the housewife may judge the quality of the butter she purchases, she will do well to look into the cleanliness and sanitary condition of the dairy that produces it. too much attention cannot be given to this matter, for if cream becomes contaminated from careless handling, the same contamination is liable to occur in the butter made from it. butter that is produced in dairies that make large quantities of it usually has not much opportunity to become contaminated before it reaches the consumer, for it is generally pressed into -pound prints, and each one of these is then wrapped and placed in a paper carton. on the other hand, the farmer and the dairyman doing a small business do not find it profitable to install the equipment required to put up butter in this way, so they usually pack their butter into firkins or crocks or make it into rolls. when such butter goes to market, it is generally placed in a refrigerator with more butter of the same sort, some of which is good and some bad. as butter absorbs any strong odor present in the refrigerator and is perhaps cut and weighed in a most unsanitary manner, the good becomes contaminated with the bad. while butter of this kind is perhaps a few cents cheaper than that which is handled in a more sanitary way, it is less desirable, and if possible should be avoided by the housewife. in case butter is obtained from a certain farm, the conditions on that farm should be looked into for the same reason that the conditions in a dairy are investigated. . to be able to select good butter, the housewife should also be familiar with its characteristics. in color, butter to be good should be an even yellow, neither too pale nor too bright, and should contain no streaks. the light streaks that are sometimes found in butter indicate insufficient working. as to odor, butter should be pleasing and appetizing, any foreign or strong, disagreeable odor being extremely objectionable. stale butter or that which is improperly kept develops an acid called _butyric acid_, which gives a disagreeable odor and flavor to butter and often renders it unfit for use. . care of butter.--the precautions that the farmer and dairyman are called on to observe in the making and handling of butter should be continued by the housewife after she purchases butter for home use. the chief point for her to remember is that butter should be kept as cold as possible, because a low temperature prevents it from spoiling, whereas a high one causes it to become soft and less appetizing. the most satisfactory place in which to keep butter is the refrigerator, where it should be placed in the compartment located directly under the ice and in which the milk is kept, for here it will not come in contact with foods that might impart their flavors to it. should no refrigerator be available, some other means of keeping butter cold must be resorted to, such as a cool cellar or basement or a window box. the way in which butter is bought determines to a certain extent the method of caring for it. if it is bought in paper cartons, it should be rewrapped and replaced in the carton each time some is cut off for use. in case it is bought in bulk, it should never be allowed to remain in the wooden dish in which it is often sold; rather, it should be put into a crock or a jar that can be tightly covered. . attention should also be given to butter that is cut from the supply for the table or for cooking purposes and that is not entirely used. such butter should never be returned to the original supply, but should be kept in a separate receptacle and used for cooking. if it contains foreign material, it can be clarified by allowing it to stand after it has melted until this has settled and then dipping or pouring the clear fat from the top. butter that has become rancid or has developed a bad flavor need not be wasted either, for it can be made ready for use in cooking simply by pouring boiling water over it, allowing it to cool, and then removing the layer of fat that comes to the top. such butter, of course, cannot be used for serving on the table. still, consideration on the part of the housewife to just such matters as these will prevent much of the waste that prevails in the household in the use of this food. . cooking with butter.--while some housewives make it a practice to use butter in cooking of all kinds, there are uses in which other fats are preferable; or, in case butter is desired, there are certain points to be observed in its use. for instance, butter is rendered less digestible by cooking it at a high temperature, as in frying or sautéing; also, it cannot be used to any extent for the frying of foods, as it burns very readily. if it is used for sautéing, the dish is made much more expensive than is necessary, so that in most cases a cheaper fat should be employed for this purpose. in addition, a point to remember is that this fat should not be used to grease the pans in which cakes and hot breads are baked unless it is first melted, because the milk contained in the butter burns easily; after it is melted, only the top fat should be used. when butter is desired for very rich cakes and for pastry, it is usually washed in cold water to remove the milk. to neutralize the sour milk contained in butter that is used for baking purposes, a little soda is sometimes employed. further economy can be exercised in the use of butter if a little thought is given to the matter. for instance, when butter is melted and poured over meat or fish that has been broiled or over vegetables that have been cooked in a plain way, much of it usually remains in the dish and is wasted. such butter can be utilized again. since butter undergoes a change when it is cooked, it should be mixed with cooked foods to flavor them, rather than be subjected to the temperature necessary for cooking. when butter is used for spreading sandwiches, it usually will be found advisable to soften the butter by creaming it with a spoon, but it should never be melted for this purpose. . serving butter.--when butter is used for the table, some consideration must be given to the serving of it. probably the most usual way of serving butter is to place a slice of it on a plate and then pass the plate with a knife to each person at the table. the advantage of this method is that each person can take the amount desired and thus prevent waste. however, a still more desirable way of serving butter that is to be passed is to cut it into small cubes or squares or to shape it into small balls and then serve it with a fork or a butter knife. to prevent the pieces or balls of butter from melting in warm weather, cracked ice may be placed on the butter dish with them. butter cut into cubes or squares may also be served on an individual butter dish or an individual bread-and-butter plate placed at each person's place before the meal is served. whichever plan is adopted, any fragments of butter that remain on the plates after a meal should be gathered up and used for cooking purposes. [illustration: fig ] . butter that comes in pound prints lends itself readily to the cutting of small cubes or squares for serving. such butter may be cut by drawing a string through the print or by using a knife whose cutting edge is covered with paper, a small piece of the oiled paper such as that in which the butter is wrapped answering very well for this purpose. if butter balls are desired for serving, they may be rolled with butter paddles in the manner shown in fig. . to make butter balls, put wads of the butter to be used into ice water so as to make them hard. then place each wad between the paddles, as shown, and give the paddles a circular motion. after a little practice, it will be a simple matter to make butter balls that will add to the attractiveness of any meal. paddles made especially for this purpose can be purchased in all stores that sell kitchen utensils. [illustration: fig. ] . sometimes, for practical purposes, it is desired to know the quantity of butter that is served to each person. in the case of print butter, this is a simple matter to determine. as shown in fig. , first mark the pound print in the center in order to divide it in half; after cutting it into two pieces, cut each half into two, and finally each fourth into two. with the pound print cut into eight pieces, divide and cut each eighth into four pieces. as there will be thirty-two small pieces, each one will represent one thirty-second of a pound, or / ounce. butter substitutes . in about the year , through a desire to procure a cheaper article than butter for the poorer classes of france, came the manufacture of the first substitute for butter. since that time the use of butter substitutes has gradually increased, until at the present time millions of pounds are consumed every year. a certain amount of prejudice against their use exists, but much of this is unnecessary for they are less likely to be contaminated with harmful bacteria than the poorer qualities of butter. then, too, they do not spoil so readily, and for this reason they can be handled with greater convenience than butter. . oleomargarine.--the best substitute for butter and the one most largely used is called oleomargarine, which in the united states alone constitutes about two and / per cent. of all the fat used as butter. this fat is called by various other names, such as _margarine,_ and _butterine_, but oleomargarine is the name by which the united states authorities recognize the product. it is made by churning fats other than butter fat with milk or cream until a butterlike consistency is obtained. originally, pure beef fat was employed for this purpose, and while beef fat is used to a great extent at present, lard, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, and peanut oil are also used. whatever fats are selected are churned with milk, cream, and, for the finest grades, a considerable percentage of the very best pure butter. after they are churned, the oleomargarine is worked, salted, and packed in the same manner as butter. . the manufacture and sale of butter substitutes are controlled by laws that, while they do not specify the kind of fat to be used, state that all mixtures of butter with other fats must be sold as oleomargarine. they also require that a tax of cents a pound be paid on all artificially colored oleomargarine; therefore, while coloring matter is used in some cases, this product is usually sold without coloring. in such an event, coloring matter is given with each pound of oleomargarine that is sold. before using the oleomargarine, this coloring matter is simply worked into the fat until it is evenly colored. . renovated butter.--another substitute that is sometimes used to take the place of the best grades of butter is renovated, or process, butter. this is obtained by purifying butter that is dirty and rancid and that contains all sorts of foreign material and then rechurning it with fresh cream or milk. the purifying process consists in melting the butter, removing the scum from the top, as well as the buttermilk, brine, and foreign materials that settle, and then blowing air through the fat to remove any odors that it might contain. butter that is thus purified is replaced on the market, but in some states the authorities have seen fit to restrict its sale. while such restrictions are without doubt justifiable, it is possible to buy butter that is more objectionable than renovated, or process, butter, but that has no restriction on it. . method of testing butter substitutes.--very often oleomargarine and process butter bear such a close resemblance to genuine butter that it is almost impossible to detect the difference. however, there is a simple test by which these substitutes can always be distinguished from butter, and this should be applied whenever there is any doubt about the matter. to make this test, place the fat in a tablespoon or a small dish and heat it directly over the flame until it boils, stirring it occasionally to assist in the melting. if it is oleomargarine or process butter, it will sputter noisily and take on a curdled appearance; whereas, if it is butter, it will melt and even boil without sputtering although it foams to a certain extent. * * * * * cheese characteristics and care of cheese . origin, production, and use of cheese.--cheese is a product that is manufactured from the solids of milk, and it provides a valuable food. the making of cheese was known in ancient times, it having probably originated through a desire to utilize an oversupply of milk. when cheese was first made, the fact that bacteria were present was not known, nor were the reasons for the spoiling of milk understood; but it was learned that milk can be kept if most of its water is removed. this discovery was very important, for it led to various methods of making cheese and proved that cheese making was a satisfactory and convenient means of storing nourishment in a form that was not bulky and that would keep for long periods of time. from a very small beginning, the different methods of making cheese became popular, until at the present time more than three hundred varieties are made and their manufacture forms one of the large industries of the world. in the united states, nearly all the cheese used up to about years ago was made on farms, and to a great extent by housewives, but about that time a factory for the making of this product was started in the state of new york, and it proved a profitable enterprise. from this beginning, the business of making cheese commercially in this country has grown until now cheese is almost entirely a factory-made product, in the manufacture of which the states of new york and wisconsin lead. . in either the commercial or the home production of cheese, skim milk with all or part of the cream removed is used for some varieties, while whole milk is used for others, the composition depending largely on the kind of milk that is employed. rennet is added to the milk to coagulate it, and then the curd, from which nearly all the water is removed, is allowed to ripen. to produce characteristic odors, flavors, and consistency, various coloring and flavoring materials, as well as bacteria, are added to the curd. the action of these bacteria is really the chief factor in the making of cheese and they are therefore not only desirable but necessary. non-desirable bacteria, however, result in the formation of bad odors, flavors, and gases in the finished product and these must be carefully guarded against by cheese makers. [illustration: fig. ] . cheese offers a valuable source of nutriment for the body, because its food value ranks high. as is shown in fig. , the food value in pound of cheese is equivalent to that in pounds of beef, that in eggs, or that in pounds of fish. the use of cheese, however, is not nearly so great as its food value warrants, the amount used in the united states per capita being only about - / pounds annually. this is a condition that should be overcome, for there is a large variety of ways in which cheese can be used to advantage in the diet. when eaten raw, it is very appetizing, and when used with soups, sauces, and foods that have a bland taste, it lends additional flavor and makes an especially attractive dish. in addition, the fact that it is an economical food and can be conveniently kept and stored should recommend its frequent use. . composition of cheese.--since cheese is a product of milk, it is somewhat similar to milk in composition, but the change that occurs in the formation of cheese causes some differences. nearly all the water present in milk is removed during the manufacture of cheese, so that this product becomes a concentrated food made up of all the nourishment that milk contains except small amounts of albumin, milk sugar, and mineral matter. these, because they are in solution in the water, are lost when the whey is separated from the curd. the food substances that occur in the largest amounts are fat and protein in the form of casein, which is the tissue-building material of milk. cheese made from milk that contains some cream has in it a greater amount of fat than that made from completely skimmed milk. besides these two chief food substances, cheese contains a small amount of milk sugar, mineral matter, and water. . on account of the large quantity of protein found in cheese, this food can readily take the place of meat in the diet; in fact, it has some decided advantages over meat. as has been pointed out, cheese yields more than twice as much food value as an equal weight of beef. then, too, the buying and care of cheese are much simpler matters than the buying and care of meat. as it does not require the low temperature that meat requires and does not spoil so readily, it can be bought in considerable quantity and used as desired without danger of spoiling and loss. in addition, the use of cheese as food does not require so much skill in preparation as meat does, nor is there loss of flavor and nutriment in its preparation, as is often the case with meat. . quality of cheese.--every variety of cheese has its own standard and quality, some being hard and dry, others moist, and still others very soft. the difference in quality is due to the way in which the curd is coagulated, the amount of pressure that is put on it, and the ripening of the cheese. the holes that often occur in cheese and give it a porous appearance are formed by gas, which is the product of the growth of bacteria. a large number of very small holes in cheese indicate that the milk used to make it was not clean and contained many kinds of bacteria. this condition could be overcome by the use of absolutely clean milk; indeed, milk of this kind is as necessary for the production of good cheese as it is for the making of good butter. certain cheeses, such as limburger and roquefort, have a typical odor and flavor, the odor being due to bacteria and the flavor to mold. these are carefully grown and introduced into the cheese during its manufacture. . care of cheese.--the very strong odor and flavor that characterize cheese make it necessary that care be given to cheese in the home in order to prevent it from coming in contact with other foods and transmitting its odor and flavor to them. the best place to keep cheese, particularly the soft varieties, is in the refrigerator, where it should be placed in a closed receptacle and kept as far as possible from foods that are easily tainted. it is well to avoid a damp place for the keeping of cheese, as mold frequently develops on the outside when too much moisture is present; but in case mold does appear it can be removed by cutting a thin slice from the side on which it has grown. on the other hand, cheese that is kept in a dry place becomes hard and dry unless it is wrapped in oiled paper or a damp cloth. however, such cheese need not be thrown away, for there are numerous uses, particularly in cooking, to which it can be put. * * * * * kinds of cheese classification of varieties . the cheese used in the united states may be included under two leading classes, namely, _foreign cheese_ and _domestic cheese_. since the foreign cheeses are imported, they are more expensive than the cheeses made here, and should not be bought if cheese is to be used as an economical article of food. they are valuable chiefly for their flavor and are generally bought for this reason. the domestic cheeses can be used in larger quantities, for, besides being less expensive, they are usually of a milder type and are more easily digested. to enable the housewife to become familiar with the principal varieties of each of these classes, a discussion of them, including their names, characteristics, and, in some cases, their use and the method of making, is here given. in addition, there are shown in colors, in fig. , a large number of cheeses, together with a print of butter _o_, which serves to illustrate the irregular surface that is exposed when good butter is broken apart. imported cheese . each of the european countries has originated its own peculiar kind of cheese, which remains representative of a certain people or locality. the majority of these cheeses have met with so much favor in the united states that large quantities of them are continually imported. a few of them have been copied here with success, but others have not been successfully made. while these are not in such common use as the domestic cheeses, it is well for every one to know their names and the characteristics by which they can be identified. . english cheese.--chief among the kinds of cheeses made in england is cheddar cheese, which is illustrated at _a_, fig. . it is rich, double-thick cream cheese, ranging from a pale to a dark yellow, although when uncolored it may be white. such cheese, when fresh, has a milk flavor, but when it is well ripened it has a characteristic sharp taste. new cheddar cheese is soft, but not waxy, in texture and may readily be shaved or broken into small pieces; when it is well ripened, it may be grated. english cheddar cheese is not unlike american cheddar cheese, or, as it is commonly called, _american cream cheese_, which is shown by _b_. in fact the american variety is made according to the method used for the english. owing to its characteristics, flavor, and abundance, cheddar cheese, both english and american, is the kind that is used most extensively in the united states. english dairy cheese, shown at _d_, is similar to cheddar cheese, although it has a reddish color and, on account of the method of manufacture, it is harder. this kind of cheese lends itself well to cooking, as it may be easily grated. cheshire cheese, a well-known english variety, is a dry cream cheese made from whole cow's milk. it is deep yellow or red in color, similar in flavor to cheddar cheese, and is used in much the same manner. [illustration] [illustration] stilton cheese, shown at _m_, is a hard cheese made from cow's milk to which cream has been added and which is coagulated with rennet. mold is introduced into this cheese, so that it resembles roquefort cheese, which is shown at _j_. . holland cheese.--the variety of cheese shown at _e_, fig. , is known as edam cheese. it is a hard rennet cheese of a red color and is mild in flavor. this kind of cheese is molded into the shape of a ball, the outside of which is usually dyed red, and will keep for a long period of time. edam cheese is one of the important products of the netherlands, and while it is seldom used in cookery in the homes of this country, it is served at the table. usually a section of the top is cut off to serve as a lid while the inside is scooped out as needed. sometimes, after most of the cheese has been removed, the hollow shell is stuffed with macaroni or rice that has been cooked and seasoned and the food then baked in the shell. . french cheeses.--among the french cheeses, the variety called gruy�re cheese, which is shown at _f_, fig. , is well liked. it is usually made of skim milk, has a yellow color and a mild, sweetish flavor, and contains large holes like those found in swiss and emmenthal cheeses, varieties that are very similar to it. like these cheeses, gruyère cheese may be used in cooking or served without cooking, being used considerably in the making of sandwiches. brie cheese is a french variety of very soft cheese, with a strong flavor and odor. it is made from whole or partly skimmed cow's milk coagulated by means of rennet. this kind of cheese is used mostly as an accompaniment to other foods. camembert cheese, which is shown at _h_, is also a soft cheese. it is made by practically the same process as brie cheese and is used in the same way. this cheese has a typical odor. its rind is thick and dry, but its center is very soft, being sometimes almost liquid. neufch�tel cheese, which is shown at _i_, is a soft rennet cheese made from cow's milk. it is made at neufchâtel-en-bray, france, and not at neufchâtel, switzerland. this variety of cheese is wrapped in tin-foil and sold in small packages. it is used chiefly for salads, sandwiches, etc. as it does not keep well after the package is opened, the entire contents should be used at one time. roquefort cheese, which is shown at _j_, is a hard, highly flavored cheese made from sheep's milk coagulated with rennet. it has a marbled appearance, which is due to a greenish mold that is introduced. roquefort cheese is frequently served with crackers at the end of a meal, and is well liked by many persons. . italian cheeses.--from italy is imported a cheese, called parmesan cheese, that is used extensively for flavoring soups and macaroni dishes. this cheese, which is shown at _g_, fig. , is very hard and granular and, provided it is well made, it will keep for years. owing to its characteristics, it may be easily grated. it can be bought by the pound and grated as it is needed, or it can be secured already grated in bottles. gorgonzola, another italian cheese, is shown at _k_. it is not unlike roquefort in appearance and in use, but it is made from whole cow's milk coagulated with rennet. into this cheese is also introduced a mold that gives its center a streaked or mottled appearance. . swiss cheeses.--possibly the best known cheese imported from switzerland is the variety known as swiss, or switzer, cheese. this kind of cheese has different names, depending on the district of switzerland in which it is made. nevertheless all of them are similar and have a mild, sweet flavor. swiss cheese may be readily recognized by its pale yellow color and the presence of large holes, although it resembles gruyère cheese very closely. emmenthal cheese is a variety of fairly hard cheese that originated in switzerland, but is now made in many other countries. it is similar to swiss cheese, being made from whole cow's milk and characterized by large holes about inches apart. sapsago cheese, shown at _n_, fig. , is a skim-milk cheese made in switzerland. it is a very hard cheese, and therefore suitable for grating. in the process of making this cheese, melilot, a clover-like herb, is added, and this gives the cheese a green color and a peculiar flavor. . belgian cheese.--a cheese that originated in belgium, but is now manufactured in other countries, is the variety known as limburg, or limburger, cheese, cheese, which is shown at _l_, fig. . it is a soft rennet cheese made from whole cow's milk. it is very strong in taste and smell, due to putrefactive germs that are added to the milk in its manufacture. domestic cheese . in the united states, efforts that have been exerted to make cheeses similar to some of those produced in europe have to a certain extent been successful. american cheese makers have succeeded in making several soft cream cheeses that resemble neufchâtel, some of which are spiced or flavored with pimiento, olives, etc. in addition, limburg and swiss cheeses have been successfully manufactured in wisconsin, and brie, neufchâtel, and camembert have been copied and are produced in new york. pineapple cheese, while of american origin, is really very much like english cheddar cheese, except that it is harder. but while these fancy cheeses are desired by some persons and have a moderately large sale, the cheese for which there is the most demand in america is the so-called american cheddar cheese, which, as has been stated, is made according to the method used for english cheddar cheese. . american cheddar cheese.--since american cheddar cheese is the kind that is commonly used in this country, the way in which it is made will be well to know. the milk used for this kind of cheese is first inspected as to cleanliness and the extent of fermentation it has undergone, and when these points are ascertained, it is _ripened_; that is, allowed to sour to a certain degree of acidity. at this stage, coloring matter is added, after which the milk is prepared for setting by bringing it to a certain temperature. with the temperature at the right point, rennet is added to coagulate the milk, or form the curd. the milk is then allowed to remain undisturbed until the action of the rennet is at a certain point, when the curd is cut into little cube-shaped pieces by drawing two sets of knives through it and thus is separated from the whey. as soon as the curd is cut, the temperature of the mass is raised to help make the curd firm and to cause the little cubes to retain their firmness, and during the entire heating process the whole mass is stirred constantly to assist in the separation from the whey. when the curd is sufficiently firm, the whey is removed and the particles of curd are allowed to adhere and form into a solid mass. if necessary, the curd is cut again into small pieces to get rid of the excess whey; but if the curd is too dry, the pieces must be piled up until they are four or five deep. during this process, which is known as the _cheddaring_ of the cheese, the curd is treated until it is of the proper texture to be _milled_, that is, put into a mill and ground into small pieces. the object of milling the curd is to cut it into pieces small enough to permit of uniform salting and the further escape of whey. when the curd has been brought to this point, it is salted and then pressed into molds. finally, it is wrapped and cured, or ripened. . brick cheese.--another american cheese that seems to meet with a popular demand is brick cheese. this kind of cheese, which is illustrated at _c_, fig. , gets its name from the fact that it is pressed into "bricks" under the weight of one or two bricks. it is made from sweet milk, coagulated with rennet, cut with curd knives, and heated in the whey to firm it. brick cheese is mild in flavor and of a moderately close texture. it is used chiefly as an accompaniment to other foods. . american home-made cheese.--the making of cheddar cheese and brick cheese is, of course, done commercially, but there is a kind of cheese that can be made very conveniently in the home. this home-made cheese, which is generally known as cottage cheese, affords an excellent way in which to utilize left-over sour milk, particularly if a quart or more can be obtained at one time; smaller quantities can generally be used for baking purposes. if properly made, such cheese is very digestible. as it can be seasoned and served in a variety of ways, it makes a delightful addition to lunches or other light meals in which a protein dish, such as meat, is undesirable. skim milk does very well for this kind of cheese, so that if the sour milk that is to be used has cream on it, the cream should be removed before the cheese is made; otherwise, it will remain in the whey and be lost. in case cream is desired to improve the texture and flavor of the cheese, it should be added after the cheese is made. [illustration: fig. ] . to make cottage cheese, allow a quantity of sour milk to clabber, that is, become curdled, and then place it on the back of the stove in a thick vessel, such as a crock, until the whey begins to appear on the top, turning it occasionally so that it will heat very slowly and evenly. do not allow the temperature to rise above degrees fahrenheit, or the curd will become tough and dry. remember that the two things on which the success of this product depends are the flavor of the milk used and the proper heating of it. no difficulty will be encountered in the heating of the milk if a coal or a wood stove is used, but in case a gas stove must be used, the vessel containing the milk should be placed in a larger one containing warm water and the milk should be heated in this manner until the curd and the whey begin to separate. at this point, pour off all the whey possible, and turn the curd into a cloth bag or a colander lined with cloth, as shown in fig. , and allow any remaining whey to drip out. if, after the whey is removed, the curd tastes sour, wash it with warm water and allow it to drip again. then season it with salt to suit the taste and, provided cream is desired, add it at this time, using sweet or sour cream. to work in the cream, press it into the curd with a spoon until the cheese is quite smooth. cheese made in this way may be flavored with anything desirable. for instance, chopped pimiento, parsley, olives, or nuts improve the flavor of the cheese very much and make a very appetizing combination. the dry curd mixed with any of these makes a delightful salad when it is pressed into balls, garnished with lettuce, and served with salad dressing. . junket cottage cheese.--another variety of cottage cheese can be prepared by using sweet milk and forming the curd with a junket tablet, one tablet being required for each quart of milk. to make cheese of this kind, heat the milk until it is lukewarm, or not over degrees fahrenheit, and then add the junket tablet dissolved in cold milk or water. keep the milk warm until the curd forms, and then break up the curd with a spoon and pour the whole mass into a bag or a colander lined with cloth. when all the whey is drained out, the curd, which will be sweet, can be seasoned in any desired way or mixed with cream and served. if more flavor is preferred, the curd may be allowed to sour or may be mixed with sour cream. . buttermilk cream cheese.--a slight variation from the cottage cheeses just described is buttermilk cream cheese. this cheese is formed from the curd of buttermilk, which is finer in texture and not so likely to become tough as that formed from ordinary sour milk. to prepare buttermilk cream cheese, warm the buttermilk slowly, being careful not to allow the temperature to rise beyond degrees fahrenheit. as the milk is heated, the curd will form and will gradually sink to the bottom of the vessel. after this occurs, remove the whey and mix the curd with a little thick cream. the result will be a mixture having a delightfully creamy consistency. serving cheese . cheese does not lend itself readily to many ways of serving, still it frequently adds zest to many foods. when grated, it may be passed with tomato or vegetable soup and sprinkled in to impart an unusual flavor. in this form it may also be served with macaroni and other italian pastes, provided cheese has not been included in the preparation of such foods. when sliced, little slices may be served nicely with any kind of pie or pastry and with some puddings, such as steamed fruit puddings. thin slices or squares of cheese and crackers served with coffee after the dessert add a finishing touch to many meals. it will be well to note that crackers to be served with cheese should always be crisp. unless they have just been taken from a fresh package, crackers can be improved by placing them in a moderate oven for a few minutes before serving. also, firm crackers that do not crumble easily are best to serve with cheese, water crackers being especially desirable. * * * * * recipes for cheese dishes effect of cooking on cheese . because cheese is a highly concentrated food, it is generally considered to be indigestible; but this matter can be remedied by mixing the cheese with other foods and thus separating it into small particles that are more readily digested. the way in which this may be done depends on the nature of the cheese. any of the dry cheeses or any of the moist cheeses that have become dry may be grated or broken into bits, but as it is difficult to treat the moist ones in this way, they must be brought to a liquid state by means of heat before they can be added to other foods. the cooking of cheese, however, has an effect on this food that should be thoroughly understood. it will be well to note, therefore, that the application of heat to the form of protein found in cheese causes this food substance to coagulate and harden, as in the case of the albumen of eggs. in the process of coagulation, the first effect is the melting of the cheese, and when it has been brought to this semiliquid state it can be easily combined with other foods, such as milk, eggs, soups, and sauces. in forming such combinations, the addition of a small amount of bicarbonate of soda helps to blend the foods. another characteristic of cheese that influences the cooking of it is that the fat it contains melts only at a low temperature, so that, on the whole, the methods of preparation that require a low temperature are the best for cooking these foods. however, a precaution that should be taken whenever cheese is heated is not to cook it too long, for long cooking makes it hard and leathery in consistency, and cheese in this state is difficult to digest. variety of cheese dishes . as has already been learned, cheese lends itself very readily to a large variety of cooked dishes. for instance, it may be grated and sprinkled on the top of mashed or creamed potatoes and then browned by placing the dish in the oven. when it is grated or sliced, it may be arranged between the layers of macaroni or other food used to make a scalloped dish. soups and sauces flavored with cheese are especially appetizing, a cream sauce of this kind served over toast or rice making an excellent luncheon dish. toast or crackers spread with cheese and placed in the oven just long enough for the cheese to melt are delicious to serve with a salad course or with tea. to assist in the preparation of such combinations, as well as other cheese dishes, a number of recipes are here given. in making up these recipes, it will be well to note that unless the variety of cheese is stated explicitly, use should be made of american cheddar cheese, or, as it is often called, _american cream cheese_, or _store cheese_. of course, some similar hard cheese could be used if desired, but the kind mentioned is recommended for the sake of economy. [illustration: fig. ] . cheese bonbons.--a combination of cheese and nuts in the form of cheese bonbons, besides being very tasty, is highly nutritious, since both the cheese and the nuts used in making them are high in food value. such bonbons, which are illustrated in fig. , may be served with a light salad, such as a vegetable or a fruit salad, to add food value to the dish, or they may be served with wafers to take the place of a salad, when a small amount of some kind of tart jelly goes nicely with them. if the dessert for the dinner has been a very light one, these bonbons may be served with coffee and wafers after the dessert. they may be made as follows: cheese bonbons (sufficient for twelve bonbons) pkg. neufchâtel or cream cheese tb. finely chopped pimiento / tsp. salt few grains of paprika / c. half english-walnut meats work the cheese smooth with the pimiento and other seasoning, and if the mixture is too dry add a little cream. shape this into small balls, press each ball flat, and then place a half nut on top of each. if the pimiento is not desired, it may be omitted. . cheese souffl�.--as a dish that will take the place of meat in a light meal is often desired, cheese soufflé, which is comparatively high in food value, finds much favor. this dish contains milk, eggs, and cheese, as is shown in the accompanying recipe, and so may actually be considered as a protein dish and used accordingly. soufflé is served in the dish in which it is baked, but if it is quite firm and is to be eaten at once, it may be removed from the ramekin to a plate. cheese souffl� (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter tb. flour - / c. milk / c. grated cheese dash of paprika / tsp. salt eggs melt the butter, add the flour, mix well, and then gradually add the milk, which should be scalded. to this sauce add the cheese, paprika, and salt. when thoroughly mixed, remove from the fire and add the beaten yolks of eggs, beating rapidly. cool and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour into a buttered baking dish or in ramekins and bake minutes in a slow oven. serve at once. . cheese omelet.--grated cheese added to an omelet gives it a delightful flavor. since such an omelet is a high-protein dish, it should never be served in the same meal in which meat, fish, or other protein foods are served, but should be used as the main dish of a luncheon or a light supper. cheese omelet (sufficient to serve four) eggs tb. hot water / tsp. salt tb. bread crumbs c. grated cheese tb. butter beat the egg yolks thoroughly and add to them the hot water, salt, crumbs, and cheese. beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry, and fold them carefully into the yolk mixture. heat the butter in an omelet pan. pour in the mixture, brown very slowly over the heat, and then place in the oven to cook the top. serve at once. . cheese sauce.--to give a distinctive flavor to white sauce, cheese is often added to it. a sauce flavored in this way lends itself nicely to the garnishing of croquettes or soufflés, and it will be found quite tasty if it is served over some vegetables, such as steamed cauliflower, mashed potatoes, or rice served as a vegetable. such sauce may also be served over toast to make an attractive luncheon dish. cheese sauce (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. flour tb. butter / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika / c. grated cheese make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter, salt, and paprika, and to it add the grated cheese. if desired, a dash of catsup or chili sauce may be added for flavoring. . cheese toast.--when toast has added to it eggs, milk, and cheese, as in the recipe here given, it is sufficiently high in protein to serve as a meat substitute and is a particularly good dish for a light meal. it combines well with a vegetable salad for luncheon and is an excellent dish to serve for sunday night supper, when very little else need be served with it. cheese toast (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. flour tb. butter / tsp. salt / c. grated cheese hard-cooked eggs squares of toast make a white sauce of the milk, flour, butter, and salt, and to it add / cupful of the grated cheese and the egg whites chopped fine. arrange the toast on a platter, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle the top with the egg yolks that have been run through a ricer or a sieve, and sprinkle the remaining / cupful of cheese over all. place in hot oven or under a broiler until the cheese melts a little. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . welsh rarebit.--whenever a dish that can be made in a chafing dish is desired, welsh rarebit is immediately thought of. this is possibly due to the fact that this tasty cheese dish is very often served at evening parties, when a crowd may gather around a table and enjoy the preparation of this food in the chafing dish. this kind of cooking utensil, together with its outfit, which consists of a long-handled spoon and fork, is shown in fig. . as will be observed, a chafing dish consists of a frame to which is attached a lamp that provides the heat, a pan in which water is placed, another pan with a handle in which the food is cooked, and a cover. the heat for cooking is furnished by alcohol, although it is possible to get chafing dishes that are heated by electricity. chafing dishes are used by many housewives, for in addition to the use mentioned, they serve very well for the making of practically any kind of creamed dish, including those in which sea foods and vegetables are used, as well as for the sautéing of foods. it should not be understood, however, that welsh rarebit must be made in a chafing dish, for this food can be prepared as well in a heavy frying pan or a double boiler; nor should it be taken for granted that it is served only at parties, for it may be served as the main dish for luncheon or supper. rarebit is often flavored with ale or beer, but this is not required to make an appetizing dish, as the following recipe shows. welsh rarebit (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter tb. flour c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika / lb. cheese cut into small pieces slices of toast or wafers melt the butter, add to it the flour, and stir until smooth. gradually add the milk, and cook for a few minutes; then add the salt, paprika, and cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. the finished rarebit should not be stringy. pour over the toast or wafers and serve. . english monkey.--another cheese dish that is frequently made in a chafing dish and served from it is english monkey, but this may likewise be made with ordinary kitchen utensils and served directly on plates from the kitchen or from a bowl on the table. a dish of this kind is most satisfactory if it is served as soon as the sauce is poured over toast or wafers and before they have had time to become soaked. english monkey may be made according to the following recipe and served for the same purposes as welsh rarebit. english monkey (sufficient to serve six) c. bread crumbs c. milk tb. butter / c. soft cheese cut into small pieces egg / tsp. salt buttered wafers soak the bread crumbs in the milk. melt the butter and add to it the cheese, stirring until the cheese is melted. then add the soaked crumbs, the slightly beaten egg, and the salt. cook for a few minutes and pour over wafers and serve. if desired, toast may be used in place of the wafers. . cheese-and-macaroni loaf.--macaroni combined with cheese makes a high-protein dish that very readily takes the place of meat and that may be served as the main dish in a dinner. if this combination is made into a loaf and baked well in an oblong bread pan, it may be turned out on a platter and cut into slices. in case a loaf is not desired, it may be baked in a baking dish and served directly from that. in either form, it is made more appetizing by the addition of a tomato sauce. cheese-and-macaroni loaf (sufficient to serve eight) / c. macaroni (inch lengths) c. milk c. bread crumbs tb. chopped green peppers tb. chopped onion tb. chopped parsley eggs tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. grated cheese tb. butter cook the macaroni according to the directions given in _cereals_. when it is thoroughly soft, drain off the water and mix the macaroni with the milk, bread crumbs, green pepper, onion, parsley, well-beaten egg, salt, pepper, and grated cheese. place in a baking dish, dot the top with butter, and bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is set. serve with or without sauce, as desired. . cheese fondue.--a dish that is very similar to cheese soufflé and that must be served as soon as it comes from the oven in order to avoid shrinking is cheese fondue. it satisfactorily takes the place of meat in a light meal, and may be served from a large dish or from individual baking dishes with or without sauce, as desired. cheese fondue (sufficient to serve six) / c. soft bread crumbs / c. grated cheese c. hot milk eggs / tsp. salt mix the bread crumbs and cheese, and add them to the hot milk, beaten egg yolks, and salt. fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. bake in a buttered baking dish for about minutes in a moderate oven. serve at once. . cheese dreams.--if something delicious to serve with fruit or salad is desired for luncheon or sunday night supper, the accompanying recipe for cheese dreams should be tried. they should be served at once on being taken from the stove, because as soon as they cool the cheese hardens and they are not appetizing. cheese dreams may be sautéd or prepared in a broiler or an oven, but if they are sautéd, they may be made in a chafing dish. cheese dreams (sufficient to serve six) thinly cut slices of bread butter cheese sliced / in. thick spread the bread thinly with butter and make sandwiches by placing a slice of cheese between two slices of bread. place these sandwiches under a broiler or in a very hot oven and toast them on both sides, or omit the butter from the center, place the sandwiches in a slightly oiled frying pan, and brown them on both sides. in heating the sandwiches, the cheese melts. serve hot. . cheese wafers.--if made daintily, cheese wafers may be served with salad or with tea for afternoon tea. the wafers selected for this purpose should be small and the layer of cheese not very thick. if a very thin broth is served at the beginning of a meal, cheese wafers may accompany it, but they should never be served with a heavy soup. cheese wafers (sufficient to serve six) doz. wafers butter / grated cheese paprika spread the wafers thinly with butter and sprinkle each with tablespoonful of grated cheese and a pinch of paprika. bake in a hot oven until the cheese is melted. cool and serve. [illustration: fig. ] . cheese straws.--nothing can be more delightful to serve with a vegetable salad than cheese straws, which are illustrated in fig. . an attractive way to serve them is to slip them through small rings made out of strips of the dough mixture and baked at the same time the straws are baked and then place them at the side of the salad plate. they may accompany a fruit salad, as well as a vegetable salad, but they are not appropriate for serving with a meat or a fish salad. cheese straws (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter / c. flour c. bread crumbs c. grated or cut cheese / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper pinch of cayenne pepper / c. milk cream the butter and to it add the flour, bread crumbs, cheese, and seasonings. mix thoroughly and add the milk. roll / inch thick and then cut / inch wide and inches long. bake until brown in a moderately hot oven. . tomatoes with cheese stuffing.--the addition of cheese to the stuffing used in stuffed tomatoes means added flavor, as well as nutritive value in the form of protein, the food substance in which the tomatoes themselves are lacking. the bread crumbs used for the stuffing supply a large amount of carbohydrate, so that the completed dish, besides being a very attractive one, contains all the food principles in fairly large quantities. stuffed tomatoes may be served as the main dish in a light meal or as a vegetable dish in a heavy meal. tomatoes with cheese stuffing (sufficient to serve six) tomatoes c. bread crumbs c. grated cheese / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. butter / c. hot water select medium-sized tomatoes and hollow out the centers. mix the crumbs, cheese, salt, pepper, butter, and hot water with the pulp from the centers of the tomatoes. fill the tomatoes with this stuffing, place in a pan, and bake in a moderate oven until the tomato can be pierced easily with a fork. serve hot. . figs stuffed with cheese.--as cheese is a very concentrated food, it is often combined with another food to offset this effect. an excellent combination is formed by stuffing figs with cheese. figs prepared in this way will be found to be very attractive and tasty and may be served in the place of a dessert or a salad, depending on the kind and size of the meal with which they are used. figs stuffed with cheese (sufficient to serve eight) pkg. neufchâtel or cream cheese tb. cream small pulled figs work the cheese and cream until soft. steam the figs for or minutes or until they are soft; then cool them, cut out their stems, fill their centers with the soft cheese, and serve. . cheese sandwiches.--very appetizing sandwiches that may be used to take the place of meat sandwiches or a protein dish at any time are made with a cheese filling. if these are made very small and dainty, they may be served with salad in a light meal. the addition of pickles, olives, and pimiento, which are included in the accompanying recipe, makes the filling more attractive than the usual plain cheese by producing in it a variety of tastes. they also add bulk, which is lacking in both the white bread and the cheese. if desired, graham or whole-wheat bread may be used in place of white bread. cheese sandwiches (sufficient to serve six) / lb. cheese medium-sized pickles / pimiento meat from / doz. olives / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika bread put the cheese, pickles, pimiento, and olives through a food chopper, and when chopped add the salt and the paprika. if the mixture is not moist enough to spread, add salad dressing or vinegar until it is of the right consistency. mix well and spread on thinly cut, buttered slices of bread. luncheon menu . many of the dishes for which recipes are given in this section, particularly those including cheese as one of the ingredients, do very well for the main dish in a light meal, such as luncheon. in order that practice may be had in preparing a well-balanced luncheon that includes a dish of this kind, a luncheon menu is here presented. the cheese soufflé, which has been selected as the main dish in this menu, should be made according to the directions already given. little difficulty will be experienced in making the other dishes, as recipes for them are given immediately after the menu. all the recipes are intended for six persons, so that if more or fewer are to be served, the recipes should be changed accordingly. this menu is presented with the intention that it be tried by each student and a report of it then prepared according to the plan outlined and sent with the work of the examination questions. menu cream-of-corn soup cheese soufflé stewed tomatoes sautéd potatoes brown bread and butter baked apples black tea recipes cream-of-corn soup tb. flour tb. butter pt. milk c. canned corn tsp. salt / tsp. pepper make a white sauce of the flour, butter, and milk. force the corn through a colander or sieve and add the purée to the white sauce. season with the salt and pepper and serve. saut�d potatoes medium-sized cooked potatoes tb. butter - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper slice the boiled potatoes thin and put the slices in a frying pan in which the butter has been melted. add the salt and pepper. allow the potatoes to cook until well browned, turning frequently during the cooking. serve hot. stewed tomatoes tb. butter small onion medium-sized ripe tomatoes or can of tomatoes tsp. salt tb. sugar / tsp. pepper tb. flour brown the butter in a saucepan, slice the onion into it, and cook for a few minutes. add the tomatoes. if fresh tomatoes are to be used, remove the skins, cut into pieces, put into the saucepan with a few tablespoonfuls of water, and cook until the tomatoes are thoroughly softened. if canned tomatoes are to be used, merely allow them to come to the boiling point. add the salt, sugar, and pepper, and, a few minutes before removing from the fire, moisten the flour with a tablespoonful of cold water and stir into the tomato. cook for a few minutes and serve. baked apples medium-sized apples lemon / c. sugar / c. water wipe and core the apples. put them into a baking dish and place a slice of lemon on the top of each. make a sirup of the sugar and the water, pour this around the apples, and bake slowly until they can be pierced easily with a fork. serve hot or cold, with a teaspoonful of jelly on the top of each apple. black tea tsp. black tea c. boiling water scald out the pot with freshly boiling water, pour in the tea, add the cupfuls of freshly boiling water, and allow it to stand on the leaves until the tea is strong enough to serve. then either pour the tea off the leaves and keep it hot or serve at once. milk, butter, and cheese (part ) examination questions ( ) from what part of milk is butter made? ( ) what food substances does butter contain? ( ) tell how to select good butter. ( ) after butter is purchased, what care should be given to it? ( ) (_a_) how does cooking affect butter? (_b_) how can economy be exercised in the use of butter in cooking? ( ) how may rancid butter be made fit for use in cooking? ( ) explain the advantages of butter substitutes. ( ) give the test for distinguishing oleomargarine and renovated butter from butter. ( ) explain briefly the way in which cheese is produced. ( ) what food substances are found in cheese? ( ) why can cheese be used to take the place of meat? ( ) tell the advantages that cheese has over meat. ( ) explain how to make cottage cheese from sour milk. ( ) why should cheese be mixed with other foods instead of being served alone? ( ) explain the effect of cooking on cheese. report on menu after trying out the luncheon menu given in the text, send with your answers to the examination questions a report of your success. in making out your report, simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified in the following list: cream-of-corn soup: too thick? too thin? lumpy? well seasoned? milk curdled? cheese soufflé: light? heavy? baked sufficiently? shrunken? underdone? hash-browned potatoes: too brown? not brown enough? well seasoned? too much fat? too little fat? stewed tomatoes: sufficiently cooked? well seasoned? too sour? baked apples: well done? not well done? too brown? too dry? too moist? sufficient sugar? black tea: too weak? too strong? hot? taste of tannin? * * * * * eggs * * * * * value of eggs as food description of eggs and place in the diet . eggs are of great importance in the diet, and to appreciate this fact fully the true nature of this food must be understood. for domestic use, the eggs of guinea hens, turkeys, ducks, and geese occasionally find favor, but as eggs laid by hens are the kind that is commonly used, it is to such eggs that this section is devoted. a hen's egg may really be considered as an undeveloped chicken, because it contains all the elements required to build the body of the chick and provide it with the energy it needs to pick its way into the world. when it emerges from the shell, it is fully developed, and in a short time it begins an independent existence, seeking and finding its own food. the fact that eggs store so much nutritive material explains to some extent why they are a valuable source of food for man and why they are used so extensively. however, as in the case of milk, the elements that eggs contain are not in just the right proportion for the sole nourishment of a human being, so they must generally be used in combination with other foods. . most persons are familiar with the appearance of eggs, but in order that satisfactory results may be obtained in their selection, care, and cooking, it will be necessary to look into the details of their composition. as is well known, an egg consists of a porous shell lined with a fine, but tough, membrane that encloses the white and the yolk and serves to protect them. the yolk is divided from the white by a delicate membrane, which permits it to be separated from the white when an egg is carefully broken. this membrane extends to each end of the shell in the form of a small cord, and it is so fastened to the shell as to hold the yolk evenly suspended. the porous nature of an egg shell is required to give air to the developing chick, but it is this characteristic that permits eggs to spoil as they grow old and are exposed to air, for through these minute pores, or openings, the water in the egg evaporates and air and bacteria enter. of course, as the water evaporates and is replaced by air, the egg becomes lighter. because of this fact, the freshness of eggs can be determined by placing them in water. when they are fresh, they will sink in cold water, but as they decompose they become lighter and will float. since it is known that the spoiling of eggs is due to the entrance of air through the porous shell, it may be inferred that their decay may be prevented either by protecting the shell so that air cannot enter or by keeping the eggs at so low a temperature that bacteria cannot grow. although stored eggs always deteriorate more or less, both of these methods of preservation have proved very satisfactory, the former being used largely in the home and the latter finding its solution in cold storage. a knowledge of how eggs can be preserved, however, is of great value, for if there were no means of preservation and eventual marketing, the price of eggs would at times rise to actual prohibitive limits. . that eggs as an article of food are growing in importance is indicated by the fact that their production has come to be a large and widely distributed industry. owing to the private consumption and sale of eggs, an accurate statement of the number of eggs produced is difficult to give. still, in a report, the united states bureau of agriculture estimated the value of the yearly egg production at something more than three million dollars, with an allowance of about eggs, or - / dozen, per capita each year, or eggs a week for each person. these figures, however, are only suggestive of the production, use, and value of eggs, for as the population increases so does the use of eggs. in fact, they are proving to be almost indispensable to the cook, the baker, the manufacturers of certain foods, and many others. . with the increase in the demand for eggs has come a corresponding steady advance in the money value of this product and, consequently, an increase in its price. the housewife who would practice economy in cookery can readily see, therefore, that with reference to the number of eggs required and the ways in which they are used, she must choose carefully the recipes and methods she employs. if the eggs are always considered a part of a meal, their use is seldom an extravagance, even at such high prices as they sometimes attain. on the other hand, if a dessert that requires the use of many eggs is added to a meal that is itself sufficient in food value, it is not unreasonable to regard such use of eggs as an extravagance. a point that should be taken into consideration in the use of eggs in the diet, especially when their price seems very high, is that there is no waste matter in them, unless the shell is regarded as waste. therefore, they are often more economical than other foods that can be bought for less money. it must not be understood, however, that eggs are used only as an article of diet. they are also a very important food ingredient, being employed in the preparation of many kinds of dishes. for instance, they are often used to thicken custards, sauces, etc.; to clarify soups and jellies; to lighten cakes, puddings, hot breads, and other baked mixtures; to form the basis for salad dressings; and to combine or hold together many varieties of food. nutritive value of eggs . like milk, eggs are often spoken of as a perfect food. still, as has been pointed out, they are not a perfect food for man, but they are of especial nutritive value and should be used freely in the diet just as long as their cost neither limits nor prohibits their use. an idea of how they compare with other nutritious foods can be obtained from fig. , which shows that eight eggs are equal in food value to quart of milk or pound and ounces of beefsteak. a better understanding of their food value, however, can be gained from a study of their composition. [illustration: fig. ] . since an egg is an undeveloped chick that requires only the addition of warmth to develop it into a living, moving creature made of muscles, bones, and blood, it is evident that this food contains considerable tissue-building and energy-producing material. the exact proportion of this material, as well as the other substances found in eggs, is given in the food chart shown in _essentials of cookery_, part . the chart relating to the composition of eggs points out that the edible portion of the whole egg consists of . per cent. of water, . per cent. of protein, . per cent. of fat, and about per cent. of ash, or mineral matter. the protein, which is chiefly in the form of albumen, and the fat are the most digestible of these elements, while the mineral constituents are as valuable for the growing child as for the chick. when the total weight of an egg is taken into consideration, the shell constitutes about per cent., the yolk per cent., and the white per cent. the composition of the yolk and the white differs somewhat, the yolk having the greater food value, a fact that is also clearly indicated in the chart. the white contains a larger proportion of water than the yolk, but the yolk contains the most of the fat and more protein and mineral matter, or ash, than the white. in addition, the chart shows that the number of calories to the pound of whole egg is , of egg yolk is , , and of egg white is . . protein in eggs.--the nature of the food substances in eggs is of nearly as great importance as their amount, for they not only determine the value of this food in the body, but influence its cooking. that protein is present in both the yolk and the white is apparent from the fact that they coagulate when heat is applied. because eggs are high in protein, containing . per cent. of this substance, they may be regarded as equivalent to a meat dish, and it is only when they are extremely high in price that they cannot be frequently substituted for meat to advantage. they are often used to take the place of milk, too, for eggs and milk are more alike in nutritive value than any other two protein foods; but, of the two, milk yields the cheaper form of protein. like meat and milk, eggs are rich in all those food materials which enter into the construction of bone, muscle, and blood. . fat in eggs.--a study of the food chart previously mentioned will show that eggs contain proportionately almost as much fat as protein and that nearly all this fat is found in the yolk. since fat produces more heat or energy, weight for weight, than any other food substance, and since eggs contain neither starch nor sugar, it is evident that the fat of this food is the main source of the energy-producing material. fat in eggs occurs in the form of an emulsion, or tiny particles, and, like the fat of milk, is very readily digested. it is for this reason that both of these foods are particularly well adapted to the diet of both children and adults. the presence of quantities of protein and fat and the absence of carbohydrate in eggs indicate that the proper thing to combine with this food, in order to have a well-balanced meal when eggs are eaten, is carbohydrate in some form. . minerals in eggs.--eggs are especially valuable for the mineral salts they contain, chief among which are lime, phosphorus, sulphur, iron, potassium, and sodium. for this reason, the addition of eggs to any kind of diet supplies a large amount of the minerals that are needed for bone, blood, and tissue building. a favorable point concerning the minerals found in eggs is that they are not affected to any extent by cooking. therefore, in the preparation of any dish, if eggs are added to other foods, that dish will contain an additional amount of mineral salts, plus the nutritive value of the eggs. . digestibility of eggs.--in connection with the discussion of the food substances of which eggs are composed, it will be well to note how these affect the digestibility of this food. but just what is meant by this characteristic with reference to eggs must first be understood. in some foods, digestibility may mean the length of time required for them to digest; in others, the completeness of the digestion; and in still others, the ease and comfort with which the process of digestion proceeds. in the case of eggs, digestibility refers to the quantity of this food that is absorbed, that is, actually dissolved and permitted to enter the blood stream. the nutritive value of eggs is not so high as would naturally be supposed, for, although the protein, fat, and mineral salts of an egg make up about one-fourth of its contents, one egg equals in nutritive value only / cupful of milk, a small potato, or a medium-sized apple. however, when the proportion of the nutritive material that the body retains from this food, or its digestibility, is considered, eggs rank extremely high, it having been determined by experiments that per cent. of the protein and per cent. of the fat are assimilated. a point worthy of note in this connection, though, is that eggs contain no cellulose, such as that found in grains, vegetables, and fruits. therefore, in order to add the much-needed bulk to the diet, foods that do contain cellulose should be served with eggs. . whether or not the cooking of eggs has any effect on their digestibility is a matter that has also been investigated. the results of the experiments made indicate that cooking makes some difference with the rate of digestion, but very little with its thoroughness. so far as the rapidity of digestion is concerned, there is very little difference between raw eggs and slightly cooked eggs; but hard-cooked eggs, although they may be digested as completely as soft-cooked ones, require longer time for the accomplishment of the process. this is due to the fact that the whites of hard-cooked eggs are so firm in texture that, unless they are finely chopped or thoroughly masticated, the digestive juices are not able to act on them quickly. as a result, portions of them may escape digestion or remain in the digestive tract for some time and decompose. for this reason, hard-cooked eggs are usually excluded from the diet of children and invalids, and even healthy adults should be careful to masticate them thoroughly. selection of eggs . on first thought it would seem as if there is very little to guide the housewife in the selection of eggs, it being extremely difficult to tell from their external appearance whether or not they are fresh or stale. as a rule, she must trust largely to the honesty of the person from whom she buys eggs. still she need not depend entirely on the dealer's word, for, at least to a certain extent, there are ways in which she may judge the quality of eggs. because of the great value of eggs as a food and for cooking purposes, it is important that the housewife make use of all available information on this matter and, in addition, become familiar with the trade practices in the egg industry. . marketing of eggs.--as is generally known, hens lay a large number of eggs in the spring of the year, but they do not lay readily in the cold winter months; and not alone are the greatest quantities of eggs produced in april and may, but those laid at this time are of the best quality. because of this condition and in order that the demand during the time of scarcity may be supplied, it is necessary that a considerable number of eggs be preserved when they are comparatively cheap and abundant. also, in the preserving of eggs for future use, it is of the greatest importance that they be kept in the best possible condition and manner, so that when they are used, months after they are laid, they may be as good as it is possible to have them. the advance made in storage and transportation methods in recent years has done much toward making the egg supply uniform all the year around. not long ago, because of inadequate means of storage and shipping, eggs were sold only a short distance from the place where they were produced. however, with the coming of cold storage and improved methods of shipping, eggs have been changed from a perishable and more or less seasonable food to a staple one. now it is possible to collect them in large quantities, to keep them for a considerable time before selling them, and to ship them long distances. to safeguard the public, though, authorities have set a time limit for the storage of eggs, the legal time they may be kept being months. by this is meant that eggs placed in the warehouse in may must be released or sold in december; whereas, those stored in june must be released no later than january. . eggs that have been kept too long in storage are characterized by a musty odor and flavor, the breaking of the yolk and its mixing with the white, and a watery condition of the white. such eggs, of course, cannot be sold legally. those which may be placed on the market are graded according to their freshness, cleanliness, size, cracks, and color. with the exception of their freshness, these points can be readily told from the appearance of the eggs; but, in order to determine whether an egg is fresh or not, it is generally put through a process known as _candling_, by which the interior condition of the egg can be ascertained. in the grading of eggs, all those of the best size, color, and condition are sold under a particular trade name and bring a high or a low price, according to the grading. others that are not so perfect are put in another grade and sell for prices that vary according to the demand. eggs, of course, differ in appearance and in many cases they are sorted in order to satisfy the demand. for instance, in some localities, eggs having a brown shell sell for the highest price, while in other places, eggs having a white shell are in the greatest demand and bring the highest price. unsorted eggs are not held in much favor and do not bring so good a price as those which are all one color. many persons have an idea that the color of the shell of an egg bears some relation to its nutritive value and flavor. however, authorities on foods agree that, other things being alike, the edible portion of white-shelled eggs has essentially the same composition and nutritive value as that of dark-shelled eggs. . quality of eggs.--the natural quality of eggs depends largely on the food of the hens and their conditions of living. because of this fact, the selection, breeding, and care of fowls have developed into a science, particularly since the production of eggs has grown into an industry. when the quality itself is to be determined, all the characteristics of eggs must be taken into consideration; still there is one particular point on which the quality of eggs depends, and that is their freshness. various agencies, however, are constantly at work to render this quality inferior. chief among these are the molds and bacteria that pass through the porous shells of eggs that have been improperly cared for or have become contaminated by being allowed to remain in unclean surroundings. such bacteria are responsible for the unpleasant flavors that are found in bad eggs. because of their harmful effect, every effort should be made to prevent the entrance of the germs that cause decay, and, as has been stated, the best way in which to accomplish this is to protect the shell. if it is found that bacteria have entered, the eggs will become unfit for use quickly unless their growth is prevented. this may be done by storing the eggs at a temperature that will keep the bacteria dormant, or inert. . if the eggs are kept under the proper conditions, they will not actually spoil for a long time; but it is seldom that they are not more or less affected by storage of any kind that covers a period of several months. one change that can always be looked for in such eggs is in the air space at the broad end. when an egg is first laid, this air space is small, but since the water contained in the egg slowly evaporates through the porous shell it increases in size as the egg grows staler. for this reason, the freshness of an egg can often be determined by the size of this air space. in addition, the purposes for which eggs are used are somewhat affected by their storage. a stale egg, although it may not be actually spoiled to the extent that it cannot be used as food, will not produce such good results in a cooking process as a fresh egg, especially if it is used for leavening. in fact, it is impossible to produce the desired results with eggs that have undergone a certain amount of change, even though their odor and their flavor do not indicate that they are spoiled. . judging the quality of eggs in the market.--while, as has been mentioned, the housewife must depend considerably on the dealer's word as to the freshness of the eggs she purchases, it will be well for her to be familiar with the trade names of eggs and their meaning. the names used differ, of course, in various localities, but all large distributors grade and name eggs in much the same way. in deciding on the grade to which eggs belong, a certain number of points are given for color, size, freshness, and appearance, and the sum total of these points determines the grade, a special name being given for each grade. for instance, eggs that can be graded are called _extra fancy_; those which receive a grade of , _fancy_; those which are graded , _strictly fresh_; and those which can be graded only , _cooking eggs_. when eggs are put on the market under such names, it can be expected that the quality will correspond to the grade and the price will vary with the grade. therefore, the trade name and the price are two of the principal ways in which the quality of eggs in the market may be judged. . another way of judging the quality of eggs consists in observing the condition of the surface of the shell. when eggs are freshly laid, the shell is covered with a substance, called _bloom_, that gives it a feeling much like that of a thin lime coating deposited in a pan after water boils. this coating disappears gradually as the egg is exposed to the air, but as long as it remains, the egg may be considered as fresh and germ-proof. while this way of determining freshness is probably the quickest, it is possible that the quality of some eggs from which the bloom has recently disappeared has not been injured. . when eggs are selected in the market, certain points in their appearance should also be noted. if eggs of the best quality are desired, medium-sized ones that are uniform in size and color should be selected. with regard to shape, they should have a comparatively long oval shell, one end of which is blunt and the other, a sharp curve. [illustration: fig. : internal structure of egg.] [illustration: fig. : fresh, weeks, months, older.] . judging the quality of eggs in the home.--after eggs have been received in the home, several simple tests for determining their freshness can be applied in addition to the ones already mentioned. a rather indefinite test, but one that is sometimes applied to determine the freshness of an egg, is to shake it. however, to be able to carry out this test successfully, it is well to understand the interior structure of an egg. fig. illustrates this clearly. at _a_ is shown the air space previously mentioned; at _b_, the spiral cords that run from the yolk to each end of the egg and hold the yolk in place; at _c_, the yolk; and at _d_, the white. when the water inside the shell evaporates, the yolk and white shrink so much that they can be felt moving from side to side when the egg is shaken. the staler the egg, the more pronounced does the movement become. this method should be applied only immediately before the egg is to be used, as the thin membrane between the yolk and the white and the spiral cords that hold up the yolk are liable to be disturbed by the shaking. if they are broken, the yolk will settle and finally adhere to the shell in case the egg is stored for any length of time after that. [illustration: fig. : testing the egg.] [illustration: fig. : four eggs.] . if nothing has been done to preserve eggs, the simple test for freshness illustrated in fig. , which consists in placing the eggs in a glass containing water, will be found effective. a perfectly fresh egg will sink when it is put into the water, but if the egg is weeks old the broad end will rise slightly from the bottom of the glass. an egg that is months old will sink into water until only a slight portion of the shell remains exposed; whereas, if the egg is older or stale, it will rise in the water until nearly half of it is exposed. . the test known as candling, which is usually applied to eggs before they are put on the market, can also be practiced by the housewife in the home. this method of determining the freshness of eggs consists in placing a piece of cardboard containing a hole a little smaller than an egg between the eye and a light, which may be from a lamp, a gas jet, or an electric light, and holding the egg in front of the light in the manner shown in fig. . the rays of light passing through the egg show the condition of the egg, the size of its air space, and the growth of mold or the spoiling of the egg by any ordinary means. [illustration: fig. (_a_) (_b_)] in fig. is shown how an egg at various stages of freshness appears when candled. when an egg is fresh, it will appear as in (_a_); that is, the yolk will be barely distinguishable from the white except as a slightly darker area in the center of the egg, and the entire egg will appear clear and bright and free from spots. in an egg that is a little older, candling will reveal a slightly darker yolk, a cloudy white, and a larger air space, as in (_b_). in a watery egg, or one that is beginning to spoil, various dark spots and blotches usually develop, as view (_c_) indicates. when an egg is rotten, the contents of the shell will look dark in candling and the yolk will appear to be mixed with the white, as in (_d_). . if the housewife does not wish to resort to candling, she may determine the condition of an egg by breaking it into a saucer and examining it carefully. if the egg is newly laid, no odor will be detected and the white will be clear, elastic, and rather thick; also, where it joins the yolk it will be almost solid. the yolk of such an egg will have an even yellow color, without lighter or darker spots and, as shown in fig. (_a_), will stand up well from the surface of the white. sometimes a small spot of blood may be detected on the yolk of a perfectly fresh egg, but, while this is not pleasant to look at, it does not affect the quality of the egg. when an egg that is not real fresh is broken into a saucer, the yolk will lie flat, as in (_b_). in an egg that is quite stale, the membrane surrounding the yolk is easily destroyed, so that even when such an egg is broken carefully the yolk and the white are likely to run together. * * * * * preservation of eggs causes and prevention of deterioration . as has been implied in the discussion given thus far, eggs will deteriorate or spoil in a comparatively short time unless something is done to preserve them. in view of the eggs she keeps on hand at home, as well as those she buys, the causes of spoiling and the ways in which to prevent spoiling are matters with which the housewife should be familiar, particularly if she would secure for her family eggs of the best quality at prices that are not beyond her means. the spoiling of eggs is due to decomposition, which is caused by molds or bacteria that result from accidental causes, and, in fertile eggs, to the germination and development of the chick, which is a natural process. the loss of quality resulting from molds and bacteria in the egg is brought about by their growth and by the formation of chemical compounds, which give spoiled eggs their peculiar appearance, taste, and odor. some of these molds are not injurious to health, while others may give rise to more or less serious illness. . various methods have been devised whereby their rapid deterioration may be prevented, and a knowledge of these is important to those who have occasion to purchase eggs or to keep them over from the season of plenty to the season of scarcity. the method followed to prevent losses due to the development of the embryo consists in the production of infertile eggs--that is, eggs that are non-productive. this is a point that is as well worth remembering in the home production of eggs as it is in professional poultry raising. the method employed to prevent the infection of eggs by molds and bacteria is to keep them clean and dry from the time they are laid until they are finally used. . while the preservation of eggs is carried on to a greater extent at present than formerly, the idea is neither new nor original; indeed, it has been practiced for many years by the people of some foreign countries. for instance, in some sections of china, duck eggs are preserved by covering them with a layer of mud, and such eggs are often kept for a year or more before they are eaten. however, eggs stored in this way decompose and their odor and flavor disappear before they are used, so that they must usually be hard boiled before they can be eaten. egg preservation such as is practiced in the united states is the opposite of this and attempts to prevent not only ripening processes and putrefactive changes but any bacterial or other changes that lessen the original quality. it will be well to note, however, that eggs preserved for any length of time deteriorate to some extent and cannot be expected to be equally as good as fresh eggs. commercial preservation of eggs . the usual market method of preserving eggs is by cold storage, an industry that has developed to vast proportions in recent years. the success of this method depends on the fact that germs causing decomposition will not live in a low temperature. while the plan of storing eggs is responsible for their high price at certain times, it is also a means of supplying eggs to many persons who would otherwise not be able to obtain them. the greatest point in favor of this plan, however, is that it makes possible the marketing of quantities of eggs during the winter season of scarcity at a price that, although somewhat high at times, is much more moderate than it would be if it were not possible to store eggs in large quantities. . in order that advantage may be taken of favorable climatic conditions, eggs are commonly purchased for storage as early in the year as they are abundant. they are selected with great care, only those which are clean, sound, and fresh being used. these eggs are packed in clean cases, and then placed in warehouses where they are kept at a temperature just above freezing, or one that ranges from to degrees fahrenheit. in such storage, precaution is usually taken to prevent the eggs from freezing, for while freezing does not necessarily injure them for immediate use it breaks the shell because of the contraction that occurs. while the eggs are in storage, they are also protected as far as possible from air circulation, as this increases evaporation and causes the contents of eggs to shrink. to prevent the yolks from settling to one side, and finally adhering to the shell, the eggs are turned frequently. the usual limits of storage are from to months, but eggs are not generally allowed to remain in storage more than months. when taken out at the end of that time, it will be found that they have deteriorated very little, and while they cannot compete with the better grades of fresh eggs, they are as desirable as most of the eggs that can be purchased in the early fall when eggs are not plentiful. . sometimes eggs are removed from the shells, stored for commercial use in containers of about pounds each, and kept at the freezing point until they are to be used. eggs in this form, which may be bought with the yolks and whites either mixed or separate, find a ready market in bakeries and restaurants, where large quantities of eggs are continually used. such eggs remain good for any length of time while they are kept frozen, but they must be used immediately after they are removed from storage. . it is not always necessary to keep eggs at a cold temperature in order to preserve them, for a method that has proved very satisfactory is to reduce them to the form of powder by drying them. in this form, the bulk is greatly reduced, pound of the dry material representing to eggs, and in order to prepare them for use in cooking they must be mixed with water. powdered eggs, or _desiccated eggs_, as they are usually called, can be kept for an indefinite length of time without special care in storage, when they are wholesome and carefully handled. tests that have been made show that eggs of this kind give fairly good results when used in cookery, but they are used principally by bakers, for they can be obtained more cheaply than fresh eggs, especially when it is difficult to secure eggs in other forms. home preservation of eggs . the housewife who desires to run her household on an economical basis will not depend entirely on eggs that are commercially stored, but will take advantage of one of the many methods by which eggs may be successfully kept in the home. by being prudent in this matter, she will be prepared to supply her family with this commodity at times when the market price is high. as many as twenty household methods have been tried out for the preserving of eggs, but each one is based on the theory that decay is hindered when the shell is covered with some substance that renders it air-tight and prevents evaporation or the entrance of bacteria and mold. among the methods that have met with the most success are burying eggs in oats, bran, or salt; rubbing them with fat; dipping them in melted paraffin; covering them with varnish or shellac; and putting them down in lime water or in a solution of water glass. no matter which of these methods is adopted, however, it will be well to note that only eggs laid in april, may, or june should be used for storage purposes, as these are the best ones laid during the year; also, that the eggs should always be packed with the small end down, because the yolk will not settle toward the small end so readily as toward the large end or the side. . of these various ways of preserving eggs in the home, probably the oldest method is that of packing the eggs in oats, bran, or salt. this method is fairly effective, but the eggs preserved by it do not keep so long as eggs preserved by other methods, nor is their quality so good. preserving eggs by completely covering the shells with fat, vaseline, paraffin, varnish, or other substance that will exclude the air but not impart flavor to the eggs, proves a more satisfactory method so far as the eggs are concerned, but it requires more time and handling. to assist in their preservation, eggs are sometimes immersed in boiling water for to seconds. this process, which causes the white to harden slightly just inside of the shell, keeps the eggs fairly well, but it is rather difficult to accomplish, as the least overcooking renders the egg unfit for use as a raw egg. as a result of many trials, it has been found that putting eggs down in the various solutions that are used for this purpose is the most effective way of preserving them under home conditions, provided, of course, the solutions in which the eggs are immersed do not flavor the eggs. therefore, to assist the housewife, detailed directions for using lime water and water glass for this purpose are here given. . preservation with limewater.--to prepare limewater for the preservation of eggs, dissolve pound or pint of salt and quart of finely slaked lime in gallons of water, stir the solution at frequent intervals for a day or two, and then allow the liquid to settle. place the eggs in tall stone crocks or kegs with their pointed ends turned down, filling the receptacles to within a few inches of the top. pour the clear limewater over the eggs so arranged, allowing it to rise an inch or two above the top layer. then stand the vessel in a cool place where the temperature will not exceed degrees fahrenheit. eggs so treated will keep for at least or months. the only objection to this plan is that the eggs preserved by it sometimes acquire a slight lime taste. . preservation with water glass.--putting eggs down in a solution of water glass is without doubt the most satisfactory method of storing them in the home. so effective does this method prove that the housewife who has a convenient and proper storage room should not fail to take advantage of this way of laying up a supply of eggs. the commercial form of water glass is usually a mixture of potassium and sodium silicate, which, besides being cheaper than that which is chemically pure, is the kind that is preferred for the purpose of preserving eggs. a good quality of it either in a sirup-like solution or in the form of a powder retails in drug or grocery stores for about cents a pound. to make a solution of the desired strength to preserve eggs satisfactorily, dissolve part of water glass in parts of warm water that has first been boiled to drive off bacteria, mold, spores, etc. one quart of water glass will make sufficient solution to cover about dozen eggs. with the solution thoroughly mixed, it is ready to pour over the eggs. in selecting eggs for the purpose of storing, be careful to choose only those which are clean, fresh, and perfectly sound, and, if possible, infertile. it is advisable not to wash them before they are put into the preservative, for they will keep better if their bloom is not removed. place the eggs in receptacles in the manner explained for preserving eggs in limewater, and over them pour the water-glass solution until they are all covered. if the eggs so prepared are stored in a cool place, they will keep as long as those preserved in limewater; besides, there will be no danger of their acquiring any foreign flavor. * * * * * cooking of eggs preliminary preparation . the successful preparation of eggs for their use as a food demands that certain points must be observed by the housewife. for instance, she must see that the eggs she uses are in the right condition; that the shells are properly broken for the most convenient removal of the egg; that the parts of the egg are separated in the right way in case the whites and the yolks are to be used separately; and that the eggs receive the right treatment for the purpose for which they are to be used. attention to all these points not only will insure the most satisfactory results, but will enable the housewife to supply her family with food that is extremely wholesome and nutritious. [illustration: fig. ] . exterior condition of eggs.--as has been explained, clean eggs are the most desirable, but it is not advisable to wash eggs that are to be kept for even a short time, as washing them removes the natural coating that helps to prevent the entrance of bacteria. however, as it is necessary that the shells be perfectly clean before they are broken or before the eggs are cooked, the eggs may be washed or wiped with a damp cloth immediately before such processes. . breaking of eggs.--in cookery, it is usually desirable to break an egg shell so that the yolk will not run into the white; that is, so that these can be kept separate. while there are several methods of doing this, the housewife should adopt the one that is most convenient for her. a quick method that is often employed consists in striking the shell on the edge of the pan or the bowl into which the contents are to be put. a preferable method, however, is illustrated in fig. . it consists in striking one side of the shell, midway between the ends, a sharp blow with the edge of a knife. the advantage of this method will be evident after a trial or two, for it will be found that the depth of the cut made by the knife can be so gauged that there will be little danger of breaking the yolk. besides, fragments of the shell are not likely to fall into the bowl or the pan with the contents of the egg. [illustration: fig. ] . separating of eggs.--frequently recipes require that the yolks and whites of eggs be beaten separately before being added to the other ingredients. when this is the case, care must be exercised in taking the egg from the shell. the method by which this is most easily accomplished is illustrated in fig. . as will be observed, the shell is first broken as nearly as possible into halves and then, while the egg is poured from / of the shell into the other, the white is dropped into a dish and the yolk is retained in the shell. during this process, the yolk should remain intact in its delicate membrane, for if it becomes mixed with the white the lightness of the white will be injured. to separate the yolk from the white is not difficult when eggs are fresh, but as they become stale the membrane surrounding the yolk grows weak and breaks easily. if the yolk breaks and any of it falls into the white, it must be completely removed before the white is beaten. . beating of eggs.--sometimes eggs are cooked in the shell and other times they are used alone just as they are removed from the shell, as in the frying and poaching processes; however, when they are to be combined with other ingredients, they are usually beaten. eggs are beaten for the purpose of mixing the yolk and the white or of incorporating air to act as a leavening agent when the eggs are heated in the cooking process. various utensils, such as a fork, an egg whip, or an egg beater, may be employed for beating eggs, the one to select depending on the use to which the eggs are to be put. the rotary, or dover, egg beater, previously described as a labor-saving device and illustrated in fig. (_a_), should be used to beat either whole eggs or the yolks of eggs when they are to be used in custards, mayonnaise, cakes, puddings, etc., as it will beat them sufficiently light for such purposes. however, for the beating of egg whites, use should be made of a fork or of an egg whip similar to that shown in (_b_), because the whites must be lifted instead of stirred for the incorporation of air, and it is only with a utensil of this kind that this can be accomplished. then, too, more air can be incorporated into the whites and the volume of the egg thereby increased by means of a fork or an egg whip than by an egg beater. an important point to remember in this connection is that eggs can be beaten more successfully when they are cold and have had a pinch of salt added to them. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . in the beating of eggs, it should be remembered that for some purposes, as in making some kinds of sponge cake, they are beaten until nearly frothy, as shown in fig. , when they do not stand up nor cling to the whip; whereas, for other purposes, as in making meringue, they are beaten until they are stiff enough to stand up well and to adhere to the whip, as fig. shows. when egg whites are to be beaten stiff, care should be taken not to continue the beating too long. if this is done, they will become dry and will break up into small pieces, a condition that will mean a loss of some of the air that has been incorporated. it is well also to observe that egg whites should always be beaten in the same direction and that the same motion should be continued throughout the beating, for a change of direction or motion always causes a loss of air. a final precaution to take is never to allow egg whites to stand after they are beaten. if this is done, the leavening power of the eggs is reduced, because the air soon escapes from beaten eggs and leaves underneath them a clear liquid that can never be beaten up. for instance, eggs that are to be used for boiled icing should not be beaten until the sirup has finished boiling. however, eggs that have been separated but not beaten may stand for a couple of hours, provided they are covered and kept in a cool place. [illustration: fig. ] points to observe in cooking eggs . as has been previously stated, the substance in eggs that requires special care in the cooking process is the protein, which occurs in this food in the form of albumen. because of this, certain points concerning the treatment that the albumen requires should be kept in mind. in a raw egg, the albumen occurs in a semiliquid form, but it coagulates at a lower temperature than does the yolk, which contains a high percentage of fat. after coagulation, the consistency of the two parts is very different. the white is elastic and more or less tough, while the yolk, upon being thoroughly cooked, becomes powdery, or mealy, and breaks up into minute particles. the egg white begins to coagulate at degrees fahrenheit, and it becomes white and jellylike at degrees. bringing an egg to such a temperature produces a more desirable result than cooking it at a high temperature--boiling point, for instance--because the albumen, instead of becoming tough, as it does at a high temperature, acquires a soft, tender consistency that exists throughout the entire egg. an egg cooked in this way is more digestible and appetizing than one that is boiled until it becomes hard and tough. . the low temperature at which eggs will cook in the shell applies also to eggs when they are combined with other foods. sometimes, however, a mixture in which eggs are one of the ingredients must be cooked at a high temperature because the materials mixed with them require it. this difficulty can be overcome when eggs are combined with starchy foods, such as corn starch, rice, and tapioca, that require long cooking. in such a case, all the ingredients except the eggs may be cooked the length of time they require, after which the eggs may be added so that they will cook just long enough to become coagulated. longer cooking is liable to spoil the texture. often the starchy mixture retains sufficient heat to set the eggs without further cooking after they are added. . a very nutritious way in which to prepare eggs when they are to be used for a dessert is to combine them with milk to form a custard, which, after being sweetened and flavored, is baked. the proportion that has been accepted as ideal to produce a dessert of the right thickness is one egg to each cupful of milk; however, an entire egg is not always required, as one yolk is often sufficient to thicken cupful of milk. care should be taken in the cooking of such custards, for if they are cooked too long or at too high a temperature they will curdle and whey; whereas, a properly cooked custard--that is, one cooked slowly at a low temperature and for the required length of time--will have a smooth, jellylike consistency. a slight variation in a dish of this kind is secured by reducing the number of eggs and thickening it with corn starch or some other starchy material. while such a mixture is not a true custard, it makes an excellent dessert. . in the cooking of mixtures containing eggs, no utensil proves quite so satisfactory as the double boiler, which has already been explained and illustrated. in fact, it is almost impossible to cook an egg mixture directly over the flame on account of the difficulty encountered in preventing the eggs from curdling. the low temperature at which cooking is possible in the double boiler makes it a comparatively simple matter to bring a mixture to the proper consistency without the formation of curds. still, a certain amount of precaution must be taken even with a double boiler. if the degree of heat that is reached in this utensil is applied too long, the result will be no more satisfactory than when mixtures are exposed directly to the heat and cooked at a high temperature. while every effort should be made to cook mixtures containing eggs, such as custards or mayonnaise, so as to prevent curds from forming, occasionally they will form in spite of all that can be done. however, it is sometimes possible to remedy the matter by placing the vessel at once in cold water and beating the mixture rapidly with a dover egg beater until the curds disappear. the cold water cools the mixture and prevents the formation of more curds, and the beating breaks up those which have already formed, provided they are not too hard. . in addition to the uses already mentioned, eggs have numerous other uses in cooking with which the housewife should be familiar. for instance, slightly beaten egg is used to a great extent to make crumbs or meal adhere to the surface of croquettes, meat, oysters, etc. that are to be sautéd or fried in deep fat, a coating of this kind preventing the food from becoming soaked with grease. in addition, egg is used to stick flour together for certain kinds of dough, such as noodles. then, again, it is much used to puff up mixtures and produce a hollow space in them, as in popovers and cream puffs. while such mixtures do not require beating, spongy mixtures, such as omelets and sponge cakes, do. in these, eggs are an important factor, and they must be thoroughly beaten in order to incorporate the air in small bubbles and thus produce the desired texture. serving of eggs . the manner of serving eggs depends, of course, on the way in which they are cooked. one point, however, that should never be overlooked, so far as eggs that are to be served hot is concerned, is that they should be served immediately upon being prepared, so that they will not have an opportunity to become cool before being eaten. this applies particularly to any spongy mixture, such as puff omelet and soufflé, as these dishes shrink upon standing and become less appetizing in both appearance and texture. several ways of serving soft-cooked eggs are in practice, but probably the most satisfactory way is to serve them in egg cups. in case cups are used, they should be heated before being placed on the table, as the heat that they retain helps to keep the eggs warm. the eggs may be removed from the shell into the cup and eaten from the cup, or the unbroken egg may be placed point downwards in the small end of the cup, a small piece broken from the broad end of the shell, and the egg then eaten from the shell through the opening made in it. if egg cups are not available, the eggs may be removed from the shell and served in small dessert dishes, which also should be heated. many egg dishes are made more attractive and appetizing by means of a garnish of some kind. small strips or triangular pieces of toast, sprays of parsley, celery leaves, lettuce, and strips of pimiento are very satisfactory for this purpose. if no other garnish is desired, just a sprinkling of paprika adds a touch of color. . in connection with the serving of eggs it will be well to note that they have a tendency to adhere to china and to discolor silver. therefore, in the washing of china and the cleaning of silver that have been used in the serving of raw or slightly cooked eggs, much care should be exercised. dishes in which eggs of this kind have been served should first be washed in cool water in order to remove all the egg, and then they should be thoroughly washed in hot water. if the hot water is applied first, the heat will cause the egg to coagulate and cling to the dishes. silver that comes in contact with eggs tarnishes or becomes discolored through the action of the sulphur that is found in them, just as it does when it is exposed to the air. dark spots that appear on silver from this source may be removed by means of a good silver cleaner. egg recipes . to enable the housewife to prepare many of the dishes already mentioned, as well as many other egg dishes, a number of recipes are here given. these recipes pertain to the cooking of eggs alone in various ways or to dishes in which eggs are the leading ingredient. there are, of course, numerous other dishes in which eggs are required, such as custards, cakes, mayonnaise, etc., but these are omitted here, as recipes for them are included in the lessons that pertain directly to them. in the first few recipes, the ingredients are omitted and merely directions given, for the eggs themselves are practically the only thing required, especially so far as the cooking is concerned. however, in the majority of cases, the ingredients are listed in the usual manner and explicit directions then given for carrying out the recipe. . soft-cooked, or jellied, eggs.--eggs that are cooked soft, or jellied, may be used for any meal in which plain eggs can be served. when properly prepared, they are both digestible and attractive, and any person who is able to eat eggs at all can eat them in this form. to prepare soft-cooked, or jellied, eggs, first bring to the boiling point sufficient water to cover well the desired number of eggs, which is usually pint of water to each egg. then drop the eggs into the water carefully, remove the pan from the fire, place a cover on it, and set it on the back of the stove, where the water will not heat further nor cool too rapidly. allow the eggs to remain in the water for minutes. when eggs cooked in this manner are served, they will be found to be the consistency of jelly all the way through. this method of cooking is preferable to boiling them for , , or minutes, because boiling cooks the white just inside the shell very hard, while the yolk of the egg remains liquid. . poached eggs.--eggs properly poached make a very attractive breakfast dish, but the poaching should be well done in order to have the dish attractive and digestible. the food value of a plain poached egg is, of course, identically the same as that of a soft-cooked, a hard-cooked, or a raw egg. eggs are usually poached in a shallow pan, although egg poachers are to be had. to poach eggs in a shallow pan, pour into the pan sufficient water to cover the eggs that are to be cooked, add a teaspoonful of salt or of vinegar for each pint of water, and bring it to the boiling point. remove the pan from the flame or reduce the heat so that the water will cease to boil. break the eggs, one at a time, into a saucer and then slide them carefully into the water. do not allow the water to boil after the eggs have been added, as boiling toughens the egg white and in addition causes considerable loss by tearing it into shreds. when the eggs are set, remove them carefully from the water and season them with salt and pepper. a convenient way to remove the eggs is to use a large spoon that has holes in the bowl for draining off the water. the salt or vinegar is added to the water before cooking in order to solidify the albumen and keep it in a mass. [illustration: fig. ] an egg poacher contains a perforated section of metal just large enough to hold an egg. in poaching eggs with such a utensil, the perforated part is placed over a pan of boiling water; then the egg is carefully slid into it, and allowed to poach. eggs prepared in this way are really cooked by steam and are found to be very satisfactory. . poached eggs on toast.--eggs poached according to the directions just given can be made both appetizing and attractive by serving them on toast, as shown in fig. ; indeed, the addition of toast to a poached egg adds a quantity of carbohydrate, a food principle in which the egg is lacking. if the toast is buttered, fat is added, and such a dish, together with fruit, makes a very excellent breakfast. a slice of toast of medium size with the usual amount of butter and egg will have a food value of about calories. in preparing poached eggs on toast, the usual custom is to butter slices of freshly made toast, moisten them with hot milk or cream, and place on them freshly poached eggs. the eggs are then seasoned with salt and pepper, and, if desired, a little piece of butter may be dropped on each one. to add to the attractiveness of such a dish, the toast may be cut round with a cookie cutter or a square piece may be cut diagonally to make two triangular pieces. . hard-cooked eggs.--eggs that are cooked hard may be served hot or cold, or they may be used in numerous ways, as, for example, to garnish a dish to which the addition of protein is desirable or to supply a high-protein dish for some light meal. to prepare hard-cooked eggs, bring to the boiling point sufficient water to cover well the desired number of eggs, about pint of water for each egg to be cooked usually being sufficient. carefully drop the eggs into the water and place the pan on the back of the stove where the water will not boil, but will stay hot. allow the eggs to remain in the hot water for minutes; then remove them, and if they are desired hot, serve them at once. if they are not to be served hot, pour cold water over them and allow them to cool before removing the shells in order to prevent the yolks from discoloring. when prepared in this way, eggs will be found to be tender and at the same time well cooked; whereas, if they are cooked at the boiling point, they are certain to be tough and leathery and consequently less digestible. . fried eggs.--fried eggs are likely to be more or less indigestible, because the hot fat coagulates the protein and makes it very hard. the addition of fat, however, increases the food value of the eggs to a certain extent. to fry eggs, melt enough butter or other fat in a frying pan to cover its surface well. break the eggs one at a time into a saucer and slip them into the hot fat. season with salt and pepper. fry until the white has become well solidified on the bottom, and then either turn them over or put a few drops of water in the pan and cover it tight with a cover, so that the steam will cook the top of the egg. fry until the desired degree of hardness has been obtained, and then serve. . scrambled eggs.--a pleasing variety from the usual methods of preparation is offered by means of scrambled eggs, which are not difficult to make. too long cooking, however, should be guarded against, for it will cause the protein in the eggs to become too hard and to separate from the liquid and will produce watery scrambled eggs. to be most satisfactory, they should be taken from the pan just before they have finished cooking, for the heat that they hold will complete it. eggs prepared in this way, according to the accompanying recipe, may be served on toast or with ham and bacon. if they are served with meat, a smaller portion of meat should be given to a person than is ordinarily served. scrambled eggs (sufficient to serve six) eggs / c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. butter beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk and seasonings. melt the butter in a frying pan and, when the butter is hot, pour the egg mixture into it. as the eggs begin to thicken, stir them up from the bottom of the pan and continue to stir them until the entire mass has thickened slightly. before the eggs are entirely cooked, remove them from the pan. bacon and ham fat may be used instead of butter, and they are strongly recommended if they can be secured, for they lend an excellent flavor to scrambled eggs. . scrambled eggs with tomato.--the addition of tomato to scrambled eggs lends an unusual flavor as well as a little variety to the dish. the same conditions apply to the cooking of scrambled eggs with tomato as apply to plain scrambled eggs; namely, that too long cooking ruins them. the onion included in the recipe here given may be omitted from the dish if it is not desirable. the fat to be used may be in the form of butter, although bacon or ham fat may be substituted to give an agreeable flavor. scrambled eggs with tomato (sufficient to serve six) tb. fat slice onion c. stewed tomatoes / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper eggs put the fat into a frying pan, and when this grease is hot add the slice of onion and fry it until it is brown. remove the onion from the fat, and add the stewed tomatoes, salt, and pepper. then beat the eggs slightly and add them to the hot tomato. stir the mixture slowly from the bottom of the pan until it is slightly thickened. remove from the pan and serve hot. . scrambled eggs on toast.--the addition of cheese to eggs, as in the accompanying recipe, makes a dish that is very high in protein and usually pleasing in flavor. so as not to overcook the eggs in this dish, they should be cooked only slightly in the pan, because they receive additional cooking when the dish is placed in the oven to melt the cheese. browning the cheese slightly on top makes a very attractive dish, especially when garnished with parsley. scrambled eggs on toast (sufficient to serve six) eggs / c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. fat / c. grated cheese slices of toast beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk, salt, and pepper. melt the fat in a frying pan, and when it is hot add the egg mixture. stir the mixture as it cooks until it has thickened slightly; then pour it over the slices of toast placed in a shallow pan. sprinkle the grated cheese over the top, and place under a lighted broiler or in a very hot oven until the cheese melts. remove to a platter garnish with parsley, and serve. . scrambled eggs with ham.--the accompanying recipe affords an excellent way in which to use up the little scraps of ham that may be cut from the bone when it is impossible to cut enough nice looking pieces to serve as a cold dish. eggs prepared in this way will be found very tasty and will take the place of a meat dish for luncheon or supper. scrambled eggs with ham (sufficient to serve six) eggs c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. chopped cooked ham tb. fat beat the eggs slightly, and to them add the milk, salt, pepper, and ham. melt the fat in a frying pan and scramble the mixture as directed in art. until it is slightly thickened. remove from the stove and serve at once. if desired, this dish may be served on toast. other left-over meat, such as roast beef or pork, may be used in place of ham, but such meats do not make so tasty a dish, the flavor of ham in such a combination being more desirable. . plain omelet.--the simplest type of omelet, which is known as plain omelet, does not differ materially from scrambled eggs, except that the whole is collected in a mass in an omelet shape. no difficulty will be experienced in making such an omelet if the directions in the recipe here given are followed explicitly. to make this dish more attractive, some food of a contrasting color, such as jelly or tomatoes, may be used for garnishing. plain omelet (sufficient to serve six) eggs tb. water / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. fat beat the eggs, and to them add the water, salt, and pepper. heat the fat in an omelet pan or a small frying pan, and when it is hot add the egg mixture. when the egg on the bottom of the pan has thickened, tip the pan and draw the thickened portion toward the handle with the end of a knife, allowing the uncooked egg to run over the pan, and when that has thickened on the bottom, draw it up as before. repeat until all of the egg has been cooked and an oblong-shaped omelet is formed. place on a hot platter or plate, garnish with parsley or jelly, and serve. [illustration: fig. ] . puff omelet.--many housewives consider it to be a very difficult thing to make a puff omelet successfully; but such need not be the case if fresh eggs are used and the usual amount of care is taken in its preparation. the whites of the eggs must not be over-beaten, as too much beating will cause the loss of air and will not permit the omelet to become sufficiently light. another precaution is that the mixture should not be overcooked, for the application of heat after it has been sufficiently cooked will cause it to shrink. how a puff omelet made according to the recipe here given should look, is shown in fig. . this is a very pleasing dish and never fails to appeal to those persons who are fond of eggs. puff omelet (sufficient to serve six) tb. bread crumbs tb. milk eggs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. fat soak the bread crumbs in the milk. separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. beat the egg yolks and add them to the crumbs and milk. add the salt and pepper. beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them carefully into the yolk mixture. heat the fat in an omelet pan or a frying pan, and when it is hot pour the mixture into it. cook over a very slow fire, being careful not to burn the mixture, until a knife can be slipped under and the whole mixture raised. by this time the top should be quite puffed up. place the pan in a hot oven, where the omelet should puff still more, and cook until it is no longer raw. with a knife, score across through the center on a straight line with the handle. then carefully fold the omelet double, roll it out on a hot platter or plate, as shown in fig. , garnish with parsley, and serve at once. if an omelet of this kind stands for any length of time after it is served, it will shrink and be much less appetizing. [illustration: fig. ] . cheese omelet.--if an additional amount of protein in the form of casein is desired in an omelet, the accompanying recipe for cheese omelet should be tried. the addition of cheese makes this dish even a better meat substitute than either the plain or the puff omelet. likewise, the cheese adds flavor, which may be increased if desired by the addition of more cheese than the recipe calls for. although this recipe mentions butter, fat other than butter may be used. cheese omelet (sufficient to serve six) / c. grated cheese tb. bread crumbs tb. milk eggs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. butter mix the grated cheese with the bread crumbs, milk, egg yolks, salt, and pepper. beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into the other ingredients. to cook the omelet, proceed according to the directions given for making puff omelet in art. . . tomato omelet.--the addition of tomatoes to an omelet makes an attractive dish as far as color is concerned, and, at the same time, it gives variety by improving the flavor. such an omelet is also less concentrated than a plain omelet, for the tomatoes provide bulk and additional water is added. while in a way these lower the food value of the dish, the loss is more than made up by the qualities that are added. tomato omelet (sufficient to serve six) eggs / c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. fat medium-sized ripe tomatoes beat the eggs, and to them add the milk, salt, and pepper. heat the fat in a pan large enough to make the egg mixture / inch deep when poured into it. cook slowly until it is well done. peel and cut the tomatoes into slices / inch thick. place the sliced tomatoes on / of the omelet, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, score the omelet through the center, and fold the other half over the tomatoes. then slide the omelet on a hot platter, garnish with lettuce or parsley, and serve at once. . variety in omelets.--from the recipes given for omelets, it will be noted that this dish may be made plain or may be varied by adding ingredients that provide flavoring or increase the nutritive value. in addition to the suggestions that have been made in these recipes, there is an almost endless number of ways in which omelets may be varied. for instance, left-over bits of any kind of meat, such as a roast, a steak, or chops, from the day before or bits of bacon fried for a previous meal may be chopped fine and utilized for this purpose. cheese cut fine or grated and mixed with the eggs helps to make a delicious omelet. bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, rice, riced potatoes, or left-over cereal may be used, as well as mushrooms, chopped or whole, and oysters raw or previously scalloped or fried and then chopped. bits of fish, such as left-over crab or lobster, will do nicely for increasing variety. often jelly, jam, and fruit or vegetables are folded inside after the omelet is cooked. . stuffed eggs.--a highly seasoned cold dish that is delicious for picnics or cold lunches can be made by removing the yolks from hard-cooked eggs, seasoning them, and then stuffing them into the whites, as is explained in the recipe here given. eggs so prepared also make a desirable high-protein dish for summer weather when meat dishes fail to appeal to the appetite. wafers or tiny bread-and-butter sandwiches served with stuffed eggs make them more attractive. stuffed eggs (sufficient to serve six) hard-cooked eggs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. paprika / tsp. mustard tb. vinegar cut the eggs in half, either lengthwise or crosswise. remove the yolks, mash them, add to them the salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, and vinegar, and mix thoroughly. fill the egg whites with the yolk mixture. the eggs will be much more appetizing in appearance if the yolk is not packed smoothly back into the white but allowed to stand up roughly. the plate on which the eggs are served should be nicely garnished with lettuce, parsley, or celery leaves. [illustration: fig. ] . creamed eggs.--if a dish that will serve well for luncheon or a light supper is desired, creamed eggs, as illustrated in fig. , will be found very satisfactory, for the cream sauce that is served on them and the toast on which the eggs are placed add carbohydrate to an otherwise high-protein dish. the eggs used in this dish must be hard-cooked in water, so as not to be indigestible. paprika sprinkled over the top and parsley used as a garnish add colors that make the dish very attractive. creamed eggs (sufficient to serve six) - / c. milk tb. fat tb. flour / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika hard-cooked eggs slices of toast heat the milk. put the fat in a saucepan and heat it until it is light brown; then add the flour, salt, and paprika to the melted fat and mix all thoroughly. pour in the hot milk and stir the mixture constantly until the sauce has become smooth and thick. cut the hard-cooked eggs into halves while they are hot, and place two halves with the cut sides down on each piece of toast. pour the white sauce over all, sprinkle with paprika, and serve. [illustration: fig. ] . eggs à la goldenrod.--closely resembling creamed eggs in composition and food value, but differing from them somewhat in appearance, are eggs à la goldenrod, which are illustrated in fig. . this is, perhaps, even a more attractive dish if it is nicely made than creamed eggs, and many persons who do not like hard-cooked eggs find this dish agreeable and are able to digest it. eggs � la goldenrod (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. fat tb. flour / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper hard-cooked eggs slices of toast heat the milk. brown the fat in a saucepan, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and mix well. then add the hot milk and stir until the sauce thickens. chop the whites of the hard-cooked eggs into small pieces, and mix them with the white sauce. arrange the toast on a platter and pour the sauce over it. put the hard-cooked egg yolks through a sieve or a ricer and sprinkle them on top of the white sauce. serve hot. . scalloped eggs.--a quantity of carbohydrate is added to eggs when they are scalloped, for the white sauce and the cracker crumbs that are used in this dish supply this food substance. the cold meat that this dish requires and that should be well chopped into small pieces may be left-over from roasted, stewed, or even broiled meat. as this provides an additional amount of protein, the dish on the whole serves as an excellent substitute for meat with carbohydrate added. scalloped eggs (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. fat / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. flour c. cracker crumbs hard-cooked eggs c. chopped cold meat heat the milk. brown the fat in a saucepan, add the salt, pepper, and flour, and mix well. to this add the hot milk. cook until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. grease a baking dish and place in it / cupful of the cracker crumbs. over the crumbs arrange two of the eggs sliced thinly, and on the top of the eggs put half of the meat. repeat by adding a layer of / cupful of the crumbs, the remaining eggs sliced, and the remainder of the meat. pour the white sauce over all and arrange the remaining / cupful of crumbs on top. bake in a moderate oven for / hour. serve hot from the baking dish. . individual baking dishes for egg recipes.--although the directions given in the preceding recipe for scalloped eggs state that this recipe is baked in a baking dish, it is not necessary that one large dish of this kind be used, for, if desired, individual baking dishes may be substituted. in fact, any recipe for which a large baking dish would ordinarily be used may be baked in the small dishes used for a single serving, and eggs prepared in this way are especially attractive. such dishes are also used for the baking of custards or the molding of jelly and blanc mange. since they prove very useful and find so much favor, it is advisable for every housewife to add a few of them to her supply of utensils and to become familiar with the varieties that can be secured and the proper way to use them. dishes of this kind may be purchased in both cheap and expensive varieties and in plain or fancy styles, being made of white porcelain, of glass, or of the brown ware so much used for large baking dishes and casseroles and having a white glazing on the inside. . when such dishes are used as a means of adding variety to the cooking and serving of eggs, they should be placed in the oven in a shallow pan containing enough hot water to come nearly to the top of them. the object of this plan is to keep the temperature uniform. as long as the dishes are surrounded by water, the food to be cooked will not attain a greater heat than degrees fahrenheit, because the surrounding water cannot reach a higher temperature. food cooked in this way will be found to be baked much more evenly and to be of a better consistency than food that is subjected to the high temperature of the oven. most of the recipes that follow, while they can be baked in large baking dishes if desired and then served from the dish, are designed particularly to be used in individual baking dishes. . baked eggs in cream.--a dish that is particularly desirable for breakfast, but that may be served for luncheon, is made by baking eggs in cream according to the accompanying recipe. besides being very appetizing, this dish is high in food value because of the addition of the cream and fat. crisp toast served with eggs prepared in this way is very delightful. baked eggs in cream (sufficient to serve six) eggs tb. butter / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. cream grease six individual baking dishes and break an egg into each. put a small piece of butter on top of each egg and season with salt and pepper. pour over each egg two tablespoonfuls of cream. place the baking dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake until the eggs are as hard as desired. serve hot. . shirred eggs with ham.--an excellent way in which to utilize scraps of ham is to combine them with eggs to make a dish that may be served in place of meat. this dish, besides being high in food value, is very tasty because of the flavor of the ham and the fact that it is quite highly seasoned. shirred eggs with ham (sufficient to serve six) / tsp. prepared mustard / tsp. pepper c. chopped ham eggs / tsp. salt tb. butter grease six individual baking dishes. mix the mustard and pepper with the ham, and then divide this mixture as evenly as possible into the baking dishes. break an egg on top of the ham in each dish, season with salt, and put a small piece of butter on each. place the dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are well set or hardened. remove from the oven and serve at once. . egg souffl�.--if a delicate dish for children or invalids is desired, egg soufflé will answer the purpose very well. this dish is light in character, but it is high in protein and to most persons is very delightful. it is more attractive if baked in individual baking dishes, but it may be baked in a large baking dish and served directly from the dish. to improve the flavor of egg soufflé and make it a more appetizing dish, tomato sauce is often served with it. egg souffl� (sufficient to serve eight) c. milk tb. fat tb. flour / tsp. salt tb. chopped parsley eggs heat the milk. brown the fat in a saucepan, add to it the flour, salt, and parsley, and mix well. pour in the hot milk, stir constantly until the sauce thickens, and then remove from the fire. separate the eggs and add the well-beaten yolks to the sauce, stirring rapidly so that the egg will not curd. beat the whites stiff and fold them carefully into the sauce. turn into well-greased individual baking dishes until they are about two-thirds full, place in a shallow pan of hot water, and bake until firm when touched with the finger. serve at once in the dishes in which they are baked, because they shrink when they are allowed to cool. . the tomato sauce that is often served with egg soufflé is made as follows: tomato sauce / c. strained stewed tomatoes tb. fat / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. flour force enough stewed tomatoes through a sieve to make / cupfuls of strained tomato. heat the strained tomato and to it add the fat, salt, and pepper. moisten the flour with a little cold water and add it to the hot tomato. cook for minutes. serve over the soufflé. [illustration: fig. ] . alpine eggs.--it is rather unusual to combine cream or cottage cheese with eggs, so that when this is done, as in the accompanying recipe, a dish that is out of the ordinary is the result. if not a sufficient amount of cottage cheese is in supply to serve for a meal, it may very well be used for this dish. otherwise, cream cheese serves nicely. alpine eggs (sufficient to serve six) -cent pkgs. cream cheese or c. cottage cheese tb. finely chopped parsley / tsp. paprika eggs tb. butter / tsp. salt grease six individual baking dishes. break up the cheese with a fork and sprinkle a layer on the bottom of each dish. break an egg in each dish over the cheese. season with salt. sprinkle a layer of cheese on top of the egg, and over that put chopped parsley, paprika, and a small piece of butter. place the baking dishes in a shallow pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set. remove from the oven and serve at once. . clipped eggs.--the chief value of clipped eggs is their appearance, which, as will be observed in fig. , is very attractive. this dish adds much to the breakfast tray of an invalid or will tempt the appetite of a child who does not feel like eating. but in addition to being attractive, this dish is high in food value, for in this respect it is exactly equivalent to a poached egg on toast or a plain egg served with a piece of toast to which is added a small amount of butter. clipped eggs (sufficient to serve six) pieces toast tb. butter eggs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper butter the toast with some of the butter. separate the whites and yolks of the eggs without breaking the yolks. beat the whites stiff, and put a mound of the beaten white on top of each piece of buttered toast. make a hole in the center of the mound of egg white and drop the unbroken yolk into it. season each with salt and pepper and bits of the remaining butter. place in a hot oven and bake until the yolk is set and the white slightly browned. serve hot. . left-over eggs.--it is not a difficult matter to utilize eggs in any form in which they may be left over, for they combine readily with many other foods. for instance, left-over hard-cooked eggs may be sliced or chopped and used to garnish dishes of vegetables, meat, fish, or salads. eggs cooked in this way may also be stuffed according to the recipe given in art. , or they may be crushed and mixed with seasoning for sandwiches. if any soft-cooked eggs remain after a meal, they should be hard-cooked in order to be used to the best advantage. left-over omelet or scrambled, poached, or fried eggs may be chopped and added to soups, sauces, or gravies, or combined with small pieces of meat or fish and used with crumbs and white sauce to make a scalloped dish. even uncooked eggs that are taken from the shells, but that cannot be used at once, need not be wasted if proper care is given to them to prevent the formation of a hard crust over their surface. such eggs should be put into a dish that will allow as little of the surface as possible to be exposed and should be covered with cold water and kept in a cool place. when they are desired for use, the water should be poured off carefully so as to prevent the loss of any of the egg. breakfast menu . so that a definite idea may be formed of the student's progress in cookery, there is here presented a breakfast menu that is to be prepared and reported on at the same time that the answers to the examination questions are sent. this menu is practical and it may be easily prepared, as all the dishes it contains have already been considered. menu sliced bananas cream of wheat graham muffins butter puff omelet coffee in most homes, breakfast is a meal that is gathered together with as little thought and preparation as possible. the reason for this is that the housewife feels that she does not wish to rise early enough in the morning to prepare an elaborate menu. breakfast, however, should be the most attractive meal in the day, because it is one that gives to each member of the family the right start for the day and sustains him until luncheon time. in most cases, a cup of coffee and a slice or two of toast do not start one with a cheerful attitude, nor do they contain sufficient food value to nourish the individual properly. with a little forethought and planning, certain foods may be partly prepared for breakfast the day before. if this is done, the time required for the actual preparation of the breakfast need not be greatly increased. for example, in the accompanying menu, the cream of wheat may be cooked the evening before, the materials for the graham muffins measured, and even the pan in which they are to be baked greased, and the materials for the omelet collected and measured. if all this is done, the preparation necessary in the morning will consist merely of slicing the bananas, reheating the cream of wheat, preparing the coffee, baking the muffins, and making the omelet. while the coffee and cream of wheat are heating or cooking, the oven will be heating, so that when the muffins are mixed it will be ready to bake them; and while these are baking the omelet may be prepared. when this is done, all will be ready to serve. eggs examination questions ( ) give a brief description of the physical structure of an egg. ( ) (_a_) why are eggs an important article of diet? (_b_) for what foods may they be substituted? ( ) (_a_) mention the food substances that are found in an egg, and give the percentage of each one. (_b_) what food substance is lacking in eggs, and how may it be supplied? ( ) what is the chief food substance in: (_a_) an egg white? (_b_) an egg yolk? ( ) discuss briefly the digestibility of eggs. ( ) (_a_) of what value is the grading of eggs? (_b_) what points are considered when eggs are graded? ( ) (_a_) what conditions affect the quality of eggs? ( ) mention the agencies that render the quality of eggs inferior and explain how they work. ( ) how can the quality of eggs be determined: (_a_) in the market? (_b_) in the home? ( ) (_a_) what is the common commercial means of preserving eggs? (_b_) how is it beneficial to the housewife? ( ) (_a_) mention the various ways by which eggs may be preserved in the home. (_b_) explain the preservation of eggs with water glass. ( ) when may the shells of eggs be washed? ( ) (_a_) what is the preferable method of breaking an egg? (_b_) explain how the yolk and the white of an egg may be separated. ( ) (_a_) for what purposes are eggs beaten? (_b_) with what kind of egg beater should egg yolks or whole eggs be beaten? ( ) (_a_) with what kind of utensil should egg whites be beaten? (_b_) why should egg whites not be allowed to stand after beating? ( ) (_a_) what is the effect of heat upon an egg? (_b_) why are eggs cooked in the shell better if they are cooked at a temperature lower than boiling point? (_c_) cook an egg by boiling it rapidly for minutes. cook another egg according to the directions given in art. . remove the shells while the eggs are warm, compare the texture, and report the differences. ( ) (_a_) when eggs are used in a mixture that is to be cooked for a long time, when should they be added? (_b_) what can be substituted for some of the eggs in a mixture that requires eggs for thickening? ( ) (_a_) what point should never be overlooked in the serving of eggs that are intended to be served hot? (_b_) why should spongy egg dishes be served immediately after cooking? ( ) (_a_) how should dishes that have contained eggs be washed? (_b_) why is such care necessary? ( ) (_a_) what precautions should be taken in the making of a puff omelet? (_b_) mention some of the things that may be used to give variety to omelets. ( ) (_a_) what are the advantages of individual baking dishes? (_b_) state how these should be put in the oven and explain the object of this plan. report on menu after trying out the menu given in the text, send with your answers to the examination questions a written report of your success in making it. on your report simply write the name of the food and describe its condition by means of the terms specified in the following list: cream of wheat: thin? thick? properly seasoned? smooth? lumpy? graham muffins: light? heavy? texture coarse? texture fine? even brown color on crust? well flavored? puff omelet: light? heavy? underdone? overdone? even brown on bottom? tough? tender? properly seasoned? * * * * * vegetables (part ) * * * * * importance of vegetables as food variety in vegetables . as understood in cookery, vegetables refer to plants or parts of plants that are used as food. vegetables may consist of the entire plant, as, for example, the beet; the stem, as asparagus and celery; the root, as carrot and turnip; the underground stem, or tuber, as the white potato and onion; the foliage, as cabbage and spinach; the flower of the plant, as cauliflower; the pods, which hold the seeds of the plant or the seeds themselves, as peas and beans; or that which in reality is fruit, although for table use always considered a vegetable, as the tomato and eggplant. . because of this large assortment, vegetables afford the greatest possible variety in flavor, appearance, texture, quality, and food value. they therefore assume a place of very great importance in the diet of individuals and in the plans of the housewife who has all the meals to prepare for her family. in fact, there is scarcely a meal, except breakfast, at which vegetables are not served. for dinner, they form a part or all of each course in the meal, except, perhaps, the dessert, and occasionally they may be used for this. although two or more vegetables are nearly always served in even a simple meal, the use of vegetables in most households is limited to those few varieties which are especially preferred by the family. as a rule, there are a number of other vegetables that would be very acceptable if prepared in certain appetizing ways. an effort should therefore be made to include all such vegetables in the dietary, for they may be used to decided advantage and at the same time they afford variety in the meals. the constant demand for variety in this food makes acceptable new recipes for the preparation of the vegetables already known and information for the use of the unfamiliar kinds. . great variety also exists in the flavor of vegetables, which they derive from their volatile oils; that is, the oils that evaporate rapidly on exposure to the air. in some cases, the flavor is disagreeably strong and must be dissipated, or driven away, in order to make the vegetables agreeable to the taste and to prevent them from disagreeing with those who eat them. in others, the flavor is very mild, so that unless the vegetables are properly prepared the flavor may be almost lost. when the principles relating to the cooking of vegetables are thoroughly understood, little difficulty will be experienced in preparing them so that the flavor is dissipated or retained as the case may require. . the food value of vegetables varies as much as do their form and flavor, some of them having almost no food value, others having a great deal, and the remainder varying between these two extremes. the housewife who wishes to provide economically for her family and at the same time give them food that is best suited to their needs, should learn as much of the composition and food value of the various kinds of vegetables as possible. if, besides acquiring this knowledge, she learns a variety of ways in which to prepare each kind, she will find that it is possible to substitute vegetable dishes for the more expensive foods. for instance, it is often possible to substitute a vegetable dish for a meat dish several times a week, but the composition of the vegetable dish must be such that it will really take the place of the meat dish. . that it is possible for adults to live on vegetables alone has been proved by vegetarians; that is, persons who exclude meat from the diet. they have shown that all the elements necessary to build and maintain the human body are contained in vegetables, fruits, and cereals, and also that these elements are in such quantity that it is not necessary to supply them in any other way. even if it is not desired to use such foods exclusively, as much use should be made of them as possible, for they average a lower cost than the high-protein foods, such as eggs, meat, and milk. the use of vegetables, however, need not be restricted to adults, for when properly prepared they may be included to advantage in the diet of very young children. in fact, children should be trained to eat vegetables of all kinds, for such training not only will enable each one to grow up with a correct appreciation for all edible things, but will make the preparation of meals easier for the housewife. . vegetables should receive great care in their preparation, whether the method involved is simple or complicated. any of the methods of cookery that call for the application of heat may be applied to them, and in many cases they are served without cooking, merely dressing or seasoning being added. good vegetables may be ruined by improper preparation, while those which are in excellent condition may be improved by the application of the correct methods in their preparation. vegetables that are inexpensive but highly nutritious should be used when it is necessary to practice economy, because, when they are properly prepared, they form a valuable addition to a meal. . all varieties of vegetables are grown almost universally. this fact, together with the facts that they mature at different times during the season, according to the climate in which they are grown, and that most varieties can be conveniently shipped, makes the season in which certain fresh vegetables can be obtained much longer than it formerly was. for instance, very early in the season, long before it is possible to have beans, peas, and other vegetables in the north, they are shipped from the extreme south, and as the season advances, they mature farther and farther north. therefore, they may be constantly supplied to the northern markets until the time when they mature in that locality. . in order not to waste vegetables and to have them in the best possible condition when they are desired for preparation, every housewife should realize that the selection and care of vegetables are also important matters to consider. the selection must be learned by familiarity with them, as well as practice in buying, and the housewife must be guided by the suitability of the vegetables and the money she has to spend for them. the care that must be given to them is determined by the kinds that are purchased, some requiring one kind of care in storage and others entirely different attention. structure, composition, and food value . structure of vegetables.--although vegetables vary greatly in composition and consequently in food value, they are similar so far as physical structure is concerned. in general, they consist of a skeleton framework that is made up of cellulose. their digestible part is composed of tiny cells having thin walls that confine the actual food material in the form of a liquid or semiliquid. as the vegetables grow old, the cellulose material and the cell walls gradually toughen, with the result that old vegetables are less easily made tender than young ones and are not so agreeable to the taste as those which have not grown hard. the total food value of vegetables, as well as of cereals, meats, and, in fact, all foods, varies with the quantity of water and cellulose they contain. therefore, the vegetables that contain the least coarse material are the ones that have the highest food value. . the green color that characterizes many vegetables is due to a substance called _chlorophyl_. this substance is essential to the normal growth of plants and is present in the correct amount in only those which are properly exposed to the sunlight. sufficient proof of this is seen in the case of vegetables that form heads, as, for instance, cabbage and head lettuce. as is well known, the outside leaves are green, while the inside ones are practically white. since it is exposure to the light that produces the green color, a vegetable or plant of any kind can be bleached by merely covering it in order to keep out the sunlight. this procedure also enables the plants to remain more tender than those which have been allowed to grow in the normal way and become green. for instance, the inside leaves of a head of lettuce are always very much more tender than the green outside leaves. in fact, the center of any kind of plant, that is, the leaves and the stem that appear last, are more tender, possess a lighter color, and have a more delicate flavor than the older ones. . protein in vegetables.--taken as a whole, vegetables are not high in protein. some of them contain practically none of this food substance and others contain a comparatively large amount, but the average is rather low. vegetables that are high in water, such as lettuce, celery, tomatoes, and cucumbers, contain so little protein that the quantity is not appreciable. such vegetables as potatoes, beets, carrots, etc. contain slightly larger quantities. dried vegetables, such as beans, peas, and lentils, contain comparatively large amounts of this substance, and for this reason may be substituted for such high-protein foods as meat and fish. . the composition of vegetable protein is only slightly different from that of animal protein. in fact, the experiments of scientists show that animal protein may be readily replaced by vegetable protein. one of these proteins is sometimes called _vegetable albumin_, but the chief protein of vegetables containing the largest amount of this substance, namely, beans, peas, and lentils, is called _legumin_, from the term _legumes_, the name of this class of vegetables. it is generally agreed that vegetable protein is not so digestible as animal protein, but this disadvantage is offset by the fact that it does not bring about so much intestinal trouble as does the protein of animal foods and is less likely to cause disturbances that are usually attributed to foods high in this substance. vegetable protein is affected by heat in much the same way as other protein. when any of the dry vegetables high in protein are served at a meal, meat should be eliminated, or the result will be an oversupply of protein. as this condition is not only harmful but wasteful, it is one that should receive proper consideration from the housewife. . fat in vegetables.--as vegetables as a class are low in protein, so are they low in fat. in the case of some vegetables, the quantity of fat they contain is so small that it is never considered in discussing the food value of these vegetables, while in others slightly larger quantities are to be found. however, on the whole, vegetables are so nearly lacking in this food substance that it is necessary to supply fat in their preparation and in the serving of meals in which they are included. this is done in a variety of ways, depending on the nature of the vegetable. for instance, in order that baked beans may take the place of meat entirely, fat in the form of salt pork is usually added when they are prepared. the pork, of course, also supplies a very small amount of protein, but it is not used with the beans for this purpose. practically all cooked vegetables are served with butter or with a sauce that contains fat. green vegetables that require no cooking but are served as a salad, are supplied with fat by the salad dressing that is used with them. the fat varies greatly, depending on the kind of dressing used. . carbohydrates in vegetables.--when the composition of vegetables is considered chemically, the most striking thing about them is the carbohydrates they contain. it is this that distinguishes this class of foods from animal foods. the carbohydrate of vegetables is found in both its forms, starch and sugar. it is in the form of sugar in many of the vegetables when they are young or immature, but it turns into starch as they mature. this change can be easily observed in the case of peas. as is well known, young green peas are rather sweet because of the sugar they contain, while mature or dried peas have lost their sweetness and are starchy. the sugar that is found in large quantities in such vegetables as peas, carrots, turnips, etc. is largely cane sugar. the starch that vegetables contain occurs in tiny granules, just as it is found in cereals, and is affected by cooking in the same way. the mature vegetables in which the starch has developed, although less tender and less sweet than young ones, have a higher food value. in fact, the carbohydrate that vegetables contain constitutes a large proportion of their food value. one of the chief sources of starch among vegetables is the potato, in which the starch grains are large and, if properly cooked, easily digested. irish, or white, potatoes contain very little carbohydrate in the form of sugar, but in the sweet potato much of the carbohydrate is sugar. in either of these two forms--starch and sugar--vegetable carbohydrate is easily digested. . mineral matter, or ash, in vegetables.--the mineral matter in vegetables is found in comparatively large quantities, the average amount being slightly over per cent. the presence of this substance is of great value, because the mineral salts of both fruits and vegetables are essential in the diet of adults in order to keep their health in a normal condition. the mineral salts of vegetables render the blood more alkaline instead of more acid, as do those contained in cereals and meat. a large number of vegetables, particularly those low in food value, such as greens, celery, etc., are very valuable for their mineral salts. in reality, this substance and the cellulose they contain are the things that recommend the use of these vegetables in the diet. minerals of all kinds are found in solution in the water contained in vegetables, but chief among them are calcium, sodium, iron, phosphorus, and sulphur. greens and salad vegetables are particularly high in iron, the element that assists in keeping the blood in good condition. these minerals are easily lost if the method of cookery is not planned to retain them. . cellulose in vegetables.--the special use of cellulose, as has already been learned, is to serve as bulk in the food containing it. in vegetables, the cellulose varies greatly as to quantity, as well as to texture and the amount that can be digested. in young vegetables, it is very soft and perhaps digestible to a certain extent, but as they grow older it hardens and they become tough. this fact is clearly demonstrated in the case of beets. those which are pulled from the garden in the summer and cooked are tender and soft, but those which are allowed to mature in the ground and are then put away for winter are, when cooked in the late winter or early spring, so hard and tough that it is almost impossible to make them soft. the quantity of cellulose that vegetables contain therefore depends largely on their age and condition. those low in total food value contain, as a rule, larger quantities of it than those high in food value. this is due to the fact that both water and cellulose, which are usually found together in large quantities, help to detract from the fuel, or food, value of foods. very young persons or those who are ill sometimes find it impossible to take in its original form a vegetable that contains a large amount of bulk, or cellulose. in such a case, the vegetable may be put through a colander or a sieve in order to break up the cellulose and make it easier to digest. under ordinary conditions, cellulose should not be avoided, but should be included in large quantities in the diet through the vegetables that are consumed daily. . water in vegetables.--the majority of vegetables contain a large quantity of water. such vegetables as lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc., which are low in total food value, contain the most water, the average percentage being about . the dry vegetables, which are high in food value, average only about per cent. of water. the water that is found in vegetables, whether it is much or little, is contained in cell-like structures surrounded by cellulose, and it holds in solution the mineral salts and much of the nutriment of the vegetables. in addition, the water holds in solution to a certain extent the material that gives vegetables their distinctive flavor. when any of this water is lost in the preparation of vegetables, the substances that it contains are also lost. it is therefore essential that correct methods of preparation be chosen for the cooking of this food, so as to prevent the waste of valuable food materials. . digestibility of vegetables.--the digestibility of vegetables is largely an individual matter; that is, a vegetable that agrees with one person may not agree with another. the fact that there appears to be no apparent reason for such a condition would lead to the conclusion that it is due to the peculiarities of the person. because of this, it is not fair to make the general statement that a particular vegetable is easy to digest and another one is hard to digest. the chief cause for difficulty in the digestion of vegetables lies in their volatile oils, which give them their flavor, but which are irritating to many persons. vegetables having a strong flavor, such as radishes, onions, cucumbers, cabbage, and cauliflower, are the ones that disagree most frequently with persons who eat them; but sometimes the way in which some of them are cooked has more to do with this than the vegetables themselves. vegetables containing considerable cellulose and water do not of themselves give trouble in digestion, because they contain practically nothing to digest; but they are sometimes responsible for interfering with the digestion of other foods. vegetables that are extremely high in starch, such as potatoes, are easily digested by most persons, provided they are properly cooked. for instance, a plain baked potato is easily digested, but the same potato sautéd in fat is more difficult of digestion. . table showing composition and food value of vegetables.--as vegetables vary considerably in the amount of the food substances they contain, so do they differ greatly in their food value. this is clearly shown in table i, which gives the percentage of the food substances of vegetables, as well as the food value per pound, in calories, that these vegetables contain. the figures in this table are taken from atwater's table of american food materials, and refer to the edible portion of the material. in the case of several vegetables, no figures are given by this authority, but in the table here presented the percentages and the calories for the vegetables most similar are used. for example, the figures for lettuce are used for endive, as the composition and food value of this vegetable are not included and it resembles lettuce very closely. constant reference should be made to table i as progress is make with the study of vegetables and their preparation. noting the difference in the composition of the different vegetables, as well as the variation in their food value, will be not only interesting but instructive. for instance, when the housewife realizes that lettuce and celery furnish only to calories to the pound, while dried beans and peas average more than , calories to the pound, she will understand better the place that these foods occupy in the dietary. table i composition and food value of vegetables food value vegetable water protein fat carbo- ash per pound hydrate calories ---------------------------------------------------------------- asparagus .......... . . . . . beans dried ............ . . . . . , lima ............. . . . . . shelled .......... . . . . . string ........... . . . . . beets .............. . . . . . brussels sprouts ... . . . . . cabbage ............ . . . . . carrots ............ . . . . . cauliflower ........ . . . . . celery ............. . . . . . corn ............... . . . . . cucumbers .......... . . . . . eggplant ........... . . . . . french artichokes .. . . . . . greens dandelion ........ . . . . . endive ........... . . . . . spinach .......... . . . . . swiss chard ...... . . . . . lettuce .......... . . . . . watercress ....... . . . . . jerusalem artichokes . . . . . kohlrabi ........... . . . . . lentils, dried ..... . . . . . , mushrooms .......... . . . . . okra ............... . . . . . onions ............. . . . . . parsnips ........... . . . . . peas dried ............ . . . . . , green ............ . . . . . peppers ............ . . . . . potatoes irish ............ . . . . . sweet ............ . . . . . radishes ........... . . . . . salsify ............ . . . . . squash summer ........... . . . . . winter ........... . . . . . tomatoes ........... . . . . . turnips ............ . . . . . ---------------------------------------------------------------- * * * * * purchase and care of vegetables purchase of vegetables . as in the case of other foods, the purchase of vegetables in the market requires special knowledge and attention in order that the best value may be obtained for the money expended. the housewife who has a limited amount of money to spend for food does not buy wisely when she purchases vegetables out of season or those which must be shipped long distances. on the other hand, it will be found that vegetables bought in season as well as those which are plentiful in the particular locality in which they are sold, especially if they are perishable vegetables, are lowest in price and are in the best condition for food. therefore, whether the income is limited or not, it is wisdom on the part of the housewife to buy vegetables that grow in the neighboring region and to purchase them when they are in season. . a very important point for the housewife to keep in mind regarding the purchase of vegetables is that their price is determined not by their value as food, but by their scarcity and the demand for them. take, for example, the case of mushrooms. as shown in table i, this vegetable is low in food value, containing only calories to the pound, but, if purchased, they are always an expensive food. the high price asked for mushrooms is entirely dependent on their scarcity. if there is much demand in a certain community for a food that is not plentiful in the market, the price of that food always goes up. as in the case of mushrooms, many expensive foods add practically nothing in the way of nourishment, their only value being in the variety of flavor they supply. . furthermore, in order to provide wisely, the person who purchases vegetables for the family should be able to judge whether she is getting full value in food for the money she invests. she cannot always do this with each particular vegetable purchased, but she can buy in such a way that what she purchases will average correctly in this respect. the perishable vegetables should be bought as fresh as possible. no difficulty will be experienced in determining this, for they will soon wither or rot if they are not fresh, but the point is to find out their condition before they are bought. the housewife should be ever on the alert and should examine carefully the vegetables she buys before they are accepted from the grocer or taken from the market. in the case of certain vegetables, it is possible to conceal the fact that they are stale. for instance, the outside leaves of a head of lettuce or endive are sometimes removed and only the bleached center is offered for sale; but this always indicates that the outside leaves were either withered or spoiled or they would not have been taken off. . much of the spoiling of vegetables can be avoided if proper attention is given to them in the market. food of this kind should be so displayed that it is not exposed to the dirt and dust of the street, nor to flies and other destructive vermin. the practice of displaying vegetables on a stand in front of a store is gradually losing favor with the housewife who understands the sanitary precautions that should be taken with foods. on the other hand, housewives owe it to the merchant not to handle the foods they are going to buy, for the handling of them not only injures them so that they will not keep well, but renders them unfit to be accepted by the next purchaser. . the manner in which vegetables are sold should also receive consideration. it has been the custom to sell them by measure, but both housewives and merchants have come to realize that it is fairer to sell them by weight. experience has shown that a pound is much more likely to be always uniform than is a quart or a peck. this is due to the fact that no two dealers are likely to measure in exactly the same way, even though the measures they use are up to the standard in size. then, too, especially in the case of vegetables that are of various sizes and shapes, it is impossible to fill a measure properly because of the shape of the vegetables, and so either the housewife often receives short measure or the merchant gives more than the measure requires. all difficulty of this kind is entirely overcome when vegetables are weighed. care of vegetables . perishable vegetables, that is, those which spoil quickly, are usually bought in small quantities, and so are used up quickly. however, if they are kept on hand for only a day or so, they require a definite amount of care in order to insure the most satisfactory results in their use. to prevent them from spoiling or withering, they should be kept in a cool, damp place until they are needed. the most effective and convenient way in which to accomplish this is to store them in a refrigerator or other similar device. if ice cannot be obtained, the cellar should be utilized. before vegetables of this kind are put away after being delivered from the market, they should be looked over carefully, and any that are spoiled should be discarded in order to prevent others that they might touch from becoming tainted. as little handling as possible, however, is advantageous, because when such foods become bruised and are then allowed to stand they are likely to spoil very quickly. . the less perishable vegetables, commonly called winter vegetables because they may be kept through the winter, may be bought in quantity, provided proper storage facilities to prevent them from spoiling are available. potatoes, in particular, are usually purchased in this way, for, as a rule, they may be obtained at a better price than when bought in small quantities, and then, too, they are a vegetable that most families use nearly every day. if they are bought in quantity, they should first be thoroughly tested, for often a potato looks very well on the outside while its texture and flavor may not be at all in accordance with its appearance. great care should also be exercised to see that this vegetable, as well as carrots, turnips, parsnips, etc., has not been frosted, for frost ruins them as to texture and keeping qualities. all such vegetables as these, provided they must be stored for any length of time, keep best in a cold, fairly dry atmosphere. to prevent them from sprouting, the storage room should, if possible, be kept dark, but in case they do sprout, the sprouts should be removed as soon as they are discovered. the best receptacles for the storage of these winter vegetables are bins, a convenient type of which is shown in _essentials of cookery_, part , and the most satisfactory place in which to put such bins is a cellar that has a dirt floor rather than a board or a cement floor. classification of vegetables . because of their difference in physical structure, both as plants or parts of plants, and their variation in chemical composition, it is a rather difficult matter to classify vegetables. the vegetables that are discussed throughout these sections are therefore not included in any classes, but are arranged alphabetically, a plan that the housewife will find very convenient. however, there are a few general classes whose names and characteristics should be known by the housewife, for an understanding of them will enable her to make a more intelligent use of this food. these classes, together with a brief description of the features that characterize them and the names by which the principal varieties are known, are here given. [illustration: fig. ] . succulent vegetables are those which are generally eaten for their appetizing effect and their value as a source of mineral salts and bulk. these vegetables, which get their name from the fact that they are juicy in texture, include the greens, such as spinach, swiss chard, dandelion, lettuce, etc., also celery, asparagus, cabbage, and all other plants whose green leaves and stems are edible. succulent vegetables may be cooked, but they are often used as cold relishes or in the making of salads. . root, tuber, and bulb vegetables form another class. examples of several well-known roots are shown in fig. , which from left to right are salsify, carrots, turnips, and parsnips. the varieties included in this class are closely related as to food value, and on the whole average much higher in this characteristic than do the succulent vegetables. irish potatoes and jerusalem artichokes are examples of tubers; sweet potatoes, beets, radishes, etc., in addition to the vegetables shown in fig. , belong to the roots; and onions and all the vegetables related to the onion, such as garlic, shallots, and leeks, are illustrations of bulbs or enlarged underground stems. . fruit and flower vegetables form a third class. they present great variety in appearance, structure, and composition. to this class belong cucumbers, eggplant, winter and summer squash, vegetable marrow, tomatoes, peppers, and okra, which are in reality fruits but are used as vegetables. flower vegetables include california, or french, artichokes, and cauliflower, all of which are in reality the buds of flowers or plants and are eaten for food. . legumes form a fourth class of vegetables, and they include all the varieties of beans, peas, and lentils. when these foods are mature and dried, they have the highest food value of all the vegetables. among the beans are lima beans, kidney beans, navy, or soup, beans, soy beans, and many others. the peas include the various garden varieties that have been allowed to mature, cow-peas, and many others, some of which are not suitable for human consumption. the lentils occur in numerous varieties, too, but those commonly used are the red, yellow, and black ones. to legumes also belong peanuts, but as they are seldom used as vegetables in cookery, no further mention is made of them in this section. * * * * * varieties of vegetables and their preparation general methods of preparation and cooking . preparing vegetables for cooking.--before many vegetables can be cooked, they require a certain amount of preparation, such as washing, soaking, peeling, cutting up into suitable sizes, etc. when they must be peeled, great care should be taken not to remove too much of the vegetable with the skin. whenever it is possible to do so, vegetables should be cooked in their skins, as there is much less waste of edible material if the skins are removed after cooking. potatoes that are to be fried, hashed brown, or used for salad and other similar dishes may be boiled in their skins and peeled afterwards just as conveniently as to be peeled first and then boiled. indeed, this plan is strongly recommended, for it not only saves material that is removed in the peeling but also conserves the mineral salts and the soluble food material, much of which is lost in the water during the cooking. . if it is desired to remove the peeling before cooking, it will be found more economical to put the vegetables in water and then scrape off the skins than to cut them off with a knife. this method is especially satisfactory with new potatoes and with such vegetables as carrots, parsnips, salsify, and turnips. the scraping can be accomplished more easily if the vegetables are first plunged into boiling water for a few minutes and then dipped into cold water. when entire heads of such vegetables as cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, etc. are to be cooked, they should be soaked, head down, for at least / hour in salted water made by adding teaspoon-full of salt to quart of water. this is done in order to remove any bugs or worms that may be lodged in the head. the correct proportion of salt is an important detail of this process, for if salt water that is too strong is used, it will kill the bugs or worms and they will remain in the head. . methods of cooking applied to vegetables.--the usual methods of cooking applied to vegetables are boiling, steaming, baking, stewing, frying, sautéing, broiling, and roasting. which one of these to select depends, of course, on the particular kind of vegetable that is to be cooked and the result that is desired, but, if possible, an effort should be made to select an economical method. starchy vegetables, such as irish and sweet potatoes, beans, etc., develop a more delicious flavor when they are baked than when they are cooked by any other method of preparation. steaming is an excellent means of preparing vegetables that must be cooked by moist heat, especially when it is desired that no soluble material be lost, as is often the case in boiling. frying and sautéing, when applied to vegetables, usually produce a delicious flavor, but often render the vegetables decidedly indigestible. for this reason, vegetables so prepared should seldom if ever be served to children and to persons whose digestion is not good. . effect of cooking on vegetables.--the various ways in which cooking affects vegetables should be thoroughly understood by the housewife. in the first place, some methods conserve the food material whereas others waste it. for instance, boiling in water, which is probably one of the most common ways of cooking vegetables, is decidedly advantageous in some respects, but the water dissolves much of the soluble material, such as mineral salts, sugar, etc., found in the vegetables, so that unless some use is made of this water in the cooking of other foods, considerable waste results. on the other hand, steaming and baking permit no loss of food material, and so they should be applied to vegetables whenever it is desired to conserve food substances. . the flavors of vegetables are greatly changed during the process of cooking, being increased in some cases and decreased in others. in the case of such strongly flavored vegetables as cabbage, cauliflower, onions, etc., it is advisable to dissipate part of the flavor. therefore such vegetables should be cooked in an open vessel in order that the flavor may be decreased by evaporation. vegetables mild in flavor, however, are improved by being cooked in a closed vessel, for all their flavor should be retained. the overcooking of vegetables is sometimes responsible for an increase of a disagreeable flavor. . another feature of vegetables often changed by cooking is their color. for instance, green vegetables do not, upon cooking, always remain green. in many cases, the color may be improved by adding a very small quantity of soda to the water in which the vegetables are cooked. attention should also be given to the length of time vegetables are subjected to heat, for the overboiling of some vegetables is liable to develop an unattractive color in them. this is particularly the case with cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts, which develop not only a strong, disagreeable flavor but also a reddish color when cooked too long. . the application of heat to vegetables also has a definite effect on them. by sufficient cooking, the cellulose of vegetables is softened to the extent that it is less irritating and much more likely to be partly digested than that of raw vegetables. the acids of fruits increase upon cooking, and so the acidity of vegetables is increased to a certain extent. vegetables that contain starch are rendered digestible in no other way than by cooking. on the other hand, the protein material of this food is coagulated by the application of heat, just as the white of an egg or the tissue of meat is coagulated and hardened. however, cooking is the only means of softening the cellulose that surrounds this material. still, high-protein foods, such as beans, peas, and lentils, can be much improved if they are cooked in water that is not very hard. the lime in hard water has a tendency to harden them to the extent that they require a much longer time to cook than when soft water is used. these vegetables may be still further softened by the addition of a small quantity of soda to the water in which they are cooked, but care should be taken not to use too much soda, as it will injure the flavor. when soda is used, the vegetable should be parboiled for or minutes in the soda water and then drained and cooked in fresh water. this method, of course, does not apply to vegetables that are cooked in soda water to retain their color. . salt is always added in the cooking of vegetables to season them. in the use of salt, two important points must be borne in mind: first, that it has the effect of hardening the tissues of the vegetable in much the same manner as it hardens the tissues of meat; and, secondly, that it helps to draw out the flavor of the vegetables. these two facts determine largely the time for adding the salt. if an old, tough, winter vegetable is to be prepared, it should be cooked until nearly soft in water that contains no salt, and the salt should be added just before the cooking is finished. when it is desired to draw out the flavor, as, for instance, when vegetables are cooked for soup or stews, the salt should be supplied when the vegetables are put on to cook. young tender vegetables may be cooked in salt water, but as such water extracts a certain amount of flavor, an effort should be made to use it in the preparation of stews, sauces, and soups. sauces for vegetables . vegetables may, of course, be served plain, but they are greatly improved in flavor, nutritive value, and often in appearance by the addition of a well-seasoned sauce. numerous sauces are used for this purpose, the one to select depending somewhat on the vegetable, the method of cooking employed, and the flavor that is desired. recipes for the sauces found to be most satisfactory are here given. it will be well to practice the making of these, so as to become familiar with them and thus know just what sauce is meant when reference is made to a particular sauce in the recipes for vegetables. the quantities given in the recipes for sauces will make sufficient sauce to dress the vegetables required for four to six persons. white sauce, which is probably the one that is used oftenest, may be made in various thicknesses, as has been explained previously. however, the medium white sauce has been found to be the one most nearly correct for vegetables and consequently the one most preferred. medium white sauce tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. milk melt the butter and add the flour, salt, and pepper. pour into this the milk, which has been previously heated, and cook together until the flour thickens completely. pour over the vegetable, from which the water has been previously drained, and serve. vegetable sauce tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper / c. milk / c. water in which vegetable was cooked melt the butter, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and pour into this the heated liquids. cook until the mixture thickens. pour over the drained vegetable and serve hot. drawn-butter sauce / c. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. hot water melt the butter, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and pour into this the hot water. boil for a few minutes and serve. hollandaise sauce / c. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt / c. boiling water egg yolk tb. vinegar or lemon juice melt the butter, add the flour, salt, and water, and cook until the mixture thickens. while still hot, pour over the slightly beaten egg yolk, beating constantly to prevent curding. add the vinegar or lemon juice. serve with vegetables that have been boiled in salt water. sour-cream dressing tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper / c. milk or sweet cream / c. vinegar melt the butter and add the flour, salt, and pepper. pour into this the heated milk or cream, and allow the sauce to thicken. then add the vinegar, stirring rapidly, and serve hot. tomato sauce - / c. stewed tomatoes slice onion tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper heat the tomatoes with the onion and force through a sieve. melt the butter, add the flour, salt, pepper, and the strained tomatoes. cook together until thick, remove, and serve hot with a vegetable. ma�tre d'h�tel sauce / c. butter tb. chopped parsley tb. lemon juice / tsp. salt dash of pepper melt the butter and add the chopped parsley, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. mix well, and allow the whole to boil, but not to brown. pour over the vegetable and serve. parsley-butter sauce / c. butter tb. chopped parsley / tsp. salt dash of pepper heat the butter in a saucepan until it is well browned, and then add the parsley, salt, and pepper. allow the sauce to become hot, but not to boil. this is an excellent sauce to use over new potatoes or diced vegetables, such as turnips or carrots. asparagus and its preparation . asparagus is a vegetable that consists of the shoots of the plant, which are eaten before the blossoms develop. it grows quickly and is very tender if the shoots are clipped at just the right time after they appear above the ground. it comes early in the spring, being about the first green vegetable that gets into the local market, but its season is comparatively short. it does not keep long after it is purchased and is better when it is used at once. if asparagus must be kept for any length of time, it should be stored in a cool, damp place. . in selecting asparagus, it should be remembered that there are two varieties, one of which is green and the other white. the stems of the green asparagus should be green to the bottom, and should not be hard nor woody where they are cut from the plant. however, if a part of the stems is found to be woody, the hard ends should not be rejected, for the outside may be peeled off and the center used, or the hard ends may be cooked with other vegetables for the making of soup. the white asparagus will have slightly green tips, while the rest of the stem will be white. asparagus is one of the succulent vegetables comparatively low in food value. it contains, as table i shows, only one-fourth as many calories to the pound as potatoes. its food value, however, may be increased by dressing it with butter after the vegetable has been cooked or by serving with it a sauce made with milk, butter, flour, etc. then, too, asparagus is sometimes served on toast, which is another means of making a more nutritious dish out of this vegetable. in its composition, asparagus contains a _diuretic_, that is, a substance that has an effect upon the kidneys, and that is known as _asparagine_. because of the presence of this substance, asparagus is thought to be injurious to those who have kidney trouble, but it need not be avoided except in some forms of this disease. . preparation for cooking.--to prepare asparagus for cooking, strip the tiny scales from the sides of the stems by means of a small paring knife. these hold sand and are responsible for the presence of the grit that is sometimes found in a cooked dish of asparagus even when the housewife feels certain that she has washed it as clean as possible. then wash the stems thoroughly in several cold waters, lifting them out of the water after each washing instead of pouring the water off of them. if the water is poured off the stems, the sand that has been washed from them is likely to remain in the bottom of the pan and mix with the vegetable again. when the asparagus has been sufficiently washed, it may be used in the full lengths or cut into pieces of any desired length, inch being the size that is usually preferred. if stems are to be cooked whole, it is a good plan to form them into a bunch as when purchased and tie the bunch with a tape or a string. when this is done, the string should, of course, be cut and removed before the asparagus is served. a point to remember about the preparation of this vegetable is that it should always be cooked in boiling, salted water. . asparagus with butter dressing.--perhaps the simplest way in which to prepare asparagus is to cook it in salted water and then serve it with a butter dressing. when prepared in this way, it may be served plain, but it becomes more attractive, as well as more nutritious, if it is placed on squares of toast. for this dish, secure a bunch of fresh, tender asparagus, wash it thoroughly, and then, as desired, cut it into inch lengths or allow it to remain whole. pour enough boiling water over it to cover well, add salt in the proportion of teaspoonful to each quart of water, and allow it to cook until the stems may be easily pierced with a fork, which in most cases will require not more than from to minutes. the length of the cooking is an important factor with this vegetable, for when it is overcooked its flavor is not so agreeable as when it has had just enough cooking. when the asparagus is done, drain off the water, season with a little more salt and a dash of pepper, and, if it is to be served without toast, add tablespoonful of butter for each bunch cooked, allowing the butter to melt. in case it is to be served on toast, allow a small amount of the liquid in which it was cooked to remain on it, add the butter to this, and, after placing several of the stems or a number of the pieces on the squares of toast, dip a little of the liquid over all. . creamed asparagus on toast.--a still more nutritious dish can be prepared from asparagus by combining it with a cream sauce and serving it on toast. the sauce supplies protein and fat and the toast furnishes carbohydrate, substances in which this vegetable is low. numerous ways of serving this combination may be resorted to, but one of the most attractive methods is illustrated in fig. . as here shown, a small bunch of the stems is slipped through a ring of toast cut by means of round cutters of two sizes. if it is not desired to use toast for this, a ring of lemon rind or pimiento may be substituted, or the ring may be omitted altogether and the stems merely laid in an orderly manner on a square of toast. also, with this dish, as with the previous one, the asparagus may be cut into inch lengths instead of being cooked whole. [illustration: fig. ] to prepare creamed asparagus, clean it in the manner explained in art. . then either cut it into inch lengths or allow the stems to remain whole, and cook it in enough boiling salted water to cover it well. while the asparagus is cooking, prepare a medium white sauce. as soon as the asparagus has cooked enough to be pierced with a fork, pour off the water and serve with the sauce in any of the ways already suggested. if the asparagus is left whole, the sauce is poured over it after it is placed on the toast, but when it is cut into small pieces, it is usually combined with the sauce and the creamed vegetable then poured over the toast. . scalloped asparagus.--another nutritious dish with asparagus as its base is scalloped asparagus. this involves all the ingredients used in creamed asparagus, but to give it still more food value, cheese is also added. scalloped asparagus (sufficient to serve six) bunch asparagus tb. butter tb. flour c. asparagus stock / c. milk / tsp. salt c. buttered cracker crumbs / c. grated cheese clean the asparagus according to the directions given in art. . cut it into inch lengths and cook in boiling salted water until it is tender enough to be pierced with a fork, and then drain. prepare a sauce by melting the butter, adding the flour, and pouring into this mixture the heated stock and milk seasoned with the salt. put a layer of the buttered crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish, and pour half the asparagus over them. sprinkle the asparagus with one-third the cheese and add another layer of crumbs. sprinkle this with one-third the cheese. add the remainder of the asparagus and the crumbs and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top. pour the sauce over the entire mixture, place in the oven, and bake until heated thoroughly and the top is slightly browned. serve from the baking dish. * * * * * beans and their preparation varieties of beans . of all the vegetables commonly used for food, beans afford the greatest variety. however, there are two principal classes into which all varieties of this vegetable can be placed, namely, _string beans_ and _shell beans_. string beans include both the pods and the seeds, and are used when the beans are very young. shell beans consist of the seeds, which are allowed to mature either partly or entirely and are taken from the shells before cooking. those which are partly developed are cooked when they are fresh, but the ones that are allowed to mature completely are dried and then stored for use at any time during the year. in some cases, the same variety of beans may be used in the three ways mentioned, while in others certain kinds are raised expressly for one of these purposes. . the food value of beans increases as they mature, as will be observed upon reference to table i. the very young beans, that is, the string beans, which include the pods and all, are comparatively low in food value, being only a little higher than asparagus. to increase the food value of these, fat meat, butter, or other fat is supplied in their cooking, or milk or a cream sauce is added before they are served. fresh shell beans have much more nutriment than string beans, whereas dried beans are very high in food value. it is this characteristic of dried shell beans that makes them a very good meat substitute. string beans . varieties of string beans.--there are two general varieties of string beans: the yellow ones, which are commonly known as _wax beans_, and the green ones, which are the ones usually meant when the term string beans is used. numerous varieties exist among these classes, and some are very much better than others. many of them have strings, but others are stringless and consequently are easier to prepare. whatever kind is used should be picked from the vines before the beans are old enough for the pods to develop woody fibers. otherwise they will not be palatable, for when they have reached this stage it will be impossible to cook them soft. . selection and care.--small, round, rusty-looking spots are common to both string and wax beans; but when such spots are present they must be removed before cooking. as there is considerable waste in the preparation of such beans for the table, it is wise in buying string beans to select those whose surface is not marred with such blemishes. in addition, the beans should be as fresh as can be obtained and crisp and tender enough to snap when the pods are bent in half. proper attention should be given to them after they are purchased, too. if possible, they should be cooked immediately, but if this cannot be done they should be kept in a cool, damp place to prevent them from becoming limp. however, if they wilt before they can be cooked, they may be freshened by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time. . preparation and cooking.--to prepare beans for cooking, wash them thoroughly in cold water. if the beans are of the stringless variety, cut off the stem and blossom ends; but, in case they have strings, break the ends and strip off the strings together with the ends, as shown in fig. . the beans may then be cooked whole or cut into inch lengths before cooking. if it is desired to cut them, the most convenient way is to place them in an orderly heap on a cutting board and then cut a handful at a time, drawing a sharp knife across them as they are held on the board. any imperfect portions should be removed before cutting. . the cooking of string beans is similar to that of asparagus, except that they require longer cooking. put them, either whole or cut into a kettle, cover them with boiling water to which has been added teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water, and cook them with the cover on the kettle until they can be easily pierced with a fork. the length of time required to cook them depends on the age of the beans, but usually from minutes to hour will be sufficient. when they are done, drain the water from them, but save it to make sauce for them or to add to soup stock. . string beans in butter.--string beans, which, of course, include wax beans, may be served with a sauce of some kind, but they are very appetizing when merely drained after cooking and served with melted butter. [illustration: fig. ] to prepare beans in this manner, wash the desired amount, remove the ends and strings, if necessary, and cut into inch lengths. cook until they are tender and then pour off the water. add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served, a dash of pepper, and, if they are not salty enough, a little more salt. allow the butter to melt and serve the beans hot. . string beans with salt pork.--those who like the flavor of salt pork will find string beans cooked with a small piece of this meat very appetizing. besides improving the flavor, salt pork supplies the beans with fat, a food substance in which they are very low. after washing the beans that are to be cooked in this way, remove the ends and strings, but do not cut into inch lengths. put the whole beans to cook in boiling water and add / pound of pork for a sufficient amount of beans for four persons. cook until the beans are tender, and serve with the pork without removing from the liquid. . creamed string beans.--perhaps the most popular way in which to prepare string or wax beans is to cream them. not only an appetizing dish, but one whose food value is increased, is the result. the cream sauce served with the beans may be made entirely of milk, but a very satisfactory sauce can be made by using half milk or cream and half liquid in which the beans were cooked. to prepare creamed beans, clean the beans in the usual way and cut them into inch lengths. put them to cook in boiling salted water and cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork. pour off the water, but keep it to use in the dressing. to dress a sufficient quantity of beans for four persons, a sauce should be made as follows: sauce for creamed string beans tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt pinch of pepper / c. rich milk or cream / c. liquid from beans melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, salt, and pepper. pour in the heated liquids and stir until the mixture is smooth and thoroughly cooked. add the sauce to the beans, heat together, and serve. . string beans with sour dressing.--a dish having an entirely different flavor from those already explained is produced when beans are served with a sour dressing. to prepare beans in this way, clean a sufficient number according to the directions already given and cut them into inch lengths. cook them in boiling salted water until they are tender. pour off the water, but retain / cupful for the dressing. make the following sauce, which will dress a sufficient quantity of beans for four persons: sour dressing tb. ham or bacon fat tb. flour / c. vinegar / c. liquid from beans melt the fat in a double boiler, add the flour, and into this stir the vinegar and the liquid from the beans. cook until the mixture thickens and pour over the beans. reheat and serve. shell beans . varieties and food value of shell beans.--when beans have matured on the vines to such an extent that the pods are no longer tender enough for human consumption, they are picked and the seeds then used for food. some are picked before the seeds have entirely matured, and these, which must be young enough to contain considerable moisture, are cooked fresh; others are allowed to mature entirely and are then dried before they are cooked. after being dried, beans keep indefinitely and require no care in storage except that they must not become moist. numerous varieties of both fresh and dried shell beans are in use, including navy, marrowfat, pinto, and lima beans. . fresh shell beans average about three times as much food value as string or wax beans. most of this is carbohydrate in the form of starch, but they also contain considerable protein. dried shell beans, which are entirely different in flavor and texture from fresh ones, contain still more nutriment, their food value being more than twice that of fresh shell beans and over four times that of potatoes. in the entirely matured bean, which, as has already been mentioned, belongs to the class of vegetables called legumes, the high food value is due to the high percentage of starch and the large amount of protein in the form of legumin, a substance that is an important substitute for other more expensive protein foods. this composition reveals at once the fact that dried shell beans make an excellent food, provided some fat is added to them in their preparation. . preparation and cooking of fresh shell beans.--with the exception of lima beans, most of the varieties of fresh shell beans are placed on the market in the pods and must be shelled after they are purchased. green lima beans, however, are usually sold shelled. if the beans are purchased in the pods, wash them in cold water before shelling, but if they are bought shelled, wash the shelled beans. then put them to cook in sufficient boiling water to which has been added teaspoonful of salt for each quart. allow the beans to cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork. the cooking will probably require from minutes to - / hours, depending on the age and variety of the beans. . shell beans dressed with butter.--any variety of fresh shell beans may be prepared according to the accompanying recipe, but lima beans are especially delicious when cooked in this way. prepare and cook the beans as directed in art. . when they are sufficiently cooked, pour off the water, season with additional salt, if necessary, and a dash of pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. allow the butter to melt and serve the beans hot. . shell beans in cream.--fresh shell beans are especially appetizing when they are dressed with cream. besides improving the flavor, cream also adds considerable food value, an item that should not be overlooked. for this dish, prepare and cook the beans in the manner explained in art. . when they are tender, pour off the water and season with additional salt and pepper. then for each four persons to be served, add tablespoonful of butter and / cupful of thin cream. heat the beans well in the cream and serve. . bean pur�e.--persons with whom the coarse skins that must necessarily be eaten with beans disagree, find bean purée very satisfactory. to prepare it, clean and cook the beans in boiling salted water according to the directions given in art. . then pour off the water and force the beans through a ricer or a sieve. add sufficient butter, salt, and pepper to season well and serve hot. . cooking of dried shell beans.--before dried shell beans of any variety are cooked, look them over very carefully, reject any that are unfit for use, and wash the rest in cold water. they may then be cooked without further preparation, but in order to hasten their cooking and save fuel in their preparation, it is a good plan to moisten them by soaking them in water before cooking. if they are to be soaked, place them in cold water and allow them to remain there for to hours. then put them on to cook in water to which has been added a small pinch of soda. parboil the beans in this water until the outside skin begins to crack and then pour off the water. while it is true that a certain amount of mineral salts and perhaps a small percentage of food value are lost in this procedure, because the water that is poured off is too strong to be used for any other purpose, the improvement in the flavor warrants any loss that might occur. after pouring off the water, wash the beans in cold water, add fresh water to continue the cooking, and allow the beans to simmer slowly until they are cooked soft enough to crush between the fingers, but still retain their original shape. nothing is gained by cooking them rapidly on a hot fire, and considerable fuel is wasted by this practice. the fireless cooker and the double boiler are excellent utensils for the cooking of dried beans, because they cook the beans at a temperature below boiling point. they therefore cook the beans soft with little difficulty and prevent the protein from becoming hard. the theory of the cooking of protein--that is, the higher the temperature, the harder the coagulation--applies in the cooking of dried beans, just as it does in the cooking of eggs or milk. . stewed navy beans.--the common small white beans are called _navy beans_ from the fact that they are much used in the navy. these may be prepared in various ways, but the simplest method is to stew them. in the preparation of this dish, as well as any other made from dried beans, it will be well to remember that / cupful of beans is usually sufficient to serve four persons when they are cooked. look over the required amount of beans, reject any that are imperfect, wash thoroughly, and put to soak overnight in cold water. pour off any water that remains, cover well with boiling water, and add a pinch of soda. cook slowly until the skins begin to burst. pour off the water, add fresh hot water and teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water, and allow to simmer until the beans may be easily crushed between the fingers. during this process, the water should cook down until just a sufficient amount to serve with the beans remains. when this is accomplished, add - / tablespoonfuls of butter, a dash of pepper, and, if necessary, additional salt. instead of the butter, ham or bacon fat may be used for seasoning, or a small piece of ham or salt pork may be cooked with the beans and the fat omitted. serve the beans hot. . lima beans in cream.--dried lima beans, when combined with thin cream, make a very appetizing dish. to prepare them in this way, clean, soak, and cook them as explained in art. . when they are soft enough to crush easily between the fingers and the water has boiled down so that practically none remains, add / cupful of thin cream to a sufficient quantity for four persons. allow the beans to simmer for a short time in the cream, add additional salt and a dash of pepper for flavoring, and serve. . lima beans en casserole.--while the small varieties of dried beans are more commonly baked than the larger ones, lima beans will be found especially delicious when prepared in a casserole. lima beans en casserole (sufficient to serve six) c. dried lima beans / c. ham or bacon fat c. milk tsp. salt / tsp. pepper soak the beans overnight and then parboil them in soda water. drain off the water and turn the beans into a baking dish. add the fat, milk, salt, and pepper. cover the dish and bake until the beans are soft. serve hot from the casserole. [illustration: fig. ] . lima-bean loaf.--if a dish that is not only appetizing, but sufficient in food value to be used as a meat substitute, is desired, lima-bean loaf, which is illustrated in fig. , should be selected. this is very good when served alone, but it becomes more attractive and at the same time more palatable when a sauce or gravy is added. lima-bean loaf (sufficient to serve six) c. dried lima beans c. bread crumbs milk to moisten crumbs eggs tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. celery salt tb. butter soak the beans overnight and parboil them in soda water. pour off this water, cook until tender in boiling salted water, and then drain. moisten the bread crumbs slightly with milk, mix them with the beans, and add the beaten eggs and seasoning. when the entire mixture is well blended, place in a loaf pan, dot the top with the butter, and bake in the oven until nicely browned and quite firm. turn out on a platter, garnish with parsley, and serve by cutting it into slices, as shown in fig. . . bean souffl�.--probably the daintiest dish that can be made from dried beans is bean soufflé. this is equally suitable as the main dish for a luncheon or a home dinner. one point to remember about it is that it should be served immediately, for soufflé usually settles when taken from the oven. bean souffl� (sufficient to serve six) c. bean pulp tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. celery salt tb. onion juice eggs make the bean pulp by forcing well-cooked beans through a colander or a press. add all the seasoning and the beaten egg yolks. beat the egg whites stiff and fold them into the mixture. when well blended, pour into a greased baking dish, or individual dishes, place in a pan containing hot water, and bake in a moderate oven until the soufflé is set, which will require from to minutes. test by tapping slightly with the finger. if the dent thus made in the soufflé springs back, it is sufficiently baked. remove from the oven and serve at once. [illustration: fig. ] . baked beans.--almost any kind of dried beans may be used for baking. some persons prefer the small navy beans, which are mentioned in this recipe, whereas others like the larger marrowfat beans or lima beans. pinto beans have for some time been taking the place of navy beans, and are found to be a very good substitute. to bake beans successfully, a dish with a tight-fitting cover, such as the one shown in fig. , is required. this is made of heavy glass, but if such a utensil is not available, very satisfactory results can be obtained by using a heavy earthen bowl, crock, or baking dish. to produce the delicious flavor that is agreeable to most persons, beans should be baked a long time. therefore, as considerable heat is consumed in their cooking, it is a wise plan to prepare more than enough for one meal. they may be served the second time as baked beans, or, if this is not desired, they may be used for various other purposes. baked beans (sufficient to serve six) pt. navy beans tb. molasses tsp. salt / lb. bacon or salt pork soak the beans overnight, parboil in soda water, and drain. add a sufficient amount of water to cover the beans well, cook until they break open, and then pour with the liquid into a baking dish. if this liquid does not almost cover the beans, add more until it comes nearly to the top. add the molasses and salt, cut the salt pork into pieces, and distribute these well through the beans, placing a piece or two over the top. the beans should then appear as shown in fig. . place the cover on the dish and bake in a slow oven for or hours. remove the cover occasionally, stir the beans carefully so as not to crush nor break them, and add enough water from time to time to keep the beans well moistened. when done, the beans should be light brown in color, but the top should be well browned. sometimes it will be found necessary to remove the cover in order to brown the beans sufficiently. . bean croquettes.--left-over baked beans need never be wasted, for there are numerous uses to which they can be put. if it is not desired to reheat them and serve them again as baked beans, they may be utilized in soup, salads, and sandwiches, or they may be made into soufflé, as explained in art. , or into croquettes according to the accompanying recipe. bean croquettes may be served plain, but they are much improved by the addition of tomato sauce. bean croquettes (sufficient to serve six) c. cold baked beans - / c. bread crumbs milk to moisten crumbs egg tsp. salt pinch of pepper to the beans add the bread crumbs slightly moistened with milk. stir in the egg, beaten, and the salt and pepper. blend the entire mixture, form into croquettes, and roll in dry crumbs. bake in the oven until brown, sauté in shallow fat, or fry in deep fat. place on a platter, garnish with parsley, and serve plain or with tomato sauce. beets and their preparation . beets are a root vegetable that comes in two varieties, _red_ and _white_. the red beets are more popular for cooking than the white ones, and of these the ones that retain their dark-red color after cooking are preferable to any other. the root, however, is not the only part of this plant that is eaten, for the tops are also much used for food. when the tops are to be cooked, the plants are usually not allowed to mature to the extent that the root parts can be used; still, early in the summer, when very small beets are to be had with the tops on, both the tops and the beets may be used. at this age, the beets are very tender and do not require long cooking. if the beets are not eaten when they are young, they are allowed to mature in the ground and are then pulled in the fall and stored for a winter vegetable. like other root vegetables, beets contain very little protein and fat, but in their composition is included a fairly large percentage of carbohydrate in the form of sugar. their total food value is greater than that of string beans, but is considerably less than that of potatoes. . selection and care of beets.--when beets are selected as a summer vegetable with the idea of using both the tops and the roots, the tops should be fresh, that is, not withered nor rotted. when the roots are to be used, either as a summer or a winter vegetable, they should have a smooth skin, should contain no blemishes, and, as nearly as possible, should be uniform in size. summer beets require about the same care as any other vegetable; that is, they should be kept in a cool, damp place until they are ready to be cooked. if they are at all wilted at that time, they may be freshened by allowing them to stand in a pan of cold water for several hours. winter beets, however, should be stored in a cool, dark place where they will not freeze. a portion of the cellar that has a dirt floor is a very good place to put the bins containing such vegetables. the woody tissue of beets that are stored increases as the winter advances, so that any beets that remain until spring are rather hard and extremely difficult to cook. in fact, at times it is almost impossible to make them soft enough to serve, but they can be greatly improved by soaking them in cold water for a few hours before cooking them. . preparation and cooking of beets.--in preparing young beets for cooking, allow an inch or two of the stems to remain on the beets in order to prevent them from bleeding. of course, from winter beets, the entire stem should be removed, as it will be dried up. scrub beets of either variety carefully with a vegetable brush until entirely free from dirt. then, whether they are old or young, put them to cook in boiling water without removing their skins. allow them to cook until they are soft enough to be pierced with a fork. this is the best way in which to determine when the beets are done, for as the length of time required to cook them depends entirely on their age, no definite time can be stated. as soon as they are sufficiently cooked, pour off the water, allow them to cool enough to handle, and then remove the skins, which will slip off easily. . buttered beets.--butter added to beets increases both their nutriment and their flavor. in order to prepare buttered beets, first clean and cook them in the manner just explained. to remove the skins, scrape the beets as thinly as possible, so as not to waste any more than is necessary. then slice them thin or cut them into / -inch cubes, season well with salt and pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. allow the beets to heat thoroughly in the butter, and serve hot. . beets with cream dressing.--if a creamed vegetable is desired, beets to which cream has been added will be very satisfactory. clean and cook the beets in the manner explained in art. . then peel, cut into slices, place in a saucepan, and nearly cover with thin cream. allow them to cook in the cream for a few minutes, season with salt and pepper, and serve. . beets with sour dressing.--to give variety, beets are sometimes served with a sour dressing. probably no other vegetable lends itself so well to this sort of preparation as beets, with the result that a very appetizing dish is provided. beets with sour dressing (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized beets tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. vinegar - / c. hot water prepare and cook the beets as explained in art. . when tender, drain them, remove the skins, and dice the beets. make a sauce by melting the butter in a double boiler and adding the flour, salt, pepper, vinegar, and hot water. cook until the flour thickens the sauce and then pour over the beets. heat together and serve. . baked beets.--if something entirely different in the way of a vegetable dish is wanted, baked beets will meet with favor. beets may be baked in a covered baking dish or on the open grate of an oven. a slow fire produces the best results, and as a rule it will take or hours to bake good-sized beets. wash thoroughly and dry the desired number of beets. place them in a baking dish and set in a slow oven or place them on the open grate. bake until they may be pierced with a fork. remove from the skins and serve with a sour sauce or merely with salt, pepper, and butter. . pickled beets.--when beets are cooked for any of the recipes that have been given, it will be economy to boil more than will be needed for one meal, for a large number can be cooked with practically the same quantity of fuel as a few. then the remainder may be pickled by peeling them, cutting them into slices, and pouring over them hot vinegar sweetened slightly and flavored with spice. pickled beets make an excellent relish and they will keep for an indefinite period. brussels sprouts and their preparation [illustration: fig. ] . brussels sprouts, as shown in fig. , look just like tiny green heads of cabbage. these heads grow along a stem that protrudes above the surface of the ground in much the same way as does the stem to which a head of cabbage is attached. the heads are cut from the stem and then usually packed in quart boxes. it is in such boxes as these that they are found in the markets, where they can be purchased from december until early spring. they are considered a great delicacy because of the fineness of their flavor, which rivals that of cauliflower and, while closely resembling that of cabbage, is much superior to it. in food value, they are somewhat higher than cauliflower, but about equal to beets. . cooking of brussels sprouts.--to prepare brussels sprouts for the table, break off the outside leaves from the heads, and then in order to remove any bugs that may be lodged in the heads, allow them to stand in cold salted water for hour or so before cooking. after removing the sprouts from the salted water, pour enough boiling water over them to cover them well, add teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water, and boil without any cover on the kettle until they can be easily pierced with a fork. care should be taken not to overcook the sprouts, for when they are cooked too long they become red in color and develop a strong flavor. [illustration: fig. ] . buttered brussels sprouts.--when brussels sprouts are properly cooked and then seasoned with salt and pepper and flavored with butter, an appetizing dish is the result. to make such a dish for about six persons, prepare and cook quart of brussels sprouts in the manner just explained. when they are tender, pour off the water, season with additional salt and a dash of pepper, and add tablespoonfuls of butter. allow the butter to melt over the sprouts and then serve hot. if a more attractive dish is desired, the brussels sprouts prepared in this way may be combined with french lamb chops, as shown in fig. . pile up the buttered sprouts in the center of a platter, and then place broiled or sautéd lamb chops, whose ends are trimmed with paper frills, around the sprouts in the manner shown. . creamed brussels sprouts.--a very satisfactory way in which to prepare brussels sprouts is to serve a cream sauce over them. this sauce, of course, adds food value, and at the same time greatly improves the flavor of the vegetable. creamed brussels sprouts (sufficient to serve six) qt. brussels sprouts tb. butter tb. flour - / c. milk tsp. salt dash of pepper prepare and cook the sprouts as explained in art. . when they are tender, drain the water from them. make a white sauce of the butter, flour, milk, salt, and pepper. pour this over the sprouts, heat together, and serve. . scalloped brussels sprouts.--undoubtedly the most palatable way of preparing brussels sprouts is to scallop them. the ingredients used in the preparation of this dish add food value, as well as flavor. scalloped brussels sprouts (sufficient to serve six) qt. brussels sprouts tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt c. milk c. buttered crumbs prepare the sprouts as explained in art. . cook them in boiling salted water until they are tender, and then drain. make a white sauce of tablespoonfuls of the butter, flour, salt, and milk. butter the crumbs by pouring tablespoonful of melted butter over them, stirring until well blended. place one-fourth of the crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish, add about half of the sprouts, and place another fourth of the crumbs over the sprouts. add the remaining half of the sprouts and pour the sauce over these. sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top, place in the oven, and bake until the crumbs are brown and the ingredients thoroughly heated. cabbage and its preparation . cabbage consists of the foliage of the cabbage plant. it is a succulent vegetable with a high flavor; in fact, its flavor is so strong that in many cases it disagrees with persons. however, if cabbage is properly cooked, no apprehension need be felt about eating it, for it can be digested by most persons. the food value of cabbage is not high, being even less than that of string beans. the greater part of this food value is carbohydrate in the form of sugar, but in order to prepare cabbage so that it has any importance in the meal, considerable quantities of protein, fat, and carbohydrate must be added. in itself, it is valuable for its mineral salts and bulk. numerous varieties of cabbage can be procured, but only three are commonly used. these include _white cabbage_, which is used the most; _purple cabbage_, which is very dark in color and contains varying shades of red and blue; and _savoy cabbage_, which has a large number of green crinkled leaves and is commonly cooked by boiling. . selection and care of cabbage.--heads of cabbage that feel firm and solid to the touch and are rather heavy for their size are the best to select for cooking purposes. this vegetable comes into the market early in the summer and may be had until late in the fall. as it has excellent keeping qualities, it may be stored for use as a winter vegetable. when this is done, the stem and the roots should be allowed to remain on the head, for then the cabbage is less apt to wither. if this precaution is taken and the cabbage is stored in a cool place, no great care is required to keep it in good condition until it is to be cooked unless, of course, it is kept for an abnormal length of time. . preparation and cooking of cabbage.--to prepare cabbage for cooking, remove the outside leaves and then cut the head that remains into pieces of any desirable size. whether the cabbage should be left in large pieces or cut very fine depends on the dish that is to be prepared. for the first cutting, be sure to cut the head down through the heart and the stem, so that the part not used will remain intact. this may then be used another time if it is kept cool and moist. in case the cabbage becomes at all wilted, it may be freshened by placing it in cold water a short time before it is to be cooked. . cabbage is a vegetable that has many uses and is eaten both raw and cooked. numerous opinions exist about the difference in digestibility between raw and cooked cabbage, as well as the best ways in which to cook this vegetable. it may be true that in some cases raw cabbage does not cause the disagreeable effect that cooked cabbage often does, but the reason for this is that cabbage when raw has a milder flavor than when cooked, cabbage generally developing during the cooking a strong flavor that causes trouble. the flavor of cabbage, however, may be dissipated if attention is given to the cooking, so that, when properly prepared, cabbage can be eaten with little fear of indigestion. . when cabbage is cooked, it is usually boiled like other vegetables; that is, it is covered well with boiling water to which teaspoonful of salt is added for each quart, and then allowed to boil until it can be easily pierced with a fork. its cooking differs, however, from that of many vegetables, string beans, for instance, in that it is carried on with the cover removed from the kettle. this plan permits of the evaporation of much of the strong flavor, which arises in the steam and which would otherwise be reabsorbed by the cabbage. since it is the retention of this flavor, together with long cooking, that causes this vegetable to disagree with persons who eat it, both of these points should be carefully watched. if it is cooked in an open vessel and it is boiled just long enough to be tender, so that when done it is white and fresh-looking and not in any way discolored, an easily digested dish will be the result. usually cabbage will cook sufficiently in / hour and often in less time. . boiled cabbage.--although cabbage permits of numerous methods of preparation, plain boiled cabbage finds favor with many persons. generally, cabbage prepared in this way is merely seasoned with butter and served in a part of the liquid in which it is cooked, but it has a more appetizing flavor if bacon or ham fat is used for seasoning or if a small quantity of ham or salt pork is cooked with it. to prepare boiled cabbage, remove the outside leaves from a head of cabbage, cut it in half down through the heart, and then cut each half into coarse pieces. unless it is very fresh, allow it to stand in cold water for at least hour before cooking. put it into a kettle or a saucepan, cover well with boiling water, and add teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. if ham or salt pork is to be cooked with the cabbage, put a small piece in the kettle with the cabbage. allow the cabbage to cook with the cover removed until it is sufficiently tender to be pierced with a fork. pour off all or a part of the liquid, depending on whether it is to be served dry or in its own liquid, and then, in case it has been cooked alone, add butter or ham or bacon fat for flavor. if not sufficiently seasoned, add pepper and more salt. . creamed cabbage.--when cabbage is to be creamed, it is cut up into fairly fine pieces with a sharp knife. the cream sauce that is added to it provides considerable food value and greatly improves its flavor. creamed cabbage (sufficient to serve six) c. finely cut cabbage tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper / c. milk or thin cream / c. liquid from cabbage cook the cabbage according to the directions given in art. until it is tender and then drain the water from it. while it is cooking, melt the butter in a double boiler, add the flour, and stir until smooth. pour in the heated liquid and season with the salt and pepper. stir until the flour is thickened and the sauce is smooth. pour this over the cabbage, heat together for a few minutes, and serve hot. . scalloped cabbage.--scalloped cabbage is a particularly appetizing vegetable dish, and, on account of the ingredients used in its preparation, it is more nutritious than some of the other dishes in which cabbage is used. scalloped cabbage (sufficient to serve six) c. cabbage c. buttered crumbs tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. milk / c. liquid from cabbage cut the cabbage into very small pieces with a sharp knife or a cabbage chopper. cook according to the directions given in art. until nearly tender, and then drain. spread / cupful of the buttered crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish, put one-half of the cabbage over this, and then add another / cupful of the crumbs and the remaining cabbage. over this pour a white sauce made from the butter, flour, salt, pepper, milk, and liquid from the cabbage. sprinkle the rest of the crumbs over the top. bake in a slow oven until the cabbage is thoroughly heated through and the crumbs are browned on top. this baking will complete the cooking of the cabbage. serve hot. . hot slaw.--if a slightly sour flavor is desired in a vegetable dish, hot slaw will undoubtedly appeal to the taste. hot slaw (sufficient to serve six) c. cabbage c. water tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt / c. vinegar egg slice the cabbage very fine with a sharp knife or a cabbage cutter. put it in a saucepan, add the water, and allow it to cook until the water is about half evaporated. melt the butter in a pan and to it add the flour, salt, and vinegar. then stir the beaten egg in quickly and pour this sauce over the cabbage at once. allow the mixture to cook until the sauce has thickened, stirring constantly to prevent the curding of the egg. serve hot. . making sauerkraut.--as is well known, sauerkraut is a cabbage preparation that is made by salting finely cut cabbage, packing it tightly, and allowing it to ferment under pressure. this food is made and sold commercially, so that the housewife can usually purchase it in any quantity she desires. however, as it is not at all difficult to make sauerkraut, and as a supply of cabbage in this form provides a valuable article of food during the winter months in households where it is relished, the housewife will do well to prepare enough of this kind of cabbage to vary her meals during the winter. that she may understand how to proceed with the making of sauerkraut and the proper cooking of it, the accompanying directions and recipes are given. . for every medium-sized heads of cabbage, measure cupfuls of salt. cut the heads of cabbage into quarters and shred on a cabbage slicer, or cutter. place several inches of the shredded cabbage in the bottom of a large crock, and over it sprinkle a layer of salt. stamp this down with a wooden potato masher or some other similar utensil. then add another layer of cabbage and salt and stamp this down in the same way. proceed in this manner until the crock is nearly full. then place a clean cloth over the cabbage in the crock. on this cloth place a clean board as near the size of the crock as possible, and on the board place a large clean stone or some other weight. when thus filled and weighted down, place the crock in a cool place. the cabbage will then begin to ferment, and it is this fermentation that changes the cabbage into sauerkraut. after a time, juice will form and gradually rise over the top of the board, and on top of this juice will form a scum. remove this scum at once, and do not allow any to collect at any time after the fermentation of the cabbage ceases. occasionally, when a supply of sauerkraut is taken from the crock for cooking, replace the cloth by a clean one, but always be sure to put the board and the weight back in place. . sauerkraut with spareribs.--persons who are fond of sauerkraut find the combination of sauerkraut and spareribs very appetizing. the spareribs give the cabbage a very pleasing flavor and at the same time supply nourishment to the dish. sauerkraut with spareribs (sufficient to serve six) qt. sauerkraut lb. spareribs tsp. salt c. water put the sauerkraut and the spareribs into a kettle and add the salt and water. allow to simmer slowly for or more hours. if additional water is necessary, add it from time to time. just before removing from the heat, allow the water to boil down so that what remains may be served with the hot sauerkraut. . baked sauerkraut.--in the cooking of sauerkraut for the table, pork in one form or another is generally added; in fact, one rarely thinks of sauerkraut except in combination with pork. while boiling is the method that is usually applied to this vegetable, many housewives prefer to bake it, for then the odor does not escape so easily and a flavor that most persons prefer is developed. baked sauerkraut (sufficient to serve six) lb. fresh pork qt. sauerkraut tb. salt c. water cut the pork into several large chunks, and put it with the sauerkraut into a baking dish that has a cover. add the salt and water, cover the dish and place in the oven. bake slowly for or hours. serve hot. . saut�d sauerkraut.--if an entirely different way of cooking sauerkraut is desired, it may be sautéd. when nicely browned and served with boiled frankfurters, it is very appetizing. saut�d sauerkraut (sufficient to serve six) qt. sauerkraut tb. bacon or ham fat tsp. salt steam the sauerkraut over boiling water for about hour. then melt the fat in an iron frying pan, add the sauerkraut and sprinkle with the salt. place a cover over the pan and allow the sauerkraut to sauté until it is slightly browned on the bottom. stir and continue to cook until the entire amount is slightly browned. serve hot. carrots and their preparation . carrots are one of the root vegetables. they are similar in composition to beets, having practically the same total food value, which is for the most part carbohydrate in the form of sugar. besides being valuable in the diet for their mineral salts and bulk, they add variety to the menu, especially in the winter, for upon maturing they can be kept for a long time if they are properly stored. as tiny young carrots, they are also much used as a summer vegetable, and when cooked whole and served in an attractive way they make a delicious vegetable dish. . selection and preparation.--the selection of carrots is a simple matter, because they keep well and are not likely to be found in a spoiled condition in the market. when small summer carrots are purchased, they should be fresh and should have their tops on. winter carrots should be as nearly uniform in size as possible and should not be extremely large. those which are too large in circumference are likely to have a hollow in the center and are not nearly so desirable as thin, solid ones. carrots of any kind should be uniform in color, and should be without the green portion that is sometimes found on the top near the stem and that is caused by exposure to the light in growing. . in preparing carrots for cooking, they should be scraped rather than peeled, in order to avoid wasting any of the vegetable. they are always cooked in boiling salted water, after which they can be treated in various ways. the water in which carrots are cooked should not be thrown away, as it may be used to flavor soup stock. if any carrots remain after a meal, they may be utilized in vegetable salad or soup. . buttered carrots.--if small, tender carrots can be obtained, they will be found to be delicious upon being boiled and then dressed with butter. winter carrots may be prepared in this way too, but they will probably require a little more cooking to make them tender. buttered carrots (sufficient to serve six) c. diced carrots tb. butter / tsp. salt dash of pepper wash and scrape the carrots and cut into half-inch pieces. put to cook in enough boiling water to cover the carrots well, and add teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. cook in a covered kettle until they can be easily pierced with a fork and then drain off the water. add the butter, salt, and pepper, heat until the butter melts, and serve. . carrots with parsley.--the addition of parsley to carrots gives a flavor that improves them very much. this should be chopped fine and added after the carrots have cooked sufficiently. carrots with parsley (sufficient to serve six) c. sliced carrots tb. parsley finely chopped tb. butter / tsp. salt dash of pepper wash and scrape the carrots, slice in very thin slices, and cook until tender in boiling salted water. drain and add the chopped parsley, butter, salt, and pepper. mix carefully so as not to break the slices of carrot. serve hot. . browned carrots.--a very appetizing way in which to prepare carrots is to cut them in slices lengthwise, boil them until tender, and then brown them in fat. wash and scrape the desired number of carrots, cut into slices lengthwise, and if large-sized carrots are used, cut the slices into halves. cook in boiling salted water until tender and then drain. melt some fat in a frying pan, place the carrots in the hot fat, and brown first on one side and then on the other, turning the slices carefully so as not to break them. a few minutes before removing the carrots from the frying pan, sprinkle sugar over them and allow the sugar to melt. in removing them to a vegetable dish, pour over them the sirup that forms. serve hot. cauliflower and its preparation . cauliflower grows in heads as does cabbage, but only the flower or blossom of the plant is eaten. a head of cauliflower from which the leaves have not been removed is shown in fig. . in flavor and composition this vegetable is similar to cabbage, but its flavor is a little more delicate. still, cauliflower should always be cooked in an uncovered vessel, as are cabbage and brussels sprouts, if a strong disagreeable flavor would be avoided. [illustration: fig. ] . selection and cooking.--very solid heads of cauliflower that are creamy white in color and free from the black specks or blemishes so common to this vegetable should be selected for cooking. the only care that cauliflower requires before cooking is to keep it in a cool place, for it does not wilt nor decay quickly. to prepare this vegetable for cooking, the white head should be cut from the leaves, which are discarded. then the head should be placed upside down in a pan of salt water and allowed to soak for an hour in order to drive out the small bugs or worms that are so frequently found in this vegetable. the cauliflower may then be cooked whole or broken apart, but in either case it should be cooked until tender in boiling salted water with the cover removed from the kettle. . cauliflower with tomato sauce.--variety can be secured in the preparation of cauliflower by serving it with a tomato sauce. besides being very palatable, this is an extremely attractive dish because of the contrast in colors. chicken gravy may be used instead of tomato sauce, and a most delightful dish is the result. cauliflower with tomato sauce (sufficient to serve six) head cauliflower tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. strained tomato soak the cauliflower in cold salted water, and then tie it carefully in a piece of cheesecloth and put it to cook in boiling salted water. cook until tender, but not so long that it will fall to pieces. take from the water, remove the cheesecloth carefully, and place the cauliflower in a vegetable dish. while the cauliflower is cooking, prepare the sauce by melting the butter in a double boiler, adding the flour, salt, and pepper, and stirring into this the heated strained tomato made by forcing canned or stewed tomatoes through a sieve. cook until the sauce has thickened and then pour over the cauliflower in the vegetable dish. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . scalloped cauliflower.--another opportunity to make a delicious scalloped dish is afforded by cauliflower. in fact, many persons prefer scalloped cauliflower to any of the dishes made from this vegetable. the ingredients used with the cauliflower increase its food value, which is somewhat low. scalloped cauliflower (sufficient to serve six) head cauliflower tb. butter tb. flour c. milk c. water from cauliflower / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. buttered crumbs prepare and cook the cauliflower according to the directions given in art. , breaking it into flowerets before pouring the boiling water on it. when it has cooked tender, drain the water from it. prepare a sauce with the butter, flour, milk, water from the cauliflower, salt, and pepper. butter the crumbs by pouring tablespoonful of melted butter over them. put / cupful of the crumbs on the bottom of a baking dish, add one-half of the cauliflower, and over this place another / cupful of crumbs. then add the remainder of the cauliflower, and pour the white sauce over all. sprinkle the remainder of the crumbs over the top. place in a hot oven and bake until well heated through and brown on top. serve from the dish. . creamed cauliflower.--a very attractive vegetable dish can be prepared from cauliflower by cooking the head whole and then serving a cream sauce over it, as shown in fig. . in serving, a portion of the head should be broken off for each person and served with a little of the cream sauce. creamed cauliflower (sufficient to serve six) head cauliflower tb. butter tb. flour c. milk / c. water in which cauliflower was cooked / tsp. salt dash of pepper soak a solid head of cauliflower in cold salted water for about hour. then wash thoroughly, wrap carefully in cheesecloth, and cook in boiling salted water until tender. when sufficiently cooked, drain, and make a sauce of the other ingredients. place the cauliflower in a vegetable dish, pour the white sauce over it, and serve hot. celery and its preparation . celery is the stem of a plant that grows in stalks, as shown in fig. . when the stalks are large, they are sold singly, but if they are very small, several of them are tied together and sold in a bunch. the season for celery begins in the fall and lasts until early spring. it may be obtained in the summer, but as the price is usually high and the quality not good, very little use should be made of it during that time. the chief use of celery is as a relish, when it is eaten raw, but it is also valuable for flavoring soups and making salads, pickles, and various other dishes. it is probably used less frequently as a cooked vegetable than in any other way, but when it is in season and can be purchased at a reasonable price, it should be cooked to give variety to the diet. the food value of celery is extremely low, being less than calories to the pound or about equal to that of ounce of meat. however, in spite of this fact, celery is valuable for its mineral salts and bulk, as well as for the appetizing quality that it lends to various foods and to the meals at which it is served. [illustration: fig. ] . care and preparation.--well-bleached, firm stalks of celery should be selected for use. after it comes into the house, it may be kept in good condition for a long time if it is wrapped in a damp cloth and put where it will keep cool. a good plan is to serve the hearts and tender inside stems raw, as explained in _soup_, and then to use the coarse outside stems for cooking, flavoring soups, or making salads. celery must be cleaned carefully for dirt often clings to the ridges. after being scrubbed thoroughly, it will become crisp and tender if it is allowed to stand in cold water for some time before serving. when it is to be served as a cooked vegetable, it should be cooked in boiling salted water, as are other vegetables, and then seasoned or dressed in any desirable way. the water in which it is cooked should be utilized in the making of sauce or soup. . creamed celery.--the usual way of preparing celery when it is to be served as a cooked vegetable is to cream it. the cream sauce that is added to the celery increases its food value considerably and greatly improves its flavor. this sauce may be made entirely of milk or of half milk and half liquid from the celery. creamed celery (sufficient to serve six) c. diced celery tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt dash of pepper c. milk / c. water in which celery was cooked cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender, and then drain. when the celery has cooked, make a white sauce of the other ingredients. pour this sauce over the cooked celery, heat together, and serve. . celery au gratin.--the food value of celery may be still further increased by combining it with cheese and bread crumbs in addition to a cream sauce. such a dish, which is known as _celery au gratin_, is prepared according to the accompanying recipe. celery au gratin (sufficient to serve six) c. diced celery - / tb. butter - / tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. milk c. water in which celery was cooked c. buttered crumbs / c. grated cheese cook the celery in boiling salted water until tender and then drain. prepare the cream sauce in the usual manner. butter the crumbs by stirring them into tablespoonful of melted butter. put / cupful of the crumbs in the bottom of a baking dish and put one-half of the celery over them. place another / cupful of the crumbs over the celery, and on top of this sprinkle / cupful of the grated cheese. add the remainder of the celery and pour the sauce over this. finally, add the other / cupful of cheese and the remainder of the crumbs. place in a hot oven, and bake until well heated through and the crumbs are browned. serve hot. corn and its preparation . the seeds of the maize plant, or indian corn, especially the variety known as _sweet corn_, are eaten as a vegetable when they are immature. they grow on a woody cob, and when they are green they are soft and milky; but when they become ripe they are hard and are then ground as grain. many varieties of sweet corn are used, but some are better in quality than others. in some varieties, the kernels, or seeds, are yellow, while in others they are white; also, some of them are suitable for use early in the summer, while others come later in the season. however, in spite of this difference in quality, color, and season, all kinds of corn used as a vegetable are called _green corn_ and may be prepared in exactly the same ways. . the food value of corn, which is very high, even exceeding that of irish potatoes, is due principally to the carbohydrate it contains. this food substance is in the form of sugar in the green kernels, but as they mature it changes to starch. the food value of the dry grain is therefore higher, and the carbohydrate is in a different form. when the contents of the kernels is still in the liquid form, the corn is said to be at the _milk stage_, and is generally considered to be too young for table use. on the other hand, when the liquid in the kernels has become thickened, the corn, which is then at the _dough stage_, is thought to be too old for use as a vegetable. to be ideal for culinary purposes, it should be just between the milk and dough stages. then, if it is in good condition, a most satisfactory vegetable is the result. . the ear on which the corn kernels grow is entirely encased in several layers of husks. these are not removed until just before the corn is to be cooked; so when this vegetable is in the market the husks are allowed to remain on the ears. the condition of the ears can be determined by stripping the husks down a little and examining the kernels. if they are well filled, they may be considered to be in proper condition; otherwise, they will not be suitable for cooking. no special care need be given to green corn, provided it is not husked. however, when it has been husked, it should be cooked at once. in the husking of corn, all corn silk that is found inside of the husks should be carefully removed, for this is very annoying in the cooked vegetable and its presence indicates carelessness. . corn on the cob.--the simplest way in which to prepare green corn is to cook it on the cob. when corn first comes into the market, it is usually very tender and makes a most satisfactory dish when prepared in this way. to cook corn on the cob, husk the corn, remove the silk from the ears, and place them in a kettle. pour enough boiling water over them to cover them well, and add teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. boil minutes, remove from the water, and serve at once. in eating corn on the cob, most persons dress it with butter, pepper, and salt. [illustration: fig. ] . corn cooked in milk.--often it is not desired to eat corn on the cob. when this is the case, it may be cut off the ear and cooked in various ways. a simple way to prepare it is to cook it with milk and season it with salt, pepper, and butter, as explained in the accompanying recipe. select the desired number of ears of green corn, husk them, and remove the silk. then, as shown in fig. , cut the corn from the cob with a sharp knife, grasping the ear by the larger end and cutting upwards. after cutting off the kernels, scrape the ears so that nothing edible will be wasted, drawing the knife downwards. put the corn into a saucepan, add milk until the corn is nearly covered, and season with salt, pepper, and a little butter. allow the corn to simmer for about minutes, stirring frequently to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan and scorching. no difficulty will be experienced in the preparation of this dish if a double boiler is used, but longer cooking will be required. when the corn is sufficiently cooked, remove from the fire and serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . corn pulp.--some persons are unable to digest the coarse hulls of green corn, but can eat the corn if the hulls are removed. such persons need not be deprived of the delights of this vegetable, for it may be prepared in the form of pulp, which will not disagree with them. to prepare corn pulp, first cut a slit down each row of kernels with a sharp knife as shown in fig. ; then, in the manner shown in fig. , scrape out the contents of the kernels with the dull edge of the knife, drawing the knife downwards. when all the pulp has been removed, season it with salt, pepper, and butter, and heat it thoroughly in a double boiler. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] if it is not desirable to serve the corn pulp in this manner, it may be used in various ways, as the following recipes indicate. a good substitute for corn pulp is canned corn, but this must be chopped in order to break up the hulls. . corn souffl�.--no more delightful corn dish can be prepared than corn soufflé, for in addition to its being appetizing and nutritious, it is extremely dainty. it may be cooked in a baking dish, but it is more attractive when baked in individual baking dishes. a point to remember about its preparation is that it should be served immediately upon being taken from the oven, for soufflé always shrinks as it cools. corn souffl� (sufficient to serve six) c. green corn pulp tsp. salt dash of pepper tb. melted butter tb. flour / c. milk eggs mix the corn pulp, salt, pepper, and melted butter, stir in the flour, and add the milk. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and add them to the mixture. then beat the whites stiff and fold them in. pour into a buttered baking dish or into individual baking dishes, set in a pan of hot water, and bake until brown. serve at once. . corn oysters.--variety can be secured in the use of corn by making corn oysters. these get their name from the fact that they resemble oysters in both size and shape. they may be served as a garnish for a meat dish or as a vegetable dish. corn oysters (sufficient to serve six) c. corn pulp egg / c. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper / tsp. baking powder prepare the corn pulp according to the directions given in art. . to this add the beaten egg, flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder. drop in tablespoonfuls on a well-greased griddle. when brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side. then fold through the center, doubling one side over the other. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . corn fritters.--the popularity of corn fritters, which have corn pulp as their foundation, is undoubtedly due both to their flavor and to the variety they afford in the diet. after being fried, corn fritters should appear as shown in fig. . they may be served plain, but most persons prefer them with a sauce of some kind or with maple sirup. corn fritters (sufficient to serve six) c. corn pulp, or can corn, chopped c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. salt eggs if canned corn is used, drain off the liquid before using it. to the corn, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. separate the eggs and stir in the beaten yolks. beat the whites stiff and fold them into the mixture. drop with a spoon into deep fat, fry until brown, remove from the fat, and drain on paper. serve plain, with a desired sauce, or with maple sirup. cucumbers and their preparation . the hard-rinded fruit of the cucumber plant has been used from time immemorial as a vegetable. in food value, cucumbers are very low, comparing closely with celery in this respect; however, as they contain a large amount of cellulose, or bulk, and mineral salts, they should not be disregarded in the diet. they have a rather strong flavor due to their volatile oils, which so frequently disagree with persons and which give cucumbers a reputation for being difficult to digest. however, when they are properly prepared, they can be eaten by most persons without harm. [illustration: fig. ] . formerly it was the custom to soak slices of cucumber in salt water before serving them. this procedure, however, has been found to be poor policy, for nothing is gained by it and the salt toughens the cellulose and makes the cucumbers limp and rubbery in texture. a much more satisfactory way to prepare cucumbers is to slice them and then soak them for some time before serving in ice water or water as cold as can be obtained. they will then become crisp and delicious, and, besides being more appetizing and agreeable, they will be no less digestible. after being sliced and chilled, cucumbers are often combined with sliced onions and eaten with vinegar, salt, and pepper, or they are eaten alone or on lettuce, dressed with mayonnaise dressing. . stuffed cucumbers.--possibly the only recipe for cooked cucumbers that is used to any extent is the accompanying one for stuffed cucumbers. cucumbers prepared in this way are very palatable, and because of the ingredients used are much higher in food value than when eaten alone. such a dish is attractive, too, as fig. shows. stuffed cucumbers (sufficient to serve six) cucumbers tb. butter small onion, chopped tsp. salt dash of pepper - / c. steamed rice c. stewed tomatoes bread crumbs select medium-sized cucumbers, wash and peel them, and cut them in half lengthwise. hollow out the center so that the cucumbers will have the shape of boats. then melt the butter in a frying pan, add the chopped onion, salt, and pepper, and heat together for a few minutes. next add the rice, tomatoes, and sufficient bread crumbs to take up any excess of moisture. fill the cucumbers with this mixture and bake until they are soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork. during the first part of the cooking, pour a small amount of hot water into the pan in which the cucumbers are baked. serve hot. eggplant and its preparation . eggplant belongs to the class of fruit vegetables, and is closely related to the tomato in structure and composition. it grows rather large in size, is covered with a smooth brownish-purple skin, and is made up of material that is close and firm in texture and creamy white in color. because of the nature of its structure, eggplant would seem to be high in food value, but, on the contrary, this vegetable has very little. in this respect, it is about equal to cabbage and cauliflower and slightly less than string beans. . eggplant is found in the market from early summer until the beginning of winter. because it is protected by a heavy skin, it keeps well and needs no special care in storage. the strong flavor of the pulp is disagreeable to many persons. however, it has been found that much of this flavor may be removed by soaking the eggplant in strong salt water or by sprinkling it with salt after it has been sliced and then allowing it to stand for some time. it may be prepared in a variety of ways; so, if the members of the family care for it, the housewife will find it of great assistance in planning and preparing meals. . saut�d eggplant.--the usual way of preparing eggplant is to cut it into slices and then sauté it. as the slices are dipped into beaten egg and then into crumbs before sautéing, the food value of this vegetable is increased and its flavor improved. peel the eggplant and then cut it into / -inch slices. sprinkle salt over the slices and let them stand for hour or more; then pour off the juice that has collected. beat an egg slightly, and to it add a few tablespoonfuls of milk or water. dip the slices of eggplant first into the beaten egg and then into crumbs. when sufficiently coated, sauté in shallow fat, browning first on one side and then on the other. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . baked eggplant.--an attractive dish can be made by removing the contents from an eggplant, filling the cavity with a well-seasoned stuffing, and then baking the stuffed eggplant. when an eggplant is prepared in this way, it will appear as in fig. . baked eggplant (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized eggplant c. dried bread crumbs / c. milk tsp. salt / tsp. pepper small onion, chopped tb. parsley tb. butter wash the eggplant and cook in boiling water for about minutes. remove from the water, cut off the top, scoop out the contents, and chop it into small pieces. with this finely chopped pulp, mix the bread crumbs, milk, salt, pepper, onion, parsley, and melted butter. when the whole is thoroughly blended, pack it into the shell of the eggplant and place in the oven. bake for about minutes or until the stuffing is thoroughly cooked and the top is brown. serve hot. . scalloped eggplant.--if it is desired to increase the food value of eggplant and improve its flavor too, this vegetable should be scalloped. the accompanying recipe carefully followed will produce a most appetizing dish. scalloped eggplant (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized eggplant c. dried crumbs tb. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper - / c. milk peel the eggplant and cut it into / -inch pieces. put into a saucepan, cover with boiling salted water, cook until tender, and then drain. grease a baking dish, spread / cupful of crumbs on the bottom, and add one-half of the eggplant. dot with butter and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. add another / cupful of crumbs and the remaining eggplant, dot again with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. pour the milk over the whole and sprinkle the remaining / cupful of crumbs on the top. place in the oven and bake for / hour or more. serve hot. french artichokes and their preparation . french artichokes, sometimes known as _globe artichokes, california artichokes_, and _cardoons_, are related to the family of thistles. they are grown for the sake of their large flower-heads, or buds, which are shown in fig. and which are much used as a food. these plants stand storage and shipment very well and may be kept for long periods of time without spoiling. it is therefore possible to transport them considerable distances, a very gratifying fact, since most persons consider artichokes a great delicacy. . not all of the artichoke plant is eaten. the portions of the flower that develop in the center of the base are removed before the base is eaten. after the artichokes are cooked, the scales, or leaves, are pulled from the cooked head with the fingers and the lower part of each one is dipped into sauce and eaten. the inner scales are much more tender and edible than the coarse outside ones. although artichokes find favor with many and are considered somewhat of a delicacy, they are low in food value, being about equal to asparagus in this respect. to add food material, a dressing, such as drawn-butter sauce or mayonnaise dressing, is usually served. [illustration: fig. ] . artichokes with hollandaise sauce.--the usual method of preparing artichokes is to boil them and then serve them with melted butter or a sauce. hollandaise dressing is used with the artichokes shown in fig. . boiled artichokes may also be cooled and then served with a salad dressing. secure the desired number of artichokes and prepare them for boiling by pulling off the coarse outside leaves, cutting off the top of the bud, and removing the stem close to the bud. cover well with boiling water, add teaspoonful of salt to each quart, and boil until tender, or for about minutes. remove from the water and serve hot with melted butter or hollandaise sauce. if it is desired to use them for a salad, allow them to cool before adding the salad dressing. [illustration: fig. ] vegetables (part ) examination questions ( ) (_a_) to what is the flavor of vegetables largely due? (_b_) how does cookery affect this? ( ) describe the structure of vegetables. ( ) what food substances do vegetables as a class supply to the diet? ( ) (_a_) what are the legumes? (_b_) what food substance do they supply in quantity to the diet? ( ) name the classes of vegetables and give examples of each class. ( ) (_a_) when is soaking vegetables in salt water necessary? (_b_) what proportions of salt and water are used? ( ) what effect has the application of heat on vegetables? ( ) give an example of a method of cooking vegetables that: (_a_) wastes food material; (_b_) conserves food material. ( ) give the reason for the use of soda in cooking vegetables. ( ) how should salt be used in the cooking of: (_a_) tender vegetables? (_b_) tough vegetables? ( ) why should care be taken not to overcook cabbage, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts? ( ) what is a good general rule to follow for the length of time necessary for cooking vegetables? ( ) of what value are the sauces used to dress vegetables? ( ) mention some methods of preparing vegetables that greatly increase their food value. ( ) what value has the addition of salt pork or bacon in the preparation of dried beans? ( ) (_a_) why should the cover be left off the kettle during the cooking of cabbage? (_b_) what other vegetables are cooked in this way? ( ) explain why old carrots and beets require longer cooking than young ones. ( ) (_a_) at what stage is green corn best for table use? (_b_) how may this be recognized? ( ) what value have corn pulp and bean purée? ( ) (_a_) how should cucumbers be prepared before serving raw? (_b_) how may the strong flavor of eggplant be improved? * * * * * vegetables (part ) * * * * * preparation of vegetables as food (continued) greens and their preparation varieties and food value . varieties of greens.--the leaves and stems of many young plants in either their wild or their cultivated form are used for food. all of them are similar in composition, but many of them differ in flavor and appearance. the cultivated ones include beet tops, endive, spinach, and kale, as well as lettuce, collards, swiss chard, sorrel, mustard greens, turnip tops, parsley, and cultivated cress and dandelion. the four greens mentioned first are illustrated in fig. , beet tops being shown in the lower right corner; endive, in the upper right corner; spinach, in the lower left corner; and kale, in the upper left corner. commonest among the wild greens are dandelion, cress, wild mustard, dock, pokeweed sprouts, milkweed sprouts, and lamb's-quarters. most of these wild varieties are excellent in the spring when they are young and tender, but it is not advisable to use them for food unless one is perfectly familiar with their appearance. . food value of greens.--the food value of all greens with the exception of dandelion is very low, being just about equal to that of celery and cucumbers. this may be increased in their preparation by the addition of other food materials. however, the chief use of greens in the diet is not to supply food value, but mineral salts, the most important one being iron in a form that is necessary for building up the blood. general directions for cooking greens . the cooking of greens, both wild and cultivated, is not only simple but practically the same for all varieties. when they are not used as a salad vegetable, they are merely boiled until tender and then dressed in any desired way. some kinds admit of special preparation, and wherever this is the case specific directions are given under the particular variety, but even in such an event the preliminary preparation is the same. [illustration: fig. ] to prepare greens, look them over carefully, remove any decayed or withered parts, cut off the leaves, and wash in fresh cold water. remove from the water and wash again, and do this as many times as seems necessary to remove all the sand and grit that the stalks contain. an important point to remember is that the greens should not be cleansed by pouring the water off, as the sand will then remain in the pan and is likely to mix with the greens again. when they are thoroughly washed, put them on to cook in a saucepan or a similar utensil. if they are young and tender, they should be cooked as much as possible in their own juice in order to retain all the valuable mineral salts they contain, only enough water being added to start the cooking without burning. in the case of greens that are very strong in flavor, it will be necessary to cook them in a larger quantity of water and then pour off what remains after cooking. when they have cooked until they are tender, season them if necessary, and add butter to give them flavor and increase their food value. vinegar or a slice of lemon adds much to the flavor of greens. beet tops . the tops of beets include the leaves and the stems of this vegetable, as fig. shows. they are at their best when the beets are very young or before the beets themselves have developed. beet tops are not used so extensively as some greens, but they will be found to have a more agreeable flavor than many greens that are more popular. beets are raised for the purpose of supplying greens by planting the seeds closely enough together to form a thick bed of leaves and then thinning them out before the beets have developed. a few may be allowed to remain and develop for use as beets. young beets that are purchased with the tops on also furnish a source of beet tops as well as beets. when beet tops are to be cooked, cut the stems into inch lengths and use them with the leaves. proceed to clean and cook the greens according to the directions given in art. . season with salt and pepper and flavor with butter. serve with something tart, such as vinegar or lemon. dandelion . dandelion, both wild and cultivated, is a plant whose leaves are much used for a vegetable green before the blossoms develop. the wild ones have the advantage of being cheap, so they should be used if they can be secured; the cultivated ones, on the other hand, cost as much as spinach and other greens. the season for dandelions is comparatively short, lasting only a few weeks in the early spring. use should therefore be made of them when they can be procured in order to secure variety for the menu. when they are desired as cooked greens, prepare them in the manner explained in art. . . dandelion with sour sauce.--if a change in the cooking of dandelion is desired, it should be prepared with a sour sauce. this method of preparation is very popular, for besides increasing the food value of this variety of greens, it improves the flavor very much. dandelion with sour sauce (sufficient to serve six) / pk. dandelion / c. vinegar thin slices bacon / c. water tb. flour egg tsp. salt clean and wash the dandelion. cut the slices of bacon into small pieces and sauté until crisp. stir the flour and salt into the bacon fat, add the vinegar and water, and stir until the flour thickens. add the beaten egg last, and remove from the fire. put the dandelion into the pan and mix well with the hot sauce. if the dandelion is preferred well wilted, set the pan over the flame, and stir until the dandelion appears as desired. serve hot. endive . endive is an herb that is used as a salad plant or is cooked and served with a hot dressing or as greens. the three common varieties of this green are escarole, chicory, and french endive, all of which have a slightly bitter taste and may be found in the market from late summer until early winter. _escarole_ is a broad-leaved variety that is grown more or less in a head. _chicory_, which is shown in fig. , has a small feathery-edged leaf, and is often bleached by tying the leaves together at the top, so that the inside ones are very tender. both of these varieties may be cooked, but they are also much used for salads. _french endive_ bears very little resemblance to the other kinds, having straight, creamy-white leaves that are closely pressed together. it looks very much like sprouts of some kind, and is entirely bleached in the process of growth by banking the earth around it. it is never used for anything except salads and garnishes. . endive is very low in food value, comparing very closely with celery and cucumbers in this respect. still, as a salad vegetable, it is worthy of much more extensive use than is generally made of it. as a rule, its price is about the same as that of lettuce, so it should be substituted frequently for lettuce to give variety to the diet. to be most satisfactory, endive should be bought when it is fresh and unwithered and kept until used in a cool, damp place. a good plan is to wrap such vegetables in a damp cloth. if, upon using, endive appears to be withered, it may be freshened by placing it in a pan of cold water and allowing it to remain there for a short time. when endive is used as a salad, it may be served merely with a salad dressing of some kind or it may be combined with other vegetables before applying the dressing. escarole and chicory, which are much used as greens, should be prepared and cooked according to the directions given in art. . lettuces . lettuce is a well-known herb that is much used as a salad vegetable. there are numerous varieties of lettuce, but these may be reduced to the two kinds shown in fig. , _leaf lettuce_ on the right and _head lettuce_ on the left. leaf lettuce, which is more often used for garnishing than for any other purpose, has firm, crisp, green, upright leaves; on the other hand, head lettuce has round leaves forming a compact head, like cabbage. the outside leaves of head lettuce are green, but the inside ones are usually bleached by the exclusion of light, as are those of cabbage and endive. these inside leaves are more tender than the others, and hence more to be desired as a salad vegetable than the unbleached variety. in food value, lettuce compares closely with other varieties of greens and is high in the same mineral salts that they are. the bleached leaves do not contain so much iron as the green ones. [illustration: fig. ] . as has already been implied, lettuce finds its principal use in garnishing salads. when used for this purpose, it should be eaten along with the salad, for it is too valuable to be wasted. since the coarse outside leaves of a stalk or a head of lettuce do not look so well as the tender bleached ones, they are often rejected, but this should not be done, for use can also be made of them. for instance, such leaves may be shredded into narrow strips and used as a foundation for salads that will be just as attractive as those having a single lettuce leaf for a garnish. when it is realized that the outside leaves are purchased at the same price as the more delicate parts of the lettuce, it can readily be understood why they also should be utilized as food. most of the garden varieties of lettuce, especially when they have grown very large, are frequently cooked as greens. when used in this way, lettuce is prepared, as are other greens, according to the directions given in art. . this vegetable also makes an appetizing dish when it is prepared with a sauce and served hot in the same way as dandelion. spinach . spinach, which is shown in fig. , consists of the large, fleshy, deep-green leaves of a garden herb much used as a green for food. in fact, this is one of the most popular varieties of greens and is used more extensively than any other. many varieties of spinach are grown, but all of them are used in just the same way. it is slightly higher in food value than lettuce and endive, but lower than dandelion. however, it is a valuable food in the diet because of the large quantity of iron it contains, and many persons eat it not so much because they like it but because they believe it is good for them. [illustration: fig. ] . some kinds of spinach do not keep for long periods of time. therefore, in order to avoid any waste, spinach should always be very fresh when purchased and should be used as soon as possible after it is obtained. it may be prepared in a greater number of ways than most of the other greens except, perhaps, those used for salads. for instance, it is served with entrées of various kinds, is combined with meat, ham and spinach being a much used combination, or is made into a purée by forcing it through a sieve and then used in the making of soup or soufflé. then, again, spinach is often boiled and pressed into small cups to form molds like the one shown in fig. . such a mold may be used to garnish a dish of some sort or, as here shown, may be garnished with a slice of hard-cooked egg. when spinach is used in any of these ways, it should first be cooked according to the directions given for the preparation of greens in art. . . spinach souffl�.--the purée that is made by forcing boiled spinach through a sieve may be used in a variety of ways, but none of these is more satisfactory than spinach soufflé. when made according to the accompanying recipe, spinach soufflé will be found to be appetizing as well as nourishing. spinach souffl� (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter / c. hot milk tb. flour c. spinach purée tsp. salt egg whites dash of pepper melt the butter, add the flour, salt, pepper, and hot milk, and stir in the spinach purée. beat the egg whites stiff and fold them into the mixture. grease individual baking dishes or a large baking dish and fill two-thirds full with the mixture. place in a pan of hot water and bake in a slow oven until firm, or for about or minutes. [illustration: fig. ] . spinach royal.--a very attractive dish can be made by combining spinach with toast, hard-cooked egg, and lemon in the manner shown in fig. . this dish is known as _spinach royal_, and because of the additional ingredients it is nutritious as well as palatable. spinach royal (sufficient to serve four) / pk. spinach / c. water - / tsp. salt tb. bacon fat or butter tb. flour / tsp. pepper triangular pieces of toast hard-cooked eggs lemon look the spinach over carefully and remove all roots and dead leaves. cut the stalks apart and wash them thoroughly several times in fresh, clean water to remove the sand and dirt, lifting the spinach out of the water each time instead of pouring the water off. put the spinach into a saucepan with the water. stir frequently until the spinach is wilted and there is sufficient water to boil it. add teaspoonful of the salt and cook until the leaves are very tender, or for about or minutes. drain off all but about / cupful of the liquid. melt the fat in a frying pan, stir the flour into it, brown to a golden brown, and then add the spinach, pepper, and remaining salt. stir and cook until the flour has thickened and mixed well with the spinach. turn out in a mound on a platter and place the pieces of toast around the spinach as shown. slice the hard-cooked eggs, cut the lemon into any desirable shape, and use these to garnish the platter. in serving this dish, put a spoonful of spinach on a piece of toast and serve a slice or two of egg and lemon with each portion. . creamed spinach.--after spinach has been boiled until it is tender, it may be made more appetizing by combining it with a well-flavored cream sauce, according to the accompanying directions. creamed spinach (sufficient to serve four) / pk. spinach / tsp. salt tb. ham or bacon fat dash of pepper tb. flour / c. milk boil the spinach according to the directions given in art. . melt the fat in a frying pan, add the flour, salt, pepper, and milk, and stir until the flour thickens. chop the cooked spinach and add it to the hot dressing. stir and cook until the two are well blended. serve hot. watercress and parsley . watercress and parsley are two herbs, or greens, that are used considerably for garnishing and flavoring other dishes. these greens are shown in fig. , that at the left being watercress and that at the right parsley. . watercress, which is commonly known as _peppercress_, usually grows wild in beds along the banks of springs or clear, cool streams. a few varieties, however, are cultivated, and these are grown in dry soil and known as _upland cress_. it is a very prolific herb, and may be obtained from early spring until late in the fall; in fact, it does not freeze easily and is sometimes found in early winter along the swiftly flowing streams that are not frozen over. watercress may be used whenever it can be procured, but it is not very desirable when in blossom. its chief use is to garnish salads and other dishes, but it may also be cooked and served hot as a green. in such an event, its cooking is accomplished in the same way as that of other greens. [illustration: fig. ] . parsley, while classified as a green vegetable, is perhaps not in the true sense of the word a real vegetable, since it is used for only two purposes, and in neither of these is it served cooked or raw as an exclusive article of diet. the most important use of parsley is perhaps that of flavoring. it is added to soups, sauces, and various kinds of cooked vegetables in order to impart additional flavor. in such cases, it should be chopped very fine in order that all possible flavor may be extracted from it. parsley may also be dried before it is used for this purpose, provided it must be kept for any length of time. the other use of parsley is that of garnishing. it is often used in small sprays to garnish a roast of meat, a steak, chops, fish, or some baked, fried, or sautéd vegetable. sometimes it is chopped very fine and placed around the edge of a patty shell, a croustade, a timbale case, or a piece of toast upon which food is served. parsley may be eaten when it is served as a garnish if its flavor is found to be agreeable to the taste. jerusalem artichokes and their preparation . jerusalem artichokes are tubers belonging to the sunflower family. in appearance they resemble potatoes to some extent, but, as a rule, they are neither so large nor so smooth. the inside texture of this vegetable is more moist and not so mealy as that of the irish potato. jerusalem artichokes are easy to grow and are very prolific, so that if any one is fond of them they will be found to be a profitable crop. for table use, they are prepared in much the same way as potatoes. . creamed artichokes.--a common method of preparing jerusalem artichokes is to cream them. wash and peel the desired number of artichokes and cut them into / -inch dice. put these to cook in boiling salted water and cook until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. drain off the water and dress with hot medium white sauce. serve hot. . buttered artichokes.--another satisfactory way in which to prepare jerusalem artichokes is to dress them with butter. wash and peel the required number of artichokes and cut them into slices. put these to cook in boiling salted water and cook until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. drain off the water and dress with melted butter to which has been added a little chopped parsley. serve hot. kohlrabi and its preparation . kohlrabi is a variety of cabbage having a turnip-shaped stem. on account of its shape it is often called _turnip cabbage_. the edible part of kohlrabi is the enlarged stem, which has the flavor of both turnip and cabbage. the stems of the leaves are attached to the enlarged portion that is used for food, and these must be removed in the preparation of the vegetable. kohlrabi is not a perishable vegetable and therefore stands storage very well. for market, it is usually placed in bunches and tied as are beets and carrots. in food value, this vegetable, like cabbage, is somewhat low. the food value it does have is carbohydrate in the form of sugar. . after the stems of the leaves have been cut off, the kohlrabi should be washed and then pared to remove the outer skin. it is usually diced or sliced thin, and then cooked and dressed in any desirable way. this vegetable, like cabbage, cauliflower, etc., should be cooked with the cover removed from the kettle, in order to allow some of the flavor to escape in the steam. kohlrabi that is old or that has been in storage for some time develops woody portions as do turnips, beets, and other winter vegetables, and must therefore be cooked sufficiently long to make it palatable. . boiled kohlrabi.--persons fond of kohlrabi as a vegetable will undoubtedly prefer it merely boiled and flavored with butter, pepper, and salt. when it is to be cooked in this way, prepare it in the manner just explained. then put it on to cook in sufficient boiling salted water to cover it well, and allow it to cook with the cover removed until it can be easily pierced with a fork. when sufficiently cooked, pour off the water, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each pint of kohlrabi cooked. serve hot. . mashed kohlrabi.--as turnips and potatoes are often boiled and then mashed, so kohlrabi makes a very appetizing dish when prepared in this way. prepare the kohlrabi and cook it by boiling. when it has cooked soft, drain off the water and mash with a wooden or a wire potato masher. season with salt and pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each pint of cooked vegetable. serve hot. . creamed kohlrabi.--the preparation of kohlrabi can be varied by serving it with a cream sauce. such a sauce also increases the food value of this vegetable by supplying the substances in which it is low. creamed kohlrabi (sufficient to serve six) c. diced kohlrabi tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. milk cook the kohlrabi in boiling salted water until tender and then drain the water from it. melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and into this stir the hot milk. cook until the sauce has thickened. then pour it over the kohlrabi and reheat. serve hot. lentils and their preparation . lentils are the flattish, circular, dried seeds of an annual vine grown chiefly in europe and asia. they belong to the class of vegetables known as legumes, and are therefore high in protein in the form of legumin. they also contain a large amount of carbohydrate in the form of starch and are high in mineral salts. because of their high food value, which is somewhat over , calories to the pound, they are a valuable food in the diet, particularly as a meat substitute. consequently, when lentils can be obtained at a reasonable price, it is wise to make considerable use of them. there are three varieties of lentils, _yellow_, _red_, and _black_, and they resemble split peas in appearance, as will be observed from fig. , which shows a panful of dried lentils. they have a distinctive flavor that is agreeable to most persons. however, like other dried legumes, long cooking is required to make them tender and palatable. . cooking of lentils.--in general, the preparation of lentils is similar to that of dried beans, the cooking of which is now thoroughly understood. they may be put on to cook immediately after they are washed, but, as in the case of dried beans, their cooking may be hastened if they are first softened by soaking them in cold water for to hours. at the end of this time, it is advisable to parboil the lentils for about or minutes, or until their outer skins begin to crack, in water to which a pinch of soda has been added. this water being poured off, the lentils should be washed and then put to cook in fresh water to which teaspoonful of salt is added for each quart of water used. like beans, the lentils should be cooked slowly until they are soft enough to crush between the fingers. with these principles for the cooking of lentils well in mind, the housewife will have no difficulty in preparing this vegetable, for almost any of the recipes given for dried beans may be used with lentils substituted for the beans. [illustration: fig. ] . lentil puff.--a decided change from the usual ways of preparing lentils can be had by making lentil puff. black lentils are used for this preparation, and they are made into a purée before being used in the puff. if the accompanying recipe is carefully followed, a most appetizing, as well as nutritious, dish will be the result. lentil puff (sufficient to serve six) - / c. lentil purée - / c. riced potatoes tb. butter / c. milk - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper eggs soak the lentils overnight in water that contains a pinch of soda, parboil them for about minutes, and pour off the water. put them to cook in cold water and cook until they are tender, allowing the water to evaporate completely, if possible, so that the purée made from them will be dry. however, if any water remains when the lentils are done, pour it off and use it for soup or sauce. make the purée by forcing the cooked lentils through a colander. if it is found to be too wet, less milk can be used than the recipe calls for. cook several potatoes and rice them by forcing them through a colander or a ricer. combine the lentils and potatoes, and to this mixture add the butter, milk, salt, and pepper. separate the eggs, and beat the yolks slightly and the whites until stiff. stir the yolks into the mixture and, just before putting the puff into the oven, fold in the whites. pour into a buttered baking dish, set in the oven, and bake until the puff is set and the surface is brown. serve hot. mushrooms and their preparation . mushrooms are not a vegetable; still they are included in this section because they are used like a vegetable. in reality, they are a fungus growth containing no chlorophyl, or green coloring matter, and, as shown in fig. , consisting of an erect stalk that supports a cap-like expansion. they occur in many varieties, both poisonous and non-poisonous. the non-poisonous, or edible, mushrooms are found on rich, moist pastures all over the world and they are also very frequently cultivated. they may be collected in almost any locality, but no person who is not perfectly familiar with their characteristics and therefore able to judge the non-poisonous kinds from the poisonous should attempt to gather them. fresh mushrooms can usually be found in the markets, but as they are expensive, they should be considered a luxury and used only occasionally. instead, some of the small canned varieties, which are usually satisfactory for most purposes, should be used when mushrooms are desired and the wild ones cannot be secured. . in food value, mushrooms are not very high, being about equal to beets or carrots in this respect; but they have a higher percentage of protein than these vegetables and they contain extractives similar to those found in meat. to increase their food value, mushrooms are often combined with other foods, such as peas, chestnuts, diced meats, and fowl, and made into dishes of various sorts. then, again, they are served as a garnish with steaks and other meat dishes. in short, if they can be secured from the surrounding neighborhood or the price is not prohibitive, they should be used in the many excellent ways that are devised for their preparation. . preparation for cooking.--to prepare mushrooms for cooking, clean them by brushing them carefully with a soft brush, by scraping the surface, and, in some cases, by removing the stems. do not, however, throw the stems away, for they may be used as well as the caps. if the mushrooms are found to be tough, the skin should be peeled off. after being thus prepared, mushrooms may be cooked in various ways, as is explained in the accompanying recipes. [illustration: fig. ] . broiled mushrooms.--one of the simplest methods of cooking mushrooms is to broil them. this may be done either by exposing them directly to the heat or by pan-broiling them. in this recipe, only the caps are used. clean the mushrooms that are to be broiled and remove the stems. place the caps in a broiler that has been greased or in a slightly greased frying pan. brown them on one side, then turn them and brown them on the other side. remove to a platter, dot with butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve. . stewed mushrooms.--another very simple way in which to cook mushrooms is to stew them and then serve them on toast. when prepared by this method, both the stems and the caps are utilized. clean the mushrooms and cut both the caps and the stems into small pieces. cook until tender in sufficient water, stock, or milk to cover them well, and then season with salt and pepper. to the liquid that remains, add enough flour to thicken it slightly. serve on toast. . saut�d mushrooms.--when mushrooms are sautéd, they are often used with other dishes, particularly broiled steak, to improve the flavor and give variety. in fact, steak smothered with mushrooms is considered a luxury. however, sautéd mushrooms are very frequently served alone or, together with a sauce made from the fat in which they are cooked, they are served on toast. clean the mushrooms, remove the stems, and dredge both stems and caps with flour. melt fat in the frying pan and place the dredged mushrooms in it. sauté until brown on both sides and season with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. serve in any desired manner. if sauce is desired, add water or stock to the flour and fat that remain in the frying pan, and allow this to cook for a few minutes. . creamed mushrooms and chestnuts.--no more delightful combination can be imagined than mushrooms and chestnuts. when combined with a cream sauce and served in patty shells or timbale cases, a dish suitable for the daintiest meal is the result. another very attractive way in which to serve this combination is to place it in a baking dish, or, as shown in fig. , in individual baking dishes, cover it with a layer of biscuit or pastry crust, bake, and serve it as a pie. creamed mushrooms and chestnuts (sufficient to serve eight) - / c. stewed chestnuts - / c. stewed mushrooms tb. butter tb. flour - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper - / c. milk remove the shells from the required number of italian chestnuts and cook the nut meats in boiling water until tender. peel off the skins and break the chestnuts into pieces. if fresh mushrooms are used, stew them in boiling water until tender. cut the stewed or canned mushrooms into pieces of the same size as the chestnuts, and mix the two together. make a cream sauce by melting the butter, adding the flour, salt, and pepper, and stirring in the hot milk. cook until the mixture thickens, pour it over the chestnuts and mushrooms, and serve in any of the ways suggested. okra and its preparation [illustration: fig. ] . okra is a fruit vegetable consisting of a green pod that is several inches long, pointed at one end, and filled with seeds. fig. shows okra pods attached to the herb of which they are a part. although okra originated in africa, it is for the most part grown in the southern section of the united states. however, canned okra may be obtained almost anywhere. okra is low in food value, being only slightly higher than cabbage and most of the greens; nevertheless, it is liked by many persons. it is of a mucilaginous, or gummy, consistency, and if it is not properly cooked it becomes very slimy and is then decidedly unpleasant. because of its gummy nature, it helps to thicken any dish to which it is added. probably its chief use is as an ingredient in soups, when it is known as _gumbo_. chicken gumbo soup is one of the most popular dishes of this kind. the preliminary preparation of okra is the same as that of most other vegetables; that is, the pods should be washed, the stems removed, and the cleaned pods then cooked in sufficient boiling salted water to cover them well. . stewed okra.--the simplest way in which to prepare okra is to stew it. when seasoned well with salt, pepper, and butter, stewed okra finds much favor with those who care for this vegetable. select the required number of okra pods and put them on to cook in enough boiling salted water to cover them well. cook until the pods are soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork. season with pepper and, if necessary, additional salt, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. . okra with tomatoes.--if one does not desire a dish made entirely of okra, it may be combined with tomatoes. such a combination, seasoned well and flavored with ham or bacon fat, makes a very tasty dish. okra with tomatoes (sufficient to serve six) - / c. stewed or canned okra - / c. stewed or canned tomatoes - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. ham or bacon fat heat the okra and tomatoes together in a saucepan and add the salt, pepper, and ham or bacon fat. cook for or minutes or until well blended. serve hot. onions and their preparation varieties of the onion family . onions are the chief commercial vegetable of the bulb crops. they have been cultivated from the earliest times, their native country being central asia. closely allied to the onion are several other bulb vegetables, including garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives, all of which are used more extensively for flavoring dishes than for any other purpose. fig. shows several varieties of this family, the group of three in the upper right corner being garlic; the bunch in the lower right corner, leeks; the bunch in the lower left corner, green onions; and the remainder of those shown in the illustration, different varieties of dried onions, that is, onions that have been allowed to mature. . this entire class of food is characterized by a typical, volatile oil, which in most cases is so strong as to be somewhat irritating and which causes the vegetable to disagree with many persons. this flavor, however, can be almost entirely dissipated by cooking, so that many persons who cannot eat the various members of the onion family raw can tolerate them cooked. in food value, which is found principally as carbohydrate in the form of sugar, this class of foods is not very high, being about the same as carrots, beets, and other root vegetables. some persons believe that onions have wonderful medicinal value in curing colds and preventing them, but there is really no foundation for such a belief. [illustration: fig. ] . onions.--as has been pointed out, onions are of two general varieties, dried and green. _dried onions_, as shown in fig. , are those which have been allowed to grow to maturity and have then been cured, or dried, to a certain extent. such onions are in demand at all seasons. _green onions_, also shown in fig. , are those which are pulled, or taken out of the ground, before they have matured and are eaten while fresh. they are especially popular in the spring, although they have a rather long season. each of these classes has many varieties, which vary in flavor and in color, some of the dried ones being yellow, some red, and others white. all dried onions have excellent keeping qualities, so, after purchasing, no special care need be given to them except to store them in a comparatively cool, dry place. deterioration is due chiefly to sprouting, for as soon as the new plant begins to grow from the center of the onion, the remainder becomes soft and loses much of its flavor. the green, immature onions, however, will not keep for any length of time, and in order to keep them fresh until they are used, they must be stored in a cool, damp place. [illustration: fig. ] . garlic.--the variety of onion known as garlic is very much desired by the people of southern europe, where it originated. as fig. shows, it resembles the onion in appearance, but it consists of several parts, or small bulbs, called _cloves_, which are encased in a covering of thin white skin. garlic has a very strong penetrating odor and a biting taste that resemble the odor and taste of onion, but that are much ranker. it is little used by americans except as a flavoring for salads and various kinds of highly seasoned meats. in reality, a very small amount of garlic is sufficient to lend enough flavor, and so the bowl in which a salad is served is often merely rubbed with garlic before the salad is put into it. no difficulty will be experienced in recognizing garlic in the markets, for here it is found in long strings that are made by braiding the dry stems together. . shallots.--closely allied to garlic are shallots, which are native to syria, where they still grow wild. they are said to have been brought into europe by the crusaders. the bulbs of this vegetable are similar to those of garlic, being compound in form, but instead of being enclosed in a thin covering, they are separate when mature, as fig. shows. shallots have a strong flavor, but it is not so rank as that of garlic, nor does the odor remain in the mouth so long as that of onion. many persons like shallots for flavoring stews, soups, salads, and pickles. . leeks.--another member of the onion family that is more highly prized and more extensively raised in europe than in the united states is leeks. as fig. shows, leeks do not produce a bulb as do onions. in this vegetable, the lower parts of the leaves grow close together and form a bulb-like stem, or neck, which is fairly solid and which constitutes the edible part. the odor and flavor of leeks are similar to those of onions, but they are somewhat weaker. the fleshy stem may be bleached by banking it with earth, and when this is done, the flavor becomes more mild and the texture more tender than in the onion bulb. like shallots, leeks are used to flavor stews, soups, and similar foods. . chives.--the member of the onion family known as chives is a small plant whose roots remain in the ground for many years and produce year after year dense tufts of slender, hollow leaves. these leaves grow to a height of about or inches and resemble the tops of onions except that they are much smaller. chives, which have a more delicate flavor than onions, are much used for flavoring soup, stews, salads, meats, and other vegetables and as a garnish for salads. when used for any of these purposes, they are cut into tiny pieces. preparation of onions . onions for flavoring.--when only the flavor of onions is desired in a salad or a cooked dish of some sort, such as a dressing for fowl, hash, or any similar combination of food ingredients, the onion should be added in the form of juice and pulp rather than in pieces. then it will not be possible to observe the onion when it is mixed with the food nor to come across small pieces of it when the food is eaten. to prepare an onion in this way, peel it, cut off a crosswise slice, and then grate the onion on a grater over a shallow dish. add the juice and pulp thus obtained to any food that calls for onion as a flavoring. . onions for the table.--when onions are to be used as a vegetable for the table, they require cooking, but first of all they must be peeled. this is at best a rather unpleasant task, because the fumes from the strong volatile oil are irritating to both the eyes and the nostrils. however, it may be done more comfortably by keeping the onions immersed in cold water during the peeling. remove only the dry outside shells, and, if the onions are large, cut them in halves or quarters. however, as the various layers are likely to fall apart when the onion is cut, it is advisable to select medium-sized or small onions, for these may be cooked whole. after the onions have been peeled, they may be cooked in a variety of ways. . boiled onions.--perhaps the simplest method of cooking onions is to boil them. to allow the strong volatile oil to escape instead of being reabsorbed by the onions, and thus improve the flavor of the onions, the cover should be kept off the vessel while they are cooking. the water in which this vegetable is cooked has not a very agreeable flavor, so no use should be made of it. peel the desired number of onions and if necessary cut them into halves or quarters. place them in sufficient boiling water to cover well. cook in an uncovered vessel until tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork, but not so soft as to fall apart. then pour off the water, season with more salt, if necessary, and a little pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. serve hot. . creamed onions.--a cream sauce added to onions makes a very appetizing dish. in fact, most persons prefer creamed onions to any other method of preparation. creamed onions (sufficient to serve six) pt. stewed onions tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt dash of pepper - / c. hot milk prepare the onions according to the directions given in art. . when they are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork, drain. melt the butter, and add the flour, salt, pepper, and hot milk. cook until the sauce thickens, pour over the stewed onions, heat together for a few minutes, and serve. . baked onions.--if variety in the preparation of onions is desired, baked onions should be tried. select medium-sized onions, peel them, and then boil them whole in boiling salted water until they are almost tender. drain off the water, place the onions in a shallow dish, brush with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. place in a hot oven and bake until brown on one side; then turn them and brown on the other side. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . stuffed onions.--when large onions can be secured, a very appetizing as well as attractive dish can be prepared by stuffing them and then baking them brown. onions cooked in this way will appear as shown in fig. . stuffed onions (sufficient to serve six) large onions c. dried bread crumbs tb. butter / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. celery salt / c. milk peel the onions and cook them in boiling salted water until almost tender. remove from the water and take out the inner portions of the onions, leaving the outside layers in the shape of a cup. chop the portions of the onions which have been removed and mix with the bread crumbs. melt the butter, add to it the chopped onion, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and celery salt, and stir all together for a few minutes over the flame. add the milk, and if the / cupful is not sufficient to make the stuffing moist, add more. fill the onion shells with the stuffing, place in a hot oven, and bake until brown. serve immediately. parsnips and their preparation . parsnips are an important root vegetable, being closely allied to carrots. they are used to a certain extent during the summer when they are immature, but generally they are allowed to mature so that they may be stored for use as a winter vegetable. parsnips have an advantage over many vegetables in that they have excellent keeping qualities and are particularly hardy, being able to withstand considerable freezing and thawing when they are left in the ground during the winter. however, as they grow older, they develop a woody texture, as do beets and turnips, and so at the end of the winter require longer cooking than at the beginning. . in food value, parsnips are somewhat higher than other root vegetables, containing a large amount of carbohydrate, which occurs in the form of sugar. although they are wholesome and nourishing, they have a peculiar, sweetish flavor that is due to the volatile oil they contain and is objectionable to some persons. still, those who are fond of this flavor find that parsnips afford an excellent opportunity to give variety to the diet, for they may be prepared in a number of ways, most of which are similar to the ways in which carrots are cooked. . in preparing parsnips for cooking, scrape them, if possible, instead of peeling them, so as not to waste any of the edible material. then, too, try to obtain medium-sized parsnips, for they will be of much better quality than the larger ones. if uneven sizes must be used, the larger ones should be cut before being cooked, so that they will be similar in size to the smaller ones and therefore cook in the same length of time. . mashed parsnips.--a very simple way in which to prepare parsnips is to mash them. clean and scrape the desired number of parsnips and put them to cook in sufficient boiling salted water to cover. cook until tender enough to be pierced with a fork, the length of time required to do this depending entirely on the age of the parsnips. when tender, drain off the water and force the parsnips through a colander or a sieve. season with butter, salt, and pepper, and serve hot. . creamed parsnips.--parsnips are sometimes cut into dice and then served with a cream, sauce. when it is desired to prepare them in this way, the accompanying directions should be carefully followed. creamed parsnips (sufficient to serve six) c. diced parsnips tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. milk clean and scrape the parsnips and cut them into dice / inch in size. put these to cook in sufficient boiling salted water to cover, cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork, and then drain. melt the butter in a double boiler, and add the flour, salt, and pepper. stir in the hot milk, and cook until the mixture thickens. pour this sauce over the parsnips, heat together for a few minutes, and serve. . browned parsnips.--parsnips that are browned and sweetened with sugar seem to meet with greater favor than those prepared by other methods. to prepare them in this way, clean and scrape the desired number of parsnips, and slice them in thick slices, or, if they are small, cut them in halves lengthwise. put them to cook in boiling salted water and cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork, but are not tender enough to fall to pieces. melt some fat in a frying pan, and place the slices of cooked parsnips in it. brown on one side, turn, and then brown on the other. sprinkle with a little sugar and, if necessary, additional salt. serve. peas and their preparation . in addition to beans and lentils, the class of vegetables called legumes includes peas, which, both green and dried, are used for food. in composition, there is a decided difference between the two varieties of peas, the green ones being about equal to green corn in food value, and the dried ones having a food value nearly four times as great. in each case, the food substance in the greatest amount is in the form of carbohydrate. in green peas, this is in the form of sugar, while in dried ones it is changed into starch. peas also contain protein in the form of legumin, there being three times as much of this substance in dried peas as in green ones. the amount found in green peas is sufficient to be of importance in the diet, but the percentage of this substance is so great in dried peas that they may be used very satisfactorily as a meat substitute. . green peas.--numerous varieties of green peas are found on the market. a few of them are cooked in the pods, especially when the peas are very young, and are eaten pods and all, just as are string beans. most of them, however, are allowed to mature further and only the peas are eaten, the shell being discarded. when green peas are purchased, they are always found in the pods. for the peas to be most satisfactory, the pods should be fresh and green and should appear to be well filled. flat-looking pods mean that the peas have not matured sufficiently. after being purchased, the peas should not be removed from the pods until they are to be cooked. however, if it is necessary that they stand for any length of time after they are shelled, they should be kept in a cool place in order to prevent them from shriveling. their cooking is similar to that of any other fresh vegetable; that is, they should be cooked in boiling salted water in a covered vessel until they are tender enough to be easily crushed between the fingers or pierced with a fork. with this preliminary preparation, they may be dressed in any desirable manner. . dried peas.--dried peas, because of their nature, require a different kind of preparation from green peas. in fact, their cooking is similar to that of dried beans. they require long slow cooking and are improved if they are first parboiled in water to which a pinch of soda has been added. they are not used extensively except in the making of soups or occasionally for a purée or a soufflé, but as they are very high in food value and can be used as a meat substitute, they should have a prominent place in the dietary of most families. many of the ways in which dried beans and lentils are prepared are fully as applicable in the case of dried peas. . green peas with butter.--when peas are young and tender, no more appetizing way to prepare them can be found than to boil them and then serve them with butter. select fresh green peas with full pods, wash in cold water, and remove the peas from the shells. put to cook in enough boiling salted water to cover well, and cook until tender. pour off all but a small amount of the water, using the part poured off for making soup or sauce. add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served, and season with additional salt if necessary and a dash of pepper. serve hot. . green peas english style.--if the flavor of mint is agreeable, green peas prepared english style will undoubtedly find favor. cook them as for green peas with butter, but, at the time the butter is added, add tablespoonful of finely chopped fresh mint. season with additional salt, if necessary, and pepper, allow all to simmer together for a few minutes, and serve. [illustration: fig. ] . creamed peas.--a cream sauce adds considerable food value and flavor to green peas. peas prepared in this way may be served plain, but they can be made very attractive by serving them in croustades, as shown in fig. . as already learned, _croustades_ are cases made from large pieces of bread that are cut any desired shape, hollowed out, and then toasted in a hot oven or on a broiler or fried in deep fat until crisp. creamed peas (sufficient to serve six) c. shelled green peas tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt dash of pepper / c. water from peas / c. milk cook the peas in boiling salted water until tender, and then drain the water from them, retaining / cupful for the sauce. melt the butter, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and stir in the hot liquids. cook until the flour has thickened and then pour over the peas. serve hot, either plain or in croustades. . peas in turnip cups.--a somewhat unusual dish can be prepared by making cups out of turnips, filling them with peas, and then pouring a cream sauce over the peas. besides being attractive, this combination makes a very palatable vegetable dish. select a sufficient number of medium-sized white turnips. wash them thoroughly, and then hollow out the inside of each, leaving cup-shaped shells about / inch thick. cook these shells in boiling salted water until tender, but not tender enough to break into pieces, and remove from the water. then, according to the directions given in art. , cook enough green peas to fill the cups. when tender, fill the cups with the peas and over them pour a medium white sauce. serve hot. . peas pur�e.--many persons who cannot eat peas because of the coarse outside skins are able to digest them in the form of a purée. to prepare them in this way, boil fresh peas in the manner explained in art. . when they are tender, force them through a purée sieve or a fine-mesh wire sieve. the pulp will pass through the sieve, but the coarse skins will remain. the purée thus made may be used for soup or in the making of a soufflé. . peas souffl�.--nothing in the way of peas is more appetizing and at the same time more easily digested than peas soufflé. this may be baked in a large baking dish, or it may be divided and baked in individual baking dishes. peas souffl� (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter tb. flour / c. milk c. peas purée / tsp. salt dash of pepper eggs melt the butter, stir in the flour, and add the heated milk. cook until the mixture thickens and then add the peas purée, salt, and pepper. separate the eggs, beat the yolks and add them to the mixture, and then fold in the stiffly beaten whites. pour into a well-greased baking dish or individual baking dishes, place in a pan of hot water, and bake in a slow oven until set, or for or minutes. serve at once. peppers and their preparation . peppers are one of the fruit vegetables. some varieties of them are dried and used as a condiment, that is, to season or give relish to food, but as they are never used as a vegetable, they are not included here. it is the sweet varieties of peppers which are used as vegetables and to which reference is made in these discussions. they are valuable chiefly for two reasons: to flavor various kinds of dishes, such as entrées, salads, etc., and to make a dish more attractive in appearance because of the contrast in color they afford. in food value, they are about equal to the various greens, but as a rule such small quantities of them are eaten that they cannot be regarded as a food. . stuffed peppers.--the usual way of preparing peppers as a vegetable is to stuff them and then bake them, when they will appear as in fig. . the stuffing may be made of various kinds of material, such as pieces of meat, vegetables, cereals, etc., and so affords an excellent way to utilize left-overs of any of these foods. two recipes for stuffing are here given, and either one may be used with equally good results. [illustration: fig. ] to prepare peppers for stuffing, wash them in cold water and remove the tops by cutting around the peppers a short distance from the stem. remove the pulp and seeds from the inside, and wash the peppers thoroughly to make sure that no loose seeds remain. fill with the desired stuffing, place in a shallow pan with a small amount of water, and bake until the peppers are soft enough to be pierced with a fork. the water permits the peppers to steam during the first part of the cooking. serve hot. stuffing no. (sufficient for six peppers) tb. ham fat small chopped onion / tsp. salt dash of pepper - / c. steamed rice / c. bread crumbs / c. finely chopped boiled ham milk melt the fat in a frying pan, add the onion, salt, and pepper, and heat together for several minutes. add the rice, bread crumbs, and ham, and moisten with milk until the mixture is of the right consistency. use to fill the peppers. stuffing no. (sufficient for six peppers) tb. butter onion, chopped / tsp. salt dash of pepper c. stale bread crumbs tb. chopped parsley tsp. celery salt milk melt the butter in a frying pan, add the chopped onion, salt, and pepper, and heat together. to this add the bread crumbs, chopped parsley, and celery salt, and moisten with enough milk to make the stuffing of the right consistency. use to stuff peppers. potatoes and their preparation white potatoes . white potatoes, popularly called _irish potatoes_ because they are a staple food in ireland, belong to the class of tuber vegetables. they form such an extensive part of the diets of the majority of people that they are generally considered the most important vegetable used by civilized man. they are usually roundish or oblong in shape and have a whitish interior and a darker colored skin. . food value of potatoes.--in food value, irish potatoes are comparatively high, being in this respect about two and one-half times as great as an equal weight of cabbage, but not quite twice as great as the various root vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, etc. the largest amount of this food value occurs as carbohydrate in the form of starch, there being almost no fat and very little protein in potatoes. the starch granules of potatoes are larger than the starch granules of any of the cereals, the class of foods highest in this food substance, and it is the proper cooking of this starch that makes potatoes dry and mealy. potatoes also contain a large amount of mineral salts, much of which lies directly under the skin. therefore, the most economical way in which to prepare potatoes is to cook them with the skins on, for then all of the mineral salts are retained and none of the material is wasted. . selection of potatoes.--the new potato crop begins to come into the market during the summer, when potatoes are especially appetizing. however, as potatoes can be easily stored and kept very well for a considerable time, they form a large part of the winter food supply. if there is sufficient storage space, it is a wise plan to buy a large enough supply of potatoes in the fall to last for several months and then to store them for the winter. however, when this is done, care should be taken in the selection. in the first place, the outside skin should be smooth and not scaly. then, if possible, potatoes of medium size should be selected, rather than small ones or large ones. the small ones are not so satisfactory, because of the greater proportion of waste in peeling, while the very large ones are apt to have a hollow space in the center. to judge the quality of potatoes, a few of those to be purchased should be secured and cooked before a large number of them are bought. the soil and climatic conditions affect the quality of potatoes to such an extent that a particular kind of potato which may have been excellent last year may be entirely different in quality this year. a housewife cannot, therefore, be guided entirely by her previous knowledge of a certain kind of potato. . care of potatoes.--potatoes bought in quantity should be kept in a cool place and should be excluded from the light. such care will usually prevent them from discoloring and sprouting. in case they should sprout, the sprouts should be removed at once, for the potatoes will deteriorate rapidly with such a growth. if the potatoes freeze, they may be thawed by putting them in cold water. such potatoes, which are characterized by a peculiar sweetish taste, should be used as soon as possible after being thawed. . preparation of potatoes.--as has already been explained, the most economical way in which to cook potatoes is with the skins on. however, when it is desired to remove the skins, they should be taken off as thinly as possible. new potatoes may be scraped, but completely matured potatoes that have been out of the ground for some time do not scrape easily and so should be pared thinly. potatoes lend themselves to various methods of cookery, and this is well, for although this is a food of which most persons do not tire easily, variety in the preparation of a vegetable so commonly used as the irish potato is very much to be desired. when cooked in the skins, potatoes may be boiled, baked, or steamed. when the skins are removed, potatoes may be cooked in these ways, as well as fried, sautéd, scalloped, creamed, etc. . boiled potatoes.--without doubt, potatoes are cooked more often by boiling than by any other method, for besides being eaten in this way a great deal, they must first be boiled for many of the more elaborate methods of preparation. if the skins are removed before boiling, the water in which the potatoes are cooked contains a quantity of starch and a great deal of soluble mineral matter that are lost from the potatoes. use should therefore be made of this liquid, it being very satisfactory for soups, sauces, and the liquid required in bread making. when potatoes are to be boiled, select the desired number of medium-sized potatoes, and wash them in cold water. if desired, remove the peelings with a sharp paring knife, but if the potatoes are to be cooked with the skins on, scrub them thoroughly with a vegetable brush in order to remove all dirt. put to cook in a sufficient amount of boiling salted water to cover well, and cook until the potatoes are tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork. usually the kettle in which potatoes are cooked is covered, but if desired they may be cooked in an uncovered vessel. when done, drain the water from the potatoes and serve at once or use for some of the other methods of preparation. [illustration: fig. ] . mashed potatoes.--if mashed potatoes are prepared properly, they are much relished by the majority of persons. however, to be most satisfactory, they should be cooked long enough not to be lumpy and then, after being mashed and softened with milk, they should be beaten until they are light and creamy. peel the desired number of potatoes and boil them according to the directions given in art. . when they are tender, remove them from the fire and drain off the water. mash the potatoes with a wooden or a wire potato masher, being careful to reduce all the particles to a pulpy mass in order to prevent lumps. however, the preferable way to mash them is to force them through a ricer, when they will appear as shown in fig. , for then, if they are thoroughly cooked, there will be no danger of lumps. when they are sufficiently mashed, season with additional salt, a dash of pepper, and a small piece of butter, and add hot milk until they are thinned to a mushy consistency, but not too soft to stand up well when dropped from a spoon. then beat the potatoes vigorously with a large spoon until they become light and fluffy. serve at once. . baked potatoes.--a very nutritious vegetable dish results when potatoes are baked. for this method of cooking potatoes, those of medium size are better than large ones; also, if the potatoes are uniform in size, all of them will bake in the same length of time. it is well to choose for baking, potatoes that are smooth and unblemished, in order that they may be prepared without cutting the skins. as the starchy particles of the potato are cooked by the heated water inside the potato, the cooking cannot be done so successfully when the skin is cut or marred, for then the water will evaporate. prepare the potatoes by scrubbing them thoroughly; then place them on a shallow pan and set them in the oven or place them directly on the oven grate. the temperature of the oven is important in baking potatoes. if it is too hot, the skins of the potatoes will become charred, and if it is not hot enough, too long a time will be required for the baking. the temperature found to produce the best results is about degrees fahrenheit, or the same as that for the baking of bread. turn the potatoes once or twice during the baking, so that they will bake evenly. allow them to bake until it is possible to pierce them to the center with a fork or they are soft enough to dent easily when pinched with the tips of the fingers. the latter is the preferable test, for when the potato is pierced, so much of the moisture is lost that it is not likely to be of the best quality when served. upon removing from the oven, serve at once. baked potatoes become soggy upon standing. if desired, they may be rolled to soften the contents of the shell and then cut open on one side, and pepper, salt, and paprika put into the potato. the length of time required for baking potatoes is usually to minutes longer than is necessary to cook potatoes of the same size in water. however, the time for baking may be decreased by boiling the potatoes for about minutes before they are put in the oven. in such an event, the boiling and the baking should be accomplished in about minutes. . stuffed potatoes.--an attractive way in which to serve baked potatoes is shown in fig. . after the potatoes are thoroughly baked, the contents are removed, treated as mashed potatoes, and then stuffed into the shells and set in the oven to brown for a few minutes. when something different in the way of potatoes is desired, stuffed potatoes should be tried. bake the desired number of potatoes until tender. remove from the oven, cut through the skin of each from end to end with a sharp knife, and scrape out the contents of the shell. mash the pulp according to the directions given in art. . then fill the shells with the mashed potatoes, allowing the surface to stand up roughly, as shown, instead of smoothing it down. dot each with butter, sprinkle a little paprika over the tops, and replace in the oven. bake until the surface is nicely browned and then serve at once. [illustration: fig. ] . browned potatoes.--while not so easy to digest as boiled or baked potatoes, browned potatoes offer an opportunity for a change from the usual ways of preparing this vegetable. they may be prepared on the stove or in the oven, but when browned in the oven the surface is more likely to be tough. boil the desired number of potatoes, and when they are sufficiently tender, drain off the water. if they are to be sautéd on the stove, melt a small amount of fat in a frying pan, and place the cooked potatoes in it. sauté until brown on one side, then turn and brown on the other. season with additional salt, if necessary, and serve. in case it is desired to brown them in the oven, put the boiled potatoes in a shallow pan and brush them over with butter. set them in a hot oven, allow them to brown on one side, then turn and brown them on the other. season with salt, if necessary, and serve at once upon removing from the oven. . raw saut�d potatoes.--if a potato dish suitable for supper or luncheon is desired, raw potatoes may be sliced thin, as at _a_, fig. , and then sautéd. for this purpose, small potatoes that are not suitable for other methods of preparation may be used. peel the potatoes and slice them into thin slices. melt a small amount of fat in a frying pan, place the potatoes in the hot fat, and cover the pan. allow them to steam in this way for to minutes and then remove the cover. brown on one side; then turn and brown on the other. season with salt and pepper. [illustration: fig. ] . hash-browned potatoes.--a very good way in which to use up boiled potatoes is to hash-brown them in the oven. hash-browned potatoes (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized cooked potatoes - / tsp. salt tb. butter tb. milk / tsp. pepper slice or chop the cold potatoes, place in a buttered pan, add the salt and pepper, melt the butter, and pour it over them. place in a hot oven until nicely browned. stir, add the milk, and brown again. stir again, brown the third time, and serve. . potato patties.--mashed potatoes, whether left over or boiled and mashed especially for the purpose, may be made up into patties and then sautéd until brown on both sides. potato patties (sufficient to serve six) c. mashed potato egg fine bread crumbs to the mashed potatoes that have been well seasoned, add the egg and mix thoroughly. shape into flat, round patties and roll in the bread crumbs. melt fat in a frying pan, place the patties in it, sauté on one side until brown, and then turn and brown on the other side. serve hot. . french fried potatoes.--many families are deprived of french fried potatoes because the majority of housewives think they are difficult to prepare. this, however, is not the case, for when the procedure is understood nothing is easier. peel the required number of potatoes and cut them into the desired shape. great variety exists in the method of cutting potatoes for this purpose. however, the form that is usually thought of when french fried potatoes are mentioned is the one obtained by cutting the potatoes into pieces like the sections of an orange and then cutting these sections lengthwise into smaller pieces, like those shown at _b_, fig. . pieces like those shown at _c_, called _shoestring potatoes_, are also popular. as soon as cut, in no matter what shape, drop the pieces into cold water, but when ready to fry, remove them from the water and dry on a clean dry towel. place in a wire basket and lower the basket into a pan of hot fat. fry until the potatoes are nicely browned, remove from the fat, drain, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. serve at once. . potatoes au gratin.--something a little unusual in the way of a potato dish is produced when potatoes are combined with cheese, bread crumbs, and a cream sauce to make potatoes au gratin. in addition to supplying flavor, these ingredients increase the food value of the potatoes so that a highly nutritious dish is the result. potatoes au gratin (sufficient to serve six) c. diced cooked potatoes / c. grated cheese / c. bread crumbs - / c. thin white sauce grease a baking dish, place / of the potatoes in the bottom of the dish, and sprinkle over them / of the crumbs and then / of the cheese. put the remainder of the potatoes in the dish, sprinkle with the rest of the cheese, pour the hot white sauce over all, and place the remaining crumbs on top. set the dish in a hot oven and bake until well heated through and brown on top. . lyonnaise potatoes.--when sautéd potatoes are flavored with onion and parsley, they are known as lyonnaise potatoes. as they are very appetizing, potatoes prepared in this way are relished by most persons. lyonnaise potatoes (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter or ham or bacon fat / tsp. salt medium-sized onion, chopped dash of pepper tb. parsley c. diced cooked potatoes melt the fat in a frying pan, and add the onion, parsley, salt, and pepper. when the fat is hot, add the potatoes, which should be diced, like those shown at _d_, fig. , and allow them to sauté until slightly brown. stir frequently to avoid burning. serve hot. . scalloped potatoes.--many vegetables may be scalloped, but potatoes seem to lend themselves to this form of preparation to good advantage. potatoes prepared in this way are suitable for luncheon, supper, or a home dinner. wash and peel the desired number of potatoes and slice them thin. place a layer in the bottom of a well-greased baking dish, sprinkle lightly with flour, salt, and pepper, and dot with butter. add another layer of potatoes, sprinkle again with flour, salt, and pepper, and dot with butter. continue in this way until the dish is filled. pour a sufficient quantity of milk over the whole to cover well. place a cover over the dish, set in a hot oven, and bake for about / hour. then remove the cover and allow the potatoes to continue baking until they can be easily pierced with a fork and the surface is slightly brown. serve hot from the baking dish. . creamed potatoes.--a very good way in which to utilize left-over boiled potatoes is to dice them and then serve them with a cream sauce. if no cooked potatoes are on hand and creamed potatoes are desired, potatoes may, of course, be boiled especially for this purpose. when this is done, it is well to cook the potatoes in the skins, for they remain intact better and have a better flavor. cut up potatoes that are to be creamed into half-inch dice, like those shown at _d_, fig. . make a thin white sauce, pour it over the potatoes until they are well moistened, and allow the potatoes to simmer in this sauce for a few minutes. if desired, chopped parsley may be added to the sauce to improve the flavor. serve hot. . potato balls.--if a potato dish is desired for a meal that is to be dainty in every respect, potato balls should be tried. these are small balls of uniform size, like those shown at _e_, fig. , cut from raw potatoes by means of a french cutter, as shown in fig. , cooked until tender, and then dressed with a cream sauce or in any other way. as will be observed, much of the potato remains after all the balls that can be cut from it are obtained. this should not be wasted, but should be boiled and then mashed or prepared in any other desirable way. [illustration: fig. ] wash and peel the potatoes that are to be used, and then from each potato cut with a french cutter all the balls possible. when a sufficient number have been obtained, boil them until tender in boiling salted water and then drain. make a thin cream sauce, add the potatoes to this, and heat together thoroughly. serve hot. . potato croquettes.--left-over mashed potatoes can be utilized in no better way than to make croquettes. of course, if potato croquettes are desired and no potatoes are on hand, it will be necessary to cook potatoes and mash them especially for this purpose. croquettes made according to the accompanying recipe will be found a delightful addition to the menu. they are often served plain, but are much improved by a medium white sauce or a gravy. potato croquettes (sufficient to serve six) c. mashed potatoes tb. chopped parsley tb. onion juice tsp. celery salt eggs dry bread crumbs to the mashed potatoes, add the parsley, onion juice, and celery salt and mix thoroughly. beat the eggs slightly, reserve a small amount to be diluted with water or milk for dipping the croquettes, and add the rest to the potatoes. shape the mixture into oblong croquettes of uniform size and shape. roll each in the crumbs, then in the diluted egg, and again in the crumbs. fry in deep hot fat until an even brown in color. remove from the fat, drain, and serve. . potato puff.--mashed potato combined with egg, seasoned well, and baked in the oven makes a very appetizing dish known as potato puff. this is suitable for any meal at which potatoes would be served. potato puff (sufficient to serve six) c. mashed potato / tsp. celery salt egg to the mashed potato, add the celery salt. separate the egg, beat the yolk, and mix it with the potato. beat the white stiff and fold it into the potato last. pile into a buttered baking dish, set in a hot oven, and bake until the potato is thoroughly heated through and the surface is brown. serve at once. sweet potatoes . sweet potatoes are used for practically the same purposes as white potatoes, and while these vegetables resemble each other in many respects they are not related botanically, sweet potatoes being root rather than tuber vegetables. sweet potatoes are of a tropical nature and have been cultivated for hundreds of years in the west indies and central america. they form a staple article of diet in the southern part of the united states, where, on account of the warm climate, they are raised abundantly. they are not raised in the north; still they are consumed there in large quantities. after maturing, sweet potatoes are collected and dried in kilns before shipping. while this makes it possible for them to keep longer than if they were not dried, they do not keep so well as white potatoes and therefore cannot be stored in such large numbers. if they are to be kept for a considerable period of time, they should be wrapped separately in paper and stored in a cool, dry place. . sweet potatoes vary considerably in size, shape, and quality. some are short and blunt at the tips, others are long and cylindrical, either crooked or straight, while others are medium in size and spindle-shaped. some varieties, which are known as _yams_, cook moist and sugary, while others, which are simply called sweet potatoes, cook dry and mealy. the kind to select depends entirely on the individual taste, for in composition and food value all the varieties are similar. in composition, sweet potatoes resemble white ones, except that a part of their carbohydrate is in the form of sugar, which gives them their characteristic sweet taste, but in food value they are almost twice as great as white potatoes. . the preparation of sweet potatoes is similar to that of white potatoes, for they may be boiled, steamed, baked, mashed, creamed, fried, etc. in fact, they may be used at any time to take the place of white potatoes in the diet. a few recipes are here given for this vegetable, but any of those given under white potatoes may also be used by merely substituting sweet potatoes for the white potatoes specified. . boiled sweet potatoes.--it is a very simple procedure to boil sweet potatoes. when they are to be prepared in this way, select potatoes of uniform size and either remove their skins or cook them with the skins on. if they are not peeled, scrub them perfectly clean. put them to cook in boiling salted water and allow them to boil until they may be easily pierced with a fork. drain the water from them, peel if cooked with their skins on, and serve hot with butter or gravy. . baked sweet potatoes.--persons who are fond of sweet potatoes prefer them baked to any other method of preparation. select medium-sized potatoes for this purpose, scrub thoroughly, and put in a hot oven to bake. bake until they are soft enough to dent when pinched between the fingers. remove from the oven and serve at once. . glazed sweet potatoes.--to increase the sweet taste characteristic of sweet potatoes and favored by many persons, a sweet sirup is sometimes added. when this is done, the potatoes are first boiled and then cut in half lengthwise and sautéd. sweet potatoes so prepared afford a pleasing variety in the diet. clean and peel the desired number of potatoes and boil them as already explained. cut them in half lengthwise, so that each piece has a flat side. melt fat in a frying pan, add the halves of sweet potato, and fry until slightly brown. then turn and fry on the reverse side. about or minutes before removing from the pan, pour a small quantity of molasses or a mixture of sugar and water over the potatoes, and allow them to cook in this sirup until they are well covered with the sweet substance. remove from the pan and serve at once. . mashed sweet potatoes.--used alone without further preparation, mashed sweet potatoes make a very palatable dish. however, as in the case of mashed white potatoes, numerous appetizing dishes, such as croquettes, patties, etc., can be made of mashed sweet potatoes, whether left from a previous meal or cooked for this purpose. in the preparation of all such dishes, the recipes given under white potatoes may be followed. peel the desired number of potatoes and cook them in boiling salted water until they may be readily pierced with a fork. drain, force through a sieve or a ricer, and season with salt, pepper, and a small amount of butter. thin the mixture with sufficient hot milk to make it of a stiff, mush-like consistency. then beat vigorously until the potato is light and creamy. serve hot. radishes and their preparation . radishes are a root vegetable used almost exclusively as a relish or to lend flavor to a vegetable-salad mixture. they are easily and successfully grown and are plentiful and cheap, except when they are out of season and must be raised in hothouses. numerous varieties of radishes differing from one another in size, shape, and color are raised. the red ones are generally preferred, because they lend color to a dish or a meal, but the white and brown varieties are just as desirable so far as flavor is concerned. . radishes contain very little food value, being about equal to celery and cucumbers in this respect. they do not supply anything valuable to a meal except mineral salts. although some persons consider radishes difficult to digest, they contain almost nothing that has to be digested, for they are composed largely of cellulose, which does not digest, and water. radishes disagree with some persons because, like onions and cabbage, they contain a strong volatile oil that gives them their flavor. . since radishes are always eaten raw, they require very little in the way of preparation. the principal thing is to see that they are perfectly clean and as crisp as possible. to make them crisp, allow them to stand in cold water for some time before using them. then remove the tops and the roots and scrub thoroughly with a vegetable brush. the small red radishes can be made very attractive by cutting the skin in sections to resemble the petals of a rose. when prepared in this way, a small portion of the green top is allowed to remain. salsify and its preparation . salsify is a root vegetable resembling in food value such other root vegetables as carrots and parsnips. because it has a flavor similar to that of oysters, especially when it is used for soup, it has received the name of _vegetable oyster_. it consists of long slender roots that are covered with tiny roots. it is somewhat difficult to clean and prepare, but as it may be stored through the entire winter and is particularly desirable for the making of soup, it is a valuable vegetable. . in preparing salsify for cooking, scrape the roots rather than peel them. then put them in a solution of cold salt water made by using teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water and keep them there until ready to cook them. this precaution will, to a certain extent, prevent the discoloration that always takes place in salsify as soon as the skin is removed. when thus prepared, salsify lends itself to the same forms of preparation as do the other root vegetables. . buttered salsify.--the simplest way in which to cook salsify is to cut it in thin slices, boil it until tender, and then serve it with butter. wash and scrape the desired quantity of salsify and slice in thin slices. put to cook in boiling salted water, and cook until it can be easily pierced with a fork. drain off the water, season with pepper and, if necessary, additional salt, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. allow the butter to melt and serve the salsify hot. . creamed vegetable oysters.--if creamed vegetables are favored, vegetable oysters served with a cream sauce will be very much relished. clean and scrape the salsify and cut it into / -inch slices. put to cook in boiling salted water, cook until tender, and then drain. make a medium white sauce and pour this over the cooked vegetable. heat together and serve. . scalloped vegetable oysters.--a very appetizing scalloped dish can be made of salsify by following the directions given in the accompanying recipe. scalloped vegetable oysters (sufficient to serve six) c. cooked vegetable oysters c. bread crumbs salt and pepper - / c. thin white sauce cook the vegetable oysters as explained in art. . sprinkle a layer of crumbs in the bottom of a well-greased baking dish, place a layer of the cooked vegetable oysters on top of this, and season with salt and pepper. place a second layer of crumbs and the remainder of the vegetable oysters in the dish, and sprinkle again with salt and pepper. pour the white sauce over this, and put the remainder of the crumbs on top. place in a hot oven and bake until well heated through and the top is brown. serve from the baking dish. squash and its preparation summer squash . summer squash is a fruit vegetable belonging to the same class as eggplant, peppers, etc. and occurring in many varieties. the different kinds of this vegetable vary greatly in size, shape, and color, but all of them may be prepared in practically the same way and used for the same purposes. they get their name from the fact that they are grown and used during the summer season; in fact, they must be used at this time, for they do not permit of storage. summer squash contains a great deal of water, and for this reason its food value is very low, being about equal to that of lettuce, celery, etc. because of the large percentage of water in its composition, as little water as possible should be added in its cooking, or the result will be a vegetable so watery as to be unattractive and unpalatable. another precaution that should be taken in its preparation is to remove the seeds and the skins. many housewives think it unnecessary to do this, for both the skins and the seeds can be eaten after cooking; but most persons prefer to have them removed, as the dish appears more appetizing. _vegetable marrow_ is a type of summer squash and may be prepared for the table by any of the recipes for summer squash. . stewed summer squash.--the usual way in which to cook summer squash is to stew it. if properly cooked and well seasoned, stewed squash makes a very tasty dish. wash and peel the desired number of summer squashes, remove the seeds, and cut into small pieces. put over the flame in just enough water to start the cooking and add sufficient salt to season well. cook until tender enough to be pierced with a fork and most of the water is boiled away, being careful not to scorch. remove from the fire, season with pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. mash until the squash is as fine as desired and serve at once. . saut�d summer squash.--for variety, summer squash is sometimes sliced, coated with egg and crumbs, and then sautéd until well browned. to prepare it in this way, wash and peel the squash and cut it into slices about / inch thick. roll first in beaten egg diluted with milk or water and then in fine crumbs. sauté in a small amount of fat in a frying pan until well browned, and then turn and brown on the other side. serve hot. winter squash . winter squash is the kind of squash that may be removed from the vine in the fall and stored for winter use. although both summer and winter squashes are closely related, they differ considerably in appearance, flavor, texture, and composition. the different varieties of winter squash are usually larger than summer squashes and have a very hard outside covering; also, they contain less water and more carbohydrate and, consequently, have a higher food value. winter squashes are usually taken from the vines in the fall before the frost sets in, and before they are placed in storage they are allowed to lie in the sunshine for a few days until the skin hardens and becomes flinty. if the outside covering is unmarred when the squashes are stored, they will remain in good condition almost the entire winter season, provided the storage place is cool and dry. . to prepare winter squash for cooking, cut it open, remove the seeds, and peel off the outside skin. because of the hardness of the covering, a cleaver or a hatchet is generally required to open the squash and cut it into pieces. with this done, scrape out the seeds and, with a very sharp large knife, peel off the skin. the squash may then be cooked in any suitable manner. . mashed squash.--if winter squash is desired as a vegetable, it is very often boiled and then mashed. squash prepared in this way, with the exception of the seasoning, is also used for pie that is similar to pumpkin; in fact, many persons prefer the flavor of squash pie to that of pumpkin pie. cut pieces of peeled winter squash into cubes about inch in size. put these to cook in a small amount of boiling water, add enough salt to season, and cook until tender and quite dry. season the cooked squash with pepper, add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served, and, if desired to increase the sweet taste, add a small amount of sugar. mash until smooth and serve hot. . baked squash.--winter squash, because of its hard covering, is very satisfactory when baked in the shell, as shown in fig. . if it is not desired to cook it in a whole piece, the squash may be cut into pieces about inches square or into triangular pieces. [illustration: fig. ] remove the seeds from the squash, sprinkle each with salt and pepper, and dot with butter, as shown. place in a hot oven directly on the grate or in a shallow pan, and bake until the contents of the shells are tender. remove from the oven, and serve from the shells. if desired, the squash may be scooped from the shells after baking, seasoned at that time instead of when put in the oven, and then served in a vegetable dish. tomatoes and their preparation . tomatoes are a fruit vegetable that may be either cooked or prepared raw in many different ways. they are usually red when ripe, and because of this color they are particularly attractive on the table. green or partly ripe tomatoes are also used in the preparation of many dishes. tomatoes are composed largely of water, and for this reason their food value is low, being about the same as that of greens. this large proportion of water is also responsible for the fact that they do not keep for a great length of time. tomatoes, however, have a long season. they begin to appear in the market early in the spring and they may be obtained from this time until the frost kills the vines in the fall. . while tomatoes appeal to the majority of persons, they disagree with some on account of the acid they contain. this acid is similar to that found in some fruits, and it is present in greater quantity in cooked tomatoes than in raw ones, the heating of the vegetable apparently increasing the acidity. this acidity of tomatoes may be reduced by the addition of soda, and while soda produces a marked change in the flavor, it is necessary in the preparation of some dishes. for instance, in the case of cream-of-tomato soup, soda must be added to reduce the acidity and thus keep the milk or cream used in preparing this dish from curdling. . the skin of tomatoes, whether they are to be eaten raw or cooked, is usually undesirable. therefore, in preparing tomatoes for the table, the skins are generally removed. in order to do this, first dip the tomatoes into boiling water for several seconds and then immediately into cold water. this will loosen the skins, which may then be peeled off very thinly, and very little of the tomato will be wasted. . stewed tomatoes.--the usual way of preparing tomatoes is to stew them. stewed tomatoes may be served plain, but they can be improved very decidedly by toasting cubes of bread and adding these to the tomatoes just before serving. remove the skins and stem ends from the desired number of tomatoes, and either cut the tomatoes into pieces or allow them to remain whole. put to cook with little or no water, as the tomatoes themselves usually provide sufficient water. season with salt, and cook until the tomatoes are reduced to a mushy consistency. just before removing from the stove, add a dash of pepper and a small amount of butter. . scalloped tomatoes.--a very appetizing way in which to cook tomatoes is to scallop them according to the accompanying recipe. scalloped tomatoes (sufficient to serve six) c. crumbs, buttered c. stewed tomatoes tsp. salt dash of pepper tb. butter grease a baking dish and place a layer of the crumbs in the bottom. place a layer of tomatoes over them, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dot with the butter. add another layer of crumbs and the remainder of the tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and again dot with butter. place the remainder of the crumbs on top. bake in a hot oven until well heated through and the crumbs on top are brown. serve hot from the baking dish. . stuffed tomatoes.--tomatoes prove to be very satisfactory when stuffed with a well-seasoned stuffing and then baked. medium-sized tomatoes that are firm and unblemished should be selected for stuffing. stuffed tomatoes (sufficient to serve six) tomatoes - / c. crumbs tb. butter small onion, chopped tsp. celery salt / tsp. salt dash of pepper remove the stem end from each tomato and scoop out the inside so that a hollow shell remains. chop the pulp of the tomatoes into small pieces and add the crumbs, melted butter, onion, celery salt, salt, and pepper. mix together thoroughly. if the tomatoes do not furnish enough liquid to moisten the crumbs, add a little water. pack the stuffing into the tomatoes, allowing it to heap up on top, and place the tomatoes side by side in a shallow pan. set in a hot oven and bake until the tomato shells are tender enough to be pierced with a fork and the stuffing is well heated through. serve at once. [illustration: fig. ] . stuffed tomatoes with cheese carrots.--an attractive way in which to serve stuffed tomatoes is shown in fig. . the tomatoes are filled with a tasty stuffing and then baked. yellow cream cheese is made to resemble tiny carrots, and these, together with parsley, are used to garnish the platter in which the tomatoes are placed. stuffed tomatoes with cheese carrots (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized tomatoes tb. bacon or ham fat tb. chopped onion / c. chopped ham - / c. stale bread crumbs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. chopped parsley yellow cream cheese parsley cut the tops from the tomatoes and remove the pulp. melt the fat in a frying pan, add the chopped onion, ham, tomato pulp, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and parsley. heat thoroughly and mix well. fill the tomatoes with the stuffing, which should be quite moist, put them in a shallow pan, and bake them until the tomato shell may be easily pierced with a fork. mash yellow cream cheese and, if necessary, moisten it slightly with cream. shape it into tiny carrots with the fingers, and put a piece of parsley in one end for leaves. place the baked tomatoes on a platter and garnish with the carrots and sprigs of parsley. serve. . saut�d tomatoes.--half ripened tomatoes are delicious when sautéd. cut the desired number of such tomatoes into slices about / inch thick, and roll first in beaten egg and then in stale bread crumbs or cracker crumbs. sauté in a small amount of fat until they are brown on one side; then turn and brown on the other side. remove from the pan and serve at once. . creamed tomatoes.--a rather unusual, but nevertheless very appetizing, way of preparing tomatoes consists in sautéing them in fat and then serving them with a cream sauce on freshly toasted bread. when it is desired to prepare tomatoes in this manner, select medium-sized ones and cut them into slices / inch thick. roll the slices first in egg and then in stale bread crumbs or cracker crumbs. sauté in a generous amount of fat until brown, drain carefully, and brown on the other side. when done, remove from the pan. add tablespoonfuls of flour to the fat that remains in the pan, and stir until the flour becomes light brown. add - / cupfuls of milk and stir until thick. place the slices of tomato on freshly toasted bread and pour the sauce over them. turnips and their preparation . turnips, which are a root vegetable, occur in two varieties, _white_ and _yellow_. the white ones are commonly known as _turnips_ and the yellow ones are called _rutabagas_. although differing in color, both varieties have much the same flavor and may be prepared in the same ways. therefore, whenever a recipe calls for turnips, rutabagas may be used as well. . in food value, turnips are similar to beets, carrots, and parsnips. they have a strong flavor, which is disliked by many persons and disagrees with some. however, much of this can be dissipated by cooking them with the cover of the kettle removed, so that when properly prepared they furnish a pleasant variety to the winter menu. they have good storing qualities and can be kept very easily through the winter. toward spring it is more difficult to cook them soft, as the cellulose in them becomes harder and they are likely to develop woody fiber. . in preparing turnips for cooking, scrub them until thoroughly clean and then peel, wasting no more of the vegetable than is necessary. they may then be cut up as desired for the recipe to be prepared. . stewed turnips.--when turnips are stewed until tender and then seasoned with salt and pepper and flavored with butter they form a very palatable dish. to prepare them in this way, select the desired number, scrub them until clean, and then peel them. cut them into dice about / inch in size, and put these to cook in boiling salted water, allowing the cover to remain off the kettle during the cooking. cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork and drain the water from them. season with additional salt, if necessary, and with pepper, and add tablespoonful of butter for each four persons to be served. allow the butter to melt and serve hot. . mashed turnips.--turnips, like potatoes, are a very good vegetable to mash. prepare the desired number in the manner explained in art. . cook in boiling salted water with the kettle cover removed. when tender enough to be mashed easily, drain the water from them, mash with a potato masher, and season with additional salt if necessary and with pepper and butter. allow the butter to melt and serve hot. . creamed turnips.--turnips, both yellow and white, make an excellent dish when dressed with a cream sauce. prepare the desired number of turnips by cleaning and peeling them and cutting them into dice about / inch in size. cook until tender in boiling salted water and drain. prepare a medium white sauce and pour over the turnips. serve hot. vegetable combinations . the recipes given for the various kinds of vegetables pertain in most cases to merely one vegetable, and this is the way in which this food is usually prepared. however, there are times when it is an advantage to combine two or more vegetables. for instance, it is sometimes desired to give additional variety to the menu or to utilize small quantities of vegetable that alone would not be sufficient to serve the family. then, again, two vegetables are often prepared together in order to obtain an attractive color combination. in view of these facts, several recipes for the most usual combinations of vegetables are here given, so that the housewife may not be at a loss when she wishes to combine two or more vegetables. it must not be thought that these are the only combinations that can be prepared, for often vegetables can be combined to suit the housewife's taste and needs. . carrots and peas.--if an attractive combination, as well as an appetizing dish, is desired, carrots and peas should be prepared together and served with butter or a vegetable or a cream sauce. this combination may be served plain, but if there are any mashed potatoes on hand and an attractive dish is desired, it may be served in potato rosettes, as shown in fig. . clean and scrape the desired number of young, tender carrots, and cut them into dice about the size of the peas that are to be used. shell an equal quantity of green peas. put the two vegetables together in boiling salted water and cook until tender. if there is any possibility that the carrots will not cook in as short a period of time as the peas, cook them for some time before adding the peas. when tender, pour off the water, add additional salt, if necessary, and pepper, and dress with butter or, if preferred, with a vegetable or a white sauce. heat through thoroughly and serve. [illustration: fig. ] if it is desired to serve the carrots and peas in the rosettes mentioned, force hot mashed potato through a pastry tube and form the required number of rosettes on a platter, as shown. in the center of each rosette put a spoonful or two of the carrots and peas. in case fresh peas cannot be secured, canned peas may be substituted. when this is done, the carrots should be cooked until tender and the peas added just before the sauce is poured over the vegetables. . succotash.--a combination of fresh shelled beans and sweet corn is known as succotash. to prepare this dish, shell the beans and put them to cook in boiling salted water. cook until they are tender and the water has boiled down until it is greatly reduced in quantity. then cut an equal amount of corn from the cob and add to the beans. cook for a few minutes longer or until the water is sufficiently reduced, so that the combination may be served without pouring any water off. dress with butter and season with pepper and, if necessary, additional salt. during the winter, when green corn and fresh beans cannot be secured, succotash can be made by using dried or canned corn and dried beans. . corn and tomatoes.--a somewhat unusual vegetable combination is made by cooking tomatoes and green corn together. prepare the desired number of tomatoes in the usual way for stewing and cut an equal amount of sweet corn from the cob. put the two vegetables together in a saucepan and cook until the tomatoes are well stewed. season with salt, pepper, and sugar, if desired, and add a small piece of butter. serve hot. . corn, string beans, and tomatoes.--those who care for the combination of corn and tomatoes will find beans a very agreeable addition to this dish. prepare the corn and tomatoes as explained in art. , and to them add young, tender string beans that have been previously cooked in boiling salted water. add the desired seasoning and a small amount of butter. when thoroughly heated, serve. . peas and potatoes.--as a rule, the first green peas and the first new potatoes come into the market at about the same time. if a delicious combination is desired, these two vegetables should be cooked together and then dressed in any desirable way. select small potatoes, scrape them, and put them to cook in boiling salted water. shell an equal amount of green peas, and add them to the potatoes about minutes before the potatoes become tender. cook until both vegetables are tender, and then drain the water from them. dress with butter, vegetable sauce, cream sauce, or thin cream and serve. . turnips and potatoes.--persons who are likely to find the flavor of turnips disagreeable can usually eat them when they are combined with potatoes. pare an equal number of irish potatoes and turnips and cut them into thick slices. put them to cook in boiling salted water and cook with the cover off the kettle until both are tender. drain and dress with butter or add butter and mash together. serve hot. . new england boiled dinner.--a combination of food that is much used by the people of the new england states and has become famous throughout the united states, consists of corned beef, potatoes, turnips, and cabbage. as may well be imagined, such a combination forms practically all that is necessary for a home dinner. select a good piece of corned beef and put it to cook in boiling water. about minutes before the beef has finished cooking, add additional water, if necessary, and into this place an equal quantity of irish potatoes, turnips, and cabbage prepared in the required way and cut into thick slices or chunks. cook until the vegetables are tender. then remove the beef to a platter, surround with vegetables, and serve. serving vegetables . the way in which vegetables are served depends largely on the method of preparation. however, a point that should never be neglected, so far as cooked vegetables are concerned, no matter what plan of serving is followed, is to see that they are always served hot. to make this possible, the dishes in which they are served should be heated before the vegetables are put into them and should be kept hot until put on the table. when a vegetable dish has a cover, the cover should be kept on until the vegetable is served and should be replaced after the first serving, so as to keep the remainder hot. . because of the possible variety in the preparation of this class of foods, numerous ways of serving them are in practice. when a vegetable is baked in a large baking dish, the dish should be placed on the table and the vegetable served from it either on the plate or in individual dishes. if individual baking dishes are used, these should be set on small plates and one put at each person's place. boiled or creamed vegetables may be served at the table from a vegetable dish, being put on the plate or in small dishes, or they may be served in individual dishes in the kitchen, and a dish placed at the left of each person's place. when the large dish or the baking dish is placed on the table, it should be placed where the vegetable may be conveniently served by the host if it is to be put on the dinner plate or by the hostess in case it is to be served in individual dishes at the table. . in addition to being served in these ways, vegetables also lend themselves to various attractive methods of serving. for instance, a vegetable prepared with a sauce is frequently served in patty shells, timbale cases, or croustades. when this is done, the case in which the vegetable is served is, as a rule, placed directly on the dinner plate. potatoes that have been mashed are often forced through a pastry tube either to garnish another dish or to make a dish of potatoes more attractive. for instance, when mashed potatoes are to be served, a solid foundation of the potato may be arranged in the center of a dish and a little of the mashed potato then forced through the tube to make a design over the top. before being served, the dish should be placed in the oven and the potato browned on top. a little thought on the part of the housewife will enable her to work out many other attractive methods in the serving of this food. vegetables (part ) examination questions ( ) (_a_) how do wild and cultivated greens differ? (_b_) what is the chief use of greens in the diet? ( ) (_a_) what precaution should be observed in washing greens? (_b_) mention the procedure in cooking greens having a strong flavor. ( ) (_a_) if greens, such as endive, appear to be withered, how may they be freshened? (_b_) explain the use of lettuce as a garnish. (_c_) what are the uses of parsley? ( ) (_a_) how are jerusalem artichokes prepared for the table? (_b_) what part of kohlrabi is used for food? (_c_) how is kohlrabi generally prepared for cooking? ( ) (_a_) to what class of vegetables do lentils belong? (_b_) is the food value of lentils low or high? discuss. ( ) (_a_) how may the food value of mushrooms be increased? (_b_) how should mushrooms be prepared for cooking? (_c_) mention the ways in which mushrooms may be cooked. ( ) (_a_) what causes onions, especially raw ones, to disagree with many persons? (_b_) mention the two general varieties of onions. (_c_) how are chives prepared when they are to be used for flavoring soups, etc.? ( ) (_a_) how should onion be added to other foods when it is desired simply as a flavoring? (_b_) how may onions be peeled so as to keep off the fumes of their volatile oil? ( ) (_a_) how should parsnips be prepared for cooking? (_b_) tell how to prepare browned parsnips. ( ) in what way do green and dried peas differ in food value? explain fully. ( ) tell how to cook: (_a_) green peas; (_b_) dried peas. ( ) (_a_) what varieties of peppers are generally used as a vegetable? (_b_) of what value are peppers? ( ) (_a_) to what may the high food value of potatoes be attributed? (_b_) how may the quality of potatoes be judged? (_c_) mention the most economical way in which to cook potatoes. ( ) tell how to prepare: (_a_) mashed potatoes; (_b_) baked potatoes. (_c_) how may the baking of potatoes be hastened? (_d_) mention several ways in which to utilize left-over potatoes. ( ) (_a_) how may sweet potatoes be prepared for the table? (_b_) tell how to prepare glazed sweet potatoes. ( ) (_a_) how are radishes usually eaten? (_b_) what may be said of the food value of radishes? ( ) (_a_) in what way do summer and winter squashes differ? (_b_) why should the seeds and skins of summer squash be removed in preparing this vegetable for the table? ( ) (_a_) why is salsify called vegetable oyster? (_b_) how is salsify prepared for cooking? ( ) (_a_) what may be said of the food value of tomatoes? (_b_) how may the acidity of tomatoes be decreased? (_c_) how may the skins of tomatoes be removed easily? ( ) (_a_) point out the difference between turnips and rutabagas. (_b_) when is it advisable to make combination vegetable dishes? (_c_) mention several good combinations. * * * * * index a acid, butyric, lactic, adulteration of milk, albumin in milk, vegetable, alpine eggs, american cheddar cheese, cream cheese, home-made cheese, apples, baked, artichokes, buttered, composition and food value of french, creamed, french, jerusalem, with hollandaise sauce, artificial buttermilk, ash, or mineral matter, in vegetables, asparagus, and its preparation, composition and food value of, for cooking, preparation of, scalloped, with butter dressing, b baked apples, beans, beets, eggplant, eggs in cream, onions, potatoes, sauerkraut, squash, sweet potatoes, baking dishes for egg recipes, individual, balls, potato, bean croquettes, loaf, lima, purée, soufflé, beans and their preparation, baked, composition and food value of dried, composition and food value of lima, composition and food value of shell, composition and food value of string, shell, string, varieties of, wax, beating of eggs, beet tops, beets and their preparation, baked, buttered, composition and food value of, pickled, preparation and cooking of, selection and care of, with cream dressing, with sour dressing, belgian cheese, black-butter sauce, tea, boiled cabbage, dinner, new england, kohlrabi, onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, bonbons, cheese, breakfast menu, breaking of eggs, brick cheese, brie cheese, broiled mushrooms, browned carrots, parsnips, potatoes, brussels sprouts and their preparation, sprouts, buttered, sprouts, composition and food value of, sprouts, cooking of, sprouts, creamed, sprouts, scalloped, bulb, root, and tuber vegetables, butter, care of, cooking with, dressing, asparagus with, economical use of, flavor and composition of, purchasing, renovated, serving, substitutes, substitutes, method of testing, buttered artichokes, beets, brussels sprouts, carrots, salsify, butterine, buttermilk, artificial, composition and food value of, cream cheese, butyric acid, c cabbage, and its preparation, boiled, composition and food value of, creamed, preparation and cooking of, purple, savoy, scalloped, selection and care of, turnip, white, camembert cheese, candling eggs, caps, sanitary milk, caramel junket, carbohydrate in milk, carbohydrates in vegetables, care and selection of string beans, of butter, of celery, of cheese, of milk, of milk in the home, necessity for, of potatoes, of vegetables, carrots, and peas, and their preparation, browned, buttered, composition and food value of, selection and preparation of, with parsley, casein in milk, cauliflower, and its preparation, composition and food value of, creamed, scalloped, selection and cooking of, with tomato sauce, celery, au gratin, care of, composition and food value of, creamed, preparation of, cellulose in vegetables, certified milk, characteristics and care of cheese, of wholesome milk, cheddar cheese, cheese, american, cheese, american cheddar, american cream, american home-made, -and-macaroni loaf, belgian, bonbons, brick, brie, buttermilk, buttermilk cream, camembert, care of, characteristics of, cheddar, cheshire, composition of, cottage, dishes, recipes for, dishes, variety of, domestic, dreams, edam, effect of cooking on, emmenthal, english, english dairy, fondue, foreign, gorgonzola, gruyère, holland, imported, junket cottage, limburger, or limburg, neufchâtel, omelet, origin, use, and production of, parmesan, quality of, roquefort, sandwiches, sapsago, sauce, serving, soufflé, stilton, straws, stuffing, tomatoes with, swiss, switzer, toast, varieties of, wafers, cheeses, french, italian, swiss, cheshire cheese, chestnuts, creamed mushrooms and, chives, chocolate junket, clabber, or curd, classification of vegetables, clean milk, grades of, cleanliness of milk, clipped eggs, combinations, vegetable, commercial preservation of eggs, composition and flavor of butter, and food value of asparagus, and food value of beets, and food value of brussels sprouts, and food value of buttermilk, and food value of cabbage, and food value of carrots, and food value of cauliflower, and food value of celery, and food value of corn, and food value of cream, and food value of cucumbers, and food value of dandelion greens, and food value of dried beans, and food value of dried lentils, and food value of dried peas, and food value of eggplant, and food value of endive, and food value of french artichokes, and food value of green peas, and food value of greens, and food value of jerusalem artichokes, and food value of kohlrabi, and food value of lettuce, and food value of lima beans, and food value of mushrooms, and food value of okra, and food value of onions, and food value of parsnips, and food value of peppers, and food value of potatoes, and food value of radishes, and food value of salsify, and food value of shell beans, and food value of skimmed milk, and food value of spinach, and food value of string beans, and food value of summer squash, and food value of sweet potatoes, and food value of swiss chard, and food value of tomatoes, and food value of turnips, and food value of vegetables, table showing, and food value of watercress, and food value of whey, and food value of winter squash, of cheese, of milk, of whole milk, standard of milk, structure, and food value of vegetables, condensed milk, cooked sautéd potatoes, cooking eggs, milk, of brussels sprouts, of cauliflower, of dried shell beans, of eggs, of lentils, of vegetables, general methods of preparation and, on cheese, effect of, on vegetables, effect of, preparing mushrooms for, preparing vegetables for, variety of ways to use milk in, with butter, corn and its preparation, and tomatoes, composition and food value of, cooked in milk, fritters, on the cob, corn oysters, pulp, soufflé, string beans, and tomatoes, sweet, cottage cheese, -cheese, junket, cow's milk, cream, cheese, american, composition and food value of, -of-corn soup, standard grading of milk and, whipping, creamed artichokes, asparagus on toast, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, eggs, kohlrabi, mushrooms and chestnuts, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, spinach, string beans, tomatoes, turnips, vegetable oysters, cress, upland, croquettes, bean, potato, cucumbers and their preparation, composition and food value of, stuffed, curd, or clabber, d dairy cheese, english, dandelion, greens, composition and food value of, with sour sauce, desiccated eggs, deterioration of eggs, causes and prevention of, diet, milk in the, digestibility of eggs, of vegetables, dinner, new england boiled, domestic cheese, drawn-butter sauce, dreams, cheese, dressing, sour, sour-cream, dried beans, composition and food value of, dried lentils, composition and food value of, onions, peas, peas, composition and food value of, shell beans, cooking of, e edam cheese, egg beater. rotary, or dover, recipes, recipes, individual baking dishes for, soufflé, eggplant, baked, food value and composition of, preparation of, sautéd, scalloped, eggs, à la goldenrod, alpine, and place in the diet, description of, as food, value of, beating of, breaking of, candling, clipped, commercial preservation of, cooking, cooking of, creamed, desiccated, deterioration of, digestibility of, extra fancy, fancy, fat in, for cooking, preliminary preparation of, fried, hard-cooked, home preservation of, in cream, baked, in the home, judging the quality of, in the market, judging the quality of, left-over, marketing of, minerals in, nutritive value of, on toast, poached, on toast, scrambled, poached, points to observe in cooking, powdered, eggs, preservation of, protein in, quality of, scalloped, scrambled, selection of, separating of, serving of, soft-cooked, or jellied, strictly fresh, stuffed, with ham, scrambled, with ham, shirred, with limewater, preservation of, with tomato, scrambled, with water glass, preservation of, emmenthal cheese, emulsion, endive, composition and food value of, english cheese, dairy cheese, monkey, evaporated and condensed milk, milk, extra fancy eggs, f fancy eggs, fat in eggs, in milk, in vegetables, figs stuffed with cheese, flavor and composition of butter, flavoring, onions for, flower and fruit vegetables, fondue, cheese, food, importance of vegetables as, value and composition of asparagus, value and composition of beets, value and composition of brussels sprouts, value and composition of buttermilk, value and composition of cabbage, value and composition of carrots, value and composition of cauliflower, value and composition of celery, value and composition of corn, value and composition of cream, value and composition of cucumbers, value and composition of dandelion greens, value and composition of dried beans, value and composition of dried lentils, value and composition of dried peas, value and composition of eggplant, value and composition of endive, value and composition of french artichokes, value and composition of green peas, value and composition of greens, value and composition of jerusalem artichokes, value and composition of kohlrabi, value and composition of lettuce, value and composition of lima beans, value and composition of mushrooms, value and composition of okra, value and composition of onions, value and composition of parsnips, value and composition of peppers, value and composition of potatoes, value and composition of radishes, value and composition of salsify, value and composition of shell beans, value and composition of spinach, value and composition of string beans, value and composition of summer squash, value and composition of sweet potatoes, value and composition of swiss chard, value and composition of tomatoes, value and composition of turnips, value and composition of vegetables, table showing, value and composition of watercress, value and composition of whey, value and composition of winter squash, value and varieties of greens, value of potatoes, value of vegetables, structure, composition and, value of whole milk, values of milk products, comparison of, foods containing milk, foreign cheese, french artichokes, artichokes, preparation of, cheese, fried potatoes, fresh shell beans, preparation and cooking of, freshness of milk, fried eggs, fritters, corn, fruit and flower vegetables, junket with, g garlic, glazed sweet potatoes, gorgonzola cheese, grades of clean milk, green onions, peas, peas, english style, peas with butter, greens and their preparation, food value of, general directions for cooking, varieties of, gruyère cheese, gumbo, h hard-cooked eggs, hash-browned potatoes, holland cheese, hollandaise sauce, sauce, artichokes with, home, keeping milk clean in the, keeping milk cool in the, -made cheese, american, milk in the, preservation of eggs, hot slaw, i imported cheese, individual baking dishes for egg recipes, irish potatoes, italian cheeses, j jellied, or soft-cooked, eggs, jerusalem artichokes, artichokes, composition and food value of, artichokes, preparation of, judging the quality of eggs in the home, the quality of eggs in the market, junket caramel, chocolate, cottage cheese, plain, recipes for, with fruit, k kinds of cheese, kohlrabi, boiled, composition and food value, creamed, mashed, preparation of, l lactic acid, lactose, leeks, left-over eggs, legumes, legumin, lentil puff, lentils, cooking of, preparation of, lettuce, composition and food value of, lima-bean loaf, beans, composition and food value of, beans en casserole, beans in cream, limburg cheese, limburger cheese, lime in milk, limewater, preservation of eggs with, loaf, cheese-and macaroni, lima bean, luncheon menu, lyonnaise potatoes, m maître d'hôtel sauce, margarine, marketing of eggs, marrow, vegetable, mashed kohlrabi, parsnips, potatoes, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, medium white sauce, white sauce for vegetables, menu, breakfast, luncheon, methods of cooking applied to vegetables, milk, adulteration of, albumin in, and cream, standard grading of, caps, sanitary, carbohydrate in, care of, casein in, certified, milk, characteristics of wholesome, cleanliness of, composition and food value of skim, composition of, composition of whole, composition, standard of, condensed, cooking, cow's, dishes and sauces, recipes for, evaporated, fat in, foods containing, freshness of, grades of clean, in cooking, ways of using, in the diet, in the home, in the home, necessity for care of, mineral matter in, modified, pasteurized, points to be observed in cooking, powdered, preserved, products, comparison of food value of, products obtained from, protein in, purchase of, skim, sour, sterilized, water in, whole, mineral matter in milk, matter, or ash, in vegetables, minerals in eggs, modified milk, monkey, english, mushrooms, and chestnuts, creamed, and their preparation, broiled, composition and food value of, for cooking, preparing, sautéd, stewed, n navy beans, stewed, neufchâtel cheese, new england boiled dinner, nutritive value of eggs, o okra, composition and food value of, preparation of, stewed, with tomatoes, oleomargarine, omelet, cheese, plain, puff, tomato, omelets, variety in, onion family, varieties of the, onions, baked, boiled, composition and food value of, creamed, dried, for flavoring, for the table, green, preparation of, stuffed, oyster, vegetable, oysters, corn, creamed vegetable, scalloped vegetable, p parmesan cheese, parsley, parsnips, browned, composition and food value of, creamed, mashed, preparation of, pasteurized milk, patties, potato, peas, and carrots, and potatoes, and their preparation, composition and food value of dried, creamed, dried, food value and composition of green, green, in turnip cups, purée, soufflé, peppercress, peppers, composition and food value of, preparation of, stuffed, perishable vegetables, phosphates, pickled beets, plain junket, omelet, poached eggs, eggs on toast, potash, potato balls, croquettes, patties, puff, potatoes, and peas, and turnips, au gratin, baked, baked sweet, boiled, boiled sweet, browned, care of, composition and food value of, composition and food value of sweet, cooked sautéd, creamed, french fried, glazed sweet, hash-browned, lyonnaise, mashed, mashed sweet, preparation of, raw sautéd, scalloped, selection of, stuffed, sweet, white, powdered eggs, milk, preparation and cooking of beets, and cooking of cabbage, and cooking of fresh shell beans, and cooking of string beans, and cooking of vegetables, general methods of, of asparagus for cooking, of beans, of beets, of brussels sprouts, of cabbage, of carrots, of cauliflower, of celery, of corn, of cucumbers, of eggplant, of eggs for cooking, preliminary, of french artichokes, of greens, of kohlrabi, of jerusalem artichokes, preparation of lentils, of mushrooms, of mushrooms for cooking, of okra, of onions, of parsnips, of peas, of peppers, of potatoes, of radishes, of salsify, of squash, of tomatoes, of turnips, preparing vegetables for cooking, preservation of eggs, of eggs with limewater, of eggs with water glass, preserved milk, production, origin, and use of cheese, products, comparison of food value of milk, obtained from milk, protein in eggs, in milk, in vegetables, puff, lentil, omelet, potato, pulp, corn, purchase of milk, of vegetables, purchasing butter, purée, bean, peas, purple cabbage, q quality of cheese, of eggs, of eggs in the home, judging the, of eggs in the market, judging the, r radishes, food value and composition of, preparation of, rarebit, welsh, raw sautéd potatoes, recipes, egg, for cheese dishes, for junket, for milk dishes and sauces, for white sauce, renovated butter, root, tuber, and bulb vegetables, roquefort cheese, rotary, or dover, egg beater, rutabagas, s salsify, buttered, composition and food value of, preparation of, sapsago cheese, sandwiches, cheese, sanitary milk caps, sauce, black-butter, cheese, drawn-butter, for creamed string beans, for vegetables, medium white, hollandaise, maître d'hôtel, medium white, recipes for white, thick white, thin white, tomato, vegetable, sauces and milk dishes, recipes for, for vegetables, sauerkraut, baked, making, sautéd, with spareribs, sautéd eggplant, mushrooms, sauerkraut, summer squash, tomatoes, savoy cabbage, scalloped asparagus, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, vegetable oysters, scrambled eggs, eggs on toast, eggs with ham, eggs with tomato, selection and care of beets, and care of cabbage, and care of string beans, and cooking of cauliflower, and preparation of carrots, of eggs, of potatoes, separating of eggs, serving butter, cheese, of eggs, vegetables, shallots, shell beans, shell beans dressed with butter, beans in cream, beans, preparation and cooking of fresh, beans, varieties and food value of, shirred eggs with ham, skim milk, milk, composition and food value of, slaw, hot, soft-cooked, or jellied, eggs, soufflé, bean, cheese, corn, egg, peas, spinach, soup, cream-of-corn, sour-cream dressing, dressing, milk, spinach, composition and food value of, creamed, royal, soufflé, squash and its preparation, baked, composition and food value of summer, composition and food value of winter, mashed, sautéd summer, stewed summer, summer, winter, standard grading of milk and cream, of milk composition, sterilized milk, stewed mushrooms, navy beans, okra, summer squash, tomatoes, turnips, stilton cheese, straws, cheese, strictly fresh eggs string beans, beans, corn, and tomatoes, beans, creamed, beans in butter beans, preparation and cooking of, beans, selection and care of, beans, varieties of, beans with salt pork, beans with sour dressing, structure, composition, and food value of vegetables, stuffed cucumbers, eggs, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes with cheese carrots, substitutes, butter, method of testing butter, succotash, succulent vegetables, summer squash, squash, sautéd, squash, stewed, sweet corn, potatoes, potatoes, baked, potatoes, boiled, potatoes, glazed, potatoes, mashed, swiss chard, composition and food value of, cheeses, switzer cheese, t table showing composition and food value of vegetables, tea, black, testing butter substitutes, method of, thick white sauce, thin white sauce, toast, cheese, tomato omelet, sauce, tomatoes, and corn, composition and food value of, corn, and string beans, creamed, preparation of, sautéd, scalloped, stewed, stuffed, with cheese carrots, stuffed, with cheese stuffing, tuber, root, and bulb vegetables, turnip cabbage, turnips, and potatoes, composition and food value of, creamed, mashed, preparation of, stewed, u upland cress, use of butter, economical, use, origin, and production of cheese, v value of eggs as food, varieties and food value of greens, and food value of shell beans, of beans, of cheese, classification of, of greens, of string beans, of the onion family, of vegetables, variety in omelets, in vegetables, of cheese dishes, of ways to use milk in cooking, vegetable albumin, combinations, marrow, oyster, oysters, creamed, oysters, scalloped, sauce, vegetables, as food, importance of, as food, preparation of, carbohydrates in, care of, cellulose in, classification of, composition of, digestibility of, effect of cooking on, fat in, food value of, for cooking, preparing, fruit and flower, medium white sauce for, methods of cooking applied to, mineral matter, or ash, in, perishable, preparation of, protein in, purchase of, root, tuber, and bulb, sauces for, serving, structure of, succulent, varieties of, variety in, water in, winter, w wafers, cheese, water glass, preservation of eggs with, in milk, water in vegetables watercress composition and food value of wax beans welsh rarebit whey composition and food value of whipping cream white cabbage potatoes white sauce for vegetables, medium sauce, medium sauce, recipes for sauce, thick sauce, thin whole milk milk, food value of wholesome milk, characteristics of winter squash vegetables and pg distributed proofreaders woman's institute library of cookery volume five fruit and fruit desserts canning and drying jelly making, preserving, and pickling confections beverages the planning of meals woman's institute of domestic arts and sciences, inc. preface this volume, the fifth of the woman's institute library of cookery, deals with the varieties of fruits and the desserts that can be made from them, the canning and preserving of foods, the making of confections of every description, beverages and their place in the diet, and every phase of the planning of meals. with fruits becoming less seasonal and more a daily food, an understanding of them is of great value to the housewife. in _fruit and fruit desserts_, she first learns their place in the diet, their nature, composition, and food value. then she proceeds with the preparation and serving of every variety of fruit. included in this section also are fruit cocktails, those refreshing appetizers often used to introduce a special meal. to understand how to preserve perishable foods in the seasons of plenty for the times when they are not obtainable is a valuable part of a housewife's knowledge. _canning and drying_ deals with two ways of preserving foodstuffs, treating carefully the equipment needed and all the methods that can be employed and showing by means of excellent illustrations, one of them in natural colors, every part of the procedure followed. the fruits and vegetables that permit of canning, as well as certain meats and fish, are taken up in a systematic manner. _jelly making, preserving, and pickling_ continues a discussion of the home preservation of foods, showing how they can be kept for long periods of time not by sterilization, but with the aid of preservatives. each one of these methods is treated as to its principles, equipment, and the procedure to be followed. after trying the numerous recipes given, the housewife will be able to show with pride the results of her efforts, for nothing adds more to the attractiveness and palatability of a meal than a choice jelly, conserve, marmalade, or jam. _confections_ deals with that very delightful and fascinating part of cookery--confection making. not only are home-made confections cheaper than commercially made ones, but they usually contain more wholesome materials, so it is to the housewife's advantage to familiarize herself with the making of this food. recipes are given for all varieties of confections, including taffies, caramels, cream candies, and the confections related to them. fondant making is treated in detail with illustrations showing every step and directions for making many unusual kinds. though beverages often receive only slight consideration, they are so necessary that the body cannot exist very long without them. in _beverages_ is discussed the relation of beverages to meals, the classes of beverages, and the preparation of those required by the human system, as well as the proper way to serve them. in addition to coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, and cereal beverages, fruit, soft, and nourishing drinks receive their share of attention. to be a successful home maker, it is not enough for a housewife to know how to prepare food; she must also understand how to buy it, how to look after the household accounts, what constitutes correct diet for each member of her family, how to plan menus for her regular meals and for special occasions, and the essentials of good table service. all these things, and many more, she learns in _the planning of meals_, which completes this volume. contents fruit and fruit desserts fruit in the diet composition of fruits food value of fruits preparing and serving fruits blackberries blueberries cranberries raspberries strawberries miscellaneous berries apples apricots cherries grapes peaches pears plums quinces rhubarb grapefruit lemons oranges miscellaneous citrus fruits bananas pineapples miscellaneous tropical fruits melons fruit cocktails dates figs prunes raisins dried apples, apricots, and peaches canning and drying necessity for preserving foods principles of canning general equipment for canning open-kettle method cold-pack method procedure in the one-period cold-pack method procedure in the fractional-sterilization method steam-pressure methods canning with tin cans oven method preparation for canning directions for canning vegetables directions for canning fruits sirups for canning fruits canning meat and fish storing and serving canned foods scoring canned foods principles of drying drying methods directions for drying vegetables and fruits storing and cooking dried foods jelly making, preserving, and pickling value of jellies, preserves, and pickles principles of jelly making equipment for jelly making procedure in jelly making scoring jelly recipes for jelly principles of preserving preserves conserves marmalades jams butters principles of pickling recipes for pickles recipes for relishes confections nature of confections composition of confections foundation materials in confections flavorings colorings acids food materials equipment for confection making cooking the mixture pouring and cooling the mixture finishing candies taffies and similar candies caramels fudge and related candies fondant and related creams miscellaneous confections serving candy beverages nature and classes of beverages water in beverages relation of beverages to meals alcoholic beverages stimulating beverages history and production of coffee preparation of coffee serving coffee history and production of tea preparation of tea serving tea nature and selection of cocoa and chocolate preparation of cocoa and chocolate serving cocoa and chocolate cereal beverages ingredients for fruit beverages preparation of fruit beverages soft drinks nourishing beverages the planning of meals necessity for careful meal planning successful marketing keeping household accounts factors influencing cost of foods economical buying suitability of food composition of food balancing the diet diet for infants and children diet for the family proportion of food substances general rules for menu making card-file system for menu making dinner menus luncheon menus breakfast menus menus for special occasions table service * * * * * fruit and fruit desserts fruit in the diet . fruit, as is generally understood, is the fleshy, juicy product of some plant or tree which, when ripe, is suitable for use as food. although some fruits are seedless, they generally contain the seeds of the plants or trees that produce them. many fruits require cooking to make them palatable, others are never cooked, and still others may be cooked or eaten raw, as desired. fruits, because they are wholesome, appetizing, and attractive, occupy a valuable place in the diet. in fact, it is these qualities rather than their food value that accounts for the popularity of fruits among all people. in addition to causing fruits to appeal to the esthetic sense, their attractiveness serves another important purpose. it is said that nature made them attractive in color, odor, and flavor in order that birds might be allured to attack them for food and, by spreading the seeds, assist in their propagation. . fruits are gradually growing to be less seasonal and more a daily food, and are thus constantly becoming more prevalent in the diet. this condition may be attributed to the present rapid means of transportation and the excellent methods of cold storage that exist. through these agencies it is possible to ship more or less perishable fruits long distances from their native localities and at times of the year other than the particular season in which they are at their best in the places where they are grown. thus, fruits that were formerly considered a luxury may now be served regularly, even on the tables of persons having only moderate means. the fact that fruits are being more extensively used every day is as it should be, for this food is entitled to an important place in the diet of all persons. so important is fruit in the diet that it must be looked on not as one of the things that may be taken or omitted as a person wishes without making any difference either way, but as a food to include in one form or another in nearly every meal. the child who is so young that it cannot take any solid food may have fruit juices included in its diet to decided advantage; but children who are slightly older and adults may take the fruits cooked or raw instead of in the form of juices. . as far as the composition of fruits is concerned, it is such that most fresh fruits are not particularly high in food value. however, they are characterized by other qualities that make up for what they lack in this respect; then, too, what they contain in the way of heat-producing or tissue-building material is easily digestible. most fruits contain considerable acid, and this food substance makes them stimulating to the appetite. advantage of this fact is taken when fruits are served at the beginning of a breakfast or when several of them are combined in a fruit cocktail and served before luncheon or dinner. this acid produces real stimulation in the stomach, resulting in a flow of gastric juice from the glands of the stomach walls. in addition, the delightful color, the fragrant odor, or the pleasant taste of fruit, although a mental effect, is just as real and just as valuable as the actual stimulation of the acids. . many fruits are eaten raw, while others are cooked either because they require cooking to make them appetizing or because it is desired not to use them in their raw state. the cooking of fruits has a variety of effects on them, being sometimes advantageous and other times detrimental. the flavor is always changed by the application of heat, and in some cases the acid that fruit contains becomes stronger. on the other hand, the fibrous material, or cellulose, of fruits is softened by cooking and thus becomes more digestible. then, too, the sugar that is usually added to fruits in their cooking increases their food value. because of these facts, cooked fruits have considerable value and, like raw fruits, should have an important place in the diet. those fruits which are dried and usually eaten raw, such as figs and dates, supply much nourishment in an easily digestible form. . the medicinal value of fruit has long been considered to be of importance, but this may be almost entirely disregarded, for, with the exception of the fact that most fruits are valuable as a laxative, there is nothing to consider. however, several fruits, such as blackberries and bananas, have an anti-laxative effect, and large quantities of these should for the most part be avoided, especially in the feeding of children. . in general, fruits are divided into two classes, namely, food fruits and flavor fruits. as their names imply, _food fruits_ are valuable as food, whereas _flavor fruits_ are those distinguished by a characteristic flavor. it should be remembered that the flavors, as well as the odors, of fruits, are due chiefly to what is known as their volatile, or ethereal, oils. fruits in which these oils are very strong are often irritating to certain persons and cause distress of some sort after eating. . in this section, it is the purpose to acquaint the housewife with the relative value and uses of the various kinds of fruit, to teach her the best methods of preparation, and to supply her with recipes that will encourage her to make greater use of this valuable food in her family's diet. in this discussion, however, the general classification of fruits is not followed. instead, the various fruits are arranged alphabetically under the headings berries, non-tropical fruits, citrus fruits, tropical fruits, melons, and dried fruits, in order to simplify matters. while it is hardly possible to use fruits too extensively, they must not be allowed to take the place of other more nourishing foods that are required by the body. therefore, in order to make proper use of them, their value in the diet should not be overlooked. * * * * * nature of fruits advance in fruit cultivation . it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between vegetables and fruits. for instance, the tomato is in reality a fruit, but it is commonly used as a vegetable, and rhubarb is more of a vegetable than a fruit, but it is always used as a fruit. it can therefore be seen that the line between vegetables and fruits is not clearly drawn. it is well to remember that fruit is usually the edible pulpy mass covering the seeds of various plants and trees, and that it is generally cooked or eaten raw with sugar, whereas vegetables are seldom sweetened in cooking. . great strides have been made in the cultivation of fruit. many varieties that formerly grew wild are now commonly cultivated. most of the cultivated fruits are superior to the same kind in the wild state, at least in size and appearance, but often there seems to be a loss of flavor. through cultivation, some fruits that were almost inedible in their wild state on account of containing so many seeds have been made seedless. also, through cross-cultivation, varieties of fruit different from what formerly existed have been obtained. an example of such fruit is the loganberry which is a cross between a red raspberry and a blackberry and retains many of the qualities of each. however, some small fruits, such as blueberries, or huckleberries, are still grown wild and marketed only from their wild source. . while fruit is usually improved by cultivation, there has been a tendency through this means to produce fruits that will stand up for long periods of time, so that they may be marketed at great distances from the place where they are grown. for instance, apples, especially those found in the market in the spring, and other fruits, which look very fine, will many times be found to have a tough skin and to be almost tasteless. in general, fruits of delicate flavor and texture cannot be kept very long after they have ripened. to stand shipping, they must be picked in their green stage; then if they are kept in the right temperature they will ripen after picking. bananas that are to be shipped a long distance are picked when perfectly green, but by the time the consumer buys them they are usually well ripened. in addition to bananas, a few other tropical fruits are shipped out of their native climates in small numbers and are sold at very high prices. however, many tropical fruits cannot be shipped to the northern states because of their perishable nature. * * * * * composition and food value of fruits composition of fruits . the composition of fruits is a matter of considerable importance, for on it the food value of the fruits depends. to a certain extent, the composition of all fruits is the same, but the varieties of this food differ in their food values almost as greatly as do vegetables. many of them are extremely low in this respect, while a few of them are rather high. in order to determine the place that fruit should have in a meal, it is necessary to obtain a definite idea of the composition as well as the food value of the different varieties. . protein and fat in fruits.--such small quantities of protein and fat are contained in fruits that very little attention need be given to these substances. exceptions are found in avocados, or alligator pears, and in ripe olives, both of which are high in fat. then, too, there is a small amount of protein in grapes and some other fruits, but it is not sufficient to merit consideration. . carbohydrate in fruit.--whatever food value fruits may have, whether it be high or low, is due to the carbohydrate they contain. some green fruits and bananas contain a very small amount of starch, but on the whole the carbohydrate of fruits is in the form of sugar and is in solution in the fruit juices. the chief form of this carbohydrate is known as _levulose_, or _fruit sugar_. however, _glucose_, another form of sugar, is also found in nearly all fruits, grapes and dried fruits, such as figs, raisins, etc., containing an unusually large amount. in addition, _cane sugar_ is contained in the majority of fruits. _pectin_ is also a carbohydrate that is found in large quantities in some fruits, while in other fruits it is lacking. this substance is related to the gums and to cellulose. although it is one of the carbohydrates from which no food value is derived, it is of considerable importance, because it is responsible for the jelly-making properties of fruits. . in fruits that are not fully matured, or, in other words, green fruits, the sugar has not developed to so great an extent as it has in perfectly ripe fruits. consequently, such fruits are not so high in food value as they are when they become ripe. as is well known, it is the sugar of fruits that accounts for their sweet taste, for the sweeter the fruits, the more sugar and the less acid they contain. the quantity of this substance varies from per cent. in lemons to per cent. in some other fresh fruits, such as plums. in dried fruits, the amount of sugar is much higher, reaching as high as per cent. or even more in such fruits as figs, dates, and raisins. . cellulose in fruit.--in fruits, as in vegetables, cellulose is found in varying quantities. the larger the quantity, the lower will be the food value of the fruit, except where the water has been evaporated, as in the case of dried fruits. the digestibility of this cellulose, however, is not worth considering, for, while it is possible that small amounts of very young and tender cellulose from fruits may be digested, on the whole this characteristic may be disregarded. the skins and seeds of fruits, as well as the coarse material that helps to make up the pulp, are known as refuse and are treated as such by the human digestive tract; but it is to this waste material, or cellulose, that the laxative quality of fruit is largely due. in cases where there are digestive or intestinal troubles, it is often necessary to remove the cellulose before the fruit is eaten. the coarse material may be removed and that which is more tender may be broken up by pressing the fruit through a sieve or a strainer of some kind. the cooking of fruits is another means of making the cellulose in them more easily digested, for it softens, or disintegrates, the various particles of the indigestible material. when fruit is taken for its laxative effect and the irritation of the cellulose needs no consideration, the skins of the fruits may be eaten instead of being rejected. however, to avoid any trouble, they should be well chewed. . minerals in fruit.--all fruits contain a certain percentage of mineral salts. the quantity varies in the different kinds of fruits, but it averages about per cent. these salts have the opposite effect on the blood from those found in meats and cereals, but they act in much the same way as the minerals of vegetables. in other words, they have a tendency to render the blood more alkaline and less acid. they are therefore one of the food constituents that help to make fruit valuable in the diet and should be retained as far as possible in its preparation. in fact, any method that results in a loss of minerals is not a good one to adopt in the preparation of fruits. the minerals commonly found in fruits are iron, lime, sodium, magnesium, potash, and phosphorus. these are in solution in the fruit juices to a very great extent, and when the juices are extracted the minerals remain in them. . acids in fruit.--some fruits contain only a small amount of acid, while others contain larger quantities. it is these acids, together with the sugar and the volatile oils of fruits, that constitute the entire flavor of this food. most ripe fruits contain less acid than unripe ones, and cooked fruits are often higher in acid than the same fruits when raw. numerous kinds of acid are found in the different varieties of fruits. for example, lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and a few other fruits belonging to the class known as citrus fruits contain _citric acid_; peaches, plums, apricots, and apples, _malic acid_; and grapes and many other fruits, _tartaric acid_. table i composition and food value of fruits | | | | | |food value fruit |water|protein| fat |carbo- |mineral|per pound, | | | |hydrate|matter |in calories ------------------+-----+-------+-----+-------+-------+----------- | | | | | | apples, fresh | . | . | . | . | . | apples, dried | . | . | . | . | . | , apricots, fresh | . | . | -- | . | . | apricots, dried | . | . | . | . | . | , bananas | . | . | . | . | . | blackberries | . | . | . | . | . | cherries | . | . | . | . | . | cranberries | . | . | . | . | . | currants | . | . | -- | . | . | dates | . | . | . | . | . | , figs, fresh | . | . | -- | . | . | figs, dried | . | . | . | . | . | , grapefruit | . | . | . | . | . | grapes | . | . | . | . | . | huckleberries | . | . | . | . | . | lemons | . | . | . | . | . | muskmelons | . | . | -- | . | . | nectarines | . | . | -- | . | . | oranges | . | . | . | . | . | peaches | . | . | . | . | . | pears | . | . | . | . | . | persimmons | . | . | . | . | . | pineapple | . | . | . | . | . | plums | . | . | -- | . | . | pomegranates | . | . | . | . | . | prunes, fresh | . | . | -- | . | . | prunes, dried | . | . | -- | . | . | , raisins | . | . | . | . | . | , raspberries, red | . | . | -- | . | . | raspberries, black| . | . | . | . | . | rhubarb | . | . | . | . | . | strawberries | . | . | . | . | . | watermelon | . | . | . | . | . | ------------------+-----+-------+-----+-------+-------+----------- . the juice of fruits that contain very little sugar and a large quantity of acid, such as the lemon, may be used for the seasoning of food in much the same way that vinegar is used. it may also be diluted with other liquids and used for a beverage. then, again, various kinds of fruit juices are subjected to a process of fermentation and, through the production of another acid, are made into vinegar and wines. when apples are treated in this way, the fermentation produces _acetic acid_ and, in addition, a certain amount of alcohol. it is on this principle that the making of wines depends. . water in fruit.--the water content of fresh fruits is very high, reaching per cent. in some varieties. dried fruits, on the other hand, contain much less water, their content being in some cases as low as to per cent. it naturally follows that the fruits low in water are high in food value, while those containing considerable water have in their composition less of the material that adds food value. the high percentage of water in fresh fruits, together with the acids they contain, accounts for the fact that these fruits are so refreshing. fruits of this kind, in addition to having this refreshing quality, help to provide the necessary liquid in the diet. . table showing composition and food value of fruits.--just as fruits vary in their composition, so do they vary in their food value. this fact is clearly shown in table i, which gives the percentage of food substances contained in different fruits and the food value per pound, in calories, that these fruits contain. as in the table showing the composition and food value of vegetables given in _vegetables_, part , the figures in this table are taken from atwater's table of american food materials and refer to the edible part of the material. reference to table i, as progress is made with the study of fruits and their preparation, will be of much assistance in learning the place that fruits occupy in the dietary. food value of fruits . effect of ripeness on fruits.--there is a very marked difference between ripe and green fruits as to their composition, flavor, texture, palatability, and digestibility. green fruits, containing more acid than ripe ones, serve some purposes for which ripe fruits of the same variety cannot be used so well. for instance, a very much better jelly can be made from grapes that are not entirely ripe than from those which have completely ripened. green fruits contain less sugar than do ripe ones, and so they are more sour to the taste. in some cases, the carbohydrate found in green fruits is partly in the form of starch, which in the process of development is changed to sugar. the cellulose of green fruits, especially that distributed throughout the pulp of the fruit itself, is usually tougher and harder than that which is found in the same fruit after it has ripened. . digestibility of fruits.--the ripeness and freshness of fruits determine their digestibility to a great extent, but the peculiarities of each person have much to do with this matter. many times a particular fruit will agree with almost every one but a few exceptional persons, and, for no apparent reason except their own peculiarities of digestion, it disagrees very badly with them. abnormal conditions of the alimentary tract, however, cannot be taken into consideration in a general discussion on the digestibility of foods, for it is a subject that cannot be treated except from a dietetic standpoint. a safe rule to follow when a fruit is found to disagree with a person is to omit it from that person's diet. this need not prove a hardship, for the wide range, or variety, of fruits makes it possible to find one or more kinds that will agree with each person. . as has been explained, sugar is the food material from which the nutritive value of fruits is obtained. with the exception of a few predigested foods, manufactured in such a way that they can be digested easily, this sugar is probably the most easily digested form of food that can be obtained. this substance, being held in solution in the fruit juices, which are encased in a cellulose covering, depends to some extent for its digestion on the hardness of the cellulose. when this covering is old and hard or green and tough, as the case may be, it is difficult for the digestive juices to break through and attack the sugar contained inside. as this difficulty is not encountered when fruit is fresh and ripe, its freshness and ripeness become important factors in digestibility. cooking is also an important factor because it softens the cellulose, but there are certain other changes made by cooking that must be taken into consideration as well. . effect of cooking on fruit.--cooking affects fruits in numerous ways, depending on the condition of the fruit itself, the method used, and the length of time the heat is applied. when fruits are cooked in water or in a thin sirup, the cellulose becomes softened. on the other hand, if they are cooked in a heavy sirup, as, for instance, in the making of preserves, the cellulose becomes hardened and the fruit, instead of breaking up, remains whole or nearly so and becomes tough and hard in texture. the addition of quantities of sugar, as in the latter case, besides helping to keep the fruit whole, increases its food value. . another change that usually takes place when fruit is cooked is in its flavor. this change is due either to an increase in the acid contained in the fruit or to a decrease in the amount of sugar. some authorities believe that cooking increases the amount of acid, while others hold the view that, when fruit is cooked without removing the skins and seeds, the acid contained in the seeds and skins and not noticeable when the fruit is fresh, is released during the cooking. such is undoubtedly the case with plums. the change that is brought about in the sugar by the cooking of fruits consists in changing the cane sugar into levulose and dextrose, which are not so sweet. this change accounts for the fact that some cooked fruits are less sweet than others, in spite of the fact that the acid does not seem to be increased. . in addition to producing certain changes in fruit, cooking, if done thoroughly, renders fruits sterile, as it does other foods; that is, it kills any bacteria that the fruits may contain. advantage of this fact is taken when fruits are canned for future use. although most persons prefer raw fruit to that which is cooked, there are some who object to eating this food raw, but who are not always certain as to the reason for their objection. like other raw foods, fruits in their fresh state contain _vitamines_; that is, a substance that helps to keep the body in a healthy, normal condition. these are found to some extent in cooked fruits, but not in the same quantity as in raw ones; consequently, as much use as possible should be made of raw fruits in the diet. * * * * * fruits and their preparation as food preparing and serving . required sanitary conditions.--since large quantities of fruits are eaten raw, it is necessary that they be handled in the most sanitary manner if disease from their use be prevented. however, they are often in an unsanitary condition when they reach the housewife. for instance, they become contaminated from the soiled hands of the persons who handle them, from the dirt deposited on them during their growth, from the fertilizer that may be used on the soil, from flies and other insects that may crawl over them, and from being stored, displayed, or sold in surroundings where they may be exposed to the dirt from streets and other contaminating sources. because of the possibility of all these sources of contamination, it is essential that fruits that are not to be cooked be thoroughly washed before they are eaten. it is true that a certain amount of flavor or food material may be lost from the washing, but this is of little importance compared with the possibility of preventing disease. . washing fruits.--the manner of washing fruits depends largely on the nature of the fruit. fruits that have a sticky surface, such as raisins, figs, and dates, usually have to be washed in several waters. hard fruits, such as pears, apples, plums, etc., should be washed with running water. berries and softer fruits require more careful procedure, it usually being advisable to pour them into a pan containing water and then, after stirring them around in the water until all dirt is removed, take them from the water, rather than pour the water from them. in any event, all fruits eaten raw should be properly washed. . serving fruits.--while the serving of fruits is a simple matter, it should be done in as dainty a way as possible, so as not to detract from their natural attractiveness. if the skins are to remain on the fruits while serving, a knife, preferably a fruit knife, should be served with them, and nothing smaller than a salad plate should be used. the carefully washed leaves of the fruit served make an attractive garnish. for instance, large, perfect strawberries with the stems on, when heaped on a plate garnished with strawberry leaves and served with a small dish of powdered sugar, are always attractive. likewise, a bunch of grapes served on grape leaves never fails to attract. a mixture of a number of fruits, such as peaches, pears, and plums, or, in winter, oranges, bananas, and apples, piled in a large bowl and passed after salad plates have been distributed, not only makes an excellent dessert, but permits the persons served to take their choice. fresh berries, sliced peaches, bananas, oranges, etc. may be served in sauce dishes, which should be placed on a service plate. they may be passed or served from a bowl by the hostess. canned or stewed fruits may be served in the same way. * * * * * berries nature and care . berries are among the most perishable fruits and begin to come into market early in the summer season. in most localities, the berry season begins with strawberries and ends with blackberries. because the numerous varieties are somewhat juicy and soft and therefore extremely perishable, they will not stand shipping and storage for long periods of time. the quality of berries depends much on the nature of the season, as well as on the locality in which the berries are grown. if there is a good supply of rain, the berries will be very moist, containing a large amount of pulp in proportion to seeds and skins; but if the season is very dry, the berries are likely to be less moist and consequently less palatable. a general use of berries, and to almost every one the most important, is the making of jams, jellies, and preserves. in the preparation of berries for the table, they should be handled as little as possible in order to prevent them from breaking up and losing their shape. after being purchased, they should be kept where it is cool until they are to be used. it is advisable not to wash them until just before serving, as the extra handling usually bruises them and causes them to spoil. the different varieties of berries are here taken up in alphabetical order so as to make the matter easy for reference. those of which extensive use is made contain one or more recipes that may be followed without any hesitation. in a few instances, as in the case of currants, recipes are not included, as the fruits are limited to only a few uses and directions for these occur elsewhere. blackberries . blackberries come late in the summer season. good varieties of cultivated blackberries, which are large in size and contain comparatively few seeds, are the best for use. however, in some localities, uncultivated blackberries grow in sufficient quantities to be useful for food. blackberries are used extensively for jam, as they make an excellent kind that appeals to most persons. their juice may be used for jelly, but if the berries are to be utilized most successfully in this way they must be picked before they are thoroughly ripe or some fruit that will supply an additional quantity of pectin may have to be combined with them. fresh blackberries may be served for dessert with sugar and cream. otherwise, the use of this fruit in desserts is not very extensive, except where the canned berries are used for pastry or pie or are eaten for sauce or where the jam is used in making up various dessert dishes. very little preparation is necessary in getting blackberries ready to serve. they should simply be looked over carefully, so that all imperfect ones and all foreign matter may be removed, and then washed in cold water. . blackberry sponge.--one of the few desserts made from fresh blackberries is that explained in the accompanying recipe and known as blackberry sponge. this is very delicious, for the berries are combined with cake and the combination then served with whipped cream. blackberry sponge (sufficient to serve six) qt. blackberries / c. sugar c. water pieces plain loaf or sponge cake whipped cream heat half of the berries with the sugar and the water until they are mushy. then force the whole through a sieve. cut the cake into cubes and put them into a bowl. pour the juice and the blackberry pulp on the cake. press the mixture down with a spoon until it is quite solid and set in the refrigerator or some other cold place to cool. turn out of the bowl on a large plate, garnish with the remaining berries, heap with the whipped cream, and serve. blueberries . blueberries, which are not cultivated, but grow in the wild state, are a many-seeded berry, blue or bluish-black in color. _huckleberries_, although belonging to a different class, are commonly regarded as blueberries by many persons. berries of this kind occur in many varieties. some grow on low bushes close to the ground, others are found on taller bushes, and still others grow on very tall bushes. again, some grow in dry ground in a mountainous region, others grow in a level, sandy soil, and other varieties succeed better on swampy soil. berries of this class are not so perishable as most other berries, but in many localities they cannot be purchased at all, for, as a rule, they are used only in the immediate vicinity in which they grow. blueberries have small seeds and coarse, tough skins. they contain very little acid, but are excellent for pies and sauce. however, they will make jelly very well if there are a few partly ripe berries among them, and their flavor is improved if some fruit containing acid is added to them. to prepare them for use, whether they are to be served raw or cooked, look them over carefully in order that all green or spoiled ones are removed and then wash them well in cold water. . pressed blueberry pudding.--a delicious pudding can be made by combining blueberries with slices of bread. the accompanying recipe gives directions for pudding of this kind. pressed blueberry pudding (sufficient to serve eight) qt. blueberries c. water / c. sugar slices bread whipped cream put the blueberries, water, and sugar into a saucepan and boil for a few minutes. put four of the slices of bread, which should be cut about / inch thick, in the bottom of a square pan. pour one-half of the blueberries and the juice over the bread, and put the four remaining slices of bread on top of the berries. pour the rest of the blueberries and juice over the bread. place another square pan over the top and weight it down so as to press the pudding. then set the pudding in the refrigerator until it is cool. cut into squares, remove from the pan, and serve with sweetened whipped cream. . blueberry pudding.--a baking-powder-biscuit dough baked with blueberries makes a very appetizing dessert. to serve with a pudding of this kind, a cream or a hard sauce should be made. blueberry pudding (sufficient to serve six) baking-powder-biscuit dough qt. blueberries / c. sugar make a rather thin baking-powder-biscuit mixture. spread a layer of this in the bottom of a square pan and cover it with a layer of the blueberries. pour / cupful of the sugar over the berries and then cover with another layer of the dough. over this, pour the remainder of the berries and sprinkle the rest of the sugar over all. place in the oven and bake for about minutes. remove from the oven, cut into squares, and serve with cream or hard sauce. cranberries . cranberries grow wild in many localities, but most persons who use them buy them in the market as a cultivated fruit. their season begins in the fall and lasts until early spring, and during this time they can usually be obtained in the market. they contain considerable acid and consequently require a great deal of sugar to make them sufficiently sweet to be palatable. they are more often served as an accompaniment to a dinner course, especially with turkey or other poultry, than eaten as a sauce. at times they are used in the making of muffins, pudding, and various kinds of pastry. one of the advantages of cranberries is that they keep very well in the raw state. however, before they are cooked, they should be looked over carefully, freed of any stems, foreign material, and spoiled berries, and then washed thoroughly in cold water. . cranberry sauce.--one can hardly imagine a turkey dinner without cranberry sauce as one of the accompaniments; but it may be served when meats other than turkey are used. in fact, because of its tart flavor, it forms a most appetizing addition to any meal. cranberry sauce (sufficient to serve six) - / c. water c. sugar c. cranberries add the water to the cranberries and place over the fire to cook in a closely covered kettle. as soon as the skins of the berries have cracked, add the sugar. cook slowly for a few minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. remove from the fire and cool before serving. . cranberry jelly.--if the cranberries are preferred without the skins, cranberry jelly should be tried. when cool, this solidifies and may be served in attractive ways. cranberry jelly (sufficient to serve six) c. water qt. cranberries c. sugar pour the water over the cranberries and cook them for or minutes. then mash them through a sieve or a colander with a wooden potato masher. add the sugar to the mashed cranberries. return to the heat and cook for to minutes longer. turn into a mold and cool. raspberries . raspberries come in two general varieties, which are commonly known as _red_ and _black_. there are many species of each kind, and all of them are much favored, as they are delicious fruit. as a raw fruit, raspberries have their most satisfactory use, but they may be made into several excellent desserts and they are also much used for canning and preserving. they are a perishable fruit and so do not keep well. because of their softness, they have to be washed very carefully to prevent them from breaking or becoming mushy. . red-raspberry whip.--no more dainty dessert can be made than raspberry whip, which is explained in the accompanying recipe. cake that is not very rich, such as ladyfingers or sponge cake, makes a very good accompaniment for this dessert. red-raspberry whip (sufficient to serve six) qt. raspberries c. powdered sugar egg whites put the raspberries, sugar, and egg whites into a bowl. mash the berries before starting to whip. beat the mixture with an egg whip until it is reduced to a pulpy mass and is stiff and fluffy. pile lightly into a bowl, chill, and serve with ladyfingers or sponge cake. . raspberry shortcake.--either black or red raspberries make a delicious shortcake when combined with a cake or a biscuit mixture. directions for making such a shortcake are given in the accompanying recipe. raspberry shortcake (sufficient to serve six) qt. raspberries c. sugar biscuit or plain-cake dough mash or chop the berries, as preferred, and add the sugar to them. bake the biscuit or plain-cake dough in a single, thick layer, and when it has been removed from the pan split it into halves with a sharp knife. spread half the berries between the two pieces of biscuit or cake and the remaining half on top. cut into pieces of the desired size and serve with plain or whipped cream. strawberries . strawberries are perhaps more popular than any other kind of berry. they are reddish in color, have a somewhat acid flavor, and range in size from / inch to inches in diameter. strawberries are much used for jams and preserves; they may also be used for making a delicious jelly, but as they lack pectin this ingredient must be supplied. these berries are eaten fresh to a great extent, but are also much used for pastry making and for various kinds of dessert; in fact, there is practically no limit to the number of recipes that may be given for strawberries. before they are used in any way, they should be washed thoroughly in cold water and then their hulls should be removed. [illustration: fig. ] . strawberry shortcake.--for strawberry shortcake, either a biscuit or a plain-cake mixture may be used, some persons preferring the one and other persons the other. this may be made in a large cake, as shown in fig. , and then cut into pieces, or it may be made into individual cakes, as fig. shows. whichever plan is followed, the cakes are split in the same way and the crushed berries inserted between the halves. this dish may be made more attractive in appearance if a few of the finest berries are saved and used as a garniture. strawberry shortcake (sufficient to serve six) qt. strawberries c. sugar biscuit or plain cake dough mash or chop the berries, add the sugar to them, and let them stand until the sugar has dissolved. bake the biscuit or plain-cake dough in a single thick layer or, if desired, bake it in individual cakes, cutting the biscuit dough with a cookie cutter and putting the cake mixture in muffin pans. remove from the pan, cut in two with a sharp knife, and spread half of the berries over the lower piece. set the upper piece on the berries. in the case of the large cake, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and then on this arrange a number of the largest and finest of the berries, as fig. shows, as a garniture. cut in pieces of the desired size and serve with or without either plain or whipped cream. in preparing the individual cakes, spread a spoonful or two of the crushed berries over the top, as fig. shows, and serve with whipped cream. . strawberry whip.--strawberries may be used instead of raspberries in the recipe for red-raspberry whip. when prepared in this way and served with fresh cake, strawberries make a very appetizing dessert. . other strawberry desserts.--if it is desired to serve strawberries just with sugar, they can be made attractive with very little effort. garnish a plate with some of the strawberry leaves and on them place a few fine large strawberries that have been washed but have not had the hulls removed. serve a small dish of powdered sugar with the strawberries, so that they may be dipped into the sugar and eaten by holding the hull of the berry in the fingers. strawberries crushed with sugar and served with blanc mange or custard also make a very delicious dessert. [illustration: fig. ] miscellaneous berries . currants come in three varieties--red, white, and black. they are not often eaten fresh, but are generally utilized for making jellies, jams, and preserves, or for pastry and pies. when they are to be used for jelly, it is not necessary to pick them from the stems, as they may be washed and cooked on their stems. some varieties of currants are dried and these are used extensively in the making of cakes, cookies, etc. the usefulness of this fruit as a food is not so great as many others. no recipes are given for it because of its little use in the fresh form. . gooseberries, like currants, are somewhat limited in their variety of uses, being seldom used except for jelly, preserves, and pies. before gooseberries are ripe they are light green in color and rather sour in taste, but as they ripen the amount of acid they contain decreases, so that they become sweet in flavor and change to brownish-purple. green gooseberries are often canned for pies, and when in this state or when partly ripe they are also made up into many kinds of preserves and jelly. in their preparation for these uses, both the stems and the blossom ends should be removed. as a rule, berries of this kind keep very well and stand considerable handling because their outside skin is very tough. . loganberries are a fruit produced by crossing a variety of red raspberries with a species of blackberry. they are not very common, but are an excellent berry and are well liked by those who can obtain them. they may be used for any purpose for which either raspberries or blackberries are used. therefore, in the recipes given for these two kinds of berries, loganberries may be substituted whenever they can be obtained. * * * * * non-tropical fruits nature and use . besides the berries that have just been described, there are a large number of fruits that are grown in temperate climates and are therefore regarded as non-tropical fruits. extensive use is made of these fruits in the regions in which they are grown or in places that are within easy shipping distances of the source of supply. all of them have a protective covering, or skin, and consequently keep for long periods of time if they are not too ripe when picked. those which contain the highest percentage of water are the most perishable. apples . apples, of which there are at least a thousand varieties, are probably the best known of the non-tropical fruits. some apples mature early in the summer, while others do not ripen until late in the fall. the late apples can be kept during the entire winter if they are properly stored, but the summer varieties must generally be used immediately, as they do not have good keeping qualities. in each locality in which apples are grown, a few varieties seem to be especially popular and are used to the exclusion of others. some apples are good for one purpose and some for another. for instance, many that are excellent if eaten raw are not good for cooking purposes, and others that cook well are not suitable for eating. it is therefore a good idea for the housewife to become familiar with the varieties of apples raised in her community and to learn the use to which each kind can be put to advantage. apples of all kinds may be prepared in a large variety of ways. they are much used for sauce, pie, and numerous desserts, as well as for jelly and, with various fruit mixtures, for jams and preserves. the juice of apples, which upon being extracted is known as _cider_, is used in a number of ways, but its most important use is in the manufacture of vinegar. . apple sauce.--when apple sauce is to be made, apples that are somewhat sour and that will cook soft easily should be selected. this is a dessert that can be made all during the winter when it is often difficult to obtain other fruits fresh. it is usually served when roast pork is the main dish of a meal, but is just as appetizing when served with other foods. apple sauce (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized apples / c. water c. sugar wash the apples, cut them in quarters, remove the cores, and, if desired, peel them. put them into a saucepan, add the water, and allow them to cook until they are very soft. if the apples are inclined to be dry, a little more water may be necessary. when done, force them through a colander or a sieve, add the sugar to the pulp, and return to the stove. cook until the sugar is completely dissolved and, if necessary, until the apple sauce is slightly thickened, stirring frequently to prevent scorching. remove from the heat, and season with lemon peel cut fine, cinnamon, or nutmeg. if there are apples in supply that do not cook well for apple sauce, they may be peeled, quartered, and cored, and cooked with the sugar and water. then, instead of being forced through a sieve, they should be allowed to remain in pieces in the sirup. . porcupine apples.--a pleasing change in the way of an apple dessert may be had by making porcupine apples. porcupine apples (sufficient to serve six) large apples c. sugar c. water doz. almonds currant jelly wash, core, and pare the apples. make a sirup by bringing the sugar and water to the boiling point. put the apples into the sirup, cook on one side for several minutes, and then turn and cook on the other side. do not allow the apples to cook completely in the sirup, but when they are still hard remove them and continue to boil the sirup down. set the apples in a shallow pan, stick the almonds, which should be blanched, into them so that they will project like porcupine quills, sprinkle them with sugar, and bake in the oven until they are soft and the almonds slightly brown. remove from the oven, fill the center of each with currant jelly, pour the juice over them, and serve. . baked apples.--nothing is more palatable than baked apples if a juicy, sour variety can be secured. baked apples (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized sour apples / c. brown sugar / tsp. cinnamon tb. butter / c. water wash and core the apples, place them in a baking dish, and fill the centers with the brown sugar mixed with the cinnamon. put a small piece of butter on top of each apple, pour the water in the bottom of the pan, set in the oven, and bake until the apples are soft. baste frequently with the juice that collects in the bottom of the pan. serve hot or cold, as desired. apples baked in this way may be improved in flavor by serving grape juice over them. heat the grape juice, and then, if the apples are to be served hot, pour about tablespoonfuls over each apple just before serving. in case the apples are to be served cold, pour the hot grape juice over them and then allow them to cool. . maple apples.--apples cooked in maple sirup have a very pleasing flavor. the sirup that remains in the pan is poured over the apples when they are served. maple apples (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized apples c. maple sirup wash, peel, and core the apples. bring the maple sirup to the boiling point in a saucepan. drop the apples into the hot sirup, cook first on one side, and then turn and cook on the other. as soon as they become soft, remove from the sirup, pour the sirup over them, and serve. . steamed apples.--if it is desired to retain the color in apples that have red skins, they should be steamed instead of baked, for the color is lost in baking. prepare apples that are to be steamed by washing them and removing the cores. place the apples in a pan with a perforated bottom, put this over a pan of boiling water, cover closely, and steam until they are soft. serve in any desired way. they will be found to be delicious in flavor and attractive in appearance. apricots . apricots, in appearance, are a cross between peaches and plums. they are grown extensively in the western part of the united states, but they can be grown in any climate where peaches and plums are raised. as they contain considerable acid, they require a large quantity of sugar when they are cooked with their skins and seeds. they are used most frequently for canning, but they make excellent marmalades and jams. they are also dried in large quantities and, in this form, make delicious desserts. . apricot souffl�.--no more attractive as well as delicious dessert can be prepared than apricot soufflé, which is illustrated in fig. . the apricots are just tart enough to give it a very pleasing flavor. [illustration: fig. ] apricot souffl� (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter tb. flour / c. sugar pinch of salt c. scalded milk eggs / tsp. vanilla can apricots melt the butter, add the flour, sugar, and salt, and stir in the hot milk. bring this mixture to the boiling point. separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. beat the yolks until they are thick and lemon-colored, and then pour the hot mixture over them, stirring constantly to prevent the eggs from curding. beat the whites until they are stiff, fold them into the mixture, and add the vanilla. place the apricots without juice in a layer on the bottom of the buttered baking dish, pour the mixture over them, and bake for to minutes in a hot oven, when it should be baked through and slightly brown on top and should appear as in fig. . remove from the oven and serve with the sirup from the apricots. whipped cream may also be added if desired. cherries . cherries come in numerous varieties, some of which are sweet and others sour. the method of using them in cookery depends largely on the kind of cherry that is to be used. any of the varieties may be canned with varying quantities of sugar and then used for sauce. they also make excellent preserves, especially the sour varieties. however, they do not contain pectin in sufficient quantity for jelly, so that when cherry jelly is desired, other fruit or material containing pectin must be used with the cherries. when purchased in the market, cherries usually have their stems on. they should be washed before the stems are removed. the seeds may be taken out by hand or by means of cherry seeders made especially for this purpose. . cherry fritters.--something different in the way of dessert can be had by making cherry fritters according to the accompanying recipe. cherry fritters (sufficient to serve six) c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt tb. sugar / c. milk egg tb. butter / c. cherries cut into halves mix and sift the dry ingredients, add the milk and egg, and beat all together well. add the melted butter and fold in the cherries. drop by spoonfuls into hot fat and fry until brown. remove from the fat, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve. grapes . grapes are a fruit extensively cultivated both for eating and for the making of wines and raisins. although found in many varieties, they naturally divide themselves into two general classes: those which retain their skins, such as the malaga, tokay, muscat, cornichon, emperor, etc., and those which slip out of their skins easily, such as the concord, niagara, delaware, catawba, etc. grapes are much used as a fresh fruit. when they are to be used in this way, the bunches should be put into a colander and washed thoroughly by running cold water over them. then all the imperfect ones should be removed and the grapes kept cool until they are to be served. clean grape leaves make an attractive garnish for the individual plates or the serving dish on which the grapes are placed. grapes are also used extensively for making jelly and grape juice, a beverage that is well liked. . it will be found that through proper care grapes can be kept a long time in the fall after they are removed from the vines, provided perfect bunches are obtained and they are picked before they have become too ripe. to preserve such grapes, dip the ends of the stems into melted sealing wax in order to prevent the evaporation of moisture through the stems. then, in a cool, dry place, lay the bunches out on racks in a single layer, taking care not to crush nor bruise them. . unfermented grape juice with water.--grape juice may be made either with or without water. that in which water is used in the making usually requires no diluting when it is served as a beverage. concord grapes are perhaps used more commonly for the making of grape juice than any other variety, but other kinds, particularly catawbas and niagaras, may be used as well. unfermented grape juice with water qt. grapes qt. water lb. sugar wash the grapes and remove them from the stems. put them with the water into a preserving kettle, and heat gradually until the skins of the grapes burst. dip off as much juice as possible, and put it into a jelly bag. continue to heat and dip off the juice in this way until the pulp is comparatively dry. then add a little more water to the pulp and put it in the bag to drip. when all the juice has dripped through the bag, pour it back into the preserving kettle, add the sugar, and bring to the boiling point. stir frequently, so that the sugar will be well dissolved. pour into jars or bottles, seal, and sterilize by cooking for about minutes in hot water that nearly covers the bottles. any large receptacle that will hold sufficient water may be used as a sterilizer. . unfermented grape juice without water.--when grape juice is made without water, it is both thick and rich. consequently, it should usually be diluted with water when it is served as a beverage. unfermented grape juice without water qt. grapes lb. sugar wash the grapes, remove them from the stems, and put them into a preserving kettle. heat very slowly and mash with a spoon, so that enough juice will be pressed out and thus prevent the grapes from scorching. remove the juice as it forms and put it into a jelly bag. when all of it has been taken from the grapes and strained through the jelly bag, strain the pulp and put all the juice into a preserving kettle, add the sugar, and bring to the boiling point. pour into bottles or jars, seal, and sterilize in a water bath for about minutes. peaches . peaches may be divided into two general classes: those having a yellow skin and those having a white skin. in each of these classes are found both _clingstone_ and _freestone_ peaches; that is, peaches whose pulp adheres tightly to the seed, or stone, and those in which the pulp can be separated easily from the stone. when peaches are purchased for canning or for any use in which it is necessary to remove the seeds, freestones should be selected. clingstones may be used when the stones are allowed to remain in the fruit, as in pickled peaches, and for jams, preserves, or butters, in which small pieces may be used or the entire peach mashed. whether to select yellow or white peaches, however, is merely a matter of taste, as some persons prefer one kind and some the other. . peaches are not satisfactory for jelly making, because they do not contain pectin. however, the juice of peaches makes a very good sirup if it is sweetened and cooked until it is thick. such sirup is really just as delicious as maple sirup with griddle cakes. peaches are used to a large extent for canning and are also made into preserves, jams, and butters. in addition, they are much used without cooking, for they are favored by most persons. when they are to be served whole, they should be washed and then wiped with a damp cloth to remove the fuzz. the skins may be removed by blanching the peaches in boiling water or peeling them with a sharp knife. if they are then sliced or cut in any desirable way and served with cream and sugar, they make a delicious dessert. . stewed peaches.--fresh stewed peaches make a very desirable dessert to serve with simple cake or cookies. children may very readily eat such dessert without danger of digestive disturbances. adding a tablespoonful of butter to the hot stewed peaches and then serving them over freshly made toast makes a delightful breakfast dish. the cooked peaches may also be run through a sieve, reheated with a little flour or corn starch to thicken them slightly, and then served hot on buttered toast. stewed peaches (sufficient to serve eight) - / qt. peaches lb. sugar c. water peel the peaches, cut into halves, and remove the seeds. put the sugar and water over the fire to cook in a saucepan and bring to a rapid boil. add the peaches and cook until they may be easily pierced with a fork. . baked peaches.--when peaches are to be baked, select large firm ones. wash them thoroughly and cut them into halves, removing the stones. place the peaches in a shallow pan, fill the cavities with sugar, and dot the top of each half with butter. set in the oven and bake until the peaches become soft. serve hot or cold, either with or without cream, as desired. pears . pears, like apples, come in summer and winter varieties. the summer varieties must be utilized during the summer and early fall or must be canned at this time to preserve them for future use. winter pears, however, may be stored, for they keep like apples. a number of the small varieties of pears are much used for pickling. pears are most valuable when they are canned and used for sauce. they cannot be used for jelly, because they do not contain sufficient acid nor pectin. the juice from canned pears, because of its mild flavor, is often found to be valuable in the feeding of invalids or persons who have gastric troubles. it is usually advisable to pick pears before they are entirely ripe, for then they may be kept for a considerable length of time and will ripen slowly. . baked pears.--although pears are rather mild in flavor, they are delicious when baked if lemon is added. wash thoroughly pears that are to be baked, cut them into halves, and remove the cores. place them in a shallow pan, fill the holes in the center with sugar, dot with butter, and place a thin slice of lemon over each piece. pour a few spoonfuls of water into the pan, set in the oven, and bake until the pears can be easily pierced with a fork. remove from the oven and serve hot or cold. plums . plums are among the very strong acid fruits. some varieties of them seem to be more tart after they are cooked than before, but, as already explained, this condition is due to the fact that the acid contained in the skin and around the seeds is liberated during the cooking. this fruit, of which there are numerous varieties, is generally used for canning, preserving, etc. it does not make jelly successfully in all cases unless some material containing pectin is added. very firm plums may have the skins removed by blanching if it seems advisable to take them off. . stewed plums.--because of the many varieties of plums with their varying degrees of acidity, it is difficult to make a recipe with a quantity of sugar that will suit all kinds. the recipe given here is suitable for medium sour plums, such as egg plums and the common red and yellow varieties. damsons and green gages will probably require more sugar, while prune plums may require less. stewed plums (sufficient to serve eight) - / qt. plums lb. sugar / c. water wash the plums and prick each one two or three times with a fork. bring the sugar and water to the boiling point and, when rapidly boiling, add the plums. cook until they are tender, remove from the fire, cool, and serve. quinces . quinces are one of the non-perishable fruits. they mature late in the fall and may be kept during the winter in much the same way as apples. while quinces are not used so extensively as most other fruits, there are many uses to which they may be put and much can be done with a small quantity. for instance, various kinds of preserves and marmalades may be made entirely of quinces or of a combination of quinces and some other fruit. they also make excellent jelly. as their flavor is very strong, a small quantity of quince pulp used with apples or some other fruit will give the typical flavor of quinces. when combined with sweet apples, they make a very delicious sauce. the skin of quinces is covered with a thick fuzz, which can be removed by wiping the fruit with a damp cloth. a point that should be remembered about quinces is that they are extremely hard and require long cooking to make them tender and palatable. . stewed quinces and apples.--the combination of quinces and apples is very delicious. sweet apples, which are difficult to use as a cooked fruit because of a lack of flavor, may be combined very satisfactorily with quinces, for the quinces impart a certain amount of their strong flavor to the bland apples and thus the flavor of both is improved. stewed quinces and apples (sufficient to serve six) qt. sweet apples pt. quinces lb. sugar c. water wash, peel, core, and quarter the fruit. add the sugar to the water and place over the fire until it conies to a rapid boil. then add the quinces and cook until they are partly softened. add the sweet apples and continue the cooking until both are tender. remove from the fire, cool, and serve. rhubarb . rhubarb is in reality not a fruit, but it is always considered as such because it is cooked with sugar and served as a fruit. it has the advantage of coming early in the spring before there are many fruits in the market. as it contains a large quantity of oxalic acid, it is very sour and must be cooked with considerable sugar to become palatable, the addition of which makes the food value of cooked rhubarb very high. rhubarb is much used for pies and is frequently canned for sauce. it is also used as a cheap filler with a more expensive fruit in the making of marmalades, conserves, and jams. the stems of some varieties of rhubarb are characterized by a great deal of red color, while others are entirely green. the red rhubarb makes a more attractive dish when it is cooked and served than the green, but it has no better flavor. the outside of the stem has a skin that may be removed by catching hold of it at one end with a knife and stripping it off the remainder of the stem. it is not necessary to remove the skin from young and tender rhubarb, but it is often an advantage to remove it from rhubarb that is old. it should be remembered that the stems of rhubarb contain considerable water and so require very little liquid in their cooking. . stewed rhubarb.--two methods of stewing rhubarb are in practice, the one to select depending on the way it is preferred. in one method, which keeps the pieces whole, the sugar and water are brought to the boiling point before the rhubarb is added, while in the other, the rhubarb is cooked with water until it is soft and the sugar then added. stewed rhubarb (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar / c. water qt. cut rhubarb mix the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boiling point. wash the stems of the rhubarb and cut into inch lengths. add the rhubarb to the sirup and cook until it is tender enough to be pierced with a fork. if desired, a flavoring of lemon peel may be added. turn into a dish, allow to cool, and serve. if the other method is preferred, cook the rhubarb with the water until it is soft and then add the sugar. * * * * * citrus fruits characteristics . fruits that contain citric acid are grouped together and are known as citrus fruits. all of these are similar in structure, although they differ in size, as will be observed from fig. . here the citrus fruits most commonly used are illustrated, the large one in the center being a grapefruit; the two to the left, oranges; the two to the right, lemons; and the two in the front, tangerines. [illustration: fig. ] all varieties of these fruits are tropical or semitropical and are shipped to the north in boxes that contain various numbers, the number that can be packed in a box depending on the size of the fruit. the south, southeastern, and western parts of the united states supply practically all of these fruits that are found in the northern markets. they stand storage well and keep for long periods of time if they are packed before they are too ripe. these characteristics, together with the fact that they are at their prime at different times in different localities, make it possible to market such fruits during the entire year, although they are much better at certain seasons than at others. . the majority of citrus fruits contain a fair amount of sugar and a great deal of water; consequently, they are very juicy and refreshing. a few of them, however, such as lemons and limes, contain very little sugar and considerable acid and are therefore extremely sour. in the use of such varieties, sugar must be added to make them palatable. the greatest use made of citrus fruits is that of serving them raw. however, they are also used in the making of marmalades, conserves, and such confections as candied fruits. then, too, the juice of a number of them, such as lemons, oranges, and limes, makes very refreshing beverages, so these varieties are much used for this purpose. grapefruit . grapefruit, also known as _shaddock_, is a large, pale-yellow fruit belonging to the citrus group. one variety, known as the _pomelo_, is the kind that is commonly found in the market. it is slightly flattened on both the blossom and stem ends. grapefruit has a typical flavor and a slightly bitter taste and contains neither a great deal of sugar nor a large amount of acid. because of its refreshing, somewhat acid pulp and juice, it is highly prized as a fruit to be eaten at breakfast or as an appetizer for a fruit cocktail. it is also much used in the making of fruit salads. . selection of grapefruit.--grapefruit should be selected with care in order that fruit of good quality may be obtained. some persons think that to be good grapefruit should be large, but it should be remembered that size is not the factor by which to judge the quality. the fruit should be heavy for its size and the skin should be fine-grained and even. coarse-grained skin, as a rule, is thick and indicates that the pulp is rather pithy and without juice. [illustration: fig. ] . preparation of grapefruit.--different ways of serving grapefruit are in practice, and it is well that these be understood. this is generally considered a rather difficult fruit to eat, but if care is exercised in its preparation for the table it can be eaten with comfort. for preparing grapefruit, a narrow, sharp-bladed paring knife may be used. as is well known, a grapefruit is always cut apart half way between the stem and the blossom ends and a half served to each person. [illustration: fig. ] . one method of preparing grapefruit consists in cutting the skin in such a way that the seeds can be taken out and the pulp then easily removed with a spoon. to prepare it in this way, cut the grapefruit into halves, and then, with a sharp knife, cut around the pithy core in the center, cutting off the smallest possible end of each of the sections. with this done, remove the seeds, which will be found firmly lodged near the core and which can be readily pushed out with the point of the knife. then cut down each side of the skin between the sections so as to separate the pulp from the skin. around the edge next to the outside skin, cut the pulp in each section with a single jab of the knife, taking care not to cut the skin between the sections. the entire pulp of each section, which will be found to be loose on both sides and ends if the cutting is correctly done, can then be readily removed with a spoon. [illustration: fig. ] . in another method of preparing this fruit for the table, all the skin inside of the fruit is removed and nothing but the pulp is left. this method, which is illustrated in figs. to , inclusive, requires a little more time and care than the previous one, but the result justifies the effort. after cutting the grapefruit into halves, remove the seeds with a sharp knife, as shown in fig. . then, with the same knife, cut the grapefruit from the skin all the way around the edge, as in fig. ; also, cut down each side of the skin between the sections, so as to separate the pulp from the skin, as in fig. . with the pulp loosened, insert a pair of scissors along the outside edge, as in fig. , and make a slanting cut toward the core. [illustration: fig. ] then, as in fig. , cut the core loose from the outside skin. repeat this operation for each section. if the cutting has been properly done, the core and skin enclosing the sections may be lifted out of the grapefruit, and, as shown in fig. , will then be in the form of a many-pointed star. as only the pulp remains in the outside skin, the grapefruit can be eaten without difficulty. [illustration: fig. ] . serving grapefruit.--when grapefruit has been properly ripened, it is rather sweet, so that many persons prefer it without sugar; but when sugar is desired, the fruit is very much more delicious if it is prepared some time before it is to be served, the sugar added to it, and the fruit placed in a cool place. if this is done in the evening and the grapefruit is served for breakfast, a large amount of very delicious juice will have collected through the night. at any rate, grapefruit is best if it is sweetened long enough before it is served to give the sugar a chance to penetrate. [illustration: fig. ] lemons . lemons are a citrus fruit raised in tropical regions. they are shipped to other climates in cases that hold from to , depending on the size of the lemons, to the case being a medium and commonly used size. their quality is judged like that of grapefruit; that is, by their weight, the texture of their skin, and their general color and shape. lemons contain very little sugar, but they are characterized by a large amount of acid. because of this fact, their juice is used to season foods in much the same way as vinegar is used. in fact, their chief uses are in making desserts and in seasoning such foods as custards, pudding sauces, etc. however, their juice is also much used in the making of beverages, such as lemonade and fruit punch. oranges . oranges belong to the group of citrus fruits, but they differ from both lemons and grapefruit in that they contain more sugar and less acid. two kinds of oranges supply the demands for this fruit, florida and california oranges. _florida oranges_ have a skin more the color of lemons and grapefruit and contain seeds, but they are considered to be the finest both as to flavor and quality. _california oranges_, which have a bright-yellow or orange skin, are seedless and are known as _navel oranges_. as soon as the florida season ends, the california season begins; consequently, the market season for this fruit is a lengthy one. the russet of oranges is caused by the bite of an insect on the skin. to be shipped, oranges are packed in cases that will contain from to to the case. probably no citrus fruit is used so extensively as oranges. because of their refreshing subacid flavor, they are much eaten in their fresh state, both alone and in combination with other foods in numerous salads and desserts. [illustration: fig. ] . preparation of oranges.--several attractive ways of preparing oranges for the table when they are to be eaten raw are shown in fig. . to prepare them in the way shown at the left, cut the orange into two parts, cutting half way between the stem and blossom ends, and loosen the pulp in each half in the manner explained in art. for the preparation of grapefruit. then the pulp may be eaten from the orange with a spoon. [illustration: fig. ] if an orange is to be eaten in sections, the skin may be cut from the stem to the blossom end about six times and then loosened from the one end and turned in toward the orange in the manner shown in the central figure of the group. it will then be easy to remove the skin. [illustration: fig. ] sometimes it is desired to serve sliced oranges, as shown at the right. to prepare oranges in this way, remove the skin from the orange, cut it in halves lengthwise, and then slice it in thin slices crosswise. arrange the slices on a plate and serve as desired. . when oranges are to be used for salads, or for any purpose in which merely the pulp is desired, as, for instance, orange custard, all the skin between the sections must be removed, as it makes any warm mixture bitter. to secure the pulp without any of the skin, first peel the orange, as shown in fig. , in the same way an apple is peeled, beginning at one end and peeling around and around deeply enough to remove with the skin all the white pithy material under it. if the knife is a sharp one and the peeling is carefully done, there will be little waste of the pulp. when the orange is entirely peeled, cut each section from the skin by passing the knife as closely as possible between the pulp and the skin, as shown in fig. . the sections thus obtained may be used whole or cut into pieces of any desired size. miscellaneous citrus fruits . in addition to grapefruit, lemons, and oranges, the three principal varieties of citrus fruits, this group also includes kumquats, limes, mandarins, and tangerines. these fruits are not of so much importance in the diet as the other varieties, but when they are used as foods they have a food value about equal to that of apples the same in size. they are not in such common use as the citrus fruits already discussed, but it is well for every housewife to know what they are and to what use they can be put. . kumquats are an acid fruit resembling oranges in color but being about the size and shape of small plums. they are used principally for the making of marmalades and jams, and in this use both the skin and the pulp are included. . limes look like small lemons. they are very sour and do not contain sugar in any quantity. they are valued chiefly for their juice, which is utilized in the making of drinks, confections, etc. . mandarins and tangerines are really varieties of oranges and are used in much the same way. they have a very sweet flavor. their skin does not cling so closely as the skin of oranges. for this reason they are known as _glove oranges_ and are very easily peeled. * * * * * tropical fruits varieties . besides the citrus fruits, which may also be regarded as tropical fruits because they grow in tropical regions, there are a number of other fruits that may be conveniently grouped under the heading tropical fruits. the best known of these are bananas and pineapples, but numerous others, such as avocados, guavas, nectarines, pomegranates, tamarinds, and mangoes, are also raised in the tropical countries and should be included in this class. the majority of these fruits stand shipment well, but if they are to be shipped to far distant places they must be picked before they become too ripe and must be packed well. as bananas and pineapples are used more extensively than the other tropical fruits, they are discussed here in greater detail; however, enough information is given about the others to enable the housewife to become familiar with them. bananas . bananas are a tropical fruit that have become very popular with the people in the north. as they are usually picked and shipped green and then ripened by a process of heating when they are ready to be put on the market, it is possible to obtain them in a very good condition. it should be remembered, however, that they are not ripe enough to eat until all the green color has left the skin. the stem of the bunch may be green, but the bananas themselves should be perfectly yellow. black spots, which are sometimes found on the skins, indicate overripeness or bruises. when the spots come from overripeness, however, they do not injure the quality of the fruit, unless there are a great many of them; in fact, many persons consider that bananas are better when the skins are black than at any other time. . just under the skin of the banana is some pithy material that clings to the outside of the fruit and that has a pungent, disagreeable taste. this objectionable taste may be done away with by scraping the surface of the banana slightly, as shown in fig. , after the skin is removed. the strong, typical flavor that characterizes bananas is due to the volatile oil they contain. it is this oil that causes bananas to disagree with some persons. the common yellow variety has a milder flavor than red bananas and certain other kinds and, consequently, is more popular. if the oil of bananas does not prove irritating, much use should be made of this fruit, because its food value is high, being about double that of apples and oranges. [illustration: fig. ] . bananas are eaten raw more often than in any other way, but many persons find cooked bananas very agreeable. then, too, it is sometimes claimed that cooked bananas are more digestible than raw ones because of the starch that bananas contain. however, this argument may be discounted, for a well-ripened banana contains such a small quantity of starch that no consideration need be given to it. [illustration: fig. ] . baked bananas.--if bananas are to be cooked, they can be made very appetizing by baking them with a sirup made of vinegar, sugar, and butter. when prepared in this way, they should be cut in two lengthwise, and then baked in a shallow pan, as fig. shows. baked bananas (sufficient to serve six) bananas tb. butter / c. sugar tb. vinegar remove the skins from the bananas, scrape the surface as in fig. , and cut them in half lengthwise. arrange the halves in a shallow pan. melt the butter and mix it with the sugar and the vinegar. pour a spoonful of the mixture over each banana and then set the pan in the oven. bake in a slow oven for about minutes, basting frequently with the remainder of the sirup during the baking. remove from the oven and serve hot. . banana fritters.--delicious fritters can be made with bananas as a foundation. the accompanying recipe, if carefully followed, will result in a dish that will be appetizing, especially to those who are fond of this fruit. banana fritters (sufficient to serve six) bananas tb. lemon juice / c. flour tb. sugar / tsp. salt / c. milk egg tb. butter, melted powdered sugar remove the skins from the bananas, scrape them, and cut them once lengthwise and once crosswise. sprinkle the pieces with the lemon juice. make a batter by mixing and sifting the flour, sugar, and salt. stir in the milk gradually, and add the yolk of the beaten egg and the melted butter. lastly, fold in the beaten egg white. sprinkle the bananas with powdered sugar, dip them into the batter, and fry in deep fat until brown. sprinkle again with powdered sugar and serve. pineapples . pineapples are grown in the southern part of the united states, on the islands off the southeastern coast, and in hawaii. they vary in size according to the age of the plants. it requires from to months for the fruit to develop, and the plants yield only four or five crops. much of this fruit is canned where it is grown, but as it is covered with a heavy skin it will tolerate shipping long distances very well. it is shipped to the market in cases that contain from to pineapples to the case. usually, for a few weeks during the summer, the price of fresh pineapples is reasonable enough to warrant canning them. [illustration: fig. ] . the food value of pineapples is slightly lower than that of oranges and apples. however, pineapples have a great deal of flavor, and for this reason they are very valuable in the making of desserts, preserves, marmalades, and beverages of various kinds. it is said that the combination of pineapple and lemon will flavor a greater amount of food than any other fruit combined. another characteristic of pineapples is that they contain a ferment that acts upon protein material and therefore is sometimes thought to aid considerably in the digestion of food. the probabilities are that this ferment really produces very little action in the stomach, but its effect upon protein material can readily be observed by attempting to use raw pineapple in the making of a gelatine dessert. if the pineapple is put in raw, the gelatine will not solidify; but if the pineapple is heated sufficiently to kill this ferment, it has no effect whatsoever upon the gelatine. [illustration: fig. ] . selecting pineapples.--when pineapples are to be selected, care should be exercised to see that they are ripe. the most certain way of determining this fact is to pull out the center leaves of each pineapple that is chosen. as shown in fig. , grasp the pineapple with one hand and then with the other pull out, one at a time, several of the center leaves of the tuft at the top. if the fruit is ripe a sharp jerk will usually remove each leaf readily, but the harder the leaves pull, the greener the pineapple is. [illustration: fig. ] an overripe pineapple is just as unsatisfactory as one that is not ripe enough. when a pineapple becomes too ripe, rotten spots begin to develop around the base. such spots can be easily detected by the discoloration of the skin and such a pineapple should not be selected. [illustration: fig. ] . preparation of pineapple.--some persons consider pineapple a difficult fruit to prepare, but no trouble will be experienced if the method illustrated in figs. to is followed. place the pineapple on a hard surface, such as a wooden cutting board, and with a large sharp knife cut off the tuft of leaves at the top. then, as shown in fig. , cut the pineapple into / -inch slices crosswise of the head. when the entire pineapple has been sliced, peel each slice with a sharp paring knife, as in fig. . with the peeling removed, it will be observed that each slice contains a number of eyes. remove these with the point of a knife, as fig. shows. after cutting out the core from the center of each slice, the slices may be allowed to remain whole or may be cut into pieces of any desirable size or shape. pineapple prepared in this way is ready either for canning or for desserts in which it is used fresh. . pineapple pudding.--one of the most satisfactory desserts made from pineapple is the pudding given here. it is in reality a corn-starch pudding in which grated pineapple is used for the flavoring. pineapple pudding (sufficient to serve six) - / c. scalded milk / c. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. salt / c. cold milk - / c. grated pineapple, canned or fresh egg whites scald the milk by heating it over the fire in a double boiler. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and dissolve in the cold milk. add to the scalded milk in the double boiler and cook for about or minutes. remove from the fire and add the grated pineapple from which all juice has been drained. then fold in the whites of the eggs beaten stiff. pour into molds previously dipped in cold water, allow to cool, and serve with cream. miscellaneous tropical fruits . avocados.--the avocado, which is also known as the _alligator pear_, is a large pear-shaped, pulpy fruit raised principally in the west indies. it has a purplish-brown skin and contains just one very large seed in the center. the flesh contains considerable fat, and so the food value of this fruit is rather high, being fully twice as great as a like quantity of apples or oranges. this fruit, which is gaining in popularity in the northern states, is very perishable and does not stand shipment well. as a rule, it reaches the northern market green and is ripened after its arrival. it is an expensive fruit and is used almost entirely for salads. as its flavor is somewhat peculiar, a taste for it must usually be cultivated. . guavas.--the guava is a tropical fruit that is extensively grown in the southern part of the united states. guavas come in two varieties: _red guava_, which resembles the apple, and _white guava_, which resembles the pear. the fruit, which has a pleasant acid pulp, is characterized by a more or less peculiar flavor for which a liking must be cultivated. it can be canned and preserved in much the same way as peaches are. because guavas are very perishable, they cannot be shipped to northern markets, but various products are made from them and sent to every market. preserved and pickled guavas and confections made from what is known as guava paste are common, but guava jelly made from the pulp is probably the best known product. . nectarines.--the tropical fruit called the nectarine is really a variety of peach, but it differs from the common peach in that it has a smooth, waxy skin. also, the flesh of the nectarine is firmer and has a stronger flavor than that of the peach. nectarines are not shipped to the northern markets to any extent, but they are canned in exactly the same way as peaches are and can be secured in this form. . persimmons.--the persimmon is a semitropical plum-like fruit, globular in shape and an orange-red or yellow in color. it comes in many varieties, but few of them find their way into the northern markets. the japanese persimmon, which resembles a tomato in color, is the variety most frequently purchased. persimmons are characterized by a great deal of very pungent acid, which has a puckery effect until the fruit is made sweet and edible by exposure to the frost. in localities where they are plentiful, persimmons are extensively used and are preserved for use during the winter season. . pomegranates.--the pomegranate is about as large as a full-sized apple and has a hard reddish-yellow rind. most varieties contain many seeds and a comparatively small amount of red edible pulp. pomegranates of various kinds are grown in the southern part of the united states and in other warm climates. they are used extensively in the localities where they are grown and are much enjoyed by persons who learn to care for their flavor. a cooling drink made from their pulp finds much favor. . tamarinds and mangoes.--although tamarinds and mangoes are practically unknown outside of tropical countries, they are considered to be very delicious fruits and are used extensively in their native localities. the tamarind consists of a brown-shelled pod that contains a brown acid pulp and from three to ten seeds. this fruit has various uses in medicine and cookery and is found very satisfactory for a cooling beverage. mangoes vary greatly in size, shape, flavor, and color. some varieties are large, fleshy, and luscious, while others are small and stringy and have a peculiar flavor. melons . cantaloupes and muskmelons.--the variety of melons known as muskmelons consists of a juicy, edible fruit that is characterized by a globular shape and a ribbed surface. cantaloupes are a variety of muskmelons, but the distinction between them is sometimes difficult to understand. for the most part, these names are used interchangeably with reference to melons. considerable variation occurs in this fruit. some cantaloupes and muskmelons are large and others are small; some have pink or yellow flesh and others have white or light-green flesh. all the variations of color and size are found between these two extremes. the flesh of these fruits contains considerable water; therefore, their food value is not high, being only a little over half as much as that of apples. . if melons suitable for the table are desired, they should be selected with care. to be just at the right stage, the blossom end of the melon should be a trifle soft when pressed with the fingers. if it is very soft, the melon is perhaps too ripe; but if it does not give with pressure, the melon is too green. . various ways of serving muskmelons and cantaloupes are in practice. when they are to be served plain as a breakfast food or a luncheon dessert, cut them crosswise into halves, or, if they are large, divide them into sections lengthwise. with the melons cut in the desired way, remove all the seeds and keep the melons on ice until they are to be served. the pulp of the melon may also be cut from the rind and then diced and used in the making of fruit salads. again, the pulp may be partly scraped out of the melon and the rinds then filled with fruit mixtures and served with a salad dressing for a salad or with fruit juices for a cocktail. the pulp that is scraped out may be diced and used in the fruit mixture, and what is left in the rind may be eaten after the contents have been eaten. . casaba melons.--the variety of melons known as casaba, or honeydew, melons are a cross between a cucumber and a cantaloupe. they have white flesh and a rind that is smoother than the rind of cantaloupes. melons of this kind are raised in the western part of the united states, but as they stand shipment very well, they can usually be obtained in the market in other regions. they are much enjoyed by those who are fond of this class of fruit. their particular advantage is that they come later in the season than cantaloupes and muskmelons, and thus can be obtained for the table long after these other fruits are out of season. casaba melons may be served in the same ways as cantaloupes. . watermelons.--a very well-known type of melon is the watermelon. it is grown principally in warm climates of the southern states, as the season in the north is not sufficiently long to allow it to develop. this is a large fruit, having a smooth green skin that is often mottled or striped, and a pinkish pulp containing many seeds and having a sweet, watery juice. the large amount of water contained in this fruit makes its food value very low, it being lower in this respect than muskmelons and cantaloupes. the volatile oil it contains, which is responsible for its flavor, proves irritating to some persons who eat it. . watermelon is delicious when it is served ice cold. therefore, before it is served, it should be kept on ice for a sufficient time to allow it to become thoroughly cold. then it may be cut in any desirable way. if it is cut in slices, the slices should be trimmed so that only the pink pulp that is edible is served, the green rind being discarded. as an appetizer, watermelon is delicious when cut into pieces and served in a cocktail glass with fresh mint chopped fine and sprinkled over the top. small pieces of watermelon cut with a french vegetable cutter make a very attractive garnish for fruit salads and other fruit mixtures. fruit cocktails . cocktails made of a combination of fruits are often served as the first course of a meal, usually a luncheon or a dinner, to precede the soup course. in warm weather, they are an excellent substitute for heavy cocktails made of lobster or crab, and they may even be used to replace the soup course. the fruits used for this purpose should be the more acid ones, for the acids and flavors are intended to serve as an appetizer, or the same purpose for which the hot and highly seasoned soups are taken. therefore, they are seldom made sweet and are not taken for their food value. besides being refreshing appetizers, they afford a hostess an opportunity to carry out a certain color scheme in a meal. many kinds of fruit may be combined into cocktails, but directions for the cocktails that are usually made are here given. fruit cocktails should always be served ice cold. . grapefruit cocktail.--the cocktail here explained may be served in stemmed glasses or in the shells of the grapefruit. if the fruit shells are to be used, the grapefruit should be cut into two parts, half way between the blossom and the stem ends, the fruit removed, and the edges of the shell then notched. this plan of serving a cocktail should be adopted only when small grapefruits are used, for if the shells are large more fruit will have to be used than is agreeable for a cocktail. grapefruit cocktail (sufficient to serve six) grapefruits oranges c. diced pineapple, fresh or canned powdered sugar remove the pulp from the grapefruits and oranges in the manner previously explained. however, if the grapefruit shells are to be used for serving the cocktail, the grapefruit should be cut in half and the pulp then taken out of the skin with a sharp knife. with the sections of pulp removed, cut each one into several pieces. add the diced pineapple to the other fruits, mix together well and set on ice until thoroughly chilled. put in cocktail glasses or grapefruit shells, pour a spoonful or two of orange juice over each serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar, garnish with a cherry, and serve ice cold. . summer cocktail.--as strawberries and pineapples can be obtained fresh at the same time during the summer, they are often used together in a cocktail. when sweetened slightly with powdered sugar and allowed to become ice cold, these fruits make a delicious combination. summer cocktail (sufficient to serve six) c. diced fresh pineapple c. sliced strawberries powdered sugar prepare a fresh pineapple in the manner previously explained, and cut each slice into small pieces or dice. wash and hull the strawberries and slice them into small slices. mix the two fruits and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. place in cocktail glasses and allow to stand on ice a short time before serving. . fruit cocktail.--a fruit cocktail proper is made by combining a number of different kinds of fruit, such as bananas, pineapple, oranges, and maraschino cherries. as shown in fig. , such a cocktail is served in a stemmed glass set on a small plate. nothing more delicious than this can be prepared for the first course of a dinner or a luncheon that is to be served daintily. its advantage is that it can be made at almost any season of the year with these particular fruits. [illustration: fig. ] fruit cocktail (sufficient to serve six) bananas c. canned pineapple oranges doz. maraschino cherries lemon juice powdered sugar peel the bananas and dice them. dice the pineapple. remove the pulp from the oranges in the manner previously explained, and cut each section into several pieces. mix these three fruits. cut the cherries in half and add to the mixture. set on ice until thoroughly chilled. to serve, put into cocktail glasses as shown in the illustration, and add to each glass tablespoonful of maraschino juice from the cherries and teaspoonful of lemon juice. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. * * * * * dried fruits varieties of dried fruits . the fruits that have been discussed up to this point are fresh fruits; that is, they are placed on the markets, and consequently can be obtained, in their fresh state. however, there are a number of fruits that are dried before they are put on the market, and as they can be obtained during all seasons they may be used when fresh fruits are out of season or as a substitute for canned fruits when the household supply is low. the chief varieties of dried fruits are dates, figs, prunes, which are dried plums, and raisins, which are dried grapes. apples, apricots, and peaches are also dried in large quantities and are much used in place of these fruits when they cannot be obtained in their fresh form. discussions of the different varieties of dried fruits are here given, together with recipes showing how some of them may be used. dates . dates, which are the fruit of the date palm, are not only very nutritious but well liked by most persons. they are oblong in shape and have a single hard seed that is grooved on one side. as dates contain very little water and a great deal of sugar, their food value is high, being more than five times that of apples and oranges. they are also valuable in the diet because of their slightly laxative effect. when added to other food, such as cakes, hot breads, etc., they provide a great deal of nutriment. . the finest dates on the market come from turkey and the eastern countries. they are prepared for sale at the places where they grow, being put up in packages that weigh from / to pound, as well as in large boxes from which they can be sold in bulk. it is very important that all dates, whether bought in packages or in bulk, be thoroughly washed before they are eaten. while those contained in packages do not collect dirt after they are packed, they are contaminated to a certain extent by the hands of the persons who pack them. to be most satisfactory, dates should first be washed in hot water and then have cold water run over them. if they are to be stuffed, they should be thoroughly dried between towels or placed in a single layer on pans to allow the water to evaporate. while the washing of dates undoubtedly causes the loss of a small amount of food material, it is, nevertheless, a wise procedure. . dates can be put to many valuable uses in the diet. they are much used in cakes, muffins, and hot breads and in fillings for cakes and cookies. several kinds of delicious pastry, as well as salads and sandwiches, are also made with dates. their use as a confection is probably the most important one, as they are very appetizing when stuffed with nuts, candy, and such foods. figs . figs are a small pear-shaped fruit grown extensively in eastern countries and to some extent in the western part of the united states. the varieties grown in this country are not especially valuable when they are dried, but they can be canned fresh in the localities where they are grown. fresh figs cannot be shipped, as they are too perishable, but when dried they can be kept an indefinite length of time and they are highly nutritious, too. in fact, dried figs are nearly as high in food value as dates, and they are even more laxative. . dried figs are found on the market both as pressed and pulled figs. _pressed figs_ are those which are pressed tightly together when they are packed and are so crushed down in at least one place that they are more or less sugary from the juice of the fig. _pulled figs_ are those which are dried without being pressed and are suitable for such purposes as stewing and steaming. . stewed figs.--if pulled figs can be secured, they may be stewed to be served as a sauce. when prepared in this way, they will be found to make a highly nutritious and delightful breakfast fruit or winter dessert. stewed figs (sufficient to serve six) c. pulled figs c. water wash the figs and remove the stems. put them into a preserving kettle with the water and allow them to come slowly to the boiling point. simmer gently over the fire until the figs become soft. if they are desired very sweet, sugar may be added before they are removed from the heat and the juice then cooked until it is as thick as is desirable. serve cold. . steamed figs.--when figs are steamed until they are soft and then served with plain or whipped cream, they make a delightful dessert. to prepare them in this way, wash the desired number and remove the stems. place them in a steamer over boiling water and steam them until they are soft. remove from the stove, allow them to cool, and serve with cream. prunes . prunes are the dried fruit of any one of several varieties of plum trees and are raised mostly in southern europe and california. in their fresh state, they are purple in color, but they become darker during their drying. they are priced and purchased according to size, being graded with a certain number to the pound, just as lemons and oranges are graded with a certain number to the case. in food value they are about equal to dates and figs. they contain very little acid, but are characterized by a large quantity of easily digested sugar. they also have a laxative quality that makes them valuable in the diet. . stewed prunes.--a simple way in which to prepare prunes is to stew them and then add sugar to sweeten them. stewed prunes may be served as a sauce with cake of some kind or they may be used as a breakfast fruit. stewed prunes (sufficient to serve six) lb. prunes c. sugar look the prunes over carefully, wash them thoroughly in hot water, and soak them in warm water for about hours. place them on the stove in the same water in which they were soaked and which should well cover them. cook slowly until they can be easily pierced with a fork or until the seeds separate from the pulp upon being crushed. add the sugar, continue to cook until it is completely dissolved, and then remove from the stove and cool. if desired, more sweetening may be used or a few slices of lemon or a small amount of lemon peel may be added to give an agreeable flavor. . stuffed prunes.--after prunes have been stewed, they may have the seeds removed and then be filled with peanut butter. stuffed in this way and served with whipped cream, as shown in fig. , or merely the prune juice, they make an excellent dessert. [illustration: fig. , stewed prunes stuffed with peanut butter.] select prunes of good size and stew them according to the directions just given, but remove them from the fire before they have become very soft. cool and then cut a slit in each one and remove the seed. fill the cavity with peanut butter and press together again. serve with some of the prune juice or with whipped cream. . prune whip.--a very dainty prune dessert can be made from stewed prunes by reducing the prunes to a pulp and then adding the whites of eggs. directions for this dessert follow: prune whip (sufficient to serve six) c. prune pulp / c. powdered sugar egg whites whipped cream make the prune pulp by removing the seeds from stewed prunes and forcing the prunes through a sieve or a ricer. mix the powdered sugar with the pulp. beat the whites of the eggs until they are stiff and then carefully fold them into the prune pulp. chill and serve with whipped cream. raisins . raisins are the dried fruit of various kinds of grapes that contain considerable sugar and are cured in the sun or in an oven. they come principally from the mediterranean region and from california. they have an extensive use in cookery, both as a confection and an ingredient in cakes, puddings, and pastry. in food value, raisins are very high and contain sugar in the form of glucose; however, their skins are coarse cellulose and for this reason are likely to be injurious to children if taken in too large quantities. they are also valuable as a laxative and in adding variety to the diet if they are well cooked before they are served. like other dried fruits, raisins should be washed thoroughly before they are used. they may then be soaked in warm water and stewed in exactly the same way as prunes. sugar may or may not be added, as desired. sultana raisins, which are the seedless variety, are especially desirable for stewing, although they may be used for any of the other purposes for which raisins are used. dried apples, apricots, and peaches . apples, apricots, and peaches are fruits that are used extensively in their dried form. they enable the housewife to supply her family with fruit during seasons when it is impossible to obtain fresh fruit. they may also be used to take the place of canned fruit, especially when the supply is low or has been exhausted. besides their use as a sauce, they may be used for pies and various desserts. . these fruits, which may all be used in just the same way, should be soaked before stewing and should be stewed according to the directions for the preparation and cooking of prunes. then sufficient sugar to make them sweet should be added. if they are desired for sauce, they may be used without any further preparation. however, they may be substituted for fresh fruit in recipes that call for any of them or for prunes. for instance, dried apricots, after being stewed, may be passed through a sieve to make a purée and may then be used to make apricot whip or soufflé according to the directions given for other similar desserts. the flavor of apricots is very strong and a small amount of the pulp will flavor a large quantity of ice cream, sherbet, or water ice. * * * * * fruit and fruit desserts examination questions ( ) to what are the flavors and odors of fruits chiefly due? ( ) what food substances are found in only very small amounts in fruits? ( ) mention the kinds of carbohydrate to which the food value of fruits is chiefly due. ( ) what parts of fruits make up the cellulose they contain? ( ) discuss the value of minerals in fruits. ( ) of what value in cookery are fruits containing large quantities of acid? ( ) what qualities of fruits are affected as they ripen? ( ) discuss the digestibility of fruits. ( ) what are the effects of cooking on fruit? ( ) what sanitary precautions concerning fruits should be observed? ( ) (_a_) how do weather conditions affect the quality of berries? (_b_) what is the most important use of berries in cookery? ( ) name some varieties of apples that can be purchased in your locality that are best for: (_a_) cookery; (_b_) eating. ( ) how can peach juice be utilized to advantage? ( ) mention the citrus fruits. ( ) describe a method of preparing grapefruit for the table. ( ) describe the preparation of oranges for salads and desserts. ( ) describe the appearance of bananas in the best condition for serving. ( ) (_a_) give a test for the ripeness of pineapples. (_b_) describe the most convenient method of preparing pineapples. ( ) discuss the use of fruit cocktails. ( ) describe the general preparation of dried fruits that are to be stewed. * * * * * canning and drying * * * * * necessity for preserving foods . the various methods of preserving perishable foods in the home for winter use originated because of necessity. in localities where the seasons for fruits and vegetables are short, the available supply in early times was limited to its particular season. then foods had to be preserved in some way to provide for the season of scarcity. it was not possible, as it is now, to obtain foods in all parts of the country from localities that produce abundantly or have long seasons, because there were no means of rapid transportation, no cold storage, nor no commercial canning industries. . in the small towns and farming communities, the first preservation methods for meats, as well as for fruits and vegetables, were pickling, curing, drying, and preserving. not until later was canning known. it was this preserving of foodstuffs in the home that led to the manufacture and commercial canning of many kinds of edible materials. these industries, however, are of comparatively recent origin, the first canning of foods commercially having been done in france about a hundred years ago. at that time glass jars were utilized, but it was not until tin cans came into use later in england that commercial canning met with much favor. . both canning in the home and commercial canning have had many drawbacks, chief among which was spoiling. it was believed that the spoiling of canned foods was due to the presence of air in the jars or cans, and it is only within the last years that the true cause of spoiling, namely, the presence of bacteria, has been understood. since that time methods of canning that are much more successful have been originated, and the present methods are the result of the study of bacteria and their functions in nature. it is now definitely known that on this knowledge depends the success of the various canning methods. . since commercial canning provides nearly every kind of foodstuff, and since cold storage and rapid transportation make it possible to supply almost every locality with foods that are out of season, it has not been deemed so necessary to preserve foods in the home. nevertheless, the present day brings forth a new problem and a new attitude toward the home preservation of foods. there are three distinct reasons why foods should be preserved in the home. the first is to bring about _economy_. if fruits, vegetables, and other foods can be procured at a price that will make it possible to preserve them in the home at a lower cost than that of the same foods prepared commercially, it will pay from an economical standpoint. the second is to promote _conservation_; that is, to prevent the wasting of food. when fruits and vegetables are plentiful, the supply is often greater than the demand for immediate consumption. then, unless the surplus food is preserved in some way for later use, there will be a serious loss of food material. the third is to produce _quality_. if the home-canned product can be made superior to that commercially preserved, then, even at an equal or a slightly higher cost, it will pay to preserve food in the home. . of the methods of preserving perishable foods, only two, namely, canning and drying, are considered in this section. before satisfactory methods of canning came into use, drying was a common method of preserving both fruits and vegetables, and while it has fallen into disuse to a great extent in the home, much may be said for its value. drying consists merely in evaporating the water contained in the food, and, with the exception of keeping it dry and protected from vermin, no care need be given to the food in storage. in the preparation of dried food for the table, it is transformed into its original composition by the addition of water, in which it is usually soaked and then cooked. the drying of food is simple, and no elaborate equipment is required for carrying out the process. dried food requires less space and care in storage than food preserved in any other way, and both paper and cloth containers may be used in storing it. when storage space is limited, or when there is a very large quantity of some such food as apples or string beans that cannot be used or canned at once, it is advisable to dry at least a part of them. when used in combination with canning, drying offers an excellent means of preserving foods and thus adding to their variety. . canning has a greater range of possibilities than drying. a larger number of foods can be preserved in this way, and, besides, the foods require very little preparation, in some cases none at all, when they are removed from the cans. practically every food that may be desired for use at some future time may be canned and kept if the process is carried out properly. these include the perishable vegetables and fruits of the summer season, as well as any winter vegetables that are not likely to keep in the usual way or that are gathered while they are immature. many ready-to-serve dishes may be made up when the ingredients are the most plentiful and canned to keep them for the time when they are difficult or impossible to obtain otherwise. such foods are very convenient in any emergency. often, too, when something is being cooked for the table, an extra supply may be made with no greater use of fuel and very little extra labor, and if the excess is canned it will save labor and fuel for another day. in the same way, left-over foods from the table may be preserved by reheating and canning them. many foods and combinations of foods may be made ready for pies and desserts and then canned, it being often possible to use fruits that are inferior in appearance for such purposes. soup may be canned. it may be made especially for canning, or it may be made in larger quantity than is required for a meal and the surplus canned. for canning, it is an excellent plan to make soup more concentrated than that which would be served immediately, as such soup will require fewer jars and will keep better. water or milk or the liquid from cooked vegetables or cereals may be added to dilute it when it is to be served. meat and fish also may be canned, and many times it is advisable to do this, especially in the case of varieties that cannot be preserved to advantage by such methods as salting, pickling, or curing. . the preservation of foods by canning and drying should not be looked at as an old-fashioned idea; rather, it is a matter in which the housewife should be vitally interested. in fact, it is the duty of every housewife to learn all she can about the best methods to employ. canning methods have been greatly improved within the last few years, and it is a wise plan to adopt the newer methods and follow directions closely. especially should this be done if foods canned by the older methods have spoiled or if mold has formed on top of the food in the jars. in order to preserve foods successfully and with ease, the housewife should realize the importance of carrying out details with precision and care. the exactness with which the ingredients are measured, the choice and care of utensils, the selection and preparation of the food to be canned--all have a direct bearing on whether her results will be successful or not. by observing such points and exercising a little ingenuity, the economical housewife may provide both a supply and a convenient variety of practical foods for winter use. for example, one single fruit or vegetable may be preserved in a number of ways. thus, if there is a very large supply of apples that will not keep, some may be canned in large pieces, some may be put through a sieve, seasoned differently, and canned as apple sauce, and some may be cut into small pieces and canned for use in making pies. apple butter and various kinds of jams and marmalades may be made of all or part apples, or the apples may be spiced and used as a relish. combining fruits of different flavor in canning also adds variety. in fact, neither quinces nor apples canned alone are so delicious as the two properly combined and canned together. in the same way, if the housewife will watch the markets closely and make good use of materials at hand, she may provide canned foods at comparatively little cost. of course, the woman who has a garden of her own has a decided advantage over the one who must depend on the market for foods to can. the woman with access to a garden may can foods as soon as they have been gathered, and for this reason she runs less risk of losing them after they have been canned. nevertheless, as has been pointed out, it is really the duty of every housewife to preserve food in the home for the use of her family. * * * * * canning principles of canning . canning consists in sealing foods in receptacles, such as cans or jars, in such a way that they will remain sterile for an indefinite period of time. several methods of canning are in use, and the one to adopt will depend considerably on personal preference and the money that can be expended for the equipment. in any case, successful results in canning depend on the care that is given to every detail that enters into the work. this means, then, that from the selection of the food to be canned to the final operation in canning not one thing that has to do with good results should be overlooked. . selection of food for canning.--a careful selection of the food that is to be canned is of great importance. if it is in good condition at the time of canning, it is much more likely to remain good when canned than food that is not. the flavor of the finished product also depends a great deal on the condition of the food. fruits have the best flavor when they are ripe, but they are in the best condition for canning just before they have completely ripened. immediately following perfect ripeness comes the spoiling stage, and if fruits, as well as vegetables, are canned before they are completely ripe, they are, of course, farther from the conditions that tend to spoil them. this, however, does not mean that green fruits or vegetables should be canned. whenever possible, any food that is to be canned should be perfectly fresh. the sooner it is canned after it has been gathered, the more satisfactory will be the results. for instance, it is better to can it hours after gathering than hours, but to can it hours after is much better. fruits, such as berries, that are especially perishable should not be allowed to stand overnight if this can be prevented; and it is absolutely necessary to can some vegetables, such as peas, beans, and corn, within a very few hours after gathering. unless this is done, they will develop a bad flavor because of _flat sour_, a condition that results from the action of certain bacteria. imperfect fruits should not be canned, but should be used for making jam, marmalade, or jelly. . why canned foods spoil.--canned foods spoil because of the action of micro-organisms that cause fermentation, putrefaction, and molding. the reasons for the spoiling of food are thoroughly discussed in _essentials of cookery_, part , and in that discussion canning is mentioned as one of the means of preserving food or preventing it from spoiling. however, when canning does not prove effective, it is because undesirable bacteria are present in the food. either they have not been destroyed by the canning process or they have been allowed to enter before the jar was closed, and have then developed to such an extent as to cause the food to spoil. odors, flavors, and gases result from the putrefaction, fermentation, or molding caused by these bacteria, and these make the foods offensive or harmful, or perhaps both. . preventing canned foods from spoiling.--from what has just been said, it will be seen that the success of canning depends entirely on destroying harmful micro-organisms that are present in the food and preventing those present in the air from entering the jars in which the food is placed. some foods are more difficult to keep than others, because bacteria act on them more readily and the foods themselves contain nothing that prevents their growth. among such foods are meat, fish, peas, corn, beans, and meat soups. on the other hand, some foods contain acids that prevent the growth of bacteria, and these keep easily. among these are rhubarb, cranberries, and green gooseberries. however, foods that keep easily are few, and in most cases extreme care in the process of canning must be exercised. . while warmth is necessary for bacterial growth, very high temperatures will destroy or retard it. in canning, a temperature as high as degrees fahrenheit, or boiling point, retards the growth of active bacteria, but retarding their growth is not sufficient. they must be rendered inactive. to do this requires either a higher temperature than boiling point or long continued cooking at degrees. _spores_ are a protective form that many kinds of bacteria assume under unfavorable conditions. they are very difficult to kill, and unless they are completely destroyed in the canning process, they will develop into active bacteria when conditions again become favorable. the result of the spore development is the spoiling of the food. . other things besides the application of heat assist in the keeping of canned food, as, for example, the acids of the fruits and vegetables themselves, as has been mentioned. the use of sugar also assists; the greater the quantity of sugar in solution the easier it will be to keep the food. this is proved in the case of jams and jellies, which will keep without being sealed tight or put into jars immediately after cooking. salt helps to keep vegetables that are canned, and, in making butters, conserves, and pickles, the spices and vinegars used help to protect the foods from bacterial action. however, none of these things are essential to the keeping of any _sterile food_, by which is meant food in which all bacteria or sources of bacteria have been rendered inactive by the application of sufficient heat. . canning preservatives.--numerous compounds, usually in the form of powders, are advertised as being useful for keeping canned foods from spoiling. none of them should be used, however, because they are unnecessary. if the work of canning is carefully and effectively done, good foods will keep perfectly without the addition of a preservative. the pure-food laws of the united states and of many of the states themselves forbid the use of some preservatives because of their harmful effect on the human system. for this reason, to say nothing of the extra expense that would be incurred in their use, such preservatives may well be left alone. general equipment for canning . the equipment required for canning depends on two things: the quantity of food to be canned at one time and, since there are several canning methods in use, the canning method that is to be employed. various kinds of elaborate equipment have been devised to make the work of canning easy as well as effective. however, it is possible to do excellent work with simple equipment, and if the matter of expense must be considered there should be no hesitation about choosing the simplest and least expensive and doing the work in the best possible way with it. it is important also that utensils already included in the household equipment be improvised to meet the needs of the canning season as far as possible. . whatever the canning method that is to be followed may be, there are a number of utensils and containers that go to make up the general equipment that is required. familiarity with such an equipment is extremely necessary for correct results in canning, and for this reason the general equipment is discussed here in detail. the special equipment needed for each of the canning methods, however, is not taken up until the method is considered. in giving this general equipment, mention is made of some utensils that are convenient but not absolutely necessary. any unnecessary, but convenient, part of a canning equipment should therefore be chosen with a view to its labor-saving qualities and its expense. a device that will make the keeping of canned foods more certain and prevent loss may be a valuable purchase; still, that which makes for greater convenience, but not absolute saving, need not be considered a necessity. . vessels for canning.--the pots, kettles, and pans in ordinary use in the kitchen for cooking purposes are usually satisfactory for the canning of foods. those made of tin or iron, however, are not so good as enameled ones or those made of other metals, such as aluminum. especially is this true of utensils used for the canning of acid fruits or vegetables, because, if such food remains in contact with tin or iron for more than a few minutes, the acid will corrode the surface sufficiently to give the food a bad or metallic taste. in addition, such utensils often give the food a dark color. if enameled kettles are used for the cooking of foods that are to be canned, it is important that the surface be perfectly smooth and unbroken. otherwise, it will be difficult to prevent burning; besides, chips of the enamel are liable to get into the food. kettles for the cooking of fruits with sirup should be flat and have a broad surface. fruit is not so likely to crush in such kettles as in kettles that are deep and have a small surface. . knives, spoons and other small utensils.--many of the small utensils in a kitchen equipment are practically indispensable for canning purposes. thus, for paring fruits and vegetables and cutting out cores, blossoms, and stem ends or any defective spots, nothing is more satisfactory than a sharp paring knife with a good point. for paring acid fruits, though, a plated knife is not so likely to cause discoloring as a common steel knife. there are, however, other useful implements for special work, such as the _strawberry huller_, fig. , for removing the stems of strawberries, and the _peach pitter_, fig. , for removing the stones from clingstone peaches. for placing the food to be canned into jars, both forks and large spoons are necessities. a large spoon with holes or slits in the bowl is convenient for picking fruits and vegetables out of a kettle when no liquid is desired, as well as for skimming a kettle of fruit. for packing foods into jars, a long-handled spoon with a small bowl is convenient. still another useful small utensil is a short, wide funnel that may be inserted into the mouth of a jar and thus permit the food to be dipped or poured into it without being spilled. [illustration: fig. ] . devices for measuring.--accurate measures are necessary in canning; in fact, some of the work cannot be done satisfactorily without them. a half-pint measuring cup and a quart measure with the cups marked on it are very satisfactory for making all measures. scales are often convenient, too. for measuring dry materials, they are always more accurate than measures. many canning proportions and recipes call for the measurement of the ingredients by weight rather than by measure. when this is the case and a pair of scales is not convenient, it is almost impossible to be certain that the proportions are correct. for instance, if a recipe calls for a pound of sugar and an equal amount of fruit, a measuring cup will in no way indicate the correct quantity. . colander and wire strainer.--for the cleansing of fruits and vegetables that are to be canned, a colander is of great assistance; also, if a large wire strainer is purchased, it may be used as a sieve and for scalding and blanching, steps in canning that are explained later. [illustration: fig. ] . glass jars.--for household canning, the most acceptable containers for food are glass jars that may be closed air-tight with jar rubbers and tops. use is sometimes made of bottles, jars, and cans of various kinds that happen to be at hand, but never should they be employed unless they can be fitted with covers and made positively air-tight. like utensils, the glass jars that are a part of the household supply should be used from year to year, if possible, but not at the loss of material. such loss, however, will depend on the proper sealing of the jars, provided everything up to that point has been correctly done. all jars should be carefully inspected before they are used, because imperfect or broken edges are often responsible for the spoiling of food. in purchasing glass jars, only what are known as _first quality_ should be selected. cheap jars are likely to be seconds and will not prove so satisfactory. glass jars may be purchased in sizes that hold from / pint to quarts. if possible, food should be canned in the size of jar that best suits the number of persons to be served. if the family consists of two, pint jars will hold even more than may be used at one time, while if the family is large the contents of a quart jar may not be sufficient. [illustration: fig. ] . numerous types of glass jars are to be had. some of them are more convenient than others and may be made air-tight more easily. these two features are the most important to consider in making a selection. jars that close with difficulty, especially if the tops screw on, are not likely to keep food successfully because the bacteria in the air will have a chance to enter and thus cause the food to spoil. glass jars used for canning foods have improved with canning methods. the old-style jars had a groove into which the cover fit, and melted sealing wax or rosin was poured into the space surrounding the cover. later came the screw-top jar shown in fig. . this type of jar has been extensively used with excellent results. both the mouth of this jar and the jar top, which is made of metal, usually zinc, lined with glass or porcelain, have threads that match, and the jar is sealed by placing the jar rubber over the top, or ridge, of the jar and then screwing the jar top firmly in place. such jars, however, are more difficult to make air-tight than some of the newer types. one of these jars is illustrated in fig. . it is provided with a glass cover that fits on the ridge of the jar and a metal clasp that serves to hold the cover in place and to make the jar air-tight after a rubber is placed in position. another convenient and simple type of glass jar, known as the _automatic seal top_, has a metal cover with a rubber attached. another improvement in jars is that the opening has been enlarged so that large fruits and vegetables, such as peaches, tomatoes, etc., can be packed into them whole. with such wide-mouthed jars, it is easier to pack the contents in an orderly manner and thus improve the appearance of the product. besides, it is a simpler matter to clean such a jar than one that has a small opening. [illustration: fig. ] . jar tops and covers.--while the tops, or covers, for glass jars are made of both metal and glass, as has been stated, the glass tops meet with most favor. of course, they are breakable, but they are even more durable than metal tops, which are usually rendered less effective by the bending they undergo when they are removed from the jar. covers made of zinc are being rapidly abandoned, and it has been proved that the fewer the grooves and the simpler the cover, the more carefully and successfully can it be cleaned. for safety, glass tops that have become chipped or nicked on the edges that fit the jar should be replaced by perfect ones. the covers for automatic-seal jars must be pierced before they can be removed, and this necessitates a new supply for each canning. if there is any question about the first-class condition of jar covers, whether of metal or glass, tops that are perfect should be provided. . jar rubbers.--jar rubbers are required with jar tops to seal jars air-tight. before they are used, they should be tested in the manner shown in fig. . good jar rubbers will return to their original shape after being stretched. such rubbers should be rather soft and elastic, and they should fit the jars perfectly and lie down flat when adjusted. a new supply of rubbers should be purchased each canning season, because rubber deteriorates as it grows old. rubbers of good quality will stand boiling for hours without being affected, but when they have become stiff and hard from age it is sometimes impossible to make jars air-tight. occasionally, two old rubbers that are comparatively soft may be used in place of a new one, and sometimes old rubbers are dipped in paraffin and then used. however, if there is any difficulty in sealing jars properly with rubbers so treated, they should be discarded and good ones used. . tin cans.--for household canning, tin cans are not so convenient as glass jars, but in spite of this they are coming into extensive use. the kind that may be used without any special equipment has a tin lid that fits into a groove and is fastened in place with rosin or sealing wax. some cans, however, require that the lids be soldered in place. while soldering requires special equipment, this method of making the cans air-tight is the best, and it is employed where considerable canning is done, as by canning clubs or commercial canners. [illustration: fig. ] in the purchase of tin cans, the size of the opening should receive consideration. if large fruits and vegetables, such as peaches, pears, and tomatoes, are to be canned, the opening must be a large one; whereas, if peas, beans, corn, and other small vegetables or fruits are to be canned, cans having a smaller opening may be chosen. when acid fruits or vegetables are to be canned, use should be made of cans that are coated with shellac, as this covering on the inside of the cans prevents any action of the acid on the tin. * * * * * canning methods general discussion . the methods employed for the canning of foods include the _open-kettle method_, the _cold-pack method_, the _steam-pressure method_, and the _oven method_. of these, the open-kettle method is perhaps the oldest household method of canning, and it is still used by many housewives. the other methods, which are newer, seem troublesome to the housewife who is familiar with the open-kettle method, yet it will only be fair to give the new methods a trial before deciding which to use. the one-period cold-pack method has much to recommend it. foods canned in this way undergo less change in form and flavor than those canned by the open-kettle method; besides, there is less danger of spoiling. in fact, many foods, such as vegetables and meats, that cannot be canned satisfactorily by the open-kettle method will keep perfectly if they are carefully preserved by the one-period cold-pack method. the steam-pressure method requires the use of special equipment, as is explained later. while it is a very acceptable canning method, it is not accessible in many homes. the oven method is liked by many housewives, but it offers almost the same chance for contamination as does the open-kettle method. open-kettle method . the open-kettle method of canning is very simple and requires no equipment other than that to be found in every kitchen. it consists in thoroughly cooking the food that is to be canned, transferring it to containers, and sealing them immediately. . utensils required.--not many utensils are required for the open-kettle canning method. for cooking the food, a large enamel or metal vessel other than tin or iron should be provided. it should be broad and shallow, rather than deep, especially for fruit, as this food retains its shape better if it is cooked in a layer that is not deep. the other utensils for canning fruits and vegetables by this method are practically the same as those already discussed--measuring utensils, a knife, large spoons, pans for sterilizing jars or cans, covers, rubbers, and jars or cans into which to put the food. . procedure.--the first step in the open-kettle canning method consists in sterilizing the containers. to do this, first clean the jars, covers, and rubbers by washing them and then boiling them in clear water for to minutes. next, attention should be given to the food that is to be canned. look it over carefully, cut out any decayed portions, and wash it thoroughly. sometimes roots, leaves, stems, or seeds are removed before washing, and sometimes this is not done until after washing. at any rate, all dirt or foreign material must be washed from foods before they are ready for canning. after preparing the food, it must be cooked. if fruit is being canned, put it into the required sirup, the making of which is explained later, and cook it until it is well softened, as if preparing it for immediate table use. if vegetables are being canned, cook them in the same way, but use salt and water instead of sirup. when the food is cooked, transfer it to the sterile jars and seal at once with the sterile rubbers and covers. then invert each jar to permit the food to cool and to test for leaks. . the danger of not securing good results with the open-kettle method lies in the possibility of contaminating the contents before the jar is closed and sealed. in addition to having the jars, rubbers, and covers sterile, therefore, all spoons and other utensils used to handle the cooked food must be sterile. likewise, the jars must be filled to the top and the covers put on and made as firm and tight as possible at once, so that as few bacteria as possible will enter. if screw-top cans are used, the tops should not be twisted or turned after cooling, as this may affect the sealing. if jars leak upon being turned upside down, the contents must be removed and reheated and the jar must be fitted with another cover. then both jar and cover must be sterilized and the contents returned and sealed immediately. cold-pack method . the cold-pack method of canning differs from the open-kettle method in that the food to be canned is not cooked in a kettle before placing it in the jars and sealing them. in this method, the food to be canned is prepared by washing, peeling, scraping, hulling, stemming, seeding, or cutting, depending on the kind. then it is _scalded_ or _blanched_ and plunged into cold water quickly and taken out immediately, the latter operation being called _cold-dipping_. after this it is placed into hot jars, covered with boiling liquid--boiling water and salt for vegetables, meats, fish, or soups, and boiling sirup for fruits. then the filled jars are covered loosely and placed in a water bath and _processed_; that is, cooked and sterilized. when food that is being canned is subjected to processing only once, the method is referred to as the _one-period cold-pack method_; but when the food in the jars has not been blanched and cold-dipped and is processed, allowed to stand hours and then processed again, and this operation repeated, it is called the _fractional-sterilization method_. the equipment required for the cold-pack canning method and the procedure in performing the work are taken up in detail, so that every point concerning the work may be thoroughly understood. [illustration: fig. ] . utensils required.--the utensils required for canning by the cold-pack method are shown assembled in fig. . chief among them is a _sterilizer_, or boiler, which consists of a large fiat-bottomed vessel fitted with a rack and a tight-fitting cover. a number of such devices are manufactured for canning by the cold-pack method, but it is possible to improvise one in the home. a wash boiler, a large pail, a large lard can, or, in fact, any large vessel with a flat bottom into which is fitted a rack of some kind to keep the jars / inch above the bottom can be used. several layers of wire netting cut to correct size and fastened at each end to a / -inch strip of wood will do very well for a rack. in any event, the vessel must be deep enough to allow the water to cover the jars completely and must have a tight-fitting cover. besides a sterilizer, there are needed three large vessels, one for scalding the food that is to be canned, one for cold-dipping, and one for keeping the jars hot. to hold the food that is to be dipped, a sieve, a wire basket, also shown in fig. , or a large square of cheesecloth must also be provided, and for placing jars in the water bath, a can lifter, a type of which is shown on the table in fig. , may be needed. the remainder of the equipment is practically the same as that described under the heading general equipment for canning. procedure in the one-period cold-pack method . preparing the containers.--the first step in the cold-pack method consists in preparing the containers for the food. the jars, rubbers, and covers, however, do not have to be sterilized as in the open-kettle method. but it is necessary first to test and cleanse the jars and then to keep them hot, so that later, when they are filled and ready to be placed in the water bath, they will not crack by coming in contact with boiling water. the best way in which to keep the jars hot is to let them stand in hot water. [illustration: fig. ] . preparation of the food.--attention should next be directed to the preparation of the food to be canned; that is, clean it and have it ready for the processes that follow. the fruits or vegetables may be canned whole or in pieces of any desirable size. what to do with them is explained later, when the directions for canning the different kinds are discussed. while the food is undergoing preparation, fill the sterilizer with hot water and allow it to come to the boiling point. . scalding and blanching.--when the food is made ready, the next step is to scald or blanch it. scalding is done to loosen the skin of such food as peaches, plums, and tomatoes, so that they may be peeled easily. to scald such fruits or vegetables, dip them quickly into boiling water and allow them to remain there just long enough to loosen the skin. if they are ripe, the scalding must be done quickly; otherwise they will become soft. they should never be allowed to remain in the water after the skin begins to loosen. for scalding fruits and vegetables a wire basket or a square of cheesecloth may be used in the manner shown in figs. and . blanching is done to reduce the bulk of such foods as spinach and other greens, to render them partly sterilized, and to improve their flavor. it consists in dipping the food into boiling water or suspending it over live steam and allowing it to remain there for a longer period of time than is necessary for scalding. to blanch food, place it in a wire basket, a sieve, or a piece of clean cheesecloth and lower it into boiling water or suspend it above the water in a closely covered vessel. allow it to remain there long enough to accomplish the purpose intended. [illustration: fig. ] . cold dipping.--after the food to be canned is scalded or blanched, it is ready for cold-dipping. cold-dipping is done partly to improve the color of the food. it stops the softening process at once, makes the food more firm and thus easier to handle, and helps to loosen the skin of foods that have been scalded. it also assists in destroying bacteria by suddenly shocking the spores after the application of heat. cold-dipping, in conjunction with blanching or scalding, replaces the long process of fractional sterilization, and is what makes the one-period cold-pack method superior to this other process. to cold-dip food, simply plunge that which has just been scalded or blanched into cold water, as in fig. , and then take it out at once. . packing the jars.--packing the jars immediately follows cold-dipping, and it is work that should be done as rapidly as possible. remove the jars from the hot water as they are needed and fill each with the cold-dipped fruit or vegetable. pack the jars in an orderly manner and as solidly as possible with the aid of a spoon, as in fig. . just this little attention to detail not only will help to improve the appearance of the canned fruit, but will make it possible to put more food in the jars. [illustration: fig. ] when a jar is filled, pour into it whatever liquid is to be used, as in fig. . as has been stated, hot sirup is added for fruits and boiling water and salt for vegetables. however, when fruit is to be canned without sugar, only water is added. with tomatoes and some greens, no liquid need be used, because they contain a sufficient amount in themselves. [illustration: fig. ] . preparation for the water bath.--as the jars are filled, they must be prepared for the water bath. therefore, proceed to place the rubber and cover on the jar. adjust the rubber, as shown in fig. , so that it will be flat in place. then put the cover, or lid, on as in fig. , but do not tighten it. the cover must be loose enough to allow steam to escape during the boiling in the water bath and thus prevent the jar from bursting. if the cover screws on, as in the jar at the left, do not screw it down tight; merely turn it lightly until it stops without pressure being put upon it. if glass covers that fasten in place with the aid of a clamp are to be used, as in the jar at the right, simply push the wire over the cover and allow the clamp at the side to remain up. jars of food so prepared are ready for processing. [illustration: fig ] [illustration: fig. ] . processing.--the purpose of the water bath is to _process_ the food contained in the jars before they are thoroughly sealed. therefore, when the jars are filled, proceed to place them in the water bath. the water, which was placed in the sterilizer during the preparation of the food, should be boiling, and there should be enough to come inches over the tops of the jars when they are placed in this large vessel. in putting the jars of food into the sterilizer, place them upright and allow them to rest on the rack in the bottom. if the filled jars have cooled, they should be warmed before placing them in the sterilizer by putting them in hot water. on account of the boiling water, the jars should be handled with a jar lifter, as in fig. . however, if the sterilizer is provided with a perforated part like that in fig. , all the jars may be placed in it and then lowered in place. [illustration: fig. ] when the jars are in place, put the tight-fitting cover on the sterilizer and allow the water to boil and thus cook and sterilize the food in the jars. the length of time for boiling varies with the kind of food and is given later with the directions for canning different foods. the boiling time should be counted from the instant the water in the sterilizer begins to bubble violently. a good plan to follow, provided an alarm clock is at hand, it to set it at this time, so that it will go off when the jars are to be removed from the sterilizer. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . sealing the jars.--after processing the food in this manner, the jars must be completely sealed. therefore, after the boiling has continued for the required length of time, remove the jars from the water with the aid of the jar lifter or the tray and seal them at once by clamping or screwing the covers, or lids, in place, as in fig. . sometimes, the food inside the jars shrinks so much in this process that the jars are not full when they are ready to be sealed. this is illustrated in fig. . such shrinkage is usually the result of insufficient blanching, or poor packing or both. however, it will not prevent the food from keeping perfectly. therefore, the covers of such jars of food must not be removed and the jars refilled; rather, seal the jars tight immediately, just as if the food entirely filled them. if, in sealing jars removed from the water bath, it is found that a rubber has worked loose, shove it back carefully with the point of a clean knife, but do not remove the cover. [illustration: fig. ] as the jars are sealed, place them on their sides or stand them upside down, as in fig. , to test for leaks, in a place where a draft will not strike them and cause them to break. if a leak is found in any jar, a new rubber and cover must be provided and the food then reprocessed for a few minutes. this may seem to be a great inconvenience, but it is the only way in which to be certain that the food will not be wasted by spoiling. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . wrapping and labeling.--when the jars of food have stood long enough to cool, usually overnight, they are ready for wrapping and labeling. wrapping is advisable for practically all foods that are canned, so as to prevent bleaching, and, of course, labeling is necessary when canned food is wrapped, so as to enable it to be distinguished readily when it is in storage. to wrap canned foods, proceed as in fig. . use ordinary wrapping paper cut to a size that will be suitable for the jar, and secure it in place with a rubber band, as shown, or by pasting the label over the free edge. procedure in the fractional-sterilization method . in canning food by the fractional-sterilization canning method, the procedure is much the same as in the one-period cold-pack method. in fact, the only difference between the two is that blanching and cold-dipping are omitted, and in their stead the food in the jars is subjected to three periods of cooking. when the jars of food are made ready for processing in the sterilizer, they are put in the water bath, boiled for a short time, and then allowed to cool. after hours, they are again boiled for the same length of time and allowed to cool. after another hours, they are subjected to boiling for a third time. then the jars of food are removed and sealed as in the one-period cold-pack method. by the fractional-sterilization method, the spores of bacteria contained in the food packed in the jars are given a chance to develop during the -hour periods after the first and second cookings, those which become active being destroyed by cooking the second and third times. although some canners prefer this method to those already mentioned, the majority look on it with disfavor, owing to the length of time it requires. steam-pressure methods . for canning foods by steam pressure, special equipment is necessary. in one of the steam-pressure methods, what is known as a _water-seal outfit_ is required, and in the other a device called a _pressure cooker_ is employed. the work of getting the containers ready, preparing the food for canning, packing it into the jars, and sealing and testing the jars is practically the same in the steam pressure methods as in the cold-pack methods. the difference lies in the cooking and sterilization of the foods after they are in the jars and partly sealed and in the rapidity with which it may be done. . canning with a water-seal outfit.--a water-seal outfit, which may be purchased in stores that sell canning supplies, consists of a large metal vessel into which fits a perforated metal basket designed to hold jars of food. this vessel is also provided with a tight-fitting cover having an edge that passes down through the water, which is placed in the bottom of the vessel. when heat is applied to the bottom of the vessel, the water inside of it is changed into steam. the cover prevents the steam from passing out, and it collects in and around the metal basket supporting the jars of food. enough steam is generated in this outfit to raise the temperature about to degrees above the boiling point. thus, the water-seal outfit will cook the food in the cans in about one-fourth less time than will the water bath of the one-period cold-pack canning method. [illustration: fig. ] . canning with a pressure cooker.--for canning by steam pressure, a number of different kinds of pressure cookers are to be had, but in principle they are all alike and they are always made of heavy material, so as to withstand the severe steam pressure generated in them. in fig. is shown one type of pressure cooker. it is provided with a bail, or handle, for carrying it and with clamps that hold the cover firmly in place. attached to the cover is a steam gauge, which indicates the steam pressure inside the cooker, and a pet-cock, which is used to regulate the pressure. on some cookers, a thermometer is also attached to the cover. also, inside of some, resting on the bottom, is an elevated rack for supporting the jars of food that are to be sterilized and cooked. in operating a pressure cooker, water for generating steam is poured in until it reaches the top of this rack, but it should not be allowed to cover any part of the jars of food. steam is generated by applying heat to the bottom of the cooker, and the longer the heat is applied the higher the steam pressure will go. it is possible to secure a steam pressure of to pounds per square inch in a cooker of this kind. this means that the temperature reached will vary from a few degrees above boiling to about degrees fahrenheit. at a pressure of pounds, the temperature will be about degrees. the heavier the material used for a cooker and the more solid the construction, the higher may go the steam pressure, and, of course, the temperature. some cookers of light construction will not permit of a pressure greater than pounds, but even such cookers are very satisfactory. it is the high temperature that may be developed in a pressure cooker that greatly shortens the time required for cooking jars of food and making them sterile. canning with tin cans . for canning food in some tin cans, it is necessary to have a soldering outfit for properly closing them. this consists of a capping steel, a tipping iron, solder in small strips and in powder form, a small can of sal ammoniac, and a bottle of flux, which is a fluid that makes solder stick to tin. . prepare the food that is to be canned in tin cans in the same way as for canning in jars by the cold-pack method; likewise, pack the cans in the same way, but allow the liquid and fruit or vegetables to come to within only / inch of the top. then proceed to close the cans. apply the flux to the groove in the top of each can where the solder is to be melted, using for this purpose a small brush or a small stick having a piece of cloth wrapped around one end. heat the capping steel, which should be thoroughly clean, until it is almost red hot, dip it quickly into a little of the flux, and then put it into a mixture consisting of equal parts of sal ammoniac and powdered solder until it is covered with bright solder. put the cap on the can and apply the hot capping steel covered with the solder. hold this device firmly, press it downwards, and turn it slowly as the solder melts and thus joins the cap to the can. . after the caps are soldered in place, the air inside the cans must be driven out through the small vent, or opening, usually in the center of the cap, and the cans made air-tight. therefore, place the cans into boiling water to within / inch of the top and let them remain there for a few minutes. usually, minutes in boiling water is sufficient. immediately after _exhausting_, as this process is called, apply a little of the flux as in capping, and, with the tipping iron well heated and a strip of solder, seal the hole in the caps. after this is done, test each can for leaks by submerging it in water. if bubbles arise, it is an indication that the cover is not tight and must be resoldered. . the next step consists in processing the cans of food. this may be done either in a water bath or in a pressure cooker. if the cans are to be processed in a water bath, keep them in the boiling water just as long as glass jars of food would be kept there. if a pressure cooker is to be used, keep the cans in it for to minutes, depending on the steam pressure employed, the ripeness of the food or the necessity for cooking it, and the size of the cans employed. for canning meat or fish, processing in a pressure cooker is the most successful, as the high temperature reached in it kills bacteria, which are difficult to destroy at the boiling point. as soon as the cans of food are removed from the water bath or the pressure cooker, plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking and prevent the food from getting soft and mushy. then label the cans, so that no mistake will be made as to their contents. . in another method, the tin cans may be closed without soldering the caps on. the caps used in this case are different from those which must be soldered. they are forced in place by a hand-pressure machine that may be attached to a table. otherwise the procedure is the same as that just given. oven method . the oven method oven method of canning is thought to be very satisfactory by many housewives, but, as it is necessary to remove the covers after cooking the contents of the jars, food canned in this way is subjected to contamination, just as in the open-kettle method. in addition, the jars are difficult to handle in the oven, owing to the extreme heat that is required to cook the food in the jars. . in canning by the oven method, proceed by preparing the food as for the cold-pack canning method; also, fill the jars with fruit or vegetables and with liquid or sirup as in this method. put the covers on the jars loosely, omitting the jar rubbers. place the jars in a shallow pan of water, as in fig. , and set the pan containing the jars into a stove oven, which should be only slightly warm. at the same time place the jar rubbers in a pan of boiling water, so that they may be sterilized as the food cooks. when the jars are in the oven, increase the heat gradually until the food in them boils. then keep up a temperature that will allow the food to boil quietly for a period long enough to cook it soft and sterilize it. usually, to minutes after boiling has begun will be sufficient. during the cooking some of the liquid in the jars evaporates. therefore, when the jars of food are ready to be removed from the oven, have boiling water or sirup ready, remove the cover of each jar in turn, and fill the jar brimful with the liquid. then place a sterilized rubber in place and fasten the cover down tight. the procedure from this point on is the same as in the other canning methods. [illustration: fig. ] * * * * * canning vegetables and fruits preparation for canning . in canning, as in all other tasks related to cookery, the housewife's aim should be to do the greatest amount of work, and do it well, with the least effort on her part. the results she gets in canning, then, will depend considerably on the orderly arrangement of the utensils and materials with which she is to do the work. but of greater importance is the preparation she makes to eliminate as much as she can the possibilities of contamination, for, as has been repeatedly pointed out, success in canning depends on the absence of dangerous bacteria. . from what has just been mentioned, it is essential that everything about the person who is to do the work and the place in which the work is to done should be clean. clean dresses and aprons should be worn, and the hands and finger nails should be scrupulously clean. the kitchen floor should be scrubbed and the furniture dusted with a damp cloth. any unnecessary utensils and kitchen equipment should be put out of the way and those required for canning assembled and made ready for the work. the jars should be washed and the covers tested by fitting them on without the rubbers. if a glass cover rocks, it does not fit correctly; and if a screw cover will not screw down tight, it should be discarded. without the rubber, there should be just enough space between the cover and the jar to permit the thumb nail to be inserted as is shown in fig. . the edge of each jar and each glass cover should be carefully examined every time it is used, so that none with pieces chipped off will be used, as these will admit air. this examination is made by running the finger over the edge of the jar and the cover, as is shown in fig. . the jars, covers, and rubbers should be put into pans of cold water, and the water should be brought to the boiling point and allowed to boil for minutes or more while the fruit or vegetables are being prepared for canning. they should be kept in the hot water until the food is ready to be placed in them. in the one-period cold-pack method, it is not necessary to boil the jars, rubbers, and covers, but this may be done if desired. to produce good-looking jars of food, the fruit or vegetables to be canned should be graded to some extent; that is, the finest of the fruits or vegetables should be separated and used by themselves, as should also those of medium quality. often it is wise to use the poorest foods for purposes other than canning. the food may then be canned according to the chosen method, but by no means should methods be mixed. in handling the product after it has been cooked by the open-kettle method, any spoon, funnel, or other utensil must be thoroughly sterilized in the same way as the jars and their covers and rubbers; indeed, no unsterile utensil should ever be allowed to touch the food when a jar is being filled. [illustration: fig. ] . it is by the observance of such precautions as these, some of them seemingly unimportant, that the housewife will be repaid for her efforts in canning and be able to produce canned fruits and vegetables like those shown in color in fig. . this illustration shows, with a few exceptions, such foods canned by the one-period cold-pack method, and merits close inspection. as will be observed, the jars are full and well packed and the color of each food is retained. each can of food indicates careful work and serves to show the housewife what she may expect if she performs her work under the right conditions and in the right way. this illustration likewise serves to demonstrate that any food may be successfully canned by the one-period cold-pack method, a claim that cannot be made for the other canning methods. in fact, some of the foods illustrated, as, for instance, peas and corn, cannot be canned successfully by any other method. directions for canning vegetables . classification of vegetables.--to simplify the directions here given for the canning of vegetables, this food is divided into four groups, as follows: . _greens_, which include all wild and cultivated edible greens, such as beet greens, collards, cress, dandelion, endive, horseradish greens, kale, mustard greens, spinach, new zealand spinach, and swiss chard. . _pod and related vegetables_, which include asparagus, beans, both string and wax, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, okra, peppers, both green and ripe, summer squash, and vegetable marrow. . _root and tuber vegetables_, which include beets, carrots, kohlrabi, parsnips, rutabagas, salsify, sweet potatoes, and turnips. . _special vegetables_, which include beans, both lima and shell, corn, mushrooms, peas, pumpkin, sauerkraut, squash, succotash and other vegetable combinations, and tomatoes. the convenience of this plan will be readily seen when it is understood that, with the exception of the special vegetables, the same method of preparation and the time given for the various steps in the canning process apply to all vegetables of the same class. thus, if directions for a vegetable belonging to a certain class are not definitely stated in the text, it may be taken for granted that this vegetable may be canned in the manner given for another vegetable of the same class. . general directions.--the canning of vegetables may be most successfully done by the one-period cold-pack method. tomatoes, however, because of the large quantity of acid they contain, may be canned and kept with little difficulty by the open-kettle method, but they will be found to keep their shape better if the cold-pack method is employed. the time required for cooking any vegetable after it is packed in jars depends on the kind and the age. therefore, if a vegetable is hard or likely to be tough, it may be necessary to increase the time given in the directions; whereas, if it is young and tender or very ripe, as in the case of tomatoes, the time for cooking may perhaps have to be decreased. because, in altitudes higher than sea level, the boiling point of water is lower than degrees fahrenheit, the length of time for boiling foods in the water bath must be increased after an altitude of feet is reached. therefore, for every additional feet over the first feet, per cent. should be added to the time given for the boiling in water. in case a pressure cooker is used, however, this is not necessary. the canning directions here given are for -quart jars. if pint jars are to be used, decrease the salt proportionately; also, decrease the time for cooking in each case one-fifth of the time, or per cent. if -quart jars are to be used, double the amount of salt and add to the length of time for cooking one-fifth, or per cent. for instance, if a -quart jar of food requires minutes, a pint jar of the same food would require minutes and a -quart jar, minutes. group --greens . in canning greens, or vegetables belonging to the first group, select those which are fresh and tender. greens that are old and inclined to be strong and tough may require longer blanching and cooking. look the greens over carefully, rejecting all leaves that are wilted or otherwise spoiled. cut off the roots and drop the leaves into a pan of cold water. wash these thoroughly a number of times, using fresh water each time, in order to remove all sand and dirt that may be clinging to them. then proceed to blanch them for to minutes in steam, suspending the greens over boiling water in a piece of cheesecloth, a colander, or the top of a steamer. after blanching, dip them quickly into cold water. then pack the greens tightly into jars and add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful. no water has to be added to greens, because the leaves themselves contain sufficient water. when the jars are thus packed, adjust the covers and proceed to sterilize and cook the greens according to the directions previously given. if the water bath is to be used, boil them in it for - / to hours; but if the pressure cooker is to be employed for this purpose, cook them at a -pound pressure for minutes or at a -pound pressure for minutes. group --pod and related vegetables . the best results in canning vegetables belonging to the second group will be derived when those which are fresh and tender are selected. as has been mentioned, the sooner vegetables are canned after they are taken from the garden, the better will be the canned product. directions for practically all vegetables included in this group are here given. . asparagus.--select tender asparagus, and proceed with the canning no later than hours after it has been taken from the garden. remove the hard portions at the ends of the stems, and cut the trimmed stems into pieces the length of the jars into which they are to be placed. if preferred, however, the asparagus may be cut into small pieces. wash the cut asparagus thoroughly in cold water, and then sort out the uneven pieces that were cut off in making the stems even in length. these may be canned separately for soup. lay the stems of asparagus in an orderly pile in a colander or a wire basket, cover it, and place it into a large vessel where it may be kept completely covered with boiling water for minutes. then cold-dip the asparagus quickly, and pack it neatly into the jars, keeping the tip ends up. add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful and pour boiling water into each jar until it is completely full. adjust the covers and proceed to sterilize and cook the jars of food. cook for - / to hours in the water bath, or, in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower.--in canning brussels sprouts, cabbage, or cauliflower, first prepare each vegetable as if it were to be cooked for the table. when thus made ready, blanch it with the aid of a square of cheesecloth or a colander in live steam, over boiling water, for to minutes. then cold-dip it and pack it tightly into the jars. add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful and fill each jar with boiling water. proceed next to sterilize and cook it according to the method selected. boil for minutes in the water bath; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a -pound pressure or for minutes at a -pound pressure. . eggplant and summer squash.--both eggplant and summer squash are canned in the same way, because the consistency of these vegetables is much alike. select firm vegetables with no decayed spots. blanch for to minutes in boiling water; cold-dip quickly; remove the skins; cut into pieces of a size that will fit into the jars; pack into the jars; and add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful. next, adjust the jar lids and proceed according to the directions given for the method selected. in the water bath, boil for - / hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. eggplant or summer squash so canned may be rolled in egg and crumbs and sautéd or fried, the same as fresh vegetables of this kind. . okra and green peppers.--both okra and green peppers may also be canned in the same way. prepare these vegetables for canning by washing fresh, tender pods of either vegetable thoroughly. blanch for to minutes in boiling water and cold-dip quickly. pack the pods into the jars, add a teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. adjust the lids and proceed according to directions for the method selected. in the water bath, boil for - / to hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . string beans.--string beans of any variety should be canned as soon as they are gathered. if the beans to be canned are not of the stringless variety, prepare them by stringing them, following the directions given in _vegetables_, part . stringless beans should be selected if possible, to avoid this part of the work. cut out any rusted portions, cut each end from the beans, and, if preferred, cut the beans into inch lengths. when thus prepared, blanch them for to minutes in live steam, cold-dip quickly, and pack tightly into the jars. add a teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, fill the jars with boiling water, adjust the lids, and cook according to the method preferred. in the water bath, boil for - / to hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. group --root and tuber vegetables . only the small, young, and tender vegetables included in the third group lend themselves readily to canning. as a rule, such vegetables are allowed to mature, when they can be stored for winter use without canning them. however, many housewives like to can some of them for the variety they offer in the preparation and planning of meals. . beets.--for canning, select small, young beets. prepare them by cutting off the tops, which may be cooked as greens or canned separately, and all but about an inch of the stems and an inch of the roots. scrub the trimmed beets well, and then blanch them in boiling water for to minutes or until the skins may be easily scraped off with a knife. plunge them quickly into cold water and draw them out again. then scrape off the skins and remove the roots and stems. the roots and stems are left on during the blanching and cold-dipping to prevent them from bleeding, or losing color. when thus prepared, pack the beets into jars, add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. then adjust the jar tops and proceed to sterilize and cook the jars of beets according to the directions for any preferred method. in the water bath, cook them for - / hours; in the pressure cooker, cook them for hour at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . carrots, parsnips, and turnips.--young parsnips and turnips are canned in exactly the same way as young carrots. therefore, directions for the canning of carrots will suffice for all three of these vegetables. prepare the carrots for canning by cutting off the tops and the roots and scrubbing them well. blanch them for to minutes in boiling water, so that the skins may be easily removed, and cold-dip them. then remove the skins by scraping, pack the carrots into the jars, add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. adjust the jar tops next, and proceed to sterilize and cook the jars of carrots according to the method selected. in the water bath, cook for - / hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for hour at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. group --special vegetables . vegetables of the fourth group, which include those which cannot well be classified in the other groups, lend themselves readily to combinations, such as succotash, that make for variety in food. as is true of the other vegetables, special vegetables must be fresh and sound if good results in canning are expected. . lima and other shelled beans.--for canning, only tender beans, whether lima or some other variety, should be chosen. prepare them for immediate canning by shelling them--that is, taking them from the pods--blanching them for to minutes in boiling water, and then cold-dipping them quickly. pack the jars to within / inch of the top, add teaspoonful of salt to each jar, and fill the jars with boiling water. adjust the covers and proceed to sterilize and cook them. in the water bath, boil for - / to hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for - / hours at a pressure of pounds or for hour at a pressure of pounds. . green corn.--for canning purposes, only corn that is young and milky should be selected. get it ready for canning by husking it and removing the silk. then blanch it for to minutes in boiling water and cold-dip it quickly. cut the kernels half way down to the cob and scrape out what remains after cutting. for best results in this operation, hold the ear of corn so that the butt end is up; then cut from the tip toward the butt, but scrape from the butt toward the tip. next, pack the jars tightly with the corn, pressing it into them with a wooden masher. unless two persons can work together, however, cut only enough corn for one jar and fill and partly seal it before cutting more. as corn swells in the cooking, fill each jar to within / inch of the top. the milk in the corn should fill all spaces between the kernels, provided there are any, but if it does not, boiling water may be poured in. add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful of corn and adjust the jar lids. boil for hours in the water bath; but, if the pressure cooker is to be used, cook for - / hours at a pressure of pounds or for hour at a pressure of pounds. corn on the cob may be canned in the same way if desired, but as only three small ears can be put into a quart jar, this would seem to be a waste of space and labor. if corn on the cob is to be canned, -quart jars will prove more convenient than -quart jars. . peas.--peas for canning should be well formed and tender, and they should be canned as soon as possible after coming from the garden. proceed by washing the pods and shelling the peas. blanch the shelled peas for to minutes in live steam, and cold-dip them quickly. pack the peas into the jars, having them come to within / inch from the top, add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. then adjust the jar lids and proceed according to directions for the method selected. in the water bath, boil for or hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for - / hours at a pressure of pounds or for hour at a pressure of pounds. . pumpkin and squash.--the canning of pumpkin and squash is advisable when there is any possibility of their not keeping until they can be used. prepare either of these vegetables for canning by first peeling it and cutting the edible part into inch cubes. blanch these cubes for to minutes in live steam and cold-dip them quickly. pack the jars as full as possible, and add teaspoonful of salt to each jar, but no water. after adjusting the jar lids, boil the jars of food for - / hours in the water bath, or cook them for hour at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds in the pressure cooker. when finished, the jars will be found to be only about half full, but the contents will keep perfectly. if desired, pumpkin or squash may first be cooked as if preparing it for use and then put into the jars for processing. . succotash.--of course, succotash is not a vegetable, but the name of a food that results from combining corn and beans. these vegetables may be canned together to make for variety in the winter's food supply, or each may be canned separately and combined later. clean the ears of corn in the manner previously directed; then blanch them for minutes and cold-dip them. also, remove green lima beans from the pods, blanch them for minutes, and cold-dip them. then cut and scrape the corn off the cobs and mix it with an equal quantity of the beans. pack the mixture into the jars to within / inch of the top, add a teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, and fill the jars with boiling water. adjust the jar tops and proceed according to the directions for the process to be employed. in the water bath, boil for hours; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . tomatoes.--as has been stated, tomatoes may be canned successfully by the open-kettle method. if this method is to be employed, the first part of the preparation is exactly the same as for the cold-pack method, except that the jars, jar tops, and jar rubbers must be carefully sterilized. for canning, firm tomatoes should be selected if possible, as they will keep their shape better than those which are very ripe. if some are soft, they should be sorted out and canned for soup making or made into catsup. after washing the tomatoes, proceed to blanch them. the length of time required for blanching depends entirely on the condition of the tomatoes. they should be blanched for to minutes, or just long enough to loosen the skin. after blanching, dip them quickly into cold water and remove the skins. these, it will be found, may be removed easily and quickly. pack the tomatoes thus prepared tightly into jars and fill them with boiling water, boiling tomato juice, or stewed tomatoes. add a teaspoonful of salt to each jar. then adjust the jar lids and proceed according to the directions given for the method selected. boil for minutes in the water bath; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . tomatoes for soup.--if there are soft tomatoes at hand or if tomatoes are canned by the open-kettle method, quantities of tomato juice will be available. such material as this may be put through a sieve and boiled down for winter use in the making of soups, bisques, etc. it may be canned simply by pouring the boiling juice into sterilized jars and sealing them immediately. . tomatoes and corn.--an excellent food combination results from combining stewed tomatoes with corn. such a combination may be canned safely by either the open-kettle or the cold-pack method. the acid of the tomatoes helps to keep the corn, but the combination requires longer cooking than just plain tomatoes. prepare each vegetable as for canning separately, but, if desired, cut the tomatoes into pieces. mix the two foods in any desirable proportion and, for the cold-pack canning method, put the food into the jars. add teaspoonful of salt to each jarful, but no water. then adjust the jar lids, and proceed to sterilize and cook the jars of food. in the water bath, cook them - / hours; in the pressure cooker, cook them for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. directions for canning fruits . the chief difference between the canning of fruits and the canning of vegetables is that sugar in the form of sirup, instead of salt water, is used for the liquid. fruits may be canned without sugar if desired, but nothing is gained by so doing, for sugar will have to be added later. because of the sugar used in canning and the acid contained in the fruit, canned fruit has better keeping qualities than canned vegetables. in fact, it is much more likely to keep well even though it does not receive such careful attention as vegetables. it is for this reason that canned fruit does not require so much time for sterilization as vegetables do. still it should not be inferred that care is not necessary in the canning of fruits. indeed, the more care that is taken, the better are the results likely to be. . sirups for canning.--before the canning of fruits can be undertaken, it is necessary to possess a knowledge of the sirups that are needed. such sirups consist simply of sugar dissolved in boiling water. the quantity of sugar and water required for a sirup depends on the acidity of the fruit and the purpose for which it is to be used. plain canned fruits that are to be used for sauces, etc. require less sugar proportionately than those which are preserved, and fruit canned for pie making may have less than either. thus, fruits of the same kind may be canned with sirups of different proportions. to a great extent, the quantity of sugar to use with fruit may be regulated by the taste, but it will be readily seen that such fruits as sour cherries and plums will require more sugar to make them palatable than pears and blueberries. it will be well to note, though, that the sugar does not penetrate the fruit unless the two are cooked together. . in order to make sirup for canning, place the desired quantities of sugar and water in a kettle and proceed to heat them. stir the liquid while it is heating, in order to assist in dissolving the sugar. when it has begun to boil rapidly, remove the sirup from the fire and use it at once. do not continue boiling. in preparing such sirups, it will be well to note that the greater the proportion of sugar to water or the longer the sugar and water are allowed to boil, the denser, or heavier, will the sirup become. it is this _density_ of sirup that regulates its use for the different kinds of fruit and determines its nature. thus, a sirup in which the proportion of sugar to water is so large as to make the sirup thick is known as a _heavy sirup_; one in which the proportion of water to sugar is so large as to make the sirup thin is called a _light sirup_; and one in which the proportion of sugar and water is such as to produce a sirup that is neither thick nor thin, but stands between the two extremes, is called a _medium sirup_. table i sirups for canning fruits proportions degrees ------------ with sirup sugar water hydro- no. cups cups meter uses --------------------------------------------------------------- open-kettle canning, or pie fruit canned by any method. open-kettle canning, or pie fruit canned by any method. open-kettle canning, or sweet fruits canned by cold-pack methods. - / sweet fruits canned by cold-pack methods. sour fruits canned by cold-pack methods. / very rich fruits canned by cold-pack methods; preserves canned by open-kettle method. --------------------------------------------------------------- . the density of sirup is also affected by the amount and rapidity of evaporation that takes place in boiling, and these, in turn, depend on the amount of surface that is exposed. for instance, if a sirup is cooked in a large, flat kettle, the evaporation will be greater and more rapid than if it is cooked in a small, deep vessel. atmospheric pressure affects the rapidity of evaporation, too. in a high altitude, evaporation takes place more slowly than at sea level, because the boiling point is lower. thus, in the making of sirups for canning, the first point to be determined is whether the sirup desired should be light, medium, or heavy, and in its preparation the points mentioned must receive consideration. . for determining the density of sirup, a _sirup gauge_, or _hydrometer_, will be found useful. this device consists of a graduated glass tube attached to a bulb that is weighted with mercury. the graduations, or marks, on the tube, or top part, of the hydrometer serve to indicate the percentage of solid matter dissolved in a solution and register from to degrees. to use such a gauge, partly fill a glass cylinder--an ordinary drinking glass will do--with the sirup and place the hydrometer in it. the greater the amount of solid matter dissolved in the sirup, the higher will be hydrometer float. then read the number of degrees registered by observing the mark that is level with the surface of the sirup. the number of degrees that the hydrometer should register for sirups of different densities--that is, for sirups consisting of different proportions of sugar and water--are given in table i. this table, in addition, gives the uses that should be made of such sirups, and each one is numbered so that it may be referred to readily later in the recipes for canning fruits. . classification of fruits.--for the sake of convenience in canning, fruits, too, are here divided into groups. these groups, three in number, together with the fruits included in each, are: . _soft fruits_, which are subdivided into three kinds, namely, sweet, sour, and very sour. the _sweet soft fruits_ include blackberries, blueberries or huckleberries, sweet cherries, elderberries, ripe gooseberries, mulberries, and black and red raspberries; the _sour soft fruits_, apricots, currants, grapes, peaches, and strawberries; and the _very sour soft fruits_, sour cherries, cranberries, green gooseberries, plums, and rhubarb. . _hard fruits_, which include apples, quinces, and pears. . _special fruits_, which include ripe figs, kumquats, loquats, nectarines, persimmons, and pineapples. the advantage of this classification, as in the case of the vegetable classification, is that, as a rule, all fruits belonging to a group or a subdivision of a group may be canned in the same way and with sirup of practically the same density. . canning methods for fruits.--the canning of fruits may be done by the several methods previously discussed, but the cold-pack and open-kettle methods seem to meet with most favor. on account of the sirup used in canning fruit and the acid in the fruit, the open-kettle method is usually fairly successful, whereas, in the canning of vegetables, with the exception of tomatoes, it is not so reliable. the housewife, by experiment, can determine which method will suit her needs best, but by no means should methods be mixed. if a certain method is decided on, it should be adhered to in every detail and carried through without any substitution. for all methods, as has been mentioned, the fruit should be selected when it is fresh and in good condition, as such fruit has less chance to spoil than fruit that is overripe or has decayed spots. after it is graded for size and condition, the fruit should be washed, stemmed, hulled, seeded, peeled, or halved, quartered, or sliced, depending on the kind. then the work may be proceeded with according to the canning method that is to be followed. . if fruits are to be canned by the open-kettle method, certain precautions must be observed in order to insure success. the sterilization of the product cannot be perfect in this method no matter how carefully the canning is done; and this means that the sugar and the fruit acids must be greatly relied on to assist in preservation. still, the jars, jar covers, jar rubbers, and any utensils used for filling the jars must be sterilized and kept in boiling water until the fruit is ready to be canned. another thing to guard against is the discoloring of the fruit. any fruit that is likely to become discolored after it is prepared for canning should be kept in salt water until it is ready to be cooked. a solution consisting of teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water will answer for this purpose. after the fruit has been prepared and while the containers, etc. are being sterilized, it is necessary to prepare the sirup that is to be used. for the sweet fruits of group , no. or sirup should be made; for the sour fruits of this group, no. or sirup; and for the very sour fruits, no. or sirup. the hard fruits may be canned by this method with no. , , or sirup, while the special fruits require no. or sirup. if the fruit is to be canned for pie, it will be advisable to use thin sirup and then use more sweetening when pies are made. when the sirup is made by mixing the sugar and water and bringing it to a boil, the prepared fruit should be dropped into it and cooked. the fruit should be cooked in the sirup until it may be easily pierced with a fork or until it is soft. berries have to be cooked only a few minutes, while the hard fruits may require from to minutes. the jars should be placed upright in a pan of hot water while the boiling fruit from the kettle is poured into them, and as each jar is filled the rubber should be put in place and the cover adjusted and secured. it is important to close one jar before filling another, because the longer a jar remains open the more bacteria will be permitted to enter. even by working as rapidly as possible and taking the greatest precaution, a certain number of bacteria are bound to enter in this method of canning. after the jars are filled and sealed, they should be placed upside down or on the side to cool and test for leaks. . if the cold-pack method is employed in canning fruit, it is possible to obtain a sterilized product that is dependent for preservation on neither the sirup used nor the acid of the fruit. in this method, the jars, jar tops, covers, and utensils for handling the fruit do not have to be sterilized beforehand. they may simply be washed clean and kept hot in clean water until they are needed. after the fruits are prepared, some are blanched or scalded and cold-dipped, while others are not. they are then packed into jars and boiling sirup is poured over them. then the rubbers are adjusted, the covers placed on, but not made tight, and the jars are placed under water in the water bath or on the racks in the pressure cooker, which should contain a small amount of water, as has been explained. after cooking the required length of time, the jars of fruit are removed from the cooking utensil, sealed, and allowed to cool. the sirup used in the cold-pack canning method may be heavier in each case than that mentioned for the open-kettle method, because there is no evaporation, as is the case where fruits are boiled in the sirup before they are placed in the cans, but less will be required if the packing is well done. group --soft fruits . sweet soft fruits.--the sweet fruits included in group --blackberries, huckleberries, elderberries, ripe gooseberries, mulberries, raspberries, and sweet cherries-may be canned in exactly the same way, so that the same general directions will apply to all. prepare the different kinds of berries, which should be as fresh as possible, by looking them over carefully and removing the poor ones, and then washing them. to wash them, pour them into a colander and dip it up and down in a large pan of clean, cold water. the less handling such fruits receive, the more perfect will they remain for canning. prepare sweet cherries, which should be procured with the stems on if possible, by first washing them and then stemming them. they may be pitted, or seeded, or they may be left whole, depending on personal preference. cherries that are not pitted will keep their shape and have a good appearance, but they are not so convenient for eating as those which have been pitted. . after the fruit has been prepared in the manner just explained, pack it closely into the hot, clean jars, using a spoon for this purpose and turning each jar as the fruit is poured into it. press the berries or the cherries down carefully, so that quarts of them will fill a -quart jar. then proceed to make the sirup. as these fruits are the sweetest, they require less sugar than any other. if such fruit after it is canned is to be used for pie making, sirup no. or will be suitable, but if it is to be used for sauce, no. sirup may be used. when the mixed sugar and water is boiling rapidly, pour it over the fruit packed into the jars. then place the rubbers, adjust the jar tops, and proceed to sterilize and cook the cans of fruit. boil these in the water bath for minutes, or cook them in the pressure cooker for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . sour soft fruits.--of the sour fruits, strawberries, grapes, and currants require about the same quantity of sugar, that contained in sirup no. , , or usually being sufficient. otherwise, the canning process, including the length of time for processing, does not differ materially from that just given for sweet soft fruits. in the case of strawberries, those which are of medium size and rather dark in color are best for canning; in fact, very large, light-colored strawberries will shrink more than any other kind. the berries are washed in the same way as other berries, but they should not be allowed to stand in water for any length of time, because this will tend to make them soft and mushy. strawberries must be stemmed after they are washed, and for this purpose a strawberry huller should be utilized. such a device, which is shown in fig. , permits the stems to be removed without crushing the berries and soiling the fingers. in preparing currants for canning, the procedure is the same as for the fruits already mentioned; and the same thing is true of grapes that are not to be seeded. if the seeds are to be removed, however, the procedure up to getting the cans of fruit ready for processing is different, as is here pointed out. after washing the grapes, squeeze the pulp from the skins and then cook it in a kettle for a sufficient length of time to make it soft. remove the seeds by forcing the pulp through a sieve. then add as much sugar as would be used for making the required sirup, and cook until the sugar is dissolved. with this done, add the sweetened, seedless pulp to the grape skins and fill the jars with this mixture. then continue the canning process as for the other fruits of this group. . the procedure in canning apricots and peaches, the other two sour soft fruits, differs slightly from that required for strawberries, grapes, and currants. so that the skins of both of these fruits may be easily removed, they must be scalded, which is an operation that corresponds to blanching in vegetable canning. for canning purposes, only firm, fresh apricots and peaches that are not overripe should be selected. also, in the case of peaches, care should be taken to see that they are of the _freestone_ variety, as such peaches may be split easily. _clingstone peaches_ should not be chosen unless the fruit is to be canned whole or unless an implement for removing the seeds, or stones like that shown in fig. , is at hand. proceed with the canning of either apricots or peaches by first scalding them. to do this, put the fruit in boiling water for to minutes, depending on its ripeness. next, cold-dip it quickly, remove the skins, and, if desired, cut each one in half and remove the seed, or stone. when thus prepared, pack the fruit into hot jars as tightly as possible, pour sirup no. , , or over them, filling each jar, adjust the rubber and jar top, and proceed as directed for the cold-pack method. in the water bath, boil the cans of fruit for minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook them for minutes at a -pound pressure or for minutes at a -pound pressure. . very sour soft fruits.--some of the fruits of the third subdivision of group , namely, sour cherries, cranberries, and green gooseberries, may be prepared and canned in the same way as those included in the first subdivision. the cherries may be left whole or they may be seeded, as preferred, and all the fruit must, of course, be fresh. for these very sour fruits, sirups nos. , , and are required, and the processing time is minutes in the water bath and minutes at a -pound pressure or minutes at a -pound pressure in the pressure cooker. . plums for canning should be fresh and firm, but not overripe. this fruit may be canned with the skins on, but some varieties permit the skins to be removed after scalding, and this may be done if desired. prepare the plums for canning by washing them, and, if the skins are to be left on, by piercing each one in several places with a fork to prevent the skins from cracking. then scald the plums for about - / minutes, cold-dip them quickly, and pack them closely into the hot jars. pour sirup no. , , or over the fruit in the jars, using sirup no. if they are very sour, adjust the rubbers and the covers, and proceed according to the canning method selected. in the water bath, cook for minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. . rhubarb for canning should be selected when it is most tender. the variety having red stems is the most attractive after it is canned. only the heavy stems, which should be cut from the leaves, may be canned. cut these stems into inch lengths, blanch them to minutes in boiling water, and cold-dip them quickly. then pack these pieces into the jars. if the rhubarb is being canned for sauce, fill each jar with sirup no. or ; if it is being canned for pie, use sirup no. , , or . next, adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. in the water bath, cook for minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a -pound pressure or for minutes at a -pound pressure. group --hard fruits . apples.--the canning of apples should be done when there is a large supply of summer apples that cannot be stored for winter use or used at once. canning is also a good means of utilizing windfall apples. this fruit may be canned in quarters for sauce, in slices for pie, or in any other desirable shape or condition. after apples for canning are selected, wash them, scald, or blanch, them for to minutes in boiling water, and cold-dip them quickly. next, peel and core them, and cut each one into pieces of any desirable size. as these pieces are cut, drop them into salt water-- teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water--to prevent them from discoloring. then pack the fruit into the jars and fill the jars with boiling sirup. if the apples are intended for pie, use sirup no. , , or ; if they are for sauce, use sirup no. , , or . when the jars are filled, adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. if the pieces are large, cook them in the water bath for minutes; if they are medium in size, cook them for minutes; and if they are in the form of slices, cook them for minutes. if they are to be processed in the pressure cooker, cook them for to minutes at a pressure of pounds or for to minutes at a pressure of pounds. if the apples to be canned are first baked or made into a sauce, simply pack them into jars and process them for a few minutes. . quinces.--quinces may be canned alone, but they may be combined with apples to good advantage. if canned alone, they may require a heavier sirup than if apples are used with them. prepare the quinces in the same way as apples. if apples are to be canned with them, cut the pieces of apples twice the size of the pieces of quinces. this should be done because more time is required for cooking the quinces soft. after packing the jars and pouring in the sirup, proceed with the processing. if quinces alone are in the jars, cook them in the water bath for minutes; but if quinces and apples are combined, cook them for minutes. in the pressure cooker, cook the jars of fruit for to minutes at a -pound pressure or for to minutes at a -pound pressure. . pears.--pears for canning should be firm, but not hard. after sorting and washing them, blanch them for to minutes and cold-dip them quickly. then pare, halve, and core them. pack them immediately into the jars and pour sirup no. or over them. next, adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. in the water bath, cook them for minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook them for minutes at a -pound pressure or minutes at a -pound pressure. group --special fruits . figs.--although figs are not a common fruit, there are parts of this country, particularly on the western coast, in which they are abundant. for canning, ripe figs should be selected. to prepare them, blanch them for minutes in boiling water and cold-dip them. then pack them into the jars and fill the jars by pouring sirup no. , , or over the figs. proceed with the remainder of the process as in canning peaches. . kumquats and loquats.--kumquats and loquats are small acid fruits resembling oranges in color and plums in size and shape. such fruits are not very common, but they may be obtained in some markets. to can either of these fruits, wash them, blanch for minutes, cold-dip, pack into jars, and fill the jars with sirup no. or . in the water bath, cook them for minutes. in the pressure cooker, cook them for minutes at a -pound pressure or for minutes at a -pound pressure. . nectarines.--nectarines are a smooth-skinned variety of peach. ripe nectarines may be canned in the same way as peaches, but they do not require so much sugar, sirup no. or usually being about right. . persimmons.--persimmons are a seedy, plum-like fruit common to the southern and southwestern parts of the united states. this fruit is very astringent when unripe, but is sweet and delicious when ripe or touched by frost. well-frosted persimmons should be selected for canning. blanch them so that the skin may be removed easily and cold-dip them quickly. then peel them and pack them into hot jars. fill the jars with sirup no. and process them in the same way as peaches. . pineapples.--pineapples are better known than any of the other special fruits. for canning, those ripe enough to permit the center leaves to pull out easily should be selected; also, they should be free from soft or rotten spots, which are most likely to appear first near the bottom. pineapples are graded in size by the number that may be packed in a case. these sizes are , , , and , size being the largest and size the smallest. sizes and are best for canning. in canning pineapples, first place each in boiling water for minutes and dip it quickly into cold water. then prepare it for the cans. this may be done by removing the peeling with a sharp knife, digging out the eyes, and then slicing or dicing; by slicing first and then peeling and taking out the eyes; or by peeling, taking out the eyes, and then shredding it with the aid of a fork. when it is prepared, pack the fruit into the jars, fill each jar with sirup no. or , adjust the rubbers and covers, and proceed to process it. in the water bath, cook for minutes; in the pressure cooker, cook for minutes at a pressure of pounds or for minutes at a pressure of pounds. canning meat and fish . both fish and meat, including that from fowl and game, may be canned at times that seem convenient and then used when an emergency arises or at a time when the same food will cost more to prepare. fowl, game, and fish may be canned to special advantage during the season when each is plentiful. the best process for canning such foods is the one-period cold-pack method. . meat.--in canning meat, whether from domestic animals, fowl, or game, first cut it into pieces of a size that would be suitable for serving at the table. the meat may be left raw or it may be prepared by any desirable cooking process, such as frying, fricasseeing, braizing, etc. careful attention must be given to the drawing of fowl that is to be canned, because the entire alimentary tract should be removed without being broken. the giblets should not be canned with the rest of the meat, as they will not keep so well. whether the meat is to be canned raw or cooked, pack the jars as tightly as possible. if the meat is raw, add teaspoonful of salt to each quart of food and fill the jars three-fourths full with boiling water. in case the jar is filled to the top, fat will rise and injure the rubber. if the meat is cooked, add any liquid that may have resulted from the cooking, as well as boiling water, provided more liquid is needed. then, as in canning vegetables and fruit, adjust the rubbers and covers and proceed with the processing. in the case of raw meat, sterilize for hours in the water bath, or for - / hours at a -pound pressure in the pressure cooker. in the case of cooked meat, sterilize for - / hours in the water bath, or for minutes at a -pound pressure in the pressure cooker. . fish.--to prepare fish for canning, first clean it by scaling it and removing the entrails. wrap the cleaned fish in cheesecloth and steam for minutes. after steaming, remove the bones, which will come out easily, and cut the fish into pieces. pack the pieces into the jars, and to each quart of the food add teaspoonful of salt. next, fill each jar three-fourths full with boiling water and continue with the canning in the manner directed for meat. storing and serving canned foods . after jars of canned food have been cooled and tested for leaks, carefully wiped with a damp cloth, and then wrapped and labeled, they are ready to be placed in storage. such food should be stored in an orderly manner on shelves that may be covered to keep off dust, or in a large cupboard provided with doors that may be closed. the temperature of the room in which the canned foods are kept is of no great importance, but, in homes provided with cellars, the cellar is the logical place in which to store them. canned foods, no matter how well the canning may have been done, undergo gradual deterioration. therefore, those kept for more than a year, will not be so good as those used during the first year after canning. if canned foods from a previous year are at hand when new cans are ready to be stored, the old ones should be placed to the front of the shelves and the new ones to the back, so that the old ones will be used up first. . canned foods take the place of raw foods, and whether they should be cooked or not depends on the kind. in the case of vegetables, most of them may be made ready to serve simply by heating them, although they may be used in the preparation of many dishes, as is evident from the recipes throughout the lessons. in the case of fruits, some may be served just as they come from the can; however, there are many ways of using canned fruits in the making of desserts, as is pointed out in _fruit and fruit desserts_. in the case of meats and fish, the food, if cooked before canning, may be prepared for serving simply by heating it; whereas, if it is canned raw, some cookery method for meat will have to be applied. when foods are boiled, one reason for a change in taste is that oxygen is driven off by the boiling. therefore, to improve the taste of canned foods that are to be served without any further preparation, it is advisable, when a jar is opened, to pour the contents into an open dish and thus expose it to the air. in opening jars of canned fruit, care must be taken not to crack or nick either the top of the jar or its cover. the cover of any kind of jar will come off easily if a little air is admitted. insert a knife blade between the cover and jar rubber of a glass-covered jar, but do not use a knife to loosen a metal top, as it may bend the edge in places. hot water poured over the jar will assist in opening it. scoring canned foods . in order that the housewife may judge the quality of her own canned products according to standards that have been set by canning authorities, a score card, together with an explanation of the terms and the procedure, is here given. the beginner in canning will do well to score her own foods, so that any fault that may be found can be corrected when similar foods are canned at another time. in fact, the chief purpose of scoring any product is to learn of faults that may be corrected. the scoring should be done as impartially as if a disinterested person were doing it, and if the cause of any trouble is not readily apparent, pains should be taken to find it out. score card per cent. general appearance method of sealing proportion of food to liquid flavor texture of food color --- total . as a rule, scoring, or judging, is done at the time the canned food is to be opened and used. the _general appearance_ is judged before the jar is opened. if a jar of food is well and symmetrically packed and has clear liquid and a good color, it should receive a perfect score of . the _method of sealing_ must also be judged before the can is opened. a properly filled jar with the rubber and cover in good condition and tightly sealed should receive a perfect score of . the _proportion of food to liquid_ should score . the jars should be as full of uncrushed food as possible, and the liquid that has been added should fill all crevices to the very edge of the jar. the _flavor_ is judged after the can is opened, and if it is perfect, it is entitled to a score of . the flavor of canned fruit is injured by any kind of spoiling, such as molding, fermentation, etc. fruits canned in good condition should retain the characteristic flavor of the fresh fruits; also, they should contain sufficient sugar to be agreeably sweet, but no more. canned vegetables should retain their characteristic flavors, with no sour, musty, nor disagreeable taste, and be slightly salty. canned meats and fish should also possess their characteristic flavors. the _texture of food_ is entitled to a score of if it is perfect. the canned food should be whole; that is, in the original pieces as they were put into the can. underripe fruit or insufficiently cooked fruit or vegetables do not have the proper texture; neither do overripe or uncooked foods. the _color_ of canned food merits a score of if it is right. fruits and vegetables should have retained their natural color. fading after canning may be prevented by wrapping the cans, as has been explained. * * * * * drying principles of drying . drying consists in removing the moisture contained in foods by evaporation and thus rendering them less susceptible to the attacks of undesirable bacteria. _dried foods_, as foods so treated are called, will not replace fresh or canned foods. however, they are valuable in many cases and possess some advantages over such foods. for example, the weight of dried foods is very greatly reduced, the storage space required by them is much less, and they are easy to keep without spoiling and easy to transport. likewise, the containers for such foods are less costly than those required for canned foods and they are easily procured, since paper boxes or paper bags are satisfactory. in fact, the housewife, by taking care of the bags and boxes that come into the home, can easily provide all the containers she will possibly need at practically no cost. . the water in food that is to be dried may be evaporated by applying heat, by bringing the food in contact with moving air, or by subjecting it to a combination of both of these methods. the heat for drying may be obtained from the sun, as in the _sun-drying method_, or from the stove, as in the _stove-drying method_, while moving air for evaporating moisture may be obtained from an electric fan, as in the _electric-fan drying method_. in the application of any of these drying methods, however, it is important to note that the more surface of food there is exposed, the more quickly will evaporation take place. drying should therefore be done on devices constructed in such a way that air may pass up through food, as well as across its surface. in drying foods, the racks should be turned frequently, so that all parts will be exposed equally to the heat or the currents of air. also, the food must be turned over often, in order that all parts will dry evenly. . any fruit or vegetable may be dried if the method is properly applied, but there is usually more or less change in both the flavor and the color of the dried food. the more rapidly the drying can be done, the more natural will the color and flavor remain; whereas, the longer the process is continued, the greater will be this change. foods should be dried when they are in such quantity that they cannot be used to advantage in the raw state, when there is no market for them, when the owner cannot afford to give them away, and when home canning ceases to be practical and profitable. in other words, if it is not practical to save foods in another way, they should be dried. drying methods . devices for drying.--many manufactured devices may be had for the drying of foods. some are made so that they may be placed on top of a stove, like that shown in fig. . this device is in the form of a metal box. it has a tray for holding the food to be dried, and underneath this is a space for holding water. water is poured into this space through a funnel in one corner, and heat for drying is supplied by heating the water. other devices are made so that they may be suspended over a stove, put into a stove oven, or used out of doors. still others have a heating device placed inside of them. it is possible, however, to make drying devices in the home that will answer the purpose just as well as the devices that may be bought. [illustration: fig. ] as has been stated, drying devices should be so made that the air may pass up through the food and across its surface. a pan, a platter, or a solid board, as will be readily seen, is not so good for drying as a wooden frame of convenient size that has small slats or fine, rustless-wire netting, or screening, attached to the bottom. such a device may be covered with cheesecloth to keep out dirt. if it is to be used in the oven or set in the sun, a nail driven part way into each corner will provide feet and thus keep it from resting on the oven floor or any other flat surface. for suspending food that is to be dried over a stove, a rack like that shown in fig. may be easily made in the home. as will be observed, it consists of three trays fastened together. these trays are suspended by four strings tied to another string that runs over small pulleys. the pulleys are attached to a wooden brace that is secured to the kitchen wall. the pulleys and string permit the rack to be raised or lowered, so that the food may be easily put into and taken out of the trays. [illustration: fig. ] . sun-drying method.--if food is to be dried in the sun, spread it in a single layer on each tray, cover the trays so that no dirt will fall into them, and set them out of doors so that the sun's rays will strike them. glass covers will help to increase the heat from the sun. as the sun changes, change the position of the trays or turn them. food that is being dried outdoors should be brought into the house when the sun goes down and put out again the following morning. this procedure should be kept up until the food is so dry as to be _leathery_; that is, in a condition that will permit of bending without cracking. . stove-drying method.--if food is to be dried by the stove-drying method, it may be placed in the oven, on top of the stove, or suspended above the stove. . if the oven is to be used, a device that fits the oven should be employed. spread the food on the trays in single layers, and put the device into the oven. the temperature of the oven demands attention in this method. only a very moderate heat may be applied at first, degrees fahrenheit being considered the ideal temperature for beginning. as it is difficult to hold an oven at such a low temperature if a fire is burning, the oven door should be left open to admit air. the temperature of the oven of a coal stove in which the fire is banked or is being allowed to go out is usually ideal for drying foods. if desired, the heat of an oven may be gradually increased to about degrees as the food dries; but the application of greater heat is liable to scorch the food and injure its flavor. the food must be turned often to permit it to dry evenly. . if food is to be dried on top of the stove, the device shown in fig. will prove satisfactory. the same arrangement may be improvised by placing a metal tray over a large flat vessel of water. place the food to be dried in a single layer on the tray over the water. let the water boil and keep it boiling, and turn the food frequently so that the heat will be applied to all sides. continue this process until the food is leathery, when it may be stored. . if food is to be dried in a rack suspended above the stove, a rack like that shown in fig. should be used. cover the trays in the rack with a single layer of food, and dry it to the leathery stage, when it may be removed and stored. in using this device, only a coal or a wood stove is practical. when the heat coming from the stove is not great, the rack may be allowed to come close to it, and when the heat is intense the rack may be drawn up. regulating the distance of the rack from the stove will tend to keep the food at a uniform temperature and allow it to dry evenly, especially when the food is turned from time to time. . electric-fan drying method.--if a house is wired for electricity, drying foods by means of the air-currents generated by a moving electric fan is a simple matter. use devices like those required for the sun and oven-drying methods. spread the foods to be dried on the trays in a single thin layer, and arrange them so that the air from the electric fan will blow over them. turn the trays as the food dries, so that one part does not dry sooner than another; also, turn the food frequently so as to expose all parts alike. if the fan can be placed so as to blow across a stove and thus blow heated air on the food, it will dry more quickly. a very warm kitchen is an excellent place in which to do the work with an electric fan, as the combination of air and heat does the work more rapidly than either one used alone. . combination drying methods.--a combination of any of the drying methods mentioned may be used effectively. drying may be started in the sun and completed in the oven, or it may be started with an electric fan and completed in the sun or the oven. any means whereby the time required for drying may be shortened is advantageous. directions for drying vegetables and fruits . preparation of foods for drying.--the correct preparation of the foods before drying is very important. the thinner and smaller the pieces to be dried are cut, the more quickly may the process be completed. any skins or hulls that would prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture from the food must be removed or broken, and every raw food that is to be dried must first be immersed in salt water made in the proportion of teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water, as this prevents discoloring to a great extent. . string beans.--beans for drying should be selected while they are young and tender. wash them and remove the strings if this is necessary. cut them in half, lengthwise, with a sharp knife. drop them into salt water, remove, and spread on the drying trays. dry by any method selected. . corn.--corn that is to be dried should be at the dough stage; younger corn contains too much water for good results. prepare the corn by husking it and removing the silk. then blanch it in boiling water for minutes, after which cut off the grains close to the cob with a sharp knife. spread these on the drying trays and proceed according to the method desired. . greens.--wash the greens thoroughly. cut across the leaves several times. drop them into salt water, remove, and spread on the drying trays. dry by any method selected. . tuber and root vegetables.--irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and even onions may be successfully dried. first peel or scrape them. then slice or cut them into small pieces. drop them into salt water, remove from the water, and spread them on the drying trays. dry them by the method selected. . small fruits.--berries, cherries, and other small fruits may be dried, but since they contain considerable water, the drying is not accomplished very rapidly. ripe, firm fruit should be selected and cleaned. cherries should have the seeds, or pits, removed. such fruits must be dried as quickly as possible, or they will spoil in the process. . apples, quinces, and pears.--in order to dry apples, quinces, and pears, wash, peel, core, and cut the fruit into eighths. put the peeled fruit into the salt water and keep it there until all are peeled and cut and ready to dry. then spread the cut pieces in a thin layer on the drying trays and proceed according to the method desired. . peaches and apricots.--peaches and apricots are most easily dried with the skin on. wash them thoroughly and, in the case of peaches, rub the fuzz off the skins. cut the fruit into halves, remove the seeds, or stones, and drop the halves into salt water and keep them there until they are ready to be placed on the drying trays. dry by any process desired. storing and cooking dried foods . when foods are taken from the various drying devices to be stored, they still contain a very small quantity of moisture. this moisture, however, is not distributed evenly, because some of the pieces of food are larger than others, or some have been exposed more than others to heat or air in drying. to offset this unequal drying, the containers in which the foods are to be stored should not be closed permanently as soon as the food is put into them. rather, once a day, for about days, the food should be poured from one container into another and back again several times. this will mix all the food and distribute the moisture equally. . the object in storing dried foods is to keep them as dry as possible; that is, not to allow them to absorb moisture from the air. the best containers in which they may be placed are those coated with paraffin. paper bags or boxes may be prepared in the home by dipping them into paraffin, although heavy paper containers already covered with paraffin may be bought in supply stores. heavy paper or cloth bags may be used, provided they are stored in a dry place where there is no danger from rats and mice. containers of any kind should be securely tied before storing them permanently. bags and boxes of dried food are preferably suspended from rafters in an attic, but if this is not possible a rack or a bin located in a place that is not damp will answer. it is well, in storing dried foods, to use containers that will hold only a small quantity of food, so that when some is taken out to be cooked a large amount will not be exposed. it is best to store just enough for a meal or two in each container. . before dried foods are cooked, as much as possible of the water evaporated in drying should be restored. in order to do this, soaking is necessary. the dried food should be put into cold salt water made in the proportion of teaspoonful of salt to quart of water and soaked for at least / hour. the salt water seems to help restore the original color of the food. when dried vegetables are to be cooked, they should be cooked in the salt water in which they are soaked; when dried fruits are to be cooked, the salt water should be poured off and fresh water used. long, slow cooking at a low temperature is better for all kinds of dried foods than rapid cooking. the fireless cooker will be found valuable for cooking dried foods. * * * * * canning and drying examination questions ( ) give three reasons for canning food. ( ) what foods may be canned? ( ) (_a_) how may satisfactory canning equipment be provided at little or no cost? (_b_) what metals are not good for canning or preserving kettles? ( ) (_a_) what are the requirements for satisfactory types of jars? (_b_) what are the qualities of good jar rubbers? ( ) what kind of tin cans should be used for canning fruits or vegetables that contain acid? ( ) (_a_) why should care be exercised in the selection of foods to be canned? (_b_) what points must be considered in the selection of foods for canning? ( ) why do canned foods spoil? ( ) how may canned foods be prevented from spoiling? ( ) (_a_) what are spores? (_b_) what connection have spores with the spoiling of canned food? ( ) mention three things that assist in the keeping of canned foods. ( ) (_a_) how should jar covers and rubbers be treated in the open-kettle canning method? (_b_) describe the filling and closing of jars in this method. ( ) (_a_) describe the utensil used for processing in the one-period cold-pack canning method. (_b_) how should jars, covers, and rubbers be treated in this method? ( ) (_a_) how are foods blanched and scalded, and why are blanching and scalding done? (_b_) how are foods cold-dipped, and why is cold-dipping done? ( ) (_a_) how should foods be packed in jars in the cold-pack canning method? (_b_) how should the rubber and cover be adjusted before processing? (_c_) when should you begin to count the boiling time for food that is being processed in the water bath? ( ) (_a_) how and when should jars be closed in the cold-pack method? (_b_) how should jars of food be cooled? ( ) (_a_) how should jars of food be treated for storage? (_b_) how should they be stored? ( ) mention some advantages of dried foods over fresh or canned ones. ( ) what important points should be considered in the process of drying food? ( ) what are the proportions of salt and water into which foods that discolor are placed before they are canned or dried? ( ) what precautions should be observed in the storing of dried foods? * * * * * jelly making, preserving, and pickling * * * * * value of jellies, preserves, and pickles . like canning and drying, jelly making, preserving, and pickling are methods of preparing perishable foods to resist decomposition and change. when treated by any of these three processes, fruits and vegetables will keep for long periods of time and will thus be ready for use during the seasons when they cannot be obtained fresh. the preservation of food by making it into jellies, preserves, and pickles does not, as in the case of canning, depend on the sterilization of the product, but rather on the use of certain ingredients that act as preservatives. these include sugar, spices, salt, and vinegar, all of which are considered harmless preservatives in both the home and the commercial preparation of foods. . the making of jelly, preserves, and pickles may seem like an extravagance in the expenditure of money for materials, as well as of time and energy on the part of the housewife. whether this is the case or not is a matter that must be decided by the housewife herself. if these foods are not of enough value to her in the preparation of meals and the feeding of her family to make it worth her while to use her time and materials in storing them for winter use, then it is not wise for her to prepare them. but foods so preserved usually have sufficient merit to warrant the expenditure of the time and the money required in their making. . in the first place, it will often be necessary to throw away material that would make excellent jelly or jam unless the sugar can be supplied and the time given to make this material into something that is edible and at the same time attractive. as is well known, all through the canning season, there is some material, which may have been intended for canning, but which, for some reason, cannot be used in that way. such material should be utilized in the preparation of these foods. for instance, some of the berries and other fruits bought for canning may be found to be too ripe to make a good-looking product, but may be very satisfactory for the making of jars or jellies. then, too, if the open-kettle method of canning is used, there is almost certain to be a superfluous amount of juice that would be wasted if it were not used in the making of jelly. such material need not necessarily be used at the time, for it may be canned and then made up later at some more convenient time. in addition to material of this kind, there is often a surplus of vegetables and fruits on hand, particularly if one has access to a garden. much of this can be canned and dried, but what is not desired for these purposes might be wasted if it were not made up into appetizing jellies, preserves, and pickles. . even though it were not necessary to consider the matter of waste and the utilizing of surplus fruits and vegetables, there would still be sufficient reason for the making of jellies, preserves, and pickles, because these foods, when properly prepared, have great value in the meal. jellies and preserves, because of the large quantity of sugar used in them, are foods high in carbohydrate. in view of this fact, they should be considered as a part of the meal in which they are served, instead of being used extravagantly or regarded as something extra in an already sufficiently large menu. besides their importance in food value, they should have a place in the diet because they stimulate the appetite through their attractive colors and delicious flavors. the familiar fact that a child will refuse to eat plain bread and butter, but will accept the same piece when it has been made attractive by the addition of a little jam, argues much for the use of foods of this sort in children's diet. as it is with children, so it is to a large extent with adults. during the winter months, when fruits and fresh vegetables are scarce and expensive, practically every one finds jellies and preserves appetizing, for these things, in a measure, take the place of the foods that are difficult to procure. . not so much can be said of the various kinds of pickles, as they are not so valuable in the diet from the standpoint of food values. they are made from fruits and vegetables, as are jellies and preserves, but the preservatives used in their preparation are vinegar and spices. in addition to having no food value, such ingredients produce overstimulation and irritation in the alimentary tract, toughen the cellulose in the foods used, and consequently often cause indigestion and various gastric disturbances. for these reasons, pickles should not be included in the diet of children. however, because of the stimulation they produce in the stomach, foods of this kind, if taken in small quantities, are properly served as appetizers, and can be eaten by normal adults without fear of digestive disturbances. then, too, as every one who has meals to prepare knows, they are valuable for relieving monotony in the diet, a point that should not be overlooked. . because the preservation of food in jellies, preserves, and pickles is accomplished by the use of certain preservatives instead of by the sterilization of the food, as in canning, these preparations do not mold or spoil readily. therefore, containers of a different nature from those used in canning may be used to store these foods. jars having tightly sealed covers are not required, but such containers as wide-necked bottles, stone jars or crocks, glasses, etc. may be utilized for this purpose. in fact, containers of almost any description may be used for jellies, preserves, and pickles. they should, of course, be sealed in some way to prevent the entrance of bacteria, and various methods of accomplishing this have been devised. a very satisfactory way consists in pouring melted paraffin over the top of the food and then covering the container with a piece of heavy paper and tying this on securely with cord. . since jellies, preserves, and pickles occupy a place of importance in the diet and at the same time provide an opportunity to utilize material that might otherwise be wasted, they are entitled to a certain amount of attention from the housewife. to equip her with the knowledge she needs for this work and give her practice in jelly making, preserving, and pickling, the details of these processes are taken up, step by step, in this section. * * * * * jelly making principles of jelly making . jelly making consists in cooking fruit juice with sugar until, upon cooling, it will solidify, or jell. while this is not a difficult nor a complicated process, there are some housewives who do not have success with it. often the result may be very good when a certain fruit is used, whereas it may be entirely unsatisfactory at another time, even though the same fruit is used and practically the same procedure is followed. if the best results are to be assured in jelly making, the principles that are involved in this process must first be thoroughly understood and then the correct procedure must be painstakingly followed out. . to solidify properly and thus become a desirable jelly, the fruit juice that is used for this purpose must have the following characteristics and treatment: ( ) it must contain certain jelly-making properties; ( ) it must be extracted properly; ( ) it must be combined with the correct proportion of sugar; and ( ) it must be cooked the proper length of time. there are, of course, numerous degrees of solidity of jelly, varying from that which will barely retain its shape to that which is very tough and hard, but neither extreme is desirable. to be right, the jelly should be firm enough to stand up well, but should be tender and soft when a spoon is cut into it. . fruit is the principal ingredient in the making of jelly, as it is the source from which the juice is obtained. such imperfections in fruits as poor shape or unattractive appearance do not count in this matter, since only the juice is used; but they must contain jelly-making properties in order that jelly can be made from them. green or slightly unripe fruits are better for jelly making than fruits that have become ripe. in fact, when in this immature state, fruits may be used to make jelly, whereas the same fruits, when perfectly ripe, often will not make jelly at all, or, if they do, will produce a jelly that is inferior in quality. . the chief requirement of fruits that are to be used for jelly making is that they contain acid and pectin. _pectin_ is the real jelly-making property of fruits. when it is in the presence of acid and combined with the correct proportion of sugar and the combination is properly boiled, a desirable jelly is the result. without pectin, however, it is impossible to make the juice solidify, or jell. pectin is closely related to the carbohydrates, but as it does not yield heat energy nor build tissue, its food value is not considered. in this respect, it is like the cellulose of fruits and vegetables. it is because green fruits contain more pectin than do ripe fruits that they are more suitable for jelly making. the lack of either acid or pectin need not, however, prevent the making of jelly from fruits, such as sweet fruits, that contain other jelly-making properties, for either or both may be supplied from some other source. in other words, jelly may be made from any fruit that will yield juice and flavor. equipment for jelly making [illustration: fig. ] . necessary equipment.--in the making of jelly, as in the preparation of many other foods, numerous utensils will be found convenient and may, if desired, be supplied to make the work easier. however, the necessary ones are comparatively few in number and, for the most part, are found in almost every kitchen. in fig. are shown assembled practically all the equipment used in the making of jelly, and if a housewife is provided with these things or substitutes for them, she will be well equipped for her work. . kettles.--as will be observed, two kettles are required in jelly making. the larger one is used for cooking the fruit, and the smaller one, to cook the juice and the sugar. these should have a perfectly smooth surface, and may be made of almost any material used for such utensils, except tin or iron. these two metals are undesirable, as they are liable to lend to the jelly a disagreeable flavor and in all probability an unattractive color. the one used to cook the fruit should generally be a little larger than the other. as about glassfuls of jelly may be cooked at one time, the kettle in which the juice is boiled should be of adequate size to cook this amount without danger of its boiling over. when fruit juice and sugar are boiled together, the mixture often boils up and runs over if the vessel is not large enough. . jelly bag.--the jelly bag, which is used for straining the boiled fruit and thus obtaining the juice, may be a home-made one or, as shown in the illustration, one that is purchased for the purpose. if the bag is made at home, a heavy, closely woven material, such as flannel, should be selected, so as to prevent the tiny particles of fruit from passing through with the juice. a liquid strained in this manner will be much clearer and will make better looking jelly than that which has been run through a coarse material, such as cheesecloth. the juice can be strained very conveniently if the bag is attached to a wire arrangement, like the one shown, or to an upright standard that can be fastened to a chair or a table, for then the bag is held securely over the vessel into which the juice drips. sometimes, especially when more than one extraction of the juice is to be made, the first extraction is made by means of a strainer or a colander and the juice thus obtained is then strained through the bag. . additional utensils.--as accurate measurements are absolutely essential in jelly making, a measuring cup should be included in the equipment. then, too, a quart measure will be found very convenient, especially if large quantities of materials are to be cooked at one time. a large spoon or two for stirring, skimming, and testing should also be provided. the spoon used for skimming will produce better results if the bowl contains holes that will permit the juice to drop back into the vessel, for then none of the juice will be wasted. . containers for jelly.--various types of receptacles in which to keep jelly are in use, some turning out more attractive molds than others. the shape of the mold, however, is a matter of minor importance. almost any wide-mouthed glass receptacle with comparatively smooth sides will do very well, since the sealing of jelly is not a difficult thing to do. therefore, new receptacles should not be purchased if there is a supply of any suitable kind on hand, for many other containers besides purchased jelly glasses may be used for this purpose. the most convenient type, which may be bought in any store selling kitchen utensils, is that shown in fig. . as will be observed, these are somewhat broad and not very tall. a mold of jelly turned from a tall, narrow glass does not stand up so well as that turned from a flat, wide one. then, too, a tall glass is much more likely to tip and spill than a more shallow one. . metal covers that fit the tops of the glasses, like the ones shown, are the most convenient kind that can be used, but they are not an absolute necessity. in their place may be used paper caps that fit the glasses, or the tops of the glasses may be covered with paper and then tied. before a cover of any kind is put on a glass, paraffin, several cakes of which are arranged on a plate in fig. , is melted and poured in a thin layer over the top of the jelly itself. to designate the kind of jelly, it is advisable to label the glasses with neat labels, a box of which is included in the equipment here shown. . paraffin-covered paper cups have been recommended to take the place of jelly glasses, and while they do very well in the case of scarcity of containers they have some disadvantages. in the first place, they can be used only once, as it is impossible to wash them. in addition, it will be necessary to wait until the jelly is partly cold before pouring it into such cups, as hot jelly will melt the paraffin on the surface of the paper. procedure in jelly making . when the necessary utensils have been conveniently placed and the desired fruit has been selected, the housewife may proceed at once to the work of making jelly. each step is here outlined in the order in which it should be taken up in doing the actual work. the entire procedure should be properly followed out in order to insure the best results, and every part of the work should be carefully done so as to avoid any waste of material. [illustration: fig. ] . cooking the fruit.--prepare the fruit in whatever way is necessary. the preparation needed will depend, of course, on the kind of fruit selected for the jelly, but usually not so much preparation is needed as in the case of canning. for instance, when crab-apple jelly is made, the stems are removed and the fruit is cut into halves or quarters, but they need not be peeled nor have the seeds taken out. specific directions for the different varieties of fruits are given in the various recipes. the chief precaution to take in preparing the fruit, no matter what kind is used, is to see that it is thoroughly cleaned. with the fruit prepared, put it into a large kettle and add enough water to start the cooking and prevent scorching. some fruits will require more water than others, especially when they must be cooked a long time in order to soften them sufficiently to extract the juice. juicy fruits, like plums, need only the minimum amount of water, while drier fruits, such as apples, require more. place the kettle on the stove, as in fig. , and allow the fruit to cook until it is soft or is reduced to a pulp. the length of time for cooking will also depend entirely on the kind of fruit that is being used. . extracting juice.--when the fruit is thoroughly cooked, pour the pulp and the juice that has formed into the jelly bag and allow it to drip into a pan placed directly under the bag, as shown in fig. . formerly, it was the custom to let the juice drip until no more remained in the bag. this method is followed to some extent at present, but it is falling into disuse, as it is not the most economical way of extracting the juice from the pulp. more juice can be obtained and more jelly made from the same amount of fruit if three extractions instead of one are made. make the first extraction by pouring the pulp and juice into the bag and permitting the juice to drip only until it begins to run very slowly. then return the pulp to the kettle, add a small quantity of water, and let it boil again for a few minutes. pour it the second time into the jelly bag, and let it drip as before. cook it the third time in the same way, and then allow it to drip until all the juice is extracted. at this point, mix the juice from the three extractions. they should not be used separately, for they are much different in quality, the third one being not so good as the second and the second, inferior to the first. on the other hand, when all three are mixed, an excellent quality is the result, provided all conditions are correct, and a larger quantity of juice is obtained for the jelly. [illustration: fig. ] . the quantity of juice that may be extracted depends on the quality as well as the kind of fruit. if the season is a rainy one, the fruits will be found to contain more juice than they would in a dry season. then, too, if the fruits are picked immediately after a rain, they will contain more juice than the same fruits before the rain. the amount of juice the fruit contains determines, of course, the quantity of water that should be added in the cooking. if only one extraction is intended, to quarts of water may be used for quarts of fruit, depending on the kind of fruit; but if three extractions are to be made, less water should be added for each extraction. in case the extracted juice contains more water than it should have, either because the fruit contains an excessive amount of water or because too much water was added to the fruit in its cooking, the superfluous water will be extracted by boiling the juice with the sugar a little longer as the jelly is being made. it is not always necessary to have the fleshy part of fruit for jelly making, for often the skins, seeds, and cores of fruits may be cooked with water and the juice then extracted from them. another point to remember is that the pulp from which the juice is extracted may sometimes be used for jam or marmalade. if points like these are taken into consideration, it will not be necessary to waste any part of edible fruits. . testing the juice for pectin.--when the juice has been extracted from the fruit, it should be tested for pectin in order to determine whether or not it will be satisfactory for the making of jelly. a test that can be applied by the housewife is illustrated in fig. . into a tumbler, put a tablespoonful of juice and with this mix a tablespoonful of alcohol. if, upon adding the alcohol, the fruit juice turns into a gelatinous, or jelly-like, mass that may be easily gathered up on the spoon, it may be known that pectin is present. as has already been stated, the presence of this substance in fruit juice insures the fact that jelly can be made from the juice. [illustration: fig. ] . using juice lacking in pectin.--if, in the test for pectin, the addition of alcohol to the fruit juice does not turn the juice into a jelly-like mass, pectin is not present. such juice, or juice that contains only a small amount of pectin, will prove unsuccessful in jelly making unless some substance or juice high in pectin is added to it. the white skin from the inside of orange, lemon, or grapefruit peelings or the juice from apples, crab apples, currants, green gooseberries, or other fruit containing a large quantity of pectin may be used for this purpose. also, commercial pectin may be purchased and used with fruits according to the directions that accompany it. it is always necessary to supply pectin in some way to such fruits as strawberries, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, cherries, pears, etc. to the sweet ones, like peaches and raspberries, lemon juice or other acid fruit juice also must be added if satisfactory jelly is desired. . determining proportion of sugar.--the only other ingredient used in jelly making, besides the fruit juice, is sugar. after the juice has been strained from the fruit, the next step is to determine how much sugar must be used. this is of extreme importance, as the success of the jelly depends very largely on whether or not the correct proportion is used. if too much sugar is added to the juice, a greater quantity of jelly will result, but it will not stand up as it should when it is turned out of the glass. on the other hand, if too little sugar is used, a smaller quantity of jelly than the required amount will be made and it will be tough and sour. [illustration: fig. ] . it is difficult to give the exact proportion of sugar to use with every kind of fruit, for some fruits require more than others. however, in general, / cupful of sugar to each cupful of juice, as shown in fig. , will be sufficient. this is especially true if the season has been a dry one and the fruits are neither very sour nor very juicy. after a wet season or with very sour or very juicy fruits, it will usually be necessary to use cupful of sugar to each cupful of juice. . much waste of sugar and spoiling of jelly can be avoided by the use of the test for pectin, which has just been described. after the juice and the alcohol have been mixed, pour the mixture slowly from the glass, noting how the pectin is precipitated. if it is precipitated as one lump, a cupful of sugar may be used for each cupful of juice; if in several lumps, the proportion of sugar must be reduced to approximately three-fourths the amount of juice. if the pectin is not in lumps, but is merely precipitated, the sugar should be one-half or less of the amount of the juice. [illustration: fig. ] . to assist in determining the correct proportion of sugar to use in the making of jelly, the hydrometer, or sirup gauge, which is explained in _canning and drying_, will be found helpful. after the juice has been extracted, mix with a small amount of it the proportion of sugar that is to be used when the jelly is cooked. allow the sugar to dissolve completely, pour a little of the mixture into a glass or a graduate, and insert the hydrometer, as shown in fig. . regardless of the kind of juice, the hydrometer should register degrees for perfect jelly. if it registers less than degrees, more sugar should be added. then if it is necessary to add either sugar or juice, the additional ingredient should be carefully measured in order that the proportions may be correct for the making of jelly. it must not be understood that a hydrometer is an actual necessity in the making of jelly, for very good jelly can be made without measuring the ingredients in this manner. however, if a hydrometer is not used, it will be necessary to apply the best judgment possible to the rules given for the proportion of ingredients used in jelly making. . combining the juice and sugar.--the mixing of the juice and the sugar may seem like a trivial matter, but in reality much is involved in combining these ingredients properly. it may be done in three different ways. in the first method, which is called _long boiling_, the sugar and the juice are mixed cold and are then allowed to come to the boiling point together. the second, which is known as _mean boiling_, consists in putting the cold juice on the stove, allowing it to boil about half the required time, and then adding the sugar, which has also been heated. in the third, which is known as the _short-boiling method_, the juice is boiled without the sugar almost the full length of time required for making the jelly, and the sugar, which has been heated, is added just before the boiling is completed. . experience in the use of these three methods has shown their advantages and disadvantages. the first one, or the long-boiling process, has the disadvantage of losing sugar through the skimming that is always necessary in the making of jelly. in addition, the long boiling often causes the sugar to crystallize and thus produces a jelly that would not score very high. the short boiling is not entirely satisfactory, because of the difficulty in determining just when to add the sugar to the juice. the process of mean boiling, having neither of these drawbacks and usually resulting in jelly of excellent quality, is the most satisfactory and the one that is recommended. [illustration: fig. ] to carry out this method, place the sugar in a pan in a warm oven or other place where it will gradually become heated without either melting or scorching. put the juice over the fire in a saucepan and let it boil for to minutes. then, as shown in fig. , slowly add the correct proportion of hot sugar to the boiling juice, stirring constantly so that the sugar will dissolve as quickly as possible. . boiling the juice and sugar.--the boiling of the juice, both before and after the sugar is added, should be done rapidly. during this process, it will be found that a scum will form over the top of the juice. this should be skimmed off as it forms, for it is a detriment to the jelly. as shown in fig. , draw a large spoon over the top of the boiling juice from time to time and skim off the scum that rises, placing it into any small dish that is handy. it is usually advisable to do as much skimming as possible before the sugar is added, so that only a minimum amount of sugar will be lost. the length of time required to boil the juice after the sugar is added depends very largely on the way in which the boiling is carried on. if the mixture is boiled rapidly, less time will, of course, be needed than if it is boiled slowly. therefore, no definite time can be set for the cooking. however, several tests may be resorted to in order to determine whether the sugar and juice have boiled long enough to jell when the mixture is cold. [illustration: fig. ] . testing the jelly mixture.--the testing of the mixture can be done in various ways, the one to select depending on the success the housewife has in using them. a means very often resorted to consists in dipping a spoonful or two of the mixture out of the kettle and pouring it on the flat surface of a cold dish. if it is cooked sufficiently, it will solidify when it is cold and will appear just like jelly. the disadvantage of this test lies in the fact that the jelly on the stove continues to boil while the test is being made, and as this takes several minutes, the jelly is likely to overboil to a considerable extent. tests that can be performed more quickly are therefore more satisfactory. . a test that invariably proves successful consists in dipping up a spoonful of the juice and allowing it to run slowly from the spoon back into the pan. if, as shown in fig. , a double row of drops forms on the spoon with the last of the jelly that remains, it may be known that the cooking is finished. . another very satisfactory test is called _sheeting_. in the performing of this test, a spoonful of the jelly is dipped from the pan and then poured from the spoon into the pan again. if it is cooked to the proper consistency, large drops will form at the edge of the spoon and break off quickly. [illustration: fig. ] . filling the glasses.--as soon as it has been determined that the jelly is sufficiently cooked, it should be removed from the stove. the glasses may then be filled at once. these, together with the covers, must be thoroughly cleansed before being used, and this can be done while the jelly is cooking. after being thoroughly washed, submerge them in a pan of hot water and allow them to remain there until they are to be used. keeping them hot in this way will prevent them from cracking when the hot jelly is poured into them. take out one glass at a time, place it on a small plate or any small dish, and, as shown in fig. , pour the hot jelly into it from the pan to within / inch of the top. fill the remaining glasses in the same way, and then set them somewhere out of a draft to cool. if, as the jelly cools, it seems to be a little bit thin, place it somewhere in the sunshine and the heat of the sun will help to thicken it. [illustration: fig. ] . closing and storing the jelly glasses.--the jelly should be allowed to cool completely and should then be closed for storing. the best results are obtained by putting a thin layer of paraffin over the top of the jelly in each glass before applying the cover. to do this, put into a small saucepan as much paraffin as you think will be needed to cover the jelly you have made and set this on the stove to melt. when it has melted, pour a layer about / inch thick over the surface of the jelly, as shown in fig. . as soon as it cools, it will harden and thus form a protective covering for the jelly. when it is hard, cover the glass in the desired way. covers of tin are perhaps the most satisfactory, but if these cannot be secured, heavy paper covers that fit into the glasses snugly will answer the purpose very well. in the event of not having covers of either of these kinds, cover the tops of the glasses with paper--any good wrapping paper will do--and then tie this paper securely. just before putting the jelly away, label each glass with a neat label on which is written the name of the jelly. then no difficulty will be experienced in selecting at once the kind of jelly desired when one is taking a glass from the place where it is stored. [illustration: fig. ] scoring jelly . with jelly, as with canned fruit, it is a splendid idea for every housewife to score each kind she makes, so that she can determine how it measures up in its various characteristics. if it falls below the standard, this fact should be known, so that the fault can be remedied the next time. on the other hand, extreme satisfaction is felt if it is found to score high. to assist in scoring jelly, a score card is here given, and following it each one of the characteristics is discussed. score card for jelly per cent. color solidity flavor sugar content method of sealing --- total _color_.-for jelly having the proper color, per cent. is given. the fruit used in the making of jelly determines to a great extent the color of the finished product, but it is possible to have a very wide difference in the colors of jelly made from the same fruit. to be right, jelly should be clear, bright, and not too dark. if the juice is boiled too long, the jelly will be darker than it should be. if pulp has been allowed to pass through the jelly bag in straining out the juice, either through squeezing the bag or using a bag that is too thin, the jelly will be found to have a cloudy appearance. _solidity_.--when jelly is turned from the glass, it should be firm enough to stand alone. if it has not been boiled long enough, it will crush down and perhaps run like sirup. if it is boiled too long or the proportion of juice to sugar is not correct, it may be tough and leathery. jelly whose solidity is correct scores per cent. in this respect. _flavor_.--the characteristic flavor of the fruit used in making jelly should be retained as much as possible, and when this is the case per cent. is given to the product. the flavor of the jelly is therefore dependent on the flavor of the fruit. in addition, the flavor depends on the amount of sugar used, the amount of acid in the fruit, and the length of time consumed by the boiling. jellies boiled too long will be strong in flavor. _sugar content_.--the sugar content of jelly should be determined by the amount of acid that must be sweetened. an insufficient amount of sugar will result in tough, sour jelly, while too large a quantity will make the jelly taffy-like. the correct amount of sugar, which produces the right degree of sweetness, receives a score of per cent. _method of sealing_.--the method of sealing may seem like a matter of little importance, but if jelly is not sealed properly, it will not be in good condition when it is to be served. to score in this respect, for which per cent. is given, the jelly should be covered with paraffin and then closed with a cover or with paper in order to exclude the dust and dirt. recipes for jelly . recipes for the kinds of jelly usually made are here given. if the directions given in the procedure for jelly making are thoroughly mastered and then applied to these recipes, the housewife will experience very little difficulty in making any of these varieties. other jellies may, without doubt, be made by combining the proper fruits. all that has to be done in order to determine whether a certain fruit juice or combination of fruit juices will make jelly is to apply the test for pectin already explained. whatever quantity of jelly is desired may be made, but usually it can be handled best if not more than glassfuls are made at one time. . crab-apple jelly.--crab apples are much used for jelly, as they make a product of good consistency and excellent flavor. apples may be used in the same way as crab apples with equally good results. wash the apples thoroughly, remove the stems, and cut into quarters. make sure that the apples contain no worms. put them into a kettle, add about half as much water as apples, and cook slowly until the apples are soft. strain the juice through a jelly bag. before it stops dripping, return the pulp to the kettle, add half as much water as pulp, and allow the fruit to cook again. make a second extraction, and in the same way make a third one. then combine the juice, and strain all of it through a bag to make it clear. measure or cupfuls of juice, and pour it into a preserving kettle. boil for about minutes, straining off the scum that rises to the top. to each cupful of juice, add / to cupful of sugar that has been heated. crab apples will require cupful of sugar, but apples milder in flavor will not need more than / cupful. boil until the test shows that it has boiled long enough. pour into hot glasses, cool, and seal. label and then store for later use. . currant jelly.--if jelly having a tart flavor is desired, currant jelly should be tried. this kind of jelly is especially good to serve with the heavy course of a meal. wash and stem the currants. put them into a kettle and add about one-fourth as much water as currants. boil until the currants are reduced to a pulp. pour into a jelly bag and strain. make at least one more extraction, and a third extraction if there is a fairly large quantity of pulp. when all the juice has been strained from the pulp, strain it again through the bag or a heavy cloth. measure or cupfuls of juice into a kettle, boil for about minutes, and then add from three-fourths to an equal amount of heated sugar. remove the scum as it forms, taking off as much as possible before the sugar is added. continue to boil until the tests show that the mixture has cooked sufficiently. remove from the heat and pour into hot glasses. cool, seal, label, and store. . grape jelly.--thoroughly ripe grapes may be used for jelly, but they are not so satisfactory for this purpose as grapes that are only partly ripe. this is due to the fact that green grapes contain more pectin and, upon being cooked, produce fewer of the cream-of-tartar crystals usually found in grape jelly than do ripe ones. the procedure for grape jelly is the same as that for currant jelly. if ripe grapes are used, / cupful of sugar will be needed to each cupful of juice; but if only partly ripe grapes are used, cupful of sugar will be required for every cupful of juice. . quince jelly.--because of its attractive color and delicate flavor, quince jelly is much favored. the quinces may be used alone, but if a still more delicate flavor is desired, apples may be added to the quinces, or the parings and cores of the quinces may be used with apples or crab apples. to make quince jelly, proceed in the same way as for apple jelly, using / cupful of sugar to cupful of juice. . raspberry jelly.--either black or red raspberries may be used for jelly making. to give jelly made from these fruits a better consistency, a small quantity of green grape, crab-apple, or currant juice should be added. the procedure in this case is the same as for currant jelly. . strawberry jelly.--unripe strawberries contain a small amount of pectin, but thoroughly ripe ones are almost lacking in this respect. for this reason, strawberries cannot be used alone for making jelly. they make a delicious jelly, however, if currants are combined with them. for each or quarts of strawberries, quart of currants will be sufficient to make a jelly of good consistency. wash and hull the strawberries and then proceed as for currant jelly. . plum jelly.--plums make a jelly that many persons like. if it is desired to use plums alone, those which are not thoroughly ripe should be selected. ripe plums do not contain enough pectin for jelly; therefore, a fruit high in pectin, such as crab apples, must be added. the procedure for currant jelly should be followed for plum jelly. . peach jelly.--peaches contain so little pectin that it is almost impossible to make jelly of them unless some other fruit is added in rather large quantities. currants, crab apples, or green grapes may be used with peaches, and whichever one is selected will be needed in the proportion of about per cent.; that is, half as much additional fruit as peaches is needed. in the making of peach jelly, proceed as for currant jelly. . canning fruit juices for jelly.--during the canning season, when a great deal of such work is being done, the housewife often feels that making jelly and preserves is an extravagant use of sugar. still, fruit juices left over from canning and large quantities of fruit, such as crab apples and currants, that are not suitable for other purposes, will be wasted unless they are used for jelly. if it is not convenient to use the fruit at the time it is obtained, a good plan is to extract the juice as for jelly making and then can it. in case this is done, jelly may be made from the juice during the seasons of the year when less sugar is required for other things. . to can fruit juice, extract it from the fruit as for jelly making and then bring it to the boiling point. select bottles or jars that may be tightly closed, sterilize them, fill them with the boiling juice, and seal them. bottles may be used for this purpose if they are well corked and then dipped into melted sealing wax or paraffin. when properly sealed, fruit juices will probably keep without any further effort to preserve them, but to make positively certain that they will not spoil, it is a wise precaution to process the filled bottles or jars in boiling water for about or minutes in the same way in which canned fruit is processed. when treated in this way, fruit juices will keep perfectly and may be made into jelly at any time during the winter. * * * * * preserving principles of preserving . preserving consists in preparing fruits in perfect condition to resist decomposition or change by cooking them in heavy sirup. the cooking is done so slightly that the original form, flavor, and color of the fruit are retained as far as possible. this process is similar to that of canning by the open-kettle method; that is, the fruit and sugar are combined and cooked to the proper consistency in the preserving kettle. sugar is used in such quantity in the preparation of preserves that it acts as a preservative and prevents bacteria from attacking the foods in which it is used. if preserves of any kind ferment, it may be known that not enough sugar was used in their preparation. the sterilization of the product and the air-tight sealing of the containers, which are necessary in the canning of fruits and vegetables, need not be resorted to in the case of preserves. . selection of fruit.--when fruit is to be made into preserves, much attention should be paid to its selection, for, as a rule, only the finest fruits are used for preserving. this is especially true of the smaller fruits, such as berries and cherries, for they are preserved whole. therefore, in order that they may have a good appearance when preserved, it is necessary that they be as perfect as possible to begin with. in addition, the fruit should be thoroughly ripe, but not mushy nor overripe. as the cooking of the fruits in sirup hardens them to a certain extent, fruits that are not sufficiently ripe cannot be used, for they would be too hard when done. if care is used in selecting fruits that are to be preserved, a good-appearing product will be the result, since this process is carried on in such a way as not to impair their shape. . methods of preserving.--several methods of preserving fruit are in practice, but in general the same principles characterise each one. probably the most successful method consists in bringing a certain proportion of sugar and water to the boiling point, dropping the fruit into the sirup thus formed, and cooking it for a definite length of time. boiling fruits in heavy sirup has a tendency to make them firm and solid, rather than to cook them to pieces, as would be the case with water or a thin sirup. even very soft berries, when used for preserves, will retain almost their original size and shape if they are properly cooked. except for the fact that a heavier sirup is used, the process of preserving fruit is exactly like that of canning fruit by the open-kettle method. the chief precaution to take in this method is that as little water as possible be used, so that the sirup may be very thick when the fruit is added. another method that may be recommended because it helps to keep the fruit in good condition consists in cooking it in its own juice. in this method, equal quantities of fruit and sugar are put together and allowed to stand until enough juice is formed, preferably overnight, so that the fruit may be cooked without the addition of any water. strawberries are excellent when preserved in this way. whichever method is followed, better results will be obtained if only a few quarts of fruit are cooked at a time. when a large quantity of berries, for instance, is added to the boiling sirup, they will form such a thick layer that they will have to remain over the fire a long time before they come to the boiling point. they will therefore be much more likely to crush and give the finished product a mushy appearance than if a smaller quantity, which will form a thinner layer, is cooked each time. . utensils for preserving.--the equipment necessary in the making of preserves is similar to that used for making jelly, with the exception of the dripping bag and the hydrometer. a good-sized preserving kettle is, of course, required for the cooking of the fruit and sirup; a measuring cup and a quart measure are needed for the measuring of the ingredients; and a long-handled wooden spoon or paddle is the most convenient utensil with which to stir all foods of this class. containers similar to those used for jelly will be satisfactory receptacles in which to put preserves, but as preserved fruits are not turned out in a mold, almost any kind of wide-mouthed bottle or jar may be used for this purpose. paraffin should also be provided, as this should always be used for the first covering to prevent the formation of molds, which are likely to grow on moist sweet substances exposed to the air. before using paraffin for preserves, they should be allowed to stand until the surface has become absolutely dry. it is well to label preserves, too; so labels should be kept on hand for this purpose. * * * * * recipes for preserved fruits varieties of preserved fruits . the several methods of preserving fruits result in considerable variety in the finished product. _preserves proper_ are those cooked in a heavy sirup, either whole or cut into pieces. in addition to being prepared in this way, fruit may be made into _conserve, marmalade, jam_, and _butter_. specific directions for the preparation of each one of these varieties are here given, together with a number of recipes showing the kinds of fruit most suitable for the different varieties. no housewife need deprive her family of any of these delicious preparations if she will familiarize herself with the methods explained and will follow out minutely the directions given. in the making of the various kinds of preserves, just as much care must be exercised as in canning and jelly making if the best results are desired. preserves . strawberry preserve.--strawberries selected for preserves should be of the dark, solid variety, if possible, since these shrink less and retain their shape and size better than do the lighter varieties. this fruit is made into preserves probably more often than any other kind, and this is not strange, for it makes a most delicious preserve. strawberry preserve qt. strawberries / c. hot water lb. sugar clean the strawberries by placing them in a colander and raising and lowering them into a large pan of water. remove the hulls and make sure that all the water is carefully drained from the berries. add the water to the sugar and place over the fire in a preserving kettle that has a smooth surface. stir until the sugar is dissolved, and allow the mixture to come to a rapid boil. to the rapidly boiling sirup, add the strawberries by dropping them carefully into it. allow the fruit to come to the boiling point in the sirup, and continue to boil for or minutes. if the berries seem to contain an unusual amount of water, boiling for minutes may be necessary. remove from the fire and fill into hot sterilized glasses at once, or set aside to cool. it has been found that if the preserves are allowed to stand in the kettle overnight, they will improve in flavor and, because of the absorption of oxygen, which they lose in boiling, they will increase in size. if the preserves are treated in this way, it will be necessary to pour them cold into the sterilized glasses. when the preserves in the glasses are cold, pour melted paraffin over them. cover them with metal or paper covers, label, and store for future use. . cherry preserve.--if sour cherries can be secured, an excellent preserve can be made of them. cherries should, of courser be seeded, or pitted, when they are prepared in this way. cherry preserve qt. seeded sour cherries c. hot water - / lb. sugar drain off the superfluous juice from the cherries. add the hot water to the sugar in a preserving kettle, and allow the mixture to come to a boil. add the cherries and boil for or minutes. have hot sterilized jelly glasses ready and fill with the hot preserves. allow the preserves to cool, cover first with paraffin and then with metal or paper covers, and label. . raspberry preserve.--although red raspberries are a rather soft fruit, they can be used very well for preserves if care is taken not to break them into pieces by too long cooking or too rapid boiling. raspberry preserve qt. red raspberries / c. hot water lb. sugar wash the raspberries by placing them in a colander and raising and lowering them in a large pan of cold water. mix the hot water with the sugar in a preserving kettle, place the mixture over the fire and bring to the boiling point. add the raspberries to the boiling sirup, and when they have come to the boiling point, cook for to minutes. remove the hot preserves from the fire and pour into hot sterilized jars. allow them to cool, seal with paraffin and metal or paper covers, and label. . plum preserve.--a very rich, tart preserve can be made by cooking plums in a thick sirup. those who care for the flavor of plums will find preserves of this kind very much to their taste. plum preserve qt. plums c. hot water - / lb. sugar select any variety of plums desired for preserves, and wash them in cold water. cut them in half and remove the seeds. place the hot water and the sugar in a preserving kettle, and bring to a rapid boil. add the plums and boil slowly for minutes. remove from the fire, pour into hot sterilized jelly glasses. allow them to cool and cover first with paraffin and then with metal or paper covers. before storing, label each glass neatly. . quince preserve.--quinces combined with apples make a preserve that finds favor with many. as shown in the accompanying recipe, about one-third as many apples as quinces make the required proportion. quince preserve qt. quinces, peeled and quartered qt. apples, peeled and quartered - / c. hot water lb. sugar select well-ripened quinces. rub the fuzz from the skin with a cloth, and then wash, peel, quarter, and core. if desired, they may be sliced, but they are very nice when preserved in quarters. select firm apples, wash, peel, quarter, and core them, and cut them the same size as the quinces. add the water to the sugar, place the mixture over the fire in a preserving kettle, and let it come to a boil. add the quinces, cook until tender, and remove from the sirup. then cook the apples in the sirup in the same way, and when tender remove from the sirup. place the fruits in alternate layers in hot jars. unless the sirup is very thick, boil it until it becomes heavy; then fill each jarful of fruit with this sirup. seal with paraffin, cover with metal or paper covers, and label. . peach preserve.--although somewhat bland in flavor, peaches make an excellent preserve. some persons prefer them cut into very small slices, while others like them preserved in large slices. peach preserve qt. peaches - / c. hot water lb. sugar select firm peaches. wash, pare, and cut into slices of any desirable size. add the water to the sugar in a preserving kettle, place over the fire, and allow the mixture to come to a rapid boil. drop the sliced peaches into the sirup and cook until tender. have hot sterilized jars ready, fill with the hot preserves, and seal with paraffin. cover in the desired way and label. conserves . conserves do not differ materially from preserves in their preparation, but they usually consist of a mixture of two or more fruits, whereas preserves are made from a single fruit. all rules that govern the making of preserves apply equally well to the making of conserves. there are certain fruits that combine very well as far as flavor, color, etc. are concerned, and these are generally used together in the preparation of this food. however, almost any combination of fruits may be made into conserves. this is therefore a very good way in which to utilize small quantities of left-over fruits. then, too, a cheap material may be combined with a more expensive one to make a larger quantity of a moderately priced product, as, for instance, rhubarb and pineapple. again, the pulp from which juice has been extracted for jelly may be used to make conserve. in fact, a little ingenuity on the part of the housewife and familiarity with general preserving methods will enable her to make many kinds of excellent conserves, even though she may not have a definite rule or recipe to cover the use of the particular material that happens to be on hand. . strawberry-and-pineapple conserve.--the combination of strawberries and pineapple is an excellent one. the accompanying recipe shows how to combine these fruits to make a most appetizing conserve. strawberry-and-pineapple conserve qt. strawberries large pineapple c. hot water - / lb. sugar prepare the strawberries as for canning. peel and slice the pineapple, remove the eyes, and cut into small pieces. add the water to the sugar in a preserving kettle, and allow it to come to a boil. drop the pieces of pineapple into the sirup and cook them until they are tender. to this add the strawberries and cook for or minutes longer. the conserve should then be sufficiently cooked to put into the jars. if the juice seems too thin, fill the jars, which should be hot sterilized ones, about three-fourths full of the fruit, and then return the sirup to the heat and boil it until it is the right consistency. remove the boiling sirup from the stove, and pour it over the fruit in the jars until they are full. allow the conserve to cool, and then seal, first with paraffin and then with metal or paper covers. label each glass and set away for future use. . strawberry-and-rhubarb conserve.--rhubarb combines very well with either strawberries or pineapple. the accompanying recipe is for strawberries and rhubarb, but if pineapple is desired, it may be substituted for the strawberries in the same quantity. strawberry-and-rhubarb conserve qt. strawberries - / qt. rhubarb - / c. hot water lb. sugar prepare the strawberries as for canning. cut the rhubarb, which should be very tender, into cubes without removing the skin. add the water to the sugar, and bring to a rapid boil in a preserving kettle. put the rhubarb and strawberries into this sirup, and cook for at least minutes. pour into hot sterilized glasses, and when cool seal in the usual way. label and store. . pineapple-and-apricot conserve.--no more delicious conserve can be made than pineapple-and-apricot conserve. the tartness of the apricots gives a flavor that is pleasing to most persons. pineapple-and-apricot conserve qt. apricots large pineapple c. hot water - / lb. sugar wash the apricots, plunge them into boiling water to remove the skins, and then cut into quarters. peel and slice the pineapple, remove the eyes, and cut into cubes. add the water to the sugar in a preserving kettle, and bring to the boiling point. add the pineapple to the sirup, and cook until tender. then drop in the apricots and boil several minutes longer. have hot sterilized glasses ready, fill them with the conserve, and when cool seal in the usual way. before putting the glasses away, label each one neatly. . crab-apple-and-orange conserve.--it is a good idea to make crab-apple-and-orange conserve at the same time that crab-apple jelly is made, for the pulp that remains after extracting the juice may be utilized for the conserve. however, if it is desired to make it at some other time, fresh pulp can be prepared for the purpose. crab-apple-and-orange conserve qt. crab-apple pulp lb. sugar oranges to the crab-apple pulp, add the sugar, and place over the fire to boil. peel the oranges, scoop out the white portion from the peelings, cut the peelings into thin strips, and add to the crab-apple pulp. remove the pulp of the orange from the skins and from between the sections, cut it into small pieces, and add to the boiling mixture a few minutes before it is removed from the stove. when it has cooked thick, pour into hot sterilized glasses. cool and then seal and label. . plum conserve.--a rather unusual conserve is made by combining raisins and english walnut meats with plums. the accompanying recipe gives directions for the preparation of this conserve. plum conserve qt. plums c. hot water lb. sugar lb. raisins c. english walnut meats wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the seeds. add the water to the sugar, place over the fire in a preserving kettle, and stir until the mixture comes to a rapid boil. wash the raisins, which should be seeded, add them with the plums to the sirup, and cook until the mixture is the consistency of jelly. just before removing from the stove, add the nut meats. pour the mixture into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. if very sour plums are used, increase the amount of sugar. . cherry-and-pineapple conserve.--cherries combine very well with pineapple in a conserve. sweet cherries should, if possible, be used for this purpose. cherry-and-pineapple conserve qt. sweet cherries pineapple lb. sugar c. hot water wash, stem, and seed the cherries. slice and peel the pineapple and remove the eyes. put the sugar and water over the fire in a preserving kettle, and stir until the sirup comes to the boiling point. to this sirup add the pineapple and the cherries and cook until the juice is very thick. pour into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. . red-raspberry-and-currant conserve.--a conserve having a very attractive color and a most appetizing flavor is made by combining red raspberries with red currants. red-raspberry-and-currant conserve qt. red raspberries qt. red currants c. hot water - / lb. sugar look the raspberries over carefully, and remove any that show signs of spoiling. wash the currants and stem them. add the water to the sugar and put the mixture over the fire to boil. add the currants to this, and stir until the mixture comes to the boiling point. boil for several minutes, or until the mixture begins to thicken, and then add the red raspberries. continue to boil for or minutes longer. pour into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. . carrot conserve.--conserve made from carrots will be found to be surprisingly delicious, and it has the added advantage of being inexpensive. carrot conserve - / qt. cooked cut carrots rind of lemons c. sugar c. hot water juice of lemons boil the carrots until tender and chop or put through a grinder with the lemon rind. then mix with the sugar, water, and lemon juice, and boil for about / hour or until thick. put into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. marmalades . marmalades are a form of preserves that differ from the other varieties more in the nature of the fruit used than in any other respect. for marmalades, large fruits are generally used, and, as a rule, the fruits are left in sections or in comparatively large pieces. the preparation of this food, however, differs in no way from preserves proper and conserves, the processes of cooking, sealing, storing, etc. being practically the same. . orange marmalade.--oranges combined with half as many lemons make a marmalade that most persons like. in fact, orange marmalade is probably made more often than any other kind. orange marmalade oranges lemons - / qt. hot water lb. sugar peel the oranges and the lemons in the same way an apple would be peeled, inserting the knife deep enough to cut through the skin covering the sections. remove the contents of the sections and squeeze out any juice that may remain in the thin skin. remove the white material from the inside of the peeling, and cut the yellow portion that remains into thin strips. add the water to the skins and simmer slowly for hour. at the end of this time, add the sugar and the orange and the lemon pulp, and boil until the mixture is thick. pour into hot, sterilized glasses, cool, and then seal and label. . orange-and-rhubarb marmalade.--if a somewhat different flavor is desired in a marmalade, rhubarb instead of lemons may be used with oranges, as shown in the accompanying recipe. orange-and-rhubarb marmalade oranges qt. hot water lb. sugar qt. rhubarb cut into pieces prepare the oranges as for orange marmalade. slowly cook the yellow part of the skin in quart of water for / hour. to this add the sugar and the rhubarb, and cook slowly until it is quite thick. stir in the orange pulp and cook until the mixture is again thick. pour into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. . quince marmalade.--quinces cut into quarters, cooked, and then forced through a sieve make an exceptionally good marmalade, so far as both flavor and color are concerned. no other fruit need be used with the quinces, as they have enough flavor in themselves. quince marmalade qt. quartered quinces qt. hot water lb. sugar wipe the fuzz from the quinces, wash, quarter, and remove the cores, but do not peel. put over the fire in a preserving kettle with the water. cook until the quinces are soft, remove from the fire, and mash through a sieve. add the sugar to the quince pulp, replace on the fire, and cook until the mixture is thick, stirring constantly to prevent burning. pour into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. . grape marmalade.--the pulp and skins of grapes are especially satisfactory for marmalade. in fact, most persons who are fond of grapes find marmalade of this kind very appetizing. grape marmalade qt. stemmed grapes c. hot water lb. sugar separate the pulp of the grapes from the skins, put it into a preserving kettle with the water, and heat to the boiling point. cook slowly until the seeds can be separated from the pulp, and then remove the seeds by pressing the pulp through a sieve. return to the preserving kettle with the grape skins. add the sugar, and cook the mixture slowly until it is thick, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. care must be taken not to cook it too long, as the marmalade becomes quite stiff. pour into hot, sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. . orange-and-pineapple marmalade.--no better combination can be secured than oranges and pineapple. to make marmalade, both fruits are cut into small pieces and then cooked in a thick sirup. orange-and-pineapple marmalade oranges c. hot water pineapples lb. sugar wash the oranges, cut skins and all into small pieces, remove the seeds, and boil slowly in the water until the skins are soft. prepare the pineapples by peeling them, removing the eyes, and then shredding or cutting into very small pieces. add the pineapple to the orange, stir in sugar, and continue to boil until the juice is at the jelly stage. pour into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. jams . jam is similar to preserves, except that the fruit used is made into a pulp before it is cooked with the sugar or after a part of the cooking is done. as a rule, only whole small fruits are used for jams, but the larger fruits can be utilized for this purpose by being cut fine and made into a pulp. when small fruits are used, part or all of the seeds are sometimes removed, but generally the seeds are allowed to remain if they are not too large. jam is made thick by long boiling, and when done is usually quite smooth. a precaution, however, that should always be taken is not to cook it too long, for jam is very unappetizing if it is too thick. fruit may be purchased purposely for jam, but for the most part, this form of preserve is made of imperfect or very ripe fruits that are not suitable for canning, preserves, and other processes that require almost perfect fruit. if this point is kept in mind, it will be possible, during the canning season, to make into a delicious jam fruit that would otherwise be wasted. . strawberry jam.--as strawberries have very small seeds, this fruit makes an excellent jam. strawberry jam qt. strawberries lb. sugar wash and hull the strawberries. then mash them in a preserving kettle and add the sugar to them. place over the fire, and boil slowly until the mixture becomes thick, stirring frequently to prevent the jam from sticking to the kettle and scorching. when the jam is cooked to the proper consistency, the juice should test as for jelly. pour the mixture into hot sterilized glasses, cool, and then seal and label. . raspberry jam.--both red and black raspberries are much used for jam. some persons like to remove the seeds from raspberry jam, but as very little pulp remains after the seeds are taken out, this plan is not recommended. raspberry jam qt. raspberries lb. sugar look over the raspberries carefully and then wash. put them into a preserving kettle with the sugar. heat to the boiling point, and cook slowly for a few minutes. then mash the berries to a pulp, and continue to cook until the mixture thickens and the juice tests as for jelly. pour into hot sterilized jars, cool, seal, and label. . green-gage jam.--green gages make a smooth, tart jam that appeals to most persons. the seeds of the plums are, of course, removed, but the skins are allowed to remain in the jam. green-gage jam qt. green-gage plums lb. sugar - / c. hot water wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the seeds, but not the skins. dissolve the sugar in the water over the fire, and when it comes to the boiling point, add the plums. cook slowly until the plums are mushy and the entire mixture is thick. pour into sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. if sweet plums are used, decrease the quantity of sugar. . gooseberry jam.--when gooseberries are well ripened, they make very good jam. as this fruit is rather tart, considerable sugar must be used if a sweet jam is desired. gooseberry jam qt. gooseberries lb. sugar remove the stems and blossom ends from the gooseberries and wash thoroughly. add the sugar to the berries in a preserving kettle. bring to a rapid boil, cook for a few minutes, and then mash the berries to a pulp. cook until the mixture thickens and tests as for jelly. pour into hot sterilized glasses, cool, seal, and label. . blackberry jam.--probably no jam is so well liked as that made from blackberries. some varieties of these are large in size and contain considerable pulp in proportion to seeds. these are especially suitable for jam. blackberry jam qt. blackberries / c. hot water lb. sugar wash the berries thoroughly, and put them over the fire with the water. bring to the boiling point, and boil slowly for a few minutes. then mash the berries, add the sugar, and cook the mixture until, when tested, it is of a jelly-like consistency. pour into hot, sterilized glasses, cool, and label. butters . fruit butters are a form of preserves similar to jams, and are used in the place of preserves, jams, conserves, or marmalades. the fruit used for this purpose, which may be either large or small, is usually very ripe and somewhat soft. therefore, as in the case of jams, imperfect fruits that are not suitable for other purposes can be used very well for butters. butters made from fruits differ from jams in that both the skins and seeds are always removed. the completed mixture is smooth and thick, having been made thick by long boiling and evaporation, rather than by the addition of large quantities of sugar. in fact, less sugar is used for butters proportionately than for any other preserved fruit. spices are generally used in butters, so that the mixture is very highly flavored. to prevent butters from scorching, they should be stirred constantly for a long period of time. this stirring becomes very tiresome, but it should not be stopped or the mixture is certain to scorch. if they are properly cooked, butters keep well with very little care in storage. crocks are generally used for the storage of butters, but glasses or jars may be substituted. . apple butter.--apples are very often made into butter, but for this purpose sour apples that will cook soft should be selected. if the procedure explained in the accompanying recipe is followed, very good results may be expected. apple butter qt. apples qt. cider lb. sugar tsp. cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. allspice peel the apples and quarter them. boil the cider until it is reduced half. add the apples to the cider, and cook slowly for about hours, or until they are mushy, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent the apples from sticking to the bottom of the kettle. at the end of this time, the mixture should be thick and smooth and dark in color. if it gets too thick, more cider can be added. about hour before the cooking is completed, add the sugar and the spices. even greater care must be exercised from this time on to prevent scorching. if, after cooking hours, the mixture is not sufficiently thick, continue to cook until more of the moisture is evaporated. have hot sterilized glasses or crocks ready, fill them with the butter, cool, and seal. . peach butter.--peaches are especially satisfactory when made into butter. this fruit does not require such long cooking as apples, as will be seen in the accompanying recipe. peach butter qt. peaches c. hot water lb. sugar tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves wash the peaches, rub them to remove the fuzz, cut them in half, and take out the seeds. measure the peaches and put them with the water into the preserving kettle, bring them to a boil, and cook until they are thoroughly softened. then press them through a sieve or a colander, return the pulp to the preserving kettle, and add the sugar and the spices. cook slowly for or hours, or until it has become a rich dark, clear color. pour the butter into hot sterilized glasses or crocks, cool, and seal. . pear butter.--an appetizing fruit butter can be made from pears in the same way that peach butter is made. pear butter qt. pears, quartered c. hot water lb. sugar tsp. cinnamon tsp. cloves wash, cut, and core the pears, but do not peel them. cut them into quarters, and put the quarters into a preserving kettle with the water. bring to the boiling point, and boil until soft or mushy. remove from the kettle and force through a sieve or a colander. to the pulp, add the sugar and spices, return to the kettle, and cook slowly for about hours, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. if hours is not sufficient to cook the mixture dry, cook a little longer. pour into hot sterilized glasses or jars, cool, and seal. . plum butter.--another very good way in which to preserve plums for future use is to make butter of them. the accompanying recipe explains the correct procedure for butter of this kind. plum butter qt. plums c. hot water lb. sugar tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves wash the plums, cut them in half, and remove the seeds. put the plums with the water into a preserving kettle, and boil until they are soft. press them through a sieve or a colander, return to the preserving kettle, and add the sugar and spices. boil until the mixture is thick and jelly-like, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. pour into hot sterilized crocks or glasses, cool, and seal. if very sour plums are used, increase the amount of sugar. * * * * * pickling principles of pickling . pickling consists in preserving fruits and vegetables in vinegar or brine. each of these liquids acts as a preservative, so that the receptacles, or containers, for the food do not have to be sealed air-tight, nor does the preserved food require much care in order to have it keep perfectly. the effect of the pickling liquids on both fruits and vegetables is very similar. the salt in the brine or the vinegar hardens the cellulose of the foods to such an extent that they are impervious to the action of bacteria. while this permits the foods to keep well, it also makes them difficult to digest, a fact that must be remembered when pickled foods are included in the diet. . the procedure in pickling is simple. after the fruit or vegetable is cleaned and prepared in the way desired, it is merely a matter of placing the food in sterilized jars or crocks, pouring the hot preserving liquid over it, allowing it to cool, and then storing it. in some cases the food is cooked, and in others it is not. as a rule, spices of some kind or other are added, both to aid in preserving and to impart flavor. . practically all large fruits and many vegetables are pickled, as is shown in the recipes that follow. foods preserved by pickling are known as either _pickles_ or _relishes_. while both products are similar in many respects, relishes are distinguished from pickles in that, as a rule, they are made up from more than one kind of fruit or vegetable and usually the pieces are cut or chopped and not put up whole. often the foods in relishes are chopped or cut so fine as to make it almost impossible to tell what the fruit or vegetable was originally. the food value of both these products is not extremely high, unless a great quantity of sugar is used in the pickling. this is sometimes the case with pickled peaches or pears, but seldom if ever with pickled vegetables. * * * * * recipes for pickling pickles . small cucumber pickles.--perhaps the most common pickles are small cucumbers pickled according to the accompanying recipe. such pickles meet with favor and serve very well as appetizers. the cucumbers selected should be small, so that they will be solid all the way through. small cucumber pickles gal. water c. coarse salt small cucumbers / gal. vinegar - / tsp. celery seed lb. light-brown sugar / tsp. mustard seed tsp. salt oz. stick cinnamon tsp. whole cloves make a brine of the water and the coarse salt, pour it over the cucumbers, and allow them to stand for hours. at the end of this time, pour off the brine, wash the pickles in cold water, and place them into crocks. heat the vinegar, add the celery seed, sugar, mustard seed, salt, cinnamon, and cloves, and bring the mixture to the boiling point. pour this over the pickles in the crocks, cover closely while hot, and place in storage. if the pickles are desired sweet, add more brown sugar to the mixture. . sliced-cucumber pickles.--large cucumbers cut into slices may be pickled in practically the same way as small cucumbers. at times, when small cucumbers are hard to get, large cucumbers will take their place very well. in fact, some housewives prefer sliced cucumber pickles to the small ones. sliced-cucumber pickles gal. sliced cucumbers c. coarse salt - / qt. vinegar pt. water tsp. pepper tsp. mustard tsp. cinnamon tsp. cloves onions, chopped c. brown sugar tb. salt select rather large cucumbers. wash and peel them and cut into / -inch slices. sprinkle well with salt, and mix the salt among the layers of cucumbers. allow this to stand for hours; then drain and wash in clear cold water. to the vinegar and water add the spices, onion, sugar, and salt. heat this to the boiling point, pour over the sliced cucumbers, and pack them into jars or crocks. seal while hot and store. . cucumbers in brine.--cucumbers may also be preserved in brine, stored, and pickled in vinegar later in any quantity, as desired. pour gallon of boiling water over cupfuls of coarse salt. this should make brine that is heavy enough to support an egg. wash cucumbers of any desired size, put them into a sterilized crock, in layers, and pour the brine, which has been allowed to cool, over the cucumbers until they are entirely covered. cover the top of the crock well and store. cucumbers preserved in this way may be taken from the brine at any time and pickled. to do this, soak them in fresh water to remove the salty taste. the fresh water may have to be poured off and replaced several times. after they have been freshened sufficiently, pickle them in vinegar and season them in any desirable way. . pickled beans.--string beans that are pickled make a good relish to serve with meals. unlike cucumbers that are pickled, the beans are cooked before the preserving liquid is added. the accompanying recipe is for either wax or green beans. pickled beans qt. beans - / qt. vinegar c. brown sugar tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tsp. allspice tsp. cinnamon tsp. cloves select large, firm, tender wax or green beans. cover them with water to which has been added level teaspoonful of salt to each quart and put them over the fire to cook. boil the beans until they can be pierced with a fork, remove from the fire, drain, and pack into jars or crocks. to the vinegar add the sugar, salt, and spices. bring this mixture to the boiling point, and pour it over the beans in the jars or crocks, filling them completely or covering the beans well. close tight and store. . pickled beets.--pickled beets meet with much favor as a relish. like pickled beans, they must be cooked before they can be pickled; also, unless they are very small, they should be sliced before pickling as the recipe points out. pickled beets qt. red beets qt. vinegar c. brown sugar tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tsp. cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. allspice cut the tops from the red beets, leaving inch of the stems and the roots attached. scrub well with a vegetable brush, and put to cook in boiling water. cook until the beets are tender enough to be pierced with a fork. pour off the hot water and run cold water over them. remove the roots and stems, and cut into slices of any desired thickness or into dice, if preferred. pack into jars or crocks. then bring the vinegar to a boil, and to it add the sugar, salt, and spices. pour this hot mixture over the beets. seal the beets while hot, cool, and store. . pickled cauliflower.--cauliflower is another vegetable that lends itself well to pickling. this food must be cooked, too, before pickling; and to have it just right for packing into the containers, it requires particular attention in cooking. pickled cauliflower qt. cauliflower broken into pieces c. brown sugar tb. salt / tsp. pepper qt. vinegar pt. water select firm heads of cauliflower and break them into sections or flowerets. immerse these in cold water to which has been added teaspoonful of salt to the quart. allow the cauliflower to stand for hour in the salt water. remove from the water, and put over the fire to cook in salt water of the same proportion as that used for soaking. cook until the cauliflower is quite tender, but not so tender as it would be cooked to serve at the table. if this is done, the cauliflower will darken and break into pieces. it should be firm enough not to crush or break easily when it is packed into the jars. when properly cooked, pack closely into jars, add the sugar, salt, and pepper to the vinegar and water, heat to the boiling point, and pour this liquid over the cauliflower, completely covering it. seal while hot, allow to cool, and store. . pickled onions.--pickled onions are well liked by many. for pickling purposes, medium small onions of uniform size are most suitable. owing to their nature, onions cannot be pickled so quickly as some of the vegetables mentioned, but, otherwise, the work is done in practically the same way. pickled onions qt. onions qt. spiced vinegar select onions that are as nearly the same size as possible. peel them and let them stand in fresh water for hours. pour off this water, and over the onions pour a brine made by adding cupfuls of salt to each gallon of water. allow them to stand in this brine for days, changing the brine once during this time. remove the onions from the brine, and freshen in cold water for hours. drain the onions and cook them in the spiced vinegar for / hour. any of the spiced vinegars given for the other vegetables may be used. after cooking, pack the onions with the liquid into jars, seal, cool, and store. . pickled peaches.--among the fruits that may be pickled, peaches seem to meet with great favor. they, as well as pickled pears and pickled crab apples, make a relish that adds variety to the foods that are served in the home from day to day. the pickling process does not differ materially from that applied to vegetables, as the accompanying recipe shows. pickled peaches lb. brown sugar qt. vinegar oz. stick cinnamon qt. peaches tb. cloves boil the sugar, vinegar, and cinnamon together until they begin to look sirupy. wash the peaches and rub off the fuzz. stick one or two cloves into each peach, and drop the peaches into the sirup. cook them until they may be easily pierced with a fork. put them into jars, pour the sirup over them, filling each jar, and seal while hot. allow the jars to cool and store. the peaches may be peeled if desired. it may also be more convenient to cook only part of the peaches in the sirup at one time, cooking the remainder after these have been taken out and put into jars. . pickled pears.--pears also lend themselves readily to pickling. specific directions are not given here, because they are pickled in exactly the same way as peaches. the pears may be peeled or not, as desired. . pickled crab apples.--crab apples that are to be pickled should preferably be of a large variety. the directions given for pickling peaches apply also to this fruit. the crab apples should be examined carefully to make certain that they contain no worms. also, the stems should be left on, and they should be washed thoroughly with the blossom ends cut out. relishes . mustard pickles.--among the relishes, mustard pickles are very popular. this relish is made up of a large number of vegetables, namely, cucumbers, string beans, green peppers, red sweet peppers, onions, green tomatoes, cauliflower, and green lima beans. mustard pickles pt. small cucumbers qt. string beans green peppers red sweet peppers pt. small onions pt. green tomatoes pt. cauliflower c. green lima beans / c. flour c. sugar tb. powdered mustard tsp. tumeric tb. celery seed tb. salt / tsp. pepper qt. vinegar pt. water wash all the vegetables and prepare them by cutting them into the desired sizes. the onions and cucumbers should be of a size that will not require cutting. put all the vegetables together, cover them with salt water made by adding cupful of salt to each quarts of water, and allow them to stand in this for hours. at the end of this time, drain off the brine and freshen the vegetables in clear water for about hours. mix the dry ingredients together, heat the vinegar and water, and pour it over all. bring this mixture to the boiling point, and pour it over the vegetables. fill the jars with the hot mixture, seal, cool, and store. . spanish relish.--another satisfactory relish made up of a large number of vegetables and spices is spanish relish. in its preparation, however, the vegetables are not chopped very fine. spanish relish green sweet peppers red sweet peppers medium-sized onions green tomatoes medium-sized heads of cabbage tsp. salt lb. brown sugar / tsp. black pepper / tsp. cayenne pepper tb. mustard seed tsp. celery seed - / qt. vinegar wash the vegetables and chop them into coarse pieces. cover them with salt water made by adding cupful of salt to a gallon of water and allow them to stand in this brine for to hours. at the end of this time, drain off the salt water and wash with clear water. add the salt, sugar, and spices to the vinegar, and bring this mixture to the boiling point. then pour it over the mixture of vegetables, pack all into sterilized crocks or jars, seal, cool, and store. . chow chow.--still another relish in which a variety of vegetables is used is chow chow. this relish is well and favorably known to housewives for the zest it imparts to meals. chow chow qt. small green tomatoes green peppers red peppers small head of cabbage bunches celery pt. small onions qt. small cucumbers qt. vinegar tb. salt c. brown sugar / tsp. black pepper tb. mustard seed tb. tumeric tb. allspice tb. cloves tb. cinnamon wash the vegetables and cut them into very small pieces. cover them with salt water made by adding cupful of salt to a gallon of water, and let them stand in this for to hours. drain at the end of this time, and wash with cold water. heat the vinegar, and to it add the salt, sugar, and spices. add this to the vegetables and cook until they are soft. pack into sterilized jars, seal while hot, cool, and store. . beet relish.--a relish in which cooked beets are the principal ingredient may be made up from the accompanying recipe. as pickled beets in any form are usually well liked, this relish may be put up for the variety it offers. beet relish qt. cooked beets, chopped c. horseradish root, grated c. vinegar tb. salt / c. sugar tsp. cinnamon tsp. cloves cook the beets in the usual way. when they are tender, remove the skins and chop quite fine. add the grated horseradish to the beets. to the vinegar, add the salt, sugar, and spices and heat to the boiling point. pour this mixture over the vegetable mixture, pack all into hot sterilized jars, seal, cool, and store. . chilli sauce.--chilli sauce is a well-known relish in which ripe tomatoes, red or green peppers, and onions are combined with spices and vinegar. although not so many vegetables are used in this relish as in those which precede, it merits a place among the canned foods prepared for future use. chilli sauce qt. medium-sized ripe tomatoes red or green peppers, finely chopped onions, finely chopped c. vinegar / c. sugar tb. salt tsp. ground cloves tsp. ground cinnamon tsp. celery salt blanch the tomatoes in boiling water until the skins loosen. then remove the skins and stem ends, chop the tomatoes, and put them into a preserving kettle with the chopped peppers and chopped onions. heat gradually to the boiling point, add the vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices, and cook slowly until the mixture is quite thick. this will require from to hours. then put the hot sauce into sterilized bottles or jars, seal, allow them to cool, and store. . green-tomato pickle.--a pleasing relish may be made from green tomatoes after the frost has come in the fall and tomatoes on the vines will not mature. green-tomato pickle qt. green tomatoes, sliced qt. onions, sliced qt. vinegar pt. water tb. salt - / lb. brown sugar tb. cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. allspice tb. celery salt tb. mustard seed select firm green tomatoes, wash them, and slice them. peel the onions, and slice them into slices of the same thickness as the tomatoes, about / inch being perhaps the most desirable. mix the tomatoes and onions, sprinkle them generously with salt, and allow them to stand for hours. at the end of this time, pour off any excess liquid; then pour a small quantity of fresh water over them, and drain this off, also. to the vinegar and water, add the salt, sugar, and spices. heat this mixture to the boiling point, pour it over the mixture of tomatoes and onions, and put into jars. seal the jars while hot, allow them to cool, and then store. . ripe-tomato pickle.--ripe tomatoes form the basis of another relish known as ripe-tomato pickle. like other relishes in which tomatoes are used, this relish is very satisfactory for meals in which pickles or relishes may be served. ripe-tomato pickle qt. ripe tomatoes bunches celery red sweet peppers medium-sized onions qt. vinegar tb. salt c. sugar tb. mustard seed tb. ground cloves tb. ground cinnamon blanch the tomatoes until the skins loosen, and then peel them. remove the stem ends, and cut the tomatoes into quite large pieces. chop the celery, peppers, and onions coarsely. cook together until they are almost tender. pour off the water. mix all the vegetables together, and pack them into a sterilized stone jar. to the vinegar, add the salt, sugar and spices. boil and pour this mixture over the vegetables in the stone jar, cover, and allow this to stand at least weeks before using. . tomato catsup.--as a condiment to be served with meats, oysters, fish, baked beans, and other foods high in protein, catsup finds considerable use. this relish, which is also called _catchup_ and _ketchup_, may be made from both vegetables and fruits, but that made from tomatoes seems to be the most desirable to the majority. tomato catsup / bu. ripe tomatoes / c. salt lb. brown sugar qt. vinegar tb. ground cinnamon tsp. cayenne pepper tb. celery salt tsp. ground cloves remove the skins from the tomatoes by blanching and cut out the stem ends. then slice the tomatoes, put them into a preserving kettle over the fire, cook them until they are soft, and force them through a sieve to remove the seeds. return the pulp to the preserving kettle, add the salt, sugar, vinegar, and spices, and cook the mixture until it is reduced at least half in quantity. pour into sterilized bottles, seal, cool, and store. . grape catsup.--perhaps the best-known catsup made from fruit is grape catsup. its uses are practically the same as those of tomato catsup, and it is made in much the same way. grape catsup qt. concord grapes c. vinegar lb. brown sugar tb. cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. allspice put the grapes to cook with the vinegar. when they have cooked soft enough, press through a sieve to remove the seeds and skins. add the sugar and spices, and cook until the mixture is rather thick. stir constantly to prevent scorching. pour into sterilized bottles, seal, cool, and store. . pickled watermelon rind.--an unusual, though highly satisfactory, relish may be made from the rind of melons. the accompanying recipe is for pickled watermelon rind, but if desired muskmelon rind may be substituted. in either case, only the white part of the rind should be used. pickled watermelon rind qt. watermelon rind cut into strips or cubes oz. stick cinnamon tb. cloves c. water lb. sugar qt. vinegar prepare the rind by cutting off the green skin and all the pink flesh on the inside. cut this rind into strips inch wide and inch thick, and then into cubes, if desired. cook in water until the rind may be easily pierced with a fork. add the spices, water, and sugar to the vinegar, and boil until it becomes sirupy. add to this sirup the cooked watermelon rind and bring to the boiling point. then pack into sterilized jars, seal, cool, and store. . crab-apple relish.--among the fruits, crab apples lend themselves best to the making of relish. by the addition of oranges, raisins, and spices, as in this recipe, crab-apple relish is made very desirable and agreeable to the taste. crab-apple relish qt. crab apples c. vinegar oranges lb. brown sugar lb. sultana raisins tb. powdered cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. allspice wash the crab apples, remove the cores, and cut the apples into small pieces. put them into a preserving kettle, add the vinegar, the oranges, peeled and sliced, the sugar, the raisins, and the spices. cook all slowly until the apples are soft. pour into sterilized jars or glasses, seal, cool, and store. * * * * * jelly making, preserving, and pickling examination questions ( ) (_a_) give three reasons why the making and use of jelly has value. (_b_) when are pickles permissible in the diet? ( ) what is necessary for the making of good jelly? ( ) mention some important points to consider in selecting fruit for jelly making. ( ) (_a_) what is pectin? (_b_) why are ripe fruits not so satisfactory for jelly making as partly green ones? ( ) give the test for pectin. ( ) how may jelly be made from fruit juices that do not contain pectin? ( ) give the best method of extracting fruit juice for jelly. ( ) what material is best for jelly bags? why? ( ) what is the general proportion of sugar and juice for making: (_a_) jelly from very sour fruits? (_b_) jelly from slightly sour fruits? ( ) give the method for making jelly by the mean-boiling method. ( ) what is meant by: (_a_) short boiling? (_b_) long boiling? ( ) give two tests for determining when jelly has cooked sufficiently. ( ) (_a_) how should glasses be prepared before filling them with jelly? (_b_) how are glasses closed for storing? ( ) (_a_) what are preserves? (_b_) what kind of fruits should be selected for preserves? ( ) describe the best method of making preserves. ( ) how do conserves differ from preserves? ( ) how do marmalades differ from conserves? ( ) describe jam. ( ) how does fruit butter differ from jams? ( ) what are: (_a_) pickles? (_b_) relishes? * * * * * confections * * * * * nature and composition nature of confections . confections are such sweetmeats as candy and similar articles, which have for their foundation sugar, sirup, honey, and the like. as is well known, the most important variety of confection is candy, and this is the one that is usually meant when the term confections is mentioned. confections, however, are not so limited as might be imagined upon first thought, for many delicious dishes whose main ingredient is nuts, fruits, coconut, or pop corn are also placed in this class. to be sure, most of these contain sweetening material of some sort in greater or smaller quantities. therefore, in its broadest sense, confections may be regarded as preparations having for their chief ingredient sugar or substances containing it, such as molasses, honey, etc., usually mixed with other food materials, such as nuts, fruits, chocolate, starches, and fats, to give them body and consistency, and flavored and colored in any desired way. . the making of confections, and of candy in particular, is both a useful and a delightful pastime that can be indulged in even by those who are only slightly skilled. in fact, with a certain amount of knowledge of the methods used and a little practice, surprising results can be obtained by the amateur candy maker. then, too, it is a comparatively simple matter to copy the confectioner's work. a considerable variety of candies can often be made from a simple foundation material if a little originality or ingenuity is applied. since it is an easy matter to prepare foods of this kind and since they can be made at home more cheaply and of more tasty and wholesome materials, it is a decided advantage to make them rather than buy them, particularly if they are used extensively in the home. however, not so much fear need be felt now as formerly with regard to commercially made candies, for much has been done in recent years to compel the use of wholesome materials in candies, especially the cheaper ones that children are apt to buy. the pure-food laws require that no such adulterants as are not food materials and no harmful flavorings, colorings, nor alcoholic beverages be used in making confections. as can well be understood, this is a valuable protection. consequently, at the present time, the harm, if any, resulting from eating candy comes from either the excessive or the wrong use of it. . the taste for confections of all kinds is one that is acquired, and it is often developed to harmful extremes. therefore, these foods, like most others, should be indulged in only in moderation. they will then prove not only valuable, but entirely unharmful. the greatest precaution that should be observed in their use is in giving them to children. very young children should not have candy at all, it being much too concentrated for digestive organs that are used to handling only diluted food materials. as they grow older and their diet begins to include more foods, a small quantity of wholesome sweets will not be harmful if it is given at meal time. adults with normal digestion may eat a reasonable amount of candy and other confections without injury. . to assist in the making of confections in the home, the principles of candy making, as well as those which must be understood for the making of such other foods as are commonly called confections, are given in this section. in addition, there are included explicit directions for the making of simple candies and confections and of some of the varieties that are more difficult to make. the various operations are not hard to perform, and good results may be expected if each step is carried out as directed. the operations requiring skill and dexterity, such as the coating of bonbons and chocolates, must be repeated several times if results that approach those of the professional confectioner are to be attained. still, surprisingly good results may be obtained the first time the work is done if directions are followed explicitly. composition of confections . carbohydrate in confections.--so far as their composition is concerned, confections are largely carbohydrate in the form of sugar. this food material may be one of several different varieties. as is well understood, the high percentage of carbohydrate, which in some cases may be very close to per cent., greatly increases the food value of this variety of foods. where the percentage is very high, the candies are necessarily hard, for all or nearly all the moisture is driven off in the making. in this case, as in other foods, the more water there is present, the more reduced is the total food value. . fat in confections.--to a certain extent, fat is found in these high-carbohydrate foods. it is supplied largely by the use of milk, condensed milk, cream, butter or butter substitutes, nuts, and chocolate. while these materials are usually added to produce a certain flavor or consistency, they form at the same time an ingredient that greatly increases the food value of the finished product. . protein in confections.--protein is not found extensively in confections unless nuts, chocolate, milk, or other foods containing it are used in their preparation. but, even then, sweets are usually eaten in such small quantities that the protein in them does not figure to any great extent, so that, at best, confections are not considered as a source of protein at any time. however, chocolate-coated nuts, as will readily be seen, are a rather high-protein food. . mineral salts in confections.--refined sugar does not contain mineral salts, so that unless other ingredients containing this food substance are added, no mineral salts will be present in confections. it is true that some of the ingredients used, such as milk, fruits, nuts, molasses, honey, maple sirup, etc., contain certain minerals; but just as confections are not taken as a source of protein, so they are not characterized by the minerals in them. * * * * * confection making ingredients used in confections foundation materials . sugar.--the most important ingredient used in the making of confections is sugar. it is therefore well that the nature of this ingredient be thoroughly understood. its chief commercial varieties are _cane sugar_ and _beet sugar_, both of which produce the same results in cookery operations. when sugar is mentioned as an ingredient, plain granulated sugar is meant unless it is otherwise stated. whether this is cane or beet sugar makes no difference. the fineness and the color of sugar are due to its refinement and the manufacturing processes through which it is put, and these are indicated by various terms and trade names, such as _granulated, pulverized_, and _soft_ sugars. the grading of granulated sugar is based on the size of its crystals, this sugar coming in three qualities. the coarsest is known as _coarse granulated_; the next finer, as _standard granulated_; and the finest, as _fine granulated_. there is also a fourth grade known as _fancy fine_, or _extra-fine, granulated_, and often called _fruit_, or _berry, sugar_. . so far as candy is concerned, the coarseness of the sugar does not make a great deal of difference, although the finer sugars are perhaps a little better because they dissolve more quickly in the liquid and are a trifle less likely to crystallize after cooking. when sugar is to be used without cooking, however, its fineness makes a decided difference. sugars finer than granulated are known as _pulverized sugars_ and are made by grinding granulated sugar in a mill that crushes the crystals. these pulverized sugars are known on the market as _coarse powdered, standard powdered_, and _xxxx powdered_, the last being the one that should always be purchased for the making of confectionery where the use of uncooked sugar is required. one of the chief characteristics of sugars of this kind is that they lump to a great extent, the finer the sugar the larger and harder being the lumps. before sugar that has become lumpy can be used, it must be reduced to its original condition by crushing the lumps with a rolling pin and then sifting the sugar through a fine wire sieve. as explained in _cakes, cookies, and puddings_, part , sugars of this kind are not suitable for cooking purposes, such as the preparation of cooked icings, etc. these are made from granulated or other coarse sugar, while the uncooked ones are made from xxxx, or _confectioners', sugar_, as it is sometimes called. then, too, fine sugars cost more than do the granulated sugars, so it is well to remember that nothing is gained by their use. . the third variety of sugars, which are known as _soft sugars_, are purchased by the retail dealer by number. there are fifteen grades of this sugar, ranging from to , and the number indicates the color of the sugar. no. is practically white, while no. is very dark, and the intervening numbers vary in color between these two shades. the lightness of the color indicates the amount of refinement the sugars have had. the dark-brown sugars are stronger in flavor and indicate less refinement than the light ones. when brown sugar is required for any purpose, it is usually advisable to use one of the lighter shades, because they are more agreeable in taste than the very dark ones. . molasses.--the liquid that remains after most of the sugar has been refined out of the cane juice is known as molasses. the juice from beets does not produce molasses; therefore, all of the molasses found on the market is the product of cane juice. a molasses known as _sorghum molasses_ is made by boiling the sap of sorghum, which is a stout cereal grass, but this variety is seldom found on the general market, it being used locally where it is manufactured. the dark color and the characteristic flavor of molasses are due to the foreign materials that remain in the juice after the removal of the sugar. molasses is not so sweet as sugar, but it is much used as an ingredient in the making of many delicious confections. as in the case of soft sugars, the lighter the molasses is in color, the more agreeable is the flavor of the confections made from it. . glucose.--another substance much used in the making of confections is glucose. it is usually manufactured from the starch of corn and is put on the market under various trade names, but generally it is called _corn sirup_. many persons have long considered glucose a harmful food, but this belief has been proved untrue. glucose has come to be absolutely necessary in some candy making in order to produce certain results. the glucose that the confectioners use is a heavier, stickier substance than the sirups that can be purchased for table use or for cooking, but these do very well for most candy-making purposes. however, none of the glucose preparations are so sweet as sugar, maple sirup, or honey. . glucose will not crystallize nor make a creamy substance; neither will it permit any substance that contains more than a very little of it to become creamy. a creamy candy containing a small amount of it will remain soft longer than that made without it; also, it will cream without danger of the formation of large crystals. because of these characteristics, which are responsible for its use in candy making, a mixture containing glucose will not "go to sugar." taffy-like confections and clear candies contain a large proportion of glucose, while any that are intended to be creamy, such as bonbons and the centers for chocolates, have only a small amount, if any, glucose in them. . maple sirup and maple sugar.--maple sirup and maple sugar, because of their pleasing flavor, are used extensively for candy making. maple sirup is, of course, the basis for maple sugar, for by boiling the sirup to evaporate the water and then stirring it, maple sugar results. when the sirup is used for candy making, it must be boiled, but it seldom requires any liquid other than that which it already contains. on the other hand, maple sugar requires liquid in some form, for it must first be dissolved in a liquid and then boiled with it. . honey.--honey that has been pressed from the comb and is in the form of a heavy sirup is used in the making of various confections. it provides a delightful flavor much different from that of sugar, and when it is cooked it acts in much the same way as glucose. flavorings . kinds of flavorings.--flavorings are very important in the making of confections, for it is on them that much of the appetizing effect of these foods depends. in fact, unless good flavorings are secured and then used discreetly, tasty results cannot be expected. the flavorings used in candy making are in reality divided into two classes--_natural_ and _artificial_. . natural flavorings.--under the head of natural flavorings come those which are made from the fruit or the plant that produces the desired flavor. they are known as _oils_ and _extracts_. . the oils are obtained by pressing out the natural flavoring substance from the material containing it. they are usually very strong, so that only a little is needed to flavor a comparatively large quantity of food. peppermint, wintergreen, and cinnamon are the oils that are used the most. . extracts are prepared by using alcohol to extract the flavoring substances from certain materials. the alcohol acts as a preservative, so that the finished extract nearly always contains a high percentage of this material. vanilla and such flavorings as lemon and orange are examples of extracts that are usually made in this way. a few companies manufacture a product in which glycerine instead of alcohol is used as the preservative. flavorings so prepared are in the form of a thick, sirupy substance rather than a liquid and are usually sold in a tube. . artificial flavorings.--flavorings classified as artificial flavorings are of two kinds: those having for their basis substances extracted from coal tar and those prepared by various chemical combinations. they are also known as _synthetic flavors_. with regard to both healthfulness and taste, they are not so desirable as the natural flavorings. . adulteration of flavorings.--as it is a common practice to adulterate flavorings, every manufacturer of these materials is obliged to state on the label of each bottle or tube of flavoring just what its contents consist of. therefore, when the purchase is made, the label should be carefully examined. without doubt, vanilla is adulterated more often than any other flavoring, a pure extract of vanilla being seldom found. the beans from which the flavor is extracted are very expensive, so the tonka bean and other cheaper flavoring substances are often resorted to in the making of this flavoring. however, when large amounts of such things are used, the price of the extract should be less than that charged for the pure extract of the vanilla bean. many chefs and professional cooks overcome this difficulty by purchasing the vanilla beans and using them for flavoring purposes by soaking or cooking small pieces of them in the material that is to be flavored or grinding the bean in a mortar and using it in the ground form. colorings . colorings are used in the making of confections, candy in particular, for two purposes: to make them attractive and to indicate certain flavors. for instance, candies flavored with wintergreen are usually colored pink, while those containing peppermint are colored pale green or are left white. strawberry and rose flavors are also colored pink; orange and lemon, their respective shades of yellow; violet, lavender; and pistachio and almond, green. . the substances used for coloring confections are of two general classes: _vegetable_ and _mineral_, or _chemical_. the vegetable colorings, like the natural flavorings, are considered to be the most healthful ones. some of the chemical colorings are derivatives of coal tar, just as are the coal-tar flavorings. cochineal, a red color extracted from the bodies of cochineal insects, is a coloring matter much used in the preparation of confections. these coloring materials may be purchased in several forms. the ones most commonly used come in the form of liquid or paste, but frequently colorings are to be had in powder or tablet form. . discretion must always be observed in the use of colorings. because of their concentration, they must be greatly diluted and used in only very small amounts. as is well known, pale colors in candies are always more attractive than deep ones. then, too, when candies contain much color, most persons are likely to consider them harmful to eat. to get the best results, only a little coloring should be added at a time, and each amount added should be mixed in thoroughly. then the danger of getting too much coloring will be avoided. it should be remembered, however, that if colored candies are kept for any length of time or are exposed to the light, they will fade to a certain extent; consequently, these may be colored a little more deeply than those which are to be used at once. acids . to prevent the creaming or the crystallizing of such candy as taffy, an acid of some kind is generally used with the cane sugar in the making of this variety of confection. the acid, upon being boiled with the sugar, changes a part of the cane sugar to invert sugar, and as this does not crystallize, the candy will not become sugary. a similar effect is obtained by adding glucose in sufficient amounts; since it does not crystallize, the cane sugar is prevented from becoming sugary. . the acids most commonly used for this purpose are cream of tartar, acetic acid, vinegar, which has acetic acid for its basis, and lemon juice, which has citric acid for its basis. with each pound of sugar, it will be necessary to use / teaspoonful of cream of tartar, or drops of acetic acid, or tablespoonful of vinegar or lemon juice in order to prevent crystallization. lemon juice and vinegar are much more likely to flavor the candy than are cream of tartar and acetic acid. often, if a fine-grained creamy candy is desired, a small amount of one of these acids is used. even in small quantities, they will prevent the coarse-grained crystallization that is the natural result of the cooking and stirring of the cane sugar when nothing is done to prevent it. food materials . in addition to the ingredients already mentioned, there are a number of materials that may be used in the making of candy to provide food value and at the same time give variety and improve the flavor and appearance of the candy. chief among these materials are coconut, cocoa, chocolate, nuts, candied and dried fruits, milk, cream, butter, etc. their value in candy depends on their use, so it is well to understand their nature and the methods of using them. . coconut.--either shredded or ground coconut is often used in candy to give it flavor or variety. coconut for this purpose may be secured in a number of forms. a coconut itself may be purchased, cracked open to remove the flesh, and then prepared either by grating it or by grinding it. this will be found to be very delicious and preferable to any other kind. however, if it is not desired to prepare the coconut in the home, this material may be purchased shredded in boxes or in cans. that which comes in boxes is usually somewhat dry and is often found to be quite hard. the canned varieties remain soft, since the shredded coconut is mixed with the milk of the coconut, but these have the disadvantage of not keeping very well. any coconut that becomes too dry for use may be softened by steaming it. . cocoa and chocolate.--in the making of confections, cocoa and chocolate are used extensively for both flavoring and coating. either of them may be used for flavoring purposes, but chocolate is always preferable, because it has a richer, deeper flavor than cocoa. bitter chocolate should be used in preference to any kind of sweet chocolate. when it is to be cooked with candy for flavoring, it may be added to the other ingredients in pieces and allowed to melt during the cooking. it is often used without cooking, however, as when it is added to material that is to be used as centers for bonbons or opera creams. in such an event, it is first melted over steam or hot water and then worked into the candy. . when desired for coating, chocolate that is sweetened is usually employed, although many persons are fond of creams that have a bitter coating. sometimes a bitter-sweet coating, that is, a slightly sweetened chocolate, is used, and for most purposes a coating of this kind is preferred. such chocolate must usually be purchased from a store where confectioner's supplies are sold or from a candy-making establishment. milk chocolate and very sweet coatings may also be purchased for coating, but the eating chocolate that is sold in bars will not produce satisfactory results, and so should never be used for coating purposes. . candied and dried fruits.--many varieties of candied or crystallized fruits and flowers find a place in the making of confections. sometimes they are used as an ingredient, while other times they are added to bonbons and chocolates merely for decorative purposes. again, they are often used in boxes of fancy candies that are packed to sell at some special event or to give away. they are somewhat expensive to purchase, but if they are properly used they add such an appetizing touch and produce such gratifying and delightful results that the expenditure for them is well justified. many of these may be prepared in the home with a certain degree of satisfaction. . the two candied fruits most frequently used are candied pineapple and candied cherries, but, in addition to these candied apricots, peaches, pears, limes, lemons, and oranges are often found in the market. cherries preserved in maraschino wine and creme de menthe add attractive touches of color to candies and make delicious confections when coated with bonbon cream or chocolate. . crystallized violets, rose petals, and mint leaves are used frequently in the preparation of confections. they are added merely for decoration and make very attractive candies. they can usually be purchased in confectionery stores. . several varieties of dried fruits, chief among which are dates, figs, and raisins, are useful in the making of confections. they have the advantage of not requiring complicated manipulation, and at the same time they lend themselves to a number of delicious confections that may often be eaten by persons who cannot eat anything so rich as candy. children can usually partake of confections made of these fruits without harm when candy would disagree with them. . nuts.--nuts of various kinds probably have more extensive use in the making of confections than any other class of foods. in fact, there are few kinds of candy that cannot be much improved by the addition of nuts. halves of such nuts as english walnuts and pecans are frequently used by being pressed into the outside of bonbons and chocolates. then, too, pieces of various kinds of nuts are used with a filling for coated candies. such nuts as almonds, filberts, walnuts, and peanuts are often covered singly or in clusters with the same chocolate coating that is used to coat creams. pistachio nuts, which are light green in color, are either chopped or used in halves on chocolates or bonbons. . when nuts are not desired whole for confections, they should never be put through a food chopper; rather, they should always be broken up by being cut or chopped with a knife. the simplest way in which to cut them is to spread the nuts in a single layer on a board and then with a sharp knife press down on them, having one hand on the back of the knife near the point and the other on the handle and rocking the knife back and forth across the nuts until they are as fine as desired. they may also be chopped in a chopping bowl or cut one at a time with a small, sharp knife. . salted nuts, while not a confection in the true sense of the word, are closely related to confections, since they are used for the same purpose. for this reason, it seems advisable to give the methods of preparing them in connection with the preparation of confections. . pop corn.--an excellent confection and one that always appeals to children may be made from pop corn. this variety of indian corn has small kernels with or without sharp points. to prepare it for confections; the kernels, or grains, are removed from the ears and then exposed to heat in a corn popper or a covered pan. when they become sufficiently hot, they pop, or explode; that is, they rupture their yellow coat and turn inside out. the popped kernels may be eaten in this form by merely being salted or they may be treated with various sugar preparations in the ways explained later. . milk, cream, and butter.--milk is extensively used in the making of candy, both to obtain a certain flavor and to secure a particular consistency. skim milk may be used for this purpose, but the richer the milk, the better will be the flavor of the finished candy. cream, of course, makes the most delicious candy, but as it is usually expensive, it greatly increases the cost of the confection. butter may be used with milk to obtain a result similar to that secured by the use of cream. if skim milk is used, butter should by all means be added, for it greatly improves the flavor of the candy. in any recipe requiring milk, condensed or evaporated milk may be substituted with very satisfactory results. these milks may be diluted as much as is desired. besides providing flavor, milk, cream, and butter add food value to the confections in which they are used. most of this is in the form of fat, a food substance that is not supplied by any other ingredients, except perhaps chocolate and nuts. they are therefore particularly valuable and should always be used properly in order that the most good may be derived from them. . the chief problem in the use of milk is to keep it from curding and, if curding takes place, to prevent the curds from settling and burning during the boiling. when maple sirup, molasses, or other substances that are liable to curdle milk are to be cooked with the milk, a little soda should be added or, if possible, the milk should be heated well before it is put in. when it can be done, the milk should be cooked with the sugar before the ingredients likely to make it curdle are added. in case the milk does curdle, the mixture should be treated at once, or the result will be very unsatisfactory. the best plan consists in beating the mixture rapidly with a rotary egg beater in order to break up the curds as fine as possible, and then stirring it frequently during the boiling to keep the milk from settling and burning. as this stirring is a disadvantage in the making of candy, every precaution should be taken to prevent the curding of the milk. equipment for confection making . the utensils for candy making are few in number and simple in nature. as with all of the more elaborate foods, the fancy candies require slightly more unusual equipment, and even for the more ordinary kinds it is possible to buy convenient utensils that will make results a little more certain. but, as illustrated in fig. , which shows the general equipment for confection making, practically all the utensils required are to be found in every kitchen. [illustration: fig. ] . to boil the confectionery ingredients, a saucepan or a kettle is required. this may be made of copper or aluminum or of any of the various types of enamelware that are used for cooking utensils. one important requirement is that the surface of the pan be perfectly smooth. a pan that has become rough from usage or an enamelware pan that is chipped should not be used for the boiling of candy. the size of the utensil to use depends on the kind and the amount of the mixture to be boiled. a sugar-and-water mixture does not require a pan much larger in size than is necessary to hold the mixture itself, for it does not expand much in boiling. however, a mixture containing milk, condensed milk, cream, or butter should be cooked in a pan much larger than is needed for the same quantity of sugar and water, for such a mixture expands greatly and is liable to boil over. the necessary size of the pan to be used should be overestimated rather than underestimated. in the cooking of candy, just as in the cooking of other foods, the surface exposed to the heat and the depth of the material to be cooked affect the rapidity of cooking and evaporation. consequently, if rapid evaporation and quick cooking are desired, a pan that is broad and comparatively shallow should be used, rather than one that is narrow and deep. . measuring cups and spoons, a spoon for stirring, and a knife are, of course, essential in making confections. then, too, it is often convenient to have a metal spatula and a wooden spoon or spatula. when these utensils are made of wood, they are light in weight and consequently excellent for stirring and beating. if egg whites are used in the preparation of a confection, an egg whip is needed. when candy must be poured into a pan to harden, any variety of pan may be used, but generally one having square corners is the most satisfactory. then if the candy is cut into squares, none of it will be wasted in the cutting. . a thermometer that registers as high as or degrees fahrenheit is a valuable asset in candy making when recipes giving the temperature to which the boiling must be carried are followed. a degree of accuracy can be obtained in this way by the inexperienced candy maker that cannot be matched with the usual tests. a small thermometer may be used, but the larger the thermometer, the easier will it be to determine the degrees on the mercury column. a new thermometer should always be tested to determine its accuracy. to do this, stand the thermometer in a small vessel of warm water, place the vessel over a flame, and allow the water to boil. if the thermometer does not register degrees at boiling, the number of degrees more or less must be taken into account whenever the thermometer is used. for instance, if the thermometer registers degrees at boiling and a recipe requires candy to be boiled to degrees, it will be necessary to boil the candy to degrees because the thermometer registers degrees lower than it should. . the double boiler also finds a place in candy making. for melting chocolate, coating for bonbons, or fondant for reception wafers, a utensil of this kind is necessary. one that will answer the purpose very well may be improvised by putting a smaller pan into a larger one containing water. in using one of this kind, however, an effort should be made to have the pans exactly suited to each other in size; otherwise, the water in the lower pan will be liable to splash into the pan containing the material that is being heated. for the coating of bonbons, a coating fork, which is merely a thin wire twisted to make a handle with a loop at one end, is the most convenient utensil to use. however, this is not satisfactory for coating with chocolate, a different method being required for this material. . a number of candies, such as fondant, bonbon creams, and cream centers for chocolates, can be made much more satisfactorily if, after they are boiled, they are poured on a flat surface to cool. such treatment permits them to cool as quickly as possible in a comparatively thin layer and thus helps to prevent crystallization. when only a small amount of candy is to be made, a large platter, which is the easiest utensil to procure, produces fairly good results. for larger amounts, as, for instance, when candy is being made to sell, some more convenient arrangement must be made. the most satisfactory thing that has been found for cooling purposes is a marble slab such as is found on an old-fashioned table or dresser. if one of these is not available, and the kitchen or pastry table has a vitrolite or other heavy top resembling porcelain, this will make a very good substitute. . to prevent the hot candy from running off after it is poured on a slab or any similar flat surface, a device of some kind should be provided. a very satisfactory one consists of four metal bars about / to inch in width and thickness and as long as desired to fit the slab, but usually about inches in length. they may be procured from a factory where steel and iron work is done, or they may be purchased from firms selling candy-making supplies. these bars are merely placed on top of the slab or flat surface with the corners carefully fitted and the candy is then poured in the space between the bars. when it is desired to pour out fudge, caramels, and similar candies to harden before cutting, the metal bars may be fitted together and then placed on the slab in such a way as to be most convenient. fudge, however, may be cooled satisfactorily in the pan in which it is cooked if the cooling is done very rapidly. . a satisfactory cooling slab may be improvised by fastening four pieces of wood together so as to fit the outside edge of the slab and extend an inch or more above the surface. if such a device is used, plaster of paris should be poured around the edge of the slab to fill any space between the wood and the slab. in using a slab or similar surface for purposes of this kind, a point that should be remembered is that a part of it should never be greased, but should be reserved for the cooling of fondant and certain kinds of center creams, which require only a moistened surface. . many of the candies that are turned out on a flat surface must be worked to make them creamy. for this purpose, nothing is quite so satisfactory as a putty knife or a wallpaper scraper. if a platter is used, a putty knife is preferable, for it has a narrower blade than a wallpaper scraper; but where candy is made in quantity and a large slab is used, the larger scraper does the work better. for use with a platter, a spoon is perhaps the best utensil when a putty knife is not in supply. . scales are valuable in candy making because they permit exact measurements to be made. however, they are not an actual necessity, for almost all recipes give the ingredients by measure, and even if this is not done, they may be purchased in the desired weight or transposed into equivalent measure. scales, of course, are required if it is desired to weigh out candy in small amounts or in boxes after it is made. . waxed paper is a valuable addition to candy-making supplies, there being many occasions for its use. for instance, caramels and certain other candies must be wrapped and waxed paper is the most suitable kind for this purpose. then, too, chocolate-coated candies and bonbons must be placed on a smooth surface to which they will not stick. waxed paper is largely used for this purpose, although candy makers often prefer white oilcloth, because its surface is ideal and it can be cleansed and used repeatedly. often a candy- or cracker-box lining that has been pressed smooth with a warm iron may be utilized. for such purposes, as when reception wafers are to be dropped, it is necessary that the surface of the paper used be absolutely unwrinkled. * * * * * procedure in confection making cooking the mixture . weather conditions.--if uniformly good results are desired in candy making, certain points that determine the success or failure of many candies, although seemingly unimportant, must be observed. among these, weather conditions form such a large factor that they cannot be disregarded. a cool, clear day, when the atmosphere is fairly dry, is the ideal time for the making of all kinds of candies. warm weather is not favorable, because the candy does not cool rapidly enough after being cooked. damp weather is very bad for the making of such candies as the creamy ones that are made with egg white and that are desired to be as soft as possible and still in condition to handle. in view of these facts, candy should be made preferably on days when the weather is favorable if the element of uncertainty, so far as results are concerned, would be eliminated. . combining the sugar and liquid.--the proportion of liquid and sugar to use in making candy varies to some extent with the kind of ingredients used and with the quantity of candy being made. in the making of quantities up to several pounds, the usual proportion is _one-third as much liquid as sugar_, but with larger amounts of sugar the quantity of liquid may be slightly decreased. with the quantities decided on, mix the sugar and liquid and put them over the fire to boil. stir at first to prevent the sugar from settling and burning, continuing the stirring either constantly or at intervals until the boiling begins. at this point, discontinue the stirring if possible. mixtures that do not contain milk usually require no further stirring, and many times stirring is unnecessary even in those which do contain milk; but whenever any stirring is required, as little as possible should be done. the rule that applies in this connection is that the sugar should be entirely dissolved before the boiling begins and that all unnecessary agitation should then cease. . boiling the mixture.--when the mixture begins to boil, wash down the sides of the kettle with a small cloth wet with clean water. this treatment should not be omitted if especially nice candy is desired, for it removes all undissolved sugar and helps to prevent crystallization later. in case merely sugar and water make up the ingredients, a cover may be placed on the kettle; then the steam that is retained will keep any sirup that may splash on the sides from crystallizing. this cannot be done, however, with mixtures containing milk and butter, for they will in all probability boil over. . the boiling of candy should be carried on quickly, for slow boiling often proves a disadvantage. a sugar-and-water mixture may, of course, be boiled more rapidly than any other kind, because there is not the danger of its boiling over nor of burning before the water is evaporated that there is with a mixture containing material that may settle and burn. it should be remembered that candy does not begin to burn until the water has entirely evaporated. . the length of time candy should boil is also a matter to which attention should be given. this depends somewhat on the kind that is being made, but largely on the rapidity with which the boiling is carried on. thus, to time the boiling of candy is the most uncertain way of determining when the boiling has continued long enough. the inaccuracy of measurement, the size and shape of the pan, and the rate of speed in boiling cause a variation in the time required. consequently, it would be rather difficult for the same person to get identical conditions twice and much more difficult for two persons to produce the same results. . testing candy.--since accurate results cannot be obtained by timing the boiling of candy, other tests must be found that will be reliable. as has already been stated, a thermometer is perhaps the most accurate means that can be adopted for this purpose. however, if one is not available, the testing of a small quantity of the hot mixture by cooling it in cold water will be found to be fairly accurate. ice water is not necessary nor particularly desirable for this kind of testing. in fact, water just as it comes from the faucet is the best, as it is quickly obtained and its temperature will not vary greatly except in very hot or very cold weather. of course, to make an extremely accurate test of this kind, it would be necessary always to have the water at the same temperature, a condition that can be determined only by testing the temperature, but such accuracy is not usually required. if the thermometer is used, all that need be done is to insert it into the candy and allow it to remain there until the temperature is registered. in case it does not reach the right temperature the first time, keep the mixture boiling until it registers the temperature that is decided on as the correct one. . to test the mixture by the water method, allow it to boil almost long enough to be done, and then try it at close intervals when it is nearing the end of the boiling. dip a little of the sirup into a spoon and drop it slowly into a cup containing a little water. not much sirup is needed for the test, a few drops being sufficient. gather the drops together with the tips of the fingers and judge from the ball that forms whether the candy has boiled sufficiently or not. if the ball is not of the right consistency, boil the candy a little longer, and test again. be sure, however, to get fresh water for each test. when the candy is nearing the final test, and it is thought that the mixture has boiled enough, remove the pan from the heat while the test is being made so that the boiling will not be continued too long. . to assist in making the tests for candy properly, table i is given. this table shows both the water test and the corresponding temperature test for the representative variety of the leading classes of candies. in each one of these classes there are, of course, a number of varieties which may cause a slight variation in some of the tests, but on the whole these tests are uniform and can be relied on for practically all candies. table i tests for representative classes of candy classes water test temperature test degrees fahrenheit center cream......soft ball to fudge.............firm ball to caramels..........hard ball to taffies..........brittle ball to when candy is cooked long enough to form a _soft ball_, it can just be gathered together and held in the fingers. if it is held for any length of time, the warmth of the fingers softens it greatly and causes it to lose its form. this test is used for candies, such as soft-center cream. it will be found that when candy boiled to this degree is finished, it can scarcely be handled. the _firm ball_ is the stage just following the soft ball. it will keep its shape when held in the fingers for some time. this is the test for fudge, bonbon creams, and similar candies that are creamed and are expected to be hard and dry enough to handle when they are finished. to form a _hard ball_, candy must be cooked longer than for the firm ball. at this stage, the ball that is formed may be rolled in the finger tips. it is not so hard, however, that an impression cannot be made in it with the fingers. it is the test for caramels, soft butter scotch, sea foam, and many other candies. a _brittle ball_ is the result of any temperature beyond degrees up to the point where the sugar would begin to burn. it is hard enough to make a sound when struck against the side of the cup or to crack when an attempt is made to break it. this is the test that is made for taffy and other hard candies. pouring and cooling the mixture . after the testing of the mixture proves that it is boiled sufficiently, there are several procedures that may be followed. the one to adopt depends on the kind of candy that is being made, but every candy that is cooked should be cooled by one of the following methods. . the first treatment consists in pouring the mixture at once from the pan to be finished without cooling, as, for instance, caramels and butter scotch, which are poured at once into a buttered pan to be cooled and cut; or, the hot sirup may be poured upon beaten egg whites, as in the case of sea foam or penuchie. in the making of either of these kinds, the sirup may be allowed to drip as completely as possible from the pan without injury to the finished product. . the second method by which the mixture is cooled calls for cooling the sirup in the pan in which it was cooked, as, for instance, in the case of fudge. when this is done, the pan should be carried from the stove to the place where the mixture is to be cooled with as little agitation as possible. also, during the cooling, it should not be disturbed in any way. stirring it even a little is apt to start crystallization and the candy will then be grainy instead of creamy. . in the third form of treatment, the sirup is poured out and then cooled before it is stirred to make it creamy, as in opera creams or bonbon creams. to accomplish this, the pan should be tipped quickly and all its contents turned out at once. it should not be allowed to drip even a few drops, for this dripping starts the crystallization. candies that contain milk or butter, or sticky materials, such as taffies, should always be poured on a buttered surface. those which are cooked with water but are to be creamed should be poured on a surface moistened with cold water. . when candy mixtures are cooled before being completed, the cooling should be carried to the point where no heat is felt when the candy is touched. to test it, the backs of the fingers should be laid lightly on the surface of the candy, as they will not be so likely to stick as the moist tips on the palm side. it should be remembered that the surface must not be disturbed in the testing, as this is also apt to bring about crystallization. every precaution should be taken to prevent even the smallest amount of crystallization. any crystals that may have formed can be easily detected when the stirring is begun by the scraping that can be felt by the spoon or paddle used. if a little crystallization has taken place before the candy has cooled completely, it being easily seen in the clear sirup, the mixture should be cooled still further, for nothing is gained by stirring it at once. a point that should always be kept in mind in the cooling of candy is that it should be cooled as quickly as possible. however, a refrigerator should not be used for cooling, for the warm mixture raises the temperature of the refrigerator and wastes the ice and at the same time the moist atmosphere does not bring about the best results. as has already been learned, a platter or a slab is very satisfactory. if either of these is used, it should be as cold as possible when the sirup is poured on it. cold weather, of course, simplifies this matter greatly, but if no better way is afforded, the utensil used should be cooled with cold water. finishing candies . the treatment through which candy mixtures are put after being cooled varies with the kind of candy being made. some mixtures, as fudge, are beaten until creamy in the pan in which they are cooked. others are worked on a platter or a slab with the proper kind of utensil. these are usually treated in a rather elaborate way, being often coated with bonbon cream or with chocolate. still others, such as taffy, are pulled until light in color and then cut into small pieces with a pair of scissors. again, certain candies, after being poured into a pan, are allowed to become hard and then cut into squares or broken into pieces. usually candies made in the home are served without being wrapped, but when certain varieties are to be packed, it is advisable to wrap them. directions for finishing confections in these different ways are here given. . marking and cutting candies.--much of the success of certain candies depends on their treatment after being cooled. those which must be beaten in the pan until they are creamy should be beaten just as long as possible. then, if the surface is not smooth when they are poured out, pat it out with the palm of the hand after the candy has hardened a little. as soon as it has hardened sufficiently to remain as it is marked and not run together, mark it in pieces of the desired size, using for this purpose a thin, sharp knife. be careful to have the lines straight and the pieces even in size. generally, candy that is treated in this manner is cut into squares, although it may be cut into other shapes if desired. . coating candies with bonbon cream.--when especially nice candy is desired for a special occasion, it is often made into small pieces and then coated with bonbon cream. a large number of the centers to be coated should be made up before the coating is begun. in fact, if it is possible, all the centers should be made first and then the coating can proceed without interruption. the cream to be used for coating may be flavored or colored in any desirable way. any flavoring or coloring that is to be used, however, should be added while the cream is melting. . to coat with bonbon cream, put the cream in a double boiler without any water and allow it to melt with as little stirring as possible. it is best to use a small double boiler for this purpose and not to melt too much of the cream at one time, as it is apt to become grainy if it is used too long for dipping. when it has melted to the extent that the coating will not be too thick after it has cooled, the dipping of the candies may begin. as soon as it is found that no more centers can be dipped in the cream, melt some fresh cream for the remaining centers, but do not add it to that which has been used before. instead, use the first up as closely as possible and then drop the remainder by spoonfuls on waxed paper. with all of it used, wash and dry the inner pan of the double boiler and start again with a fresh lot of the cream. . to coat the centers, drop one at a time into the melted cream and turn over with a coating fork or an ordinary table fork. when the surface is entirely covered, lift out of the cream with the fork and allow any superfluous coating to drip off. then drop the coated bonbons on waxed paper, to cool. while this work may prove a little difficult at first, it can be done with dexterity after a little practice. if an effort is made to have the centers uniform in size and shape, the finished candies will have the same appearance. while the cream is soft, tiny pieces of candied fruit or nuts may be pressed into the coating to decorate the bonbons. . coating with chocolate.--candies coated with chocolate are always desirable; so it is well for any one who aspires toward confection making to become proficient in this phase of the work. the centers should, of course, be prepared first and put in a convenient place on the table where the coating is to be done. they may be made in any desired size and shape. if it is possible to secure a regular coating chocolate, this should be obtained, for it produces better results than does a chocolate that can be prepared. however, unless one lives in a place where confectioner's supplies are on sale, it is almost impossible to purchase a chocolate of this kind. in such an event, a substitute that will prove very satisfactory for candy to be eaten in the home and not to be sold may be made as follows: coating chocolate oz. milk chocolate oz. bitter chocolate / oz. paraffin to prepare the chocolate, put all the ingredients in a double boiler and allow them to melt, being careful that not a single drop of water nor other foreign substance falls into the mixture. do not cover the boiler, for then the steam will condense on the inside of the cover and fall into the chocolate. as this will spoil the chocolate so that it cannot be used for coating, the pan in which the chocolate is melted should always be allowed to remain open. the paraffin used helps to harden the chocolate after it is put on the centers; this is a particular advantage at any time, but especially when chocolates are made in warm weather. . when the chocolate has completely melted, dip some of it into a small bowl or other dish or utensil having a round bottom and keep the rest over the heat so that it will not harden. with a spoon, beat that which is put into the bowl until it is cool enough to permit the fingers being put into it. then work it with the fingers until all the heat is out of it and it begins to thicken. it may be tested at this point by putting one of the centers into it. if it is found to be too thin, it will run off the candy and make large, flat edges on the bottom. in such an event, work it and cool it a little more. when it is of the proper thickness, put the centers in, one at a time, and, as shown in fig. , cover them completely with the chocolate and place them on waxed paper or white oilcloth to harden. as they harden, it will be found that they will gradually grow dull. no attempt whatever should be made to pick up these candies until they are entirely cold. this process is sometimes considered objectionable because of the use of the bare hands, but chocolate coating cannot be so successfully done in any other way as with the fingers. therefore, any aversion to this method should be overcome if good results are desired. [illustration: fig. ] . when the chocolate begins to harden in the bowl and consequently is difficult to work with, add more of the hot chocolate from the double boiler to it. it will be necessary, however, to beat the chocolate and work it with the fingers each time some is added, for otherwise the coating will not be desirable. so as to overcome the necessity of doing this often, a fairly large amount may be cooled and worked at one time. care should be taken to cover each center completely or its quality will deteriorate upon standing. with conditions right, the centers of chocolates and bonbons should soften and improve for a short time after being made, but chocolate-coated candies will keep longer than bonbons, as the coating does not deteriorate. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . wrapping candies.--such candies as caramels, certain kinds of taffies, and even chocolates are often wrapped in waxed paper, especially if they are to be packed in boxes. when this is to be done, cut the paper into pieces of the proper size and then wrap each piece separately. the best way to prepare the paper is to fold several sheets until they are the desired size and then, as in fig. , cut them with a sharp knife. if a pair of scissors is used for this purpose, they are apt to slip and cut the paper crooked. the method of wrapping depends on the candy itself. caramels are wrapped in square pieces whose ends are folded in neatly, as in fig. , while taffy in the form of kisses is rolled in the paper and the ends are twisted to fasten the wrapping. * * * * * varieties of confections and their preparation taffies and similar candies nature of taffies . taffy is probably one of the simplest candies that can be made. indeed, if candy of this kind is boiled long enough, it is almost impossible to have unsatisfactory results. taffies are usually made from white sugar, but a variety of flavors may be obtained by the use of different ingredients and flavors. for instance, molasses is used for some taffies, maple sirup for others, and brown sugar for others, and all of these offer an opportunity for variety. then, again, taffy made from white sugar may be varied by means of many delightful colors and flavors. melted chocolate or cocoa also makes a delightful chocolate-flavored taffy. recipes for all of these varieties are here given, together with a number of recipes for closely related confections, such as butter scotch, glacé nuts and fruits, peanut brittle, and nut bars. . methods of treating taffy.--taffy may be poured out in a pan, allowed to become entirely cold, and then broken into irregular pieces for serving, or it may be pulled and then cut in small pieces with a pair of scissors. if it is to be pulled, it should be poured from the pan in which it is cooked into flat pans or plates and set aside to cool. as soon as it is cool enough to handle, it may be taken from the pans and pulled. it will be found that the edges will cool and harden first. these should be pulled toward the center and folded so that they will warm against the center and form a new edge. if this is done two or three times during the cooling, the candy will cool evenly and be ready to take up into the hands. the pulling may then begin at once. if it has been cooked enough, it will not stick to the hands during the pulling. it is usually wise, however, to take the precaution of dusting the hands with corn starch before starting to pull the candy. grease should never be used for this purpose. when taffy is made in quantities, the work of pulling it is greatly lessened by stretching it over a large hook fastened securely to a wall. recipes for taffy . vanilla taffy.--the taffy explained in the accompanying recipe is flavored with vanilla and when pulled is white in color. however, it may be made in different colors and flavors by merely substituting the desired flavor for the vanilla and using the coloring preferred. this recipe may also be used for chocolate taffy by adding melted chocolate just before the taffy has finished boiling. vanilla taffy c. sugar / tsp. cream of tartar tb. vinegar c. boiling water tb. butter tsp. vanilla to the sugar, add the cream of tartar, vinegar, and boiling water. place over the fire and boil until it will form a brittle ball when tested in cold water or will register at least degrees on a thermometer. just before the boiling is completed, add the butter. remove from the fire, add the vanilla, pour in a shallow layer in a buttered pan or plate. cool and pull. when the taffy has been pulled until it is perfectly white and is hard enough to retain its shape, twist it into a long, thin rope and cut with a pair of scissors into inch lengths. . butter taffy.--another variety of taffy flavored with vanilla is the one given in the accompanying recipe. it is called butter taffy because butter is used in a rather large amount for flavoring. it will be noted, also, that brown sugar and corn sirup are two of the ingredients. these, with the butter, give the taffy a very delightful flavor. butter taffy c. light-brown sugar c. white sugar / c. corn sirup tb. vinegar / c. boiling water / butter tsp. vanilla mix all the ingredients except the butter and vanilla. place over the fire and boil until a brittle ball will form in cold water or a temperature of degrees is reached. just before the boiling has been completed, add the butter. remove from the fire, add the vanilla, and pour in a thin layer into greased pans or plates. cool, pull, and cut. . molasses taffy.--of all the taffies, that made with molasses is nearly always the favorite. a light cane molasses that is not very strong in flavor is the preferred kind for this candy. when cut into round flat pieces and wrapped in waxed paper, molasses taffy appeals to both old and young. molasses taffy c. light cane molasses c. sugar tb. vinegar / c. boiling water tb. butter mix all the ingredients except the butter. cook until a brittle ball will form or a temperature of degrees is reached on the thermometer. add the butter just before the boiling is completed. remove from the fire, pour into greased pans or plates, and allow it to become cool enough to handle. then pull and cut. . chewing taffy.--a taffy that is hard enough not to be sticky and still soft enough to chew easily is often desired. chewing taffy, which is explained in the accompanying recipe, is a candy of this kind. after being pulled, it may be cut as other taffy is cut or it may be piled in a mass and chopped into pieces. chewing taffy / tb. unflavored gelatine c. sugar - / c. corn sirup - / c. milk tb. butter vanilla and lemon put the gelatine to soak in a few tablespoonfuls of cold water. cook the sugar, sirup, and milk until the mixture will form a hard ball that may be dented with the fingers or it reaches a temperature of degrees. stir the mixture gently to prevent burning. remove from the fire and add the butter. take the gelatine from the water, squeeze it as dry as possible, and add it to the hot mixture, stirring until it is entirely dissolved. pour on a greased surface, cool, and pull until it is a light-cream color. while pulling, flavor with vanilla and a few drops of lemon. stretch into a long thin rope and cut into inch lengths or pile in a mass and chop into pieces. . butter scotch.--closely related to taffies so far as ingredients are concerned is candy known as butter scotch. this variety, however, is not pulled as are the taffies, but is allowed to become cool and then marked in squares which are broken apart when the candy is entirely cold. butter scotch c. white sugar c. brown sugar / c. corn sirup tb. vinegar / tsp. cream of tartar / c. butter tsp. lemon extract mix all the ingredients except the butter and the lemon extract. boil until a hard ball will form or degrees register on the thermometer. just before the boiling is completed, add the butter, and when the mixture has been removed from the fire, add the lemon extract. pour into a greased pan, and before it has entirely cooled, cut into squares with a knife. when cold and desired for serving, remove from the pan and break the squares apart. if desired, candy of this kind may be allowed to become entirely cold without cutting and then broken into irregular pieces just before being served. . marshmallows coated with butter scotch.--a delightful confection may be made by covering marshmallows with hot butter scotch. to accomplish this, drop the marshmallows with a coating fork or an ordinary table fork into hot butter scotch that has just finished cooking. remove them quickly, but see that the marshmallows are entirely covered. drop on a buttered pan or plate and set aside to cool. . glac� nuts and fruits.--nuts and fruits covered with a clear, hard candy are known as glacé nuts and fruits. these are a very delightful confection, and can easily be made if the accompanying directions are carefully followed. nuts of any variety may be used for this purpose, and such nuts as almonds need not be blanched. candied cherries, candied pineapple, pressed figs, dates, and raisins are the fruits that are usually glacéd. confections of this kind should be eaten while fresh or kept in a closed receptacle in a dry place. glac� nuts and fruits fruits and nuts c. granulated sugar / tsp. cream of tartar / c. water tsp. vanilla prepare the nuts by shelling them and, if necessary, roasting them, and the fruits by cutting them into small strips or cubes. mix the sugar and cream of tartar and add the water. cook until it will form a very brittle ball in water, will spin hair-like threads when drops of it fall from the spoon, or registers degrees on the thermometer. remove from the fire and put in a convenient place for the dipping of the fruit and nuts. drop these into the hot sirup, one at a time, with a coating fork or an ordinary table fork. when entirely covered with the sirup, remove and drop on greased plates or pans. . peanut brittle.--peanuts are often used in confection making and are very much liked by the majority of persons. they come in two general varieties, which may be roasted before use or used unroasted, and it is well for the housewife to understand the difference between them. one variety is the large, oblong peanut generally sold at peanut stands and used for the salted peanuts sold in confectionery stores. the other is the variety known as spanish peanuts, which are small and round. for some candies, it is necessary that the peanuts be roasted and the skins removed, while for others unroasted peanuts with the skins on are desirable. to remove the skins from unroasted peanuts, they must be blanched by immersing them in boiling water until the skins will slip off easily, but in the case of roasted peanuts, the skins may be removed without blanching. . peanut brittle is one of the candies in which peanuts are used. as its name implies, it is very thin and brittle and it usually contains a great many peanuts. two recipes for candy of this kind are here given, one requiring peanuts that are roasted and blanched and the other, peanuts that are unroasted and not blanched. peanut brittle no. c. sugar / lb. shelled, roasted peanuts put the sugar in a saucepan without any water. place it over a slow fire and allow it to melt gradually until a clear, reddish-brown liquid is formed, taking care not to allow it to burn. have a pan greased and covered with a thick layer of a large variety of roasted peanuts. pour the melted sugar over them and allow it to become hard. then break into pieces and serve. peanut brittle no. c. sugar c. corn sirup c. water / c. butter lb. raw spanish peanuts tsp. vanilla tb. soda mix the sugar, sirup, and water and place it over the fire. boil until a hard ball will form or a temperature of degrees is reached on the thermometer. add the butter and the peanuts without removing their brown skins. allow to cook, stirring all the time, until the mixture begins to turn a light brown and the skins of the peanuts pop open, showing that the peanuts are roasted. remove from the fire, add the vanilla and the soda and stir rapidly. then pour the mixture, which will become thick upon the addition of the soda, on a flat, greased surface. a slab is better for this purpose than anything else, but if this cannot be obtained a metal or other hard table top may be used. when the candy begins to get stiff, loosen it from the surface on which it was poured, cut it into two pieces, and turn each over; or, if it can be handled without cutting, turn the entire piece over. then stretch the candy until it is just as thin as possible, beginning around the edge. as it becomes colder, stretch even thinner. when entirely cool, break into pieces and serve. . nut bars.--another excellent nut candy can be made by pouring a sirup made of sugar, corn sirup, and water over a thick layer of nuts. such fruits as dates and figs or coconut, or a combination of these, may be used with the nuts, if desired. nut bars c. sugar / c. corn sirup / c. water - / c. shelled nuts put the sugar, sirup, and water over the fire and stir until it boils. cover and cook until a hard ball will form or a temperature of or degrees is reached. spread the nuts on a buttered slab or pan, and to them add fruit or coconut if it is desired to use either of these. pour the hot sirup over this until it is about inch in thickness. when sufficiently cool, cut in pieces of any desirable size, using a quick, sliding motion of the knife and pressing down at the same time. break into pieces when entirely cold and serve. caramels . nature of caramels.--caramels are included among the popular candies, and they may be made in many varieties. to plain vanilla caramels, which are the simplest kind to make, may be added any desirable color or flavor at the time they are removed from the fire. to keep caramels from crystallizing after they are boiled, glucose in some form must be used, and the most convenient kind to secure is corn sirup. then, too, caramels will cut more easily and will have less of a sticky consistency if a small piece of paraffin is boiled with the mixture. the addition of this material or any wax that is not a food is contrary to the pure-food laws, and such candy cannot be sold. however, paraffin is not harmful, but is merely a substance that is not digested, so that the small amount taken by eating candy in which it is used cannot possibly cause any injury. . in the making of caramels, it should be remembered that good results depend on boiling the mixture to just the right point. if they are not boiled enough, they will be too soft to retain their shape when cut, and if they are cooked too long, they will be brittle. neither of these conditions is the proper consistency for caramels. to be right, they must be boiled until a temperature of to degrees is reached. however, chocolate caramels need not be boiled so long, as the chocolate helps to harden them. . plain caramels.--the accompanying recipe for plain caramels may be made just as it is given, or to it may be added any flavoring or coloring desired. a pink color and strawberry flavor are very often found in caramels and are considered to be a delicious combination. as will be noted, white sugar is called for, but if more of a caramel flavor is preferred, brown sugar may be used instead of white. maple sugar may also be used in candy of this kind. nuts, fruits, or coconut, or any mixture of these materials, improves plain caramels wonderfully. if they are used, they should be stirred into the mixture at the time it is removed from the fire. plain caramels c. milk c. sugar - / c. corn sirup the milk used for making caramels should be as rich as possible; in fact, if cream can be used, the candy will be very much better. add half of the milk to the sugar and sirup and put over the fire to cook. allow this mixture to boil until a soft ball will form when dropped in water, stirring when necessary to prevent burning. then gradually add the remaining milk without stopping the boiling if possible. cook again until a temperature of degrees will register on the thermometer or a fairly hard ball will form when tried in water. in the water test, the ball, when thoroughly cold, should have exactly the same consistency as the finished caramels. toward the end of the boiling, it is necessary to stir the mixture almost constantly to prevent it from burning. when done, pour it out on a buttered slab or some other flat surface and allow it to become cool. then cut the candy into squares from / to inch in size, cutting with a sliding pressure, that is, bearing down and away from you at the same time. if the caramels are to be packed or kept for any length of time, it is well to wrap them in waxed paper. before attempting to use caramels, however, they should be allowed to stand overnight in a cool, dry place, but not in a refrigerator. . chocolate caramels.--when chocolate caramels are made, the chocolate should be added just before the cooking is finished. the amount of chocolate to be used may be varied to suit the taste, but squares are usually considered sufficient for the quantities given in the accompanying recipe. chocolate caramels c. molasses or c. maple sirup / c. corn sirup c. sugar pt. milk tb. butter sq. chocolate pinch of salt tsp. vanilla cook the molasses or maple sirup, the corn sirup, and the sugar with cupful of the milk until the mixture will form a soft ball in cold water. then add the remainder of the milk and cook until the mixture is thick. add the butter, chocolate, and salt, and cook until a hard ball will form in cold water or a temperature of degrees is reached, stirring constantly to prevent burning. add the vanilla, pour on a buttered surface, cool, cut, and serve. * * * * * cream candies natures of cream candies . there are numerous varieties of cream candies, some of which must be made with great care while others may be made quickly and easily. for instance, fudge, penuchie, divinity, and sea foam are examples of cream candies that do not require long preparation, but these must generally be used up quickly, as they do not stay soft upon exposure to the air unless it is very moist. on the other hand, such cream candies as opera cream, fondant, center cream, and orientals require both care and time in their preparation. if these are properly looked after, they may be kept for some time. in fact, it is necessary that some of them stand for several days before they can be made into the numerous varieties to which they lend themselves. the main point to consider in the preparation of all cream candies is that crystallization of the sugar, which is commonly called _graining_, must be prevented if a creamy mixture is to be the result. candies of this kind are not palatable unless they are soft and creamy. however, no difficulty will be experienced in preparing delicious cream candies if the principles of candy making previously given are applied. fudges and related candies . fudge no. .--probably no other candy is so well known and so often made as fudge. even persons little experienced in candy making have success with candy of this kind. another advantage of fudge is that it can be made up quickly, very little time being required in its preparation. several varieties of fudge may be made, the one given in the accompanying recipe being a chocolate fudge containing a small quantity of corn starch. fudge no. c. sugar - / c. milk tb. butter pinch of salt sq. chocolate tb. corn starch tb. water tsp. vanilla mix the sugar, milk, butter, and salt and boil until a very soft ball will form in water. then add the chocolate and the corn starch, which has been moistened with the cold water. boil to a temperature of degrees or until a ball that will hold together well and may be handled is formed in cold water. remove from the fire and allow the mixture to cool until there is practically no heat in it. add the vanilla, beat until thick, pour into a buttered pan, cut into squares, and serve. . fudge no. .--a fudge containing corn sirup is liked by many persons. it has a slightly different flavor from the other variety of fudge, but is just as creamy if the directions are carefully followed. fudge no. / c. milk c. sugar / c. corn sirup tb. butter pinch of salt sq. chocolate tsp. vanilla cook the milk, sugar, corn sirup, butter, and salt until the mixture will form a very soft ball when tried in water. add the chocolate and cook again until a soft ball that can be handled will form or the thermometer registers degrees. remove from the fire, cool without stirring until entirely cold, and then add the vanilla. beat until creamy, pour into buttered pans, cut into squares, and serve. . two layer fudge.--a very attractive as well as delicious fudge can be had by making it in two layers, one white and one dark. the dark layer contains chocolate while the white one is the same mixture, with the exception of the chocolate. the layers may be arranged with either the white or the dark layer on top, as preferred. two-layer fudge c. sugar - / c. milk tb. corn sirup tb. butter pinch of salt sq. chocolate tsp. vanilla mix the sugar, milk, corn sirup, butter, and salt, and cook until a very soft ball will form. transfer half of the mixture to another pan and add to it the chocolate, which has been melted. boil each mixture until it tests degrees with the thermometer or a soft ball that can be handled well will form in cold water. upon removing it from the fire, add the vanilla, putting half into each mixture. set aside to cool and when all the heat is gone, beat one of the mixtures until it becomes creamy and pour it into a buttered pan. then beat the other one and pour it over the first. cut into squares and serve. . brown-sugar fudge.--fudge in which brown sugar is used for the largest part of the sweetening is explained in the accompanying recipe. peanuts are added, but if desired nuts of any other kind may be used. brown-sugar fudge c. brown sugar c. white sugar c. milk tb. butter tsp. vanilla / c. chopped peanuts mix the sugar, milk, and butter and boil until a soft ball will form in cold water or a temperature of degrees is reached on the thermometer. remove from the fire, add the vanilla, and cool until the heat is out of the mixture. beat, and when the candy begins to grow creamy, add the chopped nuts. when sufficiently thick, pour into a buttered pan, cut, and serve. . maple penuchie.--almost any kind of maple candy finds favor with the majority of persons, but maple penuchie is especially well liked. nuts and coconut are used in it, and these improve the flavor very much. maple penuchie c. maple sirup / tsp. soda c. milk few grains of salt tsp. vanilla / c. chopped nuts / c. shredded coconut into the maple sirup, stir the soda, and add the milk and salt. place over the fire and boil until a soft ball that can be easily handled will form in cold water or a temperature of degrees is reached on the thermometer. remove from the fire, add the vanilla, and allow the mixture to become entirely cold. beat, and when it begins to get thick, add the nuts and coconut. continue beating until the candy grows stiff but can be poured out. pour in a buttered pan, cut, and serve. . divinity.--an excellent confection known as divinity can be made with very little difficulty if the accompanying recipe is carefully followed. nuts and raisins are used in this confection, but if desired they may be omitted. as divinity is dropped from a spoon on oiled paper, care should be taken not to boil the mixture too long, or it will be necessary to work very rapidly in order to drop all of it before it becomes too dry. divinity / c. corn sirup / c. water c. sugar egg white tsp. vanilla / c. nuts / c. raisins boil the sirup, water, and sugar together until a fairly hard ball will form in cold water or the mixture registers degrees on the thermometer, which is a trifle harder than the fudge mixture. beat the egg white until it is stiff but not dry. over this pour the hot mixture a drop at a time until it can be added faster without cooking the egg white. beat rapidly until all the sirup is added, stir in the vanilla, and when fairly stiff add the nuts and raisins. continue beating until the mixture will stand alone, and then drop by spoonfuls on oiled paper or a buttered surface. when dry enough to handle, divinity may be served. . sea foam.--another candy in which a cooked sirup is poured over beaten egg white is known as sea foam. candies of this kind should be served at once, for they are apt to become dry and hard if they are allowed to stand. sea foam c. light-brown sugar / c. water pinch of salt egg white tsp. vanilla boil the sugar, water, and salt until a fairly hard ball will form or the thermometer registers degrees. beat the egg white stiff, but not dry. pour the hot sirup over the egg white, a drop at a time at first, and then as fast as possible without cooking the egg white. add the vanilla and continue beating the mixture until it will stand alone. drop by spoonfuls on a buttered surface or oiled paper. when sufficiently dry, remove from the surface and serve. fondant and related creams . nature of fondant.--fondant is the foundation cream out of which bonbons and various other fancy candies are made. it is also used for stuffing dates, taking the place of the pit. while it is not so desirable for the centers of chocolate creams as for most of the other candies for which it is used, it can, of course, be coated with chocolate if desired. some persons have an idea that fondant and related candies are difficult to make, but if directions are followed carefully this will not be the case. [illustration: fig. ] . in the first place, it should be remembered that the weather is an important factor in the success of candy of this kind. a clear, cold day should be selected, for it is difficult to make fondant successfully on a warm or a damp day. then, too, it is an excellent plan to make more than can be used at one time, for no greater labor will be involved in the making of a large amount than a small amount and better results may be expected. if the fondant material is cared for properly, small quantities of it may be made up as desired. therefore, if convenient equipment is on hand for making candies of this type, no less than - / pounds should be made at one time. five pounds is a preferable amount, but, if desired, pounds may be made up at one time, although this amount is about as much as one person can handle and even this is somewhat difficult for some to work up. [illustration: fig. ] a little ingenuity on the part of the person making up the fondant will result in many delightful bonbons. candied fruits, nuts, coconut, and numerous varieties of flavoring and coloring may be utilized very successfully with fondant. it should be remembered, however, that bonbons do not keep fresh for more than a few days or a week at the most if they are exposed to the air. if it is desired to keep them for any length of time, they should be packed in a tin box, but when stored in this way, different colors should not be placed next to each other or they will mix. . fondant.--as will be noted, the accompanying recipe for fondant calls for pounds of sugar. it is not necessary that all of the fondant be worked up at once. indeed, it is suggested that this amount be prepared and then stored so that the fondant may be used as needed. if a smaller amount should be desired, half of each ingredient may be used. fondant lb. sugar qt. water drops acetic acid or / tsp. cream tartar mix the sugar, water, and acetic acid or cream of tartar. place over the fire and, as in fig. , stir until the sugar is dissolved. just before the mixture begins to boil, wash down the sides of the kettle with a wet cloth, as shown in fig. . then place a lid over the kettle and cook until almost ready to test. remove the cover and, as in fig. , insert a thermometer, which should register degrees. if the fondant is to be stored for some time, it may be boiled to degrees, but for general use a mixture that reaches a temperature of degrees will be the most satisfactory. if the water test is applied, as in fig. , the mixture should form a firm ball that can be easily held in the fingers. just before the boiling is completed, cool a large platter or a slab and moisten it by wetting it with a damp cloth. [illustration: fig. ] no time should intervene between the end of the boiling and the removal of the sirup from the stove, for every second that the sirup is allowed to stand over the hot burner before it is poured out will raise the temperature. pour quickly on the platter, as in fig. , and do not allow it to drip. if some sirup is left in the pan, utilize it for something else, rather than allow it to drop on the surface of the candy in the platter or slab. it is at this point that crystallization begins, and the fondant, instead of being creamy, will become grainy. cool as quickly as possible, so as to lessen the chances for crystallization to begin, and do not disturb the sirup in any way during the cooling. the best way in which to accomplish this is to put the platter in a cool place and make it perfectly level before the sirup is poured into it. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] when the mixture has cooled to the extent that it no longer retains any heat, it is ready to be stirred. as already explained, a putty knife or a wallpaper scraper is the most satisfactory utensil to use for this purpose, especially if a large batch is being made. however, a small batch may be stirred very successfully with a case knife. with whatever utensil is selected, scrape the fondant up into a heap, and then, as in fig. , start the working. see that all parts are worked alike. continue the operation, occasionally scraping off the knife or the paddle used. the first indication of the creaming stage will be a cloudy look in the mixture and a slight thinning of it, so that the work will be easier for a few minutes. it will then gradually begin to harden, and when the end of the work is reached the hardening will progress rapidly. at this stage, try to get the mass together, see that no loose fragments cling to the platter, and pile all into a heap. by the time the working is completed, the candy will be rather hard and will look as if it can never be worked into a soft, creamy candy. it will become soft, however, by the proper treatment. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] wring a clean towel or napkin out of cold water, and, as in fig. , place it tightly over the mass of fondant and tuck it in securely around the edges. allow the candy to stand for an hour in this way. at the end of this time it will be sufficiently moist to work in any desired way. with a knife or a scraper, break it off into pieces of a size that can be handled well at one time and work each one of these soft by squeezing it in the manner shown in fig. . when all of the pieces have been worked soft, pack them into a bowl and continue working until all the fondant has been worked together and is soft. over the top of the bowl, as shown in fig. , place a damp cloth and cover this with a plate or an earthen cover. set away in some place where it will remain cool, but will not become too moist, until it is desired for further use. [illustration: fig. ] the four recipes that follow show how fondant can be made up into attractive as well as delicious confections. they will doubtless give the housewife other ideas as to ways of preparing candies from this foundation material. . bonbons.--in a broad sense, bonbons mean candy or confections in general, but it is also the name of candies made out of colored and flavored fondant. sometimes they are made small and dainty and are decorated with a nut meat or a piece of maraschino or candied cherry or candied pineapple. again, centers may be made that contain coconut, nuts, figs, dates, raisins, etc., and these then dipped in some of the fondant that has been colored, flavored, and melted. [illustration: fig. ] . when bonbons are to be made, remove fondant in pieces from the utensil in which it has been stored. work it with the hands as it was worked when put away and add the desired coloring and flavoring at this time. if simple bonbons are to be made, form the colored and flavored fondant into tiny balls, place them on oiled paper, and press a nut or a piece of maraschino or candied cherry or candied pineapple on top. . to make more elaborate bonbons, form, as in fig. , small round centers out of the fondant to which have been added such materials as dates, figs, raisins, nuts, or coconut, or any combination of these. only enough fondant should be used to make the other materials stick together. then, in a double boiler, color, flavor, and melt some of the fondant and, with a coating or other fork, drop the centers into this melted cream. when thoroughly coated, remove, and place on waxed paper. while warm, a piece of nut or candied fruit may be placed on the top of each one. if it is desired not to use fondant in the centers, the nuts or candied fruits themselves may be dipped into the melted bonbon cream and then placed on waxed paper to harden. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . reception wafers.--thin wafers made of fondant are a confection much used at parties, receptions, and similar social gatherings. one variety of these is colored pink and flavored with wintergreen, while another is flavored with peppermint and not colored in any way. other colors and flavors may also be made if desired, but the usual kinds are the pink and white ones. divide the mass of fondant to be used into two parts and color one of these a pale pink. flavor the pink mass with wintergreen and the white one with peppermint. put one of these in a double boiler and allow it to melt until it is soft enough to pour. then, as in fig. , with a dessert spoon or a tablespoon, drop the melted fondant on a smooth surface in sufficient amounts to make wafers about the size of a quarter. drop quickly and as accurately as possible so that the wafers will be the same size and shape. allow them to stand until cold and set. sometimes it will be found that two wafers can be dropped from the same spoonful before the material becomes too cold to pour, but usually it is necessary to dip a fresh spoonful for each wafer. as the fondant hardens on the back of the spoon it should be scraped off and put back into the double boiler. a comparatively small amount of fondant should be melted at one time in order to provide against its becoming sugary, but if it shows any signs of this condition the double boiler should be emptied and thoroughly cleaned before more of the fondant is melted in it. . rainbow delight.--an especially attractive candy that has fondant for its foundation is rainbow delight. as may be inferred from its name, candy of this kind is in several colors. to make rainbow delight, divide fondant into three parts. flavor one with vanilla and to it add chopped nuts. flavor the second with strawberry, color it pink, and, if desired, add shredded coconut. to the third, add melted bitter chocolate until it is as dark as preferred. line a small bread pan or a box as smoothly as possible with waxed paper, place the white fondant in the bottom, and press it down into a layer. over this put the chocolate fondant, press this into a layer, and on top of it place the pink candy. after making the mass smooth and even, allow it to remain where it will be cold until it is set. then remove it from the pan or box by turning it out on a surface that has been slightly dusted with confectioner's sugar. have coating chocolate melted and cover the surface of three sides of the candy with a thick layer of the chocolate. if, when the chocolate becomes dry and hard, it seems a little thin, give it a second coating. when it is entirely cold, turn the candy over and coat the remaining side. to serve, cut into slices and cut each slice into pieces. . tutti-frutti rolls.--another very good candy that can be made from fondant is tutti-frutti roll. secure nuts, cherries, candied pineapple, and citron, chop them fine, and to them add shredded coconut. work these in any quantity desired into the fondant until all are worked through evenly and then flavor with vanilla. shape the mass into a roll and let it stand until it is well set. then coat it with coating chocolate. when it has become cold, turn it over and coat the bottom. to serve tutti-frutti roll, cut it into slices. . opera cream.--no more delicious cream candy can be made than that known as opera cream. this may be colored and flavored in many different ways or made up in various forms. when chocolate is added to it, a better fudge than the ordinary kinds is the result. sufficient time should be allowed for the making of opera cream, for it is necessary that this candy stand for several hours before it is worked up. opera cream c. sugar / tsp. cream of tartar tb. corn sirup pt. thin cream vanilla mix the sugar and the cream of tartar, add the sirup and cream, and cook over a hot fire. watch closely to see whether the cream looks as if it might curd, and if it does, beat rapidly with a rotary beater. do not stir after the boiling has begun unless it is necessary to keep the mixture from sticking to the pan. boil until a very hard ball will form in water or until it registers degrees on the thermometer. moisten a large, flat platter or a marble slab, pour the mixture on it, and allow it to remain until it is entirely cool, disturbing it in no way during this cooling. when cool, work up with a putty knife or a similar utensil in the same manner as for fondant until it becomes hard and creamy. place all in a heap in the center of the slab or platter and cover closely with a damp cloth, a clean towel being desirable for this purpose. allow it to stand for about hours, and then work it with the hands, being careful to remove any lumps that it might contain. the cream is now ready to be worked up in any desirable way. divide it into small batches, and then flavor and color it or work melted chocolate into it. press it into a layer about inch thick in a shallow box lined with waxed paper or a pan that has been buttered, cut it into squares, and allow it to stand for a few hours. then remove and serve. . center cream.--an excellent cream candy for the centers of chocolates is given in the accompanying recipe. as molds are necessary in its preparation, it is more difficult to make than fondant, but success can be had with this as well as with other candies. the cream used for these centers may be colored and flavored in any desirable way. it is somewhat firm while being handled, but will be found to soften after it has been made up and coated. it can be handled better if it is made or days before it is desired for use. as will be noted, the recipe is given in a fairly large quantity, for it is preferable to make a good-sized amount of the cream at a time; but it need not all be used up at once. center cream c. sugar c. glucose or corn sirup c. water mix the sugar, glucose or corn sirup, and water and proceed in the same way as for fondant. boil until the thermometer registers or degrees or a ball that is not quite so firm as for fondant will form in cold water. pour on a moistened platter or slab to cool. then cream in the same manner as for fondant, but allow more time for this part of the work, as the glucose does not cream rapidly. just before it hardens, pour it into a crock or a bowl, place a damp cloth over the top of the bowl, and put away for a couple of days. . the molds for shaping center creams are formed in a thick layer of corn starch by means of a device that may be bought from a candy-making supply house or made at home. this device consists of a long strip with projections that may be pushed into the corn starch to make neatly shaped holes, or molds. these projections are spaced about inch apart, so that the walls between the corn-starch molds will not fall down when the center-cream mixture is poured into them. a long stick, such as a ruler or a yardstick, and either corks of different sizes or plaster of paris may be employed to make such a device. if corks are to be used, simply glue them to the stick, spacing them about inch apart. if plaster of paris is to be used, fill small receptacles about the size and shape of chocolate creams with a thin mixture of plaster of paris and water and allow it to set. when hard, remove the plaster-of-paris shapes and glue them to the stick, spacing them the same distance as mentioned for the corks. the home-made device will answer the same purpose as one that is bought, and is much less expensive. . when it is desired to make up the creams, sift corn starch into a pan to form a thick layer, making it perfectly level on top with the straight edge of a knife. then make depressions, or molds, in the corn starch by pressing into it the device just described. make as many rows of molds as the space will permit, but do not make them so close together as to weaken the walls between the molds. melt some of the center cream in a double boiler, color and flavor as desired, and pour into the molds made in the corn starch. allow the centers to remain until they become hard in the molds. then pick them out, blow off the corn starch, and set aside until ready to coat. continue making centers in this way until all the cream is used up, resifting the corn starch and making new molds each time. then coat with chocolate in the usual way. . orientals.--delicious chocolate creams known as orientals can be made by the amateur if a little care is exercised. it should be remembered, however, that these cannot be made successfully on a damp day and that it is somewhat difficult to make them in warm weather. a clear, cold day is required for satisfactory results. unlike fondant, these creams must be made up at once, so it will be necessary to allow sufficient time not only for the cooking and creaming processes, but also for the making and coating as well. after being made up, however, they should be allowed to stand for or days, as they, like many other cream candies, improve upon standing. since these centers are very sweet, a slightly bitter chocolate is the best kind with which to coat them. confectioner's bitter-sweet chocolate will be found to be the most satisfactory, but if this cannot be procured, bitter chocolate may be mixed with sweet coating chocolate. orientals c. granulated sugar c. water tsp. glycerine drops acetic acid egg whites vanilla put the sugar, water, and glycerine over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved. wash down the sides of the kettle with a cloth, and just as the mixture begins to boil, add the acetic acid. place a cover over the pan and allow the mixture to boil until a temperature of degrees is reached on the thermometer or a firm ball that can be easily held in the fingers will form. pour out on a slab or a platter to cool, and when perfectly cool begin to work it as for fondant, but first beat the egg whites until they are stiff. as soon as the candy is collected into a mass, pour the egg whites over it, as shown in fig. . continue to work the candy until all of the egg white is worked in. add the vanilla during this process. if the mixture seems stiff and the eggs do not work in, continue with a little patience, for they will eventually combine with the candy. because of the eggs, oriental cream is whiter than bonbon cream, and so it is a little difficult to tell just when it is beginning to get creamy. however, it softens a little as it begins to set, just as fondant does. at this point work slowly, and as it hardens get it into a mass in the center of the slab. when completely worked, it will not be so hard as fondant. make it up at once into small, round centers, and as they are made place them on pieces of oiled paper to become dry. chopped nuts may be added to the filling if desired before it is made up. as soon as it is possible to handle the centers, coat them with chocolate in the usual way. be careful to cover the entire surface with chocolate, for otherwise the quality of the center will deteriorate. a good plan is to wrap candies of this kind in waxed paper, especially if they are to be packed in boxes, for then they will not be so likely to crush. [illustration: fig. ] . uncooked fondant.--a fairly satisfactory substitute for fondant can be made by moistening confectioner's sugar with egg white or sweet cream. a very fine sugar must be secured for this purpose or the candy will be granular, and even then the result will not be so satisfactory as in the case of cooked fondant properly made. uncooked fondant, too, is more limited in its uses than cooked fondant, for it cannot be melted and used for bonbons. uncooked fondant xxxx sugar egg white or sweet cream roll and sift the sugar if it is lumpy, making it as fine as possible. beat the egg white just enough to break it up or pour into a bowl the desired amount of sweet cream, remembering that very little liquid will moisten considerable sugar. add the sugar a little at a time, beating all the while, until a sufficient amount has been used to make the mixture dry enough to handle with the fingers. then flavor and color in any desired way and make up as if it were fondant. miscellaneous confections . stuffed dates.--dates from which the seeds have been removed and which have been filled with nuts or fondant or a combination of both are a confection that meets with much favor. the uncooked fondant is entirely satisfactory for this purpose, but if some of the other is on hand it will make an especially fine confection. regardless of what is used for a filling, though, the preparation of such dates is the same. first wash the dates in warm water and rinse them in cold water. then, if there is time, spread them out in a single layer on a cloth and let them remain until they are entirely dry. cut a slit in the side of each one with a knife and remove the seed. if nuts, such as english walnuts, are to be used for the filling, place half a nut meat in the cavity left by the seed and press the date together over it. in case fondant and nuts are to be used, chop the nuts and mix them with the fondant. coconut may be used in place of the nuts if desired or the fondant may be used alone. shape the fondant into tiny balls, press one tightly into the cavity left by the seed, and close the date partly over the filling. when all the dates have been stuffed, roll them in sugar, preferably granulated, and serve. . salted nuts.--nuts to which salt has been added are an excellent contrast to the sweet confections that have been described. at social gatherings, luncheons, dinners, etc., they are often served in connection with some variety of bonbon and many times they replace the sweet confection entirely. peanuts and almonds are the nuts generally used for salting. if peanuts are to be salted, the unroasted ones should be purchased and then treated in exactly the same way as almonds. before nuts are salted, they must first be browned, and this may be accomplished in three different ways: on the top of the stove, in the oven, and in deep fat. preparing them in deep fat is the most satisfactory method, for by it all the nuts reach the same degree of brownness. . first blanch the nuts by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to remain in the water until the skins can be removed; then slip off the skins without breaking the nuts apart if possible. spread the nuts out on a towel to dry. if the deep-fat method of browning them is to be followed, have in a small saucepan or kettle a sufficient quantity of cooking fat or oil. [illustration: fig. ] allow it to become as hot as for frying doughnuts or croquettes, place the nuts in a sieve, and fry them in the fat until they become a delicate brown. pour them out into a pan, sprinkle them with salt, cool, and serve. to brown nuts on top of the stove, heat a heavy frying pan over a slow fire and into it put a small amount of fat. add the nuts and stir constantly until they are browned as evenly as possible. this part of the work requires considerable time, for the more slowly it is done the less likely are the nuts to have burned spots. salt the nuts before removing them from the pan, turn them out into a dish, cool, and serve. it is more difficult to brown nuts equally by the oven method, but sometimes it is desired to prepare them in this way. put the nuts with a little fat into a pan and set the pan in a hot oven. stir frequently until they are well browned, salt, cool, and serve. . oriental delight.--an excellent confection that can be prepared without cooking is known as oriental delight. it is composed of fruit, nuts, and coconut, which are held together with egg white and powdered sugar. when thoroughly set and cut into squares, oriental delight appears as in fig. . oriental delight / lb. dates / lb. raisins / lb. pressed figs / c. shredded coconut / c. english walnuts egg white powdered sugar wash all the fruits, put them together, and steam for about minutes. then put these with the coconut and nuts through a food chopper or chop them all in a bowl with a chopping knife. when the whole is reduced to a pulpy mass, beat the egg white slightly, add sufficient sugar to make a very soft paste, and mix with the fruit mixture. if it is very sticky, continue to add powdered sugar and mix well until it is stiff enough to pack in a layer in a pan. press down tight and when it is set mark in squares, remove from the pan, and serve as a confection. . marshmallows.--to be able to make marshmallows successfully is the desire of many persons. at first thought, this seems somewhat of a task, but in reality it is a simple matter if the directions are carefully followed. upon being cut into squares, the marshmallows may be served plain or they may be coated with chocolate or, after standing several days, dipped into a warm caramel mixture. marshmallows tsp. gelatine - / c. water c. sugar few grains salt tsp. vanilla / tb. corn starch soak the gelatine in one-half of the water for minutes. cook the sugar and the remaining water until it will spin a thread when dropped from a spoon. remove from the fire and add the gelatine. when partly cold, add the salt and the flavoring. beat with an egg whip, cooling the mixture as rapidly as possible, until it is light and fluffy. when the mixture is thick, add the corn starch slowly, working it in thoroughly. then pour out on a flat surface that is well dusted with confectioner's sugar. let stand in a cool place until thoroughly chilled. cut in squares by pressing the blade of a knife down through the mass, but do not slide it along when cutting. remove the pieces, dust on all sides with powdered sugar, and serve. . nougat.--the confection known as nougat consists usually of a paste filled with chopped nuts. both corn sirup and honey are used in the preparation of this candy. generally it is merely flavored with vanilla, but if chocolate flavoring is preferred it may be added. nougat c. sugar - / c. corn sirup / c. strained honey c. water egg whites tsp. vanilla c. nut meats put the sugar, corn sirup, honey, and water together and cook until a temperature of degrees is reached or a brittle ball will form in water. beat the egg whites stiff and pour the mass slowly into them, beating constantly until the mixture grows stiff and waxy. then add the vanilla and nut meats. mix well and pour into a small box or pan lined with waxed paper. if chocolate is to be used for flavoring, add the desired amount just before pouring the mixture into the pan. when it has cooled sufficiently, cut in squares or slices. . candied peel.--another favorite confection and one that is much used in connection with candies for social functions is candied orange, lemon, and grapefruit peel. after being removed from the fruit, the peel should be well scraped and then cut into thin strips. in this form, it is ready to coat with sirup. candied peel / doz. lemons, oranges, or grapefruit / c. water c. sugar remove the skin in quarters from the fruit, scrape off as much of the white as possible, and cut each piece of skin into narrow strips. put these to cook in cold water, boil them until they may be easily pierced with a fork, and then drain off the water. add the water to the sugar and cook until a thread will form when the sirup is dropped from a spoon. add the cooked peel to the sirup and cook for to minutes. drain and dredge in granulated sugar. spread in a single layer to dry. . pop-corn balls.--pop corn in any form is always an attractive confection, especially to young persons. it is often stuck together with a sirup mixture and made into balls. in this form, it is an excellent confection for the holiday season. to make pop-corn balls, first shell the corn and pop it. then make a sirup with half as much water as sugar and cook it until it will spin a thread. have the pop corn in a large bowl and pour the sirup over it, working quickly so that all the sirup can be used up while it is warm. to form the balls, take up a large double handful and press firmly together. if the sirup sticks to the hands, dip them into cold water so as to moisten them somewhat before the next handful is taken up. work in this manner until all the corn is made into balls. . cracker jack.--another pop-corn confection that is liked by practically every one is cracker jack. in this variety, pop corn and peanuts are combined and a sirup made of molasses and sugar is used to hold them together. cracker jack qt. popped corn c. shelled, roasted peanuts c. molasses / c. sugar put the popped corn and the peanuts together in a receptacle large enough to hold them easily. cook the molasses and the sugar until the sirup spins a thread. then pour this over the popped corn and peanuts and mix well until it becomes cold and hard. serving candy . the best time to serve candy is when it will interfere least with the digestion, and this is immediately after meals. a dish of candy placed on the table with the dessert adds interest to any meal. it should be passed immediately after the dessert is eaten. various kinds of bonbon dishes in which to serve candies are to be had, some of them being very attractive. those having a cover are intended for candy that is to be left standing for a time, while open dishes should be used for serving. fig. shows candy tastefully arranged on a silver dish having a handle. dishes made of glass or china answer the purpose equally as well as silver ones, and if a bonbon dish is not in supply a small plate will do very well. a paper or a linen doily on the dish or plate adds to the attractiveness, as does also the manner in which the candy is arranged. [illustration: fig. : candies arranged on silver dish.] * * * * * confections examination questions ( ) what are confections? ( ) discuss the use of confections in the diet of children and adults. ( ) (_a_) what food substance is found in the largest proportion in candy? (_b_) are candies high or low in food value? ( ) discuss briefly the kinds and qualities of sugar and their uses. ( ) what is the value of glucose in candy making? ( ) what kinds of flavorings are the most desirable? ( ) what care should be exercised in the use of colorings in candy? ( ) (_a_) what acids are used in candy making? (_b_) why are these acids used? ( ) of what value are milk, cream, and butter in the making of candy? ( ) what may be said of the selection of a pan for cooking candy? ( ) (_a_) what methods are used for testing candies? (_b_) which of these methods is the most accurate? ( ) (_a_) how should the mixture be poured out to cool when a creamy candy is being made? (_b_) to what point should the sirup be cooled before the stirring is begun? ( ) (_a_) how should chocolate be melted? (_b_) how should coating with chocolate be done? ( ) how should waxed paper be cut for wrapping candies? ( ) discuss the ingredients generally used for taffy. ( ) on what do good results in caramel making depend? ( ) what should be guarded against in the making of all cream candies? ( ) (_a_) what is fondant? (_b_) how may fondant be stored for future use? ( ) how should dates be prepared for stuffing? ( ) what is the best time for the serving of candy? * * * * * beverages * * * * * beverages in the diet nature and classes of beverages . throughout the lifetime of every person there is constant need for solid food to preserve health and prolong life; and, just as such food is necessary to satisfy the requirements of the body, so, too, is there need for water. as is well known, the composition of the body is such that it contains more liquid than solid material, the tissues and the bones weighing much less than the liquid. a tremendous amount of this liquid is continually being lost through the kidneys, through each pore in the skin, and even through every breath that is exhaled, and if continued good health is to be maintained this loss must be constantly made up. this loss is greater in very hot weather or in the performance of strenuous exercise than under ordinary conditions, which accounts for the fact that more than the usual amount of liquid must be supplied during such times. so necessary is liquid refreshment that the body cannot exist without it for any great length of time. in fact, if the supply were cut off so that no more could be obtained, the body would begin to use its own fluids and death would soon occur. a person can live for many days without solid food, but it is not possible to live for more than a very few days without drink. . nature's way of serving notice that the body is in need of liquid refreshment is through the sensation of thirst. satisfying thirst not only brings relief, but produces a decidedly pleasant sensation; however, the real pleasure of drinking is not experienced until one has become actually thirsty. the various liquids by which thirst may be slaked, or quenched, are known as _beverages_. the first one of these given to man was water, and it is still the chief beverage, for it is used both alone and as a foundation for numerous other beverages that are calculated to be more tasty, but whose use is liable in some cases to lead to excessive drinking or to the partaking of substances that are injurious to health. . the beverages that are in common use may be placed in three general classes: _alcoholic_, _stimulating_, and _non-stimulating_. the alcoholic beverages include such drinks as beer, wine, whisky, etc., some of which are used more in one country than in another. in fact, almost every class of people known has an alcoholic beverage that has come to be regarded as typical of that class. alcoholic fermentation is supposed to have been discovered by accident, and when its effect became known it was recognized as a popular means of supplying a beverage and some stimulation besides. under stimulating beverages come tea, coffee, and cocoa. these are in common use all over the world, certain ones, of course, finding greater favor in some countries than in others. with the exception of cocoa, they provide very little food value. in contrast with these drinks are the non-stimulating beverages, which include fruit punches, soft drinks, and all the milk-and-egg concoctions. these are usually very refreshing, and the majority of them contain sufficient nourishment to recommend their frequent use. water in beverages . many persons restrict the term beverages, contending that it refers to refreshing or flavored drinks. it should be remembered, however, that this term has a broader meaning and refers to any drink taken for the purpose of quenching thirst. water is the simplest beverage and is in reality the foundation of nearly all drinks, for it is the water in them that slakes thirst. flavors, such as fruit juice, tea, coffee, etc., are combined with water to make the beverages more tempting, and occasionally such foods as eggs, cream, and starchy materials are added to give food value; but the first and foremost purpose of all beverages is to introduce water into the system and thus satisfy thirst. . kinds of water.--inasmuch as water is so important an element in the composition of beverages, every one should endeavor to become familiar with the nature of each of its varieties. soft water is water that contains very little mineral matter. a common example of soft water is rainwater. hard water is water that contains a large quantity of lime in solution. boiling such water precipitates, or separates, some of the lime and consequently softens the water. an example of the precipitation of lime in water is the deposit that can be found in any teakettle that has been used for some time. mineral water is water containing a large quantity of such minerals as will go in solution in water, namely, sulphur, iron, lime, etc. distilled water is water from which all minerals have been removed. to accomplish this, the water is converted into steam and then condensed. this is the purest form of water. carbonated water is water that has had carbon-dioxide, or carbonic-acid, gas forced into it. the soda water used at soda fountains is an example of this variety. carbonated water is bottled and sold for various purposes. . necessity for pure water.--the extensive use made of water in the diet makes it imperative that every effort be exerted to have the water supply as pure as possible. the ordinary city filter and the smaller household filter can be depended on to remove sand, particles of leaves, weeds, and such foreign material as is likely to drop into the water from time to time, but they will not remove disease germs from an unclean supply. therefore, if there is any doubt about water being pure enough to use for drinking purposes, it should be boiled before it is used. boiling kills any disease germs that the water may contain, but at the same time it gives the water a very flat taste because of the loss of air in boiling. however, as is mentioned in _essentials of cookery_, part , the natural taste may be restored by beating the boiled water with an egg beater or by partly filling a jar, placing the lid on, and shaking it vigorously. relation of beverages to meals . about one-third of all the water required each day is taken in the form of beverages with the meals. it was formerly thought that liquids dilute the gastric juice and so should be avoided with meals. however, it has been learned that beverages, either warm or cold, with the exception of an occasional case, may be taken with meals without injury. the chief point to remember is that it is unwise to drink beverages either too hot or too cold. for the best results, their temperature should be rather moderate. . foods that may be dissolved in water can be incorporated in a beverage to make it nutritious. with many persons, as in the case of small children and invalids, this is often the only means there is of giving them nourishment. in serving beverages to healthy persons, the food value of the meal should be taken into consideration. the beverage accompanying a heavy meal should be one having very little food value; whereas, in the case of a light meal, the beverage can be such as will give additional nutrition. for instance, hot chocolate, which is very nutritious, would not be a good beverage to serve with a meal consisting of soup, meat, vegetables, salad, and dessert, but it would be an excellent drink to serve with a lunch that is made up of light sandwiches, salad, and fruit. alcoholic beverages . alcoholic beverages are made by allowing yeast to ferment the starch or the sugar in a certain kind of food, thus producing acid and alcohol. grains and fruits are used oftenest for this purpose. in some cases, the fermentation is allowed to continue long enough to use up all the starch or sugar in the material selected, and in this event the resulting beverages are sour and contain a great deal of alcohol. in others, the fermentation is stopped before all the sugar or starch is utilized, and then the beverage is sweet and contains less alcohol. the higher the percentage of alcohol a beverage contains, the more intoxicating it is and the more quickly will a state of intoxication be reached by drinking it. . harmful effects of alcoholic beverages.--in years past, alcoholic beverages were considered to be a necessity for medicinal purposes in hospitals and in homes, but this use of them has been very greatly decreased. in fact, it is believed by most authorities that often more harm than good is done by using alcoholic beverages as a medical stimulant or as a carrier for some drug. as these drinks are harmful in this respect, so are they detrimental to health when they are taken merely as beverages. it is definitely known that alcohol acts as a food when it enters the body, for it is burned just as a carbohydrate would be and thus produces heat. that this action takes place very rapidly can be detected by the warmth that is produced almost immediately when the drink is taken. some of it is lost through the breath and the kidneys without producing heat, and it also acts upon the blood vessels near the skin in such a way as to lose very quickly the heat that is produced. it is never conserved and used gradually as the heat from food is used. the taking of alcohol requires much work on the part of the kidneys, and this eventually injures them. it also hardens the liver and produces a disease known as hob-nailed, or gin, liver. in addition, if used continuously, this improper means of nourishing the body produces an excessive amount of fat. because of these harmful effects on the various organs, its too rapid loss from the body, and the fact that it does not build tissue, alcohol is at best a very poor food and should be avoided on all occasions. . kinds of alcoholic beverages.--in spite of the truth that beverages containing alcohol are found to be harmful, many of them are in common use. following are the names of these, together with a short account of their preparation: beer is an alcoholic beverage made from certain grains, usually barley, by malting the grain, boiling the product with hops, and finally fermenting it with yeast. the malting of grains, it will be remembered, is explained in _cereals_. the hops are used to give the beer a desirable flavor. this beverage is characterized by a low percentage of alcohol, containing only to per cent., and consequently is not very intoxicating. wine is a beverage that is usually made from grapes, although berries and other small fruits are occasionally used. it contains from to per cent. of alcohol and is therefore more intoxicating than beer. the wines in which all of the sugar is fermented are known as _sour_, or _dry, wines_, while those in which not all of the sugar has been fermented are called _sweet wines_. many classes of wines are made and put on the market, but those most commonly used are claret, sherry, hock, port, and madeira. brandy is an alcoholic liquor distilled from wine. it is very intoxicating, for it consists of little besides alcohol and water, the percentage of alcohol varying from to per cent. upon being distilled, brandy is colorless, but it is then stored in charred wooden casks, from which it takes its characteristic color. gin is a practically colorless liquor distilled from various grains and flavored with oil of juniper or some other flavoring substance, such as anise, orange peel, or fennel. it contains from to per cent. of alcohol. it is usually stored in glass bottles, which do not impart a color to it. rum is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting cane sugar, molasses, cane juice, or the scum and waste from sugar refineries and then distilling the product. it contains from to per cent. of alcohol, and has a disagreeable odor when it is distilled. this odor, however, is removed by storing the rum in wooden receptacles for a long period of time. cordials are beverages made by steeping fruits or herbs in brandy. _absinthe_, which is barred from the united states because it contains wormwood, a very injurious substance, is a well-known cordial. besides being extremely intoxicating, it overstimulates the heart and the stomach if taken in even comparatively small quantities. whisky is an alcoholic beverage obtained by distilling fermented grain several times until it has a strength of to per cent. of alcohol. then it is flavored and stored in charred casks to ripen and become mellow, after which it has a characteristic color. as can readily be understood, distilled liquors contain the highest percentage of alcohol. * * * * * stimulating beverages nature of stimulating beverages . stimulating beverages are those which contain a drug that stimulates the nervous and the circulatory system; that is, one that acts on the nerves and the circulation in such a way as to make them active and alert. common examples of these beverages are coffee, tea, and cocoa or chocolate. if the nerves are in need of rest, it is dangerous to stimulate them with such beverages, for, as the nervous system indirectly affects all the organs of the body, the effects of this stimulation are far-reaching. the immediate effect of the stimulant in these beverages is to keep the drinker awake, thus causing sleeplessness, or temporary insomnia. if tea and coffee are used habitually and excessively, headaches, dull brains, and many nervous troubles are liable to result. . the stimulant that is found in the leaves of tea is known as _theine_; that found in coffee beans, _caffeine_; and that found in cacao beans, from which cocoa and chocolate are made, _theobromine_. each of these stimulants is extracted by the hot liquid that is always used to make the beverage. it is taken up by the liquid so quickly that the method used to prepare the beverage makes little difference as to the amount obtained. in other words, tea made by pouring water through the leaves will contain nearly as much of the stimulant as tea made by boiling the leaves. . in addition to the stimulant, tea and coffee contain _tannin_, or _tannic acid_, an acid that is also obtained from the bark of certain trees and used in the tanning of animal hides in the preparation of leather. tannin is not taken so quickly from tea and coffee by the hot liquid used in preparing the beverage as is the stimulant, so that the longer tea leaves and coffee grounds remain in the liquid, the more tannic acid will be drawn out. this fact can be detected by the bitter flavor and the puckery feeling in the mouth after drinking tea that has been allowed to remain on the leaves or coffee that has stood for some time on the grounds. tannic acid has a decidedly bad effect on the digestion in the stomach, so that if improperly prepared tea or coffee is indulged in habitually, it may cause stomach disorders. table i stimulant and tannic acid present in stimulating beverages ------------------------------------------------------------- quantity of quantity of beverage stimulant stimulant tannic acid grains grains ------------------------------------------------------------- coffee caffeine to to tea theine to to cocoa or chocolate theobromine to - / / to ------------------------------------------------------------- . the quantity of stimulant and tannic acid contained in an ordinary cup of tea, coffee, and cocoa or chocolate is given in table i. as this table shows, the quantity, which is given in grains, does not vary considerably in the different beverages and is not present in such quantity as to be harmful, unless these beverages are indulged in to excess. to reduce the quantity of caffeine contained in coffee has been the aim of many coffee producers. as a result, there are on the market a number of brands of coffee that have been put through a process that removes practically all the caffeine. the beverage made from coffee so treated is less harmful than that made from ordinary coffee, and so far as the flavor is concerned this loss of caffeine does not change it. . neither tea nor coffee possesses any food value. unless sugar or cream is added, these beverages contain nothing except water, flavor, stimulant, and tannic acid. chocolate and cocoa, however, are rich in fat, and as they are usually made with milk and sugar they have the advantage of conveying food to the system. because of their nature, tea and coffee should never be given to children. cocoa and chocolate provide enough food value to warrant their use in the diet of young persons, but they should not be taken in too great quantity because of the large amount of fat they contain. any of these beverages used in excessive amounts produces the same effect as a mild drug habit. consequently, when a person feels that it is impossible to get along without tea or coffee, it is time to stop the use of that beverage. * * * * * coffee history and production . coffee is the seed of the coffee tree, which in its wild state grows to a height of feet, but in cultivation is kept down to about or feet for convenience in gathering the fruit. coffee originated in abyssinia, where it has been used as a beverage from time immemorial. at the beginning of the th century, it found its way into arabia, where it was used by the religious leaders for preventing drowsiness, so that they could perform religious ceremonies at night. about years later it came into favor in turkey, but it was not until the middle of the th century that it was introduced into england. its use gradually increased among common people after much controversy as to whether it was right to drink it or not. it is now extensively grown in india, ceylon, java, the west indies, central america, mexico, and brazil. the last-named country, brazil, furnishes about per cent. of the coffee used in the united states and about per cent. of the world's supply. . coffee is a universal drink, but it finds more favor in some countries than others. the hospitality of a turkish home is never thought to be complete without the serving of coffee to its guests; however, the coffee made by the turks is not pleasant except to those who are accustomed to drinking it. as prepared in turkey and the east, a small amount of boiling water is poured over the coffee, which is powdered and mixed with sugar, and the resulting beverage, which is very thick, is served in a small cup without cream. the french make a concoction known as _café an lait_, which, as explained in _essentials of cookery_, part , is a combination of coffee and milk. these two ingredients are heated separately in equal proportions and then mixed before serving. this is a very satisfactory way in which to serve coffee if cream cannot be obtained. . obtaining the coffee seeds.--the seeds of the coffee tree are enclosed in pairs, with their flat surfaces toward each other, in dark, cherry-like berries. the pulp of the berry is softened by fermentation and then removed, leaving the seeds enclosed in a husk. they are then separated from the husks by being either sun-dried and rolled or reduced to a soft mass in water with the aid of a pulping machine. with the husks removed, the seeds are packed into coarse cloth bags and distributed. . roasting the coffee beans.--the next step in the preparation of coffee for use is the roasting of the coffee beans. after being separated from the husks, the beans have a greenish-yellow color, but during the roasting process, when they are subjected to high temperature and must be turned constantly to prevent uneven roasting, they turn to a dark brown. as the roasting also develops the flavor, it must be done carefully. some persons prefer to buy unroasted coffee and roast it at home in an oven, but it is more economical to purchase coffee already roasted. in addition, the improved methods of roasting produce coffee of a better flavor, for they accomplish this by machinery especially devised for the purpose. . grinding the coffee beans.--during the roasting process there is developed an aromatic volatile oil, called _caffeol_, to which the flavor of the coffee is due. this oil is very strong, but upon being exposed to the air it passes off and thus causes a loss of flavor in the coffee. for this reason, roasted coffee should be kept in air-tight cans, boxes, or jars. before it is used, however, it must be ground. the grinding of the coffee beans exposes more surface and hence the flavor is more quickly lost from ground than unground coffee. because of this fact and because ground coffee can be adulterated very easily, it is not wise to buy coffee already ground. if only a small quantity is bought at a time and it can be used up at once, the grinding may be done by the grocer, but even in such a case the better plan is to grind it immediately before using it. . the method by which the coffee is to be prepared for drinking will determine to a large extent the way in which the coffee beans must be ground. when coffee is to be made by a method in which the grounds are not left in the water for any length of time, the beans must be ground very fine, in fact, pulverized, for the flavor must be extracted quickly. for other purposes, such as when it is to be made in a percolator, the beans need not be ground quite so fine, and when it is to be made in an ordinary coffee pot they may be ground very coarse. . for use in the home, simple coffee mills that will grind coffee as coarse or as fine as may be desired are to be had. fig. shows two of the common types of home coffee mills. [illustration: fig. ] the one shown in (_a_) is fastened to a board so that it can be attached to the wall. the coffee to be ground is put in the chamber _a_, from which it is fed to the grinding rolls, and the ground coffee drops into the chamber _b_. the grinding rolls are adjusted to the desired fineness by the notched arrangement on the end of the shaft. the coffee mill shown in (_b_) may be placed on a table top or some other flat surface, but it operates on the same principle as the other. the coffee beans are placed in the chamber at the top, and the ground coffee drops into the drawer _a_ at the bottom. the adjustment of the grinding rolls is regulated by the notched head at the end of the vertical shaft. . adulteration of coffee.--as in the case of numerous other foods, attempts are often made to adulterate coffee. since the pure food laws have been enforced, there is not so much danger of adulteration in a product of this kind; still, every housewife should be familiar with the ways in which this beverage may be reduced in strength or quality, so that she may be able to tell whether she is getting a good or an inferior product for her money. coffee may be adulterated in a number of ways. ground coffee is especially easy to adulterate with bread crumbs, bran, and similar materials that have been thoroughly browned. many of the cheaper coffees are adulterated with chicory, a root that has a flavor similar to that of coffee and gives the beverages with which it is used a reddish-brown color. chicory is not harmful; in fact, its flavor is sought by some people, particularly the french. the objection to it, as well as to other adulterants, is that it is much cheaper than coffee and the use of it therefore increases the profits of the dealer. the presence of chicory in coffee can be detected by putting a small amount of the ground coffee in a glass of water. if chicory is present, the water will become tinged with red and the chicory will settle to the bottom more quickly than the coffee. preparation of coffee . selection of coffee.--many varieties of coffee are to be had, but mocha, java, and rio are the ones most used. a single variety, however, is seldom sold alone, because a much better flavor can be obtained from _blend coffee_, by which is meant two or more kinds of coffee mixed together. it is usually advisable to buy as good a quality of coffee as can be afforded. the more expensive coffees have better flavor and greater strength than the cheaper grades and consequently need not be used in such great quantity. it is far better to serve this beverage seldom and to have what is served the very best than to serve it so often that a cheap grade must be purchased. for instance, some persons think that they must have coffee for at least two out of three daily meals, but it is usually sufficient if coffee is served once a day, and then for the morning or midday meal rather than for the evening meal. after deciding on the variety of coffee that is desired, it is well to buy unground beans that are packed in air-tight packages. upon receiving the coffee in the home, it should be poured into a jar or a can and kept tightly covered. . necessary utensils.--very few utensils are required for coffee making, but they should be of the best material that can be afforded in order that good results may be had. a coffee pot, a coffee percolator, and a drip pot, or coffee biggin, are the utensils most frequently used for the preparation of this beverage. [illustration: fig. ] . if a coffee pot is preferred, it should be one made of material that will withstand the heat of a direct flame. the cheapest coffee pots are made of tin, but they are the least desirable and should be avoided, for the tin, upon coming in contact with the tannic acid contained in coffee, sometimes changes the flavor. coffee pots made of enamelware are the next highest in price. then come nickel-plated ones, and, finally, the highest-priced ones, which are made of aluminum. the usual form of plain coffee pot is shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] . percolators are very desirable for the making of coffee, for they produce excellent results and at the same time make the preparation of coffee easy. those having an electric attachment are especially convenient. one form of percolator is shown in fig. . in this percolator, the ground coffee is put in the filter cup _a_ and the water in the lower part of the pot _b_. the water immediately passes into the chamber _c_, as shown by the arrows. in this chamber, which is small, it heats rapidly and then rises through the vertical tube _d_. at the top _e_, it comes out in the form of a spray, strikes the glass top, and falls back on a perforated metal plate _f_, called the spreader. it then passes through this plate into the filter cup containing the grounds, through which it percolates and drops into the main chamber. the circulation of the water continues as long as sufficient heat is applied, and the rate of circulation depends on the degree of heat. . the drip pot, or _coffee biggin_, as it is sometimes called, one type of which is shown in fig. , is sometimes preferred for the making of coffee. this utensil is made of metal or earthenware and operates on the same principle as a percolator. the ground coffee is suspended above the liquid in a cloth bag or a perforated receptacle and the water percolates through it. [illustration: fig. ] . in case a more complicated utensil than any of those mentioned is used for the making of coffee, the directions that accompany it will have to be followed. but no matter what kind of utensil is selected for the preparation of coffee, it should be thoroughly cleaned each time it is used. to clean it, first empty any coffee it contains and then wash every part carefully and scald and dry it. if the utensil is not clean, the flavor of the coffee made in it will be spoiled. . methods of making coffee.--several methods are followed in the making of coffee, the one to select depending on the result desired and the kind of utensil to be used. the most common of these methods are: _boiling_, which produces a decoction; _infusion_, or _filtration_, which consists in pouring boiling water over very finely ground coffee in order to extract its properties; and _percolating_, in which boiling water percolates, or passes through, finely ground coffee and extracts its flavor. for any of these methods, soft water is better than water that contains a great deal of lime. many times persons cannot understand why coffee that is excellent in one locality is poor in another. in the majority of cases, this variation is due to the difference in the water and not to the coffee. from to tablespoonfuls of coffee to cupful of water is the usual proportion followed in making coffee. . boiled coffee.--without doubt, coffee is more often boiled in its preparation than treated in any other way. usually, an ordinary coffee pot is all that is required in this method of preparation. the amount of ground coffee used may be varied to obtain the desired strength. boiled coffee (sufficient to serve six) c. cold water / c. ground coffee c. boiling water after scalding the coffee pot, put / cupful of the cold water and the ground coffee into it. stir well and then add the boiling water. allow it to come to the boiling point and boil for minutes. pour a little of the coffee into a cup to clear the spout of grounds, add the remaining cupful of cold water, and put back on the stove to reheat, but not to boil. when hot, serve at once. never allow the liquid to stand on the grounds for any length of time, for the longer it stands the more tannic acid will be drawn out. . as coffee made by boiling is usually somewhat cloudy, it may be cleared in one way or another. the last cold water is added for this purpose, for as it is heavier than the warm liquid it sinks to the bottom and carries the grounds with it. coffee may also be cleared by stirring a small quantity of beaten raw egg, either the white or the yolk, or both, into the grounds before the cold water is added to them. one egg will clear two or three potfuls of coffee if care is exercised in its use. what remains of the egg after the first potful has been cleared should be placed in a small dish and set away for future use. a little cold water poured over it will assist in preserving it. if the egg shells are washed before the egg is broken, they may be crushed and added to the grounds also, for they will help to clear the coffee. the explanation of the use of egg for this purpose is that it coagulates as the coffee heats and carries the particles of coffee down with it as it sinks. . another very satisfactory way in which to make boiled coffee is to tie the ground coffee loosely into a piece of cheesecloth, pour the boiling water over it, and then let it boil for a few minutes longer than in the method just given. coffee prepared in this manner will be found to be clear and therefore need not be treated in any of the ways mentioned. . filtered coffee.--when it is desired to make coffee by the filtering process, the coffee must be ground into powder. then it should be made in a drip, or french, coffee pot. if one of these is not available, cheesecloth of several thicknesses may be substituted. the advantage of making coffee by this method is that the coffee grounds may sometimes be used a second time. filtered coffee (sufficient to serve six) / c. powdered coffee qt. boiling water place the coffee in the top of the drip pot, pour the boiling water over it, and allow the water to drip through into the vessel below. when all has run through, remove the water and pour it over the coffee a second time. if cheesecloth is to be used, put the coffee in it, suspend it over the coffee pot or other convenient utensil, and proceed as with the drip pot. . percolated coffee.--the coffee used for percolated coffee should be ground finer than for boiled coffee, but not so fine as for filtered coffee. this is perhaps the easiest way in which to prepare coffee and at the same time the surest method of securing good coffee. percolated coffee (sufficient to serve six) / c. finely ground coffee qt. cold water place the coffee in the perforated compartment in the top of the percolator and pour the cold water in the lower chamber. as the water heats, it is forced up through the vertical tube against the top. it then falls over the coffee and percolates through into the water below. this process begins before the water boils, but the hotter the water becomes the more rapidly does it percolate through the coffee. the process continues as long as the heat is applied, and the liquid becomes stronger in flavor as it repeatedly passes through the coffee. when the coffee has obtained the desired strength, serve at once. . after-dinner coffee.--after a rather elaborate meal, a small cup of very strong, black coffee is often served. to prepare after-dinner coffee, as this kind is called, follow any of the methods already explained, but make it twice as strong as coffee that is to accompany the usual meal. sugar and cream may be added to after-dinner coffee, but usually this coffee is drunk black and unsweetened. . vienna coffee.--an especially nice way in which to serve coffee is to combine it with boiled milk and whipped cream. it is then known as vienna coffee. the accompanying directions are for just cup, as this is prepared a cupful at a time. vienna coffee (sufficient to serve one) / c. boiled milk tb. whipped cream / c. hot filtered coffee, or coffee prepared by any method place the boiled milk in a cup, add the whipped cream, and fill the cup with the hot coffee. . iced coffee.--persons fond of coffee find iced coffee a most delicious hot-weather drink. iced coffee is usually served in a glass, as shown in fig. , rather than in a cup, and when whipped cream is added an attractive beverage results. to prepare iced coffee, make coffee by any desired method, but if the boiling method is followed be careful to strain the liquid so that it is entirely free from grounds. cool the liquid and then pour into glasses containing cracked ice. serve with plain cream and sugar or with a tablespoonful or two of whipped cream. if desired, however, the cream may be omitted and the coffee served with an equal amount of milk, when it is known as _iced café au lait_. . left-over coffee.--the aim of the person who prepares coffee should be to make the exact quantity needed, no more nor no less, and this can usually be done if directions are carefully followed. however, if any coffee remains after all are served, it should not be thrown away, as it can be utilized in several ways. drain the liquid from the grounds as soon as possible so that the flavor will not be impaired. [illustration: fig. ] if desired, left-over coffee may be added to fresh coffee when it is prepared for the next meal or, in hot weather, it may be used for iced coffee. it may also be used to flavor gelatine, which, when sweetened and served with whipped cream, makes an excellent dessert. again, left-over coffee is very satisfactory as a flavoring for cake icing, for custards, or for whipped cream that is to be served with desserts. when coffee is desired for flavoring, it should be boiled in order to evaporate some of the water. very good cake is made by using left-over coffee for the liquid and spices for the flavoring. serving coffee . the serving of coffee may be done in several ways, but, with the exception of iced coffee, this beverage should always be served as hot as possible. as can well be imagined, nothing is more insipid than lukewarm coffee. therefore, coffee is preferably made immediately before it is to be served. sugar and cream usually accompany coffee, but they may be omitted if they are not desired. coffee may be served with the dinner course, with the dessert, or after the dessert. when it is served with the dinner course or the dessert, a coffee cup or a tea cup of ordinary size is used; but when it is served after the dessert, a demi-tasse, or small cup that holds less than half the amount of the other size, is preferable. usually, after-dinner coffee, or _café noir_, as such black coffee is called, rather than coffee with cream and sugar, is served after the dessert course of a heavy dinner because it is supposed to be stimulating to the digestion. the pouring of coffee may be done at the table or in the kitchen. if it is done at the table, the person serving should ask those to be served whether or not they desire cream and sugar, and then serve accordingly. if it is done before the coffee is brought to the table, the cream and sugar should be passed, so that those served may help themselves to the desired amount. care should always be taken in the serving of coffee not to fill the cup so full that it will run over or that it will be too full to handle easily when the cream and sugar are added. * * * * * tea history and production . tea consists of the prepared leaves or leaf buds of a plant known as the tea plant and is used as one of the three stimulating beverages. this plant is grown in china, japan, india, ceylon, and the east indies, and to a small extent in south carolina. there are two distinct varieties of tea, and each one may be used for the preparation of either green or black tea. the leaves of the tea plant, which are what is used for making the beverage, are gathered four times a year from the time the plants are years old until they are or years old. then the plants are pulled up and new ones planted. upon being gathered, the leaves are put through a series of processes before they are ready for use. during this treatment, various modifications of flavor are developed and the leaves are changed in color to black or green, depending on the process used. . it is surprising to most persons to learn that tea was known in china for many years before people began to make a beverage of it. the first record of its use as a beverage was probably in the th century, when an infusion of tea leaves was given to a ruler of the chinese empire to cure a headache. a century later, tea had come into common use as a beverage in that country. as civilization advanced and new countries were formed, tea was introduced as a beverage, and today there is scarcely a locality in which it is not commonly used. . classification of tea as to quality.--the position of the leaf on the tea plant determines the quality of the tea. the farther from the top, the coarser are the leaves and the poorer is the quality. on the other hand, the smaller the leaves and the nearer the top, the better is the quality. in the very best qualities of tea, the buds of the plant are included with the tiny top leaves. . tea that is raised in china is graded in a particular way, and it will be well to understand this grading. the top buds are used entirely for a variety known as _flowery pekoe_, but this is seldom found in our markets. the youngest leaves next to the buds are made into a tea called _orange pekoe_; the next older leaves are used for _pekoe_; the third, for _souchong first_; the fourth, for _souchong second_; the fifth, for _congou_; and if there is another leaf, it is made into a tea known as _bohea_. sometimes the first three leaves are mixed, and when this is done the tea is called _pekoe_. if they are mixed with the next two, the tea is called _souchong pekoe_. the laws controlling the importation of tea require that each shipment be tested before it passes the custom house, to determine whether or not it contains what the label claims for it. . varieties of tea.--the teas that are put on the market are of two general varieties, _black tea_ and _green tea_. any quality of tea or tea raised in any country may be made into these two kinds, for, as has been mentioned, it is the method of preparation that is accountable for the difference. a number of the common brands of tea are blends or mixtures of green and black tea. these, which are often called _mixed teas_, are preferred by many persons to the pure tea of either kind. . black tea is made by fermenting the tea leaves before they are dried. this fermentation turns them black and produces a marked change in their flavor. the process of preparation also renders some of the tannin insoluble; that is, not so much of it can be dissolved when the beverage is made. some well-known brands of black tea are _china congou_, or _english breakfast_, _formosa_, _oolong_, and the various _pekoes_. the english are especially fond of black tea, and the people of the united states have followed their custom to the extent that it has become a favorite in this country. . green tea is made by steaming the leaves and then drying them, a process that retains the green color. with tea of this kind, all fermentation of the leaves is carefully avoided. some familiar kinds of green tea are _hyson_, _japan_, and _gunpowder_. the best of these are the ones that come from japan. preparation of tea . selection of tea.--in the course of its preparation, tea is rolled either into long, slender pieces or into little balls. knowing this, the housewife should be able to detect readily the stems and other foreign material sometimes found in teas, especially the cheaper varieties. such teas should be avoided, for they are lacking not only in flavor but also in strength. if economy must be practiced, the moderately expensive grades will prove to be the best ones to buy. . methods of making tea.--upon steeping tea in hot water, a very pleasant beverage results. if this is properly made, a gentle stimulant that can be indulged in occasionally by normal adults without harmful results can be expected. however, the value of tea as a beverage has at all times been much overestimated. when it is served as afternoon tea, as is frequently done, its chief value lies in the pleasant hospitality that is afforded by pouring it. especially is this the case in england, where the inhabitants have adopted the pretty custom of serving afternoon tea and feel that guests have not received the hospitality of the home until tea has been served. through their continued use of this beverage, the english have become expert in tea making. . the russians are also adepts so far as the making of tea is concerned. they use a very good kind of tea, called _caravan tea_, which is packed in lead-covered packages and brought to them by caravans. this method of packing and delivery is supposed to have a ripening effect on the leaves and to give them an unusually good flavor. for making tea, the russians use an equipment called a _samovar_. this is an urn that is constantly kept filled with boiling water, so that tea can be served to all visitors or callers that come, no matter what time of day they arrive. . most persons, however, make tea into a beverage by steeping it in boiling water or by placing it in a tea ball or some similar utensil and then allowing it to stand in boiling water for a short time. whichever method of preparation is followed, the water must be at the boiling point and it must be freshly boiled. water that has been boiled for any length of time becomes very insipid and flat to the taste and affects the flavor of the tea. tea leaves that have been used once should never be resteeped, for more tannin is extracted than is desirable and the good tea flavor is lost, producing a very unwholesome beverage. as a rule, to - / teaspoonfuls of tea to cupful of water is the proportion followed in tea making. . steeped tea.--when tea is to be steeped, a teapot is used. that the best results may be secured, the teapot should always be freshly scalded and the water freshly boiled. steeped tea (sufficient to serve six) tb. tea qt. boiling water scald the teapot. put the tea into the teapot and pour the boiling water over it. let stand on the back of the stove for minutes, when a beverage of sufficient strength will be formed. strain the beverage from the tea leaves and serve at once. [illustration: fig. ] . afternoon tea.--when tea is desired for afternoon serving or when it is to be prepared at the table, a _tea ball_ is the most satisfactory utensil to use. this is a perforated silver or aluminum ball, such as shown in fig. , which opens by means of a hinge and into which the tea is placed. for convenience in use, a chain is attached to the ball and ends in a ring that is large enough to slip over the finger. some teapots contain a ball attached to the inside of the lid and suspended inside the pot. utensils of this kind are very convenient, for when the tea made in them becomes strong enough, the leaves may be removed without pouring off the tea. to prepare afternoon tea with a tea ball, put or teaspoonfuls of tea in the ball, fasten it securely, and place it in a cup. then pour enough freshly boiled water over the ball to fill the cup to the desired height. allow the ball to remain in the water until the desired strength is attained and then remove it. if more than or persons are to be served, it will be necessary to refill the ball. . iced tea.--perhaps one of the most refreshing drinks for warm weather is iced tea. a tea that is especially blended for this purpose and that is cheaper in price than other tea may be purchased. slices of lemon or crushed mint leaves add much to the flavor of the tea and are often served with it. prepare tea by steeping it, but make it double strength. strain it from the leaves and allow it to become cool. then pour it into glasses containing cracked ice. serve with sugar and slices of lemon or mint leaves. . left-over tea.--tea that remains after all persons are served need not be wasted if it is poured off the leaves at once. such tea is satisfactory for iced tea, or it may be combined with certain fruit juices in the preparation of various cold beverages. however, there are not many satisfactory uses for left-over tea; so it is best to take pains not to make more than will be required for one time. serving tea [illustration: fig. ] . tea may be served as an accompaniment to meals or with small sandwiches, dainty cakes, or macaroons as an afternoon ceremony. if it is served with meals and is poured at the table, the hostess or the one pouring asks those to be served whether they desire sugar and cream and then uses these accompaniments accordingly. in the event that it is brought to the table poured, the sugar and cream are passed and those served may help themselves to what they desire. lemon adds much to the flavor of tea and is liked by most persons. a dish of sliced lemon may be passed with the cream and sugar or placed where the hostess may add it to the tea. the russians, who are inveterate tea drinkers, prepare this beverage by putting a slice of lemon in the cup and then pouring the hot tea over it. if this custom is followed, the lemons should be washed and sliced very thin and the seeds should be removed from the slices. the flavor may also be improved by sticking a few cloves in each slice of lemon; or, if the clove flavor is desired, several cloves may be put in the teapot when the tea is made. fig. shows slices of lemons ready to be served with tea. some of them, as will be observed, have cloves stuck in them. lemon is almost always served with iced tea, for it adds a delightful flavor. if it is not squeezed into the glass, it should be cut into quarters or eighths lengthwise and then cut across so that small triangular pieces are formed. these are much easier to handle than whole slices. [illustration: fig. ] . in the serving of afternoon tea, the pouring of the tea is the main thing, and the remainder of the service simply complements this pleasant ceremony. tiny sandwiches, small cakes, or macaroons usually accompany the tea, while such confections as candied orange peel, stuffed dates, or salted nuts are often served also. when sandwiches are used, they may be merely bread-and-butter sandwiches or they may contain marmalade or any desired filling. the principal requirement is that they be made as small and thin as possible, so that they will be extremely dainty in appearance. . a _tea cozy_ is a convenient device to use when tea is served from the pot. it consists of a padded cap, or cover, that may be slipped over the teapot to prevent the heat from escaping after the tea is infused. it is made of several thicknesses of material in a shape and size that will slip over the teapot easily and can then be removed when the tea is to be poured. this can be made very attractive by means of a nicely embroidered cover. . fig. shows an attractive table that may be used for serving tea. the top folds over vertically, so that when the table is not in use it may be disposed of by placing it against the wall of a room. this table holds nothing except the pot containing the tea, which must be made in the kitchen and placed in the pot before it is brought to the table, the sugar and cream, the teacups, and the lemon. sandwiches, wafers, or cakes that are to be served with the tea should be passed to the guests. [illustration: fig. ] . fig. shows a tea wagon and the equipment for making tea, with the sandwiches and cakes to be served arranged on a muffin stand, or lazy susan. when tea is to be made with an equipment of this kind, the water is heated in the little kettle by means of the alcohol burner. the can with the long spout contains an extra supply of alcohol with which to keep the burner filled. the tea ball, which is in the little glass, is filled with tea and the boiling water is poured over it into each cup. the ball is allowed to remain until the tea is of the desired strength, when it is removed and used for another cup, provided sufficient strength remains in the tea leaves. the silver tea caddy at the back of the wagon contains the tea, and lemon with a fork for serving it is on a small plate near the front of the wagon. napkins and plates for the cakes and sandwiches are on the lower part of the wagon. the napkins and plates are first passed; then the tea is served with the sandwiches, after which cakes are served. * * * * * cocoa and chocolate nature and selection [illustration: fig. ] . cocoa and chocolate are made from the fruit of the cacao, or chocolate, tree. this tree is native to mexico, where cocoa was first used as a beverage, but it is also grown in south america and the west indies. the fruit of this tree was named _cocoa theobroma_, which means "food for the gods," because of its excellent flavor. the original natives of mexico and peru used cocoa in place of money. when the spanish invaded these countries, they learned its use and took it back to spain, where it is still a popular beverage. in many localities in spain it became a fashionable morning drink, but it was also served at other times. . production of cocoa and chocolate.--the fruit of the cacao tree is in the form of pods from to inches in length and to inches in diameter. these pods are filled with a white, pulpy mass in which are embedded from twenty to forty seeds about twice the size and very much the shape of kidney beans. fig. shows the three stages of the treatment through which the seeds are put before they can be used for a beverage. after they are removed from the pod, they are fermented and then dried, when they appear as at _a_. in this form they are packed in bags and distributed. the beans are then roasted to develop their flavor and are crushed into small pieces called _cocoa nibs_, as shown at _b_. the cocoa nibs are then ground fine, when they become almost a liquid mass because of the very large amount of fat contained in cocoa. to make the ordinary _bitter chocolate_ used so extensively for cooking purposes, this mass is run into shallow pans, where it hardens as it cools. it is often flavored and sweetened and then forms the confection known as _sweet chocolate_. the application of pressure to bitter chocolate extracts considerable fat, which is known as _cocoa butter_ and is used largely in creams and toilet preparations. the remaining material is ground into a powder, as shown at _c_, and becomes the _commercial cocoa_. to prevent the formation of a large amount of sediment in the bottom of the cup, cocoa is treated with various kinds of alkali. some of these remain in the cocoa and are supposed to be harmful if it is taken in any quantity. the cocoas that are treated with alkali are darker in color than the others. the dutch cocoas are considered to be the most soluble and also contain the most alkali. . selection of cocoa and chocolate.--chocolate is usually pure in the form in which it is sold, because it does not offer much chance for adulteration. however, the volume of cocoa can be easily increased by cheaper materials, such as starch, ground cocoa shells, etc. cocoa so adulterated should be avoided if possible. generally the best brands, although higher in price than others, are free from adulteration, and from these a selection should be made. the particular brand of chocolate or cocoa to buy must be governed by the taste of those to whom it is to be served. preparation of cocoa and chocolate . as a beverage, cocoa probably has greater use than chocolate; still there are some who prefer the flavor of chocolate to that of cocoa. directions for preparing beverages from both of these materials are given, with the intention that the housewife may decide for herself which one she prefers to use. for either one, any ordinary saucepan or kettle may be used, but those made of enamel or aluminum are best. of these two materials, aluminum is the better, for milk is less liable to scorch in a vessel of this kind than in one of any other material. . when chocolate is to be used for a beverage, the amount required varies with the strength desired. recipes for bitter chocolate usually give the amount in squares, but no difficulty will be experienced in determining the amount, for the cakes of chocolate are marked in squares of ounce each. if sweet chocolate is used, less sugar should, of course, be added to the beverage. . in all but the first of the recipes that follow, it will be observed that milk is used for a part of the liquid. the quantity given makes an excellent beverage, but more or less may be used if desired. however, if the quantity of milk is changed, the quantity of water should be changed accordingly. condensed or evaporated milk may be utilized very nicely in the making of these two beverages. milk of this kind should, of course, be diluted, a half-pint can requiring to cupfuls of water. if condensed milk is used, less sugar than the recipe calls for may be employed. a few drops of vanilla added just before serving always improves the flavor of cocoa or chocolate. . plain cocoa.--the quickest and cheapest method of making cocoa is explained in the recipe that follows. it may be prepared in a saucepan and poured into the cups or it may be made in the cups themselves. to improve the flavor of cocoa made in this way, as well as add to its food value, cream should be served with it. salt also is used to improve the flavor of all cocoa and chocolate beverages. plain cocoa (sufficient to serve six) - / tb. cocoa - / tb. sugar few grains of salt c. boiling water mix the cocoa, sugar, and salt, form into a paste by stirring in a little of the water, and then add the remainder of the water. serve with cream. . breakfast cocoa.--delicious cocoa can be made by following the directions given in the accompanying recipe. here milk and water are used in equal amounts. when milk is used in the preparation of this beverage, a scum of albumin is likely to form on the top of the cups unless care is taken. to prevent this, the cocoa, as soon as it is prepared, should be beaten with a rotary egg beater until a fine froth forms on top. this process is known as _milling_, and should always be applied whenever milk is used in the preparation of these beverages. breakfast cocoa (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. cocoa tb. sugar few grains of salt c. boiling water scald the milk. mix the cocoa, sugar, and salt, form into a paste by stirring in a little of the boiling water, and then add the scalded milk and the remainder of the water. beat with an egg beater until a froth is formed and serve at once. . rich cocoa.--there are times when it is desired to serve rich cocoa, as, for instance, with a lunch that is not high in food value or with wafers at afternoon social affairs. the accompanying recipe explains how to make cocoa that will be suitable for such occasions. rich cocoa (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. cocoa / c. sugar few grains of salt / c. boiling water scald the milk. stir the cocoa, sugar, and salt into a smooth paste with the boiling water and boil for or minutes. add the scalded milk, mill, and serve. . creamy cocoa.--when there is not very much milk on hand and still a rich, creamy cocoa is desired, the accompanying recipe should be tried. as will be noted, flour is used in addition to the usual ingredients. while this is accountable for the creamy consistency of the cocoa, it should be remembered that the cocoa must be cooked long enough to remove the raw, starchy flavor of the flour. creamy cocoa (sufficient to serve six) tb. cocoa tb. flour tb. sugar few grains of salt c. boiling water c. milk mix the cocoa, flour, sugar, and salt, and stir into a paste with some of the water. add the rest of the water, cook for minutes, and then add the milk, which has been scalded. mill and serve. . hot chocolate.--very good hot chocolate can be made by following the directions here given. as will be noted, this recipe is similar to several of those given for cocoa, except that chocolate is substituted for the cocoa. it may therefore be used on any occasion when cocoa would be served. it is especially delicious when served with a tablespoonful or two of whipped cream. hot chocolate c. milk - / sq. unsweetened chocolate / c. sugar few grains of salt c. boiling water scald the milk. melt the chocolate over the fire, add the sugar and salt, and gradually stir in the boiling water. place over the fire, let boil for or minutes, and add the scalded milk. mill and serve plain or with whipped cream. . iced cocoa or chocolate.--an excellent warm-weather beverage consists of cold cocoa or cold chocolate served either with or without sweetened whipped cream. prepare the cocoa or chocolate according to any of the recipes already given and then allow it to cool. fill glasses with cracked ice, pour the cocoa or chocolate over it, and serve either with or without sweetened whipped cream. . left-over cocoa and chocolate.--as the materials used in the preparation of cocoa and chocolate are rather expensive, not the slightest quantity of these beverages that remains after serving should be wasted. however, a small amount of chocolate usually has to be added so that it will have a stronger flavor. it may then be thickened with corn starch for chocolate blanc mange or with gelatine for chocolate jelly. either of these served with whipped cream or a sauce of some kind makes an excellent dessert. chocolate bread pudding may also be flavored with these left-over beverages. it is also a good plan to utilize left-over cocoa or chocolate for flavoring purposes. however, additional cocoa or chocolate and sugar should first be added to it, and the mixture should then be boiled to a sirup. when so prepared it may be used whenever a chocolate flavoring is desired, such as for flavoring other beverages, cake icings, custards, sauces for desserts, and ice creams. serving cocoa and chocolate . when cocoa or chocolate is used to accompany meals, it is served in the usual sized teacup. however, when either of these beverages is served at receptions or instead of tea in the afternoon, regular chocolate cups, which hold only about half as much as teacups, are used. an attractive chocolate service to use for special occasions is shown in fig. . the cocoa or chocolate is prepared in the kitchen, but is served to the guests from a chocolate pot, such as the one shown, in tall cups that match the chocolate pot in design. if such a service is not available, the cocoa or chocolate may be poured into the cups in the kitchen and then brought to the guests on a tray. [illustration: fig. ] besides sugar, which is generally added in the preparation of cocoa and chocolate, cream usually accompanies these beverages, especially when they are made without milk or with only a little. if the cream is whipped and slightly sweetened, a spoonful or two will be sufficient to render the beverage delightful. in case no cream is on hand, marshmallows make a very good substitute. one of these should be placed in the bottom of each cup and the hot beverage poured over it. the marshmallow softens and rises to the top. when marshmallows are to be added to cocoa, less sugar should be used in its preparation. * * * * * non-stimulating beverages cereal beverages . non-stimulating beverages are those which contain neither stimulant nor alcohol. they are the ones usually depended on to carry nutrition into the body and to provide the necessary refreshment. in this class of beverages come the various cereal beverages, fruit drinks, soft drinks, and milk-and-egg drinks. with the exception of the cereal beverages, these drinks are of a very refreshing nature, for they are served as cold as possible and they contain materials that make them very pleasing to the taste. most of them can be prepared in the home at much less cost than they can be purchased commercially prepared or at soda fountains; so it is well for the housewife to be familiar with their nature and their preparation. . cereal beverages, as the name implies, are made from cereals. of these, the _cereal coffees_ are perhaps the most common. they contain nothing that is harmful, and are slightly beneficial in that they assist in giving the body some of the necessary liquid. however, they have absolutely no food value and are therefore of no importance in the diet except to take the place of stimulating beverages that are likely to injure those who drink them. they are made of cereals to which sugar or molasses is added, and the whole is then baked until the cereals brown and the sugar caramelizes, the combination producing a flavor much like that of coffee. plain roasted wheat or bran can be used very well as a substitute in the making of these beverages. in the parts of the country where rye is extensively grown, it is roasted in the oven until it is an even brown in color. it is then used almost exclusively by some persons to make _rye coffee_, a beverage that closely resembles coffee in flavor. . the _instantaneous cereal beverages_ are made by drawing all the flavor possible out of the material by means of water. the water is then evaporated and the hard substance that remains is ground until it is almost a powder. when water is added again, this substance becomes soluble instantly. _instantaneous_ coffee is prepared in the same way. the way in which to use these beverages depends, of course, on the kind selected, but no difficulty will be experienced in their preparation, for explicit directions are always found in or on all packages containing them. * * * * * fruit beverages ingredients for fruit beverages . fruit beverages are those which contain fruit and fruit juices for their foundation. as there are many kinds of fruit that can be used for this purpose, almost endless variety can be obtained in the making of these beverages. one of the important features is that a great deal of nourishment can be incorporated into them by the materials used. in addition, the acids of fruits are slightly antiseptic and are stimulating to the digestion as well as beneficial to the blood. . lemon juice, when mixed with other fruit juices, seems to intensify the flavor. because of this fact, practically all the recipes for fruit beverages include this juice as one of the ingredients. the combination of pineapple and lemon yields a greater quantity of flavor for beverages, ices, etc. than any other two fruit flavors. juice may be extracted from all fruits easily. to obtain lemon juice for a fruit beverage, first soften the fruit by pressing it between the hand and a hard surface, such as a table top, or merely soften it with the hands. then cut it in two, crosswise, and drill the juice out, as shown in fig. , by placing each half over a drill made of glass or aluminum and turning it around and around until all the juice is extracted. to remove the seeds and pulp, strain the juice through a wire strainer. the juice from oranges and grapefruit, if they are not too large, may be extracted in the same way. . it is not always necessary to extract juices from fresh fruit for fruit beverages; in fact, juice from canned fruit or juice especially canned for beverage making is the kind most frequently employed. for instance, in the canning of fruit there is often a large quantity of juice left over that most persons use for jelly. it is a good plan to can this juice just as it is and then use it with lemon juice or other fruit juices for these beverages. also, juices that remain after all the fruit has been used from a can may be utilized in the same way, no matter what the kind or the quantity. in fact, unless otherwise stated in the recipes that follow, the fruit juices given, with the exception of orange and lemon juice, are those taken from canned fruit or juices canned especially for beverage making. these juices also lend themselves admirably to various other uses, for, as has already been learned, they are used in ices, gelatine desserts, salad dressing, pudding sauces, etc. therefore, no fruit juice should ever be wasted. [illustration: fig. ] . the clear-fruit beverages become more attractive when they are garnished in some way. a slice of lemon, orange, or pineapple, or a fresh strawberry put into each glass improves the flavor and makes the beverage more appetizing. red, yellow, and green cherries may be bought in bottles and used for such purposes. as these are usually preserved in wine and are artificially colored, many persons object to their use. a good substitute for them is candied cherries. these can be bought from any confectioner and do very well when a red decoration is desired. preparation of fruit beverages . lemonade.--next to water, no other drink is so refreshing nor quenches the thirst to so great an extent as lemonade. lemonade is suitable for many occasions, and as lemons can be purchased at any time of the year it can be made at almost any season. the lemon sirup prepared for this beverage may be used as desired, for if it is put in a cool place it will keep for a long time. the more the sirup is boiled down, the better will it keep. a tablespoonful or two of glucose or corn sirup added to such mixtures when they are boiled will help to keep them from crystallizing when they stand. lemonade (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar qt. water / c. lemon juice make a sirup by boiling the sugar and water for a few minutes, and set aside to cool. add the lemon juice and then dilute with ice water to suit the taste. serve in glasses and garnish each one with a slice of lemon or a red cherry. . orangeade.--while not so acid in flavor as lemonade, orangeade is also a delightful drink. on warm days, drinks of this kind should take the place of the hot ones that are generally used during the cold weather. orangeade (sufficient to serve six) / c. sugar qt. water / c. orange juice tb. lemon juice make a sirup of the sugar and cupful of the water. allow this to become cool and then add the fruit juices and the remaining water. pour into glasses and garnish each glass with a slice of orange, a red cherry, or a fresh strawberry. . grape lemonade.--an excellent combination in the way of a beverage is lemonade and grape juice. besides adding flavor to the lemonade, the grape juice gives it a delightful color. grape lemonade (sufficient to serve six) qt. lemonade c. grape juice prepare the lemonade in the manner explained in art. . add the grape juice to the lemonade and stir well. serve ice cold in glasses. . pineapple lemonade.--another variation of lemonade is produced when pineapple juice is added to it. to garnish this beverage, a slice of lemon and a spoonful of grated pineapple are generally used. this pineapple beverage is delightful with wafers or small cakes as refreshments for informal social affairs during hot weather. pineapple lemonade (sufficient to serve six) c. water / c. sugar c. ice water c. juice from canned pineapple lemons make a sirup of the water and sugar, and set aside to cool. add the ice water, the pineapple juice, and the juice of the lemons. stir well, strain, and serve. garnish with a slice of lemon and a spoonful of grated pineapple added to each glass. . mint julep.--mint drinks are not served so often as some of the other fruit beverages, but those with whom they find favor will undoubtedly be delighted with mint julep prepared according to the following recipe: mint julep (sufficient to serve eight) sprigs mint c. sugar qt. water c. red cherry juice / c. pineapple juice / c. orange juice / c. lemon juice crush the mint with the sugar, using a potato masher or a large spoon. add the water and fruit juices and strain. serve over crushed ice and garnish the glasses with sprigs of mint. tall, narrow glasses are especially attractive for serving this drink. . fruit nectar.--the term nectar was used by the early greeks to mean the drink of the gods. now it is often applied to an especially delightful beverage. pineapple combined with lemon is always good, but when orange juice is also used, an excellent nectar is the result. fruit nectar (sufficient to serve eight) / c. sugar c. water - / c. orange juice c. pineapple juice / c. lemon juice boil the sugar and water for minutes and then cool. add the fruit juices, strain, and serve over cracked ice. . red-raspberry nectar.--a beverage that is pleasing to the eye, as well as delightful to the taste, can be made by combining red-raspberry juice and lemon juice with the required amount of sugar and water. the juice from canned raspberries may be used for this drink. red-raspberry nectar (sufficient to serve six) / c. sugar c. water / c. lemon juice - / c. red raspberry juice boil the sugar and water for minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. then add the fruit juices, strain, and serve over cracked ice. . spice cup.--occasionally a spice drink seems to be just what is desired. when this is the case, the directions given in the accompanying recipe for spice cup should be followed. spice cup (sufficient to serve eight) - / c. sugar - / pt water cloves -in. stick cinnamon lemons oranges drops oil of wintergreen boil the sugar, water, and spices together for minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. add the juice of the lemons and oranges and the wintergreen oil and serve in glasses over cracked ice. garnish each glass with slices of orange and lemon or a piece of preserved ginger. . fruit punch.--as fruit beverages are very often served at small receptions, club meetings, or parties, a recipe that will make a sufficiently large quantity is often desired. the amounts mentioned in the following recipe will make enough fruit punch to serve thirty to forty persons if punch glasses are used, or sixteen to twenty if ordinary drinking glasses are used. fruit punch - / c. sugar qt. water c. fruit juice (raspberry, strawberry, or cherry) oranges lemons pt. can grated pineapple c. strong black tea (strained) qt. carbonated water boil the sugar and water for minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. then add the fruit juice, the juice of the oranges and lemons, the pineapple, and the tea. just before serving, add the carbonated water, which lends a sparkling appearance and a snappy taste to a beverage of this kind. pour over cracked ice into sherbet or punch glasses or into tall narrow ones. . ginger-ale punch.--as most persons like the flavor of ginger ale, punch containing ginger ale is always a favorite when a large company of persons is to be served. the quantity that the accompanying recipe makes will serve twenty to twenty-five persons if punch glasses are used, or ten to twelve persons if drinking glasses are used. ginger-ale punch - / c. sugar pt. water lemons oranges pt. grape juice sprigs fresh mint (crushed) lemon sliced thin qt. ginger ale boil the sugar and water for minutes and allow the sirup to become cool. drill the juice from the lemons and oranges and add this with the grape juice, crushed mint, and sliced lemon to the sirup. just before using, add the ginger ale and serve over cracked ice. soft drinks . a class of very popular non-stimulating beverages are the soft drinks sold at the soda fountains. many of them can also be bought in bottles and so may be purchased and served at home. these drinks really consist of carbonated water and a flavoring material that is either prepared chemically and colored or made of fruit extracts. sometimes ice cream is added, and the drink is then called _ice-cream soda_. . soft drinks include phosphates, ginger ale, coca cola, birch beer, root beer, and various other drinks called mashes, sours, and freezes. while these are pleasing to the taste and have the advantage of being ready to drink when prepared, it is advisable not to indulge in them too frequently, because excessive use of them is liable to affect the system. besides, beverages that are just as satisfactory as these so far as flavor is concerned and that are made of much better material can be prepared at home at far less cost. with these drinks, as with other commercially prepared articles of food, the cost of preparation and service in addition to the cost of materials must be paid for by the consumer. nourishing beverages . many times it is necessary or desirable to administer food in the form of liquid. when this is to be done, as much nourishment as possible should generally be incorporated into the beverage. to meet such a need, the following recipes are presented. in each case, the quantities mentioned make a drink sufficient for only one person, so that if more than one are to be served the amounts should be multiplied by the number desired. the food materials used in these drinks are easily digested, and the beverages are comparatively high in food value. . at most soda fountains, these nourishing drinks are offered for sale, so that if one does not desire the work of preparation, they may be obtained at such places. however, as practically all the ingredients are materials used in the home and are therefore nearly always on hand in most households, drinks of this kind may be prepared at home at much less cost than when purchased already made. the main thing to remember in their preparation is that the ingredients should be as cold as possible and that the beverage should be cold when served. . the beverages containing eggs may be made in more than one way. they may be mixed in a bowl or an enamelware dish with a rounded bottom and then beaten with a rotary egg beater, or they may be mixed in a metal shaker designed especially for this purpose and then shaken thoroughly in that. in drinks of this kind, the point to remember is that the eggs should be beaten or shaken until they are light and foamy. . chocolate sirup.--while chocolate sirup is not a beverage in itself, it is used to such an extent in beverages, as well as an accompaniment to numerous desserts, that it is well for the housewife to know how to prepare it. it may be kept an indefinite length of time if it is put into a glass jar and sealed. here, as in the preparation of other sirups, a tablespoonful or two of corn sirup or glucose will help to keep the sirup from crystallizing. chocolate sirup sq. chocolate c. water / c. sugar melt the chocolate in a saucepan, stir in the water, and add the sugar. boil until a thick sirup is formed. . plain milk shake.--a pleasant variation for milk is the plain milk shake here given. even those who are not fond of milk and find it hard to take like it when it is prepared in this way. plain milk shake c. milk tsp. sugar few drops of vanilla dash of nutmeg beat all the ingredients together with an egg beater or shake well in a shaker and serve in a glass with cracked ice. . egg milk shake.--the simplest form of egg drink is the egg milk shake explained in the accompanying recipe. this is an extremely nutritious drink and is often served to invalids and persons who must have liquid nourishment. egg milk shake / c. milk egg tb. sugar pinch of salt few drops of vanilla mix all the ingredients and beat the mixture with a rotary beater or shake it in a shaker. serve in a glass over cracked ice. . egg chocolate.--the addition of chocolate to an egg milk shake improves it very much and makes a drink called egg chocolate. egg chocolate / c. milk egg tb. chocolate sirup few drops of vanilla pinch of salt mix all the materials and beat with an egg beater or shake thoroughly in a shaker. serve in a glass with cracked ice. . chocolate malted milk.--a preparation that is much used in nourishing drinks and that furnishes a great deal of nutrition is malted milk. this is made from cow's milk and is blended by a scientific process with malted grains. it comes in powder form and may be purchased in bottles of various sizes. it is well to keep a good brand of malted milk on hand, as there are various uses to which it can be put. chocolate malted milk / c. milk egg tb. malted milk tb. chocolate sirup few drops of vanilla pinch of salt mix and shake in a shaker or beat with a rotary egg beater. serve in a glass with cracked ice. . orange egg nog.--the accompanying recipe for egg nog requires orange for its flavoring, but any fruit juice may be substituted for the orange if desired. pineapple and apricot juices are exceptionally good. orange egg nog / c. cream / c. milk egg tb. sugar oranges mix the cream, milk, egg, and sugar, beat well with an egg beater, and continue beating while adding the juice of the oranges. serve in a glass over crushed ice. . foamy egg nog.--an egg nog can be made foamy and light by separating the eggs and beating the yolks and whites separately. either cream or milk may be used for this drink, and it may be flavored with vanilla or fruit juice, as preferred. a small piece of red jelly beaten into the egg white makes this drink very attractive; or, jelly may be used as a flavoring and beaten with the ingredients. foamy egg nog eggs tb. sugar / c. cream or milk tb. fruit juice or / tsp. vanilla separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. mix the yolks with the sugar, cream or milk, and the fruit juice or vanilla and beat thoroughly. beat the whites stiff and fold into the first mixture, retaining a tablespoonful of the beaten white. pour into a tall glass, put the remaining white on top, and serve. * * * * * beverages examination questions ( ) what is a beverage? ( ) what does boiling do to: (_a_) hard water? (_b_) impure water? ( ) what is the value of beverages in the diet? ( ) mention and define the three classes of beverages. ( ) (_a_) what are caffeine, theine, and theobromine? (_b_) where is each found? (_c_) what effect do they have on the human body? ( ) (_a_) where is tannic acid found? (_b_) what effect does it have on the human body? ( ) tell briefly about the preparation of coffee for the market. ( ) how should coffee be bought? ( ) what are the general proportions of coffee and liquid used in the making of coffee? ( ) what use can be made of left-over coffee? ( ) tell briefly about the preparation of black and green tea for the market. ( ) what points should be observed in the selection of tea? ( ) what general proportions of tea and water are used for the making of tea? ( ) tell briefly about the preparation of cocoa and chocolate for the market. ( ) what advantage have cocoa and chocolate over tea and coffee as. articles of food? ( ) what use can be made of left-over cocoa and chocolate? ( ) (_a_) how are cereal coffees made? (_b_) of what value are they? ( ) of what value are fruit beverages? ( ) what uses can be made of left-over fruit juices? ( ) what good use can be made of nourishing beverages? * * * * * the planning of meals * * * * * necessity for careful meal planning . as every housewife realizes, the feeding of the members of her family places upon her serious and important responsibilities. while she deserves and receives credit for their good health, the blame for much of their ill health falls upon her, too. the reason for this is that illness is due in a greater measure to wrong food than to any other single factor; and even if improper diet is not directly responsible for ill health, it certainly lowers the bodily resistance and thus makes a person susceptible to disease. the health of her family is naturally the housewife's first and greatest consideration, and as this depends so much on correct diet, it should be the aim of every housewife to plan her meals in the careful, intelligent way required to supply her household with the food each member needs. . as has already been learned, a knowledge of the selection, care, and preparation of food is absolutely necessary in providing proper diet. but correct feeding requires more than this. in addition, the housewife must have a working knowledge of what foods contain and their effect in the body. she must also learn what her family needs and then make every effort to supply this need in the most economical way. the result will be a sufficient amount of food of the right kind at a minimum expenditure of funds. she should keep in mind, however, that the cost of diet has no direct relation to its food value, but that economy and proper feeding are closely connected. for instance, an inexpensive diet may be just as satisfactory from a food-value standpoint as an expensive one. but in order to make the inexpensive one adequate and the expensive one balanced, the housewife must apply her knowledge of the general composition of food; that is, she must know whether a food predominates in carbohydrate, fat, or protein, and whether or not it furnishes minerals. equipped with such knowledge, she will be able to purchase the largest amount of nutritive material for the smallest outlay of money. the cheapest food is not always the one that sells for the lowest price per pound, quart, or bushel, but the one that furnishes the most nutritive material at the lowest cost; also, food that is the wrong kind to serve is not an economical one to purchase. . many housewives regard it as unnecessary to plan beforehand and persist in preparing meals without giving any previous thought to them. but to begin thinking about an hour before meal time what to have for a meal is neither wise nor economical, for then it is too late to determine what ought to be served from a diet standpoint and there can be prepared only those foods which the time will allow. as can well be understood, this is both a disastrous plan for correct diet and a very extravagant way in which to feed a family. quickly broiled steaks and chops, commercially canned vegetables and fruits, and prepared desserts should be the occasional treat rather than the daily food. instead of using these constantly, time should be allowed for the preparation of the less expensive meats and vegetables and the home-made desserts. to prepare such foods successfully requires that meals should be planned at least hours before they are to be served, and in reality the main dishes should be decided on hours ahead of time. then, sometime between breakfast and luncheon and before the day's marketing is done, detailed plans should be made for luncheon and dinner of that day and for breakfast of the next. nor should the left-overs be disregarded if economy would be the watchword in the management of the household. rather, they should be included in the plans for each day and used up as fast as possible. * * * * * purchase of foods successful marketing . the truly economical housewife will find it necessary each day to determine three things: ( ) what is left from yesterday's meals and what use can be made of it; ( ) what is in supply that can be used for that day; and ( ) what must be added to these things to provide satisfactory meals for the family. having determined these points, she should make a list of the articles that she must purchase when she does her marketing. a pad fastened to the kitchen wall and a pencil on a string attached to the pad are convenient for this purpose. at the same time, they serve as a reminder that when all of any article, such as coffee, sugar, baking powder, etc., has been used, a note should be made of this fact. to her list of supplies that have become exhausted since her preceding marketing day should be added the fresh fruits, vegetables, and other perishable foods needed for the next day or preferably for the next two days if they can be kept. . it is only with proper preparation that the housewife may expect her marketing trips to be successful. if she starts to market with merely two or three items in mind and then tries to think of what she needs as she orders, not only does she waste the grocer's time, but her marketing trip will be a failure. after she arrives home, she will find that there are other things she should have purchased, and the grocer will be forced to make an extra delivery to bring them to her. this is more than she has a right to expect, for the grocer should not be obliged to pay for her lack of planning. . to purchase economically, it is advisable, when possible, to buy at a cash grocery and to pay cash for what is bought. when this is done, one is not helping to pay the grocer for accounts he is unable to collect. it is a fortunate grocer who is able to collect per cent. of his bills from his patrons when he conducts his business on the credit plan. however, if it is desired to deal with a credit grocer, all bills should be paid at least once a month. no customer has a right to expect the grocer to wait longer than days for his money. in many of the cities and large towns, some credit grocers have adopted what is called the "cash-and-carry plan." all customers, whether they buy for cash or on credit, must pay the same price for groceries, but those who wish their goods delivered must pay additional for delivery and those who buy on credit must pay a certain percentage additional on each purchase for bookkeeping. it will readily be seen that such a plan gives the cash customers, especially if they carry their purchases, a decided advantage over credit customers. also, the grocer is better able to sell his wares at a lower price than the credit grocer who makes free deliveries and no charge for bookkeeping. keeping household accounts . necessity for keeping accounts.--practically every family is limited to a definite sum of money that may be spent for food. the first consideration, then, while it may not be the most important one, is that of making each dollar buy all that it possibly can in order that the income may meet all the demands upon it. various conditions arise that affect the proportion of the income to be used for this purpose. for instance, two women whose husbands have equal incomes would, under the same conditions, have an equal amount of money to spend for food, but as a rule there is something to cause this amount to become unequal. one woman may have two children in her family while the other has none, a condition that means, of course, that the woman with the children will have less money to spend for food and with that money she must feed more persons. her family must be, if possible, as well nourished as the other one. in order to accomplish this task, it will be necessary to supply all the required food material in a form that will cost less than the food purchased by the woman who has a smaller family to feed and clothe. an excellent way in which to keep expenses down and consequently to live within one's income is to keep a simple record of household expenses. such a record will enable every housewife to determine just what each item of household necessities costs and whether or not the proportion of cost to income is correct. to keep a record of expenditures will not prove much of a task if it is done systematically, for a few minutes a day will be sufficient time in which to keep accounts up to date. however, if account keeping is attempted, it should not be neglected even for a day, for it will soon assume the proportions of a large task and will have a tendency to discourage the housewife with this part of her work. . equipment for household account keeping.--for convenience in keeping household accounts, a small desk like the one shown in fig. should, if possible, be secured and placed in an unoccupied or convenient corner of the kitchen. here can be kept cook books, recipes, suitable books or cards for account keeping, the marketing pad, a file for bills from the grocer and the butcher, labels for cans and jars, etc. here may also be placed an extension telephone, which, by being so convenient, will save the housewife many steps. a white desk with a chair to match is the most attractive kind to select for kitchen use, but a dark one may be used if preferred. the desk illustrated was a simple wooden one that was enameled white after it was bought, but it is possible to buy white desks for this purpose. a small, plain table will, of course, answer very well if no desk is available and it is desired not to buy one. [illustration: fig. ] . methods of household account keeping.--if the housewife runs a credit account with the grocer, she will learn that different grocers have different ways of recording her purchases. in some cases, she is provided with a "store book," which she takes to the grocer each time she makes a purchase and in which he records the date and the items bought by her. then at the end of a stated time, usually the end of the month, when a settlement is to be made, the amounts for the month are totaled and a new account is started. with such a plan, the housewife does not have to keep any record for herself. to be certain that the grocer's account is accurate, she simply has to check the entries each time they are made in the book by the grocer. in other cases, the grocer merely makes out a slip, or bill, for each purchase and at the end of the month presents his statement for the amount due. in such an event, provided the housewife does not wish to make entries into a suitable book, she may file the slips as she receives them in order that she may check the grocer's monthly bill as to accuracy. a bill file like that shown in fig. is very convenient for the filing of bills. however, if she does not wish to save each slip she receives, she may adopt one of two methods of account keeping, depending on how much time she has to devote to this matter. [illustration: fig. ] . if she desires to be very systematic and has sufficient time, it will prove a good plan to record each purchase in a suitable book in the manner shown in fig. . books for this purpose can be purchased in any store where stationery is sold and are not expensive. in this method of recording, as a page becomes filled with items, the total is carried forward to each new page until the bill is paid at the end of the month. then, for the next month, a new account may be started. this same method may also be followed in keeping accounts for meats, milk, and such household expenses as rent, light, heat, and laundry. all these accounts, together with an account for clothing and one for miscellaneous expense, make up a complete expense account. grocery account with ___john smith, fourth avenue__________ ===================================================== / | pk. apples......................| $ . | doz. eggs.......................| . | lb. butter......................| . | lb. sweet potatoes..............| . | cans duff's molasses............| . | pt. vinegar.....................| . / | cake yeast......................| . | lb. crisco......................| . | box coconut.....................| . | can pineapple...................| . | lb. coffee......................| . | qt. carrots.....................| . / | box matches.....................| . | bars laundry soap...............| . | head lettuce....................| . | can corn........................| . | bu. potatoes....................| . | qt. maple sirup.................| . | |-------- | forwarded.......| $ . ====================================================== fig. . a somewhat simpler plan and one that requires less time is shown in fig. . when the slips are received, they should be checked to see whether they are correct and then added to get the total. only this total, together with the date, is placed in the book kept for the purpose, the slips then being discarded. such a plan will prove very satisfactory for the various household expenses if care is used in checking the items of the slips and in adding them. regarding the settlement of her accounts, the housewife who buys on credit will find it a good plan to pay her bills by check. then receipts will not have to be saved, for the returned check is usually all that is required to prove that a bill has been paid. . the housewife who buys for cash does not necessarily have to keep a detailed record of her purchases, for by simply filing her purchase slips in the manner shown in fig. she can determine at any time what her money has been used for. still, in every well-regulated household, it is advisable to keep a daily record of income and expenditure; that is, to put down every day how much is spent for food, laundry, cleaning, and, in fact, all expenditures, as well as how much cash is received. indeed, if such an account is kept, the tendency of money to "slip away" will be checked and a saving of money is bound to result. grocery account with______john smith, fourth avenue_____ ====================================================== / | groceries...........................| $ . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . / | groceries...........................| . | |-------- | forwarded..............| $ . ====================================================== fig. . a simple plan for keeping such a record is illustrated in fig. . for this record it is possible to buy sheets of paper or cards already ruled at any stationery store, but it is a simple matter to rule sheets of blank paper that will answer the purpose very well. as will be observed, there is a space provided for every day of the month and columns into which may be placed the expenditures for groceries, including fruits and vegetables, as well as for meats and fish, milk, laundry and cleaning, and miscellaneous items, such as ice and other necessities that are not ordinarily classed as groceries. of course, the number of columns to be used can be regulated by the person keeping the account, the illustration simply showing the general procedure. however, one column should be devoted to the daily expenditure, the figures here being the amounts of the total money spent for the different items each day. in the last column should be recorded the various amounts of money received by the housewife during the month for the settlement of her bills. at the end of the month, all of the columns should be totaled. the total of the daily outlay should equal that of the preceding columns. the difference between this total and that of the money received will show the housewife just how she stands with regard to income and expenditure for foods and kitchen supplies. in this case, there is an excess of expenditure amounting to $ . , and this sum should be forwarded to the june account. on the other hand, should the housewife find that her expenses exceed her allowance, she will know that it will be necessary for her to curtail her expenditures in some way. expenditures and receipts for the month of ___may___, ___ ================================================================ | | meats | |laundry | miscel-| | date| groc- | and | milk | and | laneous| daily | money | eries | fish | |cleaning| expend-| outlay | rec'vd | | | | | itures | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | $ . | $ . | $ . | $ . | | $ . | $ . | | . | . | | | . | | . | . | . | | $ . | . | . | | | . | | | . | | | | . | | | . | | . | | . | | . | . | | | . | . | | . | . | | . | | . | . | . | . | | | | . | | | . | | . | . | . | | . | . | . | | | . | | | . | | | | . | | . | . | | . | . | . | | | . | | | | . | | . | . | | . | | . | . | . | . | | | . | . | | | . | | . | . | . | | . | . | . | | | . | | | . | | | | . | | . | . | | . | | . | | . | . | | | . | . | | | . | | . | | . | . | . | . | | . | | . | | | . | | . | . | . | | . | . | . | | | . | | . | . | | | | . | . | | . | | . | | . | | . | . | | | . | . | | | . | | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | . | | | . | | . | . | . | | . | . | . ---------------------------------------------------------------- total $ . | $ . | $ . | $ . | $ . | $ . | $ . ================================================================ fig. such a method of record keeping could also be followed with good results for showing the distribution of the entire income of a family. it would simply mean the planning of suitable columns for the different items of expenditure. . too much cannot be said of the merit of following some such simple account-keeping method as the ones here outlined, for, as has been explained, it will enable the housewife to know with a fair degree of accuracy what she has spent her money for. in addition to the satisfaction this will give, it will supply a basis from which she can apportion, or budget, her yearly income if she so desires. by giving careful consideration to the various items of expense, she may find it possible to reduce some of them in order to increase her savings account or to have money for other items that require a larger expenditure. * * * * * cost of foods factors influencing cost . certain factors that enter into the production of food add so much to the cost that they must be taken into consideration when food is purchased. the housewife who disregards these factors fails in the purchase of food, for she does not know so well what foods to buy nor how to buy them in a way to keep down the cost as the woman who is familiar with these matters. it is possible that the cost of a food may be out of all proportion to its value because of the profits that must necessarily be paid to each person through whose hands the food passes. in the first place, the overhead expenses of the food dealer must be paid by the housewife, who is regarded as the _consumer_. these expenses include his rent, light, and heat, his hired help, such as clerks, bookkeepers, delivery men, and the cost of delivery. in addition, the cost of transportation figures in prominently if the foods have to be shipped any distance, the manufacturer's profit must often be counted in, and the cost of advertising must not be overlooked. with all such matters, the housewife must acquaint herself if she would buy in the most economical way. [illustration: fig. ] . chart of food problem.--to assist the housewife in her mastery of the purchasing side of the food problem, a chart, fig. , is presented. this chart shows the various routes through which foods travel before they reach the housewife, or consumer. the lines used to connect all dealers from the producer to the consumer represent transportation or delivery, and the increase in cost due to overhead expense and profit is indicated by the black spaces, which increase in size as the number of dealers increase. the _producer_ may be the manufacturer, but in most cases he is the farmer, the stockman, the dairyman, or the fruit grower. the dealers handling the food between the producer and the consumer are known as _middlemen_. they include the wholesaler, the jobber, and the retailer. the retailer is the grocer, the butcher, or the green grocer. . so that this chart may be clearly understood, several concrete examples are given. thus, the farmer who delivers vegetables directly to the consumer is an example of plan no. . he has very little overhead expense and consequently can sell cheaper than dealers who have a large overhead expense. however, when the farmer delivers his vegetables to the grocer and the grocer sells them to the consumer, an example of plan no. is afforded. food bought in this way costs more than that bought directly from the farmer. in plan no. , the farmer, for instance, sells his vegetables to a wholesaler, who perhaps buys from other farmers and then sells small quantities of them to the grocer for sale to the consumer. this plan, as will readily be seen, is more involved than either no. or no. , but a still more roundabout route is that of plan no. . in this case, for instance, the farmer sells his vegetables to a canning factory, where they are canned and then sold to the grocer, who sells them in this form to the consumer. often two wholesalers, the second one being known as a jobber, are involved in the transaction, as in plan no. . in such an event, the farmer sells to the wholesaler, who sells to the jobber, who, in turn, sells to the grocer, from whom the consumer secures the goods. the most complicated route is that shown in plan no. . this illustrates the case of the farmer who sells his cereal products to a manufacturer, who makes them up into breakfast foods. he then sells them in large quantities to the wholesaler, who sells them in - or -case lots to the jobber. from the jobber they go to the grocer, who delivers them to the consumer. from a study of this chart, it can be readily seen that the cost of food may be reduced if the middlemen can be eliminated. for instance, the housewife will be able to get fruits and vegetables cheaper if she buys them from a farmer instead of a grocer, for she will not be called on to pay any of the grocer's overhead expense or profit. again, if she buys her staple groceries in a store that is able to eliminate the wholesaler or the jobber, she will get them at a lower price than if she deals where these agencies must receive their share of the profits. . nationally advertised goods.--much is said about the fact that the consumer, in buying package foods that are nationally advertised, must pay for the package and the advertising. this statement is absolutely true; but it must be remembered that where large quantities of foods are handled, the materials can be bought by the manufacturer or the wholesaler at a lower price than by one who purchases only a small amount. then, too, if great quantities are sold, and this condition is made possible only through advertising, the profit on each package sold can be much smaller than that which would have to be made when less is sold. often, therefore, in spite of the advertising cost, a widely advertised food can be sold for less than one that is not advertised at all because a much greater quantity is sold. . chain stores.--the principle of selling great quantities of food at a comparatively small profit on each item is put into practice in chain stores, which are operated by different companies throughout the united states. such stores are a boon to the housewife who must practice economy, for they eliminate a middleman by acting both as wholesaler and as retailer. because of this fact, foods that are purchased in large quantities from the producer or manufacturer can be offered to the consumer at a lower price than in a retail store not a part of a chain. therefore, if foods of the same quality are not lower in price in chain stores, it must be because the buying is not well done or a greater profit is made in selling them. in addition, chain stores generally require cash for all purchases made in them and they do not usually deliver goods. consequently, their overhead expense is materially reduced and they do not need to make such a large profit. economical buying . apportionment of income.--when the housewife thoroughly understands the qualities of foods as well as their comparative food values and is familiar with the factors that govern food prices, she is well equipped to do economical buying for her family. then it remains for her to purchase the right kind of food and at the same time keep within her means. a good plan is to apportion the household expenses according to a _budget_; that is, to prepare a statement of the financial plans for the year. then the amount of money that can be used for this part of the household expenses will be known and the housewife will be able to plan definitely on what she can buy. if necessary, this amount may be reduced through the housewife's giving careful attention to the details of buying, or if she is not obliged to lower her expenses, she may occasionally purchase more expensive foods, which might be considered luxuries, to give variety to the diet. the amount of money that may be spent for food depends, of course, on the income, and the greater the income, the lower will be the proportion of money required for this item of the household expense. . to throw some light on the proper proportion of the family income to spend for food, table i is given. as the basis of this table, a family of five is taken and the proportion that may be spent for food has been worked out for incomes ranging from $ to $ , a year. as will be noted, an income of $ permits an expenditure of only cents a day for each person. when food prices are high, it will be a difficult matter to feed one person for that amount, and still if the income is only $ it will be necessary to do this. to increase the food cost over cents a day per person, which is the amount allotted for an income of $ , , would denote extravagance or at least would provide more luxury than is warranted. table i proportion of family income for food ================================================================ income per cent. of amount spent amount spent amount spent per income spent per year for per day for per day per year for food food five persons person ---------------------------------------------------------------- $ $ $ . $ . . . , . . , . . , . . , . . , . . ================================================================ various conditions greatly affect this proportion. one of these is the rise and fall of the food cost. theoretically, the buyer should adjust this difference in the food cost rather than increase her expenditures. for instance, if in a certain year, the general cost of food is per cent. greater than it was in the preceding year, the housewife should adjust her plan of buying so that for the same amount of money spent in the previous year she will be able to supply her family with what they need. of course, if there is an increase in the income, it will not be so necessary to work out such an adjustment. . economies in purchasing food.--through her study of the preceding lessons, the student has had an opportunity to learn how to care for food in order to avoid loss and waste, how to prepare it so that it may be easily digested and assimilated, and how to make it appetizing and attractive so that as little as possible is left over and none is wasted. she should therefore be thoroughly acquainted with the methods of procedure in regard to all such matters and should have worked out to her satisfaction the best ways of accomplishing these things to suit her individual needs. but, in addition to these matters, she must give strict attention to her food purchases if she would secure for her family the most wholesome and nourishing foods for the least expenditure of money. . to purchase food that will provide the necessary food value for a small outlay is possible to a certain extent, but it cannot be done without the required knowledge. in the first place, it means that fewer luxuries can be indulged in and that the family dietary will have to be reduced to necessities. it may also mean that there will probably be a difference in the quality of the food purchased. for instance, it may be necessary to practice such economies as buying broken rice at a few cents a pound less than whole rice or purchasing smaller prunes with a greater number to the pound at a lower price than the larger, more desirable ones. the housewife need not hesitate in the least to adopt such economies as these, for they are undoubtedly the easiest ways in which to reduce the food expenses without causing detriment to any one. . further economy can be practiced if a little extra attention is given in the purchase of certain foods. as is well known, the packages and cans containing food are labeled with the contents and the weight of the contents. these should be carefully observed, as should also the number of servings that may be obtained from the package or can. for instance, the housewife should know the weight per package of the various kinds of prepared cereals she uses and the number of servings she is able to procure from each package. let it be assumed that she buys two packages of different cereals at the same time, which, for convenience, may be called package no. and package no. . she finds that no. contains ounces and no. , only ounces; so she knows that no. furnishes the greater amount of food by weight for the money spent. but, on the other hand, no. may go farther; that is, it may serve a greater number of persons. this, in all probability, means that the cereals are similar in character, but that the food value of the servings from no. is greater than that of the servings from no. . no. is therefore the more economical of the two. matters of this kind must not be overlooked, especially in the feeding of children. then, too, the housewife should work out carefully which she can use to greater advantage, prepared or unprepared cereals. if she finds that unprepared cereals are the more economical and if she can depend on their food value as being as high as that of the prepared ones, she should by all means give them the preference. of course, she may use prepared cereals for convenience or for varying the diet, but the more economical ones should be used with greater regularity. . canned goods should be carefully observed. a certain brand of tomatoes, for instance, may have ounces to the can, whereas another brand that can be bought for the same price may have ounces. there may be, however, and there probably is, a great difference in the quality of the tomatoes. the -ounce can may have a much greater proportion of water than the -ounce can, and for this reason will not serve to the same advantage. as it is with canned tomatoes, so is it with canned corn, peas, and other canned vegetables, for the price depends altogether on the quality. therefore, several brands should be compared and the one should be purchased which seems to furnish the most food or the best quality of food for the least money, provided the quality continues. . in the preparation of meat, there is always some waste, and as waste is a factor that has much to do with the increasing of costs, it should be taken into consideration each time a piece of meat is purchased. if there is time for some experimenting, it makes an interesting study to weigh the meat before and after preparation, for then the amount of shrinkage in cookery, as well as the waste in bone, skin, and other inedible material, can be determined. an actual experiment made with a -pound chicken showed that there was a loss of - / pounds; that is, the weight of the edible meat after deducting the waste was only - / pounds. the following shows how this weight was determined: pounds weight of chicken, including head, feet, and entrails weight of head, feet, and entrails - / weight of bones after cooking / weight of skin after cooking / shrinkage in cooking / ----- total amount of waste - / ----- actual weight of edible meat - / it will readily be seen that chicken at cents a pound would make the cost per pound of edible meat amount to exactly $ . , a rather startling result. it is true, of course, that the busy housewife with a family can hardly spare the time for the extra labor such experiments require; still the greater the number of persons to be fed, the more essential is the need for economy and the greater are the possibilities for waste and loss. . the home production of foods does not belong strictly to economical buying, still it is a matter that offers so many advantages to the economical housewife that she cannot afford to overlook it. a small garden carefully prepared and well cultivated will often produce the summer's supply of fresh vegetables, with sufficient overproduction to permit much to be canned for winter. not only do foods produced in a home garden keep down the cost of both summer and winter foods, but they add considerably to the variety of menus. * * * * * correct diet suitability of food . at the same time the housewife is making a study of economy and trying to procure as nearly as possible the best quality and the largest quantity of food for the amount of money she has to spend, she must consider the suitability of this food for the persons to whom it is to be served. this matter is undoubtedly of greater importance than economy, for, regardless of the amount of money that is to be spent, suitable foods for the nourishment of all the members of the family must be supplied to them. for instance, a family of two may have $ a week to spend for food, whereas one of five may perhaps have no more; but the larger family must have nourishing food just as the one of two must have. therefore, whether the housewife has much or little to spend, her money must purchase food suited to the needs of her family. unless she is able to accomplish this, she fails in the most important part of her work as a housewife, and as a result, the members of her family are not properly nourished. . it has long been an established fact that correct diet is the greatest factor in maintaining bodily health. food is responsible for the growth and maintenance of the body tissues, as well as for their repair. in addition, it supplies the body with heat and energy. consequently, taking the right food into the body assists in keeping a person in a healthy condition and makes work and exercise possible. because so much depends on the diet, the housewife, while considering what can be bought with the money she has to spend, must also decide whether the foods she plans to buy are suitable for the needs of her family. in fact, she should be so certain of this matter that she will automatically plan her menus in such a way that they will contain all that is necessary for each person to be fed. but, as every housewife knows, the appetites of her family must also be taken into consideration. theoretically, she should feed her family what the various members need, regardless of their likes and dislikes. however, very few persons are willing to be fed in this way; in truth, it would be quite useless to serve a dish for which no one in the family cared and in addition it would be one of the sources of waste. . to make the work of the housewife less difficult, children should be taught as far as possible to eat all kinds of food. too often this matter is disregarded, and too often, also, are the kinds of food presented, to a family regulated by the likes and dislikes of the person preparing the food. because she is not fond of certain foods, she never prepares them; consequently, the children do not learn to like them. on the other hand, many children develop a habit of complaining about foods that are served and often refuse to eat what is set before them. such a state of affairs should not be permitted. indeed, every effort should be made to prevent a spirit of complaint. if the housewife is certain that she is providing the members of her family with the best that she can purchase with the money she has to spend and that she is giving them what they need, complaining on their part should be discouraged. . with a little effort, children can be taught to like a large variety of foods, especially if these foods are given to them while they are still young. it is a decided advantage for every one to form a liking for a large number of foods. the person who can say that he cares for everything in the way of food is indeed fortunate, for he has a great variety from which to choose and is not so likely to have served to him a meal in which there are one or more dishes that he cannot eat because of a distaste for them. every mother should therefore train her children during their childhood to care for all the cereals, vegetables, and fruits. besides affording the children a well-balanced diet, these foods, particularly vegetables and fruits, when served in their season, offer the housewife a means of planning economical menus, for, as every one knows, their price is then much lower than at any other time and is less than that of most other foods. during the winter, turnips, carrots, onions, and other winter vegetables are more economical foods than summer vegetables that must be canned or otherwise prepared to preserve them for winter use or the fresh summer vegetables purchased out of season. however, it is advisable to vary the diet occasionally with such foods. composition of food . to feed her family properly, the housewife should understand that the daily food must include the five food substances--protein, fat, carbohydrate, mineral matter, and water. as these are discussed in _essentials of cookery_, part , they should be clear to the housewife, but if they are not fully understood, a careful review should be made of the discussions given there. the ways in which these food principles contribute to the growth and health of the body, as well as the ordinary foods that supply them in the greatest number, are tabulated in table ii for easy reference. this information will assist the housewife materially in the selection and preparation of food for her family; consequently, close attention should be given to it and constant application made of it. . as has already been learned and as will be noted here, a food substance often has more than one use in the body. for instance, protein builds tissue and also yields energy, but its chief work is that of building tissue, and so it is classed first as a tissue-building food substance. the fats and carbohydrates also have a double use in the body, that of producing heat and energy and of building fatty tissue. however, as their chief use is to produce heat and energy, they are known principally as heat-producing foods. mineral matter not only is necessary for the building of bone and muscle, but also enters into the composition of the blood and all the fluids in the body. growth and development are not ideal without an adequate supply of the many kinds of these salts, which go to make up the tissues, nerves, blood, and other fluids in the body. . the body regulators must be included in the food given, for they assist in all processes carried on in the body. some are necessary to aid in the stimulation required to carry on the processes of digestion and in some cases make up a part of the digestive fluids. consequently, vegetables and fruits that supply these body regulators and foods that supply vitamines should be provided. water, the chief body regulator, not only is essential to life itself, but forms by far a greater proportion of the body than any other single substance. the largest part of the water required in the body is supplied as a beverage and the remainder is taken in with the foods that are eaten. table ii food substances and their relation to growth and health i body-building materials proteins. meat fish and shell fish poultry and game eggs milk and milk products legumes (dried beans, peas, lentils) wheat and wheat products, as corn starch nuts mineral matter, or ash vegetables fruits eggs milk cereals meats ii heat-producing materials fats animal lard suet tallow butter and cream vegetable olive oil corn oil cottonseed oil coconut oil nut oils mixed oils oleomargarine butterine nut butter crisco, etc. carbohydrates starch cereals and cereal products irish and sweet potatoes sugar cane sugar and molasses beet sugar maple sugar and sirup honey corn sirup and other manufactured sirups proteins same as in i iii body regulators water mineral matter, or ash same as in i cellulose fruits vegetables covering of cereals and nuts food acids sour fruits--citric and malic tomatoes--malic spinach--oxalic rhubarb--oxalic vitamines fat soluble a milk butter egg yolk water soluble b green vegetables, as spinach, chard, lettuce, beet greens asparagus and stem vegetables, as celery fruit vegetables, as tomatoes, peppers, okra fruits the importance of bulk in foods cannot be emphasized too much. the indigestible cellulose of fruits, vegetables, and cereals is of such importance in the body that some of these foods should be supplied with every meal. therefore, their incorporation into the diet should be considered as a definite part of the menu-making plan. the acids of fruits are valuable as stimulants both to the appetite and to the digestion. then, too, they give a touch of variety to a menu otherwise composed of rather bland foods. the stimulation they produce is much more healthful than that of condiments, drugs, or alcoholic beverages and should receive the preference. _vitamines_ are substances necessary for both growth and health. a child deprived of the foods containing them is usually not well and does not grow nor develop normally. these substances are also required in the diet of adults in order to maintain the body in a healthy condition. the leafy vegetables and milk are the foods that yield the greatest supply of vitamines. in fact, it is claimed by those who have experimented most with this matter that these two sources will supply the required amount of vitamines under all conditions. * * * * * balancing the diet quantity and proportion of foods . factors influencing food.--numerous factors affect the kind and quantity of food necessary for an individual. chief among these are age, size, sex, climate, and work or exercise. in addition to determining the amount of food that must be taken into the body, these factors regulate largely the suitability of the foods to be eaten. it is true, of course, that all the food substances mentioned in table ii must be included in every person's diet after the first few years of his life, but the quantity and the proportion of the various substances given vary with the age, sex, size, and work or exercise of the person and the climate in which he lives. merely to provide dishes that supply sufficient food value is not enough. this food material must be given in forms that can be properly digested and assimilated and it must be in the right proportion for the person's needs. the aim should therefore be to provide a _balanced diet_, by which is meant one that includes the correct proportion of the various food substances to supply the needs of the individual. . quantity of food in calories.--without doubt, the most intelligent way in which to feed people is to compute the number of calories required daily. as will be remembered, the calorie is the unit employed to measure the amount of work that the food does in the body, either as a tissue builder or a producer of energy. the composition and food value of practically all foods are fairly well known, and with this information it is a simple matter to tell fairly accurately the amount of food that each person requires. as has been stated, the number of calories per day required by a person varies with the age, size, sex, and occupation of the person, as well as with the climate in which he lives. for the adult, this will vary from , to , , except in cases of extremely hard labor, when it may be necessary to have as high as , calories. the average number of calories for the adult, without taking into consideration the particular conditions under which he lives or works, is about , . still a small woman who is inactive might be sufficiently fed by taking , calories a day, whereas a large man doing heavy, muscular work might require , to , daily. . importance of proper amount of food.--most authorities agree that it is advisable for adults and children well past the age of infancy to take all the food required in three meals. the taking of two meals a day is sometimes advocated, but the possibility of securing in two meals the same quantity of food that would ordinarily be taken in three is rather doubtful, since it is assumed that large amounts of food are not so easily disposed of as are smaller ones. on the other hand, to overeat is always a disadvantage in more respects than one. taking food that is not required not only is an extravagance in the matter of food, but overtaxes the digestive organs. in addition, it supplies the body with material that must be disposed of, so that extra work on the part of certain organs is required for this activity. finally, overeating results in the development of excessive fatty tissue, which not only makes the body ponderous and inactive, but also deadens the quickness of the mind and often predisposes a person to disease or, in extreme cases, is the actual cause of illness. . effect of weight on diet.--an idea of the way in which the weight of a person affects the amount of food required can be obtained by a study of tables iii and iv. as will be observed, table iii gives the number of calories per pound of body weight required each day by adults engaged in the various normal activities that might be carried on within hours. it deals only with activity, the various factors that might alter the amounts given being taken up later. the figures given are for adults and the factors mentioned are those which affect the intake of food to the greatest extent. the lowest food requirement during the entire hours is during the time of sleep, when there is no activity and food is required for only the bodily functions that go on during sleep. sitting requires more food than sleeping, standing, a still greater amount, and walking, still more, because of the increase in energy needed for these activities. in a rough way, the various occupations for both men and women are classified under three different heads: light work, moderate work, and heavy work. it is necessary that these be understood in examining this table. table iii calories per pound for hours for adults occupation calories sleeping............................... sitting................................ standing............................... walking................................ light work............................. moderate work.......................... heavy work............................. those considered as doing light work are persons who sit or stand at their employment without any great degree of activity. they include stenographers, dressmakers, milliners, teachers, clerks, shoemakers, tailors, machine operators, elevator operators, and conductors. moderate work involves a little more activity than light work, but not so much as heavy work. professional cooks, professional housekeepers, housekeepers in their own homes, professional chambermaids, waitresses, masons, drivers, chauffeurs, plumbers, electricians, and machinists come under this class. persons doing heavy work are the most active of all. they include farmers, laundresses, excavators, lumbermen, miners, metal workers, and soldiers on forced march. . to show the variation in the amount of food required according to body weight, table iv is given. the scale here presented has been worked out for two persons who are normal and whose weight is correct, but different, one weighing pounds and the other pounds. it is assumed, however, that they are occupied in hours with activities that are identical, each one sleeping hours, working at moderate labor for hours, walking hours, standing hours, and sitting hours. table iv difference in food requirements through variation in weight number of calories for pounds hours, sleeping ....... hours, sitting ........ hours, standing ....... hours, walking ........ hours, moderate work , -- ----- , number of calories for pounds hours, sleeping ....... hours, sitting ........ hours, walking ........ hours, standing ....... hours, moderate work , -- ----- , to find the total number of calories required for these activities, the weight, in pounds, is multiplied by the calories per pound for hours for a certain activity. thus, as in table iv, if a person weighing pounds sleeps for hours, the number of pounds of weight, or , would be multiplied by , which is the number of calories required per pound in hours for sleeping. however, since only hours is occupied by sleep and is / of , the required number of calories would be only / of this number. in this way each item is worked out in the table, as is clearly shown by the following figures: for sleeping .............. x x / = for sitting ............... x x / = for standing .............. x x / = for walking ............... x x / = for moderate work ......... x x / = , total, as in table iv ..................... , . in this connection, it may be interesting to know the ideal weight for persons of a given height. table v shows the various heights for both men and women, in inches, and then gives, in pounds, the correct weight for each height. when, from this table, a person determines how far he is above or below the ideal weight, he can tell whether he should increase or decrease the number of calories he takes a day. for persons who are under weight, the calories should be increased over the number given in table iii for the normal individual if the ideal weight would be attained. on the other hand, persons who are overweight should decrease the number of calories until there is sufficient loss of weight to reach the ideal. of course, an adjustment of this kind should be gradual, unless the case is so extreme as to require stringent measures. in most cases, a slight decrease or increase in the quantity of food taken each day will bring about the desired increase or decrease in weight. table v correct weight for certain heights =================================== men | women -----------------+----------------- height | weight | height | weight inches | pounds | inches | pounds --------+--------+--------+-------- | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | =================================== . effect of sex on diet.--the difference in sex does not affect the diet to any great extent. authorities claim that persons of opposite sex but of the same weight and engaged in the same work require equal quantities of food. but, in most cases, the work of women is lighter than that of men, and even when this is not the case women seem to require less food, probably because of a difference in temperament. that taken by women is usually computed to be about four-fifths of the amount necessary for a man. the proportion of food substances does not differ, however, and when individual peculiarities are taken into consideration, no definite rules can be made concerning it. in the case of boys and girls up to the age of young manhood and womanhood, the same amount of food is required, except for the difference in activity, boys usually being more active than girls. . effect of climate on diet.--the climate in which a person lives has much to do with the kind of diet he requires. in the extreme north, the lack of vegetation makes it necessary for the inhabitants to live almost entirely upon animal food except during the very short warm season. consequently, their diet consists largely of protein and fat. under some circumstances, a diet of this kind would be very unfavorable, but it seems to be correct for the people who live in these regions, for generations of them have accustomed themselves to it and they have suffered no hardship by doing so. it is true, however, that races of people who do not live on a well-balanced diet are not physically such fine specimens as the majority of persons found in countries where it is possible to obtain a diet that includes a sufficient supply of all the food substances. . in hot countries, the diet consists much more largely of vegetables than any other class of foods. this means that it is very high in carbohydrate and comparatively low in protein and fat. as can well be understood, a diet of this kind is much more ideal for a warm climate than a diet composed to a great extent of animal foods. . in temperate zones, the diet for both summer and winter seasons varies according to the appetite of the inhabitants themselves. usually a light diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and a small amount of meat is found the most desirable for summer weather, while a similar one with a larger proportion of meat is the usual winter diet. on the whole, the desire for food, which, to a certain extent, is regulated by the climate, can be trusted to vary the diet fairly well for the existing conditions. . effect of age on diet.--the proper diet for infancy and childhood is a matter that must be discussed by itself, for it has practically no connection with other diet. it is also well understood that up to maturity there is a difference in the diet because of a difference in the needs of the body. however, from maturity up to years of age, the diet is altered by the conditions already mentioned, namely weight, size, sex, climate, and work or exercise. at the age of , the amount of food required begins to decrease, for as a person grows older, the body and all of its organs become less active. then, too, there is a reduced amount of physical exercise, which correspondingly reduces the necessity for food. at this time, an oversupply of food merely serves to overwork the organs, which being scarcely able to handle the normal quantity of food certainly keep in better condition if the amount of work they are called upon to do is decreased rather than increased. it has been estimated that persons years of age require per cent. less food than they formerly did; those years old, per cent. less; and those years old, per cent. less. usually the appetite regulates this decrease in food, for the less active a person is, the less likely is the appetite to be stimulated. however, the fact that there is also a great difference in persons must not be lost sight of. some men and women at years of age are as young and just as active as others at years. for such persons, the decrease in quantity of food should not begin so soon, nor should it be so great as that given for the more usual cases. . as there is a decrease in quantity with advancing years, so should there be a difference in the quality of the food taken. that which is easily digested and assimilated is preferable to food that is rich or highly concentrated. usually, it is necessary to increase the laxative food in the diet at this time of life, but this matter is one of the abnormalities of diet and therefore belongs properly to medical dietetics rather than to a lesson on normal diet. diet for infants and children . from birth until a child has attained full growth, the food requirement is high in proportion to the size of the child. this is due to the fact that energy must be supplied for a great deal of activity, and at the same time new tissue must be manufactured from the food taken. it should be remembered, too, that all body processes during growth are extremely rapid. at birth, the average child weighs about pounds, and for several days after birth there is a normal loss of weight. in a few days, however, if the diet is correct, the child begins to increase in weight and should gain about / pound a week until it is months old. from this time on, its weekly gain should be slightly less, but it should be constant. if the weight remains the same or there is a decrease for a number of consecutive days or weeks, it is certain that the diet is incorrect, that the quantity of food is insufficient, or that the child is ill. the reason for the loss should be determined at once and the trouble then corrected. normal diet for the infant is the mother's milk, but if this cannot be supplied, the next best diet is modified cow's milk, which for the young child must be greatly diluted. if it is found necessary to give proprietary, or manufactured, foods, raw food of some kind should be used in addition, the best way to supply this being with a little orange juice or other fruit juice. at the age of months, this may be given in small quantity if it is diluted, and then the amount may be gradually increased as the child grows older. . effect of weight on children's diet.--the food requirement in the case of children is determined by weight. to decide on the proper amount, it is necessary to know the normal weight at certain ages. at birth, as has been stated, the normal weight is pounds; at months, pounds; at year, pounds; at years, pounds. the food requirement for hours per pound of weight is as follows: calories hours children up to year.......................... children from to years..................... children from to years..................... from a study of these figures, it will be noted that there is a gradual decrease in the required number of calories per pound as the child grows older. the decrease continues until maturity is reached, and then the scale for adults applies. . effect of age on children's diet.--a child should not be kept exclusively on milk for more than or months, and then only in case it is fed on the mother's milk. fruit juice, which has already been mentioned as an additional food, is recommended if the diet requires raw food or if it is necessary to make the child's food more laxative. when the child reaches the age of months, it should be taught to take foods from a spoon or a cup; then when it must be weaned, the task of weaning will be much easier. at the age of or months, depending on the condition of the child, small amounts of well-cooked, strained cereals may be added to the diet, and these may gradually be decreased as the food is increased in variety. up to - / years of age, a child should have ounces of milk three times a day, which amounts to - / pints. at this age, half of a soft-cooked egg or a spoonful or two of tender meat chopped very fine, may be given, and for each such addition ounces of milk should be taken out of the day's feeding. but from - / years up to years, at least pint of milk a day should be included in the diet. at a little past year of age, a normal child may begin taking a few well-cooked vegetables, such as a bit of baked potato, a spoonful of spinach, carrot, celery, green peas, or other vegetables that have been forced through a sieve or chopped very fine. at - / years, the normal child should be taking each day one vegetable, a cereal, buttered bread or toast softened with milk, eggs, fruit juice, a little jelly, and plain custards. however, each of these foods should be added to the diet with caution and in small amounts, and if it appears to disagree with the child in any way, it should be discontinued until such time as it can be tolerated. in case a child is being raised on a formula of cow's milk and it is a strong, normal child, it should be taking whole milk at the age of or months. if the child is not strong, the milk may still be diluted with a small amount of sterile water, but this should be gradually decreased until the child is able to tolerate whole milk. . feeding scale for infants.--it is, of course, a difficult matter to make definite rules for the feeding of all children, for conditions arise with many children that call for special plans. however, for children that are normal, a feeding scale may be followed quite closely, and so the one given in table vi is suggested. table vi feeding scale for infants first three months milk. fourth month same as for preceding months and orange juice and cereal waters. sixth month same as for preceding months and well-cooked and strained cereal. eighth month same as for preceding months and beef juice, beef broth, and yolk of soft-cooked egg. tenth month same as for preceding months and unstrained cereal, half of soft-cooked egg, both white and yolk, chopped or strained cooked vegetables, such as spinach and other greens, asparagus, carrots, celery, and squash, stale bread, crackers, toast and butter. eleventh month same as for preceding months and well-cooked rice, baked potato, jelly, plain custard, corn-starch custard, and junket. twelfth month same as for preceding months and whole egg, a tablespoonful of tender meat, string beans, peas, turnips, onions, chopped or strained applesauce, stewed prunes, and other fruits. eighteenth month same as for preceding months and home-made ice cream, plain sponge cake, milk soups, and cereal puddings. this scale is to be used by adding to the diet for one month the foods suggested for the next month, giving them at the time the child reaches the age for which they are mentioned. for instance, a child of months may have everything included in the first three, four, and six months and, in addition, beef juice, beef broth, and the yolk of a soft-cooked egg, which is the diet suggested for the eighth month. then at the tenth month it may have all of these things together with those given for this month. . when any of these foods is first added to the diet, much care is necessary. each new food should be given cautiously, a teaspoonful or two at a time being sufficient at first, and its effect should be carefully observed before more is given. if it is found to disagree, it should not be repeated. if at any time a child is subject to an attack of indigestion, its diet should be reduced to simple foods and when it has recovered, new foods should be added slowly again. in the case of any of the ordinary illnesses to which children are subject, such as colds, etc., the diet should be restricted to very simple food, and preferably to liquids, until the illness has passed. the diet of a baby still being fed on milk should be reduced to barley water or a very little skim milk diluted with a large amount of sterile water. when the illness is over, the child may be gradually brought back to its normal diet. diet for the family . one of the difficulties of every housewife having a family composed of persons of widely different tastes and ages is the preparation of meals that will contain sufficient food of the correct kind for all of them. children up to years of age usually require something especially prepared for their meals, except breakfast, but, as a rule, the selection of the diet for children from years up to or years of age is merely a matter of taking from the meal prepared for the remainder of the family the right amount of the various foods. tea and coffee should not be included in the diet of growing children, and should under no circumstances be given to small children. if the proper method is followed in this matter, no difficulty will result, but where children expect to eat the food served to the others at the table and are not content with what is given to them, it is better not to feed them at the same table with the adults. . the most satisfactory way in which to arrange meals that are to be served to persons of different ages is to include several foods that may be fed to all members of the family and then to select certain others proper only for adults and still others suitable for the children. a sample of such a menu for supper is the one here given. it is assumed that the children that are to eat this meal are not infants. supper menu adults rice croquettes with cheese sauce lettuce salad bread, butter, jelly baked apples plain cookies tea children steamed rice bread, butter, jelly baked apples plain cookies milk a menu of this kind is not difficult to prepare, and still it meets the needs of both the children and the adults of the family. the main dish for each has the same foundation--rice. enough to serve the entire family may be steamed. then some may be retained for the children and the rest made up into croquettes and served with cheese sauce to the adults. the remainder of the menu, bread, butter, jelly, baked apples, and plain cookies, may be eaten by every one. tea will probably be preferred by the adults, but milk should be served to the children. other suitable menus may be planned without any extra trouble if just a little thought is given to the matter. proportion of food substances . the proportion of food substances necessary for building and repairing the body and for providing it with material necessary for its various functions is a matter to which much discussion has been given. formerly, it was not understood that the protein should be limited to exactly what the body needed and that its requirements were comparatively low regardless of conditions or exercise. the standard for diet very often allowed as much as per cent. in protein. this percentage has been gradually reduced by the discovery of the actual body needs, so that now it is believed by the most dependable authorities that only about per cent. of the entire day's rations for the adult should be protein. the growing child needs a greater proportion than this because he is building up muscle tissue. the adult whose muscles have been entirely constructed requires protein only for repair, and per cent. of the day's food in protein is sufficient for this. this means that if the total calories for the day are , , only of them need be protein. . the remainder of the calories are largely made up by fat and carbohydrate. these, however, need not be in such exact proportion as the protein, for no real danger lies in having either one in a greater amount than the ideal proportion. this is usually three-tenths fat and six-tenths carbohydrate or in a diet of , calories, fat and , carbohydrate. the carbohydrate is very much in preponderance because of its easy digestion and assimilation. as may be imagined, it is not a simple matter to figure a diet as closely and carefully as this, and it is only in extreme cases where such planning is necessary. . the required amount of protein for the ordinary daily diet can be had with about ounces of meat, together with that which is found in the bread, vegetables, and cereals taken each day. at any rate, the menu should be planned so as to supply a protein dish for at least one meal in the day. the fat is supplied largely by the butter taken and the fat used in the cooking of foods. the carbohydrate is provided by the starch found in cereals, bread, and vegetables and by the sugar contained in fruits, as well as that used in the preparation of various foods and in the sweetening of beverages, cereals, and fruits. in addition to providing these food substances, each meal should include at least one food, and for dinner preferably two foods, that will supply a large amount of mineral salts, cellulose, and vitamines. as will be remembered, fruits and vegetables are the foods to be used for this purpose. . this method of menu planning may seem somewhat difficult at first thought, but in reality it is not different from that which the intelligent housewife follows who attempts to provide her family with a variety of foods and who appreciates the value of that variety. if she plans her menu in this manner, prepares the food so that it will be wholesome, easily digested, and given in the proper proportion, and at the same time watches the weights of the members of the family in the manner suggested, she need have no fear about the general health of her family, for it will be well maintained. * * * * * menu making and table service general rules for menu making . perhaps the greatest problem in the planning of menus for a family is that of securing sufficient variety. a housewife who uses the same recipes and the same combinations of food repeatedly is apt to get into a rut and the members of her family will undoubtedly lose interest in their meals. this condition results even with the dishes of which those of the family are extremely fond. however, they will not tire so quickly of the foods they care for if such foods are served to them less often. then, too, there is more chance to practice economy when a larger variety of food is used. the importance of planning menus systematically should not be overlooked, either, no matter how simple they may be. even if breakfast consists of only two or more dishes, luncheon of three or four, and dinner of no more than four or five, a certain amount of planning should be done in order that the meal may be properly balanced. if the suggestions for meal planning already given are applied to this work, very little difficulty will be experienced in providing meals that are both attractive and properly balanced. in addition to these suggestions, a few general rules for menu making ought to be observed. most of these are simple and can be followed with very little effort. . unless the menu is planned for a special occasion, the cost of the various dishes should be made to balance. for instance, if an expensive meat is to be served, the vegetables and the salad selected to accompany it should be of moderate cost. on the other hand, if an expensive salad is to be served, a dessert of moderate cost, such as a simple rice pudding, should be used to offset the price of the other dish. planning meals in this way is urged for the sake of economy, and if it is carefully followed, all the meals may be made to average about the same cost. . another important point in successful meal planning is the avoidance of two dishes in the same meal made from the same food. for instance, tomato soup and tomato salad should not be served in the same meal, for the combination is undesirable. corn soup contrasts much better with tomato salad than does the tomato soup, for it has the bland flavor that is needed to offset the acid salad. some housewives, it is true, object to such planning on the ground that it does not give them opportunity to utilize all the materials they may have on hand at the same time. but in nearly every instance the materials can be used to excellent advantage in meals that are to follow and, in addition, the gain in variety is sufficient to warrant the adoption of such a method. . as there should be variety in the materials used to make up the dishes of a meal, so should there be variety in the flavor of the foods selected. rice, macaroni, and potato, for instance, make an undesirable combination. they are too similar because they are all high in starch; besides, they resemble one another too closely in consistency and they are all bland in flavor. if a meal contains one or two bland dishes, a special effort should be made to supply some highly flavored dish in order to relieve the monotony. the same thing may be said of acid foods; that is, an oversupply of these is just as distasteful as too many bland foods. . to have fresh fruit for the daily breakfast would be very delightful, but such fruit cannot always be secured. when fresh fruit cannot be had every day, it is better to alternate it with canned fruit or stewed dried fruit than to have it for several days in succession and then have to serve the alternative for a number of days. the same is true of cereals. if use is to be made of both cooked and uncooked cereals, it is much better to alternate them than to serve the cooked ones for breakfast for an entire week and then uncooked ones the next week. . when two vegetables are used in the same meal, they should be different. sweet potatoes and white potatoes, although often served together, do not belong in the same meal. in fact, for most seasons of the year, two vegetables dissimilar in consistency should be supplied. for instance, if spinach is included in a meal, some contrasting vegetable, such as carrots, shell beans, etc., should be served with it. beets and carrots would not make a good combination, nor should cabbage be combined with spinach, especially if both vegetables are prepared with a sour dressing. . a bland food or one high in fat, such as roast pork, certain kinds of fish, etc., is much more palatable if a highly seasoned sauce or another highly seasoned food or, in fact, a food of an entirely different flavor is served with it. apple sauce or baked apples are usually served with roast pork for this purpose, while sour sauces or pickles of some description are served with fish to relieve its blandness. . to secure the most successful meals, the main course should be decided upon first and the additional dishes, such as soup, salad, and dessert, should be the second consideration. in this method of planning meals, they can be properly balanced, for if the main course is heavy, the others can be made light or some of them omitted altogether, while if the main course is a light one, heavier dishes may be selected to accompany it. whenever it is possible to do so, the heavy meal of the day should be served at noon and the lighter one in the evening. this plan should always be followed for children, and it is preferable for adults. however, having dinner at noon is often very inconvenient and sometimes impossible, because frequently one or more members of the family are at business some distance from home and their coming home at noon for dinner is impractical. in such an event, the evening meal should be the heavy one, but it should not be made too hearty and overeating should be avoided. at all meals, tea and coffee should be used sparingly. especially should this rule be followed by persons who are nervous, or high strung, or are troubled with indigestion and insomnia. at any rate, it is advisable not to drink either of these beverages at night. * * * * * methods of securing variety in meals card-file system of menu making . with the general rules for meal planning in mind, the housewife is well prepared to arrange menus that will be properly balanced, as well as varied and attractive. one means of securing variety in menus, and at the same time supplying oneself with a very convenient piece of kitchen equipment, consists in placing the recipes used on small cards and filing them in a card file under the headings to which they belong, as shown in figs. and . for instance, a heading should be made for soups, one for potatoes, and so on. these cards may then be rotated in order to make up menus. when the first card of each group has been used, it should be placed at the back of the others in that group; then each one will come in the order in which it was originally placed in the file. of course, when the cards are not filed alphabetically, it is a little more difficult to find the recipes one needs at a particular time, and so if desired other means of using the cards for menu making may be easily devised without changing their position. [illustration: fig. ] in addition to serving as a basis for menus, this arrangement takes the place of a cook book. in fact, it is much more convenient, for instead of a book containing recipes on the table where the work is being done, a small card, which takes up less space and is much less likely to be in the way, may be substituted. [illustration: fig. ] dinner menus . to assist the housewife materially in planning dinners in great variety, table vii, which contains suggestions for dinner menus, is given. as will be noted, it is intended that each dinner shall consist of a soup, a meat, potatoes in some form, another vegetable, a salad, and a dessert. it is not necessary, of course, to include all these dishes when a simpler meal is desired, but a number of suggestions are given in each group so that there may be a good selection. in order to use this table to advantage and to secure a large variety of menus, different combinations of the various foods may be made. then, too, the combinations given may be rotated so that frequent repetition of the same combination will be avoided. this table therefore has the advantage over meals planned for or even days, for these must be repeated once in or weeks. table vii suggestions for dinner menus soup . tomato bouillon . rice . cream of corn . noodle . cream of pea . julienne . clear bouillon . oxtail . split-pea purée . cream of tomato . celery . cream of onion . barley broth . cream of asparagus . vegetable . corn chowder meat . roast beef . pork chops . macaroni and cheese . broiled hamburg . baked fish . broiled steak . kidney-bean loaf . roast pork . lamb chops . roast chicken . baked beans . meat loaf . liver and bacon . roast mutton . broiled ham . scalloped salmon . roast lamb . lima-bean loaf . veal tongue . fried oysters potatoes . boiled potatoes with butter and parsley . scalloped potatoes . hashed-brown potatoes . baked potatoes . potato puff . french fried potatoes . potato patties . roast potatoes . candied sweet potatoes . mashed potatoes . creamed potatoes . stuffed potatoes . baked sweet potatoes . potatoes au gratin . sautéd potatoes vegetables . spinach . green peas . breaded tomatoes . squash . red beets . sweet corn . buttered carrots . mashed turnips . scalloped eggplant . buttered cauliflower . hot slaw . scalloped tomatoes . carrots and peas . buttered kohlrabi . baked onions . sautéd eggplant . stuffed peppers . creamed turnips . browned parsnips . sautéd tomatoes . escalloped cabbage . creamed onions . string beans . asparagus . succotash salads . apple and celery . lettuce . banana . orange and coconut . cabbage . tomato . peas and celery . apple, date, and orange . asparagus . pineapple and nut . green pepper and cheese . string bean . fruit . combination . cucumber . waldorf . cabbage and celery . pineapple and cream cheese . humpty dumpty desserts . chocolate blanc mange . brown betty . raisin pie . crackers and cheese . fruit gelatine . cake and fruit . apricot fluff . tapioca pudding . steamed pudding . short cake . prunes in jelly . rice pudding . custard pie . baked apples . peach cobbler . chocolate bread pudding . pineapple tapioca . ice cream . jelly tarts . gingerbread and whipped cream . indian pudding, with custard sauce . floating island . prune fluff . nuts and raisins . in the application of table vii, use should be made of the dishes numbered in the various groups for the first day's menu. this dinner, then, will consist of tomato bouillon, roast beef, boiled potatoes with butter and parsley, spinach, apple-and-celery salad, and chocolate blanc mange. in this way, the menus should be made by going through the entire list and combining the dishes whose numbers correspond. upon coming to the last of the soups, which is no. , and attempting to make up a menu, it will be discovered that there are only fifteen varieties of potato dishes. in order to obtain a menu, the rotation must be begun again, and so no. of the potato dishes is used. this menu would therefore consist of corn chowder, scalloped salmon, boiled potatoes with butter and parsley, sautéd eggplant, peach-and-cream-cheese salad, and chocolate bread pudding. in planning menus with the aid of this table, the housewife may not be able to use a certain dish that is suggested because it is out of season, cannot be procured, or resembles too closely some of the other dishes in the menu. in such an event, she should select another dish to take the place of the one that spoils the combination. likewise, she should not hesitate to make any change that will result in producing properly balanced meals. luncheon menus . to aid the housewife in the preparation of suitable luncheons, a large number of luncheon menus are here given. these menus will serve to give variety in the preparation of meals if they are rotated properly and changes are made every once in a while in making up combinations of food for this important and interesting meal. the planning of meals no. rice croquettes bread and butter fruit salad gingerbread and cream cheese no. cream-of-corn soup egg salad whole-wheat muffins baked bananas tea no. creamed chicken on toast sliced tomatoes rolls fruit cake no. scalloped oysters apple-and-celery salad wafers tea no. cream-of-tomato soup hashed-brown potatoes graham bread and butter baked apples tea no. macaroni and cheese cabbage salad wafers sugar cookies coffee no. eggs à la goldenrod rice with raisins bread and jam tea no. omelet toast prune whip vanilla wafers tea no. consommé chicken salad rolls warm gingerbread and whipped cream no. creamed dried beef on toast lettuce salad stewed fruit tea no. scalloped corn brown bread and butter fruit salad cheese straws coffee no. cold ham potato salad graham bread and butter cookies tea no. oyster stew wafers celery pineapple sponge cake no. cheese soufflé baked tomato on toast rice pudding tea no. meat pie cranberry jelly table raisins coffee breakfast menus . winter breakfast menus.--to assist the housewife in planning properly balanced breakfast menus for winter, a number of suggestions are here given. these necessarily differ from breakfast menus for other seasons because of the difference in the food that can be obtained. they are usually of a more hearty nature and contain more heat-producing foods. no. oranges rolled oats with cream soft-cooked eggs toast and butter coffee no. stewed prunes cream of wheat with cream broiled bacon muffins and butter coffee no. baked apples griddle cakes with maple sirup sausage patties coffee no. rolls and butter corn flakes with hot milk grapefruit coffee no. vitos with dates french toast and butter jelly hot chocolate no. apple sauce fried cornmeal mush with sirup broiled bacon coffee no. orange juice steamed rice omelet cornmeal muffins and butter coffee no. california grapes hominy grits waffles and sirup coffee no. sliced bananas pearl barley codfish balls marmalade toast coffee no. popovers filled with warm apple sauce white cornmeal mush baked eggs in cream toast coffee . summer breakfast menus.--during the summer season, fresh fruits of various kinds can be obtained, and these are generally used as the first course for breakfast. as the menus here given show, it is well to vary the fruit course as much as possible, so that there will be no danger of tiring the persons to be served. an uncooked breakfast food is preferable to a cooked one for summer and so several varieties of these are here suggested. no. strawberries and cream scrambled eggs toast coffee no. raspberries puffed rice baking-powder biscuits and honey coffee no. blackberries corn flakes creamed toast coffee no. blueberries grape nuts and cream jelly omelet toast coffee no. sliced peaches puffed wheat clipped eggs toast coffee no. cantaloupe krumbles with cream french toast and sirup coffee menus for special occasions . special occasions, such as new year's, easter, fourth of july, thanksgiving, christmas, etc., are usually celebrated with a dinner that is somewhat out of the ordinary. then, too, on such days as st. valentine's, st. patrick's, hallowe'en, etc., it is often desired to invite friends in for a social time of some kind, when dainty, appetizing refreshments make up a part of the entertainment. to assist the housewife in planning menus for occasions of this kind, a number of suggestions are here given. suitable decorations are also mentioned in each instance, for much of the attraction of a special dinner or luncheon depends on the form of decoration used. it should not be thought that elaborate, costly decorations are necessary, for often the most effective results can be achieved with some very simple decoration. of course, the decorations should be suitable for the occasion to be celebrated. favors of various kinds are generally on sale in confectioners' and stationers' shops, so that, if desired, favors may be purchased. however, the ingenious housewife can, with very little trouble, make favors that will be just as attractive as those she can buy and that will be much less expensive. she may copy some she sees in the shops or work out any original ideas she may have on the most suitable decorations for the occasion. new year's dinners no. decoration--ground pine cream-of-tomato soup mustard pickles croutons baked ham hot slaw candied sweet potatoes string beans orange-and-pineapple salad maple parfait macaroons salted nuts coffee no. decoration--potted jerusalem cherries crab-flake cocktail asparagus broth radishes wafers roast goose hot baked apples creamed turnips mashed potatoes peas-and-celery salad vanilla ice cream, apricot sauce table raisins coffee easter dinners no. decoration--daffodils clear tomato soup mixed pickles croutons creamed mushrooms in timbale cases roast spring chicken mint sauce potato puff creamed peas and carrots grapefruit-and-celery salad milk sherbet sponge cake coffee no. decorations--chinese lilies and iris fruit cocktail bouillon with whipped cream and pimiento celery wafers fricassee of chicken riced potatoes scalloped corn tomato salad bavarian cream salted nuts coffee st. valentine parties dinner menu decorations--red hearts and ribbons, red candle shades heart-shaped canapes olives clam bouillon creamed chicken and mushrooms in pattie shells potatoes au gratin grapefruit-and-california-grape salad vanilla ice cream heart-shaped cakes candies luncheon menu decorations--red roses, heart-shaped favors, cupids tuna-fish salad heart-shaped brown bread and marmalade sandwiches nut sandwiches ice cream in heart-shaped cases small decorated cakes candies nuts st. patrick's day parties dinner menu decorations--shamrocks and green ribbon cream-of-pea soup olives wafers roast pork loin potatoes with parsley sauce tomatoes au gratin green-peppers-and-cheese salad lemon ice cakes coffee green mints luncheon menu decorations--white narcissus, green carnations, shamrocks chicken salad cheese-and-green-pepper sandwiches pistachio ice cream sponge cake mint punch fourth-of-july luncheons no. decorations--sweet peas, small flags iced tomato bouillon wafers cold sliced ham swiss cheese creamed potatoes and peas strawberry-and-pineapple salad coconut cream pie iced tea no. decorations--cornflowers and daisies iced watermelon with mint creamed chicken and mushrooms on toast potato croquettes corn on the cob sliced cucumbers vanilla ice cream chocolate sauce punch hallowe'en luncheons no. decorations--pumpkin jack o' lantern, black-paper cats and witches tongue sandwiches swiss-cheese sandwiches cider doughnuts pumpkin pie molasses taffy no. decorations--tiny paper jack o' lanterns pink bunny brown-bread-and-marmalade sandwiches nut cookies gingerbread candies cider thanksgiving dinners no. decorations--basket of fruit oyster cocktail consommé with peas celery wafers roast turkey candied sweet potatoes asparagus with drawn-butter sauce cranberry frappé head lettuce thousand-island dressing pumpkin pie fruit coffee no. decorations--baby chrysanthemums grapefruit cocktail celery soup olives bread sticks roast chicken cranberry jelly mashed potatoes cottage-cheese balls baked onions stuffed dates mince pie coffee christmas dinners no. decorations--small christmas tree oyster broth oyster crackers small pickles olives chicken pie pickled peaches baked sweet potatoes creamed cauliflower fruit salad christmas pudding sauce bonbons salted nuts coffee no. decorations--poinsettias and holly grapefruit with grape juice cream chicken bouillon stuffed celery wafers roast duck currant jelly mashed potatoes baked squash spiced punch cabbage-and-green-pepper salad plum pudding sauce mints almonds coffee wedding breakfasts no. decorations--seasonal flowers iced fruit creamed chicken on toast stuffed potato asparagus with butter sauce rolls marmalade butter ice cake coffee no. decorations--seasonal flowers orange and grapefruit juice broiled sweetbreads creamed potatoes lima-bean soufflé hot biscuits honey butter pineapple fritters milk sherbet cake coffee wedding luncheons no. decorations--seasonal flowers oyster cocktail chicken soup radishes olives broiled squab browned potatoes fresh string beans fruit salad french ice cream cake candies coffee no. decorations--seasonal flowers grapefruit cocktail bouillon celery radishes chicken croquettes potato puff stuffed tomatoes bread-and-butter sandwiches hearts of lettuce mayonnaise chocolate nut ice cream cake mints coffee wedding dinners no. decorations--seasonal flowers fresh pineapple cream-of-celery soup ripe olives radishes broiled chicken candied sweet potatoes green peas in cream corn fritters whole-wheat rolls butter grapefruit salad individual molds of ice cream cake mints coffee no. decorations--seasonal flowers crabflake cocktail consommé julienne celery olives radishes roast young duck mashed potatoes green lima beans creamed cauliflower rolls butter waldorf salad vanilla ice cream chocolate sauce cake candies coffee birthday parties for children birthday dinner decorations--kewpies with large bows of ribbon to be used as favors fruit cocktail in orange basket creamed sweetbreads on toast mashed potatoes asparagus soufflé peach-and-cream-cheese salad vanilla ice cream with maple sirup birthday cakes candies nuts birthday luncheon decorations--pink sweet peas, maiden-hair fern, pink favors filled with candy fruit salad wafers punch chocolate ice cream with marshmallow birthday cake stuffed dates birthday parties for adults birthday dinner decorations--pink roses, pink candle shades fruit cocktail cream-of-pea soup radishes olives wafers chicken croquettes stuffed potatoes asparagus tips pineapple-and-cream-cheese salad meringue glacé birthday cake coffee birthday luncheon decorations--seasonal flowers, candle shades, and favors to match lobster cocktail clear soup wafers stuffed olives chicken à la king julienne potatoes stuffed-tomato salad chocolate parfait birthday cake candies nuts coffee afternoon teas no. ribbon sandwiches date-and-nut sandwiches toasted pound cake salted nuts tea no. apricot sandwiches cream-cheese-and-peanut sandwiches marguerites candied orange peel tea supper parties no. welsh rarebit tomato sandwiches chocolate Ã�clairs coffee no. club sandwiches bisque ice cream cakes coffee table service . essentials of good table service.--too much cannot be said of the importance of attractive table service. the simplest kind of meal served attractively never fails to please, while the most elaborate meal served in an uninviting way will not appeal to the appetite. therefore, a housewife should try never to neglect the little points that count so much in making her meals pleasing and inviting. it is not at all necessary that she have expensive dishes and linen, nor, in fact, anything out of the ordinary, in order to serve meals in a dainty, attractive way. some points, however, are really essential and should receive consideration. . in the first place, there should be absolute cleanliness in everything used. to make this possible, the dishes should be properly washed and dried. the glasses should be polished so that they are not cloudy nor covered with lint. the silver should be kept polished brightly. the linen, no matter what kind, should be nicely laundered. attention given to these matters forms the basis of good table service. [illustration: fig. ] close in hand with these points comes a well-arranged and neatly set table. to this may be added some attractive touches in the way of flowers or other simple decoration. these need cost little or nothing, especially in the spring and summer seasons, for then the fields and woods are filled with flowers and foliage that make most artistic table decorations. often, too, one's own garden offers a nice selection of flowers that may be used for table decoration if a little time and thought are given to their arrangement. in the winter, a small fern or some other growing plant will answer. . breakfast, luncheon, and dinner service.--to give an idea of proper table service for the three meals, breakfast, luncheon, and dinner, figs. , , and are offered. attention should be given to the details of each of these, for they show how to arrange meals that are intended to be served tastily and invitingly. . in fig. is shown a breakfast cover for one. by a _cover_ is meant the silver and dishes placed on the table for one person. in a simple meal, this might consist of a knife, a fork, spoons, a plate, a glass, a cup and saucer, and a bread-and-butter plate. here the cover has been arranged on a breakfast tray for service at a bedside. this meal is not in the least unusual, but it is very dainty and pleasing. it consists of strawberries with the stems left on so that they may be dipped into sugar and eaten, a cereal, a roll with butter, a hot dish of some kind, such as eggs, and a hot beverage. [illustration: fig. ] . a luncheon table with covers for six is shown in fig. . the first course consists of a fruit cocktail, which is placed on the table before the persons to be served are seated. the silver required up to the dessert course is also laid beforehand. just before the dessert is served, the entire table should be cleared and the silver necessary for this course laid at each place. a point to be remembered in the placing of silver is that the various pieces should always be placed on the table in the order in which they are to be used. here the first spoon is for the cocktail, which is already on the table, while the second spoon is for the soup, the next course. the knife, which is the third piece of silver, with the two forks on the opposite side will be required for the dinner course, while the third fork is a fork for the salad course. as will be noted, doilies have been used in place of a table cloth for this luncheon. these, which may be as simple or as elaborate as desired, save laundering and, if they are inexpensive, they are an economy as well as a convenience. since they also make a luncheon table very attractive, they are strongly recommended for meals of this kind. the luncheon napkin, which is smaller than that used for dinner service, should always be placed where it is shown here, that is, at the left of the forks. if only one beverage is to be served, as is usually the case, the glass is placed at the tip of the knife. [illustration: fig. ] . an example of a correctly set dinner table is shown in fig. . a table cloth, as will be noted, is used, for a cloth is always preferable to doilies for dinner. at this meal, the first course is soup. this, with anything that is to be eaten with the soup, such as the wafers used here, or a relish, should be placed before the guests are seated. the bread-and-butter plate, which is placed just at the top of the fork, should also be on the table. between each two persons, it is well to have a set of salt-and-pepper shakers. * * * * * the planning of meals examination questions ( ) what knowledge is necessary for the planning of economical and well-balanced meals? ( ) discuss a systematic plan for the purchasing of foods. ( ) compare the advantages of buying foods at a cash store and a credit store. ( ) mention the advantages of keeping an account of household expenditures. ( ) tell how economy in the purchase of foods may be practiced. ( ) discuss the training of a child's appetite. ( ) why is a variety of food necessary in the diet? ( ) name the factors that influence the amount and proportion of food substances required for an adult. ( ) (_a_) explain the meaning of calorie as applied to food. (_b_) what is the average number of calories required by the adult? ( ) with the aid of table v, find out how many pounds you are under weight or over weight. then tell how you would proceed to acquire your correct weight. ( ) make out menus for breakfast, dinner, and supper for day for a child months old. ( ) plan a dinner menu that contains foods suitable for both adults and a child years old, and from it select the foods you would give the child. ( ) what does a balanced diet include? ( ) what can be done to balance the cost of foods used in a meal? ( ) give several points of importance in selecting the dishes for a meal. ( ) make out menus for the seventeenth and eighteenth days from table vii. ( ) plan an original menu and decorations for a dinner you can serve for a special occasion. ( ) what are the advantages of a nicely arranged table? ( ) give a few general rules for the correct serving of food and setting of tables. ( ) why is the following menu undesirable and what changes would you suggest to make it more nearly correct? cream soup potatoes roast pork greens bread and butter pudding hard sauce * * * * * index a absinthe, accounts, equipment for keeping household, keeping of household, methods of keeping household, acids in confections, use of, in fruit, adulteration of coffee, of flavorings, adults, birthday parties for, advertised goods, nationally, after-dinner coffee, afternoon tea, teas, age on children's diet, effect of, on diet, effect of, alcoholic beverages, beverages, harmful effects of, beverages, kinds of, alligator pear, or avocado, apple butter, sauce, apples, apricots, and peaches, dried, composition and food value of, drying of, maple, porcupine, steamed, stewed quinces and, apportionment of income, apricot soufflé, apricots, drying of, food value and composition of, peaches, and apples, dried, artificial flavorings, asparagus, canning of, automatic seal tops, avocado, or alligator pear, b baked apples, bananas, peaches, pears, balancing the diet, banana fritters, bananas, baked, food value and composition of, beans, canning of lima and other shelled, canning of string, drying of string, pickled, roasting the coffee, beer, beet relish, sugar, beets, canning of, pickled, berries, miscellaneous, nature and care of, berry, or fruit, sugar, beverage, definition of, beverages, alcoholic, cereal, fruit, harmful effects of alcoholic, in the diet, ingredients for fruit, instantaneous cereal, kinds of alcoholic, nature and classes of, nature of stimulating, non-stimulating, nourishing, preparation of fruit, stimulating, table showing stimulant and tannic acid in stimulating, beverages to meals, relation of, water in, birthday-party menus, bitter chocolate, black tea, blackberries, composition and food value of, blackberry jam, sponge, blanching and scalding foods to be canned, blend coffee, blueberries, blueberry pudding, pudding, pressed, bohea tea, boiled coffee, boiling fruit juice and sugar in jelly making, the confection mixture, bonbon cream, coating candies with, bonbons, brandy, breakfast cocoa, luncheon and dinner service, menus, menus, summer, menus, wedding-, menus, winter, brown-sugar fudge, brussels sprouts, canning of, budget, household, butter, apple, cocoa, milk, and cream in confections, peach, pear, plum, scotch, scotch, marshmallows coated with, taffy, butters, fruit, buying, economical, c cabbage, canning of, cafe au lait, iced, noir, caffeine, caffeol, california oranges, calories, quantity of foods in, candied and dried fruits in confections, peel, candies, cream, finishing, marking and cutting, nature of cream, with bonbon cream, coating, with chocolate, coating, wrapping, candy, serving, table showing tests for, testing, cane sugar, canned food, flavor of, food, general appearance of, food, proportion of food to liquid, food, score card for, food, texture of, foods from spoiling, preventing, foods, method of sealing, foods, scoring, foods, spoiling of, preparation of food to be, canning and drying, cold-pack method of, commercial, definition of, equipment for, fruit juices for jelly, fruits, directions for, fruits, table of sirups for, greens, measuring devices for, method, fractional-sterilization, method, oven, methods, methods for fruits, methods, steam-pressure, of asparagus, of beets, of brussels sprouts, of cabbage, of carrots, of cauliflower, of eggplant, of fish, of fruits, of green corn, of green peppers, of lima and other shelled beans, of meat, of okra, of parsnips, of peas, of pumpkin, of root and tuber vegetables, of squash, of string beans, of succotash, of summer squash, of tomatoes, of tomatoes and corn, of tomatoes for soup, of turnips, of vegetables, canning, open-kettle method of, oven method of, preparation of fruits and vegetables for, preservatives, principles of, sealing the jars when, selection of food for, sirups for, steam-pressure method of, tin cans for, utensils for, utensils required for open-kettle method of, vegetables, directions for, vessels for, with a pressure cooker, with the water-seal outfit, with tin cans, cans for canning, tin, cantaloupes and muskmelons, serving, caramels, chocolate, nature of, plain, caravan tea, carbohydrate in confections, in fruit, carbonated water, card-file system for menu making, carrot conserve, carrots, canning of, casaba melons, cash-and-carry plan of marketing, catsup, grape, tomato, cauliflower, canning of, pickled, cellulose in fruit, center cream, cereal beverages, beverages, instantaneous, coffees, chain stores, chemical or mineral colorings, cherries, composition and food value of, sour, cherry-and-pineapple conserve, fritters, preserve, chewing taffy, children and infants, diet for, children's birthday parties, menus for, diet, effect of age on, diet, effect of weight on, chilli sauce, china congou tea, chocolate and cocoa, and cocoa in confections, and cocoa, left-over, and cocoa, preparation of, and cocoa, production of, and cocoa, selection of, and cocoa, serving, and cocoa, source of, bitter, caramels, coating candies with, egg, hot, malted milk, or cocoa, iced, sirup, sweet, table showing tannic acid and stimulant in, chow chow, christmas dinners, citric acid, citrus fruits, classification of fruits, of tea, of vegetables, climate on diet, effect of, clingstone peaches, closing and storing jelly, coarse granulated sugar, powdered sugar, coating candies with bonbon cream, candies with chocolate, cocktail, fruit, grapefruit, summer, cocoa and chocolate, and chocolate in confections, and chocolate, left-over, and chocolate, preparation of, and chocolate, production of, and chocolate, selection of, and chocolate, serving, and chocolate, source of, breakfast, butter, commercial, creamy, milling of, nibs, plain, or chocolate, iced, rich, table showing tannic acid and stimulant in, theobroma, coconut in confections, coffee, adulteration of, after-dinner, beans, grinding, coffee beans, roasting, biggin, blend, boiled, filtered, history and production of, iced, instantaneous, java, left-over, mocha, percolated, percolators, pot, preparation of, rio, rye, seeds, obtaining, selection of, serving, table showing stimulant and tannic acid in, vienna, coffees, cereal, colander and wire strainer for canning, cold-dipping, -pack method of canning, -pack method, procedure in one-period, -pack method, utensils for, color of jelly, colorings for confections, mineral, or chemical, vegetable, combination drying methods, combining sugar and liquid in confection making, commercial canning, cocoa, composition and food value of bananas, and food value of black raspberries, and food value of blackberries, and food value of cherries, and food value of cranberries, and food value of currants, and food value of dates, and food value of dried apples, and food value of dried apricots, and food value of dried figs, and food value of dried prunes, and food value of fresh apples, and food value of fresh apricots, and food value of fresh figs, and food value of fresh prunes, and food value of fruits, and food value of grapefruit, and food value of grapes, composition and food value of huckleberries, and food value of lemons, and food value of muskmelon, and food value of nectarines, and food value of oranges, and food value of peaches, and food value of pears, and food value of persimmons, and food value of pineapple, and food value of plums, and food value of pomegranates, and food value of raisins, and food value of red raspberries, and food value of rhubarb, and food value of strawberries, and food value of watermelon, of confections, of food, of fruits, confection making, making, combining sugar and liquid in, making, effect of weather on, making, equipment for, making, procedure in, mixture, boiling, mixture, pouring and cooling, confectioners', or xxxx, sugar, confections, candied and dried fruits in, carbohydrate in, chocolate and cocoa in, coconut in, composition of, cooking, definition of, fat in, food materials in, ingredients used in, milk, cream, and butter in, mineral salts in, miscellaneous, nature of, nuts in, pop-corn in, protein in, use of acids in, varieties and preparations of, congou tea, tea, china, conservation of foods, conserve, carrot, cherry-and-pineapple, crab-apple-and-orange, definition of, pineapple-and-apricot, plum, red-raspberry-and-currant, conserve, strawberry-and-pineapple strawberry-and-rhubarb containers for jelly cooking and storing of dried foods confections fruit in jelly-making on fruit, effect of cooling and pouring the confection mixture cordials corn, canning of green canning of tomatoes and drying of sirup correct diet weights for certain heights, table showing, cost of foods covers, jar tops, or crab-apple-and-orange conserve -apple jelly -apple relish -apples, pickled cracker jack cranberries composition and food value of cranberry jelly sauce cream candies center milk, and butter in confections opera creamy cocoa cucumber pickles, sliced pickles, small cucumbers in brine currant jelly currants food value and composition of cutting and marking candies d dates food value and composition of stuffed density of sirup for canning desserts, fruit devices for canning, measuring for drying diet, balancing the beverages in the correct effect of age on effect of age on children's effect of climate on effect of sex on effect of weight on effect of weight on children's for infants and children diet, fruit in the pickles in the preserves and jellies in the digestibility of fruits dinner, breakfast, and luncheon service menus menus, suggestions for dinners, christmas easter new year's thanksgiving wedding distilled water divinity dried and candied fruits in confections apples apricots foods, cooking and storing fruits, varieties of peaches drip pot drying and canning devices for method, electric-fan method, stove method, sun methods, combination of apples of apricots of corn of food of greens of peaches of pears of quinces of small fruits of string beans of tuber and root vegetables preparation of foods for vegetables and fruits, directions for e easter dinners economical food buying economies in purchasing food economy of food preservation of jelly making and preserving egg chocolate milk shake nog, foamy nog, orange eggplant and summer squash, canning of, electric-fan drying method english breakfast tea equipment for canning for confection making for household accounts equipment for jelly making, exhausting in canning, meaning of, extra fine, or fancy fine, granulated sugar, extracting fruit juice in jelly making, extracts, flavoring, f factors influencing cost of foods, influencing foods, family income for food, table showing proportion of, fancy fine, or extra fine, granulated sugar, fat in confections, in fruits, protein and, feeding scale for infants, fermentation of fruit juices, figs,; composition and food value of dried, composition and food value of fresh, pressed, pulled, steamed, stewed, filtered coffee, fine granulated sugar, fish and meat, canning of, flat sour in canning, flavor fruits, of canned food, of jelly, flavoring extracts, oils, flavorings, adulteration of, artificial, natural, flavors, synthetic, florida oranges, flowery pekoe tea, foamy egg nog, fondant, and related creams, nature of, uncooked, food, composition of, cost, chart of factors in, drying of, economies in purchasing, factors influencing, factors influencing cost of, for canning, selection of, fruits, importance of proper amount of, in calories, quantity of, materials in confections, preparation of fruits as, food preservation, economy of, principles of drying, sterile, substances to growth and health, relation of, suitability of, table showing proportion of family income for, to be canned, preparation of, value and composition of apples, value and composition of apricots, value and composition of bananas, value and composition of black raspberries, value and composition of blackberries, value and composition of cherries, value and composition of cranberries, value and composition of currants, value and composition of dates, value and composition of figs, value and composition of fruits, value and composition of grapefruit, value and composition of grapes, value and composition of huckleberries, value and composition of lemons, value and composition of muskmelon, value and composition of nectarines, value and composition of oranges, value and composition of peaches, value and composition of pears, value and composition of persimmons, value and composition of pineapple, value and composition of plums, value and composition of pomegranates, value and composition of prunes, value and composition of raisins, value and composition of red raspberries, value and composition of rhubarb, value and composition of strawberries, value and composition of watermelon, value of fruits, foods, conservation of, cost of, for drying, preparation of, from spoiling, preventing canned, methods for preserving, necessity for preserving, purchase of, quantity and proportion of, foods, scoring canned spoiling of canned storing and serving canned formosa tea fourth-of-july luncheons fractional-sterilization method of canning freestone peaches fritters, banana cherry fruit, acids in and fruit desserts as food, preparation of beverages beverages, ingredients for beverages, preparation of butters carbohydrate in cellulose in cocktails cultivation, advance in definition of desserts, fruit and effect of cooking on for preserving, selection of in jars, packing in jelly making, cooking in the diet juice and sugar in jelly making, boiling the juice and sugar in jelly making, combining the juice for pectin in jelly making, testing the juice lacking in pectin in jelly making using minerals in nectar or berry, sugar preparing and serving punch sugar, or levulose water in fruits and vegetables, directions for drying and vegetables for canning, preparation of canning methods for canning vegetables and citrus classification of composition and food value of composition of digestibility of directions for canning dried drying of small effect of ripeness on flavor food fruits, food value of hard in confections, candied and dried miscellaneous citrus miscellaneous tropical nature of non-tropical protein and fat in serving soft sour soft special sweet soft table showing composition and food value of tropical varieties of dried varieties of tropical very sour soft washing fudge, brown-sugar recipes two-layer fudges and related candies g general appearance of canned food gin ginger-ale punch glacé nuts and fruits glass jars glasses, closing and storing jelly filling jelly glove oranges glucose goods, nationally advertised gooseberries green gooseberry jam graining of sugar in candy making granulated sugar sugar, coarse sugar, fancy fine, or extra fine sugar, fine sugar, standard grape catsup jelly juice, unfermented lemonade marmalade grapefruit cocktail composition and food value of or shaddock preparation of selection of serving grapes food value and composition of green corn, canning of -gage jam green gooseberries peppers, canning of okra and tea -tomato pickle greens canning drying of growth and health, relation of food substances to guavas red white gunpowder tea h hallowe'en luncheons hard fruits water heavy sirup honey hot chocolate household accounts, equipment for accounts, keeping of accounts, methods of keeping budget huckleberries composition and food value of hydrometer, or sirup gauge hyson tea i ice-cream soda iced café au lait cocoa or chocolate coffee tea income, apportionment of infants and children, diet for feeding scale for ingredients used in confections instantaneous cereal beverages coffee j jam blackberry definition of gooseberry green-gage raspberry strawberry japan tea jar covers or tops rubbers tops or covers jars, glass wrapping and labeling java coffee jellies and preserves in the diet preserves, and pickles, value of jelly bag jelly, canning fruit juices for color of containers for crab-apple cranberry currant flavor of glasses, closing and storing glasses, filling grape making making and preserving, economy of making, cooking fruit in making, extracting fruit juice in making, kettles for making, necessary equipment for making, preserving, and pickling making, principles of making, procedure in making, proportion of sugar in making, sheeting in making, utensils for method of sealing mixture, testing the peach plum quince raspberry recipes score card for scoring solidity of strawberry sugar content of juice in jelly making, extracting fruit juices for jelly, canning fruit julep, mint k ketchup, tomato kettles for jelly making, kumquats and loquats l left-over cocoa and chocolate -over coffee -over tea lemonade grape pineapple lemons composition and food value of levulose, or fruit sugar light sirup lima and other shelled beans, canning of limes liquid and sugar in confection making loganberries long-boiling process loquats and kumquats luncheon, breakfast, and dinner service menus menus, fourth-of-july menus, hallowe'en menus, suggestions for menus, wedding m malic acid malted milk, chocolate mandarins mangoes, tamarinds and maple apples penuchie sirup and maple sugar marketing, cash-and-carry plan of successful marking and cutting candies marmalade grape orange orange-and-pineapple quince marshmallows coated with butter scotch meals, planning of relation of beverages to mean-boiling process measuring devices for canning meat and fish, canning of medium sirup melons casaba menu making and table service making, card-file system of making, rules for menus, breakfast dinner for adults' birthday parties for afternoon teas for children's birthday parties for christmas dinners for easter dinners for fourth-of-july luncheons for hallowe'en luncheons for new year's dinners for saint patrick's day parties for saint valentine's day parties for special occasions for supper parties for wedding breakfasts for wedding dinners for wedding luncheons menus, luncheon summer breakfast winter breakfast method of drying foods, stove of drying foods, sun of sealing canned food of sealing jelly methods of canning of keeping household accounts of making tea of securing variety in meals middlemen milk, cream, and butter in confections shake, egg shake, plain milling of cocoa mineral, or chemical, colorings salts in confections water minerals in fruit mint julep miscellaneous berries citrus fruits confections tropical fruits mixed teas mocha coffee molasses sorghum taffy muskmelon, composition and food value of muskmelons and cantaloupes serving mustard pickles n nationally advertised goods natural flavorings nature of confections navel oranges nectar, fruit red-raspberry nectarines composition and food value of new year's dinners non-stimulating beverages -tropical fruits nougat nourishing beverages nut bars nuts in confections salted o okra and green peppers, canning of one-period cold-pack method of canning onions, pickled oolong tea open-kettle method of canning -kettle method of canning, procedure in -kettle method of canning, utensils required for opera cream orange-and-pineapple marmalade -and-rhubarb marmalade egg nog marmalade pekoe tea orangeade oranges california composition and food value of florida glove navel preparation of oriental delight orientals oven method of canning p packing fruit or vegetables in jars parsnips, canning of parties for adults, menus for birthday for children, menus for birthday menus for saint patrick's day menus for saint valentine menus for supper peach butter jelly pitter preserve peaches apples, and apricots, dried clingstone composition and food value of drying of freestone kinds of pickled stewed peanut brittle pear butter pears baked drying of food value and composition of pickled peas, canning of pectin testing fruit juice for using fruit juice lacking in pekoe tea tea, flowery tea, orange penuchie, maple peppers, canning of okra and green percolated coffee persimmons composition and food value of pickle, green-tomato ripe-tomato pickled beans beets cauliflower crab apples onions peaches pears watermelon rind pickles in the diet jellies, and preserves, value of mustard sliced-cucumber small cucumber pickling definition of principles of recipes pineapple-and-apricot conserve food value and composition of lemonade preparation of pudding pineapples selecting plain caramels cocoa milk shake planning of meals plum butter conserve jelly preserve plums composition and food value of stewed pod and related vegetables pomegranates composition and food value of pomelo grapefruit pop-corn balls corn, preparing porcupine apples pouring and cooling the candy mixture powdered sugar, coarse sugar, standard sugar, xxxx preparation of cocoa and chocolate of coffee of confections, varieties and of food to be canned of fruit as food preparation of grapefruit of oranges of pineapple preparing and serving fruit preservatives, canning preserve, cherry peach plum quince raspberry strawberry preserved-fruit recipes fruits, varieties of preserves and jellies in the diet jellies, and pickles, value of proper preserving foods, methods for foods, necessity for methods of principles of selection of fruit for utensils for pressed blueberry pudding figs pressure cooker cooker, canning with a preventing canned goods from spoiling principles of canning of drying food of preserving procedure in confection making in one-period cold-pack method in open-kettle method of canning processing proportion of family income for food, table showing of food to liquid in canned food of foods in balanced diet, quantity and of sugar in jelly making protein and fat in fruits in confections prune whip prunes composition and food value of stewed stuffed pudding, blueberry pineapple pressed blueberry pulled figs pulverized sugars pumpkin and squash, canning of punch, fruit ginger-ale purchase of foods purchasing food, economies in pure water, necessity for q quality of canned food quantity and proportion of foods of foods in calories quince jelly marmalade preserve quinces and apples, stewed drying of r rainbow delight raisins composition and food value of raspberries black composition and food value of red raspberry-and-currant conserve, red-, jam jelly nectar, red-, preserve shortcake whip, red reception wafers red-raspberry-and-currant conserve -raspberry nectar -raspberry whip relation of beverages to meals of food substances to growth and health relish, beet crab-apple spanish relishes rhubarb composition and food value of stewed rio coffee ripe-tomato pickle rolls, tutti-frutti root and tuber vegetables and tuber vegetables, canning of and tuber vegetables, drying of rubbers, jar rules for menu making rum rye coffee s saint patrick's day parties, menus for valentine parties, menus for salted nuts samovar sauce, apple cranberry scalding or blanching in canning score card for canned food card for jelly scoring canned foods jelly sea foam seal tops, automatic sealing jars when canning selection of coffee of food for canning of fruit for preserving of grapefruit service, essentials of good table serving candy canned foods, storing and cantaloupes cocoa and chocolate coffee fruit, preparing and grapefruit muskmelons tea sex on diet, effect of shaddock, or grapefruit sheeting in jelly making short-boiling process shortcake, raspberry strawberry sirup, chocolate corn density of gauge, or hydrometer heavy light maple medium sirups for canning for canning fruits, table of sliced-cucumber pickles small cucumber pickles fruits, drying of soft drinks drinks, definition of fruits fruits, sour fruits, sweet fruits, very sour sugars water solidity of jelly sorghum molasses souchong first tea pekoe tea second tea soufflé, apricot soup, canning of tomatoes for sour cherries soft fruits soft fruits, very spanish relish special fruits vegetables spice cup spoiling of canned foods sponge, blackberry spores squash and pumpkin, canning of canning of eggplant and summer standard granulated sugar powdered sugar steam-pressure methods of canning steamed apples figs steeped tea sterile food sterilizer stewed figs peaches plums prunes quinces with apples rhubarb stimulant and tannic acid in stimulating beverages, table showing stimulating beverages beverages, definitions of beverages, nature of beverages, table showing stimulant and tannic acid in stores, chain storing and cooking dried foods and serving canned foods jelly glasses, closing and stove-drying method strainer for canning, colander and wire strawberries composition and food value of strawberry-and-pineapple conserve -and-rhubarb conserve desserts, miscellaneous huller jam jelly preserve shortcake whip string beans, canning of beans, drying of stuffed dates prunes successful marketing succotash, canning of sugar and fruit juice in jelly making, boiling the and fruit juice in jelly making, combining the and liquid in confection making sugar, beet cane coarse granulated coarse powdered content of jelly fancy fine, or extra fine, granulated fine granulated fruit, or berry graining of granulated in jelly making, proportion of levulose, or fruit maple pulverized soft standard granulated standard powdered xxxx, or confectioners' xxxx powdered suggestions for dinner menus for luncheon menus suitability of food summer breakfast menus cocktail squash, canning of eggplant and sun-drying method supper parties, menus for sweet chocolate soft fruits synthetic flavors system of menu making, card-file t table of sirups for canning fruits service service and menu making service, essentials of good showing composition and food value of fruits showing correct weight for certain heights showing proportion of family income for food showing stimulant and tannic acid in stimulating beverages showing tests for candy tables showing effect of weight on diet taffies and similar candies nature of 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vegetables, root and tubers and root vegetables, drying of turnips, canning of tutti-frutti rolls two-layer fudge u uncooked fondant unfermented grape juice utensils for canning for coffee making for confection making for drying for jelly making for preserving for tea making required for cold-pack method required for open-kettle method of canning v value of jellies, preserves, and pickles vanilla taffy varieties and preparation of confections of tea of tropical fruits variety in meals, methods for securing vegetable colorings vegetables and fruits, canning and fruits, directions for drying canning of root and tuber classification of direction for canning drying of root and tuber for canning, preparation of fruits and pod and related vegetables, root and tuber special very sour soft fruits vessels for canning vienna coffee vitamines w washing fruits water bath in canning, preparing jars for the carbonated distilled hard in beverages in fruit kinds of mineral necessity for pure -seal outfit -seal outfit, canning with a soft watermelon, composition and food value of rind, pickled watermelons wedding-breakfast menus -dinner menus -luncheon menus weight on children's diet, effect of on diet, effect of whip, prune red-raspberry strawberry whisky wine winter breakfast menus wire strainer, colander and wrapping and labeling jars candies simple italian cookery antonia isola contents soups macaroni and other pastes rice, etc. sauces eggs fish vegetables meats salads desserts index soups beef soup stock (_brodo di carne_) pound of round of beef quarts of water small, new carrots, or / of an old carrot / pound of beef bones small potatoes onion tomato, fresh or canned parsley boil the beef, bones, and vegetables in two quarts of water over a slow fire--adding pepper and salt. skim occasionally, and after two hours add two tablespoons of sherry; then strain through fine soup-strainer or cheese-cloth. this is the basis of all the following soups, except when otherwise stated. to make this stock richer, add a turkey leg to above receipt; boil one and a half hours, then add one-half a pound of finely chopped beef. cook for half an hour longer, then strain. to make meat jelly, add a little gelatine to the soup stock five minutes before straining. to give a good dark color to the stock, add a few drops of "caramel," which is prepared in the following manner: put three tablespoons of granulated sugar into a saucepan with a little water, and until the sugar has become dark and reddish; then add a little more water and boil again until the sugar is melted. strain and pour into a bottle when the caramel will keep perfectly for several weeks. chicken broth (_brodo di capone_) this is made like the meat stock, substituting a fowl in place of the beef and bones. rice soup (_minestra di riso_) meat stock tablespoons of rice cover the rice with water and boil for ten minutes; then drain and add to the stock (after it has been strained), and boil for five or ten minutes more. stracciatella soup (_minestra di stracciatella_) egg / tablespoon of parmesan cheese tablespoon bread crumbs beat the egg, yolk and white together; add salt and the cheese, grated, and the bread crumbs; mix well together and add to the boiling stock (strained). stir well with a fork to prevent the egg from setting, and boil for four or five minutes. vegetable chowder (_minestrone alla milanese_) / quart of stock slices of lean pork, or a ham bone tomatoes, fresh or canned cup of rice tablespoons of dried beans tablespoon of peas, fresh or canned onions put into the stock the slices of pork, cut into small pieces; or, if desired, a ham bone may be substituted for the pork. add the tomatoes, cut into small pieces also, the onions, in small pieces, and the rice. boil all together until the rice is cooked. then add the beans and the peas and cook a little longer. the soup is ready when it is thick. if desired, this chowder can be made with fish broth instead of the stock, and with the addition of shrimps which have been taken from their shells. this dish can be served hot or cold. fish broth (_brodo di pesce_) liberal pound of fresh codfish, or any other lean fish for boiling quart of water onion parsley salt and pepper boil until fish is thoroughly cooked; strain and serve. codfish soup (_zuppa di merluzzo_) take one-half pound of salt codfish that has been soaked, cut it up into squares, but not small. prepare in a saucepan four tablespoons of good olive-oil, and one small onion cut into pieces. cook the onion in the oil over a slow fire, without allowing the onion to become colored, then add a small bunch of parsley stems, a small piece of celery, a bay-leaf, and a small sprig of thyme. cool for a few moments, then add two tomatoes, skinned and with the seeds removed, and cut into slices, two tablespoons of dry white wine, and one medium-sized potato, peeled and cut into slices, and, lastly, one cup of water. when the potato is half cooked, add the codfish, then one-half tablespoon more of olive-oil. remove the parsley stems, and put in instead one-half tablespoon of chopped-up parsley; add a good pinch of pepper, and some salt, if needed. when the vegetables are thoroughly cooked pour the soup over pieces of toasted or fried bread, and serve. lentil soup (_brodo di lenticchie_) tablespoons of dried lentils / tablespoon of butter tablespoons of cream meat stock cover the lentils with water and boil until they are quite soft. pass them through a colander or a sieve. melt the butter in a saucepan, add the lentils and cream, mixing well, then add a ladleful of the stock, and boil for a few minutes; then add the rest of the desired amount of stock, a ladleful at a time. vegetable soup (_zuppa alla primaverile_) take some cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, turnips, lettuce, squash, potatoes, beans, and peas. chop each into very small pieces, wash and drain. take a saucepan, put in a heaping tablespoon of butter; chop up another small piece of onion and add to butter and fry until onion is golden; then add all the vegetables, salt, and pepper, and cover the saucepan. when the vegetables are half cooked, and their juice has become absorbed, dissolve one tablespoon of tomato paste in one-third of a cup of hot water, and add. instead of the tomato paste there may be added to the onion, before putting in the vegetables, one tomato, peeled and cut into small pieces. when the tomato is cooked add the vegetables. then add water, a little at a time, until you have sufficient quantity for two persons. take a slice of bread and cut into small squares or diamonds--toast or fry as desired--put these into the soup plates, and pour the soup (without straining) over them. lettuce soup (_zuppa di lattuga_) small lettuce meat stock potatoes the leaves of a head of celery tablespoons of peas, fresh or canned heaping tablespoon of flour put the potatoes, cold boiled, into the stock when it boils, add the celery leaves, the lettuce chopped up, the peas, and the flour mixed well with a little cold stock or water. boil for one hour and a half, and serve with little squares of fried bread. pumpkin soup (_zuppa di zucca_) slice of pumpkin tablespoons of butter / cup of water - / cups of milk tablespoon of sugar peel the pumpkin and remove the seeds, cut into small pieces, and put into a saucepan with the butter, the sugar, a pinch of salt, and the water. boil for two hours, then drain and put back into the saucepan with the milk, which has been boiled. allow it to come to a boil, and then serve it with squares of fried bread. potato soup (_zuppa alla provinciale_) large potatoes tablespoons of cream or milk tablespoons of butter yolks of eggs soup stock boil the potatoes, then rub them through a sieve. put them into a saucepan with the butter, a little salt, and the cream or milk. simmer until it is thick, then add the yolks of the two eggs to form it into a paste. turn out onto the bread-board, cut into small dice, and throw them into the stock, which must be boiling. if desired, before serving sprinkle a little parmesan cheese into the soup. macaroni and other pastes macaroni with tomato sauce (_maccheroni al sugo_) quarts of water / pound of macaroni boil the water until it makes big bubbles. add salt, then break the macaroni and put it in. cover the saucepan and boil for fifteen minutes. the saucepan should not be too small, otherwise the macaroni will stick to the bottom. prepare the sauce as follows: take a good slice of ham fat, and chop very fine with it a piece of onion, a piece of celery, and some parsley. then put this into a frying-pan and cook until the grease is colored. (if desired, add a small lump of butter.) when well colored add two tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in a little hot water. boil all together for fifteen minutes. drain the macaroni, and put it into the frying-pan with the sauce, mix well with fork and spoon over the fire, so that the macaroni will be thoroughly seasoned, then add three tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, mix again, and serve. if no tomato paste is available make the tomato sauce as follows: chop up fine one-quarter of an onion, a piece of celery the length of a finger, two or three basil-leaves, and a small bunch of parsley. slice seven or eight tomatoes (fresh or canned), add salt and pepper, and put all on together to cook in four tablespoons of good olive-oil. stir occasionally, and when it becomes as thick as cream, strain, and add the macaroni as before directed. macaroni with meat and sauce (_maccheroni al sugo di carne_) take one-half pound of beef without fat. prepare the ham fat as in the preceding receipt, chopped up with onion, celery, and parsley. cut the meat into several pieces, put it with the fat, etc., into a frying-pan. add salt and pepper. cook until the meat is colored, then add two tablespoons of wine, white or red. when the wine is absorbed add two tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in hot water. (or tomato sauce as in preceding.) boil all together for five minutes, with cover on the saucepan, then add one cup of boiling water, and allow it to simmer until the meat is thoroughly cooked--about one-half an hour. boil and strain the macaroni as before, and pour over it the sauce from the meat. mix well, and serve with the meat in the middle and the macaroni around it, with cheese (grated parmesan) sprinkled over it. this dish can be made with veal or mutton instead of the beef. macaroni with butter and cheese (_maccheroni al burro_) boil and drain the macaroni. take four tablespoons of table-butter, three tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, add to the macaroni in the saucepan, mix well over the fire, and serve. sicilian macaroni with eggplant slice one eggplant and put it under a weighted plate to extract the bitter juices. then fry the slices delicately in lard. make a ragout of chickens' hearts and livers as follows: put two tablespoons of butter into a saucepan, fry the hearts and livers, and when cooked add two tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with hot water (or a corresponding amount of tomato sauce). cook for fifteen minutes. prepare three-quarters of a pound of macaroni, boiled and drained, then put it into the saucepan with the hearts and livers, add the eggplant and three tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese. mix well together and serve. vermicelli with olive-oil and anchovies take one-half pound of vermicelli, boil in salted water and drain. while boiling put into a saucepan three anchovies, cut up fine, with four tablespoons of olive-oil. fry the anchovies in the oil, then put the vermicelli into the saucepan, mix well for a few moments on the fire, then serve. vermicelli with olive-oil, olives, capers, and anchovies take one-half pound of vermicelli and cover it well with salted water. cook for about ten minutes. while it is boiling put into a saucepan four tablespoons of olive-oil, three anchovies cut up fine with six olives (ripe ones preferable) and one-half tablespoon of capers. when these are fried add the vermicelli (well drained), mix well, and put the saucepan at the back of the stove. turn the vermicelli over with a fork every few minutes until it is thoroughly cooked. vermicelli with fish boil one-half pound of vermicelli in salted water, drain, and mix with two tablespoons of olive-oil and a little chopped-up parsley. then set to one side to get cool. take five smelts, split them, take out the bones, and fry them slightly in one teaspoon of olive-oil. butter a pan and sprinkle it with bread crumbs. then put into it one-half of the cold vermicelli. pour over this some thick tomato sauce (one tablespoon of tomato paste cooked in two tablespoons of olive-oil). then put in the smelts cut in two, some anchovy, a few capers, and three or four ripe olives chopped up with one mushroom. then add the rest of the tomato sauce, then the other half of the vermicelli, and on top a layer of bread crumbs. season all well with salt and pepper. put the pan into a moderate oven, and cook about an hour and a quarter, adding a little olive-oil when necessary, so that it will not dry up too much. any fish may be used instead of the smelts, cutting it into thin strips. spaghetti with tunny-fish while one-half pound of spaghetti is boiling in salted water prepare the following: take two ounces of tunny-fish and cut them into small pieces. put them into a saucepan and fry them in their own oil. this oil is generally sufficient, but should it not be, add another tablespoon of olive-oil. when the tunny have been fried add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and four tomatoes, peeled and the seeds removed, and a pinch of pepper. let the tomatoes cook thoroughly. when they are cooked put the spaghetti into the saucepan and move them about with a fork and spoon until they are thoroughly mixed with the sauce and the tunny. then serve. timbale of vermicelli with tomatoes (_neapolitan receipt_) take ten medium-sized fresh tomatoes and cut them in two crosswise. put a layer of these into a baking-dish with the liquid side touching the bottom of the dish. now put another layer with the liquid side up, sprinkle on salt and pepper. break the raw vermicelli the length of the baking-dish and put a layer of it on top of the tomatoes. now add another layer of the tomatoes, with the skin side touching the vermicelli, a second layer with the liquid side up, salt and pepper, and another layer of the raw vermicelli, and so on, the top layer being of tomatoes with their liquid side touching the vermicelli. heat three or four tablespoons of good lard (or butter), and when the lard boils pour it over the tomatoes and vermicelli; then put the dish into the oven and cook until the vermicelli is thoroughly done. after cooling a little while, turn it out into a platter. macaroni "alla san giovannello" while three-quarters of a pound of macaroni are boiling in salted water prepare the following: chop up fine two ounces of ham fat with a little parsley. peel six medium-sized tomatoes, cut them open, remove the seeds, and any hard or unripe parts, and put them on one side. take a frying-pan and put into it one scant tablespoon of butter and the chopped ham fat. when the grease is colored put in the sliced tomatoes with salt and pepper. when the tomatoes are cooked and begin to sputter put the macaroni into the pan with them, mix well, add grated parmesan cheese, and serve. ribbon macaroni (_pasta fatta in casa. fettuccini_) / cups of flour eggs tablespoons of cold water / teaspoon of salt put the flour on a bread-board. make a hole in the middle of it, and break the eggs into it. add the water and the salt, and mix all together with a fork until the flour is all absorbed and you have a paste which you can roll out. then take a rolling-pin and roll it out very thin, about the thickness of a ten-cent piece. leave it spread out like this until it has dried a little. then double it over a number of times, always lengthwise, and cut it across in strips about one-half inch wide. boil two quarts of salted water, and put the ribbons into it, and cook for ten minutes, then drain. serve with the meat and sauce as in receipt for macaroni with meat and sauce, or with the tomato sauce and cheese only, as desired. ravioli with meat prepare the paste as in the preceding receipt. take whatever meat is desired--chicken, turkey, or veal--this must always be cooked. (left-over meat may be utilized this way.) chop the meat very fine, add one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, one egg, a dash of nutmeg, a dash of grated lemon-peel, one tablespoon of butter, cold. mix these ingredients in a bowl. take a teaspoon of the mixture and put it into the extended paste, about two inches from the edge. take another spoonful and put it about two inches away from the first spoonful. continue to do this until you have a row of teaspoonfuls across the paste. then fold over the edge of the paste so as to cover the spoonfuls of mixture, and cut across the paste at the bottom of them. then cut into squares with the meat in the middle of each square; press down the paste a little at the edges so the meat cannot fall out. continue to do this until all the meat and the paste are used up. put the little squares of paste and meat into the boiling salted water a few at a time, and boil for ten minutes. serve with tomato sauce, or butter and grated parmesan cheese. ravioli with brains take one lamb's brains and parboil in slightly salted water for five minutes. put into a bowl with a small quantity of curds, one egg, salt and pepper, dash of nutmeg, and a little grated parmesan cheese, and mix all together. then put by teaspoonfuls on the paste as in preceding receipt. cook for ten minutes in boiling salted water, and serve with tomato sauce. ravioli of curds and spinach small bunch of spinach / pound of curds cook the spinach, drain, and chop up fine, add the curds, one egg, salt and pepper, dash of nutmeg, and a little grated cheese. add to the paste, and boil as before. sweet ravioli (_ravioli dolce_) these ravioli can be used also as a dessert by preparing them as follows: take / pound of flour tablespoon of butter tablespoons of lard work this into a paste and roll out thin. take one-half pound of curds, add one egg, and the yolk of a second egg, two tablespoons of granulated sugar, a few drops of extract of vanilla. mix well together and add to the paste as before. then fry in lard until a golden brown. serve with powdered sugar. timbale of macaroni take a small piece of ham fat, one-half of onion, piece of celery, parsley, small piece of carrot. chop up fine together. put into a saucepan, and when the vegetables are fried add two or three mushrooms which have been chopped fine; after five minutes add two tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with five tablespoons of hot water (or equal quantity of tomato sauce without water). when the sauce is cooked take out the mushrooms and put them on one side. take one-half pound of macaroni. boil in salted water for fifteen minutes, drain, and add the sauce described above. add two tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated, and one tablespoon of butter. butter well a mold, then cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs the bottom and sides. pour into the mold one-half the macaroni, then place on it a layer of mushrooms which you have taken out of the sauce. now add the other half of the macaroni, and then another thin layer of bread crumbs. put the mold into the oven without turning it over, and bake in a slow oven until well browned. then turn out and serve. to this timbale, if desired for variety, cold meat of any kind cut up fine may be added to the sauce; and one egg, hard boiled, and cut into four pieces. add the egg, and the pieces of meat which you have removed from the sauce, to the timbale at the same time that you add the mushrooms. rice timbale this timbale is made in the same way as the preceding one, only substituting rice for macaroni. one-half cup of rice. timbale of ribbon macaroni this is prepared as the two preceding ones, using ribbon macaroni instead of rice or ordinary macaroni. rice, etc. rice with peas / cup of rice grated parmesan cheese tablespoons of butter small onion chop the onion up fine and put it into the saucepan with one-half the butter (one tablespoon). cook until the onion is brown, then pour on the rice (raw) and fry until the rice is dry. then add hot water, a ladleful at a time, taking care not to let the rice boil too hard, as it will then become hard in the middle and floury around the edges. when the rice is cooked, put the saucepan at the back of the stove, and add the rest of the butter. before taking off the stove add a little grated parmesan cheese and the peas, which have been prepared as follows: take a small piece of ham fat, one-half small onion, and some parsley. chop together fine, add three tablespoons of olive-oil, salt and pepper, and put into a saucepan on the fire. when the onion is colored add one can of green peas (or fresh peas, according to season). when the peas have absorbed all the olive-oil add a sufficient quantity of broth to cover them (or water) and cook until peas are soft. then mix the peas with the rice, add one tablespoon of parmesan cheese, and serve. rice "alla romana" (_risotto alla romana_) a small piece of ham fat stalk of celery parsley onion mushrooms canned, or fresh mushroom / pound of lean beef chop these ingredients together and put them into a large saucepan with a small piece of butter. cook until the meat is well browned. then add one tablespoon of red or white wine. cook for a few minutes, then add one tablespoon of tomato paste dissolved in a little hot water, or two and one-half tablespoons of the other tomato sauce. cook well, adding from time to time a little water--one-half cup in all. wash the rice (a little less than a cupful), add it to the other ingredients in the saucepan, and cook for about twenty minutes, until the rice is soft, adding more water from time to time. then add two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese, mix well, and serve, with more cheese if desired. risotto "alla nostrale" take a small piece of onion, slice into small bits, and put into a saucepan with two tablespoons of butter. cook until onion is browned. wash well one-half cup of rice. put it into the saucepan with the onion, add salt and pepper, and fry until the rice is dry. then take one and one-half tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with hot water (or two tablespoons of other tomato sauce), and add to the rice. little by little add hot water until the rice is cooked through (about one cup of hot water). then add grated cheese, parmesan or gruyere, one and one-half tablespoons of butter, and mix well over the fire, then serve. this rice can be served alone or with fried sausages, or with cold chicken, or any left-over meat prepared in the following manner: take one and one-half tablespoons of butter in a saucepan. cut the cold meat into slices, and add them to the butter. fry well, then take one and one-half tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned in water (or three tablespoons tomato sauce). add to the meat a little at a time. simmer for one-half hour, then put into the middle of hot platter, surrounded by rice, and pour this sauce over all. add a handful of grated parmesan cheese to the rice. this preparation of meat can be served with macaroni or corn-meal instead of the rice. rice with butter and cheese (_riso in bianco_) take one-half cup of rice. boil in salted water. after twenty minutes of boiling take off the fire and drain. then put the rice back into a saucepan with three tablespoons of grated cheese (parmesan) and three tablespoons of butter. mix well and serve as an entree, or around a plate of meat.. rice with tomatoes boil a cup of rice soft in hot water. shake it now and then, but do not stir it. drain it, add a little milk in which a beaten egg has been mixed, one teaspoon of butter, and a little pepper and salt. simmer for five minutes, and if the rice has not absorbed all the milk, drain it again. put the rice around a dish, smooth it into a wall, wash it over with the yolk of a beaten egg, and put it into the oven until firm. take the strained juice and pulp of seven or eight tomatoes, season with pepper, a little salt and sugar, and one-half of a chopped-up onion; stew for twenty minutes, then stir in one tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of fine bread crumbs. stew three or four minutes to thicken, and then pour the tomatoes into the dish, in the middle of the rice, and serve. rice with tomatoes "all' indiana" wash a cup of rice and boil it. take seven or eight good-sized tomatoes, boil and strain them, and season with salt and a little allspice. take a baking-dish and put into it alternate layers of tomato and rice, finishing off with a layer of tomato, covered up with grated bread crumbs moistened with melted butter. bake in a moderate oven for a good half-hour. risotto with ham cut into small pieces one ounce of raw ham, fat and lean. chop up fine a small piece of onion, and put it with the ham into a frying-pan with one-half a tablespoon of butter. fry slowly until the ham and onions are golden. then add one-half cup of uncooked rice; when it has cooked for a few minutes, add twice its height of bouillon (or water), salt and pepper, a dash of nutmeg, and mix well and allow it to boil for twenty minutes over a good fire. then take off the stove, add two tablespoons of butter and two tablespoons of parmesan cheese grated; mix well and serve. rice with mushrooms mushrooms if canned, or or if fresh ones / of a cup of rice chop up a little onion, parsley, celery, and carrot together, and put them on the fire with two tablespoons of good olive-oil. when this sauce is colored, add two tablespoons of tomato paste, thinned with hot water (or a corresponding quantity of tomato sauce). season with salt and pepper. cut the mushrooms into small pieces, and add them to the sauce. cook for twenty minutes over a medium fire. put on one side and prepare the rice as follows: fry the rice with a lump of butter until dry; then add hot water, a little at a time, and boil gently. when the rice is half cooked (after about ten minutes) add the mushrooms and sauce, and cook for another ten minutes. add grated parmesan cheese before serving. polenta (_indian meal_) / of a cup of yellow indian meal (fine) cups of water put the water into a granite or iron saucepan, add salt. when it begins to boil add the indian meal, little by little. keep stirring constantly as you pour it in, to prevent lumps. boil for one-half hour, stirring constantly over a moderate fire. if desired, a little more water may be added if preferred not so thick. add grated cheese and butter. polenta fritters put one pinch of salt and one tablespoon of sugar into a cup of milk, and put it on to boil. as soon as it boils pour in, little by little, one-half scant cup of fine indian meal, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. allow it to boil gently for twenty minutes. take it off the stove, add one level tablespoon of butter and the yolk of one egg and a little grated lemon-peel. beat up well to mix the egg and butter. then turn the mixture onto the bread-board, which has been dampened; spread it out to the thickness of a finger. allow it to cool, then cut into squares or diamonds or little rounds, dip these into egg and then into the bread crumbs, and fry them in boiling lard, a few at a time. sprinkle with sugar, and serve hot. polenta "alla toscana" cups of indian meal pints of cold water put the water on, and when it boils add salt. then add the indian meal, little by little, stirring all the time. allow it to boil over a moderate fire for one-half hour, stirring constantly. when the meal has become quite stiff, take a wooden spoon and dip it into hot water, and with it detach the indian meal from the side of the saucepan, then hold the saucepan for a moment over the hottest part of the fire, until the indian meal has become detached from the bottom. then turn it out onto the bread-board; it should come out whole in a mold. let it stand a few moments to cool. then with a wire cut it into slices about the thickness of a finger. place these slices on a hot platter in a layer; pour over them a good meat gravy and grated cheese; then put on another layer of the polenta, and add more gravy and cheese, and so on, until your polenta is used up. polenta with chopped sausages prepare the indian meal as in the preceding receipt. take four deerfoot sausages (or two, if a larger variety of sausage), remove the skins, chop fine, then fry in butter. when they are a nice brown add one tablespoon of stock, and two tablespoons of tomato paste thinned with hot water (or a corresponding amount of the tomato sauce). cook for fifteen minutes more. then cut the polenta in slices as in preceding receipt and add the chopped sausages with their sauce and grated cheese, in layers as before. chicken with polenta take a small chicken; clean and prepare it. take a slice of ham fat four fingers wide and one finger long (or one tablespoon of good lard). chop up very fine with a chopping knife, and put into a good-sized saucepan. take one-half an onion, a small carrot, a piece of celery, and cut all into very small pieces and add them all to the fat. then put in the chicken, the salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice, and cover the saucepan. cook until the chicken is covered, basting with the grease, and turning the chicken until it is brown on all sides; then add one-third of a glass of red or white wine. when the wine has become absorbed, add one tablespoon of the tomato paste, dissolved in a cup of hot water (or a cup of tomato sauce not too thick). cook for a few moments more--until the chicken is thoroughly cooked. prepare the indian meal as in receipt for indian meal, and serve the chicken surrounded by the indian meal, with the sauce poured over all and grated cheese sprinkled over the indian meal. pigeon may be prepared in the same way as the chicken and served with the indian meal; or either one may be served instead of the indian meal with rice, as in receipt for risotto alla nostrale; macaroni, as in receipt for macaroni with butter, or ribbon macaroni, as in receipt given. polenta pasticciata / of a cup of indian meal quart of milk boil the milk, and add the indian meal, a little at a time, when milk is boiling, stirring constantly. cook for one-half an hour, stirring constantly. add salt just before taking off the fire. the indian meal should be stiff when finished. turn it onto the bread-board, and spread it out to the thickness of two fingers. while it is cooking prepare a meat sauce, and a bechamel sauce as follows: meat sauce take a small piece of beef, a small piece of ham, fat and lean, one tablespoon of butter, a small piece of onion, a small piece of carrot, a small piece of celery, a pinch of flour, one-half cup of bouillon (or same amount of water), pepper. cut the meat into small dice; chop up fine together the ham, onion, carrot, and celery. put these all together with some pepper into a saucepan with the butter, and when the meat is brown, add the pinch of flour, and the bouillon a little at a time (or the water), and cook for about one-half an hour. this sauce should not be strained. bechamel sauce take one tablespoon of flour, and one tablespoon of butter. put them into a saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until they have become a golden-brown color. then add, a little at a time, one pint of milk; stir constantly until the sauce is as thick as custard, and is white in color. if it grows too thick, a little more milk may be added; or if it is too thin, a tiny lump of butter rolled in flour will thicken it. now take the cold indian meal and cut it into squares about two inches across. take a baking-dish of medium depth, butter well, then put in a layer of squares of indian meal close together, to entirely cover the bottom of the dish. sprinkle over it grated cheese; then pour on the top enough meat sauce to cover the layer (about two tablespoons), then on the top of this add a layer of bechamel sauce. then put another layer of the squares of indian meal, sprinkle with grated cheese as before, add meat sauce, then bechamel sauce, and continue in this way until the baking-dish is full, having for the top layer the bechamel sauce. put the dish into a moderate oven, and bake until it is a golden brown on top. polenta cake (_migliaccio di farina gialla_) cups of coarse indian meal / cup of raisins / teaspoon of salt teaspoons of sugar (granulated) tablespoons of lard mix the salt, sugar, and raisins with the indian meal in a bowl, then pour in boiling water, a little at a time, and stir well with a wooden spoon until you have a stiff paste and no dry meal remains sticking to the bottom of the bowl. then take a cake-tin and grease it well with one-half of the lard. then turn out the indian meal into the pan, and even it out with the wooden spoon. spread on the top of this the rest of the lard, softened slightly so as you can spread it easily. cook in a slow oven until a golden brown. serve hot. gnocchi of farina (_gnocchi di semolina_) pint of milk egg / cup of farina butter and cheese put the milk on, and when it boils add salt. take a wooden spoon and, stirring constantly, add the farina little by little. cook for ten minutes, stirring constantly. take off the fire and break into the farina one egg; mix very quickly, so that the egg will not have time to set. spread the farina onto the breadboard about the height of a finger. allow it to cool, then cut it into squares or diamonds about two or three inches across. butter well a baking-dish, and put in the bottom a layer of the squares of farina; sprinkle over a little grated parmesan cheese (or gruyere), and put here and there a small dab of butter. then put in another layer of the squares of farina; add cheese and butter as before. continue in this way until your baking-dish is full, having on the top layer butter and cheese. bake in a hot oven until a brown crust forms. serve in the baking-dish. gnocchi of potato take six medium-sized potatoes and put them on to boil in their skins. when they are done, peel them and pass them through a fine colander. add a little salt. take one cup of flour, and mix on the bread-board with the potatoes until they form a paste. roll this paste with the hands into a sausage about the thickness of three fingers. cut this roll across into pieces about an inch long. press these pieces lightly with the finger or the handle of the knife, so they will take little cup-shaped forms. leave these to one side, and put two quarts of salted water on to boil. when it boils add the gnocchi a few at a time, until all are in the water. when the gnocchi rise to the surface of the water, take them out with the skimmer. put them into a platter a few at a time, adding each time gravy and cheese, and covering them well. put a layer of grated cheese sprinkled on top. serve with meat, or as a first course. gnocchi of milk--a dessert cup of milk level tablespoon of powdered starch or drops of vanilla extract yolks of eggs tablespoons of sugar put all these ingredients together into a saucepan and mix together with a wooden spoon for a few moments. then put onto the back of the stove where it is not too hot, and cook until the mixture has become stiff. cook a few moments longer, stirring always; then turn out onto a bread-board and spread to a thickness of a finger and a half. when cold, cut into diamonds or squares the width of two fingers. butter a baking-dish, and put the squares into it overlapping each other. add a few dabs of butter here and there. put another layer of the squares in the dish, more dabs of butter, and so on until the dish is full. brown in the oven. sauces roux for sauces roux is necessary to thicken and give body to sauces. put one tablespoon of flour and one of butter into a saucepan and cook until the flour has lost any raw taste. then put the saucepan on the back of the stove and add slowly the stock or milk, one cup for every tablespoon of butter or flour, and stir until smooth. for white sauces take care the flour does not color; for dark sauces let it brown, but take care it does not burn. agro dolce sauce take two tablespoons of sugar (brown or white), one-half a cup of currants, a quarter of a bar of grated chocolate, one tablespoon of chopped candied orange, one of lemon-peel, one of capers, and one cup of vinegar. mix well together and let soak for two hours; pour it over venison or veal, and simmer for ten minutes. bechamel sauce no. put two ounces of butter and two tablespoons of flour into a saucepan and stir for five minutes. pour one and one-half pints of boiling milk gradually in, beating well with a whisk. add some nutmeg, a few peppercorns, a pinch of salt, and some chopped mushrooms. cook for one-quarter of an hour, and rub through a fine sieve. bechamel sauce no. mix three tablespoons of butter and three of flour to a smooth paste, put some peppercorns, one-half an onion, one-half a carrot sliced, a small piece of mace, two teacups of white stock, a pinch of salt and of grated nutmeg, in a stew-pan; simmer for one-half an hour, stirring often, then add one teacup of cream; boil at once, and strain and serve. tomato sauce no. take ten fresh tomatoes, remove the skins, cut them up; put them into a saucepan and boil them until soft. then pass them through a sieve. put their juice into a saucepan with one heaping tablespoon of butter or one-half tablespoon of good lard, salt and pepper, and boil again, adding water if the sauce becomes too thick. this sauce can be kept in a bottle for several days. it can be used for macaroni, etc., in place of the tomato paste. tomato sauce no. mince one-quarter of an onion, one-half a stalk of celery, a few leaves of sweet basil, and a bunch of parsley up fine. add one-half cup of olive-oil, a pinch of salt and one of pepper, and cut eight or nine tomatoes into slices. boil until the sauce is as thick as cream, stirring occasionally, then strain through a sieve and serve. tomato sauce no. take four pounds of tomatoes, cut them in two, and put them into a two-quart saucepan with two wine-glasses of water, two saltspoons of salt, one of pepper, cover the saucepan, and boil for forty minutes, stirring often to prevent burning; then strain. make a roux in another saucepan with one ounce of butter and three-quarters of an ounce of flour. cook for three minutes, mixing well. take roux off the fire, and pour the tomatoes into it a little at a time, stirring to keep it smooth. add two wineglasses of stock, put on the fire, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring all the time. butter sauce take eight ounces of butter, one tablespoon of salt, one of pepper, and two tablespoons of lemon juice. stir with a wooden spoon over the fire until the butter is half melted, then take it off and continue to stir until it is quite liquid. by taking the butter off the stove before it is all melted it will have a pleasant taste of fresh cream; this is all lost otherwise. lombarda sauce put two tumblers of white roux and one of chicken jelly into a saucepan, reduce, and add three yolks of eggs mixed with two ounces of butter and the juice of one-half lemon. before it boils take the saucepan off the fire, and add one tumbler of thick tomato sauce (see sauces, page ), strain, and just before serving add one tablespoon of sweet herbs minced fine. "alla panna" sauce melt one-half a pound of butter, add a little flour, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. stir until thick, then add one pint of cream, a little chopped parsley, and heat for five minutes. meat sauce put into a saucepan one pound of beef and one-half an onion chopped up with three ounces of lard, some parsley, salt, pepper, one clove, and a very small slice of ham. fry these over a hot fire for a few moments, moving them continually, and when the onion is browned add four tablespoons of red wine, and four tablespoons of tomato sauce (or tomato paste). when this sauce begins to sputter, add, little by little, some boiling water. stick a fork into the meat from time to time to allow the juices to escape. take a little of the sauce in a spoon, and when it looks a good golden color, and there is a sufficient quantity to cover the meat, put the covered saucepan at the back of the stove and allow it to simmer until the meat is thoroughly cooked. then take out the meat, slice it, prepare macaroni, or any paste you desire, and serve it with the meat, and the sauce poured over all, and the addition of butter and grated cheese. economical sauce take one-half of an old onion and chop it up fine. take one small carrot, wash it, scrape it, and cut it into transverse slices; do the same with a stalk of celery, some parsley, and one fresh or canned mushroom. then take a slice of ham (raw if possible), fat and lean, about four fingers wide and one finger high. chop it up fine, and put it into a medium-sized saucepan with one tablespoon of butter. when the ham is colored, put in the chopped-up vegetables, one clove, salt, and pepper, and stir constantly, allowing the vegetables to cook thoroughly but not to burn, which will destroy the taste of the sauce. it should be a golden color. a little red wine may be added if you have it, but this is not necessary. then add four fresh tomatoes, cut into several pieces, the skins removed, and the seeds taken out. allow these to cook in the sauce until they sputter, then add a little water (or bouillon if you have it), allow it to boil for a few moments more, then take it off the fire and pass it through a sieve or fine colander, pressing hard so that all will pass through. if it is too thick after straining, add water or bouillon, and put it back and allow it to boil again a few moments. this sauce can be used for macaroni, gnocchi, left-over meat, egg, etc. the success of the sauce depends upon the proper frying of the onion in it. hot piquante sauce chop up fine two ounces of lean ham and a small piece of onion, add a little celery, the stalks of parsley, one clove, one-half tablespoon of pepper, and one-half bay-leaf. pour over these ingredients a scant one-half cup of vinegar. cover the saucepan and allow it to boil until it has consumed one-half. put into another saucepan one-half cup of bouillon (or water in which you have dissolved one tablespoon of extract of beef). allow it to boil, and then thicken with a teaspoon of potato flour which has been diluted in a little cold water. drop this, little by little, into the saucepan until you have gained the required thickness for the sauce. then pour in the boiled vinegar, passing it through cheese-cloth. mix well together and add a teaspoon of french mustard, some capers, and some chopped-up pickles. serve hot with meats or tongue. the pepper should predominate in this sauce. piquante sauce with egg take some anchovy paste--one tablespoon, two tablespoons of chopped parsley, some capers and chopped pickles, one teaspoon of french mustard and the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. work this all together into a paste, then add three tablespoons of olive-oil and two or three of vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper. this sauce is good with both meat and fish. eggs eggs with peas take one and one-half cups of green peas, and cook them with one and one-half tablespoons of good butter, and a pinch of salt. take four hard-boiled eggs, cut them in two lengthwise, and put them on a platter; pour over them the peas as a sauce. eggs "alla milanese" hard boil four eggs, cut them in four pieces each, put them in a platter, and pour over them the following sauce: cream of lemon sauce take one cup of cold water, and pour one-half of it in a bowl with one tablespoon of starch, stir well until starch is dissolved. pour the other one-half onto one heaping tablespoon of powered sugar and boil for a few moments--until sugar is thoroughly dissolved. allow it to cool, and then add the starch, and one cup of milk, a pinch of salt, a little grated lemon-rind, and two yolks of eggs. mix all thoroughly, then strain through a sieve, then put on the stove again, and over a moderate fire, stir it constantly, always in the same direction, until it has assumed the thickness you desire. eggs "alla sciarmante" hard boil four eggs; cut into several pieces. then prepare the following: boil down to a syrup one heaping tablespoon of sugar, rind of one-quarter of lemon, one scant cup of water, and a little piece of cinnamon. then remove the lemon-rind and the cinnamon, and add one cup of milk or cream. when heated through, take off of fire, and add the yolks of four eggs, beating well together. then pour the sauce over the hard-boiled eggs in a shallow baking-dish, put it in a very moderate oven, and bake. before serving squeeze on a little lemon juice and garnish with squares of fried bread. eggs with piquante sauce chop up fine one pickled pepper, one teaspoon of capers, one-half small pickled onion and one pickle, and some parsley. dissolve in boiling water one tablespoon of butter, add the juice of one-half of lemon, a pinch of flour to give a little body, and the chopped pickles. if too sour add some sugar. hard boil four eggs, cut them in four, and pour over them the sauce. eggs "alla monachile" hard boil four eggs, divide them in half, and pour over them the following sauce: put two tablespoons of vinegar into a saucepan and one tablespoon of sugar (brown or white), fifteen almonds chopped up fine, and a small piece of candied citron. let it boil for a little while, then add a pinch of cinnamon, cloves, pepper, and salt, and if too acid add a little water. before taking off the stove add a little flour to give body to the sauce. pour over the eggs and serve. eggs "alla fiorentina" hard boil four eggs. let them cool in a bowl of cold water. peel them and divide them in half. take the yolks and mix with them one heaping tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of parmesan cheese grated, and a little salt and pepper. put this mixture into a saucepan with the yolks of two raw eggs, and one-half of the white of one egg. stir well until the mixture becomes thick. then fill the hard-boiled whites of the eggs with the stuffing; if any stuffing remains over, spread it on the platter under the eggs. then put one-half cup of milk in a saucepan with one-half tablespoon of butter and one-half tablespoon of flour, salt, and pepper. boil for a few moments, stirring well, then pour over the eggs, sprinkle well with grated parmesan cheese, and put in the oven and brown. lightning omelette butter a baking-dish and put in the bottom of it slices of stale bread (brown bread is better than white) which have been dipped in milk. then put in a layer of very thin slices of gruyere cheese. take two eggs, beat them up to a froth, add salt and pepper, pour them into a baking-dish on top of the bread and cheese, then put it in the oven until it is browned on top. serve hot. eggs "alla piacentina" take the whites of four eggs, and beat until stiff. then add the yolks and one rounded tablespoon of melted butter, and a little salt and pepper. take a small baking-dish, butter it well, and put in the bottom a layer or two of very thin slices of cheese, parmesan or gruyere. put into the oven for a few moments until thoroughly heated, then pour on the whites of eggs mixed with the other ingredients, put back in the oven, and serve when the eggs are a golden brown. eggs "alla benedettina" roast two small peppers, take off their skins, remove the seeds, and cut into strips. take two tomatoes (not too ripe), boil them, remove the skins and seeds, and cut into thin strips also. then wash two anchovies, remove the bones, and cut also into strips. take a small baking-dish, put in the strips of peppers and tomatoes and the anchovies. add two tablespoons of good olive-oil and put on the top of the stove until the ingredients boil. then break into the dish four eggs, taking care to keep the yolks whole. add salt and pepper, and put the dish into the oven until the eggs are cooked. eggs "alla romana" beat four eggs, whites and yolks together. add one tablespoon of milk or cream, salt and pepper, one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, and a little chopped-up parsley. with this make three or four omelettes about the thickness of a ten-cent piece. as the omelettes are finished lay them on a napkin to cool; then cut them transversely into strips about one-quarter of an inch wide. then put the strips into a saucepan with some heated butter. heat them through thoroughly and serve with grated cheese and the following meat sauce poured over them: meat sauce chop up some ham fat with a little onion, celery, carrot, and parsley. add a small piece of beef and cook until beef is well colored. then add one and one-half tablespoons of red wine (or white), cook until wine is absorbed, then add one tablespoon of tomato paste diluted with water, or four fresh tomatoes, and boil fifteen minutes. fish codfish "alla giardiniera" take one pound of salted codfish, boil it, remove the skin and bones, and shred it. then take one good carrot, one-half a turnip, scrape them, cut them into slices, and boil them for a few moments. then drain off the water, and put them into a saucepan with one and one-half tablespoons of butter and finish cooking them, adding from time to time a little boiling water. when the vegetables are cooked add the codfish, mix well, and serve. codfish with egg sauce take one pound of salt codfish. boil it and remove the skin and bones. then fry lightly in butter, adding chopped-up parsley, salt, and pepper. stir about constantly, and add from time to time a little boiling water, until the fish is thoroughly cooked. then beat up the yolks of two eggs and add them with a little flour, and cook for a few moments more. squeeze on some lemon juice and serve. codfish "alla marinaia" take one pound of salt codfish. boil slightly until you can remove the skin and bones. chop up fine a piece of onion, and parsley, and fry them in a saucepan with three tablespoons of best olive-oil, then put in the codfish with salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice. while this is cooking, put into another saucepan three tablespoons of best vinegar, two tablespoons of fish broth, and one-half bay-leaf. add a little flour to give body to the sauce, stir well, then remove the bay-leaf, and take the saucepan off the fire. arrange the platter with pieces of fried bread in a layer on the bottom, then the codfish, and then the sauce poured over it. fresh codfish "al vino bianco" remove the bones from three-quarters of a pound of fresh codfish. cut into slices lengthwise. butter a baking-dish, put in the fish, put more butter on top of it, salt and pepper, and one-half glass of dry white wine. cook for twenty minutes in a hot oven, then place the fish on a platter, take the juice left over in the baking-dish, put it into a saucepan, add a little flour, some more butter, and the juice of half a lemon. before taking off the fire, add some chopped-up parsley, and then pour the sauce over the fish, and serve. codfish with green peppers take one-half pound of salted codfish which has been soaked to remove the saltiness. remove the skin and bones, and cut the codfish into small squares. then dip it again into fresh water, and put the squares onto a napkin to dry. the fish may either be left as it is, or before proceeding, you may roll it in flour and fry it in lard or oil. then take two good-sized green peppers, roast them on top of the stove, remove the skins and seeds, wash them, dry them, and cut them in narrow strips. when this is done put three generous tablespoons of olive-oil into a saucepan with one onion cut up small, and fry the onion over a slow fire. take two big tomatoes, skin them, remove the seeds and hard parts, and cut them into small pieces. when the onion has taken a good color, add the tomatoes, and cook until they sputter, then add the peppers and a little salt and pepper. if the sauce is too thick add a little water. when the peppers are half cooked, add some chopped-up parsley and the codfish. cover up the saucepan and let it simmer until the fish is cooked. this dish is also good cold. vegetables onions "alla parmegiana" take six onions. take out the centers with an apple-corer and fill them up with the following stuffing: one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese mixed with two hard-boiled eggs and chopped parsley. boil them first, then roll them in flour and fry them in olive-oil or butter. then put them in a baking-dish with one-half tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese and one tablespoon of melted butter. put them in the oven and bake until golden. onions "alla veneziana" take six small onions, remove the centers with an apple-corer. boil them for a few moments, drain them, and stuff them with the following: take a piece of bread, dip it in milk, squeeze out the milk, and mix the bread with one tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese, the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. mix well together, then add some fine-chopped parsley, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, and the yolk of one raw egg; mix again well, and then stuff the onions with the mixture. then dip them in flour and in egg, and fry them in lard. put them on a platter and serve with a piquante sauce, made as follows: chop up fine some pickles, capers, and pickled pepper, and add one-half cup of water. when these are cooked, add one tablespoon of butter and cook a little while longer, then pour over the onions and serve. lima beans with ham take three-quarters of a pound of lima beans, very tender young ones. put them in boiling water for about five minutes to whiten them. then put into a saucepan one heaping tablespoon of butter, some chopped parsley, and one small onion chopped up fine. when the onion is fried, add three ounces of raw ham, also chopped up. when the ham is fried put in the lima beans, and a little while before they are cooked add two or three tablespoons of stock. serve with dice of fried bread. fried squash, parsnips, celery, and mushrooms take two small squash, the smallest size possible; cut off the two ends, divide them in two, and slice them in fine slices lengthwise. put them in an earthen dish and sprinkle well with salt. take one parsnip, scrape it, wash it, and boil it slightly, slice it, add it to the squash with more salt. take the heart of celery, boil for a moment, and slice as with the other vegetables. lastly, take some mushrooms, not very large ones, clean them, boil them a moment, and add them to the rest. then dry all the vegetables with a clean towel, mix them all together, roll them thoroughly in flour, dip in egg, and fry in hot lard, dropping them in carelessly. serve them in a hot dish with a napkin under them. pumpkin "alla parmegiana" take a slice of pumpkin, remove the rind and the seeds, cut into square pieces, and then slice these into slivers about the thickness of a ten-cent piece. boil these for a moment in salted water, drain and put them into a saucepan, and fry in butter, with a little salt and a pinch of allspice. serve with grated parmesan cheese and melted butter. or, if preferred, when the pumpkin is fried, put it in a baking-dish, add thin slices of cheese (parmesan or gruyere), and put it into the oven until browned. fried pumpkin take a slice of pumpkin, remove the rind and the seeds. cut it into strips as for french fried potatoes, only finer. roll in flour and dip in egg, and fry in boiling lard or olive-oil. if desired as garnishing for meat, cut the pumpkin exceedingly fine, roll in flour, but not in egg, and fry. spinach "alla romana" clean and prepare the spinach. put one pint of cold water with one tablespoon of salt on to boil, and when it boils put in the spinach. when the spinach is cooked--in about ten minutes--drain it in a colander, and turn onto it the cold water from the faucet for a few moments. then squeeze out all the water with the hands. put three tablespoons of olive-oil into a frying-pan; when this is thoroughly hot add the spinach, salt, and pepper. cook for a few moments, stirring well with a fork and spoon, so the oil will permeate the spinach; then serve. do not chop the spinach. spinach souffle wash the spinach in several waters, put it in a covered saucepan on a good fire. stir now and then to prevent burning, and after fifteen minutes add one tablespoon of salt. cook five minutes more; drain and squeeze out the water. then chop up very fine. put into a saucepan one generous tablespoon of butter, three-quarters tablespoon of flour, stir, and when they are half cooked, add the spinach and a little salt and pepper. cook for five minutes, then pour in four or five tablespoons of cream, stirring constantly to prevent burning. take a cup of spinach, prepared as above, beat up the yolk of one egg, mix it with the spinach, and stir over the fire until the egg is set; then let it cool, and before serving stir the well-beaten whites of three eggs lightly into it. fill china cups or buttered papered forms half full, put them into a hot oven for ten or fifteen minutes, and serve at once. if too little baked or not served at once, the souffle will be spoiled. spinach "in riccioli" boil the spinach and pass it through a fine colander. beat up two eggs, add salt and pepper, and mix enough spinach into them to make them green. put a little olive-oil into a frying-pan, and when it is thoroughly heated (but not boiling), pour a little of the egg, turning the pan about so that the pancake should be as thin as a piece of paper and dry. toss if necessary. take it out; repeat with the rest of the egg. then take the pancakes, place them one on top of the other, and cut them into pieces the width of a finger and about two inches long. fry them in butter, and grate a little parmesan cheese over them. they make a very nice garnish. spinach in a mold with mushrooms boil the spinach for a few moments, drain, squeeze out the water, then pound it well, and pass it through a fine colander. put it into a saucepan with a lump of butter and a few drops of lemon juice. let it boil for a few moments, then turn it into a dish and allow it to cool. when cold mix with it the beaten-up yolks of two eggs. put them into a buttered mold, leaving an empty space in the middle. bake in a slow oven for about an hour. when cooked turn it out onto a dish, and fill up the empty space with mushrooms, which you have prepared as follows: wash and clean a sufficient quantity of mushrooms and put them into a saucepan with a good-sized lump of butter, a little flour, salt, and pepper. cook over a brisk fire for ten minutes. moisten well with chicken broth or stock, and add some roux made as follows: put one tablespoon of flour and one of butter into a saucepan, and cook until the flour has lost all raw taste. then add stock or milk as desired, slowly--one cup for every tablespoon of butter or flour--and stir until smooth. squeeze the juice of half a lemon on the mushrooms, put them with their sauce into the spinach, and serve. flan of vegetables wash, chop up fine, and boil several vegetables, a potato, some spinach, a carrot, and a small beet, etc., then boil them again in a saucepan with some stock; then add a half a cup of cream or milk, stir well together, take them off the stove, and let them cool. when cool add the yolks of two eggs, some grated cheese, and the whites of the eggs beaten up. put the vegetables into a mold which has been well buttered and lined with bread crumbs, and cook in the oven. lettuce in the oven take several young lettuces, wash them and remove their wilted leaves, tie the tops together, and lay the lettuces side by side in a baking-pan and pour in one and one-half inches of stock. cover the pan, and put it in a moderate oven for one-half an hour, adding stock when necessary. place a fork under the middle of each lettuce, raise and drain, and lay them doubled up on a hot dish. season the gravy in the pan with butter, salt, and pepper, thicken with one beaten egg, and pour it over the lettuce. serve hot. cucumbers "alla toscana" peel and blanch three or four cucumbers in boiling salted water for five minutes. drain and cut them into pieces one inch thick and put them into a frying-pan with one ounce of butter, a little flour, and one-half pint of veal broth, stir well, and add some salt and pepper. reduce for about fifteen minutes, stirring until it boils, add one teaspoon of chopped parsley, one-half a teaspoon of grated nutmeg, one-half a cup of cream, and the beaten-up yolks of two eggs. put on the fire again for three or four minutes. do not let boil, and serve hot. cauliflower "in stufato" remove the outer leaves and clean a fine cauliflower. cut it into several pieces and wash them well with cold water, put them into a pot of boiling salted water, and cook quickly for twenty or thirty minutes, until they are quite tender. take them out without breaking, and place them on pieces of buttered toast, then put some butter in a frying-pan, add a little flour mixed with some stock, stir well until it boils, then add several finely chopped mushrooms, and cook a little more. take it off the fire, and add the yolks of two eggs which have been well beaten, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and the juice of one lemon. pour this sauce over and round the cauliflower, and serve. the sauce must not be boiled after adding the eggs. celery fried cut off the green leaves, and cut the stalks of the celery in pieces about an inch long. wash them and then put them into boiling water for fifteen minutes. then dry on a napkin. beat up an egg with a little stock, or hot water, add salt and pepper, dip the celery in, then roll it in bread crumbs, and fry in boiling lard. celery with tomato sauce cut off the green leaves, clean and wash the celery stalks, and then throw them into boiling water and boil fast for twenty minutes. drain, dry well, put them on a dish, and pour a pint of tomato sauce, or tomato paste diluted with hot water, over them. tomatoes "alla piemontese" take four rather unripe tomatoes of about the same size, put them into boiling water and boil for a few minutes. cut off the stem part, and take out some of the inside with as many seeds as you can. fill them with boiled rice and some mushrooms chopped up small. pour over them the yolks of two eggs, place them in the oven to color; serve hot. tomatoes "alla spagnuola" take three or four large ripe tomatoes and boil them. lay them on a sieve to drain until wanted, and then pass them through a fine hair sieve. put them in a stew-pan and stir until all the liquid is evaporated. then add a small piece of butter and three or four raw eggs, stirring them quickly with the tomatoes. when the eggs are cooked, turn all out into a dish and serve hot. tomatoes with eggs choose round tomatoes of about equal size and peel them. cut off their tops, take out their insides, and drop a raw egg into each, replacing the top as cover. put the tomatoes in a baking-dish and bake for about ten minutes, until the eggs are set. serve up in the baking-dish very hot, with bechamel sauce (see sauces, page ), or some brown gravy. tomato pudding scald, peel, and slice eight tomatoes. squeeze out three-quarters of their juice into a bowl through cheese-cloth, and put it to one side; then chop up the pulp of the tomatoes with two tablespoons of bread crumbs, a little salt, sugar, and pepper, and a tablespoon of melted butter. pour them in a buttered mold, place the mold in a double boiler, and put on the cover, and boil hard for one hour. then turn out on a dish. meanwhile take the juice of the tomatoes, season with sugar, salt, and pepper, mix in one tablespoon of butter rolled in flour. boil one minute, then pour over the pudding and serve. string-beans "in fricassea" cut off the ends and string some young string-beans. cook them in salted water, then drain them well. put them in a saucepan with some butter, parsley, and chopped onion. be careful to add occasionally some broth if the beans dry up before they are completely cooked. boil slowly, and a few moments before taking them off the fire add the yolks of one or two eggs (according to the quantity of beans) well beaten up with a little water, the juice of a lemon, and some grated parmesan cheese. stir from time to time, and never allow them to boil, or the eggs will set. to keep the beans a good color put a pinch of soda into the water with the salt. string-beans with tomatoes take some young string-beans, cut off the ends, and string them. wash them in cold water, drain, and while still wet put them into a baking-dish with some good olive-oil, some chopped onion and parsley, salt, and pepper. put the dish on the fire with its cover on, and cook slowly. as the beans dry add the juice of some tomatoes, or some good tomato conserve. take care they do not burn. fried bread with raisins take some rather stale bread, cut it into slices, removing the crust. fry the bread in lard, and then arrange it on a platter; meanwhile prepare the raisins as follows: take a small saucepan and put into it two tablespoons of good raisins, a good slice of raw ham chopped into small pieces, and a leaf of sage, also chopped up, one tablespoon of granulated sugar, and two tablespoons of good vinegar. put these ingredients on the fire, and as soon as you have a syrup (stir constantly) pour the raisins onto the pieces of fried bread, and the sauce over and around them. served with cold meat these are very nice. meats fried sweetbreads, croquettes, liver, etc. (_fritto misto alla romana_) golden bread, brains, sweetbreads, croquettes of chicken and veal and eggs, calf's liver and pumpkin--all these different ingredients should be fried each in its own manner as follows, a small quantity of each, and served all together on one platter with slices of lemon. golden bread choose bread which is elastic, but has no holes in it. remove the crust and cut it in slices about one inch thick, and from these slices cut little pieces about three inches long and about one inch wide. trim them off well, so they will not be ragged or uneven. put these pieces into a bowl and throw on them some boiling water, then remove them immediately and throw them into a big bowl of cold water. this operation should be done quickly, so as to make the bread feel the impression of heat and cold, one directly after the other. then take the bread between the hands and gently squeeze out the water without breaking the pieces or deforming them. place them on a napkin to dry. then dip them in egg which has been beaten up and seasoned with salt and pepper. allow the egg to soak well into the bread. fifteen minutes before serving put a frying-pan on with a quantity of lard, and as soon as the lard is lukewarm put in the pieces of bread, turn them as soon as they harden a little on one side. the bread must fry very slowly, and should remain on the fire at least ten minutes, so that the heat can penetrate gradually into the middle and make it light. this bread to be successful should be hollow inside like a fritter when finished. when the bread has taken a good golden color, remove from the lard, drain it on a napkin, add a little salt, and serve very hot. sweetbreads parboil the sweetbreads, then cook them with one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of stock. when cooked cut them into smallish pieces, season with pepper, chopped-up parsley, and one tablespoon of lemon, then roll them in flour; dip into egg and fry. fried brains take one lamb's brain, or one-half of a calf's brain, put it in a saucepan with cold water, change the water from time to time for a couple of hours, until the brains are thoroughly cleansed. then put them in another saucepan with fresh water, and with several pieces of onion, a little salt, a little vinegar (one tablespoon to each brain), and some parsley stems. as soon as the water boils, take the saucepan off, remove the brains, and put them onto a napkin. cut them into four pieces, put these pieces onto a plate, and season with a little olive-oil, some lemon juice, and chopped parsley. when you are ready to fry, roll in flour, dip in egg, and fry the brain over a moderate fire for seven or eight minutes in olive-oil, lard, or butter. calf's liver fried remove the skin, and cut into slices large but thin, roll in flour, dip in egg, and fry in boiling lard, allowing them to remain in the frying-pan only a couple of minutes; then drain on a napkin, sprinkle on a little salt, and serve. polenta croquettes boil one-half cup of corn-meal rather hard, and before removing from the fire add a piece of butter and a little grated cheese and mix well. take it then by spoonfuls and let it fall onto a marble-top table, or a bread-pan which has been wet a little with cold water. these spoonfuls should form little balls about the size of a hen's egg. on each of these croquettes place a very thin slice of gruyere cheese, so that the cheese will adhere to the corn-meal. then allow them to cool, and when cold dip into egg, then into bread crumbs, and fry in boiling lard. egg croquettes hard boil two eggs, remove the shells, dry them, and cut the eggs in minute pieces. put one tablespoon of butter into a saucepan, and when it is melted add one and one-half tablespoons of flour; stir constantly for a few moments over a slow fire with a wooden spoon, taking care that the flour does not color. then pour in one-third of a cup of milk, in which you have put salt and pepper. cool this sauce for eight or ten minutes, stirring continually to make it smooth, then remove from the fire, put in the chopped-up egg, some parsley chopped fine, and one-half tablespoon of grated parmesan cheese. when you have mixed these ingredients well together, spread them out on a plate or marble and allow to cool. when this has become cold and hardened, with a wooden spoon divide it into little portions about the size of a nut. take these and roll them in dried bread crumbs and a little flour. roll them all then, one at a time, with a rotary motion, and then elongate the balls until they are the shape of ordinary corks, then dip the croquettes into the egg, one at a time, then into bread crumbs again, and a few moments before serving fry in boiling lard. as soon as they are colored remove them immediately from the lard, otherwise they will break to pieces. polenta fritters, fried pumpkin, fried squash, and parsnips may also be added or substituted if desired. little filets "alla napolitana" butter well a frying-pan, and sprinkle over the bottom a piece of lean ham (raw if possible) chopped up fine. then a layer of mushrooms chopped fine, then a layer of minced parsley. the bottom of the pan should be entirely covered with these three ingredients. then from a filet of beef cut some little slices, about one-half an inch thick and round in shape. put these in the frying-pan, one piece near the other, so the bottom shall be covered. sprinkle on salt and pepper, and put it on the fire. when the filets are cooked on one side, turn them over on the other, but with care, so the ingredients at the bottom of the pan will stick to the meat. when the filets are cooked on both sides, squeeze on the juice of half a lemon, and add a little meat stock. put the filets on a platter, and pour over them their sauce, and serve with croutons (fried bread). involtini of beef "alla siciliana" take three-quarters of a pound of beef, two ounces of ham, one tablespoon of butter (or one-half tablespoon of lard), some bread, some parsley, and a piece of onion. chop up the onion fine and put it in a saucepan with the butter (or lard). when it is colored, put in the parsley and the ham cut up into little pieces, at the same time add the bread cut up into three or four small dice, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. mix all together well. cut the meat into six slices, pound them to flatten out; salt slightly, and when the other ingredients are cooked, put a portion on each slice of meat. then roll up the meat like sausages, put them on skewers, alternating with a piece of fried bread of the same size. butter well, roll in fresh bread crumbs, and broil on the gridiron over a slow fire. these are nice served with salad. polpettone "alla napolitana" take three-quarters of a pound of lean beef without skin or bones from the rump-steak, flatten it out with a knife in a manner to widen it without tearing the meat. salt and pepper it. then take one and one-half ounces of ham, fat and lean, and chop it up fine with a little piece of onion, some parsley, and some thyme, then add twice its volume of fresh bread crumbs (which have been dipped in water and squeezed out). when the bread has been well mixed add the yolk of one egg and mix again well, spread this mixture all over the surface of the beef, leveling it off with a knife. then sprinkle on a few raisins, and then roll up the meat like a cigar, but bigger in the middle than at the ends. tie it up then, crosswise and lengthwise, and brown it in a saucepan with a little lard and some ham. as soon as it colors add some chopped-up pieces of onion, celery, carrot, and one clove. when these vegetables are cooked add several pieces of tomato, and let the meat simmer for about two hours, basting it now and then. when the meat is cooked remove the string, place the polpettone on a platter, strain the sauce through a sieve, pour it over the meat, and serve. bocconcini cut up the meat, lamb, veal, mutton, or fresh pork into pieces about two inches wide. sprinkle on salt and pepper and put them aside. then cut an equal number of pieces of bread about one-half inch thick, and a little bit bigger then the pieces of meat. next cut pieces of ham, fat and lean, the same size as the pieces of meat, but double the number. then take a skewer (or two if one is not sufficient), and put on it first a piece of bread, then a piece of ham, then a leaf of sage, then one of the pieces of meat, then another leaf of sage, then the ham, then the bread, and so on in this order, having always the meat between two leaves of sage, two slices of ham, and two pieces of bread. coat everything well, and especially the bread, with olive-oil or melted butter, and then broil them over a hot fire for a good one-quarter of an hour, turning them constantly until they are colored a golden brown and are crisp. if preferred, these can be cooked in the oven. put them on several wooden skewers, and lay them in a pan and cook until brown and crisp. serve with lettuce salad. meat with ribbon macaroni take a piece of ham fat, one finger high and four fingers wide, chop up fine with a piece of onion, piece of celery, piece of carrot, and put into a saucepan. take three-quarters of a pound of meat, either lamb, veal, beef, or fresh pork, cut it into several pieces, salt and pepper it, and put a pinch of allspice, then put it into the saucepan; cook it until it is well colored, then add two tablespoons of red or white wine. when it is absorbed add one tablespoon of tomato paste, dissolved in water, or tomato sauce of fresh tomatoes (receipt tomato sauce no. ). cook over a moderate fire, one hour longer if the meat is veal or lamb, and one and one-half hours to two hours for pork or beef, adding water if necessary. this meat can be served with ribbon macaroni. put the meat in the middle, the macaroni around it, and the sauce over all, adding two tablespoons of grated parmesan cheese to the macaroni after it is boiled, and mixing well before putting it on the platter. sprinkle on a little more cheese before carrying to the table. this dish can be made equally well with left-over meats of any kind, turkey being especially good served this way. salads salad "del prevosto" boil in their skins three good-sized potatoes, peel them and slice them, then put them into a salad bowl, and pour over them one-half a glass of white wine. do this about two or three hours before they are wanted, so the potatoes will have time thoroughly to absorb the wine. from time to time mix them with a fork and spoon to let the wine permeate. a few minutes before the meal make a good french salad dressing, add some pickled peppers cut up, some capers, and some chopped-up parsley, pour on the french dressing, mix up well, and serve. the cardinal's salad wash a good lettuce and a bunch of water-cress. cut a cold boiled beef into strips, add six radishes, two hard-boiled eggs chopped up, and one small sliced cucumber. arrange the lettuce-leaves in a salad-bowl, mix the other ingredients with a sufficient quantity of mayonnaise sauce, put them in the midst of the lettuce, and serve. endive salad take a head of endive, wash it and dry it well, and put it into a salad-bowl. pour over it three tablespoons of good olive-oil. mix one tablespoon of honey (or sugar), one of vinegar, and salt and pepper in a cup, and pour over the salad just before serving. italian salad cut one carrot and one turnip into slices, and cook them in boiling soup. when cold, mix them with two cold boiled potatoes and one beet cut into strips. add a very little chopped leeks or onion, pour some sauce, "lombarda" (see sauces, page ), over the salad, and garnish with water-cress. "alla pollastra" salad chop up six lettuce-leaves and three stalks of celery, cut up the remains of a cold fowl in small pieces, and mix with one tablespoon of vinegar and salt and pepper in a salad bowl. pour a cup of mayonnaise sauce over, and garnish with quarters of hard-boiled egg, one tablespoon of capers, six stoned olives, and some small, tender lettuce-leaves. "alla macedoine" salad cut into small pieces one cold boiled beet and half an onion. add some cold boiled string-beans, some cold boiled asparagus tips, two tablespoons of cold cooked peas, one cold boiled carrot, and some celery. mix them together, and pour over all a mayonnaise sauce. add the juice of a lemon and serve. desserts chestnut fritters take twenty good chestnuts and roast them on a slow fire so that they won't color. remove the shells without breaking the nuts, and put them into a saucepan with one level tablespoon of powdered sugar and one-half glass of milk and a little vanilla. cover the saucepan and let it cook slowly (simmer) for more than a half-hour. then drain the chestnuts and pass them through a sieve. put them back in a bowl with one-half a tablespoon of butter, the yolks of three eggs, and mix well without cooking. allow them to cool, and then take a small portion at a time, the size of a nut, roll them, dip them in egg, and in bread crumbs, and fry in butter and lard, a few at a time. serve hot with powdered sugar. chestnuts "alla lucifero" take forty good chestnuts and roast them over a slow fire. do not allow them to become dried up or colored. remove the shells carefully, put them in a bowl, and pour over them one-half a glass of rum and two or three tablespoons of powdered sugar. set fire to the rum and baste the chestnuts constantly as long as the rum will burn, turning the chestnuts about so they will absorb the rum and become colored. peaches with wine take four very ripe peaches, cut them in two, take out the stones, peel them, and cut them in thin slices. put them in a bowl and cover them up until wanted. put in a saucepan one glass of red wine, two tablespoons of powdered sugar, a piece of cinnamon, and a piece of a rind of lemon. boil these together, and then pour the liquid over the peaches in the bowl while still boiling. cover the bowl, and allow it to stand for at least two hours. then turn into the dish in which you will serve the peaches and the wine. hot wine put into the saucepan one pint of red or white wine, the first preferred. add two heaping tablespoons of sugar, a piece of rind of lemon or orange, and a small stick of cinnamon. put it onto the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved. when the wine boils, strain it through some cheese-cloth and pour it into glasses, and serve hot. milk of almond ice take one half pound of almonds. remove the shells and skins, and put them into a large receptacle of cold water. add three bitter almonds to the number. remove them from the water, and pound them up in a bowl, adding from time to time a little water. then add more water and put them into a cheese-cloth and wring it, to extract all the juices you can. then pound them some more, adding water, and squeeze out as before. to the milk you have extracted from the almonds add four tablespoons of powdered sugar and one-half tablespoon of orange water; put into the freezer and freeze. if desired, you can put half the quantity of almonds and the other half of cantaloup seeds, pound together, and proceed in the same manner. this combination is refreshing and delicious. this file was produced from images generously made available by the cwru preservation department digital library favorite dishes a columbian autograph souvenir cookery book. over three hundred autograph recipes, and twenty-three portraits, contributed specially by the board of lady managers of the world's columbian exposition compiled by carrie v. shuman, chicago, favorite dishes is due to the fact that the noble women who have labored for the best interests of mankind and womankind, in the development of the women's department of the world's columbian exposition, found time to contribute this collection of recipes, as a means of enabling the compiler to open an additional avenue for women to provide the necessary funds to pay the expenses of a visit to the exposition. the compiler is most happy to congratulate the lady managers and lady alternates of every state and territory of the united states, including alaska, upon the fact that their prompt responses to the statement of the object of this publication bring them together in this place as the exponents of the art of cookery, at this stage of its best development in this country, and as cheerful assistants of women who need the encouragement and blessings of their more fortunate sisters. it is to be regretted that all of the letters of commendation cannot be published, but as they would alone constitute a fair sized volume, only a few have been inserted. tea tastes differ as to which of the many kinds of tea is the best, and yet the general use of english breakfast and oolong warrants the recommending of these two teas as standard. the chinese have taught us the correct idea of tea drinking; to have it always freshly made, with the water boiling, and to steep the leaves at table. the tea table can be easily equipped now with a boiler in silver or brass, with alcohol lamp underneath; a tea caddy in china or silver, with teapot and cups before the hostess. no set formula can be prescribed for quantity to each cup, but it averages one-half teaspoon of tea leaves. heat teapot by pouring in some hot water, let it stand a few moments and empty in a bowl for hot water on the table. place tea leaves required in the pot, pour in boiling water, instantly replace the lid and let it steep a few minutes. it is then ready to serve. use a small amount of sugar and no cream, as both cream and sugar detract from the correct flavor of tea. for "five o'clock tea" a "teaball" is recommended. the teaball is convenient at all times, but especially upon an occasion when guests are coming and going. keep the water on tea table constantly boiling and the teaball partly filled with tea leaves. a cup of tea can then be brewed quickly by dropping the ball into the cup, pouring boiling water over it, holding it in the cup (slightly moving the teaball around through the water), until the color is satisfactory to the drinker's taste. in this way three or four cups of tea can be served quickly and the flavor of the tea leaves preserved. if agreeable to the taste, a slice of lemon can be added to each cup and a few drops of arrack to make tea _à la russe_. chocolate to make good chocolate is not easy. one's own taste must be the guide regarding strength. soften and smooth the chocolate with cold water in a jar on the range; pour in boiling water, then add milk, stirring constantly. serve as soon as it boils. when each cup is filled with the chocolate, place two tablespoons of whipped cream on top. cocoa cocoa has the same flavor as chocolate, but it is richer and more oily. when made from the ground it can be prepared at the table, but it is better boiled a short time in water and thinned with hot milk. made from the shells it requires a longer boiling. first wet two ounces of the cocoa shells with a little cold water and pour over them one quart of boiling water. boil for one hour and a half; strain and add one quart of milk, also a few drops of the essence of vanilla. when it comes to a boil take immediately from the fire and serve. coffee the standard mixture of coffee is java and mocha; two-thirds java and one-third mocha, the former giving the strength, the latter the flavor. after roasting it should be kept in an air-tight can. grind only so much each time as may be required. to one cupful of ground coffee add one beaten egg and four tablespoons of cold water; mix thoroughly in coffee pot and pour in one quart of boiling water. stir the coffee until it boils, then place it on the back of the stove where it will simmer for ten minutes. add a dash of cold water; wait a moment, then pour off carefully into silver coffee pot, which has been standing with hot water in it. filippini's recipe for black coffee is as follows: "take six scant tablespoonfuls of coffee beans and grind them in a mill. have a well cleaned french coffee pot; put the coffee on the filter with the small strainer over, then pour on a pint and a half of boiling water, little by little, recollecting at the same time that too much care cannot be taken to have the water boiling thoroughly. when all the water is consumed, put on the cover and let it infuse slightly, but on no account must it boil. serve in six after-dinner cups. coffee should never be prepared more than five minutes before the time to serve." bread steamed brown bread. (a la oakland farm.) from mrs. virginia c. meredith, of indiana, vice chairman executive committee, and lady manager. _it gives me great pleasure to send you an excellent recipe for steamed brown bread for your colombian autograph cook book. i have great sympathy with your plan, and sincerely hope that the ladies of our board will respond cheerfully to your requests. very sincerely,_ one cupful of sweet milk; one cupful of sour milk; two cupfuls of corn meal; one cupful of wheat flour; one-half cupful of new orleans molasses; one teaspoonful of soda. steam three hours. light bread. from mrs. governor james p. eagle, of arkansas, president of state board and lady manager. take one teacup of _boiling water_; stir in corn meal to make a stiff mush; let stand over night in moderately warm place. then take one cup of _fresh milk_ and one of warm water and heat together to a simmer and add to this the prepared mush, one tablespoonful of sugar and one teaspoonful of salt. to these ingredients add a little flour at a time, until you make a stiff batter. place all in a milk- warm vessel of water, place near fire and keep warm until it rises-- about six hours. to this yeast add flour to make a stiff dough, using one tablespoon of lard and a little salt. keep warm till it rises and bake about an hour and a half. franklin gems. from mrs. l. m. n. stevens, of maine, lady manager. mix one-half pint of milk and one-half pint water, into which stir franklin flour until about as thick as pancakes. pour into a very hot, well buttered gem pan and bake in a quick oven. baking powder biscuit. from mrs. rollin a. edgerton, of arkansas, secretary of state board, and lady manager. to one quart of flour add two teaspoons of baking powder, one more of salt, and a tablespoon of lard; mix with sweet milk sufficient to roll out on board without sticking; cut with biscuit tin and bake quickly in hot oven. french rolls. from mrs. sallie howard bush, of alabama, alternate lady manager one and one-half lbs. of flour; four oz. of butter; one-half teacup of sweet milk; one-half cake of yeast; one teaspoonful of salt; four eggs beaten very light and added last. set to rise and bake as other rolls. risen muffins. one quart of flour; one pint of sweet milk; one cake of yeast; three eggs; one teaspoonful of butter and one of sugar; one teaspoonful of salt. the yeast must be dissolved in a little of the milk. if desired for breakfast, they must be made the night before; if for tea, set them to rise about o'clock in the morning. when well risen, put them in the tin muffin rings that come especially for them and place in a moderately warm position, letting them stand about an hour before putting in to bake. breakfast rolls. from miss meta telfair mclaws, of georgia, alternate lady manager. take one-half cake of best yeast and dissolve in half a cup of tepid water. pour this on some sifted flour--about half a pint in quantity-- to which must be added more tepid water (or milk, if you like) until a thick batter is produced. add to this batter a pinch of salt and a little sugar. cover well with a thick cloth and set in a warm place to rise. in the morning add lard and enough flour to make a stiff dough. now make into roll shape and arrange them in a tin pan. set the rolls under the stove or near it until they rise again, before putting them in the oven to bake. rolls should be made of best flour and the batter should be put in some earthen vessel when set to rise. pocket-book rolls. from mrs. ida m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. one pint milk; one-half pint boiling water; salt and flour enough to make a sponge; one-half cake of compressed yeast. rise for about two hours. then add the white of one egg (beaten); mixed butter and lard the size of an egg; one teaspoonful sugar. stiffen with flour; make out into thick sheets of dough; cut out with a circular cutter; fold one edge of the biscuit, so cut, toward the center, putting a small piece of butter under the overlapping edge of dough. put biscuit in pans to rise, and when light, bake in a quick oven. potato rolls. from mrs. theo. f. armstrong, of delaware, alternate lady manager. one and one-half teacup of mashed white potatoes; one-half teacup of melted lard; one and one-half teaspoon of salt; one teacup of yeast; two eggs; one tablespoon of sugar. this is the sponge. set to rise about nine o'clock in the morning; when light, put in enough flour to make a soft dough; then let it rise again; when light, roll out thick and cut in round cakes; put in pan and lighten again; bake in quick oven. graham gems. from mrs. louise campbell, of new mexico, alternate lady manager. four cups graham flour; one tablespoon of sugar; pinch of salt; one teaspoon of soda, which dissolve in buttermilk; mix with buttermilk into a stiff batter; put into hot gem irons and bake in a quick oven. corn cake. from miss hattie t. hundley, of alabama, lady manager. one pint of milk; half a pint of indian meal; four eggs; a scant tablespoonful of butter; salt; and one teaspoonful of sugar. pour the milk boiling on the sifted meal. when cold, add the butter (melted), the salt, the sugar, the yolks of the eggs, and, lastly, the whites, well beaten. bake half an hour in a hot oven. it is very nice baked in iron or tin gem pans, the cups an inch and a half deep.--_mrs. henderson's cook book._ bachelors' corn pone. from mrs. mary b. p. black, of west virginia, alternate lady manager. one pint sifted corn meal; one pint buttermilk (or other sour milk or cream); two eggs, beaten separately; tablespoonful of butter and lard (half and half); little salt, and scant teaspoonful baking soda. pour the buttermilk into the sifted corn meal, stirring until smooth, retaining a small quantity (half teacupful) of buttermilk to dissolve soda; add yolks of eggs, well beaten; then soda, having dissolved the same in the retained buttermilk, mixing well, while it effervesces; then lard and butter, either melted or cut into shreds; lastly, white of eggs, beaten to stiff froth. bake in shallow pan, or minutes. corn bread. from mrs. t. j. butler, of arizona, lady manager. one cup of corn meal; one half cup of sugar; one cup of sweet milk; one and one-half spoonfuls baking powder; flour enough to make a stiff batter. bake in a quick oven. corn meal muffins. from mrs. parthenia p. rue, of california, lady manager. one teacupful of corn meal; one and one-half teacupfuls of flour; two teaspoonfuls yeast powder; two tablespoonfuls sugar; one tablespoonful of butter; one and one-half teacupfuls of milk; one egg or two yolks of eggs. baked corn bread. from mrs. minna g. hooker, of vermont, alternate lady manager. one teacup cream; one-quarter teaspoon soda; one cup flour; butter size of a walnut; one cup sugar; one cup indian meal; one egg. granulated meal is the best. steamed brown bread. from mrs. e. v. mcconnell, of north dakota, lady manager. two cups corn meal; one cup flour; two cups sweet milk; one cup sour milk; two-thirds cup molasses; two teaspoons (even) soda; one tablespoon salt. steam constantly for three hours. raised brown bread. from mrs. ellen m. chandler, of vermont, lady manager three pints corn meal; two pints shorts, or coarse flour; three- quarters cup yeast; one and one-half cups molasses; one and one- eighth quarts warm water. let rise until it cracks on top. steam six hours and bake slowly one hour. if wheat shorts cannot be procured, use one pint rye and one and one-half pints graham flour. boston brown bread. from mrs. governor james p. eagle, of arkansas, president of state board, and lady manager. one pint of bread sponge; one cup of warm water; three-fourths cup of molasses, in which is stirred one-half teaspoon of soda: one large teaspoonful of salt. stir in sufficient quantity of graham flour to make a stiff batter, put in mould and let rise till quite light and then bake in moderate oven one hour. strawberry short cake. from mrs. governor edwin c. burleigh, of maine, second vice president, board of lady managers. mix a dough nearly as you would for cream-tartar biscuits, only put considerable shortening in. roll thin; bake in a pan; when done, split it and put the berries (mashed in sugar) between. whipped cream over the top makes it very nice. strawberry short cake. from mrs. augusta truman, of california, alternate lady manager-at-large. hull and rinse one quart of perfectly ripe berries; put in a bowl with one large cup of granulated sugar; cut--do not mash--with a silver spoon and set away in the ice-box for two hours. make a rich biscuit dough, adding double quantity of butter; roll out one inch thick and bake in a deep pie-plate. when done, split quickly with a silver knife, using the knife as little as possible; spread the berries on the lower section and cover with the upper; sift on some fine sugar and serve immediately, as this recipe is for hot short cake. orange short cake. from mrs. m.d. owings, of washington, lady manager. orange shortcake is very nice. the only difficulty to overcome in making this toothsome dish is to get rid of the white fibers which intersect the pulp of the orange, and this is, after all, a very easy matter. to prepare the oranges, simply cut them in half, without peeling, and take out the lobes precisely as when eating an orange with a spoon. the shortcake is mode like very short, soft biscuit and baked in a round tin in a quick oven. when it is done, split it, sprinkle sugar over the prepared oranges, put a layer on the under crust, replace the upper part, upon which put more of the prepared oranges and serve at once with cream. sally lunn. from mrs. margaret m. ratcliffe, of arkansas, alternate lady manager. one pint of milk; three eggs, well beaten; salt; one large spoon of butter; half a teacup of yeast, and as much flour as will make a thick batter. pour into a cake pan and place in a warm spot to rise. bake in moderate oven. when done, cut with sharp knife crosswise twice, pouring over each part drawn butter. replacing the parts, cut then like cake, serving at once while hot. this is a great favorite with southerners. ham toast. from mrs. rosine ryan, of. texas, lady manager-at-large. _your enterprise commends itself to every woman who has the best interests of her sex uppermost in her thoughts. among the happy recollections of my childhood, luncheon ham toast stands out temptingly clear. it was my mother's own, and i give it in preference to several others that occur to me. most cordially yours, boil a quarter of a pound of _lean_ ham; chop it very fine; beat into it the yolks of three eggs, half an ounce of butter and two tablespoonfuls of cream; add a little cayenne; stir it briskly over the fire until it thickens; spread on hot toast; garnish with curled parsley. oat meal from mrs. george huxworth, of arizona, alternate lady manager. dampen the meal, put it in a thin cloth and steam for thirty minutes. keeps its flavor much better than when boiled. brewis. from mrs. frances e. hale, of wyoming, lady manager. take half a loaf of boston brown bread; break in small pieces; put in an oatmeal kettle and cover with milk; boil to a smooth paste, about the consistency of oatmeal. eat hot, with sugar and cream. nice breakfast dish. sandwich dressing. from mrs. mariam d. cooper, of montana, alternate lady manager. mix two tablespoons mustard with enough hot water to make smooth; three tablespoons olive oil; very little red or white pepper; salt; yolk of one egg; mix with hand and net aside to cool; warm to spread. oysters blue points are the only proper oysters to serve for luncheon or dinner. they should always be served in the deep shell, and if possible upon "oyster plates," but may be neatly served upon cracked ice, covered with a small napkin, in soup plates. the condiments are salt, pepper, cayenne, tabasco sauce, and horse radish. a quarter of lemon is also properly served with each plate, but the gourmet prefers salt, pepper, and horse radish, as the acid of lemon does violence to the delicious flavor of the freshly-opened bivalve. clams should be served in precisely the same way. bouillon bouillon is made of beef, and must be rich and nutritious. take ten pounds of good clear beef cut from the middle part of the round. wipe and cut the meat into pieces. put this into one gallon of water and heat slowly; skim just as the water begins to boil. when this is done place the pot where it will simmer slowly for five or six hours. one hour before removing add two blades of celery, ten pepper corns, six cloves, small stick of cinnamon, and salt. should one prefer it plain, do not put in the spices. strain and cool. before using, take off all fat. it is then ready to heat and serve in cups for luncheons and teas. soup the foundation of all excellent soup is a stock made from beef. for a dinner company heavy soup is not so desirable as a good, clear, rich soup, and i add a tried recipe from "practical cooking and dinner giving," called: amber soup. a large soup bone (two pounds); a chicken; a small slice of ham; a soup bunch (or an onion, two sprigs of parsley, half a small carrot, half a small parsnip, half a stick of celery); three cloves; pepper; salt; a gallon of cold water; whites and shells of two eggs, and caramel for coloring. let the beef, chicken and ham boil slowly for five hours, add the vegetables and cloves, to cook the last hour, having fried the onion in a little hot fat and then in it stuck the cloves. strain the soup into an earthen bowl and let it remain over night. next day remove the cake of fat on top; take out the jelly, avoid the settlings; and mix into it the beaten whites of the eggs with the shells. boil quickly for half a minute; then, removing the kettle, skim off carefully all the scum and whites of the eggs from the top, not stirring the soup itself. pass through a jelly bag, when it should be very dear. reheat just before serving, and add then a tablespoonful of caramel to give a rich color and flavor. _caramel_--take a cup of sugar and a tablespoon of water. put in a porcelain kettle and stir constantly to prevent burning, until it has a bright brown color. then add a cup of water, pinch of salt; let it boil a few moments longer, cool, strain, and put away in a close- corked bottle--and it is always ready for coloring the soup. mock-turtle soup. from mrs. beriah wilkins, of district of columbia, fifth vice president, board of lady managers. this soup should be prepared the day before it is to be served up. one calf's head, well cleaned and washed. lay the head in the bottom of a large pot. one onion; six cloves; ten allspice; one bunch parsley; one carrot; salt to taste; cover with four quarts of water. boil three hours, or until the flesh will slip easily from the bones; take out the head; chop the meat and tongue very fine; set aside the brains; remove the soup from the fire; strain carefully and set away until the next day. an hour before dinner take off all fat and set on as much of the stock to warm as you need. when it boils drop in a few squares of the meat you have reserved, as well as the force balls. to prepare these, rub the yolk of three hard boiled eggs to a paste in a wooden bowl, adding gradually the brains to moisten them; also a little butter; mix with these two eggs, beaten light; flour your hands; make this paste into small balls; drop them into the soup a few minutes before removing from the fire. a tablespoonful of browned flour and brown sugar for coloring; rub smooth with the same amount of butter; let it boil up well; finish the seasoning by the addition of a glass of sherry. serve with sliced lemon. julienne soup. from mrs. susan r. ashley, of colorado, sixth vice president, board of lady managers. the day before needed, put two pounds of beef cut from the lower part of the round, into two quarts of cold water and let come slowly to the boil, skimming carefully until perfectly clear. when this point is reached, add a small onion, two stalks of celery, two cloves, and keep at the boiling point for seven hours; then strain into an earthen bowl and let cool until next day. a half hour before needed, skim off all the fat, add pepper and salt to taste; also a half pint of mixed vegetables which have been cooked in salted water and cut in uniform dice shape. let come to a boil, and serve. noodle soup. from mrs. frona eunice wait, of california, alternate lady manager. to make a good stock for noodle soup, take a small shank of beef, one of mutton, and another of veal; have the bones cracked and boil them together for twenty-four hours. put with them two good sized potatoes, a carrot, a turnip, an onion, and some celery. salt and pepper to taste. if liked, a bit of bay leaf may be added. when thoroughly well- done, strain through a colander and set aside until required for use. for the noodles, use one egg for an ordinary family, and more in proportion to quantity required. break the eggs into the flour, add a little salt, and mix into a rather stiff dough. roll very thin and cut into fine bits. let them dry for two hours, then drop them into the boiling stock about ten minutes before serving. corn soup. from mrs. m.d. thatcher, of colorado, lady manager. one large fowl, or four pounds of veal (the knuckle or neck will do). put over fire in one gallon of cold water, without salt. cover tightly and simmer slowly, until the meat will slip from the bones, not allowing it to boil all the strength out, as the meat can be made into a nice dish for breakfast or luncheon, by reserving a cupful of the liquor to put with it in a mince on toast, or a stew. strain the soup to remove all bones and bits of meat. grate one dozen ears of green corn, scraping cobs to remove the heart of the kernel (or one can, if prepared corn be used). add corn to soup, with salt, pepper and a little parsley, and simmer slowly half an hour. just before serving, add a tablespoonful of flour, beaten very thoroughly with a tablespoon of butter. serve very hot. celery soup. from mrs. alice b. castleman, of kentucky, alternate lady manager. put a veal bone to boil in one quart of water. after skimming it well, put in one pint of celery cut up very fine, two tablespoonfuls of rice, one onion, one teaspoonful of celery salt. let this boil till reduced to a pint. take out the meat and pass the soup through a colander, mashing and extracting as much of the puree as possible, passing the stock through it two or three times. boil a quart of milk separately; rub two tablespoonfuls of flour in a half a cup of butter; add this to the boiled milk; after cooking it a few minutes, add the milk to the celery puree and serve at once, mixing milk and puree well. oyster soup. from mrs. helen c. brayton, of south carolina, vice president of state board, and lady manager. take one hundred oysters and simmer in their liquor with allspice. as the scum rises skim carefully. strain off the liquor and add to it three-quarters lb. butter and one-quarter lb. flour, rubbed to a cream. let this boil and carefully stir in a quart of milk, guarding against curdling and pour over the oysters. bisque of crab or crawfish. from mrs. belle h. perkins, of louisiana, president of state board, lady manager. boil one dozen crabs; pick them in flaky pieces as much as possible; remove the meat from the claws and the fat from the back. reserve some of the nicest pieces and put them aside for the soup after it is done. boil a chicken or veal bone; put it into two quarts of cold water; let it come to a boil and skim well, adding a cup of rice; let all boil together until the ingredients are reduced to one quart; add an onion, a piece of celery (or a teaspoon of celery salt); pass the stock and rice, together with the other parts of the crab, through a sieve; mash the chicken or veal bone well, and add some of the stock. mash again and scrape from the bottom of the sieve, obtaining all the puree possible; add this to the broth, together with the meat of the crabs. let a pint of sweet cream come to a boil, adding it to the soup just as it is being served; also two tablespoons of butter, celery salt and pepper. potato puree. from mrs. james r. deane, of california, lady manager. two pounds potatoes; two ounces butter; two tablespoonfuls chopped onions; two tablespoonfuls chopped celery; one quart milk; one quart boiling water; one-half cupful sago; one-half teaspoonful pepper; one teaspoonful salt. wash, peel and slice potatoes, onions and celery. melt the butter and add it to the vegetables, stirring it for five minutes to keep it from browning or burning. then add the boiling water. when the vegetables are soft, rub them through a sieve; add the milk, and when the soup is boiling, add the sago, a little at a time, and cook until the sago looks clear. stir the soup well and add seasoning the last. asparagus soup. from mrs. laura p. coleman, of colorado, lady manager. two quarts veal stock; two bunches asparagus; two cloves; two onions; three pepper corns; a little parsley. boil one hour and strain, then add one pint whipped cream. after dished, season with salt to taste. tapioca or celery may be substituted for asparagus. tomato soup. from mrs. ida m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. one quart of canned tomatoes; one quart of boiling water; one small onion; one carrot; celery and parsley; one teaspoonful salt. boil slowly for three hours and strain. add two tablespoonfuls sugar, one tablespoonful butter, two tablespoonfuls flour made into a paste with water and used as thickening. tomato soup. from mrs. e. j. p. howes, of michigan, lady manager. take one-half dozen fresh tomatoes or a pint of canned, and stew a half hour in a pint of water; strain through a colander; put the liquid on the fire; stir in a teaspoonful of soda; then add a pint of heated milk; season with a little butter (a dessertspoonful); salt and pepper to taste, and bring the whole to a boiling heat and serve hot. gumbo filÉ from mrs. anna m. fosdick, of alabama, lady manager. cut up a chicken; sprinkle with flour, and fry in the vessel in which the gumbo is to be made. when the chicken is nearly done, chop an onion and fry with it. pour on this three quarts of boiling water, and let all boil slowly till the flesh leaves the bones of the chicken. then add the liquor from the oysters, two tablespoonfuls of tomato catchup, and salt and pepper to taste. let this boil a short time; then add one hundred oysters. do not allow them to boil more than two minutes. remove the vessel from the fire, and before pouring into the tureen, sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of filé. serve always with rice. _to prepare filé for gumbo_.--gather sassafras leaves, as late as possible in the season, before they turn red. dry them in the shade and open air. when perfectly dry, pound thorn, sift the powder and bottle it keep tightly corked. gumbo soup. from mrs. virginia t. smith, of connecticut, alternate lady manager. fry three rather thin slices of salted pork; and three large onions in the some fat. fry also a chicken of medium size, after which put pork, onions, chicken and a half pound of _lean_ ham, into a dinner kettle containing four quarts of boiling water. when the mixture begins to boil, add one quart of gumbo, the corn cut from two ears, three tomatoes, and two very small red peppers. add boiling water as it needs and cook slowly five or six hours, after which strain and serve with bread "crunchers" cut in dice. chicken gumbo with oysters. from mrs. alice b. castleman, of kentucky, alternate lady manager. take a young chicken or a half grown one; cut up; roll it in salt, pepper and flour, and fry it a nice brown, using lard or drippings as if for a fricassee. cut up a quart of fresh green okra and take out the chicken and fry the okra in the same lard. when well browned, return the chicken to the pot and boil. add to it a large slice of ham--a quarter of a pound will be about right for this gumbo. pour on to the chicken, ham and okra half a gallon of boiling water and let it boil down to three pints. ten minutes before serving, pour into the boiling soup two dozen fine oysters, with half a pint of their liquor; let it come to a good boil and serve with well-boiled rice._--la cuisine creole._ okra soup. from miss florida cuningham, of south carolina, lady manager. two quarts of okra out very fine in three quarts of water, in which put a large shank of beef, and boil one hour. then skim well and add two quarts of fresh tomatoes, strained. boil slowly and without ceasing for at least five hours. season with salt to the taste when the tomatoes are put in, and add black and cayenne pepper when ready to serve. keep closely covered while cooking. black bean soup. from mrs. m. d. foley, of nevada, lady manager. soak one coffee cup black turtle beans over night in cold water. add water enough in the morning to cook thoroughly. one hour before dinner rub through a sieve and stir in three pints plain beef stock. season with salt, pepper, and a salt spoon each of cloven and allspice. just before serving add a wine glass of port or sherry, one small lemon thinly sliced and one hard boiled egg chopped fine. bean soup. from mrs. anne b. patrick, of colorado, alternate lady manager. take one can of boston baked beans. remove all the pork and pour over the beans one quart of boiling water, and let it boil slowly for one hour, adding hot water from time to time to keep up the quantity. mash the beans thoroughly and strain through a sieve, heat again nearly to boiling and add one pint of hot (not boiling) cream; add pepper and salt to taste. soup regency. from mrs. isabella beecher hooker, of connecticut, lady manager. the bones and remains of cold fowls, such as turkey and chicken: or game, such as partridges, woodcock, etc.; two carrots; two small onions; one head of celery; one turnip; one-half tea cup pearl barley; the yolks of three eggs, boiled hard; one-quarter pint of cream; salt to taste, and two quarts of common stock. _mode_--place the bones and remains of the fowls in the stew pan, with the vegetables sliced; pour over the stock and simmer for two hours; skim off all the fat and strain it wash the barley and boil it in two waters before adding it to the soup; finish simmering in the soup, and when the barley is done take out half and pound the other half with the yolks of the eggs. when well pounded, rub it through a fine colander, add the cream and the salt, if necessary; let it boil up once more and serve very hot, putting in the barley that was taken out first. time of cooking, - / hours. seasonable from september to march. sufficient for eight persons. pea soup. from mrs. whiting s. clark, of iowa, lady manager. cover a quart of green peas and a very small onion with hot water; boil till soft enough to strain through a sieve. cream two tablespoons of butter and one of flour and add to a quart of milk and coffee cup of cream. boil all together and strain. stir in whipped cream and serve with buttered toast cut in small squares. clam chowder. from mrs. charles h. olmstead, of georgia, lady manager. to one pint of clams add one quart of milk, two onions, chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of butter, the yolks of two eggs rubbed in two tablespoonfuls of flour, salt, parsley, cayenne pepper, half teaspoonful allspice, four hard-boiled eggs sliced, and half pint sherry wine added when served. cut the soft part of the clams in two pieces; mince the tough part very fine and boil it one hour in a quart of water before adding the soft part; after the soft part has boiled half an hour longer, add the milk, flour and other ingredients. serve hot. clam chowder. from miss lida m. russell, of nevada, lady manager. two large onions, sliced and fried with one cup of finely chopped salt pork. add to it three pints of boiling milk and juice of one can of clams, in which has been cooked two large potatoes, thinly sliced; a pinch of red pepper; salt; two tablespoonfuls of flour, rubbed smooth with one tablespoon of melted butter. stir in clams, heat well and serve at once. fish soles or smelts cooked with maÎtre d'hotel sauce. from mrs. james r. deane, of california, lady manager. skin the fish and cut flesh into filets; put the skin and bones into a saucepan with water enough to cover them; let this boil to make the stock for the gravy. now wipe the filets dry and roll them up with the skin side inward to make them stand firm; place the filets on a buttered baking tin, first rolling them into bread crumbs. when ready to cook, squeeze over each filet about a teaspoonful lemon juice and put on each a piece of maître d'hotel butter; cover with a buttered paper and cook about ten minutes. _to make maître d'hotel butter_--work one tablespoonful of butter to a cream; squeeze in the juice of one-half a lemon; one-quarter saltspoonful cayenne; one tablespoonful finely chopped parsley. put butter on ice to cool before using. _sauce for this dish_--two tablespoonfuls of butter, melted; two tablespoonfuls of flour, stirred into the butter and cook for ten minutes. then put in a small pinch of cayenne pepper and a cupful of fish stock and cook for ten minutes. then put in juice of one-half lemon, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, and just before serving put in two tablespoonfuls of cream. baked shad. from mrs. mary r. kinder, of delaware, lady manager. make a stuffing of bread crumbs, butter, salt, pepper, and an egg well beaten. stuff the shad, sew it up and bake in a quick oven. serve with _brown gravy_, mushroom, or tomato ketchup. cubion. from mrs. anna m. fosdick, of alabama, lady manager. cut a red-fish or red-snapper in pieces and fry brown. while frying the fish, in a separate vessel, cut very fine and fry, one onion and two cloves of garlic. when brown, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, one pint of prepared tomatoes, pepper and salt to taste, a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, and half a dozen whole cloves. let this simmer for one-half hour, then add one-half pint of wine. pour over the fried fish, and serve immediately. cod fish balls. from mrs. a. m. palmer, of new york, alternate lady manager. one pound codfish; one and a half pound potatoes; one quarter pound butter; two eggs. boil the fish slowly, then pound with a potato masher until _very_ fine; add the potatoes mashed and hot; next add butter and one-half cup milk and the two eggs. mix thoroughly, form into balls, and fry in hot fat. salmon croquettes. from mrs. george w. lamar, of georgia, alternate lady manager. one can of salmon, minced very fine; two large irish potatoes, boiled and mashed; half of a small onion, chopped fine; two raw eggs; salt and black pepper; two tablespoonfuls of worcestershire sauce. rub these together until very light. make into balls, roll in cracker dust and fry in boiling lard. shell fish maryland terrapins. from mrs. william reed, of maryland, lady manager. after bleeding them an hour, put them into warm water. a young one will boil tender in half an hour. they are done when the shell is easily removed. be careful not to cut off the heads before boiling, as it will make them watery. in picking them, be careful not to break the gall or waste the liquor. the small bones are often left in the terrapin--if they are diamondbacks. be careful not to break the eggs. when picked, add the liquor, and to three medium sized terrapins, three-fourths pound of butter, salt and pepper (cayenne) to taste. let them stew for a short time, but be careful not to stir them more than is absolutely necessary. if you wish, one-half pint of good wine can be added just before serving. another way to dress terrapin is to add to the liquor of three terrapins, three-fourths pound of butter thickened with browned flour, cayenne pepper and salt. spices or onions are never used in maryland to dress terrapins. terrapin white stew. from mrs. jambs r. deane, of california, lady manager. two large terrapin; three tablespoonfuls butter; one pint cream; one- half pint sherry or madeira; one gill water; six hard-boiled eggs; one-half a lemon; two level teaspoonfuls salt; cayenne, white pepper, mace and allspice to taste. cut up the terrapin fine; put in a stew pan with terrapin juice, water, butter, salt, pepper and spices. simmer for fifteen minutes. mash yolks of eggs well and mix gradually with cream; add this mixture, with the wine, and the lemon cut in thin slices, to the terrapin stew. cut up the whites of eggs in thin rings and, stirring, mix thoroughly, but do not let it boil. to be served at once. white stew of terrapin. from mrs. george w. lamar, of georgia, alternate lady manager. cut off the heads and throw into cold water for about an hour to draw the blood. scald them to loosen the skin and nails; open and clean them. cover with water and boil, with part of an onion chopped fine, and a sprig of parsley and thyme. when thoroughly done, remove all the meat from the shells and bones, chop fine and return to the pot. rub to a cream one-quarter pound of butter and one tablespoonful of flour, with a little of the stock, and stir in gradually, adding salt and red pepper to taste. just before serving put in one-half pint of cream and one wineglass of wine to each terrapin. slice one lemon and four hard- boiled eggs into a tureen, pour the stew over them and serve in terrapin dishes. terrapin croquettes. from mrs. w. w. kimball, of chicago, lady manager. take the meat of one terrapin. chop in small pieces, add a pint of sherry and boil ten minutes; then add a quart of cream and boil again ten minutes; add salt, cayenne pepper, a little worcestershire sauce and two tablespoons of cream sauce. beat up yolks of four eggs in some cream butter and mix with the other. put in tin moulds and place on ice for six or eight hours until hard. dip moulds in hot water to loosen. take out of moulds, bread as you would oysters, and fry. deviled lobster. from mrs. joseph c. straughan, of idaho, lady manager. two lobsters, each weighing about two and a half lbs.; one pint of cream; two tablespoonfuls of butter; two of flour; one of mustard; a speck of cayenne; salt; pepper; a scant pint of bread crumbs. open the lobster and with a sharp knife cut the meat rather fine. be careful in opening not to break the body or tail shells. wash these shells and wipe dry. join them in the form of a boat, that they may hold the prepared meat. put the cream on to boil. mix the butter, flour, mustard, and pepper together and add three spoonfuls of the boiling cream. stir all into the remaining cream and cook two minutes. add the lobster, salt and pepper, and boil one minute. fill the shells with the mixture and place in pan. cover with the bread crumbs and brown for twenty minutes in a hot oven. serve on a long narrow dish, the body in the centre, the tails at either end. garnish with parsley. lobster croquettes. from mrs. louise l. barton, of idaho, alternate lady manager. one pint chopped lobsters; good half pint rolled crackers; one tablespoonful butter; ten of milk; salt and pepper to taste. this quantity is enough for twelve persons. deviled crabs. from mrs. cora l. bartlett, of new mexico, lady manager. take butter the size of an egg; melt slowly in sauce-pan; into butter slice fine a piece of onion size of a filbert; brown slowly. sift into above, tablespoonful of flour and cream carefully; heat a generous half pint of milk and stir into butter and flour. take no. can of deviled crabs; strain off all the liquor; season with a scant teaspoon of mustard, scant teaspoon cayenne pepper, half teaspoon salt, good half teaspoon of liquor from crosse & blackwell's chow-chow, one teaspoon worcestershire sauce, tablespoonful vinegar and a half teaspoon lemon juice; parsley to taste. mix _thoroughly_, and stir into butter and milk. when cooking well, stir into it rapidly two eggs that have been well beaten. remove from stove and put in crab shells with butter the size of filbert and rolled crackers on top. heat in quick oven and serve at once, garnished with parsley. this recipe makes an amount sufficient for eight persons. if desired, cracker crumbs very fine may be added to increase the quantity, just before stirring in the eggs. the crabs may be kept three or four days if in a cool place. deviled crabs. from mrs. anna e. m. farnum, of idaho, lady manager. boil them, take the meat out of the bodies, and large claws; put it into stew pan with half a pint of claret, spoonful of eschalot vinegar, a little cayenne, some salt, piece of butter. stew for an hour over a gentle fire until they are almost dry. then add small quantity of fish stock, or gravy, a tablespoonful of essence of anchovy, and small piece of butter rolled in flour. serve with sippets of fried bread around the dish. deviled crabs. from miss jennie torreyson, of nevada, alternate lady manager. have one large crab picked from the shell, and shred fine, and the shell well cleansed. heat one egg well, add one _tea_-cup sweet cream; butter, size of an egg, melted; one sherry glass of sherry; one large spoonful of worcestershire sauce; mace, allspice and cloves to taste; a good deal of cayenne and a little black pepper and salt. stir this all together over the fire till it boils; then pour over the crab and mix well; fill the shell and sprinkle over the top a thick layer of fine cracker crumbs and bits of butter. put in a hot oven till browned on top. serve hot. soft shell crabs. from mrs. george w. lamar, of georgia, alternate lady manager. plunge the crabs into boiling water and leave for about ten minutes. wash them carefully and remove the sand bags. dry them thoroughly and for one dozen crabs have six raw eggs, well beaten. dip each crab into the eggs and roll them in cracker dust seasoned with salt and black pepper. fry a light brown, in boiling butter or lard. frog legs. from mrs. ella ray miller, of idaho, alternate lady manager. frog legs must be first salted and then dipped in a batter made of cracker dust and beaten eggs. fry them in sweet table butter until they are a golden brown color. the batter retains their sweet juices and they need no other condiments. pannÉe oysters. from mrs. alice b. castleman, of kentucky, alternate lady manager. drain two dozen or more oysters in a colander. pour over them draining from them, one quart of ice water. put an iron skillet or frying pan on the fire; let it get almost red hot. then put in the oysters, shaking and stirring them until they boil; add a little salt and pepper, one large tablespoonful butter. the dish must be hot and the oysters must be served _very_ hot; must not stand a minute. soda crackers put in the stove to get hot and brown, and the oysters poured over them, are very nice. creamed oysters. from mrs. mira b. f. ladd, of new hampshire, lady manager. parboil one pint of oysters in their own liquor until they are plump. drain thoroughly and have your cracker crumbs and white sauce ready. put a layer of oysters on a platter, then the white sauce over them, and a layer of the crumbs on top. bake about twenty minutes or until they are brown. for this quantity of oysters use a cup of cracker or bread crumbs and about one-third of a cup of butter, melted and stirred into the crumbs. to make the white sauce, take two tablespoonfuls of butter, one pint of milk, two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt and one-half saltspoonful of pepper. heat the milk. put the butter in a granite saucepan and when it bubbles stir in the dry flour very quickly until well mixed. pour on one-third of the milk, let it boil up and thicken, then add slowly the rest of the milk. it should be free from lumps before you put in the last of the milk. let it boil a little, then add the pepper and salt; also a tablespoonful of lemon juice and a little celery salt. "little pigs in blankets." from mrs. isabella laning candee, of illinois, alternate lady manager. this amusing and appetizing dish is easily made. take large fine oysters and drain them well, and season with salt and pepper, and a drop of lemon juice if desired. cut fat bacon into very thin, even slices, and wrap each oyster in a slice of bacon, fastening securely with a wooden skewer--a toothpick will do. two cloves can be inserted at one end of the roll to simulate _ears_. have the frying pan very hot, and cook the little pigs until the bacon crisps. serve immediately upon small pieces of toast. escalloped oysters. from miss meta telfair mclaws, of georgia, alternate lady manager. spread cracker crumbs on bottom of baking dish; then place bits of butter and a layer of oysters, which must be sprinkled with salt and pepper. make alternate layers of oysters, cracker crumbs, salt, pepper, and butter until dish is full. have crumbs on top. now make a small incision in center and pour in one well beaten egg, with a small quantity of oyster liquor. put in hot oven and brown nicely. creamed shrimps. from mrs. m. d. foley, of nevada, lady manager. cover one can of shrimps with cold milk and allow to come to a boil; then drain. rub one tablespoonful flour with same quantity of butter and add slowly one cup rich milk or cream at the boiling point. season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and enough tomato juice to color a shrimp pink. stir in the shrimps and when hot pour over small squares of toast arranged on a warm platter. garnish with sliced lemons. sauces sauce mousseline. from mrs. wilson patterson, of maryland, alternate lady manager. _i am always interested, and do my best to help anything done to help other women. i send you a recipe which i hope may be of service to you. it is a delicious sauce for asparagus and is given me by the chef of prince jerome bonaparte. wishing you every success in your most worthy undertaking, i am, sincerely yours, _ put in a sauce pan a piece of butter, melt it, add it pinch of flour; work it together thoroughly, wet it with a little warm water, salt it, make it boil, add the yolk of an egg; then beat up the sauce with a little fresh butter; pass it through the finest gauze. at the minute of serving add two spoonfuls of beaten cream, well mixed. boiled egg sauce. from mrs. james r. doolitte, jr. of chicago, lady manager. one large tablespoonful butter; two small tablespoonfuls flour; two eggs. put the butter in a tin pan over boiling water; when melted, stir in flour. when thoroughly and smoothly mixed, add enough milk to make it the proper consistency for sauce. boil the eggs hard, cut them in small pieces, stir them into the sauce, and serve with fish or boiled mutton. tartar sauce. from mrs. myra bradwell, of chicago, lady manager. three eggs; four tablespoonfuls olive oil; one and one-half teaspoonful of mustard; one teaspoonful black pepper; one teaspoonful salt; juice of one lemon; two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; one tablespoonful chopped parsley. boil two of the eggs very hard; rub the yolks to a powder; add the raw yolk of the other egg. stir in slowly the oil. chop fine the two whites of the boiled eggs; add the chopped parsley and one small onion chopped as fine as possible. meats filet of beef. from mrs. governor oglesby, of illinois, lady manager. filets of beef may be supplied by the butcher already trimmed and larded, but a more economical way is to buy the large piece which contains the tenderloin. have the butcher cut the tenderloin out and the rest of the meat into slices one-half or one inch thick; these pieces may be used to advantage in beef olives, stews or pies, the bones in the piece of meat to be broken up for the soup pot. the filet is then to be prepared by the cook in this manner: remove all skin and fat; fold the thin end under and skewer in place; the upper side must present a smooth surface for larding; with a larding needle lard the filet of beef in regular and even rows, with strips of firm, fat pickled pork one-quarter of an inch square and about two and one- quarter inches long. the lardoon should be about one-third of an inch under the surface and come out about three-quarters of an inch from where it went in, one-half inch projecting on each side. place the filet in a small baking pan, with minced salt pork and suet on the bottom of the pan, and six spoonfuls of stock to baste the filet. one-half to three-quarters of an hour will roast it, depending on heat of oven and whether it is preferred underdone or well done. serve with mushroom sauce or à la jardiniêre. _mushroom sauce_--melt one tablespoon butter; stir in a tablespoon of flour, and when it is well browned, add, after heating, six tablespoons of stock with half the juice from the can of mushrooms and one-half teaspoonful of lemon juice, seasoned with pepper and salt; add the button mushrooms and let all simmer about ten minutes. pour over the filet of beef and serve. _À la jardiniêre_--potatoes, turnips, beets, and carrots, cut in round balls, tiny onions, cauliflower blossoms, french beans or peas, are boiled separately in salted water, seasoned with salt, butter and cream, drained and then piled in little groups around the filet of beef, each pile being one kind of vegetable. _beef olives_--slices of beef one-half inch thick and about four inches square, spread with a force meat of cold meat, bacon or ham, with one cup of bread crumbs, the yolks of three eggs, one pint of gravy or stock, a tablespoon of catsup, salt and pepper to taste. roll up the slices of beef and fasten with tiny skewers; brush them over with egg and crumb and brown slightly in the oven; then put in stew pan and stew till tender. serve in gravy in which they were cooked, with fried or toasted croutons of bread. roast beef. from mrs. matilda b. carse, of chicago, lady manager, in roasting meats of all kinds, the method adopted should be the one that in the most perfect manner preserves the juices inside the meat. to roast beef in the best possible manner, place the clean-cut side of the meat upon a _very_ hot pan. press it close to the pan until seared and browned. reverse and sear and brown the other side. then put at once in the oven, the heat of which should be firm and steady, but not too intense, and allow minutes to the pound: if it is to be rare, less half an hour deducted from the aggregate time on account of searing. for example, a five-lb. roast of beef will require one and one-quarter hours, a six-lb. roast one and one-half hours, and so on. if the oven is in not too hot, the beef requires no basting. when it is at the proper temperature and the cooking is going all right, the meat will keep up a gentle sputtering in the pan. a roast of beef should never be washed but carefully wiped off with a damp cloth. when meal is done, take it from the oven, cut off the outside slices, then salt and pepper well. the meat, if roasted in this way, will be sweet, juicy and tender. yorkshire pudding. from mrs. harriet a. lucas of pennsylvania, lady manager. this pudding, as its name indicates is a great english dish, and to be used as vegetables are, with _roast beef only_. when vegetables are scarce, it adds a change to the ménu, which everybody likes but few know how to make successfully, because _it is very simple_. for a small family, put one pint of milk into a bowl, a small pinch of salt: break into this (without beating) two fresh eggs. now have a good egg beater in your hand; dust into this one-half pint of sifted flour; beat vigorously and rub out all the lumps of flour. have ready a smaller roasting pan than that in which your beef is roasting, and put in it a good tablespoonful of sweet lard, _very hot_; pour your light batter into this, place a spit or wire frame in the pudding, lift the roast from the pan about minutes before it is done and put it on the spit, so that the juices of the beef will drop on to the pudding. about minutes will cook it. make gravy in the pan from which the roast has been removed. slide into a hot meat dish and serve with the meat. most cooks persistently raise it by adding some sort of baking powder, thinking it of no importance that the meat is over the pudding. i never yet found a person that did not enjoy a _good_ yorkshire pudding. this is a small one, for four or five persons. if you increase the pudding, also select a larger pan, as the batter should be fully one-half to an inch in the pan; if not, it will become too crusty. roulards. from mrs. ralph trautmann, of new york city, first vice president board of lady managers. secure slices of beef cut very thin from the round or cross rib. take tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, parsley, and hard boiled eggs, all chopped very fine. mix with a good sized piece of butter, cracker crumbs, a pinch of ginger and salt and pepper to taste. mix well and spread on the slices of beef. make a roll of each slice, folding in the edges to retain the dressing, and tie up securely with cord. have beef suet on the fire; after rendering and straining, add a little water to prevent scorching and bring to a boil in a flat-bottomed pot or kettle. drop in the roulards, rolled and tied; stir with a spoon until well browned; then set back on the stove and let simmer gently for two hours with pot tightly covered. drain well on napkin or sieve, and garnish with hard boiled eggs, parsley and slices of lemon. serve hot. each roulard should be about the size of an egg. beef loaf. from mrs. carrington mason, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. three pounds lean finely chopped beef; one dozen rolled butter crackers; four beaten eggs; one tablespoonful black pepper; one tablespoonful salt; butter the size of an egg. mix thoroughly, mold into two bricks and bake like a roast. this makes a very nice dish sliced cold for ten. a very little sage can be added if desired. hash. from mrs. annie l. y. orff, of missouri, alternate lady manager. chop any kind of meat fine; to one cupful add one cup of chopped boiled potatoes, three-fourths cup bread crumbs, put one-half cup milk, one tablespoon butter, a little pepper and salt in a sauce pan on the stove; when boiling stir in the hash which should be well mixed together; take from the fire and add one well-beaten egg; heat gem pans, and grease; put a spoonful of the hash in each, and put in the oven till nicely browned. mutton chops. from miss mary b. hancock, of iowa, treasurer of state board and alternate lady manager. sprinkle the chops with salt, pepper and flour; put them in the double broiler; broil over or before the fire for eight minutes. serve on a _hot_ dish with butter, salt, and pepper, or tomato sauce. the fire for chops should not be as hot as for steak. chops can be seasoned with salt and pepper, wrapped in buttered paper, and broiled ten minutes over a hot fire. roast lamb. from mrs. robt. b. mitchell, of kansas, lady manager. brush three ounces of melted butter over the inner part of a well trimmed quarter of lamb, and strew thick with finely grated bread crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and parsley; roll and skewer four or five slices of bacon to the outer side; put in rather quick oven. when thoroughly done (not over cooked) remove the bacon and baste the meat with well beaten yolk of egg and gravy; cover thick with bread crumbs and brown nicely. garnish the platter on which it is served with sprays of mint. mint sauce should be an accompaniment. this makes not only an attractive looking, but delicious roast of lamb. lamb chops. from mrs. hester a. hanback, of kansas, lady manager. trim neatly and hack with sharp knife until tender; dip each piece in beaten egg and roll in cracker crumbs; place in pan equal quantities of butter and lard very hot; fry until nicely browned and serve with green peas. potted tongue. from mrs. frank h. daniell, of new hampshire, alternate lady manager. take the remains of a cold boiled tongue, remove all the hard parts, cut the meat into small pieces and afterwards pound it to a smooth paste. season with cayenne, and beat with it one-fourth of its weight in clarified butter. press it into small jars, cover it one-fourth inch deep with clarified butter, melted drippings or melted suet. a smaller proportion of butter will be required if a little of the fat of the tongue is used instead of the lean only, but the butter must not be entirely dispensed with. it can be seasoned by the addition of one teaspoonful of mixed mustard, one saltspoonful of white pepper, a pinch of cayenne, and as much grated nutmeg as will cover a three-cent piece to each pound of tongue. potted tongue is excellent when pounded with its weight in well dressed cold chicken, cold veal, or partridge. the tongue must be pounded to a perfectly smooth paste. veal croquettes. from mrs. isabella beecher hooker, of connecticut, lady manager. mince cold roast or boiled veal; add one-fourth as much of minced oysters scalded in their own liquor. season with a dusting of red pepper, salt, a flavor of onion (two fine cut rounds of onion is sufficient), a tablespoonful of lemon juice. stir this into a half pint of drawn butter made thick with flour; mould the croquettes; roll them in egg, then in cracker crumbs, salted and peppered; put them where they will be cold; when chilled put them in a frying basket into hot fat; two minutes will brown them. veal croquettes. from miss katharine l. mikor, of louisiana, fourth vice president board of lady managers. two pounds of veal, boiled until done; remove skin and hone and chop very fine; crumb a half loaf of bread and mix with the veal broth; add three eggs, two tablespoons of butter, salt, pepper, parsley, etc. then form into egg-shaped balls and fry brown in boiling lard. it is necessary to dust the balls with cracker-dust or flour. veal pot pie from miss susan w. ball, of indiana, alternate lady manager. take two pounds of veal--a rib piece is good; cut it in small pieces; put it into a pot, having placed a small plate in the bottom to keep the meat from burning. put in two quarts of water, either hot or cold. keep it boiling for about an hour and a half. then make a quart of flour into biscuit dough; drop in small lumps; cover closely. twenty or twenty--five minutes will generally cook them. be sure that there is water sufficient to cover the meat entirely when the dumplings are put in. casselettes de veau. from mrs. james r. deane, of california, lady manager. this is a very simple, attractive and palatable dish for a luncheon table and may be used either warm or cold. yours, cordially, ingredients for one dozen: one-quarter pound macaroni; one pound filet of veal; one ounce butter; one ounce flour; one gill of white stock or milk; three eggs; pepper; salt, and a little cayenne to taste. chop the veal and then pass it twice through a sausage cutter or mincing machine. cook the butter and flour together for about ten minutes; then add the milk or stock; then turn on a plate to cool; then add the minced veal; then add the seasoning; break the eggs in one by one; stir well. boil the macaroni in salt and water until soft; drain it well and cut into rings about one-quarter inch long; have some small cups shaped like egg-cups; grease the sides slightly and place in the bottom of each cup a circular piece of cold boiled ham, fitting closely. then arrange the macaroni on the sides, the open part to the side of the cup; then fill each cup with the chopped veal; cover with a greased paper and steam for twenty minutes. if eaten warm, use any gravy that may be used with veal. will keep for two or three days. veal fricassee. from mrs. t. j. butler, of arizona, lady manager. take a knuckle of veal; boil two hours in sufficient water to cover it; when thoroughly cooked, remove the meat and thicken the gravy with one tablespoonful of flour; add a little salt and one egg, well beaten; pour over the meat and serve hot with slices of lemon. veal loaf from mrs. whiting s. clark, of iowa, lady manager. three pounds raw veal, chopped fine; two-thirds cup butter or its equivalent of salt pork, chopped; three eggs, well beaten with tablespoon milk; four boston crackers, pounded fine; two even teaspoons pepper; one teaspoon sage; one tablespoon salt. mix well in a loaf and bake two-hours. baste often with butter and water. sweetbreads sweet-bread croquettes. from mrs. schuyler colfax, of indiana, alternate lady manager-at- large. _it gives me great pleasure to send you the recipes you request, and thus further, in this small way, your unique and most generous project. the recipe for sweetbread croquettes is from mrs. henderson's practical cooking and dinner giving, but as it is the best one that i have ever tried, i send it. cordially yours,_ two pair of sweetbreads blanched and cut into dice. half a box of mushrooms also cut into dice. make a sauce by putting into a sauce pan one and a half ounces of butter, and when it bubbles, sprinkle in two ounces of flour, mix the butter and flour well together and cook thoroughly; then put in a gill of strong stock; stock for this is best made of chicken with some pieces of beef and veal added, or a gill of cream may be used instead of the stock. when the flour, butter and stock are well mixed, put in the sweetbreads and mushrooms and stir over the fire until they are thoroughly heated. now take them off the fire, add the beaten yolks of two eggs, return to the fire long enough to set the eggs but do not allow them to boil. when cool, form into croquettes, roll first in cracker or bread crumbs, then in egg, and again in crumbs and fry in boiling lard. sweetbreads and oysters. from seÑora teresa armijo de symington, of new mexico. soak and blanch your sweetbreads, cut them into equal sizes and remove the skins and little pipes. take about three dozen fine oysters, strain off the liquor. put the sweetbreads into a stew pan and cover them with the oyster liquor; add also, if you have it, three large spoonfuls of gravy of roast veal and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter cut into bits and each bit rolled in flour. when the sweetbreads are done put in the oysters and let them cook for about five minutes and take them out again; add at the last two wineglasses of sweet cream; stir up well for a few minutes and serve in a hot dish. sweetbreads and mushrooms, from mrs. p. b. winston, of minnesota, alternate lady manager. take all the fat off sweetbreads; throw into boiling water; add one teaspoonful of salt and let stand on fire for twenty minutes; take from fire, remove all skin and pick to pieces. put a tablespoonful of butter in a pan and let melt, add tablespoonful flour and one-half pint of cream; stir until it boils, add sweetbreads and five mushrooms chopped fine, one-half teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper. serve in patties or paper cases. sweetbreads en coquille. from miss jennie torreyson, of nevada, alternate lady manager. one pound sweetbreads. soak them one hour in salt water; boil till tender in salt water in which an onion has been put. one can mushrooms ("champignons") cut into small pieces, stew a bit till tender and mix with sweetbreads after they are boiled till tender and cut into small pieces. one pint cream, one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful flour. cream the butter, mixing with the flour till smooth; stir with the cream, add one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce and stir together over the fire until it boils, then pour it over the sweetbreads and mushrooms. serve in shells or cases. can be used also without mushrooms if desired. sweetbread patties. from miss wilhelmine reitz, of indiana, lady manager. wash one pair of sweetbreads; throw them into boiling water and simmer gently twenty minutes; then throw them into cold water to blanch and cool. when cool pick them into small pieces, rejecting all the fine membrane. chop fine a half can of mushrooms. put a large tablespoonful of butter in a sauce pan to melt without browning; add an even tablespoonful of flour, mix until smooth; add a half pint of cream, stir continually until it boils; add a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of white pepper; the mushrooms and sweetbreads mix and stand over boiling water for five minutes. serve in paper cases, silver shells or in puff-paste cases. poultry boiled chicken. from mrs. governor edwin c. burleigh, of maine, second vice president board of lady managers. joint the chicken; cut in small pieces; remove the skin; put into tepid water. have ready a frying pan with hot melted butter; put the chicken into the pan and fry to a delicate brown; then put into a kettle, cover with water and boil very slowly for an hour. season. remove chicken and thicken gravy with flour. jambolaya. (a spanish creole dish) from miss katharine l. minor, of louisiana, fourth vice president board of lady managers. cut up the remains of a chicken or turkey, cover with water, and stew until the substance is extracted; then shred the meat. wash one pound of rice carefully and set aside. put one tablespoon of lard into a porcelain-lined saucepan; add a small spoon of finely chopped onion and a tomato; then put in the shredded fowl and liquid in which it was boiled, adding the rice, red pepper and salt; sufficient water must be added to cover the rice, which must cook and steam until soft, but not wet or like mush. chicken livers, en brochette, with bacon. from mrs. col. james a. mulligan, of chicago, lady manager. take eighteen fresh chicken livers; dry well; season with pepper and salt; cut each liver in two pieces. prepare six slices of lean bacon, broil one minute; cut each slice into six pieces. take six silver skewers; run the skewer through the centre of the piece of chicken liver, then through a slice of bacon, until each skewer is filled with alternate slices of chicken liver and bacon. roll each one in olive oil, then in bread crumbs, and broil five minutes on each side over moderate fire. arrange on hot dish, pour maître d'hotel butter over them. garnish with watercress and serve. pollo con arroz. from seÑora don manuel chaves, of new mexico. primeramente se pone a herbir el pollo hasta que este bien cosido y despues so frie una poca de cobolla en manteca junto con el arroz y se le hecha pimienta entera y se le anade el caldo, colado, en que se cosio el pollo. despues se anade el pollo cortado en pedazos pequeños y se le hecha sal. pollo con tomates. lomismo que con arroz, con la excepcion que en lugar de arroz se le echan tomates. tamales de chile. lomismo, con la excepcion que en lugar de echarles azucar, canela y pasas se les echa en el medio carne con chile y sal. coquilles de volaille. from miss josephine shakspeare, of louisiana, lady manager. boil the chicken until very tender; pull the meat from the bones in flakes; remove all the skin and cut the meat into very small pieces. take one-half pint of the chicken broth, one teaspoonful of minced onion, the same of minced parsley, two tablespoons of butter rubbed into same quantity of flour, let this cook for a few moments and add one-half pint of cream or rich milk. season the meat with a little cayenne pepper and some salt; add to this a small box of truffles, cut fine, also a box of mushrooms thinly sliced; stir all this into the sauce. if there should not be enough to cover the meat, add more broth, cream, butter and pepper, little by little, until you have enough sauce and of the right consistency. it should be as thick as rich cream. when cold add a claret glass of sherry wine. before taking from the fire, add to it two more tablespoons of butter, a little at a time, never add all at once, it may oil it. fill the shells, sprinkle bread crumbs on top and about twenty minutes before ready to serve them, place in a very hot oven to brown. must not _stand after cooked_. croquettes. from mrs. l. c. gillespie, of tennessee, lady manager. breast of a large turkey; five sweetbreads; one and one-half pint of milk; one-half pound butter; five tablespoonfuls of flour; two eggs. chop the turkey and sweetbreads very fine, using a silver knife for chopping the sweetbreads. beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately as you would for a cake. mix the eggs, butter, flour and milk in a porcelain vessel and cook until the mixture comes to the consistency of cream sauce; and that it may cook smoothly, it will be necessary to make first a thick paste of the flour by stirring into it a very small quantity of the milk, gradually thinning it with more of the milk. while cooking it must be stirred constantly, and as soon as it is sufficiently thick add to the mixture the chopped turkey and sweetbreads and cook the whole for two minutes longer. use no seasoning but pepper (white or cayenne) and salt to the taste. this quantity will make twenty-two large croquettes, which are prettiest moulded in a pear-shaped wine glass. with a little practice you can mould them in your hand. have ready some cracker crumbs rolled very fine and dust like. fry the croquettes in boiling lard and enough to cover them. when a rich brown take them out and place on sieve or brown paper to rid them of the surplus grease. run them into a well heated oven for a few minutes before serving. put a teaspoonful of cream sauce on the top of each croquette. chicken croquettes. from mrs. sarah h. bixby, of maine, alternate lady manager. chop one-half pound chicken quite fine; add one teaspoonful salt; one saltspoonful pepper; one saltspoonful celery salt; one teaspoon lemon juice; one tablespoon chopped parsley and a few drops of onion juice; moisten with the thick cream sauce. _thick cream sauce_--melt two tablespoons butter; add two heaping tablespoons cornstarch; one teaspoon salt and one saltspoon pepper; add slowly one pint hot cream and beat well. curry of chicken in puffs. from seÑora teresa armijo de symington, of new mexico. first prepare your puffs by the following recipe. ingredients: two cupfuls of milk, two of flour, two eggs and a piece of butter the size of an egg melted; a little salt; heat the eggs separately and well; add the milk to the yolks, then the flour and so on, the whites last; beat all well together. they may be baked in teacups. this quantity will make about a dozen puffs. _curry of chicken_--buy a young chicken, cut it into pieces, leaving out all the bones; season with pepper and salt to taste; fry them in butter until well done; cut an onion fine, which fry in the same butter until brown; add a teacupful of clear stock, a teaspoonful of sugar. take about a tablespoonful of curry powder and a little flour, mix and rub together with a little of the stock until quite smooth; add to the sauce pan; put in the chicken and let it boil for a few minutes; just before taking out add the juice of half a lemon. when this is all ready proceed to fill puffs while hot and serve immediately. garnish puffs with parsley and serve a dish of cold slaw with it. pilauf. from miss floride cuningham, of south carolina, lady manager. select a good fat hen, one pound of bacon strip, and one dozen whole black peppers, and boil together until quite done. take them out of the pot, and put into the liquid left a pint and a half of rice, seasoned with a dessertspoonful of salt, boil twenty minutes, drain from it any of the juice that may remain, and place the pot again on the range, where the rice cannot burn, but where it will have the opportunity to dry thoroughly--each grain remaining apart. keep the chicken hot and brown the bacon in the oven. when the rice is ready serve in an open dish, place the chicken on the top and pour over it a rich sauce of melted butter and hard boiled eggs chopped fine. the bacon can be sliced very thin and served with lettuce as a course. fricassee chicken. from mrs. helen c. brayton, of south carolina, vice-president of state board and lady manager. cut the chicken in pieces and stew in as much water as will cover it. add a bunch of sweet herbs, white pepper and onions. when cooked, add the yolks of six eggs, glass of white wine, chopped parsley, butter, and tablespoonful of cream, all beaten together. a good roast turkey. from mrs. helen a. peck, of missouri, alternate lady manager-at- large. an ordinary turkey weighing eight to ten pounds requires at least two hours for proper and thorough cooking. prepare your fowl and rub dry with a clean towel; then mix a little pepper and salt and rub both inside and outside of the turkey before putting in the dressing. grate stale bread, about three cups; then add a small teaspoon of pepper and the same amount of powdered sage or sweet marjoram, salt and a little salt fat pork chopped very fine or a piece of butter the size of an egg; use warm water to mix the whole to the consistency of thick batter; beat an egg and stir into it the last thing; stuff the breast with half of the dressing, then sew up with coarse white thread and put the remaining dressing into the body and sew up. take skewers of wood or iron and pin the wings closely to the sides, then turn the neck back and pin that firmly. one can use twine and tie them if they haven't the skewers. force the legs down and tie tightly to the body before placing the turkey in the dripping pan with nearly a pint of water. have a brisk fire and baste the turkey at least every fifteen minutes with these drippings. this frequent basting is of great importance as it keeps in the juices and allows thorough cooking. turn the turkey two or three times during the cooking. during the last half hour dredge with flour and butter freely. the crisp pasty look so desirable and appetizing comes from this. cook gizzard and liver in a sauce pan on the stove until thoroughly tender, then chop very fine and put them in the gravy to boil thoroughly in the dripping pan in the gravy which is delicious, and to be served from a tureen. dressing for turkey. from mrs. w. h. felton, of georgia, lady manager. bread crumbs and cold rice, equal quantities; season with pepper, onion and salt to taste, mixing well with cup of butter and yolks of three hard boiled eggs; dress the outside with circles of white hard boiled eggs and sprigs of parsley or celery. how to cook chestnuts. from miss eloise l. roman, of maryland, alternate lady manager. two quarts of water to one quart of fresh chestnuts. if dried they should be soaked several hours in cold water. boil from three- quarters to one hour. abut five minutes before they are done add a handful of salt. peel and skin, serve hot, browned in butter, or cold with salad dressing and equal parts of chopped celery. when parboiled and skinned with salt and a little pepper it makes an excellent dressing for turkeys. game wild duck in maryland. from mrs. william reid, of maryland, lady manager. wild ducks, canvassback, redheads, etc., are roasted without stuffing. after they are picked and thoroughly cleansed, roast them in a tin kitchen before a hot fire or in a quick oven for twenty-one minutes. they should be well browned on the outside, but the blood should run when cut with a knife. unless underdone the flavor of the duck is destroyed. fried hominy is generally served with wild duck; and fresh celery. currant jelly is sometimes used. snipe and woodcock broiled on toast. from mrs. rufus s. frost, of massachusetts, lady manager. prepare the birds with great care; place in baking tin and put in oven. pour into the tin enough water, boiling hot, to cover the bottom of the tin or bake pan; cover the bake pan with another tin; keep them closely covered and let them cook very steadily until tender, adding from time to time enough boiling hot water to keep birds from burning, or even _sticking_ to the tin. when very tender remove from the oven and from the bake pan, carefully saving all the liquid in the pan, which you set on top of the stove, which is the foundation and the _flavor_ for your sauce or gravy which you make _in this_ pan for your birds after they are broiled. have in an earthen dish some melted butter; dip the birds in the butter and then in indian or corn meal and put on the gridiron to brown and finish cooking; keep them hot as possible until you serve. arrange nicely trimmed pieces of toasted bread on the heated platter, put on each piece a bird, pour over and around the birds on the platter a sauce which you make _in_ the bake pan in which your birds were semi- cooked, and which you have kept on top of the range while your birds were broiling. pour into this pan of _liquid_ or "juice" one teacup sweet cream, and thicken with one tablespoon butter, yolk of one egg and two tablespoons of indian meal; let it boil up once just to thicken, and pour boiling hot onto the birds and toast on platter, saving some to send in separate serving dish. if you prefer flour to the corn meal to dip the birds in after the melted butter bath, use flour also to thicken the sauce or gravy, which should be a brown sauce or gravy and is generally brown enough if made in roasting pan. a prize cook in washington once confided to me that "a leetle last year's spiced pickle syrup am luscious flavor for gravy of the wee birds, robins, quail, snipe and them like." alas! in the same moment of flattering triumph for _me_, she added--triumphantly on _her_ part also--"lor, chile, i'se de only one libing dis day dat knows nuff to use that same, sure!" prairie chicken. from mrs. e. s. thomson, of maryland, lady manager. do not wash prairie chickens. cover this breasts with very thin slices of bacon, or rub them well with butter; roast them before a good fire, basting them often with butter. cook twenty minutes, salt and pepper them, and serve on a hot dish as soon as cooked. _sauce for the above_--first roll a pint of dry bread crumbs and pass half of them through a sieve. put a small onion into a pint of milk and when it boils remove the onion and thicken the milk with the half pint of sifted crumbs; take from the fire and stir in a heaping teaspoonful of butter, a grating of nutmeg, pepper and salt. put a little butter in a sautée pan, and when hot throw in the half pint of coarser crumbs which remained in the sieve; stir them over the fire until they assume a light brown color, taking care that they do not burn, and stir into them a pinch of cayenne pepper. for serving, pour over the chicken, when helped, a spoonful of the white sauce and on this place a spoonful of the crumbs. vegetables vegetable oyster. from mrs. governor bagley, of michigan, lady manager-at-large. _i regret that the long distance i am from home prevents me from sending you many valuable recipes i would be glad to contribute to your book. one, however, occurs to me that you may consider worthy a place, and, i assure you, makes a very delicious dish. sincerely yours,_ while cooking vegetable oyster put in the kettle a small piece of codfish. this adds very much to its flavor and delicacy and makes a delicious dish out of what would otherwise be an almost tasteless vegetable. the codfish should, of course, be removed before sending to the table. cauliflower with tartar sauce. from mrs. myra bradwell, of chicago, lady manager. serve the cauliflower with one cup of drawn butter in which has been stirred the juice of a lemon, and a half teaspoonful of french mustard, mixed up well with the sauce. scalloped potatoes. from mrs. beriah wilkins, of district of columbia, fifth vice- president, board of lady managers. slice six raw potatoes as thin as wafers. this can be done with a sharp knife, although there is a little instrument for the purpose, to be had at the house furnishing stores, which flutes prettily as well as slices evenly. lay in ice water a few minutes; then put a layer in the bottom of a pudding dish, and over this sprinkle salt and pepper and small bits of butter; then another layer of potatoes and so on until the dish is full. pour over this a pint of milk, stick bits of butter thickly over it, cover the dish, set it in the oven, bake half an hour. remove the cover if not sufficiently brown. escalloped sweet potatoes. from mrs. p. b. winston, of minnesota, alternate lady manager. take large sweet potatoes; parboil them slightly and cut them in transverse slices. prepare a deep baking dish and cover the bottom with a layer of slices; add a little butter, a very little sugar and nutmeg. strew over this a few bits of orange peel and add a little juice of the orange. fill the dish in like manner, finishing with fine shred of orange peel. bake until tender and you will have a dish to satisfy an epicure. potato puff. (a la geneve) from mrs. h. f. brown, of minnesota, lady manager. whip mashed potatoes light and soft, with milk, butter and two raw eggs; season with pepper and salt, and beat in a few spoonfuls of powdered cheese. pile upon a bake-dish and brown nicely. serve in dish. potato croquettes. from mrs. frances p. burrows, of michigan, alternate lady manager. four large mealy potatoes, cold. mash them; add two tablespoons of fresh, melted butter, pinch of salt, a little pepper, one tablespoon of cream. whip it for about five minutes or until very smooth and light. make into forms, roll them in a beaten egg and bread crumbs. fry in boiling lard. potatoes--mashed. from mrs. e. j. p. howes, of michigan, lady manager. peel potatoes thin; put into boiling water with a little salt added. cook until tender; drain off the water and remove the cover a few moments to dry the potatoes; turn into an earthen dish that has been heated, and beat up with a wire heater or silver fork, moistening the whole with cream; or, if not available, milk with a little butter will answer; salt to taste and mold in any desired form when it is ready to serve. a wooden masher in apt to make it heavy, while beating will make it light and creamy. boston baked beans. from mrs. elizabeth c. langworthy, of nebraska, lady manager. soak one quart of small, dry beans over night. parboil in the morning and place in earthen jar, with salt and pepper to taste. add one-half teaspoon soda and two tablespoons of molasses; also a small piece of salt pork. cover with water and bake eight hours, adding boiling water as needed. lima beans from mrs. marian d. cooper, of montana, alternate lady manager. soak beans over night; cook one hour in water, leaving very little water when done. just before serving season with pepper, salt, cream and butter and heat thoroughly. baked tomatoes. from mrs. governor rickards, of montana, president state board and lady manager. select large-sized, smooth and round tomatoes. cut from the stem end a slice and lay aside. scoop all the inside of tomato out, being careful not to break through; add half as much cracker or bread crumbs; season highly with salt and pepper; add plenty of butter, a dash or two of cayenne; put on the stove and cook for ten minutes. now fill the hollow tomatoes with this dressing; when full, add four or six whole cloves, putting them on top of the dressing; either pile up high or make level and put on the sliced top. place tomatoes in a large baking pan, with a little hot water to prevent sticking. bake fifteen minutes. baked tomatoes. from mrs. augusta truman, of california, lady alternate-at-large. select smooth, medium-sized tomatoes; make a small aperture at the stalk end; remove the pulp and seeds with a spoon and put into a sieve to drain. chop equal parts of cold chicken and veal and one green pepper; add a well-beaten egg, half cup grilled bread crumbs, piece of butter, pepper, salt, sage and a suspicion of onion; mix well together; moisten with some of the juice; fill the tomatoes; bake half an hour in a moderate oven. serve each tomato on a lettuce leaf. this makes a pretty as well as a savory entrée. stewed tomatoes. from miss mary h. krout, of indiana, alternate lady manager. take one quart of firm ripe tomatoes; stew one hour and a half over an even fire and stir frequently to prevent scorching; then add half a cup of bread crumbs, one teaspoonful of sugar, salt to taste, a pinch of cayenne pepper, a heaping tablespoonful of good butter and half a cup of sweet cream. boil together twenty minutes and serve hot. beets. from mrs. governor john m. stone, of mississippi, lady manager. boil until perfectly done; then pour melted butter, salt and pepper over and serve hot. parsnips--stewed. from mrs. m. r. lee, of mississippi, lady manager. wash, scrape, and slice about half an inch thick; have a skillet prepared with half pint hot water and a tablespoon butter; add the parsnips, season with salt and pepper, cover closely and stew until the water is cooked away, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. when done the parsnips will be of a creamy, light brown color. stuffed green peppers. from mrs. alice b. castleman, of kentucky, alternate lady manager. cut off the small end of the pepper; make a slit down the side; remove all the seeds. mince fine cold chicken, veal or shrimps, and add a little stale bread soaked in water and well squeezed to dry it; one- half teaspoonful minced onion; a little minced parsley, pepper, salt and one tablespoonful butter. put a large tablespoonful of butter in a spider and heat the dressing for the peppers in it for a few minutes; then stuff them, tie on the tops and the sides together also. in a sauce pan put a heaping tablespoonful of butter; when hot add one-half tablespoonful of flour, which brown in the butter; add a little onion minced fine and a cup of water; put in the peppers, cover closely and let them simmer slowly until tender; when done, add one tablespoonful of butter, pepper and salt to taste. corn oysters. from mrs. john s. briggs, of nebraska, lady manager. one teacup milk, three eggs, one pint green corn grated very fine, a little salt and as much flour as will make a slightly stiff batter; beat the eggs, the yolks and whites separately. to the yolks of the eggs add the milk, corn, salt and flour; beat the whole very hard, then stir in the whites of the eggs and the oysters; after having dredged them in a portion of the grated corn, drop this batter, a spoonful at a time, into hot lard and fry until done. fried egg plant. from mrs. lily rosecrans toole, of montana, lady manager. pare the egg plant and cut in very thin slices; sprinkle each slice with salt and pepper; pile them evenly; put a tin plate over them and on this stand a flatiron to press out the juice. let stand one hour. beat an egg lightly and add to it a tablespoonful of boiling water; dip each slice first in this and then in bread crumbs. put three tablespoonfuls of lard into a frying pan; when hot sauté the slices, a few at a time; brown one side then turn and brown the other. as the fat is consumed add more, waiting each time for it to heat before putting in the egg plant. drain on brown paper and serve very hot. tomato catsup should be served with it. (_mrs. rohrer's cook book._) macaroni--good. from mrs. sam s. fifield, of wisconsin, alternate lady manager. five tablespoons of grated cheese, one of flour, one of butter, one egg, one-half cup of cream, salt and pepper; put over the fire and stir until the cheese is dissolved. boil one-fourth package of macaroni in suited water about fifteen minutes, drain, cover with milk and boil again. stir all together and bake until brown. rice as a vegetable. from mrs. charles h. olmstead, of georgia, lady manager. wash and pick thoroughly one quart of rice; put in pot containing two quarts of boiling water; salt to taste; let the rice boil for fifteen minutes; then pour off all the water that has not been absorbed by the rice and place the pot on back of stove to steam; stir occasionally until grains of rice separate. cranberries. from mrs. lana a. bates, of nebraska, alternate lady manager. after removing all soft berries, wash thoroughly; place for about two minutes in scalding water, remove, and to every pound of fruit add three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar and a half pint of water; stew together over a moderate but steady fire. be careful to _cover_ and _not stir_ the fruit, but shake the vessel. if attention to these particulars be given the berries will retain their shape to quite an extent, which materially adds to their appearance on the table. boil from five to seven minutes; remove from the fire; turn into a deep dish, and set aside to cool. if strained sauce be preferred, one and a half pounds of fruit should be stewed in one pint of water for ten or fifteen minutes or until quite soft; then strain through a colander or fine wire sieve; add three quarters of a pound of sugar and return to the fire and boil three minutes, stirring constantly; set away to cool, when it will be ready for use. eggs plain omelet with eight eggs. from mrs. l. brace shattuck, of chicago, lady manager. beat separately and very lightly the whites and yolks of eight eggs. to one tablespoon of flour add one-half teaspoon of baking powder and one-half cup of sweet milk. add the beaten yolks and lastly the beaten whites of the eggs. have ready a hot frying pan, with a generous amount of melted butter, into which pour, a cupful at a time, the mixture. as soon as it _sets_, lift carefully the one half over upon the other, and when done remove to a hot plate and serve immediately. this omelet is exceedingly light and is sufficient for four or five persons. green corn omelet. from mrs. frances p. burrows, of michigan, alternate lady manager. grate twelve ears of boiled corn. beat five eggs until light and stir into the corn; season with pepper and salt, and one tablespoon butter; fry until brown. if fried in small cakes with a little flour and milk stirred in to make a batter, it will be found excellent. omelet with ham. from mrs. naomi t. compton, of new jersey, alternate lady manager. have a teacupful of very finely minced ham prepared for use as soon as the eggs are ready. beat the whites of eight eggs separately and have the yolks beaten the same length of time as the whites. we always put the eggs in the refrigerator over night if the omelet is to be used for breakfast, for the eggs will beat much better if thoroughly cold. we use the same amount of flour and milk as of ham, but moisten the flour with milk until it is of the consistency of cream, pouring in the milk and flour with the yolks of the eggs. add lastly the whites, beaten stiff, alternating with the finely minced ham and whites, until all are combined. do not stir around in one direction, but lift the yellow mixture up through and into the white. get it into the oven as soon as possible, which must be blazing hot. if baked in a bread tin it will usually rise to double the amount. if you prefer baking on the top of a stove, have your frying pan hot, with plenty of butter, and turn the omelet as soon as the edges are cooked. great care must be taken not to have the pan keep too hot after the cooking begins, for nothing burns so quickly as egg, and if scorched the delicate flavor is lost. plain flour can be used with the proper proportions of baking powder. omelet must be eaten directly after it comes from the fire to be tasted at its best. a little chopped parsley may be added as a flavoring, but it need not he chopped so finely as the ham. omelet--plain. from miss mary e. busselle, of new jersey, lady manager. four eggs, well beaten; four tablespoons milk; two tablespoons melted butter. bake in a quick oven, in buttered round jelly tins, and when browned, turn half over and send to the table hot. stuffed eggs. from mrs. ralph trautmann, of new york city, first vice-president board of lady managers. boil twelve eggs for twenty minutes; cut in halves; take out the yolks and mash to a paste, adding one onion chopped fine, butter size of an egg, one-half cup of milk, a little chopped parsley, with salt and pepper to taste. mix well; roll this paste into balls and refill the empty halves, joining the cut eggs together again with the white of a raw egg. roll the stuffed eggs in beaten yolk and cracker crumbs, and brown in boiling lard, same as crullers. drain well and serve on toast or lettuce leaves. deviled eggs for luncheon or picnics. from mrs. isabella laning candee, of illinois, alternate lady manager. boil any number of eggs very hard, turning over carefully in the water several times to prevent their being unevenly cooked; put into cold water a few moments and then take off shells; cut in halves carefully and take out the yolks; mash these fine with a silver spoon (use a _silver_ knife for cutting and filling) and add to them as much good mayonnaise dressing as may be required to make a smooth paste with which fill the empty halves; put them evenly together, fasten with toothpicks, and wrap each egg in white tissue paper and put in the ice chest until ready to serve. escalloped eggs. from mrs. helen a. peck, of missouri, alternate lady manager-at- large. escalloped eggs makes a savory dish and this is how to prepare them: put half a dozen eggs into a sauce pan of boiling water and keep the pan where it will be hot for half an hour, but not where the water will boil. at the end of the prescribed time lay the eggs in cold water for five minutes, and then remove the shells. cut the whites into thin slices and rub the yolks through a coarse sieve. mix both parts lightly, and after putting the mixture into an escallop dish pour over it a sauce made as follows: put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying pan, and when it has been melted add a heaping tablespoonful of flour. stir until the mixture is smooth and frothy, then gradually add a pint of cold milk. boil up once and season with salt and pepper. after pouring the sauce over the eggs spread a large cupful of grated bread crumbs on top of the dish and cook for fifteen minutes in a hot oven. if care be taken to prevent the eggs from boiling at any time during the thirty minutes the dish will be delicate and digestible. how to take egg. from mrs. naomi t. compton, of new jersey, alternate lady manager. have never seen this recipe for preparing an egg for invalids or convalescents, so i venture to add it on account of its excellence. some people dislike the taste of raw egg, and would find it palatable in other ways than beaten up with wine, or taken in a glass of sweetened milk. prepare a cup of coffee to the taste, with cream and sugar, keeping it very hot until ready for the egg, which must be beaten thoroughly in another cup, and the prepared coffee added by degrees to the egg; drink it hot, and you will never want to take coffee again without the addition of egg. salad lobster salad. from mrs. charles price, of north carolina, third vice president, board of lady managers. lobsters are done when they assume a red color, which will only require a few minutes hard boiling. remove the skin and bones, pick to pieces with a fork, marinate them, _i.e._, place in a dish and season with salt, pepper and a little oil, plenty of vinegar and a little onion cut up; then cover and let stand two or three hours. cut up hard boiled eggs for a border, line the bottom of the dish with lettuce leaves, place the lobster on the dish in a ring. mayonnaise can be used if desired, but the lobster is excellent without it. chicken salad. from mrs. a. m. palmer, of new york, alternate lady manager. ingredients: one fowl (boiled); one cucumber; two heads lettuce; two beets (boiled). dressing made according to the following recipe: one teaspoonful mixed mustard; one-half teaspoonful sugar; four tablespoonfuls salad oil; four tablespoonfuls milk; two tablespoonfuls vinegar; cayenne and salt to taste; add the oil, drop by drop, to the mustard and sugar, mixing carefully; next add milk and vinegar _very gradually_, lest the sauce curdle, and the seasoning. place the shredded chicken on a bed of lettuce, and pour the dressing over it. around the edge arrange rings of hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumber and beet root. southern chicken salad. splendid--try it once. from mrs. charles j. mcclung, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. cut one chicken into small pieces (not too small); boil _one_ egg hard and pulverize the yolk (cut the white into the chicken); add the beaten yolks of _three_ raw eggs; one-half teaspoonful each of ground mustard, white pepper, salt, sugar and celery salt or seed, the juice of one lemon, one tablespoonful melted butter, one tablespoonful salad oil (some prefer all butter); beat all well together until light and pour into one gill of boiling vinegar and let all cook until thick as cream, stirring constantly to avoid curdling. when _cold_ pour over your chicken, to which has been added as much chopped celery, and salt and pepper to taste. chicken salad. from mrs. margaret m. ratcliffe, of arkansas, alternate lady manager. as the irishman would say, turkey makes the best chicken salad. boil till well done. use only the white meat, which cut with sharp scissors into pieces about one-half inch square; add an equal quantity of celery cut in same manner, sprinkling over it salt and pepper. put in a cold place till two hours before serving, when add the following dressing: for one chicken take three eggs, one cup of vinegar, one cup of sweet milk, one-half cup butter, one tablespoon made mustard, salt, black and red pepper, beat eggs, melt butter; stir all together over a slow fire till it thickens; when cool beat into it one cup of cream. serve salad on crisp, well-bleached lettuce leaves, on the top of each putting a small quantity of the following mayonnaise dressing: the yolks of two uncooked eggs, one tablespoon salt, beat with an eggbeater, adding gradually pure olive oil till one pint is used. when the mixture becomes too thick add, as required, one teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. if the oil is well incorporated by thorough beating, this dressing will keep an indefinite time. vegetable salad. from mrs. florence h. kidder, of north carolina, lady manager. one pint of cold boiled potatoes, cut in slices; one-third the quantity of cold boiled beets cut _fine_; one-third the quantity of green peas (winter beets and canned peas are as good as fresh ones); sprinkle with salt and pepper, then pour over it a french dressing made of a saltspoonful of salt, one of black pepper, a teaspoonful of onion juice or grated onion, three tablespoonfuls of olive oil and one of vinegar; mix thoroughly and set aside. when ready to serve spread over it a thick mayonnaise dressing and garnish with slices of beet, cut in shapes, hard boiled egg and parsley; if made in summer a border of crisp lettuce leaves is an additional garnish. if the quantity of vegetable is increased the amount of dressing must also be doubled or the salad will be dry. a small portion of the mayonnaise mixed with the vegetables also is an improvement. string bean salad. (french recipe.) from mrs. caroline e. dennis, of new york state, alternate lady manager-at-large. string the beans and boil them whole; when boiled tender and they have become cold, slice them lengthwise, cutting each bean into four long slices; season them an hour or two before serving, with a marinade of a little pepper, salt, and three spoonfuls of vinegar to one spoonful of oil. just before serving, drain from them any drops of superfluous liquid that may have collected and carefully mix them with a french dressing. this makes a delicious salad. _french salad dressing_--one tablespoon of vinegar; three tablespoons of olive oil; one saltspoon of pepper, and one saltspoon of salt. (this is half a spoon too much pepper for americans.) add a trifle of onion, scraped fine, or rubbed on the salad bowl, if it is desired at all. pour the oil, mixed with the pepper and salt, over the salad; mix them well together; then add the vinegar, and mix again. serve on a leaf of crisp lettuce. excellent potato salad. from mrs. genevieve m. guthrie, of oklahoma, lady manager. for four or six people. cut into dice six medium sized potatoes (boiled); three medium onions; salt and pepper them to taste; pour over and mix well the following dressing: three well beaten eggs, three large tablespoonfuls of strong vinegar, a lump of butter size of a walnut, pinch of salt, pepper and mustard (unmixed); put on the stove and cook to a thin custard, stirring constantly. tomato salad. from mrs. mira b. f. ladd, of new hampshire, lady manager. six tomatoes, one-half cup of mayonnaise dressing, the crisp part of one head of lettuce. peel the tomatoes and put them on the ice until they are very cold; make the mayonnaise and stand it on the ice until wanted; wash and dry the lettuce. when ready to serve, cut the tomatoes in halves, make twelve little nests with two or three salad leaves each, arrange on the dish, place half a tomato in each nest, put a tablespoonful of mayonnaise on each tomato and serve immediately. tomato salad. (for use when fresh tomatoes are not in the market.) from miss mary crease sears, of massachusetts, alternate lady manager. rub through a coarse sieve one can of tomatoes; cover with cold water a half box of cox gelatine and let it stand a half hour or more; then pour in enough hot water to thoroughly dissolve it; then mix with one full pint of the strained tomatoes; add a little salt; pour into small round moulds and put in a cool place to harden. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing. cabbage salad. from mrs. theresa j. cochran, of vermont, alternate lady manager. mix together one-half cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful black pepper; then add three well beaten eggs, one-half cup of vinegar, six tablespoonfuls of cream, three of butter. cook the same as boiled custard in a kettle of water; when cold add the cabbage chopped fine. fish salad. from mrs. mary c. bell, of florida, lady manager. pour boiling water over a large mackerel and let stand for ten minutes; take out and dry thoroughly by draining on a sieve or clean towel. remove the head, tail and fins, and skin and bones. shred the fish finely and mix with one large onion, well chopped. add mustard, vinegar, and pepper to taste. serve as salad, with young lettuce leaves, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs, sliced. this is a delightful relish with thin-sliced bread and butter, and is called "salmagundi." salad dressing. from miss loraine pearce bucklin, of rhode island, alternate lady manager. three eggs, beat yolks and whites separately. to the beaten yolks add one tablespoonful of mustard, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt. to the beaten whites of the eggs add one cup of cream; beat this thoroughly together, pour the yolks, mustard, sugar and salt into this and put the dish containing it over the teakettle when the water boils. when the mixture begins to harden around the edge, pour in a cup of vinegar; stir it all the time it is over the kettle. after you add the vinegar take it from the heat and set in a dish of cold water to cool. doughnuts & fritters famous doughnuts from miss frances e. willard, of illinois, lady manager. _to tell you the truth, i never knew anything about cooking or had a particle of taste for it, but i will send you the recipe for her famous 'doughnuts,' written out by my beloved mother, and i think about the last communication she ever prepared for the press; it was in march of last year. there is nothing specially valuable about the recipe except that it is good and decidedly old-fashioned. i used to think there was nothing so toothsome as mother's 'fried cakes,' for so we called them on the old wisconsin farm. believe me, yours, with all good wishes, frances e. willard_ take a little over one pint of rich, sweet milk, into which put two- thirds of a teacup of sugar and a little salt. sift as much flour as you think will be required, into which mix four heaping teaspoonfuls of best baking powder. stir into the milk and sugar six tablespoonfuls of very hot fresh lard, pour the mixture into the flour and make a sponge. when cooled sufficiently to prevent cooking the egg add one egg slightly beaten. mix to a proper consistency, roll and cut into rings. it is hard to give a recipe where so much depends upon the judgment and care of the cook. much depends upon having the lard in which the doughnuts are fried very hot before they are put in, otherwise they "soak up the fat" and are heavy. raised doughnuts. from mrs. ellen m. chandler, of vermont, lady manager. one pint warmed milk, one cup sugar, one-half cup yeast, one-half teaspoon salt; mix about a.m., let rise four hours then add: one cup sugar, two eggs, one-fourth cup lard, one-fourth cup butter. knead and let rise in warm place until night, then roll thin and cut out; let rise over night in warm place and fry in the morning. doughnuts. from mrs. laura e. howey, of montana, secretary state board and lady manager. beat well together one egg, one cup sweet milk, one cup sugar (small cup), large teaspoonful of baking powder, sprinkle in two cups flour, piece butter size of an egg, pinch of salt. knead soft, cook in skillet well filled with lard just to the boiling point; place in dripping pan, so that they may not get soggy with the grease while cooling off. doughnuts. from miss annie m. mahan, of west virginia, alternate lady manager. one-half cup of butter, one cup of sour milk, one and one-half cup of sugar, four eggs, one teaspoon soda (in milk), nutmeg, flour to make it stiff enough to roll. callas. a creole cake eaten hot with coffee. from mrs. belle h. perkins, of louisiana, president of state board, lady manager. one teacup of rice well boiled and mashed, one small coffee cup of sugar, two tablespoons yeast, three eggs and flour sufficient to make a thick batter; beat the whole well together and fry in hot lard. be careful not to have the batter too thin, or it will not fry well. apple fritters. from mrs. m. p. hart, of ohio, president of state board and lady manager. make a batter with one cup sweet milk, one teaspoonful sugar, two eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two cups flour, one teaspoonful baking powder mixed with flour. chop some good tart apples, mix them in the batter and fry in hot lard. serve them with maple syrup. corn fritters. from mrs. e. v. mcconnell, of north dakota, lady manager two eggs, one tablespoon of cream or sweet milk, one cup oyster crackers rolled fine, one can or six ears of sweet corn scraped from the cob, pepper and salt to taste. put tablespoon butter in frying pan, have it hot and drop in batter by spoonfuls. fry brown and serve hot for breakfast. clam fritters. from mrs. sallie s. cotten, of north carolina, president state board and alternate lady manager. open as oysters and chop fine. make a stiff batter of eggs and flour, with a little black pepper. stir into this batter the chopped clams and a little of the clam liquor, if necessary to make the batter the proper consistency. fry in hot butter or lard. white corn meal cakes for breakfast. (a rhode island dish.) from mrs. sarah s.c. angell, of michigan, lady manager. one pint white corn meal, into which you stir two saltspoonfuls salt. gradually moisten this with boiling water until the mixture is somewhat thicker than hasty pudding. stir constantly and after the right consistency is attained, beat thoroughly for two minutes. drop from spoon into boiling lard and fry for five or six minutes. serve immediately. it is of absolute importance that the water should be _boiling_ and _kept_ so, and therefore it is wise to bring the mixing dish very near the stove when the teakettle is heated. the same paste may be fried on a griddle like buckwheat cakes, but the first method makes the crispest, nuttiest flavor. this recipe makes bannocks enough for six people. corn griddle cakes or old virginia slap jacks. from miss lily irene jackson, of west virginia, lady manager. one or two eggs, whites beaten to a froth; one quart of sweet milk; pinch of salt; meal enough to make a thin batter. bake very thin on hot griddle and serve at once. meal must not be too finely ground or bolted. fried mush. from mrs. george hoxworth, of arizona, alternate lady manager. three pints boiling water; one cup wheat flour; enough corn meal to make stiff batter. fry while hot in plenty of grease. think it more convenient than the old way and much better. a tablespoonful of sugar added makes it brown better. superior waffles. from mrs. mary b.p. black, of west virginia, alternate lady manager. one quart of buttermilk; one pint of sweet new milk; four eggs, beaten separately; little salt; teaspoonful soda, dissolved in half teacup sour cream or buttermilk, and enough flour to make the dough of proper consistency. sift your flour; begin with three pints, you may need less or more. add buttermilk (sour cream will do instead), then sweet milk; then yolks of eggs, well beaten; then soda, having dissolved it in half teacupful of buttermilk or sour cream; add more flour now, should it be needed; lastly, whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth and stirred gently into the thin dough. let the cook be careful to fill the iron scantily half full, to bake, as these beautiful waffles to be crisp and tender must have ample space to rise. mexican enchiladas from mrs. franc luse albright, of new mexico, lady manager. . to make the tortillas for the enchiladas, take one quart of blue corn meal mixed with water and salt, making a batter stiff enough to flatten out into round cakes, and bake on the bare hot lid. . to make the chili sauce: one cup of tepid water; three tablespoonfuls of ground chili; let boil down to a batter. . filling for tortillas: grated cheese and chopped onions, very fine. dip into a pan of boiling hot lard one tortilla; then dip this tortilla into the chili batter; then sprinkle with the filling, first the cheese and then the onion. then put on one spoonful of chili batter and lay like a layer cake as many cakes as desired, and then pour over the chili batter. cut like cake and serve hot. preserves tomato conserve. from mrs. caroline e. dennis, of new york state, alternate lady manager-at-large. three pounds of sugar, to three pounds of tomatoes; add two lemons, peeled and sliced _very_ thin; sliver the peel into smallest bits and add, with two inches of preserved ginger root, also cut very fine. put tomatoes in a kettle, mash with a spoon, mix in the sugar, lemons and ginger, and boil slowly for _three_ hours, or until the preserve is of the consistency of marmalade. this is a new and very choice sweetmeat; and, so far as we know, is not to be found in any other recipe-book. orange marmalade. from mrs. governor oglesby, of illinois, lady manager. one dozen imperial oranges (good pulp and thick yellow skin); their scant weight in sugar. peel six and grate the yellow rind without the white skin. slice the peel from the other six into thin shreds; boil in three waters till very tender. chop the oranges, removing all tough fibres and seeds; put on, with the juice that drains from the oranges, the sugar, a little water and the drained orange peel shreds; boil fifteen minutes, thon add the pulp and grated rind and boil twenty minutes. compote of apples. from mrs. hattie e. sladden, of oregon, alternate lady manager. make a syrup of one quart of water and one pint of white sugar. pare and core (without breaking) six tart apples; stew in syrup until tender. remove the apples to a deep glass dish; then add to the syrup a box of gelatine and cinnamon stick. when thoroughly dissolved, pour over the apples, first removing the cinnamon bark. steamed peaches. from mrs. w. newton linch, of went virginia, lady manager. place the fruit in a steamer and allow it to remain until skin can be removed, as that from a scalded tomato. make a strong syrup of granulated sugar; place the peaches in the jar, pour the syrup over them very hot and seal at once. steamed peaches make a delightful dish for lunch during their season. do not make the syrup quite so strong and allow the peaches to get very cold before serving. quince preserves. from mrs. m.p. hart, of ohio, president of state board and lady manager. pare and core the quinces. put the parings and cores into a kettle with sufficient water to cover them, and let them boil for a short time. then strain and pour the liquid over the quinces. let the quinces cook until they are soft before adding the sugar. the quinces and syrup must be boiled until they become transparent and of a rich color. the rule is one pound of sugar to a pound of fruit; a less quantity of sugar will be sufficient if the fruit should be well cooked and carefully sealed. watermelon preserves. from mrs. h.k. ingram, of florida, alternate lady manager. take a thick rind of a ripe watermelon. cut into small strips, or any desirable fancy shapes; cut off all the red inside part and scrape off all the hard outside shell. boil the pieces in water with peach or grape leaves and soda, in the proportion of a dozen leaves and a teaspoonful of soda to two quarts of water. when tender, take them out of the water and put them in cold water that has had half a large spoonful of alum dissolved in it. they will then become brittle and green. let them soak in the alum water for an hour; then rinse in clear, cold water, and boil in a syrup made of equal weight of white sugar. boil with them lemons cut in thin slices, allowing one lemon to two pounds of rind. boil fifteen or twenty minutes. when a little cool, add a little essence of ginger, or if not the essence, boil in the syrup with the rinds a little green or ground ginger tied in bits of thin cloth. after three or four days pour the syrup off and boil down to a rich syrup that will just cover the rinds, and pour it over them scalding hot. blackberry jam. from mrs. mary s. mcneal, of oklahoma, alternate lady manager. put the fruit into a preserving kettle and boil fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring often and skimming off any scum that may rise; then add sugar in the proportion of three-fourths pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. boil thirty minutes longer, stirring continually; when done, pour into small jars or jelly glasses. canned spiced blackberries. from mrs. h.j. peto, of arizona, alternate lady manager wash the berries carefully and drain in a colander. for each quart of fruit add two cups granulated sugar and one-half cup of pure cider vinegar. put all in a porcelain lined sauce pan, set on the stove and scald thoroughly; then add one-half dozen cloves and one and one-half ounces stick cinnamon for each quart of berries. while the fruit is hot, pour into glass jars and cover at once; it will be ready for use in three or four days. a delicious relish. spiced green grapes. from mrs. george a. mumford, of rhode island, alternate lady manager. five pounds green grapes (wild are best); three pounds sugar; one pound raisins; one-half pint vinegar; one tablespoonful ground cloves; one tablespoonful ground allspice; one tablespoonful ground cinnamon. stone the grapes and raisins; simmer one hour. orange jelly. from mrs. theresa j. cochran, of vermont, alternate lady manager. grate the yellow rinds of two oranges and two lemons and squeeze the juice into a porcelain lined preserving kettle, adding the juice of two more oranges and removing all the seeds; put in the grated rind a quarter of a pound of sugar, or more if the fruit is sour, and a gill of water, and boil these ingredients together until a rich syrup is formed; meantime dissolve two ounces of gelatine in a quart of warm water, stirring it over the fire until it is entirely dissolved; then add the syrup, strain the jelly, and cool it in molds wet in cold water.--_white house cook book._ currant jelly. prom mrs. m.p.h. beeson, of oklahoma, lady manager. one-half cup sugar to one cup currant juice. boil for fifteen minutes. this will make a lovely jelly. crab apple jelly. from mrs. genevieve m. guthrie, of oklahoma, lady manager. wash and quarter large siberian crabs, but do not core; cover to the depth of an inch or two with cold water and cook to a mush; pour into a coarse cotton bag or strainer, and, when cool enough, press or squeeze hard to extract all of the juice. take a piece of fine swiss muslin or crinoline, wring out of water, spread over colander placed over a crock, and with a cup dip the juice slowly in, allowing plenty of time to run through; repeat this process twice, rinsing the muslin frequently. allow the strained juice of four lemons to a peck of apples and three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. boil the juice from ten to twenty minutes; while boiling, sift in the sugar slowly, stirring constantly, and boil five minutes longer. this is generally sufficient, but it is always safer to "try it" and ascertain whether it will jelly. this will make a clear, sparkling jelly.--_from practical housekeeping cook book._ the jelly is excellent. pickles and catsup pickled onions. from mrs. harriet a. lucas, of pennsylvania, lady manager peel carefully, by scalding, small onions; drain; place in salt and water, not too strong, for forty-eight hours; then drain again till dry. put together one-half pint of milk and one-half pint water; place the small onions in it and allow them to scald, _not_ boil, or they will be softened. remove, rinse in cold water and drain. place in a jar and pour over them white wine vinegar, with a little mace and small red peppers; no dark spice. you will have a beautifully white, mild pickled onion if this is carried out. oil pickles. from mrs. ida. m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. two dozen large cucumbers, sliced without paring; sprinkle with salt; place in a colander to drain for two or three hours. one dozen onions prepared in the same way, separately. put in a stone jar, in alternate layers, sprinkling between with ground black pepper and a mixture of mustard and oil, the mixture to be made in the proportion of a small box of mustard to one-half pint of salad oil. when the jar is full, pour in enough cold vinegar to cover. mixed pickles. from mrs. sam. s. fifield, of wisconsin, lady manager. take small cucumbers, onions, beans, cauliflower, broken up, and pour over boiling hot brine made of one teacup of coarse salt to a gallon of water, for three mornings. the fourth morning drain well. (i put into a flour sack and hang out doors until dry.) to one gallon of good cider vinegar put a teaspoon of pulverized alum, four of white mustard seed, two of celery seed, five or six tiny red peppers, a handful of cloves and as much of stick cinnamon; pour over the pickles when real hot; add a good quantity of horseradish root to keep pickles from moulding. cucumber pickles. from mrs. parthenia p. rue, of california, lady manager. for two gallons of pickles, place the cucumbers in salt and water for three days; then rinse in fresh water. one teacupful of whole white mustard; one handful of whole cloves; allspice and black pepper; a teacupful of broken cinnamon. put all into a large thin bag and boil in one quart vinegar. put two or three red pepper pods and a few sprigs of horseradish root among the cucumbers, in a keg or jar. take sufficient vinegar to cover them and put into it one pound of brown sugar; let it scald and cool a little; then pour over the pickles; then the spices and vinegar, allowing the spices to remain on top. the spices and vinegar must be poured off and scalded for five mornings, and, when cool, poured over the pickles; the last day pour over a cup of molasses. use good cider vinegar. if desired sweeter, sugar to vinegar when heating. cucumbers used late in the season make better pickles than the earlier ones. put cucumbers in salt water when freshly picked. green cucumber pickle. from mrs. cora payne jackson, of kentucky, lady manager. one gallon of cider vinegar; one pound of brown sugar; one tablespoon of allspice; one tablespoon of cloves; one tablespoon of black pepper; one tablespoon of mace; two tablespoons of root ginger; two tablespoons of celery; two tablespoons of white mustard; one handful of horseradish. after it begins to boil add cold cucumbers, well soaked, and boil until tender enough to pierce with a fork. ripe cucumber pickle. from miss mary elliott mccandless, of pennsylvania, lady manager. slice twenty-five large cucumbers in pieces between one and two inches thick; lay in salt water two days; wash out the salt. boil in alum water half an hour, alum size of a walnut (english); take out and boil in ginger water an hour; one ounce of ginger and water to cover. make a syrup of five pounds of light brown sugar, three quarts of vinegar, one pint of water, two ounces of whole cloves, two ounces of stick cinnamon, half an ounce of whole allspice, half an ounce of mace (put spices in bags). let all boil until a rich syrup, then put in the cucumbers and boil between one and two hours. gooseberry catsup. from mrs. amey m. starkweather, of rhode island, superintendent state work and lady manager. nine pounds of gooseberries; add five pounds of sugar, one quart of vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one and one-half each of allspice and cloves. the gooseberries should be nearly or quite ripe. take off the blossoms, wash, and put them into a porcelain kettle, scald, then put through a colander, add the sugar and spices; boil fifteen minutes; then add the vinegar; bottle immediately before it cools. almost any recipe for spiced gooseberries makes a good recipe when the gooseberries are put through a colander or coarse sieve, and the vinegar added, cooled in this way. if you wish a smaller recipe, use the following: to four quarts of fruit, take three pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one tablespoonful each of ground cloves, allspice and cinnamon. make as in the above recipe. cabbage pickle. from mrs. carrington mason, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. quarter small, hard heads of cabbage, removing the outer leaves; put in a brine for three days, then let it soak in fresh water six hours. wipe perfectly dry, squeezing the water out. scald the cabbage in weak vinegar and water, to which add turmeric in a thin muslin bag. then put into a stone jar alternate layers of cabbage and seasoning as follows: mace, ginger, cinnamon, white mustard seeds, onions, red pepper, and horse radish. bring to a boil enough good cider vinegar to cover the whole, and pour into the jar hot. picalilly. from mrs. ella ray miller, of idaho, alternate lady manager. one peck green tomatoes; twelve large onions; one ounce each of allspice, cloves, cinnamon, whole pepper and white mustard seed; two ounces flour of mustard, one and one-half pound sugar. slice and salt tomatoes, drain over night. put spices in bags, cover all with vinegar, and boil till tender. seal in glass jars. sweet pickled peaches. from mrs. nellie b. plumer, of pennsylvania, alternate lady manager. ten pounds peaches--pared; five pounds sugar; one quart best cider vinegar; one tablespoonful allspice; one tablespoonful mace; one tablespoonful cinnamon; one teaspoonful cloves. put the spices in thin muslin bags. boil all together half hour; then put in the peaches, and boil twenty minutes. take out the fruit with a skimmer, and spread upon dishes to cool. boil the syrup until thick, pack the peaches in glass jars, and pour syrup over them scalding hot. chow-chow pickles. from mrs. h.k. ingram, of florida, alternate lady manager. one-half peck green tomatoes; one dozen peppers; two heads cabbage (medium size); one-half peck onions; one-fourth peck cucumbers. chop fine (or, better still, run through a sausage grinder), and mix thoroughly with three handfuls of salt. pour all into a thin bag to drain for twelve hours, or over night. at the end of this time put sufficient vinegar to cover into a large iron, tin or porcelain vessel, and add two ounces black pepper grains, two ounces allspice grains, two ounces celery seed, one-fourth pound mustard, one pound sugar. scald the vinegar and pour contents of bag into it; add the spices, mix well, and let all come to a boil, and remove instantly. this will be found equal to the best imported bottled chow-chow. mustard chow-chow. from mrs. alice b. castleman, of kentucky, alternate lady manager. two dozen cucumbers, cut in chunks about an inch thick; two heads of cabbage, chopped fine. sprinkle with salt and let stand all night. one dozen large green peppers, chopped up; five dozen small seed onions. soak the onions and peppers separately in salt water all night; next morning squeeze all the salt water from them. then place in a kettle a layer of pickle and a layer of seasoning composed of two ounces of white mustard seed; two ounces celery seed; one ounce turmeric; one- half pound box of coleman's mustard, mixed smooth with vinegar, adding two and one-half pounds brown sugar. after putting all in the kettle, cover with vinegar and boil thirty minutes, this recipe makes two gallons of pickles, and one and one half gallons of vinegar covers it. use best cider vinegar. chow-chow. from miss mary elliott mccandless, of pennsylvania, lady manager. one peck green tomatoes; two large heads of cabbage; two good sized onions; three small red peppers; one-fourth pound yellow mustard seed; one-fourth pound ground mustard; one and one-half ounces celery seed; one tablespoonful cayenne pepper, three quarts best vinegar; one quart granulated sugar. slice tomatoes, salt them, then chop very fine, and drain all green water off; put the chopped tomatoes on in a preserving kettle, with some good vinegar, bring them to the scald, then pour in colander to drain and cool. chop cabbage, onions and peppers fine, and _when the tomatoes are cold_, mix all together. bring to boil vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, celery seed, red pepper and more salt. mix ground mustard with chopped tomatoes, cabbage, etc. when the vinegar, sugar, etc., is cold, pour on the chopped mixture; stir thoroughly and put in wide-mouthed bottles. cheese cheese fonda. from miss hattie t. hundley, of alabama, lady manager. one cup of bread crumbs, very dry and fine; two scant cups of milk; one-half pound of old cheese, grated; three eggs, whipped very light, and one tablespoonful of butter. season with pepper and salt and a pinch of soda dissolved in hot water and stirred into the milk. soak the crumbs in the milk, beat with these the eggs, butter, seasoning, and lastly the cheese; put into a buttered baking dish, put dry bread crumbs on top and bake in a rather quick oven until a delicate brown. serve immediately.--_mrs. henderson's cook book_. cheese sticks. from mrs. margaret m. ratcliffe, of arkansas, alternate lady manager. six tablespoons of grated cheese; two tablespoons of melted butter; enough flour to make a soft dough. roll thin, cut in strips and bake in floured pan in quick oven. pies lemon pie. from mrs. l. m. n. stevens, of maine, lady manager. one cup sugar; juice of one lemon; one egg and yolks of two eggs; one dessertspoonful rolled cracker, scalded in two-thirds cup milk. bake in a deep plate. after baking frost with the whites of two eggs beaten stiff, adding two spoonfuls of sugar. brown the frosting a little. ideal lemon pie. from mrs. ida l. turner, of texas, lady manager. make the crust, line pie tin and bake. while it is baking prepare the following filling: grate one lemon (do not roll it); after the yellow rind is all grated, squeeze in the juice and if any little cells go in, do not say them nay; then put in a cupful of sugar and the yolks of two eggs; stir well together; upon this pour a large cupful of cold water, into which has been stirred a dessertspoonful of corn starch; put all into a sauce pan and stir until it is cooked into a rich, clear, straw-colored jelly. then fill the crust and from the whites of the eggs make a meringue to cover each. put into the oven for one brief instant. lemon pie. from mrs. virginia c. meredith, of indiana, lady manager and vice- chairman of executive committee. two cups of sugar; one cup of boiling water; four eggs; two lemons; one and one-half tablespoon flour. stir the sugar and flour well together; add the juice and grated rind of the lemons; to this add the well beaten yolks; after stirring well, add the boiling water; put over a clear fire and stir constantly until it boils, then pour into the shells. spread over the top a meringue made of the whites of the four eggs and one tablespoon of sugar; place in the oven and brown slightly. this is sufficient for two pies. the shells should he made of ordinary pie pastry and baked before being filled with the mixture. lemon pie. from miss lucia b. perea, of new mexico, alternate lady manager. one and one-half cups of sugar; one cup of water; two tablespoonfuls flour or corn starch; one tablespoonful butter; yolks of three eggs; two lemons, grated; add juice, beat well all together, then boil until thick. beat up one cup of pulverized sugar with the whites of three eggs. pour over the pie when done, and brown. pumpkin pie. from mrs. frances c. holley, of north dakota, alternate lady manager. pare pumpkin, cut into inch pieces; steam till well done, or stew until soft and dry; then sift through a wire sieve or colander. add one well beaten egg for each pie, also one tablespoonful of cream, if you have it, for each, together with sufficient milk to give the required thickness when cooked. sugar and salt to your taste, flavor with nutmeg, adding also a little ginger. use deep custard plates; bake, rather slowly at first, until well thickened and nicely brown on top. apple custard pie. from mrs. annie l. y. orff, of missouri, alternate lady manager. one cup milk; yolks of two eggs; four grated apples; small spoon of melted butter; one-half cup sugar; nutmeg to flavor; pinch of salt. bake in one crust. make a frosting with whites of eggs and two spoons of sugar. brown delicately. cream pie. from mrs. m. r. lee, of mississippi, lady manager. put one-half pint milk and one-half cupful sugar in a frying pan and let it come to a boil; then dissolve one tablespoonful corn starch in a little milk reserved from the half pint. add to it the beaten yolk of one egg, stir into the boiling milk, and when thickened and smooth, remove and add a little salt and lemon flavoring. pour into a flaky crust that has been just baked, and frost with the white of one egg and one tablespoonful sugar; place in hot stove till a delicate brown. cream pie from mrs. louise campbell, of new mexico, alternate lady manager. bake an undercrust. boil one pint of sweet milk; when boiling, stir in one-quarter cup of corn starch, one-half a cup of sugar, and the yolks of two eggs, which must be well beaten together. cook thoroughly, flavor with vanilla, and add a little salt. pour this mixture into the baked crust. beat the whites of the two eggs, and to them add half a cup of sugar, and use as meringue. apple pie. from mrs. alice vineyard brown, of north dakota, alternate lady manager. sift into a chopping bowl three small caps of flour; then with the knife chop in thoroughly one cup of lard, one-half cup of butter, that have been on ice for an hour; mix with four to six tablespoons of ice water, as may be needed to handle, roll thin and line a shell, into which slice thinly any tart apples that will cook rather quickly. dredge with the grated rind of a lemon--a somewhat dry lemon is preferable--which has been mixed thoroughly with one tablespoon of sugar and one small teaspoon of corn starch. now break an egg into a howl, beat well and add four tablespoons of sugar and one cup of rich milk; pour this over the apples; with the jag iron cut the remainder of the paste into narrow strips and lay across to form squares. bake in a moderate oven until the custard "sets." place on ice in summer; eat slightly warm in winter. pie crust. from mrs. annie l, y. orff, of missouri, alternate lady manager. one cup lard; one-half cup cold water; a pinch of salt, and flour enough to roll. this will make exactly two pies. mince meat. from mrs. marcia louise gould, of illinois, president state board and lady manager. two pounds of lean fresh beef boiled; when cold chop fine; one pound of beef suet cleared of strings and minced to a powder; five pounds of apples, pared and chopped; two pounds of raisins, seeded and chopped; one pound of sultana raisins, washed and picked over; two pounds of currants, washed and _carefully_ picked over; three-quarters of a pound of citron, chopped fine; two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one of nutmeg (powdered), two of mace, one of cloves, one of allspice, one of fine salt; two and a quarter pounds of brown sugar; one quart brown sherry, and one pint best brandy or three pints of grape juice. mince meat. from mrs. laura f. coleman, of colorado, lady manager. two pounds of beef; half pound suet; half pound butter; five pounds apples; two pounds raisins; two pounds seedless raisins; half pound citron; three tablespoonfuls cinnamon, two of mace, two of allspice; one nutmeg; three pounds brown sugar; half gallon sweet cider. boil beef until tender, then chop fine; also chop suet, apples and citron. then mix all the ingredients thoroughly and boil until the apples are cooked. after removing from the stove add one-half teacupful of brandy if desired. pudding graham christmas pudding. from mrs. rollin a. edgerton, of arkansas, secretary of state board and lady manager. _ the christmas pudding which i add was served up this christmas on my table and pronounced delicious. dyspeptics need not fear this "plum pudding" and it is rich enough to please the most fastidious. wishing your philanthropic efforts every success, i am, very truly yours,_ beat two eggs; take one-half cup of sweet milk; one-half cup of molasses, in which dissolve one-half teaspoon of soda; a lump of butter the size of an egg; one cup of graham flour (don't sift) two cups of flour, in which a cup of stoned raisins are well rubbed; one small teaspoon of salt; spice with cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, one teaspoonful all together. then steam two hours and serve with a hard sauce of butter and fine sugar creamed together, with one well beaten egg and grated nutmeg as a finish. wholesome, delicious, and extremely simple to prepare. graham pudding. from mrs. george a. mumford, of rhode island, alternate lady manager. one and one-half cups of graham flour; one cup of milk; one-half cup of molasses; one cup of raisins, seeded and chopped; one teaspoonful soda; one-half teaspoonful salt. sift the graham flour to make it light, but return the bran. dissolve the soda in one tablespoonful of the milk and add the remainder of the milk, molasses and salt. then pour all the mixture on the graham flour, beating it thoroughly with a spoon; then stir in the fruit (and spice if you wish). pour the pudding into a well greased mould and steam four hours. serve with a wine or any rich sauce. lady ross fig pudding. from mrs. wm. p. lynde, of wisconsin, lady manager. three-quarters pound grated bread; one-half pound best figs, minced fine; six ounces minced beef suet; six ounces sugar; one teacup sweet milk; a little nutmeg; one egg. mix the bread and suet together; then add figs, sugar and nutmeg; then the egg, well beaten; lastly the milk. boil in a mould four hours. _wine sauce_--two cups sugar; one-half cup butter. stir to a cream; then add one glass of wine and some flavoring and a little nutmeg; then pour in a small cup boiling water and set on the stove in a pan or kettle of water and keep hot until served. alexandre pudding. from mrs. m. d. thatcher, of colorado, lady manager. set a jelly mould on ice; put a layer of maraschino jelly (or any wine jelly) in the bottom of the mould; when set, add a layer of pink jelly (made by adding a drop of prepared cochineal); when set, put a lining in the centre of the mould; if you have not the centre-form, use a small tin baking-powder box, placing it in the centre of the mould; then add alternate layers of the jellies until the mould is filled, and when well set and firm, gently withdraw the lining (or can), filling the hollow thus formed with a custard cream. when all is quite firm, turn out on a dish and serve with whipped cream around the pudding. plum pudding. from mrs. florence h. kidder, of north carolina, lady manager. one and one-half pounds of stoned raisins, torn in half; one pound of currants; one and one-half pounds of citron, cut fine; one and one- quarter pounds of butter; one pound of sugar; eight eggs, well beaten; one pound of stale bread crumbs; one and one-half pints of sweet milk, boiled and poured on bread crumbs; two grated nutmegs; two tablespoons of cinnamon; one tablespoon of mace, one of cloves and two of allspice; eight tablespoons of sifted flour, rubbed in with fruit; one-half pint of french brandy and one-half pint of madeira or sherry. have a bag two thicknesses of white unbleached cloth; grease and flour the inside well; pour in mixture, tie tightly to exclude water, and leave room for pudding to swell. put in a pot of boiling water, which must be kept boiling for five hours. put plate in bottom of pot to prevent sticking. the bag must be turned repeatedly and kept under water. _sauce for plum pudding_--butter and powdered sugar, thoroughly stirred, and seasoned with wine and nutmeg. when pudding is ready to serve, pour alcohol over it and set on fire. this recipe makes a large pudding, but it can be packed away with brandy poured over it, and can be used by steaming over as long as it lasts. english plum pudding. from mrs. phoebe m. hartpence, of ohio, chairman committee on woman's work, lady manager. one cup molasses; one cup sour milk; one cup suet, chopped fine; one cup raisins; one-half cup currants; two and one-half cups flour; one teaspoonful soda. mix well, salt and spice to taste, and steam two hours. _dressing_--mix one heaping tablespoonful flour and two of sugar; add to these grated nutmeg. stir and add one-half pint of boiling water; add to this a small tablespoonful of butter, a little lemon and vanilla, one teaspoonful vinegar. let it come to a boil, and if too thick, add more water. english plum pudding. from mrs. s. w. mclaughlin, of north dakota, lady manager. a pound of suet, chopped fine; a pint of sugar; one pound of grated stale bread; one pound of raisins, two of currants; a glass of unfermented wine or jelly; two teaspoonfuls of ginger, one of soda; two nutmegs; half a pint of milk; a little salt. beat well and steam five hours. serve with rich sauce. vegetable plum pudding. from miss mary e. busselle, of new jersey, lady manager. one-half pound flour; one-half pound chopped suet; one-half pound currants; one-half pound prunes; one-quarter pound grated raw carrots; three-quarters pound grated raw potatoes; one-half pound brown sugar; one large teaspoonful of baking powder; pinch of salt. flavor with a teaspoonful each of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. the moisture from the raw vegetables makes sufficient wetting. plum pudding from mrs. helen c. brayton, of south carolina, vice-president of state board and lady manager. one pound seedless raisins; one pound dried currants; one pound stale bread crumbs; one-half pound finely chopped beef suet; one-fourth pound shredded citron; eight eggs; one quart milk; one-half cup sugar; mace or nutmeg; one gill of brandy; one teaspoon salt; eggs well beaten and put in last; raisins floured before stirring in. boil gently five hours without stopping. water must be boiling when pudding is put in and kept boiling till done. eat with liquid wine sauce. pour alcohol around pudding and set it on fire. a sprig of holly in centre for christmas. christmas plum pudding. from mrs. alice j. whalen, of utah, lady manager. one pint and a half of grated bread crumbs (soft, not dried), one pint of chopped suet, one pint of currants, one pint and a half of stoned raisins, half a cup of citron shaved thin, one scant cup of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, one teaspoonful of mace, five eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately, two even teaspoonfuls of flour made into a thin batter with milk, and half a glass of brandy; mix in the order given and steam four hours. _sauce for pudding_--cream one-fourth pound butter, add one- fourth pound of brown sugar and stir over hot water until liquid, then add the yolks of two eggs, well beaten; stir until it thickens. just before serving add a cup of brandy and hot water equal parts. cherry pudding. from mrs. louise l. barton, of idaho, alternate lady manager. one pint of flour, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, lump of butter the size of a hickory nut, one pinch of salt, wet up with milk to a thick batter as stiff as for gems; add one pint of cherries with the juice strained off; stir the cherries into the batter; steam in stem cake dish; butter cake dish, and steam three-quarters of an hour. when done turn out on plate. _sauce for same_--one cup of cherry juice, one cup of sugar, one cup of water, small lump of butter, one tablespoonful of thickening; when it boils up add two tablespoons of cherry wine and nutmeg to taste. this pudding is enough for twelve persons. bread and butter pudding. from mrs. nancy huston banks, of kentucky, alternate lady manager-at-large. butter thin slices of bread and place them in dish; then a layer of fruit, such as berries (or preserves will do); then another layer of bread and butter, and so on until the dish is full. then pour beaten eggs in a quart of milk, say three eggs to the quart, over the ingredients and bake half an hour. delicate indian pudding. from mrs. s. w. mclaughlin, of north dakota, lady manager. one quart of milk, two heaping tablespoonfuls of indian meal, four of sugar, one of butter, three eggs, one teaspoonful of salt; boil the milk in the double boiler; sprinkle the meal into it, stirring all the while; cook twelve minutes, stirring often. beat together the eggs, salt, sugar and half a teaspoonful of ginger; stir the butter into the meal and milk; pour this gradually on the egg mixture. bake slowly one hour. baked indian pudding. prom mrs. mariam d. cooper, of montana, alternate lady manager. three large tablespoons corn meal. scald one quart sweet milk; stir meal in while hot; small lump butter, one cup molasses, salt; add one pint cold milk after putting in pan; bake five hours; eat with a little butter. prune roll from mrs. clark waring, of south carolina, alternate lady manager. soak two pounds of prunes in cold water over night; drain through a colander and seed them. make your puff paste; roll it out; place your prunes on the paste, sprinkling with a little sugar on top; then roll smoothly. bake in a steady heat and serve hot with hard butter sauce, or very rich wine sauce. prune pudding. from mrs. hattie e. sladden, of oregon, alternate lady manager. thoroughly wash one pound of prunes; soak over night, stewing in same water until very soft; sweeten to the taste while cooking. next mash the fruit, removing the stones, and add half a box of gelatine (previously dissolved in a little water) and whites of four eggs well beaten. serve cold with cream. prune pudding. from mrs. mary s. mcneal, of oklahoma, alternate lady manager. to a large cup of stewed prunes (chopped fine) add a large tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of cream of tartar; then the well beaten whites of seven eggs. bake about twenty minutes in a shallow pan or dish with a greased paper in bottom so pudding can be turned out without breaking. serve cold with whipped cream. prune pudding. from mrs. john r. wilson, of south dakota, lady manager. one cup of prunes, one cup of raisins, one cup suet, one cup molasses, one cup bread crumbs, one-half cup milk, one and one-half cup flour, one teaspoon soda, one teaspoon each of cloves and cinnamon, one-half nutmeg. steam three hours. bread pudding. from mrs. kate canthon mcdaniel, of texas, alternate lady manager. place in a buttered tin alternate layers of buttered bread and raisins or chopped apples. take the yolks of four eggs and two cups of sugar, beat until light; add a pint of sweet milk; flavor to suit taste; pour over the bread and bake in a moderate oven. when done, beat the whites to a stiff froth, add a little sugar, flavor, heap on the pudding and return to the oven until a light brown. chocolate pudding. from miss mary b. hancock, of iowa, treasurer state board and alternate lady manager. one quart milk, heated in double kettle; six tablespoons of grated chocolate; four yolks of eggs, beaten well and mixed with eight tablespoons of sugar; two tablespoons, or a little more, of cornstarch, dissolved in a little cold milk. let these ingredients just come to a boil and flavor with vanilla, place in pudding dish and cover on top with the stiff froth of four whites of eggs, sweetened with three large teaspoons of sugar, into which stick twenty-four separated blanched almonds. to be eaten with sweetened cream flavored with a little vanilla. danish pudding. from mary b. hancock, ten eggs; one quart of cream; eight tablespoonfuls of sugar; one dessertspoon of vanilla. beat the eggs and sugar together, heat the cream and pour over it. _caramel_--two and one-half cups of brown sugar, cooked until very brown; then add one cup of cold water and pour into the pudding and bake. delicious pudding. from mrs. elizabeth c. langworthy, of nebraska, lady manager. to two cups of boiling milk add four tablespoons of floor and two of butter, beaten together. when thickened, add four tablespoons sugar and yolks of eight eggs. when quite cold add whites of eggs, well beaten, and bake in moderate oven twenty minutes. serve hot with sauce made of one-half cup of butter, beaten to a cream, one cup of sugar, added gradually; white of egg, beaten stiff. add lemon or vanilla to taste. suet pudding. from mrs. helen m. barker, of south dakota, lady manager. one cup chopped suet; one cup molasses (new orleans); one cup chopped raisins; one cup sweet milk; three cups sifted flour; one teaspoon soda dissolved in milk; spices to taste. steam three hours. serve with sauce made as follows: one cup of sugar; one-half cup of butter; one egg--cream well. cook by pouring boiling water and stirring constantly. suet pudding. from mrs. leander stone, of chicago, lady manager. _the following recipe for suet pudding has been unfailing in my family for forty years past. sincerely yours, one cup molasses; one cup suet, chopped fine; one cup sweet milk; one cup fruit; one teaspoon salt; a piece of soda size of a pea; flour to make it as stiff as pound cake. steam three hours. queen pudding. prom mrs. l. c. gillespie, of tennessee, lady manager. one quart of sweet milk; one pint of grated bread crumbs; one teacup of white sugar; four eggs, and butter the size of hen's egg. beat yolks of eggs with the sugar until very light; cream butter and add to eggs and sugar; then stir in bread crumbs and after these ingredients are well mixed, pour in the milk, stirring all thoroughly. bake in porcelain pan or granite iron, under a good fire with a well heated oven. twenty minutes is sufficient time to bake it. you do not want it baked until it is stiff and hard, but it must quake as you lift it from the oven. you now cover the top of the pudding, first with a half glass of jelly cut in very thin slices, and over this you put the whites of the four eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, to which you add and beat in two tablespoonfuls of sugar. put the pudding again into the stove, this time in the top, where the whites of the eggs may brown quickly. serve cold, with cream whipped and flavored with vanilla. this, properly baked, is a delicate, delicious pudding. steam pudding. from mrs. john s. briggs, of nebraska, lady manager. one quart flour, one coffeecup chopped raisins or currants, one teacup chopped suet, one teacup half filled with molasses, finish with brown sugar, one teaspoon soda, two teacupfuls sweet milk, a little salt, mix and steam three hours. _steam pudding sauce_--three-quarters of a cup of butter, one and a half cups of sugar, one egg, juice and grated rind of a lemon all well beaten together. just before serving, pour on the beaten mixture one pint of boiling water. steam pudding. from mrs. clara l, mcadow, of montana, lady manager. four cups flour, four spoons baking powder, one-half can cherries, little salt, stir a stiff batter; steam one and a half hours. baked huckleberry pudding. from mrs. nellie b. plumer, of pennsylvania, alternate lady manager. two cups light brown sugar, one cup butter and lard mixed, one cup sour milk, four eggs, one teaspoonful of soda, one quart huckleberries. make the dough as thick as jelly cake; bake three- quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. use wine or butter sauce as preferred. minnie's lemon pudding. from mrs. h. j. peto, of arizona, alternate lady manager. two lemons, two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, one and one-half cup granulated sugar, three eggs. grate rind of one lemon; squeeze juice and pulp of two lemons; beat yolks of the eggs with a portion of the sugar, then add balance of sugar and the grated rind and lemon juice; mix the cornstarch with a little water; add boiling water, stirring constantly until thick and clear; add the ingredients previously mixed and stir until thoroughly incorporated with the starch; pour into a pudding dish, cool a little, then set into the oven for a few minutes to brown; beat the whites of the eggs stiff; add a little powdered sugar and put over top of pudding; brown slightly. may be served warm, but is delicious if set on ice until thoroughly cold. cup pudding from mrs. marie j. gaston, of south dakota, alternate lady manager. one-half cup of sugar, one cup flour, one-half cup cold water, one egg, one tablespoonful of butter, two level teaspoonfuls baking powder, a pinch of salt. grease cups and put in the bottom of the cups a little fruit, such as dried currants, cherries, etc., or a little preserves; pour in the batter, filling the cups a little more than half full; set them in a steamer and steam forty minutes. this will make five cups. served with the following sauce: _pudding sauce_--six tablespoonfuls pulverized sugar, two tablespoons of butter, one egg; beat altogether with an egg beater; flavor with vanilla. when ready to serve, add one cup of boiling water. italian roll from mrs. f. h. daniell, of new hampshire, alternate lady manager. mix together one-half pound fine flour and from four to five ounces of sifted sugar; put in a sauce pan and bring to the boiling point, one- half pint of new milk and one-quarter pound fresh butter; stir in gradually the flour and sugar; beat well four fresh eggs, add them with the grated rind of a lemon, stirring until the mixture is thick like dough. put it on a pasteboard and when cold roll to the desired thickness, about one-quarter of an inch thick; lay any kind of jam over the paste, roll it into a bolster-like form and bake. serve cold, whole, or in slices nearly an inch thick. time twenty to twenty-five minutes to bake. chaperone pudding. from mrs. annie l. y. orff, of missouri, alternate lady manager. one pint nice, fine bread crumbs to one quart of milk; one cup sugar; yolks of four eggs beaten light; grated rind of one lemon; butter size of an egg; bake until done, but not watery. whip the whites of four eggs beaten stiff; beat in a teacup of sugar; then add the juice of one lemon; pour over pudding; eat cold. apple pudding. from mrs. ida l. turner, of texas, lady manager. pare and core ten good sized apples. stew them to a pulp, with sugar enough to sweeten; thickly butter the sides and bottom of an earthen baking dish and press all around them crumbs from the inside of a loaf of bread, having them nearly an inch thick. mix with the apples a tablespoonful of butter and one egg, beaten; put the apples into the dish without disturbing the crumbs; over the surface put a layer of crumbs, dotted with bits of butter, and bake the pudding until brown; turn a platter over the pudding dish, quickly turn both upside down so the pudding will slip out on platter. dust with powdered sugar and serve hot. baked apple dumpling. from mrs. schuyler. colfax, of indiana, alternate lady manager-at- large. pare and core tart apples; fill the centers with sugar, butter and a small pinch of cinnamon or a little grated nutmeg. make a rich, light pie crust, roll, cut in squares, fold a square around each apple, put them into a buttered pan. now cream together half a cup of butter and a cup of sugar, and put over the whole, when they are ready for the oven, pour a little cold water into the pan, and bake slowly an hour and a half or two hours. foam sauce. from mrs. carrington mason, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. three teacupfuls of pulverized sugar; one of butter; three tablespoonfuls of flour; one teacupful of boiling water. beat butter, sugar and flour together thoroughly; stir into the boiling water; let it boil up and flavor with vanilla, and serve immediately. cake sponge cake. from mrs. isabella beecher hooker, of connecticut, lady manager. _the recipe i send for sponge cake was one constantly in use twenty- five years ago, when this picture was taken, and so might well be used in connection with that recipe, which is the only one in which i fell a personal interest._ _it gives me pleasure to oblige you, and i am cordially yours for womankind, also for mankind._ ten eggs; one-half pound flour; one pound pulverized sugar; one lemon; small teaspoon salt. beat yolks separately and very thoroughly; add sugar, salt, lemon juice and grated peel, and beat again. beat whites to stiffness and add to the yolks, beating well together. then cut the flour in slowly with large knife and _avoid beating_ after this. bake in two deep, long, narrow tins, in rather slow oven, but hot on the bottom. the secret of success is in cutting in the flour and the baking. but few people will believe this and cannot reach my standard. i have made this cake for forty years with uniform success. sponge cake. from mrs. martha a. griggs, of washington, alternate lady manager. six eggs; two cups of sugar. beat twenty minutes, stir in lightly two cups of flour and a little salt. flavor to taste. sponge cake. from mrs. marie j. gaston, of south dakota, alternate lady manager. four eggs; two cups of sifted floor; two cups of granulated sugar; one cup of boiling water; two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder. beat the eggs very light, yolks and whites together; add the sugar, then one cup of flour, little by little; put baking powder in the other cup of flour and add in the same way; then pour in the cup of boiling water, a little at a time, stirring constantly. flavor with vanilla. bake in dripping pan twenty-five minutes. north dakota sponge cake. from mrs. alice vineyard brown, of north dakota, alternate lady manager. one cup of sugar, one cup of flour, four eggs. beat yolks of eggs to a light creamy mixture, pour over the sugar and beat two minutes; add whites beaten to a foam, and stir hard for two minutes; now add one cup of flour which has been sifted three times, and to which was added a pinch of salt; stir _very lightly_, usually four whisks of the spoon is sufficient; now pour into a shallow pan; let stand one minute; raise the pan several inches from the table and let it drop suddenly, striking flat on the bottom; this will cause air bubbles to break and make the cake fine grained; put into a very moderate oven and in five minutes heat quickly; twelve to fifteen minutes will suffice. have ready a lemon frosting, and the result will be a most beautiful cake, fit to grace any occasion. chaperone sponge cake. from mrs. annie l. y. orff, of missouri, alternate lady manager. mix one and one-half cups pulverized sugar; one teacup flour; a little salt; one teaspoon baking powder; beat the whites of eleven eggs to a stiff froth; flavor with lemon or vanilla; mix all together and bake. use yolks for custard or gold cake. new england raised loaf cake. from miss frances s. ives, of connecticut, lady manager. one pound of sugar, two pounds of flour, three eggs, one-fourth pound citron, one pound of butter, one pint of milk, one pound of raisins, one good-sized wine glass rum or brandy, one-half nutmeg, one cup yeast, cream one-half butter and sugar; mix this with all the flour, yeast and milk; let this mixture stand in a warm place until quite light, then add the remaining half of butter and sugar creamed and the eggs beaten very light; then let the mixture stand in a warm place until again very light; then add rum, raisins, citron and nutmegs then put into pans for baking, letting it remain out of oven until very light again. this makes three loaves. bake about one hour. french loaf cake. from mrs. martha. a. griggs, of washington, alternate lady manager. two and one-half cups sugar, one cup butter, one cup milk, four cups flour, three eggs, one wine glass sherry; one wine glass brandy, one- half teaspoon soda, one pound raisins (stoned), one-half pound citron, one teaspoon cloves, two teaspoons cinnamon, one nutmeg; bake one hour. grandmother's bread cake. from mrs. mary c. bell, of florida, lady manager. three cups sugar, one cup butter, three eggs, one bowlful stoned raisins, floured, one teaspoonful allspice, ground, one teaspoonful cloves, ground, one tablespoonful cinnamon, ground. when well mixed add three cups of bread sponge before the flour is added for kneading; stir well and then add flour until as stiff as can be easily stirred; half fill two medium-sized pans and stand in a warm place till light and bake in a moderate oven. old virginia bread cake. from mrs. katherine s. g. paul, of virginia, lady manager. one and one-half pounds flour; one pound white sugar; ten ounces of butter; one-half teacup sweet milk; one-half teacup good yeast; four eggs; one cup of currants and seed-less raisins, chopped and mixed together; one teaspoonful each mace and cinnamon and a little allspice; work butter and sugar together; sift flour into a bowl; stir in milk and yeast with one-half the creamed butter and sugar; beat hard and long until very light; set to rise in a moderately warm place over night. in the morning, if it be well risen, work in the remainder of the butter and sugar and the eggs; dredge the fruit with flour and beat in a little at a time with the spice; beat for fully five minutes; divide and put into two pans to rise. the second rising generally requires about three hours. when the dough is very light bake in a moderate oven. when carefully made this cake is very fine. bread cake. from mrs. clara l. mcadow. of montana, lady manager. three cups of very light dough, three cups sugar, one cup butter, three eggs, one nutmeg, one teaspoonful cinnamon, raisins, a teaspoon of salaratus dissolved in a little hot water. corn starch cake. one cup butter, two cups sugar, one teaspoon cream tartar, one-half teaspoon soda, two cups flour, one cup corn starch, four eggs, one cup milk. exposition orange cake. from mrs. s. e. verdenal, of new york, lady manager-at-large. two cups sugar, two cups of sifted flour, one-half cup of water, two teaspoonfuls yeast powder mixed with the flour, the yolks of five eggs and the whites of three beaten separately, the grating and juice of one orange; bake in layers like jelly cake. _filling_--one cup sugar, grating and juice one orange, whites of two eggs beaten into a froth. orange cake. from mrs. frances welles shepard, of chicago, lady manager. _i send you with pleasure the enclosed recipe for orange cake. i have used it for twenty-five years and know it to be excellent. wishing you all success in your kind efforts. believe me, yours very truly,_ one coffeecup sugar, one-half coffeecup butter, two coffeecups flour, one-half coffeecup milk, yolks of four eggs, whites of two eggs, two teaspoons of baking powder; bake in four layer tins. for the filling, grate the yellow part of the rind of two oranges and mix it with the juice and one coffeecup of powdered sugar; spread, this mixture between the cakes; frost the cake, using the two remaining whites of eggs beaten thoroughly, adding two small cups of powdered sugar. angel food. from mrs. mary c. harrison, of wyoming, lady manager. the whites of fifteen eggs; one and one-half cups of powdered sugar; one cup of flour; one teaspoon of cream of tartar; sift sugar three times; mix cream of tartar with flour, sift seven times; beat eggs stiff, add sugar gradually, beating all the time with egg beater; take out; stir the flour quickly with wooden spoon; do not grease or line the tin; bake slowly and steadily; turn out on platter for frosting. angel cake. from mrs. daniel hall, of new hampshire, lady manager. the whites of eleven eggs beaten to a stiff froth; add one and one- half cups of pulverized sugar and one teaspoonful of vanilla extract; take one even cup of flour and one teaspoonful cream of tartar and sift with flour four times; beat lightly but thoroughly; bake fifty minutes in an ungreased pan; cut out when cold. sunshine cake. yolks of eleven eggs, two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of milk, one teaspoonful cream tartar, one-half teaspoonful of soda, three cups of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of vanilla. election cake. (one hundred years old.) from mrs. helen c. brayton, of south carolina, vice-president state board and lady manager. four pounds flour; two pounds butter; two and one-half pounds sugar; two and one-half pounds raisins; one-half pound citron; one-half ounce mace; tumbler of brandy; one pint yeast; one and one-half pint milk; eight eggs. add to the yeast one pint of milk; then beat in smoothly three pints of flour. take all the flour and half the sugar and butter (when beaten to a cream); add the milk and yeast and make a dough a little softer than bread. when raised very light, add remainder of ingredients and let it rise again. when very light put into pans. bake in moderate oven one hour. connecticut election cake. from mrs. virginia t, smith, of connecticut, alternate lady manager. two pounds best pastry flour; one pound shortening (half butter and half lard); one pound and two ounces sugar; whites of two eggs; one nutmeg; half a pound of raisins (loose muscatels); quarter teaspoon of mace; one tablespoon of lemon juice; one tablespoon extract of orange; half teaspoon salt; half a compressed yeast cake, and two ounces of citron. work the shortening and sugar to a cream; then rub half of it into the flour; dissolve the yeast cake in a little warm water; mix the flour and yeast with sufficient milk (about one and a half pints that has been scalded and cooled) to make a batter about like graham bread; work with the hands for at least twenty minutes; make at night and set in a moderately warm room to rise; in the morning add the remainder of the shortening and sugar; work again with the hands, as when first made, for fifteen or twenty minutes, and set to rise again. seed and cut the raisins, grate the nutmeg and sprinkle that and the mace over the raisins. when the cake is light, add first the lemon juice, then extract of orange and whites of eggs, well beaten; stir in fruit well floured: dip into three pans, buttered and lined with paper. let it stand until it begins to rise--it will come up very quickly in the oven if it has been twice well raised. have oven hot enough to check the rising after it has reached the top of the pans; after it begins to brown, check the fire and let it bake rather slowly the remainder of the time. whole time, one hour and a quarter. almond cream cake. from mrs. flora beall ginty, of wisconsin, seventh vice-president board of lady managers. two cupfuls of pulverized sugar; one-quarter cupful of butter; one cupful of sweet milk; three cupfuls of flour; two and a half teaspoonfuls of baking powder; whites of four eggs, beaten very light; one-half teaspoonful of vanilla. bake in four layers. whip one cupful of sweet cream to a froth, stirring gradually into it half a cupful of pulverized sugar, a few drops of vanilla, one pound of almonds, blanched and chopped fine. spread thick between layers; frost top and sides. velvet cake. from mrs. sallie s. cotten, of north carolina, president state board and alternate lady manager. one pound sugar; one pound flour; one-half pound butter; four eggs; one teacup of cold water; one teaspoonful cream of tartar; one-half teaspoonful soda. put yolks and whites of eggs in separate vessels; dissolve soda in the water, sift the cream tartar in the flour. beat the sugar and butter to a white cream; add the flour and water, stirring well. next add the whites and lastly the yolks, both well beaten. flavor with lemon and beat all together for three minutes. bake an hour. excellent also for a layer cake, with any filling. caramel cake. from mrs. james r. doolittle, jr., of chicago, lady manager. one even cup butter; two even cups sugar; three even cups flour; whites of eight eggs; two even teaspoonfuls baking powder; one teaspoonful vanilla; one cup milk. stir butter and sugar to a cream, add milk slowly, then flour in which the baking powder has been mixed, and lastly the well beaten whites of eggs and vanilla. bake in three layers and to prevent sticking use white paper cut the size of the tin and well greased with lard. _caramel filling_--two cups of brown sugar; one cup of cream or milk; three tablespoonfuls butter; one teaspoonful vanilla. boil until the mixture will hold together in water; then spread between the layers and on the outside. if it curdles when boiling, strain through coarse sieve and put on the stove again. when done, put in vanilla. a caramel cake. from mrs. france luse albright, of new mexico, lady manager. to be baked in layers. four eggs; three-fourths of a cup of butter; one-half cup of milk; three and one-half cups of flour; two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; flavor to suit taste. _filling_--two cups of brown sugar; one cup of rich cream; size of a walnut of butter; boil one-half hour well stirred; spread between the layers of the cake while hot. _chocolate filling_--six tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate; one and one-half cups of pulverized sugar; two tablespoonfuls of cream; put the chocolate in the pan with the cream and one-half the sugar and let dissolve; add the remainder of the sugar to the whites of two eggs well beaten; flavor with vanilla for four layers of cake. roll jelly cake. from mrs. flora beall ginty, of wisconsin, seventh vice-president board of lady managers. five eggs, two cupfuls of sugar, two of flour, one-half cupful of milk, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of soda; bake in square tins, spread with jelly and roll while warm. lemon jelly is very nice. this recipe makes four rolls. chocolate cake. from mrs. ralph trautmann, of new york city, first vice-president board of lady managers. have ready one-half pound sweet chocolate grated; one-fourth pound chopped citron; one-fourth pound almonds, blanched and chopped; five soda crackers, browned and rolled very fine; wineglass of brandy and the juice and grated rind of two lemons; separate the yolks of eggs from the whites; beat yolks well, mix with other ingredients and lastly add the whites whipped to a stiff froth; bake two hours in a slow oven; cover with frosting and ornament with candied fruit. georgie's cake. from mrs. clark waring, of south carolina, alternate lady manager. three teaspoonfuls of soda; one cup butter; one cup molasses; two cups brown sugar; two cups sour milk; four eggs; four and one-half cups flour; one tablespoonful mixed spices; two pounds dates, weeded and chopped fine; rub the butter and sugar to a cream, add the molasses, then the sour milk, break one egg in at a time and beat well; sift the soda in the flour and add, saving a little to dust the dates; add the spices and last of all add the dates; bake slowly like a fruit cake. chess cake. from mrs. carrington mason, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. four eggs beaten separately and added to one cup of butter and one cup of sugar thoroughly creamed, flavor with nutmeg; line small patty pans with puff paste; place in the bottom a teaspoonful of jelly and pour over it a tablespoonful of the egg, butter and sugar mixture; bake in a rather slow oven. this is a nice tart for lunch or picnics as it keeps well and never gets dry. fruit cake. from mrs. a. k. delaney, of alaska, lady manager. one and one-half pound of flour; one and one-half pound of sugar; one and one-fourth pound of butter; two pounds of raisins; two pounds of currants; three-fourths pound candied lemon, four nutmegs; one teaspoonful soda; one teaspoonful cinnamon; one teaspoonful cloves; one cup brandy or wine; bake slowly. english fruit cake. from mrs. phoebe m. hartpence, of ohio, chairman commissioners on woman's work, lady manager. four cups brown sugar; two cups butter; twelve eggs; one lemon, grated; two nutmegs, grated; one-half tablespoonful cloves; one tablespoonful cinnamon; one tablespoonful allspice; one-half pint cream; one cup pure brandy; eight cups flour, sifted; one-half cup molasses; two and one-half pounds raisins, seeded, whole; two and one- half pounds currants; six teaspoonfuls baking powder; one level teaspoonful soda. the success of this cake depends very largely upon having every ingredient prepared before commencing to use them. begin by thoroughly mixing sugar and butter, then yolks of eggs well beaten; put the soda into the molasses and cream, add this to the above; next add spices and stir up thoroughly; now add the brandy (good whisky will do); take a portion of the flour and thoroughly flour the fruit with it; put the baking powder in the flour that remains and sift part of it into the mixture; now add the beaten whites of eggs and stir gently; stir in the fruit, bake from two to two and one-half hours in a moderate oven. fruit cake. from mrs. m. p. h. breson, of oklahoma, lady manager. yolks of one dozen eggs, one pound dried currants, one pound seeded raisins, one pound butter, one-half pound citron, one pound brown sugar, one cup sorghum molasses, one pound blanched almonds, one-half pound brazil nuts, one-half cup sour milk, two teaspoonfuls soda, six cups flour, with cinnamon, allspice and cloves. the flour should be browned in slow oven in order to make the cake look dark and rich. this recipe will make a very large cake, the same to be baked for three hours in slow oven. fruit cake. from mrs. hester a. hanback, of kansas, lady manager. one pound butter, one pound brown sugar, one pound flour, twelve eggs, four pounds currants, four pounds raisins, one pound citron, two pounds figs, two pounds blanched almonds, two oranges, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one tablespoonful allspice, one-half tablespoonful mace, one-half tablespoonful cloves, one nutmeg, one lemon peel (chopped fine), one gill wine, one gill brandy; chop orange peel and pulp (removing seeds), then work in all the sugar you can (this is extra sugar), slice the almonds thin, also citron, chop figs quite fine. fruit should he weighed after seeding and currants washed. beat whites and yolks of eggs separately and roll fruit in flour before putting together. this makes a ten quart pan full. one tablespoonful baking powder; five pounds raisins, four pounds seeded; four and one-fourth pounds currants, four pounds washed; six pounds almonds, two pounds blanched. sally white cake. from mrs. florence h. kidder, of north carolina, lady manager. _the "sally white cake" is delicious, and if i am not mistaken, has yet only a local fame, but it should have a national one. wishing you every success in your undertaking, i am, very sincerely yours,_ one pound of butter, three pounds of citron, one and one-fourth pound of sugar, one pound of flour, fifteen eggs, two small cocoanuts grated, one and one-half pound of almonds, blanched and pounded (weigh after blanching), one nutmeg, one tablespoonful of mace, one wineglass of best brandy, one of madeira or sherry, bake slowly as a fruit cake and frost. delicate cake. from mrs. john a. logan, of district of columbia, lady manager. four ounces butter, fourteen ounces sugar, whites of six eggs, twelve ounces of flour, two teaspoons of baking powder, one cup of milk. rub the butter and sugar together until they form a cream, stir the baking powder through the flour, then add it, a cupful at a time, to the butter and sugar, then stir in the milk, putting in the whites of the eggs after being beaten to a froth, a large spoonful at a time. bake in a brisk oven. delicate cake. from mrs. harriet t. upton, of ohio, alternate lady manager. use the same size cup for all ingredients. two cups (coffee) sugar, one-half cup butter, stir to a cream; whites of eight eggs beaten stiff, three-fourths cup sweet milk, two and one-half cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder stirred into flour; put whites of eggs in last and stir gently. white cake. from mrs. governor john m. stone, of mississippi, lady manager. whites of twelve eggs, five teacups flour, three teacups sugar, one teacup sweet milk, one full cup butter, two teaspoonfuls yeast powder. walnut cake. from mrs. frances c. holley, of north dakota, alternate lady manager. three cups of sugar; one cup of butter; four cups of flour; one and one-half cup of sweet milk; three cups of walnut or butternut meats; whites of eight eggs. cream the butter and sugar; sift two teaspoons of cream tartar into the flour, into which stir the meats. dissolve one teaspoon of soda in the milk. salt and extract as you like, adding the thoroughly-whipped whites the last thing before putting into the oven. half of this rule can he used. nut cake. from miss josephine shakspeare, of louisiana, lady manager. four tablespoons of flour; four tablespoons of brown sugar; one tablespoon of butter; one egg; one teacup of chopped nuts; a pinch of salt and black pepper. grease and heat a long biscuit pan, mix all ingredients well and spread thinly on heated pan. bakes in a few moments. when done and while warm, run a knife through center of pan lengthwise, then crosswise in strips. turn pan over, and when cool cakes should be quite crisp. very old french recipe. nut cake. from mrs. minna g. hooker, of vermont, alternate lady manager. one-half cup butter; two cups sugar; one cup milk; three cups flour; four eggs; cue pint nut meats; two teaspoons baking powder. cream butter and sugar. add eggs well whipped, milk, flour with baking powder, and nut meats chopped fine. bake in loaf. english walnuts best. nut cake. from mrs. alice houghton, of washington, lady manager. one and one-half cup sugar; one-half cup butter; whites of six eggs, beaten stiff; one-half cup milk; one and two-thirds cup flour; one- third cup corn starch; one teaspoon baking powder; one and one-half pound english walnuts, chopped fine and floured. bake slowly in moderate oven. pecan cake. from mrs. russell. b. harrison, of montana, vice-president-at-large. one cup of butter; two and a half cups of flour; two cups of sugar; one-half cup of sweet milk; whites of eight eggs; two teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat together butter and sugar; add a little of the beaten egg; then put in a cup of flour, then some milk, then again flour and milk; put all the milk in with the second cup of flour; then add the rest of the egg. _icing to fill and put over top of pecan cake_--whites of six eggs, beaten stiff with powdered sugar; one small can of grated pineapple and two cups of pecans, chopped fine. the nuts should soak awhile in the pineapple before mixing them into the egg and sugar. put whole pecan kernels over the top of the cake while the icing is still soft. cake made with cream. from mrs. sarah h. bixby, of maine, alternate lady manager. break two eggs in a cup and fill with cream, and one cup sugar, one teaspoonful cream tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda and one and one- half cup of flour, with a little salt. cream frosting. from mrs. mary payton, of oregon, lady manager. one cup of sweet thick cream, sweetened and flavored with vanilla. cut a loaf of cake in two and spread the frosting between and on top. this tastes like charlotte russe. almond icing. from mrs. lana a. bates, of nebraska, alternate lady manager. whites of four eggs; one pound of sweet almonds; one pound powdered sugar; a little rose water. blanch the almonds by pouring boiling water over them and stripping off the skins. when dry, pound them to a paste, a few at a time, in a mortar, moistening with rose water as you go on. when beaten fine and smooth, beat gradually into icing. put on the cake very thick and when nearly dry cover with plain icing. soft gingerbread. from mrs. ida m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. one teacup sweet milk, one teacup brown sugar, one teacup butter or mixed butter and lard, one teacup molasses, one tablespoonful ginger, one tablespoonful cinnamon, four cups flour, two eggs, one pound of raisins, well floured before being put in, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. columbian ginger cake. from mrs. s. e. verdenal, of new york, lady manager-at-large. one cup molasses, one cup sugar, one-half cup water, one-half cup lard, one teaspoonful soda, season with ginger or cinnamon, put flour in until stiff enough to roll out thin and cut into small cakes. gingerbread from mrs. sam. s. fifield, of wisconsin, alternate lady manager. one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one-half cup of sour milk, one and one-half cup of flour, two small eggs, one-half teaspoon of soda, teaspoonful of cinnamon, ginger, and one-half teaspoon of cloves, a little nutmeg. soft gingerbread. from mrs. mary r. kinder, of delaware, lady manager. one cupful of molasses, one of butter, one of sugar, one of sour cream, one tablespoonful of ginger, three eggs, one dessertspoonful of soda, ground spice according to taste, and one quart of sifted flour. mix the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the other ingredients. loaf ginger cake. from mrs. a. k. delaney, of alaska, lady manager. two eggs, one-half cup molasses, two-thirds cup sugar, half cup lard or butter, one-half cup milk, three cups flour, one tablespoon ginger, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one-half tablespoonful soda dissolved in boiling water, stir in quickly and put in the oven at once. cookies hermits or fruit cookies. from mrs. susan g. cooke, of tennessee, secretary of the board of lady managers. _i take pleasure in sending you the enclosed recipes. i thought if anyone should send you a recipe for cookies it ought to be myself. i anticipate spending many pleasant hours in the hereafter trying the recipes of our well known lady managers. with best wishes, believe me always, most cordially yours._ three eggs, one and one-half cup sugar, one cup butter, one large cup of raisins stoned and chopped, one teaspoon soda; one teaspoon cloves, one teaspoon allspice, one teaspoon cinnamon, flour enough to roll. cookies. from miss lily irene jackson, of west virginia, lady manager. three eggs, two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of sweet milk, two teaspoons baking powder mix soft, roll thin, bake in a quick oven. "corinita" cookies. from miss lucia b. perea, of new mexico, alternate lady manager. one cup sugar, one-fourth cup butter, three eggs well beaten together, one cup milk, two teaspoonfuls baking powder well sifted in two cups flour. cookies. from mrs. robt. b. mitchell, of kansas, lady manager. beat to a cream one cup of butter, two and one-half cups of sugar and the yolks of two eggs. add a cup of sour cream, into which has been dissolved a small teaspoonful of soda; beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth; add to the butter and sugar; flavor to taste; use as little flour as possible to make of consistency to roll thin; sprinkle with sugar; flour the cutter to keep dough from sticking; bake in a quick oven. ginger cookies. from mrs. clara l. mcadow, of montana, lady manager. two tumblers molasses, one tumbler sweet milk, one tumbler butter, one tablespoon soda, one tablespoon ginger. well beaten. mix very soft. roll _thick._ bake in a quick oven. ginger snaps. from mrs. sam. s. fifield, of wisconsin, alternate lady manager. one cup of lard, one cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little water. boil the sugar, molasses and lard three minutes, let cool, then add the other ingredients and flour to make very stiff. bake in a hot oven. french jumbles. from mrs. e. s. thomson, of maryland, lady manager. one and one-half pounds of flour, one pound of granulated sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, three eggs, one teaspoonful of baking soda, dissolved in half a cup of milk. season with lemon and grated nutmeg to taste. roll with your hand in granulated sugar. make in small rings and bake on tin sheets in a quick oven. the dough should be soft as it can be handled. sand tarts. from miss eloise l. romam, of maryland, alternate lady manager. to three-quarters of a pound of butter, well creamed, add one pound of sugar and three eggs, reserving the white of one; stir in one pound of flour. roll out thin and spread on the white of egg; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and cut in squares. have a half-pound of blanched and quartered almonds and place on the squares. bake quickly. lady fingers. from mrs. m. d. owings, of washington, lady manager. mix into a half pound of confectioner's sugar the yolks of six eggs. work this mixture with a spoon until very light and frothy; then mix into it the whites of six eggs that have been beaten stiff, adding at the same time a quarter of a pound of flour, dried and sifted. place this batter into a meringue bag, and squeeze it through in strips two and one-half inches long, sprinkle over some fine sugar and bake in a moderate oven twelve to fifteen minutes. desserts creams jellies custards pineapple sponge from mrs. matilda b. carse, of chicago, lady manager. soak one-half package gelatine in one-half cup water for two hours; to a pint and a half can of pineapple add one cup of sugar and one cup of water; simmer fifteen minutes; add the gelatine and allow to remain over the fire until the gelatine is all melted; pour into a _tin_ basin and place in ice water; when thoroughly cold and beginning to thicken add the juice of one lemon and the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs; beat until it will just pour, then turn into a mould and set in a cool place to harden. serve next day with whipped cream, sweetened with powdered sugar and flavored with a few drops of vanilla. pineapple soufflÉ. from mrs. james r. deane, of california, lady manager. three ounces pineapple, cut in discs; three ounces sifted flour; three ounces sugar; two ounces butter; one-half pint of milk; yolks of three eggs; whites of four eggs. melt butter in a stew pan, add the flour and milk and cook well; add the sugar and pineapple; add the yolks of eggs, one by one, and stir well; then add the whites of eggs whipped to a stiff froth; stir these in lightly; pour into a well-greased soufflée tin; steam one hour over water that just simmers, not boiling. serve with this sauce: reduce one glass pineapple syrup about one-half; add one ounce cube sugar and one glass sherry; color with cochineal and pour around the pudding. peach sponge. from mrs. joseph c. straughan, of idaho, lady manager. one pint of canned peaches, one-half package of gelatine, the whites of five eggs, one scant cupful of sugar, one and a half cupful of water; soak the gelatine for two hours in half a cupful of the water; boil the cupful of the water and sugar fifteen minutes, mash the peaches fine, rub through a sieve and put in the syrup, cook five minutes, stirring all the time; place the sauce pan in another of boiling water and add the gelatine; stir for five or eight minutes to dissolve the gelatine; then place the sauce pan in a dish of ice water and beat the syrup until it begins to cool; add the whites of the eggs and beat until the mixture begins to harden; pour into a mould and set away to harden; serve with cream and sugar. hamburg cream. from mrs. ida m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. beat together the juice of two lemons, half pound of sifted sugar, yolks of five eggs; put on the fire in a double boiler and let it come to a boil; add quickly the whites of the eggs beaten stiff; stir all well together; take immediately from the fire and serve cold in glasses or in large dessert dish. chocolat moussÉ. from miss josephine shakspeare, of louisiana, lady manager four strips of chocolate; one quart of milk, six eggs, one tablespoon of corn starch; sweeten to taste, and vanilla flavoring. chocolate dissolved in a little warm milk to a paste. put milk on to boil and stir in chocolate gradually. set saucepan where it will cook slowly. beat eggs well, mix in corn starch and add to milk and chocolate. boil gently until smooth and thick, stirring until done. pour into glass dish, or custard cups. to be eaten cold with sweetened whipped cream, heaped upon it. chocolat soufflÉ. from mrs. alice houghton, of washington, lady manager. one pint milk, two tablespoons corn starch, one cup sugar, one square grated chocolate, three eggs (yolks). scald the milk and stir in the corn starch wet in a little cold milk, add sugar to the chocolate and dissolve in a little boiling water, stir into the milk und when cooked add the beaten yolks of three eggs. remove from the fire and flavor with vanilla. when cold pour over the top one cup whipped cream, to which has been added the beaten whites of three eggs. chocolat meringue. from mrs. katharine s. g. paul, of virginia, lady manager. one teacupful grated chocolate, one pint warm water. boil together. then add one pint sweet milk and let come to a boil. add two heaping tablespoonfuls of corn starch, dissolved in none-half cup of milk, sweeten to taste and when cool flavor with vanilla. beat the whites of two eggs and a pinch of pulverized sugar to a very light froth, and pile on top. bavarian cream. from mrs. alice j. whalen, of utah territory, lady manager. one-half box gelatine, one-half cup cold water, one pint cream, one pint milk, four eggs (yolks), one-half cup sugar, one-half teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful vanilla, one tablespoonful wine. soak the gelatine in cold water till soft. chill and whip the cream till you have three pints. keep the whipped cream on ice, and boil the remainder of the cream, adding enough milk to make a pint in all. beat the yolks of the eggs, and add the sugar and salt. pour the boiling milk on the eggs, and when well mixed put back in the double boiler and cook about two minutes, or just enough to scald the egg. stir constantly, add the soaked gelatine, and strain at once into a pan set in ice water. when cool, add the vanilla and wine. stir until it begins to harden, then stir in quickly the whipped cream, and when nearly stiff enough to drop, pour into moulds wet in cold water. _chocolate bavarian cream_--melt two sticks of sweetened chocolate, and stir them into the custard before straining. gelatine cream. from miss mary elliott mccandless, of pennsylvania, lady manager. to a pint of cream add half a cupful of powdered sugar and a teaspoonful vanilla extract; whip it to a stiff froth; dissolve a quarter of a box of gelatine in two wine glasses of sherry heated, but not allowed to boil; let this cool a little, then stir into the cream; pour the whole in a mould and set it on the ice to stiffen. nob hill pudding. from miss lida m. russell, of nevada, lady manager. for one pint thick cream dissolve four sheets of isinglass in four tablespoons of hot water; whip cream until thick, sweeten and flavor; have isinglass warm enough to pour, but not too hot; stir in very fast and put in mould to cool. apple charlotte. from mrs. john a. logan, district of columbia, lady manager. mix one pint of stewed apples with one cup of sugar; the grilled rind and juice of one lemon; soak one-third of a box of gelatine in one- third of a cup of cold water twenty minutes; add one-third of a cup of boiling water to dissolve the gelatine; when cool add it to the apples; when beginning to stiffen add the beaten whites of three eggs; pour into moulds lined with lady fingers; serve with soft custard poured round the base of the charlotte. charlotte de russe. from mrs. charles price, of north carolina, third vice-president board lady managers. one pint rich cream; two eggs; one-quarter ounce of gelatine; sherry wine. whip cream, first sweetening with a cup of pulverized sugar, adding enough sherry to flavor and the yolk of one egg. whip stiff the two whites of the eggs. dissolve gelatine in half a cup of milk. line glass dish with slices of sponge cake or lady fingers. whip all the ingredients together and pour in dish to congeal. charlotte russe. from mrs. marcia louise gould, of illinois, president state board and lady manager. whip one quart of rich cream to a stiff froth and drain well on a sieve. to one scant pint of milk add eggs beaten very light. make very sweet and flavor with vanilla. cook over hot water till it is a thick custard. soak one full ounce of cox's gelatine in a _little_ cold water; warm over hot water. when the custard is _very_ cold, beat in lightly the gelatine and the whipped cream. line the bottom of your mould with buttered paper, the sides with sponge cake or lady fingers, fastened together with the white of an egg. fill with the cream and put in a cold place, in the summer on the ice. to turn out, dip the mold for a moment in _hot_ water. charlotte russe. from mrs. susan w. ball, of indiana, alternate lady manager. one-half box gelatine, put to soak in one-half pint of milk for an hour. take one-half pint of milk and yolks of two eggs and make a custard, sweeten and flavor to taste; when thick enough, stir in the gelatine until cool. take one quart rich cream, flavored with wine; sweeten and whip; two dozen lady fingers, soaked in wine; line a bowl with them. when the custard is cold, stir the cream in it, continuing to stir until it begins to harden; then pour into bowl. if the cream is not very rich, add the whites of two eggs. charlotte russe. from mrs. george w. lamar, of georgia, alternate lady manager. one quart of cream; sweeten and flavor with two wine-glasses of wine and a half teaspoonful of vanilla. whip with an egg whip until it becomes very thick. put one-third of a box of gelatine (nelson's preferred) to soak in one pint of water. when quite soft pour off the water and dissolve by holding over the fire and stirring carefully; when tepid pour into the cream. let the mixture congeal partially and pour into a mould that has been lined with lady fingers or sponge cake cut into strips. put into a cold place and turn out before serving. strawberry blanc mange. from mrs. benedette b, tobin, of texas, president state board and lady manager. crush slightly with a silver spoon a quart (measured without their stalks) of fresh and finely flavored strawberries; strew over them eight ounces of powdered sugar and let them stand three or four hours, then turn them onto a fine hair sieve reversed, and rub them through it. melt over a gentle fire two ounces of best gelatine in a pint of new milk and sweeten it with four ounces of sugar; strain it through a fine muslin bag and then mix it with a pint and a quarter of sweet thick cream; keep stirring until nearly or quite cold, then pour it gradually on the strawberries, whisking briskly together. last of all add in small portions the strained juice of a fine large lemon. mould blanc mange and set in a very cold place for twelve hours or more before serving. strawberries, one quart; sugar, eight ounces; gelatine, two ounces; new milk, one pint; sugar, four ounces; cream, one and one-fourth pint; juice one lemon. snow pudding. from mrs. susan g. cooke, of tennessee, secretary of the board of lady managers. one-half package gelatine, three eggs, juice of one lemon, one pint of milk, two cups sugar; soak the gelatine one hour in a teacup cold water; to this add one pint of boiling water (at the end of hour); stir until gelatine is thoroughly dissolved; add two-thirds of the sugar and lemon juice; beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth. when the gelatine is quite cold, whip into the whites, a spoonful at a time, for at least one hour; whip steadily, and when all is stiff, pour into a mould previously wet with cold water; set in a cold place, when sufficiently moulded turn into a glass dish. make a custard of the milk, eggs and remainder of the sugar, flavor with vanilla or bitter almond and pour this around the base of mould before serving. wine or gelatine jelly from mrs. carrington mason, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. to a box of cox or nelson's gelatine, put a pint of cold water, the juice of three lemons and the rind of one: let it stand one hour, then add three pints of boiling water, one and one-half pound white sugar, one tumbler of madeira or sherry wine; stir all the ingredients well together and through a jelly bag. fruit jelly from miss wilhelmine reitz, of indiana, lady manager. cover one box of gelatine with a half pint of cold water and stand it aside for thirty minutes, then pour over it one pint of boiling water, add one pound of sugar, juice of three lemons and two oranges, strain. moisten a plain mould with cold water, put in the bottom a layer of white grapes, pour in a little of the gelatine; stand on ice until the gelatine congeals. now put a layer of candied cherries, then a layer of sliced bananas, a layer of orange pulp, another layer of bananas, then a layer of chopped almonds, another layer of grapes and so continue until the mould is full. pour over this the remaining quantity of gelatine, which must be perfectly cold but not stiff; stand away to harden. if you use wine, the gelatine may be flavored with wine omitting the orange and lemon. a dainty dessert. from mrs. solomon thatcher, jr, of illinois, lady manager. take choice seville oranges, remove carefully about one-third of the orange, leaving a strip one-half inch wide to form a handle. from this improvised orange basket carefully scoop all the pulp, leaving only the empty shell. fill this full of charlotte russe. this makes a pretty dish. tamales de dulce. from seÑora don manuel chaves, of new mexico. para hacer tamales de dulce se descojo buen mais bianco y se hace nistamal. despues se lava muy bien de modo que no le quede nada cal y se muele en el metate muy remolido. despues se bate la masa en un cajete bien batida y sepulsa en una puca de agua hasta el ver que esta bien alsado. cuando la masa se sube sobre el agua ya esta de punto. se le echa una poca de manteca y asucar y se eus pone adatro una poca de canela molida y pasas y se enbuelven en ojas de mais, y se amarran y ya estan listos para ser cosidos con vapor. a cheap dessert. from mrs. kate canthon mcdaniel, of texas, lady manager. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth; place them carefully in a vessel containing a pint of boiling milk; let them remain until set, then remove carefully to a plate. beat the four yolks and a cup of sugar until light; stir in half cup of sweet milk, pour slowly into the boiling milk, stirring briskly all the while; continue stirring and let it remain on the fire long enough to thicken, taking care that it never boils or it will be unfit for use; flavor to suit the taste. place slices of any cake in dessert plates; pour the custard over them, put a spoonful of the whites on each piece of cake and a drop of jelly in the center of the whites. bananas in jelly. from mrs. governor richards, of montana, president state board and lady manager. make with boiling water one quart of strong lemonade, using only the juice of the lemons; soak one-half box of gelatine in a small cup of cold water; stir it into the boiling lemonade and set where it will cool but not harden. cut three bananas in length-wise halves and lay them in a mould wet with cold water, cover with one-half the jelly and put the mould on ice till jelly is set, then slice three more and pour on remainder of jelly. serve with cream or soft custard. almond blanc mange. from mrs. bernadette b. tobin, of texas, president state board and lady manager. one quart of milk, one ounce of gelatine, three ounces almonds blanched and pounded in a mortar with one tablespoon of rose water added to prevent oiling; three-fourths cup sugar. heat the milk to boiling, having previously soaked the gelatine in a cup of it for an hour, add gelatine when the milk is scalding hot, add the pounded almond paste and stir all together ten minutes before putting in the sugar. when the gelatine has dissolved remove the blanc mange from the vessel of boiling water in which you have cooked it, and strain through a thin muslin bag, pressing it well to get flavor of almonds-- there should be three or four bitter ones among them. wet a mould with cold water, put in the blanc mange and set in a cold place until firm. floating island. from mrs. rosine ryan, of texas, lady manager-at-large. break six eggs into a bowl, separating the whites from four with the yolks and whites of two; make a boiled custard, say a quart of milk, six tablespoonfuls of sugar, a flavoring of vanilla, peach or sherry wine. beat the whites to a stiff froth, sweetening and flavoring them a little also. wet a large spoon, turn it around in the beaten eggs, take out a piece of oblong shape, and poach it in boiling milk. when the custard is cold, pour it into a glass dish and place the poached whites on top. boiled custard. from mrs. charles j. mcclung, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. let one quart of milk come to a boil with a piece of stick cinnamon in it. beat six eggs (leaving out the whites of three for the float) and one half pint of sugar very light and pour the boiling milk into them. wash your kettle and return all to the stove and boil until as thick as cream (be sure and do not boil until curdled), then act aside to cool. beat the whites of three eggs with three tablespoonfuls of sugar, to which you add a little acid jelly as you beat; beat until perfectly smooth and put on the top of your custard in spoonfuls. snow balls. from mrs. nancy huston banks, of kentucky, alternate lady manager-at-large. one cup white sugar, one cup thick cream, whites of five eggs, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, flour to make a stiff batter; bake in small custard cups. lemon custard. from mrs. ida m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. one lemon (juice and grated rind), one cup sugar, yolks of two eggs, one teaspoonful butter, one-half cup water, two teaspoonfuls cornstarch, boil water and stir in above mixture. _icing for top_--whites of two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar. ice cream fruit cream. from mrs. h. f. brown, of minnesota, lady manager. one quart of fruit (after being put through colander); one cup of cold water--very sweet. add the whites of three eggs (unbeaten). put in a freezer and freeze as ice cream, stirring continually. caramel ice cream. from mrs. lily rosecrans toole, of montana, lady manager. take one pint of brown sugar and _burn_ it; then add water, making a dark brown fluid. this ought to make enough to flavor three pints of cream. have the cream very rich, more so than for ordinary ice cream. then color the cream with the caramel until it is a good shade of brown--darker than coffee color. for this you must have your caramel very black, as it is the quality and not the quantity of caramel that will give the proper flavor; sweeten to taste. tutti frutti ice cream. from mrs. j. montgomery smith, of wisconsin, alternate lady manager. make one quart rich vanilla ice cream, and when partly frozen, add one pound of candied fruit, either cherries, currants or citron. vanilla ice cream. from mrs. mary c. harrison, of wyoming, lady manager. three quarts sweet cream; one quart powdered sugar; one pint sweet milk (dissolve sugar in milk); two tablespoons extract vanilla. pack with equal quantities of cracked ice and rock salt. turn slowly and steadily. maraschino ice cream. from miss mary elliott mccandless, of pennsylvania, lady manager. a simple rule for maraschino ice cream calls for one quart of cream, a large cup of granulated sugar, six egg yolks, a cup of milk, and a tablespoonful of gelatine, which has been soaked for two hours in four tablespoonfuls of cold water. let the milk come to a boil and pour it slowly over the eggs, beat them all the while to prevent their curdling. then add the gelatine and finally the sugar. beat the whole well, strain it into the cream und add four tablespoonfuls of maraschino. pack the cream in a freezer and freeze like any other. when it is of proper consistency, remove the beater, cork up the freezer, pack in more ice and salt, cover the whole closely with thick newspapers and let it rest for an hour or two before it is served. this is a most delicious cream. candy chocolate caramels. from mrs. carrington mason, of tennessee, alternate lady manager. one pound white sugar; one-quarter pound chocolate; four tablespoonfuls of molasses; one cup of sweet milk, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. boil until it will harden in water. flavor with vanilla and pour on a buttered slab. fudges. from mrs. j, montgomery smith, of wisconsin, alternate lady manager. four cups granulated sugar; one cup cream; one cup water; one-half cake chocolate; one-half cup butter. cook until it just holds together, then add two teaspoonfuls extract of vanilla and pour into pans, not buttered. when cool enough to bear finger in, stir it until it no longer runs. it should not grain, but be smooth. cut into squares. cream candy. from mrs. mary payton, of oregon, lady manager. stir into the white of one egg and one tablespoonful of water sugar (confectioner's) enough to make into molds. press one-half walnut on each side and place in a dry place. dates can he used in the same way as the nuts. punch romaine. from mrs. potter palmer, of chicago, president board of lady managers _with best wishes for your success, i am very sincerely yours,_ boil together one quart of water and one pint of sugar for about half an hour; add the juice of six good sized lemons and one orange; strain and set away to cool. then prepare the following: boil together one gill of sugar and one gill of water for eighteen minutes. while the syrup is cooking, beat the whites of four eggs very stiff, and into these pour the hot syrup very slowly--beating all the time, and continue to beat a few minutes after it is all in. set this away to cool. place the first mixture in the freezer and freeze by turning it all the time for twenty minutes. then take off the cover, remove the beater and add one gill of sherry, two tablespoonfuls jamaica rum and the meringue, mixing this well with a spoon into the frozen preparation. cover again and set away until time to serve. serve in punch glasses, as a course between entreés and roast. roman punch. from mrs. john r. wilson, of south dakota, lady manager. three pounds pulverized sugar; three quarts of water; the juice of eight lemons. soak two tablespoonfuls of gelatine in a little of the water; boil all together for a moment, then cool and strain; add one- half pint of rum and the whites of eight eggs _without beating_. freeze. kirsch punch. place in a vessel half a pound of powdered sugar, with one quart of cold water; grate in the rind of a large lemon or of two smaller ones, squeezing in the juice of three good-sized ones, or four, if small. beat this thoroughly for five minutes. taste the mixture and add more powdered sugar if desired sweeter; then strain through a sieve into the freezer. stir into this two gills of kirsch. freeze it as you would an ice cream. serve in twelve punch glasses. apricot sorbet. from mrs. m. d. owings, of washington, lady manager. take twelve fine, sound apricots; wipe carefully, cut them in two, remove the stones, and put them in a vessel with half a pound of powdered sugar, mashing them thoroughly. then take two ounces of bitter almonds; peel and mash these while wet; add one gill of cold water and one ounce of powdered sugar, mashing the whole together. place a muslin cloth over the vessel containing the mashed apricots and through it press the almond mixture. stir all this together for four minutes; then add the juice of three lemons and a pint and a half of cold water. beat thoroughly, then strain through a fine sieve into the freezer, and freeze as you do ice cream. pineapple sherbet. from mrs. governor edwin c. burleigh, of maine, second vice-president board of lady managers. one quart grated pineapple, two heaping tablespoonfuls gelatine dissolved in hot water, one quart water, one quart sugar, juice of one large lemon, whites of two eggs well beaten put in just before freezing. orange water ice. from mrs. theo. f. armstrong, of delaware, alternate lady manager. eight oranges, two lemons, the grated rind of two of the oranges boiled in a little water and then strained, two tablespoonfuls of corn starch mixed with a little cold water; then pour boiling water on the starch; put in the juice of oranges and lemons after straining; one and one-half pounds sugar; add enough water to make one gallon, then freeze. orange frappÉe. from miss annie m. mahan, of west virginia, alternate lady manager. one pint orange juice, one pint water, one pint sugar, juice of two lemons, grated rind of two oranges, partially freeze and pack in ice only. beverages egg nogg. from mrs. w. w. kimball, of chicago, lady manager. one tablespoon of sugar; the yolk of one egg beaten with sugar; beat the white separately, stiff; add four spoons of brandy to beaten yolk; put half the white into mixture; half a glass of cream; then put the rest of the white on top. our grandmother's syllabub. from mrs. sarah s. c. angell of michigan, lady manager. one quart rich cream, juice and peel three lemons, one pint sherry wine, one quart pulverized sugar. grate the lemon peels and express the juice, add sugar and pour over these the wine; stir until sugar is thoroughly moistened and then slowly add the cream. when mixed take whip-dash and with a tablespoon remove the floating bubbles which rise to the surface. drop the contents of your spoon into lemonade or champagne glasses, continuing thin process until all the cream is whipped. if the mixture becomes too thick and creamy to make bubbles, dilute it with sweet milk. this quantity will make thirty or forty glasses or fill a four-quart glass howl. great care must be taken not to dip the spoon too deeply into the mixture, the froth is what is desired. claret punch. from mrs. frona eunice wait, of california, alternate lady manager. take half a gallon of good claret and a pint of old whisky and mix them thoroughly; sweeten to taste by mixing the sugar with a little water to dissolve it before it comes in contact with the alcohol. take a can of pineapple, or one fresh one, and chop fine, put juice and all into the punch; set the whole mixture on ice and let it stand at least three hours before using; serve some portion of the pineapple with each glass. beef tea for children. from mrs. ida m. ball, of delaware, lady manager. use soup meat without bone cut into dice, and to every pound of meat use one pint of cold water. cut up the meat on a dish, not on a board, as the latter absorbs the juices. have the proper measure of water beside you in a soup basin or bowl, and as you cut up the meat sprinkle it moderately with salt and throw it into the cold water; there let it remain for two hours, then put it all into a sauce pan and set it on the fire. watch carefully the first rising and skim and secure this as it is the very essence of the beef; put it into a clean bowl and let the beef go on boiling ten minutes, no longer; then pour the extract through a sieve to the first skimmings; stir before using. for older children than infants you may flavor with onion and a few cloves. chafing dish lobster À la newburg. from miss mary crease sears, of massachusetts, alternate lady manager. two good-sized boiled lobsters. pick out all the meat and cut into one-inch pieces. place in a chafing dish with one ounce of butter, a pinch of salt and a very little red pepper. cook five minutes, then add a wine glass of madeira. cook about three minutes, then add the yolks of three eggs well beaten with half a pint of sweet cream or milk; cook until it thickens, then serve. omelet. from mrs. mary s. lockwood, of district of columbia, lady manager-at-large. beat four fresh eggs slightly with two tablespoonfuls of cream; season with pepper and salt; put a tablespoonful of butter in the chafing dish, and when very hot pour in the egg; scrape up rapidly from all parts of the pan the cooked egg, letting the liquid portion follow the knife. it takes from forty to sixty seconds to cook it, then slip the knife under the left edge and fold the omelet over quickly and lightly. serve on a hot dish. welsh rarebit. from mrs. col. james a. mulligan, of chicago, lady manager. take one pound of american cheese, cut up in small pieces, place in a chafing dish and season with half a salt-spoonful of red pepper; stir for ten minutes or until cheese is thoroughly melted; have ready six large pieces of toast on a very hot dish; cover each slice with the melted cheese; serve very hot as a relish. shrimp À la newburg from mrs. harriet t. upton, of ohio, alternate lady manager. one tablespoon butter; when hot add one tablespoon flour, four tablespoons cream stirred together; yolks of two eggs, add salt, red pepper and mace; bring to a scalding point, add shrimps and four tablespoons of sherry; serve at once. chicken with currie. from mrs. i. l. requa, of california, alternate lady manager. mix half a teacupful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of currie powder thoroughly together and put into the chafing dish with one small onion cut fine; stew together four minutes and then add half a teacupful of stock or broth, half teacupful milk, salt and pepper to taste; when this has become smooth add the chicken and stir constantly in the sauce, stewing nine minutes; serve with rice croquettes. fresh mushrooms À la crÈme. from mrs. francis b. clarke, of minnesota, lady manager. take a pound of fresh mushrooms, the larger the more tender; peel carefully the thin skin from the tops and wash thoroughly; then cut into broad strips or halves, if small, and place in a sauce pan with a pint of cream; let them boil slowly for a half to three-quarters of an hour, until tender; then take a little flour and a tablespoonful of butter, rub thoroughly together and mix into the cream; do not get it too thick; add salt and pepper and serve on hot toast. this also is very nice served in a chafing dish. be sure to have the water in the under pan. serve on toast. this makes a delicious luncheon dish. mock terrapin. from mrs. margaret blaine salisbury, of utah, eighth vice-president board of lady managers. put in the chafing dish the dark meat of cold chicken, turkey or grouse, cut in small dice, with half a pint of cream or stock, and when it comes to a boil stir in the following mixture: two tablespoons of butter rubbed into a smooth paste with a tablespoonful of flour and the yolks of three eggs, a teaspoonful dry mustard, a little cayenne pepper and salt, all mixed with a little cream or stock; let simmer a few minutes (not boil) and when ready to serve stir in a large wine- glass of madeira. _wishing you the success you deserve in the accomplishment of this laudable project, believe me, sincerely yours_. contents bread. steamed brown bread, mrs. virginia c. meredith, light bread, mrs. governor james p. eagle, franklin gems, mrs. l. m. n. stevens, baking powder biscuit, mrs. rollin a. edgerton, french rolls, mrs. sallie howard bush, risen muffins, mrs. sallie howard bush, breakfast rolls, miss meta telfair mclaws, pocket-book rolls, mrs. ida m. ball potato rolls, mrs. theo, f. armstrong, graham gems, mrs. louise campbell, corn cake, miss hattie t. hundley, bachelors' corn pone, mrs. mary b. p. black, corn bread, mrs. t. j. butler, corn meal muffins, mrs. parthenia p. rue, baked corn bread, mrs. minna g. hooker, steamed brown bread, mrs. b. v. mcconnell, raised brown bread, mrs. ellen m. chandler, boston brown bread, mrs. governor james p. eagle, strawberry short cake, mrs. governor edwin c. burleigh strawberry short cake, mrs. augusta truman, orange short cake, mrs. m. d. owings, sally lunn, mrs. margaret m. ratcliffe, ham toast, mrs. rosine ryan, oat meal, mrs. george hoxworth, brewis, mrs. francis e. hale, sandwich dressing, mrs. mariam d. cooper, oysters, bouillon, soup. amber soup, carrie v. shuman, mock-turtle soup, mrs. beriah wilkins, julienne soup, mrs. susan r. ashley, noodle soup, mrs. frona eunice wait, corn soup, mrs. m. d. thatcher, celery soup, mrs. alice b. castleman, oyster soup, mrs. helen c. brayton, bisque of crab or crawfish, mrs. belle . perkins, potato puree, mrs. james r. deane, asparagus soup, mrs. laura p. coleman, tomato soup, mrs. ida m. ball, tomato soup, mrs. e. j. p. howes, gumbo file, mrs. anna m. fosdick, gumbo soup, mrs. virginia t. smith, chicken gumbo with oysters, mrs. alice b. castleman, okra soup, miss floride cuningham, black bean soup, mrs. m. d. foley, bean soup, mrs. anne b. patrick, soup regency, mrs. isabella beecher hooker, pea soup, mrs. whiting s. clark, clam chowder, mrs. charles h. olmstead, clam chowder, miss lida m. russell, fish. soles or smelts cooked mrs. james r. deane, with maitre d'hotel sauce, baked shad, mrs. mary r. kinder, cubion, mrs. anna m. fosdick, cod fish balls, mrs. a. m. palmer, salmon croquettes, mrs. george w. lamar, shell fish. maryland terrapins, mrs. william reed, terrapin white stew, mrs. james r. deane, white stew of terrapin, mrs. george w. lamar, terrapin croquettes, mrs. w. w. kimball, deviled lobster, mrs. joseph c. straughan, lobster croquettes, mrs. louise l. barton, deviled crabs, mrs. cora l. bartlett, deviled crabs, mrs. anna e. m. farnum, deviled crabs, miss jennie torreyson, soft shell crabs mrs. george w. lamar frog legs mrs. ella ray miller, pannee oysters, mrs. alice b. castleman, creamed oysters, mrs. mira b. f. ladd, "little pigs in blankets," mrs. isabella laning candee, escalloped oysters, miss meta telfair mclaws, creamed shrimps, mrs. m. d. foley, sauces. sauce mousseline, mrs. wilson patterson, tartar sauce, mrs. myra bradwell, boiled egg sauce, mrs. jakes r. doolittle, jr., meats. filet of beef, mrs. governor oglesby, roast beef, mrs. matilda b. carse, yorkshire pudding, mrs. harriet a. lucas, roulards, mrs. ralph trautmann, beef loaf, mrs. carrington mason, hash mrs. annie l. y. orff, mutton chops, miss mary b. hancock, roast lamb, mrs. robt. b. mitchell, lamb chops, mrs. hester a. hanback, potted tongue, mrs. frank h. daniell, veal croquettes, mrs. isabella beecher hooker, veal croquettes, miss katharine l. minor, veal pot pie, miss susan w. ball, casselettes de veau, mrs. james r. deane, veal fricassee, mrs. t. j. butler, veal loaf, mrs. whiting s. clark, sweetbreads. sweet-bread croquettes, mrs. schuyler colfax, sweetbreads and oysters, senora teresa a. de symington, sweetbreads and mushrooms, mrs. p. b. winston, sweetbreads en coquille, miss jennie torreyson, sweetbread patties, miss wilhelmine reitz, poultry. boiled chicken, mrs. edwin c. burleigh jambolaya, miss katharine l. minor, chicken livers, en mrs. col. james a. mulligan, brocuhette, with bacon, pollo con arroz, senora don manuel chaves, pollo con tomates, senora don manuel chaves, tamales de chile, senora don manuel chaves, coquilles de voloille, miss josephine shakspeare, croquettes mrs. l. c. gillespie, chicken croquettes, mrs. sarah h. bixby, curry of chicken in puffs, senora teresa a. de symington, pilauf, miss floride cunningham, fricassee chicken, mrs. helen c. brayton, a good roast turkey, mrs. helen a. peck, dressing for turkey. mrs. w. h. felton, how to cook chestnuts, miss eloise l. roman, game. wild duck in maryland, mrs. william reed, snipe and woodcock broiled mrs. rufus s. frost, on toast, prairie chicken, mrs. e. s. thomson, vegetables. vegetable oyster, mrs. governor bagley, cauliflower with tartar mrs. myra bradwell, sauce, scalloped potatoes, mrs. beriah wilkins, escalloped sweet potatoes, mrs. p. b. winston, potato puff, mrs. h. f. brown, potato croquettes, mrs. frances p. burrows, potatoes--mashed, mrs. e.j.p. howes, boston baked beans, mrs. elizabeth c. langworthy, lima beans, mrs. mariam d. cooper, baked tomatoes, mrs. governor rickards, baked tomatoes, mrs. augusta truman, stewed tomatoes, miss mary h. krout, beets, mrs. governor john m. stone, parsnips--stewed, mrs. m. r. lee, stuffed green peppers, mrs. alice b. castleman, corn oysters, mrs. john s. briggs, fried egg plant, mrs. lily rosecrans toole, macaroni--good, mrs. sam s. fifield rice as a vegetable, mrs. charles h. olmstead cranberries, mrs. lana a. bates eggs. plain omelet with mrs. l. brace shattuck eight eggs, green corn omelet, mrs. frances p. burrows omelet with ham, mrs. naomi t. compton omelet--plain, miss mary e. busselle stuffed eggs, mrs. ralph trautmann deviled eggs for luncheon mrs. isabella laning candee or picnics, escalloped eggs, mrs. helen a. peck how to take egg, mrs. naomi t. compton salad. lobster salad, mrs. charles price chicken salad, mrs. a. m. palmer southern chicken salad, mrs. charles j. mcclung chicken salad, mrs. margaret m. ratcliffe vegetable salad, mrs. florence h. kidder string bean salad, mrs. caroline e. dennis excellent potato salad, mrs. genevieve m. guthrie tomato salad, mrs. mira b. f. ladd tomato salad, miss mary crease sears cabbage salad, mrs. theresa j. cochran fish salad, mrs. mary c. bell salad dressing, miss loraine pearce bucklin doughnuts and fritters. famous doughnuts, miss frances e. willard raised doughnuts, mrs. ellen m. chandler doughnuts, mrs. laura e. howey doughnuts, miss annie m. mahan callas, mrs. belle h. perkins apple fritters, mrs. m. p. hart corn fritters, mrs. e. v. mcconnell clam fritters, mrs. sallie s. cotten white corn meal cakes mrs. sarah s. c. angell, for breakfast corn griddle cakes or old miss lily irene jackson virginia slap jacks, fried mush, mrs. george hoxworth superior waffles, mrs. mary b. p. black mexican enchiladas, mrs. franc lusr albright preserves. tomato conserve, mrs. caroline e. dennis orange marmalade, mrs. governor oglesby compote of apples, mrs. hattie e. sladden steamed peaches, mrs. w. newton linch, quince preserves, mrs. m. p. hart, watermelon preserves, mrs. h. k. ingram, blackberry jam, mrs. mary s. mcneal, canned spiced blackberries, mrs. h. j. peto, spiced green grapes, mrs. george a. mumford, orange jelly, mrs. theresa j. cochran, currant jelly, mrs. m. p. h. beeson, crab apple jelly, mrs. genevieve m. guthrie, pickles and catsup. pickled onions, mrs. harriet a. lucas, oil pickles, mrs. ida m. ball, mixed pickles, mrs. sam. s. fifield, cucumber pickles, mrs. parthenia p. rue, green cucumber pickle, mrs. cora payne jackson, ripe cucumber pickle, miss mary elliott mccandless, gooseberry catsup, mrs. amey m. starkweather, cabbage pickle, mrs. carrington mason, picalilly, mrs. ella kay miller, sweet pickled peaches, mrs. nellie b. plumer, chow-chow pickles, mrs. h. k. ingram, mustard chow-chow, mrs. alice b. castleman, chow-chow, miss mary elliott mccandless, cheese. cheese fonda, miss hattie t. hundley, cheese sticks, mrs. margaret m. ratcliffe, pies. lemon pie, mrs. l. m. n. stevens ideal lemon pie, mrs. ida l. turner lemon pie, mrs. virginia. c. meredith lemon pie, miss lucia b. perea pumpkin pie, mrs. frances c. holley apple custard pie, mrs. annie l. y. orff cream pie, mrs. m. k. lee cream pie, mrs. louise campbell apple pie, mrs. alice vineyard brown pie crust, mrs. annie l. y. orff mince meat, mrs. marcia louise gould mince meat, mrs. laura p. coleman pudding. graham christmas pudding, mrs. rollin a. edgerton graham pudding, mrs. george a. mumford lady ross fig pudding, mrs. wm. p. lynde alexandre pudding, mrs. m. d. thatcher plum pudding, mrs. florence h. kidder english plum pudding, mrs. phoebe m. hartpence english plum pudding, mrs. s. w. mclaughlin vegetable plum pudding, miss mary e. busseler plum pudding, mrs. helen c. brayton christmas plum pudding, mrs. alice j. whalen cherry pudding, mrs. louise l. barton bread and butter pudding, mrs. nancy huston banks delicate indian pudding, mrs. s. w. mclaughlin baked indian pudding, mrs. marian d. cooper prune roll, mrs. clark waring prune pudding, mrs. hattie e. sladden prune pudding, mrs. mary s. mcneal prune pudding, mrs. john r. wilson bread pudding, mrs. kate canthon mcdaniel chocolate pudding, miss mary b. hancock danish pudding, miss mary b. hancock delicious pudding, mrs. elizabeth c. langworthy suet pudding, mrs. helen m. barker suet pudding, mrs. leander stone queen pudding, mrs. l. c. gillespie steam pudding, mrs. john s. briggs steam pudding, mrs. clara l. mcadow baked huckleberry pudding, mrs. nellie b. plumer minnie's lemon pudding, mrs. h. j. peto cup pudding, mrs. marie j. gaston italian roll, mrs. f. h. daniell chaperone pudding, mrs. annie l. y. orff apple pudding, mrs. ida l. turner baked apple dumpling, mrs. schuyler colfax foam sauce, mrs. carrington mason cake. sponge cake, mrs. isabella beecher hooker sponge cake, mrs. martha a. griggs sponge cake, mrs. marie j. gaston north dakota sponge cake, mrs. alice vineyard brown chaperone sponge cake, mrs. annie l. y. orff new engl'd raised miss frances s. ivys loaf cake, french loaf cake, mrs. martha a. griggs grandmother's bread cake, mrs. mary c. bell old virginia bread cake, mrs. katherine s. g. paul bread cake, mrs. clara l. mcadow corn starch cake, mrs. clara l. mcadow exposition orange cake, mrs. s. e. verdenal orange cake, mrs. frances welles shepard angel food, mrs. mary c. harrison angel cake, mrs. daniel hall sunshine cake, mrs. daniel hall election cake, mrs. helen c. brayton connecticut election cake, mrs. virginia t. smith almond cream cake, mrs. flora beall ginty velvet cake, mrs. sallie s. cotten caramel cake, mrs. james r. doolittle, jr. a caramel cake, mrs. franc luse albright roll jelly cake, mrs. flora beall ginty chocolate cake, mrs. ralph trautmann georgia's cake, mrs. clare waring chess cake, mrs. carrington mason fruit cake, mrs. a. k. delaney, english fruit cake, mrs. phoebe m. hartpence, fruit cake, mrs. m. p. h. beeson, fruit cake, mrs. hester a. hanback, sally white cake, mrs. florence h. kidder, delicate cake, mrs. john a. logan, delicate cake, mrs. harriet t. upton, white cake, mrs. governor john m. stone, walnut cake, mrs. francks c. holley, nut cake, miss josephine shakspeare, nut cake, mrs. minna g. hooker, nut cake, mrs. alice houghton, pecan cake, mrs. russell b. harrison, cake made with cream, mrs. sarah h. bixby, cream frosting, mrs. mary payton, almond icing, mrs. lana a. bates, soft gingerbread, mrs. ida m. ball, columbian ginger cake, mrs. s. e. verdenal, gingerbread, mrs. sam. s. fifield, soft gingerbread, mrs. mary k. kinder, loaf ginger cake, mrs. a. k. delaney, cookies. hermits or fruit cookies, mrs. susan g. cooke, cookies, miss lily irene jackson, "corinita" cookies, miss lucia b. perea, cookies, mrs. robt. b. mitchell, ginger cookies, mrs. clara i. mcadow, ginger snaps, mrs. sam. s. fifield, french jumbles, mrs. e, s. thompson, sand tarts, miss eloise l. roman, lady fingers, mrs. m. d. owings, desserts. pineapple sponge, mrs. matilda b. carse, pineapple soufflé, mrs. james k. deane, peach sponge, mrs. joseph c. straughan, hamburg cream, mrs. ida m. ball, chocolat moussé, miss josephine shakspeare, chocolat soufflé, mrs. alice houghton, chocolat meringue, mrs. katherine s. g. paul, bavarian cream, mrs. alice j. whalen, gelatine cream, miss mary elliott mcandless, nob hill pudding, miss lida m. russell, apple charlotte, mrs. john a. logan, charlotte de russe, mrs. charles price, charlotte russe, mrs. marcia louise gould, charlotte russe, mrs. susan w. ball, charlotte russe, mrs. george w. lamar, strawberry blanc mange, mrs. benedette b. tobin, snow pudding, mrs. susan g. cookk, wine or gelatine jelly, mrs. cabrington mason, fruit jelly, miss wilhelmine reitz, a dainty dessert, mrs. solomon thatcher, jr., tamales de dolce, seÑora don manuel chaves, a cheap dessert, mrs. katy canthon mcdaniel, bananas in jelly, mrs. governor rickards, almond blanc mange, mrs. benedette b. tobin, floating island, mrs. rosine ryan, boiled custard, mrs. charles i. mcclung, snow balls, mrs. nancy huston banks, lemon custard, mrs. ida m. ball, ice cream. fruit cream, mrs. h. f. brown, caramel ice cream, mrs. lily rosencrans toole, tutti frutti ice cream, mrs. j. montgomery smith, vanilla ice cream, mrs. mary c. harrison, maraschino ice cream, miss mary elliott mccandless, candy. chocolate caramels, mrs. carrington mason, fudges, mrs. j. montgomery smith, cream candy, mrs. mary payton, punch. romaine, mrs. potter palmer, roman punch, mrs. john r. wilson. kirsch punch, carrie v. shuman, apricot sorbet, mrs. m.d. owings, pineapple sherbet, mrs. governor edwin c. burleigh, orange water ice, mrs. theo. f. armstrong, orange frappée, miss annie m. mahan, beverages. egg nogg, mrs. w. w. kimball, our grandmother's syllabub, mrs. sarah s. c. angell, claret punch, mrs. frona eunice wait, beef tea for children, mrs. ida m. ball, chafing dish. lobster à la newburg, miss mary crease sears, omelet, mrs. mary s. lockwood, welsh rarebit, mrs. col. james a. mulligan, shrimp à la newburg, mrs. harriet t. upton, chicken with currie, mrs. i. l. requa, fresh mushrooms à la crème, mrs. francis b. clarke, mock terrapin, mrs. margaret blaine salisbury, and pg distributed proofreaders woman's institute library of cookery volume three soup meat poultry and game fish and shell fish woman's institute of domestic arts and sciences, inc. preface this volume, which is the third of the woman's institute library of cookery, includes soups and the high-protein foods, meat, poultry, game, and fish. it therefore contains information that is of interest to every housewife, for these foods occupy an important place in the majority of meals. in her study of _soup,_ she will come to a thorough appreciation of the place that soup occupies in the meal, its chief purposes, and its economic value. all the different kinds of soups are classified and discussed, recipes for making them, as well as the stocks used in their preparation, receiving the necessary attention. the correct serving of soup is not overlooked; nor are the accompaniments and garnishes so often required to make the soup course of the meal an attractive one. in _meat,_ parts and , are described the various cuts of the different kinds of meat--beef, veal, lamb, mutton, and pork--and the part of the animal from which they are obtained, the way in which to judge a good piece of meat by its appearance, and what to do with it from the time it is purchased until all of it is used. all the methods applicable to the cooking of meats are emphasized in this section. supplementing the text are numerous illustrations showing the ways in which meat cuts are obtained. besides, many of them are so reproduced that actual cuts of meat may be readily recognized. equipped with this knowledge, the housewife need give no concern to the selection, care, and cooking of every variety of meat. in _poultry and game,_ the selection and preparation of all kinds of poultry receive attention. while such food is somewhat of a luxury in a great many homes, it helps to relieve the monotony of the usual protein foods, and it often supplies just what is desired for special occasions. familiarity with poultry and game is a decided asset to any housewife, and success with their cooking and serving is assured through a study of this text, for every step in their preparation is clearly explained and illustrated. in _fish and shell fish,_ the other high-protein food is treated in full as to its composition, food value, purchase, care, and preparation. such interesting processes as the boning, skinning, and filleting of fish are not only carefully explained but clearly illustrated. in addition to recipes for fresh, salt, smoked, and canned fish are given directions for the preparation of all edible shell fish and recipes for the various stuffings and sauces served with fish. too much cannot be said about the importance of the subjects covered in this volume and the necessity for a thorough understanding of them on the part of every housewife. indeed, a mastery of them will mean for her an acquaintance with the main part of the meal, and when she knows how to prepare these foods, the other dishes will prove a simple matter. contents soup value of soup classification of soups uses and varieties of soup stock the stock pot principal ingredients in soup processes involved in making stock serving soup recipes for soup and soup accompaniments stocks and clear soups heavy thick soups cream soups purées chowders soup accompaniments and garnishes meat value of meat as food structure and composition of meat purchase and care of meat purposes of cooking meat methods of cooking meat time required for cooking meat beef--general characteristics cuts of beef steaks and their preparation roasts and their preparation preparation of stews and corned beef beef organs and their preparation making gravy trying out suet and other fats preparation of left-over beef veal cuts of veal and their uses veal cuts and their preparation veal organs and their preparation preparation of left-over veal mutton and lamb--comparison cuts of mutton and lamb preparation of roasts, chops, and stews preparation of left-over lamb and mutton pork cuts of pork fresh pork and its preparation cured pork and its preparation preparation of left-over pork serving and carving of meat sausages and meat preparations principles of deep-fat frying application of deep-fat frying timbale cases poultry and game poultry as a food selection of poultry selection of chicken selection of poultry other than chicken composition of poultry preparation of chicken for cooking preparation of poultry other than chicken for cooking cooking of poultry stuffing for roast poultry boned chicken dishes from left-over poultry serving and carving of poultry game recipes for game fish and shell fish fish in the diet composition and food value of fish purchase and care of fish cleaning fish boning fish skinning fish filleting fish methods of cooking fish recipes for fish sauces and stuffings recipes for fresh fish recipes for salt and smoked fish recipes for canned fish recipes for left-over fish shell fish--nature, varieties, and use oysters and their preparation clams and their preparation scallops and their preparation lobsters and their preparation crabs and their preparation shrimp and their preparation soup soup and its place in the meal value of soup . soup is a liquid food that is prepared by boiling meat or vegetables, or both, in water and then seasoning and sometimes thickening the liquid that is produced. it is usually served as the first course of a dinner, but it is often included in a light meal, such as luncheon. while some persons regard the making of soup as difficult, nothing is easier when one knows just what is required and how to proceed. the purpose of this section, therefore, is to acquaint the housewife with the details of soup making, so that she may provide her family with appetizing and nutritious soups that make for both economy and healthfulness. . it is interesting to note the advancement that has been made with this food. the origin of soup, like that of many foods, dates back to practically the beginning of history. however, the first soup known was probably not made with meat. for instance, the mess of pottage for which esau sold his birthright was soup made of red lentils. later on meat came to be used as the basis for soup because of the agreeable and appetizing flavor it provides. then, at one time in france a scarcity of butter and other fats that had been used to produce moistness and richness in foods, brought about such clear soups as bouillon and consommé. these, as well as other liquid foods, found much favor, for about the time they were devised it came to be considered vulgar to chew food. thus, at various periods, and because of different emergencies, particular kinds of soup have been introduced, until now there are many kinds from which the housewife may choose when she desires a dish that will start a meal in the right way and at the same time appeal to the appetite. . value of soup in the meal.--not all persons have the same idea regarding the value of soup as a part of a meal. some consider it to be of no more value than so much water, claiming that it should be fed to none but children or sick persons who are unable to take solid food. on the other hand, many persons believe that soup contains the very essence of all that is nourishing and sustaining in the foods of which it is made. this difference of opinion is well demonstrated by the ideas that have been advanced concerning this food. some one has said that soup is to a meal what a portico is to a palace or an overture to an opera, while another person, who evidently does not appreciate this food, has said that soup is the preface to a dinner and that any work really worth while is sufficient in itself and needs no preface. such opinions, however, must be reconciled if the true value of this food is to be appreciated. . probably the best way in which to come to a definite conclusion as to the importance of soup is to consider the purposes it serves in a meal. when its variety and the ingredients of which it is composed are thought of, soup serves two purposes: first, as an appetizer taken at the beginning of a meal to stimulate the appetite and aid in the flow of digestive juices in the stomach; and, secondly, as an actual part of the meal, when it must contain sufficient nutritive material to permit it to be considered as a part of the meal instead of merely an addition. even in its first and minor purpose, the important part that soup plays in many meals is not hard to realize, for it is just what is needed to arouse the flagging appetite and create a desire for nourishing food. but in its second purpose, the real value of soup is evident. whenever soup contains enough nutritive material for it to take the place of some dish that would otherwise be necessary, its value cannot be overestimated. if soup is thought of in this way, the prejudice that exists against it in many households will be entirely overcome. but since much of this prejudice is due to the fact that the soup served is often unappetizing in both flavor and appearance, sufficient attention should be given to the making of soup to have this food attractive enough to appeal to the appetite rather than discourage it. soup should not be greasy nor insipid in flavor, neither should it be served in large quantities nor without the proper accompaniment. a small quantity of well-flavored, attractively served soup cannot fail to meet the approval of any family when it is served as the first course of the meal. . general classes of soup.--soups are named in various ways, according to material, quality, etc.; but the two purposes for which soup is used have led to the placing of the numerous kinds into two general classes. in the first class are grouped those which serve as appetizers, such as bouillon, consommé, and some other broths and clear soups. in the second class are included those eaten for their nutritive effect, such as cream soups, purées, and bisques. from these two classes of soup, the one that will correspond with the rest of the meal and make it balance properly is the one to choose. for instance, a light soup that is merely an appetizer should be served with a heavy dinner, whereas a heavy, highly nutritious soup should be used with a luncheon or a light meal. . economic value of soup.--besides having an important place in the meal of which it forms a part, soup is very often an economy, for it affords the housewife a splendid opportunity to utilize many left-overs. with the french people, who excel in the art of soup making chiefly because of their clever adaptation of seasoning to foods, their _pot-au-feu_ is a national institution and every kitchen has its stock pot. persons who believe in the strictest food economy use a stock pot, since it permits left-overs to be utilized in an attractive and palatable way. in fact, there is scarcely anything in the way of fish, meat, fowl, vegetables, and cereals that cannot be used in soup making, provided such ingredients are cared for in the proper way. very often the first glance at the large number of ingredients listed in a soup recipe creates the impression that soup must be a very complicated thing. such, however, is not the case. in reality, most of the soup ingredients are small quantities of things used for flavoring, and it is by the proper blending of these that appetizing soups are secured. classification of soups . the two general classes of soup already mentioned permit of numerous methods of classification. for instance, soups are sometimes named from the principal ingredient or an imitation of it, as the names potato soup, beef soup, macaroni soup, mock-turtle soup testify. again, both stimulating and nutritious soups may be divided into thin and thick soups, thin soups usually being clear, and thick soups, because of their nature, cloudy. when the quality of soups is considered, they are placed in still different classes and are called broth, bisque, consommé, purée, and so on. another important classification of soups results from the nationality of the people who use them. while soups are classified in other ways, it will be sufficient for all practical purposes if the housewife understands these three principal classes. . classes denoting consistency.--as has already been pointed out, soups are of only two kinds when their consistency is thought of, namely, _clear soups_ and _thick soups._ clear soups are those made from carefully cleared stock, or soup foundation, and flavored or garnished with a material from which the soup usually takes its name. there are not many soups of this kind, _bouillon_ and _consommé_ being the two leading varieties, but in order to be palatable, they require considerable care in making. thick soups are also made from stock, but milk, cream, water, or any mixture of these may also be used as a basis, and to it may be added for thickening meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, or grain or some other starchy material. soups of this kind are often made too thick, and as such soups are not appetizing, care must be taken to have them just right in consistency. . classes denoting quality.--when attention is given to the quality of soup, this food divides itself into several varieties, namely, _broth, cream soup, bisque, chowder,_ and _purée._ broths have for their foundation a clear stock. they are sometimes a thin soup, but other times they are made quite thick with vegetables, rice, barley, or other material, when they are served as a substantial part of a meal. cream soups are highly nutritious and are of great variety. they have for their foundation a thin cream sauce, but to this are always added vegetables, meat, fish, or grains. bisques are thick, rich soups made from game, fish, or shell fish, particularly crabs, shrimp, etc. occasionally, vegetables are used in soup of this kind. chowders are soups that have sea food for their basis. vegetables and crackers are generally added for thickening and to impart flavor. purÉes are soups made thick partly or entirely by the addition of some material obtained by boiling an article of food and then straining it to form a pulp. when vegetables containing starch, such as beans, peas, lentils, and potatoes, are used for this purpose, it is unnecessary to thicken the soup with any additional starch; but when meat, fish, or watery vegetables are used, other thickening is required. to be right, a purée should be nearly as smooth as thick cream and of the same consistency. . classes typical of particular countries.--certain kinds of soup have been made so universally by the people of various countries that they have come to be regarded as national dishes and are always thought of as typical of the particular people by whom they are used. among the best known of these soups are _borsch,_ a soup much used by the russian people and made from beets, leeks, and sour cream; _daikan,_ a japanese soup in which radishes are the principal ingredient; _kouskous,_ a soup favored by the people of abyssinia and made from vegetables; _krishara_, a rice soup that finds much favor in india; _lebaba,_ an egyptian soup whose chief ingredients are honey, butter, and raisin water; _minestra,_ an italian soup in which vegetables are combined; _mulligatawny,_ an indian rice soup that is flavored with curry; _potroka,_ another kind of russian soup, having giblets for its foundation; _soljinka,_ an entirely different variety of russian soup, being made from fish and onions; and _tarhonya,_ a hungarian soup containing noodles. * * * * * stock for soup uses and varieties of stock . meaning and use of stock.--in order that soup-making processes may be readily grasped by the housewife, she should be thoroughly familiar with what is meant by _stock,_ which forms the foundation of many soups. in looking into the derivation of this term, it will be found that the word stock comes from an anglo-saxon word meaning to stick, and that while it has many different uses, the idea of fixedness is expressed in every one of them. as is generally known, a stock of anything means a reserve supply of that thing stored away for future use. when applied to soup, stock is similar in meaning, for it refers to material stored or prepared in such a way that it may be kept for use in the making of certain kinds of soup. in a more definite sense, soup stock may be regarded as a liquid containing the juices and soluble parts of meat, bone, and vegetables, which have been extracted by long, slow cooking and which can be utilized in the making of soups, sauces, and gravies. . soups in which stock is utilized include all the varieties made from beef, veal, mutton, and poultry. if clear stock is desired for the making of soup, only fresh meat and bones should be used and all material that will discolor the liquid in any way carefully avoided. for ordinary, unclarified soups, the trimmings and bones of roast, steak, or chops and the carcass of fowl can generally be utilized. however, very strongly flavored meat, such as mutton, or the fat from mutton should be used sparingly, if at all, on account of the strong flavor that it imparts. . varieties of stock.--several kinds of stock are utilized in the making of soup, and the kind to employ depends on the soup desired. in determining the kind of stock required for the foundation of a soup, the housewife may be guided by the following classification: first stock is made from meat and bones and then clarified and used for well-flavored, clear soups. second stock is made from the meat and the bones that remain after the first stock is strained off. more water is added to the remaining material, and this is then cooked with vegetables, which supply the needed flavor. such stock serves very well for adding flavor to a nutritious soup made from vegetables or cereal foods. household stock is made by cooking meat and bones, either fresh or cooked, with vegetables or other material that will impart flavor and add nutritive value. stock of this kind is used for ordinary soups. bone stock is made from meat bones to which vegetables are added for flavor, and it is used for making any of the ordinary soups. vegetable stock is made from either dried or fresh vegetables or both. such stock is employed in making vegetable soups. game stock is made from the bones and trimmings of game to which vegetables are added for flavor. this kind of stock is used for making game soups. fish stock is made from fish or fish trimmings to which vegetables are added for flavor. shell fish make especially good stock of this kind. fish stock is employed for making chowders and fish soups. . additional uses of stock.--as has already been shown, stock is used principally as a foundation for certain varieties of soup. this material, however, may be utilized in many other ways, being especially valuable in the use of left-over foods. any bits of meat or fowl that are left over can be made into an appetizing dish by adding thickened stock to them and serving the combination over toast or rice. in fact, a large variety of made dishes can be devised if there is stock on hand to add for flavor. the convenience of a supply of stock will be apparent when it is realized that gravy or sauce for almost any purpose can be made from the contents of the stock pot. . soup extracts.--if a housewife does not have sufficient time to go through the various processes involved in making soup, her family need not be deprived of this article of diet, for there are a number of concentrated meat and vegetable extracts on the market for making soups quickly. the _meat extracts_ are made of the same flavoring material as that which is drawn from meat in the making of stock. almost all the liquid is evaporated and the result is a thick, dark substance that must be diluted greatly with water to obtain the basis for a soup or a broth. some of the _vegetable extracts,_ such as japanese soy and english marmite, are so similar in appearance and taste to the meat extracts as to make it quite difficult to detect any difference. both varieties of these extracts may be used for sauces and gravies, as well as for soups, but it should be remembered that they are not highly nutritious and are valuable merely for flavoring. the stock pot . nature, use, and care of stock pot.--among the utensils used for cooking there is probably none more convenient and useful than the stock pot. it is nothing more or less than a covered crock or pot like that shown in fig. , into which materials that will make a well-flavored stock are put from time to time. from such a supply, stock can be drawn when it is needed for soup; then, when some is taken out, more water and materials may be added to replenish the pot. the stock pot should be made of either enamel or earthenware, since a metal pot of any kind is liable to impart flavor to the food. likewise, its lid, or cover, should be tight-fitting, for then it will be an excellent utensil in which the materials may be stored until they are to be heated, when they can be poured or dipped into a saucepan or a kettle. the stock pot, like any other utensil used for making soup, should receive considerable care, as it must be kept scrupulously clean. no stock pot should ever be allowed to stand from day to day without being emptied, thoroughly washed, and then exposed to the air for a while to dry. [illustration: fig. ] . food suitable for the stock pot.--some one has said that nothing edible is out of place in the stock pot, and, to a great extent, this statement is true. here should be put the bones from the cooked roast, as well as the trimmings cut from it before it went into the oven; the tough ends and bones of beefsteak; the trimmings or bones sent home by the butcher; the carcasses of fowls, together with any remains of stuffing and tough or left-over bits of meat; any left-over vegetables; the remains of the gravy or any unsweetened sauces used for meats or vegetables; the spoonful of left-over hash, stew, or stuffing; a left-over stuffed tomato or pepper; and the water in which rice, macaroni, or certain vegetables have been cooked. of course, plain water can be used for the liquid, but the water in which such vegetables as cauliflower, carrots, beans, peas, asparagus, celery, and potatoes have been cooked is especially desirable, for, besides imparting flavor to the soup, it adds valuable mineral salts. however, when such things as left-over cereals, rice, macaroni, and green vegetables are to be utilized in soup, they should not be put in the stock pot; rather, they should be added to the stock after it is removed from the pot. making of soup principal ingredients . the making of the stock that is used in soup is the most important of the soup-making processes; in fact, these two things--soup and stock--may be regarded, in many instances, as one and the same. the housewife will do well, therefore, to keep in mind that whenever reference is made to the making of soup usually stock making is also involved and meant. before the actual soup-making processes are taken up, however, the nature of the ingredients required should be well understood; for this reason, suitable meats and vegetables, which are the principal ingredients in soups, are first discussed. . meat used for soup making.--with the exception of pork, almost every kind of meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, game, and poultry, is used for soup making. occasionally, ham is employed, but most other forms of pork are seldom used to any extent. when soup stock is made from these meats, they may be cooked separately, or, as a combination is often an improvement over a single variety, several kinds may be combined. for instance, mutton used alone makes a very strongly flavored soup, so that it is usually advisable to combine this kind of meat with another meat that has a less distinctive flavor. on the other hand, veal alone does not have sufficient flavor, so it must be combined with lamb, game, fowl, or some other well-flavored meat. . certain cuts of meats are preferred to others in the making of soups, because of the difference in their texture. the tender cuts, which are the expensive ones, should not be used for soups, as they do not produce enough flavor. the tough cuts, which come from the muscles that the animal uses constantly and that therefore grow hard and tough, are usually cheaper, but they are more suitable, because they contain the material that makes the best soup. the pieces best adapted to soup making are the shins, the shanks, the lower part of the round, the neck, the flank, the shoulder, the tail, and the brisket. the parts of the animal from which these cuts are taken are clearly shown in fig. . although beef is obtained from the animal shown, the same cuts come from practically the same places in other animals. stock made from one of these cuts will be improved if a small amount of the fat of the meat is cooked with it; but to avoid soup that is too greasy, any excess fat that remains after cooking should be carefully removed. the marrow of the shin bone is the best fat for soup making. if soup is to be made from fish, a white variety should be selected. the head and trimmings may be utilized, but these alone are not sufficient, because soup requires some solid pieces of meat. the same is true of meat bones; they are valuable only when they are used with meat, an equal proportion of bone and meat being required for the best stock. [illustration: fig. ] . vegetables used for soup making.--in soup making, the housewife has also a large number of vegetables from which to select, for any vegetable that has a decided flavor may be used. among those from which soups can be made successfully are cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus, corn, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, beans, peas, lentils, salsify, potatoes, spinach, celery, mushrooms, okra, and even sweet potatoes. these vegetables are used for two purposes: to provide flavoring and to form part of the soup itself as well as to furnish flavor. when they are used simply for flavoring, they are cooked until their flavor is obtained and then removed from the stock. when they are to form part of the soup, as well as to impart flavor, they are left in the soup in small pieces or made into a purée and eaten with the soup. attention, too, must be given to the condition of the vegetables that are used in soup. the fresh vegetables that are used should be in perfect condition. they should have no decayed places that might taint or discolor the soups, and they should be as crisp and solid as possible. if they are somewhat withered or faded, they can be freshened by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time. when dried vegetables are to be used for soup making, they should first be soaked well in cold water and then, before being added to the stock, either partly cooked or entirely cooked and made into a purée. processes involved in making stock . although the making of stock or soup is a simple process, it must necessarily be a rather long one. the reason for this is that all flavor cannot be drawn from the soup materials unless they are subjected to long, slow cooking at a temperature lower than the boiling point. with this point definitely understood, the actual work of soup making may be taken up. . cooking meat for soup.--when clear stock is to be made from fresh meat, the required quantity of meat should be cut into small pieces rather than large ones, so as to expose as much of the surface as possible from which the flavor of the meat can be drawn. a little more flavor is obtained and a brown color developed if a small part, perhaps a fourth, of the pieces of meat are first browned in the frying pan. the pieces thus browned, together with the pieces of fresh meat, are put into a kettle and a quart of cold water for each pound of meat is then added. the reason for using cold rather than hot water will be evident when the action of water on raw meat is understood. the fiber of meat is composed of innumerable thread-like tubes containing the flavor that is to be drawn out into the water in order to make the stock appetizing. when the meat is cut, these tiny tubes are laid open. putting the meat thus prepared into cold water and allowing it to heat gradually tend to extract the contents of the tubes. this material is known as _extractives_, and it contains in its composition stimulating substances. on the other hand, plunging the meat into hot water and subjecting it quickly to a high temperature will coagulate the protein in the tissue and prevent the extractives from leaving the tubes. . to obtain the most flavor from meat that is properly prepared, it should be put over a slow fire and allowed to come gradually to the boiling point. as the water approaches the boiling point, a scum consisting of coagulated albumin, blood, and foreign material will begin to rise to the top, but this should be skimmed off at once and the process of skimming continued until no scum remains. when the water begins to boil rapidly, either the fire should be lowered or the kettle should be removed to a cooler part of the stove so that the water will bubble only enough for a very slight motion to be observed. throughout the cooking, the meat should not be allowed to boil violently nor to cease bubbling entirely. the meat should be allowed to cook for at least hours, but longer if possible. if, during this long cooking, too much water evaporates, more should be added to dilute the stock. the salt that is required for seasoning may be added just a few minutes before the stock is removed from the kettle. however, it is better to add the salt, together with the other seasonings, after the stock has been drawn off, for salt, like heat, has a tendency to harden the tissues of meat and to prevent the flavor from being readily extracted. . although, as has been explained, flavor is drawn from the fibers of meat by boiling it slowly for a long time, the cooking of meat for soup does not extract the nourishment from it to any extent. in reality, the meat itself largely retains its original nutritive value after it has been cooked for soup, although a small quantity of protein is drawn out and much of the fat is removed. this meat should never be wasted; rather, it should be used carefully with materials that will take the place of the flavor that has been cooked from it. . flavoring stock.--it is the flavoring of stock that indicates real skill in soup making, so this is an extremely important part of the work. in fact, the large number of ingredients found in soup recipes are, as a rule, the various flavorings, which give the distinctive flavor and individuality to a soup. however, the housewife whose larder will not produce all of the many things that may be called for in a recipe should not feel that she must forego making a particular kind of soup. very often certain spices or certain flavoring materials may be omitted without any appreciable difference, or something that is on hand may be substituted for an ingredient that is lacking. . the flavorings used most for soup include cloves, peppercorns, red, black, and white pepper, paprika, bay leaf, sage, marjoram, thyme, summer savory, tarragon, celery seed, fennel, mint, and rosemary. while all of these are not absolutely necessary, the majority of them may well be kept on the pantry shelf. in addition, a bottle of worcestershire sauce should be kept on hand. celery and parsley, which are also much used for flavoring, can usually be purchased fresh, but as they are scarce at times it is advisable to dry some of the leaves during the season when they can be secured, so as to have a supply when they are not in the market. a small amount of lemon peel often improves soup, so some of this should be kept in store. another group of vegetables that lend themselves admirably to soup flavoring includes leeks, shallots, chives, garlic, and onions, all of which belong to the same family. they must be used judiciously, however, as a strong flavor of any of them is offensive to most persons. . as many of the flavorings used for soup lose their strength when they are exposed to the air, every effort should be made to keep them in good condition. many of them can be kept an indefinite length of time if they are placed in tightly closed metal boxes or glass jars. flavorings and spices bought from the grocer or the druggist in paper packages should be transferred to, and enclosed in, a receptacle that will not allow them to deteriorate. if proper attention is given to these materials, the supply will not have to be replenished often; likewise, the cost of a sufficient number to produce the proper flavorings will be very slight. . in the use of any of the flavorings mentioned or the strongly flavored vegetables, care should be taken not to allow any one particular flavor to predominate. each should be used in such quantity that it will blend well with the others. a very good way in which to fix spices and herbs that are to flavor soup is to tie them in a small piece of cheesecloth and drop the bag thus made into the soup pot. when prepared in this way, they will remain together, so that, while the flavor can be cooked out, they can be more readily removed from the liquid than if they are allowed to spread through the contents of the pot. salt, which is, of course, always used to season soup, should be added in the proportion of teaspoonful to each quart of liquid. . removing grease from soup.--a greasy soup is always unpalatable. therefore, a very important feature of soup making, whether a thin or a thick soup is being made, is the removal of all grease. various ways of removing grease have been devised, depending on whether the soup is hot or cold. in the case of hot or warm soup, all the grease that it is possible to remove with a spoon may be skimmed from the top, and the remainder then taken up with a piece of clean blotting paper, tissue-paper, or absorbent cotton. another plan, by which the fat may be hardened and then collected, consists in tying a few small pieces of ice in a piece of cloth and drawing them over the surface of the soup. a very simple method is to allow the soup or stock to become cold, and then remove the fat, which collects on the top and hardens, by merely lifting off the cake that forms. . clearing soup.--sometimes it is desired to improve the appearance of soup stock, particularly a small amount of soup that is to be served at a very dainty luncheon or dinner. in order to do this, the stock may be treated by a certain process that will cause it to become clear. after being cleared, it may be served as a thin soup or, if it is heavy enough, it may be made into a clear, sparkling jelly into which many desirable things may be molded for salad or for a dish to accompany a heavy course. clearing soup is rather extravagant; however, while it does not improve the taste, it does improve the appearance. a very satisfactory way in which to clear stock is to use egg whites and crushed egg shell. to each quart of cold stock should be added the crushed shell and a slightly beaten egg white. these should be mixed well, placed on the fire, and the mixture stirred constantly until it boils. as the egg coagulates, some of the floating particles in the stock are caught and carried to the top, while others are carried to the bottom by the particles of shell as they settle. after the mixture has boiled for or minutes, the top should be skimmed carefully and the stock then strained through a fine cloth. when it has been reheated, the cleared stock will be ready to serve. . thickening soup.--although thin, clear soups are preferred by some and are particularly desirable for their stimulating effect, thick soups find much favor when they are used to form a substantial part of a meal. besides giving consistency to soup, thickening usually improves the flavor, but its chief purpose is to give nutritive value to this food. in fact, whenever a soup is thickened, its food value is increased by the ingredient thus added. for this reason, it is advisable to thicken soups when they are desired for any other purpose than their stimulating effect. . the substance used to thicken soups may be either a starchy material or food or a purée of some food. the starchy materials generally used for this purpose are plain flour, browned flour, corn starch, and arrowroot flour. any one of these should be moistened with enough cold water to make a mixture that will pour easily, and then added to the hot liquid while the soup is stirred constantly to prevent the formation of lumps. a sufficient amount of this thickening material should be used to make a soup of the consistency of heavy cream. the starchy foods that are used for thickening include rice, barley, oatmeal, noodles, tapioca, sago, and macaroni. many unusual and fancy forms of macaroni can be secured, or the plain varieties of italian pastes may be broken into small pieces and cooked with the soup. when any of these foods are used, they should be added long enough before the soup is removed to be cooked thoroughly. purées of beans, peas, lentils, potatoes, and other vegetables are especially desirable for the thickening of soups, for they not only give consistency, but add nutritive value and flavor as well. another excellent thickening may be obtained by beating raw eggs and then adding them carefully to the soup just before it is to be served. after eggs have been added for thickening, the soup should not be allowed to boil, as it is liable to curdle. . keeping stock.--soup stock, like many other foods, spoils quite readily. therefore, in order to keep it for at least a few days, it must receive proper attention. at all times, the vessel containing stock should be tightly closed and, especially in warm weather, the stock should be kept as cold as possible. stock that is heavy enough to solidify into a jellylike consistency when it is cold will keep better than stock that remains liquid. the addition of salt or any spicy flavoring also helps to keep stock from deteriorating, because these materials act as preservatives and prevent the action of bacteria that cause spoiling. bacteria may be kept from entering soup if, instead of removing the grease, it is allowed to form in a solid cake over the top. no matter which of these precautions is taken to prevent stock from spoiling, it should be heated to boiling point once a day when it is to be kept for several days. serving soup . soup may be correctly served in several different ways, the method to adopt usually depending on the kind of soup. thin, clear soups are generally served in bouillon cups, as shown in fig. , which may be placed on the table immediately before the family assembles or passed after the members are seated. heavier soups may be served at the table from a soup tureen, or each person's portion may be served before the family comes to the table. for soups of this kind, the flat soup plate, like that shown in fig. , is found preferable. [illustration: fig. ] the spoon to be served with soup also depends on the kind of soup, but a larger spoon than a teaspoon is always necessary. when soup is served in a soup plate, a dessert spoon is used, as will be observed in fig. . a bouillon spoon is the best kind to use with any thin soup served in bouillon cups. such a spoon, as shown in fig. , is about the length of a teaspoon, but has a round bowl. . to increase the attractiveness of soup and at the same time make it more appetizing and nutritious, various accompaniments and relishes are served with it. when the accompaniment is in the form of crackers, croutons, or bread sticks, they may be passed after the soup is served, or, as shown in figs. and , a few of them may be placed on the bread-and-butter plate at each person's place. the relishes should be passed while the soup is being eaten. plain whipped cream or whipped cream into which a little mashed pimiento has been stirred adds much to the flavor and appearance of soup when served on the top of any hot or cold variety. then, too, many soups, especially vegetable soups, are improved in flavor by the addition of a spoonful of grated cheese, which should be sprinkled into the dish at the time of serving. for this purpose, a hard, dry cheese, such as parmesan, which can often be purchased already grated in bottles, is the most satisfactory. [illustration: fig. ] . in summer, clear soups are sometimes served cold, as cold soups are found more desirable for warm weather than hot ones. however, when a soup is intended to be hot, it should be hot when it is ready to be eaten, and every effort should be made to have it in this condition if an appetizing soup is desired. this can be accomplished if the soup is thoroughly heated before it is removed from the stove and the dishes in which it is to be served are warmed before the soup is put into them. * * * * * recipes for soup and soup accompaniments necessity for careful work . so that the housewife may put into practice the knowledge she has gained about soup making, there are here given recipes for various kinds of soup. as will be observed, these recipes are classified according to the consistency and nature of the soups, all those of one class being placed in the same group. as it is important, too, for the housewife to know how to prepare the various accompaniments and garnishes that are generally served with soup, directions for the making of these are also given and they follow the soup recipes. . in carrying out these recipes, it will be well to note that exactness in fulfilling the requirements and care in working out the details of the recipes are essential. these points cannot be ignored in the making of soup any more than in other parts of cookery, provided successful results and excellent appearance are desired. it is therefore wise to form habits of exactness. for instance, when vegetables are to be cut for soups, they should be cut into pieces of equal size, or, if they are to be diced, they should be cut so that the dice are alike. all the pieces must be of the same thickness in order to insure uniform cooking; if this precaution is not observed, some of the pieces are likely to overcook and fall to pieces before the others are done. strict attention should also be given to the preparation of other ingredients and the accompaniments. the meat used must be cut very carefully rather than in ragged, uneven pieces. noodles, which are often used in soup, may be of various widths; but all those used at one time should be uniform in width--that is, all wide or all narrow. if different widths are used, an impression of careless cutting will be given. croutons and bread sticks, to be most satisfactory, should be cut straight and even, and, in order to toast uniformly, all those made at one time should be of the same size. stocks and clear soups . stock for clear soup or bouillon.--a plain, but well-flavored, beef stock may be made according to the accompanying recipe and used as a basis for any clear soup served as bouillon without the addition of anything else. however, as the addition of rice, barley, chopped macaroni, or any other such food will increase the food value of the soup, any of them may be supplied to produce a more nutritious soup. when this stock is served clear, it should be used as the first course in a comparatively heavy meal. stock for clear soup or bouillon lb. beef qt. cold water medium-sized onion stalk celery sprigs parsley whole cloves peppercorns bay leaf salt pepper cut the meat into small pieces. pour the cold water over it, place on a slow fire, and let it come to a boil. skim off all scum that rises to the top. cover tightly and keep at the simmering point for to hours. then strain and remove the fat. add the onion and celery cut into pieces, the parsley, cloves, peppercorns, and bay leaf. simmer gently for about minutes. add salt and pepper to taste. strain through a cloth. . household stock.--if it is desired to make a stock that may be kept on hand constantly and that may be used as a foundation for various kinds of soups, sauces, and gravies, or as a broth for making casserole dishes, household stock will be found very satisfactory. such stock made in quantity and kept in a sufficiently cool place may be used for several days before it spoils. since most of the materials used in this stock cannot be put to any other particularly good use, and since the labor required in making it is slight, this may be regarded as an extremely economical stock. household stock qt. cold water lb. meat (trimmings of fresh meat, bones, and tough pieces from roasts, steaks, etc.) medium-sized onion cloves peppercorns herbs salt pepper pour the cold water over the meat and bones and put them on the fire to cook. when they come to a boil skim well. then cover and simmer to hours. add the onion, cloves, peppercorns, and herbs and cook for another hour. add salt and pepper to taste. strain and set aside to cool. remove the fat. . white stock.--an especially nice broth having a delicate flavor and generally used for special functions when an attractive meal is being served to a large number of persons is made from veal and fowl and known as white stock. if allowed to remain in a cool place, this stock will solidify, and then it may be used as the basis for a jellied meat dish or salad. white stock lb. veal fowl, or lb. qt. cold water medium-sized onions tb. butter stalks celery blade mace salt pepper cut the veal and fowl into pieces and add the cold water. place on a slow fire, and let come gradually to the boiling point. skim carefully and place where it will simmer gently for hours. slice the onions, brown slightly in the butter, and add to the stock with the celery and mace. salt and pepper to suit taste. cook hour longer and then strain and cool. remove the fat before using. . consommé.--one of the most delicious of the thin, clear broths is consommé. this is usually served plain, but any material that will not cloud it, such as finely diced vegetables, green peas, tiny pieces of fowl or meat, may, if desired, be added to it before it is served. as a rule, only a very small quantity of such material is used for each serving. consommÉ lb. lower round of beef lb. shin of veal / c. butter qt. cold water small carrot large onion stalks celery peppercorns cloves sprigs parsley pinch summer savory pinch thyme bay leaves salt pepper cut the beef and veal into small pieces. put the butter and meat into the stock kettle, and stir over the fire until the meat begins to brown. add the cold water, and let come to the boiling point. skim carefully and let simmer for hours. cut the vegetables into small pieces and add to the stock with the spices and herbs. cook for hour, adding salt and pepper to suit taste. strain and cool. remove the fat and clear according to directions previously given. . tomato bouillon.--it is possible to make a clear tomato soup without meat stock, but the recipe here given, which is made with meat stock, has the advantage of possessing a better flavor. the tomato in this bouillon lends an agreeable color and flavor and affords a change from the usual clear soup. cooked rice, macaroni, spaghetti, or vermicelli may be added to tomato bouillon to provide an additional quantity of nutrition and vary the plain soup. tomato bouillon (sufficient to serve eight) qt, meat stock tsp. salt tb. sugar / tsp. pepper can tomatoes heat the stock, and to it add the salt, sugar, and pepper. rub the tomatoes through a fine sieve, and add them to the stock. cook together for a few minutes and serve. heavy thick soups . julienne soup.--a very good way in which to utilize any small quantities of vegetables that may be in supply but are not sufficient to serve alone is to use them in julienne soup. for soup of this kind, vegetables are often cut into fancy shapes, but this is a more or less wasteful practice and should not be followed, as tiny strips or dice cut finely and carefully are quite as agreeable. the vegetables do not add a large amount of nutriment to this soup, but they introduce into the soup mineral salts that the soups would otherwise not have and they also add a variety of flavor. julienne soup (sufficient to serve six) pt. mixed vegetables / tsp. salt qt. stock / tsp. pepper cut into tiny dice or into strips such vegetables as celery, carrots, and turnips, making them as nearly the same size and shape as possible. put them on to cook in enough boiling salted water to cover well. cook until they are soft enough to be pierced with a fork, but do not lose their shape. drain off the water and put the vegetables into the stock. bring to the boiling point, season with the pepper, and serve. . ox-tail soup.--the use of ox tails for soup helps to utilize a part of the beef that would ordinarily be wasted, and, as a rule, ox tails are comparatively cheap. usually the little bits of meat that cook off the bones are allowed to remain in the soup. variety may be obtained by the addition of different kinds of vegetables. ox-tail soup (sufficient to serve eight) ox tails large onion tb. beef drippings qt. cold water tb. mixed herbs peppercorns tb. salt wash and cut up the ox tails, separating them at the joints. slice the onion and brown it and half of the ox tails in the beef drippings. when they are browned, put them and the remainder of the ox tails into a kettle. add the water and the herbs and peppercorns tied in a little piece of cheesecloth. bring to the boiling point, and then simmer for to hours or until the meat separates from the bones. add the salt an hour before serving the soup. remove the fat and serve some of the nicest joints with the soup. if vegetables are desired, they should be diced and added minutes before serving, so that they will be cooked soft. . mulligatawny soup.--if a highly seasoned soup is desired, mulligatawny, although not a particularly cheap soup, will be found very satisfactory. the curry powder that is used adds an unusual flavor that is pleasing to many people, but if it is not desired, it may be omitted. mulligatawny soup (sufficient to serve eight) lb. chicken lb. veal qt. cold water onions tb. butter peppercorns cloves stalk celery tb. curry powder tsp. salt / tsp. pepper lemon cut up the chicken and veal, add the cold water to them, and place over a slow fire. slice the onions and brown them in the butter. add them and the peppercorns, cloves, chopped celery, and curry powder stirred to a smooth paste with a little water to the meat. simmer together slowly until the chicken is tender. remove the meat from the bones and cut it into small pieces. put the bones into the kettle and simmer for another hour. strain the liquid from the veal and bones and remove the fat. add the salt, pepper, chicken, and the juice of the lemon. return to the fire and cook for a few minutes. serve with a tablespoonful or two of cooked rice in each soup dish. [illustration: fig. ] . noodle soup.--the addition of noodles to soup increases its food value to a considerable extent by providing carbohydrate from the flour and protein from the egg and flour. noodle soup is a very attractive dish if the noodles are properly made, for then they will not cause the soup to become cloudy when they are put into it. little difficulty will be experienced if the directions here given for making noodles are followed explicitly. noodle soup (sufficient to serve six) egg tb. milk / tsp. salt flour qt. household stock sprigs parsley small onion to make noodles, beat the egg slightly, add to it the milk, and stir in the salt and enough flour to make a stiff dough. toss upon a floured board and roll very thin. allow the dough to dry for hour or more, and then, as shown in fig. , cut it into strips about inches wide. place several strips together, one on top of the other, and roll them up tight, in the manner indicated. cut each roll into thin slices with a sharp knife, as shown in fig. . when the slices are separated the noodles should appear as shown in the pile at the right. if it is desired not to follow this plan, the dough may be rolled into a thin sheet and cut into strips with a noodle cutter. [illustration: fig. ] such a supply of noodles may be used at once, or they may be dried thoroughly and sealed tightly in a jar for future use. the very dry ones, however, require a little longer cooking than those which are freshly made. with the noodles prepared, heat the stock with the parsley and onion chopped very fine. add the noodles and cook for or minutes or until the noodles are thoroughly cooked. rice, barley, macaroni, and other starchy materials may be added to stock in the same way as the noodles. . vegetable soup with noodles.--the combination of noodles and vegetables in soup is a very excellent one, since the vegetables add flavor and the noodles add nutritive value. if the vegetables given in the accompanying recipe cannot be readily obtained, others may be substituted. vegetable soup with noodles (sufficient to serve six) carrot onion turnip stalk celery c. boiling water / tsp. salt / c. noodles sprigs parsley / tsp. pepper qt. household stock dice the vegetables and put them on to cook with the boiling water and the salt. cook for a few minutes or until partly soft. add the noodles, parsley, pepper, and stock and cook for minutes longer. serve. [illustration: fig. ] cream soups . soups classed as cream soups consist of a thin white sauce to which is added a vegetable in the form of a purée or cut into small pieces. because of their nature, cream soups are usually high in food value; but they are not highly flavored, so their use is that of supplying nutrition rather than stimulating the appetite. considerable variety can be secured in cream soups, for there are scarcely any vegetables that cannot be used in the making of them. potatoes, corn, asparagus, spinach, peas, tomatoes, and onions are the vegetables that are used oftenest, but cream soups may also be made of vegetable oysters, okra, carrots, watercress, celery, cabbage, cauliflower, beans, lentils, and dried peas. the vegetables may be cooked especially for the soup, or left-over or canned vegetables may be utilized. it is an excellent plan to cook more than enough of some vegetables for one day, so that some will be left over and ready for soup the next day. if the vegetable is not cut up into small pieces, it must be put through a sieve and made into the form of a purée before it can be added to the liquid. two kinds of sieves for this purpose are shown in fig. . it will be observed that with the large, round sieve, a potato masher must be used to mash the vegetables, the pulp of which is caught by the utensil in which the sieve is held. in making use of the smaller sieve, or ricer, the vegetable is placed in it and then mashed by pressing the top down over the contents with the aid of the handles. . thin white sauce.--the liquid for cream soups should be thin white sauce made entirely of milk or of milk and cream. the flavor of the soup will be improved, however, by using with the milk some meat stock, or the stock that remains from cooking celery, asparagus, or any vegetables that will lend a good flavor to the soup. the recipe here given makes a sauce that may be used for any kind of cream soup. thin white sauce pt. milk, or milk and cream or stock tsp. salt tb. butter tb. flour heat the liquid, salt, and butter in a double boiler. stir the flour and some of the cold liquid that has been reserved to a perfectly smooth, thin paste and add to the hot liquid. stir constantly after adding the flour, so that no lumps will form. when the sauce becomes thick, it is ready for the addition of any flavoring material that will make a palatable soup. if thick material, such as any vegetable in the form of a purée, rice, or potato, is used without additional liquid, only half as much flour will be required to thicken the sauce. . cream-of-potato soup.--because of the large quantity of carbohydrate derived from the potato, cream-of-potato soup is high in food value. for persons who are fond of the flavor of the potato, this makes a delicious soup and one that may be served as the main dish in a light meal. cream-of-potato soup (sufficient to serve four) slices of onion sprig parsley medium-sized potatoes c. milk c. potato water tb. flour tb. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper cook the onion and parsley with the potatoes, and, when cooked soft, drain and mash. make a sauce of the milk, potato water, flour, and butter. season with the salt and pepper, add the mashed potato, and serve. . cream-of-corn soup.--the flavor of corn is excellent in a cream soup, the basis of the soup being milk, butter, and flour. then, too, the addition of the corn, which is comparatively high in food value, makes a very nutritious soup. cream-of-corn soup (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. butter tb. flour c. canned corn tsp. salt / tsp. pepper make a white sauce of the milk, butter, and flour. force the corn through a colander or a sieve, and add the purée to the white sauce. season with the salt and pepper, and serve. . cream-of-asparagus soup.--the asparagus used in cream-of-asparagus soup adds very little besides flavor, but this is of sufficient value to warrant its use. if a pinch of soda is used in asparagus soup, there is less danger of the curdling that sometimes occurs. in making this soup, the asparagus should be combined with the white sauce just before serving. cream-of-asparagus soup (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. flour tb. butter c. asparagus purée tsp. salt / tsp. pepper make white sauce of the milk, flour, and butter. add to it the cup of purée made by forcing freshly cooked or canned asparagus through a sieve. season with the salt and pepper, and serve. . cream-of-spinach soup.--although cream-of-spinach soup is not especially attractive in appearance, most persons enjoy its flavor, and the soup serves as another way of adding an iron-containing food to the diet. children may often be induced to take the soup when they would refuse the spinach as a vegetable. cream-of-spinach soup (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. flour tb. butter / c. spinach purée tsp. salt / tsp. pepper make white sauce of the milk, flour, and butter. add the spinach purée, made by forcing freshly cooked or canned spinach through a sieve. season with the salt and pepper, heat thoroughly, and serve. . cream-of-pea soup.--either dried peas or canned green peas may be used to make cream-of-pea soup. if dried peas are used, they must first be cooked soft enough to pass through a sieve. the flavor is quite different from that of green peas. with the use of green peas, a fair amount of both protein and carbohydrate is added to the soup, but more protein is provided when dried peas are used. cream-of-pea soup (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. flour tb. butter / c. pea purée tsp. salt / tsp. pepper make white sauce of the milk, flour, and butter. put enough freshly cooked or canned peas through a sieve to make / cupful of purée. then add the pea purée, the salt, and the pepper to the white sauce. heat thoroughly and serve. . cream-of-tomato soup.--as a rule, cream-of-tomato soup is popular with every one. besides being pleasing to the taste, it is comparatively high in food value, because its basis is cream sauce. however, the tomatoes themselves add very little else besides flavor and mineral salts. cream-of-tomato soup (sufficient to serve four) c. canned tomatoes pt. milk tb. flour tb. butter / tsp. soda tsp. salt / tsp. pepper force the tomatoes through a sieve and heat them. make white sauce of the milk, flour, and butter. add the soda to the tomatoes, and pour them slowly into the white sauce, stirring rapidly. if the sauce begins to curdle, beat the soup quickly with a rotary egg beater. add the salt and pepper and serve. . cream-of-onion soup.--many persons who are not fond of onions can often eat soup made of this vegetable. this is probably due to the fact that the browning of the onions before they are used in the soup improves the flavor very decidedly. in addition, this treatment of the onions gives just a little color to the soup. cream-of-onion soup (sufficient to serve four) medium-sized onions tb. butter tb. flour - / c. milk tsp. salt / tsp. pepper slice the onions and brown them in a frying pan with tablespoonfuls of the butter. make white sauce of the flour, the remaining butter, and the milk. add to this the browned onions, salt, and pepper. heat thoroughly and serve. purÉes . chestnut purÉe.--there are many recipes for the use of chestnuts in the making of foods, but probably none is any more popular than that for chestnut purée. the chestnuts develop a light-tan color in the soup. the very large ones should be purchased for this purpose, since chestnuts of ordinary size are very tedious to work with. chestnut purÉe (sufficient to serve four) c. mashed chestnuts c. milk tb. flour tb. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. celery salt c. white stock cook spanish chestnuts for minutes; then remove the shells and skins and mash the chestnuts. make white sauce of the milk, flour, and butter. add to this the mashed chestnuts, salt, pepper, celery salt, and stock. heat thoroughly and serve. . split-pea purÉe.--dried peas or split peas are extremely high in food value, and their addition to soup stock makes a highly nutritious soup of very delightful flavor. such a purée served in quantity does nicely for the main dish in a light meal. instead of the peas, dried beans or lentils may be used if they are preferred. split-pea purÉe (sufficient to serve four) / c. split peas pt. white stock tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. butter tb. flour soak the peas overnight, and cook in sufficient water to cover well until they are soft. when thoroughly soft, drain the water from the peas and put them through a colander. heat the stock and add to it the pea purée, salt, and pepper. rub the butter and flour together, moisten with some of the warm liquid, and add to the soup. cook for a few minutes and serve. chowders . clam chowder.--the flavor of clams, like that of oysters and other kinds of sea food, is offensive to some persons, but where this is not the case, clam chowder is a popular dish of high food value. this kind of soup is much used in localities where clams are plentiful. clam chowder (sufficient to serve eight) c. water qt. clams small onion c. sliced potatoes / c. stewed tomatoes / c. diced carrots / c. diced celery - / c. milk tb. butter - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper add the water to the clams, and pick them over carefully to remove any shell. strain the liquid through cheesecloth, and then scald the clams in it. remove the clams and cook the vegetables in the liquid until they are soft. add the milk, butter, salt, and pepper and return the clams. heat thoroughly and serve over crackers. . fish chowder.--an excellent way in which to utilize a small quantity of fish is afforded by fish chowder. in addition, this dish is quite high in food value, so that when it is served with crackers, little of anything else need be served with it to make an entire meal if it be luncheon or supper. cod, haddock, or fresh-water fish may be used in the accompanying recipe. fish chowder (sufficient to serve six) lb. fish small onion c. sliced potatoes / c. stewed tomatoes - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. butter - / c. milk skin the fish, remove the flesh, and cut it into small pieces. simmer the head, bones, and skin of the fish and the onion in water for / hour. strain, and add to this stock the fish, potatoes, tomatoes, salt, and pepper. simmer together until the potatoes are soft. add the butter and milk. serve over crackers. . potato chowder.--a vegetable mixture such as the one suggested in the accompanying recipe is in reality not a chowder, for this form of soup requires sea food for its basis. however, when it is impossible to procure the sea food, potato chowder does nicely as a change from the usual soup. this chowder differs in no material way from soup stock in this form. potato chowder (sufficient to serve four) - / c. sliced potatoes small onion, sliced c. water - / c. milk tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. butter cook the potatoes and onion in the water until they are soft, but not soft enough to fall to pieces. rub half of the potatoes through a sieve and return to the sliced ones. add the milk, salt, pepper, and butter. cook together for a few minutes and serve. . corn chowder.--the addition of corn to potato chowder adds variety of flavor and makes a delicious mixture of vegetables. this dish is rather high in food value, especially if the soup is served over crackers. a small amount of tomato, although not mentioned in the recipe, may be added to this combination to improve the flavor. corn chowder (sufficient to serve six) c. sliced potatoes small onion, sliced c. water c. canned corn - / c. milk tb. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper cook the potatoes and onions in the water until they are soft. add the corn, milk, butter, salt, and pepper, and cook together for a few minutes. serve over crackers. soup accompaniments and garnishes [illustration: fig. ] . the soup course of a meal is a more or less unattractive one, but it may be improved considerably if some tempting thing in the way of a garnish or an accompaniment is served with it. but whatever is selected to accompany soup should be, in a great measure, a contrast to it in both consistency and color. the reason why a difference in consistency is necessary is due to the nature of soup, which, being liquid in form, is merely swallowed and does not stimulate the flow of the gastric juices by mastication. therefore, the accompaniment should be something that requires chewing and that will consequently cause the digestive juices, which respond to the mechanical action of chewing, to flow. the garnish may add the color that is needed to make soup attractive. the green and red of olives and radishes or of celery and radishes make a decided contrast, so that when any of these things are served with soup, an appetizing first course is the result. it is not necessary to serve more than one of them, but if celery and radishes or celery, radishes, and olives can be combined in the same relish dish, they become more attractive than when each is served by itself. [illustration: fig. ] . radishes and celery.--before radishes and celery are used on the table, whether with soup or some other part of a meal, they should be put into cold water and allowed to stand for some time, so that they will be perfectly crisp when they are served. in the case of radishes, the tops and roots should first be cut from them, and the radishes then scrubbed thoroughly. they may be served without any further treatment, or they may be prepared to resemble flowers, as is shown in fig. . this may be done by peeling the red skin back to show the white inside, and then cutting the sections to look like the petals of a flower. little difficulty will be experienced in preparing radishes in this artistic way if a sharp knife is used, for, with a little practice, the work can be done quickly and skilfully. . celery that is to be served with soup may be prepared in two ways, as fig. illustrates. the stems may be pulled from the stalk and served separately, as in the group on the right, or the stalk may be cut down through the center with a knife into four or more pieces, as shown at the left of the illustration. the first of these methods is not so good as the second, for by it one person gets all of the tender heart and the coarse outside stems are left for all the others. by the second method, every piece consists of some of the heart and some of the outside stems attached to the root and makes a similar serving for each person. whichever way is adopted, however, the celery should be scrubbed and cleansed thoroughly. this is often a difficult task, because the dirt sticks tightly between the stems. still, an effort should be made to have the celery entirely free from dirt before it goes to the table. a few tender yellow leaves may be left on the pieces to improve the appearance of the celery. . crackers.--various kinds of wafers and crackers can be purchased to serve with soup, and the selection, as well as the serving of them, is entirely a matter of individual taste. one point, however, that must not be overlooked is that crackers of any kind must be crisp in order to be appetizing. dry foods of this sort absorb moisture from the air when they are exposed to it and consequently become tough. as heat drives off this moisture and restores the original crispness, crackers should always be heated before they are served. their flavor can be improved by toasting them until they are light brown in color. . croutons.--as has already been learned, croutons are small pieces of bread that have been fried or toasted to serve with soup. these are usually made in the form of cubes, or dice, as is shown in the front group in fig. ; but they may be cut into triangles, circles, ovals, hearts, or, in fact, any fancy shape, by means of small cutters that can be purchased for such purposes. the bread used for croutons should not be fresh bread, as such bread does not toast nor fry very well; left-over toast, stale bread, or slices of bread that have been cut from the loaf and not eaten are usually found more satisfactory. if the croutons are not made from slices already cut, the bread should be cut into slices / to / inch thick, and, after the crusts have been closely trimmed, the slices should be cut into cubes. when the cubes have been obtained, they may be put into a shallow pan and toasted on all sides quickly, placed in a frying basket and browned in deep fat, or put into a frying pan and sautéd in butter. if toast is used, it should merely be cut in the desired shape. various methods of serving croutons are in practice. some housewives prefer to place them in the soup tureen and pour the soup over them, while others like to put a few in each individual serving of soup. a better plan, however, and one that is much followed, is to serve a number of croutons on a small plate or dish at each person's place, as shown in figs. and , for then every one may eat them in the way preferred. [illustration: fig. ] . bread sticks.--a soup accompaniment similar in nature to croutons, and known as _bread sticks_, is made of pieces of bread / inch wide, / inch thick, and several inches long. these are toasted on each side and are served in place of crackers. a number of them are shown in the back row in fig. . variety in bread sticks may be secured by spreading butter over them before the toasting is begun or by sprinkling grated cheese over them a few minutes before they are removed from the oven. bread sticks are usually served on a bread-and-butter plate to the left of each person's place at the table. . pastry strips.--a very appetizing addition to soup may be made by cutting pastry into narrow strips and then baking these strips in the oven until they are brown or frying them in deep fat and draining them. strips prepared in this way may be served in place of crackers, croutons, or bread sticks, and are considered delicious by those who are fond of pastry. details regarding pastry are given in another section. . soup fritters.--if an entirely different kind of soup accompaniment from those already mentioned is desired, soup fritters will no doubt find favor. these are made by combining certain ingredients to form a batter and then dropping small amounts of this into hot fat and frying them until they are crisp and brown. the accompanying recipe, provided it is followed carefully, will produce good results. soup fritters egg tb. milk / tsp. salt / c. flour beat the egg, and to it add the milk, salt, and flour. drop the batter in tiny drops into hot fat, and fry until brown and crisp. drain on paper and serve with the soup. . egg balls.--to serve with a soup that is well flavored but not highly nutritious, egg balls are very satisfactory. in addition to supplying nutrition, these balls are extremely appetizing, and so they greatly improve a course that is often unattractive. careful attention given to the ingredients and the directions in the accompanying recipe will produce good results. egg balls yolks of hard-cooked eggs / tsp. melted butter salt and pepper uncooked yolk mash the cooked yolks, and to them add the butter, salt, and pepper, and enough of the uncooked yolk to make the mixture of a consistency to handle easily. shape into tiny balls. roll in the white of egg and then in flour and sauté in butter. serve in the individual dishes of soup. . forcemeat balls.--another delicious form of accompaniment that improves certain soups by adding nutrition is forcemeat balls. these contain various nutritious ingredients combined into small balls, and the balls are then either sautéd or fried in deep fat. they may be placed in the soup tureen or in each person's soup. forcemeat balls / c. fine stale-bread crumbs / c. milk tb. butter white of egg / tsp. salt few grains of pepper / c. breast of raw chicken or raw fish cook the bread crumbs and milk to form a paste, and to this add the butter, beaten egg white, and seasonings. pound the chicken or fish to a pulp, or force it through a food chopper and then through a purée strainer. add this to the first mixture. form into tiny balls. roll in flour and either sauté or fry in deep fat. serve hot. . american forcemeat balls.--a simple kind of forcemeat balls may be made according to the accompanying recipe. the meat used may be sausage provided especially for the purpose or some that is left over from a previous meal. if it is not possible to obtain sausage, some other highly seasoned meat, such as ham first ground very fine and then pounded to a pulp, may be substituted. american forcemeat balls tb. butter small onion - / c. bread, without crusts egg tsp. salt / tsp. pepper dash of nutmeg tb. chopped parsley / c. sausage meat melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion finely chopped. fry for several minutes over the fire. soak the bread in water until thoroughly softened and then squeeze out all the water. mix with the bread the egg, salt, pepper, nutmeg, parsley, and meat, and to this add also the butter and fried onion. form small balls of this mixture and sauté them in shallow fat, fry them in deep fat, or, after brushing them over with fat, bake them in the oven. place a few in each serving of soup. soup examination questions ( ) (_a_) mention the two purposes that soups serve in a meal, (_b_) what are the qualities of a good soup? ( ) (_a_) mention the two general classes of soup. (_b_) explain and illustrate how to choose a soup. ( ) why is soup an economical dish? ( ) (_a_) explain in full the meaning of stock as applied to soup. (_b_) for what purposes other than soup making is stock used? ( ) (_a_) what is the value of the stock pot? (_b_) what care should be given to it? ( ) mention some of the materials that may be put into the stock pot. ( ) (_a_) why are the tough cuts of meat more suitable for soup than the tender ones? (_b_) name the pieces that are best adapted to soup making. ( ) (_a_) what proportion of bone to meat should be used in making soup from fresh meat? (_b_) for what two purposes are vegetables used in soup? ( ) explain briefly the making of stock from meat. ( ) (_a_) why should the cooking of the meat for stock be started with cold water rather than with hot water? (_b_) what disposal should be made of meat from which stock is made? ( ) (_a_) of what value are flavorings in the making of soups? (_b_) what precaution should be taken in the use of flavorings? ( ) explain how grease may be removed from soup. ( ) how may soup be cleared? ( ) (_a_) for what purposes is thickening used in soups? (_b_) mention the materials most used to thicken soups. ( ) what precaution should be taken to keep soup or stock from spoiling. ( ) what point about the serving of soup should be observed if an appetizing soup is desired? ( ) what kind of dish is used for serving: (_a_) thin soup? (_b_) thick soup? ( ) (_a_) what is a cream soup? (_b_) give the general directions for making soup of this kind. ( ) (_a_) how may the soup course of a meal be made more attractive? (_b_) in what ways should soup accompaniments be a contrast to the soup? ( ) (_a_) explain the making of croutons. (_b_) what is the most satisfactory way in which to prepare celery that is to be served with soup? additional work plan and prepare a dinner menu from the recipes given in the lessons that you have studied. submit the menu for this dinner and give the order in which you prepared the dishes. in addition, tell the number of persons you served, as well as what remained after the meal and whether or not you made use of it for another meal. send this information with your answers to the examination questions. * * * * * meat (part ) * * * * * meat in the diet value of meat as food . in its broadest sense, meat may be considered as "any clean, sound, dressed or properly prepared edible part of animals that are in good health at the time of slaughter." however, the flesh of carnivorous animals--that is, animals that eat the flesh of other animals--is so seldom eaten by man, that the term meat is usually restricted to the flesh of all animals except these. but even this meaning of meat is too broad; indeed, as the term is generally used it refers particularly to the flesh of the so-called domestic animals, and does not include poultry, game, fish, and the like. it is in this limited sense that meat is considered in these sections, and the kinds to which attention is given are beef, veal, lamb, mutton, and pork. meat, including these varieties, forms one of the principal sources of the family's food supply. as such, it is valuable chiefly as a food; but, in the form of broths and extracts made from it, meat stimulates the appetite and actually assists the flow of gastric juice. therefore, so that the outlay for meat will not be greater than it should be and this food will provide the greatest amount of nourishment, every housewife should be thoroughly familiar with the place it occupies in the dietary. . in the first place, it should be remembered that the food eaten by human beings comes from two sources--animal and vegetable. the foods of animal origin, which include milk, eggs, and meat, have a certain similarity that causes them to be classed together and this is the fact that they are high-protein foods. milk is the first protein food fed to the young, but a little later it is partly replaced by eggs, and, finally, or in adult life, meat largely takes the place of both. for this reason, meat has considerable importance in the dietary. in reality, from this food is obtained the greatest amount of protein that the average person eats. however, it will be well to note that milk and eggs, as well as cheese and even cereals and vegetables, can be made to take the place of meat when the use of less of this food is deemed advisable. . as the work of protein foods is to build and repair tissue, it is on them that the human race largely depends. of course, protein also yields energy; but the amount is so small that if one variety of protein food, such as meat, were eaten simply to supply energy to the body, huge quantities of it would be needed to do the same work that a small amount of less expensive food would accomplish. some persons have an idea that meat produces the necessary strength and energy of those who perform hard work. this is entirely erroneous, because fats and carbohydrates are the food substances that produce the energy required to do work. some kind of protein is, of course, absolutely necessary to the health of every normal person, but a fact that cannot be emphasized too strongly is that an oversupply of it does more harm than good. scientists have been trying for a long time to determine just how much of these tissue-building foods is necessary for individuals, but they have found this a difficult matter. nevertheless, it is generally conceded that most persons are likely to use too much rather than too little of them. it is essential then, not only from the standpoint of economy, but from the far more important principle of health, that the modern housewife should know the nutritive value of meats. . in her efforts to familiarize herself with these matters, the housewife should ever remember that meat is the most expensive of the daily foods of a family. hence, to get the greatest value for the money expended, meat must be bought judiciously, cared for properly, and prepared carefully. too many housewives trust the not over-scrupulous butcher to give them the kind of meat they should have, and very often they do not have a clear idea as to whether it is the best piece that can be purchased for the desired purpose and for the price that is asked. every housewife ought to be so familiar with the various cuts of meat that she need not depend on any one except herself in the purchase of this food. she will find that both the buying and the preparation of meats will be a simple matter for her if she learns these three important things: ( ) from what part of the animal the particular piece she desires is cut and how to ask for that piece; ( ) how to judge a good piece of meat by its appearance; and ( ) what to do with it from the moment it is purchased until the last bit of it is used. . of these three things, the cooking of meat is the one that demands the most attention, because it has a decided effect on the quality and digestibility of this food. proper cooking is just as essential in the case of meat as for any other food, for a tender, digestible piece of meat may be made tough and indigestible by improper preparation, while a tough piece may be made tender and very appetizing by careful, intelligent preparation. the cheaper cuts of meat, which are often scorned as being too tough for use, may be converted into delicious dishes by the skilful cook who understands how to apply the various methods of cookery and knows what their effect will be on the meat tissues. . unfortunately, thorough cooking affects the digestibility of meat unfavorably; but it is doubtless a wise procedure in some cases because, as is definitely known, some of the parasites that attack man find their way into the system through the meat that is eaten. these are carried to meat from external sources, such as dust, flies, and the soiled hands of persons handling it, and they multiply and thrive. it is known, too, that some of the germs that cause disease in the animal remain in its flesh and are thus transmitted to human beings that eat such meat. if there is any question as to its good condition, meat must be thoroughly cooked, because long cooking completely eliminates the danger from such sources. structure and composition of meat . an understanding of the physical structure of meat is essential to its successful cooking. meat consists of muscular tissue, or lean; varying quantities of visible fat that lie between and within the membranes and tendons; and also particles of fat that are too small to be distinguished except with the aid of a microscope. the general nature of the lean part of meat can be determined by examining a piece of it with merely the unaided eye. on close observation, it will be noted that, especially in the case of meat that has been cooked, innumerable thread-like fibers make up the structure. with a microscope, it can be observed that these visible fibers are made up of still smaller ones, the length of which varies in different parts of the animal. it is to the length of these fibers that the tenderness of meat is due. short fibers are much easier to chew than long ones; consequently, the pieces containing them are the most tender. these muscle fibers, which are in the form of tiny tubes, are filled with a protein substance. they are held together with a tough, stringy material called _connective tissue_. as the animal grows older and its muscles are used more, the walls of these tubes or fibers become dense and tough; likewise, the amount of connective tissue increases and becomes tougher. among the muscle fibers are embedded layers and particles of fat, the quantity of which varies greatly in different animals and depends largely on the age of the animal. for instance, lamb and veal usually have very little fat in the tissues, mutton and beef always contain more, while pork contains a greater amount of fat than the meat of any other domestic animal. . the composition of meat depends to a large extent on the breed of the animal, the degree to which it has been fattened, and the particular cut of meat in question. however, the muscle fibers are made up of protein and contain more protein, mineral salts, or ash, and certain substances called _extractives_, all of which are held in solution by water. the younger the animal, the greater is the proportion of water and the lower the nutritive value of meat. it should be understood, however, that not all of meat is edible material; indeed, a large part of it is made up of gristle, bones, cartilage, nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue. the amount of these indigestible materials also varies in different animals and different cuts, but the average proportion in a piece of meat is usually considered to be per cent. of the whole. because of the variation of both the edible and inedible material of meat, a standard composition for this food cannot readily be given. however, an idea of the average composition of the various kinds can be obtained from fig. . [illustration: fig .] beef fuel value per pound chuck, medium fat loin, medium fat ribs, medium fat round, very lean round, medium fat round, very fat rump, medium fat veal breast, medium fat leg, medium fat loin, medium fat lamb leg, medium fat mutton leg, medium fat pork ham, fresh, medium fat ham, smoked loin bacon, medium fat . protein in meat.--the value of meat as food is due to the proteins that it contains. numerous kinds of protein occur in meat, but the chief varieties are myosin and muscle albumin. the _myosin_, which is the most important protein and occurs in the greatest quantity, hardens after the animal has been killed and the muscles have become cold. the tissues then become tough and hard, a condition known as _rigor mortis_. as meat in this condition is not desirable, it should be used before rigor mortis sets in, or else it should be put aside until this condition of toughness disappears. the length of time necessary for this to occur varies with the size of the animal that is killed. it may be from hours to or days. the disappearance is due to the development of certain acids that cause the softening of the tissues. the _albumin_, which is contained in solution in the muscle fibers, is similar in composition to the albumen of eggs and milk, and it is affected by the application of heat in the cooking processes in much the same way. . gelatine in meat.--the gelatine that is found in meat is a substance very similar in composition to protein, but it has less value as food. it is contained in the connective tissue and can be extracted by boiling, being apparent as a jellylike substance after the water in which meat has been cooked has cooled. use is made of this material in the preparation of pressed meats and fowl and in various salads and other cold-meat dishes. some kinds of commercial gelatine are also made from it, being first extracted from the meat and then evaporated to form a dry substance. . fat in meat.--all meat, no matter how lean it appears, contains some fat. as already explained, a part of the fat contained in meat occurs in small particles so embedded in the muscle fibers as not to be readily seen, while the other part occurs in sufficient amounts to be visible. in the flesh of some animals, such as veal and rabbit, there is almost no visible fat, but in very fat hogs or fowls, one-third or one-half of the weight may be fat. meats that are very fat are higher in nutritive value than meats that contain only a small amount of this substance, as will be observed on referring to the table of meat compositions in fig. . however, an excessive amount of fat prevents the protein materials from digesting normally. the quality of fat varies greatly, there being two distinct kinds of this material in animals. that which covers or lies between the muscles or occurs on the outside of the body just beneath the skin has a lower melting point, is less firm, and is of a poorer grade for most purposes than that which is found inside the bony structure and surrounds the internal organs. the suet of beef is an example of this internal fat. fat is a valuable constituent of food, for it is the most concentrated form in which the fuel elements of food are found. in supplying the body with fuel, it serves to maintain the body temperature and to yield energy in the form of muscular and other power. since this is such a valuable food material, it is important that the best possible use be made of all drippings and left-over fats and that not even the smallest amount of any kind be wasted. . carbohydrate in meat.--in the liver and all muscle fibers of animals is stored a small supply of carbohydrate in a form that is called _glycogen_, or _muscle sugar_. however, there is not enough of this substance to be of any appreciable value, and, so far as the methods of cookery and the uses of meat as food are concerned, it is of no importance. . water in meat.--the proportion of water in meat varies from one-third to three-fourths of the whole, depending on the amount of fat the meat contains and the age of the animal. this water carries with it the flavor, much of the mineral matter, and some food material, so that when the water is removed from the tissues these things are to a great extent lost. the methods of cookery applied to meat are based on the principle of either retaining or extracting the water that it contains. the meat in which water is retained is more easily chewed and swallowed than that which is dry. however, the water contained in flesh has no greater value as food than other water. therefore, as will be seen in fig. , the greater the amount of water in a given weight of food, the less is its nutritive value. . minerals in meat.--eight or more kinds of minerals in sufficient quantities to be of importance in the diet are to be found in meat. lean meat contains the most minerals; they decrease in proportion as the amount of fat increases. these salts assist in the building of hard tissues and have a decided effect on the blood. they are lost from the tissues of meat by certain methods of cookery, but as they are in solution in the water in which the meat is cooked, they need not be lost to the diet if use is made of this water for soups, sauces, and gravies. . extractives in meat.--the appetizing flavor of meat is due to substances called _extractives_. the typical flavor that serves to distinguish pork from beef or mutton is due to the difference in the extractives. although necessary for flavoring, these have no nutritive value; in fact, the body throws them off as waste material when they are taken with the food. in some methods of cookery, such as broiling and roasting, the extractives are retained, while in others, such as those employed for making stews and soups, they are drawn out. extractives occur in the greatest quantity in the muscles that the animal exercises a great deal and that in reality have become tough. likewise, a certain part of an old animal contains more extractives than the same part of a young one. for these reasons a very young chicken is broiled while an old one is used for stew, and ribs of beef are roasted while the shins are used for soup. meat that is allowed to hang and ripen develops compounds that are similar to extractives and that impart additional flavor. a ripened steak is usually preferred to one cut from an animal that has been killed only a short time. however, as the ripening is in reality a decomposition process, the meat is said to become "high" if it is allowed to hang too long. purchase and care of meat . purchase of meat.--of all the money that is spent for food in the united states nearly one-third is spent for meat. this proportion is greater than that of any european country and is probably more than is necessary to provide diets that are properly balanced. if it is found that the meat bill is running too high, one or more of several things may be the cause. the one who does the purchasing may not understand the buying of meat, the cheaper cuts may not be used because of a lack of knowledge as to how they should be prepared to make them appetizing, or more meat may be served than is necessary to supply the needs of the family. much of this difficulty can be overcome if the person purchasing meat goes to the market personally to see the meat cut and weighed instead of telephoning the order. it is true, of course, that the method of cutting an animal varies in different parts of the country, as does also the naming of the different pieces. however, this need give the housewife no concern, for the dealer from whom the meat is purchased is usually willing to supply any information that is desired about the cutting of meat and the best use for certain pieces. in fact, if the butcher is competent, this is a very good source from which to obtain a knowledge of such matters. another way in which to reduce the meat bill is to utilize the trimmings of bone and fat from pieces of meat. in most cases, these are of no value to the butcher, so that if a request for them is made, he will, as a rule, be glad to wrap them up with the meat that is purchased. they are of considerable value to the housewife, for the bones may go into the stock pot, while the fat, if it is tried out, can be used for many things. . the quantity of meat to purchase depends, of course, on the number of persons that are to be served with it. however, it is often a good plan to purchase a larger piece than is required for a single meal and then use what remains for another meal. for instance, a large roast is always better than a small one, because it does not dry out in the process of cookery and the part that remains after one meal may be served cold in slices or used for making some other dish, such as meat pie or hash. such a plan also saves both time and fuel, because sufficient meat for several meals may be cooked at one time. in purchasing meat, there are certain pieces that should never be asked for by the pound or by the price. for instance, the housewife should not say to the butcher, "give me pounds of porterhouse steak," nor should she say, "give me cents worth of chops." steak should be bought by the cut, and the thickness that is desired should be designated. for example, the housewife may ask for an inch-thick sirloin steak, a -inch porterhouse steak, and so on. chops should be bought according to the number of persons that are to be served, usually a chop to a person being quite sufficient. rib roasts should be bought by designating the number of ribs. thus, the housewife may ask for a rib roast containing two, three, four, or more ribs, depending on the size desired. roasts from other parts of beef, such as chuck or rump roasts, may be cut into chunks of almost any desirable size without working a disadvantage to either the butcher or the customer, and may therefore be bought by the pound. round bought for steaks should be purchased by the cut, as are other steaks; or, if an entire cut is too large, it may be purchased as upper round or lower round, but the price paid should vary with the piece that is purchased. round bought for roasts, however, may be purchased by the pound. . care of meat in the market.--animal foods decompose more readily than any other kind, and the products of their decomposition are extremely dangerous to the health. it is therefore a serious matter when everything that comes in contact with meat is not clean. regarding the proper care of meat, the sanitary condition of the market is the first consideration. the light and ventilation of the room and the cleanliness of the walls, floors, tables, counters, and other equipment are points of the greatest importance and should be noted by the housewife when she is purchasing meat. whether the windows and doors are screened and all the meat is carefully covered during the fly season are also matters that should not be overlooked. then, too, the cleanliness and physical condition of the persons who handle the meat should be of as great concern as the sanitary condition of the market. the housewife who desires to supply her family with the safest and cleanest meat should endeavor to purchase it in markets where all the points pertaining to the sanitary condition are as ideal as possible. if she is at all doubtful as to the freshness and cleanliness of what is sold to her, she should give it thorough cooking in the process of preparation so that no harm will be done to the persons who are to eat it. . care of meat in the home.--because of the perishable nature of meat, the care given it in the market must be continued in the home in order that no deterioration may take place before it is cooked. this is not much of a problem during cold weather, but through the summer months a cool place in which to keep it must be provided unless the meat can be cooked very soon after it is delivered. meat that must be shipped long distances is frozen before it is shipped and is kept frozen until just before it is used. if such meat is still frozen when it enters the home, it should not be put into a warm place, for then it will thaw too quickly. instead, it should be put in the refrigerator or in some place where the temperature is a few degrees above freezing point, so that it will thaw slowly and still remain too cold for bacteria to become active. even if meat is not frozen, it must receive proper attention after it enters the home. as soon as it is received, it should be removed from the wrapping paper or the wooden or cardboard dish in which it is delivered. if the meat has not been purchased personally, it is advisable to weigh it in order to verify the butcher's bill. when the housewife is satisfied about the weight, she should place the meat in an earthenware, china, or enameled bowl, cover it, and then put it away in the coolest available place until it is used. some persons put salt on meat when they desire to keep it, but this practice should be avoided, as salt draws out the juices from raw meat and hardens the tissues to a certain extent. if such precautions are taken with meat, it will be in good condition when it is to be cooked. however, before any cooking method is applied to it, it should always be wiped with a clean, damp cloth. in addition, all fat should be removed, except just enough to assist in cooking the meat and give it a good flavor. bone or tough portions may also be removed if they can be used to better advantage for soups or stews. * * * * * cooking of meat purposes of cooking meat . it is in the preparation of food, and of meat in particular, that one of the marked differences between uncivilized and civilized man is evident. raw meat, which is preferred by the savage, does not appeal to the appetite of most civilized persons; in fact, to the majority of them the idea of using it for food is disgusting. therefore, civilized man prepares his meat before eating it, and the higher his culture, the more perfect are his methods of preparation. while it is probably true that most of the methods of cookery render meat less easy to digest than in its raw condition, this disadvantage is offset by the several purposes for which this food is cooked. meat is cooked chiefly to loosen and soften the connective tissue and thus cause the muscle tissues to be exposed more fully to the action of the digestive juices. another important reason for cooking meat is that subjecting it to the action of heat helps to kill bacteria and parasites. in addition, meat is cooked to make it more attractive to the eye and to develop and improve its flavor. methods of cooking meat . the result desired when meat is cooked has much to do with the method of cookery to choose, for different methods produce different results. to understand this, it will be necessary to know just what the action of cooking is on the material that meat contains. when raw meat is cut, the tiny meat fibers are laid open, with the result that, in the application of the cooking process, the albuminous material either is lost, or, like the albumen of eggs, is coagulated, or hardened, and thus retained. therefore, before preparing a piece of meat, the housewife should determine which of these two things she wishes to accomplish and then proceed to carry out the process intelligently. the methods of cookery that may be applied to meat include broiling, pan broiling, roasting, stewing or simmering, braizing, frying, sautéing, and fricasseeing. all of these methods are explained in a general way in _essentials of cookery_, part , but explanations of them as they apply to meat are here given in order to acquaint the housewife with the advantages and disadvantages of the various ways by which this food can be prepared. . broiling and pan broiling.--only such cuts of meats as require short cooking can be prepared by the methods of broiling and pan broiling. to carry out these methods successfully, severe heat must be applied to the surface of the meat so that the albumin in the ends of the muscle fibers may be coagulated at once. this presents, during the remainder of the preparation, a loss of the meat juices. meat to which either of these methods is applied will be indigestible on the surface and many times almost uncooked in the center, as in the case of rare steak. such meat, however, is more digestible than thin pieces that are thoroughly cooked at the very high temperature required for broiling. . roasting.--the process of roasting, either in the oven or in a pot on top of the stove, to be properly done, requires that the piece of meat to be roasted must first be seared over the entire surface by the application of severe heat. in the case of a pot roast, the searing can be done conveniently in the pot before the pot-roasting process begins. if the meat is to be roasted in the oven, it may be seared first in a pan on top of the stove. however, it may be seared to some extent by placing it in a very hot oven and turning it over so that all the surface is exposed. then, to continue the roasting process, the temperature must be lowered just a little. the roasting pan may be of any desirable size and shape that is convenient and sufficiently large to accommodate the meat to be prepared. a pan like that shown in fig. is both convenient and satisfactory. it is provided with a cover that fits tight. in this cover, as shown, is an opening that may be closed or opened so as to regulate the amount of moisture inside the pan. in the bottom of the pan is a rack upon which the meat may rest. [illustration: fig. ] . to prepare meat for roasting, flour should be sprinkled or rubbed over its lean surface before it is put in the pan. this forms a paste that cooks into a crust and prevents the loss of juices from the meat. in roasting, the heat is applied longer and more slowly than in broiling or frying, so that there is more possibility for the connective tissue beneath the surface to soften. the surface is, however, as indigestible as that of broiled meat. an important point for every housewife to remember in this connection is that the larger the roast the slower should be the fire. this is due to the fact that long before the heat could penetrate to the center, the outside would be burned. a small roast, however, will be more delicious if it is prepared with a very hot fire, for then the juices will not have a chance to evaporate and the tissues will be more moist and tasty. . frying and sautÉing.--when meat is fried or sautéd, that is, brought directly in contact with hot fat, it is made doubly indigestible, because of the hardening of the surface tissues and the indigestibility of the fat that penetrates these tissues. this is especially true of meat that is sautéd slowly in a small quantity of hot fat. much of this difficulty can be overcome, however, if meat prepared by these methods, like that which is broiled or roasted, is subjected quickly to intense heat. in addition, the fat used for cooking should be made hot before the meat is put into it. . boiling.--to boil meat means to cook it a long time in water at a temperature of degrees fahrenheit. this method of preparing meat is not strongly advocated, for there is seldom a time when better results cannot be obtained by cooking meat at a lower temperature than boiling point. the best plan is to bring the meat to the boiling point, allow it to boil for a short time, and then reduce the temperature so that the meat will simmer for the remainder of the cooking. in cooking meat by boiling, a grayish scum appears on the surface just before the boiling point is reached. this scum is caused by the gradual extraction of a part of the soluble albumin that is present in the hollow fibers of the muscle tissue. after its extraction, it is coagulated by the heat in the water. as it coagulates and rises, it carries with it to the top particles of dirt and other foreign material present in the water or on the surface of the meat. in addition, this scum contains a little blood, which is extracted and coagulated and which tends to make it grayish in color. such scum should be skimmed off, as it is unappetizing in appearance. . whether the meat should be put into cold water or boiling water depends on the result that is desired. it is impossible to make a rich, tasty broth and at the same time have a juicy, well-flavored piece of boiled meat. if meat is cooked for the purpose of making soup or broth, it should be put into cold water and then brought to a boil. by this method, some of the nutritive material and much of the flavoring substance will be drawn out before the water becomes hot enough to harden them. however, in case only the meat is to be used, it should be plunged directly into boiling water in order to coagulate the surface at once, as in the application of dry heat. if it is allowed to boil for minutes or so and the temperature then reduced, the coating that is formed will prevent the nutritive material and the flavor from being lost to any great extent. but if the action of the boiling water is permitted to continue during the entire time of cooking, the tissues will become tough and dry. . stewing or simmering.--the cheap cuts of meat, which contain a great deal of flavor and are so likely to be tough, cannot be prepared by the quick methods of cookery nor by the application of high temperature, for the result would be a tough, indigestible, and unpalatable dish. the long, slow cooking at a temperature lower than boiling point, which is known as stewing or simmering, should be applied. in fact, no better method for the preparation of tough pieces of meat and old fowl can be found than this process, for by it the connective tissue and the muscle fibers are softened. if the method is carried out in a tightly closed vessel and only a small amount of liquid is used, there is no appreciable loss of flavor except that carried into the liquid in which the meat cooks. but since such liquid is always used, the meat being usually served in it, as in the case of stews, there is no actual loss. to secure the best results in the use of this method, the meat should be cut into small pieces so as to expose as much surface as possible. then the pieces should be put into cold water rather than hot, in order that much of the juices and flavoring materials may be dissolved. when this has been accomplished, the temperature should be gradually raised until it nearly reaches the boiling point. if it is kept at this point for several hours, the meat will become tender and juicy and a rich, tasty broth will also be obtained. . braizing.--meat cooked by the method of braizing, which is in reality a combination of stewing and baking, is first subjected to the intense dry heat of the oven and then cooked slowly in the steam of the water that surrounds it. to cook meat in this way, a pan must be used that will permit the meat to be raised on a rack that extends above a small quantity of water. by this method a certain amount of juice from the meat is taken up by the water, but the connective tissue is well softened unless the cooking is done at too high a temperature. . fricasseeing.--as has already been learned, fricasseeing is a combination of sautéing and stewing. the sautéing coagulates the surface proteins and prevents, to some extent, the loss of flavor that would occur in the subsequent stewing if the surface were not hardened. to produce a tender, tasty dish, fricasseeing should be a long, slow process. this method is seldom applied to tender, expensive cuts of meat and to young chickens, but is used for fowl and for pieces of meat that would not make appetizing dishes if prepared by a quicker method. time required for cooking meat . the length of time required for cooking various kinds of meat is usually puzzling to those inexperienced in cookery. the difference between a dry, hard beef roast and a tender, moist, juicy one is due to the length of time allowed for cooking. overdone meats of any kind are not likely to be tasty. therefore, it should be remembered that when dry heat is used, as in baking, roasting, broiling, etc., the longer the heat is applied the greater will be the evaporation of moisture and the consequent shrinkage in the meat. a general rule for cooking meat in the oven is to allow minutes for each pound and minutes extra. if it is to be cooked by broiling, allow minutes for each pound and minutes extra; by boiling, minutes for each pound and minutes extra; and by simmering, minutes for each pound. in table i is given the number of minutes generally allowed for cooking pound of each of the various cuts of beef, veal, mutton, lamb, and pork by the different cookery methods. this table should be referred to in studying the two sections pertaining to meat. table i time table for cooking meats name of cut cookery method time per pound minutes beef round roasting to ribs roasting, well done to ribs roasting, rare to rump roasting to sirloin roasting, rare to rolled roast roasting to steaks broiling, well done to steaks broiling, rare to fresh beef boiling to corned beef boiling to any cut simmering chuck braizing to veal leg roasting chops or steak broiling to shoulder braizing to mutton leg roasting to shoulder roasting to leg braizing to leg boiling to chops broiling to lamb loin or saddle roasting to leg roasting to chops broiling to pork shoulder or ribs roasting to ham boiled to chops broiled to * * * * * beef general characteristics of beef . as is generally known, beef is the flesh of a slaughtered steer, cow, or other adult bovine animal. these animals may be sold to be slaughtered as young as - / to years old, but beef of the best quality is obtained from them when they are from to years of age. ranging from the highest quality down to the lowest, beef is designated by the butcher as prime, extra fancy, fancy, extra choice, choice, good, and poor. in a market where trade is large and varied, it is possible to make such use of meat as to get a higher price for the better qualities than can be obtained in other markets. . when the quality of beef is to be determined, the amount, quality, and color of the flesh, bone, and fat must be considered. the surface of a freshly cut piece of beef should be bright red in color. when it is exposed to the air for some time, the action of the air on the blood causes it to become darker, but even this color should be a good clear red. any unusual color is looked on with suspicion by a person who understands the requirements of good meat. to obtain beef of the best quality, it should be cut crosswise of the fiber. in fact, the way in which meat is cut determines to a great extent the difference between tender and tough meat and, consequently, the price that is charged. this difference can be readily seen by examining the surface of a cut. it will be noted that the tender parts are made up of short fibers that are cut directly across at right angles with the surface of the meat, while the tougher parts contain long fibers that run either slanting or almost parallel to the surface. . the amount of bone and cartilage in proportion to meat in a cut of beef usually makes a difference in price and determines the usefulness of the piece to the housewife. therefore, these are matters that should be carefully considered. for instance, a certain cut of beef that is suitable for a roast may cost a few cents less than another cut, but if its proportion of bone to meat is greater than in the more expensive piece, nothing is gained by purchasing it. bones, however, possess some value and can be utilized in various ways. those containing _marrow_, which is the soft tissue found in the cavities of bones and composed largely of fat, are more valuable for soup making and for stews and gravies than are solid bones. in young beef in good condition, the fat is creamy white in color. however, as the animal grows older, the color grows darker until it becomes a deep yellow. besides the flesh, bone, and fat, the general shape and thickness of a piece of beef should be noted when its quality is to be determined. in addition, its adaptability to the purpose for which it is selected and the method of cookery to be used in its preparation are also points that should not be overlooked. * * * * * cuts of beef method of obtaining cuts [illustration: fig. ] . with the general characteristics of beef well in mind, the housewife is prepared to learn of the way in which the animal is cut to produce the different pieces that she sees in the butcher shop and the names that are given to the various cuts. the cutting of the animal, as well as the naming of the pieces, varies in different localities, but the difference is not sufficient to be confusing. therefore, if the information here given is thoroughly mastered, the housewife will be able to select meat intelligently in whatever section of the country she may reside. an important point for her to remember concerning meat of any kind is that the cheaper cuts are found near the neck, legs, and shins, and that the pieces increase in price as they go toward the back. [illustration: fig. *divisions of a cow into cuts*] . the general method of cutting up a whole beef into large cuts is shown in fig. . after the head, feet, and intestines are removed, the carcass is cut down along the spine and divided into halves. each half includes an entire side and is known as a _side of beef_. then each side is divided into _fore_ and _hind quarters_ along the diagonal line that occurs about midway between the front and the back. it is in this form that the butcher usually receives the beef. he first separates it into the large pieces here indicated and then cuts these pieces into numerous smaller ones having names that indicate their location. for instance, the piece marked _a_ includes the _chuck_; _b_, the _ribs_; _c_, the _loin_; _d_, the _round_; _e_, the _flank_; _f_, the _plate_; and _g_, the _shin_. . the cuts that are obtained from these larger pieces are shown in fig. . for instance, from the chuck, as illustrated in (_a_), are secured numerous cuts, including the neck, shoulder clod, shoulder, and chuck ribs. the same is true of the other pieces, as a careful study of these illustrations will reveal. besides indicating the various cuts, each one of these illustrations serves an additional purpose. from (_a_), which shows the skeleton of the beef, the amount and the shape of the bone that the various cuts contain can be readily observed. from (_b_), which shows the directions in which the surface muscle fibers run, can be told whether the cutting of the pieces is done across the fibers or in the same direction as the fibers. both of these matters are of such importance to the housewife that constant reference to these illustrations should be made until the points that they serve to indicate are thoroughly understood. names and uses of cuts . so that a still better idea may be formed of the pieces into which a side of beef may be cut, reference should be made to fig. . the heavy line through the center shows where the side is divided in order to cut it into the fore and hind quarters. as will be observed, the fore quarter includes the chuck, prime ribs, and whole plate, and the hind quarter, the loin and the round, each of these large pieces being indicated by a different color. to make these large pieces of a size suitable for sale to the consumer, the butcher cuts each one of them into still smaller pieces, all of which are indicated in the illustration. the names of these cuts, together with their respective uses, and the names of the beef organs and their uses, are given in table ii. table ii cuts obtained from a side of beef and their uses name of name of cut uses of cuts large piece chuck........neck soups, broths, stews shoulder clod soups, broths, stews, boiling, corning ribs ( th, th, brown stews, braizing, and th) poor roasts ribs ( th and th) braizing, roasts shoulder soups, stews, corning, roast cross-ribs roast brisket soups, stews, corning shin soups prime ribs...ribs ( st to th, roasts inclusive) whole plate..plate soups, stews, corning navel soups, stews, corning loin.........short steak steaks, roasts porterhouse cuts steaks, roasts hip-bone steak steaks, roasts flat-bone steak steaks, roasts round-bone steak steaks, roasts sirloin steaks top sirloin roasts flank rolled steak, braizing, boiling tenderloin roast round........rump roasts, corning upper round steaks, roasts lower round steaks, pot roasts, stews vein stews, soups shank soups beef organs..liver broiling, frying heart baking, braizing tongue boiling, baking, braizing tail soup . as will be observed from fig. , the ribs are numbered in the opposite direction from the way in which they are ordinarily counted; that is, the first rib in a cut of beef is the one farthest from the head and the thirteenth is the one just back of the neck. the first and second ribs are called the _back ribs_; the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, the _middle ribs_. to prepare the ribs for sale, they are usually cut into pieces that contain two ribs, the first and second ribs being known as the first cut, the third and fourth as _the second_ cut, etc. after being sawed across, the rib bones are either left in to make a _standing rib roast_ or taken out and the meat then rolled and fastened together with skewers to make a _rolled roast_. _skewers,_ which are long wooden or metal pins that may be pushed through meat to fasten it together, will be found useful to the housewife in preparing many cuts of meat for cooking. they may usually be obtained at a meat market or a hardware store. . certain of the organs of beef are utilized to a considerable extent, so that while they cannot be shown in fig. , they are included in table ii. the heart and the tongue are valuable both because they are economical and because they add variety to the meat diet of the family. the tongue, either smoked or fresh, may be boiled and then served hot, or it may be pickled in vinegar and served cold. the heart may be prepared in the same way, or it may be stuffed and then baked. the tail of beef makes excellent soup and is much used for this purpose. * * * * * cooking of beef steaks and their preparation . steaks obtained from the loin.--the way in which a loin of beef is cut into steaks is shown in fig. . from _a_ to _b_ are cut _delmonico steaks;_ from _b_ to _c_, _porterhouse steaks;_ from _c_ to _d_, _hip-bone steaks;_ from _d_ to _e_, _flat-bone steaks;_ and from _e_ to _f_, _sirloin steaks_. the _loin_ is cut from the rump at _f_ and from the flank and plate at _h_ to _j_. when steaks are cut from the flesh of animals in good condition, they are all very tender and may be used for the quick methods of cookery, such as broiling. a very good idea of what each of these steaks looks like can be obtained from figs. to , inclusive. each of these illustrations shows the entire section of steak, as well as one steak cut from the piece. delmonico steak, which is shown in fig. , is the smallest steak that can be cut from the loin and is therefore an excellent cut for a small family. it contains little or no tenderloin. sometimes this steak is wrongly called a club steak, but no confusion will result if it is remembered that a _club steak_ is a porterhouse steak that has most of the bone and the flank end, or "tail," removed. [illustration: fig. ] porterhouse steak, which is illustrated in fig , contains more tenderloin than any other steak. this steak also being small in size is a very good cut for a small number of persons. [illustration: fig. ] _hip-bone steak_, shown in fig. , contains a good-sized piece of tenderloin. steak of this kind finds much favor, as it can be served quite advantageously. flat-bone steak, as shown in fig. , has a large bone, but it also contains a considerable amount of fairly solid meat. when a large number of persons are to be served, this is a very good steak to select. sirloin steak is shown in fig. . as will be observed, this steak contains more solid meat than any of the other steaks cut from the loin. for this reason, it serves a large number of persons more advantageously than the others do. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . steaks obtained from the round.--while the steaks cut from the loin are usually preferred because of their tenderness, those cut from the upper round and across the rump are very desirable for many purposes. if these are not so tender as is desired, the surface may be chopped with a dull knife in order to make tiny cuts through the fibers, or it may be pounded with some blunt object, as, for instance, a wooden potato masher. in fig. , the entire round and the way it is sometimes subdivided into the upper and lower round are shown. what is known as a round steak is a slice that is cut across the entire round. however, such a steak is often cut into two parts where the line dividing the round is shown, and either the upper or the lower piece may be purchased. the upper round is the better piece and brings a higher price than the whole round or the lower round including the vein. the quick methods of cookery may be applied to the more desirable cuts of the round, but the lower round or the vein is generally used for roasting, braizing, or stewing. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . broiled beefsteak.--as has already been explained, the steaks cut from the loin are the ones that are generally used for broiling. when one of these steaks is to be broiled, it should never be less than inch thick, but it may be from to - / inches in thickness, according to the preference of the persons for whom it is prepared. as the flank end, or "tail," of such steaks is always tough, it should be cut off before cooking and utilized in the making of soups and such dishes as require chopped meats. in addition, all superfluous fat should be removed and then tried out. beef fat, especially if it is mixed with lard or other fats, makes excellent shortening; likewise, it may be used for sautéing various foods. when a steak has been prepared in this manner, wipe it carefully with a clean, damp cloth. heat the broiler very hot and grease the rack with a little of the beef fat. then place the steak on the rack, expose it directly to the rays of a very hot fire, and turn it every seconds until each side has been exposed several times to the blaze. this is done in order to sear the entire surface and thus prevent the loss of the juice. when the surface is sufficiently seared, lower the fire or move the steak to a cooler place on the stove and then, turning it frequently, allow it to cook more slowly until it reaches the desired condition. the broiling of a steak requires from to minutes, depending on its thickness and whether it is preferred well done or rare. place the broiled steak on a hot platter, dot it with butter, season it with salt and pepper, and serve at once. . pan-broiled steak.--if it is impossible to prepare the steak in a broiler, it may be pan-broiled. in fact, this is a very satisfactory way to cook any of the tender cuts. to carry out this method, place a heavy frying pan directly over the fire and allow it to become so hot that the fat will smoke when put into it. grease the pan with a small piece of the beef fat, just enough to prevent the steak from sticking fast. put the steak into the hot pan and turn it as soon as it is seared on the side that touches the pan. after it is seared on the other side, turn it again and continue to turn it frequently until it has broiled for about minutes. when it is cooked sufficiently to serve, dot it with butter and season it with salt and pepper. serve hot. . rolled steak, or mock duck.--to have a delicious meat, it is not always necessary to secure the tender, expensive cuts, for excellent dishes can be prepared from the cheaper pieces. for instance, steaks cut from the entire round or thin cuts from the rump can be filled with a stuffing and then rolled to make rolled steak, or mock duck. this is an extremely appetizing dish and affords the housewife a chance to give her family a pleasing variety in the way of meat. the steak used for this purpose should first be broiled in the way explained in art. . then it should be filled with a stuffing made as follows: stuffing for rolled steak qt. stale bread crumbs c. stewed tomatoes small onion tb. salt tb. butter / tb. pepper c. hot water [illustration: fig. ] mix all together. pile on top of the broiled steak and roll the steak so that the edges lap over each other and the dressing is completely covered. fasten together with skewers or tie by wrapping a cord around the roll. strips of bacon or salt pork tied to the outside or fastened with small skewers improve the flavor of the meat. place in a roasting pan and bake in a hot oven until the steak is thoroughly baked. this will require not less than minutes. cut into slices and serve hot. . skirt steak.--lying inside the ribs and extending from the second or third rib to the breast bone is a thin strip of muscle known as a skirt steak. this is removed before the ribs are cut for roasts, and, as shown in fig. , is slit through the center with a long, sharp knife to form a pocket into which stuffing can be put. as a skirt steak is not expensive and has excellent flavor, it is a very desirable piece of meat. to prepare such a steak for the table, stuff it with the stuffing given for rolled steak in art. , and then fasten the edges together with skewers. bake in a hot oven until the steak is well done. serve hot. . swiss steak.--another very appetizing dish that can be made from the cheaper steaks is swiss steak. to be most satisfactory, the steak used for this purpose should be about an inch thick. pound as much dry flour as possible into both sides of the steak by means of a wooden potato masher. then brown it on both sides in a hot frying pan with some of the beef fat. when it is thoroughly browned, pour a cup of hot water over it, cover the pan tight, and remove to the back of the stove. have just enough water on the steak and apply just enough heat to keep it simmering very slowly for about / hour. as the meat cooks, the water will form a gravy by becoming thickened with the flour that has been pounded into the steak. serve the steak with this gravy. . hamburger steak.--the tougher pieces of beef, such as the flank ends of the steak and parts of the rump, the round, and the chuck, may be ground fine by being forced through a food chopper. such meat is very frequently combined with egg and then formed into small cakes or patties to make hamburger steak. besides providing a way to utilize pieces of meat that might otherwise be wasted, this dish affords variety to the diet. hamburger steak (sufficient to serve four) lb. chopped beef small onion, chopped - / tsp. salt egg (if desired) / tsp. pepper mix the ingredients thoroughly and shape into thin patties. cook by broiling in a pan placed in the broiler or by pan-broiling in a hot, well-greased frying pan. spread with butter when ready to serve. . planked steak.--a dish that the housewife generally considers too complicated for her, but that may very readily be prepared in the home, is planked steak. such a steak gets its name from the fact that a part of its cooking is done on a hardwood plank, and that the steak, together with vegetables of various kinds, is served on the plank. potatoes are always used as one of the vegetables that are combined with planked steak, but besides them almost any combination or variety of vegetables may be used as a garnish. asparagus tips, string beans, peas, tiny onions, small carrots, mushrooms, cauliflower, stuffed peppers, and stuffed tomatoes are the vegetables from which a selection is usually made. when a tender steak is selected for this purpose and is properly cooked, and when the vegetables are well prepared and artistically arranged, no dish can be found that appeals more to the eye and the taste. to prepare this dish, broil or pan-broil one of the better cuts of steak for about minutes. butter the plank, place the steak on the center of it and season with salt and pepper. mash potatoes and to each cupfuls use tablespoonfuls of milk, tablespoonful of butter, and one egg. after these materials have been mixed well into the potatoes, arrange a border of potatoes around the edge of the plank. then garnish the steak with whatever vegetables have been selected. care should be taken to see that these are properly cooked and well seasoned. if onions, mushrooms, or carrots are used, it is well to sauté them in butter after they are thoroughly cooked. with the steak thus prepared, place the plank under the broiler or in a hot oven and allow it to remain there long enough to brown the potatoes, cook the steak a little more, and thoroughly heat all the vegetables. . vegetables served with steak.--if an attractive, as well as a tasty, dish is desired and the housewife has not sufficient time nor the facilities to prepare a planked steak, a good plan is to sauté a vegetable of some kind and serve it over the steak. for this purpose numerous vegetables are suitable, but onions, small mushrooms, and sliced tomatoes are especially desirable. when onions are used, they should be sliced thin and then sautéd in butter until they are soft and brown. small mushrooms may be prepared in the same way, or they may be sautéd in the fat that remains in the pan after the steak has been removed. tomatoes that are served over steak should be sliced, rolled in crumbs, and then sautéd. roasts and their preparation [illustration: fig. ] . fillet of beef.--a large variety of roasts can be obtained from a side of beef, but by far the most delicious one is the tenderloin, or fillet of beef. this is a long strip of meat lying directly under the chine, or back bone. it is either taken out as a whole, or it is left in the loin to be cut as a part of the steaks that are obtained from this section. when it is removed in a whole piece, as shown in fig. , the steaks that remain in the loin are not so desirable and do not bring such a good price, because the most tender part of each of them is removed. [illustration: fig. ] two different methods of cookery are usually applied to the tenderloin of beef. very often, as fig. shows, it is cut into slices about inches thick and then broiled, when it is called _broiled fillet_, or _fillet_ mignon. if it is not treated in this way, the whole tenderloin is roasted after being rolled, or larded, with salt pork to supply the fat that it lacks. whichever way it is cooked, the tenderloin always proves to be an exceptionally tender and delicious cut of beef. however, it is the most expensive piece that can be bought, and so is not recommended when economy must be practiced. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . chuck roasts.--while the pieces cut from the chuck are not so desirable as those obtained from the loin or as the prime ribs, still the chuck yields very good roasts, as figs. and show. the roast shown in fig. is the piece just back of the shoulder, and that illustrated in fig. is cut from the ribs in the chuck. these pieces are of a fairly good quality and if a roast as large as or pounds is desired, they make an economical one to purchase. . rib roasts.--directly back of the chuck, as has already been learned, are the prime ribs. from this part of the beef, which is shown in figs. and , the best rib roasts are secured. fig. shows the ribs cut off at about the eighth rib and fig. shows the same set turned around so that the cut surface is at about the first rib, where the best cuts occur. to prepare this piece for roasting, it is often cut around the dark line shown in fig. , and after the back bone and ribs have been removed, is rolled into a roll of solid meat. the thin lower part that is cut off is used for boiling. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . when only a small roast is wanted, a single rib, such as is shown in fig. , is often used. in a roast of this kind, the bone is not removed, but, as will be observed, is sawed in half. such a roast is called a _standing rib roast_. another small roast, called a _porterhouse roast_, is illustrated in fig. . this is obtained by cutting a porterhouse steak rather thick. it is therefore a very tender and delicious, although somewhat expensive, roast. other parts of the loin may also be cut for roasts, the portion from which sirloin steaks are cut making large and very delicious roasts. [illustration: fig. ] . rump roasts.--between the loin and the bottom round lies the rump, and from this may be cut roasts of different kinds. the entire rump with its cut surface next to the round is shown in fig. , and the various pieces into which the rump may be cut are illustrated in figs. to . these roasts have a very good flavor and are very juicy, and if beef in prime condition can be obtained, they are extremely tender. besides these advantages, rump roasts are economical, so they are much favored. to prepare them for cooking, the butcher generally removes the bone and rolls them in the manner shown in fig. . . roast beef.--the usual method of preparing the roasts that have just been described, particularly the tender ones, is to cook them in the oven. for this purpose a roasting pan, such as the one previously described and illustrated, produces the best results, but if one of these cannot be obtained, a dripping pan may be substituted. when the meat is first placed in the oven, the oven temperature should be to degrees fahrenheit, but after the meat has cooked for about minutes, the temperature should be lowered so that the meat will cook more slowly. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] before putting the roast in the oven, wipe it thoroughly with a damp cloth. if its surface is not well covered with a layer of fat, place several pieces of salt pork on it and tie or skewer them fast. then, having one of the cut sides up so that it will be exposed to the heat of the oven, set the piece of meat in a roasting pan or the utensil that is to be substituted. dredge, or sprinkle, the surface with flour, salt, and pepper, and place the pan in the oven, first making sure that the oven is sufficiently hot. every or minutes baste the meat with the fat and the juice that cooks out of it; that is, spoon up this liquid and pour it over the meat in order to improve the flavor and to prevent the roast from becoming dry. if necessary, a little water may be added for basting, but the use of water for this purpose should generally be avoided. allow the meat to roast until it is either well done or rare, according to the way it is preferred. the length of time required for this process depends so much on the size of the roast, the temperature of the oven, and the preference of the persons who are to eat the meat, that definite directions cannot well be given. however, a general idea of this matter can be obtained by referring to the cookery time table given in _essentials of cookery_, part , and also to table i of this section, which gives the time required for cooking each pound of meat. if desired, gravy may be made from the juice that remains in the pan, the directions for making gravy being given later. [illustration: fig. ] . braized beef.--an excellent way in which to cook a piece of beef that is cut from the rump or lower round is to braize it. this method consists in placing the meat on a rack over a small quantity of water in a closed pan and then baking it in the oven for about hours. vegetables cut into small pieces are placed in the water and they cook while the meat is baking. as meat prepared in this way really cooks in the flavored steam that rises from the vegetables, it becomes very tender and has a splendid flavor; also, the gravy that may be made from the liquid that remains adds to its value. in serving it, a spoonful of the vegetables is generally put on the plate with each piece of meat. braized beef (sufficient to serve six) lb. beef from rump or lower round flour salt pepper thin slices salt pork / c. diced carrots / c. diced turnips / c. diced onions / c. diced celery c. boiling water wipe the meat with a damp cloth, and dredge, or sprinkle, it with the flour, salt, and pepper. try out the pork and brown the entire surface of the meat in the fat thus obtained. then place the meat on a rack in a deep granite pan, an earthen bowl, or a baking dish, and surround it with the diced vegetables. add the boiling water, cover the dish tight, and place in a slow oven. bake for about hours at a low temperature. then remove the meat to a hot platter, strain out the vegetables, and make a thickened gravy of the liquid that remains, as explained later. . pot-roasted beef.--the usual, and probably the most satisfactory, method of preparing the cheaper cuts of beef is to cook them in a heavy iron pot over a slow fire for several hours. if the proper attention is given to the preparation of such a roast, usually called a pot roast, it will prove a very appetizing dish. potatoes may also be cooked in the pot with the meat. this is a good plan to follow for it saves fuel and at the same time offers variety in the cooking of potatoes. when a piece of beef is to be roasted in a pot, try out in the pot a little of the beef fat. then wipe the meat carefully and brown it on all sides in the fat. add salt, pepper, and / cupful of boiling water and cover the pot tightly. cook over a slow fire until the water is evaporated and the meat begins to brown; then add another / cupful of water. continue to do this until the meat has cooked for several hours, or until the entire surface is well browned and the meat tissue very tender. then place the meat on a hot platter and, if desired, make gravy of the fat that remains in the pan, following the directions given later. if potatoes are to be cooked with the roast, put them into the pot around the meat about minutes before the meat is to be removed, as they will be cooked sufficiently when the roast is done. . beef loaf.--hamburger steak is not always made into small patties and broiled or sautéd. in fact, it is very often combined with cracker crumbs, milk, and egg, and then well seasoned to make a beef loaf. since there are no bones nor fat to be cut away in serving, this is an economical dish and should be used occasionally to give variety to the diet. if desired, a small quantity of salt pork may be combined with the beef to add flavor. beef loaf (sufficient to serve ten) lb. beef tb. salt / lb. salt pork / tb. pepper c. cracker crumbs small onion c. milk tb. chopped parsley egg put the beef and pork through the food chopper; then mix thoroughly with the other ingredients. pack tightly into a loaf-cake pan. bake in a moderate oven for / to hours. during the baking, baste frequently with hot water to which a little butter has been added. serve either hot or cold, as desired. preparation op stews and corned beef . cuts suitable for stewing and corning.--because of the large variety of cuts obtained from a beef, numerous ways of cooking this meat have been devised. the tender cuts are, of course, the most desirable and the most expensive and they do not require the same preparation as the cheaper cuts. however, the poorer cuts, while not suitable for some purposes, make very good stews and corned beef. the cuts that are most satisfactory for stewing and coming are shown in figs. to . a part of the chuck that is much used for stewing and coming is shown in fig. , _a_ being the upper chuck, _b_ the shoulder, and _c_ the lower chuck. fig. shows a piece of the shoulder cut off just at the leg joint, fig. , the neck, and fig. , a piece of the plate called a flat-rib piece. besides these pieces, the brisket, the lower part of the round, and any of the other chuck pieces that do not make good roasts are excellent for this purpose. in fact, any part that contains bone and fat, as well as lean, makes well-flavored stew. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . beef stew.--any of the pieces of beef just mentioned may be used with vegetables of various kinds to make beef stew. also left-over pieces of a roast or a steak may be utilized with other meats in the making of this dish. if the recipe here given is carefully followed, a very appetizing as well as nutritious stew will be the result. beef stew (sufficient to serve eight) lb. beef / c. diced carrots tb. salt small onion, sliced / tb. pepper c. potatoes cut into / in. slices / c. diced turnips tb. flour wipe the meat and cut it into pieces about inches long. try out some of the fat in a frying pan and brown the pieces of meat in it, stirring the meat constantly so that it will brown evenly. put the browned meat into a kettle with the remaining fat and the bone, cover well with boiling water, and add the salt and pepper. cover the kettle with a tight-fitting lid. let the meat boil for a minute or two, then reduce the heat, and allow it to simmer for about hours. for the last hour, cook the diced turnips, carrots, and onions with the meat, and minutes before serving, add the potatoes. when the meat and vegetables are sufficiently cooked, remove the bones, fat, and skin; then thicken the stew with the flour moistened with enough cold water to pour. pour into a deep platter or dish and serve with or without dumplings. . when dumplings are to be served with beef stew or any dish of this kind, they may be prepared as follows: dumplings c. flour tb. fat / tb. salt / to c. milk tsp. baking powder mix and sift the flour, salt, and baking powder. chop in the fat with a knife. add the milk gradually and mix to form a dough. toss on a floured board and roll out or pat until it is about inch thick. cut into pieces with a small biscuit cutter. place these close together in a buttered steamer and steam over a kettle of hot water for to minutes. serve with the stew. if a softer dough that can be cooked with the stew is preferred, / cupfuls of milk instead of / to cupful should be used. drop the dough thus prepared by the spoonful into the stew and boil for about minutes. keep the kettle tightly covered while the dumplings are boiling. . corned beef.--it is generally the custom to purchase corned beef, that is, beef preserved in a brine, at the market; but this is not necessary, as meat of this kind may be prepared in the home. when the housewife wishes to corn beef, she will find it an advantage to procure a large portion of a quarter of beef, part of which may be corned and kept to be used after the fresh beef has been eaten. of course, this plan should be followed only in cold weather, for fresh meat soon spoils unless it is kept very cold. to corn beef, prepare a mixture of parts salt to part saltpeter and rub this into the beef until the salt remains dry on the surface. put the meat aside for hours and then rub it again with some of the same mixture. on the following day, put the beef into a large crock or stone jar and cover it with a brine made by boiling - / gallons of water into which have been added quarts salt, ounces saltpeter, and / pound brown sugar. be careful to cool the brine until it entirely cold before using it. allow the beef to remain in the brine for a week before attempting to use it. inspect it occasionally, and if it does not appear to be keeping well, remove it from the brine, rub it again with the salt mixture, and place it in fresh brine. beef that is properly corned will keep an indefinite length of time, but it should be examined, every or days for the first few weeks to see that it is not spoiling. . boiled corned beef.--the usual way to prepare beef corned in the manner just explained or corned beef bought at the market is to boil it. after it becomes sufficiently tender by this method of cooking, it may be pressed into a desired shape and when cold cut into thin slices. meat of this kind makes an excellent dish for a light meal such as luncheon or supper. to boil corned beef, first wipe it thoroughly and roll and tie it. then put it into a kettle, cover it with boiling water, and set it over the fire. when it comes to the boiling point, skim off the scum that forms on the top. cook at a low temperature until the meat is tender enough to be pierced easily with a fork. then place the meat in a dish or a pan, pour the broth over it, put a plate on top that will rest on the meat, and weight it down with something heavy enough to press the meat into shape. allow it to remain thus overnight. when cold and thoroughly set, remove from the pan, cut into thin slices, and serve. . boiled dinner.--corned beef is especially adaptable to what is commonly termed a boiled dinner. occasionally it is advisable for the housewife to vary her meals by serving a dinner of this kind. in addition to offering variety, such a dinner affords her an opportunity to economize on fuel, especially if gas or electricity is used, for all of it may be prepared in the same pot and cooked over the same burner. boiled dinner (sufficient to serve six) lb. corned beef c. sliced turnips small head of cabbage cut into eighths c. sliced potatoes pepper and salt c. sliced carrots cook the corned beef in the manner explained in art. . when it has cooked sufficiently, remove it from the water. into this water, put the cabbage, carrots, turnips, and potatoes; then add the salt and pepper, seasoning to taste. cook until the vegetables are tender. remove the vegetables and serve them in vegetable dishes with some of the meat broth. reheat the meat before serving. beef organs and their preparation . boiled tongue.--the tongue of beef is much used, for if properly prepared it makes a delicious meat that may be served hot or cold. it is usually corned or smoked to preserve it until it can be used. in either of these forms or in its fresh state, it must be boiled in order to remove the skin and prepare the meat for further use. if it has been corned or smoked, it is likely to be very salty, so that it should usually be soaked overnight to remove the salt. when boiled tongue is desired, put a fresh tongue or a smoked or a corned tongue from which the salt has been removed into a kettle of cold water and allow it to come to a boil. skim and continue to cook at a low temperature for hours. cool enough to handle and then remove the skin and the roots. cut into slices and serve hot or cold. . pickled tongue.--a beef tongue prepared in the manner just explained may be treated in various ways, but a method of preparation that meets with much favor consists in pickling it. pickled tongue makes an excellent meat when a cold dish is required for a light meal or meat for sandwiches is desired. the pickle required for one tongue contains the following ingredients: pickle - / c. vinegar c. water / c. sugar tb. salt / tb. pepper cloves stick cinnamon boil all of these ingredients for a few minutes, then add the tongue, and boil for minutes. remove from the stove and let stand for hours. slice and serve cold. . braized tongue.--the process of braizing may be applied to tongue as well as to other parts of beef. in fact, when tongue is cooked in this way with several kinds of vegetables, it makes a delicious dish that is pleasing to most persons. braized tongue (sufficient to serve eight) fresh tongue / c. diced carrots / c. diced onions / c. diced celery c. stewed tomatoes c. water in which tongue is boiled boil the tongue as previously directed, and then skin it and remove the roots. place it in a long pan and pour over it the carrots, onions, celery, stewed tomatoes, and the water. cover tight and bake in a slow oven for hours. serve on a platter with the vegetables and sauce. . stuffed heart.--if a stuffed meat is desired, nothing more appetizing can be found than stuffed heart. for this purpose the heart of a young beef should be selected in order that a tender dish will result. after washing the heart and removing the veins and the arteries, make a stuffing like that given for rolled beefsteak in art. . stuff the heart with this dressing, sprinkle salt and pepper over it, and roll it in flour. lay several strips of bacon or salt pork across the top, place in a baking pan, and pour cupful of water into the pan. cover the pan tight, set it in a hot oven, and bake slowly for or hours, depending on the size of the heart. add water as the water in the pan evaporates, and baste the heart frequently. when it has baked sufficiently, remove to a platter and serve at once. making gravy . to meats prepared in various ways, gravy--that is, the sauce made from the drippings or juices that cook out of steaks, roasts, and stews, or from the broth actually cooked from the meat as for soup--is a valuable addition, particularly if it is well made and properly seasoned. a point to remember in this connection is that gravy should be entirely free from lumps and not too thick. it will be of the right thickness if to level tablespoonfuls of flour is used for each pint of liquid. it should also be kept in mind that the best gravy is made from the brown drippings that contain some fat. to make gravy, remove any excess of fat that is not required, and then pour a little hot water into the pan in order to dissolve the drippings that are to be used. add the flour to the fat, stirring until a smooth paste is formed. then add the liquid, which may be water or milk, and stir quickly to prevent the formation of lumps. season well with salt and pepper. another method that also proves satisfactory is to mix the flour and liquid and then add them to the fat that remains in the pan in which the meat has been cooked. trying out suet and other fats . the suet obtained from beef is a valuable source of fat for cooking, and it should therefore never be thrown away. the process of obtaining the fat from suet is called _trying_, and it is always practiced in homes where economy is the rule. to try out suet, cut the pieces into half-inch cubes, place them in a heavy frying pan, and cover them with hot water. allow this to come to a boil and cook until the water has evaporated. continue the heating until all the fat has been drawn from the tissue. then pour off all the liquid fat and squeeze the remaining suet with a potato masher or in a fruit press. clean glass or earthen jars are good receptacles in which to keep the fat thus recovered from the suet. to try out other fats, proceed in the same way as for trying out suet. such fats may be tried by heating them in a pan without water, provided the work is done carefully enough to prevent them from scorching. preparation of left-over beef . as has been shown, meat is both an expensive and a perishable food. therefore, some use should be made of every left-over bit of it, no matter how small, and it should be disposed of quickly in order to prevent it from spoiling. a point that should not be overlooked in the use of left-over meats, however, is that they should be prepared so as to be a contrast to the original preparation and thus avoid monotony in the food served. this variation may be accomplished by adding other foods and seasonings and by changing the appearance as much as possible. for instance, what remains from a roast of beef may be cut in thin slices and garnished to make an attractive dish; or, left-over meat may be made very appetizing by cutting it into cubes, reheating it in gravy or white sauce, and serving it over toast or potato patties. then there is the sandwich, which always finds a place in the luncheon. the meat used for this purpose may be sliced thin or it may be chopped fine, and then, to increase the quantity, mixed with salad dressing, celery, olives, chopped pickles, etc. an excellent sandwich is made by placing thin slices of roast beef between two slices of bread and serving hot roast-beef gravy over the sandwich thus formed. still other appetizing dishes may be prepared from left-over beef as the accompanying recipes show. . mexican beef--an extremely appetizing dish, known as mexican beef, can be made from any quantity of left-over beef by serving it with a vegetable sauce. such a dish needs few accompaniments when it is served in a light meal, but it may be used very satisfactorily as the main dish in a heavy meal. mexican beef tb. butter / tsp. salt onion, chopped / tsp. pepper red pepper tsp. celery salt green pepper thin slices roast beef / c. canned tomatoes brown the butter, add the chopped onion, and cook for a few minutes. then add the chopped peppers, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and celery salt. cook all together for a few minutes and add the thinly sliced roast beef. when the meat has become thoroughly heated, it is ready to serve. . cottage pie.--a very good way to use up left-over mashed potatoes as well as roast beef is to combine them and make a cottage pie. in this dish, mashed potatoes take the place of the crust that is generally put over the top of a meat pie. if well seasoned and served hot, it makes a very palatable dish. to make a cottage pie, cover the bottom of a baking dish with a -inch layer of well-seasoned mashed potatoes. over this spread left-over roast beef cut into small pieces. pour over the meat and potatoes any left-over gravy and a few drops of onion juice made by grating raw onion. cover with a layer of mashed potatoes inch deep. dot with butter and place in a hot oven until the pie has heated through and browned on top. serve hot. . beef pie.--no housewife need be at a loss for a dish that will tempt her family if she has on hand some left-over pieces of beef, for out of them she may prepare a beef pie, which is always in favor. cold roast beef makes a very good pie, but it is not necessary that roast beef be used, as left-over steak or even a combination of left-over meats, will do very well. cut into -inch cubes whatever kinds of left-over meats are on hand. cover with hot water, add a sliced onion, and cook slowly for hour. thicken the liquid with flour and season well with salt and pepper. add two or three potatoes, cut into / -inch slices, and let them boil for several minutes. pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish and cover it with a baking-powder biscuit mixture. bake in a hot oven until the crust is brown. serve hot. . beef hash.--one of the most satisfactory ways in which to utilize left-over roast beef or corned beef is to cut it into small pieces and make it into a hash. cold boiled potatoes that remain from a previous meal are usually combined with the beef, and onion is added for flavor. when hash is prepared to resemble an omelet and is garnished with parsley, it makes an attractive dish. to make beef hash, remove all skin and bone from the meat, chop quite fine, and add an equal quantity of chopped cold-boiled potatoes and one chopped onion. season with salt and pepper. put the mixture into a well-buttered frying pan, moisten with milk, meat stock, or left-over gravy, and place over a fire. let the hash brown slowly on the bottom and then fold over as for an omelet. serve on a platter garnished with parsley. . frizzled beef.--while the dried beef used in the preparation of frizzled beef is not necessarily a left-over meat, the recipe for this dish is given here, as it is usually served at a meal when the preceding left-over beef dishes are appropriate. prepared according to this recipe, frizzled beef will be found both nutritious and appetizing. frizzled beef (sufficient to serve four) tb. butter / lb. thinly sliced dried beef tb. flour c. milk slices of toast brown the butter in a frying pan and add the beef torn into small pieces. allow it to cock until the beef becomes brown. add the flour and brown it. pour the milk over all, and cook until the flour thickens the milk. serve over the toast. meat (part ) examination questions ( ) (_a_) what is meat? (_b_) what substance in meat makes it a valuable food? ( ) (_a_) what do protein foods do for the body? (_b_) how does meat compare in cost with the other daily foods? ( ) what harm may occur from eating meat that is not thoroughly cooked? ( ) (_a_) describe the structure of meat, (_b_) how do the length and the direction of the fibers affect the tenderness of meat? ( ) (_a_) how may gelatine be obtained from meat? (_b_) what use is made of this material? ( ) (_a_) describe the two kinds of fat found in meat, (_b_) what does this substance supply to the body? ( ) (_a_) what is the value of water in the tissues of meat? (_b_) how does its presence affect the cookery method to choose for preparing meat? ( ) (_a_) what are extractives? (_b_) why are they of value in meat? ( ) (_a_) name the ways by which the housewife may reduce her meat bill, (_b_) how should meat be cared for in the home? ( ) give three reasons for cooking meat. ( ) (_a_) describe the effect of cooking on the materials contained in meat, (_b_) how does cooking affect the digestibility of meat? ( ) what methods of cookery are used for: (_a_) the tender cuts of meat? (_b_) the tough cuts? (_c_) mention the cuts of meat that have the most flavor. ( ) (_a_) how should the temperature of the oven vary with the size of the roast to be cooked? (_b_) give the reason for this. ( ) describe beef of good quality. ( ) in what parts of the animal are found: (_a_) the cheaper cuts of beef? (_b_) the more expensive cuts? ( ) (_a_) name the steaks obtained from the loin, (_b_) which of these is best for a large family? (_c_) which is best for a small family? ( ) describe the way in which to broil steak. ( ) (_a_) what is the tenderloin of beef? (_b_) explain the two ways of cooking it. ( ) (_a_) name the various kinds of roasts, (_b_) describe the roasting of beef in the oven. ( ) (_a_) what cuts of beef are most satisfactory for stews? (_b_) explain how beef stew is made. * * * * * meat (part ) * * * * * veal nature of veal . veal is the name applied to the flesh of a slaughtered calf. this kind of meat is at its best in animals that are from weeks to months old when killed. calves younger than weeks are sometimes slaughtered, but their meat is of poor quality and should be avoided. meat from a calf that has not reached the age of weeks is called bob veal. such meat is pale, dry, tough, and indigestible and, consequently, unfit for food. in most states the laws strictly forbid the sale of bob veal for food, but constant vigilance must be exercised to safeguard the public from unscrupulous dealers. a calf that goes beyond the age of months without being slaughtered must be kept and fattened until it reaches the age at which it can be profitably sold as beef, for it is too old to be used as veal. . the nature of veal can be more readily comprehended by comparing it with beef, the characteristics of which are now understood. veal is lighter in color than beef, being more nearly pink than red, and it contains very little fat, as reference to fig. , _meat_, part , will show. the tissues of veal contain less nutriment than those of beef, but they contain more gelatine. the flavor of veal is less pronounced than that of beef, the difference between the age of animals used for veal and those used for beef being responsible for this lack of flavor. these characteristics, as well as the difference in size of corresponding cuts, make it easy to distinguish veal from beef in the market. cuts of veal, and their uses [illustration: fig. ] . the slaughtered calf from which veal is obtained is generally delivered to the butcher in the form shown in fig. ; that is, with the head, feet, and intestines removed and the carcass split into halves through the spine. he divides each half into quarters, known as the _fore quarter_ and the _hind quarter_, and cuts these into smaller pieces. . fore quarter.--the fore quarter, as shown in fig. , is composed of the neck, chuck, shoulder, fore shank, breast, and ribs. frequently, no distinction is made between the neck and the chuck, both of these pieces and the fore shank being used for soups and stews. the shoulder is cut from the ribs lying underneath, and it is generally used for roasting, often with stuffing rolled inside of it. the breast, which is the under part of the fore quarter and corresponds to the plate in beef, is suitable for either roasting or stewing. when the rib bones are removed from it, a pocket that will hold stuffing can be cut into this piece. the ribs between the shoulder and the loin are called the _rack_; they may be cut into chops or used as one piece for roasting. . hind quarter.--the hind quarter, as fig. shows, is divided into the loin, flank, leg, and hind shank. the loin and the flank are located similarly to these same cuts in beef. in some localities, the part of veal corresponding to the rump of beef is included with the loin, and in others it is cut as part of the leg. when it is part of the leg, the leg is cut off just in front of the hip bone and is separated from the lower part of the leg, or hind shank, immediately below the hip joint. this piece is often used for roasting, although cutlets or steaks may be cut from it. the hind shank, which, together with the fore shank, is called a _knuckle_, is used for soup making. when the loin and flank are cut in a single piece, they are used for roasting. . veal organs.--certain of the organs of the calf, like those of beef animals, are used for food. they include the heart, tongue, liver, and kidneys, as well as the thymus and thyroid glands and the pancreas. the heart and tongue of veal are more delicate in texture and flavor than those of beef, but the methods of cooking them are practically the same. the liver and kidneys of calves make very appetizing dishes and find favor with many persons. the thymus and thyroid glands and the pancreas are included under the term _sweetbreads_. the thymus gland, which lies near the heart and is often called the _heart sweetbread_, is the best one. the thyroid gland lies in the throat and is called the _throat sweetbread_. these two glands are joined by a connecting membrane, but this is often broken and each gland sold as a separate sweetbread. the pancreas, which is the _stomach sweetbread_, is used less often than the others. . table of veal cuts.--the various cuts of veal, together with their uses, are arranged for ready reference in table i. therefore, so that the housewife may become thoroughly familiar with these facts about veal, she is urged to make a careful study of this table. table i names of veal cuts and organs and their uses name of large cut name of small cut uses of cuts / head soup, made dishes, gelatine | breast stew, made dishes, gelatine fore quarter | ribs stew, made dishes, chops | shoulder stew, made dishes \ neck stew or stock, made dishes / loin chops, roasts hind quarter | leg cutlets or fillet, sautéing, or roasting \ knuckle stocks, stews / brains made dishes, chafing dish | liver broiling, sautéing veal organs | heart stuffed, baked | tongue broiled, braised | sweetbreads made dishes, chafing dish \ kidneys boiled, stew cooking of veal veal cuts and their preparation . in the preparation of veal, an important point to remember is that meat of this kind always requires thorough cooking. it should never be served rare. because of the long cooking veal needs, together with the difficulty encountered in chewing it and its somewhat insipid flavor, which fails to excite the free flow of gastric juice, this meat is more indigestable than beef. in order to render it easier to digest, since it must be thoroughly cooked, the long, slow methods of cookery should be selected, as these soften the connective tissue. because of the lack of flavor, veal is not so good as beef when the extraction of flavor is desired for broth. however, the absence of flavor makes veal a valuable meat to combine with chicken and the more expensive meats, particularly in highly seasoned made dishes or salads. although lacking in flavor, veal contains more gelatine than other meats. while this substance is not very valuable as a food, it lends body to soup or broth and assists in the preparation of certain made dishes. to supply the flavor needed in dishes of this kind, pork is sometimes used with the veal. . veal steaks or cutlets.--strictly speaking, veal cutlets are cut from the ribs; however, a thin slice cut from the leg, as shown in fig. , while in reality a steak, is considered by most housewives and butchers as a cutlet. a piece cut from the leg of veal corresponds to a cut of round steak in beef. . pan-broiled veal steak or cutlets.--several methods of preparing veal steak or cutlets are in practice, but a very satisfactory one is to pan-broil them. this method prevents the juices from being drawn out of the meat and consequently produces a tender, palatable dish. [illustration: fig. ] to pan-broil veal steak or cutlets, grease a hot frying pan with fat of any desirable kind, place the pieces of meat in it, and allow them to sear, first on one side and then on the other. when they are completely seared, lower the temperature, and broil for to minutes, or longer if necessary. season well with salt and pepper. when cooked, remove to a platter and, just before serving, pour melted butter over the meat. . veal cutlets in brown sauce.--to improve the flavor of veal cutlets, a brown sauce is often prepared and served with them. in fact, the cutlets are cooked in this sauce, which becomes thickened by the flour that is used to dredge the meat. to cook cutlets in this way, dredge them with flour, season them with salt and pepper, and sauté them in hot fat until the flour is quite brown. then pour cupful of milk and cupful of water over the meat, cover the pan securely, and allow to cook slowly for about / hour. the sauce should be slightly thick and quite brown. serve the cutlets in the brown sauce. . veal roasts.--several different cuts of veal make very good roasts. the most economical one is a or -inch slice cut from the leg of veal in the same way as the steak shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. , shoulder of veal.] both the loin and the best end of the neck are excellent for roasting. the shoulder of veal, which is shown in fig. , is sometimes roasted, but it is more often used for stew. veal breast from which the ribs have been removed and veal rack, which is the portion of the ribs attached to the neck, may also be used for roasting. when they are, they are usually cut so as to contain a deep slit, or pocket, that may be filled with stuffing. in fact, whenever it is possible, the bone is removed from a piece of roasting veal and stuffing is put in its place. to roast any of these pieces, wipe the meat, dredge it with flour, and season it with salt and pepper. place it in a roasting pan and put it into a hot oven. bake for minutes; then lower the temperature of the oven and continue to bake slowly until the meat is well done, the length of time depending on the size of the roast. baste frequently during the roasting. remove the roast to a hot platter. then place the roasting pan over the flame, and make gravy by browning tablespoonfuls of flour in the fat that it contains, adding to this - / cupfuls of water, and cooking until the flour has thickened the water. serve the gravy thus prepared in a gravy bowl. . stuffed veal breast.--a breast of veal in which a pocket has been cut for stuffing is shown in fig. . when such a piece is desired for roasting, it is advisable to have the butcher prepare it. the stuffing required should be made as follows: [illustration: fig. ] stuffing for veal tb. butter or bacon or ham fat / tb. salt / tb. pepper tb. celery salt sprigs of parsley, chopped pimiento, chopped - / c. water qt. stale bread crumbs melt the fat, and to it add the salt, pepper, celery salt, parsley, pimiento, and water. pour this mixture over the crumbs, and mix all thoroughly. stuff into the opening in the breast. place the meat thus stuffed in a baking pan and bake in a moderately hot oven for to - / hours. . veal potpie.--a good way in which to impart the flavor of meat to a starchy material and thus not only economize on meat, but also provide an appetizing dish, is to serve meat with dumplings in a veal potpie. for such a dish, a piece of veal from the shoulder, like that shown in fig. , is the best cut. to give variety, potatoes may be used, and to improve the flavor at least one onion is cooked with the meat. to prepare a veal potpie, wipe the meat, cut it into pieces of the right size for serving, and to it add a few pieces of salt pork or bacon. put these over the fire in enough cold water to cover the meat well and add a small onion, sliced. bring to the boiling point and skim; then simmer until the meat is tender. season with salt and pepper a few minutes before the meat has finished cooking. next, make a baking-powder biscuit dough, roll it / inch thick, and cut it into - / -inch squares. then examine the meat to see how much of the liquid has evaporated. if the liquid is too thick, add boiling water to thin it. drop in the squares of dough, cover the pot tight, and boil for minutes without uncovering. if potatoes are desired in a pie of this kind, cut them into thick slices and add the slices about minutes before the dough is to be put into the broth, so that they will have sufficient time in which to cook. . veal stew.--the cheaper cuts of veal can be used to advantage for making veal stew. such a dish is prepared in the same way as beef stew, which is explained in _meat_, part , except that veal is substituted for the beef. vegetables of any desired kind may be used in veal stew, and the stewed or boiled dumplings mentioned in the beef-stew recipe may or may not be used. as the vegetables and the dumplings, provided dumplings are used, increase the quantity of meat-flavored food, only small portions of the meat need be served. . jellied veal.--the large amount of gelatine contained in veal may be utilized in the preparation of jellied veal. the most satisfactory piece for making jellied veal is the knuckle, or shank. no more attractive meat dish than this can be found for luncheon or supper, for it can be cut into thin slices and served on a nicely garnished platter. jellied veal (sufficient to serve six) knuckle of veal tb. salt / c. chopped celery tb. chopped parsley tb. chopped onion put the knuckle in a pot and add enough water to cover it. add the salt, celery, parsley, and onion. cook until the meat is very tender and then strain off the liquid. cut the meat from the bones and chop it very fine. boil the liquid until it is reduced to pint, and then set aside to cool. place the meat in a mold and when cold pour the broth over it. keep in a cool place until it has set. slice and serve cold. veal organs and their preparation . getting sweetbreads ready for cooking--the throat glands and the pancreas of calves, which, as has already been learned, are called sweetbreads, can be cooked in various ways for the table. the first process in their preparation, however, is the same for all recipes. when this is understood, it will be a simple matter to make up attractive dishes in which sweetbreads are used. it is generally advisable to buy sweetbreads in pairs, as the heart and throat sweetbreads are preferable to the one that lies near the stomach. sweetbreads spoil very quickly. therefore, as soon as they are brought into the kitchen, put them in cold water and allow them to remain there for / hour or more. then put them to cook in boiling water for minutes in order to parboil them, after which place them in cold water again. unless they are to be used immediately, keep them in cold water, as this will prevent them from discoloring. before using sweetbreads in the recipes that follow, remove the skin and stringy parts. . broiled sweetbreads.--because of their tenderness, sweetbreads are especially suitable for broiling. when prepared in this way and served with sauce of some kind, they are very palatable. in order to broil sweetbreads, first parboil them in the manner just explained. then split each one lengthwise and broil them over a clear fire for minutes or pan-broil them with a small amount of butter until both surfaces are slightly browned. season with salt and pepper. serve hot. . creamed sweetbreads.--if an especially dainty dish is desired for a light meal, sweetbreads may be creamed and then served over toast or in patty shells or timbale cases, the making of which is taken up later. if desired, mushrooms may be combined with sweetbreads that are served in this way. diced cold veal or calves' brains creamed and served in this way are also delicious. instead of creaming sweetbreads and calves' brains, however, these organs are sometimes scrambled with eggs. to prepare creamed sweetbreads, parboil them and then separate them into small pieces with a fork or cut them into cubes. reheat them in a cupful of white sauce, season well, and then serve them in any of the ways just mentioned. if mushrooms are to be used, cook and dice them before combining them with the sweetbreads. . kidneys.--the kidneys of both lamb and veal are used for food. the cooking of them, however, must be either a quick, short process or a long, slow one. when a quick method is applied, the tissues remain tender. additional cooking renders them tough, so that a great deal more cooking must be done to make them tender again. whatever method is applied, kidneys must always be soaked in water for hour or more so as to cleanse them, the outside covering then pared off, and the meat sliced or cut into cubes or strips. after being thus prepared, kidneys may be broiled or sautéd, or, if a long method of cookery is preferred, they may be boiled or stewed with or without vegetables. . calves' liver and bacon.--beef liver is sometimes used for food, but it is not so good as liver from the calf. in fact, calves' liver, especially when combined with bacon, is very appetizing. the bacon supplies the fat that the liver lacks and at the same time provides flavor. to prepare calves' liver and bacon, cut the liver into / -inch slices, cover these with boiling water, and let them stand for minutes. remove from the water, dip into flour, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. for each slice of liver pan-broil a slice of bacon. remove the bacon to a hot platter, and then place the slices of liver in the bacon fat and sauté them for about minutes, turning them frequently. serve the liver and bacon together. preparation of left-over veal . veal rolls.--the portion of a veal roast that remains after it has been served hot can be combined with dressing to make veal rolls, a dish that will be a pleasing change from the usual cold sliced meat. to make veal rolls, slice the veal and into each slice roll a spoonful of stuffing. tie with a string, roll in flour, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. brown the rolls in hot butter. then pour milk, stock, or gravy over the rolls and simmer for minutes. remove the strings and serve on toast. . left-over jellied veal.--while jellied veal is usually made from a piece of veal bought especially for this purpose, it can be made from the left-overs of a veal roast. however, when the roast is purchased, some veal bones should be secured. wash these bones, cover them with cold water, and to them add onion, bay leaf, and cupful of diced vegetables, preferably celery, carrots, and turnips. allow these to simmer for hours. to this stock add the bones that remain after the roast has been served and simmer for or hours more. strain the stock, skim off the fat, and season well with salt and pepper. chop fine the left-over veal and hard-cooked eggs. put in a loaf-cake pan and pour the stock over it. when it has formed a mold, slice and serve cold. . creamed veal on biscuits.--a very good substitute for chicken and hot biscuits is creamed veal served on biscuits. this is an especially good dish for a light meal, such as luncheon or supper. any left-over veal may be chopped or cut up into small pieces and used for this purpose. after the veal has been thus prepared, reheat it with white sauce and season it well with paprika, salt, and pepper. make baking-powder biscuits. to serve, split the hot biscuits, lay them open on a platter or a plate, and pour the hot creamed veal over them. . scalloped veal with rice.--a very palatable dish can be prepared from left-over veal by combining it with rice and tomatoes. to prepare such a dish, season cooked rice with teaspoonful of bacon fat to each cupful of rice. place a layer of rice in a baking dish, and over it put a layer of chopped veal. pour a good quantity of stewed tomatoes over the veal and season well with salt and pepper. over the tomatoes put a layer of rice, and cover the top with buttered crumbs. set in a hot oven and bake until the crumbs are browned and the ingredients thoroughly heated. . veal salad.--a salad is always a delightful addition to a meal and so usually finds favor. when it is made of meat, such as veal, it can be used as the main dish for luncheon or supper. as shown in the accompanying recipe, other things, such as celery, peas, and hard-cooked eggs, are usually put in a salad of this kind. veal salad (sufficient to serve six) c. cold diced veal c. diced celery / c. canned peas hard-cooked eggs tb. olive oil tb. vinegar / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper combine the veal, celery, peas, and eggs chopped fine. mix the olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to make a dressing. marinate the ingredients with this dressing. serve on lettuce leaves with any salad dressing desired. mutton and lamb comparison of mutton and lamb [illustration: fig. ] . the term mutton is usually applied to the flesh of a sheep that is year or more old, while lamb is the flesh of sheep under year of age. the popularity of these meats varies very much with the locality. in the united states, a preference for lamb has become noticeable, but in england mutton is more popular and is more commonly used. both of these meats, however, are very palatable and nutritious, so that the choice of one or the other will always be determined by the taste or market conditions. [illustration: fig. ] . lamb that is weeks to months old is called _spring lamb_, and usually comes into the market in january or february. the meat of sheep year old is called _yearling_. good mutton is cut from sheep that is about years old. lamb may be eaten as soon as it is killed, but mutton requires ripening for or weeks to be in the best condition for food. mutton differs from lamb very much as beef differs from veal, or as the meat of any other mature animal differs from a young one of the same kind. in mutton there is a smaller percentage of water and a larger percentage of fat, protein, extractives, and flavoring substances. there is also a difference in the appearance of these two meats. lamb is pink and contains only small amounts of fat, while mutton is brick red and usually has considerable firm white fat. the bones of lamb are pink, while those of mutton are white. the outside of lamb is covered with a thin white skin that becomes pink in mutton. the size of the pieces of meat often aids in distinguishing between these two meats, mutton, of course, coming in larger pieces than lamb. . if there is any question as to whether the meat from sheep is lamb or mutton, and it cannot be settled by any of the characteristics already mentioned, the front leg of the dressed animal may be examined at the first joint above the foot. fig. shows this joint in both lamb and mutton. in lamb, which is shown at the left, the end of the bone can be separated from the long bone at the leg, as indicated, while in mutton this joint grows fast and looks like the illustration at the right. the joint is jagged in lamb, but smooth and round in mutton. cuts of mutton and lamb method of obtaining cuts . mutton and lamb are usually cut up in the same way, the dressed animal being divided into two pieces of almost equal weight. the line of division occurs between the first and second ribs, as is indicated by the heavy middle line in fig. . the back half of the animal is called the _saddle_ and the front half, the _rack_. in addition to being cut in this way, the animal is cut down the entire length of the backbone and is thus divided into the fore and hind quarters. the method of cutting up the racks and saddles varies in different localities, but, as a rule, the method illustrated in fig. is the one that is used. as here shown, the rack, or fore quarter, is cut up into the neck, chuck, shoulder, rib chops, and breast; and the saddle, or hind quarter, is divided into the loin, flank, and leg. the way in which the front and the back of a dressed sheep appear is shown in fig. . the membrane, which extends from the legs down over the ribs, is the omentum, or covering of the intestines, and is known as the _caul_. this must be removed from any part that it covers before the meat is cooked. the kidneys incased in fat are also shown in the view at the left. names and uses of cuts . distinguishing features of cuts.--when the uses of the cuts of lamb and mutton are to be considered, attention must be given to the anatomy of the animal and the exercise that the different parts have received during life. this is important, because the continued action of the muscles tends to make the flesh tough, but, at the same time, it increases the amount of extractives or flavoring material. therefore, meat taken from a part that has been subjected to much muscular action is likely to need longer cooking than that taken from portions that have not been exercised so much. [illustration: fig. ] in lamb and mutton, as in beef and veal, the hind quarter is exercised less in life than the fore quarter and consequently is, on the average, more tender. the cuts from this part are therefore more expensive and more suitable for roasting and broiling. the fore quarter, although having the disadvantage of containing more bone and being tougher, is more abundantly supplied with extractives and flavoring materials. most of the pieces obtained from this portion are particularly suitable for broths, soups, stews, etc. the rib is an exception, for this is usually higher in price than the hind-quarter pieces and is used for chops and roasts. . table of mutton and lamb cuts.--the various cuts of mutton and lamb and the uses to which they can be put are given in table ii, which may be followed as a guide whenever there is doubt as to the way in which a cut of either of these meats should be cooked. table ii names and uses of mutton and lamb cuts name of large cut name of small cut uses of cuts fore quarter: neck...................broth, stew chuck.................. stew, steamed shoulder................boiled, steamed, braised, roast rack ribs...............chops, crown roast breast.................. stew, roast, braised, stuffed hind quarter: loin.................... seven chops, roast, boiling flank................... stew leg..................... roast, braising, broiling saddle.................. roast cooking of mutton and lamb preparation of roasts, chops, and stews . the cookery processes applied in preparing mutton and lamb for the table do not differ materially from those applied in the preparation of other meats. however, directions for cooking mutton and lamb in the most practical ways are here given, so that the housewife may become thoroughly familiar with the procedure in preparing roasts, chops, and stews. [illustration: fig. (_a_)] [illustration: fig. (_b_)] . roast leg of mutton or lamb.--of all the principal cuts of mutton or lamb, the leg contains the smallest percentage of waste. it is, therefore, especially suitable for roasting and is generally used for this purpose. in fig. are shown two views of a leg of lamb or mutton. that in (_a_) illustrates the leg with part of the loin attached, and that in (_b_), the leg trimmed and ready for cooking. in order to make the leg smaller, a slice resembling a round steak of beef is sometimes cut for broiling, as here shown. if desired, the leg may be boned and then stuffed before roasting. since these meats are characterized by a very marked flavor, something tart or acid is generally served with them. to roast a leg of lamb or mutton, remove the caul, the pink skin, and the superfluous fat. dredge the leg with flour, salt, and pepper, set in a roasting pan, and place in a hot oven. after the meat has cooked for minutes, lower the temperature, and bake for hours. baste frequently with water to which has been added a small amount of bacon or ham fat and which should be put in the pan with the meat. serve hot with something acid, such as mint sauce, currant or mint jelly, or spiced fruit. a mint sauce that will be found satisfactory for this purpose is made as follows: mint sauce tb. powdered sugar / c. vinegar / c. finely chopped mint leaves, or tb. dried mint add the sugar to the vinegar and heat. pour this over the mint and steep on the back of the stove for minutes. . roast saddle of mutton.--while saddle is the name applied to the hind quarters of lamb and mutton, this term, as used in the cooking of such meat, refers to the piece that consists of the two sides of the loin cut off in one piece. it may be cut with or without the flank. in either form, it is rolled and then skewered or tied into shape. to roast such a piece, remove all superfluous fat, dredge with flour, salt, and pepper, place in a pan, and sear in a hot oven. then reduce the heat, place a small quantity of water in the pan, and bake for - / to hours, basting from time to time during this cooking process. serve with or without mint sauce, as desired. . crown roast of lamb.--a very attractive roast is made by cutting the same number of corresponding ribs from each side of the lamb and trimming back the meat from the end of each rib. such a roast is called a crown roast. fig. shows a crown roast with the ribs trimmed, the two pieces fastened together, and paper frills placed on the ends of the bones. such frills are usually added by the butcher, but they may be purchased in supply stores and put on in the home. [illustration: fig. ] to prepare a roast of this kind, cook in the same way as a roast leg or saddle. when it is sufficiently baked, fill the center with a cooked and seasoned vegetable. brussels sprouts, peas, string beans, asparagus, and cauliflower are especially suitable for this purpose. just before serving, cover the ends of the bones with paper frills, as shown in the illustration. . lamb and mutton chops.--chops of mutton or lamb are obtained from two sources. they may be cut from the ribs and have one bone in each cut or they may be cut from the loin, when they correspond to the steaks in beef. the loins and ribs of lamb, which are sometimes used for rolled racks, but from which chops are usually cut, are shown in fig. . a rib chop cut from this piece has only a small part of solid lean meat and contains one rib bone. such a chop can be made into a french chop, as shown in fig. , by trimming the meat from the bone down to the lean part, or "eye," of the chop. just before being served, a paper frill may be placed over the bone of a chop of this kind. chops cut from the loin often have a strip of bacon or salt pork rolled around the edge and fastened with a skewer, as shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . the most satisfactory way in which to prepare chops is either to broil them in a broiler or to pan-broil them. apply to the cooking of them the same principles that relate to the preparation of steaks; that is, have the pan or broiler hot, sear the chops quickly on both sides, and then cook them more slowly until well done, turning them frequently. the broiling of lamb chops should require only from to minutes, as they are seldom more than inch thick. . lamb and mutton stews.--the cheaper cuts of lamb and mutton, such as the neck, chuck, and flank, are used for the making of stews. mutton, however, is not so satisfactory as lamb for such dishes, as its flavor is too strong. if mutton must be used, its flavor can be improved by adding or tablespoonfuls of vinegar during the cooking. the chief object in the making of lamb and mutton stews is, as in the case of beef and veal stews, to draw from the meat as much as possible of the flavoring and nutritive materials. [illustration: fig. ] this can be accomplished by cutting up the meat into small pieces so as to increase the amount of surface exposed and by keeping the temperature low enough to prevent the proteins from coagulating. with these points in mind, proceed in the making of lamb or mutton stew in the same way as for beef stew. to improve the flavor of the stew, cook with it savory herbs and spices, such as bay leaf, parsley, and cloves. preparation of left-over lamb and mutton . turkish lamb.--no left-over meat lends itself more readily to the preparation of made dishes than lamb. combined with tomatoes and rice and flavored with horseradish, it makes a very appetizing dish called turkish lamb. the accompanying recipe should be carefully followed in preparing this dish. turkish lamb (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter onion, chopped / c. rice c. water c. stewed tomatoes - / c. diced lamb or mutton tb. horseradish tsp. salt / tsp. pepper put the butter in a frying pan and to it add the chopped onion and the dry rice. cook until the rice is browned. then pour in the water and tomatoes and add the meat, horseradish, salt, and pepper. simmer gently until the rice is completely cooked. . minced lamb on toast.--any lamb that remains after a meal may be minced by chopping it fine or putting it through the food chopper. if it is then heated, moistened well with water or stock, and thickened slightly, it makes an excellent preparation to serve on toast. after mincing lean pieces of left-over lamb until they are very fine, put them in a buttered frying pan. dredge the meat well with flour and allow it to brown slightly. add enough water or stock to moisten well. season with salt and pepper, cook until the flour has thickened, and then serve on toast. . scalloped lamb or mutton.--as a scalloped dish is usually pleasing to most persons, the accompanying recipe for scalloped lamb or mutton will undoubtedly find favor. both macaroni and tomatoes are combined with the meat in this dish, but rice could be substituted for the macaroni, if desired. to make scalloped lamb or mutton, arrange a layer of buttered crumbs in a baking dish, and on top of them place a layer of cooked macaroni, a layer of meat, and then another layer of macaroni. over this pour enough stewed tomato to moisten the whole well. season each layer with salt, pepper, and butter. over the top, place a layer of buttered crumbs. bake in a medium-hot oven until the whole is thoroughly heated. . spanish stew.--left-over pieces of mutton or lamb may also form the foundation of a very appetizing dish known as spanish stew. here tomatoes are also used, and to give the stew flavor chilli sauce is added. spanish stew (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter. onion, sliced tb. flour c. lamb or mutton, diced - / c. stewed tomatoes c. stock or gravy tb. chilli sauce red pepper, cut fine tsp. salt put the butter in a frying pan and brown the sliced onion in it. add the flour and meat, and after browning them pour in the stewed tomatoes and the stock or gravy. season with the chilli sauce, the red pepper, and the salt. cover and let simmer until the whole is well thickened and blended. . individual lamb pies.--individual pies are always welcome, but when they are made of lamb or mutton they are especially attractive. the proportions required for pies of this kind are given in the accompanying recipe. individual lamb pies c. diced lamb or mutton / c. diced carrots / c. peas, cooked or canned c. gravy or thickened stock cut into small pieces any left-over lamb or mutton. cook the carrots until they are soft, add them, together with the peas, to the meat, and pour the gravy or thickened stock over all. simmer gently for a few minutes. line patty pans with a thin layer of baking-powder biscuit dough, fill with the mixture, and cover the top with another thin layer of the dough. bake in a quick oven until the dough is baked. * * * * * pork general characteristics of pork . pork is the flesh of slaughtered swine used as food. it is believed to be more indigestible than other meats, but if it is obtained from a young and properly fed animal, it is not only digestible, but highly appetizing, and, when eaten occasionally, it is very wholesome. the age of the animal from which pork is cut can be determined by the thickness of the skin; the older the animal, the thicker the skin. to be of the best kind, pork should have pink, not red, flesh composed of fine-grained tissues, and its fat, which, in a well-fattened animal, equals about one-eighth of the entire weight, should be white and firm. although all cuts of pork contain some fat, the proportion should not be too great, or the pieces will not contain as much lean as they should. however, the large amount of fat contained in pork makes its food value higher than that of other meats, unless they are excessively fat, and consequently difficult of digestion. . one of the chief advantages of pork is that about nine-tenths of the entire dressed animal may be preserved by curing and smoking. originally, these processes required a period of to months for their completion, but they have gradually been shortened until now only a few days are required for the work. pork cured and smoked by the new methods, however, does not possess such excellent flavor and such good keeping qualities as that so treated by the longer process. any one who has the right storage facilities to care for the meat properly will find it much more economical to purchase a whole carcass or a part of one and then salt, smoke, or pickle the various pieces that can be treated in this way than to purchase this meat cut by cut as it is needed or desired. cuts of pork . names of pork cuts.--the butcher usually buys a whole carcass of pork. he first divides it into halves by splitting it through the spine, and then cuts it up into smaller pieces according to the divisions shown in fig. , which illustrates the outside and the inside of a dressed hog. as will be observed, the method of cutting up a hog differs greatly from the cutting of the animals already studied. after the head is removed, each side is divided into the shoulder, clear back fat, ribs, loin, middle cut, belly, ham, and two hocks. . uses of pork cuts.--hogs are usually fattened before they are slaughtered, and as a result there is a layer of fat under the skin which is trimmed off and used in the making of lard. the best quality of lard, however, is made from the fat that surrounds the kidneys. this is called _leaf lard_, because the pieces of fat are similar in shape to leaves. such lard has a higher melting point and is more flaky than that made from fat covering the muscles. . the head of pork does not contain a great deal of meat, but, as the quality of this meat is very good, it is valuable for a number of special dishes, such as headcheese and scrapple. the hocks contain considerable gelatine, so they are used for dishes that solidify, or become firm, after they are made. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . a shoulder of pork cut roughly from the carcass is shown in fig. . this piece provides both roasts and steaks, or, when trimmed, it may be cured or smoked. the front leg, which is usually cut to include the lower part of the shoulder, is shown in fig. . the ribs inside this cut, when cut from underneath, are sold as spareribs. this piece, as shown in fig. , is generally trimmed to make what is known as shoulder ham. [illustration: fig. ] . the ribs and the loin cut in one piece are shown in fig. . from this piece are obtained the most desirable chops and roasts. when a roast is desired, the rib bones are removed from the rib cut, which then resembles the piece shown in fig. . directly under the backbone in these cuts is the tenderest piece of pork to be had. when this is removed in one piece, it is, as in beef, called the _tenderloin_. very often, however, it is left in to be cut up with the rest of the loin. [illustration: fig. ] . the middle cut is commonly used for bacon, while the belly is most suitable for salt pork. these two cuts consist of large quantities of fat and only narrow layers of lean. they are especially valuable for enriching and flavoring foods, such as beans, that are neither rich in fat nor highly flavored. [illustration: fig. ] . the hind leg, or untrimmed ham, just as it is cut from the carcass, is shown in fig. . when this piece is trimmed and ready for curing or for roasting, it appears as shown in fig. . as will be noticed, the outside skin, or rind, is not removed from either the shoulder or the ham. [illustration: fig. ] . table of pork cuts.--as is done in explaining the meats that have been considered previously, there is here presented a table, designated as table iii, that gives the names of the pork cuts and the uses to which they may be put. this table will assist the housewife materially in learning the names and uses of the various cuts of pork. table iii names and uses of pork cuts names of cuts uses of cuts head headcheese, boiling, baking shoulder steaks, roasting, curing, smoking spareribs roasting, boiling belly salt pork, curing middle cut bacon, curing, smoking ribs chops, roasting loin chops, roasting ham roasting, curing, smoking back fat lard hock boiling, making jelly internal organs and trimmings sausage * * * * * cooking of pork fresh pork and its preparation . roast pork.--in the preparation of pork for the table, and a roast in particular, several points must be taken into consideration. unlike beef, which is often served rare, pork must be well done in order to be satisfactory. rare pork to most persons is repulsive. also, as a large part of the surface of a pork roast, especially one cut from the shoulder, loin, or ribs, is covered with a layer of fat, pork does not have to be seared to prevent the loss of juice, nor does it have to be put into such a hot oven as that required for beef. in fact, if the temperature of the oven is very high, the outside will finish cooking before the heat has had a chance to penetrate sufficiently to cook the center. while this makes no difference with meat that does not need to be thoroughly cooked, it is a decided disadvantage in the case of pork. . when a shoulder of pork is to be roasted, it makes a very satisfactory dish if it is boned and stuffed before roasting. to bone such a piece, run a long, narrow knife all around the bone and cut it loose; then pick up the bone by one end and shake it until it will pull out. fill the opening thus formed with bread or cracker stuffing. if an especially inviting roast of pork is desired, a _crown roast_ should be selected, for this is just as attractive as a crown roast of lamb. it is made by cutting corresponding pieces from each side of the rib piece, trimming the bones clean as far back as the lean part of the chops, and fastening the pieces together. a garnish of fried apple rings is very attractive for such a roast. . to cook a roast of any of these varieties, wipe the meat thoroughly, dredge it with flour, salt, and pepper, and place it on a rack in a dripping pan. bake about hours, depending on the size of the roast, and baste every minutes with fat from the bottom of the dripping pan. after the roast is removed from the roasting pan, make a gravy as for any other roast. serve with apple sauce, baked apples, cranberry sauce, chilli sauce, pickles, or some other acid dish. such an accompaniment aids considerably in the digestion of pork, for it cuts the large amount of fat that this meat contains and that so often retards the digestion, and hastens the fat through the stomach. . roast pig.--in some households, roasted pig is the favorite meat for the thanksgiving or the christmas dinner. there is sufficient reason for its popularity, for when properly prepared and attractively garnished, roasted pig offers a pleasing change from the meat usually served on such days. to be suitable for roasting, a pig should be not more than month or weeks old and should not weigh more than or pounds after it is cleaned. the butcher should prepare it for cooking by scalding off the hair, washing the pig thoroughly, inside and out, and withdrawing the entrails of the animal through an incision made in the under part of the body. . when the pig is received in the home, wash it thoroughly, within and without, wipe it dry, and fill it with stuffing. to make a stuffing suitable for this purpose, season quarts of fine bread crumbs with tablespoonfuls of chopped onion, teaspoonfuls of salt, teaspoonful of pepper, and cupful of melted butter. mix thoroughly and add beaten eggs. if the stuffing needs moisture, add water or milk. stuff the pig firmly with this stuffing, using every effort to restore its original shape. then sew up the opening and truss the animal; that is, draw the hind legs forwards and bend the front legs backwards under the body, and skewer and tie them into place. with the animal in this shape, wipe it off with a damp cloth, dredge it with flour, and place it in a dripping pan, adding cupful of boiling water in which teaspoonful of salt has been dissolved. roast in a moderate oven for at least - / hours, or minutes for each pound of pig. baste frequently, first with butter and water and later with drippings. when the skin begins to brown slightly, rub over it a clean piece of cloth dipped in melted butter. repeat this operation every minutes until the meat is well done. then remove the pig to a hot platter and garnish with parsley, lettuce, celery, or fried or baked apples. if a more ornamental garnishing is desired, place a lemon in the mouth and use cranberries for the eyes. in carving, cut the head off, split through the spine lengthwise, remove the legs, and cut the ribs so as to form chops. . sautÉd or broiled pork.--slices cut from the ribs and loin of pork are called chops, and those obtained from the shoulder and hind legs are called steaks. these, together with the tenderloin, the small piece of lean, tender meat lying under the bones of the loin and seldom weighing more than a pound, are especially suitable for sautéing or broiling. when they are to be prepared by these processes, sauté or broil them as any other meat, remembering, however, that pork must be well done. because of this fact, a more moderate temperature must be employed than that used for beefsteak. . pork chops in tomato sauce.--a slight change from the usual way of preparing pork chops can be had by cooking them with tomatoes. the combination of these two foods produces a dish having a very agreeable flavor. first brown the chops in their own fat in a frying pan, turning them frequently so that the surfaces will become evenly browned. when they have cooked for minutes, pour enough strained stewed tomatoes over them to cover them well, and season with salt and pepper. cover the pan tight, and allow them to simmer until the tomatoes become quite thick. place the chops on a hot platter, pour the tomato sauce over them, and serve hot. . sautÉd tenderloin of pork.--since the tenderloin of pork is a very tender piece of meat, it needs no accompaniment to make it a delicious dish, but sometimes a change of preparation is welcomed in order to give variety to the diet. the accompanying directions should therefore be followed when something different from broiled tenderloin is desired. cut the tenderloin into lengthwise slices and brown these slices in melted butter, turning them several times. then remove to a cooler part of the stove, and let them cook slowly in the butter for minutes, taking care to have them closely covered and turning them once or twice so that they will cook evenly. at the end of this time, pour enough milk or cream in the pan to cover the meat well and cook for minutes longer. with a skimmer, remove the meat, which should be very tender by this time, from the pan, and put it where it will keep hot. make a gravy of the drippings that remain in the pan by thickening it with tablespoonful of flour, stirring it until it is thick and smooth and seasoning it to taste with salt and pepper. pour the gravy over the meat and serve hot. . pork sausage.--the trimmings and some of the internal organs of pork are generally utilized to make sausage by chopping them very fine and then highly seasoning the chopped meat. pork in this form may be bought fresh or smoked and loose or in casings. it usually contains considerable fat and therefore shrinks upon being cooked, for the fat is melted by the heat and runs out of the sausage. to cook pork sausages put up in casings, place the required number in a hot frying pan with a small quantity of hot water. cover the pan with a lid and allow the sausages to cook. when they have swelled up and the skins, or casings, look as if they would burst, remove the cover and thoroughly prick each one with a sharp fork, so as to allow the fat and the water to run out. then allow the water to evaporate and sauté the sausages in their own fat, turning them frequently until they are well browned. to cook loose pork sausage, shape it into thin, flat cakes. grease a frying pan slightly, in order to keep the cakes from sticking to the surface, place the cakes in the pan, and allow them to cook in the fat that fries out, turning them occasionally until both sides are well browned. cured pork and its preparation . under the heading of cured pork may be included many of the cuts of pork, for a large part of a pork carcass can be preserved by curing. however, this term is usually restricted to include salt pork, bacon, and ham. as has already been learned, salt pork is obtained from the belly; bacon, from the middle cut; and ham, from the two hind legs of pork. . salt pork.--as the cut used for salt pork is almost entirely fat, this piece is seldom used alone for the table. occasionally, it is broiled to be served with some special food, such as fried apples, but for the most part it is used for _larding_; that is, slices of it are laid across the surface of meat and fish that are lacking in fat and that therefore cook better and have a more agreeable flavor when fat in some form is added. pork of this kind is usually bought by the pound and then sliced by the housewife as it is needed for cooking purposes. [illustration: fig. ] . bacon.--the middle cut of pork, upon being cured by smoking, is regarded as bacon. it is sometimes used for larding purposes, but as it contains more lean than salt pork, has a very pleasing flavor, and is the most easily digested fat known, it is much used for food. a piece that contains the usual proportion of fat and lean is shown in fig. . the strip of fat that occurs between the rind, or outer coat, and the first layer of lean is the firmest and the best for larding. the fat that fries out of bacon is excellent for use in the cooking and seasoning of other foods, such as vegetables and meats. when bacon is cooked for the table, its flavor will be improved if it is broiled rather than fried in its own fat. the rind of bacon should, as a rule, be trimmed off, but it should never be wasted, for it may be used to grease a pancake griddle or any pan in which food is to be cooked, provided the bacon flavor will not be objectionable. in purchasing bacon, it is usually more economical to buy the whole side, or the entire middle cut, but if smaller quantities are desired, any amount, either in one piece or in slices, may be bought. the commercially cut bacon, which is very thin and becomes very crisp in its preparation, may be bought with the rind retained or removed. in both of these forms, it is often put up in jars or packed neatly in flat pasteboard boxes. while such bacon is undoubtedly the most popular kind, it should be remembered that the more preparation that is put on such a food before it enters the home, the more expensive it becomes. very satisfactory results can be obtained from bacon bought in the piece if care is used in cutting it. to secure very thin, even slices, a knife having a thin blade that is kept sharp and in good condition should always be used. . bacon and eggs.--there are many combinations in which bacon is one of the foods, but no more palatable one can be found than bacon and eggs. this is generally a breakfast dish; still there is no reason why it cannot be used at times for luncheon or supper to give variety. to prepare this combination of foods, first pan-broil the desired number of slices of bacon in a hot frying pan until they are crisp and then remove them to a warm platter. into the fat that has fried out of the bacon, put the required number of eggs, which have first been broken into a saucer. fry them until they reach the desired degree of hardness, and then remove to the platter containing the bacon. serve by placing a slice or two of bacon on the plate with each egg. . bacon combined with other foods.--many other foods may be fried in the same way as eggs and served with bacon. for instance, sliced apples or sliced tomatoes fried in bacon fat until they become tender, but not mushy, are delicious when served with crisp pieces of bacon. also, cold cereals, such as cream of wheat, oatmeal, corn-meal mush, etc., may be sliced and fried until crisp and then served with bacon. . ham.--the hind leg of pork, when cured and smoked, is usually known as ham. fig. shows a ham from which the rind has not been removed. in such a ham, the proportion of fat and lean is about right, but when ham is bought with the rind removed, much of the fat is also taken off. the best hams weigh from to pounds, and have a thin skin, solid fat, and a small, short tapering leg or shank. several ways of cooking ham are in practice. very often slices resembling slices of round steak are cut from the whole ham and then fried or broiled. if a larger quantity is desired, the entire ham or a thick cut may be purchased. this is boiled or baked and then served hot or cold. it is a good idea to purchase an entire ham and keep it in supply, cutting off slices as they are desired. in such an event, the ham should be kept carefully wrapped and should be hung in a cool, dry place. in cutting a ham, begin at the large end, as in fig. , and cut off slices until the opposite end becomes too small to make good slices. the piece that remains may be cooked with vegetables, may be boiled and served either hot or cold, or, if it is only a small piece, may be used for making soup. [illustration: fig. ] . broiled ham.--the methods of broiling and pan broiling are very satisfactory when applied to ham that is cut in slices. ham is pan-broiled in the same way as other meats. to broil ham, place slices inch thick on the hot broiler rack and sear quickly on both sides. then reduce the temperature and broil for to minutes, turning the ham every few minutes until done. remove to a hot platter. add a little water to the drippings in the broiler pan, pour this over the meat, and serve at once. . ham baked in milk.--a change from the usual ways of preparing slices of ham can be had by baking them in milk. a point to remember in carrying out this method is that the meat must bake slowly in order to be tender when it is done. secure a -inch slice of ham, place it in a dripping pan, and completely cover it with milk. put in a moderate oven and cook for or more hours. when the ham is done, its surface should be brown and the milk should be almost entirely evaporated. if the liquid added in the beginning is not sufficient, more may be added during the baking. . boiled ham.--sometimes it is desired to cook an entire ham, particularly when a large number of persons are to be served. the usual way to prepare a whole ham is to boil it. when it is sufficiently cooked, it may be served hot or kept until it is cold and then served in slices. nothing is more appetizing for a light meal, as luncheon or supper, or for picnic lunches than cold sliced ham. then, too, boiled ham is very delicious when it is fried until the edges are crisp. to prepare boiled ham, first soak the ham in cold water for several hours and then remove it and scrub it. place it in a large kettle with the fat side down and cover well with cold water. put over a slow fire and allow to come to the boiling point very slowly. boil for minutes and skim off the scum that has risen. simmer slowly for about hours, or at least minutes for each pound of ham. take from the kettle and remove the skin about two-thirds of the way back. it will be found that the skin will peel off easily when the ham is cooked enough. garnish in any desirable way and serve hot or cold. . baked ham.--another very appetizing way in which to cook an entire ham is to bake it. this involves both cooking in water on the top of the stove and baking in the oven. while this recipe, as well as those preceding, specifies ham, it should be remembered that shoulder may be cooked in the same ways. for baked ham, proceed in the way just explained for boiled ham, but boil only minutes for each pound. take the ham from the kettle and allow it to cool enough to permit it to be handled. remove the skin. then place the ham in a roasting pan and pour over it cupful of water. bake minutes for each pound and baste frequently while baking. serve hot or cold. preparation op left-over pork . cold pork with fried apples.--a combination that most persons find agreeable and that enables the housewife to use up left-over pork, is cold pork and fried apples. to prepare this dish, remove the cores from sour apples and cut the apples into / -inch slices. put these in a frying pan containing hot bacon fat and fry until soft and well browned. slice cold pork thin and place in the center of a platter. arrange the apples around the pork in a border. . scalloped pork and cabbage.--if not enough pork remains to serve alone, it can be combined with cabbage to make a most appetizing scalloped dish. the accompanying recipe shows just how to prepare such a dish. scalloped pork and cabbage (sufficient to serve six) c. small thin slices of pork - / c. cooked chopped cabbage - / c. thin white sauce / c. buttered crumbs arrange the pork and cabbage in layers in a baking dish, having a layer of cabbage on top. pour the white sauce over all and sprinkle the crumbs on top. bake until the sauce boils and the crumbs are brown. . mock chicken salad.--the similarity in appearance of pork to chicken makes it possible to prepare a salad of cold pork that is a very good substitute for chicken salad. a salad of this kind can be used as the main dish in such a meal as luncheon or supper. mock chicken salad (sufficient to serve six) tb. vinegar c. diced pork - / c. diced celery salad dressing heat the vinegar and pour it over the diced pork. set aside to chill. when ready to serve, add the diced celery and mix well. pour the salad dressing over all and serve on crisp lettuce leaves. serving and carving of meat . the manner of carving and serving meat in the home depends to some extent on the kind of meat that is to be served. a way that is favored by some is to carve the meat before it is placed on the table and then serve it according to the style of service used. however, the preferable way is to place the platter containing the meat on the table, together with the plates, in front of the person who is to do the carving and serving. the carver should use considerable care in cutting and serving the meat so that the platter and the surrounding tablecloth will not become unsightly. to make each portion as attractive as possible, it should be cut off evenly and then placed on the plate with the best side up. furthermore, the carving should be done in an economical way in order that whatever remains after the first serving may be served later in the same meal, and what is not eaten at the first meal may be utilized to advantage for another. to obtain the best results in carving, a good carving knife should be secured and it should always be kept well sharpened. . with the general directions clear in mind, the methods of carving and serving particular kinds of meat may be taken up. chops, of course, require no carving. by means of a large fork, one should be placed on each person's plate. steaks and roasts, however, need proper cutting in order that equally good pieces may be served to each person dining. to carve a steak properly, cut it across from side to side so that each piece will contain a portion of the tender part, as well as a share of the tougher part. when cut, the pieces should be strips that are about as wide as the steak is thick. it is often advisable to remove the bone from some steaks before placing them on the table. . roasts require somewhat more attention than steaks. before they are placed on the table, any cord used for tying should be cut and removed and all skewers inserted to hold the meat in shape should be pulled out. to carve a roast of any kind, run the fork into the meat deeply enough to hold it firmly and then cut the meat into thin slices across the grain. in the case of a roast leg that contains the bone, begin to carve the meat from the large end, cutting each slice down to the bone and then off so that the bone is left clean. place round of beef and rolled roasts on the platter so that the tissue side, and not the skin side, is up, and then cut the slices off in a horizontal direction. to carve a rib roast properly, cut it parallel with the ribs and separate the pieces from the backbone. sausages and meat preparations . in addition to the fresh, raw meats that the housewife can procure for her family, there are on the market numerous varieties of raw, smoked, cooked, and partly cooked meats, which are generally included under the term sausages. these meats are usually highly seasoned, so they keep better than do fresh meats. they should not be overlooked by the housewife, for they help to simplify her labor and at the same time serve to give variety to the family diet. still, it should be remembered that when meats are made ready for use before they are put on the market, the cost of the labor involved in their manufacture is added to the price charged for them. for this reason, the housewife must be prepared to pay more for meats of this kind than she would pay if she could prepare them at home. however, she need not be concerned regarding their safety, for the government's inspection and regulations prevent any adulteration of them. . among the numerous varieties of these meats, many of them are typical of certain localities, while others have a national or an international reputation. they also vary in the kind of meat used to make them. some of them are made from beef, as _frankfurters_ and certain kinds of _bologna_, while others are made from pork and include the smoked and unsmoked sausages, _liverwurst_ is made from the livers of certain animals, and may be purchased loose or in skins. some of these sausages are used so often in certain combinations of foods that they are usually thought of in connection with the foods that it is customary for them to accompany. frankfurters and sauerkraut, pork sausage and mashed potatoes, liverwurst and fried corn-meal mush are well-known combinations of this kind. . closely allied to these sausages, although not one of them, is a meat preparation much used in some localities and known as _scrapple_, or _ponhasse_. this is prepared by cooking the head of pork, removing the meat from the bones, and chopping it very fine. the pieces of meat are then returned to the broth in which the head was cooked and enough corn meal to thicken the liquid is stirred in. after the whole has boiled sufficiently, it is turned into molds and allowed to harden. when it is cold and hard, it can be cut into slices, which are sautéd in hot fat. . besides scrapple, numerous other meat preparations, such as _meat loaves_ of various kinds and _pickled pig's feet_, can usually be obtained in the market. while the thrifty housewife does not make a habit of purchasing meats of this kind regularly, there are times when they are a great convenience and also afford an opportunity to vary the diet. * * * * * preparation of foods by deep-fat frying principles of deep-fat frying . up to this point, all frying of foods has been done by sautéing them; that is, frying them quickly in a small amount of fat. the other method of frying, which involves cooking food quickly in deep fat at a temperature of to degrees fahrenheit, is used so frequently in the preparation of many excellent meat dishes, particularly in the use of left-overs, that specific directions for it are here given, together with several recipes that afford practice in its use. no difficulty will be experienced in applying this method to these recipes or to other recipes if the underlying principles of deep-fat frying are thoroughly understood and the proper utensils for this work are secured. . in the first place, it should be remembered that if foods prepared in this way are properly done, they are not so indigestible as they are oftentimes supposed to be, but that incorrect preparation makes for indigestibility in the finished product. for instance, allowing the food to soak up quantities of fat during the frying is neither economical nor conducive to a digestible dish. to avoid such a condition, it is necessary that the mixture to be fried be made of the proper materials and be prepared in the right way. one of the chief requirements is that the surface of the mixture be properly coated with a protein material, such as egg or egg and milk, before it is put into the fat or that the mixture contain the correct proportion of egg so that its outside surface will accomplish the same purpose. the reason for this requirement is that the protein material is quickly coagulated by the hot fat and thus prevents the entrance of fat into the inside material of the fried food. care must be taken also in the selection of the fat that is used for deep-fat frying. this may be in the form of an oil or a solid fat and may be either a vegetable or an animal fat. however, a vegetable fat is usually preferred, as less smoke results from it and less flavor of the fat remains in the food after it is cooked. [illustration: fig. ] . the utensils required for deep-fat frying are shown in fig. . they consist of a wire basket and a pan into which the basket will fit. as will be observed, the pan in which the fat is put has an upright metal piece on the side opposite the handle. over this fits a piece of wire with which the basket is equipped and which is attached to the side opposite the handle of the basket. this arrangement makes it possible to drain the fat from whatever food has been fried without having to hold the basket over the pan. application of deep-fat frying . with the principles of deep-fat frying well in mind, the actual work of frying foods by this method may be taken up. numerous foods and preparations may be subjected to this form of cookery, but attention is given at this time to only croquettes and timbale cases. _croquettes_ are small balls or patties usually made of some finely minced food and fried until brown. _timbale cases_ are shells in which various creamed foods are served. as these two preparations are representative of the various dishes that can be cooked by frying in deep fat, the directions given for these, if carefully mastered, may be applied to many other foods. . frying of croquettes.--after the mixture that is to be fried has been prepared, and while the croquettes are being shaped, have the fat heating in the deep pan, as in fig. . before the food is immersed, test the temperature of the fat in the manner shown in fig. , to make sure that it is hot enough. to do this, put a / -inch cube of bread in the hot fat and keep it there for seconds. if at the end of this time it is a golden brown, it may be known that the fat is sufficiently hot for any mixture. be careful to regulate the heat so as to keep the fat as near this temperature as possible, for it should be remembered that each time a cold food is immersed in hot fat, the temperature is lowered. usually, a few minutes' frying is necessary to assure this regulation of the temperature. [illustration: fig. ] as soon as the correct temperature is reached, put several of the croquettes in the basket and set the basket in the pan of hot fat so that the croquettes are entirely covered. fry until a good brown color is secured. then lift the basket out of the fat and allow it to drain until all the fat possible has dripped from it. finally remove the croquettes from the basket and place them on any kind of paper that will absorb the excessive fat. serve at once or keep hot until ready to serve. . veal croquettes.--veal that remains from a roast after it has been served once can be utilized in no better way than in the making of croquettes; or, if desired, veal may be cooked especially for this purpose. when such croquettes are served with a sauce of any desirable kind, such as white sauce or tomato sauce, or with left-over gravy, no more appetizing dish can be found. veal croquettes (sufficient to serve six) c. cold ground veal c. thick white sauce tb. chopped onion tb. chopped parsley salt and pepper egg fine crumbs mix the ground veal with the white sauce, add the onion and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. shape into oblong croquettes. roll first in the beaten egg, which, if necessary, may be increased by the addition of a little milk, and then in the crumbs. fry in deep fat until a golden brown. serve with or without sauce. . sweetbread croquettes.--an extremely palatable dish can be made by frying in deep fat sweetbreads cut any desirable shape and size. these are usually served with a vegetable, and often a sauce of some kind is served over both. to prepare the sweetbreads, parboil them according to the directions given in art. . cut them into the kind of pieces desired, sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper, and dip them into beaten egg and then into crumbs. fry in deep fat and serve with a vegetable or a sauce or both. . rice-and-meat patties.--sometimes not enough meat remains after a meal to make a tasty dish by itself. in such a case, it should be combined with some other food, especially a starchy one, so as to extend its flavor and produce a dish that approaches nearer a balanced ration than meat alone does. a small amount of any kind of meat combined with rice and the mixture then formed into patties, or croquettes, provides both an appetizing and a nutritious dish. rice-and-meat patties (sufficient to serve six) c. finely chopped left-over meat c. cold steamed rice / c. thick white sauce tb. chopped onion tsp. celery salt salt and pepper egg fine crumbs mix the meat and rice, stir into them the white sauce, onion, and celery salt, and salt and pepper to taste. shape into croquettes, or patties; roll first in the egg and then in the crumbs. fry in deep fat until golden brown and serve with any desirable sauce. [illustration: fig. ] . timbale cases.--such foods as creamed sweetbreads, creamed sweetbreads and mushrooms, and other delicate foods that are served in small quantities can be made very attractive by serving them in timbale cases. these are made out of a batter by means of a timbale iron and fried in deep fat until brown. in serving them, place them either on a small plate or on the dinner plate with the rest of the dinner. to make them especially attractive, dip the edge into egg white and then into very finely chopped parsley. fig. shows creamed sweetbreads served in a timbale case. [illustration: fig. ] . to prepare timbale cases, a _timbale iron_, such as is shown in fig. , is required. such an iron consists of a fluted piece of metal that is either solid or hollow and that has attached to it a handle long enough to keep the hand sufficiently far away from the hot fat. the batter required for timbale cases and the directions for combining them are as follows: timbale-case batter (sufficient to make twenty) egg / c. milk / tsp. salt tsp. sugar / c. flour beat the egg with a fork just enough to break it up thoroughly. add the milk, salt, and sugar. stir in the flour with as little beating as possible. after preparing this mixture, allow it to stand for / hour, so that any air it contains in the form of bubbles may escape and thus prevent the formation of holes and bubbles in the finished timbale cases. [illustration: fig. ] when about to use the batter, pour it into a cup or some other small utensil that is just large enough to admit the iron easily. the iron must be nearly covered with batter, but a large amount of it will not be needed if a small utensil is used. place the iron in the hot fat, as shown in fig. , until it is hot, or for about minutes. then let it drip and place it in the batter, as in fig. , being careful not to permit the batter to come quite to the top of the iron, and remove it at once. place it immediately into the hot fat, as in fig. , allowing the fat to come higher on the iron than the batter does. this precaution will prevent the formation of a ridge of bubbles around the top of the timbale case. fry in the deep fat until the case is nicely browned, as shown in fig. . remove the iron from the fat, and allow it to drip. then carefully remove the timbale case from the iron with a fork and place it on paper that will absorb the fat. [illustration: fig. ] if your timbales are soft instead of crisp, you will know that the mixture is too thick and should be diluted. too hot or too cold an iron will prevent the mixture from sticking to it. meat (part ) examination questions ( ) (_a_) what is veal? (_b_) from animals of what age is the best veal obtained? ( ) compare veal and beef as to characteristics. ( ) what cuts of veal are most suitable for: (_a_) roasts? (_b_) cutlets? (_c_) soup and stews? (_d_) chops? ( ) (_a_) what organs of veal are used for foods? (_b_) what are sweetbreads? ( ) (_a_) why is veal more indigestible than beef? (_b_) what important point must be remembered concerning the cooking of veal? ( ) (_a_) what substance in veal is utilized in the preparation of jellied veal? (_b_) explain how this dish is prepared. ( ) (_a_) at what age is sheep sold as lamb? (_b_) how do lamb and mutton differ as to food substances? ( ) compare the flesh of lamb and mutton as to appearance. ( ) as they apply to lamb and mutton, explain the terms: (_a_) rack; (_b_) saddle. ( ) explain why some cuts of lamb and mutton are tough and others tender. ( ) what is: (_a_) a crown roast of lamb? (_b_) a french chop? ( ) (_a_) describe pork of the best kind. (_b_) why is the food value of pork higher than that of other meats? ( ) (_a_) name the cuts of pork. (_b_) what is meant by leaf lard? ( ) what important points must be taken into consideration in the cooking of pork? ( ) (_a_) name some of the accompaniments that are usually served with pork. (_b_) what is the purpose of these accompaniments? ( ) (_a_) for what purpose is salt pork generally used? (_b_) what is bacon? (_c_) to what uses is bacon put? ( ) (_a_) give the general directions for the carving and serving of meat. (_b_) explain how to carve and serve a steak. ( ) (_a_) what is meant by deep-fat frying? (_b_) why must a food that is to be fried in deep fat contain or be coated with a protein material? ( ) (_a_) what utensils are necessary for deep-fat frying? (_b_) explain the procedure in frying croquettes in deep fat. ( ) (_a_) for what purpose are timbale cases used? (_b_) explain how to make a batter for timbale cases. additional work select a cut of beef that you consider most desirable from an economical standpoint. buy a quantity that may be used to the greatest advantage for your family. prepare it in any way you desire. state the number of pounds purchased, the price of the meat, the number of meals in which it was served, and the number of persons (tell how many adults and how many children) served at each meal. estimate the cost of each portion by dividing the cost of the whole by the number of persons served. make up an original dish in which left-over meat is used and submit the recipe to us. * * * * * poultry * * * * * poultry as a food . poultry is the term used to designate birds that have been domesticated, or brought under the control of man, for two purposes, namely, the eggs they produce and the flesh food they supply. all the common species of domestic fowls--chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, guinea fowls, and pigeons--are known as poultry. however, none of these species is included under this term unless it is raised for at least one of the two purposes mentioned. as the term is to be understood in this section, poultry includes all domestic fowls that are killed in order that their flesh may be cooked and used as food for human beings. of course, many wild birds are killed for the flesh food they furnish, but they are classed under the term _game_. . poultry is probably never a necessity in the ordinary dietary, and when prices are high it is a decided luxury. still it does aid materially in relieving the monotony of the usual protein foods, and it supplies that "something out of the ordinary" for special occasions. then, too, it is often valuable in the diet of an invalid or some person with a poor appetite. poultry is, of course, used more in some homes than in others; yet there is scarcely a home in which it is not served some time or another. a knowledge of this food and its preparation and serving will therefore prove to be a valuable asset to any housewife. . to arrive at a knowledge of the use of poultry as a food, the housewife must necessarily become familiar with its selection and purchase. then she must give attention to both its preparation for cooking and its actual cooking, and, finally, to its serving. in all these matters she will do well to adhere to the practice of economy, for, at best, poultry is usually an expensive food. before entering into these matters in detail, however, it will be well to look into them in a general way. . in the selection of poultry, the housewife should realize that poultry breeders have so developed certain breeds, even of the same species, that they are better for table use than others. the flesh of any breed of poultry may be improved by feeding the birds good food and giving them proper care; and it is by applying these principles that the breeders are enabled to better the quality of this food. other things also influence the quality of poultry flesh as food, as, for example, the way in which the poultry is prepared for market and the care it receives in transportation and storage. unless these are as they should be, they have a detrimental effect on poultry, because such food is decidedly perishable. it is possible to exercise economy in the purchase of poultry, but before the housewife can do this she must be able to judge the age of each kind she may desire. on the age depends to a great extent the method of cookery to be followed in preparing the poultry for the table. likewise, she must know the marks of cold-storage poultry, as well as those of poultry that is freshly killed; and she must be familiar with the first marks of deterioration, or decay, that result from storing the food too long or improperly. economy may also be practiced in preparing poultry for cooking. to bring this about, however, the housewife should realize that the best method of preparing any kind of poultry for cooking is always the most economical. it means, too, that she should understand thoroughly the methods of drawing and cutting, so that she may either do this work herself or direct it. the way in which poultry is cooked has a bearing on the cost of this food, too. for example, a young, tender bird prepared by a wrong method not only is a good dish spoiled, but is a waste of expensive material. likewise, an older bird, which has more flavor but tougher tissues, is almost impossible as food if it is not properly prepared. both kinds make appetizing dishes and do not result in waste if correct methods of cooking are followed in their preparation. even the way in which poultry is served has a bearing on the cost of this food. for this reason, it is necessary to know how to carve, as well as how to utilize any of this food that may be left over, if the housewife is to get the most out of her investment. * * * * * selection of poultry general information . the selection of any kind of poultry to be used as food is a matter that should not be left to the butcher. rather, it should be done by some one who understands the purpose for which the poultry is to be used, and, in the home, this is a duty that usually falls to the housewife. there are a number of general facts about poultry, and a knowledge of them will assist the housewife greatly in performing her tasks. . classification of poultry.--poultry breeders and dealers divide the domestic fowls into three classes. in the first class are included those which have combs, such as chickens, turkeys, and guinea fowls. quails and pheasants belong to this class also, but they are very seldom domesticated. the birds in this class are distinguished by two kinds of tissue--light meat on the breast and dark meat on the other parts of the body. in the second class are included those fowls which swim, such as ducks and geese. these are characterized by web feet and long thick bills, and their meat is more nearly the same color over the entire body. the third class is comprised of birds that belong to the family of doves. pigeons, which are called _squabs_ when used as food, are the only domesticated birds of this class. they stand between the other two classes with respect to their flesh, which has some difference in color between the breast and other muscles, but not so much as chicken and other fowls of the first class. . influence of feeding and care on quality.--to some extent, the breed affects the quality of poultry as food; still this is a far less important matter than a number of things that the purchaser is better able to judge. among the factors that greatly influence the quality are the feeding and care that the birds receive up to the time of slaughter. these affect not only the flavor and the tenderness of the tissue, as well as the quantity of tissue in proportion to bone, but also the healthfulness of the birds themselves. to keep the birds in good health and to build up sufficient flesh to make them plump, with as much meat as possible on the bones and a fair amount of fat as well, the food they get must be clean and of the right kind. likewise, the housing conditions must be such that the birds are kept dry and sufficiently warm. the living space, also, must be adequate for the number that are raised. domestic fowls are not discriminating as to their food, and when they are forced to live in dirt and filth they will eat more or less of it and thus injure the quality of their flesh. poultry that comes into the market looking drawn and thin, with blue-looking flesh and no fat, shows evidence of having had poor living conditions and inadequate feeding. such poultry will be found to have a less satisfactory flavor than that which has received proper care. . effect of sex on quality.--when birds of any kind are young, sex has very little to do with the quality of the flesh. but as they grow older the flesh of males develops a stronger flavor than that of females of the same age and also becomes tougher. however, when birds, with the exception of mature ones, are dressed, it would take an expert to determine the sex. the mature male is less plump than the female, and it is more likely to be scrawny. likewise, its spurs are larger and its bones are large in proportion to the amount of flesh on them. very often the reproductive organs of young males are removed, and the birds are then called _capons_. as the capon grows to maturity, it develops more of the qualities of the hen. its body becomes plump instead of angular, the quality of its flesh is much better than that of the cock, and the quantity of flesh in proportion to bone is much greater. in fact, the weight of a capon's edible flesh is much greater than that of either a hen or a cock. in the market, a dressed capon can usually be told by the long tail and wing feathers that are left on, as well as by a ring of feathers around the neck. female birds that are spayed are called _poulards_. spaying, or removing the reproductive organs, of female birds, however, makes so little improvement that it is seldom done. . preparation of poultry for market.--the manner in which poultry is prepared for market has a great bearing on its quality as food. in some cases, the preparation falls to the producer, and often, when birds are raised in quantities, they are sold alive and dressed by the butcher. however, poultry that is to be shipped long distances and in large quantities or stored for long periods of time is usually prepared at a slaughtering place. this process of slaughtering and shipping requires great care, for if attention is not given to details, the poultry will be in a state of deterioration when it reaches the consumer and therefore unfit for food. in order to avoid the deterioration of poultry that is slaughtered some distance from the place of its consumption, each bird is well fed up to within hours before it is killed. then it is starved so that its alimentary tract will be as empty as possible at the time of killing. such birds are killed by cutting the large blood vessel running up to the head. when properly done, this method of killing allows almost all the blood to be drained from the body and the keeping qualities are much improved. at practically the same time, the brain is pierced by the knife thrust, and as soon as the bleeding commences the fowl becomes paralyzed. as the tissues relax, the feathers may be pulled easily from the skin without immersing the bird in hot water. this method of plucking, known as _dry plucking_, is preferable when the skin must be kept intact and the poultry kept for any length of time. the head and feet are left on and the entrails are not removed. the poultry is then chilled to the freezing point, but not below it, after which the birds are packed ten in a box and shipped to the market in refrigerator cars or placed in cold storage. unless the poultry is to be cooked immediately after slaughter, such measures are absolutely necessary, as its flesh is perishable and will not remain in good condition for a long period of time. . cold-storage poultry.--poultry that has been properly raised, killed, transported, and stored is very likely to come into the market in such condition that it cannot be readily distinguished from freshly killed birds. when exposed to warmer temperatures, however, storage poultry spoils much more quickly than does fresh poultry. for this reason, if there is any evidence that poultry has been in storage, it should be cooked as soon as possible after purchase. there are really two kinds of cold-storage poultry: that which is kept at a temperature just above freezing and delivered within a few weeks after slaughtering, and that which is frozen and kept in storage a much longer time. when properly cared for, either one is preferable to freshly killed poultry that is of poor quality or has had a chance to spoil. poultry that has been frozen must be thawed carefully. it should be first placed in a refrigerator and allowed to thaw to that temperature before it is placed in a warmer one. it should never be thawed by putting it into warm water. thawing it in this way really helps it to decompose. a sure indication of cold-storage poultry is the pinched look it possesses, a condition brought about by packing the birds tightly against one another. storage poultry usually has the head and feet left on and its entrails are not removed. indeed, it has been determined by experiment that poultry will keep better if these precautions are observed. the removal of the entrails seems to affect the internal cavity of the bird so that it does not keep well, and as a matter of safety it should be cooked quickly after this has been done in the home. selection of chicken . to be able to select chicken properly, the housewife must be familiar with the terms that are applied to chickens to designate their age or the cookery process for which they are most suitable. _chicken_ is a general name for all varieties of this kind of poultry, but in its specific use it means a common domestic fowl that is less than year old. _fowl_ is also a general term; but in its restricted use in cookery it refers to the full-grown domestic hen or cock over year of age, as distinguished from the chicken or pullet. a _broiler_ is chicken from to months old which, because of its tenderness, is suitable for broiling. a _frying chicken_ is at least months old, and a _roasting chicken_ is between months and year old. with these terms understood, it can readily be seen that if fried chicken is desired a -year-old fowl would not be a wise purchase. the quality of the bird is the next consideration in the selection of chicken. a number of things have a bearing on the quality. among these, as has already been pointed out, are the feeding and care that the bird has received during its growth, the way in which it has been prepared for market, and so on. all of these things may be determined by careful observation before making a purchase. however, if the bird is drawn, and especially if the head and feet are removed, there is less chance to determine these things accurately. [illustration: fig. ] . general marks of good quality.--a chicken older than a broiler that has been plucked should not be scrawny nor drawn looking like that shown in fig. , nor should the flesh have a blue tinge that shows through the skin. rather, it should be plump and well rounded like the one shown in fig. . there should be a sufficient amount of fat to give a rich, yellow color. it should be plucked clean, and the skin should be clear and of an even color over the entire bird. tender, easily broken skin indicates a young bird; tougher skin indicates an older one. the skin should be whole and unbroken; likewise, when pressed with the fingers, it should be neither flabby nor stiff, but pliable. [illustration: fig. ] . the increase of age in a chicken is to some extent an advantage, because with age there is an increase in flavor. thus, a year-old chicken will have more flavor than a broiler. however, after more than a year, the flavor increases to such an extent that it becomes strong and disagreeable. with the advance of age there is also a loss of tenderness in the flesh, and this after - / or years becomes so extreme as to render the bird almost unfit for use. as the age of a chicken increases, the proportion of flesh to bone also increases up to the complete maturity of the bird. hence, one large bird is a more economical purchase than two small ones that equal its weight, because the proportion of bone to flesh is less in the large bird than in the small ones. . determining the age of chicken.--an excellent way in which to determine the age of a chicken that has been dressed consists in feeling of the breast bone at the point where it protrudes below the neck. in a very young chicken, a broiler, for instance, the point of this bone will feel like cartilage, which is firm, elastic tissue, and may be very easily bent. if the bird is about a year old, the bone will be brittle, and in a very old one it will be hard and will not bend. . if the head has been left on, the condition of the beak is a means of determining age. in a young chicken, it will be smooth and unmarred; in an old one, it will be rough and probably darker in color. if the feet have been left on, they too will serve to indicate the age. the feet of a young chicken are smooth and soft; whereas, those of an old bird are rough, hard, and scaly. the claws of a young one are short and sharp; but as the bird grows older they grow stronger and become blunt and marred with use. the spur, which is a projection just above the foot on the back of each leg, is small in the young chicken, and increases in size as the age increases. however, the spurs are more pronounced in males than in females. . another way of telling the age of dressed chicken is to observe the skin. after plucking, young birds usually have some pin feathers left in the skin. _pin feathers_ are small unformed feathers that do not pull out with the larger ones. older birds are usually free from pin feathers, but have occasional long hairs remaining in the skin after the feathers have been plucked. these do not pull out readily and must be singed off when the chicken is being prepared for cooking. . determining the freshness of chicken.--there are a number of points that indicate whether or not a chicken is fresh. in a freshly killed chicken, the feet will be soft and pliable and moist to the touch; also, the head will be unshrunken and the eyes full and bright. the flesh of such a chicken will give a little when pressed, but no part of the flesh should be softer than another. as actual decomposition sets in, the skin begins to discolor. the first marks of discoloration occur underneath the legs and wings, at the points where they are attached to the body. any dark or greenish color indicates decomposition, as does also any slimy feeling of the skin. the odor given off by the chicken is also an indication of freshness. any offensive odor, of course, means that the flesh has become unfit for food. . live chickens.--occasionally chickens are brought to the market and sold alive. this means, of course, that the birds are subjected to a certain amount of fright and needless cruelty and that the work of slaughtering falls to the purchaser. the cost, however, is decreased a few cents on the pound. such birds must be chosen first of all by weight and then by the marks that indicate age, which have already been given. selection of poultry other than chicken . the determination of quality, especially freshness, is much the same for other kinds of poultry as it is for chicken. in fact, the same points apply in most cases, but each kind seems to have a few distinguishing features, which are here pointed out. . selection of turkeys.--turkeys rank next to chickens in popularity as food. they are native to america and are perhaps better known here than in foreign countries. turkey is a much more seasonal food than chicken, it being best in the fall. cold-storage turkey that has been killed at that time, provided it is properly stored and cared for, is better than fresh turkey marketed out of season. . the age of a turkey can be fairly accurately told by the appearance of its feet. very young turkeys have black feet, and as they mature the feet gradually grow pink, so that at more than year old the feet will be found to be pink. however, as the bird grows still older, the color again changes, and a -year-old turkey will have dull-gray or blackish looking feet. the legs, too, serve to indicate the age of turkeys. those of a young turkey are smooth, but as the birds grow older they gradually become rough and scaly. a young turkey will have spurs that are only slightly developed, whereas an old turkey will have long, sharp ones. . turkeys are seldom marketed when they are very young. but in spite of the fact that this is occasionally done, the mature birds are more generally marketed. turkeys often reach a large size, weighing as much as to pounds. a mature turkey has proportionately a larger amount of flesh and a smaller amount of bone than chicken; hence, even at a higher price per pound, turkey is fully as economical as chicken. . selection of ducks.--ducks probably come next to turkeys in popularity for table use. young ducks are sold in the market during the summer and are called _spring duck_. the mature ducks may be purchased at any time during the year, but they are best in the winter months. the flexibility of the windpipe is an excellent test for the age of ducks. in the young bird, the windpipe may be easily moved; whereas, in the old one, it is stationary and quite hard. the meat of ducks is dark over the entire bird, and the greatest amount is found on the breast. its flavor is quite typical, and differs very much from turkey and chicken. however, there is a comparatively small amount of meat even on a good-sized duck, and it does not carve to very good advantage; in fact, more persons can be served from a chicken or a turkey of the same weight. young ducks are rather difficult to clean, as a layer of fine down, which is not easily removed, covers the skin. . selection of geese.--geese are much more commonly used for food in foreign countries than in america. their age may be told in the same way as that of ducks, namely, by feeling of the windpipe. the flesh is dark throughout and rather strongly flavored. the fat is used quite extensively for cooking purposes, and even as a butter substitute in some countries. because of this fact, geese are generally fattened before they are slaughtered, and often half the weight of the bird is fat. the livers of fattened geese reach enormous proportions and are considered a delicacy. they are used for _pâté de fois gras_. usually, this is put up in jars and brings a very high price. . selection of pigeons.--pigeons are raised primarily for their use as _squabs_. these are young birds about weeks old, and their meat is tender and agreeable to the taste. the meat of the mature pigeon becomes quite tough and unpalatable. the breast is the only part of the bird that has meat on it in any quantity, and this meat is slightly lighter in color than that which comes from the remainder of the body. midsummer is the best season for squabs, but they can be purchased at other times of the year. the cost of squabs is too high to allow them to be used extensively as a food in the ordinary household. table i guide to the selection of poultry market name weight age season pounds squab broiler / to - / to wk. april to july broiler - / to to mo. may to sept. frying chicken - / to mo. june to oct. roasting chicken to mo. to yr. all year fowl to over yr. all year capon to to wk. may to sept. turkey broiler - / to to mo. june to sept. roasting turkey to mo. to yr. oct. to jan. spring duck - / to - / to mo. may to dec. roasting duck to mo. to yr. best in winter green goose - / to - / to mo. may to dec. roasting goose to mo. to yr. oct. to mar. squab / to / wk. june to sept. guinea hen broiler to to mo. aug. to nov. guinea fowl to mo. to yr. oct. to mar. . selection of guinea fowls.--guinea fowls are coming into common use as food. the young birds are preferable to the older ones. they are ready for the market in early autumn, while the old birds may be procured at any time. the breast meat of guinea fowls is almost as light as that of chicken, but all the meat of this bird has a gamy taste, which is absent in the chicken. if this particular flavor is much desired, it may be developed to even a greater degree by allowing the bird to hang after killing until the meat begins to "turn," that is, become "high." such meat, however, is not usually desirable in the ordinary menu. . selection of pheasant, partridge, and quail.--pheasant, partridge, and quail are usually considered game birds, but certain varieties are being extensively domesticated and bred for market. such birds are small and are used more in the nature of a delicacy than as a common article of food. . table of poultry and game.--in table i are given the market names of the various kinds of poultry and game birds, as well as the corresponding age, the weight, and the season of the year when they are most desirable. this table will serve as a guide in selecting poultry that is to be used as food. composition of poultry . the composition of poultry is very similar to that of meats. in fact, poultry is composed of protein, fat, water, mineral salts, and extractives that do not differ materially from those found in meats. the protein, which usually varies from to per cent., is a much more constant factor than the fat, which varies from to per cent. this variation, of course, makes the total food value high in some kinds of poultry and low in others. for instance, in a young broiler that has not been fattened, the food value is extremely low; whereas, in a mature well-fattened bird, such as a goose, which increases very markedly in fatty tissue after reaching maturity, it is extremely high. a factor that detracts considerably from the edible portion of poultry is the waste material, or refuse. this consists of the bones, cartilage, head, feet, and entrails, or inedible internal organs. the greater the proportion of such waste material, the more the total nutritive value of the flesh is reduced. it is claimed that birds that have light-colored flesh do not become so fat as those which have dark flesh. this, of course, makes their nutritive value less, because the fat of poultry is what serves to supply a large part of the nutrition. there is no particular difference, as is commonly supposed, between the red and white meat of poultry. the difference in color is due to a difference in the blood supply, but this does not affect the composition to any extent. * * * * * preparation of poultry for cooking preparation of chicken . as has been implied, poultry must be properly prepared before it is ready for cooking; likewise, the method of cookery determines how it must be prepared. for example, if it is to be roasted, it must be drawn; if it is to be stewed, it must be drawn and cut into suitable pieces; and so on. the various steps that must be taken to make poultry suitable for cooking are therefore considered here in detail. . dressing a chicken.--although, as has been shown, the housewife does not have to dress the chicken that she is to cook--that is, kill and pluck it--there may be times when she will be called on to perform this task or at least direct it. a common way of killing chicken in the home is simply to grasp it firmly by the legs, lay it on a block, and then chop the head off with a sharp hatchet or a cleaver. if this plan is followed, the beheaded chicken must be held firmly until the blood has drained away and the reflex action that sets in has ceased. otherwise, there is danger of becoming splashed with blood. . after a chicken has been killed, the first step in its preparation, no matter how it is to be cooked, consists in removing the feathers, or _plucking_ it, as this operation is called. plucking can be done dry by simply pulling out the feathers. however, a bird can be plucked more readily if it is first immersed in water at the boiling point for a few minutes. such water has a tendency to loosen the feathers so that they can be pulled from the skin easily. unless the chicken is to be used at once, though, dry plucking is preferable to the other method. care should be taken not to tear or mar the skin in plucking, and the operation is best performed by pulling out the feathers a few at a time, with a quick jerk. in a young chicken, small feathers, commonly called pin feathers, are apt to remain in the skin after plucking. these may be pulled out by pinching each with the point of a knife pressed against the thumb and then giving a quick jerk. [illustration: fig. ] . whether live poultry is dressed by a local butcher or in the home, the length of time it should be kept after killing demands attention. such poultry should either be cooked before rigor mortis, or the stiffening of the muscles, has had time to begin, or be allowed to remain in a cool place long enough for this to pass off and the muscles to become tender again. naturally, if this softening, or ripening, process, as it is sometimes called, goes on too long, decomposition will set in, with the usual harmful effects if the meat is used as food. [illustration: fig. ] . singeing a chicken.--on all chickens except very young ones, whether they are home dressed or not, hairs will be found on the skin; and, as has been mentioned, the older the bird the more hair will it have. the next step in preparing a chicken for cooking, therefore, is to singe it, or burn off these hairs. however, before singeing, provided the head has not been removed, cut it off just where the neck begins, using a kitchen cleaver or a butcher knife, as in fig. . to singe a dressed chicken, grasp it by the head or the neck and the feet and then revolve it over a gas flame, as shown in fig. , or a burning piece of paper for a few seconds or just long enough to burn off the hairs without scorching the skin. after singeing, wash the skin thoroughly with a cloth and warm water, as shown in fig. . then it will be ready for drawing and cutting up. [illustration: fig. ] . drawing a chicken.--by drawing a chicken is meant the taking out of the entrails and removing all parts that are not edible. although this work will be done by some butchers, the better plan is to do it at home, for, as has been stated, chicken or any other poultry must be cooked very soon after the entrails are removed. chicken that is to be roasted is always prepared in this way, as the cavity that remains may be filled with stuffing. drawing is also necessary when chicken is to be cooked in any other way, as by stewing or frying, but in addition it must be cut up. the procedure in drawing a chicken is simple, but some practice is required before deftness will result. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . in order to draw a chicken, carefully cut a lengthwise slit through the skin on the neck, and slip the fingers down around the _crop_, which is a small sack that holds the food eaten by the chicken. then pull the crop out, and with it the windpipe, as in fig. , taking pains not to tear the skin nor to break the crop. next, remove the tendons, or thick white cords, from the legs, so as to improve the meat. these may be easily removed, especially from a chicken that is freshly killed; that is, one in which the flesh is still moist. simply cut through the skin, just above the foot, as in fig. , being careful not to cut the tendons that lie just beneath the skin; then slip a skewer or some other small, dull implement, as a fork, under the tendons, pull down toward the foot until they loosen at the second joint, and pull them out. this operation is clearly shown in fig. . with the tendons removed, the feet may be cut off. to do this, cut through the skin where the two bones join, as shown in fig. . as the joint separates, cut through the remaining tendons and skin on the back of the legs. [illustration: fig. ] . proceed, next, to cut a crosswise slit through the skin between the legs at a point above the vent, as in fig. , so that the entrails may be removed. this slit should be just large enough to admit the hand and no larger. insert the fingers of one hand in this slit and gently move them around the mass of the internal organs, keeping them close to the framework of the bird. this will loosen the entrails at the points where they are attached to the body. then, inserting the hand, slip the fingers around the mass at the top, near the neck, and with one pull remove the entire internal contents, as fig. shows. the lungs, or lights, as they are sometimes called, do not come out with this mass. they will be found covered with a membrane and tightly fastened inside the breast bone, and must be removed by pulling them out with the tips of the fingers. after the entrails are removed, pour clean cold water into the cavity, rinse it well several times, and pour the water out. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . among the contents drawn from the chicken will be found the heart, the liver, and the gizzard. these are called the _giblets_. they are the only edible internal organs, and must be separated from the rest. to do this, squeeze the blood from the heart, and then cut the large vessels off close to the top of it. then cut the liver away. in handling this part of the giblets extreme care must be taken, for tightly attached to it, as fig. shows, is the _gall bladder_, which is a tiny sack filled with green fluid, called bile. if this sack breaks, anything that its contents touches will become very bitter and therefore unfit to eat. the gall bag should be cut out of the liver above the place where it is attached, so as to be certain that it does not break nor lose any of the bile. next, remove the gizzard, which consists of a fleshy part surrounding a sack containing partly digested food eaten by the chicken. first trim off any surplus fat, and carefully cut through the fleshy part just to the surface of the inside sack. then pull the outside fleshy part away from the sack without breaking it, as in fig. , an operation that can be done if the work is performed carefully. after removing the giblets and preparing them as explained, wash them well, so that they may be used with the rest of the chicken. as a final step, cut out the _oil sack_, which lies just above the tail, proceeding in the manner illustrated in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . cutting up a chicken.--when chicken that has been drawn is to be fried, stewed, fricasseed, or cooked in some similar way, it must be cut into suitable pieces. in order to do this properly, it is necessary to learn to locate the joints and to be able to cut squarely between the two bones where they are attached to each other. to sever the legs from the body of the chicken, first cut through the skin underneath each leg where it is attached to the body, as in fig. , bend the leg back far enough to break the joint, and then cut through it, severing the entire leg in one piece. when the legs are cut off, cut each one apart at the joint between the thigh and the lower part, as in fig. , making two pieces. to sever the wings from the body, cut through the skin where the wing is attached, as in fig. , and bend it back until the joint breaks. then cut it off where the ends of the bones are attached to the joint. when both legs and both wings are removed, proceed to cut the body apart. as shown in fig. , place the chicken, neck down, on a table, and cut down through the ribs parallel with the breast and the back, until the knife strikes a hard bone that it cannot cut. then firmly grasp the breast with one hand and the back with the other and break the joints that attach these parts by pulling the back and the breast away from each other, as in fig. . cut through the joints, as in fig. , so that the back, ribs, and neck will be in one piece and the breast in another. [illustration: fig. ] if desired, the breast may be divided into two pieces by cutting it in the manner shown in fig. ; also, as the back will break at the end of the ribs, it may be cut into two pieces there. finally, cut the neck from the top piece of the back, as in fig. . the pieces of chicken thus procured may be rinsed clean with cold water, but they should never be allowed to stand in water, because this will draw out some of the extractives, or flavoring material, soluble albumin, and mineral salts. . preparing chicken feet.--many persons consider that chicken feet are not worth while for food. this, however, is a mistaken idea, for they will add to the flavor of soup stock or they may be cooked with the giblets to make stock for gravy. chicken feet do not contain much meat, but what little there is has an excellent flavor and should be removed for use when creamed chicken or any dish made with left-over chicken is to be cooked. to prepare chicken feet for use as food, scrub the feet well and pour boiling water over them. after a minute or two, remove them from the water and rub them with a clean cloth to peel off the scaly skin, as shown in fig. . finally remove the nails by bending them back. . utilizing the wing tips.--the last joint, or tip, of chicken wings has no value as food, but, like the feet, it will help to add flavor to any stock that is made. this small piece of wing may be removed and then cooked with the feet and giblets. preparation of poultry other than chicken . preparation of turkey.--the preparation of a plucked turkey for cooking is almost identically the same as that of a plucked chicken. begin the preparation by singeing it; that is, hold it over a flame and turn it so that all the hairs on the skin will be burned off. then look the skin over carefully, remove any pin feathers that may not have been removed in plucking, and wash it thoroughly. next, cut off the head, leaving as much of the neck as possible. draw the tendons from the legs as in preparing chicken; the ease with which this can be done will depend greatly on the length of time the turkey has been killed. then cut off the legs at the first joint above the foot. having prepared the external part of the turkey, proceed to draw it. first, remove the crop by cutting a slit lengthwise in the neck over the crop, catching it with the fingers, and pulling it out. next, cut a slit between the legs, below the breast bone, and draw out the internal organs. clean and retain the giblets. remove the lungs, wash out the cavity in the turkey, and cut off the oil bag on the back, just above the tail. turkey prepared in this way is ready to stuff and roast. it is never cut into pieces in the ordinary household until it has been cooked and is ready to serve. directions for carving are therefore given later. . preparation of duck and goose.--the preparation of duck and goose for cooking does not differ materially from that of turkey or chicken. like turkey, duck or goose is generally roasted and not cut up until it is ready to serve. it will be well to note that young ducks are covered with small feathers, or down, which is very difficult to remove. however, the down may be removed by pulling it out with a small knife pressed against the thumb. when the down is removed, proceed with the preparation. singe, wash, remove the head and feet, draw, wash the inside of the bird, and remove the oil sack. goose may be prepared for cooking in the same way. . preparation of small birds.--squabs, partridge, pheasant, and other small birds are usually cooked by broiling. to prepare such a bird for cooking, singe, remove any small feathers that may remain, wash, remove the head and feet, and draw, following the directions given for drawing chicken. when it is thus cleaned, lay the bird open. to do this, begin at the neck and cut down the back along the spine. if desired, however, the bird may be cut down the back before drawing and the entrails removed through the cut down the back. finally, wash the inside and wipe it dry, when the bird will be ready for broiling. * * * * * cooking of poultry cookery methods . with poultry, as in the case of meats of any kind, it is the composition that determines the method of cookery; and, as the structure and composition of the tissue of poultry do not differ materially from those of meats, the application of the various cooking methods is practically the same. young and tender birds that have comparatively little flesh, such as young chickens, squabs, and guinea fowl, are usually prepared by such rapid methods as frying and broiling. medium-sized poultry, including chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, ducks, and geese, require more cooking, and this, of course, must be done at a lower temperature; therefore, such poultry is generally roasted. old poultry, particularly old chicken, or fowl, which is apt to be tough, requires still more cooking, and for this reason is stewed, braized, or fricasseed. the recipes for the cooking of various kinds of poultry here given will serve to make clear the cookery method to employ, as well as how to carry it out to advantage. preparation by broiling . the method of broiling in the case of poultry of all kinds does not differ in any way from the same method applied to cuts of meat. since broiling is a rapid method of cookery and heat is applied at a high temperature, it is necessary that the poultry chosen for broiling be young and tender and have a comparatively small amount of meat on the bones. [illustration: fig. ] broiled poultry is not an economical dish, neither is it one in which the greatest possible amount of flavor is obtained, since, as in the case of the meat of animals used for food, the flavor develops with the age of the birds. however, broiled poultry has value in the diet of invalids and persons with poor appetite and digestion, for if it is properly done it is appetizing and easily digested. [illustration: fig. ] . broiled poultry.--poultry that is to be broiled must first be dressed, drawn, and cleaned. then, as has been mentioned for the preparation of small birds, lay the bird open by cutting down along the spine, beginning at the neck, as shown in fig. . this will permit the bird to be spread apart, as in fig. . when it is thus made ready, washed, and wiped dry, heat the broiler and grease it. then place the bird on the broiler in the manner shown in fig. and expose it to severe heat. sear quickly on one side, and turn and sear on the other side. then reduce the heat to a lower temperature and broil more slowly, turning often. to prevent burning, the parts that stand up close to the flame may be covered with strips of bacon fastened on with skewers; also, to get the best results, the side of the bird on which the flesh is thick should be exposed to the heat for a greater length of time than the other side. if there is any danger of the high places burning in the broiler, the bird may be removed and the cooking continued in a hot oven. broiled poultry should be well done when served. this means, then, particularly in the case of chickens, that the broiling process should be carried on for about minutes. when the bird is properly cooked, remove it from the broiler, place it on a hot platter, dot it with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, garnish, and serve. [illustration: fig. ] preparation by frying . as has been mentioned, birds slightly older and larger than those used for broiling should be fried, because frying is a slower method and gives the flesh a more thorough cooking. however, most of the dishes commonly known as fried poultry are not fried, but sautéd in shallow fat. the same principles employed in sautéing any food are applied in the cooking of poultry by this method; that is, the surface is seared as quickly as possible and the cooking is finished at a lower temperature. often in this cooking process, the pieces to be sautéd are dipped into batter or rolled in flour to assist in keeping the juices in the meat. . fried chicken.--to many persons, fried chicken--or, rather, sautéd chicken, as it should be called--is very appetizing. chicken may be fried whole, but usually it is cut up, and when this is done it serves to better advantage. likewise, the method of preparation is one that adds flavor to young chicken, which would be somewhat flavorless if prepared in almost any other way. frying is not a difficult cookery process. to prepare chickens, which should be young ones, for this method of preparation, draw, clean, and cut them up in the manner previously explained. when they are ready, wash the pieces and roll them in a pan of flour, covering the entire surface of each piece. then, in a frying pan, melt fat, which may be chicken fat, bacon fat, part butter, lard, or any other frying fat that will give an agreeable flavor. when the fat is thoroughly hot, place in it the pieces of floured chicken and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. as soon as the pieces have browned on one side, turn them over and brown on the other side. then reduce the heat, cover the frying pan with a tight-fitting lid, and continue to fry more slowly. if, after or minutes, the meat can be easily pierced with a fork, it is ready to serve; if this cannot be done, add a small quantity of hot water, replace the cover, and simmer until the meat can be pierced readily. to serve fried chicken, place the pieces on a platter and garnish the dish with parsley so as to add to its appearance. . gravy for fried chicken.--if desired, brown gravy may be made and served with fried chicken. after the chicken has been removed from the frying pan, provided an excessive amount of fat remains, pour off some of it. sprinkle the fat that remains with dry flour, tablespoonful to each cupful of liquid that is to be used, which may be milk, cream, water, or any mixture of the three. stir the flour into the hot fat. heat the liquid and add this hot liquid to the fat and flour in the frying pan. stir rapidly so that no lumps will form, and, if necessary, season with more salt and pepper to suit the taste. gravy may also be made in this manner: stir cold liquid slowly into the flour in the proportion of tablespoonful of flour to cupful of liquid, which may be milk, cream, water, or any mixture of the three. add the cold liquid and flour to the frying pan containing a small amount of fat in which the chicken was fried. stir rapidly until the gravy has thickened and there are no lumps. very often the giblets, that is, the liver, heart, and gizzard of chicken, are used in making gravy. for example, the giblets may be cooked in water until they are tender and then sautéd in butter to serve, and when this is done the water in which they were cooked may be used for making gravy. again, if it is not desired to eat them in this way, they may be chopped fine and added to gravy made from the fat that remains from frying. . maryland fried chicken.--maryland fried chicken is a popular dish with many persons. as a rule, corn fritters are used as a garnish and served with the chicken, and strips of crisp bacon are placed over the top of it. often, too, potato croquettes are served on the same platter, a combination that makes almost an entire meal. to prepare maryland fried chicken, draw, clean, and cut up young chickens. then wash the pieces and dry them with a soft cloth. sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper, and dip each into fine cracker crumbs or corn meal, then into beaten egg, and again into the crumbs or the corn meal. next, melt in a frying pan chicken or bacon fat, part butter, lard, or any other fat for frying. when it is hot, place the pieces of chicken in it. fry them until they are brown on one side; then turn and brown them on the other side. lower the temperature and continue to fry slowly until the meat may be easily pierced with a fork. when the chicken is done, pour cupfuls of white sauce on a hot platter and place the chicken in it. then garnish and serve. . fried chicken with paprika sauce.--chickens that are a trifle older than those used for plain fried chicken may be prepared to make what is known as fried chicken with paprika sauce. if in preparing this dish the chicken does not appear to be tender after frying, it may be made so by simmering it in the sauce. to prepare this chicken dish, which is tempting to many, draw, clean, and cut up a chicken as for frying. then melt fat in a frying pan, place the pieces in the hot fat, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides quickly. when both sides are brown, continue to fry the pieces until they are tender. then sprinkle all with level tablespoonfuls of flour, add cupfuls of milk or thin cream, and allow this to thicken. then sprinkle with paprika until the sauce is pink. let the chicken simmer slowly until the sauce penetrates the meat a little. serve on a platter with a garnish. preparation by roasting . roasting is the cookery process that is commonly employed for preparing chickens that are of good size, as well as turkeys, ducks, and geese. it is also followed at times for cooking guinea fowl, partridges, pheasants, and similar small birds. as a rule, birds prepared in this way are filled with stuffing, which may be made in so many ways that roasted stuffed poultry makes a delightful change in the regular routine of meals. [illustration: fig. ] . roast chicken.--roasting is the best method to employ for the preparation of old chicken unless, of course, it is extremely old and tough. then stewing is about the only method that is satisfactory. chicken for roasting should weigh no less than pounds. chicken prepared according to the following directions makes a dish that is very appetizing. [illustration: fig. ] to prepare chicken for roasting, clean and draw it in the manner previously given. when it is made clean, rub salt and pepper on the inside of the cavity, and stuff the cavity of the chicken, as shown in fig. , with any desirable stuffing. directions for preparing stuffing are given later. also, fill with stuffing the space from which the crop was removed, inserting it through the slit in the neck. thread a large darning needle with white cord and sew up the slit in the neck, as well as the one between the legs, as in fig. , so that the stuffing will not fall out. also, force the neck inside of the skin, and tie the skin with a piece of string, as in fig. . then, as fig. also shows, truss the chicken by forcing the tip of each wing back of the first wing joint, making a triangle; also, tie the ends of the legs together and pull them down, tying them fast to the tail, as in fig. . trussing in this manner will give the chicken a much better appearance for serving than if it were not so fastened; but, of course, before it is placed on the table, the strings must be cut and removed. after stuffing and trussing, put the chicken on its back in a roasting pan, sprinkle it with flour, and place it in a very hot oven. sear the skin quickly. then reduce the temperature slightly and pour a cupful of water into the roasting pan. baste the chicken every or minutes with this water, until it is well browned and the breast and legs may be easily pierced with a fork. remove to a platter and serve. if gravy is desired, it may be made in the roasting pan in the same way as for fried chicken. the giblets may be cut into pieces and added or they may be left out and served after first cooking and then browning them. [illustration: fig. ] . roast turkey.--in america, roast turkey is usually considered as a holiday dish, being served most frequently in the homes on thanksgiving day. however, at times when the price is moderate, it is not an extravagance to serve roast turkey for other occasions. roasting is practically the only way in which turkey is prepared in the usual household, and it is by far the best method of preparation. occasionally, however, a very tough turkey is steamed before roasting in order to make it sufficiently tender. [illustration: fig. ] the preparation of roast turkey does not differ materially from the method given for the preparation of roast chicken. after the turkey is cleaned, drawn, and prepared according to the directions previously given, rub the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. then stuff with any desirable stuffing, filling the cavity and also the space under the skin of the neck where the crop was removed. then sew up the opening, draw the skin over the neck and tie it, and truss the turkey by forcing the tip of each wing back of the first wing joint in a triangular shape and tying both ends of the legs to the tail. when thus made ready, place the turkey in the roasting pan so that the back rests on the pan and the legs are on top. then dredge with flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a hot oven. when its surface is well browned, reduce the heat and baste every minutes until the turkey is cooked. this will usually require about hours, depending, of course, on the size of the bird. for basting, melt tablespoonfuls of butter or bacon fat in / cupful of boiling water. pour this into the roasting pan. add water when this evaporates, and keep a sufficient amount for basting. turn the turkey several times during the roasting, so that the sides and back, as well as the breast, will be browned. when the turkey can be easily pierced with a fork, remove it from the roasting pan, cut the strings and pull them out, place on a platter, garnish, and serve. gravy to be served with roast turkey may be made in the manner mentioned for making gravy to be served with fried chicken. . roast duck.--while young duck is often broiled, the usual method of preparing this kind of poultry is by roasting; in fact, roasting is an excellent way in which to cook duck that is between the broiling age and full maturity. . duck is roasted in practically the same way as chicken or turkey. in the case of a _young duck_, or _spring duck_, however, stuffing is not used. after it is drawn and cleaned, truss it by folding back the wings and tying the ends of the legs to the tail, so as to give it a good appearance when served. season with salt and pepper and dredge with flour, and, over the breast, to prevent it from burning, place strips of bacon or salt pork. when thus made ready, put the duck in a roasting pan, pour in / cupful of water, and cook it in a hot oven until it is very tender, basting it about every minutes during the roasting. about minutes before the roasting is done, remove the strips of bacon or pork, so as to permit the breast underneath them to brown. serve on a platter with a garnish. make gravy if desired. . in the case of an _old duck_, proceed as for roasting chicken or turkey; that is, draw, clean, stuff, and truss it. in addition, place strips of bacon or salt pork over its breast. place it in a roasting pan, pour / cupful of water into the pan, and put it in a hot oven. during the roasting baste the duck every minutes; also, as in roasting a young duck, remove the bacon or salt pork in plenty of time to permit the part underneath to brown. when the surface is well browned and the meat may be easily pierced with a fork, place the duck on a platter, remove the strings used to sew it up, garnish, and serve. make gravy if desired. . roast goose.--specific directions for roasting goose are not given, because the methods differ in no way from those already given for roasting duck. very young goose, or green goose, is usually roasted without being stuffed, just as young duck. older goose, however, is stuffed, trussed, and roasted just as old duck. a very old goose may be placed in a roasting pan and steamed until it is partly tender before roasting. apples in some form or other are commonly served with goose. for example, rings of fried apple may be used as a garnish, or apple sauce or stewed or baked apples may be served as an accompaniment. make gravy if desired. . roast small birds.--such small birds as guinea fowl, partridge, pheasant, quail, etc. may be roasted if desired, but on account of being so small they are seldom filled with stuffing. to roast such poultry, first clean, draw, and truss them. then lard them with strips of bacon or salt pork, and place in a roasting pan in a very hot oven. during the roasting, turn them so as to brown all sides; also, baste every minutes during the roasting with the water that has been poured into the roasting pan. continue the roasting until the flesh is very soft and the joints can be easily pulled apart. serve with a garnish. make gravy if desired. . stuffing for roast poultry.--as has been mentioned, stuffing, or dressing, of some kind is generally used when poultry is roasted. therefore, so that the housewife may be prepared to vary the stuffing she uses from time to time, recipes for several kinds are here given. very often, instead of using the giblets for gravy, they are cooked in water and then chopped and added to the stuffing. giblets are not included in the recipes here given, but they may be added if desired. the quantities stated in these recipes are usually sufficient for a bird of average size; however, for a smaller or a larger bird the ingredients may be decreased or increased accordingly. bread stuffing c. dry bread crumbs / c. butter small onion beaten egg tsp. salt tsp. celery salt, or / tsp. celery seed / tsp. powdered sage (if desired) / tsp. pepper pour a sufficient amount of hot water over the bread crumbs to moisten them well. melt the butter and allow it to brown slightly. add the onion, chopped fine, to the butter and pour this over the bread crumbs. add the beaten egg, salt, celery salt, and other seasonings, mix thoroughly, and stuff into the bird. cracker stuffing c. cracker crumbs small onion (if desired) / c. butter / tsp. salt / tsp. powdered sage (if desired) / tsp. pepper moisten the cracker crumbs with hot milk or water until they are quite soft. brown the chopped onion with the butter and pour over the crackers. add the seasonings, mix thoroughly, and stuff into the bird. oyster stuffing c. dry bread crumbs / c. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. oysters | c. chopped celery moisten the bread crumbs with a sufficient amount of hot water to make them quite soft. brown the butter slightly and add it, with the seasonings, to the bread. mix with this the oysters and chopped celery. stuff into the bird. chestnut stuffing pt. blanched chestnuts pt. bread crumbs / c. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. chopped parsley blanch the chestnuts in boiling water to remove the dark skin that covers them. cook them until they are quite soft, and then chop them or mash them. moisten the bread crumbs with hot water and add the chestnuts. brown the butter slightly and pour it over the mixture. add the seasonings and chopped parsley and stuff. green-pepper stuffing qt. dried bread crumbs c. stewed tomatoes / c. melted butter tb. bacon fat small onion, chopped / c. finely chopped green pepper tb. chopped parsley tsp. salt / tsp. pepper moisten the bread crumbs with the stewed tomatoes and add a sufficient amount of hot water to make the crumbs quite soft. melt the butter and bacon fat, add the onion, green pepper, and the seasonings, and pour over the crumbs. mix thoroughly and stuff. rice stuffing c. steamed rice c. bread crumbs c. stewed tomatoes / c. chopped pimiento tb. chopped parsley small onion, chopped tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. butter small strips bacon, diced and fried brown mix the steamed rice with the bread crumbs. add the stewed tomatoes, pimiento, chopped parsley, chopped onion, salt, pepper, melted butter, bacon and bacon fat, and a sufficient amount of hot water to moisten the whole well. mix thoroughly and stuff. peanut stuffing for roast duck pt. cracker crumbs c. shelled peanuts, finely chopped / tsp. salt dash of cayenne pepper / c. butter hot milk mix the crumbs and the chopped peanuts. add the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper, and pour over them the melted butter and a sufficient amount of hot milk to soften the whole. stuff into the duck. liver stuffing for roast duck duck liver / c. butter small onion, chopped c. dry bread crumbs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. chopped parsley egg chop the liver and sauté in the butter to which has been added the chopped onion. pour over the bread crumbs. then add the salt, pepper, finely chopped parsley, and the beaten egg. pour over all a sufficient amount of water to moisten well. stuff into the duck. boned chicken . to offer variety in the serving of chicken, as well as to present an easily carved bird, the process known as _boning_ is often resorted to. boning, as will be readily understood, consists in removing the flesh from the bones before the bird is cooked. boned chicken may be prepared by roasting or broiling. in either case, the cookery process is the same as that already given for poultry that is not boned. if it is to be roasted, the cavity that results from the removal of the bones and internal organs should be filled with stuffing or forcemeat, so that the bird will appear as if nothing had been removed. if it is to be broiled, stuffing is not necessary. cooked boned chicken may be served either hot or cold. of course, other kinds of poultry may be boned if desired, and if the directions here given for boning chicken are thoroughly learned no difficulty will be encountered in performing this operation on any kind. boning is not a wasteful process as might be supposed, because after the flesh is removed from the bones, they may be used in the making of soup. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . before proceeding to bone a chicken, singe it, pull out the pin feathers, cut off the head, remove the tendons from the legs, and take out the crop through the neck. the bird may be drawn or not before boning it, but in any event care must be taken not to break any part of the skin. with these matters attended to, wash the skin well and wipe it carefully. first, cut off the legs at the first joint, and, with the point of a sharp knife, as shown in fig. , loosen the skin and muscles just above the joint by cutting around the bone. cut the neck off close to the body, as in fig. . then, starting at the neck, cut the skin clear down the back to the tail, as in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] begin on one side, and scrape the flesh, with the skin attached to it, from the back bone, as in fig. . when the shoulder blade is reached, push the flesh from it with the fingers, as in fig. , until the wing joint is reached. disjoint the wing where it is attached to the body, as in fig. , and loosen the skin from the wing bone down to the second joint. disjoint the bone here and remove it up to this place, as fig. illustrates. the remaining bone is left in the tip of the wing to give it shape. when the bone from one wing is removed, turn the chicken around and remove the bone from the other wing. next, start at the back, separating the flesh from the ribs, as in fig. , taking care not to penetrate into the side cavity of the chicken, provided it has not [illustration: fig. ] been drawn. push the flesh down to the thigh, as in fig. , disjoint the bone here, and remove it down to the second joint, as in fig. . disjoint the bone at the other joint, and remove the skin and meat from the bone by turning them inside out, as in fig. . if the bone has been properly loosened at the first joint of the leg, there will be no trouble in slipping it out. when this is done, turn the meat and skin back again, so that they will be right side out. then proceed in the same way with the other leg. next, free the flesh from the collar bone down to the breast bone on both sides, proceeding as in fig. . when the ridge of the breast bone is reached, care must be taken not to break the skin that lies very close to the bone. the fingers should be used to separate the flesh at this place. when the sides and front have been thus taken care of, free the skin and the flesh from the bones over the rump. after this is done, the skeleton and internal organs of the undrawn bird may be removed, leaving the flesh intact. the skeleton of a chicken will appear as in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] if the boned chicken is to be roasted, the entire chicken, including the spaces from which the wing and leg bones were removed, may be filled with highly seasoned stuffing. when this is done, shape the chicken as much as possible to resemble its original shape and sew up the back. the chicken will then be ready to roast. if the boned chicken is to be broiled, shape it on the broiler as shown in fig. and broil. when broiled, boned chicken should appear as in fig. . preparation by stewing and other cooking methods . chicken stew with dumplings or noodles.--perhaps the most common way of preparing chicken is to stew it. when chicken is so cooked, such an addition as dumplings or noodles is generally made because of the excellent food combination that results. for stewing, an old chicken with a great deal of flavor should be used in preference to a young one, which will have less flavor. in order to prepare chicken by stewing, clean, draw, and cut up the bird according to directions previously given. place the pieces in a large kettle and cover them well with boiling water. bring all quickly to the boiling point and add teaspoonfuls of salt. then remove the scum, lower the temperature, and continue to cook at the simmering point. keep the pieces well covered with water; also, keep the stew pot covered during the cooking. when the chicken has become tender enough to permit the pieces to be easily pierced with a fork, remove them to a deep platter or a vegetable dish. dumplings or noodles may be cooked in the chicken broth, as the water in which the chicken was stewed is called, or they may be boiled or steamed separately. if they are cooked separately, thicken the broth with flour and serve it over the chicken with the noodles or dumplings. . fricassee of chicken.--for chicken that is tough, fricasseeing is an excellent cooking method to employ. indeed, since it is a long method of cookery, a rather old, comparatively tough fowl lends itself best to fricasseeing. fricassee of chicken also is a dish that requires a great deal of flavor to be drawn from the meat, and this, of course, cannot be done if a young chicken is used. to prepare fricassee of chicken, clean and cut the bird into pieces according to the directions previously given. put these into a saucepan, cover with boiling water, add teaspoonfuls of salt, bring to the boiling point quickly, skim, and reduce the temperature so that the meat will simmer slowly until it is tender. next, remove the pieces of chicken from the water in which they were cooked, roll them in flour, and sauté them in butter or chicken fat until they are nicely browned. if more than or / cupfuls of broth remains, boil it until the quantity is reduced to this amount. then moisten or tablespoonfuls of flour with a little cold water, add this to the stock, and cook until it thickens. if desired, the broth may be reduced more and thin cream may be added to make up the necessary quantity. arrange the pieces of chicken on a deep platter, pour the sauce over them, season with salt and pepper if necessary, and serve. to enhance the appearance of this dish, the platter may be garnished with small three-cornered pieces of toast, tiny carrots, or carrots and green peas. . chicken pie.--a good change from the usual ways of serving chicken may be brought about by means of chicken pie. such a dish is simple to prepare, and for it may be used young or old chicken. to prepare chicken pie, dress, clean, and cut up a chicken in the usual manner. put it into a saucepan, add a small onion and a sprig of parsley, cover with boiling water, and cook slowly until the meat is tender. when the meat is cooked, add teaspoonfuls of salt and / teaspoonful of pepper, and when it is perfectly tender remove it from the stock. thicken the stock with tablespoonful of flour to each cupful of liquid. next, arrange the chicken in a baking dish. it may be left on the bones or cut into large pieces and the bones removed. to it add small carrots and onions that have been previously cooked until tender and pour the thickened stock over all. cover this with baking-powder biscuit dough made according to the directions given in _hot breads_ and rolled / inch thick. make some holes through the dough with the point of a sharp knife to let the steam escape, and bake in a moderate oven until the dough is well risen and a brown crust is formed. then remove from the oven and serve. . chicken curry.--chicken combined with rice is usually an agreeable food combination, but when flavored with curry powder, as in the recipe here given, it is a highly flavored dish that appeals to the taste of many persons. chicken curry lb. chicken tb. butter onions tb. curry powder tsp. salt c. steamed rice clean, dress, and cut up the chicken as for stewing. put the butter in a hot frying pan, add the onions, sliced thin, then the pieces of chicken, and cook for minutes. parboil the liver, gizzard, and heart, cut them into pieces and add them to the chicken in the frying pan. sprinkle the curry powder and the salt over the whole. add boiling water or the stock in which the giblets were cooked, and simmer until the chicken is tender. remove the meat from the frying pan and place it on a deep platter. surround it with a border of steamed rice. thicken the stock in the frying pan slightly with flour and pour the gravy over the chicken. serve hot. . chicken en casserole.--food prepared in casseroles always seems to meet with the approval of even the most discriminating persons; and chicken prepared in this way with vegetables is no exception to the rule. for such a dish should be selected a chicken of medium size that is neither very old nor very young. any flavor that the bird contains is retained, so a strong flavor is not desirable. in preparing chicken en casserole, first clean, dress, and cut it up in the manner directed for stewed chicken. place the pieces in a casserole dish, together with cupful of small carrots or larger carrots cut into strips. fry a finely chopped onion with several strips of bacon, and cut these more finely while frying until the whole is well browned. then add them to the meat in the casserole dish. also, add cupful of potato balls or cupful of diced potatoes. season well with salt and pepper, add tablespoonfuls of flour, and over the whole pour sufficient hot water to cover. cover the casserole dish, place it in a moderate oven, and cook slowly until the chicken is tender. serve from the dish. . jellied chicken.--the housewife who desires to serve an unusual chicken dish will find that there is much in favor of jellied chicken. aside from its food value, jellied chicken has merit in that it appeals to the eye, especially if the mold used in its preparation has a pleasing shape. jellied chicken or lb. chicken tsp. salt several slices of onion hard-cooked egg pimiento several sprigs of parsley clean, dress, and cut up the chicken. put it into a saucepan and cover with boiling water. season with the salt and add the slices of onion. cook slowly until the meat will fall from the bones. remove the chicken from the saucepan, take the meat from the bones, and chop it into small pieces. reduce the stock to about / cupfuls, strain it, and skim off the fat. with this done, place slices of the hard-cooked egg in the bottom of a wet mold. chop the pimiento and sprigs of parsley and mix them with the chopped meat. put the mixture on top of the sliced egg, and pour the stock over the whole. keep in a cool place until it is set. if the stock is not reduced and more jelly is desired, unflavored gelatine may be dissolved and added to coagulate the liquid. to serve jellied chicken, remove from the mold, turn upside down, so that the eggs are on top and act as a garnish, and then cut in thin slices. . chicken bechamel.--still another chicken dish that may be used to break the monotony of meals is chicken bechamel, the word bechamel being the name of a sauce invented by béchamel, who was steward to louis xiv, a king of france. chicken bechamel good-sized chicken tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. small mushrooms / c. chopped pimiento tb. flour c. thin cream clean, dress, and cut up the chicken. place the pieces into a saucepan, and cover with boiling water. add the salt and the pepper, and allow to come to the boiling point. remove the scum and simmer the chicken slowly until it is tender. remove the chicken from the liquid, take the meat from the bones, and cut it into small pieces. add to these the mushrooms and chopped pimiento. reduce the stock to cupful and thicken it with the flour added to the thin cream. cook until the sauce is thickened. then add to it the chopped chicken with the other ingredients. heat all thoroughly and serve on toast points or in timbale cases, the making of which is explained in _meat_, part . . cooking of giblets.--as has been pointed out, the giblets--that is, the liver, heart, and gizzard of all kinds of fowl--are used in gravy making and as an ingredient for stuffing. when poultry is stewed, as in making stewed chicken, it is not uncommon to cook the giblets with the pieces of chicken. the gizzard and heart especially require long, slow cooking to make them tender enough to be eaten. therefore, when poultry is broiled, fried, or roasted, some other cookery method must be resorted to, as these processes are too rigid for the preparation of giblets. in such cases, the best plan is to cook them in water until they are tender and then sauté them in butter. when cooked in this way, they may be served with the poultry, for to many persons they are very palatable. dishes from left-over poultry . left-over poultry of any kind is too valuable to be wasted, but even if this were not so there are so many practical ways in which such left-overs may be used to advantage that it would be the height of extravagance not to utilize them. the bones that remain from roast fowl after carving are especially good for soup making, as they will yield quite a quantity of flavor when they are thoroughly cooked. if sufficient meat remains on the carcass to permit of slicing, such meat may be served cold. however, if merely small pieces are left or if fried or broiled poultry remains, it will be advisable to make some other use of these left-overs. it is often possible for the ingenious housewife to add other foods to them so as to increase the quantity and thus make them serve more. for example, a small quantity of pork or veal may be satisfactorily used with chicken, as may also pieces of hard-cooked eggs, celery, mushrooms, etc. in fact, salads may be made by combining such ingredients and salad dressings. to show the use of left-overs still further, there are here given a number of recipes that may well be used. . chicken salad.--a common way in which to utilize left-over chicken is in chicken salad. such salad may be served to advantage for luncheons and other light meals. chicken salad c. cold diced chicken c. chopped celery small onion, chopped salad dressing hard-cooked eggs mix the meat with the chopped celery and onion. marinate with well-seasoned vinegar or a little lemon juice. french dressing may be used for this if oil is desired. just before serving pour off any excess liquid. add any desired salad dressing. heap the salad on lettuce leaves and garnish with slices of the hard-cooked eggs. . chicken á la king.--chicken à la king is not necessarily a left-over dish, for it may be made from either left-over chicken or, if desired, chicken cooked especially for it. it makes an excellent dish to prepare in a chafing dish, but it may be conveniently prepared in a saucepan on the fire and served in any desirable way. chicken À la king tb. fat (butter or bacon fat or part of each) tb. flour / c. chicken stock c. milk or thin cream tsp. salt / c. mushrooms / c. canned pimiento - / c. cold chicken eggs melt the fat in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir until well mixed. heat the stock and the milk or cream, pour this into the mixture, stir rapidly, and bring to boiling point. add the salt and the mushrooms, pimientoes, and cold chicken cut into pieces / to inch long, allow the mixture to come to the boiling point again, and add the slightly beaten eggs. remove from the fire at once to prevent the egg from curdling. serve over pieces of fresh toast and sprinkle with paprika. . chicken croquettes.--left-over chicken may be used to advantage for croquettes made according to the following recipe. when the ingredients listed are combined with chicken, an especially agreeable food will be the result. if there is not sufficient cold chicken to meet the requirements, a small quantity of cold veal or pork may be chopped with the chicken. chicken croquettes tb. fat / c. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. paprika c. chicken stock or cream c. cold chicken, chopped / . mushrooms, chopped tsp. parsley, chopped egg fine bread crumbs melt the fat in a saucepan, add the flour, and stir until well blended. add the salt, pepper, and paprika. heat the stock or cream and add to the mixture in the saucepan. stir constantly until the sauce is completely thickened. then add the chopped chicken, mushrooms, and parsley. when cold, shape into oblong croquettes, roll in the egg, slightly beaten, and then in fine crumbs. fry in deep fat until brown. serve with a garnish or some vegetable, such as peas, diced carrots, or small pieces of cauliflower, as well as with left-over chicken gravy or well-seasoned white sauce. . turkey hash.--possibly the simplest way in which to utilize left-over turkey meat is to make it up into hash. such a dish may be used for almost any meal, and when made according to the recipe here given it will suit the taste of nearly every person. turkey hash tb. butter / c. coarse rye-bread crumbs small onion, sliced c. finely chopped cold turkey / c. finely chopped raw potato / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper pt. milk melt the butter in a saucepan. when brown, add to it the rye-bread crumbs and mix well. then add the sliced onion, chopped turkey, potato, salt, and pepper. cook for a short time on top of the stove, stirring frequently to prevent burning. pour the milk over the whole, and place the pan in the oven or on the back of the stove. cook slowly until the milk is reduced and the hash is sufficiently dry to serve. serve on buttered toast. . chicken with rice.--left-over chicken may be readily combined with rice to make a nutritious dish. to prepare chicken with rice, add to left-over gravy any left-over cold chicken cut into small pieces. if there is not enough gravy to cover the meat, add sufficient white sauce; if no gravy remains, use white sauce entirely. heat the chicken in the gravy or the sauce to the boiling point. then heap a mound of fresh steamed or boiled rice in the center of a deep platter or a vegetable dish and pour the chicken and sauce over it. serve hot. . baked poultry with rice.--a casserole or a baking dish serves as a good utensil in which to prepare a left-over dish of any kind of poultry, because it permits vegetables to be added and cooked thoroughly. baked poultry with rice is a dish that may be prepared in such a utensil. line a casserole or a baking dish with a thick layer of fresh steamed or boiled rice. fill the center with chopped cold poultry, which may be chicken, turkey, duck, or goose. add peas, chopped carrots, potato, and a few slices of onion in any desirable proportion. over this pour sufficient left-over gravy or white sauce to cover well. first, steam thoroughly; then uncover the utensil and bake slowly until the vegetables are cooked and the entire mixture is well heated. serve from the casserole or baking dish. serving and carving poultry . poultry of any kind should always be served on a platter or in a dish that has been heated in the oven or by running hot water over it. after placing the cooked bird on the platter or the dish from which it is to be served, it should be taken to the dining room and placed before the person who is to serve. if it is roasted, it will require carving. if not, the pieces may be served as they are desired by the individuals at the table. poultry having both dark and white meat is usually served according to the taste of each individual at the table. if no preference is stated, however, a small portion of each kind of meat is generally served. . the carving of broiled or roast chicken, turkey, duck, or goose may be done in the kitchen, but having the whole bird brought to the table and carved there adds considerably to a meal. carving is usually done by the head of the family, but in a family in which there are boys each one should be taught to carve properly, so that he may do the carving in the absence of another person. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] for carving, the bird should be placed on the platter so that it rests on its back; also, a well-sharpened carving knife and a fork should be placed at the right of the platter and the person who is to serve. to carve a bird, begin as shown in fig. ; that is, thrust the fork firmly into the side or breast of the fowl and cut through the skin where the leg joins the body, breaking the thigh joint. cut through this joint, severing the second joint and leg in one piece. then, if desired, cut the leg apart at the second joint. as the portions are thus cut, they may be placed on a separate platter that is brought to the table heated. next, in the same manner, cut off the other leg and separate it at the second joint. with the legs cut off, remove each wing at the joint where it is attached to the body, proceeding as shown in fig. . then slice the meat from the breast by cutting down from the ridge of the breast bone toward the wing, as in fig. . after this meat has been sliced off, there still remains some meat around the thigh and on the back. this should be sliced off or removed with the point of the knife, as in fig. , so that the entire skeleton will be clean, as in fig. . if the entire bird is not to be served, as much as is necessary may be cut and the remainder left on the bones. with each serving of meat a spoonful of dressing should be taken from the inside of the bird, provided it is stuffed, and, together with some gravy, served on the plate. [illustration: fig. ] * * * * * game general description . game, which includes the meat of deer, bear, rabbit, squirrel, wild duck, wild goose, partridge, pheasant, and some less common animals, such as possum, is not a particularly common food. however, it is sufficiently common to warrant a few directions concerning its use. game can be purchased or caught only during certain seasons, designated by the laws of various states. such laws are quite stringent and have been made for the protection of each particular species. . the meat of wild animals and birds is usually strong in flavor. just why this is so, however, is not definitely known. undoubtedly some of the strong flavor is due to the particular food on which the animal or the bird feeds, and much of this flavor is due to extractives contained in the flesh. when game birds and animals have considerable fat surrounding the tissues, the greater part of it is often rejected because of its extremely high flavor. by proper cooking, however, much of this flavor, if it happens to be a disagreeable one, can be driven off. the general composition of the flesh of various kinds of game does not differ greatly from that of similar domestic animals or birds. for instance, the flesh of bear is similar in its composition to that of fat beef, as bear is one of the wild animals that is very fat. venison, or the meat obtained from deer, contains much less fat, and its composition resembles closely that of very lean beef. rabbits and most of the wild birds are quite lean; in fact, they are so lean that it is necessary in the preparation of them to supply sufficient fat to make them more appetizing. recipes for game . only a few recipes for the preparation of game are here given, because, in the case of wild birds, the cookery methods do not differ materially from those given for poultry, and, in the case of such animals as bears, the directions for preparing steaks and other cuts are identical with the cooking of similar cuts of beef. rabbit and squirrel are perhaps the most common game used as food in the home; therefore, directions for cleaning and cooking them receive the most consideration. . preparing a rabbit for cooking.--in order to prepare a rabbit for cooking, it must first be skinned and drawn, after which it may be cut up or left whole, depending on the cookery method that is to be followed. to skin a rabbit, first chop off the feet at the first joint; then remove the head at the first joint below the skull and slit the skin of the stomach from a point between the forelegs to the hind legs. with this done, remove the entrails carefully, proceeding in much the same manner as in removing the entrails of a chicken. then slit the skin from the opening in the stomach around the back to the opposite side. catch hold on the back and pull the skin first from the hind legs and then from the forelegs. if the rabbit is to be stewed, wash it thoroughly and separate it into pieces at the joints. if it is to be roasted or braized, it may be left whole. a rabbit that is left whole presents a better appearance when it is trussed. to truss a rabbit, force the hind legs toward the head and fasten them in place by passing a skewer through the leg on one side, through the body, and into the leg on the other side. then skewer the front legs back under the body in the same way. in such a case, the head may be left on or removed, as desired. . roast rabbit.--roasting is the cookery process often used to prepare rabbit. to cook it in this way, first skin and clean the animal and stuff it. any of the stuffings previously given may be used for this purpose. then skewer the legs in position, place strips of bacon across the back, put in a roasting pan, and dredge with salt and pepper. also, add / cupful of hot water to which has been added a little butter or bacon fat. roast in a quick oven, and baste every minutes during the roasting. a few minutes before the rabbit is tender enough to be pierced with a fork, remove the strips of bacon so that the flesh underneath may brown. then remove from the pan and serve. . sautÉd rabbit.--if it is desired to prepare a rabbit by sautéing, skin and clean it, cut it into pieces, and dry all the pieces with a soft cloth. then melt bacon fat in a frying pan, and when it is hot place the pieces of rabbit in it and allow them to brown. add several sprigs of parsley and two small onions, sliced, season with salt and pepper, add a slice or two of bacon, and pour water over the whole until it is nearly covered. place a cover on the frying pan and simmer slowly. add water when it is necessary. when the meat is tender, remove it from the frying pan. then thicken the fluid that remains with a small amount of flour so as to make a gravy. serve hot. . rabbit pie.--rabbit made into pie is also a desirable way in which to serve rabbit. to prepare such a dish, skin and clean one or more rabbits and cut them up into as small pieces as possible, removing the largest bones. put these pieces into a baking dish, and over them place bacon cut into small strips. sprinkle all with chopped parsley, salt, and pepper, and add a few slices of onion, as well as some strips of carrot and potato, if desired. pour a sufficient amount of boiling water over the whole and allow to simmer slowly until the meat is partly cooked. then place in the oven and cook until the meat is tender. next, dredge the contents of the baking dish with flour and cover with a / -inch layer of baking-powder biscuit dough. make several slits through the dough to allow the steam to escape. bake until the dough becomes a well-browned crust. serve hot in the baking dish. . broiled squirrel.--for cooking, squirrel is cleaned in practically the same way as rabbit. squirrel may be made ready to eat by stewing, but as it is so small a creature, broiling is the usual method of preparation. to broil a squirrel, first remove the skin and clean it. then break the bones along the spine, so that the squirrel can be spread out flat. when thus made ready, place it on a well-greased hot broiler and sear it quickly on one side; then turn it and sear the other side. next, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, place strips of bacon across the back, and allow it to broil slowly until it is well browned. squirrel may be served in the same way as rabbit. . cuts of venison.--the meat obtained from deer, called venison, as has been mentioned, may be cut up to form cuts similar to those obtained from beef, such as steaks and roasts. although such meat is a rarity, it will be well to be familiar with a few of the methods of cooking it. these, however, do not differ materially from the methods of cooking other meats. . broiled venison.--to prepare venison for broiling, cut a steak from to - / inches thick. place this on a well-greased broiler and broil until well done. serve on a hot platter. garnish the broiled venison with parsley and pour over it sauce made as follows: sauce for broiled venison tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt / tsp. ground cinnamon tb. currant jelly tsp. lemon juice / c. port wine finely chopped maraschino cherries melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, salt, ground cinnamon, currant jelly, lemon juice, and the port wine, which should be heated with cupful of water. cook until the flour has thickened, remove from the fire, and add the cherries. . roast fillet of venison.--if a fillet of venison is to be roasted, proceed by larding it with strips of salt pork. then place it in a pan with one small onion, sliced, a bay leaf, and a small quantity of parsley, teaspoonful of salt, and / teaspoonful of pepper. dilute / cupful of vinegar with / cupful of water and add a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. pour this over the fillet and place it in a hot oven. cook until the liquid has evaporated sufficiently to allow the venison to brown. turn, so as to brown on both sides, and when quite tender and well browned, serve on a hot platter. . roast leg of venison.--if a leg of venison is to be roasted, first remove the skin, wipe the meat with a damp cloth, and cover it with a paste made of flour and water. then put it into a roasting pan and roast in a very hot oven. baste with hot water every minutes for about / hours. at the end of this time, remove the paste, spread the surface with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and continue to roast for to / hours longer. baste every minutes, basting during the last hour with hot water in which has been melted a small quantity of butter. then remove the venison from the pan and serve it on a hot platter with any desired sauce. poultry and game examination questions ( ) of what value is poultry in the diet? ( ) what effect do the feeding and care of poultry have upon it as food? ( ) mention briefly the proper preparation of poultry killed for market. ( ) (_a_) what are the most important things to consider when poultry is to be selected? (_b_) give the points that indicate good quality of poultry. ( ) how would you determine the age of a chicken? ( ) how would you determine the freshness of a chicken? ( ) (_a_) what are the marks of cold-storage poultry? (_b_) should cold-storage poultry be drawn or undrawn? tell why. ( ) how should frozen poultry be thawed? ( ) tell briefly how turkey should be selected. ( ) at what age and season is turkey best? ( ) discuss the selection of: (_a_) ducks; (_b_) geese. ( ) (_a_) how does the composition of poultry compare with that of meat? (_b_) what kind of chicken has a high food value? ( ) (_a_) how should a chicken be dressed? (_b_) what care should be given to the skin in plucking? ( ) give briefly the steps in drawing a chicken. ( ) give briefly the steps in cutting up a chicken. ( ) how is poultry prepared for: (_a_) roasting? (_b_) frying? (_c_) broiling? (_d_) stewing? ( ) (_a_) describe trussing, (_b_) why is trussing done? ( ) give briefly the steps in boning a chicken. ( ) tell briefly how to serve and carve a roasted bird. ( ) discuss game in a general way. additional work select a fowl by applying the tests given for selection in the lesson. prepare it by what seems to you to be the most economical method. tell how many persons are served and the use made of the left-overs. compute the cost per serving by dividing the cost of the fowl by the number of servings it made. at another time, select a chicken for frying by applying the tests given in the lesson. compute the cost per serving by dividing the cost of the chicken by the number of servings it made. compare the cost per serving of the fried chicken with that of the fowl, to find which is the more economical. in each case, collect the bones after the chicken is eaten and weigh them to determine which has the greater proportion of bone to meat, the fowl or the frying chicken. whether you have raised the poultry yourself or have purchased it in the market, use the market price in computing your costs. weigh the birds carefully before drawing them. * * * * * fish and shell fish * * * * * fish fish in the diet . fish provides another class of high-protein or tissue-building food. as this term is generally understood, it includes both vertebrate fish--that is, fish having a backbone, such as salmon, cod, shad, etc.--and many other water animals, such as lobsters, crabs, shrimp, oysters, and clams. a distinction, however, is generally made between these two groups, those having bones being regarded properly as _fish_ and those partly or entirely encased in shells, as _shell fish_. it is according to this distinction that this class of foods is considered in this section. because all the varieties of both fish and shell fish are in many respects similar, the term _sea food_ is often applied to them, but, as a rule, this term is restricted to designate salt-water products as distinguished from fresh-water fish. . fish can usually be purchased at a lower price than meat, and for this reason possesses an economic advantage over it. besides the price, the substitution of fish for meat makes for economy in a number of ways to which consideration is not usually given. these will become clearly evident when it is remembered that nearly all land animals that furnish meat live on many agricultural products that might be used for human food. then, too, other foods fed to animals, although not actually human foods, require in their raising the use of soil that might otherwise be utilized for the raising of food for human beings. this is not true in the case of fish. they consume the vegetation that grows in lakes, streams, and the ocean, as well as various kinds of insects, small fish, etc., which cannot be used as human food and which do not require the use of the soil. in addition, much of the food that animals, which are warm-blooded, take into their bodies is required to maintain a constant temperature above that of their surroundings, so that not all of what they eat is used in building up the tissues of their bodies. with fish, however, it is different. as they are cold-blooded and actually receive heat from their surroundings, they do not require food for bodily warmth. practically all that they take into the body is built up into a supply of flesh that may be used as food for human beings. . with fish, as with other foods, some varieties are sought more than others, the popularity of certain kinds depending on the individual taste or the preference of the people in a particular locality. such popularity, however, is often a disadvantage to the purchaser, because a large demand for certain varieties has a tendency to cause a rise in price. the increased price does not indicate that the fish is of more value to the consumer than some other fish that may be cheaper because it is less popular, although quite as valuable from a food standpoint. the preference for particular kinds of fish and the persistent disregard of others that are edible is for the most part due to prejudice. in certain localities, one kind of fish may be extremely popular while in others the same fish may not be used for food at all. such prejudice should be overcome, for, as a matter of fact, practically every fish taken from pure water is fit to eat, in the sense that it furnishes food and is not injurious to health. in addition, any edible fish should be eaten in the locality where it is caught. the transportation of this food is a rather difficult matter, and, besides, it adds to the cost. it is therefore an excellent plan to make use of the kind of fish that is most plentiful, as such practice will insure both better quality and a lower market price. . as is well known, fish is an extremely perishable food. therefore, when it is caught in quantities too great to be used at one time, it is preserved in various ways. the preservation methods that have proved to be the most satisfactory are canning, salting and drying, smoking, and preserving in various kinds of brine and pickle. as such methods are usually carried out in the locality where the fish is caught, many varieties of fish can be conveniently stored for long periods of time and so distributed as to meet the requirements of the consumer. this plan enables persons far removed from the source of supply to procure fish frequently. * * * * * composition and food value of fish composition of fish . comparison of fish with meat.--in general, the composition of fish is similar to that of meat, for both of them are high-protein foods. however, some varieties of fish contain large quantities of fat and others contain very little of this substance, so the food value of the different kinds varies greatly. as in the case of meat, fish is lacking in carbohydrate. because of the close similarity between these two foods, fish is a very desirable substitute for meat. in fact, fish is in some respects a better food than meat, but it cannot be used so continuously as meat without becoming monotonous; that is to say, a person will grow tired of fish much more quickly than of most meats. the similarity between the composition of fish and that of meat has much to do with regulating the price of these protein foods, which, as has already been learned, are the highest priced foods on the market. . protein in fish.--in fish, as well as in shell fish, a very large proportion of the food substances present is protein. this proportion varies with the quantity of water, bone, and refuse that the particular food contains, and with the physical structure of the food. in fresh fish, the percentage of this material varies from to per cent. the structure of fish is very similar to that of meat, as the flesh is composed of tiny hollow fibers containing extractives, in which are dissolved mineral salts and various other materials. the quantity of extractives found in these foods, however, is less than that found in meat. fish extracts of any kind, such as clam juice, oyster juice, etc., are similar in their composition to any of the extractives of meat, differing only in the kind and proportions. in addition to the muscle fibers of fish, which are, of course, composed of protein, fish contains a small quantity of albumin, just as meat does. it is the protein material in fish, as well as in shell fish, that is responsible for its very rapid decomposition. the application of heat has the same effect on the protein of fish as it has on that of meat, fowl, and other animal tissues. consequently, the same principles of cookery apply to both the retention and the extraction of flavor. . fat in fish.--the percentage of fat in fish varies from less than per cent. in some cases to a trifle more than per cent. in others, but this high percentage is rare, as the average fish probably does not exceed from to or per cent. of fat. this variation affects the total food value proportionately. the varieties of fish that contain the most fat deteriorate most rapidly and withstand transportation the least well, so that when these are secured in large quantities they are usually canned or preserved in some manner. fish containing a large amount of fat, such as salmon, turbot, eel, herring, halibut, mackerel, mullet, butterfish, and lake trout, have a more moist quality than those which are without fat, such as cod. therefore, as it is difficult to cook fish that is lacking in fat and keep it from becoming dry, a fat fish makes a more palatable food than a lean fish. the fat of fish is very strongly flavored; consequently, any that cooks out of fish in its preparation is not suitable for use in the cooking of other foods. . carbohydrate in fish.--like meat, fish does not contain carbohydrate in any appreciable quantity. in fact, the small amount that is found in the tissue, and that compares to the glycogen found in animal tissues, is not present in sufficient quantities to merit consideration. . mineral matter in fish.--in fish, mineral matter is quite as prevalent as in meat. through a notion that fish contains large proportions of phosphorus, and because this mineral is also present in the brain, the idea that fish is a brain food has become widespread. it has been determined, however, that this belief has no foundation. food value of fish . factors determining food value.--the total food value of fish, as has been shown, is high or low, varying with the food substances it contains. therefore, since, weight for weight, the food value of fat is much higher than that of protein, it follows that the fish containing the most fat has the highest food value. fat and protein, as is well known, do not serve the same function in the body, but each has its purpose and is valuable and necessary in the diet. some varieties of fish contain fat that is strong in flavor, and from these the fat should be removed before cooking, especially if the flavor is disagreeable. this procedure of course reduces the total food value of the fish, but it should be done if it increases the palatability. . relative nutritive value of fish and meat.--when fish and meat are compared, it will be observed that some kinds of fish have a higher food value than meat, particularly if the fish contains much fat and the meat is lean. when the average of each of these foods is compared, however, meat will be found to have a higher food value than fish. to show how fish compares with meat and fowl, the composition and food value of several varieties of each food are given in table i, which is taken from a united states government bulletin. table i comparison of composition and food value of fish and meat ---------------------------------------------------------------- | composition | total |food value| |-------------------| food | per pound| edible portion | protein | fat | value | due to | |per cent.|per cent.|per pound | protein | | | | calories | calories | ---------------------------------------------------------------- _fish_: | | | | | bass, black........| . | . | | | bluefish...........| . | . | | | carp...............| . | . | | | catfish............| . | . | , | | halibut steak......| . | . | | | lake trout.........| . | . | | | red snapper........| . | . | | | salmon (canned)....| . | . | | | whitefish..........| . | . | | | | | | | | _meat_: | | | | | beef, round, | | | | | medium fat.......| . | . | | | chicken, broilers..| . | . | | | fowl...............| . | . | , | | lamb, leg..........| . | . | | | pork chops.........| . | . | , | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- . a study of this table will show that on the whole the percentage of protein in the various kinds of fish is as much as that in meat, while in a few instances, it is greater. this proves that so far as the quantity of protein is concerned, these two foods are equally valuable in their tissue-forming and tissue-building qualities. it will be seen also that the percentage of fat in fish varies greatly, some varieties containing more than meat, but most of them containing less. furthermore, the total food value per pound, in calories, is for the most part greater in meat than in fish, whereas the food value per pound due to protein is equivalent in most cases, but higher in some of the fish than in the meat. . it must also be remembered that the drying or preserving of fish does not in any way decrease its food value. in fact, pound for pound, dried fish, both smoked and salt, contains more nutritive value than fresh fish, because the water, which decreases the food value of fresh fish, is driven off in drying. however, when prepared for eating, dried fish in all probability has more food value than fresh fish, because water or moisture of some sort must be supplied in its preparation. . the method of preparing dried or preserved fish, as well as fresh fish, has much to do with the food value obtained from it. just as nutritive value is lost in the cooking of meat by certain methods, so it may be lost in the preparation of fish if the proper methods are not applied. to obtain as much food value from fish as possible, the various points that are involved in its cookery must be thoroughly understood. certain facts concerning the buying of fish must also be kept in mind. for instance, in canned fish, almost all the bones, skin, and other inedible parts, except the tails, heads, and fins of very small fish, have been removed before packing, indicating that practically all the material purchased is edible. in the case of fresh fish, a large percentage of what is bought must be wasted in preparation and in eating, the percentage of waste varying from to per cent. . digestibility of fish.--the food value of any food is an important item when its usefulness as a food is taken into account, but of equal importance is the manner in which the body uses the food; that is, whether it digests the food with ease or with difficulty. therefore, when the value of fish as a food is to be determined, its digestibility must receive definite consideration. as has already been explained, much depends on the cooking of the food in question. on the whole, fish is found to be more easily digested than meat, with the exception perhaps of a few kinds or certain cuts. that physicians recognize this characteristic is evidenced by the fact that fish is often used in the feeding of invalids or sick people when meat is not permitted. . the ease with which fish is digested is influenced largely by the quantity of fat it contains, for this fat, acting in identically the same way as the fat of meat, has the effect of slowing the digestion that is carried on in the stomach. it follows, then, that with possibly one or two exceptions the kinds of fish most easily digested are those which are lean. . in addition to the correct cooking of fish and the presence of fat, a factor that largely influences the digestibility of this food is the length of the fibers of the flesh. it will be remembered that the parts of an animal having long fibers are tougher and less easily digested than those having short fibers. this applies with equal force in the case of fish. its truth is evident when it is known that cod, a lean fish, is digested with greater difficulty than some of the fat fish because of the length and toughness of its fibers. this, however, is comparative, and it must not be thought that fish on the whole is digested with difficulty. . another factor that influences the digestibility of fish is the salting of it. whether fish is salted dry or in brine, the salt hardens the fibers and tissues. while the salt acts as a preservative in causing this hardening, it, at the same time, makes the fish preserved in this manner a little more difficult to digest. this slight difference need scarcely be considered so far as the normal adult is concerned, but in case of children or persons whose digestion is not entirely normal its effect is likely to be felt. purchase and care of fish table ii names, seasons, and uses of fresh fish name of fish season method of cookery bass, black....... all the year........... fried, baked bass, sea......... all the year........... baked, broiled, fried bass, striped..... all the year........... baked, broiled, fried bass, lake........ june to january .... baked, broiled, fried bluefish.......... may to november .... baked, broiled butterfish........ october to may ..... fried, sautéd carp.............. july to november ... baked, broiled, fried catfish........... all the year........... fried, sautéd codfish........... all the year........... boiled, fried, sautéd, baked, broiled eels.............. all the year........... fried, boiled, baked flounder.......... all the year........... sautéd, fried, baked haddock........... all the year........... steamed, boiled, fried halibut........... all the year........... boiled, fried, creamed herring........... october to may ..... sautéd, fried, broiled kingfish.......... may to november .... boiled, steamed, baked mackerel.......... april to october ... baked, broiled, boiled, fried perch, fresh...... september to june .. fried, broiled water pike, or.......... june to january .... fried, broiled, baked pickerel, fresh water porgies, salt..... june to october .. fried, sautéd water red snapper....... october to april ... boiled, steamed salmon, kennebec.. june to october .... broiled, baked, boiled salmon, oregon.... october to june .... broiled, baked, boiled shad.............. january to june .... baked, broiled, fried shad roe.......... january to june .... broiled, fried sheepshead........ june to september . boiled, fried smelts............ august to april .. fried, sautéd sole, english..... november to may .... baked, broiled, fried sunfish........... may to december .... fried, sautéd trout, fresh...... april to september . baked, broiled, fried, water boiled, sautéd weakfish, or...... may to october ... baked, broiled sea trout whitebait......... may to april ....... fried, sautéd whitefish,........ november to march .. baked, fried, sautéd, fresh water broiled . purchase of fish.--the housewife has much to do with the market price of fish and the varieties that are offered for sale, for these are governed by the demand created by her. the fisherman's catch depends on weather conditions, the season, and other uncertain factors. if the kinds of fish he secures are not what the housewife demands, they either will not be sent to market or will go begging on the market for want of purchasers. such a state of affairs should not exist, and it would not if every housewife were to buy the kind of fish that is plentiful in her home market. so that she may become familiar with the varieties that the market affords, she should carefully study tables ii and iii, which give the names, seasons, and uses of both fresh fish and salt and smoked fish. with the information given in these tables well in mind, she will be able not only to select the kind she wants, but to cooperate better with dealers. table iii names, seasons, and uses of salt and smoked fish name of fish season method of cookery salt fish anchovies........ all the year.. served as a relish, stuffed with various highly seasoned mixtures, used as flavor for sauce codfish, dried... all the year.. creamed, balls herring, pickled. all the year.. sautéd mackerel......... all the year.. broiled, fried, sautéd salmon, salt..... all the year.. fried, broiled, boiled smoked fish haddock, or...... october to. broiled, baked, creamed finnan haddie april halibut.......... october to.. baked, broiled, fried april herring.......... all the year.. served as a relish without cooking mackerel......... october to.. baked, boiled, fried november smoked salmon.... all the year.. baked, boiled, fried shad............. october to.. baked, boiled, fried may sturgeon......... october to.. baked, boiled, fried may whitefish........ october to.. baked, boiled, fried may [illustration: fig. ] . another point to be considered in the purchase of fish is the size. some fish, such as halibut and salmon, are so large that they must usually be cut into slices or steaks to permit the housewife to purchase the quantity she requires for immediate use. other fish are of such size that one is sufficient for a meal, and others are so small that several must be purchased to meet the requirements. an idea or the difference in the size of fish can be gained from figs. and . the larger fish in fig. is a medium-sized whitefish and the smaller one is a smelt. fish about the size of smelts lend themselves readily to frying and sautéing, whereas the larger kinds, like whitefish, may be prepared to better advantage by baking either with or without suitable stuffing. the larger fish in fig. is a carp and the smaller one is a pike. much use is made of pike, but carp has been more shunned than sought after. however, when carp is properly cooked, it is a very palatable food, and, besides, it possesses high food value. [illustration: fig. ] . in the purchase of fish, the housewife, provided she is not obliged to have fish for a particular day, will do well also to get away from the one-day-a-week purchasing of fish; that is, if she is not obliged to serve fish on friday, she should endeavor to serve it on some other day. even twice a week is not too often. if such a plan were followed out, fishermen would be able to market their catch when it is procured and the waste of fish or the necessity for keeping it until a particular day would be overcome. . another way in which the housewife can help herself in the selection of fish is to become familiar with all the varieties of edible fish caught in or near her community. when she has done this, it will be a splendid plan for her to give those with which she is unfamiliar a trial. she will be surprised at the many excellent varieties that are obtained in her locality and consequently come to her fresher than fish that has to be shipped long distances. . freshness of fish.--in the purchase of fish, the housewife should not permit herself to be influenced by any prejudice she may have as to the name or the appearance of the fish. however, too much attention cannot be paid to its freshness. several tests can be applied to fish to determine whether or not it is fresh; therefore, when a housewife is in doubt, she should make an effort to apply them. fish should not give off any offensive odor. the eyes should be bright and clear, not dull nor sunken. the gills should have a bright-red color, and there should be no blubber showing. the flesh should be so firm that no dent will be made when it is touched with the finger. fish may also be tested for freshness by placing it in a pan of water; if it sinks, it may be known to be fresh, but if it floats it is not fit for use. . care of fish in the home.--if fish is purchased in good condition, and every effort should be made to see that it is, the responsibility of its care in the home until it is presented to the family as a cooked dish rests on the housewife. if, upon reaching the housewife, it has not been cleaned, it should be cleaned at once. in case it has been cleaned either by the fish dealer or the housewife and cannot be cooked at once, it should be looked over carefully, immediately washed in cold water, salted slightly inside and out, placed in a covered enamel or porcelain dish, and then put where it will keep as cold as possible. if a refrigerator is used, the fish should be put in the compartment from which odors cannot be carried to foods in the other compartments. in cold weather, an excellent plan is to put the fish out of doors instead of in the refrigerator, for there it will remain sufficiently cold without the use of ice. however, the best and safest way is to cook the fish at once, so that storing it for any length of time after its delivery will not be necessary. salt and smoked fish do not, of course, require the same care as fresh fish. however, as many of these varieties are strong in flavor, it is well to weaken their flavor before cooking them by soaking them or, if possible, by parboiling them. preparation of fish for cooking . cleaning fish.--fish is usually prepared for cooking at the market where it is purchased, but frequently a fish comes into the home just as it has been caught. in order to prepare such a fish properly for cooking, the housewife must understand how to clean it. the various steps in cleaning fish are illustrated in figs. to . the first step consists in removing the scales. to do this, place the fish on its side, as shown in fig. , grasp it firmly by the tail, and [illustration: fig. ] then with the cutting edge of a knife, preferably a dull one, scrape off the scales by quick motions of the knife toward the head of the fish. when one side has been scraped clean, or _scaled_, as this operation is called, turn the fish over and scale the other side. [illustration: fig. ] with the fish scaled, proceed to remove the entrails. as shown in fig. , cut a slit in the belly from the head end to the vent, using a sharp knife. run the opening up well toward the head, as fig. shows, and then through the opening formed draw out the entrails with the fingers. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] if the head is to be removed, it should be cut off at this time. when a fish is to be baked or prepared in some other way in which the head may be retained, it is allowed to remain on, but it is kept more for an ornament than for any other reason. to remove the head, slip a sharp knife under the gills as far as possible, as fig. shows, and then cut it off in such a way as not to remove with it any of the body of the fish. whether the head is removed or not, make sure that the cavity formed by taking out the entrails is perfectly clean. then wash the fish with cold water and, if desired, cut off the fins and tail, although this is not usually done. the fish, which is now properly prepared, may be cooked at once or placed in the refrigerator until time for cooking. [illustration: fig. ] . boning fish.--in the preparation of some kinds of fish, it is often desired to bone the fish; that is, to remove the backbone and the ribs. figs. to show the various steps in the process of boning. after the fish has been thoroughly cleaned, insert a sharp-pointed knife in the back where it is cut from the head, as shown in fig. , and loosen the backbone at this place. then, as in fig. , slip the knife along the ribs away from the backbone on both sides. after getting the bone well loosened at the end, cut it from the flesh all the way down to the tail, as shown in fig. . when thus separated from the flesh, the backbone and the ribs, which comprise practically all the bones in a fish, may be lifted out intact, as is shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . skinning fish.--some kinds of fish, especially those having no scales, such as flounder, catfish, and eels, are made more palatable by being skinned. to skin a fish, cut a narrow strip of the skin along the spine from the head to the tail, as shown in fig. . at this opening, loosen the skin on one side where it is fastened to the bony part of the fish and then, as in fig. , draw it off around toward the belly, working carefully so as not to tear the flesh. sometimes it is a good plan to use a knife for this purpose, working the skin loose from the flesh with the knife and at the same time pulling the skin with the other hand. after removing the skin from one side, turn the fish and take off the skin from the other side in the same way. care should be taken to clean the fish properly before attempting to skin it. if the fish is frozen, it should first be thawed in cold water. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . filleting fish.--as many recipes require fish to be cut into _fillets_, that is, thick, flat slices from which the bone is removed, it is well for the housewife to understand just how to accomplish this part of the preparation. figs. to show the filleting of a flounder. while this process varies somewhat in the different varieties of fish, the usual steps are the ones here outlined. after thoroughly cleaning the flounder and removing the skin, lay the fish out flat and cut the flesh down through the center from the head end to the tail, as shown in fig. . then, with a knife, work each half of the flesh loose from the bones, as in fig. . with these two pieces removed, turn the fish over, cut the flesh down through the center, and separate it from the bones in the same manner as before. if a meat board is on hand, it is a good plan to place the fish on such a board before removing the flesh. at the end of the filleting process, the flounder should appear as shown in fig. , the long, narrow strips on the right being the flesh and that remaining on the board being the bones intact. the strips thus produced may be cut into pieces of any preferred size. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] * * * * * recipes for fish and fish accompaniments methods of cooking fish . as tables ii and iii show, practically all methods of cookery are applicable in the cooking of fish. for instance, fish may be boiled, steamed, baked, fried, broiled, sautéd, and, in addition, used for various kinds of bisques, chowders, and numerous other made dishes. the effect of these different methods is exactly the same on fish as on meat, since the two foods are the same in general construction. the cookery method to select depends largely on the size, kind, quality, and flavor of the fish. just as an old chicken with well-developed muscles is not suitable for broiling, so a very large fish should not be broiled unless it can be cut into slices, steaks, or thin pieces. cook cutting fish with knife. such a fish is usually either stuffed and baked or baked without stuffing, but when it is cut into slices, the slices may be sautéd, fried, broiled, or steamed. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. fish on cutting board] some varieties of fish are more or less tasteless. these should be prepared by a cookery method that will improve their flavor, or if the cooking fails to add flavor, a highly seasoned or highly flavored sauce should be served with them. the acid of vinegar or lemon seems to assist in bringing out the flavor of fish, so when a sauce is not used, a slice of lemon is often served with the fish. recipes for fish sauces and stuffings . as many of the recipes for fish call for sauce and stuffing, recipes for these accompaniments are taken up before the methods of cooking fish are considered. this plan will make it possible for the beginner to become thoroughly familiar with these accompaniments and thus be better prepared to carry out the recipes for cooking fish. . sauces for fish.--sauces are generally served with fish to improve their flavor and increase their nutritive value. some kinds of fish, such as salmon, shad, butterfish, spanish mackerel, etc., contain more than per cent. of fat, but as many of the fish that are used for food contain less than this, they are somewhat dry and are improved considerably by the addition of a well-seasoned and highly flavored sauce. then, too, some fish contain very few extractives, which, when present, as has been learned, are the source of flavor in food. as some of the methods of cooking, boiling in particular, dissolve the few extractives that fish contain and cause the loss of much of the nutritive material, it becomes almost necessary to serve a sauce with fish so prepared, if a tasty dish is to be the result. . the sauces that may be used with fish are numerous, and the one to select depends somewhat on the cookery method employed and the preference of those to whom the fish is served. among the recipes that follow will be found sauces suitable for any method that may be used in the preparation of fish. a little experience with them will enable the housewife to determine the ones that are most satisfactory as to both flavor and nutritive value for the different varieties of fish she uses and the methods of cookery she employs. lemon cream sauce tb. butter tb. flour c. thin cream salt and pepper juice of lemon or tb. vinegar melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour, and continue stirring until the two are well mixed. add to this the thin cream and stir until the mixture is thick and boils. season with salt, pepper, and the juice of the lemon or the vinegar. spanish sauce tb. butter slice of onion tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. milk / c. tomato purée / c. chopped pimiento brown the butter with the onion, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and stir until well blended. add the milk and allow the mixture to cook until it thickens. to this add the tomato and pimiento. heat thoroughly and serve. nut sauce tb. butter tb. flour tb. peanut butter / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper c. meat stock melt the butter and add the flour and peanut butter. when they are well mixed, allow them to brown slightly. add the salt and pepper to this mixture and pour into it the meat stock. bring to the boiling point and serve. horseradish sauce / c. cream / c. boiled salad dressing tb. grated horseradish / tsp. salt / tsp. paprika / tsp. mustard whip the cream until stiff; then add the salad dressing, horseradish, salt, paprika, and mustard. when well blended, the sauce is ready to serve. egg sauce tb. butter tb. flour / c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. vinegar egg tb. chopped parsley melt the butter, add the flour, and stir until well blended. add the milk, salt, and pepper, and cook until the mixture thickens. to this add the vinegar, the egg chopped fine, and the chopped parsley. heat thoroughly and serve. tomato sauce c. tomato purée small onion, sliced bay leaf cloves tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper strain stewed tomato to make the purée. put this over the fire in a saucepan with the sliced onion, the bay leaf, and the cloves. cook slowly for about minutes. strain to remove the onion, bay leaf, and cloves. melt the butter, add the flour, salt, and pepper, and into this pour the hot tomato. cook until it thickens and serve. mushroom sauce tb. butter slice of carrot slice of onion sprig of parsley / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. flour c. meat stock / c. mushrooms tsp. lemon juice put the butter in a frying pan with the carrot, onion, parsley, salt, and pepper, and cook together until brown. remove the onion, carrot, and parsley. stir in the flour, brown it slightly, and then add the meat stock. cook together until thickened. just before removing from the fire, add the mushrooms, chopped into fine pieces, and the lemon juice. allow it to heat thoroughly and then serve. drawn-butter sauce / c. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper - / c. hot water hard-cooked eggs melt the butter, and add the flour, salt, and pepper. pour into this the hot water, and cook until the mixture thickens. slice the eggs into / -inch slices and add these to the sauce just before removing from the stove. . stuffing for fish.--as has been mentioned, fish that is to be baked is often stuffed before it is put into the oven. the stuffing not only helps to preserve the shape of the fish, but also provides a means of extending the flavor of the fish to a starchy food, for bread or cracker crumbs are used in the preparation of most stuffings. three recipes for fish stuffing are here given, the first being made of bread crumbs and having hot water for the liquid, the second of cracker crumbs and having milk for the liquid, and the third of bread crumbs and having stewed tomato for the liquid. fish stuffing no. / c. butter / c. hot water / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tsp. onion juice tb. chopped parsley c. fine bread crumbs melt the butter in the hot water, add the salt, pepper, onion juice, and parsley, and pour over the crumbs. mix thoroughly and use to stuff the fish. fish stuffing no. / c. milk c. cracker crumbs / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. melted butter tb. chopped parsley egg warm the milk and add it to the crumbs, together with the salt, pepper, melted butter, and parsley. to this mixture, add the beaten egg. when well mixed, use as stuffing for fish. fish stuffing no. tb. butter tb. finely chopped onion tb. chopped parsley / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. chopped sour pickles / c. stewed tomato c. stale bread crumbs melt the butter and add the onion, parsley, salt, pepper, pickles, and tomato. pour this mixture over the crumbs, mix all thoroughly, and use to stuff the fish. if the dressing seems to require more liquid than the stewed tomato, add a little water. recipes for fresh fish . boiled fish.--boiling extracts flavor and, to some extent, nutriment from the food to which this cookery method is applied. therefore, unless the fish to be cooked is one that has a very strong flavor and that will be improved by the loss of flavor, it should not be boiled. much care should be exercised in boiling fish, because the meat is usually so tender that it is likely to boil to pieces or to fall apart. [illustration: fig. ] . a utensil in which fish can be boiled or steamed very satisfactorily is shown in fig. . this _fish boiler_, as it is called, is a long, narrow, deep pan with a cover and a rack on which the fish is placed. attached to each end of the rack is an upright strip, or handle, that permits the rack containing the fish to be lifted out of the pan and the fish thus removed without breaking. to assist further in holding the fish together while it is cooking, a piece of gauze or cheesecloth may be wrapped around the fish before it is put into the pan. . when a fish is to be boiled, clean it and, if desired, remove the head. pour sufficient boiling water to cover the fish well into the vessel in which it is to be cooked, and add salt in the proportion of teaspoonful to each quart of water. tie the fish in a strip of cheesecloth or gauze if necessary, and lower it into the vessel of slowly boiling water. allow the fish to boil until it may be easily pierced with a fork; then take it out of the water and remove the cloth, provided one is used. serve with a well-seasoned sauce, such as lemon cream, horseradish, etc. . boiled cod.--a fish that lends itself well to boiling is fresh cod. in fact, codfish prepared according to this method and served with a sauce makes a very appetizing dish. scale, clean, and skin a fresh cod and wrap it in a single layer of gauze or cheesecloth. place it in a kettle or a pan of freshly boiling water to which has been added teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water. boil until the fish may be easily pierced with a fork, take from the water, and remove the gauze or cheesecloth carefully so as to keep the fish intact. serve with sauce and slices of lemon. . steamed fish.--the preparation of fish by steaming is practically the same as that by boiling, and produces a dish similar to boiled fish. the only difference is that steamed fish is suspended over the water and is cooked by the steam that rises instead of being cooked directly in the water. because the fish is not surrounded by water, it does not lose its nutriment and flavor so readily as does boiled fish. if fish is to be cooked by steaming, first clean it thoroughly. wrap in a strip of gauze or cheesecloth and place in a steamer. steam until tender, and then remove the cloth and place the fish on a platter. as steaming does not add flavor, it is usually necessary to supply flavor to fish cooked in this way by adding a sauce of some kind. . broiled fish.--the best way in which to cook small fish, thin strips of fish, or even good-sized fish that are comparatively thin when they are split open is to broil them. since in this method of cooking the flavor is entirely retained, it is especially desirable for any fish of delicate flavor. to broil fish, sear them quickly over a very hot fire and then cook them more slowly until they are done, turning frequently to prevent burning. as most fish, and particularly the small ones used for broiling, contain almost no fat, it is necessary to supply fat for successful broiling and improvement of flavor. it is difficult to add fat to the fish while it is broiling, so, as a rule, the fat is spread over the surface of the fish after it has been removed from the broiler. the fat may consist of broiled strips of bacon or salt pork, or it may be merely melted butter or other fat. . broiled scrod with potato border.--young cod that is split down the back and that has had the backbone removed with the exception of a small portion near the tail is known as _scrod_. such fish is nearly always broiled, it may be served plain, but it is much more attractive when potatoes are combined with it in the form of an artistic border. to prepare this dish, broil the scrod according to the directions given in art. . then place it on a hot platter and spread butter over it. boil the desired number of potatoes until they are tender, and then force them through a ricer or mash them until they are perfectly fine. season with salt, pepper, and butter, and add sufficient milk to make a paste that is a trifle stiffer than for mashed potatoes. if desired, raw eggs may also be beaten into the potatoes to serve as a part of the moisture. fill a pastry bag with the potatoes thus prepared and press them through a rosette tube in any desired design on the platter around the fish. bake in a hot oven until the potatoes are thoroughly heated and are browned slightly on the top. . broiled fresh mackerel.--probably no fish lends itself better to broiling than fresh mackerel, as the flesh of this fish is tender and contains sufficient fat to have a good flavor. to improve the flavor, however, strips of bacon are usually placed over the fish and allowed to broil with it. clean and skin a fresh mackerel. place the fish thus prepared in a broiler, and broil first on one side and then on the other. when seared all over, place strips of bacon over the fish and continue to broil until it is done. remove from the broiler, season with salt and pepper, and serve. . broiled shad roe.--the mass of eggs found in shad, as shown in fig. , is known as the _roe_ of shad. roe may be purchased separately, when it is found in the markets from january to june , or it may be procured from the fish itself. it makes a delicious dish when broiled, especially when it is rolled in fat and bread crumbs. [illustration: fig. ] wash the roe that is to be used and dry it carefully between towels. roll it in bacon fat or melted butter and then in fine crumbs. place in a broiler, broil until completely done on one side, turn and then broil until entirely cooked on the other side. remove from the broiler and pour melted butter over each piece. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . baked fish.--good-sized fish, that is, fish weighing or pounds, are usually baked. when prepared by this method, fish are very satisfactory if they are spread out on a pan, flesh side up, and baked in a very hot oven with sufficient fat to flavor them well. a fish of large size, however, is especially delicious if its cavity is filled with a stuffing before it is baked. when a fish is to be stuffed, any desired stuffing is prepared and then filled into the fish in the manner shown in fig. . with the cavity well filled, the edges of the fish are drawn together over the stuffing and sewed with a coarse needle and thread, as fig. shows. whether the fish is stuffed or not, the same principles apply in its baking as apply in the roasting of meat; that is, the heat of a quick, hot oven sears the flesh, keeps in the juices, and prevents the loss of flavor, while that of a slow oven causes the loss of much of the flavor and moisture and produces a less tender dish. [illustration: fig. ] . often, in the baking of fish, it is necessary to add fat. this may be done by putting fat of some kind into the pan with the fish, by spreading strips of bacon over the fish, or by larding it. in the dry varieties of fish, larding, which is illustrated in fig. , proves very satisfactory, for it supplies the substance in which the fish is most lacking. as will be observed, larding is done by inserting strips of bacon or salt pork that are about inches long and / inch thick into gashes cut into the sides of the fish. [illustration: fig. ] . baked haddock.--as haddock is a good-sized fish, it is an especially suitable one for baking. however, it is a dry fish, so fat should be added to it to improve its flavor. any of the methods suggested in art. may be used to supply the fat that this fish needs. when haddock is to be baked, select a or -pound fish, clean it thoroughly, boning it if desired, and sprinkle it inside and out with salt. fill the cavity with any desired stuffing and sew up. place in a dripping pan, and add some bacon fat or a piece of salt pork, or place several slices of bacon around it. bake in a hot oven for about hour. after it has been in the oven for about minutes, baste with the fat that will be found in the bottom of the pan and continue to baste every minutes until the fish is done. remove from the pan to a platter, garnish with parsley and slices of broiled bacon, and serve with any desired sauce. . baked halibut.--because of its size, halibut is cut into slices and sold in the form of steaks. it is probably one of the most economical varieties of fish to buy, for very little bone is contained in a slice and the money that the housewife expends goes for almost solid meat. halibut slices are often sautéd, but they make a delicious dish when baked with tomatoes and flavored with onion, lemon, and bay leaf, as described in the accompanying recipe. baked halibut (sufficient to serve six) c. tomatoes few slices onion bay leaf tsp. salt / tsp. pepper thin slices bacon tb. flour lb. halibut steak heat the tomatoes, onion, and bay leaf in water. add the salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes. cut the bacon into small squares, try it out in a pan, and into this fat stir the flour. pour this into the hot mixture, remove the bay leaf, and cook until the mixture thickens. put the steaks into a baking dish, pour the sauce over them, and bake in a slow oven for about minutes. remove with the sauce to a hot platter and serve. . baked fillets of whitefish.--when whitefish of medium size can be secured, it is very often stuffed and baked whole, but variety can be had by cutting it into fillets before baking it. besides producing a delicious dish, this method of preparation eliminates carving at the table, for the pieces can be cut the desired size for serving. prepare fillets of whitefish according to the directions for filleting fish in art. . sprinkle each one with salt and pepper, and dip it first into beaten egg and then into bread crumbs. brown some butter in a pan, place the fish into it, and set the pan in a hot oven. bake until the fillets are a light brown, or about minutes. remove to a hot dish, garnish with parsley and serve with any desired sauce. [illustration: fig. ] . fillet of flounder.--in appearance, flounder is not so attractive as many other fish, but it is a source of excellent flesh and is therefore much used. a very appetizing way in which to prepare flounder is to fillet it and prepare it according to the accompanying recipe, when it will appear as in fig. . secure a flounder and fillet it in the manner explained in art. . cut each fillet into halves, making eight pieces from one flounder. cut small strips of salt pork or bacon, roll the pieces of flounder around these, and fasten with a toothpick. place in a baking dish with a small quantity of water, and bake in a hot oven until a good brown. serve hot. [illustration: fig. ] . planked fish.--like planked steak, planked fish, which is illustrated in fig. , is a dish that appeals to the eye and pleases the taste. the fish is baked on the plank and then surrounded with a border of potatoes, the fish and potatoes making an excellent food. to prepare planked fish, thoroughly clean and bone a medium-size whitefish, shad, haddock, or any desired fish. grease a plank and place the fish on it. lay some strips of bacon across the top of the fish, place in a hot oven, and bake for about minutes or a little longer if necessary. boil potatoes and prepare them for piping by mashing them, using tablespoonfuls of milk, tablespoonful of butter, and one egg to each cupfuls of potato. then, with a rosette pastry tube, pipe a border of potatoes around the edge of the plank, so that it will appear as in fig. . likewise, pipe rosettes of potatoes on the strips of bacon placed on top of the fish. then replace the plank with the fish and potatoes in the oven, and bake until the potatoes are brown. garnish with parsley and serve. . fried fish.--very small fish or slices of larger fish are often fried in deep fat. when they are prepared in this way, they are first dipped into beaten egg and then into crumbs or corn meal to form a coating that will cling to their surface. coated with such a material, they are fried in deep fat until the surface is nicely browned. after being removed from the fat, they should be drained well before serving. . fried perch.--when fried in deep fat, perch is found to be very appetizing. to prepare it in this way, secure a perch and scale and clean it. cut it crosswise into -inch strips, roll each piece in flour, and fry in deep fat until nicely browned. serve hot with lemon or with a sauce of some kind. . fried eel.--if an appetizing way to cook eel is desired, it will be found advisable to fry it in deep fat. when it is to be cooked in this way, skin and clean the eel and cut it into thick slices. pour some vinegar over the slices, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and allow them to stand for several hours. remove the pieces from the vinegar, dip each one into slightly beaten egg and then into flour, and fry in deep fat until well browned. serve plain or with a sauce. . sautÉd fish.--without doubt, the most popular way to prepare fish is to sauté them. this method may be applied to practically the same kinds of fish that are fried or broiled, and it is especially desirable for the more tasteless varieties. it consists in browning the fish well in a small quantity of fat, first on one side and then on the other. if fat of good flavor is used, such as bacon or ham fat, the flavor of the fish will be very much improved. before sautéing, the fish or pieces of fish are often dipped into slightly beaten egg and then rolled in flour, very fine cracker crumbs, or corn meal, or the egg is omitted and they are merely covered with the dry, starchy material. the effect of this method of cooking is very similar to that of deep-fat frying, except that the outside tissues are apt to become, very hard from the application of the hot fat because of the coating that is generally used. since most fish breaks very easily, it is necessary that it be handled carefully in this method in order that the pieces may be kept whole. [illustration: fig. ] . sautÉd smelts.--to be most satisfactory, smelts are generally sautéd, as shown in fig. . fish of this kind are prepared for cooking by cutting off the heads and removing the entrails through the opening thus made; or, if it is desired to leave the heads on, the entrails may be removed through the gill or a small slit cut below the mouth. at any rate, these fish are not cut open as are most other fish. with the fish thus prepared, roll them in fine cracker crumbs and sauté them in melted butter until they are nicely browned. serve with slices of lemon. . sautÉd halibut steak.--slices of halibut, when firm in texture and cut about / inch thick, lend themselves very well to sautéing. secure the required number of such slices and sprinkle each with salt and pepper. then spread melted butter over each steak, and roll it in fine crumbs. place fat in a frying pan, allow it to become hot, and sauté the halibut in this until well browned. . sautÉd pickerel.--a variety of fresh-water fish that finds favor with most persons is pickerel. when this fish is to be sautéd, scale and clean it and cut it crosswise into -inch strips. then roll each piece in flour, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and sauté the slices in hot fat. when one side is sufficiently brown, turn and brown on the other side. . stewed fish.--like boiling, stewing extracts flavor and nutriment from fish. the process differs, however, in that the fish is cooked gently by simmering. this cookery method is employed for fish that is inclined to be tough. usually, vegetables, such as carrots and onions, are cooked with the fish in order to impart flavor. to prevent the fish from falling apart, it may be wrapped in cheesecloth or gauze. . stewed fresh herring.--when fresh herring can be obtained, it can be made into a delicious dish by stewing it with onions, parsley, and carrots. in this method of preparation, the herring should not be permitted to stew rapidly; it will become more tender if it simmers gently. as herring are rather small fish, weighing only about / pound, it will usually be necessary to obtain more than one for a meal. clean the required number of fresh herring, place them in a saucepan, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. brown some slices of onion in butter, and add the same number of slices of carrots and a generous quantity of parsley. add enough boiling water to these vegetables to cover them and the fish, and pour both over the fish. place all on the fire and simmer gently until the fish is tender. remove the fish from the water and serve. the vegetables are used merely to add flavor, and they will have practically boiled away by the time the fish is cooked. . stewed eel.--eel is delicious when stewed. when allowed to simmer slowly with several slices of onion and a little parsley, it becomes both tasty and tender. skin and clean the eel that is to be stewed, remove all the fat, and cut into pieces about inches long. season well with salt and pepper and place in a saucepan with several slices of onion, tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and tablespoonfuls of butter. add enough cold water to cover well, and allow the eel to simmer gently until it is tender enough to be pierced with a fork. remove from the water and serve hot. recipes for salt and smoked fish . place of salt and smoked fish in the diet.--in regions where fresh fish cannot be obtained or in seasons when they are scarce everywhere, the housewife will do well to use salt and smoked fish. these varieties of fish not only will give her a chance to vary the diet, but will enable her to provide at a more economical price, food that, pound for pound, contains more nutriment than the same fish when fresh. while some of the varieties of smoked and salt fish may not be obtainable in all communities, the housewife will do much toward bringing the supply to her community by requesting them from the dealer. when a dealer knows that there is a demand for certain kinds, he will make an effort to secure the varieties wanted. . freshening salt and smoked fish.--the cooking of salt and smoked fish is not a difficult matter, but it always involves the freshening of the fish before any cooking method can be applied. this consists in placing the fish in a large quantity of water and allowing it to stand until enough of the salt has been extracted to suit the taste. some kinds of fish are so salty that they require considerable soaking, whereas others require only a little freshening. however, it is usually advisable to change the water several times. if it is desired to hasten the extraction of the salt, the fish should be raised above the bottom of the vessel by means of a wire rack or several clean sticks. in the case of very thick fish, several gashes may be cut into the flesh to permit the salt to pass out more readily. . creamed codfish.--since codfish is a rather dry fish, containing little fat, it is usually combined with some other food to make it more appetizing. in the case of creamed codfish, the cream sauce supplies the food substances in which the fish is lacking and at the same time provides a very palatable dish. when codfish is prepared in this way, boiled potatoes are usually served with it. to make creamed codfish, freshen the required amount of codfish by pouring lukewarm water over it. shred the fish by breaking it into small pieces with the fingers. pour off the water, add fresh warm water, and allow the fish to stand until it is not too salty. when it is sufficiently freshened, drain off all the water. melt a little butter in a frying pan, add the fish, and sauté until slightly browned. make a medium white sauce and pour it over the codfish. serve hot with boiled potatoes. . codfish balls.--another excellent way in which to serve codfish is to combine it with mashed potatoes, make these into balls, and fry them in deep fat. these give variety to meals and also afford an opportunity to serve a nutritious food. freshen the codfish as explained in art. , and then mince it very fine. add an equal amount of freshly cooked hot potato that has been put through a potato ricer or mashed fine. mix thoroughly and, if necessary, season with salt and pepper. shape into balls and fry in deep fat. drain well and serve hot. . sautÉd salt mackerel.--when an extremely tasty dish that will afford a change from the usual daily routine of meals is desired, sautéd salt mackerel will be found very satisfactory. freshen salt mackerel that is to be sautéd by putting it into a saucepan and covering it with cold water. place this over the fire, and allow the water to heat to almost the boiling point. pour off the water, and sauté the fish in butter or other fat until nicely browned. if desired, pour a small amount of thin cream over the mackerel just before removing it from the pan, allow this to heat, and serve it as a sauce with the mackerel. . baked finnan haddie.--when haddock is cured by smoking, it is known as _finnan haddie_. as fish of this kind has considerable thick flesh, it is very good for baking. other methods of cookery may, of course, be applied to it, but none is more satisfactory than baking. to bake a finnan haddie, wash it in warm water and put it to soak in fresh warm water. after it has soaked for / hour, allow it to come gradually to nearly the boiling point and then pour off the water. place the fish in a baking pan, add a piece of butter, sprinkle with pepper, and pour a little water over it. bake in a hot oven until it is nicely browned. serve hot. . creamed finnan haddie.--the flavor of finnan haddie is such that this fish becomes very appetizing when prepared with a cream sauce. if, after combining the sauce with the fish, the fish is baked in the oven, an especially palatable dish is the result. to prepare creamed finnan haddie, freshen the fish and shred it into small pieces. then measure the fish, put it into a baking dish, and pour an equal amount of white sauce over it. sprinkle generously with crumbs and bake in a hot oven until the crumbs are browned. serve hot. . boiled salmon.--when smoked salmon can be secured, it makes a splendid fish for boiling. if it is cooked until tender and then served with a well-seasoned sauce, it will find favor with most persons. freshen smoked salmon in warm water as much as seems necessary, remembering that the cooking to which it will be subjected will remove a large amount of the superfluous salt. cover the salmon with hot water, and simmer slowly until it becomes tender. remove from the water, pour a little melted butter over it, and serve with any desired sauce. recipes for canned fish . canned fish in the diet.--as a rule, canned fish is a comparatively cheap food and there is no reason why the economical housewife should not make frequent use of the various kinds. it should be bought, however, from a reputable firm, in order that the greatest value may be obtained for the money spent. in addition, it should be used as soon as possible after the can has been opened; if all of it cannot be utilized at one time, it should be placed in a covered receptacle--not a metal one--and kept cold to prevent it from spoiling. often canned fish can be served without any further preparation than removing it from the can. however, as some varieties, particularly salmon and tuna fish, are much used in the preparation of both cold and cooked dishes, several recipes are here given for these varieties. . creamed tuna fish.--combining tuna fish with a cream sauce and serving it over toast makes a dish that is both delicate and palatable--one that will prove very satisfactory when something to take the place of meat in a light meal is desired. creamed tuna fish (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter tb. flour / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / tsp. paprika - / c. hot milk - / c. tuna fish egg melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour, salt, pepper, and paprika. stir well, pour in the milk, and when this has thickened add the tuna fish. allow this to heat thoroughly in the sauce. just before serving, add the slightly beaten egg and cook until this has thickened. pour over toast and serve. . salmon mold.--a change from the usual way of serving salmon can be had by making a salmon mold such as is illustrated in fig. . besides being a delicious dish and providing variety in the diet, salmon mold is very attractive. salmon mold (sufficient to serve six) c. salmon tb. vinegar / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tb. gelatine - / c. boiling water [illustration: fig. ] remove all skin and bones from the salmon when it is taken from the can, and mince it thoroughly with a fork. add the vinegar, salt, and pepper. prepare the gelatine by dissolving it in the boiling water. add the seasoned salmon to the prepared gelatine. with cold water, wet a ring-shaped mold having an open space in the center. pour the salmon-and-gelatine mixture into this mold, and allow it to stand until it solidifies. arrange a bed of lettuce leaves on a chop plate, turn the mold out on this, and fill the center with dressing. serve at once. a very desirable dressing for this purpose is made as follows: dressing for salmon mold c. cream tb. vinegar / tsp. salt tb. sugar c. finely chopped cucumber whip the cream until it is stiff, and add the vinegar, salt, and sugar. fold into this the finely chopped cucumber. . salmon patties.--delicious patties can be made from salmon by combining it with bread crumbs and using a thick white sauce to hold the ingredients together. these may be either sautéd in shallow fat or fried in deep fat. salmon patties (sufficient to serve eight) c. finely minced salmon c. fresh bread crumbs c. thick white sauce / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper dry bread crumbs with the salmon, mix the fresh bread crumbs and the white sauce. season with salt and pepper. shape into round patties, roll in the dry bread crumbs, and fry in deep fat or sauté in shallow fat. serve hot with or without sauce. . creamed salmon with rice.--a creamed protein dish is always more satisfactory if it is served on some other food, particularly one high in carbohydrate. when this is done, a better balanced dish is the result. creamed salmon and rice make a very nutritious and appetizing combination. creamed salmon with rice (sufficient to serve six) c. salmon c. medium white sauce steamed rice break the salmon into moderately small pieces and carefully fold these into the hot white sauce. serve this on a mound of hot steamed rice. recipes for left-over fish . so as not to waste any food material, it is necessary that all left-over fish be utilized in some way. this is not so simple a matter as in the case of meat, because fish is one of the foods that are not popular as a left-over dish. still fish left-overs can be used if a little thought is given to the matter. of course, it is a wise plan to prepare only the quantity of fish that can be consumed at the meal for which it is cooked, but should any remain it should not be thrown away, for some use can be made of it. a point to remember, however, is that fish is not satisfactory in soup of any kind except a fish soup; therefore, bits of left-over fish may be added to only such soups as clam chowder or other fish chowder. whether the fish has been boiled, steamed, baked, fried, sautéd, or prepared in any other way, it may always be made into croquettes. when used for this purpose, all the bones should be carefully removed. these may be easily taken out after the fish has become cold. if the fish has been stuffed and part of the stuffing remains, it may be broken into pieces and used with the flesh of the fish. a recipe for croquettes in which fish is combined with rice follows. . fish croquettes.--if any quantity of left-over fish is on hand, it may be combined with rice to make very tasty croquettes. fish croquettes (sufficient to serve six) - / c. cold fish c. cold steamed rice c. thick white sauce salt and pepper egg crumbs mince the fish into small pieces, mix with the rice, and add the white sauce. season with salt and pepper and shape into croquettes. dip into slightly beaten egg, roll in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. drain and serve with any desired sauce. . creamed fish in potato nest.--fish may also be combined with mashed potato to produce a most appetizing dish. line a baking dish with hot mashed potato, leaving a good-sized hollow in the center. into this pour creamed fish made by mixing equal proportions of left-over cold fish and white sauce. season well with salt and pepper, sprinkle with crumbs, and dot the top with butter. bake until the crumbs are brown. serve hot. * * * * * shell fish nature, varieties, and use of shell fish . besides the varieties of fish that have already been considered, the general term fish also includes shell fish. fish of this kind are different in structure from bony fish, for they are acquatic animals that are entirely or partly encased in shells. they include _mollusks_, or _bivalves_, such as oysters, clams, and scallops, and _crustaceans_, such as lobsters, crabs, and shrimp. . the popularity of the edible varieties of mollusks and crustaceans mentioned depends largely on whether they can be easily obtained and whether they are pleasing to the local or individual taste. as they are found in salt rivers, bays, and other shallow salt-water sources, their greatest use is among people living near the seashore, but they are much favored where they can be procured in edible condition. they are not so cheap as many other fish foods; that is, a certain amount of money will not purchase so great a quantity of shell fish, lobster for instance, as some of the well-known varieties of fish proper, such as halibut or whitefish. lobsters and crabs are usually more expensive than oysters and clams; consequently, they are used more often to provide a delicacy or to supply something more or less uncommon for a special meal. . several precautions should be observed in purchasing shell fish. for instance, crabs and lobsters should be purchased alive. they are usually shipped on ice so that they will remain in this condition for some time, and they are displayed on ice in the markets for the same reason. such shell fish should be kept alive until they are plunged into boiling water to cook. oysters and clams bought in the shell must also be alive when purchased. a tightly closed shell indicates that they are alive, whereas a slightly open shell proves that they are dead. if these two varieties are bought out of the shells, the fish themselves should not be accompanied by a great quantity of liquid. considerable liquid is an indication that the oysters or clams have been adulterated by the addition of water. formerly it was the custom to keep oysters in fresh water, as the water they absorb bloats or fattens them. this practice, however, has fallen into disfavor. . shell fish lend themselves admirably to a large variety of dishes, including soups, entrees, salads, and substitutes for meat dishes. they possess a great deal of distinctive flavor, their food value is comparatively high, and, provided they are in good condition and are properly prepared, they are healthful and easily digested. it can therefore be seen that shell fish have much to recommend their use. there is considerable danger, however, in using any varieties that are not perfectly fresh or freshly cooked. in the case of mollusks, or bivalves, much harm has resulted from the use of those which have been grown or bred in unsanitary surroundings. because of these facts, it is of the utmost importance that great care be exercised in selecting and preparing shell fish. . composition and food value of shell fish.--in composition, the varieties of fish included under shell fish do not differ greatly from fish proper. most of them, however, contain more waste and less of the food substances than fish, so that their food value is somewhat lower. table iv will serve to give a good idea of the composition and food value of the several varieties of shell fish, and in studying it, a good plan will be to compare it with table i, which gives the food value of fish. as will be observed, protein forms a very large proportion of the food substance of shell fish. also, they contain more carbohydrates than fish, the amount ranging from . to . per cent., which is in the form of sugar. although this amount is too small to warrant much consideration as a supply of carbohydrates, it is mentioned because it is an interesting fact. table iv composition and food value of shell fish name of fish water protein fat total ash food value carbo- per pound hydrates calories clams, removed from shell . . . . . crabs, whole . . . . . lobsters, whole . . . . . oysters, in shell . . . . . scallops . . . . . table v seasons for shell fish name of fish season clams, hard shelled..............all the year clams, soft shelled..............may to october crabs, hard shelled..............all the year crabs, soft shelled..............march to october lobsters.........................all the year oysters..........................september to may scallops.........................september to april shrimp...........................march to june , and september to october . seasons for shell fish.--with the exception of clams and lobster, which can be obtained all the year around, shell fish have particular seasons; that is, there is a certain time of the year when they are not suitable for food. it is very important that every housewife know just what these seasons are, so that she will not include the foods in the diet of her family when they should not be used. table v, which will furnish her with the information she needs, should therefore be carefully studied. * * * * * oysters, clams, and scallops oysters and their preparation [illustration: fig. ] . oysters, clams, and scallops are salt-water fish that belong to the family of mollusks, or soft-bodied animals. they are entirely encased in hard shells, which, though of the same general shape, differ somewhat from each other in appearance. fig. shows a group of oysters and clams, the three on the left being oysters and the three on the right, clams. oysters are larger than clams and have a rough, uneven shell, whereas clams have a smooth, roundish shell. the three varieties of mollusks are closely related in their composition and in their use as food, but as oysters are probably used more commonly than the others they are considered first. . composition of oysters.--oysters occupy a prominent place among animal foods, because they are comparatively high in protein. in addition, they contain a substance that most flesh foods lack in any quantity, namely, carbohydrate in the form of glycogen, and for this reason are said to resemble milk closely in composition. a comparison of the following figures will show how these foods resemble each other: water protein fat carbohydrate mineral salts milk......... . . . . . oysters...... . . . . . oysters, as will be observed, contain only a small quantity of fat, and for this reason their total food value is somewhat lower than that of milk. a pint of milk has a value of calories, while the same quantity of oysters has an approximate value of only calories. because of the difference in the cost of these two foods, oysters costing several times as much as milk, the use of oysters is not so cheap a way of supplying food material. . digestibility of oysters.--when merely the ability of the digestive tract to handle oysters is taken into consideration, they are said to be easily digested if they are served raw or are properly prepared. this is due to the fact that when taken as a food they are disposed of in a comparatively short time by the stomach. in addition, their absorption from the alimentary tract is quite complete; that is, they contain little or no waste material. but, just as cooking has much to do with the digestibility of other protein foods, so it has with oysters. for this reason, the housewife who wishes to feed her family this food in its most digestible form must thoroughly understand all phases of its cooking. . healthfulness of oysters.--much illness has been attributed to oysters, and without doubt they have been the cause of some typhoid and some ptomaine poisoning. a knowledge of the reason for these diseases has done much to eliminate them. it is now definitely known that much of the typhoid caused from eating oysters was due to the conditions under which they were grown. in their growth, oysters fasten themselves to stationary things, such as rocks or piles driven into the ground underneath the water, and they obtain their food by simply opening the shell and making use of minute particles of plant and animal life that they are able to extract from the water. when the water was not clean or when sewage was turned into it, typhoid germs were transmitted to persons who took oysters as food. at present, there is scarcely any danger from such causes, for more care is now given to the conditions under which oysters grow. ptomaine poisoning from oysters was caused by eating them when they had been improperly cared for in storage or had been taken from the shells after they were dead. unless persons handling oysters know how to take care of them, this danger is still likely to exist. . purchasing oysters.--to be able to purchase oysters intelligently, the housewife should be familiar with the names of the various kinds. these names are dependent on the locality from which the oysters come, and include _blue points, cape cods, cotuits, lynn havens_, and numerous other varieties. it should be remembered that the varieties raised in different localities are quite distinctive, differing to some extent in both size and appearance. unless the purchaser is familiar with the different varieties, almost any of the small oysters are likely to be sold to her for one of the small varieties and, likewise, any of the large oysters for one of the large varieties. while this is of small consequence, provided the quality is satisfactory and the price is right, it is well for every housewife to familiarize herself with the names of the various kinds, so that she may know just what variety she is purchasing. . when oysters are bought in the shell, they should be alive, a fact that can be determined by the tightly closed shell, as has already been stated. if the shells are not closed or can be easily pried apart, it may be known that the oysters are not good and that they should be rejected. when it is possible to procure them, oysters that have been removed from the shells immediately after being taken from the beds are preferable to those which have not been removed from the shells before shipping. when purchased out of the shells, oysters should be grayish in color, should have no disagreeable odor, and should contain no excess water or liquid. after being purchased, oysters should be kept on ice unless they can be cooked at once. the season for oysters is from september to april, inclusive. while in some localities they can be purchased at other times during the year, they are not likely to be so good. in fact, it is not safe to use oysters during the warm months. . important points in cooking oysters.--the protein of oysters, like that found in other foods, is coagulated by heat. long heat, provided it is sufficiently intense, makes oysters tough, and in this condition they are neither agreeable to eat nor readily digested. when they are to be cooked at a high temperature, therefore, the cooking should be done quickly. if they are to be cooked at a temperature below the boiling point, they may be subjected to heat for a longer time without becoming so tough as when a high temperature is used. cooking quickly at a high temperature, however, is preferable in most cases to long, slow cooking. for example, in the preparation of oyster stew, long cooking produces no better flavor than short cooking at a high temperature and renders oysters far less digestible. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . opening oysters.--unless oysters are bought already opened, it becomes necessary to open them in the home before they can be served raw or cooked. to open oysters is not difficult, and with a little experience the work can be done with ease. it will be well to note that the two shells of an oyster, which are called _valves_, are held together by a single muscle, known as the _adductor muscle_, that lies near the center, and that this muscle must be cut before the shell will open readily. before attempting to open oysters, however, they should be scrubbed with clean water, so as to remove any sand that may be on the shells. when the oysters are cleaned, proceed to open them in the manner shown in figs. and . first, as in fig. , insert the point of a knife into the hinged, or pointed, end and push the blade between the valves until they appear to separate, when it will be known that the muscle has been cut. then, as in fig. , lay the valves open and loosen the oyster from the shell by slipping the knife under it. if the oysters that are being opened are to be cooked before serving, simply drop them with their liquid into a suitable vessel and discard the shells. before using the oysters, remove them from the liquid, look them over carefully to see that no small particles of shells cling to them, and wash them in clean, cold water to remove any sand that may be present. also, strain the liquid through a cloth, so that it will be free from sand when used in the preparation of the dish for which the oysters are to be used or for the making of soup or broth. oysters that are to be eaten raw are frequently served on the half shell. therefore, if they are to be used in this way, place each oyster, as it is loosened in the process of opening, into the deeper shell, as fig. shows, and discard the other one. very often good-looking oyster shells are saved in order that they may be used from time to time in serving raw oysters that are bought already opened. [illustration: fig. ] . raw oysters.--when an appetizer is desired in a meal that is to consist of several courses, raw oysters are often used for the first course. oysters that are to be eaten raw may be served in the shells or removed from them. they are bland in flavor, however, and require some sharp, highly seasoned sauce in order to give them sufficient snap. the sauces commonly used for this purpose include cocktail sauce, chilli sauce, catsup, horseradish, and tobasco sauce. sometimes, though, lemon juice or vinegar and pepper and salt are preferred to sauce. as a rule, crisp crackers, small squares of toast, or wafers and butter accompany raw oysters in any form, and sometimes celery and radishes are served, too. . when a cocktail sauce is served with raw oysters, they are generally referred to as oyster cocktails. two methods of serving these are in practice. in one, as shown in fig. , the cocktail sauce is put into a small glass placed in the center of a soup plate filled with cracked ice, and the oysters, usually six in half shells, are arranged around the glass, on the ice. in the other, as shown in fig. , the desired number of oysters that have been removed from the shells are dropped into a stemmed glass containing the cocktail sauce, and the glass is placed in a bowl of cracked ice. an _oyster fork_, which is a small, three-pronged fork, is always served with raw oysters, and usually a piece of lemon is supplied in addition to the cocktail sauce. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . oyster stew.--if an extremely nutritious way of preparing oysters is desired, oyster stew should be selected. this is perhaps the simplest way in which to cook oysters, and yet care must be exercised in making this dish, for the oysters should not be cooked too long and the milk, which must be brought to the boiling point, should not be allowed to burn. oyster stew makes an excellent dish for lunch. it should not be served as the first course of a heavy meal because of the large amount of nutriment it contains. oyster stew (sufficient to serve six) qt. oysters qt. milk tb. butter tsp. salt / tsp. pepper pour cupful of water over the oysters, look them over carefully, and remove any pieces of shell that may cling to the oysters, making sure that any particles of sand are washed off. heat this liquid to the boiling point and then strain it through a cloth. put the milk on the fire to heat, and when hot, add the butter, salt, and pepper, and strained liquid. after the whole mixture has come to the boiling point, pour in the oysters and cook until they look plump and the edges begin to curl. remove from the heat and serve with crisp crackers. . creamed oysters.--another nutritious way in which to prepare oysters and at the same time produce a dish that is pleasing to most persons is to cream them. after being creamed, oysters may be served over toast or in timbale cases. creamed oysters (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter oysters - / c. medium white sauce salt and pepper slices toast or timbale cases melt the butter in a frying pan, add the oysters, and heat them in the butter until the edges begin to curl slightly. pour the hot oysters into the hot white sauce, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve over toast or in timbale cases. . scalloped oysters.--no food makes a more palatable scalloped dish than oysters. oysters so prepared are liked by nearly every one, and the ingredients with which they are combined help to give such a dish balance so far as the food substances are concerned. care should be taken, however, in the baking of scalloped oysters, for they are likely to become tough if they are cooked too long. scalloped oysters (sufficient to serve six) c. bread crumbs tb. butter c. cracker crumbs pt. oysters salt and pepper c. milk butter the bread crumbs with the butter, and then mix them with the cracker crumbs. sprinkle the bottom of a greased baking dish with one-fourth of the crumbs, and over this put a layer of oysters that have been previously cleaned. sprinkle with salt and pepper and add one-fourth more of the crumbs. add another layer of oysters, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place the remainder of the crumbs on top. strain the liquid from the oysters through a piece of cloth, mix this with the milk, and pour over the dish thus prepared. place in a hot oven, and bake until the mixture is thoroughly heated and the top is brown. . fried oysters.--of all the dishes prepared from oysters, fried oysters undoubtedly find favor with the greatest number of persons. however, unless care is taken in frying the oysters, they are likely to be somewhat indigestible. deep fat should be used for this purpose, and it should be hot enough to brown a -inch cube of bread a golden brown in seconds. fried oysters (sufficient to serve six) large oysters egg / c. milk fine cracker crumbs salt pepper thoroughly dry the oysters by laying them on one end of a soft cloth and patting them with the other. beat the egg and add the milk to it. dip the oysters into the cracker crumbs, then into the egg-and-milk mixture, and again into the crumbs. fry in deep fat until brown. remove from the fat, drain well, and place on oiled paper. sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve hot. . oyster pie.--baking oysters into a pie is another means of combining a protein food with foods that are high in other food substances. as oyster pie is somewhat hearty, it may be used as the main dish of a heavy meal. oyster pie (sufficient to serve six) pt. oysters c. medium white sauce salt and pepper baking-powder biscuit dough cut each of the oysters into three or four pieces, and place them in a greased baking dish. pour over them the hot white sauce and the juice from the oysters. season with salt and pepper. over the top, place a layer of the biscuit dough rolled about / inch thick. set in a hot oven and bake until the crust is brown. . pigs in blankets.--when something entirely different in the way of oysters is desired, pigs in blankets should be tried. this is a very good name for the dish given in the accompanying recipe, for the oysters are rolled up in a strip of bacon, which serves as a blanket. they are especially suitable for a light meal, such as luncheon or a dainty lunch that is to be served to company. pigs in blankets (sufficient to serve six) large oysters thin strips of bacon after the oysters have been cleaned, roll each one in a strip of bacon. fasten the bacon where the edges meet by running a toothpick through at this point. place in a broiler and broil on one side until brown; then turn them and broil until the other side is brown. serve hot. . oyster fritters.--variety may also be secured in the use of oysters by making oyster fritters. when such fritters are nicely browned and served with an appetizing sauce, an attractive as well as a tasty dish is the result. oyster fritters (sufficient to serve six) pt. oysters egg muffin batter clean the oysters and cut each into four or five pieces. make a one-egg muffin batter and to it add the cut oysters. drop the mixture by spoonfuls into deep fat and fry until brown. remove from the fat, drain, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. serve with a desired sauce. clams and their preparation . nature and digestibility of clams.--clams are bivalves similar to oysters in both form and composition. because of the similarity in composition, they are utilized in much the same ways as oysters, being used extensively for food in parts of the country where the supply is large. there are numerous varieties of clams, and some of them differ slightly from each other in appearance, color, and flavor. preference for the different varieties is largely a matter of individual taste. clams may be purchased loose or in the shell and they may be served in or out of the shell. however, when bought in the shell, they must be purchased alive and must be subjected to the same tests as are oysters. as in the case of oysters, they may be eaten raw or cooked. their preparation for cooking is similar to that of oysters. in the raw state, they are easily digested, but upon the application of heat they become tough, and the longer they are cooked, the tougher they become. it can therefore be seen that the digestibility of clams is influenced very much by cooking. . opening clams.--if clams are to be opened in the home, the method illustrated in fig. may be employed. first wash the clams to remove the sand, and then place a clam on a hard surface so that the pointed edge is up. insert the thin edge of a knife into the very slight groove between the shells, or valves, and with a heavy utensil of some kind strike the top of the knife several times so as to separate the valves. then, as in opening oysters, spread the shells apart, as shown, and loosen the clam from the shell it adheres to. [illustration: fig. ] . raw clams.--like oysters, raw clams are generally served as a cocktail, or an appetizer, at the beginning of a meal. if they are to be served in the half shell, place them in a dish of cracked ice; if they are to be served without the shells, place the required number in a stemmed glass that is set in a dish of cracked ice. in either case, lemon or a suitable sauce, or both, should be supplied. . steamed clams.--steaming is the method generally adopted when clams in large numbers are cooked for a "clam bake," but there is no reason why it cannot be used by the housewife when she wishes to cook only enough for her family. when large quantities are to be steamed, use is generally made of a steamer, but the housewife will find that she can steam a few clams very satisfactorily in a saucepan or a similar vessel. to prepare steamed clams, scrub the shells of the clams until they are perfectly clean. place the desired number thus cleaned in a saucepan and add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan about inch. allow this to cook until the shells of the clams open. remove the clams from the pan and serve them in the shells. provide each person with a small dish of melted butter into which to dip the clams as they are removed from the shells to be eaten. the liquid found in the clams may be poured from the shell before the clams are served, and after being well seasoned may be served as clam broth. . baked clams.--another very appetizing way in which to prepare clams is to combine them with bread crumbs, season them well, and then bake them until they are well browned. select several good-sized clams for each person to be served. scrub the shells well and open them. remove the clams and chop them into small pieces. to each cupful of chopped clams, add cupfuls of buttered bread crumbs, tablespoonful of chopped parsley, tablespoonful of chopped pimiento, and tablespoonful of onion juice. season the mixture with salt and pepper and fill the shells with it. place these in a shallow pan and bake in a very hot oven until the crumbs are well browned on top. serve hot. . fried clams.--as oysters make a very desirable dish when fried in deep fat, so clams may be treated in this way, too. remove the desired number of clams from the shells, wash them thoroughly, and dry them on a clean towel. dip them into beaten egg, and finally into the crumbs. fry in deep fat until they are a golden brown. serve with slices of lemon. scallops and their preparation . nature of scallops.--scallops, which are another form of bivalves, are less commonly used for food than oysters and clams. scalloped dishes get their name from the fact that scallop shells were originally used for their preparation. not all of the scallop is used for food; merely the heavy muscle that holds the two shells together is edible. scallops are slightly higher in protein than oysters and clams and they also have a higher food value than these two mollusks. the most common method of preparation for scallops is to fry them, but they may also be baked in the shells. . fried scallops.--if scallops are properly fried, they make an appetizing dish. as they are a rather bland food, a sauce of some kind, preferably a sour one, is generally served with them. select the desired number of scallops and wash thoroughly. dip first into either fine bread crumbs or cracker crumbs, then into beaten egg, and again into the crumbs. fry in deep fat until a golden brown, remove, and drain. serve with lemon or a sour sauce, such as horseradish or tomato sauce. . baked scallops.--if a tasty as well as a slightly unusual dish is desired to give variety to the diet, baked scallops will undoubtedly find favor. as shown in the accompanying recipe, mushrooms are one of the ingredients in baked scallops and these not only provide additional material, but improve the flavor. to prepare baked scallops, clean the desired number, parboil for minutes, drain, and cut into small pieces. for each cupful of scallops, melt tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying pan, sauté in it tablespoonful of chopped onion, and add / cupful of chopped mushrooms. when these have browned, add tablespoonfuls of flour and cupful of milk. cook until thick and then add the scallops. fill the scallop shells with the mixture, sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs, place in the oven, and bake until the crumbs are brown. * * * * * lobsters, crabs, and shrimp general characteristics . the shell fish, lobsters, crabs, and shrimp, come under the head of crustaceans; that is, animals consisting of jointed sections, each of which is covered with a hard shell. their flesh is similar in composition to that of other fish, but it is tougher and harder to digest. however, it is popular because of its unique and delicate flavor. in fact, whenever these varieties of fish can be obtained along the seacoast or within a reasonable distance from the place where they are caught, they are considered a delicacy. if they can be shipped alive to any point, they are perfectly safe to use, although quite high in price because of their perishable nature. . unless such shell fish can be procured alive in the markets, the use of a good brand of any of them canned is recommended. in fact, canned lobster, crab, and shrimp are very satisfactory and may be substituted for any of the fresh cooked varieties in the recipes that follow. it is true that some persons object to canned food because ptomaine poisoning sometimes results, but it has been found that ptomaine poisoning is more liable to result from eating these foods when they are bought in the market in poor condition than when they are secured in canned form. care must be exercised, however, whenever use is made of canned food of any kind. upon opening a can of any of these varieties of fish, the entire contents should be removed from the can at once and used as soon as possible. it must be remembered that the ptomaine poisoning that is sometimes caused by eating canned foods is not due to the fact that the foods come in tin cans, but that they are allowed to stand in the cans after they are opened. upon their being exposed to the air, putrefaction sets in and causes the harmful effect. . lobsters, crabs, and shrimp are very similar in composition, shrimp being slightly higher in protein and total food value than the others. if they are not prepared in an indigestible way, they are comparatively easy to digest. it has been proved a fallacy that lobster and ice cream are a dangerous combination, for if both are in good condition they may be combined with no ill effects to the normal individual. lobsters and their preparation . distinguishing features.--of these three types of sea food, lobsters are perhaps the most popular. they are found along the north atlantic and north pacific seacoasts. alive, they are mottled bluish-green in color, but upon being cooked they change to bright red. as soon as they are caught, many of them are packed in ice and shipped alive to various points, while others are plunged immediately into boiling water and sold cooked. a live lobster ready for cooking is shown in fig. . lobsters vary greatly in size. only those inches or more in length can be sold, the smaller ones being thrown back into the water. when they are purchased either raw or cooked, they should be heavy for their size; that is, they should be heavy because of their plumpness and good condition. [illustration: fig. ] . preliminary preparation.--to prepare a lobster, which should be alive, grasp it firmly by the back, as shown in fig. , plunge it quickly, head first, into a kettle of rapidly boiling water, and then submerge the rest of the body. be sure to have a sufficient amount of water to cover the lobster completely. boil rapidly for minutes; then lower the flame or remove to a cooler part of the stove and cook slowly for / hour. remove from the water and allow to cool. after being prepared in this way, a lobster may be served cold or it may be used in the preparation of various made dishes. if it is to be used without further preparation, it is often served from the shell, which is usually split open. mayonnaise or some other sauce is generally served with lobster. the flesh is removed from the shell with a small fork as it is eaten. [illustration: fig. ] . removing lobster from the shell.--the majority of the dishes made from lobster require that the flesh be removed from the shell. to do this, first pull off the two large claws and the four pairs of small claws, as shown in fig. , and break the tail from the body. then with scissors, as in fig. , cut a single slit the entire length of the shell covering the under part of the tail and remove the flesh inside the tail in a whole, large piece, as shown in fig. . the intestinal tract, which can be readily observed, will be found embedded in this piece and running the entire length. slash the flesh and remove it. next remove the flesh of the body from the shell, retaining only that part which appears to be fibrous, like the flesh of the tail. the stomach, which is called "the lady" because its inside appearance closely resembles a lady sitting in a chair, should not be removed from the shell. however, care should be taken to obtain all the flesh surrounding the bones in the bony part of the lobster. the coral substance, that is, the roe of the lobster, should also be removed, as it can be used for a garnish. [illustration fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] with the flesh removed from the shell, proceed to take out that contained in the claws. break open the large claws, using a nut cracker or a small hammer for this purpose, and, as in fig. , remove the flesh that they contain. if the small claws are to be used for a garnish, as is often done, remove the flesh without breaking them; otherwise break them as in the case of the large ones. [illustration: fig. ] . lobster cocktail.--practically all varieties of shell fish make most satisfactory cocktails, and lobster is no exception. to make a lobster cocktail, shred or cut into small pieces the flesh of a lobster that has been prepared according to the directions just given. chill the shreds or pieces and then serve them in stemmed cocktail glasses with any desirable cocktail sauce. [illustration: fig. ] . scalloped lobster.--persons who care for the flavor of lobster will find scalloped lobster a very attractive dish. when prepared in this way, it is suitable either for luncheon or for dinner. scalloped lobster (sufficient to serve six) c. lobster meat c. medium white sauce / c. buttered bread crumbs hard-cooked egg salt pepper mix the lobster with the medium white sauce. butter a baking dish, place half of the crumbs in the bottom, and pour over them the lobster and white sauce. slice the hard-cooked egg over the top of the lobster, season the whole well with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the remainder of the crumbs over the top. place in a hot oven and bake until the crumbs are brown. garnish with sprays of parsley and serve at once. . deviled lobster.--a dish that is delicious and at the same time very attractive is deviled lobster. after removing the flesh from the shell, the shell should be cleaned thoroughly, as it is to be used as a receptacle in which to put the lobster mixture for baking. when removed from the oven, this dish can be made more attractive by garnishing it with the lobster claws and tail. deviled lobster (sufficient to serve six) tb. chopped onion tb. butter tb. flour tsp. salt dash of cayenne pepper / tsp. paprika / tsp. pepper tb. lemon juice tb. chopped parsley c. milk c. lobster meat / c. buttered cracker crumbs sauté the onion in the butter, and to this add the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika, pepper, lemon juice, and parsley. mix well and add the milk. when the whole has cooked until it is thick, add the lobster. pour the mixture into the clean shell of the lobster, sprinkle with cracker crumbs, and place in the oven long enough to brown the crumbs. remove from the oven, place on a serving dish, garnish with the claws and tail of the lobster, if desired, and serve at once. . lobster À la newburg.--when lobster à la newburg is mentioned, one naturally thinks of a chafing dish, for this is one of the dishes that is very often made in a chafing dish and served at small social gatherings. however, it can be made just as satisfactorily on the kitchen stove and is a dish suitable for a home luncheon or small dinner. lobster À la newburg (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter tb. flour c. lobster / tsp. salt few grains of cayenne pepper / c. milk / c. thin cream tsp. vinegar tb. lemon juice egg yolks melt the butter in a saucepan, add the flour, and into this pour the lobster meat cut into rather large pieces. add the salt, pepper, milk, and cream; cook together until thick, and then pour in the vinegar and lemon juice. beat the egg yolks and stir them into the cooked mixture, using care to prevent them from curdling. when the mixture has thickened, remove from the stove and serve over toast. . lobster croquettes.--probably the most attractive dish that can be made out of lobster is the one explained in the accompanying recipe. as this is artistically garnished, and at the same time extremely appetizing, it is suitable for a meal that is intended to be very nice, such as a dainty luncheon. if the elaborate garnishing here suggested is not desired, the croquettes may be served with merely a suitable sauce. lobster croquettes (sufficient to serve six) c. thick white sauce eggs c. diced lobster meat / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper fine bread crumbs prepare the white sauce and allow it to cool. add one beaten egg and the lobster meat. season with the salt and pepper. shape into croquettes, roll in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat until an even brown. drain, stick a lobster claw into the end of each, and arrange on a platter with the claws around the outside. pour a medium white sauce over the opposite ends and the centers of the croquettes and over this sprinkle the lobster coral and hard-cooked egg yolks, which have been forced through a sieve. in the center of the platter, arrange a small mound of parsley and one of the large claws of the lobster. crabs and their preparation . nature of crabs.--numerous varieties of crabs are obtained along the seashores of the united states, and most of them measure not more than or inches across. shell fish in this form are used for food both before the shells have hardened, when they are known as _soft-shelled crabs_, and after the shells have grown hard, when they are called _hard-shelled crabs_. to be at their best, crabs should be as heavy as lobsters in proportion to their size. their flesh should be firm and stiff and their eyes should be bright. the male crab has a smaller body and longer claws than the female. in food value, crabs are quite similar to lobsters. tiny _oyster crabs_ are found in the shells of crabs as well as in oysters. these are considered a great delicacy and are used chiefly for garnishing, because they are very small and, as a rule, are not found in large numbers. . preliminary preparation.--before either soft-shelled or hard-shelled crabs can be used as food, a certain amount of preparation is necessary. in the case of hard-shelled crabs, plunge them alive into hot water, allow them to come to the boiling point, and cook slowly for / hour. it is a good plan to add tablespoonful of salt for each crab that is being boiled. while the crabs are cooking, remove the scum that rises to the top. when they are sufficiently cooked, open the shells and take out the meat, being careful to remove all the meat from the claws. soft-shelled crabs require a somewhat different kind of preparation. with this variety, lift up the points on each side of the back shell and remove the spongy substance that is found under them. in addition, take off the apron, which is the small piece that occurs at the lower part of the shell and that terminates in points. the crabs are then ready for frying, which is the method of cooking that is usually applied to this variety. . crab-flake cocktail.--crab meat is used for cocktails in the same way as oysters, clams, and lobster. in fact, no better appetizer to serve at the beginning of a meal can be found. to make crab-flake cocktail, remove the meat from the shells of cooked hard-shelled crabs in the way just explained, and chill it. then place it in stemmed glasses and serve with cocktail sauce. . deviled crabs.--variety in the cooking of hard-shelled crabs can be secured by deviling them according to the accompanying directions. as will be observed, this is done in practically the same way that lobster is deviled. deviled crabs (sufficient to serve four) tb. butter crabs c. cream sauce tb. onion juice / tsp. salt dash cayenne pepper / tsp. pepper egg cracker crumbs put the butter in a frying pan, add the meat from the four crabs, and pour into this the cream sauce. season with the onion juice, salt, cayenne pepper, and pepper. add the well-beaten egg and allow the mixture to cook until the egg has thickened, being careful not to let it curd. fill the back shells of the crabs with this mixture, sprinkle with cracker crumbs, place in a hot oven, and bake until brown. serve hot or cold. . fried soft-shelled crabs.--after soft-shelled crabs are prepared in the manner explained in art. , they are usually fried in deep fat. egg and cracker dust or flour are used to make a coating for the crabs. fried soft-shelled crabs (sufficient to serve four) soft-shelled crabs egg cracker dust or flour salt and pepper prepare the crabs by removing the apron and the spongy substance under the shell of each crab. beat the egg slightly. roll the crabs first in the egg and then in the cracker dust or the flour. fry in hot, deep fat until a golden brown. remove from the fat, drain, and sprinkle well with salt and pepper to season. serve hot or cold. . creamed crab meat.--when the meat of hard-shelled crabs is creamed, it makes a very dainty dish, especially if it is served over toast or in timbale cases. to give a touch of color and at the same time add a little flavor, chopped pimiento is generally added. boil the desired number of hard-shelled crabs and remove the meat from the shells. for each cupful of crab meat, prepare cupful of medium white sauce. add the crab meat, season well, and, if desired, add some chopped pimiento. serve hot over toast or in timbale cases. shrimp and their preparation . nature of shrimp.--shrimp are similar to crabs and lobsters in composition and in the methods of preparation. they differ considerably in appearance, however, and are smaller in size. when alive, shrimp are a mottled greenish color, but upon being dropped into boiling-hot water they turn red. when they have cooked sufficiently, the meat, which is very delicious, may be easily removed from the shells. after the meat of shrimp is thus prepared, it may be used cold in a salad or a cocktail or it may be utilized in a number of ways for hot dishes. very often a chafing dish is used in the preparation of such dishes, but this utensil is not necessary, as they may be cooked in an ordinary utensil on a stove of any kind. [illustration: fig. ] . creamed shrimp.--the usual way of preparing shrimp is to cook it with mushrooms and then serve it over toast, or, as shown in fig. , in timbale cases. creamed shrimp is dainty in appearance, pleasing to the taste, and highly nutritious. creamed shrimp (sufficient to serve six) c. medium white sauce c. diced shrimp c. chopped mushrooms / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper heat the white sauce, and to it add the shrimp, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. beat a little butter into the mixture to improve the flavor, heat, and serve in timbale cases, as shown, or over toast. . shrimp À la salle.--shrimp also makes an appetizing and attractive dish when combined with tomato and green pepper. the accompanying recipe gives directions for the preparation of such a dish, which is called shrimp à la salle. shrimp À la salle (sufficient to serve six) tb. butter c. shredded shrimp c. stewed tomato small green pepper, chopped tb. chopped onion tsp. celery salt tsp. salt / tsp. pepper brown the butter in a saucepan and add the shrimp, tomato, green pepper, onion, celery salt, salt, and pepper. heat all together thoroughly, and serve over toast. cocktail sauces . the various kinds of shell fish are served so frequently as cocktails that cocktail sauces are much in demand. the foundation of these sauces is always tomato catsup, but the ingredients used for seasoning usually vary according to individual taste. the following recipes make amounts sufficient for one serving: cocktail sauce i / tsp. grated horseradish juice of / lemon drops tobasco sauce drops worcestershire sauce tb. tomato catsup cocktail sauce ii tb. tomato catsup tb. grapefruit juice tsp. spiced vinegar dash of tobasco sauce sprinkling of salt dusting of chopped parsley mix the ingredients thoroughly and serve with oysters, clams, lobster, shrimp, or crab meat thoroughly chilled. fish and shell fish examination questions ( ) (_a_) for what food may fish be substituted in the diet? (_b_) how does fish compare with meat as to its usefulness as food? ( ) (_a_) what food substances are present in fish? (_b_) how does the food value of fish compare with that of meat? ( ) (_a_) discuss the digestibility of fish. (_b_) how does the salting of fish for preservation affect its digestibility? ( ) how does the housewife's purchase of fish affect the market price? ( ) what methods of cookery should be used in preparing: (_a_) large fish? (_b_) small fish? ( ) mention the tests for determining the freshness of fish. ( ) discuss the care of fish in the home. ( ) give the steps in the preparation of a fish for cooking. ( ) give the steps in the boning of a fish. ( ) (_a_) what are fillets? (_b_) tell briefly how fillets are obtained. ( ) why are sauces frequently served with fish? ( ) (_a_) what is larding? (_b_) how may fish be larded? (_c_) for what purpose is larding done? ( ) how may salt fish be freshened? ( ) (_a_) mention the shell fish. (_b_) discuss their usefulness in the diet. ( ) what precautions should be taken in the purchase of shell fish? ( ) discuss the composition and food value of shell fish. ( ) compare the composition of milk with that of oysters. ( ) (_a_) what is the season for oysters? (_b_) how are oysters opened? ( ) (_a_) how are clams opened? (_b_) what is the effect of long cooking on clams? ( ) (_a_) how are lobsters prepared? (_b_) mention the two kinds of crabs. (_c_) how do these differ? additional work mention the varieties of fish most common in your local market. compare the cost of a sufficient amount of fish to serve your family with the cost of beef and either veal or lamb served to the same number of persons at other times. submit your results. * * * * * index a adductor muscle of an oyster, american forcemeat balls, apples, bacon with sliced, cold pork with fried, asparagus soup, cream of, b bacon, and eggs, calves' liver and, combined with cereals, combined with other foods, with sliced apples, with tomatoes, baked clams, fillet of whitefish, finnan haddie, fish, haddock, halibut, ham, poultry with rice, scallops, balls, american forcemeat, codfish, egg, forcemeat, bass, food value and composition of black, basting of meat, batter, timbale-case, béchamel, chicken, beef, boiled corned, braized, composition and food value of, cooking of, corned, cuts of, fillet of, for stewing and coming, cuts of, frizzled, general characteristics of, hash, loaf, recipe for, loin, steaks obtained from, mexican, organs and their preparation, pie, pot-roasted, preparation of stews and corned, roast, stew, tenderloin of, beefsteak, broiled, beefsteaks and their preparation, birds, preparation of small, roast small, biscuits, creamed veal on, bisques, bivalves, blue points, bluefish, composition and food value of, bob veal, boiled cod, corned beef, dinner, fish, ham, salmon, tongue, boiler, fish, boiling, cooking meat by, bologna, bone stock, boned chicken, boning a chicken, a fish, borsch, bouillon, tomato, braized beef, beef, recipe for, tongue, braizing, bread sticks, stuffing, broiled beefsteak, fillet, fish, fresh mackerel, ham, pork, sautéd or, poultry, scrod with potato border, shad roe, squirrel, sweetbreads, venison, venison, sauce for, broiler, broilers, composition and food value of, broiling, cooking meat by, broth, brown sauce, veal cutlets in, buying meats, points to consider in, c cabbage, scalloped pork and, calves' liver and bacon, canned fish in the diet, cape cods, capons, carbohydrate in fish, in meat, care, nature, and use of stock pot, of fish in the home, of meat, of meat in the home, of meat in the market, carp, composition and food value of, carving meat, serving and, poultry, serving and, casserole, chicken en, catfish, composition and food value of, caul, celery and radishes, cereals, bacon combined with, chestnut purée, stuffing, chicken à la king, béchamel, boned, broilers, composition and food value of, crop of a, croquettes, curry, cutting up a, definition of, determining the age of, determining the freshness of, drawing a, dressing a, en casserole, feet, preparing, fricassee of, fried, frying, general marks of good quality in, giblets, gravy for fried, jellied, maryland fried, pie, plucking a, poultry other than, preparation of, roast, roasting, salad, salad, mock, selection of, singeing a, stew with dumplings or noodles, with paprika sauce, fried, with rice, chickens, live, chops in tomato sauce, pork, lamb and mutton, veal, chowder, clam, corn, fish, potato, chowders, chuck roasts, clam chowder, clams, and scallops, oysters, baked, composition and food value of, fried, nature and digestibility of, opening of, preparation of, raw, steamed, classes of soup, general, of soups denoting consistency, classification of poultry, of soups, cleaning fish, clear soup or bouillon, stock for, soups, soups and stocks, clearing soup, cocktail, crab-flake, lobster, oyster, cod, boiled, codfish balls, creamed, cold pork with fried apples, -storage poultry, comparison of fish and meat, table showing the, of fish with meat, of mutton and lamb, composition and food value of beef, and food value of black bass, and food value of bluefish, and food value of canned salmon, and food value of carp, and food value of catfish, and food value of chicken broilers, and food value of clams, and food value of crabs, and food value of fowl, and food value of halibut steak, and food value of lake trout, and food value of lamb, and food value of leg of lamb, and food value of lobsters, and food value of mutton, and food value of oysters, and food value of pork, and food value of pork chops, and food value of red snapper, and food value of scallops, and food value of shell fish, and food value of shell fish, tables showing, and food value of veal, and food value of whitefish, and structure of meat, of fish, of oysters, of poultry, connective tissue, consommé, cooking meat for soup, meat, methods of, meat, purposes of, meat, time required for, meats, time table for, of beef, of fish, of giblets, of mutton and lamb, of pork, of poultry, cooking of veal, oysters, important points in, preparing rabbit for, corn chowder, soup, cream of, corned beef, beef, boiled, beef, preparation of stews and, cottage pie, cotuits, crab, deviled, flake cocktail, meat, creamed, crabs, and shrimp, general characteristics of lobsters, composition and food value of, fried soft-shelled, hard-shelled, nature of, oyster, preliminary preparation of, preparation of, soft-shelled, cracker stuffing, crackers, cream-of-asparagus soup, of-corn soup, of-onion soup, of-pea soup, of-potato soup, of-spinach soup, of-tomato soup, sauce, lemon, soups, creamed codfish, crab meat, finnan haddie, fish in potato nest, oysters, salmon with rice, shrimp, sweetbreads, tuna fish, veal on biscuits, crop of a chicken, croquettes, chicken, fish, frying of, lobster, sweetbread, veal, croutons, crown roast of lamb, roast of pork, crustaceans, cured pork, preparation of, curry, chicken, cutlets in brown sauce, veal, pan-broiled veal steak or, cutlets, veal steaks or, cuts, names and uses of beef, names of pork, obtained from a side of beef and their uses, table of, of beef, of beef for stewing and corning, of beef, method of obtaining, of beef, table of, of beef, uses of, of mutton and lamb, distinguishing features of, of mutton and lamb, method of obtaining, of mutton and lamb, names and uses of, of mutton and lamb, table of, of pork, of pork, uses of, of veal and their uses, preparation of veal, table of pork, table of veal, cutting up a chicken, d daikan, deep-fat frying, principles of, delmonico steak, deviled crab, lobster, diet, canned fish in the, fish in the, meat in the, salt and smoked fish in the, digestibility of clams, nature and, of fish, of oysters, drawing a chicken, drawn-butter sauce, dressing a chicken, for salmon mold, dry plucking, duck, liver stuffing for, peanut stuffing for roast, preparation of, roast, spring, young, ducks, selection of, dumplings, or noodles, chicken stew with, e economic value of soup, economy in the purchase of poultry, eel, fried, stewed, egg balls, egg sauce, eggs and bacon, extractives, in meat, extracts, meat, soup, vegetable, f fat in fish, in meat, trying out suet and other, feathers, pin, feeding and care on quality of poultry, influence of, fillet, broiled, mignon, of beef, of flounder, of venison, roast, of whitefish, baked, filleting fish, finnan haddie, baked, haddie, creamed, first soup stock, fish, and meat, relative nutritive value of, and meat, table showing the comparison of, baked, boiled, boiler, boning a, broiled, carbohydrate in, chowder, cleaning, composition and food value of shell, composition of, cooking of, creamed tuna, croquettes, digestibility of, fat in, filleting, food value of, freshness of, fried, in potato nest, creamed, in the diet, in the diet, canned, in the diet, salt and smoked, in the home, care of, left-over, mineral matter in, planked, protein in, purchase of, sauces for, scaling a, seasons for shell, shell, skinning, steamed, stewed, stock, stuffing for, table showing composition and food value of shell, table showing the names, seasons, and uses of fresh, table showing names, seasons, and uses of salt and smoked, table showing seasons for shell, with meat, comparison of, flat-bone steak, flavoring stock, flounder, fillet of, food, poultry as a, sea, suitable for the stock pot, value and composition of beef, value and composition of black bass, value and composition of bluefish, value and composition of canned salmon, value and composition of carp, value and composition of catfish, value and composition of chicken broilers, value and composition of clams, value and composition of crabs, value and composition of fowl, value and composition of halibut steak, value and composition of lake trout, value and composition of lamb, value and composition of leg of lamb, value and composition of lobsters, value and composition of mutton, value and composition of oysters, value and composition of pork, value and composition of pork chops, value and composition of red snapper, value and composition of scallops, value and composition of veal, value and composition of whitefish, value of fish, value of fish, factors determining, value of meat as, value of shell fish, composition and, value of shell fish, tables showing composition and, forcemeat balls, fore quarter of veal, fork, oyster, fowl, composition and food value of, definition of, fowls, selection of guinea, frankfurters, fresh fish, table showing the names, seasons, and uses of, herring, stewed, mackerel, broiled, pork, preparation of, freshening salt and smoked fish, freshness of fish, fricassee of chicken, fricasseeing applied to meat and fowl, fried apples, cold pork with, chicken, chicken, gravy for, chicken, maryland, chicken with paprika sauce, clams, eel, fish, oysters, perch, scallops, soft-shelled crabs, fritters, oyster, soup, frizzled beef, frying and sautéing applied to meat, chicken, of croquettes, principles of deep-fat, g gall bladder, game, definition of, general description of, stock, garnishes, soup accompaniments and, geese, selection of, gelatine in meat, giblets, cooking of, of a chicken, glycogen, or muscle sugar, goose, preparation of, roast, gravy for fried chicken, making, green-pepper stuffing, guinea fowls, selection of, h haddock, baked, halibut, baked, steak, composition and food value of, steak, sautéd, ham, baked, baked in milk, boiled, broiled, hamburger steak, hard-shelled crabs, hash, beef, turkey, headcheese, healthfulness of oysters, heart, stuffed, sweetbread, heavy thick soups, herring, stewed fresh, hind quarter of veal, hip-bone steak, home, care of fish in the, horseradish sauce, household stock, i individual lamb pies, influence of feeding and care on quality of poultry, iron, timbale, j jellied chicken, veal, veal, left-over, julienne soup, k keeping stock, kidneys, kouskous, krishara, l lake trout, composition and food value of, lamb, and mutton chops, and mutton cuts, distinguishing features of, and mutton cuts, names and uses of, and mutton, left-over, and mutton stews, comparison of mutton and, composition and food value of, cooking of mutton and, crown roast of, cuts, method of obtaining mutton and, cuts, table of mutton and, food value and composition of leg of, on toast, minced, or mutton, scalloped, pies, individual, rack of, roast leg of, saddle of, spring, turkish, lard, leaf, larding, leaf lard, lebaba, left-over beef, -over fish, -over jellied veal, -over lamb and mutton, -over pork, -over poultry, -over veal, leg of venison, roast, lemon cream sauce, live chickens, liver and bacon, stuffing for roast duck, liverwurst, loaf, beef, lobster à la newburg, cocktail, croquettes, deviled, from the shell, removing, scalloped, lobsters, composition and food value of, crabs and shrimp, distinguishing features of, preparation of, loin, steaks obtained from beef, lynn havens, m mackerel, broiled fresh, sautéd salt, making gravy, soup, market, preparation of poultry for, maryland fried chicken, meaning and use of soup stock, meat as food, value of, basting of, carbohydrate in, care of, comparison of fish with, cooking of, meat, creamed crab, cuts, names and uses of, definition of, extracts, extractives in, fat in, gelatine in, in the diet, in the home, care of, in the market, care of, methods of cooking, minerals in, preparations, sausages and, protein in, purchase of, purposes of cooking, relative nutritive value of fish and, serving and carving of, structure and composition of, time required for cooking, used for soup making, water in, meats, points to consider in buying, time table for cooking, method of obtaining beef cuts, of obtaining mutton and lamb cuts, methods of cooking meat, mexican beef, mignon, fillet, milk, ham baked in, minced lamb on toast, mineral matter in fish, minerals in meat, minestra, mint sauce, mock chicken salad, mock duck, or rolled steak, mold, salmon, mollusks, mulligatawny soup, muscle sugar, glycogen or, mushroom sauce, mutton, and lamb chops, and lamb, comparison of, and lamb, cooking of, and lamb cuts, distinguishing features of, and lamb cuts, method of obtaining, and lamb cuts, names and uses of, and lamb cuts, table of, composition and food value of, left-over lamb and, rack of, roast leg of, roast saddle of, saddle of, scalloped lamb or, stews, lamb and, n noodle soup, noodles, chicken stew with dumplings or, vegetable soup with, nut sauce, nutritive value of fish, relative, o onion soup, cream of, opening clams, oysters, organs, veal, ox-tail soup, oyster, adductor muscle of an, cocktails, crabs, fork, fritters, pie, stew, stuffing, valves of an, oysters, clams, and scallops, composition of, creamed, digestibility of, food value of, fried, healthfulness of, important points in cooking, opening, preparation of, purchasing, raw, scalloped, p pan-broiled steak, -broiled veal steaks or cutlets, broiling, cooking meat by, paprika sauce, fried chicken with, partridge, selection of, pastry strips, pâté de fois gras, patties, rice and meat, salmon, pea soup, cream of, peanut stuffing for roast duck, perch, fried, pheasant, partridge, and quail, selection of, pickerel, sautéd, pickled pig's feet, tongue, pie, beef, pie, chicken, cottage, oyster, rabbit, pies, individual lamb, pig, roast, pigeons, selection of, pig's feet, pickled, pigs in blankets, pin feathers, planked fish, steak, plucking a chicken, dry, poisoning, ptomaine, ponhasse, pork, and cabbage, scalloped, chops and tomato sauce, chops, composition and food value of, composition and food value of, cooking of, crown roast, of, cuts of, cuts, table of, cuts, uses of, general characteristics of, left-over, preparation of cured, preparation of fresh, roast, salt, sausage, sautéd or broiled, sautéd tenderloin of, tenderloin of, with fried apples, cold, porterhouse roast, steak, pot-au-feu, -roasted beef, stock, potato border, broiled scrod with, chowder, nest, creamed fish in, soup, cream-of-, potpie, veal, potroka, poulards, poultry as a food, broiled, classification of, cold-storage, composition of, definition of, effect of sex on quality of, for cooking, preparation of, for the market, preparation of, indication of cold-storage, left-over, other than chicken, selection of, serving and carving, stuffing for roast, table for the selection of, with rice, baked, preparation of beef organs, of beefsteak, of chicken, of clams, of crabs, of cured pork, of duck, of fresh pork, of goose, of lobsters, of oysters, of poultry for cooking, of poultry for the market, of roasts, of scallops, of shrimp, of small birds, of stews and corned beef, of sweetbreads, of turkey, of veal cuts, preparing chicken feet, rabbit for cooking, principles of deep-fat frying, processes involved in making stock, protein in fish, in meat, ptomaine poisoning, purchase of fish, of meat, of poultry, economy in the, purchasing oysters, purée, chestnut, split-pea, purées, purpose of soup in the meal, purposes of cooking meat, q quail, selection of, quality in chicken, general marks of good, of poultry, effect of sex on, of poultry, influence of feeding and care on, r rabbit for cooking, preparing, pie, roast, sautéd, rack of lamb, of mutton, radishes and celery, raw clams, oysters, red snapper, food value and composition of, relative nutritive value of fish, removing grease from soup, lobster from the shell, rib roast, standing, roasts, rice and meat patties, baked poultry with, chicken with, creamed salmon with, scalloped veal with, stuffing, rigor mortis, roast beef, chicken, duck, duck, liver stuffing for, duck, peanut stuffing for, fillet of venison, goose, leg of lamb, leg of mutton, leg of venison, of lamb, crown, of pork, crown, pig, pork, porterhouse, poultry, stuffing for, rabbit, saddle of mutton, small birds, standing rib, turkey, roasting, chicken, roasts, chuck, preparation of, rib, rump, veal, roe, broiled shad, rolled steak, or mock duck, steak, stuffing for, rolls, veal, rump roasts, s saddle of lamb, of mutton, of mutton, roast, salad, chicken, mock chicken, veal, salmon, boiled, composition and food value of canned, salmon mold, mold, dressing for, patties, with rice, creamed, salt and smoked fish, freshening, and smoked fish in the diet, and smoked fish, table showing names, seasons, and uses of, mackerel, sautéd, pork, sauce, drawn-butter, egg, for broiled venison, fried chicken with paprika, horseradish, lemon cream, mint, mushroom, nut, spanish, thin white, tomato, sauces for fish, sausage, pork, sausages and meat preparations, sautéd fish, halibut steak, or broiled pork, pickerel, rabbit, salt mackerel, smelts, tenderloin of pork, sautéing and frying, scaling a fish, scalloped lamb or mutton, lobster, oysters, pork with cabbage, veal with rice, scallops, baked, composition and food value of, fried, oysters, clams, and, preparation of, scrapple, scrod with potato border, broiled, sea food, seasons, and uses of fresh fish, table showing the names, and uses of smoked fish, table showing the names, for shell fish, for shell fish, table showing, second soup stock, selection of chicken, of ducks, of poultry, of turkeys, serving and carving meat, serving and carving poultry, soup, shad roe, broiled, shell fish, fish, composition and food value of, fish, seasons for, fish, tables showing composition and food value of, fish, table showing seasons for, shrimp à la salle, creamed, general characteristics of lobsters, crabs, and, lobsters, crabs, and, nature of, preparation of, simmering, or stewing, singeing a chicken, sirloin steak, skinning fish, skirt steak, small birds, preparation of, birds, roast, smelts, sautéd, smoked fish, freshening salt and, fish in the diet, salt and, fish, table showing the names, seasons, and uses of, soft-shelled crabs, -shelled crabs, fried, soljinka, soup, accompaniments and garnishes, accompaniments, recipes for, and its place in the meal, and soup accompaniments, clearing of, cooking meat for, cream-of-asparagus, cream-of-corn, cream-of-onion, cream-of-pea, cream-of-potato, cream-of-spinach, cream-of-tomato, definition of, economic value of, extracts, fritters, general classes of, in the meal, purpose of, in the meal, value of, julienne, making, meat used for, making of, making, vegetables used for, mulligatawny, noodle, ox-tail, principal ingredients of, recipes for, removing grease from, serving, stock, meaning and use of, stock, uses of, stock, varieties of, thickening, value of, soups, classification of, clear, cream, denoting consistency, classes of, heavy thick, thick, typical of particular countries, spanish sauce, stew, spinach soup, cream-of-, split-pea purée, spring duck, lamb, squabs, squirrel, broiled, standing rib roast, steak, club, delmonico, flat-bone, hamburger, hip-bone, or cutlets, veal, pan-broiled, planked, porterhouse, sautéd halibut, sirloin, skirt, stuffing for rolled, swiss, vegetables served with, steaks obtained from the beef loin, obtained from the round, preparation of beef, steamed clams, fish, stew, beef, oyster, spanish, veal, stewed eel, fish, fresh herring, stewing and corning, beef for, or simmering, stews and corned beef, preparation of, lamb and mutton, sticks, bread, stock, bone, stock, first, fish, flavoring, for clear soup or bouillon, for soup, game, household, keeping, meaning and use of soup, pot, pot, food suitable for the, pot, nature, use, and care of, second, varieties of soup, vegetable, white, stocks and clear soups, stomach sweetbread, strips, pastry, structure and composition of meat, stuffed heart, veal breast, stuffing, bread, chestnut, cracker, for fish, for roast duck, liver, for roast poultry, for rolled steak, for veal, green-pepper, oyster, rice, suet, trying out, sweetbread croquettes, heart, stomach, throat, sweetbreads, broiled, creamed, preparation of, swiss steak, t table for the selection of poultry, of cuts obtained from a side of beef and their uses, of mutton and lamb cuts, of pork cuts, of veal cuts, showing composition and food value of shell fish, showing seasons for shell fish, showing the comparison of fish and meat, showing the names, seasons, and uses of fresh fish, showing the names, seasons, and uses of smoked fish, tarhonya, tenderloin of beef, of pork, of pork, sautéd, thick soups, thickening soup, thin white sauce, throat sweetbread, timbale-case batter, cases, iron, time required for cooking meat, tissue, connective, toast, minced lamb on, tomato bouillon, sauce, sauce, pork chops and, soup, cream-of-, tomatoes, bacon with, tongue, boiled, braized, pickled, trout, food value of lake, trying out suet, tuna fish, creamed, turkey hash, preparation of, roast, turkeys, selection of, turkish lamb, u use of soup stock, of stock pot, uses of beef cuts, of fresh fish, table showing the names, seasons, and, of lamb and mutton cuts, of smoked fish, table showing the names, seasons, and, of veal cuts, v value of fish, food, of fish, relative nutritive, of meat as food, of shell fish, tables showing composition and food, of soup in the meal, valves of an oyster, varieties and uses of soup stock, of soup stock, veal, bob, breast, stuffed, chops, composition and food value of, cooking of, croquettes, cuts and their preparation, cuts and their uses, cuts, table of, cutlets in brown sauce, fore quarter of, hind quarter of, jellied, kidneys, left-over, left-over jellied, nature of, on biscuits, creamed, organs, potpie, roasts, rolls, salad, steak or cutlets, pan-broiled, stew, stuffing for, sweetbreads, broiled, sweetbreads, creamed, with rice, scalloped, vegetable extracts, soup with noodles, stock, vegetables served with steak, used for soup making, venison, broiled, cuts of, roast fillet of, roast leg of, sauce for, w water in meat, white stock, whitefish, baked fillet of, composition and food value of, wing tips of chicken, y yearling, meaning of, young, or spring, duck, many ways for cooking eggs by mrs. s.t. rorer author of mrs. rorer's new cook book, philadelphia cook book, bread and bread-making, and other valuable works on cookery. contents sauces english drawn butter, plain hollandaise; anchovy, bechamel, tarragon, horseradish, cream or white, brown butter, perigueux, tomato, paprika, curry, italian cooking of eggs to preserve eggs, egging and crumbing, shirred eggs, mexicana, on a plate, de lesseps, meyerbeer, a la reine, au miroir, a la paysanne, a la trinidad, rossini, baked in tomato sauce, a la martin, a la valenciennes, fillets, a la suisse, with nut-brown butter, timbales, coquelicot, suzette, en cocotte. steamed in the shell, birds' nests, eggs en panade, egg pudding, a la bonne femme, to poach eggs, eggs mirabeau, norwegian, prescourt, courtland, louisiana, richmond, hungarian, nova scotia, lakme, malikoff, virginia, japanese, a la windsor, buckingham, poached on fried tomatoes, a la finnois, a la gretna, a l'imperatrice, with chestnuts, a la regence, a la livingstone, mornay, zanzibar, monte bello, a la bourbon, bernaise, a la rorer, benedict, to hard-boil, creole, curried, beauregard, lafayette, jefferson, washington, au gratin, deviled, a la tripe, a l'aurore, a la dauphin, a la bennett, brouilli, scalloped, farci, balls, deviled salad, japanese hard, en marinade, a la polonnaise, a la hyde, a la vinaigrette, a la russe, lyonnaise, croquettes, chops, plain scrambled, scrambled with chipped beef, scrambled with lettuce, scrambled with shrimps, scrambled with fresh tomatoes, scrambled with rice and tomato, scrambled with asparagus tips, egg flip omelets omelet with asparagus tips, with green peas, havana, with tomato sauce, with oysters, with sweetbreads, with tomatoes, with ham, with cheese, with fine herbs, spanish, jardiniere, with fresh mushrooms, o'brien, with potatoes sweet omelets omelet a la washington, with rum, swiss souffle, a la duchesse, souffle sauces the philosophy of a sauce, when understood, enables even an untrained cook to make a great variety of every day sauces from materials usually found in every household; to have them uniform, however, flavorings must be correctly blended, and measurements must be rigidly observed. two level tablespoonfuls of butter or other fat, two level tablespoonfuls of flour, must be used to each half pint of liquid. if the yolks of eggs are added, omit one tablespoonful of flour or the sauce will be too thick. tomato sauce should be flavored with onion, a little mace, and a suspicion of curry. brown sauce may be simply seasoned with salt and pepper, flavored and colored with kitchen bouquet. spanish sauce should also be flavored with mushrooms, or if you can afford it, a truffle, a little chopped ham, a tablespoonful of chives, shallot and garlic. water sauce, drawn butter and simple sauce hollandaise, when they are served with fish, must be flavored with a dash of tarragon vinegar, salt and pepper. english drawn butter tablespoonfuls of butter / pint of boiling water tablespoonfuls of flour / teaspoonful of salt dash of pepper rub two tablespoonfuls of butter and the flour together, add the boiling water, stir until boiling, add the salt and pepper; take from the fire, add the remaining tablespoonful of butter and it is ready for use. it must not be boiled after the last butter is added. plain sauce hollandaise make english drawn butter and add to it, when done, the yolks of two eggs beaten with two tablespoonfuls of water; cook until thick and jelly-like, take from the fire and add one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar or the juice of half a lemon. anchovy sauce rub two teaspoonfuls of anchovy essence with the butter and flour and then finish the same as english drawn butter. sauce bechamel tablespoonfuls of butter yolk of an egg / cup of milk saltspoonful of pepper tablespoonful of flour / cup of stock / teaspoonful of salt rub the butter and flour together, add the stock and the milk and stir until boiling; add the salt and pepper, take from the fire and add the beaten yolk of the egg, heat for a moment over hot water, and it is ready for use. tarragon sauce add two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar to an english drawn butter. horseradish sauce make an english drawn butter, and, just at serving time, add a half cupful of freshly grated horseradish. if you are obliged to use that preserved in vinegar, press it perfectly dry before using it. cream or white sauce tablespoonfuls of butter / pint of milk tablespoonfuls of flour / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper rub the butter and flour together, add the milk cold and stir until boiling; add the pepper and salt and it is ready for use. brown butter sauce tablespoonfuls of butter teaspoonful of mushroom catsup tablespoonful of vinegar tablespoonfuls of stock melt the butter, brown it and then skim; pour it carefully into a clean saucepan, add the vinegar, catsup and stock, boil a minute, and it is ready for use. sauce perigueux tablespoonfuls of butter / pint of stock glass of white wine / teaspoonful of salt tablespoonfuls of flour bay leaf chopped truffles saltspoonful of pepper teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet chop the truffles and put them with the bay leaf and wine in a saucepan on the back of the stove. rub half the butter and flour together, add the stock, stir until boiling and add one teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet, the salt and pepper, and then the truffles; cook ten minutes, add the remaining quantity of butter and use at once. tomato sauce rub together two level tablespoonfuls of flour and two of butter. add a half pint of strained tomatoes. stir until boiling. add a teaspoonful of onion juice, a half teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. strain and use. paprika sauce rub together two level tablespoonfuls of flour and two of butter, with a tablespoonful of paprika. add a half pint of chicken stock. stir until boiling. add a half teaspoonful of salt, and strain. this sauce may be used over chicken as well as eggs. curry sauce chop fine one onion. cook it with two level tablespoonfuls of butter until soft. do not brown. add two level tablespoonfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of curry powder and a half teaspoonful of salt. mix and add a half pint of boiling water. stir until boiling, and strain. italian sauce chop sufficient carrot to make a tablespoonful; chop one onion. place them in a saucepan with three level tablespoonfuls of butter, a bay leaf and a blade of mace. shake the pan over the fire until the vegetables are slightly browned. drain off the butter and add to it two level tablespoonfuls of flour, a half cupful of good stock, a half cupful of strained tomatoes, and bring to a boil. add a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of cayenne. strain. stir until boiling, strain again and add four tablespoonfuls of sherry. cooking of eggs any single food containing all the elements necessary to supply the requirements of the body is called a complete or typical food. milk and eggs are frequently so called, because they sustain the young animals of their kind during a period of rapid growth. nevertheless, neither of these foods forms a perfect diet for the human adult. both are highly nutritious, but incomplete. served with bread or rice, they form an admirable meal and one that is nutritious and easily digested. the white of eggs, almost pure albumin, is nutritious, and, when cooked in water at degrees fahrenheit, requires less time for perfect digestion than a raw egg. the white of a hard-boiled egg is tough and quite insoluble. the yolk, however, if the boiling has been done carefully for twenty minutes, is mealy and easily digested. fried eggs, no matter what fat is used, are hard, tough and insoluble. the yolk of an egg cooks at a lower temperature than the white, and for this reason an egg should not be boiled unless the yolk alone is to be used. ten eggs are supposed to weigh a pound, and, unless they are unusually large or small, this is quite correct. eggs contain from to per cent. of water, about to per cent. of albuminoids. the yolk is quite rich in fat; the white deficient. they also contain mineral matter and extractives. to ascertain the freshness of an egg without breaking it, hold your hand around the egg toward a bright light or the sun and look through it. if the yolk appears quite round and the white clear, it is fresh. or, if you put it in a bucket of water and it falls on its side, it is fresh. if it sort of topples in the water, standing on its end, it is fairly fresh, but, if it floats, beware of it. the shell of a fresh egg looks dull and porous. as it begins to age, the shell takes on a shiny appearance. if an egg is kept any length of time, a portion of its water evaporates, which leaves a space in the shell, and the egg will "rattle." an egg that rattles may be perfectly good, and still not absolutely fresh. to preserve eggs to preserve eggs it is only necessary to close the pores of the shells. this may be done by dipping them in melted paraffine, or packing them in salt, small ends down; or pack them in a keg and cover them with brine; or pack them in a keg, small ends down and cover them with lime water; this not only protects them from the air, but acts as a germicide. eggs should not be packed for winter use later than the middle of may or earlier than the first of april. where large quantities of the yolks are used, the whites may be evaporated and kept in glass bottles or jars. spread them out on a stoneware or granite plate and allow them to evaporate at the mouth of a cool oven. when the mixture is perfectly dry, put it away. this powder is capable of taking up the same amount of water that has been evaporated from it, and may then be used the same as fresh whites. eggs and crumbing to do this successfully one must prepare a mixture, and not use the egg alone. if an egg mixture or a croquette is dipped in beaten egg and rolled in cracker crumbs and dropped into fat, it always has a greasy covering. this is the wrong way. to do it successfully and have the articles handsome, beat the egg until well mixed, add a teaspoonful of olive oil, a tablespoonful of water and a dash of pepper. dip the articles into this mixture, and then drop them on quite a thick bed of either sifted dry bread crumbs or soft white bread crumbs. i prefer sifted dry bread crumbs for croquettes, and soft white crumbs for lobster cutlets and deviled crabs. shirred eggs cover the bottoms of individual dishes with a little butter and a few fresh bread crumbs; drop into each dish two fresh eggs; stand this dish in a pan of hot water and cook in the oven until the whites are "set." put a tiny bit of butter in the middle of each, and a dusting of salt and pepper. eggs mexicana put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan. add four tablespoonfuls of finely chopped onion and shake until the onion is soft, but not brown. then add four spanish peppers cut in strips, a dash of red pepper and a half pint of tomatoes; the tomatoes should be in rather solid pieces. add a seasoning of pepper and salt. let this cook slowly while you shir the desired quantity of eggs. when the eggs are ready to serve, put two tablespoonfuls of this sauce at each side of the dish, and send at once to the table. eggs on a plate rub the bottom of a baking dish with butter. dust it lightly with salt and pepper. break in as many fresh eggs as required. stand the dish in a basin of water and cook in the oven five minutes, or until the whites are "set." while these are cooking, put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a pan and shake over the fire until it browns. when the eggs are done, baste them with the browned butter, and send to the table. eggs de lesseps shir the eggs as directed. have ready, carefully boiled, two sets of calves' brains; cut them into slices; put two or three slices between the eggs, and then pour over browned butter sauce. eggs meyerbeer to each half dozen eggs allow three lambs' kidneys. broil the kidneys. shir the eggs as directed in the first recipe. when done, put half a kidney on each side of the plate and pour over sauce perigueux. eggs a la reine eggs / pint of chopped cold cooked chicken / can of mushrooms tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper use ordinary shirring dishes for the eggs; butter them, break into each one egg, stand these in a pan of boiling water and in the oven until they are "set." rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling, add the salt, pepper, chopped chicken and mushrooms, and put one tablespoonful of this on top of each egg and send at once to the table. this is also nice if you put a tablespoonful of the mixture in the bottom of the dish, break the egg into it, and then at serving time put another tablespoonful over the top. eggs au miroir cover the bottom of a graniteware or silver platter with fresh bread crumbs, break in as many eggs as are needed for the number of persons to be served. put bits of butter here and there, stand the platter over a baking pan of hot water in the oven until the eggs are "set," dust them with salt and pepper and send them to the table. eggs a la paysanne eggs / cupful of cream tablespoonfuls of grated onion clove of garlic / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper add the onion and the garlic, mashed, to the cream; pour it in the bottom of a baking dish, break on top the eggs, dust with salt and pepper, stand the baking dish in a pan of water and cook in the oven until the eggs are "set." serve in the dish in which they are cooked. eggs a la trinidad eggs lamb's kidneys cupful of fresh bread crumbs level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of stock teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper split the kidneys, cut out the tubes; scald them, drain, and cut them into thin slices. put the butter into a saucepan, add the kidneys, toss until the kidneys are cooked, then add the flour, stock, kitchen bouquet, salt and pepper; stir until boiling. grease a shallow granite or silver platter, break into it the eggs, sprinkle over the bread crumbs and stand them in the oven until the eggs are "set," then pour over the sauce, arrange the kidneys around the edge of the dish and send at once to the table. eggs rossini eggs chicken livers nice mushrooms / cupful of stock / teaspoonful of salt dash of pepper put the stock in a saucepan and boil rapidly until reduced one-half, add a drop or two of browning. throw the chicken livers into boiling water and let them simmer gently for ten minutes; drain. slice the mushrooms and put them, with the livers, into the stock; let them stand until you have cooked the eggs. put a tablespoonful of butter in the bottom of a shallow platter; when melted break in the eggs, stand them in the oven until "set," garnish with the livers and mushrooms and pour over the sauce. eggs baked in tomato sauce make a tomato sauce. pour one-half in the bottom of a baking dish or granite platter, break in from four to six fresh eggs, cover with the other half of the sauce, dust the top with grated cheese, and bake in a moderate oven until "set," about fifteen or twenty minutes. serve for supper in the place of meat. eggs a la martin make a half pint of cream sauce. put half of it in the bottom of a baking dish or into the bottom of ramekin dishes or individual cups. break fresh eggs on top of the cream sauce, dust with a little salt and pepper, pour over the remaining cream sauce, sprinkle the top with grated cheese, and bake in a moderate oven until the cheese is browned and eggs are "set." serve in the dish or dishes in which they are cooked. eggs a la valencienne eggs pint of dry boiled rice / pint of strained tomato mushrooms tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg / teaspoonful of paprika teaspoonful of salt / saltspoonful of pepper rub the butter and flour together, add the strained tomato, stir until boiling, add the mushrooms, sliced, salt, paprika, nutmeg and pepper. take a granite or silver platter, put in two tablespoonfuls of butter extra, let the butter melt and heat; break into this the eggs, being very careful not to break the yolks. let the eggs cook in the oven until "set." then put around the edge of the dish as a garnish the boiled rice, pour over the eggs the tomato sauce, dust the top with the parmesan cheese and send at once to the table. fillets of eggs eggs tablespoonfuls of good stock / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper beat the eggs with the stock, add the salt and pepper. turn them into a buttered square pan, stand this in another of boiling water, and cook in the oven until the eggs are thoroughly "set." cut the preparation into thin fillets or slices, dip in either a thin batter made from one egg, a half cupful of milk and flour to thicken, or they may be dipped in beaten egg, rolled in bread crumbs and fried in deep hot fat. arrange the fillets in a platter on a napkin, one overlapping the other; garnish with parsley and send to the table with a boat of tomato or white sauce. eggs a la suisse cover the bottom of a baking dish with about two tablespoonfuls of butter cut into bits. on top of this, very thin slices of swiss cheese. break over some fresh eggs. dust with salt and pepper. to each half dozen eggs, pour over a half cup of cream. then cover the top with grated swiss cheese and bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and the eggs "set." send this to the table with a plate of dry toast. eggs with nut-brown butter these eggs may be shirred or poached and served on toast. put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saute or frying pan. as soon as it begins to heat, break into it the eggs and cook slightly until the yolks are "set;" dish them at once on toast or thin slices of broiled ham. put two more tablespoonfuls of butter in the pan, let it brown, and add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; boil it up once and pour over the eggs. egg timbales butter small timbale molds or custard cups, dust the bottoms and sides with chopped tongue and finely chopped mushrooms. break into each mold one fresh egg. stand the mold in a baking pan half filled with boiling water, and cook in the oven, until the eggs are "set." have ready nicely toasted rounds of bread, one for each cup, and a well-made tomato or cream sauce. loosen the eggs from the cups with a knife, turn each out onto a round of toast, arrange neatly on a heated platter, fill the bottom of the platter with cream or tomato sauce, garnish the dish with nicely seasoned green peas and serve at once. eggs coquelicot grease small custard or timbale cups and put inside of each a cooked spanish pepper. drop in the pepper one egg. dust it lightly with salt, stand the cups in a pan of boiling water and cook in the oven until the eggs are "set." toast one round of bread for each cup and make a half pint of cream sauce. when the eggs are "set," fill the bottom of the serving platter with cream sauce, loosen the peppers from the cups and turn them out on the rounds of toast. stand them in the cream sauce, dust on top of each a little chopped parsley and send to the table. eggs suzette bake as many potatoes as you have persons to serve. when done, cut off the sides, scoop out a portion of the potato, leaving a wall about a half inch thick. mash the scooped-out portion, add to it a little hot milk, salt and pepper, and put it into a pastry bag. put a little salt, pepper and butter into each potato and break in a fresh egg. press the potato from the pastry bag through a star tube around the edge of the potato, forming a border. stand these in a baking pan and bake until the eggs are "set." put a tablespoonful of cream sauce in the center of each, and send to the table. eggs en cocotte chop fine one good-sized onion. cook it, over hot water, in two level tablespoonfuls of butter. when the onion is soft add a quarter of a can of mushrooms, chopped fine, two level tablespoonfuls of flour and one cupful of stock. stir until boiling. add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a half teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. put a tablespoonful of this sauce in the bottom of individual cups. break into each cup one egg. pour over the remaining mixture. stand the cups in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven about five minutes. eggs steamed in the shell eggs put into hot water and kept away from the fire are much better than eggs actually boiled for only a short time. the greater the number of eggs to be cooked, the greater the amount of water that must be used. to cook four eggs, put them into a kettle, pour over them two quarts of water, cover the kettle and allow them to stand for ten minutes. lift them from the water, put them into a large bowl, cover with boiling water, and send at once to the table. the whites will be coagulated, but should be soft and creamy, while the yolks will be perfectly cooked. if you should add six eggs to this volume of water, lengthen the time of standing. a single egg, dropped into a quart of water, must stand five minutes. birds' nests separate the eggs, allowing one to each person. beat the whites to a stiff froth. heap them into individual dishes, make a nest, or hole, in the center. drop into this a whole yolk. stand the dish in a pan of water, cover, and cook in the oven about two or three minutes. dust lightly with salt and pepper, put a tiny bit of butter in the center of each, and send at once to the table. this is one of the most sightly of all egg dishes. eggs en panade eggs slices of bread / cupful of milk or cream tablespoonfuls of olive oil tablespoonful of chopped parsley / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper trim the crusts from the bread. beat the eggs until well mixed, but not light, then add the milk or cream, salt and pepper. put the oil in a shallow frying pan, dip the slices of bread in the beaten egg and drop them into the hot oil; when brown on one side, turn and brown the other. dish on a hot platter, dust with the chopped parsley and send at once to the table. egg pudding eggs slices of bread tablespoonful of chopped parsley tablespoonfuls of chopped chives tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonful of flour / pint of milk / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of white pepper break the eggs in a bowl, add all the seasoning. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling, and then add this to the eggs; beat together until thoroughly mixed. crumb the bread, removing the crusts; stir this in at last. turn into a buttered baking dish, cover with grated cheese, and bake in the oven until thoroughly "set" and a nice brown. it makes an exceedingly good, easily digested luncheon or supper dish for children. eggs a la bonne femme spanish or bermuda onions level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk eggs teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. put the butter into a saucepan, add the onions, cut into _very thin_ slices; shake until the onions are soft, but not brown, then dust over the flour, mix, and add the milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. stir carefully until this reaches boiling point, then stand it on the back part of the stove where it will keep hot for at least ten minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs until very creamy, then stir them into the sauce, take from the fire, and fold in the well-beaten whites of the eggs. turn into a baking dish or casserole and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes; serve at once. to poach eggs use a shallow frying pan partly filled with boiling water. the eggs must be perfectly fresh. the white of an egg is held in a membrane which seems to lose its tenacity after the egg is three days old. such an egg, when dropped into boiling water, spreads out; that is, it does not retain its shape. when ready to poach eggs, take the required number to the stove. the water must be boiling hot, but not actually bubbling. break an egg into a saucer, slide it quickly into the water, and then another and another. pull the pan to the side of the stove, where the water cannot possibly boil. with a tablespoon, baste the water over the yolks of the eggs, if they happen to be exposed. they must be entirely covered with a thin veil of the white. have ready the desired quantity of toast on a heated platter, lift each egg with a slice or skimmer, trim off the ragged edges and slide them at once on the toast. dust with salt and pepper, baste with melted butter, and send to the table. eggs mirabeau cut a sufficient number of rounds of bread, toast them carefully and cover them with _pate de foie gras_, put on top of each a poached egg, pour over sauce perigueux, and send to the table. eggs norwegian cover rounds of toasted bread first with butter and then with anchovy paste, put on top of each a poached egg, pour over anchovy sauce, and send at once to the table. eggs prescourt toast slices of bread, put thin slices of chicken on each, on top of this a poached egg, cover with sauce bernaise, and serve at once. eggs courtland mince sufficient cold chicken to make a half cupful. make a half pint of cream sauce, add the minced chicken, a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of red pepper. toast a sufficient quantity of bread, put it on a heated platter, pour over a small quantity of the minced chicken and cream sauce, put on each a poached egg, cover with the remaining sauce, dust with parsley and serve with a garnish of green peas. eggs louisiana make a half pint of tomato sauce, toast a sufficient quantity of bread, butter the bread and put on each slice a poached egg; cover with the tomato sauce. eggs richmond chop sufficient cold chicken to make a half cupful, add an equal quantity of finely-chopped mushrooms, add this to a half pint of cream sauce. add one unbeaten egg to a pint of cold boiled rice, season it with salt and pepper, make into round, flat cakes, and fry in hot fat. arrange these on a heated platter, pour over the cream sauce mixture, and put on top of each a poached egg. hungarian eggs boil a cup of rice until tender and dry. make a half pint of paprika sauce. turn the rice into the center of a platter, smooth it down, cover the top with poached eggs, pour over the paprika sauce and send at once to the table. eggs nova scotia put a poached egg on top of a flat codfish cake, pour over cream or tomato sauce, and send to the table. eggs lakme cut cold chicken or turkey into very thin slices, and stand over hot water, in a dish, until heated; toast a sufficient quantity of bread, butter the slices, put on each a slice of chicken or turkey, dust lightly with salt and pepper. on top of these place a poached egg, cover with tarragon sauce, and send to the table. eggs malikoff toast rounds of bread, cover them with caviar which has been seasoned with a little onion and pepper. put on top of each a poached egg, cover with horseradish sauce, and send to the table. eggs virginia grate six ears of corn. add half cupful of milk, a half cupful of flour and two eggs, beaten separately, and a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. drop the mixture in large tablespoonfuls in hot fat. when brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. drain and arrange neatly on a large platter. put a poached egg on the top of each cake, cover with cream sauce and send to the table. this dish, with green peas, makes quite a complete meal. japanese eggs carefully boil one cup of rice, drain dry. make a half pint of cream sauce, add to it a teaspoonful of grated onion and a teaspoonful of chopped celery. poach the desired number of eggs. put the rice in the center of a platter, cover it with the eggs, pour over the sauce. dust the dish with parsley, and send at once to the table. the edge of this dish may be garnished with broiled sardines or carefully broiled smoked salmon. eggs a la windsor eggs rounds of toast level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of chicken stock tablespoonful of chopped parsley tablespoonful of chopped olive tablespoonful of chopped spanish pepper / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of black pepper rub the butter and flour together and add the stock; stir until boiling, and add the salt and pepper. toast the bread. poach the eggs, put them on the toast, pour over carefully the sauce, heap the chopped vegetables, mixed, in the center of each egg and send to the table. eggs buckingham allow one egg to each person that is to be served. cut either a dry or a virginia ham into very thin slices; allow one thin square to each person. toast squares of bread, remove the crust. broil the ham quickly; put each square of ham on a square of toast, put on top a poached egg, dust lightly with pepper and send to the table. poached eggs on fried tomatoes cut solid tomatoes into slices a quarter of an inch thick, dust them with salt and pepper, dip them in egg beaten with a tablespoonful of water, roll them thickly with bread crumbs, dip them again in the egg, dust again with bread crumbs, and fry in deep hot fat. drain on brown paper, dish on a heated platter, put a poached egg in the center of each slice, dust with salt and pepper, put a tablespoonful of tomato sauce over each egg and send at once to the table. cream sauce may be used in the place of tomato sauce. eggs a la finnois eggs level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of strained tomato tablespoonful of chopped chives green peppers rub the butter and flour together, add the tomatoes, and the peppers, chopped very fine. stir until this reaches boiling point, and stand it over hot water. poach the eggs in deep water. toast six rounds of bread; arrange the toast on a platter, put one egg on each slice, pour around the tomato sauce, dust thickly with the chives and send to the table. eggs a la gretna eggs heads of celery level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper cut the celery into inch lengths, wash thoroughly, cover with boiling water and simmer gently thirty minutes until the celery is tender; drain, saving the water in which the celery was cooked for another purpose. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, salt and pepper; when boiling add the celery; stand this over hot water while you poach the eggs and toast six squares of bread. butter the toast, put on each slice one egg; put these around the edge of a large platter, turn the celery into the middle of the dish and send at once to the table. to increase the beauty of this dish, and to give it a greater food value, you may garnish between the toast and celery with carefully boiled rice; this then makes an exceedingly nice supper dish. eggs a l'imperatrice toast six slices of bread; butter them, put on top a thin slice of _pate de foie gras_, and on top of this a hot poached egg. baste with a little melted butter, dust with salt and pepper and send at once to the table. this is one of the most elegant of all the egg dishes. eggs with chestnuts this is an exceedingly nice dish to serve in the fall when chestnuts are fresh. shell a quart of chestnuts, blanch them, then boil them until tender; drain and press through a colander. add a half cupful of hot milk, a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. beat until light and stand over a kettle of hot water while you poach six or eight eggs. dish the chestnut puree in a small platter, cover the poached eggs over the top, dust them with salt, pepper and chopped parsley. eggs a la regence eggs / cupful of chopped cold cooked ham grated onion / can of chopped mushrooms tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of chicken stock / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper stand the ham over hot water until thoroughly heated. rub the butter and flour together, add the stock, stir until boiling, add the mushrooms, sliced, the salt, pepper and the onion; stand this over hot water while you poach the eggs. dish the eggs, cover them with the sauce, strained, and cover with the chopped ham. garnish the dish with mashed potatoes or boiled rice, and send at once to the table. eggs a la livingstone squares of toast tureen of pate-de-foie-gras eggs / cupful of good stock tablespoonfuls of sherry teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet / teaspoonful of salt dash of pepper toast the bread, butter it and put on top of each slice of toast a slice of _pate de foie gras_; put this on a heated dish, stand it at the mouth of the oven door while you poach the eggs. put into a saucepan all the other ingredients, bring to a boil, put one poached egg on each slice of _pate de foie gras_; baste with the sauce and send at once to the table. eggs mornay eggs tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk / teaspoonful of salt / teaspoonful of paprika tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling, add the salt and paprika, and if you have it, a teaspoonful of soy; pour half of this sauce in a shallow granite platter or baking dish. poach the eggs, drain them carefully, and put them over the top of the sauce, cover with the remaining sauce, dust with parmesan cheese and run in the oven a moment to brown. eggs zanzibar small egg plant thin slice of ham eggs tablespoonfuls of sherry tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup level tablespoonfuls of butter dash of pepper cut the egg plant into slices, season it with salt and pepper, dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry carefully in deep hot fat; put this on brown paper in the oven to dry. broil the ham, cut it into squares sufficiently small to go neatly on top of each slice of egg plant. poach the eggs, and heat the other ingredients for the sauce. dish the egg plant on a platter, put on the ham, and on each piece of ham an egg; baste with sauce and send to the table. eggs monte bello eggs level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of strained tomato teaspoonful of onion juice / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper put about two quarts of water into a small deep saucepan; when boiling very hard drop in, one at a time, the eggs. in dropping them in, the white will fold over the yolk and make the eggs round. push them to the back of the stove to stand for two minutes. lift them with a skimmer, dip them in an egg beaten with a tablespoonful of water, dust them with bread crumbs and fry them in deep hot fat. you cannot use a frying basket. just drop them in the fat, and as they are browned lift them out onto soft paper to drain. rub the butter and flour together, add the tomato and seasoning; when boiling dish the eggs on a heated platter, pour around tomato sauce and send to the table. eggs a la bourbon eggs / pint of stock tablespoonful of butter tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese / teaspoonful of salt dash of pepper put the stock in a small saucepan, poach the eggs in it, two at a time; lift them carefully and lay them on a hot granite or silver dish. when all are poached, dust over the cheese and stand them in the hot oven for just a moment until the cheese is melted. in the meantime boil the stock until it is reduced one-half, add the butter, baste it over the eggs and send to the table. this dish may be garnished with triangular pieces of toast. eggs bernaise whole eggs yolks of eggs tablespoonfuls of stock tablespoonfuls of olive oil tablespoonful of chopped parsley tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar tablespoonful of butter tablespoonful of flour / cupful of strained tomato teaspoonful of onion juice / teaspoonful of salt put the stock, yolks of eggs and olive oil into a saucepan, stir over hot water until you have a thick, smooth sauce like mayonnaise; take from the fire, and when slightly cool stir in the tarragon vinegar and parsley. rub the butter and flour together, add the tomato, and when boiling add a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper. toast six halves of english muffins or squares of bread. heat a platter, butter the toast, put it on the hot platter, and poach the eggs. put one poached egg on each slice of toast, fill the bottom of the dish with tomato sauce and put a tablespoonful of bernaise sauce on top of each egg. these may be garnished with a little chopped truffle, or a little chopped parsley. eggs a la rorer toast rounds of bread, one for each person. butter them. heat, in boiling water, the choke of a french artichoke, one for each slice of bread. make sauce hollandaise, and put one artichoke bottom on each slice of bread on a heated platter. put in the center a poached egg and pour over the sauce hollandaise. garnish the dish with nicely cooked french or fresh green peas. eggs benedict separate two eggs. break the yolks, add a cupful of milk, a half teaspoonful of salt, one and a half cupfuls of flour and a tablespoonful of melted butter. beat well, add two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder and fold in the well-beaten whites. bake on a griddle in large muffin rings. broil thin slices of ham. make a sauce hollandaise. chop a truffle. poach the required number of eggs. dish the muffins, put a square of ham on each, then a poached egg and cover each egg nicely with sauce hollandaise. dust with truffle and serve at once. to hard-boil eggs put the eggs in warm water, bring the water quickly to the boiling point, then push the kettle to the back of the stove, where the water will remain at degrees fahrenheit, for twenty minutes. if these are to be used for made-over dishes, throw them at once into cold water, remove the shells, or the yolks will lose their color. eggs creole put two tablespoonfuls of butter and four of chopped onions into a saucepan, cook until the onion is soft, but not brown. then add four peeled fresh tomatoes that have been cut into pieces, and three finely chopped green peppers. cook this fifteen minutes, and add a level teaspoonful of salt. have the eggs hard-boiled, and cut into slices. put them into a baking dish, pour over the sauce, re-heat in the oven, and serve with a dish of boiled rice. curried eggs peel, and cut into slices, three large onions. put them in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of butter. stand over hot water and cook until the onions are soft. add a teaspoonful of curry powder, a clove of garlic mashed, a saltspoonful of ground ginger, a half teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of flour; mix thoroughly and add a half pint of water. stir until boiling. have ready six hard-boiled eggs, cut them into slices, arrange them over a dish of carefully boiled rice, on a hot platter, strain over the sauce, and send at once to the table. this dish is made more attractive by a garnish with sweet spanish peppers, cut into strips. eggs beauregard hard-boil five eggs. separate the whites from the yolks. put the yolks through a sieve. put the whites either through a vegetable press, or chop them very fine. make a half pint of cream sauce, season it and add the whites. have ready a sufficient amount of toast, carefully buttered. put this on a heated platter, cover over the cream sauce and the whites, dust the tops with the yolks, then with salt and pepper. garnish the edge of the dish with finely chopped parsley, and send at once to the table. eggs lafayette hard-boil six eggs, chop them, but not fine. make a half pint of curry sauce. put the chopped eggs over a bed of carefully boiled rice, cover with the curry sauce, garnish with strips of spanish pepper and serve. this dish may be changed by using tomato sauce in place of the curry sauce. eggs jefferson select the desired number of good-sized tomatoes, allowing one to each person. cut off the blossom end, scoop out the seeds, stand the tomatoes in a baking pan in the oven until they are partly cooked. put a half teaspoonful of butter and a dusting of salt and pepper into the bottom of each, and break in one egg. put these back in the oven until the eggs are "set." have ready a round of toasted bread for each tomato, stand the tomato in the center of the bread, fill the bottom of the dish with cream sauce, and send to the table. eggs washington add a half pint of crab meat to a half pint of cream sauce. season with salt and pepper. have ready either bread pates or pates made from puff paste. put a tablespoonful of the crab mixture in the bottom of each. break in an egg. stand in the oven until the egg is "set." or you may poach the eggs and slide them into the pate. pour over the remaining quantity of crabmeat sauce, and send at once to the table. eggs au gratin make a pint of cream sauce. hard-boil six eggs. cut them into slices. put them in the baking dish and cover with the cream sauce. dust thickly with cheese, and brown quickly in the oven. deviled eggs hard-boil twelve eggs. remove the shells. cut the eggs into halves, crosswise. take out the yolks without breaking the whites. press the yolks through a sieve. add four tablespoonfuls of finely chopped chicken, tongue or ham. add a half teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. rub the mixture. form it into balls the size of the yolks and put them into the places in the whites from which the yolks were taken. put two halves together, roll them in tissue paper that has been fringed at the ends, giving each a twist. if these balls are made the size of the yolk, and put back into the whites, they may be placed on a platter, heated, and served on toast, with cream sauce; then they are very much like the eggs bernhardt. eggs a la tripe hard-boil eight eggs. remove the shells, cut eggs crosswise in rather thick slices. cut three small onions into very thin slices. separate them into rings, cover them with boiling water and boil rapidly ten minutes; drain, then cover them with fresh water and boil until they are tender; drain again, but save the water. now mix the eggs and onions carefully, without breaking. put two level tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour into a saucepan. mix. add a grating of nutmeg, a saltspoonful of black pepper, the juice of a lemon, and a half-pint of the water in which the onions were boiled. bring to the boiling point, add two tablespoonfuls of cream; then add the eggs and onions. when thoroughly hot, dish them in a conical form, garnish with triangular pieces of toast, and serve. eggs a l'aurore hard-boil six eggs, cut them into halves lengthwise, take out the yolks, keeping them whole. cut the whites into fine strips. make a cream sauce. add to it two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped sardines or finely chopped lobster or crab, a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. add the whites of the eggs, and, when quite hot, add the yolks, without breaking them. turn this at once into a heated dish, garnish the dish with triangular pieces of toast, and send to the table. or, if you like, make the sauce, season it and put a layer into the bottom of the baking-dish, then a layer of parmesan cheese, then a layer of the yolks, pressed through a sieve, and so on, alternating, having the last layer of the yolks of the eggs. dust over a few bread crumbs, put here and there bits of butter, and brown quickly in the oven. eggs a la dauphin remove the shells from six hard-boiled eggs, cut them into halves, lengthwise, take out the yolks, press them through a sieve. add four level tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and half a teaspoonful of salt, a grating of nutmeg and two tablespoonfuls of parmesan cheese. add half a cupful of cream to a half cupful of sifted bread crumbs. mix this with the yolks, rub until smooth, then add one well-beaten egg, and the yolk of one egg. cover the bottom of the baking dish with the mixture forming it in a pyramid and cover with the chopped whites. have ready two extra hard-boiled eggs, take out the yolks, press them through a sieve, all over the top. garnish the edges of the dish with triangular pieces of toasted bread, cover the whole with cream sauce, brown in the oven, and serve at once. eggs a la bennett hard-boiled eggs tablespoonfuls of butter teaspoonful of anchovy sauce tablespoonful of finely chopped chives or onion / cupful of bread crumbs / teaspoonful of salt cut the eggs into halves lengthwise; remove the yolks, rub them with half the butter, salt, onion and anchovy paste. fill these back into the whites. cover the bottom of a baking dish with ordinary white sauce, stand in the eggs, put over the bread crumbs, baste them with the remaining butter, melted, and stand in the oven long enough to brown. eggs broulli beat four eggs. add to them four tablespoonfuls of stock, four tablespoonfuls of cream, a saltspoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of pepper. turn them into a saucepan, stand in a pan of hot water, stir with an egg-beater until they are thick and jelly-like. turn at once into a heated dish, garnish with toast and send to the table. scalloped eggs hard-boiled eggs tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk cupful of finely chopped cold cooked chicken or fish teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper chop the eggs rather fine. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling, add the salt and pepper. put a layer of eggs in the bottom of a casserole, or baking dish, then a layer of the fish or chicken, then a little white sauce, and so continue until the ingredients are used. dust the top thickly with bread crumbs and bake in a moderate oven until nicely browned. egg farci hard-boiled eggs cupfuls of mashed potatoes cupful of finely chopped cold cooked meat tablespoonful of chopped parsley tablespoonful of butter tablespoonful of flour gill (a half cupful) of milk level teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of onion juice saltspoonful of pepper hard-boil the eggs, chop them fine, mix them with the meat, add the salt, pepper and parsley. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling; add this gradually to the potatoes. when smooth add the hard-boiled eggs, meat and parsley. fill into small custard cups or into shirring dishes, brush with milk and brown in the oven. these make a nice supper or luncheon dish. egg balls these are used for soup and for garnishing of vegetable dishes. hard-boil four eggs, throw them at once into cold water, remove the shells. put the yolks through a sieve, then add a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of white pepper and the yolk of one raw egg, or you may take a part of the white of one egg. mix thoroughly and make into balls the size of a marble, using enough flour to prevent sticking to the hands. drop these into a kettle of boiling stock, or into hot fat. drain on brown paper. deviled egg salad eggs head of lettuce pimiento teaspoonful of onion juice / teaspoonful of paprika / cupful of chopped boiled tongue saltspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper hard-boil the eggs, throw them into cold water, remove the shells, cut them lengthwise. take out the yolks without breaking the whites. rub the yolks through a sieve into a bowl, then add the tongue and all the seasoning. if the mixture is dry add a tablespoonful or two of cream or olive oil. roll the mixture into balls that will fit the spaces from which they were taken in the whites, making each ball round. arrange the lettuce over a platter, stand the whites in the lettuce, and at serving time baste thoroughly with french dressing. japanese hard eggs cupful of rice / pint of white sauce eggs tablespoonful of chopped parsley, if you have it, and a suspicion of onion juice put the eggs into a saucepan of cold water, bring to boiling point, and simmer gently twenty minutes. wash the rice through several cold waters, sprinkle it into a kettle of boiling water and boil it for thirty minutes. remove the shells, break the eggs while they are hot, cut them into halves crosswise. make the cream sauce, and add the onion juice. when the rice is done, drain, sprinkle it in the center of a large platter, press the halves of the eggs down into it, and pour over the cream sauce. garnish with the chopped parsley. this takes the place of both meat and starchy vegetables for either luncheon or supper. eggs en marinade dozen eggs very red beets quart of cider vinegar whole cloves teaspoonful of mustard seed saltspoonful of celery seed teaspoonful of salt saltspoonfuls of pepper hard-boil the eggs; plunge them into cold water and remove the shells. stick the cloves into the eggs. pare the beets, cut them into blocks and boil them in about a pint of water. to this water add the vinegar, bring it to boiling point, add salt, pepper and the celery and mustard seed. put the eggs into a glass jar and pour over the boiling vinegar; put on the tops and stand them aside for three weeks. a tablespoonful of grated horseradish or a half cupful of nasturtium seeds will improve the flavor and prevent mold. eggs a la polonaise eggs level tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonful of chopped parsley teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper hard-boil four of the eggs; when done remove the shells, cut the eggs into halves lengthwise and take out the yolks, without breaking the whites. press the yolks through a sieve into a bowl, and add the raw yolks of the remaining two eggs, with the parsley, salt and pepper. beat the white of the raw eggs until light, not stiff, then work them into the yolk mixture. cover the bottom of a shallow baking pan with part of this mixture, then fill the spaces in the whites with some of the remaining mixture. put the whites of the eggs together, making them look like whole eggs. arrange these in the center of the dish. if you have any of the yolk mixture left, put it around in a sort of a border. pour over a little melted butter, dust thickly with soft bread crumbs and bake in a quick oven until slightly brown. serve plain or with cream sauce. eggs a la hyde eggs / can of mushrooms tablespoonful of grated onion tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley / cupful of sweet cream level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of chicken stock or cocoanut milk teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper hard-boil the eggs, and when done remove the shells and cut the eggs into halves lengthwise, keeping the whites whole. remove the yolks, press them through a sieve, add to them the cream, half the salt and a dash of cayenne. mix thoroughly and fill into the whites and arrange them neatly on a granite or silver platter. put the butter into a saucepan, add the onion and flour, then the stock or cocoanut milk, and the mushrooms; stir, until it boils, add the remaining salt and pepper; take from the fire and add the parsley. pour this over the eggs on the platter, dust thickly with bread crumbs, run into a quick oven until brown. eggs a la vinaigrette eggs head of lettuce tablespoonfuls of olive oil tablespoonful of chopped parsley tablespoonfuls of vinegar tablespoonful of chopped gherkin tablespoonful of chopped olives tablespoonful of grated onion hard-boil the eggs, throw them into cold water; remove the shells and cut them into slices lengthwise. wash and dry the lettuce, arrange it on a small meat platter, put over the top slices of hard-boiled eggs, letting one slice overlap the other. fill the center of the dish with sliced, peeled tomatoes. put a half teaspoonful of salt in a soup plate, add a saltspoonful of pepper and the oil; put in a piece of ice and stir until the salt is dissolved. remove the ice, add all the other ingredients but the parsley, mix thoroughly, pour this over the eggs, dust with parsley and serve as a supper dish. eggs a la russe eggs small can of caviar ( tablespoonfuls) / pint of stock teaspoonful of onion juice dash of pepper hard-boil the eggs, remove the shells, cut them into halves lengthwise; take out the yolks without breaking the whites, and press them through a sieve, then add the caviar, onion juice and pepper. heap these back into the whites. boil the stock until reduced one-half, baste the eggs carefully, run them into the oven until hot, pour over the remaining hot stock and send to the table. eggs lyonnaise eggs onion level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk / teaspoonful of salt dash of pepper hard-boil the eggs, remove the shells, throw them in cold water. cut the onion into thin slices; put it, with the butter, into a saucepan, shake until the onion is tender, then add the flour, milk and seasoning; stir until boiling. at serving time cut the eggs into slices crosswise, put them in a shallow baking dish, cover with cream sauce and run in the oven just a moment until they are very hot. egg croquettes eggs / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour teaspoonful of onion juice tablespoonful of chopped parsley / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper hard-boil the eggs and chop them fine. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until you have a thick, smooth paste. add all the seasoning to the egg, mix the eggs into the white sauce and turn out to cool. when cold form into cylinders, dip in egg beaten with a tablespoonful of water, roll in bread crumbs and fry in deep hot fat. serve with cream sauce. egg chops hard-boiled eggs / pint of finely chopped cooked ham / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour tablespoonful of chopped parsley teaspoonful of onion juice / teaspoonful of salt dash of cayenne dash of white pepper chop the eggs very fine, mix them with the ham; add the parsley, onion juice and pepper. rub the butter and flour together and add the milk. stir until you have a smooth, thick sauce, then add the salt; mix this with the other ingredients and turn it out to cool. when cold form into a chop about the size of an ordinary mutton chop. dip first in egg beaten with a tablespoonful of water, then cover carefully with bread crumbs and fry in deep hot fat. serve with either tomato or brown sauce. plain scrambled eggs put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a shallow frying pan. add a tablespoonful of water to each egg. six eggs are quite enough for four people. add a half teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper. give two or three beats--enough to break the eggs; turn them into the frying pan, on the hot butter. constantly scrape from the bottom of the pan with a fork, while they are cooking. serve with a garnish of broiled bacon and toast. scrambled eggs with chipped beef pull apart a quarter of a pound of chipped beef, cover with boiling water, let it stand ten minutes, drain and dry. put it into a saucepan with two level tablespoonfuls of butter, four eggs, beaten until they are well mixed, and a dash of pepper. stir with a fork until the eggs are "set." eggs scrambled with lettuce remove the outside leaves from one head of lettuce; wash, dry, and with a very sharp knife cut them into shreds. chop sufficient onion to make a tablespoonful. put a tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan, add the onion, shake until the onion is soft, then add six eggs, beaten without separating until well mixed, but not light. add a half teaspoonful of salt, a half saltspoonful of pepper and the shredded lettuce. stir with a fork until the eggs are "set," turn at once onto a heated platter, garnish with triangular pieces of toast and send to the table. scrambled eggs with shrimps eggs can of shrimps or its equivalent in fresh shrimps green pepper / pint of strained tomato / teaspoonful of salt beat the eggs until well mixed, without separating. put the butter in a saucepan, add the pepper, chopped; shake until the pepper is soft, add the tomato and all the seasoning, and the shrimps. bring to boiling point, push to the back of the stove where it will simmer while you scramble the eggs. put the scrambled eggs on toast in the center of a platter, pour over and around the shrimp mixture and send to the table. eggs scrambled with fresh tomatoes tomatoes eggs teaspoonful of onion juice level teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper tablespoonfuls of butter peel the tomatoes, cut them into halves and squeeze out the seeds. cut the tomatoes into small bits, put them into a saucepan with the salt, pepper and butter; when these are hot add the eggs, beaten until well mixed, stir until the eggs are "set," turn into a heated dish, garnish with toast and send to the table. eggs scrambled with rice and tomato this is an exceedingly nice dish for supper where one does not care for meat. four or six eggs can be used to each half-pint of cold boiled rice, and either three fresh tomatoes, chopped, or two-thirds of a cupful of solid strained tomato. put a tablespoonful of butter, a half teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper and the tomatoes into a saucepan; when hot add the rice, and when the rice is hot add the eggs, beaten without being very light. as soon as the eggs are "set" serve this in a vegetable dish covered with squares of toasted bread. this recipe is also nice with hard-boiled eggs; proceed as directed, and at last add the hard-boiled eggs, sliced. scrambled eggs with asparagus tips small can of asparagus tips eggs tablespoonful of butter / teaspoonful of salt dash of pepper beat the eggs, add the salt, pepper and butter. put them into a saucepan, add at once the asparagus tips and stir with a fork until the mixture is "set." egg flip this dish is exceedingly nice for a child or an invalid. separate one egg, beat the white to a stiff froth, add the yolk and beat again. heap this in a pretty saucer, dust lightly with powdered sugar, put in the center a teaspoonful of brandy, and serve at once. sherry or madeira may be substituted for the brandy. omelets a plain french omelet is, perhaps, one of the most difficult of all things to make; that is, it is the most difficult to have well made in the ordinary private house. failures come from beating the eggs until they are too light, or having the butter too hot, or cooking the omelet too long before serving. in large families, where it is necessary to use a dozen eggs, two omelets will be better than one. a six-egg omelet is quite easily handled. do not use milk; it toughens the eggs and gives an unpleasant flavor to the omelet. an "omelet pan," a shallow frying pan, should be kept especially for omelets. each time it is used rub until dry, but do not wash. dust it with salt and rub it with brown paper until perfectly clean. to make an omelet: first, put a tablespoonful of butter in the middle of the pan. let it heat slowly. break the eggs in a bowl, add a tablespoonful of water to each egg and give twelve good, vigorous beats. to each six eggs allow a saltspoonful of pepper, and, if you like, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. take the eggs, a limber knife and the salt to the stove. draw the pan over the hottest part of the fire, turn in the eggs, and dust over a half teaspoonful of salt. shake the pan so that the omelet moves and folds itself over each time you draw the pan towards you. lift the edge of the omelet, allowing the thin, uncooked portion of the egg to run underneath. shake again, until the omelet is "set." have ready heated a platter, fold over the omelet and turn it out. garnish with parsley, and send to the table. if one can make a plain french omelet, it may be converted into many, many kinds. omelet with asparagus tips make a plain omelet from six eggs, have ready a half pint of cream sauce, and either a can or a bundle of cooked asparagus. cut off the tips, preserving the lower portions for another dish. when the omelet is turned onto the heated platter, put the asparagus tips at the ends, cover them with cream sauce, pour the rest of the cream sauce in the platter, not over the omelet. omelet with green peas make a six-egg omelet. have ready one pint of cooked peas, or a can of peas, seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. just before folding the omelet put a tablespoonful of peas in the center, fold, and turn out on a heated platter. pour the remaining quantity of peas around the omelet, and send at once to the table. if you like, you may pour over, also, a half pint of cream sauce. havana omelet put two tablespoonfuls of butter and two chopped onions over hot water until the onion is soft and thoroughly cooked. peel four tomatoes, cut them into halves and press out the seeds. then cut each half into quarters, add four spanish peppers cut in strips, a level teaspoonful of salt and a dash of red pepper. cook until the tomato is soft. make a six-egg omelet. turn it onto a heated platter, put the tomato mixture at the ends, and send at once to the table. omelet with tomato sauce make a plain omelet with six eggs. pour over a half pint of tomato sauce, and send to the table. omelet with oysters drain, wash, and drain again twenty-five oysters. throw them into a hot saucepan and shake until the gills curl. rub together two level tablespoonfuls of flour and two of butter. drain the oysters, put the liquor into a half-pint cup, add sufficient milk to fill the cup. add this to the butter and flour. when boiling, add the oysters, a level teaspoonful of salt and a dash of red pepper. make a six-egg omelet, turn it onto a heated dish, arrange the oysters around the omelet, pour over the cream sauce, and send to the table. omelet with sweetbreads this is a very good way to make sweetbreads do double duty. boil a pair of sweetbreads until they are tender. remove the membrane, cut them into slices; make a cream sauce. add the sweetbreads, and, if you like, a half can of chopped mushrooms. make a six-egg omelet, arrange the slices of sweetbread around the omelet and pour over the cream sauce. omelet with tomatoes beat six eggs. add a half pint of rather thick stewed tomatoes, a level teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. beat the eggs and tomatoes together, and make precisely the same as a plain omelet. do not, however, add water, as the tomatoes answer the purpose. omelet with ham mix a half cup of chopped ham with the eggs after they have been beaten with the water, and finish the same as a plain omelet. omelet with cheese beat six eggs until they are thoroughly mixed. add a half cupful of thick cream, four tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, a saltspoonful of black pepper and a half teaspoonful of salt. mix and finish the same as plain omelet. omelet with fine herbs beat six eggs until thoroughly mixed. add a half cupful of cream, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, a saltspoonful of pepper and a half teaspoonful of salt. finish the same as a plain omelet. serve on a heated platter and put over a little thin spanish sauce. spanish omelet beat six eggs. add six tablespoonfuls of water. add a saltspoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of onion juice. put six thin slices of bacon in the omelet pan. cook slowly until all the fat is tried out. remove the bacon, add a tablespoonful of chopped onion. cook until the onion is slightly brown, turn in the eggs and finish the same as a plain omelet. turn onto a heated platter, garnish with red and green peppers, and, if you like, put two tablespoonfuls of stewed tomatoes at each end of the omelet. omelet jardiniere chop sufficient chives to make a tablespoonful. add a tablespoonful of parsley, a tablespoonful of finely chopped onion, and, if you have it, a little of the green tops of celery. mix this with six eggs, add six tablespoonfuls of water and beat. make the same as a plain omelet. omelet with fresh mushrooms this is one of the most delicious of all the luncheon dishes. put two tablespoonfuls of butter, a pound of mushrooms, sliced, a half cup of milk and a teaspoonful of salt into a saucepan. cover and cook slowly for twenty minutes. make two six-egg omelets. turn them, side by side, on a large heated platter, pour over the fresh mushrooms and serve at once. omelet o'brien put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan with four tablespoonfuls of chopped onion. cook until the onion is tender. then add four chopped spanish peppers, two tablespoonfuls of thick tomato, or one whole raw tomato cut into bits, four sliced cooked okra, a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper. let these cook twenty minutes. make a six-egg plain omelet, using bacon fat instead of butter for the cooking. remove the slices of bacon before they are too hard, as they must be used for a garnish. turn the omelet onto a heated platter, pour around it the pepper mixture, garnish with the bacon, and send to the table. canned mushrooms may be added, if desired. omelet with potatoes eggs cupful of mashed potatoes level tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonful of chopped parsley level teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper beat the eggs, without separating, until thoroughly mixed; add them gradually to the mashed potato, beating all the while; add the salt and pepper. put the butter into a good-sized saute or omelet pan; when hot, turn the ingredients into the pan, and smooth it down with a pallet knife. let this cook slowly until nicely browned; fold it over as you would a plain omelet, and turn onto a heated dish. the parsley may be sprinkled over the top, or added to the mixture. sweet omelets omelet a la washington put three eggs into a bowl, and three into another bowl. add three tablespoonfuls of water to each, and beat. have two omelet pans, in which you have melted butter. grate an apple into one bowl, and into the other put a little salt and pepper. stand two tablespoonfuls of jelly in a dish over hot water while you cook the omelets. proceed as for plain omelet. the one to which you have added the apple, turn out on a plate. before folding the other, put in the center the softened currant jelly, then fold it and turn it out by the side of the other omelet. dust both with powdered sugar, and send at once to the table. serve a portion of each. omelet with rum make a plain omelet with six eggs, turn it on a heated platter. dust it with powdered sugar, and score it across the top with a red-hot poker. dip four lumps of sugar into jamaica rum and put them on the platter. put over the omelet four tablespoonfuls of rum; touch a lighted match to the rum, and carry the omelet to the table, burning. baste it with the burning rum until the alcohol is entirely burned off. swiss souffle allow one egg to each person. have everything in readiness. the maraschino cherries must be drained free from the liquor. separate the eggs. beat the whites until they are stiff. add a level tablespoonful of powdered sugar to each white, and beat until dry and glossy. add the yolks of three eggs. mix quickly. add the grated rind of one lemon and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. heap this into individual dishes. make a tiny little hole in the center and put in a maraschino cherry, leaving the hole large enough to hold a tablespoonful of the liquor when the omelet is ready to serve; dust it with powdered sugar, bake in a quick oven about three minutes, take it from the oven, pour in the maraschino juice and send _at once_ to the table. these will fall if baked too much, but when well made and served quickly, is one of the daintiest of desserts. omelet a la duchesse this is a sweet baked omelet, and is served the same as one would serve an omelet souffle. eggs / cupful of water / a lemon's yellow rind, grated / cupful of thick cream / cupful of granulated sugar teaspoonful of vanilla or orange flower water small bit of cinnamon put the sugar, water, cinnamon and lemon rind over the fire, boil until it spins a thread and stand aside to cool. separate the eggs; beat the yolks until creamy, and add the cream, then the strained syrup. add the vanilla, and when cool fold in the well-beaten whites. turn at once into a shallow silver or granite dish, dust thickly with powdered sugar and bake in a quick oven until brown. omelet souffle this is, perhaps, one of the most difficult of all dishes to make. when, however, you have accomplished the art, you have one of the most satisfactory desserts. like the preceding recipe, it must be made at the last moment and sent from the oven directly to the table. the eggs must be beaten to just the right point and the oven must be very hot. get everything in readiness before beginning to make the souffle. select a bowl, perfectly clean, and arrange the star tube and pastry bag, if you are going to use one. if not, get out a baking dish. sift six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. separate six eggs. put three of the yolks aside (as you will only use three), and beat the other three until creamy. beat the whites until they are very stiff but not dry or broken. now add three tablespoonfuls of the sifted powdered sugar. beat for fully ten minutes. then add the beaten yolks, the grated rind of a lemon and at the last a tablespoonful of lemon juice. mix carefully and quickly, but thoroughly. put four or five tablespoonfuls of this in the bottom of a platter, or baking dish. put the remaining quantity quickly in the pastry bag, and press it out into roses. it is easier to make it in small rosettes all over the foundation. dust quickly with the remaining three tablespoonfuls of sugar. bake in a quick oven until golden brown. this will take about five minutes. serve immediately. to be just right, this must be hot to the very center, crisp on top, moist underneath. if baked too long, the moment the top is touched it will fall, becoming stringy and unpalatable. omelet souffles are frequently flavored with rum, which must be mixed with the sugar. sometimes they are sprayed with sherry just as they are taken from the oven. they may be built up into different forms, and garnished with candied or maraschino cherries, or chopped nuts. proofreaders. produced from images from feeding america: the historic american cookbook project at michigan state university (http://digital.lib.msu.edu/cookbooks/index.cfm) the international jewish cook book _by_ florence kreisler greenbaum instructor in cooking and domestic science recipes according to the jewish dietary laws with _the_ rules _for_ kashering * * * * * the favorite recipes of america, austria, germany, russia, france, poland, roumania, etc., etc. _second edition_ *publishers' note* it is with pleasure, and pardonable pride, that the publishers announce the appearance of _the international jewish cook book_, which, "though we do say it ourselves," is the best and most complete _kosher_ cook book ever issued in this country. it is the direct successor to the "aunt babette cook book," which has enjoyed undisputed popularity for more than a generation and which is no longer published. _the international jewish cook book_ is, however, far superior to the older book. it is much larger and the recipes are prepared strictly in accordance with the jewish dietary laws. the author and compiler, mrs. florence k. greenbaum, is a household efficiency woman, an expert jewish cook, and thoroughly understands the scientific combining of foods. she is a graduate of hunter college of new york city, where she made a special study of diet and the chemistry of foods. she was instructor in cooking and domestic science in the young women's hebrew association of new york, and is now instructor and lecturer for the association of jewish home makers and the central jewish institute, both under the auspices of the bureau of jewish education (kehillah). mrs. greenbaum knows the housewife's problems through years of personal experience, and knows also how to economize. many of these recipes have been used in her household for three generations and are still used daily in her home. there is no one better qualified to write a jewish cook book than she. suggestions and additional recipes, for inclusion in later editions of the book, will be gratefully accepted by the publishers. _new york, february, _. *preface* in compiling these recipes every effort has been made to bear in mind the resources of the jewish kitchen, as well as the need of being economical and practical. the aim throughout has been to lay special emphasis on those dishes which are characteristically jewish--those time-honored recipes which have been handed down the generations by jewish housewives (for the sabbath, passover, etc). but the book contains a great many other recipes besides these, for the jewish cook is glad to learn from her neighbors. here will be found the favorite recipes of germany, hungary, austria, france, russia, poland, roumania, etc.; also hundreds of recipes used in the american household. in fact, the book contains recipes of every kind of food appealing to the jewish taste, which the jewish housewife has been able to adapt to the dietary laws, thus making the cook book truly _international_. the manner of presentation is clear and simple, and if directions are followed carefully, will insure success to the inexperienced housewife. for the book has been largely planned to assist her in preparing wholesome, attractive meals; to serve the simplest as well as the most elaborate repast--from appetizer to dessert--without transgressing the dietary laws. at the same time the book offers many valuable suggestions and hints to the most expert cook. in this book are also directions for making meat substitutes and many economies of the hour, which have been added to meet the needs of the present day. *remarks* the jewish housewife enjoys the enviable reputation of being a good cook; in fact she is quite famous for her savory and varied dishes. her skill is due not so much to a different method of cooking as to her ingenuity in combining food materials. the very cuts of meat she has been always accustomed to use, are those which modern cooks are now advising all to use. the use of vegetables with just enough meat to flavor, as for instance in the shabbos shalet, is now being highly recommended. while it is not given to each and every woman to be a good cook, she can easily acquire some knowledge of the principles of cooking, namely: . that heat from coal, charcoal, wood, gas or electricity is used as a medium for toasting, broiling or roasting. . that heat from water is used as a medium for boiling, simmering, stewing or steaming. . that heat from fat is used as a medium for deep fat frying. . that heat from heated surfaces is used in pan-broiling, sauté, baking, braising or pot-roasting. the length of time required to cook different articles varies with the size and weight of same--and here is where the judgment of the housewife counts. she must understand how to keep the fire at the proper temperature, and how to manage the range or stove. in planning meals try to avoid monotony; do not have the same foods for the same days each week. try new and unknown dishes by way of variety. pay attention to garnishing, thereby making the dishes attractive to the eye as well as to the palate. the recipes in this book are planned for a family of five, but in some instances desserts, puddings and vegetables may be used for two meals. cakes are good for several days. do not consider the use of eggs, milk and cream an extravagance where required for certain desserts or sauces for vegetables, as their use adds to the actual food value of the dish. as a rule the typical jewish dish contains a large proportion of fat which when combined with cereal or vegetable fruits, nuts, sugar or honey, forms a dish supplying all the nourishment required for a well-balanced meal. many of these dishes, when combined with meat, require but a small proportion of same. wherever fat is called for, it is intended that melted fat or dripping be used. in many of the dishes where fat is required for frying, any of the good vegetable oils or butter substitutes may be used equally well. these substitutes may also be used in place of butter or fat when same is required as an ingredient for the dish itself. in such cases less fat must be used, and more salt added. it is well to follow the directions given on the containers of such substitutes. it is understood that all meats be made _kosher_. before preparing any dish, gather all materials, and see that all the ingredients are at hand. *rules for kashering* in the religious and dietary laws of the jewish people, the term "kasher" is applied to the preparation of meat and poultry, and means "to render fit" or "proper" for eating. . to render meat "fit" for food, the animal must be killed and cut up according to the jewish method of slaughter, and must be purchased from a jewish butcher. . the meat should be put into a pan, especially reserved for this purpose, entirely covered with cold water, and left to soak for half an hour. before removing the meat from the water every particle of blood must be washed off. it should then be put upon the salting board (a smooth wooden board), placed in a slanting position, or upon a board with numerous perforations, in order to allow the blood to freely flow down. the meat should then be profusely sprinkled on all sides with salt, and allowed to remain in salt for one hour. it is then removed, held over a sink or pan, and well rinsed with cold water three times, so that all the salt is washed off. meat left for three days or more unsoaked and unsalted, may be used only for broiling over coals; it may not be cooked in any other way. the ends of the hoofs and the claws of poultry must be cut off before the feet are _kashered_. bones with no meat or fat adhering to them must be soaked separately, and during the salting should not be placed near the meat. . the liver must be prepared apart from the meat. it must be cut open in both directions, washed in cold water, and broiled over the fire, and salted while it is broiling. it should be seared on all sides. water must then be poured over it, to wash the blood away. it may then be used in any manner, as the heat has drawn out the blood. small steaks and chops may be _kashered_ in the same way. . the heart must be cut open, lengthwise, and the tip removed before being soaked, so that the blood may flow out. the lungs likewise must be cut open before being soaked. milt must have veins removed. . the head and feet may be _kashered_ with the hair or skin adhering to them. the head should, however, be cut open, the brain taken out, and _kashered_ separately. . to _kasher_ suet or fat for clarifying, remove skin, and proceed as with meat. . joints from hind-quarters must not be used, until they have been "porged," which means that all veins of blood, forbidden fat, and prohibited sinew have been removed. in new york city no hind-quarter meat is used by orthodox jews. . all poultry must be drawn, and the inside removed before putting in water. cut the head off and cut the skin along the neck; find the vein which lies between the tendons, and trace it as far back as possible; at the back of the neck it divides into two branches, and these must be removed. cut off the tips of the wings and the claws of the feet. proceed as with meat, first cutting open the heart and the liver. eggs found inside of poultry, with or without shells, must be soaked and when salted be placed in such a position that the blood from the meat does not flow upon them. such eggs may not be eaten with milk foods. in conducting a kosher kitchen care must be taken not to mix meat and milk, or meat and butter at the same meal. the utensils used in the cooking and serving of meat dishes may not be used for milk dishes. they should never be mixed. only soaps and scouring powders which contain no animal fat are permitted to be used in washing utensils. kosher soap, made according to directions for making hard soap, may be used in washing meat dishes and utensils. to follow the spirit as well as the letter of the dietary laws, scrupulous cleanliness should always be observed in the storing, handling and serving of food. it is very necessary to keep the hands clean, the flours and cereals clean, the ice-box clean, and the pots and pans clean. *contents* publishers' note preface remarks rules for kashering appetizers sandwiches soups garnishes and dumplings for soups fish sauces for fish and vegetables sauces for meats frying entrÉes meats poultry stuffings for meat and poultry vegetables time table for cooking salads and salad dressings fresh fruits and compote mehlspeise (flour foods) cereals eggs cheese bread coffee cakes (kuchen) muffins and biscuits pancakes, fritters, etc. cakes icings and fillings for cakes pies and pastry cookies desserts steamed puddings pudding sauces frozen desserts candies and sweets beverages canned fruits jellies and preserves brandied fruits canned vegetables vegetables preserved in brine pickles and relishes passover dishes index table of weights and measures measurement of food materials *appetizers* canapÉs for serving at the beginning of dinner and giving a zest to the appetite, canapés are extremely useful. they may be either hot or cold and made of anything that can be utilized for a sandwich filling. the foundation bread should be two days old and may be toasted or fried crouton fashion. the nicest way is to butter it lightly, then set it in a hot oven to brown delicately, or fry in hot fat. the bread should be cut oblong, diamond shaped, in rounds, or with a cutter that has a fluted edge. while the toast is quite hot, spread with the prepared mixture and serve on a small plate with sprigs of watercress or points of lemon as a garnish. another way is to cut the bread into delicate fingers, pile it log-cabin fashion, and garnish the centre with a stuffed olive. for cheese canapés sprinkle the toast thickly with grated cheese, well seasoned with salt and pepper. set in a hot oven until the cheese melts and serve immediately. sardine canapÉs toast lightly diamond-shaped slices of stale bread and spread with a sardine mixture made as follows:--skin and bone six sardines, put them in a bowl and run to a paste with a silver spoon. add two tablespoons of lemon juice, a few drops of worcestershire sauce, a dash of pepper, two teaspoons of chopped parsley and four tablespoons of creamed butter. garnish with a border of whites of hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped, and on top scatter shredded olives. white caviar take roe of any fish, remove skin, salt; set aside over night. next day beat roe apart, pour boiling water over it and stir; when roe is white, pour off the water and let drain; then put in pan with two tablespoons of oil and salt, pepper, a little vinegar, and mix well. let stand a few days before using. this caviar may be substituted in all recipes for the russian caviar or domestic caviar may be procured in some shops. caviar canapÉs cut the bread about one-quarter of an inch thick and two inches square (or round), and after it is toasted spread over each slice a teaspoon of ice cold caviar. mix one teaspoon of chopped onion and one teaspoon chopped parsley; spread the mixture over the caviar and serve with quarters of lemon. anchovy canapÉs cut the bread as for caviar canapés and spread with anchovy paste. chop separately the yolks and whites of hard-boiled eggs and cover the canapés, dividing them into quarters, with anchovies split in two lengthwise, and using yolks and whites in alternate quarters. anchovy canapÉs with tomatoes for each person take a thin slice toast covered with anchovy paste. upon this place whole egg which has been boiled four minutes, so that it can be pealed whole and the yolk is still soft. around the toast put tomato sauce. chopped onion and chicken fat chop one yellow onion very fine, add four tablespoons of chicken fat (melted), salt to taste. serve on slices of rye bread. if desired, a hard-boiled egg chopped very fine may be mixed with the onions. brain (appetizer) cook brains, let cool and add salt; beat up with chopped onions, juice of one and a half lemons and olive oil. serve on lettuce leaves. black olives pit black olives, cut them very thin, and prepare as brain appetizer; beat well with fork. chicken liver paste, no. wash thoroughly several fowls' livers and then let them simmer until tender in a little strong soup stock, adding some sliced mushroom, minced onion, and a little pepper and salt. when thoroughly done mince the whole finely, or pound it in a mortar. now put it back in the saucepan and mix well with the yolks of sufficient eggs to make the whole fairly moist. warm over the fire, stirring frequently until the mixture is quite thick, taking care that it does not burn. it should be served upon rounds of toast on a hot dish garnished with parsley. imitation pate de foi gras take as many livers and gizzards of any kind of fowl as you may have on hand; add to these three tablespoons of chicken or goose fat, a finely chopped onion, one tablespoon of pungent sauce, and salt and white pepper to taste. boil the livers until quite done and drain; when cold, rub to a smooth paste. take some of the fat and chopped onion and simmer together slowly for ten minutes. strain through a thin muslin bag, pressing the bag tightly, turn into a bowl and mix with the seasoning; work all together for a long time, then grease a bowl or cups and press this mixture into them; when soft cut up the gizzards into bits and lay between the mixture. you may season this highly, or to suit taste. chicken liver paste, no. take one-quarter pound chicken livers that have been boiled soft; drain and rub through grater, add one-quarter cup of fresh mushrooms that have been fried for three minutes in two tablespoons of chicken fat, chop these, mix smooth with the liver, moistening with the fat used in frying the mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, paprika and a little onion and lemon juice. spread on rye bread slices. garnish plate with a red radish or sprigs of parsley. chopped herring soak herring a few hours, when washed and cleaned, bone and chop. to one herring take one onion, one sour apple, a slice of white bread which has been soaked in vinegar, chop all these; add one teaspoon oil, a little cinnamon and pepper. put on platter in shape of a herring with head at top and tail at bottom of dish, and sprinkle the chopped white of a hard-boiled egg over fish and then the chopped yolk. cheese balls take mashed cream cheese--add butter, cream and a little paprika. you can chop either green peppers, almonds or olives in this mixture, or the juice of an onion. roll into small balls and serve on lettuce leaves. this is also very good for sandwiches. egg appetizer boil eggs hard. cut slice off the end, so that the egg will stand firm. dip egg in french dressing, then with a pastry bag arrange sardellen butter on the top of egg. have ready small squares of toasted bread, spread with a thin layer of sardellen butter, on which to stand the eggs. caviar, mixed with some finely chopped onion, pepper and lemon juice, may be used instead of the sardellen butter, but mayonnaise must be used over the caviar. deviled eggs with hot sauce take six hard-boiled eggs, cut lengthwise, remove yolk and add to same: one dessertspoon of melted butter, cayenne pepper, salt and chopped parsley. mash this mixture very fine and refill the whites of the eggs and turn over on platter. *sauce.*--one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of flour, a pinch of cayenne pepper, salt and one pint of milk. stir this mixture continually until it thickens; beat the yolk of one egg and pour the hot gravy over the same. dress with chopped parsley and eat very hot. sherry wine can be added if desired. stuffed yellow tomatoes take small yellow tomatoes, scrape out the centre and fill with caviar. serve on lettuce or watercress. a delicious appetizer take as many slices of delicately browned toast as people to serve, several large, firm tomatoes sliced, one green pepper, and store cheese. place a slice of tomato on each slice of toast and season with salt and pepper and a dot of butter. place several long, curly strips of pepper around the tomato, and cover with a thin slice of the cheese. place in the oven until the cheese is melted. serve piping hot. celery relish boil about six pieces of celery root. when soft, peel and mash. season with salt, pepper, a little onion powder, a teaspoon of home-made mustard and plenty of mayonnaise. shape into pyramids, put mayonnaise on the top of the pyramid, and on top of that either a little well-seasoned caviar or some sardellen butter shaped in a pastry bag. serve on a slice of beets and a lettuce leaf. sardellen take one-quarter pound salted sardellen and soak in water over night. bone the next morning, put in cloth and press until dry; chop very fine, almost to a paste; take one-half pound sweet butter, stir to a cream and add the sardellen. serve on toasted cracker or bread. sprinkle with the grated yellow and grated white of egg. stuffed eggs hard boil eggs, drop into cold water, remove shells, cut each in half lengthwise. turn out yolks into a bowl. carefully place whites together in pairs, mash yolks with back of a spoon. for every six yolks put into bowl one tablespoon melted butter, one-half teaspoon mustard (the kind prepared for table), one teaspoon salt, dash of cayenne pepper. rub these together thoroughly with yolks. make little balls of this paste the size of the yolks. fit one ball into each pair whites. nut and cheese relish mix one package cream cheese with one cup of chopped nut meats, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, two tablespoons of whipped cream, salt and red pepper. roll into balls and serve cold, garnished with parsley and chopped nuts. grape-fruit cocktail cut the grape-fruit into halves, crosswise, and scoop out the pulp, rejecting the white inner skin as well as the seeds. clean the shells; cut the edges with a sharp knife into scallops and throw them into cold water. set the pulp on the ice. at serving time put a teaspoon of cracked ice in the bottom of each shell; fill with the pulp, mixed thoroughly with powdered sugar and a little sherry, if desired; and place a maraschino cherry or bit of bright-colored jelly in the centre of each. lay on paper doilies or surround with bits of asparagus fern. ambrosia fill glass with alternate layers of sliced orange and cocoanut; cover with powdered sugar and place a maraschino cherry on the top of each. peach cocktail fill the glasses with sliced peaches; cover with orange or lemon juice; sweeten to taste; add a little shaved ice and serve. apricot and cherry cocktails may be made in the same way. raspberry cocktail mash a pint of ripe, red currants; strain them through cheesecloth; pour the juice over a pint of red raspberries and set on the ice to chill. at serving time sweeten to taste and pour into the glasses, putting one teaspoon of powdered sugar on the top of each. pineapple and banana cocktail take equal parts of banana and fresh or canned pineapple; cut into small cubes and cover with lemon or pineapple juice. serve in glasses or orange shells placed on autumn leaves or sprays of green fern. strawberry cocktail slice five or six large strawberries into each glass and squeeze over them the juice of an orange. at serving time add one heaping teaspoon of powdered sugar and one tablespoon of shaved ice. musk melons cut melon in half, seed and put on ice one hour before serving. when ready to serve, fill with crushed ice and sprinkle with, powdered sugar. allow one-half melon for each person. very refreshing for summer luncheons or dinners. for dinner serve before soup. filled lemons select good-sized lemons; cut off tip to stand the lemon upright; cut top for cover. scoop out all the lemon pulp, and put in a bowl; put shells in a bowl of cold water. for six lemons take one box of boneless sardines, six anchovies, and two green peppers, cut very fine. wet with lemon-juice until moist; fill in shells after wiping dry; insert a pimento on top; put on cover of lemon; serve on doily with horseradish and watercress. red pepper canapÉs mix together two chopped hard-boiled eggs, one tablespoon of chopped red peppers (canned), a saltspoon of salt, a tiny pinch of mustard and two tablespoons of grated american cheese with sufficient melted butter to form a paste; spread over the rounds of fried bread and place in a very hot oven for about three minutes. serve on a folded napkin, garnished with watercress. salted peanuts shell and skin freshly roasted peanuts and proceed as in salting almonds. salted almonds pour boiling water on the almonds; cool and remove the skins; dry thoroughly and brown in a hot oven, using a half tablespoon of butter or olive oil (preferably the oil) to each cup of nuts, which must be shaken frequently. when brown, sprinkle well with salt and spread on paper to dry and cool. a still easier way to prepare the nuts is to cook them over the fire, using a larger quantity of olive oil. as the oil can be saved and used again, this method is not necessarily extravagant. *sandwiches* bread should be twenty-four hours old and cut in thin, even slices. if fancy forms are desired, shape before spreading with butter. cream butter and spread evenly. anchovy sandwiches pound the anchovies to a paste and mix with an equal quantity of olives stoned and finely chopped. celery sandwiches two cups of chopped celery, two tablespoons of chopped walnuts, two tablespoons of chopped olives, quarter of a cup of mayonnaise dressing. spread between slices of thin buttered bread. fish sandwiches spread one piece of bread with any kind of cold fish that has been shredded and mixed with tartar sauce. then put a lettuce leaf on that and then a slice of hard-boiled egg that has been dipped in tartar sauce. cover with a slice of buttered bread. nut and raisin sandwiches take equal quantities of nuts and raisins; moisten with cream or grape juice and spread on thin slices of bread. brown bread sandwiches season one cup of cottage cheese with salt, cayenne, and add one pimento cut in shreds. cut white and brown bread in finger lengths about one inch wide. spread with cheese mixture and place a brown and white slice together. cheese and nut sandwiches cut thin rounds from rye bread. spread with the following mixture: take one cream cheese, rub to a cream, season to taste with salt and paprika, add one stalk of chopped celery, and one-fourth cup of chopped nut meats. spread on buttered bread and place a slice of stuffed olive on top, in the centre of each piece of bread. lettuce sandwiches put fresh lettuce leaves, washed and dried, between thin layers of bread. spread with mayonnaise or boiled dressing. olive sandwiches take either ripe or green olives; remove the seeds; mince and mix thoroughly with mayonnaise dressing. spread between slices of whole-wheat or graham bread. sardine sandwiches remove the skin and bones from the sardines. rub to a paste, adding an equal quantity of chopped hard-boiled eggs, seasoned with salt, cayenne, lemon juice or vinegar. moisten with melted butter and spread between slices of bread. date and fig sandwiches wash equal quantities of dates and figs; stone the dates; add blanched almonds in quantity about one-fourth of the entire bulk; then run the whole mixture through a food chopper. moisten with orange juice and press tightly into baking-powder tins. when ready to use, dip the box in hot water; turn out the mixture; slice and place between thin slices of buttered bread. fig sandwiches remove the stems and chop the figs fine. put in a double boiler with a little water and cook until a paste is formed. add a few drops of lemon juice; set aside; when cool spread on thin slices of buttered bread. egg sandwiches hard boil the eggs, place them immediately into cold water. when cold; remove the shells carefully, cut the eggs in half lengthwise and butter slightly. lay one or two sardellen or appetite silds on one half of the egg and press the one half gently on the other half which has the sardellen. the egg must appear whole. now tie lengthwise and across with the narrowest, various colored ribbons you can find. chestnut sandwiches one slice each of white and brown bread, cut thin and buttered, and spread with chestnuts that have been boiled tender, peeled and rubbed through a sieve, then mashed with hard-boiled eggs to a paste and moistened with mayonnaise. salmon and brown bread sandwiches flake one cup salmon and rub it to a paste. add mustard, salt, and cayenne. spread on the bread, cover with a layer of thin slices of cucumber, then another piece of bread, press lightly and arrange with sprigs of parsley on the platter. white and brown bread sandwiches if a novel sandwich is wanted, butter alternate slices of brown and white bread and pile them one above the other in a loaf. cut the new loaf across the slices, butter them and pile them so that when this second loaf is cut, the slices will be in white and brown blocks. press the slices very closely together before cutting at all. toasted cheese sandwiches the filling for the toasted cheese sandwiches calls for a cup of soft, mild cheese, finely cut, and stirred over the fire with a tablespoon of butter until the cheese is melted. enough milk to moisten, perhaps not more than one-eighth of a cup, is then added, with salt, mustard, and paprika to taste, and the whole is stirred until creamy and smooth. slices of bread are very thinly buttered, the cheese mixture spread on generously, each slice covered with another slice, and set away until the filling cools and hardens, when the sandwiches are toasted on both sides and served hot. poached egg sandwiches slice as many pieces of bread, from a round loaf, as you have persons to serve. toast these slices and let cool. across each slice place three strips of pimentoes (use the canned pimentoes), on top of that place a cold poached egg, put a teaspoon of mayonnaise on the top of the egg and sprigs of watercress encircling the toast. mustard sardine paste for sandwiches take one box of mustard sardines; bone and mash; add to the mixture one tablespoon of tomato catsup, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce, juice of one lemon, a pinch of cayenne pepper, as much white pepper as will cover the end of a knife, two tablespoons of vinegar, and one tablespoon of olive oil. mix thoroughly until it becomes a paste. then spread on thinly cut bread for sandwiches. caviar and salmon sandwiches take a piece of rye bread, cut round (with a biscuit cutter), spread with mustard; put some caviar in centre of the bread, strips of smoked salmon around the caviar and strips of pickle around the salmon. ribbon sandwiches cut two, slices of white bread and two of brown. butter three and spread with a thick paste made of hard-boiled egg very finely chopped and mixed with mayonnaise dressing. build the slices up one above the other, alternating brown and white, and placing the unbuttered slice on top. before serving, slice down as you would a layer cake. egg and olive sandwiches chop four eggs which have been boiled fifteen minutes, add two tablespoons of chopped olives, season and moisten with olive oil and vinegar. spread between thin slices of buttered bread. russian sandwiches spread bread with thin slices of neufchatel cheese, cover with finely chopped olives moistened with mayonnaise dressing. surprise sandwiches take orange marmalade, pecan nuts and cream cheese in equal quantities and after mixing thoroughly spread on thin slices of buttered bread. chicken sandwiches mince some cold roast or boiled chicken in a chopping bowl, then mix the gravy with it, adding a few hard-boiled eggs, which have been minced to a powder. mix all into a soft paste. then cut thin slices of bread, spread the chicken between the slices (if desired you may add a little mustard); press the pieces gently together. chicken sandwiches with mayonnaise grind up chicken in meat chopper. to each cup of chicken add one tablespoon of mayonnaise, and one tablespoon of chicken soup. mix into soft paste, and put in finger-rolls. deviled tongue sandwiches grind up tongue (root will do) in meat chopper; to a cup of ground tongue add one teaspoon of mustard, one tablespoon of soup, and one teaspoon of mayonnaise. mix into soft paste; spread on white bread cut very thin. minced goose sandwiches take either boiled or roast goose (which has been highly seasoned) and mince in a chopping bowl, add one or two pickles, according to quantity, or a teaspoon of catsup. spread thin slices of bread or nice fresh rolls, with a thin coating of goose oil, slightly salted, then spread the minced goose and cover with a layer of bread which has been previously spread. veal sandwiches may be prepared as above, or slice the veal in thin slices and spread with mustard. boiled, smoked, or pickled tongue sandwiches remove the crust from the bread (unless it is very soft), place the slices of tongue (cut very thin) and lettuce leaves between the slices. *soups* soups are wholesome and palatable and should form part of the meal whenever possible. it is a good plan to have some sort of vegetable or meat stock always at hand, as this renders the making of the soup both easy and economical. with milk at hand, cream soups are easily made. soup stock in making soup, bring the cold water in the soup pot with the meat and bones to a boil slowly, and let it simmer for hours, never boiling and never ceasing to simmer. if clear soup is not desired soup may be allowed to boil. bones, both fresh and those partly cooked, meats of all kinds, vegetables of various sorts, all may be added to the stock pot, to give flavor and nutriment to the soup. one quart of cold water is used to each pound of meat for soup; to four quarts of water, one each of vegetables of medium size and a bouquet. make the soup in a closely covered kettle used for no other purpose. remove scum when it first appears; after soup has simmered for four or five hours add vegetables and a bouquet. parsley wrapped around peppercorn, bayleaf, six cloves and other herbs, excepting sage, and tied, makes what is called a bouquet and may be easily removed from the soup. root celery, parsley, onions, carrots, asparagus and potatoes are the best vegetables to add to the soup stock. never use celery leaves for beef soup. you may use celery leaves in potato soup, but sparingly, with chopped parsley leaves. vegetables, spices and salt should always be added the last hour of cooking. strain into an earthen bowl and let cool uncovered, by so doing stock is less apt to ferment. a cake of fat forms on the stock when cold, which excludes air and should not be removed until stock is used. to remove fat run a knife around edge of bowl and carefully remove the same. a small quantity will remain, which should be removed by passing a cloth, wrung out of hot water, around edge and over top of stock. this fat should be clarified and used for drippings. if time cannot be allowed for stock to cool before using, take off as much fat as possible with a spoon, and remove the remainder by passing tissue or any absorbent paper over the surface. bouillon should always be thickened with _yolks_ of eggs, beat up with a spoon of cold water. ordinary beef soup or tomato soup may be thickened with flour. to do this properly heat a scant spoon of soup drippings, stir in briskly a spoon of flour, and add gradually a large quantity of soup to prevent it becoming lumpy. white stock veal, turkey, chicken and fish are used. brown stock follow directions given for bouillon, adding a slice of beef and browning some of the meat in the marrow from the bone. beet soup--russian style (fleischig) cut one large beet and one-half pound of onion in thick pieces and put in kettle with one pound of fat brisket of beef; cover with water and let cook slowly two hours; add three-fourths of a cup of sugar and a little citric acid to make it sweet and sour and let cook another hour; season and serve hot. borsht take some red beetroots, wash thoroughly and peel, and then boil in a moderate quantity of water from two to three hours over a slow fire, by which time a strong red liquor should have been obtained. strain off the liquor, adding lemon juice, sugar, and salt to taste, and when it has cooled a little, stir in sufficient yolks of eggs to slightly thicken it. may be used either cold or hot. in the latter case a little home-made beef stock may be added to the beet soup. if after straining off the soup the remaining beetroot is not too much boiled away, it may be chopped fine with a little onion, vinegar and dripping, flavored with pepper and salt, and used as a vegetable. schalet or tscholnt (shabbas soup) wash one pint of white haricot beans and one pint of coarse barley and put them into a covered pot or pan with some pieces of fat meat and some pieces of marrow bone, or the backs of two fat geese which have been skinned and well spiced with ginger and garlic. season with pepper and salt and add sufficient water to cover. cover the pot up tightly. if one has a coal range it can be placed in the oven on friday afternoon and let remain there until saturday noon. the heat of the oven will be sufficient to bake the schalet if there was a nice clear fire when the porridge was put in the oven. if this dish cannot be baked at home it may be sent to a neighboring baker to be placed in the oven there to remain until saturday noon, when it is called for. this takes the place of soup for the sabbath dinner. bouillon put on one three-pound chicken to boil in six quarts cold water. take one and one-half or two pounds of beef and the same quantity thick part of veal, put in a baking-pan, set in the stove and brown quickly with just enough water to keep from burning. when brown, cut the meat in pieces, add this with all the juice it has drawn, to the chicken soup. set on the back of the stove, and cook slowly all day. set in a cold place, or on ice over night, and next morning after it is congealed, skim off every particle of fat. melt and season to taste when ready to serve. excellent for the sick. when used for the table, cut up carrots and french peas already cooked can be added while heating. if cooked on gas stove, cook over the simmering flame the same number of hours. consommÉ take three pounds of beef, cut in dice and cover with three quarts of cold water. simmer slowly for four hours. the last hour add one-half cup each of carrots, celery, onion, and season with one-half teaspoon of peppercorns and one tablespoon of salt. strain, cool, remove fat and clear (allowing one egg-shell broken fine and the slightly beaten white of one egg to each quart of stock). add to the stock, stir constantly until it has reached the boiling point. boil two minutes and serve. chicken soup, no. take one large chicken, cook with four quarts of water for two or three hours. skim carefully, when it begins to boil add parsley root, an onion, some asparagus, cut into bits. season with salt, strain and beat up the yolk of an egg with one tablespoon of cold water, add to soup just before serving. this soup should not be too thin. rice, barley, noodles or dumplings may be added. make use of the chicken, either for salad or stew. chicken soup, no. take the carcass of a cold, cooked chicken and break into small pieces. add one-half cup of chopped celery and one onion chopped fine. cover with cold water; simmer slowly for two hours. strain, add salt and pepper to taste. chicken broth cut the chicken into small pieces and place it in a deep earthen dish; add one quart of water; cover it and set over a kettle of boiling water, letting it steam until the meat of the chicken has become very tender. strain off the broth and let it stand over night. in the morning remove the fat and return the liquid to the original earthen dish. julienne soup have soup stock ready. boil in water until tender one cup green peas, three carrots cut up in small pieces, and some cabbage chopped fine. brown two tablespoons of flour in a skillet in hot fat, then stir in the vegetables. fry some livers and gizzards of fowls, if handy, and add, then stir in the strained soup stock. rice broth may be made either of beef or mutton, adding all kinds of vegetables. boil one-half cup of rice separately in a farina kettle. strain the beef or mutton broth. add the rice and boil one-half hour longer, with potatoes, cut into dice shape; use about two potatoes; then add the beaten yolk of an egg. strained stock of chicken broth added to this soup makes it very palatable and nutritious for the sick. mock turtle soup take one calf's head, wash well; put on to boil with four and one-half quarts of water; add two red peppers, onions, celery, carrots, cloves, salt to taste, and a little cabbage; boil six hours; also, have ready some meat stock; the next day put fat in a skillet with two large tablespoons of flour; let it brown; then, take the calf's head and cut all the meat from it in pieces; add the calf's tongue, cut in dice. slice hard-boiled eggs, one glass of sherry; and one lemon sliced; put all in the stock; allow it to come just to a boil. mutton broth cut three pounds of neck of lamb or lean shoulder into small pieces; cover closely and boil with three quarts of water, slowly, for two hours; add two tablespoons well-washed rice to the boiling soup. cook an hour longer, slowly; watch carefully and stir from time to time. strain and thicken it with a little flour; salt and pepper to taste. particularly nice for invalids. mulligatawny soup add to three quarts of liquor, in which fowls have been boiled, the following vegetables: three onions, two carrots, and one head of celery cut in small dice. keep the kettle over a high heat until soup reaches the boiling point; then place where it will simmer for twenty-five minutes. add one tablespoon of curry powder, one tablespoon of flour mixed together; add to the hot soup and cook five minutes. pass through a sieve. serve with small pieces of chicken or veal cut in it. farina soup when the soup stock has been strained and every particle of fat removed, return it to the kettle to boil. when it boils hard stir in carefully quarter of a cup of farina, do this slowly to prevent the farina from forming lumps. stir into the soup bowl the yolk of one egg, add a teaspoon of cold water. pour the soup into the bowl gradually and stir constantly until all has been poured into the bowl. serve at once. green kern soup soak one-half cup of green kern in a bowl of water over night. put on two pounds of soup meat, add a carrot, an onion, a stalk of celery, a sprig of parsley, one or two tomatoes, a potato, in fact any vegetable you may happen to have at hand. cover up closely and let it boil slowly over a low heat three or four hours. put the green kern on to boil in water slightly salted, as it boils down keep adding soup stock from the kettle of soup on the stove, always straining through a hair sieve, until all has been used. serve as it is or strain through a colander and put pieces of toasted bread into the soup. another way of using the green kern is to grind it to a powder. noodle soup for six persons, select a piece of meat off the neck, about two and one-half pounds; add three quarts of water, an onion, one celery root, two carrots, a large potato, some parsley, three tomatoes and the giblets of poultry. cook in a closely covered kettle, letting the soup simmer for four or five hours. remove every bit of scum that rises. strain; add salt and remove every particle of fat; put in noodles; boil about five minutes and serve at once. if allowed to stand it will become thick. mushroom and barley soup take one quart of hot bouillon, add a quarter pound barley which has been boiled in water; and one ounce of dried mushrooms which have been thoroughly washed and cut in pieces, an onion, carrot, bayleaf, parsley and dill. boil all these and when the vegetables are nearly tender, remove from soup, add the meat from the bouillon, cut up in small pieces, let soup come to a boil and serve. oxtail soup wash two large oxtails and cut into pieces. cut one onion fine and fry in one tablespoon of drippings. when brown, add oxtails to brown, then put into soup kettle with four quarts cold water. add one tablespoon of salt, one tablespoon of mixed herbs, four cloves, four peppercorns. simmer for three or four hours. skim off fat, strain. vegetables cut into fancy shapes and boiled twenty minutes may be added. green pea soup make your soup stock as usual, adding a pint of washed pea-pods to the soup. heat a tablespoon of drippings, put in the peas, with a little chopped parsley, cover closely and let simmer; keep adding soup stock when dry. when the peas are tender put into the strained soup. season with one teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of sugar, add drop dumplings to this soup before serving. pigeon soup make a beef soup, and an hour before wanted add a pigeon. boil slowly, with all kinds of vegetables, provided your patient is allowed to have them. strain, add the beaten yolk of an egg, salt to taste. turkey soup cut up any bones or meat of cold turkey, and cook like soup made of left-over chicken and chicken bones. okra gumbo soup (southern) take one quart of ripe tomatoes, stew with one quart of okra, cut into small rings. put this on to boil with about two quarts or water and a piece of soup meat (no bone), chop up an onion, a carrot and a sprig of parsley, add this to the soup. fricassee one chicken with some rice, dish up with the soup, putting a piece of chicken and one tablespoon of rice into each soup plate before adding the soup. let the soup simmer four or five hours; season with salt and pepper. a little corn and lima beans may be added; they should be cooked with the soup for several hours. cut the soup meat into small cubes and leave in the soup to serve. tchorba--turkish soup take one pound of meat, cover with water and boil till meat is tender. boil rice in another pan until it is creamy, when ready to serve, add one beaten egg and juice of half a lemon. broken rice is best for this dish. barley soup take one cup of barley, two onions cut fine, one-half cup of carrots diced, one teaspoon of salt, pepper to taste; add two quarts of water and simmer two or three hours. when water has evaporated add soup; if you are making fresh soup, keep adding the "top soup," strained, to the barley and let boil until tender, one-half cup of celery root boiled with the barley improves the flavor. dried pea soup soak one cup of picked and cleaned dried split peas in cold water over night, drain, put on with two quarts cold water, a smoked beef-cheek or any other smoked meat; let boil slowly but steadily four hours or more; add one-half cup of celery, diced, one small onion cut fine, one teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of pepper, cook until the meat and peas are tender. remove meat when tender. skim fat off the top of the soup. heat one tablespoon of the fat in a frying pan, add one tablespoon of flour and gradually the rest of the soup. season to taste and serve with the smoked meat, adding croutons. lentil soup (linzen), no. soak two cups of lentils over night in cold water. drain and add to a sliced onion which has been browned in two tablespoons of drippings; when these have been fried for five minutes, add three stalks of celery cut in small pieces or some celery seed, pepper and salt to taste, and two quarts of warm water, boil all these slowly, stirring occasionally until the lentils are quite soft. pass all through a sieve, return to saucepan heat again and serve. lentil soup, no. made same as dried pea soup. one cup of strained tomatoes may be added or small slices of sausage. sour soup (for purim) take one pound of soup meat and two soup bones, put on to boil in boiling water. cut two leeks in slices like noodles, some cooked tomatoes which have been cooled and strained, some cauliflower, two tablespoons of sugar, a pinch sour salt, pepper and salt and let cook steadily. when the soup is done thicken it with two egg yolks that have been beaten up with a little salt and some cold water. do not cook after adding yolks of eggs. tomato soup take a large soup bone or two pounds of soup meat, the latter preferred, one or two onions, a few potatoes, a few carrots, a turnip, soup greens and a can of tomatoes or a quart of fresh ones, cook two hours, and in season add two ears of sweet corn grated. season with salt and pepper. thicken with a tablespoon of flour, dissolved in cold water. a nice addition to this soup is a handful of noodles cut into round disks with a thimble. veal soup boil a piece of veal, off the neck, and one or two veal bones in two quarts of water, add a sprig of parsley, one onion, cut up into small pieces. strain and thicken with the yolks of two eggs slightly beaten with a tablespoon of cold water. season with salt and pepper to taste. vegetable soup take a small soup bone, cover with cold water. cut one-half a cup each of celery, carrots, and onion. brown in fat, cooking five to ten minutes; add one tablespoon of chopped parsley and one-half cup of potatoes. add to soup bone and cook one hour. season with salt and pepper. remove bone and serve. how to make cream soups cream soups are all made by blending two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of flour and then adding slowly one cup of cold milk or half cream and milk. one cup for a thin soup or purée, to one quart of liquid. more according to the thickness of soup desired. any cooked vegetable or fish may be added to the cream sauce. less milk is used when the water in which the vegetables are cooked is added. purées are made from vegetables or fish, forced through a strainer and retained in soup, milk and seasonings. generally thicker than cream soup. use a double boiler in making cream sauces and the cream sauce foundation for soups. to warm over a thick soup it is best to put it in a double boiler. it must not be covered. if one does not have a double boiler set soup boiler in a pan of hot water over fire. cream soups and purées are so nutritious that with bread and butter, they furnish a satisfactory meal. cream of almond soup blanch, and grind or pound one-half pound almonds, let simmer slowly in one pint of milk for five minutes. melt one tablespoon of butter, blend with one of flour. do not allow to bubble. add one cup of milk and thicken slightly. then add the almond mixture and simmer again until creamy. remove from fire and add one cup of cream. season with salt and pepper to taste. cream may be whipped or left plain. cream of celery soup break three stalks of celery in one-inch pieces and pound in a mortar. cook in double boiler with one slice of onion and three cups of milk for twenty minutes. remove onion, heat two tablespoons of butter, add two tablespoons of flour, one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of salt; first two-thirds of a cup, and gradually the rest of the celery broth, add one cup of cream; cook until smooth and serve at once. cream of asparagus soup proceed as with cream of celery soup, substituting one-half bundle of fresh asparagus or an equal amount of canned for the stalk of celery. or, the tips of a bundle of asparagus may be cut off for table use and the remainder used for soup. in either case the asparagus will be better if mashed through a colander, thus removing the woody portions. cream of cauliflower soup take a solid head of cauliflower, scald it to take away the strong taste; separate the flowers and proceed as with cream of celery soup. cream of corn soup take a can of corn or six ears of corn. run a sharp knife down through the center of each row of kernels, and with the back of a knife press out the pulp, leaving the husk on the cob. break the cobs and put them on to boil in sufficient cold water to cover them. boil thirty minutes and strain the liquor. return the liquor to the fire, and when boiling add the corn pulp and bay leaf. cook fifteen minutes; add the cream sauce and serve. cream of herring soup (russian style) place two cups of milk, two cups of water, one small onion, salt and pepper to taste in a saucepan, and boil for ten minutes, add two herrings which have been previously soaked and cut in small pieces; cook until herring is tender. milk, or cream soup heat a quart of milk or cream, add a tablespoon of sweet butter and thicken with a spoon of flour or corn starch, wet with cold milk. pour, boiling, over pieces of toasted bread cut into dices; crackers may also be used. fish chowder skin and bone one and one-half pounds of codfish or haddock. cut six large tomatoes, six large potatoes, two large onions in small pieces, add salt, pepper, three pints of water and cook one hour. add one-half pint of cream, one-fourth cup of butter, and paprika. cook five minutes and serve. mock fish chowder omit fish and use same ingredients, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. globe artichoke or turnip soup heat two tablespoons of butter, add one and one-half pounds of sliced turnips or artichokes and stir them in the butter, add one tablespoon of flour, a little salt, three cups of hot milk, three cups of hot water, stirring them in slowly. when the vegetables are done rub them through a sieve, put them back in the saucepan, add a little sugar and more seasoning, if required, and heat thoroughly. a little cream or butter may be put into the tureen, and the soup stirred into it. spinach soup wash, pick over and cook two quarts of spinach for twenty minutes; drain, chop and rub through a sieve and return to the water in which it was cooked, add one-half cup of chopped onions, cook until thoroughly done, thicken with a white sauce made by melting two tablespoons of butter to which is added two tablespoons of flour; stir until smooth, add two cups of milk; season with one-half teaspoon of salt and pepper and add the spinach mixture. cream of lettuce soup proceed as with spinach, substituting lettuce for spinach. cream of tomato soup cook one quart tomatoes (fresh or canned) with one pint water until done, and strain through a sieve. meanwhile melt two tablespoons of butter, add two tablespoons of flour, add gradually one and one-half cups of milk (or half cream and half milk), one teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper; add a little chopped parsley and celery, and let this boil for fifteen minutes. just before ready to serve add one-fourth teaspoon of baking soda to the hot strained tomatoes, pour gradually into the cream sauce stirring constantly and serve at once. cream of lentil soup soak one cup of lentils over night. drain and boil slowly for one hour in water containing one-half teaspoon of baking soda, drain and boil again very gently in fresh water; when the lentils are tender drain off most of the liquid and return to the fire. add two tablespoons of butter, or butter substitute, two teaspoons of salt, and one-half teaspoon of sugar. bring three cups of milk to a boil in the double-boiler. just before serving mash the lentils through a strainer directly into the milk. serve in cups and pass croutons with the soup. onion soup slice two or three large onions; fry them in a tablespoon of butter until they are soft and red, then add three tablespoons of flour and stir until it is a little cooked. to this add slowly a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time, so it will be smooth. boil and mash three good-sized potatoes. add to them slowly a quart of scalded milk, stirring well so it will be smooth. add the potato and milk mixture to the onion mixture. season with salt and pepper. let it get very hot, and pass it through a strainer into the tureen. sprinkle over the top a little parsley chopped very fine, and a few croutons. cream wine soup put one cup of white wine and one-half cup of cold water on to boil, add a few pieces of stick cinnamon and seven lumps of cut loaf sugar; while boiling scald a cup of sweet cream in double boiler. have ready the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, pour over this the hot cream, stirring all the time, then pour in the boiling wine, being careful to stir well or it will curdle. very nice for invalids. can be eaten hot or cold. vegetable soup (milchig) brown one-half cup of chopped onion in one tablespoon of butter, add one and a half quarts of boiling water, two cups of shredded cabbage one-half cup of chopped carrot, one leek, one tablespoon of chopped peppers, one tablespoon of chopped celery. boil rapidly for ten minutes, then gently for one hour. add one medium-sized potato diced and a tomato, one and a half teaspoons of salt and one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, a pinch of paprika and thyme. cook one hour longer. have the cover partially off the kettle during the entire time. ten minutes before serving thicken with two tablespoons of flour mixed with one-fourth cup of cold milk. braune mehlsuppe (brown flour soup), no. heat a spoon of butter in a spider, add a spoon of flour, stir briskly, but do not let it get black; pour boiling water over it, add salt and caraway seeds. brown flour soup, no. heat two tablespoons of fresh butter in a spider, add four tablespoons of flour to it and brown to light golden brown, then add one quart water, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper and a little nutmeg. add one pint of milk, let boil up once or twice and serve at once. beer soup to one pint of beer add one cup of water, let come to a boil, season with salt and cinnamon if desired. beat two egg yolks well with a little sugar and flour mixed, add one cup of milk, stir until smooth, stir all together in the hot beer mixture, let come almost to the boiling point, fold in the beaten whites of the two eggs and serve at once with croutons. if desired for a meat meal equal parts of water and beer may be used instead of milk. sour milk soup let the milk stand until it jellies, but does not separate. put it into a saucepan and let simmer one minute. then thicken with two generous tablespoons of flour; blend to a smooth paste with butter. strain through a fine sieve and serve in cups or soup plates and sprinkle the top with maple sugar. potato soup boil and mash three or four potatoes, one tablespoon of butter, one-half tablespoon of flour, and one teaspoon of chopped onion, letting the onion cook in the butter a few minutes before adding the flour. when this is cooked add to it a pint of milk, making a thin, white sauce. add this to the mashed potato and pass the whole through a strainer. return it to the fire for a few minutes to heat and blend it. season it with salt and pepper. sprinkle on the soup chopped parsley and a few croutons. *for fleischig soup.*--this soup may be made with fat instead of butter, and the water in which the potatoes have been boiled may be used instead of the milk; any left-over meat gravy will give the soup a rich flavor. green pea purÉe cook one quart of green peas until very tender. then mash through colander. to this amount heat one quart of milk in double boiler. add butter, salt and pepper to taste, and last the mashed green peas. leek soup put a small piece of butter in saucepan and then six or eight leeks cut in small pieces. keep turning for about five minutes so they will get brown; add water for amount desired; season with salt and pepper and put in piece of stale bread. strain through the strainer. put in croutons and serve with grated cheese. red wine soup put on to boil one cup of good red wine and one-half cup of water, sweeten to taste, add three whole cloves and three small pieces of cinnamon bark, let boil ten minutes, and pour while boiling over the well-beaten yolk of one egg. eat hot or cold. this quantity serves one person. split pea soup (milchig) soak peas in lukewarm water over night. use one quart of peas to one gallon of water. boil about two hours with the following vegetables: a few potatoes, a large celery root, a little parsley and a little onion, a small carrot cut up in cubes and a small clove of garlic. when boiled down to half the quantity, press all through colander. if soup is too thin, take a tablespoon of flour blended with a little cold water in a saucepan and add to the peas already strained. serve with croutons. tomato soup with rice brown slightly one minced onion in one tablespoon of butter, add one can of tomatoes or a quart of medium sized tomatoes cut in small pieces, season with salt, pepper, one tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of paprika. simmer a half hour, strain and thicken with one tablespoon of flour moistened with cold water, add the strained tomatoes and one cup of boiled rice; let come to a boil and serve. milk and cheese soup thicken three cups of milk with one-half tablespoon of flour and cook thoroughly in a double boiler, stirring very often. when ready to serve add one cup of grated cheese and season with salt and paprika. black bean soup soak one pint of beans over night, drain, add cold water and rinse thoroughly. fry two tablespoons of chopped onion in two tablespoons of butter, put in with the beans, add two stalks of celery or a piece of celery root and two quarts of water. cook slowly until the beans are soft, three or four hours, add more boiling water as it boils away; rub through a strainer, add one-eighth teaspoon of pepper, one-fourth teaspoon of mustard, a few grains of cayenne. heat one tablespoon of butter in saucepan with two tablespoons of flour, then two-thirds cup and then the rest of the soup gradually; cut a lemon (removing seeds) and two hard-boiled eggs in slices and serve in the soup. barley and vegetable soup take a half cup of coarse barley and two quarts of water. let boil for one hour and skim. then add two onions, a bunch of carrots, parsley, two turnips, one green pepper and six tomatoes (all chopped fine). add a few green peas, lima beans, two ears of corn cut from cob; pepper and salt to taste. cook for one hour or more until done. then add a small piece of butter, quarter teaspoon of sage and thyme, if you like, and if soup is too thick add more water. beer soup (parve) mix the beer with one-third water, boil with sugar and the grated crust of stale rye bread, add stick cinnamon and a little lemon juice. pour over small pieces of zwieback (rusk). some boil a handful of dried currants. when done add both currants and juice. beet soup (russian style) cut two small beets in strips, cover with water and let cook until tender, add citric acid (sour salt) and a little sugar to make sweet and sour, a little salt, and three-quarter cup of sour cream. serve cold. sweet cream may be used and while hot gradually poured over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, keeping the soup over the stove and stirring all the time until thick and smooth. remove from stove and serve cold. cherry soup this soup is a summer soup and is to be eaten cold. cook two tablespoons of sago in one cup of boiling water until tender, add more as water boils down. put one quart of large red or black cherries, one cup of claret, one tablespoon of broken cinnamon, one-fourth cup of sugar, and one-half lemon sliced fine, up to boil and let boil fifteen minutes; add the cooked sago, let boil up and pour very gradually over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. serve cold. raspberry, strawberry, currant, gooseberry, apple, plum or rhubarb soups are prepared the same way, each cooked until tender and sweetened to taste. the juice of lemon may be used instead of the wine. fruit soup take two pounds of plums, cherries, or red currants and raspberries, which carefully pick and wash, and boil to a pulp with a pint of water. let it slightly cool and then stir in the beaten yolk of an egg and a little sugar. strain the soup, which should be served cold. cold sour soup take a pound of sour grass (sorrel), remove leaves, wash well, cut and squeeze well. peel three potatoes, mince a bunch of young onions, salt and set on to boil, when boiling add the sour grass and let boil well, add two tablespoons of sugar, and a bit of sour salt, let simmer a bit, afterward add two well-beaten eggs. do not boil this soup after adding the eggs. this soup is to be eaten cold. it can be kept for some time in jars. *garnishes and dumplings for soups* noodles beat one large egg slightly with one-fourth teaspoon of salt, add enough flour to make a stiff dough; work it well for fifteen or twenty minutes, adding flour when necessary. when the dough is smooth place on slightly floured board and roll out very thin and set aside on a clean towel for an hour or more to dry. fold in a tight roll and cut crosswise in fine threads. toss them up lightly with fingers to separate well, and spread them on the board to dry. when thoroughly dry, put in a jar covered with cheese cloth for future use. drop by handfuls in boiling soup, ten minutes before serving. noodles for vegetables or for puddings are made in the same way, but to each egg, one-half egg-shell full of cold water may be added. the strips are cut one-half inch wide. plaetchen take noodle dough, roll out thin in same manner as noodles, when dry cut in three-inch strips, place the strips on top of one another, then cut into one-half inch strips, crosswise, cut again to form one-half inch squares. dry same as noodles. drop by handfuls in boiling soup. kreplech or butterflies roll noodle dough into pieces two and one-half inches square. place on each one tablespoon of force-meat, then fold squares into three corned pockets, pressing edges well together. drop in boiling soup or salted water and boil fifteen minutes. force-meat for kreplech chop one pound of beef, soup meat, cold veal, or take lamb chopped very fine, season with one teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of pepper, ginger or nutmeg, one-half teaspoon of onion juice, mix with one egg. this force-meat may also be made into balls one-half inch in diameter, roll the balls in flour and cook them in the boiling soup, or fry them in fat. baking powder dumplings sift one cup of flour, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of baking powder, stir in scant one-half cup of milk or water and mix to a smooth batter. drop one teaspoonful at a time in the boiling soup; cover kettle, let boil five minutes and serve at once. croutons cut stale bread into cubes, place in pan and brown in the oven; or butter the bread, cut into cubes and then brown the same way. fry small cubes of stale bread in deep hot fat until brown or fry them in a little butter or fat in a hot spider until brown. pfÄrvel or grated egg for soup into the yolk of one egg stir enough flour until it is too stiff to work. grate on coarse grater, and spread on board to dry. after soup is strained, put in and boil ten minutes before serving. spatzen beat one egg well, add one-half teaspoon of salt, three-fourths cup of flour and one-third cup of water, stirring to a stiff, smooth batter. drop by teaspoons into boiling soup ten minutes before serving. egg custard beat slightly the yolks of two eggs, add two tablespoons of milk and a few grains of salt. pour into small buttered cup, place in pan of hot water and bake until firm; cool, remove from cup and cut in fancy shapes with french vegetable cutters. grated irish potato peel, wash and grate one large irish potato, or two medium-sized ones. put it in a sieve and let hot water run over it until it is perfectly white. have the white of one egg beaten to a very stiff froth, then stir in the potatoes and twenty minutes before serving add it to the boiling soup. beat the yolk of one egg up in the soup tureen, and pour the hot soup over it, stirring carefully at first. farina dumplings put in a double boiler one kitchen spoon of fresh butter, stir in one cup of milk. when it begins to boil stir in enough farina to thicken. take off the stove and when cold add the yolks of two eggs and the stiffly-beaten whites, and a little salt and nutmeg and one-half cup of grated almonds if desired. let cool, then make into little balls, and ten minutes before soup is to be served, drop in boiler and let boil up once or twice. boiled flour balls with almonds two yolks of eggs beaten very light, add a pinch of salt, pepper and finely-chopped parsley. add six blanched almonds grated, enough sifted flour to make stiff batter, then add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs and one-half teaspoon of baking powder. drop by teaspoons in soup ten minutes before serving. einlauf (egg drop) beat one egg, add one-eighth teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of flour and one-fourth cup of water, stir until smooth. pour slowly from a considerable height from the end of a spoon into the boiling soup. cook two or three minutes and serve hot; add one teaspoon of chopped parsley to the soup. egg dumplings for soups rub the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs to a smooth paste, add a little salt and grated nutmeg and one-half teaspoon of melted butter. add the chopped whites of two eggs and a raw egg yolk to be able to mold the dough into little marbles, put in boiling soup one minute. schwem kloesse take three tablespoons of flour; stir with one egg and one-half cup of milk; pour this in a pan in which some butter was melted; stir until it loosens from the pan. when it is cold, add two more eggs and some salt, and shortly before needed form in little dumplings and put in boiling hot soup for five minutes. dumplings for cream soups scald some flour with milk or water, mix in a small piece of butter and salt, and boil until thick. when cool beat in yolk of an egg, if too stiff add the beaten white. drop dumplings break into a cup the whites of three eggs; fill the cup with milk; put it with a tablespoon of fresh butter and one cup of sifted flour in a spider and stir as it boils until it leaves the spider clean. set aside until cool and stir in the yolks of three eggs. season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoons in the boiling soup ten minutes before ready to be served. liver kloesse (dumplings) brown a small onion minced in one tablespoon of chicken fat, add a small liver chopped fine, chopped parsley, two tablespoons of flour. season with nutmeg, red and white pepper, and add two eggs. drop with teaspoon in the boiling soup, let cook ten minutes--serve. fritter beans beat one egg until light, add three-fourths teaspoon of salt, one-half cup of flour and two tablespoons of water. put through colander into deep hot fat and fry until brown. drain and pour hot broth over them. sponge dumplings separate three eggs, beat the yolks, and add one cup of soup stock, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, then add the beaten whites. pour into a greased cup and place in pan of hot water and steam until firm; cool, remove from cup and cut into small dumplings with a teaspoon; pour the boiling soup over and just before serving add chopped parsley. *fish* fish that is not fresh is a very dangerous food and great care should be taken in selecting only fish fit to eat. if the fish is hard in body and the eyes are clear and bright, the gills a bright red and slimy, the flesh so firm that when pressed the marks of the fingers do not remain, the scales not dry or easy to loosen, then the fish is fresh. in the refrigerator fish will taint butter and other foods if placed in the same compartment, so that in most cases it is better to lay it on a plate on a pan of ice, or wrap it in parchment or waxed paper and put it in the ice box. pickerel weighing more than five pounds should not be bought. if belly is thick it is likely that there is another fish inside. this smaller fish or any found in any other fish may not be used as food. salt fish should be soaked in fresh water, skin side up, to draw out the salt. each fish is at its best in its season, for instance:-- bluefish, butterfish, sea, striped bass, porgies, sea-trout or weakfish are best from april to september. fluke and flounders are good all year round, but the fluke is better than the flounder in summer. carp may be had all year, but care must be taken that it has not been in polluted water. cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, redsnapper, salmon, whitefish are good all year. in the different states of the united states there are laws governing the fishing for trout, so the season for that fish differs in the various states. black bass, perch, pickerel and pike are in season from june st to december st. shad, april to june. smelts, november th to april. to clean fish the fish may be cleaned at the market, but needs to be looked over carefully before cooking. to remove the scales hold the fish by the tail and scrape firmly toward the head with a small sharp knife, held with the blade slanting toward the tail. scrape slowly so that the scales will not fly, and rinse the knife frequently in cold water. if the fish is to be served whole, leave the head and tail on and trim the fins; otherwise remove them. to open fish to open small fish cut under the gills and squeeze out the contents by pressing upward from the middle with the thumb and finger. to open large fish split them from the gills halfway down the body toward the tail; remove the entrails and scrape and clean, opening far enough to remove all the blood from the backbone, and wiping the inside thoroughly with a cloth wrung out of cold, salted water. to skin fish to skin a fish remove the fins along the back and cut off a narrow strip of the skin the entire length of the back. then slip the knife under the skin that lies over the bony part of the gills and work slowly toward the tail. do the same with the other side. to bone fish to bone a fish clean it first and remove the head. then, beginning at the tail, run a sharp knife under the flesh close to the bone, scraping the flesh away clean from the bone. work up one side toward the head; then repeat the same process on the other side of the bone. lift the bone carefully and pull out any small bones that may be left in the flesh. boiled fish to cook fish properly is very important, as no food, perhaps, is so insipid as fish if carelessly cooked. it must be well done and properly salted. a good rule to cook fish by is the following: allow ten minutes to the first pound and five minutes for each additional pound; for example: boil a fish weighing five pounds thirty minutes. by pulling out a fin you may ascertain whether your fish is done; if it comes out easily and the meat is an opaque white, your fish has boiled long enough. always set your fish on to boil in hot water, hot from the teakettle, adding salt and a dash of vinegar to keep the meat firm; an onion, a head of celery and parsley roots are always an acceptable flavor to any kind of boiled fish, no matter what kind of sauce you intend to serve with the fish. if you wish to serve the fish whole, tie it in a napkin and lay it on an old plate at the bottom of the kettle; if you have a regular "fish kettle" this is not necessary. in boiling fish avoid using too much water. to thicken sauces, where flour is used, take a level teaspoon of flour to a cup of sauce, or the yolk of an egg to a cup of sauce. baked fish wash and dry the fish, rubbing inside and outside with salt; stuff with a bread stuffing and sew. sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a hot oven without water. as soon as it begins to brown add hot water and butter and baste every ten minutes. bake until done, allowing an hour or more for a large fish, twenty or thirty minutes for a small one. remove to a hot platter; draw out the strings; garnish with slices of lemon well covered with chopped parsley and serve with hollandaise sauce. broiled fish for broiling, large fish should be split down the back and head and tail removed; salmon and halibut should be cut into one-inch slices, and smelts and other small fish left whole. wipe the fish as dry as possible; sprinkle with salt and pepper and if the fish is dry and white brush the flesh side well with olive oil or butter. put in a well-greased broiler, placing the thickest parts of the fish toward the middle or back of the broiler. hold over a hot fire until the flesh side is nicely browned; then cook the skin side just long enough to make the skin crisp. small fish require from ten to fifteen minutes, large fish from fifteen to twenty-five. to remove from the broiler loosen one side first, then the other, and lift carefully with a cake turner. place on a platter; spread with butter and stand in the oven for a few minutes. garnish with lemon and serve with maître d'hôtel butter. jewish method of frying fish scale the fish with the utmost thoroughness, remove the entrails, wash very thoroughly, and salt both inside and out. then cut the fish into convenient slices, place them on a strainer and leave them there for an hour. meanwhile, place some flour in one plate and some beaten eggs in another, and heat a large frying-pan half full of oil or butter. now wipe your fish slices thoroughly with a clean cloth, dip them first in flour and then in beaten eggs and finally fry until browned. in frying fish very hot oil is required. if a crumb of bread will brown in twenty seconds the oil is hot enough. put fish in a frying basket, then into the hot oil and cook five minutes. drain on brown paper and arrange on platter. do not stick knife or fork into fish while it is frying. when the oil has cooled, strain it, pour it into a jar, cover it and it will be ready for use another time. it can be used again for fish only. another method of frying fish thoroughly mix six ounces of flour with an ounce of olive oil, the yolk of an egg, and a pinch of salt. stir in one gill of tepid water and allow the whole to stand for half an hour in a cool place. next beat the white of an egg stiff and stir into the batter. dip each fish into the mixture, then roll in bread crumbs and cook in boiling oil. butter must not be used. in frying fish do not allow the fish to remain in the spider after it has been nicely browned, for this absorbs the fat and destroys the delicate flavor. be sure that the fish is done. this rule applies to fish that is sautéd. sautÉd fish clean fish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in flour or cornmeal and cook in spider with just enough hot butter to prevent it sticking to the pan. shake the pan occasionally. brown well on under side, then turn and brown on the other side. lemon fish boil three tablespoons of vinegar, one sliced onion, six whole peppers, salt, one piece of stick cinnamon, and a little water, then add sliced fish. when fish has boiled twenty minutes remove and arrange on platter. strain the gravy and add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, juice of two lemons, sugar to taste and twelve grated almonds. let all come to a boil, then pour over the fish, sprinkle finely chopped parsley on top and garnish with sliced lemons. bluefish, mackerel, shad, salmon and porgies may be cooked with this sauce. sweet sour fish first cut up and salt the fish. shad, trout or carp can be used. put on fish kettle with one and one-half cups of water and one cup of vinegar, add one onion cut in round slices, one dozen raisins, one lemon cut in round slices, two bay leaves, six cloves. when this mixture begins to boil, lay in your fish and cook thoroughly. when done remove fish to platter. put liquor back on stove, add three tablespoons of granulated sugar (which has been melted and browned in a pie plate without water), then add two tablespoons of flour which has been rubbed smooth with a little water. let boil well and pour over fish. if not sweet enough add more sugar. serve cold. sweet and sour fish place the fish in strong salt water for one hour before cooking. take three parts of water and one of vinegar, put in saucepan with some sliced onions and some raisins, and let boil until tender. add brown sugar to taste, a piece of rye bread from which the crust has been removed, and some molasses. boil the sauce, then place the fish in and let all cook twenty minutes. when done, arrange on platter with sliced lemon and chopped parsley. sweet sour fish with wine put on to boil in fish kettle, one glass water, one-half glass vinegar, two tablespoons of brown sugar, one-half dozen cloves, one-half teaspoon of ground cinnamon, one onion cut in round slices. boil thoroughly, then strain and add to it one lemon cut in round slices, one goblet of red wine, one dozen raisins, one tablespoon of pounded almonds; put on stove again, and when it comes to a boil, add fish that has been cut up and salted. cook until done, remove fish to a platter, and to the liquor add a small piece leb-kuchen or ginger cake, and stir in the well-beaten yolks of four eggs; stir carefully or it will curdle. if not sweet enough add more sugar. pour over fish. shad or trout is the best fish to use. fish stock put in a saucepan a tablespoon of butter or butter substitute, add a tablespoon each of chopped onion, carrot and turnip. fry them without browning, then add fish-bones, head, and trimmings, a stalk of celery, sprigs of parsley and of thyme, a bay-leaf, a tomato or a slice of lemon. cover with water and let them simmer for an hour or more. season with salt and pepper and strain. pike with egg sauce clean the fish thoroughly, and wash it in hot water, wipe dry and salt inside and out. if you heat the salt it will penetrate through the meat of the fish in less time. take a kettle, lay in it a piece of butter about the size of an egg; cut up an onion, some celery root, parsley root and a few slices of lemon, lay the fish in, either whole or cut up in slices; boil in enough water to just cover the fish, and add more salt if required, add a dozen whole peppers, black or white; season with ground white pepper. let the fish boil quickly. in the meantime beat up the yolks of two eggs, and pound a dozen almonds to a paste, add to the beaten yolks, together with a tablespoon of cold water. when done remove the fish to a large platter; but to ascertain whether the fish has cooked long enough, take hold of the fins, if they come out readily your fish has cooked enough. strain the sauce through a sieve, taking out the slices of lemon and with them garnish the top of the fish; add the strained sauce to the beaten eggs, stirring constantly as you do so; then return the sauce to the kettle, and stir until it boils, remove quickly and pour it over the fish. when it is cold garnish with curly parsley. gefillte fisch prepare trout, pickerel or pike in the following manner: after the fish has been scaled and thoroughly cleaned, remove all the meat that adheres to the skin, being careful not to injure the skin; take out all the meat from head to tail, cut open along the backbone, removing it also; but do not disfigure the head and tail; chop the meat in a chopping bowl, then heat about a quarter of a pound of butter in a spider, add two tablespoons chopped parsley, and some soaked white bread; remove from the fire and add an onion grated, salt, pepper, pounded almonds, the yolks of two eggs, also a very little nutmeg grated. mix all thoroughly and fill the skin until it looks natural. boil in salt water, containing a piece of butter, celery root, parsley and an onion; when done remove from the fire and lay on a platter. the fish should be cooked for one and one-quarter hours, or until done. thicken the sauce with yolks of two eggs, adding a few slices of lemon. this fish may be baked but must be rolled in flour and dotted with bits of butter. russian fish cakes take three pounds of fish (weakfish or carp, pickerel or haddock or whitefish, any fat fish with a fish poor in it). remove skin and bones from the fish and chop flesh very fine, add a good-sized onion, minced or grated, make a depression in the centre of the chopped fish and add three-quarters cup of water, one-half cup of soft bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, one-fourth cup of sugar, two egg whites and two tablespoons of melted butter. chop until very smooth and form into cakes containing a generous tablespoonful each. put the bones and skins into a saucepan with an onion sliced and a tablespoon of butter and add the fish cakes. cover with water and simmer for one and a quarter hours. then remove the cakes and strain off the gravy into the two egg yolks which have been slightly beaten together with one teaspoon of sugar; stir over the heat until thickened, but do not boil it. pour over fish cakes and serve either hot or cold. the butter and sugar may be omitted if so desired. gefillte fisch with egg sauce cut a five-pound haddock into four-inch slices. cut a big hole into each slice, preserving the backbone and skin. put this meat, cut from the fish, into a wooden tray, add to it four large onions and a sprig of parsley. chop until very fine, then add two eggs, a dash of pepper and cinnamon, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoon of sugar. to this add enough cracker dust to stiffen it. put this filling into the holes cut in the fish. take a saucepan, put in one sliced onion, a sprig of parsley, a small sliced carrot, a dash of pepper, and a pinch of salt. put the fish into the saucepan, cover with cold water, and let it boil slowly for one hour. at the end of the hour take out the fish, and put on a platter. preserve the water or gravy in which the fish was boiled for the sauce. egg sauce for fish: beat the yokes of two eggs thoroughly. into the beaten yolks slowly pour the gravy in which the fish was boiled, stirring constantly. stand this on the back of the stove to boil for five minutes, stirring constantly so as to prevent burning. filled fish--turkish style no. . bone some fat fish, boil in salt and water; when done take a little of the fish soup, one egg, beat until light, add gradually the juice of one-half lemon. fritada no. . steam the fish and bone. take four good-sized tomatoes, cut them up, add chopped parsley, scallions or leeks cut in small pieces, a little celery, salt and pepper to taste and four eggs well-beaten; mix all these ingredients very well with the boned fish, form in omelet shape. place in oven in pan greased with olive oil and bake until well browned. hecht (pickerel) this fish is best prepared "scharf." clean your fish thoroughly and salt the day previous; wrap it in a clean towel and lay it on ice until wanted. line a kettle with celery and parsley roots; cut up an onion, add a lump of fresh butter, and pack the fish in the kettle, head first, either whole or cut up; sprinkle a little salt and white pepper over all and add about a dozen peppercorns; put on enough water to just cover, and add a whole lemon cut in slices. do not let the fish boil quickly. add about a dozen pounded almonds. by this time the fish will be ready to turn, then beat up the yolks of two eggs in a bowl, to be added to the sauce after the fish is boiled. try the fish with a fork and if the meat loosens readily it is done. take up each peace carefully, if it has been cut up, and arrange on a large platter, head first and so on, make the fish appear whole, and garnish with the slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley; then mince up some parsley and garnish top of the fish, around the lemon slices. thicken the gravy by adding the beaten yolks, add a tablespoon of cold water to the yolks before adding to the boiling sauce; stir, remove from the fire at once and pour over the fish. if you prefer the sauce strained, then strain before adding the yolks of the eggs and almonds. haddock, sea-bass, pike, perch, weakfish and porgies may be cooked "scharf." fresh cod or striped bass cut into pieces ready to serve, after which salt them for an hour. into the fish kettle put a quantity of water, large onion sliced, carrot also sliced, turnip, celery root, and boil fifteen minutes. add the fish and two tablespoons of butter, tiny piece of cinnamon, pepper to taste. boil fifteen minutes longer, then add teaspoon of flour mixed with cold water. boil up well and add salt or pepper if needed. remove fish and arrange on platter. beat yolks of two eggs with a tablespoon of cold water; after straining out vegetables, add the hot gravy in which fish was boiled. return to fire and stir till thick enough. garnish with chopped parsley. ahilado sauce (turkish) mix some tomato sauce, olive oil, parsley, salt and pepper. boil sauce first, and add boiled sea-bass or flounders. boiled trout cut up a celery root, one onion, and a sprig of parsley, tie the fish in a napkin and lay it on this bed of roots; pour in enough water to cover and add a dash of vinegar--the vinegar keeps the fish firm--then boil over a quick fire and add more salt to the water in which the fish has been boiled. lay your fish on a hot platter and prepare the following sauce: set a cup of sweet cream in a kettle, heat it, add a tablespoon of fresh butter, salt and pepper, and thicken with a tablespoon of flour which has been wet with a little cold milk, stir this paste into the cream and boil about one minute, stirring constantly; pour over the fish. boil two eggs, and while they are boiling, blanch about a dozen or more almonds and stick them into the fish, points up; cover the eggs with cold water, peel them, separate the whites from the yolks, chop each separately; garnish the fish, first with a row of chopped yolks, then whites, until all is used: lay chopped parsley all around the platter. fresh cod and striped bass may be cooked in this way. fish piquant cook any large fish in salt water--salmon is particularly nice prepared in this style--add one cup of vinegar, onions, celery root and parsley. when the fish is cooked enough, remove it from the fire, kettle and all--letting the fish remain in its sauce until the following sauce is prepared:-- take the yolks of two eggs, one-half teaspoon of colman's mustard (dry), salt, pepper, a tablespoon of butter, a tablespoon of vinegar, one-half glass water and some fish gravy. boil in double boiler until thick. take some parsley, green onions, capers, shallots and one large vinegar pickle and some astragon, chop all up very fine; chop up the hard-boiled whites separately and then add the sauce; mix all this together thoroughly, then taste to see if seasoned to suit. salmon cutlets take the remains of some boiled salmon or a small can of salmon, three tablespoons of mashed potatoes, one of bread crumbs, one of chopped parsley, a little flour, mace, an egg, pepper and salt. mix the ingredients well together, bind with the egg, let stand an hour, then form into little flat cutlets, roll in bread crumbs and fry in hot oil, drain on paper and send to table garnished with parsley. paprika carp slice and salt three pounds of carp. steam four sliced onions with one cup of water, to which has been added one teaspoon of paprika, add the sliced carp and cook very slowly until the fish is done. redsnapper with tomato sauce scale thoroughly, salt and pepper inside and out, and lay upon ice, wrapped in a clean cloth overnight. when ready to cook cut up the celery or parsley root, or both, two large onions, a carrot or two, and let this come to a boil in about one quart of water, then lay in the fish, whole or in pieces; let the water almost cover the fish; add a lump of fresh butter and three or four tomatoes (out of season you may use canned tomatoes, say three or four large spoonfuls); let the fish boil half an hour, turning it occasionally. try it by taking hold of the fins, if they come out readily, the fish is done. take it up carefully; lay on a large platter and strain the sauce; let it boil, thicken it with the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, adding the sauce gradually to the eggs and stirring constantly. garnish the fish with chopped parsley, letting a quantity mix with the sauce. redsnapper is also very good fried. boned smelts, sautÉd take a dozen raw smelts; split them from the back lengthwise, leaving the head and tail intact; take out the large center bone without opening the stomach and season with salt. put four ounces of butter into a saucepan, and when quite hot place the smelts in it, so that the side which was cut open is underneath. when they have attained a nice color, turn them over and finish cooking. when ready, arrange them on a very hot dish, pour the butter in which they were cooked over them, squeeze a little lemon on them, then add over all some finely chopped green parsley. serve. fish with horseradish sauce clean three pounds of fresh salmon, bone, salt and let stand several hours. place in fish kettle with boiling salt water (one teaspoon of salt to one quart of water), and let boil one-half hour or until well cooked. lift out carefully, place on hot platter and pour over one-fourth cup of melted butter and sprinkle well with one tablespoon of parsley. serve in a separate bowl the following sauce; a large spoonful with each portion of fish: peel one-half pound of horseradish root, grate and mix well with one pint of cream beaten stiff. the fish must be hot and the sauce cold. fish with sauerkraut fry an onion in butter (or vegetable oil), add sauerkraut and cook. boil the fish in salt water, then bone and shred. fry two minced onions in butter or oil, put them into the kettle with the fish, add two egg yolks, butter or oil, a little pepper and a tablespoon of breadcrumbs; steam for half hour and serve with the kraut. fillet of sole À la mouquin thoroughly wash and pick over a pound of spinach, put it over the fire with no more water than clings to the leaves and cook for ten minutes; at the end of that time drain the spinach and chop it fine. have ready thin fillets of flounder, halibut, or whitefish. cover them with acidulated warm water--a slice of lemon in the water is all that is wanted, and add a slice of onion, a sprig of parsley and a bit of bay leaf. simmer for ten minutes and drain. put the minced spinach into the bottom of the buttered baking-dish, arrange the fillets on it, cover with a cream sauce to which a tablespoon of grated cheese has been added, and brown in the oven. fillet de sole À la creole fillet some large flounders, and have fishman send you all the bones; put the bones on to boil; wash, dry, and season the fillets; roll them (putting in some bits of butter), and fasten each one with a wooden toothpick. strain the water from the bones; thicken with a little brown flour and onion; add to this one-half can of tomatoes, a little cayenne pepper, salt, and chopped green peppers. let this sauce simmer for a couple of hours (this need not be strained); put the fillets in a casserole, and pour some of this sauce over them, and put in the oven for about fifteen minutes. then pour over the rest of the tomato sauce, sprinkle a little chopped parsley and serve. one can add a few mushrooms to the sauce. the mushrooms must be fried in butter before being added to the sauce. baked black bass after having carefully cleaned, salt well and lay it in the baking-pan with a small cup of water, and strew flakes of butter on top, also salt, pepper and a little chopped parsley. bake about one hour, basting often until brown. serve on a heated platter; garnish with parsley and lemon and make a sauce by adding a glass of sherry, a little catsup and thicken with a teaspoon of flour, adding this to fish gravy. serve potatoes with fish, boiled in the usual way, making a sauce of two tablespoons of butter. add a bunch of parsley chopped very fine, salt and pepper to taste, a small cup of sweet cream thickened with a tablespoon of flour. pour over potatoes. baked flounders clean, wipe dry, add salt and pepper and lay them in a pan; put flakes of butter on top, an onion cut up, some minced celery and a few bread crumbs. a cup of hot water put into the pan will prevent burning. baste often; bake until brown. baked bass À la wellington remove the scales and clean. do not remove the head, tail, or fins. put into a double boiler one tablespoon of butter, two cups of stale bread crumbs, one tablespoon of chopped onion, one teaspoon of chopped parsley, two teaspoons of chopped capers, one-fourth cup of sherry. heat all the above ingredients, season with paprika and salt, and stuff the bass with the mixture. sew up the fish, put into a hot oven, bake and baste with sherry wine and butter. a fish weighing four or five pounds is required for the above recipe. baked fish--turkish style take perch and stuff with steamed onion to which has been added one well-beaten egg, two tomatoes cut up in small pieces, some bread crumbs, chopped parsley or celery, salt and pepper to taste. bake until the fish is nicely browned. sauce agristoga fry any fish in oil, and serve the following:-- beat very well two whole eggs, add two tablespoons of flour diluted with cold water, add gradually the juice of one lemon. zuemimo sauce heat one teaspoon of oil, add one tablespoon of flour, add slowly one-half cup of vinegar diluted with water; season with salt and sugar. if no other fish can be procured, salt herring may be used. shad roe parboil the roe in salted water ten minutes. drain; season with salt, pepper and melted butter; form into balls, roll in beaten egg and cracker crumbs and fry in hot oil or any butter substitute. the roe can be baked and served with tomato sauce. baked shad clean and split a three-pound shad. place in a buttered dripping pan. sprinkle with salt and pepper, brush with melted butter and bake in a hot oven thirty minutes. scalloped fish roe boil three large roes in water with a little vinegar for ten minutes. plunge into cold water; wipe the roe dry. mash the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs into a cup of melted butter, teaspoon of anchovy paste, tablespoon of chopped parsley, juice of half a lemon, salt and pepper to taste. add a cup of bread crumbs and then mix in lightly the roe that has been broken into pieces. put all in baking dish, cover with bread crumbs and flakes of butter, and brown in oven. baked mackerel split fish, clean, and remove head and tail. put in buttered pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot over with butter (allowing one tablespoon to a medium-sized fish), pour over two-thirds of a cup of milk. bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. stuffed herring make a dressing of two tablespoons of bread crumbs, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, two tablespoons of butter, juice of one-half lemon, and pepper and salt to taste. add enough hot water to make soft. fill the herrings, roll up, tie in shape. cover with greased paper and bake ten to fifteen minutes. fish with garlic clean, salt fish one half hour, wash and dry with a clean cloth; cut garlic very thin, rub over fish; place in oven to bake; bake until odor of garlic has disappeared; then let fish cool. baked chopped herring soak herring one hour in water and then one and a half in sweet milk, skin, bone and chop; cut up a medium-sized onion, fry in butter until golden brown, add a cup of cream, two egg yolks and one-fourth cup of white bread crumbs, then put in a little more cream. butter pan, sprinkle with crumbs or cracker dust, then put in herring, pepper slightly. bake in moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. marinirte (pickled) herring take new holland herring, remove the heads and scales, wash well, open them and take out the milch and lay the herring and milch in milk or water over night. next day lay the herring in a stone jar with alternate layers of onions cut up, also lemon cut in slices, a few cloves, whole peppers and a few bay leaves, some capers and whole mustard seed. take the milch and rub it through a hair sieve, the more of them you have the better for the sauce; stir in a spoon of brown sugar and vinegar and pour it over the herring. salt herring soak salt herring over night in cold water, that the salt may be drawn out. drain and serve with boiled potatoes, or bone and place in kettle of cold water, let come to a boil and let simmer a few minutes until tender, drain and pour melted butter over them and serve hot with boiled or fried potatoes. broiled salt mackerel freshen the fish by soaking it over night in cold water, with the skin uppermost. drain and wipe dry, remove the head and tail; place it upon a butter broiler, and slowly broil to a light brown. place upon a hot dish, add pepper, bits of butter, a sprinkling of parsley and a little lemon juice. boiled salt mackerel soak mackerel over night in cold water, with the skin side up, that the salt may be drawn out, change the water often, and less time is required. drain. place mackerel in shallow kettle, pour water over to cover and boil ten to fifteen minutes or until flesh separates from the bone. remove to platter and pour hot, melted butter over and serve with hot potatoes. they may also be boiled and served with a white sauce. marinirte fish take pickerel, pike or any fish that is not fat, cut into two-inch slices, wash well, salt and set aside in a cool place for a few hours. when ready to cook, wash slightly so as not to remove all salt from fish. take heads and set up to boil with a whole onion for twenty-five minutes, then add the other pieces and two cups of vinegar, one cup of water, four bay leaves and twelve allspice, a little pepper and ginger. cook for thirty-five minutes longer. taste fish, add a little water or a little more vinegar to taste. then remove fish carefully so as not to break the pieces and let cool. strain the sauce, return fish to same, adding a few bay leaves and allspice. set in a cool place until sauce forms a jelly around the fish. can be kept covered and in a cool place for some time. soused herring split and half three herrings, roll and tie them up. place them in a pie plate, pour over them a cup of vinegar, add whole peppers, salt, cloves to taste and two bay leaves. bake in a slow oven until soft (about twenty minutes). salmon loaf blend together one can of salmon, one cup of grated bread crumbs, two beaten eggs, one cup of milk, one teaspoon of lemon juice, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one-half teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of chopped parsley and one tablespoon of onion juice. place in a greased baking dish. sprinkle top with thin layer of bread crumbs. bake in hot oven for thirty minutes or until the crumbs that cover the dish are browned. serve with a white sauce. cream salmon remove salmon from the can, place it in a colander and wash under running water or scald with boiling water. break into small pieces, stir into one cup of hot cream sauce; bring all to a boil and serve in patty cups or on toasted bread or crackers. pickle for salmon take equal parts of vinegar, white wine and water. boil these with a little mace, a clove or two, a bit of ginger root, one or two whole peppers and some grated horseradish. take out the last named ingredient when sufficiently boiled, and pour the pickle over the salmon, previously boiled in strong salt and water. kedgeree cut up in small pieces about a pound of any kind of cooked fish except herring. boil two eggs hard and chop up. take one cup of rice and boil in the following manner:--after washing it well and putting it on in boiling water, with a little salt, let it boil for ten minutes, drain it almost dry and let it steam with the lid closely shut for ten minutes longer without stirring. take a clean pot and put in the fish, eggs, rice, a good dessertspoon of butter, and pepper and salt to taste. stir over the fire until quite hot. press into a mould and turn it out at once and serve. swiss creamed fish mix smoothly in one cup of cold water a teaspoon of flour. stir it into one cup of boiling milk and when thick and smooth add the meat of any cold fish, picked free from skin and bones. season with salt, pepper and a tablespoon of butter. if the cream is desired to be extra rich one well-beaten egg may be added one minute before removing from the fire. serve hot. a pinch of cayenne or a saltspoon of paprika is relished by many. cod fish balls put the fish to soak over night in lukewarm water. change again in the morning and wash off all the salt. cut into pieces and boil about fifteen minutes, pour off this water and put on to boil again with boiling water. boil twenty minutes this time, drain off every bit of water, put on a platter to cool and pick to pieces as fine as possible, removing every bit of skin and bone. when this is done, add an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, a tablespoon of butter, a very little salt and pepper, beat up one egg and a little milk, if necessary, mix with a fork. flour your hands well and form into biscuit-shaped balls. fry in hot oil. finnan haddie parboil ten minutes and then broil like fresh fish. to bake, place the fish in a pan, add one cup of milk and one cup of water; cover. cook ten minutes in hot oven. remove cover, drain, spread with butter and season with pepper. finnan haddie and macaroni break up and cook until tender about a package of macaroni. pick up the finnan haddie until you have about three-quarters as much as you have macaroni. mix in a greased baking-dish and pour over a drawn butter sauce, made with cornstarch or with any good milk or cream dressing, then cover with bread or cracker crumbs or leave plain to brown in oven. bake from twenty to thirty minutes. scalloped fish, no. line a buttered baking-dish with cold flaked fish. sprinkle with salt and pepper; add a layer of cold cooked rice, dot with butter; repeat and cover with cracker or bread crumbs. bake fifteen to twenty minutes. scalloped fish, no. butter a dish, place in a layer of cold cooked fish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, parsley, salt, butter and pepper; repeat. cover with white sauce, using one tablespoon of flour to two tablespoons of butter and one cup of milk. sprinkle top with buttered bread crumbs and bake. *sauces for fish and vegetables* these sauces are made by combining butter and flour and thinning with water or other liquid. a sauce should never be thickened by adding a mixture of flour and water, as in that case the flour is seldom well cooked; or by adding flour alone, as this way is certain to cause lumps. the flour should be allowed to cook before the liquid is added. all sauces containing butter and milk should be cooked in a double boiler. if so desired, any neutral oil--that is, vegetable or nut oil--may be substituted for the butter called for in the recipe. care in preparation of a sauce is of as much importance as is the preparation of the dish the sauce garnishes. drawn butter sauce melt two tablespoons of butter and stir in two tablespoons of flour. add carefully one cup of boiling water, then season with one-half teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper and paprika. many sauces are made with drawn butter as a foundation. for caper sauce add three tablespoons of capers. for egg sauce add one egg, hard-boiled and chopped fine. bearnaise sauce there are several ways of making bearnaise sauce. this is one very simple rule: bring to the boil two tablespoons each of vinegar and water. simmer in it for ten minutes a slice of onion. take out the onion and add the yolks of three eggs beaten very light. take from the fire, add salt and pepper to season, and four tablespoons of butter beaten to a cream, and added slowly. *quick bearnaise sauce.*--beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoons of oil and four of water. add a cup of boiling water and cook slowly until thick and smooth. take from the fire, and add minced onion, capers, olives, pickles, and parsley and a little tarragon vinegar. cucumber sauce pare two large cucumbers; remove seeds, if large; chop fine and squeeze dry. season with salt, vinegar, paprika and add one-half cup of cream. sauce hollandaise mix one tablespoon of butter and one of flour in a saucepan and add gradually half a pint of boiling water. stir until it just reaches the boiling point; take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs. into another saucepan put a slice of onion, a bay leaf, and a clove of garlic; add four tablespoons of vinegar, and stand this over the fire until the vinegar is reduced one-half. turn this into the sauce, stir for a moment; strain through a fine sieve; add half a teaspoon of salt and serve. this sauce may be varied by adding lemon juice instead of vinegar, or by using the water in which the fish was boiled. it is one of the daintiest of all sauces. mustard sauce mix two tablespoons of vinegar and one of mustard, one teaspoon of oil or butter melted, pepper and salt to taste. add this to two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, with a small onion and about the same quantity of parsley as eggs; and mix all well together. maÎtre d'hÔtel butter work into one-half cup of butter all the lemon juice it will take, and add a teaspoon of minced parsley. pickle sauce cream two tablespoons of butter, add one teaspoon of salt and one tablespoon of chopped pickle. a speck of red pepper may be added. sardellen, or herring sauce brown a spoon of flour in heated fat, add a quantity of hot fish stock and a few sardellen chopped fine, which you have previously washed in cold water, also a finely-chopped onion. let this boil a few minutes, add a little vinegar and sugar; strain this sauce through a wire sieve and add a few capers and a wineglass of white wine and let it boil up once again and thicken with the yolk of one egg. sauce vinaigrette rub the mixing bowl with a clove of garlic, add one-half teaspoon of salt, dash of white pepper, and a teaspoon of cold water or a bit of ice, then four tablespoons of oil. mix until the salt is dissolved, remove the ice and add ten drops of tabasco sauce, two tablespoons tarragon vinegar, one tablespoon grated onion, one tablespoon chopped parsley and one chopped gherkin. anchovy sauce mix six tablespoons of melted butter and one and one-half teaspoons anchovy paste, place in double boiler and allow to boil for about six minutes. flavor with lemon juice. sauce piquante to one pint of drawn butter add one tablespoon each of vinegar and lemon juice and two tablespoons each of chopped capers, pickles, and olives, one-half teaspoon onion juice, a few grains cayenne pepper. sauce tartare add to a half pint of well-made mayonnaise dressing two olives, one gherkin and one small onion, chopped fine. chop sufficient parsley to make a tablespoonful, crush it in a bowl and add it first to the mayonnaise. stir in at least a tablespoon of drained capers and serve with fried or broiled fish. white sauce (for vegetables) place two tablespoons of butter in a saucepan; stir until melted: add two tablespoons of flour mixed with one-fourth of a teaspoon of salt and a few grains of pepper. stir until smooth. add one cup of milk gradually and continue to stir until well mixed and thick. chopped parsley may be added. used for creamed vegetables--potatoes, celery, onion, peas, etc. cream mustard sauce make white sauce as directed above. mix one tablespoon of mustard with a teaspoon of cold water and stir into the sauce about two minutes before serving. the quantity of mustard may be increased or diminished, as one may desire the flavor strong or mild. curry sauce use one teaspoon of curry in the flour while making white sauce. spanish sauce cook one onion and green pepper chopped fine in hot butter; add four tablespoons of flour, stir until smooth. add two cups of strained tomatoes. season with salt and pepper. tomato sauce brown one tablespoon butter with one minced onion, then add one tablespoon of flour. when brown stir in two cups of tomatoes which have previously been cooked and strained, add also one teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, pepper, and red pepper, also one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of tomato catsup. *sauces for meats* apple sauce pare and quarter tart apples. put them in a saucepan with just enough water to keep them from burning; bring to a boil quickly and cook until the pieces are soft. then press through a colander and add four tablespoons of sugar (or less) to each pint of apples. if desired, cinnamon or grated nutmeg may be sprinkled over the top after the apple sauce is in the serving dish, or a little stick cinnamon or lemon peel may be cooked with the apples. serve with goose. brown sauce fry one tablespoon chopped onion in one tablespoon fat. add one tablespoon of flour, one cup of soup stock, one teaspoon lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. strain before serving. the following sauces can be made by using brown sauce as a foundation: *mushroom sauce.*--add one-half cup mushrooms. *olive sauce.*--add a dozen olives, chopped fine. *wine sauce.*--add one-half cup wine and one tablespoon currant jelly. thicken with flour. cranberry sauce to one pint of cranberries take one and one-quarter cups of water. put the cranberries on with the water and cook until soft; strain through a cloth; weigh and add three-fourths of a pound of sugar to every pint of juice. cook ten minutes; pour into molds and set aside to cool. serve with poultry, game or mutton. stewed cranberries boil together one and one-half cups of sugar and one cup of water for seven minutes, then add three cups of cranberries, well washed and picked, and cook until the berries burst. serve the same as cranberry sauce. sauce bordelaise nice for broiled steaks. take one medium-sized onion, chopped very fine and browned in fat; add a cup of strong beef gravy and a cup of claret or white wine; add pepper, salt and a trifle of finely-chopped parsley; allow this to simmer and thicken with a little browned flour. caraway, or kimmel sauce heat a tablespoon drippings in a spider; add a little flour; stir smooth with a cup of soup stock, added at once, and half a teaspoon of caraway seeds. onion sauce stew some finely-chopped onions in fat; you may add half a clove of garlic, cut extremely fine; brown a very little flour in this, season with salt and pepper and add enough soup stock to thin it. lemon sauce boil some soup stock with a few slices of lemon, a little sugar and grated nutmeg; add chopped parsley; thicken with a teaspoon of flour or yolk of egg. mostly used for stewed poultry. mint sauce chop some mint fine; boil half a cup of vinegar with one tablespoon of sugar; throw in the mint and boil up once; pour in a sauceboat and cool off a little before serving. raisin sauce brown some fat in a spider, stir in a tablespoon of flour; stir until it becomes a smooth paste; then add hot soup, stirring constantly; add a handful of raisins, some pounded almonds, a few slices of lemon, also a tablespoon of vinegar; brown sugar to taste: flavor with a few cloves and cinnamon, and if you choose to do so, grate in part of a stick of horseradish and the crust of a rye loaf. very nice for fat beef. horseradish sauce, no. grate a good-sized stick of horseradish; take some soup stock and a tablespoon of fat, salt and pepper to taste, a little grated stale bread, a few pounded almonds. let all boil up and then add the meat. horseradish sauce, no. heat one tablespoon of fat in a frying-pan, when hot cut up one-quarter of an onion in it, and fry light brown, then brown one tablespoon cracker meal or flour and add two tablespoons of grated horseradish; let this brown a bit, then add some soup stock, one tablespoon of brown sugar, two cloves, two bay leaves, salt, pepper and two tablespoons of vinegar. let cook a few minutes then add one more tablespoon of horseradish and if necessary a little more sugar or vinegar. lay the meat in this sauce and cover on back of stove until ready to serve. if gas stove is used, place over the simmering flame. knoblauch sauce (garlic) heat a tablespoon of drippings, either of meat or goose in a frying-pan; cut up one or two cloves of garlic very fine and let it brown slightly in the heated fat; add a tablespoon of flour, a cup of soup stock or warm water, salt, pepper to taste. maÎtre d'hÔtel sauce take a heaping tablespoon of drippings or goose-fat, heat it in a spider, stir two teaspoons of flour into this, then add gradually and carefully a small cup of hot soup or water, the former is preferable; add some chopped parsley, also the juice of a lemon; salt and pepper; stir up well. may be used either with roast or boiled meats. *frying* prepared bread crumbs for frying all scraps of bread should be saved for crumbs, the crusts being separated from the white part, then dried, rolled, and sifted, and put away until needed in a covered glass jar. the brown crumbs are good for the first coating, the white ones for the outside, as they give better color. cracker crumbs give a smooth surface, but for most things bread crumbs are preferable. for meats a little salt and pepper, and for sweet articles, a little sugar, should be mixed with the crumbs. crumbs left on the board should be dried, sifted, and kept to be used again. frying frying is cooking in very hot fat or oil, and the secret of success is to have the fat hot enough to harden the outer surface of the article to be fried immediately and deep enough to cover these articles of food. as the fat or oil can be saved and used many times, the use of a large quantity is not extravagant. to fry easily one must have, in addition to the deep, straight-sided frying-pan, a frying-basket, made from galvanized wire, with a side handle. the bale handles are apt to become heated, and in looking for something to lift them, the foods are over-fried. the frying-pan must be at least six inches deep with a flat bottom; iron, granite ware or copper may be used, the first two are preferable. there must be sufficient fat to wholly cover the articles fried, but the pan must not be too full, or there is danger of overflow when heavy articles are put in. after each frying, drain the fat or oil, put it into a receptacle kept for the purpose, and use it over and over again as long as it lasts. as the quantity begins to lessen, add sufficient fresh fat or oil to keep up the amount. always put the fat or oil in the frying-pan before you stand it over the fire. wait until it is properly heated before putting in the articles to be fried. fry a few articles at a time. too many will cool the fat or oil below the point of proper frying and they will absorb grease and be unpalatable. put articles to be fried in the wire frying-basket and lower into the boiling hot fat or oil. test the fat by lowering a piece of stale bread into it, if the bread browns in thirty seconds the fat is sufficiently hot. fry croquettes a light brown; drain over the fat, lift the frying-basket from the hot fat to a round plate, remove the articles from the basket quickly to brown paper, drain a moment and serve. when frying fish or any food that is to be used at a milk meal, use oil. olive oil is the best, but is very expensive for general use. any other good vegetable oil or nut oil will do as substitute. when the food is intended for a meat meal; fat may be prepared according to the following directions and used in the same manner as oil. to render goose, duck or beef fat cut the fat into small pieces. put in a deep, iron kettle and cover with cold water. place on the stove uncovered; when the water has nearly all evaporated, set the kettle back and let the fat try out slowly. when the fat is still and scraps are shriveled and crisp at the bottom of the kettle, strain the fat through a cloth into a stone crock, cover and set it away in a cool place. the water may be omitted and the scraps slowly tried out on back of stove or in moderate oven. when fat is tried out, pour in crock. several slices of raw potato put with the fat will aid in the clarifying. all kinds of fats are good for drippings except mutton fat, turkey fat and fat from smoked meats which has too strong a flavor to be used for frying, but save it with other fat that may be unsuitable for frying, and when six pounds are collected make it into hard soap. to make white hard soap save every scrap of fat each day; try out all that has accumulated; however small the quantity. this is done by placing the scraps in a frying-pan on the back of the range. if the heat is low, and the grease is not allowed to get hot enough to smoke or burn, there will be no odor from it. turn the melted grease into tin pails and keep them covered. when six pounds of fat have been obtained, turn it into a dish-pan; add a generous amount of hot water, and stand it on the range until the grease is entirely melted. stir it well together; then stand it aside to cool. this is clarifying the grease. the clean grease will rise to the top, and when it has cooled can be taken off in a cake, and such impurities as have not settled in the water can be scraped off the bottom of the cake of fat. put the clean grease into the dish-pan and melt it. put a can of babbitt's lye in a tin pail; add to it a quart of cold water, and stir it with a stick or wooden spoon until it is dissolved. it will get hot when the water is added; let it stand until it cools. remove the melted grease from the fire, and pour in the lye slowly, stirring all the time. add two tablespoons of ammonia. stir the mixture constantly for twenty minutes or half an hour, or until the soap begins to set. let it stand until perfectly hard; then cut it into square cakes. this makes a very good, white hard soap which will float on water. *entrÉes* croquettes combine ingredients as directed in the recipe, roll the mixture lightly between the hands into a ball. have a plentiful supply of bread crumbs spread evenly on a board; roll the ball lightly on the crumbs into the shape of a cylinder, and flatten each end by dropping it lightly on the board; put it in the egg (to each egg add one tablespoon of water, and beat together), and with a spoon moisten the croquette completely with the egg; lift it out on a knife-blade, and again roll lightly in the crumbs. have every part entirely covered, so there will be no opening through which the grease may be absorbed. where a light yellow color is wanted, use fresh white crumbs grated from the loaf (or rubbed through a purée sieve) for the outside, and do not use the yolk of the egg. coarse fresh crumbs are used for fish croquettes, which are usually made in the form of chops, or half heart shape. a small hole is pricked in the pointed end after frying, and a sprig of parsley inserted. have all the croquettes of perfectly uniform size and shape, and lay them aside on a dish, not touching one another, for an hour or more before frying. this will make the crust more firm. the white of an egg alone may be used for egging them, but not the yolk alone. whip the egg with the water, just enough to break it, as air-bubbles in the egg will break in frying, and let the grease penetrate. serve the croquettes on a platter, spread them on a napkin and garnish with sprigs of parsley. chicken croquettes, no. cook one-half tablespoon of flour in one tablespoon chicken-fat, add one-half cup of soup stock gradually, and one-half teaspoon each of onion juice, lemon juice, salt, and one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one and one-half cups of veal or chicken, chopped very fine, one pair of brains which have been boiled, mix these well, remove from the fire and add one well-beaten egg. turn this mixture out on a flat dish and place in ice-box to cool. then roll into small cones, dip in beaten egg, roll again in powdered bread or cracker crumbs and drop them into boiling fat, fry until a delicate brown. chicken croquettes, no. chop the chicken very fine, using the white meat alone, or the dark meat alone, or both together. season with salt, pepper, onion-juice, and lemon-juice. chopped mushrooms, sweetbreads, calf's brains, tongue, or truffles are used with chicken, and a combination of two or more of them much improves the quality of the croquettes. croquettes of calf's brains lay the brains in salt water an hour, or until they look perfectly white, then take out one at a time, pat with your hands to loosen the outer skin and pull it off. beat or rub them to a smooth paste with a wooden spoon, season with salt and pepper and a very little mace; add a beaten egg and about one-half cup of bread crumbs. heat fat in a spider and fry large spoonfuls of this mixture in it. meat croquettes veal, mutton, lamb, beef and turkey croquettes may be prepared in the same way as chicken croquettes. meat and boiled hominy croquettes equal proportions. sweetbread croquettes cut the boiled sweetbreads into small dice with a silver knife. mix with mushrooms, using half the quantity of mushrooms that you have of sweetbreads. use two eggs in the sauce. veal croquettes veal is often mixed with chicken, or is used alone as a substitute for chicken. season in same manner and make the same combinations. cauliflower croquettes finely chop cold cooked cauliflower, mix in one small, finely chopped onion, one small bunch of parsley finely chopped, one-half cup of bread crumbs and one well-beaten egg. carefully mix and mold into croquette forms, dip in cracker dust and fry in deep, smoking fat until a light brown. eggplant croquettes (roumanian) peel the eggplant, place in hot water and boil until tender, drain, add two eggs, salt, pepper, two tablespoons of matzoth or white flour or bread crumbs, beat together; fry in butter or oil by tablespoonfuls. croquettes of fish take any kind of boiled fish, separate it from the bones carefully, chop with a little parsley, salt and pepper to taste. beat up one egg with one teaspoon of milk and flour. roll the fish into balls and turn them in the beaten egg and cracker crumbs or bread. fry a light brown. serve with any sauce or a mayonnaise. potato croquettes work into two cups of mashed potatoes, a tablespoon of melted butter, until smooth and soft; add one egg well-beaten and beat all together with a wooden spoon. season with salt and nutmeg. roll each in beaten egg then in bread crumbs, fry in hot oil or butter substitute. if desired chicken-fat may be substituted for the butter and the croquettes fried in deep fat or oil. sweet potato croquettes press through a ricer sufficient hot baked sweet potatoes to measure one pint. place over the fire. add one teaspoon of butter or drippings, the beaten yolks of two eggs, pepper and salt to taste, and beat well with a fork until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. cool slightly, form into cones, roll in fine bread crumbs; dip in beaten eggs, roll again in crumbs and fry in hot oil or fat. peanut and rice croquettes to one cup of freshly cooked rice allow one cup of peanut butter, four tablespoons of minced celery, one teaspoon of grated onion, one tablespoon of canned tomatoes, and salt and pepper to taste. mix well; add the white of one egg, reserving the yolk for coating the croquettes. shape into croquettes and let stand in a cold place for an hour, then coat with the egg yolk mixed with one tablespoon of water and roll in stale bread crumb dust until well covered. fry in any hot oil or butter substitute. rice croquettes, no. separate the white and yolk of one egg and reserve about half the yolk for coating the croquette. beat the rest with the white. mix with two cups of boiled or steamed rice and one-half teaspoon of salt, form into oblong croquettes or small balls. mix the reserved part of the egg yolk with a tablespoon of cold water. dip croquettes in this and then roll in fine bread crumbs. repeat until well-coated, then fry brown in deep oil. rice croquettes, no. put on with cold water one cup of rice, and let boil until tender. drain, and mix with the rice, one tablespoon of butter, yolks of three eggs, and pinch of salt. about one tablespoon of flour may be added to hold the croquettes together. beat the whites of the three eggs to a stiff froth, reserving some of the beaten white for egging croquettes, mix this in last, shape into croquettes and fry in hot oil or butter substitute. place on platter and serve with a lump of jelly on each croquette. calf's brains (sour) lay the brains in ice-water and then skin. they will skin easily by taking them up in your hands and patting them, this will help to loosen all the skin and clotted blood that adheres to them. lay in cold salted water for an hour at least, then put on to boil in half vinegar and half water (a crust of rye bread improves the flavor of the sauce). add one onion, cut up fine, ten whole peppers, one bay leaf, one or two cloves and a little salt, boil altogether about fifteen minutes. serve on a platter and decorate with parsley. eat cold. calf's brains fried clean as described in calf's brains cooked sour; wipe dry, roll in rolled cracker flour, season with salt and pepper and fry as you would cutlets. brains (sweet and sour) clean as described above. lay in ice-cold salted water for an hour. cut up an onion, a few slices of celery root, a few whole peppers, a little salt and a crust of rye bread. lay the brains upon this bed of herbs and barely cover with vinegar and water. boil about fifteen minutes, then lift out the brains, with a perforated skimmer, and lay upon a platter to cool. take a "lebkuchen," some brown sugar, a tablespoon of molasses, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, a few seedless raisins and a few pounded almonds. moisten this with vinegar and add the boiling sauce. boil the sauce ten minutes longer and pour scalding over the brains. eat cold and decorate with slices of lemon. deviled brains put one tablespoon of fat in skillet, and when hot add two tablespoons of flour, rub until smooth, and brown lightly, then add one-half can of tomatoes, season with salt, pepper, finely-chopped parsley, and a dash of cayenne pepper, and the brains which have previously been cleaned, scalded with boiling water, and cut in small pieces. cook a few minutes, and then fill the shells with the mixture. over each shell sprinkle bread crumbs, and a little chicken-fat. put shells in pan and brown nicely. serve with green peas. brains with egg sauce wash brains well, skin, boil fifteen minutes in salt water; slice in stew-pan some onions, salt, pepper, ginger and a cup of stock. put in the brains with a little marjoram; let it cook gently for one-half hour. mix yolks of two eggs, juice of a lemon, a teaspoon of flour, a little chopped parsley; when it is rubbed smooth, stir it into saucepan; stir well to prevent curdling. jellied chicken boil a chicken in as little water as possible until the meat falls from the bones, chop rather fine and season with pepper and salt. put into a mold a layer of the chopped meat and then a layer of hard-boiled eggs, cut in slices. fill the mold with alternate layers of meat and eggs until nearly full. boil down the liquor left in the kettle until half the quantity. while warm, add one-quarter of a cup aspic, pour into the mold over the meat. set in a cool place overnight to jelly. pressed chicken boil one or more chickens just as you would for fricassee, using as little water as possible. when tender remove all the meat from the bone and take off all the skin. chop as fine as possible in a chopping bowl (it ought to be chopped as fine as powder). add all the liquor the chicken was boiled in, which ought to be very little and well seasoned. press it into the shape of a brick between two platters, and put a heavy weight over it so as to press hard. set away to cool in ice-chest and garnish nicely with parsley and slices of lemon before sending to the table. it should be placed whole upon the table, and sliced as served. serve pickles and olives with it. veal may be pressed in the same way, some use half veal and half chicken, which is equally nice. home-made chicken tamales boil till tender one large chicken. have two quarts of stock left when chicken is done. remove chicken and cut into medium-sized pieces. into the stock pour gradually one cup of corn meal or farina, stirring until it thickens. if not the proper consistency, add a little more meal. season with one tablespoon of chili sauce, three tablespoons of tomato catsup, salt, one teaspoon of spanish pepper sauce. simmer gently thirty minutes, then add chicken. serve in ramekins. chicken fricassee, with noodles prepare a rich "chicken fricassee" (recipe for which you will find among poultry recipes), but have a little more gravy than usual. boil some noodles or macaroni in salted water, drain, let cold water run through them, shake them well and boil up once with chicken. serve together on a large platter. sweetbread glacÉ, sauce jardiniÈre with spaghetti put on some poultry drippings to heat in a saucepan, cut up an onion, shredded very fine and then put in the sweetbreads, which have been picked over carefully and lain in salt water an hour before boiling. salt and pepper the sweetbreads before putting in the kettle, slice two tomatoes on top and cover up tight and set on the back of stove to simmer slowly. turn once in a while and add a little soup stock. boil one-half cup of string beans, half a can of canned peas, one-half cup of currants, cut up extremely fine, with a tablespoon of drippings, a little salt and ground ginger. when the vegetables are tender, add to the simmering sweetbreads. thicken the sauce with a teaspoon of flour. have the sauce boiled down quite thick. boil the spaghetti in salted water until tender. serve with the sweetbreads. chicken À la sweetbread take the breast of chicken that has been fricasseed, cut up into small pieces, and add mushrooms. make brown sauce. serve in paté shells. sweetbreads wash the sweetbreads very carefully and remove all bits of skin and fatty matter. cover with cold water, salt and boil for fifteen minutes. then remove from the boiling water and cover with cold water. sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in beaten egg and bread crumbs, and fry a nice brown in hot fat. sweetbread sautÉ with mushrooms clean sweetbread, boil until tender, and cut in small pieces. take one tablespoon of fat, blend in one tablespoon of flour; add half the liquor of a can of mushrooms and enough soup stock to make the necessary amount of gravy; add a little catsup, mushroom catsup, and a few drops of kitchen bouquet, a clove of garlic, and a small onion; salt and pepper to taste. cook this about an hour, and then remove garlic and onion. add sweetbreads, mushrooms, and two hard-boiled eggs chopped very fine. veal sweetbreads (fried) wash and lay your sweetbreads in slightly salted cold water for an hour; pull off carefully all the outer skin, wipe dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. heat some goose-fat in a spider, lay in the sweetbreads and fry slowly on the back of the stove, turning frequently until they are a nice brown. calf's feet, prunes and chestnuts two calf's feet, sawed into joints, seasoned with pepper and salt a day before using. place in an iron pot, one-half pound italian chestnuts that have been scalded and skinned, then the calf's feet, one-eighth pound of raisins, one pound of fine prunes, one small onion, one small head of celery root, two olives cut in small pieces, one-eighth teaspoon of paprika, one cup of soup stock. stew slowly for five hours, and add one hour before serving, while boiling, a wine glass claret and a wine glass sherry. do not stir. calf's feet, scharf take calf's feet, saw into joints; put on to boil within cold water and boil slowly until the gristle loosens from the bones. season with salt, pepper; and a clove or two of garlic. serve hot or cold to taste. calf's foot jelly, no. after carefully washing one calf's foot, split and put it on with one quart water. boil from four to five hours. strain and let stand overnight. put on stove next day and when it begins to boil add the stiff-beaten whites of two eggs; boil till clear, then strain through cheesecloth. add sherry and sugar to taste. let it become firm before serving. sulze von kalbsfuessen (calf's foot jelly), no. take one calf's head and four calf's feet, and clean carefully. let them lay in cold water for half an hour. set on to boil with four quarts of water. add two or three small onions, a few cloves, salt, one teaspoon of whole peppers, two or three bay leaves, juice of a large lemon (extract the seeds), one cup of white wine and a little white wine vinegar (just enough to give a tart taste). let this boil slowly for five or six hours (it must boil until it is reduced one-half). then strain, through a fine hair sieve and let it stand ten or twelve hours. remove the meat from the bones and when cold cut into fine pieces. add also the boiled brains (which must be taken up carefully to avoid falling to pieces). skim off every particle of fat from the jelly and melt slowly. add one teaspoon of sugar and the whipped whites of three eggs, and boil very fast for about fifteen minutes, skimming well. taste, and if not tart enough, add a dash of vinegar. strain through a flannel bag, do not squeeze or shake it until the jelly ceases to run freely. remove the bowl and put another under, into which you may press out what remains in the bag (this will not be as clear, but tastes quite as good). wet your mould, put in the jelly and set in a cool place. in order to have a variety, wet another mould and put in the bits of meat, cut up, and the brains and, lastly, the jelly; set this on ice. it must be thick, so that you can cut it into slices to serve. aspic (sulz) set on to boil two calf's feet, chopped up, one pound of beef and one calf's head with one quart water and one cup of white wine. add one celery root, three small onions, a bunch of parsley, one dozen whole peppercorns, half a dozen cloves, two bay leaves and a teaspoon of fine salt. boil steadily for eight hours and then pour through a fine hair sieve. when cold remove every particle of fat and set on to boil again, skimming until clear. then break two eggs, shells and all, into a deep bowl, beat them up with one cup of vinegar, pour some of the soup stock into this and set all back on the stove to boil up once, stirring all the while. then remove from the fire and pour through a jelly-bag as you would jelly. pour into jelly-glasses or one large mould. set on ice. gansleber in sulz (goose-liver aspic) fry a large goose liver in goose-fat. season with salt, pepper, a few whole cloves and a very little onion. cut it up in slices and mix with the sulz and the whites of hard-boiled eggs. gansleber purÉe in sulz after the liver is fried, rub it through a sieve or colander and mix with sulz. goose liver if very large cut in half, dry well on a clean cloth, after having lain in salted water for an hour. season with fine salt and pepper, fry in very hot goose-fat and add a few cloves. while frying cut up a little onion very fine and add. then cover closely and smother in this way until you wish to serve. dredge the liver with flour before frying and turn occasionally. serve with a slice of lemon on each piece of liver. goose liver with glacÉd chestnuts prepare as above and garnish with chestnuts which have been prepared thus: scald until perfectly white, heat some goose-fat, add nuts, a little sugar and glaze a light brown. goose liver with mushroom sauce take a large white goose liver, lay in salt water for an hour (this rule applies to all kinds of liver), wipe dry, salt, pepper and dredge with flour. fry in hot goose-fat. cut up a piece of onion, add a few cloves, a few slices of celery, cut very fine, whole peppers, one bay leaf, and some mushrooms. cover closely and stew a few minutes. add lemon juice to sauce. spanish liver boil in salt water one-half pound calf's liver. drain and cut into small cubes. chop one onion, one tablespoon parsley, some mint; add two cloves, a little cinnamon, a little tabasco sauce, one tablespoon olive oil, and one cup of soup stock. add one cup of bread crumbs which have been soaked in hot water and then drained. mix all with the liver and bring to a boil. serve with spanish rice. stewed milt clean the milt thoroughly and boil with your soup meat. set to boil with cold water and let it boil about two hours. then take it out and cut into finger lengths and prepare the following sauce: heat one tablespoon of drippings in a spider. when hot cut up a clove of garlic very fine and brown slightly in the fat. add a tablespoon of flour, stirring briskly, pepper and salt to taste and thin with soup stock, then the pieces of milt and let it simmer slowly. if the sauce is too thick add more water or soup stock. some add a few caraway seeds instead of the garlic, which is a matter of taste. gefillte milz (milt) clean the milt by taking off the thin outer skin and every particle of fat that adheres to it. lay it on a clean board, make an incision with a knife through the centre of the milt, taking care not to cut through the lower skin, and scrape with the edge of a spoon, taking out all the flesh you can without tearing the milt and put it into a bowl until wanted. in the meantime dry the bread, which you have previously soaked in water, in a spider in which you have heated some suet or goose oil, and cut up part of an onion in it very fine. when the bread is thoroughly dried, add it to the flesh scraped from the milt. also two eggs, one-half teaspoon of salt, pepper, nutmeg and a very little thyme (leave out the latter if you object to the flavor), and add a speck of ground ginger instead. now work all thoroughly with your hands and fill in the milt. the way to do this is to fill it lengthwise all through the centre and sew it up; when done prick it with a fork in several places to prevent its bursting while boiling. you can parboil it after it is filled in the soup you are to have for dinner, then take it up carefully and brown slightly in a spider of heated fat; or form the mixture into a huge ball and bake it in the oven with flakes of fat put here and there, basting often. bake until a hard crust is formed over it. calf's liver smothered in onions heat some goose fat in a stew-pan with a close-fitting lid. cut up an onion in it and when the onion is of a light yellow color, place in the liver which you have previously sprinkled with fine salt and dredged with flour. add a bay leaf, five cloves and two peppercorns. cover up tight and stew the liver, turning it occasionally and when required adding a little hot water. chicken livers slice three or four livers from chicken or other fowl and dredge well with flour. fry one minced onion in one tablespoon of fat until light brown. put in the liver and shake the pan over the fire to sear all sides. add one-half teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of paprika and one-half cup of strong soup stock. allow it to boil up once. add one tablespoon claret or sherry and serve immediately on toast. kischkes--russian style buy beef casings of butcher. make a filling of fat, flour (using one-third cup fat to one cup flour) and chopped onions. season well with salt and pepper, cut them in short lengths, fasten one end, stuff and then fasten the open end. if they are not already cleaned the surface exposed after filling the casing is scraped until cleaned after having been plunged into boiling water. slice two large onions in a roasting-pan, and roast the kischkes slowly until well done and well browned. baste frequently with liquid in the pan. kischkes prepare as above. if the large casings are used they need not be cut in shorter lengths. boil for three hours in plenty of water and when done, put in frying-pan with one tablespoon of fat, cover and let brown nicely. serve hot. hashed calf's lung and heart lay the lung and heart in water for half an hour and then put on to boil in a soup kettle with your soap meat intended for dinner. when soft, remove from the soup and chop up quite fine. heat one tablespoon of goose fat in a spider; chop up an onion very fine and add to the heated fat. when yellow, add the hashed lung and heart, salt, pepper, soup stock and thicken with flour. you may prepare this sweet and sour by adding a little vinegar and brown sugar, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon and one tablespoon of molasses; boil slowly; keep covered until ready to serve. tripe À la creole boil tripe with onion, parsley, celery, and seasoning; cut in small pieces, then boil up in the following sauce: take one tablespoon of fat, brown it with two tablespoons of flour; then add one can of boiled and strained tomatoes, one can of mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste. serve in ramekins. tripe, family style scald and scrape two pounds tripe and cut into inch squares. take big kitchen spoon of drippings and put in four large onions quartered and three small cloves of garlic cut up very fine. let steam, but not brown. when onions begin to cook, put in tripe and steam half an hour. then cover tripe with water and let cook slowly three hours. boil a few potatoes and cut in dice shapes and add to it. half an hour before serving, add the following, after taking off as much fat from the tripe as possible: three tablespoons of flour thinned with little water; add catsup, paprika, ginger, and one teaspoon of salt. it should all be quite thick, like paste, when cooked. boiled tongue, (sweet and sour) lay the fresh tongue in cold water for a couple of hours and then put it on to boil in enough water to barely cover it, adding salt. boil until tender. to ascertain when tender run a fork through the thickest part. a good rule is to boil it, closely covered, from three to four hours steadily. pare off the thick skin which covers the tongue, cut into even slices, sprinkle a little fine salt over each piece and then prepare the following sauce: put one tablespoon of drippings in a kettle or spider (goose fat is very good). cut up an onion in it, add a tablespoon of flour and stir, adding gradually about a pint of the liquor in which the tongue was boiled. cut up a lemon in slices, remove the seeds, and add two dozen raisins, a few pounded almonds, a stick of cinnamon and a few cloves. sweeten with four tablespoons of brown sugar in which you have put one-half teaspoon of ground cinnamon, one tablespoon of molasses and two tablespoons of vinegar. let this boil, lay in the slices of tongue and boil up for a few minutes. filled tongue take a pickled tongue, cut it open; chop or grind some corned beef; add one egg; brown a little onion, and add some soaked bread; fill tongue with it, and sew it up and boil until done. smoked tongue put on to boil in a large kettle, fill with cold water, enough to completely cover the tongue; keep adding hot water as it boils down so as to keep it covered with water until done. keep covered with a lid while boiling and put a heavy weight on the top of the lid so as not to let the steam escape. (if you have an old flat iron use it as a weight.) it should boil very slowly and steadily for four hours. when tongue is cooked set it outdoors to cool in the liquor in which it was boiled. if the tongue is very dry, soak overnight before boiling. in serving slice very thin and garnish with parsley. smothered tongue scald tongue, and then skin. season well with salt and pepper and slice an onion over it. let it stand overnight. put some drippings in a covered iron pot, and then the tongue, with whatever juice the seasoning drew. cover closely and let it cook slowly until tender--about three hours. pickled beef tongue select a large, fresh beef tongue. soak in cold water one-half hour. crush a piece of saltpetre, size of walnut, one teacup of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, three small cloves of garlic cut fine; mix seasoning. drain water off tongue. with a pointed knife prick tongue; rub in seasoning. put tongue in crock; add the balance of salt, etc.; cover with plate and weight. allow to stand from four to five days. without washing off the seasoning, boil in fresh water until tender. *meats* the majority of the cuts of meat which are kosher are those which require long, slow cooking. these cuts of meat are the most nutritious ones and by long, slow cooking can be made as acceptable as the more expensive cuts of meat; they are best boiled or braised. in order to shut in the juices the meat should at first be subjected to a high degree of heat for a short time. a crust or case will then be formed on the outside, after which the heat should be lowered and the cooking proceed slowly. this rule holds good for baking, where the oven must be very hot for the first few minutes only; for boiling, where the water must be boiling and covered for a time, and then placed where it will simmer only; for broiling, where the meat must be placed close to the red-hot coals or under the broiler flame of the gas stove at first, then held farther away. do not pierce the meat with a fork while cooking, as it makes an outlet for the juices. if necessary, to turn it, use two spoons. pan roast beef take a piece of cross-rib or shoulder, about two and one-half to three pounds, put in a small frying-pan with very little fat; have the pan very hot, let the meat brown on all sides, turning it continually until all sides are done, which will require thirty minutes altogether. lift the meat out of pan to a hot platter, brown some onions, serve these with the meat. an easy pot roast take four pounds of brisket, season with salt, pepper and ginger, add three tablespoons of tomatoes and an onion cut up. cover with water in an iron pot and a close-fitting cover, put in oven and bake from three to four hours. pot roast. braised beef heat some fat or goose fat in a deep iron pot, cut half an onion very fine and when it is slightly browned put in the meat. cover up closely and let the meat brown on all sides. salt to taste, add a scant half teaspoon of paprika, half a cup of hot water and simmer an hour longer, keeping covered closely all the time. add one-half a sweet green pepper (seeds removed), one small carrot cut in slices, two tablespoons of tomatoes and two onions sliced. two and a half pounds of brisket shoulder or any other meat suitable for pot roasting will require three hours slow cooking. shoulder of lamb may also be cooked in this style. when the meat is tender, remove to a warm platter, strain the gravy, rubbing the thick part through the sieve and after removing any fat serve in a sauce boat. if any meat is left over it can be sliced and warmed over in the gravy, but the gravy must be warmed first and the meat cook for a short time only as it is already done enough and too much cooking will render it tasteless. brisket of beef (brustdeckel) if the brisket has been used for soup, take it out of the soup when it is tender and prepare it with a horseradish sauce, garlic sauce or onion sauce. (see "sauces for meats".) brisket of beef with sauerkraut take about three pounds of fat, young beef (you may make soup stock of it first), then take out the bones, salt it well and lay it in the bottom of a kettle, put a quart of sauerkraut on top of it and let it boil slowly until tender. add vinegar if necessary, thicken with a grated raw potato and add a little brown sugar. some like a few caraway seeds added. sauerbraten take a piece of cross-rib or middle cut of chuck about three pounds, and put it in a deep earthen jar and pour enough boiling vinegar over it to cover; you may take one-third water. add to the vinegar when boiling four bay leaves, some whole peppercorns, cloves and whole mace. pour this over the meat and turn it daily. in summer three days is the longest time allowed for the meat to remain in this pickle; but in winter eight days is not too long. when ready to boil, heat one tablespoon drippings in a stew-pan. cut up one or two onions in it; stew until tender and then put in the beef, salting it on both sides before stewing. stew closely covered and if not acid enough add some of the brine in which it was pickled. stew about three hours and thicken the gravy with flour. rolled beef--pot-roasted take one pound and one-half of tenderloin, sprinkle it with parsley and onion; season with pepper and salt; roll and tie it. place it in a pan with soup stock (or water if you have no stock), carrot and bay leaf and pot roast for one and one-half hours. serve with tomato or brown sauce. mock duck take the tenderloin, lay it flat on a board after removing the fat. make a stuffing as for poultry. see "to stuff poultry". spread this mixture on the meat evenly; then roll and tie it with white twine; turn in the ends to make it even and shapely. cut into dice an onion, turnip, and carrot, and place them in a baking-pan; lay the rolled meat on the bed of vegetables; pour in enough stock or water to cover the pan one inch deep; add a bouquet made of parsley, one bay leaf and three cloves; cover with another pan, and let cook slowly for four hours, basting frequently. it can be done in a pot just as well, and should be covered as tight as possible; when cooked, strain off the vegetables; thicken the gravy with one tablespoon of flour browned in fat and serve it with the meat. long, slow cooking is required to make the meat tender. if cooked too fast it will not be good. marrowbones have the bones cut into pieces two or three inches long; scrape and wash them very clean; spread a little thick dough on each end to keep the marrow in; then tie each bone in a piece of cloth and boil them for one hour. remove the cloth and paste, and place each bone on a square of toast; sprinkle with red pepper and serve very hot. or the marrow-bone can be boiled without being cut, the marrow then removed with a spoon and placed on squares of hot toast. serve for luncheon. roast beef, no. take prime rib roast. cut up a small onion, a celery root and part of a carrot into rather small pieces and add to these two or three sprigs of parsley and one bay leaf. sprinkle these over the bottom of the dripping-pan and place your roast on this bed. the oven should be very hot when the roast is first put in, but when the roast is browned sufficiently to retain its juices, moderate the heat and roast more slowly until the meat is done. do not season until the roast is browned, and then add salt and pepper. enough juice and fat will drop from the roast to give the necessary broth for basting. baste frequently and turn occasionally, being very careful, however, not to stick a fork into the roast. roast beef, no. season meat with salt and paprika. dredge with flour. place on rack in dripping-pan with two or three tablespoons fat, in hot oven, to brown quickly. reduce heat and baste every ten minutes with the fat that has fried out. when meat is about half done, turn it over, dredge with flour, finish browning. if necessary, add a small quantity of water. allow fifteen to twenty minutes for each pound of meat. three pounds is the smallest roast practicable. roast beef (russian style) place a piece of cross-rib or shoulder weighing three pounds in roasting-pan, slice some onions over it, season with salt and pepper, add some water and let it cook well. then peel a few potatoes and put them under the meat. when the meat becomes brown, turn it and cook until it browns on the other side. wiener braten--vienna roast take a shoulder, have the bone taken out and then pound the meat well with a mallet. lay it in vinegar for twenty-four hours. heat some fat or goose oil in a deep pan or kettle which has a cover that fits air tight and lay the meat in the hot fat and sprinkle the upper side with salt, pepper and ginger. put an onion in with the meat; stick about half a dozen cloves in the onion and add one bay leaf. now turn the meat over and sprinkle the other side with salt, pepper and ginger. cut up one or two tomatoes and pour some soup stock over all, and a dash of white wine. cover closely and stew very slowly for three or four hours, turning the meat now and then; in doing so do not pierce with the fork, as this will allow the juice to escape. do not add any water. make enough potato pancakes to serve one or two to each person with "wiener braten." to broil steak by gas wipe steak with a damp cloth. trim off the surplus fat. when the oven has been heated for from five to seven minutes, lay steak on a rack, greased, as near the flame as possible, the position of the rack depending on the thickness of the steak. let the steak sear on each side, thereby retaining the juice. then lower the rack somewhat, and allow the steak to broil to the degree required. just before taking from the oven, salt and pepper and spread with melted chicken fat. you can get just as good results in preparing chops and fish in the broiling oven. broiled beefsteak heat the gridiron, put in the steak, turn the gridiron over the hot coals at intervals of two minutes and then repeatedly at intervals of one minute. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve on a hot platter. chops are done in the same way, but the gridiron is turned twice at intervals of two minutes and six times at intervals of one minute. fried steak with onions season the steak with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour. if tough, chop on both sides with a sharp knife. lay in a pan of hot fat, when brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. while the steak is frying, heat some fat in another fryer and drop in four of five white onions that have been cut up. fry crisp but not black. remove the steak to a hot platter, stir one tablespoon of flour in the fryer until smooth, add one-half cup of boiling water. lay the crisp onions over the steak, then over all pour the brown gravy. fried beefsteak take third cut of chuck or the tenderloin. have the spider very hot, use just enough fat to grease the spider. lay in the steak, turning very often to keep in the juice, season with salt and pepper. serve on a hot platter. brunswick stew cook one pound of brisket of beef and three pounds of young chicken with one pint of soup stock or water, one pint of lima beans, four ears of cut corn (cut from cob), three potatoes diced, two tomatoes quartered; one small onion, one teaspoon of paprika and one teaspoon of salt. let all these simmer until tender, and before serving remove the meat and any visible chicken bones. this stew may be made of breast of veal omitting the chicken and brisket. breast flank (short ribs) and yellow turnips get the small ribs and put on with plenty of water, an onion, pepper and salt. after boiling about one and one-half hours add a large yellow turnip cut in small pieces; one-half hour before serving add six potatoes cut in small pieces. water must be added as necessary. a little sugar will improve flavor, and as it simmers the turnip will soften and give the whole dish the appearance of a stew. meat olives have a flank steak cut in three inch squares. spread each piece with the following dressing: one cup of bread crumbs, two tablespoons of minced parsley; one chopped onion, a dash of red pepper and one teaspoon of salt. moisten with one-fourth cup of melted fat. roll up and tie in shape. cover with water and simmer until meat is tender. take the olives from the sauce and brown in the oven. thicken the sauce with one-fourth cup of flour moistened with water to form a thin paste. short rib of beef, spanish get the small ribs of beef and put on with water enough to cover, seasoning with salt, pepper, an onion and a tiny clove of garlic. let it cook about two hours, then add a can of tomatoes and season highly either with red peppers or paprika. cook at least three hours. braised oxtails two oxtails, jointed and washed; six onions sliced and browned in pot with oxtails. when nicely browned add water enough to cover and stew slowly one hour; then add two carrots, if small; one green pepper, sprig of parsley, one-half cup of tomatoes and six small potatoes, and cook until tender. thicken with browned flour. cook separately eight lengths of macaroni; place cooked macaroni on dish and pour ragout over it and serve hot. to brown flour take one-half cup of flour, put in pan over moderate heat and stir until nicely browned. hungarian goulash have two pounds of beef cut into one inch squares. dredge in flour and fry until brown. cover with water and simmer for two hours; the last half-hour add one tablespoon of salt and one-eighth of a teaspoon of pepper. make a sauce by cooking one cup of tomatoes and one stalk of celery cut in small pieces, a bay leaf and two whole cloves, for twenty-five minutes; rub through a sieve, add to stock in which meat was cooked. thicken with four tablespoons of flour moistened with two tablespoons of water. serve meat with cooked diced potatoes, carrots, and green and red peppers cut in strips. russian goulash to one pound beef, free from fat and cut up as pan stew, add one chopped green pepper, one large onion, two blades of garlic (cut fine), pepper and salt, with just enough water to cover. let this simmer until meat is very tender. add a little water as needed. put in medium sized can of tomatoes an hour or so before using and have ready two cups of cooked spaghetti or macaroni and put this into the meat until thoroughly heated. this must not be too wet; let water cook away just before adding the tomatoes. beef loaf to two pounds of chopped beef take three egg yolks, three tablespoons of parsley, three tablespoons of melted chicken-fat, four heaping tablespoons of soft bread crumbs, one-half teaspoon of kitchen bouquet, two teaspoons of lemon juice, grated peel of one lemon, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of onion-juice and one teaspoon of pepper. mix and bake twenty-five minutes in a quick oven with one-fourth cup of melted chicken-fat, and one-half cup of boiling water. baste often. hamburger steak take one pound of raw beef, cut off fat and stringy pieces, chop extremely fine, season with salt and pepper, grate in part of an onion or fry with onions. make into round cakes a little less than one-half inch thick. heat pan blue hot, grease lightly; add cakes, count sixty, then turn them and cook on the other side until brown. when well browned they are done if liked rare. cook ten minutes if liked well done. bitki (russian hamburger steak) take two cups of clear beef chopped, and two cups of bread crumbs that have been soaked in a little water, leaving them quite moist, mix thoroughly with the beef, season with pepper and salt and shape into individual cakes. fry as directed for hamburger steak. chopped meat with raisins (roumanian) take a pound of chopped meat, add grated onion, an egg, matzoth flour, white pepper, mix and form into small balls, put in pot with one-half cup of water, fat, sugar, a quarter cup of large black raisins, a few slices of lemon and let stew one-half hour, then thicken gravy with tablespoon of flour browned in a tablespoon of fat and serve. carnatzlich (roumanian) one pound of tenderloin, chopped, add an egg, a little paprika, black pepper, salt and four cloves of garlic (which have been scraped, and let stand in a little salt for ten minutes, and then mashed so it looks like dough). form this meat mixture into short sausage-like rolls; boil one-half hour and serve at once. serve this dish with slaitta. (see vegetables.) baked hash mix together one cup of chopped meat, one cup of cold mashed potatoes, one-half an onion, minced, one well-beaten egg and one-half cup of soup stock. season rather highly with salt, if unsalted meat is used, paprika and celery salt, turn into greased baking dish and bake for twenty minutes in a well-heated oven. the same mixture may be fried, but will not taste as good. soup meat the meat must be cooked until very tender then lift it out of the soup and lay upon a platter and season while hot. heat a tablespoon of fat or drippings of roast beef in a spider, cut up a few slices of onion in it, also half a clove of garlic, add a tablespoon of flour, stirring all the time; then add soup stock or rich gravy, and the soup meat, which has been seasoned with salt, pepper and ginger. you must sprinkle the spices on both sides of the meat, and add one-half teaspoon of caraway seed to the sauce, and if too thick add more soup stock and a little boiling water. cover closely and let it simmer about fifteen minutes. left-over meat there are many ways to utilize left-over meat. indeed, not one particle of meat should ever be wasted. cold roasts of beef, lamb, mutton or any cold joint roasted or boiled may be made into soups, stews, minces or used for sandwiches, or just served cold with vegetables or salads. spaghetti and meat break spaghetti in small pieces and boil until tender. put left-over meat through chopper and mix with the spaghetti, salt, pepper, and a little onion juice. grease a baking dish and put in the meat and spaghetti, sprinkle on top with bread crumbs and bake in a moderate oven. meat pie cut any left-over beef, lamb or veal in small pieces, removing all excess of fat; parboil one green pepper (seeds removed) cut in strips, two cups of potatoes and one-half cup of carrots cut in dice, and one onion chopped fine. add to the meat. thicken with one-fourth cup of flour moistened in cold water. put in a baking dish. the crust is made as follows: one cup of flour, one heaping teaspoon of drippings, pinch of salt, one-fourth teaspoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of sugar and cold water to mix, about one-third cup. roll out to fit baking dish, cut holes for steam to escape, after covering the contents of the dish. bake in a quick hot oven one-half hour. pickled meat--home-made corned beef take four quarts of water, adding enough salt to float an egg, boil this salted water, when cool take four or five pounds brisket of beef, seasoned with whole and ground peppers, one large clove of garlic, pierced in different parts of the beef, one tablespoon of sugar, one bay leaf and one teaspoon of saltpetre. put meat into deep stone pot, pour the boiled water over it and store in a cool place for ten days or two weeks. boiled corned beef put corned beef into cold water; using enough to cover it well; let it come slowly to the boiling-point; then place where it will simmer only; allow thirty minutes or more to each pound. it is improved by adding a few soup vegetables the last hour of cooking. if the piece can be used a second time, trim it to good shape; place it again in the water in which it was boiled; let it get heated through; then set aside to cool in the water, and under pressure, a plate or deep dish holding a flat-iron being set on top of the meat. the water need not rise above the meat sufficiently to wet the iron. when cooled under pressure the meat is more firm and cuts better into slices. cabbage is usually served with hot corned beef, but should not be boiled with it. enchiladas make a dough of cornmeal and wheat flour and water. roll it out in thin, round cakes; cook quickly in a pan that has not been greased, then roll in a cloth to keep soft and warm. grind one cup of sausage, add one-half grated onion, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, and fill the warm cakes with this mixture. roll them when filled, and pour over them a sauce made of two tablespoons of drippings into which two tablespoons of flour have been smoothed. add one cup of soup stock, one cup of strained tomatoes, two tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of spanish pepper sauce. vienna sausage wash and put on in boiling water. boil ten minutes, fill a deep dish with hot water, put sausages in, cover, and serve in hot water. to be eaten with grated horseradish or french mustard. smoked beef soak overnight in cold water; next morning place it in cold water, and simmer till quite tender, reckoning one-half hour to the pound. roast veal the shoulder and breast of veal are best for roasting. always buy veal that is fat and white. prepare for the oven in the following manner: wash and then dry; rub it well with salt, a very little ground ginger, and dredge it well with flour. lay in roasting-pan and put slices of onion on top with a few tablespoons of goose-fat or drippings. cover tightly and roast, allowing twenty minutes to the pound and baste frequently. veal must be well done. when cold it slices up as nicely as turkey. breast of veal--roasted roast as directed above. have the butcher cut a pocket to receive the stuffing. prepare bread stuffing and sew up the pocket. sprinkle a little caraway seed on top of the roast. a tablespoon of lemon juice adds to the flavor. baste often. stewed veal prepare as above, but do not have the meat cut in small pieces. if desired one-half teaspoon of caraway seed may be used instead of the parsley. mashed potatoes and green peas or stewed tomatoes are usually served with veal. any of the flour or potato dumplings are excellent served with stewed or fricasseed veal. fricasseed veal with cauliflower use the breast or shoulder for this purpose, the former being preferable, and cut it up into pieces, not too small. sprinkle each piece slightly with fine salt and ginger. heat a tablespoon of goose-oil or poultry drippings in a stew-pan, and lay the veal in it. cut up an onion and one or two tomatoes (a tablespoon of canned tomatoes will do), and add to this a little water, and stew two hours, closely covered. when done mix a teaspoon of flour and a little water and add to the veal. chop up a few sprigs of parsley, add it and boil up once and serve. place the cauliflower around the platter in which you serve the veal. boil the cauliflower in salt and water, closely covered. stuffed shoulder of veal have the blade removed, and fill the space with a stuffing made of bread crumbs, thyme, lemon juice, salt, pepper to taste and one egg, also chopped mushrooms if desired. sew up the opening, press and tie it into good shape and roast. the stuffing may be made of minced meat, cut from the veal, and highly seasoned. veal loaf take two pounds of chopped veal, four tablespoons of bread crumbs, two beaten eggs, season with salt, pepper, ginger, nutmeg and a little water. add a tablespoon of chicken-fat; grease the pan, mix ingredients thoroughly, form into a loaf, spread or lay piece of chicken-fat on top. bake in oblong tin until done, basting frequently. shoulder or neck of veal--hungarian style brown four onions light brown in a tablespoon of fat, add one teaspoon mixed paprika, and the meat cut in pieces; leave the pan uncovered for a few moments, cover; add one sweet green pepper, cut up, and let cook; add a little water whenever the gravy boils down; when the meat is tender serve with dumplings. calf's hearts remove veins and arteries from the hearts. stuff with a highly seasoned bread dressing and sew. dredge in flour, brown in hot fat, cover with hot water, and place on the back of the stove or in a hot oven. cook slowly for two or three hours. thicken the liquor with flour and serve with the hearts. irish stew cut one and one-half pounds of lamb into small pieces. dredge each piece of meat in flour. brown in the frying-pan. put in kettle, cover with water and cook slowly one hour or until tender. add one quart of potatoes cut in small dice, one-half a cup of carrots and three onions, after cooking thirty minutes. season with salt, pepper, and thicken with two tablespoons of flour moistened in enough cold water to form a smooth paste. serve with dumplings. (see dumplings, in "garnishes and dumplings for soups".) lamb and macaroni dilute one can of concentrated tomato sauce with one quart of water; mince two medium-sized onions very fine and fry slowly in olive oil or drippings until they are a golden brown, and add to tomatoes. fry one and one-half pounds of lean neck of lamb in a little drippings until the meat is nicely browned all over and add to the tomatoes, season with one clove of garlic, two bay leaves, two teaspoons of sugar, pepper and salt, and let it simmer for about one and one-half hours, or until the meat is tender and the sauce has become the consistency of thick cream. have ready some boiled macaroni, put in with the meat and stir well. serve hot. short ribs of beef may be cooked in the same manner. lamb stew--tocane brown slices of leek or young onions in one tablespoon of drippings, add neck or breast of lamb, cut in small pieces; season with white pepper, salt and parsley; cook until tender, just before serving season with dill. curried mutton have three pounds of mutton cut in one inch squares. wipe, put in kettle and cover with cold water. cook for five minutes, drain and again cover with boiling water. add one cup of chopped onion, one teaspoon of peppercorns, and one-half of a red pepper, cut in small strips. place on back of stove and allow it to simmer until tender. strain liquor and thicken with flour. add two tablespoons of drippings, one tablespoon of minced parsley, one teaspoon of curry powder, and one-half teaspoon of salt. serve with molded rice. gewetsh (servian) brown one large onion in a tablespoon of fat, add one teaspoon of paprika and two pounds of neck or shoulder of lamb, cook one hour; have ready one pound of rice that has been boiled for twenty minutes. take a twelve inch pudding dish, grease, place a layer of sliced tomatoes on bottom of pan, then half the rice, half the meat, two sliced green peppers, sprinkle a little salt and pour part of gravy over this; place another layer of tomatoes, rice, meat, with two sliced peppers and tomatoes on top, salt, and pour remainder of gravy, put lumps of fat here and there; bake in hot oven three-quarters of an hour. use plenty of gravy and fat for this dish or else it will be too dry. six large tomatoes are required. roast mutton with potatoes take a shoulder of mutton--must be young and tender--wash the meat well and dry with a clean towel. rub well with salt, ginger and a speck of pepper, and dredge well with flour. lay it in a covered roasting-pan. put a few pieces of whole mace and a few slices of onion on top; pour a cup of water into the pan. cover it up tight and set in a hot oven to roast, basting frequently. allow twenty minutes to the pound for roasting mutton; it should be well done. add more water if necessary (always add hot water so as not to stop the process of boiling), skim the gravy well and serve with currant or cranberry jelly. pare potatoes of uniform size and wash and salt them about three-quarters of an hour before dinner. lay the potatoes in pan around the roast and sprinkle them with salt and return to the oven to roast. let them brown nicely. breast of mutton stewed with carrots salt the mutton on both sides, adding a little ground ginger; put on to boil in cold water, cover up tightly and stew slowly. in the meantime pare and cut up the carrots, add these and cover up again. pare and cut up about half a dozen potatoes into dice shape and add them three-quarters of an hour before dinner. cover up again, and when done, make a sauce as follows: skim off about two tablespoons of fat from the mutton stew, put this in a spider and heat. brown a tablespoon of flour in the fat, add a heaping tablespoon of brown sugar, some cinnamon and pour the gravy of the stew into the spider, letting it boil up once, and then pour all over the carrots and stew until ready to serve. white turnips may be used instead of carrots. mutton or lamb chops trim off some of the fat and heat in the spider. season the chops with salt and pepper, or salt and ginger. have the spider very hot with very little fat in it. to be nice and tender they must be sautéd quickly to a nice brown. or the chops may be broiled over the hot coals or in gas broiler, eight or ten minutes is all the time required; serve at once. shoulder of mutton stuffed have the butcher carefully remove the blade from the shoulder and fill the space with a bread stuffing; see "bread dressing for fowl". sew up the opening, roast in the oven with a very little water in the pan, and baste frequently. serve with the gravy from the pan after the grease has been carefully removed. *poultry* to dress and clean poultry singe by holding the fowl over a flame from gas, alcohol or burning paper. pick off pin feathers. cut off the nails, then cut off the head, turn back the skin and cut the neck off quite close; take out windpipe and crop, cutting off close to the body. cut through the skin around the leg one inch below the leg joint; take out the tendons and break the leg at the joint; in old birds each tendon must be removed separately by using a skewer. make an incision just below the breast bone large enough to insert your hand, take out the fat and loosen the entrails with your forefinger. when everything is removed, cut off the wings close to the body, also the neck, feet and head. separate the gall from the liver. in doing this be very careful not to break the gall, which has a very thin skin. scrape all the fat off carefully that adheres to the entrails and lay it in a separate dish of water overnight. cut open the gizzard, clean and pull off the skin, or inner lining. make kosher as directed in "rules for kashering". if you make use of the head, which you may in soup, cut off the top of the bill, split open the head, lengthwise, take out the brains, eyes and tongue. clean the gizzard and feet by laying them in scalding water for a few moments, this will loosen the skin, which can then be easily removed. remove the oil bag from the upper side of tail. after making kosher and cleaning poultry, season all fowls for several hours before cooking. salt, pepper, and ginger are the proper seasoning. some like a tiny bit of garlic rubbed inside and outside, especially for goose or duck. dress and clean goose, duck, squab, and turkey as directed for chicken. to truss a chicken press the thighs and wings close against the body; fasten securely with skewers and tie with string. draw the skin of the neck to the back and fasten it. roast chicken stuff and truss a chicken, season with pepper and salt and dredge with flour. put in a roasting-pan with two or three tablespoons of chicken-fat if the chicken is not especially fat. when heated add hot water and baste frequently. the oven should be hot and the time necessary for a large chicken will be about an hour and a half. when done, remove the chicken, pour off the grease and make a brown sauce in the pan. chicken casserole bake chicken in covered casserole until nearly tender, then add three potatoes cut in dice; boil small pieces of carrots, green peas, and small white onions--each to be boiled separately. just before serving, thicken gravy with a teaspoon of flour mixed with a half cup of soup stock or water. season to taste and place vegetables around the dish. boiled chicken, baked make chicken soup with an old hen. remove chicken from soup just as soon as tender. place in roasting-pan with three tablespoons of chicken-fat, one onion sliced, one clove of garlic, one-half teaspoon each of salt and paprika. sprinkle with soft bread crumbs. baste frequently and when sufficiently browned, cut in pieces for serving. place on platter with the strained gravy pour over the chicken and serve. broiled spring chicken take young spring chickens of one to one and one-half pounds in weight, and split down the back, break the joints and remove the breast bone. sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub well with chicken-fat. place in broiler and broil twenty minutes over a clear fire, or under the flame in broiling oven of gas stove, being careful to turn broiler that all parts may be equally browned. the flesh side must be exposed to the fire the greater part of the time as the skin side will brown quickly. remove to hot platter. or chicken may be placed in dripping pan, skin side down, seasoned with salt and pepper and spread with chicken-fat, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven and then broiled to finish. serve with giblet sauce. fried spring chicken cut it up as for fricassee and see that every piece is wiped dry. have ready heated in a spider some goose-fat or other poultry drippings. season each piece of chicken with salt and ground ginger, or pepper. roll each piece of chicken in sifted cracker or bread crumbs (which you have previously seasoned with salt). fry in the spider, turning often, and browning evenly. you may cut up some parsley and add while frying. if the chicken is quite large, it is better to steam it before frying. giblets heart, liver and gizzard constitute the giblets, and to these the neck is usually added. wash them; put them in cold water and cook until tender. this will take several hours. serve with the chicken; or mash the liver, mince the heart and gizzard and add them to the brown sauce. save the stock in which they are cooked for making the sauce. chicken fricassee take a chicken, cut off the wings, legs and neck. separate the breast from the chicken, leaving it whole. cut the back into two pieces. prepare a mixture of salt, ginger and a little pepper in a saucer and dust each piece of chicken with this mixture. when you are ready to cook the chicken, take all the particles of fat you have removed from it and lay in the bottom of the kettle, also a small onion, cut up, some parsley root and celery. lay the chicken upon this, breast first, then the leg and so on. cover up tight and let it stew slowly on the back of the stove (or over a low gas flame), adding hot water when necessary. just before serving chop up some parsley, fine, and rub a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water, and add. let it boil up once. shake the kettle back and forth to prevent becoming lumpy. the parsley root and celery may be omitted if so desired. duck can be prepared in this manner. chicken with rice joint a chicken; season with salt and ground ginger and boil with water enough to cover. allow one-half pound of rice to one chicken. boil this after chicken is tender. serve together on a large platter. chicken (turkish style) brown a chicken, cover with water and season, cook until tender. when chicken is tender; slash the skin of chestnuts, put them in oven and roast, then skin them, put in chicken and let come to a boil and serve with the chicken. amastich cook one pound of rice in a quart of stock for half an hour, stirring frequently. then add a chicken stuffed and trussed as for roasting; cover closely and cook thoroughly. after removing the chicken, pass the liquor through a strainer, add the juice of a lemon and the beaten yolk of an egg, and pour over the bird. chicken with spaghetti en casserole prepare and truss a young chicken, as if for roasting. put it in a casserole; and pour over it two tablespoons of olive oil, a cup of white wine, a cup of bouillon, salt and cayenne to taste, one spoon of dried mushrooms soaked in one cup of water and chopped fine, and one-half can of mushrooms. cover tightly and simmer in the oven for about an hour, turning the chicken occasionally; add a dozen olives and a tablespoon of chicken-fat, smoothed with one tablespoon of flour, and bring to a boil. remove the chicken and add about a pint of boiled spaghetti to the sauce. place the chicken on a platter, surround with the spaghetti, and serve. stuffed chicken (turkish style) steam chicken and when it is almost tender stuff it with the following: take one-fourth pound of almonds, chopped; season with parsley, pepper and salt to taste, add one tablespoon of bread crumbs and bind this with one well-beaten egg. put chicken in roasting-pan and roast until done. smothered chicken two tender chickens cut in half, split down the back; place the pieces in a colander to drain well, after having been well salted; season with pepper; grease well the bottom of a baking-pan; add one stalk finely chopped celery, onion; lay the chicken on breast, side up; sprinkle lightly with flour, fat; two cups of hot water. have the oven very hot when putting chickens in. as soon as browned evenly, cover with a pan, fitting closely. reduce the heat of the oven; allow to cook slowly an hour or so longer, until tender. place on a hot platter; set in oven until sauce is made, as follows: put the pan on top of stove in which chickens were smothered; add level tablespoon of flour, thinned in cold water; add minced parsley; let this all cook two or three minutes, then add large cup of strong stock, to the chickens. broil one can mushrooms, and pour these over chicken when ready to serve. chicken curry cut chickens in pieces for serving; dredge in flour and sauté in hot fat. cut one onion in thin pieces, add one tablespoon of curry powder, three-fourths of a tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of wine vinegar. add to chicken, cover with boiling water; simmer until chicken is tender. thicken sauce and serve with steamed rice. chicken paprika with rice cut a three and one-half pound fat chicken in pieces to serve, salt it and let stand several hours. heat one-fourth cup of fat in an iron kettle, add one medium-sized onion, minced; fry golden brown and set aside. fry the chicken in the fat and when nicely browned, add paprika to taste and boiling water to cover, and let simmer one hour. soak one cup of rice in cold water, drain, add the fried onion and one teaspoon of salt and gradually three cups of chicken broth, more if necessary. when nearly done add the chicken and finish cooking in a slow oven, one-half hour. chili con carne cut two broilers in pieces for serving. season with salt, pepper, and dredge in flour; brown in hot fat. parboil six large red peppers until soft, rub through a wire sieve. chop two small onions fine, three cloves of garlic and one-fourth cup of capers. combine, add to chicken, cover with water and cook until chicken is tender. thicken the sauce with fat and flour melted together. pilaf (russian style) follow recipe below but substitute cooked lamb for the chicken, and add chicken livers fried and cut in small pieces. pilaf (turkish style) soak one cup of rice in cold water for one hour. pour off the water, and put the rice with two cups of soup stock and one-quarter of a white onion on to boil. stew until the rice absorbs all the stock. stew one-half can of tomatoes thoroughly and season with olive oil or chicken-fat, salt and pepper. mix it with the rice. sauté in chicken-fat to a light color, a jointed chicken slightly parboiled, or slices of cold cooked chicken or turkey. make a depression in the rice and tomato, put in the chicken and two tablespoons of olive oil or chicken-fat, and stew all together for twenty minutes. serve on a platter in a smooth mound, the red rice surrounding the fowl. spanish pie take one pint of cold chicken, duck or any poultry. cut it into flakes and place it in a pudding dish which has been lined with a thin crust. on the layer of meat place a layer of sweet red peppers (seeds removed), cut in slices; next, a layer of thinly sliced sausage, and so on until the dish is full. over this pour a glass of claret into which have been rubbed two tablespoons of flour. cover with a thin crust of pastry, and bake. chicken À la italienne cut the remains of cold chicken (or turkey) into pieces about an inch long and marinate them in a bowl containing one tablespoon of olive oil; one teaspoon of tarragon vinegar or lemon juice, a few drops of onion juice, salt and pepper. at the end of half an hour sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, dip them in fritter batter, and fry in boiling fat. drain on a brown paper, and serve with or without tomato or brown sauce. in some parts of italy this dish is made of several kinds of cold meats, poultry, brains, etc. (the greater the variety the better), served on the same platter, and in spain all kinds of cold vegetables are fried in batter and served together. roast goose all goose meat tastes better if it is well rubbed with salt, ginger and a little garlic a day previous to using. stuff goose with bread dressing, or chestnut dressing, a dressing of apples is also very good. (see "stuffings for meat and poultry".) sew up the goose, then line a sheet-iron roasting-pan with a few slices of onion and celery and place the goose upon these, cover closely, roast three hours or more, according to weight. if the goose browns too quickly, cover with greased paper or lower the heat of the oven. baste every fifteen minutes. geschundene gans take a very fat goose for this purpose. after cleaning and singeing, cut off neck, wings and feet. lay the goose on a table, back up, take a sharp knife, make a cut from the neck down to the tai. begin again at the top near the neck, take off the skin, holding it in your left hand, your knife in your right hand, after all the skin is removed, place it in cold water; separate the breast from back and cut off joints. have ready in a plate a mixture of salt, ginger and a little garlic or onion, cut up fine. rub the joints and small pieces with this, and make a small incision in each leg and four in the breast. put in each incision a small piece of garlic or onion, and rub also with a prepared mixture of salt and ginger. put away in stone jar overnight or until you wish to use. gaenseklein rub wings, neck, gizzard, heart and back of goose with salt, ginger, pepper and garlic and set on the fire in a stew-pan with cold water. cover tightly and stew slowly but steadily for four hours. when done skim off all the fat. now put a spider over the fire, put into it about two or three tablespoons of the fat that you have just skimmed off and then add the fat to the meat again. cut up fine a very small piece of garlic and add a heaping teaspoon of flour (brown). add the hot gravy and pour all over the goose. cover up tightly and set on back of stove till you wish to serve. you may cook the whole goose in this way after it is cut up. stuffed goose neck (russian style) remove skin from neck of goose, duck or chicken in one piece. wash and clean well and stuff with same mixture as for kischtke. sew at both ends and roast in hot oven until well browned. stuffed goose neck remove the fat skin from the neck of a fat goose, being careful not to put any holes in it. clean carefully and sew up the smaller end and stuff through larger end with the following: grind fine some pieces of raw goose meat (taken from the breast or legs), grind also some soft or "linda fat" a thin piece of garlic, a small piece of onion, when fine add one egg and a little soaked bread, season with salt, pepper, and ginger. when neck is stuffed, sew up larger end, lay it in a pudding-pan, pour a little cold water over it, set in stove and baste from time to time. let brown until crisp. eat hot. goose cracklings (grieben) cut the thick fat of a fat goose in pieces as big as the palm of your hand, roll together and run a toothpick through each one to fasten. put a large preserve kettle on top of hot stove, lay in the cracklings, sprinkle a tiny bit of salt over them and pour in a cup or two of cold water; cover closely and let cook not too fast, until water is cooked out. then add the soft or "linda" fat, keep top off and let all brown nicely. about one to two hours is required to cook them. if you do not wish the scraps of "greben" brittle, take them out of the fat before they are browned. place strainer over your fat crock, to catch the clear fat and let greben drain. if greben are too greasy place in baking-pan in oven a few minutes to try out a little more. serve at lunch with rye bread. roast goose breasts the best way to roast a goose breast is to remove the skin from the neck and sew it over the breast and fasten it with a few stitches under the breast, making an incision with a pointed knife in the breast and joints of the goose, so as to be able to insert a little garlic (or onion) in each incision, also a little salt and ginger. keep closely covered all the time, so as not to get too brown. they cut up nicely cold for sandwiches. goose meat, preserved in fat if too fat to roast, render the fat of goose, remove and cut the skin into small pieces. the scraps, when brown, shriveled and crisp, are then "greben," and are served hot or cold. when fat is nearly done or clear, add the breast and legs of goose, previously salted, and boil in the fat until tender and browned. place meat in crock and pour the clear, hot fat over it to cover. cool. cover crock with plate and stone and keep in a cool, dry place. will keep for months. when ready to serve, take out meat, heat, and drain off fat. smoked goose breast dried or smoked goose breast must be prepared in the following manner: take the breast of a fat goose; leave the skin on; rub well with salt, pepper and saltpetre; pack in a stone jar and let it remain pickled thus four or five days. dry well, cover with gauze and send away to be smoked. smoked goose remove skin. place legs, neck and skin of neck of geschundene goose (fat goose) to one side. scrape the meat carefully from the bones, neck, back, etc., of the goose, remove all tendons and tissues and chop very fine. fill this in the skin of the neck and sew up with coarse thread on both ends. rub the filled neck, the legs and the breast with plenty of garlic (sprinkle with three-eighths pound of salt and one tablespoon of sugar and one teaspoon of saltpetre), and enough water to form a brine. place the neck, legs and breast in a stone jar, cover with a cloth and put weights on top. put aside for seven days, turn once in a while. take out of the brine, cover with gauze and send to the butcher to smoke. when done, serve cold, sliced thin. stewed goose, piquante cut up, after being skinned, and stew, seasoning with salt, pepper, a few cloves and a very little lemon peel. when done heat a little goose fat in a frying-pan, brown half a tablespoon of flour, add a little vinegar and the juice of half a lemon. minced goose (hungarian style) take the entire breast of a goose, chop up fine in a chopping bowl; grate in part of an onion, and season with salt, pepper and a tiny piece of garlic. add some grated stale bread and work in a few eggs. press this chopped meat back on to the breast bone and roast, basting very often with goose fat. duck singe off all the small feathers; cut off neck and wings, which may be used for soup; wash thoroughly and rub well with salt, ginger and a little pepper, inside and out. now prepare this dressing: take the liver, gizzard and heart and chop to a powder in chopping bowl. grate in a little nutmeg, add a piece of celery root and half an onion. put all this into your chopping bowl. soak some stale bread, squeeze out all the water and fry in a spider of hot fat. toss this soaked bread into the bowl; add one egg, salt, pepper and a speck of ginger and mix all thoroughly. fill the duck with this and sew it up. lay in the roasting-pan with slices of onions, celery and specks of fat. put some on top of fowl; roast two hours, covered up tight and baste often. stick a fork into the skin from time to time so that the fat will try out. roast duck draw the duck; stuff, truss and roast the same as chicken. serve with giblet sauce and currant jelly. if small, the duck should be cooked in an hour. duck À la mode in jelly one duckling of about five pounds, one calf's foot, eight to ten small onions, as many young carrots, one bunch of parsley. cook the foot slowly in one quart of water, one teaspoon of salt and a small bay leaf. put aside when the liquor has been reduced to one-half. in the meanwhile fry the duck and when well browned wipe off the grease, put in another pan, add the calf's foot with its broth, one glass of dry white wine, a tablespoon of brandy, the carrots, parsley and the onions--the latter slightly browned in drippings--pepper and salt to taste and cook slowly under a covered lid for one hour. cool off for about an hour, take off the grease, bone and skin the duckling and cut the meat into small pieces; arrange nicely with the vegetables in individual earthenware dishes, cover with the stock and put on the ice to harden. squabs, or nest pigeons pick, singe, draw, clean and season them well inside and out, with salt mixed with a little ginger and pepper, and then stuff them with well-seasoned bread dressing. pack them closely in a deep stew-pan and cover with flakes of goose fat, minced parsley and a little chopped onion. cover with a lid that fits close and stew gently, adding water when necessary. do not let them get too brown. they should be a light yellow. broiled squabs squabs are a great delicacy, especially in the convalescent's menu, being peculiarly savory and nourishing. clean the squabs; lay them in salt water for about ten minutes and then rub dry with a clean towel. split them down the back and broil over a clear coal fire. season with salt and pepper; lay them on a heated platter, grease them liberally with goose fat and cover with a deep platter. toast a piece of bread for each pigeon, removing the crust. dip the toast in boiling water for an instant. in serving lay a squab upon a piece of toasted bread. pigeon pie prepare as many pigeons as you wish to bake in your pie. salt and pepper, then melt some fat in a stew-pan, and cut up an onion in it. when hot, place in the pigeons and stew until tender. in the meantime line a deep pie plate with a rich paste. cut up the pigeons, lay them in, with hard-boiled eggs chopped up and minced parsley. season with salt and pepper. put flakes of chicken fat rolled in flour here and there, pour over the gravy the pigeons were stewed in, cover with a crust. bake slowly until done. squab en casserole take fowl and brown in a skillet the desired color, then add to this enough water (or soup stock preferred), put it in casserole and add vegetables; add first those that require longest cooking. use mushrooms, carrots, small potatoes and peas. if you like flavor of sherry wine, add small wine glass; if not, it is just as good. season well and cook in hot oven not too long, as you want fowl and vegetables to be whole. you may add soup stock if it is too dry after being in oven. roast turkey singe and clean the turkey the same as chicken. fill with plain bread stuffing or chestnut stuffing. tie down the legs and rub entire surface with salt and let stand overnight. next morning place in large drippings or roasting-pan on rack and spread breast, legs and wings with one-third cup of fat creamed and mixed with one-fourth cup of flour. dredge bottom of pan with flour. place in a hot oven and when the flour on the turkey begins to brown, reduce the heat and add two cups of boiling water or the stock in which the giblets are cooking, and baste with one-fourth cup of fat and three-fourths cup of boiling water. when this is all used, baste with the fat in the pan. baste every fifteen minutes until tender; do not prick with a fork, press with the fingers; if the breast meat and leg are soft to the touch the turkey is done. if the oven is too hot, cover the pan; turn the turkey often, that it may brown nicely. remove strings and skewers and serve on hot platter. serve with giblet sauce and cranberry sauce. if the turkey is very large it will require three hours or more, a small one will require only an hour and a half. stuffed turkey neck (turkish style) take neck of turkey, stuff with following: one-quarter pound of almonds or walnuts chopped fine and seasoned with chopped parsley, pepper and salt, put two hard-boiled eggs in the centre of this dressing; stuff neck, sew up the ends and when roasted slice across so as to have a portion of the hard-boiled egg on each slice; place on platter and surround with sprigs of parsley. *stuffings for meat and poultry* to stuff poultry use enough stuffing to fill the bird but do not pack it tightly or the stuffing will be soggy. close the small openings with a skewer; sew the larger one with linen thread and a long needle. remove skewers and strings before serving. crumb dressing take one tablespoon of chicken fat, mix in two cups of bread crumbs, pinch of salt and pepper, a few drops of onion juice, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, and lastly one well-beaten egg. mix all on stove in skillet, remove from fire and stuff fowl. bread dressing for fowl in a fryer on the stove heat two tablespoons of drippings or fat, drop in one-half onion cut fine, brown lightly and add one-quarter loaf of stale baker's bread (which has previously been soaked in cold water and then thoroughly squeezed out). cook until it leaves the sides of the fryer, stirring occasionally. if too dry add a little soup stock. remove from the fire, put in a bowl, season with salt, pepper, ginger, and finely chopped parsley, add a small lump of fat, break in one whole egg, mix well and fill the fowl with it. meat dressing for poultry if you cannot buy sausage meat at your butcher's have him chop some for you, adding a little fat. also mix in some veal with the beef while chopping. season with salt, pepper, nutmeg or thyme. grate in a piece of celery root and a piece of garlic about the size of a bean, add a small onion, a minced tomato, a quarter of a loaf of stale bread; also grated, and mix up the whole with one egg. if you prefer, you may soak the bread, press out every drop of water and dry in a heated spider with fat. potato stuffing add two cups of hot, mashed irish or sweet potatoes to bread stuffing. mix well and stuff in goose, stuffed veal or lamb breast, or in beef casings, cleaned and dressed. chestnut stuffing shell and blanch two cups of chestnuts. cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain and force through a colander or a potato ricer. add one-fourth cup of melted chicken fat, one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, three-fourths of a teaspoon of salt, one cup of grated bread crumbs, and enough soup stock to moisten. raisin stuffing take three cups of stale bread crumbs; add one-half a cup of melted chicken fat, one cup of seeded raisins cut in small pieces, one teaspoon of salt and one-fourth teaspoon of white pepper. mix thoroughly. *vegetables* all vegetables should be thoroughly cleansed just before being put on to cook. green vegetables; such as cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts, should be soaked heads down in salted cold water, to which a few spoons of vinegar may be added. to secure the best results all vegetables except beans, that is the dried beans, should be put in boiling water and the water must be made to boil again as soon as possible after the vegetables have been added and must be kept boiling until the cooking is finished. in cooking vegetables, conserve their juices. the average housewife pours down the sink drainpipe the juices from all the vegetables which she cooks; she little realizes that she thus drains away the health of her family. cook vegetables with just sufficient water to prevent them from burning, and serve their juices with them; else save the vegetable "waters" and, by the addition of milk and butter convert them into soups for the family use. such soups, derived from one or several vegetables, alone or mixed together, make palatable and healthful additions to the family bill-of-fare. asparagus cut off the woody part, scrape the lower part of the stalks. wash well and tie in bunches. put into a deep stew-pan, with the cut end resting on the bottom of the stew-pan. pour in boiling water to come up to the tender heads, but not to cover them. add one teaspoon of salt for each quart of water. place where the water will boil. cook until tender, having the cover partially off the stew-pan. this will be from fifteen to thirty minutes, depending upon the freshness and tenderness of the vegetable. have some slices of well-toasted bread on a platter. butter them slightly. arrange the cooked asparagus on the toast, season with butter and a little salt and serve at once. save the water in which the asparagus was boiled to use in making vegetable soup. canned asparagus open one end of the can, as indicated on wrapper, so tips will be at opening. pour off the liquid and allow cold water to run over gently and to rinse. drain and pour boiling water over them in the can and set in a hot oven to heat thoroughly. when ready to serve, drain and arrange carefully on hot platter and serve same as fresh asparagus, hot on toast or cold with salad dressing, or with "sauce hollandaise", poured over. artichokes (french or globe) french artichokes have a large scaly head, like the cone of a pine tree. the flower buds are used before they open. the edible portion consists of the thickened portion at the base of the scales and the receptacle to which the leaf-like scales are attached. when the artichoke is very young and tender the edible parts may be eaten raw as a salad. when it becomes hard, as it does very quickly, it must be cooked. when boiled it may be eaten as a salad or with a sauce. the scales are pulled with the fingers from the cooked head, the base of each leaf dipped in a sauce and then eaten. the bottoms (receptacles), which many consider the most delicate part of the artichoke, may be cut up and served as a salad, or they may be stewed and served with a sauce. to prepare the artichoke remove all the hard outer leaves. cut off the stem close to the leaves. cut off the top of the bud. drop the artichokes into boiling water and cook until tender, which will take from thirty to fifty minutes, then take up and remove the choke. serve a dish of french salad dressing with the artichokes, which may be eaten either hot or cold. melted butter also makes a delicious sauce for the artichokes if they are eaten hot. jerusalem artichoke this vegetable is in season in the fall and spring, and may be cooked like kohl-rabi and served in a white cream or sauce. the artichoke may also be cooked in milk. when this is done, cut the washed and peeled artichoke into cubes, put in a stew-pan, and cover with milk (a generous pint to a quart of cubes). add one small onion and cook twenty minutes. beat together one tablespoon of butter and one level tablespoon of flour, and stir this into the boiling milk. then season with one teaspoon of salt and one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, and continue the cooking one-half hour longer. the cooking should be done in a double boiler. the artichoke also makes a very good soup. french artichokes with tomato sauce pick off from the solid green globes the outer tough petals. scoop out with a sharp-pointed knife the fuzzy centres, leaving the soft base, which is the luscious morsel. cut each artichoke in halves, wash, drain and fry brown on each side in olive oil make tomato sauce and cook thirty minutes in that mixture. then serve. beet greens beets are usually thickly sowed, and as the young plants begin to grow they must be thinned out. these plants make delicious greens, and even the tops of the ordinary market beets are good if properly prepared. examine the leaves carefully to be sure that there are no insects on them; wash thoroughly in several waters, and put over the fire in a large kettle of boiling water. add one teaspoon of salt for every two quarts of greens; boil rapidly about thirty minutes or until tender; drain off the water; chop well and season with butter and salt. boiled beets carefully wash any earth off the beets, but every care is needed to avoid breaking the skin, roots or crown; if this is done much of their color will be lost, and they will be a dull pink. lay them in plenty of boiling water, with a little vinegar; boil them steadily, keeping them well covered with water for about one and one-half to two hours for small beets and two to three and one-half hours for large ones. if they are to be served hot, cut off the roots and crown and rub off the skin directly, but if to be served cold, leave them until they have become cold and then cut into thin slices and sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour some vinegar over them. if to be eaten hot, cut them into thin slices, arrange them on a hot vegetable dish and pour over white sauce or melted butter, or hand these separately. baked beets boil large beetroot about two hours, being careful not to pierce it. when cold mash very smooth, add a little drippings, pepper, salt and stock. place in a greased pan and bake one hour. sour buttered beets wash as many beets as required and cook in bailing water until tender. drain and turn into cold water for peeling. remove the skins, slice and sprinkle with as much salt as desired. melt one-half cup of butter in a large frying-pan and add two tablespoons of strained lemon juice. stir the butter and lemon juice until blended, keeping the fire low. now turn the beets into this sauce, cover the pan and shake and toss until the sauce has been well distributed. serve hot at once. celeriac this vegetable is also known as "knot celery" and "turnip-rooted celery." the roots, which are about the size of a white turnip, and not the stalks are eaten. they are more often used as a vegetable than as a salad. pare the celeriac, cut in thin, narrow slices, and put into cold water. drain from this water and drop into boiling water and boil thirty minutes. drain and rinse with cold water. the celeriac is now ready to be prepared and served the same as celery. purÉe of celeriac boil as directed above and press through a sieve. to one quart take two tablespoons of butter blended with two tablespoons flour and cooked until smooth and frothy, add the strained celeriac and cook five minutes, stirring frequently. add one teaspoon of salt and a half cup of cream, cook five minutes longer and serve hot on toast or fried bread. cauliflower trim off the outside leaves and cut the stalk even with the flower. let it stand upside down in cold salted water for twenty minutes. put it into a generous quantity of rapidly boiling salted water and cook it uncovered about twenty minutes or until tender, but not so soft as to fall to pieces. remove any scum from the water before lifting out the cauliflower. if not perfectly white, rub a little white sauce over it. serve with it a white, a bechamel, or a hollandaise sauce; or it may be served as a garnish to chicken, sweetbreads, etc., the little bunches being broken off and mixed with the sauce. spanish cauliflower finely chop one medium-size onion and a small bunch of parsley. melt one tablespoon butter in a pan and fry the onion until it is brown. season with celery salt. blend in one tablespoon flour, add one cup boiling water and let simmer for half an hour. carefully clean the cauliflower and boil for one-half hour. drain the onion sauce, add three tablespoons tomato catsup, drain the cauliflower, turn into a baking-pan, pour over the sauce, place in a moderate oven for five minutes and serve hot. cauliflower with brown crumbs drain and place the hot cauliflower in serving dish, and pour over it two tablespoons fine bread crumbs browned in one tablespoon of hot butter or fat. serve hot. asparagus may be served in this style. cauliflower or asparagus (hungarian) cook in salt water until tender. spread with bread crumbs and butter. pour some sour cream over the vegetable and bake until the crumbs are a golden brown. scalloped cauliflower boil and drain off the water, grease a baking-dish, line with a layer of cauliflower, add a layer of toasted bread crumbs, another of cauliflower and so on alternately, letting the top layer be of bread crumbs. over all pour one cup of boiling milk, dot the top with butter and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. cauliflower (roumanian) brown a minced onion, add cauliflower cut in pieces with a small quantity of water; stew, add salt, white pepper, a little sour salt and red tomatoes; when half done add one-fourth cup of rice. cook until rice is done. the onion may be browned either in butter, fat or olive oil, as desired. creamed celery remove the leaves from the stalks of celery; scrape off all rusted or dark spots; cut into small pieces and drop in cold water. having boiling water ready; put the celery into it, adding one-half teaspoon of salt for every quart of water. boil until tender, leaving the cover partly off; drain and rinse in cold water. make a cream sauce; drop the celery into it; heat thoroughly and serve. lettuce if lettuce has grown until rather too old for salad, it may be cooked, and makes a fairly palatable dish. boiled lettuce wash four or five heads of lettuce, carefully removing thick, bitter stalks and retaining all sound leaves. cook in plenty of boiling salted water for ten or fifteen minutes, then blanch in cold water for a minute or two. drain, chop lightly, and heat in stew-pan with some butter, and salt and pepper to taste. if preferred, the chopped lettuce may be heated with a pint of white sauce seasoned with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. after simmering for a few minutes in the sauce, draw to a cooler part of the range and stir in the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. green lima beans cover the shelled beans with boiling water; bring to a boil quickly; then let them simmer slowly till tender. drain and add salt, pepper and butter or hot cream or cream sauce. carrots scrape the carrots lightly; cut them into large dice or slices and drop them into salted boiling water, allowing one teaspoon of salt to one quart of water. boil until tender; drain and serve with butter and pepper or with cream sauce. lemon carrots old carrots may be used for this dish, and are really better than the new ones. pare and cut into dice, and simmer in salted water until tender, but not pulpy. drain, return to the fire, and for one pint of carrots add one teaspoon of minced parsley, a grating of loaf sugar, one-half teaspoon of paprika, one tablespoon of butter and the juice of half a lemon. heat through, shaking the dish now and then, so that each piece of the vegetable will be well coated with the mixture or dressing. simmered carrots wash, scrape and slice one quart carrots roundwise. put them in a saucepan with one tablespoon of butter or drippings, three tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon salt. cover closely and let simmer on a slow fire until tender. flemish carrots scrape, slice and cook one quart of carrots in one quart of boiling water to which has been added one teaspoon of salt, until tender; drain. heat two tablespoons fat, add one small onion, brown lightly, add the carrots, season with one teaspoon of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of white pepper and shake well over the fire for ten minutes, add one and one-half cups of soup stock, cover and simmer for one-half hour, then add one teaspoon chopped parsley and serve hot. carrots with brisket of beef salt and pepper two pounds of fat brisket of beef and let stand several hours. wash and scrape two bunches of carrots and cut in small cubes. place in kettle with meat, cover with boiling; water and cook several hours or until the meat and carrots are tender, and the water is half boiled away. heat two tablespoons of fat in a spider, let brown slightly, add two tablespoons of flour and gradually one cup of carrot and meat liquid. place in kettle with meat and carrots and boil until carrots become browned. compote of carrots (russian style) make a syrup of one cup of sugar and one cup of water by boiling ten minutes. to this syrup add two cups of carrots diced, which have previously been browned in two tablespoons hot fat or butter. cook all together until carrots are tender. brown in oven and serve. corn on the cob free the corn from husks and silk; have a kettle of water boiling hard; drop the corn into it and cook ten minutes (or longer if the corn is not young). if a very large number of ears are put into the water they will so reduce the temperature that a longer time will be needed. in no case, however, should the corn be left too long in the water, as overcooking spoils the delicate flavor. corn off the cob corn is frequently cut from the cob after it is cooked and served in milk or butter; but by this method much of the flavor and juke of the corn itself is wasted; it is better to cut the corn from the cob before cooking. with a sharp knife cut off the grains, not cutting closely enough to remove any of the woody portion of the skins. then with a knife press out all the pulp and milk remaining in the cob; add this to the corn; season well with salt, pepper and butter; add a little more milk if the corn is dry; cook, preferably in the oven, for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. if the oven is not hot, cook over the fire. succotash mix equal parts of corn, cut from the ear, and any kind of beans; boil them separately; then stir them lightly together, and season with butter, salt, and pepper and add a little cream if convenient. canned corn to one can of corn take one tablespoon of butter, one-half cup milk; sprinkle one tablespoon of flour over these; stir and cook about five minutes, until thoroughly hot. season to taste and serve hot. dandelions wash one peck of dandelions; remove roots. cook one hour in two quarts of boiling salted water. drain, chop fine; season with salt, pepper and butter. serve with vinegar. stuffed cucumbers cut four cucumbers in half lengthwise; remove the seeds with a spoon, lay the cucumbers in vinegar overnight; then wipe dry and fill with a mixture made from one cup pecans or brazil nuts chopped, six tablespoons of mashed potatoes, one well-beaten egg, one teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of chopped parsley, one saltspoon of white pepper, dash of nutmeg and two tablespoons of melted butter. bake in a buttered dish until tender. serve hot with one cup of white sauce, dash of powdered cloves, one well-beaten egg, salt and pepper to taste. fried cucumbers daintily prepared fried cucumbers are immeasurably superior to fried egg plant and are especially nice with boiled chicken. peel and slice the cucumbers lengthwise in about the same thickness observed with egg plant. lay these slices in salt and water for about an hour, then dip in beaten egg and cracker dust, and french fry in boiling fat, taking care to carefully drain in a colander before serving. cold slaw take a firm, white head of cabbage; cut it in halves; take out the heart and cut as fine as possible on slaw-cutter. cut up one onion at the same time and a sour apple. now sprinkle with salt and white pepper and a liberal quantity of white sugar. mix this lightly with two forks. heat one tablespoon of goose oil or butter, and mix it thoroughly in with the cabbage. heat some white wine vinegar in a spider; let it come to a boil and pour over the slaw, boiling. keep covered for a short time. serve cold. boiled sauerkraut take brisket of beef weighing about two or three pounds. set it on to boil in two quarts of water, a little salt and the usual soup greens. when the meat is tender take it out, salt it well and put on to boil again in a porcelain-lined kettle, having previously removed all the bones. add about a cup of the soup stock and as much sauerkraut as you desire. boil about one hour; tie one tablespoon of caraway seed in a bag and boil in with the kraut. thicken with two raw potatoes, grated, and add one tablespoon of brown sugar just before serving. if not sour enough add a dash of vinegar. this gives you meat, vegetables and soup. mashed potatoes, kartoffelkloesse or any kind of flour dumpling is a nice accompaniment. sauerkraut is just as good warmed over as fresh, which may be done two or three times in succession without injury to its flavor. to boil cabbage cut a small head of cabbage into four parts, cutting down through the stock. soak for half an hour in a pan of cold water to which has been added one tablespoon of salt; this is to draw out any insects that may be hidden in the leaves. take from the water and cut into slices. have a large stew-pan half full of boiling water; put in the cabbage, pushing it under the water with a spoon. add one tablespoon of salt and cook from twenty-five to forty-five minutes, depending upon the age of the cabbage. turn into a colander and drain for about two minutes. put in a chopping bowl and mince. season with butter, pepper, and more salt if it requires it. allow one tablespoon of butter to a generous pint of the cooked vegetable. cabbage cooked in this manner will be of delicate flavor and may be generally eaten without distress. have the kitchen windows open at the top while the cabbage is boiling, and there will be little if any odor of cabbage in the house. fried cabbage cut one medium head of cabbage fine, soak ten minutes in salt water. drain, heat three tablespoons of fat (from top of soup stock preferred), add cabbage, one sour apple peeled and cut up, caraway seed to taste, salt, paprika and one-half onion minced. cover very closely and cook slowly for one hour. creamed new cabbage to one pint of boiled and minced new cabbage add one-half pint of hot milk, one tablespoon of butter, one teaspoon of flour, one-half teaspoon each of salt and pepper, one teaspoon finely minced parsley and a generous dash of sweet paprika. the butter and flour should be creamed together before stirring in. let simmer for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally to keep from burning. serve hot on toasted bread. hot slaw cut the cabbage into thin shreds as for cold slaw. (use a plane if convenient). boil it until tender in salted fast-boiling water. drain it thoroughly, and pour over it a hot sauce made of one tablespoon of butter, one-half teaspoon of salt, dash of pepper and of cayenne, and one-half to one cup of vinegar, according to its strength. cover the saucepan and let it stand on the side of the range for five minutes, so that the cabbage and sauce will become well incorporated. carrots boiled with cabbage pare the carrots and cut them into finger lengths, in thin strips. put a breast of lamb or mutton on to boil, having previously salted it well. when boiling, add the carrots and cover closely. prepare the cabbage as usual and lay in with the mutton and carrots; boil two hours at least; when all has boiled tender, skim off some of the fat and put it into a spider. add to this one tablespoon of flour, one tablespoon of brown sugar and one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. keep adding gravy from the mutton until well mixed, and pour all over the mutton and vegetables. serve together on a platter. stewed cabbage clean and drain cabbage, cut in small pieces and boil until tender. drain and rinse in cold water; chop fine, heat one tablespoon of drippings in spider, one-fourth of an onion cut fine and one tablespoon of flour; brown all together, add one-half pint of soup stock, add cabbage and cook ten minutes longer. salt and pepper to taste. filled cabbage take a large, solid head of cabbage; take off the large top leaves, and scoop out the centre of the cabbage so as to leave the outside leaves intact for refilling. chop your cabbage fine as for slaw; take a quarter of a loaf of stale bread, soak it in water and squeeze very dry. heat two tablespoons of drippings in a spider, add a large-sized onion chopped fine, do not let the onion get too brown; then add the bread, one pound of chopped beef well minced and the chopped cabbage and let it get well heated; take off stove and add two eggs, pepper, salt, nutmeg, a little parsley and a little sage, season very highly. use a little more cabbage than bread the filling. put this all back in the cabbage, and cover this with the large leaves, put into small bread-pan and bake for two hours, put just enough water in to keep the pan from burning; don't baste. it doesn't harm if the leaves scorch. kal dolmar boil cabbage whole for ten minutes. let it cool and boil the rice. mix chopped meat, rice, and salt and pepper. separate the cabbage leaves; put about three tablespoons of the meat and rice in the leaves, roll up and tie together with string. then fry in fat until brown. boil for half an hour in a little water. make brown gravy and pour over. savoy cabbage with rice boil cabbage whole for five minutes; drain, separate the leaves after it has cooled. mix one cup of boiled rice with three dozen raisins, pinch of salt, one teaspoon of cinnamon and two tablespoons of drippings. put two tablespoons of this mixture in three or four leaves, roll them and tie together with string. place in pan and let cook for an hour until done. this dish is just as good warmed up a second time. there must be sufficient fat and gravy to prevent the cabbage rolls from sticking to the bottom of the pan which must be kept closely covered. belgian red cabbage put two or three sticks of cinnamon, salt and pepper, one-half teaspoon cloves, one onion sliced thin, one bay leaf, two cups of water, three tablespoons of drippings in saucepan, then add five or six greening apples, peeled and cut in quarters. lastly, put in one medium-sized red cabbage, cut in halves and then sliced very thin. cook three hours and then add two tablespoons each of sugar and vinegar; cook one minute more. red cabbage cut fine on slaw-cutter, put cabbage in a colander, pour boiling water over it and let it stand over another pan for ten minutes; salt, mix well, and cut up a sour apple in the cabbage. heat one tablespoon goose or soup drippings, brown in this an onion cut fine, add the cabbage and stew slowly, keep covered. add a little hot water after it has boiled about five minutes. when tender add a few cloves, vinegar, brown sugar and cinnamon to taste, and serve. white cabbage may be cooked in this way. red cabbage with chestnuts and prunes clean cabbage and cut off outside leaves, cut on cabbage-cutter--blanch as above. take one tablespoon of butter, put in kettle and let brown, add cabbage, let simmer about ten minutes, stir and let simmer ten minutes more. add about one cup of water, one-fourth cup of vinegar, and one tablespoon of sugar, salt and pepper to taste. add one-fourth cup of raisins and blanched chestnuts and cook until tender, adding to cabbage just before serving. take one tablespoon of flour smooth with cold water, add to cabbage, let cook a few minutes and serve. vegetable hash hash may be made with one or many vegetables and with or without the addition of meat and fish. potato is the most useful vegetable for hash, because it combines well with meat or other vegetables. the vegetables must be chopped fine, well seasoned with salt and pepper, and parsley, onion, chives or green pepper if desired, and moistened with stock, milk or water, using a quarter of a cup to a pint of hash. melt one-half tablespoon of butter or savory drippings in a pan; put in the hash, spreading it evenly and dropping small pieces of butter or drippings over the top. cover the pan; let the hash cook over a moderate fire for half an hour; fold over like an omelet and serve. if properly cooked there will be a rich brown crust formed on the outside of the hash. baked eggplant parboil eggplant until tender, but not soft, in boiling salted water. cut in half crosswise with a sharp knife. scrape out the inside and do not break the skin. heat one tablespoon of butter, add a minced onion, brown, then scraped eggplant, bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and an egg yolk. mix well together, refill shells, place in dripping pan in oven--baste with butter or sprinkle cracker crumbs on top with bits of butter--baste often and brown nicely. broiled or fried eggplant for preparing eggplant, either to fry or boil, use small eggplant as they are of more delicate flavor than the large ones. do not cook too rapidly. broiled eggplant slice the eggplant and drain it as for frying; spread the slices on a dish; season with salt and pepper; baste with olive oil; sprinkle with dried bread crumbs and broil. eggplant fried in oil (turkish style) arrange in oiled pan in layers: one layer of sliced eggplant, one layer of chopped meat seasoned with egg, chopped parsley, salt and pepper; as many layers as desired, add a little olive oil, cover with water. bake one-half hour. eggplant (roumanian) brown onion, peel eggplant raw, cut in quarters, put in when onions are brown with a little water and stew; add salt, white pepper, sour salt, red tomatoes; when half done add one-fourth cup of rice, cook until rice is tender. fried eggplant pare eggplant, cut in very thin slices. sprinkle with salt, pile slices on a plate. cover with a weight to draw out juice; let stand one hour. dredge with flour and fry slowly in a little butter until crisp and brown, or dip in egg and cracker and fry in deep fat. green peas shell the peas and cover them with water; bring to a boil; then push aside until the water will just bubble gently. keep the lid partly off. when the peas are tender add salt and butter; cook ten minutes longer and serve. if the peas are not the sweet variety, add one teaspoon of sugar. sugar peas sugar peas may be cooked in the pods like string beans. gather the pods while the seeds are still very small; string like beans and cut into pieces. cover with boiling water and boil gently for twenty-five or thirty minutes or until tender. pour off most of the water, saving it for soup; season the rest with salt and butter and serve. carrots and peas wash, scrape and cut one pint of carrots in small cubes, cook until tender, drain and reserve one-half cup of carrot water. mix carrots well with one pint cooked green peas. sprinkle with two tablespoons of flour, salt, pepper and sugar to taste, add two tablespoons of fat or butter, one-half cup of milk or soup stock and carrot water, boil a little longer and serve. green peas and egg barley (pfÄrvel) make the pfärvel. heat one-quarter cup of butter or other fat, add the pfärvel and when golden brown, add one quart of boiling water, one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt, aid one can or one-half peck of green peas strained. set in moderate oven and bake one-half hour or until every kernel stands out separately. serve hot. green peas and rice shell one-half peck of green peas and wash them well; if canned peas are used pour off liquid and rinse with cold water. heat one-fourth cup of butter or other fat in a spider, add one cup of rice and let simmer, stirring constantly until rice is a golden brown; add one quart of boiling water, then the drained peas and one-half teaspoon of salt, and one-half cup of granulated sugar. place in pudding dish, set in the oven and bake until rice is tender. (serve hot.) green peppers sweet green peppers, within the last ten years have gained a place in cookery in this country. their flavor is depended on for soups. they are used in stews. they are used for salad, and they are used much as a separate vegetable in dozens of different ways. stuffed peppers select six tender, sweet peppers. soak in water bread crumbs sufficient to make one pint when the water is pressed out; mix with one-fourth teaspoon basil, herbs and two teaspoons of salt, add two tablespoons of butter. cut off the stem end of each pepper; carefully remove the interior and fill the peppers with the prepared dressing. place in a shallow baking-pan and pour around them white sauce thinned with two cups of water. bake about one hour, basting frequently with the sauce. peppers stuffed with meat cut a slice from the blossom end of each pepper, remove seeds and parboil ten minutes. chop one onion fine and cook in fat until straw color; add one-fourth cup of cold cooked chicken or veal, and / cup of mushrooms; cook two minutes, add / cup of water and two tablespoons of bread crumbs. cool, sprinkle peppers with salt and a pinch of red pepper. fill with stuffing, cover with crumbs and bake ten minutes. stuffed peppers (arday-influs) take sweet green peppers, cut off blossom end; prepare the following: to one pound of chopped meat take one egg, grate in one onion, a little salt, citric acid (size of bean dissolved in a little water), mix all together. place this mixture in the peppers, but do not fill too full. set the entire top of peppers in place. melt one tablespoon of fat in a saucepan, add sliced tomatoes, then the stuffed peppers and / cup of water; let steam / or / of an hour. make sweet sour with a little citric acid and sugar to taste. thicken gravy with / tablespoon of flour, browned with / tablespoon of fat. green peppers stuffed with vegetables brown large white onions, add / cup of uncooked rice, a little salt, piece of citric acid (size of a bean dissolved in a little water), fill peppers, stew with tomatoes like arday-influs. or fill peppers with red cabbage which has been steamed with onions and fat, and add moistened rice. peppers stuffed with nuts another good way to stuff peppers is to parboil them and then stuff them with a forcemeat made of chopped nuts and bread crumbs moistened with salt and pepper. bake, basting occasionally with melted butter for twenty minutes. stewed peppers cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds, stems and pith. then cut them in neat, small pieces and throw into boiling salted water. boil for half an hour. drain them and then add salt to taste, one tablespoon of butter and four tablespoons of cream--to four peppers. heat thoroughly and serve. broiled green peppers broil on all sides; place the broiled peppers in a dish of cold water so that the skin can be easily removed. when the peppers are all peeled put in a bowl or crock, add french dressing, and cover closely. these peppers will keep all winter. radishes there are many varieties of radishes, round and long, black, white, and red. the small red radish may be obtained all year. they are served uncooked, merely for a relish. the large varieties are peeled, sliced and salted for the table. to serve the small ones for table, remove tip end of root, remove the leaves and have only a small piece of stem on radish. they may be made to look like a tulip by cutting into six equal parts from the root end, down three-quarters of the length of the radish. broiled mushrooms wash the mushrooms; remove the stems and peel the caps. place them in a broiler and broil for five minutes, with the cap side down during the first half of broiling. serve on circular pieces of buttered toast, sprinkling with salt and pepper and putting a small piece of butter on each cap. creamed mushrooms first wash them thoroughly in cold water, peel them and remove the stems, then cut them in halves or quarters, according to their size. melt one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over the fire then add the mushrooms and let them simmer slowly in the butter for five minutes; season them well with salt and black pepper, freshly ground. after seasoning, add a gill of cream and while it is heating sift one tablespoon of flour in a bowl, add one-half pint of milk. stir these briskly till flour is all dissolved, then pour it gradually in the saucepan with the mushrooms and cream, stirring the whole constantly to keep it from lumping. let it just bubble a moment, then add another tablespoon of butter and pour the creamed mushrooms over hot buttered toast on a hot platter and serve. cooked like this mushrooms have more nutritive value than beef. scalloped mushrooms sauté mushrooms and prepare two cups of white sauce for one pound of mushrooms, add one teaspoon of onion juice. into a well-greased baking dish place one-quarter of the mushroom, then one-quarter of the sauce, and one-quarter of the bread crumbs, continue in this way until all the sauce is used, pour one cup of cream over this and sprinkle the remaining crumbs over the top. bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven, or until the crumbs are browned. sautÉd mushrooms wash, peel caps and stems of one pound of mushrooms, drain dry between towels. place in spider with two tablespoons of butter and one-quarter teaspoon of salt. cover and cook twenty minutes, tossing them. serve on hot slices of toast. boiled okra wash and cut off the ends of young pods, cover with boiling salted water and cook about twenty minutes, until tender. drain, add cream (a scant cup to a quart of okra), a tablespoon of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. another way of stewing is to cook it with tomatoes. to a pint of okra pods, washed and sliced, allow a dozen ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced, and one medium-sized onion. stew slowly for an hour, adding one tablespoon of butter, a scant teaspoon of salt and pepper to season. no water will be required, the tomato juice sufficing. in the west indies lemon juice and cayenne are also added to stewed okra. boiled onions peel the onions and cut off the roots; drop each into cold water as soon as it is peeled. when all are ready, drain and put in a saucepan well covered with boiling water, adding a teaspoon of salt for every quart of water. boil rapidly for ten minutes with the cover partly off; drain and return to the fire with fresh water. simmer until tender; add pepper and butter and serve, or omit the butter and pepper and pour a cream sauce over the onions. spanish onion rarebit boil two large onions until very soft, drain, chop, and return to the saucepan with a small piece of butter. add milk, salt, pepper, a dash of tabasco sauce, one teaspoon of prepared mustard; one-half cup of grated cheese. stir until of the consistency of custard. scalloped onions cut boiled onions into quarters; put them in a baking dish and mix well with cream sauce; cover with bread crumbs and bits of butter and place in the oven until the crumbs are browned. stewed squash peel squash, cut in quarters, put on to boil in cold water, and cook until tender. drain, mash fine and smooth, add one-half cup of milk or cream, one tablespoon of butter, pinch of salt and pepper and put back on stove to keep hot. beat well with a spoon to make light and smooth. parsnips first scrape parsnips, then boil in weak salt water until tender; drain, and put in white sauce. oyster plant may be prepared same way. spinach spinach with large leaves is best. it is richest in mineral matter and is less liable to conceal insects that are difficult to dislodge. buy the crisp, green spinach that has no withered leaves or stalks. that is the freshest and healthiest. cut off the roots and pick it over carefully, cutting off all the withered leaves and stems, put the leaves in cold salt water to soak for half an hour. that refreshens them, and makes any minute insects crawl out and come to the surface. shake the leaves about and turn them over several times, drop them in a large pan of water; rinse well; lift them out separately and drop back into a second pan of water. continue washing in fresh water until there is not a grain of sand to be found in the bottom of the pan. in cooking be careful not to put too much water in the pot. that is the trouble with most spinach. it is drowned in water; a cup is plenty for one quart of spinach. let the water come to a boil. then lift the spinach out of the pan with the cold water dripping from it and put it into the pot, into the boiling water. put the lid on the pot. turn the fire a little low and let it cook slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring every now and then to keep it from sticking to the bottom of the pot. just before taking up the spinach put some salt in it; then drain off the water and put a big tablespoon of butter and one-quarter teaspoon of pepper in it. take it out of the pot and place it in a long, flat dish. slice some hard-boiled eggs and place the slices all around the spinach for a kind of border. spinach with cream sauce cook as directed, drain through colander, and grind through machine, make a rich cream sauce. stir spinach in this sauce, add pepper, salt, nutmeg to taste, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg. spinach--fleischig boil a quart of spinach about fifteen minutes, drain thoroughly through a colander and chop extremely fine. heat one tablespoon of drippings in a saucepan, rub one tablespoon of flour in it, add salt, pepper and ginger to taste. add one cup of soup stock to the whole or some beef gravy. put the spinach in the sauce, let boil for five minutes. garnish with hard-boiled eggs or use only the hard-boiled whites for decoration, rub the yolks to a powder and mix through the spinach. savoy cabbage cut off the faded outside leaves and hard part of the stalk, and wash the vegetable well. cook in boiling salted water. drain, chop very fine and proceed as with spinach in the foregoing recipe. brussels sprouts remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the sprouts, and let them stand in cold salted water from fifteen to twenty minutes. put the sprouts into salted, rapidly boiling water and cook, uncovered, fifteen or twenty minutes or until tender, but not until they lose their shape. drain them thoroughly in a colander; then place them in a saucepan with butter, pepper and salt, and toss them until seasoned; or mix them lightly with just enough white sauce to coat them. oyster plant--salsify wash, scrape and put at once in cold water with a little vinegar to keep from discoloring. cut one-half inch slices and cook in boiling, salted water until soft. drain and serve in white sauce. or boil in salted, boiling water until tender and cut in four pieces lengthwise, dredge with flour and sprinkle with a little salt and fry in hot butter or fat until nicely browned. scalloped salsify boil and slice the salsify as in preceding recipe. butter a baking dish; fill it by adding alternate layers of salsify and small bits of cheese. season with salt, pepper and butter. pour over it a sufficient quantity of milk or cream to moisten thoroughly. bake one-half hour. bread crumbs may be added if desired. plums, sweet potatoes and meat wash one pound of prunes or plums and put on to boil with one pound of brisket of beef or any fat meat; when the meat is tender add five medium-sized sweet potatoes which have been pared and cut in small pieces. place the meat on top, add one-half cup of sugar and a piece of sour salt (citric acid). cover and bake until nicely browned. if gravy should cook away add some warm water. tsimess take equal portions of parboiled spinach and sorrel, season to taste with ground nutmeg, pepper and salt, and add sufficient drippings to make all moist enough. place in a covered dish in a slow oven. this is prepared on friday and left in the oven to keep hot until needed for shabbas dinner. all green vegetables may be prepared in the same way. turnips do not spoil turnips by overcooking. the flat white summer turnip when sliced will cook in thirty minutes. the winter turnip requires from forty-five to sixty minutes. boiled turnips have the turnips peeled and sliced. drop the slices into a stew-pan with boiling water enough to cover generously. cook until tender, then drain well. they are now ready to mash or chop. if they are to be served mashed, put them back in the stew-pan; mash with a wooden vegetable masher, as metal is apt to impart an unpleasant taste. season with salt, butter, and a little pepper. serve at once. hashed turnips chop the drained turnips into rather large pieces. return to the stew-pan, and for one and one-half pints of turnips add one teaspoon of salt, one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of butter, and four tablespoons of water. cook over a very hot fire until the turnips have absorbed all the seasonings. serve at once. or the salt, pepper, butter, and one tablespoon of flour may be added to the hashed turnips; then the stew-pan may be placed over the hot fire and shaken frequently to toss up the turnips. when the turnips have been cooking five minutes in this manner add one-half pint of meat stock or of milk and cook ten minutes. when meat or soup stock is used substitute drippings for the butter in the above recipe. kohl-rabi with breast of lamb strip off the young leaves and boil in salt water. then peel the heads thickly, cut into round, thin slices, and lay in cold water for an hour. put on to boil a breast of mutton or lamb, which has been previously well salted, and spice with a little ground ginger. when the mutton has boiled one-half hour add the sliced kohl-rabi, and boil covered. in the meantime, drain all the water from the leaves, which you have boiled separately, and chop them, but not too fine, and add them to the mutton. when done thicken with flour, season with pepper and more salt if needed. you may omit the leaves if you are not fond of them. kohl-rabi kohl-rabi is fine flavored and delicate, if cooked when very young and tender. it should be used when it has a diameter of not more than two or three inches. wash, peel and cut the kohl-rabi root in dice and cook in salt water until tender. cook the greens or tops in another pan of boiling water until tender, drain and chop very fine in a wooden bowl. heat butter or fat, add flour, then the chopped greens, and one cup of liquor the kohl-rabi root was cooked in or one cup of soup stock. add the kohl-rabi, cook altogether, and serve. use same quantities as for turnips. kale remove all the old or tough leaves; wash the kale thoroughly and drain. put it into boiling water to which has been added salt in the proportion of one-half tablespoon to two quarts of water. boil rapidly, uncovered, until the vegetable is tender; pour off the water; chop the kale very fine; return it to the kettle with one tablespoon of drippings and two of meat stock or water to every pint of the minced vegetable. add more salt if necessary; cook for ten minutes and serve at once. the entire time for cooking varies from thirty to fifty minutes. the leaves are sweeter and more tender after having been touched by the frost. the same is true of savoy cabbage. swiss chard this vegetable is a variety of beet in which the leaf stalk and midrib have been developed instead of the root. it is cultivated like spinach, and the green, tender leaves are prepared exactly like this vegetable. the midribs of the full-grown leaves may be cooked like celery. stewed tomatoes pour boiling water over the tomatoes; remove the skins; cut into small pieces and place in a saucepan over the fire. boil gently for twenty or thirty minutes and season, allowing for each quart of tomatoes one generous teaspoon each of salt and sugar and one tablespoon of butter. if in addition to this seasoning a slice of onion has been cooked with the tomatoes from the beginning, the flavor will be greatly improved. canned tomatoes, stewed salt, pepper; add a lump of butter the size of an egg and add one tablespoon of sugar. thicken with one teaspoon of flour wet with one tablespoon of cold water, stir into the tomatoes and boil up once. fried tomatoes cut large, sound tomatoes in halves and flour the insides thickly. season with a little salt and pepper. allow the butter to get very hot before putting in the tomatoes. when brown on one side, turn, and when done serve with hot cream or thicken some milk and pour over the tomatoes hot. fried green tomatoes cut into thin slices large green tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and dip into cornmeal, fry slowly in a little butter till well browned; keep the frying-pan covered while they are cooking, so they will be perfectly tender. these are very delicately flavored, and much easier to fry than ripe tomatoes. they make an excellent breakfast dish. tomato purÉe scald the tomatoes, take off the skins carefully and stew with one teaspoon each of butter and sugar; salt and pepper to taste. this is enough seasoning for a quart of tomatoes. when the tomatoes are very soft strain through a coarse sieve and if necessary thicken with one teaspoon of flour. scalloped tomatoes drain off part of the juice from one quart of tomatoes and season with pepper, salt, and onion juice. cover the bottom of a baking dish with rolled crackers, dot over with dabs of butter, pepper, and salt, then another layer of tomatoes, then of crumbs, and so on until a layer of crumbs covers the top. if fresh tomatoes are used bake one hour, if canned, / hour. if the crumbs begin to brown too quickly cover the dish with a tin plate. stuffed tomatoes select tomatoes of uniform size, cut a slice from the stem end and scoop out a portion of the pulp. have in readiness a dressing made from grated bread crumbs, parsley, a slice of minced onion, a high seasoning of salt and paprika and sufficient melted butter to moisten. fill this into the tomatoes and heap it up in the centers. place a bit of butter on top of each and bake in a quick oven until the vegetables are tender and the tops are delicately browned. tomatoes with rice take six large tomatoes, pour boiling water over them and skin them. scrape all the inside out with a spoon, put in saucepan together with two onions, a tablespoon of butter, one pint of water; let this boil for a little while; strain, place back on stove, pour into this one-half pound of rice, let it cook tender; add salt, pepper, a tablespoon of butter and a little grated cheese. fill the tomatoes with this mixture, dip them in egg and bread crumbs, then fry till nice and brown. tomato custards simmer for fifteen minutes in a covered saucepan four cups chopped tomatoes, four eggs, one sliced onion, one bay leaf, and sprig of parsley. strain and if there be not two cups of liquid, add water. beat four eggs and add to liquid. pour into greased baking cups, and stand them in a pan of water and bake until firm--about fifteen minutes. turn out and serve with cream sauce containing green peas. baked tomato and egg plant take a deep earthenware dish, pour into it a cup of cream; cut several slices of eggplant very thin, salt well, and line the dish with them; slice two large tomatoes, place a layer of these on the eggplant, next a layer of spaghetti (cooked); sprinkle with grated cheese, pieces of butter, salt, and pepper; cover this with layer of tomatoes; salt well and sprinkle with chopped green pepper, and a top layer of eggplant, which also salt and pepper well. cook gently an hour and a half in slow, hot oven. creole tomatoes take one small onion and half a green pepper, chop them fine and cook until tender in a tablespoon of butter. cut six tomatoes in half, sprinkle with a little sugar, season on both sides with salt, pepper and a little flour, and put them into the pan with skin-side down to cook partially, then turn them once; they must cook over a slow fire. then sprinkle one tablespoon of chopped parsley over them, pour in one cup of thick cream and when this has become thoroughly hot, and has been combined with the other ingredients, the tomatoes are ready to serve. they have not been disturbed since the first turning and have retained their shape. half a tomato is placed on a slice of toast, with sufficient gravy to moisten. at the season of the year, when tomatoes are hard and firm, they may be peeled before cooking. later they will likely fall to pieces unless the skin is left on. this is one method of cooking tomatoes in which they lose the sharp acid taste, disagreeable to so many persons. string beans with tomatoes cut off both ends of the beans, string them carefully and break into pieces about an inch in length and boil in salt water. when tender drain off this brine and add fresh water (boiling from the kettle). add a piece of butter, three or four large potatoes cut into squares, also four large tomatoes, cut up, and season with salt and pepper. melt one tablespoon of butter in a spider, stir into it one tablespoon of flour, thin with milk, and add this to the beans. string beans with lamb take a small breast of lamb, two large onions, one-quarter peck of beans (string and cut in long thin pieces); skin six large tomatoes, and add two cups of water. cook until the beans are tender, then add one tablespoon of flour to thicken. string or wax-beans, sweet and sour put the beans into sufficient boiling water to just cover them; cook for one hour and a half to two hours, depending upon the tenderness of the beans. meanwhile, prepare for each quart of beans five sour apples; peel, core and cut in pieces. when the beans are done, add the apples, the thin peel of one lemon, the juice of one and one-half lemons, a small teaspoon of salt, and two tablespoons of cider vinegar. let the apples cook on top of the beans until they are thoroughly done, then mix well with a good quarter cup of granulated sugar. this dish will be better by being served the next day warmed up. sweet sour beans if you use canned string beans, heat some fat in a spider and put in one tablespoon of flour; brown slightly; add one tablespoon of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, some cinnamon and vinegar to taste; then add the beans and let them simmer on the back of stove, but do not let them burn. the juice of pickled peaches or pears is delicious in preparing sweet and sour beans. string or green snap beans cut off the tops and bottoms and "string" carefully; break the beans in pieces about an inch long and lay them in cold water, with a little salt, for ten or fifteen minutes. heat one tablespoon of drippings in a stew-pan, in which you have cut up part of an onion and some parsley; cover this and stew about ten minutes. in the meantime, drain the beans, put into the stew-pan and stew until tender; add one tablespoon of flour and season with salt and pepper (meat gravy or soup stock will improve them). you may pare about half a dozen potatoes, cut into dice shape, and add to the beans. if you prefer, you may add cream or milk instead of soup stock and use butter. potatoes potatoes are valuable articles of food and care should be taken in cooking them. the most economical method is to cook them in their "jackets" as there is not nearly as much waste of potato or of the salts that are valuable as food. potatoes boiled in their jackets potatoes should be well brushed and put on to boil in a saucepan of boiling water; they should continue boiling at the same degree of heat until they are done, when a fork will easily pierce them. this will take from twenty-five to thirty minutes. drain, draw the saucepan to a low flame, place a clean cloth folded over the top of the saucepan and press the lid down over it. this dries the potatoes and makes them a good color. hold the potatoes in a cloth and peel them, then reheat for one minute and serve. new potatoes, if well brushed or scraped do not require peeling. potatoes for twenty people to serve twenty people one-half peck of potatoes is required. boiled potatoes peel six or eight potatoes, and put them on in boiling water to which has been added one teaspoon of salt. boil as above. the saucepan used for cooking potatoes should be used for no other purpose. baked potatoes, no. select fine, smooth potatoes and boil them about twenty minutes. drain off the water, remove the skins and pack in a buttered dish. lay a small piece of butter on each potato, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sprinkle fine bread crumbs over all, with a few tablespoons of cream. bake until a nice light brown. serve in the same dish. garnish with parsley. baked potatoes, no. wash large potatoes and bake in a quick oven until soft, which will take about three-quarters of an hour. this is the most wholesome way of cooking potatoes. potato balls with parsley pare very thin, medium potatoes as near a size as possible. have ready a pot of boiling water, salted, drop in the potatoes and keep them at a quick boil until tender. serve with a batter made by beating to a cream two tablespoons of butter, one-half tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of finely minced parsley; add salt and a dash of cayenne pepper; spread over the hot potatoes, and it will melt into a delicious dressing. this is especially nice to serve with fish. new potatoes brush and scrape off all the skin of six potatoes and boil for half an hour in salted boiling water, drain, salt and dry for a few minutes, and then pour melted butter over them and sprinkle with chopped parsley. mashed potatoes old potatoes may be used. pare as many potatoes as required. boil in salt water, drain thoroughly when done and mash them in the pot with a potato masher, working in a large tablespoon of butter and enough milk to make them resemble dough, do not allow any lumps to form in your dish. garnish with parsley. scalloped potatoes, no. grease a pan with butter. choose the potatoes that are so big or misshapen you wouldn't want to use them for boiling or baking. cut them in thin slices. spread them in the pan in a layer an inch thick. sprinkle with pepper and salt to taste. dot with butter here and there, perhaps a half teaspoon for each layer. four or six bits of butter should be sprinkled over each layer. repeat the layers of the raw potatoes until the pan is full. cover them with milk. place in the oven and cook for one hour. scalloped potatoes, no. cut two cups of cold potatoes into cubes; mix well with two cups of cream sauce, adding more seasoning if necessary; pour into a baking dish; cover with one cup of bread crumbs and dot with small pieces of butter and bake for about half an hour. roast potatoes take either sweet or irish potatoes, or both; pare, wash, and salt them, and lay them around the meat, and let them roast for about three-quarters of an hour. turn them about once, so they will be nicely browned. creamed potatoes make a cream sauce, a little thinner than usual by adding a little extra milk. cut two cups of boiled potatoes into small cubes and mix them thoroughly with the same. cook in a double boiler until the potatoes are thoroughly hot, add a little chopped parsley if desired, and serve. potatoes au gratin slice two cups of cold boiled potatoes and add them to two cups of hot cream sauce. bring all to a boil; remove and add three tablespoons of grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste. pour all into a baking dish, sprinkle buttered bread crumbs over the top and set in the oven to brown. german fried potatoes cut up some raw potatoes quite thin, salt and pepper and drop in boiling fat. cover up at first to soften them. turn frequently to prevent burning and then remove the cover to brown slightly. saratoga chips proceed as above; but do not cover and do not take as many potatoes at one time. hashed brown potatoes, lyonnaise finely hash up six cold boiled potatoes and keep on a plate. heat one tablespoon of butter in a frying-pan, add a finely chopped onion, and lightly brown for three minutes, then add the potatoes. season with one-half teaspoon of salt and two saltspoons of white pepper, evenly sprinkled over, then nicely brown them for ten minutes, occasionally tossing them meanwhile. give them a nice omelet form, brown for eight minutes more, turn on a hot dish, sprinkle a little freshly chopped parsley over and serve. these potatoes may be prepared with fat in place of butter. curried potatoes melt two tablespoons of fat in a frying-pan; add one onion chopped fine and cook until straw color. add two cups of boiled potatoes, cut in dice, one-half cup of stock, and one tablespoon of curry powder. cook until the stock has been absorbed; then add one-half teaspoon of salt, a dash of red pepper, and one teaspoon of lemon juice. potato cakes take cold mashed potatoes or cold baked or boiled potatoes that have been mashed and seasoned; roll into balls, dusting the hands well with flour first. flatten into cakes and sauté in butter, or place on a buttered tin with a small piece of butter on the top of each and bake in a hot oven until golden brown. potatoes and corn butter well a deep baking dish, holding a quart or more. in the bottom place a layer of potatoes, sliced thin, then a layer of corn, using one-half the contents of a can. on this sprinkle a little grated onion and season with salt, pepper and bits of butter. add another layer of potatoes, then the rest of the corn, seasoning as before, and cover the whole with a layer of cracker crumbs. dot well with butter, pour on milk until it comes to the top, and bake three-quarters of an hour. use cooked potatoes, having them cold before slicing. french fried potatoes pare the potatoes and throw them into cold water until needed. dry them with a towel; cut into small pieces lengthwise of the potato; drop them into hot fat and remove when lightly browned. it is better to fry only a few at a time, letting those done stand in a colander in the oven to keep hot. when all are done, sprinkle with salt and serve at once. for variety; and for use in garnishing, cut the potatoes into balls, using the vegetable cutter which comes for this purpose. potatoes with caraway seeds boil medium-sized potatoes in their jackets until tender, peel while hot. put two tablespoons of butter or fat in spider, when hot add potatoes, brown well all over. drain, sprinkle with salt and one teaspoon of caraway seeds and serve hot. potatoes and pears heat two tablespoons of fat, add chopped onion and two tablespoons of flour; when flour is brown, add - / cups of water, stir and cook until smooth, add salt, brown sugar and a little cinnamon to taste. quarter four medium-sized cooking pears, but do not peel, cook them in the brown sauce, then add six medium, raw potatoes, pared, and cook until tender. imitation new potatoes buy a potato cutter at a first-class hardware store, and with it cut the potatoes to the size of a hickory nut, and then fry or steam them. when cooked they look just like new potatoes. they are especially nice to garnish meats. you may also parboil and brown in fat, or boil and add parsley as you would with new potatoes. the remainder of the raw potatoes may be boiled and mashed or fried into ribbons. potato ribbon pare and lay in cold water (ice-water is best) for half an hour. select the largest potatoes, then cut round and round in one continuous curl-like strip (there is also an instrument for this purpose, which costs but a trifle); handle with care and fry a few at a time for fear of entanglement, in deep fat. stewed potatoes with onions take small potatoes, pare and wash them very clean, use one onion to about ten potatoes, add goose-oil (in fact any kind of drippings from roast meat will answer) and put them in a pot or spider. when hot cut up an onion very fine and add to the boiling fat. then add the potatoes. salt and pepper to taste. pour some water over all, cover up tight and let them simmer for about / of an hour. stewed potatoes, sour put a tablespoon of drippings in a kettle, and when it is hot cut up an onion fine and fry in the hot fat, cover closely. put in potatoes, which have been previously pared, washed, quartered and well salted. cover them tight and stew slowly until soft, stirring them occasionally. then heat in a spider a little drippings. brown in this a spoon of flour and add some soup-stock, vinegar and chopped parsley. pour this over the potatoes, boil up once and serve. stewed potatoes pare and quarter, and put on to boil. when almost done drain off the water, add one cup of milk, one tablespoon of butter, a little chopped parsley and cook a while longer. thicken with a little flour (wet with cold water or milk), stir, and take from the fire. stuffed potatoes take as many potatoes as are needed; when done, cut off one end and take out inside; mash this and mix with it one tablespoon of butter, a sprig of parsley, pepper, salt, and enough milk to make quite soft. put back in tine potato skins and brown in oven and serve very hot. if so desired the open end of each may be dipped in beaten egg before being put in oven. bohemian potato puff pare, wash and boil potatoes until soft enough to mash well. drain off nearly all the water, leaving just a little; add one teaspoon of salt and return to the stove. it is better to boil the potatoes in salt water and add more salt if necessary after mashing. sift one-half cup of flour into the potatoes after returning to the fire and keep covered closely for about five minutes. then remove from the stove and mash them as hard as you can, so as not to have any lumps. they must be of the consistency of dough and smooth as velvet. now put about two tablespoons of drippings or goose-fat in a spider, chop up some onions very fine and heat them until they become a light-brown, take a tablespoon and dip it in the hot fat and then cut a spoonful of the potato dough with the same spoon and put it in the spider, and so on until you have used all. be careful to dip your spoon in the hot fat every time you cut a puff. let them brown slightly. potatoes (hungarian style) wash, pare and cut potatoes in one-third inch pieces, there should be three cups; parboil three minutes, and drain. add one-third cup of butter, and cook on back of range until potatoes are soft and slightly browned. melt two tablespoons of butter, add a few drops of onion juice, two tablespoons of flour, and pour on gradually one cup of hot milk, season with salt and paprika, then add one well-beaten egg yolk. pour sauce over potatoes and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. potato puff take two cups of cold mashed potatoes and stir into them one tablespoon of melted butter, beating to a white cream before adding anything else. then put with this two eggs beaten extremely light, one cup of cream, and salt to taste. beat all well and pour into a deep dish, and bake in a quick oven until it is nice and brown. if properly mixed, it will come out of the oven light, puffy, and delectable. potato surprise take large potatoes, parboil without peeling, cut a small piece of one end of the potato and scoop out the inside. mince two ounces cooked mutton, season with pepper and salt, mix with the potato pulp and a little gravy. return end of potato to its place and bake for about twenty minutes with a little fat on top of each potato. boiled sweet potatoes put on in boiling water, without any salt, and boil until a fork will easily pierce the largest. drain off the water and dry. fried sweet potatoes boil, peel and cut lengthwise into slices a quarter of an inch thick. fry in sweet drippings or butter (cold boiled potatoes may also be fried in this way). french fried sweet potatoes wash and cut small uncooked sweet potatoes into quarters; dry them and lower them into boiling hot fat. brown thoroughly; remove with a skimmer; drain and dry on paper; sprinkle with salt and serve. roast sweet potatoes these are commonly called "baked" sweet potatoes. select those of uniform size; wash, and roast in the oven until done, which you can easily tell by pressing the potatoes. if done they will leave an impression when touched. it usually requires three-quarters of an hour. serve in their "jackets." roast sweet potatoes with meat pare, cut lengthwise, salt and put them around roast meats or poultry of any kind. roast about three-quarters of an hour, or until brown. sweet potatoes and apples wash and pare long sweet potatoes. cook in boiling salted water until almost soft; drain and cut slices crosswise, two inches high. core, pare and cut apples in one-half inch rounds. into a spider, place the potatoes upright, with a slice of apple on top of each. pour over one-half cup of maple syrup, one-fourth cup of water and two tablespoons of butter. baste frequently until apples are soft. then pour one teaspoon of rum over each section, place a candied cherry in the center of each apple and bake ten minutes. remove to platter and if desired, pour more rum over and around. light the liquor and bring to the table burning. candied sweet potatoes boil sweet potatoes, peel and cut into long slices; place in an earthen dish; place lumps of butter or chicken-fat if desired on each side, and sprinkle with sugar. a little water or juice of half a lemon may be added. bake until the sugar and fat have candied and the potatoes are brown. dried beans look the beans over carefully to remove all dirt and pebbles, then wash clean. soak them overnight in plenty of cold water. in the morning pour off the water and put them in a stew-pan with cold water enough to cover them generously. let them come to the boiling point in this water, then drain. if the beans are old and hard, for each quart put a piece of soda about the size of a large bean in the water in which they are soaked overnight, also in the first water in which they are boiled. the scalded and drained beans should be put back in the stew-pan and covered generously with boiling water. add one tablespoon of salt for one quart of beans. they should now cook slowly, with the cover partially off the stew-pan until they have reached the required degree of tenderness. for stewed and baked beans the cooking must stop when the skins begin to crack. for beans served with a sauce they should cook until perfectly tender, but they must not be broken or mushy. for purées and soups they should be cooked until very soft. sweet sour beans and linzen soak overnight and drain the beans, boil in salted water until tender; drain and prepare by adding salt and pepper to taste, thicken with one tablespoon of drippings in which has been browned one tablespoon of flour and some soup stock. if the beans are to be made sweet sour add two tablespoons of vinegar and two tablespoons of brown sugar; boil for a few minutes and serve. baked beans with brisket of beef wash, pick over and soak overnight in cold water, two cups of navy beans. in the morning, drain and cover with fresh water, heat slowly and let cook just below the boiling point until the skins burst. when done, drain beans and put in a pot with one and one-half pounds of brisket of beef. mix one-half tablespoon of mustard; one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of molasses, two tablespoons of sugar, one-half cup of boiling water and pour over beans, and add enough more boiling water to cover them. cover pot and bake slowly six or eight hours. haricot beans and beef wash two cups of haricot beans and leave them covered with two pints of water overnight. next day brown one coarsely chopped onion in a little fat and put it with the beans and their water into a casserole or stew-jar. cook closely covered and rather slowly in the oven or by the side of the fire one hour, then put in a pound of beef in fairly large pieces. an hour later add one carrot cut into dice, half as many dice of turnip, and salt and pepper to taste. continue the slow cooking until these vegetables are tender, and a few minutes before serving thicken the stew with pea meal or flour previously baked to a fawn color. flavor with vinegar. owing to its concentrated nutriment this stew should be served sparingly with an abundance of potatoes and green vegetables. beans and barley soak one-half cup of navy beans in cold water overnight. drain and cook in one quart boiling water with one teaspoon of salt until tender but not broken, add one-half cup of barley and let cook slowly until barley is tender, about one-half hour. add fat soup stock as the water evaporates. season to taste and bake in medium oven about one-half hour or until dry but not browned. dried lima beans, baked wash one pound of dried lima beans, let soak overnight. drain, add fresh water, bring quickly to the boiling point, then let simmer until tender. add salt and paprika. heat two tablespoons of poultry or beef fat in a spider, add two tablespoons of flour, when brown add one cup of bean liquid, and the beans. let simmer and bake in casserole one-half hour. reserve the bean broth and add more if necessary. farsole soak the large, very hard lima beans overnight. to a pound of beans take two large onions. when the beans are soft add the onions browned in fat, salt, pepper, a tablespoon of sugar, a quarter cup of rice, and let all simmer until the rice is done. farsole dulce soak dried lima beans in cold water overnight. drain, put on with very little water, add one tablespoon of fat, peel of lemon or orange. when beans are half done, add a tablespoon of sugar which has been browned in a pan, stew slowly until the beans are tender. slaitta (roumanian) soak one pound medium-sized white beans overnight. put on to boil in cold water, when soft, mash, adding a little warm water while mashing. add salt and mashed garlic to beans and one or two teaspoons of sugar. to a pound of beans take a pound of onions. brown the onions in oil and add water so they do not become too brown or greasy. when beans are tender serve on platter with browned onions poured over them. may be served either hot or cold. this dish is served with carnatzlich. (see meats.) baked lentils (linzen) pick and wash one-half pound of lentils and soak them in cold water overnight. in the morning put them over the fire in a large saucepan with about a quart of water. as soon as the water begins to boil, the lentils will rise to the top. remove them with a skimmer, put them in a baking dish with one small onion and three or four ounces of smoked fat meat in the centre, and pour over them a pint of boiling water, in which one-half teaspoon of salt and one-quarter teaspoon of pepper have been mixed. bake in a moderate oven four or five hours. the lentils must be kept moist and it may be necessary to add a little water from time to time. meat substitutes the following recipes contain as much nourishment as any meat dish and can readily be substituted for meat at a meal. lentil sausages for each person soak one tablespoon of lentils overnight. then drain and leave them spread on a dish for a day. when ready to use, chop them finely and cook gently in a covered jar in an outer vessel of water for about one hour, adding from time to time just as much water as they will absorb. when fully cooked, stir in about twice their bulk in bread crumbs (preferably whole wheat), a slight flavoring of very finely chopped onion, powdered mixed herbs and nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, and drippings to make the whole fairly moist. when cool, shape into sausages (or cutlets or round cakes for luncheon), coat them with egg and bread crumbs or seasoned flour, and brown them in a little fat in a frying-pan or in a fairly hot oven. gravy or diluted meat extract should be served with them. they are no less good when fried overnight and reheated in the gravy. mock chile con carne pick over and wash two cups of kidney beans, soak in one quart of water. next morning bring to a boil in fresh water, drain, cover beans with boiling water and cook until tender. half an hour before beans are to be served, put one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, chop and add four green, peppers, one small red pepper, one onion, one pint of tomatoes, one teaspoon of salt, cook fifteen minutes, add to beans with three tablespoons of uncooked rice, simmer until thick. spanish beans soak two cups of beans overnight. drain and boil until the skin cracks, and let one cup of water remain on the beans. chop fine one onion and two cloves of garlic and fry a light brown in one tablespoon of olive oil; then add one-half can of tomatoes, one teaspoon chili powder dissolved in a little cold water, salt to taste and half a dozen olives chopped. a piece of smoked beef or tongue improves the flavor. pea purÉe pick over and wash two cups of dried peas. soak them over night or for several hours in cold water. put them on to boil in three pints of fresh, cold water and let them simmer until dissolved. keep well scraped from the sides of the kettle. when soft, nib through a strainer, add a little boiling water or soup stock, add one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of sugar and a speck of white pepper, and beat the mixture well. put hard brisket fat chopped in small pieces, about one-eighth of a pound will be sufficient, into a spider and cook until a light yellow, add a large onion, cut in dice and continue cooking with the fat until brown. serve the purée like mashed potatoes. pour the onion and fat over it before serving. serve hot. kidney beans with brown sauce pick over and wash one pint (two cups) of kidney beans let soak overnight in cold water. drain and cook in fresh salted water till tender. drain; shake in saucepan with one teaspoon butter three minutes. add one cup of brown sauce and simmer five minutes. nahit (russian peas) place one pound russian peas in granite kettle, add one tablespoon of salt and hot water to more than cover and let soak twelve hours or more. drain, return to the kettle, cover with boiling water, let cook fifteen minutes, add one-quarter teaspoon of soda and one pound of brisket of beef or back or neck of fat chicken and let cook slowly until peas are tender. melt two tablespoons of fat, add two tablespoons of flour and two tablespoons of brown sugar, let brown, add one cup of the liquid from the peas, cook until thick and smooth. pour over the peas, cook thoroughly, then place in casserole and bake in a moderate oven one-half hour. boiled chestnuts boil the chestnuts a few minutes; drain and remove the shells and skins. boil again until tender, adding sufficient salt to make them palatable. drain again; shake over the fire until dry; cover with cream sauce and serve at once. if allowed to stand the chestnuts become heavy and unappetizing. chestnut purÉe put one pound of chestnuts, which have been shelled and skinned, on to boil in two cups of milk and cook until tender, then mash smooth. if necessary add more milk while boiling. strain and season with salt and pepper and one teaspoon of fresh butter. serve hot. roasted chestnuts with a sharp knife cut across on the flat side of each chestnut; put them in a wire pan and shake constantly over a hot fire until the shells split. serve at once. chestnuts with celery (turkish) clean and cut table celery and some celery root. take roasted chestnuts, season with two tablespoons of olive oil; put on to boil with the celery and one tablespoon of lemon juice; boil all until celery is tender, season with salt and pepper and serve hot. chestnuts and prunes peel one pint of chestnuts and skin, then boil until tender. boil one pint of prunes till tender. mix chestnuts and prunes together, leaving whatever of sauce there is oil the prunes. season with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice, and cook all together. chestnuts and raisins remove the outer shells from one quart of chestnuts. then pour boiling water over them and remove the skins; put in cold water for half an hour, then drain and put on in a boiler with cold water and boil until tender. do not add any salt as it toughens them. in another boiler put one cup of raisins which have been stemmed and cleaned, cover with cold water, add two bay leaves and some stick cinnamon; boil until tender, then pour them into the boiler containing the chestnuts. add a pinch of salt and one teaspoon of butter and continue until chestnuts are done, then add two tablespoons of white wine, two tablespoons of sugar, one-half teaspoon of vinegar and thicken with one tablespoon of flour dissolved in water. more sugar or vinegar may be added to suit taste. boil a few minutes, then serve. boston roast mash one pound of cooked kidney beans and put them through a food chopper, add one-half pound of grated cheese, salt and red pepper to taste and sufficient bread crumbs to make the mixture stiff enough to form into a ball. bake in a moderate oven, basting occasionally with butter and water. serve with tomato sauce. nut loaf mix two cups of soft bread crumbs and one cup of chopped walnut meats with six tablespoons of butter or any butter substitute, one-half cup of hot water, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of chopped onion, a sprig of parsley chopped, and bind with one egg; shape into a loaf. place in a greased baking-dish and bake in a moderate oven one hour. as the liquor boils out of the loaf it may be used for basting. a brown sauce may be made in the dish in which the loaf is cooked. nut roast soak one-half cup of lentils overnight; in the morning drain, cover with fresh water and bring to a boil. drain again, put in fresh water and cook until tender. drain once more, throw away the water, and press the lentils through a colander. to them add one-half cup shelled roasted peanuts, either ground or chopped, one-half cup of toasted bread crumby one-half teaspoon of salt and one-half saltspoon of pepper, and milk sufficient to make the mixture the consistency of mush. put into a greased baking-dish; bake in a moderate oven for an hour; turn out on a heated platter; garnish with parsley or watercress and serve. vegetable meat pie soak one-half cup of lima beans overnight; in the morning let them boil rapidly for one-half hour. drain, slip the beans from their skins and split them in halves. blanch one-quarter cup of almonds and chop them with one-quarter cup of peanuts. boil four potatoes, and when done cut two of them into small cubes. mash the remaining; two and use them for a dough, adding four tablespoons of hot milk, a little salt and one-quarter cup of flour. put a layer of beans in the bottom of the baking-dish, a sprinkling of nuts, a little hard-boiled egg, then the potato blocks and one-half tablespoon each of chopped parsley and chopped onion, one-half teaspoon of salt and one-half saltspoon of pepper and so on until the material is all used. roll out the potato dough the size of the baking-dish; put it over the dish, brush with milk and bake half an hour in a moderately quick oven. *time table for cooking* the ordinary recipe generally states the time required for cooking its ingredients, but an approximate table is occasionally of use as giving a general idea of the time required for certain things. in any case, it is approximate only, for things should be cooked until done, and various conditions modify the time stated. the atmosphere, altitude, kind of oven or mode of heating employed, and the age of certain things, such as vegetables, all have to be considered, so that hard and fast rules cannot be laid down. roasting allow minutes to warm the meat through, and after that, figure the time. beef (rare), to minutes per pound; (well done), to minutes. lamb minutes per pound mutton minutes per pound veal minutes per pound chicken, lb about hours, or minutes per pound turkey, lb about - / hours, or minutes per pound goose, lb about hours, or minutes per pound duck to minutes per pound broiling steaks, inch thick (rare), to minutes; (medium), to minutes. steaks, - / inch thick (rare), to minutes; (medium), to minutes. lamb, or mutton chops (well done) to minutes spring chicken minutes squab to minutes boiling beef slowly, to minutes per pound mutton slowly, minutes per pound corned beef slowly, minutes per pound chicken slowly, minutes per pound fowl slowly, minutes per pound tripe three to five hours vegetables young peas, canned tomatoes, green corn, asparagus, spinach, brussels sprouts-- to minutes. rice, potatoes, macaroni, summer squash, celery, cauliflower, young cabbage, peas-- to minutes. young turnips, young beets, young carrots, young parsnips, tomatoes, baked potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, cabbage, cauliflower-- to minutes. string beans, shell beans, oyster plant, winter squash-- to minutes. winter vegetables--one to two hours. *salads and salad dressings* salads are divided into two groups, dinner salads and the more substantial ones served at supper and luncheon in the place of meats. they are exceedingly wholesome. nearly all the meats, vegetables, and fruits may be served as salads. the essential thing is to have the salad fresh and cold; and if green, to have the leaves crisp and dry. lettuce, romaine, endive and chicory or escarole make the best dinner salads, although one may use mixed cooked vegetables or well-prepared uncooked cabbage. left-over green vegetables, string beans, peas, carrots, turnips, cauliflower, cooked spinach, leeks and beets may all take their place in the dinner salad. use them mixed, alone, or as a garnish for lettuce. lettuce and all green, raw salad vegetables should be washed and soaked in cold water as soon as they come from the market. after they have stood fifteen to twenty minutes in cold or ice water, free them from moisture by swinging them in a wire basket, or dry, without bruising, each leaf carefully with a napkin. put them in a cheese-cloth bag and on the ice, ready for service. in this way they will remain dry and cold, and will keep nicely for a week. the dressing is added only at the moment of serving, as the salad wilts if allowed to stand after the dressing is added. meat of any kind used for salads should be cut into dice, but not smaller than one-half inch, or it will seem like hash. it should be marinated before being mixed with the other parts of the salad. meat mixtures are usually piled in cone-shape on a dish, the mayonnaise then spread over it, and garnished with lettuce, capers, hard-boiled eggs, gherkins, etc. *to marinate.*--take one part of oil and three of vinegar, with pepper and salt for taste; stir them into the meat, and let it stand a couple of hours; drain off any of the marinade which has not been absorbed before combining the meat with the other parts of the salad. use only enough marinade to season the meat or fish. if too much vinegar is added to mayonnaise it robs it of its consistency and flavor. all salads must be mixed at the last minute, at serving time. mayonnaise dressing may be made hours before and the meat, lettuce and celery prepared, but each must be kept in a separate dish until mixing time. *salad dressings* mayonnaise dressing beat the yolk of one egg in a cold dish with a silver or wooden fork. if the weather is very warm, place the bowl in a larger vessel filled with chopped ice. when the egg is beaten add one-half teaspoon of salt, dash of red pepper, one-half teaspoon of english mustard and olive oil, drop by drop, being careful to beat well without reversing the motion for fear of curdling. when the dressing thickens, begin adding the vinegar or lemon juice, drop by drop. then add more olive oil, then more acid, continuing until one cup of olive oil and two teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice are all used. be sure to have all the ingredients and dishes as cold as possible. if the mixture should curdle, begin immediately with a fresh egg in a fresh dish and when it is well beaten add carefully the curdled mixture, drop by drop. to serve twenty people one pint of mayonnaise is required. mayonnaise with whipped cream when you are in want of a large quantity of dressing, mayonnaise or french, add one pint of whipped cream to your prepared dressing, stirring thoroughly, just before ready to serve. colored mayonnaise to color mayonnaise, chop parsley leaves very fine; pound them in a small quantity of lemon juice; strain and add the juice to the dressing. white mayonnaise to make white mayonnaise, follow the ordinary directions, using lemon juice instead of vinegar, omitting the mustard and adding, when finished, a half cup of whipped cream or half an egg white beaten very stiff. russian dressing make one-half pint of mayonnaise dressing and add to it the following: two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, two to four tablespoons of tomato catsup, one tablespoon of finely chopped parsley, one teaspoon of finely chopped or grated white onion or shallot, after these ingredients are mixed, fold them into one cup of mayonnaise and serve. enough for ten people. boiled dressing with olive oil (parve) beat three whole eggs until very light, add two tablespoons of olive oil, stirring constantly, add a good pinch of salt, pepper, mustard and cayenne pepper. heat one-half cup of vinegar with one teaspoon of sugar in it, stir while hot into the eggs and put it back on the stove in a double boiler or over hot water in another saucepan and stir until thick. serve cold. mustard dressing take yolk of one hard-boiled egg and rub smooth in a bowl. add two teaspoons of french mustard, salt, pepper, and little sugar. add a little oil, and then a little vinegar. garnish top with the white, cut in pieces. sour cream dressing mix one cup of sour cream and three eggs, well beaten. dissolve two tablespoons of sugar and one tablespoon of mustard in one-half cup of vinegar; salt, pepper and paprika to taste, and then stir this slowly into the cream and eggs. put in double boiler, cook until thick, then add butter the size of an egg and cook about five minutes longer. take from fire and bottle; this dressing will keep for months. boiled dressing mix one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of mustard, one tablespoon of sugar, one tablespoon of flour and a few grains of cayenne. beat three eggs until lemon-colored and add the dry ingredients with one-half cup of vinegar and two tablespoons of melted butter. cook over boiling water until thick; strain, add one-half cup of cream or milk. beat until smooth, and cool. french dressing mix one-half teaspoon of salt, one-fourth teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of sugar, a dash of paprika, two tablespoons of vinegar and four tablespoons of olive oil. stir until well blended and use at once. dressing for lettuce rub the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs to a paste, adding one teaspoon of salad oil or melted butter, being careful to add only a few drops at a time. add one-half teaspoon salt, one-half teaspoon of prepared mustard, very little pepper, two tablespoons of white sugar. stir very hard, then pour in gradually one-half teacup of vinegar. *salads* green salads imported or domestic endive, chicory, escarole and romaine or lettuce must be washed, made crisp in cold water, and dried in a bag on the ice. serve them with french dressing. imported endive may, however, be served with mayonnaise, if desired. lettuce the french style of making lettuce salad is as follows: after dressing the salad, mix it in one tablespoon of oil, then take only two tablespoons of white wine vinegar, mixed with a very little pepper and salt, and just turn the lettuce over and over in this mixture. chiffonade salad lettuce, dandelion, chicory, a little chopped beet, chopped celery, a bit of tomato are mixed and covered with french dressing. the dressing is usually flavored both with onion and garlic. asparagus salad boil the asparagus in salted water, being very careful not to break the caps; drain, and pour over it when cold a mayonnaise dressing, with some chopped parsley. serve each person with three or four stems on a plate, with a little mayonnaise dressing. do not use a fork; take the stems in the fingers and dip in the dressing. beet salad boil beets when tender, skin quickly white hot and slice them into a bowl. sprinkle salt, pepper, a tablespoon of brown sugar, some caraway seeds, one medium-sized onion in slices and pour over all one-half cup of vinegar which has been boiled; with a fork mix the hot vinegar through the other ingredients. beet and cauliflower salad take some thin slices of cooked beets, some cold cooked potatoes, some cold cooked cauliflower, and a little chopped parsley. pour over the following dressing and add salt and pepper to taste: put one level teaspoon of mustard, one teaspoon anchovy sauce, one tablespoon of milk or cream, and one dessertspoon of vinegar. mix the mustard with the anchovy, then add the milk, and lastly the vinegar. tomatoes are equally good served in the same way. string bean salad string and remove the ends from one quart of beans. cut into short lengths. cover with boiling water, add one level tablespoon of wilt and cook until tender, but not soft. drain and save one cup of the liquor. cream one tablespoon of flour with two tablespoons of butter. pour the liquid over the flour and butter, stirring constantly to avoid "lumping." cook this sauce for five minutes, remove from stove and stir in two tablespoons of strained lemon juice. pour this over the beans and serve. bohemian salad cover the bottom of the salad bowl with crisp romaine or lettuce; arrange over the top alternate slices of hard-boiled eggs and boiled beets. sprinkle with finely chopped onion, cover with french dressing, toss and serve. boiled celery root salad pare and wash the celery roots (they should be the size of large potatoes), put on to boil in a little salted water, and when tender remove from the water and set away until cool. cut in slices about an eighth of an inch thick; sprinkle each slice with fine salt, sugar and white pepper; pour enough white wine vinegar over the salad to cover. a few large raisins boiled will add to the appearance of this salad. serve cold in a salad bowl, lined with fresh lettuce leaves. celery root baskets buy large celery roots, parboil them and cut in shape of baskets and scallop the edge; boil beets until soft and cut them in small balls (like potato-balls). set celery root baskets in french dressing for several hours to flavor and the beet-balls in boiling sugar and vinegar. fill the baskets with pickled beet-balls; roll lettuce and cut it into shreds and put it around the celery root basket. the green lettuce, white basket and red balls form a pretty color scheme, and are delicious as a salad. chestnut salad equal parts of boiled chestnuts and shredded celery are combined. bananas, apples, celery and chestnuts. dress with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves. cold slaw or cabbage salad select a small, compact cabbage; strip off the outside leaves and cut the head in quarters. with a sharp knife slice very thin; soak in cold water until crisp; drain and dry between clean towels. mix with hot dressing and serve when cold. dressing for cold slaw beat the yolks of two eggs until light, add one tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of pepper, one-half teaspoon of salt and dry mustard, pour one cup of vinegar over, stir well and pour over the slaw. this dressing may be cooked over boiling water if so desired. care must be taken in adding the vinegar gradually, and add sliced onions to the salad. cucumber salad pare thickly, from end to end, and lay in ice-water one hour; wipe them, slice thin, and slice an onion equally thin. strew salt over them, shake up a few times, cover and let remain in this brine for another hour. then squeeze or press out every drop of water which has been extracted from the cucumbers. put into a salad bowl, sprinkle with white pepper and scatter bits of parsley over them; add enough vinegar to cover. you may slice up an equal quantity of white or red radishes and mix with this salad. cauliflower salad wash the cauliflower carefully, tie in a cloth and cook in boiling salt water until thoroughly tender. when done, remove the cloth, pour two tablespoons of lemon juice over the cauliflower and set it on the ice to cool. when ready to serve, separate the flowerets, lay them on lettuce leaves, cover with french dressing and sprinkle one tablespoon of chopped parsley over the top. salad of eggplant (turkish style) use small eggplants. place on end of toasting fork under broiler gas flame until the peel is black; remove the skin. the eggplant will then be tender; chop with wooden spoon, add lemon juice, parsley chopped fine, and olive oil. eggplant salad (roumanian) broil eggplant; when cool, skin, lay on platter, cut with wooden spoon, add a red onion cut fine, or garlic cut very fine salt and a little vinegar. tomato salad (french dressing) take six firm red tomatoes, wash and wipe them neatly, slice them in thin slices with a very sharp knife. line a salad bowl with lettuce leaves, lay the sliced tomatoes in, sprinkle with salt and pepper, serve with french dressing. mayonnaise of tomatoes (whole) select tomatoes that are of uniform size, round, smooth and spotless, scald and take off outer skin, set away on ice until ready to serve. serve on individual dishes, putting each on a lettuce leaf and pour a tablespoon of mayonnaise dressing over each tomato. stuffed tomatoes select round, very firm and even sized tomatoes, cut off the top (reserve to use as a cover), scrape out the inside, being very careful to not break the tomato. fill each tomato with some finely prepared "cold slaw," cover with the top of the tomato, lay them on lettuce leaves and pour a mayonnaise dressing over each. you may lay them en masse on a decorated platter, heaping them in the shape of a mound, or serve individually. stuffed tomatoes, cheese salad wash and skin six small tomatoes. cut a piece from the stem end of each and when cold remove a portion of the pulp from the centre. then sprinkle with salt and invert on the ice to chill. mash to a paste one small cream cheese add two tablespoons of chopped pimento, one tablespoon of french mustard. blend well, moisten with a french dressing and fill into the tomato shells. arrange on a bed of crisp lettuce leaves and pour over each tomato a tablespoon of thick boiled dressing. lima bean salad take two cups of cold, cooked lima beans, two stalks of chopped celery, one dozen chopped olives, one teaspoon of onion juice, one teaspoon of salt, and a dash of red pepper. mix thoroughly and serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing and garnish with green and red peppers cut in squares. pepper and cheese salad fill green peppers with a mixture of cream cheese and chopped olives. set on the ice and then slice the peppers and serve a slice (shaped like a four-leaf clover) on a leaf of lettuce. small brown bread sandwiches go well with this. green peppers for salad put whole, green sweet pepper in boiling water and cook until tender. place on platter and drain. make a dressing of vinegar, salt, sugar and oil. serve. pepper salad cut the peppers lengthwise in half, and fill with a mixture of flaked, cold cooked fish and minced celery, mixed with mayonnaise. potato salad, no. boil ten potatoes (small, round ones preferred) in their skins. when done, peel them while, still hot and slice in thin, round slices. spread over the potatoes one onion, sliced fine, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, add one tablespoon of mustard seed, one-half tablespoon of celery seed, and one-half tablespoon of sugar. beat one egg until light, pour two tablespoons of goose or chicken fat, melted, over the eggs, stir well, add one-half cup of vinegar, pour over the seasoned potatoes: then add one-quarter cup of hot water and if necessary, add a little more vinegar, salt or pepper. one or two chopped hard-boiled eggs added improves the salad. line a salad bowl with lettuce leaves, pour in the salad and decorate the top with grated hard-boiled eggs. melted butter may be used if for a milk meal or heated olive oil for a parve salad in place of the melted fat. potato salad, no. boil one quart of small potatoes, bermuda potatoes are best. do not peel them, just wash and scrub the potatoes thoroughly in cold water. put them in a kettle with enough cold water, slightly salted, just to cover them; stand them over a brisk fire with the kettle covered until the water begins to boil; then turn down the heat, lift the cover of the kettle slightly and let the potatoes cook slowly till done. drain off the water and stand the potatoes where they will get cold. but do not put them in a refrigerator. when quite cold, peel the potatoes and slice them very thin in a salad bowl. to every two layers of potato slices sprinkle over a very light layer of white onions sliced very thin. texas onions are particularly fine for this purpose. when the salad bowl is well filled pour over the salad a french dressing made of equal parts of oil and vinegar; let the vinegar be part tarragon; use a palatable amount of salt and pepper. when ready to serve, cover the surface of the salad with a stiff mayonnaise in which a suggestion of cream has been mixed. ornament with quarters of hard-boiled eggs, boiled beets cut in fancy slices and a fringe of parsley around the edge of the bowl. potato salad, no. put into a bowl two tablespoons of olive oil, one tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of salt, some pepper and one tablespoon of vinegar and mix all together. cut into this in slices six hot potatoes. then cut into small pieces two small onions, a little garlic, some parsley, six stuffed olives, three hearts of celery (or the end of it), six radishes, three slices of red beets and two hard-boiled eggs. add this to the gravy in the bowl, mix well, and season to taste. put all into a glass dish and pour over this a prepared mayonnaise dressing. decorate with parsley, olives (whole), some lettuce and put in the centre some celery leaves. squash salad (turkish style) grate off the skin of long squash (the kind that looks like cucumbers), cut the squash in slices, one-quarter of an inch thick, and fry in olive oil; prepare a sauce with a little vinegar, one-half teaspoon of prepared mustard, two tablespoons of olive oil, beat these ingredients very well; add two shallots or leeks, cut in small pieces, pour sauce over the squash and serve. waldorf salad mix an equal quantity of sliced celery and apples, and a quarter of a pound of pecans or english walnuts, chopped fine. put over a tablespoon of lemon juice and sufficient mayonnaise dressing to thoroughly cover. to be absolutely correct, this salad should be served without lettuce; it can, however, be dished on lettuce leaves. water-lily salad boil twenty minutes, one egg for each lily; remove shell and while still warm cut with silver knife in strips from small end nearly to base; very carefully lay back the petals on a heart of bleached lettuce; remove yolks and rub them with spoon of butter, vinegar, a little mustard, salt and paprika; form cone-shaped balls, and put on petals, sprinkling bits of parsley over balls. two or three stuffed olives carry out the effect of buds; serve on cut-glass dishes to give water effect. marshmallow salad cut up one-quarter pound of marshmallows into small squares, also contents of one-half can of pineapple. let the marshmallows be mixed with the pineapples quite a while before salad is put together; add to this one-quarter pound of shelled pecans. make a drip mayonnaise of one yolk of egg into which one-half cup of oil is stirred drop by drop; cut this with lemon juice, but do not use any sugar; to two tablespoons of mayonnaise, add four tablespoons of whipped cream. serve on fresh, green lettuce-leaves. cottage cheese salad mix thoroughly one pound of cheese, one and one-half tablespoons of cream, one tablespoon of chopped parsley and salt to taste. first fill a rectangular tin mold with cold water to chill and wet the surface; line the bottom with waxed paper, then pack in three layers, putting two or three parallel strips of pimento between layers. cover with waxed paper and set in a cool place until ready to serve; then run a knife around the sides and invert the mold. cut in slices and serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing and wafers. minced olives may be used instead of the parsley, and chopped nuts also may be added. cream cheese salad moisten a cream cheese with cream and beat to a froth. arrange in a mound shape on a dish and turn preserved gooseberries over it. serve with biscuits. cream cheese salad with pineapples serve one slice of hawaiian pineapple on lettuce leaves. on the pineapple slice place a spoon of cream cheese and some chopped walnuts and top off with a dash of mayonnaise dressing. fruit salad slice one pineapple, three oranges, and three bananas. pour over it a french mayonnaise, put on lettuce leaves and serve at once. for those who do not care for the mayonnaise, make a syrup of one cup of sugar and one-half cup of water, boil until thick, add juice of lemon, let slightly cool, then pour over fruit. let stand on ice one to two hours. another nice dressing is one cup of claret, one-half cup of sugar, and piece of lemon. always use lemon juice in preference to vinegar in fruit salads. all fruits that go well together may be mixed. this is served just before desert. fruit and nut salad slice two bananas, two oranges and mix them with one-half cup of english walnuts and the juice of one-half lemon with french dressing. serve on lettuce leaves. grape-fruit salad cut the grape-fruit in halves and remove the pulp, being careful to get none of the tough white skin. mix with bananas and oranges and stir in white mayonnaise dressing. remove all skin from the inside, of the grape-fruit and fill with the mixture, heaping it high and ornamenting with maraschino cherries. lay each half in a bed of lettuce leaves and serve. banana dainty cut the bananas in half crosswise and arrange them on a plate, radiating from the center. sprinkle with grated nuts or nutmeg and heap white mayonnaise in the center. garnish with maraschino cherries. hungarian fruit salad mix together equal parts of banana, orange, pineapple, grapefruit and one-half cup of chopped nuts. marinate with french dressing. fill apple or orange skins with mixture. arrange on a bed of watercress or lettuce leaves. sprinkle with paprika. nut salad make a plain grape-fruit salad. when you have it ready to serve, cover the top thickly with finely chopped almonds or pecans mixed. pour over french dressing. russian fruit salad peel and pit some peaches, cut in slices and add as much sliced pineapple, some apricots, strawberries and raspberries, put these in a dish. prepare a syrup of juice of two lemons, two oranges, one cup of water and one pound sugar, a half teaspoon of powdered cinnamon, grated rind of lemon, add one cup red wine and a half glass of madeira, arrak or rum. boil this syrup for five minutes, then pour over the fruit, tossing the fruit from time to time until cool. place on ice and serve cold. fish salad take one pound cold boiled fish left over from the day previous, or boil fresh fish and let cool, then skin, bone and flake. if fresh fish is used, mix two tablespoons of vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper with the fish. make a mayonnaise dressing (french mayonnaise preferred), and mix half with the fish, leaving other half to spread over top of salad, after it is put in bowl. serve either with or without lettuce leaves. fish salad for twenty people boil four pounds of halibut, cool and shred fish. marinate the fish as directed. when ready to serve add six hard-boiled eggs chopped, and one pint bottle of pickles or chow-chow. the pickle may be omitted and celery cut fine be added. when these are well mixed serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing, of which one pint will be required. mayonnaise of flounder put some fillets of flounder into boiling water with a little salt and lemon juice, and cook until tender, then drain thoroughly. when cold, put them in the center of some chopped lettuce, cover with mayonnaise sauce and garnish with slices of tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs. herring salad, no. soak four herrings in cold water overnight, and then rinse several times in fresh cold water. skin, bone, and cut in one-half inch pieces. peel two apples, and cut in dice. mix with herring, then add one-half cup of coarsely chopped almonds and one onion chopped fine. remove the milsner or soft egg from the inside of herring, and mash perfectly smooth. add one-half cup of vinegar, one teaspoon of sugar, pinch of pepper. mix well, and then pour over herring, stirring with a fork to prevent mashing. set in ice-box until ready to serve. put sliced lemons on top. herring can be left whole, dressing made and poured over whole herrings. herring salad, no. soak three nice herrings in cold water three hours. then remove the head and tail and bones. with a scissors cut in pieces as small as dice, add one-half cup of english walnuts cut fine, one tablespoon of boiled beets cut fine, two tablespoons of capers, one large apple cut in small pieces and one dill pickle cut up. then take the soft egg (milchner) and mix with two cups of white vinegar until soft, add one teaspoon of sugar, three cloves and allspice and pour the sauce over the ingredients. the sauce should not be too thick. mix all well together, and serve a spoonful on a lettuce leaf for each person. this salad will keep for weeks. hungarian vegetable salad mix together one cup each of cold cooked peas, beans, carrots, and potatoes. cover with french dressing and let stand for twenty minutes. add one cup of smoked salmon or haddock, cut in small pieces, the chopped whites of four hard-boiled eggs and two stalks of celery. mix thoroughly, garnish top with yolk of egg pressed through a wire sieve; and with cucumbers and beets, cut in fancy shapes. salmon salad either cold boiled salmon or the canned variety may be used. in the latter event wash the fish, in cold water, drain and expose to the outside air for at least one hour, as this removes any suggestion of the can. flake the fish into small particles and to each cupful of the fish add the same quantity of shredded lettuce, one coarsely chopped hard-boiled egg, three slices of minced cucumber and six chopped olives. mix the ingredients well, moisten with either a mayonnaise or boiled dressing and serve in individual portions in nest of heart lettuce leaves. mask each portion with a tablespoon of dressing and garnish with capers and grated egg yolk. mayonnaise especially for salmon rub the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs to a powder, then add eight tablespoons of cream very gradually to them, also white pepper, a pinch of salt and a mere suspicion of cayenne pepper. lastly add two tablespoons of white vinegar. it is very important that this last ingredient be put in drop by drop, otherwise the mixture will curdle. mackerel salad procure a nice fat mackerel, boil, and when cold, proceed same as for "salmon salad," only do not cut the pieces quite as small. monterey salad select fine lemons, wipe carefully, scoop out the pulp, remove the tough inner skin and seeds, and to the rest add one box of boneless sardines, finely chopped, one teaspoon of french mustard, two hard-boiled eggs chopped, some tabasco sauce, and mayonnaise. fill each cup with the mixture. cut a small slice from the bottom of the lemon, so that it will stand firmly. garnish with chopped egg and chopped parsley, and serve on lettuce leaves. russian salad cut up all kinds of pickled cucumbers, small and large, sweet and sour, also (senf) mustard pickles, into very small lengths, also pickled beans and capers. add six herring, which you have soaked in water for twenty-four hours; skin and take out every bone, cut up as you did the pickles. add half a pound of smoked salmon, also cut into lengths, six large apples chopped very fine, and one onion grated; mix all thoroughly and pour a rich mayonnaise dressing over all. next day line a salad bowl with lettuce leaves, fill in the salad and garnish with hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and capers. niagara salad pick or grind one thick slice of cold, cooked salmon. make a dressing of mayonnaise, to which add one tablespoon of french mustard, one green onion chopped fine, one tablespoon of small mexican peppers, one tablespoon of pimentos. mix this dressing into the picked salmon. chicken salad place the chicken in boiling water, add one onion, a bay leaf and six cloves. bring to a boil and let it boil rapidly for five minutes. reduce the heat to below the boiling point, and let it cook until tender. let chicken cool in the broth. by cooking it in this manner the dark meat will be almost as white as the meat of the breast. when the chicken is cold, cut into half inch cubes, removing all the fat and skin. to each pint allow one tablespoon of lemon juice, sprinkle the latter over the prepared chicken and place on ice. when ready to serve, mix the chicken with two-thirds as much white celery, cut into corresponding pieces: meanwhile prepare the following mayonnaise: rub the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs as fine as possible, add one teaspoon of salt, then add, a drop at a time, one teaspoon of the finest olive oil. stir constantly, add one teaspoon of prepared mustard and while pepper, and two teaspoons of white sugar; whip the white of one egg to a froth and add to the dressing; add about one-half cup of vinegar last, a spoonful at a time. put the salad into the dressing carefully, using two silver forks; line the salad bowl with lettuce leaves, and garnish the top with the whites of hard-boiled eggs chopped up, or cut into half-moons. garnish this salad with the chopped yolks and whites of hard-boiled eggs, being careful to have the whites and yolks separate. a few olives and capers will add to the decoration. chicken salad for twenty people boil two large chickens in enough water to cover them, add salt while boiling; when very tender remove from the fire and allow the chickens to cool in the liquor in which they were boiled, when cold skim off every particle of fat, and reserve it to use instead of oil. if possible boil the chickens the day previous to using. now cut the chickens up into small bits (do not chop), cut white, crisp celery in half inch pieces, and sprinkle with fine salt, allowing half as much celery as you have chicken, mixing the chicken and celery, using two silver forks to do this. rub the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs as fine as possible, add one-half teaspoon of salt, white pepper, four tablespoons of chicken-fat that has been skimmed off the broth, adding one at a time, stirring constantly, one tablespoon of best prepared mustard, two teaspoons each mustard seed and celery seed, and two tablespoons of white sugar; add gradually, stirring constantly, one cup of white wine vinegar. pour this dressing over the chicken and celery and toss lightly with the silver forks. line a large salad bowl with lettuce leaves, pour in the salad and garnish the top with the chopped whites of six hard-boiled eggs; pour a pint of mayonnaise over the salad just before serving. a neat way is to serve the salad in individual salad dishes, lining each dish with a lettuce leaf, garnish the salad with an olive stuck up in the center of each portion. the bones of the chicken may be used for soup, letting them simmer in water to cover for three hours. brain salad scald brains with boiling hot water to cleanse thoroughly. boil until tender, in fresh cold salt water, being careful to remove from water while it is yet firm. slice lengthwise and lay in dish. pour over one-half cup of vinegar, which has been sweetened with a pinch of sugar to remove sharp taste, pinch of salt and pepper. garnish with parsley and serve cold. can also be served with mayonnaise. sweetbread salad take cucumbers and cut lengthwise to serve the salad in; scrape out the inside and salt well, then squeeze and use this to mix with the filling. take a pair of sweetbreads, or calf's brains, wash well, and boil; when done, throw in cold water at once and skim them; chop fine, add bunch of celery (if you can get it), one can of french peas, scraped part of cucumber; mix all together and season. make a mayonnaise, mix with it, and fill the cucumber shells; keep all cold, and serve on lettuce leaf. veal salad cut cold veal in half-inch slices, season with two tablespoons of vinegar, pinch of salt and pepper. make a dressing using the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, mashed smooth, add gradually two tablespoons of melted cold chicken or turkey grease, stir until smooth and thick, then add one teaspoon of prepared mustard, large pinch of salt and pepper, one teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon each of mustard and celery seed, and five tablespoons of white vinegar. mix the dressing well with the veal, and serve with or without lettuce leaves. neapolitan salad take some white meat of a turkey, cut up fine, cut up a few pickles the same way, a few beets, one or two carrots, a few potatoes (the carrots and potatoes must be parboiled), also a few stalks of asparagus; chop up a bunch of crisp, white celery; a whole celery root (parboiled), sprinkle all with fine salt and pour a mayonnaise dressing over it. line the salad bowl with lettuce leaves or white cabbage leaves. add a few hard-boiled eggs and capers; garnish with sprigs of fresh parsley. polish salad, or salad piquant lay half a dozen or more large salt pickles in water for about six hours, then drain off all the water. chop up two sour apples, one large onion or two small ones, chop the pickles and mix all thoroughly in a bowl and sprinkle over them a scant half teaspoon of pepper (white) and a tablespoon of sugar (either white or brown), adding a pinch of salt if necessary. pour enough white wine vinegar over all to just cover. do not make more at a time than you can use up in a week, as it will not keep longer. *fresh fruits and compote* always select the best fruit, as it is the cheapest, and requires less sugar; and where every piece of fruit or every berry is perfect, there is no waste. raspberries are apt to harbor worms and therefore the freshly picked berries are safest. blueberries wash and pick over carefully, drain off all the water, sprinkle powdered sugar over them and serve with cream or milk. raspberries pick over carefully, set on ice, and serve in a dish unsugared. strawberries may be served as above. raspberries and currants these berries, mixed, make a very palatable dish. set on ice until ready to serve. then pile in a mound, strewing plenty of pulverized sugar among them. as you do this, garnish the base with white or black currants (blackberries look pretty also) in bunches. eat with cream or wine. strawberries pick nice ripe berries, pile them in a fruit dish. strew plenty of pulverized sugar over them and garnish with round slices or quarters of oranges, also well sugared. bananas may be sliced according to fancy, either round or lengthwise. set on ice until required. then add sugar, wine or orange juice. in serving, dish out with a tablespoon of whipped cream. chilled bananas cut ice-cold bananas down lengthwise, and lay these halves on a plate with a quarter of a lemon and a generous teaspoon of powdered sugar. eat with a fork or spoon after sprinkling with lemon juice and dipping in sugar. grape fruit cut in half, with a sharp knife, remove seeds, and sprinkle with sugar, or loosen pulp; cut out pithy white centre; wipe knife after each cutting, so that the bitter taste may be avoided. pour in white wine or sherry and sprinkle with powdered sugar, and let stand several hours in ice-chest to ripen. serve cold in the shell. decorate with maraschino cherry. oranges cut an orange in half crosswise. place on an attractive dish, scoop out the juice and pulp with a spoon and sweeten if necessary. pineapple peel the pineapple, dig out all the eyes, then cut from the core downward, or chop in a chopping-bowl, and set on ice until ready to serve. then sugar the fruit well, and form into a mound in a dish. garnish the base well with leaves or small fruit of any kind. you may squeeze the juice of one orange over all. peaches peel fine, ripe freestone peaches. cover plentifully with pulverized sugar, and serve with whipped cream. the cream should be ice cold. peaches should not be sliced until just before dining, or they will be very apt to change color. watermelons use only those melons that are perfectly ripe. do not select those that are very large in circumference; a rough melon with a bumpy surface is the best. either cut in half or plug and fill with the following: put on to boil some pale sherry or claret and boil down to quite a thick syrup with sugar. pour this into either a plugged melon or over the half-cut melon, and lay on ice for a couple of hours before serving. if you use claret you may spice it while boiling with whole spices. snowflakes grate a large cocoanut into a fruit dish, and mix it thoroughly and lightly with pulverised sugar. serve with whipped or plain sweet cream. tutti-frutti slice oranges, bananas, pineapples and arrange in a glass-bowl; sprinkle with pulverized sugar, and serve either with wine or cream. you may use both. ripe tomatoes select nice, large, well-shaped tomatoes, pare, slice and put on ice. when ready to serve sprinkle each layer thickly with pulverized sugar. pineapple soufflÉ take a nice ripe pineapple, grate it and sweeten to taste. beat the whites of two eggs stiff and mix with the pineapple. before serving, whip half a pint of cream and put on the pineapple. frosted apples pare and core six large apples. cover with one pint of water and three tablespoons of sugar; simmer until tender. remove from the syrup and drain. wash the parings and let simmer with a little water for one-half hour. beat the white of one egg to a stiff froth and add one tablespoon of sugar. coat the top of the apples lightly with the meringue and place in a cool oven to dry. strain the juice from the parings, add two tablespoons of sugar, return to the fire and let boil for five minutes; add a few drops of lemon juice and a little nutmeg, cool and pour around the apples. apple float peel six big apples and slice them. put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them and cook until tender. then put them through a colander and add the grated rind and juice of half a lemon, sweeten to taste and stir in a trace of nutmeg. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs and put the dish on ice. serve with whipped or plain cream. apple delight put a layer of apple sauce in a buttered pudding dish, dot with butter, add a layer of chopped peaches and apricots, sprinkle with blanched almonds ground rather coarsely, repeat until the pan is full; pour the peach juice over the mixture and bake for one hour. apple compote take six apples ("greenings," "baldwins" or "bellflowers"), pare, quarter, core and lay them in cold water as soon as pared. then take the parings and seeds, put in a dish with a cup of water and a cup of white wine, and boil for about fifteen minutes. strain through a fine sieve, then put on to boil again, and add half a cup of white sugar and the peel of half a lemon. put in the apples and let them stew for fifteen minutes longer. when the apples are tender, take up each piece carefully with a silver spoon and lay on a platter to cool. let the syrup boil down to about half the quantity you had after removing the apples, and add to it the juice of half a lemon. lay your apples in a fruit dish, pyramid shape, pour the syrup over them, serve. baked apples take large, juicy apples, wash and core them well, fill each place that you have cored with brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins, and put a clove in each apple. lay them in a deep dish, pour a teacup of water in the dish, and put a little sugar on top of each apple. when well done the apples will be broken. then remove them carefully to the dish they are to be served in and pour the syrup over them. to be eaten cold. if you wish them extra nice, glaze them with the beaten white of an egg, half a cup of pulverized sugar and serve with whipped cream. steamed sweet apples for this dish use sweet apples, and steam in a closely covered iron pot for three-quarters of an hour. quarter and core five apples without paring. put into the pot and melt beef drippings; when hot, lay a layer of apples in, skin down, sprinkle with brown sugar, and when nearly done, turn and brown; place on a platter and sprinkle with sugar. fried apples quarter and core five apples without paring. put into a frying-pan one cup of sugar, one tablespoon of butter and three tablespoons of water. let this melt and lay in the apples with the skin up. cover and fry slowly until brown. apple sauce victoria pare, quarter and core the apples. set on to boil in cold water, and boil them over a very brisk fire; when they are soft mash with a potato masher and pass the mashed apples through a sieve. sweeten to taste and flavor with a teaspoon of vanilla. this way of seasoning apples is highly recommended, especially if they are tasteless. peach compote pare the fruit, leave it whole and put on to boil with sweetened water. add a few cloves (remove the heads), also a stick of cinnamon bark. boil the peaches until tender, then take up with a perforated skimmer and lay them in your fruit dish. boil the syrup until thick, then pour over the peaches. eat cold with sweet cream. common cheap peaches make a very nice dessert, cooked in the above manner, clings especially, which cannot be used to cut up. compote of raspberries make a syrup of half a pound of sugar and half a cup of water, put into it one quart of berries which have been carefully picked and washed. boil up once. serve cold. compote of pineapple cut off the rind of a pineapple, core and trim out all the eyes. cut into desired slices. set on to boil with half a pound of sugar, and the juice of one or two tart oranges. when the pineapple is tender and clear, put into a compote dish and boil the syrup until clear. pour over all and cool. the addition of a wineglass of brandy improves this compote very much. compote of pears it is not necessary to take a fine quality of pears for this purpose. pare the fruit, leaving on the stems, and stew in sugar and a very little water. flavor with stick cinnamon and a few cloves (take out the head of each clove) and when soft place each pear carefully on a platter until cold. then arrange them nicely in a glass bowl or flat glass dish, the stems all on the outer rim. pour over them the sauce, which should be boiled thick like syrup. eat cold. huckleberry compote pick over a quart of huckleberries or blueberries, wash them and set to boil. do not add any water to them. sweeten with half a cup of sugar, and spice with half a teaspoon of cinnamon. just before removing from the fire, add a teaspoon of cornstarch which has been wet with a little cold water. do this thoroughly in a cup and stir with a teaspoon so as not to have any lumps in it. pour into a glass bowl. eat cold. rhubarb sauce strip the skin off the stalks with care, cut them into small pieces, put into a saucepan with very little water, and stew slowly until soft. sweeten while hot, but do not boil the sugar with the fruit. eat cold. very wholesome. baked rhubarb peel and cut into two-inch lengths three bunches of rhubarb. dredge with flour and put in baking dish with one cup of sugar sprinkled over. bake in moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. very nice served hot as a vegetable, or cold as a sauce. fig sauce stew figs slowly for two hours, until soft; sweeten with loaf sugar, about two tablespoons to a pound of fruit; add a glass of port or other wine and a little lemon juice. serve when cold. dried fruits to cook dried fruits thoroughly they should after careful washing be soaked overnight. next morning put them over the fire in the water in which they have been soaked; bring to a boil; then simmer slowly until the fruit is thoroughly cooked but not broken. sweeten to taste. very much less sugar will be needed than for fresh fruit. stewed prunes cleanse thoroughly, soak in water ten or twelve hours, adding a little granulated sugar when putting to soak, for although the fruit is sweet enough, yet experience has shown that the added sugar changes by chemical process into fruit sugar and brings out better the flavor of the fruit. after soaking, the fruit will assume its full size, and is ready to be simmered on the back of the stove. do not boil prunes, that is what spoils them. simmer, simmer only. keep lid on. shake gently, do not stir, and never let boil. when tender they are ready for table. serve cold, and a little cream will make them more delicious. a little claret or sauterne poured over the prunes just as cooking is finished adds a flavor relished by many. added just before simmering, a little sliced lemon or orange gives a rich color and flavor to the syrup. baked prunes cook prunes in an earthenware bean pot in the oven. wash and soak the prunes and put them in the pot with a very little water; let them cook slowly for a long time. they will be found delicious, thick and rich, without any of the objectionable sweetness. lemon, juice and peel, may be added if desired. prunes without sugar wash prunes thoroughly, pour boiling water over same and let them stand for ten minutes. then drain and pour boiling water over them again; put in sealed jar; see that prunes are all covered with water. ready for use after forty-eight hours. will keep for a week at a time and the longer they stand the thicker the syrup gets. steamed prunes steam until the fruit is swollen to its original size and is tender. sprinkle with powdered sugar and squeeze lemon juice over them. prune soufflÉ remove the pits from a large cup of stewed prunes and chop fine. add the whites of three eggs and a half cup of sugar beaten to a stiff froth. mix well, turn into a buttered dish and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with whipped cream. if it is desired to cook this in individual cups, butter the cups, fill only two-thirds full, to allow for puffing up of the eggs, and set the cup a in a pan of water to bake. some like a dash of cinnamon in this. sweet entrÉe of ripe peaches take large, solid peaches, pour boiling water over them so that the skin may be removed smoothly. have ready thick syrup made of sugar and water. when boiling hot add peaches and boil about five minutes; remove and place in ice chest. when ready to serve have a sweet cracker on dish, place peach on same and pour over this a raspberry jelly slightly thinned and cover all with salted almonds or walnuts. other fruits may be treated in like manner. *mehlspeise (flour foods)* noodles beat three whole eggs very light and sift in sufficient flour to make a stiff paste. work until smooth, break off a piece and roll out on board very thin. break oft another piece and roll and continue until all is used. let rolled-out dough dry, then cut all except one piece in long strips one inch wide. fold the one piece in layers and cut very fine noodles. boil large noodles in pot of salted boiling water, drain in colander when tender and stir in two tablespoons of butter. heat a tablespoon of butter in the frying-pan and brown fine noodles in this butter. sprinkle these over the broad noodles, pour a cup of milk over the whole and brown in stove. serve in same dish in which it was baked. broad noodles make noodles as above and when drained sprinkle with fine noodles which have been browned in two tablespoons of sweet dripping; serve as a vegetable. if so desired, a cup of soup stock may be added and noodles browned in stove. serve hot. noodles with butter plunge one pound of noodles into two quarts of boiling water and cook for fifteen minutes. drain well, replace in the same pan, season with one-half teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of white pepper, adding one ounce good butter. gently mix without breaking the noodles until the butter is thoroughly dissolved, and serve. noodles with cheese if you make the noodles at home, use two eggs for the dough; if you buy macaroni use one-quarter of a pound, cut up and boil in salt water; boil about fifteen minutes; drain off the water and let cold water run through them; grate a cup of cheese; melt a piece of fresh butter, about the size of an egg, in a saucepan, stir in a heaping tablespoon of flour, add gradually to this a pint of rich milk, stirring constantly; take from the fire as it thickens. butter a pudding dish, lay in a layer of noodles, then cheese, then sauce, then begin with noodles again until all is used up. sprinkle cheese on top, a few cracker crumbs and flakes of butter here and there. bake until brown. noodles and apples peel and cut six apples. take broad noodles made out of three eggs, boil them fifteen minutes, drain, then mix with two tablespoons of fresh butter. add some cinnamon and sugar to noodles. put a layer of noodles, then apples and so on until pan is filled, being careful to have noodles on top. put bits of fresh butter on top. bake until apples are tender. if so desired, a milchig pie crust may be made and used as an under crust and when apples are tender and crust done, turn out on a large platter with crust side on top. scalloped noodles and prunes make broad noodles with three eggs. boil until tender, drain, pouring cold water through colander. stew prunes, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. in a well-greased baking-dish place one-quarter of the noodles, bits of butter or other fat, add one-half of the prunes, then another layer of the noodles, butter or fat, the remaining prunes, the rest of the noodles. pour over the prune juice and spread crumbs over top and bake in a moderate oven until crumbs are brown. noodles and mushrooms make broad noodles, boil and serve with melted butter spread over the noodles and this sauce: brown a tablespoon of butter in the skillet, add one-half tablespoon of flour, then liquor of mushrooms, pinch of salt and pepper. when smooth, add mushrooms. let boil and serve in a separate dish. when serving, a spoon of mushrooms is to be put over each portion of noodles. geroestete fervelchen pfÄrvel (egg barley) make just as you would a noodle dough, only stiffer, by adding and working in as much flour as possible and then grate on a coarse grater. spread on a large platter to dry; boil one cup of egg barley in salt water or milk, which must boil before you put in the egg barley until thick. serve with melted butter poured over them. (a simpler and much quicker way is to sift a cup or more of flour on a board; break in two eggs, and work the dough by rubbing it through your hands until it is as fine as barley grains.) pfÄrvel--fleischig make as much egg barley as required. heat two tablespoons of fat, add one-quarter cup of onions, fry until golden brown, add the dried egg barley and brown nicely. place in a pudding-dish, add three cups of hot soup stock or water to more than cover. bake in a moderate oven about one hour or until the water has nearly all evaporated and the egg barley stands out like beads and is soft. the onion may be omitted. serve hot in place of a vegetable. kaese kraepfli (cheese kreplich) make a dough of one egg with a tablespoon of water; add a pinch of salt; work this just as you would noodle dough, quite stiff. sift the flour in a bowl, break in the egg, add the salt and water, mix slowly by stirring with the handle of a knife, stirring in the same direction all the time. when this dough is so stiff that you cannot work it with the knife, flour your noodle board and work it with the hollow of your hands, always toward you, until the dough is perfectly smooth; roll out as thin as paper and cut into squares three inches in diameter. fill with pot cheese or schmierkaese which has been prepared in the following manner: stir up a piece of butter the size of an egg, adding one egg, sugar, cinnamon, grated peel of a lemon and pinch of salt, pounded almonds, which improve it; fill the kraepfli with a teaspoon, wet the edges with beaten egg, fold into triangles, pressing the edges firmly together; boil in boiling milk; when done they will swim to the top. eat with melted butter or cream. boiled macaroni break the macaroni into small pieces; boil for half an hour; drain and blanch in cold water. reheat in tomato or cream sauce and serve. grated cheese may be sprinkled over the dish if desired. spaghetti spaghetti is a small and more delicate form of macaroni. it is boiled until tender in salted water and is combined with cheese and with sauces the same as macaroni, and is usually left long. it makes a good garnish. baked macaroni with cheese cook one cup of broken macaroni in two quarts of boiling salted water for twenty or thirty minutes, drain and pour cold water through the colander. put the macaroni in a pudding-dish in layers, covering each layer with cream sauce and grated cheese, one cup will be sufficient, and on the top layers sprinkle one cup of buttered bread crumbs. bake in oven until the crumbs are brown. savory macaroni after baking; some flour to a pale fawn color pass it through a sieve or strainer to remove its gritty particles. break half a pound of macaroni into short pieces, boil them in salted water until fairly tender, then drain. in a little butter in a saucepan brown a level tablespoon of very finely chopped onion, then add three or four sliced tomatoes, a half teaspoon of powdered mixed herbs, a little nutmeg, salt and pepper. when the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp add one pint of milk and allow it to come to the boiling point before mixing with it two tablespoons of the browned flour moistened with water. stir and boil till smooth, press the whole through a strainer and return to the saucepan. when boiling, add the macaroni and a few minutes later stir in two tablespoons of grated or finely chopped cheese. it may be served at once, but is vastly improved by keeping the pan for half an hour by the side of the fire in an outer vessel of water. or the macaroni may be turned into a casserole and finished off in the oven. for a meat meal the onions may be browned in sweet drippings or olive oil and soup stock substituted for the milk. dumplings for stew mix two teaspoons of baking powder with two cups of flour, one egg, one cup of cold water and a little salt. stir all lightly together and drop the batter from the spoon into the stew while the water continues to boil. cover closely and do not uncover for twenty minutes, boiling constantly, but not too hard. serve immediately in the stew. spaetzlen or spatzen sift two cups of flour into a bowl, make a depression in the centre and break into it two eggs, add a saltspoon of salt and enough water or milk to form a smooth, stiff dough. set on some water to boil, salt the water and when the water boils drop the spaetzle into it, one at a time. do this with the spoon with which you cut the dough, or roll it on a board into a round roll and cut them with a knife. when the spaetzle are done, they will rise to the surface, take them out with a perforated skimmer and lay them on a platter. now heat two tablespoons of butter and add bread crumbs, let them brown for a minute and pour all over the spaetzle. if you prefer you may put the spaetzle right into the spider in which you have heated the butter. another way to prepare them is after having taken them out of the water, heat some butter in a spider and put in the spaetzle, and then scramble a few eggs over all, stirring eggs and spaetzle together. serve hot. sour spatzen brown three tablespoons of flour with one tablespoon of sweet drippings, add a small onion finely chopped, then cover the spider and let the onion steam for a little while; do this over a low heat so there will be no danger of the union getting too brown; add vinegar and soup stock and two tablespoons of sugar. let this boil until the sauce is of the right consistency. serve with spaetzlen made according to the foregoing recipe, using water in place of the milk to form the dough. pour the sauce over the spaetzlen before serving. by adding more sugar the sauce may be made sweet sour. leberknadel (calf liver dumplings) chop and pass through a colander one-half pound of calf's liver; rub to a cream four ounces of marrow, add the liver and stir hard. then add a little thyme, one clove of garlic grated, pepper, salt and a little grated lemon peel, the yolks of two eggs and one whole egg. then add enough grated bread crumbs or rolled crackers to this mixture to permit its being formed into little marbles. drop in boiling salt water and let cook fifteen minutes; drain, roll in fine crumbs and fry in hot fat. milk or potato noodles boil seven or eight potatoes, peel and let them stand several hours to dry; then grate them and add two eggs, salt and enough flour to make a dough thick enough to roll. roll into long, round noodles as thick as two pencils and cut to length of baking-pan. butter pan and lay noodles next to each other; cover with milk and lumps of butter and bake fifteen minutes, till yellow; serve immediately with bread crumbs browned in butter. kartoffel kloesse (potato dumplings) boil about eight potatoes in their jackets and when peeled lay them on a platter overnight. when ready to use them next day, grate, add two eggs, salt, a little nutmeg if desired, one wine-glass of farina, a tablespoon of chicken fat, one scant cup of flour gradually, and if not dry enough add more flour, but be sure not to make the mixture too stiff as this makes the balls heavy. place balls in salted boiling water, cook until light and thoroughly done, serve just, as they are or fried in chicken fat until brown. the dumplings may be made of the same mixture and in the centre of each dumpling place stripes of bread one inch long and one-fourth inch thick which have been fried in chicken fat and onions. flour your hands well and make into dumplings. put into boiling-salted water, boil about twenty-five minutes. serve at once with chopped onions browned, or browned bread crumbs and chicken fat. wiener kartoffel kloesse boil eight potatoes. when they are very soft drain off every drop of water, lay them on a clean baking-board and mash them while hot with a rolling-pin, adding about one cup of flour. when thoroughly mashed, break in two eggs, salt to taste, and flavor with grated nutmeg. now flour the board thickly and foil out this potato dough about as thick as your little finger and spread with the following: heat some fresh goose fat in a spider, cut up part of an onion very fine, add it to the hot fat together with one-half cup of grated bread crumbs. when brown, spread over the dough and roll just as you would a jelly-roll. cut into desired lengths (about three or four inches), put them in boiling water, slightly salted, and boil uncovered for about fifteen minutes. pour some hot goose grease over the dumplings. bairische dampfnudeln, no. soak one cake of compressed yeast in a cup of lukewarm milk with a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of salt, and sift a pint of flour in a bowl, in which you may also stir a small cup of milk and one egg. pour in the yeast and work all thoroughly, adding more flour, but guarding against getting the dough too stiff. cover up the bowl of dough and let it raise until it is as high again, which will take at least four hours. flour a baking-board and mold small biscuits out of your dough, let them raise at least half an hour. then butter a large, round, deep pan and set in your dumplings, brushing each with melted butter as you do so. when all are in, pour in enough milk to reach just half way up to the dumplings. bake until a light brown. eat hot, with vanilla sauce. bairische dampfnudeln, no. make the dough just as you would in the above recipe, adding a tablespoon of butter, and after they have risen steam instead of baking them. if you have no steamer improvise one in this way: put on a kettle of boiling water, set a colander on top of the kettle and lay in your dumplings, but do not crowd them; cover with a close-fitting lid and put a weight on top of it to keep in the steam, when done they will be as large again as when first put in. take up one at first to try whether it is done by tearing open with two forks. if you have more than enough for your family, bake a pan of biscuits out of the remaining dough. serve dumplings hot with prune sauce. apple slump pare, core and quarter apples, add a little water and sugar to taste, stew until tender and cover with the following mixture: sift one pint of flour and one teaspoon of baking powder, add a pinch of salt and two cups of milk, mix and turn out onto a lightly floured board. roll to one-half inch thickness and place over the stewed apples, cover and cook for ten minutes without lifting the lid. serve hot with cream and sugar or soft custard. boiled apple dumplings beat well, without separating, two eggs, add a pinch of salt, two cups of milk and one cup of flour. to a second cup of flour, add two teaspoons of baking powder; add this to the batter and as much more flour as is necessary to make a soft dough. roll out quickly one-half inch thick. cut into squares, lay two or three quarters of pared apples on each, sprinkle with sugar and pinch the dough around the apples. have a number of pudding cloths ready, wrung out of cold water, and sprinkle well with flour. put a dumpling in each, leave a little room for swelling and tie tightly. drop into a kettle of rapidly boiling water and keep the water at a steady boil for an hour. serve hot with hard sauce. have a saucer in the bottom of kettle to prevent burning. farina dumplings beat yolks of four eggs with three tablespoons of goose, turkey or chicken fat, but if these are not convenient, clear beef drippings will do. put in enough farina to make a good batter. beat whites of eggs to a stiff froth with pinch of salt, and stir in batter. put on in large boiler sufficient water to boil dumplings and add one tablespoon of salt. when boiling drop in by tablespoons. boil one hour. this quantity makes twenty dumplings. huckleberry dumplings take a loaf of stale bread; cut off the crust and soak in cold water, then squeeze dry. beat three eggs light, yolks and whites together add one quart berries and mix all together with a little brown sugar and a pinch of salt. boil steadily one hour, serve with hard sauce. plum knoedel (hungarian) boil several potatoes, mash, mix with one egg yolk, a little salt and enough flour to make a dough soft enough to hold the impress of the finger. roll out and cut into four-cornered pieces; in each square place a german plum which has had the pits removed and a mixture of sugar and cinnamon; put in place of the pit. roll each square into a round dumpling; put these into a pan with boiling; salted water and let them cook covered for six or eight minutes. when done, serve with some bread crumbs browned in butter or schmalz and spread over the knoedel. pear dumpling (birne kloesse) take half a loaf of white bread or as much stale white bread, soak the white part and grate the crust, add one cup of suet chopped very fine, one cup of flour, one egg, salt and spices to taste, and one-half teaspoon of baking-powder. make this into a dumpling, put it on a tiny plate in a large kettle. lay prunes and pears around, about a pound of each, one cup of brown sugar, two pieces of stick cinnamon, dash of claret and cold water to almost cover; then cover kettle tightly and boil four hours. serve hot. prunes and dried apples may be used as well. peach dumplings make a dough of a quart of flour and a pint of milk, or water, a tablespoon of shortening, a pinch of salt, one egg and a spoon of sugar; add a piece of compressed yeast, which has previously been dissolved in water. let the dough raise for three hours. in the meantime make a compote of peaches by stewing them with sugar and spices, such as cinnamon and cloves. stew enough to answer for both sauce and filling. when raised, flour the baking-board and roll out the dough half an inch thick. cut cakes out of it with a tumbler, brush the edges with white of egg, put a teaspoon of peach compote in the centre of a cake and cover it with another layer of cake and press the edges firmly together. steam over boiling water and serve with peach sauce. a delicious dessert may also be made by letting the dough rise another half hour after being rolled out, and before cutting. compote of huckleberries may be used with these dumplings instead of peaches, if so desired. cherry roley-poley make a rich baking-powder biscuit dough, and roll it out until it is about two-thirds of an inch thick. pit and stew enough cherries to make a thick layer of fruit and add sugar to taste. spread them over the dough thickly and roll it up, taking care to keep the cherries from falling out. wrap a cloth around it, and sew it up loosely with coarse thread, which is easily pulled out. allow plenty of room for the dough to rise. lay the roley-poley on a plate, set it in a steamer and steam for an hour and a half. serve in slices, with cream or sauce. shabbas kugel soak five wheat rolls in water, then press the bread quite dry, add one cup of drippings or one-half pound of suet chopped very fine, a pinch of salt, two eggs well beaten, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one grated lemon rind, one-half cup of sugar, one tablespoon of water. stir all together thoroughly, grease the kugel pot well with warm melted fat, pour in the mixture and send it friday afternoon to the bakery where it will remain till saturday noon; it will then be baked brown. if one has a coal range that will retain the heat for the length of time required, it will be baked nicely. the kugel must be warm, however, when served. kugel (scharfe) if one desires an unsweetened kugel omit the sugar and cinnamon in the recipe above and season with salt and pepper. when required for any other meal but shabbas, a kugel can be baked brown in two hours. kugel soak five ounces of white bread--it may be stale bread--in cold water; then squeeze out every bit of water, put it in a bowl, add three-fourths cup of soft goose fat in small pieces, five whole eggs; one cup of flour, one-half cup of sugar, one-fourth cup of cracker meal, three apples and two pears cut in small pieces, two dozen raisins with the seeds removed, salt to taste, a tiny pinch of pepper, one-quarter teaspoon each of cinnamon and allspice. mix all well together, and pour into an iron pan that has the bottom well covered with goose-fat; stick a few pieces of cut apple or pear in the top of the pudding. pour a cup of cold water over all; place in the oven to bake. bake slowly for five or six hours. if the water cooks out before it is ready to brown, add more. bake brown, top and bottom. noodle kugel cook three cups of broad noodles in salted boiling water ten minutes. drain and add three-fourths cup of chicken or goose fat and four eggs, well beaten. place in a well-greased iron pot and bake until the top of the kugel is well browned. serve hot with raspberry jelly or stewed fruit of any kind. pear kugel cream one cup of rendered fat with one cup of sugar, add one-half loaf of bread, previously soaked and pressed dry, a little salt, one-fourth cup of flour. grease pudding-dish and put in alternate layers of the mixture and pears that have been boiled with water, sugar and claret. bake slowly three hours. kraut kugel chop up cabbage and let stew in fat slowly until quite brown. do this the day previous to using. next day mix in with the stewed cabbage one-fourth of a loaf of bread soaked in water and squeezed dry, one-half cup of flour, one-half cup of brown sugar, one-eighth pound of raisins, some finely chopped citron, one-fourth pound of almonds (mixed with a few bitter almonds), one-half teaspoon of salt, some cinnamon and allspice, about a teaspoon, juice and peel of one lemon and four eggs. mix all thoroughly, pour into well-greased iron pan (kugel pot) and bake slowly. apple kugel soak half a loaf of bread in water and squeeze dry, shave a cup of suet very fine and cut up some tart apples in thin slices. add sugar, raisins, cinnamon, about one-quarter cup of pounded almonds and the yolks of three eggs. mix all thoroughly. add whites beaten to a stiff froth last. bake one hour. rice kugel boil one cup of rice in water until done, then let it cool. in the meanwhile rub one-fourth cup of chicken-fat to a cream, add a scant cup of powdered sugar, a little cinnamon, the grated peel of one lemon, the yolks of three eggs, adding one at a time; one-half cup of raisins seeded, one-half pound of stewed prunes pitted, then add the cold rice. one-half cup of pounded almonds mixed with a few bitter ones improves this pudding. serve with a pudding sauce, either wine or brandy. this pudding may be eaten hot or cold and may be either baked or boiled. if baked, one hour is required; if boiled, two hours; the water must be kept boiling steadily. left-over rice may be used, butter instead of the fat, and the rice may be boiled in milk. apple schalet, no. take one pound of fresh beef heart fat, shave it as fine as possible with a knife. sift one quart of flour into a deep bowl, add two tumblers of ice-cold water, one tablespoon of brown sugar, a saltspoon of salt, then add the shaved heart fat and work well into the sifted flour. put it on a pie-board and work as you would bread dough, with the palm of your hand, until it looks smooth enough to roll. do not work over five minutes. now take half of this dough, flour your pie-board slightly and roll out as you would pie dough, about once as thick. grease a deep pudding-dish (an iron one is best), one that is smaller at the bottom than the top, grease it well, line the pudding-dish, bottom and sides, clear to the top, fill this one-third full with chopped tart apples, raisins, part of a grated lemon peel, citron cut quite fine, pounded almonds and melted drippings here and there. sprinkle thickly with sugar, half brown and half white, and a little ground cinnamon. moisten each layer with one-half wine-glass of wine. now put another layer of dough, rolling out half of the remaining dough and reserving the other half for the top covering, fill again with apples, raisins, etc., until full, then put on top layer. press the dough firmly together all round the edge, using a beaten egg to make sure of its sticking. roll the side dough over the top with a knife and pour a cup of water over the pudding before setting it in the oven. time for baking, two hours. if the top browns too quickly, cover. this advantage of this pudding is, it may be baked the day previous to using, in fact, it is better the oftener it is warmed over--always adding a cup of water before setting it in the oven. before serving the pudding turn it out carefully on a large platter, pour a wine-glass of brandy which has been slightly sweetened over the pudding and light it, carry to the table in flames. a novice had better try this pudding plain, omitting the wine, brandy, almonds and citron, moistening with water instead of wine before baking. almost as nice and very good for ordinary use. some apples require more water than others, the cook having to use her own judgment regarding the amount required. apple schalet, no. line an iron pudding-dish with schalet dough, greasing it well before you do so. chop up some apples quite fine, put on the crust, also some raisins (seeded), sugar and cinnamon, then put another layer of pie and another layer of chopped apples, and so on until filled, say about three layers, the last being crust. bake slowly and long until a nice dark brown. schalet dough (merber deck) cream four tablespoons of drippings, add a pinch of salt, two tablespoons of granulated sugar, beat in well one egg, add one cup of sifted flour and enough cold water to moisten dough so that it can be rolled out--about three tablespoons will be sufficient; it depends on the dryness of the flour how much is required. noodle schalet make the quantity of noodles desired, then boil. when done, drain through colander, pouring cold water over the noodles. when all the water has drained off, beat up three eggs in a large bowl, mix the noodles with the beaten eggs. grease an iron pudding dish with plenty of goose grease or drippings, put in a layer of noodles, then sprinkle one-fourth cup of sugar, some pounded almonds, the grated peel of one lemon and a few raisins; sprinkle some melted fat over this, then add another layer of noodles, some more sugar and proceed as with the other layer until all the noodles are used. bake two hours. broad or fine noodles are equally good for this schalet. if desired, one tart apple chopped very fine may be added with the almonds. carrot schalet boil one pound of carrots, let them get perfectly cold before grating them. in the meanwhile cream a heaping tablespoon of drippings or chicken fat and four tablespoons of sugar, add gradually the yolks of four eggs, the grated peel of one lemon, one teaspoon of cinnamon, a little grated nutmeg, three tablespoons of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, pinch of salt, and the beaten whites last. heat a few tablespoons of fat in a pudding dish, pour in the mixture and bake in a moderate oven one hour, then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon and return to oven for a few moments to brown. serve hot. seven layer schalet take two cups of flour, one egg, three tablespoons of fat, one cup of water, a little sugar, pinch of salt, and knead lightly. put dough aside in a cold place while you prepare a mixture of one cup of sugar, one and one-half teaspoons of cinnamon and three tablespoons of bread crumbs. cut dough in seven pieces and roll out each piece separately. place one layer on a greased baking-tin and spread the layer with melted fat and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon; place upon this the second layer, sprinkle on this two ounces of sweet and bitter almonds which have been grated and mixed with sugar; over this place the third layer and spread with oil, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and one-half pound of cleaned, seedless raisins. place the fourth layer on and spread with jelly and one-half pound of citron cut up very small. cover over with another layer, spread fat and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and grated lemon peel and juice of lemon. place the sixth layer and spread and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. put on the last layer and spread with fat and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. cut in four-cornered pieces and bake thoroughly and until a nice brown. this schalet may be made and left whole; a frosting put on top and when well baked will keep for a month or more. boiled potato pudding stir the yolks of four eggs with one-half cup of sugar, add one-half cup of blanched and pounded almonds; grate in the peel, also the juice of one lemon, one-half pound of grated potatoes that have been boiled the day before. lastly add the stiffly beaten whites, some salt and more potatoes, if necessary. grease your pudding-pan well, pour in the mixture and bake. set in a pan of water in oven; water in pan must not reach higher than one-half way up the pudding-form. bake one-half hour. turn out on platter and serve with a wine, chocolate, or lemon sauce. one can bake in an iron pudding-form without the water. potato schalet peel and grate five or six large potatoes and one onion. soak some bread and two or three crackers. press out the water and add to the potatoes and onion, salt to taste. add two tablespoons of boiling fat and one beaten egg. have plenty of hot fat in pan, put in the pudding, pour over it one cup of cold water. bake in hot oven one hour. two slices of white bread, one inch thick, will be sufficient bread for this schalet. sweet potato pudding take one quart of grated, raw sweet potatoes, one tablespoon leach of meat fat and chicken fat, one half pound of brown sugar, one-half pint of molasses, one and one-half pints of cold water, one saltspoon of salt and a little black pepper, grated orange peel, ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon to taste. pour into greased baking-pan and bake until it jellies. bake in moderate oven. may be eaten as a dessert, warm or cold. apple strudel, no. sift two cups of flour, add pinch of salt and one teaspoon of powdered sugar. stir in slowly one cup of lukewarm water, and work until dough does not stick to the hands. flour board, and roll, as thin as possible. do not tear. place a tablecloth on table, put the rolled out dough on it, and pull gently with the hands, to get the dough as thin as tissue paper. have ready six apples chopped fine, and mixed with cinnamon, sugar, one-half cup of seedless raisins, one-half cup of currants. spread this over the dough with plenty of chicken-fat or oil all over the apples. take the tablecloth in both hands, and roll the strudel, over and over, holding the cloth high, and the strudel will almost roll itself. grease a baking-pan, hold to the edge of the cloth, and roll the strudel in. bake brown, basting often with fat or oil. apple strudel, no. into a large mixing bowl place one and one-half cups of flour and one-quarter teaspoon of salt. beat one egg lightly and add it to one-third cup of warm water and combine the two mixtures. mix the dough quickly with a knife; then knead it, place on board, stretching it up and down to make it elastic, until it leaves the board clean. now toss it on a well-floured board, cover with a hot bowl and keep in a warm place. while preparing the filling lay the dough in the centre of a well-floured tablecloth on the table; roll out a little, brush well with some melted butter, and with hands under dough, palms down, pull and stretch the dough gently, until it is as large as the table and thin as paper, and do not tear the dough. spread one quart of sour apples, peeled and cut fine, one-quarter pound of almonds blanched and chopped, one-half cup of raisins and currants, one cup of sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon, evenly over three-quarters of the dough, and drop over them a few tablespoons of melted butter. trim edges. roll the dough over apples on one side, then hold cloth high with both hands and the strudel will roll itself over and over into one big roll, trim edges again. then twist the roll to fit the greased pan. bake in a hot oven until brown and crisp and brush with melted butter. if juicy small fruits or berries are used, sprinkle bread crumbs over the stretched dough to absorb the juices. serve slightly warm. rahm strudel prepare the dough as for apple strudel as directed in the foregoing recipe, drip one quart of thick sour milk on it lightly, with a large spoon, put one cup of grated bread crumbs over the milk, add two cups of granulated sugar, one cup of chopped almonds, one cup of raisins, and one teaspoon of cinnamon, roll and place in well-buttered pan, put small pieces of butter over the top, basting frequently. serve warm with vanilla sauce. one-half this quantity may be used for a small strudel. cherry strudel make a dough of two cups of flour, a pinch of salt and a little lukewarm water; do not make it too stiff, but smooth. slap the dough back and forth. do this repeatedly for about fifteen minutes. now put the dough in a warm, covered bowl and set it in a warm, place for half an hour. in the meantime stem and pit two quarts of sour cherries. grate into them some stale bread (about a plateful); also the peel of half a lemon, and mix. add one cup of sugar, some ground cinnamon and about four ounces of pounded sweet almonds, mix all thoroughly. roll out the dough as thin as possible, lay aside the rolling-pin and pull, or rather stretch the dough as thin as tissue paper. in doing this you will have to walk all around the table, for when well stretched it will cover more than the size of an ordinary table. pull off all of the thick edge, for it must be very thin to be good (save the pieces for another strudel). pour a little melted goose-oil or butter over this, and sprinkle the bread, sugar, almonds, cherries, etc., over it; roll the strudel together into a long roll. have ready a long baking-pan well greased with either butter or goose-fat; fold the strudel into the shape of a pretzel. butter or grease top also and bake a light brown; baste often while baking. eat warm. mandel (almond) strudel prepare the dough as for apple strudel no. . blanch one-half pound of almonds and grind, when dried beat the yolks of four eggs light with one-quarter pound of granulated sugar, add the grated peel of one lemon and mix in the almonds. spread over the dough with plenty of oil, butter or fat and roll. bake; baste very often. cabbage strudel heat one-half cup of goose-fat, add one medium-sized cabbage and let it simmer until done, stirring constantly to keep from burning. while cooling prepare strudel dough, fill with cabbage and one cup of raisins and currants mixed, two cups of granulated sugar, one-half cup of chopped almonds and one teaspoon cinnamon, roll and put little pieces of grease on top; bake in hot oven and baste frequently. the pans in which the strudel is baked must be greased generously. serve this strudel hot. this strudel may be made for a milk meal by substituting butter for fat. quark strudel (dutch cheese) make a strudel or roley-poley dough and let it rest until you have prepared the cheese. take half a pound of cheese, rub it through a coarse sieve or colander, add salt, the yolks of two eggs and one whole egg, sweeten to taste. add the grated peel of one lemon, two ounces of sweet almonds, and about four bitter ones, blanched and pounded, four ounces of sultana raisins and a little citron chopped fine. now roll out as thin as possible, spread in the cheese, roll and bake, basting with sweet cream. strudel aus kalbslunge wash the lung and heart thoroughly in salt water, and put on to boil in cold water, adding salt, one onion, a few bay leaves and cook until very tender. make the dough precisely the same as any other strudel. take the boiled lung and heart, chop them as fine as possible and stew in a saucepan with some fat, adding chopped parsley, a little salt, pepper and mace, or nutmeg, the grated peel of half a lemon and a little wine. add the beaten yolks of two eggs to thicken, and remove from the fire to cool. roll out the dough as thin as possible, fill in the mixture and lay the strudel in a well-greased pan; put flakes of fat on top and baste often. eat hot. rice strudel prepare the dough same as for apple strudel. leave it in a warm place covered, until you have prepared the rice. wash a quarter of a pound of rice in hot water--about three times--then boil it in milk until very soft and thick. let it cool, and then add two ounces of butter, the yolks of four eggs, four ounces of sugar and one teaspoon of vanilla, some salt and the beaten whites of two eggs, mix thoroughly. when your dough has been rolled out and pulled as thin as possible, spread the rice over it and roll. add pounded almonds and raisins if desired. put in a greased pan and bake until brown, basting with sweet cream or butter. *cereals* the cereals are the most valuable of the vegetable foods, including as they do the grains from which is made nearly all the bread of the world. for family use, cereals should be bought in small quantities and kept in glass jars, tightly covered. variety is to be found in using the different cereals and preparing them in new ways. many cereals are improved by adding a little milk during the latter part of the cooking. boiling water and salt should always be added to cereals, one teaspoon salt to one cup of cereal. long cooking improves the flavor and makes the cereal more digestible. cereals should be cooked the first five minutes over the fire and then over hot-water in a double boiler; if one cannot be procured, cook cereal in a saucepan set in a larger one holding the hot water. laws about cereals to discover if cereals such as barley, wheat, oats, farina or cornmeal are kosher, place them on a hot plate, if no worms or other insects appear they are fit to be eaten, if not, they must be thrown away. if flour is mildewed it must be destroyed. oatmeal porridge as oatmeal is ground in different grades of coarseness, the time for cooking varies and it is best to follow the directions given on the packages. the meal should be cooked until soft, but should not be mushy. the ordinary rule is to put a cup of meal into two cups of salted boiling water (a teaspoon of salt), and let it cook in a double boiler the required time. keep covered until done; then remove the cover and let the moisture escape. cold oatmeal oatmeal is very good cold, and in summer is better served in that way. it can be turned into fancy molds or into small cups to cool, and will then hold the form and make an ornamental dish. oatmeal with cheese cook one cup of oatmeal overnight and just before serving add one tablespoon of butter and one cup grated cheese. stir until the cheese is melted and serve at once. baked apple with oatmeal pare and core the apples and fill the core space with left-over oatmeal mush. put the apples in a baking dish; sprinkle with sugar; pour a little water into the bottom of the pan and bake in a moderate oven until the apples are tender. serve warm with cream for breakfast or luncheon. wheat cereals wheat cereals, like oatmeal, are best cooked by following the directions on the package. most of them are greatly improved by the addition of a little milk or by a few chopped dates or whole sultana raisins. cornmeal mush mix together one cup of cornmeal and one teaspoon of salt, and add one cup of cold water gradually, stirring until smooth. pour this mixture into two cups of boiling; water in a double boiler and cook from three to five hours. serve hot with cream and sugar. sautÉd cornmeal mush put left-over mush into a dish and smooth it over the top. when cold cut into slices one-half inch thick. dip each slice into flour. melt one-half teaspoon of drippings in a frying-pan and be careful to let it get smoking hot. brown the floured slices on each side. drain if necessary and serve on a hot plate with syrup. farina to one-half cup of farina take one teaspoon of salt; pour gradually into three cups of boiling water and cook the mixture in a double boiler for about one hour. hominy get the unbroken hominy and after careful washing soak it twenty-four hours in the water. cook one cup of hominy slowly in the same water in a covered vessel for eight hours or until all the water has been absorbed by the hominy; add two tablespoons of butter, one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of cream and serve as a vegetable or as a cereal with sugar and cream. marmelitta take two cups of coarse cornmeal and four cups of cold water put on to boil; add one-half teaspoon of salt. stir the cornmeal continually and when done place on platter, spread with butter, sharf cheese or any cheese such as pot or cream cheese. to be eaten warm. polenta place one cup of yellow cornmeal and three cups of cold water in a double boiler, add one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper and cook for forty minutes. while still hot add one and one-half cups of grated cheese to the mixture and heat until it melts. turn the mixture into a greased bowl and allow it to set. the meal may be sliced an inch thick or cut with a biscuit cutter and then fried in hot vegetable oil. serve with white or tomato sauce as desired. barley, tapioca, sago, etc add one teaspoon of salt to one quart of boiling water and pour gradually on one-half cup of barley or other hard grain and boil until tender, from one to two or more hours, according to the grain, and have each kernel stand out distinct when done. add more boiling water as it evaporates. use as a vegetable or in soups. pearl barley, tapioca and sago cook quicker than other large grains. boiled rice put one-half cup of rice in a strainer; place the strainer over a bowl nearly full of cold water; rub the rice; lift the strainer from the bowl and change the water. repeat this until the water in the bowl is clear. have two quarts of water boiling briskly, add the rice and one tablespoon of salt gradually so as not to stop the boiling; boil twenty minutes or until soft, do not stir; drain through a colander and place the colander over boiling water for ten minutes to steam. every grain will be distinct. serve as a vegetable or as a cereal with cream and sugar. rice in milk clean the rice as for boiling in water; and cook one-half cup of rice with one and one-half cups of hot milk and one-half teaspoon of salt, adding a few seeded or sultana raisins if desired. serve hot like boiled rice or press into small cups, cool and serve with cream and sugar. rice with grated chocolate cook one-half cup of rice, place in hot serving dish, sprinkle generously with grated sweet chocolate; set in oven one minute and serve. steamed rice wash two cups of rice carefully put in double boiler; add eight cups of cold water and a pinch of salt and steam for two hours; do not stir. serve with any kind of stewed fruit or preserve. apples with rice boil one cup of rice in water or milk; rub the kettle all over with a piece of butter before putting in the rice, season with salt and add a lump of butter. when cooked, add about six apples, pared, quartered and cored, sugar and cinnamon. this makes a nice side dish, or dessert, served with cream. boiled rice with pineapple boil as much rice as desired and when done slice up the pineapple and add, with as much sugar as is required to sweeten to taste. baked rice arrange two cups of boiled rice in a baking dish in layers, covering each with grated cheese, a little milk, butter, salt and red pepper. spread one cup of grated bread crumbs over all and bake in a moderate oven until the crumbs are browned. sweet rice clean and wash one cup of rice. put on to boil with cold water, add a pinch of salt. when done drain off the water, if any; add two cups of milk, stir in and let boil for five minutes. dish up, then sprinkle sugar and cinnamon generously over the top. the yolk of an egg can be added just before serving if desired. eggs baked in rice line a buttered dish with steamed rice. break the eggs in the centre, dot with butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper and bake in a moderate oven. rice and nut loaf boil one-half cup of rice (brown preferred); drain and dry it. mix with an equal quantity of bread crumbs. add level teaspoon of salt and one-half saltspoon of black pepper. stir in one cup of chopped nuts--pecans or peanuts. add one tablespoon of chopped parsley and one egg. mix thoroughly and pack in bread-pan to mold it. turn it from pan into baking-pan and bake slowly three-quarters of an hour. serve with cream sauce or purée of peas. pilaf put two cups of water on to boil, add juice of two tomatoes and a pinch of salt. when boiling, add one cup of rice and let cook until the water has evaporated. then add melted butter, mix well, and keep in warm place, covered, until ready to serve. spanish rice put one cup of washed rice in frying-pan with four or five tablespoons of poultry fat; add three onions chopped and two cloves of garlic minced fine. fry ten minutes; add one red pepper or one canned pimento chopped, or one teaspoon of paprika, and three ripe tomatoes or two cups of strained tomatoes and one teaspoon of salt. cook slowly about one hour, and as the water evaporates, add more boiling water to keep from burning. left-over cereals oatmeal, hominy, cracked wheat, and other cereals which are left over can be added next day to the fresh stock, for they are improved by long boiling and do not injure the new supply, or such as is left can be molded in large or in small forms, and served cold with cream, or milk and sugar. in warm weather cereals are nicer cold than hot. cold hominy and mush, cut into squares and fried, so that a crisp crust is formed on both sides,--also hominy or farina, rolled into balls and fried,--are good used in place of a vegetable or as a breakfast dish. any of the cereals make good pancakes, or a small amount added to the ordinary pancake batter improves it. *eggs* eggs and the foods into which they enter are favorite articles of diet in most households. they are an agreeable substitute for meat and even when high in price make a cheaper dish than meat. a fresh egg should feel heavy, sink in water, and when held to a bright light show a clear round yolk. to preserve eggs in the early spring or fall when eggs are plentiful and at their best, pack them away for future use. use strictly fresh eggs with perfect shells (no cracks). buy water glass at drugstore. use ten parts water to one of water glass. boil water, when cool add water glass and beat well. use an earthen jar or crock, pack in rows and pour over the liquid mixture to cover well. place old plate over eggs in crock to keep them under water. put cover on jar and keep in cool place. more eggs may be added at any time if well covered with the liquid mixture. for fifteen dozen eggs use one quart water glass. to keep egg yolks the yolks may be kept several days and be as if just separated from the whites if they are placed in a cup previously rinsed with cold water and a pinch of salt added to them. the cup must be closely covered with a wet cloth, and this must be changed and well rinsed in cold water every day. when whites are left over make a small angel cake or any of the cookies which require the whites of egg only. when yolks are left over use for making mayonnaise. poached or dropped eggs fill a pan with boiling, salted water. break each egg into a wet saucer and slip it into the water; set the pan back where water will not boil. dip the water over the eggs with a spoon. when the white is firm and a film has formed over the yolk, they are cooked. take them up with a skimmer, drain and serve hot, on toast. season with salt. boiled eggs soft-boiled eggs may be prepared in two ways. the eggs may be dropped carefully into boiling water and boiled three minutes, or they may be placed in a covered vessel of boiling water and allowed to stand in a warm place (but not on the stove) for ten minutes. eggs prepared in this way are sometimes called "coddled eggs." they are much more delicate and digestible than the usual "boiled eggs." hard-boiled eggs should be cooked in boiling water for fifteen or twenty minutes and then dropped in cold water to prevent the yolk from turning dark. scrambled eggs break into a bowl as many eggs as required, add salt and pepper. have some very hot butter in the frying-pan on the stove; pour in the eggs, stir constantly until set, not stiff, and serve on a hot platter at once. fried eggs melt in a frying-pan a piece of butter, or fat for a meat meal. when hot, drop in the eggs, one at a time, being careful not to break the yolk. when the white of the egg is set they are done, though some persons like them turned over and cooked on the other side. remove from the pan with a cake turner. baked eggs butter individual baking dishes and break an egg in each, being careful to keep the yolk whole. put on each egg a bit of butter, a little pepper and salt. bake in moderate oven from four to six minutes. baked eggs with cheese butter a baking dish of a size necessary for number of eggs desired, break eggs into dish, add salt, paprika, pepper to taste, one tablespoon of cream, and two tablespoons of grated cheese. place dish in a pan of hot water in moderate oven for five minutes until eggs are set. tomato with egg cut top from tomatoes, remove seeds, put a raw egg in each tomato, dust with salt, pepper, and finely chopped parsley. place in moderate oven until egg is set. serve with cream sauce. baked egg with tomatoes remove the skin from six fresh tomatoes or take one-half can of tomatoes, chop them and put them on stove and cook for twenty minutes; season with one tablespoon of chopped parsley, half an onion chopped, salt and pepper; thicken at the end of that time with one teaspoon of melted butter mixed with one tablespoon of flour. put aside to cool. then mix in the yolks of four eggs well beaten, and lastly cut and fold in the four whites. butter a pudding dish and set this mixture in the oven in a pan of lukewarm water and bake in a moderate oven until a golden brown. plain omelet to make an omelet for breakfast or luncheon for two persons, take three eggs, three tablespoons of sweet milk and a saltspoon of salt. whip the yolks of the eggs, the milk and salt to a light foam with an egg whip. slowly add the yolk mixture to the whites of the eggs, which should be beaten to a stiff froth in a big bowl. after the yolks and milk are well whipped through the whites, beat the whole together for a few minutes with the egg-beater. in an omelet pan or a large frying-pan put a tablespoon of good butter. when the butter is bubbling hot, pour in the omelet mixture. stir it lightly for the first minute with a broad-bladed knife, then stop stirring it; and, as the mixture begins to stiffen around the edge, fold the omelet toward the centre with the knife. as soon as it is properly folded, turn it over on a hot platter. decorate with sprigs of parsley and serve. sweet omelet six eggs, two tablespoons of flour, one cup of cold milk. wet the flour with a little of the milk, then add the rest of the milk and the yolks of the eggs. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and pour into the flour, milk and yolks. put a piece of butter into a spider and let it get hot, but not so hot that the butter will burn. then pour the mixture in and put in a moderate oven to bake in the spider. it takes about ten minutes to bake. then slip a knife under it and loosen it and slip off on a large plate. sift powdered sugar on top and serve with a slice of lemon. sweet omelet for one one egg, beat white separately, two tablespoons of cold sweet milk, a pinch of salt. brown on both sides or roll, spread with compote or sprinkle powdered sugar thickly over it. serve at once. spanish omelet in a chopping bowl place two nice large ripe tomatoes, first peeling them; one large or two medium-sized white texas onions, two sprigs of parsley, and one large green-bell pepper, first removing most of its seeds. chop these ingredients well together quite fine, turn them into a saucepan and let them cook over rather a brisk heat until quite soft. put no water in this mixture. add a tablespoon of olive oil or of butter before it begins to cook and season well with salt and red pepper. make the omelet the same as the plain one, but use water instead of milk in mixing it, and only use two tablespoons of water for the six eggs required. after the eggs are sufficiently beaten, mixed, and in the pan over the fire, and when the edges begin to stiffen, cover the surface of the omelet to within an inch of the edge with the cooked vegetables. fold the omelet quickly and turn it on a hot platter. pour around it all the vegetables left in the pan and serve. rum omelet take six eggs, beat whites and yolks well, add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of brandy. fry in a spider quickly and spread with a compote of huckleberries or any other fruit. roll up the omelet, pour a very small wineglass of rum over it, light it and serve at once. sweet almond omelet prepare one-half cup of sweet almonds, blanched, chopped fine and pounded smooth. beat four eggs slightly, add four tablespoons of cream and turn it into a hot omelet pan on which you have melted one tablespoon, of butter. cook carefully, drawing the cooked portion into the centre and tilting the pan to allow the liquid part to run over the bare pan. when nearly all set, sprinkle the almonds over the surface and turn the edges over until well rolled. then slip it out on a hot dish and dredge with powdered sugar, and scatter several salted almonds over the top. serve immediately. corn omelet take one-half cup of canned corn and chop it very fine (or the same amount cut from the cob). add to that the yolk of one egg, well beaten with pepper and salt to taste, and two tablespoons of cream. beat the white of the egg very stiff and stir in just before cooking. have the pan very hot and profusely buttered. pour the mixture on, and when nicely browned, turn one half over the other, as in cooking other omelets. herb omelet take six eggs and beat well in a bowl. add two tablespoons of cold water and a quarter of a teaspoon of salt, a pinch of pepper, a teaspoon of chopped parsley, a quarter of a teaspoon of grated onion and a teaspoon of fine butter, shaved in little pieces. mix well with a wooden spoon. dissolve in the spider the butter and add at once the beaten eggs, etc., inclining the spider to the handle for an instant and then shaking the omelet into the centre and turn up the right edge, then the left and fry briskly five minutes and serve. poached eggs with fried tomatoes fry tomatoes (cut one-half inch thick) in butter, pepper and salt. have prepared slices of bread cut round, and fried in butter. put on a hot platter with a slice of tomato on each. poach as many eggs as are required, in boiling salt water. lift out very carefully, placing one egg on each tomato. add to the gravy in which tomatoes were fried, two tablespoons of cream, one teaspoon of any pungent sauce, one teaspoon of mushroom catsup, juice of half a lemon, and a teaspoon of flour to thicken. cook up once and pour over eggs. serve very hot. eggs poached in tomato sauce make a sauce of one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of flour, one and one-half cups of canned tomatoes rubbed through a strainer, a pinch of soda, salt, pepper and sugar to taste. when sufficiently cooked drop in the required number of eggs, cook until the white is firm, basting the eggs often with the sauce. when done, lift the eggs carefully to squares of toast and pour the sauce around them. eggs piquant set to boil the following mixture: pour into the kettle water to the depth of about one inch, adding a little salt and half a cup of vinegar. when this boils, break in as many fresh eggs, one at a time, as you desire to have. do this carefully so as not to break the yolks. as soon as the whites of the eggs are boiled, take up carefully with a perforated skimmer and lay in cold water. then remove to a large platter and pour over the following sauce: strain the sauce the eggs were boiled in and set away until you have rubbed or grated two hard-boiled eggs, yolks only. add a tablespoon of butter rubbed very hard and add also some sugar and part of the strained sauce. boil up once and pour over the eggs. garnish with parsley. omelet soufflÉ yolks of six eggs and six tablespoons of powdered sugar, added gradually, and both beaten together until thick and smooth; juice of one lemon and a little grated rind; whites beaten as stiff as possible, stirred together. put into a warm well-buttered dish; bake in quick oven ten minutes. white sauce omelet make a white sauce of one tablespoon of butter blended with two tablespoons of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, pinch of pepper and one teaspoon of sugar, adding one-half cup each of milk and cream. beat the yolks of five eggs and stir them into the sauce, then add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, folding them in carefully. melt two tablespoons of butter in the omelet pan, when it is hot put in the mixture and let it stand in a moderate heat for two minutes, place in a hot oven and cook until set. remove from the oven, turn on a hot platter and serve. eggs with cream dressing blend two tablespoons of butter with three tablespoons of flour. place on range and stir until the butter is melted. add one and one-half cups of milk, stirring all the time until the mixture is thick; season with one teaspoon of salt and a few grains of pepper. separate the whites of six hard-boiled eggs from the yolks. chop the whites fine and add to the dressing. arrange slices of toast on a hot platter, pour the dressing over them; force the yolks through a ricer onto the toast and dressing; serve hot. scalloped eggs use above recipe and mix one cup of bread crumbs with one tablespoon of butter, sprinkle this over dish and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. eggs À la mexicana boil six dried spanish peppers twenty minutes. drain, remove the seeds, and chop fine. fry in butter half an onion and one clove of garlic. add one cup of uncooked rice, cover with one cup of water and cook till tender. add a lump of butter, salt, and, when done, cover with six eggs; then scramble all together. serve on a hot dish. eggs spanish boil eggs hard; after cooling, remove shells and halve lengthwise. cook for thirty minutes fresh or canned tomatoes with minced green onions, garlic, parsley, a laurel leaf, salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper to taste. strain. melt a slice of butter, add a little flour, and then add sauce gradually. cook ten minutes; place eggs carefully in sauce and serve. fresh mushrooms with eggs peel nine good-sized mushrooms without using the stems and chop very fine; fry two tablespoons of butter and two finely chopped onions without browning. add the mushrooms and steam them by covering the pan after seasoning with salt, pepper and paprika. before serving, beat six whole eggs and scramble with the mushrooms. serve on hot buttered toast. egg rarebit make a cream sauce. grate one-half pound american and swiss cheese mixed, or american alone; add to the sauce. chop three hard-boiled eggs, add to the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and serve on buttered toast. krosphada place two sliced onions with two ounces each of sugar and spices, pepper and salt to taste, in a pint of pure malt vinegar and boil gently until the onions are nearly done. let it cool a little and then stir in six beaten eggs and sufficient crumbled ginger-bread to make the whole quite thick. place again over the fire for a few minutes, stirring frequently and mashing the mixture into a uniform paste, but be very careful that it does not boil. curried eggs melt four tablespoons of butter in a frying-pan, add one onion chopped fine and cook until straw colored. then add one tablespoon of curry powder. make a smooth paste of one-fourth of a cup of water and two tablespoons of flour; add one tablespoon of lemon juice and one-half teaspoon of salt. add to the first mixture; boil five minutes. arrange six hard-boiled eggs in a border of rice and pour the dressing over all. fricasseed eggs take six hard-boiled eggs, remove shells. roll them in flour, then in egg to which has been added one-half teaspoon of oil, one-half teaspoon of vinegar, a few drops of onion juice, one teaspoon chopped parsley, a little nutmeg and salt. when quite covered, roll in vermicelli that has been broken into fine bits and fry in deep beef drippings. serve with the following sauce: one tablespoon of fat; one tablespoon of flour, browned together; add one-half cup of white wine and a cup of bouillon. season with salt and cayenne and boil five minutes. add one teaspoon each of chopped chives and parsley, some chopped olives and mushrooms; bring to a boil again and pour over the eggs. eggs en marinade mix equal quantities of water and good meat gravy, two tablespoons each, with a teaspoon of vinegar and a seasoning of pepper and salt. put in a stew-pan and stir in gradually two well-beaten, yolks of eggs. when it thickens and before it boils, have ready a half dozen nicely poached eggs and pour the sauce over them. garnish with parsley. scalloped eggs (fleischig) make a force-meat of chopped tongue, bread crumbs, pepper, salt, a little parsley, one tablespoon of melted fat, and soup stock enough to make a soft paste. half fill patty-pans with the mixture. break an egg carefully on the top of each, sprinkle with a little salt, pepper and cracker dust. put in the oven and bake about ten minutes. serve hot. scrambled eggs with brains scald brains with hot water, clean and skin, and boil a few minutes in fresh water. melt a little fat in skillet, put in brains, finely chopped, and stir well until dry and done. add one teaspoon of chopped parsley, pinch of salt, and three eggs well-beaten. stir with a fork until eggs are evenly cooked, put on hot platter, and serve immediately. scrambled eggs with sausage take one pound of cold, boiled sausage, skin and slice in half-inch pieces. place in a frying-pan with two tablespoons of hot fat; brown on both sides a few minutes and just before serving add three eggs, beaten slightly; mix; and cook until the eggs are set and serve immediately. chopped tongue root may be used instead of sausage. smoked brisket of beef and eggs take slices of smoked breast of beef, brown in frying-pan; place on hot platter. slip as many eggs as are needed in frying-pan and cook gently by dripping the hot fat over them until done. place carefully on the beef slices and serve at once. *cheese* cheese should not be tightly covered. when it becomes dry and hard, grate and keep covered until ready to use. it may be added to starchy foods. care should be exercised in planning meals in which cheese is employed as a substitute for meat. as cheese dishes are inclined to be somewhat "heavy," they should be offset by crisp, watery vegetables, water cress, celery, lettuce, fruit salads and light desserts, preferably fresh or cooked fruit. another point, too, is to be considered. whether raw or cooked, cheese seems to call for the harder kinds of bread--crusty rolls or biscuits, zwieback, toast, pulled bread or hard crackers. a soft, crumbly cheese is best for cooking. cheese is sufficiently cooked when melted, if cooked longer it becomes tough and leathery. baking-soda in cheese dishes which are cooked makes the casein more digestible. cottage cheese (pot cheese) heat sour milk slowly until the whey rises to the top; pour it off, put the curd in a bag and let it dry for six hours without squeezing it. pour it into a bowl and break it fine with a wooden spoon. season with salt. mold into balls and keep in a cool place. it is best when fresh. koch kaese (boiled cheese) press one quart of fine cottage cheese through a coarse sieve or colander and set it away in a cool place for a week, stirring it once or twice during that time; when it has become quite strong, stir it smooth with a wooden or silver spoon; add a saltspoon of salt and one-fourth as much of caraway seed, yolks of two eggs and an even tablespoon of flour which has been previously dissolved in about one-half cup of cold milk; stir the flour and milk until it is a smooth paste, adding a lump of butter, about the size of an egg; add all to the cheese. put the cheese on to boil until quite thick; stirring occasionally; boil altogether about one-half hour, stirring constantly the last ten minutes; the cheese must look smooth as velvet. pour it into a dish which has been previously rinsed in cold water. set it away in a cool place; to keep it any length of time, cover it with a clean cloth which has been dipped in and wrung out of beer. this cheese is excellent for rye bread sandwiches. a delicious cream cheese sweet milk is allowed to stand until it is like a jelly, but does not separate. then it is poured into a cheese-cloth bag and hung up to drain until all the water is out of it and only the rich creamy substance remains. sometimes it takes from twelve to twenty-four hours. at the end of this time the cheese is turned from the bag into a bowl; then to every pint of the cheesy substance a tablespoon of butter is added and enough salt to season it palatably. then it is whipped up with a fork until it is a smooth paste and enough put on a plate to make a little brick, like a philadelphia cheese. with two knives, one in each hand, lightly press the cheese together in the shape of a brick, smooth it over the top and put it away to cool. one quart of rich sour milk will make a good sized cheese. cheese balls, no. take one cake of cream cheese, one-quarter of a pound of chopped figs, one-quarter of a pound of chopped walnuts, roll into balls and serve on lettuce leaves. cheese balls, no. mix one cake neufchatel cheese, a piece of butter the size of the cheese, one tablespoon of cream, one-quarter teaspoon of salt and six dashes of tabasco sauce and form one large ball or several small ones and roll in chopped pecan nuts. cheese soufflÉ dissolve one and one-half tablespoons of butter, add one tablespoon of flour, stir until it loosens from the pan; add one and one-half cups of rich milk, pepper and salt. take from the fire, add gradually four egg yolks and three-quarters of a cup of grated cheese, then the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in a hot oven in china ramekins about fifteen minutes and serve immediately. cheese timbals for twelve people take one pint of milk, four tablespoons of flour, and use enough of the milk to dissolve the flour, the balance put in double boiler; when it boils, add the dissolved flour, then add one-quarter pound imported swiss cheese grated. let these two boil for fifteen minutes; when cool, add the yolks of four eggs; drop one in at a time and beat, then strain through a fine sieve about ten minutes before you put in the pans; beat the whites of two eggs and put in the above and mix; grease timbal forms, fill three-quarters full only; bake in pan of boiling water twenty minutes. let them stand about two minutes, turn out on little plates, and serve with tomato sauce, a sprig of parsley put on top of each one. welsh rarebit melt one tablespoon of butter, add two cups finely cut american cheese, when it melts add one-half cup of milk or stale beer, keep stirring until it is smooth. add one-half teaspoon of english mustard, two beaten eggs. cook one minute longer and salt to taste. serve on toast. golden buck one pound of cheese, one-eighth pound of butter, one-half glass of ale, one teaspoon of mustard, one egg (well beaten), and salt and paprika. put butter in pan, and when melted add cheese cut up or grated; stir, and as cheese melts, add ale. when it begins to bubble, add egg well beaten. stir continually to keep from getting stringy. in two or three minutes it will be ready to serve. pour over hot buttered toast. this quantity is sufficient for four persons. cheese bread take six thick slices of stale bread, well buttered; cut them in two; dip into milk; then place in a baking dish, with alternating layers of thinly sliced cheese, having cheese for top. add half a cup of milk, into which a half teaspoon of dry mustard has been put. bake in quick oven fifteen minutes. serve at once. green corn, tomatoes and cheese into one tablespoon of melted butter stir two cups of grated cheese until it, too, is melted. add three-quarters of a cup of canned or grated fresh corn, one ripe green pepper, stir them, add one egg yolk mixed with one-half cup of tomato purée, one teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of paprika. toast five slices of bread and pour this mixture over it. serve hot. rice and cheese melt two ounces of butter in a stew-pan; fry in the buttery finely minced onion. when this is of a nice golden color stir into it a quarter of a pound of well-boiled rice. work it well with a fork and then pour all into a buttered pie dish. dredge over with a good coating of grated cheese, sprinkle the surface with melted butter and bake until nicely browned. macaroni and cheese break three ounces of macaroni--noodles or spaghetti answer equally well--into small pieces, boil in rapidly boiling salted water; when tender drain off the water and add half a pint of milk; cook slowly till the macaroni has absorbed most of the milk. to half a pint of thick white sauce add two ounces of grated cheese and mix with the macaroni; last of all add two well-beaten eggs. butter a pudding mold, sprinkle it with browned bread crumbs and pour in the macaroni mixture; steam gently for about half an hour, turn out and fill the centre with stewed tomatoes and mushrooms. cheese omelet cook in double boiler one cup of milk, add one tablespoon of butter, one tablespoon of flour blended together and cook till thick; one cup of cheese cut up added, and stir till dissolved. remove from fire and stir in yolks of four eggs beaten, one-half teaspoon of salt (pepper). fold in whites of four eggs beaten stiff and a pinch of baking powder. bake in a buttered dish one-half hour. cheese and sweet green peppers cheese and peppers make a very nice combination. melt two ounces of cheese, add a tablespoon of chopped peppers and the same amount of butter, a little paprika, salt, and if liked, mustard. when the ingredients have been well blended pour the mixture on hot buttered toast and serve. cheese fondue soak one-half cup of bread crumbs in one scant cup of milk; dissolve a speck of bicarbonate of soda in a drop of hot water and add to the milk, one egg, yolk and white beaten separately, one-half cup of dry cheese grated, one tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper to taste, beat well, pour into a well buttered baking dish, strew dry crumbs moistened with butter over the top, and bake in a hot oven until light brown. serve at once in the dish in which it is baked. tomatoes, eggs and cheese (hungarian style) place two tablespoons of butter in a pan (after having the water boil to heat the pan). let butter melt, add one small onion chopped fine and cook until soft, a pint of tomatoes strained and let come to a boil; add one-half pound mild cheese cut fine; and stir until smooth. break in three eggs and stir hard until eggs are done. serve on buttered toast. crackers and cheese split in two some bent's water biscuits; moisten them with hot water and pour over each piece a little melted butter and french mustard; then spread with a thick layer of grated cheese; sprinkle with paprika or cayenne. place them in a hot oven until the cheese is soft and creamy. ramekins of egg and cheese beat three new-laid eggs and blend thoroughly with two ounces of grated cheese and one ounce of partly melted butter. place the mixture in little pans or saucers and bake in the oven. *bread* home-made bread is very much more palatable and more nutritious than baker's bread and it is worth while to spend time and effort in its preparation. to make good bread, it is necessary to have good flour, fresh yeast and the liquid used in moistening must be neither too hot nor too cold or the bread will not rise properly. flour the housekeeper should know about the different kinds of flour. we get the bread flour from the spring wheat; the pastry flour from the winter wheat. bread flour contains more gluten than pastry flour and is used for bread on that account. pastry flour having less gluten and slightly more starch is more suitable for pastry and cake mixtures and is used wherever softness and lightness are desired. graham flour is the whole kernel of wheat ground. entire wheat flour is the flour resulting from the grinding of all but the outer layer of the wheat. rye flour is next best to wheat flour for bread making, but is generally combined with wheal flour, since by itself it makes a sticky bread. cornmeal is also combined with wheat flour. variety bread is composed of bread flour, rye flour and cornmeal combined in one loaf. if flour is musty; it is not kosher and must be destroyed. keep flour either in tins or barrels in a dry atmosphere. yeast in cities where fresh compressed yeast can be obtained, it is not worth while to prepare one's own. compressed yeast is always in proper condition to use until it becomes soft, often the yeast cakes are slightly discolored, but this does not affect the yeast, being caused by the oxidation of the starch in the cake. keep yeast in cool place. home made yeast grate six large raw potatoes, have ready a gallon of water in which you have boiled one and one-half cups of hops. strain through a fine hair sieve, boiling hot, over the potatoes, stirring well, or the mixture will thicken like starch. add a scant cup of sugar and one-half cup of salt. when cold, add a yeast cake or a cup of fresh yeast. let it stand until a thick foam rises on the top. bottle in a few days. if kept in a cool place, this yeast will last a long time. use one cup of yeast for one large baking. in making yeast, from time to time, use a cup of the same with which to start the new yeast. one cup of liquid yeast is equal to one cake of compressed yeast. when yeast is not obtainable to start the fermentation in making yeast, mix a thin batter of flour and water, and let it stand in a warm place until it is full of bubbles. this ferment has only half the strength of yeast so double the amount must be used. to make bread try the yeast always by setting to raise in a cup of lukewarm water or milk, if you use compressed yeast add salt and sugar. if it rises in the course of ten or fifteen minutes, the yeast is fit to use. in making bread always use sifted flour. set a sponge with lukewarm milk or water, keeping it covered in a warm place until very light, then mold this sponge by adding flour, until very light into one large ball, then knead well and steadily for twenty minutes. set to rise again in a warm place free from drafts, and when it has risen to double its former bulk, take a knife, cut through the dough in several places, then place this dough on a baking board which has been sprinkled with flour. work with the palm of the hand, always kneading towards the centre of the ball (the dough must rebound like a rubber ball). when this leaves the board and the hands perfectly clean the dough may be formed into loaves or rolls. place in pan, greased slightly with a good oil, let rise until the imprint of the finger does not remain, and bake. the oven for baking bread should be hot enough to brown a teaspoon of flour in five minutes. if baked in a coal range, the fire must be just the proper heat so as not to have to add fuel or shake the stove. if baked in a gas range, light oven to full heat five minutes before putting the bread in the oven, and bake in a moderately hot oven forty-five minutes, unless the loaves are very large when one hour will be the proper time. when taken from the oven, the bread may be wrapped in a clean towel wrung out of warm water (this prevents the crust from becoming hard); place bread in slanting position or allow it to cool on a wire rack. white bread set the dough at night and bake early in the morning; take one-half cake of compressed yeast, set in a cup of lukewarm milk or water adding a teaspoon of salt and a tablespoon of sugar. let this rise, if it does not, the yeast is not fresh or good. measure eight cups of sifted flour into a deep bread bowl, add one teaspoon of salt; make a depression in the centre, pour in the risen yeast and one cup of lukewarm milk or water. in winter be sure that the bowl, flour, milk, in fact everything has been thoroughly warmed before mixing. mix the dough slowly with a wooden spoon and then knead as directed. this amount will make two loaves, either twisted or in small bread pans. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. if the bread is set in the morning use a cake of compressed yeast and bake the loaves in the afternoon. individual loaves make dough according to the above recipe. work small pieces of dough into strands a finger long, and take three strands for each loaf. make small as possible, brush with beaten egg; or sweetened water and sprinkle with poppy seed (mohn). allow them to rise before setting them in the oven. these are called "vienna loaves" and are used at weddings, parties and for the succoth festival in the succah. if one-half cake of yeast has been used, the half cake of yeast which is left over, can be kept in good condition several days by rewrapping it in the tinfoil and keeping it in a cool, dry place. butterbarches dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in one-half cup of lukewarm milk, add a teaspoon of salt, and a tablespoon of sugar and let it rise. then make a soft dough of eight cups of sifted flour and as much milk as is required to work it, about two cups; add the yeast, one-half cup of sugar, four tablespoons of butter dissolved in the warm milk, the grated peel of a lemon, two or three dozen raisins seeded, and two eggs well beaten. work this dough perfectly smooth with the palm of your hand, adding more flour if necessary. it is hardly possible to tell the exact amount of flour to use; experience will teach you when you have added enough. different brands of flour vary, some being drier than others. work the dough as directed, set it aside covered until it is double the bulk of the original piece of dough. then work again and divide the dough into two parts, and divide each of the pieces of dough into three parts. work the six pieces of dough thoroughly and then roll each piece into a long strand; three of which are to be longer than the other three. braid the three long strands into one braid (should be thicker in the centre than at the end), and braid the shorter strands into one braid and lay it on, top of the long braid, pressing the ends together. butter a long baking-pan, lift the barches into the pan and set in a warm place to rise again for about one-half hour. then brush the top with beaten egg and sprinkle poppy seed all over the top. bake in a moderate oven one hour. barches these are to be used for a meat meal and are made in the same manner as butter barches, omitting the milk and butter; use water and a little shortening of dripping or rendered fat or a vegetable oil; grate a dozen almonds (blanched) and add with two well-beaten eggs, one-half cup of sugar, salt, raisins and the grated peel of one lemon. work just as you would butter barches. bake one hour in moderate oven. wrap in a damp, clean towel as soon as baked to prevent the crust from becoming too hard. potato bread add one medium-sized mashed boiled potato to any of the foregoing recipes. this will give a more moist bread, which retains its freshness longer. graham bread dissolve one cake of compressed yeast and four tablespoons of light brown sugar or molasses in one cup of lukewarm water and one cup of milk which has been scalded and cooled to lukewarm. add two tablespoons of melted butter, then four cups of graham flour and one cup of white flour (sifted), adding flour gradually, and one teaspoon of salt. knead thoroughly, being sure to keep dough soft. cover and set aside in a warm place to rise for about two hours. when double in bulk, turn out on kneading board, mold into loaves, and place in well-greased pans, cover and set to rise again--about one hour or until light. bake one hour, in a slower oven than for white bread. if wanted for overnight use one-half cake of yeast and an extra half teaspoon of salt. gluten bread dissolve one cake of compressed yeast and one tablespoon of sugar in one cup of milk, scalded and cooled, and one cup of lukewarm water; add one level tablespoon of butter then three cups of gluten flour gradually, and one teaspoon of salt. knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic; place in well-greased bowl; cover and set aside in a warm place, free from draught, to rise until light, which should be in about two hours. mold into loaves; place in greased pans, filling them half full. cover, let rise again, and when double in bulk, which should be in about one hour, bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. this will make two one-pound loaves. for diet use omit shortening and sugar. raisin bread make dough as directed for butterbarches, using one-quarter cup of raisins and omitting the lemon and egg. form in loaves, fill well-greased pans half full; cover and let rise until light; about one hour. glaze with egg diluted with water, and bake forty-five minutes. rolled oats bread pour two cups of boiling water over two cups of rolled oats, cover and let stand until lukewarm. dissolve one cake of compressed yeast and one-fourth cup of brown sugar in one-half cup of lukewarm water, add two tablespoons of shortening, the oatmeal and the water in which it has been swelling. beat well, add about three cups of flour to make a dough, also add one teaspoon of salt. let rise until it doubles in bulk. mold into two loaves in pan and bake forty-five minutes. potato-rye bread cook one quart of potatoes diced, in boiling water until tender. strain, reserving potato water. measure and add enough more water to make three cups. let come to a boil, add one-quarter cup of salt, and very gradually one and one-quarter cups of cornmeal. cook two minutes, stirring constantly until thick. remove from fire, add two tablespoons of any kind of fat, the potatoes riced or mashed and when cooled two cups of flour; then one tablespoon of sugar and one cake of yeast dissolved in one cup of lukewarm water. mix and knead to a stiff dough adding wheat flour to keep it from sticking. cover, set aside in a warm place overnight, or until double its bulk. shape into four loaves, let rise again; bake in a moderate oven one hour or more, until well done. glaze with egg diluted with water before putting in the oven. these loaves will keep moist one week. rye bread (american) no. dissolve one cake compressed yeast in two cups of lukewarm water and one cup of milk which has been scalded and cooled; or if so desired the milk may be omitted and all water used; add two and one-half cups of rye flour or enough to make a sponge. beat well; cover and set aside in a warm place, free from draught, to rise about two hours. when light add one and one-half cups of sifted white flour, one tablespoon of melted butter or oil, two and one-half cups of rye flour to make a soft dough and last one tablespoon of salt. turn on a board and knead or pound it five minutes. place in greased bowl; cover and let rise until double in bulk--about two hours. turn on board and shape into loaves; place in floured shallow pans; cover and let rise again until light--about one hour. brush with white of egg and water, to glaze. with sharp knife cut lightly three strokes diagonally across top, and place in oven. bake in slower oven than for white bread. caraway seeds may be used if desired. by adding one-half cup of sour dough, left from previous baking, an acid flavor is obtained, which is considered by many a great improvement. this should be added to the sponge. rye bread, no. sift three cups of rye flour, three cups of wheat flour and two teaspoons of salt in a bowl. dissolve one-half cake of compressed yeast or any other yeast in two cups of lukewarm water. when the yeast is dissolved pour it into the flour and make into a dough. lay it on a kneading board, and knead until smooth and elastic, put it back into the bowl, cover with a towel, and set aside overnight to rise. next morning, lay the dough on a biscuit or kneading board again and knead well. make into a loaf, put into a pan, and when well risen, moisten the top with a little cold water and bake in a moderate oven. zwiebel platz take a piece of rye bread dough. after it has risen sufficiently roll out quite thin, butter a long cake pan and put in the rolled dough. brush with melted butter; chop some onions very fine, strew thickly on top of cake, sprinkle with salt, put flakes of butter here and there. another way is to chop up parsley and use in place of onions. then called "petersilien platz." variety bread dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in two cups of lukewarm water or milk, add two teaspoons of salt, three cups of bread or wheat flour, one cup of cornmeal, one cup of rye flour and one-half cup of dark molasses, and mix very thoroughly. let rise, shape into loaves, let rise again and bake in a moderate oven for forty-five minutes. rolls take bread dough, when ready to shape into loaves and make a long even roll. cut into small even pieces, and shape with thumb and fingers into round balls. set close together in a shallow pan, let rise until double the bulk, and bake in a hot oven from ten to twenty minutes. if crusty rolls are desired, set apart in a shallow pan, bake well, and cool in draft. tea rolls scald one cup of milk and when lukewarm dissolve one cake of compressed yeast and add one and one-half cups of flour. beat thoroughly, cover and allow to stand until light. add one-quarter cup of sugar, one and one-half teaspoons of salt, two eggs, one-third cup of butter and enough flour to knead. allow to rise again until light. shape into round or small oblong finger rolls, and place in buttered pans close together, when light bake in hot oven. crescent rolls take bread or kitchen dough, and when well risen, toss on floured baking board, roll into a square sheet, one-quarter inch thick. spread with melted butter, and cut into six-inch squares, then cut each square into two equal parts through opposite corners, thus forming two triangles. roll over and over from the longest side to the opposite corner and then shape the rolls into half moons or crescents. place in floured or greased pans, rather far apart; brush with beaten yolk to which a little cold water has been added and sprinkle tops of crescents or horns with poppy seed. set in warm place to and, when double its bulk, bake in hot oven until brown and crusty. buns make same as tea rolls. when well risen mold into small round buns; place in well-greased pans, one inch apart. coyer set aside to rise until light--about one hour. brush with egg diluted with water; bake twenty minutes, just before removing from the oven, brush with sugar moistened with a little water. raisin or currant buns boil two large potatoes and strain the water into a pitcher, dissolve two-thirds cake of yeast in a cup. put potatoes in a pan with a cup of sugar; large lump of butter, and teaspoon of salt. the heat of potatoes will melt the sugar and butter. mash with large masher to a cream; pour in rest of potato water, add pint of flour and mix together. then cover and set in a warm place all night. in the morning add more flour, mix quickly and put currants or raisins in as you turn the dough. this will keep them from settling in the bottom of the bread. put in hot pans and bake in a hot oven. this makes a delicious holiday bread. eat with butter, hot or cold. bread sticks take pieces of raised bread dough, roll three-eighths inch thick and four or five inches long. place in floured pan, far apart, brush tops with beaten yolk and poppy seed. let rise, bake in a hot oven until brown. french rolls prepare the yeast as for bread and work just the same; add one-quarter cup of butter, one-quarter cup of sugar, one whole egg and one egg yolk beaten very light, flavor with mace or a few gratings of lemon peel; work until it leaves the hand perfectly clean, then form into rolls, let raise, brush with beaten egg, place rolls in pan close together and bake. buttered toast slice even slices of baker's bread, not too thin, put in biscuit pan on the top rack of a very hot oven, brown nicely on one side, then turn and brown on the other, spread with butter, and a little powdered sugar, if desired, and serve at once. or put the slices on a long fork, hold before a red coal fire, without flame, toast on both sides and proceed as above. milk or cream toast toast as many slices of stale light bread as desired a light brown. heat milk or cream, allowing one-half cup for each slice, add small lump of butter. when just at the boiling point, pour over bread which has been placed in dish, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, cover, and serve immediately. nice for invalids. cinnamon toast for tea bread cut thin and browned, but not dried. butter the toast while very hot, thinly and evenly, and sprinkle over each piece some powdered cinnamon and sugar. arme ritter beat two eggs slightly, add one-half teaspoon of salt and two-thirds cup of milk; dip six slices of stale bread in the mixture. have a griddle hot and well buttered; brown the bread on each side. serve hot with cinnamon and sugar or a sauce. *coffee cakes (kuchen)* rendered butter procure as much country or western butter as desired, you may get several pounds of it when it is cheap during the summer; or any butter unfit for table use may be made sweet and good for cooking purposes and will last for months, if prepared in the following manner: place the butter in a deep, iron kettle, filling only half full to prevent boiling over. set it on the fire where it will simmer slowly for several hours. watch carefully that it does not boil over. do not stir it, but from time to time skim it. when perfectly clear, and all the salt and sediment has settled at the bottom, the butter is done. set aside a few minutes, then strain into stone jars through a fine sieve, and when cold tie up tightly with paper and cloth. keep in a cool, dry place. coffee cake (kuchen) dough soak one-half ounce of yeast in one-half cup of lukewarm milk; when dissolved put in a bowl, or round agate pan, and stir in one cup of sifted flour, one teaspoon of sugar and one-fourth teaspoon of salt, mix thoroughly, and put in a warm place (not hot) to rise, from one to two hours. when well risen, cream well together one cup of sugar and three-fourths cup of butter, then add three eggs, five cups of sifted flour, one cup of milk and one teaspoon of salt, mix together until light, then stir in the risen yeast, and with a spoon work well for ten minutes, and set aside to rise again, five or six hours or all night. dough should not be very stiff. when well risen it can be used for cinnamon cake, pies or pocket books. this recipe makes one large cinnamon cake, three pies, and about one dozen pocket books. if set at night use half the quantity of yeast. kaffee kuchen (cinnamon) butter long and broad cake-pans thoroughly, roll out enough dough to cover them, and let it rise about half an hour before baking, then brush it well with melted butter. sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top and some chopped almonds. take a small lump of butter, a very little flour, some sugar and cinnamon and rub it between the hands until it is like lumps of almonds, then strew on top of cakes. cinnamon rolls or schnecken take half the kitchen dough. roll one-half inch thick and spread well with melted butter. sprinkle generously with scraped maple, brown or granulated sugar and cinnamon, then roll. cut the roll into equal parts about one inch thick, place close together endwise in a spider, generously buttered, spread with one-fourth inch layer of brown, or maple sugar. let rise until light, and bake ten to twenty minutes in a hot oven, a golden brown. invert the spider, remove rolls and serve caramel side up. abgeruehrter kugelhopf soak one-half ounce of yeast or one cake compressed yeast in a very little lukewarm milk; add a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of sugar, stir it up smooth and set back of the stove to rise. in the meantime rub a scant cup of butter and a scant cup of powdered sugar to a cream, add gradually the yolks of four eggs, one at a time and add also the grated peel of a lemon. sift two cups of flour into a bowl, make a depression in the centre, pour in, the yeast, one cup of lukewarm milk, and make a light batter of this. add the creamed butter and eggs and stir until it forms blisters and leaves the bowl clean. take one-half cup of cleaned and seeded dark raisins and cut up some citron very fine. dredge flour over them before adding, and if necessary, add more flour to the dough, which should be of the consistency of cup cake batter. last add the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. place in a well-greased long or round pan with tube in centre; let rise until double in bulk, and bake in moderate oven until browned and thoroughly done. plain bunt or napf kuchen take one cake compressed yeast, add a pinch of salt, one tablespoon of sugar, and about two tablespoons of lukewarm water. stir the yeast until it is a smooth paste and set it in a warm place to rise. sift two and one-half cups of flour (use the same size cup for measuring everything you are going to use in your cake), make a depression in the centre, stir in the yeast and a scant cup of lukewarm milk, make batter, and let it rise until you have prepared the following: rub one-half cup of butter and three-fourths cup of powdered sugar to a cream, just as for cup cake, then add gradually one egg at a time, using three altogether, and stirring all the time in one direction. work in the risen batter two or three spoons at a time between each egg. grate in the peel of a lemon or an orange. butter the bunt-form well (do this always before you begin to work). blanched almonds may be set in the grooves of the cake-form after buttering it. put in the dough, set it in a warm place and let it rise for an hour and a half or two hours. bake in a moderate oven one full hour, covered at first. chocolate coffee cake pour a bunt kitchen dough into long, well-buttered tins, and when baked remove from the oven and cover thickly with boiled chocolate icing. pocket books take as much of the coffee cake dough as you desire, lay it on a well-floured biscuit board and mix just enough more flour with it to enable you to roll it out without sticking to the board. roll out about one-fourth inch thick and cut the dough in squares about as long as your finger. beat the yolk of one egg and two tablespoons of milk together; wet each square well with the mixture, lay one raisin in the centre (after the seed has been removed from it), sprinkle thickly with sugar and cinnamon mixed together, then put a small dab of butter on top. catch the four corners of each square together, so that the inside is protected. lay the pocket books, not too closely together, in a greased pan and set aside to rise. when well risen bake in a moderately hot oven until well baked and browned nicely. bola make a good, rich bread dough. let it rise overnight; next morning; mix with dough two eggs; one-half pound of butter well kneaded; stand by fire until well risen. when risen, roll out into thin sheets and sprinkle with chopped almonds, citron, cinnamon and plenty of brown sugar and lumps of butter all through; roll up like jelly-roll, cut in pieces a finger long, grease pan, stand pieces in centre, others around and let rise before baking. watch it well while baking. french coffee cake (savarin) soak one cake of compressed yeast in a little lukewarm water or milk. put the yeast in a cup, add two tablespoons of lukewarm water, a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of sugar, stir it up well with a spoon and set back of the stove to rise. rub one-half cup of butter to a cream, add one-third cup of powdered sugar and stir constantly in one direction. add the yolks of four eggs, one at a time, and the grated peel of a lemon. sift two cups of flour into a bowl, make a depression in the centre of the flour, pour in the yeast and one cup of lukewarm milk. stir and make a light batter of this. add the creamed butter and eggs, stir until it forms blisters and leaves the bowl clean; one-half cup of dark raisins, one-half cup of pounded almonds and a little citron, cut up very fine, and last the stiff-beaten whites of the eggs. fill your cake forms which have been well-greased, set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk, about forty-five minutes, and bake in a moderate oven forty-five minutes. fill the centre with whipped cream and serve with rum sauce. baba À la parisienne prepare the yeast as above; cream a scant cup of butter with four tablespoons of sugar, the grated peel of a lemon, add five eggs, one at a time, stirring each egg a few minutes before you add the next. have ready two cups of sifted flour and add two spoonfuls between each egg until all is used. make a soft dough of the yeast, a scant cup of lukewarm milk, add two spoonfuls between each egg until all is used up, a pinch of salt, and one cup of flour. let it rise for fifteen minutes. now mix all well, rub the form with butter, and blanch one-half cup of almonds, cut into long strips and strew all over the form. fill in the mixture or cake batter, let it rise two hours and bake very slowly. mohn (poppy seed) roley poley roll out a piece of dough large enough to cover your whole baking-board, roll thin. let it rise until you have prepared the filling; grind one cup of black poppy seed in a coffee-mill as tight as possible and clean it well, throw away the first bit you grind so as not to have the coffee taste; put it on to boil with one cup of milk, add two tablespoons of butter, one-half cup of seeded raisins, one-half cup of walnuts or almonds chopped up fine, two tablespoons of molasses or syrup, and a little citron cut up fine. when thick, set it away to cool, and if not sweet enough add more sugar and flavor with vanilla. when this mixture has cooled, spread on the dough which has risen by this time. take up one corner and roll it up, into a long roll, like a jelly-roll, put in a greased pan and let it rise an hour, then spread butter on top and bake very slowly. let it get quite brown, so as to bake through thoroughly. when cold cut up in slices, as many as you are going to use at one time only. mohn wachtel take coffee cake dough. let the dough rise again; for an hour, spread with a poppy seed mixture, after cutting into squares, fold into triangles and pinch the edges together. lay in well-buttered pans, about two inches apart, and let them rise again, spread with poppy seed filling. take one-half pound of poppy seed (mohn) which have previously been soaked in milk and then ground, add one-quarter of a pound of sugar and the yolks of three eggs. stir this all together in one direction until quite thick and then stir in the beaten whites to which you must add two ounces of sifted flour and one-quarter of a pound of melted butter. fill the tartlets and bake. the poppy seed filling in mohn roley poley may be used in the mohn wachtel if so desired. mohntorts line a deep pie-plate with a thin sheet of kuchen dough, let it rise about half an hour, then fill with a poppy seed filling same as used with mohn wachtel. fill the pie-plates and bake. small mohn cakes roll coffee cake dough out quite thin, spread with melted butter (a brush is best for this purpose). let it rise a little while, then sprinkle well with one cup of sugar, add one-half pound of ground poppy seed moistened with one-half cup of water, cut into strips about an inch wide and four-inches long; roll and put in a well-buttered pan to rise, leaving enough space between each and brush, with butter. bake in moderate oven at first, then increase the heat; bake slowly. berliner pfannkuchen (purim krapfen) take one and one-half cups of flour, a pinch of salt sifted into a deep bowl, one cup of lukewarm milk and three-fourths cake of compressed yeast which has been, dissolved in a little warm water and sugar. stir into a dough, cover with a towel and set away in a warm place to rise. when well risen, take one-half cup of butter, one cup of sugar, a little salt and rub to a cream. add two eggs well beaten, stir all well and add the risen dough, one teaspoon of salt and work in gradually five cups of sifted flour and the grated peel of a lemon. stir the dough till it blisters and leaves the dish perfectly clean at the sides. let the dough rise slowly for about two hours (all yeast dough is better if it rises slowly). take a large baking-board, flour well and roll out the dough on it as thin as a double thickness of pasteboard. when it is all rolled out, cut with a round cutter the size of a tumbler. when all the dough has been cut out, beat up an egg. spread the beaten egg; on the edge of each cake (spread only a few at a time for they would get too dry if all were done at once). then put one-half teaspoon of marmalade, jam or jelly on the cake. put another cake on top of one already spread, having cut it with a cutter a little bit smaller than the one used in the first place. this makes them stick better and prevents the preserves coming out while cooking. set all away on a floured board or pan about two inches apart. spread the top of each cake with melted butter and let them rise from one to two hours. when ready to fry, heat at least two pounds of rendered butter or any good vegetable oil in a deep iron kettle. try the butter with a small piece of dough. if it rises immediately, put in the doughnuts. in putting them in, place the side that is up on the board down in the hot butter. do not crowd them in the kettle as they require room to rise and spread. cover them with a lid. in a few seconds uncover. if they are light brown, turn them over on the other side but do not cover them again. when done they will have a white stripe around the centre. take them up with a perforated skimmer, lay on a large platter, sprinkle with pulverized sugar. if the butter gets too hot take from the fire a minute. these are best eaten fresh. the doughnuts may be baked in moderately hot oven and when half done glazed with sugar and white of egg. topfa dalkeln. cheese cakes (hungarian) take one-half ounce of yeast, mix with a little scalded milk which has cooled to lukewarm, one-half cup of flour and put aside in a warm place to rise. allow two cups of scalded milk to become lukewarm. add one pound of flour (four cups sifted flour) to the risen sponge, then the two cups of milk, mix these very well, cover with a cloth and put aside in a warm place to rise. take one pound of sweet pot cheese, a pinch of salt, three egg yolks, rind of one lemon, one-half cup of light colored raisins and sugar to taste; mix very well and add the beaten whites and mix thoroughly. when the dough is very well risen, place on a pastry board, roll out and spread with melted butter, fold these edges over to the middle, then the top and bottom over, roll again and spread with butter, fold all sides in once more, roll, spread with butter, repeat the folding, roll out to one-half inch thickness, cut in three-inch squares, place a tablespoon of the cheese mixture in the centre of each square, fold over opposite corners, spread egg white over the top of each pocket, let rise fifteen minutes or one-half hour and bake in a hot oven; when they are well risen, lower heat and bake to a golden brown. this will make about thirty cakes. the dough in the above may be used with the following filling: boil and stone one-half pound of prunes, mash to a pulp, sweeten, add the grated peel of a lemon, some cinnamon, etc., and put one teaspoon of this into each square. take up the corners, fasten them firmly, also pinch all along the edges and lay in a buttered pan, let them rise half an hour before baking. spread them with melted butter, and bake a nice brown. puffs (purim) make the dough same as for berliner pfannkuchen, and when well risen roll out on a floured board one-half inch thick, cut in triangles, lay on floured dishes or board to rise. when well risen, drop into a deep kettle of boiling butter and with a spoon baste with the butter until brown; remove with a perforated skimmer and sprinkle with powdered sugar. kindlech into a large bowl sift one pound of fine flour. make a depression in the centre and pour into it one yeast cake dissolved in a little milk. let this remain until the milk and yeast have risen a little. stir in the surrounding flour together with three well-beaten eggs, a quarter of a pound of butter, six ounces of sugar, a pinch of salt and two cups of lukewarm milk. knead the whole into a smooth dough. roll this out very lightly on a well-floured board, brush over with a feather dipped in melted butter and strew thickly with chopped almonds, sultanas and currants. next fold over about three fingers' width of the dough. brush the upper surface of this fold with melted butter and strew with mixed fruit and almonds. fold over again and repeat the operation until the whole of the dough is folded up in layer somewhat resembling a flattened, roley poley pudding. brush the top well with another feather dipped in beaten egg and cut the whole into thick slices or fingers. let them stand for half an hour and then bake for an hour in a rather slow oven. a cheap coffee cake this german coffee cake is made by kneading into a pint of bread dough one well-beaten egg, one-half cup of sugar, and a generous tablespoon of butter. the mixture is rolled flat, placed in a shallow pan, let rise again until very light, sprinkled with finely chopped nuts, dusted over with sugar and cinnamon and baked in a quick oven. bohemian kolatchen make kuchen dough. add a little cinnamon and mace and one teaspoon of anise seed, well pounded, or flavor to taste. let rise till very light, then take out on mixing board and roll out to about one-half inch in thickness. cut in rounds three inches in diameter and lay on a well-buttered pan, pressing down the centre of each so as to raise a ridge around the edge. when well risen, brush the top over with stiffly-beaten white of an egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar. zwieback scald one-half cup of milk and when lukewarm add to one cake of compressed yeast. add one-fourth cup of sugar, one-fourth cup of melted butter, one-half teaspoon of salt and three eggs unbeaten, one-half teaspoon of powdered anise and enough flour to handle. let rise until light. make into oblong rolls the length of middle finger and place together in a buttered pan in parallel rows, two inches apart. let rise again and bake twenty minutes. when cold, cut in one-half inch slices and brown evenly in the oven. sour cream kolatchen cream one-half cup of butter, add five yolks, two tablespoons of sugar, grated rind of a lemon, one cup of thick sour cream and one ounce or two cakes of yeast dissolved with a little sugar in two tablespoons of lukewarm milk. stir all together and add three cups of flour; mix and drop from end of teaspoon on well-greased pans. let rise until light in a warm place. place a raisin or cherry on the top of each cake, spread with beaten white of egg, sprinkle with sugar and bake ten minutes in a hot oven. russian tea cakes mix one cup of sugar, one cup of eggs (about five), and one cup of sour cream with enough flour to roll. toss on board, roll out one-fourth inch thick, spread with a thin layer of butter, fold the dough over, roll and spread again; repeat three or four times, using altogether three-fourths pound of brick butter. then place dough in a bowl, cover, and let stand on ice to harden. then roll as thin as possible, strew with one cup of chopped almonds, sugar and cinnamon, and cut into seven-inch strips. roll each strip separately into a roll, cut into squares and strew top with chopped almonds, sugar and cinnamon. bake in a hot oven. wiener kipfel dissolve one ounce of yeast in one-half cup of lukewarm milk, a pinch of salt and one tablespoon of sugar, set away in a warm place to rise. sift one pound of flour into a deep bowl and make a dough of one cup of lukewarm milk and the yeast. set it away until you have prepared the following: rub a quarter of a pound of butter and four ounces of sugar to a cream, adding yolks of three eggs and one whole egg. add this to the dough and work well. let it rise about one hour, then roll out on a well-floured board, just as you would for cookies and let it rise again for at least one-half hour. spread with beaten whites of eggs, raisins, almonds and citron. cut dough into triangles. pinch the edges together. lay them in well-buttered pans about two inches apart and let then rise again. then spread again with stiff-beaten whites of eggs and lay a few pounded almonds on each one. bake a light yellow. spice roll roll out coffee cake dough quite thin and let it rise half an hour, brush with melted butter and make a filling of the following: grate some lebkuchen or plain gingerbread; add one-half cup of almonds or nuts, one cup of seeded raisins and one cup of cleaned currants. strew these all over the dough together with some brown sugar and a little syrup. spice with cinnamon and roll. spread with butter and let it rise for an hour. bake brown. wiener studenten kipfel make dough same as for wiener kipfel. roll it out quite thin on a well-floured board and let it rise. cut also into triangles (before you cut them, spread with melted butter). mix one cup of chopped fresh walnuts with one cup of brown sugar, juice of a lemon, or grind the nuts; add cream to make a paste, sugar to taste and flavor with vanilla, and fill the triangles with the mixture. take up the three corners and pinch together tightly. set in well-buttered pans and let them rise again and spread or brush each one with melted butter. bake a light brown. yeast krantz take coffee cake dough, add one-fourth cup of washed currants. let rise in warm place, then toss on floured board. divide into three or four equal parts, roll each part into a long strand and work the strands together to form one large braid. place braid in form of a circle in greased baking-pan or twist the braid to resemble the figure eight, pretzel shape. let rise again in a warm place and bake in a moderate oven one-half hour or until thoroughly done. brush with beaten eggs and sugar, sprinkle with a few chopped almonds. return to oven to brown slightly. stollen sift two pounds of flour into a bowl and set a sponge in it with one cake of compressed yeast, one teaspoon of salt, one pint of lukewarm milk and one tablespoon of sugar. when this has risen, add one-half pound of creamed butter, a quarter of a pound of seeded raisins and one-quarter of a pound of sugar, yolks of four eggs, four ounces of powdered almonds, and the grated peel of a lemon. work all well, beating with the hands, not kneading. let this dough rise at least three hours, roll, press down the centre and fold over double, then form into one or two long loaves, narrow at the end. brush the top with melted butter, let rise again and bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. apple cake (kuchen) after the pan is greased with butter, roll out a piece of dough quite thin, lay it in the pan, press a rim out of the dough all around the pan and let it rise for about ten minutes. pare five large apples, core and quarter them, dipping each piece in melted butter before laying on the cake, sprinkle bountifully with sugar (brown being preferable to white for this purpose) and cinnamon. see that you have tart apples. leave the cake in the pans and cut out the pieces just as you would want to serve them. if they stick to the pan, set the pan on top of the hot stove for a minute and the cake will then come out. cheese cake or pie take one and one-half cups of cheese, rub smooth with a silver or wooden spoon through a colander or sieve, then rub a piece of sweet butter the size of an egg to a cream, add gradually one-half cup of sugar and the yolks of three eggs, a pinch of salt, grate in the peel of a lemon, one-half cup of cleaned currants and a little citron cut up very fine. line two pie-plates with some kuchen dough or pie dough (see "coffee cakes (kuchen)"), roll it out quite thin, butter the pie-plates quite heavily, and let the dough in them rise at least a quarter of an hour before putting in the cheese mixture, for it must be baked immediately after the cheese is put in, and just before you put the cheese into the plates whip up the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth and stir through the cheese mixture. cherry cake line a cake-pan, which has been well-buttered, with a thin layer of kuchen dough. stone two pounds of cherries and lay them on a sieve with a dish underneath to catch the juice. sprinkle sugar over them and bake. in the meantime beat up four eggs with a cup of sugar, beat until light and add the cherry juice. draw the kuchen to the oven door, pour this mixture over it and bake. peach kuchen grease your cake-pans thoroughly with good clarified butter, then line them with a rich coffee cake dough which has been rolled very thin and set in a warm place to rise. then pare and quarter enough peaches to cover the dough. lay the peaches in rows and sweeten and set in oven to bake. make a meringue quickly as possible and pour over the cakes and bake a light brown. fresh prune cake (kuchen) line a greased biscuit-pan with some of the coffee cake dough. roll the dough thin and let it come up on the sides of the pan, then set aside to rise. when risen, cut the prunes in halves (they must be the fresh ones, not dried), lay in rows thickly and close together all over the bottom of the pan, do not leave any space between the prunes. sprinkle very thickly with sugar, lightly with cinnamon, and lay bits of fresh butter all over the top. bake until done in a moderately hot oven. prune cake (kuchen) line one or two plates with a thin roll of kuchen dough and let it rise again in the pans which have been heavily greased. have some prunes boiled very soft, take out the kernels, mash them until like mush, sweeten to taste, add cinnamon and grated peel of a lemon or lemon juice, put in the lined pie-plates and bake immediately. serve with whipped cream, sweetened and flavored. huckleberry kuchen line your cake-pans, which should be long and narrow, with a rich kuchen dough, having previously greased them well. make a paste of cornstarch, one cup of milk, one tablespoon of butter and one teaspoon of cornstarch wet with cold milk. boil until thick, sweeten and flavor with vanilla and spread on top of the cake dough, then sprinkle thickly with huckleberries which have been carefully picked, sugared and sprinkled with ground cinnamon. bake in a quick oven. huckleberry pie clean, pick and wash two cups of huckleberries, then drain them. beat yolk of one egg and two tablespoons of sugar until light, add one tablespoon of milk, then the drained berries. line one pie-plate with rich pastry or cookie dough, pour on it the berry mixture, put in the oven and bake light brown; remove from the oven, spread with a meringue made of the white of the egg beaten stiff, and two tablespoons of sugar added. brown nicely. the white can be beaten with the yolk and sugar, if preferred. *muffins and biscuits* baking-powder put eight ounces of bicarbonate of soda, one ounce of tartaric acid and one package of high-grade cornstarch together and sift them thoroughly five times. keep closely covered in glass jars or tin boxes. baking-powder batters batter is a mixture of flour with sufficient liquid to make it thin enough to be beaten. pour-batter requires one measure of liquid to one measure of flour. drop-batter requires one measure of liquid to two measures of flour. to make a batter. sift flour before measuring. put flour by spoonfuls into the cup; do not press or shake down. mix and sift dry ingredients. measure dry, then liquid ingredients, shortening may be rubbed or chopped in while cold, or creamed; or it may be melted and then added to dry ingredients, or added after the liquid. use two teaspoons of baking-powder to one cup of flour. if eggs are used, less baking-powder will be required. when sour milk is used, take one level teaspoon of soda to a pint of milk; when molasses is used, take one teaspoon of soda or baking-powder to each cup of molasses. mix dry materials in one bowl and liquids in another, combine them quickly, handle as little as possible and put at once into the oven. the oven for baking biscuits should be hot enough to brown a teaspoon of flour in one minute. brown bread mix and sift together one cup each of rye, graham flour, corn-meal and one teaspoon of salt. dissolve one teaspoon of soda in one cup of molasses. add alternately to flour with two cups of sour milk. grease one-pound baking-powder cans, put in the dough and boil two and one-half hours, keeping the water always three-fourths up around the tins. turn out on baking-tins and place in the oven fifteen minutes to brown. to be eaten warm, whatever is left over can be steamed again or toasted. corn bread mix and sift one cup of corn-meal, one cup of flour, two tablespoons of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of baking-powder. melt one tablespoon of butter and add to one egg; mix milk and egg and beat this into the dry ingredients, pour this mixture into well-greased tins and bake in a hot oven one-half hour. cut in squares and serve hot. bake in gem tins if preferred. bran bread sift four teaspoons of soda, two teaspoons of salt with four cups of white flour, add four cups of bran flour and mix well. add one cup of molasses and four cups of sweet milk. use chopped nuts or raisins or both as desired. this will make three or four flat loaves. place in greased pans (four and a half by nine inches), and bake one hour in a moderate oven. johnnie cake mix one cup flour and two cups corn-meal, one heaping teaspoon of soda, one-half cup sugar, add two eggs beaten with one and one-half cups of buttermilk, one half cup of molasses and one-half cup of shortening, melted. beat all ingredients as fast as possible for a minute. pour the dough into a warm, well-buttered pan and bake quickly and steadily for half an hour. the dough should be as soft as gingerbread dough. serve hot. eggless gingerbread with cheese sift two cups of flour, one teaspoon of soda, one-half teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of ginger. melt three-fourths cup of grated cheese in one-half cup of hot water, add one-half cup of molasses and blend perfectly. add the flour and seasonings very gradually and beat thoroughly. bake in muffin rings for fifteen minutes and serve while warm. gingerbread to one cup of molasses add one cup of milk, sour or sweet, dissolve one teaspoon of soda in the milk, one tablespoon of butter, one or two eggs, one teaspoon of ginger and one of ground cinnamon, add enough sifted flour to make a light batter. bake in a shallow pan. white nut bread mix two and one-half cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking-powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half cup of sugar and one-half cup of walnut meats, broken; add one egg beaten with one cup of milk and let this mixture stand for about twenty minutes in well-greased breadpan before placing in a moderate oven to bake. bake about an hour. better day after it is made. baking-powder biscuits sift two cups of flour with one-half teaspoon of salt, four teaspoons of baking-powder, and four tablespoons of butter; cut butter in with two knives and mix with one-half to two-thirds cup of water or milk, stir this in quickly with a knife, when well mixed place on a well-floured board and roll out about one inch thick, work quickly, cut with a biscuit cutter or the cover of a half-pound baking-powder can; place on a greased pan and bake quickly in a well-heated quick oven tea to fifteen minutes. butter substitutes may be used in place of butter. drop biscuit add to ingredients for baking-powder biscuit enough more milk or water to make a thick drop batter, about two tablespoons; mix as directed for biscuit, drop by spoonfuls an inch apart on a greased baking-sheet or into greased gem pans, small size. the more crust the more palatable these biscuits are. the mixture should not be soft enough to run. bake in a hot oven ten to twelve minutes. sour milk biscuits mix and sift two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt and one-half teaspoon of soda; cut in one tablespoon of butter, stir in with a knife enough sour milk to make a soft dough. roll one-half inch thick; cut in small rounds and bake in a quick oven about twenty minutes. muffins. light the burners of the gas oven before beginning to mix the muffins and work rapidly. place in a mixing-bowl one well-beaten egg, two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt, one scant cup of milk and two teaspoons of baking-powder that have been sifted with sufficient flour to form a batter that will "ribbon" from the spoon. beat the batter steadily for five minutes, stir in one tablespoon of melted butter and bake in muffin-pans in a quick oven. these muffins will bake in ten minutes if pans are only half filled. bran muffins sift one-half cup of white flour with one teaspoon of soda; mix three tablespoons of molasses with one tablespoon of butter, add two cups of bran, one and one-half cups of sweet milk, then add the flour and one-half teaspoon of salt, stir all together; one-half cup of chopped dates or raisins may be added if so desired. bake in muffin-pans in a moderate oven thirty minutes. corn muffins, no. beat the yolks and whites of two eggs separately. add to this two cups of flour, of which one is a full cup of white and three-quarters of the corn-meal. this must be sifted three times. put into this flour two teaspoons of baking-powder, together with a pinch of salt. mix the prepared flour with a little boiling water, adding the eggs; also a little sugar may be put in, if desired. then add enough tepid milk to make the mixture into a batter, after which pour into your pans; or, if corn-bread is desired, into the plain pan (thin). bake in a quick oven. this quantity makes a dozen muffins. butter your pan well, or the small gem-pans, according to which is used, and in so doing heat the pan a little. corn muffins, no. mix one cup of white flour; one-half cup of corn-meal, one tablespoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt and one-half teaspoon of soda, add one egg beaten into one cup of sour milk and one tablespoon of melted butter. beat thoroughly and bake in well-greased tins. graham muffins mix one cup of graham flour, one cup of wheat flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking-powder, add to this one tablespoon of melted butter creamed with one-half cup of sugar and one well-beaten egg, moisten with one and one-half cups of milk. beat all well and bake in muffin-tins in moderately hot oven one-half hour. wheat muffins mix two cups of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of baking-powder, two tablespoons of sugar and sift these ingredients twice, rub in one tablespoon of butter. separate one egg. beat the yolk and add it to one cup of milk and one teaspoon of molasses. mix with the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. fold in the beaten white of egg and pour into hot, well-greased muffin-tins. bake fifteen to twenty minutes in hot oven. rice muffins beat one cup of cold rice, two eggs, one cup of sweet milk, one teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of sugar, two teaspoons of baking-powder, enough flour to make a stiff batter and lastly one tablespoon of melted butter. bake in muffin-tins. rye flour muffins sift one and one-half cups of rye flour with one-half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of baking soda; add one-half cup of molasses and one well-beaten egg or one-half cup of water if the egg is omitted, one-quarter cup of chopped raisins and four tablespoons of melted shortening--butter, or any good butter substitute will do. bake in muffin-pans in rather hot oven twenty-five minutes. fill pans three-fourths full. gluten gems beat the yolks of two eggs, add one cup of milk; then one and one-half cups of gluten flour, two teaspoons of baking powder; beat well, stir in the whites of the two eggs, and bake in hot buttered gem pans about twenty minutes. eggless ginger gems mix one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of sugar, one tablespoon of butter, and warm slightly; beat up well and stir at least ten minutes. add the following spices: one-half teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon; and gradually one-half cup of milk and two and one-half cups of sifted flour in which has been sifted two teaspoons of baking powder. one-fourth cup of currants or seeded raisins may be added. bake in well-greased gem pans and eat warm for tea or lunch. popovers mix to a smooth batter two cups each of milk and well-sifted flour, the yolks of three fresh eggs and a teaspoon of salt. butter well the inside of six or eight deep earthen popover cups and stand them in a pan in a hot oven. while the cups are heating, beat to a froth the whites of the three eggs and stir them quickly in the batter. open the oven door, pull the pan forward, pour the batter in the hot buttered cups up to the brim. push the pan back, close the oven door, and bake the popovers till they rise well and are brown at the sides where they part from the clips. serve them hot, folded lightly in a napkin. one-egg waffles mix one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one-quarter teaspoon of salt; add one and three-fourths cups of milk, add the milk slowly; then one well-beaten egg and two tablespoons of melted butter; drop by spoonfuls on a hot buttered waffle iron, putting one tablespoon in each section of the iron. bake and turn, browning both sides carefully; remove from the iron; pile one on top of the other and serve at once. three-egg waffles mix two cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, and sift these ingredients; add the yolks of three eggs beaten and stirred into one and one-fourth cups of milk; then add one tablespoon of melted butter and fold in the whites of the eggs. bake and serve as directed under one-egg waffles. doughnuts mix two and one-half tablespoons of melted butter, one cup of granulated sugar, two eggs, one cup of milk, one-half nutmeg grated, sifted flour enough to make a batter as stiff as biscuit dough; add two teaspoons of baking-powder and one teaspoon of salt to the sifted flour. flour your board well, roll dough out about half an inch thick, and cut into pieces three inches long and one inch wide. cut a slit about an inch long in the centre of each strip and pull one end through this slit. fry quickly in hot crisco. sprinkle powdered sugar on top of each doughnut. french doughnuts french doughnuts are much daintier than the ordinary ones, and are easily made. take one-half pint of water, one-half pint of milk, six ounces of butter, one-half pound of flour, and six eggs. heat the butter, milk, and water, and when it boils remove from the fire and stir in the flour, using a wooden spoon. when well mixed, stir in the eggs, whipping each one in separately until you have a hard batter. now pour your dough into a pastry bag. this is an ordinary cheesecloth bag, one corner of which has a tiny tin funnel, with a fluted or fancy edge. (these little tins may be purchased at any tinware store.) it should be very small, not over two inches high at the most, so the dough may be easily squeezed through it. pour the paste on buttered paper, making into ring shapes. fry in hot oil or butter substitute. dust with powdered sugar. crullers cream two tablespoons of butter with one-half cup of sugar, then beat in one at a time two whole eggs. mix well, then add one-half cup of milk, two teaspoons of baking-powder, and sufficient flour to make a soft batter to roll out. (try three cupfuls and then add as much more flour as necessary.) last, add one-half teaspoon cinnamon. roll one-half inch thick, cut in strips one inch wide, three inches long and fry in hot crisco. strawberry shortcake (biscuit dough) mix two cups of flour, four teaspoons of baking-powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of sugar; work one-quarter cup of butter with tips of fingers, and add three-quarters of a cup of milk gradually. toss on floured board, divide in two parts. pat, roll out and bake twelve minutes in hot oven in layer-cake tins. split and spread with butter. pick, hull, and drain berries. sweeten one to one and one-half boxes of strawberries to taste. crush slightly and put between and on top of short cake. allow from one to one and one-half boxes of berries to each short cake. serve with cream, plain or whipped. strawberries make the best short cake, but other berries and sliced peaches are also good. dough for open face pies the directions for making the dough for cinnamon buns may be followed in making the under crust for fruit pies, such as apple, plum, huckleberry and peach. enough for two pies. drippings and water may be substituted for butter and milk respectively. cinnamon buns sift together one pint of flour, one tablespoon of sugar, one-half teaspoon of salt, two teaspoons of baking-powder. rub in two tablespoons of butter, mix with milk to soft dough. roll out one-half inch thick, spread with soft butter, granulated sugar, and powdered cinnamon. roll up like jelly roll, cut in inch slices, lay close together in greased pan, and bake in quick oven. fruit wheels sift together two cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder, one-half teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of sugar. rub in two large tablespoons of butter. mix to soft dough with milk; roll out one-half inch thick. spread thickly with soft butter, dust with one teaspoon of flour, four tablespoons of granulated sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon; sprinkle over one-half cup each of seeded and cut raisins, chopped citron, and cleaned currants. roll up, cut in one-inch slices, put one inch apart on greased, flat pans, and bake in hot oven. *pancakes, fritters, etc.* buckwheat cakes dissolve one cake of compressed yeast and two level teaspoons of brown sugar in two cups of lukewarm water and one cup of milk, scalded and cooled; add two cups of buckwheat and one cup of sifted white flour gradually and one and one-half teaspoons of salt. beat until smooth; cover and set aside in a warm place, free from draft, to rise about one hour. when light stir well and bake on a hot griddle. if wanted for overnight, use only one-fourth cake of yeast and an extra half teaspoon of salt. cover and keep in a cool place. german pancakes, no. beat two eggs very thoroughly without separating the yolks and whites; add one-half teaspoon of salt, sift in two and one-half tablespoons of flour, add one cup of milk gradually at first, and beat the whole very well. melt one tablespoon of butter in a large frying-pan, turn mixture in and cook slowly until brown underneath. grease the bottom of a large pie plate, slip the pancake on the plate; add the other tablespoon of butter to the frying-pan; when hot, turn uncooked side of pancake down and brown. serve at once with sugar and lemon slices or with any desired preserve or syrup. this pancake may be served rolled like a jelly roll. german pancakes, no. beat two eggs until very light, add one-half cup of flour and one-half teaspoon of salt and beat again; then add one cup of milk slowly, and beat thoroughly. heat a generous quantity of butter in a frying-pan and pour all the batter into this at one time; place on a hot stove for one minute; then remove to a brisk oven; the edges will turn up on sides of pan in a few minutes; then reduce heat and cook more slowly until light, crisp and brown, about seven minutes. take it out, slide it carefully on a hot plate, sprinkle plentifully with powdered sugar and send to the table with six lemon slices. german pancakes, no. beat the yolks of four eggs until very light, then add one-half cup of milk and stir in three-quarters cup of sifted flour, one-eighth teaspoon of baking-powder, a pinch of salt, and lastly, just before frying, add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs and mix well together. put on fire an iron skillet with a close-fitting top; heat in two tablespoons of rendered butter; when very hot, pour in enough of the batter to cover the bottom of the skillet, cover at once with the top, and when the pancake is brown on one side, remove the top and let it brown on the other side. take it up with a perforated skimmer, lay on a plate and sprinkle with powdered sugar and some lemon juice. serve at once. pancakes must only be made and fried when ready to be eaten, as they fall from standing. bread pancakes soak stale bread overnight in sour milk, mash the bread fine in the morning, and put in one-half teaspoon of salt, two eggs, two teaspoons of baking soda, dissolved in hot water, and thicken with finely sifted flour. rice pancakes or griddle cakes boil in a double boiler one pint of milk, three tablespoons of rice and two tablespoons of granulated sugar. it will take from fifty to sixty minutes for the rice to be thoroughly cooked, and the mixture to thicken. remove from the fire and when a little cool, add one tablespoon of vanilla and the yolk of egg into which one tablespoon of flour has been smoothly stirred. mix all thoroughly together, then pour, by spoonfuls, on hot buttered griddle. let the cakes brown on one side, and turn over, and brown on the other. grimslich half a loaf of bread, which has been soaked and pressed, two eggs; one-half cup of sugar, one-fourth cup raisins, one tablespoon of cinnamon, and one-fourth cup of almonds pounded fine. beat whites to a froth and add last. drop by tablespoonful and fry. serve with stewed fruit. pieces of stale bread can be used. soak in tepid water. squeeze water thoroughly from bread and make as directed. potato pancakes peel six large potatoes and soak several hours in cold water; grate, drain, and for every pint allow two eggs, about one tablespoon of flour, one-half teaspoon of salt, a little pepper; a little onion juice may be added if so desired. beat eggs well and mix with the rest of the ingredients. drop by spoonfuls on a hot greased spider in small cakes. turn and brown on both sides. serve with apple sauce. when eggs are very expensive the cakes can be made with one egg. when required for a meat meal, the pancakes may be fried in drippings; the edges will be much more crisp than when fried in butter, which burns so readily. potato cakes made just as pancakes, only baked in the oven in a long cake pan with plenty of butter or drippings under and above. sour milk pancakes mash fine and dissolve one level teaspoon of baking-soda in three cups of sour milk; beat one egg well; then put in a little salt and one-half cup of flour; stir in the milk, make a smooth batter, and last stir in one tablespoon of syrup. bake on a hot griddle. french pancake stir three egg-yolks with one-half teaspoon of salt and one-quarter cup of flour, until smooth; add one cup of cold milk gradually, then fold in the beaten whites. heat pan, add two tablespoons of butter and when hot pour in pancake; let cook slowly and evenly on one side, finish baking in oven. cheese blintzes with a fork beat up one egg, one-half teaspoon of salt, add one cup of water and one cup of sifted flour, beat until smooth. grease a frying-pan very slightly with butter or oil, pour in two tablespoons of the batter, tilting the pan so as to allow the batter to run all over the pan. fry over a low heat on one side only, turn out the semi-cooked cakes on a clean cloth with the uncooked side uppermost; let cool. prepare a filling as for cheese kreplich, using one-half pound of potcheese, a piece of butter size of an egg, add one egg, pinch of salt, a little cinnamon and sugar to taste and grated peel of a lemon. spread this mixture on the cooled dough, fold over and tuck the edges in well. then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and fry in plenty of oil or butter. these blintzes are served hot. sweet blintzes these little pancakes may be filled with the fruit filling in following recipe; or with a poppy seed filling using one cup of seed and adding one cup of sugar, moistening with one-half cup of water. the recipe given for the dough makes only six blintzes and where more are required double or triple the quantities given to make amount desired. for purim, fold blintzes in triangular shapes. fry as directed. blintzes make dough as directed for cheese blintzes. filling may be made of force meat, highly seasoned; fry in hot fat, or filling may be made of one-half pound of apples, peeled and cored and then minced with one ounce of ground sweet almonds, one ounce of powdered sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, juice of one-half lemon; mix well and bind with the beaten white of egg. spread either of these mixtures on the dough, fold over and tuck edges in well. fry in plenty of oil or fat. sprinkle those containing the fruit mixture with sugar and cinnamon. these may be served either hot or cold. fritter batter mix and sift one and one-third cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, and add two-thirds cup of milk or water gradually, and one egg; well beaten. for fruit batter add a little sugar, for vegetables pepper and salt. bell fritters stir three eggs until very light, then stir in one cup of sweet milk, then sift in three cups sifted flour; beat for ten minutes, then add three teaspoons of baking-powder and fry by spoonfuls in hot oil. one-half this amount will be sufficient for three persons. serve with any sweet sauce. apple fritters choose four sour apples; pare, core and cut them into small slices. stir into fritter batter and fry in boiling hot fat or oil. drain on paper; sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. pineapple fritters soak slices of pineapple in sherry or white wine with a little sugar and let stand one hour. drain and dip slices in batter and fry in hot oil. drain on brown paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. fresh pears, apricots and peach fritters made the same as pineapple fritters. bananas are cut in slices or mashed and added to batter. orange fritters yolks of two eggs beaten with two spoons of sugar, stir into this the juice of quarter of a lemon and just enough flour to thicken like a batter; add the beaten whites and dip in one slice of orange at a time, take up with a large kitchen spoon and lay in the hot oil or butter-substitute and fry a nice brown. sprinkle pulverized sugar on top. matrimonies sift three cups of flour in a bowl, pour in two scant cups of sour milk, beat very thoroughly, add one teaspoon of salt, the well-beaten yolks of three eggs, mix well, then add the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs and one level teaspoon of soda sifted with one teaspoon of flour. mix well and fry at once in very hot butter or butter-substitute. baste the grease over them with a spoon until they are nicely browned. serve with preserves. queen fritters put in a deep skillet on the fire one cup of water, one-fourth cup of fresh butter; when it comes to a boil, stir in one cup of sifted flour and continue stirring until the dough leaves the side of the skillet clean. remove from the fire and when cool break in three eggs, one at a time, stirring continually. add a little salt. mix all well, then drop pieces about the size of a walnut into plenty of boiling butter or crisco and fry a light brown. drain, make an opening in each, fill with preserves and sprinkle with sugar; serve at once. vegetable fritters cook the vegetables thoroughly; drain them, chop fine and add to the batter. drop in boiling hot fat, drain and dry on paper. corn fritters grate two cups of corn from the cob. ears that are too old for eating in the ordinary method will serve very well for this. mix with the corn one egg, beaten light, a cup of sweet milk into which has been stirred a bit of soda the size of a pea, two teaspoons of melted butter, a pinch of salt and enough flour to make a thin batter. beat well together and fry on a griddle as you would cakes for breakfast. erbsen lievanzen (dried pea fritters) boil one cup of dried peas, pass through a hair sieve, pour into a bowl, add two ounces of butter rubbed to a cream, add also some soaked bread (soaked in milk), stir all into a smooth paste. add salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one yolk and one whole egg; one ounce of blanched and pounded almonds. if too thick add more egg, if too thin more bread. fry a nice brown. squash fritters two cups of boiled squash, half a cup of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, one egg and two tablespoons of milk. it is assumed that the squash has been prepared as a vegetable, with seasoning and a little butter, and what is here used is a cold, left over portion of the same. mix baking-powder with the flour and add to the squash; add milk and stir all together. beat egg and stir in. have hot fat in pan and drop fritters from spoon into pan. when browned on both sides remove to hot platter. french puffs (windbeutel) put one cup of water and one-quarter pound of butter on to boil. when it begins to boil stir in one-quarter pound of sifted flour. stir until it leaves the kettle clean, take off the fire and stir until milk-warm, then stir in four eggs, one at a time, stirring until all used up. flavor with the grated peel of a lemon. put on some rendered butter in a kettle. when the butter is hot, dip a large teaspoon in cold water and cut pieces of dough with it as large as a walnut, and drop into the hot butter. try one first to see whether the butter is hot enough. do not crowd--they want plenty of room to raise. dip the hot butter over them with a spoon, fry a deep yellow and sprinkle powdered sugar over them. shavings (kraus-gebackenes) sift about one pint of flour in a bowl, make a depression in the centre; break in five eggs, a pinch of salt, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon and one tablespoon of pulverized sugar. mix this as you would a noodle dough, though not quite as stiff. roll out very thin and cut into long strips with a jagging iron. fry a light yellow. roll on a round stick as soon as taken up from the fat or butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon or grated peel of a lemon. mix both thoroughly. do not let the butter get too brown; if the fire is too strong take off a few minutes. snip noodles, fried sift two cups of flour with three teaspoons of salt in it, make into a dough by adding enough sweet milk to make soft as biscuit dough. break off small pieces and roll between the hands in the shape of croquettes. now put one-half cup of rendered butter in a skillet that has a top to it; when the butter is hot, lay in the pieces of dough (do not put too many in at one time), throw in one-half cup of cold water, put on the cover and let cook until the water is cooked out and noodles are brown on one side. remove the cover and brown on the other side. noodle puffs make a noodle dough with as many eggs as desired, roll out somewhat thin, cut in strips four inches long by one inch wide. have a skillet half full of boiling hot chicken fat; drop in the strips, a few at a time, baste with the hot grease until brown on both sides. remove to a platter, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar and cinnamon, and serve. snowballs (hesterliste) mix one teaspoon of butter, one-fourth teaspoon of salt, one tablespoon of sugar with one egg. add one tablespoon of cream, one teaspoon of brandy and flour to make stiff dough. work the whole together with a spoon until the flour is incorporated with the other ingredients and you have a dough easily handled. break the dough in pieces about the size of a walnut; roll each piece out separately just as thin as possible without tearing (the thinner the better), make three lengthwise slashes in the centre of each piece of dough after rolling out. heat a large deep skillet about half full with boiling hot butter or crisco, drop in the snowballs, not more than three at one time, brown quickly on one side, then on the other, turn carefully with a perforated skimmer as they are easily broken. remove to a platter, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon and a few drops of lemon juice. macrotes blend one pound of good light dough with two eggs, six ounces of butter, and add as much flour as may be needed to make the whole sufficiently dry. make it into the shape of a french roll, and cut off rather thin slices, which should be placed before the fire to rise, and then fried in oil. let them drain carefully, and when nearly cold dip each in very thick syrup flavored with essence of lemon. *cakes* general directions for making cakes use only the best material in making cake. gather together all ingredients and utensils that are required. if tins are to be greased, do so the first thing; some cakes require greased or buttered paper, if so, have paper cut the size that is needed and butter the paper. all measurements are level. see "measurement of food materials". use pastry flour. sift flour twice at least and measure after sifting. measure or weigh the sugar, butter, milk and flour. in measuring butter always pack the cup so as to be sure to get the proper quantity. use the half-pint measuring cup. if fruit is to be used, wash and dry it the day before it is needed. dust with flour just before using, and mix with the hand till each piece is powdered so that all will mix evenly with the dough instead of sinking to the bottom. a few necessary implements for good cake making are a pair of scales, a wooden spoon, two wire egg-whips, one for the yolks and the other for the whites of eggs. a ten-inch mixing-bowl, and two smaller bowls. two spatula or leveling knives. a set of aluminum spoons of standard sizes. for convenience, cakes are divided into two classes: those containing butter or a butter substitute and cake containing no shortening. the rules for mixing cakes with butter are: break the eggs, dropping each in a saucer or cup. if the whites and yolks are to be used separately divide them as you break the eggs and beat both well before using; the yolks until light and the whites to a stiff froth, so stiff that you can turn the dish upside down and the eggs will adhere to the dish. rub the butter to a cream which should be done with a wooden spoon in a deep bowl, add the sugar gradually. in winter set the bowl over hot water for a few minutes as the butter will then cream more easily. add the yolks or the whole eggs, one at a time, to creamed butter and sugar. sift the baking-powder with the last cup of flour, add flour and milk alternately until both are beaten thoroughly into the mixture, add beaten whites of eggs last to the dough and then set in the oven immediately. sponge cakes and cakes that do not contain butter and milk must never be stirred, but the ingredients beaten in, being careful to beat with an upward stroke. separate the yolks of the eggs from the whites, and beat the yolks with an egg-beater until they are thick and lemon-colored. then add the sugar, a little at a time, beating constantly. now beat the whites until they are stiff and dry; add them; the flour should be added last and folded lightly through. every stroke of the spoon after flour is added tends to toughen the batter. bake at once. all sponge cakes and torten should be baked in ungreased molds. to bake cakes make sure the oven is in condition, it can better wait for the cake than the other way around. light your gas oven five or ten minutes before needed and reduce heat accordingly when cake is put in oven. for the coal range, have the oven the right temperature and do not add coal or shake the coals while cake is baking. if a piece of soft yellow paper burns golden brown in five minutes the oven is moderately hot; if it takes four minutes the oven is hot, if seven minutes is required the oven is fit for slow baking. sponge cakes require a slow oven; layer cakes a hot oven, and loaf cakes with butter a moderate oven. never look after your cake until it has been in the oven ten minutes. if cake is put in too cool an oven it will rise too much and be of very coarse texture. if too hot, it browns and crusts over the top before it has sufficiently risen. if, after the cake is put in, it seems to bake too fast, put a brown paper loosely over the top of the pan, and do not open the oven door for five minutes at least; the cake should then be quickly examined and the door carefully shut, or the rush of cold air will cause it to fall. setting a small dish of hot water in the oven will also prevent the cake from scorching. when you think your cake is baked, open the oven door carefully so as not to jar, take a straw and run it through the thickest part of the cake, and if the straw comes out perfectly clean and dry your cake is done. when done, take it out and set it where no draft of air will strike it, and in ten minutes turn it out on a flat plate or board. do not put it in the cake box until perfectly cold. scald out the tin cake box each time before putting a fresh cake in it. make sure it is air-tight. keep in a cool place, but not in a damp cellar or a refrigerator. time-table for baking cakes sponge cake, three-quarters of an hour. pound cake, one hour. fruit cake, three and four hours, depending upon size. cookies, from ten to fifteen minutes. watch carefully. cup cakes, a full half hour. layer cakes, twenty minutes. one egg cake cream one-fourth cup of butter with one-half cup of sugar, add sugar gradually, and one egg, well-beaten. mix and sift one and one-half cups of flour and two and one-half teaspoons of baking-powder, add the sifted flour alternately with one-half cup of milk to the first mixture; flavor with vanilla or lemon. bake thirty minutes in a shallow pan. spread with chocolate frosting. little french cakes beat one-fourth cup of butter to a cream with one-fourth cup of sugar and add one cup of flour. stir well and then add one egg which has been beaten into half a pint of milk, a little at a time. fill buttered saucers with the mixture, bake and when done, place the cakes one on top of another with jam spread between. grafton cake. layers and small cakes cream four tablespoons of butter with one and one-half cups of sugar, beat in separately two whole eggs, add one cup of milk alternately with two cups of flour in which has been sifted two teaspoons of baking-powder, beat all thoroughly. this recipe will make two layer-cakes which may be spread with any of the cake fillings or icings. to make small cakes omit one of the egg-whites, fill well-buttered gem pans a little more than half full, and bake in a moderately hot oven until a delicate brown. the white reserved may be beaten to a stiff froth and then gradually stir in four tablespoons of powdered sugar and the juice of half a lemon. when the cakes are cool, spread with the icing and decorate with raisins, nut meats, one on top of each or sprinkle with candied caraway seeds. cup cake cream one cup of butter with two cups of sugar and add gradually the yolks of four eggs, one at a time. sift three cups of flour, measure again after sifting, and add two teaspoons of baking-powder in the last sifting. add alternately the sifted flour and one cup of sweet milk. add last the beaten whites of the eggs. flavor to taste. bake in loaf or jelly-tins. gold cake take one cup of powdered sugar, one-half cup of butter rubbed to a cream; add yolks of six eggs and stir until very light. then sift two cups of flour with one and one-half teaspoons of baking-powder sifted in well (sift the flour two or three times). grate in the peel of a lemon or an orange, add the juice also, and add three-quarters cup of milk alternately with the flour. bake in moderate oven. white cake cream three-quarters cup of butter and one and one-quarter cups of sugar very well. stop stirring, pour one-half cup of cold water on top of butter mixture and whites of eight eggs slightly beaten on top of water; do not stir, add one teaspoon of vanilla. sift two and one-half cups of pastry flour, measure, then mix with two heaping teaspoons of baking-powder, and sift three times. add to cake mixture and then beat hard until very smooth. turn into ungreased angel cake pan, place in slow oven. let cake rise to top of pan, then increase heat and bake until firm. invert pan, when cool cut out. marble cake take two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, four eggs (yolks), one cup of milk, three cups of flour, and three teaspoons of baking-powder (scant). cream the butter and sugar, and add the yolks of eggs. then add the milk, flour, baking-powder, and the beaten whites of the eggs; flavor with lemon. to make the brown part; take a square of bitter chocolate and melt above steam, and mix with some of the white; flavor the brown with vanilla. put first a tablespoon of brown batter in the pan, and then the white. bake in quick oven thirty-five minutes. lemon cake rub to a cream one-half cup of butter with one and one-half cups of pulverized sugar and add gradually the yolks of three eggs, one at a time, and one-half cup of sweet milk. sift two cups of flour with one teaspoon of baking-powder, add alternately with the milk and the stiffly-beaten whites of three eggs. add the grated peel of one-half lemon and the juice of one lemon. bake in moderate oven thirty minutes. orange cake beat light the yolks of five eggs with two cups of pulverized sugar, add juice of a large orange and part of the peel grated; one-half a cup of cold water and two cups of flour, sifted three times. add two teaspoons of baking-powder in last sifting and add last the stiff-beaten whites of three eggs. bake in layers, and spread the following icing between and on top. icing: beat the whites of two eggs stiff, add the juice and peel of one orange and sugar enough to stiffen. potato cake cream two-thirds cup of butter with two cups of granulated sugar; add one-half cup of milk, yolks of four eggs, one cup of hot mashed potatoes, one cup of chocolate, one teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, one teaspoon of vanilla, one cup of chopped walnuts, two cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder, then beaten whites of four eggs. bake slowly in two pans, and cut in half when cold. put jam between layers. pound cake rub one pound of butter and one pound of powdered sugar to a cream, add the grated peel of a lemon, a glass of brandy and the yolks of nine eggs, added one at a time, and last one pound and a quarter of sifted flour with one-half teaspoon of baking-powder and the beaten whites of the eggs. bake slowly. baking-powder bunt kuchen beat two whole eggs for ten minutes with two cups of sugar, two and one-half tablespoons of melted butter, add one cup of milk, three cups of flour in which have been sifted two teaspoons of baking-powder, flavor with one teaspoon of vanilla; one-fourth cup of small raisins may be added. bake one hour. quick coffee cake cream one-half cup of butter with one cup of sugar, add three eggs, one and one-half cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder, mixed with the flour, and one-half cup of milk. mix well together; bake in a long bread or cake pan, and have on top chopped almonds, sugar and cinnamon. baking-powder cinnamon cake cream three-fourths cup of sugar with a piece of butter the size of an egg, beat together; then add two eggs, one-half cup of milk (scant), one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of vanilla and two teaspoons of baking-powder. put cinnamon, flour, sugar and a few drops of water together and form in little pfärvel with your hand and sprinkle on top of cake; also sprinkle a few chopped nuts on top. do not bake too quickly. bake in flat pan. german coffee cake (baking-powder) take three cups of flour sifted, one teaspoon of salt, three tablespoons of sugar, three teaspoons of baking-powder, two eggs, two tablespoons of butter, and two-thirds of a cup of milk. stir well together, adding more milk if necessary. keep batter very stiff, sprinkle with melted butter (generously) sugar and cinnamon, and again with melted butter. put into well-buttered shallow pans and bake about half an hour. covered cheese cake cream one cup of sugar with butter the size of an egg, add two eggs well beaten and one cup of water alternately with two and one-half cups of flour in which has been sifted two teaspoons of baking-powder. *filling.*--beat two eggs with one-half cup of sugar, add one-half pound of pot cheese, one tablespoon of cornstarch boiled in one cup of milk, cool this and add, flavor with lemon extract. put one-half of the batter in cake pan, then the filling and the other half of batter. bake in slow oven thirty-five minutes. sift sugar on top when done. blitz kuchen take one cup of powdered sugar, one-half cup of butter, one cup of pastry flour, one-quarter of a teaspoon of baking-powder, peel and juice of one lemon, five or six eggs. beat sugar with two whole eggs; add butter, beat until foamy; after that the flour mixed with baking-powder, lemon and four yolks. last the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. mix this well, bake in form in a moderately hot oven. koenig kuchen cream one-quarter cup of butter with one cup of sugar, yolks of six eggs, one-quarter pound of raisins, one-quarter pound of currants, juice and peel of one lemon, one spoon of rum, twenty blanched and grated almonds, two cups of flour mixed with one-half teaspoon of baking-powder, two stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. bake in an ungreased form one to one and one-half hours. nut cake take one-half cup of butter, three eggs, one and one-half cups of sugar, two and one-half cups of flour, two and one-half level teaspoons of baking-powder, and one-half cup of milk. one cup of any kind of nuts. rub the butter and sugar to a light white cream; add the eggs beaten a little; then the flour sifted with the powder. mix with the milk and nuts into a rather firm batter. bake in a paper lined tin in a steady oven thirty-five minutes. loaf cocoanut cake rub one cup of butter and two cups of sugar to a cream. add one cup of milk, whites of four eggs, three cups of flour (measure after sifting), and three teaspoons of baking-powder added in last sifting. add a grated cocoanut and last the stiffly-beaten whites. bake in a loaf. line tin with buttered paper. fruit cake (wedding cake) take one pound of butter and one pound of sugar rubbed to a cream, yolks of twelve eggs, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of mace, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-fourth of a pound of almonds pounded, two pounds of raisins (seeded and chopped), three pounds of currants (carefully cleaned), one pound of citron (shredded very fine), and one-quarter of a pound of orange peel (chopped very fine). soak all this prepared fruit in one pint of brandy overnight. add all to the dough and put in the stiffly-beaten whites last. bake in a very slow oven for several hours, in cake pans lined with buttered paper. when cold wrap in cloths dipped in brandy and put in earthen jars. if baked in gas oven have light very low. keep oven the same temperature for four or five hours. apple sauce cake this apple sauce cake will be found as delicious and tasty as the rich fruit cake, which is so difficult to prepare, and it is very much less expensive. in a big mixing bowl, beat to a creamy consistency four tablespoons of butter, one egg and one cup of sugar. add a saltspoon of salt, one teaspoon of allspice, one teaspoon of vanilla and a little grated nutmeg. beat and stir all these ingredients well together with the other mixture, then add one cup of chopped raisins, after dusting them with flour. mix these well through the dough and then add one cup of unsweetened apple sauce which has been pressed through a fine wire sieve. after this is well mixed with the other ingredients, stir in one teaspoon of baking-soda dissolved in one tablespoon of boiling water. last of all, stir in one cup of flour, sifting twice after measuring it. bake forty-five minutes in moderate oven. the tendency in making this cake is to get the dough too thin, therefore the apple sauce should be cooked quite thick, and then if the dough is still too thin add more flour. bake one hour in moderate oven. this cake can be made with chicken schmalz in place of butter. ice with plain white frosting. spice cake this spice cake is economical, easy to make and delicious, three qualities which must appeal to the housewife. cream one cup of brown sugar and one-half cup of butter (or a little less of any butter substitute). add one-half teaspoon of ground cloves and ground cinnamon, one cup of sour milk; one teaspoon of baking-soda, two cups of flour and one cup of raisins chopped. have ready a warm oven and bake three-quarters of an hour. green tree layer cake and icing one cup of granulated sugar, one-half cup of butter, three eggs, one cup of milk, two and one-half scant cups of sifted flour, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, two teaspoons of baking-powder. cream the butter and sugar together as usual, and then break in three eggs and beat until very creamy. add the flour and milk alternately, reserving a little of the flour to add after the vanilla and baking-powder. beat well and bake in layer cake tins. the entire success and lightness of this cake depends upon the beating of the sugar, butter and eggs. if these are beaten long enough they will become as creamy and fluffy as whipped cream. *icing for this cake.*--one and one-half cups of confectioner's sugar (not powdered), butter the size of a large egg, two tablespoons of cocoa, one teaspoon of vanilla, moisten to make the mixture the consistence of very thick cream. cream or whipped cream may be used for the mixing, but many like this icing when made with lukewarm coffee. the sugar and butter are creamed together thoroughly and then the cocoa and vanilla are added, and lastly the cream or coffee. this is a good imitation of german tree cake. the icing on tree cake is an inch thick, and it is marked to represent the bark of a tree. the way it is served is with a little green candy on it, and it is really very delicious although extremely rich. the thicker or rather firmer this icing is, the better. eggless, butterless, milkless cake one package of seeded raisins, two cups of sugar, two cups of boiling water, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of cloves, two tablespoons of crisco, chicken schmalz or clarified drippings, one-half teaspoon of salt. boil all together five minutes, cool, add one teaspoon of soda dissolved in water, three cups of flour. bake forty-five minutes, make two cakes in layer pans. apple jelly cake rub one cup of butter and two cups of sugar to a cream, add four eggs, whites beaten separately, one cup of milk, two teaspoons of baking-powder and three and one-half cups of flour. bake in layer tins. *filling.*--pare and grate three large apples ("greenings" preferred), the juice and peel of a lemon, one cup of sugar and one well-beaten egg. put in ingredients together and boil, stirring constantly until thick. cool and fill in cake. cream layer cake rub one cup of butter and two scant cups of sugar to a cream; the yolks of four eggs beaten in well, add gradually one cup of milk and three cups of sifted flour, and add three teaspoons of baking-powder in last sifting; put whites in last. bake in layers as for jelly cake. when cold, spread with the following filling: moisten two tablespoons of cornstarch with enough cold milk to work it into a paste. scald one-half pint of milk with one-half cup of sugar and a pinch of salt. beat the yolks of two eggs light; add the cornstarch to this, and as soon as the milk is scalded pour in the mixture gradually, stirring constantly until thick. drop in one teaspoon of sweet butter, and when this is mixed in, set away until cool. spread between layers. cocoanut layer cake rub to a cream one-half cup of butter and one and one-half cups of pulverized sugar. add gradually three eggs, one-half cup of milk and two cups of flour, adding two teaspoons of baking-powder in last sifting. bake in layers. *filling.*--one grated cocoanut and all of its milk, to half of which add the beaten whites of two eggs and one cup of powdered sugar. lay this between the layers. mix with the other half of the grated cocoanut five tablespoons of powdered sugar and strew thickly on top of cake, which has been previously iced. chocolate layer cake stir one scant half cup of butter to a cream with one cup of sugar. add alternately one-half cup of sweet milk, yolks of two eggs which you have previously beaten until quite light, add whites of two, and one-half cup of sifted flour. make a custard of one-half cup of milk, with one cup of grated chocolate, one-half cup of granulated sugar; boil until thick, add the yolk of one egg, then remove from the fire; stir until cool, add this to the cake batter, add one and one-half cups of sifted flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder and one of vanilla flavoring. bake in layers and ice between and on top with plain white icing flavored to taste. you may substitute almond or colored icing. caramel layer cake place one-half cup of sugar in pan over fire. stir until liquid smokes and burns brown. add one-half cup of boiling water and cook into syrup. take one cup butter, one and one-half cups of sugar, yolks of two eggs, over one cup of water and two cups of flour. beat all thoroughly. add enough of the burnt sugar to flavor, also one teaspoon of vanilla, another half cup of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder and whites of two eggs. bake in two layers, using remainder of burnt sugar for icing. huckleberry cake stir to a cream one cup of butter and two cups of powdered sugar and add gradually the yolks of four eggs. sift into this three cups of flour, adding two teaspoons of baking-powder in the last sifting and add one cup of sweet milk alternately with the flour to the creamed butter, sugar and yolks. spice with one teaspoon of cinnamon and add the stiff-beaten whites of the eggs. lastly, stir in two cups of huckleberries which have been carefully picked over and well dredged with flour. be careful in stirring in the huckleberries that you do not bruise them. you will find a wooden spoon the best for this purpose, the edges not being so sharp. bake in a moderately hot oven; try with a straw, if it comes out clean, your cake is baked. this will keep fresh for a long while. cream puffs one cup of hot water, one-half cup of butter; boil together, and while boiling stir in one cup of sifted flour dry; take from the stove and stir to a thin paste, and after this cools add three eggs unbeaten, and stir vigorously for five minutes. drop in tablespoonfuls on a buttered tin and bake in a quick oven twenty-five minutes, opening the oven door no oftener than is absolutely necessary, and being careful that they do not touch each other in the pan. this amount will make twelve puffs. cream for puffs: one cup of milk, one cup of sugar, one egg, three tablespoons of flour, vanilla to flavor. stir the flour in a little of the milk; boil the rest, turn this in and stir until the whole thickens. when both this and the puffs are cool open the puff a little way with a sharp knife and fill them with the cream. chocolate eclairs to make éclairs spread the batter, prepared as in foregoing recipe, in long ovals and when done cover with plain or chocolate frosting, as follows: boil one cup of brown sugar with one-half cup of molasses, one tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of flour. boil for one-half hour, then stir in one-fourth pound of grated chocolate wet in one-fourth cup of sweet milk and boil until it hardens on the spoon. flavor with vanilla. spread this upon the éclairs. dobos torte cream yolks of six eggs with one-half pound of powdered sugar; add three-fourths cup of flour sifted three times; then add beaten whites of six eggs lightly and carefully into the mixture. butter pie plates on under side and sprinkle with flour lightly over the butter and spread the mixture very thin. this amount makes one cake of twelve layers. remove layers at once with a spatula. *filling.*--cream one-half pound of sweet butter and put on ice immediately; take one-half pound of sweet chocolate and break it into a cup of strong liquid coffee; add one-half pound of granulated sugar and let it boil until you can pull it almost like candy; remove from fire and stir the chocolate until it is quite cold. when cold add the chocolate mixture to the creamed butter. this filling is spread thin between the layers, spread the icing thicker on top and sides of the cake. this is very fine, but care must be taken in baking and removing the layers, as layers are as thin as wafers. bake and make filling a day or two before needed. sponge cake weigh any number of eggs, take the same weight of sugar and one-half the weight of flour; the grated rind and juice of one lemon to five eggs. for mixing this cake, see the directions given in "to bake cakes"; the mixture should be very light and spongy, great care being used not to break down the whipped whites. the oven should be moderate at first, and the heat increased after a time. the cake must not be moved or jarred while baking. the time will be forty to fifty minutes according to size of cake. use powdered sugar for sponge-cake. rose-water makes a good flavoring when a change from lemon is wanted. small sponge cakes separate the whites and yolks of four eggs, beat the whites stiff, and beat into them one-half cup of granulated sugar. beat the yolks to a very stiff froth and beat into them one-half cup of granulated sugar. this last mixture must be beaten for exactly five minutes. add the juice and grated rind of one small lemon; beat yolks and whites together well, then stir in very gently one scant cup of flour that has been sifted three times. remember that every stroke of the spoon after the flour is added toughens the cake just that much, so fold the flour in just enough to mix well. if baked in small patty pans they taste just like lady fingers. bake twenty or twenty-five minutes in moderate oven. dominoes make a sponge cake batter, and bake in long tins, not too large. the batter should not exceed the depth of one-fourth of an inch, spread it evenly and bake it in a quick oven (line the tins with buttered paper). as each cake is taken from the oven, turn it upside down on a clean board or paper. spread with a thin layer of currant or cranberry jelly, and lay the other cake on top of it. with a hot, sharp knife cut into strips like dominoes; push them with the knife about an inch apart, and ice them with ordinary white icing, putting a tablespoonful on each piece, the heat of the cake will soften it, and with little assistance the edges and sides may be smoothly covered. set the cakes in a warm place, where the frosting will dry. make a horn of stiff white paper with just a small opening; at the lower end. put in one spoon of dark chocolate icing and close the horn at the top, and by pressing out the icing from the small opening, draw a line of it across the centre of each cake, and then make dots like those on dominoes. keep the horn supplied with the icing. lady fingers beat the yolks of three eggs until light and creamy, add one-quarter pound of powdered sugar (sifted) and continue beating; add flavoring to taste, vanilla, lemon juice, grated rind of lemon or orange. to the whites of the three eggs add one-half saltspoon of salt and beat until very stiff. stir in lightly one-half cup of flour and then fold in the beaten whites very gently. press the mixture through a pastry tube on a baking-tin, covered with paper in portions one-half inch wide by four inches long, or drop on oblong molds; sift a little powdered sugar on top of each cake, and bake from ten to fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. do not let brown. remove immediately from pan, brush the flat surface of one cake with white of egg and press the underside of a second cake upon the first. jelly roll take three eggs creamed with one cup of granulated sugar, one cup of flour sifted with two teaspoons of baking-powder, add one-half cup of boiling water. bake in broad pan--while hot, remove from pan and lay on cloth wet with cold water. spread with jelly and roll quickly. sprinkle with powdered sugar. angel food sift one cup of pastry flour once, then measure and sift three times. add a pinch of salt to the whites of eight or nine eggs or just one cup of whites, beat about one-half, add one-half teaspoon of cream of tartar, then beat the whites until they will stand of their own weight; add one and one-fourth cups of sugar, then flour, not by stirring but folding over and over until thoroughly mixed in; flavor with one-half teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract. bake in an ungreased pan, patent tube pan preferred. place the cake in an oven that will just warm it enough through until the batter has raised to the top of the mold, then increase the heat gradually until the cake is well browned over; if by pressing the top of the cake with the finger it will spring back without leaving the imprint of the finger the cake is done through. great care should be taken that the oven is not too hot to begin with as the cake will rise too fast and settle or fall in the baking. bake thirty-five to forty minutes. when done, invert the pan; when cool remove from pan. sunshine cake beat yolks of five eggs lightly, add one teaspoon of vanilla, or grated rind of one lemon. in another bowl beat seven whites to a froth with a scant one-half teaspoon of cream of tartar, then beat until whites are very stiff. gradually add one cup of granulated sugar, sifted three times, to the beaten whites. fold whites and sugar, when beaten, into the beaten yolks. sift one cup of flour three times, then put into sifter and shake lightly, fold into the cake. bake forty minutes in ungreased cake pan. as directed for sponge cake invert pan. remove cake when it has cooled. mocha torts beat one cup of powdered sugar with the yolks of four eggs; when very light, add one cup of sifted flour in which has been mixed one teaspoon of baking-powder, add three tablespoons of cold water, one-half teaspoon of vanilla, one tablespoon essence of mocha, add the stiffly-beaten whites and bake fifteen to twenty minutes in two layer pans in a moderate oven. spread when cold with one-half pint of cream to which has been added one tablespoon of mocha essence, one and one-half tablespoon of powdered sugar and then well whipped. garnish with pounded almonds. peach shortcake make a sponge cake batter of four eggs, one cup of pulverized sugar, a pinch of salt and one cup of flour. beat the eggs with the sugar until very light. beat until the consistency of dough and add the grated peel of a lemon, and last the sifted flour. no baking-powder necessary. bake in jelly tins. cut the peaches quite fine and sugar bountifully. put between layers. eat with cream. the same recipe may be used for strawberry shortcake. bremen apple torte take seven peeled and cored apples, six tablespoons of sugar, two tablespoons of butter, and cook together until apples are soft. cream six eggs; add to them one pint of sour cream, one tablespoon of vanilla, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, and sugar to taste; then pour into the cooked apples and let all boil together till thick. remove from stove. take three cups of finely rolled zwieback, and in the bottom of a well-greased pan put a layer of two cups of crumbs, then a layer of the apple mixture, a layer of the remaining crumbs, and lastly lumps of butter over all. bake one hour. vienna prater cake cream the yolks of six eggs with one cup of granulated sugar. add three-fourths cup of sifted chocolate, three-fourths cup of flour (sifted twice), one and one-half teaspoon of vanilla. add the beaten whites. bake thirty minutes. when cold; cut in half and fill with the following: one cup of milk, yolks of two eggs, one cup of chopped walnuts. boil, stirring constantly to prevent curdling. sweeten to taste, and after removing from the fire add one tablespoon of rum. spread while hot. sand torte cream one-half pound of butter with one-half pound of sugar; drop in, one at a time, the yolks of six eggs. add one small wine glass of rum, one-fourth pound of corn-starch, and one-fourth pound of flour that have been thoroughly mixed; one teaspoon of baking-powder, the beaten whites of six eggs. bake one hour in a moderate oven. almond cake or mandel torte, no. take one-half pound of almonds and blanch by pouring boiling water over them, and pound in a mortar or grate on grater (the latter is best). beat yolks of eight eggs vigorously with one cup of sugar, add one-half lemon, grated peel and juice, one tablespoon of brandy, and four lady-fingers grated, the almonds, and fold in the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. bake in moderate oven one hour. almond cake or mandel torte, no. take one-fourth pound of sweet almonds and one-eighth pound of bitter ones mixed. blanch them the day previous to using and then grate or pound them as fine as powder. beat until light the yolks of nine eggs with eight tablespoons of granulated sugar. add the grated peel of one lemon and one-half teaspoon of mace or vanilla. beat long and steadily. add the grated almonds and continue the stirring in one direction. add the juice of the lemon to the stiff-beaten whites. grate four stale lady fingers, add and bake slowly for one hour at least. brod torte take six eggs, seven tablespoons of granulated sugar, seven tablespoons of bread crumbs, one-eighth pound of chopped almonds, one-half teaspoon of allspice, one tablespoon of jelly, grated rind and juice of one lemon, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of cloves, one-half wine glass of brandy. beat yolks of eggs well and add sugar and beat until it blisters, add bread crumbs, almonds, jelly, spice, lemon, and brandy. then add beaten whites, and bake slowly about forty minutes. rye bread torte beat the yolks of four eggs very light with one cup of sugar; add one cup of sifted dry rye bread crumbs to which one teaspoon of baking-powder and a pinch of salt have been added. moisten one-half cup of ground almonds with two tablespoons of sherry, add and lastly fold in the beaten whites of eggs. bake in ungreased form in moderate oven. zwieback torte beat the yolks of six eggs with one and one-eighth cups of sugar, add one-half box of zwieback, which has been rolled very fine, add one teaspoon of baking-powder, season with one tablespoon of rum or sherry wine and one-half teaspoon of bitter almond extract. lastly fold in the stiffly-beaten whites of the six eggs and bake in ungreased form in moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. chocolate brod torte separate the yolks and whites of ten eggs. beat the yolks with two cups of pulverized sugar. when thick add one and three-fourth cups of sifted dry rye bread crumbs, one-half pound of sweet almonds, also some bitter ones, grated or powdered as fine as possible, one-fourth pound of citron shredded fine, one cake of chocolate grated, the grated peel of one lemon, the juice of one orange and one lemon, one tablespoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of allspice, one-half teaspoon of cloves, and a wine glass of brandy. bake very slowly in ungreased form. frost with a chocolate icing, made as follows: melt a small piece of chocolate. beat the white of an egg stiff with scant cup of sugar, and stir into the melted chocolate and spread with a knife. burnt almond torte beat up four eggs with one cup of sifted powdered sugar. beat until it looks like a heavy batter. when you think you cannot possibly beat any longer stir one cup of sifted flour with one-half teaspoon of baking-powder. stir it into batter gradually and lightly, adding three tablespoons of water. bake in jelly tins. filling: scald one-fourth pound of almonds (by pouring boiling water over them), remove skins, put them on a pie plate and set them in the oven to brown slightly. meanwhile, melt three tablespoons of white sugar, without adding water, stirring it all the while. stir up the almonds in this, then remove them from the fire and lay on a platter separately to cool. make an icing of the whites of three eggs beaten very stiff, with one pound of pulverized sugar, and flavor with rose-water. spread this upon layers and cover each layer with almonds. when finished frost the whole cake, decorating with almonds. chocolate torte take nine eggs, one-half pound of pulverized sugar, one-half pound of almonds, half cut and grated; one-half pound of finest vanilla chocolate grated, one-half pound of raisins, cut and seeded; seven soda crackers, rolled to a powder; one teaspoon of baking-powder, juice of three lemons and one-fourth glass of wine. beat whites of eggs to a stiff froth and stir in last. beat yolks with sugar until very light; then add chocolate, and proceed as with other torten. date torte beat one-half pound of pulverized sugar with the yolks of six large eggs. beat long and steadily until a thick batter. add one-half pound of dates, cut very fine, one teaspoon each of allspice and ground cinnamon, one-fourth pound of chocolate grated, juice and peel of one lemon, three and one-half soda crackers, rolled to a fine powder, one teaspoon of baking-powder, and last the stiff-beaten whites. bake slowly. cake can be cut in half and put together with jelly. german hazelnut torte beat together for twenty minutes until very light the yolks of eight eggs with one-half pound of granulated sugar, then add the very stiffly-beaten whites of eggs, place the bowl in which it has been stirred over a boiler in which water is boiling on the stove, stir continually but slowly until all the batter is well warmed but not too hot, add a small pinch of salt, and one-half pound of grated hazelnuts, add the nuts gradually, mix well and pour into a greased spring form. bake very slowly. the grated rind of one-half lemon can be added if desired. ice with boiled icing. linzer torte cream one pound of butter with one pound of sugar until foamy, then add one by one four whole eggs. mix well, then stir in three-fourths pound of pounded almonds or walnuts, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoon of cloves, one pound of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, and a few drops of bitter almond essence. put in four layer pans and bake in slow oven. put together with apricot, strawberry, or raspberry jam and pineapple marmalade, each layer having a different preserve. ice top and sides. if only two layers are desired for home use, half the quantity of ingredients can be used. this is a very fine cake. it is better the second day. russian punch torte bake three layers of almond tart and flavor it with a wine glass of arrack. when baked, scrape part of the cake out of the thickest layer, not disturbing the rim, and reserve these crumbs to add to the following filling: boil one-half pound of sugar in one-fourth cup of water until it spins a thread. add to this syrup a wine glass of rum, and the crumbs, and spread over the layers, piling one on top of the other. another way to fill this cake is to take some crab-apple jelly or apple marmalade and thin it with a little brandy. walnut torte, no. grate eight ounces of walnuts and eight ounces of blanched almonds. beat light the yolks of twelve eggs and three-fourths pound of sugar. add the grated nuts and one-fourth pound of sifted flour, fold in the whites beaten to a stiff froth. bake in layers and fill with sweetened whipped cream. walnut torte, no. separate the yolks and whites of six eggs, being very careful not to get a particle of the yolks into the whites. sift one-half pound of granulated sugar into the yolks and beat until thick as batter. add a pinch of salt to the whites and beat very stiff. have ready one-fourth pound of grated walnuts, reserve whole pieces for decorating the top of cake. add the pounded nuts to the beaten yolks, and two tablespoons of grated lady fingers or stale sponge cake. last add the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in layers and fill with almond or plain icing. chestnut torte boil one pound of chestnuts in the shells, peel them while warm, put nuts through potato ricer or colander. beat well the yolks of six eggs with six tablespoons of sugar, add all the chestnut purée but two or three tablespoons reserved for top of torte, then add three teaspoons of baking-powder and the well-beaten whites of the six eggs; bake in moderate oven fifteen to twenty minutes. whip one-half pint of cream, add to this the chestnut purée which was reserved, and a little sugar; garnish torte with this mixture. enough for twelve persons. nut honey cake mix two cups of brown sugar, two cups of honey, six egg yolks and beat them thoroughly. sift together three cups of flour, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, three teaspoons of ground cinnamon, one-half teaspoon each of ground cloves, ground nutmeg and allspice, and one and one-half teaspoons of soda; add one cup of chopped raisins, one-half ounce of citron cut in small pieces, one-half ounce of candied orange peel cut in small pieces, one-half pound of almonds coarsely chopped. beat the whites of three eggs very stiff and add them last. pour the dough to the depth of about half an inch into well-buttered tins and bake in a slow oven for one-half hour. *icings and fillings for cakes* boiled icing one cup of sugar, one-third cup of boiling water, white of one egg beaten stiff. pour water on sugar until dissolved, heat slowly to boiling point without stirring; boil until syrup will thread when dropped from tip of spoon; as soon as it threads, pour slowly over beaten white, then beat with heavy wire spoon until of proper consistency to spread. flavor. white caramel icing put on to boil two cups of brown sugar, one cup of milk and a small lump of butter. boil until it gets as thick as cream, then beat with a fork or egg whip until thick and creamy. spread quickly on cake. maple sugar icing boil two cups of maple sugar with one-half cup of boiling water until it threads from the spoon. pour it upon the beaten whites of two eggs and beat until cold. spread between layers and on top of cake. do not make icings on cloudy or rainy days. unboiled icing take the white of one egg and add to it the same quantity of water (measure in an egg shell). stir into this as much confectioner's sugar to make it of the right consistency to spread upon the cake. flavor with any flavoring desired. you may color it as you would boiled frosting by adding fruit coloring. cocoanut icing mix cocoanut with the unboiled icing. if you desire to spread it between the cakes, scatter more cocoanut over and between the layers. nut icing mix any quantity of finely chopped nuts into any quantity of cream icing (unboiled) as in the foregoing recipes. ice the top of cake with plain icing, and lay the halves of walnuts on top. orange icing grate the peel of one-half orange, mix with two tablespoons of orange juice and one tablespoon of lemon juice and let stand fifteen minutes. strain and add to the beaten yolk of one egg. stir in enough powdered sugar to make it the right consistency to spread upon the cake. chocolate glazing grate two sticks of bitter chocolate, add five tablespoons of powdered sugar and three tablespoons of boiling water. put on the stove, over moderate fire, stir while boiling until smooth, glossy and thick. spread at once on cake and set aside to harden. chocolate icing, unboiled beat the whites of three eggs and one and one-half cups of pulverized sugar, added gradually while beating. beat until very thick, then add four tablespoons of grated chocolate and two teaspoons of vanilla. this quantity is sufficient for a very large cake. instantaneous frosting to the white of an unbeaten egg add one and one-fourth cups of pulverized sugar and stir until smooth. add three drops of rose-water, ten of vanilla, and the juice of half a lemon. it will at once become very white, and will harden in five or six minutes. plain frosting to one cup of confectioner's sugar add some liquid, either milk or water, to make it the right consistency to spread, flavor with vanilla. instead of the water or milk, orange juice can be used. a little of the rind must be added. lemon juice can be substituted in place of vanilla. chocolate melted over hot water and added to the sugar and water makes a nice chocolate icing; flavor with vanilla. almond icing take the whites of two eggs and one-half pound of sweet almonds, which should be blanched, dried and grated or pounded to a paste. beat the whites of the eggs, add half a pound of confectioner's sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until all is used, and then add the almonds and a few drops of rosewater. spread between or on top of cake. put on thick, and when nearly dry cover with a plain icing. if the cakes are well dredged with a little flour after baking, and then carefully wiped before the icing is put on, it will not run and can be spread more smoothly. put the frosting in the centre of the cake, dip a knife in cold water and spread from the centre toward the edge. mocha frosting one cup of pulverized sugar into which sift two dessertspoons of dry cocoa, two tablespoons of strong hot coffee in which is melted a piece of butter the size of a walnut. beat well and add a little vanilla. marshmallow filling melt one-half pound marshmallows over hot water, cook together one cup of sugar and one-quarter cup of cold water until it threads thoroughly. beat up the white of an egg and syrup and mix, then add to the melted marshmallows and beat until creamy and cool. can be used for cake filling or spread between two cookies. fig filling one pound of figs chopped fine, one cup of water, one-half cup of sugar; cook all together until soft and smooth. banana filling mash six bananas, add juice of one lemon and three or more tablespoons of sugar; or add mashed bananas with whipped cream or boiled icing. cream filling scald two cups of milk. mix together three-fourths of a cup of sugar, one-third cup of flour and one-eighth teaspoon of salt. add to three slightly-beaten eggs and pour in scalded milk. cook twenty minutes over boiling water, stirring constantly until thickened. cool and flavor. this can be used as a foundation for most fillings, by adding melted chocolate, nuts, fruits, etc. coffee filling put three cups of warmed-over or freshly made coffee in a small casserole, add two tablespoons of powdered sugar, one-half teaspoon of vanilla. when at boiling point (do not let it boil), add one cup of milk or cream. then add one tablespoon of cornstarch which has been moistened with cold water. stir in while cooking till it is smooth and glossy. when the cake is cool, pour mixture over the layers. lemon jelly for layer cake take one pound of sugar, yolks of eight eggs with two whole ones, the juice of five large lemons, the grated peel of two, and one-quarter pound of butter. put the sugar, lemon and butter into saucepan and melt over a gentle fire. when all is dissolved, stir in the eggs which have been beaten, stir rapidly until it is thick as honey, and spread some of this between the layers of cake. pack the remainder in jelly glasses. lemon peel keep a wide-mouthed bottle of brandy in which to throw lemon peel. often you will have use for the juice of lemons only. then it will be economical to put the lemon peel in the bottle to use for flavoring. a teaspoon of this is sufficient for the largest cake. lemon extract take the peel of half a dozen lemons and put in alcohol the same as for vanilla. vanilla extract take two ounces of vanilla bean and one of tonka. soak the tonka in warm water until the skin can be rubbed off; then cut or chop in small pieces and put in two wine bottles. fill with half alcohol, half water; cork, seal, and in a week's time will be ready for use. *pies and pastry* puff paste or blaetter teig to make good puff paste one must have all the ingredients cold. use a marble slab if possible and avoid making the paste on a warm, damp day. it should be made in a cool place as it is necessary to keep the paste cold during the whole time of preparation. this recipe makes two pies or four crusts, and requires one-half pound of butter and one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half pound of flour and one-fourth to one-half cup of ice-water. cut off one-third of the butter and put the remaining two-thirds in a bowl of ice-water. divide this into four equal parts; pat each into a thin sheet and set them away on ice. mix and sift flour and salt; rub the reserved butter into it and make as stiff as possible with ice-water. dust the slab with flour; turn the paste upon it; knead for one minute, then stand it on ice for five minutes. roll the cold paste into a square sheet about one-third of an inch thick; place the cold batter in the centre and fold the paste over it, first from the sides and then the ends, keeping the shape square and folding so that the butter is completely covered and cannot escape through any cracks as it is rolled. roll out to one-fourth inch thickness, keeping the square shape and folding as before, but without butter. continue rolling and folding, enclosing a sheet of butter at every alternate folding until all four sheets are used. then turn the folded side down and roll in one direction into a long narrow strip, keeping the edges as straight as possible. fold the paste over, making three even layers. then roll again and fold as before. repeat the process until the dough has had six turns. cut into the desired shapes and place on the ice for twenty minutes or longer before putting in the oven. if during the making the paste sticks to the board or pin, remove it immediately and stand it on the ice until thoroughly chilled. scrape the board clean; rub with a dry cloth and dust with fresh flour before trying again. use as little flour as possible in rolling, but use enough to keep the paste dry. roll with a light, even, long stroke in every direction, but never work the rolling-pin back and forth as that movement toughens the paste and breaks the bubbles of air. the baking of puff paste is almost as important as the rolling, and the oven must be very hot, with the greatest heat at the bottom, so that the paste will rise before it browns. if the paste should begin to scorch, open the drafts at once and cool the temperature by placing a pan of ice-water in the oven. fleischig pie crust for shortening; use drippings and mix with goose, duck or chicken fat. in the fall and winter, when poultry is plentiful and fat, save all drippings of poultry fat for pie-crust. if you have neither, use rendered beef fat. take one-half cup of shortening, one and one-half cups of flour. sifted pastry flour is best. if you have none at hand take two tablespoons of flour off each cup after sifting; add a pinch of salt. with two knives cut the fat into the sifted flour until the shortening is in pieces as small as peas. then pour in six or eight tablespoons of cold water; in summer use ice-water; work with the knife until well mixed (never use the hand). flour a board or marble slab, roll the dough out thin, sprinkle with a little flour and put dabs of soft drippings here and there, fold the dough over and roll out thin again and spread with fat and sprinkle with flour, repeat this and then roll out not too thin and line a pie-plate with this dough. always cut dough for lower crust a little larger than the upper dough and do not stretch the dough when lining pie-pan or plate. if fruit is to be used for the filling, brush over top of the dough with white of egg slightly beaten, or sprinkle with one tablespoon of bread crumbs to prevent the dough from becoming soggy. put in the filling, brush over the edge of pastry with cold water, lay the second round of paste loosely over the filling; press the edges together lightly, and trim, if needed. cut several slits in the top crust or prick it with a fork before putting it in place. bake from thirty-five to forty-five minutes until crust is a nice brown. a gas stove is more satisfactory for baking pies than a coal stove as pies require the greatest heat at the bottom. the recipe given above makes two crusts. bake pies having a cooked filling in a quick oven and those with an uncooked filling in a moderate oven. let pies cool upon plates on which they were made because slipping them onto cold plates develops moisture which always destroys the crispness of the lower crust. to make and bake a meringue to beat and bake a meringue have cold, fresh eggs, beat the whites until frothy; add to each white one level tablespoon of powdered sugar. beat until so stiff that it can be cut with a knife. spread on the pie and bake with, the oven door open until a rich golden brown. too much sugar causes a meringue to liquefy; if not baked long enough the same effect is produced. pie crust (merberteig) rub one cup of butter to a cream, add four cups of sifted flour, a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of brown sugar; work these together until the flour looks like sand, then take the yolk of an egg, a wine-glass of brandy, one-half cup of ice-water and work it into the flour lightly. do not use the hands; knead with a knife or wooden spoon, knead as little as possible. if the dough is of the right consistency no flour will be required when rolling out the dough. if it is necessary to use flour use as little as possible. work quickly, handle dough as little as possible and bake in a hot oven. follow directions given with fleischig pie crust. fat may be substituted for butter in the above recipe. parve, cookie and pie dough sift into a mixing-bowl one and one-half cups of flour and one-half teaspoon of baking-powder. make a depression in the centre; into this pour a generous half cup of oil and an exact half cup of very cold (or ice) water; add pinch of salt, mix quickly with a fork, divide in two portions; do not knead, but roll on a well-floured board, spread on pans, fill and bake at once in a quick oven. no failure is possible if the formula is accurately followed and these things observed; ingredients cold, no kneading or re-rolling; dough must not stand, but the whole process must be completed as rapidly as possible. do not pinch or crimp the edge of this or any other pie. to do so makes a hard edge that no one cares to eat. instead, trim the edges in the usual way, then place the palms of the hand on opposite sides of the pie and raise the dough until the edges stand straight up. this prevents all leakage and the crust is tender to the last morsel. tartlets roll puff paste one-eighth of an inch thick; cut it into squares; turn the points together into the middle and press slightly to make them stay. bake until thoroughly done; place a spoonful of jam in the centre of each; cover the jam with meringue and brown the meringue in a quick oven. by brushing the top of the paste with beaten egg, diluted with one teaspoon of water, a glazed appearance may be obtained. banbury tarts cut one cup of seeded muscatel raisins and one cup of nuts in small pieces, add one cup of sugar, one well-beaten egg, one tablespoon of water, the juice and grated rind of one lemon. mix well. line patty-pans with pie dough, fill with mixture and bake until crust is brown. fruit tartlets if canned fruit is used, take a large can of any kind of fruit, drain all the syrup off and put in a saucepan with an equal quantity of sugar. cook until it forms a syrup, then pour in the fruit, which has been stoned (if necessary), and cook until the whole is a syrupy mass. if fresh fruit is used, put on two parts of sugar to one of water and cook until syrupy, then add the fruit, which has been peeled, sliced and stoned, and cook until the whole is a thick, syrupy mass. line the patty cases or plain muffin rings with the puff paste. put a spoonful or two of the fruit in each one and bake a nice brown. peaches, white cherries, malaga grapes, huckleberries and apples make nice tartlets. one large can california fruit fills twelve tartlets. apple fladen (hungarian) rub together on a pastry-board one-half pound of sweet butter with one pound (four cups sifted) of flour, add four tablespoons of powdered sugar, a little salt, four egg yolks and moisten with one-half cup of sour cream; cover and set aside in the ice-box for one-half hour. take two pounds of sour apples, peel, cut fine, mix with one-half cup of light-colored raisins, sugar and cinnamon to taste. cut the dough in two pieces, roll out one piece and place on greased baking-pan, spread over this four tablespoons of bread crumbs and the chopped sugared apples, roll out the other half of dough, place on top and spread with white of one egg, sprinkle with two tablespoons of powdered almonds. bake in hot oven. linser tart make a dough of one-half pound each of flour, sugar and almonds that are grated with peel on, two eggs, a little allspice, a little citron, pinch of salt. flavor with brandy. take a little more than half, roll it out and line a pie-pan, put strawberry jam on and then cut rest of dough in strips and cover the same as you would prune pie. brush these strips with yolk of egg and bake in moderate oven. macaroon tarts line a gem or muffin-pan with rich pie dough; half fill each tart with any desired preserve, and bake in a quick oven. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth and add one-half pound of powdered sugar and stir about ten minutes or until very light, and gradually one-half pound of grated almonds. divide this macaroon paste into equal portions. roll and shape into strips, dusting hands with powdered sugar in place of flour. place these strips on the baked tarts in parallel rows to cross each other diagonally. return to oven and bake in a slow oven about fifteen minutes. let remain in pans until almost cold. lemon tart (fleischig) make a rich crust and bake in small spring form. beat three whole eggs and yolks of three very light with one cup of sugar. add juice of three lemons and grated rind of one, and juice of one orange. put whole on stove and stir until it comes to a boil. put on baked crust, spread a meringue made of the remaining three whites and three tablespoons of sugar on top, and put in oven to brown. may be used as a filling for tartlets. vienna pastry for kipfel take one-half pound of pot cheese and one-half pound of butter and two cups of flour sifted four times, add a pinch of salt and work these ingredients into a dough; make thirty small balls of it and put on a platter on the ice overnight. in the morning roll each ball separately into two-inch squares. these squares may be filled with, a teaspoon of jelly put in the centre and the squares folded over like an envelop; or fill them with one-half pound of walnuts, ground; one-half cup of sugar and moisten with a little hot milk. roll and twist into shape. brush with beaten egg and bake in a moderately hot oven. cheese straws one-half cup of flour, two tablespoons of butter, four tablespoons of grated cheese, yolk of one egg, dash of cayenne pepper, enough ice-water to moisten. mix as little as possible. roll out about a quarter of an inch thick and cut into long, narrow strips. shake a little more cheese on top and bake in hot oven. this is also an excellent pie crust for one pie, omitting pepper and cheese. serve cheese straws with salads. lamplich make a mince-meat by chopping finely eight medium-sized apples, one-half pound each of raisins, currants and sugar, a little citron peel, two or three cloves and one teaspoon of powdered cinnamon. cut some good puff paste into little triangles and fill with the mince, turning the corners of the paste over it so as to make little puffs. place these closely together and on a buttered baking-dish until it is full. now mix two tablespoons of melted butter with one teacup of thick syrup flavored with essence of lemon, and pour it over the puffs. bake until done in a rather slow oven. mirlitious pound and sift six macaroons; add one tablespoon of grated chocolate and one pint of hot milk. let stand ten minutes, and then add yolks of three eggs well beaten, one tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of vanilla. line patty-tins with puff paste; fill with the mixture and bake twenty minutes. apple pie, no. pare, core and slice four apples. line a pie-plate with plain pastry. sprinkle with bread crumbs. lay in the apples, sprinkle with one-half cup of sugar, flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg or lemon juice or two tablespoons of water if apples are not juicy. cover with upper crust, slash and prick and bake in moderate oven until the crust is brown and the fruit is soft. apple pie, no. put in saucepan one-half cup of sugar and one-fourth cup of water, let it boil a few minutes, then lay in five large apples or six small ones, which have previously been peeled and quartered; cover with a lid and steam until tender but not broken. line pie-plate with rich milchig pastry, lay on the apples, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bits of butter drop a few drops of syrup over all and bake. individual apple dumplings butter six muffin rings and set them on a shallow agate pan which has been well buttered. fill the rings with sliced apples. make a dough of one and one-half cups of pastry flour sifted several times with one-half teaspoon of salt and three level teaspoons of baking-powder. chop into the dry ingredients one-fourth of a cup of shortening, gradually add three-fourths of a cup of milk or water. drop the dough on the apples on the rings. let bake about twenty minutes. with a spatula remove each dumpling from the ring, place on dish with the crust side down. serve with cream and sugar, hard sauce or with a fruit sauce. whipped cream pie make a crust as rich as possible and line a deep tin. bake quickly in a hot oven and spread it with a layer of jelly or jam. next whip one cup of sweet cream until it is thick. set the cream in a bowl of ice while whipping. sweeten slightly and flavor with vanilla, spread this over the pie and put in a cool place until wanted. grated apple pie line a pie-plate with a rich puff paste. pare and grate four or five large tart apples into a bowl into which you have stirred the yolks of two eggs with about half a cup of sugar. add a few raisins, a few currants, a few pounded almonds, a pinch of ground cinnamon, and the grated peel of a lemon. have no top crust. bake in a quick oven. in the meantime, make a meringue of the whites of the eggs by beating them to a very stiff froth and add about three tablespoons of pulverized sugar. spread this over the pie when baked and set back in the oven until brown. eat cold. apple custard pie line your pie-plates with a rich crust. slice apples thin, half fill your plates and pour over them a custard made of four eggs and two cups of milk, sweetened and seasoned to taste. cherry pie, no. line a pie-plate with rich paste, sprinkle cornstarch lightly over the bottom crust and fill with cherries and regulate the quantity of sugar you scatter over them by their sweetness. bake with an upper crust, secure the edges well by pinching firmly together. eat cold. cherry pie, no. pick the stems out of your cherries and put them in an earthen crock, then set them in the oven until they get hot. take them out and seed them. make tarts with or without tops and sugar to your taste. the heating of the fruit gives the flavor of the seed, which is very rich, but the seeding of them while hot is not a delightful job. made this way they need no water for juice. snowballs pare and core nice large baking apples, fill the holes with some preserves or jam, roil the apples in sugar and cover with a rich pie crust and bake. when done, cover with a boiled icing and set back in the oven, leaving both doors open to let the icing dry. blackberry and currant pie when ready to make the pie, mix as much fruit in a bowl as required, sweeten, stirring the sugar through the berries and currants lightly with a spoon. dust in a little flour and stir it through the fruit. cut one of the pieces of pastry in halves, dust the pastry-board with flour and roll the lump of pastry out very thin, cover the pie-plate, a big deep one, with the pastry, trim off the edges with a knife, cutting from you. fill the dish with the fruit, dust the surface well with flour. roll out the other piece for the top crust, fold it over the rolling pin, cut a few gashes in it for a steam vent. carefully put on the top crust, trim it well about the edge of the pie-plate. press it closely together with the end of your thumb or with a pastry knife and stand the pie in a moderate oven and bake till the surface is a delicate brown. then remove the pie and let it stand until it is cool. the top crust may be made lattice fashion by cutting the pastry in strips, but it will not be as good as between two closed crusts. custard pie line the pie-plate with a rich crust. beat up four eggs light with one-half cup of sugar, a pinch of salt, one pint of milk and grated nutmeg or grated lemon peel, and pour in shell and bake in slow oven. cream pie first line a pie-plate with puff paste and bake, and then make a cream of the yolks of four eggs, a little more than a pint of milk, one tablespoon of cornstarch and four tablespoons of sugar, and flavor with two teaspoons of vanilla. pour on crust and bake; beat up the whites with two tablespoons of powdered sugar and half a teaspoon of cream of tartar. spread on top of pie and set back in the oven until baked a light brown. cocoanut pie line a pie-plate with puff paste and fill with the following custard: butter size of an egg, creamed with one cup of granulated sugar, one tablespoon of flour, three-fourths cup of grated cocoanut, one tablespoon of milk, vanilla, pinch of salt, and the beaten whites of three eggs. cocoanut lemon pie beat the yolks of six eggs and one cup of sugar until very light, squeeze in the juice of three lemons and the rind of two of them, stir well, then add one-half of a cocoanut grated, and lastly add the whites of six eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. line a deep pie-plate with rich pastry, sprinkle a little flour over it, pour in the lemon mixture and bake. this makes one pie in deep pie-plate. lemon pie, no. cover the reverse side of a deep pie-plate with a rich puff paste, and bake a light brown. remove from the oven until the filling is prepared. take a large juicy lemon, grate and peel and squeeze out every drop of juice. now take the lemon and put it into a cup of boiling water to extract every particle of juice. put the cup of water on to boil with the lemon juice and grated peel, and a cup of sugar; beat up the yolks of four eggs very light and add to this gradually the boiling lemon juice. return to the kettle and boil. then wet a teaspoon of cornstarch with a very little cold water, and add also a teaspoon of butter and when the boiling mixture has thickened remove from the fire and let it cool. beat up the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, add half of the froth to the lemon mixture and reserve the other half for the top of the pie. bake the lemon cream in the baked pie-crust. add a few tablespoons of powdered sugar and half a teaspoon of cream of tartar to the remaining beaten whites. if you desire to have the meringue extra thick, add the whites of one or more eggs. when the pie is baked take from the oven just long enough to spread the meringue over the top, and set back for two or three minutes, leaving the oven doors open just the least bit, so as not to have it brown too quickly. lemon pie, no. line a deep pie-plate with nice crust, then prepare a filling as follows: after removing the crust from two slices of bread about two inches thick, pour over it one cup of boiling water; add one dessertspoon of butler, and beat until the bread is well soaked and smooth; then add the juice and rind of one lemon, one cup of sugar, the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, and a little salt; mix well; fill pie with mixture and bake in hot oven until firm. beat white of two eggs to a stiff froth, add four tablespoons of powdered sugar and spread on top and brown. mock mince pie pare, core, and chop fine eight tart apples. add one cup of seedless raisins, one-half cup of currants, one ounce of chopped citron, one-half teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, spice and mace, a tiny bit of salt and grated nutmeg. pour over whole one tablespoon of brandy, and juice and rind of one lemon. line bottom and sides of plate with crust, fill in with mixture, and put strips of dough across. mince pie boil two pounds lean, fresh beef. when cold, chop fine. add one-half pound chopped suet, shredded very fine, and all gristle removed. mix in a bowl two pounds of seeded raisins, two pounds of currants, one-half pound of citron, chopped very fine. two tablespoons of cinnamon, two tablespoons of mace, one grated nutmeg, one tablespoon of cloves, allspice, and salt. mix this with meat and suet. then take two cups of white wine, two and one-half pounds of brown sugar. let stand. chop fine four apples, and add meat to fruits. then mix wine with whole, stir well, and put up in small stone jars. this will keep all winter in a cool place. let stand at least two days before using. line pie-plates with a rich crust, fill with mince meat mixture, put a rich paste crust on top, or strips if preferred, prick slightly and bake. serve warm, not hot. pumpkin pie press through a sieve one pint of stewed pumpkin, add four eggs and a scant cup of sugar. beat yolks and sugar together until very thick and add one pint of milk to the beaten eggs. then add the pressed pumpkin, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, less than one-half teaspoon of mace and grated nutmeg. stir the stiffly-beaten whites in last. bake in a very rich crust without cover. grape pie squeeze out the pulps and put them in one vessel, the skins into another. then simmer the pulp a little and press it through a colander to separate the seeds. then put the skins and pulps together and they are ready for the pies. huckleberry pie line a pie-plate with rich pastry. pick, clean and wash one pint of huckleberries, drain and lay them thickly on the crust. sprinkle thickly with sugar, lightly with cinnamon, and drop bits of butter over the top. bake a nice even brown. peach cream tarts one cup of butter, and a little salt; cut through just enough flour to thoroughly mix, a cup of ice-water, one whole egg and the yolks of two eggs mixed with a tablespoon of brown sugar. add to the flour in which you have previously sifted two teaspoons of baking-powder. handle the dough as little as possible in mixing. bake in round rings in a hot oven until a light brown. when baked, sift pulverized sugar over the top and fill the hollow centre with a compote of peaches. heap whipped cream or ice-cream on top of each one, the latter being preferable. mock cherry pie cover the bottom of pie-plate with rich crust; reserve enough for upper crust. for filling use two cups of cranberries, cut in halves; one cup of raisins, cut in pieces; two cups of sugar, butter the size of walnut. dredge with flour, sprinkle with water. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. peach cream pie line a pie-plate with a rich crust and bake, then fill with a layer of sweetened grated peaches which have had a few pounded peach kernels added to them. whip one cup of rich cream, sweeten and flavor and spread over the peaches. set in ice-chest until wanted. peach pie, no. line a pie-plate with a rich pie-crust, cover thickly with peaches that have been pared and sliced fine (canned peaches may be used when others are not to be had), adding; sugar and cover with strips of dough; bake quickly. peach pie, no. pare, stone, and slice the peaches. line a deep pie-plate with a rich paste, sprinkle a little flour over the bottom crust and lay in your fruit, sprinkle sugar liberally over them in proportion to their sweetness. add a few peach kernels, pounded fine, to each pie and bake with crossbars of paste across the top. if you want it extra fine, with the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth and sweeten with about four tablespoons of pulverized sugar, adding one-fourth of a teaspoon of cream tartar, spread over the pie and return to the oven until the meringue is set. eat cold. pineapple pie, no. line your pie-plate with a rich paste, slice pineapples as thin as possible, sprinkle sugar over them abundantly and put flakes of sugar here and there. cover and bake. you may make pineapple pies according to any of the plain apple pie recipes. pineapple pie, no. pare and core the pineapple and cut into small slices and sprinkle abundantly with sugar and set it away in a covered dish to draw enough juice to stew the pineapple in. bake two shells on perforated pie-plates of a rich pie dough. when the pineapple is stewed soft enough to mash, mash it and set it away to cool. when the crust is baked and cool whip half a pint of sweet cream and mix with the pineapple and fill in the baked shell. prune and raisin pie use one-half pound of prunes, cooked until soft enough to remove the stones. mash with a fork and add the juice in which they have been cooked; one-half cup of raisins, cooked in a little water for a few minutes until soft; add to the prune mixture with one-half cup of sugar; a little ground clove or lemon juice improves the flavor. bake with two crusts. prune pie make a rich pie paste. after the paste is rolled out thin and the pie-plate lined with it, put in a layer of prunes that have been stewed the day before, with the addition of several slices of lemon and no sugar. split the prunes in halves and remove the pits before laying them on the pie crust. after the first layer is in sprinkle it well with sugar, then pour over the sugar three or four tablespoons of the prune juice and dust the surface lightly with flour. repeat this process till there are three layers, then cut enough of the paste in strips to cover the top of the fruit with a lattice crust and bake the pie in a rather quick oven. few pies can excel this in daintiness of flavor. plum pie select large purple plums, about fifteen plums for a good-sized pie; cut them in halves, remove the kernels and dip each half in flour. line your pie-tin with a rich paste and lay in the plums, close together, and sprinkle thickly with a whole cup of sugar. lay strips of paste across the top, into bars, also a strip around the rim, and press all around the edge with a pointed knife or fork, which will make a fancy border. sift powdered sugar on top. damson pie is made in the same way. eat cold. rhubarb pie make a very rich crust, and over the bottom layer sprinkle a large tablespoon of sugar and a good teaspoon of flour. fill half-full of rhubarb that has been cut up, scatter in one-fourth cup of strawberries or raspberries, sprinkle with more sugar and flour, and then proceed as before. over the top dot bits of butter and another dusting of flour. use a good cup of sugar to a pie. pinch the crusts together well after wetting them, to prevent the juice, which should be so thick that it does not soak through the lower crust at all, from cooking out. strawberry pie make a rich fleischig pie-crust and bake on the reverse side of pie-pan. pick a quart of berries, wash and drain, then sugar. take the yolks of four eggs beaten well with one-half cup of sugar and stir the beaten whites gently into this mixture. pour over strawberries. put in pie-crust and bake until brown. this mixture with most all fruit pies will be found delicious. sweet potato pie measure one cup of mashed, boiled sweet potatoes. thin with one pint of sweet milk. beat three whole eggs very light with one-half cup of sugar. mix with sweet potatoes. season with one-quarter of a nutmeg grated, one teaspoon of cinnamon, and one-half teaspoon of lemon extract. line pie-plate with crust, fill with mixture, and bake in quick oven. vinegar pie line a pie-plate with a rich crust and fill with the following mixture: one cup of vinegar, two of water and two cups of sugar, boil; add a lump of butter and enough cornstarch to thicken; flavor with lemon essence and put in a shell and bake. mohntorte line a form with a rich puff paste, fill with half a pound of white mohn (poppy seed) which has been previously soaked in milk and then ground. add a quarter of a pound of sugar and the yolks of six eggs; stir all together in one direction until quite thick. then stir the beaten whites, to which add two ounces of sifted flour and a quarter of a pound of melted butter. fill and bake. when done, frost either with vanilla or rose frosting. raisin pie line pie pan with rounds of rich pastry, fill with same mixture as for "banbury tarts"; cover with a round of pastry and bake a light brown. raisin and rhubarb pie chop one cup of rhubarb and one cup of raisins together, add two tablespoons of melted butter or chicken fat, grated rind and juice of one lemon, one cup of sugar, one well beaten egg, one-quarter cup of bread or cracker crumbs, one-half teaspoon of salt; mix all ingredients thoroughly. bake between two rounds of pastry. canned rhubarb may be used. *cookies* in baking small cakes and cookies, grease the pans. if the pans cool before you can take off the cookies, set back on stove for a few moments. the cakes will then slip off easily. sponge, drop cakes, anise cakes, etc., are better baked on floured pans. a whole raisin, an almond blanched, a piece of citron or half a walnut may be used to decorate. a good way to glaze is, when cookies are about baked, rub over with a brush dipped in sugar and water and return to oven a moment. filled butter cakes (dutch stuffed monkeys) make a paste by working three-fourths pound of butter into one pound of flour, with three-fourths pound of light brown sugar, one egg, one teaspoon of cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. next mix one-half pound of finely chopped citron peel with one-half pound of ground almonds, and three ounces of butter. then flavor with one-half teaspoon of vanilla and bind with the yolks of two eggs. roll out the dough and divide into two parts. place one-half on a well-buttered flat pan and spread the mixture over it and cover with the other half of the paste. brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with poppy seed and bake in a moderately quick oven for one-half hour. when done let cool and then cut into square or oblong pieces. the butter cakes may be made of one layer of dough sprinkled with citron and almonds and some poppy seed. sugar cookies in a mixing bowl put a cup of sweet butter and two cups of granulated sugar; beat these ingredients to a cream, then add three eggs, grated lemon rind, and four tablespoons of brandy. beat the added ingredients thoroughly with the others till the mixture is smooth and creamy. sift three cups of flour in a big bowl with a teaspoon of salt and three teaspoons of baking-powder; stir this a little at a time in the bowl with the other ingredients, until the mixture is a light dough, just stiff enough to roll out. if there is not enough flour, sift more in to make the dough the desired stiffness; then dust the pastry board well with flour, put part of the dough on the board, toss it lightly with your hands from side to side till the dough is covered with flour. then dust the rolling-pin well with flour and roll the dough very thin; cut it in shapes with a cookie cutter, lift each cookie up carefully with a pancake turner, slip them quickly in a big baking-pan, the inside of which has been well rubbed with flour, and bake them in a moderate oven till light brown. just a moment before taking the pan out of the oven sprinkle the surface of the cookies lightly with granulated sugar. when a little cool take the cookies out of the pan with the pancake turner and lay them on a big platter. when they are cold put the cookies in a stone crock. it is a good plan to have two or three baking-pans so, while one panful is baking, another may be filled and be ready to put in the oven when the other is removed. only put enough dough on the pastry board at a time to roll out nicely on it. old-fashioned hamburger cookies take one pound of butter one pound of sugar, yolks of six eggs, hard-boiled, and flour enough to make a dough that is not too stiff. dissolve three cents worth of ammonia (hartshorn) in scalded milk. place the ammonia in a large bowl and pour one cup of scalding milk over it. after this has cooled add it to the dough with one-half cup of cold milk. flavor to taste. flour the pans and the cookie dough. roll and proceed as with sugar cookies. mother's delicious cookies (merber kuchen) take ten boiled eggs and two raw ones, one pound of best butter, half a pound of almonds, one lemon, some cinnamon one wineglass of brandy, one pound of pulverized sugar and about one pound and a half of flour. this quantity makes one hundred cookies, and like fruit cake, age improves them, in other words, the older the better. now to begin with: set a dish of boiling water on the stove, when it boils hard, break the eggs carefully, one at a time, dropping the whites in a deep porcelain dish, and set away in a cool place. take each yolk as you break the egg and put it in a half shell, and lay it in the boiling water until you have ten boiling. when boiled hard take them up and lay them on a plate to cool. in the meantime, cream the butter with a pound of pulverized sugar, add the grated peel of a lemon, a teaspoon of cinnamon and half of the almonds, which have been blanched and pounded or grated (reserve the other half for the top of the cookies, which should not be grated, but pounded). add the hard-boiled yolks, which must be grated, and the two raw eggs, sift in the flour, and add the brandy. beat up the whites of the twelve eggs very stiff, add half to the dough, reserving the other half, but do not make the dough stiff, as it should be so rich that you can hardly handle it. flour the baking-board well, roll out about an eighth of an inch thick. now spread with the reserved whites of eggs, reserving half again, as you will have to roll out at least twice on a large baking-board. sprinkle well with the pounded almonds after you have spread the beaten whites of the eggs on top, also sugar and cinnamon. cut with a cookie-cutter. have at least five large pans greased ready to receive them. see that you have a good fire. time to bake, five to ten minutes. pack them away when cold in a stone jar or tin cake-box. these cookies will keep a long time. vanilla cookies rub one cup of butter and one cup of sugar to a cream; add two eggs and two level teaspoons of baking-powder, flour enough to make a dough. flavor with vanilla, roll very thin, spread with beaten white of egg and sugar. proceed as for sugar cookies. old-fashioned molasses cookies put in a mixing bowl one generous cup of butter which has stood in a warm place until quite soft; add two cups of new orleans molasses; whip these ingredients to a foam; then add two teaspoons of powdered ginger, one teaspoon of powdered cinnamon and grate in half a large nutmeg; stir these spices well through the mixture; then dissolve two teaspoons of baking-soda in half a cup of hot water; stir it through the mixture, and last, stir in enough sifted flour to make a light dough just stiff enough to roll out. dust the pastry board well with flour and rub the rolling-pin well with flour; then flour the hands well, take out some of the dough, put it on the pastry board, quickly roll it out to the thickness of a quarter of an inch; cut the dough out with a round cutter, with or without scallops, and put them in well-floured baking-pans and bake in a slow oven till a golden brown. sour milk cookies take one cup of butter, one cup of sugar, two or three eggs, and two-thirds of a cup of sour milk. dissolve a teaspoon of soda in a little hot water; add part of it at a time to the milk until it foams as you stir it. be careful not to get in too much. mix up soft only using flour sufficient to roll out thin. a teaspoon of cardamom seed may be sprinkled into the dough. hungarian almond cookies scant one-quarter of a pound of almonds, blanched and grated; scant one-half pound of sweet butter; not quite three-quarters of a pound of flour; a little sugar and a pinch of salt, and two yolks. mix this well, pound the dough well with the rolling-pin, then roll out not too thin. bake. nutmeg cakes (pfeffernuesse) sift one pound of flour and one pound of pulverized sugar into a large bowl, four eggs, a piece of citron grated or chopped very fine, also the peel of a lemon, one whole nutmeg grated, one tablespoon of ground cinnamon, one-half teaspoon of ground cloves, and half a teaspoon of allspice. mix all thoroughly in a deep bowl. sift a heaping teaspoon of baking-powder in with the flour. work into little balls as large as hickory nuts with buttered or floured hands. bake on waxed or buttered tins, an inch apart. anise seed cookies (springele) four eggs, not separated, but thoroughly beaten, then add one and one-half cups of granulated sugar, and beat for thirty minutes; add two heaping cups of flour and fourteen drops of anise seed oil; drop from a teaspoon on well-buttered pans, and bake in a moderate oven. it will improve them to let them stand from two to three hours in the pans before baking. cardamom cookies boil six eggs hard. when cold shell and grate the yolks (reserve the whites for salads or to garnish vegetables), add one-half pound of sugar, the grated peel of a lemon and one-half wineglass of brandy. stir in one-half pound of butter which has been worked to a cream. sift in as much flour as you think will allow you to roll out the dough; take as little as possible, a little over half a pound, and flour the board very thick. put in about two cents worth of cardamom seed and a little rosewater. cut out with a fancy cake-cutter and brush with beaten egg. sprinkle pounded almonds and sugar on top. purim cakes take two cups of flour, one tablespoon of sugar, add four eggs and two tablespoons of oil; knead all these together, roll out not very thin, cut in squares, close two sides, prick with a fork so they will not blister; put on tins and bake well. then take one pound of honey, boil, and put the squares in this and let boil a bit; then drop in one-quarter pound of poppy seeds and put back on fire. when nice and brown sprinkle with a little cold water, take off and put on another dish so they do not stick to each other. parve cookies to one pound of flour take one teaspoon of baking-powder, four eggs, one-quarter pound of poppy seeds, three tablespoons of oil, two pounds of sugar and a little salt; knead not too stiff and put on tins and bake in hot oven till a nice brown. (do not let burn.) teiglech mix one pound of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, three tablespoons of oil, and four eggs; knead very well. roll out in strips three inches long, place on tins and bake. take a pound of chopped nuts, one-half pound of honey, and one-half pound of sugar; mix thoroughly with wooden spoon and boil with the cakes until brown. take off the stove; wet with cold water, spread out on board. when cold, pat with the hands to make thin and sprinkle with dry ginger. honey corn cakes boil one pound of pure honey. take one pound of cornmeal mixed with a little ground allspice, cloves, and pepper, add the boiled honey, make a loose batter, add one wineglass of brandy; mix all, and cool. wet the hands with cold water, take pieces of the dough and knead until the dough comes clear from the hand; afterwards knead with white flour so it is not too hard; add one pound of chopped nuts, sprinkle flour on tins, spread dough, not too thin; leave the stove door open till it raises; then close door, and when done take out. spread with brandy and cut in thin slices. croquante cakes (small cakes) blanch and cut in halves three-fourths pound of shelled almonds, and slice one-half pound of citron; mix well together and roll in a little flour; add to them three-fourths pound of sugar, then six eggs well beaten, and last the rest of the flour (three-fourths pound). butter shallow pans, and put in the mixture about two inches thick; after it is baked in a quick oven slice cake in strips three-fourths of an inch wide and turn each piece. put back in oven and bake a little longer. when cold put away in tin box. kindel two pounds of soup fat rendered a day or two before using, three pints of flour, one teaspoon of salt, two-thirds cup of granulated sugar, one teaspoon of baking-powder, two teaspoons of vanilla, flour. knead well, add enough beer to be able to roll. let it stand two hours. roll, cut in long strips three inches wide. fill with the following: one and one-half cups of brown sugar, two tablespoons of honey, two pounds of walnuts chopped fine, one pound of stewed prunes chopped fine, two cups of sponge cake crumbs, juice of one lemon, spices to taste, few raisins and currants, and a little citron chopped fine; add a little wine, a little chicken schmalz; heat a few minutes. you may use up remnants of jellies, jams, marmalades, etc. put plenty of filling in centre of strips, fold over, with a round stick (use a wooden spoon), press the dough firmly three inches apart, then with a knife cut them apart. they will be the shape of the fig bars you buy. grease the pan and the top of cakes, and bake in moderate oven. they will keep--the longer the better. almond macaroons, no. blanch half a pound of almonds, pound in mortar to a smooth paste, add one pound of pulverized sugar and the beaten whites of four eggs, and work the paste well together with the back of a spoon. dip your hands in water and roll the mixture into balls the size of a hickory nut and lay on buttered or waxed paper an inch apart. when done, dip your hands in water and pass gently over the macaroons, making the surface smooth and shiny. set in a cool oven three-quarters of an hour. almond macaroons, no. prepare the almonds by blanching them in boiling water. strip them of the skins and lay them on a clean towel to dry. grate or pound one-half pound of almonds, beat the whites of five eggs to a stiff, very stiff froth; stir in gradually three-quarters of a pound of pulverized sugar (use confectioner's sugar if you can get it), and then add the pounded almonds, to which add a tablespoon of rosewater or a teaspoon of essence of bitter almonds. line a broad baking-pan with buttered or waxed paper and drop upon this half a teaspoon of the mixture at a time, allowing room enough to prevent their running together. sift powdered sugar over them and bake in a quick oven to a delicate brown. if the mixture has been well beaten they will not run. try one on a piece of paper before you venture to bake them all. if it runs add a little more sugar. almond macaroons with figs beat stiff the whites of three eggs, add one-half pound of sugar, and one-half pound of finely cut figs, one-half pound of either blanched almonds cut into long slices, or cut up walnuts. heat a large pan, pass ironing-wax over surface, lay in waxed paper, and drop spoonfuls of mixture on paper, same distance apart. bake very slowly in very moderate oven. remove and let cool; then take paper out with the macaroons, turn over and place hot cloths on wrong; side, when cakes will drop off. almond sticks--fleischig take one-half glass of fat, two eggs, four cups of flour, two teaspoons of baking-powder, one cup of water, one-half cup of sugar; knead lightly, and roll out not too thin. two cups of sugar, mix with two teaspoons of cinnamon; one-half pound of grated almonds, one-half pound of small raisins (washed). reserve one-half of the sugar and cinnamon, the nuts and raisins; brush the dough with melted fat and sprinkle with almonds and sugar. put a little of the almond and raisin mixture around the edge and roll around twice. cut in small pieces, brush every piece with fat, and roll in the sugar and almonds which has been reserved for this purpose. place in greased pan and bake in hot oven. almond sticks grind two cups of almonds and reserve one-quarter cup each of sugar and nuts, and an egg yolk for decorating. cream one cup of butter, add three-fourths cup of sugar, then two whole eggs, almonds and two cups of flour. roll thin and cut in strips or squares, with fluted cookie cutter. brush with yolk, sprinkle with nuts and sugar, set aside, and bake in medium oven. plain wafers sift one cup of flour and one teaspoon of salt together. chop in one tablespoon of butter, and add milk to make a very stiff dough; chop thoroughly and knead until smooth; make into small balls and roll each one into a thin wafer. place in shallow greased and floured pans and bake in a hot oven until they puff and are brown. poppy seed cookies (mohn plaetzchen) take an equal quantity of flour, sugar and butter, and mix it well by rubbing with the hollow of the hands until small grains are formed. then add one cup of poppy seed, two eggs, and enough rhine wine to hold the dough together. roll out the dough on a well-floured board, about half a finger in thickness, cut into any shape desired. caraway seed cookies beat three-quarters of a pound of butter and a pound of sugar to a cream; add three eggs, one saltspoon of salt, a gill of caraway seeds and a teaspoon of powdered mace, stirring all well together to a cream; then pour in a cup of sour milk in which a level teaspoon of baking-soda is stirred. hold the cup over the mixing bowl while stirring in the soda, as it will foam over the cup. last of all stir in enough sifted flour to make a light dough, stiff enough to roll thin. roll on a pastry board well dusted with flour. cut in round shapes and place in baking-tins well rubbed with flour. sprinkle a little sugar over the cookies and bake them in a moderate oven till a light brown. when cool, carefully lift the cookies from the pans with a pancake turner. citron cookies take one-half cup of butter and one cup and a half of sugar, and rub to a cream. add two eggs, three-quarters of a cup of milk; one-half cup of citron, cut up very fine, one teaspoon of allspice and one of cloves. sift one heaping teaspoon of baking-powder into enough flour to thicken. make stiffer than ordinary cup cake dough; flavor to suit taste, and drop on large tins with a teaspoon. grease the pans, and bake in a quick oven. the best plan is to try one on a plate. if the dough runs too much add more flour. ginger wafers take one cup of butter, one cup of sugar, one cup of molasses, half a cup of cold coffee, with two teaspoons of soda, one teaspoon of ginger, and flour enough to make a dough stiff enough to roll out thin. shape with cutter and bake in quick oven. anise zwieback take the yolks of five eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one tablespoon of water, vanilla, one-half pound of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, one-half of five cents worth anise seeds, and the beaten whites of the eggs. butter square tins and bake. when cooled cut in strips one inch wide and toast on both sides. hurry ups (oatmeal) sift one cup of flour with two teaspoons of baking-powder, one teaspoon of salt, add one cup of rolled oats, one tablespoon of sugar and two tablespoons of melted butter, mix with one-half cup of milk. drop by teaspoons onto a greased pan, press well into each two or three raisins, or a split date and bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. can be served with butter, honey, or maple sugar. pecan, walnut, or hickory nut macaroons take one cup of pulverized sugar, and one cup of finely-pounded nut meats, the unbeaten whites of two eggs, two heaping teaspoons of flour, and one scant teaspoon of baking-powder. mix these ingredients together and drop from a teaspoon which, you have previously dipped in cold water, upon buttered paper. do not put them too near each other, for they always spread a great deal. bake about fifteen minutes. date macaroons stone thirty dates; chop them fine. cut one-half pound of almonds lengthwise in slices, but do not blanch them. beat the whites of two eggs until foamy, add one cup of powdered sugar, and beat until stiff; add the dates, then the almonds, and mix very thoroughly. drop mixture with teaspoon in small piles on tins, one-half inch apart. bake thirty minutes in a very slow oven or until dry. they are done when they leave the pan readily. mandelchen blanch two cups of almonds and dry them overnight. grind very fine, add one-half cup of sugar and enough butter to knead into a very stiff paste. roll very thin, cut in small rounds, place in baking-tin in moderate oven. when done, roll in grated almonds and powdered sugar. cocoanut kisses beat the white of one egg; add one-half cup of sugar with a flavoring of vanilla, fold in one cup of shredded cocoanut, drop by teaspoonfuls on a well-greased baking-pan, inverted, and bake for about ten or twelve minutes in a slow oven. remove from pan when cookies are cold. cornflake cocoanut kisses mix the whites of two eggs, beaten stiff, with one-half cup of sugar, add one-half cup of shredded cocoanut, fold in two cups of corn flakes, a pinch of salt, one-half teaspoon of vanilla. make and bake same as kisses above. chocolate cookies beat whites of three eggs to a snow, add three-fourths cup of powdered sugar, one cup of ground sweet chocolate, one cup of walnuts chopped, three tablespoons of flour. drop by teaspoonful on greased baking-tin. bake in slow oven. baseler loekerlein (honey cakes) take half a pound of strained honey, half a pound of sifted powdered sugar, half a pound of almonds (cut in half lengthwise), half a pound of finest flour, one ounce of citron (cut or chopped extremely fine), peel of a lemon, a little grated nutmeg, also a pinch of ground cloves and a wineglass of brandy. set the honey and sugar over the fire together, put in the almonds, stir all up thoroughly. next put in the spices and work into a dough. put away in a cold place for a week, then roll about as thick as a finger. bake in a quick oven and cut into strips with a sharp knife after they are baked (do this while hot), cut three inches long and two inches wide. honey cakes, no. one pound of real honey, not jar; one cup of granulated sugar, four eggs, one tablespoon of allspice, three tablespoons of salad-oil, four cups of flour, well sifted; three teaspoons of baking-powder. warm up or heat honey, not hot, just warm. rub yolks well with sugar, beat whites to a froth, then mix ingredients, add flour and bake in moderate oven for one hour. honey cakes, no. three eggs, not separated, beaten with one cup of sugar, one cup of honey, one cup of blanched almonds chopped finely, one teaspoon each of allspice, cloves, and cinnamon, one cup of chocolate and flour enough to make a thick batter; one teaspoon of baking-soda. spread very thin on square, buttered pans, bake in a hot oven, and when done, spread with a white icing, cut into squares, and put a half blanched almond in the centre of each square. lekach this recipe is one that is used in palestine. it makes a honey cake not nearly as rich as those in the foregoing recipes for honey cakes, but will very nicely take the place of a sweet cracker to serve with tea. take three cups of sifted flour, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, add three eggs, one teaspoon of allspice, one teaspoon of soda, the grated rind and juice of one-half lemon and three tablespoons of honey, mix all ingredients well. roll on board to one-fourth inch in thickness and cut with form. brush with white of egg or honey diluted with water. on each cake put an almond or walnut. bake in moderate oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. lebkuchen four eggs, one pound of brown sugar; beat well. add one-eighth pound of citron shredded, one-eighth pound of shelled walnuts (broken), one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoon of allspice. spread the dough in long pans with well-floured hands, have about one and one-half inches thick. bake in very moderate oven. when baked, cut in squares and spread with icing. set in a cool stove or the sun to dry. it is best to let these cakes and all honey cakes stand a week before using. old-fashioned lebkuchen heat one cup of molasses, mix it with two cups of brown sugar and three eggs, reserving one white for the icing; add one level teaspoon of baking-soda that has been dissolved in a little milk, then put in alternately a little flour and a cup of milk; now add one tablespoon of mixed spices, half cup of brandy, one small cup each of chopped nuts and citron, and lastly, flour enough to make a stiff batter. place in shallow pans and bake slowly. when done, cover with icing and cut in squares or strips. *icing for lebkuchen.*--one cup of powdered sugar added to the beaten white of one egg; flavor with one teaspoon of brandy or lemon juice. *desserts* boiled custard take two cups of milk, two eggs or the yolks of three eggs, two tablespoons of sugar and one-half teaspoon of vanilla. put the milk on to heat in a double boiler. beat the eggs thoroughly with the sugar; into them pour the hot milk, stirring to prevent lumps. return all to the double boiler and cook until the custard coats the spoon, but no longer. if the mixture should curdle, set the boiler in a pan of cold water and beat with a wire egg-beater until smooth. when the steam passes off add the vanilla, or other flavoring. in the winter, when eggs are expensive, the custard may be made with one egg and one heaping teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold milk. if desired, the whites of the eggs may be beaten separately and added to the custard after it is cold or beaten with sugar into a meringue. caramel custard melt one-half cup of sugar until it is light brown in color, add four cups of scalded milk. beat the eggs, add the milk and sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one teaspoon of vanilla and bake in cups as directed for cup custard. serve with caramel sauce. cup custard for six stir until quite light four eggs, yolks and whites, and four tablespoons of sugar; have ready four cups of scalded milk; mix, add pinch of salt and one teaspoon of good vanilla; pour into cups and place cups into pan of boiling water. put into oven and bake exactly twenty-five minutes. chocolate custard beat yolks of three eggs, three tablespoons of sugar till light, dissolve one heaping tablespoon of grated unsweetened chocolate, one tablespoon of sugar and one of hot water. when dissolved, add slowly one pint of milk heated to boiling, pour this hot mixture over the beaten eggs and sugar, cook in double boiler, stirring constantly till it thickens; when cool, flavor with vanilla, and place on ice. when ready to serve, half-fill small punch glasses with the custard, heap over them sweetened whipped cream, flavored; putting on top of each glass, and serve cold. chocolate cornstarch pudding take one quart of milk, one and one-half cups of sugar, seven heaping tablespoons of cocoa, six level tablespoons of cornstarch, one tablespoon of vanilla; place milk and sugar up to boil, when boiling, add cocoa, dissolved to a smooth paste; then add cornstarch dissolved in cold water, let come to a boil, remove from fire and add the vanilla; then place in mold and allow to get cold. serve with whipped cream. blanc mange heat one quart of milk to boiling point. dissolve four large tablespoons of cornstarch in a quarter cup of cold milk. beat two whole eggs with one-half cup of sugar until light, and add a tiny pinch of salt. when the milk begins to boil, add a piece of butter, size of a hickory nut, then pour it over the well-beaten eggs and sugar, mix well, and put back on the stove. stir until it begins to boil, then stir in the dissolved cornstarch until the custard is very thick. remove from the fire, flavor with vanilla or lemon, pour into a mold, and set on ice till very cold and firm. serve with cream. floating island beat light the yolks of three eggs with one-quarter cup of sugar. scald a pint of milk, beat up the whites of three eggs very stiff and put them into the boiling milk, a spoonful at a time. take out the boiled whites and lay them on a platter; now pour the hot milk gradually on the beaten yolks, when thoroughly mixed, return to the fire to boil. when it begins to thicken remove. when cool, flavor with vanilla or bitter almond. pour into a deep glass dish; put the whites on top, and garnish with jelly or candied fruit. eat cold. red raspberry or currant float take a half-pint glass of red raspberry or currant juice and mix it with a quarter cup of sugar. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth and add gradually a quarter cup of powdered sugar. press the raspberries through a strainer to avoid seeds and by degrees beat the juice with the sugar and eggs until so stiff that it stands in peaks. chill it thoroughly and serve in a glass dish half filled with cold whipped cream. heap on the mixture by the spoonful, like floating island. if currant juice is used it will require a pint of sugar. rothe gritze take one cup of currant juice, sufficiently sweetened, and a pinch of salt. let this boil and add to it enough cornstarch to render it moderately thick and then boil again for ten minutes. it should be eaten cold with cream. (about one-quarter cup of cornstarch dissolved in cold water will be sufficient to thicken.) apple snow peel and grate one large sour apple, sprinkling over it three-fourths cup of powdered sugar as it is grated to keep it from turning dark. add the unbeaten whites of two eggs; beat constantly for half an hour; arrange mound fashion on a glass dish with cold boiled custard around it. bohemian cream stir together and whip one pint of double cream and one pint of grape juice or grape jelly melted, this must be whipped to a froth. drain if needed. put in cups and set on ice for several hours. serve with lady lingers. prune whip soak one-half pound of prunes in cold water overnight. in the morning let them simmer in this water until they are very soft. remove stones and rub through strainer. add one-half cup of sugar and cook five minutes or until the consistency of marmalade. when the fruit mixture is cold, add the well-beaten whites of three eggs and one-half teaspoon of lemon juice; add this gradually, then heap lightly in buttered dish and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. serve cold with thin custard or cream. rice custard beat four eggs light with one cup of sugar. add one cup of cooked rice, two cups of sweet milk, juice and rind of one lemon, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. pour in pudding-pan and place in a pan filled with hot water; bake until firm in moderate oven. serve with lemon sauce. prune custard heat a little more than a pint of sweet milk to the boiling point, then stir in gradually a little cold milk in which you have rubbed smooth a heaping tablespoon of butter and a little nutmeg. let this just come to a boil, then pour into a buttered pudding-dish, first adding one cup of stewed prune with the stones taken out. bake for fifteen to twenty minutes, according to the state of oven. a little cream improves it when it is served in the saucers. tapioca custard soak four tablespoons of tapioca overnight in one quart of sweet milk. in the morning beat the yolks of three eggs with one cup of sugar. put the milk and tapioca on in a double boiler, adding a pinch of salt; when this comes to boiling point stir in the eggs and sugar. beat the whites to a stiff froth and stir quickly and delicately into the hot mixture. flavor with vanilla. eat cold. whipped cream to one pint of rich thick cream add one-quarter of a pound of powdered sugar and one-half teaspoon of vanilla. put in a large platter in a cool place and whip with a wire egg-whip until perfectly smooth and velvety. set on ice until wanted. in the summer set the cream on ice before whipping. a good plan is to set the bowl in another one filled with ice while whipping. dessert with whipped cream line the edges of a mold or a large glass dish with lady fingers and fill up with whipped cream. ornament with macaroons and candied fruit. serve cold. ambrosia cut up into small pieces different kinds of fruit; then chop up nuts and marshmallows (not too fine). mix these and sugar, not allowing it to draw too much juice. flavor with sherry, if you like. serve individually, putting whipped cream on the top with a cherry. macaroon island fill a glass bowl with alternate layers of macaroons and lady fingers, sprinkle a layer of finely-chopped nuts over the cake, then a layer of crystallized cherries. boil one cup of wine, one cup of sugar and one-half cup of water together until syrupy and thick, pour it over the contents of the bowl, let this cool, then place a thick layer of thickly-whipped sweetened and flavored cream over all. serve very cold. pistachio cream take out the kernels of half a pound of pistachio nuts and pound them in a mortar with one tablespoon of brandy. put them in a double boiler with a pint of rich cream and add gradually the yolks of three eggs, well beaten. stir over the fire until it thickens and then pour carefully into a bowl, stirring as you do so and being careful not to crack the bowl. (put a silver spoon into the bowl before pouring in the cream, as this will prevent it cracking). when cold, stick pieces of the nuts over the cream and serve. tipsy pudding cut stale sponge cake into thin slices, spread with jelly or preserves, put two pieces together like sandwiches and lay each slice or sandwich on the plate on which it is to be served. wet each piece with wine, pour or spread a tablespoon of rich custard over each piece of pudding, and then frost each piece with a frosting and put in a moderate oven for a few minutes. eat cold. apple and lady-finger pudding core and peel apples, take top off, chop the top with almonds, citron and raisins; butter your pan, fill apples, sugar them and pour over a little wine, bake until tender; when cool add four yolks of eggs beaten with one cup of sugar, then last, add beaten whites and eight lady fingers rolled, and juice of one whole lemon; pour over apples, bake. eat cold. fig dessert soak two cups white figs overnight. in the morning boil slowly until tender, add two cups of sugar and boil until a thick syrup is formed. line a dish with sponge cake or lady fingers; pour the figs in the centre and cover with whipped cream that has been sweetened and flavored. decorate with candied cherries or angelica. strawberries À la "bridge" into a champagne-glass put large strawberries, halved and sugared, and an equal amount of marshmallows halved. place on top a mass of whipped cream, already sweetened and flavored then a single strawberry, sprinkle with shelled pecans. queen of trifles make a rich custard of four eggs, one cup of granulated sugar and one quart of milk to which has been added one teaspoon of cornstarch. let this cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until the custard is very thick. cool. soak one-half pound of macaroons in sherry wine, blanch and chop one-quarter pound of almonds, cut fine one-quarter pound of dried figs; one-quarter pound of crystallized cherries and one-half pound of lady fingers are required as well. line a deep glass bowl with the lady fingers cut in half, add macaroons, fruit and almonds in layers until all are used. then pour the boiled custard over all. set on ice and when cold, fill the bowl with whipped cream that has been sweetened and flavored with vanilla. decorate with a few cherries. ice-box cake one-half cup of butter creamed with one-half cup of confectioner's sugar, three whole eggs added, one at a time, beat these all for twenty minutes, add one-half pound of chopped nuts, one tablespoon mocha essence or one square of bitter chocolate melted, or one teaspoon of vanilla. grease a spring form, put two dozen lady fingers around the edge, at the bottom put one dozen macaroons, then add the filling and let this all stand for twenty-four hours in ice-box. when ready to serve, pour one-half pint of cream, whipped, over all and serve. auflauf boil one cup of milk and when boiling stir in quickly one-half cup of sifted flour and work smooth until all lumps are out and it is the consistency of soft mashed potatoes. stir all the while over fire. when smooth remove from stove and while yet warm break in, one by one, yolks of three eggs, a pinch of salt, then the beaten whites of three eggs. bake in well-buttered hot square pans, in very hot oven, from fifteen to twenty minutes. serve as soon as done with jelly or preserves. if batter is not thick enough a little more flour must be added to the milk. lemon puffs beat the yolks of four eggs until very light, add the stiffly-beaten whites and then stir in two cups of milk, add a pinch of salt, three tablespoons of fresh butter melted, and five level tablespoons of flour that have been wet with a little of the milk from the pint, stir well together and divide equally between cups. butter the cups before pouring in the mixture. bake in hot oven until brown (generally twenty minutes). turn out carefully in the dish in which they are to be served, and pour over them the following: lemon sauce put on to boil one and one-half cups of water with juice of two lemons, sweeten to taste, add a few small pieces of cinnamon bark; when boiling stir in three teaspoons of cornstarch that have been dissolved in a little cold water. boil a few minutes, then pour over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, stirring all the time. stir in stiffly-beaten whites of eggs, and pour over and around puffs when cold. serve cold. leaf puffs cream one cup of butter until soft, add two cups of sifted flour, mix well, and add just enough sweet cream to make a nice dough, not too soft. roll thin, cut in long strips or squares, bake in long pans in a moderately hot oven. when light brown, draw to the door of the oven, sprinkle with powdered sugar and let stand a few minutes longer in the oven. sago pudding with strawberry juice prepare one cup berry juice and sweeten to taste. have ready a scant half teacup of sago soaked one hour in water enough to cover. boil the sago in the fruit juice until thick like jelly. beat up the whites of two eggs and add to the sago while hot and remove immediately from the stove. mold and serve with cream or berry juice. this mold can be made with any kind of fruit juice preferred apple tapioca pudding soak three-quarter cup of tapioca and boil it in one quart of water until clear, sweetening to taste. pare and core six apples and place them in a baking dish. fill the cores with sugar, pour the tapioca around them and grate a little nutmeg over the top. cover and bake until the apples are soft serve with cream. rhubarb pudding grate some stale rye bread and take a bunch of rhubarb; cut fine without peeling, put the cut rhubarb in a pan with a big pinch of baking-soda, and pour boiling water over to cover. while that is steeping, grate the rye bread and butter pudding-form well, and put crumbs all over the pan about one-quarter inch deep, then add one-half the rhubarb that has been well drained of the water; season with brown sugar, cinnamon, nuts and any other seasoning you like; then some more crumbs, and other one-half of rhubarb, and season as before the top crumbs, put flakes of butter all over top; bake until done. scalloped peaches pare a number of peaches and put them whole into a baking-tin, together with layers of bread crumbs and sugar and add a few cloves. bake until the top is brown. serve with hot butter sauce or cream. chestnut pudding boil one pound of chestnuts fifteen minutes. shell and skin them, then put back on stove with a cup of milk and boil till tender. rub through a colander. butter a mold, line it with the pulp, then add a layer of apple sauce that has been colored with currant jelly, then another layer of chestnuts, and again apple sauce. squeeze lemon juice over all, and bake in a moderate oven. turn out on a platter and serve with whipped cream colored with currant jelly. farina pudding with peaches to one quart of milk add one-half cup of farina, salt, and a small piece of butter. boil in a double boiler until thick. beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoons of white sugar, and add this just before taking off the fire. stir it thoroughly, but do not let it boil any more. flavor with vanilla. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with pulverized sugar. after the eggs have been whipped, butter a pudding dish, put in part of the custard, in which you have mixed the whites (if you have any extra whites of eggs beat and use them also), then a layer of stewed or canned peaches; cover with the remaining custard and bake. eat with rum sauce. farina pudding, no. one and one-half pints of milk with nine level tablespoons of sugar, five bitter and five sweet almonds chopped fine, brought to boiling point, and twelve level tablespoons of farina dropped in slowly and stirred constantly. cook for twelve minutes, add vanilla to taste, then add slowly the beaten whites of five eggs. put it in a form and when cold serve with a fruit sauce. rice pudding to three cups of milk, add half a cup of rice, which you have previously scalded with hot water. boil in a double boiler until quite soft. beat the yolks of three eggs with three tablespoons of white sugar, add this just before taking it off the fire. stir it thoroughly with a wooden spoon, but do not let it boil any more. add salt to the rice while boiling, and flavor with vanilla. beat the whites of the eggs with powdered sugar to a stiff froth, and after putting the custard into the pudding dish in which you wish to serve it, spread with the beaten whites and let it brown slightly in the oven. prune pudding take one quart of milk, one teaspoon of salt, one cup of sugar and two well-beaten eggs. heat this and then pour in slowly one cup of cream of wheat or farina, stirring constantly. boil fifteen minutes; then butter a deep pudding dish and put in a layer of stewed prunes--that have been cut up in small pieces with a scissors; on the bottom, over this, pour a layer of the above, alternating in this order until all has been used. bake ten minutes in a hot oven. plain cream, not whipped or sweetened, is a delicious sauce for this. brown betty pare, quarter, core and slice four medium-sized apples. melt one-quarter cup of butter and pour it with the juice of half a lemon over one cup of bread crumbs. mix one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, grated rind of one-half lemon and one-quarter cup of sugar together. butter a baking dish; put in alternate layers of apple and bread crumbs, sprinkling the apples with the sugar mixture, and making the last layer of crumbs. pour one-quarter cup of boiling water on before adding the last layer of crumbs; cover and bake for thirty minutes or until the apples are soft; then uncover and brown the crumbs. serve with cream or with soft custard or lemon sauce. if desired for a meat meal, substitute chicken-fat for butter and use lemon sauce. apple and honey pudding take four cups of raw apples cut in small pieces, two cups of bread crumbs, one-half cup of hot water, two teaspoons of butter, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one-half cup of honey. put a layer of the apple in a well-buttered pudding dish; then a layer of crumbs. mix the honey and hot water. pour part of this over the crumbs, sprinkle with cinnamon and dot with a few bits of butter. fill the dish with alternate layers of apples, crumbs, honey, etc., having a layer of crumbs on top. cover and bake forty-five minutes. serve with cream. queen bread pudding take one cup of grated bread crumbs, soak it in one pint of sweet milk; then break three eggs; separate the whites, add to the yolks one cup of sugar and a small piece of butter; beat it well, and squeeze the bread crumbs out of the milk, and add this to the yolks and flavor with vanilla. grease the pans with butter, put the mixture in the pan, and pour the milk over it; set in the oven to bake until nearly dry, then add a layer of fresh fruit (apricots or peaches are the best or strawberry preserves); add the whites of eggs that were beaten stiff. serve cold with cream or milk. this can also be served hot. bread pudding soak one and one-half cups of bread crumbs in a pint of sweet milk for half an hour; separate the whites and yolks of two eggs, setting the whites in a cool place until needed. beat the yolks with a half cup of sugar and add the grated peel of one lemon and stir into the bread crumbs. put in some raisins and pour into a greased pudding dish and bake in a moderate oven, about half an hour. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, adding half a cup of powdered sugar; and spread this on top of pudding and return to the oven and brown delicately. may be eaten hot or cold, with jelly sauce or whipped cream. stale cake of any kind may be used instead of bread; and ginger bread also is particularly nice, adding raisins and citron, and spreading a layer of jelly on the pudding before putting on the icing. cornmeal pudding bring one pint of milk to the boiling point; pour it gradually on one-half cup of indian meal, stirring all the while to prevent lumps. when cool add three eggs well beaten, and one tablespoon of flour, one-half cup of sugar, one-half teaspoon of ginger, one teaspoon of cinnamon, pinch of salt and one pint cold milk. pour into battered pudding dish and bake an hour and a half. serve with hot maple sugar or cream. black bread pudding yolks of three eggs beaten with one cup of sugar; add one teaspoon of cinnamon, pinch of cloves, and pinch of allspice; one cup of stale rye bread crumbs added gradually. mix well and add beaten whites. bake slowly. half an hour before serving, add one cup of claret or white wine. serve with sherry wine sauce or whipped cream. dimpes dampes (apple slump) mix one-half cup of sugar, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, two cups of flour and gradually two cups of milk to make a smooth batter. melt one-half cup or a little less of butter in a large shallow dripping-pan and let it spread all over the pan to grease it well, then pour one-half cup of butter and one quart of sliced apples to the batter. mix and pour into pan or pans not more than three-quarters of an inch deep and bake in a moderate oven, thirty to forty-five minutes, until a golden brown. this quantity serves ten people. bird's nest pudding pare four or five large tart apples and cut off the top of each apple to use as a cover. now scrape out all the inside, being careful not to break the apples; mix scrapings with sugar, cinnamon, raisins, a few pounded almonds and add a little white wine and the grated peel of one lemon. fill up the apples with this mixture and put back the top of each apple, so as to cover each well. grease a deep dish, set in the apples and stew a few minutes. in the meantime make a sponge cake batter of four eggs, one cup of pulverized sugar, one cup of flour and pour over the apples and bake one-half hour. eat warm or cold, with or without sauce. plain baked apples can be substituted for the filled apples. suet pudding with pears take half a pound of suet and chop it to a powder. soak a loaf of stale bread, squeeze out the water and add to the suet. work bread and suet well with your hands and add two eggs, one cup of sugar, one teaspoon, of salt, allspice, cloves, cinnamon and grated peel of a lemon. add flour enough to work into a huge ball; sift two teaspoons of baking-powder in flour. pare about half a peck of cooking pears and cut in halves, leaving the stems on. lay half the pears in a large kettle, put the pudding in centre of the pears, and lay the rest of the pears all around. add sugar, sliced lemon, a few cloves, some cinnamon bark and three tablespoons of syrup. fill up with cold water and boil half an hour on top of stove. then bake for at least three hours, adding water if needed. corn pudding scrape with a knife six ears of green corn, cutting each row through the middle. add two cups of milk, one-half cup of butter, three eggs--the whites and yolks beaten separately--a little salt and white pepper. stir the yolks into the milk and corn, pour into a baking dish, stir in the whites and bake one and one-half hours. cherry pudding scald a pint of crackers or bread crumbs in a quart of boiling milk; add a piece of butter the size of an egg, a good pinch of salt, four eggs, a cup and a half of sugar, a little ground cinnamon and a quart of stoned cherries. bake in quick oven. huckleberry pudding sprinkle four tablespoons of flour over one and one-half pints huckleberries and set aside for half an hour. soak one pint crumbed bread in one quart milk; add three tablespoons of sugar, pinch of salt, and the huckleberries. put all into a greased pudding dish with flakes of butter on top. bake forty-five minutes. serve with hard sauce. pudding À la grande belle this pudding is economical and dainty if nicely made. brush small molds with butter, fill with crumbed bread and dried english currants. beat three eggs without separating, add one pint of milk and four tablespoons of sugar. pour carefully over the bread and let stand five minutes. place molds in baking-pan of boiling water and bake in the oven thirty minutes, or steam half an hour. serve with liquid pudding sauce. *steamed puddings* the tin molds are best for this purpose, either melon, round, or brick. if the mold is buttered first, then sprinkled with granulated sugar, a nice crust will form. have a large, deep pan filled with boiling water. place mold in, let water come up to rim, put a heavy weight on top of mold to keep down, and boil steadily. the pan must be constantly replenished with boiling water, if the pudding is to be done in time. always place paper in top of mold to prevent water from penetrating. when puddings are boiled in bags, a plate must be placed in bottom of pan to prevent burning. only certain puddings can be boiled in bags. always grease inside of bag, so puddings will slip out easily. a bag made of two thicknesses of cheese-cloth, stitched together, will do. always leave room in mold or bag for pudding to rise, using a smaller or larger mold according to quantity of pudding. if not boiled steadily, and emptied as soon as done, puddings will fall and stick. almond pudding beat the yolks of four eggs very light with one-half cup of sugar; then add one-half cup of grated walnuts or almonds, one-half cup of grated white bread crumbs, then the stiffly-beaten whites of four eggs. put in pudding form and steam from one and one-half to two hours. serve with wine or fruit sauce. rye bread pudding dry one-half cup of rye bread crumbs in oven. beat the yolks of four eggs very light with one-half cup of sugar, then add a pinch of cloves and allspice, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon, grated rind of one-half lemon and one-quarter pound of chopped almonds. moisten crumbs with three tablespoons of whiskey or brandy, add to eggs, then add stiffly-beaten whites of four eggs. put in mold and boil three hours. serve with a brandy or whiskey sauce. napkin pudding soak one-half loaf of stale white bread in water until moist, squeeze perfectly dry. put in skillet two tablespoons of clear fat or butter, and when hot add bread, and stir until smooth and dry. beat five eggs light with one cup of sugar, stir bread in, mix well, and flavor with rind (grated) and juice of one lemon. grease a bag or very large napkin, place pudding in this, tie, leaving plenty room to rise, place in boiling water and boil two hours. make a jelly sauce, not as thin as usual, and pour over just before serving. if desired one-half cup of currants can be added to pudding. steamed berry pudding take one tablespoon of butter (or other shortening), one-quarter cup of sugar, yolk of one egg, one-half cup of milk, one cup of flour, one teaspoon of baking-powder, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-half cup of berries or pitted cherries rolled in flour. put in a well-greased melon mold and cook in boiling water steadily for two hours. serve with hard sauce. carrot pudding take one cup of sugar, one-third cup of butter, one cup of grated carrots, one cup of grated potatoes, one cup of raisins, one cup of currants, two cups of bread crumbs, one-half teaspoon of baking-soda stirred in the potatoes, one teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, and allspice. mix all these and add a little syrup and four tablespoons of whiskey. steam four hours. serve with hard sauce. cherry pudding grate one-half pound of stale rye bread and wet this with a wineglass of red wine. pound two tablespoons of almonds, stir the yolks of four eggs with half a cup of powdered sugar, flavor with cinnamon, and add the grated bread and almonds. stone one-half pound each of sweet and sour cherries. mix all thoroughly with the beaten whites added last. do not take the juice of the cherries. butter the pudding mold well before you put in the mixture. to be eaten cold. date pudding melt three tablespoons of butter, add one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of milk, one and two-third cups of flour sifted with one-half teaspoon of baking-soda, one-quarter teaspoon of salt, one-quarter teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg. add to the above one-half pound of dates, stoned and cut. turn into a well-buttered mold. butter the cover also and steam two and one-half hours. keep at a steady boil. serve with any kind of sauce. prince albert pudding rub to a cream half a pound of sweet butter and half a pound of sifted powdered sugar; add the yolks of six eggs, one at a time, and the grated peel of one lemon. stone half a pound of raisins, and add also a little citron, cut very fine. now add gradually half a pound of the finest flour, sifted three or four times, and the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. pour this mixture into a well-buttered mold, into which you have strewn some blanched and pounded almonds. boil fully three hours. serve with sweet brandy or fruit sauce. peach pudding in a large mixing bowl whip to a cream two eggs, three tablespoons of sugar, and two tablespoons of butter. to this, after it is well beaten, add a saltspoon of salt and half a grated nutmeg. stir these ingredients well into the mixture; then stir in a cup of milk. last add, a little at a time--stirring it well in to make a smooth batter--a cup and a half of flour and three-quarters of a cup of indian meal, which have been sifted together with three teaspoons of baking-powder in another bowl. butter well the inside of a two-quart pudding mold; put a layer of the pudding batter an inch deep in the mold; cover this with a layer of fine ripe peaches that have been peeled and cut in quarters or eighths--this depends upon the size of the peaches. sprinkle the layer of peaches with a light layer of sugar; then pour in a layer of batter; then a layer of peaches. repeat this process till all the material is in, leaving a layer of batter on top. steam for two hours. noodle pudding make noodles with two eggs. boil in boiling salt water for ten minutes, drains and set aside. beat the yolks of four eggs with one cup of powdered sugar until light, add a quarter of a cup of pounded almonds, a pinch of salt, the drained noodles, and the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. mix well, pour into a greased pudding mold, and boil one and one-half hours. prune pudding take the yolks of four eggs, a cup of granulated sugar, and stir to a cream. chop fine thirty prunes (prunes being boiled without sugar), and add two tablespoons of sweet chocolate, two tablespoons of grated almonds, and the whites, which have been beaten to a snow. boil two and one-half hours in a pudding form and serve with whipped cream. plum pudding (for thanksgiving day) soak a small loaf of bread; press out every drop of water, work into this one cup of suet shaved very fine, the yolks of six eggs, one cup of currants, one cup of raisins seeded, one-half cup of citron shredded fine, three-quarters cup of syrup, one wineglass of brandy, one cup of sifted flour and the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs last. boil four hours in greased melon mold. plum pudding, no. chop a half box of raisins and currants, one-quarter pound of citron, one-quarter pound of suet (chopped very fine), two eggs, one and one-half cups of sugar, a wineglass of brandy, two cups of cider, one teaspoon of cinnamon and ground cloves. when all these are well mixed add enough flour (with a teaspoon of baking-powder in it) to thicken well. cook in a greased mold and allow to steam for three hours. honey pudding mix one-half cup of honey with six ounces of bread crumbs and add one-half cup of milk, one-half teaspoon of ginger, grated rind of half a lemon and yolks of two eggs. beat the mixture thoroughly and then add two tablespoons of butter and the whites of the eggs well beaten. steam for about two hours in a pudding mold which is not more than three-quarters full. *pudding sauces* brandy sauce take one cup of water, a quarter glass of brandy, one cup of sugar, juice of half a lemon. boil all in double boiler. beat the yolks of two eggs light, and add the boiling sauce gradually to them, stirring constantly until thick. caramel sauce put one cup cut loaf sugar in a saucepan on the stove without adding a drop of water. let it melt slowly and get a nice brown without burning. beat the yolks of three eggs until light, stir in two cups of sweet milk, and when the sugar is melted, stir all into the saucepan and continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is somewhat thickened; then remove from the fire, add one teaspoon of vanilla essence, put in a bowl and put the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs on top. serve with puddings, cakes or fritters. chocolate sauce, no. dissolve one-half pound chocolate in one cup of water and sugar to taste, boil somewhat thick and flavor with vanilla. chocolate sauce, no. scald two cups of milk, add two tablespoons of cornstarch diluted with one-half cup of cold milk, and cook ten minutes over boiling water. melt three squares of chocolate over hot water, add three tablespoons of sugar and three tablespoons of hot water; stir until smooth, then add to cooked mixture. beat the whites of three eggs until stiff, add three-fourths of a cup of powdered sugar; add the yolks and stir into cooked mixture; cool and add vanilla. foam sauce cream one-quarter cup of butter with one cup of powdered sugar, until very light. add separately the unbeaten whites of two eggs, stirring briskly and beat again. add one teaspoon of vanilla and one-half cup of hot water. pour in sauceboat, and place boat in a pan of boiling water on stove, until it becomes frothy then serve immediately. fruit sauces wash the fruit well, then put on the stove in a saucepan without adding any more water. cover with a lid, and let the fruit get thoroughly heated all through until it comes to a boil, but do not boil it. stir occasionally. when well heated, mash the fruit well with a wooden potato masher, then strain through a fine sieve, being careful to get every drop of substance from the fruit. sweeten the juice with sugar to taste, add a few drops of wine or lemon juice, put back on the stove, and cook until it thickens, stirring occasionally. serve with cake, fritters or puddings. blackberries, strawberries or raspberries, make a nice sauce. hard sauce take one cup of sugar, one-half cup of sweet butter and stir to a cream. flavor with grated lemon peel or essence of lemon. make into any shape desired and serve. jelly sauce take thin jelly, add one cup boiling water and brandy or wine (one-half cup), add a little more sugar and thicken with one teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. the beaten white of egg may be added. kirsch sauce put one cup of sugar and two cups of water on to boil. mix two tablespoons of cornstarch in one-quarter cup of cold water, and when the water in the saucepan is boiling, add cornstarch and stir for two minutes. remove from stove and add one cup of kirsch wine and stir again. strain and serve with pudding. lemon sauce, no. boil one cup of sugar with one-half cup of water, rind of one lemon, juice of two, and one-half teaspoon of butter. when boiling stir in a scant teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water. serve hot. serve with puddings or fritters. lemon sauce, no. boil the strained juice of two lemons and the grated peel of one with a cup of sugar and one glass of white wine or water. when boiled to a syrup add the yolks of three eggs well beaten, also half of the whites beaten to a froth. use the other half of the stiffly-beaten whites, sweetened with powdered sugar, to decorate the sauce. serve immediately. prune sauce take about one pound of turkish prunes, wash them in hot water, and put on to boil in cold water. boil until they are very soft. remove the pits or kernels, and strain over them the water they were boiled in, sweeten to taste. flavor with ground cinnamon, then mash them until a soft mush. if too thick, add the juice of an orange. wine sauce, no. take one-half cup of white wine and one and one-half cups of water, put on to boil in double boiler and in the meantime beat up the yolks of two eggs very light, with two teaspoons of white sugar, some grated nutmeg or three small pieces of cinnamon bark, or the grated rind of half a lemon, and add a teaspoon of flour to this gradually. when perfectly smooth add the boiling wine, pouring very little at a time and stirring constantly. return to boiler and stir until the spoon is coated. wine sauce, no. melt one tablespoon of butter in a saucepan, stir in one tablespoon of flour, then add one-half cup of cold water, stirring constantly until smooth. then add one cup of white wine, one ounce of chopped citron. remove from fire, let cool, flavor with one teaspoon each of pistache and vanilla. if desired, one teaspoon of red curaçao or maraschino liquor can be added for flavoring. vanilla or cream sauce mix one teaspoon cornstarch and one tablespoon of sugar thoroughly; on them slowly pour one cup of scalding milk, stirring all the time. cook and stir in a double boiler for ten minutes; then set aside to cool. when ready to use stir in one teaspoon of vanilla and the white of one egg, stiffly beaten. serve in place of whipped cream. *frozen desserts* in making frozen desserts attention to detail is the essential thing to perfect success. preparing salt the smaller the ice is broken the better, while the salt should never be too fine. a salt prepared especially for the purpose is known as "ice cream salt." this salt and the finely broken ice are put in alternate layers about the cream can. begin with a layer of ice, making this about three inches deep. then put in a layer of salt about an inch in depth, and continue in this way up to the top of the cream can. the ice can be put in a gunny sack and then broken up with a heavy hammer or hatchet. freezing creams and water ices fill the cream can three-fourths full. cover; place in wooden bucket; adjust the top and pack, as directed above. turn crank slowly and steadily. after freezing drain off water, remove dasher; with a spoon pack hard. put cork in top of lid. repack freezer. cover top with heavy pieces of carpet and paper. when time comes to serve, wipe top of can carefully before opening. in very hot weather renew the salt and ice three times, and keep the blanket cold and wet with the brine from the freezer. vanilla ice cream, no. take one pint of milk, two cups of sugar, one large tablespoon of flour rubbed smooth in cold milk, two eggs beaten light, one teaspoon of vanilla extract, and one quart of sweet cream, well beaten. heat the milk in a double boiler, and when it is at boiling point add the flour, eggs and one cup of sugar. cook about twenty minutes, stirring very often. let the mixture get cold, then add the remaining sugar and the vanilla and cream, and freeze. a more novel flavoring is made with a mixture of vanilla, lemon and almond extracts. the quantities given in this recipe make about two quarts of ice cream. vanilla ice cream, no. beat three whole eggs very light with one cup of granulated sugar until all grain is dissolved and mass is a light yellowish color. whip one pint of cream until stiff, add to eggs and sugar, then add one cup of sweet milk, flavor with vanilla to taste, and put in freezer and turn until hard. this is a basis for almost any kind of cream. chocolate ice cream, no. make same as vanilla ice cream, no. , only omitting the milk. dissolve on stove one-half pound of sweet chocolate, in one cup of sweet milk, rub smooth and thick, let get cold, and add to the eggs, just before putting in cream. flavor with vanilla. chocolate ice cream, no. take one quart of cream, one pint of new milk, two eggs, one teacup of grated chocolate (double vanilla), two cups of pulverized sugar, one teaspoon of cornstarch and one of extract of vanilla. beat the yolks of the eggs, sugar and let them come to a boil. then take them quickly from the fire, dissolve the chocolate in a little milk over the fire, stir it all the time. when smooth mix with the milk and eggs, add the cream and vanilla. freeze when cold. coffee ice cream make same as vanilla ice cream no. . flavor with one and one-half tablespoons of mocha extract, add one cup of grated walnuts. freeze. frozen custard one quart of milk, yolk of five eggs, sweeten to taste, and flavor with vanilla to taste. boil the milk first, and after the yolks of eggs are beaten stir into the milk. when cold add the beaten whites and vanilla; put in freezer and turn. canned strawberries are very nice in this. apricot, peach, strawberry, banana or pineapple cream make same as vanilla ice cream no. , omitting the milk. if canned fruit is to be used, drain off the juice, and add it to the eggs and cream. mash the fruit through a sieve, add it to rest of mixture, and freeze the whole. if fresh fruits are used, one pint is required. mash fine, strain and sweeten before adding to the cream. for peach and strawberry a few drops of pink coloring may be added. bananas must be mashed smooth, but not sweetened. chop all fruits very fine for pineapple, the sliced is preferred to the grated. either canned or fresh can be used. tutti-frutti ice cream take three pints of cream, one pound of pulverized sugar and the yolks of nine eggs. prepare just like the other creams. when half frozen add one-half pound of crystallized fruit, peaches, apricots, cherries, citron, etc., chopped very fine. put in also a wineglass of pale sherry and the juice of an orange or lemon. finish freezing. frozen puddings for frozen puddings ice must be crushed and mixed with rock-salt, the same way as for freezing cream. pudding-mold must have a tight cover; have a receptacle sufficiently large to line bottom and sides with a thick layer of mixed salt and ice. put the mold in the centre, fill with the pudding, cover tightly, then put ice on top and all around. put a sheet of plain tissue paper in top of mold to prevent salt from penetrating. cover whole with a cloth and let freeze from three to four hours. biscuit tortoni, no. take one-half cup of granulated sugar, one-fourth pound of stale macaroons grated, one-half pint of heavy cream (whipped), three eggs, vanilla or sherry wine. stir yolks of eggs until thick and add sugar and stir again; add whipped cream, and whipped whites of eggs, and grated macaroons; flavor to taste. put this all into freezer and pack outside with ice and salt alternately. do not turn. let stand five or six hours, adding ice from time to time. when serving put grated macaroons on top. biscuit tortoni, no. take yolks of two eggs, one pint of cream, eight macaroons, vanilla and flavor, one-half cup of sugar, one-half cup of milk. beat yolks of eggs and the sugar very light. put on milk to a boil, and when it comes to a boil stir into the beaten eggs and sugar and set away to cool. beat cream and add macaroons, leaving just enough to put in the bottom of your form. when your custard is cool, add cream, put all in forms, pack and freeze two hours or longer. mocha mousse cream yolks of three eggs with one-half cup of granulated sugar. add one-half pint of cream, whipped; one-half cup of grated macaroons, two tablespoons of mocha essence, one teaspoon of vanilla, lastly beaten whites. put in a mold and pack in salt and ice for three hours. maple mousse whip one pint of cream until quite thick. break two eggs into another bowl, beat until light and add gradually, one-half cup of maple syrup. when the two are well mixed, whip them gradually into the cream. pour the whole into a freezer can, without the dasher; cover; pack in ice and salt, and let stand for three hours. maple bisque boil one cup of maple syrup until quite thick; beat yolks of three eggs; add to syrup while hot, stirring constantly until well mixed. let cool. beat whites of eggs to a froth. whip one pint of cream, mix all together; add one-half cup of chopped nuts. have a pudding-mold buttered; see that the edges fit close. pack in rock salt and ice four hours. frozen cream cheese with preserved figs take three neufchatel cheeses. mash the cheese to a smooth paste and add one-half cup of thick cream, one-half teaspoon of salt, one rounding teaspoon of sugar. place in a small square mold, bury in salt and ice and let stand several hours. when ready to serve unmold, cut in squares, place each on a lettuce leaf, decorate the centre of the cheese square with a preserved fig and serve at once. rum pudding beat yolks of two eggs with one-half cup of sugar until light, then add stiffly-beaten whites. flavor with one tablespoon of rum. whip one pint of cream very stiff, stir into beaten eggs. line a melon mold with lady fingers, split in half. then put a layer of whipped cream over. chop one-half pound of marron glacé fine and sprinkle some over cream. put another layer of lady fingers, cream and marrons, and so on until mold is filled. close tightly, and pack in rock salt and ice, from three to four hours. cherry diplomate line a mold with white cake, thinly sliced, which you have previously dipped in maraschino or some other fine brandy. then fill in with plain white ice-cream, then a layer of cherry ice, next a layer of candied cherries, next a layer of cherry-ice then a layer of strawberry ice-cream or the plain white vanilla. finish it up with a layer of cake again and be sure to dip the cake in maraschino. cover all up tight and pack in ice until wanted. nesselrode pudding put on one-half pound of shelled and skinned chestnuts in cold water, and let them boil until very tender, then press them through a purée sieve. beat the yolks of five eggs with one-half pound of sugar until light, then add the mashed chestnuts, then stir in one pint of sweet cream. put on to boil in a double boiler, add a few grains of salt, and stir until the mixture begins to boil, then remove at once from fire and set aside to cool. in a bowl put one-fourth pound of crystallized cherries, cut in half; one-fourth pound of crystallized pineapple cut up, one ounce of citron cut fine, one-fourth cup of stoned raisins and one-half cup of maraschino cordial. put the chestnut cream in a freezer, freeze ten minutes, then add one pint cream that has been whipped stiff with two tablespoons of powdered sugar, turn until it begins to get stiff, then add the fruits and turn awhile longer. pack in a pudding-mold in rock salt and ice two hours. canned fruit frozen without opening, pack a can of pears in ice and salt, as for ice-cream. let it remain for three or four hours. when taken out, cut the can open around the middle. if frozen very hard, wrap around with a towel dipped in hot water; the contents can then be clipped out in perfect rounds. cut into slices and serve with a spoonful of whipped cream on each slice. this will serve six or eight persons. canned peaches may be used if desired. peter pan dessert cut a banana in four strips, cross two over two in basket-shape, fill centre square with a tablespoon of ice-cream and sprinkle over all some chopped walnuts, pistachio nuts and marshmallows, cut in strips. fruit sherbets there is no form in which ices are more palatable or healthful than in the form of sherbet. this is made of fruit juice, sugar and water. the simplest sherbet is made by mixing the sugar, water and fruit juice together. a richer and smoother ice is obtained by boiling the sugar and water together, then adding the fruit juice, and when the mixture is cool, freezing it. it takes nearly twice as long to freeze the preparation made in this way as when made with the uncooked mixture. sherbets are usually served at the end of a dinner, but they are sometimes served before the roast. apricot ice pare and grate one dozen apricots, and blanch a few of the kernels. then pound them and add to the grated fruit. pour a pint of water over them, adding the juice of a lemon also. let them stand for an hour and strain, adding one-half pound of sugar just before freezing. lemon ice take six large, juicy lemons and grate peel of three lemons; two oranges, juice of both, and peel of one; squeeze out every drop of juice and steep the grated peel of lemon and orange in juice for an hour. strain and mix in one pint of sugar. stir until dissolved and freeze. lemon ginger sherbet shave very thin bits of the yellow peel from two lemons, being careful not to get any of the white. cut eight lemons (using the first two) into halves, extract seeds and press out the juice. cut one-fourth pound of ginger in strips. boil until clear, four cups of sugar, two quarts of boiling water, ginger and shaved lemon peel. add lemon juice and strain through a cheese-cloth. freeze until thick and add the stiff-beaten whites of two eggs. mix well; finish freezing, and pack. orange ice make a syrup of two cups of sugar and four cups of water. boil fifteen minutes and add two cups of orange juice, one-half cup of lemon juice and the grated rind of one orange and one lemon. freeze and serve in glasses. pineapple ice make a syrup of four cups of water, two cups of sugar and boil fifteen minutes. add one can grated pineapple and juice of six lemons. cool and add four cups of ice-water. freeze until mushy, using half ice and half salt. punch ices to the juice of two lemons take three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar, two or three tablespoons of rum and one pint of water. rub the rind of the lemons onto the sugar, then boil the sugar and water together for fifteen minutes, add the lemon juice and rum, mix well, strain, and set aside to cool. then put the mixture into the freezing can and freeze till set. raspberry ice make a strong lemonade, add raspberry juice to taste, and some grated pineapple. put into freezer and turn like ice cream and pack, and let stand five hours. watermelon sherbet take good, pale sherry and boil down to quite a thick syrup, with loaf sugar; and then allow to cool. when cold mix with the chopped meat of a very fine, sweet melon, use only the heart of the soft red part, not any near the white rind. freeze in a freezer as you would ice, but do not allow it to get too hard. serve in glasses. you may use claret instead of the sherry. if you do, spice it while boiling with whole spices, such as cloves and cinnamon. strain before adding to the melon. cafÉ À la glacÉ take five tablespoons of fresh-roasted and ground coffee. pour four cups of boiling water over it; cover quickly and put on the back of the stove, and add one-half pound of sugar. when cold, press through a sieve, and fill in the can to be frozen. let it remain in freezer five minutes longer before you begin to turn the freezer. serve in glasses, and put sweetened whipped cream on the top. *candies and sweets* white fondant used as a foundation for all cream candies. put two and one-half cups of granulated sugar in a saucepan, add three-fourths cup of hot water and one-half saltspoon of tartar. stir until sugar is dissolved, but no longer. boil without stirring until, when tried in cold water, it will form a soft ball. wash down the edges of the pan with the finger first dipped in cold water, as the sugar boils up. pour slowly on greased pan or marble slab. cool slightly; beat with a wooden spoon until white and creamy. as soon as large lumps appear, it should be kneaded with the hands until smooth. place in bowl and cover with waxed paper, let it stand overnight in a cool place. if covered and kept in a cool place this will keep for days. form into bonbons, color and flavor any desired way; dip in melted chocolate, to which has been added a small piece of wax or paraffine. in fact the bonbons may be used in any desired way. divinity boil two cups of granulated sugar, one-half cup of corn syrup and one-half cup of water until it will thread. beat into the stiff whites of two eggs; add one cup of nuts. beat until cool and thick. pour out, cool, and when set, cut into squares. fudge boil together two cups of granulated sugar, one-eighth teaspoon of salt and one cup of milk or cream, until when tried in cold water, it will form a soft ball (about eight minutes). add one-half a cake of baker's chocolate, two tablespoons of butter and one teaspoon of vanilla. beat until smooth and creamy; pour into greased pans; cool and cut in squares. pinoche take one cup of (packed) medium brown sugar, one-quarter cup of cream, one-third cup of nut meats, one-quarter pound pecans, weighed in shell, and one-third pound hickory in shell. cook sugar and cream to soft ball test. cool until you can bear your hand on bottom of pan. stir until it begins to thicken, add chopped nuts; and when it is too thick to pour easily, spread quickly on a buttered pan, cut in squares and cool. fruit loaf chop coarsely one-half cup of raisins, one-half cup of nuts, one-half cup figs or dates, add enough honey or corn syrup to make a stiff loaf, about two tablespoons. place in ice-box for one hour, slice and serve in place of candy, rolling each slice in cornstarch. glacÉ for candies boil one pound of sugar with one-half pint of water until it ropes; then add one-half cup of vinegar and boil until it hardens. dip in fruit, orange slices, nuts or green grapes with stems on, and put aside on a buttered platter to set. orange chips can be made after the fruit has been used. halve, scoop out, then scrape inside; lay the peel in salt water overnight. make syrup of two cups of sugar and one cup of water. when boiled thick, cut orange-peel in small strips and drop them into boiling liquid, letting them remain about ten minutes. remove strips carefully, spreading them on waxed paper to dry. grape-fruit rind may be used as well as that of oranges. candied cherries, pineapple and other fruits boil, but do not stir, one-half pound of loaf sugar in one breakfast cup of water. pit some cherries, or prepare any desired fruit, and string them on a thread, then dip them in the syrup; suspend them by the thread. when pineapples are used, slice them crosswise and dry them on a sieve or in the open air; oranges should be separated into sections and dried like pineapple. stuffed dates make a cut the entire length of dates and remove stones. fill cavities with english walnuts, blanched almonds, pecans or with a mixture of chopped nuts, and shape in original form. roll in granulated sugar or powdered sugar and serve on small plate or bonbon dish. dates stuffed with ginger and nuts remove the stones from choice dates, and chop together equal measures of preserved ginger and blanched nuts chopped, (hickory, pecan, or almond). mix with fondant or a paste of confectioner's sugar and ginger syrup. use only enough fondant or paste to hold the ingredients together. with this mixture fill the open space in the dates, cover securely, and roll in granulated sugar. dates stuffed with fondant fill with fondant, letting it project slightly, and insert in it a pecan or half a walnut. roll in granulated sugar. stuffed figs cut a slit in the side of dried figs, take out some of the pulp with the tip of a teaspoon. mix with one-fourth cup of the pulp, one-fourth cup of finely-chopped crystallized ginger, a teaspoon of grated orange or lemon rind and a tablespoon of lemon juice. fill the figs with the mixture, stuffing them so that they look plump. stuffed prunes take one pound of best prunes, stone and soak in sherry for about an hour (do not cover with the wine). fill prunes with one large browned almond and one-half marshmallow or with another prune, roll in granulated sugar, and when all are finished, put in oven for two or three minutes. frosted currants pick fine, even, large bunches of red currants (not too ripe) and dip each bunch, one at a time, into a mixture of frothed white of egg, then into a thick, boiled sugar syrup. drain the bunches by laying on a sieve, and when partly dry dip again into the boiled syrup. repeat the process a third time; then sprinkle powdered sugar over them and lay on a sheet of paper in a slightly warm oven to dry. used on extra occasions for ornamenting charlottes, cakes, creams, etc. *beverages* all drinks contain a large proportion of water which is the beverage nature has provided for man. water for hot drinks should be freshly boiled, freshly drawn water should be used for cold drinks. coffee coffee should be bought in small quantities and kept in air-tight cans, and freshly ground as needed. to have perfect coffee, use an earthen or china pot, and have the water boiling when turned onto the coffee. like tea, the results will not be right if the water is allowed to fall below the boiling point before it is used. have the coffee ground to a fine powder in order to get its full flavor as well as strength. boiled coffee allow one tablespoon of coffee to each cup of boiling water. mix coffee with two tablespoons of cold water. clean egg shells and put in the pot. allow this to come to a boil and add boiling water, bring to a boil and boil for one minute; add a tablespoon of cold water to assist the grounds in settling. stand the pot where it will keep hot, but not boil, for five minutes; then serve at once, as coffee allowed to stand becomes flat and loses its aroma. most cooks use a clean shell or a little of the white of an egg if they do not use the whole. others beat the whole egg, with a little water, but use only a part of it, keeping the rest for further use in a covered glass in the ice-chest. cream is usually served with coffee, but scalded milk renders the coffee more digestible than does cream. fill the cup one-fourth full of hot scalded milk; pour on the freshly made coffee, adding sugar. filtered coffee place one cup of finely ground coffee in the strainer of the percolator; place the strainer in the pot and place over the heat. add gradually six cups of boiling water and allow it to filter. serve at once. turkish coffee for making this the coffee must be pulverized, and it should be made over an alcohol lamp with a little brass turkish pot. measure into your pot as many after-dinner coffee cups of water as you wish cups of coffee. bring the water to a boil and drop a heaping teaspoon of the powdered coffee to each cup on top of the water and allow it to settle. add one, two or three coffeespoons of powdered sugar, as desired. put the pot again over the flame; bring the coffee to a boil three times, and pour into the cups. the grounds of the coffee are of course thick in the liquid, so one lets the coffee stand a moment in the cup before drinking. french coffee have your coffee ground very fine and use a french drip coffee-pot. instead of pouring through water, pour milk through, brought just to the boiling point. the milk passes through slowly, and care must be taken not to let scum form on the milk. coffee for twenty people add and mix one pound of coffee finely ground, with one egg and enough cold water to thoroughly moisten it, cover and let stand several hours. place in thin bag and drop in seven quarts of boiling water. boil five minutes, let stand ten minutes. add cream to coffee and serve. after-dinner coffee is made double the strength of boiled coffee and is served without cream or milk. breakfast cocoa mix two tablespoons prepared cocoa with two tablespoons of sugar and a few grains of salt, dilute with one-half cup of boiling water to make a smooth paste, then add one-half cup of boiling water and boil five minutes, turn into three cups of scalded milk and beat two minutes, using dover beater and serve. reception cocoa stir one cup of boiling water gradually onto two tablespoons of cocoa, two tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of cornstarch, a few grains of salt (that have been well mixed) in a saucepan; let boil five minutes, stirring constantly. heat three cups of milk in a double boiler, add the cocoa mixture and one-half teaspoon of vanilla; beat with egg-beater until foamy and serve hot in chocolate cups, with a tablespoon of whipped cream on top of each cup, or take the cheaper marshmallows, place two in each cup and fill cups two-thirds full of hot cocoa. hot chocolate scrape two ounces of unsweetened chocolate very fine, add three tablespoons of sugar, small piece of stick cinnamon and one cup of boiling water; stir over moderate heat until smooth, then add three cups of hot milk. return to the fire for a minute, do not let it boil, remove, add one teaspoon of vanilla. beat with an egg-beater and serve. chocolate syrup dissolve two cups of sugar in one cup of water and boil five minutes. mix one cup of cocoa with one cup of water and add to the boiling syrup. boil slowly for ten minutes, add salt; cool and bottle for further use. this syrup will keep a long time in the ice-chest in summer and may be used for making delicious drinks. chocolate nectar put into a glass two tablespoons of chocolate syrup, a little cream or milk and chopped ice, and fill up the glass with soda water, apollinaris, or milk. drop a little whipped cream on top. iced chocolate follow recipe for boiled chocolate, but do not beat, add one egg, finely chopped ice and three-fourths cup of milk, put in a bowl and beat thoroughly with a dover beater or pour into jar with cover and shake thoroughly. serve in tall glasses. iced coffee take boiled coffee, strain, add sugar to taste and chill. when ready to serve, add one quart of coffee, one-half cup of cream and pour in pitcher. serve in tall glasses. have ready a small bowl of whipped cream and, if desired, place a tablespoon on top of each glass. tea scald the tea-pot. allow one teaspoon of tea to each person, and one extra. when the water boils, pour off the water with which the pot was scalded, put in the tea, and pour boiling water over it. let it draw three minutes. tea should never be allowed to remain on the leaves. if not drunk as soon as it is drawn, it should be poured off into another hot tea-pot, or into a hot jug, which should stand in hot water. tea (russian style) use a small earthenware tea-pot, thoroughly clean. put in two teaspoons of tea leaves, pour over it boiling water to one-fourth of the pot, and let it stand three minutes. then fill the pot entirely with boiling water and let it stand five minutes. in serving dilute with warm water to suit taste, or serve cold, but always without milk. a thin slice of lemon or a few drops of lemon juice is allowed for each cup. preserved strawberries, cherries or raspberries are considered an improvement. russian iced tea make tea for as many cups as desired, strain and cool. place in ice-box, chill thoroughly and serve in tall glass with ice and flavor with loaf sugar, one teaspoon of rum or brandy, one slice of lemon or one teaspoon preserved strawberries, raspberries, cherries or pineapple, or loaf sugar may be flavored with lemon or orange and packed and stored in jars to be used later to flavor and sweeten the tea. wash the rind of lemon or orange and wipe dry, then rub over all sides of the sugar. hot wine (glueh) mix one quart claret, one pint water, two cups of sugar, one-half teaspoon of whole cloves, one teaspoon of whole cinnamon, lemon rind cut thin and in small pieces. boil steadily for fifteen minutes and serve hot. fruit drinks the success of lemon-, orange- and pineapple-ades depends upon the way they are made. it is best to make a syrup, using one cup of granulated sugar to one cup of water. put the sugar in cold water over the fire; stir until the sugar is dissolved; then cook until the syrup spins a fine thread. take from the fire and add the fruit juices while the syrup is hot. if lemonade is desired, lemon should predominate, but orange or pineapple juice or both should be added to yield the best result. small pieces of fresh pineapple, fresh strawberries and maraschino cherries added at time of serving will make the drink look pretty and will improve the flavor. shaved or very finely cracked ice should be used. pineapple lemonade pare and grate a ripe pineapple; add the juice of four lemons and a syrup made by boiling together for a few minutes two cups of sugar and the same quantity of water. mix and add a quart of water. when quite cold strain and ice. a cherry, in each glass is an agreeable addition, as are a few strawberries or raspberries. quick lemonade wash two lemons and squeeze the juice; mix thoroughly with four tablespoons of sugar, and when the sugar is dissolved add one quart of water, cracked ice, and a little fresh fruit or slices of lemon if convenient. if the cracked ice is very finely chopped and put in the glasses just before serving it will make a better-looking lemonade. when wine is used take two-thirds water and one-third wine. lemonade in large quantities take one dozen lemons, one pound of sugar and one gallon of water to make lemonade for twenty people. fruit punch for twenty people take one pineapple, or one can of grated pineapple, one cup of boiling water, two cups of freshly made tea (one heaping tablespoon of ceylon tea, steep for five minutes); one dozen lemons, three oranges sliced and quartered, one quart bottle apollinaris water, three cups of sugar boiled with one and one-half cups of water six to eight minutes, one quart of water, ice. grate the pineapple, add the one cup of boiling water, and boil fifteen minutes. strain through jelly-bag, pressing out all the juice; let cool, and add the lemon and orange juice, the tea and syrup. add apollinaris water just before serving. pieces of pineapple, strawberries, mint-leaves or slices of banana are sometimes added as a garnish. milk lemonade dissolve in one quart of boiling water two cups of granulated sugar, add three-fourths of a cup of lemon juice, and lastly, one and a half pints of milk. drink hot or cold with pounded ice. egg lemonade break two eggs and beat the whites and yolks separately. mix juice of two lemons, four tablespoons of sugar, four cups of water and ice as for lemonade; add the eggs; pour rapidly back and forth from one pitcher to another and serve before the froth disappears. maraschino lemonade take the juice of four lemons, twelve tablespoons of sugar, eight cups of water, one cup of maraschino liquor and a few cherries. orangeade take four large, juicy oranges and six tablespoons of sugar squeeze the oranges upon the sugar, add a very little water and let them stand for fifteen minutes; strain and add shaved ice and water, and a little lemon juice. clabbered milk one of the most healthful drinks in the world is clabbered milk; it is far better in a way for every one than buttermilk for it requires no artificial cult to bring it to perfection. the milk is simply allowed to stand in a warm place in the bottles just as it is bought, and when it reaches the consistency of a rich cream or is more like a jelly the same as is required for cheese, it is ready to drink. pour it into a glass, seasoning it with a little salt, and drink it in the place of buttermilk. cold egg wine to each glass of wine allow one egg, beat up, and add sugar to taste. add wine gradually and grated nutmeg. beat whites separately and mix. soda cream take three pounds of granulated sugar and one and one-half ounces of tartaric acid, both dissolved in one quart of hot water. when cold add the well-beaten whites of three eggs, stirring well. bottle for use. put two large spoonfuls of this syrup in a glass of ice-water, and stir in it one-fourth of a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. any flavor can be put in this syrup. mulled wine put cinnamon and allspice (to taste) in a cup of hot water to steep. add three eggs well beaten with sugar. heat to a boil a pint of wine, then add spice and eggs. stir for three minutes and serve. strawberry sherbet crush a quart of ripe strawberries, pour a quart of water over them, and add the juice of two lemons. let this stand about two hours, then strain over a pound of sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and then set upon ice. you may add one tablespoon of rose-water. serve with chopped ice. delicious and nourishing summer drink pare thinly the rind of three large lemons, put it into a large jug with one pound of raisins stoned and finely chopped, one pound of sugar, and the juice of the lemons. add one gallon of boiling water, leave to stand for five days, stirring well every day. then strain and bottle for use. sherry cobbler it is best to mix this in a large bowl and fill in glasses just before serving, and put a little of each kind of fruit in each goblet with pounded ice. to begin with, cut pineapple in slices and quarters, a few oranges and a lemon, sliced thin; one cup of powdered sugar and one tumbler of sherry wine. a few berries, such as black and red raspberries, and blackberries are a nice addition. cover the fruit with the sugar, laid in layers at the bottom of your bowl with pounded ice; add the wine and twice as much water as wine; stir all up well before serving. claret cup squeeze into a glass pitcher the strained juice of one and one-half lemons, add two tablespoons of powdered sugar, one tablespoon of red curaçao; then pour in three cups of claret, and one cup of apollinaris water. mix thoroughly, add a few slices of orange or pineapple, or both, and a few maraschino cherries. cut the rinds from two cucumbers without breaking them, hang them on the inside of the pitcher from the top; drop in a good-sized lump of ice and serve at once in thin glasses. place a bunch of mint at the top of the pitcher. cordial two quarts of water and two and three-quarter pounds of sugar. boil thirty minutes. take off stove and add one quart of alcohol. color and flavor to taste. egg-nog separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. to each yolk add one tablespoon of sugar and beat until very light. beat whites to a stiff froth. one egg is required for each glass of egg-nog. add two tablespoons of brandy or rum, then one-half cup of milk or cream to each glass, lastly the whites of the eggs. pour in glass, put a spoon of whipped cream over and grated nutmeg on top. unfermented grape juice wash and stem ten pounds of concord grapes, put them in a preserving kettle and crush slightly. bring to the boiling point and cook gently for one-half hour. strain through cheese-cloth or jelly bag, pressing out all the juice possible; return to fire and with two pounds of sugar conk for fifteen minutes; strain again, reheat and pour into sterilized bottles thoroughly heated. put in sterilized corks and dip the necks of the bottles in hot sealing-wax. if you can get the self-sealing bottles, the work of putting up grape juice will be light. sterilize bottles and corks. other fruit juices raspberry, blackberry and strawberry juice may be made by following the recipe for grape juice but doubling the quantity of sugar. for currant juice use four times as much sugar as for grape juice. fruit syrups fruit syrups may be made like fruit juices, only using more sugar--at least half as much sugar as fruit juice. raspberry vinegar put two quarts of raspberries in a bowl and cover them with two quarts of vinegar; cover and stand in a cool place for two days. mash the berries; strain the vinegar through cheesecloth; pour it over two quarts of fresh raspberries; let stand for another two days; strain and put in a preserving kettle with sugar, allowing a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. heat slowly, skimming when the vinegar begins to boil. boil twenty minutes and put in sterilized bottles. serve as a drink, using two tablespoons to a glass of water. blackberry wine measure your berries and bruise them; to every gallon add one quart of boiling water; let the mixture stand twenty-four hours (stirring occasionally), then strain off all the liquor into a cask; to every gallon add two pounds of sugar; cork tightly and let stand till the following october. blackberry cordial simmer the berries until they break, then strain and to each quart of juice add one pound of sugar. let this dissolve by heating slowly, then add one tablespoon each of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and if desired, allspice. simmer altogether twenty minutes. bottle and seal. cherry syrup mash and pound the cherries until the stones are all broken, then press through a cloth. use a pound of sugar to a quart of juice; boil, skim and bottle. when cold, seal. cherry brandy to one gallon of brandy allow two quarts of cherries. mash and pound them until all the stones are broken, put in the brandy and add a pound of cut loaf sugar. set in the sun for two or three weeks, shake daily, strain and bottle. cherry bounce the little wild cherry is excellent for this purpose, as the stone kernels contain alcohol. wash carefully, sugar plentifully, and add whole spice, cloves (with the heads removed) and stick cinnamon. fewer cloves than the other spices. get good whiskey and allow one-half as much cherries as whiskey. to a quart bottle allow scant half pint sugared cherries to one and one-half pints of whiskey. bottle and seal. let stand at least two months. open, shake bottle well and taste, and if necessary add more sugar. seal again, and let stand another month. is not good under three months and the older it gets the finer it becomes. cider egg nog break six eggs, put the yolks in one dish, the whites in another. to each yolk add a tablespoon of granulated sugar, beat the yolks and sugar to a foam; then flavor with a little grated nutmeg, stirring it well through the mixture; then add a half pint of hot sweet cider to each egg, beat it well through and pour into a hot punch bowl. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with a little sugar and cover the surface of the punch. serve in cups. tom and jerry (non-alcoholic) beat six eggs and six tablespoons of sugar to a stiff froth, add four cups of unfermented grape juice and the same amount of sweet cider. have two porcelain pitchers as hot as possible, pour the mixture into one of them. then pour the mixture back and forth from one pitcher to the other five or six times, and pour the foaming beverage into hot cups and serve. hot milk punch beat one egg to a stiff froth with two tablespoons of sugar; add to it two tablespoons of home-made grape wine; stir all well together, put in a large drinking glass and fill with hot milk. grate a little nutmeg on the top and serve. *canned fruits* general rules all fruits should, if possible, be freshly picked for preserving, canning, and jelly making. no imperfect fruit should be canned or preserved. gnarly fruit may be used for jellies or marmalades by cutting out defective portions. bruised spots should be cut out of peaches and pears. in selecting small-seeded fruits, like berries, for canning, those having a small proportion of seed to pulp should be chosen. in dry seasons berries have a larger proportion of seeds to pulp than in a wet or normal season, and it is not wise to can or preserve such fruit unless the seeds are removed. the fruit should be rubbed through a sieve that is fine enough to keep back the seeds. the strained pulp can be preserved as a purée or marmalade. when fruit is brought into the house put it where it will keep cool and crisp until you are ready to use it. begin by having the kitchen swept and dusted thoroughly, that there need not be a large number of mold spores floating about. dust with a damp cloth. have plenty of hot water and pans in which jars and utensils may be sterilized. have at hand all necessary utensils, towels, sugar, etc. prepare only as much fruit as can be cooked while it still retains its color and crispness. before beginning to pare fruit have some syrup ready, if that is to be used, or if sugar is to be added to the fruit have it weighed or measured. decide upon the amount of fruit you will cook at one time, then have two bowls--one for the sugar and one for the fruit--that will hold just the quantity of each. as the fruit is pared or hulled, as the case may be, drop it into its measuring bowl. when the measure is full put the fruit and sugar in the preserving kettle. while this is cooking another measure may be prepared and put in the second preserving kettle. in this way the fruit is cooked quickly and put in the jars and sealed at once, leaving the pans ready to sterilize another set of jars. the preserving kettle should be porcelain-lined, and no iron or tin utensils should be used, as the fruit acids attack these metals and so give a bad color and metallic taste to the food. sterilizing jars, etc. the success of canning depends upon absolute sterilization and not upon the amount of sugar or cooking. any proportion of sugar may be used, or fruit may be canned without the addition of any sugar. it is most important that the jars, covers, and rubber rings be in perfect condition. examine each jar and cover to see that there is no defect in it. use only fresh rubber rings, for if the rubber is not soft and elastic the sealing will not be perfect. each year numbers of jars of fruit are lost because of the false economy in using an old ring that has lost its softness and elasticity. have two pans partially filled with cold water. put some jars in one, laying them on their sides, and some covers in the other. place the pans on the stove where the water will heat to the boiling point. the water should boil at least ten or fifteen minutes. have on the stove a shallow milk pan in which there is about two inches of boiling water. sterilize the cups, spoons, and funnel, if you use one, by immersing in boiling water for a few minutes. when ready to put the prepared fruit in the jars slip a broad skimmer under a jar and lift it and drain free of water. there are several methods of canning; the housekeeper can use that method which is most convenient. the three easiest and best methods are: cooking the fruit in jars in an oven; cooking the fruit in jars in boiling water; and stewing the fruit before it is put in the jars. canning fruit baked in oven in this method the work is easily and quickly done and the fruit retains its shape, color and flavor. particularly nice for berries. sterilize jars and utensils. make the syrup; prepare the fruit the same as for cooking. fill the hot jars with the fruit, drained, and pour in enough hot syrup to fill the jar solidly. run the handle of a silver spoon around the inside of the jar. place the hot jars, uncovered, and the covers, in a moderate oven. cover the bottom of the oven with a sheet of asbestos, the kind plumbers employ in covering pipes, or put into the oven shallow pans in which there are about two inches of boiling water. cook berries to the boiling point or until the bubbles in the syrup just rise to the top; cook larger fruits, eight to ten minutes or according to the fruit. remove from the oven, slip on rubber, first dipped in boiling water; then fill the jar with boiling syrup. cover and seal. place the jars on a board and out of a draft of air. if the screw covers are used tighten them after the glass has cooled. large fruits, such as peaches, pears, quince, crab-apples, etc., will require about a pint of syrup to each quart jar of fruit. the small fruit will require a little over half a pint of syrup. baked cranberries or cherry preserves pick over, wash and drain four quarts of large, perfect cranberries; or stem and then stone four pounds of large cherries, use a cherry pitter so cherries remain whole. place a tablespoon of hot water in a jar, then alternately in layers cherries or cranberries and sugar (with sugar on top), cover closely. this amount will require four pounds of sugar. bake in a very slow oven two hours. let stand. then keep in a cool, dry place. the cranberries will look and taste like candied cherries, and may be used for garnishing. baked crab-apple preserves wash, wipe and remove the blossom ends of one-half peck of perfect red siberian crab-apples. pour one tablespoon of water in bottom of one gallon stone jar, then place in alternate layers of apples and sugar, using four pounds altogether (with sugar on top). cover with two thicknesses of manila paper, tied down securely or with close fitting plate. bake in a very slow oven (that would only turn the paper a light brown), two or three hours; let stand to cool, keep in cool, dry place. baked sickel pears may be prepared the same way. flavor, if desired, with ginger or lemon juice. baked quinces quinces may be wiped, cored, and quartered; sugar filled in the cavities, and baked same as crab-apples, in a very slow oven three or more hours until clear and glassy. canning fruit in a water bath canned fruits may be cooked over the fire, but they are, on the whole, very much better if cooked in a water bath. prepare fruit and syrup as for cooking in a preserving kettle and cook the syrup ten minutes. sterilize the jars and utensils; fill the jars with fruit; then pour in enough syrup to fill the jars completely. run the blade of a silver-plated knife around the inside of the jar and put the covers on loosely. have a wooden rack, slats, or straw in the bottom of a wash boiler; put in enough warm water to come to about four inches above the rack; place the filled jars in the boiler, being careful not to let them touch. pack clean white rags or cotton rope between and around the jars to prevent their striking one another when the water begins to boil. cover the boiler and let the fruit cook as directed, counting from the time the surrounding water begins to boil. (this cooking is called sterilizing.) draw the boiler aside and remove the cover. when the steam passes off, lift out one jar at a time and place it in a pan of boiling water beside the boiler; fill to overflowing with boiling syrup; wipe the rim of the jar with a cloth wrung from boiling water; put on rubbers and cover quickly; stand the jar upside down and protected from drafts, until cool; then tighten the covers if screw covers are used, and wipe off the jars with a wet cloth. paste on labels and put the jars on shelves in a cool, dark closet. the time given for sterilizing is for quart jars; pint jars require three minutes less. blueberries to twelve quarts of berries take one quart of sugar and one pint of water. put water, berries, and sugar in preserving kettle; heat slowly. boil sixteen minutes, counting from the time the contents of the kettle begins to bubble. canned raspberries to six quarts of berries take one quart of sugar. put one quart of the fruit in the preserving kettle; heat slowly, crushing with a wooden potato masher; strain and press through a fine sieve. return the juice and pulp to the kettle; add the sugar; stir until dissolved; then add the remaining quarts of berries. boil sixteen minutes, counting from the time they begin to boil. skim well while boiling, and put into jars as directed. blackberries the same as for raspberries. currants to twelve quarts of currants take four quarts of sugar. treat the same as raspberries. raspberries and currants to ten quarts of raspberries and three quarts of currants take two and one-half quarts of sugar. heat, crush and press the juice from the currants and proceed as directed for raspberries. canned gooseberries to six quarts of berries take three pints of sugar and one pint of water. dissolve the sugar in the water, using three pints of sugar if the gooseberries are green and only half the quantity if they are ripe. add the fruit and cook fifteen minutes. green gooseberries may also be canned like rhubarb without sugar and sweetened when used. canned strawberries after washing and hulling berries, proceed as with raspberries. canned peaches wash peaches, put them in a square of cheese-cloth or wire basket. dip for two minutes in kettle of boiling water. plunge immediately into cold water. skin the peaches; leave whole or cut as preferred. pack peaches in hot jars. fill hot jars with hot syrup or boiling water. put tops in position. tighten tops but not airtight. place jars on false bottom in wash-boiler. let the water boil sixteen minutes. seal as directed. to eight quarts of peaches take three quarts of sugar, two quarts of water. apricots, plums and ripe pears may be treated exactly as peaches. quinces to four quarts of pared, cored and quartered quinces take one and one-half quarts of sugar and two quarts of water. rub the fruit hard with a coarse, crash towel, blanch for six minutes. pare, quarter, and core; drop the pieces into cold water. put the fruit in the preserving kettle with cold water to cover it generously. heat slowly and simmer gently until tender. the pieces will not all require the same time to cook. take each piece up as soon as it is so tender that a silver fork will pierce it readily. drain on a platter. strain the water in which the fruit was cooked through cheese-cloth. put two quarts of the strained liquid and the sugar into the preserving kettle; stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. when it boils skim well and put in the cooked fruit. boil gently for about forty minutes. pears if the fruit is ripe it may be treated exactly the same as peaches. if, on the other hand, it is rather hard it must be cooked until so tender that a silver fork will pierce it readily. cherries prepare in the same manner as you would for preserving, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. after putting the cherries into the syrup do not let them boil more than five minutes; then fill your cans to overflowing, seal immediately and then screw tighter as they grow cold. remove the little bag of stones which you have boiled with the syrup. the object in boiling the stones with the syrup is to impart the fine flavor to the fruit which cherries are robbed of in pitting. cherries for pies stem the cherries--do not pit them,--pack tight in glass fruit jars, cover with syrup, made of two tablespoons of sugar to a quart of fruit, allowing one-half cup of water to each quart of cherries. let them boil fifteen minutes from the time they begin to boil. pineapple take off rind and trim. cut into slices and divide into thirds. fill into glass jars and dissolve sugar in water enough to cover the jars to overflowing, allowing half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and pour this sweetened water over the pineapples; proceed as in "canning fruit in a water bath" and let them boil steadily for at least twenty minutes. draw the boiler aside or lift it off the coal range and allow the cans to cool in the water in which they were boiled even if it takes until the following day. then remove each can carefully, screwing each can as tightly as possible. wipe dry and put away in a cool place. all canned fruits should be examined carefully in one or two weeks' time after being put up. if any show signs of fermenting, just set them in a boiler of cold water and let them come to a boil slowly. boil about ten minutes, remove boiler from the fire and allow the cans to cool in the boiler. when cold screw tight and put away. canned rhubarb ready to use strip the skins from the stalks, and cut into small pieces as you would for pies. allow eight ounces of loaf sugar to every quart of rhubarb. set the sugar over the fire with as little water as possible, throw in the rhubarb and boil ten minutes. put in jars and seal. canned rhubarb wash the rhubarb thoroughly in pure water; cut it into pieces and pack it in sterilized jars. cover with cold water; let it stand ten minutes; pour off the water; fill again to overflowing with fresh cold water; seal with sterilized rubber rings and covers, and set away in a cool, dark place. canned plums to four quarts of plums take one quart of sugar and one cup of water. wash, drain and prick the plums. make a syrup of the sugar and water; put part of the fruit in the boiling syrup; cook five minutes; fill and seal the jars. put more fruit in the syrup; remove and continue the process until all the fruit has been cooked. canning in the preserving kettle canning in the preserving kettle is less satisfactory; but is sometimes considered easier, especially for small fruits. cook the fruit according to the directions and see that all jars, covers and utensils are carefully sterilized. when ready to put the fruit in the jars, put a broad skimmer under one, lift it and drain off the water. set it in a shallow pan of boiling water or wrap it well in a heavy towel wrung out of boiling water; fill to overflowing with the fruit and slip a silver-plated knife around the inside of the jar to make sure that fruit and juice are solidly packed. wipe the rim of the jar; dip the rubber ring in boiling water, place it on the jar; cover and remove the jar, placing it upside down on a board, well out of drafts until cool. then tighten the covers, if screw covers are used; wipe the jars with a wet cloth and stand on shelves in a cool, dark closet. canned peaches to eight quarts of peaches take one quart of sugar and three quarts of water. make a syrup of the sugar and water; bring to a boil; skim it and draw the kettle aside where the syrup will keep hot but not boil. pare the peaches, cutting them in halves or not as desired; if in half leave one or two whole peaches for every jar, as the kernel improves the flavor. put a layer of fruit in the kettle; when it begins to boil skim carefully; boil gently, for ten minutes; put in jars and seal. then cook more of the fruit in similar fashion. if the fruit is not ripe it will require a longer time to cook. all fruit may be canned in this manner, if desired. pineapple, no. the large juicy pineapple is the best for this purpose. have your scales at hand, also a sharp-pointed knife and an apple-corer, a slaw-cutter and a large, deep porcelain dish to receive the sliced pineapple. pare, do this carefully, dig out all the eyes as you go along. lay the pared pineapple on a porcelain platter and stick your apple-corer right through the centre of the apple, first at one end and then at the other; if it acts stubbornly put a towel around the handle of the corer and twist it, the whole core will come out at once. now screw the slaw-cutter to the desired thickness you wish to have your pineapple sliced. slice into receiving dish, weigh one pound of fine granulated sugar and sprinkle it all over the apple, and so on until all are pared and sliced, allowing one pound of sugar to each very large pineapple. cover the dish until next day and then strain all the juice off the apples and boil in a porcelain or bell metal kettle, skimming it well; throw in the sliced pineapples, boil about five minutes and can. fill the cans to overflowing and seal immediately, not losing a moment's time. as the cans grow cold screw tighter and examine daily, for three or four days, and screw tighter if possible. pineapple, no. prepare the pineapples as above, allowing half a pound of sugar to two pounds of fruit. steam the sliced pines in a porcelain steamer until tender. in the meantime make a syrup of the sugar, allowing a tumblerful of water to a pound of sugar. skim the syrup carefully, put in your steamed pineapples and can as above. *jellies and preserves* in making preserves or jellies use none but porcelain-lined or bell-metal kettles, being very careful to have them perfectly clean. scour with sapolio or sand before using. take plenty of time to do your work, as you will find that too great hurry is unprofitable. use glass jars and the best white sugar, and do not have any other cooking going on while preserving, as the steam or grease will be apt to injure your preserves. when fruit is preserved with a large amount of sugar (a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit) it does not need to be sealed in airtight jars; because bacteria do not readily form in the thick, sugary syrup. it is, however, best kept in small sealed jars. in damp weather jelly takes longer to form. try to select a sunny, dry day for jelly making. you can prepare your juice even if it is cloudy, but wait for sunshine before adding the sugar and final boiling. utensils for jelly making large enamelled kettle, syrup gauge, two colanders, wooden masher, wooden spoon, jelly glasses, one-quart measure, two enamelled cups, one baking-pan, two earthen bowls, paraffin wax, enamelled dishpan for sterilizing glasses and two iron jelly stands with cheese-cloth bags. how to test jelly made at home much waste of sugar and spoilage of jellies can be avoided by using a simple alcohol test recommended by the bureau of chemistry, united states department of agriculture. to determine how much sugar should be used with each kind of juice put a spoon of juice in a glass and add to it one spoon of ninety-five per cent grain alcohol, mixed by shaking the glass gently. pour slowly from the glass, noting how the pectin--the substance in fruits which makes them jell--is precipitated. if the pectin is precipitated as one lump, a cup of sugar may be used for each cup of juice; if in several lumps the proportion of sugar must be reduced to approximately / the amount of the juice. if the pectin is not in lumps, the sugar should be one-half or less of the amount of juice. the housewife will do well before making the test to taste the juice, as fruits having less acid than good tart apples probably will not make good jelly, unless mixed with other fruits which are acid. to cover jelly glasses there are three common methods of covering jelly tumblers: ( ) dip a piece of paper in alcohol; place it on top of the tumbler as soon as the jelly is cold; put on the tin cover and force it down firmly. ( ) cut a piece of paper large enough to allow it to overlap the top of the tumbler at least one-half inch on all sides; dip the paper in slightly-beaten white of egg; cover the glass as soon as the jelly cools and press down the paper until it adheres firmly. ( ) when the jelly has become cold, cover the top with melted paraffin to a thickness of one-third of an inch. to mark jelly glasses sealed with paraffin, have the labels ready on narrow slips of paper not quite as long as the diameter of the top of a glass, and when the paraffin is partially set, but still soft, lay each label on and press gently. *jellies* currant jelly pick over half ripe currants, leaving stems on. wash and place in preserving kettle. pound vigorously with wooden masher until there is juice enough to boil. boil slowly until fruit turns white and liquid drops slowly from the spoon. stir to prevent scorching. remove from fire. take an enamelled cup and dip this mixture into the jelly bags, under which large bowls have been placed to catch the drip. drip overnight. next morning measure the juice. for every pint allow a pint of granulated sugar, which is put in a flat pan. juice is put in kettle and allowed to come to boiling point. sugar is placed in oven and heated. when juice boils add sugar and stir until dissolved. when this boils remove from fire and skim. do this three times. now test liquid with syrup gauge to see if it registers twenty-five degrees. without gauge let it drip from spoon, half cooled, to see if it jells. strain into sterilized jelly glasses. place glasses on a board in a sunny exposure until it hardens cover with melted paraffin one-fourth inch thick. raspberry and currant jelly follow the recipe for currant jelly, using half raspberries and half currants. raspberry jelly follow the recipe for currant jelly. blackberry jelly follow the recipe for currant jelly. strawberry jelly to five quarts of strawberries add one quart of currants and proceed as with currant jelly; but boil fifteen minutes. grape jelly the concord is the best all-round grape for jelly, although the catawba grape makes a delicious jelly. make your jelly as soon as possible after the grapes are sent home from the market. weigh the grapes on the stems and for every pound of grapes thus weighed allow three-quarters of a pound of the best quality of granulated sugar. after weighing the grapes, place them in a big tub or receptacle of some kind nearly filled with cold water. let them remain ten minutes, then lift them out with both hands and put them in a preserving kettle over a very low fire. do not add any water. with a masher press the grapes so the juice comes out, and cook the grapes until they are rather soft, pressing them frequently with the masher. when they have cooked until the skins are all broken, pour them, juice and all; in a small-holed colander set in a big bowl, and press pulp and juice through, picking out the stems as they come to the surface. when pulp and juice are pressed out, pour them into a cheese-cloth bag. hang the bag over the preserving kettle and let the juice drip all night. in the morning put the kettle over the fire and let the grape juice boil gently for a half hour, skimming it frequently. while the juice is cooking put the sugar in pans in a moderate oven and let heat. as soon as the juice is skimmed clear stir in the hot sugar, and as soon as it is dissolved pour the jelly in the glasses, first standing them in warm water. place glasses after filling them in a cool dry place till jelly is well set, then pour a film of melted paraffin over the top and put on the covers. label. crab-apple jelly take eight quarts of siberian crab-apples, cut up in pieces, leaving in the seeds, and do not pare. put into a stone jar, and set on the back of the stove to boil slowly, adding four quarts of water. let them boil, closely covered all day, then put in a jelly-bag and let them drip all night. boil a pint of juice at a time, with a pound of sugar to every pint of juice. boil five minutes steadily, each pint exactly five minutes. now weigh another pound of sugar and measure another pint of juice. keep on in this way and you will be through before you realize it. there is no finer or firmer jelly than this. it should be a bright amber in color, and of fine flavor. you may press the pulp that remains in the jelly-bag through a coarse strainer, add the juice of two lemons and as much sugar as you have pulp, and cook to a jam. apple jelly take sour, juicy apples, not too ripe, cut up in pieces, leave the skins on and boil the seeds also. put on enough water to just cover, boil on the back of the stove, closely covered, all day. then put in jelly-bag of double cheese-cloth to drip all night. next morning measure the juice. allow a wineglass of white wine and juice of one lemon to every three pints of juice. then boil a pint at a time, with a pound of sugar to every pint. neapolitan jelly take equal quantities of fully ripe strawberries, raspberries, currants and red cherries. the cherries must be stoned, taking care to preserve the juice and add to rest of juice. mix and press through a jelly-press or bag. measure the juice, boil a pint at a time, and to every pint allow a pound of sugar and proceed as with other fruit jellies. quince jelly prepare the fruit and cook peels and cores as directed for preserving. cut the quinces in small pieces and let them boil in the strained water for one hour with kettle uncovered. when cooked the desired length of time, pour the whole into a jelly-bag of white flannel or double cheese-cloth; hang over a big bowl or jar and let the liquor all drain through. this will take several hours. when all the liquor is drained, measure it and return to the kettle. to each pint of liquor weigh a pound of sugar. while the liquor is heating put the sugar in the oven, then add to the boiling hot liquor and stir it until sugar is melted. when the whole is thick, and drops from the spoon like jelly, pour it through a strainer into the jelly glasses; and when the jelly is cool, put on the covers--first pouring a film of melted paraffin over the surface. a winter jelly one-half peck of tart apples, one quart of cranberries. cover with cold water and cook an hour. strain through a jelly-bag without squeezing. there should be about three pints of juice. use a bowl of sugar for each bowl of juice. when the juice is boiling add sugar which has been heated in oven and boil twenty minutes. skim and pour into glasses. will fill about seven. cranberry jelly wash and pick ripe cranberries and set on to boil in a porcelain-lined kettle closely covered. when soft strain the pulp through a fine wire sieve. measure the juice and add an equal quantity of sugar. set it on to boil again and let it boil very fast for about ten minutes--but it must boil steadily all the time. wet a mold with cold water, turn the jelly into it and set it away to cool, when firm turn it into a glass salver. *preserved fruit* preserved figs lay fresh figs in water overnight. then simmer in water enough to cover them until tender, and spread upon dishes to cool. make a syrup of a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. allow a small teacup of water to a pound of sugar. boil until a very clear syrup; remove every particle of scum; put in the figs and boil slowly for ten minutes. take them out and spread upon dishes, and set them in the hot sun. add the juice of as many lemons as you have pounds of sugar, and a few small pieces of ginger. boil this syrup until thick. boil the figs in this syrup for fifteen minutes longer. then fill in glass jars three-quarters full, fill up with boiling syrup and cover. when cold, screw air-tight or seal. preserved cherries the sour red cherries, or "morellas," are the best for preserves. never use sweet ones for this purpose. stone them, preserving every drop of juice, then weigh the cherries, and for every pound take three-quarters of a pound of sugar. set the sugar and juice of the cherries on to boil, also a handful of the cherry stones pounded and tied in a thin muslin bag. let this boil about fifteen minutes. skim off the scum that rises. now put in the cherries, and boil until the syrup begins to thicken like jelly. remove from the fire, fill in pint jars, and when cold, cover with brandied paper and screw on the cover tight. preserved peaches weigh one pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. after weighing them brush each peach with a stiff whiskbroom. this should be done in putting up peaches in any way. after brushing them peel the peaches very thin with a sharp silver knife. do not use a knife with a steel blade, as it discolors the fruit. as fast as the peaches are peeled lay them on porcelain platters. put the peelings in the preserving kettle with enough water to keep from sticking. stand the kettle over rather a quick fire and let the peelings boil with the kettle covered until very soft. then drain them through a colander and pour the juice strained back into the kettle. add sugar to this and let it simmer gently until it is a thick syrup. during the time the syrup is cooking it must be frequently stirred and skimmed. as soon as the syrup is thick enough, drop in the peaches, twelve at a time if for quart jars, and six at a time if for pint jars. let the peaches cook gently until each one may easily be pierced with a broom splint. then quickly skim them out and lay them on a platter to cool. repeat this process until all the peaches are done, then let the syrup cook until thick as molasses. skim it thoroughly. when cool put the peaches, one at a time, in the jars with a spoon. when the syrup is sufficiently thick, pour it through a strainer over the peaches in the jars until they are full, then seal down quickly and stand them upside down for several hours before putting them in the store-room. strawberries in the sun to two pounds of berries take two pounds of sugar and three-quarters cup of water. put the syrup in the preserving kettle; bring it to a boil and cook for about ten minutes, or until it begins to thicken. add the berries; cook for ten minutes and pour them out in shallow dishes or meat platters. cover with sheets of glass, allowing a little air for ventilation; place in the sun until the juice is thick and syrupy. this will take two days or more, but the rich color and delicious flavor of the fruit will fully repay the effort expended. put into small jars or tumblers and cover according to directions. preserved strawberries to one pint of strawberries take one pint of sugar and one-half cup of water. unless strawberries are cooked in the sun they should be prepared only in small quantities or they will be dark and unpalatable. if the following directions are carefully observed the berries will be plump and of a rich red color. bring the sugar and water to a boil; add the strawberries and cook ten minutes. remove the berries carefully with a skimmer and cook the syrup until it is of the consistency of jelly. return the berries to the syrup; bring all to a boil and when cool put in glass tumblers. strawberries and pineapple follow the recipe for preserved strawberries, using two-thirds pineapple and one-third strawberries. preserved pineapple to one pineapple take three-quarters of its weight in sugar and one cup of water. peel the pineapple and put it through the food-chopper. weigh and add three-quarters of the weight in sugar. bring slowly to a boil and simmer for about twenty minutes, or until the consistency of marmalade. preserved damson plums pick the plums over carefully, removing every one that has a decayed spot or blemish. leave the stems on. after picking the fruit over, wash it carefully in cold water; then weigh it and allow one pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. put a gill of water in the preserving kettle for each pound of sugar, stand the kettle over a moderate fire and add the sugar. stir it almost constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar melts; then turn on a little more heat and let the melted sugar boil gently until it is a thick syrup. stir, and skim it frequently. when the required thickness (which should be like syrup used for griddle cakes) put the plums in the boiling syrup and let them cook gently for half an hour; then skim out the plums and put them in glass jars, filling each jar half full. let the syrup boil till almost as thick as jelly, then pour it in the jars, filling them quite full. fasten the tops on and stand the jars upside down until the preserves are cold; then put them where they are to be kept for the winter. damson jam weigh / of a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. after washing the plums carefully, put them in a preserving kettle with just enough water to keep them from sticking to the bottom. set them over a moderate fire and let them simmer for half an hour; then turn them, juice and all, into a colander, filling the colander not more than half full. have the colander set over a large earthen bowl. with a potato masher, press juice and pulp through the colander into the bowl, leaving skins and pits as dry as possible. remove these from the colander and repeat the process until all the pulp and juice is pressed out; then pour it into the kettle and, while it is heating slowly, heat the sugar in the oven. as soon as the juice and pulp begins to simmer stir in the hot sugar, and when it drops from the spoon like a thick jelly pour it into the glasses. this is one of the most delicious fruit preserves made and is always acceptable with meat and poultry or as a sweetmeat at afternoon teas. raspberry jam to five pounds of red raspberries (not too ripe) add five pounds of loaf sugar. mash the whole well in a preserving kettle (to do this thoroughly use a potato masher). add one quart of currant juice, and boil slowly until it jellies. try a little on a plate; set it on ice, if it jellies remove from the fire, fill in small jars, cover with brandied paper and tie a thick white paper over them. keep in a dark, dry, cool place. if you object to seeds, press the fruit through a sieve before boiling. jellied quinces jellied quinces are made after the direction for preserved quinces, only the fruit is cut in tiny little pieces and when put in the syrup is allowed to cook twenty minutes longer, and is put in small glasses with the syrup and not skimmed out as for preserves. leave the glasses open till the jelly sets, then cover. quince cheese wipe off each quince before paring, core and slice them, weigh your fruit and sugar, allowing / of a pound of sugar for every pound of fruit and set the sugar aside until wanted. boil the skins, cores and seeds in a clean vessel by themselves, with just enough water to cover them. boil until the parings are soft, so as to extract all the flavor, then strain through a jelly-bag. when this water is almost cold, put the quinces in the preserving kettle with the quince water and boil until soft, mash with a wooden spoon or beetle. add the juice of an orange to every two pounds of fruit, being careful not to get any of the seeds into the preserves. now add the sugar and boil slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring constantly; if not thick enough boil longer, being very careful not to let it burn. take off the fire and pack in small jars with brandied paper over them. preserved quinces the quince that comes first into the market is likely to be wormy and corky, and harder to cook than the better ones. it requires a good deal of skill to cook quince preserves just right. if you cook them too much they are red instead of a beautiful salmon shade, and they become shriveled, dry and tart, even in the sweetest syrup, instead of full and mealy, and sweet. weigh a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. wipe each quince carefully with a coarse linen towel. peel, quarter and core the quinces. put peels and cores in the preserving kettle with just water enough to cover them, and let them simmer with the kettle covered for two hours. then strain the liquor through a fine sieve and return it to the kettle. cut the quartered quinces in small pieces and put as many of them in the kettle as the liquor will cover. let them boil gently, with the kettle uncovered, until so tender they may be easily pierced with a broom splint. take them out with a skimmer and lay on flat dishes to cool. repeat this process until all the fruit is properly cooked; then put the sugar in the liquor and let it boil gently to a thick syrup; put in as many of the cooked quinces as the syrup will cover and let them cook in the syrup for twenty minutes; skim them out and lay on flat dishes to cool. repeat this process until all the quinces are cooked in the syrup. when they are cool put the quinces in glass jars, filling each one half full. let the syrup boil until very thick, stirring it frequently and skimming it clear. then pour it through a fine strainer, while very hot, over the fruit; and as soon as a jar is full, fasten on the cover. it is tiresome work to preserve quinces, but the result pays for all the trouble. citron preserve pare and core the citron; cut it into strips and notch the edges; or cut it into fancy shapes. allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and to six pounds of the fruit allow four lemons and a quarter of a pound of ginger root. tie the ginger in a cloth, and boil it in a quart and a half of water until the flavor is extracted; then remove it, and add to the water the sugar and the juice of the lemons; stir until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear; take off any scum; then add the citron and cook until it is clear, but not soft enough to fall apart. can and seal while hot. marmalades marmalades require great care while cooking because no moisture is added to the fruit and sugar. if the marmalade is made from berries the fruit should be rubbed through a sieve to remove the seeds. if large fruit is used have it washed, pared, cored, and quartered. measure the fruit and sugar, allowing one pint of sugar to each quart of fruit. rinse the preserving kettle with cold water that there may be a slight coat of moisture on the sides and bottom. put alternate layers of fruit and sugar in the kettle, having the first layer fruit. heat slowly, stirring frequently. while stirring, break up the fruit as much as possible. cook about two hours, then put in small sterilized jars. orange marmalade the white part between the yellow rind and the inner skin of the orange used to be most sedulously removed, but now we know that there is great economy in using it. by doing so we can use large quantities of water in proportion to fruit, for it has the property of converting this into jelly. the seville orange used to be the orange used in scotland and england for marmalades because of its bitter flavor, but we can get the same effect by using the grapefruit. an all grapefruit marmalade is not nearly so attractive and pretty as one of combined fruits, nor does it have the zest that the grapefruit seems to give to a marmalade where it is only one of the constituents. amber marmalade slice thin, skin and all, one grapefruit, one orange, one lemon. add to this three times its measure of water and allow to stand overnight. cook for ten minutes the next morning and then allow to stand until the next morning, when finish by adding as much sugar as there is liquid and boiling slowly until done, or until it jellies. the time commonly given is two hours, but a half hour less than this is ample. rhubarb and orange marmalade cut three pounds of pie plant into small pieces (unpeeled). peel three oranges and cut into small pieces. put with this two cups of sugar and the grated rind of one orange. let stand overnight. cook until clear, stirring often. then add three pounds of granulated sugar heated in oven. cook until clear; ten to twenty minutes. pour into jelly glasses and cover with paraffin. apple and quince conserve a novelty for the preserve closet and one that is very good is made from ripe apples and quinces. use one peck of juicy cooking apples and two quarts of sugar. pare the quinces and cut out the cores. put the parings and cores into a preserving kettle with two quarts of water and boil gently for forty-five minutes. meanwhile, cut the quinces into eighths, put them into a kettle with three pints of water and simmer until the fruit can be pierced with a straw; then lift the fruit from the water and lay them on a platter to drain. strain the water in which the parings and cores have cooked into the water in which the quinces have cooked, and after adding the sugar boil for ten minutes. pare, core and quarter the apples, and place in the syrup with the cooked quinces. cook slowly for fifteen minutes and seal immediately in sterilized jars. the combined flavors of the quince and apple are very pleasing. cherry conserve take three and / pounds of large red cherries, stone them and cook for fifteen minutes. heat two and / pounds of sugar in the oven; add it to the cherries; also / pound of seeded raisins and the juice and pulp of three oranges. cook until the mixture is as thick as marmalade. apple butter boil down any desired quantity of sweet cider in your preserving kettle to / the original quantity. pare, core and slice as many wine apples as you wish to use. boil slowly, stirring often with a silver or wooden spoon. spice with stick cinnamon and cloves, and sweeten to taste. boil from four to five hours; take from the fire, pour all together into a large crock. cover and let it stand overnight, then return it to the preserving kettle and boil down, stirring all the while until it is the consistency of mush, and of a dark brown color. grape preserves squeeze the pulp into one bowl and put the skins into another. press the pulp through a sieve, weigh the grapes before you squeeze them and allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. put the strained pulp and sugar on to boil, the skins also, and boil slowly until thick. it will be much easier for you to heat the pulp before straining. german prune butter remove pits and wash prunes, take three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and enough water to keep from burning; do not stir but remove from the sides of the kettle occasionally. let boil for hours; when done, place in glasses. let cool; cover with paraffin. cherry marmalade to three pounds of sweet and one pound of sour cherries allow two pounds of sugar. weigh the cherries when stemmed and pitted. make a syrup of the sugar, add cinnamon bark and cloves. put in the sweet cherries first, adding the sour ones half an hour later; boil down thick and cover the jars with brandied paper. grape conserve remove the stems and skins from five pounds of grapes and boil the pulp until tender; then press it through a sieve. boil the skins of three juicy oranges until tender, then chop fine. put the grape skins and the pulp into a saucepan; add the orange juice, the boiled skins, five pounds of sugar, one pound of raisins--the muscat seeded--and one pound of shelled walnuts and boil until quite thick. plum conserve, no. wash five pounds of blue plums or german prunes, cut them in halves and remove the stones. peel four oranges, slice them fine and cut each slice in half. cut the rind of two of the oranges into small squares, add one pound of seeded raisins. take a measure of sugar and a measure of the mixture, place in preserving kettle on the stove and let come slowly to the boiling point and cook steadily for several hours until the fruit is clear and thick. put in jelly glasses or jars. plum conserve, no. wash three pounds of german prunes, remove the stones and cut them into small pieces. mix one pound of seeded raisins, two oranges cut in small pieces, the juice of two lemons, one pound english walnuts broken in chunks, and three pounds of sugar. place all the ingredients in the preserving kettle on the stove and let come slowly to the boiling point and cook steadily until the fruit is clear and thick. put in jelly glasses or jars. peach syrup this is very nice for all kinds of griddle cakes. use the peelings of your peaches when you are through canning and preserving. add / of the peach kernels and put all on to boil in a stone jar on the back of the stove with a little water. when soft, strain through a jelly-bag by letting it drip all night. in the morning add the juice of two or three lemons and boil as you would jelly. set a pint of juice on to boil and boil for five minutes. add a pound of sugar and boil five minutes more, but it must boil very hard. bottle in wide-mouthed bottles or jars. seal. peach butter weigh the peaches after they are pared and pitted. allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. cook the peaches alone until soft, then add / of the sugar and stir frequently. in half an hour put in the remaining sugar. now watch carefully, stirring almost constantly for two hours. boil slowly, and add / of the peach kernels. spice with cinnamon and cloves, using whole spices. raisin compote peel six oranges (california), cut the skin in very small narrow strips, or run through a food chopper. slice the oranges very thin and quarter the slices. let it stand overnight in three pints of cold water. place this in a preserving kettle with three pounds of seeded raisins, three quarts of currants (picked and washed) and three pounds of granulated sugar. boil all together for two hours and put in glass jars, closing them while hot. if preferred, three pints of currant juice strained may be used instead of the whole fruit. this compote will keep perfectly well after the jar is opened. pickled peaches brush but do not peel the peaches. select medium-sized ones. when all are well brushed, stick each peach quite full of cloves. make a thick syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. cook the peaches in the syrup until they may be easily pierced with a broom splint. then carefully skim them from the syrup and after they have cooled on the platters put them in glass jars or stone crocks. to the syrup in the kettle add a few pieces of stick cinnamon and a few whole allspice. add half a pint of good cider vinegar and a tablespoon of tarragon vinegar to each quart of syrup, and when the syrup just comes to a boil after adding the vinegar pour it over the peaches. delicious with cold chicken. spiced grapes pulp seven pounds of concord grapes; cook the pulp and skins until soft; put them through a fine sieve; then add four and one-half pounds of granulated sugar, one pint of cider vinegar, two tablespoons of ground cinnamon, and two tablespoons of ground cloves. bring to a boil; then cook slowly for one and one-half hours. put in an earthen crock when cool. this recipe may also be used with currants; use five pounds of sugar instead of four and one-half pounds. green or yellow plum tomato preserves wash and dry four pounds of small yellow or green tomatoes and prick each one in five or six places. stir three pounds of sugar in one-half cup boiling water until dissolved; add the tomatoes and cook until clear. when half done add the juice and the rind of two lemons sliced very thin. when the fruit is clear remove it with a skimmer; put in small jars, filling them two-thirds full. boil the syrup fast for a few minutes longer or until thick and syrupy, fill up the jars; cover with a cloth until the next day; then cover closely and stand away in a cool place. spiced or pickled apples pare the apples, "pound sweets" are best; crab-apples may be pickled the same way, but do not pare. leave on the stems and put into a kettle with alternate layers of sugar; take four pounds of white sugar to nine pounds of fruit, and spice with an ounce of cinnamon bark and half an ounce of cloves, removing the heads. heat slowly to a boil with a pint of water; add the vinegar and spices, and boil until tender. take out the fruit with a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes to cool. boil the syrup thick; pack the apples in jars and pour the syrup over them boiling hot. examine them in a week's time, and should they show signs of fermenting pour off the syrup and boil up for a few minutes, and pour over the fruit scalding, or set the jars (uncovered) in a kettle of cold water and heat until the contents are boiling, and then seal. preserved blackberries weigh the fruit and allow a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. tie spices in a bag, such as cloves and cinnamon, and make a thick syrup of the sugar before you put in the berries. boil half an hour and seal when cold. pickled crab-apples select tart, firm, red or yellow crab-apples, three quarts; remove all decayed spots but leave the stems. put three cups of cider vinegar, three cups of sugar, and one cup of water in preserving kettle; let boil two minutes, add two tablespoons of cloves and two sticks of cinnamon broken; these spices must be tied in a bag, and let cook ten minutes. lift out carefully with perforated skimmer, put in glass jars. when all the apples have been cooked, pour over enough syrup to cover; set spice bag away in a cup. cover jars and let stand twenty-four hours. pour off syrup and boil again. wait two days, then boil apples, sugar, with spice bag until apples are tender but firm. place apples in jars; cover to keep hot. boil down syrup a little and fill the jars to overflowing with the hot syrup and seal. watermelon pickle do not throw away the rind of melons. it can be preserved and will make a delicious relish. remove the green rind of watermelon and the inside pink portion that is left on after eating it. cut it into two-inch pieces and pour over it a weak brine made in proportion of one cup of salt to a gallon of hot water. let this stand overnight, then drain and add clear water and one level tablespoon of alum. boil in this water until the rind has a clear appearance. drain and pour ice water over the rind and allow it to stand a short time. in a bag put one teaspoon each of cloves, allspice, cinnamon and ginger and place this in the preserve kettle with the vinegar and sugar. allow one cup of sugar and one cup of vinegar (dilute this with water if too strong) to every pound of rind. thin slices of lemon will give it a pleasant flavor--allow one lemon to about four pounds of rind. bring this syrup to the boiling point and skim. add the melon and cook until tender. it is done when it becomes perfectly transparent and can be easily pierced with a broom straw. a peach kernel in the cooking syrup will improve the flavor. housewives who object to the use of alum can omit this and merely wash the rind after removing from brine to free it from all salt and then cook it slowly as per directions given above. the alum keeps the rind firm and retains its color. in this case the rind will require long and steady cooking; say / of an hour or longer. as soon as rinds are cooked they should be put into the containers and covered with the syrup. pickled plums prick the plums with a large needle then weigh them, and to every seven pounds of fruit use four pounds of white sugar, two ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of cloves and a pint of best pickling vinegar. boil the vinegar, sugar and spices, and pour boiling hot over the fruit, which must be packed in a large jar; repeat this three times. while the vinegar boils the third time, pack the plums in glass jars and pour the syrup over the plums. when cold seal. pickled cantaloupe or muskmelons take fine, ripe melons, pare, take out the seeds and wash, cut into slices about three inches long and two inches wide, lay them in a stone jar and cover with vinegar for twenty-four hours or longer. then lay the fruit on a clean board to drip; and throw away one quart of the vinegar to each quart remaining. allow three pounds and / of white sugar to a dozen small cantaloupes, three ounces of stick cinnamon, one ounce of cloves (remove the soft heads) and two ounces of allspice (whole spices). boil the spices, vinegar and sugar, adding a pint of fresh vinegar to the old. when well skimmed put in the melons, boil fifteen minutes, twenty is still better; take out the fruit, put it in jars and boil the syrup awhile longer. skim it again and pour boiling hot upon the fruit. seal when cold. pickled husk tomatoes this tomato looks like an egg-shaped plum and makes a very nice sweet pickle. prick each one with a needle, weigh, and to seven pounds of tomatoes take four pounds of sugar and spice with a very little mace, cinnamon and cloves. put into the kettle with alternate layers of sugar. heat slowly to a boil, skim and add vinegar, not more than a pint to seven pounds of tomatoes. add spices and boil for about ten minutes, not longer. take them out with a perforated skimmer and spread upon dishes to cool. boil the syrup thick, and pack as you would other fruit. spiced or pickled cherries take the largest and freshest red cherries you can get, and pack them in glass fruit jars, stems and all. put little splints of wood across the tops of the fruit to prevent rising to the top. to every quart of cherries allow a cup of best pickling vinegar, and to every three quarts of fruit one pound of sugar and three sticks of whole cinnamon bark and one-half ounce of cloves; this quantity of spices is for all of the fruit. boil the vinegar and spices and sugar for five minutes steady; turn out into a covered stoneware vessel, cover, and let it get cold. then pour over the fruit and repeat this process three days in succession. remove the heads of the cloves, for they will turn the fruit black. you may strain the vinegar after the first boiling, so as to take out the spices, if you choose. seal as you would other fruit. be sure that the syrup is cold before you pour it over the cherries. spiced cucumbers take nice firm cucumbers, slice thin and salt overnight. in the morning take vinegar sufficient for covering the quantity prepared, mixed spices and sugar according to taste. put on to cook and when boiling put in the cucumbers and cook for thirty minutes. delightful as a relish, and can be kept for a long time if put in airtight jars. pickled pears pears should always be peeled for pickling. if large cut them in half and leave the stems on. the best pear for this purpose, also for canning, is a variety called the "sickle pear." it is a small, pulpy pear of delicious flavor. throw each pear into cold water as you peel it. when all are peeled weigh them and allow four pounds and a half of white sugar to ten pounds of fruit. put into the kettle with alternate layers of sugar and half a cup of water and one quart of strong vinegar. add stick cinnamon and a few cloves (remove the soft heads). heat slowly and boil until tender, then remove them with a perforated skimmer, and spread upon dishes to cool. skim the boiling syrup and boil fifteen minutes longer. put the pears in glass jars or a large earthen jar, the former being preferable, and pour the syrup and spices boiling hot over the fruit. when cold seal. gingered pears pare, core and cut small, eight pounds hard pears (preferably the fresh green bartlett variety), half as much sugar, quarter pound canton ginger. let these stand together overnight. in morning add one pint of water, four lemons, cut small. cook slowly for three hours. pour into small jars. seal when cold. keeps indefinitely. spiced german plums wash the plums, remove the stones and in place of the stones put in almonds. take the best wine vinegar, water and sugar to taste. tie in a bag some whole cinnamon, cloves, and allspice; boil together with vinegar. after boiling, let it get lukewarm, then pour over the prunes. let stand, and each day for nine days let vinegar come to a boil and pour over prunes. the last day cook the vinegar down some, then put in the prunes and let come to a boil; there should be sufficient liquid to cover them. keep in a stone or glass jar. grapes (concord) may be spiced the same way. gooseberry relish cut the brush part from the berry, but leave the stem on, wash thoroughly and let drip in colander overnight. for eight pounds of berries prepare a syrup of six pounds of sugar and three cups of water. when syrup has boiled till clear put in the berries and boil for three-quarters of an hour. put in jars or glasses. pickled figs boil the figs in water one and one-half hours, then drain and weigh. to seven pounds fruit use the following syrup: three pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, two ounces of whole cinnamon, two ounces of whole peppers, one ounce of cloves, one orange, and two lemons sliced. boil syrup one-half hour, add fruit and boil slowly two hours. *brandied fruits* mÉlange this french fruit preserve is truly delicious, and should be put up in the month of june. to every pound of fruit take one pound of sugar. it requires no cooking at all, and is therefore easily made. get the largest and soundest berries in the market. pick two quarts and lay them in a new and perfectly clean two-gallon stone jar and cover with two pounds of the finest granulated sugar. stone as many pounds of red, black, and white cherries as you wish to use, and add the same quantity of sugar. you may also use bananas, pineapples or oranges. seed the latter carefully. be sure to weigh all the fruit, and allow one pound of sugar to every additional pound of fruit. pour over the fruit a pint of pure alcohol. tie up the jar with thick paper, and in season add peaches, apricots, raspberries, blackberries, large, red currants; in fact, all kinds of fruit. green-gages and purple and red plums also add both to looks and taste. be sure to add the same amount of sugar as you do fruit, but no more alcohol. in the fall of the year pack in glass jars; looks very pretty. keep it in a dry, cool place. there is always a surplus of juice, which makes excellent pudding sauce. add a little water and thicken. french prunes in cognac lay the prunes in white wine for two days; then put on a wire sieve to drip, but do not squeeze them. when they look dry, which will be in about half an hour, lay in glass jars with alternate layers of sugar and stick cinnamon and a few pieces of mace and a very few cloves. when the jars are full, fill up with cognac and seal. set in the sunniest place you can find for three days. brandied peaches select only the largest and finest quality of clingstone peaches. allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and a pint of the best brandy to every four pounds of peaches. make a syrup of the sugar with enough water to just dissolve it, and boil about half a dozen blanched peach kernels with it. when the syrup boils put in the fruit and let it boil about five minutes. remove the fruit carefully upon platters, and let the syrup boil fifteen or twenty minutes longer, skimming it well. put the peaches in wide-mouthed glass jars. if the syrup has thickened pour in the brandy. remove from the fire at once, pour over the fruit and seal. brandied cherries select the largest sweet cherries for this purpose, leaving the stems on. allow half a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit, and a pint of good brandy for every five pounds of fruit. make a syrup of the sugar, using as little water as possible. pour it over the cherries and let them remain in the syrup all night. next day put them in a preserving kettle and heat slowly. boil about eight minutes. take up the cherries with a perforated skimmer and boil the syrup fifteen minutes. add the brandy to the boiling syrup, remove from the fire and pour over the cherries hot, and seal. brandied quinces select large yellow, pear-shaped quinces, and peel and quarter them. take out the cores and throw into cold water, until all are pared. then boil until tender, so they can easily be pierced. take them out with a perforated skimmer and weigh. then take three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of quinces, and boil in a little over half the quince water. add stick cinnamon and cloves (removing the soft heads). boil until quite a thick syrup. pack the quinces in jars, add a pint of good brandy to the syrup and pour boiling hot over the quinces and seal immediately. brandied pears pare the fruit, leaving the stems on. weigh. proceed as with peaches. *canned vegetables* only young, tender, fresh vegetables should be canned. time your work by the clock, not by guess. weigh and measure all material accurately. take no risks. food is too valuable. most fruits and vegetables require blanching; that is, all vegetables and fruits, berries excepted, should be first plunged into boiling water or steam after being picked over, and then, in turn plunged at once into very cold water. after blanching and packing in sterilized jars, add to all vegetables salt in the proportion of a level teaspoon to the contents of a quart jar. carrots, parsnips and sweet potatoes require a teaspoon to the pint. then fill jars to within quarter inch of top with boiling water, and put in hot water bath--see "canning fruit in a water bath". cover boiler or kettle closely and sterilize or boil for the length of time given below: do not close jars tight during sterilizing, or there will be no room for the generated steam and it will burst the jars. asparagus, beets, carrots, parsnips, peas, sweet potatoes, and turnips require six minutes blanching, ninety minutes sterilizing. asparagus requires one hundred and twenty minutes. corn requires five minutes blanching on the cob; three minutes sterilizing after being cut from the cob, or on the cob. lima or string beans or peas require five minutes blanching; two hours sterilizing. pumpkin and squash require five minutes blanching; one and one-half hours sterilizing. tomatoes require two minutes blanching; twenty-two minutes sterilizing. tomatoes and corn require separate blanching, time given above, then ninety minutes sterilizing together. the acid of the tomatoes aids in preserving the corn. corn and beans (succotash) require ten minutes blanching, ninety minutes sterilizing. *vegetables preserved in brine* early fall vegetables take new firkins or large stone jars, and scald them well with boiling water before using. vegetables that are boiled before pickling in a brass kettle always keep their fresh, green color. in salt pickling cover your jars or kegs with a clean, white cloth, then a cover made of wood and last a heavy stone to weigh it down. the cloth must be removed every other day, washed and put back. in doing this, take hold of the cloth at each corner, so that none of the slimy substance can get into your pickle, and wash the top and sides of the jar also. mock olives take plums when just beginning to ripen, but still green. make a brine out of sea salt or rock salt strong enough to hold up an egg. pour the brine over the fruit, hot, cover and let stand twenty-four hours. pour off and make a new brine, heat, add the fruit, heat one minute and seal in the hot brine. string beans (raw) string the beans very carefully, and cut into fine short lengths; then sprinkle salt over and through them, mixing thoroughly, say to twenty-five pounds of beans, two pounds of salt. let them remain in the salt overnight. then pack the shredded beans as tightly as possible into jars or kegs, without any of their juice. in two weeks look them over, remove the cloth and wash it, etc., as already described. when cooking the beans, take out as many as may be required for a meal and soak them in cold water overnight. in the morning set on to boil in cold water. boil for one hour. pour off the water they were boiled in, add fresh water, and prepare as you would fresh beans. boiled beans select small, young string beans, string them carefully and boil in salt water, in a brass kettle, until tender, and throw them on a large, clean board to drip. next morning press them into a jar, with alternate layers of salt and beans, and proceed as with string beans. corn boil the corn, cut it off the cobs, and pack in jars in alternate layers of salt and corn. use plenty of salt in packing. when you wish to cook it soak in water overnight. pack the corn in this way: first a layer of salt, half an inch deep; then about two inches of corn; then salt again, and so on. the top layer must be salt. spread two inches of melted butter over the top layer and bind with strong perforated paper (perforate the paper with a pin). keep in a cool cellar. *pickles and relishes* use none but the best vinegar, and whole spices for pickling. if you boil vinegar with pickles in bell metal do not let them stand in it one moment after taken from the fire, and be sure that your kettle is well scoured before using. keep pickles in glass, stoneware, or wooden pails. allow a cup of sugar to every gallon of vinegar; this will not sweeten the pickles, but helps to preserve them and mellows the sharpness of the vinegar. always have your pickles well covered with vinegar or brine. mother's dill pickles examine the cucumbers carefully, discard all that are soft at the ends, and allow them to lay in water overnight. in the morning drain, and dry them with a clean towel. then put them in a wooden pail or jar, along with the dill, putting first a layer of dill at the bottom then a layer of cucumbers, a few whole peppers, then a layer of dill again, and so on until all are used, and last lay a clean, white cloth on top, then a plate and a stone to give it weight, so that the pickles will be kept under the brine. to a peck of cucumbers use about a cup of salt. dissolve the salt in enough cold water to cover them. you may add one or two tablespoons of vinegar to the brine. if the cucumbers are small, and if they are kept in a warm place, they will be ready for the table in five or six days. if salt pickles have turned out to be too salty, just pour off the old brine and wash the pickles and then examine them closely, and if they are spoiled throw them away. lay those that are sound in a clean jar and pour over them a weak solution of salt water, into which put a dash of vinegar. always examine the pickles weekly. take off the cloth, wash it, and remove all the scum that adheres to the pail, and lay a clean cloth over the pickles again. do not use more than a cup of salt in the new brine, which must be thoroughly dissolved. you will find among salads a nice recipe wherein salt pickles are used. (see "polish salad," or "salad piquant.") it is a good way to make use of pickles in winter that have become too salty for ordinary use. dill pickles for winter use take two or three dozen medium-sized cucumbers and lay them in salt water overnight. wipe each one dry, discarding all that are soft and lay them in a wooden vessel (which is better than a stone one) along with grape leaves and green grapes, if you can get them, whole peppers, or one or two green peppers, a few bay leaves, a few pieces of whole ginger, a few cloves and a stick of horseradish sliced upon top of all. use plenty of dill between each layer. boil enough water to cover the pickles. use about one pound of salt to six quarts of water, and one cup of vinegar. if you wish to keep them all winter, have your barrel closed by a cooper. green dill tomatoes select small firm green tomatoes, follow recipe for dill pickles, using the green tomatoes in place of the pickles. small dill pickles select pickles of from two to three inches in length and scrub well with a small brush. pack in layers in mason jars, a layer of pickles, a layer of dill and a few mustard seeds, placing a bay leaf and a piece of alum the size of a pea on the top of each jar. let one cup of vinegar, two cups of water and one tablespoon of salt come to a boil. pour boiling hot over the pickles and seal. teufelsgurken (hot pickles) pare large, green cucumbers, cut each one lengthwise, take out the seeds with a silver spoon and then cut each piece again so as to have four pieces out of one cucumber. when all are pared salt well and let them remain in the salt for twenty-four hours or more; then dry each piece, put in layers in a stone jar with whole white and black peppercorns, small pickling onions, which have been previously pared and salted overnight, pieces of horseradish, a few bay leaves, a little fennel, caraway seeds, a few cloves of garlic (use this sparingly) and also some spanish pepper (use very little of the latter). have a layer of the spices at the bottom of the jar. a handful of mustard seed put on the top layer will be an improvement. boil enough pickling vinegar to cover well. add a cup of sugar to a gallon of vinegar, boil and pour over hot. boil again in three days and pour over the pickles after it gets cold, and in two days pour off the vinegar and boil again and pour over the pickles hot. boil three times altogether. mustard pickles choose small cucumbers or gherkins for this purpose. reject all that are specked or misshapen. wash them thoroughly; drain off all the water, and allow them to lay in a tub overnight, thickly salted. in the morning; wipe the pickles carefully. lay them in a stone jar or a wooden bucket, in this way: put in a layer of pickles. cut up a few green or red peppers; put a few pieces in each layer, also a few cloves (remove the soft heads) and a tablespoon of mustard seed, and one bay leaf, no more. then proceed in this way until the pickles are used. then take half a pound of the very best ground mustard, tie it in a cloth loosely (use double cheese-cloth for the purpose), and lay this mustard-bag on top of the pickles. boil enough white wine vinegar in a bell metal kettle to just cover them; add a cup of sugar for every gallon of vinegar, this does not sweeten them, but tends to preserve them and cut the sharpness of the vinegar. if the vinegar is very strong, add a cup of water to it while boiling; it should not "draw" the mouth, but be rather mild. see that the pickles are well covered with the vinegar, and pour the vinegar hot over the pickles and mustard. if the vinegar does not completely cover the pickles, boil more and add. lay a plate on top of all to keep the pickles under the vinegar, and when cold tie up. look them over in a few weeks, if you find any soft ones among them, boil the vinegar over again, and pour it over them hot. salt pickles (for immediate use.) take nice, large cucumbers, wash and wipe them; lay them in a jar or wooden pail, sprinkle coarse salt over each layer, and add dill, whole peppers and grape leaves, if you have them, also a very few bay leaves. cover with water up to the brim and lay a piece of rye bread in the jar; it will help to quicken the process of souring. cover with a plate and put a clean, heavy stone on top of the plate, in order to keep them well covered with the brine. set them in a warm place, say back of the kitchen stove, for the first three days. they will be ready to use in a week. salzgurken take half-grown cucumbers; lay them in water overnight, then wipe each one dry and reject all that are soft at the ends. lay a layer of cucumbers in a new barrel or wine keg (a small vinegar barrel is best), then a layer of the following spices: fennel, dill, bay leaves, a few whole peppers; then cover with grape and cherry leaves, and begin again with a layer of cucumbers and fill in alternate layers until all are used. then boil enough salt and water to just cover them, test the strength of the water by laying an egg in it, if it rises the water has enough salt in it, if not, add more salt. pour this over the cucumbers when cold. get a cooper to tighten up the barrel, and roll it in the sun and allow it to stay there for two weeks, turning over the barrel once each day. delicious mustard pickles (senfgurken) take about two dozen large, yellow pickles, pare them with a silver knife (to prevent them from turning dark), and cut lengthwise. now take a silver spoon and remove all the seeds and soft inner pulp. cut into strips about as long as your finger; sprinkle salt over them, and so on, until they are all cut up, then put in a wooden pail or large china bowl overnight. at the same time take about two quarts of small pickling onions, scald them with boiling water, remove the skins, also with a silver knife, and salt the same as you did the pickles. in the morning take a clean dish towel and dry each piece and lay them in a stone jar in the following manner: first a layer of pickles then a layer of onions, and then some horseradish, sliced, between the layers; a few whole peppers, a very few bay leaves, and sprinkle mustard seed, allspice and whole cloves between each layer. remove the soft little heads of the cloves to prevent the pickles from turning dark; cover all with the best white wine vinegar; put a double cheese-cloth filled with mustard seed on top. in two weeks pour off the vinegar carefully and boil, and let it get perfectly cold before pouring over the pickles again. you may pack them in small glass jars if you prefer. chow-chow take pickles, cauliflower, beans, little onions and a few green and red peppers. cut all up fine, except the onions; salt well overnight, drain off next morning and put in a large jar. now mix one gallon or more of best pickling vinegar with a pound of ground mustard (wet the mustard with cold water before using). put in a bag the following spices: cloves, whole peppers and mustard seed. boil the vinegar and spices and then throw over pickles boiling. add a tablespoon of curry powder, and when cold tie up, having previously put a cloth with mustard seed over all. cucumbers in oil one hundred medium-sized cucumbers, sliced thin lengthwise, add one pint salt, let stand overnight, drain thoroughly in morning, add two pints of sliced onions, then add dressing, consisting of four tablespoons of black mustard seed, four of white mustard seed, two of celery seed, one-half pint of best olive oil, one-half pint of white vinegar. put cucumbers and onions into this, add one teaspoon of powdered alum, dissolved in a little warm water, add enough vinegar to cover it well, let stand three weeks before using. sweet pickles soak five hundred tiny cucumbers in salt water for twenty-four hours, using one-half of a cup of salt to four quarts of water. drain, pour hot water over them and drain very dry. take two ounces of cloves, heads removed, four sticks cinnamon; tie these spices in a bag and heat with three pounds of brown sugar and one pint of cider vinegar slowly, nearly to the boiling-point, add the pickles and remove from the stove. put in glass jars and cover with vinegar. mixed pickles wash one quart of large cucumbers, cut in cubes, one quart of small cucumbers left whole, one quart small silver-skinned onions, one quart small green tomatoes chopped coarse, two red peppers chopped fine, one large cauliflower broken in small pieces; pour over them a weak brine solution made of one quart of water and a cup of salt. let stand twenty-four hours; bring to a boil in same solution, drain and make the dressing. *mixed pickle dressing.*--mix six tablespoons of mustard, one tablespoon of turmeric, one cup of flour, two cups of sugar and two quarts of vinegar. these ingredients must be thoroughly mixed and then cooked until thick. stir in the pickles; heat thoroughly; empty into glass jars and stand away until needed. pickled cauliflower separate flowerettes of four heads of cauliflower, add one cup of salt, and let stand overnight. place in colander, rinse with cold water and let drain. tie one-quarter of a cup of mixed pickle spices in a thin bag and boil with two quarts of vinegar and two cups of sugar, throw in the cauliflower, boil a few minutes and pour to over flowing in wide-mouthed bottles or cans. cork or cover and seal airtight. pickled beans remove the strings and cut one pint of wax beans into one inch pieces; wash and cook in boiling salt water (one teaspoon of salt to one quart of water), until tender, but not soft. drain beans and save the water in which they were cooked. reserve enough of this bean liquor to fill cans, add one-half cup of sugar and one cup of vinegar, let just cook up add the drained beans, cook all together and pour boiling hot into the cans. seal at once. use as a salad or sweet sour vegetable. pickled onions pour hot salt water over the onions, which should be small and perfectly white. peel them with a silver spoon (a knife would injure their color), and let them lay in a salt brine for two days. then drain the onions and boil enough vinegar to cover them. throw the onions in the boiling vinegar and let them boil only a few minutes. take from the fire and lay them in glass jars, with alternate layers of whole white peppercorns and a few cloves (removing the soft heads, which would turn the onions black), a stick of horseradish sliced, and mustard seed and dill (used sparingly). when the jars are filled heat the vinegar and add a cup of sugar to a gallon of vinegar. cover the jars to overflowing with the vinegar, and seal while hot. green tomato pickle (french pickle) wash thoroughly a peck of green tomatoes, eight large white onions and six green-bell peppers. remove the seeds from the peppers. slice all the vegetables very thin. put them in a stone jar; sprinkle a pint of salt over them, add a pint of cold water. cover them with a napkin and let stand overnight. in the morning put as much of the pickle as it will hold in a colander; let cold water run over; drain the vegetables a moment, then turn them from the colander into a large preserving kettle. repeat the process till all are in the kettle. then add a quart of cider vinegar, a half pint of tarragon vinegar, a pound of granulated sugar, a half pound of yellow mustard seeds, four bay leaves, an ounce of stick cinnamon (broken in short lengths), six whole cloves and stand the kettle over a slow fire and let the whole simmer for an hour with the cover of the kettle drawn back two inches. stir the mixture frequently. at the end of the hour put the pickle in a stone crock or in glass jars. pepper mangoes take large green peppers; extract the seeds and core with a penknife, being careful not to break the peppers. chop up one head of cabbage after boiling it in salt water. when cold add one cup of mustard seed, two tablespoons of grated horseradish, one nutmeg grated, one clove of garlic grated, a pinch of ground ginger, one dozen whole peppercorns, half a tablespoon of prepared mustard, one teaspoon of sugar and half a teaspoon of best salad oil. lay the peppers in strong salt brine for three days; then drain off the brine and lay them in fresh water for twenty-four hours. fill the peppers with the above mixture, sew or tie them up with strong thread, pack them in a large stone jar and pour scalding vinegar over them. repeat this process three times more, at intervals of three days. then tie up the jar and set it away in a cool, dry place for three months. piccalilli take one-half peck of green tomatoes, three red peppers, chopped; put in one cup of salt. let stand overnight, then strain off the water. five chopped onions, one pound of brown sugar, one-quarter ounce of allspice, and whole cloves put in a bag; one bunch of celery, one-half ounce of mustard seed. cover with vinegar and boil three hours. prepared mustard rub together one teaspoon of sugar, saltspoon of fine salt and one tablespoon of best salad oil. do this thoroughly. mix two tablespoons of ground mustard with vinegar enough to thin it. then add to the mixture of sugar, and if too thick, add a little boiling water. beet and horseradish relish take three cups of cold, boiled beets, grate and add one-half cup of grated horseradish; season with one-quarter teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of salt and two tablespoons of sugar. add all the vinegar the horseradish and beets will absorb, and place in covered jar or glass and it is ready for use. will keep a long time. cabbage, beet and horseradish relish take two quarts of boiled beets chopped, two quarts of cabbage chopped, one cup of grated horseradish, mix with two cups of sugar and two teaspoons of salt, add cold vinegar to cover, and place in gallon jar. pickled beets take two pounds of cold, boiled beets, slice, place in crock in layers, sprinkle with one teaspoon of salt, one-eighth teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of brown sugar, one teaspoon of caraway seed, if you like, and cover with one pint of vinegar. cold, hard-boiled eggs may be placed in the vinegar, and sliced over the beets for decorations. the eggs will be red. pickled red cabbage (hungarian style) select a medium-size, very hard head of red cabbage. remove the outer leaves and cut the stalk off close to the head. then cut the cabbage in quarters and take out the heart close to the leaves. with a very sharp, thin-bladed knife cut the cabbage in shreds as fine as possible. after the cabbage is all finely cut let cold water run over it through a colander; put the cabbage in a big kitchen bowl or a stone-crock in layers about two inches thick. over each layer place two or three thin slices of red onions, and sprinkle about four generous tablespoons of salt. repeat this process till all the sliced cabbage is in the jar or bowl. let the last layer be one of salt. pour a pint of cold water over this. cover it with a plate that fits closely and lay a weight of some sort on the plate and stand the bowl in a cool place overnight. in the morning pour the cabbage, brine and all, in a large colander to drain; let the cold water from the tap run over it for about five minutes; then return the cabbage to the receptacle in which it was salted. a stone-crock is really the best, as the cabbage will keep in it all winter. in a kettle or saucepan over the fire add a pint of good cider vinegar, a gill of tarragon vinegar, a half pint of cold water, a half pound of granulated sugar, four bay leaves, a level tablespoon of allspice, a teaspoon of peppercorns and three ounces of stick cinnamon broken in half-inch pieces. let this all boil one minute and while boiling hot pour it over the cabbage in the jar; place the plate which should be of porcelain, over it; then put the cover of the jar on and let this stand for twenty-four hours. then pour off the vinegar, heat it again till it just boils, pour it over the cabbage, cover it and put it in a cool place. it will keep in perfect condition all winter, and is one of the most delicious relishes known. sauerkraut line the bottom and sides of a clean barrel or keg with cabbage leaves. cut into fine shreds one or two dozen large heads of white, crisp cabbage. do this on a large slaw-cutter. now begin to pack: first put in a layer of cabbage, say about four inches deep, and press down firmly and sprinkle with about four tablespoons of salt. put one or two tart apples, cut up fine, between each layer, or some malaga grapes (which will impart a fine flavor to the kraut). when four layers have been put in, pound with a wooden beetle until the cabbage is quite compact and then add more cabbage, and so on until all has been salted, always pounding down each layer. last, cover with cabbage leaves, then a clean cloth, a well-fitting board, and a heavy stone, to act as weight on top of all. it is now ready to set away in a cool cellar to ferment. in two weeks examine, remove the scum, if any; wash the cloth, board and stone, wash also the sides of the keg or jar, and place all back again. this must be done weekly. corn relish boil nine ears of corn and cut from cob; chop fine large head of cabbage and salt it; chop six green peppers; two tablespoons of white mustard-seed, three pints of vinegar, one cup of granulated sugar, two tablespoons of turmeric, two tablespoons of cornstarch, and one tablespoon of dry mustard. dissolve cornstarch and mustard in the vinegar; put on to thicken. strain salt-water from the cabbage. mix all the ingredients and stir in pot of vinegar. let all get very hot and seal in pint jars. this is fine as a pickle with cold meats. mushroom catsup wash and look over one pint of mushrooms carefully, put them in an earthen jar with alternate layers of salt. let stand for twenty-four hours in a comparatively warm place; put through a fruit press and add one-fourth ounce of green ginger root cut in small pieces. measure the mushroom liquor; to one pint of liquor add one-half ounce of peppercorn and simmer for forty minutes; then add one-fourth ounce of allspice and of cloves and one blade of mace and boil for fifteen minutes. take from fire and cool. strain through a cloth, bottle and seal. tomato catsup cut eight quarts of tomatoes in pieces and stew them until soft; press through a sieve to remove the skins and seeds; add one head of garlic or one-half onion, one-half tablespoon of black pepper, one-quarter teaspoon of red pepper, one-half ounce whole cloves, three-quarters of a cup of salt and one of cider vinegar; mix thoroughly and boil about three hours or until reduced one-half. bottle without straining, then seal. tomato sauce (chili) forty-five large tomatoes, skin and cut into pieces, twenty green peppers, twenty red peppers, six onions, all cut fine, two tablespoons of salt, six small cups of vinegar, two cups of sugar. mix all together and boil two hours, then add one tablespoon each of ginger, cloves, cinnamon and allspice, and boil up once. bottle and seal at once. *passover dishes* cakes, puddings, sauces, wines, etc. how to set the table for the service of the "seder" on the eve of pesach or passover. set the table as usual, have everything fresh and clean; a wineglass for each person, and an extra one placed near the platter of the man who conducts the seder. then get a large napkin; fold it into four parts, set it on a plate, and in each fold put a perfect matzoth; that is, one that is not broken or unshapely; in short, one without a blemish. then place the following articles on a platter: one hard-boiled egg, a lamb bone that has been roasted in ashes, the top of a nice stick of horse-radish (it must be fresh and green), a bunch of nice curly parsley and some bitter herb (the germans call it lattig), and, also, a small vessel filled with salt water. next to this platter place a small bowl filled with [hebrew **] prepared as follows: pare and chop up a few apples, add sugar, cinnamon, pounded almonds, some white wine and grated lemon peel, and mix thoroughly. place these dishes in front of the one that conducts the seder, and to his left place two pillows, nicely covered, and a small table or chair, on which has been placed a wash-bowl with a pitcher of water and clean towel. in some families hard-boiled eggs are distributed after the seder. pesach borsht about three weeks before pesach take twenty pounds of beet-root, which must be thoroughly washed and scraped. place the whole in a six-quart crock, cover with water. place the cover on the crock and over this cover put a clean cloth. when ready for use the liquor is boiled with any relishes and spices that are liked and may be used either hot or cold. boil as much as required for the meal, for twenty minutes or longer if desired, and thicken with beaten whole eggs that have been mixed with a little of the unboiled borsht, add the hot soup and serve. do not boil after adding the eggs. to two quarts of borsht take three eggs. rosel, beet vinegar place beets in a stone crock, removing greens. cover with cold water and put in a warm place and let stand for three or four weeks or until the mixture becomes sour. this is used as a vinegar during pesach and to make beet soup, russian style. raisin wine, no. to two pounds of raisins (cut in half if desired), add three quarts of cold water. either place the mixture on a corner of the range and let it simmer for two or three days or boil it until one-third of the water has evaporated. a few tablespoons of sugar and a handful of stick cinnamon can be added if additional sweetness and flavoring are wished. when cold strain through a fine cloth. the strength of the wine depends largely upon the quality of the raisins. raisin wine, no. take two pounds of raisins, seeded and chopped, one pound of white loaf sugar, and one lemon. put all into a stone jar, pour six quarts of boiling water over all and stir every day for a week. then strain and bottle. ready for use in ten or twelve days. yom-tov soup take two pounds of ribs of beef and one chicken. place in a large cooking-vessel with plenty of water and add a split carrot and onion, a head of celery, a little parsley root, pepper and salt to taste, and a pinch of saffron. let the whole simmer for two hours. the meat is then removed and can be used as a separate dish. matzoth meal kleis, no. this is an accompaniment of the yom-tov soup described above. to each tablespoon of matzoth meal take one egg. beat the egg separately, adding a very little ground ginger, powdered cinnamon, ground almond, pepper and salt. now stir in the matzoth meal and make into a paste with chicken fat or clarified dripping. form this paste into small balls and boil them for twenty minutes in the yom-tov soup. palestine soup three pounds of jerusalem artichokes, two quarts of stock, one onion, one turnip, one head of celery, pepper and salt to taste. peel and cut the vegetables into slices and boil them in stock until tender, then rub through a hair sieve. beat the yolks of three eggs, add to the soup, and stir over the fire till just to the boiling point. the soup should be about the thickness of rich cream. if not thick enough, a little potato flour may be added. potato flour noodles take three eggs, beat until a light yellow and add one-half cup of potato flour and one-half cup of water, beat well. heat a frying-pan, grease well and pour in the batter; fry in thin leaves or wafers. cool, cut thin as noodles. just before serving soup, strain, then let it come to a boil and add noodles and let soup again come to a boil and serve. matzoth meal noodles add one-eighth teaspoon of salt to two eggs, beat slightly, stir in two tablespoons of matzoth meal. heat a little fat in spider, pour in egg mixture; when cooked on one side turn on the other. roll the pancake and cut into noodles one-eighth inch wide. drop into boiling soup before serving. marrow dumplings one tablespoon marrow creamed. add a pinch of salt, little nutmeg and the yolk of one egg-mixed in gradually; some finely chopped parsley and then enough matzoth meal to hold; wet the hands and roll the mixture into small balls. add to the boiling soup, and boil fifteen minutes. almond balls one-eighth pound of almonds chopped fine. yolk of one egg, well beaten. add almonds to egg, pinch of salt, little grated rind of lemon. beat white of egg stiff, then mix all together. drop a little from end of teaspoon into boiling fat. put in soup just before serving. matzoth meal kleis, no. beat one tablespoon of chicken schmalz till quite white; pour one cup of boiling water over one egg. add it to the dripping; stir these together, then add the flour, seasoning, a little chopped parsley, ginger, pepper and salt, and enough matzoth meal to form into small balls the size of a marble. drop these into the boiling soup and cook about fifteen minutes. test one in boiling water and if it boils apart add more meal. matzoth kleis, no. soak four matzoth in cold water and press them after being thoroughly saturated. add a little pepper, salt, sugar, parsley, and a half onion chopped fine, first browning the onion. beat four eggs and add all together. then pat in enough matzoth meal so that it may be rolled into balls. the less meal used the lighter will be the balls. they should boil for twenty minutes before serving. serve matzoth kleis in place of potatoes and garnish with minced onions browned in three tablespoons of fat. all matzoth meal and matzoth kleis are lighter if made a few hours before required and put in the ice-chest until ready to boil. when used as a vegetable make the balls considerably larger than for soup. matzoth kleis, no. take six matzoth, three eggs, two cooking-spoons of chicken fat, parsley, onion, salt, pepper and ginger. soak the matzoth in boiling water a minute, then drain every drop of water out of them. press through sieve. fry about three onions in the two tablespoons of chicken fat, and when a light brown, put the matzoth in the spider with the fat and onions to dry them. add one teaspoon of salt, dash of pepper and ginger and one tablespoon of chopped parsley. add the three yolks of eggs and beat all this together a few minutes; last, add the well-beaten whites. form into balls by rolling into a little matzoth meal. drop in boiling salt water and boil fifteen minutes; drain and pour over them hot fat with an onion, cut fine and browned. filled matzoth kleis prepare a matzoth dough as for the soup kleis. make round flat cakes of it with your hands, and fill with cooked prunes (having previously removed the kernels). put one of the flat cakes over one that is filled, press the edges firmly together and roll until perfectly round. boil them in salt water--the water must boil hard before you put them in. heat some goose fat, cut up an onion in it and brown; pour this over the kleis and serve hot. the kleis may be filled with a cheese mixture. use butter in that case. english lemon stewed fish have washed and scraped clean the nape or head and shoulders of halibut, a shad, or any good firm fish; cut it up small and lay it in a stew-pan with one pint of water and three or four good sized onions, fried in oil a light brown; put them on top of the fish with a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a teaspoon of ground ginger, with two teaspoons of salt; let it all stew gently until it is done; if there should be too much gravy on it before adding the sauce, take some off. prepare two eggs and six good sized lemons, squeezed and strained; then take some of the gravy from the fish while it is boiling, add it to the lemon, with the two eggs well beaten, and a tablespoon of potato flour; mix smoothly with some chopped parsley; when all is well mixed, add it to the fish, shake it gently for five minutes while it is boiling, taking care not to let it burn; when it is sufficiently cooked let it stand for an hour and serve it. garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. to be eaten cold. sole with wine (french recipe) take a sole or fillets of any delicate fish. lay on a fireproof dish, sprinkle with white pepper, salt and a little shalot, cover with claret or white wine, and let it cook in the oven till done. draw off the liquor in a saucepan and let it boil up. have ready the yolks of three eggs, well stirred (not beaten), the juice of a lemon, and two ounces of butter. put all together in a bowl. little by little add the hot sauce, stirring all the time. pour it over the fish, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. serve very hot. a few mushrooms are a palatable addition to this dish. red mullet in cases to four mullets allow one dozen button mushrooms, one tablespoon of finely chopped parsley, two shalots, the juice of a lemon, salt and pepper. oil some pieces of foolscap paper, lay the fish on them and sprinkle over them the mushroom, parsley, shalot, lemon juice, pepper and salt. fold them in the cases and cook on a well-greased baking-sheet in a moderate oven for about twenty or thirty minutes. send to the table in cases very hot. chrimsel, no. sift one cup of matzoth meal in a bowl, stir into it one cup of boiling soup stock or wine. when mixed add one tablespoon of chopped almonds, one teaspoon of sugar, a pinch of salt and the yolks of four eggs well beaten; then add the stiffly-beaten whites of the four eggs and fry by tablespoonsfuls in boiling hot butter or goose grease. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with wine sauce. chrimsel, no. soak about three matzoth. in the meantime seed a handful of raisins and pound as many almonds as you have raisins. now press every drop of water out of the matzoth, put them in a bowl and stir them to a cream; add a pinch of salt, the peel of a lemon, yolks of four eggs and a cup of sugar, the raisins and almonds, and also a little cinnamon. heat some oil in a spider; the more fat the lighter the chrimsel will be. last add the stiffly-beaten whites to the dough. then fry a light brown on both sides; use about a tablespoonful of batter for each chrimsel; serve with stewed prunes. lay the chrimsel on a large platter and pour the prunes over all. eat hot. kentucky chrimsel two and one-half cups of meal, four eggs, two cups of sugar, one kitchen-spoon of goose fat, one of beef fat, four apples, and spices according to taste. one glass of wine also, if convenient. put the meal in a bowl with salt, pepper, ground, clove, allspice, and cinnamon mixed into it; peel and grate the apples, melt the fat and mix, put in eggs and then stir in the sugar which has been boiled with water to a thin syrup and cooled off. hollow out two pieces, put cranberries or any fruit between them; form into balls the size of a medium apple, and bake them on a well-greased pie-plate for about one hour. matzoth with scrambled eggs (ueberschlagene matzoth) break six matzoth in small pieces in a colander. pour boiling water through them, drain quickly. they should be moist but not soggy. beat three whole eggs well, fold the matzoth in lightly. heat four tablespoons of goose fat or oil in a spider, add the egg mixture; scrape and scramble carefully with spoon from the bottom of the pan and while scrambling add four tablespoons of sugar and cook gently until eggs are set. serve at once. the sugar may be omitted if so desired. scrambled matzoth soak six matzoth in water until soft. squeeze out the water and mix with four beaten eggs. add one-half teaspoon of salt and fry. matzoth dipped in eggs, no. beat up as many eggs as are required; into these dip matzoth that have been soaked in milk. fry quickly to a light brown on both sides, lay on a large platter, sprinkle with a mixture of sugar, cinnamon and grated peel of a lemon. the more eggs used the richer this will be. fry in butter. matzoth dipped in eggs, no. beat six eggs very light, add one-half tablespoon of salt. heat two tablespoons of goose fat or olive oil in a spider. break four matzoth into large, equal pieces. dip each piece in the egg mixture and fry a light brown on both sides. serve hot, sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon and a little grated lemon rind. zwiebel matzoth as an appetizer nothing is better than a cake of unleavened bread rubbed with a raw onion, sprinkled lightly with salt and placed in the oven for a few minutes to dry. buttered and eaten hot, it adds a relish to breakfast or tea. matzoth eirkuchen pour one-half cup of water on one-quarter cup of matzoth meal, add one teaspoon of salt and beat the yolks of four eggs very light, add to the meal mixture, let stand five minutes. beat whites of eggs very stiffly, fold lightly into the yolk mixture. drop mixture by spoonfuls in small cakes on hot greased spider. turn when brown and brown on other side. serve with sugar, jelly or preserves. matzoth meal macaroons beat egg yolk separately. add one teaspoon of matzoth meal and pinch of salt. whip white to a snow, fold in the whites, and fry by tablespoonfuls in butter or fat and serve with prunes. pie crust soak one and a half matzoth and press dry; heat one tablespoon of fat and add the soaked matzoth. when dry add one-half cup of matzoth meal, two eggs, two tablespoons of sugar and one-eighth teaspoon of salt. mix well and press into pie-plate with hands, as it is impossible to roll the dough. have dough one-quarter inch thick. mamouras (turkish) dip in boiling salted water for one minute, one matzoth for each person to be served. put the soaked matzoth in a dish, pour over it a little olive oil and grated cheese and repeat this until you have made as many layers as you have persons to serve; cut in slices and serve. use hashkeval--greek cheese. german puffs into one-half pint of water put one-quarter pound of melted fat; when boiling add one-quarter pound of meal, finely sifted; it will form a thick paste. beat up four eggs, remove the mixture from the fire and stir in the eggs. grease some cups and put a spoonful in each; bake in a quick oven. when done sprinkle with cinnamon and cover with clarified sugar. stewed sweetbreads soak one pair of sweetbreads for two or three hours in sufficient warm water to cover them, then drain. put them in a stew-pan, with boiling water to cover them, and then boil gently for seven or eight minutes. they are then ready for dressing. lay the sweetbreads in a stew-pan, pour two cups of veal stock over them, add salt and cayenne pepper to taste, and simmer gently for one hour. lift them out on to a very hot dish, add juice of one-half lemon and one teaspoon of potato flour to the gravy, stir smoothly, and boil up, pour over the sweetbreads and serve at once. beefsteak pie cut up two pounds of chuck steak; put it on to stew with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg and the juice of a lemon. cook a few forcemeat balls, made very small, and a few potatoes cut in small pieces. make ready a crust as follows: boil four or five large floury potatoes; when done, strain and mash with salt and pepper, a little chopped parsley and a little melted fat; mix it with two well-beaten eggs; then put a layer of it around the bottom and sides of a deep pie-dish; lay in the stew, cover with the balance of the potato; brush it over with the yolk of an egg and bake in a quick oven till brown. potato plum knoedel (hungarian) peel and cook seven or eight large potatoes, place in a bowl, add salt, four whole eggs, one and one-half tablespoons of melted chicken fat and a little more than a cup of matzoth meal. knead in bowl to smooth consistency. take a handful at a time, pat smooth and flat, in the centre put a tablespoon of prune jam, form into a dumpling, place dumplings in boiling salt water, kettle half covered and allow to cook twelve to fifteen minutes. take out with strainer and serve hot. have ready a cup of hot melted chicken fat and sugar and cinnamon. serve over knoedel to taste. birmoilis (turkish) take some mashed potatoes, grated cheese, well-beaten eggs; make a good paste, take tablespoonfuls of this mixture and drop in boiling oil; fry until brown. serve with a syrup made of sugar and water. potato marbles mix one-half pound of plain mashed potatoes smoothly with a generous teaspoon of finely chopped parsley, pepper and salt to taste; beat one egg, add it to the potato, mix well and make it into little balls the size of a cherry. lay a tiny sprig of parsley on each, arrange the balls on a greased tin and bake till a light brown. mina (turkish) place some matzoth in cold water to soak. take the matzoth out and dry them on a towel; grease a pan with olive oil and put in matzoth enough to cover bottom of pan. take chopped meat, bind with an egg, season with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. cover this with the matzoth, add some olive oil, cover with mashed potatoes and one or two well-beaten eggs and bake until brown. if so desired the meat may be omitted. grated cheese may be used, covered with mashed potatoes and eggs. prune blintzes take three cups of potato flour mixed with three eggs, add a little water and mix well. heat a small frying-pan, grease with a little fat and pour into it enough batter to make thin pancakes. chop prunes, add a little sugar and fill each cake with this mixture, fold into three-cornered pieces and fry. when done put in a pan, sprinkle with sugar and bake in oven. do not let burn. meat blintzes the same pancakes can be used with meat taken from soup; fry two small onions with a little fat and chop with the meat. add two eggs, salt and pepper to taste. matzoth spice cake to every egg add one-half tablespoon of matzoth meal and one tablespoon of sugar. sift meal five times, mix with sugar, one-half tablespoon of ground ginger, one-half tablespoon of cinnamon, one-fourth tablespoon of cloves; mix with the well-beaten yolks and cut and fold in gently the stiffly-beaten whites. matzoth meal cake to the yolks of eight eggs add one and a half cups of pulverized sugar; stir until the consistency of batter, add the grated rind of a lemon, two teaspoons of ground cinnamon and two squares of chocolate grated, one teaspoon of allspice; add the juice of an orange, and one-half wine-glass of wine, and three-quarters of a cup of matzoth meal finely sifted, and one-quarter pound almonds finely pounded. last, fold in the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour; try with a straw. matzoth charlotte, no. soak one matzoth; beat and add to the beaten yolks of two eggs, add one-fourth teaspoon of salt, one-fourth cup of chopped almonds, one-fourth cup of raisins, one-fourth cup of currants, and mix thoroughly. fold in the stiffly-beaten whites of two eggs and bake in a greased baking-dish. matzoth charlotte, no. four eggs (yolks), one cup of sugar, pinch of salt, three matzoth (soaked in water and squeezed out), one grated apple, one lemon rind and juice, one-fourth cup of almonds, and one-fourth cup of raisins. put the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs in last; before putting into oven. bake in an even oven about one-half to three-quarters of an hour. to be eaten warm. matzoth kugel soak three matzoth, heat two tablespoons of fat in a spider, press all the water out of the matzoth with your hands and dry them in the spider of heated fat; add about one-quarter pound of matzoth meal; stir the matzoth and matzoth meal well with a large spoon; add by degrees the yolks of five eggs and two ounces of pounded almonds, and the grated peel of one-half lemon. add also one large sour apple, grated, a pinch of salt, and last the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. line a kugeltopf well with fat, and pour about a quarter pound of hot fat over the kugel. bake immediately; serve with wine sauce. matzoth shalet four soaked matzoth; nine eggs, one cup of sugar, two grated apples, one and one-half cups of seeded raisins, one tablespoon of cinnamon, grated rind of an orange or a lemon and a few pounded almonds. beat the sugar, eggs, and cinnamon until light; then add all the ingredients, except the matzoth, mixing well. now drain the matzoth, gradually adding them to the mixture, beating until very light. melt half a pound of rendered fat into the dish for baking, and then pour in the mixture. bake in a moderately hot oven for one and one-fourth hours. serve hot with wine, fruit, or prune sauce. potato pudding stir the yolks of eight eggs with a cup of sugar, add four tablespoons of blanched and pounded almonds, and grate in the peel of a lemon. add also its juice. have ready half a pound of grated potatoes which have been cooked the day previous. last add the stiffly-beaten whites. add one teaspoon of salt. grease your pudding form well, pour in the mixture and bake. set in a pan of boiling water in the oven. the water in the pan must not reach higher than half way up the pudding form. time required, half an hour. when done turn out on a platter. serve with a wine or chocolate sauce. you may bake this pudding in an iron pudding form without setting it in the boiling water. matzoth plum pudding one-half pound of chopped suet, one-half pound of moist sugar, one-half pound of raisins (stoned and chopped), one-half pound of currants, one-half pound of mixed peel, two matzoth soaked in cold water and then well drained and beaten, one-quarter pound of sifted meal, the rind of half a lemon, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, eight eggs and a wineglass of rum. beat all these ingredients thoroughly together, and boil for eight hours in a pudding mold or basin. serve with rum sauce. batter pudding one teacup of matzoth-meal, one pint of milk, two eggs, three ounces of brown sugar, two ounces of butter and the rind of a lemon. mix the meal into a batter with the milk and eggs, add the sugar, butter (melted), grated rind of a lemon and a tablespoon of rum, if desired. pour the mixture in a greased basin or mold, and boil for one hour or bake for one-half hour. beolas take six eggs. beat them until very light. add a little fine meal, just enough to give it consistency; drop this from the point of a spoon into boiling olive oil or fat. when light brown, take out, and drain. serve cold with a syrup made of water, cinnamon and sugar. cocoanut pudding one grated cocoanut, six eggs, grated rind and juice of two lemons, one cup of granulated sugar and the milk of the cocoanut; beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar and the grated rind of lemon until light and creamy; add gradually the cocoanut and the beaten whites of the eggs, and lastly put in the milk of the cocoanut, to which has been added the juice of the lemons. bake in a moderate oven for half an hour and serve quite cold. carrot pudding beat one and a half cups of powdered sugar and the yolks of eight eggs; take one and a half cups peeled and grated raw carrots and stir all together. add one cup of grated almonds, the rind of half a lemon chopped finely, one tablespoon of wine, and last the beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a well-buttered and flour-sprinkled form at least one hour in a slow oven. almond pudding, no. take the whites of seven eggs with the yolks of ten, one-half pound of pulverized sweet almonds with one-half ounce of pounded bitter almonds, one-half pound of powdered sugar and one tablespoon of orange-flower water. beat the eggs well with the orange water, then add the sugar and almonds gradually; beat all for one hour or until it bubbles; then grease deep pie-dishes with olive oil and pour in the mixture. they must be baked in a rather moderate oven. when the mixture is set and browned place over them a paper greased with olive oil to prevent them getting dark. serve cold. powdered sugar should be sprinkled freely over the pudding before serving. if you wish to have them very rich boil one-half pound of sugar with one-half pint of water until it thickens; cool and pour over the pudding when you take it from the oven. almond pudding, no. take one pound blanched almonds pounded, eight eggs, cinnamon, and lemon rind. beat the eggs for twenty minutes, then add one and one-half cups of sugar gently, and then the almonds; mix all together thoroughly. bake in shallow pans and serve cold. almond hills roast one-quarter pound of sweet almonds, cut into strips lengthwise in a spider of heated sugar, not too brown. beat one-half pound of sifted powdered sugar and the whites of five eggs to a very stiff froth. mix all thoroughly and place teaspoonfuls of this mixture on waxed paper, and bake a light brown, in slow oven. apple sponge pudding pare eight apples and cut off the tops carefully, so as to be able to use them as covers to the apples. now scrape out the inside with a knife, being careful not to break the apple. mix the scrapings with sugar, raisins, cinnamon, pounded almonds and a little white wine. fill this mixture into the hollow of the apple and clap on a cover for each apple; then grease a pudding dish, lay in the apples and stew them for a few minutes, but not long enough to break them. make a sponge cake batter of eight eggs and two scant cups of sugar and a pinch of salt and add the grated peel of a lemon and beat until thick, at least half an hour. fold in a cup of matzoth flour, sifted very fine. pour this batter over the apples and bake in a moderate oven. serve with wine sauce. half this quantity is sufficient for a small family. grated apple pudding take six good-sized apples, six yolks of eggs, one-half cup of sugar (or to taste), one-half pound of grated almonds, or one-half cup of matzoth-meal, one-half teaspoon of salt, one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. pare the apples and leave them whole. then grate all the apple from the pulp. to this add the above, also about three tablespoons of chicken or goose grease. when all is well mixed, add the whites well beaten to a stiff froth. mix very light. bake in well-greased baking dish. apple pudding soak three matzoth and squeeze the water out well; put them in a bowl with three good-sized apples cut in small thick pieces; add one-quarter pound of currants, one-quarter pound of raisins, a little cinnamon, some rind of lemon cut thin, one-quarter pound of brown sugar and two ounces of melted fat; mix all well together with six beaten eggs; pour in a greased dish and bake in a moderate oven. this pudding can be boiled if preferred. serve with rum sauce. foam torte four egg; whites, well beaten; add one tablespoon of vinegar drop by drop, one cup of sugar, one tablespoon of vanilla; beat for twenty minutes. line spring form with this batter on all sides. reserve a little of the mixture and drop by drops on top of torte. let bake forty-five minutes in moderate oven; when baked remove. serve with sliced bananas, peaches and cream or strawberries. sponge cake, no. take eight eggs, one pound of granulated sugar, grated rind of a lemon, and six ounces of fine matzoth-meal. beat the eggs, sugar and lemon rind together until very light, to about the thickness of a custard, then add the meal, stirring it in without much beating. bake in a moderately quick oven one-half hour. sponge cake, no. take eight eggs, one and one-half cups of granulated sugar, one cup of mixed matzoth-meal and potato flour and flavoring to taste. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together until very light. then add the flavoring, matzoth-meal and potato flour and last of all the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. stir lightly and bake in a moderately quick oven. potato flour sponge cake separate the whites and yolks of nine eggs. beat the whites of seven eggs very stiff. to the well-beaten yolks of nine eggs and the whites of two, add one and three-quarter cups of sugar and juice and rind of one lemon. beat thoroughly, add one scant cup of potato flour, and beat again. now fold in the beaten whites very carefully, and bake slowly in a moderate oven. bake forty to fifty minutes. nice for invalids. strawberry shortcake with matzoth-meal beat until very light the yolks of four eggs and three-quarters of a cup sugar; add rind of one-half lemon, a pinch of salt, one-half cup of sifted matzoth meal, and last the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in two shallow square pans in a moderate oven. when cold lay a cake on a platter, spread thickly with strawberries that have been well sugared. put the other cake on top. spread over the top and sides with cream that has been sweetened, flavored and whipped very stiff. hasty pudding take any kind of old cake, cut up in slices, dip in wine or sprinkle some wine over all. make a custard with one pint of milk and four eggs. put one tablespoon of potato flour with the yolks, sweeten to taste, boil the custard, flavor and pour over cake in pudding dish. beat whites to a stiff froth, add sugar and spread over all. put in oven to brown slightly. eat cold. potato flour pudding take one-quarter pound of goose-oil, stir it to a cream, and stir in gradually the yolks of ten eggs and three-quarters of a pound of sifted sugar, the grated peel of a lemon, also its juice and one-half teaspoon of salt. add last one-half pound of potato flour and the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. have the pudding form well greased before putting in the mixture. bake in a moderate oven. serve with raspberry sauce, made of jelly. take a glass of red raspberries, press them through a hair sieve, add a wineglass of red wine, add sugar to taste, and let it boil hard for about five minutes. pesach cake with walnuts cream together the yolks of nine eggs, and one-half pound of powdered sugar, weigh one pound of walnuts before shelling; when shelled, grind; to the creamed yolks and sugar add two tablespoons of well sifted matzoth flour, a pinch of salt, and one teaspoon of vanilla, then mix in the ground walnuts. fold in gently the nine beaten whites. bake three-quarters of an hour. date cake eight eggs, one and one-quarter cups of pulverized sugar, two tablespoons of ground cinnamon and cloves mixed, one cup of matzoth-meal; one-half pound seeded dates, cut fine, and the juice of half a lemon. beat the yolks of the eggs and sugar together until very light, add the matzoth meal, spices, dates and lemon, and finally put in the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. chocolate cake beat the yolks of four eggs with one-half cup of sifted sugar, add one-quarter pound of grated sweet almonds, one-quarter pound of finely-grated vanilla chocolate, and one-quarter pound of raisins, one-half cup of matzoth meal sifted fine, juice of an orange, one-quarter cup of wine, and lastly the stiffly-beaten whites. bake one hour in a slow oven, in a form lined with greased paper. cookies sift together one-half cup of matzoth meal and one-fourth cup of potato flour. add one-half cup of sugar, one-fourth cup of chopped almonds and two eggs. rollout in potato flour mixed with sugar. cut and bake on greased tins in a hot oven. almond cake one pound of almonds, pounded; one pound of sugar, one or two eggs and enough cinnamon to give a strong flavor. bake in a shallow pan and cut into small sections. almond macaroons one pound of almonds ground fine, one and one-half pounds of powdered sugar, the whites of five eggs and the grated rind of two lemons. beat the whites of eggs to a snow, add the sugar and the grated lemon rind and almonds; mix it well together. grease a very thin paper with olive oil, sprinkle some powdered sugar over it, place on a tin. form the cakes and place them a little distance from each other and bake in a very moderate oven. when done let them cool before you touch them. cinnamon sticks grate one-half pound of almonds, beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, add gradually one pound of pulverized sugar and a tablespoon of cinnamon. roll out this dough into half finger lengths and about as thick as your little finger. bake, and when done ice each one with boiled frosting. imberlach take two cups of matzoth flour, one-quarter pound of powdered ginger, mix together with three eggs. set this dough aside until it dries. take one-half pound of honey and three-quarters pound of sugar and boil until it gets a reddish color. beat in the ginger and matzoth dough, mix it with honey, set back on stove, stirring constantly; when the mixture is thick and a reddish color, place on the board so as to cool; roll and cut in two-inch lengths. kremslekh to each tablespoon of matzoth-meal take one egg, a pinch of salt, half a teaspoon of sugar, a teaspoon of ground almonds, a few stoned and chopped raisins, a pinch of ground cinnamon, a spoon of oil, or its equivalent of beef dripping, and just enough water to make the whole into a stiff paste. mix the ingredients very thoroughly. now take a large enamelled saucepan and about half fill it with oil or fat. bring this to boiling point but do not let it burn. shape the paste into small pieces and drop them into boiling fat, turning them continually until well browned and then take out and drain carefully on a strainer. may be eaten hot or cold. egg marmalade make a thick syrup by dissolving one pound of sugar in one-half pint of water over the fire, adding one ounce of pounded almonds while the syrup is clarifying. take the saucepan off the fire and when the contents have become moderately cool stir in carefully the well-beaten yolks of twenty eggs. it will need rather prolonged stirring to blend the eggs with the syrup. now flavor with vanilla or wine and cook over a slow fire, stirring constantly and taking great care that the mixture does not burn. radish preserves (russian style) take black radishes, clean and cut them in strips. weigh, and to three pounds of radishes take one pound of honey and one and one-half pounds of sugar. set the radishes on to boil with water, pour off this water, add fresh water and let cook awhile; pour off the second water, add the honey to radishes and let cook well. then add the sugar and let cook again. when the radishes begin to get brown add one-quarter pound of white ginger, and some walnuts broken into quarters. stir. when brown, remove from stove. must come out of the pan dry; no syrup must remain. beet preserves (russian) cut beets in strips like noodles, wash, cook in water one-half hour. to three pounds of beets take one pound of honey and one pound of sugar. when the beets have cooked on slow fire until white, strain off and add the honey. let cook well and add sugar; cook, add white ginger to taste, stirring continually, add one-quarter pound of almonds, cut in slices; one-quarter of an hour before being done, mix, and when the beets brown put in jars. prunes wash the prunes well, first in warm water, then in cold. cut up half a lemon, some stick cinnamon and sugar to taste. cook them in the oven, covered tight, allowing a liberal quantity of water; stew slowly for two hours; thicken with a teaspoon of potato flour, and wet the potato flour with the juice of an orange before adding. if the prunes are for chrimsel, leave out the thickening. lemon preserves take seven lemons, slice thin and remove seeds. draw string through slices, fasten ends, lay them in a pan with water; boil a short time, remove the lemon, pour off water; cook two pounds of sugar with two cups of water. when the sugar is syrupy add one-half pound of large raisins, put in the lemon and let cook until the syrup is thick. candied lemon and orange peel lemon and orange peel if saved can be put to excellent use. take out the greater portion of the white inside; throw the rinds into boiling water and simmer gently for twenty minutes. drain, weigh, and take a pound of sugar to every pound of peel. put a layer of sugar and a layer of fruit into the preserving kettle; stand it over a slow fire until the sugar melts. when melted, cook slowly until the rinds are transparent. lift them out; drain them and when nearly dry roll in granulated sugar. wine sauce one cup of white wine, half a cup of water, grated peel of lemon, teaspoon of potato flour wet with cold water, add the yolks of two eggs, stirring constantly; when thick, add the beaten whites and serve. rum sauce beat yolks of two eggs with a tablespoon of sugar, and a small cup of cold water, a wineglass of rum and the juice of a lemon, and bring to boiling point, stirring all the time. the two whites of eggs may be whipped very firm and spread over the pudding just before serving. sugar syrup two cups of brown sugar, one cup of boiling water, and cinnamon to taste. stir the ingredients together in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and then let the mixture simmer slowly until it thickens. mock whipped cream filling use between and on top of layer cakes, or as a filling for torten. peel and grate one large sour apple, three-quarters cup of white sugar, white of one egg; beat all together a long time, flavor with vanilla or grated rind of one-half lemon. mix the apple with the sugar as soon as possible or it will turn dark. lemon cream filling put on to boil the yolks of five eggs, one-half cup of granulated sugar, the juice of three lemons and grated rind of one, and about a brandy glass of water. stir constantly so as to prevent curdling. when it has thickened and comes to a boil take it from the range and add the beaten whites of eggs. filling for chrimsel this is made of unblanched, pounded almonds, grated apples, chopped raisins, brown sugar, plenty of cinnamon and the grated rind of a lemon. mix the ingredients together and fill the hollowed out center of the chrimsel with them. then place one chrimsel upon another, being careful not to let the filling escape from its hollow and fasten the edges securely together with the fingers, keeping the rounded shape uninjured. fry them in boiling fat, turning them from one side to the other until a dark brown. serve hot with sugar syrup. strawberry dessert line a dish with macaroons, wet them with wine, put over this a box or quart of strawberries, and sugar them well. beat the yolks of four eggs with one small cup of sugar, grated rind of lemon and half its juice. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and half the yolks; pour over all in your pudding dish. when baked spread the other half of the whites on top, having previously sweetened the remaining whites with sugar. bake a light brown. eat cold with whipped or plain cream. *index* appetizers ambrosia anchovy canapés anchovy canapés with tomatoes black olives brain (appetizer) canapés--how to make caviar canapés celery relish cheese balls chicken liver paste, no. chicken liver paste, no. chopped herring chopped onion and chicken fat delicious appetizer, a deviled eggs with hot sauce egg appetizer filled lemons grapefruit cocktail imitation pate de foi gras musk melons nut and cheese relish peach cocktail pineapple and banana cocktail raspberry cocktail red pepper canapés salted almonds salted peanuts sardellen sardine canapés strawberry cocktail stuffed eggs stuffed yellow tomatoes white caviar sandwiches anchovy brown bread celery cheese and nut chestnut chicken chicken with mayonnaise date and fig deviled tongue egg egg and olive fig fish lettuce minced goose mustard sardine paste nut and raisin olive poached egg ribbon russian salmon and caviar salmon and brown bread sandwiches, how to make sardine surprise toasted cheese tongue veal white and brown bread soups artichoke barley barley and vegetable beer beer (parve) beet--russian style beet--russian style (fleischig) black bean borsht bouillon brown flour brown stock cherry chicken, no. chicken, no. chicken broth cold sour consommé cream soup cream soup--how to make cream of almond cream of asparagus cream of cauliflower cream of celery cream of corn cream of herring (russian style) cream of lettuce cream of lentil cream of tomato cream wine dried pea farina fish chowder fruit green kern green pea green pea purée julienne leek lentil (linzen) no. lentil (linzen) no. milk milk and cheese mock fish chowder mock turtle mulligatawny mushroom and barley mutton broth noodle okra gumbo (southern) onion oxtail pigeon potato potato (fleischig) red wine rice broth schalet or tscholnt (shabbas soup) sour milk sour soup (for purim) soup stock, directions spinach split pea (milchig) tchorba (turkish) tomato tomato with rice turkey turnip veal vegetable vegetable (milchig) white stock garnishes and dumplings for soups baking powder croutons drop dumplings for cream soups egg egg custard egg drop (einlauf) farina flour balls with almonds force-meat for kreplech fritter beans grated irish potato kreplech or butterflies liver kloesse noodles pfärvel or grated egg plaetchen schwem kloesse spatzen sponge fish baked--directions baked bass à la wellington baked black bass baked chopped herring baked fish--turkish style baked flounders baked mackerel baked shad boiled--directions boiled salt mackerel boiled trout boned smelts, sautéd broiled--directions broiled salt mackerel cod fish balls cream salmon croquettes of fish directions: how to bone how to clean how to open how to skin filled fish--turkish style fillet of sole à la creole fillet of sole à la mouquin finnan haddie finnan haddie and macaroni fish for stock fish with garlic fish with horseradish sauce fish with sauerkraut fresh cod or striped bass fritada frying fish--jewish method frying fish--another method gefillte fisch gefillte fisch with egg sauce hecht (pickerel) kedgeree lemon fish marinirte marinirte herring (pickled) paprika carp pickle for salmon pike with egg sauce piquant remarks and directions redsnapper with tomato sauce russian fish cakes salmon cutlet salmon loaf salt herring sautéd--directions scalloped, no. scalloped, no. scalloped fish roe shad roe soused herring stuffed herring sweet and sour sweet sour sweet sour with wine swiss creamed fish turkish sauces for fish agristoga ahilado zuemimo sauces for fish and vegetables general remarks anchovy bernaise cream mustard cucumber curry drawn butter hollandaise maître d'hôtel butter mustard pickle piquante quick bernaise sardellen or herring spanish tartare tomato vinaigrette white (for vegetables) sauces for meats apple bordelaise brown caraway cranberry garlic horseradish, no. horseradish, no. kimmel knoblauch lemon maître d'hôtel mint mushroom olive onion raisin stewed cranberries wine frying bread crumbs, prepared for frying frying--directions to render goose, duck or beef fat to make hard white soap entrÉes aspic (sulz) brains with egg sauce brains, sweet and sour boiled tongue, sweet and sour calf's brains, sour calf's brains, fried calf's feet, prunes and chestnuts calf's feet, scharf calf's foot jelly, no. calf's foot jelly, no. calf's liver smothered in onions cauliflower croquettes chicken croquette, no. chicken croquette, no. chicken fricassee with noodles chicken livers chicken à la sweetbread croquettes--directions croquettes of calf's brains croquettes of fish deviled brains eggplant croquettes (roumanian) filled tongue gansleber in sulz gansleber purée in sulz gefillte milz (milt) goose liver goose liver aspic goose liver with glacéd chestnuts goose liver with mushroom sauce hashed calf's lung and heart home-made chicken tamales jellied chicken kischkes kischkes--russian style meat croquettes meat and boiled hominy croquettes milt, stewed peanut and rice croquettes pickled beef tongue potato croquettes pressed chicken rice croquettes, no. rice croquettes, no. smoked tongue smothered tongue spanish liver sweetbreads sweetbread croquettes sweetbread glacé sweetbread sauté with mushrooms sweet potato croquettes tripe à la creole tripe, family style veal croquettes veal sweetbread meats an easy pot roast baked hash beef loaf beefsteak, broiled beefsteak, fried bitki (russian hamburger steak) boiled corned beef braised oxtails breast flank (short ribs) and yellow turnips breast of mutton, stewed with carrots breast of veal, roasted brisket of beef (brustdeckel) brisket of beef with sauerkraut brunswick stew carnatzlich (roumanian) calf's hearts chopped meat with raisins (roumanian) curried mutton directions for cooking meats enchiladas fricasseed veal with cauliflower fried steak with onions gewetsh (servian) goulash, hungarian goulash, russian hamburger steak home-made corned beef irish stew lamb chops lamb and macaroni lamb stew--tocane left-over meats marrow bones meat olives meat pie meat and spaghetti mock duck mutton chops pan roast beef pickled meat--home-made corned beef pot roast (braised beef) roast beef, no. roast beef, no. roast beef--russian style roast mutton with potatoes roast veal rolled beef--pot-roasted sauerbraten short ribs of beef--spanish shoulder or neck of veal--hungarian style smoked beef soup meat stewed veal stuffed shoulder of mutton stuffed shoulder of veal sulze von kalbsfuesen to broil steak by gas vienna roast veal loaf vienna sausage wiener braten (vienna roast) poultry amastich boiled chicken, baked broiled spring chicken broiled squab chicken en casserole chicken curry chicken fricassee chicken à la italienne chicken paprika with rice chicken with rice chicken with spaghetti en casserole chicken--turkish style chili con carne duck duck à la mode in jelly fried spring chicken gaenseklein geschundene gans giblets goose grieben (cracklings) goose meat preserved in fat minced goose--hungarian style pigeon pie pilaf--russian style pilaf--turkish style poultry, to dress and clean roast duck roast chicken roast goose roast goose breast roast turkey smoked goose smoked goose breast smothered chicken spanish pie squab or nest pigeons squab en casserole stewed goose, piquante stuffed chicken--turkish style stuffed goose neck stuffed goose neck--russian style to truss chicken turkey neck, stuffed--turkish style stuffings for meat and poultry bread dressing for fowl chestnut stuffing crumb dressing meat dressing for poultry potato stuffing raisin stuffing to stuff poultry vegetables arday-influs asparagus asparagus, canned asparagus, hungarian artichokes, french or globe artichokes, french with tomato sauce artichokes, jerusalem baked beans with brisket of beef beans and barley beet greens beets, baked beets, boiled beets, sour, buttered belgian red cabbage boston roast brussels sprouts cabbage, to boil cabbage boiled with carrots cabbage, creamed new cabbage, filled cabbage, fried cabbage, red cabbage, red, with chestnuts and prunes cabbage, stewed carrots carrots boiled with cabbage carrots with brisket of beef carrots, compote of--russian style carrots, flemish carrots, lemon carrots and green peas carrots, simmered cauliflower cauliflower--hungarian style cauliflower with brown crumbs cauliflower (roumanian) cauliflower, scalloped cauliflower, spanish celeriac celeriac, purée of celery, creamed celery with chestnuts (turkish) chestnuts, boiled chestnuts with celery (turkish) chestnuts and prunes chestnut purée chestnuts and raisins chestnuts, roasted cold slaw corn, canned corn off the cob corn on the cob corn and potatoes cucumbers, fried cucumbers, stuffed dandelions dried beans--directions dried lima beans, baked dried pea purée eggplant, baked eggplant and baked tomatoes eggplant, broiled eggplant, fried eggplant fried in oil--turkish style eggplant (roumanian) farsole farsole dulce general remarks green peas green peas with pfärvel green peas and rice haricot beans and beef hot slaw kal dolmar kale kidney beans with brown sauce kohl-rabi kohl-rabi with breast of lamb lentils, baked lentil sausages lettuce lettuce, boiled lima beans, green linzen, sweet sour meat substitutes mock chili con carne mushrooms, broiled mushrooms, creamed mushrooms, scalloped mushrooms, sautéd nahit (russian peas) nut loaf nut roast okra, boiled onions, boiled onions, scalloped oyster-plant--salsify parsnips pea purée peppers, green peppers, green, broiled peppers, stewed peppers, green, stuffed with vegetables peppers, stuffed peppers, stuffed (arday-influs) peppers stuffed with meat peppers stuffed with nuts potato balls with parsley potato cakes potato puff potato puff, bohemian potato ribbon potato surprise potatoes potatoes for twenty people potatoes, baked, no. potatoes, baked, no. potatoes, boiled potatoes boiled in their jackets potatoes with caraway seeds potatoes and corn potatoes, creamed potatoes, curried potatoes, french fried potatoes, german fried potatoes au gratin potatoes hashed brown, lyonnaise potatoes--hungarian style potatoes, imitation new potatoes, mashed potatoes, new potatoes and pears potatoes, roast potatoes, saratoga chips potatoes, scalloped, no. potatoes, scalloped, no. potatoes, stewed potatoes, stewed with onions potatoes, stewed sour potatoes, stuffed radishes salsify salsify, scalloped sauerkraut, boiled savoy cabbage savoy cabbage with rice slaitta (roumanian) spanish beans spanish onion rarebit spinach spinach with cream sauce spinach--fleischig squash, stewed string or green snap beans string beans with lamb string beans, sweet sour string beans with tomatoes succotash sugar peas sweet potatoes and apples sweet potatoes, boiled sweet potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, fried sweet potatoes, french fried sweet potatoes, plums and meat sweet potatoes, roast sweet potatoes roast with meat sweet sour beans sweet sour beans and linzen swiss chard tomato custards tomato purée tomatoes, baked, and eggplant tomatoes, canned, stewed tomatoes, creole tomatoes, fried tomatoes, green, fried tomatoes with rice tomatoes, scalloped tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, stuffed tsimess turnips turnips, boiled turnips, hashed vegetables vegetable hash vegetable meat pie wax beans, sweet and sour time table for cooking boiling meats broiling meats cooking vegetables roasting meats salad dressings boiled boiled with olive oil (parve) colored mayonnaise dressing for cold slaw dressing for lettuce french mayonnaise mayonnaise especially for salmon mayonnaise, white mayonnaise with whipped cream mustard russian sour cream salad and salad dressings directions for making to marinate asparagus banana dainty beet beet and cauliflower bohemian brain cauliflower celery root baskets celery root, boiled chestnut chicken chicken for twenty people chiffonade cold slaw or cabbage cottage cheese cream cheese cream cheese with pineapple cucumber eggplant--roumanian style eggplant--turkish style fish fish for twenty people fruit fruit and nut grape-fruit green green pepper for salad herring, no. herring, no. hungarian fruit hungarian vegetable lettuce lima beans mackerel marshmallow mayonnaise of flounder monterey neapolitan niagara nut pepper peppers and cheese polish or piquant potato, no. potato, no. potato, no. russian russian fruit salmon squash--turkish style string bean sweetbread tomato (french dressing) tomato, mayonnaise of (whole) tomatoes, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed, cheese veal waldorf water-lily (egg) fresh fruits and compote apple compote apple delight apple float apple sauce, victoria baked apples baked prunes baked rhubarb bananas blueberries chilled bananas compote of pears compote of raspberries dried fruits fig sauce fried apples frosted apples grape-fruit huckleberry compote oranges peaches peach compote pineapple pineapple compote pineapple soufflé prune soufflé prunes without sugar raspberry raspberry and currants ripe tomatoes rhubarb sauce snowflakes steamed prunes stewed prunes strawberries sweet apples, steamed sweet entrée of ripe peaches tutti-frutti watermelons mehlspeise (flour foods) almond strudel apple slump apple kugel apple schalet, no. apple schalet, no. apple strudel, no. apple strudel, no. bairische dampfnudeln, no. bairische dampfnudeln, no. birne kloesse boiled apple dumplings boiled macaroni baked macaroni with cheese broad noodles carrot schalet cabbage strudel cheese kreplich cherry roley poley cherry strudel dough for schalet (merber deck) dumplings for stew egg barley or (geroestete fervelschen) farina dumplings huckleberry dumplings kaese kracpfli kartoffel kloesse kraut kugel kugel leberknadel mandel strudel merber deck milk noodles noodle kugel noodle schalet noodles noodles and apples noodles and mushrooms noodles with butter noodles with cheese pfärvel pfärvel--fleischig peach dumplings pear dumplings pear kugel plum knoedel (hungarian) potato dumplings potato noodles potato pudding, boiled potato schalet quark strudel (dutch cheese) rahm strudel rice strudel rice kugel savory macaroni scalloped noodles and prunes scharfe kugel seven layer schalet shabbas kugel sour spatzen spaetzlen or spatzen spaghetti strudel aus kalbslunge sweet potato pudding wiener kartoffel kloesse cereals apples with rice baked apple with oatmeal baked rice barley boiled rice boiled rice with pineapple cold oatmeal cornmeal mush directions for cooking eggs baked in rice farina hominy laws about cereals left-over cereals marmelitta oatmeal with cheese oatmeal porridge pilaf polenta rice and nut loaf rice in milk rice with grated chocolate sago sautéd cornmeal mush spanish rice steamed rice sweet rice tapioca wheat cereals eggs baked baked with cheese baked with tomatoes boiled corn omelet curried egg piquant egg rarebit eggs à la mexicana eggs en marinade eggs, poached or dropped eggs poached in tomato sauce eggs with cream dressing eggs with fresh mushrooms fricasseed fried herb omelet krosphada omelet for one plain omelet poached with fried tomatoes remarks rum omelet scalloped scalloped (fleischig) scrambled scrambled with brains scrambled with sausage smoked brisket of beef and eggs soufflé omelet spanish spanish omelet sweet almond omelet sweet omelet sweet omelet for one to keep egg yolks to preserve eggs tomato with egg white sauce omelet cheese cheese balls, no. cheese balls, no. cheese bread cheese fondue cheese omelet cheese soufflé cheese and sweet green peppers cheese timbals for twelve people cottage cheese (pot cheese) crackers and cheese delicious cream cheese, a golden buck green corn, tomatoes and cheese koch kaese (boiled cheese) macaroni cheese ramekins of eggs and cheese rice and cheese tomatoes, eggs and cheese--hungarian style welsh rarebit bread arme ritter barches bread sticks buns butterbarches buttered toast cinnamon toast for tea crescent rolls flour french rolls gluten graham home-made yeast individual loaves milk or cream toast potato potato-rye raisin raisin or currant buns rolled oats rolls rye (american), no. rye, no. tea rolls to make bread variety bread white bread yeast zwiebel platz coffee cakes (kuchen) abgeruehrter kugelhopf apple cake or kuchen baba à la parisienne berliner pfannkuchen bohemian kolatchen bola bunt, plain cheap coffee cake, a cherry cake or kuchen cheese cake or pie cinnamon rolls coffee cake or kuchen dough chocolate coffee cake french coffee cake fresh prune kuchen huckleberry cake huckleberry pie kaffee kuchen (cinnamon) kindlech krapfen (purim) mohntorts mohn cakes, small mohn (poppy seed) roley poley mohn wachtel napf kuchen peach kuchen pocket books prune kuchen puffs (purim) rendered butter savarin schnecken sour cream kolatchen spice roll stollen tea cakes, russian topfa dalkeln (cheese cakes) wiener kipfel wiener studenten kipfel yeast krantz zwieback muffins and biscuits baking-powder baking-powder batters baking powder biscuits bran bread bran muffins brown bread cinnamon buns corn bread corn muffins, no. corn muffins, no. crullers dough for open face pies doughnuts doughnuts, french drop biscuits fruit wheels gingerbread gingerbread, eggless with cheese gingerbread gems, eggless gluten gems graham muffins johnnie cake muffins popovers rice muffins rye flour muffins sour milk biscuits strawberry short cake (biscuit dough) waffles, one egg waffles, three egg wheat muffins white nut bread pancakes, fritters, etc. apple fritters bell fritters blintzes bread pancakes buckwheat cakes cheese blintzes corn fritters dried pea fritters or (erbsen lievanzen) french pancakes french puffs fritter batter german pancakes, no. german pancakes, no. german pancakes, no. griddle cakes grimslich macrotes matrimonies noodle puffs orange fritters pineapple fritters potato cakes potato pancakes queen fritters rice pancake or griddle cakes shavings (kraus-gebackenes) snip noodles, fried snowballs (hesterliste) sour milk pancakes squash fritters sweet blintzes vegetable fritters windbeutel cakes general directions to bake angel food apple jelly cake apple sauce cake almond cake or mandel torte, no. almond cake or mandel torte, no. blitz kuchen bremen apple torte brod torte bunt kuchen (baking-powder) burnt almond torte caramel layer cake chestnut torte chocolate brod torte chocolate eclairs chocolate layer cake chocolate torte cinnamon cake (baking-powder) cocoanut layer cake coffee cake, german coffee cake, quick covered cheese cake cream layer cake cream puffs cup cake date torte dobos torte dominoes eggless, butterless, milkless cake fruit or wedding cake gold cake grafton layer cake grafton small cake green-tree layer cake and icing german hazelnut torte huckleberry cake jelly roll koenig kuchen lady fingers lemon cake linzer torte little french cakes loaf cocoanut cake marble cake mocha torte nut cake nut honey cake one egg cake orange cake peach shortcake potato cake pound cake rye bread torte russian punch torte sand torte spice cake sponge cake sponge cakes, small sunshine cake time-table for baking vienna prater cake walnut torte, no. walnut torte, no. wedding cake white cake zwieback torte icings and fillings for cakes almond icing banana filling boiled icing chocolate glazing chocolate icing, unboiled cocoanut icing coffee filling cream filling fig filling instantaneous frosting lemon extract lemon jelly for layer cake lemon peel maple sugar icing marshmallow filling mocha frosting nut icing orange icing plain frosting unboiled icing vanilla extract white caramel icing pies and pastry apple custard pie apple fladen (hungarian) apple pie, no. apple pie, no. banbury tarts blackberry and currant pie blaetter teig cheese straws cherry pie, no. cherry pie, no. cocoanut pie cocoanut lemon pie cream pie fleischig pie crust fruit tartlets grape pie grated apple pie huckleberry pie individual apple dumplings lamplich lemon pie, no. lemon pie, no. lemon tart (fleischig) linser tart macaroon tarts meringue, to make and bake mince pie mirlitious mock cherry pie mock mince pie mohntorte parve cookie and pie dough peach pie, no. peach pie, no. peach cream pie peach cream tarts pie crust (merber teig) pineapple pie, no. pineapple pie, no. plum pie prune pie prune and raisin pie puff paste pumpkin pie rhubarb pie snowballs strawberry pie sweet potato pie tartlets vienna pastry for kipfel vinegar pie whipped cream pie cookies general directions almond macaroons, no. almond macaroons, no. almond macaroons with figs almond sticks almond sticks--fleischig anise seed cookies anise zwieback baseler loekerlein (honey cakes) caraway seed cookies cardamom cookies chocolate cookies citron cookies cocoanut kisses cornflake cocoanut kisses croquante cakes date macaroons dutch stuffed monkeys filled butter cakes ginger wafers hamburger cookies--old fashioned honey cake, no. and honey corn cakes hungarian almond cookies hurry ups (oatmeal) kindel lebkuchen lebkuchen, old-fashioned lekach mandelchen merber kuchen molasses cookies, old-fashioned mother's delicious cookies (merber kuchen) nutmeg cakes--pfeffernuesse parve cookies pecan, walnut or hickory nut macaroons plain wafers poppy seed cookies purim cakes sour milk cookies springele sugar cookies teiglech vanilla cookies desserts ambrosia apple and honey pudding apple and lady finger pudding apple slump apple snow apple tapioca pudding auflauf bird's nest pudding black bread pudding blanc mange bohemian cream boiled custard bread pudding brown betty caramel custard cherry pudding chestnut pudding chocolate cornstarch pudding chocolate custard corn pudding cornmeal pudding cup custard for six dessert with whipped cream dimpes dampes farina pudding with peaches fig dessert floating island huckleberry pudding ice-box cake leaf puffs lemon puffs lemon sauce macaroon island pistachio cream prune custard prune pudding prune whip pudding à la grande belle queen bread pudding queen of trifles red raspberry or currant float rhubarb pudding rice custard rice pudding rothe gritze sago pudding with strawberry juice scalloped peaches strawberries à la bridge suet pudding with pears tipsy padding tapioca custard whipped cream steamed puddings almond pudding carrot pudding cherry pudding date pudding directions for steaming honey pudding napkin pudding noodle pudding peach pudding plum pudding for thanksgiving day plum pudding, no. prince albert pudding prune pudding rye bread pudding steamed berry pudding pudding sauces brandy sauce caramel sauce chocolate sauce, nos. and cream sauce foam sauce fruit sauce hard sauce jelly sauce kirsch sauce lemon sauce, nos. and prune sauce vanilla sauce or cream wine sauce, nos. and frozen desserts apricot ice apricot ice cream banana ice cream biscuit tortoni, nos. and café à la glacé canned fruit, frozen cherry diplomate chocolate ice cream, nos. & coffee ice cream freezing creams and water ices frozen cream cheese with preserved figs frozen custard frozen puddings, directions fruit sherbets lemon ginger sherbet lemon ice maple bisque maple mousse mocha mousse nesselrode pudding orange ice peach ice cream peter pan dessert pineapple ice pineapple ice cream preparing salt punch ices raspberry ice rum pudding strawberry ice cream tutti-frutti ice cream vanilla ice cream, no. vanilla ice cream, no. watermelon sherbet candies and sweets candied cherries, pineapple and other fruits dates, stuffed with fondant dates, stuffed with ginger and nuts divinity frosted currants fruit loaf fudge glacé for candies orange chips pinoche stuffed dates stuffed figs stuffed prunes white fondant beverages blackberry cordial blackberry wine breakfast cocoa cherry bounce cherry brandy cherry syrup chocolate nectar chocolate syrup clabbered milk claret cup coffee coffee coffee for twenty people cold egg wine cordial delicious and nourishing summer drink egg lemonade egg nog filtered coffee french coffee fruit drinks fruit syrups fruit punch for twenty people fruit juices--other glueh (hot wine) hot chocolate iced chocolate iced coffee lemonade in large quantities maraschino lemonade milk lemonade mulled wine orangeade pineapple lemonade quick lemonade raspberry vinegar reception cocoa russian iced tea sherry cobbler soda cream strawberry sherbet tea tea, russian style turkish coffee unfermented grape juice canned fruits general rules baked crab-apple preserves baked cranberry or cherry preserves baked quinces baked sickel pears canning fruit, baked in oven canning fruit, in a water bath canning in the preserving kettle canned blackberries blueberries cherries cherries for pie currants gooseberries pears peaches peaches pineapple pineapple plums quinces raspberries raspberries and currants rhubarb rhubarb ready for use strawberries sterilizing jars, etc. jellies and preserves general remarks jelly glasses--to cover apple jelly blackberry jelly crab-apple jelly cranberry jelly currant jelly grape jelly neapolitan jelly quince jelly raspberry jelly raspberry and currant jelly strawberry jelly to test jelly made at home utensils for jelly making winter jelly, a preserved fruit amber marmalade apple butter apple and quince conserve cherry conserve cherry marmalade citron preserve damson jam german prune butter gingered pears gooseberry relish grape conserve grape preserves jellied quinces marmalade--directions orange marmalade peach butter peach syrup pickled cantaloupe or muskmelons crab-apples figs husk tomatoes peaches pears plums plum conserve, no. plum conserve, no. preserved blackberries cherries damson plums figs peaches pineapple quinces strawberries quince cheese raisin compote raspberry jam rhubarb and orange marmalade spiced or pickled apples spiced or pickled cherries spiced cucumbers spiced german plums spiced grapes strawberries and pineapple strawberries in the sun tomatoes watermelon pickle brandied fruits brandied cherries brandied peaches brandied pears brandied quinces french prunes in cognac melange canned vegetables directions for canning vegetables preserved in brine boiled beans corn early fall vegetables mock olives (plums) string beans (raw) pickles and relishes beet and horseradish relish cabbage beet and horseradish relish chow chow corn relish cucumbers in oil delicious mustard pickles (senfgurken) dill pickles for winter use directions for making pickles green dill tomatoes green tomato pickle (french pickle) mixed pickle dressing mother's dill pickles mushroom catsup mustard pickle pepper mangoes piccalilli pickled beans pickled beets pickled cauliflower pickled onions pickled red cabbage (hungarian style) prepared mustard salt pickles salzgurken sauerkraut small dill pickles sweet pickles teufelsgurken (hot pickles) tomato catsup tomato sauce (chili) passover dishes almond balls for soup almond cake almond hills almond macaroons almond pudding, no. and apple pudding apple sponge pudding batter pudding beefsteak pie beet preserves (russian) beolas birmoilis (turkish) candied lemon and orange peel carrot pudding chrimsel, nos. and chocolate cake cinnamon sticks cocoanut pudding cookies date cake egg marmalade english lemon stewed fish filled matzoth kleis filling for chrimsel foam torte german puffs grated apple pudding hasty pudding how to set the table for the seder service imberlach kentucky chrimsel kremslekh lemon cream filling lemon preserves mamouras (turkish) marrow dumplings matzoth charlotte, nos. and dipped in eggs, no. dipped in eggs, no. eirkuchen kleis, no. kleis, no. kugel meal cake meal kleis, no. meal kids, no. meal macaroons meal noodles plum pudding with scrambled eggs (ueberschlagene matzoth) shalet spice cake meat blintzes mina (turkish) mock whipped cream palestine soup pesach borsht pesach cake with walnuts pie crust potato flour noodles potato flour pudding potato flour sponge cake potato marbles potato plum knoedel (hungarian) potato pudding prunes prune blintzes radish preserves (russian style) raisin wine, nos. and red mullet in cases rosel, beet vinegar rum sauce scrambled matzoth sole with wine (french recipe) sponge cake, nos. and stewed sweetbreads strawberry dessert strawberry shortcake with matzoth meal sugar syrup wine sauce yom-tov soup zwiebel matzoth *alphabetical index* *a* abgeruehrter kugelhopf agristoga sauce for fish ahilado (sauce for fish) almond balls burnt, torte cake cake cream of hills icing macaroons macaroons macaroons with figs pudding sticks sticks--fleischig amastich amber marmalade ambrosia anchovy canapés anchovy canapés with tomatoes anchovy sandwiches anchovy sauce angel food anise seed cookies appetizers apple and honey pudding and lady finger pudding and quince conserve baked baked with oatmeal butter cake compote custard pie delight fladen float fried fritters frosted jelly jelly cake kuchen pickled pie pudding sauce sauce cake sauce, victoria slump snow spiced sponge pudding sweet, steamed tapioca pudding with rice apricot ice apricot ice cream arday-influs arme ritter artichoke, jerusalem artichoke soup artichokes, french or globe artichokes, french, with tomatoes asparagus canned cream of (hungarian) salad aspic auflauf *b* baba à la parisienne bairische dampfnudeln baked cherry preserves crab-apple preserve cranberry preserves quince preserves sickel pear preserves baking-powder batters biscuits bunt kuchen cinnamon cake dumplings german coffee cake banana dainty banana filling banana ice cream bananas bananas, chilled banbury tarts barches barley barley and vegetable soup barley soup baseler loekerlein bass, black, baked bass, baked, à la wellington batter pudding bean, black, soup beans and barley baked with brisket of beef dried dried lima, baked green lima green snap haricot and beef kidney, with brown sauce pickled spanish string string, boiled, preserved in brine string, raw, preserved in brine string, sweet and sour string, with lamb string, with tomatoes sweet sour sweet sour and linzen wax, sweet and sour beef, an easy pot roast of boiled, corned braised, pot roast breast, flank with yellow turnips brisket of, brustdeckel brisket of, with sauerkraut corned (home-made) fat, to render loaf pan roast pickled pot roast roast roast, russian style roast, vienna rolled, pot roasted short ribs of, spanish smoked smoked brisket of, with eggs tongue, pickled beefsteak, broiled beefsteak, fried beefsteak, fried with onions beefsteak pie beefsteak to broil by gas beer soup beer soup (parve) beet greens and cauliflower salad and horseradish relish preserves (russian) salad soup (russian) soup (russian) fleischig beets, baked boiled pickled sour buttered bell fritters beolas berliner pfannkuchen bernaise, sauce beverages bird's nest pudding birmoilis (turkish) birne kloesse biscuit tortoni bitki (russian) blackberry and currant pie blackberry cordial blackberry jelly blackberry wine blackberries, canned blackberries, preserved black bread pudding black olives blaetter teig blanc mange blintzes cheese meat prune sweet blitz kuchen blueberries blueberries, canned bohemian cream bohemian salad bola bordelaise sauce borsht boston roast bouillon brain (appetizer) brain salad brains with egg sauce brains, sweet and sour bran muffins brandied fruits brandy sauce braune mehlsuppe bread bran brown brown, sandwiches corn crumbs, prepared for frying dressing for fowl graham gluten individual loaves pancakes potato potato, rye pudding, rye raisin rolled oats rye (american) rye sticks to make variety white white and brown, sandwiches white nut bremen apple torte brod torte brown betty brown sauce brown stock brunswick stew brussels sprouts bütterbarches buns cinnamon currant raisin bunt kuchen *c* cabbage, beet and horseradish relish belgian red boiled with carrots creamed, new filled fried red red, with chestnuts and prunes red, pickled, hungarian style salad savoy savoy, with rice stewed to boil café à la glacé cakes cakes--general directions for making cakes, to bake calf's brains, fried calf's brains, sour calf's feet, prunes and chestnuts calf's feet, scharf calf's foot jelly calfs' hearts calf's liver, smothered in onions calf's lung and heart, hashed canapés candied fruits candied lemon and orange peel candies and sweets canned fruit, frozen canned fruits general rules sterilizing jars, etc. canned vegetables canning fruit baked in oven canning fruit in a water bath canning in the preserving kettle cantaloupes, pickled caramel custard caramel layer cake caramel sauce caramel white icing caraway seed cookies caraway sauce cardamom cookies carnatzlich (roumanian) carp, paprika carrot pudding carrots and peas boiled with cabbage compote of, russian style flemish lemon simmered with brisket of beef cauliflower cream of (hungarian) pickled roumanian salad scalloped spanish with brown crumbs caviar canapés cereals cereals--directions cereals, laws about celeriac celeriac, purée of celery, creamed cream of relish root baskets root (boiled) salad sandwiches with chestnuts (turkish) cheese and nut sandwiches balls bread cake cake, covered cake, hungarian cottage fondue pie pot salads soufflé straws timbals with macaroni cherries brandied candied for pies pickled preserved spiced cherry bounce brandy cake conserve diplomate marmalade pie pudding roley poley soup syrup chestnut pudding purée salad sandwiches stuffing torte chestnuts and prunes and raisins boiled roasted with celery (turkish) chicken à la italienne à la sweetbread boiled, baked broiled spring broth casserole curry fricassee fricassee, with noodles fried spring jellied liver paste livers paprika with rice pressed roast salad salad for twenty people sandwiches sandwiches with mayonnaise smothered soup stuffed (turkish style) tamales, home-made to truss turkish style with rice with spaghetti en casserole chiffonade salad chilli con carne chilli sauce chocolate brod torte cake coffee cake cookies cornstarch pudding custard eclairs glazing hot ice cream iced icing, unboiled layer cake nectar sauce syrup torte chow-chow chrimsel cinnamon cake cinnamon sticks citron cookies citron preserves claret cup cocoa, breakfast cocoa, reception cocoanut, cornflake kisses icing kisses layer cake lemon pie pie pudding cod, fish balls cod, fresh, or striped bass coffee boiled cake, a cheap cake, french cake, german cake, quick cakes (kuchen) filling filtered for twenty people french ice cream iced turkish cold sour soup compotes and fresh fruits consommé cookies cordial corn, canned cream of, soup and potatoes fritters green, tomatoes and cheese muffins off the cob on the cob preserved in brine pudding relish cornmeal mush cornmeal pudding crab-apple jelly crab-apples, pickled crackers and cheese cranberry jelly cranberry sauce cranberries, stewed cream filling layer cake mustard sauce pie puffs sauce soup soups, how to make wine soup croquante cakes croquettes, directions calf's brains cauliflower chicken eggplant (roumanian) meat and boiled hominy of fish peanut and rice potato rice sweetbread sweet potato veal croutons crullers crumb, dressing cucumber salad fried in oil sauce spiced stuffed cup cake currant float currant jelly currants currants, frosted curry sauce custard, boiled cup, for six egg pie *d* damson jam damson plums, preserved dandelions date and fig sandwiches cake macaroons pudding stuffed stuffed with fondant torte dates, stuffed with ginger and nuts delicious and nourishing summer drink delicious appetizer delicious cream cheese delicious mustard pickle dessert with whipped cream desserts deviled brains deviled eggs with hot sauce deviled tongue sandwiches dill pickles for winter use dill pickles, small dimpes dampes divinity dobos torte dominoes dough for coffee cake dough for open-face pies dough for schalet doughnuts doughnuts, french drawn butter, sauce dressing, boiled dressings for salads dried fruits drop biscuits duck duck fat, to render duck roast duck à la mode in jelly dumplings and garnishes for soups dumplings, apple boiled apple calf's liver drop farina for cream soups for stew huckleberry peach pear potato dutch stuffed monkeys *e* early fall vegetables, preserved in brine egg and olive sandwiches egg appetizer barley custard drop (einlauf) dumplings for soup eggless, butterless, milkless cake eggless ginger gems eggless gingerbread with cheese egg marmalade nog rarebit sandwiches wine, cold with tomato yolks, to keep eggplant and baked tomato baked broiled fried fried in oil, turkish style roumanian salad (roumanian) salad, turkish style eggs à la mexicana baked baked in rice baked with cheese baked with tomatoes boiled curried en marinade fricasseed fried piquant poached or dropped poached in tomato sauce poached with fried tomatoes scalloped scalloped fleischig scrambled scrambled, with brains scrambled with sausage spanish stuffed to preserve with cream dressing einlauf, egg drop enchiladas entrées erbsen lievanzen *f* farina pudding, with peaches soup farsole farsole dulce fat, to render fig and date sandwiches dessert filling sandwiches sauce figs, pickled preserved stuffed filled butter cakes filled lemons filling for chrimsel finnan haddie finnan haddie and macaroni fish baked baked, turkish style boiled broiled chowder english lemon stewed filled, turkish style frying frying, jewish method lemon marinirte piquant roe, scalloped salad salad for twenty people sandwiches sautéd scalloped stock sweet and sour sweet sour sweet sour, with wine to bone to clean to open to skin with garlic with horseradish sauce with sauerkraut floating island flour balls, boiled with almonds for soup brown, soup foods flounders, baked foam sauce foam torte freezing creams and water ices french dressing french pancakes french puffs french prunes in cognac fritada fritter batter fritter beans frosting, instantaneous frosting, plain frozen cream cheese, with preserved figs custard desserts puddings, directions fruit and nut salad cake drinks juices loaf punch for twenty people salad sauces sherbets soup syrups tartlets wheels fruits, fresh frying, directions for fudge *g* gaenseklein gansleber in sulz gansleber purée in sulz garlic, sauce garnishes and dumplings for soups gefillte fisch gefillte fisch with egg sauce gefillte milz (milt) german hazelnut torte german pancakes german puffs geroestete fervelehen geschundene gans gewetsh (servian) giblets gingerbread ginger wafers glacé for candies glueh gluten gems gold cake golden buck goose cracklings (grieben) breast, roast fat, to render liver liver aspic liver with glacéd chestnuts liver with mushroom sauce meat preserved in fat minced, sandwiches minced, hungarian style neck, stuffed neck, stuffed, russian style roast smoked stewed piquant gooseberries, canned gooseberry relish goulash, hungarian russian grafton cake, layers and small cakes graham muffins grape conserve jelly pie preserves grapefruit cocktail salad grapes, spiced grated apple pie grated apple pudding green kern soup green-tree layer cakes and icing griddle cakes grieben grimslich *h* hamburger steak hard sauce hash, baked hasty pudding hecht (pickerel) herring, chopped chopped, baked cream of, soup, russian style marinirte salad salt soused stuffed hesterliste hickory nut macaroons hollandaise sauce hominy honey cakes honey corn cakes honey pudding horseradish and beet relish horseradish sauce how to set the talk for the seder service huckleberry cake compote pie pudding hungarian almond cookies hungarian fruit salad hungarian goulash hungarian vegetable salad hurry ups (oatmeal cookies) husk tomatoes, pickled *i* ice-box cake icing, boiled icing, unboiled icings and fillings for cakes imberlach imitation pate de foi gras irish stew *j* jellies and preserves to cover jelly glasses to test jelly made at home jelly roll jelly sauce johnnie cake julienne soup *k* kaffee kuchen (cinnamon) kal dolmar kale kartoffel kloesse kedgeree kentucky chrimsel kimmel sauce kindel kindlech kirsch sauce kischkes kischkes, russian style knoblauch, sauce koch kaese (boiled cheese) koenig kuchen kohl-rabi kohl-rabi with breast of lamb kolatchen kraus-gebackenes kremslekh kreplech, cheese kreplech, force-meat for kreplech or butterflies krosphada kugel apple kraut matzoth noodle pear rice scharfe shabbas *l* lady fingers lamb and macaroni lamb, breast of, with kohl-rabi lamb chops lamb stew (tocane) lamplich leaf puffs leberknadel lebkuchen lebkuchen, old-fashioned leek soup left-over meat left-over cereals lekach lemon cake cream filling extract ginger sherbet ice jelly for layer cake peel pie preserves puffs sauce for puffs sauce tart (fleischig) lemonade, egg in large quantities maraschino milk pineapple quick lentil, cream of soup sausages soup lentils, baked lettuce boiled cream of soup dressing for salad sandwiches lima bean salad lima beans, green linser tart linzen (lentil) soup linzen, sweet sour linzer torte little french cakes liver, kloesse loaf, cocoanut cake *m* macaroni, baked with cheese boiled savory with cheese macaroon island tarts mackerel, baked boiled, salt broiled, salt salad salt, broiled macrotes maître d'hôtel butter maître d'hôtel sauce mamouras (turkish) mandel torte mandelchen maple bisque mousse sugar icing maraschino lemonade marble cake marinirte fish marmalades--directions marmelitta marrow bones marrow dumplings marshmallow filling marshmallow salad matrimonies matzoth charlotte dipped in eggs eirkuchen kleis kleis, filled meal cake meal kleis meal macaroons meal noodles plum pudding scrambled shalet spice cake with scrambled eggs mayonnaise colored dressing especially for salmon of flounder of whole tomatoes white with whipped cream meat chopped, with raisins (roumanian) dressing for poultry olives pie substitutes meats mehlspeise (flour foods) melange merber deck merber kuchen merber teig meringue, to make and bake milk and cheese, soup milk or cream soup milk, clabbered milt, stewed mina, turkish mince pie mint sauce mirlitious mixed pickles and dressing mocha frosting mocha mousse mocha torte mock cherry pie chilli con carne duck fish chowder mince pie olives turtle soup whipped cream filling mohn cakes, small plaetzchen (poppy seed) roley poly wachtel mohntorte mohntorts monterey salad mother's delicious cookies mother's dill pickles muffins muffins and biscuits mulled wine mulligatawny soup mushroom and barley soup mushroom catsup mushroom sauce mushrooms broiled creamed fresh, with eggs sautéd scalloped muskmelons muskmelons, pickled mustard dressing pickles sardine paste for sandwiches sauce mutton broth breast of, stewed with carrots chops curried roast with potatoes stuffed shoulder *n* nahit (russian peas) napf kuchen (bunt) napkin pudding neapolitan jelly salad nesselrode pudding niagara salad noodle puffs pudding soup noodles and apples and mushrooms broad for soup milk scalloped, and prunes with butter with cheese nut cake honey cake nutmeg cakes (pfeffermiesse) and cheese relish and raisin sandwiches icing loaf roast salad *o* oatmeal, cold cookies porridge with cheese okra, boiled gumbo (southern) soup old-fashioned hamburger cookies old-fashioned molasses cookies olive sandwiches sauce omelet corn cheese herb rum soufflé spanish sweet sweet almond sweet, for one white sauce one-egg cake onion, boiled chopped, and chicken fat pickled sauce scalloped soup orangeade orange cake chips fritters ice icing marmalade oranges oxtail soup oxtails, braised oyster plant--salsify *p* palestine soup pancakes, fritters, etc. paprika carp parsnips parve cookie and pie dough parve cookies passover dishes pea, dried, fritters dried, soup green, purée green, soup purée split, soup (milchig) peas and carrots green green and pfärvel green, and rice sugar peach butter cocktail compote cream pie cream tarts ice cream kuchen pie pudding short cake syrup peaches brandied canned pickled preserved scalloped pears, canned brandied compote of gingered pickled pecan nut macaroons pepper and cheese salad mangoes salad peppers, green green, broiled green, for salad green, stuffed with vegetables stewed stuffed stuffed with meat stuffed with nuts sweet green, and cheese pesach borsht pesach cake with walnuts peter pan dessert pfärvel and green peas grated egg for soup fleischig piccalilli pickerel pickle for salmon sauce pickles and relishes pie crust fleischig merber teig pies and pastry pigeon pie soup pigeons, nest or squabs pike with egg sauce pilaf (turkish style) (russian style) pineapple and banana cocktail candied canned compote fritters ice ice cream pie preserved soufflé pinoche piquante fish piquante sauce pistachio cream plaetchen plain bunt plain wafers plum conserve knoedel (hungarian) pie pudding pudding for thanksgiving day plums, canned pickled spiced german sweet potatoes and meat poached egg sandwiches pocket books polenta polish salad popovers poppy seed cookies potato balls with parsley boiled, pudding cake cakes croquettes flour noodles flour pudding flour sponge cake grated irish, for soup marbles noodles pancakes plum knoedel (hungarian) pudding puff puff, bohemian ribbon salad soup stuffing surprise potatoes and corn and pears au gratin baked boiled boiled in their jackets creamed curried for twenty people french fried german fried hashed brown, lyonnaise (hungarian style) imitation new mashed new roast saratoga chips scalloped stewed stewed with onions stewed, sour stuffed with caraway seeds poultry to clean to dress to stuff pound cake prepared mustard preparing salt for freezing creams preserved fruit prince albert pudding prune and raisin pie custard fresh, cake german, butter kuchen pie pudding sauce soufflé whip prunes and chestnuts baked steamed stewed stuffed without sugar pudding à la grande belle sauces puff paste pumpkin pie punch ices purim cakes krapfen puffs *q* queen bread pudding queen fritters queen of trifles quick bernaise sauce quince cheese jelly quinces, canned brandied jellied preserved *r* radish preserves, russian style radishes raisin compote sauce stuffing wine, no. no. raisins and chestnuts ramekins of egg and cheese raspberry and currant jelly cocktail ice jam jelly vinegar raspberries and currants and currants, canned canned compote of red mullet in cases red pepper canapés red raspberry float redsnapper with tomato sauce red wine soup rendered butter rhubarb and orange marmalade baked canned canned, ready for use pie pudding sauce rice and cheese and green peas and nut loaf baked boiled boiled, with pineapple broth custard in milk muffins pancakes or griddle cakes pudding steamed sweet with grated chocolate with tomatoes rolls cinnamon crescent french rosel, beet vinegar rothe gritze rum pudding rum sauce russian dressing fish cakes fruit salad goulash iced tea punch torte salad tea cakes rye bread pudding rye bread torte rye flour muffins *s* sago pudding with strawberry juice salad dressings salads, directions for making green to marinate salmon and brown bread and caviar sandwiches creamed cutlet loaf salad sandwiches salsify, scalloped oyster plant salt pickles salted almonds salted peanuts salzgurken sand torte sandwiches saratoga chips sardellen sardellen, or herring sauce sardine canapés sardine sandwiches sauces for fish and vegetables sauces for meats sauerbraten sauerkraut and brisket of beef boiled sautéd corn meal mush savarin schalet (shabbas soup) apple, no. apple, no. carrot noodle potato seven layer schnecken schwem kloesse senfgurken shad, baked shad roe shavings sherry cobbler slaitta (roumanian) slaw, cold cold, dressing for hot smelts, boned, sautéd snip noodles, fried snowballs snowflakes soap, to make soda cream sole, fillet of sole with wine (french recipe) soup meats soup stock, directions white soups sour cream dressing cream kolatchen milk biscuits milk cookies milk pancakes milk soup soup (for purim) spatzen spaghetti spaghetti and meat spanish onion rarebit liver pie rice sauce spaetzlen or spatzen spatzen spice cake spice roll spinach fleischig soup with cream sauce springele sponge cake cakes, small dumplings squab en casserole squabs or nest pigeons broiled squash fritters stewed salad (turkish style) steamed berry pudding steamed puddings stollen strawberries à la bridge and pineapple preserves canned in the sun preserved strawberry cocktail dessert ice cream jelly pie sherbet shortcake with matzoth meal shortcake, biscuit dough string bean salad striped bass strudel aus kalbslunge almond apple cabbage cherry mandel quark (dutch cheese) rahm rice succotash suet pudding with pears sugar cookies sugar syrup sulz sulze von kalbsfuessen sunshine cake sweetbread salad sauté with mushrooms sweetbreads glacé; sauce jardinière with spaghetti stewed sweet entrée of ripe peaches sweet pickles sweet potato pie sweet potato pudding sweet potatoes and apples boiled candied fried french fried plums and meat roast roast with meat swiss chard swiss creamed fish *t* tapioca tapioca custard tartare sauce tartlets tea tea cakes, russian tea rolls tea, russian style teiglech teufelsgurken time table for baking cakes for boiling meats for boiling vegetables for broiling meats for canning vegetables for roasting meats tipsy pudding toast, buttered cinnamon, for tea milk or cream toasted cheese sandwiches tocane, lamb stew tomato, baked with eggplant catsup cream of custards green, pickle green or yellow plum, preserves purée salad (french dressing) sauce sauce (chilli) soup soup with rice tomatoes, canned, stewed creole eggs and cheese, hungarian style green dill fried fried green ripe scalloped stewed stuffed stuffed, cheese salad stuffed, salad with rice yellow, stuffed tongue, boiled (sweet and sour) filled pickled beef sandwiches smoked smothered topfa dalkeln (cheese cakes) tripe à la creole tripe, family style trout, boiled tscholnt (shabbas soup) tchorba (turkish scrap) tsimess turkey, roast neck, stuffed turkish style soup turnip soup turnips boiled hashed tutti-frutti tutti-frutti ice cream *u* ueberschlagene matzoth unfermented grape juice utensils for jelly making *v* vanilla cookies extract ice cream sauce veal, breast of, roasted fricasseed, with cauliflower loaf roast salad sandwiches shoulder or neck, hungarian style soup stewed stuffed shoulder of sweetbreads, fried vegetable fritters hash meat pie soup soup (milchig) vegetables directions for canning general remarks vienna pastry for kipfel vienna prater cake vienna sausage vinegar pie vinaigrette sauce *w* waffles, one-egg waffles, three-egg waldorf salad walnut macaroons walnut torte water-lily salad watermelon pickle sherbet watermelons wedding cake welsh rarebit wheat cereals wheat muffins whipped cream whipped cream pie white cake caviar fondant sauce (for vegetables) wiener braten (vienna roast) kartoffel kloesse kipfel studenten kipfel windbeutel wine sauce winter jelly *y* yeast home-made kranz yom-tov soup *z* zuemimo sauce zwieback anise torte zwiebel matzoth zwiebel platz *table of weights and measures* all measurements should be made level. gills = cup cups = pint pints = quart quarts = gallon ounces = pound quarts = peck pecks = bushel drops = teaspoon saltspoons = teaspoon teaspoons = tablespoon tablespoons = / cup tablespoons = wine-glass tablespoons of butter, sugar, salt = ounce tablespoons of flour = ounce tablespoons = cup cups of flour = pound cups of solid butter = pound cups of granulated sugar = pound cups of corn meal = pound - / cups of powdered sugar = pound - / cups of brown sugar = pound cups of solid meat = pound cup of shelled almonds = / pound cup of raisins or currants = ounces cup of cornstarch = / pound unbroken hen's eggs = pound butter, size of an egg = ounces *measurement of food materials* the success of a recipe is often due to exactness in measuring ingredients, as well as to the care with which directions are followed. the recipes in this book have been compiled in accordance with the table of standard measurements, which is generally followed by expert cooks. experienced cooks can measure by sight, but those less expert need definite guides. the table of weights and measures will be found on the inside front cover. dry ingredients, such as flour, sugar, spices and soda, should be sifted before measuring. sift lightly into the bowl, dip the spoon into it, lift it slightly heaped, and then _level_ it by sliding the edge of a knife across the top of the spoon. do not level by pressing it. to measure one-half spoonful, fill and level the spoon, then divide in halves, _lengthwise_; for quarter-spoonfuls, cut the halves crosswise. a cupful is an _even_ cup, leveled off, _not_ shaken down. accurate portions of the cup may be found by using the special measuring cups, with thirds and fourths indicated. the tablespoons, dessert and teaspoons used in measuring, should be of the regulation sizes, made of silver. the cup should be the regulation half-pint cup. these cups can be had in glass, tin, granite and aluminum ware; the measuring spoons (all sizes) in aluminum ware. a spoonful of liquid is a spoon filled to the brim. a tablespoon of melted butter should be measured _after_ melting. a spoonful of butter, melted, should be measured _before_ melting. where to market. when difficulty is experienced in procuring any of the articles mentioned in this book, the name of the nearest agent can be obtained by sending a post card to the maker. the following stock a selection of these goods:-- edinburgh, health foods depot, hanover st. _health foods and specialties, including all "wallace" goods._ richards & co., n. hanover street. glasgow, the health food supply co., new city rd., dundas st., & argyle st. _wholesale, retail, and export manufacturers and dealers in every description of vegetarian health foods._ the "arcadian" food reform restaurant and health food stores, st. vincent street. cranston's tea rooms, ltd., buchanan street and argyll arcade. aberdeen, john watt, union street. dundee, j.p. clement & co., - hilltown. j.f. croal, crichton street. peebles brothers, whitehall crescent. thomas roger & son, newport-on-tay. greenock, clydeside food stores, - charles st. with branches at helensburgh, dunoon, rothesay, largs, and at causeyside, paisley. birmingham, pitman stores, - aston brook st. r. winter, city arcades and new street. bristol, health food stores, st james', barton. leeds, "health" stores, albion street. health food stores, woodhouse lane. manchester, vegetarian stores, deansgate. mapleton's nut food co., ltd., paget street, rochdale road. wardle (lancs.) mapleton's nut food co., ltd. pioneers and inventors of nut cream butters. list of varieties of nut goods on application. liverpool, chapman's health foods depot, eberle street. london, the wallace bakery, battersea park road, s.w. * * * * * * the health food supply co., glasgow. _the first in the field_ we manufactured health foods eight years ago in london, and to-day are the largest dealers in and manufacturers of vegetarian foods in north britain. our vegetable meats are the original, and are unequalled in quality or prices. our "artox" bread and biscuits are our leading lines in baking. call or write for our free booklet list on healthful vegetarianism at our city depot, dundas street, or west end stores, new city road, glasgow * * * * * * hovis a health bread. [illustration] some facts, hovis strengthens: contains . % proteid. hovis promotes energy: contains . % carbohydrates, and . % fat. hovis builds bones: contains . % mineral matter. hovis is pure: contains no adulterants. hovis is digestive: contains cerealin, a valuable digestive ferment. hovis is pleasant: the large proportion of germ renders it sweet and nutty. hovis is uric-acid-free: thus best brown bread for gouty subjects. dr gordon stables says, in "fresh air treatment for consumption"--"the bread i use is hovis; i am enthusiastic on it." for home use. hovis flour can be obtained from most bakers. it makes delicious scones, pastry, puddings, and gem pan rolls. [illustration] all particulars from the hovis bread flour co., macclesfield. see recipes on pages , , . * * * * * * _entered at stationers' hall._ reform cookery. * * * * * * why hesitate? thousands of grateful consumers by their daily use of vejola, f.r. nut. meat, meatose, nutmeatose, and nutvejo, &c., endorse the verdict of the best judges that there are no other nut meats equal to them for roasts, stews, pies, hashes, sandwiches, chops, steaks, and rissoles. sample of any one of these sent for d., post free. try a tin today. idealists will also find an ideal food in nut cream rolls and biscuits. they are made from choice nuts converted into a rich cream, mixed with a finely stone-ground wheatmeal, containing all the nutritious elements of the golden wheatberry. this makes them the most nourishing and concentrated food obtainable. made in varieties. assorted sample /- post free. procure a packet now, then you will act like oliver twist also get samples of the l. n. f. co.'s nut and fruit cakes, genoa cakes, malted nut and fruit caramels, chocolate nut and fruit dainties, and our wonderful new savoury nut meat, nuttoria, which you will enjoy and ask for more. samples of above five last-named foods sent for / post free. sole manufacturers: the london nut food co., , battersea park road, london, s.w. * * * * * * reform cookery book. up-to-date health cookery for the twentieth century. by mrs mill. over recipes new and enlarged edition, completing , . _"we could live without poets, we could live without books, but how in the world could we live without cooks."_ preface to fourth edition. still the food reform movement goes on and expresses itself in many ways. new developments and enterprises on the part of those engaged in the manufacture and distribution of pure foods are in evidence in all directions. not only have a number of new "reform" restaurants and depots been opened, but vegetarian dishes are now provided at many ordinary restaurants, while the general grocer is usually willing to stock the more important health foods. then the interest in, and relish for a non-flesh dietary has, during the past year, got a tremendous impetus from the splendid catering at the exhibitions, both of edinburgh and london. the restaurant in edinburgh, under the auspices of the vegetarian society, gave a magnificent object lesson in the possibility of a dietary excluding fish, flesh, and fowl. the sixpenny dinners, as also the plain and "high" teas, were truly a marvel of excellence, daintiness, and economy, and the queue of the patient "waiters," sometimes yards long, amply testified to their popularity. one is glad also to see that "health foods" manufacturers are, one after another, putting into practice the principle that sound health-giving conditions are a prime essential in the production of what is pure and wholesome, and in removing from the grimy, congested city areas to the clean, fresh, vitalising atmosphere of the country, not only the consumers of these goods, but those who labour to produce them, derive real benefit. the example of messrs mapleton in exchanging manchester for wardle, has been closely followed up by the international health association, who have removed from birmingham to watford, herts. j. o. m. newport-on-tay, _april ._ "economy is not having, but wisely spending." _ruskin._ "i for my part can affirm that those whom i have known to submit to this (the vegetarian) regimen have found its results to be restored or improved health, marked addition of strength, and the acquisition by the mind of a clearness, brightness, well-being, such as might follow the release from some secular, loathsome detestable dungeon.... all our justice, morality, and all our thoughts and feelings, derive from three or four primordial necessities, whereof the principal one is food. the least modification of one of these necessities would entail a marked change in our moral existence. were the belief one day to become general that man could dispense with animal food, there would ensue not only a great economic revolution--for a bullock, to produce one pound of meat, consumes more than a hundred of provender--but a moral improvement as well."--_maurice maeterlinck._ "can anything be so elegant as to have few wants, and to serve them one's self, so to have somewhat left to give, instead of being always prompt to grab."--_emerson._ foreword. "diet cures mair than physic."--_scotch proverb._ "the first wealth is health."--_emerson._ "of making books there is no end," and as this is no less true of cookery books than of those devoted to each and every other subject of human interest, one rather hesitates to add anything to the sum of domestic literature. but while every department of the culinary art has been elaborated _ad nauseam_, there is still considerable ignorance regarding some of the most elementary principles which underlie the food question, the relative values of food-stuffs, and the best methods of adapting these to the many and varied needs of the human frame. this is peculiarly evident in regard to a non-flesh diet. of course one must not forget that there are not a few, even in this age, to whom the bare idea of contriving the daily dinner, without the aid of the time-honoured flesh-pots, would seem scarcely less impious than absurd, as if it threatened the very foundations of law and order. still there is a large and ever increasing number whose watch word is progress and reform, who would be only too glad to be independent of the _abattoir_ (i will not offend gentle ears with the coarse word slaughter-house), if they only knew how. in summertime, at least, when animal food petrifies so rapidly, many worried housekeepers, who have no prejudice against flesh-foods in general, would gladly welcome some acceptable substitute. the problem is how to achieve this, and it is with the view of helping to that solution that this book is written. now, as i said, while there is no lack of the stereotyped order of domestic literature, there seems to be a wide field over which to spread the knowledge of "reform" dietary, and how to adapt it to the needs of different people, and varying conditions. and while protesting against all undue elaboration--for all true reform should simplify life rather than complicate it--we should do well to acquire the knowledge of how to prepare a repast to satisfy, if need be, the most exacting and fastidious. another need which i, as a scotswoman, feel remains to be met, is a work to suit the tastes and ideals of scottish people. cosmopolitan as we now are, there are many to whom english ways are unfamiliar. even the terms used are not always intelligible, as is found by a scotswoman on going to live in england, and _vice-versa_. we could hardly expect that every london stoneware merchant would be able to suit the scotch lass, who came in asking for a "muckle broon pig tae haud butter;" but even when english words are used, they may convey quite different ideas to scottish and english minds. indeed, several housewives have complained to me that all the vegetarian cookery books, so far as they can learn, are intended solely for english readers, so that we would hope to overcome this difficulty and yet suit english readers as well. before starting to the cookery book proper, i would point out some of the commonest errors into which would-be disciples of food reform so often fall, and which not unfrequently leads to their abandoning it altogether as a failure. nothing is more common than to hear people say most emphatically that vegetarian diet is no good, for they "have tried it." we usually find upon enquiry, however, that the "fair trial" which they claim to have given, consisted of a haphazard and ill-advised course of meals, for a month, a week, or a few days intermittently, when a meat dinner was from some reason or other not available. one young lady whom i know, feels entitled to throw ridicule on the whole thing from the vantage-ground of one day's experience--nay, part of a day. it being very hot, she could not tackle roast beef at the early dinner, and resolved with grim heroism to be "vegetarian" for once. to avoid any very serious risks, however, she fortified herself as strongly as possible with the other unconsidered trifles--soup, sweets, curds and cream, strawberries, &c., but despite all her precautions, by tea-time the aching void became so alarming that the banished joint was recalled from exile, and being "so famished" she ate more than she would have done at dinner. next day she was not feeling well, and now she and her friends are as unanimous in ascribing her indisposition to vegetarianism, as in declaring war to the knife--or _with_ the knife against it evermore. now, there are certainly not many who would be so stupid or unreasonable as to denounce any course of action on the score of one spasmodic attempt, but there are not a few who are honestly desirous to follow out what they feel to be a better mode of living, who take it up in such a hasty, ill-advised way as to ensure failure. it is not enough merely to drop meat, and to conclude that as there is plenty food of some or any sort, all will be right, unless it has first been ascertained that it will contain the essential elements for a nourishing, well-balanced meal. it is not the quantity, however, which is so likely to be wrong as the proportions and combination of foods, for we may serve up abundance of good food, well cooked and perfectly appointed in every way, and yet fail to provide a satisfactory meal. i would seek to emphasise this fact, because it is so difficult to realise that we may consume a large amount of food, good in itself, and yet fail to benefit by it. if we suffer, we blame any departure from time-honoured orthodoxy, when, perhaps we ought to blame our wrong conception or working out of certain principles. it is never wise, therefore, to adopt the reform dietary too hastily, unless one is quite sure of having mastered the subject, at least in a broad general way; for if the health of the household suffers simultaneously with the change, we cannot hope but that this will be held responsible. other people may have "all the ills that flesh is heir to" as often as they please. a vegetarian dare hardly sneeze without having every one down upon him with 'i told you so.' 'that's what comes of no meat.' a frequent mistake, then, is that of making a wrong selection of foods, or combining them unsuitably, or in faulty proportions. for example, rice, barley, pulses, &c., may be, and are, all excellent foods, but they are not always severally suitable under every possible condition. rice is one of the best foods the earth produces, and probably more than half of the hardest work of the world is done on little else, but those who have been used to strong soups, roast beef, and plum pudding will take badly with a sudden change to rice soups, rice savoury, and rice pudding. for one thing, so convinced are we of the poorness of such food, that we should try to take far too much, and so have excess of starch. pulse foods, again,--peas, beans, lentils--are exceedingly nutritious--far more so than they get credit for, and in their use it is most usual to heavily overload the system with excess of nitrogenous matter. one lady told me she understood one had to take enormous quantities of haricot beans, and she was quite beat to take _four_ platefuls! 'i can never bear the sight of them since,' she added pathetically. another--a gentleman--told me vegetarianism was 'no good for him, at any rate, for one week he swallowed "pailfuls of swill," and never felt satisfied!' while yet a third--no, it was his anxious wife on his behalf--complained that 'he could not take enough of "that food" to keep up his strength.' he had three platefuls of the thickest soup that could be contrived, something yclept "savoury"--though i cannot of course vouch for the accuracy of that definition--a substantial pudding, and fruit. he 'tried' to take two tumblers of milk, but despite his best endeavours could manage to compass only _one_! i sympathised heartily with the good lady's anxiety, and urged that they go back to their "morsel of meat" without delay, and dispense with the soup, the "savoury," the milk, and either the fruit or the pudding. in reply to her astonished look, i gravely assured her that it was evident vegetarianism would not do for them, and her look of relief made it clear that she never suspected the mental reservation, that the tiny bit of meat was invaluable if only to keep people from taking so much by way of compensation. another mistake to be guarded against, is that of reverting too suddenly to rather savourless insipid food. it is certainly true that as one perseveres in a non-flesh diet for a length of time, the relish for spices and condiments diminishes, and one begins to discern new, subtle, delicate flavours which are quite inappreciable when accustomed to highly seasoned foods. as one gives up these artificial accessories, which really serve to blunt the palate, rarer and more delicious flavours in the sweet natural taste come into evidence. but this takes time. there is a story told of some londoners who went to visit at a country farm, where, among other good things, they were regaled with new-laid eggs. when the hostess pressed to know how they were enjoying the rural delicacies, they, wishing to be polite yet candid, said everything was very nice, but that the eggs had not "the flavour of london ones!" it were thus hopeless to expect those who like even eggs with a "tang" to them, to take enthusiastically to a dish of tasteless hominy, or macaroni, but happily there is no need to serve one's apprenticeship in such heroic fashion. there is at command a practically unlimited variety of vegetarian dishes, savoury enough to tempt the most fastidious, and in which the absence of "carcase" may, if need be, defy detection. not a very lofty aspiration certainly, but it may serve as a stepping-stone. when the goodman, therefore, comes in expecting the usual spicy sausage, kidney stew, or roast pig, do not set before him a dish of mushy barley or sodden beans as an introduction to your new 'reform bill' of fare, or there may be remarks, no more lacking in flavour than london eggs. talking of sausage, reminds me that one of the favourite arguments against vegetarian foods is that people like to know what they are eating. what profound faith these must have in that, to us cynical folks, 'bag of mystery,' the sausage! but then, perhaps, they do know that they are eating----! now, i fear most of the foregoing advice on how to "reform" sounds rather like punch's advice to those about to marry, so after so many "don'ts" we must find out how to _do_. and to that end i would seek rather to set forth general broad guiding principles instead of mere bald recipes. of course a large number of the items--puddings, sweets, &c., and not a few soups, are the same as in ordinary fare, so that i will give most attention to savouries, entrees, and the like, which constitute the real difficulty. as people get into more wholesome ways of living, the tendency is to have fewer courses and varieties at a meal, but just at first it may be as well to start on the basis of a three-course dinner. one or other of the dishes may be dispensed with now and then, and thus by degrees one might attain to that ideal of dainty simplicity from which this age of luxury and fuss and elaboration is so far removed. "now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both."--_shakespeare_. soups. the following directions will be found generally applicable, so that there will be no need to repeat the several details each time. seasonings are not specified, as these are a matter of individual taste and circumstance. some from considerations of health or otherwise are forbidden the use of salt. in such cases a little sugar will help to bring out the flavour of the vegetables, but unless all the members of the household are alike, it had best not be added before bringing to table. where soup is to be strained, whole pepper, mace, &c., is much preferable to ground, both as being free from adulteration, and giving all the flavour without the grit. the water in which cauliflower, green peas, &c., have been boiled, should be added to the stock-pot, but as we are now recognising that all vegetables should be cooked as conservatively as possible--that is, by steaming, or in just as much water as they will absorb, so as not to waste the valuable salts and juices, there will not be much of such liquid in a "reform" menage. a stock must therefore be made from fresh materials, but as those are comparatively inexpensive, we need not grudge having them of the freshest and best. readers of thackeray will remember the little dinner at timmins, when the hired _chef_ shed such consternation in the bosom of little mrs timmins by his outrageous demands for 'a leg of beef, a leg of veal, and a ham', on behalf of the stock-pot. but the 'reform' housekeeper need be under no apprehension on that score, for she can have the choicest and most wholesome materials fresh from the garden to her _pot-au-feu_, at a trifling cost. of course it is quite possible to be as extravagant with vegetarian foods as with the other, as when we demand forced unnatural products out of their season, when their unwholesomeness is matched only by their cost. no one who knows what sound, good food really is, will dream of using manure-fed tomatoes, mushrooms at s. per lb.; or stringy tough asparagus, at s. or s. a bunch, when seasonable products are to be had for a few pence. the exact quantities are not always specified either, in the following recipes, as that too has to be determined by individual requirement, but as a general rule they will serve four to six persons. the amount of vegetables, &c., given, will be in proportion to pints, i.e. gills liquid. serve all soups with croutons of toast or fried bread. white stock. the best stock for white soups is made from small haricots. take lb. of these, pick and wash well, throwing away any that are defective, and if there is time soak ten or twelve hours in cold water; put on in clean saucepan--preferably earthenware or enamelled--along with the water in which soaked (if not soaked scald with boiling water, and put on with fresh boiling water), some of the coarser stalks of celery, one or two chopped spanish onions, blade of mace, and a few white pepper-corns. if celery is out of season, a little celery seed does very well. bring to boil, skim, and cook gently for at least two hours. strain, and use as required. clear stock. for clear stock take all the ingredients mentioned above, also some carrot and turnip in good-sized pieces, some parsley, and mixed herbs as preferred, and about / lb. of hard peas, which should be soaked along with the haricots. simmer very gently two to three hours. great care must be taken in straining not to pulp through any of the vegetables or the stock will be muddy, or as we scotch folks would say "drumlie." if not perfectly clear after straining, return to saucepan with some egg-shells or white of egg, bring to boil and strain again through jelly-bag. a cupful of tomatoes or a few german lentils are a great improvement to the flavour of this stock, but will of course colour it more or less. brown stock. take / lb. brown beans, / lb. german lentils, / lb. onions, large carrot, celery, &c. pick over the beans and lentils, and scald for a minute or two in boiling water. this ensures their being perfectly clean, and free from any possible mustiness. strain and put on with fresh boiling water some black and jamaica pepper, blade mace, &c., and boil gently for an hour or longer. shred the onion, carrot, and celery finely and fry a nice brown in a very little butter taking great care not to burn, and add to the soup. allow all to boil for one hour longer, and strain. a few tomatoes sliced and fried along with, or instead of the carrot, or a cupful of tinned tomatoes would be a great improvement. this as it stands is a very fine clear brown soup, but if a thicker, more substantial soup is wanted, rub through as much of the pulp as will give the required consistency. return to saucepan, and add a little soaked tapioca, ground rice, cornflour, &c., as a _liaison_. boil till that is clear, stirring well. serve with croutons of toast or fried bread. this soup may be varied in many ways, as by adding some finely minced green onions, leeks, or chives either before or after straining and some parsley a few minutes before serving. white windsor soup. take breakfast cupfuls white stock or water, add tablespoonfuls mashed potato and oz fine sago. stir till clear and add breakfast cup milk and some minced parsley. let come just to boiling point but no more. if water is used instead of stock some finely shred onion should be cooked without browning in a little butter and added to the soup when boiling. rub through a sieve into hot tureen. white soubise soup. melt in lined saucepan oz. butter, and into that shred / lb. onions. allow to sweat with lid on very gently so as not to brown for about half an hour. add - / pints white stock and about ozs. scraps of bread any hard pieces will do, but no brown crust. simmer very gently for about an hour, run through a sieve and return to saucepan with pint milk. bring slowly to boiling point and serve. to make brown soubise soup toast the bread, brown the onions, and use brown stock. almond milk soup. wash well / lb. rice and put on to simmer slowly with - / pints milk and water, a spanish onion and sticks of white celery. blanch, chop up and pound well, or pass through a nut-mill / lb. almonds, and add to them by degrees another / pint milk. put in saucepan along with some more milk and water to warm through, but do not boil. remove the onion and celery from the rice (or if liked they may be cut small and left in), and strain the almonds through to that. see that it is quite hot before serving. note.--for this and other soups which are wanted specially light and nourishing, mapleton's almond meal will be found exceedingly useful. it is ready for use, so that there is no trouble blanching, pounding, &c. brazil soup. put lb. brazil nuts in moderate oven for about minutes, remove shells and brown skin--the latter will rub off easily if heated--and grate through a nut-mill. simmer gently in white stock or water with celery, onions, &c., for or hours. add some boiling milk, pass through a sieve and serve. a little chopped parsley may be added if liked. chestnut soup. chop small a good-sized spanish onion and sweat in oz. butter for twenty minutes. add to pints stock and lb. chestnuts previously lightly roasted and peeled. simmer gently for one hour or more, pass through a sieve and return to saucepan. bring to boil, remove all scum, add a cupful boiling milk or half that quantity of cream, and serve without allowing to boil again. plain white soup. into enamelled saucepan put ozs. butter, and as it melts stir in ozs. flour. add very gradually a breakfast cup milk, and stir over a slow heat till quite smooth. add or breakfast cupfuls white stock, bring slowly to boil and serve. velvet soup. prepare exactly as for plain white soup, but just before serving beat up the yokes of or eggs. add to them a very little cold milk or cream, and then a little of the soup. pass through strainer into hot tureen, strain through the rest of the soup, and mix thoroughly. parsnip soup. take / lb. cooked parsnips or boil same quantity in salted water till tender, pass through a sieve and add to a quantity of plain white soup or stock. bring to boil, and if sweet taste is objected to add strained juice of half a lemon. turnip soup. is made in exactly the same way as parsnip soup, substituting young white turnips or "golden balls" for the parsnips, and many people will prefer the flavour. a little finely chopped spring onion or chives and parsley would be an improvement to both soups. these--except the parsley--should be boiled separately and added just before serving. palestine soup. a very fine soup is made thus:--pare and boil lbs. jerusalem artichokes in milk and water with a little salt till quite soft, then pass through a sieve or potato masher, and add to quantity required of velvet soup. westmoreland soup. put in soup pot some very plain stock, or water will do quite well. add lb. lentils, / lb. onions, small carrot, piece of turnip, and a stick or two of celery, all chopped small, also a teacupful tomatoes. boil slowly for two hours, pass through a sieve and return to soup pot. melt a dessert-spoonful butter and stir slowly into it twice as much flour, add gradually a gill of milk. when quite smooth add to soup and stir till it boils. this is a very good soup and might be preferred by some without straining the vegetables. the lentils might be boiled separately and put through a sieve before adding. the foregoing are all varieties of white soup and these could be extended indefinitely; but as such variations will suggest themselves to everyone, it is not necessary to take up space here. i might just mention that a most delicious cauliflower soup can be made by adding a nice young cauliflower, all green removed, cut in tiny sprigs, and boiled separately to the quantity required of plain white soup. the water in which boiled should be added also. white haricot soup is made by substituting haricot or butter beans for the cauliflower. these should be slowly cooked till tender and passed through a sieve or masher. celery soup. for this use a large well-blanched head of celery. either chop small when cooked, or pass through sieve before adding to white soup. asparagus soup. take a bunch tender asparagus. set aside the tops. blanch stalks in salted boiling water for a minute or two, then drain and simmer till tender in a little milk and water. pulp through sieve and add to white soup when boiling. cook the tops separately in salted boiling water. drain and add to soup in tureen. tinned asparagus makes very good soup. it requires little or no cooking, only to be made quite hot. pulp stalks and put in tops whole. clear soups. it is unnecessary to give every recipe in detail for these also, if a rich clear stock has been prepared according the directions, page . these of course may be varied according to taste or convenience, and all the ingredients specified are by no means indispensable. some may be left out and others added as they are at hand or in season. when celery is not to be had celery seed or celery salt gives a good flavour. a hasty stock may be contrived at anytime with chopped onions, shred carrot, and some lentils--green or yellow or both. the vegetables should be lightly fried in a little butter, the lentils scalded or washed well, and all boiled together for an hour or even less with the required quantity of water. strain without any pressure. then a still more hasty stock can be had with any of the excellent "extracts" which are on the market. their flavour will be appreciated by all, and the fact that they are manufactured from pure, wholesome cereals--barley, chiefly, i believe--should go a long way to commend them to those who have no favour for the uric acid products of "animal" extracts. well, then, if a good, clear stock is prepared, all that is necessary to convert it into clear soup a la royale is to prepare a savoury custard with two yolks and either a cup of stock, diluted "extract," or milk. steam in shallow, buttered tin, cut in small squares, diamonds, &c., and put in tureen along with the boiling stock. julienne soup. cut different vegetables--carrot, turnip, celery, &c., in thin strips about inch long, boil in salted water, and add to boiling clear stock. spring vegetable soup. have an assortment of different young vegetables comprising as many distinct and bright colours as possible--green peas, french beans trimmed and cut diamond-wise, cauliflower in tiny sprigs, carrots, turnips, cooked beetroot stamped in fancy shapes or cut in small dice, and leeks, chives, or spring onions shred finely. cook the vegetables separately, drain, and add while hot to boiling clear stock in tureen. thick soups. most of the thick soups are so well-known that they need not be repeated here. suffice it to say that they will gain both in purity and flavour by substituting vegetarian stock for that usually made by boiling meat, ham bones, and the like. great care should be taken with such soups as lentil, split-pea, potato soup, &c., to avoid a coarse "mushy" consistency. this can be done by rubbing the peas, &c., through a sieve when cooked, and adding such vegetables as carrot, turnip, onions, &c., finely chopped, to the strained soup. perhaps, however, i ought to give at least one typical recipe for "reform" pea soup, and if nicely made it will be quite possible to allure some unsuspecting victims who have always declared they never could or would touch pea soup, into asking for another helping of "that delicious--ahem--what-do-you- call-it-soup." have ready a good-sized-soup pot with amount of water required boiling fast, and into this throw / lb. split-peas for every pints water. the "giant" variety is best as they are bo easily examined and cleaned. rub in a coarse cloth to remove any possible dust or impurity. this is much better than washing or scalding, as the peas "go down" so much more quickly when put dry into the fast boiling water. such a method will seem rather revolutionary to those who have been accustomed to soak peas over night, but a single trial is all that is needed to convince the most sceptical. add / lb. onions, cut up-these may first be sweated for minutes with a little butter in covered pan. simmer gently but steadily / to hours. rub through a sieve and return to saucepan. when boiling add some turnip in tiny dice and some carrot in slices as thin as sixpence, also finely chopped spring onion, leeks or chives, according to season, and a little finely minced parsley five minutes before serving. stock may of course be used for this soup, but is not at all necessary. with stock or even a little extract, a very good lentil or pea soup may be made at a few minutes' notice by thickening with "digestive" pea flour or lentil flour, as the case may be. such soups can be taken by those of weak digestion. no vegetables should be added in that case, or if so they should be strained out. mulligatawny soup. chop up apples and spanish onion and stir over the fire with ozs. butter till quite brown, but not burnt. add oz. flour (and if wanted somewhat thickened, one or two spoonfuls "digestive" lentil or pea flour), teaspoonful curry powder, and a cupful of milk, previously mixed together. stir till smooth and boil up, then add some good stock--brown would be best--and simmer for half an hour longer, removing the scum as it rises. serve with boiled rice, handed round on a separate dish. hotch-potch. this soup is to be had in perfection in the summer months when young, tender vegetables are to be had in great variety and abundance. the more different kinds there are the better, but care must be taken to give each just the proper amount of cooking and no more, or the result will be that by the time certain things are done, others will be mushy and insipid. bring to boil the necessary quantity of clear stock--water will do. have ready a cupful each of carrots and turnips in tiny dice--the smaller ends of the carrots being in thin slices--a cauliflower in very small sprigs, one or two crisp, tender lettuces finely shred, cupful green peas, some french beans trimmed and cut small, a dozen or so of spring onions, tablespoonfuls each of lentils and rice, and any other seasonable vegetable that is to be had. add each in their turn to the boiling stock, the time required being determined by age and condition. if very young and fresh, the carrots will require only to minutes, the turnips and spring onions rather less, and the cauliflower less still. french beans require about minutes, peas and lettuce minutes, while the rice and lentils should have about half an hour. much must be left to the discretion of the cook, but one point i would emphasise is, don't over-boil the vegetables. there seems to be an idea that a safe rule for vegetables is the more you cook them the better, but the fact is they lose in flavour and wholesomeness every five minutes after they are done. this is why "second day's" soup so often disagrees when the first has been all right. a few slices of tomato may be added. they should be fried in a little butter, cut small, and added shortly before serving, also some chopped parsley. winter hotch-potch. this also may be very good. all the vegetables will require much longer cooking. some will not be available, but in their place will be celery, parsnips, brussels sprouts, leeks, &c. dried green peas, soaked for hours, can be used, or a good canned variety, and i may say that many delicious vegetables are now to be had in tins, or, better still, in glass jars. scotch broth. for this wash well a cupful good fresh _pot_ barley, bring to boil in plenty of water, pour that off and put on with clean cold water. simmer for hours and then add a selection of vegetables given for hotch-potch. mock cock-a-leekie or leek soup (_maigre_) is an excellent winter soup. take a dozen or more crisp fat leeks--flabby, tough ones are no use--trim away all coarse pieces, chop up the tender green quite small and simmer in covered pan with a little butter. add to quantity required of either white stock or plain white soup, which should be boiling. shred down the white of the leeks, fry in a little more butter, and add twenty minutes later. cook till quite tender. if stock is used, some well-washed rice should be added about minutes before serving. if white soup is prepared, it is best to cook the leeks thoroughly before adding, then merely bring to boil and serve. green pea soup. this is a delicious summer soup. have a clear stock made with fresh green vegetables, such as lettuce, green onions, spinach, bunch parsley, sprig mint, &c., the shells wiped clean and about half of the peas--about lbs. will be needed--reserving the finest. rub through a sieve, return to saucepan and bring to boil. add remainder of peas, boil minutes, and pour into tureen over an ounce or so of butter. some may prefer cream in place of butter, in which case add just before serving, and do not allow to boil up. mock hare soup. prepare a rich well-flavoured brown stock, rubbing through the greater part of the german lentils, &c., to make it of a thick creamy consistency. the flavour will be best if such vegetables as carrot and onion are sliced and fried brown before boiling. toast two tablespoonfuls oatmeal and one of flour to a light brown, mix with it a teaspoonful ground jamaica pepper and smooth with a little cold water. add to the boiling soup and stir till it boils up again. mushroom ketchup, a few fried mushrooms, some piquant sauce, "extract," &c., &c., may be added or not at discretion. german lentil soup. scald / lb. german lentils for a minute in boiling water, drain and put on with quantity of boiling water required. fry some onions, celery, and tomatoes--if to be had--in a little butter till brown, and add. simmer about hours, and rub through a sieve. add a little ground rice, cornflour, &c., to keep the pulp from settling to the bottom. a little milk or cream or ketchup may be added if liked. butter peas soup. cook butter peas as for stew, [footnote: see page . [butter peas or "midget" butter bean, below]] pulp through a sieve and add to quantity of liquid required, which may be white stock or milk and water, and should be boiling. add a small white cauliflower, cut in tiny sprigs (or any tender fresh vegetables cut small and parboiled separately). simmer till cauliflower is just cooked, add some chopped parsley, and serve. mock turtle soup. prepare a quantity of strong, clear, highly-flavoured stock of a greenish-brown colour. the colour can be obtained by boiling some winter greens or spinach along with the other things. a few chopped gherkins, capers, or chillies will give the required piquancy. have ozs. tapioca soaked overnight, add to the boiling stock and cook gently till perfectly clear. some small quenelles may be poached separately and put in tureen. tomato soup. when this soup is well made it is a general favourite, but it must be well made, for it is impossible to appreciate the greasy, yellow, dish-water-looking liquid which is sometimes served in that name. put in a saucepan ozs. butter, and into that shred finely / or lb. onions. add half or more of a tin of tomatoes or about lb. fresh ones sliced, and a cup of water or stock. simmer very gently for an hour and rub through a wire sieve, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to get all the pulp through. _everything_ should go through except the skin and seeds. return to clean saucepan with stock or water, and two tablespoonfuls of tapioca, previously soaked for at least an hour. stir till it boils and is quite clear. this soup may be varied in many ways, as by substituting for the tapioca, crushed vermicelli, ground rice, cornflour, &c. some chopped spring onions, chives or leeks, added after straining are a great improvement, also chopped parsley, while many people like the addition of milk or cream. savouries. "we live not upon what we eat, but upon what we digest." we come now to consider the middle courses of dinner in which lies the crux of the difficulty to the aspirant who wishes to contrive such without recourse to the flesh-pots. this is where, too, we must find the answer to those half-curious wholly sceptical folks who ask us, "whatever _do_ you have for dinner?" most of them will grant that we _may_ get a few decent soups, though no doubt they retain a sneaking conviction that at best these are "unco wersh," and puddings or sweets are almost exclusively vegetarian. but how to compensate for that little bit of chicken, ox, or pig--no one now-a-days owns to taking much meat!--is beyond the utmost efforts of their imagination. of course we can't have everything. when a "reformed" friend of mine was asserting that we could have no end of delicacies, one lady triumphantly remarked "anyhow, you can't have a leg of mutton." that is true, but then we must remember that it's not polite to speak of "legs," especially with young ladies learning cooking. liver or kidneys are not particularly nice things to speak about either, and i am sure if we reflected on what their place is in the economy of the body, we should think them still less nice to eat. but joking apart, there is a growing tendency to get as far away as we can from their origin in the serving of meat dishes. the old-time huge joints, trussed hares, whole sucking pigs, &c., are fast vanishing from our tables, and the smart _chef_ exerts himself to produce as many recherche and mysterious little made dishes as possible. not a few of these are quite innocent of meat, indeed, that is the complaint urged against them by those who believe that in flesh only can we have proper sustenance. but little research is needed, however, to show that apart from flesh foods there are immense and only partially developed resources in the shape of cereals, pulses, nuts, &c., and, it is to these that we must look for our staple solid foods. in a small work like this it is impossible to do much more than indicate the lines upon which to go, but i shall try to give as many typical dishes as i can, and to suggest, rather than detail, variations and adaptations. we must first study very briefly the various food elements, and learn the most wholesome and suitable combination of these. in an ordinary three-course dinner we must arrange to have a savoury that will fitly follow the soup and precede the sweets. thus, if we have a light, clear, or white soup, we shall want a fairly substantial savoury, and if the soup has been rather satisfying it must be followed by a lighter course. the lightest savouries are prepared mostly from starch foods, as rice, macaroni, &c., while for the richer and more substantial we have recourse to peas, beans, lentils, and nuts. the first set of savouries given are of the lighter description, and are well suited to take the place of the fish course at dinner. light savouries. fillets of mock sole. bring to boil / pint milk and stir in ozs. ground rice or ozs. flaked rice. add oz. butter, teaspoonful grated onion, and a pinch of mace. add also three large tablespoonfuls of potato which has been put through a masher or sieve, mix, and let all cook for to minutes. as the mixture should be fairly stiff this can best be done in a steamer or double boiler. when removed from the fire add egg and yolk well beaten. mix thoroughly and turn out on flat dish not quite / inch thick, and allow to get quite cold. divide into fillet-shaped pieces, brush over with white of egg beaten up, toss in fine bread crumbs and fry in deep smoking-hot fat. drain, and serve very hot, garnished with thin half or quarter slices of lemon, and hand round dutch sauce in tureen. fillets of artichoke. boil some jerusalem artichokes till tender, but not too soft, cut in neat slices, and egg, crumb, and fry as above. chinese artichokes. salsify, scorzonera, &c., may be done in same way. serve with dutch or tomato sauce. a variety is made by simply boiling or steaming in milk and water. drain, and serve with parsley or other sauce poured over. celery fritters. get a good-sized head of well-blanched celery, trim and cut in small pieces, put in salted boiling water for a few minutes, then drain. into a stewpan, or much better a steamer or double boiler, put / oz. butter, and into that shred a very small spanish onion or a few heads of spring onion or shallots. add the drained celery, one or two spoonfuls milk, salt, white pepper, and pinch mace. allow to cook till quite tender then pour over a slice of bread free from crust and crumbled down. if the bread is not moist enough add a little hot milk. allow to stand for a time, then drain away any superfluous moisture. the difficulty is to get this dry enough, and that is why a double saucepan is much better than an open pan, in which it is scarcely possible to cook dry enough without burning. make a sauce with / oz. butter, / oz. flour, and / gill milk, and when it thickens add the panada, celery, &c. stir over gentle heat till the mixture is quite smooth and leaves the sides of the pan. remove from the fire and mix in one or two beaten eggs. turn out to cool, shape into fritters, and fry as mock sole. cauliflower fritters are made same as above, with cauliflower in place of celery. _note._--the eggs in this and mock sole may be left out, though they are an improvement and help to bind the mixture together. variety can be obtained by varying the seasonings, adding a little lemon juice or tarragon vinegar, &c., either to the mixture or to the sauce. macaroni omelet. boil ozs. short cut macaroni in salted boiling water, and drain. put dessertspoonfuls flour in a basin, smooth with a little cold milk, and pour a breakfast-cupful boiling milk over it, stirring vigorously all the time. add one or two spoonfuls of cream--or a little fresh dairy butter or nut butter beat to a cream-- beaten eggs, teaspoonful minced parsley, same of grated onion, the macaroni, a large cup bread crumbs, seasoning of pepper, salt, &c. mix very well. put in buttered pie-dish and bake to minutes in brisk oven. turn out and serve with brown or tomato sauce. some grated cheese may be added if liked. macaroni cutlets. boil or ozs. macaroni in salted water for minutes. drain, and stew or steam till very tender along with some shred onion and tomatoes previously fried together, without browning, in oz. butter. if too dry add a very little milk. when quite tender mix in enough bread crumbs to make a rather stiff consistency, also or ozs. grated cheese. mix well over the fire. add a beaten egg, pinch mace, and any other seasoning. mix well again, turn out to cool, form into pear-shaped cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry in usual way. macaroni egg cutlets are made by adding finely chopped hard boiled eggs to the above mixture. add when macaroni is cooked, along with crumbs, raw egg, seasoning, &c. celery egg cutlets are made by adding the hard-boiled eggs to the mixture for celery fritters. both of these are specially delicious, and this forms an excellent way of using up cold cooked stuff--savoury rice, vermicelli, &c.--so that one can have a dainty savoury with very little trouble. this is of no little importance in an age when so many demands are made upon the time and energy of the average housewife, and one would do well to study while preparing any dish requiring a good deal of care and labour, to have sufficient over to make a fricassee of some sort for another time. rice and lentil mould comes in very handy in this way. put oz. butter in saucepan and shred into it very finely a large spanish onion or an equal quantity white of small onions or leeks. cover, and allow to sweat over gentle heat for minutes. some finely shred white celery along with the onions is a welcome addition, but is not indispensable. pick and wash well / lb. yellow lentils and bring to boil in water to cover. do the same with ozs. rice. the lentils and rice may be boiled together, but are nicer done separately. add to onion, &c., in saucepan, along with seasoning to taste of curry powder, &c. some tomato pulp or chutney is very good. mix lightly so as not to make it pasty. remove from fire, add a beaten egg, and press into a plain buttered mould. tie down with buttered paper and steam for one hour. turn out and serve with tomato sauce. it may also be garnished with slices of hard-boiled egg, beetroot, fried tomatoes, &c. kedgeree. a very good kedgeree is made with much the same ingredients as above. the lentils may be left out, and chopped tomato or carrot flaked (on one of those threesome graters is best) and fried along with the onion, may be used instead. the rice must be boiled as for curry and made very dry. boil or eggs hard, chop finely, and mix with the other ingredients in saucepan. make all very hot, and serve piled up on hot dish with any suitable garnish and curry or tomato sauce. a spoonful finely chopped parsley would be an improvement to both this and rice mould. fried parley and thin slices of lemon make a suitable garnish for this and similar dishes, while parsley fried in fat at a low temperature, degrees, crushed and sprinkled over a mould, cutlets, &c., both looks and tastes good. any kedgeree that is left over will make excellent cutlets for breakfast, &c. macaroni mould is made by using cooked macaroni instead of rice in recipe for rice mould. macaroni timbale. boil ozs. long pipe macaroni--in as long pieces as convenient--in salted boiling water to minutes, and drain. have a plain mould--a small enamel pudding basin is best--butter it well, and line closely round it with the macaroni. fill in with any savoury mixture, such as lentils, tomatoes, mushrooms, celery, carrots, &c. put more strips of macaroni or a slice of buttered bread on the top. cover with buttered paper and steam - / hours. turn out and serve with sauce. garnish suitably, cooked tomatoes, &c. roman pie boil ozs. macaroni and drain. butter a pie-dish and put in half the macaroni. scald or tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes, when the skin will come off easily. boil eggs hard and slice. have ozs. cheese grated, and sprinkle half of it over the macaroni, then put half of the eggs and half the tomatoes. season with salt, pepper, and a little grated onion (i keep an old grater for the purpose). take or medium-sized flap mushrooms, if to be had, clean and trim, removing the stalks. add a layer of them, and repeat as before, but put the mushrooms before the tomatoes. cover the top thickly with bread-crumbs. make a stock with the trimmings of mushrooms and tomatoes. put dessertspoonful butter in saucepan, stir in _half_ teaspoon flour, same of made mustard, and perhaps a little ketchup. add the stock--there should be about a teacupful--stir till it boils, and pour equally over the pie. dot over with bits of butter, and bake one hour in fairly brisk oven. in case this pie may be voted rather elaborate by some, i may say that it is excellent with several of the items left out. the eggs, mushrooms, cheese--any one of these, or all three may be dispensed with, and what may be lost in richness and flavour will be compensated in delicacy and digestibility. any of this pie that is left over may be made into cutlets, so that one can have a second dish with little extra trouble. note.--when fresh tomatoes are not to be had tinned ones will do. tomato and rice pie. wash well a teacupful good rice--patna is best for this dish as it does not become so pulpy as the carolina--and put on with cold water to cover and a little salt. allow to cook slowly till it has absorbed all the water. add a little more if too dry, but do not stir. peel lb. tomatoes, cut in / inch slices and put a layer in buttered pie-dish. put in the rice--or as much of it as wanted--sprinkle with curry and seasoning to taste. put rest of tomatoes on top, more seasoning, and layer of bread-crumbs. put plenty of butter on top and bake / hour. _note_.--tinned tomatoes may be used when fresh ones are not at hand. any of the dishes with tomatoes, rice, &c., may have grated cheese or hard-boiled eggs added at discretion, and in this way the several dishes may be varied and adapted to suit different tastes and requirements. casserole of rice. wash well ozs. whole rice and drain. melt in saucepan ozs. butter or - / ozs. nut butter. put in rice with as much white stock or water as will cover it, a little salt, pinch mace if liked, and allow to simmer very slowly or steam in double boiler till quite soft. stir well, and if too stiff add a little more water, but it must not be 'sloppy.' beat well till quite smooth and set aside to cool. butter plain mould and line with rice nearly an inch thick. fill in with any savoury materials, such as tomatoes, mushrooms, onions, celery, fried slices of carrot, lentils, &c. an hour before dinner cover with buttered paper and steam. turn out on hot dish, cut a round off the top, and either serve as it is with garnish and sauce, or brush over with beaten egg, sprinkle with fine crumbs, and brown in brisk oven. vegetable goose. put teacupfuls crumbs in basin and pour boiling water or milk over. let soak for a little, then press out as much moisture as possible. add dessertspoonful grated onion, teaspoonful chopped parsley, pinch herbs or mace, salt, white pepper, / teaspoonful "extract," and some mushroom ketchup. mix all well, and add a beaten egg to bind. if too stiff add a little milk, stock, or gravy. put in flat well-buttered baking-tin, and bake for about an hour, basting occasionally with butter or vegetable fat. serve with fried tomatoes or any suitable sauce. celery souffle. this is exceedingly good if nicely made and served. clean / lb. white crisp celery and cut small. simmer in enamel pan or steam with as little milk as possible till tender, then boil rapidly to reduce the liquid. rub through a sieve and set aside to cool. beat oz. fresh butter to a cream and add yolks of eggs, one at a time, beating well in, also barely oz. grated cheese and seasoning to taste. mix well. beat whites of eggs quite stiff and mix in very lightly. butter souffle tin and tie band of buttered paper round, to come inches above the rim. fill in mixture--not more than three-fourths full, and steam very gently in barely an inch of water for hour. turn out on _very_ hot dish and serve immediately, or slip off paper band and pin hot napkin round. if allowed to stand any time it will be quite flat before serving. a rather daintier if more troublesome way is to fill small souffle cases three-fourths full with the above mixture. sprinkle a little grated parmesan cheese and celery, salt on the top, and bake in hot oven minutes. arrange tastefully on hot napkin. note.--very dainty souffle cases are now to be had in white fluted fire-proof china. these can come straight to table without any trouble of swathing with napkins, paper collars, and the like. celery cream is another delicacy well suited to a special occasion. prepare and cook celery as for souffle, drain and rub through sieve. have enamelled or earthenware saucepan on the table, rub the bottom with a little butter, and break in large eggs or small ones. season with white pepper, celery salt, lemon juice, mace, &c., and beat slightly. take / gill cream and same of milk, drained from the celery, and add to eggs, &c. place over a slow fire, or better still, a gas stove turned low, and stir till the mixture thickens, but it must not boil, then add the celery and mix. have one large timbale mould or to small ones well buttered, fill in with the cream, cover with buttered paper, and steam very gently till set-- minutes if large mould-- minutes if small ones. if a large one turn out and fill in centre with tomatoes, mushrooms, &c. if small ones arrange round ashet with baked tomatoes, spinach, green peas, &c., in the centre of the dish. * * * * * * a perfect nut fat! pure :: white :: tasteless prepared from finest nuts only nuttene unsurpassed for all kinds of pastry and confectionery. nuttene was exclusively used at the vegetarian schools, melrose and penmaenmawr, and vegetarian restaurants, dublin and edinburgh exhibitions. send for complete new price list, with recipes, to the manufacturers: chapman's health food stores, eberle street, liverpool. * * * * * a few of "pitman" delicious health foods in place of meat, and free from its dangers. brazose meat.--made from brazils. quite different to all other nut meats. makes splendid sandwiches, sausage rolls, savoury roasts, and irish stews. per tin-- / -lb., d.; -lb., / ; - / -lb., / ; sample, d. vigar brawn.--the superb cold dish. tomato or clear. per mould, /- tokio baked beans, with tomato and nut sauce. hot or cold, makes a splendid dinner dish. per jar, /-; sample jar, d. baked beans, with tomato sauce. per tin, d.; sample tin, d. curried beans, with savoury sauce. per tin, d.; sample tin, d. vegetable soups.--in varieties. per tin, - / d. each tin makes a pint. per doz., / nutmarto potted paste.--far superior to meat and fish pastes. per tin, - / d.; per glass jar; - / d. vigar gravy essence.--delicious flavour. add but a few drops to water. per bottle, d., /-, and / ; sample, d. one penny packet health wafers with two ripe bananas, insure a perfect meal. all those interested in health foods and perfect health should read "pitman" health, from food library, no. to . one penny each, post free - / d.; or the for . full catalogue of health foods, with "diet guide," post free one stamp. a wise selection of health foods will give you perfect health and digestion, and so enable the system to perform the maximum amount of work--both mental and physical--with the minimum amount of fatigue. ask your stores for them: or assorted sample orders of /- value, carriage paid, from the sole manufacturers: "pitman" health food stores, aston brook st., birmingham. _(the largest health food dealers in the world.)_ * * * * * asparagus cream is prepared in the same way, putting tender cooked asparagus in place of the celery. celery or asparagus quenelle is made much in the same way. to every teacupful celery or asparagus pulp allow cupfuls fine white bread crumbs. beat up two or three eggs, add, and mix well. steam in large or small moulds, or divide into spoonfuls, shape round, and poach in boiling water, stock, or milk. serve with cooked tomatoes or sauce, or they may be put in tureen with clear or white soup. many toothsome variants of the foregoing recipes will suggest themselves as one goes along, so that it is needless to detail each at length. thus, fritters, moulds, quenelles, &c., may be varied at pleasure by substituting cauliflower, the white of spring onions or leeks, &c., for the celery or other ingredients mentioned. by the way, we do not appreciate the food value of leeks as much as we ought. a dozen or so of the thickest leeks stewed or steamed in milk or stock, and served with the liquor made into a white sauce, is a dish as delicious as it is wholesome and blood-purifying. needless to say, everything should be the best of its kind and absolutely fresh. to ensure this we should make a point of using as far as possible those which are in season at the time, as however well preserved they may be, vegetables, especially the finer sorts, lose in flavour and wholesomeness every hour between the garden and pot. substantial savouries. we come now to the more substantial savouries which form the staple part of the ordinary family dinner. these, along with soup and pudding, will furnish an excellent three-course meal, and where time--or appetite--is limited, as in the rush to and from school or business, two sources will be found ample. german lentil stew. among the various pulse foods, of which there are fifty or sixty different kinds, though only some half-dozen are at all well-known, german lentils are one of the most valuable. in this country they are but little used, but they only need be known to be heartily appreciated. as far as my experience goes, every one who has once sampled them is loud in their praises. even in those households where meat is used they might come as a change and variety, and help to solve the problem of that typical, much-to-be-pitied housekeeper who so pathetically wished there might be "a new animal" discovered! well, "to return to our"--ahem--lentils. these german or prussian lentils are quite different from the ordinary yellow kind. they are green or olive coloured, much larger, and of a flat tabloid shape. they are exceedingly savoury, and--if that is any recommendation--so "meaty" in flavour that it is almost impossible to convince people that they are quite innocent in that respect. they are usually sold at about double the price of yellow lentils, and even then are very cheap; but this is a fancy price, charged because of their being a novelty, and i may say that i get the very finest quality, perfectly clean and free from grit, at the extremely low price of d. per lb. to make a stew, which is the basis of a number of other dishes, take / lb. german lentils and scald for a minute or two in boiling water to make sure that they are thoroughly clean. drain, and put in good-sized saucepan with plenty of fresh boiling water, and allow to simmer _very gently_ for an hour. in another stewpan melt oz. butter, and into that shred very finely two or three onions. cover, and cook to minutes to bring out the flavour. they may brown or not as preferred, but there must not be the least suspicion of burning. turn the lentils into this pan, add some chopped celery if at hand--it is very good without, but to my taste most dishes are improved by celery--and allow to simmer an hour longer. see that there is plenty of water--there should be a rich brown gravy. add seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, jamaica pepper, parsley, &c. a few tomatoes may be added, or carrots, turnips, &c. a few ozs. macaroni, par-boiled in salted boiling water and added an hour or less before, will make one of the many pleasing varieties of this dish. serve like a mince, garnished with sippets of toast or fried bread, or toasted triscuits. savoury pot-pie. line a pudding basin with suet paste [footnote: see pastry.], and fill in with lentils cooked as above, and tomatoes, or any vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, cauliflower, beetroot, &c., to keep the mixture from being too heavy, for whatever may be thought to the contrary, there is a much larger proportion of solid nutriment to the bulk in pulse foods than in the "too, too solid flesh" which we esteem so highly. and, at the risk of wearying readers with reiteration, i must say again that herein lies the danger. quite a number of people have told me that they would like such foods, but _they_ could not take enough to keep up their strength, and were reproachfully incredulous when, ignoring the gentle insinuation as to _other_ people's capacity, i told them the great difficulty was to take little enough! but we must finish the pot-pie. put a thin round of paste on the top. wet the edges and press together, tie down with greased paper, and steam to hours. turn out and send to table with suitable hot garnish. the same paste may be made into little balls or flat cakes and put to cook with lentil stew, but great care must be taken to see that there is plenty gravy, and that they cook very gently, for if they "catch" ever so slightly they are spoiled. all danger of this can be avoided by steaming in a basin or jar instead of cooking in open pan. savoury brick. take about teacupfuls cooked german lentils--not too moist. put in a basin and add a cupful fine bread crumbs, and a cupful cold boiled rice or about half as much mashed potatoes. add any extra seasoning--a little ketchup, worcester sauce, marmite or carnos extract, &c.--also a spoonful of melted butter. mix well with a fork and bind with one or two beaten eggs, reserving a little for brushing. shape into a brick or oval, and press together as firmly as possible. brush over with beaten egg, put in buttered tin, and bake for half-an-hour. or it may be put in saucepan with oz. butter or nut butter that has been made very hot. cover and braize for minutes. turn and cook for another minutes. add a little flour and seasoning to the butter, and then a cupful boiling water, stock, or diluted "extract," and allow to simmer a little longer. serve with garnish of beetroot or tomatoes. this can also be made into a delicious cold savoury. bake or braize as above. remove to the ashet on which it is to be served. allow to get quite cold, then glaze. [footnote: see glaze.] sausages are made of the same ingredients as savoury brick. pound well in a basin, so as to have all the materials nicely blended, or put in a saucepan over gentle heat, and mash well with a wooden spoon. see that the seasoning is right. some chopped tomatoes and mushrooms are an improvement, also some grated onion, ketchup, and "extract." these should be put in saucepan with a little butter until lightly cooked, then the lentils, &c., should be added, the whole well mixed and turned out to cool. when quite cold, flour the hands and form into small sausages. brush over with beaten egg and fry, or put on greased baking tin and bake till a crisp brown. they may need a little basting, or to be turned over to brown equally. the filling for sausage rolls is compounded exactly as above, but should be rather moister, and have more butter added to prevent their being too dry. have quantity required of rough puff pastry. [footnote: see pastry.] roll out and divide into or -inch squares. put a little sausage meat in centre, wet the edges and fold over. press the edges lightly together with pastry cutter, if you have one, brush all over with beaten egg except the edges. place on oven plate and put at once in hot oven. bake to minutes. they may be served either hot or cold, but are best hot. they can easily be re-heated in oven at any time. fifeshire bridies may have the same filling put in plain short crust, or raised pie-crust, rolled very thin and cut in oval or diamond shapes. fold over, and turn up the under edge all round. brush over with egg and bake--if raised pie crust--in rather a slower oven. rissoles. roll out rough puff or short crust very thin, stamp out into rounds, put a little of the mince on one, wet edges and put another on top, press very firmly together, brush over with egg and fry in deep, smoking-hot fat. german pie. take an ordinary pie-dish, such as used for steak pie. have one or two large spanish onions half-cooked, remove the centres, and put in pie-dish. this will serve both to keep up the paste and to hold gravy. fill up the dish with partially stewed german lentils, and either sliced tomatoes or pieces of carrot and turnip first fried in a little butter. there should also be plenty of chopped onions put in the bottom of the dish, which should be buttered. fill nearly up with well-seasoned stock, "extract," gravy, or water, cover with rough puff paste, and bake for an hour or longer, according to size. there should be a hole in top of pastry, covered with an ornament, which could be lifted off, and some more gravy put in with a funnel. serve very hot. if to be used cold, a little soaked tapioca should be cooked with it, or some vegetable gelatine might be dissolved in the gravy. by way of variety, a few force-meat balls may be put in; also mushrooms when in season. haricot pie is made much the same as above, substituting butter beans or giant haricots for the german lentils. they should be soaked all night and nearly cooked before using. put in a layer of beans, sprinkle in a little tapioca, then put a layer of sliced tomatoes and repeat. fried beetroot may be used instead of tomatoes, and crushed vermicelli or bread crumbs instead of tapioca. haricot raised pie, which is very good to eat cold for pic-nic luncheon, &c., is made as follows:--soak / lb. large beans all night, when the skins should come off easily, and put to stew or steam with butter, shred onions, and a very little stock or water till soft, but not broken down. set aside to cool. prepare a raised pie case [footnote: see pastry.], put in half the beans, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and a layer of hard-boiled eggs. repeat. put on lid, which should have hole in centre, and bake in a good, steady oven for an hour. meanwhile, have some strips of vegetable gelatine soaking, pour off the water, and bring to boil in a cupful well-seasoned stock, "extract," gravy, &c. stir till gelatine is dissolved, and when the pie is removed from the oven, pour this in. when cold this should be a firm jelly, and the pie will cut in slices. if tomato or aspic jelly is prepared, some of that would save trouble. melt and pour in. there are many other toothsome ways of serving haricot and butter beans. in every case they should first be well washed, soaked, and three-parts cooked with stock or water, butter, onions, and seasoning. savoury haricot pie. this is made without paste. put a layer of beans in buttered pie-dish, then pieces of carrot and turnip--previously par-boiled--to fill up the dish. pour in a little gravy. cover with a good white sauce, well seasoned with made mustard, chopped parsley, &c., and coat thickly with bread crumbs. dot over with bits of butter, and bake or minutes. many variations will suggest themselves--cauliflower, parsnips, vegetable marrow, sliced tomatoes, beetroot, &c., instead of the other vegetables. or the same ingredients as in the first haricot pie might be used, with the crumbs instead of pastry. haricot ragout. half pound soaked beans boiled till tender in one pint water, with butter and sliced onions. drain, but keep the liquor. slice some carrots and turnips thin, fry lightly, and then simmer in the liquor for half-an-hour. put a little butter in stewpan, slice and cook two onions in that, with the lid on, stir in a tablespoonful flour, and add the haricots, vegetables, and the liquor. simmer gently till all are quite cooked, and serve. some tomatoes or a little extract may be added, and it can be varied in many other ways. golden marbles. take nearly a teacupful of haricots pulped through a sieve, and add to this ozs. bread crumbs. same of mashed potatoes; a shallot finely minced, or a spoonful of grated onion. beat up an egg and add, reserving a little. mix thoroughly, and form into marbles. coat with the egg, toss in fine crumbs, and fry in smoking-hot fat till golden brown in colour. haricot kromeskies can be made with the same mixture as for marbles. some chopped tomatoes, beetroot, or mushrooms may be added. if the mixture is too moist add a few more crumbs; if too dry add a little ketchup, milk, tomato juice, &c. form into sausage-shaped pieces or small flat cakes. dip into frying batter, and drop into smoking-hot fat. when a golden brown lift out, and drain on absorbent paper. serve them, as also the golden marbles, on sippets of toast or fried bread with tomato or parsley sauce. haricot croquettes or cutlets are of course made with any of these mixtures. shape into cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry in the usual way. there are an immense number more dishes which can be made with pulse foods, for which i have not space here. there are also a number of new varieties of pulses being put upon the market, which can be used with advantage to vary the bill of fare and enlarge its scope. giant split peas are especially good, and might be used in any of the foregoing recipes in place of haricots. one advantage is that they do not require soaking. if scalded with boiling water, drained, and put to cook in fresh boiling water, they will be quite soft in little over an hour. the best quality of butter beans also need no soaking. after scalding for a few minutes the skins come off quite easily. there is also a new variety called butter peas, or "midget" butter beans, which i can heartily recommend. in appearance they resemble the small haricots, but are much finer and boil down very quickly. they make a very rich white soup, and may, of course, be used for any of the savouries for which recipes are given. scald with boiling water (or they may merely be rubbed in a clean coarse cloth), plunge into more boiling water--the quantity proportioned to the purpose for which intended, soups, stews, &c.--and simmer till just tender, but not broken down. though they can be made up in a host of ways they are perhaps nicest as a simple stew. when just cooked--and great care must be taken not to _over_cook, for much of the substance, as well as the delicacy of flavour, is lost if we do--have a saucepan with some shred onions, sweated till tender, but not in the least coloured, in a little butter. stir in a spoonful of flour, and when smooth a gill of milk, or the stock from the butter peas. stir till it thickens and add the peas themselves, and any extra seasoning required. see that all is quite hot, and serve garnished with sippets of toast. brown lentils also furnish us with unlimited possibilities for new dishes. they are as yet rather difficult to procure, but need only to be known to become very popular. they somewhat resemble german lentils, but are much browner and smaller. being so small, extra trouble must be taken to see that they are clean and free from grit. they can be used in place of german lentils for any of the soups or savouries for which recipes are given. they cook very quickly, and care must be taken with them also not to waste any of their goodness up the chimney. toad-in-a-hole. make the sausages the same as in previous recipe, only using brown lentils instead of german lentils. put in a buttered pie-dish and pour over the following batter. beat up one or two eggs. add tablespoonfuls flour, and by degrees two gills milk, also seasoning of grated onion, chopped parsley, white pepper, "extract," &c. while fresh green peas or beans are to be had, one need not be confined to the dried pulses. cook the peas, broad beans, or french beans, as directed in "vegetables." serve with poached or buttered eggs, fried or baked tomatoes, &c. one might go on _ad infinitum_ to suggest further combinations and variations of the different pulse foods, but these must be left to suggest themselves, for i must now pass on to another class of foods. nut foods. we are only beginning very slowly to recognise the valuable properties of nuts and their possibilities in the cuisine. indeed, there is a rather deep-rooted prejudice against them as food, people having been so long accustomed to regard them as an unconsidered trifle to accompany the wine after a big dinner, and as in this connection they usually call up visions of dyspepsia, many people regard the idea of their bulking at all largely in a meal with undisguised horror. i remember a lady saying to me that she was quite sure a meal composed to any extent of nuts would _kill_ her, for if she took even one walnut after dinner it gave her such pain. that rather reminds one of the story of a half-witted fellow who used to go about the country doing odd jobs, and asking in return a meal and a shake-down of straw or hay. he always expressed astonishment at folks being able to sleep on feather beds, his aversion being founded on the fact that he had one night lain down on the hard ground with a single feather under him. "an' if i had sic a sarkfu' o' sair banes wi _ae_ feather," he argued, "what like maun it be wi' a hale bed?" well, i can assure readers that whatever may be the troubles of a solitary nut in an oasis of good things, it is very different when nuts are taken alone or in a suitable and simple combination. most of our digestive troubles are due to an excess of proteid matter, which clogs up the system, and either lodges in the body in the shape of some morbid secretion, or tries to force its way out in an abnormal way, as by the skin. now, nuts are very rich in proteid, or flesh-forming matter, and it stands to reason, that if we superimpose them on an already full, or overfull, meal, the result is surfeit, and however wholesome or digestible this excess matter may be in itself, it may, and usually does, work harm in more or less obvious ways. but curiously enough, this does not always work out with mathematical directness. most things in the physical, as in the metaphysical, world work out as ruskin says "not mathematically, but chemically." though this may seem a far-fetched simile in connection with our dinner, it is a true one. to get back to our nuts. if after a meal of several courses, rich in quality and variety, highly-spiced and flavoured, and perhaps interspersed with little piquant relishes, serving to whet the appetite for the next course, one takes only a very few nuts, or an apple, or a banana, the probability is that "these last" will give the most direct trouble. the gastric juices may be already exhausted, and the nuts, therefore, lie a hard undigested mass on the stomach; or the apple digesting very quickly, and being ready to leave the stomach some hours before its other contents, but having to bide their time, ferments and gives off objectionable gases. thus, the innocent fruit gets the blame, and the fish, game, or meat go free. another way in which fruits may prove indigestible, through no fault of their own, is because of the unsuitable combination in which they are eaten. most nuts, with the exception of chestnuts, which are largely composed of starch, consist almost entirely of fat, which, unless it meets with an alkali to dissolve it, is digested with great difficulty. the uric acid in flesh tends to harden this fat, and so retards digestion. the medical faculty now recognise the nutritive properties of nuts, as also their wholesomeness and freedom from all toxic elements, and at all sanatoria for the treatment of rheumatic and gouty affections a nut and fruit diet is the established regime. we need not, however, go to an expensive sanatorium to enjoy this food, but may cure, or better, prevent these diseases in our own homes. they are, i believe, best in their natural state, along with fresh fruits, salads, and the like, but there are also many dainty dishes, in the composition of which they may be used with advantage. mock chicken cutlets only require to be known to be appreciated. grate / lb. shelled walnuts--this is best and easiest done by running through a nut-mill, but these are not expensive, as they may be had from s. d.--or brazil nuts, and add to them two teacupfuls bread crumbs, mix in / oz. butter, spoonful onion juice, and a little mace, white pepper, salt or celery salt. melt / oz. butter in saucepan. mix in a teaspoonful flour, and add by degrees a gill of milk. when it thickens add the other ingredients. mix well over the fire. remove and stir in a beaten egg and teaspoonful lemon juice. mix all thoroughly and turn out to cool. form into cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry. serve with bread sauce or tomato sauce. brazil omelet. take ozs. shelled brazil nuts and rub off the brown skin. if they are put in slow oven for minutes, both shell and skin will come off easily. flake in a nut-mill or pound quite smooth. add the yolk of hard boiled egg, a teaspoonful ground almonds, or almond meal, and make into a paste. then add some grated onion, a tablespoonful baked or mashed potato, the same of bread crumbs, and seasoning to taste. mix well, and add the yolks of two eggs beaten up, and after mixing thoroughly, stir in lightly the two whites beaten quite stiff, butter a shallow tin or soup-plate, and pour in the mixture. cover and bake gently, till set--about an hour. when cool, cut into neat shapes, egg, crumb, and fry. the same mixture will also make a delicious brazil souffle. add another white of egg stiffly beaten, and steam gently for minutes. brazilian quenelles. add another two tablespoonfuls bread crumbs, and leave out the potato; use three eggs, but beat yolks and whites together. butter one large or a number of small moulds, fill with the mixture, and steam gently for to minutes, according to size; turn out, and serve, if large, with slices of tomatoes baked or fried, arranged round. if small ones, have tomatoes piled up in centre and quenelles placed round. a number of other savouries, in which nuts form a part, can be made by substituting grated walnuts, brazil nuts, almonds, almond meal, barcelonas, &c., for peas, beans, lentils, &c., in the previous recipes. as they are highly nutritive and concentrated, they must be used sparingly, however, along with plenty of bread crumbs, rice, and the like. there is no need to detail these, but i will give one to show what i mean. walnut pie. run ozs. shelled walnuts through the nut-mill--this will give about a teacupful. have some whole rice boiled as for curry, and put a layer of that in buttered pudding dish. put half of the grated nuts evenly on the top, then a layer of tomatoes seasoned with grated onion, parsley, salt, pepper, pinch mace, ketchup, &c. repeat. cover thickly with bread crumbs, pour some melted butter over and bake till a nice brown. if rather dry, pour some tomato sauce, diluted extract, gravy, &c., over. serve with tomato or other sauce. the same ingredients may be put in a buttered mould and steamed, or the whole may be mixed together, a beaten egg added, then made into one large or a number of small rolls, place in baking tin, put some butter on the top and bake, basting and turning now and then. prepared nut meats. of late years since the food value of nuts has been recognised, the attention of specialists has been turned in their direction with very practical results. quite a number of excellent "nut meats" are now upon the market, and each year adds to their variety, so that one's storeroom can be supplied in a way that was impossible only a few years ago. for a cold luncheon dish mapleton's fibrose, almond nut meat, and savoury nut meat are very good. the latter is put up in air-tight glass dishes. tomatoes or any vegetable may be served with it. then meatose, nut-meatose, vejola, nutvego, &c., are all excellent. the "f.r." meatose is specially fine. these "meats" are all ready for use, and may be made up in any of the ordinary recipes for stews, pies, sausage rolls, &c. one dish which most people would like is curried nut meat. melt oz. butter in stewpan, and into that put a tablespoonful finely shred or grated onion, a few slices of tart apple or a little rhubarb, and, if possible, some tomatoes--fresh ones peeled and sliced are best, but the tinned ones will do very well. stir in a dessert-spoonful flour and curry powder to taste, and pour on boiling water, stock, or gravy as required. slice the nut meat and lay it in. cover, and cook gently for about half an hour. serve with plain boiled rice. i have not space to give further recipes, but would just add a word of caution--use very sparingly. they are highly concentrated and nutritious foods, and a large quantity is not only unnecessary, but harmful. in addition to above, there are the products of the international health association, "the pioneer manufacturers of health foods," who have within the past year removed their works into the country (stanborough park, watford, herts). then messrs winter, birmingham, "pitman," birmingham, and messrs chapman, liverpool, have a number of excellent nut meats, fuller reference and recipes for which will be found in the chapter on "health food specialties" at end of book. cheese savouries. many excellent cheese dishes, such as macaroni cheese, &c., are to be found in the category of every household, so it will be needless to detail those which are most generally known. cheese is highly nutritious, and not indigestible for those in ordinary health, if taken in moderation and combined with other lighter and bulkier foods. cheese with rice, bread crumbs, macaroni, tomatoes, &c., is exceedingly good. it should be used very sparingly, or not at all, in dishes which contain pulse, nuts, or eggs. it should always be grated so that it can be mixed thoroughly with the other ingredients. rice and cheese. half teacupful rice, ozs. grated cheese, one egg. wash rice and put on with cold water to barely cover, and pinch salt. when that is absorbed, add milk enough to swell and cook the rice thoroughly without making it sloppy. remove from the fire and stir in the cheese, seasoning of salt, pepper, or made mustard, pinch cayenne, and the egg beaten up. turn into buttered baking dish and bake gently till set and of a pale brown--cheese dishes must never be done in too hasty an oven, as they acquire an unpleasant flavour if in the least burnt. turn out on hot ashet, and serve garnished with slices of hard-boiled egg or fried tomatoes. cheese and semolina. four ozs. cheese, breakfast cup milk, oz. semolina, eggs. bring milk to boil and stir in semolina. cook till it thickens; remove from fire and stir in the cheese, pinch cayenne, and yolks of eggs beaten up, beat up whites stiffly, and mix in lightly. turn into buttered pudding-dish and bake gently till ready--about half-an-hour. this mixture, and the previous one, may also be steamed for about minutes. serve with fried tomatoes or tomato sauce. i may say here that tomatoes go very well with cheese in almost any form. a nice variety of rice and cheese can be contrived as follows:--put half of the cooked rice in pudding dish, put breakfastcupful tomatoes in saucepan with a little butter, the cheese and seasoning, and just stir over the fire till quite mixed. put half over the rice, then the rest of the rice, and the other half of the tomato mixture. coat thickly with crumbs, put some butter on top, and bake. cheese souffle. two tablespoonfuls grated cheese, eggs, - / gills milk. beat yolks of eggs and mix in cheese, milk, pepper, salt, pinch cayenne, and, lastly, the whites beaten quite stiff. make souffle tin very hot, pour in mixture, and bake in quick oven till set-- to minutes. serve very hot. scotch woodcock. this is a favourite savoury in many non-vegetarian households. there are numerous different recipes, which will doubtless be well known, but the following is quite new and original. prepare some slices of buttered toast or fried bread, take about lb. fresh tomatoes or a large cupful tinned ones drained from the liquor, put in saucepan with a little butter and grated onion, and stew gently till the tomatoes are pulped. if at all stringy, put through a sieve. add ozs. grated cheese, seasoning to taste, and stir over gentle heat till quite thick. spread a layer of this mixture on each slice of toast and pile on the top of each other. reserve a little of the mixture and to it add some tomato juice or milk, mushroom ketchup, or diluted extract. make very hot and pour right over, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs--or these might have the whites chopped up and the yolks grated over the top. serve very hot. a very tasteful effect is made by having the slices of toast, which may be round, oblong, &c., graduating pyramid-wise from a large one at the bottom to a small one at the top. cheese straws ( ). rub ozs. butter into ozs. flour. add ozs. grated cheese, a little mustard and cayenne, and make into a stiff paste, with the yolks of eggs or one whole egg beaten up. roll out thin, cut into straws, lift on to baking sheet carefully with a knife, placing them a little apart, and bake a pale brown--about minutes in moderate oven. another way is to break off small bits of the paste and roll into thin pipes on a floured board. savoury cheese biscuits are made by cutting above paste, rolled very thin, into oblong or diamond shapes, with pastry cutter. bake in same way. serve either hot or cold. spread with a little marmite and savoury tomato mixture, or sandwich this between two biscuits. cheese straws ( ). two ozs. cheese, same of batter, flour and fine white crumbs. add seasoning, and make into paste with one egg, roll out, stamp out a few rings, make the rest into straws, bake and put a bundle of straws into each ring. parmesan puff pie. prepare some cheese pastry, as for "straws no. ," and with it line a round shallow tin or tart ring. common short or puff pastry will do, but the cheese pastry is nicer. fill in with rice or crusts to keep in place. bake rather briskly, and remove from the tin. fill in with the following mixture:--in a saucepan melt oz. butter, and into that stir oz. flour and oz. flaked or ground rice. add gradually a teacupful milk, and when it thickens, ozs. grated cheese and seasoning, cayenne, and made mustard. pour into pastry case. sprinkle a few browned crumbs or shredded wheat biscuit crumbs on the top. dot over with bits of butter, and bake in moderate oven for about minutes. put a little more grated cheese on the top and serve very hot. small cheese tartlets can be made by dividing same ingredients into a number of small cases or patty tins. ten minutes should be long enough to bake. another very good filling for these or the previous puff pie is the mixture given in recipe for scotch woodcock, while a novel and delicious welsh rarebit could be made with either of these mixtures, with perhaps a rather more liberal supply of cheese and made mustard spread between slices of hot buttered toast. mock crab is made with somewhat similar filling, but is best with fresh tomatoes. remove skin and seeds from / lb. firm, ripe tomatoes, and cut small; grate ozs. rich, well-flavoured cheddar cheese. add to tomatoes in basin with teaspoonful made mustard, yolks of hard-boiled eggs, large spoonful mushroom ketchup, a little extract, and a very little curry powder or paste. pound all together with back of a wooden spoon till quite smooth. serve in scallop shells, garnished with the white of egg. these cheese tartlets, mock crab, patties, &c., can be most acceptably varied by using shredded wheat biscuits in place of pastry cases or scallop shells. use any of the cheese mixtures given for scotch woodcock, mock crab, &c. with a sharp-pointed knife split the biscuit open and place in buttered tin, with a bit of butter on the top of each, in hot oven till crisp and brown. remove to hot dish, fill in each biscuit with the mixture made very hot, and pile up more on the top. dresden patties. stamp out or rounds of bread, dip quickly in milk, gravy, or diluted extract, and drain--on no account allow to soak. brush over with egg, toss in fine crumbs and fry. drain and keep very hot. prepare a cheese and tomato mixture same as for "scotch woodcock," and while in saucepan add or hard-boiled eggs--the white chopped in small dice or tiny strips. mix lightly over the fire and pile up on centre of each round. serve on hot napkin, garnished with fried parsley. these patties may also be made with shredded wheat biscuits. * * * * * 'hygienic treatment' readers say it "beats beecham's pills!" and is "worth its weight in gold!!" london publisher says "it ought to be half-a-crown!!!" for all who are tired of drugs and want no more vaccination, this is the best book in print. d only from your bookseller, and d. post free from a. s. hunter, zetland house, bridge of allan * * * * * miscellaneous savouries. scotch haggis. "fair fa' yer honest, sonsy face, great chieftain o' the puddin' race." it is to be hoped the shade of burns will forbear to haunt those who have the temerity to appropriate the sacred name of haggis for anything innocent of the time-honoured liver and lights which were the _sine qua non_ of the great chieftain. but in burns' time people were not haunted by the horrors of trichinae, measly affections, &c., &c. (one must not be too brutally plain spoken, even in what they are avoiding), as we are now, so perhaps this practical age may risk the shade rather than the substance. for a medium-sized haggis, then, toast a breakfastcupful oatmeal in front of the fire, or in the oven till brown and crisp, but not burnt. have the same quantity of cooked brown or german lentils, and a half-teacupful onions, chopped up and browned in a little butter. mix all together and add ozs. chopped vegetable suet, and seasoning necessary of ketchup, black and jamaica popper. it should be fairly moist; if too dry add a little stock, gravy, or extract. turn into greased basin and steam at least hours. an almost too realistic imitation of "liver" is contrived by substituting chopped mushrooms for the lentils. it may also be varied by using crushed shredded wheat biscuit crumbs in place of the oatmeal. any "remains" will be found very toothsome, if sliced when cold, and toasted or fried. rolled oats savoury. put a teacupful scotch rolled oats in a basin, and pour over cupfuls milk in which some onion has been boiled. allow to soak for an hour, remove onion, add pinch salt, &c., and a beaten egg. steam in small greased basin for an hour. may be served with a puree of tomatoes. irish stew. pare and slice lbs. potatoes, and about / lb. each carrots, turnips, and onions. fry all, except the potatoes, a nice brown in a little butter or fat. put in layers in saucepan with ozs. fat, salt, pepper, and good stock to barely cover. simmer very gently for about hours. it may also be baked in pie-dish. this may be varied in many ways, as by adding layers of forcemeat, pressed lentils, &c. then there are the various nut meats--meatose, vejola, savoury nut meat, &c.--which can be used to great advantage in such a stew. scotch stew. this is a most substantial and excellent dish. wash well / lb. _pot_ barley--the unpearled if it can be procured--simmer gently in pint white stock for an hour, then add some carrots, scraped--and if large, sliced lengthwise-- or small turnips cut in halves or quarters, or part of a large one in slices, a spanish onion sliced, or a few shallots, some green peas, french beans, or other vegetables that may be in season; some cauliflower in sprigs is a welcome addition. it or green peas should not be added till / hour before serving. simmer till all the vegetables are just cooked, adding more stock if necessary. serve with a border of boiled pasties, potato balls, or chips. poor man's pie. pare and slice to lbs. potatoes. slice lb. onions; put half the potatoes in pie-dish, then the onions, and sprinkle over tablespoonfuls tapioca and a little powdered herbs or parsley. add the rest of the potatoes, dust with pepper and salt, pour in water or stock to within / inch from top. put oz. butter or nut butter on the top, and bake in moderate oven about hours. vegetable roast duck. take a good-sized vegetable marrow, pare thinly and remove a small wedge-shaped piece from the side. scoop out the seeds and water, fill in with good forcemeat, replace the wedge, brush all over with beaten egg. coat with crumbs, put some butter over, and bake till a nice brown, basting frequently. serve with fried tomatoes. an ordinary forcemeat of crumbs, onion, parsley, egg, &c., will do, or any of the sausage mixtures given previously. esau's pottage. the following i have had given me as the original recipe for "esau's pottage," but i think it must be more elaborate than that set before the hungry hunter. one pint lentils and quarts water boiled - / hours, then add / lb. onions, lbs. tomatoes, a little thyme and parsley. cook all together / hour longer and add oz. butter and oz. grated cheese just before serving. dahl. wash well / lb. rice and allow to swell and soften in just as much water or stock as it will absorb. cook / lb. red lentils with stock or water, some grated onion, pinch herbs, little curry powder, and any other seasoning to taste. make a border of the rice, pile the lentils high in the centre, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. the lentils are best steamed, as they can thus be thoroughly cooked without becoming mushy or burnt. mushroom and tomato pie. for a fair-sized pie get / lb. medium-sized flap mushrooms, the meadow ones are best, and lb. good firm tomatoes, remove the stalks from the mushrooms and wipe with a piece of clean flannel dipped in oatmeal or salt. unless very dirty, it is best not to wash them, as that somewhat spoils the flavour. pare and put a layer in pie-dish, along with slices of tomato, pared and free from seeds. put a little bit of butter on each, dust with salt and pepper, and repeat till the dish is heaped up. cover with a good, rough puff paste, and bake till the paste is ready, about an hour. no water should be put in, but the trimmings of the mushrooms and tomatoes should be stewed in a little water, and this gravy may be added with a funnel after the pie is ready. mushroom and tomato patties. for these we require some richer puff paste. prepare and trim a small quantity of tomatoes and mushrooms. cut rather small and cook gently, with a little butter and seasoning, for or minutes. allow most of the moisture to evaporate in cooking, as this is much better than mixing in flour to absorb it. when the pastry cases are baked, fill in with the mixture. good either hot or cold. if baked in patty pans, the mixture should be cold before using. line in the tins with puff paste, half fill, brush edges with egg or water, lay on another round of paste, press edges together and bake. vol-au-vent. a delicious vol-au-vent is made with exactly the same filling as above. mushroom pie. put on stewpan with a piece of "nutter" or other good vegetable fat. cut up one large spanish onion very small, add to fat and brown nicely. cover with water and stew along with the contents of a tin or bottle of white french mushrooms (including the liquid), also pepper and salt to taste. stew till the mushrooms are tender, then take out and chop. dish along with other contents of saucepan, and when cool add a cup of brown bread crumbs, and one beaten egg. cover with puff paste or short crust and bake. serve with brown sauce. shepherd's pie. mushrooms same as for mushroom pie, but covered with nicely mashed potatoes, adding pepper and salt to the latter. beat well and cover, stroke with a fork, and brown in the oven. breakfast dishes--porridge. "the halesome parritch, chief o' scotia's food." in these days of tea and white bread it is to be feared that the "halesome parritch" is now very far removed from the honoured place of chief, and it must be more than a coincidence which connects the physical degeneracy of the scottish working people with the supplanting of the porridge-pot by the tea-pot. even in rural districts there is a great change in the daily fare, and there too anaemia, dyspepsia, and a host of other ills, quite unknown to older generations, are only too common. certainly many people have given up porridge because they found it did not suit them--too heavy, heating, &c.--but we must remember that all compounds of oatmeal and water are not porridge, and the fault may lie in its preparation. it is a pity that any one, especially children and growing youths, should be deprived of such valuable nutriment as that supplied by oatmeal, and before giving it up, it should be tried steamed and super-cooked. it is only by steaming that one can have the oatmeal thoroughly cooked and dextrinised, while of a good firm "chewable" consistency, and not only are sloppy foods indigestible, but they give a feeling of satiety in eating, followed later by that of emptiness and craving for food. the custom, too, of taking tea and other foods after porridge is generally harmful. now for the method by which many, who have long foresworn porridge, have become able again to relish it, and benefit by it. make porridge in usual way, that is, have fast boiling water, and into that sprinkle the oatmeal smoothly, putting about _twice_ as much oatmeal in proportion to the water as is usual. boil up for a few minutes, add salt to taste, and turn into a pudding bowl or steamer. cover closely and put in large pot with about one inch water or in a steam cooker and steam for five to twelve hours. eat with stewed prunes, figs, &c., or with butter or nut butter--almond cream butter is both delicious and wholesome. a mixture of wheatmeal and oatmeal, or wheatmeal itself, may be found to suit some better than oatmeal alone. i heard recently of a hopeless dyspeptic who recovered health on a diet composed almost entirely of porridge made of three-parts whole wheatmeal to one of oatmeal. i may add that one must be careful to take a much smaller quantity of this firm, super-cooked porridge, as it contains so much more nutriment in proportion to its bulk. porridge made with scotch rolled oats also will be found easier of digestion by some than ordinary oatmeal porridge. this also is best steamed and super-cooked. * * * * * health foods. granose. the ideal "staff of life." a kernel of wheat is acknowledged to constitute a perfect food, and granose consists of the entire kernels of choice wheat, prepared by unique processes, so as to afford the most digestible food ever prepared. granose is equally beneficial from infancy to old age, in good or ill health. it is a royal dainty, and should take a prominent place on every table. granose flakes, - / d. per packet. granose biscuits, - / d. " protose. the standard nut meat. palatable to the taste, resembling chicken in fibre and flavour, but perfectly free from the tissue poisons that abound in animal flesh. "chemically it presents the composition of animal tissue, beef or mutton."--_lancet_. protose is prepared from the best grains and nuts, and is perfectly cooked. it tastes good, promotes health and vigour, and imparts great staying power. price:-- / lb. tin, d.; lb., /-; - / lb., / bromose. the rapid flesh-former. a combination of predigested nuts and cereals. no better food for consumptives, the "the too-thin," and all who desire the best physical condition. tablets in box, / _full list of our health foods sent post free on application._ for one shilling we will send you samples of of our health foods, and cookery book. the international health association, ltd., stanborough park, watford, herts. * * * * * the name plasmon distinguishes our preparations of milk-albumen from all other foods. one pound of plasmon contains the entire nourishment of pints of fresh milk. most foods are deficient in proteid, which is required to support life. plasmon should be added to all foods because it supplies this element. foods mixed with plasmon are therefore more nourishing than any others. of all grocers, chemists, and stores. * * * * * for health, strength, and energy [illustration] doctors counsel the regular use of shredded wheat "biscuit" and triscuit [illustration] because they are all-nourishing, natural foods. made in the wonderful laboratory of the natural food co., niagara falls, n.y., u.s.a. shredded wheat products give greater surface for the action of the digestive fluids than that given by any other food. this ensures perfect digestion and freedom from constipation. shredded wheat biscuit (with milk) for breakfast and supper, or basis for sweets. "triscuit" (with butter, preserves, cheese, &c.) for any meal. the best basis for savouries and sandwiches. _send d. stamp for sample and illustrated cook-book._ shredded wheat co. (c. e. ingersoll), , st george's house, eastcheap, e.c. * * * * * breakfast savouries. most of the rissoles, toasts, &c., given in the earlier part of the book are suited for breakfast dishes, but we may add a few more. savoury omelets. separate the whites from the yolks of eggs, or one for each person; beat up the yolks, and add some grated onion, pepper and salt. beat the whites till very stiff and mix or rather fold in very lightly. make a small piece of butter very hot in small frying pan, pour in one-third of the mixture, shake over gentle heat till set, easing it round the edges with a knife, fold over and put on very hot napkin. repeat till all are done and serve very hot. a little hot lemon juice may be squeezed over, or a spoonful of mushroom ketchup will give a nice relish. cheese omelet is made by mixing in grated cheese--a dessert spoonful for each egg. the onion may be omitted if preferred without. a pinch cayenne and a little made mustard go well with cheese. savoury pancakes. take much the same ingredients as above, but beat yolks and whites together, and add one tablespoonful milk, and a level dessert spoonful flour for each egg. mix all together some time before using. make a bit of butter hot in very small frying pan, pour in enough batter to just cover, and cook very gently till set, and brown on the under side. turn and brown on the other side, or hold in front of hot fire or under the gas grill. roll up and serve very hot. ketchup and water, or diluted extract, may be used instead of the milk, and some finely minced parsley or pinch herbs is an improvement. these omelets and pancakes may be varied by adding tomatoes, mushrooms, &c. cook very lightly and either stir into the mixture before frying, or spread on the top after it is cooked, and fold or roll up. a mixture of tomatoes and mushrooms is especially good. mushroom cutlets. remove stalks and skins from / lb. flap mushrooms. clean, chop up, and stew gently in a little butter. melt oz. butter in another saucepan, stir in oz. flour, and add by degrees a teacupful milk, tomato juice, or extract. when smooth add the mushrooms and seasonings. stir till smooth and thick, and turn out on flat dish to cool. shape into cutlets, egg, crumb, and fry. asparagus, celery, artichokes, and many other vegetables may be used in the composition of omelets, fritters, cutlets, &c. if for an omelet, only a very small quantity must be used. one tablespoonful of any of the finer cooked vegetables is enough in proportion to two eggs. when a more substantial dish is wanted, it should take the shape of cutlets or fritters. bread fritters. put ozs. fine bread crumbs in a basin and pour over teacupfuls boiling milk. allow to stand for some time, then add seasoning to taste--grated onion, parsley, ketchup, extract, &c.--and beaten eggs, reserving a little of the white for brushing. mix and pour into buttered baking tin. cover and bake in good oven till set--about hour. when cold, cut into nice shapes, brush over with egg, toss in fine crumbs and fry. this may also be served simply baked. in that case, put some bits of butter on top, and bake a nice brown without cover. eggs are, of course, invaluable in many ways besides the more familiar boiled, poached, and scrambled. buttered eggs. break number of eggs required in a bowl, melt a nut of butter to each egg in saucepan, pour in the eggs, seasoning, &c., and stir one way over gentle heat till set. about minutes should do. serve on toast or bread cutlets. tomato eggs. have a quantity of tomato pulp made hot in frying pan, and slip in as many eggs as required, gently, so as not to scatter. allow to poach for about minutes or till the whites are just set. serve on toast or shredded wheat biscuits. another way is to cook the tomatoes, and put, with the eggs, on a flat dish, in the oven till set. serve on same dish, garnished with sippets of toast or toasted triscuits. egg cutlets (mrs g. d.) there are many different recipes for these, but the following is an especially good one, for which i am indebted to an edinburgh friend. chop very small two firmly boiled eggs, and tablespoonfuls bread crumbs and the same of grated cheese with a pinch of curry powder, pepper, and grated nutmeg. mix with the yolk of a raw egg. shape into cutlets, brush over with the white of the egg beaten up a little, toss in fine crumbs, and fry a nice brown. garnish with fried parsley. inverness eggs. boil hard the number of eggs required, remove the shells, and rub each with a little flour. take a quantity of any of the varieties of sausage meat, for which recipes are given, or a forcemeat, or quenelle mixture will do, add some finely minced parsley, any other seasoning required, and a beaten egg to bind. mix thoroughly, flour the hands and coat each egg with the mixture, rather less than / inch thick, and evenly, so that the shape is retained, flour lightly and fry a nice brown. cut in halves, and serve, round ends up, with tomato sauce. toasts of various kinds come in nicely for breakfast. they can be of ordinary toast, fried bread, or shredded wheat biscuits. the latter are particularly dainty, and may be prepared thus:--put in buttered baking tin, with plenty of butter on top of each, and place in brisk oven till crisp and brown--about minutes. pile high with following mixture:--in an enamel frying pan put a teaspoonful butter, and two tablespoonfuls diluted extract or ketchup and water for each egg. when nearly boiling, break in the eggs and stir gently round over a very moderate heat till just set. season to taste. a little of the sauce made hot might be first poured over the toast or biscuits. bread cutlets. have a number of neat pieces of bread about / inch thick. dip in milk, gravy, tomato juice, &c., and drain. do not soak. brush over with egg or dip in batter, and fry. serve as they are or with some savoury mince, tomatoes, &c. stuffed tomatoes. have number of tomatoes required, equal in size but not too large. with a sharp knife take off a small slice from the stalk end. scoop out a little of the centre part, mix this with some forcemeat, or sausage mixture, beaten egg, &c., and fill in the cavity. put some butter on the top and bake. a few chopped mushrooms with crumbs, egg, &c., make a delicious filling. cheese fritters. mix tablespoonfuls flour with / teacupful milk, ozs. grated cheese, teaspoonful made mustard, and the whites of eggs stiffly beaten. mix well, and drop by small spoonfuls into hot fat. fry a nice brown and serve very hot. one might go on indefinitely to detail breakfast dishes, but that is quite unnecessary. it is a good thing, however, to have some simple, easily-prepared food as a regular stand-by from day to day, just as porridge is in some households, and bacon and eggs in others. variety is very good so far, but we are in danger of making a fetish of changes and variations. most of you know the story of the scotch rustic who was quizzed by an english tourist, who surprised him at his mid-day meal of brose. the tourist asked him what he had for breakfast and supper respectively, and on getting each time the laconic answer "brose," he burst out in amaze: "and do you never tire of brose!" whereupon the still more astonished rustic rejoined "wha wad tire o' their meat!" "meat" to this happy youth was summed up in brose, and to go without was to go unfed. well, i am afraid the most spartan _hausfrau_ among us will scarcely attain to such an ideal of simplicity, but we might do well to have one staple dish, either in plane of, or along with porridge. for this purpose i know of nothing better than shredded wheat biscuits. these have been referred to several times already in various savoury recipes, and, indeed, the ways in which they may be used are practically unlimited. for a standard breakfast dish, especially in these days of "domestic" difficulty, they are exceedingly useful. for some years now we have bought them through our grocer by the case of boxes--which, of course, brings them in much cheaper than buying these boxes singly--and use them week in, week out, for the family breakfast. most people are familiar with the appearance of these, but any who have not yet sampled them should lose no time in doing so. fortunately, they can now be had of all good grocers. when some of us began to use them first we had no end of bother sending away for them to special depots. to prepare:--have a flat tin or ashet large enough to hold the biscuits side by side. spread the tin liberally with butter, lay in the biscuits, put more butter on the top of each, and toast till nicely crisp and brown in good oven, or under the gas grill. if the latter, turn to toast the under side. be very careful not to burn. if toasted on an ashet serve on same dish. one can now have fire-proof ware which is not unsightly. there is a very artistic white fire-proof ware which is specially suitable for using in this way, so that besides the saving of trouble, one can have the food hot and crisp from the oven--a rather difficult, or at least uncertain consummation if there is much shifting from one dish to another. these "shredders," as we familiarly dub them, are most toothsome served quite simply as above, but they may be acceptably varied with sundry relishes. a very good way is to have a little gravy prepared by diluting half a teaspoonful "marmite" or a teaspoonful "carnos" in a half teacup _boiling_ water. pour a very little over each biscuit, and serve on very hot plates. prepared thus they may serve as toast for scrambled eggs or any savoury mixture. for tomato "shredders" fry the necessary quantity of tomatoes, free from skin and seeds, in a little butter, with seasoning of grated onion, pepper, and salt. a little "marmite" or "carnos" is a great improvement. <b<mushrooms may be used in the same way, and a mixture of mushrooms and tomatoes fried or baked and mixed together is especially good. green onions are also very good. take / lb. green onions, trim away any tough or withered parts, and cut up the green in / inch lengths. put these in a saucepan with boiling water to barely cover, a little salt, pinch sugar, and a little mint, sage, or parsley. cook gently for half an hour, then add the white cut in rings, and stew till quite tender. stir in / oz. butter, a little ketchup or extract, and serve on prepared s.w. biscuits. craigie toast will commend itself to those who wish for a quickly made dish. allow one egg and a small tomato to each person. beat up the eggs and add the tomatoes minced, also seasoning--a few capers or a little gherkin finely chopped is very good--and a little milk, ketchup and water, or diluted extract--half a teacupful to eggs. melt a good piece of butter in saucepan, pour in the other ingredients, and mix over the fire till thoroughly hot. cover, and allow to cook by the side of the fire for a few minutes, then serve piled up on crisp toasted s.w. biscuits. all the recipes i have given for using these biscuits are designed to have them dry and crisp. i think they are much nicer in that way, but those who like them soft or as a mush can have them so with even less trouble. put a little milk, tomato juice, extract, sauce, &c., &c., in a soup plate. dip in each biscuit lightly and drain, place on buttered tin or dish to warm through. for a bachelor's mush which might suitably take the place of porridge where the preparation of that is inconvenient, toast one or two shredded wheat biscuits on a deep plate. pour boiling milk over and serve with sugar or stewed fruit. with stewed fruit, also, one might use triscuits toasted or plain. these are flat filamented biscuits which can be used to advantage in many ways. they can be used in place of toast, and are very suitable to eat with porridge or any food which may be rather mushy alone. one might go on for pages with suggestions for using these handy biscuits, but one has only to begin using them to find out innumerable ways of one's own. these are not always what _i_ would suggest. one "unreformed" friend of mine who had begun to use them on my recommendation, told me she put them to fry every morning, after dipping in egg or batter, among the fat of the breakfast bacon! grain granules. this also is a very handy and sustaining breakfast dish, and needs little or no cooking. to make a hot mush put a few spoonfuls in a plate or saucer, and pour hot milk over. it may be eaten at once or allowed to remain in the oven for a few minutes. if to be eaten with cream or stewed fruit, crisp for a few minutes in the oven. nutgraino is another excellent breakfast dish, composed of the whole wheat berry blended with nuts, and is most nourishing and digestible. it may be used as grain granules. wheatose is a food which is recommended by eminent authorities on the food question. it is not so quickly prepared as the foregoing foods, but with a little forethought costs very little trouble. one teacupful should be soaked with rather less than twice that quantity of water for hours, then it should be steamed in queen pudding bowl, "gourmet" boiler, &c., for or hours. it might thus be put on to soak in the morning, then put on to steam in the evening, or it might be put in covered jar in the oven all night. it can easily be warmed up in the morning, and when cold it will be quite firm, and may be cut in slices and fried. as a mush it should be eaten with dry toast or triscuits and stewed fruit. cold savouries. "reform" mould. (mrs w., dundee.) take lb. yellow lentils, wash well, and boil with as little water as possible and any suitable seasoning, such as chopped onion, pinch herbs, salt, pepper, and a little butter; also about tablespoonfuls of tapioca which has been soaked all night or longer. cook very gently till the tapioca is quite clear, and turn into wetted or oiled mould. turn out when quite firm and serve with any suitable garnish-cooked beetroot, &c. note.--this can be best cooked in double boiler, as it is very ready to catch the pan. vegetable mould. cut finely about ozs. each of turnip and carrot, and ozs. shallots, and stew till just tender in stock or gravy to barely cover. steaming is better, as the vegetables should not be broken down. add some cooked cauliflower cut small, a cupful of cooked green peas or french beans, and or tomatoes sliced and cooked. mix in ozs. bread crumbs, and the same of cooked savoury rice, semolina, or tapioca, and cook a little longer. press into a dish--an oval cake tin does very well. when cool turn out, see that it is neat, and brush all over with glaze. garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg and tomato aspic. this jelly comes in useful in many ways. take tin tomatoes and rub through a sieve. make up with clear stock or water to pint-- breakfastcupfuls. have / -oz. agar-agar (vegetable gelatine) soaked for an hour in cold water, pour off the water, add to the tomato pulp, and put all in enamelled saucepan along with any additional flavouring required. salt and white pepper will do nicely, but a blade of mace, some mixed herbs, and a few jamaica peppercorns may be used. add also the whites and shells of two eggs, unless you have a number of egg shells, in which case the whites may be dispensed with. whisk steadily over the fire till it boils, then draw to the side and allow to simmer gently for minutes. pour twice through jelly-bag. the second time run half on to a flat ashet or some plates. colour the rest with a little carmine and put to set also. when used as a garnish, stamp out in pretty shapes, and arrange with the red and amber alternating. for glaze dissolve tablespoonfuls of the clear tomato aspic in saucepan. add / teaspoonful "marmite," or teaspoonful "carnos" extract, mix thoroughly, and boil up. allow to get nearly cool, but not beginning to set, and then brush over the mould with it. mock calf's foot jelly. prepare according to directions given for tomato jelly, and just before straining add amount required of a good extract. one oz. "marmite"--or teaspoonfuls--or - / ozs. "carnos" to a pint of tomato jelly, would be a good proportion. stir till dissolved. strain and mould in the usual way. it may of course be prepared without extract, by making a good strong stock. vegetables may be used or not at discretion. the liquor strained from haricots, brown beans, or german lentils, with vegetable gelatine, in the proportion of / -oz. to the pint, makes a delicious jelly. care must be taken to see that none of the pulp gets through. clarify and strain very carefully. legumes en aspic. get an equal quantity of red, white, and green vegetables--say young carrots, tomatoes, turnips, cauliflower, green peas, french beans, &c. have each cooked "to a turn" separately, and the carrots and turnips cut into neat shapes, cauliflower in tiny sprigs, &c. arrange the vegetables as neatly as possible in a mould, and fill up with tomato jelly. when set, turn out and garnish with slices of fresh tomato and lemon. it is not necessary to have a number of different vegetables for this dish. any one or two of them will do quite well. the mould might be decorated with slices of beetroot or hard-boiled eggs. tomato and egg savoury. boil hard eggs, cut in half, and remove yolks. divide good-sized, firm, ripe tomatoes in halves, and scoop out some of the pulp, leaving a nice case. put the half whites inside the tomato shells and fill with the following mixture:--in a saucepan melt ozs. butter, add tomato pulp, oz. fine crumbs, the yolks rubbed through a sieve, a teaspoonful extract, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. mix well and make quite hot. fill in the little cups, piling it up cone-wise, and serve on a bed of aspic. raised haricot pie. prepare a raised pie case (see pastry), put in a layer of cooked haricot or butter beans, a layer of sliced tomatoes, and one of hard-boiled eggs. put on the lid, which should have a hole in the centre. bake, and with a funnel fill in with dissolved savoury jelly. this is delicious to eat cold, and is very useful for pic-nics. the same ingredients may also be made into small pies or bridies. potted savouries. there is an unlimited variety of these to be had. any of the savoury mixtures given in previous recipes for stews, sausages, &c., will do, but if to be kept for any length of time, it must be well seasoned, the different ingredients thoroughly blended or pounded together, and the mixture pressed into small jars or glasses with clarified butter or pure vegetable fat poured over. a little lemon juice and grated lemon rind will give a piquant relish to most of these potted "meats." haricot paste. this is very good, and is a handy way of using up cold haricots, butter beans, &c. drain away any sauce, or add as much finely mashed potato or cold boiled rice as will absorb it. add seasoning to taste--mace, made mustard, ketchup, "extract," &c. mix thoroughly and pass through a sieve to remove skins, stringy portions, &c. some tomato is always an improvement, and if none has been cooked with the beans, put some in saucepan with a little butter and cook for minutes. add the haricots, &c., blend together over the fire, and pass through sieve while hot. lentil paste is made by using cooked lentils in place of the beans. tomato paste. peel and cut small / lb. tomatoes. put in saucepan with oz. butter, a teaspoonful grated onion, and seasoning to taste--made mustard, celery salt, lemon juice, ketchup, "extract," &c. each or all of these are good. stir over the fire till the tomato is nearly cooked, then add one egg, and stir round till all is smooth and thick. add tablespoonfuls bread crumbs or of cold cooked rice, macaroni, &c., previously put through a sieve or masher. remove to side of fire and stir in ozs. grated cheese. mix very thoroughly and pot. tomato paste ( ). for immediate use the following is specially good. it may be used as a savoury, and makes a delicious filling for sandwiches. take some firm, ripe tomatoes, free from skin and seeds, and cut up small. allow oz. grated cheese to every ozs. tomato--some may prefer more cheese in proportion, but that is a fair average. put in a strong basin with seasoning--made mustard or pepper, ketchup, a little "marmite" or "carnos," &c., and pound to a smooth paste with a wooden spoon. pass through a sieve, and it is ready for use. brawn for pic-nic. take a small teacupful lentils, haricots, or butter peas, and rub through a sieve. cook ozs. flaked rice or semolina in a teacupful boiling stock for about minutes, stirring all the while, and then / lb. or more of tomatoes sliced and cut small, dessertspoonful grated onion, some finely shred cooked carrot or beetroot, and seasoning. add the lentils to this and mix thoroughly. cook for a minute or so, remove from the fire, and mix in finely chopped hard-boiled eggs. press into a glass dish. it may be covered with glaze when turned out, or decorated with aspic jelly. tomatoes and mushrooms, gently baked or steamed together, with butter and seasoning, are also very good as a cold savoury for sandwiches; &c. if rather moist add a little cooked rice, mashed potato, or fine crumbs. pound together, pass through a sieve if wished very smooth, and pot as above. sandwiches. a good filling for sandwiches is to be found in any of the "potted meats" given in the foregoing section. amongst others are egg sandwiches. these are usually made with finely chopped hard-boiled eggs. the latter alone may be used, or a little relish of some sort may be added--ketchup, tomato pulp, or chutney. mix all to a smooth paste before using, and spread very evenly. egg sandwiches ( ). another very good way is to beat up the eggs a little, add seasoning, &c., put a bit of butter in saucepan, pour in the eggs, and cook gently till set. stir all the time. use when cold. water-cress, mustard-and-cress, and all salad vegetables are suitable for sandwiches. most people will prefer them simply with bread and butter, so that the individual flavour may be appreciated. if any, such as lettuce or endive, are considered rather insipid, a little relish may be added as above. a tasty and novel flavour is obtained by spreading a very little marmite extract on the bread and butter before adding the filling proper. tomato cheese sandwiches are among the best. the filling may be either the tomato paste given under potted savouries, or the mixture given for scotch woodcock or mock crab. vegetables. it may seem rather supererogatory to speak of "vegetables" distinctively, for the "unregenorate" will be inclined to declare that we have been discussing nothing else all the while. but for the benefit of such as are like the advertised domestic "willing to learn," i would say that vegetarians as a rule use fresh vegetables practically in the same way as meat eaters do, to supplement more substantial viands. no one--to my knowledge at least--ever dines off the proverbial cabbage or turnip--perhaps it would be better if they did now and then--but, that by the way. but there are vegetables _and_ vegetables. no one who has gone in for the most elementary food reform will tolerate the sodden, soap-like potatoes, or the flabby, insipid, brown papery-looking stuff, called by courtesy cabbage, which so often does duty as companion to beef, mutton, or pork. perhaps, though, the savoury cow or pig throws a halo over all the defects of its surroundings. be that as it may, there is need for improvement in many ways, and by this i do not mean more elaboration in dressing or serving, for this is not seldom used to disguise shortcomings which otherwise could not escape notice. but disguising defects does not remove them, and we should do well to safeguard ourselves by having our food cooked as simply and naturally as possible. the homeliest vegetables, too, if sound, ripe, and wholesome, are infinitely to be preferred to the rare expensive sorts forced out of season or gathered barely ripe and conveyed long distances to whet jaded palates. well, to begin with that vegetable we are supposed to live on, cabbage. this may either be a choice delicacy or an unmitigated abomination. it should be fresh, green, crisp and tender, and as newly pulled as possible. those who have gardens should leave it growing till half-an-hour before cooking. when it must be kept for some time, see that it is in a shady, cool place, and an hour or two before using; remove any tough or withered leaves, split up the stalk well into the heart, if to be used whole, and lay in a large basin of cold water. add a handful of salt and two tablespoonfuls vinegar to each gallon of water. although freshly pulled all leafy vegetables should be soaked in this way to remove any caterpillars, slugs, &c., for even eaters of pig and ox have a curious objection to animal food on a small scale. to cook, have ready a good-sized saucepan with fast-boiling water containing a little salt, and if the cabbage is at all old or tough, a bit of washing soda the size of a hazel nut, to each quart of water. drain very thoroughly from the water in which soaking, and plunge into the fast-boiling water. it is most important that the water should not go off the boil as then the juices would be drawn out and wasted. boil steadily with the lid off for to minutes according to age, then lift into drainer on top of the boiling water and cook till tender in the steam. serve on hot vegetable dish with some bits of butter on the top. it should be perfectly tender, yet crisp and of a vivid green. if at all brown, or dull, or flabby-looking, there is something wrong, either with the vegetable itself or the cooking. and i am not to give directions for "doctoring" anything that is either unwholesome or spoiled. a paragraph has been going the round of certain papers lately, giving directions for disguising the flavour of tainted meat, which "few cooks know how to treat so as to render perfectly nice"! it is to be wrapped in vinegar cloths, &c.--"boil up, and use it." i should say doctor it as you please, but then--throw it away! if anything, no matter what, goes bad--milk, soup, vegetables--throw it out without hesitation. it is a pity to waste things--and this ought to be prevented by good management--but surely it is much greater waste to use tainted food. better miss a meal, if need be, than make a refuse bin of our bodies. all this may seem a digression, but i am so thoroughly convinced that a large proportion of the "ills that flesh is heir to"--and we accept the inheritance with a resignation "worthy of a better cause"--is due to unsound or improperly prepared food, that i make no apology. many people have told me that they daren't touch certain vegetables, and when i have seen these as served by them have cordially agreed with them. the most common error, especially with green vegetables, like cabbage, savoys, brussels sprouts, greens, &c., which all require much the same treatment, is over-cooking. there seems to be a popular notion, somehow, regarding vegetables, that the more you cook them the better they are, and after all the substance and flavour has been boiled out of them, people wonder how anyone can relish such stuff! each vegetable should get just the bare amount of cooking necessary, and no more. if they have to wait for some time before serving, stand over boiling water as directed above. most vegetables may be cooked entirely by steaming. this conserves all their own juices which contain the various valuable natural salts, alkalies, &c., so necessary to health, and which we so vainly try to make up by the addition of crude minerals. carrots, turnips, potatoes, and all root vegetables and tubers, are best cooked by steaming. steamers with perforated bottoms to fit the various sizes of saucepan are now to be had from any ironmonger. a very good way to cook carrots, turnips, and parsnips, is to make up a good white sauce, put in queen pudding-bowl or some other such dish, lay in the carrots, parsnips, &c. cover and steam till cooked. if rather old, they may first be par-boiled. this should be done before the skin is removed. beetroot should always be steamed by preference, but quite as much care must be taken not to break any of the fibres, or it will "bleed" as in boiling. when tender, which will take from two to four hours, pare and cut in slices. it may either be dressed with vinegar, lemon juice, &c., to serve cold, or fried and served with white or tomato sauce as a hot vegetable. green peas may also be steamed in a jar or basin like stewed fruit. a very little water and a little lemon juice should be added. if to be boiled, have a small saucepan with fast boiling water to barely cover, a little sugar, salt, lemon juice, and sprig of mint. boil fast till tender. drain and serve with butter only. french beans may be cooked in same way. remove stalks and "strings" and cut across diamondwise. broad beans, kidney beans, &c., usually require to have the tough white sloughs removed. to facilitate this, pour boiling water over, when they may be slipped off quite easily. cook same as green peas. to re-heat peas, &c., put a little butter in saucepan, a finely minced shallot or spoonful grated onion, and some tomato free from skin and seeds. simmer till cooked, lay in the vegetables to be warmed up. make thoroughly hot and serve. cauliflower. trim and lay in cold salt water for some time, then boil or steam till just done. trim off all the green leaves--it is best not to do this before cooking, as it is not so ready to break--lay in vegetable dish, and pour white sauce over. cauliflower au gratin. prepare exactly as above. coat with the sauce, sprinkle all over with bread crumbs or grated cheese, or a mixture of both, put some butter in little bits over it, and bake a light-brown in moderate oven. artichokes. these may be cooked same as cauliflower, but require longer time. cut the stalk off quite bare, and trim the leaves with scissors where necessary. by way of variety the centre part may be removed and the cavity filled with forcemeat or sausage filling. serve with white sauce. jerusalem artichokes. wash well, pare neatly, and lay in cold water and vinegar to cover. have ready some boiling water with a little salt and some milk. boil gently till tender-- to minutes. drain, and serve with white sauce. fried artichokes. parboil lightly, dry, dip in beaten egg, then toss in bread crumbs or a mixture of crumbs and grated cheese. fry in smoking hot fat, and serve very hot on a napkin. fried celery. prepare exactly as above. the pieces should be about or inches long. pile up crosswise in serving. stewed celery. wash and trim the celery into short lengths and allow to soak in vinegar and water for an hour or so before cooking. drain, and parboil in water containing a little salt and lemon juice or vinegar for minutes. drain again, and stew for another or minutes in some good white stock. do not throw away the water in which celery, cauliflower, peas, &c., are boiled. it can be added to the stock-pot. meantime toast a slice of bread, dip it in this celery water, and lay on ashet cut in triangles. lay the celery on this when cooked, make the stock in saucepan into a good sauce with flour and butter, and pour over. seakale is rather scarce and expensive as a rule, but it is well to know how to cook it when occasion offers. it is a choice delicacy for an invalid or convalescent. soak in salted cold water for a time, trim neatly and cook till tender--about half-an-hour in fast boiling water containing a little salt and lemon juice. drain, and serve on toast with white sauce over. asparagus. wash well in cold water and scrape the stalks white. tie in small bundles and stand in fast boiling salted water till the stalks are tender--about twenty minutes. drain, and serve like celery. salsify, or vegetable oyster, is another vegetable which would find great favour were it not so scarce and dear. scrape the roots and throw into cold water. cut in -inch pieces and simmer gently for an hour or till tender in stock with a slice of lemon, or in milk and water. lift out the salsify and place on toast. thicken the liquor with butter and flour and pour over. all vegetables which are served with white sauce or melted butter can be acceptably served au gratin, and a dish of carrots, turnips, and the like served in this way is quite a delicacy. young tender vegetables are of course always to be preferred, but even when rather old are better this way than any other. cook till quite tender, but not in the least broken. lay in a pie dish, cover with sauce, coat thickly with crumbs or cheese and crumbs. dot over with butter, and bake a light brown. spinach. soak in cold water and rinse very well to remove all grit, &c. trim away stalks and tough fibre at the back of the leaf. shake the water well off, and put in dry saucepan with lid on, to cook for about minutes. drain, chop finely, and return to saucepan with some butter, salt and pepper, to get quite hot. dish neatly in a flat, round, or oval shape, with poached eggs on top, and croutons of toast or fried bread round. cauliflower--dutch way. (mr van tromp.) boil cauliflower in usual way, drain, and put in vegetable dish. coat with this sauce:--make a cream with spoonfuls potato flour, add a little sugar, and stir over fire till it thickens. salads. "cucumbers,--peel the cucumber, slice it, pepper it, put vinegar to it, then throw it out of the window."_--dr abernethy._ one does not need to be a vegetarian to appreciate salads, and many who find cooked vegetables difficult of digestion, will find that they can take them, with impunity, raw, but it is inadvisable to take raw and cooked fruit or vegetables at the same meal. raw cabbage, for example, digests in little over an hour, while cooked it takes to - / hours. needless to say, only young, tender, freshly pulled cabbage can be used in this way. shred finely, removing all stalks and stringy pieces, and cover with the usual salad dressing. this may now be had ready for use in the shape of florence cream, but if wanted to be made at home, take equal quantities of finest salad oil and either lemon juice or vinegar and mix together gradually by a few drops at a time. a little cream or yolk of egg beat up is an improvement, and ketchup, made mustard, &c., may be added to taste. the dressing may be prepared beforehand, but should be put on just before sending to table. cold slaw is a favourite american salad. shred the cabbage as above and sprinkle liberally with salt. allow to remain for at least hours, turning occasionally. drain and use with lemon juice or salad dressing. tomato salad. shred down a crisp, tender lettuce. put in salad bowl. scald and pare some firm, ripe tomatoes. slice and cut up--not too small. mix with lettuce. pour over a simple dressing. some slices of hard-boiled egg may be used as a garnish, or the white may be chopped up and the yolk grated over at the last. tomato aspic is also a tasteful addition. chop up and put lightly over. this salad or plain lettuce may be varied by adding almost any tender young vegetable, shred fine. scraped radish, young carrots, turnips, cauliflower, green peas, very finely shred shallot or white of spring onion, chives, cress, &c., are all good, and may be used according to taste and convenience. a good winter salad can be made with celery, endive, &c., and of course with cold cooked vegetables. these latter should be cooked separately, and mixed tastefully together with an eye to colour and appearance. raw and cooked vegetables should never be mixed in the same salad, or indeed eaten at the same meal. sauces. "hunger is the best sauce." "england" has been slightingly defined by a french gourmand as a country of fifty religions and only one sauce! if this be true of those who have all the resources of the animal kingdom at their disposal, what can be the plight of those from whom these are shut out. this "one sauce" was, i believe, melted butter, or as it is more generally now called white sauce, and it is not every one who can make even that plain sauce as it should be. the thin, watery mixture, or grey "stodgy" mass which is sometimes served with cauliflower or parsnips, even where the other viands are fairly well cooked and served, is certainly enough to condemn "vegetables." yet, how simple it is if done the right way. in a small saucepan--preferably earthenware or enamel, for it must be spotlessly clean and smooth--melt oz. butter, and into that stir oz. flour. when quite smooth add by degrees a teacupful milk. stir till it thickens, and allow to cook for a minute or two longer. it must be done over a very gentle heat--the side of the range, or gas stove turned low. if wanted more creamy, use more butter in proportion to the flour. salt and pepper to taste. to make parsley sauce, add a spoonful of finely chopped and scalded parsley to this just as it comes a boil; and for caper sauce, add some finely chopped capers or fresh nasturtium pods in same way. tarragon sauce. add to drops tarragon vinegar to prepared white sauce. stir well. dutch sauce. to a creamy white sauce made with ozs. butter to oz. flour, add one, two, or three yolks of eggs according to richness desired. beat up a little, add a very little cold milk to prevent curdling. stir into sauce when off the fire. allow to come just to boiling point again--this should be done in double saucepan or boiler--and add a little lemon juice. dutch sauce ( ). take the yolks of eggs, beat lightly, and add to them a teaspoonful cold water. whisk in a saucepan, add a tablespoonful lemon juice, same of cream, and a little pepper and salt. stir over slow heat till it thickens. egg sauce. prepare white sauce as above, and when ready add one or two hard-boiled eggs, very finely minced. the sauce may be made with white stock instead of milk. a pinch cayenne and other seasoning may be added. celery sauce. make a sauce with the water or stock in which a head of celery has been boiled. pulp part of the finest of celery through a sieve and add. horse radish sauce. to quantity required of white sauce, add one or two tablespoonfuls finely scraped horse radish, and the juice of a lemon or a little vinegar. mustard sauce. add teaspoonful or more made mustard to each / pint white sauce. onion sauce. boil / lb. or / lb. spanish onions in milk and water till tender. drain and make sauce with the liquor. rub the onion through sieve and add. brown sauce. with brown stock or gravy, make a sauce in same way as white sauce. if browned flour is used the colour will be better. add also a little carnos or marmite. hasty brown sauce can also be made by using water, in which a teaspoonful carnos or / teaspoonful marmite to the teacupful has been dissolved, instead of the brown stock. some mushroom ketchup is a good addition. sauce piquante. stew some shallots in butter till quite cooked. stir in a dessert spoonful flour and allow to brown. add juice of a lemon and seasoning of cayenne, clove, &c., or a spoonful worcester or other sauce, also teacupfuls diluted extract or ketchup and water. boil gently for to minutes, then strain. walnut gravy. this excellent sauce will be new to many, and some who, like the immortal "mrs todgers," are at their wit's end to provide the amount of gravy demanded, "which a whole animal, not to speak of a j'int, wouldn't do," may be glad to give it a trial. take ozs. grated walnuts. these should be run through a nut mill. make oz. butter hot in saucepan, add the walnuts and stir till very brown, but be careful not to burn. add a tomato peeled and chopped, or a little of the juice from tinned tomatoes, a teaspoonful grated onion, and a very little flour. mix well over the fire, and add slowly a breakfastcup brown stock or prepared extract. simmer gently for about minutes. it may be strained or not, as preferred. tomato sauce. peel and chop up / lb. tomatoes, or take a cupful tomato pulp. in a saucepan melt oz. butter and add a little grated onion and the tomatoes. simmer till cooked. stir in a little flour or cornflour, and when that is cooked rub through a sieve. a little ketchup or lemon juice may be added to taste. mayonnaise sauce. put the yolk of an egg in a basin and mix in a teaspoonful mustard and or tablespoonfuls salad oil, by a few drops at a time, beating all the while with a fork. add the juice of a lemon, a little tarragon vinegar and castor sugar, pinch cayenne, and if liked, the white of egg beat stiff, or a little cream at the last. mint sauce. melt tablespoonful castor sugar in a gill boiling water. when cold add same quantity vinegar, then or tablespoons freshly pulled mint, chopped small. curry sauce. add teaspoonfuls curry powder or paste and a little chutney to / pint brown sauce or piquant sauce. bread sauce. put a teacupful fine crumbs in a basin, add a tablespoonful grated onion, and pour over cupfuls white stock or milk and water. let stand for a little with plate over, then cook gently till quite smooth. add seasoning of white pepper, ketchup, mace, &c., and if wished very smooth add a yolk of egg or a little cream, and rub through a coarse sieve. sweet white sauce. to / pint melted butter add ozs. sugar and a little of any flavouring preferred. a yolk of egg beat up is an improvement. cocoanut sauce. to above sweet white sauce add when cooking, ozs. cocoanut cream. stir till dissolved. a little dessicated cocoanut will do, but the cream is much handier and nicer, as one has the rich cocoanut flavour without the tough fibre. almond sauce. / lb. fresh butter or ozs. almond butter, ozs. sifted sugar, oz. almond meal, or same of almonds blanched and chopped, tablespoons water, teaspoonfuls lemon juice. beat butter and sugar to a cream. (it should be quite light and frothy.) add water and lemon juice by a drop or two at a time while beating. it should look like clotted cream. sprinkle the almonds over. excellent with pudding or stewed fruit. lemon sauce. make a teaspoonful cornflour smooth in saucepan with a little cold water. add a gill of boiling water, juice of a lemon, and ozs. sugar. let boil a minute or two. if flavour of rind is liked, grate that in. add a little carmine to colour. apple sauce. pare, core and mince to apples. stew in jar with moist sugar and a few cloves or bit of lemon rind. remove the latter before sending to table. * * * * * carnos the vegetarian food and meat substitute, is the best article of its kind upon the market, being an appetising wholesome extract entirely soluble and free from fat. send d. in stamps for -oz. sample and full particulars to carnos co., great grimsby, lincs. _n.b.--no chemicals used in the manufacture._ * * * * * dainty cooking! royal pudding mould pure earthenware. prices-- -, / , /-, / saucepan brush cleans a saucepan in a few seconds. price d. pie cup price d. each. no cloth. no string. opened and closed instantly. water kept out; goodness kept in. gourmet boiler cooks porridge, meat, beef tea, jellies, fruit, &c. no stirring; no burning; no waste. prices-- d., -, / , / , / , /-, / , / , and upwards. egg beater for frothing eggs and foaming cream prices-- d., /-, / , /- queen's pudding boiler prices-- d., /-, / , /- / , /- pudding spoon handy to use; does its work well. price d. stands inside any saucepan egg separator instantly separates the white from the yolk. price d. each. complete list free on application to gourmet & co., mount pleasant, london, w.c. * * * * * the "artox" flavour have you heard of it? it is that delicious, sweet, nutty flavour which you long for but seldom find. it is only to be found in "artox" wholemeal, which is made from the very finest wheat obtainable, carefully selected and blended, and ground by millstones in the good old fashioned way. "artox" contains the whole of the wheat, so treated that the sharp, irritating particles of the bran, so prevalent in the ordinary meal, are rendered harmless and capable of digestion by the weakest stomach. "artox" by a patent process is ground to such a marvellous degree of fineness that it can be used for all the purposes for which white flour is used. therefore make all your bread, puddings, cakes, pies, and pastry with "artox." they will be much nicer, besides being more nourishing and satisfying, because "artox" is a perfect natural food. we have a dainty booklet--"grains of common sense"--we should like to send you, crammed with novel and delicious recipes. it will be sent free on application. "artox" is sold by all the leading grocers and health food stores in lb., lb., and lb. sealed linen bags, or lbs. will be sent direct on receipt of p.o. for / . send post card for name and address of nearest agent to appleyards, ld., rotherham. * * * * * bread. one of the chief difficulties experienced by those trying to compass a complete scheme of hygienic dietary, is to get a pure, wholesome, easily digested, and, at the same time, palatable bread. we have long since exploded the idea that _whiteness_ is a test of superiority, for we know that this is attained by excluding the most wholesome and nutritious part of the wheat and by the use of chemicals. even when we use brown bread, we are by no means sure of having a wholemeal loaf, for it is as often as not merely the ordinary flour with some bran mixed in. and bran is only one part--by no means the most important--of that in which the meal is lacking. we want to get as much as possible of the real "_germ_," the essential part of the grain, but i am informed by experts, that the process of drying and preparing this germ meal is so much more troublesome, and, in consequence, expensive, that the easier and cheaper method is that generally adopted. but, if we want a really good thing we must be willing to pay for it, and by creating a demand for the superior article make it worth while to manufacture it, and it were poor economy to save on the bread bill at the expense of health. it is well to know exactly what constitutes a really wholesome bread, for bakers and purveyors everywhere are ready to meet their customers' wishes. but if people are ignorant or unreasonable enough to demand a light-coloured, puffy loaf, when a pure whole-wheat loaf is rather dark and solid looking, they must be prepared to find that they are served with what pleases their taste, and to take the risks. some may like to try baking their bread at home, and it may interest them to know that it is possible to make very good wheaten bread without any raising ingredients whatever, simply with wheatmeal and water, aerating it by beating air into it. this is best managed by the home baker in the form of wheatmeal gems. there are sets of thick iron gem pans to be had, which are very good for this purpose, but one can manage quite well with oven-plates made of sheet-iron or black steel. into a large basin put cupfuls of the coldest water procurable. aerate by pouring from one vessel to another several times, or by whipping up with a spoon or spatula. take cupfuls whole meal, and pass several times through a sieve. sprinkle the meal into the water a little at a time, whipping vigorously all the while till about three-fourths are worked in, and continue whisking from to minutes till the mixture is full of air bubbles. sprinkle in the rest of the wheatmeal and mix thoroughly. meanwhile, see that the oven is very hot, as a strong steady heat is necessary. make the gem pans or oven-plates also very hot and grease lightly. half fill the pans and put at once in oven, so that the moist air may be as quickly as possible converted into steam, and thus puff up the bread. if oven-plates are used, put dessertspoonfuls some distance apart on these and put in oven. if the oven is hot enough, a crust will at once form, and the steam trying to force its way out will send them up like puff balls. moderate the heat, if possible after or minutes, and allow to bake for about minutes longer. it is very easy to regulate the heat if a gas stove is used; if a range, put on some small coal. when baked turn out on a sieve, and when quite cold split open and toast on the inside. another excellent kind of bread, which can be managed quite easily with a little trouble and practice, is raised with eggs. it is generally known as wallace egg bread, and as i have the recipe direct from mrs c. leigh hunt wallace, the inventor of this kind of bread, i am able to pass it on at first hand. ten ounces wheatmeal, large egg (weighing ozs.), gill milk and gill water, the whole to be made into a batter, the white of egg being beaten separately to a stiff froth and incorporated with the batter very thoroughly but very quickly; the whole to be baked in lb. cake or loaf tin, the tin being very hot and thoroughly oiled or buttered before the batter is turned into it. put for minutes in a very hot part of the oven ( degrees to degrees fahr.) and keep in another minutes to soak. i can vouch for the excellence of this bread, and may say that i have managed it with very little difficulty. i use a gas oven and loaf pans made of black steel, as these take and retain the heat much better than tins. if any amateur, however, is doubtful as to how this loaf should be, she cannot do better than send for a sample loaf or two to the wallace bakery, battersea park road, london, s.w. there is also a depot in edinburgh--messrs richards & co., dundas street, where these can be got. by comparing one's own achievements with these, one will be the better able to attain the desired result. in case any may think this egg bread sounds expensive, i may say that it is exceedingly economical to use; a small loaf going much farther than a large one of the ordinary puffed-up kind. pastry. "'meat for repentance'--pork pies for supper--or otherwise!" short crust. take / lb. flour, mix with it / teaspoonful baking powder and put two or three times through a sieve. rub in ozs. butter. if vegetable butter is used, ozs. will do, as it contains much less water. beat up an egg. add a teaspoonful lemon juice to the flour, &c., nearly the whole of the egg, and mix into a very dry paste with cold water. the mixing is best done with a knife. turn out on floured board and form into an oblong piece, still using a broad knife as much as possible. roll out evenly a good deal larger than the dish to be covered, and cut off a piece all round, leaving it the exact size and shape. wet the edges of the dish, put a band of paste on. wet that again, and lay on the cover. make the edges neat with a knife or pastry cutter. brush over with egg and bake in very hot oven for thirty to forty minutes. if used for covering a fruit tart, dust over with sifted sugar before serving. rough puff paste. take same quantities as for short crust. divide butter into pieces on floured board and flatten with the rolling-pin--a stoneware bottle, by the way, is much better than a wooden rolling-pin. put the butter with the flour and mix as before with egg, lemon juice and water. turn out on floured board, make into a neat, oblong shape, beat down with rolling-pin and roll out very evenly to about / -inch thickness. dust with flour and fold in three, turn half round so as to have open end in front of one, and roll out as before. repeat this until it has got turns, taking care to keep the edges as even as possible, and for the last time roll out a good deal larger than the dish. put a band of paste on the dish, wet this and lay on the cover. flute the edges neatly. brush over with egg. cut the trimmings of paste into leaves, &c., and decorate the pie, putting a rose in the centre. brush these also with egg. make one or two slits to let out the steam, and bake in hot oven. the oven should be made very hot _before_ the pastry is put in, and then the heat should be moderated. this can of course be managed best with a gas oven. this rough puff paste is very suitable for small sausage rolls. roll out for last time quite square. divide into nine equal squares, put a small quantity of sausage meat on centre, wet edges and press together. brush over with egg and bake. remember never to brush the edges with egg, as that would stick them together and prevent rising. rich puff paste suitable for patties, vol-au-vent, &c., is made as above, but with ozs. butter to ozs. flour. for patties leave the paste at last rolling out / inch thick. stamp out into rounds with lid or biscuit-cutter, about - / " or " diameter, and with a smaller cutter mark about half-way through the paste. brush with egg and put on oven-plate. see that the oven is specially hot, and yet regulated so that the pastry will not scorch before thoroughly risen, as the oven door must not be opened for fifteen to twenty minutes after putting in. they should rise to three or four times the thickness of the paste. allow to bake some time longer, remove from oven, and with a sharp-pointed knife remove the centre lid. fill in with the mushrooms, tomatoes, &c., replace top, and make very hot again before using. vol-au-vent is done exactly in same way, only all in one. cut out the whole of the paste round, oval or square, and with a sharp-pointed knife mark half-way through all round about an inch from the edge. bake as for patties, but the larger piece of pastry will require longer to bake through and through. remove lid carefully, put in filling and replace lid. raised pie crust. this paste is most wholesome and economical. for a good-sized pie take / lb. flour and ozs. butter or nut butter. put the flour in a basin. bring the butter to boiling point with a teacupful water. pour in among the flour, stirring all the time till thoroughly mixed, then knead well. when nearly cold take off about a third and make the rest into a ball, flatten and work up by hand till the case is about - / inches high, and slightly narrower at the top--melton-mowbray shape. slip on to greased oven-plate, and when quite firm, fill rather more than half-full with haricots, tomatoes, &c. roll out the bit of paste remaining, cut out lid, wet the edges of it and the pie-case and pinch together. brush all over with egg. ornament with the trimmings, brush again and bake in good steady oven for at least three-quarters of an hour. when ready, pour in some more gravy, or if to be used cold, some dissolved savoury jelly. should there be difficulty at first in raising this entirely by hand, it might be moulded round a jar or round tin. another way is to use a tart ring, but a very simple and handy way, which finds favour especially with children, is to make bridies. divide the paste into ten or twelve pieces. roll out a nice oval, put some savoury mixture on one half, wet edges with egg or water, press together and pinch into neat flutes, brush over with egg and bake. suet paste. allow ozs. vegetable suet to ozs. flour. chop the suet or run through nut-mill. add to flour along with salt and pepper, and if liked, a little grated onion and chopped parsley. make into a firm paste with water, which may have a little ketchup or "extract" diluted in it. this is, of course, for savoury pies, &c. if for sweet dishes--roly-poly, apple dumpling, &c.--omit all seasonings and add sugar and any flavouring preferred, such as clove, ginger, or cinnamon. cakes, scones, &c. only a few cakes, &c., are given here, as there are a number of excellent ones among the contributed recipes in last section, under heading of bazaar contributions, and, besides, there is nothing about them peculiar to food reformers. those who are studying wholesomeness and digestibility, however, will avoid as far as possible the use of chemicals for raising, and fats of doubtful purity such as hog's lard. the injurious character of carbonate of soda, tartaric acid, &c., if used at all to excess, is now fully recognised, and those whose health is not quite normal should avoid them entirely. when such cannot be dispensed with, use very sparingly and in the exact quantities and proportions of acid and alkali, which will neutralise each other by converting into a gas which passes off in baking, if the oven, &c., is all right. but the latter point is rather a big and very essential "if," and many cooks try to make up for deficiencies in mixing and firing, by putting in an extra allowance of baking powder. there is considerable diversity of opinion still as to the exact nature and place of these chemicals in the economy of the body, and where "doctors differ" the amateur cook or hygienist dare hardly dogmatise, but all are agreed that the slightest excess is hurtful. cakes, scones, pastry and the like, should depend rather for lightness upon cool, deft handling, and skilful management of the various details which contribute to successful baking. a fine essential is to have good, reliable flour. see that it is perfectly dry, and pass several times through a fine sieve to aerate and loosen it. try to bake in a cool, airy place, and be provided with all the necessary tools for accomplishing the work in expert and expeditious fashion, for the success of many things depends upon the celerity with which the process is performed. have the oven at just the right heat, at the right time. a cake which would otherwise be excellent may be heavy or tough by having to wait till the oven cools down or heats up to the proper temperature. with a gas oven, one can regulate at will, and a safe general rule is to have the oven thoroughly hot _before_ the cakes are put in, and then to moderate the heat very considerably. with a coal fire, if the oven is too hot, put on a quantity of small coal. artox gingerbread. one and a half pounds artox wholemeal, oz. golden syrup, oz. butter, oz. sugar, / oz. carbonate of soda, / oz. ginger, eggs, little milk. cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs, well beaten, and the syrup, stir until dissolved. add the artox wholemeal with the soda and ginger previously sifted in, and a little milk if necessary, to make a stiff batter. put into greased tins, and bake in a moderate oven. artox seed cake. beat ozs. of fresh butter to a cream, add ozs. sugar and beat into the butter. separate yokes and whites of eggs and beat each mass separately. then mix well with the butter and sugar, adding the yokes first and the whites last. add teaspoonful carraway seeds and ozs. artox wholemeal. mix thoroughly, put into butter papered tins and bake in a quick oven. artox shortbread. one and a quarter pounds artox wholemeal, ozs. butter, ozs. sugar, egg, / oz. baking powder. rub the artox wholemeal, sugar, and butter together, add the baking powder, and make into a stiff paste with the egg. mould it into cakes, crimp the edges, and bake in a moderate oven. french layer cake. / lb. butter or fine nut butter. four eggs, / lb. flour, ozs. fine sugar, / teaspoonful baking powder, / teaspoonful essence vanilla, ozs. grated chocolate, ozs. icing sugar. butter sandwich tins. dissolve oz. chocolate in pan, with tablespoonful milk, over the fire. beat butter and sugar to a cream. beat up eggs very light, laying aside one white for icing, and add. sift flour and baking powder, and mix in, then flavouring. put a third in one tin, another in pan with chocolate, and put a few drops carmine in that left in bowl. put these into the different tins and place at once in hot oven. they should be ready in minutes. put remaining chocolate with the icing sugar in pan with a tablespoonful water. boil a minute with constant stirring. turn out cakes on a towel. put half of chocolate mixture on one, put another on the top, then the rest of chocolate, and, last, the third cake. coat with the following icing. beat up white of egg till quite stiff. mix in ozs. icing sugar. put on very smoothly with a broad knife dipped in water. sprinkle over with grated cocoanut, or decorate with pink icing put through a forcing-bag. cocoanut icing might be used instead. dissolve about one fourth of a square of cocoanut cream with a little boiling water. when cool mix thoroughly with half of the above icing. gingerbread. / -lb. flour, oz. good cocoanut butter, oz. sugar, and same of syrup or treacle--if the latter use more sugar. two ozs. stoned raisins or sultanas, teaspoonful ground ginger, and same of mixed spice. half teaspoonful baking powder. one egg. mix all the dry things. rub in butter, then add syrup, fruit, and egg, and make into a thick batter with milk. bake in moderate oven half-an-hour or longer. very good, if made with half wheatmeal, or a proportion of oatmeal or rolled oats. jumbles. / -lb. flour, / lb. butter, ozs. sifted sugar, egg. pinch baking powder. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add egg, well beaten, then flour, &c. knead into a stiff paste, divide into or more pieces, and roll out pipe-wise with the hands, about a foot long. curl round, or form into letters, &c. lay on floured oven plate. brush with egg. sprinkle with sugar, and bake minutes in hot oven. orange rock cakes. / -lb. flour, ozs. sugar, teaspoonful baking powder, oz. butter or cocoanut cream butter,[footnote: [see next footnote]] egg, orange. mix flour and sugar, rub in butter. add yellow part of orange rind, grated, and juice, also the egg well beaten, to make stiff dough. place a little apart on oven plate, with two forks, in rough pieces about the size of a walnut. bake about minutes in quick oven. dinner rolls. / lb. flour, oz. butter or nut butter, egg, teaspoonful baking powder, gill milk, pinch salt. rub the butter into flour, &c. beat up egg, lay aside some for brushing, and mix in lightly with barely a gill of milk. turn on to floured board, and roll out. divide into a dozen or more pieces. roll round with the hands. shape into twists, knots, "figure eights," &c. put on floured oven plate. brush over with egg, and bake about seven minutes in very hot oven. afternoon tea scones. / lb. flour, teaspoonful baking powder, do. sugar, do. butter or "nutter." one egg. mix dry things. rub in butter, beat egg, and add with as much milk as make nice dough--about gill. roll out / in. thick. stamp out with small cutter or lid. brush over with egg. bake minutes. cocoanut cream scones are made by adding oz. cocoanut cream [footnote: note.--cocoanut or almond cream butter may be used instead of ordinary butter in most recipes for cakes or sweets, and will give variety of flavour.], dissolved in a little of the milk, to the above. let the "cream" be cool. artox scones. two pounds artox wholemeal, / lb. butter, oz. sugar, / oz. cream of tartar, pinch carbonate of soda, eggs, milk. put the salt, soda, and cream of tartar, into the wholemeal, rub in the butter, stir in the eggs (well beaten), and enough milk to make a stiff paste. divide the mixture into five, roll each piece out about the size of a cheese plate, divide twice across, place on a greased tin for minutes, bake in a _hot_ oven. artox tea biscuits. one and a quarter pounds artox wholemeal, oz. butter, half teaspoonful baking powder, milk, pinch of salt. put the wholemeal into a bowl, rub in the butter, add salt and baking powder, and enough milk to make a stiff paste. roll out, cut into rounds, and bake in a hot oven. german biscuits. / lb. flour, / lb. butter, / lb. sugar, egg, / teaspoonful ground cinnamon. rub in butter among flour and sugar. add cinnamon. make into a paste with the egg beaten up. knead till smooth. roll out thin and stamp into biscuits. bake about minutes on greased oven plate in moderate oven. stick two together with a little jam, and ice with ozs. icing sugar mixed with a little water. dust with pink sugar. puddings and sweets. as a number of favourite puddings and sweets also are given in the last section, it will not be necessary to give here more than a few supplementary ones, mostly introducing specialties which are not so well known as they deserve to be. besides, all sweet dishes are vegetarian already for the most part, so that there is but little to "reform" about them. of course, those who wish to have them absolutely pure will substitute vegetable suet or butter, and vegetable gelatine for beef suet and clarified (?) glue. almond custard. two eggs, / pint milk, ozs. mapleton's almond meal, - / ozs. sugar. beat eggs with sugar, add almond meal. almonds blanched and pounded will do, but the meal is ready for use and costs less. add the milk and a few drops of flavouring. bake in slow oven till set, or stir till it thickens in jug or double boiler. this is specially good with stewed fruit. it may be made into custard whip sauce by putting in saucepan and whisking over the fire till light and frothy. it must not boil. banana custard. five or six bananas. jam. custard. peel the bananas, which must be sound and ripe; split lengthways. spread each half with jam--apricot is very good; put halves together. lay in glass dish and pour almond custard, or cocoanut cream custard, over. cocoanut cream custard. this is made same as almond custard, but using cocoanut cream instead of the almond meal. this cocoanut cream, which is put up in tablets, is exceedingly useful for almost every variety of pudding, icing for cakes, &c. it has only to be chopped down or melted, and serves the double purpose of giving flavour and substance. canary pudding. four ozs. flour, ozs. butter or ozs. table nut butter, eggs, ozs. sugar, teaspoonful baking powder. melt butter in saucepan. add the sugar and eggs beaten up, the flour and baking powder; lastly, tablespoonfuls milk. mix thoroughly. butter well a plain mould, and put into it some jam or marmalade. pour in pudding, cover with buttered paper, and steam for hours. artox queen pudding. oz. artox bread crumbs, oz. sugar, / pint milk, rind of half a lemon, eggs, and a little raspberry jam. boil the milk, pour over crumbs, and add yolks of the eggs, sugar and lemon rind. bake in a greased pie-dish minutes in a moderate oven, then spread over about tablespoonfuls of hot raspberry jam. beat up the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and place over the jam, then put in oven for about three minutes to set. appel-moes (dutch recipe). peel, core, and slice quantity of apples required. stew or steam in covered jar with sugar and flavouring of cinnamon. pulp through a sieve with whipped cream or as a sauce for steamed pudding. lemon sponge. soak / oz. vegetable gelatine in a tumbler of water for an hour. strain and put in saucepan with a tumbler fresh water and ozs. loaf sugar. stir till gelatine is dissolved. add juice of lemons, and strain through sieve. when cool add the whites of two eggs, and switch till quite light and spongy throughout--about three quarters of an hour. put in mould, or when set pile up in rocky spoonfuls. lemon cream mould. large lemon, eggs, ozs. sugar, / pint ( teacupfuls) milk, / oz. vegetable gelatine. soak gelatine in cold water for at least an hour. drain and put to come slowly to boil in the milk. separate whites from yolks of eggs, and put the latter in large basin with the sugar and yellow part of lemon rind grated. beat thoroughly and strain boiling milk over, stirring all the time. return to saucepan, bring just to boil, and set aside to cool. beat up whites of eggs very stiff and mix in lightly, adding the strained juice of lemon. put in mould or glass dish, and set in cool place till quite firm. cobden pudding. four ozs. grain granules, ozs. sugar, oz. cocoanut cream, ozs. stoned raisins, eggs, gills milk. put grain granules, sugar, raisins, and cocoanut cream in large basin. bring milk to boil and pour over. cover and let stand till cool. beat up yolks and add, and lastly the whites beaten stiff. pour into buttered pudding-dish and bake in moderate oven for an hour. jams and jellies. we have not space to go into these at any length. the following are one or two of my "very own," as the children say, which are voted a great success. apple jam. take quantity required--say lbs.--tart crisp apples. wash well and dry. pare and core, putting the trimmings in water to cover. cut up the best of the apples into small pieces--not too thin--and set aside, also covered with cold water. put on the trimmings to boil with some lemon rind and either a few sticks of cinnamon or some cloves. simmer for an hour or longer, till all the goodness is drawn out, mashing freely with a wooden spoon. turn into jelly-bag and allow to drain without pressure. pour the water off the apples, measure that and the drained juice, and put into preserving pan. measure the apple chips also, and add when the liquid boils. allow ozs. loaf sugar to each breakfast cupful, and boil till the apples are clear, but not broken down--about minutes. skim and pot as usual. if ginger flavouring is preferred, shave down about ozs. preserved ginger, and add when the juice is put on to boil. marmalade jelly. take lbs. fruit-- bitter oranges, sweet ones and lemons. remove the rinds and grate them small, or put through a mincer. cut up the oranges, removing the seeds, which put in a tumbler of water. cover the oranges, &c., with tumblers cold water, and let stand for at least hours. put all in jelly-pan, including the water drained from the seeds, and let boil gently, for about hours, mashing frequently with a wooden spoon. let drain without pressure. measure the juice, and to each pint allow ozs. sugar, which add after the liquid boils. boil fast for a few minutes, try if it will set. skim and pot. but the pulp must not be thrown out, for it makes an excellent, if rather homely, marmalade, which comes in specially useful for steamed puddings, &c. weigh the pulp, and allow equal weight of sugar. boil gently, taking great care not to burn, till clear-- to minutes. green gooseberry and strawberry jam. this will be appreciated by those who find the ordinary strawberry jam rather sweet and heavy. take equal quantities of gooseberries and strawberries--say lbs. of each. trim the gooseberries, which must be firm and freshly pulled, and wash well. put on to boil with a teacupful water to each lb. of gooseberries, and boil for minutes. add the strawberries and the sugar lb. for lb., and boil for minutes longer, or till it will "jell," as meg would say. green gooseberry jam is made with the gooseberries alone, prepared as above. a little grated lemon rind, &c., might be used for flavouring. then if one is making green gooseberry jelly, top and tail the fruit very carefully, removing every tough or discoloured one. put on to boil, well covered with water. add flavouring or not as preferred, and simmer gently for an hour or so. drain without pressure. allow ozs. to pint of juice, and boil rapidly about minutes. allow lb. sugar to each lb. of the pulp. boil together for about minutes, and this will give a very good, if rough and ready, jam. jelly without boiling. everyone who can get good red or white currants should try making the jelly without boiling. i got the recipe from a friend many years ago, and can recommend it as a way in which the fresh flavour of the fruit is preserved to perfection. wring the currants in usual way, and to each pint of juice allow ozs. loaf sugar, which must be pure cane. i believe crystalised will do, but i have never tried it. granulated or beet sugar will not do. put juice and sugar in a strong basin and beat with the back of a wooden spoon till the sugar is quite dissolved, which will take about half-an-hour. skim and pot. it should be quite firm by next day, and will keep for a year or longer--if it escapes consumption. bramble jelly. this is one of the finest preserves one can make--especially if we have gathered the fruit. the brambles should not be too ripe, but should have a good proportion of hard red ones. wash well in cold water and put on with water to barely cover. simmer gently for an hour or longer, bruising well with wooden spoon. drain without pressure. measure, and allow ozs. sugar to pint, _i.e._, breakfast cupful. allow the juice to boil up well. add the sugar, boil fast for a few minutes, skim and pot. note.--only pure cane sugar should be used for preserves. add the sugar when the preserve is boiling--nearly ready indeed. it only requires to be thoroughly dissolved and boiled through. this method goes far to prevent burning and loss of flavour. * * * * * the new vegetable food extract which possesses the same nutrient value as a well-prepared meat extract. oz. pot, - / d.; oz. pot, / - / ; oz. pot, /-; oz. pot, / . _the ideal basis for high-class vegetable soups._ _hors concours_ universal cookery and food exhibition . marmite three gold medals awarded cookery schools and teachers are invited to apply for free samples, recipes, and full particulars to the marmite food extract co., ltd., eastcheap, london, e.c. * * * * * will you try a cup of tea that, instead of injuring your nerves and toughening your food, is absolutely safe and delightful? / , / , and / per lb. the universal digestive tea is ordinary tea treated with oxygen, which neutralises the injurious tannin. every pound of ordinary tea contains about two ounces of tannin. tannin is a powerful astringent substance to tan skins into leather. the tannin in ordinary tea tans, or hardens, the lining of the digestive organs, also the food eaten. this prevents the healthful nourishment of the body, and undoubtedly eventuates in nervous disorders. on receipt of a postcard, the universal digestive tea co., ltd., colonial warehouse, kendal, will send a sample of this tea, and name of nearest agent, also a descriptive pamphlet compiled by albert broadbent, author of "science in the daily meal," &c. agents wanted. * * * * * the best soup thickener. robinson's patent barley also best for making barley water, custard, blanc manges, &c. keen robinson & co., ltd., london, makers of robinson's patent groats for making gruel. * * * * * beverages. we have not space to go into the question of beverages at any length. a few good "drinks" are given under invalid dietary, and i would just say that the juice of a squeezed lemon, orange, or other fruit juice is much better than any effervescent or chemicalised beverage. there are, however, some excellent pure fruit-juices now on the market, among which one may mention pattinson's fruit syrups and essences for various temperance drinks as being specially good. many are proscribed on the score of health, &c., from the use of tea and coffee, but as these will remain first favourites for a long time to come, the first essential is to have them properly prepared, so that there is little if any ill effect. where tea is most largely and constantly used, as in china and japan, it is said to be quite innocuous. this may be partly owing to the more wholesome and rational way in which those people live, partly also to the finer quality of tea available, but very largely to the method of preparation. various devices have been patented to save trouble in changing from one pot to another, but as most of these are rather complicated for daily use, we are glad to learn of a tea which can be prepared in the old comfortable handy way without any ill effects, and this boon seems to be furnished in the universal digestive tea, prepared at the colonial warehouse, kendal. by a process--which, by the way, is not kept secret--the tea is treated with oxygen in such a way that the hurtful tannin is neutralised, while none of the other properties are affected in any way. there is certainly no loss of flavour, and no difference that one can discern from the usual, but specially good tea--a fact which will appeal to ordinary tea-drinkers, of whom there are still a majority. for any further information regarding this tea, i would recommend readers to a little pamphlet compiled by albert broadbent, esq., food specialist and lecturer, whose writings on the food question, &c., are well known. it is entitled "the cup that cheers." it explains the process of treatment, and gives medical and analytical testimony in its favour from various authorities of very high standing. the best proof is in the drinking, however, and one may have a sample pound or more carriage paid. invalid dietary. the whole of the previous part of this book has been devoted to the contriving of the several meals usual in a work-a-day household and under ordinary circumstances. but exceptions will occur in the "best regulated families," and although much may be done to prevent illness by pure, nourishing, well-cooked food, one must be prepared for emergencies as they come. of course, most of our friends will be only too ready to pounce upon us when illness comes into the house, with their "i told you so" comments. in the first place it will be owing to their low diet and want of proper nourishment that father has got influenza, or tommy mumps or measles--beef-fed persons _never_ have these affections--(which shows what an enormous proportion of vegetarians there must be)--and in the second place, now that there is illness, you _must_ fall back on beef-tea, port-wine, and other "generous diet," to get up and sustain the patient's strength. however callous or deaf you might be to the supplication for the flesh-pots from those in health, you cannot, must not shut your heart to the call of the weak or suffering. and woe betide us if we are heretic, and the patient does not recover so quickly as we could wish (if he does, we shall be suspected of having surreptitiously called the orthodox nostrums to our aid, but that by the way), so that it behoves us to give the critical and censorious as little room for their strictures as possible. now, what are we to get for that erewhile _sine qua non_ of the sick room, beef tea? well, before we come to the non-flesh substitutes, which are more similar in some ways to the ordinary beef-tea, we will consider what is given in the earlier stages when the stomach rejects nearly all nourishment. pure fruit juices can usually be retained and assimilated by the most debilitated. the refreshing and restorative properties of orange, grape, and similar fruit juices are generally appreciated, though many people hold the extraordinary belief that these are best when almost all the nourishment has been fermented out of them as in ordinary wine; but not so many even of the more advanced among us, as yet, realise the wonderful healing and anti-toxic possibilities of fresh fruits, more especially grapes. pure grape juice has been found to act with such destructive force upon disease germs of various kinds as would appear little short of miraculous. to prepare, press out with squeezer and strain, dilute or not with hot or cold water according to the condition of the patient. the juice of an orange to a tumbler of water makes an excellent tonic drink where there is feverishness and debility of the digestive organs, and a teaspoonful or more of lemon juice may be used in the same way. rhubarb juice is very good when made from fresh, naturally-grown rhubarb. wipe and cut small, put in covered jar in oven or steamer till the juice flows freely. this will not be ordered where there is rheumatism or the like. for such, an alkaline beverage is wanted instead of an acid. celery milk is exceedingly good, and i claim to have discovered it for myself. wash and trim some sticks of celery. cut small and simmer for an hour or longer in milk and water. bruise well to get all the goodness out, and strain through jelly-bag. when fresh celery is not to be had, celery seeds may be used. simmer in water, strain, and add milk. cocoanut milk is also very good, and will sometimes be retained when ordinary milk is rejected. select a juicy cocoanut, pierce a hole and drain out the milk. break and remove from shell, and pare off the brown skin very finely, so as not to lose any of the oil. grate or run through mincer, add two cupfuls boiling water, and beat with a wooden spoon from ten to fifteen minutes; then squeeze through a cloth or potato masher. put the cocoanut into a saucepan with more boiling water, mash over the fire for a few minutes, and squeeze again very thoroughly. if it has been squeezed in a masher the liquor may need to be strained again through a cloth or hair sieve. for a bland soothing drink, invaluable in practically every form of internal irritation and debility, barley water reigns supreme, and in its preparation robinson's patent barley will be found invaluable. smooth one or two spoonfuls to a cream with cold water. pour on boiling water, stirring all the while, and boil gently for five to ten minutes. when cool it will be a firm jelly, and can be diluted as required with hot or cold water, milk, fruit-juice, "extract," &c., &c. to come now to what more closely resembles beef-tea, we can have a liquid practically undistinguishable made from brown or german lentils. take a teacupful of these, look over and pick very carefully so that no stones or dirt may escape notice. scald with boiling water, and put to simmer with plenty of boiling water in a saucepan or stewing jar. add a shallot, a bit of celery, teaspoonful ground rice, tapioca, &c., and, unless prohibited, seasoning to taste. a blade of mace, a slice or two of carrot, beetroot, &c., might be added at discretion. simmer gently, or better still, steam for an hour. strain, without any pressure, and serve with fingers of crisp, dry toast. equal quantities of german lentils and brown beans may be prepared exactly as above to make savoury tea, as also a mixture of brown and white beans. a delicious invalid broth is made thus:--wash well a cupful of butter peas or haricot beans and one or two tablespoonfuls pot barley. put in saucepan or double boiler with water, and cook for two to three hours. season and strain. celery, onion, parsnip, &c., may be added if desired. some milk may also be added, and, if wished specially rich and strengthening, one or two eggs beaten up. warm up only as much as is needed at one time, and serve with toast or triscuits. variety of flavour, &c., may be contrived by mixing lentils, dried green peas, &c., with the haricots, or instead of these, tomatoes may be sliced and added ten minutes before straining. i need not here give recipes for ordinary oatmeal gruel, but lentil gruel may be new to some. take a dessert-spoonful lentil flour--the "digestive" lentil flour is always to be depended on--smooth with a little cold milk or water in a saucepan. add three teacupfuls boiling milk or barley-water and simmer for fifteen minutes. a little extract such as "carnos" or "marmite" may be added to this or any of the foregoing broths. these extracts, "carnos" and "marmite," are exceedingly useful in the sick-room, as they can be so easily and quickly prepared. "carnos" being a fluid extract, is especially handy. a teaspoonful of that, or a half teaspoonful "marmite" to a cupful boiling water makes a delightful cup of savoury tea. be careful not to make too strong. such extracts may also enter with advantage into savoury custard. beat up an egg, and add to it half a teacupful milk, and either a teaspoonful "carnos" or rather less of "marmite," the latter dissolved in a little boiling water. add pinch salt. turn into a buttered cup or tiny basin, cover with buttered paper, and steam gently for seven or eight minutes till just set. the following is a very dainty and novel egg flip. separate the white from the yolk of an egg and beat up the white quite stiff. beat up the yolk and add to it the strained juice of an orange or some "nektar." mix all lightly together and serve in a pretty glass or china dish. white of egg may be made more attractive for little folk if poached by spoonfuls for a minute or two in boiling milk, and served with a little pink sugar dusted over. orange egg jelly. rub ozs. loaf sugar on the rinds of oranges till it gets as much flavour as possible, then put in a basin with the strained juice and a teaspoonful lemon juice. bring a very small quantity of vegetable gelatine--previously soaked for an hour in cold water--to boil in a breakfastcupful of water. one-eighth of an oz. of this gelatine is enough as it is so strong. stir till quite dissolved and strain over the sugar, &c. when cool add the yolks of two eggs beaten up, and whisk till white and frothy. beat the whites very stiff and add them. beat all thoroughly, and when just about to set pour into a wet mould. or allow to set and then pile up by rocky spoonfuls in a glass dish. when an invalid is getting past the "sloppy" stage and is able for solid nutriment steamed barley is perhaps the most valuable food of any, and dyspeptics who experience difficulty in getting any kind of food to agree would do well to go on a course of this--not for one day or two, but for weeks and months together. wash well in cold water a teacupful of _pot_ barley. put on in clean lined saucepan with plenty of cold water, bring to boil slowly, and if there is the least suspicion of mustiness, drain and cover with clean water. when it comes a boil again, turn into a pudding basin or double boiler, cover and steam for at least six hours. twelve hours is much better, and it is safest to put on one day, what is wanted for the next. onions, celery, tomatoes, &c., may be added at discretion. when to be used, this barley should turn out firm enough to chew, and may be eaten with thin dry toast or "triscuits." besides these home-made preparations, there are many valuable foods to be had ready for use, or requiring but little preparation, thus affording change and variety, not only to the patient, but to the nurse or cook, who must often be heartily tired of making up the same gruels and mushes for weeks or months together. the barley mint, patriarch biscuits, and barley malt biscuits to be had from the wallace bakery, battersea park road, london, s.w., come in very handy. the barley malt meal can be made into a gruel or porridge, while barley malt itself may be added to any ordinary preparation to aid digestion. barley malt meal gruel has been found a sovereign remedy for constipation, obstinate cases yielding to it when all other treatment had failed. make in usual way and add one or two large spoonfuls treacle or honey. the biscuits may be grated and made into a mush with hot milk, &c., or they may be soaked over night in as much hot water, milk, or diluted extract as they will absorb, and then be put in the oven to warm through. gluten meal is another among many valuable invalid foods which there is space only to mention here; while the value of robinson's patent groats for gruel is widely appreciated. for diabetic and anaemic patients there are one or two other valuable foods now on the market specially prepared to nourish and enrich the blood, while at the same time starving the disease. barley malt meal is specially good, also a recent "wallaceite" product, "stamina food." the "manhu" diabetic foods are well known and highly recommended. the following "manhu" diabetic savoury will be welcome to those whose dietary is of necessity so restricted. / pint savoury tea (p. ) or diluted "extract," egg, tablespoonful "manhu" diabetic food, / oz. butter, salt and pepper. melt butter in saucepan, add the food, and mix over slow fire till butter is absorbed. add the savoury liquid, cook for a few minutes, add seasoning, beat in yolk of egg, then the white stiffly beaten. mix lightly. pour into pie-dish, and bake in quick oven for minutes. * * * * * a realised ideal in food production. ideal food reform means much more than "going without meat." it means the use of only such foods as will thoroughly nourish the body without injuring it. for instance, most popular biscuits are made from an impoverished white flour, and raised with chemicals, which injure the system. again, white bread is an artificial one-sided food, and is raised with yeast. yeast is a ferment, the product of brewery vats, and is not expelled from the loaf by baking. thorough-going food reform demands bread, biscuits, &c., made with entire whole wheat flour, and free from chemicals, yeast, and other impurities. this is a high ideal: can it be realised? it has been realised. the wallace p.r. foods co. was founded expressly for-the purpose of making bread, biscuits, cakes, and other foods on scientific principles, which a great london "daily" has described as years in advance of the age. in this model bakery the only flour used throughout is an entire wheatmeal ground to a marvellous fineness; and all other ingredients are the very best and purest. chemicals, cheap fats, and yeast are banished. thousands have proved that the regular daily use of the p.r. biscuits, bread, &c., not only delights the palate, but eradicates many stubborn diseases, and brings about a steady improvement of health in cases where drugs, patent medicines, and all other unnatural methods have failed. samples of delicious bread, cake, biscuits, and coffee, / carr. paid. box biscuits and coffee only, / carr. paid. _p.r. specialities are stocked by all health food stores. sole makers:_ the wallace p.r. foods co. battersea park rd., london, s.w. * * * * * _infantile mortality_ "cow & gate" dried pure english half-cream milk the superiority of dried milk over fresh cow's milk was strikingly demonstrated by the experiments of the sheffield corporation scheme for reducing infantile mortality, given in a paper by albert e. naish, m.a., m.b., b.c., cantab., assistant physician, sheffield royal hospital, in the september rd issue of the _medical officer_. for the purpose of these experiments our milk was used with that of two other makers. our milk being made daily at our own factories can be supplied in a much fresher condition than foreign or colonial makes. besides the fact of our supplying several infant milk depots and creches, we have thousands of letters from grateful mothers, from all parts, who testify to the splendid results from feeding their babies on our dried english milk. west surrey central dairy co. guildford. it can be obtained of most chemists and health food stores, in tins and packets, / . each. we make dried, full-cream, and also separated milk, as well as the above. prices on application. * * * * * savoury gruel. dissolve about - / teaspoonfuls vegetable extract--"marmite," "carnos," mapleton's nut extract are all good--in gills boiling water. have a tablespoonful of either gluten meal, barley malt meal, banana oats, &c., made smooth with a little cold water--add seasoning, a little grated onion, celery, &c.--and mix it with the "extract" tea. boil all together, stirring constantly for or minutes, then strain. this savoury gruel may be acceptably varied from time to time by substituting robinson's patent barley or groats for the above. almond cream whey. one pint milk, dessertspoonful lemon juice, tablespoonful almond cream or cashew nut cream. bring milk nearly to boiling point, and add lemon juice. let stand till it curdles. strain and stir in the nut cream, also sweetening to taste. "nutter" milk (for wasting diseases, in place of cod liver oil). put oz. "nutter," or other good vegetable fat, in small enamelled saucepan, and pour on / pint of milk. heat very slowly nearly to boiling point. stir or beat with wooden spoon till cool enough to drink. pour into warm glass and sip slowly. if not all used at once, heat slowly, and mix well each time to be used. almond milk jelly. make up / pint almond milk by shaking up tablespoonful mapleton's concentrated almond cream with gills water. soak / oz. vegetable gelatine in cold water for an hour. strain off the water and put in saucepan with the almond milk, rind of / lemon and juice of whole one, also ozs. sugar. stir over gentle heat till gelatine is dissolved. strain and mould in usual way. onion gruel (for a cold). one lb. onions, apple, a little sugar, salt, ground cloves or mace, and white pepper, / gill boiling water, tablespoonfuls "cow and gate" dried milk, oz. butter or vegetable fat. peel and chop the onions and scald with boiling water. put on to simmer, with the apple chopped small, the water, butter, &c.--all except the dried milk. cover and cook gently till tender. sprinkle in the dried milk, and cook for a few minutes longer. serve very hot. the dried milk--full cream, half cream, or separated according to need of patient--may be added to any of the foregoing recipes where concentrated nourishment is required. miscellaneous. mushroom ketchup. fresh mushrooms--those just past the cooking stage for preference--spread not too thickly on flat dish. sprinkle liberally with salt and let stand from to hours. strain off liquor, pressing mushrooms thoroughly. boil and bottle. if preferred, spices may be added, but we prefer it "unadulterated." "reform" cheese. (mrs c. leigh hunt wallace, london.) the following is an original recipe for cheese without rennet given me by mrs wallace, a well-known pioneer in food reform. put the strained juice of lemons into a quart of boiling milk, then remove immediately and set aside to cool. place a wet cheese-cloth in a hair sieve and place in the contents of the saucepan. let drain, shape by gathering the cloth together, compress and leave for a little. garnish with parsley. eaten with raw tomatoes and oatcakes it is delicious. the whey, if sweetened to taste, forms to those who like it a pleasant, cooling, and health-giving beverage. manhu wheat yorkshire pudding. three tablespoonfuls manhu wheat, eggs, a little over half a pint of milk; salt to taste; oz. butter. put the wheat in a basin, mix with milk until it forms a nice batter; add a little salt. beat up the eggs very lightly, and add to the batter. put the butter in a small baking tin in the oven, and, when hot, pour in the batter. bake about minutes in a sharp oven. breakfast savoury. allow egg, small tomato, / oz. butter or vegetable butter, to each person. scald, peel, and slice tomatoes, and fry till quite cooked in the butter. add seasoning to taste--salt, pepper, little grated onion, pinch herbs, a little vegetable extract or ketchup--any or all of these--and the eggs, which may either be dropped in or slightly beaten up. scramble till set, and serve heaped up on hot buttered toast. a pleasing variety of flavour is produced by substituting walnut butter for the other. the toast might also be spread with a very little "marmite." model dinners for a week. sunday. brown soup. nut omelette. almond custard with stewed fruit. monday. hotch-potch. sausage rolls. canary pudding with appel-moes. tuesday. clear soup. savoury lentil pie. lemon cream. wednesday. tomato soup. scotch haggis. cobden pudding. thursday. mock hare soup. kedgeree. provost nuts pudding. friday. white soubise soup. sea pie. banana custard. saturday. split green pea soup. macaroni egg cutlets. german tart. note.--the above is only an outline. vegetables, &c., will be added as they are in season. * * * * * food reformers know the difficulty experienced in starting the better way in diet. these can be overcome by dining at ... 'the arcadian' food reform lunch and tea rooms and health food stores, st vincent st., glasgow (within minutes of central station). the most up-to-date and artistic food reform restaurant in the kingdom. * * * * * additional recipes. soups. nut soup. one pint boiling water, tablespoons grated walnut or walnut meat preparation, some onions sliced, spoonful gravy essence, / lb. sliced tomatoes, a little "nutter." make the fat hot and fry onions lightly, add sliced tomatoes and grated nuts, and stir for a few minutes. pour boiling water over, and allow all to simmer for to minutes; season to taste, and serve. split green pea soup. one lb. split green peas, / lb. onions, / lb. carrots, quarts boiling water; scald peas with hot water, and put on with the quarts ( breakfast cupfuls) boiling water, and the onions chopped small. simmer for an hour, and add the carrot flaked or chopped small. cook for another hour, add seasoning, herbs, parsley, &c., and it is ready for use. this is a most delicious and nourishing soup, and very quickly and easily prepared. can be varied by using tomatoes instead of the carrots, or by the addition of any other vegetables as cauliflower, leeks, spring onions, &c., also by substituting to ozs. rice or barley for same quantity peas. simple white soup. one large onion, large potato, tablespoonful oatmeal, tablespoonful butter. boil gently hour in breakfast cupfuls milk and of water. pass through a fine sieve, and serve very hot. may be varied by substituting provost nuts or marshall's "cerola" for the oatmeal. plasmon vegetable soup. two carrots, turnips, leek, onion, - / oz. butter, teaspoonful celery seed, lumps sugar, bay leaf, pint plasmon white stock, oz. flour, gill milk, salt and pepper. shred vegetables into thin strips. melt butter, and add plasmon stock while boiling. cook till vegetables tender. blend flour and milk smoothly, and add gradually, also seasoning. boil a few minutes longer. for plasmon stock, put oz. plasmon in saucepan, and add gradually half a pint lukewarm water, stirring continuously. place over the fire, and boil for two minutes. when cold, this should be a thin, semi-transparent jelly. cream of barley soup. prepare a white or clear stock (p. ), or make a hasty stock by boiling some lentils, split-peas, or haricots with a good quantity of chopped onion till of the strength required. failing any of these, a spoonful or two of vegetable extract will do very well. bring to boil, and season to taste. in a basin smooth some of robinson's patent barley to a cream with cold water or milk, allowing one tablespoonful to the pint. pour on to this the boiling stock, stirring all the time. return to saucepan, boil up, and allow to simmer for at least ten minutes. more milk may be added if desired, and this soup can be varied and enriched by the addition of the yolks of one or two eggs. these should be well beaten up and put in tureen before dishing. i may say here that the patent barley is must useful for thickening any kind of soup, stock, or gravy. savouries. nut soufflee. a teacup each of grated walnuts, brown bread crumbs, and milk, a beaten egg, pepper and salt. mix well, grease a tin mould, pour in mixture, and steam for an hour. serve with tomato sauce. when cold, it can be cut in slices, rolled in egg and bread crumbs, and fried a nice brown. note.--the above can be varied by using a different kind of nuts or mapleton's nut-meat preparation, and by the addition of a little grated onion, minced parsley, and one or two teaspoonfuls vegetable extract. savoury nut omelette. a large cup of grated walnuts or brazil nuts, a cup of brown bread crumbs, pepper and salt to taste, a little grated onion, teaspoonfuls finely chopped parsley; also eggs well beaten, and a cup of milk. mix all the ingredients together. have ready an omelette pan with a good layer of hot fat or butter. pour in the mixture, slowly brown on one side, cut in or pieces when they will be easily turned, then brown on the other side. serve hot, with brown sauce, vegetables and potatoes in the usual way. a still simpler way is to bake in shallow baking tin in brisk oven to minutes. use plenty of fat. note.--the above can be very easily prepared by using mapleton's nut-meat preparation instead of the grated nuts. walnut or brown almond meal would be especially suitable. sea pie. cook together a variety of tender spring vegetables--carrots, turnips, cabbage, pens, french beans, &c. first brown some onions with "nuttene," add water with some vegetable extract--"marmite" or "carnos"--also some ketchup and seasoning. when boiling, add the carrots and turnips--not too small--then a fair-sized cabbage cut in four pieces, the peas shelled, or french beans cut lengthwise. the carrots and turnips should be cooking for some time before the cabbage, &c., is put in. see that there is plenty of liquid to cover, and put on the following paste:--take four heaped tablespoonfuls self-raising flour, a piece of "nuttene" or butter the size of a small egg. rub in very lightly with the tips of the fingers, add pinch pepper and salt, and mix to a soft dough with a little water. flour well and roll out lightly to not quite the size of round stewpan to leave room for swelling. make a hole in centre, add quickly to contents of pan while fast stewing, keep lid very close, and cook for / of an hour. serve very hot. sea pie may also be made with mushrooms stewed till tender, with teaspoonful "extract" and tablespoonsful ketchup. have plenty of liquid. note.--the above is exceedingly good, very simple to prepare, and may be varied in innumerable ways. for those who prefer to dispense with chemical raising materials, i may say that the paste is very good made with ordinary flour, or with a mixture of wholemeal and flour. an egg _may_ be beaten and mixed in, but it rises very well without. the same paste can be put over any stew--german lentil, haricot bean, &c.--great care being taken that there is plenty of liquid. scotch oatmeal pudding. one lb. oatmeal, / lb. onions, / lb. vegetable suet or / lb. each of suet and pine kernels; pepper and salt. run the pine kernels through nut-mill, and put with suet in frying-pan. when hot, add the onions finely chopped, and after these have cooked for a few minutes add the oatmeal, which should be crisp and not too fine. cook all for some time, stirring constantly to prevent burning. wring a pudding cloth out of boiling water, flour well, and put the oatmeal, &c., in, and tie up at each end in the form of a roll, leaving a little room to swell. plunge in fast-boiling water, and boil for to hours. turn out of cloth carefully so as not to break. it may be served as it is, but is much nicer if put in a baking tin, basted with hot fat, and baked till brown and crisp. serve with brown sauce or nut gravy. this may be divided into a number of small puddings. these are particularly good if allowed to cool, and then brushed over with a little white of egg before being toasted. hasty oatmeal pudding. make some vegetable fat very hot. add a little onion, grated or very finely chopped, and stir till nearly cooked. allow a teacupful oatmeal to each tablespoonful of fat, and stir in along with a little salt and pepper. cook over very moderate heat till crisp and brown all over, turning about almost constantly as it is very ready to burn. shredded wheat biscuit crumbs, granose flakes, or kornules may be used in place of the oatmeal. less fat will be required. walnut mince. six ozs. grated nuts, ozs. breadcrumbs, oz. nut butter. make fat hot in saucepan, add nuts, and stir till lightly browned, taking great care not to burn. add breadcrumbs and seasoning to taste--large spoonful grated onion, pinch herbs, &c.--also ketchup or vegetable extract--"carnos" or "marmite"--with boiling water to make up gills--rather less if a dry consistency is preferred. simmer slowly for minutes. serve with sippets of toast or fried bread. brazil, peccan, or hazel nuts may be used instead of walnuts. savoury lentil pie. with the help of the above mince quite a number of delicious savouries can be contrived with but little extra trouble. the following pie will be found delicious:--wash well ozs. red lentils, and put on to cook with ozs. each of chopped or flaked carrot, turnip, and onion, oz. butter, pinch herbs, ditto curry powder, teaspoonful sugar, and usual seasonings. cover with just as little water as will cook the lentils without burning, and simmer or steam closely covered for about half-an-hour till lentils a thick puree. some ketchup, "extract," or tomato is an improvement; add nut mince prepared as above, mix well and simmer a few minutes longer. it should be of the consistency of a thick mush. put in pie-dish, and set aside to cool. cover with batter paste made with ozs. self-raising flour, eggs, - / gills milk, ozs. butter or vegetable fat. rub the butter into the flour, and make into stiff batter, with the eggs well beaten, and the milk. pour over contents of pie-dish and bake till well risen and a nice brown in fairly brisk oven. nutton pie. one-and-half lbs. "nutton," [footnote: a very fine nut meat, put up by r. winter, city arcades, birmingham.] cut in dice, / lb. tomatoes, / lb. cooked macaroni, - / lbs. cooked potatoes, sliced. dust with pepper and salt, pour in stock to within / inch of top; cover with good whole-meal crust, made with winter's cooking "nutbut"; bake. nutton chops. one lb. no. "nutton," minced through a food chopper, / lb. zweiback bread crumbs, ozs. macaroni, cooked and finely chopped, pepper and salt to taste. mix with egg and form into chops; use a piece of uncooked macaroni for the bone; brush with egg and bread crumbs and bake, or fry, with nutbut--this quantity should make chops. nutton meat for mock sausage rolls. one lb. no. "nutton," put through a food chopper, / spanish onion boiled and finely chopped, teacupsful zweiback bread crumbs, a little sage, salt to taste. have quantity required of puff pastry, roll out and divide into squares, putting a little sausage meat in the centre, wet the edges and fold over. place in a hot oven and bake minutes to / hour. stewed onions. select about a dozen good hard onions, as nearly of a size as possible, and weighing or to the lb. make ozs. or so vegetable fat--"nutter" is very good--smoking hot in large stewpan, add the onions, and stir about till nicely browned all over; be careful not to burn; if fat not all absorbed pour it away. cover with boiling water, add seasoning, pinch herbs, &c., cover and stew gently till cooked--about an hour. there should be a rich brown gravy, so that this makes a most appetising dish to serve with a dry savoury. cheese moulds. one pint milk, / lb. grated cheese, / lb. wheaten bread crumbs, eggs, teaspoonful salt, / teaspoonful mustard, / teaspoonful pepper. put milk, cheese, and crumbs into a pan and bring them almost to the boil, add seasoning and eggs, and stir till thick, but do not let it boil. butter some small dariole moulds and sprinkle them with some chopped parsley. press in the mixture, dip in hot water, and turn out. * * * * * mapleton's nut foods wardle, lancashire. per lb. s. d. walnut butter cocoa nut butter cashew butter almond margarine nut margarine blended nut margarine honey & nut margarine pea nut butter almond cream hazel cream cocoa nut cream nut milk cooking nutter, - / lb. carton nutter suet cooking nut oil h.m.r. nut oil walnut oil olive oil salted almonds (packet) blanched almonds cooking almonds jordan almonds twin jordan almonds walnut halves broken walnuts pine kernels roasted pine kernels pea nuts roasted pea nuts blanched pea nuts cashew nuts hazel nuts monkey nuts almond meal " (unblanched) hazel meal walnut meal chestnut meal desiccated cocoa nut pea nut meal roasted pea nut meal banana meal dried bananas figs dried pears orange peel - / lemon peel - / citron peel malted almonds and hazels cereal cream nut graino - / wholemeal ( - / -lb. bag) malt extract - / d. and nut extract - / malt extract & nut oil powdered dried herbs gravy essence d. and nut gravy finest honey finest cocoa pure coffee banana coffee nut coffee lapee cereal coffee rich wholemeal sultana cake nut cakes (each) nut milk chocolate nut milk and fruit chocolate nut milk chocolate with marzipan milk chocolate nucolate (packet) honey & nut caramels toasted corn flakes dates and nuts egg beaters (each) nut mill " nut graters " unpolished rice d. and savoury nut meats. s. d. white almond meat walnut meat pine kernel meat brown almond meat savoury meat red savoury meat white fibrose nut meat brown fibrose nut meat potted tomato and nut (tin) nut meat preparation ( kinds) wholemeal biscuits. s. d. water wheat ( lb.) shortened wheat " malt wheat " nut wheat short wheat nut wheat crackers hazel milk oat flake--sweet oat flake--plain ginger cake weinmost ( kinds) mostelle ( kinds) preserved ginger hallowi dates sair dates fruitarian cakes. s. d. apricot and nut pear and walnut plum and nut cherry and nut muscatel and almond almond and raisin extra rich cocoa nut sandwich chocolate sandwich popular variety raisin and cocoa nut muscatel and cocoa nut date and orange date and lemon date and ginger date and hazel date and pine kernels fig and raisin fig and citron fig and ginger carraway date and cocoa nut date and nut date and walnut fig and cocoa nut fig and nut date and almond date caramels fig caramels nut cakes _(in place of cheese)._ per pkt. s. d. almond pine kernel honey and nut pea nut and cocoa nut full price list on application. * * * * * rodbourn's health foods depot hanover st., edinburgh vegetarians, or intending vegetarians, should write or call for our list of over varieties. we have the most varied stock of health foods in scotland, and can give early delivery. families catered for at a distance. small orders from manufacturers are often costly. avoid worry and save time and money by buying your goods in one lot. note.--we pay carriage up to miles by goods train on /- orders; £ parcels sent carriage paid anywhere. remember, what a wrong diet causes a right diet will cure. rodbourn's, hanover street, edinburgh national telephone. * * * * * bread. considerable difficulty seems to be experienced in many quarters in getting really good bread free from chemicals and other deleterious matters. in some households the problem is solved by subsisting solely on certain approved kinds of biscuits, one i heard of keeping exclusively to shredded wheat biscuits and triscuits, while another stood by the "artox" biscuits. besides these there are several other specially good whole-wheat biscuits, among which may be mentioned chapman's nut wheat biscuits; winter's "mainstay" series of diet biscuits, including some dozen varieties, all excellent, ranging in price from d. to d. per lb.; and the "p.r.," a wallaceite specialty. among the latter the "barley malt," "crispits," "p.r. wheatmeal," "new p.r. crackers," &c., are to be specially recommended. most people, however, prefer to have something more in the way of a loaf, and those who can make home-made bread should have no difficulty in providing a toothsome and, at the same time, perfectly wholesome article. directions for wallace egg bread are given on page , and for wheatmeal gems, made with meal and water only, page . the following is a still simpler method:--get a reliable whole-wheat flour; hovis, manhu, and artox are each excellent, and will commend themselves severally to different tastes and requirements. the latter, it is useful to know, is used exclusively in the wallace p.r. bakery--a guarantee for its purity and wholesomeness. to prepare, take amount of flour required, and allow or ozs. vegetable butter or nut oil to the lb. salt or not to taste. rub in the butter and make into a stiff dough with cold water. run two or three times through an ordinary mincer to aerate, and form into a long roll, but without pressure of any kind. divide into suitable pieces or put in loaf pans, and bake in well-heated oven for minutes to - / hours, according to size. most people will prefer small crusty loaves or rolls which get baked right through. for ordinary home-made "hovis" bread take - / lbs. hovis flour, - / gills warm water, oz. german yeast, oz. salt, teaspoonful sugar. mix salt with dry flour, dissolve yeast with sugar; make a hollow in centre of flour, put in yeast and pour on the warm water; mix well, folding in the flour from the outside to the centre, and let stand about minutes in a warm place. knead a very little, divide into small loaf pans, and allow to rise for another minutes. bake in very hot oven about minutes, reduce heat, and bake minutes longer. the above quantity will make five -lb. loaves. cakes and scones. the following are a few additional recipes for cakes and scones, most of which include one or other of the numerous health food specialties and dainties now upon the market, but which are not nearly so well known as they deserve to be. bruce cake. (miss macdonald, diplomee, teacher of cookery.) lb. wheaten flour, ozs. soft sugar, ozs. butter or "nutter," ozs. sultanas, ozs. currants or candied peel, teaspoonfuls baking powder, / teaspoonful mixed spice. cream sugar and butter. add flour, fruit, spice, and baking powder. mix with just enough water to moisten. bake in good steady oven for about an hour. tweedmont sultana cake. / lb. butter or "nutter," / lb. flour, / lb. soft sugar, eggs, lb. sultanas. beat butter or "nutter" to a cream, add the sugar, and beat for twenty minutes longer. add two eggs, and beat again till thoroughly mixed, adding a little flour to prevent curdling, and repeat till all the eggs are in. then sift in the flour, and add the sultanas cleaned and rubbed with flour. mix lightly and pour into well greased cake tin. bake in slow oven - / hours. murlaggan cake (steamed). cup whole-wheat meal, cup flour, teaspoonful ground ginger, teaspoonful mixed spice, cup sultanas or stoned raisins, tablespoons "nutter," / teaspoonful baking soda, tablespoonfuls syrup or treacle, or of each; egg, a very little sour milk. rub "nutter" or butter into flour, mix all dry things. beat up egg, and add, with just enough sour or butter-milk to mix. turn into greased pudding-bowl, and steam for about hours. this should be a very light, wholesome cake, and is especially useful when one has not an oven. it may be varied to advantage, as by using banana flour in place of the other, chopped dates or fruitarian cake in place of raisins, &c. a handy holiday cake. swiss roll. ozs. sifted sugar, eggs, ozs. pattinson's banana cake flour, some jam, / teaspoonful pattinson's baking powder or small teaspoonful home-made baking powder, tablespoonfuls milk or orange juice. put sugar and eggs in a basin, and switch up with "gourmet" pudding spoon or a couple of forks for fifteen minutes. add the milk and beat again, then the flour, previously mixed with the baking powder and sifted in. beat all very thoroughly. grease well a flat baking-tin, cover with greased paper, and pour in the mixture. bake for not more than minutes in very hot oven. turn out on a paper sprinkled with sifted sugar, remove the greased paper, spread with jam or marmalade, and roll up very quickly. sponge sandwich. prepare mixture exactly as above. put half in well-greased sandwich tin, colour the other half pink with a few drops of carmine, and put into a second tin. bake as before, turn out on a cloth or sieve. spread the under side of one with either jam, marmalade, chocolate mixture, &c., and put the other one on top. dust over with sugar, or coat with a thin icing. for this mapleton's cocoanut cream is very good. banana buns. / lb. pattinson's banana flour, - / ozs. "nutter," / teaspoonful baking powder, ozs. sugar, egg, a little milk. mix dry ingredients, rub in the "nutter." beat up egg, and add with a very little milk to make a rather firm dough. divide into small pieces, flour the hands, and roll into balls. have a teaspoonful sugar dissolved in a few drops of hot milk on a saucer. dip in each bun, and place with sugared side uppermost on greased tin or oven plate. bake for about minutes in rather hot oven. banana flour scones. lb. banana flour, ozs. butter or "nutter," ozs. sugar, teaspoonful baking powder, milk. mix flour--the banana flour sold by the lb. is best--sugar, and baking powder. rub in butter, make into a light dough with milk. cut into small scones, and bake in good oven about minutes. these scones are exceedingly good, and quite different from those made with ordinary flour. they may be varied by adding a few sultanas or a beaten egg. manhu crisps. lb. manhu whole-wheat flour, oz. cocoanut butter, pinch salt. rub butter into flour, and make into a dough with as little water as possible; then run twice or three times through an ordinary mincer. form into twelve or more rolls or twists with as little handling as possible, and bake in hot oven for ten to fifteen minutes. manhu scones. lb. manhu flour, / teaspoonful carb. soda (not heaped), sour milk or butter milk to make a soft dough. bake on a girdle if possible. hovis scones. lb. hovis flour, oz. nut butter, pinch salt, tablespoonful treacle, / teaspoonful carb. soda, butter milk or sour milk. mix dry things, rub in butter, add treacle and enough sour milk to make a fairly soft dough. mix thoroughly and quickly. roll out not too thin, and bake in good oven about minutes. the treacle may be omitted. hovis gingerbread. ozs. hovis whole-wheat flour, ozs. ordinary flour, ozs. nuttene, ozs. stoned raisins, ozs. treacle, ozs. sugar, egg, teaspoonful ground ginger, - / do. mixed spice. melt together the sugar, butter, and treacle. mix dry things together. beat egg and pour hot treacle among it, then add to dry things. mix and beat well. pour into greased tin lined with buttered paper, and bake in very moderate oven - / hours, or, if divided in two smaller tins, / of an hour will do. golden syrup may be used instead of treacle, in which case use little or no sugar. strawberry shortcake. make a good short crust (p. ) with / lb. flour--plain, wheaten, or banana flour, as preferred-- oz. almond meal, and ozs. "nuttene." roll out / inch thick, cut sharply round, flute edges, and bake in hot oven till a nice brown and crisp right through. split open, inserting a sharp-pointed knife right round and pulling apart. when cool, cover under-half thickly with strawberries, well crushed and mixed with plenty of sifted sugar. put on top half, dust with sugar, serve cold with cream or nut cream. another very good shortcake is made as for "jumbles," page . add a little milk or fruit juice to mixture to make less crumbly. bake in two sections and put strawberries between. scotch oatcakes. scotch oatmeal, ozs. nut butter to lb., pinch salt, hot water. pat oatmeal in basin, melt fat in fairly hot water, and mix in quickly to make a stiff dough. knead to thickness required. bake on hot girdle, and toast in front of fire. * * * * * "reform" restaurant and tea rooms, north hanover street, edinburgh. * * * * * puddings and sweets. "provost nuts" pudding. this is one of the very best puddings i know, and will, i feel sure, be welcomed by all who wish for something at once novel, simple, and wholesome. it will be found a change both from the usual "steamed" and the familiar "milk" pudding. ozs. "provost nuts," ozs. stoned raisins, ozs. sugar, gills milk, or eggs, a little spice or flavouring. put "provost nuts," raisins, and sugar in basin. bring milk to boil, pour over, cover, and allow to stand till cool. beat up yolks and add, also flavouring, then the whites whipped stiffly. mix well, and bake about minutes in moderate oven. this pudding is also very good steamed. use rather less milk. the yolk and white of egg need not be separated. may be varied by substituting currants, sultanas, or chopped "fruitarian" cake for the stoned raisins. "provost nuts" walnut pudding. ozs. "provost" nuts, ozs. grated walnuts, ozs. sugar, - / gills (i.e., teacupfuls) milk, vanilla essence. bring milk to boil, pour over the "provost" nuts, and soak till cool. put in saucepan along with the grated walnuts, bring to boil, and simmer gently for five minutes. remove from fire, and when cold add the beaten yolks, sugar, and vanilla; lastly the whites beaten very stiff. mix well, pour into buttered dish, and bake for to minutes in moderate oven. this is by no means an expensive pudding--at least when eggs are reasonable--and is dainty enough to grace even a festive occasion. "hovis" walnut pudding is made by substituting ozs. "hovis" bread crumbs for the "provost nuts." this will not require soaking, but can be put at once in saucepan with milk and grated walnuts. "hovis" fruit pudding. ozs. "hovis" flour, ozs. semolina, ozs. sugar, ozs. currants or stoned valencias or sultanas, or equal quantities of all three, ozs. chopped nut suet or pine kernels, ozs. treacle, ozs. coarse marmalade (see p. ), egg, / teaspoonful carb. soda, and a little spice. sour milk to mix. mix all the dry things; beat egg and add, also treacle, marmalade, and enough sour milk to make fairly moist. steam for - / to hours in basin, well greased and dusted with sugar. farola pudding. ozs. farola, gills milk or nut cream milk, eggs, sugar, flavouring. smooth farola to a cream with a little of the milk. put remainder on to boil and pour over farola in basin, stirring the while. return all to saucepan, and cook gently for a few minutes. beat up eggs with sugar, remove farola from fire, and add, also flavouring. pour into buttered pudding-dish, and bake gently for half-an-hour, or steam in buttered mould for hour. to make farola blanc-mange use only gills milk, and omit the eggs. semolina syrup pudding. ozs. marshall's semolina, ozs. golden syrup, pint milk. for a simple, inexpensive pudding, the following is excellent, and it will, i think, be new to many. make the semolina in usual way--that is, bring milk to boil and sprinkle in the semolina as if making porridge, cook gently for a few minutes with lid on, then pour into steamer-bowl. allow to stand till cold, then put the syrup on top, and put on to steam for about - / hours. the syrup will find its way through, and the pudding should turn out a lovely golden brown with the syrup for a sauce. no eggs, other sweetening, or flavouring required. farola or corn flour may be done same way. syrup or treacle tart. cover a flat ashet with either rough puff paste or short crust, and fill in with a mixture composed of / lb. golden syrup, ozs. bread crumbs, the juice and grated rind of lemon. ornament with criss-cross strips of paste, and bake in hot oven. for a homely tart make a plain paste with wheat meal, and fill in with treacle and bread crumbs. plasmon custard or blanc-mange. this can be made with addition of plasmon to any of the custard recipes given, or with the plasmon and blanc-mange powders. if the latter, to each powder add pint of milk. stir till custard thickens, but do not allow to boil. plasmon sweet sauce (for puddings). / pint plasmon stock, oz. butter, / oz. flour, - / ozs. sugar, flavouring of lemon rind, nutmeg, cinnamon, or bitter almonds. melt butter; remove from fire, and mix in flour till smooth. add plasmon stock gradually, cook for a few minutes very gently, then add flavouring. very good with stewed fruit or any steamed pudding. health food specialties. this is an age of seeking after health, and many and various are the means proffered to that end. drugs, serums, medical and surgical appliances, baths, waters, fearfully and wonderfully conceived methods of exercise, rigid and drastic schemes of dieting, &c., &c., crowd upon each other's heels until the prevailing idea in the mind of any one seeking to solve the health problem is one of hopeless mystification. life would be too short to give them all a fair trial, even if any one could be found either foolish or courageous enough to attempt the task (i believe some _do_ try everything by turns but nothing long), so one is driven perforce to make a selection; and while dismissing nine-tenths of the nostrums urged upon us as unworthy of any sane and rational consideration, we know the truth lies somewhere, and will be found by those who seek it on simple, common-sense lines. doctors differ like the rest of us, but there is a broad general ground of agreement upon which we can all go, namely, that cleanliness, in its widest sense, including pure air, food, and water; plain, easily-digested, nourishing food; with rest and exercise in proper proportion, are the main essentials for right living, and so furnish the key to the problem. no one of these is of itself sufficient. all are necessary and inter-dependent, and it is the want of recognising this principle which so often leads to failure and consequent abandonment, or even wholesale denunciation, of the regimen followed. thus a person may be advised to adopt certain foods, the rules and regulations regarding which he follows to the letter, but acts unhygienically in other ways, as by shutting out the fresh air, inattention to cleanliness, over-exertion or want of sufficient exercise, eating when exhausted, and so on. the food, at least if it has gone in any way against the inclination or prejudice, will of course be blamed, while really it may be quite innocent. one might multiply instances to show how so many not only fail to find health by their unreasonable methods, but bring ridicule and disrepute on certain of the measures followed. there is no need to waste further time, however, in demonstrating the obvious. one would hope that all readers are genuinely interested in health principles, and sufficiently in earnest to promote these intelligently. our business in these pages lies with the food question, and in this chapter i purpose to deal specially with health foods, of which there are a large and ever-increasing number now upon the market. how people can complain of want of variety with such a seemingly endless category to choose from passes my comprehension, for the difficulty i find is to do justice to even a small proportion of them. if one were to sample a different dish every day it would take months to get over them, and great as is the outcry in these days for variety, i do not think this constant chopping and changing by any means desirable. as i have been at some pains to find out a number of really reliable health foods, and can speak of these from personal experience, the information given in this chapter may serve as a guide to their selection, and save considerable time and trouble. i may say that i am indebted to a number of friends and others with whom i am in correspondence for the benefit of their experience, as well as my own. it is always good to have as wide a consensus of opinion as possible, for one finds that tastes and ideas regarding the merit of the several articles vary with the individual, and with the conditions under which used. it is difficult to know where to begin when so much claims attention. perhaps the class of foods which have come most largely into the public eye of late years are the so-called breakfast foods, consisting generally of cereals, pro-digested or so treated as to be easy of digestion. several of these, such as shredded wheat biscuits, have been frequently referred to in different parts of the book, so that no further words are needed to commend them. if any are sceptical, or even curious, regarding "what they are," a demonstration recently described by a manchester friend might serve to reassure them. it was quite on the american "pig and sausage" lines, for one saw the whole wheat grain going in at one part of a machine and coming out at another in the form of a "triscuit" ready for use. among other specially good foods are granose flakes. these consist of the entire wheat-kernel in the form of delicious, crisp flakes, ready for use, with cream, stewed fruit, &c., or in any way in which bread crumbs may be used. they are very handy to have in the general storeroom to sprinkle over cauliflower or any dish served _au gratin_. that they are at once nutritious and easily digested is attested by the fact that physicians of high standing put their patients on a diet of "granose." i have known personally of cases of extreme gastric debility where the patients were put on this food almost exclusively for months together. they may also be had in the form of granose biscuits, and these are excellent for general use. toasted for a few minutes and then buttered--or the butter may be put on while toasting--they furnish a delicacy which few will fail to appreciate. avenola, toasted wheat flakes, nut rolls, and gluten meal, containing per cent. to per cent. gluten, are among the other products of the same firm--the international health association, stanborough park, watford, herts--which i have space here only to name. in the chapter on breakfast foods and elsewhere the various products of the london nut food co., battersea park road, london, s.w.--grain granules, gluten meal, &c., are mentioned, besides which they have a great variety of nut cream rolls and nut cream biscuits, made from pure wheat meal and shortened with nut butter. they are aerated and free from yeast and chemicals. in the way of porridges, i should like to specially commend banana oats as being something quite new and appetising. it is very easily prepared, requiring only about minutes' cooking. it is put up in threepenny packets, with which full directions for cooking are given. i may say that i generally make of a stiffer consistency than quantities given, and cook longer in double boiler. another good porridge for those who cannot take the regular oatmeal can be made with robinson's patent groats. this is best, to my thinking, when made as under:--smooth two or three tablespoonfuls groats in a basin with a little milk or water. pour on boiling milk or water--a cupful to each spoonful of groats--stirring the while. return to saucepan and cook gently for to minutes, or in double boiler for about half an hour. manhu wheat or barley porridge. take part of the flaked wheat or barley to parts water. have the water boiling and salted to taste. add the cereal all at once, and boil for minutes; only stir sufficiently to keep it from burning. it may now be served, but is better if steamed half an hour or so longer in double boiler. serve with milk or cream and sugar, or salt as preferred. when served with stewed fruit this makes a very wholesome dish. a mixture of the wheat and barley makes a very good porridge. the value of provost oats for porridge is too well known to need comment here. i would only remind everyone that provost oats are prepared from the finest scotch grain, and scotch oats are the finest in the world. but provost oats is not the only product upon which messrs robinson & sons rest their fame. more recently they have put upon the market a very fine cereal food known as provost nuts. this is a highly concentrated and nutritious and sustaining food, but can be digested very easily, and so is suitable in one form or other for every one. it is a grain food scientifically prepared from a combination of wheat, barley, and malt. being cooked and ready for use it may be served simply with a little cream, milk, or stewed fruit; or cyclists or other travellers may munch them dry, and so compass the simple life right away. besides _au naturel_, however, they may enter with advantage into quite a variety of dishes--to thicken and enrich soups, to take the place of bread crumbs in savouries, and to contrive quite a number of new and excellent puddings. recipes for the latter are given, p. , and i am sure they need only be tried to become first favourites. kornules are a somewhat similar preparation, and can be used in the same way. * * * * * health foods depot and reform food restaurant. richards & co., n. hanover st., edinburgh. * * * * * nut butters. it will soon be impossible to even enumerate the many excellent varieties of nut butters and vegetarian fats upon the market. one of the first really good fats available, and one which has stood the test of time and competition, is cocoa nut butter, put up by the london nut food co., one of the earliest and most enterprising firms to whom we are indebted for doing so much to make easy the path of food reform. this is a hard white fat, very pure and sweet, suitable for use in place of cooking butter, lard, or dripping. it is especially good for frying all kinds of cutlets, fritters, &c., and being of a firm consistency, can be flaked in a nut mill or grater to be used in place of suet. in baking also it will be found very convenient to flake in this way, as it only requires to be stirred through the flour, instead of the more tedious process of "rubbing in." to mapleton, manchester, belongs, i think, the credit of producing the first really dainty and palatable table nut butters, and his enterprise, we are glad to see, is justified by his success, he having recently acquired land, works, plant, &c., in the country, where the manufacture of the various nut foods can be carried on under ideal conditions. this must appeal to all food reformers, who realise that clean, dainty food cannot be produced amid dirty, insanitary surroundings. mapleton's table nut margarine (as these goods which resemble butter, and yet are not dairy butter, must now be called) is of remarkable purity and excellence, a north country dairy farmer declaring that he would not have known it from good fresh butter! readers will sympathise with the manufacturers of pure foods who are, in obedience to an arbitrary act of parliament, obliged to label their goods "margarine." it is a comfort, however, to know that the name is all these goods have in common with the often objectionable fats which come under this comprehensive title. the nut cream butters are for table use also. they have the distinct flavour of the nuts from which prepared--walnut, almond, hazel, cocoanut, &c. the latter is, i believe, an exclusive specialty, and is useful in practically every variety of cakes, scones, puddings, and sweets. it supplies the place both of butter and flavourings. recipes for cocoanut sauce, cocoanut icing, cocoanut custard, &c., will be found in the book, but it can be used in any other recipes at discretion. cooking nutter, a soft, white fat, and nutter suet, a hard make suitable for baking, are among the other notable products of this firm. nuttene, manufactured by messrs chapman, liverpool, is another fat of undoubted excellence. it can be used in all departments of cookery in place of lard, dripping, suet, or butter. this firm also produces cashew, walnut, almond, and nut table butter of great delicacy and fine flavour. especially worthy of mention are the various nut butters manufactured by r. winter, birmingham. they are put up in several varieties--nutarian almond margarine, nutarian walnut margarine, nutarian cashew margarine, nutarian table margarine, nutarian cocoanut margarine, and nutarian lard for cooking. there are no finer butters on the market, and as this firm sends a s. parcel of their goods carriage paid one can easily sample them. these nutarian butters are put up in / lb. and lb. carton tins--an exceedingly handy form. cashew nut butter, - / d. per / lb., s. per lb., is a first favourite. quite a different class of butters, but equally valuable in extending the resources of food reformers, are those put up by the international health association. almond butter is very suitable for invalids and those of weak digestion. it is light, delicate, and nourishing, and can be diluted to use as a butter, cream or milk. the nut butter is made from cooked nuts only, and may be added to soups and savouries of every description with advantage both to nutrition and flavour. it contains all the valuable properties of the nut--proteid as well as fat. mapleton's brown almond butter is also very useful in enriching soups, gravies, &c. * * * * * for goods of guaranteed purity send to richard & co.'s health food stores, north hanover st., edinburgh. * * * * * nut meats. perhaps the greatest development of all in the way of extending the vegetarian bill of fare has been in the manufacture of nut meats. every year sees a number of new and improved preparations put upon the market, so that there is now a very large variety to choose from. all these meats can be made use of in many ways-sliced and fried, in stews, curries, &c. the london. nut food company's are well known and of undoubted excellence. there are several kinds--meatose, vejola, nut-vego, &c.--all quite distinctive in flavour and suited to different tastes. certain of these contain pea nuts, the flavour of which is objectionable to some, while others give such the preference. the f.r. nut meat, however, is free from pea nuts, and is a general favourite. it is now made up with pine-kernels, and when i served it up lately, one of those partaking of it with great relish would scarcely credit its being other than a galantine of veal. [recipes--page .] protose, nuttose, nuttolene, &c., put up by the international health association, birmingham, are of a high standard of excellence. protose will appeal to those who like the ordinary "meaty" flavours, for it is practically undistinguishable from meat. it is very good in pies, fritters, &c. the following is a favourite recipe. protose and macaroni pie. blanch ozs. macaroni in salted boiling water for minutes. put half in bottom of buttered pie-dish and add a little seasoning--pepper, salt, grated onion, &c. put on a layer of protose cut in small pieces, and repeat with macaroni, seasoning, and protose. fill nearly up with gravy or diluted "extract," and cover with rough puff paste (page ). quite a different type of "meats" are those put up by chapman, health food stores, liverpool. they are exceedingly tasty and appetising, and being free from any peculiar flavour, will appeal to the popular taste for "savoury meats." there are some or varieties, among which i would specially recommend "lentose"--a vegetable brawn. walnut meat is also very fine. they are fully seasoned, and may be used hot or cold, and are excellent when sliced and lightly fried and served with fried tomatoes, tomato sauce (page ), or brown gravy (page ). another point in favour of chapman's "meats" is that they are put up in air tight glass moulds. messrs mapleton, manchester, also prepare several nut and other meats, quite different, again, from any of the foregoing. they also are mostly put up in glass moulds. but the production of this firm to which i would call special attention is the nut meat preparations, whereby one can with very little trouble contrive nut meats for one's self. there are four different kinds--walnut, white, and brown almond (free from pea nuts), and another containing pea nuts. this preparation is in the form of a meal, and consists of grated nuts blended with certain cereals, &c. these preparations can be used in place of grated nuts in all the dishes where these form an item. (see pages , , , &c.) "pitman" savoury nut meat bears a name which guarantees its excellence. it is free from pea nuts, and is put up in / -lb., -lb., and - / -lb. tins. quite the biggest development of the last year or two in this direction are the nut meats manufactured by r. winter, birmingham of "pure fruit food" fame. they are put up in no fewer than nine varieties--all excellent--but of distinctive flavours. nos. , , , and are known as nutton. these are very savoury, do not contain pea nuts, are very rich in proteid, and therefore exceedingly nourishing. they comprise blended nuts, almond, cashew, pine kernel, and walnut. nos. , , and are classed as legumon. these are very fine pea nut meats, and are of three different kinds--"savoury," "plain," and "fibrine." all of the above are put up in sample tins ( / d.), / -lb., -lb., - / -lb., and -lb. tins. a range of sample or / -lb. tins (the latter cost from - / d. to d.) could be had for but little outlay, and would make a very welcome addition to the store cupboard. several very good "nutton" recipes are given (p. ), and other ways of utilising these "meats" will suggest themselves to the practical housekeeper. they are also very good cold with salad or vegetables, and so form a handy stand-by in hot weather. fruitarian cakes. these are another luxury which has been added to the reform bill of fare within the last year or two, but they are one which will appeal equally to the "unregenerate." of these, also, there is a practically unlimited variety, and it would seem as if every month or so added some novelty to the number. it is not possible even to name the different kinds, but they are mostly alike in being composed of uncooked fruits and nuts, thoroughly cleaned and free from stones, skins, &c., but otherwise in their natural state. they are compressed into small cakes or slabs, and put up in a handy size for the pocket--about / -lb.--and also in small penny cakes. the "pitman" co. birmingham--the largest health food dealers in the world, by the way--have no fewer than varieties of these cakes, some put up in wafer form. they also supply samples post free for d., and those who are as yet unacquainted with these dainties should lose no time in sampling them. for a cyclist's luncheon there could, be nothing more suitable than the "bananut" outfit put up by this firm, consisting of these fruitarian cakes, chocolate, banana biscuits, &c., and all for the modest price of d. the london nut food co. have several varieties of very dainty small fruit and nut cakes covered with chocolate, especially suitable for a dessert sweet. very nice also for a "pocket" luncheon. mapleton, manchester, has no fewer than varieties of fruitarian cakes, put up in / -lb. packets ranged from d. to d. each, also in penny packets. the "pear and walnut," "apricot," &c., are very fine. those put up by chapman, liverpool, are somewhat different from the others, but especially good. they are of different varieties of fruits and nuts, and iced over with chocolate, &c., and some as italian pine stuck over with pine kernels. the "swiss milk" cake, a new one, is as toothsome as it is nutritious and sustaining. * * * * * visitors to edinburgh should patronise the new "reform" luncheon and tea rooms, north hanover street. * * * * * beverages. those who find ordinary coffee too stimulating, or otherwise unsuitable, may be glad to know of some of the good cereal coffees now to be had. they strongly resemble coffee in appearance and flavour, are very refreshing and appetising, but are free from caffeine, and quite innocuous. they are prepared by a certain roasting and grinding process from various grains, so that their source is both simple and wholesome. caramel cereal, prepared by the international health association, is one of the best, as i believe it is one of the oldest, on the market. sip it (london nut food co.) is also excellent; while yet another is lapee, prepared by mapleton, manchester. these, while similar in nature and composition, differ somewhat in flavour, so that various tastes can be suited. they can be prepared as ordinary coffee, but are, i think, better to have a few minutes' boiling. full directions are, however, given with each. mapleton has recently added banana coffee and nut coffee--both very good. fruit syrups, wine essences, &c., belong to a different order of beverages. those of messrs pattinson are of undoubted excellence. their botanic beer, ginger beer essence, fruit syrups--raspberry, black currant, &c.--are all specially good. they are, besides, most useful in the store cupboard. diluted at discretion, they may be used in the composition of trifles, mince-meat, puddings, &c., in place of the sherry or other wines which are now nearly as out of date as they deserve to be, and will certainly find no place in the menage of the "reform" housekeeper. another valuable accession to "reform" beverages has come in the shape of vegetarian extracts. these closely resemble meat extracts in appearance and taste, but are much finer and more delicate in flavour. their source--from nuts or grains--also ensures such purity and wholesomeness, both for the article itself and for everything and everybody concerned in its manufacture, as is impossible with animal products. "marmite" and carnos have been so often quoted in recipes as to need no further mention. "vigar" extract (pitman co.) and nut extract (mapleton) are others among the noteworthy substitutes for meat extracts. miscellaneous there are several excellent health foods yet to be mentioned, but which do not come easily within any table of classification. among the many elixirs for health-made-easy, which medical and scientific research have lent their aid to obtain, is that of a pure albumen in easily assimilable form. plasmon has a world-wide reputation, and is extensively used both in medical treatment and in the domestic menage wherever it is desirable to administer nourishment without taxing the digestive organs. it is especially valuable in cases of gastric catarrh or ulceration. recipes for plasmon jelly, &c., will be found pp. , , &c. though in the near future dairy products may be largely superseded by those of the nut family, there are still many who will prefer ordinary cow's milk, if only that can be obtained pure, free from germs, and unadulterated. such is to be found, we are glad to learn, in the sterile dry milk supplied by the west surrey dairy co., who have succeeded, after much careful experiment and testing, in producing milk which in the process of preparation has been deprived of no element save germs and water. the simple addition of warm water, therefore, is all that is needed to restore it to the condition of new milk. having lost nothing of its nutritive value, grape sugar, or organic salts, it forms a safe and valuable food for infants, and should do much to lessen the dangers of feeding by hand. it may be had full cream, half-cream, or "separated," so that the most delicate digestion can be suited. besides its use for infants and invalids, it can enter into the composition of any food where milk is ordinarily used, or where additional nutriment is desired. it may be added either dry or diluted--as most convenient. one strong point in its favour is that there is no danger of its turning sour or going bad in any way--the constant danger with fresh milk; but, of course, only the quantity required for immediate use should be diluted at one time. this milk powder, also compressed tablets, can be got from all health food stores, as also from most grocers and warehousemen. if any difficulty, it can be had from headquarters, in small packets at a trifling extra cost, and in larger quantities carriage paid. "wallacite reg. 'p.r.' specialties." in various parts of book, readers will have noticed commendatory reference to several "wallacite" goods, and i would here urge that all seeking a pure, wholesome dietary in health or sickness, should give them a trial. the range of foods is practically unlimited, every requirement of health or palate being suited, but all alike composed of pure, wholesome ingredients, guaranteed free from such deleterious substances or adulterants as yeast, chemicals, artificial colouring matter, mineral salt, &c. the variety of biscuits and cakes ranges from the plainest sorts, to suit the dyspeptic or ascetic, to the most delectable dainties for afternoon tea, not forgetting oaten shortcakes to specially delight the "canny scot." nor need any one be at a loss to obtain supplies, for, besides the various health food depots mentioned (see inside front cover), customers can obtain s. worth of cakes and biscuits carriage paid to any part of the united kingdom, direct from headquarters, battersea park road, london. besides the "bakery" products there are many additions to one's resources generally. there is "stamina" food for infants invalids, and, curiously enough, athletes. it is exceedingly palatable for general use in puddings, pancakes, &e., while gruel can be prepared in a few minutes. use one part "stamina" meal to four parts of fast-boiling liquid, stock, milk and water, &c.; simmer five minutes, and it is ready. in the pale roasted coffee one has coffee at its best, without the harmful properties of the ordinary article. thus, with a selection from the other "p.r." dainties, including some pure fruit preserves, cocoanut or raisin nut cheese, &c., &c., one can have not only a "physical regeneration breakfast table," but a "p.r." store-room complete in itself. there are many other health foods, &c., to which one would like to call attention, but space admits of only one--nut oil with extract of malt ought entirely to supersede the cod liver oil horror. since a much larger percentage of nut oil can be incorporated-- per cent. or over, as against per cent. to per cent., which is the most that can be tolerated of the nauseous cod liver oil--its tonic and up-building properties are much greater. any chemist will compound it, but it can now be had ready for use from messrs mapleton at the very low price of d. per lb. see price list, p. . with regard to obtaining regular supplies of health food specialties, no one need be at any loss. a post card to any of the leading depots will bring a price list from which to order direct. some firms--chapman, liverpool; winter, birmingham: "pitman" stores, &c.--send quite small parcels-- /-upwards, carriage paid. the "pitman" reform food stores, birmingham, stand unrivalled for extent and completeness. besides their "vigar" specialties and every possible variety of health foods, they have an unlimited range of cooking utensils, nut mills and appliances of every kind to facilitate the wholesome preparation of food. the "pitman" steam cooker is a marvel of cheapness and excellence, consisting of deep boiler and three upper compartments, whereby four different dishes can be cooked to perfection, each retaining its full flavour and nutritiveness. one is here reminded that there are other factors essential to right, sound, healthy living besides good well-cooked food. it is desirable to have cleanliness and purity all round; and we are glad to be independent, even in the matter of soap, of the filthy refuse fats so often used in its manufacture. in this connection the following tribute to a vegetarian soap appeals to readers. * * * * * from "papers on health" by prof. kirk, of edinburgh. _this book should be in every home; an invaluable book of reference. from all booksellers, /-._ chapped hands.--our idea is that this is caused by the soda in the soap used. at anyrate, we have never known anyone to suffer from chapped hands who used m'clinton's[*] soap only. it is made from the ash of plants, which gives it a mildness not approached by even the most expensive soaps obtainable. if the hands have become chapped, fill a pair of old loose kid gloves with well-wrought lather (_see_), putting these on just when getting into bed, and wearing till morning. doing this for two or three nights will cure chapped, or even the more painful "hacked" hands, where the outer skin has got hard and cracked down to the tender inner layer. bathing.--cold baths, while greatly to be recommended to those who are strong, should not be taken by anyone who does not feel invigorated by them. as everyone should, if possible, bathe daily, the following method is worth knowing, as it combines all the advantages of hot and cold bathing. the principle is the same as explained in "cooling" in heating. sponge all over with hot water and wash with m'clinton's[*] soap; then sponge all over with cold water. no chilliness will then be felt. very weak persons may use tepid instead of cold water. these baths taken every morning will greatly prevent the person catching cold. cold bathing in water which is hard is a mistake, especially in bathing of infante. the skin under its influence becomes hard and dry. warm bathing and m'clinton's[*] soap will remedy this. eczema.--skin eruptions known under this name have very various causes. treatment must vary accordingly. where the cause is a failure of the skin to act properly, the whole skin of the body, especially the chest and back, will be dry and bard. in this case apply soap blankets. if the soap blankets be too severe on the patient, then apply general lathering with m'clinton's[*] soap. use a badger's-hair shaving brush, and have the lather like whipped cream, with no free water along with it. we have known a few of these applications cure a case of long standing. where general debility is present along with the disease, use all means to increase the patient's vitality. simple diet is best, and abundance of fresh air within and without the house by night and by day. [footnote *: _if not stocked by the local grocer, samples of toilet, shaving, and tooth soap can be had from the makers, m'clinton's, donaghmore, tyrone, ireland, on receipt of d. to cover postage, or a large assorted box will be sent post free for / ._] * * * * * winter's health foods and specialities nutton.--the best nut meat, made in six varieties, and can be used in every way in which butcher's meat is used. recipes with each tin. d., /-, / and / per tin. nutton a la ideal home.--these delicious dainties were served recently at our stand at the ideal home exhibition, olympia, london. (see as under, page .) nuxo.--a delicious savoury preparation of nuts for gravies and sauces, and also makes rich and nourishing soups. d. and /- tins. nutarian lard.--a pure vegetable fat for cooking purposes; formerly known as cooking butnut. - / -lb. cartons, d.; -lb. cartons, / ; -lb. boxes, /- wintox.--a pure vegetable product, intended to take the place of all meat extracts and beef tea preparations. in bottles, / each. prunus.--the rapid flesh-former--self-digestive, delicious, % nutriment. in tins, d. and / each. prunus perfect food.--the same as above in dry powder form, % nutriment. in tins, d. and /- each. nutrogen.--a valuable nut and milk food--self-digestive. in tins, d. and /- each. nutarian cakes. nutarian margarine (formerly known as nut butters), made in five varieties. mainstay biscuits, malt oat cakes, malted barley cakes, fruit caramels, nutchoo, nutarian chocolates and many other lines. _send for price list and name of nearest agent to sole manufacturers:_ r. winter, limited, pure food factory, birmingham nutton a la ideal home. ingredients-- lb. nutton (no. or no. ), tablespoonful flour, small onion, nutarian lard, seasoning, teaspoonful wintox. mode--chop onion and fry in small saucepan; make into thick gravy with flour and wintox; add to the nutton, previously chopped; form into small cutlets. brush with beaten egg, dip in bread-crumb, and cook in a pan of boiling nutarian lard. * * * * * contents. soups-- almond milk asparagus brown brown sonbise brazil butter peas chestnut cauliflower celery clear soup a la royale "digestive" pea green pea german lentil haricot hotch-potch julienne mulligatawny mock cock-a-leekie mock hare parsnip palestine pea ("reform") stock spring vegetable scotch broth turnip tomato velvet white soup white windsor white sonbise westmoreland savouries-- artichoke fritters asparagus cream asparagus quenelle cauliflower fritters celery fritters celery egg cutlets celery souffle celery cream dahl dresden patties esau's pottage fifeshire bridies german lentil soup german pie golden marbles haricot pie haricot ragout haricot kromeskies haricot croquettes irish stew kedgeree leeks (stewed) mock sole macaroni omelet macaroni cutlets macaroni mould macaroni timbale mushroom and tomato pie mushroom patties poor man's pie rice and lentil mould roman pie rice (casserole) rissoles rolled oats savoury brick sausages, sausage rolls scotch haggis scotch stew tomato and rice pie toad-in-a-hole vegetable goose vegetable roast duck vol-au-vent nut savouries-- brazil omelet brazil souffle brazil quenelles curried nut-meat mock chicken cutlets walnut pie cheese savouries breakfast dishes-- bread fritters bread cutlets cheese fritters craigie toast grain granules mushroom cutlets nutgraino omelets pancakes (savoury) porridge shredded wheat biscuits triscuits tomatoes (stuffed) wheatose egg dishes cold savouries-- brawn legumes en aspic mock calf's foot jelly "reform" mould raised haricot pie tomato and egg vegetable mould potted savouries sandwiches vegetables salads sauces-- apple, almond bread brown caper celery cocoanut curry custard whip dutch egg, horse radish lemon mayonnaise, mint mustard onion parsley piquante sweet-white tomato tarragon white walnut bread-- aerated, home-made, "hovis" wheatmeal gems wallace egg bread pastry cakes and scones-- afternoon tea scones "artox" seed cake, shortbread "artox" gingerbread "artox" scones, "artox" tea biscuits cocoanut cream scones dinner rolls french layer cake german biscuits gingerbread, jumbles orange rock cakes puddings and sweets-- almond custard sponge cake "artox" queen pudding, appel-moes banana custard canary pudding cobden pudding cocoanut cream custard lemon cream, lemon sponge jams and jellies beverages invalid dietary miscellaneous-- batter savoury breakfast savoury glaze icing "manhu" porridge "manhu" yorkshire pudding mushroom ketchup "reform" cheese tomato aspic additional recipes. soups-- cream of barley nut soup plasmon stock and vegetable soup simple white, split green pea savouries-- cheese moulds hasty oatmeal pudding lentil pie with batter paste mushroom pie nut souffle, nut omelette "nutton" pie, "nutton" chops "nutton" sausage rolls "nutton" a la ideal house oatmeal pudding protose and macaroni pie sea pie shepherd's pie stewed onions walnut mince cakes and scones-- banana buns, scones bruce cake "hovis" scones, gingerbread "manhu" crisps, scones murlaggan steamed cake oatcakes sponge sandwich strawberry shortcake sultana cake swiss roll puddings and sweets-- farola "hovis" fruit, "hovis" walnut "provost nuts" pudding "provost nuts" walnut pudding plasmon custard and sauce semolina syrup pudding syrup or treacle tart health food specialties * * * * * be sure your health foods are quite pure and absolutely fresh. richards & co's health food store n. hanover st., edinburgh. we sell all reliable reform foods, which are under the control of a medical specialist, and we can guarantee purity,/b> and freshness of all foods sold by us. our nature's energy foods are the foods of the future. they give living vitality. now added a food reform restaurant and tea rooms. in our hygienic department we sell reform underclothing, sandals, cookery books and health guides, kitchen utensils. electric appliances for electric treatment &c., &c. have you tried our, new and pure dressing flour for cutlets, fritters &c.? it is the very best. - / d. per / lb., or - / d. post free. * * * * * the manhu food co. ltd. manhu flour for brown bread. can be baked without kneading. it makes delicious scones. [illustration] _see recipes on pages_ , , , , . manhu foods. pure, wholesome foods for porridge, puddings, &c. very easily cooked. special preparations for diabetic patients and other invalids. _send for particulars and recipes._ blackstock street, liverpool. * * * * * recent reform enterprises. since the first edition of reform cookery was issued some four years ago, there has been an immense development in the production of dainty varied non-flesh foods, depots for the sale of these, and restaurants where both the food and preparation thereof leave nothing to be desired. indeed, so multifarious are the contributions towards the "simple life" that it threatens to become more complex than the other. however, we need not take everything offered to us--at least, not all at once--but can select at will and make our choice. in the way of recently opened restaurants, i would draw the special attention of visitors to glasgow to the "arcadian," st vincent street. it is exquisitely appointed in every way, while the menu and service are all that could be wished for. most of the health foods can also be had here. glasgow, indeed, leads the way, for there during the past few months messrs cranston have equipped two of their magnificently-appointed luncheon rooms, at buchanan street and argyll arcade, to the service of reform dietary. the name is a guarantee for everything being most attractive and up-to-date. then in edinburgh, messrs richards & co., n. hanover street, who have long been noted for the supply of pure foods, have added tea and luncheon rooms--a decided boon to vegetarians in auld reekie. in birmingham, winter's luncheon, tea rooms, and balcony cafe are among the most up-to-date to be found anywhere. music daily, - and - o'clock, is one of the many attractions. besides this, mr winter ranks with the first in the manufacture, supply, import, and distribution of health foods, his premises having extended from a single shop to the splendid premises at city arcades within a very few years. messrs mapleton's recent enterprise has been referred to already. the beautifully-situated estate at wardle, near rochdale, should afford ideal conditions for both work and worker. still more recently, the international health association, pioneers also in this respect, have removed from birmingham to stanborough park, watford, herts. w.h. chapman, liverpool, has also extended very largely of late. his productions now comprise well nigh the whole range of health foods--all of first quality. * * * * * books & pamphlets on hygiene and food reform. depot for vegetarian society's publications; london vegetarian society's publications; order of the golden age publications ... a comprehensive list post free. london: richard j. james, health and temperance publication depot, and london house yard, e.c. * * * * * where to dine. edinburgh, - reform food restaurant--richards & co., n. hanover street. the edinburgh cafe co., ltd., princes st. glasgow, - the "arcadian" food reform restaurant and health food stores, st vincent st. cranston's fruitarian snack and luncheon rooms, buchanan st. and argyll arcade. birmingham, - winter's cafe and luncheon rooms, city arcades. liverpool, - chapman's vegetarian restaurant and food reform store, eberle street, off dale street-- minutes from town hall and exchange station. _open from a.m. to p.m.; saturdays, p.m._ london, - the food reform restaurant, furnival street (opposite the prudential buildings), holborn, e.c. recently enlarged, now accommodating diners. central, roomy, and quiet; the most advanced restaurant in the vegetarian movement. shilling ordinary courses, cheese and coffee. the best variety of sixpenny teas in london. manchester, - the vegetarian restaurant, fountain street, market street and old millgate. * * * * * the people's friend, the favourite home magazine. contains: high-class popular serial stories delightful short stories humorous sketches brightly-written informative articles wives and daughters page household page column for violin players civil service and students column &c. &c. &c. d. sold by newsagents throughout the united kingdom. d. * * * * * fruitarian snack and lunch room buchanan st. and argyll arcade, glasgow. the choicest viands, delicately cooked by super-heated steam in jacketed boilers of pure nickel, and daintily served fruitarian breakfasts} from o'clock porridge (varied),} snacks, to luncheons, to high teas, to . cranston's tea rooms, ltd. stuart cranston. _founder and managing director._ proofreading team. the story of crisco the procter & gamble co. cincinnati eleventh edition _price twenty-five cents_ [illustration: _the story of crisco_] table of contents introduction the story of crisco things to remember hints to young cooks how to choose foods methods of cooking time table for cooking the art of carving soups fish meats vegetables salads puddings sandwiches pastries breads cakes vegetarian dishes eggs candies calendar of dinners a appetizers lettuce cocktail onion cocktail b breads apple strudel boston brown brown nut coffee coffee, swedish corn crisco milk fruit, yorkshire gluten graham health hominy nut, steamed raisin and buttermilk raisin and nut rolled oats rye, swedish savarin southern spoon water wheat, entire breads biscuits, rolls, etc. baking powder biscuit buttermilk biscuit citron buns cornmeal rolls crisco batter cakes dessert biscuit fruit rolls hot cross buns lunch rolls maryland beaten biscuits scones, cream scones, oven soda beaten biscuit sour milk biscuit twin biscuit breads muffins, etc. bran gems columbia muffins corn cakes ginger gems golden corn muffins imperial muffins muffins pop overs rye muffins sour milk tea cakes c cakes almond and citron black cake with prune filling boiling water butterless-milkless-eggless caramel chocolate chocolate, black cream puffs cream puff balls cushion devil's food dutch apple feather fig flag fruit cake, apple sauce fruit cake, crisco fruit cake, southern fruit drops genoa gennoise gingerbread gingerbread, whole wheat gold golden orange hurry up jam jelly roll lady baltimore layer cake, cocoanut layer cake, cocoanut layer cake, coffee layer cake, lemon lord baltimore lunch cakes marble marmalade mocha pound princess queen cakes rose leaf sand shortcake, oyster shortcake, peach shortcake, red raspberry shortcake, strawberry shortcake, scotch seed cake, old fashioned silver nut simnel sponge tilden walnut wholesome parkin candies chocolate fudge clear almond taffy cocoanut caramels cream candy crisco drops crisco fruit fudge everton taffy fig fudge honey squares maple candy molasses candy peanut fudge cheese dishes aigrettes biscuit canapes cheese balls croutons drops fondue ramekins cookies, wafers, etc. almond fingers chocolate wafers chocolate brownies crisco brownies filled cookies fruit cookies ginger crisps ginger snaps jumbles lemon wafers maple cookies oatmeal cookies rose leaves shortbread spice cookies white cookies croquettes bean beef chicken chestnut boulettes egg pea pear potato potato and nut salmon tomato d doughnuts honey nut raised rich e eggs caramel custard creole curried cutlets croquettes eggs with cucumbers eggs with tomatoes egg sandwiches, fried savory eggs omelets apricot baked friar's kidney spanish cutlets croquettes eggs with cucumbers eggs with tomatoes egg sandwiches, fried savory f fish, etc. blue, baked cassolettes of fish clams, scalloped clams, steamed codfish balls cod, boiled cod, curried cod, steamed crabs, dressed fish, fried fish, fried fish pudding flounder, a la creme flounder, a la turque gateau of fish halibut, baked halibut, grilled with parmesan halibut, a la paulette halibut ramekins halibut turbans lobster, broiled lobster, fried with horseradish sauce lobster newburg mackerel, broiled spanish mackerel, a la claudine mackerel, cold vinaigrette oysters, fried oyster shortcake salmon, baked with colbert sauce salmon, boiled salmon croquettes salmon mold salmon, planked sardine canapes shad, baked shad, planked scallops scallops, baked in shells smelts, broiled smelts, fried smelts, planked terrapin, a la maryland trout, baked fritters, griddle cakes, etc. apple fritters apricot fritters anchovy fritters carrot fritters corn fritters crisco battercakes french pancake fried cornmeal nut cakes fried cakes with apple sauce fruit pancake italian fritters salsify fritters sour milk griddle cakes strawberry fritters waffles fruits apples with red currant jelly apple sauce baked apples baked bananas devilled bananas m meats beef, a la mode beef, braised fillet beef croquettes beef collope beef, chipped in cream beef, fillet beef loaf beef loaf beef olives beef steak pudding beef steak and kidney pie beef tournedos with olives bobotee brains, baked calf's head vinaigrette chops, breaded ham, baked hearts, baked stuffed indian dry curry kidneys, broiled with green peppers kidney omelet lamb, casserole lamb chops, broiled lamb chops, stuffed lamb, crown, with peas lamb, fricassee with dumplings lamb, leg, boiled stuffed lamb, salmi lamb, spring, steak, a la minute lamb, tournedos live, baked and bacon liver, stewed with mushrooms mutton, braised loin mutton, braised with mushrooms mutton, boiled mutton cutlets mutton, a la soubise meat cakes ox tongue, braised ox tongue, curried roast, with spaghetti roast, pot, with tomato shepherd's pie steak, beef, baked steak, flank, stuffed steak, porterhouse steak, round with macaroni steak, swiss steak, sirloin with fried apples stew, irish sweet breads sweet breads, fried sweet breads with mushroom puree tripe, baked tripe, fricasseed toad in the hole veal, blanquette veal, braised fillet veal chops veal cutlets, breaded veal goulash veal haricot veal and ham pie veal loaf veal pot pie venison, cutlets venison, spiced meats chicken casserole country club croquettes curried fried fried, mexican style fried, swiss style fricassee, brown grilled hot pot impanada a la king pie planked planked roast stuffed stewed stewed with olives souffle supreme a la tartare meats other fowls duck, braised with turnips duckling, roast fowl, roast with chestnuts and mushrooms fowl, pilau guinea hen, roasted guinea, roast chicken pigeons, fried squab, stewed turkey, roast meats hare and rabbit belgian en casserole jugged a la marengo roast stewed p pastries cornstarch pastry crisco, plain crisco, new flake no. flake no. german hot water puff puff, rough sugar for tartlets tip top pastries cobblers and dumplings apple dumplings fig and apple cobbler peach cobbler pastries pies almond layer apple apple beer steak and kidney blueberry butterscotch cherry chicken chocolate cream cocoanut cream double mince orange pumpkin rhubarb custard shepherd's squash veal and ham veal pot washington pastries tarts, etc. apple apricot bakewell bartemian chestnut currant fruit german lemon and apple maids of honor pastry fingers peach delights puffs, orange puffs, raisin roly poly, cherry roly poly, raisin rhubarb fanchonettes windsor puddings almond almond and apple amber apple, charlotte apricot baba with syrup baked indian beef steak black cap boston bird's nest bread bread, with cherries cabinet canned corn caramel bread caramel rice carrot cherry blanc-mange chestnut dainty chocolate chocolate bread chocolate jelly chocolate with macaroons coburg cocoanut conservative cottage countess cranberry cup date eve's farina fish golden graham graham, steamed st. leonard's macaroon macaroni, baked molasses sponge monica noodle nut peach pineapple plum, english plum, mrs. vaughn's raisin raisin batter raspberry batter rhubarb rhubarb, baked rice rice, ground snow balls snow balls, fruit snow pudding, with custard sultana swiss walnut woodford puddings souffles brown bread cherry cornstarch date pineapple rice snow squash vegetable vegetable s salads apple, celery and nut asparagus cabbage carrot celery and almond cheese cream cheese and pimiento daisy fruit grapefruit hungarian orange orange and tomato pear and pimiento potato and nut potato and pimiento shrimp waldorf watercress sandwiches egg and anchovy fried egg hot cheese hudson pimiento cheese rice sardine tomato tomato and horseradish soups, etc. artichoke asparagus bean, black bonne femme cauliflower cheese chestnut crab fish giblet hollandaise hotch potch kidney lentil mulligatawney oxtail okra pepper pot pilau a la turque potato princess red pottage rice (thick) scotch broth spring turnip turtle, mock verte white soups bisque clam lobster lobster oyster soups chowder clam corn fish soups cream soups corn, a la creole cucumber lettuce tomato soups puree indienne norfolk peanut tapioca v vegetables artichokes artichokes, jerusalem asparagus loaf asparagus, italian style asparagus, plain beans beans, baked bean croquettes beans, lima, curried beans, string beets, buttered beets, creamed beets, new beets, stuffed brussels sprouts with crisco cabbage, a la creme cabbage, german sour cabbage, ladies' carrot fritters carrots, glazed carrots, a la poulette carrots, viennese celeriac colcannon corn creole corn fritters corn okra and tomatoes cauliflower cauliflower, curried cauliflower, au gratin cauliflower, fried egg plant, en casserole eggplant, fried eggplant, stuffed eggplant, stuffed kohl rabi, creamed lentils and rice lentils, savory lettuce, stewed mushrooms au gratin mushrooms cooked under glass bells mushrooms, grilled onions, stewed onions, stuffed onions, stuffed with nuts parsnips, baked parsley, fried peas peas, green, a la maitre d'hotel peppers, stuffed green potatoes, anna potatoes, chantilly potatoes, creamed au gratin potato croquettes potatoes, duchesse potatoes, franconia potatoes, french fried potatoes, grilled potatoes, hashed brown potatoes, new a la france potato pone potato puffs potatoes, savory potato souffle austrian style potatoes, stuffed potatoes, stuffed potatoes, sweet, baked potatoes, sweet candied potatoes, sweet southern style scalloped pumpkin and rice slaw, cold spinach, a la creme spinach, martha squash, souffled squash, summer succotash tomatoes, baked stuffed tomato croquettes tomatoes, escalloped tomatoes, grilled tomatoes, stewed turnips, creamed turnips, mashed vegetable souffle vegetarian dishes asparagus loaf bananas, devilled bean cutlets cauliflower snow craigie toast croquettes marchette duck, mock goose, mock mincemeat, lemon nut loaf nut and macaroni savory nut roast potato and nut croquettes potato sausage potato sefton rice a la maigre rice, spanish timbale, molds veal roast, mock vegetable souffle, mixed vegetable pie miscellaneous bombay toast croutes, a la marie croutes, a la rosamonde macaroni a l'italienne risotto _"man's most important food, fat." "those who say--'the old fashioned things are good enough for us.'" "the difference between substitute and primary." "that 'lardy' taste." "fry fish, then onions, then potatoes in the same crisco." "we all eat raw fats." "a woman can throw out more with a teaspoon than a man can bring home in a wagon." "hidden flavors." "keeping parlor and kitchen strangers." "kosher." "recipes tested by domestic scientists."_ _introduction_ the word "fat" is one of the most interesting in food chemistry. it is the great energy producer. john c. olsen, a.m., ph.d., in his book, "pure food," states that fats furnish half the total energy obtained by human beings from their food. the three _primary_, solid cooking fats today are: [illustration: _butter lard crisco_] there are numbers of substitutes for these, such as butterine, oleomargarine and "lard compounds." the following pages contain a story of unusual interest to _you_. for you _eat_. see page _the story of crisco_ the culinary world is revising its entire cook book on account of the advent of crisco, a new and altogether different cooking fat. many wonder that any product could gain the favor of cooking experts so quickly. a few months after the first package was marketed, practically every grocer of the better class in the united states was supplying women with the new product. this was largely because four classes of people--housewives--chefs--doctors--dietitians--were glad to be shown a product which at once would make for more _digestible_ foods, more _economical_ foods, and better _tasting_ foods. cooking and history [illustration] cooking methods have undergone a marked change during the past few years. the nation's food is becoming more and more wholesome as a result of different discoveries, new sources of supply, and the intelligent weighing of values. domestic science is better understood and more appreciated. [illustration] people of the present century are fairer to their stomachs, realizing that their health largely depends upon this faithful and long-suffering servant. digestion and disposition sound much the same, but a good disposition often is wrecked by a poor digestion. america has been termed a country of dyspeptics. it is being changed to a land of healthy eaters, consequently happier individuals. every agent responsible for this national digestive improvement must be gratefully recognized. [illustration] it seems strange to many that there can be anything _better_ than butter for cooking, or of greater utility than lard, and the advent of crisco has been a shock to the older generation, born in an age less progressive than our own, and prone to contend that the old fashioned things are good enough. [illustration] but these good folk, when convinced, are the greatest enthusiasts. grandmother was glad to give up the fatiguing spinning wheel. so the modern woman is glad to stop cooking with expensive butter, animal lard and their inadequate substitutes. and so, the nation's cook book has been hauled out and is being revised. upon thousands of pages, the words "lard" and "butter" have been crossed out and the word "crisco" written in their place. a need anticipated great foresight was shown in the making of crisco. the quality, as well as the quantity, of lard was diminishing steadily in the face of a growing population. prices were rising. "the high-cost-of-living" was an oft-repeated phrase. also, our country was outgrowing its supply of butter. what was needed, therefore, was not a _substitute_, but something _better_ than these fats, some product which not only would accomplish as much in cookery, but _a great deal more_. when, therefore, crisco was perfected, and it was shown that here finally was an altogether _new_ and _better_ fat, cookery experts were quick to show their appreciation. in reading the following pages, think of crisco as a _primary_ cooking fat or shortening with even more individuality (because it does greater things), than all others. man's most important food, fat no other food supplies our bodies with the _drive_, the vigor, which fat gives. no other food has been given so little study in proportion to its importance. here are interesting facts, yet few housewives are acquainted with them: fat contains more than twice the amount of energy-yielding power or calorific value of proteids or carbohydrates. one half our physical energy is from the fat we eat in different forms. the excellent book, "food and cookery for the sick and convalescent," by fannie merritt farmer, states, "in the diet of children at least, a deficiency of fat cannot be replaced by an excess of carbohydrates; and that fat seems to play some part in the formation of young tissues which cannot be undertaken by _any other constituent of food_...." the book entitled "the chemistry of cooking and cleaning," by the two authorities, ellen h. richards and s. maria elliott, states that the diet of school children should be regulated carefully with the fat supply in view. girls, especially, show at times a dislike for fat. it therefore is necessary that the fat which supplies their growing bodies with energy should be in the purest and most inviting form and should be one that their digestions _welcome_, rather than repel. [illustration] the first step in the digestion of fat is its melting. crisco melts at a lower degree of heat than body temperature. because of its low melting point, thus allowing the digestive juices to mix with it, and because of its vegetable origin and its purity, crisco is the easiest of all cooking fats to digest. when a fat smokes in frying, it "breaks down," that is, its chemical composition is changed; part of its altered composition becomes a non-digestible and irritating substance. the best fat for digestion is one which does _not_ decompose or break down at frying temperature. crisco does not break down until a degree of heat is reached _above_ the frying point. in other words, crisco does not break down at all in normal frying, because it is not necessary to have it "smoking hot" for frying. no part of it, therefore, has been transformed in cooking into an irritant. that is one reason why the stomach welcomes crisco and carries forward its digestion with ease. working towards an ideal a part of the preliminary work done in connection with the development of crisco, described in these pages, consisted of the study of the older cooking fats. the objectionable features of each were considered. the good was weighed against the bad. the strength and weakness of each was determined. thus was found what the ideal fat should possess, and what it should _not_ possess. it must have every good quality and no bad one. after years of study, a process was discovered which made possible the ideal fat. the process involved the changing of the composition of vegetable food oils and the making of the richest fat or solid _cream_. [illustration] the crisco process at the first stage of its development gave, at least, the basis of the ideal fat; namely, a purely _vegetable_ product, differing from all others in that absolutely no animal fat had to be added to the vegetable oil to produce the proper stiffness. this was but one of the many distinctive advantages sought and found. not marketed until perfect it also solved the problem of eliminating certain objectionable features of fats in general, such as rancidity, color, odor, smoking properties when heated. these weaknesses, therefore, were not a part of this new fat, which it would seem was the parent of the ideal. then after four years of severe tests, after each weakness was replaced with strength the government was given this fat to analyze and classify. the report was that it answered to none of the tests for fats already existing. a primary fat it was neither a butter, a "compound" nor a "substitute," but _an entirely new product_. a _primary_ fat. in it was named crisco and placed upon the market. today you buy this rich, wholesome cream of nutritious food oils in sanitary tins. the "crisco process" alone can produce this creamy white fat. no one else can manufacture crisco, because no one else holds the secret of crisco and because they would have no legal right to make it. crisco is crisco, and nothing else. finally economical at first, it looked very much as if crisco must be a high-priced product. it cost its discoverers many thousands of dollars before ever a package reached the consumer's kitchen. crisco was not offered for sale as a _substitute_, or for housewives to buy only to save money. the chief point emphasized was, that crisco was a richer, more wholesome food fat for cooking. naturally, therefore, it was good news to all when crisco was found also to be more economical. crisco is more economical than lard in another way. it makes richer pastry than lard, and one-fifth less can be used. furthermore it can be used over and over again in frying all manner of foods, and because foods absorb so little, crisco is in reality more economical even than lard of _mediocre_ quality. the _price_ of crisco is lower than the average price of the best pail lard throughout the year. [illustration] crisco's manufacture [illustration: cooling in a room with glass walls] [illustration: filling by machinery] [illustration: automatic labelling] it would be difficult to imagine surroundings more appetizing than those in which crisco is manufactured. it is made in a building devoted exclusively to the manufacture of this one product. in sparkling bright rooms, cleanly uniformed employees make and pack crisco. the air for this building is drawn in through an apparatus which washes and purifies it, removing the possibility of any dust entering. the floors are of a special tile composition; the walls are of white glazed tile, which are washed regularly. white enamel covers metal surfaces where nickel plating cannot be used. sterilized machines handle the oil and the finished product. no hand touches crisco until in your own kitchen the sanitary can is opened, disclosing the smooth richness, the creamlike, appetizing consistency of the product. the banishment of that "lardy" taste in foods it was the earnest aim of the makers of crisco to produce a strictly _vegetable_ product without adding a hard, and consequently indigestible animal fat. there is today a pronounced partiality from a health standpoint to a vegetable fat, and the lardy, greasy taste of food resulting from the use of animal fat never has been in such disfavor as during the past few years. so crisco is absolutely _all_ vegetable. no stearine, animal or vegetable, is added. it possesses no taste nor odor save the delightful and characteristic aroma which identifies crisco, and is suggestive of its purity. explanation of "hidden" food flavors. when the dainty shadings of taste are over-shadowed by a "lardy" flavor, the _true_ taste of the food itself is lost. we miss the "hidden" or _natural_ taste of the food. crisco has a peculiar power of bringing out the very best in food flavors. even the simplest foods are allowed a delicacy of flavor. [illustration] take ginger bread for example: the real _ginger_ taste is there. the _molasses_ and spice flavors are brought out. [illustration] or just plain, every-day fried potatoes; many never knew what the real _potato_ taste was before eating potatoes fried in crisco. fried chicken has a newness of taste not known before. new users of crisco should try these simple foods first and later take up the preparation of more elaborate dishes. butter, ever popular it is hard to imagine anything taking the place of butter upon the dining table. for seasoning in cooking, the use of butter ever will be largely a matter of taste. some people have a partiality for the "butter flavor," which after all is largely the salt mixed with the fat. close your eyes and eat some fresh unsalted butter; note that it is practically tasteless. [illustration] crisco contains richer food elements than butter. as crisco is richer, containing no moisture, one-fifth or one-fourth less can be used in each recipe. crisco always is uniform because it is a manufactured fat where quality and purity can be controlled. it works perfectly into any dough, making the crust or loaf even textured. it keeps sweet and pure indefinitely in the ordinary room temperature. keep your parlor and your kitchen strangers kitchen odors are out of place in the parlor. when frying with crisco, as before explained, it is not necessary to heat the fat to _smoking_ temperature, ideal frying is accomplished without bringing crisco to its smoking point. on the other hand, it is necessary to heat lard "smoking hot" before it is of the proper frying temperature. remember also that, when lard smokes and fills the house with its strong odor, certain constituents have been changed chemically to those which irritate the sensitive membranes of the alimentary canal. [illustration: the lard kitchen.] [illustration: the crisco kitchen--no smoke.] crisco does not smoke until it reaches degrees, a heat higher than is necessary for frying. you need not wait for crisco to smoke. consequently the house will not fill with smoke, nor will there be black, burnt specks in fried foods, as often there are when you use lard for frying. crisco gives up its heat very quickly to the food submerged in it and a tender, brown crust almost _instantly_ forms, allowing the inside of the potatoes, croquettes, doughnuts, etc., to become _baked_, rather than soaked. [illustration: fry this, then this, then this--in the same crisco.] the same crisco can be used for frying fish, onions, potatoes, or any other food. crisco does not take up food flavors or odors. after frying each food, merely strain out the food particles. we all eat raw fats the shortening fat in pastry or baked foods, is merely distributed throughout the dough. no chemical change occurs during the baking process. so when you eat pie or hot biscuit, in which animal lard is used, _you eat raw animal lard_. the shortening used in all baked foods therefore, should be just as pure and wholesome as if you were eating it like butter upon bread. because crisco digests with such ease, and because it is a pure vegetable fat, all those who realize the above fact regarding pastry making are now won over to crisco. [illustration] a hint as to crisco's purity is shown by this simple test: break open a hot biscuit in which crisco has been used. you will note a sweet fragrance, which is most inviting. [illustration] a few months ago if you had told dyspeptic men and women that they could eat pie at the evening meal and that distress would not follow, probably they would have doubted you. hundreds of instances of crisco's healthfulness have been given by people, who, at one time have been denied such foods as pastry, cake and fried foods, but who _now_ eat these rich, yet digestible crisco dishes. you, or any other normally healthy individual, whose digestion does not relish greasy foods, can eat rich pie crust. the richness is there, but not the unpleasant after effects. crisco digests _readily_. the importance of giving children crisco foods [illustration] a good digestion will mean much to the youngster's health and character. a man seldom seems to be stronger than his stomach, for indigestion handicaps him in his accomplishment of big things. as more attention is given to _present_ feeding, less attention need be given to _future_ doctoring. equip your children with good stomachs by giving them wholesome crisco foods--foods which digest with ease. they may eat the rich things they enjoy and find them just as digestible as many apparently simple foods, if crisco be used properly. they may eat crisco doughnuts or pie without being chased by nightmares. sweet dreams follow the crisco supper. [illustration] the great variety of crisco foods there are thousands of crisco dishes. it is impossible to know the exact number, because crisco is used for practically every cooking purpose. women daily tell us of new uses they have found for crisco. many women _begin_ by using crisco in simple ways, for frying, for baking, in place of lard. soon, however, they learn that crisco _also_ takes the place of butter. "butter richness without butter expense," say the thousands of crisco users. tasty scalloped dishes, salad dressing, rich pastry, fine grained cake, sauces and hundreds of other dishes, where butter formerly was used, now are prepared with crisco. "a woman can throw out more with a teaspoon than a man can bring home in a wagon" [illustration] kitchen expense comes by the _spoonful_. think of the countless spoonfuls of expensive butter used daily, where economical crisco would accomplish the same results at one-third the cost. it should be remembered that one-fifth less crisco than butter may be used, because crisco is _richer_ than butter. the moisture, salt and curd which butter contains to the extent of about per cent are not found in crisco, which is _all_, ( per cent) shortening. remember also that crisco will average _a lower price per pound throughout the year than the best pail lard_. and you can use less crisco than lard, which is a further saving. [illustration: hotel kitchen] [illustration: domestic scientists use crisco] brief, interesting facts crisco is being used in an increasing number of the better class hotels, clubs, restaurants, dining cars, ocean liners. crisco has been demonstrated and explained upon the chautauqua platform by domestic science experts, these lectures being a part of the regular course. domestic science teachers recommend crisco to their pupils and use it in their classes and lecture demonstrations. many high schools having domestic science departments use crisco. crisco has taken the place of butter and lard in a number of hospitals, where purity and digestibility are of _vital_ importance. [illustration: hospital dietetic class] crisco is kosher. rabbi margolies of new york, said that the hebrew race had been waiting , years for crisco. it conforms to the strict dietary laws of the jews. it is what is known in the hebrew language as a "parava," or neutral fat. crisco can be used with both "milchig" and "fleichig" (milk and flesh) foods. special kosher packages, bearing the seals of rabbi margolies of new york, and rabbi lifsitz of cincinnati, are sold the jewish trade. but all crisco is kosher and all of the same purity. [illustration: the kosher seal] campers find crisco helpful in many ways. hot climates have little effect upon its wholesomeness. it is convenient; a handy package to pack and does not melt so quickly in transit. one can of crisco can be used to fry fish, eggs, potatoes and to make hot biscuit, merely by straining out the food particles after each frying and pouring the crisco back into the can to harden to proper consistency before the biscuit making. [illustration] practically every grocer who has a good trade in crisco, uses it in his own home. crisco is sold by net weight. you pay _only_ for the crisco--not the can. find the net weight of what you have been using. bread and cake keep fresh and moist much longer when crisco is used. [illustration] women have written that they use empty crisco tins for canning vegetables and fruits, and as receptacles for kitchen and pantry use. crisco's manufacture scientifically explained to understand something of the crisco process, it is necessary first to know that there are three main constituents in all the best edible oils. linoline, oleine, stearine. the chemical difference between these three components is solely in the percentage of hydrogen contained, and it is possible by the addition of hydrogen, to transform one component into another. though seemingly so much alike, there is a marked difference in the physical properties of these components. linoline which has the lowest percentage of hydrogen, is unstable and tends to turn rancid. oleine is stable, has no tendency to turn rancid and is easily digested. stearine is both hard and indigestible. the crisco process adds enough hydrogen to change almost all the linoline into nourishing digestible oleine. mark well the difference in manufacture between crisco and lard compounds. in producing a lard compound, to the linoline, oleine and stearine of the original oil is added more stearine (usually animal), the hard indigestible fat, in order to bring up the hardness of the oil. the resultant compound is indigestible and very liable to become rancid. * * * * * the following pages contain recipes which have been tested by domestic science authorities in the cooking departments of different colleges and other educational institutions, and by housewives in their own kitchens. many have been originated by marion harris neil and _all_ have been tested by her. we have undertaken to submit a comprehensive list of recipes for your use, which will enable you to serve menus of wide variety. we hope that you have enjoyed reading this little volume and that you will derive both help and satisfaction from the recipes. we will go to any length to help you in the cause of better food. we realize that women must study this product as they would any other altogether new article of cookery, and that the study and care used will be amply repaid by the palatability and healthfulness of all foods. a can of crisco is no aladdin's lamp, which merely need be touched by a kitchen spoon to produce magical dishes. but _any_ woman is able to achieve excellent results by mixing thought with crisco. let us know how you progress. yours respectfully, [illustration: the procter & gamble co.] _things to remember in connection with these recipes_ no need for crisco to occupy valuable space in the refrigerator. in fact, except in most unusual summer heat, it will be of a better consistency outside the refrigerator. crisco keeps sweet indefinitely, summer and winter, at ordinary room temperature. [illustration: use level measurements] in making sauces, thoroughly blend the flour and crisco before adding the milk. in using melted crisco in boiled dressing, croquettes, rolls, fritters, etc., be sure that the melted crisco is cooled sufficiently so that the hot fat will not injure the texture of the foods. when using in place of butter, add salt in the proportion of one level teaspoonful to one cup of crisco. remember that crisco, like butter, is susceptible to cold. it readily becomes hard. in creaming crisco in winter use the same care as when creaming butter. rinse pan in boiling water and have the crisco of the proper creaming stiffness before using. unlike butter, however, crisco's purity is not affected by weather. it remains sweet and pure indefinitely without refrigeration. [illustration] in deep frying, do not wait for crisco to smoke. (see page .) _remember that_-- _when pie crust is tough:_ it is possible you have not used crisco properly. perhaps the measurements were not correct. perhaps the water was too warm, or the dough was handled too much. shortening cannot make pastry tough. _when fried foods absorb:_ it is because crisco is not hot enough, or because you have not used enough crisco. use plenty and the raw foods, if added in small quantities, will not reduce the heat of the fat. the absorption in deep crisco frying should be less than that of another fat. _when cake is not a success:_ it is not the fault of the crisco. either too much was used, the oven heat not perfectly controlled or some important ingredient was used in the wrong proportion. crisco should be creamed with the sugar more thoroughly than butter, as crisco contains no moisture to dissolve the sugar. _when cake or other food is not flavory:_ salt should have been added to the crisco, for crisco contains no salt. _when there is smoke in the kitchen:_ crisco has been burned or heated too high for frying. or some may have been on the _outside_ of the pan or kettle. _when crisco is too hard:_ like butter, it is susceptible to heat and cold. simply put in a warmer place. _hints to young cooks_ _also, how to choose foods, methods of cooking, cooking time table, the art of carving_, by marion harris neil. before commencing to cook, look up the required recipe, read and think it out. note down on a slip of paper the materials and quantities required. collect all utensils and materials required before commencing. success in cookery depends on careful attention to every detail from start to finish. quantities, both liquid and dry, should be exact. small scales and weights should form part of the kitchen equipment where possible, and the measuring cups cost so little that no one need be without them. throughout this book the measurements are level [illustration] _how to choose foods_ money can be spent to infinitely better advantage in the store, than by giving orders at the door, by phone or mail. every housekeeper knows how large a proportion of the housekeeping money is swallowed up by the butcher's bill, so that with the meat item careful selection is most necessary in order to keep the bills within bounds. in choosing meat of any kind the eye, the nose and the touch really are required, although it is not appetizing to see the purchaser use more than the eye. beef in choosing meat it should be remembered that without being actually unwholesome, it varies greatly in quality, and often an inferior joint is to be preferred from a first class beast to a more popular cut from a second class animal. to be perfect the animal should be five or six years old, the flesh of a close even grain, bright red in color and well mixed with creamy white fat, the suet being firm and a clear white. heifer meat is smaller in the bone and lighter in color than ox beef. cow beef is much the same to look at as ox beef, though being older it is both coarser in the grain and tougher; bull beef, which is never seen however, in a first class butcher's may be recognized by the coarseness and dark color of the flesh, and also by a strong and almost rank smell. mutton to be in perfection, mutton should be at least four, or better five or six years old, but sheep of this age are rarely if ever, met with now-a-days, when they are constantly killed under two years. to know the age of mutton, examine the breast bones; if these are all of a white gristly color the animal was four years old or over, while the younger it is the pinkier are the bones, which, in a sheep of under a year, are entirely red. good mutton should be of a clear dark red, the fat firm and white, and not too much of it; when touched the meat should feel crisp yet tender. if the fat is yellow and the lean flabby and damp, it is bad. a freshly scraped wooden skewer run into the meat along the bone will speedily enable anyone to detect staleness. for roasting mutton scarcely can be hung too long, as long as it is not tainted; but for boiling it must not be kept nearly so long or the meat will be of a bad color when cooked. lamb the freshness of lamb is comparatively easy to distinguish, as if fresh the neck vein will be a bright blue, the knuckles stiff, and the eyes bright and full. veal veal is at its best when the calf is from three to four months old. the meat should be of a close firm grain, white in color and the fat inclining to a pinkish tinge. veal is sometimes coarser in the grain, and redder in the flesh, not necessarily a mark of inferiority, but denoting the fact that calf has been brought up in the open. like all young meat, veal turns very quickly, therefore it never should hang more than two or three days. in choosing veal always examine the suet under the kidney; if this be clammy and soft, with a faint odor, the meat is not good, and always reject any that has greenish or yellowish spots about it. the head should be clean skinned and firm, the eyes full and clear, the kidneys large and well covered with fat, the liver a rich dark clear color, free from any spots or gristle, while the sweetbreads should be firm, plump, of a delicate color, and free from strings. pork the flesh of pork, when in good condition, is a delicate pinky white, with a close fine grain; the fat, which should not be too abundant, of a white color, very faintly tinged with pink; the skin should be thin and elastic to the touch, and the flesh generally cool, clean, and smooth looking; if, on the contrary, the flesh is flabby and clammy when touched, it is not fresh. pork, like all white meat, is quick to taint, and never should be kept long before cooking. if you have the slightest doubt about pork, it is best to reject it, for unlike other meat which may be quite wholesome and usable, though not of precisely prime quality, pork _must_ be in really first class condition to be wholesome, and therefore it is impossible to be too particular in the choice of it. always if possible look at the tongue, for, as in beef, this is a very fair criterion of the condition of the animal; a freshly scraped new wooden skewer run into the meat along the bone is a good test of the freshness of the pork, and be careful especially to examine the fat, for if there be little kernels in it the pork is "measly," a very common disease among pigs, and one particularly unwholesome to the consumer. pigs for fresh pork should be of medium size, not over fat, and under a year old. pigs destined to become bacon are usually older and larger. sucking pigs should be small, and are best when about three weeks old. a sucking pig should be cooked as soon as possible after it is killed, as it taints very quickly; unless fresh, no care in the cooking will make the crackling crisp, as it should be. ham--bacon good bacon has the lean of a bright pink and fine in the grain, while the fat is white and firm. if the lean is high colored, it probably has been over salted and is old besides, and in consequence will be hard and salty; while if there be yellow marks in the fat, and a curious, rather musty smell, it will have an unpleasant taste. in choosing a ham always run a clean knife or skewer in at the knuckle, and also at the center; if it comes out clean and smelling sweet, the ham is good; but if out of order the blade of the knife will be smeared and greasy looking, and have a disagreeable, strong odor. venison the condition of venison is judged chiefly by the fat, which should be a clear creamy white color, and close in texture. always try venison by running a sharp knife along the haunch bone, which is usually the first to turn; if, in taking it out, the knife has a blackish-green look and an unpleasant odor, the meat is tainted, and unfit for use. venison requires to be kept a considerable time before it is in proper condition, and needs great care in its management. it must be examined carefully every day, and if there is the slightest doubt, it should be washed in lukewarm milk and water, then dried in clean cloths, and when perfectly dry, should be covered thickly all over with ground ginger and pepper; when required for use, dust off the pepper and ginger, and wash the meat in a little lukewarm water, and dry it thoroughly. venison, like mutton, improves with age, and this can be judged by the condition of the hoof, which in a young animal has a small, smooth cleft, while in an old one it is deeply cut and rugged. the haunch is the prime joint, its perfection depending on the greater or less depth of the fat on it. the neck and shoulder also are very good. they are used chiefly for stews or pies. hares and rabbits a hare when fresh killed is stiff and red; when stale, the body is supple and the flesh in many parts black. if the hare be old the ears will be tough and dry, and will not tear readily. rabbits may be judged in the same manner. in both, the claws should be smooth and sharp. in a young hare the cleft in the lip is narrow, and the claws are cracked readily if turned sideways. poultry poultry to be perfect, should have just reached their full growth (the only exceptions to this are "spring chickens," ducklings, goslings, etc., which are considered delicacies at certain seasons); they should be plump, firm fleshed, and not over fatted. over-fed fowls are often a mass of greasy fat, which melts in the cooking and spoils the flavor of the bird. a hen is at her best just before she begins to lay; her legs should be smooth, her comb small, bright, and soft. a young cock has the comb full, bright colored, and smooth, the legs smooth, the spurs short, and in both the toes should break easily when turned back, and the weight of the birds should be great in proportion to their size. contrary to the practice with game, poultry never should be kept long, as they turn easily, and are spoilt if the least high. they also require longer cooking, in proportion to their size, than game, and never should be underdone. dark-legged fowls are best for roasting, as their flesh is moister and better flavored cooked in this way than the white-legged ones, which from their greater daintiness of appearance are to be preferred for boiling. _turkeys_ should be plump, white-fleshed, young, the legs plump and firm, black and smooth, with (in the cock) short spurs, the feet soft and supple; the eyes should be full and clear, the neck long, and the wattles of a bright color. a hen turkey is best for boiling. like fowls, an old turkey is fit for nothing but the stewpan or the stockpot. turkeys require hanging for at least a week, though they must never be "high" or "gamey." _geese_ always should be chosen young, plump, and full breasted, a white skin, a yellow smooth bill, the feet yellow and pliable. if the feet and bill are red and hard, and the skin hairy and coarse, the bird is old. geese should be hung for a few days. ducks, like geese, should have yellow, supple feet; the breasts full and hard, and the skin clear. wild ducks should be fat, the feet small, reddish, and pliable, the breast firm and heavy. if not fresh, there will be a disagreeable smell when the bill is open. the male is generally the more expensive, though the female is usually more delicate in flavor. _pigeons_ always should be young and extremely fresh, and when so, they are plump and fat, with pliable smooth feet. note--in selecting game pluck a few feathers from the under part of the leg; if the skin is not discolored the bird is fresh. the age may be known by placing the thumb into the beak, and holding the bird up with the jaw apart; if it breaks it is young; if not, it is old, and requires longer keeping before cooking to be eatable. _guinea-fowl_ are judged like poultry, but require hanging for some time. fish fish in good condition usually is firm and elastic to the touch, eyes bright and prominent, gills fresh and rosy. if the fish is flabby, with sunken eyes, it either is stale or out of condition. _salmon_ should have a small head and tail, full thick shoulders, clean silvery scales, and its flesh of a rich yellowish pink. when quite fresh there is a creamy curd between the flakes, which are stiff and hard; but if kept this melts, softening the flesh and rendering it richer, but at the same time less digestible. _trout_, in spite of the difference in size, may be judged by the same rule as salmon. however, it will not bear keeping, deteriorating rapidly. _cod_, unlike salmon, should have a large head and thick shoulders; the flesh being white and clear, and separating easily into large flakes, the skin clean and silvery. most people consider cod improves by being kept for a day or two and very slightly salted. _herrings_ must be absolutely fresh to be good, and when in this state their scales shine like silver. if kept over long their eyes become suffused with blood. _mackerel_ also must be quite fresh. they never should be bought if either out of condition or season. if fresh they are peculiarly beautiful fish, their backs of an iridescent blue green barred with black, and their bellies of a pearly whiteness. _smelts_ should be stiff and silvery, with a delicate perfume faintly suggestive of cucumber. _halibut_ is a wholesome fish. it should be middling size, thick and of a white color. _lobsters, crabs, prawns, and shrimps_ are stiff, and with the tails tightly pressed against the body. with the former, weight is a great guide, as the heavier they are the better; but if there be the least sign of wateriness, they should be rejected at once. vegetables green vegetables always are at their best when cheapest and most plentiful. out of season they never have the same flavor, however well they may be grown. excepting artichokes, all summer vegetables, as lettuce, peas, beans, and asparagus should be cooked as soon as possible after gathering. the freshness of most vegetables may be ascertained easily by taking a leaf or a pod between the fingers. if fresh this will snap off short and crisp, while if stale it will be limp and soft. it is an economy to buy winter vegetables, such as carrots, parsnips, turnips, beets, celery, and potatoes in large quantities, if you have storage room, as if buried in sand and kept from the frost they may be kept a considerable time. onions should be kept hung up in a cool, dry place. if allowed to sprout the flavor becomes rank and coarse. eggs a mode of ascertaining the freshness of eggs is to hold them before a lighted candle or to the light, and if the egg looks clear, it will be tolerably good; if thick, it is stale; and if there is a black spot attached to the shell, it is worthless. no egg should be used for culinary purposes with the slightest taint in it, as it will render perfectly useless those with which it has been mixed. eggs may be preserved, however, for a considerable time without any further special precaution than that of keeping them in a cool place. a very effective method of preserving eggs for winter use is to rub a little melted crisco over each to close the pores, and then to pack the eggs in bran, salt or sawdust, not allowing them to touch each other. [illustration] _methods of cooking_ there are seven chief methods of cooking meat--roasting, boiling, baking, stewing, frying, broiling and poaching. the first three are most suitable for joints weighing four pounds or more, but not satisfactory for smaller pieces which are liable to become hard and flavorless by the drying up or loss of their juices. of the other three methods, stewing may be applied to fairly large and solid pieces, but it is better for smaller thin ones, while frying and broiling can be used only for steaks, chops, and similar cuts. braising and steaming are combinations and modifications of these methods. roasting roasting is one of the oldest methods of cooking on record, and still remains the favorite form of cooking joints of meat or birds. the success of every method of cooking depends largely upon the correct management of the fire. in roasting, this is particularly the case, as a clear, brisk and yet steady fire is needed. to roast a joint it should be placed before great heat for the first ten minutes and then allowed to cook more slowly. the great heat hardens the outside of the meat and keeps in the juices. if allowed to cook quickly all the time the meat is likely to be tough. the fire should be bright and clear. the joint should be basted about every ten minutes, as this helps to cook it, keeps it juicy and improves the flavor. the time allowed is fifteen minutes for every pound, twenty minutes over for beef and mutton; for veal and pork twenty minutes for every pound and thirty minutes over. oven roasting roasting in the oven of ordinary coal stoves or ranges is not considered so good as roasting before an open fire; nevertheless it may be said safely that the greatest part of meat roasting is done in close ovens. it appears, from various experiments that meat roasted or baked in a close oven loses rather less of its weight than if roasted by an open fire. the excellence of a roast depends to a great extent upon the amount of basting it receives. some cooks season a joint before it is cooked, while others season it with salt and pepper just before it is served. there is a difference of opinion as to which is the more correct way of the two. meat of newly killed animals requires longer cooking than meat which has been hung for a time. in warm weather joints require slightly less time for roasting than in cold. boned and rolled or stuffed meats require longer cooking than the same joints would if neither rolled nor stuffed. the meat of young animals and that of old ones requires different treatment. as a rule young flesh, containing less fibrine, requires longer cooking. white meat, such as pork, veal and lamb, always should be well cooked and never must be served rare. the exact time and process of roasting must be left to the good management of the cook, who must be guided by circumstances and conditions. the cook's business is to serve the joint as full of nourishing qualities as possible. though roasting is considered one of the easiest and most simple processes of cookery, it really requires quite as much attention to obtain perfect results as is necessary to prepare so-called "made" dishes, the recognized test for good cooks. boiling boiling (of fresh meat).--this is cookery by immersion in boiling liquid, which after a few minutes is reduced to simmering. the object of the high temperature at first is to harden the surface albumen and so seal the pores and prevent the escape of the juices. if continued too long, this degree of heat would tend to toughen the joint throughout; after the first few minutes, therefore, the heat must be reduced to about ° f. the pan used for boiling meat should be only just large enough to hold the joint, and the quantity of liquid no more than is required to cover it. for the boiling of salt meat the general rule of first hardening the surface is not to be followed. the salting of meat withdraws a large proportion of its juices, while at the same time the salt hardens the fibres, and this hardness would be intensified by extreme heat. very salt meat sometimes is soaked in cold water to extract some of the salt, but whether this is done or not, the rule for boiling salt meat is to immerse it in cold or tepid water and bring slowly to boiling point; boil for five minutes to seal the pores and prevent any further loss of juice, then reduce to ° f., and maintain a uniform temperature till the meat is cooked. salt meat takes longer to cook than fresh meat, and the saltness may be qualified by boiling vegetables with the meat, turnips especially being useful for this purpose. baking the actual differences between roasting and baking are not great, the terms being frequently interchanged. meat loses rather less weight when baked than when roasted, but the flavor of meat is inferior and less developed. the heat of an oven being steadier, baking takes somewhat less time than roasting. in a gas oven having an open floor the current of air is not impeded, and such baking very nearly approaches roasting, and the flavor generally is acknowledged to be the same. stewing stewing is cooking slowly with a small quantity of liquid in a covered vessel. the method is specially suitable for the coarser and cheaper parts of meat, which are rendered tender without loss of their juices. the usual plan is to make a gravy flavored and colored to suit the stew, and after the ingredients are well blended and cooked to lay the meat in the boiling liquid. after about two minutes boiling, the temperature is reduced to simmering, about ° f., a lower temperature than that required for a large joint of "boiled" meat. the time depends greatly on the quality of the meat, but none will stew satisfactorily in less than from one and a half to two hours, and the longer allowance is to be preferred. broiling broiling, sometimes called grilling, is cooking by the direct action of fire brought almost into contact with the meat. the outer surface is burned or seared, the albumen hardened and the juices, which have a tendency to escape on the side turned from the heat, are retained in the meat by frequent turning. the fire for broiling must be very clear, intensely hot and high in the grate. the utensil required for broiling is a gridiron, the bars of which are greased and heated to prevent sticking and subsequent tearing of the meat. the gridiron is laid quite close over the heat, so that the lower surface is dried and hardened at once. the meat must be turned at very short intervals before the juices have been driven from the heat to the opposite surface. if once allowed to reach the surface, they will be thrown off in turning and lost, the meat being correspondingly impoverished. by constant turning the juices are kept moving backwards and forwards, and the meat remains moist and full of flavor. each side should be exposed to the fire about three times, and it is not desirable to use meat less than one inch or more than one and a half to two inches thick for the purpose. the thinner pieces should have even greater heat applied than the thick ones, as the longer thin ones are exposed to the fire the more dry and tasteless they become, while the thicker pieces may be slightly withdrawn after thoroughly hardening the surface and cooked rather more slowly that the heat may penetrate to the center. the frequent turning must be continued, or the juices will reach the hardened outer fibres, soften them, and escape. if a double broiler is used the turning is managed easily, but with a single gridiron care must be taken not to puncture the meat by using a fork. steak tongs are made for the purpose of lifting and turning broiled meat, but a spoon or a spoon and knife will answer. a single rim of fat on the chop or steak will tend to keep the edge moist and baste the meat, but too much will cause flame to rise in continuous jet, making the surface smoky. if there is absolutely no fat on the piece to be broiled, morsels of finely chopped suet may be occasionally thrown into the fire, so the sudden spurt of flame from this source leaves a deposit of fat on the meat which improves the flavor, and, without softening the albumen, prevents its becoming uneatably hard and dry. frying frying may be looked on as a derivative of broiling, and passes by easy stages, from broiling on a slightly greased metal plate, or _sautéing_ in a shallow pan in a small quantity of crisco, to cooking by actual immersion into a bath of hot fat. in a house where small and delicately made dishes are in demand, and where variety in the re-dressing of cold meats has to be studied, this frying in deep fat is one of the cook's most needed accomplishments. though exceedingly easy to do well, it is also exceedingly easy to do badly. deep fat frying, which means submerging the food in the fat, is far superior to shallow or saute frying, and can be done most economically with crisco. little is absorbed by the foods, and the crisco does not take up the odor or flavor of the food which is fried in it. this characteristic makes it possible to use crisco for frying one article of food after another. use _plenty_ of crisco for frying. the temperature of the hot crisco then will be but little lowered when the food is added. there is little absorption and what is left may be used for _all_ frying, merely by straining out food particles after each frying. sufficient crisco should be put into the pan to fill it about two-thirds full. from two to three pounds for a pan eight inches in diameter will not be too much. into this pan or kettle a wire "frying-basket" should fit quite loosely, the basket measuring quite an inch less across the top than the pan. let crisco get hot gradually in the pan. do not put into an already hot container. no fat should be treated in this manner. do not wait for crisco to smoke heat crisco until a crumb of bread becomes a golden brown in seconds for raw dough mixtures, as crullers, fritters, etc. seconds for cooked mixtures, as croquettes, codfish balls, etc. seconds for french fried potatoes. seconds may be counted thus: one hundred and one, one hundred and two, etc. the fat may be tested also by dropping into it a little piece of the article to be cooked. when it rises to the top, bubbles vigorously and browns quickly, the fat is hot enough. when prepared, the foods must be placed in the basket, not too many at a time or too close together, and then lowered gently into the fat. they generally will sink to the bottom for a minute or two, and only float when they have begun to brown. when a bright golden brown, take up the basket and let the fried things drain in it, over the hot fat, for a few seconds. then take them out gently one by one, and lay them on a sheet of brown or kitchen paper. the draining over the pan is one of the principal things to attend to; if this be neglected, the fat will cling about the fried things, making them both look and taste greasy, whereas if properly drained in the basket to begin with, they will afterwards scarcely mark the paper. when, as is sometimes the case, no frying basket is used, each thing fried should be drained between a spoon and the edge of the pan. to clarify it is economy to use three pounds in the kettle, clarifying the fat when it is put away. to clarify crisco, take that which has been used for deep frying and when it has cooled, but not solidified, strain through a double thickness of cheese cloth, replace kettle on stove, drop several slices of potato into the crisco and reheat. when the potatoes are golden brown, take out and pour the crisco back into the tin. with this little care, fish, oysters, onions, chops, fritters, doughnuts, etc., may be fried over and over again in the same crisco. [illustration] the dry or saute method of frying is less satisfactory, in that it is difficult even after much practice to produce a uniformly colored surface. a small quantity of fat only is needed, and where the fat, i.e., the heat, ends, a crack is formed in the outer coat, through which flavor escapes and fat enters; the appearance also is rendered unsightly. flat fish can be fried fairly well by this method, or, indeed, almost any thin substance, as thin edges are not affected in this way. for pancakes and other articles of similar nature it is the best method. it rarely is possible to use the fat from the dry method a second time, except for dishes of the same kind, as the fat always is more or less flavored by the food cooked in it. the most digestible fat for frying and the best for results undoubtedly is crisco. steaming steaming is a process very similar to boiling, for it is cooking in the heated vapor of water. this practice as a means of cookery is largely adopted in hotels, clubs, schools and hospitals, and other large institutions; also frequently applied in ordinary home cookery for particular articles of food requiring a very slow process of cooking. an ordinary kitchen steamer, with a close-fitting lid is generally all that is required for simple household cookery on a small scale. the articles of food which are to be steamed are prepared in exactly the same manner as for boiling. many puddings, some meats, and some vegetables are considered better if cooked by steam, and inasmuch as the process of cooking is a very slow one, there is no fear of the food being destroyed by too fierce a heat, as the temperature in steaming never reaches beyond ° f. fish, meat and poultry cooked by steam are as a rule tender, full of gravy and digestible. by steaming, watery vegetables are made drier; tough meats are softened and made tender; while farinaceous mixtures and puddings develop a totally different flavor when baked or fried. braising braising is a combination of roasting and stewing small joints of meat in a shallow stewpan. it is a favorite method of cooking with the french, and is supposed to bring out an unusually fine flavor and aroma. the pan in which a braise is to be made always should be lined with slices of bacon, carrot, onions and herbs, upon which the meat is placed. it usually is moistened with stock or stock and wine. the more delicate meats, such as sweetbreads, fillets, fowls and turkeys sometimes are covered with buttered paper; this is done to prevent the heat from the top of the pan scorching or imparting too much of a roast flavor to the meats which are to be braised. occasional basting during the process of this method of cooking is essential. when done, the meat is taken up, the fat removed from the vegetables and gravy, which latter is then reduced, strained and blended with some kind of gravy or thin sauce. poaching and marinating poaching is the name usually given to the process of cooking an article by placing it for a few minutes in boiling water. marinating or pickling is a process with a formidable name with a simple meaning. to marinate simply is to soak meat in a mixture for some hours, or even days, with the idea of improving its flavor of softening its fibres and making it tender. vinegar, oil, pepper and salt are mixed together and the meat packed in the mixture; sometimes a sliced onion and herbs are added. the meat, of course, should be wiped first, but not washed. cooking in earthenware stone or earthenware cooking appliances are used to very great advantage for various forms of preparing food. for the homely _pot-au-feu_ the french housewife has used fireproof earthenware dishes for generations, and does so today. but besides soups, various savory dishes, and all sorts of stews are cooked in stoneware pots. indeed, so much has this form of cookery come into fashion that many dishes are sent to table in the pots in which they are cooked. cooking in stoneware has no equal where slow cooking is aimed at, and there are many dishes which one would do well to refrain from attempting unless cooked in this fashion. these cooking pots are inexpensive, and certain foods taste decidedly better if cooked in this way. for braising, pot roasting, or stewing fruit and other articles which need to be cooked slowly under close cover, the application of a moderate, even heat produces far better results than if quick heat is applied. for such cases the use of earthenware cooking pots is recommended. [illustration] _time table for cooking_ baking beef, loin or ribs, rare, per lb. to minutes beef, loin or ribs, well done, per lb. to minutes beef, ribs, rolled, rare to minutes beef, ribs, rolled, well done to minutes beef, fillet, rare to minutes beef, fillet, well done minutes mutton, leg, rare, per lb. minutes mutton, leg, well done, per lb. minutes mutton, forequarter, stuffed, per lb. to minutes lamb, well done, per lb. to minutes veal, well done, per lb. to minutes pork, well done, per lb. minutes venison, rare, per lb. minutes chicken, per lb. to minutes turkey, nine lbs. hours goose, nine lbs. - / hours duck, domestic to - / hours duck, wild to minutes grouse to minutes ham to hours fish, or lbs. to minutes small fish and fillets minutes beans with pork to hours bread, white loaf to minutes graham loaf to minutes baking powder biscuits to minutes gems to minutes quick doughs to minutes cookies to minutes gingerbread to minutes sponge cake to minutes cake, layer to minutes cake, loaf to minutes fruit cake to hours cake, wedding to hours cakes, small to minutes batter puddings to minutes pies to minutes tarts to minutes patties to minutes vol-au-vent to minutes muffins, yeast minutes muffins, baking powder to minutes indian pudding to hours rice or tapioca pudding hour bread puddings to minutes scallop dishes to minutes custard to minutes custard in cups to minutes boiling meats to hours corned meat to hours ox tongue to hours ham, to lbs to hours turkey, lbs to - / hours fowl, to lbs to hours chicken, lbs to - / hours fish, to lbs to minutes lobster to minutes cod, to lbs to minutes haddock, to lbs to minutes halibut, thick piece, per lb minutes salmon, thick piece, per lb to minutes asparagus to minutes beans, shell or string to hours beets, young minutes beets, old to hours brussels sprouts to minutes cabbage to minutes carrots hour cauliflower to minutes corn to minutes macaroni to minutes turnips to minutes onions to minutes parsnips to minutes spinach to minutes tomatoes, stewed to minutes rice to minutes broiling steak, inch thick to minutes steak, - / inches thick to minutes lamb or mutton chops to minutes chicken minutes quails minutes squabs to minutes shad, whitefish and bluefish to minutes fish slices to minutes liver to minutes frying smelts and other small fish to minutes breaded chops to minutes potatoes, raw to minutes fish balls and croquettes minute muffins, fritters, and doughnuts to minutes weights and measures - / grains dram drams ounce ounces pound teaspoonful drops teaspoonfuls tablespoonful tablespoonfuls wineglass, / gill, or / cup tablespoonfuls cup gills cup cups pint pints quart quarts gallon tablespoonfuls crisco ounce tablespoonfuls salt ounce tablespoonfuls sugar ounce tablespoonfuls flour ounce tablespoonful liquid / ounce square chocolate ounce / cupful chopped nut meats (blanched) ounce cupful currants / pound cupful crumbs / pound - / cupfuls coffee pound - / cupfuls confectioners' sugar pound - / cupfuls graham flour pound - / cupfuls oatmeal pound cupfuls rolled oats pound - / cupfuls rye meal pound - / cupfuls rice pound - / cupfuls dry beans pound cupfuls granulated sugar pound - / cupfuls brown sugar pound - / cupfuls powdered sugar pound cupful (volume) ounces cupful water - / ounces pint butter pound quart-flour pound small or medium eggs pound all materials are measured level, i.e., by filling spoon or cup more than full and leveling with a case knife. to measure meal, flour, sugar and similar ingredients, sift lightly into the measure, then level. standard measuring cups made of tin, aluminum or glass holding half a pint always should be used. coffee and teacups vary so much that correct proportions can not be obtained by using them. to measure a spoonful of dry material, fill the spoon heaping, then level. to measure a half-spoonful, fill and level the spoon, then divide in half lengthways; for quarter-spoonfuls, divide the halves crossways. _use level measurements in all recipes in this book._ _the art of carving_ carving is an art, and one which anybody, with a knowledge of a few general directions, can acquire easily. a proper set of carving tools is almost indispensable, and should comprise: a good thin, sharp-bladed knife, a solid two or three pronged fork, and a pair of carving scissors. anything that needs to be carved at table should be placed on a dish sufficiently large to allow the joint to be turned without moving the dish from its position. the dish should be placed close in front of the carver. such joints as beef, veal and ham should be cut very thin; while lamb, mutton, and pork should be cut a trifle thicker. _to carve a fowl_, begin by sticking the fork into the pinion and draw it towards the leg; and then, passing the knife underneath, take off the wing at the joint. next slip the knife between leg and body, to cut through the joint; and with the fork turn leg back, and joint will give way. then take off other wing and leg. after legs are taken off, enter knife into the top of breast, and cut under merrythought or wishbone so as to loosen it, lifting it with the fork. afterwards cut slices from both sides of breast. next, take off collarbones, which lie on each side of wishbone and then separate side bones from the back. the breast and wings are considered the most delicate parts; the back as the least desirable, generally is left on platter. _a turkey_ is carved in same manner, except that the legs and wings, being larger, are separated at lower joint. lower part of leg (or drumstick) being hard, tough, and stringy, usually is allowed to remain on platter. first cut off wing, leg, and breast from one side; then turn turkey round and cut them off from the other. _to carve a goose_, separate leg from body by putting fork into small end of leg, pressing it close to body, and then passing knife under, and turning leg back as you cut through joint. to take off wing, put fork into the small end of wing, and press it closely to body, then slip knife under and separate the joint. next, cut under wishbone and take it off, and cut slices from breast. then turn and dismember the other side. take off upper side bones next to wings, then two lower side bones. the breast and legs of a goose are considered the most choice. if a goose is old, there is no fowl so tough. _quails_ merely are split down the back, as also are pigeons, giving a half to each person. _to carve loin of mutton,_ a portion is cut through, beginning at the best end. if kidney be in it, a slice should be served as far as it will go to each portion. care must be taken that the bone is well jointed. the butcher chops the loin between each vertebra. when big mutton is carved it gives a large chop, oftentimes more than the amount desired, but a chop cannot be divided without waste, or one portion being all the inferior end. it is therefore a good plan to joint a loin of mutton with a small meat saw, cutting any thickness desired. in this case the actual bone will often have to be sawn through. the result will be more economical, and the servings more agreeable. the loin also can be boned entirely, stuffed or not, as preferred, the flap end folded and fastened over the fillet portion. then the meat can be carved across any thickness. _to carve leg of mutton,_ stand joint the inner part of the leg uppermost and cut across center to bone, towards carver, then cut rather thick slices on either side. to serve the meat equally, unless any special part is desired, a portion of the knuckle is served with a slice of the thick end. the prime fat is the kernel of fat at the thick end. _to carve forequarter of mutton or lamb._ the forequarter of mutton usually is not served whole unless the mutton be very small. the forequarter of lamb frequently is served whole. before cooking it must be jointed through the chine of bone at the back, to enable this portion being served in chops, twice across the breastbones the entire length, and at short intervals at the edge of the breast. before serving it is usual to separate the shoulder by pressing the fork in by the knuckle, then passing knife round shoulder, crossing about center of joint, raising shoulder without cutting too much meat off breast. leave shoulder in position on joint; a second dish is sent to table on which to lay it while the other part is being carved. _to carve rabbit or hare._ in either case first separate legs and shoulders; then cut the back part across, into two parts. this is accomplished best by inserting the knife into joint, and raising up the back by means of the fork. the back or fillet part is considered the best portion of a hare or rabbit. _to carve sirloin of beef,_ a sirloin should be cut into thin slices with a sharp, firm cut from end to end of the joint. at the upper portion the cut should be clean and even; then use point of knife to loosen slices from bones. in carving undercut, remove superfluous fat, and cut slices from end to end in same manner as upper portion. be careful always to cut down straight to the bone of a sirloin or rib of beef; by so doing you will not spoil appearance of joint, and what remains will look tidy. _to carve ham._ ham should be cut through to the bone first from center or near thin end. slices must be cut thin. always commence cutting from upper side. the fairest way by far, so as to serve fat and lean evenly, is to begin cutting from center of thickest part, and to cut thin circular slices; by this means the flavor of the ham is far better, and it will prove to be the more economical way of serving. _to carve ox-tongue._ commence cutting from middle of tongue; cut slices not too thin and take them from each side being careful not to cut slices through to bottom part of tongue. extreme end of the tip and the lower part of tongue generally are used up for chopping in salpicons, etc. a little of the fat should be put on each plate. when rolled tongue is served it must be cut horizontally into rather thin slices. _to carve fish._ a silver sheer or trowel should be used for this purpose; a steel knife applied to fish often spoils the delicacy of its flavor. great care must be taken to prevent breaking the flakes, which ought to be kept as entire as possible. short-grained fish, such as salmon, etc., should be cut lengthwise, not crosswise. [illustration] six hundred and fifteen tested recipes "calendar of dinners" [illustration: crisco] by marion harris neil soups an economical housewife may supply good gravy and thick soups at very little, if any, addition to the weekly expenses, as soups are an excellent method of using up scraps and bones from joints and vegetables that otherwise are wasted. soup, if taken as the primary course of a substantial dinner, if well flavored and warm, acts as a stimulant in the stomach, exciting the gastric glands, and generally enabling that organ to perform its functions more easily. for this object the soup should be thin and not too much of it partaken, otherwise it dilutes the digestive juices too much. if it is to form the chief part of the meal, the soup will be more nutritious if thickened, especially so, if pulse--i.e. peas, beans, and lentils--is used as the thickening medium. stock is the liquid in which meat, bones, or vegetables have been cooked, and which contains an extract from these substances. it is used for soups, sauces, and gravies. fresh or cooked bones or meat may be used. a stock pot may be kept on the stove, into which are put any scraps of meat, bones, gristle, or vegetable; at the end of the day it is strained, and all fat taken off. bones and meat for stock must be broken into small pieces. cold water should be used, and a little salt to extract the nutriment. the whole must be brought slowly to the boiling point; then, the temperature lowered, the fat and scum taken off. when wanted for clear soups the vegetables should be cleaned, but not cut up, or with the long cooking they may mash and thicken the soup. in hot weather it is better to leave out the vegetables, as the stock turns sour more quickly if vegetables have been used in its preparation. they can be cooked separately and added when using the stock. [illustration] the soup should simmer for five or six hours to extract the gelatinous matters. if the stock is skimmed occasionally it will be much clearer. keep the lid on the stock pot to prevent loss by evaporation. the bones can be cooked again next day for a second stock, but the vegetables must be taken out. care must be taken that nothing doubtful in freshness be put into the stock pot. meat and bones should be well wiped with a damp cloth before using them. if onions be put in the soup unpeeled, simply washed and the root end cut off, they will help to color the soup. when using eggs for other dishes, if the shells be washed before breaking them and added to the stock pot they will help to clear the soup. for clear soups care must be taken that nothing of a floury nature be added to the stock pot. stock always should be strained before cooling. never allow it to stand in stock pot all night. clear gravy soup consists of the extractives, flavoring matters, and gelatine of meat and bones. consommé is a good stock made from beef, veal, and often fowl, and flavored with vegetables, cooled, freed from fat. it is clarified with whites and shells of eggs, and chopped raw lean beef, and strained through a cloth. it should be brilliantly clear and of a pale brown color. any fat floating on the stock may be removed by passing a piece of kitchen or blotting paper over the surface. soup left from a meal will keep better if strained from the vegetables that have been served in it. in hot weather, stock left over must be boiled each day, and poured into a clean basin to prevent its turning sour. in warm weather, soups with milk in their composition should have a pinch of baking soda added. thickenings for soup consist usually of yolks of eggs and cream beaten together in a basin, the boiling soup poured on slowly, stirring well at the same time. soups thus thickened should not be allowed to boil again, otherwise they will curdle. instead of eggs and cream, cornstarch and milk may be used to thicken the soup. asparagus soup heads asparagus tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful cream quart white stock bunch herbs bay leaf sprigs parsley egg yolks blade mace salt and white pepper to taste onion take heads off asparagus, and put aside. cut up stalks in slices, also onion, put these into saucepan with crisco, herbs, parsley, bay leaf, and mace, and fry gently for fifteen minutes, add flour, then stock, and simmer slowly for - / hours. rub through sieve, add cream, yolks of eggs, and seasonings, reheat, but take care not to boil soup. just before serving throw in asparagus tops, which should be first cooked in a little boiling stock. cheese soup tablespoonfuls grated cheese quarts clear soup stock - / cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco cupfuls cream eggs salt, pepper, and paprika to taste finely grated cheese put flour into double boiler, add gradually cream, crisco, tablespoonfuls of grated cheese and paprika to taste, stir over fire till a smooth paste. break in eggs, mix well, cook two minutes longer and allow to cool. roll into balls, when they are all formed, drop into boiling water and cook gently five minutes. drain and put into soup tureen. pour over boiling stock and serve with dish of finely grated cheese. cream of tomato soup tablespoonfuls flour - / tablespoonfuls crisco cupful milk - / cupfuls strained tomato juice teaspoonful celery salt salt, pepper, and paprika to taste pinch baking soda tablespoonful tomato catsup blend crisco and flour together in saucepan over fire, add milk and bring to boiling point. heat tomato juice, tomato catsup and add soda and seasonings. just before serving add crisco mixture to tomato juice and stir till boiling. serve hot. another method, is to cook quart can of tomatoes with quart of water twenty minutes, then rub through sieve. blend tablespoonfuls crisco with tablespoonfuls flour, add tablespoonful sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste, and tablespoonful tomato catsup. add pinch of baking soda to tomatoes, then add gradually to crisco mixture. just bring to boiling point and serve with tablespoonful whipped cream on top of each plate. fish soup lb. cod, or other white fish tablespoonfuls crisco quart white stock, or half milk and half water small carrot small onion stalk celery parsley sprigs blade mace egg yolks / cupful cream lemon tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful chopped parsley dry toast wash and dry fish and cut into small pieces. put into saucepan with stock, vegetables cut in small pieces, parsley and mace. let these simmer for half hour, then strain off liquid. melt crisco in pan, stir in flour, then add fish liquor and stir till it boils. draw it to the side of fire and let cool slightly. beat yolks of eggs with cream, and, when soup has cooled, strain them in. reheat soup without boiling it, to cook eggs. season, and add few drops lemon juice and chopped parsley. serve with small pieces of dry toast. lentil soup cupful lentils cupfuls milk tablespoonfuls crisco pints stock or water onion carrot stalks celery tablespoonful flour bay leaf salt and pepper to taste / cupful cream croutons wash lentils; soak twenty-four hours; drain well. cut onion, carrot and celery into small pieces, then put them into a saucepan with crisco, cover, and cook gently for fifteen minutes. add stock and simmer hours, then rub through sieve. return to pan, add milk, seasonings, and bring to boil. moisten flour with / cupful milk or stock, add it to soup and simmer five minutes. season to taste and add cream. serve with croutons of fried or toasted bread. lentils are a small leguminous seed, not so generally known as beans, but an excellent nitrogenous food, containing about per cent. protein, more than per cent. starch, with over per cent. fat. they are not used as much as they ought to be. croutons are made by cutting bread into tiny cubes and browning through and through in hot oven or putting into a frying pan with tablespoonfuls crisco and browning well. if latter is used great care must be used as the croutons will brown easily. lobster bisque can lobster cupful breadcrumbs quart milk quart water tablespoonful flour / cupful crisco salt, pepper, red pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste squares fried bread thin lemon slices open a can of lobster of good quality, take out best pieces and cut into small squares without tearing; put them aside. place remains of lobster in mortar or basin, and pound quite smooth with crisco. soak bread in water, adding flour, and seasonings, and put all on fire in soup pot with pounded lobster and crisco; stir till it boils, and boil for fifteen minutes; then pass it through sieve, add milk and pieces of lobster, and return to the pot till it boils up. serve with small squares of fried bread, and send thin slices of lemon to table with it. this is an excellent soup, and can of course be made with fresh lobster. norfolk puree / cupful barley, pearl quart water pints white stock / cupful cream yolk of egg tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls cooked carrot balls tablespoonfuls cooked peas salt, pepper, and paprika to taste diced toast or fried bread put barley into saucepan of cold water, bring to boil, let boil five minutes, then drain off water; this removes the slightly bitter taste. now put barley into saucepan with crisco and water, let these boil gently until barley is tender, drain, and rub through sieve. add stock to this puree and let simmer ten minutes. beat yolk of egg with cream and when soup has cooled slightly, strain them in. stir soup over fire a few minutes to reheat; but be careful that it does not boil, or it will curdle. season carefully, add carrot balls and peas, which should first be heated in a little stock or water. serve with dice of toast or fried bread. if you do not possess a round vegetable cutter, cut the carrot into small dice. this is a particularly nourishing soup. if you prefer a slightly cheaper variety, use milk instead of cream, and if you have no white stock use milk and water in equal proportions instead, and cook a carrot, turnip and onion in milk and water for twenty or thirty minutes. soup verte tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco quarts stock bunch parsley lb. spinach bunch parsley teaspoonful sugar egg yolks lemon salt and pepper to taste put stock into saucepan; add spinach and parsley, picked and thoroughly washed; let all boil twenty minutes; strain, rubbing puree through sieve. return it all to saucepan, add crisco and flour mixed together with cupful of water, sugar and strained juice of a quarter of lemon. let boil five minutes. beat yolks of eggs with / cupful water, add them gradually to soup off fire, and stir near fire until cooked. soup must not boil after yolks are added. season with salt and pepper and serve. thick rice soup pints water or stock salt and pepper to taste small onions tablespoonfuls crisco cupful rice cupful canned tomatoes, or fresh ones wash and drain rice. heat crisco in saucepan, add rice and stir constantly until a golden brown. now add water or stock, onions and tomatoes cut in small pieces, and seasonings. cook slowly for one hour. [illustration] fish fish, though not quite so nutritious or so stimulating as butcher's meat, is an excellent article of diet, as it is light and easy of digestion and well suited to delicate persons and those following sedentary occupations, who generally do not take exercise in the fresh air. fish contains a fair proportion of flesh forming and mineral matter, and the white kinds very little fat, hence their value in a sick diet. a few fishes are rich in fat, as salmon, mackerel, eels, and herrings; they are more satisfying as a meal, but usually more difficult to digest, except the latter, which is fairly easy to digest, and, being inexpensive, forms an economical food. the digestibility will vary also with the quality of the fish and the methods of cooking. white fish when boiled is improved by being rubbed over with a cut lemon, or by adding a little vinegar to the water in which it is cooked to keep it white and firm. the fish should be put into hot, not boiling water, otherwise the higher temperature contracts the skin too quickly, and it breaks and looks unsightly. salt fish may be placed in cold water, then boiled to extract some of the salt; if the fish has been salted and dried, it is better to soak it in cold water for about twelve hours before cooking. fish to be fried should be cooked in sufficient hot crisco to well cover it, after having been dried and covered with batter, or with beaten egg and breadcrumbs. to egg and breadcrumb fish put a slice into seasoned flour, turning it so that both sides may be covered. shake off all loose flour. brush fish over with beaten egg. raise fish out of egg with the brush and a knife, drain off egg for a second, and lay fish in crumbs. toss these all over it, lift out fish, shake off all loose crumbs, lay the slice on a board, and press crumbs down, so that surface is flat. the thicker the fish the more slowly it must be fried after the first two minutes, or it will be raw inside when the outside is done. [illustration] _to bone fish._ the process of boning is known as filleting and is generally done by the fish dealer, but when this is not the case the single rule for boning must be strictly adhered to in order to keep the knife on the bone lifting the flesh with the left hand while the knife slips in between the bone and the flesh. flat fish are divided down the middle of each side well into the bone, and the boning is begun at either side of the incision. round fish are cut down the back, the flesh is laid open from one side and the bone is removed from the other. occasionally round fish are boned readily, the whole fish minus the bones being returned to its proper shape, as in anchovies, sardines, herrings, haddocks, etc., in this case the fish would be split down the front, not the back, and stitched together after boning. fish stock is made from the bones, skin and trimmings of white fish. these are broken small and generally flavored with onion, parsley, herbs, and seasonings. the proportion of water used is rather larger, as the flavor is much stronger and also more easily extracted than from meat. baked halibut lbs. halibut cupful tomatoes tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper clean fish, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, place in criscoed baking pan, pour over tomatoes, and dot with crisco. bake in a moderate oven, basting often. baked salmon with colbert sauce slice salmon, - / lbs. in weight tablespoonfuls melted crisco tablespoonful chopped parsley tablespoonful tarragon vinegar chopped shallot, gherkin and anchovy salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste and water for sauce tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful lemon juice anchovies tablespoonful chopped parsley pepper to taste cupfuls fish stock, or milk and water _for fish._ mix crisco with shallot, gherkin, anchovy, and seasonings, lay salmon in this mixture and let it "marinade," as it is called, for one hour. at the end of that time lift it out; do not shake off any ingredients that are sticking to it. now lay it in a well criscoed fireproof dish, cover it with a greased paper, and bake in moderate oven for thirty minutes. _for sauce._ melt crisco in small saucepan, stir in flour, add fish stock and stir until it boils and thickens. rub anchovies through fine sieve, and add with seasonings. serve in hot tureen with fish. baked shad shad weighing lbs. / lb. mushrooms / cupful crisco tablespoonfuls chopped parsley tablespoonfuls chopped chives cupful breadcrumbs egg salt and white pepper salt pork cupful cream teaspoonful cornstarch clean, wipe and dry the shad. melt crisco, add breadcrumbs, chopped mushrooms, parsley, chives, egg well beaten, salt and pepper. stuff fish with this forcemeat, then lay it in a greased pan, put thin strips of salt pork over it and bake in hot oven for forty minutes. lay the fish on a hot platter. pour cream into baking pan, add cornstarch and stir till boiling. serve with the fish. cassolettes of fish / lb. cold cooked fish or shrimps / cupful milk tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful water tablespoonfuls cream eggs tablespoonfuls flour salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste teaspoonful lemon juice lbs. cooked potatoes rub potatoes through a sieve, add little salt and pepper, egg well beaten, and tablespoonfuls melted crisco and mix well. roll out on floured baking board to - / inches in thickness. cut into small rounds, brush over with remaining egg well beaten, toss in fine breadcrumbs, mark the center slightly with a smaller round cutter. fry to golden color in hot crisco. remove lids, carefully remove bulk of potatoes from inside, fill with mixture, replace lids, and serve hot. for mixture, blend tablespoonfuls of the crisco with flour in a saucepan over the fire, add milk, water and seasonings and cook for a few minutes. put in flaked fish and make hot. add cream last. / teaspoonful of anchovy extract may be added if liked. sufficient for ten cassolettes. dressed crab good sized heavy crab tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs tablespoonfuls olive oil tablespoonfuls vinegar tablespoonful chopped parsley crisp lettuce leaves salt and pepper to taste if possible choose a crab with large claws. boil crab in boiling salted water for thirty minutes, take up and break off large and small claws. lay crab on its back, pull back the flap under its body, pull it right out and commence to remove flesh from shell. take care that the little bag near head, usually full of sand, is taken out. throw away all bone and finny pieces. the flesh is of two kinds, some firm and white, rest soft and dark. separate former into little shreds with a fork, also the white meat from claws, which must be cracked in order to obtain it. mix dark soft substance with crumbs, add oil, vinegar, and seasonings to taste. toss shredded white meat also in a little seasoning, but keep the two kinds separate. when shell is empty wash and dry well. fill shell with the two mixtures, arranging them alternately, so that they appear in dark and white stripes. have it heaped a little higher in center. decorate meat with lines of finely chopped parsley, and force the crisco round edge with a forcing bag and tube. place crab on some crisp lettuce leaves. arrange some of the small claws in a circle round shell. curried cod lbs. cod / cupful crisco cupfuls white stock tablespoonful flour teaspoonfuls curry powder medium-sized onion tablespoonful lemon juice salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste cupfuls plain boiled rice tablespoonfuls chopped cocoanut wash and dry the cod, and cut into pieces two inches square. melt crisco in a saucepan, fry cod lightly in it, then take out and set aside. add sliced onion, flour, and curry powder to the crisco in saucepan and fry ten minutes, stirring continuously to prevent onion becoming too brown, then stir in the stock and cocoanut, stir until it boils, and afterwards simmer for twenty minutes. strain and return to saucepan, add lemon juice and seasonings to taste, bring nearly to boil, then put in fish, cover closely, and cook slowly for half hour. an occasional stir must be given to prevent the fish sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. turn out on hot platter and serve with rice. the remains of cold fish may be used, in which case the preliminary frying may be omitted. flounder a la crème flounder about lbs. cupfuls milk tablespoonful cream tablespoonfuls crisco blade mace whole white peppers tablespoonfuls flour lemon juice salt and pepper to taste skin flounder, and take fillets off neatly by sharply cutting down the middle of back, and pressing the knife close to the bones. this will produce long fillets. cut each of them in half lengthways, and tie up in pretty knot; sprinkle a little salt over and put them aside. wash skin bones of fish, put them into a small saucepan with milk, mace, and whole peppers and simmer for half hour; strain milk into clean saucepan; add fillets, and allow to simmer for ten minutes. lift them out, and add to milk the crisco and flour beaten together; stir till it becomes quite smooth; add salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste, and cream; put in fillets gently to warm through; dish neatly and pour the sauce over them. serve very hot. flounder a la turque for fish large flounder teaspoonful chopped parsley tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful powdered herbs pinch powdered mace salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste / cupful picked shrimps for sauce / lemon egg / cupful melted crisco yolk of egg / teaspoonful mustard / teaspoonful salt pinch red pepper tablespoonful vinegar chopped gherkins teaspoonful chopped parsley _for fish._ wash dry and trim flounder. on one side make cut down center from near head to near tail and raise flesh from the bones. make a stuffing with crisco, parsley, breadcrumbs, herbs, shrimps, lemon juice, seasonings, and nearly all the egg, and insert under the fillets of the flounder, leaving the center open. dot with crisco. brush fish over with remaining egg, sprinkle with browned breadcrumbs, put on criscoed baking tin, and bake thirty minutes. serve with sauce. _for sauce._ put egg yolk into a bowl, and, with a wooden spoon stir a little; then add by degrees melted crisco, stirring constantly; then add seasonings, vinegar, gherkins and parsley. fish pudding _(kate b. vaughn)_ for pudding lbs. cooked fish cupful milk tablespoonful flour tablespoonful crisco eggs salt and pepper to taste / teaspoonful onion juice tablespoonful worcestershire sauce cream sauce for sauce tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco slice carrot slice onion slice celery blade of mace bay leaf whole peppers sprig of parsley / teaspoonful salt cupful thick cream _for pudding._ boil fish in boiling salted water till done. shred or break in small pieces, and free from skin and bone. blend crisco and flour in a saucepan over fire, add milk and stir till boiling, remove from fire, add eggs well beaten, seasonings, and mix well. turn into criscoed fireproof dish, cover with greased paper, set in warm water, and bake in moderate oven for thirty minutes. serve with the sauce, potato balls, and chopped parsley. _for sauce._ blend crisco and flour in a pan over fire, add vegetables, mace, bay leaf, peppers, parsley, milk, and simmer for thirty minutes. strain, return to pan, add salt, allow to heat, then add cream and it is ready to serve. fried fish fish crisco egg salt and pepper to taste crumbs sauce clean fish, season with salt and pepper. dip in crumbs, brush over with beaten egg, and crumb again. fry in deep crisco and drain on brown paper. _sauce_. blend - / tablespoonfuls crisco with tablespoonful flour in saucepan over fire, add cupful of milk or cream and bring to boil, cook for a few minutes over hot water. cool and add chopped green bell peppers and medium-sized chopped sour pickles. fried lobster with horseradish sauce boiled lobster crisco for frying egg breadcrumbs cupful thick cream salt and paprika to taste tablespoonfuls grated horseradish cut lobster meat into neat pieces, dip in beaten egg, toss in breadcrumbs and fry in hot crisco to brown well. whip up cream, season it well with salt and paprika and stir in horseradish; heap this sauce in the center of the serving dish and arrange the pieces of fried lobster round it. serve hot. gateau of fish for fish - / lbs. cooked white fish tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful breadcrumbs / cupful milk eggs teaspoonful chopped parsley teaspoonful anchovy paste or extract salt and pepper to taste lemon slices dutch or oyster sauce for sauce tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco cupful milk / cupful oyster liquor teaspoonful lemon juice salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste hard-cooked eggs dozen small oysters _for fish._ cook fish; remove skin and bone, chop it, then put it in a basin, add breadcrumbs, parsley, seasonings, milk, eggs well beaten, and melted crisco. mix well, turn into a criscoed mold, cover with greased paper and steam one hour. serve with sauce poured over, and dish garnished with lemon slices. _for sauce._ blend crisco and flour in pan over fire, stir in milk, oyster liquor, stir till it boils for eight minutes, then add seasonings. boil one minute, add eggs chopped, and oysters. mix and serve. oyster shortcake cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt / cupful milk quart oysters / cupful crisco tablespoonfuls cornstarch / cupful cream salt and pepper to taste mix flour, baking powder and / teaspoonful salt, then sift twice, work in crisco with tips of fingers, add milk gradually. the dough should be just soft enough to handle. toss on floured baking board, divide into two parts, pat lightly and roll out. place in two shallow criscoed cake tins and bake in quick oven fifteen minutes. spread them with butter. moisten cornstarch with cream, put into pan with oysters and seasonings and make very hot. allow to cook a few minutes then pour half over one crust, place other crust on top and pour over rest of oysters. serve at once. sufficient for one large shortcake. salmon mold can salmon tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful rolled crackers eggs tablespoonful worcestershire sauce salt and pepper to taste sauce tablespoonful crisco tablespoonful flour egg cupful milk salt and pepper to taste parsley _for the mold._ remove oil, skin and bone from the salmon. rub salmon smooth, add eggs well beaten, crackers, and seasonings. turn into a criscoed mold, and steam for one hour. turn out and serve with sauce. _for sauce._ blend crisco and flour in a saucepan over fire, add milk, and stir and boil for five minutes. add egg well beaten, and seasonings, pour at once over salmon. garnish with parsley. sufficient for one small loaf. [illustration] meats [illustration] cookery is a branch of applied chemistry. to cook anything, in the narrower sense of the term, means to bring about changes in it by submitting it to the action of heat, and usually of moisture also, which will make it more fitted for food; and it is on the nature of this action on different materials that the _rationale_ of the cook's art chiefly depends. good cooking can make any meat tender, and bad cooking can make any meat tough. the substance in meat called albumen becomes tougher and more indigestible, the higher the temperature to which it is subjected reaches beyond a certain point. it is this effect of heat on albumen, therefore, which has to be considered whenever the cooking of meat is in question, and which mainly determines the right and the wrong, whether in the making of a soup or a custard, the roasting or boiling of a chicken or a joint, or the frying of a cutlet or an omelet. we now will see to begin with, what are the special ways in which it bears on meat cookery. take a little bit of raw meat and put it in cold water. the juice gradually soaks out of it, coloring the water pink and leaving the meat nearly white. now take another bit, and pour boiling water upon it; and though no juice can be seen escaping, the whole surface of the meat turns a whitish color directly. lean meat is made up of bundles of hollow fibres within which the albuminous juices are stored. wherever these fibres are cut through, the juice oozes out and spreads itself over the surface of the meat. if, as in our first little experiment, the meat is put in cold water, or even in warm water, or exposed to a heat insufficient to set the albumen, either in an oven or before the fire, the albuminous juices are in the first case drawn out and dissolved, and in the second evaporated. in either case the meat is deprived of them. but if the meat is put into boiling water or into a quick oven or before a hot fire, the surface albumen is quickly set, forms a tough white coating which effectually plugs the ends of the cut fibres, and prevents any further escape of their contents. here, then, we have the first principles on which meat cookery must be conducted; viz: that if we wish to get the juices out of the meat, as for soups and stews, the liquid in which we put it must be cold to begin with; while if we wish, as for boiled or roast meat, to keep them in, the meat must be subjected first of all to the action of boiling water, a hot fire or a quick oven. the meats of soups and stews must not be raw, and that of joints must not be tough; and the cooking of both one and the other, however it is begun, should be completed at just such a moderate temperature as will set, but not harden, the albumen. that is to say, the soup or stew must be raised to this temperature, after the meat juices have been drawn out by a lower one, while a joint or fowl must be lowered to it after the surface albumen has been hardened by a higher one. all poultry or game for roasting should be dredged with flour before and after trussing, to dry it perfectly, as otherwise it does not crisp and brown so well. unless poultry is to be boiled or stewed it never should be washed or wet in any way as this renders the flesh sodden and the skin soft. good wiping with clean cloths should be quite sufficient. with the exception of ducks and geese, all poultry and game require rather a large addition of fat during roasting, as the flesh is dry. chickens will cook in from twenty to thirty minutes; fowls take from thirty to sixty minutes when young and tender, the only condition in which they are fit to roast; turkeys take from one to two hours and even more if exceptionally large. game takes longer in proportion to its size than poultry, and all birds require better and more cooking than beef or mutton. [illustration] beef collops lb. hamburg steak chopped onion tablespoonfuls crisco cupful water or stock tablespoonful flour salt and pepper to taste teaspoonful mushroom catsup or worcestershire sauce sippets of toast or croutons mashed potatoes or plain boiled rice melt crisco in saucepan, put in beef and onion and fry light brown, then sprinkle in flour, add water or stock, catsup or sauce, and seasonings. cover pan and let contents simmer very gently forty-five minutes. arrange collops on hot platter with border of sippets of toast or croutons, or border of hot mashed potatoes, or plain boiled rice. braised loin of mutton lbs. loin mutton tablespoonfuls crisco celery stalk / teaspoonful whole white peppers bunch sweet herbs salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste turnip carrot cloves sprigs parsley tablespoonfuls flour button mushrooms onion remove bone from mutton, rub with a little salt, pepper and red pepper mixed together; roll up and tie in neat roll with tape; cut up celery, onion, carrot and turnip, and lay them at bottom of saucepan with herbs and parsley; lay mutton on top of these, and pour enough boiling water to three parts cover it, and simmer slowly two hours; lift mutton into roasting tin with a few tablespoonfuls of the gravy; set in hot oven until brown; strain gravy and skim off fat, melt crisco in saucepan, add flour, then add gravy gradually, seasoning of salt and pepper, mushrooms, and boil eight minutes. set mutton on hot platter with mushrooms round, and gravy strained over. chicken a la tartare young chicken egg / cupful crisco breadcrumbs salt and pepper to taste mixed pickles tartare sauce singe, empty, and split chicken in half; take breastbone out and sprinkle salt and pepper over. melt / cupful crisco in frying pan and fry chicken half hour, turning it now and then. remove from pan and place between two dishes with heavy weight on top, till it is nearly cold. then dip in egg beaten up, and roll in breadcrumbs. melt remaining crisco, then sprinkle it all over chicken; roll in breadcrumbs once more. fry in hot crisco to golden color. serve at once with a garnish of chopped pickles, and tartare sauce. chicken en casserole tender chicken for roasting / cupful crisco salt and pepper pint hot water cupful hot sweet cream cupfuls chopped mushrooms tablespoonful chopped parsley clean chicken, split down back, and lay breast upward, in casserole. spread crisco over breast, dust with salt and pepper, add hot water, cover closely and cook in hot oven one hour. when nearly tender, put in the cream, mushrooms, and parsley; cover again and cook twenty minutes longer. serve hot in the casserole. oysters are sometimes substituted for mushrooms, and will be found to impart a pleasing flavor. curried ox-tongue slices cooked ox-tongue tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonfuls curry powder chopped mushrooms cupful brown sauce dinner roll egg cupful boiled rice _for tongue._ cut slices of tongue, fry in crisco, season with / teaspoonful salt and curry powder, then add mushrooms, and brown sauce, simmer ten minutes. cut large dinner roll into slices, and toast them lightly on both sides; dip them in egg well beaten then fry in hot crisco and drain. dish up slices of tongue alternately with fried slices of roll, pour sauce round base, and serve with boiled rice. _for brown sauce._ melt tablespoonfuls crisco, add chopped onion, piece of carrot, mushrooms, and fry a good brown color; stir in tablespoonfuls flour and fry it also; then add cupful stock or water and few drops of kitchen boquet. let all cook ten minutes, stirring constantly add seasoning of salt and pepper, and strain for use. sufficient for slices. fried chicken chicken crisco select young tender chickens and disjoint. wash carefully and let stand over night in refrigerator. a _(kate b. vaughn)_ drain chicken but do not wipe dry. season with salt and white pepper and dredge well with flour. fry in deep crisco hot enough to brown a crumb of bread in sixty seconds. it requires from ten to twelve minutes to fry chicken. drain and place on a hot platter garnished with parsley and rice croquettes. b _(kate b. vaughn)_ make batter of cupful flour, teaspoonful salt, grains white pepper, / cupful water, well beaten eggs, and tablespoonful melted crisco. have kettle of crisco hot enough to turn crumb of bread a golden brown in sixty seconds. drain chicken but do not dry. dip each joint separately in batter and fry in the crisco until golden brown. it should take from ten to twelve minutes. serve on a folded napkin garnished with parsley. c _(kate b. vaughn)_ drain chicken but do not wipe dry. season with salt and white pepper and dredge well with flour. put three tablespoonfuls crisco in frying pan and when hot place chicken in pan; cover, and allow to steam for ten minutes. uncover, and allow chicken to brown, taking care to turn frequently. serve on hot platter, garnished with parsley and serve with cream gravy. d select medium-sized chickens and wash well, then cut into neat pieces and season them. mix cupful cornmeal with cupful flour, tablespoonful salt and tablespoonful black pepper. dip each piece in mixture and fry in hot crisco twelve minutes. drain and serve with cornmeal batter bread. e wash young chicken, cut into neat pieces, dust with salt, pepper, and flour, and fry in hot crisco twelve minutes. drain, place on hot platter, pour over it / pint hot sweet cream, sprinkle over with chopped hot roasted peanuts, little salt and pepper. fried chicken, mexican style tender chicken salt and pepper to taste clove garlic seeded green pepper large tomatoes tablespoonfuls crisco corn croquettes for croquettes tablespoonfuls crisco can or ears corn tablespoonfuls flour cupfuls milk / teaspoonful sugar pepper and salt to taste egg breadcrumbs _for chicken._ draw, wash and dry chicken, then cut into neat joints, sprinkle with salt and pepper. heat crisco in frying pan, add clove of garlic and pepper cut in small pieces. when garlic turns brown take out, put chicken in, fry till brown, then cover closely, allow to simmer till ready. a short time before covering chicken, add tomatoes peeled and cut in small pieces. _for croquettes._ drain liquor from can of corn, or grate ears, and chop kernels fine. blend crisco and flour together in pan over fire, add milk, stir till boiling and cook five minutes, stirring all the time, add seasonings, and corn, and cook five minutes, then allow to cool. when cold, form lightly with floured hands into neat croquettes, brush over with beaten egg, toss in crumbs and fry in hot crisco to a golden brown. drain. place chicken on hot platter, garnish with croquettes and serve hot. fried sweetbreads sweetbreads egg breadcrumbs crisco peas or new potatoes rich brown gravy sweetbreads should always be blanched before using. to blanch, soak in cold water two hours, changing water or times. put into saucepan, cover with cold water, add little salt, and skim well as water comes to boil. simmer from ten to thirty minutes, according to kind of sweet-bread used. remove to basin of cold water until cold, or wash well in cold water and press between two plates till cold. dry, remove skin, cut in slices, coat with beaten egg and toss in breadcrumbs, and fry in hot crisco to a golden brown. serve round peas or new potatoes, with rich brown gravy. for those whose digestions are at fault, sweetbreads ought to be eaten as a daily ration if the pocketbook will afford it. for this special part of the animal's anatomy is that one of all the viscera whose mission is to help digestion. it is of the very pancreas itself, that stomach gland of marvelously involved structure which elaborates the powerful pancreatic juice. it is alkaline in nature, able to digest starches, fats, and most of what escapes digestion in the stomach proper. it received its name from a fancied resemblance in its substance and formation to the rising lumps of dough destined for bread. kidney omelet kidneys tablespoonfuls crisco eggs salt and pepper to taste tablespoonful chopped parsley tablespoonfuls cream melt tablespoonfuls crisco in frying pan. skin kidneys and cut into small dice and toss them into hot crisco three minutes. whisk whites of eggs to stiff froth, then add yolks, seasonings, parsley, and cream, then add kidney. make remaining crisco hot in omelet pan or frying pan, pour in omelet and fry over clear fire six minutes. when the edges are set, fold edges over so that omelet assumes an oval shape; be careful that it is not done too much; to brown the top, hold pan before fire, or put it in oven; never turn an omelet in the pan. slip it carefully on a hot dish and serve the instant it comes from the fire. macaroni and round steak / package macaroni / can tomatoes tablespoonfuls crisco onions salt and pepper to taste / cupful grated cheese lb. round steak / cupful breadcrumbs break macaroni into inch lengths and add it with tablespoonful of the crisco to plenty of boiling water and boil twenty minutes, then drain. put steak and onions through a food chopper. put macaroni into criscoed fireproof dish, then put in meat and onions, add seasonings, tomatoes, cheese, breadcrumbs, and remainder of crisco melted. bake in moderate oven one hour. meat cakes lb. round steak tablespoonfuls melted crisco small onions tablespoonful chopped parsley eggs / lb. grated cheese cupfuls breadcrumbs salt, pepper, and paprika to taste tomato sauce for sauce tablespoonfuls crisco carrot turnip onions tablespoonfuls flour cupfuls stock can or / lb. fresh tomatoes tablespoonful tomato catsup bunch sweet herbs salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste blade mace bay leaf _for meat cakes._ grind steak and onions together, add crisco, cheese, parsley, crumbs, seasonings, and eggs lightly beaten. mix together; form into small cakes, toss in flour and fry in hot crisco. serve hot with tomato sauce. _for sauce._ slice vegetables, fry in crisco ten minutes; then add flour, stock, mace, bay leaf, tomatoes, catsup, and herbs. stir till they boil, then simmer gently forty-five minutes. rub through sieve, add seasonings and use. sufficient for twelve meat cakes. roast turkey for stuffing quart fine breadcrumbs tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonfuls salt tablespoonfuls chopped onion lemon tablespoonful chopped parsley / teaspoonful powdered thyme / teaspoonful white pepper egg cupful country sausage a little warm water turkey salt pork mix sausage with breadcrumbs, add egg well beaten, crisco, seasonings, grated rind and strained juice of lemon, and moisten with a little hot water. be careful not to make stuffing too moist. see that turkey is well plucked, singed and wiped; fold over pinions, and pass skewer through them, thick part of legs and body, catching leg and pining it on other side; now secure bottom part of leg, which should have feet cut off half way to first joint, fill breast of bird with stuffing and skewer down skin. place strips salt pork in bottom of roasting pan, lay in turkey and place several strips salt pork over breast and sprinkle lightly with flour. roast in hot oven, allowing fifteen minutes to the pound. baste occasionally with melted crisco. serve hot decorated with cooked onions, celery tips, cranberries, and parsley. roast with spaghetti tablespoonfuls flour lbs. sirloin steak tablespoonfuls crisco large onion / lb. bacon salt and pepper to taste / cupful water / can tomatoes cupful cooked peas cupful cooked spaghetti cupful cooked mushrooms stuffed olives melt crisco and make very hot in roasting pan, lay in steak, season with salt and pepper, cover with layer of sliced onion, layer of bacon, add water, cover, and cook in moderate oven about three hours. have ready peas, mushrooms, and spaghetti. place meat on hot platter. add juice of tomatoes to gravy, and flour moistened with a little cold water, peas and mushrooms, and when hot pour round meat. spread spaghetti on top and decorate with olives. sirloin steak with fried apples sirloin steak weighing lbs. tablespoonfuls melted crisco teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful white pepper tart apples milk flour mix salt and pepper with melted crisco, then rub mixture into steak and let steak lie in it twenty minutes. broil it over a clear fire till done and serve surrounded with fried apples. peel and core and slice apples, then dip in milk, toss in flour, and drop into hot crisco to brown. vegetables [illustration] in the vegetable kingdom the cereals form a very important part of our diet, by supplying chiefly the carbohydrates or heat giving matter. another nutritious group termed pulse, are those which have their seed enclosed in a pod. the most familiar are peas, beans, and lentils; peas and beans are eaten in the green or unripe state as well as in the dried. vegetables included in the pulse group are very nourishing if they can be digested, they contain a large amount of flesh forming matter, usually a fair amount of starch, but are deficient in fat. peas and beans also contain sulphur and tend to produce flatulence when indulged in by those of weak digestion. lentils contain less sulphur, and do not produce this complaint so readily. the more succulent vegetables include tubers, as potatoes and jerusalem artichokes, leaves, stems, and bulbs, as cabbages, spinach, celery, and onions, roots and flowers, as carrots, parsnips, and cauliflower. these are very valuable on account of the mineral matter, chief of which are the potash salts, so necessary to keep the blood in a healthy condition. care should be taken in cooking vegetables not to lose the salts. steaming is preferable to boiling, by preserving the juices, though it does not tend to improve the color of green vegetables. a little lemon juice added to the water in which new potatoes are boiling improves their color. mint is sometimes cooked with new potatoes. to secure a good color in vegetables when cooked, careful cleaning and preparation before cooking is essential. earthy roots, such as potatoes, turnips, and carrots, must be both well scrubbed and thoroughly rinsed in clean water before peeling. from all vegetables, coarse or discolored leaves and any dark or decayed spots should be carefully removed before cooking. potatoes should be peeled thinly, or, if new, merely brushed or rubbed with a coarse cloth to get the skin off. turnips should be thickly peeled, as the rind in these is hard and woody. carrots and salsify, unless very old, need scraping only. after the removal of the skin, all root vegetables (except those of the onion kind) should be put in cold water till wanted. potatoes, artichokes, and salsify especially, must not remain a moment out of water after peeling, or they will turn a dark color, and to the water used for the two last, a little salt and lemon juice should be added in order to keep them white. root vegetables should be boiled with the lid of the pan on, green vegetables should be boiled with the lid of the pan off, for the preservation of the color. baked parsnips / cupful crisco parsnips salt and pepper to taste peel and wash parsnips and cut into two lengthwise, and steam for one hour. remove from fire, lay in greased baking pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, spread crisco over top and bake slowly till tender. serve hot. brussels sprouts with crisco / cupful crisco baskets brussels sprouts / cupful grated cheese trim sprouts and cook them in boiling salted water till tender, drain and dry on clean cloth. heat crisco hot, then add sprouts, and fry until very hot. turn them into hot vegetable dish, sprinkle cheese over them and serve immediately. sufficient for one dish. colcannon tablespoonfuls crisco / lb. cold cooked potatoes / lb. cold cooked cabbage onion salt and pepper to taste chop onion and cabbage and mash potatoes. put into frying pan with crisco and fry few minutes adding seasonings. turn into criscoed fireproof dish and brown in oven. lentils and rice tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful lentils / cupful milk / cupful water teaspoonful curry powder small onion tablespoonful lemon juice cupful boiled rice salt and pepper to taste wash lentils and soak them in milk twelve hours. melt crisco slice onion and fry a pale brown, add curry powder, milk, water, seasonings, and lentils, simmer two hours and add lemon juice just before serving, serve with rice. corn fritters tablespoonful melted crisco can crushed corn cupful flour teaspoonful baking powder teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful white pepper tablespoonfuls milk put corn into bowl, add crisco, salt, pepper, flour, baking powder, and milk. mix well and drop in spoonfuls on a criscoed griddle. fire brown on both sides. these fritters are a palatable accompaniment to roast chicken. sufficient for twelve fritters. corn, okra and tomatoes tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls sugar salt and pepper to taste ears corn okra pods tomatoes cupfuls water cut corn from cob, put into saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. scald and skin tomatoes and cut okra into cross sections half inch long. add both to corn with crisco and seasonings. stir and cook until tender. serve hot. curried cauliflower tablespoonfuls crisco cauliflower sliced onion dessertspoonful curry powder tablespoonful lemon juice / teaspoonful salt cupful stock or water boil cauliflower in boiling salted water till tender, drain, then divide into small flowerets. fry onion in crisco a few minutes, then add curry powder, lemon juice and stock or water. simmer fifteen minutes, then strain into clean saucepan. add cauliflower and salt and simmer fifteen minutes. serve hot. creamed potatoes au gratin tablespoonfuls crisco quart peeled and diced potatoes cupfuls milk tablespoonful flour cupful grated cheese teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful white pepper few breadcrumbs cut potatoes in about / -inch pieces, then boil carefully in boiling salted water. when done, drain, and pour into criscoed fireproof dish. blend crisco and flour in saucepan over fire, add milk, stir till boiling, then add cheese and seasonings. pour over potatoes; grate a little cheese over top, sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake five minutes in hot oven. eggplant en casserole tablespoonfuls melted crisco large eggplant small onions garlic cloves tomatoes green pepper salt and pepper to taste slice eggplant into thin slices, then slice onions, garlic, tomatoes and pepper quite thin. arrange them, alternately, in a criscoed casserole, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. pour in melted crisco and cover. cook over slow fire or in moderate oven till the eggplant is tender. serve hot or cold. fried parsley crisco bunch parsley salt and pepper to taste wash, pick and dry the parsley; put into frying basket and immerse in hot crisco fifteen seconds or until crisp. drain and sprinkle with salt and pepper. it should be a nice green color. if it turns black it has been too long in the fat. green peas a la maitre d'hotel tablespoonfuls crisco quart shelled peas salt and pepper to taste tablespoonful lemon juice sprigs mint tablespoonful chopped parsley teaspoonful sugar shell peas and throw into plenty boiling water containing a teaspoonful of salt, sugar, and mint; boil fast until tender, then drain. mix lemon juice with crisco and parsley; stir this among peas, reheat them, and serve at once. jerusalem artichokes tablespoonfuls crisco lb. artichokes tablespoonfuls flour yolk of egg teaspoonfuls lemon juice / cupfuls milk tablespoonfuls cream salt and pepper to taste teaspoonful chopped parsley / cupful vinegar pint boiling milk wash and scrape artichokes, and throw each one in cold water containing vinegar, when all are done, rinse in water and put into boiling milk, add cupful of boiling water and teaspoonful of salt. boil quickly with lid off, pierce with fork to know if done. lift into hot dish and cover with sauce. blend crisco and flour in saucepan, over fire, add milk, salt and pepper, and cook five minutes. remove from fire, add egg beaten with cream and lemon juice, pour over artichokes and sprinkle parsley over top. mushrooms au gratin tablespoonfuls crisco large mushrooms egg salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste tablespoonful chopped parsley tablespoonfuls chopped cooked meat tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs / cupful stock tablespoonful chopped suet beat up egg, add suet, breadcrumbs, meat, parsley, and seasonings. wash and remove centers from mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper, also place tiny piece of crisco in each. then put heaping teaspoonful of forcemeat in each one, and cover with crumbs. lay on criscoed tin, add stock, and bake fifteen minutes. serve on hot dish with gravy poured round. sufficient for fourteen mushrooms. new potatoes a la france tablespoonfuls crisco lbs. new potatoes sprigs mint teaspoonful salt tablespoonful chopped parsley tablespoonful lemon juice wash and scrape potatoes. with round vegetable cutter scoop out from potatoes a number of little balls like marbles; boil these till tender in water, to which have been added salt and mint. drain, add crisco, parsley, and lemon juice. toss them about gently in pan a few minutes, and serve on hot dish. potato pone tablespoonfuls crisco generous cupful grated raw sweet potatoes cupful molasses cupful milk teaspoonful powdered ginger / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful salt tablespoonful chopped candied orange peel / cupful sugar grate potatoes or put them through meat chopper, add molasses, sugar, milk, crisco, salt, spices, and orange peel. mix well, turn into criscoed fireproof dish and bake in moderate oven till firm. sufficient for one small pone. savory lentil dish tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupful lentils bay leaf springs parsley chopped onion salt, pepper, and powdered mace to taste cupful boiled rice - / cupfuls highly seasoned tomato sauce wash lentils and soak in plenty of cold water four hours. put into boiling salt water, add bay leaf, parsley, seasonings and cook till tender. chop and fry onion in tablespoonfuls of crisco, add lentils, rice and remainder of crisco, stir and allow to get hot. turn into hot dish and pour over tomato sauce. stuffed beets tablespoonfuls crisco beets green peppers tablespoonfuls breadcrumbs / teaspoonful onion juice salt and pepper to taste watercress select smooth even-sized beets and boil in boiling salted water until tender. peel, remove root end and remove center, leaving shell about half inch thick. remove stems and seeds from peppers; cover peppers with boiling water ten minutes. dice them with scooped out beet, add crisco, breadcrumbs, and seasonings. mix and divide into beet shells, dot with crisco and bake in moderate oven twenty minutes. serve garnished with watercress. sufficient for six beets. stuffed eggplant tablespoonfuls crisco small eggplants / cupful breadcrumbs - / cupfuls stock / cupful chopped cooked chicken or veal egg salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste / cupful white wine criscoed crumbs tablespoonful flour tablespoonful sherry cut eggplants in halves and scoop out inside, leaving shell half inch thick. soak / cupful breadcrumbs in / cupful stock ten minutes, then add cooked chicken, tablespoonfuls melted crisco, egg, well beaten, and seasoning of salt, pepper and nutmeg. divide this forcemeat into eggplants, sprinkle criscoed crumbs on top, set them in greased pan, pour in rest of stock and white wine and bake half hour in moderate oven. serve on hot dish with following sauce. put tablespoonful crisco and tablespoonful flour into saucepan and blend over fire, add sherry and cupful liquor from pan in which they were baked, and cook five minutes. sufficient for three eggplants. stuffed potatoes (_kate b. vaughan_) tablespoonfuls melted crisco large potatoes tablespoonfuls grated cheese yolk of egg salt and pepper to taste wash six well shaped white potatoes and rub skin with crisco. bake until tender, cut slice off one end, and with a teaspoon remove all potato from shells. mash the potato, adding crisco, cheese, seasonings, and egg yolk. refill shells and bake fifteen minutes. serve hot on napkin. sufficient for six potatoes. viennese carrots tablespoonfuls crisco bunch carrots tablespoonful flour / teaspoonful sugar tablespoonfuls vinegar salt and pepper to taste tablespoonful chopped parsley cupful cooked peas scrape carrots, cut in small pieces, and boil till tender in boiling salted water. blend crisco and flour together in saucepan over fire, stir in cupful water in which carrots were cooked, boil five minutes, then add sugar, seasonings, vinegar, parsley, peas, and carrots; simmer ten minutes and serve hot in vegetable dish. [illustration] salads [illustration] salads are classified into two groups--i.e., the raw, such as lettuce, endive, radishes, cucumber, celery, etc., and the cooked, such as those made from cooked vegetables, eggs, cooked cold fish, poultry, and meat. the raw materials should be washed most carefully and well cleaned before mixing, and the utensils for cutting and mixing, as well as the basins or bowls used, should be clean and dry. every salad, no matter how plain and simple it may be, should be made to look inviting and tempting. the method of draining or drying is a very easy performance so long as the salad leaves, whatever they may be, are almost free from moisture. this is effected best by putting the leaves, which should be broken, not cut with a knife, into a wire basket and drying them well, or else putting them into a cloth lightly folded and shaking well until the outer moisture of the leaves is well absorbed. the salad then is ready for mixing. any cold boiled vegetables left over from dinner are useful as giving variety to salads, and help to make a good accompaniment to cold meat served to luncheon. thinly sliced cold potatoes--new ones for choice, green peas and string beans, are especially good for this purpose, and even brussels sprouts, carrots, and turnips may be used on occasion in small quantities. more substantial salads, prepared with cold meat or fish, form appetizing luncheon or breakfast dishes. those made with chicken, lobster and salmon respectively are most widely known, but fillets of flounder, cold ham or beef, or lamb make very good salads, and even the humble herring, and dried and salted fish, may be used with advantage in this way. the meat or fish should be cut up into cubes or convenient small pieces, and piled up in the center of the dish or salad bowl on a layer of seasoned, shredded lettuce. over this should be poured half of the dressing. round this should be arranged the green constituents of the salad, cut up rather small, garnished with slices of tomato or beets, cucumber and hard-cooked egg. the remainder of the dressing should be poured over this, and the top of the meat or fish pyramid may be ornamented with a few sprigs of endive or parsley. apple, celery and nut salad for dressing tablespoonful crisco teaspoonful mustard teaspoonful sugar / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful white pepper eggs tablespoonfuls lemon juice cupful whipped cream for salad quart chopped apples pint diced celery - / cupfuls blanched and shredded almonds / cupful rolled pecan nut meats _for salad._ mix apples, celery and nut meats. _for dressing._ melt crisco, add mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, yolks of eggs well beaten, and lemon juice. cook in double boiler till it thickens, then add whites of eggs stiffly beaten. chill and add whipped cream just before serving. dressing should be mixed with fruit. asparagus salad for dressing tablespoonfuls melted crisco teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful paprika pinch black pepper tablespoonful tarragon vinegar tablespoonfuls cider vinegar tablespoonful chopped cucumber pickles tablespoonful chopped green peppers teaspoonful chopped parsley teaspoonful chopped chives can asparagus or fresh cooked asparagus drain asparagus and chill. mix salt with paprika, add pepper, tarragon vinegar, cider vinegar, crisco, pickles, peppers, parsley, and chives, mix well and pour over the asparagus. celery and almond salad cupful melted crisco yolk of egg tablespoonful lemon juice tablespoonful vinegar head celery / cupful blanched almonds crisp lettuce few drops green color / teaspoonful sugar teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful mustard red pepper to taste melt and cool crisco. prepare celery and cut into very thin strips and plunge in ice water until wanted. blanch and shred almonds; wash and dry lettuce leaves. put yolk of egg into bowl, add mustard, salt, and red pepper and mix well with wooden spoon. add sugar, teaspoonful lemon juice, teaspoonful vinegar; beat in crisco gradually. remove spoon and beat with egg beater five minutes, then beat in rest of lemon juice and vinegar. add more seasonings if needed and enough green color to make it look pretty. dry celery and mix with almonds, then toss them into dressing. serve on lettuce leaves. fruit salad dressing tablespoonful crisco pinch of salt tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls vinegar eggs / pint whipped cream salad marshmallows can pineapple juicy apples oranges lettuce leaves _for salad._ cut fruit and marshmallows into small pieces, then mix and chill. _for dressing._ beat up eggs in double boiler, add vinegar, sugar, salt, crisco and cook until thick. cool and add whipped cream. mix with fruit and serve on crisp lettuce leaves. orange and tomato salad tablespoonfuls melted crisco tomatoes oranges tablespoonful chopped parsley tarragon vinegar salt peel oranges and tomatoes, and slice and arrange alternately in salad bowl. mix juice squeezed from "tops and bottoms" of oranges with an equal quantity of tarragon vinegar, add crisco and salt to taste. pour over fruit and sprinkle chopped parsley on top. potato and nut salad for dressing tablespoonfuls melted crisco teaspoonful mustard teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls sugar yolks of eggs / cupful cream or milk / cupful vinegar for salad cupfuls sliced cold potatoes cupful broken hickory nut meats teaspoonful chopped onion chopped parsley cold cooked sliced beets sliced lemon lettuce leaves _for dressing._ mix sugar, salt, and mustard, add crisco and stir thoroughly; then add yolks of eggs well beaten, cream, and lastly vinegar. cook in double boiler until consistency of cream. if milk is used instead of cream, add teaspoonful flour to other dry ingredients. _for salad._ mix potatoes, nuts, and onion together, and place on crisp lettuce leaves; pour over dressing and garnish to taste with beets, lemon, and parsley. potato and pimiento salad tablespoonful crisco potatoes hard-cooked eggs / can pimientos tablespoonful chopped cucumber pickle teaspoonful salt dressing tablespoonful crisco teaspoonfuls dry mustard teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls sugar lemon / pint vinegar eggs _for salad._ boil potatoes and slice them, add crisco and salt. now chop pickles, eggs, and pimientoes and add them and set in cool place to chill. _for dressing._ put vinegar into double boiler, add strained lemon juice, sugar, salt, mustard, then add crisco and eggs well beaten. cook until thick, then cool and use. shrimp salad tablespoonfuls crisco can shrimps cupful celery cut in cubes cupful tart apples cut in cubes cupful broken brazil nut meats / cupful broken english walnut meats salt and pepper to taste lemon tablespoonfuls vinegar tablespoonfuls water eggs teaspoonful dry mustard teaspoonful salt teaspoonful sugar / teaspoonful white pepper / cupful thick cream and cupful whipped cream crisp lettuce leaves break shrimps into pieces, put them into earthenware dish, moisten with a little melted crisco, season with vinegar, salt and pepper. put apple cubes into a small dish and sprinkle lightly with lemon juice, then put in celery cubes with a little more lemon juice and toss together. cover and set aside. prepare nut meats. heat vinegar and water in double boiler, beat eggs, then gradually add them to vinegar, stirring all the time. now add crisco and cook slowly, stirring constantly. remove from fire, and beat till cold, then add mustard, salt, sugar, and pepper. add the thick cream just before serving. when ready to serve toss nuts, celery, apples and shrimps together with a silver fork, and add a little dressing. heap on crisp lettuce leaves on individual plates, and pour over each salad a heaping spoonful of the dressing; and top with spoonful of unsweetened whipped cream. puddings [illustration] puddings as a rule either are boiled, steamed or baked. for boiled puddings, care should be taken that the saucepan be kept boiling or the water will get into the pudding and spoil it. for pudding cloths, use materials such as linen or cheese cloth. after using, the cloth must be thoroughly washed in plenty of water with a little washing soda, but on no account use soap, and see that the cloth is perfectly dry before putting it away. many puddings are lighter and better steamed, and then instead of the cloth only a piece of criscoed paper is required, twisted over the top of the basin or mold. very light puddings, such as custards, should be placed in a steamer. most of the steamed puddings mixed a little softer, are excellent baked in a pudding dish. in steaming puddings keep them at a uniform heat all the time, and be careful not to lift the lid off the pan for the first half hour. all farinaceous puddings should be cooked well, as then they are easier to digest. cornstarch must be well cooked, from eight to ten minutes. mold for jellies or blanc-manges should be well rinsed with cold water before using. batters must be well beaten and allowed to stand for thirty minutes or longer before cooking, because the starch in the flour swells, and the batter will therefore be lighter. batter puddings should be put into a quick oven. puddings composed principally of milk and eggs should be very gently cooked, as strong heat will cause them to curdle. in stewing fruit, prepare syrup first. bring to boil, lay fruit in, and simmer gently. souffles should be very light and spongy. eggs form a large part of souffles, more whites than yolks are used and the former are beaten to a stiff froth. all souffles should be served quickly. omelets are composed mainly of eggs. they can be savory or sweet. if over-cooked an omelet will be tough. to prevent milk running over when it comes to boil, put spoon in saucepan. never leave spoon in saucepan if you wish the contents to cook quickly, and in any case a metal spoon never should be allowed to stand in a boiling saucepan containing fruit or any acid. apple dumplings apples tablespoonfuls crisco cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt / cupful milk sugar cinnamon sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. work in crisco with finger tips; add gradually milk, mixing with knife to a nice dough. roll / inch thick, cut into squares and lay in center of each an apple, pared and cored. fill up centers with sugar and cinnamon and take corners off the dough and pinch together. place in criscoed baking pan, dot over with sugar and crisco and bake in moderate oven for twenty-five minutes or till nicely browned. serve hot with milk. sufficient for five dumplings. apple fritters - / cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt egg tablespoonful melted crisco / cupful milk apples cut in quarter inch slices tablespoonfuls sugar lemon peel, core and slice apples, then sprinkle tablespoonfuls sugar and strained juice of the lemon over them. sift flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt into bowl, add milk to well beaten egg and stir liquid gradually into dry materials, beating thoroughly, then add crisco. cover apple slices with batter and drop them into plenty of crisco heated so that small breadcrumb browns in sixty seconds. fry for four or five minutes. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar. any other fruit may be substituted for apples or a combination of fruits makes a delicious fritter. sufficient for twelve fritters. baked rhubarb pudding cupfuls flour / teaspoon salt bundles rhubarb / cupful crisco lemon tablespoonfuls brown sugar water / cupful granulated sugar put granulated sugar into small saucepan over fire, and when brown, coat inside of plain pudding mold with it. sift, flour, salt, and baking powder together, rub crisco finely into it, then mix whole to a smooth paste with cold water. turn out on a floured board, cut off one-third of it, and put one side for the lid. roll out remainder until twice the circumference of the top of the mold, then drop gently into mold, pressing evenly against sides. fill center with rhubarb, cut in pieces an inch long. add grated rind and strained juice of half of the lemon, brown sugar and tablespoonfuls water. roll out pastry that was put on one side, wet edges of it, lay it on top. cover with a piece of greased paper, and bake in moderate oven one hour. turn out and serve with hot milk. caramel bread pudding cupfuls breadcrumbs quart hot milk eggs teaspoonful lemon extract grated nutmeg to taste / teaspoonful salt cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco whipped cream put crisco, crumbs, and salt into a basin, add hot milk and soak ten minutes. melt sugar and brown it lightly in a small pan over fire, then add it to the bread, with eggs well beaten, and flavorings. pour into criscoed pudding dish and bake in moderate oven till firm. serve with whipped cream. caramel rice pudding / cupful rice / teaspoonful lemon extract eggs tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt cupfuls milk / cupful sultana raisins tablespoonfuls powdered sugar / cupful granulated sugar melt granulated sugar in small saucepan and cook until brown, but do not burn; pour it while hot into pudding mold and spread it all over inside. wash rice, parboil, drain, and cook slowly in milk thirty minutes; turn into basin, add powdered sugar, crisco, salt, raisins, extract, and eggs well beaten and pour into prepared mold. set mold in pan of boiling water and bake in oven till quite set. turn out and serve hot or cold. carrot pudding for pudding cupful brown sugar cupful grated carrots cupful grated raw potatoes / cupful crisco cupful seeded raisins / cupful breadcrumbs / cupful milk - / cupfuls flour teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking powder teaspoonful mixed spices cupful currants prune sauce for sauce / lb prunes wineglassful sherry wine lemon / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon _for pudding._ cream crisco and sugar together, add carrots, potatoes, raisins, currants, crumbs, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. turn into criscoed mold, cover, and steam steadily for three hours. _for sauce._ soak prunes in water over night, after first washing them. next day put them in pan with water they were soaked in, just enough to cover them, simmer gently until quite soft. do not allow to boil, or fruit will be spoiled. take out stones, crack some, and save kernels. rub prunes through sieve, add sherry, kernels blanched, grated rind and strained lemon juice, and cinnamon, and then, if thicker than rich cream, add more wine, or water, and use. chocolate jelly squares chocolate tablespoonful crisco cupfuls boiling water / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls cornstarch / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla extract / cupful chopped walnut meats whipped cream break chocolate into small pieces, dissolve in boiling water, add crisco, salt, cornstarch mixed with sugar, stir and boil for eight minutes. remove from fire add vanilla and nuts and pour at once into wet mold. cool, turn out and serve with whipped cream. cottage pudding cupful sugar egg cupful milk or water - / cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco - / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla extract cupful sultana raisins sauce tablespoonful crisco cupful sugar egg teaspoonful flour / teaspoonful vanilla extract - / cupfuls boiling water _for pudding._ cream crisco and sugar together, add egg well beaten, milk, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt, and raisins. mix well, turn into greased mold, and bake twenty-five minutes in moderate oven. turn out and serve with sauce. this pudding may be steamed for one and a half hours. _for sauce_. mix flour, sugar, and crisco in small saucepan, then stir in egg and boiling water and boil for three minutes. flavor with the vanilla. molasses sponge pudding cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls powdered ginger / teaspoonful baking soda / cupful crisco / cupful molasses egg tablespoonful breadcrumbs / cupful milk / teaspoonful salt for sauce teaspoonful crisco teaspoonful cornstarch tablespoonfuls lemon juice tablespoonfuls molasses cupful hot water _for pudding_. mix flour, breadcrumbs, soda and ginger together, then rub in crisco with finger tips. beat egg, add milk, molasses, salt and stir into dry ingredients. turn mixture into criscoed mold, cover with greased paper and steam steadily for two hours. turn out and serve with sauce. _for sauce_. blend crisco and cornstarch together, add molasses, water, and lemon juice, and boil a few minutes. monica pudding tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupfuls milk / cupful flour eggs / cupful sugar / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla extract for sauce / cupful crisco / cupful powdered sugar / cupful cream / teaspoonful vanilla extract _for pudding_. heat cupful milk. add other cupful milk gradually to flour, then stir into boiling milk, stir and cook five minutes. the mixture should be quite smooth. remove from fire, add crisco, sugar, yolks of eggs well beaten, salt, vanilla, and whites of eggs stiffly beaten. turn into criscoed baking dish, set in pan half full of boiling water. bake in moderate oven thirty-five minutes. serve with sauce. _for sauce_. melt crisco, add sugar, cream and vanilla extract and bring to boil. noodle pudding pint noodles / cupful sugar eggs / cupful melted crisco lemon / cupful blanched and chopped almonds cupfuls milk / teaspoonful salt throw noodles into boiling salted water, and cook five minutes. drain in colander. beat eggs until light and stir in the noodles. grease pudding dish with crisco, put in layer of noodles, sprinkle with sugar, almonds, grated lemon peel, and melted crisco. then add another layer of noodles and proceed as before, until all are used up. add milk and salt, and bake one hour in moderate oven. serve hot with milk or cream. this pudding is delicious with stewed fruits. peach delights quart flour teaspoonfuls baking powder tablespoonfuls sugar / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt milk egg teaspoonful lemon extract peaches, fresh or canned whipped cream sift flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder together, then rub crisco lightly into them with finger tips; add lemon extract and enough milk to make soft dough. drop mixture into criscoed gem pans; place / peach on each one; fill cavities with sugar and bake in hot oven twenty-five minutes. serve with whipped and sweetened cream. sufficient for twenty delights. pineapple pudding for pudding can pineapple cupful sugar tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupful breadcrumbs / teaspoonful salt eggs hard sauce for sauce tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt / cupful crisco tablespoonfuls sherry tablespoonfuls blanched and chopped almonds _for pudding_. beat eggs, add crumbs, salt, crisco, sugar, and pineapple cut into small dice. turn into criscoed pudding dish and bake in moderate oven until firm. serve hot or cold with sauce. _for sauce_. beat crisco with sugar to a cream, add salt, sherry, and almonds. mrs. vaughn's plum pudding / lb. brown sugar eggs / lb. breadcrumbs / lb. browned flour / lb. crisco teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful powdered cloves / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered ginger / teaspoonful grated nutmeg / teaspoonful powdered mace / cupful new orleans molasses / cupful brandy (or grape juice) / cupful lemon juice / lb. seeded raisins / lb. sultana raisins lb. currants lb. crystallized fruits, consisting of pineapple, cherries, figs, orange peel, and citron chop crystallized fruits, add raisins and currants, then pour brandy (or grape juice) over them and let stand several hours. cream crisco and sugar, add eggs well beaten together, and all other ingredients. divide into greased mold (small crisco cans will do) filling two-thirds full and steam steadily for three hours. turn out while hot and serve with hard sauce. sufficient for two medium-sized puddings or one very large one. rice pudding / cupful rice cupfuls milk / cupful sugar / cupful crisco eggs powdered cinnamon to taste / cupful seeded raisins / teaspoonful salt wash rice and steam it in milk until thick, then allow to cool. cream crisco and sugar, add well beaten eggs, raisins, salt, rice, and cinnamon. grease pudding dish with crisco, pour in mixture and bake one hour in moderate oven. walnut pudding / cupful sugar cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder tablespoonfuls melted crisco / teaspoonful salt eggs cupful milk teaspoonful vanilla extract cupful chopped english walnut meats for sauce cupful sugar / cupful water yolks eggs cupfuls whipped cream / teaspoonful lemon extract mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder together, add eggs well beaten, vanilla extract, milk, crisco, and nuts. mix well and divide into greased individual molds, cover with greased papers, and steam steadily for three-quarters of an hour. turn out and serve. _for sauce_. boil sugar and water till syrup spins a thread, pour over beaten yolks of eggs, and stir quickly. set aside to cool, stir occasionally, add lemon extract and just before serving mix in whipped cream. sufficient for nine individual puddings. woodford pudding (_kate b. vaughn_) cupful sugar eggs / cupful buttermilk teaspoonful baking soda - / cupfuls flour / cupful crisco cupful blackberry jam / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful grated nutmeg for sauce tablespoonfuls crisco cupful whipped cream powdered sugar / teaspoonful salt _for pudding_. cream crisco and sugar together, add salt, eggs well beaten, nutmeg, flour, soda mixed with buttermilk, and jam. mix well and turn into criscoed pudding dish and bake in moderate oven thirty minutes or until firm. _for sauce_. cream crisco and beat in as much powdered sugar as it will take up, add salt, and stir over boiling water until it becomes liquid, flavor with vanilla extract or sherry, and just before serving add cream. serve hot with pudding. sandwiches [illustration] if the slices of bread have to be spread with butter or with a paste it should be done before they are cut off. the slices should not be cut thicker than an eighth of an inch. when butter is used there must just be enough of it for us to know in some mysterious fashion that it is there. every scrap of a sandwich should be eatable. sandwiches usually are served on folded napkins, and arranged in circles, so that one overlaps the other. it is well to lay a damp napkin over the sandwiches, if they are not wanted immediately, in order to keep them moist. to make superior sandwich butter, work one cupful of butter in a basin with a clean and dry wooden spoon until soft; then add by degrees half a cupful of whipped cream, seasoning of salt and mustard, and put it in a cool place until required. egg and anchovy sandwiches tablespoonfuls melted crisco anchovies hard-cooked eggs tablespoonfuls grated cheese teaspoonful curry powder / teaspoonful lemon juice salt to taste brown bread watercress bone anchovies, put them in basin or mortar with eggs, cheese, and one tablespoonful crisco, and pound all well together. mix remaining crisco with curry powder, lemon juice, and salt to taste. cut some thin brown bread, spread with curry mixture and layer of anchovy paste. lay another piece of bread on top, and cut into fancy shapes. arrange on a lace paper and garnish with watercress. sufficient for fifteen sandwiches. fried egg sandwiches tablespoonfuls crisco hard-cooked eggs tablespoonfuls cream salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste rasped rolls fritter batter [illustration] cut hard-cooked eggs free from shells into slices and pound with crisco and cream to a paste. season with salt, pepper, and red pepper. cut rolls into thin slices, butter them, spread them with the mixture and make into small sandwiches. dip each sandwich into some prepared fritter batter, and fry to golden brown in hot crisco. drain and serve hot. sufficient for twelve sandwiches. hudson sandwiches tablespoonfuls crisco / lb. cooked meat stoned olives teaspoonful capers hard-cooked eggs salt and pepper to taste crisp lettuce leaves picked shrimps parsley brown bread put through food chopper cooked meat, olives, capers, and yolks of hard cooked eggs, then add crisco and seasonings. spread mixture on slices of buttered brown bread, and stamp them out with a round cutter; sprinkle surfaces of sandwiches with chopped whites of eggs. dish up in circular fashion. put lettuce in center with shrimps and a few sprigs of parsley. this sandwich quite repays the trouble of making. sufficient for twenty sandwiches. pimiento cheese sandwiches tablespoonfuls crisco cupful diced cheese teaspoonful cornstarch tablespoonfuls milk teaspoonful salt can pimientoes paprika to taste graham bread put cheese into double boiler, add crisco, cornstarch, milk, salt, and paprika to taste and stir and cook until smooth, then add pimientoes cut into small pieces. spread between buttered slices of graham bread. sufficient for twenty-five sandwiches. rice sandwiches tablespoonful crisco / cupful rice sprig parsley blade mace strip lemon peel tablespoonfuls chopped cooked liver tablespoonfuls chopped cooked ham salt and pepper to taste bread boil rice in plenty of boiling salted water, add parsley, mace, and lemon peel. when quite tender strain off water, take out parsley, mace, and lemon, and stir into the rice, liver, crisco, ham, and seasonings. cut an even number of slices of bread, spread mixture when cold on one-half, and cover with remaining slices of bread. trim and cut into diamond shapes. sufficient for twenty sandwiches. sardine sandwiches tablespoonfuls melted crisco dozen sardines tablespoonful whipped cream tomato salt, pepper, and paprika to taste lettuce leaves slices of brown or white bread bone and skin the sardines, then rub through sieve, add cream, crisco, pulp of tomato and seasonings and mix well. spread mixture between slices of brown or white bread and butter, stamp out in rounds, in center of each round force a row of whipped cream seasoned with salt and red pepper, place small stamped out leaves of lettuce round the cream. sufficient for twelve sandwiches. tomato sandwiches tablespoonfuls crisco cupful water / cupful vinegar eggs well beaten teaspoonful salt teaspoonful mustard tablespoonful flour - / tablespoonfuls sugar few grains red pepper firm ripe tomatoes bread whipped cream mix sugar, flour, salt, mustard and red pepper together, add eggs, vinegar, crisco, and water and cook in double boiler until thick, stirring all the time. to every tablespoonful of dressing add equal quantity of whipped cream. skin and slice tomatoes very thin, dip slices into dressing and place between thin slices of buttered bread. cut into finger shaped pieces. sufficient for thirty sandwiches. tomato and horseradish sandwiches tablespoonful crisco / cupful grated horseradish tomato bread / cupful mayonnaise salt and paprika to taste parsley mix crisco, horseradish, and mayonnaise together. skin and slice tomato, sprinkle with salt and paprika. spread thin slices of bread and butter with crisco mixture, and put sliced tomato between, cut into fancy shapes and garnish with parsley. sufficient for ten sandwiches. pastries [illustration] there are two principal divisions, within which all varieties may be included, viz: . short or plain pastries. . flaky pastries. of these, the former includes all pastes in which the fat is mixed evenly with the dough throughout; the latter, those in which, by one means or another, the two are arranged in alternate layers. the short pastes are the simplest, and for this reason should be experimented on to begin with. with pastry, a good deal always depends on the mixing. the best way is to measure out the average quantity of liquid, to pour about three-quarters of this gradually into the flour, at the same time stirring this briskly with a knife, so as to get it evenly moistened, and then add, in very small quantities at a time, as much more water as may be needed. to see, in this way, when the flour has been moistened enough, is easy. by the time the first three parts of water have been put in, most of it will have stuck together in little separate rolls; if on pressing these they should not only cling together, but readily collect about them whatever loose flour there may be, sufficient moisture will have been added; but so long as the mixture, when pressed, remains to some degree crumbly, it is a sign that a little more water is required. when done, the paste should stick together, but should not adhere either to the hands or to the basin. if it does this it is too wet, and more flour must be dusted over it and kneaded in till the surplus moisture has been absorbed. a sure sign of its having been mixed properly is when it can be rolled into a lump, and the basin wiped out cleanly with it, as with a cloth. to roll out, flour the pastry board slightly, lay the dough on it, and form it into a neat, flat oblong shape. [illustration] press it out first a little with the roller, and then roll with short, quick strokes to the thickness required. always roll straight forwards, neither sideways nor obliquely. if the paste wants widening, alter its position, not the direction of the rolling. at the beginning of each stroke, bring the roller rather sharply down, so as to drive out the paste in front of it, and take especial care in rolling to stop always just short of the edges. short pastry differs from the flaky pastries in requiring but one rolling out. it should be handled and rolled as little as possible and when carefully made it should not be in the least leathery or tough. air in this method is mixed equally throughout the paste, and when it expands in the oven raises the paste in all directions. the flakiness of pastry depends upon the kind and amount of shortening used. crisco makes tenderer crust than either lard or butter. make pastry in a cool atmosphere and on a cool surface. the lightness of pastry depends largely upon the light handling in blending the crisco with the flour and in the rolling of the pastry upon the board. the best results are obtained by cutting the crisco into the flour with a knife. if pastry contains baking powder it should be put into the oven as quickly as possible, but if it contains a liberal supply of crisco without baking powder, it improves by being set aside in a cool place a few hours. pastry that is light, dry and flaky, is separated more easily by the gastric fluids than that which is heavy. the flour must be of good quality, fine and dry. all pastry requires to be placed in a hot oven, slightly hotter for flaky than short crust. the oven should register from ° f. to ° f. the great heat quickly will cause the starch grains to burst and absorb the fat, otherwise the pastry will be heavy. in making flaky pastry, if it has been rolled and folded properly, and not allowed to stick to the board, nor cut so that air can pass through layers, this air when heated in the oven expands and raises the paste in layers or puffs. heat of oven must be great enough to fix the pastry in this raised condition, and as cold air prevents this, the oven door must not be opened too soon, or any more than necessary. see that the oven is clean. plain crisco pastry - / cupfuls flour / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt cold water sift flour and salt and cut crisco into flour with knife until finely divided. finger tips may be used to finish blending materials. add gradually sufficient water to make stiff paste. water should be added sparingly and mixed with knife through dry ingredients. form lightly and quickly with hand into dough; roll out on slightly floured board, about one-quarter inch thick. use light motion in handling rolling-pin, and roll from center outward. sufficient for one small pie. the new crisco pastry cupfuls flour / cupful crisco egg tablespoonful lemon juice sufficient cold water to hold mixture together / teaspoonful salt sift flour and salt into basin. flour blade of knife, and chop crisco into flour, being careful to keep flour between blade of knife and shortening. when mixture looks like meal, add gradually, egg well beaten and mixed with lemon juice. roll pastry into ball with knife. may be used at once, but will be improved if allowed to stand in cool place for one hour. should be rolled out once and handled as lightly as possible. may be used for sweet or savory dishes. bake in hot oven. the purpose of the addition of lemon is to render gluten of flour more ductile, so that it will stretch rather than break as paste is rolled out, or as it rises in oven. sufficient for two pies. tip top pastry / teaspoonful salt - / teaspoonfuls baking powder - / cupfuls flour / cupful crisco cold water teaspoonful lemon juice sift and mix together flour, salt, and baking powder. rub in crisco with finger tips. chill two hours. then take out / cupful, and to remainder add lemon juice and cold water gradually to make stiff paste. knead lightly and roll into long narrow strip. sprinkle dough with half of reserved mixture and fold so as to make layers. turn half way round, roll again into strip, sprinkle with rest of mixture and fold as before. roll and fold twice more, and pastry is ready for use for cakes, puddings, or pies. sufficient for two pies. cornstarch pastry - / cupfuls cornstarch - / cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls sugar / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking powder yolk of egg milk to mix rub crisco lightly into cornstarch and flour, add salt, sugar, baking powder, beaten yolk of egg, and sufficient milk to mix to stiff paste. roll out lightly and use for tartlets or one crust pie. sufficient for two large pies. double pie top layer cupful sugar cupful sweet milk eggs cupfuls flour / cupful crisco teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt under layer cupful molasses cupful brown sugar pint hot water plain crisco pastry lemon egg tablespoonfuls flour line large pie plate with pastry. _for under layer._ mix sugar with flour, add molasses, egg well beaten, grated lemon rind, and hot water, and pour into prepared pie plate. _for top layer._ cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, milk, salt, flour, and baking powder. spread mixture over under layer and bake in hot oven thirty-five minutes. sufficient for two large pies. almond layer pie for pastry cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt water for filling tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful sugar lemon eggs / cupful blanched powdered almonds / teaspoonful salt make short crust of crisco, flour, salt, and water. roll out thin, and line criscoed pie plate with piece of paste. _for filling._ cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, almonds, salt, grated rind and one tablespoonful lemon juice. mix well and spread one-half of mixture on to pastry. then cover with a layer of pastry, the rest of mixture, and lastly cover with pastry. bake in a moderate oven until brown. or the pastry may be rolled out, brushed over with melted crisco, the mixture spread over it, and rolled up to form a roly-poly. lay on a criscoed tin and bake in moderate oven until brown. sufficient for one large pie. flake pastry no. cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt just enough cold water to hold dough together sift flour and salt and cut half the crisco into flour with knife until it is finely divided. the finger tips may be used to finish blending materials. then add water sparingly, mixing it with knife through dry materials. form with the hand into dough and roll out on a floured board to quarter inch thickness. spread one-third of remaining crisco on two-thirds of dough nearest you; fold twice, to make three layers, folding in first that part on which crisco has not been spread. turn dough, putting folded edges to the sides; roll out, spread and fold as before. repeat once more. use a light motion in handling rolling-pin, and roll from center outward. should crisco be too hard, it will not mix readily with flour, in which case the result will be a tough crust. sufficient for two covered pies. flake pastry no. / teaspoonful salt cupfuls flour / cupful crisco cold water mix salt with flour; divide crisco into four equal parts, rub in one of these only, and then mix to stiff paste with a little cold water. shape into neat oblong piece, and roll into straight strip about three times as long as it is broad. all over this put on, with the point of knife, one of remaining quarters of crisco, distributing it evenly in little dabs about size of a pea, so that they look like buttons on a card. now flour surface lightly and fold paste exactly in three by taking hold of the two bottom corners and doubling them upwards from you and then of the top corners and doubling them downwards towards you. turn now at right angles to its former position so as to have open ends pointing towards you. press these quickly together with the roller to inclose some air, and press paste across also in two or three places, making little ridges, thus preventing air which has been shut in, from forming into large bubble. roll out again, and repeat till remaining two parts of crisco have thus been used. at the last rolling, bring to required thickness; and if it needs widening as well as lengthening, turn it at right angles to its former position, and roll straight across it as before, a rule which, with flaky pastry, should always be observed, since, unlike the short pastries, its lightness suffers if rolled obliquely to the direction in which it has been folded. sufficient for two small pies. puff pastry teaspoonful salt cupful crisco cupfuls flour yolk of egg teaspoonfuls lemon juice cold water measure crisco and set in cold place to chill it. sift flour and salt into basin, and add lemon juice. take a quarter of the crisco, and rub it lightly into flour with finger tips until there are no lumps left. beat yolk of egg and add a little cold water, then add them to the flour, making them into a stiffish dough. turn this on to floured board, and work well with hands until it will no longer stick to fingers and forms a perfectly smooth dough. form into oblong piece and roll out to about half inch thickness. the crisco to be used should be as nearly, as possible of same consistency as the paste. form it into neat flat cake, and place in center of pastry. fold up rather loosely, and flat the folds with rolling-pin. place in refrigerator for ten minutes. then roll out pastry into long narrow strip, being careful that crisco does not get through. fold exactly in three, press down folds, and lay aside in cool place or in refrigerator fifteen minutes. this is called giving the pastry one "turn" and seven of these is the number required for this pastry. the next time the pastry is rolled, place it with the joins at your right hand side, and open end's towards you. give two "turns" this time, and again set aside in cool place for at least fifteen minutes. repeat this until pastry has had seven rolls in all. the object of the cooling between the rolls is to keep crisco and flour in distinct and separate layers, in which it is the function of the rolling-pin and folding to arrange them, and on which the lightness of the pastry depends. when rolling, keep the pressure of the two hands as equal as possible. if the pastry becomes rounded, it shows that there is more pressure being done on the rounded side than the other. after it has received its last roll, it is better to be laid aside before using, then rolled to the thickness required. sufficient for two pies. rough puff pastry cupfuls flour / cupful crisco, generous measure / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful lemon juice egg cold water have crisco cold and firm. sift flour and salt into basin, add crisco and cut into pieces one inch square. beat up egg, add lemon juice and a very little cold water, then add them gradually into other ingredients making them into a stiff paste. roll in a long piece on floured board, fold in three, turn rough edges toward you and roll out again, continuing this for five times. place in refrigerator or in cool place ten minutes between each rolling. this pastry may be used at once for all kinds of sweet or savory pies, but it is improved by standing for a few hours in a cool place. bake in hot oven. sufficient for two covered pies. german paste cupfuls flour / cupfuls crisco / cupful ground almonds cupful sugar eggs yolks of eggs / teaspoonfuls salt water sift flour and almonds into basin, rub crisco into them, add salt, sugar, eggs well beaten and water to make stiff paste. leave in cool place two hours, then roll out and use for pies and tartlets. sufficient for four pies. hot water paste cupful flour tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking powder tablespoonfuls boiling water sift flour, salt and baking powder into basin, rub crisco lightly into them, then stir in boiling water. cool paste before using, or it will be too sticky to handle. sufficient for one pie. butterscotch pie egg cupful dark brown sugar cupful milk tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls water / teaspoonful salt tablespoonful powdered sugar baked crust teaspoonful vanilla extract put yolk of egg into saucepan, add brown sugar, flour, milk, water, crisco, salt, and vanilla. stir over fire until it thickens and comes to boiling point. pour into baked pie shell. beat up white of egg, then beat powdered sugar into it. spread on top of pie and brown lightly in oven. sufficient for one pie. rhubarb custard pie cupful cut rhubarb cupful sugar tablespoonful flour tablespoonful melted crisco eggs / teaspoonful ginger extract cupful milk crisco pastry cut rhubarb in small pieces and mix with sugar and flour. beat egg yolks, add milk, ginger extract, and melted crisco. line pie plate with pastry, and fill with rhubarb mixture. pour custard over and bake in moderate oven until firm. cover with meringue made with stiffly beaten whites of eggs to which two tablespoonfuls powdered sugar have been added. sufficient for one small pie. sugar paste for tartlets cupful sugar cupfuls flour / cupful crisco, generous measure / teaspoonful salt eggs lemon sift flour on to baking board, make hole in center, and put in grated lemon rind, salt, sugar, eggs, and crisco. mix the whole to a stiff pastry. this paste is used for the bottom layer of pies and to line tartlet tins of various kinds. it is excellent for turnovers. sufficient for thirty tartlets. currant tartlets / cupful currants tablespoonfuls ground rice whites of eggs tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful sponge cake crumbs tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls chopped candied orange peel / teaspoonful lemon extract pinch of salt crisco pastry tablespoonful cream cream crisco and sugar together, add ground rice, crumbs, peel, currants, cream, salt, lemon extract, and whites of eggs well beaten. roll out paste, cut into rounds, line some criscoed tartlet tins with rounds, put in each a tablespoonful of the mixture. bake tartlets in moderate oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. or, these tartlets may be covered with frosting, and a little chopped cocoanut sprinkled over tops. sufficient for nine tartlets. bartemian tarts cupful sugar lemon / lb. chopped candied citron peel crisco flake pastry egg cupful raisins tablespoonful melted crisco / teaspoonful salt roll pastry thin and cut out large cakes of it. beat egg, add sugar, crisco, rind and strained juice of lemon, salt, citron, and raisins. mix and put tablespoonful of mixture on each of pastry cakes, wet edges of paste and fold like old fashioned turn over. do not stick with fork or juice will run out. lay turn overs on criscoed tins and bake in hot oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. sufficient for twelve tarts. apricot tarts cupfuls flour / cupful crisco tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt egg teaspoonfuls vanilla extract teaspoonful baking powder apricot jam or jelly whipped cream angelica preserved cherries rub crisco into flour, add salt, sugar, baking powder, break egg in and mix well with fork, then add vanilla. roll out, cut with cutter and line criscoed tartlet tins with the rounds. line with paper and put in some rice or peas to keep paste from rising; bake in hot oven twenty minutes. remove rice and papers. when pastries are cold put in each one a spoonful of the jam or jelly. fill with whipped cream and decorate with cherries and angelica. sufficient for thirty tarts. bakewell tartlets tablespoonfuls sugar eggs tablespoonfuls crisco cupful flour / teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful lemon extract preserves pastry cream crisco and sugar, then add eggs well beaten, flour, salt, baking powder, and extract. line twelve tartlet tins with pastry, put teaspoonful of preserves in each, then divide mixture into them, and bake in moderately hot oven twenty minutes. sufficient for twelve tartlets. [illustration] breads &c. [illustration] the usual method of making bread is to ferment dough with yeast; the latter acts upon certain constituents in the flour ultimately producing a gas which permeates the dough. the dough is placed in a very hot oven, the heat kills the yeast plant, the gas expands with the heat, still raising the dough. the loaf is set in shape, and, when finally cooked and the gas all escaped, will be found to be light and full of tiny holes. certain factors hasten or delay these changes. a moist, warm medium being most favorable to the growth of the yeast, the water should just be lukewarm; then a good flour, containing about per cent of gluten is necessary. this gluten is the proteid in flour; when well mixed with water it forms a viscid elastic substance, hence it is necessary to well knead dough to make it more springy, so that when the gas is generated in it, it will expand and take the form of a sponge, and thus prevent the gas from escaping. the bread must be put into a very hot oven at first, ° f., so that the yeast plant is killed quickly. if this be not accomplished soon, the loaf may go on spreading in the oven, and, if not sour in taste, will not be of such a good flavor. plenty of salt in dough is said to strengthen the gluten, give a good flavor to the bread, and keep it moist for a longer time, but it rather retards the working of the yeast. flour also may be made into a light loaf by using baking powder to produce the gas. this is a much quicker process, but the bread is not liked so universally as when made with yeast. for, when yeast is used, other changes take place in the dough besides the production of the gas, that seem to give bread the characteristic flavor constantly welcome by the palate. good flour has a slight pure smell, free from any moldy odor. [illustration] yeast is a fungoid growth, a microscopic plant capable of starting a fermentation in various substances. it grows rapidly in a favorable medium, as when mixed with flour and water, and kept in a warm place, resulting in setting up fermentation. baking powders are composed of an acid and an alkali. some kind of flour usually is added to keep them dry and free from lumps. when the mixture containing the baking powder is moistened the acid and the alkali chemically combine and alter, a gas being generated. if the articles be placed soon in great heat, the gas is warmed, expands, and in its endeavor to escape raises the mass. the heat sets the mixture in this raised condition, thus the cake or pudding is rendered light, easier to masticate and digest. baking powders are used for two reasons. first. to supply a gas to take the place of ingredients, as when used in making bread, buns, etc. if flour, salt and water were mixed and baked in a large loaf, it would be a hard, indigestible mass. if baking powder be mixed in with similar ingredients and baked, the result would be a light loaf, easy to masticate and digest. second. it is used to save labor. when a richer mixture be made it requires to be well beaten to mix in air. baking powder often is added to save some of the otherwise necessary beating. baking powder biscuits cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonfuls baking powder[a] teaspoonful salt milk mix and sift twice dry ingredients. work in crisco with finger tips, add gradually milk, mixing with knife to soft dough. toss on floured board; pat and roll to one-half inch thickness. shape with biscuit cutter. place on criscoed tin and bake in hot oven twelve minutes. to have good biscuits dough should be handled as little as possible, just enough to get in shape to cut. milk or water used for mixing should be very cold, and biscuits should be gotten into oven at once after adding liquid to flour. if top of each biscuit is lightly brushed over with melted crisco before baking, crust will be much nicer. sufficient for fifteen biscuits. [footnote a: amount of baking powder may be increased if especially raised biscuits are desired. teaspoonfuls, however, is most healthful amount.] best jumbles cupfuls sugar cupful crisco eggs cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls milk teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful almond extract teaspoonful rose extract cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, then gradually add eggs well beaten, now add milk, extracts, flour, salt and baking powder. mix and roll out lightly on floured baking board; cut into circles with doughnut cutter, lay on criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven from seven to ten minutes or till light brown. these cookies will keep fresh two weeks, and if milk is left out, a month. sufficient for seventy jumbles. boston brown bread cupful ryemeal tablespoonfuls crisco cupful sugar cupful cornmeal cupful graham flour / tablespoonful baking soda / teaspoonful salt / cupful molasses - / cupfuls sweet milk mix and sift ingredients. dissolve soda with one tablespoonful hot water, add to molasses, then add milk and mix with dry ingredients. turn into greased mold two-thirds full, grease cover, and steam steadily three and a half hours. a -pound crisco pail can be used for a mold. sufficient for one loaf. bran gems / cupful bran tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonful whole wheat flour / cupful white flour / cupful milk saltspoonful salt egg tablespoonfuls molasses teaspoonful baking powder mix crisco thoroughly with molasses, add egg well beaten, milk, salt, bran, flours, and baking powder. divide into well greased gem pans, and bake in hot oven from eight to ten minutes. these gems are excellent for constipation. sufficient for eight gems. brown nut bread tablespoonfuls melted crisco eggs cupful sugar cupful sour milk / cupful new orleans molasses - / cupfuls flour - / cupfuls graham flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking soda cupful sultana raisins cupful chopped nut meats beat eggs and sugar together for five minutes, then add molasses, soda mixed with milk, salt, flours, raisins, and nuts. mix and turn into criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in slow oven one and a quarter hours. sufficient for one medium-sized loaf. buttermilk biscuits quart flour tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonful sugar teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful baking powder egg / pint buttermilk sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together, then rub in crisco with finger tips, add egg well beaten, and soda mixed with milk. dough should be soft and little more milk can be added if needed. roll out lightly and handle as little as possible. cut with biscuit cutter, lay on criscoed tins and bake in hot oven ten minutes. sufficient for thirty biscuits. chocolate brownies cupful sugar tablespoonfuls melted crisco eggs squares chocolate / teaspoonful salt / cupful flour cupful chopped english walnut meats teaspoonful vanilla extract tablespoonfuls boiling water cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, chocolate dissolved in boiling water, salt, flour, vanilla, and nuts. divide and spread thin in criscoed square pans and bake in slow oven from twenty to twenty-five minutes. cut in strips and serve with ice cream. these are a cross between cookies and heavy cake. sufficient for fifty brownies. chocolate wafers cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco cupfuls flour / cake chocolate eggs / teaspoonful baking soda / teaspoonful vanilla extract / teaspoonful salt cream crisco and sugar together, add chocolate melted, eggs well beaten, vanilla extract, flour, salt, and soda. mix and turn out on to floured baking board. roll out thin, and cut with small cutter. lay on criscoed tin and bake from seven to ten minutes in moderate oven. sufficient for forty-six wafers. citron buns yeast cake tablespoonfuls sugar / cupful crisco / cupful raisins / cupful chopped citron peel teaspoonful lemon extract cupful scalded milk egg - / cupfuls flour / cupful lukewarm water teaspoonful salt scald milk, add half of sugar and salt; when lukewarm add yeast dissolved in water and - / cupfuls flour. mix, cover, and let rise till light; then add crisco, remainder of sugar and flour, raisins, peel, and extract. knead lightly, cover, and let rise. divide into small pieces, let rise on greased tins, brush over with beaten egg and bake in hot oven twenty minutes. sufficient for twenty-two buns. coffee bread / cupful milk / cupful melted crisco / cake compressed yeast teaspoonful salt eggs cupful sugar teaspoonful lemon extract / cupful chopped english walnut meats flour heat milk slightly, then add flour to make batter and yeast dissolved in little lukewarm water. allow to rise until light, then add crisco, eggs well beaten, sugar, lemon, salt, and enough flour to make stiff dough. knead ten minutes and let rise until light. place in criscoed pan and let rise again. spread with melted crisco and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and nuts. bake in hot oven half an hour. sufficient for one large loaf. columbia muffins tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls crisco egg - / cupfuls milk teaspoonful salt - / teaspoonfuls baking powder - / cupfuls sifted flour sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. cream crisco and sugar, add egg well beaten, then milk and flour mixture. divide into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake twenty-five minutes in hot oven. sufficient for twenty muffins. corn bread cupful cornmeal tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupful flour / cupful sugar cupful sour cream eggs / teaspoonful baking soda / teaspoonful salt mix cornmeal with flour, sugar, salt, crisco, eggs well beaten, and soda mixed with cream. mix well and turn into criscoed tin and bake in moderate oven thirty minutes. sufficient for one small pan of corn bread. cornmeal rolls - / cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco egg / cupful milk tablespoonful sugar / teaspoonful salt / cupful cornmeal teaspoonfuls baking powder sift together flour, cornmeal, salt, baking powder, and sugar. rub in crisco with finger tips, then add egg well beaten and milk. roll out, cut into rounds with a large cutter, brush over with melted crisco, fold over as for parkerhouse rolls, brush tops with beaten egg or milk and bake in hot oven ten minutes. sufficient for fifteen rolls. cream scones cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt eggs / cupful cream white of egg mix and sift flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder. rub in crisco with finger tips, add eggs well beaten and cream. knead dough lightly on floured baking board, divide into four equal pieces, make smooth and roll out, and cut into small scones. lay them on hot griddle, brush over with beaten white of egg and fry slowly on both sides. the dough should always be lightly handled. sufficient for sixteen scones. crisco brownies / cupful sugar / cupful crisco / cupful molasses eggs cupful flour cupful chopped nut meats / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla extract cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, molasses, extract, flour, salt and nuts. divide into small fancy criscoed tins, or bake in criscoed sheet tin and cut in squares. bake in moderate oven half hour. these are a cross between cake and candy. sufficient for twelve squares. crisco batter cakes eggs / cupful melted crisco cupful flour cupful buttermilk / teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful salt beat up yolks of eggs, add milk, crisco, and flour mixed with salt, soda, and baking powder and beat till smooth. fold in whites beaten to a stiff froth. drop in large spoonfuls on ungreased skillet or griddle. serve hot with butter or maple syrup. sufficient for fifteen cakes. crisco milk bread tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls melted crisco tablespoonfuls salt yeast cake quart milk about pints flour mix yeast cake with tablespoonful sugar. heat milk, add remainder of sugar, crisco, and salt. cool and add yeast and flour to make stiff dough. turn out on floured baking board, cut in three pieces, knead first one piece then others stretching dough; let rise over night or in warm temperature five hours. knead lightly and divide into criscoed pans. allow to rise and bake in moderate oven one hour. from same dough, french bread, breadsticks, horse shoe rolls and french rolls can be made. sufficient for three loaves. dessert biscuits cupful confectioners' sugar cupful crisco cupful flour whites of eggs / teaspoonful vanilla extract teaspoonful salt cream crisco and gradually add sugar, mix thoroughly, and incorporate, one by one, whites of eggs. now add flour, salt, and vanilla. mix well, then place in small, long heaps on a criscoed tin. bake in cool oven to pale brown color. sufficient for sixty biscuits. entire wheat bread / cupfuls boiling water tablespoonfuls crisco - / cupfuls milk teaspoonfuls salt tablespoonfuls sugar yeast cake / cupful tepid water whole wheat flour mix boiling water, milk, sugar, salt, and crisco together. add yeast cake dissolved in tepid water, with - / cupfuls whole wheat flour. mix and let stand until light. add more flour until soft dough is formed, then knead and divide into two loaves. place in criscoed tins and let stand until the dough doubles its bulk. brush over with milk and bake in moderate oven one and a half hours. sufficient for two small loaves. excellent graham bread cupfuls graham flour tablespoonfuls melted crisco / cupful flour teaspoonful baking powder - / cupfuls sour milk / cupful sugar / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking soda sift flours with baking powder, salt, sugar, and soda, then add crisco and milk. mix and turn into greased and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven fifty minutes. sufficient for one small loaf. filled cookies egg cupful sugar / cupful crisco / cupful milk or cream teaspoonful vanilla extract teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonfuls baking powder - / cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt for filling cupful chopped raisins tablespoonful flour / cupful sugar / cupful water / cupful chopped walnut meats _for cookies._ cream crisco and sugar, add salt, egg well beaten, milk, vanilla, and flour sifted with baking powder and soda. mix and turn out on figured baking board. dough should be soft. roll very thin and cut out with cooky cutter. spread one-half of cookies with filling then place remaining cookies on top and press edges together. place on criscoed tins and bake in moderately hot oven fifteen minutes. _for filling._ mix sugar and flour in saucepan, add raisins, nuts, and water, stir and cook until thick. cool before using. fried cornmeal nut cakes cupfuls yellow cornmeal tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupfuls boiling water teaspoonful salt egg / cupful chopped nut meats bring water and salt to boil, stir in cornmeal, add nut meats, and stir and cook ten minutes. remove from fire and add egg well beaten, and melted crisco. turn into criscoed tin and cool. when cold, slice and fry in hot crisco. serve with honey or maple syrup. sufficient for six or eight slices. fried cakes with apple sauce cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco cupfuls sour milk / teaspoonful grated nutmeg teaspoonful lemon extract teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful salt flour apple sauce cream crisco, gradually add sugar, then add salt, nutmeg, lemon, soda, baking powder, sour milk and sufficient flour to make stiffish dough. roll out on floured baking board, cut with large round cutter, and fry in hot crisco until well cooked and nicely browned on both sides. drain and serve with hot apple sauce. sufficient for twenty cakes. fruit cookies teaspoonful salt cupfuls brown sugar cupful crisco cupful chopped raisins cupful chopped english walnut meats eggs teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful powdered allspice teaspoonful powdered ginger - / teaspoonfuls baking soda tablespoonfuls sour milk flour cream crisco and sugar together, add salt, eggs well beaten, soda mixed with milk, spices, raisins, nuts, and enough flour to make stiff dough. about cupfuls flour will be sufficient. roll out, cut with cooky cutter, lay on criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven from ten to twelve minutes. sufficient for sixty cookies. fruit drop cakes cupful sugar / cupful crisco cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls currants tablespoonfuls chopped nut meats tablespoonfuls chopped candied citron peel eggs / cupful milk teaspoonful vanilla extract cream crisco and sugar together, add yolks of eggs well beaten. beat whites stiffly and add alternately with milk. add sifted flour, baking powder and salt, then fruits, nuts and extract. divide mixture into criscoed and floured gem pans, and bake twenty minutes in moderate oven. sufficient for eighteen drop cakes. fruit rolls cupful milk yeast cake / cupful lukewarm water / cupful sugar / cupful melted crisco teaspoonfuls salt eggs / cupful chopped cocoanut / lb. chopped candied citron peel / cupful chopped english walnut meats / cupful currants / cupful sultana raisins / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful powdered mace flour scald milk, when lukewarm add yeast cake dissolved in tepid water and - / cupfuls flour, beat well, cover and let rise till light. add sugar, salt, eggs well beaten, crisco and enough flour to knead; knead, let rise again. roll out one-eighth inch thick, spread with melted crisco, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and mace, fruit and nuts; roll like jelly roll and cut in one inch pieces. place pieces in criscoed pan, let rise, brush over with melted crisco, and bake in hot oven twenty minutes. sufficient for sixteen rolls. ginger snaps cupfuls molasses cupful brown sugar cupful crisco teaspoonfuls baking soda teaspoonfuls powdered ginger teaspoonful powdered mace teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls boiling water flour cream crisco and sugar together, add molasses, spices, salt, soda mixed with boiling water and sufficient flour to make stiff paste. roll out thin, cut with small cutter, lay on criscoed tins and bake in hot oven from five to seven minutes. sufficient for one hundred snaps. ginger gems cupful sugar / cupful crisco / cupful chopped preserved ginger eggs cupful milk cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt cream crisco and sugar together, then add eggs well beaten. sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and add alternately with milk to first mixture. now mix in ginger and divide mixture into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake in hot oven twenty-five minutes. sufficient for sixteen gems. gluten bread cupfuls scalded milk cupfuls boiling water teaspoonfuls salt egg tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful warm water / yeast cake cupfuls gluten flour mix crisco, boiling water, milk, and salt. when lukewarm, add yeast cake dissolved in warm water, egg well beaten, and gluten. let rise, when risen and spongy beat well, add enough gluten to make a stiff dough and knead well. allow to rise, shape in loaves, place in criscoed bread pans, let rise, and bake for one hour in moderately hot oven. sufficient for two small loaves. golden corn muffins cupful flour tablespoonfuls crisco cupful yellow cornmeal tablespoonfuls sugar cupful milk eggs teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, add eggs well beaten and milk. then stir in slowly dry ingredients which have been sifted together three times. divide into greased gem pans and bake in moderately hot oven twenty-five minutes. sufficient for twelve muffins. hominy bread for breakfast cupfuls cooked hominy tablespoonfuls melted crisco - / cupfuls cornmeal eggs teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder cupfuls milk beat eggs, add milk and hominy. sift in cornmeal, add baking powder and salt; add crisco. beat all together three minutes. pour into deep criscoed pan and bake one hour in slow oven. serve hot. sufficient for one large loaf. health bread cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupfuls whole wheat flour cupfuls bran teaspoonful salt / cupful sugar egg cupfuls milk cupful molasses cupful stoned chopped dates teaspoonfuls baking soda / cupful hot water mix flours and bran together, add crisco, salt, sugar, egg well beaten, milk, molasses, soda dissolved in boiling water, and dates. mix well together and turn into two criscoed and floured tins and bake in moderate oven one and a quarter hours. this bread is excellent for constipation. sufficient for two loaves. honey doughnuts eggs / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco - / cupfuls honey cupful sour milk teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful cream of tartar teaspoonful lemon extract - / cupfuls flour teaspoonful salt cream crisco, honey and sugar well together, then add eggs well beaten, mix well, add milk, lemon extract, flour, salt, soda, and cream of tartar. mix and turn out on baking board, roll out and cut with doughnut cutter. fry in plenty of hot crisco. if a piece of bread browns in hot crisco in sixty seconds, temperature is right for doughnuts and fritters. sufficient for sixty-five doughnuts. hot cross buns / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered ginger egg / yeast cake flour / cupful chopped candied citron / cupful seeded raisins cupful scalded milk / cupful lukewarm water add crisco, sugar, and salt to milk; when lukewarm, add yeast cake dissolved in water, spices, egg well beaten, and sufficient flour to make a stiff-dough. mix well, add raisins and peel, cover, and let rise over night. in morning divide into pieces and form into neat buns; place in criscoed pan one inch apart, let rise, brush over with milk or beaten egg, and bake in moderately hot oven twenty-five minutes. cool, and with ornamental frosting make a cross on each bun. the cross may be made by placing strips of paste on buns before they are baked. sufficient for twenty buns. imperial muffins / cupful scalded milk / cupful sugar / cupful crisco teaspoonful salt / yeast cake / cupful lukewarm water - / cupfuls flour cupful cornmeal add sugar and salt to milk; when lukewarm add yeast cake dissolved in / cupful of the water, and - / cupfuls flour, cover, and let rise until light, then add crisco, cornmeal, remaining flour and water. let rise over night, in morning fill criscoed muffin rings, two-thirds full; let rise until rings are full and bake thirty minutes in hot oven. sufficient for twelve muffins. lemon wafers eggs cupfuls sugar cupfuls crisco cupfuls milk cents baker's ammonia cents oil of lemon flour to make stiff dough teaspoonfuls salt cover ammonia with milk and let soak over night. next morning add sugar, crisco, salt, eggs well beaten, lemon and enough flour to make a stiff dough. roll very thin, cut in squares or diamonds, lay on criscoed tins and bake from five to seven minutes in hot oven. sufficient for one hundred and eighty-six wafers. lunch rolls yeast cake - / cupfuls milk tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls crisco cupfuls flour egg teaspoonful salt scald and cool the milk, then add yeast and sugar. now add crisco and cupfuls flour. beat thoroughly, then add egg well beaten, remainder of flour and salt. mix and turn out on floured board and knead lightly and thoroughly, using as little flour as possible. place in greased bowl, cover and set aside in warm place to rise two hours. when light, form into small rounds, place one inch apart on greased pan. allow to rise half an hour. brush over with crisco and bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. sufficient for twenty rolls. maple cookies egg cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco cupful sour cream teaspoonful baking soda tablespoonfuls hot water / teaspoonful salt flour maple sugar cream crisco and sugar together, add egg well beaten, mix well, add cream, salt, soda dissolved in water, and sufficient flour to make of right consistency to drop from spoon. grate some maple sugar on each cookie and bake in moderate oven eight minutes. sufficient for forty cookies. maryland beaten biscuits cupfuls flour / cupful crisco teaspoonful salt milk water mix and sift flour and salt. cut crisco in with knife or work in lightly with finger tips. mix a little milk and water together chill thoroughly and add enough to dry ingredients to make stiff dough. everything should be as cold as possible. beat with rolling-pin until dough blisters. roll to one-third inch in thickness and cut into small biscuits, prick in center and set in refrigerator an hour before baking. place biscuits on criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven thirty minutes. biscuits may be baked in moderate gas oven and gas turned off when biscuits are golden brown. allow biscuits to remain ten minutes in cooling oven to dry out. sufficient for sixty small biscuits, a fraction larger than a dollar. muffins cupful scalded milk tablespoonfuls crisco cupful boiling water / cupful sugar - / teaspoonfuls salt / yeast cake egg cupfuls flour add crisco, salt, and half of sugar to milk and water; when lukewarm add yeast mixed with remaining sugar, egg well beaten, and flour. beat thoroughly, cover, and let rise until light. put greased muffin rings on hot griddle greased with crisco. fill half full with raised muffin mixture and cook slowly until well risen and browned underneath. turn muffins and rings and brown other side. when muffins are cold, split open, toast, and serve with marmalade. sufficient for sixteen muffins. nut doughnuts - / cupfuls sugar tablespoonfuls crisco - / cupfuls milk eggs teaspoonfuls baking powder cupful chopped english walnut meats teaspoonful vanilla extract teaspoonful lemon extract / teaspoonful salt flour to make soft dough cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, milk, salt, extracts, baking powder, nuts, and sufficient flour to make soft dough. roll out, cut with cutter and fry in hot crisco to a golden color. drain and sift with sugar. sufficient for seventy-five doughnuts. oatmeal cookies - / cupfuls sugar cupful crisco cupfuls rolled oats eggs / cupful sour milk teaspoonful powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered ginger cupful stoned chopped dates teaspoonful baking soda cupfuls flour teaspoonful salt cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, add eggs well-beaten, rolled oats, dates, salt, spices, soda dissolved in milk, and flour. mix and drop from spoon on criscoed baking tins. bake in moderate oven from ten to twelve minutes. sufficient for forty-five cookies. oven scones cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonful sugar / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonfuls cream of tartar egg sweet milk rub crisco finely into flour, add sugar, salt, soda, and cream of tartar. beat egg, put half of it into cup, then with one-half and some sweet milk make other ingredients into soft dough. knead very little on floured baking board, divide into five pieces, make them smooth and roll out, not too thinly, cut them into four small cakes. lay them on a criscoed tin, brush over with remaining egg and bake in hot oven ten minutes. a few currants or raisins may be added if liked. sufficient for twenty small scones. raised doughnuts cupful milk / yeast cake / cupful lukewarm water - / teaspoonfuls salt cupful sugar / cupful crisco eggs teaspoonful grated nutmeg flour dissolve yeast cake in lukewarm water. scald milk and cool, then add yeast, half teaspoonful of the salt and flour to make a drop batter. set in a cosy place to rise. cream crisco with sugar, add eggs well beaten, remainder of salt and nutmeg, add to yeast mixture with enough flour to make stiff dough; let rise again. when risen, make into small balls and place in a criscoed pan to rise. when light drop into plenty of hot crisco and cook from four to five minutes until doughnuts are done. drain on soft paper and dredge with powdered sugar. sufficient for seventy doughnuts. raisin and buttermilk bread cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonful salt teaspoonful soda teaspoonfuls cream of tartar tablespoonfuls sugar eggs buttermilk to make soft dough cupful sultana raisins sift flour, salt, soda and cream of tartar into basin, rub in crisco fine, add sugar, raisins, eggs well beaten, and sufficient buttermilk to make soft dough. make into smooth mound, roll out, divide into four pieces, lay on greased tin and bake in moderate oven twenty-five minutes. sufficient to make four small loaves. rich doughnuts cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco eggs teaspoonfuls baking powder - / teaspoonfuls salt cupful milk teaspoonful grated nutmeg flour to make soft dough from - / to cupfuls flour sifted before measuring. cream crisco, add sugar gradually, and eggs well beaten. sift dry ingredients and add alternately to egg mixture. roll out as soft as can be handled. cut with cutter and fry in hot crisco. heat crisco until crumb of bread becomes golden brown in sixty seconds. sufficient for sixty doughnuts. rolled oats bread cupfuls boiling water tablespoonfuls crisco cupful rolled oats / cupful molasses teaspoonfuls salt / yeast cake / cupful lukewarm water flour add boiling water to oats and allow to stand one hour; add molasses, salt, crisco, yeast cake dissolved in lukewarm water, and flour to make stiff dough; knead well, let rise, knead a very little, divide into two criscoed bread pans, let rise again and bake forty minutes in moderate oven. sufficient for two small loaves. rose leaves cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco eggs / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful rose extract cupfuls flour cream crisco, adding sugar gradually, then stir in eggs well beaten; add salt, extract, and flour. the dough should be soft. now chill dough, then roll very thin, using sugar instead of flour, to dust rolling-pin and board. cut out with small fancy cutter. place on tins greased with crisco and bake in moderate oven eight or ten minutes or until slightly browned. sufficient for fifty small cakes. rye muffins cupful flour tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupful ryemeal tablespoonfuls brown sugar teaspoonfuls baking powder egg / teaspoonful salt cupful milk sift flour, meal, baking powder, and salt together. beat egg and sugar together, then add them with milk and melted crisco. mix and divide into criscoed gem pans and bake in moderate oven twelve minutes. sufficient for twelve muffins. savarin yeast cake tablespoonfuls sugar / cupful crisco tablespoonfuls lukewarm water cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt eggs tablespoonfuls chopped almonds cupful whipped cream for syrup / lb. lump sugar cupfuls water tablespoonfuls lemon juice _for cake_. put yeast cake into cup, add tablespoonful sugar, tablespoonful flour, and lukewarm water. allow to rise ten minutes. put flour into basin, add salt, remainder of sugar, almonds, yeast mixture, eggs well beaten, and crisco melted and cooled. beat ten minutes with wooden spoon. turn into criscoed tube mold. allow to rise until doubled in size, then bake in quick oven forty-five minutes. mold should be sprinkled over with shredded almonds. _for syrup_. boil sugar and water for almost forty-five minutes, then add lemon juice. soak cake with syrup and when cold serve with cream in center. sufficient for one savarin. shortbread cookies - / cupfuls flour / cupful crisco / cupful sugar / teaspoonful salt egg teaspoonful vanilla extract beat crisco, sugar, and salt to cream. add gradually egg well beaten, flour, and flavoring. knead lightly on floured baking board, then roll out one-fourth inch thick and cut into small rounds. mark them with fork, lay on criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven from ten to fifteen minutes. sufficient for forty cookies soda beaten biscuit quart flour tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking soda buttermilk sift flour with soda and salt, then rub in crisco thoroughly with finger tips, and mix to stiff dough with buttermilk. beat with rolling-pin or hammer until dough blisters. roll out one-third inch in thickness, cut with round cutter, and lay on criscoed tins. bake in moderate oven from thirty to forty minutes. sufficient for forty biscuits. sour milk biscuits (_kate b. vaughn_) cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking soda cupful sour milk sift flour and salt into basin, rub crisco lightly into them. stir soda into milk until it effervesces and then add to flour. turn out on floured baking board, knead lightly until smooth, roll out quarter of an inch thick, cut with biscuit cutter, place on greased tin and bake twelve to fifteen minutes in hot oven. sufficient to make twelve biscuits. sour milk griddle cakes cupfuls flour tablespoonful melted crisco cupfuls sour milk / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking soda egg tablespoonful sugar sift dry ingredients, add milk, well beaten egg, and melted crisco. drop by spoonfuls on hot griddle, greased with crisco. cook until browned, then turn and cook on other side. serve hot with syrup. sufficient for eighteen cakes. sour milk tea cakes cupful cornmeal tablespoonfuls crisco eggs - / cupfuls sour milk cupfuls flour / cupful sugar teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful salt teaspoonful lemon extract beat up the eggs, add meal and milk and mix well, add flour, sugar, soda, and salt sifted together. now add extract and crisco, melted, and beat two minutes. divide into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake in moderate oven fifteen minutes. sufficient for sixteen cakes. steamed nut bread / pint graham flour / cupful crisco / cupful white flour cupful milk cupful chopped english walnut meats / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder cupful sugar egg cream crisco and sugar together, add egg well beaten, milk, salt, flours, baking powder, and nuts. mix and turn into criscoed mold, cover with greased paper and steam two hours. this nut bread is delicious served hot with butter. it may be served as a pudding with cream or liquid sauce. sufficient for one loaf. southern spoon bread tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupfuls cornmeal quart milk teaspoonful salt eggs heat milk to boiling point, then stir in meal and salt; add crisco and cook five minutes. cool mixture, add yolks of eggs well beaten, then beat whites of eggs to stiff froth and fold in. pour batter into criscoed two-quart pan and bake in moderate oven forty minutes. serve while hot, using a spoon with which to serve it. this is especially good served with roast pork. sufficient for one large pan of bread. spice cookies eggs - / cupfuls brown sugar cupful crisco cupful molasses / cupful sour milk teaspoonfuls baking soda / teaspoonful black pepper teaspoonful salt teaspoonful powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered ginger teaspoonful powdered cloves teaspoonful grated nutmeg / teaspoonful baking powder flour to make a stiff dough beat eggs five minutes, then add sugar and beat five minutes, then add crisco and beat until thoroughly mixed, add molasses, milk, soda, salt, spices, baking powder, and enough flour to make stiff dough. leave mixture in basin until following day. take pieces of dough and roll out, cut with small cutter, lay on criscoed tins and bake in moderate oven from seven to ten minutes. sufficient for ninety cookies. swedish coffee bread cupfuls hot milk / cupful sugar / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt cardamom seeds yeast cake cupfuls flour remove seeds from cardamoms and grind fine, add to hot milk with crisco, sugar, and salt. when lukewarm add yeast cake mixed with a little tepid water and flour. mix and allow to rise. then add flour enough to make stiff dough. knead and let rise again, then make into rolls or loaves. let rise again and bake in moderate oven till ready. sufficient for eighteen rolls or two small loaves swedish rye bread tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonfuls salt yeast cake cupfuls rye flour cupful white flour cupfuls boiling water in evening add crisco, sugar, and salt to boiling water; cool, add yeast cake mixed with a little tepid water or sugar, rye flour and white flour. allow to rise and in morning add more white flour, a little at a time, to make a stiff dough. let rise, knead again and bake in criscoed pie tins or cake tins as it will rise better than if baked in bread tins. bake in hot oven half hour. when taken out of oven brush crust with a little melted crisco. sufficient for four loaves. twin biscuits cupful milk / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, rub in crisco with tips of fingers, then add milk. pat and roll out dough, cut with cutter, brush with melted crisco, place one on top of another, lay on criscoed tin and bake in hot oven from ten to twelve minutes. sufficient for twelve biscuits. waffles cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls melted crisco / teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful salt tablespoonful sugar cupfuls sour milk eggs mix and sift dry ingredients, add milk gradually, yolks of eggs well beaten, melted crisco, and whites of eggs beaten to stiff froth; cook on hot waffle iron greased with crisco. serve with maple syrup, or honey and butter. waffles may be served for breakfast, luncheon, supper or high tea. a waffle iron should fit closely on range, be well heated on one side, turned, heated on other side, and thoroughly greased with crisco before iron is filled. in filling, put tablespoonful of mixture in each compartment near the center of iron, cover, and mixture will spread to fill iron. if sufficiently heated, it should be turned almost as soon as filled and covered. in using new iron, special care must be taken in greasing, or waffles will stick. sufficient for six waffles. white cookies cupfuls sugar cupful crisco / cupful thick sour milk eggs teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla extract / teaspoonful lemon extract flour cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, soda mixed with sour milk, salt, extracts, and about cupfuls flour. roll very thin, cut with cookie cutter, lay on criscoed tins, bake in moderately hot oven five minutes. to keep any length of time, when cold, place in covered tin cans and set in cool place, and they will be as crisp as when first baked. sufficient for ninety cookies. yorkshire fruit loaves lbs. flour / cupful crisco teaspoonful salt cupfuls milk yeast cake cupful sugar cupful sultana raisins cupful currants / cupful seeded raisins / cupful chopped candied citron peel teaspoonful powdered ginger / teaspoonful powdered mace heat crisco in milk, then cool and add yeast cake mixed with a little sugar; stir in flour and salt, and allow to rise four hours. mix sugar, fruit, peel, and spices into risen dough. let rise again then divide into two criscoed loaf tins. allow to rise fifteen minutes, then bake in moderate oven one and a half hours. sufficient for two medium-sized loaves. water bread cupfuls boiling water tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonful sugar teaspoonfuls salt / yeast cake dissolved in / cupful lukewarm water about six cupfuls sifted flour mix crisco, sugar and salt, pour on boiling water; when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake. stir in enough flour to make a batter; beat well, then add more flour, a little at a time to make stiff dough, mixing with a knife. turn on a floured board; knead until it is smooth, elastic and does not stick to the board. put into a bowl greased with crisco, cover closely and let stand in a warm place over night. the first thing in the morning knead again until fine grained; shape into loaves and place in a warm pan greased with crisco. cover and put in a warm place. when double in bulk, bake in a hot oven. bake one hour. cakes [illustration] there are five principal ways of making cakes. the first method is used for plain cakes. the shortening is rubbed into the flour in the same way as for short pastry; then the dry ingredients, such as sugar, fruit, and spice, are added, and lastly the eggs and milk. then all are mixed well together. the second way is used for fruit, pound, and seed cakes. the shortening and sugar are creamed together, the eggs beaten in one at a time, and the fruit and flour stirred in lightly and quickly at the last. in the third way the eggs and sugar are beaten together until thick and creamy, then the flour is stirred in lightly and quickly. this is used chiefly for sponge cakes and cakes of that texture. for the fourth way the sugar, shortening, milk, and syrup or molasses are melted together, then cooled slightly and added to the dry ingredients. this method is used for ginger-breads. in the fifth way the sugar and eggs are beaten thoroughly over boiling water, then cooled before the melted shortening and dry ingredients are added. this method is used for gennoise cake and some kinds of layer cakes. care must be taken to insure the right consistency of cakes. the mixture should be fairly stiff. if too moist the fruit will sink to the bottom. for rich cakes the tins should be lined with paper, the paper coming a short distance above the tins, so that the cake is protected as it rises. for very rich fruit cakes, experience has shown that it is best not to grease the paper or tin. the cake is not so liable to burn, and the paper can be removed easily when the cake is done without injuring it. on the other hand, if tins are lined for sponge cakes or jelly-rolls, the paper should be greased. [illustration] when making cakes in which baking powder, carbonate of soda, cream of tartar or tartaric acid are used, almost everything depends upon the handling, which should be as light and as little as possible. the more rapidly such cakes are made the better they will be. two cooks working from the same recipe will often produce entirely different results, if one kneads her mixture as if it were household bread, while the other handles it with due lightness of touch. as soon as the baking powder or other rising medium is added to the mixture, the cake should be put into the oven as quickly as possible. soda alone is never good in a cake where there is shortening, unless some substance containing acid is used along with it. molasses is one of the substances containing acid. the greatest care and cleanliness must be exercised in all cake making; and accuracy in proportioning the materials to be used is indispensable. the flour should be thoroughly dried and sifted, and lightly stirred in. always sift flour before measuring, then sift it again with the baking powder to insure a thorough blending. good cakes never can be made with indifferent materials. eggs are used both as an aerating agent and as one of the "wetting" materials. it is not economy to buy cheap eggs, for such eggs are small, weak, colorless, and often very stale. eggs should be well beaten, yolks and whites separately, unless other directions are given. the yolks must be beaten to a thick cream and the whites until they are a solid froth. sugar tends to improve the texture of cakes, and when cheap cakes are made, plenty should be used, provided that the cake is not made too sweet. it should be dissolved before being added to the fat and the flour. for best cakes, and all that are required of a light color, fine-grained sugar should be used. with coarse-grained sugar there is danger of producing specks which show on the cakes after baking, unless they have been made by the method of beating up the eggs and sugar together with a beater over hot water. this method will dissolve the grains of sugar. always buy the best fruits for cake making, as they are sweetest and cleanest. currants and sultana raisins for cakes should not be too large, but of medium size, sweet and fleshy. cheap dry sultanas should not be used. though there is no need to wash sultanas, yet if the fruit is inclined to be very dry, it will be better to do so than to put them in to spoil the appearance and the flavor of the cake. currants always should be washed, cleaned, and dried before using. orange, lemon, and citron peel should be of good color and flavor. they should not be added to cake mixture in chunks, as often is done, but should be in long shredded pieces. large pieces of peel are sometimes the cause of a cake cutting badly. in making fruit cakes add the fruit before the flour, as this will prevent it falling to the bottom. if a cake cracks open while baking, the recipe contains too much flour. there are two kinds of thick crusts which some cakes have. the first of these is caused by the cake being overbaked in a very hot oven. where this is so, the cake, if a very rich one, has a huge crack in the top caused by the heat of the oven forming a crust before the inside has finished aerating; then as the interior air or gas expands, it cracks the crust to escape. this crack spoils the appearance of the cake, and when cut it generally will be found to be close and heavy in texture. to guard against this it is necessary to bake them at a suitable temperature, noting that the richer the cake the longer the fruit takes to bake. the second kind of thick crust referred to may only be on top of the cake, and in this case may be caused by an excess of fat and sugar being mixed together, or otherwise insufficient flour. in this case the mixture will not bake, but only forms a kind of syrup in the oven, and the cake sinks in the center. a cake made under such conditions would have a thick shiny crust, and be liable to crumble when touched. the inside of the cake would be heavy, having more the appearance of pudding than cake. successful cake making means constant care. in recipes in which milk is used as one ingredient, either sweet or buttermilk may be used but not a mixture of both. buttermilk makes a light, spongy cake, and sweet milk makes a cake which cuts like pound cake. _in creaming shortening and sugar, when the shortening is too hard to blend easily warm the bowl slightly, but do not heat the shortening, as this will change both the flavor and texture of the cake._ for small cakes have a quick oven, so that they set right through, and the inside is baked by the time the outside is browned. for all large cakes have a quick oven at first, to raise them nicely and prevent the fruit sinking to the bottom. the oven then should be allowed to become slower to fire the cakes thoroughly. cake must not be hurried. keep the oven steady though slow, and after putting a large cake into it do not open the door for at least twenty minutes. during baking, do not open the door unnecessarily, or in fact do anything to jar the cake lest the little bubbles formed by the action of the baking powder burst, causing the gas to escape and the cake to sink. this produces what is known as a "sad" cake, but refers probably to the state of mind of the cook. a very light cake put into a quick oven' rises rapidly round the sides, but leaves a hollow in the middle. if a cake is made too light with eggs or powder and an insufficient quantity of flour is added it will drop in the center. another frequent cause is the moving of cakes while in the oven before the mixture has set properly. the same defect is produced if the cakes are removed from the oven before being baked sufficiently. when a cake batter curdles, the texture will not be so even as if the curdling had not taken place. sometimes the mixture will curdle through the eggs being added too quickly, or if the shortening contains too much water. this forms a syrup with the sugar, and after a certain quantity of eggs have been added the batter will slip and slide about, and will not unite with the other ingredients. weak, watery eggs are another cause of this happening; and although this may be checked by adding a little flour at the right time, yet the cake would be better if it were unnecessary to add any flour until all the eggs had been beaten in, that is, if the batter had not curdled. before turning out a cake allow it to remain in the tin for a few minutes. it is best to lay it on a wire cake stand, or lay it on a sieve; but if you do not possess these, a loosely made basket turned upside down will do. if the cake will not turn out of the tin easily, rest it on its side, turning it round in a couple of minutes and it may loosen, if not, pass a knife round the edge, turn the cake over on a clean cloth, and let it stand a few minutes. do not place cakes in a cold place or at an open window, or the steam will condense and make them heavy. a rich cake improves in flavor and becomes softer with keeping (from to weeks, according to quality) before cutting. wrap, when cold, first in a clean towel, then in paper. after a week remove the paper and put the cake into a tin wrapped in the towel. small cakes may be baked in tiny molds or tins, or baked in a flat sheet, and then cut out into squares, diamonds or rounds. then they can be frosted or coated with cream and decorated with cherries or other crystallized fruits. if a real distinction is desired, they may be placed in tiny crinkled paper cases, bought by the hundred at a trifling cost. cake tins should be greased with crisco and dredged with flour, the superfluous flour shaken out, or they can be fitted with paper which has been greased with crisco. when creaming crisco and sugar, do not grudge hard work; at this stage of manufacture the tendency is to give insufficient work, with the result that the lightness of the cake is impaired. apple sauce fruit cake without milk cupful brown sugar - / cupfuls apple sauce - / cupfuls flour / cupful crisco lb. raisins teaspoonful powdered cloves teaspoonful powdered cinnamon teaspoonful grated nutmeg teaspoonfuls baking soda / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls vinegar cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, add apple sauce, flour, raisins, spices, salt, and soda mixed with vinegar. mix and pour into greased and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven one and a half hours. sufficient for one cake. black cake with prune filling - / cupfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt eggs / cupful crisco cupful milk / teaspoonful baking soda cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful vanilla extract / cake chocolate for filling cupful sugar / cupful boiling water white of egg / cupful stoned stewed prunes / cupful blanched chopped almonds _for cake._ beat egg in double boiler, add / cupful milk, / cupful sugar and chocolate; mix well and cook until it thickens. cool and set aside. cream crisco with remainder of sugar, add salt, eggs well beaten, soda mixed with remainder of milk, flour, baking powder and vanilla. mix well and add chocolate paste, and divide into two criscoed and floured layer cake tins. bake twenty minutes in moderate oven. _for filling._ boil sugar and water together without stirring until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f., then pour it over the beaten white of egg, beating all the time. now add chopped prunes and almonds and beat well. put between layers of cake. sufficient for one good-sized layer cake. pound cake cupfuls sugar cupfuls crisco teaspoonfuls salt eggs cupfuls flour / teaspoon powered mace tablespoons brandy cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, add yolks of eggs well beaten, fold in whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, add brandy, flour, salt and mace, and mix lightly and quickly. turn into a papered cake pan and bake in a slow oven for one hour and twenty minutes. sufficient for one large cake. boiling water cake cupful boiling water cupful sugar / cupful crisco egg / cupful chopped candied citron peel cupful sultana raisins - / cupfuls flour / teaspoon salt teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonfuls grated nutmeg / teaspoon lemon extract put crisco and sugar into basin, pour boiling water over them; let stand till cold, then add egg well beaten, sift in flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg, add peel, raisins, and lemon extract, and mix well. turn into greased and floured small square tin and bake in moderate oven half hour. cool and cover with boiled frosting. sufficient for one small cake. butterless-milkless-eggless cake cupfuls brown sugar / cupful crisco cupfuls water cupfuls sultana raisins cupfuls seeded raisins teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered cloves tablespoonfuls warm water / teaspoonful powdered mace / teaspoonful grated nutmeg teaspoonfuls baking soda cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder - / cupfuls chopped nut meats tablespoons warm water put crisco into saucepan, add sugar, water, raisins, salt, and spices, and boil three minutes. cool, and when cold add flour, baking powder, soda dissolved in warm water and nut meats. mix and turn into criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in slow oven one and a half hours. sufficient for one medium-sized cake. caramel cake for cake - / cupfuls sifted sugar eggs / cupful crisco cupful cold water cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful vanilla extract / cupful granulated sugar / teaspoonful salt / cupful boiling water for filling teaspoonful crisco ounce chocolate teaspoonful vanilla extract / cupful hot water / cupful brown sugar / cupful granulated sugar pinch salt _for cake_. put granulated sugar into small pan and melt over fire till brown, remove from fire, add boiling water, stir quickly, return to stove, and stir until thick syrup; set aside to cool. beat crisco and sugar to a cream, add eggs well beaten, flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, three tablespoonfuls of the syrup and water. mix and beat two minutes, then divide into two criscoed and floured layer tins and bake in moderate oven twenty minutes. _for filling_. melt granulated sugar in small pan and stir until it becomes a light brown syrup, add the water gradually, then brown sugar, crisco, salt, and chocolate stirring all the time. cook until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f. remove from fire, add vanilla, beat until creamy, then spread between cakes. sufficient for one layer cake. chocolate cake for cake cupful sugar / teaspoonful salt / cupful grated chocolate / cupful crisco eggs cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder / cupful sultana raisins / cupful candied chopped citron peel for chocolate frosting tablespoonfuls crisco squares melted bitter chocolate cupfuls powdered sugar tablespoonfuls coffee / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla extract _for cake_. cream crisco; add sugar gradually, yolks of eggs well beaten, milk, flour, salt, baking powder, grated chocolate, citron, and raisins. mix and beat two minutes, then fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. turn into criscoed and floured tin and bake for one and a quarter hours in a moderate oven. when cold cover with frosting. _for chocolate frosting_. knead crisco into sugar. melt chocolate, add coffee, sugar, salt, and crisco, and stir until thick, then add vanilla and put away to cool. when cold spread on cake. this frosting may be used any time. it is just as good made one day and used the next by adding a little more hot coffee. it is always soft, creamy and delicious. sufficient for one cake. cocoanut layer cake for cake cupful sugar cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt eggs / cupful crisco cupful milk teaspoonfuls vanilla extract teaspoonfuls baking powder for filling teaspoonful crisco cupful sugar cupful water pinch cream of tartar teaspoonful vanilla extract white of egg / cupful chopped cocoanut / teaspoonful salt _for cake_. cream crisco and sugar together, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt, and add alternately with the beaten yolks of eggs and milk. beat thoroughly, then add stiffly beaten whites of eggs and flavoring and mix gently. grease layer tins with crisco then flour them and divide mixture into three portions. bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. _for filling_. boil water and sugar together, add crisco and cream of tartar, and boil until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f. beat white of egg to stiff froth, add salt, then pour in syrup gradually, add vanilla and beat until thick and cold. spread on cake and sprinkle over with cocoanut. sufficient for three layers. coffee layer cake dark part cupful dark brown sugar / cupful cold strong coffee yolks of eggs / cupful crisco tablespoonful molasses / cupful raisins cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful powdered cloves / teaspoonful grated nutmeg / teaspoonful salt white part / cupful crisco cupful granulated sugar whites of eggs / cupful milk cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful vanilla extract / teaspoonful salt _for dark part_. cream crisco and sugar, add yolks well beaten, coffee, molasses, flour, salt, baking powder, spices and raisins. mix and divide into two criscoed and floured layer tins and bake in moderately hot oven twenty minutes. _for white part_. cream crisco and sugar, add milk, vanilla, flour, salt, baking powder, then fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in two layers. put layers together and ice with following frosting. put cupfuls dark brown sugar and / cupful water into saucepan, add tablespoonful crisco and teaspoonful vanilla extract. boil till mixture forms soft ball when tried in cold water or ° f., remove from stove, beat till it begins to cream, then add cupful chopped raisins. spread on cake and allow to dry. sufficient for one large layer cake. cream puffs cupful water cupful flour / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls crisco eggs put crisco into small saucepan add water, bring to boiling point, add quickly flour and salt, stir well with wooden spoon until mixture leaves sides of pan, remove pan from fire, allow mixture to become cool, but not cold, add eggs, one at a time, and beat each one thoroughly in. set in cool place one hour. put mixture into forcing bag with tube and force it on to a tin greased with crisco into small rounds; bake in hot oven forty minutes. when cold split them open on one side and fill with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste. to make eclairs with this mixture press it on to tins in strips three and a half inches long, and a little distance apart. brush over tops with beaten egg and bake in moderate oven thirty minutes. cut open one side then fill and dip top into chocolate icing. sufficient for fifteen cream puffs. cream puff balls cupful flour / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt / cupful water eggs put crisco and water into small saucepan, bring to boil, add quickly flour and salt, stir well with wooden spoon until mixture leaves sides of pan, remove from fire, allow to cool, but not become cold, add eggs, beating each one thoroughly in. turn mixture on to well criscoed plate and divide into small puffs or cakes. put on criscoed tins and bake a golden brown in hot oven, thirty minutes. these puffs may be filled with preserves, custard, or savory mixtures. sufficient for thirty puffs. crisco fruit cake - / cupfuls crisco cupfuls sugar cupfuls flour eggs wineglassful brandy / lb. blanched and chopped almonds / lb. english walnut meats (broken in small pieces) / lb. stoned and chopped dates lb. currants lb. seeded raisins lb. glace cherries teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful salt / cupful new orleans molasses / cupful cold black coffee teaspoonful grated nutmeg teaspoonfuls powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered cloves cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, beat five minutes, then add coffee, soda mixed with molasses, brandy, flour sifted with salt and spices. now add raisins, currants, dates, cherries cut in halves, and nuts. mix carefully and turn into criscoed and papered tin and bake in moderate oven two and a half hours. brandy may be omitted. sufficient for one large cake. devils food cake - / cupfuls sugar - / cupfuls milk / cake chocolate teaspoonfuls vanilla extract eggs / teaspoonful salt cupfuls flour / cupful crisco teaspoonful baking soda tablespoonfuls boiling water boiled frosting put / cupful of sugar into small saucepan, add chocolate and cupful milk. put on stove and stir till it boils five minutes, stirring now and then. remove from fire, add vanilla and set aside to cool. beat crisco and remainder of sugar to light cream, then add eggs well beaten and beat two minutes. now add remainder of milk, soda dissolved in boiling water, flour, salt, and chocolate mixture. mix carefully and divide into two large greased and floured layer tins and bake in moderate oven twenty-five minutes. turn to cool and put together with boiled frosting. sufficient for two large layers. peach shortcake cupfuls sugar cupful milk eggs cupfuls flour quartered peaches / cupful crisco teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful almond extract cream crisco and sugar together, then add milk, eggs one by one, always beating well between each one, flour sifted with baking powder and salt, then add extract. mix and divide into two layer tins that have been greased with crisco and bake twenty minutes in moderate oven. turn out and spread with butter. put together with quartered and sweetened peaches and pile some peaches on top. sufficient for one cake. strawberry shortcake cupfuls flour / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder cupful whipped cream egg tablespoonfuls sugar cupful milk - / pints strawberries sift the flour with the baking powder, salt and sugar, then cut in the crisco with a knife, add egg well beaten, and milk. the dough should be a soft one. roll in two layers, spread in two criscoed pans and bake in a hot oven until a light brown color. mash and sweeten one cupful of the strawberries, put on one layer, then place second layer on top. sweeten remainder of strawberries, spread on top layer, and cover with the whipped cream. decorate with whole ripe strawberries. fig cake cupful sugar eggs cupful milk teaspoonfuls powdered cinnamon cupfuls flour / cupful crisco teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla extract / teaspoonful grated nutmeg cupful shredded figs wash and dry figs then shred them. cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, and beat five minutes. sift dry ingredients, and add to first mixture alternately with milk. add figs and flavorings and turn into criscoed and floured cake tin. bake one hour in moderate oven. sufficient for one small cake. gennoise cake / cupful flour tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls melted crisco eggs teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful almond extract boiled frosting preserved cherries or cocoanut / teaspoonful salt break eggs into bowl, add sugar and beat for ten minutes over a pan of boiling water. remove from water and beat till mixture is thick and cold; remove beater, sift in flour, salt, and baking powder; mix carefully, add melted crisco and almond extract. turn at once into small square greased and papered tin and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. turn out and remove paper. cool and cut in eight square pieces. cover with boiled frosting and decorate with cherries or cocoanut. sufficient for eight small cakes. gingerbread / cupful sugar egg / cupful molasses / cupful milk - / cupfuls flour / cupful crisco teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls powdered ginger teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful powdered cloves / teaspoonful baking soda or teaspoonfuls baking powder sauce teaspoonful crisco cupful ( / lb.) maple sugar tablespoonful flour egg cupful boiling water _for cake_. cream crisco and sugar together, add egg well beaten, molasses, milk, soda, flour, salt, and spices. mix and turn into criscoed tin and bake in moderate oven forty minutes. _for sauce_. dissolve maple sugar in boiling water. rub together crisco and flour. add gradually boiling syrup; and lastly the beaten egg. then return to fire and stir briskly until thickened. sufficient for one small gingerbread. golden orange cake cupfuls sugar teaspoonful salt teaspoonful orange extract cupful milk eggs or yolks of eggs cupfuls flour cupful crisco teaspoonfuls baking powder orange icing _for cake_. cream crisco and sugar together, add salt, eggs well beaten, orange extract, and flour and baking powder alternately with milk. mix carefully and turn into criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven about one hour. this mixture may be baked in layers. _for icing_. boil cupful water with cupfuls sugar till it forms soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f., then pour over well beaten yolks of four eggs, beat until smooth and thick, add - / teaspoonfuls orange extract and spread at once on cake. sufficient for one large cake. gold cake _(kate b. vaughn)_ / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful milk yolks of eggs - / cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful lemon extract cream crisco and sugar together. beat egg yolks very light and add to creamed mixture. add dry ingredients, milk, and lemon extract and mix well. turn into a small criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. sufficient for one small cake. hurry up cake / cupful sugar - / cupfuls flour tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful almond extract / teaspoonful lemon extract whites of eggs / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder milk sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into bowl. put whites of eggs into measuring cup, add crisco, and fill cup with milk. add to dry mixture with extracts and beat vigorously six minutes. pour into small criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. cake may be frosted if liked. sufficient for one small cake. crisco sponge cake eggs cupful sugar / cupful crisco / teaspoonful salt - / cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful orange extract / cupful cold water cream crisco; add salt, yolks of eggs well beaten, and sugar, and beat for five minutes, add orange extract and cold water. beat up whites of eggs to a stiff froth and add alternately with the flour sifted with the baking powder. divide into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. sufficient for twelve cakes. sand cake cupful crisco cupful sugar teaspoonful salt eggs / lb. cornstarch teaspoonful lemon extract cream the crisco and salt, add sugar by tablespoonfuls, beating all the time, then add the yolks of the eggs each one separately, then add the cornstarch by tablespoonfuls, lemon extract and lastly whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. turn into a papered cake tin and bake in moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour. sufficient for one cake. lady baltimore cake (white cake) cupful sugar / cupful crisco / cupful cold water teaspoonful vanilla extract - / cupfuls flour - / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt whites of eggs for the filling cupful sugar / cupful boiling water whites of eggs teaspoonful vanilla extract pinch cream of tartar / cupful chopped candied cherries / cupful chopped candied pineapple _for cake._ cream crisco and sugar together. sift together three times dry ingredients and add alternately with water. add vanilla, beat mixture well, then fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. divide into two criscoed and floured layer cake tins and bake in moderate oven twenty-five minutes. _for filling._ put sugar and water into saucepan, stir till boiling, add cream of tartar, then boil until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f.; pour on to the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, pouring in a steady stream and very slowly, adding while beating vanilla, cherries and pineapple, beat till thick and divide between and on top of cake. sufficient for one large layer cake. lemon layer cake tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonfuls crisco eggs / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking powder tablespoonfuls flour grated rind lemon for lemon filling tablespoonfuls crisco lemons / cupful sugar yolks of eggs white of egg / teaspoonful salt _for cake._ put the eggs, sugar, and lemon rind into basin, stand it over pan of boiling water, and beat until warm; then remove from hot water, and continue beating until mixture is stiff and cold; then add flour mixed with baking powder and salt, and pass through sieve, add crisco melted but cool, taking care to stir very gently, but on no account beat it. divide mixture into two small criscoed and floured layer cake tins, and bake ten minutes in moderately hot oven. turn out and cool, then put together with lemon filling. _for filling._ beat up eggs in saucepan, add crisco, salt, grated rinds and strained lemon juice. stir with wooden spoon over gentle heat until mixture just comes to boiling point. when cold use. sufficient for one layer cake. lord baltimore cake cupful sugar / cupful crisco / cupful cold water teaspoonful vanilla extract / cupfuls flour / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt yolks of eggs filling or frosting cupful sugar / cupful boiling water whites of eggs pinch cream of tartar teaspoonful vanilla extract / cupful chopped raisins / cupful chopped nut meats chopped figs _for cake._ cream crisco and sugar together. sift together three times dry ingredients and add alternately with water. add vanilla, beat mixture well, then fold in beaten yolks of eggs. divide into two criscoed and floured layer cake tins and bake in moderate oven twenty-five minutes. _for filling._ put sugar and water into saucepan, stir till boiling, add cream of tartar, then boil until it forms soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f.; pour on to stiffly beaten whites of eggs, pouring in steady stream and very slowly, adding while beating vanilla, raisins, nuts, and figs, beat until thick and divide between and on top of cake. sufficient for one large layer cake. lunch cakes scant cupful sugar tablespoonfuls crisco cupful milk eggs cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla extract cream crisco and sugar together, then add well beaten eggs. sift dry ingredients, and add to first mixture alternately with milk. divide into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake in moderately hot oven fifteen minutes. sufficient for fifteen cakes. jelly roll eggs cupful sugar tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls milk jelly or preserves teaspoonful lemon extract beat eggs and sugar together twenty minutes, remove beater, sift in flour, salt, and baking powder, add milk, extract, and melted crisco. grease large flat tin with crisco, dust over with flour, pour in mixture and spread out evenly. bake twelve minutes in moderately hot oven. turn out on sugared paper, spread quickly with jelly or preserve and roll up at once. the cake will crack if spreading and rolling are not quickly done. sliced jelly roll is delicious with custard. sufficient for one jelly roll. marble cake cupfuls sugar cupful crisco - / cupfuls flour eggs cupful milk teaspoonfuls baking powder tablespoonfuls molasses tablespoonfuls melted chocolate teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful grated nutmeg / teaspoonful powdered allspice teaspoonful salt cream crisco, add gradually the sugar, yolks of eggs beaten until thick, flour, salt, baking powder, milk, and egg whites beaten to stiff froth. mix carefully and to one-third the mixture add spices, molasses, and melted chocolate. drop in criscoed cake pan alternately a spoonful of each mixture, and draw spoon through once or twice to make colors lie in lines. bake in moderately hot oven one hour. sufficient for one medium-sized cake. marmalade cake / cupful sugar / cupful crisco cupful marmalade - / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt egg cupfuls flour / teaspoonful powdered ginger sift salt, flour, and baking powder into basin, rub in crisco with finger tips, add ginger and egg well beaten. knead lightly to smooth paste and divide into two pieces. roll out pieces and line criscoed dinner plate with one of them. spread over with marmalade, cover with remaining piece of paste, pinch neatly round the edges and bake in moderate oven half an hour. cut like pie and serve hot or cold. sufficient for eight pieces. old fashioned seed cake cupfuls sugar - / cupfuls crisco cupfuls flour teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls carraway seeds eggs cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, then drop in eggs one by one, beating each one in well before next is added, sift in flour and salt, add carraway seeds. turn into criscoed and papered loaf tin and bake in moderately hot oven one and a half hours. sufficient for one large cake. almond and citron cake cupful sugar cupful crisco eggs / lb. blanched chopped almonds / lb. shredded candied citron peel cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder / wineglass brandy / teaspoonful powdered mace teaspoonful salt cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, beat in yolks of eggs one by one, add almonds, citron, brandy, mace, flour, baking powder, salt, mix well and fold in whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. turn into a papered cake pan and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. cover with boiled frosting if liked. sufficient for one large cake. walnut cakes for cakes cupful sugar / cupful crisco cupful milk or water / teaspoonful salt cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder whole egg and yolks of eggs cupful chopped walnut meats teaspoonful vanilla extract for frosting cupful sugar cupful water whites of eggs pinch cream of tartar teaspoonful lemon juice teaspoonful vanilla extract _for cakes._ cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, add eggs well beaten, salt, vanilla, milk or water, baking powder, flour, and nuts. mix well and divide into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake ten minutes in moderate oven. when cold cover with boiled frosting. _for frosting._ dissolve sugar and water over fire in a saucepan, add cream of tartar and boil until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f. pour on to the beaten whites of eggs, pouring in a steady stream and very slowly, adding, while beating, lemon juice, and vanilla; beat until thick, and use. sufficient for fifteen cakes. rose leaf cakes cupful rose leaves cupfuls flour cupful sugar / cupful crisco eggs cupful milk teaspoonfuls baking powder lemon / teaspoonful salt cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, then add eggs well beaten, flour, baking powder, salt, milk, grated rind and tablespoonful lemon juice, and fresh rose leaves. divide into criscoed and floured gem pans and bake in moderate oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. sufficient for thirty-five cakes. scotch shortbread cupfuls flour / cupful sugar cupful crisco large egg teaspoonful salt sift flour and salt on to baking board. cream crisco, sugar and egg in basin and when thoroughly beaten turn out on board and very gradually knead in flour. make into two smooth rounds, pinch them round the edges, prick over top with fork, lay on papered tin and bake in moderate oven thirty-five minutes. leave on tin until cold. sufficient for two round cakes. silver nut cake cupful sugar / cupful crisco whites of eggs / teaspoonful vanilla extract cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder cupful chopped pecans or english walnut meats / cupful milk cream crisco and sugar. sift dry ingredients and add to crisco mixture, alternating with the milk; add nuts and vanilla extract. beat egg whites to stiff froth and fold in at last. turn into criscoed and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven thirty-five minutes. sufficient for one small cake. simnel cake / cupful sugar / cupful crisco eggs cupfuls sultana raisins / cupful seeded raisins / cupful chopped candied citron peel cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful almond extract / teaspoonful salt for filling and icing / lb. ground almonds cupfuls powdered sugar eggs teaspoonful almond extract _for cake_. cream crisco and sugar together, add eggs well beaten, flour, baking powder, salt, almond extract, raisins, and peel. make filling by mixing almonds with powered sugar, eggs well beaten and almond extract. line criscoed cake tin with paper and place in half of cake mixture, then put in layer of filling, then remaining half of cake mixture. bake in moderate oven. when cake is nearly baked, place remaining almond paste on top and finish baking. cake takes from one hour to one and a quarter hours. sufficient for medium-sized cake. southern fruit cake cupful sugar cupful crisco cupful molasses / cupful sour cream cupfuls flour teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking soda eggs teaspoonful powdered cinnamon cupful seeded raisins / cupful currants / teaspoonful grated nutmeg / teaspoonful powdered cloves / teaspoonful powdered allspice cream crisco and sugar thoroughly together, then add molasses, cream, flour, soda, eggs well beaten, salt, spices, and fruit. mix well and turn into criscoed and papered cake tin and bake in slow oven one and a half hours. sufficient for one large cake. the wholesome parkin cupful flour / cupful melted crisco cupfuls fine oatmeal / cupful molasses tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt egg teaspoonful powdered ginger / teaspoonful powdered allspice / teaspoonful powdered cinnamon / teaspoonful baking soda melt crisco and mix with molasses, then add sugar, egg well beaten, salt, soda, spices, flour, and oatmeal. mix and pour into small square criscoed tin and bake in moderate oven thirty-five minutes. this little cake is excellent when a week old. sufficient for one small cake. whole wheat gingerbread tablespoonfuls sugar / cupful crisco eggs teaspoonful baking soda / cupful milk cupfuls flour cupfuls whole wheat flour / cupful seeded raisins / teaspoonful salt - / cupfuls molasses / cupful chopped nut meats teaspoonful powdered ginger / teaspoonful powdered mace teaspoonful powdered cinnamon tablespoonfuls chopped candied lemon peel mix flours, then add peel, raisins, nuts, spices, and salt. melt crisco, molasses, and sugar, then cool, and add them with eggs well beaten, with soda mixed with milk. mix well and turn into criscoed and floured cake tin. bake in moderate oven one hour. sufficient for one large cake of gingerbread. vegetarian dishes [illustration] even those who are by no means decided vegetarians may be glad to pass over a dinner occasionally without meat. it is perhaps not too much to say that every housekeeper ought to be able to provide a meal without the aid of meat. we do not mean by this simply the cooking of vegetables or the preparations of puddings, but the presentation of dishes intended to take the place of flesh, such as soups and broths made without meat, vegetable stews, lentil fritters and other healthful and nutritious dishes. a vegetarian menu is not so simple as it sounds. it requires knowledge and discrimination on the housekeeper's part to serve a solid meal without flesh or fowl. now that meat is so dear it is the favorable moment to try a vegetable diet for a time. one mistake to be avoided in this catering is the putting down of too many dishes of a pulpy character--food which is soft is excellent with other things, but alone it is neither satisfying nor very nourishing, at least to a person of strong digestion. all of them should not be white, for instance, and the same rule holds good in other things besides color. a nice dish for this kind of diet is a vegetable curry, in which all the vegetables are treated like meat and turned out crisp; all the vegetables, too, must be fresh and young for this method of serving, so that anything like stringiness is absolutely impossible. crisco is entirely vegetable. bean cutlets tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonful flour / cupful bean liquor salt and pepper to taste eggs / lb. dried beans a few cooked mixed vegetables breadcrumbs soak beans in water twenty-four hours, then boil for several hours till quite tender, drain them, preserving liquor, chop them very fine; blend crisco with flour in saucepan over fire, add bean liquor, beans, salt and pepper, and yolks of eggs; turn out on to a dish and set aside till cold. then cut out with cutlet-cutter or shape with knife; dip in beaten whites of the eggs, then in fine breadcrumbs, repeat a second time, and fry in hot crisco. serve on hot platter decorated with a few hot cooked mixed vegetables. sufficient for eight cutlets. [illustration] devilled bananas tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt bananas teaspoonful chopped pickles few grains red pepper, or dessertspoonful chopped chillies slice bananas, mix with salt, chopped pickles and red pepper or chopped chillies and put them into hot crisco. cook for four minutes and serve. sufficient for eight bananas. cauliflower snow tablespoonfuls melted crisco cauliflowers poached eggs salt and paprika to taste toasted bread boil cauliflowers in salted water till tender, then drain and set near fire till quite dry. remove all green parts and press flower through a potato ricer upon a hot dish, on which they are to be served. in no way crush the mass as it falls from the ricer. sprinkle over with melted crisco. surround dish with poached eggs, each laid upon square of toasted buttered bread. dust each egg with salt and a little paprika. serve very hot. craigie toast tablespoonfuls crisco eggs tomatoes salt and pepper to taste / cupful milk toast teaspoonful chopped gherkin or capers skin, seed and chop tomatoes, add eggs well beaten, gherkin, milk, salt and pepper. melt crisco, add other ingredients and stir over fire till thoroughly hot. serve at once on toast. the mixture may also be baked in oven twenty minutes and then garnished with small pieces of toast. sufficient for four pieces of toast. excellent lemon mincemeat / cupful crisco large lemons apples / lb. chopped candied lemon peel lb. currants - / cupfuls sugar teaspoonful powdered cinnamon teaspoonful powdered ginger / teaspoonful grated nutmeg / teaspoonful powdered allspice / teaspoonful powdered cloves teaspoonful salt / cupful seeded raisins / cupful chopped nut meats extract juice from lemons and remove pips. now put lemons into saucepan, cover with cold water, and boil until lemon feels quite tender. change water at least twice, drain and pound peel to a paste, add apples, cored, peeled and chopped, lemon peel, crisco, currants, raisins, salt, spices, lemon juice, nut meats, and sugar. put into a jar and cover. this mincemeat is excellent for pies and tartlets. sufficient for four pies. german tart for pastry tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful flour / cupful potato flour tablespoonful sugar / teaspoonful mixed spices / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful lemon juice cold water for mixture apples / cupful prunes tablespoonfuls sugar / lemon / cupful water tablespoonful cakecrumbs for mixture, peel, core and slice apples, and wash prunes in lukewarm water. put these into a small saucepan with sugar, grated lemon rind and cold water. stew slowly until apples are soft. then remove prunes, and take out stones. cut prunes in small pieces and return them to apples and cool. for pastry, sift flours, sugar, salt, and spices into basin. add crisco and cut it into flour with knife until finely divided. then rub together lightly with finger tips until as fine as breadcrumbs. while rubbing, keep lifting flour well up in basin so that air may mix with it and crisco is not made too soft. add lemon juice and sufficient water to make stiff paste. divide into two equal pieces. wet a dinner plate with cold water and leave it wet. roll out one of the pieces rather thinly, and line plate with it. sprinkle cakecrumbs over it, then spread on mixture. roll out the other piece of pastry for a cover. wet round the edge of the pastry, lay other piece of pastry on, and press edges well together. trim round with knife or scissors, and mark neatly round the edges. brush over top with a little water or beaten white of egg. dredge with sugar, and bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. serve hot or cold. the tart may be covered with boiled frosting. marchette croquettes tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls cooked spinach small cooked potatoes tablespoonful chopped onion salt and pepper to taste hard-cooked eggs raw egg breadcrumbs crisco flake pastry rub spinach and potatoes through wire sieve; fry onion in crisco, add spinach and potatoes, season with salt and pepper, fry a few minutes, then set aside till cold. roll out pastry, cut out some small rounds, then place spoonful of vegetable mixture on half the number of pastry rounds, place slice of hard-cooked egg on each, brush round edges with beaten egg, press other round on this, dip in egg and breadcrumbs and fry in hot crisco. serve hot. sufficient for six croquettes. mixed vegetable souffle tablespoonful crisco / lb. cooked carrots / lb. boiled potatoes / lb. boiled turnips / lb. stewed onions tablespoonful chopped parsley salt and pepper to taste eggs chop onions, add vegetables mashed, then mix well, add crisco, seasonings, and yolks of eggs. beat up whites of eggs to stiff froth and fold them into mixture, then turn it into criscoed fireproof dish and bake thirty minutes in moderate oven. nut and macaroni savory tablespoonfuls melted crisco / lb. chopped brazil nuts cupful boiled macaroni - / cupfuls breadcrumbs eggs cupfuls milk tablespoonfuls chopped parsley salt, pepper, and powdered mace to taste brown sauce cut macaroni into small pieces and put into bowl, add nuts, breadcrumbs, seasonings, eggs well beaten, and milk; turn into well greased earthenware dish, dot with tiny pieces of crisco and bake in moderate oven forty-five minutes. serve hot with brown sauce. potato and nut croquettes tablespoonfuls melted crisco cupfuls riced potatoes tablespoonful milk salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste few drops onion juice egg and yolk of egg / cupful chopped nut meats / cupful cream / cupful breadcrumbs mix potatoes with crisco, milk, yolk of egg, onion juice and seasonings, and mix well. put cream and breadcrumbs into small saucepan and stir to thick paste, then cool; now add nuts, salt and pepper to taste and half yolk of egg. inclose some of nut mixture in potato mixture, making ingredients into neat croquettes. beat up remainder of egg with tablespoonful of water. roll croquettes in fine breadcrumbs, brush over with egg, and again roll in crumbs. fry in hot crisco to golden brown, then drain. crisco should be heated until a crumb of bread becomes a golden brown in forty seconds. serve hot decorated with parsley. sufficient for eight croquettes. potato sausage / cupful crisco / lb. chopped onions / lb. cold boiled mashed potatoes / lb. breadcrumbs salt and pepper to taste beaten eggs mix all ingredients thoroughly well together with wooden spoon, then form into sausages; tie each well in cloth, and boil exactly as a roly-poly. if not to be eaten when newly cooked, put aside, and untie when wanted. this sausage is also good if oatmeal is added instead of breadcrumbs, or it may be made half oatmeal and half breadcrumbs. sufficient for twelve sausages. potatoes sefton tablespoonful crisco baked potatoes salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste yolk of egg tablespoonful cream chopped parsley watercress split potatoes in halves lengthways. scoop out centers, rub them through a sieve, add seasonings, melted crisco, yolk of egg, and cream. beat well till light, then put mixture into forcing bag with tube, force into potato cases which should be dried. heat in moderate oven. sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top and serve decorated with watercress. sufficient for three potatoes. rice a la maigre tablespoonfuls crisco grated shallot / cupful boiled rice chopped hard-cooked eggs tablespoonful white sauce raw egg cupful thick tomato sauce salt, pepper, and paprika to taste baked tomatoes tablespoonful chopped parsley fry shallot in crisco, then add rice, two of the hard-cooked eggs, white sauce, raw yolk of egg, and seasonings. stir over fire till very hot, then turn out on to hot dish; pour over tomato sauce, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with remainder of eggs, and baked tomatoes. rhubarb pudding tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls sugar eggs lemon / cupful flour cupful stewed rhubarb / teaspoonful salt few breadcrumbs crisco a pudding dish and dust it over with breadcrumbs. put layer of breadcrumbs at bottom, then spread in rhubarb. beat crisco and sugar till creamy, beat in yolks of eggs, add grated rind of lemon, sift in flour and salt. spread this mixture over rhubarb and bake in moderate oven twenty minutes. beat up whites of eggs to stiff froth, add one tablespoonful of sifted sugar and half teaspoonful lemon juice. drop in spoonfuls on top of pudding and return to oven to brown lightly. spanish rice / cup crisco / cupful grated cheese tablespoonfuls rice can tomatoes small onions cupful hot water salt and red pepper to taste / cupful chopped olives wash rice and put it in bowl, add crisco, seasonings, cheese, hot water, tomatoes, olives, and onions cut in small pieces. turn into a criscoed fireproof dish and bake in moderate oven one hour, or until rice is tender. timbale molds teaspoonful melted crisco / cupful flour egg / teaspoonful salt / cupful milk sift flour and salt into bowl, add egg well beaten, milk and crisco. beat five minutes then strain into cup. have kettle of crisco on fire and heat until cube of bread will become golden brown in sixty seconds. heat timbale iron in hot crisco, let stand two or three minutes, then drain and dip into batter to half inch of top of iron; submerge in crisco and fry until batter is crisp and lightly browned. remove from iron and drain on paper. if batter does not cling to iron, then iron is not hot enough. if crisco sizzles considerably, and batter case spreads out and drops from the iron, mold is too hot. if iron is lowered too far into batter the case will come over top of iron and be difficult to remove. creamed dishes of all kinds can be served in these cases. cold custards, cooked vegetables, fruits or ices may be also served in the cases. sufficient for forty cases. vegetable pie / cupful melted crisco potatoes carrots parsnip / head celery cupful peas egg cupful sliced beans onions tomatoes pepper and salt to taste sufficient white vegetable stock to cover teaspoonful powdered herbs peel and slice potatoes and partly boil them. then prepare parsnip, carrots, celery and onions, and cook them for fifteen minutes. grease large fireproof dish and place in all vegetables in layers, with herbs, crisco, salt and pepper to taste. pour in white stock, cover with layer of sliced potatoes and bake in moderate oven for one and a half hours. sufficient for one large savory pie. [illustration] eggs [illustration] when there is any doubt as to the freshness of eggs, they may be tested in various ways. quite fresh eggs will sink in a strong brine, and as they become stale they remain suspended at different depths in the brine, until an absolutely stale egg will float. successful preservation depends in a great measure upon the condition of the egg at the time of preserving. different methods of preserving all aim at the same thing, namely, at coating the porous shell with some substance which will prevent the air entering and setting up decomposition. see page . when used as food, eggs should be cooked at a low temperature--about ° f., or if in the shell at about ° f. the time varies with the size of the egg, from two and a half minutes for poaching a medium-sized egg to four and a half minutes for boiling a large one. if too much cooked, or at too high a temperature, the white becomes tough, hard, and to many people, indigestible. when required for salads, garnishing, etc., the eggs must be boiled from ten to twenty minutes, and if the yolks are to be powdered for sprinkling, they must be cooked for a longer time, or the centers will be somewhat tough and elastic, and useless for the purpose. in beating eggs, a little salt added to the whites helps to bring them to a froth more quickly. when frothed whites are to be mixed with a heavier or more solid substance, great care must be taken not to break down the froth. the object of beating being to mix in air, rough handling afterwards would render the beating useless; the mixing must therefore be done very carefully. they should be folded or wrapped up in the other substance, but the mixing also must be thorough, for any pieces of white separated from the rest will toughen and taste leathery, besides failing in the special purpose of giving lightness to the mixture. after mixing lightly and perfectly all such preparations should be cooked at once. the white "speck" always should be removed from a broken egg, as it is easily distinguished after cooking, and in anything of a liquid nature, such as custards, sauces, etc., it would be hard and unpleasant. [illustration] baked omelet tablespoonful melted crisco eggs tablespoonfuls milk / teaspoonful cornstarch tablespoonfuls water salt and pepper to taste beat eggs well, add milk and beat again, add crisco, seasonings, and cornstarch mixed with water. turn into a criscoed fireproof dish and bake in moderate oven fifteen minutes. serve hot. creole eggs tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls flour hard-cooked eggs cupfuls tomato pulp salt, pepper, and paprika to taste small chopped onion bay leaf blade mace cloves tablespoonfuls chopped parsley pinch of powdered thyme slices of cooked ham breadcrumbs fry onion, pepper, and parsley in crisco till tender; add cloves, thyme, bay leaf, and mace, cook three minutes, then stir in flour, and tomato pulp. let mixture boil stirring all the time then strain. quarter the hard-cooked eggs. put layer of tomato sauce in criscoed baking dish, then layer of ham, then eggs sprinkled with salt, pepper, and paprika, then sauce, ham, and eggs, last layer being sauce. cover with breadcrumbs, dot with crisco and bake ten minutes in moderate oven. curried eggs tablespoonfuls crisco hard-cooked eggs small chopped onion chopped sour apple teaspoonfuls curry powder lemon chopped butternuts, or chopped almonds tablespoonfuls cornstarch cupfuls milk / teaspoonful salt croutons boil eggs till hard, peel and place in cold water until required. fry onion in crisco a few minutes, add curry powder, apple, nuts, and cornstarch moistened with milk. simmer fifteen minutes. stir from time to time. if too thick add a little white stock or water. cut eggs in halves, and lay them in the sauce with the salt to get thoroughly hot through. put eggs into deep hot dish, strain sauce over them, garnish with croutons and lemon slices. egg croquettes tablespoonfuls crisco tablespoonfuls flour / cupful milk hard-cooked eggs teaspoonful chopped parsley / cupful chopped cooked tongue or ham salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste egg breadcrumbs chop eggs and mix them with ham, parsley, and seasonings. melt crisco, stir in flour, then add the milk and boil three minutes stirring all the time. now add egg mixture and if required add more seasoning. cool mixture then divide it into nine portions and make each into a neat croquette; brush over with the egg beaten with a tablespoonful of water, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in hot crisco. drain and garnish with fried parsley. crisco should be hot enough to brown breadcrumb in forty seconds. sufficient for nine croquettes. eggs with cucumber tablespoonful crisco eggs large cucumber / cupful stock tablespoonful tomato pulp salt and pepper to taste cupful tomato sauce peel cucumber, cut off ends and divide rest into two-inch pieces. remove center portion of each with a cutter or small spoon. place them in a criscoed pan with stock; cover with greased paper and cook in oven till just tender. great care must be taken so as not to break the shapes. break eggs into saucepan, add crisco and tomato pulp; season nicely and stir over fire until creamy and just set. place cucumbers on hot platter and fill cavities with eggs. cover with thick tomato sauce, and serve hot. sufficient for five pieces. eggs with tomatoes tablespoonfuls crisco even-sized tomatoes rounds buttered toast eggs tablespoonfuls cream tablespoonful chopped pimiento salt and pepper to taste parsley select ripe tomatoes but do not have them too large; remove stems and cut each in halves crossways; remove cores and pips, and fry lightly in two tablespoonfuls crisco. have rounds of buttered toast a little larger than tomatoes. beat eggs in small saucepan, add cream, pimientoes, rest of crisco, seasonings, and stir over fire until creamy and just setting. place each half tomato on round of toast, divide egg mixture into tomatoes, garnish with parsley and serve hot. savory eggs crisco eggs tablespoonfuls chopped cooked chicken, ham or tongue salt and pepper to taste tablespoonfuls chopped parsley rounds fried toast crisco six small molds. mix ham, parsley, and seasonings together, throw a little into each mold, shake it well round sides; break into each mold one egg, taking care not to break yolk, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dot with crisco. steam four or five minutes, or until set. turn out on rounds of fried toast and serve at once. [illustration] candies [illustration] it is well to have a confectioner's thermometer for candy making, so that the syrup may be removed from the fire at exactly the right degree. such thermometers are made of wood, brass, or copper, and the degrees on them should mark not less than °. a thermometer always should be gently lowered into the boiling sugar. when not in use, it should be kept hanging on a nail or hook. when required for candy making, place thermometer in pitcher of warm water, so that it may rise gradually, and return it to the warm water on removing it from the hot candy. this dissolves the clinging candy and protects the tube from breaking. the wooden thermometer can be used to stir with, and is very easy to keep clean. if there is no thermometer handy it is better to make a list of the various stages in sugar boiling, and learn how to test the sugar. first there is the "thread" ( ° f. to ° f.) this is reached when, on dipping the finger and thumb first into cold water and then into the syrup, you can draw them apart, and an unbroken thread is formed, which gradually can be drawn wider apart on further testing as the degree of boiling is completed. the next is the "pearl" ( ° f.) to see if the syrup has reached this stage, after the sugar has dissolved let it boil for eight to ten minutes, then dip a wooden skewer into the syrup to obtain a drop of it. dip the finger and thumb into cold water, then rub the drop of syrup between them; if it feels smooth, the syrup has reached the desired stage. the next is the "blow" ( ° f.) dip a spoon into the sugar, shake it, and blow through the holes; if sparks of light or bubbles be seen, you may be sure of the blow. this is followed by the "feather" ( ° f.) to test this, dip a spoon into the boiling syrup, and when it may be blown easily from the spoon in long shreds it has reached the right degree. [illustration] next comes the "ball" ( ° f. to ° f.) dip the finger and thumb first into cold water, and then into the syrup, the latter then can be rolled into a soft ball between the finger and thumb. a little longer boiling gives the hard ball. this in turn is succeeded by the "crack" ( ° f. to ° f.) to test this, drop a little of the syrup into cold water; if it then breaks off sharp and crisp it has reached the crack. the final stage is the "caramel" ( ° f.) which comes very quickly after the crack, the syrup becoming first a pale yellow, and then a rich golden brown, and finally black or burnt. when it first reaches this stage the pan should be removed from the fire, a little lemon juice or water added, and then the whole reboiled to the proper stage or shade. to prevent granulation, it often is advisable to add a pinch of cream of tartar, to the pound of sugar. chocolate fudge cupful milk pinch of salt squares ( ozs.) chocolate cupfuls sugar tablespoonful crisco teaspoonful vanilla extract put crisco, milk, sugar, salt, and chocolate into saucepan, and stir and boil until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water, or ° f. remove from fire, add extract, allow to stand a minute, and beat until creamy. pour into criscoed tin and mark off into squares. clear almond taffy cupfuls sugar cupful crisco pinch cream of tartar cupful water cupfuls almonds / teaspoonful almond extract / teaspoonful salt blanch, split, and bake almonds to golden brown. crisco a tin, and sprinkle almonds on it split side down. dissolve sugar and water together in saucepan, add crisco, salt, and cream of tartar, and boil until when tested in cold water it will be brittle, or ° f. add almond extract and pour over nuts. when firm, cut in squares. sufficient for one large pan. cocoanut caramels cupful dessicated cocoanut tablespoonfuls glucose lb. brown sugar / cupful crisco cupful water cupful milk cupful cream teaspoonful rose extract teaspoonful almond extract / teaspoonful salt soak cocoanut in milk for twenty minutes, then put it into a saucepan with sugar, glucose, salt, and one-third of the crisco, add second third of crisco when it forms heavy thread, or registers ° f., add third piece of crisco, cream and extracts, when it again reaches ° f. when it reaches the hard ball stage or ° f., turn at once into a criscoed tin. cut when half cold. when all are cut, wrap each caramel in waxed paper. crisco drops / cupful golden syrup tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful water / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla extract put crisco, golden syrup, water, and salt into saucepan and boil until it is almost brittle when tested in cold water, or ° f., then add vanilla. allow to cool down, and then drop on to criscoed tin. sufficient for twenty drops. cream candy / cupful water cupfuls brown sugar tablespoonfuls crisco, melted teaspoonful orange extract / teaspoonful salt dissolve sugar in water in saucepan over fire, and boil until it spins a heavy thread, add crisco and salt and boil until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water, or ° f. remove pan from fire, add orange extract, allow to stand five minutes, then stir until the syrup begins to "grain." pour quickly into wet tin. when half cold, mark into squares; leave till following day in a cool place; then break up. keep in airtight tins. sufficient for twenty small squares. crisco fruit fudge cupfuls sugar cupful milk tablespoonfuls cocoa tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonful vanilla extract teaspoonful lemon extract / cupful chopped english walnut meats / cupful sultana raisins tablespoonfuls cream pinch of salt put crisco, sugar, cocoa, salt, and milk into saucepan, and stir till it boils to °, or until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. remove from fire, add raisins, cream, nut meats, and extracts, and beat mixture until thick and creamy. put back on stove, and heat, stirring constantly until melted, then pour into criscoed tins. when partly cool mark into neat squares. sufficient for thirty squares. everton taffy gill water cupfuls brown sugar tablespoonfuls crisco teaspoonful vanilla extract pinch cream of tartar / teaspoonful salt put sugar and water into saucepan; stir occasionally until it boils; then add cream of tartar. put cover on pan and boil five minutes, add crisco and salt and boil until, when tried in cold water it will snap, or ° f. add vanilla and pour into criscoed tin. mark in squares when half cold, and break up when quite cold. wrap in waxed paper. fig fudge pinch cream of tartar / lb. chopped figs lb. brown sugar pinch salt tablespoonful crisco cupful water teaspoonful lemon extract wash and dry figs, then chop them. put sugar and water into saucepan, and dissolve, add crisco and cream of tartar, and when it boils, add figs, and boil to a soft ball when tried in cold water, or ° f., stirring all the time. remove pan from fire, add lemon extract and salt, cool five minutes, then stir until it begins to grain, and quickly pour into criscoed tin. when half cold mark in squares. honey squares cupful strained honey cupful brown sugar tablespoonfuls crisco / cupful cream / teaspoonful salt pinch cream of tartar teaspoonful lemon extract put crisco, salt, honey, cream and sugar into saucepan; stir over slow fire until dissolved, then add cream of tartar. boil until it forms a hard ball when tested in cold water, or ° f. remove from fire, stir in lemon extract, and pour into criscoed tin. mark into squares before cold. wrap in waxed paper. sufficient for twenty-five squares. maple candy cupful maple sugar / cupful brown sugar tablespoonful crisco / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla extract cupful water dissolve sugars in water in saucepan over fire, when boiling add crisco and salt and boil until it hardens when dropped in cold water, or ° f. remove from fire and add vanilla. pour into criscoed tins. when half cold mark into squares. wrap in waxed paper. molasses candy cupfuls brown sugar / cupful molasses tablespoonfuls crisco / teaspoonful salt gill water teaspoonful vanilla extract dissolve sugar in water in saucepan over fire, then add crisco, molasses, and salt and boil until when tested in cold water it forms a hard ball, or ° f. now add vanilla and pour into criscoed tin. when quite cold break into rough pieces. peanut fudge cupfuls brown sugar tablespoonfuls crisco cupful milk / teaspoonful salt cupful chopped peanuts teaspoonful vanilla extract boil milk, sugar, crisco, and salt until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water, or ° f. remove from fire, add nuts and vanilla, beat until creamy. pour into criscoed tins, and when cool cut into cubes. [illustration] [illustration: "_now, good digestion wait on appetite and health on both._"] _calendar of dinners_ january _*black bean soup roast leg of mutton, currant jelly stewed tomatoes baked sweet potatoes macedoine salad cheese straws fruit cake coffee_ _*black bean soup_-- cups black beans, tablespoons crisco, onion, lemon, quarts stock or water, stalks celery, hard-cooked eggs, - / tablespoons flour, cloves, tablespoon worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, red pepper, and mustard to taste. wash beans and soak over night; in morning drain, cover with boiling water and boil minutes; drain, throwing away water. slice onion, dice celery, and cook minutes in half of crisco in soup pot; add beans, stock or water, and cloves. simmer until beans are soft, add more water as stock or water boils away. rub through sieve, add remaining crisco and flour rubbed together, then heat to boiling point, add seasonings. cut lemon in thin slices, removing seeds, and cut eggs in thin slices. put them into a hot soup tureen, and strain soup over them. january _palestine soup *jugged hare, red currant jelly brussels sprouts potato puff endive salad cheese fingers vanilla souffle coffee_ _*jugged hare_-- hare, cup crisco, - / pounds gravy beef, onion, lemon, cloves, cup port wine, few forcemeat balls, salt, red pepper and pepper to taste. skin, paunch and wash hare, cut it into pieces, dredge with flour, and fry in hot crisco. have ready - / pints gravy, made from beef, and thickened with flour. put this into jar; add pieces of fried hare, onion stuck with cloves, lemon peeled and sliced, and seasonings; cover jar tightly, put into saucepan of boiling water, and let it stew until hare is quite tender, taking care to keep the water boiling. when nearly ready pour in wine, add forcemeat balls, and allow to cook minutes. serve with red currant jelly. for forcemeat balls, mix together in basin, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons crumbs, tablespoon chopped parsley, / teaspoon poultry seasoning, / teaspoon grated lemon rind, seasoning of salt, pepper, red pepper, and paprika, and beaten egg, form into small balls, roll in flour, and add to hare. january _*lobster bisque toasted crackers olives celery pickles roast pigeons sweet potatoes fried hominy lettuce salad cheese balls lemon meringue pie coffee_ _*lobster bisque_-- tablespoons flour, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon salt, head celery, lobsters, small onion, whole white peppers, sprigs parsley, quart milk, white pepper to taste. cover lobsters with boiling water, add salt, celery diced, whole peppers, parsley and onion. cook until lobsters' claws can easily be pulled apart; it will probably take minutes. when cool enough to handle, cut lobsters down back, remove meat from body and claws. save coral. put back all tough parts with small claws and shells, and cook for minutes in same liquor. liquor must be considerably reduced. dry coral, rub through sieve. blend crisco and flour in saucepan over fire, stir in milk, let this come to boil, add cups of strained lobster broth. bring to boiling point, season with salt and pepper, and stir in sifted coral enough to give liquid bright pink color. place lobster meat cut in fine pieces in hot tureen, pour hot mixture over and serve hot. january _lentil soup roast loin of pork, apple sauce potato balls artichokes, a la creme *orange salad cheese fingers pineapple pudding coffee_ _*orange salad_-- tablespoon brandy, tablespoon melted crisco, / teaspoon sugar, teaspoon chopped tarragon, teaspoon chopped chervil, and oranges. cut peel from oranges, carefully removing all pith, cut out pulpy pieces in each of natural divisions so that there is no skin of any kind or pips taken out with pieces fruit, sprinkle over these pieces tarragon, chervil, melted crisco, brandy and sugar. this salad should be placed on ice if possible hour before serving. january _cheese canapes julienne soup bread sticks *roast stuffed chicken, brown gravy creamed cauliflower potato croquettes olive salad cheese relish pistachio ice cream coffee_ _*roast stuffed chicken_-- tablespoons breadcrumbs, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons chopped cooked ham, beaten egg, teaspoon chopped parsley, chicken, tablespoons milk, seasoning red pepper, white pepper, salt, powdered mace and herbs to taste. clean and draw chicken. melt crisco, add it to crumbs, ham, egg, parsley, milk, and seasonings; mix and place in breast of fowl. if young chicken leave on feet, which should be scalded and skinned; if an older bird, cut off legs half-way to first joint, turn back pinions, run skewer through them, catching top part of legs; tie bottom part of legs together. set in hot oven from / to - / hours, according to size; baste well with melted crisco, and about minutes before it is finished dredge with flour and brown. to make brown gravy, pour from tin fat, sprinkle in teaspoons browned flour, then add cup boiling water, containing / teaspoon extract beef, salt and pepper; allow this to boil minutes, strain over chicken, or serve in sauceboat. january _oyster cocktail fried cod steaks potatoes au gratin *stewed tomatoes cold slaw cheese wafers cocoanut pudding coffee_ _*stewed tomatoes_-- can tomatoes, tablespoons crisco, cup breadcrumbs, seasoning salt, pepper and paprika. empty tomatoes into double boiler, add breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and paprika, and cook slowly for / an hour, stirring from time to time. just before serving add crisco and stir till melted. while the tomatoes will be ready with / hour's cooking, they are improved by cooking hour, and are better still if warmed again after cooling. january _clam cocktail boiled salmon with parsley butter roast duck, olive sauce and fried hominy riced potatoes french peas creamed salsify celery mayonnaise *cheese ramekins banbury tarts coffee_ _*cheese ramekins_-- tablespoons flour, tablespoons crisco, / cup milk, whole eggs, white egg, salt, white pepper, and red pepper to taste, and / cup grated cheese. in saucepan, mix crisco and flour over fire, when smooth stir in milk, and cook until thick, add seasonings; mix well. remove pan from fire, add yolks eggs by , mix each thoroughly, then mix in cheese, and fold in stiffly beaten white egg. pour into criscoed ramekins, and bake in hot oven minutes. serve hot. january _cherry cocktail corn soup crisp crackers pot roast with dumplings lettuce and radish salad *cheese biscuits spice jelly coffee_ _*cheese biscuits_-- teaspoons flour, tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, tablespoons crisco, yolk of egg, teaspoons cold water, salt and red pepper to taste. mix flour and cheese; add salt and red pepper to taste. rub in crisco lightly. mix yolk egg with water; add enough of these to mix flour, etc., to stiff paste. knead till smooth on floured board, then roll out and cut into biscuits with small cutter; lay on criscoed tin and bake in quick oven to minutes, or until they are a delicate biscuit color. they require to be carefully watched, as they burn easily. parmesan cheese is best, but other dry kinds can be used. the biscuits are brittle, so always prepare more than are actually required. they rewarm well with care. january _vermicelli soup *beef loaf, tomato sauce mashed potatoes baked squash apple and celery salad cheese wafers mince pie coffee_ _*beef loaf_-- pounds lean meat, tablespoons crisco, / pound salt pork, cup cracker crumbs, beaten eggs, teaspoon onion juice, tablespoon lemon juice, cup beef stock, salt and pepper to taste. wipe meat, remove all skin and membranes, then put it through meat grinder, add crisco melted, eggs, crumbs, onion juice, lemon juice, stock and seasonings. press into greased pan and cover. bake hour. baste occasionally during baking with melted crisco. january _cream of carrot soup pickles celery olives *beef steak and kidney pie baked potatoes scalloped onions cauliflower salad cheese crackers lemon snow coffee_ _*beef steak and kidney pie_-- pounds lean steak, sheep's kidneys, some melted crisco, salt and pepper to taste, tablespoon worcestershire sauce, and some pie crust. cut steak very thinly and dip it in melted crisco, then in flour seasoned with salt and pepper. roll up pieces of steak and lay them in fireproof baking dish. skin kidneys, cut them in thin slices, leaving out fat in middle kidney; dip them also in seasonings and lay them on top of meat. sprinkle in worcestershire sauce and fill up dish with water. roll pastry rather larger than size required for dish. wet edge of dish and put narrow band of paste round; wet band, place on it remainder of paste, which cut to size of dish, then pinch edges, and brush over with beaten egg. make large hole in top and into this put ends some leaf-shaped pieces of paste, with an ornament in center; brush leaves over with egg and bake in hot oven - / hours. january _tomato bisque pickled peaches celery *roast rabbit, currant jelly sauce hominy squares riced potatoes boiled onions cranberry salad apricot tapioca coffee_ _*roast rabbit_-- tablespoons breadcrumbs, tablespoons chopped cooked ham, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon chopped parsley, teaspoon grated lemon rind, / teaspoon powdered herbs, chopped mushrooms, three beaten eggs, rabbit, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste. beat up eggs, add mushrooms, crisco, ham, breadcrumbs, parsley, and seasonings, and mix well. wipe rabbit, and season inside with pepper, salt, and powdered cloves. lay forcemeat inside rabbit and sew top; skewer head back and legs on each side; roast hour, basting well with melted crisco. serve hot with currant jelly sauce. january _clear soup roast duck, plum jelly mashed turnips *potato croquettes apple salad hot cheese wafers grape fruit jelly coffee_ _*potato croquettes_-- pints mashed potatoes, eggs, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste. mash potatoes by rubbing them through wire sieve with back of wooden spoon; dissolve crisco, add it to potatoes with of eggs well beaten and seasonings. mix and divide into or pieces, form them into neat croquettes, brush over with remaining beaten egg, toss in breadcrumbs, and fry in hot crisco. january _oysters on half shell radishes pickled pears *mutton cutlets potato balls chestnut puree lettuce, french dressing pineapple bavarian cream cakes coffee_ _*mutton cutlets_--slit pound chestnuts, place in hot oven to loosen skins, shell and take off inner skin. place in saucepan with gravy to cover and / teaspoon salt. boil until tender, then drain and rub through sieve. chop fine slices ham, add tablespoons crisco with / pound chestnut puree, season with salt, pepper and red pepper. add egg yolk and mix. trim cutlets, make / cup crisco hot in frying pan, cook cutlets minute on right side only, then arrange them flat on dish, cover with another with weight on top, leave until cold. spread puree over cooked side of cutlets, brush with beaten egg and cover with breadcrumbs. fry on both sides, and place in oven minutes. dish in circle on mashed potatoes; fill center with fried potato balls and sprinkle with, chopped parsley. serve with gravy. january _cream of cheese soup celery olives *codfish balls baked potatoes baked macaroni and peas spinach salad cheese relish fig pudding coffee_ _*codfish balls_-- cupfuls mashed potatoes, - / cupfuls shredded codfish, egg, tablespoonful crisco, melted, / teaspoonful pepper. put codfish in wire strainer, let cold water run through and squeeze dry. mix the hot, unseasoned potatoes with codfish. to this add the melted crisco, beaten egg and pepper. beat well. shape in balls and fry in deep crisco until a golden brown color. january _vegetable soup pickled beets celery olives sauted chicken, brown gravy *candied sweet potatoes lettuce and green pepper salad plum pudding, hard sauce coffee_ _*candied sweet potatoes_-- sweet potatoes, cup boiling water, brown sugar, / cup crisco, salt, pepper, and powdered cinnamon. pare and parboil potatoes, cut in halves, boil minutes, drain, lay in greased baking dish. spread with crisco, sprinkle with brown sugar, salt, pepper, and powdered cinnamon, pour in boiling water and cook until tender. baste often with sauce in pan while cooking. the cinnamon may be omitted. january _*lettuce cocktail cream of spinach soup broiled hamburg steak baked potatoes brussels sprouts pineapple salad cheese balls urney pudding coffee_ _*lettuce cocktail_-- crisp head of lettuce, tablespoons tomato catsup, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons worcestershire sauce, hard-cooked eggs, tablespoons vinegar, tablespoons sugar, small onions, and salt to taste. cut lettuce fine with scissors and shred eggs and onions. melt crisco, when cool, add tomato catsup, worcestershire sauce, sugar, vinegar and salt. at serving time pour this sauce over lettuce, eggs and onions. serve very cold in cocktail glasses. january _prune cocktail *brown fricassee of chicken boiled rice baking powder biscuit apple and celery salad mince pie coffee_ _*brown fricassee of chicken_--draw, singe, and joint chicken. put tablespoons crisco in saucepan; when brown, put in chicken. stir until every piece is nicely browned, then add tablespoons flour, stir again, add pint boiling water or stock, stir until it boils; add teaspoon of salt. cover, and let simmer gently until tender, then add teaspoon onion juice, and little black pepper. put neck-piece, heart, liver, gizzard, and back pieces in center of dish; put pieces of breast on top, second joints on one side of plate, legs crossed on other, and wing at each end of plate. pour sauce over, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. january _broiled halibut maitre d'hotel potatoes *escalloped tomatoes lettuce, french dressing pumpkin pie cheese squares coffee_ _*escalloped tomatoes_--drain juice from can tomatoes. brush baking dish over with crisco, and cover bottom with tomatoes; dot with crisco, dredge with pepper and salt, and sprinkle generously with breadcrumbs: arrange another layer of tomatoes, and crumbs, and so proceed until dish is filled. pour over all enough of juice of tomatoes to moisten well, and then finish dish with covering of crumbs. bake minutes in moderate oven. january _consomme with vermicelli grated parmesan cheese fried oysters, sauce tartare *mushrooms cooked under glass bells supreme of chicken asparagus, cream glacé orange ice coffee_ _*mushrooms cooked under glass bells_--saute / pound of peeled mushroom caps, in tablespoons crisco, season with salt and paprika, add cup of cream, cover and let simmer until reduced a little. arrange mushrooms on round of bread in mushroom dish, pour liquid over, cover with glass bell and bake minutes in moderate oven. send to table without removing glass, which confines delicate flavor and aroma of mushrooms. january _clam chowder rolled beefsteak, peanut butter sauce succotash boiled onions *cream cheese and pimiento salad baked custard lady fingers black coffee_ _*cream cheese and pimiento salad_--wash and dry can pimientoes. fill them with creamed cheese. chill, slice and serve on crisp lettuce leaves with following dressing: mix / tablespoon salt, / tablespoon mustard, / tablespoon sugar, and tablespoon flour, and when thoroughly blended, add egg yolks, slightly beaten, tablespoons melted crisco, / cup milk, and / cup vinegar. cook in double boiler, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens. strain and cool. january _*cream of lettuce soup roast shoulder of mutton, caper sauce mashed potatoes baked squash celery salad cheese wafers apple tapioca coffee_ _*cream of lettuce soup_-- cups white stock, heads lettuce, tablespoons cooked rice, / cup cream, / tablespoon onion, finely chopped, tablespoon crisco, yolk egg, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. remove outer leaves from lettuce and shred it. cook onion minutes in crisco, add lettuce, rice, and stock. add cream, yolk egg slightly beaten, nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste. january _filleted anchovies with lemon celery ripe olives salted pistachio nuts consomme, a la royale *halibut turbans roast goose, apple jelly potato puff mashed turnip endive and roquefort cheese salad coupe st. jacques coffee_ _*halibut turbans_--have slices halibut cut / an inch thick; remove skin and bone, thus securing fillets. dip in melted crisco; squeeze over juice of lemon, little onion juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper. commencing with the widest end, roll each fillet into a "turban" and fasten by running through each criscoed wooden skewer. bake minutes, basting with hot stock, or crisco melted in hot water. arrange crown shape on serving dish. fill the center with boiled potato-balls, dressed with salt, crisco, and chopped parsley. serve with hollandaise sauce. january _barley soup corned beef *ladies' cabbage fried celery beet salad cheese crackers arrowroot pudding with stewed fruit coffee_ _*ladies' cabbage_--cut small, hard head cabbage into halves; remove core and harder portions, chop remaining part quite fine. throw this into kettle of boiling salted water, boil uncovered for minutes; drain in colander. put cabbage back in saucepan, add tablespoons crisco, tablespoon flour; dust flour over cabbage; stir carefully with wooden spoon, and add / pint of milk, / teaspoon of salt and saltspoon of white pepper. stand this on back part of stove to simmer minutes; send to table. january _blue points brown bread sandwiches broiled squabs potato croquettes *cauliflower au gratin asparagus salad cheese fingers spanish cream coffee_ _*cauliflower au gratin_--boil large cauliflower, drain it, and break sprigs apart. arrange in layers in criscoed baking dish, sprinkling each layer with cheese, seasoning it with pepper and salt, and little melted crisco. when dish is filled pour on cup white sauce, sprinkle top with crumbs and cheese, and let bake minutes to brown. january _sardines on toast, caper sauce *risotto peas fried canned tomatoes lettuce and hard-cooked eggs jellied prunes whipped cream gold cake coffee_ _*risotto_-- / pound rice, small onion, tablespoons crisco, / cup grated parmesan cheese, / pint tomato sauce, about pint good stock, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and / teaspoon saffron. wash rice in several courses of water, drain and dry. peel and chop onion. melt crisco in stewpan; when hot add onion, fry over gentle fire until light fawn color, then add rice; shake pan over fire for a few minutes, so as to fry rice a little. next add seasoning, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and saffron; moisten with little stock, and add more as rice begins to swell. when stock is used up, gradually add sauce. when rice is tender mix in grated cheese. it is then ready to serve. in preparing this dish remember that rice should be well done, and should be neither too dry nor too moist. january _onion soup roast chicken, chestnut stuffing, giblet sauce cranberries celery au jus baked macaroni with cheese *grapefruit salad burnt almond ice cream coffee_ _*grapefruit salad_--take out inside of grapefruit, and cut edge of shell into points; slice meat of fruit with oranges, cup pineapple, cup cherries, / cup chopped nut meats, diced apple, the juice of lemon, and tablespoons powdered sugar; fill shell, and serve with following dressing: beat yolks eggs until creamy, then add to them / teaspoon dry mustard and same quantity salt. next beat in slowly tablespoons melted crisco and tablespoons hot vinegar. cook in double boiler until it thickens. when cold, and just before serving, cup of cream, sweet or sour, may be folded in. january _shrimp cocktail *salmon croquettes, tomato sauce french peas mashed potatoes pickled mangoes cottage pudding, maple sauce coffee_ _*salmon croquettes_-- pound can salmon, / teaspoon salt, red pepper to taste, / cup crackercrumbs, / teaspoon grated onion, well beaten egg, tablespoon crisco, and tablespoon chopped parsley. from can salmon, opened neatly, take fish and chop it fine; add salt and pepper, crisco, parsley and crackercrumbs; moisten it with the egg and mix well, turn out upon dish; then roll into cones, dip these in beaten egg seasoned with salt and pepper, roll in breadcrumbs. fry in deep crisco until delicate brown, drain them a moment, arrange neatly on hot dish and serve with tomato sauce. the crisco should be heated until crumb of bread becomes golden brown in seconds. january _*croutes, a la marie oyster balls, horseradish sauce potato souffle baked cucumbers nut and celery salad chocolate bavarian cream coffee_ _*croutes, a la marie_--pass small tureen foie gras through fine wire sieve. put in basin, add teaspoon crisco, pepper and salt to taste, and then stir in gently / a gill cream. pipe with a star tube on to round croute of short crust; garnish with pimientoes cut in strips and whipped cream. january _lobster canapes cream of oyster soup crackers olives celery planked shad, roe sauce duchess potatoes cucumbers, french dressing *cabinet pudding coffee_ _*cabinet pudding_-- stale lady fingers, macaroons, tablespoons cherries, currants, and citron peel chopped fine, tablespoon sugar, eggs, pint milk, teaspoons crisco, and vanilla extract. decorate bottom of mold with some fruit, lay row macaroons round edge of bottom. cut ladyfingers into pieces, mix with fruit and loosely fill mold. beat eggs with little cold milk, and teaspoons crisco, scald remainder of milk, and pour on to eggs, beating at the same time. sweeten and flavor to taste. gently pour this into mold. cover with criscoed paper and place in steamer to cook until set. this will take / of an hour. let pudding stand minute or before turning out. serve with custard sauce. january _*croutes, a la rosamonde roast tenderloin of pork sweet potatoes, southern style spinach, a la creme parmesan cheese apple salad cranberry pie coffee_ _*croutes, a la rosamonde_--take some small round tomatoes, and cut in slices / inch thick. lay in dish and sprinkle with melted crisco, vinegar, pepper and salt. then make some round croutes of short paste little larger than tomato; place slice tomato on each, rolled fillet anchovy on top, and garnish with hard-cooked egg yolk and small piece white endive. january _spinach soup *irish stew baked macaroni onion and lettuce salad cheese puffs golden parfait coffee_ _*irish stew_-- pound middle neck mutton, pounds potatoes, onions, tablespoon crisco, bunch of herbs, pepper and salt, tablespoon flour, teaspoon chopped parsley, and cold water. put crisco into saucepan with mutton which should be cut into small pieces. peel and quarter onions, and put them in saucepan, add herbs and barely cover with cold water. peel potatoes, choose small ones and do not cut them up, and lay over meat, sprinkle little salt and pepper on potatoes and bring to boil. then add flour and stand saucepan where it will stew gently hours. take out herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper. dish up meat in circle on flat dish, put potatoes and onions in center, leaving potato in saucepan, to mash and thicken the gravy a little, pour gravy over stew, and sprinkle with parsley. inferior cuts of mutton can be used advantageously for this dish, such as scrag-end or breast of mutton; the bones and gristle with long stewing give a nice flavor to the dish. february _*braised loin of mutton with mushrooms boiled potatoes spinach garnished with hard-cooked eggs spiced currants carrot salad coffee jelly coffee_ _*braised loin of mutton with mushrooms_-- pounds loin mutton, stalk celery, / teaspoon whole peppers, bunch of sweet herbs, tablespoons crisco, pepper, salt, red pepper, turnip, carrot, or cloves, sprig of parsley, and tablespoons flour. remove bone from mutton, thoroughly rub it with salt, pepper, and red pepper; roll up and tie into roll; cut up celery, onion, carrot, and turnip, and lay them at bottom of stewpan with sweet herbs and parsley; lay mutton on top of these, and pour round enough water to parts cover it, simmer slowly - / to hours; lift mutton into dripping tin with few tablespoons gravy; set in brisk oven until brown; strain gravy and skim off fat, put crisco into saucepan, and when brown, add flour, and brown also; then add gravy gradually, little pepper and salt, and dozen button mushrooms, skinned; boil minutes; dish mutton with mushrooms round, and gravy strained over. february _*artichoke soup fried fillets of fish, sauce tartare riced potatoes onions stuffed with nuts egg salad toasted cheese russian charlotte coffee_ _*artichoke soup_-- pints white stock or water, pint milk, pounds jerusalem artichokes, onions, bay leaf, strip celery, tablespoons crisco, pepper and salt to taste. wash artichokes, put tablespoon vinegar into basin of water and keep artichokes in it as much as possible while paring them, to preserve their whiteness. cut onions, bay leaf, celery, and artichokes into slices, melt crisco in stewpan, fry vegetables or minutes without browning; then pour in stock and boil until tender. rub through fine sieve, return to saucepan, add milk and seasoning, bring to boil and serve. when a thicker soup is desired dessertspoon of cornstarch, flour, or a mashed potato should be blended with little milk or stock, and added to soup a few minutes before serving. february _consomme du barry roast ribs of beef *franconia potatoes corn cakes mashed turnips radish salad marshmallow pudding coffee_ _*franconia potatoes_--pare medium-sized potatoes; parboil five minutes. place on grate under roast ribs of beef. baste with melted crisco, and bake from to minutes, turning often. february _steamed oysters lamb's tongues, tremont style browned potatoes *anchovy fritters romaine salad madeira jelly coffee_ _*anchovy fritters_--pound yolks hard-cooked eggs with / dozen bottled anchovies, teaspoon capers tablespoons crisco and tablespoons grated parmesan cheese. rub all through fine wire sieve and add yolk raw egg and tablespoon breadcrumbs. season with pepper and with salt if it is needed. form paste into small balls, roll first in breadcrumbs, then in egg and again in crumbs, and drop into hot crisco. serve on napkin with grated parmesan cheese. the recipe as here given may be doubled, and "redoubled" as many times as it is thought the demand for fritters will warrant. february _broiled smelts chicken, a la florentine brussels sprouts with cheese spanish salad cheese loaf *date souffle coffee_ _*date souffle_--stone and chop / pound dates and cook them in / cup boiling water, mashing until smooth. add tablespoon melted crisco, stiffly beaten whites eggs, / cup sugar, tablespoon lemon juice, and salt to taste. pour into criscoed souffle mold and bake until brown, or minutes. serve cold with boiled custard or whipped cream. february _rose and white radishes with butter cream of mutton soup baked bluefish, breslin style *planked chicken jerusalem artichokes saute apple and cress salad snow pudding with chocolate sauce coffee_ _planked chicken_--cream together / cup crisco, teaspoon minced onion, / tablespoon each of minced red pepper, green pepper, and parsley, / clove minced garlic, and teaspoon lemon juice. split young chicken as for broiling, place in pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dot over with crisco, and bake until nearly done in a quick oven. then crisco plank, arrange upon it border made from cups of hot mashed potatoes to which have been added seasoning and beaten yolks of eggs. this is put on with a pastry tube and may be made as fanciful as desired, with rosettes and pyramids. brush over with beaten egg diluted slightly with water, and place chicken in center. peel and saute large mushroom caps, place on chicken (which has been spread with prepared butter), place in very hot oven to brown potatoes and finish cooking chicken. serve on plank at once. february _crab canapes st. germain soup *braised fillet of beef french bean salad bar-le-duc cream fruits nuts biscuits cheese coffee_ _*braised fillet of beef_--tie up fillet of beef neatly with string and put in stewpan, bottom of which has been well criscoed and lined with thin slices fat bacon and sliced onions. cook for minutes, then barely cover with stock, add wineglass of sherry, and bring to a boil; then add small onion stuck with cloves, small turnip, carrot, bouquet of herbs, tablespoon crisco, salt and pepper to taste. let meat simmer gently in this for - / to hours. for garnish, take equal quantities of french peas and string beans, artichoke bottoms, new carrots and turnips. cut latter in uniform shapes with fancy vegetable cutter, and cook them separate in consomme. strain off about / pint of stock from fillet of beef, and pour on brown roux, made with tablespoons each of flour and crisco; stir until it boils, add small piece of glaze and reduce a little over quick fire. add dash of kitchen bouquet, salt, and pepper. dish up fillet of beef, glaze it with some of sauce, and arrange vegetables around it in little heaps, each kind separate. serve remainder of sauce in a boat. february _faubonne soup baked fish grenadins of veal roast pigeons endive salad *fruit snowballs coffee_ _*fruit snowballs_--cream / cup crisco with / cup sugar, add / cup milk, cup flour, teaspoon baking powder, and stiffly beaten egg whites. mix and divide into small criscoed molds, cover with criscoed papers, and steam minutes. turn out, sprinkle with powdered sugar, garnish with candied cherries and pineapple and serve with custard sauce made with egg yolks. february _petite marmite *goulash of veal cauliflower, cream sauce braised endive orange salad mousseline pudding coffee_ _*goulash of veal_-- - / pounds lean veal, pound partly cooked new potatoes, tablespoons crisco, / small onion, / pint cream, paprika, pepper, and salt. free meat from skin and sinews and cut it into dice. cut potatoes into cubes. melt crisco in saucepan, add meat and fry lightly for several minutes, add onion, finely chopped, stir over fire for about minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste and add potatoes. pour off superfluous fat, mix carefully and moisten with cream and tablespoon rich white stock, season with a sufficiency of paprika pepper to give sauce a pink tint, and cook gently for minutes. it is best to cook the goulash at latter stage in a fireproof earthenware stewpan, in which it should be sent to table. great care must be taken so as not to break potatoes while cooking. serve very hot. february _broiled beefsteak baked potatoes creamed onions waldorf salad jellied figs nut cookies coffee_ _*waldorf salad_-- quart chopped apples, cups diced celery, - / cups blanched and shredded almonds, and / cup rolled pecan nut meats. dress with following dressing, adding little more sugar and lemon juice to taste, just before serving. mix tablespoon melted crisco, teaspoon each mustard and white sugar, / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper. add well beaten egg yolks and then beat in slowly tablespoons lemon juice. cook in double boiler till it thickens. then add whites eggs beaten stiff. keep on ice till wanted. stir in cup whipped cream just before serving. this is very good made with egg yolks and / cup thin cream if whipping cream is unobtainable. february _cream soup flounder au gratin veal cutlets, brown gravy creamed potatoes cauliflower polonaise radish salad *friar's omelet coffee_ _*friar's omelet_--peel and core pound cooking apples, and boil to pulp with little water and sugar. when nearly, cold add tablespoon crisco and or well beaten eggs. crisco a pudding dish and coat thickly with breadcrumbs. pour in mixture and cover thickly with more breadcrumbs. cook in oven for / of an hour. a little lemon peel can be added if liked. february _gravy soup fish souffle beef olives braised turnips carrots potato puff apple and grapefruit salad *coburg pudding coffee_ _*coburg pudding_-- cups milk, / cup rice, cup boiling water, egg, tablespoons sugar, teaspoon powdered cinnamon, tablespoon crisco, and / teaspoon salt. well wash rice, sprinkle it into boiling water and cook gently until all water is absorbed. heat milk, in double saucepan if possible, add half-cooked rice and boil gently until it is perfectly soft and of thick creamy consistency. should it become too thick before it is really soft, add more milk. beat egg, until very light, add half sugar to it. when rice is cooked, whisk egg in at once, a little at a time. then add salt and piece of crisco size of walnut. turn mixture into dish in which it is to be served. mix rest of sugar with cinnamon. sprinkle this evenly over top of rice. put rest of crisco in small pieces over top of pudding just before it is required. place pudding in front of fire, or in oven for second or two, when crisco, etc., will form a delicious sauce over surface of pudding. february _*bombay toast boiled halibut, lobster sauce roast capon beet and potato salad cheese ramekins peach border coffee_ _*bombay toast_--fry the required number of croutes in crisco. when cold spread with paste of pounded chicken and cream. chop some capers, and lay in a thick line across the chicken paste. on one-half put grated yolk of hard-cooked egg, on the other half put grated white of hard-cooked egg, and serve. saint valentine's day. february _cupid canapes clam bouillon fillets of fish *supreme of chicken martinique potatoes spinach kumquat and celery salad tutti fruitti ice cream mints coffee_ _*supreme of chicken_--remove breast meat from young chickens and trim into shape. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in cream, roll in flour and saute in crisco until delicately browned. place in small pan, dot over with crisco, and bake until tender. remove to cutlet-shaped pieces of hot boiled ham (cut very thin), garnish top of each with short stalks of asparagus, seasoned with crisco, and pour around following sauce: melt - / tablespoons crisco, add - / tablespoons flour, and stir until well blended; then pour on gradually while stirring constantly cup chicken stock and / cup cream. bring to boiling point, season with salt and paprika, and add yolk of egg. february _swedish soup poached eggs on top stuffed breast of veal stewed tomatoes fried carrots *apple tartlets coffee_ _*apple tartlets_--line some tartlet tins with crisco pastry. fill with stewed apples to which a little melted crisco and grated nutmeg have been added. cover with a meringue and brown in the oven for a few minutes. february _consomme colbert braised mutton cutlets with kidneys stuffed potatoes *salsify fritters spinach salad cheese balls meringues, a la chantilly coffee_ _*salsify fritters_-- heads salsify, lemon juice, salt, tablespoons milk, tablespoon melted crisco, fried parsley, tablespoons flour, and eggs. wash, scrape, and soak the salsify in cold water seasoned with salt and lemon juice to taste. boil in salted, acidulated water until tender. take it up when done, drain, and cut the salsify into pieces all the same size. sieve the flour into a basin, work in the yolks of the eggs, the milk, and the melted crisco. beat to a smooth batter, season with salt and pepper to taste. when ready to fry, beat up the whites of eggs very stiffly and stir them lightly into batter. drop the salsify into the batter, then into hot crisco and fry to a golden brown color. take up, drain, and serve garnished with fried parsley. february _strained gumbo oyster souffle *calf's head, vinaigrette baked eggplant string beans russian salad ambrosia coffee_ _*calf's head, vinaigrette_--clean and scald / a calf's head. cover with water and boil / an hour, then plunge into cold water. when cool, remove meat and cut in small squares. make a roux of tablespoon crisco and tablespoons flour cooked thoroughly; add cloves, whole peppers, small onion, carrot, bay leaves, dash of thyme, and tablespoons strong vinegar. add the meat. simmer hours; remove into deep dish and cover with vinaigrette sauce, which is made with / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon paprika, dash white pepper mixed with tablespoons tarragon or plain vinegar. add tablespoons olive oil, tablespoon gherkins, and teaspoon each chives and parsley all chopped very fine, and tablespoon minced green pepper. blend well before pouring over meat. this may be served either hot or cold. garnish with cucumber pickles cut into fan shapes. february _*cheese canapes lamb chops french peas baked potatoes artichoke salad russian charlotte preserved ginger coffee_ _*cheese canapes_-- croutes bread, / pound cheese, tablespoons crisco, salt and red pepper to taste, teaspoon mustard, and dessertspoon sherry. cut the croutes of bread out of slices of stale bread with a round cutter inches across. fry the bread a golden color in hot crisco. cut up cheese; put it into a mortar with crisco, and pound until it becomes a smooth paste; then season with salt and red pepper to taste. add the mustard and sherry. when all ingredients are thoroughly mixed, put it on the croutes of bread; place them in oven until hot through, then serve at once. february _*mulligatawney soup roast pork, frozen apple sauce potatoes creamed onions indian salad toasted biscuits cheese mocha souffle coffee_ _*mulligatawney soup_--saute in tablespoon melted crisco, minced onion, tablespoon minced cooked ham, cloves, / carrot, and stick celery, minced fine, / cup cooked chicken cut in dice, and pints of chicken stock. cook fifteen minutes, add / a green apple, diced, / cup stewed or canned tomatoes, teaspoon tomato catsup, teaspoon curry powder, tablespoons boiled rice, teaspoon salt, and drops tabasco sauce. simmer / hour and serve with or without thin slices of lemon cut in quarters. february _*onion cocktail halibut, a la martin roast mutton, currant mint sauce okra and tomatoes cucumber jelly salad spanish cream coffee_ _*onion cocktail_-- cups diced apples, cup diced onions, cup seeded raisins. fill cocktail glasses with onions, apples, raisins, pour over a sour dressing made as follows: / cup each of vinegar and water, tablespoon crisco, salt and red pepper to taste, and teaspoons sugar. place in small saucepan over fire until crisco melts, then stir in well beaten yolks of eggs, stirring constantly until thick. place in ice box to cool before using. february _boiled halibut, anchovy butter pigeons, a la chasseur griddled white potatoes *stewed lettuce oyster salad cheese relish pineapple cream coffee_ _*stewed lettuce_--wash the desired number of heads of lettuce, cutting off the stalks at the roots, and put into a saucepan with onion sliced, tablespoon crisco, tablespoon chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, with a very little water, to cook slowly for hours. by this time the water should have pretty well cooked away, leaving the lettuce fairly dry. remove from it the onion and parsley, put into a dish, dress well with melted butter and send to table hot. washington's birthday february _cherry cocktail olives salted nuts oyster soup fried chicken, cream gravy peas sweet potatoes white grape salad beaten biscuits *washington pie martha washington fruit cake fruit punch coffee_ _*washington pie_-- / cup sugar, tablespoon crisco; beat together thoroughly; add / cup sweet milk, cups flour, beaten eggs, teaspoons baking powder, teaspoon lemon; make into cakes and put jelly or custard between. february _red cabbage soup *broiled kidneys with green peppers french peas fried bananas grapefruit and white grape salad cheese balls russian jelly coffee_ _*broiled kidneys with green peppers_--split some fine beef kidneys, remove the outer skin and sinews, and wipe well. sprinkle the kidneys with pepper and salt, and let stand for an hour or more. dip them then, into melted crisco and broil over a clear fire. meanwhile, chop green peppers, freed from their seeds, and fry with / a teaspoon chopped onion and tablespoon chopped parsley in crisco till the pepper is quite done, having no more moisture, or crisco that is in the pan, than is necessary to cook the green peppers. dish the kidneys and surround with the sauce of green peppers. vegetarian february _cream of celery soup *mock veal roast stewed turnips asparagus salad cheese crackers apple pie coffee_ _*mock veal roast_-- / pint shelled roasted peanuts, / pint lentils, tablespoons melted crisco, / pint toasted breadcrumbs, milk, pepper and salt to taste. soak the lentils over night; drain, bring them to a boil; throw away water; cover with fresh water and boil until tender; drain again; press them through a colander. add nuts, chopped or ground, melted crisco, breadcrumbs and seasoning, with sufficient milk to make it the consistency of mush. pour into baking dish and bake in a moderate oven hour. beans or peas may be substituted for lentils. february _clam broth with whipped cream boiled fish dressed cucumbers panned chicken riced potatoes *stuffed green peppers celery and lettuce salad caramel rice pudding coffee_ _*stuffed green peppers_-- large green peppers, pint boiled rice, tomato, tablespoon crisco, medium-sized onion, and teaspoon salt. cut the tops from peppers and remove seeds. add to rice the onion and tomato, chopped and salt. wash peppers, stuff them with boiled rice, put on tops and stand them in a baking pan. cover bottom of baking pan with a little water; add to it the crisco. bake in a quick oven minutes, basting or times. february _cream of beet soup pork tenderloins, apple sauce baked and glazed potatoes buttered parsnips *raisin pudding, liquid sauce coffee_ _*raisin pudding_--wash and dry pound sultana raisins; crisco a pudding dish; put in a layer of boiled rice, over it a layer of raisins, and continue until the dish is nearly full, having rice on top. beat eggs; add teaspoons sugar, pinch of salt, tablespoons melted crisco, and cups sweet milk; pour it over pudding, and bake / hour. serve with liquid sauce. february _sago soup brown stew of mutton chops stewed turnips boiled potatoes *cabbage salad lemon sponge coffee_ _*cabbage salad_--shave cups shredded cabbage in thin strips or chop fine and mix with the following dressing: tablespoons crisco, / cup hot vinegar, teaspoon dry mustard, tablespoon sugar, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, / onion, cut fine, and / cup sweet or sour cream, milk or water. dissolve the sugar in cream. mix with rest of the ingredients. mix while hot and serve with the salad slightly warmed. february _consomme with spaghetti *chicken souffle creamed potatoes celery and apple salad stuffed dates coffee_ _*chicken souffle_-- cups cold roast chicken, a / cup cold boiled ham or tongue, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, / cup cream, / cup chicken broth, a / cup chopped nut meats, salt and paprika to taste, and eggs beaten separately. the chicken, ham or tongue should be chopped very fine before measuring. melt tablespoons crisco in a frying pan; add the chopped meat and stir over fire until crisco is absorbed. make a sauce of tablespoons crisco, the flour, broth and cream. pound the meat in a mortar, adding meanwhile the sauce. press the whole through a fine sieve; add the nut meats, seasonings and yolks of eggs. mix thoroughly, and fold in the whites of eggs. bake in a criscoed dish till firm in the center. serve with mushroom or tomato sauce. this may also be cooked in individual dishes. minutes will be needed for cooking in a large dish, about minutes in individual dishes. it is better to cook a souffle too long than too short a time always, provided that the temperature be kept about ° f. march _*toad in the hole pressed beef with aspic beet and endive salad compote of fruit, maids of honor coffee_ _*toad in the hole_-- cups flour, / teaspoon salt, pound link sausages, eggs, tablespoons melted crisco, and cups milk. sift the flour and salt into a basin; beat up eggs well, and after mixing them with the milk and melted crisco, pour gradually on flour, beating it well with a wooden spoon. when quite smooth, pour it into a well criscoed fireproof dish; skin the sausages and lay them in the batter, and bake in a moderate oven for / of an hour. serve in small squares arranged neatly overlapping each other on a hot dish. march _*oxtail soup trout, black butter sauce stewed steak and oysters pear salad cheese eclairs sweet omelet coffee_ _*oxtail soup_-- oxtail, quarts second stock or water, onions, carrots, turnip, strips celery, tablespoons crisco, a / cup diced lean ham or bacon, a boquet-garni, whole peppers, cloves, salt, glass sherry, and tablespoon cornstarch. cut the tail into small joints, put it into a stewpan, cover with cold water, boil up and strain. dry the pieces of oxtail, roll them in flour, put them with ham and sliced vegetables and crisco into the stewpan, and fry until brown. then add stock, herbs, whole peppers, cloves, and salt, boil and skim well. put on lid and cook very gently for about hours. strain, remove fat, return to stewpan, and when soup boils add sherry and cornstarch smoothly mixed together, stir and cook for a few minutes. serve smaller pieces of tail in soup, remainder may be reheated in a good brown sauce, and used as an entree. vegetarian march _*grilled mushrooms vegetable soup cheese omelet baked beans iced asparagus fruit in jelly coffee_ _*grilled mushrooms--_ cup mushrooms, pepper and salt to taste, crisco, and lemon juice. carefully peel the mushrooms, cut off a portion of stalk, and season with salt. broil them over a clear fire, turning them once, and arrange them on a very hot dish. put a small piece of crisco on each mushroom, season with pepper and salt to taste, and squeeze over them a few drops of lemon juice. march _spanish soup *baked stuffed heart mashed potatoes fried beets red cabbage salad orange pudding coffee_ _*baked stuffed heart_--take an ox heart and season it inside with salt and pepper, and fill it quite full of herb forcemeat; fasten it up with a needle and string, rub the heart over well with melted crisco and fold it up in a well criscoed paper; tie it up, put heart in a baking tin in the oven, keeping it well basted with melted crisco, then remove the paper and dish upon a hot dish, and serve round it a good brown sauce or tomato sauce or brown caper sauce, and garnish with olive potatoes. this should be served while hot. march _*scotch broth browned veal knuckle riced potatoes buttered parsnips olive and lettuce salad cheese straws apricot parfait coffee_ _*scotch broth_-- pounds neck mutton, cup barley, cup peas, carrot, turnip, teaspoon sugar, onions or leeks, tablespoon crisco, small cabbage, tablespoon chopped parsley, cups water or stock, salt and pepper to taste. prepare vegetables and cut them into small pieces. put water or stock into large earthenware pan, and when it boils, add meat and barley. boil up, skimming frequently, add vegetables, and then simmer for hours. now stir in one extra carrot grated, salt and pepper, sugar and crisco. simmer again for minutes. add parsley and broth is ready to serve. vegetarian march _spinach soup *egg cutlets, cream sauce potatoes brussels sprouts tomatoes, french dressing cheese fingers sultana pudding coffee_ _*egg cutlets_--put tablespoons crisco into a pan, when melted, add tablespoons flour, cup milk gradually, boil for minutes, stirring all the time, then add raw yolks of eggs, remove from the fire, add tablespoons cooked chopped peppers, chopped mushrooms, red pepper, white pepper, salt and nutmeg to taste and four chopped hard-cooked eggs. turn on plate to cool. shape into cutlets. brush over with beaten egg, roll in fine breadcrumbs and fry in hot crisco. serve very hot with cream sauce. march _*tapioca puree brazillian stew beans mashed potatoes white grape salad wafers cheese ginger ice cream coffee_ _*tapioca puree_-- quart white stock, or half stock and half milk, / pint cream, tablespoon melted crisco, yolks of eggs, tablespoon fine sago or crushed tapioca, salt and pepper to taste. the stock should be well flavored, otherwise it must be simmered with a little onion, carrot, celery, and herbs, and strained for use. bring stock to boiling point, sprinkle in sago, or tapioca, and stir and cook until it becomes transparent; then let soup cool slightly. mix yolks of eggs and the cream together, then the melted crisco, and add to soup and stir till it thickens; it should have the consistency of single cream. when a thicker soup is desired, mix teaspoon flour or cornstarch with a little milk, and add it to soup at same time as sago or tapioca. season to taste, and serve. march _turnip soup beef stew with dumplings parsnips mashed potatoes russian salad cheese crackers *bird's nest pudding coffee_ _*bird's nest pudding_-- eggs, / cup flour, tablespoons crisco, / cup sugar, / cup blanc-mange, pinch baking powder, pistachio nuts or cocoanut, angelica and apricot jam. break eggs into basin, add sugar to them, and beat over saucepan of hot water until mixture is consistency of thick cream. melt crisco; sieve flour and baking powder together. stir crisco and flour quickly and lightly into egg mixture, turn into well-criscoed mold, and bake in a moderate oven for to minutes. turn out when done, and let the cake get cold. rub some apricot jam through a hair sieve, put a thin layer of this over the cake, roll it either in chopped pistachio nuts or desiccated cocoanut. stand on a dish. have ready some blanc-mange eggs, fill the center with these, and arrange round the base of the nest some pieces of angelica to represent twigs. it is now ready to serve. the blanc-mange eggs are made by either filling some egg-molds with blanc-mange, or by emptying out some eggs, and using the shells. the eggs must be emptied through as small a hole as possible. when set, the shells are broken away carefully. march _*veal and ham pie baked sweet potatoes fried parsnips salad of canned asparagus tips cheese fritters caramel pudding with meringue coffee_ _*veal and ham pie_-- - / pounds veal, hard-cooked eggs, few grains red pepper, dust of powdered mace, / teaspoon grated lemon rind, / pound ham, tablespoon flour, teaspoon salt, whole peppers, powdered sweet herbs, and pastry. cut veal and ham into very thin pieces; mix on a plate, flour, salt, pepper, sweet herbs, lemon rind, red pepper, and mace, roll in this seasoning each piece of veal, and lay in a pie dish, alternately, layers of veal, ham, and egg, cut in slices; pile this in center of dish, add / cup water; line edge of dish, cover and decorate with crisco flake pastry; when baked add a little very good seasoned stock, which should become a jelly when the pie is cold, or a little gelatine may be added; garnish with parsley if served cold. march _cream of cabbage soup celery olives *halibut, a la poulette, white sauce baked potatoes macaroni, italian style chicory salad cheese crusts plum pudding coffee_ _*halibut, a la poulette_--slice of halibut, weighing pounds, / cup melted crisco, teaspoons lemon juice, few drops onion juice, pepper and salt to taste. clean fish and cut into neat fillets. add seasonings to melted crisco, and put dish containing crisco in saucepan of hot water to keep crisco melted. take up each fillet separately with a fork, dip in crisco, roll and fasten with small wooden skewer. put in shallow pan, dredge with flour, and bake minutes in hot oven. remove skewers, arrange on platter for serving, pour around - / cups white sauce, and garnish with yolks of hard-cooked eggs rubbed through a strainer, whites of hard-cooked eggs cut in strips, lemon cut fan-shaped, and parsley. march _asparagus soup baked salmon, hollandaise sauce mashed potatoes *spinach, a la creme escarole salad cheese straws cocoanut pudding coffee_ _*spinach, a la creme_-- pounds spinach, pepper, salt, and nutmeg to taste, tablespoons crisco, / cup thick cream, and teaspoon sugar. wash and pick spinach, throw it into a pan of boiling water containing a little salt and soda; boil until tender, to minutes; pour on to a wire sieve, and squeeze out all the water; rub through the sieve with a wooden spoon; put spinach into a saucepan, with seasoning, butter, and cream. the spinach may be prepared as above and mixed with white sauce instead of cream; garnish with fried croutons. march _porterhouse steak, maitre d'hotel butter french fried potatoes stewed tomatoes shredded cabbage, cream dressing *apple pie cheese coffee_ _*apple pie_--use crisco plain paste. for filling for a medium-sized pie tin, use cups pared and sliced apples, / cup sugar, / teaspoon salt, tablespoon crisco, / teaspoon cinnamon, tablespoon lemon juice, and grated rind of / lemon. march _baked stuffed haddock julienne potatoes creamed cucumbers egg salad *steamed graham pudding, hard sauce coffee_ _*steamed graham pudding_-- / cup molasses, / cup milk, egg, / cup crisco, - / cups graham flour, / teaspoon soda, teaspoon salt, cup stoned and chopped dates. melt crisco, add molasses, milk, egg well beaten, dry ingredients, mixed and sifted, and dates; turn into criscoed mold, cover, and steam - / hours. serve with hard sauce. figs cut in small pieces may be used in place of dates. march _*breaded chops baked potatoes celery hearts creamed carrots and peas lettuce, french dressing apricot whip, custard sauce coffee_ _*breaded chops_--wipe and trim mutton chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in crumbs, egg, then crumbs, and fry in hot crisco from to minutes, then drain. do not fry more than chops at a time, and allow the crisco to reheat between fryings. after testing crisco for temperature put in the chops, then lower the heat that the surface of the chops may not be burned while the inside is yet under done. march _*sardine canapes baked beans baked potatoes apple and celery salad cheese wafers date cream pie coffee_ _*sardine canapes_--take or sardines, mash up with yolk of a hard-cooked egg, pepper and salt to taste, a little lemon juice and teaspoon melted crisco. have some rounds of bread fried a pretty golden brown color in hot crisco, spread the mixture on the croutes; garnish round the edges with some finely chopped parsley and white of egg rubbed through sieve. march _*clam bisque crackers codfish balls escalloped tomatoes cucumber salad bermuda onions custard pie coffee_ _*clam bisque_-- cups clams, tablespoons chopped onions, bit of bay leaf, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, cups chicken stock, teaspoon salt, pepper and red pepper to taste, pint hot cream, and teaspoon worcestershire sauce. chop clams, and cook in stock minutes. melt crisco, add onions, cook minutes; add flour, strained clam liquor, cook minutes; add seasonings, cream, and serve. st. patrick's day march _irish potato bisque olives salted pistachio nuts *boiled salmon, parsley sauce mashed potatoes brussels sprouts shamrock salad st. patrick's pie green frosted cakes green mints coffee_ _*boiled salmon_--put the salmon in enough boiling water to cover, add teaspoon salt to each quart of water; boil minute, then draw on one side, and simmer slowly until cooked, allowing minutes to the pound; drain thoroughly, and serve on folded napkin; decorate with parsley. serve with parsley sauce. for sauce. blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour, add cup milk, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste, stir till boiling, then boil minutes, add tablespoons chopped parsley, mix well and use. march _*broiled spanish mackerel grilled guinea chicken candied sweet potatoes baked eggplant cold asparagus, vinaigrette devilled cheese macedoine of fruits coffee_ _*broiled spanish mackerel_--split a good-sized spanish mackerel down the back, clean and wipe as dry as possible, leaving the head and tail on or off, as desired. sprinkle well with salt and pepper. rub the wire broiler with crisco and lay on this, flesh side up. turn when the flesh is tender and broil on the skin side until brown and crisp, and serve with cucumbers dressed with oil and lemon juice. march _*chickens stewed with olives chartreuse of spinach baked squash asparagus salad rhubarb tarts coffee_ _*chickens stewed with olives_--cut young chickens into joints and put to cook in pints of water with pepper, salt and an onion. cook until the chickens are very tender. take up, drain and wipe chickens and fry them in crisco till they brown. strain water in which chickens were cooked and take a little more than / a pint of it for sauce. put this into the frying pan in which chickens were fried, thicken it a little, and into it put dozens olives, chopped, and tablespoon capers. when it is quite hot and smooth pour over chickens and serve. march _princess soup veal chops, horseradish sauce fried carrots baked asparagus tips spinach salad peach mousse coffee_ _princess soup_--chop very fine cup sorrel, and cook in tablespoon crisco. add / teaspoon sugar, / teaspoon tarragon or white wine vinegar, teaspoon salt, tablespoon flour, and when boiling add pint hot water. cook for / hour, then add quart white stock and a grating of nutmeg and dash of red pepper. bring to a boil, add beaten yolk of egg and cup cream and serve. march _baked shad roe with bacon *broiled lamb chops, mint jelly sauce cucumbers baked asparagus tips shrimp salad rice souffle coffee_ _*broiled lamb chops_--trim and flatten chops, sprinkle each with sherry wine, rub with salt and white pepper and broil over a clear fire until they are done, according to the tastes of those who are to eat them. melt together tablespoons crisco, if there are chops, a small tumbler mint jelly, add to it chopped parsley and a few drops of lemon juice and pour over chops just as they are to be served. march _czarina soup *guinea hen, roasted mashed potatoes creamed onions dandelion salad frozen pudding coffee_ _*guinea hen, roasted_--truss guinea hens, cover breasts with thin slices of bacon, and put in roaster and bake, basting often until tender. remove bacon and brown. melt in roasting pan tablespoons crisco, stir in tablespoons flour, pour in gradually cups scalded cream, and stir constantly. strain, season with salt and white pepper, and, if liked, a tiny grain nutmeg, and pour this over guinea hens, or pass separately. serve with these, potato balls of uniform size, which have been sauted in crisco and sprinkled with chopped parsley. march _cream of cauliflower soup flounder au gratin *mutton cutlets, a la soubise potatoes tossed tomatoes combination salad apple dumplings coffee_ _*mutton cutlets, a la soubise_-- mutton cutlets, / cup dried beans, brown sauce, onions, tablespoons crisco, and / cup white sauce. trim cutlets, season them with pepper and salt, and fry in hot crisco. soak dried beans in water for several hours, then boil them in a stewpan until tender. drain, and pass them through a sieve. melt crisco in a saucepan, stir in sieved beans, add to them the onions, previously boiled and sieved, season, and stir over fire until hot. then add white sauce. dish cutlets in a circle on a hot dish, and put puree of beans and onions in center. pour some brown sauce round and serve. march _calf's tail soup *braised fillet of veal braised belgian endive potato puree beet and cabbage salad banana trifle coffee_ _*braised fillet of veal_-- - / pounds veal, / pound larding bacon, onion, carrot, turnip, / lemon, forcemeat, stock and a little celery. remove bone, fill in cavity with forcemeat. cut some even strips of bacon / of an inch thick, and with a larding needle thread neatly on top of meat. slice vegetables, place them in a pan, set veal on these, sprinkle with a little lemon juice. cover with criscoed paper, and add stock to come three-parts up the meat. cover closely and set pan in oven (in order to get top heat also) or over a gentle fire, and simmer - / to hours. remove veal to a dripping tin with very little stock, and brown in front of fire or in hot oven. reduce stock in pan, meanwhile, by fast boiling without lid, and strain round meat. garnish with cut lemon, and, if liked, with curled bacon and forcemeat balls. the forcemeat is made as follows: add / cup crisco, tablespoons chopped cooked ham, cup breadcrumbs, tablespoon chopped parsley, teaspoon mixed herbs, thyme, and marjoram. add salt and pepper to taste, and mix with well-beaten eggs. march _scallop chowder *boiled cod, oyster sauce mashed potatoes stewed corn watercress, french dressing cheese biscuits ginger pudding coffee_ _*boiled cod_--wash the fish (about to pounds cod), and put into a fish-kettle, containing enough boiling water to cover it. add some salt, bring quickly to boil; then draw pan to side of fire, and let it stay in hot water until cooked. do not let water boil or simmer again. cod cooked in this way has a much finer flavor than if it is allowed to simmer or boil. take up fish on drainer, slide it on to a hot dish on a folded napkin, and serve garnished with sprigs of crisp parsley. send to table with oyster sauce, which is made as follows: tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, small onion, / carrot, whole peppers, / bay leaf, clove, bouquet garni, small blade mace, salt, and ten oysters. peel the onion, scrape carrot; put them into saucepan with bay leaf, whole pepper, bouquet garni, and clove; add milk, and bring to boil. when milk boils take out mace and bay leaf. melt crisco in small saucepan; mix in flour smoothly; whisk into this hot milk. stir until it boils, then let it simmer from to minutes. take out bouquet; rub sauce through a sieve. take oysters and their liquor and put into a saucepan and bring to boiling point. then take the oysters and cut each in quarters. heat the sauce and add the oyster liquor, reduce well, strain and return to saucepan; stir in yolk of egg, bind, and then add oysters and lemon juice. stir till hot, but it must not boil. season to taste and serve. march _pepper cocktail *fried pigeons baked onions mashed potatoes celery and nut salad cheese custards orange ice cream coffee_ _*fried pigeons_-- pigeons, / pound sausage meat, egg, carrot, turnip, onion, celery, mace, and cloves. empty and split pigeons in halves, lengthways; remove joint of wing and of leg, and truss neatly; wash thoroughly. put into a stewpan, a small bit turnip and carrot, small onion, bit of celery, blade of mace, few cloves and whole peppers; place pigeons on top; add cups water, and all giblets of pigeons nicely cleaned and prepared; cover all with criscoed paper and cover them with lid, and cook gently hour. remove pigeons from pan, and dry each thoroughly. divide sausage into portions; fill hollow of pigeons with these, and with floured hands pat it quite smooth, using flour all over pigeons. have an egg well beaten; cover carefully with it, and roll in fine breadcrumbs. put into hot crisco, and fry a golden brown. have the following sauce in dish, and place the pigeons neatly in center: strain liquor pigeons were stewed in, and into pan put tablespoon flour and tablespoon crisco, moisten it with a little cold water; then add to it the liquor, a / teaspoon meat extract, small tomato chopped up, and salt to taste; let all boil for minutes; then strain. it may require more stock or water to be added to make sauce a good consistency. march _grape fruit cocktail roast duck, currant jelly *creamed turnips sweet potato croquettes apple salad cheese straws marmalade ice cream coffee_ _*creamed turnips_--wash turnips, and cut in / inch cubes. cook cups in boiling salted water minutes, or until soft. drain, and serve with the following sauce: tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, cup milk, / teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. put crisco in saucepan, stir until melted and bubbling; add flour mixed with seasonings, and stir until thoroughly blended. pour on gradually the milk, adding about / at a time, stirring until well mixed, then beating until smooth and glossy. march _anchovy eclairs *planked shad, butter sauce cucumbers potato puff asparagus salad cheese sandwiches cafe parfait coffee_ _*planked shad_--clean and split down the back a good -pound shad. heat plank very hot, lay fish upon it, skin side down, or that portion will be raw. the hot plank cooks it. brush flesh carefully over with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake for minutes in a hot oven. baste frequently with melted crisco. it may be cooked in a gas range having the flame over the fish. when cooked pour over the fish tablespoons melted crisco and juice of lemon. garnish with parsley and quarters of lemon. set the plank on a serving dish and serve with butter sauce. march _printanier soup broiled chicken, oyster sauce *duchesse potatoes string beans watercress, french dressing cheese biscuits lemon meringue pie coffee_ _*duchesse potatoes_--wash, peel and boil two pounds potatoes, drain off water and dry in oven, then rub through sieve, add egg yolks, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon cream, seasoning salt, pepper and grated nutmeg. when well mixed lay on floured board and divide into pieces, shape each piece into a square, put them on a buttered tin, brush over with beaten egg and bake in hot oven till well browned. march _cream of barley soup english chicken pie broiled tomatoes cucumber salad with red peppers biscuits cheese coffee_ _*english chicken pie_-- chicken, / pound veal fillet, ounces bacon, hard-cooked eggs, / pound mushrooms, tablespoons crisco, pepper and salt to taste, chopped parsley, puff-pastry, stock, and egg. cut fowl into small joints, season these with salt and pepper. slice veal thinly, line bottom of fireproof dish with this, place on top a layer of chicken. chop mushrooms finely, saute them in crisco in small stewpan; sprinkle half of this over pieces of chicken, then layer of hard-cooked eggs, over that thin slices bacon and chopped parsley. continue in this way until all ingredients are used up and the fireproof dish is full; fill dish three parts full with stock. put a strip of pastry round the edge of dish, wet this lightly with water, cover the pie with puff-pastry rolled out to the proper size and thickness; press down the paste on to the wet edge of paste, trim round. decorate the paste at the edge according to taste; brush over pie with beaten egg, make a slit in the center of the lid, and place a circle of pastry leaves round it. put pie in moderate oven, and bake about - / hours. pour in a little stock before serving. march _deviled clams *broiled lobsters, melted butter potatoes au natural baked macaroni romaine salad, french dressing snow pudding, chocolate sauce coffee_ _*broiled lobsters_--kill lobsters by cutting tails off with one stroke of the knife, just where they join the body. with another clean cut divide each lengthwise into equal parts, shell and all. take out coral, the one long intestine and stomach. crack claws with a hammer. put within a criscoed broiler, split side downward, and broil over fire. as soon as juice begins to run freely withdraw long enough to baste liberally with melted crisco, and return to fire, turning often to keep in juices. cook about minutes on split or flesh side, and upon other. have ready sauce made by rubbing tablespoons crisco to cream with lemon juice and finely-minced parsley, adding little red pepper, and baste lobsters with this while hissing hot. serve half lobster to each guest. april _*fried oysters, tartare sauce roast guinea hens rice croquettes en surprise lettuce, asparagus and red pepper salad cheese wafers pineapple mousse coffee_ _*fried oysters_--wash, drain, and dry oysters between towels; let stand in a marinade or more minutes, then drain again. roll in crackercrumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika. for cups oysters, beat eggs with tablespoons cold water until well mixed; dip oysters, crumbed, into egg, and roll again in crumbs. fry minute in hot crisco. use frying-basket and cook oysters at a time. drain and serve at once with tartare sauce. the marinade is made as follows: take part melted crisco and of vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste. stir oysters into this and let stand minutes, then drain off any of the marinade that has not been absorbed. april _emergency soup *veal pot pie baked dumplings cabbage salad cheese crackers fruit jelly, whipped cream coffee_ _*veal pot pie_--wipe piece of veal from shoulder; and cut into pieces for serving; add / inch strip salt pork or bacon for each piece of veal, cover with cold water, put over fire and bring quickly to boiling point, then, after boiling five minutes, skim and let simmer until meat is tender. when nearly tender, add salt and pepper to taste, and biscuit mixture cut into rounds. cook ten minutes without lifting cover. serve meat in center of platter, dumplings at ends and sauce, thickened, if needed, with flour and water, over whole. dumplings may be steamed minutes over saucepan boiling water. this is usually preferable, to avoid removing them from fire until instant of serving. beaten yolks of eggs, diluted with / cup cream and added to sauce, gives a richer dish. biscuit mixture is made as follows: sift quart good flour, teaspoons baking powder and teaspoon salt, putting it through sifter or times. rub into flour large tablespoon crisco and add sufficient sweet milk to make dough as soft as can be rolled and cut. roll about / inch thick, cut with round biscuit cutter. april _crecy soup mutton cutlets savory lentils roast pigeons chipped potatoes egg and lettuce mayonnaise *apricot fritters, vanilla sauce coffee_ _*apricot fritters_-- apricots, / pint syrup, half lemon, frying-batter, crisco and vanilla sauce. select firm, ripe apricots, or preserved ones can be used, cut them in halves, and take out stones. stew them gently in syrup with grated rind of / lemon. when they are tender, drain well, and let them cool. have ready some frying-batter, dip apricots into it, then fry in plenty of hot crisco. when a nice golden color, take them up, drain on paper, dish up on a napkin and serve with vanilla sauce. april _brown soup mousse of ham veal olives mashed potatoes spinach pear salad cheese ramekins *rice souffle fruit custards coffee_ _*rice souffle_-- tablespoons ground rice stirred to smooth paste with / tablespoon crisco and tablespoons milk. add remainder of a pint of milk, and put all into a saucepan, and stir till it thickens. add beaten yolks eggs and tablespoons sugar well stirred, also add the well whisked whites of eggs. mix all thoroughly, place in a criscoed souffle dish, and bake for / hour. serve instantly. april _*white soup fried fillets of haddock roast chicken, bread sauce potato chips brussels sprouts cress and orange salad iced castle puddings coffee_ _*white soup_-- small onions, turnip, pound potatoes, stalk celery, small parsnips or artichokes, pints water, / pint milk, tablespoon flour or cornstarch, tablespoons crisco, and salt to taste. cut about pounds of any white vegetables, previously washed and peeled, into pieces, or preferably several kinds mixed, and boil them until soft in the water with salt and crisco. rub them through sieve or colander, put them back in the stew pan with milk, and let boil. put in flour, mixed smoothly with little cold water or milk; let soup boil for minutes, and then serve. april _broiled soft shell crabs *sweetbreads with mushroom puree boiled bermuda onions new green peas lettuce and radish salad fried cornstarch pudding coffee_ _*sweetbreads with mushroom puree_--blanch and prepare sweetbreads, by cutting away all the windpipes and fibrous nerves. when they are quite cool, put under a weight to flatten well. dip them in melted crisco and broil, without browning too much, over a clear fire. put sweetbreads on very thin slices of round toast and serve with this puree poured over all: chop dozen fresh mushrooms and put them to cook with / pint of cream and / cup fine breadcrumbs. cook them in double boiler till mushrooms can be pressed through rather fine sieve. return this puree to fire, season with salt and white pepper, and let get as hot as possible before using it for sweetbreads. april _grilled brook trout *spring lamb steak, a la minute lentil croquettes potato rissoles grapefruit salad cheese crackers golden parfait coffee_ _*spring lamb steak, a la minute_--rub some fillets of spring lamb steak with salt and pepper, and fry them gently in tablespoons crisco which has been melted in an iron frying pan, until thoroughly cooked. remove from frying pan and keep hot. put large fresh mushroom caps in pan and cook until tender, adding / cup cream and salt and pepper to taste. put lamb steak on hot platter, garnish with mushroom caps, and pour sauce around. april _*red pottage boudins of ham with peas roast ribs of beef yorkshire pudding potatoes cauliflower chiffonade salad rhubarb tart and custard coffee_ _*red pottage_-- / a pound dried beans, teacup tomato puree, beet, tablespoons crisco, onions, piece of celery, small piece of parsnip, quarts good stock. put crisco in saucepan then add onions, celery and parsnip; cook a little, do not let it get very brown, then add dried beans, tomato puree; sliced beet and add pepper and salt to taste and then stock, and boil till all is tender. rub through a fine sieve, reheat and serve. april _*corn chowder broiled steak baked potatoes horseradish, cream dressing scalloped tomatoes celery salad cherry sponge coffee_ _*corn chowder_-- can corn, cup salt pork cut in cubes, cup potatoes, / cup chopped onions, salt and red pepper to taste, cups water, cups milk, tablespoon crisco, tablespoon flour, and / cup crackercrumbs. cook salt pork in frying pan for minutes; add onion and cook until a yellow color. parboil potatoes minutes; add to onion with corn and water; cook minutes. thicken milk with crisco and flour cooked together. combine mixtures; add crackercrumbs and salt and pepper to taste, then serve. april _puree of black beans baked macaroni *potato puff cabbage salad cheese puffs spice jelly, whipped cream coffee_ _*potato puff_--prepare - / cups hot mashed potato. add / cup milk, well-beaten yolks of eggs, tablespoons crisco, and salt and pepper to taste. beat this well, then add beaten whites of eggs. pile lightly in criscoed baking dish and bake until puffed and brown. april _bean soup globe artichoke with sauce hollandaise stuffed peppers potato straws *grilled tomatoes pimiento salad fruit assorted cakes coffee_ _*grilled tomatoes_--wipe tomatoes, spread little crisco on each with a knife, and set on grill pan near to clear fire. turn often, basting or keeping moist with crisco. whole tomatoes cook in to minutes, according to size. sliced ones in about minutes. when meat or ham is being grilled tomatoes will cook in pan underneath the grid on which meat rests. april _*hollandaise soup escalloped potatoes vegetable pie celery patties romaine salad chocolate tapioca coffee_ _*hollandaise soup_-- quart vegetable stock, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, yolks eggs, / pint cream, / cup green peas, cooked, teaspoon salt, / cup carrot, cut in small pieces, cooked, teaspoon sugar, / cup cut cucumber, cooked, and teaspoon chopped tarragon. trim peas, carrots and cucumbers with round cutter, size and shape of peas. cook them in boiling water, being careful not to cook them too much. melt crisco and flour in stewpan; add stock and let boil well. break yolks of eggs into a basin and add cream, then add the liaison of eggs and cream to stock; let it just come to boil, being careful it does not curdle. strain into a clean stewpan, add vegetables which have been previously cooked, and tarragon and serve. april _indian soup rice *mock goose, apple sauce stewed celery pineapple salad rhubarb pie coffee_ _*mock goose_-- cups breadcrumbs, cups dropped black walnuts, cups boiled rice, hard-cooked eggs, raw eggs, tablespoon grated onion, salt, pepper and grated nutmeg to taste. put breadcrumbs in saucepan with cups water; cook for a few minutes; add hard-cooked eggs, chopped; take saucepan from fire and add black walnut meats and the rice. when this is well mixed, add raw eggs, slightly beaten, and seasonings. form this into shape of a goose, reserving portions for legs and wings. take a tablespoon of mixture in your hand and press it into shape of a leg; put piece of dry macaroni into it for bone and fasten it to goose. do other side same way. form remaining portions into small pieces looking like wings tucked under; press them to side of goose. brush goose over with melted crisco and bake for hour. serve with apple sauce. april _*lobster newburgh glazed sweetbreads loin of lamb, roasted, mint sauce asparagus potato croquettes pineapple sherbet coffee_ _*lobster newburgh_-- pounds lobster, / cup crisco, salt, red pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste, tablespoon sherry, tablespoon brandy, / cup cream, and egg yolks. remove cooked lobster meat from shell and cut in slices. melt crisco, add lobster and cook minutes. add salt, red pepper, grated nutmeg, sherry and brandy; cook minute, then add cream and yolks of eggs slightly beaten, and stir until thickened. serve with toast. april _*stewed chicken baking powder biscuit spinach buttered parsnips celery and orange salad cheese relish ribbon jelly coffee_ _*stewed chicken_--draw, singe, and joint a stewing chicken. season pieces with pepper and salt and cover with boiling water. cover and stew gently until tender. remove chicken. place pieces in a colander on a plate in oven to drain, and thicken gravy by adding tablespoon flour rubbed with tablespoon crisco. add salt and pepper to taste, a little chopped parsley and cup milk. beat an egg until light; pour on it part of gravy, beating carefully to prevent lumps; return to remainder of gravy; bring to boil and pour over chicken. april _oyster bisque *mackerel, a la claudine radishes corn peas potatoes lettuce and pepper grass salad cheese balls princess pudding coffee_ _*mackerel, a la claudine_--take a nice large fresh mackerel, split it down back and remove bone, season fish with melted crisco, chopped fresh mushrooms, salt, pepper, and finely chopped shallot; put on to a grill iron and cook in front or over brisk fire for about minutes, then take up and serve on hot dish with the following sauce: take cup brown sauce, tablespoons capers, pinch chopped parsley, four anchovies rubbed through sieve, teaspoon glaze, and chopped shallot, or shredded button mushrooms; boil up and simmer for minutes, rub through sieve, then add juice of lemon and chopped olives, reboil and serve. april _*potato soup breaded lamb chops, tomato sauce mashed potatoes creamed turnips cheese salad canary pudding coffee_ _*potato soup_-- quart white second stock or water, / pint milk, pound potatoes, onion, stalk celery, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon fine sago or crushed tapioca, salt and pepper to taste. slice potatoes, onion, and celery. make crisco hot in stewpan, add vegetables, fry and cook until crisco is absorbed, stirring frequently to prevent them browning. add stock, and simmer until vegetables are tender (about hour). rub through fine sieve; return to saucepan, add milk, and bring to boil. sprinkle in sago, cook until transparent, add seasoning to taste, and serve. april _orange cocktail boiled capon, caper sauce buttered beans *carrot fritters olive salad baked chocolate custard coffee_ _*carrot fritters_--have nice, young, tender carrots, clean and scrape them carefully, and cut each one in two lengthwise. put to boil in salted water. take up, drain and cool, and make a frying batter as follows: beat up egg, sift in cup flour, / cup milk, pinch of salt, and tablespoon melted crisco. mix till smooth and glossy. allow to stand in cool place for hour, then add teaspoon baking powder. put in few pieces of carrot at a time. drop into hot crisco and fry for few minutes. serve hot. april _*kidney soup flounder, white sauce roast shoulder of mutton potatoes spinach au jus cauliflower and red pepper salad moulded pears, whipped cream coffee_ _*kidney soup_-- / pound ox kidney, / pound lean beef, pints brown stock, tablespoons coarsely chopped fat bacon, tablespoon chopped onion, tablespoons flour, tablespoons crisco, salt and pepper to taste. wash kidney and beef quickly, dry them, and cut them up quite small. melt crisco in saucepan, add bacon, onion, and kidney, and fry them until brown. add stock and salt to taste, and simmer soup for about - / hours. strain out solid parts, pound them to a paste, and rub this through fine wire or hair sieve. rinse out pan, mix flour smoothly and thinly with little of strained soup. reboil rest of liquid, pour in flour, and stir it till it boils. cook for ten minutes and carefully skim it. then mix in smoothly sieved meat, add seasoning, reheat soup without boiling it after adding meat, and it is ready to serve. water can replace stock; if so, add piece of carrot and turnip and bunch herbs to soup, but do not pound or sieve these. a more delicate soup is made with four or five sheep's kidneys instead of ox kidney. add little caramel coloring if needed. april _celery soup *braised ox-tongue baked potatoes mashed turnips cold slaw cheese wafers rice mousse coffee_ _*braised ox-tongue_-- ox-tongue, pint stock, onion, small carrot, bouquet garni, clove, / pint piquante sauce, and thin slices bacon. trim ox-tongue, which should be obtained salted or pickled ready for use. blanch, and let it cool. put into fish-kettle or stewpan, large enough to hold tongue, slices bacon, onion peeled and sliced, carrot scraped and cut in pieces, bouquet garni and clove; add stock, put in tongue, and cook until three parts done, then take it up, and skin while hot. strain liquor it was cooked in, take off fat, add piquante sauce, put tongue into this, and finish cooking. when tender, cut in slices, dish, and pour sauce over, and serve. mashed potatoes, spinach, or peas served with tongue is a great improvement. the piquante sauce is made as follows: shallots, mushrooms, bay leaf, / carrot, sprig thyme, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons vinegar, half pint brown stock, / teaspoon anchovy extract, tablespoon worcestershire sauce, tablespoons flour, salt and red pepper to taste. peel and chop shallots, carrot, and mushrooms; melt crisco in a saucepan; fry vegetables a nice brown; then add vinegar, bay leaf, and thyme. reduce vinegar to half the quantity; stir in flour, dilute with stock, bring to boil; then add anchovy extract, worcestershire sauce, salt and red pepper to taste. take out thyme and bay leaf. simmer for minutes. skim, and use as required. april _*mock turtle soup beef, a la mode potatoes cauliflower beet salad cheese wafers rhubarb shortcake coffee_ _*mock turtle soup_-- / calf's head, pounds shin beef, small knuckle veal, tablespoons crisco, / cup flour, ounce ham, large bunch herbs, whole peppers, cloves, blade mace, onions, carrot, / head celery, leek, glass sherry or some lemon juice, salt and red pepper to taste, and quenelles. leave head in water to soak for or hours; then wash well and take out brains. bone head. cut ounces lean part of veal and reserve to make quenelles. then chop bones taken from head, the veal, and beef. put them into stockpot, and place flesh from head on top; then well cover with water, add little salt and let slowly come to boil. skim well; add vegetables, cleaned but not cut up, and spices. let all simmer very slowly for or hours. when head is quite tender (it will take about four hours), lift it out carefully and place between dishes to press until quite cold. strain stock. melt crisco in pan, add ham cut into small pieces, and fry slowly for five minutes, then add flour and stir until it is of dark brown color. take off stove and add stock by degrees; stir over fire until it boils; put it at corner of stove to simmer for minutes; skim and strain it. cut head into small square pieces and warm up in soup; add sherry, red pepper, and salt to taste. turn it out into tureen, then put in some very small quenelles, made with teaspoons, and poached for minutes in water. vegetarian april _calcutta bisque tomatoes casino *asparagus loaf, bechamel sauce leeks in butter roast potatoes cherry salad cheese crackers coffee_ _*asparagus loaf_--crisco thoroughly a charlotte russe mold, / size, and line it with cooked tips of asparagus well drained. cook together tablespoons flour, tablespoons crisco, teaspoon salt, dash of pepper, add gradually cup of cream and boil minutes. remove from fire, add cup cooked asparagus tips and eggs thoroughly beaten. turn mixture into mold, set in pan of hot water and cook in a moderate oven about minutes or until center is firm. turn loaf on hot dish, arrange about it, little oblong pieces of bread that have been dipped in beaten eggs and milk and browned. pour sauce around it and serve at once. vegetarian april _julienne soup creamed salsify patties mushrooms in casserole mashed potatoes green string beans orange fritters *swiss pudding coffee_ _*swiss pudding_-- - / cups breadcrumbs, pound apples, tablespoons brown sugar, tablespoons crisco, and grated lemon rind. choose good cooking apples, peel, core, and thinly slice them. well crisco a pint pudding-dish, place some crumbs on bottom, and press some against the sides of dish, put in layer of apples, some sugar, a little lemon peel or any other flavoring preferred, then a few more crumbs, and repeat this until all are used; leaving crumbs for top layer. pile mixture up little as it shrinks while cooking. place crisco in small pieces on top. bake in moderately hot oven until apples are quite cooked and pudding is browned top and bottom. turn pudding out on to flat dish, sprinkle sugar over top. serve with boiled custard or cream. this pudding may be served hot or cold. vegetarian april _cream of pea soup ladies' cabbage in ramekins chestnut puree mock new potatoes *creamed beets banana salad marshmallow pudding coffee_ _*creamed beets_--boil medium-sized beets until tender, then remove from saucepan and place them in cold water, rub skins off carefully with hands, cut in / inch cubes. make a sauce of tablespoons crisco creamed with tablespoons flour and / cup water in which beets were boiled tablespoons cream, tablespoons vinegar, teaspoons sugar, salt and pepper to taste. pour sauce over hot beets and serve in hot dish. vegetarian april _cream of turnip soup *bean croquettes, tomato sauce savory rice lettuce salad, french dressing stewed prunes coffee_ _*bean croquettes_-- pint white beans, / cup cream, yolk eggs, tablespoon crisco, tablespoon flour, tablespoon chopped parsley, teaspoon onion juice, teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. soak beans over night, drain, cover them with fresh water, boil an hour, drain, throw away water, cover with fresh water and boil until tender; drain and press beans through colander. rub crisco and flour together, add cream, stir until almost boiling, then add yolks of eggs. stir again for a minute over fire, add bean pulp and all seasonings; mix and turn out to cool. when cool, form into cylinders, dip in egg, roll in breadcrumbs and fry in hot crisco. serve with tomato sauce. april _mushroom canapes *chicken, a la king potato croquettes tomato mayonnaise cheese-drops washington pie coffee_ _*chicken, a la king_-- / boiled chicken (one pint in thick pieces), tablespoons crisco, fresh mushrooms, cup cream, / cup sherry wine, yolks eggs, teaspoon salt, green pepper and red pepper, cut in long thin strips. melt crisco, add mushrooms, cook minutes. add chicken, heat through, add salt, wine and the strips of peppers. (the chicken should be removed from bone in long thick pieces.) beat yolks until light, add cream, cook over boiling water or in chafing dish, stirring constantly until thickened, about - / minutes; then pour over hot chicken mixture and serve at once on toast. april _fried trout radishes *grilled chickens glazed new potatoes broiled tomatoes stuffed cucumber salad cheese sticks roman cream coffee_ _*grilled chickens_--have small spring chickens, clean and wipe well, and split down back. soak them for an hour in olive oil that is seasoned with an onion, sliced, some salt, pepper, parsley and lemon juice. lift them from this dressing, and without wiping at all, but sprinkling over them a little flour, set to broil over a clear fire. melt tablespoons crisco, add to it juice of lemon, glass of madeira and tablespoon cooked ham chopped as finely as it is possible to get it. have this sauce hot, and put over chickens when taking them up. april _clam cocktail shad, stuffed and baked, brown butter sauce mashed potatoes beets stuffed with peppers *caramel custard coffee_ _*caramel custard_-- eggs and yolk, / cup sugar, pint milk, and teaspoon lemon extract. have plain tin pudding mold, put tablespoons sugar into small saucepan and stir till it becomes quite brown like coffee. pour this into mold and run it all over bottom of it. crisco then sides of mold, beat eggs and sugar together till mixed well, then add milk and flavoring. pour all into prepared mold, cover with piece of criscoed paper; have stewpan with an inch of boiling water in it; put saucer or something flat in bottom of it, set pudding tin on this, and cover pan with lid. let steam slowly for at least hour. it must not boil, but be set on part of stove where it will keep hot without boiling. turn out and serve hot or cold. vegetarian april _cream of salsify soup nut sausage, brown sauce grilled sweet potatoes *sour german cabbage apple and prune tart coffee_ _*sour german cabbage_-- quarts chopped cabbage, tablespoons crisco, / cup vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. soak cabbage in cold water for hour; drain; place it in an uncovered kettle of boiling salted water, cook minutes; drain and return to kettle. add vinegar, bring cabbage to boiling-point and cook minutes. add crisco, salt and pepper to taste. april _*pepper pot mutton cutlets, tomato sauce new potatoes lima beans sliced tomato salad cheese fingers violet mousse coffee_ _*pepper pot_--a small knuckle of veal, pound cooked tripe, onion, medium-sized potatoes, bunch pot herbs, cup crisco, quarts cold water. wash veal and pot herbs and slice onion, put them with water, in soup kettle, on back of stove, where they will come gradually to boiling point. allow to simmer hours or more. strain and set away to cool. this must be done day before it is wanted. when cold, skim off every particle of fat, add to it potatoes, cut in small cubes, tripe, cut in / inch squares, bay leaf, few sprigs parsley chopped fine, and meat cut from knuckle, rejecting every bit of fat and gristle. put them on to boil just long enough before dinner to cook potatoes; when boiling season to taste with salt and red pepper. thicken soup with one teaspoon each flour and cornstarch mixed smooth with little water. mix crisco with cup flour, / teaspoon salt and little pepper, and enough cold water to make dough stiff enough to roll out, cut in small squares and boil in soup / hour. may _beef soup noodles roast beef yorkshire pudding browned potatoes *canned corn pudding spinach and egg salad strawberry sherbet coffee_ _*canned corn pudding--_ can corn, cup hot milk, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon sugar, tablespoon crisco, tablespoon flour, and egg. melt crisco; mix well with flour; add the milk gradually, then the seasoning and corn, and last of all beaten egg. pour into criscoed baking dish and bake in moderate oven for / hour. may _porterhouse steak scalloped potatoes with onion artichokes, hollandaise sauce *daisy salad roquefort cheese lemon ice cream with grated pineapple coffee_ _*daisy salad_--arrange around border of salad plates a row of crispy lettuce leaves, and in the center put a tablespoon of dressing. this makes center of daisy. around this put petals made by cutting into narrow strips whites of hard-cooked eggs. take yolks of these eggs and put through strainer, scattering over dressing in center to give a rough appearance. this will require about five hard-cooked eggs. the dressing for the center is made as follows: beat together eggs, add to them cup milk, tablespoons vinegar, / teaspoon salt, tablespoons crisco, teaspoons mustard mixed to paste with teaspoons water, and pepper to taste. bring to boiling point. may _normandy soup *veal loaf, brown sauce string beans baked tomatoes mexican salad cheese fingers vanilla ice cream strawberry tarts coffee_ _*veal loaf_-- pound cold roast veal finely chopped, / pound sausage meat, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons breadcrumbs, / cup stock or gravy, egg, salt and pepper to taste. mix veal, sausage meat, crisco, and breadcrumbs together, season liberally with salt and pepper, and add egg. mix thoroughly and add gravy or stock gradually until it is thoroughly moistened. form into a short thick roll, cover lightly with flour, or, when economy is not an object, coat with egg and breadcrumbs. bake in moderate oven for hour, basting occasionally with hot crisco, and serve hot with brown sauce. may _clear gravy soup *crown of lamb with peas potato croquettes cauliflower bird's nest salad cheese custard sultana roll, strawberry sauce coffee_ _*crown of lamb with peas_--select parts from loins containing ribs, scrape flesh from bone between ribs, as far as lean meat and trim off backbone. shape each piece in semi-circle, having ribs outside and sew pieces together to form a crown. trim ends of bones evenly and rather short and wrap each bone in thin strip fat scraps to prevent bone from burning. place on rack in dripping pan with bowl in center of crown to preserve its shape. dredge with flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper, basting frequently with melted crisco, and allowing minutes to the pound for roasting. cover bones with criscoed paper. remove paper from bones before serving and fill the center with peas. place paper frills on chop bones and parsley around base. the center of crown may be filled with potato balls, french fried potatoes, or puree of chestnuts. may _*hotch potch baked ham in pastry mashed turnips potato balls stuffed tomato salad caramel ice cream cake coffee_ _*hotch potch_-- / cup pearl barley, small cabbage, carrots, turnip, onions, parsley and herbs, tablespoons crisco, salt and pepper to taste, and quarts water. put barley on fire with cold water. scrape or grate one of carrots, and put it aside in little water. chop all rest of vegetables very small, and when water boils put them in with crisco, salt and pepper. there should be enough vegetables to make it rather thick. boil for hours, then add scraped carrots, and boil for another / hour. many other vegetables may be added. lettuce, green peas, and celery when in season. may _pear and ginger cocktail tomato and vermicelli soup broiled beefsteak *french fried potatoes lettuce salad lemon pudding, white sauce coffee_ _*french fried potatoes_--wash and pare small potatoes, cut in eighths lengthwise, and soak hour in cold water. take from water, dry between towels, and fry in deep crisco. drain on brown paper and sprinkle with salt. to test crisco, heat until a crumb of bread becomes a golden brown in seconds. may _*tomato pot roast beet greens boiled potatoes spring salad rhubarb tutti fruitti maple gingerbread coffee_ _*tomato pot roast_--rub over with flour surface of a -pound piece of beef cut from lower round, and season it with salt and pepper. finely chop onions and fry them until brown in tablespoons melted crisco. remove onions, put in meat, and cook it until well browned on all sides. add can of tomatoes and quarts water, cover, and let simmer for about hours, or until meat is tender. remove meat; thicken and strain liquor. cut meat in slices and serve in sauce, or use cold for lunch. may _cream of beet soup cold pot roast stuffed potatoes string bean salad stewed apricots *black chocolate cake coffee_ _*black chocolate cake_-- - / cups sugar, eggs, / cup crisco, squares chocolate, - / cups flour, measured after sifting, teaspoons baking powder, teaspoon salt, / cup milk, and teaspoon vanilla. cream crisco and sugar, add well beaten eggs, then chocolate melted, beat thoroughly. sift salt and baking powder with flour and add alternating with milk to previous mixture. add flavoring last and beat thoroughly before pouring into a pan well greased with crisco. bake in a moderate oven about minutes. may _broiled bluefish *souffle potatoes, austrian style spinach radish roses coffee jelly, whipped cream sponge cakes coffee_ _*souffle potatoes, austrian style_--select large even-sized potatoes, wash and scrub them, and when dry bake them in hot oven until done. cut off small portion of skin and remove inside part while hot. rub this quickly through sieve into a basin, add tablespoon cream, tablespoon crisco, salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste, and work in yolks of eggs. beat whites of eggs to stiff froth, and stir lightly into mixture. fill potato shells with this, and bake slowly for about / hour, or long enough for mixture to rise, and surface of it to brown. if liked, a little grated cheese can be incorporated with mixture and sprinkled over top of potatoes just before baking second time. may _haricot soup rice fritters tomatoes au gratin *baked bananas bread cheese coffee_ _*baked bananas_--remove skins from bananas and cut in halves lengthwise. put in shallow granite pan or on an old platter. mix tablespoons melted crisco, / cup sugar, and tablespoons lemon juice. baste bananas with / the mixture. bake minutes in slow oven, basting during baking with remaining mixture. may _fish soup salt cod fish balls steamed brown bread dressed shredded cabbage *cream pie coffee_ _*cream pie_-- eggs, tablespoons sugar, tablespoons flour, tablespoon crisco, - / pints milk, and teaspoon lemon extract. mix sugar and flour and then put into a saucepan, then add yolks of eggs, crisco, milk and flavoring. stir constantly until it thickens and then divide into baked pie crusts and cover with a meringue made of whites of eggs. may _fried fish, tartare sauce calves' tongues sorrel puree french pigeon pie *macaroni, a l'italienne polish salad apricot parfait coffee_ _*macaroni, a l'italienne_-- / pound macaroni, tablespoons flour, tablespoons crisco, salt and paprika to taste, / cup brown stock, / cup tomato pulp, and / cup grated cheese. make sauce of crisco, flour seasonings, stock, and tomato pulp. tomato pulp should be quite thick from long cooking. add macaroni, cooked until tender, in boiling salted water, rinsed and drained. reheat in double boiler, adding cheese meanwhile. serve when cheese is melted and whole is very hot. may _grilled salmon cucumber potatoes galantine of beef, aspic jelly vegetable salad *fruit tart custard coffee_ _*fruit tart_-- pounds fruit, cup sugar, ginger, cups flour, tablespoons crisco, and baking powder. if tart is to be made of rhubarb, it should be well washed (not skinned) and cut up in inch lengths, packed tightly into dish, sugar sprinkled among it, also / teaspoon ground ginger. if made of gooseberries, they should be picked clean, washed, and put in dish with little cinnamon. if apples are used, they must be peeled and sliced very thinly, sugar sprinkled among them, and little lemon peel grated, or / teaspoon ground cinnamon. in no case put water in. paste. put flour in basin with dessertspoon, sugar, / teaspoon baking powder, tablespoons crisco, and crumble latter among flour until all lumps have disappeared, then pour in cold water to make stiff paste; turn it out on board and roll it a little larger than size of dish; after wetting it, cut off band of paste to put round edge of dish; wet band again and place remainder paste on. press it down very lightly, to make edges adhere; pare and notch them neatly according to taste; brush top with cold water, and dust fine sugar over, then put in oven to bake for hour. when fruit tart begins to boil out at side it is usually ready. may _*spring soup slices of galantine of beef lettuce and egg salad cheese toast bananas in custard coffee_ _*spring soup_-- large lettuce, spring onions, tablespoons crisco, pint milk, pint stock or water, tablespoon cornstarch, parsley, salt, nutmeg, croutons of bread and sugar. wash lettuce and onions, shred lettuce and slice onions thinly. melt crisco in saucepan, and fry lettuce and onions for about minutes; add stock and part of milk, and let simmer gently for minutes. mix cornstarch with remainder of milk, pour into soup and stir until it boils, simmer for another minutes; season to taste with pepper, salt, sugar, and little nutmeg. cut some crust of bread into thin strips and dry quite crisp in oven; put them into tureen with parsley picked small, and pour soup over. watercress, endive, or sorrel may be used either along with, or in place of, the lettuce for a change. may _julienne soup *bobotee boiled potatoes beans cream cheese and pimiento salad blanc-mange and stewed fruit coffee_ _*bobotee_-- pound lean beef or mutton, ounces bread, tablespoons crisco, onions, tablespoons almonds, tablespoon vinegar, tablespoon curry powder, tablespoon sugar, teaspoons salt, and eggs. soak bread in milk, then squeeze it, mince meat. chop onions and fry in hot crisco, keeping them of a pale color, add bread, curry, sugar, vinegar, and salt, then well mix in meat and eggs beaten. crisco a pudding dish. bake from to minutes. serve in pudding dish garnished with slices of lemon and parsley. can be eaten either hot or cold. may _*chipped beef in cream baked potatoes lettuce and radish salad cheese balls frozen macedoine coffee_ _*chipped beef in cream_--make white sauce using tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, cups milk and cup cream. to it add / pound dried beef broken into small pieces. cook about minutes and just before serving pour very slowly on to well beaten eggs. serve at once. may _fruits *spanish omelet molded spinach new potatoes corn salad cheese sticks frozen souffle coffee_ _*spanish omelet_-- green pepper, red pepper, onion, tablespoons crisco, mushrooms, eggs, tablespoons water, salt and pepper to taste. put / crisco in saucepan, add onion chopped very fine, mushrooms and red and green pepper; cover, cook slowly for minutes. make plain omelet from rest of ingredients; turn this out on heated dish, fill ends of dish or platter with spanish sauce, and send it to table. this omelet can be made very handsome by saving / of green and red pepper, cutting it into fancy shapes to use a garnish for top of omelet. may _strawberries lentil soup, au maigre *scalloped clams stewed tomatoes beet and cabbage salad vanilla ice cream maple sauce coffee_ _*scalloped clams_--chop clams fine and season with red pepper and salt to taste. blend together tablespoon each crisco and flour, and cook with cup liquid, half milk and half clam juice, with a tiny pinch of soda, and stir until smooth and creamy. add chopped clams with beaten egg. have ready large clam or scallop shells, crisco on inside and fill with clam mixture, smoothing over with silver knife blade. arrange on baking dish and bake about minutes, or until well browned. garnish with parsley and pass sliced lemons with them. may _grape fruit cream of celery soup *sweetbreads creamed new potatoes green peas carrots hot biscuit fruit salad orange ice sunshine cake coffee_ _*sweetbreads_--clean and soak pairs of sweetbreads in cold water for an hour or more, then put them in pan with enough water to cover them, and cook them for minutes. take them out and place them in cold water for or minutes to make them firm. dry thoroughly, rub them with tablespoon of crisco. sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a pan with brown sauce. cook in hot oven for minutes. baste often with the sauce. may _cream of pea soup croutons stuffed eggs, tartare sauce baked bananas potato fluff *onions stuffed with nuts apple salad coffee_ _*onions stuffed with nuts_-- large spanish onions, or good-sized bermuda onions, cup boiled rice, cup chopped english walnut meats, mixed with teaspoon salt, saltspoon pepper, and raw egg. put onions, without peeling into a saucepan of boiling water; add half the salt and boil for / an hour. drain and dry. remove outside skin, and with handle of a teaspoon, take out center, saving it for the sauce. mix nuts, rice, seasoning and egg; fill this into onions; stand them in baking pan, brush with melted crisco and bake in moderate oven for / hour. chop very fine the portion that you have taken from center, press it through a sieve, add this pulp to a cup of tartare sauce and pour it into a sauceboat. serve onions on platter; pass the sauce. may _oloronnaise potage broiled shad roe *anna potatoes duckling braise with cherries fresh asparagus, swiss weimar pudding coffee_ _*anna potatoes_--peel, wash and drain good-sized, sound, raw potatoes. slice them with a saratoga-chip potato machine. if none is at hand, slice them as fine as possible. grate ounces of parmesan or swiss cheese. heat tablespoons crisco in a small frying pan, remove pan from fire and cover bottom with light layer of potatoes. mix teaspoon salt with saltspoons white pepper, sprinkle a little over potatoes, spread a little cheese over potatoes, and place few bits crisco over cheese. arrange another layer of potatoes--and so on till all are employed. cover pan, place on moderate fire for minutes. turn them over with cake turner; let them cook again minutes, then place in hot oven for minutes. turn on hot dish and serve. may _little neck clams parmentier puree veal cutlets mashed potatoes *spinach, martha chicory salad biscuit tortoni coffee_ _*spinach, martha_--trim off stalks of quarts fresh spinach, discarding stale leaves if any. thoroughly wash and drain, plunge in gallon boiling water with tablespoon salt and boil for minutes. take them up with skimmer, drain on sieve, press out all water, chop finely, place in saucepan. cut slices bread in / inch square pieces, place on plate, pour over them tablespoon vinegar, then brown them in small frying pan with tablespoon melted crisco to golden color, add them to spinach, with hard-cooked eggs cut into pieces each, tablespoon crisco, salt, sugar, grated nutmeg to taste, and tablespoons cream. mix well with wooden spoon and cook minutes, lightly mixing once in a while, dress on vegetable dish and serve. may _potage, a la monaco *mackerel, cold, vinaigrette cucumbers, bechamel sauce tomato and artichoke salad monte carlo pie coffee_ _*mackerel, cold, vinaigrette_--select fine mackerel; clean, leaving head on, wrap in piece of cheesecloth, and boil in strong solution of vinegar and water until tender, taking care that it does not cook too long. to minutes should be sufficient. make a vinaigrette sauce with / cup tarragon vinegar, cup melted crisco, teaspoon made mustard, teaspoon chopped parsley, teaspoon chopped shallots, and teaspoons chopped capers. put vinegar into basin, add mustard, little salt, stir in crisco and chopped ingredients. mix well together, lay mackerel, after removing from cloth, on long platter, pour over vinaigrette sauce and let marinate thoroughly, putting in refrigerator as soon as cool. serve ice cold in bed of parsley, garnished with lemon slices, and pass vinaigrette sauce with it. may _*puree, a l'indienne lamb stew with dumplings lettuce, french dressing cheese balls snow pudding coffee_ _*puree, a l'indienne_-- large apples, tablespoons crisco, large onion, large carrot, turnip, white leeks, stalk celery, sprig parsley, bay leaf, tablespoon cocoanut, juice / lemon, tomato, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon red pepper, tablespoon curry powder, teaspoon curry paste, / cup cream, some boiled rice, and quarts of water. melt crisco, cut up all vegetables (prepared) into rough pieces, fry them a little in hot crisco, add also curry powder, and fry it. do not peel apples; simply wipe, cut up and add with vegetables. when fried for minutes, add all ingredients except cream, simmer till soft, then rub all through fine sieve, return to pan to reheat, and gently add cream. serve rice on paper mat, as croutons are served with most soups. may _*fish chowder cucumber and tomato salad cheese croquettes bakewell pudding coffee_ _*fish chowder_-- white fish weighing pounds, cups potato dice, / cup onion dice, / cup salt pork dice, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste, cups hot water, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, cups milk, and buttered crackers. remove head and skin and cut fish into fillets. cover head, skin and bones with cold water; simmer minutes, strain. reserve liquor. parboil potatoes minutes. cook onion in salt pork until yellow. arrange in layers, fish, potatoes, onions and salt pork; cover with water in which bones were cooked, and simmer until potatoes are tender. thicken milk with crisco and flour cooked together, combine mixtures, add seasonings, and pour over buttered crackers which have been previously soaked in cold milk. do not allow onion or salt pork to burn. may _*turnip soup beefsteak and kidney pie potatoes peas lettuce salad caramel trifle coffee_ _*turnip soup_--take pounds of peeled turnips, cut into small squares, place in a stewpan with tablespoons crisco, stir them over a quick fire, add pinch salt, tablespoon flour, add pints of stock, simmer gently for - / hours, and pass whole through a sieve. put back in stewpan, and add little seasoning. bring to boil, and just before sending to table add cup of good cream. may _chutney canapes roast sirloin of beef franconia potatoes summer squash olive salad strawberry ice cream *genoa cake coffee_ _*genoa cake_-- / pound crisco, and / pound butter. mix to a cream with / pound sugar, add little mace, stir in gradually yolk of eggs and / beaten whites, ounces flour, beat well for minute, add pound raisins, / pound citron, cut very fine, grated rind of lemon, and ounces chopped almonds. mix well, add remainder of beaten whites last. mix well, put in pan lined with paper, sprinkle top with chopped almonds and bake in slow oven. may _mock consomme roast crown of lamb, currant mint sauce potato balls peas asparagus on toast *carrot salad raspberry ice cream coffee_ _*carrot salad_--scrape, cut into slices and then into fancy shapes, large carrots. soak in cold water for / an hour, and then cook in boiling unsalted water until tender. drain and dry. line salad bowl with crisp lettuce leaves, and arrange on top the carrots. serve with following dressing: rub sides and bottom of bowl with clove garlic, add salt and pepper to taste and tablespoons melted crisco; add piece of ice, if possible; stir until salt is dissolved, then add tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. beat until thick; use at once. may _raw clams chicken pie *stuffed potatoes broiled tomatoes pepper and cucumber salad cheese fingers pineapple jelly coffee_ _*stuffed potatoes_--bake good-sized potatoes. when done, cut off a lengthwise slice; scoop out potato with a spoon. mash; add tablespoon crisco, salt and pepper to taste, / cup milk, and egg whites beaten stiff. refill skins with this mixture. pile lightly, do not smooth, bake until potatoes are puffed and brown. decoration day may _fruit soup breaded mutton chops potatoes *peas tomato mayonnaise banana charlotte russe assorted cakes coffee_ _*peas_-- quart cooked green peas, ounces of lean cooked ham cut into dice, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons good stock, teaspoon flour, / small onion finely chopped, a pinch of sugar, grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. fry onion until lightly browned in crisco, add flour and ham, stir over fire for a minute or two, then put in peas, stock, sugar, and nutmeg. season to taste, simmer for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, then serve. may _milk soup *beef loaf, brown sauce potatoes tomatoes radish and watercress salad vanilla pudding, jam sauce coffee_ _*beef loaf_--mix together pounds chopped raw beef, / pound of minced salt pork, cup cracker dust, teaspoons, each, of salt and pepper, and moisten all with beaten eggs, teaspoonful onion juice, and teaspoon worcestershire sauce. work in tablespoons melted crisco, and pack in a criscoed mold. cover; set in a roasting pan of boiling water, and cook in a steady oven for hours. serve with brown sauce. june _curried lobster *boiled stuffed leg of lamb potatoes scalloped sweet corn cherry salad frozen watermelon coffee_ _*boiled stuffed leg of lamb_--have small, tender leg of lamb, and remove bone. make forcemeat of / pound fresh mushrooms cut in pieces, / cup chopped boiled ham, / cup breadcrumbs, and tablespoons melted crisco. season with pepper and salt, and put into the lamb in place of removed bone. tie it up well, wrap in piece of cheesecloth, and boil in salted water, having juice / lemon, onion, and few branches of parsley in it. serve with currant jelly sauce; that is, tablespoons butter melted together with / tumbler currant jelly and / glass white wine. june _green vegetable soup fried chicken, virginia style cornmeal bread broiled tomatoes bean salad *strawberry fritters coffee_ _*strawberry fritters_--have large, ripe strawberries, remove hulls and clean them thoroughly. moisten each berry with little brandy, roll in sugar and stand till berries absorb considerable sweetness. roll them in finest possible breadcrumbs and drop into hot crisco. sprinkle strawberries with powdered sugar when taking up, and serve with them sweetened whipped cream. care must be taken that strawberries are not too ripe. they must be quite hard and firm to be perfectly satisfactory when served. june _*crab soup salmon, la francesca veal, roasted chiffonade salad cheese crackers tipsy pudding coffee_ _*crab soup_--remove cooked meat from hard-shelled crabs and chop finely. add cups white stock, / cup stale breadcrumbs, slice of onion, sprig of parsley, and simmer minutes. blend together tablespoon crisco and tablespoon flour, and add cup cream, salt and red pepper to taste. combine mixtures and bring to boiling point. june _boiled halibut, lobster sauce beef roll in jelly italian risotto *hungarian salad manhattan pudding coffee_ _*hungarian salad_--mix equal parts shredded fresh or preserved pineapple, bananas in small pieces, and sections tangerines, and marinate together in french dressing. fill banana skins with mixture, sprinkle generously with paprika, arrange on lettuce leaves, and serve with french dressing. the dressing is made as follows: put tablespoons melted crisco in cold bowl; if possible, put in small piece ice. add / teaspoon salt, saltspoon pepper, and stir until salt is dissolved, add tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. beat for minutes until dressing is as thick as good cream. use at once. june _grapefruit cocktail *roast duckling, apple sauce rice fritters creamed carrots macedoine salad wafers cheese rhubarb meringue pie coffee_ _*roast duckling_--this is prepared and trussed similarly to goose, but not usually stuffed. roast from to minutes. green peas are the usual accompaniment to roast duckling. serve with apple sauce, which is made as follows: pound cooking apples, tablespoon crisco, / cup water, and sugar. peel, core, and slice the apples, cook them in a stewpan with water and crisco, add a little sugar to taste. stir well, or pass through a sieve. june _hamburg steak, maitre d'hotel *asparagus baked potatoes lettuce and radish salad strawberry mousse lady fingers coffee_ _*asparagus_--boil cups asparagus tips in salted water minutes, then drain them; while they are cooking put cup milk in double boiler, and when boiling pour some of it on lightly beaten eggs, stirring vigorously meanwhile, then put eggs into double boiler with milk, and stir until it begins to thicken. add teaspoon crisco, salt and pepper to taste, and remove from fire. cut asparagus tips into / inch pieces and add them to sauce. take stale rolls, cut off tops, remove inside, let them dry in oven; when crisp and hot fill each with asparagus in sauce, replace tops and serve. june _boiled salmon, egg sauce creamed potatoes new peas dressed lettuce cheese crackers *chocolate bread pudding coffee_ _*chocolate bread pudding_-- / cup breadcrumbs, cups scalded milk, squares melted chocolate, eggs, tablespoon crisco, salt to taste, / teaspoon vanilla, / cup cold milk, / cup sugar and / cup sultana raisins. mix all ingredients in order given. pour into a criscoed baking dish, set into pan of hot water, and bake hour in moderate oven; stir twice during baking to keep chocolate from rising to the top. june _veal cutlet, brown gravy mashed potatoes *glazed carrots pea salad cottage pudding, strawberry sauce coffee_ _*glazed carrots_--for this, carrots must be cut into even cones or ovals, and it is convenient to use imported carrots in glass bottles. if these are used they are already boiled; if fresh carrots are used scrape, wash them and cut out little shapes with patent cutter, then boil slowly until tender, but not quite done, and put cups of them in frying pan with tablespoons melted crisco, sprinkle with fine sugar, and stir over hot fire until they begin to brown; add tablespoons stock they were boiled in, adding more stock if needed, and continue stirring until carrots are nicely glazed. june _roast beef horseradish relish asparagus franconia potatoes bean salad *cherry pie coffee_ _*cherry pie_-- quart ripe cherries, yolk egg, tablespoons cream, and / cup sugar. wash cherries, stem and place in colander over dish to catch juice. place thin layer of the following dough on shallow pan, sprinkle top with breadcrumbs. spread stoned cherries over evenly. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. beat yolk well, add cream and cherry juice and pour over all. bake in hot oven until well browned at bottom. the dough is made as follows: tablespoon crisco, cup flour, / teaspoon baking powder, / cup sugar and egg. mix dry ingredients. work in crisco with finger tips; add egg; mix. toss on slightly floured board and roll a / inch thick. this makes enough dough for a large oblong pan. june _scotch broth cold roast beef creamed potatoes *string beans tomato and olive salad vanilla ice cream crushed raspberries coffee_ _*string beans_--if fresh beans are used pick them over, remove ends and "strings," and boil for / an hour or more; then drain them, and add tablespoon crisco and tablespoons milk, season to taste, and serve after minutes' slow cooking. if canned beans are used omit the first long boiling. june _vegetable soup broiled steak stuffed tomatoes baked macaroni *pear and pimiento salad apricot blanc-mange coffee_ _*pear and pimiento salad_--fill each canned pimiento with halves canned pears; place each pimiento in nest of lettuce and serve with following dressing: put teaspoon salt and saltspoon black pepper in bowl, and stir into them with wooden spoon, very slowly, tablespoons melted crisco, and add tablespoons vinegar, mixing it well with crisco. june _cream of tomato soup *planked salmon potato balls fresh green peas lettuce and cucumber salad cheese bread-sticks lemon pudding coffee_ _*planked salmon_--have salmon cut in steaks - / or inches thick. steaks of average size can be placed on medium-sized plank. crisco plank thoroughly, place fish upon it, and broil under gas broiler, turning flame low after first few moments. or it can be baked in oven of range. serve on plank, surrounded by potato balls cut with french vegetable cutter. heat / cup cream, add salt and pepper to taste, and tablespoons finely chopped parsley. shake potato balls in this until well covered with seasonings. serve hollandaise sauce with planked salmon. june _strawberry cocktail roast lamb, mint sauce mashed potatoes carrots and peas *cherry roly poly coffee_ _*cherry roly poly_--roll pastry or a baking powder biscuit dough very thin, about / of an inch in thickness, sprinkle with sugar, and dot with ripe stoned cherries. roll like a jelly roll, press, and close the ends as tight as possible. tie in a floured cloth, and cook in boiling water hours, or steam in steamer hour. remove from cloth and serve on hot platter with the following sauce: / cup crisco, cup powdered sugar, egg yolk, tablespoons wine, and egg whites. cream crisco; add sugar, yolk of egg and wine. cook over hot water until hot. remove from fire and add beaten whites of eggs. june _roasted little neck clams *salmi of lamb fried new potatoes boiled bermuda onions individual strawberry pies coffee_ _*salmi of lamb_--cut cold roast lamb in thin slices. cook minutes tablespoons crisco with / tablespoon finely chopped onion. add lamb, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with cup cold lamb gravy seasoned with worcestershire sauce. cook until thoroughly heated. arrange slices overlapping one another lengthwise of platter, pour around sauce, and garnish with toast points. a few stoned olives and mushrooms improve this sauce. june _cream of pea soup *baked brains mashed potatoes escalloped asparagus romaine salad greengage ice cream coffee_ _*baked brains_--prepare brain of an ox by washing and skimming it, and then steep it on back of range for hour. rub it with flour and salt, lay on it bits of crisco, and set in oven, having added water to dish in which it is to bake. bake it hour, basting it often, and serve with mushroom sauce. onion sauce may be substituted for the mushroom sauce. june _*baked trout chicken epicurean new potatoes string beans in cream tomato salad pineapple bisque coffee_ _*baked trout_--clean brook trout, season with salt, black pepper, and paprika. lay in criscoed baking pan, dredge with flour, sprinkle with chopped parsley and bits of crisco, pour over little vinegar and water, and bake in hot oven until done, basting often with crisco. garnish with parsley, and serve hot with cream sauce. june _brunoise soup porterhouse steak olives stuffed potatoes *beans belgian salad compote of cherries coffee_ _*beans_--boil quart beans until tender, salting them well when half cooked. beat tablespoon crisco to a cream, beat in yolk egg, tablespoon finely chopped parsley, saltspoon black pepper, and teaspoons lemon juice; when this sauce is well mixed stir it into beans, taking care not to break them, then serve. june _cream of celery soup stewed chicken rice croquettes green peas *watercress salad lemon jelly iced coffee_ _*watercress salad_--take plenty fresh young sprigs of watercress, wash and dry them thoroughly, put them lightly in dish, add sliced shallots. pour over them dressing made with parts melted crisco and of lemon juice or vinegar. garnish with tufts scraped horseradish. june _roast loin of mutton creamed spinach baked potatoes pineapple charlotte *maids of honor coffee_ _*maids of honor_--crisco puff pastry, tablespoons sugar, tablespoon ground almonds, eggs, / teaspoon vanilla, tablespoons melted crisco, and tablespoon cocoanut. roll out crisco puff pastry and line gem pans with it. put eggs and sugar into basin, and beat them together for minutes; then stir in lightly crisco, ground almonds, cocoanut, and vanilla. put teaspoons into each gem pan and bake in a moderate oven for minutes. when cooked, sprinkle over with little sugar. june _*cream of cucumber soup grilled salmon, mayonnaise sauce lamb cutlets green peas mashed potatoes cold fruit souffle coffee_ _*cream of cucumber soup_-- large cucumbers, onions, sprig parsley, handful spinach, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon cornstarch, quart white stock, cup milk, cups cream, yolks eggs, nutmeg, teaspoon sugar, pepper and salt to taste, croutons. peel cucumbers and cut firm part into dice, about tablespoons; boil gently in salted water until soft, drain and reserve for soup. cut remainder cucumber into pieces, cut onions small. make crisco hot in stewpan, fry onions and cucumber minutes, add parsley with stock, let it simmer minutes. mix cornstarch with milk, stir in soup until it boils, let boil minutes. well wash and drain spinach, pound it in mortar, turn it into cloth and squeeze lightly as possible. pour as much of this liquor into soup as will make it a delicate green color. pass soup through sieve, turn it back into stewpan. mix cream and yolks of eggs in basin, pour boiling soup on to them, stirring at same time, return to pan; it must not boil again or it will curdle. season to taste with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. cut bread into dice, fry pale color in hot crisco, drain and toss them in sugar, sprinkle little red pepper over and place in oven minutes. warm dice of cucumber, put them in tureen with croutons and pour hot soup over and serve. june _fried flounders, lemon sauce *beef, a la mode cauliflower au gratin creamed potatoes fruit chartreuse coffee_ _*beef, a la mode_-- pounds lean beef, larding bacon, quart stock, glass claret, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, carrots, chopped onion, button onions, sprig parsley, piece thyme, bay leaf, juice half lemon, cloves, salt and pepper to taste. trim, bone, and lard meat, place it in basin with wine, lemon juice, chopped onion, cloves, salt, pepper parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and let it stand hours, basting frequently. melt crisco in stewpan, drain beef, and fry it brown, and at same time lightly fry button onions. remove both from stewpan, put in flour, and fry until it acquires a nut-brown color; add stock and wine marinade in which meat was soaked, and stir until boiling. replace meat and onions, season to taste, add carrots thinly sliced, cook gently for hours, stirring and skimming occasionally. when done place on hot dish, strain sauce over, and garnish with groups of onions and carrots. june _*tournedos of beef with olives braised lettuce baked potatoes alligator pear salad strawberry ice cream coffee_ _*tournedos of beef with olives_-- pounds fillet beef, croutons fried bread, tomatoes, white sauce, olives, straw potatoes, tablespoons crisco, and seasoning. cut fillet in slices inch thick, trim into small rounds with cutter. melt crisco in saute pan, fry tournedos quickly and brown nicely, season with pepper and salt, and dress each on round crouton of bread, cut same size as fillet, and fried. on this place thin slice tomato that has been slightly cooked in crisco; in center of tomato place a teaspoon white sauce; on that, again, arrange olives. cut potatoes in strips, and fry them golden brown in hot crisco; arrange these round tournedos, and serve hot. june _soup with marrow balls sweetbread patties green peas saratoga chips beet salad *raspberry batter pudding coffee_ _*raspberry batter pudding_-- pint milk, eggs, tablespoons flour, salt, and melted crisco. put flour and good pinch of salt into a basin, make a well in center, break in eggs, stir, gradually mixing in flour from sides, and add milk by degrees until a thick, smooth batter is formed. now beat well minutes, add remainder of milk; cover, and let stand for at least hour. when ready to use, put tablespoon melted crisco into pudding dish, and while it is heating give batter another good beating. pour into dish, and bake in quick oven for minutes. serve with raspberries and sugar. june _puree of peas baked red snapper, tomato sauce riced potatoes buttered beets cabbage salad *cup puddings coffee_ _*cup puddings_--these should be baked in little cups or molds. for pudding, take tablespoon of following ingredients: flour, crisco, milk, currants, sugar. for puddings use treble quantities. put flour into a basin with a pinch of salt, together with currants and sugar; melt crisco to pour in, add milk, and mix well together. put into criscoed cups and bake in a moderate oven for a / of an hour. tops should be nicely browned when done. these puddings are nice either hot or cold. june _soup with bread balls fried spring chicken, milk gravy new potatoes asparagus tomato mayonnaise *rhubarb fanchonettes coffee_ _*rhubarb fanchonettes_-- pounds rhubarb, cup sugar, / cup strained orange juice, tablespoon powdered gelatine, piece orange peel, cup cream, whipped, flavored and sweetened, number of individual pastry shells. cut rhubarb into inch pieces. hot house variety needs no peeling. place in baking dish in layers, sprinkling sugar between layers. add tablespoons water, tablespoon crisco, and a few thin strips orange peel, place in moderate oven, cover and bake hour. dissolve gelatine in orange juice and when rhubarb is cooked remove it from oven and add this mixture to it. let it get cold. when ready to serve fill shells with rhubarb mixture, heap with whipped cream and decorate with crystallized orange peel. june _*curried chicken new green peas young carrots macedoine salad boiled custard with snow eggs coffee_ _*curried chicken_--clean and dress a -pound chicken and cut in pieces for serving. put / cup crisco in a hot frying pan, add chicken, and cook minutes, tightly covered. then add liver and gizzard, and continue cooking for minutes longer. cut medium-sized onions in thin slices, and add to chicken with teaspoons salt and tablespoon curry powder. add sufficient boiling water to cover, and simmer until chicken is tender. remove chicken, strain liquor, and thicken it with a roux of flour and water. make border of boiled rice around platter or serving dish, arrange chicken in center, and pour curry sauce over it. june _boiled salmon, egg sauce boiled potatoes peas cucumber salad *almond pudding meringues coffee_ _*almond pudding_--beat separately yolks of eggs and whites of , and mix to a cream with tablespoons ground almonds, tablespoons sugar, and tablespoons crisco. mix in a wineglass of sherry, and pour into a criscoed mold ornamented with nuts. bake it, and serve hot. june _cream of lettuce soup bread sticks *halibut ramekins baked potatoes asparagus ginger ice cream lady fingers coffee_ _*halibut ramekins_--flake rather finely - / pounds cooked halibut. see that it is free from bones and skin. have ready pint seasoned white sauce. crisco few fireproof dishes. mix halibut with sauce, season with salt and pepper, then fill dishes with it, smooth over surface with wetted knife, and cover with thin layer white sauce. sprinkle top with mixture of breadcrumbs and grated cheese, and place a few tiny bits crisco here and there on surface. bake in fairly hot oven minutes, so as to get it thoroughly heated and surface browned. dish up and serve hot. june _*beef croquettes, brown sauce mashed potatoes beets fruit salad cheese crackers coffee_ _*beef croquettes_--melt tablespoons crisco, stir in tablespoon flour, gradually add / pint milk, stir till it boils minutes, add salt and pepper to taste; / pound cold cooked chopped beef and tablespoons breadcrumbs. turn out on plate to cool. divide into pieces, flour them and make into neat croquettes. egg and breadcrumb them. fry till brown in hot crisco. drain and serve hot with brown sauce. june _*breaded veal cutlets potatoes egg plant cress, whipped cream dressing cottage pudding, strawberry sauce coffee_ _*breaded veal cutlets_-- - / pounds fillet or neck of veal, crisco for frying, / teaspoon chopped parsley, / teaspoon grated lemon rind, salt and pepper, egg and breadcrumbs. cut meat into thin slices, which afterwards trim into neat fillets. beat egg, mix with it parsley, lemon rind, good seasoning of salt and pepper. brush cutlets over with this preparation, coat them carefully with breadcrumbs, fry quickly and lightly in hot crisco. serve with either tomato or piquante sauce, or, when gravy is preferred, brown little flour in crisco in frying pan, add little salt and pepper, pour in / of a pint of hot water, boil up, and strain. july _boned chicken stuffed pepper salad sliced tomatoes white and brown bread *ground rice pudding coffee jelly fruit_ _*ground rice pudding_-- / cup ground rice, cups milk, eggs, tablespoons sugar, rind / lemon, tablespoons crisco, / cup sultana raisins, and brown breadcrumbs. boil milk slowly, sprinkle in ground rice, boil minutes. remove add sugar and crisco. mix well, cool a little, add eggs well beaten, stir and flavor with grated lemon rind. crisco plain mold, dust with toasted breadcrumbs. pour in pudding. bake hour in moderate oven. serve with following sauce: small lemon, cup water, teaspoon cornstarch, tablespoon sugar, and few drops red color. put cornstarch into pan with lemon juice, add other ingredients and bring to boil. july _spanish veal balls summer squash buttered beets lettuce and peppergrass salad *snow souffle iced coffee_ _*snow souffle_--put tablespoons crisco and tablespoons potato flour in pan, stir well together, add / cup milk, pinch salt, and stir till boiling. remove from fire, add tablespoons sugar, yolks eggs by , / teaspoon orange flower water, and fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. pour into criscoed souffle mold, put greased paper round. bake for minutes in moderate oven. serve at once. july _roast lamb new potatoes green peas *summer squash watercress and cucumber salad coffee ice cream lady fingers_ _*summer squash_--cut summer squashes into small pieces and boil till tender in salted water. put into a clean towel and wring out all water. put squashes into saucepan and add to each cup of them, tablespoons cream and / tablespoon crisco. heat thoroughly before sending to table. declaration day july _fruit cocktail carrot soup radishes stuffed shoulder of veal, roasted potato souffle green corn molded spinach, french dressing washington ice cream *flag cake coffee_ _*flag cake_-- / cup sugar, / cup crisco, / cup milk, - / cups flour, teaspoons baking powder, / teaspoon salt, whites of eggs, and teaspoon vanilla. cream crisco and sugar together, add flour, salt, baking powder, milk, vanilla and whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. mix carefully, turn into criscoed and floured tin and bake in moderate oven for / of an hour. decorate with frosting and tiny flags. july _iced pimiento consomme small tenderloins of beef molded potatoes *corn cakes orange, grapefruit and romaine salad cup custards coffee_ _*corn cakes_--make a custard from eggs well beaten, / cup milk, / tablespoon crisco, and / tablespoon sugar; beat into this / of cup of canned corn. sift together twice, / cup of flour, tablespoon baking powder, and / teaspoon salt; beat into other mixture, and drop in criscoed muffin rings by the tablespoon; set in a criscoed dripping pan, and bake in a moderate oven until done. july _clam bisque lamb chops escalloped corn creamed sweet potatoes german salad *cheese drops strawberry bavarian cream coffee_ _*cheese drops_--add to - / tablespoons flour, tablespoons melted crisco, and blend together until smooth. remove from fire, add tablespoons grated cheese, / teaspoon salt, and a dash of red pepper. fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs, and drop from end of spoon on a criscoed baking sheet about inch apart, and bake from to minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot in folded napkin with salad course. july _beef broth with vermicelli *baked bluefish cucumbers, french dressing mashed potatoes buttered bermuda onions heavenly hash coffee_ _*baked bluefish_--select nice large bluefish, clean, and prepare it for baking. wash it in salted water, and after drying it thoroughly, stuff with bread stuffing, and sew up opening and rub fish all over with salt. then, having put small pieces of crisco over, place in pan with enough water to cover bottom, and bake in hot oven or minutes. after it begins to bake, sprinkle with salt and pepper. baste it often with liquid in pan and a little melted crisco. when it is cooked and a nice color, remove carefully to hot plate. do not break it. serve with brown sauce poured round fish as garnish, or serve it in a separate dish. july _iced bouillon broiled chicken mashed potatoes new peas tomato mayonnaise *red raspberry shortcake, hot marshmallow sauce coffee_ _*red raspberry shortcake_-- cups sifted flour, tablespoons baking powder, teaspoon salt, tablespoons crisco, milk, and quarts red raspberries. sift baking powder and salt with flour, rub in crisco; then with fork stir in lightly and quickly sufficient milk to make soft dough--too soft to roll. turn it into criscoed tin, and bake in hot oven minutes. unmold, and leaving it inverted, cut circle around top within inch of edge; lift off circle of crust, and with fork pick out crumb from center, leaving about / of an inch of biscuit around sides. spread inside cake with butter, fill with crushed raspberries, which have been standing / hour or more mixed with enough sugar to sweeten them. turn off juice from berries before filling cake. replace circle of crust, and serve with following sauce: / pound marshmallows, / cup confectioners' sugar, and / cup boiling water. cut marshmallows in pieces and melt in double boiler. dissolve sugar in boiling water, add to marshmallows, and stir until blended. serve hot with shortcake. july _sardines and lemon olives radishes cold roast of lamb, mint sauce creamed potatoes peas endive and cheese salad *cherry souffle iced tea_ _*cherry souffle_-- tablespoons flour, tablespoons crisco, / cup milk, teaspoon vanilla, whole eggs and additional white, tablespoons sugar, and tablespoons chopped preserved cherries. put crisco and flour in saucepan, mix over fire, add milk, stir till it boils and becomes thick; remove from fire to cool minutes, add sugar, yolks eggs, by stirring each thoroughly, whites stiffly beaten up, then add chopped cherries. pour all into criscoed souffle mold. put into saucepan with / an inch of boiling water. put lid on saucepan and steam gently / hour. turn out, send to table with jam sauce round. july _clam broth *chicken croquettes peas buttered rolls mayonnaise of lettuce and tomatoes tutti fruitti ice cream macaroons coffee_ _*chicken croquettes_-- cups cooked chicken, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon celery salt, teaspoon lemon juice, / teaspoon onion juice, and cup white sauce. mix ingredients in order given. cool mixture, shape, crumb and fry in hot crisco. the white sauce is made as follows: tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, cup milk (heated), salt and pepper to taste. melt crisco, add flour, then add milk gradually. cook over fire until smooth and thick. add seasoning. july _roast beef yorkshire pudding potato croquettes string beans lettuce, french dressing *fruit pancakes coffee_ _*fruit pancakes_-- cups flour, cups milk, tablespoons crisco, eggs, nutmeg and salt to taste. put flour into basin with salt, grated nutmeg, eggs, pour milk in by degrees, stirring smoothly; beat it well in order to let the air in, and then let it stand for / an hour. this allows starch grains in flour to swell, and so batter is lighter. when ready to fry, warm crisco and pour in, stirring at same time. make some crisco hot in a small saucepan, ladle some into a frying pan, when very hot, pour back into saucepan, but do not drain it, then ladle sufficient batter in to cover the bottom of pan, shake it gently over rather a sharp fire, and, when nicely browned, toss it over and brown other side, turn on to a wire or sieve, sprinkle with sugar and ripe blackberries. roll it up, and keep it warm while finishing remainder of batter. dish them up on platter, each row crossways to prevent under ones from becoming sodden. sprinkle sugar over top and serve. july _cottage pie new stringless beans olive salad cheese biegnets *apricot pudding iced coffee_ _*apricot pudding_--put pint milk into saucepan, add two tablespoons crisco, and bring to boiling point. mix / cup cornstarch with / cup milk and stir slowly into boiling milk, add / teaspoon salt. heat cup apricot jam, and strain off juice. stir the pieces of apricot into cornstarch and cook for minutes. sprinkle tablespoon chopped pistachio nuts into wet mold and pour in hot mixture. turn out when cold and surround with apricot juice. july _cream of peanut soup *veal chops mashed potatoes string beans onion salad meringues filled with custard coffee_ _*veal chops_--trim neatly chops and put into frying pan with tablespoons crisco, and fry over quick fire a nice brown color. as the meat will afterwards be cooked again, the frying process should be done quickly without actually cooking the chops. place them between boards, put weight not too heavy over top, and keep them until cold. strain crisco, and keep for further use. cut / cup pork and / cup beef marrow into small pieces, pound in mortar; when fine, add tablespoon anchovy paste, teaspoon powdered savory herbs, yolk egg, and piece of crisco about size of nutmeg. pound thoroughly until smooth, season with pepper and salt, rub through sieve, and cover side of each chop thickly with this. put them on criscoed baking sheet, cover with few fried breadcrumbs, sprinkle with melted crisco and place in hot oven for minutes. dish up chops in circle on hot dish, and serve. july _steak, a la parmesan corn pudding mashed potatoes lettuce, french dressing *cheese balls peach ice cream coffee_ _*cheese balls_-- / cup breadcrumbs, teaspoon crisco, / teaspoon mustard, cup grated cheese, egg, / teaspoon salt, and a few grains red pepper. rub crisco into crumbs and cheese, add seasonings and egg well beaten. shape in small balls and fry in hot crisco. drain and serve hot. july _stuffed shoulder of veal, braised buttered beets potato roses onion and tomato salad rhubarb dumplings *mocha cake coffee_ _*mocha cake--_sift cups flour with teaspoon baking powder into a basin, add teaspoon each of powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, cup brown sugar, / teaspoonful salt, and cup crisco; rub well together, add / a cup golden syrup, cup strong cold coffee, well beaten eggs, cup currants and cup sultana raisins, mix well together. pour into criscoed and papered tin and bake in moderate oven hours. july _tomato soup fried chicken waffles pea souffles creamed white potatoes bean salad *snow balls coffee_ _*snow balls--_ cup sugar, / cup milk, / cup crisco, - / cups flour, - / teaspoons baking powder, and whites of eggs. cream crisco, add sugar gradually, milk, and flour sifted with baking powder; add whites of eggs beaten stiff. steam minutes in criscoed cups; serve with stewed or preserved fruit. july _iced currants *blanquette of veal fried artichokes duchesse potatoes cauliflower and red pepper salad macaroon trifle coffee_ _*blanquette of veal--_ tablespoons crisco, pounds fillet of veal, / cup cream, tablespoons flour, large onion, carrot, seasoning, preserved mushrooms, and whole peppers. cut veal into square pieces, put them into stewpan with enough cold water to cover, bring it to boil, and skim well; add salt to taste, onion cut in quarters, carrot, whole peppers; cook gently hour. take up meat, strain stock, and measure off pint. melt crisco in stewpan, stir in flour, add stock; boil and skim; cook for a few minutes. add mushrooms, cut in slices, and cream; put in pieces of veal; make hot, but do not boil again; season nicely, dish up, sprinkle little chopped parsley over, and serve. july _onion soup fricasseed tripe baked potatoes stringless beans tomatoes stuffed with pineapple bisque ice cream coffee_ _*fricasseed tripe--_cut pounds of tripe into narrow strips, add / cup of water, cups milk, season with salt and pepper, add / cup crisco mixed with tablespoons flour; simmer for minutes and serve hot. a little chopped parsley is an improvement. july _cream of asparagus soup *lamb fricassee with dumplings mint jelly green peas romaine salad cheese toasted crackers watermelon coffee_ _*lamb fricassee with dumplings--_ cut up and dice enough cold lamb to make quart. season with salt and white pepper, put into criscoed baking dish and pour over following sauce: blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour, and cook until brown. now add cups water and when it boils season with salt, pepper, onion juice to taste and pour over meat. cover and bake in moderate oven minutes. to make the dumplings, sift together cups flour, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon sugar, and teaspoons baking powder. add tablespoon crisco and rub in with tips of fingers, then add sufficient milk to make soft dough. roll out and cut into small biscuits. place on top of lamb and bake in hot oven for minutes. serve hot. july _roast beef's heart boiled new potatoes cauliflower au gratin baked bean salad *cheese aigrettes apricot meringue pie coffee_ _*cheese aigrettes--_bring tablespoons crisco and / cup water to boiling point, then add / cup flour and stir until mixture leaves sides of pan. cool, but do not allow to become cold, then add eggs, by , tablespoons grated cheese, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste and beat well. allow to stand in cool place minutes. drop by teaspoons into hot crisco and fry a golden brown. drain and sprinkle with grated cheese. serve hot. the crisco should not be too hot or the cheese will burn. vegetarian july _strawberry cocktails macaroni cutlets, cheese sauce *popovers tomato mayonnaise pimiento sandwiches frozen banana whip coffee_ _*pop overs_--beat up eggs until light; add cup milk and teaspoon melted crisco. pour this gradually into cup flour and / teaspoon salt, beating all the time until smooth. crisco iron gem pans, put them in the oven, and when hot, take them out and fill them half full of this batter. put them back in the oven and bake for minutes. they should be at least times their original bulk. if they fall, they are not thoroughly done. the oven should be hot. july _*pilau, a la turque peppers stuffed with green corn huntington salad cheese rolls baked custard coffee_ _*pilau, a la turque_--put / cups of stock, with cup stewed and strained tomato, over fire. when boiling add cup well-washed or blanched rice and / teaspoon salt; stir lightly with fork, occasionally, until liquor is absorbed. then add / cup crisco, season with salt and pepper, and cook over hot water until tender; remove cover, and stir with fork before serving. july _vegetable soup *fried fish baked shoulder of mutton onion puree chipped potatoes fruit jelly toasted cheese fingers coffee_ _*fried fish_--marinade halibut steaks for hour; drain, dip in salted flour, then in beaten egg, lastly in fine salted and peppered crumbs. leave on ice for hour, and fry in hot crisco. july _lamb potpie summer squash mashed potatoes dressed cucumbers raspberry float *cushion cake iced coffee_ _*cushion cake_--cream cup crisco with / cup sugar, add well beaten eggs, and / cup milk. sift cups flour, teaspoons baking powder, and / teaspoon salt, and add to crisco mixture, with teaspoon vanilla extract. divide into parts, add to part tablespoons molasses, cup seeded raisins, / teaspoon cloves, teaspoon cinnamon, and / teaspoon grated nutmeg. bake in criscoed and floured cake tin for minutes. take out of oven, spread white part on top, return to oven and bake until done. july _*tournedos of lamb rissole potatoes carrots peas grape and pimiento salad frozen cheese toasted crackers iced coffee_ _*tournedos of lamb--_six lamb chops cut inches thick, will be required. remove bone and fat and with skewers arrange in circular pieces. around each wrap a thin strip of bacon, fastening in place with wooden skewers. sprinkle with salt and pepper, place on well criscoed broiler, and broil over clear fire minutes. remove to hot-platter, garnish with rissole potatoes, and pass mint jelly with them. the potatoes are done in this way: peel and wash bermuda potatoes of uniform size, put in ice water for minutes, dry in a towel, and fry until delicate brown in hot crisco. drain on paper, then bake until soft. remove to serving platter, and pour around cup of rich white or cream sauce or cup of heavy cream scalded and seasoned. vegetarian july _cream of green peas bean loaf with rice stewed corn tomato and lettuce salad *peach pudding coffee_ _*peach pudding_--fill criscoed baking dish full of peaches and pour over top a batter made of tablespoon crisco, / cup sugar, cup flour, teaspoon baking powder, well beaten egg, / teaspoon salt, and cup milk. bake in moderate oven minutes. serve with cream. july _anchovy and pimiento canapes halibut baked, a la creole french fried potatoes hot slaw *french pancakes coffee_ _*french pancakes_-- tablespoons sugar, tablespoons crisco, / cup flour, eggs, / tablespoon lemon extract, and cup milk. heat crisco and mix other ingredients gradually to them, bake in six small criscoed plates for minutes. when done, put jam between every alternate one, and serve high on a dish. july _puree of fruit steak with fresh mushrooms string beans riced potatoes lettuce and watercress salad *cherry blanc-mange coffee_ _*cherry blanc-mange_--put quart of milk into a saucepan, add tablespoon crisco. mix cup cornstarch smoothly with / cup cold milk; when the milk boils stir in cornstarch and stir for minutes, then add tablespoons sugar and teaspoon vanilla. stew cups cherries until tender in _ / _ cup water, add tablespoons sugar. rinse out a mold with cold water, arrange a few cherries in the bottom, then put in some blanc-mange, then rest of cherries mixed with cornstarch. turn out when firm. serve with milk. july _iced tomato bouillon *swiss steak mashed potato egg plant fritters lettuce salad, chifonade dressing strawberry parfait coffee_ _*swiss steak_-- pound steak, cup flour, salt and pepper, skinned tomatoes, sliced onion, and water. have steak cut inches thick, and pound into it the flour. put steak into a skillet, with tablespoons crisco and brown on both sides. then cover with water, adding sliced onion, tomatoes sliced and cover closely and let simmer for hours. just before steak is done add salt and pepper to taste. when done, the gravy is already made and is delicious. july _clear soup *planked chicken potato croquettes asparagus tips boiled rice pineapple salad vanilla ice cream strawberry sauce coffee_ _*planked chicken_-- spring chickens, cup boiled rice, / pound mushrooms, and glass guava jelly. stew mushrooms; put chicken either in oven or under broiler, bone side to hottest part of fire. heat and crisco a plank; put chicken on, bone side down; sprinkle with melted crisco, dust with salt and pepper and broil on board under gas for / an hour. garnish with rice; pour over mushrooms. place at corners small bread patties, holding the guava jelly. july _*baked beans finger rolls beet and potato salad lemon jelly, whipped cream cafe parfait_ _*baked beans_--wash quarts of small white beans, put them in a saucepan, cover with cold water; as soon as they come to a boil, drain; put them in a fireproof baking dish, add tablespoons crisco, chopped onion, salt and pepper to taste and / teaspoon mustard, fill dish with boiling water, cover tight, and bake from to hours; add more water as required to keep from getting dry. they can be warmed over as needed. august _brown fricassee of kidneys summer squash new cabbage salad *blueberry pie coffee_ _*blueberry pie_--line a deep perforated tin with crisco plain pastry; brush over with water or white of egg. fill with floured blueberries; add sugar, crisco, salt and vinegar. allow cup sugar to cups berries, tablespoon crisco, / teaspoon salt, and / teaspoon vinegar. cover with crust and bake. august _*beef olives braised lettuce stuffed potatoes beet salad cheese relish red currant cream lady fingers coffee_ _*beef olives_--cut pounds of steak into pieces - / inches long and inches wide. mix together in a basin tablespoons breadcrumbs, chopped onion, tablespoons crisco, tablespoon chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste and well beaten egg. spread a little of this mixture on each piece of meat, roll up and tie with fine string. melt tablespoons crisco in a pan, brown pieces of meat in it; stir in tablespoon flour, gradually add cups water, bring to boiling point and cook slowly - / hours. remove string and dish in a circle, season the gravy and strain over the meat. august _cream of corn soup *stuffed flank steak mashed potato shelled beans onion and mint salad ivory cream coffee_ _*stuffed flank steak_--buy a flank steak. fry tablespoons chopped onion in a / cup crisco. add / cup soft, stale breadcrumbs, / teaspoon mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste. spread over steak, roll and tie. brown in tablespoons crisco, and remove to casserole or covered dish. to the crisco in pan add an equal quantity of flour, and brown, then add cup stock or boiling water, and cup strained tomato, season with salt and pepper, pour over the roll, cover dish, and cook slowly until meat is tender. if cooked in casserole it may be served in same dish. august _fried soft shell crabs, sauce tartare hashed browned potatoes pepper and cucumber salad cheese fingers *apricot omelet coffee_ _* apricot omelet_--cut preserved apricots into dice, and heat up in a little fruit juice. beat up eggs, add pinch of salt and tablespoon sugar. melt in an omelet pan or frying pan tablespoons crisco, when hot pour in beaten eggs and stir over quick fire till they commence to thicken, put in the prepared apricots, then shape quickly into an oval form by folding the ends. allow the omelet to acquire a golden brown by putting it in the oven, turn out on to a hot dish, dredge with sugar and serve at once. august _*country club chicken sweet potatoes green corn tomato salad apple whip chocolate wafers coffee_ _*country club chicken_--wash broilers or quite young chickens, cut them in halves or quarters if they be large enough, wipe them and dip each piece in beaten egg, well seasoned with salt and pepper and mixed with cream. roll pieces in breadcrumbs and place them in criscoed pan, dot generously with crisco and place in hot oven for minutes. now put chicken in hot kettle, cover and let smother and steam for minutes or until tender on a slow fire. place chicken on hot platter; add half cup hot cream to gravy in kettle and strain it over chickens. august _*baked liver and bacon mashed potatoes corn on cob lettuce and pineapple salad stewed pears cream hasty cake coffee_ _*baked liver and bacon_--select liver, wash it well, rub it with crisco, and place it in vinegar with chopped shallot, a little chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to suit taste. let it stand overnight; roast it, adding strips of bacon. baste it frequently with the vinegar mixture. when done, make brown gravy, and serve very hot. august _grilled trout chicken saute *souffled squash potato croquettes french salad fruit compote coffee_ _*souffled squash_--take medium-sized hubbard squash, remove seeds and stringy portion, and pare. place in steamer and cook over boiling water for minutes. mash and season with crisco, salt and pepper to taste. to cups of the mashed squash, add gradually cup cream, when blended, yolks of well beaten eggs, and finally the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour into criscoed souffle dish and bake in moderate oven till firm. serve at once. august _clam cocktail roast lamb, mint jelly rice fritters lima beans lettuce and banana salad *windsor tartlets iced coffee_ _*windsor tartlets_--crisco plain pastry, eggs, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons sugar, - / tablespoons cornstarch, powdered macaroons, glace cherries, piece of lemon peel, and / tablespoon chopped almonds. put crisco and sugar into basin and beat them to a cream. add yolks of eggs, at a time, and beat each well in. chop cherries and peel, add them and macaroons to mixture, mix thoroughly, add almonds and cornstarch. roll out crisco plain pastry and line small tartlet tins thinly with it. beat whites of eggs to stiff froth and stir lightly into mixture. fill each lined tin three parts full. bake them in moderate oven until mixture is set and brown. dust with sugar and serve either hot or cold. place crossbars of pastry over mixture, if liked. stale cakecrumbs can be used instead of macaroons. august _casserole of lamb rice spiced peaches *macaroon pudding after dinner mints coffee_ _*macaroon pudding_--soak macaroons in / cup milk. heat cups milk in double boiler, add tablespoons cornstarch moistened with well beaten egg, teaspoon crisco, / teaspoon salt, and macaroons. cook for minutes, remove from fire, add / teaspoon vanilla extract. turn into criscoed and sugared pudding dish, sprinkle / cup sugar on top, and cover with sliced peaches. serve cold. august _tomato bisque croutons potato croquettes fried egg plant celery and apple salad *chocolate pudding coffee_ _*chocolate pudding_--crisco a mold or basin. beat tablespoons crisco and tablespoons sugar to a cream, then beat in yolks of eggs. dissolve / teacups grated chocolate smoothly in cup milk, add it to crisco mixture, with cups cakecrumbs, teaspoon vanilla, / teaspoon salt, and whites of eggs stiffly beaten. fold the whites in gently. pour into prepared mold, cover with criscoed paper and steam for hours. turn out and serve with white sauce. this mixture may be placed in a criscoed pudding dish and baked in a moderate oven. august _fried chicken, a la maryland french fried potatoes *stewed onions stuffed tomato salad musk melon with ice cream coffee_ _*stewed onions_--peel onions and boil in boiling salted water till tender. when done, drain, and turn into hot vegetable dish. melt tablespoons of crisco in saucepan, then stir in tablespoon flour, mix well, add cup milk and stir till boiling, add salt and pepper to taste and pour over onions. august _broiled ham baked potatoes green corn custard apple salad grape juice syllabub *tilden cake coffee_ _*tilden cake_--cream / cup crisco with / cups sugar, add well beaten eggs, cup milk, sift in cups flour, / teaspoon salt, / cup cornstarch, teaspoons baking powder, and add teaspoons lemon extract. turn into criscoed and floured cake tin and bake for / hours in moderate oven. august _*roast fowl with chestnuts and mushrooms. franconia potatoes shell beans lettuce and tomato salad peach short-cake coffee_ _*roast fowl with chestnuts and mushrooms_--stuff large or small fowls with chestnuts or mushroom stuffing, truss it, brush with melted crisco, dust with salt and pepper, and put on a rack in pan and in a hot oven until beginning to brown, reduce heat, and cook or hours, basting often. add to pan / cup hot water, slice salt pork, diced, tiny bit bay leaf, clove, and sprig of parsley. if with mushrooms pour over little sherry mixed with cream. when done place fowl on platter, pour off all fat in pan but tablespoons, add tablespoons flour and slightly color, add cup stock from giblets cooked with slice of salt pork, salt and pepper, a little lemon juice, and minced giblets. serve surrounded with chestnut or mushroom puree put through a pastry bag and tube in roses. place a small piece of canned red pepper on each rose and serve gravy in boat. august _celery soup braised ox tongue *mashed turnips baked potatoes waldorf salad ginger ice cream coffee_ _*mashed turnips_--peel and dice turnips, cover with boiling salted water and cook till tender; drain and press the water well out of them. return to pan and add tablespoons crisco, teaspoon salt, and saltspoon white pepper, beat and mash them well together, when thoroughly hot turn into vegetable dish and serve. august _fish souffle braised stuffed shoulder of mutton breaded potatoes *carrots, a la poulette pineapple jelly french pastry coffee_ _*carrots, a la poulette_--boil bunches of carrots until tender in boiling salted water, then drain. blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoon flour, when smooth add cup milk and stir till boiling, add salt, pepper and paprika to taste, tablespoon chopped parsley and cook for minutes, then add carrots and allow to cook for minutes longer. serve hot. august _cream of rice soup hanoverian steaks *hashed browned potatoes carrots en casserole custard souffle, foamy sauce coffee_ _*hashed browned potatoes_--sprinkle / cups cold boiled potato cubes with salt and white pepper to suit taste. melt / tablespoons crisco; add tablespoon flour and / cup brown stock. cook minutes; add potato cubes; cook minutes, stirring, without breaking potatoes. melt tablespoon crisco in another frying pan. when brown, turn in potatoes, spread evenly, and cook minutes; fold like an omelet, and serve hot. august _lamb chops peas *chantilly potatoes turkish salad fruit ice cream coffee_ _*chantilly potatoes_--prepare nicely seasoned, lightly mashed potatoes and mound on a hot platter. beat / cup cream until stiff, add teaspoon melted crisco, / cup grated cheese, season to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper. pile lightly on to the potato and put in oven to brown. be sure that the oven is very hot. august _watermelon cocktail cannelon of beef potatoes *creamed kohl rabi stuffed celery meringues filled with ice cream coffee_ _*creamed kohl rabi_--slice kohl rabi, boil minutes or until nearly tender, and arrange in a baking dish in layers with the following sauce: tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, / pint milk, / teaspoon salt, and saltspoon pepper. rub crisco and flour together; add milk, cold. stand saucepan over fire and stir continually until it reaches the boiling point; take from fire, and add salt and pepper. then strain. season each layer with pepper and salt, sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and bake minutes. vegetarian august _cream of turnip soup risotto asparagus salad coffee souffle *ginger crisps iced tea_ _*ginger crisps--_ cream / cup crisco with / cup sugar, add cup molasses, teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg, teaspoon salt, teaspoons baking powder, and flour to make stiffish dough. roll thin, cut out with cutter and bake in quick oven. august _corned, beef buttered potatoes *new beets lettuce, italian dressing tapioca cream coffee_ _*new beets--_ peel hot cooked beets, cut into slices, and toss about for or minutes in saucepan which contains tablespoons crisco to which has been added teaspoon plain vinegar, or a few drops of tarragon, cloves, and teaspoon sugar. august _cold sliced corned beef baked potatoes jellied vegetables pea salad *countess pudding coffee_ _*countess pudding_--line small criscoed platter with crisco pastry. put tablespoon crisco in saucepan, add cup milk, when warm pour over three tablespoons chopped cocoanut, add tablespoon sugar. allow to remain minutes, add yolks of eggs well beaten, and / teaspoon vanilla, pour into platter, bake minutes in hot oven. beat up whites of eggs, add pinch salt, tablespoon sugar, and / teaspoon almond extract, pile on top of pudding and sprinkle with cocoanut. brown in slow oven. serve hot or cold. vegetarian august _*succotash french fried potatoes tomato jelly salad orange marmalade ice cream caramel cake coffee_ _*succotash_--boil dozen ears of corn for minutes. cut corn from cob, taking very small piece from top of each grain, then press out pulp. mix this with an equal quantity of nicely cooked lima beans; add crisco, salt and white pepper to taste; reheat and serve. august _fish timbales, cream sauce mashed potatoes stewed okra cucumber salad cheese straws *st. leonard's pudding coffee_ _*st. leonard's pudding_--line edge of a pudding dish with pastry, and spread tablespoons of jam in the bottom. blend tablespoons crisco with / cup flour, when smooth stir in cup milk, tablespoons sugar, teaspoon vanilla extract, / teaspoon salt, and yolks of eggs, stir well together and pour over jam, bake minutes. beat up whites of eggs to a stiff froth, add tablespoon sugar, and arrange roughly on the top. place in oven until lightly browned. august _*boiled mutton, caper sauce riced potatoes string beans olive salad toasted crackers cheese plum compote coffee_ _*boiled mutton_--wipe leg of mutton, put on fire, barely covered with boiling water, and let boil about minutes, then simmer until tender; season with salt when half cooked. a few slices of onion, turnip, and carrot, or or stalks of celery, may be added while cooking. when tender, brush over the meat with melted crisco and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. serve with caper sauce which is made as follows: mix tablespoons crisco with tablespoon flour; add cup boiling water; stir it over fire until thick; add to it hard-cooked egg chopped fine and tablespoons of capers. august _barley broth mutton souffle sweet corn creamed carrots and peas *peach cobbler coffee_ _*peach cobbler_--sift - / cups flour and - / teaspoons baking powder. with tips of fingers work into flour tablespoon crisco, and when well mixed add / cup milk. peel and slice peaches, and mix with / cup sugar and tablespoons melted crisco. in bottom of baking dish invert a cup, around this arrange peaches, and over all place dough patted out to about / of an inch in thickness. bake in moderate oven until crust is brown and peaches are tender. this will require about minutes. the cup keeps dough from lying on fruit and becoming soaked with juice. august _*beef steak pudding spaghetti with tomato potatoes on half shell green pepper salad apricot pudding coffee_ _*beef steak pudding_--line a criscoed basin with plain pastry. mix together on a plate tablespoon flour, teaspoon salt, and / teaspoon pepper for seasoning. cut pound lean beef in thin slices, dip them in the seasoning, and place them lightly in the basin; split sheep's kidney, skin and cut in thin slices; dip them also in the seasoning, and put them in basin, and pour over cup of water for gravy. wet the edges of the paste on basin; roll out a piece of paste large enough to cover the dish; place it on, press down at the edges, and sprinkle a little flour over top. now dip a pudding cloth in boiling water, tie it tightly over the top, and plunge the pudding in plenty of boiling water; then boil for hours. remove the cloth, and turn the pudding out on a dish. liver and bacon mixed, or mutton, makes a good pudding of this kind. august _steamed clams vegetable salad brown bread sandwiches peach tapioca *princess cake coffee_ _*princess cake_--line small square cake tin with plain crisco pastry. sprinkle in / cup cleaned currants. cream / cup crisco with cup sugar, then add well beaten eggs, cups flour, - / teaspoons baking powder, and / teaspoon salt. divide mixture into portions. add tablespoon grated chocolate and tablespoons milk to portion. put cake mixtures in spoonfuls on top of currants and bake in moderate oven for minutes. serve in square pieces. august _iced bouillon pulled bread *fillet of beef, horseradish sauce franconia potatoes corn souffle endive, french dressing salted triangles violet mousse coffee_ _*fillet of beef_--trim fillet into good shape. lard it plentifully, letting the whole upper surface be perforated with lardoons. place in baking pan thin slices of larding pork, over pork place layer of chopped onion, carrots, turnip, and celery; lay tenderloin on top. pour in cup stock, add / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, sprigs parsley, bay leaf, and cloves. bake in hot oven minutes, and baste frequently. remove when done; strain off gravy and skim off grease. blend tablespoon crisco with tablespoon flour in a pan, add gravy strained from pan, / cup grated horseradish, salt and paprika to taste and bring to boiling point, then add tablespoons lemon juice and tablespoon vinegar. spread sauce on hot serving dish and lay fillet on it. vegetarian august _baked macaroni, tomato sauce green corn *fried egg plant cantaloupe salad marmalade pudding iced coffee_ _*fried egg plant_--peel good-sized egg plant; cut into slices of / inch. dust with salt and pepper; dip in beaten egg; roll in fine breadcrumbs and saute in hot crisco. when they are brown on side, turn and brown on the other. if preferred, the egg plant may be dipped in thin batter instead of egg and crumbs, and fried. august _*clam chowder stuffed tomato salad welsh rarebit lemon pie coffee_ _*clam chowder_--remove heads from cups clams and chop. parboil cups potatoes. cook chopped onion and / cup salt pork cut in cubes minutes. arrange clams, potatoes, onion and pork in layers in saucepan; cover with cups boiling water, and simmer till tender. blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour, add cups scalded milk and stir till boiling; add clam mixture, seasonings to taste, dash of tabasco sauce, and serve hot. august _bisque of clams and peas stuffed peppers *cheese salad toasted crackers lemon sherbet whipped cream coffee_ _*cheese salad_--to cup cooked chopped chicken, add / pound soft american cheese and / cup pickled chopped cauliflower. rub through sieve, yolks of hard-cooked eggs, add teaspoon french mustard, tablespoons melted crisco, tablespoons vinegar, red pepper, paprika, and salt to taste. pour this sauce over salad and garnish with whites of eggs cut in slices and branches of pickled cauliflower. september _*cauliflower soup roast beef, brown gravy oven-panned potatoes creamed carrots celery and green pepper salad coffee_ _*cauliflower soup_--cut large parboiled cauliflower into thick slices, also large onions and heart of a stalk of celery. fry these in hot crisco. when done to a golden color, remove them from pan to drain. have ready stewpan of chicken and veal stock, ready seasoned as for table, then place in slices of cauliflower, onions, and celery, and allow them to simmer until vegetables can be broken with forks. add to this glass of madeira wine. pull stewpan aside, and stir in beaten yolks of eggs, and enough cream to make whole thickness of rich cream. let all simmer, but not boil. send to table with small dice-shaped pieces of toast. september _caviare on toast fricassee of chicken banana fritters boiled potatoes creamed onions vegetable salad *snow pudding with custard coffee_ _*snow pudding with custard_--mix tablespoons arrowroot with tablespoons cold milk. boil cup milk then pour it on to mixed arrowroot, pour back into pan and boil gently for minutes, stirring all the time, then allow to cool. stir in yolks of eggs, tablespoons crisco, / teaspoon salt, tablespoons sugar, pour into criscoed pudding dish; beat whites of eggs to a stiff froth and mix lightly in. dust nutmeg over top and bake in moderate oven minutes. serve quickly with custard. september _*stewed liver with mushrooms baked potatoes scalloped egg plant celery and apple salad peach trifle sponge cake coffee_ _*stewed liver with mushrooms_--melt tablespoon crisco and add - / tablespoons flour. brown by long slow cooking. add salt and pepper and cups water. cook till as thick as good cream. have pound of calf's liver cut into -inch cubes. pour boiling water over them and drain immediately. drop these into brown sauce and cook slowly or minutes. they must not cook rapidly nor too long. in the meantime peel some mushrooms if they are fresh and require such treatment, and drop into melted crisco and allow to simmer. just before taking up liver add mushrooms. september _noodle soup lamb chops *cauliflower french fried potatoes watercress salad plum tart coffee_ _*cauliflower_--boil and drain cauliflower and dredge top with pepper and salt, sprinkle with grated cheese, and pour little melted crisco over it. set in oven for minutes to brown, and serve surrounded with tomato sauce. september _hot boiled tongue, lemon sauce boiled potatoes french fried parsnips cauliflower salad *baked quinces jam cake coffee_ _*jam cake_--cream / cup crisco with cup sugar, add well beaten eggs, / cup sour cream, teaspoon soda, cups flour, / glass strawberry preserves, teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon each cloves, / teaspoon nutmeg, and / teaspoon salt, mix and bake in layers. put strawberry preserves between layers, and white icing on top. september _planked bluefish with potato border grilled tomatoes *corn creole pepper salad cheese pasties grape juice water ice coffee_ _*corn creole_--put cans corn into saucepan with tablespoons chopped green peppers and cup milk, and cook, slowly minutes; season with salt and pepper, add tablespoons crisco and serve. this may be put in baking dish, covered with breadcrumbs, and baked minutes. september _*chestnut soup smothered chicken parsley potatoes peppers stuffed with corn pineapple salad almond custard coffee_ _*chestnut soup_--boil quart chestnuts minutes, then remove shells and brown inner skin, and put into saucepan with sufficient boiling water to cover them. add piece lemon rind and teaspoon salt, when soft remove rind and rub through a sieve. then pour over them stirring all the time, quarts white stock, / cup cream, tablespoon crisco rolled with tablespoons flour, seasoning of salt and pepper. bring to boiling point, remove from fire and serve hot. september _*planked smelts baked lamb chops breaded beets riced potatoes avocado pear salad apricot cream coffee_ _*planked smelts_--crisco a plank quite generously, and place upon it smelts that have been split, cleaned, and seasoned, and squeeze liberal amount of lemon juice over them. arrange in form of large fish shape, and garnish with potato roses put on with pastry tube and sprinkle with tiny bits of crisco and finely chopped parsley. place plank in oven and cook until potatoes are slightly browned. garnish before taking to table with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, dressed in vinegar, between potato roses. september _soft shell crabs on toast broiled steak creamed potatoes *stuffed onions oyster plant salad mint and pineapple sherbet jumbles coffee_ _*stuffed onions_--boil large onions in boiling salted water till tender. drain, and with sharp knife cut centers from each. mix together in a basin tablespoons chopped cooked ham, tablespoons crumbs, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons cream, beaten egg, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste, and tablespoon chopped parsley. fill with this mixture, sprinkle each with crumbs and dot with crisco. place on baking dish and bake in moderate oven hour. spanish onions are best to use. september _braised ox tails with chestnuts boiled sweet potatoes *baked stuffed tomatoes lima bean salad peach chartreuse coffee_ _*baked stuffed tomatoes_--prepare tomatoes by scooping out centers. put into a basin cup crumbs, season with salt and pepper, dozen chopped olives, tablespoons chopped capers, tablespoon chopped parsley, tablespoon crisco, beaten yolks eggs, and moisten with stock. fill tomatoes and set in hot oven to bake. sprinkle top with crumbs and dot with crisco. september _oysters au gratin sirloin steak, anchovy sauce duchesse potatoes *buttered beets red cabbage and celery salad apricots parisienne coffee_ _*buttered beets_--boil dozen small beets in plenty of water and when tender put into cold water, slip peeling off of them, cut them in thin slices and put in saucepan with tablespoons crisco, pinch of salt and little pepper. add before they are quite hot tablespoon vinegar. september _fish croquettes cucumber puree broiled duckling, apple sauce *fried cauliflower potatoes olive salad omelette souffle coffee_ _*fried cauliflower_--remove large outside leaves from cauliflower, and cut flowers from stalk in symmetrical bunches and drop in salted ice water for a few moments. cook in scalded milk and water until tender, then drain and let cool, and rub well with melted crisco, which has been salted and peppered. dip into frying batter and fry in hot crisco until golden brown, draining upon white paper. september _clam cocktails *stewed squabs grape jelly potato balls green corn watermelon frappe coffee_ _*stewed squabs_--cut squabs into neat joints. put cup water in saucepan when it boils lay in squabs, sliced onion, and slice of carrot, simmer for - / hours. blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour, add cup stock from squabs, salt and pepper to taste and boil for minutes stirring all the time. arrange the squabs on a hot dish and strain over the sauce. september _oysters *porterhouse steak scalloped tomatoes lima beans apple and chestnut salad pear sponge coffee_ _*porterhouse steak_--have large porterhouse steak well trimmed and shaped, and slit with sharp knife an opening flatwise through sirloin and tenderloin. make forcemeat of dozen olives chopped, pounded anchovies, chopped red pepper, salt and onion juice to taste, and tablespoons melted crisco. with this forcemeat fill smoothly cavities made in steak. pinch steak together firmly at edges and set away on ice for hour or even longer. broil them over clear fire and serve without sauce. september _pea soup *impanada celery mayonnaise apple trifle coffee_ _*impanada_--cut up raw chicken, and flour each piece well. line deep dish with slices raw sweet potato, slices raw white potato, some of chicken, little onion, few slices of bacon, salt and pepper to taste, and can of tomatoes chopped fine, tablespoons crisco, and tablespoon vinegar. cover top of dish with sweet and white potatoes. bake very slowly from to hours. serve hot. this takes medium-sized sweet potatoes and medium-sized white potatoes. september _*baked ham baked potatoes brussels sprouts spiced grapes apple salad ice cream with kisses coffee_ _*baked ham_--soak ham over night then wash and scrape it. put it into cold water; let it come to boiling point then simmer for hours. let the ham cool in the water; then remove and draw off the skin. bake in moderate oven for hours; baste it frequently; using cup of sherry wine, spoonfuls at a time; then baste with melted crisco. when done, cover with a paste made of browned flour and browned sugar moistened with sherry, and return to oven to brown. september _*oyster bisque broiled lamb chops griddled sweet potatoes bean croquettes, tomato sauce cauliflower salad cocoanut custard coffee_ _*oyster bisque_--boil quart oysters in their own liquor with about pint mildly-flavored white stock. let boil for / an hour or even longer. take up and strain, put back to boil, season with salt and white pepper as needed, add quart rich milk and / a pint of cream. blend together tablespoon potato flour with tablespoon melted crisco, and with this thicken soup till it is smooth and velvety. september _hamburg loaf, tomato sauce maitre d'hotel potatoes beet and string bean salad cheese creams *chocolate pudding with macaroons coffee_ _*chocolate pudding with macaroons_--put cups milk to boil. have tablespoons grated chocolate in pan with / cup boiling water and tablespoons sugar. when chocolate paste is smooth pour in milk. mix tablespoons cornstarch with cup milk, add teaspoon crisco, and / teaspoon salt, and with this thicken boiling milk. add cup macaroon crumbs and beaten whites of eggs. pour into wet mold and set on ice hour. september _vegetable soup roast spare ribs, apple sauce *sweet potatoes, southern style orange custard coffee_ _*sweet potatoes, southern style_--bake sweet potatoes until thoroughly done. remove from oven and cut in halves lengthwise; remove potato from skins carefully, so as to keep skins in condition to refill. mash potato, adding sufficient melted crisco and cream to moisten. the potato mixture should be of the consistency of mashed potato when put back in shells. season with salt, pepper, and a very little sherry. refill skins, brush tops with crisco and brown minutes in hot oven. september _broiled striped bass porterhouse steak with olives baked creamed potatoes *asparagus, italian style string bean salad pineapple fluff coffee_ _*asparagus, italian style_--cut tender parts of bunches of asparagus into short lengths and set to boil till quite tender. take up, drain, and put into saucepan with tablespoons melted crisco, few drops lemon juice, sprinkling of red pepper and salt. let get thoroughly hot, take up, and serve on slices of fried bread. september _fried cod steaks sweet potatoes boiled onions cucumber salad walnut pudding *feather cake coffee_ _*feather cake_--cream / cup crisco with / cup sugar, and / teaspoon salt, and eggs beaten with / cup sugar, teaspoon lemon extract, cup milk, - / cups flour, and - / teaspoons baking powder. beat minutes and turn into criscoed and floured cake tin. bake in moderate oven for / of an hour. september _cream of barley soup *shepherd's pie broiled tomatoes cucumber salad with red peppers wine jelly coffee_ _*shepherd's pie_--chop pound cooked meat, mix in tablespoons breadcrumbs, chopped onion, tablespoon chopped parsley, cup gravy, salt and pepper to taste, tablespoons crisco, half teaspoon powdered herbs, and tablespoon tomato catsup. turn into fireproof dish and cover with thick layer seasoned mashed potatoes. brush over with beaten egg and dot with pieces of crisco. bake minutes. september _*mock duck, rice stuffing buttered beets succotash lettuce salad grape sherbet coffee_ _*mock duck_-- cup chopped celery, cups breadcrumbs, cups chopped black walnut meats, cups boiled rice, hard-cooked eggs, raw eggs, tablespoon grated onion, tablespoon salt, saltspoon pepper, and tablespoons crisco. cook crumbs with pint water for minutes; add celery, hard-cooked eggs, chopped; remove from fire, add crisco, nuts, rice and seasonings. mix well with raw eggs, slightly beaten. form into shape of duck, brush over with melted crisco and bake hour. serve with apple sauce. september _macaroni soup fried scallops tournedos, a la bordelaise mashed potatoes baked tomatoes *cold slaw queen mab pudding coffee_ _*cold slaw_--cut cabbages very fine and put it in salad bowl. boil tablespoons vinegar. beat up eggs, add / cup sour cream, tablespoons crisco and add them to boiled vinegar. stir over fire till boiling, add teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper, pour over cabbage, and it is ready to serve when very cold. september _broiled butterfish german fried potatoes cucumber salad cheese balls *bread pudding with cherries coffee_ _*bread pudding with cherries_--soak / pound bread in cold water till soft. press out water and beat out any lumps with fork. add tablespoons crisco, tablespoons sugar, / teaspoon vanilla extract, and / pound glace cherries and teaspoon baking powder. mix well, and add well-beaten egg and tablespoons milk. put into criscoed basin and cover with criscoed paper, and steam for - / hours. september _veal cutlets sliced lemon baked cucumbers lyonnaise potatoes red pepper salad *amber pudding coffee_ _*amber pudding_--peel, core, and quarter apples. put tablespoons crisco in a pan, when warm add apples, tablespoons sugar, grated rind lemon, and stew slowly till soft, then rub through a sieve. add yolks of eggs, and / teaspoon cinnamon. roll out crisco pastry thinly, cut off a strip and press it on to the edge of a wet pudding dish. put apple mixture into dish and bake for minutes in a hot oven. beat up whites of eggs with / teaspoon salt, to stiff froth, add teaspoons sugar and drops vanilla. heap this meringue all over apple mixture. dust with sugar and place here and there a glace cherry. replace in oven to brown slightly. september _pot roast of beef, gravy parsnips boiled potatoes stuffed cucumber salad *conservative pudding coffee_ _*conservative pudding_--the weight of eggs in crisco, sugar, and flour. beat crisco and sugar to a cream, add flour, teaspoon baking powder, and mix slowly with eggs. add / teaspoon vanilla extract and mix all well. ornament a criscoed mold with raisins, pour in mixture, steam hours and serve hot with milk. september _pea soup boiled tripe, cream sauce stewed celery mashed potatoes beet salad meringues with sliced peaches *almond fingers coffee_ _*almond fingers_-- cups flour, / cup crisco, egg, tablespoons sugar, and / teaspoon baking powder. rub crisco into flour, add sugar and baking powder. make into stiff paste with egg. roll out and cut into fingers. chop cup almonds and mix with / cup sifted sugar, and white of egg. spread on fingers and bake quickly a light brown color. september _*pilau of fowl glazed carrots potatoes au gratin lettuce and nasturtium salad vanilla eclairs coffee_ _*pilau of fowl_--truss fowl for boiling, place in pan with cups stock or water and simmer minutes. wash and dry cup rice. melt tablespoons crisco and fry chopped onion to golden brown in it; remove onion to plate, add extra tablespoons crisco and fry rice and / cup blanched almonds till yellow, add onion, tablespoons seeded raisins, with salt and paprika to taste. tie in piece of muslin cloves, whole white peppers, bay leaf, and inch cinnamon stick and add them. make hole in center of rice, lay fowl in it, pour in cup of the stock, let simmer until fowl and rice are cooked, adding more stock as rice swells. turn fowl over during cooking. serve fowl with rice around it. september _raw oysters steamed fish, lemon sauce potatoes stuffed tomatoes radish and lettuce salad *hot cheese sandwiches vanilla cream puffs coffee_ _*hot cheese sandwiches_--melt / pound cheese with tablespoons crisco, / teaspoon salt, few grains red pepper, and teaspoon mustard; moisten with a little vinegar and spread between thin slices of white bread. cut into neat rounds. october _veal cutlets rice croquettes lima beans cabbage and apple salad *nut pudding coffee_ _*nut pudding_-- cup soft breadcrumbs, cups scalded milk, tablespoon crisco, cup chopped nuts, / teaspoon salt, egg yolks, / cup sugar, juice and grated rind of lemon, egg whites beaten until stiff, and squares chocolate, melted. mix breadcrumbs, milk, crisco, nuts, salt, egg yolks, sugar, chocolate, juice and rind of lemon. when well blended, cut and fold in whites of eggs; pour into criscoed individual molds, and bake to minutes. serve hot with cream. vegetarian october _tomato bisque crackers baked sweet potatoes baked beans corn fritters lettuce, french dressing *orange pie coffee_ _*orange pie_--line pie tin with crisco pastry. beat yolks of eggs with cup sugar till light; add tablespoon cornstarch, / cup milk, grated rind and strained juice of orange. place in double boiler and stir till it thickens, then pour on to crust and bake minutes. cover top with meringue made with whites of eggs and sweetened with tablespoons sugar and flavored with teaspoon orange extract. place in oven to brown. vegetarian october _cream of lettuce soup *vegetable souffle baked potatoes boiled green peppers stuffed egg salad apple tapioca coffee_ _*vegetable souffle_--blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour, add cup milk, stir till boiling, add / cup grated cheese, yolks of eggs, tablespoons chopped parsley, seasoning of salt, pepper, and red pepper, and cook till it thickens. remove from fire and fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. put some pieces of boiled cauliflower into criscoed mold, then slices of seasoned tomatoes. pour in mixture, sprinkle on few crumbs and bake till firm. garnish with watercress and serve immediately. vegetarian october _almond soup *nut loaf, cranberry jelly lima beans carameled sweet potatoes onion souffle butterscotch pie orange ice coffee_ _*nut loaf_--mix together tablespoon crisco, cup chopped english walnuts and almonds, cup crumbs, / teaspoon salt, dash pepper, large ground onion, tablespoons flour, well-beaten eggs and cup milk. pour into criscoed pudding dish and bake minutes. vegetarian october _baked chestnuts galantine of lentils escalloped tomatoes fruit salad *apple charlotte coffee_ _*apple charlotte_--cut bread into slices / inch thick; then into strips - / inches wide, and as long as the height of mold to be used; cut piece to fit top of mold, then divide it into or pieces. crisco mold; dip slices of bread in melted crisco, and arrange them on bottom and around sides of mold, fitting closely together or overlapping. fill center entirely full with apple sauce made of tart apples stewed until tender, seasoned with crisco and sugar. a little apricot jam can be put in center if desired; chopped almonds also may be added. cover top with bread, and bake in hot oven minutes. the bread should be an amber color like toast. turn it carefully on to flat dish. serve with any sauce that you like. vegetarian october _creole chowder stuffed potatoes spaghetti with cheese lentil and nut salad *orange puffs, orange sauce coffee_ _*orange puffs_--beat / cup crisco with / cup sugar, add well-beaten eggs, / cup milk, cups flour, / teaspoon salt, teaspoons baking powder, and teaspoon orange extract. bake in criscoed and floured gem pans and serve hot with orange sauce. for sauce. mix / cup sugar with tablespoons cornstarch, and / teaspoon salt. add cup boiling water and boil eight minutes, add grated rinds and strained juice oranges and tablespoons crisco. october _carrot soup *indian dry curry boiled rice spinach cabbage salad pineapple, bavarian cream coffee_ _*indian dry curry_-- pounds beef, tablespoons crisco, onion, tablespoons curry powder, chopped gherkins, dessertspoon chutney, saltspoon salt, juice of / a lemon, and / pint thin brown sauce or gravy. melt crisco in stewpan, put in onion (sliced), and fry for a few minutes. then add meat, cut in small pieces, and fry all together for about minutes. now sprinkle curry over meat, and stir contents of saucepan over fire for another minutes. the gherkins, chutney and salt must now be added; also sauce or gravy; and stewpan must be set over very slow fire about hour; by that time meat should be quite tender. add lemon juice, and dish up. serve with plainly boiled rice. october _*fried chicken, swiss style sweet corn croquettes broiled tomatoes crab salad crackers cheese coffee_ _*fried chicken, swiss style_--cook chicken in salted water till it is fairly tender. take up, let get cool, and cut into neat pieces for frying. sprinkle these pieces with salt, pepper, and onion juice, then moisten them well with melted crisco. let them stand or hours to absorb flavoring of dressing, then dip in batter and drop into hot crisco to cook till brown. this batter make of cup flour, as much milk as is needed to have it stiff, eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, and / cup brandy. this batter will be better for standing, after it is mixed, for hour. october _roast shoulder of veal roasted potatoes lima beans pickled plums romaine salad *raisin batter pudding coffee_ _*raisin batter pudding_--beat up eggs, sift in cups flour and / teaspoon salt, add tablespoon crisco, cup cream, and beat for minutes; then add teaspoon baking powder and teaspoon orange extract. pour into a criscoed casserole, sprinkle over tablespoons sultana raisins, and bake in moderate oven hour. serve with maple syrup. october _*cream of corn, a la creole scalloped fish and oysters potato croquettes cauliflower and beet salad squash pie coffee_ _*cream of corn, a la creole_--put can of corn through meat chopper, add large onion, sliced, sprig of parsley, and pint of water. cook altogether minutes, being careful not to let it scorch, then press through a fine sieve, extracting all pulp possible. melt tablespoons crisco, add an equal amount of sifted flour, / teaspoon salt, and dash of pepper. cook to smooth paste; then add, very gradually, quart scalded milk. when thick and smooth, add corn pulp and juice and tablespoon sugar. add salt to taste, and just before serving add cup scalded cream or very rich milk. october _roast veal mashed sweet potatoes green beans stuffed beet salad cheese crackers *dutch apple cake coffee_ _*dutch apple cake_-- cups flour, teaspoon salt, teaspoons baking powder, cup milk, eggs, and tablespoons melted crisco. mix and sift dry ingredients. add beaten yolks, crisco and milk. beat well; cut and fold in stiffly beaten whites. spread mixture / inch thick on criscoed pans. lay apples cut into eighths in rows on top of dough. sprinkle with sugar; bake in hot oven minutes. serve with lemon sauce. october _cream of carrot soup roast pig, apple sauce candied sweet potatoes creamed celery kumquat salad *cheese croutons coffee_ _*cheese croutons_--cut crusts from thin slices of stale bread and spread lightly with creamed crisco, then with a layer of cream cheese seasoned with salt and pepper. cover with a second slice of bread and cut into fingers inch wide, using a sharp knife. place in a shallow pan and brown in a hot oven. october _*peanut puree roast pig reheated in casserole squash baked potatoes red cabbage salad sultana roll coffee_ _*peanut puree_-- cup peanut butter, quart milk, tablespoon crisco, teaspoon onion juice, tablespoon cornstarch, bay leaf, blade mace, pepper and salt to taste. put milk, crisco, peanut butter, onion juice, pepper, bay leaf and blade mace in double boiler; stir and cook until hot. moisten cornstarch in little cold milk and add it to hot milk; stir until smooth and thick; strain through sieve. add salt and serve at once with croutons. october _*grilled halibut with parmesan roast mutton, currant jelly sauce creamed turnips browned sweet potatoes american salad apple and prune pie coffee_ _*grilled halibut with parmesan_--take desired number of fillets of halibut and grill on both sides until nicely browned. take from broiler, spread with crisco, cover with grated parmesan cheese, season with salt and dash of paprika on each slice, and set in hot oven until cheese is well browned and melted. serve with lemon slices and potato balls tossed in melted crisco containing chopped parsley. october _*broiled smelts roasted squabs oyster plant, italian style oriental salad sweet cider jelly coffee_ _*broiled smelts_--select large smelts, clean well and split. chop olives, / green pepper with seeds removed, sprigs parsley, add / tablespoon crisco. spread paste inside each smelt. close fish together, sprinkle with salt, moisten with melted crisco and broil over clear fire. october _poëled fowl, cranberry sauce mashed potatoes cauliflower au gratin tomato and green pepper salad macaroon custard *queen cakes coffee_ _*queen cakes_-- / cup sugar, / cup crisco, / teaspoon salt, eggs, / cup currants, / cup glace cherries (cut in dice), grate nutmeg, thin rind / lemon (chopped finely), juice lemon, cup flour, tablespoons rice flour, and teaspoon baking powder. put crisco and sugar in basin and work with wooden spoon to cream, add salt and eggs by , and beat mixture thoroughly. mix in separate basin fruit, lemon rind, flours and baking powder. stir this into other mixture, add nutmeg, and strained lemon juice. stir mixture several minutes longer. have ready criscoed gem tins, three-parts fill them with mixture and bake in fairly hot oven from to minutes. unmold cakes and place on sieve to cool. cakes may be coated with chocolate or boiled frosting. october _baked veal cutlet potatoes scalloped with green peppers succotash spinach salad *apple pie, whipped cream coffee_ _*apple pie_--core, peel and cut in halves tart apples. line pie plate with crisco pastry, and fill with apples; sprinkle over tablespoons sugar, / teaspoonful cinnamon, or nutmeg and cloves, and tablespoons crisco in small pieces. bake till apples are soft, then, at the last moment cover with cupful whipped cream, and send to table. october _rice soup fish pudding cauliflower *savory potatoes cheese custard apple dumplings coffee_ _*savory potatoes_--pare large potatoes and slice them, add chopped onion. crisco pudding dish, put in potatoes and onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, teaspoon sage and dot with crisco, add cup water and bake for - / hours. october _lamb cutlets, morland style *artichokes riced potatoes celery salad crackers cheese peach melba coffee_ _*artichokes_--select some small artichokes, trim them and put in earthenware stewpan containing some hot crisco. season with salt and pepper and cover stewpan, leaving to cook for about minutes. then add for each dozen artichokes, pint canned peas and shredded lettuce. cover once more and cook gently without moistening, the moisture of lettuce and peas sufficing. october _canteloupes young chickens, roasted stuffed tomatoes *grilled potatoes apple and nut salad fruit cup coffee_ _*grilled potatoes_--cut cold boiled potatoes into / inch slices lengthways, dip in melted crisco, sprinkle with chopped olives, pour over a little melted crisco and send to table. october _*giblet soup spiced shoulder of mutton brussels sprouts mashed potatoes prune mold coffee_ _*giblet soup_--scald and cut up set of giblets--these include the neck, gizzard, liver, and heart of any fowl, put them into a pan with quart stock or water, whole onion stuck with cloves, and the grated rind of / a lemon. simmer for hours and strain. peel and slice onions and fry them in tablespoons melted crisco when brown, stir in tablespoon flour and fry it brown, add the stock and stir till boiling, put back the giblets, season with salt and pepper, grated carrot and simmer for minutes. october _*okra soup curried mutton rice stewed celery with egg sauce asparagus salad pear fritters coffee_ _*okra soup_--cut into pieces - / cups okra, slice onion, slice carrot, slice turnip, three tomatoes skinned and sliced, cup beans, can peas, dice stalks celery and chop tablespoons parsley. melt tablespoons crisco in a saucepan, add onion, carrot, turnip, beans, and cook minutes, add okra, celery, and cups water, cook slowly for - / hours, add seasoning of salt, pepper and red pepper, tomatoes, corn and peas and simmer for minutes. if too thick, thin with stock. serve hot. october _*haricot of veal baked tomatoes russian fish salad date souffle coffee_ _*haricot of veal_--cut pounds fillet of veal into small pieces of uniform shape and size, and fry till a light brown in hot crisco. add tablespoons flour blended with tablespoons melted crisco. season with salt and pepper, cover with pint stock or water, and let simmer, covered closely, till veal is done and till stock is well cooked away. take up, arrange in circle on dish, and in center put lima beans, boiled and reheated in plenty of crisco. october _roast pork, apple sauce browned parsnips glazed sweet potatoes porcupine salad *black cap pudding coffee_ _*black cap pudding_--mix / cup currants, with tablespoons sugar, / teaspoon salt, - / cups flour sifted with teaspoon baking powder, / teaspoon grated nutmeg, tablespoons crisco, well beaten eggs, and cupfuls milk, and beat well together. crisco a pudding mold, sprinkle in some currants, pour in mixture, cover with greased paper and steam for hours. serve with milk. october _wild duck with mushrooms *stuffed egg plant apple and cucumber salad almond pudding hot cheese denises coffee_ _*stuffed egg plant_--parboil egg plant and cut in halves. scrape out some of the inside and chop some cold cooked meat with tomatoes, onion, and green peppers. then mix with beaten egg, tablespoon crisco, and salt and pepper to taste. fill halves with this mixture; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and tiny bits of crisco, put in baking dish with little stock or water, and bake. october _mock pigeon, espagnole sauce *scalloped pumpkin and rice baked sweet potatoes combination salad honeycomb pudding coffee_ _*scalloped pumpkin and rice_--in criscoed fireproof dish arrange layer of stewed pumpkin, cover with layer of boiled rice, then layer of white sauce, proceed until ingredients are used. cover with crumbs, dot with crisco and bake until browned on top. to cook pumpkin, cut in two, scrape out the interior, pare and cut into small pieces. steam and cook till tender. rub through a sieve, add tablespoons crisco, season with salt, pepper, and paprika. october _noisettes of mutton string beans latticed potatoes french salad *chestnut dainty coffee_ _*chestnut dainty_--boil pound of italian chestnuts minutes; then remove shells and skins, and put back to boil until tender, with cup of milk and teaspoon crisco, on the back part of range until soft enough to rub through a sieve. crisco a mold well and line thickly with pulp, then add layer of apple sauce colored pink with currant jelly; then another layer chestnuts and again a layer of apple sauce. over this squeeze some lemon juice, and bake in quick oven. turn, out on platter, and surround with whipped cream, colored with little currant jelly. october _shrimp canapes roast mutton, onion sauce *celeriac sweet potatoes corn salad pumpkin pie coffee_ _*celeriac_--well wash and peel the celeriac. cut them in quarters and boil in boiling salted water until quite tender. drain well and arrange in a hot dish and pour egg sauce over them. for egg sauce, blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour, add cup milk and stir till boiling, add seasoning of salt and pepper and boil for minutes, stirring all the time, then add hard-cooked eggs rubbed through a sieve, mix well and serve. october _cream of spinach soup baked white fish, caper sauce rice croquettes string beans celery boiled dressing *chestnut tartlets coffee_ _*chestnut tartlets_--boil and mash pint chestnuts, add / cup each creamed crisco and cream, beaten yolk, / cup powdered sugar, little salt, and / cups milk. cover inverted small tartlet tins with crisco pastry, bake, and fill with mixture, and bake again. october _brussel sprout soup *rabbit, a la marengo parisian potatoes braised celery lettuce, french dressing prune and rice meringues coffee_ _*rabbit, a la marengo_--cut up rabbit into neat joints. melt / cup crisco in saucepan, put in rabbit and fry it quickly till browned, add chopped small onions, and fry for a few minutes, pour off any fat into another pan, add to rabbit cup brown sauce, chopped tomatoes, button mushrooms, seasoning of salt, pepper, and paprika. put on lid and simmer gently hour. arrange rabbit on hot dish, put mushrooms in heaps round with thin lemon slices, season gravy and pour it over. hallowe'en october _clear soup *braised duck with turnips riced potatoes spinach orange salad goblin cakes nuts candies custard souffle, vanilla sauce coffee_ _*braised duck with turnips_--wash and cut carrots, stalks celery, turnips, onion in large pieces, put them in pan on these place slices ham, then duck trussed for roasting, bunch parsley, cups water, dust nutmeg, pepper, and salt. lay criscoed paper over top, then lid, and simmer hour or till duck is tender. melt tablespoons crisco in a pan, add dozen small peeled turnips and toss till they are golden color. when duck is cooked, remove strings and skewers. put on hot dish, and arrange turnips round. season gravy and strain over duck. november _irish stew baked rice lima beans macedoine salad *chocolate cream pie coffee_ _*chocolate cream pie_-- squares chocolate, / cup cornstarch, teaspoon crisco, pint milk, egg whites, / cup sugar, egg yolks, / teaspoon salt, and tablespoon vanilla. melt chocolate, add sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks, salt, crisco and milk. cook in double boiler till thick, stirring constantly; flavor with vanilla. pour into a baked pie crust shell, cover with meringue made by beating egg whites till stiff and adding tablespoons sugar; brown in oven and serve cold. november _baked rolled fillets of fish, bechamel sauce cucumber salad yeast rolls *roast guinea chickens, guava jelly rice croquettes scalloped egg plant pear and celery salad lemon sherbet sponge cake coffee_ _*roast guinea chickens_--put tablespoons crisco in each of the birds, this prevents them getting dry. slit slices bacon once or twice then tie over breasts of birds, which should be trussed for roasting. wrap them in criscoed paper and bake in a quick oven for minutes, baste well and frequently; for the last minutes remove paper and bacon; sprinkle with a little flour, salt and pepper, baste well, and let brown. serve on hot dish, garnished with rolls of bacon. hand with it gravy, bread sauce, and guava jelly. november _celery soup *casserole of lamb sweet pickle creamed onions mashed potatoes cabbage salad caramel ice cream coffee_ _*casserole of lamb_-- - / pounds loin of lamb, / cup rice, cups good gravy, blade mace, / cup crisco, egg yolks, salt and pepper, and a little grated nutmeg. half roast loin of lamb, and cut it into steaks. boil rice in boiling salted water for minutes, drain it, and add to it gravy with nutmeg and mace; cook slowly until rice begins to thicken, remove it from fire, stir in crisco, and when melted add yolks of eggs well beaten; crisco a casserole well, sprinkle steaks with salt and pepper, dip them in melted crisco, and lay them in criscoed dish; pour over gravy that comes from them, add rice and simmer for / an hour. november _tomato soup *steamed cod, parsley sauce roast ribs of beef, horseradish sauce colcannon potatoes charlotte russe coffee_ _*steamed cod_--wipe cod steaks dry, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and melted crisco on under side; lay on criscoed platter, put another criscoed platter over; set on top of saucepan of boiling water, and steam / of an hour, or until fish begins to leave bones. serve with parsley sauce. for parsley sauce. blend tablespoons crisco with tablespoons flour in a pan over the fire, add cup milk and stir till boiling, season with salt, pepper and red pepper, and stir and cook for minutes, then add tablespoon chopped parsley, and serve. november _ham timbales, cheese sauce paprika potatoes spinach apple and celery salad *cocoanut pudding coffee_ _*cocoanut pudding_-- cup scalded milk, / cup soft breadcrumbs, / cup grated cocoanut, egg yolks, tablespoon crisco, / cup cocoa, / cup sugar, teaspoon lemon juice, egg whites, and / teaspoon salt. soak bread in scalded milk until soft. add cocoanut, sugar, cocoa, crisco, lemon juice and salt; beat well; add yolks eggs beaten, cut and fold in stiffly-beaten whites. turn into criscoed pudding dish and bake in moderate oven minutes. serve hot or cold. november _roast duck egg plant croquettes peppers stuffed with rice canned pears on lettuce, with mayonnaise *brown bread souffle coffee_ _*brown bread souffle_--melt - / tablespoons crisco, add / cup milk, / cup cream, cups brown breadcrumbs, / teaspoon salt, and grated rind lemon; let boil minutes, stirring well, remove pan from fire, add tablespoons sugar, teaspoon cinnamon, teaspoon vanilla extract, and when cool, beaten yolks eggs. beat egg whites stiffly and add them lightly. pour mixture into criscoed tin, cover with criscoed paper and steam gently hour. serve hot with sweet sauce. november _corned beef *cabbage, a la creme potatoes olive salad hasty pudding cocoanut cakes coffee_ _*cabbage, a la creme_--trim and wash cabbage, then boil in boiling salted water, adding peeled onion stuck with cloves. when tender take out onion and drain cabbage. either chop finely or rub through a sieve. melt tablespoon crisco in pan, put in cabbage, stir it well, add tablespoons cream gradually, salt and pepper to taste. when thoroughly hot, pile in hot dish, and garnish with sippets fried bread or toast. november _cold corned beef baked potatoes pickled beets cauliflower salad cheese wafers *golden pudding coffee_ _*golden pudding_--line and ornament small pudding dish with puff pastry. beat tablespoons crisco with tablespoons sugar till creamy, add tablespoons cakecrumbs, yolks eggs beaten with / cup milk, / teaspoon salt, grated rind and strained juice oranges. pour into pudding dish, and bake minutes. whip up egg whites to stiff froth, stir in tablespoons sugar, few drops yellow color, teaspoon orange extract, and pile on top of pudding. put back in oven to brown. november _broiled steak mashed potatoes spinach with butter sauce escarole salad *cheese fondue coffee_ _*cheese fondue_-- tablespoons flour, / cup grated cheese, tablespoon crisco, eggs, salt, pepper and red pepper, and / cup milk. melt crisco, add flour, then milk gradually. stir till they boil, cool a little, add cheese and yolks and seasonings. fold in whites stiffly beaten. pour into a criscoed souffle tin. bake minutes in hot oven. fold a napkin round and serve hot. november _haddock au gratin *venison cutlets hashed browned potatoes oyster and celery salad marrons, a la creme coffee_ _*venison cutlets_--trim venison cutlets in usual way. put tablespoons crisco in saute pan and when hot put in cutlets, seasoned with salt and pepper, fry till brown. then take out cutlets, put into pan / tumbler currant jelly to melt, add tablespoons crisco with / teaspoon salt, and serve separately with cutlets. november _*baked scallops in shells chicken souffle fried celery latticed potatoes watercress and green pepper salad meringues glaces coffee_ _*baked scallops in shells_--take desired quantity of fresh scallops-- pint or quart, and cook them in little white wine until done. drain, cut in quarters, and add to them / their quantity of minced onion fried until tender, but not brown. moisten with white sauce, season with red pepper and salt, heap high in scallop shells, cover with breadcrumbs moistened in melted crisco, and brown in hot oven. garnish with lemon slices and parsley. november _hamburg steak balls mashed potatoes fried parsnips apple and celery salad *baked indian pudding coffee_ _*baked indian pudding_-- - / quarts milk, tablespoons cornmeal, / pint molasses, tablespoons crisco, teaspoon salt, teaspoon cinnamon, and / teaspoon ginger. boil quart milk; add to it molasses, crisco, salt, and spices, and lastly meal stirred smooth with little cold milk; scald whole together, and turn into a well criscoed baking dish. when it begins to crust over, stir it all up from bottom, and add pint of cold milk. repeat process every / hour, or oftener if pudding browns too fast, till pints are used; then let it bake till done-- hours in all. serve hot with sauce of grated or granulated maple sugar stirred into rich cream, and kept very cold till needed. november _lamb cutlets potatoes *curried lima beans tomato salad cheese fritters benedictine jelly coffee_ _*curried lima beans_--chop onion finely and fry it for a few minutes in tablespoons crisco, add tablespoon curry powder, teaspoon salt, teaspoon flour, teaspoon lemon juice, and cup water, allow to cook slowly for minutes, then add - / cups cooked lima beans, mix well and serve hot. november _cream of tomato soup *nut roast piquante sauce sweet potatoes fried egg plant lettuce salad baked quinces gingerbread coffee_ _*nut roast_-- / cup lentils, / cup shelled roasted peanuts, / tablespoon crisco, / cup toasted breadcrumbs, / teaspoon salt, / saltspoon pepper and milk. soak lentils over night; in morning drain, cover with fresh water and bring to boil. drain again; and put in fresh water and cook until tender. drain once more; throw away water and press lentils through colander. add nuts, either ground or chopped, crisco, breadcrumbs, seasoning and milk sufficient to make mixture consistency of mush. put into criscoed baking dish; bake in moderate oven hour; turn out on heated platter; garnish with parsley or watercress and serve with piquante sauce. vegetarian november _sweet potatoes au gratin corn, a la southern *raisin and nut bread apples stuffed with celery caramel custards coffee_ _*raisin and nut bread_-- egg, / cup sugar, - / cups milk, teaspoon salt, cups flour, teaspoons baking powder, tablespoons crisco, / cup raisins, and cup chopped walnut meats. beat egg with sugar; add sifted flour, baking powder and salt alternately with milk; last add crisco, melted, and walnuts. bake in deep pan in slow oven minutes. november _cream of corn soup roast turkey, giblet sauce mashed potatoes creamed onions melon mangoes cheese fingers *apple strudel coffee_ _*apple strudel_--sift cups flour with / teaspoonful salt and teaspoon sugar. add gradually cup lukewarm water and knead until dough does not stick to hands. roll dough as thin as possible on floured board. place clean tablecloth on table, put rolled out dough on it and pull carefully with fingers to get thin as possible. mix cups chopped apples with cup sugar, tablespoon cinnamon, cup seeded raisins, and cup currants. spread over dough, and spread little crisco over apples. take cloth in both hands, and roll strudel over and over like roly poly. roll strudel into criscoed baking pan and bake in hot oven until brown. november _*stewed rabbit glace potatoes baked onions jellied baked beans cranberry bavarian cream coffee_ _*stewed rabbit_--melt tablespoons crisco in saucepan; joint rabbit and fry quickly in crisco, then fry sliced onion until browned, stir in tablespoons flour and brown flour; now add gradually cups water and stir till smooth, when boiling add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste, and tablespoons chopped parsley; simmer slowly - / hours. dish and strain over gravy. november _julienne soup toast points stuffed hearts pickles browned potatoes baked squash *almond and apple pudding coffee_ _*almond and apple pudding_--pare and core apples, chop into small pieces and sprinkle with / cup sugar. have ready cups breadcrumbs, soaked in / cup milk to which tablespoon melted crisco has been added. beat eggs till light, add to them grating of nutmeg, a pinch of cinnamon and good pinch of salt. mix apple with soaked breadcrumbs, then eggs, and lastly dozens blanched almonds chopped fine. thin with / cup milk, then pour into criscoed tin and bake. serve with sweetened cream. november _spare ribs stew rice croquettes waldorf salad cheese biscuits *cranberry pudding coffee_ _*cranberry pudding_--cream / cup crisco with cup sugar, add eggs well beaten, / cup milk, - / cups flour, teaspoons baking powder, / teaspoon salt, and / teaspoon almond extract, then stir in - / cups cranberries, turn into criscoed mold, cover with greased paper and steam hours. serve with milk. november _oyster croquettes *stuffed lamb chops chestnut puree mashed potatoes egg plant fritters kumquat and endive salad stewed figs coffee_ _*stuffed lamb chops_--wipe french chops, cut - / inches thick. split meat in halves, cutting to bone. cook - / tablespoons crisco and tablespoon chopped onion minutes; remove onion, add / cup chopped mushroom, and cook minutes; add tablespoons flour, tablespoons stock, teaspoon chopped parsley, / teaspoon salt, and few grains red pepper. spread mixture between layers of chops, press together lightly, wrap in criscoed paper cases, and broil minutes. serve with chestnut puree. november _baked boned white fish bread dressing drawn butter sauce stewed tomatoes mashed potatoes *date pudding coffee_ _*date pudding_--clean, stone, and chop pound dates, add cup english walnut meats, broken in pieces, / cup flour, teaspoon baking powder, and / teaspoon salt. beat up egg whites to stiff froth, then fold in / cup sugar, add beaten egg yolks, / tablespoon melted crisco and date mixture. turn into criscoed tin and bake in moderate oven minutes. cut in squares and serve cold with whipped cream. november _*fried smelts sauce tartare roast chicken creamed chestnuts canned stringless beans orange and romaine salad mint ice cream coffee_ _*fried smelts_--clean, trim the fins, and remove gills; wipe very dry, roll in flour, brush over with beaten egg, roll in crumbs and fry in hot crisco until crisp; drain on soft paper, dish on lace paper in a heap, and garnish with fried parsley, serve with sauce tartare. smelts make a nice garnish for many fish dishes, the tails drawn through the eyes, dressed as above, and fried. november _bisque of clams boiled fish hollandaise sauce potatoes baked parsnips celery salad *italian fritters coffee_ _*italian fritters_-- egg, cup milk, grated rind lemon, tablespoons crisco, slices stale cake, / teaspoon powdered cinnamon, sugar and few grains salt. cake should be about a / of an inch thick, not less. cut out into oval or round shapes with cutter. beat egg, mix with milk, lemon rind, salt, and about teaspoon sugar. lay slices of cake in this custard until they are soft, but not crumbly; time will depend upon how stale cake is. heat / crisco in frying pan, lift few pieces of cake up carefully and lay them in hot crisco. brown side, then turn them over and brown other side also. add some pieces of crisco as required. mix cinnamon with teaspoons sugar and sprinkle some of these over each fritter. serve with hard sauce. november _cannelon of beef creamed cabbage franconia potatoes cranberry salad cheese wafers *baba with syrup coffee_ _*baba with syrup_--sift cups flour and / teaspoon salt into a basin, add yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm milk; make well in center of flour, pour in beaten eggs, mix with the hand for minutes. put it into criscoed basin, spread over with / cup crisco, cover and put in warm place until it has risen to twice its original size. knead until elastic, add tablespoon sugar, tablespoons currants, tablespoons sultana raisins, knead again. turn into large criscoed mold. it should not be more than half full. allow to rise to top of tin, then bake in moderate oven for minutes. turn out and pour syrup over it. to make syrup, boil cups water with / cup sugar for minutes, then add tablespoons apricot jam and boil minutes. strain, add wineglass rum and bring to boiling point. november _quick beef soup panned chicken brown sauce curried rice creamed carrots tomato salad *baked macaroni pudding coffee_ _*baked macaroni pudding_-- pint milk, long sticks macaroni, egg, tablespoons sugar, nutmeg, tablespoon crisco, and salt to taste. bake macaroni into / inch lengths. boil milk, shake in macaroni and salt and boil it very slowly for / an hour, or until quite tender, and keep it well stirred during cooking. thickly crisco a pudding dish and beat up egg. add sugar and crisco to macaroni, let it cool a little, then pour in egg and mix it well. grate little nutmeg on top and bake pudding very slowly until top is delicately browned. november _pea soup boiled tongue raisin sauce rice balls stewed celery tomato and cress salad *graham pudding coffee_ _*graham pudding_--mix cups graham flour, / teaspoon salt, tablespoons crisco, teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg, cup currants, cup molasses, egg well beaten, cup milk, teaspoons soda dissolved in tablespoon hot water. pour in criscoed mold, cover with criscoed paper and steam hours. turn out and serve with milk. november _steak en casserole sweet potato croquettes boiled cauliflower pear and grape salad cheese fritters *pineapple souffle coffee_ _*pineapple souffle_--cream - / tablespoons each crisco and flour, add cup canned grated pineapple and juice. cook minutes, remove from fire, add little salt, tablespoon lemon juice, and beaten egg yolks. bake in criscoed dish minutes. serve with following sauce: cook tablespoons creamed crisco in double boiler, add yolks of eggs, at a time, beat, and add tablespoons sugar, tablespoons orange juice, teaspoon lemon juice, and / cup whipped cream. serve hot. november _mock bisque soup mutton haricot string beans fried parsnips lettuce and pepper salad *apples with red currant jelly coffee_ _*apples with red currant jelly_-- cooking apples, tablespoons flour, egg, cakecrumbs, apricot jam, glace cherries, red currant jelly, crisco and syrup. choose apples as much as possible same size, peel and core them carefully, so as not to break them. put cup syrup into stewpan or baking tin, put in apples and cook over fire or in oven until nearly done. baste them occasionally with syrup. let them get cold, then roll them in flour, brush over with beaten egg, toss in sifted cakecrumbs, and fry in hot crisco a golden brown. drain on piece of paper, fill centers with apricot jam, cut out some rounds of red currant jelly, place on top of each apple and a glace cherry on that. dish up and serve hot or cold. an apricot syrup should be sent to table separately with apples. november _smoked salmon toast *spiced venison black currant jelly creamed turnips grilled sweet potatoes escarole salad cheese dressing peach gateau coffee_ _*spiced venison_--rub a piece of venison with salt, pepper, vinegar, cloves, and allspice; then put into baking pan. pour over cup melted crisco, add sliced onions, sprig of thyme, sprigs parsley, juice lemon, and / pint hot water. cover and bake in hot oven till tender. sprinkle with flour, add glassful of sherry wine and allow to brown. thanksgiving dinner november _bisque of oyster broiled smelts drawn butter roast turkey cranberry sauce mashed potatoes stewed celery romaine salad roquefort cheese *hot pumpkin pie orange ice coffee_ _*hot pumpkin pie_--line pie tin with crisco pastry. mix cups steamed and strained pumpkin, with teaspoons crisco, / teaspoon salt, cup sugar, / teaspoon each cinnamon, cloves, mace, allspice, and ginger, grated rind of lemon, cup milk, / cup cream, well beaten eggs, and pour into prepared pie plate. bake till firm in moderate oven. serve hot. as a change, place on the pumpkin pie as it comes out of the oven a layer of halved marshmallows, replace in the oven and let them brown. december _oyster bouillon *baked beefsteak fried beets baked potatoes grapefruit and endive salad nougat ice cream coffee_ _*baked beefsteak_--cut pounds of sirloin, / inch thick. mix cup breadcrumbs, tablespoon crisco, tablespoon chopped parsley, / tablespoon chopped onion, / teaspoon each of salt, pepper, and red pepper, / teaspoon kitchen bouquet, and moisten with stock. spread this over steak and roll it up, fastening with skewers or tying, and put on rack in roasting pan. add / cup stock, and bake / hour, basting often. place on hot platter, and pour around it sauce made from tablespoons crisco and tablespoons flour blended together, with salt and pepper to taste, and - / cups beef stock cooked until boiling, then strained and added to tablespoon worcestershire sauce. december _baked pork spareribs turnips mashed potatoes celery and cranberry salad *squash pie coffee_ _*squash pie_-- cups stewed squash, tablespoon melted crisco, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon cinnamon, / cup sugar; teaspoon ginger, eggs, and cups milk. beat eggs until light. place squash in quart measure, add sugar, crisco, salt, spice, and then beaten eggs. stir well and add sufficient milk to make quart of whole mass. turn into pie tin lined with crisco pastry and bake slowly for minutes. when done a silver knife when inserted will come out from it clear. squash pie will become watery if allowed to boil. december _brown fricassee of chicken cranberry jelly sweet potatoes boiled onions orange and pineapple salad *farina pudding coffee_ _*farina pudding_--stir into cups boiling milk cup farina, and cook minutes. rub together tablespoon crisco and tablespoons sugar; add yolks of eggs, grated rind of lemon and chopped blanched almonds. stir this mixture into farina after it is little cooled; lastly add whites of eggs beaten to stiff froth. steam this pudding in covered mold for - / hours. serve with any sweet pudding sauce. december _clear soup with rice corn peas mashed potatoes cold slaw plum pudding hard sauce *individual mince pies cheese wafers coffee_ _*individual mince pies_--roll out crisco paste / inch thick, stamp into rounds and line gem pans, place in each teaspoons of mince meat; roll out more pastry rather thicker than first, stamp into rounds size of top of pans, wet edges and cover pies, brush over with beaten egg, sprinkle with sugar, and bake minutes in hot oven. for mince meat, put into jar pound chopped apples, pound sultana raisins, / pound chopped figs, / pound currants, grated rind, strained juice lemons, cup crisco, teaspoon salt, / pound chopped almonds, grated rind, strained juice oranges, grated nutmegs, / cup sherry, cup brandy, ounce mixed spice, / pound each chopped candied orange and lemon peel, and cups brown sugar. mix well and keep in well sealed jar. december _*steamed clams roast ribs of beef currant jelly rice croquettes stewed tomatoes apple and celery salad mince pie coffee_ _*steamed clams_--wash and scrub clam shells; place in kettle; add water, allowing / cup water for each peck of clams. cover kettle and cook until shells open. serve hot with the following sauce: tablespoons crisco, tablespoons lemon juice, tablespoons chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste. cream crisco and add remaining ingredients. kettle should be removed from range as soon as shells open, otherwise clams will be over-cooked. december _caviar canapes roast duck *apple sauce canned beans mashed potatoes tomato jelly salad apple dumplings raisins nuts coffee_ _*apple sauce_-- pound apples, tablespoons sugar, tablespoons crisco, / cup water, and strained juice of / lemon. peel, core, and slice apples, put them into saucepan with sugar, crisco, water, lemon juice, and cook them until tender. serve with roast duck. december _stewed chicken cream dressing *baked sweet potatoes creamed carrots onion salad indian pudding bon bons coffee_ _*baked sweet potatoes_--peel boiled sweet potatoes and cut in slices crosswise. to cups of slices allow tablespoons crisco, and tablespoons each of sugar and vinegar. have crisco hot, lay potatoes in it, sprinkle sugar over top, and pour vinegar over lightly. bake until a golden brown. december _lamb chops creamed potatoes lima beans carrot salad pineapple ice cream candy *cocoanut layer cake coffee_ _*cocoanut layer cake_--beat / cup crisco with cup sugar till creamy, add well beaten eggs, / teaspoon salt, - / cups flour sifted with teaspoons baking powder, cup water and / teaspoon almond extract, mix and divide into criscoed and floured layer tins. bake minutes in moderate oven. use boiled frosting and shredded cocoanut for filling. december _oysters *chicken hot pot celery salad dried apricot shortcake coffee_ _*chicken hot pot_--prepare large chicken. cut into as small pieces as joints allow. do not remove meats from bones. boil chicken until nearly tender and keep broth left in kettle when you remove chicken from it. cut pound of lean, raw ham into small squares. wash and peel and parboil large potatoes and slice them. slice medium-sized onions. put into deep baking dish layer of chicken, layer of ham, layer of potatoes, and layer of onions. repeat until all are used up; when arranging these layers strew tiny bits of crisco over them. pour chicken broth over layers, well seasoned with salt and pepper. add enough water to almost fill pot. cover pot, and bake for - / hours. be sure plenty of water is in pot while baking is in progress. when cooked put baked chicken and vegetables in large tureen. garnish edges with parsley. sprinkle parsley and sliced cooked carrots over top. serve with small slice of toast on each plate. december _cream of celery soup broiled oysters, a la francaise bean salad cheese straws *fig and apple cobbler coffee_ _*fig and apple cobbler_--nearly fill criscoed baking dish with equal amounts of sliced apples and chopped figs, arranging them in layers; add cup water, strained juice lemon and cover with crisco biscuit dough about inch thick. place on range, cover tightly with a pan and simmer minutes. lift cover carefully, make an opening in middle of crust, and pour in another / cup water, tablespoons crisco, and cup scraped maple sugar. sprinkle a little maple sugar over top of pudding before serving it. december _roast pork, apple sauce franconia potatoes creamed onions endive and grape salad *lemon and apple tart coffee_ _*lemon and apple tart_--line a large pie plate with crisco pastry. mix together cups grated apple, grated rind and juice of lemon, - / cups sugar, eggs, beaten without separating whites and yolks, tablespoons melted crisco, / teaspoon salt and cup thin cream. turn into plate lined with pastry, wet edge, and put strips of pastry over top of filling. finish with strip of pastry on edge. let bake until firm in center. december _baked codfish piquant beets baked potatoes lettuce and cheese salad *bread pudding coffee_ _*bread pudding_-- cups bread cut in dice, tablespoons sultanas, tablespoons chopped candied peel, tablespoons sugar, tablespoon crisco, rind of lemon, eggs, / tablespoon lemon juice, cup milk, and lumps of sugar. put lump sugar in dry saucepan and heat until it turns dark brown. add milk and stir it over fire until sugar dissolves. mix bread, cleaned sultanas, chopped peel, sugar, crisco, grated lemon rind, and colored milk. beat up eggs and add them with lemon juice. let mixture stand for / an hour, or longer, if bread is stale. have ready criscoed mold, put in mixture, cover top with piece of criscoed paper, and steam it for hours. turn carefully on to hot dish and serve with it any good sweet sauce. december _chestnut soup pork chops apple sauce potatoes steamed squash lettuce and pepper salad *raisin roly poly coffee_ _*raisin roly poly_-- cups flour, cups breadcrumbs, / cup crisco, / cup brown sugar, / pound stoned raisins, / tablespoon salt, and cold water. rub crisco well into flour, breadcrumbs, sugar, salt, and add raisins stoned and halved. add enough water to mix whole into soft paste. roll into neat shape. roll up in floured and scalded pudding cloth, tying ends securely. put in pan of fast boiling water, and let boil steadily for hours. take off cloth, and serve pudding on hot dish. december _corn chowder bread sticks chicken and chestnut salad stuffed celery *raisin puffs vanilla sauce coffee_ _*raisin puffs_--beat tablespoons crisco with / cup sugar till creamy, add beaten egg, / teaspoon salt, / cup milk, - / cups flour sifted with teaspoons baking powder, / teaspoon grated nutmeg, and cup chopped raisins. crisco baking cups and fill half full with mixture and steam for hour. december _boiled ham fried potatoes asparagus on toast bar-le-duc and cheese sandwiches *cocoanut pie coffee_ _*cocoanut pie_-- cup chopped cocoanut, eggs, cup cream, cup milk, tablespoons cornstarch, tablespoons cold water, tablespoons crisco, tablespoons sugar, and some crisco pastry. line pie plates with crisco pastry. put milk and cream into saucepan, bring to boiling point, add cornstarch mixed with water. remove saucepan from fire, stir in crisco. let stand until perfectly cold. beat up yolks of eggs and sugar together, then add cocoanut to them. add this mixture to milk with stiffly beaten whites of eggs. divide into prepared pie plates and bake in moderate oven for minutes. serve hot. december _baked fish pudding galantine of veal *pea croquettes tomato sauce cream cheese salad chocolate meringues coffee_ _*pea croquettes_--boil cup dried peas that have been soaked over night, till tender, strain and press through sieve. fry chopped onion in tablespoon crisco, add to peas, with tablespoon melted crisco, tablespoons flour, salt and pepper to taste, beaten eggs, and breadcrumbs to make stiff enough to form into croquettes. brush over with beaten egg, toss in breadcrumbs, and fry golden brown in hot crisco. serve hot with tomato sauce. december _farina soup salmon loaf glazed potatoes stewed carrots cabbage salad *pear croquettes coffee_ _*pear croquettes_-- halves canned pears, / cup rice, tablespoons sugar, cups milk, lemon, egg, lady fingers and angelica. put milk and sugar in saucepan, bring to boil, and then add rice and grated rind of lemon. stir this over fire until rice is tender and milk absorbed, then turn it on to plate, and put aside to cool. stand pears on hair sieve until syrup has drained away, then stuff hollow side with boiled rice, shaping it to a dome, so that they look like whole pears. beat egg on plate, crush lady fingers, and rub them through wire sieve. dip stuffed pears in egg, and toss in lady finger crumbs. have ready pan of hot crisco, fry croquettes in it until a golden brown. take them up, and drain on paper. insert small piece of angelica in end of each to represent pear-stalk. dish up and serve hot. december _fillets of flounder tournedos of beef *tomato croquettes celery mayonnaise orange tartlets coffee_ _*tomato croquettes_--cook quart tomatoes until reduced to cups. add to them cups crumbs, tablespoons melted crisco, / teaspoon salt, dust sugar, / teaspoon pepper, pinch red pepper, and dust of nutmeg. set away to cool. shape into croquettes, roll in flour, brush over with beaten egg, toss in crumbs and fry in hot crisco. december _*soup bonne femme broiled lamb steak with virginia ham stuffed egg plant frontenac salad apple tart coffee_ _*soup bonne femme_--wash, dry, and cut up large heads of lettuce, pound sorrel, and pound spinach. add pints white stock, and simmer, with / cup crisco, carrots, and onions, for hour. blend together tablespoons crisco, tablespoons flour, and yolks of eggs, thin with cup of boiling milk, and add to broth. season with salt and pepper, press through sieve, and serve with croutons. december _lentil soup roast loin of pork apple sauce potato balls artichokes celery and pineapple salad *sultana pudding coffee_ _*sultana pudding_--line shallow dish with plain pastry, put in bottom layer of sultana raisins. beat / cup crisco to a cream with tablespoons sugar, add well beaten eggs, tablespoons milk, / teaspoon lemon extract, / teaspoon salt, and / cup flour. mix and spread on top of raisins and bake minutes in moderate oven. serve cold. december _*scallops broiled squab chickens braised endive potatoes anna chiffonade salad apricot custard coffee_ _*scallops_--for pint of scallops take tablespoons crisco. melt in frying pan, add scallops and minced onions and tablespoon flour with pint liquor from scallops. cook thoroughly, seasoning with salt and bit of paprika, then add / cup breadcrumbs and yolks of eggs. fill small shells with mixture and bake in quick oven, adding, if liked, little grated cheese. december _petite marmite goulash of veal saute potatoes cauliflower orange salad *cornstarch souffle coffee_ _*cornstarch souffle_--bring quart milk and tablespoon crisco to boiling point; beat tablespoons cornstarch with cup sugar, yolks of eggs together and add to hot milk. stir and cook minutes then add / teaspoon salt and teaspoon vanilla extract. pour into criscoed fireproof dish. beat up whites of eggs to stiff froth, then beat in tablespoons sugar, pour over top of pudding and brown lightly in oven. december _*baked tripe mashed potatoes stuffed onions baked bean salad cheese balls stewed figs whipped cream coffee_ _*baked tripe_--cut tripe into good-sized pieces and spread over them the following stuffing: mix together tablespoons crumbs, tablespoons crisco, / teaspoon salt, dust powdered mace, tablespoon chopped cooked ham, chopped onion, tablespoon chopped parsley, / teaspoon pepper, dust paprika, and well beaten egg. roll them up and fasten with wooden toothpicks. dredge with flour and spread on each tablespoon crisco. bake in hot oven minutes, basting frequently with melted crisco and hot water. garnish with lemon slices and pass melted butter. vegetarian december _cream of tomato soup cheese souffle graham rolls lettuce french dressing *eve's pudding springerlie coffee_ _*eve's pudding_--mix together in a basin, cup seeded raisins, tablespoons crisco, / teaspoon salt, cups crumbs, cup currants, chopped apples, teaspoon each, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, / cup milk, and well beaten eggs. pour into criscoed mold, cover with greased paper and steam hours. serve with hot milk. christmas dinner december _oysters mangoes celery stuffed olives tomato soup roast turkey cranberry jelly roast sweet potatoes mashed turnips brussels sprouts orange and celery salad vanilla blanc-mange *english plum pudding fruit coffee_ _*english plum pudding_-- cupful breadcrumbs, cupful flour, cupful brown sugar, / cupful crisco, teaspoonful salt, teaspoonfuls baking powder, teaspoonful mixed spices, eggs, cupful milk, / cupful seeded raisins, / cupful chopped candied citron peel, cupful currants, / cupful chopped preserved ginger, / cupful brandy, / cupful chopped english walnut meats. mix flour with breadcrumbs, add crisco, sugar, salt, baking powder, spices, nuts, fruit, milk, eggs well beaten, and brandy. pour into criscoed mold, cover with greased paper and steam steadily for four hours. turn out and serve with liquid or hard sauce. the brandy may be omitted. december _stuffed veal heart tomato sauce baked sweet potatoes mashed turnips lettuce, apple and date salad cream cheese on toasted crackers *baked apples with custard coffee_ _*baked apples_--core and peel apples; fill centers with / cup crisco creamed with / cup brown sugar, add tablespoons chopped citron peel, and tablespoon lemon juice mixed together. mix tablespoons sugar with / cup water and brush over apples; sprinkle with crumbs browned in hot crisco; bake for minutes in moderate oven. serve cold with custard. december _*terrapin, a la maryland saratoga chips roasted capon oyster sauce sweet potatoes stewed celery apple and cabbage salad hamburg cream coffee_ _*terrapin, a la maryland_--put terrapin in kettle, cover with boiling salted water, add slices each carrot and onion, and stalk celery. cook till meat is tender. remove from water, cool, draw out nails from feet, cut under shell close to upper shell and remove. empty upper shell, remove and discard gall bladder, sand bags and thick intestines. liver, small intestines are used with meat. add terrapin meat to / cup white stock, tablespoons wine; cook slowly until liquor is reduced half. add liver separated in pieces, yolks of eggs, tablespoon crisco, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste, tablespoon flour mixed with / cup cream, and teaspoon lemon juice. make hot and just before serving add tablespoon sherry wine. turn into hot dish and garnish with toast points. december _*belgian hare, en casserole scalloped potatoes braised celery pineapple and celery salad lemon pudding caramel sauce coffee_ _*belgian hare, en casserole_--separate hare into joints; season with salt, paprika and red pepper, and saute in / cup crisco with slices of bacon cut in dice to golden brown. put hare in casserole with cup hot water and put on cover. bake minutes, then add tablespoons crisco rubbed into tablespoons flour, cup water, seasoning to taste, and tablespoon lemon juice. cook in moderate oven for hours. send to table without removing cover. vegetarian december _nut turkey roast cranberry jelly creamed onions baked potatoes hubbard squash pineapple and orange salad *pastry fingers lalla rookh coffee_ _*pastry fingers_--sift / cup pastry flour, cups entire wheat flour, and teaspoon salt into basin, add tablespoons crisco, and / cup butter, cut them into flours with knife until finely divided. then rub in fine with finger tips and make into stiff paste with cold water. roll out / inch in thickness, cut in finger shape pieces, lay on criscoed tins and bake from to minutes in hot oven. cool, brush over with slightly beaten egg white, and sprinkle with salted pine nuts. return to oven to brown nut meats. december _sirloin steak glazed pumpkin marbled potatoes celery salad cheese relish *boston pudding coffee_ _*boston pudding_--cut loaf bread into thin slices and spread with crisco. crisco baking dish, put into it layer bread, sprinkle over tablespoon each cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg, then a layer seeded raisins, and so on till dish is full. pour over quart milk sweetened to taste, with well beaten eggs, allow to soak hours, then add cups more milk sweetened to taste. cover dish and bake in moderate oven hours. serve with wine sauce. december _codfish, delmonico style roasted leg of lamb *chestnut boulettes baked potato strips watercress and green pepper salad cherry and almond parfait lady fingers coffee_ _*chestnut boulettes_--mix together in a basin cup mashed chestnuts, which have been peeled after cooking in boiling salted water, beat into this tablespoon whipped cream, / tablespoon crisco, / teaspoon salt, egg yolks, tablespoon sugar, teaspoon sherry wine. cool and fold in beaten egg whites, form into small balls, dip in beaten egg, toss in crumbs and fry in hot crisco. drain and serve. [illustration] an addition to the crisco library, "the whys of cooking," or questions asked and answered, by janet mckenzie hill, of the boston cooking school and editor and publisher of "american cookery" is off the press. illustrated and containing new recipes, it will be a valuable book every woman will appreciate. we will be glad to send this to any one who will write for it, enclosing five -cent stamps. address department c.o. the procter & gamble co. cincinnati, ohio. [illustration: _by permission of harrison h dodge, superintendent_ a corner of washington's kitchen at mount vernon] school and home cooking by carlotta c. greer head of the department of foods and household management, east technical high school cleveland, ohio preface _school and home cooking_ is a text which can be placed in the hands of the pupils and used by them as a guide both in the school and home. its use eliminates note-taking (which in reality is dictation) and thus saves much time. the _psychological_ method of education, which treats first of material within the experience of the beginner and with that as a basis develops new material to meet the needs of the pupil, was kept in mind in preparing this text. although the grouping of foods rich in each foodstuff may be considered a logical arrangement, the method of arrangement of the content of each division and the method of approach of each lesson is psychological. the manipulative processes and kinds of dishes are sufficiently varied to arouse and sustain the interest of a pupil. experience with pupils in the classroom shows that their interest in any subject cannot be awakened by using a list or classification involving technical terms in introducing the subject. for this reason a classification of the foodstuffs is not placed at the beginning of the text; they are classified after each is considered. at the close of each division of the text there is placed a group of lessons called _related work_, which includes table service lessons, home projects, and meal cooking. _table service_ lessons are introduced in this way to emphasize the fact that a complete meal should be prepared before all types of foods are studied and manipulative processes are performed. the _cost_ and _food value_ of meals are considered in conjunction with their preparation. wise _selection_ and thrifty _buying_ of foods are also treated in these lessons. _home projects_ which progressive teachers have found effective in making home economics function in the home--one of the goals to be attained in democratic education--contain suggestive material which may be adapted to the particular needs of the pupils in their homes. an adaptation of the "meal method," _i.e., meal cooking_, is used both for the purpose of reviewing processes of cooking, and also for gaining skill and speed in the preparation of several foods at the same time. _experiments_ regarding food preparation and composition and processes of digestion are found in this book. special care has been taken to state these experiments in terms within the understanding of the pupil and to intersperse definite questions so that a pupil can follow directions, make observations, and draw helpful deductions. the _recipes_ have been adapted from various sources. where it is possible, without a sacrifice of flavor or food value, the least expensive food materials are used. the more expensive materials are used as sparingly as possible. definite and practical methods of preparing foods follow the list of ingredients. the recipes have proved satisfactory in the home kitchen. special thanks are due to mrs. mary swartz rose, assistant professor of nutrition, teachers college, columbia university, for criticizing portions of the text regarding dietetics; to miss s. gertrude hadlow, head of the department of english, longwood high school of commerce, cleveland, for valuable suggestions of material formerly prepared which aided in the preparation of this work; to mrs. jessie m. osgood for painstaking reading of the manuscript; and to the following for the use of illustrative material: the macmillan company, d. appleton and company, william wood and company, _the journal of the american medical association, the journal of home economics_, and the united states department of agriculture. cleveland, july, . table of contents list of illustrations list of experiments foreword division one introduction i. baked apples--dishwashing ii. measurements--stuffed and scalloped tomatoes iii. fuels and combustion--sauted and baked squash iv. coal ranges--corn dishes v. gas ranges--scalloped fruit vi. stoves and heating devices--stuffed peppers, butterscotch apples division two body-regulating food--water vii. water and beverages (a) viii. water and beverages (b) related work ix. home projects x. afternoon tea division three body-building and body-regulating foods,--rich in ash (mineral matter) xi. fresh vegetables (a) xii. fresh vegetables (b) xiii. fresh fruits related work lesson xiv. review: meal cooking xv. home projects division four energy-giving or fuel foods,--rich in carbohydrates xvi. sugar: digestion of sugar xvii. sugar-rich fruits: dried fruits (a) xviii. sugar-rich fruits: dried fruits (b) xix. cereals: starch and cellulose xx. cereals: rice (a) xxi. cereals: rice (b) xxii. cereals and the fireless cooker xxiii. cereals for frying or baking xxiv. powdered cereals used for thickening xxv. toast: digestion of starch xxvi. root vegetables (a) xxvii. root vegetables (b) xxviii. root vegetables (c) xxix. starchy foods cooked at high temperature related work xxx. dining room service xxxi. cooking and serving breakfast xxxii. review: meal cooking xxxiii. home projects division five energy-giving or fuel foods,--rich in fats an oils xxxiv. fat as a frying medium xxxv. fat as a frying medium--food fats xxxvi. fat as a frying medium--digestion of fat xxxvii. fat saving related work xxxviii. dining room courtesy xxxix. cooking and serving breakfast xl. review: meal cooking xli. home projects division six energy-giving and body-building foods,--rich in protein xlii. eggs xliii. eggs: digestion of protein xliv. eggs: omelets (a) xlv. eggs: omelets (b) xlvi. milk xlvii. milk with cocoa and chocolate xlviii. milk and cream xlix. cream soups (a) l. cream soups (b) li. milk thickened with egg (a) lii. milk thickened with egg (b) liii. milk thickened with egg (c) liv. milk thickened with egg and starchy materials (a) lv. milk thickened with egg and starchy materials (b) lvi. milk thickened with egg and starchy materials (c) lvii. cheese (a) lviii. cheese (b) lix. structure of beef--methods of cooking tender cuts lx. beef: methods of cooking tender cuts (applied to chopped beef) (a) lxi. beef: methods of cooking tender cuts (applied to chopped beef) (b) lxil. beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (a) lxiii. beef; methods of cooking tough cuts (b) lxiv. beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (c) lxv. beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (d) lxvi. beef: uses of cooked beef lxvii. gelatine (a) lxviil. gelatine (b) lxix. fish (a) lxx. fish (b) lxxi. fish (c) lxxii. legumes (a) lxxiii. legumes (b) lxxiv. legumes (c) related work lxxv. cost of food lxxvi. cooking and serving a breakfast lxxvii. review: meal cooking lxxviii. home projects division seven health and growth-promoting foods,--rich in vitamines lxxix. vitamines--vegetables of delicate flavor lxxx. vitamines--vegetables of strong flavor lxxxi. salads (a) lxxxii. salads (b) lxxxiii. classification of foodstuffs related work lxxxiv. selecting food lxxxv. cooking and serving a luncheon or supper lxxxvl. review: meal cooking lxxxvii. home projects division eight flavoring materials: food adjuncts lxxxviii. food adjuncts--dishes containing food adjuncts related work lxxxix. spending for food xc. cooking and serving a luncheon or supper xci. review: meal cooking xcii. home projects division nine food combinations xciii. vegetables with salad dressing (a) xciv. vegetables with salad dressing (b) xcv. fish salad and salad rolls xcvi. cream of tomato soup and cheese straws xcvii. veal and potatoes xcviii. mutton and lamb dishes xcix. pork, vegetables, and apple sauce c. chicken and rice ci. chicken and peas cii. oyster dishes ciii. meat-substitute dishes civ. meat extenders and one-dish meals related work cv. menu-making cvi. planning, cooking, and serving a luncheon or supper cvii. review: meal cooking cviii. home projects division ten quick breads: pour batters cix. leavening with steam and air: popovers cx. leavening with baking soda and sour milk: spider corn bread cxi. leavening with baking soda, sour milk, and molasses: gingerbread cxii. leavening with baking powder: griddle cakes cxiii. leavening with baking soda, sour milk, and baking powder: sour milk griddle cakes cxiv. leavening with baking soda, sour milk, and cream of tartar: steamed brown breads cxv. formulating recipes--waffles related work cxvi. measurement of the fuel value of foods cxvii. planning, cooking, and serving a dinner cxviii. review: meal cooking cxix. home projects division eleven quick breads: drop batters cxx. fine and coarse flours--muffins cxxi. comparison of wheat and other grains--muffins cxxii. baking powder loaf breads cxxiii. eggs for quick breads--cream puffs related work cxxiv. food requirement cxxv. planning, cooking, and serving a dinner cxxvi. review: meal cooking cxxvii. home projects division twelve quick breads: soft doughs cxxviii. method of mixing fat in quick breads--drop biscuit cxxix. quantity of fat in quick breads--short cake cxxx. "cut" biscuit related work cxxxi. measurement of the fuel value of food applied to the daily food requirement. cxxxii. planning, cooking, and serving a dinner. cxxxiii. review: meal cooking. cxxxiv. home projects. division thirteen yeast breads: stiff doughs cxxxv. yeast--loaf bread. cxxxvi. wheat flour--bread sponge. cxxxvii. modifications of plain white bread. cxxxviii. rolls and buns. related work cxxxix. food for girls and boys. cxl. planning a day's diet--cooking and serving a meal. cxli. review: meal cooking. cxlii. home projects. division fourteen cake cxliii. cake without fat--sponge cake. cxliv. cake containing fat--one-egg cake. cxlv. cake containing fat--plain cake and its modifications (a) cxlvi. cake containing fat--plain cake and its modifications (b) cxlvii. cake containing fat--cookies cxlviii. cakes without eggs related work cxlix. the luncheon box cl. planning and preparing box luncheons cli. review--meal cooking clii. home projects division fifteen pastry cliii. pies with under crust cliv. pies with upper crust clv. two-crust pies related work clvi. infant feeding clvii. modifying milk clviii. review--meal cooking clix. home projects division sixteen frozen desserts clx. method of freezing--water ice clxi. frozen creams related work clxii. diet for young children clxiii. planning and preparing menus for children clxiv. review--meal cooking clxv. home projects division seventeen food preservation clxvi. the principles of preserving food clxvii. processing with little or no sugar--canned fruit clxviii. processing with much sugar--preserves, jams, and conserves clxix. processing with much sugar--jellies clxx. processing with vinegar and spices--relishes clxxi. canned vegetables clxxii. dried vegetables related work clxxiii. the sick-room tray clxxiv. preparing trays for the sick and convalescent clxxv. review--meal cooking clxxvi. home projects division eighteen supplementary i. thanksgiving sauce ii. thanksgiving desserts iii. christmas sweets iv. christmas candy appendix suggestions for teaching books for reference index list of illustrations a corner in washington's kitchen at mt. vernon [_frontispiece_] . skewer and knitting needle for testing foods . a sink arranged for efficiency in dish-washing . utensils for dish-washing . dish-drainer . dish-drainer . dish-rack . dish-rack . a rack for drying dishes . utensils for measuring and weighing foods . coal range, showing course of direct draft . coal range, showing course of indirect draft . gas burner, showing mixer . gas burners . gas range, showing direction of draft . cross-section of wickless kerosene stove . electric range . pressure cooker . steam cooker, containing various foods . scene on a tea plantation . tea-ball teapot . coffee berries . coffee percolator . grains of starch . a cupful of rice before and after boiling . insulated wall of a refrigerator . fireless cooker, having excelsior packing . fireless cooker, with stone disks . electric fireless cooker . gas range, having fireless cooker attachment, insulated oven and hoods . method of folding filter paper . utensil for steaming,--a "steamer" . "steam" without pressure, and "steam" which has been under pressure . table laid for an informal luncheon . wheel tray . how to hold the knife and fork . keeping the fork in the left hand to carry food to the mouth . the teaspoon should rest on the saucer . how to hold the soup spoon . apparatus to determine the temperature at which eggs coagulate . method of holding pan to turn an omelet on to a platter . cocoa pods . dried bread crumbs . structure of meat . club or delmonico steak . porterhouse . sirloin,--hip steak . sirloin,--flat bone . sirloin,--round bone . first cut prime rib roast . second cut prime rib roast . blade rib roast . chuck rib roast . colonial fireplace, showing a "roasting kitchen" . round . chuck . cuts of beef . rump . cross rib, boston cut, or english cut . skirt steak; flank steak . fish kettle, showing rack . a suggestion for the division of each dollar spent for food . the composition of roots and succulent vegetables . the composition of butter and other fat-yielding foods . the composition of milk and milk products . cuts of veal . cuts of lamb or mutton . lamb chops . the composition of fresh and cured meats . cuts of pork . the composition of fresh and dried fruits . removing tendons from the leg of a fowl . fowl trussed for roasting,--breast view . fowl trussed for roasting,--back view . composition of fish, fish products, and oysters . the composition of eggs and cheese . the composition of legumes and corn . the composition of bread and other cereal foods . foods containing calcium . foods containing phosphorus . foods containing iron . oven heat regulator . illustrating the amount of heat represented by one calorie . comparative weights of -calorie portions of food . -calorie portions of food . longitudinal section of wheat grain, showing bran, floury part, and germ . growing yeast plants . graduated measure and dipper for measuring the ingredients of modified milk . some species of molds . the four types of bacteria . canning foods . rack for holding jars . the composition of fruits and fruit products . drier for vegetables or fruits . the composition of sugar and similar foods list of experiments . measurement equivalents. . use of the wooden spoon. . lack of draft. . presence of draft. . the regulation and purpose of a gas mixer. . the dissolving power of water. . presence of gases in water. . simmering and boiling of water. . tannin in tea. . the solubility of granulated sugar in cold water. . the solubility of granulated sugar in hot water. . the solubility of powdered sugar. . the solubility of caramel. . the starch test. . the effect of cold water on starch. . the effect of heat on starch. . stiffening of cooked starch. . the structure of starch. . separation of cellulose and starch. . the difference in the nutritive value of boiled rice and rice cooked over boiling water. . retention of heat. . starch grains and boiling water. . separation of starch grains with cold water. . separation of starch grains with sugar. . separation of starch grains with fat. . the change of starch into dextrin. . the solubility of dextrin. . starch in cracker. . action of saliva upon starch. . the effect of soaking starchy vegetables in water. . temperature at which fats and oils decompose or "burn". . bread fried in "cool" fat. . the temperature of fat for frying . saponification of fat . action of oil and water . emulsion of fat . the coagulation of egg-white . the solubility of albumin . temperature at which eggs coagulate . comparison of cooked and boiled eggs . effect of beating a whole egg . comparison of eggs beaten with a dover egg beater and with a wire spoon . effect of beating egg yolk and white separately . separation of milk into foodstuffs . scalding milk . comparison of the conducting power of metal and earthenware . effect of rennet on milk . separation of curd and whey . effect of acid on milk . division of muscle . effect of dry heat on (_a_) connective tissue, (_b_) muscle fiber . effect of moisture and heat on (_a_) connective tissue, (_b_) muscle fiber . comparison of starch and dextrin for thickening . effect of cold water on meat . effect of boiling water on meat . effect of salt on meat . effect of cold water on gelatine . effect of hot water on gelatine . effect of soaking fish in water . effect of boiling fish rapidly . effect of acid on milk . neutralization of acid by means of soda . protein in oyster liquor . leavening with steam and air . comparison of thick and thin quick breads . preparation of flour for quick breads . action of baking soda on sour milk . chemical change . quantity of baking soda to use with sour milk . action of baking soda on molasses. . quantity of baking soda to use with molasses. . effect of cold water on a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda. . effect of hot water on a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda. . effect of hot water on baking powder. . starch in baking powder. . comparison of the time of action of different types of baking powders. . conditions for growth of the yeast plant. . protein in flour. . mixtures for freezing. . effect of air, light, and drying upon the growth of molds. . effect of moisture and light upon the growth of molds. . effect of moisture and darkness upon the growth of molds. . effect of moisture and low temperature upon the growth of molds. . growth of molds on cut fruit. . growth of molds upon whole fruits. . growth of molds on other foods. . growth of molds upon wood. . growth of molds upon cloth. . contamination of fresh food by means of moldy food. . growth of bacteria. . effect of boiling upon the growth of bacteria. . effect of preservatives on the growth of bacteria. . use of sugar as a preservative. . pectin in fruit juice. . pectin in the inner portion of orange and lemon peel. [illustration: blest be the feast with simple plenty crowned] foreword one of the slogans of the world war,--"food will win the war,"--showed that food was much more important than many persons had believed. it confirmed the fact that food was not merely something that tastes good, or relieves the sensation of hunger, but that it was a vital factor in achieving one of the noblest ideals of all time. the subject of food is a broad one,--one that is growing in interest. many present-day scientists are finding a lifework in food study. "tell me what you eat and i will tell you what you are," was spoken many years ago. the most recent work in science confirms the fact that the kind of food an individual eats has much to do with his health and his ability to work. if you would be well, strong, happy, and full of vim choose your food carefully. a study of food means a knowledge of many things. before purchasing foods one should know what foods to _select_ at market, whence they come, how they are prepared for market, by what means they are transported, and how they are taken care of in the market. there is a great variety of foods in the present-day market; some are rich in nutrients; others contain little nourishment, yet are high in price. it has been said that for food most persons spend the largest part of their incomes; it is a pity if they buy sickness instead of health. whether foods are purchased at the lunch counter or at market, it is necessary to know what foods to choose to meet best the needs of the body. meal planning is an important factor of food study. the matter of _combining_ foods that are varied in composition or that supplement one another in nutritious properties deserves much consideration. not only nutriment but flavor enters into food combination. it is most important to combine foods that "taste well." in learning to _prepare_ foods, the experience of those who have cooked foods successfully is most helpful. hence the pupil is told to follow directions for cooking a type of food or to use a recipe. following a direction or recipe in a mechanical way, however, does not result in rapid progress. keen observation and mental alertness are needed if you would become skilful in food preparation. one class of food or one principle of cooking may be _related_ to another or _associated_ with another. for example, the method of cooking a typical breakfast cereal may be applied to cereals in general. there may be some exceptions to the rule, but when the basic principle of cooking is kept in mind, the variations can be readily made. if a pupil has learned to prepare creamed potatoes she should be able to apply the principle to the cooking of potato soup. in making chocolate beverage, the pupil learns to blend chocolate with other ingredients. the knowledge gained in making chocolate beverage should be applied to the flavoring of a cake or of a dessert with chocolate. in all the thousands of recipes appearing in cook books, only a few principles of cooking are involved. the pupil who appreciates this fact becomes a much more resourceful worker and acquires skill in a much shorter time. the _results_ of every process should be observed. careful observations should be made when work is not successful. there is no such thing as "good luck" in cooking. there is a cause for every failure. the cause of the failure should be found and the remedy ascertained. the same mistake should never be made a second time. progress is sure to result from such an attitude towards work. moreover, confidence in the result of one's work is gained. this is of incalculable value, besides being a great satisfaction, to the home-keeper. a dining table with carefully laid covers is always inviting. graceful _serving_ of food at such a table is an art. the ability to serve food in an attractive way is an accomplishment that no girl should fail to acquire. considerations regarding success in learning to cook may be summed up as follows: (_a_) know what foods to select from the standpoint of economy, nutriment, and flavor. (_b_) observe and think when working. relate or associate one class of foods with another and one principle of cooking with another. (_c_) note the results of your work; know why the results are successful or why they are unsuccessful. food selection, food combination, and food preparation are all important factors of good cooking. it is to be hoped that the pupil will realize that the study of food and cooking means the ability not only to boil, broil, and bake, but to select, combine, use, and serve food properly. all this demands much earnest thought and effort. school and home cooking division one introduction lesson i baked apples--dish-washing baked apples (stuffed with raisins) apples seeded raisins tablespoonfuls brown sugar tablespoonfuls water wash the apples; with an apple corer or paring knife, remove the core from each. place the apples in a granite, earthenware, or glass baking-dish. wash a few raisins and place of them and i level tablespoonful of sugar in each core. pour the water around the apples. bake in a hot oven until tender. test the apples for sufficient baking with a fork, skewer, or knitting needle (see figure ). during baking, occasionally "baste" the apples, _i.e._ take spoonfuls of the water from around the apples and pour it on the top of them. the time for baking apples varies with the kind of apple and the temperature of the oven. from to minutes at degrees f. is usually required. dish-washing and efficiency.--there is almost invariably a waste of effort in both the washing and the drying of dishes. this may be due to: (_a_) poorly arranged dish-washing equipments. (_b_) inadequate utensils for dish-washing. (_c_) lack of forethought in preparing the dishes for washing and too many motions in washing and drying them. since dish-washing is one of the constant duties of housekeeping, efficiency methods, _i.e._ methods which accomplish satisfactory results with the fewest motions and in the least time, should be applied to it. the washing of dishes, invariably considered commonplace, may become an interesting problem if it is made a matter of motion study. [illustration: figure .--skewer and knitting needle for testing foods. note that the knitting needle has one end thrust into a cork, which serves as a handle.] for thorough and rapid dish-washing, the following equipment is desirable: a sink placed at a height that admits of an erect position while washing dishes, [footnote : in case it is necessary for one to wash dishes at a sink which is placed too low, the dish-pan may be raised by placing it on an inverted pan or on a sink-rack, which may be purchased for this purpose.] and equipped with two draining boards, one on each side of the sink, or with one draining board on the left side; dish and draining pans; dish-drainer (see figures and ); dish-rack (see figures and ); dish- mop (see figure ); wire dish-cloth or pot-scraper (see figure ); dish- cloths (not rags); dish-towels; rack for drying cloths and towels; soap- holder (see figure ) or can of powdered soap; can of scouring soap and a large cork for scouring; tissue paper or newspapers cut in convenient size for use; scrubbing-brush; bottle-brush (see figure ); rack made of slats for drying brushes (see figure ). preparing dishes for washing.--if possible, as soon as _serving dishes, i.e._ dishes used at the dining table, are soiled, scrape away bits of food from them. the scraping may be done with: (_a_) a piece of soft paper, (_b_) plate-scraper (see figure ), (_c_) a knife or spoon. the latter is doubtless the most commonly used for dish scraping, but it is less efficient and may scratch china. if it is impossible to wash dishes soon after soiling, let them soak in water until they can be washed. [illustration: figure .--a sink arranged for efficiency in dish-washing. note the draining board on each side of the sink, the dish-cupboard in the upper left corner, and the rack for drying brushes below the sink.] _cooking utensils_ need special care before washing, especially if they have held greasy foods. "oil and water do not mix!" the grease from dish-water often collects in the drain-pipe and prevents or retards the drainage of waste water. this often means expensive plumber's bills and great inconvenience. bear in mind the following cautions before putting a utensil which has held fat into the dish-water, always wipe it carefully with a piece of paper. after wiping most of the grease from a pan or kettle, the remaining fat can be entirely removed by filling the utensil with hot water and then adding washing-soda. boil the solution a few minutes. fat and washing-soda react and form soap; hence the effectiveness of this method (see experiment ) (this method should not be applied to aluminum utensils; washing-soda or any alkaline substance makes a dark stain on aluminum) [illustration: figure --utensils for dish washing a, soap-holder, b, c bottle-brushes, d, dish-mop, e f, wire dish-cloths g plate scraper] utensils used in cooking can generally be washed with greater efficiency if they are soaked before washing. fill each dish or pan with water, using cold water for all utensils which have held milk, cream, eggs, flour, or starch, and hot water for all dishes having contained sugar or sirup. arranging dishes.--arrange dishes and all the requisite dish-washing utensils in convenient order for washing, placing all of one kind of dishes together. also place the dishes to be washed at the _right_ of the dish-pan. wash them and place the washed dishes at the _left_ of the pan. a dish-washer invariably holds a dish that is being washed in her left hand and the dish-cloth or mop in her right hand. that there may be no unnecessary motions, the dishes should be placed to drain after washing at the left of the dish-pan. in this way there is no crossing of the left hand over the right arm as there would be if the washed dishes were placed at the right of the dish-pan. a cupboard located above the draining board at the left makes the storing of dishes an efficient process (see figure ). washing and scouring dishes and utensils.--fill the dish-pan about two thirds full of hot water. "soap" the water before placing the dishes in the pan; use soap-powder, a soap-holder, or a bar of soap. if the latter is used, do not allow it to remain in the water. fill another pan about two thirds full of hot water for rinsing the dishes. a wire basket may be placed in the rinsing pan. place the dishes, a few at a time, in the dish-pan. wash the cleanest dishes first, usually in the following order: glasses, silverware, cups, saucers, plates, large dishes, platters, cooking utensils, then the soap- dish and dish-pan. in washing decorated china, use soap sparingly. do not wash glassware in very hot water. use slices of potato, finely torn bits of blotting paper, or egg shells to clean the inside of water bottles or vinegar cruets. wooden-handled utensils or the cogs of the dover egg beater should not soak in water. if the cogs of the egg beater are soiled, wipe them with a damp cloth. change the dish-water occasionally, not allowing it to become cold or greasy. [illustration: figure .--dish-drainer.] wash steel knives and forks and place them without rinsing on a tin pan to scour. with a cork apply powdered bath brick or other scouring material to the steel. again wash the scoured utensils, rinse, and dry. if there are any stains on tin, iron, or enamel ware, remove with scouring soap. apply the latter with a cork, or wring out the dish-cloth as dry as possible, rub scouring soap on it, and apply to the utensils. scrub meat, pastry or bread boards, wooden rolling pins, and wooden table tops with cold water and scouring soap. then rinse and wipe the scoured wood with a cloth which is free from grease. if it is not necessary to scrub meat, pastry, or bread boards on both sides, they should be rinsed on the clean side to prevent warping. [illustration: figure .--dish-drainer.] rinsing and draining dishes.--place the washed dishes in wire baskets (see figures and ) or in dish-racks (see figures , , and ). if the former has been placed in the rinsing pan, the basket may be lifted out of the water to drain the dishes. in case the washed dishes are placed in dish- racks, rinse them by pouring hot water over them and let them drain again. [illustration: figure --dish-rack.] drying dishes and utensils.--if such dishes as plates, platters, and saucers are placed upright to drain and are rinsed with very hot water, no towel-drying is required. glassware and silver should be dried with a soft towel. towels made from flour sacks or from glass toweling are good for this purpose. coarser towels may be used to dry cooking utensils. to prevent rusting, dry tin, iron, and steel utensils most thoroughly. after using a towel on these wares it is well to place them on the back of the range or in the warming oven. woodenware should be allowed to dry thoroughly in the open air. stand boards on end until dry. [illustration: figure .--dish-rack.] care of dish-towels and cloths.--use dish-towels and cloths for no other purpose than washing and drying dishes. it is a matter of much importance to keep dish-towels and cloths clean. to clean the towels and cloths soak them in cold water. then wash in hot soapy water and rinse them well. wring, stretch, and hang to dry on a rack, or preferably in the sun. at least once a week boil the towels. first soak, wash, and rinse them as directed above. then place them in cold water and heat the water until it boils. wring, stretch, and hang to dry. [illustration: from home furnishing, by alice m kellogg figure .--a rack for drying dishes.] care of the sink.--if the sink is of porcelain or enamel, it may be cleaned with soap, but not with scouring soap or powder. the latter wears away the smooth finish, makes it slightly rough and hence more difficult to clean. before applying soap to a sink, wring out the cloth used in cleaning it as dry as possible and then with the hand push any water standing in the sink down the drainpipe. then apply soap to the cloth and wash the sink. _do not let the water run from the faucet while cleaning the sink._ if the dirt and grease on a sink do not yield to soap, apply a small quantity of kerosene. after cleaning, rinse the sink by opening the hot-water faucet, letting a generous supply of water flow down the drain-pipe so as to rinse the trap. the drain-pipe and trap of a sink need special cleaning occasionally. this is often done by pouring a solution of washing-soda down the drain. if this is used, special care should be taken to rinse the drain with much hot water. as previously explained, grease and washing-soda form soap. if the latter is allowed to remain in the trap, it may harden and stop the drain-pipe. because of the formation of soap and the possible stoppage of the drain-pipe when washing-soda is used, kerosene is advised. to use this, first flush the drain with about half a gallon of hot water. immediately pour in one half cupful of kerosene. let the kerosene remain in the trap for at least minutes. then rinse with another half gallon of water. kerosene emulsifies grease and makes it easy to rinse away. suggestions for personal neatness in the school kitchen and at home.--for both comfort and cleanliness a washable gown should be worn in the kitchen or the gown should be well covered by an apron. it is advisable to cover the hair with a hair net or cap. rings are an inconvenience when worn in the kitchen. the hands should be washed _before_ preparing or cooking food, and _after_ touching the hair or handkerchief. it is desirable to have a hand towel conveniently placed. _clean cooking_ means _clean tasting_. this can be done by taking some of the food with the cooking spoon and then pouring it from the cooking spoon into a teaspoon. taste from the teaspoon. questions are apples sold by weight or by measure, _i.e._ by the pound or peck? what is the price per pound or per peck of apples? why should dishes which have held milk, cream, egg, flour, or starch be rinsed with _cold_ water? why should dishes having contained sugar or sirup be soaked in _hot_ water? why should greasy dishes and utensils be wiped with paper and then rinsed with hot water before washing? why should not a bar of soap "soak" in dish-water? why not _fill_ the dish-pan with soiled dishes? why should glass be washed in warm (not hot) water? why should not wooden-handled utensils and the cogs of the dover egg beater "soak" in dish-water? why should glass and silver be wiped with a soft towel? why should tin, iron, and steel utensils be dried most thoroughly? why should woodenware be allowed to dry in the open air? (see experiment .) why should dish-towels be placed in boiling water during laundering? why should scouring soap or powder not be used in cleaning a porcelain or enamel sink? what is the purpose of wringing out dry a sink-cloth and letting no water run from the faucet while cleaning a sink? lesson ii measurements--stuffed and scalloped tomatoes experiment : [footnote : the pupil should record each experiment in a notebook in a methodical way, giving (_a_) the aim of the experiment, (_b_) the process, (_c_) the result, and (_d_) the conclusion or practical application.] measurement equivalents.--in measuring solid materials with teaspoon, tablespoon, or standard measuring cup (see figure ), fill the measuring utensil with the material and then "level" it with a knife. use both water and flour or sugar for the following measurements: (_a_) find the number of teaspoonfuls in one tablespoonful (_b_) find the number of tablespoonfuls in one cup (_c_) find the number of cupfuls in one pint half a spoonful is obtained by dividing through the middle lengthwise a quarter of a spoonful is obtained by dividing a half crosswise [illustration: figure --utensils for measuring and weighing foods] an eighth of a spoonful is obtained by dividing a quarter diagonally a third of a spoonful is obtained by dividing twice crosswise a set of measuring spoons (see figure ) is most convenient for measuring fractional teaspoonfuls need of accuracy--when learning to cook, it is necessary to measure all ingredients with exactness. experienced cooks can measure some ingredients for certain purposes quite satisfactorily "by eye". the result is satisfactory, however, only when the cook has established her own standards of measurements by much practice. even then many housewives are not _sure_ of success. for certain foods the ingredients should always be measured accurately, no matter how skilful the cook. as far as possible, the exact quantity of a recipe is given in this text. when the quantity of an ingredient is too small for practical measurement, merely the name of the ingredient is given and no definite quantity indicated. when large quantities of materials are to be measured, a quart measure on which the pint and half pint quantities are indicated usually proves more convenient than a measuring cup. many foods, especially fats, are more conveniently weighed than measured. kitchen scales are a useful equipment for cooking (see figure ). the amateur should, however, train her eye to approximate measurements. she should learn to estimate the size of saucepans and other cooking utensils, and also of serving dishes. measure by cupfuls the capacity of several utensils in constant use and thus establish a few standards of measurement. also it is well to be on the alert to learn the proper quantity of food to buy at market, and the proper quantity of food to cook for a stated number of persons. she would make a sad failure who would prepare just enough rice to serve four persons when six were to be seated at the table. she might be able to cook the cereal well and to tell many interesting facts concerning its growth, composition, and preparation, yet for the lack of a little homely knowledge the meal would be disappointing. a thrifty housekeeper would not buy enough lettuce or spinach for ten people when there were only six to be served. in the school kitchen always note the quantity of the materials used, and then observe the quantity of the finished product. experiment : use of the wooden spoon.--place a tin and a wooden spoon in a saucepan of boiling water. after the water has boiled for at least minutes grasp the handles of the spoons. which is the hotter? which would be the more comfortable to use when stirring hot foods? what kind of spoon--tin or wood--should be used for acid foods? why? (see _suggestions for cooking fruits_.) explain why it is that the handles of teakettles, knobs on covers for saucepans, etc., are of wood. stuffed tomatoes ripe tomatoes cupfuls soft bread crumbs / teaspoonfuls salt dash pepper / teaspoonful mixed herbs tablespoonfuls butter or substitute wash the tomatoes, remove a slice from the tops, and take out most of the seed portion. add the seasoning to the bread crumbs, melt the fat, then add the seasoned bread crumbs to the fat. fill the tomatoes with the prepared crumbs, place them in an oiled baking-pan, and bake slowly (about minutes) until the tomatoes are soft but not broken, and the crumbs brown. test the tomatoes with a knitting needle or skewer (see figure ) rather than with a fork. for mixed herbs use equal parts of marjoram, savory, and thyme. _soft bread crumbs_ are prepared from stale bread, _i.e._ bread that has been out of the oven for at least twenty-four hours. vegetables, such as corn and canned peas, may be used instead of bread crumbs to stuff tomatoes. use salt, pepper, and butter with these vegetables. use a granite, glass, or earthenware utensil for cooking tomatoes. (see _suggestions for cooking fruits_.) scalloped tomatoes [footnote : note to the teacher.--recipes for both fresh and canned vegetables are given so that a selection depending upon the season can be made.] can or quart tomatoes tablespoonful salt dash pepper cupfuls bread crumbs tablespoonfuls butter or substitute if fresh tomatoes are used, plunge them into boiling water, then drain and peel and cut into pieces. mix the salt and pepper with the tomatoes and pour into a buttered baking- dish. cover with buttered crumbs (see stuffed tomatoes) and bake at degrees f., to minutes. cover during first part of baking to prevent the crumbs from browning too rapidly. serve hot. a scalloped dish should be served from the dish in which it is baked. green tomatoes may be scalloped in the same manner as ripe tomatoes. soft or dried bread crumbs may be used in scalloping tomatoes. use only cupful of the dried crumbs. to grease or oil a pan or baking-dish.--heat slightly the pan or dish to be oiled. put a bit of fat on a small piece of clean paper. then rub the heated pan or dish with the paper. this is a most satisfactory method because little fat is required and the utensils used for oiling do not have to be cleaned. often a spoon or cup that has contained fat may be wiped with a piece of paper and the latter used for greasing a pan. it is well for a housekeeper to have a boxful of pieces of paper in the kitchen for this purpose. some authorities consider a pastry brush a satisfactory means of applying melted butter for oiling. much fat, however, clings to the bristles of the brush and the brush needs frequent and careful cleaning. butter, oleomargarine, lard, vegetable fats, or oils may be used for oiling pans or baking-dishes. questions in stuffed tomatoes, note that the seasonings are added to the crumbs before they are buttered. why? why test the tomatoes with a knitting needle or skewer rather than with a fork? what kind of baking-pan--tin, granite, or earthenware--is best to use for stuffed or scalloped tomatoes? why? (see _suggestions for cooking fruits_, p. ) are tomatoes sold by weight or by measure, _i.e._ by the pound or peck? what is the price of tomatoes per pound or peck? how many slices of bread are required to make cupfuls of crumbs? how many slices in one loaf of bread? lesson iii fuels and combustion--sauted and baked squash fuel.--in order to cook foods, heat in some form must be applied. this heat is obtained usually by burning some substance. thus the first requisite for obtaining heat is something to burn, _i.e._ a fuel. the fuels commonly used in households are,--wood, coal, kerosene, and gas. although electricity is not a fuel, its use in cooking is so well established that it should be mentioned as a source of heat. heat; kindling temperature.--there are fuel substances everywhere,--paper, cloth, wood, etc. these materials do not burn unless heated; even gas does not burn by simply turning on the stopcock. but if a piece of paper is placed in contact with glowing iron, the paper burns. it burns because it is heated. if the blazing paper is placed in contact with kindling wood and coal, the kindling wood soon begins to burn because it is heated by the burning paper. the coal burns when it is heated by the burning wood. all fuels must be heated before they will burn. when one thinks of the ease with which paper "catches fire" and of the difficulty of making hard coal burn, it becomes evident that some substances require only a small amount of heat before they will burn, while others require much heat. different materials, then, require different degrees of heat to burn. the phosphorus and other substances on the tip of a match ignite readily. the heat that is developed by rubbing the tip over some surface is sufficient to make the phosphorus burn. the burning phosphorus and other substances heat the match stick to the temperature at which it begins to burn; the burning match stick applied to paper heats the latter to the temperature at which it burns. the temperature to which a substance must be heated in order to burn and continue to burn is called the _kindling temperature_ of that substance. draft; oxygen.-- experiment : lack of draft.--(_a_) place a short candle on a pan. light the candle and put a tall slender lamp chimney over it. does the candle continue to burn? why? (_b_) again light the candle and replace the chimney, but this time support it on two sticks of wood or on the handles of a knife and fork so that it will not rest directly on the pan. place a saucer or a piece of cardboard over the top of the chimney. does the candle continue to burn? why? experiment : presence of draft.--remove the cover from the top of the chimney, and again light the candle. does it continue to burn? what substance necessary for combustion is present in the chimney? explain why the candle soon went out in experiment , but continued to burn in this experiment. if a blanket is thrown upon a burning stick of wood, the wood soon ceases to burn. the wood stops burning because the oxygen of the air is excluded from it. _the act of burning,_ i.e. _combustion, is the union of any substance with oxygen, with the result that heat and light are produced._ we have learned that a fuel cannot unite with oxygen until heated to a certain temperature. and, no matter how hot it is, the fuel will not burn unless it unites with oxygen. oxygen, then, is the third requisite for combustion. the necessity for a draft, _i.e._ a continuous supply of fresh air which furnishes oxygen, is shown by experiments and . sauted [footnote : to saute is to brown in a small quantity of fat.] summer squash [footnote : see footnote .] wash summer squash. cut it in slices / inch thick. (do not remove the skin or the seeds.) dip each slice in flour. in a frying pan put some fat and heat it. add the squash and cook each slice on both sides until golden brown in color. sprinkle with salt and pepper. then place a cover over the frying pan and continue to cook the squash until it is tender. serve at once. baked winter squash [footnote : see "note to teacher," footnote ] wash a squash and cut or split it into pieces of suitable size for serving. remove the seeds from each piece and make several gashes (at right angles to one another) cutting through the pulp down to the shell. place the pieces (shell down) on the grating in the oven and bake (at moderate temperature) until the pulp is tender. serve hot, with butter, salt, and pepper. questions name the three requisites for combustion. which has the higher kindling temperature, wood or coal? explain your answer. what is the price of summer and of winter squash? how much of each kind of squash is required to serve persons? lesson iv coal ranges [footnote : note to the teacher.--the principles of building a coal fire and of regulating dampers may be applied to furnaces and heating stoves as well as to kitchen ranges. in case there are no cooking or heating stoves or furnaces in which coal is burned in the homes of the pupils, this lesson may be omitted]--corn dishes examination of a coal range.--remove the lids from the coal range. note the location of the fire box. what is its purpose? how is the floor of the fire box constructed? where is the check damper? what is its purpose? where is the ash pan? where is the front damper? what is its purpose? note the place where the stovepipe joins the range. what is the purpose of the stovepipe? note the damper in the stovepipe. what is its purpose? note the location of the oven. by what is the oven surrounded? find the oven damper. open it. in what direction do the hot gases pass out when the oven damper is open? what part of the range is heated when the oven damper is open? _an open damper permits a direct draft to pass through the range_ (see figure ). close the oven damper. trace the direction of the hot gases when the damper is closed. what parts of the range are heated when the oven damper is closed? _a closed oven damper permits an indirect draft to pass through the range_ (see figure ). how should the front, oven, check, and chimney dampers be arranged when the fire is kindled? products of combustion.--what is found deposited on the inside of the stovepipe of a coal range? to what is the upper end of the stovepipe joined? what does one often see coming from the top of a chimney? [illustration: figure .--coal range showing course of direct draft.] in the previous lesson it was found that when a material burned, it united with oxygen. it is a matter of common observation that when all solid fuels--coal, wood, paper--burn, they decrease in size, and that fuel gas is consumed. apparently only a few ashes remain when solid fuels have been burned, and only a disagreeable odor remains when gas has been burned. yet soot is deposited in the stovepipe and smoke issues from the chimney. both solid and gaseous materials, such as ashes, soot, and smoke, are formed when fuels burn. such materials are called _products of combustion_. fire building in a coal range.--it is necessary to have the fire box, ash pan, and other parts of the stove clean before building a fire. after cleaning, place a generous layer of loosely crumpled paper over the bottom of the fire box, then about four layers of kindling wood, placed so that there are air passages between the pieces, and on top of the wood put two shovelfuls of coal. regulate the dampers for a direct draft, replace the stove-lids, and brush the surface of the stove. [illustration: figure .--coal range showing course of indirect draft.] before lighting the fuels, polish the range in the following manner: to the nickel of the stove apply whiting and ammonia or any satisfactory metal cleanser. to the iron of the stove apply oil rather than "blacking." light paraffin oil may be used for this purpose. apply the oil with cotton waste, or a soft cloth. (care should be taken not to apply an excess of oil.) polish with soft cotton or woolen cloth. one should remember, however, that oil must be used with caution. _it should never be applied to a stove containing burning fuels._ if the stove cloth, saturated with oil, is not destroyed after using, it is well to keep it in a covered tin can or stone jar. after polishing the stove, light the fuels. when the wood is reduced to glowing embers and the coal is burning, add more coal. if this burns well, change the dampers to make an indirect draft. green corn in selecting corn for cooking, choose those ears that are filled with well-developed kernels, from which milky juice flows when pressed with the thumb. cook as soon as possible after gathering. _to boil green corn_ remove silk and husk from the corn, place the ears in boiling water. cook the corn until no juice flows from the kernels when pressed (usually from to minutes). serve whole on a platter. the platter may be covered with a folded napkin. _to bake green corn_ select ears. remove the corn from the cob as follows: cut through the center of each row of grains, slice off the tops of the kernels, and then scrape the pulp thoroughly from the cob. put in a baking-dish, add: / cupful milk tablespoonful butter or substitute teaspoonfuls salt pepper bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. serve hot. green corn which has been cut from the cob may also be cooked on top of the range. to the corn cut from ears, add the same ingredients, using less milk. cook at simmering temperature until tender. scalloped corn can corn / cupful milk / teaspoonfuls salt dash pepper tablespoonfuls butter or substitute cupfuls soft bread crumbs mix the corn, milk, and seasonings. mix the crumbs and fat, and place one fourth of them in the bottom of a buttered baking-dish, add one half of the corn mixture, then another fourth of the crumbs, the remainder of the corn mixture, and finally the remainder of the buttered crumbs. bake at degrees f., for minutes. questions explain why it is necessary to have the fire box, ash pan, and other parts of a coal range clean before building a fire. if both hard and soft woods are used in building a fire, which should be placed next to the paper? explain your answer. what is the advantage in using oil rather than blacking in cleaning a range? explain why a stove cloth, saturated with oil, should be kept in a covered tin can or stone jar. compare the method of mixing the crumbs in scalloped tomatoes and in scalloped corn. which contains the more moisture,--corn or tomatoes? from this explain the difference in mixing. what is the price of ears of green corn or of can of corn? lesson v gas ranges--scalloped fruit examination of a gas burner.--inspect a gas burner and find the following parts: (_a_) supply pipe. (_b_) stopcock. (_c_) burner. (_d_) mixer (see figure ). to light a gas burner, observe the following directions, and in the order named: (_a_) strike the match. (_b_) turn the stopcock. (_c_) apply the match to the open burner. (_d_) if necessary, regulate the stopcock and mixer, so that the flame is blue in color. [illustration: courtesy of _clark stove co_ figure .--gas burner showing mixer] experiment : the regulation and purpose of a gas mixer.--light a gas burner and then completely close the mixer of the burner. if the mixer is stationary, it may be closed by wrapping a piece of paper about it. what is the color of the flame? now open the mixer. what is the color of the flame? what substance has been "mixed" with the gas by opening the burner? what is the purpose of the mixer? examination of a gas range.--inspect a gas range and find the following parts: (_a_) top burners--regular, giant and simmering (see figure ). (_b_) stopcocks of top burners. (_c_) oven burners. (_d_) stopcocks of oven burners. (_e_) pilot (if there is one). (_f_) baking oven. (_g_) broiling oven. (_h_) warming oven and its burner (if there is one). (_i_) supply pipe. (_j_) stovepipe. the method of lighting oven burners varies in different ranges, and for this reason it is impossible to give directions for lighting which will apply to all oven burners. there is, however, one important direction that should always be borne in mind. _always open the oven door before lighting the oven burners._ if such caution is not observed, the gas may escape into the oven and cause an explosion. in case there is a pilot- lighter, open the oven door and see that the oven burners are turned off before lighting the pilot. [illustration: courtesy of clark stove co figure --gas burners a, giant, b, regular, c, simmering] adjusting a gas burner.--the products of combustion of fuel gas that most interest the housekeeper are carbon and carbon dioxide. carbon dioxide is not a poisonous gas, but it does not support animal life. air containing much carbon dioxide does not contain enough oxygen for perfect respiration, hence the need of an outlet for the products of combustion of a gas stove; good flue construction is quite as necessary for a gas range as for a coal range (see figure ). when gas burns with a yellow flame, it deposits soot on cooking utensils and does not give as much heat as it should. this is caused by incomplete combustion. moreover, _carbon monoxide_, which is present in some gas, may escape without burning. this is an exceedingly poisonous gas and when inhaled even in small quantities may cause serious effects. hence it is specially necessary for a housewife to see that the gas burner is clean, well regulated, and properly constructed, so that sufficient air can mix with the gas to produce a blue flame. conserving gas.--according to authoritative information, [footnote : united states fuel administration bulletin, "use and conservation of natural gas"] "the demands for natural gas are now greater than the available supply. food and trees can be grown. water supplies are constantly replenished by nature, but there is no regeneration in natural gas." it is thought that natural gas forms so slowly that millions of years will be required to make the present concentrated supply. as far as we are concerned, when the present supply is used up, it is gone forever. since natural gas is a most efficient fuel, every housekeeper and householder should feel obligated to waste none of it. suggestions for conserving gas follow: ( ) see that the mixer is properly adjusted so that the flame is light blue in color. ( ) in selecting a gas stove, see that the burner is so located that the cooking surface is the correct distance above the burner. the tip of the flame should touch the bottom of the utensil. if it is necessary to have a long flame in order to bring this about, there is considerable waste of gas. ( ) if the flame is long, the gas pressure is greater than necessary. regulate the gas pressure by adjusting the valve in the supply pipe. a short flame will save gas and produce satisfactory results, provided the cooking surface is the proper distance above the burner. ( ) after the contents of a cooking utensil boils, turn the gas cock so that only "gentle" boiling takes place. a food becomes no hotter in rapidly boiling than in gently boiling water. ( ) when possible, use the simmering burner rather than the regular or giant burner. ( ) let the flame touch only the bottom of the cooking utensil. there is a wastage of gas when the flame streams lip the sides of the cooking utensil. ( ) turn off the gas immediately when fuel is not needed. matches are cheaper than fuel gas. care of the gas range.--_daily care_.--if any substance on the stove cannot be removed easily, loosen it with a knife, and then wipe the stove with a newspaper. clean the stove with waste or a cloth having a little light paraffin oil on it. polish with soft cotton or flannel cloth. remove the tray that is beneath the top burners, and wash. _weekly care_.--wash the inside of the oven and the movable tray with water to which washing soda solution has been added. it is well to light the oven burner to dry the stove after washing the ovens. polish the nickel, if necessary. clean the stove with oil as directed for a coal range. (_since oils ignite most readily, care should be taken not to apply the oil when the stove is lighted!_) wipe the burner with the oil. clean the small holes of the burners by using a knitting needle or wire kept for this purpose; or, if the openings in the burners are slots, use a knife to clean them. scalloped apples cupfuls soft bread crumbs tablespoonfuls butter or substitute cupfuls apples / cupful sugar / teaspoonful cinnamon / teaspoonful nutmeg / lemon,--juice and grated rind / cupful water mix the bread crumbs with the fat as directed for stuffed tomatoes. chop or cut the apples in small pieces, and add the remaining ingredients to the apples. arrange the crumbs and apple mixture in a baking dish as directed for scalloped corn. bake to minutes (until the apples are tender and the crumbs brown), in a moderate oven. cover during first minutes of baking. serve hot with sugar and cream or hard sauce. care should be taken in grating _lemon rind_. only the thin yellow portion should be used as flavoring. hard sauce cupful butter cupful powdered sugar teaspoonful vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, then the flavoring. chill and serve over hot puddings. scalloped bananas in the scalloped apple recipe substitute bananas for apples, omit the water, and use / teaspoonful of cinnamon and / teaspoonful of cloves for the spices. bake until the bananas are heated through and the crumbs browned. (it will take about minutes.) serve as scalloped apples. questions explain fully why the oven door of a gas range should be opened while the oven burners are being lighted. if a gas stove has no pipe for waste products, what special caution must be observed in ventilating the kitchen? what are some of the advantages of a gas range over a coal range? what disadvantage other than gas wastage is there when a flame streams up the sides of a cooking utensil? what causes pared apples to become discolored? give the order of preparation of ingredients for scalloped apples so that discoloration of the apples will be avoided. how many medium-sized apples are required to make three cupfuls of chopped apples? what is the purpose of covering the scalloped apples during the first half of the time for baking? what is the effect of the air on peeled bananas? give the order of preparation of ingredients for scalloped bananas. why should the banana mixture be baked a shorter time than the apple mixture? what is the effect of too long baking on bananas? what is the most practical method of cleaning a grater? why should not the dish-cloth be used in cleaning it? lesson vi stoves and heating devices--stuffed peppers, butterscotch apples kerosene stoves. [footnote : note to the teacher.--in case no kerosene, gasoline, or electric stoves are used in the homes of the pupils, the portion of the lesson regarding these stoves may be omitted.]--where gas is not available for cooking, kerosene may serve as a fuel. in case a house is equipped with a coal range, a kerosene stove may also be desirable for use in summer time. there are two types of kerosene stoves, viz., wick and wickless stoves. the burners of the former type are supplied with cotton wicks which become saturated with kerosene. when a match is applied to the wick, the kerosene on it vaporizes and the vapor burns. the burning kerosene vapor vaporizes more kerosene and thus the burning continues. [illustration: courtesy of _detroit vapor stove co_ figure .-- cross-section of wickless kerosene stove.] in one type of wickless stove it is necessary to heat the burner so that the kerosene will vaporize when it comes in contact with it (see figure ). such a burner may be heated by pouring a small quantity of gasoline into it. a lighter is then applied to the burner. when the latter is sufficiently heated, the kerosene is turned on. the kerosene then vaporizes as it flows into the hot burner and burns. in other types of so-called wickless stoves, the burners are equipped with asbestos or other incombustible material. this material becomes saturated with kerosene and carries the fuel to the tip of the burner somewhat as does a cloth wick. it is especially necessary to keep kerosene burners clean. bits of carbon collect in them and prevent perfect combustion. this results in "smoke" or soot issuing from the burner. it is well to keep the burners and wicks free from charred material, and to renew the latter when they become short. most kerosene stoves are equipped with removable containers for the fuel. these should be kept filled with sufficient kerosene for burning. a wick burner should never be allowed to burn after all the kerosene in the container is exhausted. gasoline stoves [footnote : see note to the teacher, footnote .]-- since gasoline is a much more readily inflammable fuel than kerosene, it requires a different type of burner and stove. as a usual thing gasoline cannot be burned in kerosene stoves nor kerosene in gasoline stoves. (in the stove shown in figure , however, either fuel may be burned.) when gasoline is used in a stove, it is necessary to vaporize the gasoline before lighting the burner. this is accomplished in most stoves by letting the gasoline flow into a cup situated underneath the burner, turning off the supply of gasoline, and then applying a match to the cup. by the time the gasoline is burned the burner is heated. then the stopcock is turned on, a match applied to the burner, and the gasoline vaporizes and burns. gasoline burners, like those in which kerosene is burned, should be kept clean. when a mixture of gasoline vapor and air is heated, an explosion may result. it is for this reason that _the tank or gasoline container of a stove should never be filled while the burners of the stove are lighted or even hot._ [illustration: courtesy of _westinghouse electric and manufacturing co_ figure .--electric range.] electric stoves. [footnote : see note to the teacher, footnote .]--it was mentioned previously that electricity is not a fuel. hence electric stoves are not provided with burners. they have heaters which contain coils of wires through which an electric current passes. electricity is the cleanest source of heat for cooking. but in order to operate an electric stove economically, it is necessary to utilize the current required for a heating element to its greatest extent. for example, if the current is turned on to heat the oven as many foods as possible should be cooked in the oven (see figure ). [illustration: figure .--pressure cooker.] devices and utensils for saving fuel.--the _pressure cooker_ (see figure ) in which a temperature higher than that of boiling water is maintained is a great saver of fuel. a food can be cooked in from one third to one fourth the usual length of time in one of these devices. moreover, pressure cookers are especially valuable for high altitude cooking, where water boils at a temperature lower than at sea level. the _steam cooker_ (see figure ) is a fuel saver, when several foods are cooked at one time in it. sufficient fuel for only one burner is required to operate it. the so-called _clover leaf pans_ or utensils of such shape that two or three can be placed over one burner or heater save much fuel or current (see figures and .). the _fireless cookers_ described in lesson xxii are practical fuel and heat savers. stuffed peppers [footnote : a choice of either stuffed peppers or butterscotch apples may be made for this lesson.] green peppers cupful cooked meat, chopped tablespoonful scraped onion teaspoonful salt cupfuls soft bread crumbs tablespoonful butter or substitute [illustration: courtesy of _toledo cooker co_ figure .--steam cooker containing various foods.] cut a slice from the stem end of each pepper or cut each pepper lengthwise in halves. remove the seeds. mix the chopped meat, onion, and salt. mix the bread crumbs and fat as directed in stuffed tomatoes. combine the ingredients and stuff the peppers with the mixture. place the peppers in a baking-dish or pan, and pour enough boiling water into the dish or pan to cover the bottom of it. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) for to minutes or until the peppers are tender. serve hot in place of meat. if desired, / cupful fresh or canned tomatoes may be added to the stuffing mixture. cooked rice may be substituted for the bread crumbs. a mixture of cooked rice and cheese sauce (see p ) also makes a tasty stuffing for peppers. if a slice is cut from the top of the pepper, it may be used as a lid to cover the pepper after stuffing. butterscotch apples [footnote : see footnote .] apples / cupful brown sugar / cupful water / cupful milk / tablespoonful corn-starch / teaspoonful salt / to tablespoonful butter / teaspoonful vanilla wash the apples, and cut them into quarters, pare and core them. into a saucepan put the sugar and water, and heat. when the sirup boils, add the apples. cover and boil gently until the apples are tender. remove the apples from the sirup with a skimmer or a wire egg beater, placing the fruit in sherbet glasses or other suitable dishes for serving. in another pan, mix the milk and corn-starch thoroughly. stir and cook until the mixture reaches the boiling point, then add it to the sirup in which the apples were cooked. boil for a few minutes. add the salt, butter, and vanilla. stir these into the mixture, then pour the sauce over the apples. serve butterscotch apples hot or cold for a dessert. questions state at least two reasons why gas, kerosene, and gasoline are more popular fuels in summer time than coal. mention a possible cause for smoke issuing from a kerosene burner. why should a wick burner never be allowed to burn after all the kerosene in the container is exhausted? carefully explain why the tank of a gasoline stove should never be filled while the stove is lighted or hot. why are electric stoves not provided with burners? why is a pressure cooker regarded as a fuel saver? how should a steam cooker be used in order to save fuel? explain how it is possible to save fuel by using clover leaf pans. note that no ground pepper is added to the stuffing for peppers give the reason for this. what is the purpose of pouring boiling water in the dish or pan in which peppers are baked? did the sirup in which the apples were placed completely cover the fruit? from this explain why it is advisable to cover the apples during the cooking. note to the teacher.--if the course in food study is begun in the fall, when fruits are in season, the lessons of division seventeen--_the preservation of food_--may follow this lesson. the plan of canning fruit in the autumn is desirable, especially if the course in foods covers but one year. if more than one year is devoted to food study, the teacher may find it more satisfactory to can fruits in the autumn of the second year, or at the close of the spring semester of the first year. the pupils at these times will have become more skilful, so that the canning of foods can be accomplished with greater satisfaction. the high cost of fruits and sugar make it imperative that as little spoilage as possible result from food preservation. (also see the note at the end of lesson xiii.) division two body-regulating food: water lesson vii water and beverages (a) experiment : the dissolving power of water.--put / teaspoonful of salt in a test tube, half fill it with water. cover the mouth of the test tube with the thumb, then shake the tube. do the contents become clear? set the tube aside for a few minutes. does the salt separate from the water? when a solid substance, by mixing with water, disappears in the water and does not separate on standing, the solid substance is _dissolved_. the salt was therefore dissolved in cold water, or it may be said that salt is _soluble_ in cold water, or that water is a _solvent_ of salt. solution and digestion.--the change of foods in the body from insoluble to a soluble form is one step in digestion. foods are dissolved in the digestive juices of the mouth, stomach, and intestines. some foods such as salt and certain sugars are readily dissolved. other foods have to undergo changes before they will dissolve. corn-starch, for example, does not dissolve in cold water. it must be changed into sugar (which is easily dissolved) in the process of digestion. dissolving then is an important step in the process of digesting. use of water in the body.--a person might live for a number of weeks without eating food, but he could live only a few days without drinking water. water has many uses in the body. (_a_) it is the greatest known solvent. because of this property, water is extremely important in the processes of digestion. (see _solution and digestion_.) (_b_) it is a great carrier. water helps carry food materials to all parts of the body; and it aids in carrying off the wastes of the body. (_c_) it assists in regulating the temperature of the body. because water is present in blood, and blood flows from the warmer interior of the body to the colder exterior, the water aids in distributing the heat of the body. the evaporation of perspiration, which is largely composed of water, also aids in regulating body temperature. it is thus readily seen that water is needed to keep the machinery of the body working smoothly. the uses of water may be summed up in the statement: _water aids in regulating body processes_. foreign materials in water.--since water is such a ready solvent, it contains many foreign materials. in passing through the air and in flowing through the ground, it dissolves many substances. some of these substances are harmless, while some contain disease bacteria and are dangerous. well water is frequently contaminated. it is often not safe to use for drinking purposes unless boiled. experiment : presence of gases in water.--fill a beaker half full of water, and note its temperature. heat the water, and observe the changes which take place. what appears on the sides and bottom of the beaker? what does water contain which is driven off by heat? experiment : simmering and boiling of water.--continue to heat the water of experiment until the larger bubbles form and disappear at the surface of the water. note the temperature. continue to heat the water until bubbling occurs on the surface of the water. note the temperature. what is indicated by the larger bubbles? heating water.--when bubbling occurs below the surface, water is _simmering_. when the surface is in motion and steam is given off, water is _boiling_. [illustration: figure --scene on a tea plantation.] the loss of gases makes boiled water taste flat or insipid. this flatness can be overcome somewhat by _aerating_ the water after boiling, _i.e._ by pouring it from one vessel into another and thus mixing air with it. tea and its selection.--tea shrubs grow in india, ceylon, china, and japan (see figure ). the buds and leaves of these shrubs are cut and dried and sold as tea. in buying tea the size of the dried leaves should be noted. the smallest leaves are those which have grown nearest the tip of the twig and hence are the youngest. these make the choicest tea. the older and larger leaves make tea of less fine flavor. "flowery pekoe" and "orange pekoe" are choice india teas. these brands consist of the buds and youngest leaves. another point to consider in buying tea is its color. tea leaves are either black or green. the chief difference between black and green tea is that black tea leaves are fermented after picking, while green are not. tea leaves contain flavoring and stimulating materials and a substance called _tannin_ (sometimes called tannic acid) which interferes with digestion. the presence of tannin in both black and green tea can be shown by the following: experiment : tannin in tea.--(_a_) put / teaspoonful of black tea in a cup. add / cupful of boiling water. let it stand for minutes, then strain the infusion. (_b_) repeat (_a_) substituting green tea for black. (_c_) into test tubes put teaspoonful of each kind of beverage. to each tube, add / teaspoonful of ferrous sulphate solution and let the tubes stand. if a black substance appears in the tubes, tannin is present. which kind of beverage,--black or green tea,--shows the greater quantity of tannin? by fermentation, tannin is changed into a _less soluble form_, so the beverage made from black tea contains less tannin than that made from green tea. hence, black tea is preferable. it is, however, slightly more stimulating than green tea. good black tea is grayish black in color, not dead black. "english breakfast" is a black tea. it consists of a mixture of several black teas. "oolong" is black in appearance, but has the flavor of green tea. this is because it is only semi-fermented. teas grown in various countries have different flavors. tea is sometimes adulterated by using the leaves of other plants or by adding large leaves and stems. it is said the finest brands of tea do not reach this country. making the beverage.--because tea contains tannic acid, an earthen, enamel, china, or silver teapot should be used; a tin teapot should never be used. (see _suggestions for cooking fruits_.) the ingredient in tea that gives it its odor and flavor is a volatile substance. hence tea leaves should be kept in closely covered jars or cans. boiling water draws out substances which give the beverage its flavor and stimulating properties, while water below the boiling point only partially draws out these substances. if, however, the leaves are boiled or are allowed to remain in water for more than five minutes, much tannin is drawn out in the water. therefore, never boil tea, but pour boiling water over it and in five minutes strain out the tea leaves. tea (proportion for one cupful) / to teaspoonful black tea leaves cupful freshly boiled water heat the teapot by pouring boiling water into it. pour out the water and add the tea leaves. pour over them the freshly boiled water. place the teapot in a warm place to steep, and in minutes strain out the tea leaves. teapots provided with perforated cups or with tea-balls (see figure ) for holding the tea leaves are most convenient, as the cup containing the leaves may easily be removed or the tea-ball can be drawn above the surface of the liquid after steeping the tea for minutes. or two teapots may be used, the beverage being strained from one teapot into the other. the quantity of tea to be used varies with the strength of tea desired. if the leaves are closely rolled, less tea is required than if they are loosely folded. tea may be served with cream and sugar, or with lemon and sugar. the latter is called russian tea, and is often served with a preserved cherry. in warm weather _iced tea_ may be served. "left over" tea may be utilized in this way, or hot tea may be cooled quickly by adding ice to it. while the latter method requires more ice, the tea is considered of a finer flavor. iced tea is served usually with sugar and lemon. since sugar does not dissolve as readily in cold solutions as in hot (see experiments and ) a sirup may be prepared for sweetening iced tea. [illustration: courtesy of manning, bowman co figure .--tea-ball teapot.] even though tea is carefully selected and prepared it contains some tannin. this, as has been mentioned, is injurious. the stimulating material in tea also distresses some persons. children, nervous persons, and those who suffer from constipation are advised not to drink tea. toasted wafers and cheese spread crackers or wafers with a small quantity of cheese. season the cheese with a sprinkling of salt and paprika. brown the wafers in the oven. when the cheese is melted, the wafers are ready to serve. if thick crackers are used, they may be split open and the broken surface spread with cheese. questions by what means is flavor extracted from tea leaves? how can the extraction of much tannic acid be avoided in tea? give the reason for using freshly boiled water for tea. (see experiments and .) which is the better kind of tea to use--black or green? explain. why should tea be strained after steeping minutes? from your grocer learn the names and prices of two green and two black teas. from what countries do they come? how many cupfuls in one pound of tea leaves? how many teaspoonfuls in a pound? determine the approximate number of wafers in a pound. also estimate the quantity of cheese needed for one pound of wafers. lesson viii water and beverages (b) water as a beverage.--most foods contain water. not only moist foods such as milk and watermelon, but solid foods such as potatoes and rice contain water. the water present in foods, however, is not sufficient for the needs of the body. it is necessary to use water as a beverage. when one rises in the morning, it is well to drink one or two glassfuls of water. from one to two quarts of water,--either as plain water or in beverages,--should be taken each day. it used to be thought that water drinking during a meal was harmful. scientific investigations have shown that this is a mistaken idea. water may be drunk at mealtime. indeed it has been found that it aids in the digestive processes, provided foods are not "rinsed down" with it and provided very cold water is not used. water, a foodstuff.--the body is nourished by food and there are many different kinds of food. moreover, most foods are made up not of one substance, but of a number of materials. the chemical substances of which foods are composed are called _nutrients_ or _foodstuffs_ [footnote : the difference between the scientific and popular meaning of the word foodstuffs should be noted. foodstuffs is defined and used as a scientific term in this text.]. (foodstuffs were formerly called _food principles.)_ a few foods contain but one foodstuff, some contain several foodstuffs, many contain all the foodstuffs. [illustration: figure --coffee berries.] water is a foodstuff. there are other foodstuffs about which we shall study later. each foodstuff has a certain function to perform in the body. as explained in the previous lesson, water is a _body-regulating foodstuff._ use of water in cleaning and in preparing foods.--water is a cleansing agent because most soil is soluble in water. it also plays a most important part in the preparation of foods, since it serves as a medium for the cooking of foods, as in the processes of steaming and boiling. because water dissolves many substances, it acts as a carrier of flavor as in fruit drinks, tea, and coffee. although there are some foods which can be cooked without a water medium, baked potatoes and roast meat for example, certain foods such as rice and dried beans require water during cooking. it is readily seen that water is indispensable in cooking. coffee.--coffee is the seed of the fruit of an evergreen tree grown in tropical countries (see figure ). each fruit contains two seeds or berries. the fruit is picked, allowed to ferment, and the seeds removed from their pulpy covering. the seeds, which are also called coffee beans, are then roasted and sent to market. the flavor of the coffee bean is due to the variety of coffee tree, the maturity of the fruit when picked, and the time subjected to the roasting process. mocha [footnote : mocha is a port in arabia. mocha coffee was so called because much of the coffee grown in arabia was exported from mocha.] and java are choice brands of coffee. although originally grown in arabia and java, their names are not used to designate the localities in which they grow, but the variety of coffee. much of our coffee now comes from brazil. coffee is somewhat like tea in composition. it contains tannic acid, and therefore a tin coffeepot should never be used. the flavor can be extracted from coffee by boiling it or by pouring boiling water through it. coffee should not boil longer than three minutes, as much tannic acid is extracted by long boiling. because coffee contains volatile substances, it should not be purchased ground, unless in small quantities, and it should then be kept in tightly covered jars or cans. when freshly roasted, coffee has the best flavor. in this condition, it is crisp and emits a strong aroma. boiled coffee (proportion for one cupful) heaping tablespoonful coarsely ground coffee tablespoonfuls cold water bit of crushed egg-shell or a little egg white cup boiling water ( egg-shell or / egg white is sufficient for heaping tablespoonfuls of ground coffee.) into a well-cleaned coffeepot, place the coffee, tablespoonful of the cold water, and egg. mix; then add the boiling water and boil for not more than three minutes. remove from the fire; pour out about one half cupful of coffee, in order to rinse the grounds from the inside and from the spout of the coffeepot. return the coffee to the pot; add the second tablespoonful of cold water. if the spout is not covered, a piece of paper may be inserted so that the aroma will be retained. allow to stand in a warm place for about minutes for the coffee to become clear. cold water may be used instead of boiling water in making coffee care of coffeepot.--the coffee should never be allowed to stand in the coffeepot, but should be turned out at once after using. if any clear coffee is left, it may be used for spice cakes, jellies, or other desserts. the coffeepot should be washed well, and scoured if necessary. the spout needs special care in cleaning. filtered coffee / cupful finely ground coffee cupfuls freshly boiled water (for the following method of preparing coffee, a _drip coffeepot_ is used. a drip coffeepot is provided with a perforated receptacle or a muslin bag in which the finely ground coffee is held. the boiled water is poured through the ground coffee.) heat the coffee by steaming it, placing a little boiling water in the bottom of the coffeepot and the ground coffee in the coffee bag or perforated cup. remove the bag or cup and pour the water from the pot. return the bag or cup to the coffeepot and slowly pour over it the freshly boiled water. if it is desired to make the coffee stronger, the beverage may be poured over the ground coffee a second time. care should be taken, however, not to cool the coffee in so doing. wash the coffee bag in clear cold water and dry in the air. renew the bag occasionally. "_black_" or _after dinner coffee_ may be prepared in a drip coffeepot. use cupful of finely ground coffee to cupfuls of freshly boiled water. [illustration: courtesy of _manning, bowman co_ figure .--coffee percolator.] filtered coffee may also be prepared in a coffee percolator (see figure ). a percolator is so constructed that the water is heated in the pot and kept at boiling temperature while passing through the ground coffee. the method of preparing the beverage depends upon the construction of the percolator. follow the directions that come with it. oatmeal cookies egg / cupful sugar / cupful fat _or_ / cupful vegetable oil tablespoonfuls sour milk cupful rolled oats cupful flour / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonfuls baking powder / cupful raisins break the egg in a mixing bowl. beat it, then add the sugar. if solid fat is used, melt it. add the fat or oil to the sugar and egg mixture. add the sour milk and rolled oats. sift the flour, then measure it. turn it into a sifter, add the salt, baking soda, and baking powder. sift these dry ingredients into the first mixture. wash the raisins, dry them on a towel, then sprinkle a little flour over them and add to the other ingredients. mix well and drop the mixture by the teaspoonfuls on an oiled baking sheet. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) until golden brown in color. these cookies may be served with coffee. questions how long should coffee boil? why not boil it longer? when the coffee is poured from the coffeepot, examine the grounds and then explain the use of the egg white and egg-shell in preparing coffee. why is a cupful of coffee poured out and returned to the coffeepot after the coffee is boiled? why should cold water be added to coffee after boiling? in what form,--ground or whole,--should coffee be purchased? why? in what kind of jars should tea and coffee be kept? explain. how many cupfuls in one pound of coffee? estimate the number of heaping tablespoonfuls in one pound of coffee. what is the average price per pound of coffee? related work lesson ix home projects [footnote : note to the teacher.--one of the most insistent ideas of modern educators is that the pupil be taught not merely to get him ready to live, footnote: but that he be taught to live. it is thought that the processes of present growth will serve as the best training for future needs. if the school girl is living in her home, she is in immediate need of such training as will help her contribute her share to the workings of her home. to a certain degree, success in school activities can be measured by the way they function in the home. perhaps there is no more effective way of making the school work function in the home than by the educative process called the _project_. stevenson defines a project _as a problematic act carried to completion in its_ natural setting, while kilpatrick says _a project is a whole- hearted purposeful activity proceeding in a social environment_. in order to aid the pupils in their home work, it is necessary to know the needs of the home. if possible, interest and cooperation of the pupils' mothers in this matter should be secured. it is hoped that the afternoon tea suggested in the following lesson may afford means for the teacher to become acquainted with the mother to find out something of the needs of the home and to secure the mother's cooperation for her daughter's work in the home. in order to assign definite projects to the pupils, it will be necessary to confer with the girl. by discussing plans for home work you can doubtless discover what type of work interests her and what she can contribute with profit to her home. you can thus assign a project which will be performed in a "hearty" manner. definite plans should be made for carrying out the work in the home. for successful results it is most necessary that the pupil understand that a project is an act which involves _mental effort_, and that the activity must be _carried_ to _completion_. the fact that the project is to be performed in the home carries out one of the premises of the project, viz., that the act be performed in its natural setting or in a social environment. reports concerning the progress and results of work should be submitted by the pupil. home visitation on the part of the teacher is most desirable and in most cases necessary for satisfactory results. the following articles regarding projects are most illuminating: teachers college record, volume xix, number (sept. ), "the project method" by william h. kilpatrick; the journal of home economics, volume x, number (mar. ), "the project in home economics teaching" by w. w. charters; school science and mathematics, volume xix (jan. ), "the project in science teaching" by john alford stevenson.] worthy home membership.--each member of a home has certain obligations to fulfill. the course in foods which you are following in school offers an unusual opportunity for you to contribute your share in performing home duties. in a most definite way, it may help you to qualify for "worthy home membership." applying school activities to home work.--there is no more effective way of gaining skill in cooking and housekeeping than by applying the methods learned at school in your home. it is not enough for you to make cookies or cook potatoes once in the school kitchen. if you would become an expert in these processes, repeat them many times in your home. your efforts will be more than repaid by your own growth and by the satisfaction your achievements will bring to the entire household. discuss your school work in food study with your mother. you will doubtless find many things of mutual interest and your mother will be glad to have your cooperation in housekeeping. household duties assigned by the teacher and performed in the home with a determination to accomplish a definite aim, we will term "home projects." to secure successful results, your home work must be done _thoughtfully_, and _earnestly_, and in a _whole-hearted_ way. we shall suppose, for example, that your teacher assigns you the home project of setting the table of the evening meal for one week. she also instructs you to keep in mind the following aims: ( ) to make as few trips as possible from the cupboard to the dining table. ( ) to plan the entire number of dishes, knives, forks, spoons, and other things needed during the meal, and then place these on the dining table or other suitable place where they may be conveniently obtained when the meal is being served. in order to accomplish these things, you must work with a _determination_ to succeed at what you are doing and to keep your mind steadfastly on the work at hand. with such an attitude toward your work you will doubtless have accomplished several things by the end of a week. you will have set the table in an orderly manner, and thus have given real assistance and satisfaction to the members of your family; you will have become more skilful in spreading the table, and you will have made it possible to spend less time in setting the table in the future. you could not have accomplished all this if you had not earnestly thought as you worked. you will find it interesting and beneficial to make each assignment of home work as complete as possible. if, for example, you are to make cakes, it will be most desirable if you not only mix and bake cakes, but, if possible, select and purchase the materials for them and compute their cost. suggestions for home projects: make the beverages for one or more meals each day. wash the dishes of the evening meal. prepare a scalloped dish or any of the foods given in lessons i to v once a week. suggested aims: ( ) to prepare tea or coffee so as to draw out as little tannin as possible. ( ) to wash dishes well but to make as few movements as possible. to note the time required to do the dishes each day and by means of efficiency methods strive to lessen the time. ( ) to utilize left-over pieces or crumbs of bread in preparing scalloped dishes. to prepare seasonable fruits and vegetables so well that the members of your home will find them most palatable. lesson x afternoon tea planning the tea.--to entertain friends is a pleasure. meeting friends or having them become acquainted with a pleasure. this lesson is arranged that you may entertain your mother at afternoon tea and that she may visit with your teacher and classmates. in planning for any special occasion, it is necessary to decide upon the day and hour for the party. if the occasion is at all formal, or if a number of persons are to be present, it is also necessary to plan how to entertain your guests,--what you will have them do to have a pleasant time. if it is desired to serve refreshments, you must decide what to serve, how much to prepare, and when to prepare the foods. the method of serving them must also be considered. the refreshments for an afternoon tea should be dainty and served in small portions. tea served with thin slices of lemon or cream and sugar and accompanied by wafers, sandwiches, or small cakes is the usual menu. sweets or candies are often served with these foods. the following menu may be prepared for your first tea: tea with lemon (or cream) and sugar toasted wafers with cheese or oatmeal cookies coconut sweetmeats from previous work, estimate the quantity of tea, lemons (or cream), sugar, wafers, or cakes you will need. a recipe for coconut sweetmeats follows. it makes sweetmeats about one inch in diameter. coconut sweetmeats / cupful powdered sugar l / cupfuls shredded coconut tablespoonfuls flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla egg white mix the dry ingredients, then add the vanilla. beat the egg white stiff. add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly. grease a baking sheet and dredge it with flour. drop the coconut mixture by the teaspoonfuls on the baking sheet. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) for minutes or until slightly browned. remove from the pan, place on a cake cooler. when cold store in a tin box. serving the tea.--for an afternoon tea, the beverage may be poured in the kitchen and carried into the dining room or the other room where the guests are assembled, or it may be poured in the dining room in the presence of the guests. when the latter plan is followed, the teapot, cups, plates, spoons, and napkins are placed on the dining table. seated at the table, one of the pupils [footnote : if afternoon tea is served in a home to a number of guests, an intimate friend of the hostess or a member of the household usually pours tea. in this way the hostess is free to greet every guest and to see that every one is having an enjoyable time.] pours the tea, and places a filled cup and a teaspoon on a plate. the tea (with a napkin) is then passed to the guests; the lemon or cream and sugar, wafers or cakes and sweets are also passed. the slices of lemon should be placed on a small plate or other suitable dish and served with a lemon fork. wafers, sandwiches, or small cakes should be placed on plates or in dainty baskets. no article of silver is provided in serving them; the guests take them from the plates with their fingers. those who are serving the tea should be watchful and note when the guests have drunk their tea and relieve them of cup and plate. they should also replenish the teapot, and see that the one pouring the tea has all the materials and dishes needed. division three body-building and body-regulating foods, rich in ash (mineral matter) lesson xi fresh vegetables (a) ash.--in a previous lesson, it was mentioned that most foods do not consist of one material, but of several substances. _ash_ or mineral matter is a common constituent of food. it is a _foodstuff_. the term "ash" does not apply to one substance; it is used to indicate a group of substances. milk, eggs, vegetables, both fresh and dried fruits, and cereals are valuable sources of ash. they do not all, however, contain the same kind of ash. the presence of ash in food is not apparent until the food is burned. the substance that remains after burning, _i.e._ the "ashes," is mineral matter or ash. although ash exists in combination with other substances in most foods, a few materials consist almost entirely of ash. common salt is a mineral substance; another example is the white scaly substance which sometimes forms on the inside of a teakettle or on any pan in which water has been heated. soda is still another familiar mineral substance. the condiment salt--ordinary table salt--(see _condiments_) must not be confused with the term "salts"; the latter applies to many mineral substances besides common salt. use of ash in the body.--ash as well as water does not burn in the body. it is therefore considered an incombustible foodstuff. bones, teeth, and many other parts of the body contain certain mineral materials. ash helps to build the body. ash exists in the fluids of the body. for example, there is salt in perspiration and in all excretions of the body. the digestive juices also contain mineral materials, and ash aids in the digestive processes of the body. scientists have shown that ash participates in many ways in the regulation of body processes. thus ash has two main uses in the body: (_a_) _it aids in building the body_; and (_b_) _it aids in regulating body processes_. ash, therefore, is an absolute necessity in diet. fresh vegetables.--it was mentioned above that fresh vegetables are one of the most valuable food sources of ash. the leaves, stems, pods, and roots of certain plants, and also those fruits which are used as vegetables, may be classed as fresh vegetables. some of these are: cabbage, brussels sprouts, lettuce, water cress, spinach, celery, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, beets, carrots, and turnips. fresh vegetables contain not only the foodstuff ash, but water. indeed most fresh vegetables contain from to per cent of water. in addition to these two foodstuffs, vegetables contain _cellulose_. the latter is a fibrous substance which forms for the most part the skins and interior framework of vegetables and fruits. the strings of beans and celery and the "pith" of turnips and radishes, for example, contain much cellulose. foods containing both ash and cellulose have a laxative effect. hence the value of fresh vegetables in diet. the use of fresh vegetables cannot be too strongly urged. certain vegetables, especially the green leaved vegetables, also contain substances which are necessary to make the body grow and keep it in good health (see division seven). most persons should use fresh vegetables more freely than they do. suggestions for cooking green vegetables.--if ash is such a valuable constituent of vegetables, the latter should be cooked so as to retain all the ash. unfortunately vegetables are not always cooked in such a way that the minerals are saved. just as salt dissolves readily in water, so many of the mineral materials found in green vegetables dissolve in the water in which vegetables are cooked. hence if it is necessary to drain off water from vegetables after cooking, it is evident there may be much loss of nutriment. ash is also one of the substances which gives flavor to vegetables. insipid flavors of certain vegetables may be due to improper cooking. a most important point to consider in the cooking of vegetables is the saving of the minerals. this can be accomplished in several ways: . cooking in water with their skins. . cooking in water and using the water which must be drained away after cooking for sauces and soups. . cooking in such a small quantity of water that none needs to be drained away after cooking. . cooking in steam. . cooking in the oven by means of dry heat. cooking vegetables in water.--water in which vegetables are cooked should be salted. use teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. the water should be _boiling_ when the vegetables are added and should be kept boiling _gently_ during the entire cooking. rapidly boiling water wears off the edges of vegetables and breaks them. the water in which vegetables are cooked is called _vegetable stock_. when vegetables are pared or scraped before cooking in water, the stock should be utilized in making vegetable sauces. test vegetables for sufficient cooking with a fork or knitting needle. beets clean beets by scrubbing them with a small brush, using it carefully so as not to break the skin. leave two or three inches of the stems on until the beets are cooked. cook them whole in boiling salted water (see _cooking vegetables in water_). test only the largest beet for sufficient cooking. use a knitting needle or wire skewer for testing. drain and cover with cold water and rub off the skin with the hands. cut the beets into slices, sprinkle generously with salt and pepper, and add a little butter. a small quantity of vinegar may be added, if desired. serve hot. beets may also be served with a _sauce_. prepare the sauce like white sauce, using for the liquid three parts of water and one part of vinegar. beets may be _pickled_ by slicing them or by cutting into cubes and placing in plain or spiced vinegar. serve cold. scalloped tomatoes with onions cupfuls sliced onions cupfuls tomatoes tablespoonful fat salt and pepper cupful bread crumbs parboil the onions for minutes; drain. [footnote : when the water is drained from the onions, there is a loss of nutriment. in cooking onions, however, we usually consider it advisable to lose some food value for the sake of flavor. see "nutriment versus flavor".] into a greased baking-dish put a layer of tomatoes, then one of onions, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. repeat until all the vegetables are added. mix the bread crumbs and fat as directed for stuffed tomatoes. sprinkle these crumbs on top of the vegetables. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) for minutes or until the onions are tender. serve hot. broiled tomatoes wash and cut tomatoes in halves, crosswise; do not peel them. place them (with cut surface up) in a "frying" pan (without fat). cook on top of the range or in the oven at a low temperature for about minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft, but not broken. add a bit of butter to each half of tomato and season with salt and pepper. serve at once. questions since sugar is manufactured from beets, the latter must contain considerable sugar. from this fact and the results of experiment , explain why beets must not be pared or cut in pieces before cooking. state another reason why beets should not be pared or cut into pieces before cooking. also give the reason for leaving a portion of the stem on beets during cooking. explain why only one beet should be tested for sufficient cooking, and why it should be tested with a knitting needle or wire skewer rather than with a fork. what is the price of beets per pound? how many beets in a pound? carefully explain how the nutriment is retained by cooking beets and tomatoes according to the recipes of this lesson. what is the advantage and disadvantage in draining water from onions after parboiling them? lesson xii fresh vegetables (b) food prejudices.--most persons have decided likes and dislikes for certain foods. these opinions very often have no reasonable foundation. one taste of a food poorly prepared or a disparaging remark heard in childhood may be the cause for a lifetime's aversion for a food. there is no better way to overcome food prejudices than by learning to prepare foods well--to make them tasty and nutritious--and to appreciate their nutritive value. food prejudices like most others may be overcome by a thorough knowledge of the subject. come to the school kitchen with an open mind. when you understand why certain foods are valuable in diet and are able to prepare them skilfully, you may learn to enjoy them. to discover that foods which you previously considered commonplace and uninteresting are tasty, is really a pleasing experience. time for cooking fresh vegetables in water.--it is not possible to state just how long a vegetable will be required to cook in water. the time varies with the kind of vegetable, its size, and age. usually the older a vegetable, the longer the time required for cooking. young vegetables, especially green corn and tender cabbage, may be spoiled by too long cooking. for novices, a time table may be helpful not only in determining when a food is sufficiently cooked but in deciding how long to allow for cooking a food before it is to be served. but do not depend entirely upon a time table. judging by appearance and using the fork or knitting needle is the most reliable test. table asparagus - minutes beets (young) - minutes beets (old) - hours cabbage - minutes carrots - minutes cauliflower - minutes celery - minutes green corn - minutes lima beans (fresh) - minutes onions - minutes parsnips - minutes peas (fresh) - minutes potatoes - minutes spinach - minutes squash (summer) - minutes string beans - hours sweet potatoes - minutes turnips - minutes paring vegetables.--if the outside skin of a vegetable is removed, it should be pared as thin as possible. the covering of the carrot and new potato is so thin that it can be removed by scraping, thereby saving the valuable nutritive substances just beneath the skin. turnips are an exception to the rule, a thick layer of cellular material covers them. for this reason, a thick paring is cut from turnips. (cut a turnip in two and note the thickness of its skin.) mashed turnips medium turnips salt and pepper tablespoonfuls butter or substitute scrub and pare the turnips. cut each into cubes. place in the top part of a steamer (see figure ) and cook until tender when tested with a fork or knitting needle. mash the turnips with a potato masher. add butter or substitute and enough salt and pepper to season. serve hot. buttered carrots cupfuls carrots, cut into strips tablespoonfuls butter or substitute teaspoonfuls salt dash pepper scrub and scrape carrots, cut them into strips. put them in a saucepan and add water to a depth of inch. when the carrots are tender and only a small amount of water remains, add the butter or substitute and seasonings. continue to cook slowly until almost all of the remaining water has evaporated. serve the vegetables and surrounding liquid hot. young string beans cut in halves lengthwise and parsnips cut in strips may be cooked in the same way. (adapted from a _united states department of agriculture_ recipe.) questions why should the outside skin of a vegetable be pared as thin as possible? what is the exception to this rule? how should vegetable stock be utilized? why? housekeepers usually add milk to potatoes when mashing them. why is moisture not added to mashed turnips? what, advantage is there in steaming turnips rather than cooking them in water? why are carrots cooked in a small quantity of water rather than a large amount? what are the prices of turnips and carrots per pound? how many of each of these vegetables in a pound? lesson xiii fresh fruits fruit, a necessity.--an authority [footnote : see "feeding the family" (p ), by mary swartz rose, ph.d.] on diet says that at least as much money should be spent for fruits as for meat, eggs, and fish. fruit should no longer be considered a luxury but a necessity in diet. fruits as well as vegetables are effective in preventing constipation,-- the common disorder which may lead to serious disturbances. most fruits, especially those containing considerable acid, such as lemons, oranges, and apples, are laxative. prunes and figs are also valuable in constipation. blackberries are unlike other fruits in this respect,--they are constipating. a disease called scurvy is often due to a lack of fresh vegetables and fruits in diet. orange juice is especially valuable in preventing scurvy. fruits are valuable not only because they aid in preventing constipation and scurvy, but because they contain ash. fruits are rich in mineral matter. kinds of fruits.--in a broad sense fruits are seed vessels. this classification includes many foods that are ordinarily considered vegetables. so in this text seed vessels that are used as desserts are termed fruits. rhubarb is not properly a fruit; it is a vegetable, but because it is used in the diet the same way as fruit, it is classed as such. fruits are sometimes classified as food fruits and flavor fruits. this distinction depends upon the quantity of sugar and water that fruits contain,--those containing much sugar, such as ripe bananas and dried fruits, being called food fruits and those containing much water and less sugar, such as oranges and strawberries, being termed flavor fruits. this classification may be somewhat misleading, however, for all fruits may be considered food fruits. fruits containing much water are generally rich in ash and other valuable substances and hence have decided food value. when to add the sugar to cooked fruits--before or after cooking--is a practical problem for every housewife. fruits contain acids, and most cooked fruits require the addition of sugar to make them palatable. the flavor of fresh fruit is generally popular. in cooking fruit it is desirable to retain the fresh fruit flavor. housekeepers have found that a less desirable flavor results--the fruit "loses" more of its "fresh flavor"--if the sugar is cooked with the fruit. moreover, when sugar is cooked with fruit, a sirup is formed, which is more apt to scorch than a mixture of fruit and water. for these reasons, it is well to add sugar to fruit _after cooking_, unless it is desired to preserve the shape of the fruit or unless fruit is made into jelly. fruit is cooked in a sirup if it is desired to preserve its shape. suggestions for cooking fruits.--fruits should be washed, cut into pieces, and then pared or peeled, unless they are to be strained after cooking. for some fruits it is not necessary to remove the skins before straining. we have all seen the dark stain on a steel knife that has been used for paring fruit or certain vegetables. _this black substance is formed by the action of the acid of the fruit or vegetable on the metal._ it is disagreeable in taste and may produce harmful results. for this reason all fruits should be cooked in granite, earthenware, or glass utensils. the characteristic odors from cooking fruits indicate loss of flavor. this can be prevented somewhat by cooking fruits at a _low_ (simmering) _temperature_ in a _covered_ utensil. the _casserole_ used on top of a range or in the oven is most desirable for cooking fruits. slow cooking prevents some fruits from breaking into pieces. fruit sauces cook fruit in enough water to keep from scorching. when the fruit is tender, remove it from the fire, stir or beat until smooth, or press through a colander or strainer. add the sugar at once and stir until the sugar is dissolved. use / to / cupful of sugar for each cupful of cooked fruit. if fruit is somewhat lacking in flavor, it is often improved by adding spices or other flavoring. some apples are made more palatable by adding cinnamon, nutmeg, or lemon juice. stewed fruits make a sirup of sugar and water, using one cupful of water and / to cupful of sugar. when the sirup is boiling, add the fruit and cook _gently_ until tender. if the sirup is not thick enough when the fruit is tender, remove the fruit from the sirup, cook the sirup until of proper consistency, and then pour over the fruit. very firm fruit, such as quinces and sweet apples, as well as some unripe fruits, should be cooked in clear water until tender and then sweetened. comparison of fruit sauce and stewed fruit.--use the same kind of fruit and the same quantity of sugar, and make a fruit sauce and a dish of stewed fruit. compare the fruit cooked by the two methods as to flavor and appearance. which is more like fresh fruit in flavor? at what time during its preparation should sugar be added to cooked fruit? explain your answer clearly. give two exceptions to this rule. should sugar be added to cooked fruit while the fruit is hot or after it is cool? why? (see experiments and .) what is gained by not paring or peeling fruit that is to be strained after cooking? when fruit is cooking, what indicates a loss of flavor? what two precautions can be taken to preserve the flavor of fruits? what means, other than cooking in sirup, can be employed to retain the shape of cooked fruit? rhubarb sauce cut rhubarb (without peeling) into one-inch pieces. place these in the top of a _double boiler_. cook in a double boiler until soft, stirring occasionally. when cooked, add / to / cupful of sugar for each cupful of cooked rhubarb. the _casserole_ may be used for cooking rhubarb. place the rhubarb in a casserole. add one tablespoonful of water for each cupful of rhubarb. cover and simmer on top of a range, or bake in a slow oven until soft. add sugar as directed above. questions how many pounds in one peck of apples? how many medium sized apples in a pound? what is the price per pound of fresh peaches? for what substances is fruit especially valuable in diet? give suggestions for retaining these nutritious materials when cooking fruit. make a list of fresh fruits, stating when each is in season. note to the teacher.--if desired, the lessons of division seventeen, _the preservation of food_, may follow this lesson. also see the note at the end of lesson vi. related work lesson xiv review: meal cooking menu [footnote : note to the teacher.--the "menu" of a "meal" lesson is to be assigned during the lesson previous to the "meal" lesson, so that its preparation can be planned before class time. since only review foods are assigned, no instruction other than criticism of the finished product is to be given during the lesson. by cooking the group of foods in individual quantity, it is possible for pupils to complete the "meal" lesson in a -minute class period. it is more desirable, however, to cook enough of each food to serve five or six persons, provided the laboratory period is sufficiently long and the foods can be utilized in the lunch room.] scalloped corn baked apple tea outside preparation of lesson. (_a_) examine the recipes for these foods given in the text. (_b_) determine the number of servings each recipe will make. (_c_) study the methods of preparation so that no written directions regarding the process of cooking will be needed in class. (_d_) note the kind of utensils to be used for each food. (_e_) plan the order of preparing these foods so as to cook them in the least time. (_f_) plan the preparation so that all foods may be ready to serve in the proper condition--hot or cold--_at one time_. preparation of lesson in class. (_a_) having your plans well in mind, begin to work at once. work independently. (_b_) cook a sufficient quantity of each food to serve one or more persons as the time permits. (_c_) soil the least number of dishes possible. (_d_) keep the table and utensils neat while working. (_e_) have the serving dishes ready,--warmed, if necessary. (_f_) taste the food before serving to see if properly seasoned. (_g_) just before serving food, clear the table so that it may be ready for serving. (_h_) serve all the foods _at once_, as a hostess cooking and serving without a maid. (_i_) if your work is a failure in any way, determine the cause of the failure and its remedy. lesson xv home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--prepare vegetables for at least one meal daily. cook fruit at least once a week. suggested aims: ( ) to cook vegetables in such a way that no nutriment is lost. ( ) to retain as much of the nutriment and fresh flavor of the fruits as possible. division four energy-giving or fuel foods,--rich in carbohydrates lesson xvi sugar: digestion of sugar energy; fuel.--an automobile is a machine. the use of gasoline in this machine gives it energy or the power to move. the human body is also a machine. certain foods are taken into the human machine. the utilization of these foods gives the body energy or the power to move (_i.e._ to do work). the body is capable of both voluntary and involuntary work. walking and running are examples of the former kind of work, while the beating of the heart and the circulating of the blood are examples of the latter kind. at the same time that the body works, heat is generated. hence foods not only give the body the power to do work, but incidentally they heat the body. foods which enable the body to work are termed energy-giving or fuel foods. there are a number of energy-giving or fuel foods: _sugar_ is the first one to be considered. experiment : the solubility of granulated sugar in cold water--place half a teaspoonful of granulated sugar in a test tube, add a little cold water, shake. is the mixture clear? set it aside for a few minutes. does the sugar separate from the water? experiment : the solubility of granulated sugar in hot water.--dissolve half a teaspoonful of granulated sugar in hot water. compare with experiment . which dissolves sugar more readily,--cold or hot water? if you desired to dissolve some sugar quickly, at what temperature would you have the water? experiment : the solubility of powdered sugar.--dissolve half a teaspoonful of powdered sugar in the same quantity of hot water used in experiment . does it dissolve more readily than granulated sugar? explain this difference. if you desired to dissolve some lumpy sugar quickly, how would you prepare it? the digestion of sugar.--since sugar is so readily dissolved, and since dissolving is an important step in the process of digestion (see _solution and digestion_), it would seem that the digestion of sugar would be easy. some sugars, such as glucose, need no digestion in a chemical sense, and are wholesome provided their solution is not too concentrated. the digestion of other sugar, such as granulated sugar, is slightly more complex. because the digesting of some sugar is simple, one should not conclude that this food should be used in large quantities or in preference to other fuel foods. if sugar is eaten in large quantities there is so much dissolved sugar for the organs of digestion to take care of that the stomach and small intestines become irritated. this is especially true when candy is eaten between meals,--at a time when the stomach is empty. then, too, it may ferment in the stomach or intestines and produce digestive disturbances. all sweets should be eaten only in moderation and either during a meal or at its close. when sugar is mixed with other foods, it is diluted, and is not so apt to cause distress. sugars and sirups.--in various plants and in milk, the chemist finds a number of different kinds of sugar. these may be classified into two groups:--( ) single sugars and ( ) double sugars. _dextrose_ or _glucose_ is one of the single sugars, while _sucrose_ or _cane sugar_ is an example of a double sugar. the solid sugars and sirups found at market and having different trade names consist of one or more of the different kinds of sugars. a discussion of these follows: (_a_) _granulated sugar_ is made either from the sugar cane or sugar beet. the juice is pressed or soaked out of these plants, then purified, refined, and crystallized. _powdered sugar_ is prepared by crushing granulated sugar. _confectioners' sugar_ is a very finely ground form of cane or beet sugar. granulated sugar is per cent sugar. crushed sugars sometimes contain flour or other materials. _brown sugar_ is made from the cane or beet, but is not refined as much as is granulated sugar. it contains some ash and moisture. (_b_) _corn sirup_ is made by boiling corn-starch with an acid and then refining the product. this sirup contains no cane sugar. its sweet flavor and sirupy consistency are due to the presence of . per cent glucose and per cent dextrin. glucose is not as sweet as granulated sugar. hence, in depending upon corn sirup alone, the tendency is to use more sugar than is advisable so as to satisfy our taste for sweets. at least / times as much corn sirup as granulated sugar is needed to produce the sweetness of the solid sugar. a mixture of corn sirup and granulated sugar is often used for sweetening foods. (_c_) _molasses and sorghum_.--molasses is a by-product of cane sugar. in addition to sugar, it contains certain mineral materials such as lime. since it is especially necessary that foods given children contain lime, the use of molasses in place of sugar may be recommended for children. one should remember, however, that much sugar of any kind is not good for children. molasses contains some acid. because of modern methods of sugar refining, however, molasses is less acid than the sirup of former days. it also differs in flavor. sorghum is a sirup prepared from the sorghum plant. it contains ash and has a characteristic flavor. if the flavor of molasses or sorghum is too strong to be pleasant, a mixture of equal parts of corn sirup and molasses or sorghum may be found desirable. mixtures of different sirups sold under various trade names may be purchased. (_d_) _honey_ is sugar extracted from flowers. its limited supply and cost prevent its general use. it is not so rich in mineral matter as is molasses. (_e_) _maple sirup and sugar_.--maple sirup and sugar are prepared from sap extracted from the maple tree. they both have a distinctive flavor in addition to their sweet taste. maple sugar contains approximately per cent of sugar, while maple sirup contains about per cent. peanut candy cupfuls granulated sugar _or_ cupful granulated sugar _and_ cupful corn sirup (dark) / cupful chopped peanuts / teaspoonful salt mix the peanuts and salt and place in the warming oven to heat. if sugar is used alone, put it in an iron pan. place the pan over a low flame and stir constantly until the sugar is changed to a _light brown_ sirup. if a combination of sugar and sirup is used, put them in a pan, stir, and cook until the mixture is very brittle when tried in cold water. add the chopped peanuts and salt to either kind of sirup, stirring them in as quickly as possible. pour immediately into a hot, _unbuttered_ pan. when slightly cool divide into squares with a chopping knife. _puffed cereals_ or _shredded coconut_ may be used instead of peanuts. commercial salted peanuts may be used also. when the latter are used, the salt in the recipe above should be omitted. caramelized sugar.--it should be noted that when heat is applied to granulated sugar, the latter liquefies and becomes brown in color. this brown liquid is called _caramel_ the process of making it is called _caramelization_. when sugar is caramelizing, it reaches a high temperature. the melting point of tin is near the temperature of caramelized sugar. the enamel of granite ware is apt to chip off if subjected to great changes of temperature. iron is not affected by the highest cooking temperature, hence it is desirable to use an iron utensil for caramelizing sugar. note.--when cane or granulated sugar is caramelized, a small quantity of an injurious substance called _furfural_ is formed. (see journal of home economics, vol. ix (april, ), p. .) the more sugar is heated, the more of the injurious substance is produced. also, cane sugar yields more furfural than glucose,--the kind of sugar that is present in corn sirup. when caramelized sugar is boiled with water, however, the furfural is expelled. in making peanut candy, the caramelized sugar cannot be boiled with water, hence it is desirable to use a combination of granulated sugar and corn sirup and heat the mixture until it is only light brown in color. experiment : the solubility of caramel.--immediately after removing the candy from the iron pan, pour hot water into the pan. allow it to stand for several minutes, then examine. is caramel soluble in water? does it dissolve more or less readily than granulated sugar? what practical application can be drawn from this experiment with regard to washing a pan in which sugar has been caramelized? questions weigh one pound of granulated sugar. how many cupfuls does it measure? weigh one pound of powdered sugar. how many cupfuls does it measure? what is the price per pound of granulated and of powdered sugar? what is the price of corn sirup per can? how much does a can measure? calculate the cost of peanut candy made entirely with granulated sugar and that made with granulated sugar and sirup. note the proportion of unshelled to shelled peanuts. how many unshelled peanuts are required for one cupful of shelled peanuts? why is an iron rather than a granite pan used for making peanut candy? what is the advantage of heating the pan? why is it necessary to pour the mixture into the pan immediately after adding the peanuts? why is a mixture of granulated sugar and corn sirup used in the making of peanut candy rather than corn sirup? (see _corn sirup_.) from your work in physiology, explain the relation of the digestion, absorption, and assimilation of foods. lesson xvii sugar-rich fruits: dried fruits (a) dried fruits.--the wrinkled skins of dried fruits indicate that there has been a loss of some material. the water of fresh fruits evaporates as they are dried. hence dried fruits contain very much less water than fresh fruits. but weight for weight they contain a greater quantity of sugar and ash. like all fruits, dried fruits are especially valuable for their ash. they are also valuable for their sugar. three fourths of the weight of most dried fruit is sugar. dried fruits such as raisins, dates, figs, and prunes are valuable sweets for boys and girls. it is much better to eat one of these fruits than candy. this is because the sugar is mixed with other materials and as explained previously does not irritate the digestive organs as does the concentrated sugar existing in most candies. (see the _digestion of sugar_.) the fact that mineral materials exist along with sugar is another point in favor of the sweet fruits. all the above-mentioned fruits contain iron. very young children are fed prune juice because of its laxative effect. the unpopularity of prunes is unfortunate. this may be because prunes were formerly one of the cheapest fruits or because they are cooked and served in the same way too often. a pleasing variation may be made by combining them with other food materials. many kinds of very tasty desserts containing prunes may be made. many varieties of prunes may be cooked without the addition of any sugar. desirable results can often be secured by combining prunes and other dried fruits with tart fruits such as apricots, apples, and rhubarb. raisins are a favorite food of mountain climbers and those tramping long distances. they serve as a satisfying diet on such trips because of their high sugar content (sugar has been mentioned previously as energy-giver). since they are a dried fruit, a small quantity furnishes much food. this is an advantageous factor in carrying them. general rules for cooking dried fruits.--wash the fruit carefully. place it in the saucepan in which it is to be cooked and pour enough cold water over the fruit to cover it. cover the saucepan and allow the fruit to soak for several hours or overnight. then cook the fruit at simmering temperature in the water in which it was soaked. when the fruit is tender, remove the saucepan from the fire, add sugar if desired, and stir carefully until the sugar is dissolved. serve cold. prunes prepare according to the general rule. for each cupfuls of prunes add about / cupful of sugar and one tablespoonful of lemon juice. the sugar may be omitted and only the lemon juice added. apricots prepare according to the general rule. for / pound of apricots add / cupful of sugar. to prepare raisins for cooking.--raisins that are sold in packages need only slight washing. before using, they should be separated and examined for any bits of stem that have not been removed before packing. it is desirable to cut each raisin in halves when used for cakes and breads. raisins that are sold by "bulk" need careful washing. place seeded raisins in a strainer and pour cold water over them; drain well. if the raisins are to be used at once or in a cake, dry them on a towel. if raisins are to be seeded, cover them with boiling water. when they are soft, drain and press out the seeds. to prepare currants for cooking.--"package" currants need but little washing, but they should be examined carefully for bits of stem before using. to clean "bulk" currants place them in a colander or strainer, shake flour over them, and rub the floured currants between the hands. pour water through the strainer until the water comes through clear. if the currants are to be used in a cake, dry them in the sun, on a towel, or in a "cool" oven. mixed fruit sauce / pound dried apricots pint water cupful raisins / teaspoonful salt lemon,--juice orange,--juice and grated rind / cupful sugar soak the apricots for several hours or overnight in the water. add the other fruits and cook the mixture at simmering temperature until the apricots and raisins are tender. add the sugar and salt. stir until dissolved. serve the sauce cold as a dessert. questions weigh cupful of dried fruit and record weight. weigh and measure soaked fruit ( cupful before soaking) and record weight and measure. to what is the increase in measure of the soaked fruit due? what use should be made of the water in which dried fruit is soaked? what does this water contain? (see experiment .) what is the purpose of soaking dried fruit before cooking? what is the purpose of covering the fruit while soaking? using the data regarding fresh fruit obtained in lesson i, and that obtained by weighing dried fruit before and after soaking, estimate the difference in the cost of one pound of fresh and of soaked dried fruit. state two reasons for combining raisins with apples and apricots in baked apples and mixed fruit sauce. lesson xviii sugar-rich fruits: dried fruits (b) desserts and food value.--very often dried fruits and nuts are used as accessories after a meal. under these conditions they are digested often with difficulty, because the meal itself has taxed the digestive organs. these foods should be considered as a part of the meal and should not be added after enough other foods have been eaten. not only dried fruits and nuts but other desserts often prove distressing, not because they are unwholesome, but because too much food has been eaten. prune pudding cupful cooked prunes, seeded and chopped / cupful sugar cupful chopped nuts / cupful milk or prune water teaspoonful vanilla tablespoonful butter _or_ substitute, melted crackers (rolled fine) _or_ / cupful dried bread crumbs teaspoonful baking powder salt mix all the ingredients. pour into a buttered baking-dish. place the baking-dish in a pan of hot water. bake in a moderate oven for minutes, or until the mixture is firm. serve hot or cold with plain or whipped cream. date pudding / cupful sugar egg tablespoonfuls milk / cupful flour teaspoonful baking powder salt cupful dates, seeded, and cut in pieces cupful california walnuts, chopped mix the sugar, milk, and egg. mix the remaining ingredients; then add to the first mixture. mix, and turn into an oiled baking-dish or pan. bake in a moderate oven from to minutes or until it is firm. serve hot or cold with plain or whipped cream. questions how many dry, uncooked prunes are required to make cupful of cooked prunes? (see _questions_, lesson xvii.) what are the prices per pound of figs and dates? how many will the above recipes serve? what ingredients in these puddings scorch readily? why is prune pudding surrounded with hot water during baking? lesson xix cereals: starch and cellulose starch is a very important fuel food; like sugar, it gives energy to the body. starch is closely related to sugar; it has much the same composition and the same use in the body. in certain respects, however, starch differs from sugar. experiment : the starch test.--put a drop of tincture of iodine on,-- corn-starch, flour, rice, cream of wheat, wheatena, oatmeal, tapioca, potato, meat, and egg. what is the result? if a substance contains starch, it changes to a blue color when tincture of iodine is added to it. from these experiments determine in which class--animal or vegetable--the starchy foods belong. experiment : the effect of cold water on starch.--mix half a teaspoonful of corn-starch or flour with cold water in a test tube or glass cup. what happens to a solid substance when it is dissolved? (see experiment .) set the mixture aside for a few minutes, then note its appearance. is starch soluble in cold water? what important difference between starch and sugar does this experiment show? experiment : the effect of heat on starch.--hold to the light the starch and water mixture from experiment . is it opaque or transparent? turn the mixture into a saucepan, heat, and stir it; return the mixture to the test tube or cup and again hold it to the light. what change was caused by heating it? set the mixture aside for a few minutes. have the starch and water separated as in the uncooked starch? can you say it is insoluble, like uncooked starch? can you say it is soluble, like sugar? what term indicating a half-dissolved condition can you apply to the cooked starch? experiment : stiffening of cooked starch.--place the test tube containing cooked starch from experiment in cold water. after ten minutes examine it. can you pour it out of the tube? how does cooked starch change when cooled? experiment : the structure of starch.--examine starch under the microscope. while you are still looking through the microscope, make a drawing of several grains of starch. insert this drawing in your notebook. cellulose.--cellulose is a tough substance found in the fiber of wood. as previously mentioned the outside covering of vegetables and fruits and their interior framework contain much cellulose. the fibrous material found in rolled oats consists almost entirely of cellulose. experiment : separation of cellulose and starch.--place a heaping teaspoonful of rolled oats in a cup and add just enough water to cover it. allow it to stand for at least minutes. pour the mixture into a cheese- cloth and press out the moisture and much of the starch, catching it in a saucepan. rinse the starch out of the cloth as thoroughly as possible by holding it under running water. examine the substance remaining in the cloth. tear it into pieces. is it tough? does it suggest any common material? what is it? heat the contents of the saucepan. what is this substance? the tiny grains of starch shown under the microscope (see figure ) contain both starch and cellulose. the latter forms the outer covering of the microscopic grains. starchy vegetables contain much cellulose: (_a_) in the outside covering; (_b_) in the interior framework; (_c_) in the covering of the starch grains. [illustration: from _household chemistry_, by j. m. blanchard. figure .--grains of starch. _a_, potato starch; _b_, corn-starch. (much magnified.)] some plants rich in cellulose can be eaten in the raw state. but certain fibrous foods, especially cereals or grains, are irritating if eaten in the uncooked condition. it is necessary to soften them if used as food. now cellulose itself is not soluble in cold or hot water nor is it softened by boiling in water. but other materials existing with cellulose are softened or changed by cooking. hence changes in these substances in contact with the cellulose brought about by boiling water soften the food and separate cellulose fibers. heat and moisture applied to starchy foods serve three important purposes: (_a_) they soften the food; (_b_) they change the starch to a paste or make it semisoluble; (_c_) they improve the flavor. cellulose is not a fuel material; it does not serve in the body as an energy-giver. its value in diet is due to the fact that it is bulky and furnishes ballast for the alimentary canal. it stimulates the flow of the digestive juices as it brushes against the walls of the digestive tract, and thus aids in the digestion of foods and in the elimination of waste material. carbohydrate, a foodstuff.--because sugar, starch, and cellulose have somewhat the same composition and some properties in common, they are grouped into one class, viz. _carbohydrate_. sugar, starch, and cellulose are all included in the term carbohydrate. _carbohydrate is one of the foodstuffs_. sugar is a food containing only the carbohydrate foodstuff. cereals contain not only carbohydrates but other foodstuffs. they contain, however, a larger quantity of carbohydrate than any of the other foodstuffs, for which reason they are classed as carbohydrate-rich foods. cereals.--cereals are cultivated grasses, the seeds of which are used for food. the most important are wheat, indian corn or maize, rice, oats, rye, and barley. from these many different kinds of flours, meals, and breakfast foods are prepared. cereals rank high in nutritive value. many of them contain about per cent of starch. they also contain ash and a substance which builds the body. because they are widely distributed in various climates, they have an important place in man's diet. at market one finds two classes of cereals sold as breakfast foods--( ) the ready to eat and ( ) the uncooked or partially cooked grains. the ready-to-eat cereals cost much more per pound than the cereals that require cooking. the difference in the price per pound, however, is not an accurate difference in the cost of the two, for the cost of the fuel in cooking grains at home must be taken into consideration. of the cereals that require cooking, those that are partially cooked are doubtless the more popular. many of these such as rolled oats or wheat are steamed and rolled. hence they take much less time to prepare in the home kitchen than the uncooked grains. all breakfast cereals require long cooking to make them most palatable, the time of cooking depending upon the character of the cellulose and the method of preparing the cereal for market. most partially cooked grains are improved by a longer cooking than is usually given them. it is interesting to measure equal quantities of a rolled cereal and cook one quantity for minutes and the other for / hours and taste each. the superior flavor and texture of the well-cooked cereal is well worth the additional length of time of cocking. grains are also found on sale in bulk and in package. the latter cost more but insure greater cleanliness. since, however, cereals sold in bulk are those that require cooking, they will be thoroughly sterilized before serving and need occasion no concern regarding their cleanliness. general rules for cooking cereals.--pour the cereal slowly into boiling salted water. cook directly over the flame for about minutes. then place over boiling water and cook from / to hours. usually _one teaspoonful of salt_ is used for _each cupful of cereal_. the quantity of water depends upon the kind of cereal. the double boiler is particularly good for cooking cereals. the _fireless cooker_ also is a most satisfactory device for cooking these foods easily and economically. starchy foods are most easily digested when well masticated. dry foods require more mastication than moist foods. it is well then to have the water used in cooking the cereal entirely absorbed. if, when nearly done, the cereal is too moist, uncover the vessel and cook until the excess of water is evaporated. care should be taken, however, not to allow a tough skin to form on the top of the cereal. this digests with difficulty. its formation can be prevented by keeping the cereal covered or by stirring occasionally. heat ready-to-eat cereals in the oven until they are crisp. rolled oats or wheat cupfuls boiling water cupful cereal teaspoonful salt prepare according to the general directions, cooking in the double boiler at least / hours. cream of wheat or wheatena cupfuls boiling water / cupful cereal teaspoonful salt prepare according to the general rule, cooking in the double boiler at least / hour. a few minutes before taking from the fire, / pound of dates, cleaned, stoned, and cut into pieces, may be added. raisins or figs may also be used with cream of wheat and other cereals. questions how would the temperature of boiling water be affected if a cupful of cereal were poured into it all at once? from this explain why cereals should be added _slowly_ to the boiling water. compare the cooked and uncooked cereal. how does it change in appearance and quantity? why are cereals not cooked entirely over the naked flame? what is the price, weight, and measure of a package of rolled oats or wheat? of a package of cream of wheat or wheatena? what is the cost of the quantity of cereal indicated in the recipes above? calculate the difference in the cost per pound of ready-to-eat and uncooked cereals. lesson xx cereals: rice (a) polished and unpolished rice.--at market one finds two kinds of rice,--one white and pearly in appearance called _polished_ rice, and the other, gray or brown and lusterless called _unpolished_ rice. in preparing rice for market, the outer husks of the grain are removed and the rice is cleaned. it may then be sold as unpolished rice or it may be further treated by rubbing or polishing to make it ready for market. rice is subjected to this latter process merely to satisfy the demand of purchasers. the food value of polished rice is inferior to that of the unpolished grain. much valuable ash and other material are lost. indeed, a certain disease, [footnote : beri-beri, a disease common among those inhabitants of oriental countries whose diet consists almost entirely of polished rice and fish.] due to improper nourishment, has been cured by giving the sufferer rice polishings. the flavor of rice is also impaired by polishing it. unpolished rice is much the more valuable food. it requires, however, longer cooking than polished rice. soaking in water before cooking shortens the length of time required for cooking. to clean rice.--to wash rice, put it in a strainer and allow the water from a faucet to run through the strainer. rub the rice between the hands. rice (cooked over boiling water) cupfuls boiling water teaspoonful salt cupful rice follow the general rules for cooking cereals; when the rice is added to the boiling water, stir it to prevent adhering to the pan. cook over hot water, _i.e._ in a double boiler, until the grains are soft (usually about minutes). the above ingredients may be placed in a steamer (see figure ) and cooked in steam until the rice grains are tender. it is then called _steamed rice_. rice is most palatable combined with various fruits. energy-giving or fuel foods [illustration: figure --a cupful of rice before and after boiling the large utensil was required to boil it, the water drained from it is in the jar] boiled rice [footnote : reserve some of the cooked rice of this lesson for the following lesson.] quarts boiling water cupful rice teaspoonfuls salt add the salt to the boiling water. when the water boils rapidly, add the rice slowly, so that the water does not stop boiling. boil _rapidly_ for minutes or until the grains are soft. turn into a colander or strainer to drain. rinse with hot water, drain well, then sprinkle with salt. save the water from the boiled rice for the experiment below and for preparing cheese sauce for class work. when the rice is boiling, decide whether or not it should be covered tightly. experiment the difference in nutritive value of boiled rice and rice cooked over boiling water--pour a little of the water from the boiled rice into a test tube. cool the rice water and test it with iodine for starch. is any of the starch from rice cooked over boiling water wasted? which method of cooking rice leaves more nutriment in the cooked product? cheese sauce (made with rice water) pint rice water tablespoonful corn-starch teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful mustard / teaspoonful paprika / cupful cheese grated or cut into pieces mix the corn-starch with about tablespoonfuls of cold rice water. heat the remainder of the liquid. add the corn-starch mixture to the hot rice water. stir and cook for about minutes. then add the seasonings and cheese. continue stirring and cooking until the cheese is blended with the other ingredients. serve hot over cooked rice. one cupful of tomatoes or a small quantity of pimentos (cut into pieces) may be added along with the cheese to the sauce. if pimentos are used, the paprika should be omitted. questions how is rice tested for sufficient cooking? why does rice take a shorter time to cook than most of the wheat and oat foods? (see _cereals_.) note the difference in the quantity of water used for boiled rice and for rice cooked over boiling water. note that the saucepan is used for cooking one and the double boiler for cooking the other. from this explain the reason for the difference in the quantity of water used. which method of cooking rice takes longer? explain the difference in the length of time of cooking. measure the rice after cooking. how much has it increased in bulk? if one desired cupfuls of cooked rice, how much uncooked rice should be used? compare the individual grains of rice cooked in boiling water and rice cooked over boiling water,--are the grains separated or pasted together? explain the difference in appearance. what ingredients do cereals contain that make it possible to mold them (see experiment )? which is the better for molding,--boiled rice or rice cooked over boiling water? why? what is the advantage in using rice water rather than plain water to prepare cheese sauce? what other use could be made of rice water? lesson xxi cereals: rice (b) rice pudding steamed rice may be prepared for a simple dessert by using both milk and water. follow the recipe for rice cooked over boiling water, using / cupfuls of water and l / cupfuls of milk. cook the water and rice until the water is absorbed, add the milk, and continue cooking over water. serve with cream and sugar, or with a suitable sauce. rice pudding (made with cooked rice) [footnote : a portion of the rice cooked in the previous lesson may be utilized in making this pudding.] cupfuls cooked rice / - cupful milk / cupful raisins / cupful sugar grated rind / lemon these ingredients may be cooked in several different ways. by changing the flavoring, method of serving, and sauce, rice desserts of pleasing variety may be made from the materials above. the pudding may be _baked_ in the following manner: mix the ingredients, place in a buttered baking-dish, and bake in a slow oven until the rice has absorbed the milk and is brown. vanilla or nutmeg, or both, may be substituted for the lemon rind. this dessert may be _cooked over water_ by mixing the ingredients in the top of a double boiler and cooking until the milk is absorbed. then butter hot custard cups or tea cups and press some rice into each. turn out at once and serve with caramel, chocolate, or other sauce. lemon sauce, in which dates, cut into pieces, have been cooked, makes a tasty sauce for this pudding. when lemon sauce and dates are used, the raisins should be omitted and the pudding flavored with nutmeg. caramel sauce / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonful butter or substitute cupful milk / teaspoonful vanilla salt mix the sugar, flour, and butter in a frying pan; then heat the mixture to caramelize the sugar, stirring constantly. scald the milk in a double boiler. when the sugar is caramelized, add it to the hot milk and heat the mixture until the caramelized sugar is dissolved. add the salt and vanilla. [footnote : if the sauce is to be served cold, it is well to allow the cooked mixture to cool before adding the vanilla (see _flavoring extracts_).] serve hot or cold over puddings. questions why is it advisable to use a double boiler for cooking rice? (see lesson xx) if rice is cooked in a double boiler and milk is to be added, why should not the milk be added until the rice mixture is placed over hot water? (see statement regarding the scorching of milk in _questions_, lesson xxiv) which method of cooking the rice pudding--baking or cooking over water-- requires more milk? explain your answer. also explain why a definite quantity of milk cannot be stated in the recipe. see "note," lesson xvi. is any of the injurious substance formed in caramelizing sugar present in caramel sauce? lesson xxii cereals and the fireless cooker the fireless cooker.--the fact that fuels are expensive and that the supply of some fuels is diminishing, makes it advisable to conserve heat. this can be done in no more satisfactory way than by means of a fireless cooker. it has been said that future historians in summing up the great achievements of the first quarter of the twentieth century will probably name as the most important, wireless telegraphy, aviation, and fireless cookery. the fireless cooker cannot be used with all methods of cooking, but its possibilities are many. [illustration: courtesy of _mccray refrigerator co_ figure . --insulated wall of a refrigerator.] the principle of fireless cookery.--in experiment it was found that wood did not transmit heat rapidly, while tin did. another familiar illustration will show the difference between wood and metal in transmitting heat. a metal door knob feels very cold on a winter day, because the metal conducts the heat away from the hand rapidly, while a wooden knob is comfortable to touch. wood is termed a poor conductor of heat. metals are good conductors of heat. paper, hay, excelsior, sawdust, cork, wool, feathers, and many other materials are poor conductors of heat. if any hot substance is surrounded by any of these poor conducting materials, the heat of that substance is retained for some time. also, if any cold substance is surrounded by a poor conductor, the substance remains cold. in throwing a piece of carpet or newspaper over an ice cream freezer, to prevent the ice from melting, one makes use of the latter principle. [illustration: figure .--fireless cooker having excelsior packing.] the walls of a well-built refrigerator consist of a number of layers of non-conducting materials (see figure ). to understand the principle involved in "cooking without fire," try the following: experiment : retention of heat.--fill tin measuring cups half full of boiling water. immediately inclose one cup of water in a paper bag or wrap paper about it so there will be considerable air space between the cup and paper. after minutes, insert a thermometer into the water in each of the cups. which is hotter? what has "kept in" the heat of the hotter water? the fireless cooker is a device containing cooking kettles which are surrounded by some poor conductor. when food is heated thoroughly, the heat can be retained for a number of hours by placing the hot food in the fireless cooker. [illustration: figure --fireless cooker with stone disks note the kettles of various shapes] in the ordinary fireless cooker it is possible to cook all foods that can be cooked in water at a temperature below the boiling point of water, _i. e._ simmering temperature. another type of fireless cooker has a metallic or an enamel lining and is provided with movable stone disks. both the stones and food are heated on a range and then introduced into the cooker in such a way that the stones are under and over the kettle of food. by this arrangement, foods can be cooked at a higher temperature than in the ordinary fireless cooker (see figures and ). there are also electric fireless cookers (see figure ). such cookers are equipped with a heating element which is placed in the bottom of the insulated box. with these it is not necessary to heat the food before placing it in the cooker. the uncooked food is put into the cooker and the current turned on. by means of a clock arrangement the current may be cut off when the desired length of time of heating has passed. [illustration: courtesy of the _standard electric stove co_ figure .--electric fireless cooker. has a heating element in the bottom of the cooker.] the principle of the fireless cooker is used on some of the modern gas and electric ranges. the walls of the ovens of these ranges are surrounded by insulating materials. when an oven is heated and has reached the desired temperature, the gas or electricity is cut off, but the baking temperature is retained for some time. the top burners of some gas ranges have a fireless cooker attachment in the form of an insulated hood. the food is first heated over the burner, then the hood is lowered over the food, and the gas is cut off. the food continues to cook, however, by the retained heat (see figure ). suggestions for using a fireless cooker.--one should keep the following in mind in using the ordinary fireless cooker: [illustration: courtesy of the _chambers manufacturing co._ figure .--gas range having fireless cooker attachment, insulated oven and hoods.] . have the food heated thoroughly before placing in the fireless cooker. (this direction does not apply to an electrical fireless cooker such as shown in figure .) if the foods are small, as cereals, minutes' boiling is usually sufficient cooking on the range; if large in size, as a piece of beef, minutes is required to heat it through. . after heating, place the _covered_ kettle containing the food into the cooker immediately. it is well to have the cooker near the range so as to waste but little heat while getting the food into the cooker. . the kettle should be well filled. a small quantity of food should not be placed in a large kettle. it is possible, however, to fill the large kettle almost full of boiling water, then rest a wire rack on the rim of the kettle and place a small pan containing the food in the wire rack (see figure ). or place the food in a pan with sloping sides and broad rim, such as a "pudding pan," which may be set in the large kettle so as to rest on the rim. . do not open the cooker to "see how the food is getting along." if the box is opened, the food must be removed at once. the food may, however, be reheated and returned to the cooker. it is sometimes necessary to follow this plan, where food requires very long cooking. . the length of time a food must be left in the fireless cooker varies with the kind of food and style of cooker. in many of the homemade boxes, the water does not remain hot enough for cooking after hours; in some, for not more than hours. if foods require longer cooking than this, they should be removed and reheated as mentioned above. _food should never be allowed to become cool in a fireless cooker_. . after using any type of fireless cooker, let the lid remain wide open for or hours. except when in use do not close it tightly. every thrifty housekeeper should possess and use a fireless cooker. as has been mentioned, it saves fuel, prevents the strong odor of food permeating all parts of the house, lessens work and care in cooking, prevents burning and scorching, and provides workers and picnickers with warm lunches. a fireless cooker can be made satisfactorily at home with little expenditure of effort and money. it has been found that paper crumpled so as to afford considerable air space is a satisfactory non-conducting material for a fireless cooker. detailed directions for making a fireless cooker are given in united states department of agriculture, farmers' bulletin , "homemade fireless cookers and their use" and in several popular books. corn-meal mush cupfuls boiling water cupful corn-meal teaspoonful salt mix the ingredients in the small pan of the fireless cooker and cook directly over the flame of a range, boiling for minutes, and stirring occasionally. cover and place in the large kettle of the fireless cooker which contains boiling water. place in a fireless cooker for to hours. note.--if corn-meal mush is to be cooked over a flame in a double boiler, prepare according to the general rule for cereals and cook over boiling water for at least hours. corn-meal mush for "frying" cupfuls corn-meal tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonfuls salt cupfuls cold water quart boiling water mix the dry ingredients, add the cold water, and mix thoroughly. place the boiling water in the small pan of the fireless cooker. stir the corn-meal mixture into the boiling water and cook minutes directly over the flame, stirring constantly. cover and place in the large kettle of boiling water. place in the fireless cooker to hours. remove the pan of mush from the water and allow the mush to cool. note.--corn-meal mush for frying may be cooked over a flame in a double boiler according to the recipe given above. cook it for several hours. rice and tomatoes / cupful rice tablespoonful butter or substitute / teaspoonful celery salt l- / cupfuls boiling water cupful tomatoes slice onion teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper in the small pan of the fireless cooker cook (over a flame) the rice, onion, and fat, stirring constantly until they are slightly brown. add boiling water and cook until the water is almost absorbed. add the tomatoes and seasoning and heat the mixture until it boils. cover and place in the large kettle of boiling water belonging to the fireless cooker. place in the fireless cooker for / hour. this food may be served as a border around meat. questions in your own way, explain the principle of "cooking without fire." what ingredient does corn-meal mush for "frying" contain that plain corn- meal mush does not? what is the use of this ingredient in corn-meal mush for "frying"? (see _wheat flour and corn-meal_.) how does the method of preparing corn-meal mush for "frying" differ from the usual method of cooking cereals? how many cupfuls of corn-meal in one pound? of rice in one pound? what is the price per pound of corn-meal and rice? lesson xxiii cereals for frying or baking "fried" or baked mush cut corn-meal mush for "frying" into slices / inch thick. dip each slice in flour and brown in a little hot fat (butter or substitute, or a slice of salt pork fat may be used). the slices of mush may be spread with softened fat, or dipped in melted fat, and browned in the oven or broiling oven. instead of spreading the mush with fat, the slices may be dipped in cracker or fine dried bread crumbs, then dipped into egg mixture-- egg beaten and diluted with tablespoonful of water--and again dipped into cracker or bread crumbs. place the "breaded slices" in a dripping pan, put fat in bits over the top and bake for about half a hour or until the crumbs are brown. hot mush may be served plain or with sirup. in the same way, left-over wheatena, cream of wheat, farina, and other breakfast cereals may be molded, cooled, and then "fried" or baked. french toast or eggs cupful milk / teaspoonful salt or slices of stale bread beat the eggs slightly, add the salt and milk, and dip the bread in the mixture. heat a griddle or "frying" pan and place a little butter or substitute, or a combination of butter and some other fat, in the pan. brown the bread on one side in the hot fat. place a bit of fat on the top of each slice, turn, and brown the other side. serve hot. a mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon, or sirup is sometimes used in serving french toast. sirup / cupful corn sirup (dark) / cupful boiling water tablespoonfuls brown sugar / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla mix the corn sirup, sugar, water, and salt. heat until the boiling point is reached. cool and then add the vanilla. if it is desired to serve the sirup hot, its flavor is improved by the addition of teaspoonful of butter. questions in preparing french toast, what care must be taken in dipping the stale bread in the milk and egg mixture? since it is desirable to serve the slices of toast whole, which are the better for french toast,--large or small pieces of bread? what is the advantage of placing a bit of fat on each slice of bread just before turning it? why is it advisable to add butter to the sirup only when the latter is to be served hot? what is the purpose of adding sugar to corn sirup? (see _corn sirup_.) lesson xxiv powdered cereals used for thickening experiment : starch grains and boiling water.--pour tablespoonfuls of boiling water over teaspoonful of flour. stir and heat over the flame. is the mixture smooth? examine the center of a "jump." how does it compare with uncooked starch? are all the starch grains swelled and semisoluble? experiment : separation of starch grains with cold water.--mix teaspoonful of flour with teaspoonful of water. add tablespoonfuls of boiling water, stir, and heat. is the mixture smooth? explain clearly the use of cold water in this mixture. experiment : separation of starch grains with sugar.--mix teaspoonful of flour with teaspoonful of sugar. add table-spoonfuls of boiling water, stir, and heat. is the mixture smooth? carefully explain the use of sugar in the mixture. experiment : separation of starch grains with fat.--mix teaspoonful of flour with teaspoonful of fat. add tablespoonfuls of boiling water, stir, and heat. is the mixture smooth? explain the use of fat in this mixture. to cook starch successfully, it is necessary to swell every grain of starch contained in the starchy food. to accomplish this each grain must be surrounded by heat and moisture. in vegetables and cereals, the cellular framework separates the starch grains so that they are uniformly cooked. since there is nothing to separate the grains in a powdered starchy substance, as shown in the foregoing experiments, it becomes necessary to mix it with certain materials so that the heat and moisture can penetrate every grain at the same time. blanc mange cupfuls milk / cupful corn-starch / cupful sugar teaspoonfuls vanilla nutmeg / teaspoonful salt scald the milk in a double boiler. mix the sugar and corn-starch. add the hot milk slowly to the sugar and corn-starch mixture, stirring rapidly. return to the double boiler and cook minutes, stir rapidly until the mixture thickens. add the salt and flavoring and pour into a mold which has been moistened with cold water. cool, turn from the mold, and serve with sugar and cream. if a softer and more creamy dessert is desired, the corn-starch may be reduced to tablespoonfuls. if this quantity of thickening is used, the cooked dessert should be poured into sherbet glasses or other suitable dishes for serving; it will not become stiff enough to mold. note.--while cooking blanc mange, note the number of minutes that is required to thicken the mixture and the length of time of cooking given in the recipe. why is it necessary to cook the mixture for so long a time after it thickens? (see _cereals_.) chocolate corn-starch pudding proceed as for blanc mange, using / cupful of sugar instead of / cupful. cut into pieces square (_i.e._ ounce) of baker's chocolate. add to it / cupful of boiling water. stir and heat until smooth and thoroughly blended. add this to the corn-starch mixture just before taking from the fire. add / teaspoonful of vanilla. mold and serve as blanc mange. note that the quantity of sugar is increased when chocolate is added to the corn-starch mixture. chocolate mixtures require considerable sugar to make them tasty. tablespoonfuls of cocoa may be substituted for the chocolate. when this is done, mix the cocoa with the corn-starch and sugar and add no water to it. proceed as in making plain blanc mange. questions name three substances that can be used to prevent the lumping of powdered cereals used for thickening. give the reason for mixing the sugar, corn-starch, and hot milk of blanc mange as directed. for how long a time after placing in the double boiler is it necessary to stir the corn-starch, sugar, and hot milk mixture? milk, especially a milk and starchy mixture, scorches readily (see _scalding milk_). from this explain why blanc mange is cooked entirely over boiling water, and not over the flame and then in a double boiler, as cereals. why is the flavoring not added while the mixture is cooking (see _flavoring extracts_)? what is the price per package of corn-starch? how much does a package of corn-starch weigh and measure? which material--flour or corn-starch--is the cheaper to use for thickening? how many persons does the quantity of blanc mange above serve? lesson xxv toast: digestion of starch experiment : change of starch into dextrin.--place a teaspoonful of flour in a frying pan and heat slowly until it becomes _very dark brown_ and _uniform_ in color. put a little of the browned flour into a test tube, add water, then shake. add a few drops of iodine. what indicates the presence of starch? is starch present? the starch has been changed to dextrin. dextrin gives a purple (reddish blue) color when treated with iodine. experiment : the solubility of dextrin.--pour the remainder of the browned flour from experiment into a test tube. add water and shake. pour through filter paper [footnote : liquids pass through filter paper, but solids do not. hence if a mixture of solid and liquid is poured upon filter paper, the liquid passes through, but the solid remains on the paper.] into another test tube (see figure ). notice the color of the liquid that has been filtered. add a few drops of iodine to the filtered liquid. is dextrin present? is dextrin soluble in water? [illustration: figure .--method of folding filter paper.] from these experiments, we find that dry heat has changed insoluble starch into a soluble substance called _dextrin_. dextrin is found in small amounts in the crust of bread and in toast. digestion of starch.--it was found in a previous lesson (lesson xvi) that sugar is entirely soluble in water, and since digestion and solution are closely related, the digestion of some sugar is simple. starch was found to be insoluble in cold water and only semi-soluble in hot water. in the process of digestion it would seem that some change must take place in the starch to make it soluble. such a change _does_ take place; starch is changed into a soluble carbohydrate or a sugar before it is digested. substances called _enzymes_ which are in the saliva of the mouth [footnote : ptyalin and amylopsin are the ferments found in the mouth and intestines, respectively.] and in the digestive juices of the intestines [footnote : ptyalin and amylopsin are the ferments found in the mouth and intestines, respectively.] cause this change. to show that this change takes place to some extent in the mouth, try the following experiments: experiment : starch in cracker.--test a bit of cracker with iodine for starch. what indicates the presence of starch? does the cracker contain starch? experiment : action of saliva upon starch.--thoroughly chew a bit of cracker. as you chew the cracker, note that it becomes sweeter in flavor. remove from the mouth, and place upon a piece of paper. test it with iodine. a purple (reddish blue) color indicates a soluble carbohydrate (see experiment ). what substance does the masticated cracker contain? explain the change that has taken place in the cracker by mastication. toast.--bread is properly toasted when it is dried out thoroughly and then browned on the outside. both the crumb and the crust of the toast are thus made crisp. crisp toast crumbles during mastication. fresh bread contains much moisture. when it is toasted quickly, the moisture is inclosed in the interior of the slice and the resulting toast is very soft. this kind of toast is almost as difficult to digest as fresh bread. instead of toast breaking into bits during digestion, it remains in a solid mass and is digested with difficulty. give at least two practical methods of toasting bread to produce the desired kind of toast. cream toast / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls flour cupfuls milk or cream to slices of toast heat the fat; when it bubbles, add the flour and salt, mixing thoroughly. add a small portion of the milk. heat and stir continually until it thickens. add another portion of the milk and proceed as before. continue until all the milk has been added. the sauce is sufficiently cooked when it reaches the boiling point after the last quantity of milk has been added. pour this sauce over dry or moist toast. _moist toast_ is prepared by dipping dry toast quickly into hot, salted water or hot milk. if the crust has not been cut from bread for toasting, only the outer edges of the toast may be moistened. the flavor of butter in cream toast is pleasing. to secure some butter flavor and at the same time economize, a combination of butter and a mild flavored fat or oil may be used. questions give the reason for mixing flour and fat as directed in white sauce (see experiment ). what is the proportion of fat and flour? what is the proportion of flour and liquid? using this proportion, how much flour should be used for one cupful of liquid? what is the use of flour in white sauce? note the consistency of the sauce, and keep it in mind as a standard of comparison for the thickness of other sauces. what should be the condition of the crumb of toast to be most quickly digested? give reasons for your answer. lesson xxvi root vegetables (a) plant roots.--plants used for food have their stored-up food largely in the form of starch and to some extent in the form of sugar. the parts of the plant underneath the ground as well as the seeds serve as a storehouse for the plant. all roots and tubers contain carbohydrates, although not in so large a proportion as cereals. those most commonly used as foods are potatoes, tapioca, parsnips, carrots, beets, and turnips. potatoes and tapioca contain the most starch in this group. parsnips, carrots, and beets contain a little starch and much sugar. turnips contain much cellulose. carrots, parsnips, and beets are also rich in cellulose. all root vegetables as well as leaf and stem vegetables contain ash. comparison of vegetables cooked with or without the skins, and in water or in steam [footnote : note to the teacher.--this lesson can be conducted most expeditiously by dividing the class into groups of six and having each group clean, prepare, and cook in water and in steam, potatoes and carrots as directed above.]--clean, prepare, and cook in water pared and unpared potatoes, scraped and unscraped carrots, and cook in steam pared potatoes and scraped carrots. clean the vegetables by scrubbing with a brush; cook them in _gently boiling_ water. use the same quantity of water in each case (when cooked in water) and add one teaspoonful of salt to each quart of water. when the vegetables are tender (test with a fork or knitting needle), drain each thoroughly, catching the water in a bowl. dry each vegetable by shaking the saucepan containing it over a flame. pour into a test tube a little of the water from each water-cooked vegetable; cool, and then test with iodine for starch. also pour some of the water from each water-cooked vegetable in an evaporating dish. boil the water until the moisture is entirely evaporated. then continue to heat the contents of the dish until charred material appears and then disappears. is any solid material left? if so, it is mineral matter. which vegetables,--those cooked (in water) with or without the skins,-- lose the more starch and ash? which vegetables without the skins,--those cooked in water or those cooked in steam,--lose the more starch and ash? as far as saving nutriment is concerned, which method of preparation is better for vegetables cooked in water? which method of cooking is better for vegetables without the skins? peel the vegetables that were cooked with the skins. cut all into dice. prepare about half as much _white sauce_ as you have of the vegetable, using the ingredients for the sauce in the following proportion: / tablespoonfuls flour / teaspoonful salt tablespoonful butter or substitute cupful liquid for the _liquid_ of the sauce for those vegetables cooked in water without the skins, use half milk and half vegetable stock. use only milk for the sauce for the vegetables cooked in water with the skins and for steamed vegetables. (for method of making white sauce, see _cream toast_) add the vegetables to the sauce, reheat, and serve. divide the vegetables among the pupils of each group so that each tastes the six vegetables. which vegetables,--those cooked with or without the skins,--have the more pleasing color? which vegetables,--those cooked with or without the skins,--have the more pleasing flavor? as far as appearance and flavor are concerned, which method of preparation is better for potatoes? which method for carrots? as far as both nutriment and flavor are concerned, which method of cooking is better for both vegetables? suggestions for cooking root vegetables.--all vegetables growing beneath the ground should be cleaned by scrubbing with a small brush. unless a vegetable is dried or wilted, it should not be soaked in water for any length of time before cooking. the comparison just made shows that the outside skins of vegetables should not be removed before cooking in water if we wish to retain all the nutriment. there are some who contend, however, that a more delicate and pleasing flavor results when old and strong-flavored vegetables have their skins removed before cooking, and that the flavor is more to be desired than a saving of all nutrients. often vegetables are more pleasing in color when cooked without their skins. the nutrients lost by paring root vegetables and cooking them in water consist not only of carbohydrates, but of ash and other valuable materials. [footnote : _vitamines_, see division seven] satisfactory results may be obtained by _baking_ or _steaming_ vegetables. by using the latter method, vegetables can be pared and cut into pieces and then cooked with little loss of nutrients. it has been pointed out, [footnote : see journal of home economics, vol. xi (may, ), "changes in the food value of vegetables," by minna c. denton.] however, that there may be considerable loss of nutrients in steamed vegetables. the extent of the loss depends in part upon the type of steamer and the method of using it. if the bottom of the upper pan of a steamer is perforated and the vegetables are placed in contact with the perforated portion, the condensed steam "washes" the mineral matter from the vegetable. this "vegetable broth" then drops into the lower pan of the steamer. an evidence of this can be secured by steaming spinach or squash in the manner described above and observing the coloring which appears in the water beneath the steaming vegetable. loss of nutrients in such a steamer can be avoided by placing the vegetable in a pan or plate and inserting the latter in the upper portion of the steamer. the pan or plate should, of course, be of smaller diameter than the top of the steamer. by using the type of steamer which has perforations at the top of the upper pan (see figure ), no loss of nutrients occurs, provided the accumulated vegetable broth is used. [illustration: courtesy of _geo h bowman co_ figure .--utensil for steaming--a "steamer"] care should also be taken not to steam vegetables for long periods at a very high temperature as is sometimes done in using the pressure cooker. this results in both loss of nutrients and flavor. if starchy vegetables are cooked in water, when tender immediately drain away the water and dry them. serve at once or let them remain uncovered in a warm place. the steam is thus allowed to escape. condensed steam makes starchy vegetables soggy. boiled potatoes if potatoes are to be cooked without their skins, pare them as thin as possible, or in the case of new potatoes, scrape them. cut away any green portion [footnote : green spots on potatoes are caused by the tubers growing too near the surface of the ground. this colored portion contains an injurious substance called solanin.] which appears on the potato. if the potatoes are sprouted, [footnote : sprouted potatoes also contain some solanin. potatoes should not be allowed to sprout since nutritious material is used up by the growing sprouts and, as mentioned above, an injurious material is formed. potatoes can be prevented from sprouting by storing them in a dry, dark, cool place.] also cut away the portion around the sprouts. in cooking potatoes in water, follow the directions given on page , cooking vegetables in water. when they are tender, drain off the water immediately; shake gently and dry on the back of the range with the saucepan uncovered or with a cloth folded over the top to absorb the moisture. sprinkle generously with salt. boiled potatoes may be put through a ricer before serving. creamed and scalloped vegetables.--cooked vegetables may be creamed by cutting them into cubes, adding white sauce, and then reheating. if the cut vegetables are cold, they can be heated by adding them to the sauce with the last portion of liquid. by the time the sauce reaches the boiling point, the vegetables will be heated. care should be taken not to break the vegetables while heating them in the sauce. care should also be taken to prevent the sauce from scorching. an asbestos mat over a gas burner is desirable for this purpose. use one part of white sauce with or parts of diced vegetables. vegetables may be scalloped by placing creamed vegetables in an oiled baking-dish, covering with buttered crumbs, and browning in the oven. white sauce for vegetables / tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonful butter or substitute _or_ tablespoonfuls flour / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute / teaspoonful salt white pepper / cupful milk / cupful vegetable stock cook as directed for cream sauce (see _cream toast_). the thickness of white sauce for vegetables depends upon the kind of vegetable. the thinner sauce is generally more satisfactory with starchy vegetables. crumbs for scalloped dishes cupful soft bread crumbs / teaspoonful salt white pepper or cayenne tablespoonful butter or substitute mix seasonings and crumbs together, then add to the melted fat, or place the fat in bits over the seasoned crumbs. questions how should the water boil in cooking vegetables? why? why should not potatoes be covered with a tin lid or plate after cooking? are potatoes sold by the pound or bushel? what is the price per pound or bushel? mention at least three ways of cooking root vegetables so as to retain their nutriment. lesson xxvii root vegetables (b) experiment : the effect of soaking starchy vegetables in water,--over several pieces of potato pour enough water to cover. allow the vegetable to stand at least minutes. pour the water from the vegetable into a test tube and heat it. cool, then test the water with iodine. what does the water contain? what conclusion can you draw concerning the soaking of vegetables in water before cooking? sweet potatoes cook sweet potatoes with or without the skins (see _cooking vegetables in water_). peel (if cooked with the skins), mash, add a little hot milk, salt, and butter, beat thoroughly and serve. cooked sweet potatoes may also be cut into halves lengthwise, spread with butter or substitute, sprinkled with a very little sugar, and browned in the oven. sweet potatoes (southern style) tablespoonfuls butter or substitute tablespoonfuls sugar sweet potatoes salt and pepper boiling water scrub and pare the sweet potatoes, cut them into halves lengthwise. put the butter and sugar in a frying pan and when hot, add the sweet potatoes. brown the potatoes, add the salt and pepper and enough boiling water to cover the bottom of the frying pan. cover and cook slowly until the potatoes are tender. nearly all the water should be evaporated when the potatoes are cooked. that which remains should be poured over the potatoes as a sauce for serving. sweet potatoes may also be cooked in a casserole in the oven. uncover the casserole when the potatoes are almost tender, in order to brown them. mock oysters (parsnips with nuts and rice) parsnips eggs cupful nuts, chopped / teaspoonful pepper cupful cooked rice [footnote : if the rice is cooked by boiling, use the rice water instead of plain water in making tomato sauce.] tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful salt boil or steam the parsnips until tender. press them through a coarse sieve or colander. add the beaten eggs. then add the remainder of the ingredients. if the mixture is too thick to drop from the spoon, add a little milk. drop by tablespoonfuls on to an oiled baking-sheet. bake until slightly brown. serve hot with tomato sauce. tomato catsup or celery sauce may also be used in serving mock oysters. (adapted from _ninety tested recipes_, teachers college.) tomato sauce / can tomatoes cupful water cloves allspice berries peppercorns sprays of parsley tablespoonfuls fat slices onion / cupful flour teaspoonful salt allow tomatoes, water, spices, and herbs to simmer to minutes. brown the onion in the fat, add flour and salt, then the tomato mixture. follow the method of making white sauce (see _cream toast_). strain and serve. questions from the results of experiment explain why vegetables should be placed in boiling rather than in cold water for cooking. why should the water be drained from boiled vegetables immediately after cooking? from your grocer, find out in what quantities sweet potatoes are usually purchased. what is the price of them? how do they compare in price with white potatoes? what is the price per pound of parsnips? in preparing tomato sauce, what is the purpose of cooking the tomatoes and spices together for or minutes? why are the tomatoes strained after thickening rather than before? lesson xxviii root vegetables (c) tapioca is a food material prepared from the roots of the cassava plant grown in south america. like many other foods prepared from the roots of plants, it consists of a large percent of starch. in its preparation, tapioca is heated so that the starch is partially cooked. tapioca is prepared for the market in two forms,--pearl tapioca, and minute or granulated tapioca. the latter requires a much shorter time to cook. if granulated tapioca is substituted for pearl tapioca, but one half the quantity is required. apple tapioca / cupful pearl tapioca or / cupful granulated tapioca / cupfuls boiling water / teaspoonful salt apples / cupful sugar if pearl tapioca is used, cover it generously with cold water and allow it to stand one hour or overnight. while soaking keep the tapioca covered. if any water is unabsorbed, do not discard it,--use less than the given quantity of boiling water. if granulated tapioca is used, no cold water is needed. for either granulated or pearl tapioca, add the boiling water and salt to the tapioca and cook over the naked flame and then over hot water as in the case of breakfast cereal (see _general rules for cooking cereals_). cook in the double boiler until transparent. wash, core, and pare the apples; place them in a buttered baking-dish; fill the cavities with sugar, pour tapioca over them, and bake in a moderate oven until the apples are soft. serve with sugar and cream, or with lemon sauce. other fruits may be substituted for apples. if canned fruits are used, substitute the fruit sirup for part of the water in which the tapioca is cooked. rhubarb tapioca use the same ingredients for the rhubarb dessert as for apple tapioca, substituting for the apples cupfuls of rhubarb, cut into pieces, and using twice the quantity of sugar. bake until the rhubarb is soft. lemon sauce / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls flour cupfuls boiling water lemon,--juice and rind tablespoonful butter mix sugar and flour thoroughly; then slowly add the boiling water. cook minutes. add the lemon juice and rind, then the butter. stir until the butter is melted, when the sauce will be ready to serve. for economy, the butter may be omitted. it adds to the flavor, however. sweet sauces.--sweet sauces usually contain sugar and butter and are thickened with a powdered cereal. it is interesting to consider which of the two materials--sugar or butter--should be used to separate the grains of the flour or corn-starch. the quantity of fat used with the flour of white sauces (see below) is a little less than that of the flour. it is difficult to separate starch grains when the quantity of fat equals only one half the quantity of flour. on the other hand, when starch grains are separated by means of sugar, the quantity of the sugar should equal at least the quantity of the starchy material (see _blanc mange_). in the recipe for lemon sauce above, it will be noted that the quantity of fat is one half that of the flour; the quantity of sugar greatly exceeds that of the flour. hence the sugar affords a more satisfactory means of separating the starch grains in lemon sauce. proportions of ingredients for sauces flour fat liquid thin white sauce tablespoonful, / tablespoonful, cup (toast, sweet sauce, certain cream soups, etc.) medium white sauce tablespoonfuls, / tablespoonfuls, cup (vegetables (see page ), gravy, tomato sauce, etc.) thick white sauce tablespoonfuls, tablespoonfuls, cup (gravy, tomato sauce, etc.) very thick white sauce tablespoonfuls, tablespoonfuls, cup (croquettes, etc.) (if richer sauces are desired, equal quantities of fat and flour should be used.) questions what is the purpose of soaking pearl tapioca in water before cooking? give the reason for covering pearl tapioca while it is soaking. why is it necessary to cook it in a double boiler? what is the use of flour in lemon sauce? why is the flour mixed with the sugar before adding the boiling water (see experiment )? how long does it take the flour to thicken? how long a time does the recipe give for cooking the flour mixture? what is the purpose of cooking it for so long a time? what precautions can be taken to prevent the sauce from scorching? if, after cooking the required length of time, the sauce is not thick enough, what is the simplest method of thickening it? for a sauce recipe in which very little fat and no sugar are given, devise a method of preparing _smooth_ sauce. lesson xxix starchy foods cooked at high temperature steam under pressure.--which is hotter,--the "steam" (_i.e._ water vapor) coming from boiling water in an uncovered saucepan or teakettle or the "steam" which has been held underneath the lid of a covered saucepan or teakettle (see figure )? steam confined in a small space or held under pressure may reach a temperature higher than that of boiling water. effect of high temperature upon pop corn and potatoes.--pop corn contains water. when heated, the water changes to steam. the covering of cellulose holds the steam in the kernel. when the steam expands and reaches a temperature far above the boiling point of water, it finally bursts the covering and the starch swells at once. [illustration: figure .--"steam" without pressure and "steam" which has been under pressure.] in baking potatoes, the water contained in them vaporizes. the vaporized water or steam is held under pressure by the skin of the vegetable. the steam thus becomes hotter than boiling water, hence a baked potato is cooked at a higher temperature than a boiled potato, and no nutrients are lost. pop corn moisten pop corn with cold water. almost cover the bottom of a popper with the kernels. hold the popper first at some distance from the heat and then gradually bring it closer, shaking it well all the time to keep the corn from burning. the corn should not begin to pop before three and one half minutes. when popping commences, most of the kernels should open. if there is some time between the popping of the first and last kernels, the corn will become tough. buttered pop corn no. i quarts freshly popped corn / cupful butter salt melt the butter and pour it over the corn, stirring with a spoon. sprinkle at once with salt from a salt shaker, continue stirring. buttered pop corn no. ii tablespoonful butter and tablespoonful oil _or_ tablespoonfuls oil / cupful shelled pop corn salt put the fat in a large frying pan; when melted, add the salted corn. stir until the corn is evenly coated with fat. cover closely and heat gradually, shaking the pan vigorously all the time. baked potatoes scrub potatoes and place them on the grate of a _hot_ oven ( degrees f.). (potatoes should be baked in a _hot_ oven, to prevent them from becoming waxy or soggy.) bake until soft when tested with a fork or knitting needle, usually to minutes. break the skin at once to allow the steam to escape, or make two gashes in the top of each potato, one at right angles to the other. gently press the potato so that the steam may escape. serve in an uncovered dish. place the steaming potatoes on a folded napkin for serving. stuffed potatoes tablespoonfuls butter or substitute teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls milk pepper baked potatoes cut the baked potatoes in halves lengthwise. remove the inside, taking care not to break the skin; mash the potatoes, add the milk, butter, and seasoning, and beat them as ordinary mashed potatoes. return the mixture to the potato shells, place the stuffed potatoes in a pan, and bake in a _hot_ oven ( degrees f.) until brown. before browning the stuffed potatoes, grated cheese may be sprinkled over them. questions explain why pop corn can be cooked thoroughly in about minutes while rolled oats or wheat requires / hours for sufficient cooking. analyze the difference in taste of a baked and a boiled potato. to what is the sweet taste of a baked potato due (see experiment )? explain fully why baked potatoes are more easily digested than boiled potatoes (see experiment and _solution and digestion_). which contains more nutriment,--baked potatoes or boiled potatoes? explain (see _comparison of vegetables cooked with and without the skins, and in water or in steam_). what is the purpose of breaking the skins of potatoes _at once_ after baking? why are baked potatoes served in an uncovered dish? what could be used to cover them? related work lesson xxx dining room service [footnote : note.--see suggestions for teaching, appendix.] basic principles.--practically all rules for laying the table and all methods of serving have been formulated to bring about neatness, convenience, and order. the standard of living, [footnote : note.--see suggestions for teaching, appendix.] the occasion, the size of the dining room, the number of guests, and the attendants, all have to be taken into consideration in dining room service. therefore the method of serving must be governed by conditions. it is possible here to give only general suggestions. the table table linen.--table padding, or a silence cloth, should first be placed on the table, then the table-cloth should be laid straight and smooth. [illustration: figure .--table laid for an informal luncheon note the position of the silver, napkins, bread-and-butter plates, and tumblers. also note that a _low_ bowl of flowers is used as a centerpiece.] napkins should be folded simply and laid at the left of the plate. a dinner napkin is folded four times, a luncheon napkin is folded twice to form a square, or three times to form either a triangle or an oblong. if desired, the table-cloth may be omitted for breakfast or luncheon. doilies with pads underneath them, lunch or breakfast cloths, or table runners (see figure ) may be used instead of the table-cloth. the two latter coverings are especially practical, since they are more quickly laundered than table-cloths. their initial cost is also usually less than that of a table-cloth. doilies may be placed on the serving tray. they are also often used on plates containing crackers, bread, and cakes. baked potatoes, corn, and hot breads may be served in a folded napkin. china and glassware.--the term "cover" means the space, with its china, silver, and glassware, allowed for each guest. at least twenty-two inches of space should be allowed for a cover (see figure ). the quantity of china on the table depends upon the occasion and the style of serving. in any form of service, the first course, if cold, may be placed on the table before the guests are seated. if the first course is a hot food, it is always placed on the table after the guests are seated. for informal occasions, and sometimes for formal occasions, the bread-and- butter plate is used. it is placed beyond the tines of the fork. glasses are placed beyond the tip of the knife. a sugar bowl and cream pitcher, salts, peppers, etc., may also be placed on the table. a salt and a pepper shaker should be placed so as to be accessible to each two covers. dishes containing olives or nuts are sometimes placed on the table before the guests are seated. for breakfast, the coffeepot, hot-water pitcher, milk and cream pitchers, spoon tray, and cups and saucers may be placed so as to form a semicircle about the hostess's place. the coffeepot should be placed at the right, and the cups and saucers at the left. if tiles or stands for the coffeepot and hot-water pitcher are used, they should also be a part of the table service. a large tray may be used to hold all of the coffee service. if the serving is to be done without a maid, it is advisable to place all the china, glass, and silver to be used for the meal either on the table or on the serving table. silver.--convenience and order have determined the customary way of placing the silver at each cover. at the right of the plates place the knives, the spoons, and the forks that are to be used without knives (as for oysters, fish, or salad). at the left, place all the forks that are to be used with knives. many prefer, however, to place all the forks, except the oyster fork, at the left of the plate. enough silver for all courses, except the dessert course, is usually placed on the table; it is permissible, however, to place the silver for all courses. if the silver for any course is not placed on the table before the meal is announced, it may be brought in on a tray and placed at each cover just before serving the course; or it may be laid on each serving dish of the course. while a general rule for laying silver is to place each piece at each cover in the order of its use, _the knives are usually all grouped together at the right of the plate and the spoons laid together at the right of the knives._ it is advisable, however, to place the spoons and knives in the order of their use, _i.e._ place the spoon that is to be used first farthest to the right and the knife that is to be used first, farthest to the right of the group of knives. since only forks are placed at the left of the plate, they should be laid in the order of their use, that first to be used being placed farthest to the left (see figure ). all silver should be placed from one half to one inch from the edge of the table; the sharp edges of the blades of the knives should be turned towards the plates; the spoons and forks should be placed with their bowls and tines turned up. the butter spreaders may be laid across the bread- and-butter plates. generally when soup and raw oysters are served, the oyster fork is laid across the soup spoon. if the silver that is to be used in serving a dish of food is placed on the table, it should be laid _beside_ not _in_ the dish of food. table accessories.--a low bowl of flowers or fruit, tastefully arranged, makes a pleasing centerpiece. a centerpiece, however, should be a real source of pleasure; it should not obstruct the view of guests opposite (see figure ). place cards afford a graceful means of seating guests. when used, they should be placed on the napkin. menu cards, sometimes used for occasional dinners, are also placed on the napkin. styles of serving there are several styles of serving: english (ordinary family service).--the foods are served at the table, the host serving fish, meat, and vegetables; the hostess serving soup, salad, and dessert; and other members of the family serving fruit and the vegetables that are served in individual dishes. the served dishes may be passed to each guest by the maid, or when no maid serves, they may be passed from one person to another. this method is used for family and informal service, and also when serving is done without a maid. russian (serving from the side).--this may be observed in one of two ways: (_a_) foods are separated into portions on individual plates and placed before the guests. (_b_) foods are separated into portions on the serving dishes and passed to the left of each guest so that he may help himself, or the portions may be served by the maid. the necessary serving spoon or fork should be provided with the serving dishes. the russian style of serving is the most formal and requires the service of at least one maid. compromise.--sometimes it is desirable to use one style of serving for one course and another style for another course, as the russian style for the soup course, and the english style for the meat course. or the foods of one course may be in such form that it is convenient to follow both styles of serving, as meat served in english style and "side dishes" served in russian style. such style of serving is termed the compromise. methods of serving with a maid established rules for serving.--while each hostess follows her own inclination in the details of serving, there are certain rules that are always observed: cold foods are served on cold dishes; hot foods on hot dishes. dishes offered to a guest are _passed_ to the left of the guest; other dishes are _placed_ to the right of a guest, except when a plate is placed at the same time a soiled or served plate is removed,--it is then placed at the left. plates are removed from the right when possible. when the russian style of serving is observed, the following plan of removing and placing plates at the close of a course is followed: the maid carries the clean or served plate of the following course in her right hand and goes to the left of the guest. she removes the soiled plate of the course just concluded with her left hand and then places the empty or served plate before the guest with her right hand. she then goes to the kitchen or pantry with the soiled plate, returns with a clean or served plate, and proceeds as before. in following the english style in serving plates, the maid first places the dish to be served (the platter of meat, for example) in front of the host. then an empty plate is placed before the host. the maid then gets another clean plate, returns to the left of the host, takes up the served plate in her left hand, and places the empty plate before him. she then places the served plate before one of the guests from the right side. again she goes to the left of the host, places a plate before him, and proceeds as before. at the end of a course, remove the dishes of each cover, then such dishes as the platters and tureens, and finally the crumbs. all dishes belonging to a particular course should be removed at the end of that course. soiled dishes are always unsightly; hence care should be taken to remove them in the neatest way. plates should not be piled on top of one another. when the dinner plate, the bread-and-butter plate, and the side dishes are to be removed, the smaller dishes (bread-and-butter plates and side dishes) should be removed on the serving tray. the larger plates may be removed one at a time, and an empty or service plate may be put in the place of each. if no empty or service plate is to be placed for the next course, two soiled plates may be removed at the same time, one in each hand. use of the buffet and serving table.--many dining rooms have both a buffet and serving table. when such is the case the serving table is used for holding the dishes and foods that are used in serving the meal, such as dessert plates, creamer and sugar, plate of bread, etc.; the buffet is used for holding dishes that are used occasionally, such as the coffee service, chafing dish, etc. accidents at the table may be quickly remedied, if extra silver and a soft (_i.e._ unfolded) napkin are placed on the serving table before the meal is announced. use of the serving tray.--the serving tray should be used for carrying all silver. it should also be used for small dishes, such as preserves, olives, sauces, and for the creamer and sugar, and the cups and saucers. in passing large dishes, such as plates, platters, and tureens, use a folded napkin underneath the dishes instead of a tray. removing the crumbs from the table.--for a table with a cloth, the crumb tray and scraper, or better, a plate and folded napkin are used to remove the crumbs. a brush is not desirable for "crumbing" the table. for a table without a cloth, the folded napkin and plate are used. the table may be crumbed before and after the salad course or before the dessert course. use of finger bowls.--finger bowls are used after the fruit course of breakfast, and at the end of a luncheon or dinner. they should be placed on plates, with a doily between the plate and finger bowl. for breakfast, the finger bowls and plates may be brought in first. the finger bowl and doily should be removed to the left so that the same plates may be used for the fruit course. for formal luncheon or dinner, finger bowls on doilies and plates are brought in, one at a time, when removing the main dish of the dessert. the finger bowls and doilies are then set aside and the plate used for bonbons and nuts, which are passed on a tray. or, if desired, the finger bowls may be brought after the bonbons. in this case the finger bowl and plate are exchanged for the plate of the dessert course. an informal way is to pass finger bowls on plates and doilies before the dessert course. then the finger bowl and doily are set aside as at breakfast and the dessert served on the same plate. order of seating and serving guests.--the host and hostess usually sit opposite each other, _i.e._ at the head and foot of the table. if there is a waitress to do the serving, the head of the table should be farthest from the entrance of the dining room. if there is no maid, the hostess's chair should be nearest the kitchen door or pantry. a woman guest of honor sits at the right of the host; a gentleman guest, at the right of the hostess. the order of serving guests varies in different homes and for different occasions. sometimes the women at the table are served before the men. this is usually done, however, for home service or when only a few persons are at the table. at a large dinner table or a banquet, guests are usually served in the order in which they sit. in many homes, the guests are served first, while in others the hostess is always the first to be served. at a family meal, when no guests are present, the hostess should always be served first. method of serving without a maid when there is no maid, a woman has a threefold duty to perform when serving a meal. she must act as cook, as waitress, and as hostess. much skill, ingenuity, and practice are required to do this successfully. the underlying principle of its accomplishment is forethought. a hostess must plan, even to the minutest detail, the performance of each duty. preparation before announcing the meal.--in planning the menu, a wise selection should be made. simple foods should be selected and but few courses should be served. a young hostess should remember that a simple meal easily served is more enjoyable and more fitting than an elaborate dinner where the hostess must frequently leave the table. foods should be selected that can be prepared before the meal is served, and that will not be harmed by standing. a souffle which must be served immediately when taken from the oven is not a wise choice for such a meal. for almost all meals some of the dishes and foods must be left in the warming oven or in the refrigerator, but as many dishes and foods as possible should be taken to the dining room before the meal is announced. the suggestion has been made that dishes be kept warm by placing them in a pan of hot water on the serving table. this would mean, however, that a tea towel be at hand to dry the dishes before using. special hot-water dishes for the purpose can now be obtained in city shops. a serving table or a wheel tray (see figure ) is of great service to a woman acting as hostess and waitress. it should be placed near the hostess so that she can reach it without rising from her chair. in the absence of a wheel tray, a large serving tray is a great convenience in setting and clearing the table; it saves many steps. [illustration: figure --wheel tray.] serving at the table.--the english style of serving should be followed. the hostess may thus have the aid of the host and the other members of the family in serving. moreover, serving in this manner gives an air of hospitality. as hostess, a woman must not leave her place at the table many times or for many minutes. if the details of the meal have not been well planned, she will have to make many trips to the kitchen. this is one of the indications that the presence of guests is a burden to the hostess. she should never leave or enter the dining room empty-handed, for a saving of energy is more sensible than faithful adherence to form. the soiled dishes, as they are removed from the table, may be placed upon the serving table. by the use of the latter, the dining table can be kept free from an overcrowded appearance and the hostess saved many steps. the lower shelf of the serving table is the most desirable place for the soiled dishes. for a family meal, the table may be crumbed as follows: let the hostess use the crumb tray while seated at her place, and then let her pass it on so that each member of the family may in turn remove the crumbs from his own cover. it is perfectly proper to omit crumbing when guests are present and where there is no maid. the host and the other members of the family can do much to add to the pleasure of a meal by introducing an interesting topic of conversation that will occupy the attention of the guests during the absence of the hostess. if the hostess is sole entertainer, she would do well to start an absorbing subject of conversation just before leaving the dining room. questions why is it desirable to use doilies on plates containing crackers, bread, and cakes? why should baked potatoes, corn, and hot breads be served on a folded napkin? why should the coffeepot be placed at the right of the hostess's cover and the cups and saucers at the left of her cover? in laying the table, why should the knives, spoons, and the forks that are to be used without knives be placed at the right of the plates? why should the forks that are to be used with knives be placed at the left of the plates? in serving, why should dishes which admit of choice be passed to the left of a guest? why should dishes which do not admit of choice be placed at the right? why should this order of clearing the table at the end of a course be followed: first, the soiled dishes, then the food, then the clean dishes, and finally the crumbs? why should all dishes belonging to a particular course be removed at the end of the course? why is a brush not desirable for crumbing the table? why are finger bowls used after the fruit course of breakfast and at the end of luncheon or dinner? make a list of the linen, silver, glass, and china needed for the dining and serving tables, when serving the menu given below. give method of serving each course, using the english style. cream of tomato soup--soup sticks veal cutlets rice rolls--butter cucumber salad wafers snow pudding, custard sauce cakes--coffee lesson xxxi cooking and serving breakfast cook and serve a breakfast. if the lesson period is limited to minutes, it is advisable to plan only a simple meal. the following menu is suggested: seasonable fruit,--fresh or cooked french toast with sirup milk determine the number of persons each recipe for the foods above will serve. it may be necessary to prepare only a portion of a given recipe or more food than the quantity stated in the recipe. the pupil should become accustomed to dividing or multiplying the quantities given in recipes. commence your work at such a time that the food will be in proper condition--hot or cold--at the time set for serving the breakfast. follow the english or family style of serving. serve the breakfast with or without a maid (see previous lesson). lesson xxxii review: meal cooking menu seasonable fruit sauce breakfast cereal coffee see review, for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson xxxiii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix] suggestions for home work.--if cooked cereals are desired for breakfast at your home, prepare breakfast cereals in the evening for the following morning. make a dessert for the evening meal at least three times a week. suggested aims: ( ) to cook the cereal a sufficient length of time to produce a sweet flavor and make it tender, to evaporate the moisture sufficiently so that mastication will be necessary, to allow no scum to form on top. ( ) to select a variety of desserts so that a different one may be served each time. division five energy-giving or fuel foods,--rich in fats and oils lesson xxxiv fat as a frying medium comparison of fats and carbohydrates.--_fat is a foodstuff._ fat and oil [footnote : fat and oil are very similar, oil being fat that is liquid at ordinary temperature.] form another great class of energy-giving or fuel foods. in the body, these foods, like carbohydrates, give energy; in fact weight for weight they furnish more than twice as much energy as carbohydrates. there is, for example, about as much fat by weight in one pound of butter as there are carbohydrates in one pound of tapioca. by measurement it has been found that one pound of butter gives to the body almost two and one fourth times as much energy as does one pound of tapioca. fats and oils are not only used as food (butter for example) and as constituents of foods (fat in pastry), but as a medium for cooking. the use of fat as a cooking medium follows: experiment : temperature at which fats and oils decompose or "burn."-- into each of test tubes put teaspoonfuls of butter, cottonseed oil, corn oil, beef drippings, lard, and crisco. gently heat each one of the fats or oils until fumes first arise from them. then insert a thermometer [footnote : care should be taken in using a thermometer in hot fat. it should be allowed to cool before washing.] in each tube and note the temperatures. these are the temperatures at which the various fats decompose. record these temperatures in your notebook. how do the decomposing temperatures of fat compare with that of boiling water? which would be the hotter medium for cooking--hot fat or boiling water? which fat reaches the highest temperature before it begins to decompose? if fat is used as a medium of cooking, which of these fats, as far as temperature is concerned, would be the most desirable? give a reason for your answer. what is the price per pound or pint of each of these fats or oils? which of these are vegetable and which are animal fats or oils? fats for deep-fat frying.--as shown by the above experiment, fat reaches a high temperature when heated. for this reason fat may be used as a cooking medium. the process of cooking food in deep fat is called _frying_. from the standpoint of temperature the best fat for frying is that which can be heated to a very high temperature without burning. other factors such as flavor and cost, however, have to be taken into consideration. fat not only heats foods, but it imparts flavor since some of the fat in which a food is cooked, clings to the food. the costs of the various fats differ greatly. this must be regarded in selecting fats for cooking. taking these factors into consideration, many prefer the cheaper vegetable fats for frying, while others find a mixture of beef drippings and lard satisfactory. experiment : bread fried in "cool" fat (class experiment).--put some suitable fat for frying in an iron pan and heat. note carefully the change that takes place in fat as it heats. when the fat "foams" or bubbles, or reaches a temperature of about degrees f., drop into it a piece of bread. after one minute remove the bread from the fat; examine the bread by breaking it apart to see if the fat has soaked into the bread. is it desirable to have the fat soak into fried foods? what conclusion can you draw as to frying foods in "cool" fats? experiment : the temperature of fat for frying (class experiment).-- continue to heat the fat of experiment . when fumes begin to rise from the fat, or the fat reaches a temperature of degrees f., again drop a bit of bread into it. after one minute remove the bread and examine it as above. has as much fat soaked into it as in the first bit of bread? what conclusion can you draw from this in regard to the proper temperature for frying foods? cooked foods and foods needing but little cooking require a higher temperature than batters or other uncooked foods. if a bit of bread is browned in seconds, the fat is of proper temperature for cooked foods and for oysters. if bread is browned in seconds, the fat is of proper temperature for uncooked foods. general rules for frying.--since fat, when heated, reaches such a high temperature, the kettle in which it is heated should be of iron. if there is any moisture on foods, it must be evaporated before the foods brown. excessive moisture also cools the fat considerably, hence, _foods that are to be fried should be as dry as possible._ place the foods to be cooked in a bath of fat deep enough to float them. the kettle should not be too full, however, as fat is apt to bubble over especially when moist foods are placed in it. foods may be placed in a frying basket, or they may be lowered into the fat and taken from it with a wire spoon. all fried foods should be drained on paper. when one quantity of food has been removed, the fat should be reheated and its temperature tested before adding the second quantity of food. fat used for frying should be cooled and clarified with potato as directed on the following page. if a coal range is used for heating the fat, sand or ashes and a shovel should be near at hand in case the fat takes fire. if hot fat must be carried or lifted, wrap a towel about the hand before grasping the handle of the kettle. to try out fat.--the fat of meat consists of fat held by a network of connective tissue. to make meat fat suitable for frying it is necessary to separate the fat from the tissue. this is done as follows: remove the tough outside skin and lean parts from meat fat and cut it into small pieces. put the fat into an iron kettle, and cover it with cold water. place it uncovered on the stove and heat. when the water has nearly all evaporated, set the kettle back, or lessen the heat, or place in a "cool" oven, and let the fat slowly try out. as the fat separates from the pieces of tissue, it is well to strain or drain it into a bowl. if this is done, the fat is less apt to scorch. the heating of the connective tissue should continue, until it is shriveled in appearance and no fat can be pressed out from it with a fork. the strained fat should be set aside to become firm and then stored in a cool place. to clarify fat.--add a few slices of raw potato to fat and heat slowly until it ceases to bubble. cool, strain through a cloth, and let stand until solid. fried oysters [footnote : note to the teacher.--if the price of oysters is too high, some seasonable small fresh fish such as pike may be used in place of oysters. these may be prepared for frying in the same manner as oysters. if desired, corn-meal may be substituted for dried bread crumbs.] large oysters dried bread crumbs salt and pepper eggs tablespoonful water or oyster juice for each egg remove pieces of shell from the oyster by running each oyster through the fingers. wash the oysters, drain immediately, and dry them on a soft cloth or towel (see _cleaning oysters_). season with salt and pepper. beat the eggs slightly and dilute by adding one tablespoonful of water or strained oyster juice to each egg. sprinkle salt and pepper over the dried bread crumbs. dip the oysters into the prepared crumbs, then into the egg mixture, and finally into the crumbs. fry one minute, drain, place on paper, and serve. lemons cut into eighths are desirable to serve with fried oysters. parsley makes a pleasing garnish. to clean utensils that have contained fat.--an alkaline substance such as washing soda is effective in cleaning utensils that have held fat. to show the action of washing soda on fats try the following: experiment : saponification of fat.--into a test tube put / teaspoonful of washing soda and teaspoonful water, then heat until the washing soda is entirely dissolved. melt teaspoonful of solid fat and add it to the soda solution. boil the contents of the tube for a few minutes and then examine it. what substance does the foaming suggest? what has been formed by the union of fat and soda? what application can be drawn from this with regard to the use of soda in cleaning utensils that have contained fat? wipe out with soft paper the utensil that has held fat. fill it full of water, add some washing soda, and heat. empty the water and wash. do not use washing soda in aluminum utensils (see _preparing dishes for washing_). questions what is taking place when hot fat emits an odor? name two advantages in dipping foods that are to be fried in egg. why are dried rather than soft bread crumbs used for covering foods that are to be fried? lesson xxxv fat as a frying medium--food fats food fats.--fats and oils are extracted from various materials and refined so as to make them suitable for food. food fats are of both animal and vegetable origin. fats separated from milk (butter), meat fats (suet, lard) are animal fats while those separated from seeds (cottonseed and peanut), cereal (corn), fruit (olive), nuts (coconuts) are vegetable fats. a discussion of various food fats follows: (_a_) _butter_ is made by churning ripened cream so as to separate the fat from the other ingredients contained in milk. it is salted and usually colored before putting it on the market. the popularity of butter is dependent upon its flavor, for its fuel value is not greater than any other fat. indeed butter does not contain as much fat as do the vegetable oils and fats, and certain other animal fats. butter contains per cent of fat while many vegetable oils and fats and lard contain per cent of fat. butter contains, however, certain growth-producing substances called _vitamines_ (see division seven). all fats do not contain vitamines. the latter are found in butter, but are not present in vegetable oils and fats and in pork fat. butter is one of the most expensive foods of a household. its use, therefore, must be carefully considered. because of its pleasing flavor, for some purposes no fat is as desirable as butter. if, however, fat is to be combined with foods of _pronounced flavor, i.e._ foods whose flavor is strong enough to cover up other food flavors, other fats may be substituted with satisfactory results. (_b_) _oleomargarin_ is a combination of several different fats. it is usually made by churning soft beef fat (called oleo oil) and neutral (_i.e._ carefully rendered) lard with milk or cream. sometimes butter and cottonseed and peanut oils are added. because colored oleomargarin is highly taxed, this fat is usually not colored in its preparation for the market. the term oleomargarin is used not only as the trade name for fat of the composition stated above, but as the legal name of any food fat prepared as a butter substitute. to comply with the law, solid fats found at market and containing no oleo oil are labeled oleomargarin. (_c_) _nut margarin_ is also a mixture of various fats. it usually consists of coconut oil combined with cottonseed or peanut oil. (_d_) _meat fats_.--the fat of pork is commonly "tried out" or "rendered" to free it from connective tissue. that obtained from trying out the fat from around the kidneys is called _leaf lard_; ordinary lard is obtained from the fats of other parts of the animal. the former is considered of superior quality. beef suet or the fat from around the kidneys and loin of beef is also tried out and used for cooking. all scraps of fat--cooked or uncooked--as well as any drippings from beef, veal, pork, and chicken, should be saved and used in cooking. the fat from mutton has a peculiar flavor and so cannot be used in food, unless cooked with certain flavoring materials (see _mutton_). it may be saved for soap-making. fat from soup and drippings need only be clarified before using for cooking; suet and other uncooked fat of meat must be first tried out. (_e_) _vegetable oils_.--the oil from cottonseed, corn, and peanut is prepared for table use and sold under various trade names. oil is also extracted from the olive. this is an extremely expensive oil. its food value is no greater than that of other vegetable oils; only "olive flavor" is secured for the greater price. refined cottonseed and corn oils are bland in flavor. peanut has a characteristic flavor pleasing to most persons. when these vegetable oils become rancid, however, their flavor is disagreeable. fat combinations.--every thrifty housekeeper should have several kinds of fats in her larder, and should use all with discretion. fats may be combined for certain purposes. many times in making pastry or in sauteing and frying, it is desirable to use a firm and a soft fat together, such as butter and lard, suet and oil, or suet and chicken fat. fish balls cupful salt codfish small potatoes egg / tablespoonful butter or substitute / teaspoonful pepper wash the fish in water and tear into small pieces; wash and pare the potatoes. cook the fish and the _whole_ potatoes together in gently boiling water, containing no salt, until the potatoes are soft. drain and shake over the fire until dry; mash, add the beaten egg, fat, pepper, and salt (if needed), and beat until light. take up the mixture by spoonfuls, mold slightly, and place in hot deep fat. do not fry more than six balls at one time. fry until brown, drain, garnish, and serve at once. white or cheese sauce may be served over fish balls. the potatoes used in fish balls may be steamed. the codfish, however, must be soaked or cooked in water. questions why is it not necessary to soak codfish for fish balls in water before cooking? why is salt not added to the water in which codfish and potatoes are cooked? if a food that is to be fried contains much water, what happens to the water when placed in the hot fat? explain why it is better to leave the potatoes whole rather than cut them into pieces for cooking. why is it especially necessary to dry the fish and potato mixture before frying? what ingredient do fish balls contain that hardens immediately on being heated? of what advantage is this ingredient in mixtures that are to be fried? what is the price per package of codfish? what is the weight and measure of a package? lesson xxxvi fat as a frying medium--digestion of fat experiment : action of oil and water.--pour a little corn or cottonseed oil into a test tube, add the same quantity of water, and shake the tube. set the tube aside for a minute and examine. which material rises to the top? is oil soluble in water? what application can be made from this concerning the effectiveness of cleaning the fat of meats with water? experiment : emulsion of fat.--in a test tube put a bit of soap and tablespoonfuls of water. heat until the soap is melted. add / teaspoonful of vegetable oil. shake the mixture and then examine. what familiar food does the mixture look like? set the tube aside for a minute. does the oil rise to the top as in experiment ? the fat is in an emulsified condition. breaking up of fats.--fats and oils are not soluble in any substance found in the digestive juices, but they are acted upon by an enzyme [footnote : steapsin or lipase is the enzyme found in the pancreatic juice which acts upon fat.] and by an alkaline substance found in the pancreatic juice. the enzyme breaks up some of the fat into a fatty acid [footnote : fatty acids are substances related to fats; they have certain acid properties.] and glycerin. during digestion, fat is emulsified, i.e. divided into tiny globules which do not coalesce. when a fat is emulsified, it often looks like milk. (milk contains fat in an emulsified form; the fat separates, however, by standing and rises to the top to form cream.) fats can be emulsified by several different substances. a soap solution is one of the substances that will emulsify fats. (the action of soap solution in emulsifying fat was shown in experiment .) if fats are emulsified by means of soap, one might ask where the soap comes from in the process of digestion. the soap is thought to be formed by the action of the alkali of the pancreatic juice upon some of the fatty acids formed by the splitting up of the fat. by means of the soap thus formed, fat is emulsified during digestion. during digestion, fat is broken up into fatty acids and glycerin. frying and digestion.--fat is a slowly digesting foodstuff. not only fats, but foods coated with fat are digested slowly. because of the longer time in the digestive tract, foods may cause digestive disturbances. when fats are heated to a high temperature, they are decomposed and irritating substances (free fatty acids) are formed. these substances are absorbed by foods which are browned in fats. it is well, then, to have the least possible quantity of fat soak into foods cooked in fats. it has been found that foods soak up much more fat when sauted (_i.e._ browning in a small quantity of fat) than when fried. the greatest care should be taken in frying, however, to have the fat and the food to be fried in such condition that as little fat as possible will be absorbed. the fat should be sufficiently hot (see experiments and ), the food as dry as possible, and the browned food drained on paper. care should be taken not only in frying foods, but in avoiding the use of an excessive amount of fat such as butter, cream, and vegetable oils in sauces, dressings, and pastry. croquettes.--croquettes are cooked vegetable, cereal, meat, or fish mixtures dipped in dried crumbs and eggs and browned in deep fat. these food mixtures are shaped in various ways. rice and potato croquettes are usually cylindrical in shape, while chicken croquettes are formed into cones. croquettes may be dipped in melted butter or substitute or they may be "dotted" with bits of fat and browned in the oven or broiling oven instead of frying in deep fat. starch occurs in considerable quantity in the vegetables and cereals commonly used for croquettes. meat and fish are usually mixed with a thick white sauce when used for croquettes, hence croquettes invariably contain a starchy substance. if croquette ingredients are heated while mixing, it is necessary to cool them thoroughly before shaping, in order that the starch may be as stiff as possible. potato croquettes pint mashed potatoes celery salt tablespoonfuls butter onion juice cayenne teaspoonful chopped parsley teaspoonful salt egg-yolk or / egg mix ingredients together, shape into smooth round balls and then into cylinders. roll in dried bread crumbs, eggs, and crumbs again (see _fried oysters_). fry in deep fat until brown. questions how does the temperature of fat hot enough for frying compare with that of boiling water? why is an iron kettle preferable to one of tin or granite for heating fat (see _caramelized sugar_)? what happens to foods that are cooked in fat too cool for frying (see experiment )? what is the purpose of covering with egg, mixtures that are to be fried? how should the egg be prepared for "dipping"? how can the remaining white or half an egg be utilized in preparing potato croquettes? if "left over" mashed potatoes are used for making croquettes, what ingredient in the recipe above should be omitted? lesson xxxvii fat saving baking _vs._ frying.--foods fried under the most ideal conditions and in the most skilful manner absorb much fat. many foods well fried, especially doughnuts, are about / fat. fish balls and croquettes, as mentioned previously, can be baked instead of fried. baked croquettes seem somewhat more dry, however, than the fried food. if this is objectionable a sauce may be poured over them before serving. tomato, cheese, and brown sauces are tasty with most croquettes. doubtless many housekeepers who dislike the odor of hot fat and the cleaning of utensils used in frying foods, will consider the process of baking croquettes very much more satisfactory than that of frying. rice cutlets with cheese sauce / cupful rice cupfuls boiling water teaspoonful salt wash the rice, add the water. (if unpolished rice is used, let it soak for several hours.) then add the salt and heat the mixture until it boils. proceed as directed on page , rice (cooked over boiling water). (unpolished rice requires about hours of cooking.) make a white sauce of the following ingredients: tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful salt dash pepper tablespoonfuls fat cupful milk to / of the white sauce add: cooked rice or hard-cooked eggs, chopped tablespoonful parsley, chopped (reserve the remainder of the white sauce for the preparation of cheese sauce.) shape the mixture into cutlets. dip in dried bread crumbs (or corn-meal) and egg as directed for fried oysters. place the cutlets on greased dripping pan. place bits of fat on top of the cutlets, then bake in a hot oven until they are browned. serve hot with the following sauce: remainder of the white sauce / cupful milk / to / cupful cheese, cut in small pieces pimento chopped dilute the white sauce with the milk. add the cheese and pimento. heat and stir until the cheese is melted. if necessary, add seasoning. serve hot over the cutlets. fat saving and soap-making.--the housekeeper who endeavors to waste no food may find that she has saved some fat which is not suitable for food. such fat can be utilized in soap-making. by using "modern lye" soap-making is not the laborious task as was the preparation of soft soap in colonial days. the fat for soap-making need not necessarily be decolorized. it should, however, be tried out (if it is meat fat) and clarified before using in the preparation of soap. (these processes are given above.) soap made at home differs somewhat from that made at a factory. when fat and lye are combined chemically, soap and glycerin are formed. a commercial soap-maker extracts the glycerin from soap, the housekeeper does not. homemade soap, however, usually proves very satisfactory. when the time consumed in making it is not needed for other duties or obligations, it is a saving to make soap at home. soap can babbit's lye quart cold water pounds clarified fat tablespoonfuls ammonia turn the lye into a granite kettle, slowly add the cold water, stirring with a stick or a wooden spoon. work most carefully to avoid getting the lye or the lye solution on the hands. when the water is added to the lye, the mixture becomes very hot. let it stand until it is cool. put the fat into a large kettle or dish pan. heat it until it melts. then remove it from the fire. let it cool sufficiently to bear the hands in it. slowly add the lye solution, stirring constantly. add the ammonia and continue stirring until the mixture becomes about the consistency of thick cream. then turn the soap into a wooden box lined with paper or into a granite dripping pan. when the soap becomes firm, cut into pieces of suitable size. the materials above will make about / pounds of soap. note.--if desired one small cake of soap may be prepared by each pupil in the classroom. the following recipe may be used: teaspoonful lye teaspoonfuls cold water tablespoonfuls fat / teaspoonful ammonia proceed as directed for the large quantity. pour the mixture into one cup of a granite muffin pan or into a small pasteboard box. questions how does unpolished rice differ from polished rice? explain why the former takes a longer time to cook than the latter (see _polished and unpolished rice_). explain why baked croquettes require a sauce to make them most tasty for serving, while fried croquettes do not. state at least advantages of baking croquettes rather than frying them. under what conditions do you think it would be desirable to make soap at home? related work lesson xxxviii dining room courtesy the value of good table manners no matter how cultivated in mind and spirit one may be, if there is an absence of refinement of manners, the higher qualities are likely to be overlooked. no one can afford to slight the study of good manners. the basis of all good manners is tact, _i.e._ a kindly consideration of others. this consideration may be shown at the dining table quite as well as at a social gathering. graceful and easy table manners and a knowledge of how to serve and be served add to the comfort as well as to the pleasure of one's associates in the dining room. most of the rules of table conduct have been adopted because they lend ease and grace or because they are sensible; others have been established by custom and long usage. suggestions concerning table manners the chair.--if the chair is placed so that the front edge of the seat just touches the table-cloth, there is no necessity for moving the chair when taking one's seat or when rising. one should stand back of the chair until the hostess moves to seat herself and then move to the left of the chair to assume the seat assigned. one should also rise at the left of the chair. the knife and fork.--there is but one "right" way to hold the knife or fork. when the knife and fork are used together, grasp the handle of the knife or fork with the first finger and the thumb so that the end of the handle touches the center of the palm of the hand. the hands should almost cover the handle, but the first finger should not extend down on the blade of the knife or on the prongs of the fork (see figure ). the knife is held in the right hand only, and is used for cutting foods and spreading butter on bread. for the latter, a small knife, called a butter spreader, is sometimes provided. after the knife has been used for cutting, it should be so laid on the plate, that it rests wholly on it, never partly on the plate and partly on the table. it is not pleasing to see a guest at the table holding his knife upright or waving it in the air while he is talking. [illustration: figure --how to hold the knife and fork.] the fork is held sometimes in the left hand and sometimes in the right. it should be in the left, when holding foods that are being cut with the knife. it may be held in either hand when conveying food to the mouth. it used to be considered "good form" to use only the right hand in lifting food to the mouth, though this necessitated changing the fork to the right hand after the knife had been laid aside. the common-sense method of keeping the fork in the left hand to carry food to the mouth is now accepted (see figure ). when the fork is held in the right hand and used for conveying such food as mashed potato to the mouth, its handle should be grasped by the thumb and first finger in somewhat the manner as a pen is held. when a second serving is desired, the knife and fork should be placed together on one side of the plate, in order to make room for the food. at the end of a course the knife and fork should be placed side by side in the center of the plate. [illustration: figure --keeping the fork in the left hand to carry food to the mouth] the fork and spoon--since both the fork and the spoon are used to convey food, there may be some indecision as to the best use of each. the fork should be used whenever it is possible and sensible to do so. soft foods, such as soft-cooked eggs, custards, certain fruits, and desserts served with cream or sauce, should be eaten with a spoon. the fork should be used for brick ice-cream or stiffly frozen desserts. all vegetables, salads, and pastry are eaten with a fork. in the case of salads and pastry, it is sometimes necessary to cut them with a fork. it is unconventional to cut lettuce with a knife at the table; it may be shredded or torn into pieces before it is served. for beverages, the spoon is used for stirring and tasting, but not for sipping. after the spoon has been used it should be placed in the saucer (see figure ). when tasting with a spoon, the side--not the tip--of the spoon should be used. when using a spoon for serving, or for sipping soup, there is less danger of spilling the food if the spoon is moved away from, rather than toward, oneself (see figure ). [illustration: figure --the teaspoon should rest on the saucer] the fingers.--almost all foods are served with a fork, or a spoon. the serving-dish for all such foods should of course be provided with a fork or a spoon. there are a few foods, however, such as bread, cake, and wafers, which should be taken with the fingers. a slice of bread should not be cut in pieces at the table. it is better to break off a piece of bread and then butter it than to spread the entire slice at one time. if cake is soft, it should be eaten with a fork. celery, hard cheese (if cut into pieces), radishes, confections, and most uncooked fruits are taken with the fingers, and eaten from them. olives and salted nuts may be taken from the serving-dish with the fingers, but usually spoons are provided for the purpose. pieces of chicken or chops should be handled only with the knife and fork. special utensils are sometimes provided for holding corn served on the cob. [illustration: figure .--how to hold the soupspoon.] fruits served whole are sometimes difficult to manage. when possible the hostess should prepare them before they are served. oranges and grapefruit may be cut into halves or peeled and sliced; bananas may be peeled, scraped, and sliced. if fruits, such as apples, pears, and peaches, are served whole, they should first be cut into quarters, and each quarter should be pared separately and eaten. peaches may be cut into halves and eaten with a spoon. the napkin.--when the napkin is placed on the lap, it need not be spread entirely out, but may be left with one fold in it. a guest who is to be present at consecutive meals should fold his napkin after eating; if, however, he is dining in a hotel or restaurant, or if he is in a home for but one meal, the napkin should be laid on the table without folding. quiet eating.--quiet mastication without hurry and without noise is an obligation that we owe ourselves and our companions. it is well to refrain from talking during mastication. one cannot eat quietly unless the lips are kept closed while chewing. lesson xxxix cooking and serving breakfast cook and serve a breakfast. the following is a suggestive menu: breakfast cereal with dried fruit baked fish balls with white sauce toast--butter coffee follow the english or family style of serving. serve the breakfast with or without a maid (see lesson xxx). lesson xl review: meal cooking menu cooked fruit,--fresh or dried creamed toast coffee see review (lesson xiv) for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson xli home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--save all scraps of fat or bits of meat fats which are unfit for food. try out the latter kind of fat. when you have or more pounds of fat, make soap. when the soap is firm and ready for use, weigh it. prepare fish balls (either fried or baked), rice cutlets with cheese sauce, or some other fish or cheese dish which could be used as a substitute for meat. suggested aims: ( ) to calculate the cost of the soap made at home. to calculate the cost of an equal weight of factory-made soap. to determine how much you have saved by making soap at your home. ( ) to determine the difference in cost between meat and meat-substitute sufficient to serve the family. division six energy-giving and body-building foods,--rich in protein lesson xlii eggs [footnote : note to the teacher.--if the egg lessons came in the mid-winter months, they may be omitted until the price of eggs is reasonable; or the "theory" concerning eggs and the experiment concerning the temperature of cooking protein-rich foods may be given, and the cooking of eggs take place later in the year.] protein, a body-builder and repairer.--an automobile requires not only fuels for its use but occasional repair. the body also needs not only fuel but building and repairing materials. the function of the fuel foods considered thus far is to give energy to the body. but there is another great class of foods, or foodstuffs--those included under the term _protein_--that not only give energy to the body but also build up or promote growth and repair it or support life. the process of building and repairing takes place in the body cells. hence the body differs from an automobile in that it possesses the property of self-building and repairing. the child must have protein food so that it can grow and live when growth is completed, the adult must have protein food so that it can live and maintain health. the slightest using of the body causes the wearing away of some of the tissues, hence the importance of food containing the foodstuff, protein. protein is a very broad term, including many different materials, having different properties. some proteins will promote the growth of the body and support life, while others are growth promoting but not life supporting, while still others are only life supporting. the first type of protein is sometimes called _complete_ protein, while the two latter types are called _incomplete_ protein. in food study and meal planning, it is not sufficient to know that a food contains protein; one should know whether the protein is complete or incomplete. the incomplete proteins need to be supplemented with other foods containing the lacking type of protein. milk, eggs, cheese, meat, and fish contain complete proteins, while beans, peas, gelatine, and certain cereals contain incomplete proteins. a consideration of eggs, a food rich in complete protein, follows: experiment : the coagulation of egg white.--put the white of an egg in a dish and break the membranes by cutting with a pair of scissors. then place a small quantity of the white of egg in a test tube. apply heat. into what form is the liquid egg white changed by heat? when eggs are cooked, the protein in the white called _albumin_ stiffens or _coagulates_. the yolk also contains a kind of protein which coagulates when heated. experiment : the solubility of albumin.--put a small portion of the broken egg white in a test tube. half fill the tube with cold water. then turn the contents of the tube on to a folded filter paper, and catch the filtrate in another test tube. are the contents of the tube clear? apply heat to the filtrate. what happens? does this prove that egg albumin was dissolved in the water before applying heat to the contents of the tube? explain. experiment : temperature at which eggs coagulate.--place a teaspoonful of white of egg in a test tube. insert a thermometer in the test tube and place the test tube in a beaker of water (see figure ). heat the water _gradually_. note and record: (_a_) temperature at which coagulation first appears. (_b_) temperature at which the egg white is entirely coagulated. has the water reached the boiling point when the egg white has entirely coagulated? what application can you draw from this as to the temperature of the water in which eggs may be cooked? experiment : comparison of cooked and boiled eggs.--remove _at once_ about half of the coagulated egg from the test tube of experiment . examine it and press it between the fingers. continue to heat the remainder of the egg in the test tube, allowing the water to boil a few minutes. then remove the egg, examine it, and press it between the fingers. compare it with the egg cooked below the boiling point of water. which is more tender? which breaks more easily? which do you consider more palatable? what conclusion can you draw concerning the temperature at which eggs should be cooked to make them most tender and palatable? digestibility and palatability of eggs.--the experiments of this lesson show that eggs cooked at simmering temperature are more tender than those cooked at boiling temperature. the question may arise, is the tender egg more wholesome than the tough egg? it is true that eggs cooked below the boiling temperature will digest in a little less time than those cooked in boiling water. since, however, the tougher egg is as completely digested as the more tender, the difference in the time of digestion is a matter of little importance. [illustration: figure .--apparatus to determine the temperature at which eggs coagulate.] but even though the difference in digestion is not considered, the difference in _palatability_ is worth some attention. if soft-cooked and soft-boiled eggs are compared, the soft-cooked will be found to be much more uniformly cooked. the white of a soft-boiled egg may be firm, while its yolk is very soft or the white may be soft while its yolk is raw. structure of eggs.--a hen's egg consists of shell, membrane, white, yolk, and the little mass in the yolk called the embryo, from which the young chicken grows. the yolk is kept in place by two twisted cords of white membrane. this membrane is the first part to disappear when the egg begins to spoil. care and use of eggs.--(_a_) wash eggs just before using. [footnote : washing removes a coating on egg-shells. this coating prevents the entrance of microorganisms. hence eggs should not be washed until they are to be used.] the shells may be used for clearing coffee. (_b_) keep eggs in a cool place. (_c_) the unbroken yolk of an egg may be kept from hardening by covering with cold water. (_d_) all protein-rich foods contain substances which spoil or decompose readily. the egg loses water by evaporation through the pores in the shell; air enters to take the place of this and since the air contains microorganisms, the egg spoils. eggs may be kept fresh by keeping air out of them. they may be preserved by packing them, small end down, in bran, sawdust, or sand; by immersing them in water-glass. (_e_) when using several eggs, if not sure of their freshness, break each separately into a saucer and examine before adding to the rest. (_f_) when using a number of eggs, it is well to scrape out the bit of white clinging to the inside of the shell. tests for freshness.--(_a_) a fresh egg has a rough shell. (_b_) drop an egg into cold water. if it sinks, it is fresh; if it floats, it is stale. soft-cooked eggs place eggs in enough boiling water to cover. remove from the fire, cover, and allow to stand from to minutes. the time of soft-cooking an egg varies with the different conditions. the time depends upon: (_a_) temperature of the eggs. (_b_) number of eggs cooked. (_c_) quantity of water used. (_d_) place on the stove. one must determine by experience the length of time of cooking to produce the desired results. by following the method above, eggs may be cooked at the dining table. hard-cooked eggs. [footnote : note to the teacher.--the hard-cooked eggs prepared in this lesson may be used in the preparation of goldenrod eggs of the following lesson.]--place eggs in cold water and heat the water gradually until it reaches the boiling point. remove from the fire at once; cover and place on the back of range, or in a warm place, for minutes. plunge into cold water, so that the shells may be removed easily. eggs may be hard-cooked by using the same method as for soft-cooked, allowing the eggs to remain in the hot water for minutes or longer. eggs may also be hard-cooked in the _double boiler_. put boiling water in the top and bottom of the double boiler. place the eggs in the top part and cook minutes. if hard-cooked eggs are not well masticated, they are apt to cause distress during digestion. to insure thorough mastication, it is well to chop them fine and mix them with some other food (see _goldenrod eggs_). hard-cooked eggs used in this way cause no digestive disturbances to the normal person. questions is it possible to cook eggs hard in water that is below the boiling point? explain your answer. why should eggs be called hard- or soft-_cooked_ rather than hard- or soft-_boiled_? lesson xliii eggs: digestion of protein the digestion of protein.--it was mentioned previously that proteins are made up of many different substances. the materials composing proteins are called _amino acids_. there are common amino acids. all proteins are not made up of the same amino acids. amino acids in the various proteins differ not only in kind, but in quantity. when proteins are digested, they undergo certain changes and are finally separated into their amino acids. as amino acids proteins are finally absorbed and carried to all parts of the body. the digestion of protein begins in the stomach and continues in the intestines. the digestive juices [footnote : the pepsin and hydrochloric acid of the stomach, the trypsin of the pancreatic juice, and the erepsin of the intestinal juice digest proteins.] of these organs change protein into soluble forms. poached egg fill a shallow pan about two thirds full of boiling water. add / teaspoonful of salt to each pint of water; place buttered muffin rings in the pan. break separately each egg into a saucer and carefully slip it into a buttered muffin ring. cover the pan and place it where the water will keep hot _but not boil_. pour a spoonful of the hot water on each yolk occasionally. let stand (about minutes) until the white is coagulated and a film covers the yolk. take up with a skimmer, drain, place on slices of toast, and serve at once. an egg poacher may be used in place of the muffin rings, or the water in the pan may be stirred in a circular motion and the eggs dropped at once into the "whirlpool." this tends to keep the white of egg from separating into pieces. eggs are thought by some to be much more tasty when poached in milk rather than in water. goldenrod eggs or hard-cooked eggs tablespoonfuls flour / teaspoonful pepper / teaspoonful salt / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute / cupfuls milk pieces of toast parsley separate the yolk and white of the cooked eggs and chop the whites. make a white sauce of flour, seasoning, fat, and milk. add the chopped egg whites to the sauce and pour it over the toast. press the yolks through a strainer or crush them with a fork and sprinkle them over the top of the toast. garnish with parsley and serve at once. if the crusts are not cut from bread in making toast, it is well to dip the edges of each slice of toast for an instant in hot, salted water before adding the sauce (see _cream toast_). questions why is it advisable to pour occasionally a spoonful of hot water over the yolks of eggs that are being poached? explain why the chopped hard-cooked eggs in goldenrod eggs should be more easily digested than plain hard-cooked eggs (see experiment , and _solution and digestion_). lesson xliv eggs: omelets (a) to break and separate the white and yolk.--an egg is sometimes broken by cracking the shell with the blade of a knife or by striking the egg on the edge of a bowl or pan. the following method has also been found satisfactory, especially when it is desired to separate the white and yolk. strike the egg one blow upon the surface of the table. put the thumbs together at the crack in the shell, then hold the egg upright, and gently break the shell into two parts. then slip the yolk several times from one part of the shell to the other until all the white has run over the edge into a bowl or plate. scrape out the shell of the egg. two kinds of egg beaters are used for eggs,--the dover egg beater and the wire spoon. if the former utensil is used, the egg is generally dropped into a bowl; if the latter, the egg is placed on a plate. to beat an egg.--when the wire spoon is used to beat an egg, draw the spoon straight and swiftly through the egg, tilting the dish and lifting the egg beater so that the material will be turned over at each stroke. egg whites are beaten _stiff_ when the impression made by the beater is retained; and they are beaten _dry_, when the gloss has disappeared and flaky bits fly off as the egg is beaten. egg yolks are beaten thoroughly when they are thicker and much lighter in color than before beating. to cut and fold beaten egg whites and other materials.--pour the beaten egg whites into the material with which they are to be mixed; then with a tablespoon edgewise, cut the ingredients, lift them, and turn them over the whites. repeat quickly until the ingredients are mixed thoroughly. experiment : effect of beating a whole egg.--break an egg into a bowl. what is its approximate measure? with a dover egg beater or wire spoon beat it thoroughly. what is the approximate increase in quantity? what has been beaten into the egg? what other difference is there between a beaten and an unbeaten egg? (use this egg for making scrambled eggs. see below.) experiment : comparison of eggs beaten with a dover egg beater and with a wire spoon.--half the pupils of the class beat eggs with dover egg beaters and the other half with wire spoons. compare results. what is the difference in the size of the air cells made by using the different utensils? is there any difference in the quantity of the beaten eggs? which contains the more air? experiment : effect of beating egg yolk and white separately.--separate an egg and beat thoroughly the white and then the yolk with a dover egg beater or wire spoon. what is the approximate increase in quantity? which becomes lighter when beaten,--a whole or a separated egg? from this explain why every bit of yolk should be removed from the egg white before beating, if it is desired to beat the egg white as stiff as possible. (use this egg for making foamy omelet. see below.) scrambled eggs eggs teaspoonful salt pepper / cupful milk teaspoonful butter scald the milk in a double boiler and add the butter. beat the eggs and add the seasoning. pour the hot milk over the egg mixture; return the whole to the double boiler, and cook, stirring constantly. when the mixture is thick and "lumpy" but still tender, remove from the double boiler and serve at once. for economy, the butter may be omitted. foamy omelet eggs tablespoonfuls milk or water / teaspoonful salt pepper teaspoonfuls butter or substitute separate the yolks and whites of the eggs. beat the yolks of the eggs until creamy; add seasonings and milk or water. then beat the whites until stiff and cut and fold them into the yolk mixture. place the fat in an omelet pan, heat, and turn the omelet into it. cook _slowly_, occasionally turning the pan so that the omelet may brown evenly when the omelet is set and delicately browned underneath, place it in a hot oven for a few minutes to dry the top. fold and serve immediately. [illustration: figure --method of holding pan to turn an omelet on to a platter] to fold an omelet--run a spatula underneath the omelet to loosen it. make a slight incision with a knife through the middle of the omelet at right angles to the handle of the pan, and fold the omelet over upon itself away from the handle of the pan. grasp the handle of the pan in the right hand, placing the back of the hand underneath with the thumb pointing away from you. then turn the omelet upon a platter (see figure ). questions how are scrambled eggs usually cooked? from your work concerning the effect of intense heat upon eggs, explain the advantages of the method given above for scrambled eggs. what is the proportion of liquid and salt for each egg of a foamy omelet? explain why it is especially important to cook a foamy omelet slowly. what causes a foamy omelet to "fall"? what is the test for the sufficient oven-drying of a foamy omelet? how many persons may be served by using these recipes for scrambled eggs and foamy omelet? lesson xlv eggs: omelets (b) white sauce omelet tablespoonfuls flour / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute teaspoonful salt cupful milk pepper eggs teaspoonfuls butter or substitute make a white sauce of the milk, fat, flour, and seasoning. separate the whites and yolks of the eggs, and beat them until light. when the white sauce is cool, stir in the yolks and fold in the whites. cook and serve as foamy omelet. baked omelet prepare a white sauce omelet. instead of turning it into a frying pan, pour it into an oiled baking-dish. bake in a hot oven ( degrees f.) for to minutes, or until it is "puffed" in appearance and golden brown in color. serve at once from the dish in which it was baked. modification of foamy and white sauce omelets.--mix and cook a foamy or white sauce omelet. as soon as the omelet begins to set, spread it while cooking with finely chopped cooked ham, veal, or chicken. continue to cook and then dry, fold, and serve as with the usual omelet. cooked peas, asparagus, cauliflower, or flaked fish may be added to the sauce of white sauce omelet. cheese may be used in place of meat with either omelet. foamy omelet may be varied by using tomato juice instead of milk. tomato sauce may be served with either of these omelets. sweet omelet may be made as follows: add tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar to the foamy omelet mixture; after cooking, spread with softened jelly; after folding, sprinkle with powdered sugar. use / cupful of jelly for the foamy omelet recipe. questions why is the white sauce cooled before adding the egg yolks in white sauce omelet? point out the most important differences between a foamy and a white sauce omelet. what is the purpose of cutting and folding in the whites of eggs in omelets? what is the purpose of beating eggs? what are the tests that show when egg white is beaten stiff and when dry? what are the tests for thoroughly beaten egg yolk? lesson xlvi milk milk, an invaluable food.--it has been said that there is no one food _except milk_ which cannot be eliminated from the diet. milk is the only food for which there are no easily found substitutes. the housekeeper or one who plans the food for the family should purchase daily, if possible, a pint of milk for each adult and a quart for each child under ten years. she should see to it that this amount of milk is entirely used either as a beverage or in cooked foods. if one must economize in foods, _less should be spent for meat, and more for milk_. although more than / of milk is water, it contains only a little more water than do potatoes and lean meat. the value of milk is due to the fact that it contains: (_a_) _proteins of "excellent quality_." an authority on diet says [footnote : see "the newer knowledge of nutrition," by mccollum, p. .]: "there can be no doubt that the proteins of milk are far superior to those of any foods derived from vegetable sources." the most important protein existing in milk is called _casein_. casein is a complete protein and is very important for growth. it has a peculiar property; it precipitates when acid is added to milk. when milk sours, the sugar contained in the milk changes to an acid, and this acid causes the casein to precipitate. casein is also clotted by an enzyme occurring in the digestive juice of the stomach. (_b_) _valuable ash_. lime which is so essential to bodybuilding is one of the minerals in milk. the following diagram from united states food leaflet no. shows that milk is especially rich in lime. (lime is calcium oxide.) [illustration] (_c_) _vitamines_. these are substances contained only in certain foods. they are essential for maintaining life and health. milk is rich in these indispensable materials (see division seven). milk also contains fat and carbohydrate. the presence of the foodstuffs in milk is shown by the following: experiment : separation of milk into foodstuffs. (_a_) by means of a cream dipper, remove the cream from a bottle of milk. place a drop of the cream on a piece of paper. let the paper dry. what foodstuff is indicated by the stain on the paper? (_b_) take / cupful of the skimmed milk. heat it to blood temperature (test by dropping the milk on the wrist, see _junket custard_). crush / junket tablet and add it to the warm milk. stir until the powder is dissolved. let the milk stand in a warm place until it is clotted. heat the clotted milk and boil minute. pour it into a filter paper. catch the filtrate in a beaker. what is the foodstuff that remains in the filter paper (see proteins of "excellent quality")? (_c_) put cubic centimeters of fehling's solution [footnote : note to the teacher.--fehling's solution is made as follows: prepare a solution of rochelle salts,-- grams of rochelle salts, grams of sodium hydroxide, and cubic centimeters of water. prepare a solution of copper sulphate,-- . grams of copper sulphate, cubic centimeters of water, and . cubic centimeter of sulphuric acid. then combine part of the alkaline rochelle salt solution, part of copper sulphate, and parts of water. boil the mixture. this solution deteriorates readily. the best results are obtained by using a "fresh" mixture for testing sugar and by boiling just before using.] in a flask. boil for minutes. add cubic centimeters of the filtrate from (_b_) and boil one minute. to what color does the blue mixture change? a red precipitate indicates sugar. what foodstuff does this test indicate that milk contains? (_d_) put the remainder of the filtrate from (_b_) in a custard cup and evaporate over hot water to dryness. note the residue. what foodstuff other than sugar is contained in the residue? (_e_) what foodstuff has passed off in the form of vapor during evaporation? (_f_) as mentioned above, milk also contains vitamines. lesson xlvii milk with cocoa and chocolate experiment : scalding milk.--fill the lower part of a double boiler one third full of boiling water. put / cupful of milk in the top of the double boiler, cover, and heat over the boiling water. in a few minutes examine. carefully note the appearance of the surface of the milk. explain why it is that dishes that have contained milk should be soaked in cold water, and then washed in warm water. insert a thermometer in the milk and record temperature. is it possible to boil milk over hot water? explain your answer. (use this scalded milk to make cocoa and chocolate.) the taste of milk is changed by heating it above degrees f. less change, however, is produced by scalding than by boiling. milk is also apt to scorch if cooked at boiling temperature. it is sometimes necessary to boil milk to sterilize it. cocoa and chocolate as found at market are prepared from cacao beans. the latter grow in pods,--the fruit of the tropical cacao trees (see figure ). the beans are taken from the pods, allowed to ferment, dried, and roasted. the husks loosened by roasting are then removed from the beans. cacao beans are ground, molded, and sold as bitter or baker's chocolate. in the preparation of sweet chocolate sugar is added to the powdered chocolate before molding. cocoa differs from chocolate in that some of the fat is removed. cocoa and chocolate contain protein, fat, and carbohydrates. these materials, in addition to the milk and sugar used in preparing the beverages, make the cocoa and chocolate beverages high in food value. but in addition to the materials mentioned above, there is present in cocoa and chocolate some tannin and stimulating materials. the large percentage of fat existing in chocolate may produce distressing effects when taken in addition to a full meal. if, however, the use of these beverages causes no ill effects, they may be classed among the nutritious foods and are much preferable to tea and coffee especially for girls and boys. neither cocoa nor chocolate is soluble in water. some cocoas are very finely ground and are termed soluble cocoas. [illustration: figure .--cacao pods.] when mixed with water these cocoas do not separate as rapidly as others, but they are not soluble. because of its insolubility, chocolate should be blended as thoroughly as possible with other materials. a satisfactory and practical method of accomplishing this is to make a _smooth paste_ of chocolate and boiling water. to develop flavor, it is well to cook both chocolate and cocoa at boiling temperature, especially when combining with liquids. the flavor of the cocoa beverage is improved by much cooking. long cooking of the chocolate beverage causes the fat to separate and float. cocoa / cupful cocoa cupfuls milk to teaspoonfuls corn-starch / to / cupful sugar cupful water / teaspoonful salt mix cocoa, corn-starch, and water and boil for minutes. add the milk and sugar to the mixture and cook over hot water for / hour. add salt. beat well and serve. vanilla may be added to cocoa if desired. varying quantities of corn-starch and sugar are given so that the beverage may be thickened and sweetened to suit one's taste. if desired, the corn- starch may be omitted entirely. chocolate squares chocolate cupfuls milk cupful boiling water / teaspoonful salt / cupful sugar / teaspoonful vanilla cut the chocolate into bits and put it in a pan; add the boiling water. stir and cook until it reaches the boiling point and is perfectly smooth. heat the milk in a double boiler. then gradually add the hot milk to the chocolate mixture, add the sugar, and heat all in a double boiler. add salt and vanilla, if desired. if there is a scum over the beverage, beat well. serve hot. whipped cream or marshmallows are often served with chocolate. the use of whipped cream with chocolate, however, makes the beverage excessively rich in fat. questions what is the difference in method between scalding milk and boiling it? how can one determine when milk is scalded? if it is necessary to heat milk, give two reasons why it is usually better to scald it than to boil it. under what conditions should it be boiled? what is the present cost of milk per quart? when is the price highest and when lowest? if sweetened chocolate is used, how should the recipe for chocolate beverage be changed? give two reasons why cocoa and chocolate should not be boiled after adding the hot milk. why is vanilla not added until the beverages are ready to be served (see _flavoring extracts_)? what is the weight of one square of chocolate? how many squares in an ordinary cake of chocolate? what is the price per cake? how many cupfuls are there in a half pound box of cocoa? what is the price per box? see chocolate corn-starch pudding. how much cocoa may be used for ounce of chocolate when one is substituted for the other? what is the difference in cost of these quantities of chocolate and cocoa? lesson xlviii milk and cream whipping cream.--a popular way of preparing cream for serving is to whip it. this is done most successfully when the cream is cold and kept cold, _i.e._ surrounded with ice water during the beating process. to show one of the points involved in chilling materials try the following: experiment : comparison of the conducting power of metal and earthenware.--select a tin and an earthenware utensil of about the same size and shape. put an equal quantity of water of the same temperature in each utensil. surround each with ice water and cover. after minutes, take the temperature of the water in the tin and in the earthenware utensil. which is colder? through which material,--tin or earthenware,--is heat transmitted more readily? when cream is to be surrounded by ice water for whipping, in which kind of utensil should it be placed? explain your answer. use a dover egg beater or a cream whip for whipping cream. since cream "spatters" when being beaten, a cream whip arranged with a cover is very satisfactory. to prevent spattering, the bowl of cream may be covered with paper while the cream is being whipped. cut a slit in a piece of paper, insert the dover egg beater in the slit, put the beater in the cream and push the paper down to cover. since cream contains considerable fat, under certain conditions, it is possible to mass the fat together, that is, separate it from the other constituents, and form _butter_. for making butter the cream should be "ripened," i.e. it should contain certain bacteria. it should then be churned. on the other hand, if it is desired to beat or whip the cream, but not to form butter, it is necessary to prevent the fat from massing together. to accomplish this, use thick cream (containing per cent or more of fat) from to hours old [footnote : such cream contains a small amount of lactic acid.] and have it very cold; it will then whip quickly. cream may be chilled by placing it on ice for some time before whipping or by surrounding it with ice water while whipping. in warm weather, it is safer not only to chill the cream but also to surround it with ice water while whipping. a harmless substance called _viscogen_ may be added to thinner cream (_i.e._ the so-called coffee or per cent cream) to make the latter whip. viscogen is prepared by mixing the following ingredients: / cupful sugar cupful water tablespoonful milk of lime [footnote : milk of lime may be prepared by mixing part of slaked lime with parts of water.] mix the sugar and water and heat the mixture until it boils. cool and add the milk of lime. let the mixture stand at least hours before using. add teaspoonful to each pint of cream, then whip the mixture as directed above. comparison of milk and cream.--cream is richer in fat than milk, average cream containing per cent of fat and whole milk about per cent. but cream contains less protein and ash than whole milk. since cream is always more expensive than milk, it is interesting to compare the food value of quantities of each which may be purchased for the same price. although the prices of cream and milk vary in different places, usually / pint of cream costs about as much as quart of milk. the following shows the approximate quantity of nutrients shown in the two quantities: _in quart of milk_ [footnote : by permission journal of home economics, vol. x (august, , p. ).] as much protein as in eggs / tablespoonfuls of fat tablespoonfuls of sugar _in / pint of cream_ as much protein as in egg tablespoonfuls of fat / tablespoonful of sugar although / pint of cream contains / tablespoonful more of fat than does quart of milk, the latter contains / tablespoonfuls more of sugar and as much more protein as is contained in eggs. this comparison makes us question the advisability of buying much cream. if whole milk is purchased, its top milk may often be used in place of cream. the skim milk that remains is a valuable food. although whole milk contains more fat and vitamines than does skim milk, the latter has as much protein, lime, and sugar as whole milk. the use of both whole and skim milk is advised. care of milk.--milk is one of the foods that require the greatest care, and should be well cared for not only in the home but also on the dairy farm. it is one of the foods that afford ideal conditions for the growth of microscopic vegetable organisms, called _bacteria_ (see _why foods spoil_). many varieties of these bacteria or tiny plants produce changes in the milk which cause it to sour. a few varieties of disease- producing bacteria also sometimes exist in milk. milk can be kept reasonably free from bacteria by: (_a_) perfect cleanliness on the dairy farm. (_b_) cooling it immediately after being drawn from the cow, and by keeping it cool. (_c_) placing it in sterilized utensils. (_d_) covering it, thus keeping it free from dust. utensils for holding milk should be of glass, earthenware, or smooth, bright tin. they should be washed, scalded, or even better, boiled, and placed in the sun for two or three hours. in the home, milk should not be used after long standing, even though it is sweet. it is well to buy milk in small quantities and in bottles. the upper rim of a milk bottle should be washed before pouring milk from it. because milk readily absorbs odors and flavors, it should be kept away from any substance having a strong odor or flavor. rice dainty / cupful cooked rice / cupful fruit, cut into pieces / cupful powdered sugar / to / cupful cream, whipped mix the rice, fruit, and sugar, then fold in the whipped cream. pineapple, shredded or diced; bananas cut into pieces (not slices); dates, seeded and cut into pieces; or cooked apricots are desirable fruits for this dessert. cream of rice pudding quart milk _or_ quart milk and water / cupful rice / teaspoonful salt / cupful sugar grated rind of / lemon wash rice; put it and all the other ingredients into a buttered pudding dish. bake in a _slow_ oven ( degrees f.) until firm. this usually takes three hours. while baking, stir the mixture occasionally. if desired, one half cupful of raisins may be added to the mixture, and teaspoonful vanilla or / teaspoonful nutmeg may be substituted for lemon rind. questions from your knowledge of the effect of intense heat upon milk, explain why cream of rice pudding should be baked in a slow oven. what change in quantity takes place in the milk of this pudding during long cooking? what change in quantity takes place in the rice during long cooking? from this explain why so much milk when combined with a little rice forms a solid mixture. what is the price per pint of thin or coffee cream? what is the price per pint of heavy or whipping cream? what is the least quantity of cream that can be purchased? explain why it is that scalded milk does not sour as soon as uncooked milk (see _care of milk_). why should utensils that have held milk be scalded or boiled? lesson xlix cream soups (a) thick soups.--milk combined with various vegetables, grains, and fish is used in making cream soups and purees. the vegetables are cooked and mashed or forced through a strainer and combined with a liquid,--usually milk or milk with vegetable stock. in order to have the vegetable pulp uniformly mixed through the liquid, it is necessary to thicken the liquid with a starchy material. flour with butter or substitute, mixed and cooked as in white sauce, is used for this purpose. it is said to "bind" the vegetables and the liquid. thus, cream soups and purees are simply white sauces to which vegetable pulp is added. general proportions.--_the usual proportion of vegetable pulp or puree to liquid is:_ one part of vegetable pulp or puree to parts of liquid, _i.e._ milk, vegetable stock, or meat stock. _the proportion of flour to liquid is:_ / tablespoonful flour to cupful liquid, if a starchy vegetable is used, or, tablespoonful flour to cupful liquid, if a vegetable having little thickening property, as celery, is used. sometimes an egg or two is added to soup for thickening or flavor, and to increase the food value. different kinds of vegetables are sometimes mixed for a soup, as: peas and beans, or corn and beans. potato soup potatoes tablespoonful flour pint milk _or_ pint milk and potato stock / teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful pepper slices of onion celery salt / tablespoonful butter or substitute teaspoonfuls chopped parsley cook and mash the potatoes, heat the milk and onion in a double boiler, then add them to the mashed potatoes. press the potato mixture through a strainer and use it as the liquid for a white sauce, using all other ingredients except the parsley in the sauce. if necessary, add more liquid, or evaporate to the desired consistency. add the chopped parsley just before serving. "left over" mashed potatoes may be utilized in making this soup. croutons cut stale bread into half-inch cubes. bake _slowly_ in the oven until a golden brown. stir often. serve with soups. save the crusts and prepare dried bread crumbs with them. questions what is the proportion of flour and liquid in one cup of white sauce for vegetables? how does the proportion of flour and liquid for one cup of cream soup differ from the above proportion? why are the potatoes pressed through a strainer _after_ rather than _before_ adding the hot milk? why should the cubes of stale bread be baked slowly (see _toast_)? lesson l cream soups (b) food value of cream soups.--since thin or clear soups contain much liquid, their food value is not as high as most solid foods. cream soups, however, are as concentrated as a potato; they are the most nourishing of all soups. the use of milk instead of water or stock and of flour and fat, to say nothing of vegetable pulp, increases their food value. cream soups are more suitable to serve at a meal of few courses such as luncheon or supper rather than at dinner where there is a greater variety of foods. thick soups may serve as a valuable part of a meal; a hot liquid taken into an empty stomach is easily assimilated, acts as an appetizer, and thus prepares for the digestion of the remainder of the meal. corn soup can of corn pint water l / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute slice onion tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful white pepper pint milk add the water to the canned corn and _simmer_ minutes. melt the fat, add the onion, and cook until light brown. to this add the dry ingredients and proceed as in making white sauce. add the cooked corn and strain. reheat before serving, if necessary. note.--the method of adding onion flavor to this soup (_i.e._ browning onion in fat) is often used in the preparation of other foods, especially meats and sauces. soup sticks cut stale bread into slices, remove the crusts, and spread with butter. cut into strips and brown slowly in the oven. save the crusts and prepare dried bread crumbs with them. [illustration: figure .--dried bread crumbs. (note that the jar is covered with a cloth.)] dried bread crumbs dried bread crumbs may be prepared from crusts and small pieces of bread. dry the bread in a slow oven or in a warming oven. crumb it by rolling on a pastry board or putting it through a meat grinder. if fine crumbs are desired, sift the crushed bread. place the fine and coarse crumbs in separate jars. cover the jars by tying a piece of muslin over each. (the muslin covering can also be conveniently secured by means of a rubber band.) if each jar is tightly covered with a lid, air is excluded from the crumbs and molds often grow on them. bread crumbs thoroughly dried and stored as directed will keep for several months (see figure ). questions explain why thick soup may serve as a valuable part of a meal. why is it served as the first course of a meal? is the mashed potato of potato soup strained before or after adding it to the other ingredients? when is the corn soup strained? how is the flavor extracted from the onion in preparing potato soup? how is the flavor extracted for corn soup? from this explain the difference in straining the soups. if fresh corn were used for this soup, how would its cooking differ from that of canned corn? how should fresh corn be cut from the cob for soup (see _green corn_)? what is the price per can of corn? in preparing soup sticks, why are the crusts removed from the bread before buttering it? why is the bread spread with butter before cutting it into strips? aside from flavor, what is the purpose of spreading the bread for soup sticks with butter? how should dried bread crumbs be covered for storing? why? what is the difference between soft bread crumbs (see note under recipe for stuffed tomatoes) and dried bread crumbs? which should be used for scalloped dishes? which for covering fried foods? think of the dishes which contain bread crumbs and then state for which foods either kind of crumbs could be used. explain. lesson li milk thickened with egg (a) custards.--since eggs have the property of stiffening when heated, they are often used for thickening liquids, especially milk. milk thickened with eggs is called _custard_. there are two kinds of plain custards: (_a_) steamed or baked custard and (_b_) soft custard. the method of mixing these custards is the same, but the methods of cooking and the tests for sufficient cooking differ. that the milk may not scorch and that the egg may not cook too hard, all milk-and-egg mixtures should be cooked below the boiling temperature of water. they should never be cooked directly over the fire, but over hot water or in a double boiler. that the egg may cook evenly and not too quickly, the water in the double boiler _should not boil rapidly_. if a custard is properly cooked, the egg is in a soft-cooked condition. it exists in a jelly-like mass throughout the milk. the custard has a creamy appearance. if, however, a custard is cooked too much, the egg becomes hard-cooked and the particles of egg appear in "lumps" in the milk mixture. the custard is then said to be _curdled_. a curdled custard may be made smooth by placing the upper part of the double boiler in a pan of cold water and then beating the custard _at once_ with a dover egg beater. this applies to all types of plain custards. steamed or baked custard pint milk or eggs / cupful sugar / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls caramel sirup _or_ / teaspoonful nutmeg scald the milk in a double boiler. beat the eggs _slightly_, add the sugar and salt, mix. add the hot milk to this mixture. strain the mixture, flavor, and pour it into a mold. if _steamed custard_ is desired, steam (without stirring) until the custard is firm. let the water in the steamer boil gently rather than vigorously. test for sufficient cooking by inserting a knife into the custard. if it comes out clean, the custard is done. if _baked custard_ is desired, place the cups of custard in a pan of hot water, and bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) for minutes or until firm. test as steamed custard. if a baked or steamed custard is to be turned out of the mold after steaming, or eggs should be used with each pint of milk. by placing a little caramel sirup in the bottom of each mold, a custard may easily be turned out of the mold. the custard mixture should be poured very gently on top of the sirup to prevent the custard and sirup from mixing. the caramel also serves as a sauce for the custard when served. (caramel sirup may be prepared by caramelizing sugar (as directed in making _peanut candy_) and then dissolving the caramelized sugar in boiling water. use equal quantities of sugar and water.) soft custard pint milk / cupful sugar eggs / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla mix the materials in the same way as for steamed or baked custard. instead of pouring the mixture into molds, return it to the double boiler and cook (stirring constantly) until it thickens or forms a coating over the spoon. strain, cool, and flavor. note that steamed custard is strained and flavored before cooking, and soft custard, after cooking. in preparing soft custard, the eggs may be separated and the yolks cooked with the milk and other ingredients. the whites may be beaten stiff and beaten into the hot mixture with a dover egg beater. soft custard may be used as a sauce over cooked rice, cake, bananas, peaches, and other foods. _to decrease the eggs in custard _ when eggs are expensive omit or from a custard recipe. substitute / _tablespoonful of corn-starch for each omitted egg._ for methods of thickening milk with both eggs and starchy materials, see lessons liv. questions what is the purpose of eggs in custard? why are eggs beaten _slightly_ for custards? how do steamed custards and soft custards differ in method of cooking? what are the tests for sufficient cooking of each? what is the purpose of straining custards? why is steamed custard strained and flavored before cooking, and soft custard, after cooking? in what condition is the egg when a custard is curdled? how can a curdled custard be made smooth? lesson lii milk thickened with egg (b) floating island _custard_ pint milk egg yolks / cupful sugar / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla _meringue_ egg whites tablespoonfuls powdered sugar the custard may be made thicker by using (instead of ) eggs. prepare the custard as soft custard. prepare the meringue by beating the whites of eggs stiff and then adding i tablespoonful of sugar for each white of egg. drop the meringue by spoonfuls on the custard. if desired, garnish the meringue by bits of jelly or colored gelatine. from the results of experiment , which egg beater do you consider most advisable for preparing meringue? if desired, the meringue may be cooked. this may be accomplished in several ways: (_a_) place it on the _hot_ custard at once after preparing the custard, (_b_) steam it by dropping it by spoonfuls on the hot milk before preparing the custard. cover, and let the egg white cook for about minutes, then remove from the milk and proceed to thicken the milk with the egg yolks, (_c_) drop the uncooked meringue on the cooked custard as directed above, then cook and brown it slightly by placing the custard in the broiling oven or in the top of a hot baking oven. questions in making custards, why should the hot milk be added to the eggs, instead of the eggs to the hot milk? how does floating island differ from soft custard? what is meringue? compare floating island made with three eggs to that made with four eggs. how does it differ in thickness, color, and cost? lesson liii milk thickened with egg (c) apricot dainty cupful dried apricots / cupful powdered sugar egg whites wash and soak the apricots. steam until soft. mash the apricots, or press through a coarse strainer or colander; add the sugar. beat the whites of eggs until very stiff; fold them into the apricots and sugar mixture. chill and serve with custard sauce. dried _prunes_ may be substituted for apricots, using less sugar and adding a little lemon juice. if it is desired to make apricot dainty some time before serving, it should be stiffened with gelatine. to do this, mix / tablespoonful of granulated or powdered gelatine with tablespoonfuls of cold water. add the gelatine mixture to the hot mashed or strained apricots, stir until the gelatine is dissolved, then proceed to add the sugar and egg white as directed above. custard sauce use the recipe for soft custard for custard sauce, substituting yolks for whole eggs. questions why is it desirable to steam the fruit rather than cook it in water for this dessert? compare the custard made with the entire egg to that made with the egg yolk. what is the difference in thickness and color? how many egg yolks are equivalent to two whole eggs in thickening? lesson liv milk thickened with egg and starchy materials (a) egg and starch.--how long is it necessary to cook milk-and-starch mixtures so that the starch will be cooked thoroughly (see _blanc mange_)? how long does it take to cook eggs when used for thickening? are eggs used for thickening harmed by long cooking? explain your answer. if both starch and egg are used for thickening a mixture, devise a way whereby the starch can be cooked thoroughly, and the egg can be cooked without curdling. butterscotch tapioca pint milk / to / cupful granulated tapioca / cupful dark brown sugar / teaspoonful salt egg / teaspoonful vanilla / to tablespoonful butter scald the milk, add the tapioca, and cook the mixture over hot water until the tapioca is transparent (see _apple tapioca_, above). mix the sugar, salt, and egg. add a portion of the hot tapioca mixture to the egg mixture. mix thoroughly, then return the mixture to the double boiler. stir and cook until the egg thickens. add the vanilla and butter and turn into dishes for serving. cool. serve with plain or whipped cream. the quantity of tapioca determines the stiffness of the dessert. if a very soft consistency is desired, use the smaller quantity of tapioca. chopped nuts may be added to the dessert just before turning into the serving dishes. for economy, the egg and butter may be omitted. if the egg is omitted, the greater quantity of tapioca should be used. cream of potato soup potatoes / cupfuls milk egg yolks or egg / teaspoonfuls salt pepper / teaspoonful celery salt cook the potatoes until soft, drain, and mash. scald the milk and add it to the potatoes, then strain the mixture. beat the eggs, add seasoning, combine with the potato mixture, and cook in the top part of the double boiler, stirring constantly, until the egg thickens. _serve immediately_. questions in butterscotch tapioca what ingredient could be substituted for tapioca? how much of this ingredient should be used (see _blanc mange_, above)? what is the purpose of the eggs in cream of potato soup? why should the soup be served immediately after cooking the eggs? how does this soup differ in thickening materials from potato soup (see above)? what would be the effect of adding egg to plain blanc mange? when and how should the egg be added? give reasons for your method of adding the egg. write a recipe for soft custard in which corn-starch is substituted for one of the eggs. write out the method of cooking such a custard. lesson lv milk thickened with egg and starchy materials (b) corn custard can corn _or_ ears green corn teaspoonful salt l / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute tablespoonfuls flour cupful milk eggs make a white sauce of the flour, salt, butter, and milk. add the corn (for method of cutting green corn from the cob, see lesson iv). beat the eggs, add them to the corn mixture. turn the mixture into a buttered baking- dish, and place the dish in a pan of hot water. bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is firm. serve hot as a vegetable. _one egg may be omitted_ and the flour and fat increased to and tablespoonfuls respectively. cheese pudding cupful cheese grated or cut into pieces egg cupful milk / teaspoonful salt / cupful dried bread crumbs or granulated tapioca cayenne beat the egg slightly, and add the other ingredients. turn into a buttered baking-dish, custard cups, or ramekins. place in a pan of hot water, and bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is firm. serve hot (for method of preparing _dried bread crumbs_). questions what ingredients in corn custard thicken the mixture? what ingredients in cheese pudding thicken the mixture? what is the purpose of placing the baking-dish containing corn custard or cheese pudding in a pan of hot water? at what temperature should these two foods bake? give a reason for your answer. in cheese pudding, why are the starchy material and egg cooked for the same length of time? compare the cost of a can of corn and six ears of green corn. how many persons will the recipe for corn custard serve? how many will the cheese pudding serve? lesson lvi milk thickened with egg and starchy materials (c) bread puddings are made by adding bread to a custard mixture, and then baking in the oven like baked custard. for these puddings either stale or dry bread is used. the bread should be softened with the milk. how many eggs are used to thicken one pint of milk in steamed or baked custard? how many eggs are used to thicken one pint of milk in bread puddings (see recipe below)? account for this difference. bread pudding cupfuls milk cupful bread crumbs tablespoonful butter tablespoonfuls sugar egg / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla _or_ / teaspoonful spices tablespoonfuls cooked currants scald the milk; add the bread crumbs. when the crumbs are soft, add the remaining ingredients. pour the mixture into a buttered baking-dish, and place the baking-dish in a pan of hot water. bake the pudding slowly until it becomes firm and golden brown. cover during the first minutes of baking. serve with cream, hard sauce, chocolate or vanilla sauce (see below). if chocolate were added to the recipe for plain bread pudding, what change should be made in the other ingredients (see _chocolate corn-starch pudding_)? since chocolate contains much fat, what ingredient could be omitted, if chocolate were used? compare the recipes for bread pudding and chocolate bread pudding. chocolate bread pudding cupful bread crumbs cupfuls scalded milk ounce chocolate / cupful boiling water / cupful sugar egg / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla add the bread crumbs to the scalded milk and allow them to soak until soft. cut the chocolate in pieces, add the boiling water to it, and cook gently until a smooth paste is formed. add this to the bread mixture. proceed as in the preparation of plain bread pudding. serve with plain or whipped cream or lemon sauce. vanilla sauce / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls flour / teaspoonful salt cupfuls boiling water to tablespoonfuls butter teaspoonful vanilla mix sugar and flour thoroughly, then add boiling water slowly. cook minutes. dilute or evaporate if necessary. add the butter and vanilla [footnote : see footnote regarding the adding of vanilla.] just before serving. chocolate sauce / cupful sugar tablespoonfuls flour cupful water cupful milk / cupful cocoa _or_ squares (or ounces) chocolate / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful vanilla mix the sugar, flour, and cocoa (if the latter is used). add the water; stir and cook until the mixture thickens. then add the milk and cook over boiling water for at least minutes. if chocolate is used, cut it in pieces, add tablespoonfuls of boiling water. stir and cook until a smooth paste is formed. add the chocolate to the other ingredients, then the salt and vanilla. [footnote : see footnote regarding the adding of vanilla.] serve hot or cold over desserts. questions what is the purpose of the egg and bread in the bread pudding? what care must be taken in combining the egg mixture with the hot milk mixture? think of the effect of intense heat upon the ingredients of bread pudding, and then explain why the pudding should bake slowly. what is the result, if baked in a very hot oven? what is the reason for covering the pudding during the first minutes of baking? name combinations of spices that would be desirable for the pudding. what care should be taken in cooking chocolate in boiling water? in preparing vanilla sauce, why is the flour mixed with the sugar (see experiment )? how does the quantity of thickening for vanilla sauce compare with the quantity of thickening for the sauce for cream toast? give the four different quantities of flour generally used to thicken one pint of sauce. what care should be taken in cooking vanilla sauce? compare the recipe for chocolate corn-starch pudding with that for chocolate sauce. what material and how much of it is used for thickening each? what difference in consistency is there in the two cooked mixtures? what liquids are used in each mixture? why is the sauce cooked directly over the flame and then over, boiling water, while the pudding is cooked only over boiling water? lesson lvii cheese (a) the relation of cheese to milk.--to show the relation of cheese to milk, and to understand the manufacture of cheese, try the following: experiment : effect of rennet on milk.--put a small quantity of milk in a test tube and heat the milk a very little, taking care not to boil it. add to it / teaspoonful liquid rennet, or / junket tablet, and set aside. after a few minutes examine the milk. how has the rennet changed the milk? what substance in the milk has been clotted by the rennet (see lesson xlvi)? experiment : separation of curd and whey--again heat the contents of the test tube of experiment , turn the mixture into a cheese-cloth, and press the cloth until the mixture is dry. examine the material left in the cloth. how does it differ from ordinary cheese in color and texture? in cheese making what names are given to the solids and liquids of clotted milk? cheese is prepared for the market in a way somewhat similar to that shown in experiments and , except that it is colored, salted, pressed into shape, and allowed to ripen. while ripening, changes take place in the ingredients of cheese which develop characteristic flavors and make the cheese firm. there are two general classes of cheese,--hard cheese and soft cheese. a hard cheese commonly known as "american cream cheese" is generally used in this country. action of rennin in digesting milk.--the rennet or junket used to clot the casein of the milk is obtained from the digestive juices of the stomach of a calf. an enzyme called rennin exists in the gastric juice of the human stomach also. when milk is digested, it is first clotted by the enzyme in the stomach. experiment : effect of acid on milk.--add a few drops of vinegar to warm milk in a test tube. what is the result? what substance in the milk has been curdled by the acid? to what substance in milk is its sweet taste due? into what has this substance changed when milk sours? what causes the change in this material (see _care of milk_)? knowing the effect of acid on milk, explain the clotted condition of sour milk. junket "custard" quart milk / cupful sugar teaspoonful vanilla tablespoonful liquid rennet _or_ junket tablet powdered cinnamon or nutmeg heat the milk in a double boiler until it is _lukewarm_ only; do not heat it to scalding temperature. test milk for lukewarm, _i.e._ body temperature, by letting a drop fall on the wrist. if the milk "feels like the wrist"--neither warmer nor colder--it is lukewarm in temperature. if a junket tablet is used, crush it. add the sugar, vanilla, and rennet or junket, and stir until dissolved. pour into a glass dish and stand in a warm place until it thickens. then set the junket "custard" in a cool place. when cold, sprinkle with a little cinnamon or nutmeg, and serve with cream. cottage cheese quart thick sour milk / teaspoonful salt cream, top milk, or butter pour at least quarts of boiling water into the sour milk. allow the mixture to stand until the curd separates from the whey. strain the mixture in a cloth, pressing the cloth until the curd is dry, or allow it to drip for several hours or overnight. put the curd in a bowl, add salt and a little cream, top milk, or melted butter, and mix thoroughly. serve lightly heaped, or molded into balls. questions why should junket tablets be crushed before adding to the milk (see experiment )? in what way is the preparation of milk for junket "custard" like the digestion of milk in the stomach? tell why junket "custard" is quickly digested. how much cottage cheese is obtained from quart of milk? explain the use of boiling water in preparing cottage cheese from sour milk. what is the price per pint of cottage cheese prepared at home? what is the price per pint of cottage cheese obtained at market? lesson lviii cheese (b) food value and use of cheese.--cheese is concentrated food, _i.e._ it contains much nourishment in small bulk. one pound of cheese contains as much protein as two pounds of eggs or one and one half pounds of meat, and as much fat as three pounds of eggs and one pound of beef. in addition to protein and fat, cheese contains ash and vitamines (see division seven). cottage cheese is a particularly good food. since it is less expensive than most foods rich in protein, it should be used to a greater extent than it is at the present time. most tasty salads and meat substitute dishes may be prepared from cottage cheese. cheese was formerly considered somewhat difficult of digestion, but investigations (see farmers' bulletin , _the digestion of cheese_, p. .) show that cheese differs but little from meat in ease of digestion. cheese, like protein foods in general, if cooked at all, should be heated at low or moderate temperature. it is well to cook cheese in combination with other food materials. the use of cheese at the close of a dinner, when sufficient food has already been eaten, is not advisable. care of cheese.--molds grow rapidly upon cheese, especially if it is placed in a warm place and the air is excluded from it (see _why foods spoil_). for this reason, cheese should never be placed in a tightly covered dish or jar. it may be placed in a dish or jar and covered with a cloth. to keep cheese that has been cut from drying, wrap it in paraffin paper, then in a slightly dampened cloth, and then in paper. it should not, however, be kept in the damp cloth too long; molds will grow upon it. macaroni and cheese cupful macaroni / cupfuls medium white sauce cupfuls buttered crumbs / cupful grated cheese break macaroni into one-inch pieces. cook in a large quantity of boiling, salted water, in the same manner as boiled rice. when tender, pour into a colander, and run cold water through it. make the sauce, using half milk and half "macaroni water" for the liquid; then add the cheese and macaroni to it. pour into a buttered baking-dish. cover with the buttered crumbs and bake at degrees f. for minutes or until brown. _rice or noodles_, cooked in the same way, may be substituted for macaroni. questions what must be the condition of cheese in order to grate it? if it is very soft, how should it be prepared to add to the sauce? what is macaroni? what foodstuff does it contain in large quantity? what is the effect of cold water on cooked macaroni (see experiment )? why is it cooked in a large quantity of boiling water? what does the water in which the macaroni was cooked contain? what use can be made of the water that is drained from the macaroni (see _cheese sauce,_)? what is the price per pound of macaroni? what is the price per pound of rice? what is the price per pound of cheese? how much cheese, by weight, is required for one cupful of grated cheese? how many will this recipe for macaroni and cheese serve? how does cheese compare in price per pound with beefsteak? how does it compare in nutritive value? how much of the cheese is waste material? how much of beefsteak is waste material? which is the cheaper food? lesson lix structure of beef--methods of cooking tender cuts meat.--the flesh of animals is called _meat_. in market this term is applied to the muscle, bone, and fat of beef (cattle), veal (calf), mutton (sheep), lamb, and pork (pig). to show the structure and properties of the substances in lean meat, try the following experiments with beef: experiment : division of muscle.--scrape a piece of lean beef on both sides until nothing remains but the stringy mass or framework of the meat. what is the color and texture, _i.e._ toughness, of the two parts into which the muscle is divided? lean meat, or muscle, of animals may be divided into two parts: (_a_) connective tissue or framework, and (_b_) muscle fiber. divide both the connective tissue and muscle fiber into two equal portions. use them for experiments and . experiment : effect of dry heat on: (_a_) connective tissue.-- examine the connective tissue and note its toughness. place it in a frying pan and heat it for a few minutes. examine it again. is it made more tender or tough by dry heat? (_b_) muscle fiber.--shape one portion of the muscle fiber into a ball. place it in a frying pan and heat as directed in (_a_). is the fiber made more tender or tough by dry heat? sprinkle a bit of salt over it and taste. what can you say regarding the flavor of the fiber? experiment : effect of moisture and heat on: (_a_) connective tissue.--place the second portion of connective tissue in a pan and cover it with water. let it simmer for at least minutes. how do moisture and heat affect its toughness? (_b_) muscle fiber.--use the second portion of muscle fiber and cook in water at simmering temperature as directed in (_a_). how do heat and moisture affect its toughness? sprinkle a bit of salt over it and taste. compare its flavor with muscle fiber cooked by dry heat. which has a more pleasing flavor? from these experiments what conclusion can you draw with regard to the length of time--_long or short_--that _connective tissue_ must be cooked in order to make it tender? what conclusion can you draw with regard to the kind of heat--_dry or moist_--that must be applied to connective tissue to make it tender? what conclusion can you draw regarding the effect of dry and moist heat upon muscle fiber? which makes it more tender? which develops the more pleasing flavor? [illustration: figure .--structure of meat. a. muscle fibers; b. fat cells; c. connective tissue.] the structure and composition of meat.--the connective tissue of meat is the material which holds the muscle fiber in place. one can get an idea of the structure of muscle fiber from some cuts of meat such as the rump. this meat when cooked can be torn into strands. on closer examination, however, one finds that these strands are made up of tiny tubes, microscopic in size, which are also held together by a network of connective tissue (see figure ). the microscopic tubes hold the muscle juice, which consists of water, protein, ash, coloring and flavoring materials. the latter give to meat its characteristic taste; they are called extractives. in the network of connective tissue, there is fat as shown also in figure . [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college. figure .--club or delmonico steak.] the muscle juice found in muscle fiber not only contains protein, but the walls of muscle fiber and connective tissue contain protein. these proteins differ greatly in quality, however. they will be discussed in the following lesson. care of meat.--as soon as meat comes from the market remove the paper in which it is wrapped, and put the meat away in a cool place. before cooking, wipe the meat with a damp cloth. do not allow it to stand in cold water. if meat is to be roasted, it should be weighed before cooking. searing meat.--since the juice of meat contains both nutriment and flavor, it is desirable to retain the juice when meat is cooked. this can be accomplished by subjecting meat to intense heat. by so doing, the protein coagulates and "seals" the outside of the meat so that its juices are prevented from escaping. _this process is called searing._ [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college figure .--porterhouse] from the results of experiment (_b_), one can understand why seared meat tastes good. dry heat tends to develop flavor. hence it is desirable to sear meat not only to prevent waste of its juices, but to make it tasty. after meat is seared, it is usually necessary to reduce the temperature of cooking in order to cook the interior of meat. tender cuts of beef--certain muscles of an animal used for food contain more connective tissue than others. such muscles are considered tough cuts of meat. other muscles contain either less connective tissue or the connective tissue is less tough. these are considered tender cuts. [illustration: figure .--sirloin,--hip steak (portion next to the porterhouse) _courtesy of bureau of publications, teachers college_] [illustration: figure .--sirloin,--flat bone (choice cut in the middle of the sirloin section). _courtesy of bureau of publications, teachers college._] muscles which are the least used by the animal are most tender. what parts of the beef would one expect to find most tender? certain methods of cooking meat are adapted to cooking the tender cuts. unless meat is chopped, only tender cuts of meat can be cooked successfully by dry heat. the following methods are used for tender cuts of meat: (_a_) broiling, (_b_) pan-broiling, and (_c_) roasting (baking). [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college figure .--sirloin,--round bone (next to the rump and round).] the best steaks of beef for broiling or pan-broiling are club (see figure ), porterhouse (see figure ), sirloin (see figures , , ), and first cuts of round. the best cuts for roasting are porterhouse, prime ribs (see figures , ), and sirloin. long shoulder or chuck (see figures , ), top round, and rump (see figures and ) are inferior roasts. [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college figure .--first cut prime rib roast] [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college figure .--second cut prime rib roast] broiling select one of the tender steaks for broiling. tender steaks should be cut from to inches in thickness. clean it as directed previously, remove the excess fat, and place the meat on a broiler. broil over glowing coals or in the broiling oven, holding the broiler very close to the coals, or placing it near the gas flame. the meat should be thoroughly _seared_ on both sides. finish cooking the meat by holding it farther away from the coals or the gas flame and turning it about every seconds. steak inch thick should be cooked at least minutes; inches thick, at least minutes. season, place on a hot platter, and serve _at once_. [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college figure .--blade rib roast ( th and th ribs).] pan-broiling clean the meat, remove excess fat, and place the meat in a very hot frying pan _without any fat_. sear the meat on both sides, then cook more slowly until done. when thick chops are broiled, stand them on end to brown the edges. keep the pan free from fat. the time for pan-broiling is the same as for broiling. difference between pan-broiling and sauteing.--pan-broiled steak differs from sauteed steak (commonly termed fried steak) in: (_a_) ease of digestion and (_b_) flavor. as explained previously (_frying and digestion_), fat cooked at high temperature is not easily digested. for this reason, as far as digestion is concerned, it is better to omit the fat, and to broil a steak. [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_. teachers college figure --chuck rib roast ( th and th ribs)] meat has a distinct and characteristic flavor. browned fat also has a pronounced flavor. in broiled steak, the pure meat flavor exists; in "fried" steak there is meat flavor plus browned fat flavor. since the flavor of meat is most pleasing, it is not advisable to modify it by the addition of any other flavor. roasting (baking) roasting was accomplished formerly by placing thick pieces of meat before an open fire (see figure ). "roasts" are now placed in the oven and baked. the term roasting, however, is still used. meat is roasted as follows: [illustration: figure .--colonial fireplace, showing a "roasting kitchen"--a device for roasting meat--at lower right-hand corner.] weigh the meat and clean it. then skewer it into shape and place it on a rack in a roasting pan. if the meat has but little fat, place extra fat in the bottom of the pan. place the pan on the upper shelf of a hot oven ( degrees f.) and sear for minutes. reduce the temperature to degrees f. season the exposed surface with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and remove the pan to the floor or lower shelf of the oven. baste often. when the meat is about half done, turn it over, season, dredge with flour, and continue baking as before. since less evaporation takes place in a large roast than in a small one, the larger roasts are more juicy, hence more desirable. a good roast of beef should weigh at least pounds. the time for roasting varies with the weight of the meat. usually, for beef roasts, _ minutes to each pound_ is allowed. questions explain the purpose of searing meat. if meat is to be roasted, pan-broiled, or broiled, how is it seared? why is it necessary to remove the fat from meat that is to be broiled or pan-broiled? why cannot meat be broiled over _blazing_ coals? what is the price per pound of porterhouse and of sirloin steak? what is the average weight of sirloin steak? of porterhouse steak? how many persons will each serve? lesson lx beef: methods of cooking tender cuts (applied to chopped beef) (a) protein in meat.--it was mentioned previously that there are several different kinds of protein in lean meat. it was also stated that proteins exist in: (_a_) connective tissue. (_b_) walls of muscle fibers. (_c_) muscle juice. two proteins exist in connective tissue, viz., _collagen_ and _elastin._ collagen is changed into gelatine by cooking in water. elastin is found not only in connective tissue, but in the walls of muscle fibers. in muscle juice, there are two proteins,--_myosin or muscle globulin_ and _albumin_. both myosin and albumin coagulate by heating. it is possible to sear meat because it contains proteins. the scum which invariably forms when meat broth is heated consists largely of protein, probably in the form of albumin. this protein as shown in experiments on eggs is soluble in cold water, but is coagulated by heating. if meat broth is skimmed, much of its nutriment is lost. [illustration: courtesy of bureau of publications, teachers college figure --round.] [illustration: courtesy of bureau of publications, teachers college figure .--chuck.] of all proteins in meat, myosin is the most important; it exists in greater quantity than the other proteins. myosin, is practically insoluble in both hot and cold water, though somewhat soluble in a salt solution. as not much myosin is extracted from meat in soup making, _the solid part of meat must be eaten in order to obtain the greatest nourishment_. meat broth does not contain as much food value as meat. chopped beef.--if meat is chopped, what is the effect of the cutting on its structure? how would this affect its toughness? it is possible to pan-broil or roast some of the tough cuts of meat, if the meat is chopped fine. round (see figure , p. ) and shoulder or chuck (see figure ) are especially desirable cuts for this purpose. chopped steak pound beef steak, chopped to tablespoonfuls chopped parsley onion, grated teaspoonful salt / cupful water or / cupful tomatoes / teaspoonful pepper mix all the ingredients and shape into firm cakes. heat an iron frying pan until hot; oil it with a bit of fat from the meat; _then remove the fat_. sear the cakes; then reduce the temperature to finish cooking. turn the cakes often. season with salt and pepper. serve at once. half a cupful of soft bread crumbs and egg may be added to this meat mixture. the addition of tablespoonful of lemon juice, or a dash of nutmeg is thought by some to improve the flavor of chopped beef. instead of shaping chopped beef into small cakes, it may be formed into one large cake or steak. the chopped steak may be either broiled or pan- broiled. if the latter method is followed, a pan-cake turner is useful in turning over the steak. beef loaf use the ingredients for chopped steak, adding the bread crumbs and egg. shape into a loaf, and place in a greased baking-pan. bake in a hot oven ( degrees f.) for about minutes. serve hot, plain, or with tomato or brown sauce. the use of tomatoes instead of water in _beef loaf_ makes the meat especially tasty. questions why is it necessary to reduce the temperature to finish cooking meat after searing it? what are the prices per pound of round and long shoulder? how many cupfuls are there in one pound of chopped meat? how many servings of chopped steak can be obtained from one pound of meat? lesson lxi beef: methods of cooking tender cuts (applied to chopped beef) (b) stuffed meat roast pounds chopped meat teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful pepper mix these ingredients. take about three fourths of the mixture, put it into a greased baking-dish or pan, shape it into a loaf, and make a large cavity in the center. into the cavity, put a stuffing prepared as follows: cupfuls bread crumbs teaspoonful salt teaspoonful marjoram / teaspoonful thyme / teaspoonful savory / teaspoonful pepper tablespoonfuls fat mix the crumbs and seasoning. melt the fat, add the seasoned crumbs. stir and heat until the crumbs are slightly browned. put the remainder of the meat mixture on top of the crumbs, so that the latter are entirely surrounded by the meat mixture. place in a hot oven and bake from / to / hour. serve hot,--plain or with brown sauce (see below). instead of bread stuffing, potato stuffing prepared as follows may be used in _stuffed meat roast_. tomatoes may be added to the meat mixture (see _beef loaf_). potato stuffing [footnote : from united states food administration bulletin.] cupfuls dry mashed potatoes egg (beaten) small onion, grated tablespoonful fat stalk celery finely minced _or_ / teaspoonful celery salt teaspoonful salt pepper mix the ingredients and use in place of ordinary bread stuffing. experiment : comparison of starch and dextrin for thickening.--when flour is browned what substance is formed from some of the starch (see experiment , above)? make a white sauce, using teaspoonful of fat, / tablespoonful of flour, and / cupful of water. make a brown sauce with the same ingredients, browning the fat and flour. compare the brown and white sauce as to thickness. which has the greater thickening property,--starch or dextrin? estimate the quantity of flour to use for brown sauce in order to make it equal in thickness to a white sauce made by using , , and tablespoonfuls of flour to cupful of liquid. note.--if a suitable fat has been used, the brown sauce may be seasoned and used with the stuffed meat roast. brown sauce / tablespoonfuls fat tablespoonfuls flour / teaspoonful salt pepper cupful meat stock or hot water teaspoonful scraped onion if there is any meat stock in the roasting pan, remove it and make the "brown sauce" in the pan. put fat and onion in the pan, and brown them. add the flour and brown it, then add the other ingredients and cook as _white sauce_. questions what cuts of meat are suitable for roasting? why? explain how it is possible to use tough cuts of meat and roast them successfully. lesson lxii beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (a) experiment : effect of cold water on meat.--place a bit of meat in a test tube or glass measuring cup and add cold water. allow it to stand for a few minutes and note the appearance. what has been drawn out into the water? what practical application as to washing meat can be made from this? heat the water in which the meat has been soaked. what does the water contain? in soup making, should this material be strained out of broth? explain. if broth must be strained, should a coarse or a fine strainer be used? why? experiment : effect of boiling water on meat.--pour boiling water over a bit of meat, then heat it. has the juice been drawn out into the water? explain how hot water prevents the juices from being drawn out. experiment : effect of salt on meat.--sprinkle some salt on a piece of meat. let stand for minutes or longer and note results. what practical application as to seasoning meats can be drawn from this? note.--the bits of meat used in these three experiments should be saved and used for soup-making. tough cuts of beef.--from the experiments of lesson lix, what was found to be the toughest portion of the muscle of meat? what method of cooking was used to make this tough part tender (see experiments and )? toughness of meat depends upon (_a_) amount of connective tissue, and (_b_) character of the walls of muscle-fiber tubes (thick or thin). these conditions depend upon (_a_) the age of the animal, and (_b_) locality of muscle or cut of meat. although meat contains some materials which are better slightly cooked, tough cuts of meat contain so much connective tissue that long cooking is necessary to make them palatable. _the long cooking must be accomplished in water or steam_ in order that the meat may not burn or become too dry. meat from old animals is usually tough. veal and lamb are more tender than beef and mutton. the muscles that are used most are toughest, because they are developed to a greater extent and contain more connective tissue. muscles that are constantly used contain more extractives, hence tough cuts of meat have more flavor than tender cuts. this is not always appreciated, however, since all the flavor of tough meat is rarely extracted because it is so hard to chew. moreover, as mentioned previously, dry heat usually applied to tender cuts tends to develop flavor in meat. use of bone and fat in soup-making.--bone contains a substance which long cooking changes into a jellylike mass called _gelatine_. in the center of the bone there is a fatty substance called _marrow_. this fat in the bone and that in and around the muscles liquefies in making soup stock. in cooling, the fat rises to the top, hardens, excludes the air from the stock, and thus prevents it from spoiling readily. hence, in soup-making, it is of advantage to use both the fat and the bone with the lean meat. the fat, however, should be removed carefully from the stock before using. beef stock pounds meat, bone and fat / teaspoonful celery seed peppercorns cloves quarts cold water / bay leaf / teaspoonfuls salt cut the meat and fat into small pieces. try out some of the fat and brown about / of the meat in it. put all the meat in a kettle, add the seasoning and water; cover, and allow to soak one hour. then cook below boiling temperature for hours; strain through a coarse strainer. pour it through a fat separator or set aside to cool. if the fat has been allowed to solidify, skim it from the surface when the stock is to be used. can of tomatoes, carrot, turnip, and onion (all cut in small pieces) may be added to the ingredients of beef stock. trimmings and bones of fresh meats or bones and pieces of roasts or unused meat may be cut into small pieces and used for soup stock. no smoked or charred pieces of meat or bone should be used, however. stock may be colored with caramel, provided the sugar has been cooked sufficiently to lose its sweetness. cuts of beef (see figure ).--the feeding, care, and age of an animal have much to do with the _quality_ of its meat. it is considered that good beef is obtained from an animal four or five years old. beef should be firm, of bright red color, and of fine grain. there should also be a generous supply of suet. the latter should be dry and easily crumbled. in most markets, meat is made more tender by allowing it to hang for several days at a temperature near freezing. the _cost_ of the different cuts of meat varies greatly. the difference in cost is based upon the tenderness of the cut of meat, and upon the demand,--not upon the nutritive value. prices vary in different localities, and in different seasons. the _waste_ of a cut of meat is a factor which the housekeeper needs to consider in determining the cost of meat. the cuts of meat containing no waste may be "cheaper" than some cuts whose price per pound is lower. [illustration: adapted from diagram in _university of illinois_ bulletin, no figure .--cuts of beef.] the line dividing the rib and loin cuts and the plate and flank, marks the division of the beef into hind and fore quarters. the position of the various cuts is indicated by letters. the names of the cuts are indicated around the outer boundary of the diagram. the closely spaced lines such as shown in the round cut indicate that the cut is sliced into steaks, while the more widely spaced lines such as shown in the rib cut, indicate that the cut is separated into pieces for roasting or stewing. the numerals indicate the number of steaks or pieces into which a cut is usually divided. explanation of figure . cuts of beef hind quarter name and form of cut method of cooking round a. rump. pot-roasting. . rump piece (see figure stewing. ). corning. b. round (not including sauteing. rump and shank). stewing. - . round steaks (see braising. figure ). pot-roasting. c. horseshoe or heel. pot-roasting. . pot roast. stewing. d. hind shank. . knuckle soup bone. soup-making. - . soup bones. loin e. sirloin. broiling - . round-bone sirloin roasting (when cut into steaks (see figure ). thick pieces - . flat-bone sirloin steaks (see figure ). . hip-bone sirloin steak (see figure ). f. porterhouse. broiling. - . porterhouse steaks roasting (when cut into (see figure ). thick pieces). - . club or delmonico steaks (see figure ). flank g. flank steak (see figure ). sauteing. rolling and braising h-h. flank stew. stewing. corning. fore quarter name and form of cut method of cooking rib i. rib roasts. roasting. - . prime-rib roasts (see figures and ). chuck j. chuck roasts and steaks . chuck-rib roast (see braising. figures and ). pot-roasting. - . chuck or shoulder steaks broiling. (see figure ). sauteing. - . pot roasts. note.--in some localities, a pot roast is cut from the lower portion of the chuck. it is called cross rib, boston cut, or english cut (see figure ). . clod, no bone (over knuckle soup bone). l. neck. stewing. . stew. soup-making. corning. plate m. rib ends. stewing. , . stews. soup-making. corning. n. navel. stewing. . stew. soup-making. corning. o. brisket. stewing. . stew. soup-making. corning. fore p. shin. shank . stew. . knuckle soup bone (underneath stewing. clod, _j_, ). soup-making. - . soup bones (" " underneath clod, _j_, ). skirt steak,--diaphragm inside of rolling and braising. ribs (see figure ). stewing. tail. soup-making. questions other than the differences in cost, what advantages are there in using tough cuts of meat for soup? name at least three cuts of meat that would be suitable for soup-making. give the price per pound of these cuts. in soup-making, what is the purpose of cutting the meat into pieces and of cracking the bone? why should salt be added to the water in which meat is soaked (see experiment )? lesson lxiii beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (b) examination of cold beef stock.--examine the beef stock of the previous lesson. why has the fat risen to the top (see experiment )? why is fat cooked with meat and bone in making soup stock? what use can be made of the fat after removing it from the stock? remove the fat from the stock. stir the stock with a spoon. how do you account for its jellylike consistency? from what material has the gelatine been formed? what solid material is found in the stock? should this be strained out when the stock is used for soup? explain your answer (see experiment ). vegetable soup quarts beef stock tablespoonfuls fat onion, sliced carrot turnip / stalk celery or dried celery leaves heat the fat and sliced onion. cook until the onion is browned; add a small quantity of water. cut the vegetables into dice, add them to the water containing browned onion and cook until the vegetables are tender. add the beef stock to the vegetables and vegetable stock; heat; evaporate, if necessary, and then serve. the vegetables may be strained from the soup, and cooked rice, macaroni, or barley added; or the rice, macaroni, or barley may be cooked with the vegetables. pearl barley should be soaked in water before being cooked in the stock. other vegetables may be used for soup-making, as tomatoes, green peas, asparagus, and cauliflower. indeed, ingenuity in combining flavors and utilizing "left overs" should form no small part of soup-making. examination of meat left from soup-making.--which contains the more nutriment,--beef stock or the meat from which the stock was prepared? what valuable protein material does the solid meat contain (see _protein in meat_)? taste a bit of the meat. what does it lack? in what does the flavoring of this meat exist? what can be added to this "left over" meat as a substitute for its flavor? in the recipe for baked hash (below), what supplies flavor to the meat? baked hash l / cupfuls chopped meat and fat / cupful (or more) boiling water / cupfuls mashed potatoes or stock salt and pepper cupful cracker crumbs, _or_ cupfuls soft bread crumbs teaspoonful scraped onion chopped parsley tablespoonfuls butter or substitute mix all the ingredients, except the fat and crumbs. add enough water or stock to moisten all ingredients. place the mixture in a buttered baking- dish. mix the fat with the bread or cracker crumbs. cover the hash mixture with the crumbs, and bake slowly until the meat is thoroughly heated and the crumbs browned. serve at once. lesson lxiv beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (c) rolled beefsteak pound round steak cupful soft bread crumbs / teaspoonful ground cloves pepper / teaspoonful salt small onion, chopped hot water or milk, salt, pepper, flour and fat [illustration: figure .--rump.] cut round steak of / inch thickness into pieces by inches. make a stuffing of the bread crumbs, chopped onions, cloves, salt, pepper, with enough hot water or milk to moisten. spread the stuffing over the pieces of steak, roll up each piece and tie it with a piece of string, or skewer it with toothpicks. dredge generously with flour and add salt and pepper. brown in beef drippings or other fat, cover with boiling water, and simmer for / hours or until tender. remove the strings or toothpicks, and serve the meat with the sauce in which it was cooked. if the meat has not been cut thin enough, it may be pounded with a wooden potato masher or mallet to make it sufficiently thin. beef stew pounds beef / cupful flour teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful pepper onion cut into slices quart hot water carrots, cut in dice turnip, cut in dice potatoes, cut in dice tablespoonful kitchen bouquet remove the fat from the meat to be stewed; cut the meat into -inch pieces. dredge the meat with the flour; add the salt and pepper. try out the fat in a frying pan; remove the scraps. brown the onion and then the meat in the hot fat. add the hot water and pieces of bone and cook in the frying pan for hours at a low temperature; or turn into a double boiler and cook for the same length of time. add vegetables, except potatoes, and cook for i hour longer; add the potatoes / hour before the stew is done. if desired, more flour,--mixed with enough cold water to pour easily,--may be added when the potatoes are added. remove the bone, add kitchen bouquet, and serve. thickening the sauce of meat cooked in water.--when meat is dipped in flour, then browned in fat, and finally cooked in water, the flour thickens the water and forms a sauce around the meat. usually, however, more flour needs to be added to the sauce to make it sufficiently thick. sometimes directions for adding a flour-and-water paste to the hot meat stock are given, but unless the flour-and-water paste is cooked for some time (boiled for minutes at least) the sauce does not have a pleasing flavor. this is because the starch is insufficiently cooked or the flour is not browned. it has been found much more satisfactory to sprinkle a little extra flour into the hot fat while browning the floured meat. thus the sauce is made smooth, and the starch cooked thoroughly by the time the sauce is ready to serve. questions if round steak has been cut too thick for rolling, what is a practical way of making it of one half inch thickness? for what purpose is rolled steak browned in fat before cooking in water? explain why the rolled steak is cooked in water at simmering rather than at boiling temperature. what is the purpose of dredging these meats in flour? why are not the vegetables added to the beef stew when the boiling water is added? why are not the potatoes added with the other vegetables? why is the bone added to the beef stew? name at least two cuts of beef that would be suitable for beef stew. what are the prices per pound of these cuts? lesson lxv beef: methods of cooking tough cuts (d) swiss steak / pounds round steak, cut to / inches thick / to cupful flour suet or bacon fat / onion, sliced / teaspoonfuls salt dash pepper with the edge of a saucer, pound the flour into both sides of the steak. in a frying pan, put the suet or bacon fat and brown the onion in it. then brown both sides of the floured meat in the fat. cover with boiling water and let the meat cook at simmering temperature either on top of the range or in the oven from / to hours or until it is tender. add enough salt and pepper to season the meat. if necessary, evaporate the sauce around the meat until it is of sufficient thickness to serve as brown sauce. serve the meat and sauce hot. if desired, the meat may be stewed in tomato juice instead of water. (if tomato is added, what kind of frying pan (_i.e._ of what material) should be used in cooking the meat? see _suggestions for cooking fruits._) this variation may also be made: one half green pepper may be chopped and sprinkled over the surface of the steak while the latter is simmering. the onion may be omitted, if desired. pot roast pounds beef flour salt pork or suet / bay leaf peppercorns salt and pepper / cupful each,--diced carrot, turnip, onion, and celery [illustration: figure .--cross rib, boston cut, or english cut] try out the fat and remove the scraps. dredge the meat generously with flour and brown the entire surface in the fat. place the meat on a rack in the kettle; surround it with the vegetables and spices, and season it with salt and pepper. add cupfuls of boiling water; cover closely and simmer for hours. turn after the second hour. serve hot both the meat and the sauce containing vegetables. note--this meat may be saved and used in the following lesson regarding the uses of cooked beef [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_ teachers college figure --skirt steak, flank steak.] summary of the methods of cooking tough cuts of meat--there are many recipes for cooking meats all, however, are modifications of a few methods. moist heat must be applied to tough cuts of meat (see _tough cuts of beef_) the methods of cooking such cuts can be summed up as follows _soup-making_--soak meat, bone, and fat in cold salted water, and then cook below boiling temperature in the water. . "_boiling" or stewing_.--plunge meat into boiling water; boil until well seared; then cook in water below the boiling temperature. . _pot-roasting and braising_.--sear meat by boiling or browning in fat, then cook in steam. if the cooking is done on the top of the range, it is called pot-roasting. if it is done in the oven, it is called braising. questions what is the chief difference between pot-roasting and braising? why is it not necessary to baste meats cooked by these methods? what is the difference between braising and roasting meats (see _roasting_)? why is braising suitable for tough cuts, and roasting for tender cuts (see experiments and )? name at least three cuts of meat suitable for pot roasts. give the price per pound of each. lesson lxvi beef: uses of cooked beef "left overs"--small pieces of cooked meat should not be thrown away; they can be used in many ways. even though the meat has been cooked so as to extract its juices, there still remains practically all of the myosin, and this is a valuable constituent. if the juices have been drawn from the meat, a little fresh meat should be added to it, or it should be seasoned well with condiments, spices, or herbs. water in which the meat has been cooked, and "left over" gravy, should be utilized in making sauces for cooked meats. cooked meat of tender cut should merely be reheated, not recooked. hence it is usually well to cut it into pieces or chop it fine in order to heat it quickly. as in soup-making, ingenuity in combining and using "left over" materials is required in making meat dishes. stewed tomatoes can be substituted for stock or gravy, and one starchy food substituted for another. the recipes here given simply serve as suggestions. the ingredients and proportions should be changed to utilize available materials. scalloped meat cupfuls chopped meat tablespoonfuls fat tablespoonfuls flour l- / teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful pepper teaspoonful scraped onion or chopped parsley l- / cupfuls milk, stock, or water cupfuls buttered crumbs (see _crumbs for scalloped dishes_.) make a brown sauce of the fat, salt, pepper, flour, onion or parsley, and milk or stock. mix with the meat. butter the crumbs, and place about one half cupful in the bottom of the buttered baking-dish. add the meat mixture, and cover the top with the remainder of the crumbs. bake in the oven until the mixture is thoroughly heated and the crumbs are brown. _cold fish_ may be shredded and used in the same way. cottage pie.--use the same ingredients as for scalloped meat, substituting mashed potatoes for buttered bread crumbs. place the potato only on the top of the mixture. a little nutmeg may be substituted for the onion. questions how does meat left from beef stock differ from fresh meat in nutritive value? how does it differ in taste? name a starchy food that could be substituted for potatoes in baked hash. why are spices and herbs added to left over meat dishes? name at least three vegetable-and-meat combinations that would be desirable for hash. how many cupfuls of chopped cooked meat can be obtained from one pound of fresh meat? why should cooked meat of tender cut be reheated rather than recooked? lesson lxvii gelatine (a) experiment : effect of cold water on gelatine.--pour teaspoonful of cold water on / teaspoonful gelatine. cover and let stand a few minutes. examine. has the water combined with the gelatine? press a bit of the gelatine with a spoon. how does it compare with the dry gelatine as to hardness? experiment : effect of hot water on gelatine.--pour teaspoonful boiling water on / teaspoonful gelatine. place the mixture over hot water. stir. what is the effect of boiling water on gelatine? note.--use the gelatine from these two experiments for the preparation of the gelatine dessert of the lesson. gelatine.--when the beef stock of lesson lxii was strained and cooled, what material, other than fat and protein, was present in it? from what substance in the meat and bone was this material formed (see _protein in meat_; _use of bone and fat in soup-making_; _examination of cold beef stock_)? the gelatine which is found at market is prepared from the bones, gristle, skin, and other portions of animals. although gelatine may be purchased in several different forms, housekeepers find the granulated or pulverized gelatine the most convenient to use. one ounce of granulated gelatine will stiffen / to quarts of jelly. in hot weather more is required. if fruit, vegetables, or nuts are to be molded in the jelly, use / ounces of gelatine. gelatine should be first hydrated (_i.e._ combined with water) by means of cold water, and then dissolved in boiling water. the value of gelatine.--gelatine is an incomplete protein, _i.e._ it is lacking in certain amino acids and hence while a good fuel, it does not, without the help of other proteins, both build and repair the body. the usual gelatine dish contains such a small quantity of gelatine that the question of its food value may be disregarded. the sugar and fruit, however, that are invariably used in gelatine dishes give them food value. since gelatine liquefies readily by heating, it is valuable in liquid diet. lemon jelly tablespoonful granulated gelatine _or_ / ounce shredded gelatine / cupful cold water / cupful sugar salt / cupfuls boiling water / cupful lemon juice mix the gelatine and cold water. let them stand until the water is absorbed. add the boiling water, sugar, and salt. stir until the gelatine is dissolved completely, then add the fruit juice, strain, and pour into a mold. set in a cool place to harden. _gelatine mixtures should be covered while soaking and cooling_. _to remove jelly from the mold_, apply a cloth wrung out of hot water to the outside of the mold. fruit jelly prepare lemon jelly mixture. cover and allow to cool until it begins to stiffen. peel oranges and bananas; cut them into small pieces or slices. cut nuts into pieces. stir in the prepared fruit and nuts. turn into a mold, cover, and put in a cool place until firm. serve cold, with or without cream. other fruits may be used instead of those mentioned in the recipe. if pineapple is used it must be cooked before adding to jelly. pineapple contains an enzyme which liquefies gelatine. hence jelly containing fresh pineapple fails to stiffen. whipped jelly when a gelatine mixture is cool and begins to stiffen, it may be whipped with a dover egg beater. air beaten into a gelatine dessert changes it in appearance and quantity. lemon jelly may be varied as follows: prepare lemon jelly mixture. cover and set aside to cool. then divide into two portions. add fruit to one portion and turn it into a mold and set aside in a cool place. whip the second portion of jelly. when the jelly in the mold is stiff, pour the whipped jelly over it and set aside to cool. when ready to serve, unmold, garnish with fruit or nuts, if desired. serve with top milk, plain or whipped cream or custard sauce. questions what is the purpose of covering the gelatine while soaking and cooling? why is it necessary to dissolve the gelatine completely? what would be the effect of adding cold fruit juice to the hot gelatine mixture? what must be the temperature of water to dissolve gelatine? from this explain why the gelatine should be dissolved before the fruit juice is added. what is the purpose of straining gelatine mixtures? through what should gelatine mixtures be strained? of what material should jelly molds be made? why? how are jellies removed from the molds without breaking or marring the jellies? explain. when fruit is to be added to jelly, what is the purpose of allowing the jelly to cool and almost stiffen before adding the fruit? lesson lxviii gelatine (b) snow pudding tablespoonful granulated gelatine / cupful cold water cupful sugar salt cupful boiling water / cupful lemon juice or egg whites mix these ingredients (except egg whites) as for lemon jelly. set aside to cool. beat the egg whites until stiff. when the gelatine mixture begins to stiffen, beat it (surrounded by ice water) until it becomes frothy, then add the beaten egg whites and continue beating until the mixture begins to stiffen. turn into a mold and set aside in a cool place. serve with chilled custard sauce. for the sauce, follow the recipe for soft custard, using egg yolks (instead of whole eggs) and / cupful of sugar (instead of / cupful). in case only egg yolks are used in making the custard, teaspoonful of corn-starch may be used for additional thickening, as suggested. the addition of / cupful of chopped nuts to snow pudding makes a pleasing variation. the nuts should be added just before turning the mixture into the mold. snow pudding may be prepared by whipping plain lemon jelly as directed in the previous lesson and serving it with custard sauce. the use of egg whites, however, adds to the food value of the dessert and makes it more tasty. pineapple bavarian cream tablespoonful gelatine / cupful cold water small can ( ounces) shredded pineapple boiling water / cupful sugar salt tablespoonfuls lemon juice / cupful (or more) whipped cream mix the gelatine and cold water and let stand until the water is absorbed. drain the sirup from the shredded pineapple and add enough water to it to make / cupfuls. heat the pineapple sirup and water to boiling point. then pour it over the gelatine mixture. stir until the gelatine is dissolved. add the sugar and salt and continue stirring until they are dissolved. add the lemon juice. cover and set aside in a cold place until the mixture begins to stiffen. whip the cream. add the shredded pineapple and whipped cream to the gelatine mixture. surround this with ice water and beat until the mixture again begins to stiffen. turn into a mold and set aside in a cool place. serve cold. questions what is the price per package of gelatine? how many ounces are there in one package? how many tablespoonfuls in one package? determine the cost of lemon jelly. of snow pudding. what is the difference in the cost? which is lighter in weight,--beaten egg white or plain lemon jelly? from this, explain why it is necessary to set the gelatine mixture aside until it begins to stiffen before adding the beaten egg-white in the preparation of snow pudding. explain why the gelatine mixture should be in a slightly stiffened condition before the whipped cream is added to it in the preparation of bavarian cream. lesson lxix fish (a) experiment : effect of soaking fish in water.--soak a piece of fresh fish in water for at least minutes. strain the water and heat it to the boiling point. what foodstuff is found in the water? what practical application can be drawn from the result of this experiment as to washing fish? experiment : effect of boiling fish rapidly.--boil a small piece of fresh fish rapidly for a few minutes. what happens to the fish? judging from this experiment, what care must be taken in cooking and serving fish? from the results of experiments and , which method,--boiling or baking,--would be more desirable for cooking fish? why? comparison of beef with fish.--fish is an animal food containing protein. it differs from beef in structure and composition. most fish contains more water than does beef, hence it has not as high a nutritive value. in the quantity of protein, however, fish is about equal to beef; its protein is also complete. hence many consider it quite as nutritious as beef. it is lacking in extractives, and needs careful seasoning. fat of fish.--the fat content of fish varies greatly in different kinds of fish. a few fish, such as salmon for example, contain considerable fat. the edible portion of most fish, however, contains less fat than beef. the ease with which we digest fish depends upon the fat it contains. fish containing the least quantity of fat is the most easily digested. classes of fish.--according to the quantity of fat it contains, fish may be divided into two classes: _(_a_) dry, or_ lean _fish_, and _(_b_) oily fish_. cod, haddock, smelt, flounder, perch, bass, brook trout, and pike are dry, or lean fish. salmon, shad, mackerel, herring, eel, halibut, lake trout, and white fish are oily fish. (this latter group contains from to per cent of fat.) fish may also be divided into two classes, according to the water in which they live, fish from the sea being termed _salt-water fish_, and those from rivers and lakes _fresh-water fish_ since fish contains about as much protein as does beef, it should be generally used as a meat alternative. inspection of the fish found at market will doubtless acquaint you with many kinds of fish. salmon timbale or loaf can salmon cupful soft bread crumbs / teaspoonfuls chopped parsley / teaspoonful salt pepper or eggs tablespoonful lemon juice / to / cupful milk mix all the ingredients thoroughly, adding enough milk to moisten. pour into buttered timbale molds or into one bowl. place on a rack in a pan, surround with hot water, and cover. bake in the oven or cook on top of the range until the fish mixture is firm and is heated thoroughly. turn out, and serve with white sauce to which chopped parsley has been added (for white sauce, see _white sauce for vegetables_. for the fat of the white sauce, use the oil drained from the salmon). peas in white sauce make a pleasing addition to salmon timbale, _tuna fish_ or other cooked fish may be used instead of salmon. casserole of fish cook cupful of rice or barley (see page ). measure the ingredients given in salmon timbale or loaf, using salmon or any kind of canned or cooked fish, and prepare a fish loaf. let the cereal cool slightly after cooking. then line a baking dish or a mold with about three fourths of the cooked rice or barley, pressing it in the dish firmly with a spoon. put the fish mixture in the cavity and cover it with the remainder of the cereal. steam the food to minutes. turn from the mold and serve hot with white sauce as directed for salmon timbale. any kind of _cooked_ and _chopped meat_ may be used instead of fish and combined with rice or barley as described above. questions what purpose do the eggs serve in salmon loaf? think of the effect of intense heat upon the different ingredients in this fish mixture, and then explain why it should not cook for a long time or at a high temperature. what is the price per can of salmon? of tuna fish? name two fresh fish that are in market now. what is the price per pound of each? lesson lxx fish (b) freshness of fish.--fish is a food which spoils very quickly, and which is dangerous to eat if not fresh. for this reason the housekeeper should be able to judge of the freshness of fish. in fresh fish: (_a_) the flesh is firm and elastic, especially along the backbone. ( ) the gills are bright. (_c_) the eyes are bright and bulging. the sinking of fish when placed in water has also been given as an indication of its fitness for use as food. decayed fish floats on water. since fish spoils readily, it must be frozen if kept for any length of time. frozen fish is not undesirable provided it is kept in a frozen state until used; it should be thawed out by placing it in cold water _just before cooking_. fish that has been thawed out and kept for some time before cooking may contain at times poisonous substances called _ptomaines_. ptomaines in food may produce distressing effects or may even prove fatal. fresh fish should be kept in a cool place until used, but should not be placed uncovered in the refrigerator. it may, however, be tightly covered,--put in a tin pail or glass jar,--and placed in the refrigerator. before cooking, fish should be washed thoroughly with a wet cloth. on account of the odor, all utensils used in the cooking of fish should be washed in salted water. baked fish clean and wash a large fish. the head or tail may or may not be removed before baking. if the head is retained, the eyes should be removed before serving; this is done more easily after cooking. if the tail is retained, it should be wrapped in oiled paper to prevent it from burning. [illustration: figure .--fish kettle, showing rack] sprinkle salt on the inside of the fish and also on the outside, and then fill with stuffing. skewer the cut edges of the fish together or close the incision as follows: hold the edges of the skin together and thrust toothpicks across the opening, through both cut edges of the fish. then fasten the opening by _"lacing"_ string around the toothpicks. cut gashes on each side across the fish and put strips of salt pork into them or insert strips of pork with a larding needle. oil a baking sheet or the rack of a fish kettle (see figure ) and place the fish on it, forming the fish into an "s" by means of skewers. place the sheet in a baking-pan and add pieces of salt pork. bake minutes for each pound, or until the flesh can be separated easily from the bones by means of a skewer or a fork. if the baking-pan is uncovered, baste every minutes. when done, carefully remove the fish from the pan and place on a platter, garnish with parsley and lemon, and serve with _tomato sauce_ or _sauce for fish_ (see below). in the absence of a baking sheet, two well oiled strips of muslin may be placed across the baking-pan, underneath the fish. when baked, the fish may be removed easily from the pan by means of the strips of muslin. stuffing for fish cupfuls soft bread crumbs / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper cayenne teaspoonful scraped onion teaspoonful chopped parsley teaspoonful capers or chopped pickles tablespoonfuls butter or substitute mix the ingredients in the order given (see _crumbs for scalloped dishes_) sauce for fish tablespoons butter or substitute / cupful flour / teaspoonful salt cayenne l / cupfuls hot water / cupful vinegar _or_ large lemon,--juice tablespoonful chopped parsley prepare the first five ingredients as in white sauce (see _white sauce for vegetables_. then add vinegar or lemon juice and chopped parsley. serve hot over fish. hard-cooked eggs make a pleasing addition to this sauce. chop the whole eggs or slice the whites and mash the yolks with a fork; then add to the sauce. questions why should fish not be left uncovered in the refrigerator? why should fish be cleaned by wiping with a cloth, rather than by placing in a pan of water (see experiment )? what is the purpose of placing fish on a baking sheet or placing strips of muslin underneath for baking (see experiment )? how is fish tested for sufficient cooking? how can the odor be removed from utensils in which fish has been cooked? lesson lxxi fish (c) planked (broiled) fish an oak plank,--one inch in thickness and as long and wide as a large platter,--is a satisfactory device for broiling fish. for planking or broiling, fish steaks or thin, flat fish, such as mackerel or bluefish, should be selected. clean the fish, then place it, skin side down, on the plank. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and spread with softened or melted butter. place in the broiling oven and broil until done, usually or minutes. a border of potato puff mixture makes a pleasing addition to the fish (see _potato puff_). a few minutes before the fish is done, remove it from the oven and arrange the potato mixture around it. (a pastry bag and tube may be used for this purpose.) brush the potato with egg diluted with water ( tablespoonful of water to egg). return the plank to the oven to finish broiling the fish and to brown the potatoes. serve the fish and potatoes on the plank. fried or sauteed fish clean fish and season with salt and pepper. mix equal parts of corn-meal and flour. dip the fish in this mixture. fry in deep fat or saute. drain and serve with a sauce. dried bread or cracker crumbs, and egg may be used for dipping instead of the corn-meal and flour mixture (see _fried oysters_). fish chowder / pound salt fish _or_ pounds fresh fish quart potatoes cut in pieces tablespoonfuls bacon drippings _or_ other fat onion, chopped tablespoonfuls corn-meal pint milk crackers if salt fish is used, hold it under running water for a few minutes (why?), then shred it. if fresh fish is used, wash it, remove bones if possible, and cut it into six or eight pieces. brown the onion in the fat. into a kettle put layers of fish and potatoes and add a little browned onion and corn-meal to each layer. cover with hot water and boil gently until the potatoes are tender. add the milk and continue heating until the mixture is hot. just before serving, add a few crackers broken into pieces. questions state the advantages of using a plank for broiling fish. why select fish steaks or thin, flat fish for broiling? what is the purpose of brushing the potato mixture with egg? give two reasons for using well seasoned sauces and stuffing with fish (see _comparison of beef with fish_). lesson lxxii legumes (a) the legumes include peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts. these plants bear pods containing seeds; the seeds--green or ripened--and the pods of some of the plants are commonly used as foods. protein in seeds.--many foods rich in protein belong to the animal kingdom. the seeds of plants, however, contain protein. the common cereals, wheat and corn, contain almost per cent of protein, while oats contain about per cent. but the dried seeds of legumes exceed all seeds in protein content. peas, beans, lentils, and peanuts contain more protein than most cuts of meat. about per cent of their composition is protein. soy-beans are much richer in protein than any of the other legumes. they contain about per cent. it has been mentioned that proteins differ in quality. although the dried legumes are especially rich in protein, they do not all contain complete protein. with the exception of peanuts and soy-beans, these foods need to be supplemented with other protein-rich foods such as milk, eggs, and cheese. since the dried legumes are a much cheaper source of protein than meat, they should be used oftener than they are. legumes supplemented with milk or combined with a small quantity of meat furnish economical sources of protein food. the protein in legumes is called _legumin_. cooking dried legumes.--the dried legumes should be soaked overnight in water, to which a little baking soda has been added. these vegetables require long cooking to soften them, and also to develop flavor. a little soda added to the water in which they are cooked also aids in softening them and neutralizes the vegetable acid found in some of the legumes. during the long heating, dried legumes break up, if not carefully cooked. dried soy-beans have a strong flavor which is objectionable. this can be removed as follows: soak the beans overnight in a large quantity of hot water, drain, add fresh water and baking soda (about teaspoonful for each cupful of beans), and cook the beans for about minutes, then drain, add more water, and cook until they are tender. dried soy-beans require long cooking,--usually or hours. after the -minute cooking, they may be drained, heated in more water, and then placed in a _fireless cooker_. the _pressure cooker_ may be used effectively in cooking these dried beans. soy-beans may also be baked after the -minute cooking in the same manner as navy beans (see _boston baked beans_). serve cooked soy-beans with tomato sauce. although dried legumes are comparatively cheap, the fuel required to cook them for so long a time may increase their cost to a considerable extent. in cooking these foods, care should be taken to utilize fuel that is already required for some other purpose. the _fireless cooker_ is most satisfactory in cooking these dried foods. boston baked beans cupfuls navy beans tablespoonfuls molasses or brown sugar teaspoonfuls salt ounces salt pork or bacon / teaspoonful mustard soak the beans overnight as directed in _cooking dried legumes_. add a little baking soda and gradually heat to the boiling point. then add the seasoning to the beans; place half of them in a bean crock; and add the pork which has been scraped and scored. (to score salt pork cut gashes in it nearly to the rind.) add the remainder of the beans and enough water to cover them slightly. bake in a slow oven ( degrees f.) to hours. keep the beans below the boiling point and see that they are covered with liquid. _lentils_ may be baked in the same way as beans. salted peanuts / cupful salt cupful shelled unroasted peanuts cupfuls water teaspoonfuls butter or substitute remove the skins from the peanuts by placing them in boiling water for minutes; drain, cover with cold water; and then slip off the skins. heat the salt and water, and when boiling, add the peanuts. _cook minutes_. drain, rinse off the salt, place in a baking-pan, add the fat, and bake until slightly browned, stirring often. turn from the pan on paper. questions why should dried vegetables be soaked in water before cooking? measure the beans after soaking. how much have they increased in bulk? what is the reason for keeping the beans below the boiling point while baking? devise a method for preparing baked beans, when they can remain in the oven but an hour or two. how are fatty meats cleaned? why can they not be cleaned by washing in water (see experiment )? what is the purpose of scoring the salt pork or bacon? what is the advantage of seasoning peanuts by cooking in strong salted water rather than sprinkling salt over them after browning? what are the prices of beans and raw peanuts per pound? how many cupfuls in a pound of each? lesson lxxiii legumes (b) bean soup cupfuls beans quarts water baking soda piece of celery root _or_ / teaspoonful celery salt _or_ dried celery leaves l / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute slices onion cayenne / teaspoonful pepper teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful mustard tablespoonfuls flour soak the beans overnight; add soda, onion, and celery. cook slowly until the beans are soft. add more water, if more than one quart evaporates. press through a strainer. use the remainder of the ingredients in making a sauce. the strained beans should be used as the liquid for the sauce (see _thick soups_). slices of lemon and of hard-cooked eggs may be used as a garnish for this soup. split pea soup cupful split peas / quarts water baking soda slices onion pint milk / teaspoonful pepper l / teaspoonfuls salt tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls butter or substitute soak the peas overnight; add soda and onion; and cook slowly until the peas are soft. press through a strainer. make a white sauce of the remainder of the ingredients. add the strained peas, heat, and serve. cooking a ham bone with the split peas changes the flavor. green pea soup pint or can of peas / teaspoonful sugar pint liquid round peas and water pepper teaspoonful salt / tablespoonfuls butter or substitute pint milk tablespoonfuls flour turn the peas into a saucepan; add the liquid, water, and sugar; and cook until very soft. press the peas through a strainer. make a white sauce of the remaining ingredients. add the strained peas, heat, and serve. peas too old to serve as a vegetable may be used for soup. some of the pods of fresh peas may be cooked with the peas. crisp crackers spread thin crackers very lightly with butter. brown in the oven and serve with soup. questions how should the water boil to prevent dried legumes from breaking (see _cooking vegetables in water_)? what is the simplest way of thickening soup, if it is too thin? too thick? if a ham bone is cooked with split peas, what ingredient should be omitted in making the soup? why? how many persons will these recipes for soup serve? how many cupfuls in a pound of split peas? what is the cost per pound of split peas? how much does one cupful of split peas increase in bulk by soaking? what quantity of split peas would be equal to a can of peas? what is the cost of a can of peas? how much is saved in making soup by using split peas rather than green peas? lesson lxxiv legumes (c) bean roast cupful white beans, cooked cupful roasted peanuts / cupful bread crumbs teaspoonful salt speck pepper / cupful milk put the beans and peanuts through a food chopper, add the remaining ingredients. mix and shape into a loaf. place in an oiled dish and bake minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot with tomato sauce. peanut butter soup cupful peanut butter / cupful chopped celery / cupfuls water cupfuls milk teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful pepper grated potato mix the peanut butter with i cupful of milk. heat cupfuls of milk in a double boiler. cook the celery in the water until the vegetable is tender. add the grated potato, cook, and stir until the mixture is thickened. then add it to the hot milk. also add the peanut butter mixture and seasoning. heat until it is hot. beat with a dover egg beater. serve hot. dried celery leaves may be used instead of fresh celery. questions mention the nutrients contained in the food materials of bean roast and peanut butter soup. discuss the value of each nutrient. calculate the cost of bean roast. how many persons will it serve? how many persons will one pound of chopped beef serve? estimate the difference in cost of one serving of bean roast and of chopped steak. what is the purpose of grated potato in peanut butter soup? what substance could be substituted for the grated potato? state the method of mixing and cooking if the substitution were made. related work lesson lxxv cost of food foods differ greatly in cost.--one pound of rice costs much less than one pound of beefsteak. one cut of meat may cost less per pound than another. twenty-five cents buys much less in weight of sweetbreads than of beefsteak. many factors other than difference in cost must, however, be taken into consideration when determining the value of foods. cost of food in relation to nutritive value.--foods differ in nutritive value per pound. one pound of dried split peas contains more than three times as much nutriment as one pound of fresh peas. the nutritive value of a pound of sweetbreads is much less than that of a pound of beefsteak. cost of food in relation to refuse.--although one cut of meat may sell for more than another, the higher priced one may be cheaper because there is less waste. in most localities flank steak costs more per pound than shoulder steak; yet flank steak is the cheaper meat because it is all edible, while there is about one fifth waste in most shoulder steak. one pays for some refuse even when purchasing eggs. cost of food in relation to season.--most foods are higher in price when out of season. strawberries may cost seventy-five cents per quart in february and twenty-five cents in the spring or summer months. an unseasonable food is invariably expensive. cost of food in relation to weight.--food labels often contain valuable information. the weight of the contents of a package, can, or bottle, and sometimes the composition of food appears on them. packages, bottles, and cans of equal size do not always contain the same quantity of foods. the shape or thickness of a container also affects the quantity of its contents. by examining labels and noting weight and composition, the price and quality of one brand of foods may be compared with another. household scales are useful in checking up the weight of foods, such as meats, fats, and vegetables. by weighing foods after they have been purchased, a housekeeper can determine if a dealer is giving her that for which she pays. lessening the cost of foods.--there are many things, then, that the thrifty buyer should take into consideration when purchasing foods. it is one of the obligations of a woman who purchases and plans the foods for a family to be careful of expense. the following statement concerning thrift is both forceful and true: "it is not beneath the dignity of any family to avoid useless expenditure no matter how generous its income, and the intelligent housekeeper should take as much pride in setting a good table, at a low price, as the manufacturer does in lessening the cost of production in his factory." [footnote : _united states department of agriculture_, farmers' bulletin , "economical use of meat in the home," p. .] calculation of the cost of food.--in counting the cost of foods, it is necessary to know not only the price per pound, quart, dozen, or package, but the measurement in cupfuls of the given weight. most of the data for the list given below can be obtained from labels on the containers and from the notes on the weights and measures of various foods prepared from the "questions" of this text. the dashes indicate that data are not required. the cost should be calculated to four decimal places. foods cost measure cost per cost per cost per per in cupful table- tea- pound, cupfuls spoonful spoonful quart, of etc. pound, quart, etc. apricots (dried) ----- ----- baking powder ----- ----- beans, dried ----- ----- butter butter substitute cheese ----- ----- cocoa ----- ----- coffee heaping ----- table- spoonful corn-meal ----- ----- corn-starch ----- cream of wheat ----- ----- cream ----- currants ----- ----- (dried) eggs (see ----- one ----- experiment flour, white ----- flour, whole wheat ----- ----- flour, graham ----- ----- gelatine ----- lard ----- macaroni ----- ----- meat, chopped ----- ----- milk ----- ----- potatoes ----- one ----- ----- potato prunes (dried) ----- ----- raisins (dried) ----- ----- rice ----- ----- rolled oats ----- ----- salt ----- split peas ----- ----- sugar, brown ----- ----- sugar, granulated ----- ----- sugar, loaf one ----- ----- lump sugar, powdered ----- ----- tapioca ----- ----- tea ----- vanilla ----- ----- ----- vegetable oil ----- wheatena ----- ----- lesson lxxvi cooking and serving a breakfast cook and serve a breakfast. the following menu is suggested: oranges or baked apples goldenrod eggs baked mush with honey or marmalade cocoa follow the english or family style of serving. serve the breakfast with or without a maid. calculate the cost of the meal. in determining the cost, use the data from the previous lesson for the staple materials. the cost of fresh foods such as oranges or apples may be secured from the one who did the marketing or from the grocer's statement. lesson lxxvii review: meal cooking menu cereal with fruit poached egg on toast see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson lxxviii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix] suggestions for home work.--set the table for the evening meal each day. cook at least one tough cut of meat each week. suggested aims: ( ) to lay the cloth smooth and straight. ( ) to place the dishes in a neat and orderly way on the table. ( ) to make as few trips as possible from the cupboard to the dining table. ( ) to plan the entire number of dishes, knives, forks, spoons, and other things needed during the meal, and then place these on the dining table or other suitable place where they may be conveniently obtained when the meal is being served. ( ) to prepare the tough meat so that it is tender, moist, and tasty. ( ) to determine the cost of meat. division seven health and growth-promoting foods,--rich in vitamines lesson lxxix vitamines--vegetables of delicate flavor vitamines.--in determining the proper diet for perfect nourishment, scientists long since came to the conclusion that the body needed a certain quantity of carbohydrates, fats, protein, ash, and water. they were all agreed that all these foodstuffs needed to be represented in the foods making up a day's diet. scientists also found that these foodstuffs must exist in a certain proportion in a day's food,--that there should be enough of each of the foodstuffs to meet the needs of the body. a diet made up of foods in which all the foodstuffs were represented in the proper proportion was termed a _balanced ration_. investigations of recent years, however, show that these foodstuffs alone do not afford perfect nourishment. much valuable scientific work is being done on the question of adequate diet. it is found that _certain substances_ contained in foods in small amounts are absolutely essential in diet. when animals are fed foods containing only the foodstuffs mentioned above and none of these other substances, they cease growing, become diseased, and eventually die. these materials so necessary to the growth and maintenance of animal life are termed _vitamines_ by some authorities. there are three classes of vitamines, called _fat-soluble a_, _water-soluble b_, and _water-soluble c_. it is now believed that there is at least one more vitamine. although vitamines exist in foods only in minute quantities it is necessary to use foods containing all the kinds of vitamines to promote growth and to keep in health. fat-soluble a, especially with certain minerals, is thought to prevent rickets and a disease of the eye called xerophthalmia. during the war, because of inadequate diet, many cases of these diseases developed in europe. water-soluble b is called the _anti-neuritic vitamine_ because it is necessary to prevent a disease called polyneuritis or beri-beri (see _polished and unpolished rice_). water-soluble c is called the _anti-scorbutic vitamine_ because it is necessary to prevent a disease called scurvy. foods containing fat-soluble a are _milk_, _eggs_, and _leafy vegetables_. leafy vegetables include: spinach, lettuce, celery tops, beet tops, swiss chard, collards, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and onions. milk products, such as butter and cheese, and cod-liver oil also contain fat-soluble a. it is also thought to be present in certain vegetables such as carrots, which are not leafy vegetables. not all fat foods contain fat- soluble a. it does not exist in the vegetable oils. it has been demonstrated that foods rich in fat-soluble a, especially milk, eggs, and leafy vegetables, are most essential in diet. according to mccollum, dry leaves contain to times as much total ash as do seeds; the former are also especially rich in the important elements calcium, sodium, and chlorine, in which the seed is poorest. hence leafy vegetables not only abound in the growth-promoting vitamine but in certain essential minerals. cereals, root vegetables, and meat need to be supplemented with milk and leafy vegetables. because milk, eggs, and leafy vegetables are so valuable and essential in diet, these foods have been termed _protective foods_. fresh milk contains fat-soluble a and a small quantity of water-soluble b and water-soluble c. its value as a food has been previously discussed. doubtless the leafy vegetables are not as generally and as constantly used as they should be. root vegetables and cereals seem to be a much more popular form of vegetable food. the pupil should realize the importance of these foods and when possible explain their use in her home. learning to prepare leafy vegetables so as to retain their nutriment and to make them appetizing would doubtless do much in promoting their use. foods containing water-soluble b.--water-soluble b is more widely distributed in foods than is fat-soluble a. it occurs for the most part, however, in vegetable foods. plants containing this vitamine include seeds, root, stem, and leafy vegetables. whole grains, legumes, spinach, cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onions, turnips, beets, and tomatoes and all other commonly used vegetables contain water-soluble b. it is thought that the germ of whole grains, rather than the bran, furnishes water-soluble b. compressed yeast contains some of this vitamine, but none of the other two. foods containing water-soluble c include both animal and vegetable foods, but fresh fruits and green vegetables contain the largest quantity. orange juice, lettuce, cabbage, and spinach are valuable sources of this vitamine. milk and meat contain only a very small quantity of water- soluble c. saving the nutriment and flavor.--it was mentioned in _suggestions for cooking fresh vegetables_ that a saving of ash in vegetables meant a saving of both nutriment and flavor. if vegetables of delicate flavor are to be made tasty, it is especially necessary to lose none of the ash constituents. note that in the methods of cooking the vegetables of delicate flavor in this lesson that either the vegetables are cooked in such a way that no moisture needs to be drained from them, or the vegetable stock drained from them is used in making sauce for the vegetable. by these methods both nutriment and flavor are retained. spinach pound or / peck spinach / tablespoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper tablespoonfuls butter if the spinach is at all wilted, place it in cold water until it becomes fresh and crisp. cut off the roots, break the leaves apart, and drop them in a pan of water. wash well, and then lift them into a second pan of water; wash again, and continue until no sand appears in the bottom of the pan. lift from the water, drain, and place in a granite utensil, and add the seasoning. steam until tender (usually about minutes). add the butter, cut the leaves with a knife and fork. turn into a hot dish and serve at once. spinach is most pleasing if served with a few drops of vinegar or a combination of oil and vinegar. if desired, the pepper may be omitted and tablespoonful of sugar added. spinach may also be garnished with slices of hard-cooked eggs, using eggs to / peck of spinach. spinach may be cooked directly over the flame, as follows: wash the spinach as directed above. then drain, and place in a saucepan or casserole. do not add water unless the spinach is old. add the seasoning, cover, and cook for minutes, pressing down and turning over the spinach several times during the cooking. cut with a knife and fork in the saucepan or casserole. add the butter, and simmer for minutes. serve at once. scalloped spinach with cheese pound spinach cupful thick white sauce / cupful cheese, cut in pieces to hard-cooked eggs, sliced cupfuls buttered bread crumbs wash the spinach and cook it by either of the methods given above. season it with / tablespoonful of salt. drain the moisture from the cooked spinach. use this liquid combined with milk for the liquid of the white sauce. season the sauce with / teaspoonful of salt and add the cheese to it. stir the mixture until the cheese is blended with the sauce. divide the spinach, sauce, and eggs into portions and the bread crumbs into portions, as directed for scalloped corn. place a layer of crumbs in a baking-dish, add a layer of spinach, sauce, and eggs. add another layer of each material and finally the third layer of crumbs. bake in a moderate oven until the materials are heated and the crumbs browned. serve hot. dried celery leaves [footnote : the stems of celery from which the leaves are cut, should be utilized. they may be used in a salad or cooked and served with white sauce as creamed celery. if the vegetable is cooked, it should be steamed or cooked in a small quantity of boiling water. in case the latter method is followed, the celery stock should be combined with milk and used in the preparation of the white sauce.] wash celery leaves and remove the stems. place the leaves on a platter or granite pan, cover with cheese-cloth, and set aside to dry. when perfectly dry, crumble the leaves and place them in a covered jar. use for flavoring soups and stews. questions in what kind of soil does spinach grow? what is the advantage of using two pans in washing spinach? what is the advantage of cooking in steam green vegetables of delicate flavor? if green vegetables are cooked in water, what is the advantage in using a small, rather than a large quantity of water? what is the price of spinach per pound or peck? how many persons does one pound or peck serve? what is the price of celery per bunch? what vitamines are present in spinach and celery leaves and stems? lesson lxxx vitamines--vegetables of strong flavor the effect of cooking and drying vitamine-rich foods.--since vitamines are so essential in food, the effect of cooking and drying upon the vitamine content of a food needs to be considered. there has been some difference of opinion regarding this matter. indeed, the question of whether or not vitamines of all vitamine-rich foods are destroyed by cooking and drying has not been determined. it is thought, however, that fat-soluble a may be destroyed in part by cooking at boiling temperature and that prolonged cooking may almost entirely destroy it. water-soluble b is thought to be little affected by ordinary home cooking processes. but when foods containing it are heated above boiling temperature, as in commercial canning and cooking in the pressure cooker, the vitamine is believed to be partially or completely destroyed. it is thought the water-soluble b vitamine present in foods is destroyed by cooking them in water to which baking soda or any alkali is added. water-soluble c is decidedly affected by heat. vegetables cooked for even twenty minutes at boiling temperature lose much of their usefulness in preventing scurvy. it is thought, however, that very young carrots cooked for a short time, and canned tomatoes, contain water-soluble c. drying also destroys to a great extent the anti-scorbutic effect of foods containing water-soluble c. most dried vegetables and fruits have been found valueless in checking scurvy. since there is no question about the vitamine content of uncooked vegetables, the use of salads containing lettuce and raw vegetables such as cabbage and carrots should find favor. spinach is a valuable food not only because it contains vitamines, but because it is rich in iron. young beet tops so often discarded contain too much valuable material to be wasted. nutriment _versus_ flavor.--if vegetables of strong flavor are cooked carefully in a large quantity of boiling water (at least quarts), a mild flavor results, but much of the ash is lost. if vegetables are steamed there is little loss of ash but the strong flavor is retained. in the cooking of cabbage, for example, investigation has shown that almost four times as much ash may be lost by boiling as by steaming. in the cooking of such vegetables as cabbage and onions the question arises: is it better to steam them and thus lose little nutriment but preserve the strong flavor; or to boil them in much water and thus lose much nutriment but secure delicate flavor? if strong cabbage flavor is not distasteful, steam it or cook it in a small quantity of water by all means. if delicate cabbage flavor is much more pleasing, cook it in much water. onions have such a strong flavor that most housekeepers prefer to sacrifice nutriment for flavor. creamed cabbage (cooked in much water) a head of cabbage should be cut into quarters and placed in cold water. if it is wilted, it should remain in the water until freshened. cook the cabbage uncovered from to minutes in a large quantity of boiling water ( teaspoonful of salt to i quart of water). the time depends upon the age of the cabbage. drain well. with the knife and fork cut the cabbage in the saucepan. (do not discard the core of young cabbage since it contains valuable nutrients.) mix with white sauce, using two parts of cabbage to one of white sauce. heat and serve (see _creamed and scalloped vegetables_). _scalloped cabbage_ may be prepared by placing creamed cabbage in a baking-dish, covering with buttered crumbs and baking until the crumbs are brown. instead of using white sauce with the cabbage, butter (or substitute), pepper, and more salt (if required) may be added. use tablespoonful of butter (or substitute) to each pint of cabbage. cabbage (cooked in little water) clean cabbage, then cut or chop both the leaves and core. cook in a _small quantity_ of boiling water from to minutes. the small quantity of stock which remains after cooking should be served with the vegetable to which butter (or substitute) and seasonings are added. the stock may also be drained from the cabbage and used in making white sauce in which the vegetable is served. creamed cabbage (steamed) cut and clean cabbage as directed above. place in a granite utensil and steam until tender (usually about minutes). cut the leaves and add white sauce as directed above. onions (cooked in much water) pound onions / cupful milk to tablespoonfuls butter / teaspoonful salt pepper peel and wash the onions; then cook uncovered in a large quantity of boiling salted water; change the water at the end of minutes and again in minutes; cook until tender. drain; add milk and seasonings and cook until the milk is hot. note.--it is advisable to save the water drained from onions, boil it down, and use it in soups, stews, or hash for flavor. onions may also be served with white sauce, or they may be scalloped, _i.e._ cut into quarters, placed in a baking-dish, covered with white sauce and buttered crumbs, and then browned in the oven. the stain and odor may be kept from the hands if onions are held under water when peeled. if onions are cooked uncovered in a _large quantity of gently boiling water in a well-ventilated kitchen_, not much odor is noticed. the fireless cooker, however, provides satisfactory means of cooking onions without the disagreeable odor (see lesson xxii). place the onions in a large quantity of water and boil for minutes. then cook in the fireless cooker from to hours, according to the size and the age of the onions, and the type of cooker. questions compare the three methods of cooking cabbage given in this lesson. state the advantages and disadvantages of each. why should the core or thick stem of cabbage be used as food? what is the price per pound of cabbage? what is the weight of one cabbage of average size? give suggestions for selecting a cabbage. why should onions be peeled under water? what is the purpose of changing the water twice in cooking onions? why is it advisable to save the water drained from onions and use it in soups and other foods? what is the price per pound of onions? how many persons will one pound of onions serve? lesson lxxxi salads (a) preparation of a salad.--a well-prepared salad is a good food. it is necessary, however, to prepare it so that it may be pleasing in appearance as well as in taste. the green vegetables used for salads should be crisp, cold, and dry when served. if several food materials are used, the flavors should blend. have the salad dressing well seasoned, and its ingredients well proportioned. add the dressing to a salad just before serving. lettuce for salad either leaf or head lettuce forms a part of almost all salads. it is often used as a bed for a salad, or as a border. for the latter purpose, leaf lettuce should be used and cut into strips with the scissors. keep lettuce in a cold place; separate the leaves, and place them in cold water until crisp and fresh. wash and look over carefully to see that no insects cling to them. shake the water from the leaves or place them in a cloth bag or a wire basket. then place the bag or basket in the refrigerator to drain. the leaves may also be dried with a towel. lettuce served with french dressing makes a plain but pleasing salad. when lettuce is used as a bed or border for a salad, it should be eaten and not left to be turned into the garbage can. french dressing clove of garlic _or_ slice of onion teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls salad oil half teaspoonful paprika tablespoonfuls vinegar or lemon juice rub a bowl with the clove of garlic or slice of onion. add the remainder of the ingredients, and stir until well blended. more vinegar or lemon juice may be used, if desired. chopped parsley or mint may be added. some find it convenient to put the materials for french dressing in a bottle or jar and mix the ingredients by shaking the bottle. for fruit salads, the addition of tablespoonful of sugar and teaspoonful of lemon juice to the french dressing recipe above makes a pleasing flavor. celery salt is thought by some to improve the flavor. from a quarter to a half teaspoonful may be added. coleslaw cupfuls shredded cabbage / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful mustard cayenne teaspoonful sugar egg or egg yolks / cupful milk teaspoonfuls butter or substitute / cupful vinegar heat the milk in a double boiler. beat the eggs, add the dry ingredients. then add the milk to them. return the mixture to the double boiler and cook as a custard (see _soft custard_). remove from the hot water, add the fat and vinegar, and _at once_ strain over the cabbage. set aside to cool. serve cold. carrot and cabbage salad medium-sized carrot cupfuls cabbage / cupful roasted peanuts french or cream salad dressing clean and scrape the carrot. wash the cabbage. put the carrot (uncooked), cabbage, and peanuts through the food chopper. mix with french or cream salad dressing. add more seasoning if necessary. serve at once. questions explain why it is necessary to dry the salad materials before adding the salad dressing. give at least three different vegetable mixtures that would be palatable and pleasing if served with french dressing. how is cabbage cleaned? how should it be cut for salad? when is the dressing usually added to salads? when is the dressing added to the coleslaw? give the reason for this exception. what is the purpose of the egg in this salad dressing? what could be substituted for the egg? give the method of preparation if this substitution were made. what is the price per pound of leaf lettuce? of head lettuce per pound or per head? what is the average number of leaves in a pound? what materials in carrot and cabbage salad contain vitamines? state the kind of vitamine present in each material. lesson lxxxii salads (b) stuffed eggs cut hard-cooked eggs into halves crosswise. remove the yolks, mash them, and for each egg add the following ingredients: tablespoonful chopped chicken, ham, or other meat dash salt teaspoonful vegetable oil or melted butter drops vinegar / teaspoonful mustard cayenne mix the ingredients. refill the whites with the yolk mixture. serve the stuffed eggs on lettuce leaves. the chopped chicken or meat may be omitted from the egg mixture, or a little chopped pickle or olive or cheese may be used instead of the meat. salad dressing may be served with stuffed eggs. cream salad dressing tablespoonfuls butter _or_ substitute tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls sugar pepper to eggs l / teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful mustard / cupfuls milk (sweet _or_ sour) / cupful vinegar make a sauce of the fat, flour, and milk. beat the eggs, add the seasonings. add the first mixture gradually to the egg mixture and cook over hot water as a custard (see _soft custard_). add the vinegar, strain. cool before serving. less mustard may be used, if desired. banana salad peel and scrape bananas. place them on lettuce leaves or surround with a border of shredded lettuce. cover with cream salad or mayonnaise dressing and sprinkle chopped peanuts or california walnuts over them. serve at once. banana salad may be varied by serving it with cream salad dressing to which peanut butter is added,--( / cupful salad dressing and / cupful peanut butter). do not use the chopped peanuts with this combination. a mixture of sliced apples and bananas served with the peanut butter dressing makes a pleasing salad. questions name the food materials contained in the above recipes which contain vitamines. what kind of vitamines does each contain? give two methods of hard-cooking eggs (see _hard-cooked eggs_). in stuffed eggs what meats could be substituted for chopped chicken or ham? what material could be substituted for one of the eggs in cream salad dressing? if yolks of eggs are used in cream salad dressing, how many should be substituted for two whole eggs? why should bananas be scraped? why should they be served at once after preparing? lesson lxxxiii classification of the foodstuffs substances that nourish the body may be classified as follows: / (_a_) starch / carbohydrates \ (_b_) sugar energy givers | fats \ protein [footnote : carbohydrates also include cellulose. but because cellulose does not yield any appreciable amount of energy, it is not listed with starch and sugar.] / complete proteins / protein body builders \ incomplete proteins \ ash / ash body regulators | water / (_a_) fat-soluble a \ vitamines | (_b_) water-soluble b \ (_c_) water-soluble c [footnote : "so little is known regarding the chemical composition of vitamines that it is difficult to classify them. since the three food essentials termed as fat-soluble a, water-soluble b, and water-soluble c are individual substances and very different in character, it may be that they will be classified later as three separate foodstuffs. it could then be said that there are eight foodstuffs."] make lists of foods rich in: ( ) water. ( ) ash. ( ) carbohydrates. subdivide foods rich in carbohydrates, into foods rich in (_a_) sugar, (_b_) starch, (_c_) cellulose (_i.e._ bulky foods). ( ) fats. ( ) protein. indicate those foods that contain _complete_ proteins and those that contain _incomplete_ proteins. ( ) vitamines. subdivide foods rich in vitamines into foods rich in fat-soluble a, water-soluble b, water-soluble c. explain why certain foods are contained in two or more lists. related work lesson lxxxiv selecting food marketing _versus_ telephoning.--visits to food markets or grocery stores are most essential, especially if one is learning to buy. it is first necessary to find desirable market places or stores,--those that are clean and reliable. screened windows and doors, and adequate bins, boxes, jars, or other receptacles for storing foods are necessary in keeping foods clean. after one has found desirable places for marketing, it is well to become acquainted with desirable brands of staple canned or package goods. after this knowledge is gained such foods may be ordered by telephone, or by messenger with satisfaction. but no matter how experienced the buyer, it is more satisfactory to select at markets perishable goods such as meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables that wilt readily. in certain cases where the housekeeper has such obligations or so many duties that a personal visit to markets is impossible, food must be purchased by telephone or messenger. such a procedure, however, is usually followed at the sacrifice of economy and satisfaction in buying. fresh _versus_ canned foods.--fresh foods of good quality are generally more desirable both from the standpoint of flavor and nutriment than canned goods. when, however, fresh foods are unseasonable, their price may greatly exceed that of canned foods. a good rule to follow is to buy fresh foods when they are in season and the canned ones when fresh foods of reasonable price cannot be secured. the practice of buying perishable foods, especially fruits, when they are abundant and canning them for later use is thrifty. to buy factory-canned fruits and vegetables when fresh winter fruits, such as cranberries, oranges, and apples, and root vegetables may be purchased is questionable both from the standpoint of economy and nutriment. it is often more economical to purchase dried rather than canned fruits. the former usually contain more food value per pound. bulk _versus_ package goods.--time spent in placing and sealing foods in packages and the cost of the containers make the price of package foods exceed those sold in bulk. moreover, large packages usually cost more proportionately than small ones. on the other hand, package foods may be cleaner, require less handling, and are often much more inviting because of their attractive wrapping. it does not follow, however, that all foods sold in containers are cleaner than those sold in bulk. unsanitary conditions sometimes prevail at factories where the foods are packed. it is a safe rule to buy in package form only those foods which cannot be washed or sterilized by cooking. uncooked _versus_ cooked foods.--not only breads, cakes, certain cereals, and canned goods may be purchased ready cooked, but other foods, such as salads and puddings, may be bought in certain markets and stores. such foods are much higher in price than those of equal quality prepared at home. the cost of labor, fuel, and "overhead expense" as well as of materials must be paid for by the purchaser. unless one is engaged in business other than housekeeping or one's housekeeping duties are too arduous it is generally not wise to make a practice of buying cooked foods. large _versus_ small quantities.--it is usually wasteful to purchase perishable foods in large quantities. fresh meats, perishable fruits such as berries, and green vegetables should be purchased only in quantities sufficient for immediate use. it is sometimes economical, as far as fuel and time are concerned, to buy enough fresh meat for two days' consumption, provided all of it can be cooked on the first day, and then used cold or merely reheated on the second day. unless storage space is limited, flour should not be purchased in less than pound sacks. in less quantity than this it usually costs more per pound. it is wise for small families, however, to purchase flour and other grains in smaller quantities in the summer time since weevils may infest such food materials. when a non-perishable food such as sugar, or any of the grains, sells for a fractional sum per pound, it is economical to buy several pounds so as not to add to the cost per pound. it is wiser, for example, to buy pounds of dried beans at / cents per pound than one pound at cents. semi-perishable foods such as eggs and fats can usually be purchased with satisfaction in quantities sufficient for a week. they should, of course, be stored in a cool place. many persons find it economical to buy eggs in large quantities in the summer time and pack them in water glass for winter use. root vegetables and canned goods are cheaper when bought by the bushel and case. there must, however, be cool, dry storage space to make the purchase of the former in large quantities practical. it is impossible to purchase certain foods for small families in small enough quantities for immediate consumption. a can of molasses, for example, is usually more than enough for use at one time. when this is the case, the greatest care should be exercised to store such foods carefully and to utilize them before they spoil. cooperative buying usually means a saving. such foods as flour, potatoes, dried vegetables, sugar, apples, and dried fruits may be purchased by the barrel, box, or other measure. if several families jointly purchase such quantities of foods, the expense is reduced. it is also of advantage to buy from the producer. the middle man's profit is thus eliminated. lesson lxxxv cooking and serving a luncheon or supper cook and serve a luncheon or supper. the following menu is suggested: cream of pea soup--croutons macaroni and cheese lettuce salad bread and butter oatmeal cookies tea follow the english or family style of serving. serve the luncheon or supper without a maid. calculate the cost of the meal per person. lesson lxxxvi review: meal cooking menu chopped steak boiled or steamed potato coleslaw tea see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson lxxxvii home projects i [footnote : see lesson ix] suggestions for home work.--prepare salads or other foods containing leafy vegetables at least twice a week. calculate the quantity of milk used by each member of your household. suggested aims: ( ) to prepare salads which are both pleasing in appearance and tasty. (make sure that they are properly seasoned.) ( ) to vary either the materials used in salad-making or the method of serving and preparing the same salad materials. ( ) if the vegetable is cooked, to prepare it in such a way that no nutriment is lost. ( ) to compare the quantity of milk used by each member of the family with the quantities suggested at the top of. division eight flavoring materials: food adjuncts lesson lxxxviii food adjuncts--dishes containing food adjuncts food adjuncts.--besides the foodstuffs there are edible substances called _food adjuncts_. these cannot be termed foods, as they do not perform the functions of such, but they give flavor to them and they may excite the secretion of the digestive juices, and thus aid in the digestion of real foods. for the most part, food adjuncts are contained in these classes of materials,--condiments, flavoring extracts, and beverages. condiments.--seasoning materials and spices are called _condiments_. they are used with foods to give the latter a pleasing flavor. but condiments should be eaten in moderation. they are often used to cover up the flavor of inferior or poorly prepared foods and they are often used to excess in sauces. highly seasoned sauces should be served only with foods that are insipid in taste, but valuable for their nutritive properties. good foods, well cooked, have a flavor which needs little change. we should train ourselves to enjoy the natural flavor of foods, so that there is no craving for condiments. _salt_ may be classed both as a condiment and as a food (see _ash_). when used in moderation, it has undoubted value in diet. it is used in many types of foods, especially meats and vegetables. the flavor of sweet foods such as cakes and sweet sauces is invariably improved by the addition of a small quantity of salt. _vinegar_ is an acid flavoring material prepared by fermenting apple or grape juice or other materials. it contains acetic acid. _cinnamon_ is a spice obtained from the inner bark of a small tree. like most spices, it contains a volatile oil, i.e. an oil which evaporates. cinnamon is sometimes adulterated with _cassia_, a spice prepared from the bark of the cassia tree which grows in china and dutch west indies. cassia is similar to cinnamon in flavor. _cloves_ are the flower buds of an evergreen tree which grows in brazil, ceylon, and west indies. _nutmeg_ is the dried kernel of a fruit which grows on a tree native to the malay archipelago. _ginger_ is the root of a tropical plant. it contains starch and oil of ginger. _mustard_ is prepared from the seed of mustard plants. _black pepper_ is obtained from the unripe berry of a tropical vine while _white pepper_ is prepared from the ripe berries. the latter is not as pleasing in flavor as black pepper and is more expensive. it is sometimes desired, however, because of its more pleasing appearance. _cayenne pepper_ is prepared from the dried ripe fruit of the capsicum plant. _paprika_ is also prepared from the fruit of the capsicum plant, but the seeds and stems of the fruit are removed. it is a much milder spice than cayenne pepper. _marjoram, savory_, and _thyme_ are the leaves of herbs used for flavoring. flavoring extracts.--alcoholic solutions of volatile oils derived from plants are termed flavoring extracts. by dissolving the vanilla bean and lemon and orange peel in alcohol vanilla, lemon, and orange extracts are prepared. since volatile oils evaporate readily, especially when heated, flavoring extracts should be added, if possible, to cold foods. beverages.--the stimulating materials contained in the common beverages,-- tea, coffee, cocoa, and chocolate,--are food adjuncts. [footnote : _caffeine_ is the stimulating material in coffee; _theine_, in tea; and _theobromine_, in cocoa and chocolate.] except for the value of the water they contain, in carrying on the needs of the body, and for the small quantity of sugar and cream used with them, tea and coffee have no food value. but cocoa and chocolate are rather rich in food value (see _cocoa and chocolate_). these beverages contain both foodstuffs and food adjuncts. curry of kidney beans pint kidney beans tablespoonfuls fat onion teaspoonful curry powder [footnote : curry powder is a mixture of various spices including turmeric and coriander-seed powders.] teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls flour pint tomatoes wash and soak the beans overnight. boil gently until tender. brown the onion in the fat, then add the curry powder, salt, and flour, and proceed as for tomato sauce (see _tomato sauce_). add the cooked beans to the mixture and cook all together for a few minutes. serve hot. _chili con carni_ may be prepared by adding pound chopped beef to the ingredients above and substituting chili powder for curry powder. if this change is made, brown the onion in the fat, then add the meat. stir and cook until the meat loses its red color. add the cooked beans and seasonings. mix the flour with a small quantity of cold tomato. add this and the remainder of the tomatoes to the meat mixture. stir and cook for a few minutes. serve hot. spiced baked apples apples tablespoonfuls sugar water lemon whole cloves wash and core the apples. they may be pared if desired. stick or whole cloves in each apple. place the apples in a baking-dish, put tablespoonful of sugar in the cavity of each apple, and a slice of lemon on the top. add enough water to cover the bottom of the baking-dish. cover, bake at degrees f. until soft. serve cold. if the apples are very sour, more sugar should be used. savory toast cupfuls canned tomatoes cupful water cloves allspice berries peppercorns sprays parsley tablespoonfuls fat / onion, sliced tablespoonfuls flour / teaspoonful mustard teaspoonfuls salt dash cayenne / pound cheese egg slices toast in a covered saucepan, cook the tomatoes, water, cloves, allspice berries, peppercorns, and parsley at simmering temperature for at least minutes. brown the onion in the fat. mix the flour, mustard, salt, and cayenne. add these ingredients to the onion and fat. mix well and add the cooked tomatoes. stir and cook until the mixture reaches the boiling point, then strain. add the cheese, stir and cook until the cheese is blended with the other ingredients. beat the egg, add a portion of the hot tomato mixture to it. mix thoroughly and add it to the remainder of the tomato mixture. stir and cook on the back of the range or over hot water until the egg is thickened. pour over toast. serve at once. canned tomato soup may be used instead of canned tomatoes. if this substitution is made, the cloves, allspice berries, peppercorns, and parsley should be omitted. for economy, the egg may be omitted. if no egg is used, the flour may be increased to tablespoonfuls and the fat to tablespoonfuls. compare this recipe with that for tomato sauce. in what ways are the ingredients and method of preparation similar? in what ways do they differ? questions in which ingredients of the curry of kidney beans and spiced baked apples are the food adjuncts found? beans contain what ingredients that require long cooking? what material can be added during cooking that will soften them (see _cooking dried legumes_)? what is the purpose of covering apples during baking? why should they be baked in a slow oven (see _suggestions for cooking fruits_)? what kind of substance do all spices contain? why should spices be used in moderation? explain why flavoring extracts should be added, if possible, to cold foods. mention at least two forms in which the following spices may be purchased: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, mustard, and black pepper. what materials in the recipe for savory toast are used merely for flavoring? what materials are removed by straining? how is the flavor extracted from these materials before straining? related work lesson lxxxix spending for food what to buy.--dr. langworthy of the united states department of agriculture has listed foods into five groups and has advised that food from each group be used daily. the five groups follow: " . fruits and vegetables. . milk, cheese, eggs, fish, meat, beans, peas, peanuts. . cereals--corn-meal, oatmeal, rice, rye, wheat, flour, bread. . sugar, sirups, jelly, honey, candies. . fats--butter, margarine, cottonseed oil, olive oil, drippings, suet, bacon, chocolate." from studying the previous contents of this textbook the pupil will doubtless recognize in these groups foods to supply all the needs of the body. by following this plan of using some food from each group every day, the needs of the body will be supplied. how much to spend for food.--any one no matter how ignorant or thoughtless can get rid of money. but it takes a wise person, one who understands values and quality, to get value received for money spent. whether one is purchasing food for all the meals of a family or is only selecting a luncheon or one meal, it is desirable to spend money wisely. the five food groups may serve as a basis for the purchase of foods. it has been suggested that each dollar used in buying foods be divided into parts of cents each. "out of every dollar spent use: [footnote : from _united states thrift leaflet # _.] cents, _more or less_, for vegetables and fruits cents, or _more_, for milk and cheese cents, or _less_, for meat, fish, eggs, etc. cents, or _more_, for bread and cereals cents, or _less_, for sugar, fat, tea, coffee, chocolate, flavoring" note.--compare these groups of food with those given above. note that the first division of money should be used for the foods of group ; the second and third divisions for the foods of group ; the fourth division for the foods of group ; and the fifth division for the foods of groups and . [illustration: figure .--a suggestion for the division of each dollar spent for food.] according to lucy h. gillett of the dietetic bureau of boston, when strictest economy is necessary, _one fourth_ of each dollar spent for food should be used to purchase bread and other grain products. the remainder of the dollar should be spent about equally for the groups of food mentioned above. if instead of cents is spent for cereal products, however, care should be taken to buy sufficient milk to meet the needs of each member of the family (see _milk, an invaluable food_). this is especially necessary where there are young children in the family. comparing the cost of foods.--the pupil should note that the different foods contained in the same groups differ in cost. one can economize by using the cheaper foods in the group or by using the more expensive only occasionally. if you find that fresh vegetables cost less than fruits, use the latter more sparingly than the former. meats are more expensive than dried peas or beans and cheese, especially cottage cheese. cottage cheese or peas and beans in combination with milk or eggs may take the place of meat. a small quantity of meat may be combined with the dried legumes or cereals and a saving effected. the third, fourth, and fifth groups contain energy-giving foods (see divisions iv and v). of the three groups of foods, cereals are by far the cheapest source of energy. a generous use of cereals is economical. in buying grains one gets much nutriment at little cost (when compared with other foods). if the food bills must be curtailed, use cereals generously and meat sparingly. do not eat cereals, however, to the exclusion of the foods of the other groups. it is especially necessary to use milk and leafy vegetables with cereals. the latter are lacking in the fat-soluble a vitamine. the fats included in group differ in cost. it is necessary to select these wisely in order to economize. a wise and economical use of fats is discussed previously. planning before buying.--it is not only an obligation but a necessity to waste no food. the bit of cereal left from breakfast, the crust of bread, and the scrap of meat represent money. they must be utilized. the thrifty housekeeper sees to it that left-over food is properly cared for so that it need not be wasted because of spoilage. she covers food and stores it in a cool place. she uses it before it begins to spoil. in order to buy wisely it is necessary to take account of the foods already in the house or in the garden. it is necessary to decide before going to market just what is needed to supplement the materials already on hand. lesson xc cooking and serving a luncheon or supper cook and serve a luncheon or supper. the following menu is suggested: salmon timbale with white sauce stuffed baked potatoes stewed or scalloped tomatoes bread and butter prune pudding with top milk analyze this menu. is food from each of the groups given in lesson lxxxix contained in it? follow the english or family style of serving. serve the luncheon or supper without a maid. calculate the cost of the meal per person. lesson xci review: meal cooking menu cream of tomato soup cheese pudding spiced baked apples see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson xcii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix] suggestions for home work.--if possible secure lists of foods purchased for use at your home during a week or a month. list each article and price in one of the five groups, viz., ===================================================================== | vegetables | milk and | meat, fish, | bread and | sugar, fat and | | and fruits | cheese | eggs, etc | cereals | other groceries | _____________________________________________________________________ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ===================================================================== add up the cost in each column. compare the sums. suggested aims: ( ) to determine if the money for the various groups of food has been spent according to the plan suggested in lesson lxxxix. ( ) if not, to use the food lists actually purchased as a foundation and change them so as to embody the division of the dollar suggested in lesson lxxxix. division nine food combinations lesson xciii vegetables with salad dressing (a) food combinations.--from a dietetic standpoint, it is well to combine foods of different compositions. if a food is lacking in one or more of the foodstuffs, it should be combined with a food that supplies the missing nutrient. bread contains little fat, and butter contains no carbohydrates; hence these two foods make a desirable combination. vegetable oils, butter, and other fats make desirable additions to vegetables. macaroni contains little fat, while cheese is rich in this foodstuff. moreover, macaroni contains a small quantity of incomplete protein, while cheese is rich in complete protein. hence macaroni and cheese make a good combination. in selecting foods to be used together, careful attention should be given to their composition. emulsion of oil; salad dressing.--as has been stated (see _breaking up of fats_), to emulsify fat it is necessary to separate it into tiny globules, and to coat each globule with some materials, so that the droplets will remain separate. various materials serve to emulsify fats. during digestion, fat is emulsified by means of a _soap_ (see experiment ). egg is another material which emulsifies fats. this fact is made use of in making mayonnaise dressing from vegetable oil and eggs. if one understands that the oil must be divided into globules, and that each globule must be coated with egg, the preparation of salad dressing becomes interesting and successful. it is evident that the fat should be added to the egg slowly and should be beaten while being added. if the oil and other ingredients are cold, a thicker dressing results. quick mayonnaise, however, is an exception to this rule. [illustration: figure --the composition of roots and succulent vegetables (revised edition)] since emulsion of fat is one of the processes of digestion, it would seem that fat in emulsified form would be most readily digested. this is true of some emulsified fats,--the fat of milk is one of the most readily digested. but when an emulsified fat is mixed with protein as in mayonnaise dressing, the digestion of the mixture is slower than if either of the foodstuffs were alone. hence to some persons, mayonnaise dressing proves distressing. mayonnaise dressing egg yolk tablespoonful vinegar tablespoonful lemon juice / teaspoonful mustard / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful sugar cayenne cupful vegetable oil tablespoonfuls boiling water put the egg yolk into a mixing bowl, add hot vinegar, and mix thoroughly. then add the lemon juice and dry ingredients. let the mixture stand until cool. then beat it with a dover egg beater and while beating add the oil in small quantities,--about / tablespoonful at a time. continue beating and adding the oil. when the mixture begins to thicken, the oil can be added in greater quantities. after all the oil is added, add the boiling water. beat until the latter is thoroughly blended. it has been found that the oil may be added more rapidly if the egg is acidified before mixing it with the oil. [footnote : this is due to the fact that the acid reacts with the albumin of the egg to form a kind of salt which hydrates and takes up water from the mixture. the more water that can be taken out of an emulsion in the form of hydrates, the more easily will an emulsion be formed.] the addition of boiling water to the mixture after the egg and oil have been blended, prevents the oil from separating from the other ingredients. [illustration: figure --the composition of butter and other fat-yielding foods (revised edition)] if desired, the _whole egg_ may be used in place of the egg yolks. in case this substitution is made, all the ingredients other than the egg should be doubled in quantity, since whole egg will emulsify cupfuls of oil. the flavor of refined corn, cottonseed, or peanut oil is mild and pleasing. these oils have less flavor than olive oil but are as nutritious. their use lessens the cost of mayonnaise dressing. after opening a bottle of vegetable oil, it should be kept in a cold place. if it is rancid, it should not be used in salad dressing. if mayonnaise dressing is made successfully, it is thick and smooth. if the dressing is thin and curdled, the oil has been added too quickly, i.e. it has not been emulsified. _to remedy mayonnaise that has curdled_, beat the yolk of an egg slightly, then add the dressing to it gradually, beating constantly. _mayonnaise dressing may be varied_ by the addition of chili or celery sauce, chopped hard-cooked eggs, chopped parsley, pimentos, and green peppers. quick mayonnaise dressing [footnote : adding the entire quantity of oil at one time and mixing it with hot paste may seem an unusual procedure for making an oil dressing. the fact that the method is successful may be explained as follows: mixing the acid with the egg forms a salt which hydrates the mixture, and thus aids in making favorable conditions for emulsifying the oil as explained in the footnote of a previous page. the starch paste also takes up water from the mixture. this makes it possible to emulsify the oil easily, and also to make a stable emulsion.] egg yolks _or_ whole egg tablespoonfuls vinegar tablespoonfuls lemon juice / teaspoonfuls salt teaspoonful sugar / teaspoonful mustard cayenne cupful vegetable oil into a mixing bowl put the eggs and vinegar. mix well. add the other ingredients. (it is not necessary to stir them.) prepare a thick paste as follows: in the top part of a double boiler put / cupful flour cupful cold water tablespoonful butter mix thoroughly. then stir and cook over boiling water at least minutes. at once (while it is hot) turn this paste into the egg and oil mixture. beat all the ingredients with a dover egg beater until a thick, uniform dressing results. (adapted from a recipe by mrs. hill.) seasonable vegetable salads use seasonable vegetables in salads. cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, and cooked cauliflower may be used in the fall. cooked beets, cabbage, carrots, and olives may be used in the winter, and head lettuce, radishes, and cooked asparagus in the spring. vegetables should be chilled, cut into desirable shapes, and served on lettuce with salad dressing. beets are greatly improved by cutting into pieces, after cooking, and soaking for one hour in vinegar to which salt has been added. they may also be soaked in french dressing. a combination of vegetables and fruits makes a pleasing salad. cucumbers and pineapple, celery and apples, olives and cooked cranberries are successful salad mixtures. the use of cheese, nuts, and peanuts with vegetables and fruits adds to the flavor and food value of salads. uncooked carrots, cabbage, and peanuts dressed with french dressing make a tasty salad. canned vegetables, "left over" cold vegetables, meat, and fish have a better flavor in salads if they are mixed with french dressing and allowed to stand in a cold place for one hour before serving. this process is called _marinating_. if several meats or vegetables are used in the same salad, they should be marinated separately. just before serving, cream salad dressing or mayonnaise dressing may be added to marinated salad materials. a salad consisting of lettuce or other uncooked leafy vegetables should not be dressed until it is ready to be served. the acid in salad dressing wilts the leaves. questions explain why it is necessary to add the oil to the egg mixture in small quantities. explain why it is that a curdled dressing can be remedied by adding it gradually to an egg. what is the price per quart of olive oil? of peanut oil? of cottonseed oil? of corn oil? find the difference in cost between a mayonnaise dressing made with corn, cottonseed, or peanut oil and one made with olive oil. from the standpoint of composition, explain why fresh vegetables and mayonnaise dressing make a suitable combination (see figures and ). how much mayonnaise dressing is generally used for one serving? how many will the above recipe serve? make a list of combinations of materials which make tasty salads. lesson xciv vegetables with salad dressing (b) salad garnishing.--successful garnishing of a salad requires a sense of good color combination, judgment in blending flavors, and ingenuity in arranging materials. usually it is well to use only edible materials for garnishing. certain flowers and greens may be used to advantage, however, in garnishing the salad for an occasional dinner or luncheon. celery with "fringed ends," stuffed olives cut in slices, lettuce shredded or whole, pimentos, parsley, hard-cooked eggs sliced or pressed through strainer, and vegetables of pronounced color (as beets or carrots) cut into slices, cubes, or fancy shapes,--all these make pleasing garnishes. perfection salad tablespoonfuls granulated gelatine / cupful cold water / cupful vinegar lemon,--juice cupfuls boiling water / cupful sugar teaspoonful salt / cupfuls sliced celery / cupfuls shredded cabbage pimentos chopped prepare all ingredients, except the vegetables, as for a gelatine mixture (see _lemon jelly_). when the mixture begins to set, stir in the vegetables, and pour into a mold. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing. other vegetable mixtures such as cucumbers and tomatoes or peas and celery molded in jelly make tasty salads. questions mention at least four different kinds of salads, with a suitable garnish for each. what should be the condition of all green vegetables used in salads? how should lettuce be kept and prepared for salads? from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of tomatoes, cucumbers, spinach, cabbage, lettuce, celery, and onions. which contains the most water? which contains the most ash? aside from the fact that sugar improves the flavor of perfection salad, why is it a valuable ingredient of the salad mixture (see figure )? explain why mayonnaise dressing with wafers or rolls would make a valuable food addition to perfection salad. food combinations lesson xcv fish salad and salad rolls salmon or tunny salad can salmon or tunny (or tuna) fish cupful shredded cabbage or sliced celery drain the oil from the fish; remove the bone and bits of skin. add the cabbage or celery, and mayonnaise or cream salad dressing. arrange on lettuce and garnish as desired. if cream dressing is used with salmon, the oil drained from the salmon may be used for the fat of cream dressing. the salmon may be marinated before adding the other ingredients. when this is done, the salad dressing may be omitted. salmon contains so much fat that it is not well to add more oil after marinating. salad rolls cupfuls flour / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls vegetable oil or melted butter or substitute / cupful milk egg sift some flour, then measure cupfuls of it. add the baking powder and salt to the flour. beat the egg, add the milk and oil or melted fat to it. through a sifter add the dry ingredients to the milk mixture. thoroughly mix the ingredients by cutting them with a knife. roll out on a floured board, cut into oblong pieces, and with a floured knife make a deep crease through the center of each roll. brush the top with diluted egg (use tablespoonfuls of water to egg) and sprinkle granulated sugar over it. bake in a moderate oven. questions why is the top of the salad roll mixture brushed with egg? why should the egg be diluted for such purposes? what reason is there for combining fish, salad dressing, and rolls? how much fat and protein does canned salmon and tunny contain (see _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. )? compare this with the quantity of fat and protein in beef steak (see figure ). lesson xcvi cream of tomato soup and cheese straws combining milk with acid.--in the preparation of cream of tomato soup, it is necessary to combine milk with tomatoes,--a food containing acid. if the following experiments are performed, and applications drawn from the results of the experiments, it should be possible to make this soup successfully. experiment : effect of acid on milk.--put a small quantity of milk in a test tube, heat it slightly, and add a few drops of some acid substance,-- tomato juice, lemon juice, or vinegar. what is the result? experiment : neutralization of acid by means of soda.--put a small quantity of any of the acids mentioned above in a test tube and add / teaspoonful baking soda. what happens? now add a little milk to the mixture. does the milk curdle? how has the acid been changed so that it does not curdle the milk? what conclusions may be drawn from this as to the use of soda in cooking tomato and milk mixtures? cream of tomato soup can tomatoes / teaspoonful baking soda quart milk / cupful flour / cupful butter or substitute tablespoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper turn the tomatoes into a saucepan, cover them; cook at simmering temperature for about fifteen minutes. press through a strainer and add the baking soda. make a white sauce of the milk, flour, and fat, _remove from the fire_. add the _hot_ tomatoes slowly to the white sauce, stirring constantly. add the seasonings. _do not heat the mixture after combining the tomatoes and white sauce. serve at once._ [illustration: figure --the composition of milk and milk products] cream of tomato soup may also be prepared by making a sauce of the tomatoes, flour, and fat, adding the baking soda and pouring the sauce into the hot milk and finally adding the seasonings. note that in either method of preparation, the tomato is added to the milk and the salt is added just before serving. only enough baking soda is used to affect a portion of the acid of the tomatoes so that the pleasing acid flavor of the tomatoes still predominates. cheese straws / cupful flour / teaspoonful salt cayenne cupful soft bread crumbs cupful grated cheese tablespoonfuls milk mix the ingredients in the order given in the recipe. (the milk should merely moisten the ingredients so they will stick together. it may be necessary to increase the quantity.) on a slightly floured board roll the mixture to / inch thickness. cut in strips / inch wide and to inches long. place on an oiled pan. bake until brown in a moderate oven. questions why should tomatoes be covered when cooked for soup? why should they be cooked at simmering rather than boiling temperature? from the results of your experiments (see experiments and ) explain why soda is added to the tomatoes in cream of tomato soup. what is the purpose of adding the strained tomatoes or tomato sauce _slowly_ to the white sauce or milk? why should the soup be served _at once_ after combining the tomato and milk mixture? if enough cream of tomato soup were prepared for two meals, how and when should the tomatoes and white sauce be mixed? what is the price per can of tomatoes? how many cupfuls in one can of tomatoes? with the aid of _united states department of agriculture,_ bulletin no. and illustrations in this text, tabulate the composition of tomatoes, whole milk (see figure ), cheese (see figure ), flour, and bread (see figure ). explain why cream of tomato soup and cheese straws make a desirable combination from the standpoint of composition and use in the body. lesson xcvii veal and potatoes muscle of young animals.--the muscle of an undeveloped animal contains more water than does the muscle of a mature animal. it is also lacking in flavor and usually contains little fat. the meat does not keep so well as that of a mature animal; therefore it should be used at once and not allowed to hang. [illustration: figure .--cuts of veal.] cuts of veal (see figure ). =================================================================== | name of cut | form of cut | method of cooking | =================================================================== | a. loin. | chops. | sauteing. | | | thick pieces. | roasting. | | | | | | b. leg. | steaks--veal cutlets | sauteing. | | | or veal steak. | stewing. | | | thick pieces. | roasting. | | | | | | c. knuckle. | whole. | stewing. | | | | soup-making. | | | | | | d. rib or rack. | chops. | sauteing. | | | thick pieces. | roasting. | | | | | | e. shoulder. | thick pieces. | stuffing and roasting. | | | whole. | braising. | | | | | | f. neck. | thick pieces. | stewing. | | | | | | g. g. breast. | thick pieces. | roasting. | | | whole. | stewing. | | | | | | sweetbreads | whole--in pairs. | parboiling and | | (thymus glands) | | sauteing, broiling, | | --"throat" and | | etc. | | "heart" | | | | sweetbreads. | | | =================================================================== veal.--veal is the muscle of the calf or young cow. it has the characteristic qualities of undeveloped muscle. because it is lacking in flavor, it should be seasoned with herbs and spices, or served with a sauce of pronounced flavor. it is also improved by adding some fat, or some meat containing considerable fat such as pork. a calf is usually killed when it is six or eight weeks old. the season for veal is spring; it can usually be purchased, however, throughout the year. the muscle of the veal should be pink in color, and the fat, white. the meat of a calf less than six weeks old is lacking in color. the connective tissue in veal is abundant, but it is easily changed to gelatine by cooking. veal is generally considered difficult of digestion. veal cutlets (steak) clean the meat; then remove the bone and tough membranes. cut the meat into pieces for serving. cover the bone and the tough pieces of meat with cold water and cook at a low temperature. (this stock is to be used in the sauce.) small pieces of meat may be put together by using wooden toothpicks for skewers. season the veal with salt and pepper. roll in dried bread crumbs, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs again. put tablespoonfuls of drippings or other fat in a frying pan. brown the cutlets in the fat. remove the veal; in the frying pan prepare the following: sauce for cutlets tablespoonfuls drippings / cupful flour / tablespoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper cupfuls stock or water tablespoonfuls chopped parsley teaspoonful worcestershire sauce make a brown sauce, using all ingredients except the worcestershire sauce (see _brown sauce_). add the cutlets to the sauce, and cook them at simmering temperature for hour or until tender. just before serving, add the worcestershire sauce. _beef_ may be prepared in the same way. veal with egg dressing pound veal steak, sliced thin eggs / cupful flour salt and pepper cut the meat into pieces of suitable size for serving. brown each piece in fat. (use scraps of fat cut from the meat.) mix the egg, flour, and seasoning. spread both sides of each piece of meat with the egg mixture. again brown the pieces of meat in fat. then add boiling water and let the meat cook at _simmering temperature_ for at least hours. serve hot. _beef_ may be substituted for veal. potato puff cupfuls mashed potatoes tablespoonfuls milk tablespoonful butter or substitute teaspoonful salt pepper egg mix all the ingredients except the egg. separate the egg, and beat the white and the yolk. beat the yolk into the potato mixture; then add the white by cutting and folding-in. turn into a buttered baking-dish or drop by spoonfuls on a buttered baking-sheet. bake until the egg is cooked and the top brown. serve at once. the egg may also be added unbeaten to the potatoes, and the entire mixture beaten vigorously. questions why is cold water, rather than hot, used for making meat stock? how does veal stock compare in color with beef stock? what is the stock called that is made from veal? why is this meat cooked at simmering rather than at boiling temperature? why is it desirable to use parsley and worcestershire sauce with veal? is it desirable to use worcestershire sauce with beef or mutton? explain your answer. why is worcestershire sauce not cooked with the brown sauce? locate veal cutlets or veal steak (see figure ). to what cut of beef does it correspond? what cut of veal corresponds to the tenderloin cuts of beef? how does the cutting and the using of the rib section of veal differ from that of beef? what are the prices per pound of each cut of veal? arrange in tabulated form and record the date. from _u.s. department of agriculture,_ bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of veal cutlets or veal steak. compare with the percentage composition of beef steak (see figure ). potato puff may be prepared from either hot or cold mashed potatoes. should the temperature of the oven be the same for each? explain your answer. what is the purpose of the egg in the potato mixture? which would give the better result when added to the potato mixture, beaten egg or unbeaten egg? give the reason for your answer. how many persons will the potato puff recipe serve? from _u.s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of fresh potatoes (see figure ) and boiled potatoes. how much nutriment is lost by boiling one pound of potatoes? by what method can potatoes be cooked in order to retain the most nutriment? give reasons for combining veal and potatoes. lesson xcviii mutton and lamb dishes mutton.--mutton is the meat obtained from the sheep. the animal is usually about three years of age when killed. like beef, mutton needs to hang a few days before using. it is considered as nutritious and as easily digested as beef. its strong flavor may be destroyed by removing the "pink skin" and much of the fat. the latter has such a strong flavor, that it cannot be used for cooking unless it is tried out with onion, apple, and dried herbs. mutton fat so prepared is sometimes termed _savory fat_. it is thought that the fat dissolves certain flavoring materials present in the fruit, vegetable, and herbs. the caramelized carbohydrate formed by browning the apple and onion also adds to the flavor. [footnote : see _department of agriculture, farmers' bulletin_, no. .] mutton fat is useful for soap-making. [illustration: figure .--cuts of lamb or mutton] lamb.--lamb is meat obtained from the young sheep, killed when from six weeks to one year old. as the animal matures, the blood recedes from its joints; hence the joints of lamb are pink in color, while those of mutton are white. lamb has the characteristics of the meat of immature animals. it contains more water and a little less fat than mutton, and should not be allowed to hang. it is more delicate in flavor than is mutton. lamb should be well cooked; mutton is sometimes served rare. food combinations cuts of lamb and mutton (see figure ). ================================================================== | name of cut | form of cut | method of cooking | ================================================================== | a. loin. | chops--loin chops (see | broiling. | | | figure ). | roasting. | | | thick pieces (loin sections | | | | of both hind quarters in | | | | one piece called "saddle | | | | of mutton"). | | | | | | | b. leg. | slices. | broiling. | | | thick pieces. | roasting. | | | | stewing. | | | | | | c. rib. | chops--rib chops(see fig- | broiling. | | | ure ) (when trimmed | roasting. | | | called "french" chops. | | | | see figure ). | | | | thick pieces (rib sections | | | | of both fore quarters in | | | | one piece called "rack | | | | of mutton"). | | | | | | | d. shoulder. | chops blade shoulder | broiling. | | | chops (see figure ) | braising. | | | and round shoulder | roasting. | | | chops (see figure ). | stuffing and | | | thick pieces. | roasting. | | | whole. | | | | | | | e. breast. | thick pieces. | stewing. | | | | broth-making. | | | | | | f. neck. | thick pieces. | stewing. | | | | broth-making. | ================================================================== stuffed shoulder of lamb to pounds shoulder of lamb, boned, cleaned, and stuffed with the mixture used in stuffed meat roast. (double the quantity of ingredients for the shoulder of lamb.) add the stuffing to the meat; then "lace" (see _baked fish_) or skewer into shape. season, and dredge with flour. place drippings or other fat in a frying pan or iron roasting pan, and brown the surface of the meat. place the lamb on the rack in a roasting pan, add boiling water; cover; and bake in a moderate oven, allowing _one half hour to the pound_. _shoulder of veal_ may be prepared and stuffed in the same way. [illustration: courtesy of _bureau of publications_, teachers college. figure .--lamb chops. upper row: rib chops,--french. loin chops. lower row: rib chops. blade shoulder chop. round bone shoulder chop.] mint sauce cupful fresh mint / cupful vinegar / cupful sugar chop the leaves and the tender tips of the mint. dissolve the sugar in the vinegar, and add the mint. let the sauce stand one hour before using. heat over hot water before serving. lamb or mutton in the casserole pounds neck, breast, or shoulder of lamb or mutton flour fat for browning water or stock carrots cupfuls peas teaspoonfuls salt pepper / bay leaf allspice berries cut the meat into pieces suitable for serving. roll in flour, and brown in a frying pan with hot fat. remove to the casserole, and cover with boiling water or stock. wash, scrape, and cut the carrots into halves. add them and the spices to the meat in the casserole. cover, and cook at simmering temperature for two hours. then add the peas and the seasoning. cook until tender. serve hot from the casserole. one half cupful of cooked rice may be used instead of the carrots and peas. tomatoes also make a pleasing addition. the casserole.--the casserole is a popular utensil for cooking and serving. it is suitable for foods that need to be cooked at a low temperature for a long period of time; hence its adaptability to tough cuts of meat. because the casserole is tightly covered, foods may be cooked in it with little loss by evaporation. the flavor is retained also, if the cooking is carefully done. the use of the casserole in serving is a distinct advantage, since the foods may be served hot. the casserole may be used in the oven or on top of the range. if a covered crock is used in place of the regulation casserole, a dinner napkin should be folded neatly around it for serving. questions tell how lamb can be distinguished from mutton. give two reasons for adding dried herbs to the stuffing for lamb. give two reasons for serving mint sauce with lamb. what is the purpose of first browning the lamb that is to be roasted? [illustration: figure .--the composition of fresh and cured meats. (revised edition)] what is the easiest method of adding extra flour to the sauce around lamb or mutton in the casserole (see _thickening the sauce of meat cooked in water_)? how many persons will this recipe serve? name the advantages of cooking meat in a casserole. give a dietetic reason for combining carrots, peas, or rice, with lamb or mutton. distinguish between rib and loin chops of lamb or mutton. what is a french chop? obtain the prices per pound of each cut of mutton or lamb. arrange in tabulated form and record the date. from _u.s. department of agriculture bulletin no. _, tabulate the percentage composition of the hind quarter of mutton. compare it with the composition of beef steak. tabulate the percentage composition of beets, carrots, parsnips, and turnips. which contains the most carbohydrates? which the most ash? lesson xcix pork, vegetables, and apple sauce pork.--pork is meat obtained from the pig. in all meats, much fat is entangled in the network of connective tissue that binds the muscle fibers. pork, however, contains more fat than does any other meat. the fat is most intimately mingled with the lean. for this reason it is digested slowly. fresh pork should be used sparingly. its use should be confined to the winter months. pork should be thoroughly cooked. it sometimes contains organisms which may produce serious results, if not destroyed in the cooking. pork is made more wholesome by curing, salting, and smoking. the fat of bacon is readily digested. [illustration: figure .--cuts of pork.] cuts of pork (see figure ). =================================================================== | name of cut | form of cut | method of cooking | =================================================================== | a. loin. | chops--rib and loin | sauteing. | | | chops (freed from fat| roasting. | | | called "spare ribs") | | | | --cut into chops or | | | | thick pieces. | | | | | | | b. ham | slices. | sauteing. | | (usually smoked). | whole. | "boiling." | | | | roasting. | | | | | | c. back (all fat). | strips. | "tried out" (its | | | slices. | fat used for | | | | sauteing, frying, | | | | and flavoring), | | | | larding. | | | | | | d. shoulder | slices. | sauteing. | | (smoked or fresh). | whole. | "boiling." | | | | roasting. | | | | | | e. bacon (smoked) | thin or thick slices. | sauteing. | | or salt pork. | | broiling. | =================================================================== pork chops with sweet potatoes pare sweet potatoes, and place them in the bottom of a roasting pan. wipe the pork chops, and place them on top of the potatoes. place the roasting pan on the top shelf of a hot oven, in order to brown the chops. brown on one side; turn the chops with a fork, and brown on the other side. then remove the roasting pan from the oven, sprinkle the chops with salt, pepper, and powdered sage. add a little boiling water. return to the oven. [illustration: figure .--the composition of fresh and dried fruits. (revised edition)] cover and bake hour, or until the potatoes are tender. baste the potatoes and meat occasionally. remove the chops to the center of a hot platter, and surround them with the potatoes. serve at once with apple sauce (for preparation of apple sauce, see _fruit sauces_). turnips with fresh pork / pounds fresh pork (shoulder) medium sized turnips tablespoonful salt tablespoonfuls flour pepper clean the meat, put it in a saucepan, and add enough boiling water to cover. cook at simmering temperature for / hours. pare the turnips, cut them into cubes. when the meat has cooked / hour, add the turnips and salt and continue cooking for hour or until the meat and vegetables are tender. mix the flour with enough cold water (about tablespoonfuls) to make a thin batter. add it to the meat and turnips. stir and cook for at least minutes. add a dash of pepper. serve hot. broiled ham parboil in boiling water for minutes a slice of ham about / inch thick. place in a broiler and broil, or place in a "frying" pan and pan- broil, turning often. garnish with parsley and serve at once. bacon place thin slices of bacon (from which the rind has been removed) in a hot frying-pan. as the fat tries out, drain it from the bacon. scorching of the fat is thus prevented. cook the bacon until it is brown and crisp, turning once. _bacon fat_ should be saved. it can be used in cooking. scalloped potatoes with bacon medium potatoes / pound sliced bacon flour salt, used sparingly pepper milk pare the potatoes and cut them into thin slices. cook the bacon until brown; cut each slice of bacon into several pieces. oil a baking-dish and place a layer of potatoes in it, then a layer of bacon and some of the tried-out bacon fat. sprinkle with flour, salt, and pepper. repeat, until all the ingredients are used; the top layer should be of bacon. add milk until it reaches the top layer. bake in a moderate oven for one hour, or until much of the milk has evaporated and the potatoes are tender. serve hot. / cupful of bacon drippings may be used instead of sliced bacon. questions why should fresh pork be used in winter rather than in summer? why is pork slow in digesting? explain why vegetables and apple sauce are desirable foods to serve with pork (see figure , figure , and figure ). for what reason should pork be cooked thoroughly? what is the purpose of parboiling ham before broiling it? what ingredient, invariably used in scalloped potatoes, is omitted in scalloped potatoes with bacon? what is substituted for this material? why should salt be added sparingly to potatoes cooked with bacon? how many persons does the given quantity of scalloped potatoes with bacon and of turnips with fresh pork serve? to what cut of beef does ham correspond? from _u.s. department of agriculture bulletin no. _, tabulate the percentage composition of fresh and salted ham. compare it with the composition of beef steak (see figure ). obtain the price per pound of each cut of pork. arrange in tabulated form and record date. lesson c chicken and rice poultry.--poultry includes chicken (or common fowl), turkey, duck, and goose--domestic birds suitable for food. pigeon and squab are not considered poultry. chickens that are three or four months old are called _spring chickens_ or broilers. birds older than one year are sometimes called _fowls_. [illustration: figure .--removing tendons from the leg of a fowl.] selection of chicken and fowl.--chickens and fowls have certain characteristics which make them readily distinguishable. chickens have soft feet, a soft and flexible breast bone, many pin feathers, and little fat. fowls have hard and scaly feet, rigid breast bone, long hairs, and much fat surrounding the intestines. digestion of poultry.--the muscle of chicken, fowl, and turkey contains little fat; the fat that exists is in layers directly under the skin and around the intestines. the fibers of the muscle are short. for this reason, and also because they have so little fat, these meats are readily digested. the white meat contains less fat than the dark. [illustration with caption: figure --fowl trussed for roasting. breast view] dressing and cleaning poultry.--singe, by holding the bird over a flame of gas, alcohol, or burning paper. cut off the head, push back the skin, and cut off the neck close to the body. cut through the skin around the leg one inch below the leg joint. if it is a fowl, take out the tendons; remove them separately, using a skewer (see figure ). remove the pin feathers with the point of a knife or with a strawberry huller. cut the oil bag from the tail. [illustration: figure --fowl trussed for roasting,--back view.] the internal organs are not always removed before the chicken is sold. if they have not been removed, make an opening under one of the legs or at the vent, leaving a strip of skin above the vent. remove the organs carefully,--the intestines, gizzard, heart, and liver should all be removed together. care must be taken that the gall bladder, which lies under the liver, is not broken; it must be cut away carefully from the liver. the lungs and kidneys, lying in the hollow of the backbone, must be carefully removed. press the heart to extract the blood. cut off the outer coat of the gizzard. the gizzard, heart, and liver constitute the giblets to be used in making gravy. wash the giblets. place them all, with the exception of the liver, in cold water; heat quickly and cook (at simmering temperature) until tender. add the liver a short time before removing the other giblets from the stove, as it does not require long cooking. clean the bird by wiping it thoroughly inside and out with a damp cloth, stuff and truss for roasting, or cut into pieces for fricassee or stew. if the bird is stuffed, the incision in the skin may be fastened together as directed for baked fish. trussing fowl.--insert a skewer through the fowl just underneath the legs, then thrust another skewer through the wings and breast. with a piece of string, tie the ends of the legs together and fasten them to the tail. then wind the ends of the string fastened to the tail, around the ends of the skewer beneath the legs. cross the strings over the back, and wind them around the ends of the skewer through the wings; tie the strings together at the back. if trussed in this manner, there is no string across the breast of the fowl. a fowl should be served breast side up (see figures and ). cutting a fowl.--cut off the leg, and separate it at the joint into "drumstick" and second joint. cut off the wing and remove the tip; make an incision at the middle joint. remove the leg and wing from the other side; separate the wishbone with the meat on it, from the breast, cut through the ribs on each side, and separate the breast from the back. cut the breast in half lengthwise and the back through the middle crosswise. there should be twelve pieces. the neck and the tips of the wings may be cooked with the giblets for making gravy. stewed chicken [footnote : stewed chicken may be utilized for _chicken croquettes_) or _creole stew_.] cover the pieces of chicken with boiling water, and cook at boiling temperature for minutes; then add one tablespoonful of salt and cook at simmering temperature until tender. arrange the pieces on a platter, placing the neck at one end of the platter and the "drumsticks" at the other, and the remaining pieces in order between. cover with a sauce. the chicken may be placed on pieces of _toast_ or served in a border of cooked _rice_. sauce for chicken tablespoonfuls tried-out chicken fat or butter or substitute / cupful of flour teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls chopped parsley pint stock egg yolks or egg / teaspoonful pepper prepare the sauce (see _cream toast_), and pour it over the well- beaten eggs, stirring until thoroughly mixed. cook until the eggs are coagulated. serve at once over chicken. questions why is chicken more readily digested than other meat? what is the reason for cooking stewed chicken minutes in _boiling_ water? why is the salt not added at first? why should the chicken finally be cooked at simmering temperature rather than at boiling? what use can be made of the fat of a fowl? what is the purpose of the eggs in sauce for chicken? explain fully why rice or toast makes a desirable addition to stewed chicken. lesson ci chicken and peas chicken croquettes / cupfuls chopped chicken or fowl onion juice tablespoonfuls lemon juice tablespoonful parsley sauce pint cream or milk / cupful fat / cupful flour / teaspoonfuls salt / teaspoonful pepper teaspoonful celery salt chop the chicken very fine; add the seasonings. make the sauce (see _cream toast_). add the chicken to the sauce. cool the mixture. shape into cones. cover with dried bread crumbs and egg, and cook in deep fat (see _fried oysters_). drain on paper. serve at once with green peas. an egg may be beaten and added to the sauce, before mixing it with the meat. questions what is the purpose of cooling the chicken mixture before shaping it into croquettes (see experiment )? how many croquettes does this recipe make? how many cupfuls of chopped meat can be obtained from fowl of average weight? what is the average weight of a chicken one year old? how long does it take to cook it? what is the average weight of a spring chicken? what is the present market price of spring chicken? of fowl? compare the composition of fowl with that of round steak, using _u. s. department of agriculture bulletin no. _. also record the percentage of refuse in a fowl when it is purchased. considering the refuse in fowl, what is the price per pound? tabulate the percentage composition of fresh and dried peas and beans, and of dried lentils. which are richer in protein, the fresh or the dried vegetables (see figure )? lesson cii oyster dishes experiment . protein in oyster liquor.--pour a small quantity of oyster liquor into a test tube and boil it. what change takes place? from your previous experience with eggs, what foodstuff would you infer that oysters contain? what inference can you draw from this as to the temperature at which oysters should be cooked? oysters.--an oyster is an animal covered with shell. the shell, which consists of mineral matter, protects the animal. [illustration: figure --composition of fish, fish products and oysters (revised edition)] the oyster has no head, arms, or legs, but it has a mouth, liver, gills, and one strong muscle. the mouth is near the hinge-end of the shell; by means of the hinge, the shell is opened and water and food taken in; by means of the muscle, the shell is closed. (find the muscle in an oyster; then the dark spot,--this is the liver; also find the fluted portions that partly surround the liver,--these are the gills.) oysters are in season from september until may. they are sometimes eaten during the summer months, but are not so palatable and are more apt to be contaminated by the bacteria of warm water. the bluish green color of some oysters is due to the oyster's feeding upon vegetable materials. this does not harm the flavor of the oyster. oysters are sometimes placed in fresh water streams or in water which is less salt than that in which they have grown to "fatten them." the animals take in the fresh water, become plump, and increase in weight. if the water is sewage-polluted, the oysters become contaminated with dangerous bacteria. methods of cooking usually applied to oysters, such as stewing and boiling, may not destroy all bacteria. hence, the danger in eating oysters taken from polluted water. when oysters are prepared for market, they are sorted according to size. blue points, or small oysters originally grown in blue point, are prized for serving raw in the half shell. this name, however, no longer indicates the place from which the oysters come, but is applied to small oysters in the shell. large oysters selected for frying may be purchased. oysters are found at markets either in the shell or with the shell removed. since oysters spoil readily, they must be kept cold during transportation. they are now shipped in containers surrounded by ice. formerly ice was placed in contact with the oysters. note the percentage composition of oysters (see figure ). with such a large quantity of water, the oyster has little food value. oysters are prized for their flavor, but make an expensive food. cooking makes oysters somewhat tough, but it sterilizes them and makes them safer to use. it is considered that oysters properly cooked are easily digested. they should be eaten when very fresh. they spoil quickly and develop poisonous products. cleaning oysters.--drain off the liquor. if the liquor is to be used, strain it through a fine strainer. place the oysters in a strainer or colander, and wash them. do not allow oysters to stand in water after washing. run each oyster through the fingers to remove pieces of shell that may be clinging to it. oyster stew cupful milk pint oysters tablespoonful butter salt and pepper heat the milk in a double boiler; add the seasonings and butter. clean the oysters; cook them in a saucepan until they become plump and the edges curl. add the hot milk and serve at once. the milk may be thickened with tablespoonful of flour (see recipe for _thin white sauce_). serve crackers or bread with oyster stew. scalloped oysters pint oysters / teaspoonful salt cupfuls soft bread crumbs tablespoonfuls butter or substitute / cupful oyster juice or milk cayenne wash the oysters, strain the juice, and butter the crumbs. add the seasoning to the oysters. place one fourth of the buttered crumbs in the bottom of a buttered baking-dish. add one half of the oysters, another fourth of the crumbs, then the remainder of the oysters, the liquid, and finally the remaining half of the buttered crumbs. bake in a moderate oven from to minutes. if baked in individual baking-dishes, only minutes will be required for baking. questions count and record the number of oysters in one pint. from figures and , tabulate the percentage composition of oysters and milk. find the weight of one cupful of oysters and of one cupful of milk. how do they compare as to the amount of water, protein, and fat contained in one pint of each? what is the difference in cost of one pint of each? what is the purpose of straining the oyster liquor? why should not oysters stand in water after washing (see experiment )? explain why oysters should be cooked only a short time. what is the effect of long cooking upon oysters? in scalloped oysters, why is the liquid added before the last layer of crumbs? how many persons do each of these oyster recipes serve? what dietetic reason can be given for combining oysters and bread? from _u.s. department of agriculture bulletin no. _, tabulate the percentage composition of the following fish: fresh and salt cod, fresh and smoked herring, fresh and salt mackerel, fresh and canned salmon, fresh perch, and fresh white fish. which contains the most fat? how can fish be classified with regard to fat content (see _classes of fish_)? which fish contains the most protein? how do fish, shellfish, and beef compare in protein content? which is the cheapest source of protein (see figures and )? lesson ciii meat-substitute dishes meat-substitute materials.--cottage cheese, eggs, peanuts, and other legumes are valuable substitutes for meat. the legumes with the exception of soy-beans and peanuts, however, do not contain complete protein. hence, their use with eggs or milk is desirable. [illustration: figure .--the composition of eggs and cheese. (revised edition.)] nuts are a form of fruit. they are rich in nutritive materials. if they can be digested readily, they make a valuable food. they need to be ground fine or chewed thoroughly, however, to make them digestible. nuts contain much fat, protein, and little carbohydrates. chestnuts, however, contain much of the latter foodstuff. because they contain protein, nuts may be used as substitutes for meat. but most nuts are expensive. for this reason in many households they are impractical as everyday foods. cottage cheese and nut loaf cupful cottage cheese cupful chopped nuts cupful soft bread crumbs teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper teaspoonfuls lemon juice tablespoonfuls scraped onion tablespoonful fat mix the cheese, nuts, bread crumbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. cook the onion and fat together until they are brown. add a small quantity of water and then add the onion mixture to the other ingredients. if necessary, add more water to moisten the mixture. pour into a baking-dish and bake until brown. (from _united states food administration leaflet_.) scalloped eggs with cheese hard-cooked eggs cupfuls medium white sauce cupfuls buttered soft bread crumbs / cupful cheese grate the cheese, or cut it into pieces, and add it to the white sauce. cut the eggs in slices. oil a baking-dish, and place the materials in the dish in layers, having the lower and top layers of bread crumbs. bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is heated through and the crumbs are browned. serve hot in place of meat. peanut roast / cupfuls dried bread crumbs milk / cupfuls shelled peanuts teaspoonfuls baking powder egg salt and pepper [figure --the composition of legumes and corn (revised edition.)] cover the bread crumbs with milk, and soak them until soft. chop the peanuts very fine, and mix with the baking powder; beat the egg. mix thoroughly all the ingredients, and turn into an oiled bread pan. bake about minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot with tomato sauce. [illustration: figure .--the composition of bread and other cereal foods. (revised edition.)] commercial salted peanuts may be used for peanut roast. questions from _u.s. department of agriculture bulletin no. _, find the percentage of protein in cream and cottage cheese, eggs (see figure ), walnuts, peanuts, dried peas, and beans (see figure ), and beef. how many ounces of protein does a pound of each of these foods contain? what is the price per pound of each of these foods? which food is the cheapest source of protein? why are bread crumbs a valuable addition to scalloped eggs with cheese (see figure )? name other meat-substitute foods and dishes. lesson civ meat extenders and one-dish meals meat extenders.--the flavor of meat is generally liked. doubtless the flavor accounts more than any other characteristic for the popularity of meat. by using a small quantity of meat and combining it with various cereals and vegetables, the flavor of meat permeates the mixture although its quantity is reduced and price consequently lowered. foods containing such a combination of food materials are termed _meat extenders_. those desiring to reduce the quantity of meat consumed either for the sake of health or economy will find meat-extending dishes desirable. one-dish meals.--when many demands other than those of housekeeping are made upon homekeepers it is often wise to lessen housekeeping duties. it is both possible and satisfactory to cook an entire meal in one dish. a meal consisting of one dish with a few accessories is termed a one-dish meal. it is obvious that the one-dish meal is both simple and economical; it saves time, fuel, and food; it is a wise conservation measure. in preparing the one-dish meal use a combination of two or more of the following groups of food: ( ) vegetables, ( ) milk, or cheese, or eggs, or fish, or meat, or beans, or nuts, ( ) cereal, such as corn, barley, rice, oats, or buckwheat. to two or more of these groups of food a small amount of fat or oil is generally added. the use of such foods with a dessert or fruit or a plain salad makes a meal that satisfies the most exacting. it is most interesting to select foods from the groups above that would "eat well" together. the one-dish meal gives one the opportunity for a fascinating study of food combinations. if the casserole or fireless cooker is used in their preparation, the possibilities are limitless. an examination of the meat-substitute dishes and meat extenders will show that most of these foods make one-dish meals. mutton with barley pound mutton onion / cupful pearled barley quarts water, boiling potatoes celery leaves (fresh or dried) / teaspoonfuls salt cut the fat from the meat, cut the meat into pieces. put the fat and sliced onion in a frying pan. brown the meat in the fat. add the barley and water and let the mixture cook at simmering temperature for at least / hours. pare the potatoes, cut them into quarters. add the potatoes and celery leaves and cook the mixture at boiling temperature until the potatoes are tender. serve hot. (adapted from _department of agriculture leaflet_.) tamale pie / cupful corn-meal / teaspoonfuls salt cupfuls boiling water onion tablespoonful fat pound chopped meat cupfuls tomatoes dash cayenne pepper, _or_ small chopped sweet pepper / teaspoonfuls salt make a mush by stirring the corn-meal and / teaspoons salt into boiling water. cook in a double boiler or over water for minutes. brown the onion in the fat, add the chopped meat, and stir until the red color disappears. add the tomato, pepper, and salt. grease a baking-dish, put in a layer of corn-meal mush, add the seasoned meat, and cover with mush. bake minutes. (adapted from _united states department of agriculture leaflet_.) creole stew pound lean beef or medium fowl tablespoonful fat / cupful chopped onion / cupful chopped sweet peppers cupful boiling water / cupful rice cupful carrots or okra (cut into small pieces) cupfuls tomatoes / teaspoonfuls salt cut the meat into small pieces or cut the fowl into joints. in a frying pan melt the fat, add the onions, peppers, meat, or chicken. brown for a few minutes. pour these materials into a casserole or kettle of the fireless cooker and add the other ingredients. if the casserole is used, cook at simmering temperature for hours. if the stew is to be cooked in the fireless cooker, cook it directly over the flame for / hour and then place it in the fireless cooker from to hours. serve hot. with chicken and okra this is the famous creole chicken of the south. (adapted from _united states department of agriculture leaflet_.) questions make a list of meat-extending dishes. make a list of foods suitable for the main food of one-dish meals. how many persons will one pound of meat serve? how many persons will the dishes of this lesson (each containing one pound of meat) serve? tell why the foods comprising these dishes are desirable food combinations. related work lesson cv menu-making representation of all essentials of diet.--all the foodstuffs or nutrients should be represented in the foods of a meal, or at least in the foods composing a day's diet. the meal, or the day's ration, should consist of: food rich in carbohydrates and fat, to supply energy to the body. food rich in protein [footnote : protein is not only a body-builder, but also a fuel. but since it should be used chiefly for body-building (see _daily carbohydrate and fat requirement_) its energy-giving power is not considered in meal planning.] and ash, to build the body. food in the form of ash and water, to regulate the processes of the body. food containing vitamines, to promote the health and growth of the body. food containing cellulose, to give bulk to diet. water is supplied to some extent with almost all the foods of a meal, but as mentioned previously, a generous quantity should be used as a beverage. a consideration of the kinds of food to meet the different needs of the body follows: a. _food for energy_.--although both _starch_ and _sugar_ are carbohydrates which furnish energy to the body, this need of the body should be supplied for the most part by starch. the harmful effects of excessive sugar eating were mentioned previously. a certain amount of _fat_ is needed for energy-giving. a meal containing fat "stays by" a person for a longer time than one devoid of foods rich in fat. this is because fat is more slowly digested than other foodstuffs. hence a vigorous person leading an active outdoor life may feel much more comfortable when fat is included in his diet. on the other hand, those exercising little find that fat-rich foods distress them greatly, since they are too slowly digested. for many persons, the use of much fat is harmful. since butter contains the fat-soluble vitamine, it is valuable not only for energy-giving, but for growth-promoting. b. _food for body-building and repairing_.--both _protein_ and _ash_ are needed for body-building. the former foodstuff contains the element nitrogen,--one of the necessary elements for the growth and maintenance of the body. since there are several kinds of food containing protein, the question arises whether protein is best supplied by meat, eggs, milk, cheese, or vegetable protein foods. there are some who contend that meat is the least desirable source of protein food. the use of much meat may lead to the formation of an excess of uric acid which is eliminated by some persons with difficulty. it may also cause intestinal putrefaction. many find that by using meat once a day their health is normal. others find that by using meat but several times a week a more desirable condition is maintained. doubtless many people would find themselves much benefited by using less meat. if the quantity of meat eaten is greatly lessened, care should be taken that protein is supplied by other foods, such as eggs, legumes, cheese, and the various meat-substitute dishes. care should also be taken to see that complete proteins are included in diet. if foods containing incomplete protein such as some of the legumes and cereals are used for body-building, they should be supplemented by foods rich in complete protein such as milk and eggs. if much meat is eaten, a generous quantity of water and of fresh vegetables and fruits should be used. while all the _mineral materials_ found in the body [footnote : the ash constituents existing in the body in largest quantity are: sulphur chlorine calcium iron sodium magnesium potassium phosphorus ] are necessary for its growth and maintenance, calcium, phosphorus, and iron are the elements most likely to be used in insufficient quantities (see figures , , and ). [illustration: figure .--foods containing calcium. a, dried beans, b, dried figs; c, rutabaga, d, celery; e, milk; f, cauliflower, g, almonds; h, egg yolk; i, cheese] calcium is needed for building the hard tissues such as the teeth and bones. a diet deficient in calcium is sometimes the cause of poor teeth. calcium is equally important for body-regulating functions. it is especially necessary that calcium-rich food be given to children. _the most practical and effective way of obtaining calcium is to use a generous supply of milk._ cheese, eggs, and the leaves and stems of plant-foods are also valuable sources of calcium. _milk, egg yolk, cheese, whole grains, and vegetables are the most satisfactory sources of phosphorus._ a free use of these foods is especially desirable since it has been found that phosphorus is quite as necessary as nitrogen. the whole grains are a very valuable source of ash. many of the ash constituents in cereals are found next to the outer coat of bran, hence fine white flour is not so rich in ash as whole wheat flour. [illustration: foods containing phosphorus: _a_ dried peas; _b_, chocolate; _c_, dried beans; _d_, whole wheat; _e_, peanuts; _f_, cheese; _g_, cocoa; _h_, egg yolk.] in the formation of blood and for the welfare of the body as a whole, iron is needed. for this reason, it is often a constituent of "tonics." if foods rich in iron were more generally used, the body would not be so likely to get into a condition requiring such tonics. the iron found in eggs, milk, and vegetable foods is thought to be more completely assimilated than that found in meat. spinach and prunes are valuable sources of iron. this is one of the reasons why they are most desirable foods for children. _the need of eggs, dried fruits, fresh vegetables, and whole grain in diet to furnish iron should be emphasized_. _sulphur_ is one of the necessary elements of the body. it is usually found, however, as a component of protein; hence if enough protein is supplied to the diet, sulphur will be present in sufficient quantity. as mentioned, leafy vegetables not only supply calcium but _sodium_ and _chlorine_,--two of the needed minerals of the body. if fresh vegetables and fruits along with foods rich in calcium, iron, and phosphorus are used, and these foods are cooked and served so as to retain all their nutriment, one can be assured that the diet contains _all_ the necessary ash constituents. [illustration: figure .--foods containing iron. a. dried peas; b. dried figs; c. whole wheat; d. lentils; e. spinach; f. dried dates; g. eggs; h. rye; i. lean beef; j. dried beans; k. raisins; l. dried lima beans.] c. _food for regulating_.--although ash is needed for body-building, it also serves to regulate certain body processes as explained previously. hence if the mineral matter valuable for building is used, the body is also supplied with regulating materials. d. _food for promoting growth_.--a discussion of vitamines,--the materials essential for growth of the body and the maintenance of health,--was given in a previous lesson. it is most necessary that foods rich in vitamines be included in diet. e. _food for bulk_.--the use of foods containing cellulose, which adds bulk to diet, is needed by most persons. many foods rich in mineral matter also contain much cellulose. vegetables, fruits, and whole grains furnish both of these materials. other factors to be considered in menu-making.--for successful menu- making, a number of factors other than the selection of foods to meet the needs of the body should be considered. a discussion of these follows: a. _appetizing foods_.--if the appetite needs stimulation, foods which have an appetizing effect may be used for the first course of meals. fruit is very often served for the first course of a breakfast and sometimes for the first course of a luncheon. soup may serve as the appetizer of either a luncheon or dinner. cream soup being especially nourishing because of its milk content not only serves as an appetizing food, but as one of the nutritious foods of a meal. b. _foods of contrasting flavor_.--if beef or some other protein-rich food is chosen for the main dish of a meal (such as dinner), root vegetables or grains rich in starch, but bland in flavor, are good additions. by combining foods of decided flavor with those of less pronounced taste and those rich in one foodstuff with those abounding in another nutrient, combinations that are both pleasing and varied in flavor may be secured. a housekeeper needs to use "imagination" in selecting foods that will taste well together. c. _variation of foods_.--the same food should not be used twice in the same meal, even though it is prepared in a different form. it would be monotonous to serve tomato soup and tomato salad, or bean soup and baked beans at the same meal. neither would one care to have hash served for both breakfast and luncheon on the same day. of course such foods as bread and butter may be used with every meal. d. _moist and dry foods_.--a combination of "moist" and "dry" foods is more pleasing than a combination of foods of equal dryness or moisture. this does not mean that dry foods should be "rinsed down" with liquids; that is unwise from a physiological standpoint. to the majority of persons, creamed potatoes are more desirable with broiled steak than plain boiled potatoes. the latter would be more pleasing with meat served with a sauce or gravy. e. _sweet foods_.--a sweet food should not be eaten at the beginning of a meal. such sugar-rich foods as preserves and jellies may be served with the main course of a meal or at its close. as explained previously, the sugar is then diluted with other food materials and proves less irritating. if desserts are included in a menu, the practice of serving them at the close of a meal is desirable from a dietetic viewpoint. when the appetite is partially appeased, there is less tendency to eat large quantities of sweet foods. a dessert that is rich in both fat and sugar such as pastry should be served only with a light meal, while a light dessert such as fruit or gelatine may be used at the close of a heavy meal. very often dried fruits and nuts are used as accessories after a meal. they are then often digested with difficulty, because the meal itself has taxed the digestive organs. these foods should be considered as a part of the meal and should not be added after enough other nutrients have been eaten. there is no reason why a wholesome dessert should not be considered one of the nutritious foods of a meal. f. _milk and beverages_.--since milk is necessary for perfect nourishment it is well for adults to use it as a beverage for at least one meal each day. children should use it at all meals. if milk is distasteful to any or all members of a family, cocoa made with much milk may be served in its stead. in meal planning, a housekeeper should see to it that the proper quantity of milk either as a beverage or constituent of such dishes as cream soup, vegetables, and custards is used by each member of the family. when tea and coffee are included in meal plans, the fact that these beverages have no food value except the milk and sugar added to them, should be taken into consideration. g. _foods on hand_.--when menus are made the thrifty housekeeper considers those materials she has on hand and especially those which would spoil if not used at once. very often left-over material serves as a basis on which to plan one or more meals. a housekeeper may drain from a vegetable the water in which it was cooked. but she sees in it for the next meal or for the next day several possible uses. the vegetable stock may be used in soup or it may be combined with milk or cheese and serve as a sauce for some left-over vegetable. bread crumbs combined with milk, peanuts, or egg make a tasty meat substitute one week; or they may be utilized in making bread pudding the second week; a scalloped dish the third week; and a meat loaf the fourth. if several pieces of dry cake are on hand, a tasty dessert may be made by pouring over them some hot sauce such as apple or chocolate. dry cake may also be crumbed and used in place of flour and sugar in a steamed pudding. it is possible, of course, for a housekeeper to spend an undue amount of time in utilizing left-overs or to defeat her efforts in thrift and buy expensive supplementary foods in order to use food on hand. often it is wise to cook just enough so that there are no left-overs. on the other hand, it is sometimes economical as far as fuel and time are concerned to plan to cook enough food at one time for more than one meal. this is especially true of foods requiring long cooking such as baked beans and other dried foods. menu plans.--serving meals in a number of courses should be attempted only where the housekeeper is assisted in her work. for everyday living the meals of most families are served only in one or two courses. although there are a great many things to be considered in menu-making, it is not necessary to use a great variety of foods to meet the requirements of successful meal planning. a breakfast consisting of fruit, rolled oats, and top milk, for example, is simple, but it embraces all the factors involved in the planning of a desirable meal. as previously mentioned, the groups of foods may serve as a basis for menu planning. after selecting foods from each group that are seasonable, economic, and that will "taste well" together it is wise to analyze the menu. see if it contains all the essentials of diet to meet the needs of the body as explained previously. some housekeepers find it helpful to have lists of dishes found to be satisfactory for serving, such as lists of meat dishes, vegetables, salads, desserts, etc., and glance over these when planning meals. the menu plans which follow are merely suggestive. both simple and more elaborate menus are given for each of the three meals. a breakfast may consist of: fruit cereal or eggs and toast beverage _or_ fruit or cereal (or both) meat, egg, or vegetable bread and butter beverage a luncheon or supper may consist of: cream soup bread and butter salad or fruit beverage _or_ fruit or cream soup {fish or meat substitutes {vegetables {bread and butter salad dessert beverage a dinner may consist of: {meat {vegetables {bread and butter salad or dessert beverage _or_ clear soup fish {meat {vegetables {bread with or without butter salad dessert beverage questions mention several combinations of two or more foods that are varied in moisture, dryness, and composition, and that are of contrasting flavor. give reasons for making the combinations. make out suitable menus in your home for a week. compute the cost of the week's menus. if the cost does not come within the limit that can be spent for food in your home, change the menus so that the cost does not exceed the food allowance. lesson cvi planning, cooking, and serving a luncheon or supper plan a luncheon or supper, [footnote : if the laboratory period is limited to minutes, all this time will be required to cook and serve the meal and wash the dishes. hence, it will be necessary to do the meal planning in a previous lesson.] making it a one-dish meal or using a meat substitute instead of meat. also use seasonable food-materials and follow the suggestions given in lesson cv . compute the cost of the menu. if it exceeds cents per person, change the menu so that its cost comes within this amount. analyze the menu. is food from each of the groups contained in it? cook and serve the luncheon or supper. follow the english or family style of serving. serve the meal without a maid. lesson cvii review: meal cooking menu seasonable vegetable salad salad dressing salad rolls see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson cviii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix] suggestions for home work.--plan and prepare one-dish meals or meals containing meat-substitute,--at least one a week. plan and prepare meals containing meat,--at least one a week. compute the cost of these meals. also note the time required to prepare them. suggested aims: ( ) to determine the difference in time required to cook a one-dish meal and a meal containing several different dishes. ( ) to determine the difference in cost of a meal without meat and one containing a meat-substitute. division ten quick breads: pour batters lesson cix leavening with steam and air. popovers when flour is to be moistened and baked to make bread or cake, other ingredients are usually added to improve the grain, texture, and flavor. to understand some of the principles of mixing and lightening baked flour mixtures, try the following: experiment : leavening with steam and air.[footnote : note to the teacher.--experiments and can be performed most expeditiously by dividing the class into groups of two and having each group do the two experiments.]--mix / cupful of flour and / cupful of cold water. beat thoroughly with a dover egg beater. note the consistency of the batter. pour at once into an oiled muffin pan. bake in a hot oven for at least minutes. remove from the pan, break it open, and answer the following questions: what happened during baking to the cold air inclosed in the mixture? with what material did the flour combine during baking? into what form was a part of the water changed during baking? explain fully how the mixture was made porous. experiment : comparison of thick and thin quick breads--repeat experiment , using / tablespoonful of cold water instead of / cupful. after baking, examine and compare with the bread of experiment . which is the more porous? explain how the difference in quantity of moisture accounts for the difference in grain. if a mixture is to be leavened with steam and air, what should be the consistency of the mixture? some simple flour mixtures are lightened by the method indicated above. in most cases, however, more air is introduced into the mixture by using lightly beaten eggs, or by using ingredients that produce gas, on being moistened and heated. experiment : preparation of flour for quick breads.--measure / cupful of pastry flour just as it comes from the can. sift it, and return it carefully to the measuring cup, using a teaspoon. how much does the flour measure now? what does this experiment teach with regard to sifting flour before measuring? of what advantage is it to sift flour not only before measuring, but when adding it to the other ingredients of a quick bread? [note.--use this sifted flour for making popovers.] in preparing all quick bread mixtures, _pastry flour_ (see _wheat flour_) should be used. it should be sifted before measuring. usually any other powdered ingredient, such as baking powder, soda, or spices, is added to the flour and mixed thoroughly (by sifting) into the other materials. baking powder and soda need not be sifted before measuring, but should be stirred. oven thermometers and temperatures.--the ovens of a number of ranges are equipped with thermometers. although it is possible to secure more satisfactory results with a thermometer than without, oven thermometers do not always indicate the temperature of an oven accurately. if a thermometer is fastened on an oven door, for example, and the door does not heat as quickly or to as high a degree as the interior of the oven, the true temperature of the oven cannot be ascertained by this device. by making allowance for the difference, however, such a thermometer may prove very useful. it is much more accurately and conveniently read than a thermometer which is hung or rests inside the oven unless the oven is provided with a glass door. [illustration: courtesy of the _national stove co_ figure --oven heat regulator] a device known as an "oven heat regulator" (see figure ) may be attached to gas ranges. these devices do not merely measure the heat of an oven, but control it and keep the oven temperature constant. a "temperature wheel" (shown at b) is set for a desired temperature and the oven burner lighted. by the expansion or contraction of a sensitive copper tube placed in the top of the oven (shown at a) the gas valve (shown at c) is opened or closed. when the valve is opened the amount of gas burning is increased or decreased so that the temperature of the oven is kept constant, _i.e._ at the temperature at which the wheel is set. insulated ovens, _i.e._ ovens which are constructed so as to retain heat and allow little to escape, are found on some of the modern gas, electric, and kerosene stoves. some of the insulated electric ovens are provided with clocks or dials which may be adjusted so that the current is cut off automatically at the expiration of a certain length of time, or when a certain temperature is reached (see figure ). because of the insulated walls on such ovens, the food continues to cook on "stored heat." a chemical thermometer inserted in an oven is a fairly satisfactory means of obtaining oven temperatures. if one has the use of an oven provided with a chemical thermometer in the school kitchen, tests may be obtained so that the temperature of the oven in the home kitchen may be estimated. the tests are as follows: heat the oven; when it reaches a temperature of degrees f., [footnote : see footnote , regarding the use of the fahrenheit scale.] place a piece of white paper in the oven. after minutes, remove the paper, note the color. continue to heat the oven; place paper in the oven at degrees f., degrees f., degrees f., degrees f., degrees f., degrees f., degrees f., and degrees f. note the color of each piece of paper. baking temperatures have been classified as follows: [footnote : from technical education bulletin, no. , "some attempts to standardize oven temperatures for cookery processes," by may b. van arsdale, teachers college, columbia university.] . slow oven ( degrees to degrees f.) for custards and meringues. . moderate oven ( degrees to degrees f.) for bread, gingerbread, plain cake, [footnote : the lower temperature should be used for loaf cakes and the higher temperature for layer cakes.] all molasses mixtures. . hot oven ( degrees to degrees f.) for parkerhouse rolls, and popovers. in baking popovers, the oven should be cooled to moderate heat after the first ten minutes. . very hot oven ( degrees to degrees f.) for pastry. after the first minutes, the temperature should be lowered to "hot." oven temperatures may be estimated also as follows: (_a_) note the number of minutes required to change white paper, flour, or bread to a light brown or to a golden brown; (_b_) note the number of "counts" (one count per second) that the hand may be held in the oven. pour batter.--all breads may be divided into two classes: (_a_) quick breads and (_b_) yeast breads. the former are so named because a much shorter time is required in their preparation. quick breads are divided into several classes, depending upon the proportion of flour and moisture in the batter. a _pour batter_ is the thinnest quick bread mixture. it usually contains about equal parts of flour and moisture. a definite proportion cannot be stated, since the thickening quality of different flours varies, and the wetting quality of different moist materials varies. many pour batters contain a little more flour than moisture. popover mixture is. a typical pour batter. popovers egg / teaspoonful salt cupful milk cupful flour / teaspoonful fat (melted) oil iron gem pans; place them in the oven, heat until very hot. put all the popover ingredients in a mixing bowl, and beat the mixture with a dover egg beater. pour it into the hot pans and bake to minutes in a hot oven, at degrees f. earthen cups placed in a dripping pan may be used instead of iron pans. popovers may be served hot as a bread, for breakfast or luncheon; or may be used as a dessert with custard or lemon filling or sauce. fruit makes a pleasing addition to popovers. before baking, drop a piece of apple, peach, or other fruit, into the batter in each cup. questions what change, other than moistening the flour, takes place in the milk that helps to lighten the popovers? what changes take place in the eggs and in the air inclosed in them when they are heated quickly? what is the purpose of beating the popover mixture thoroughly? how many popovers will the given recipe make? lesson cx leavening with baking soda and sour milk: spider corn bread besides the air that is beaten into the eggs and into the combined ingredients of quick bread mixtures, a gas--carbon dioxide--is often introduced into such mixtures. to find how this gas may be formed, try the following: experiment : action of baking soda on sour milk.--place a teaspoonful of sour milk in a test tube and add a pinch of baking soda. do you notice any change in the ingredients? apply heat to the contents of the tube. what kind of material (solid, liquid, or gas) is indicated by the bubbling (see experiment )? what does this experiment teach with regard to the use of baking soda and sour milk, for lightening a mixture? experiment : chemical change.--measure / cupful of thick sour milk. [footnote : the amount of acid in sour milk varies slightly.] dip the end of a piece of blue litmus paper in it. what change in color takes place in the paper? when blue litmus changes to pink, an _acid_ is present. the sour milk therefore contains acid. measure / teaspoonful of baking soda. mix this with a little water. test with pink litmus paper. when pink litmus paper changes to blue, an _alkaline_ substance is present. baking soda is therefore alkaline in reaction. pour the milk into a saucepan, add about / of the soda mixture, stir and heat until effervescence (bubbling) has ceased. test the mixture in the saucepan with blue litmus paper. if the blue litmus paper changes color, carefully add a little more of the soda solution. test with litmus again. if there is still a change in color, add soda solution until the litmus does not change. then test with pink litmus. when neither pink nor blue litmus paper changes color a _neutral_ substance is present, i.e. a substance neither acid nor alkaline. when this occurs, the mixture in the pan is no longer acid in reaction. neither sour milk nor baking soda exists in the pan. a _chemical change_ has taken place. from the union of sour milk and soda, entirely different materials are formed; one is the neutral substance in the pan; another is the carbon dioxide gas which has escaped, and the third is water. when an acid and an alkaline material are mixed, a chemical change always occurs. chemical changes are constantly taking place when certain food mixtures are cooked and digested. experiment : quantity of baking soda to use with sour milk.--to the contents of the saucepan of experiment , add / teaspoonful more of baking soda. stir, heat, and test with pink litmus. what is the reaction-- acid or alkaline? has the last quantity of soda been neutralized as was the first quantity? explain. if more baking soda than is necessary to neutralize the acid of the sour milk is used, some _unneutralized_ soda will remain in the mixture. this is undesirable, since soda has a "bitter taste." an excessive quantity of unneutralized soda also discolors the mixture. experiments and indicate that the _approximate_ proportion of baking soda to sour milk is: _ / teaspoonful of baking soda to cupful of thick sour milk._ the following "equations" indicate the importance of using the proper amount of baking soda to neutralize the acid materials: cupful of sour milk + / teaspoonful of baking soda --> [footnote : the plus sign is read "with"; the arrow is read "yields."] water + carbon dioxide gas + neutral material. cupful of sour milk + teaspoonful of baking soda --> water + carbon dioxide gas + neutral material + unneutralized "soda." spider corn bread / cupful corn-meal / teaspoonful baking soda / cupful flour egg tablespoonful sugar cupful sour milk / teaspoonful salt tablespoonful butter or substitute mix the dry ingredients. in a mixing bowl, beat an egg, add the sour milk, then the dry ingredients. beat the mixtures until the ingredients are well blended. melt the butter or substitute in a hot "spider" or frying pan. pour the corn-meal mixture into it. bake in a hot oven until sufficiently baked, usually about minutes (see tests below). serve hot. tests for sufficient baking of quick bread.--quick bread is usually sufficiently baked: (_a_) when it is a golden brown in color; (_b_) when the mixture shrinks from the pan; (_c_) when the crust springs back into place, if pressed gently with the fingers; or (_d_) when no batter or dough clings to a wire skewer or knitting needle (see figure ) that has been inserted. usually it is not necessary to apply this last test, unless the quick bread is baked in a loaf or in a very thick layer. questions mention the materials used in spider corn bread to make it light. explain their action. explain why satisfactory results could not be obtained by using / teaspoonfuls of baking soda in this spider corn bread recipe. what is the price per half-pound of baking soda? how many persons does this spider corn bread recipe serve? lesson cxi leavening with baking soda, sour milk, and molasses: gingerbread experiment : action of baking soda on molasses.--place a teaspoonful of baking molasses in a test tube and dilute with a little water. test it with litmus paper. what is its reaction? add a pinch of baking soda. heat. what does effervescence indicate? what do we call the gas formed by the action of the baking soda and a substance having an acid reaction? explain how baking soda and molasses could be used to lighten a quick bread. experiment : quantity of baking soda to use with molasses.--carefully measure / cupful of molasses. [footnote : the acidity of molasses may be due to fermentation or to the preservatives used in many brands. its intensity varies.] dilute it with much water. carefully measure / teaspoonful of baking soda and mix it with water. add about / of the soda mixture to the molasses solution. stir and heat. test with blue litmus. if it changes color, keep adding the soda mixture, until the litmus paper does not change, as in experiment . when neither blue nor pink litmus paper changes color, what kind of substance,--acid, alkaline, or neutral,--is present? what change has taken place in the materials placed in the saucepan? this experiment shows that the _approximate_ proportion of baking soda to molasses is: / _teaspoonful of baking soda to_ _cupful of molasses_. this "equation" expresses the chemical change in the experiment: cupful molasses + / teaspoonful of baking soda --> neutral material + carbon dioxide gas + water. gingerbread cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonful cinnamon teaspoonfuls ginger / teaspoonful cloves egg cupful thick sour milk / cupful molasses / cupful sugar to tablespoonfuls fat mix all the dry ingredients except the sugar. beat the egg in a mixing bowl. add the sour milk, molasses, and sugar. if solid fat is used, melt it. add the fat to the molasses mixture. through a sifter, add the dry ingredients to other materials. beat thoroughly and turn at once into a shallow oiled pan. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f. to degrees f.) minutes or longer (see _tests for sufficient baking of quick bread_) _gingerbread without eggs_ may be made. omit the egg from the recipe above. to the dry ingredients, add teaspoonful of baking powder. _water gingerbread_ may be made by substituting / cupful cold water for the sour milk, and using / teaspoonful baking soda (instead of / teaspoonful) and adding teaspoonfuls of baking powder. questions mention the leavening materials used in this gingerbread, and explain their action. what is the price per quart of molasses? how many persons does this recipe serve? lesson cxii leavening with baking powder: griddle cakes experiment : effect of cold water on a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda.--test a bit of cream of tartar with moistened litmus paper. is it acid or alkaline in reaction? put / teaspoonful of baking soda and twice the quantity of cream of tartar in a dry test tube. does any change take place? add about teaspoonful of cold water to the mixture and examine. what change takes place? what substance is being formed? experiment : effect of hot water on a mixture of cream of tartar and baking soda.--repeat experiment , using hot water instead of cold with the baking soda and cream of tartar. which causes greater effervescence,-- hot or cold water? is it desirable to have more of the gas formed before or after the mixture is placed in the oven? what, then, should be the temperature (hot or cold) of liquids and other materials used in the quick bread mixtures? experiment : effect of hot water on baking powder.--add about teaspoonful of hot water to / teaspoonful of baking powder. compare the effervescence with that of experiment . from the comparison of experiments and , with experiment , what two kinds of substances do you infer this baking powder contains? (save the contents of the tube for the following experiment.) experiment : starch in baking powder.--filter the contents of the tube used in experiment through filter paper (see figure ). add a drop of tincture of iodine to the insoluble material left on the filter paper. what is the insoluble constituent of this baking powder? composition of baking powder.--baking powder consists of (_a_) baking soda, (_b_) a substance having an acid reaction, (_c_) a starchy material. the substance of acid reaction varies in different baking powders. some powders in common use contain either cream of tartar, calcium or sodium acid phosphate, or alum [footnote : alums differ in composition. they are sulphates of various metals. the alum most commonly used in alum baking powder is sodium aluminium sulphate.] as the "acid" material. certain baking powders contain a mixture of materials with acid reaction, such as cream of tartar with tartaric acid, and alum with calcium acid phosphate. the starch is added to keep the other materials apart, and thus prevent the possible formation and consequent loss of carbon dioxide. the trade name of a baking powder does not usually suggest its composition. but the latter is always stated on the label of the can. experiment : comparison of the time of action of different types of baking powders.--put / cupful of water of the same temperature into each of tumblers or glass measuring cups. to one tumbler add / teaspoonful of tartrate baking powder; to the second, the same quantity of phosphate baking powder; and to the third an equal quantity of alum (or alum and phosphate) baking powder. stir each and note the length of time that chemical change occurs in each tumbler. which type of baking powder reacts the longest time? difference in types of baking powders.--although there has been much discussion regarding the superiority of one type of baking powder over another, it is thought that one standard baking powder is as little harmful as another. but, as shown by experiment , the action of certain types is slower than that of others, _i.e._ the formation of the gas continues for a longer time. certain types of baking powders which react very quickly when moisture is added may react to some extent while still in the can and thus lose some of their effectiveness in leavening. it is well to buy those baking powders in such quantities so that a fresh can can be purchased often. the price of certain types of baking powders is much greater than that of others. quantity of baking powder in quick breads.--since baking powder contains both acid and alkaline materials, the quantity of baking powder used in a quick bread is dependent not upon another leavening material, but upon the quantity of flour and eggs. _when no eggs are used, tea-spoonfuls of baking powder should be used with cupful of flour._ when eggs are added to a quick bread, the quantity of baking powder should be lessened / teaspoonful for each egg. _two and one half teaspoonfuls of baking powder should be used with cupful of coarse wheat flour or flour or meal other than wheat._ suggestions for preparing griddle cakes.--the general rules for mixing quick breads apply also to griddle cakes. when the yolk and white of the egg are separated, the mixture will be somewhat lighter. most housekeepers, however, beat the eggs together quickly, and find the result satisfactory. the consistency of griddle cake batter is most important. as suggested in the recipe, the moisture should be added cautiously. since the quantity of baking powder depends upon the amount of flour, it is better to change from a thick to a thinner batter by increasing the moisture, rather than to change from a thin to a thicker batter by increasing the flour. after mixing the batter, drop a small cake on the hot iron. the thickness as well as the grain of the browned cake depends largely upon the consistency of the batter. if too much moisture has been used, the cake is thin, "pasty," and coarse grained. a griddle should be heated slowly, and should be hot when the cakes are mixed. if sufficient fat is used in the batter, it is not necessary to oil the griddle. the recipes for griddle cakes given in this book contain one and one half times the quantity of fat generally used in griddle cake batters. hence oiling the griddle is unnecessary. it is well after each baking to wipe off the griddle with a cloth or paper. drop the batter by the spoonful (from the end of the spoon) on the hot griddle, brown on the under side thoroughly. when the cakes have risen, when the tops are full of bubbles, and when the edges are brown, the cakes should be turned and browned on the other side. serve cakes at once after baking. plain griddle cakes cupfuls flour egg / teaspoonful salt / cupfuls milk / teaspoonfuls baking powder tablespoonfuls fat prepare according to the directions above. add the milk cautiously. more or less (according to the absorbing property of the flour) than the given quantity may be required. / cupful of sugar or molasses may be added to the mixture. if desired, one more egg may be used in this recipe. serve with maple or other sirup (see _sirup_). bread griddle cakes / cupfuls bread crumbs / cupfuls hot milk tablespoonfuls fat to eggs / cupful flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder soak the bread in the hot milk until soft. add the other ingredients in the order given. cupful of cooked cereal may be used instead of bread crumbs. _rice griddle cakes_ are especially pleasing. questions account for the quantity of baking powder used in each of these recipes. what is the price per pound of cream of tartar? of tartrate baking powder? of phosphate baking powder? of alum baking powder? of alum-phosphate baking powder? what would be the effect of exposing baking powder to moist air? how should baking powder be stored? what kind of griddle cakes result when the batter is too thin? when too thick? what indicates that the griddle is too hot? too cool? how should griddle cakes be served? lesson cxiii leavening with baking soda, sour milk, and baking powder: sour milk griddle cakes additional leavening for sour milk mixtures.--some housekeepers maintain that a superior flavor and quality is given to quick bread by the use of sour milk. it has been found that most quick breads are sufficiently light and porous when made with sour milk and baking soda, provided they contain as much or almost as much sour milk as flour and provided they contain eggs. if _the quantity of sour milk is much less than that of flour_ and _no eggs are present_, it is often desirable to add leavening materials other than sour milk and baking soda. from the results of experiment we know that an increased quantity of baking soda will not produce satisfactory results. hence more carbon dioxide gas must be obtained by other means. since baking powder consists of both baking soda and an "acid" material, it makes a desirable substance for additional leavening. a combination of baking soda, sour milk, and baking powder is therefore used for leavening some quick bread mixtures, especially those that contain only a small quantity of sour milk and no eggs. this involves a double reaction: (_a_) baking soda + sour milk --> neutral material + carbon dioxide gas + water. (_b_) baking powder (moistened and heated) --> neutral material + carbon dioxide gas + water. about / of baking powder is baking soda. hence / teaspoonful of baking soda (with the necessary quantity of "acid" material) is equivalent to teaspoonful of baking powder in leavening. if teaspoonfuls of baking powder are used to leaven cupful of flour, / _teaspoonful of baking soda_ (with the necessary quantity of "acid" material) _should be used to leaven cupful of flour_. _two thirds teaspoonful of baking soda_ (with the necessary quantity of "acid" material) _should be used to leaven cupful of coarse flour or flour or meal_ other than wheat. in determining the quantity of baking powder to use in materials leavened with sour milk and baking soda, note the quantity of baking soda and flour. assuming that / teaspoonful of baking soda (with "acid") or teaspoonfuls of baking powder leavens cupful of flour, determine the amount of flour that the given quantity of baking soda (with "acid") will leaven and then use sufficient baking powder to leaven the remainder of the flour. for example, if a recipe states (among other ingredients) / teaspoonful of baking soda and cupfuls of flour, the baking soda (with "acid") will leaven cupful of flour. hence baking powder sufficient to leaven cupful of flour (_i.e._ teaspoonfuls) should be used. again, if a recipe states that / teaspoonful baking soda and cupfuls of flour, the baking soda (with "acid") will leaven / cupfuls of flour. hence baking powder sufficient to leaven / cupful flour (_i.e._ teaspoonful) should be used. sour milk griddle cakes (without eggs) cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful baking soda / cupfuls sour milk tablespoonfuls fat turn the sour milk into a mixing bowl. melt the fat and add it to the sour milk. add the dry ingredients (through a sifter) to the mixture. mix thoroughly. if more moisture is needed, add water. corn-meal griddle cakes cupful corn-meal cupfuls water tablespoonfuls fat cupful sour milk cupful flour teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful baking soda [footnote : the / teaspoonful of baking soda (with "acid") is sufficient to leaven the cupful of flour. then / teaspoonfuls of baking powder should be added, since cupful of corn- meal is contained in the recipe (see _quantity of baking powder in quick breads_).] / teaspoonfuls baking powder [footnote : see footnote ] to tablespoonfuls sugar add the corn-meal to the water, mix thoroughly, and cook minutes. add the fat. cool. then add the milk and dry ingredients. mix thoroughly. drop at once on a hot griddle. fruit sirup cook fresh fruit, or dried fruit that has been soaked in water, in a generous quantity of water until it is very soft. press through a strainer. if it is not of the consistency of catsup, add more hot water. add from one eighth to one fourth cupful of sugar for each cupful of sirup, or "sweeten to taste." serve on griddle cakes, or use as a sauce for bread pudding or rice pudding. fruit butters, marmalades, or jams may be diluted with water, heated, and used in the same way. questions if an egg or two were added to griddle cakes made with sour milk, how should the recipe be changed? give reasons for the change. explain the action of the leavening agents in sour milk griddle cakes (without eggs). in a quick bread leavened with baking soda, sour milk, and baking powder, upon what ingredient does the quantity of baking soda depend? upon what ingredients does the quantity of baking powder depend? explain your answers. what is the purpose of cooking the corn-meal before adding the other ingredients? why should the cooked mixture be cooled before adding the other ingredients? lesson cxiv leavening with baking soda, sour milk, and cream of tartar: steamed brown breads additional leavening for sour milk mixtures.--instead of using prepared baking powder as additional leavening for sour milk mixtures (see previous lesson) cream of tartar with sour milk and baking soda may be used. enough baking soda must be used, however, to neutralize both the sour milk and the cream of tartar. this involves a double reaction: (_a_) baking soda + sour milk --> water + carbon dioxide gas + neutral substance. (_b_) baking soda + cream of tartar --> water + carbon dioxide gas + a neutral substance. if molasses is used with the sour milk and baking soda, a third reaction occurs: (_c_) baking soda + molasses --> water + carbon dioxide gas + neutral substance. it has been found that the following proportion of cream of tartar and baking soda is effective in leavening: / _teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar with _ / _ teaspoonful of baking soda._ these quantities of materials are sufficient to leaven cupful of flour. / _teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar with _ / _ teaspoonful of baking soda are required to leaven cupful coarse wheat flour or flour or meal other than wheat._ in determining the quantity of cream of tartar and baking soda to use with mixtures containing sour milk or other acid food, note the quantity of flour (or other cereal) in the recipe. assuming that / teaspoonful of baking soda (with the necessary "acid" material) leavens cupful of flour, determine the total quantity of baking soda, which (with the necessary "acid" material) will leaven the flour. then determine how much of the baking soda will be neutralized by the sour milk or other "acid" food. assuming that l- / teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar are needed to neutralize / teaspoonful of baking soda, use enough cream of tartar to neutralize the remainder of the baking soda. for example, if a recipe calls for (among other ingredients) cupfuls flour and cupful of sour milk, teaspoonful of baking soda (with the necessary "acid" material) will be needed to leaven the flour. since cupful of sour milk will neutralize only / teaspoonful of baking soda, enough cream of tartar (_i.e._ / teaspoonfuls) will be needed to neutralize the remainder of the baking soda. general suggestions for steamed quick bread mixtures.--a quick bread mixture that is to be steamed should be placed in a covered utensil. if the mold or the can used for steaming has no cover, an oiled paper should be tied over the top. as with all quick breads, the molds for steamed mixtures should be oiled. if the quick bread is a pour batter, the mold should be oiled and then sprinkled with flour. it should never be filled more than two thirds full. a steamer placed over boiling water may be used for the steaming; or a kettle of boiling water containing a rack may be used. if the latter device is employed, the boiling water in the kettle should come halfway to the top of the molds. as the water evaporates, add more _boiling_ water. less time is required in the steaming, if the mold is placed directly in the water. at least one hour is required for steaming breads. the longer brown bread is steamed, the darker it becomes. a mixture in an earthen mold requires more time than does one in a tin or granite mold (see experiment ). plain brown bread cupfuls graham flour / cupful white flour / cupful brown sugar / teaspoonful salt / teaspoonfuls baking soda / teaspoonfuls cream of tartar cupfuls sour milk mix all dry ingredients thoroughly. turn the sour milk into a mixing bowl. add the dry ingredients; mix well. turn at once into an oiled bread pan, and bake in the oven from to minutes; or fill one-pound baking powder cans (which have been oiled) two thirds full, and steam at least hours. if the bread is steamed, remove it (after steaming) from the molds and dry in the oven for a few minutes. boston brown bread / cupful sugar cupful corn-meal cupfuls graham flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking soda teaspoonfuls cream of tartar cupfuls sour milk / cupful molasses mix the dry ingredients (except the sugar) thoroughly. turn the molasses, sugar, and sour milk into a mixing bowl. add the dry ingredients; mix well. turn at once into oiled molds, and steam at least hours. remove from the molds, and dry in the oven for a few minutes. rye meal or bread crumbs may be substituted for cupful of graham flour. if dried bread crumbs are used, moisten them with a little cold water before adding to the other ingredients. cupful of raisins may also be added to the ingredients of the above recipe. if raisins are used, cut them in two and sprinkle flour over them. butter balls cut firm butter into half-ounce pieces and place in a pan of ice water. scrub the butter paddles; place in boiling water for minutes; and then in the pan of ice water until chilled. place a piece of butter on one of the paddles and hold the paddle stationary. shape the butter with the other butter paddle, moving it in a circular direction. hold the paddle over the ice water while shaping. place the butter balls in a cool place. questions what gas is formed in these mixtures to leaven them? by what means is the gas formed in each mixture? how much baking soda and cream of tartar should be used in a recipe containing cupfuls of flour, cupful of sour milk, and / cupful molasses? account for the quantity of baking soda used in each of the brown bread recipes. give two reasons why the paper used to cover a steamed quick bread mixture should be oiled. why are molds for steamed mixtures filled only two thirds full? why should _boiling_ water be used to replenish the water in steaming kettle? why is a longer time required for steaming than for baking quick bread mixtures? why should butter paddles be cleaned with a brush rather than with a cloth? what is the purpose of placing butter paddles in boiling water before using? why hold the paddles over ice water while shaping the butter balls? lesson cxv formulating recipes--waffles leavening formulas.--a practical housekeeper needs to be able to formulate fundamental recipes. in preparing quick bread recipes, she should know the required consistency of flour mixtures, _i.e._ the approximate proportion of moisture and flour for each bread; and the proportion of leavening, seasoning, and "shortening" (fat) materials to use with flour. in previous lessons, general statements have been made concerning the quantity of leavening materials to use under various conditions. the following is the approximate amount of leavening material to be used for quick breads that contain little or no sugar: baking soda and sour milk / teaspoonful baking soda to cupful of sour milk baking soda and molasses [footnote : see footnote .] / teaspoonful of baking soda to cupful molasses flour and baking powder teaspoonfuls baking powder to cupful of flour when no eggs are used. when eggs are used, reduce the entire quantity of baking powder by / teaspoonful for each egg. coarse wheat flour, or flour (or meal) other than wheat, and baking powder / teaspoonfuls of baking powder to cupful of coarse flour or meal. flour, cream of tartar, and baking soda / teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and / teaspoonful of baking soda to cupful of flour. coarse wheat flour, or flour (or meal) other than wheat, cream of tartar and baking soda / teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and / teaspoonful of baking soda to cupful of flour. examine a number of recipes previously given, and note the quantity of salt and fat used with cupful of flour. in general, the following quantities of salt and fat are used for quick breads that contain little or no sugar: flour and salt / teaspoonful of salt to cupful of flour flour and fat tablespoonful of fat to cupful of flour while these data are helpful in formulating recipes, the pupil should remember that they are all approximate and for plain breads only. when recipes are modified by the addition of a cereal, a fruit, or a flavoring material, some of the quantities will need to be changed. waffles cupfuls flour to / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt to eggs / cupfuls milk tablespoonfuls fat mix according to the directions for plain griddle cakes. the quantity of baking powder depends upon the number of eggs. the greater quantity should be used with one egg. before using the waffle irons, they should be heated slowly on both sides and oiled thoroughly. oleomargarine, oil, or lard may be used for this purpose. pour the batter quickly into the hot irons, close the irons at once, and brown the waffles on both sides. serve with sirup or gravy. questions write a recipe for waffles, using sweet milk and baking powder and eggs. write two recipes for waffles, using sour milk and soda (with additional leavening, if necessary) and egg in the one, and eggs in the other. how many waffles does the given recipe make? related work lesson cxvi measurement of the fuel value of foods how food is assimilated.--the uses of the foodstuffs,--carbohydrates, fats, protein, ash, water, and vitamines,--were given. it was stated that these foodstuffs either (_a_) "burned" (_i.e._ united with oxygen) and produced energy, (_b_) built the body, or (_c_) aided in regulating body processes. all parts of the body are composed of microscopic cells. by the process of digestion the foodstuffs are made entirely soluble (see _solution and digestion_); they are then further altered, _i.e._ split to their end products and absorbed through the walls of the alimentary canal. the blood carries the digestion products to all parts of the body. the blood also carries oxygen,--which has been breathed into the body from the air,--to all parts of the body. the body cells then select the foodstuffs that they need to carry on their work. some cells pick out the fuel materials--carbohydrates, fat, or protein--and oxygen. fuel foods when oxidized, produce energy. other body cells select some of the body builders--protein or ash--and use these for building or repairing tissue. the cells which build bone choose ash and the other materials needed for building bones; the cells which build muscle choose protein and the other materials needed for building muscle. little is known regarding the use of vitamines by the body cells, other than that they are indispensable for the growth and maintenance of the body. how energy or fuel value is measured.--it was stated that the human body could be compared to an automobile, _i.e._ the "burning" of the fuel foods in the body produced the ability to do work. the quantity of energy that fuel food is capable of giving off is termed the _fuel value_ of that food. energy has been defined as the ability to do work. since heat is energy, the fuel value of foods shows, in part, [footnote : although ash, water, and vitamines nourish the body, it is impossible to measure their nutritive value in terms of fuel value. fuel value expresses the nutritive value only of the combustible foodstuffs,--carbohydrates, fats, and protein. however, according to sherman, "the most conspicuous nutritive requirement is that of energy for the work of the body." hence, the fuel value of a food is often spoken of as its nutritive value (see "chemistry of food and nutrition," second edition, by henry c. sherman, ph.d., p. ).] their nutritive value. _if the quantity of heat that is produced by burning a food is measured, the measurement indicates the quantity of energy that the food is capable of giving to the body._ heat cannot be measured by weight or length, but by the change in temperature which it produces in a given weight of a certain material. the heat unit is not a pound or yard, but a _calorie_, or a definite quantity of heat, which, when applied to materials, will produce change of temperature in those materials. if the temperature of one pound [footnote : note to the teacher--the avoirdupois system of measurement and the fahrenheit scale of temperature are used in this text. it is believed by the author that less than ten per cent of all pupils taking this course will enter college. hence, the use of the measurements that are more in keeping with the pupils' practical needs. for the small minority who will enter college, a thorough drill in the metric system is urged. the following formula gives the necessary information for changing from the fahreheit to the centigrade scale: subtract and multiply by / .] of water is degrees fahrenheit, and it is desired to increase the temperature of that water to degrees fahrenheit, a certain quantity of heat will have to be applied. it has been found that the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water through any four degrees of the fahrenheit scale is practically the same, _i.e._ the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water from degrees to degrees f. is about the same as the quantity of heat that must be applied to raise the temperature of one pound of water from degrees to degrees f. the unit of measurement of heat is taken as the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound of water through about degrees f. the calorie, [footnote : _i.e._ greater calorie, distinguished from the lesser calorie by the capital c.] used for food calculation, _is approximately the quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of one pound (pint) of water through_ degrees f. if one pint of water were placed over a lighted burner and heated until it increased four degrees in temperature, approximately one calorie of heat would have been applied to the water (see figure ). how the fuel value of a food material is measured.--scientists have worked with care to obtain accurate data for the measurement of the heat produced by foods burning in the body. the data accepted to-day differ from those given by rubner some years ago. [footnote : see "chemistry of foods and nutrition," second edition, by henry c. sherman, ph.d., p. , "physiological fuel values."] gram protein yields calories gram fat yields calories gram carbohydrate yields calories expressing grams approximately in ounces, these data become: ounce of protein yields calories ounce of fat yields calories ounce of carbohydrate yields calories [illustration: figure .--illustrating the amount of heat represented by one calorie.] in order to find the fuel value of foods, it is necessary to know their composition. for such data _united states department of agriculture_ bulletin no. is a valuable source. _flour_.--the fuel content of flour is (see _united states department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , p. , all analyses average): . per cent protein; . per cent fat; . per cent carbohydrates. then, ounce of flour contains, . ounce of protein; . ounce of fat; . ounce carbohydrates. the protein in one ounce of flour yields ( x =) . calories. [illustration: figure .--comparative weights of -calorie portions of foods.] the fat in one ounce of flour yields ( x . =) . calories. the carbohydrates in one ounce of flour yield ( x . =) . calories. total calories furnished by ounce of flour are ( . + . + . =) . . _butter_.--the fuel content of butter is (see _united states department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , p. ): per cent protein; per cent fat; no carbohydrates. ounce of butter contains . ounce of protein, . ounce of fat, and no carbohydrates. the protein in one ounce of butter yields ( . x =) . calories. the fat in one ounce of butter yields ( . x =) . calories. number of total calories furnished by one ounce of butter is ( . + . =) . . _sugar_.--the fuel content of sugar is (see _united states department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , p. ) no per cent protein; no per cent fat; per cent carbohydrates. ounce of sugar contains no protein, no fat, and ounce carbohydrates. ounce sugar yields ( x =) calories. how the weight of food materials producing calories is measured.--for practical work in computing the fuel value of foods, it has been found more convenient to reduce all data to terms which express equal fuel value instead of equal weight as in the foregoing paragraph. one hundred calories is the unit chosen. the weight of a food which, when "burned" in the body, will produce one hundred calories is the desired data. this weight is termed a _standard portion_ or a _ -calorie portion_ (see figures and ). from the previous work, it is a simple matter to compute in ounces the quantity of food materials which will yield calories. if ounce of flour yields . calories and _x_ represents the number of ounces of flour which will yield calories, then _x_/ = / . or _x_= . , the number of ounces of flour which yield calories, _i.e._ a -calorie portion of flour. if ounce of butter yields . calories and _x_ represents the number of ounces of butter which will yield calories, then _x_/ = / . or _x_= . , the number of ounces of butter which yield calories, _i.e._ a -calorie portion of butter. [illustration: figure -- -calorie portions of foods. a, banana, b, butter, c, eggs d, meat; e, bread.] if ounce of sugar yields calories and x represents the number of ounces of sugar which will yield calories, then _x_/ = / or _x_= . , the number of ounces of sugar which will yield calories, _i.e._ a -calorie portion of sugar. how the fuel value of a combination of food material is measured.--it is possible to compute the fuel value of a food that is made up of several food materials. to do this one must know or find: (_a_) recipe for food. (_b_) weight and measure of combustible food materials. (_c_) number of calories yielded by one ounce of each of the combustible foodstuffs. the recipe for one loaf of bread is: cupful water teaspoonful salt teaspoonful sugar / cupfuls flour / tablespoonful butter / cake compressed yeast / cupful water by weighing and measuring one finds: pound sugar measures cupfuls pound butter measures cupfuls pound flour measures cupfuls then, teaspoonful sugar weighs . ounce / tablespoonful butter weighs . ounce / cupfuls flour weigh . ounces (from data of _how the fuel value of a food material is measured_.) teaspoonful sugar yields ( x . =) . calories / tablespoonful butter yields ( . x . =) . calories / cupfuls flour yield ( . x =) . calories loaf of bread yields ( . + . + . =) . calories for the practical method of calculating diet (which is more fully treated in lesson cxxxi), it is convenient to have the -calorie portion of a recipe, or a "made" food. the -calorie portion of bread is estimated from the result above in the following manner: since . calories are yielded by one loaf of homemade bread, then calories are yielded by ( / . =) . or per cent of a loaf of homemade bread; hence, / ( ) or slice of homemade bread yields calories. questions find the number of calories produced by one ounce of milk. find the number of calories produced by one ounce of egg. weigh out -calorie portions of flour, butter, and sugar. measure these quantities, using a cup for the flour, a tablespoon for the butter, and a teaspoon for the sugar. compute -calorie portions of milk and the edible portion of eggs, then weigh these portions. measure this portion of milk in a cup. how many eggs make a standard portion? why are water, salt, and yeast not considered when the fuel value is computed? compute the fuel value of pint of soft custard. find the -calorie portion of soft custard. note.--forms a and b given on the following pages will be found convenient in recording the results of these calculations. lesson cxvii planning, cooking, and serving a dinner plan a plain dinner. [footnote : see footnote .] use seasonable foods. follow the suggestions given in lesson cv. plan the menu so that the cost of the materials used does not exceed cents per person. analyze the menu and see that it meets the requirements stated in lesson cv. cook and serve the dinner. follow the english or family style of serving. serve the meal without a maid. [illustration: form a: calculation of -calorie portions of foods] [illustration: form b: calculation of fuel value of recipes] lesson cxviii review: meal cooking menu cereal griddle cakes fruit sirup coffee _or_ butterscotch apples gingerbread tea see lesson xiv regarding suggestions for the preparation of the lesson. lesson cxix home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--prepare a quick bread such as popovers or gingerbread in your home at least once a week. if griddle cakes are served in your home, prepare cakes at least once a week. calculate the cost of these breads. suggested aims: ( ) to use various leavens in quick breads. to compare results secured by using sweet milk or water with baking powder, and sour milk with baking soda, or sour milk with baking soda and baking powder. ( ) to use different liquids in gingerbread, viz., sour milk, water, sweet milk. to compare results obtained by the use of each. division eleven quick breads: drop batters lesson cxx fine and coarse flours--muffins differences in wheat flours.--examine white flour, whole wheat flour, and graham flour. notice the difference in color, grittiness, and quantity of bran (cellulose). as has been mentioned before, all cereals or grains have an outer hard covering of cellulose (see _cellulose_). cereals also contain a germ from which the young plant springs. in the preparation of fine flours, the germ and most of the cellulose covering are removed. whole wheat (erroneously named) has part of the outer covering removed. graham [footnote : graham flour is so called because dr. sylvester graham advocated the use of the entire grain and devised a method of preparing it.] flour, properly made, contains all the materials of the wheat grain. the germ is rich in fat, protein, and ash. the outer part, called _bran_, contains more ash, fat, and protein than does the center of the grain. hence with the removal of the germ and bran, much of the protein and ash is lost (see figure ). however, much graham flour is a mixture of inferior flour and bran. the milling of flour.--in the milling of fine flour, the wheat kernels are passed through a series of rollers and sifters that crush the wheat and separate the bran from the other materials. the greater the number of times the flour is subjected to the rolling and sifting process, the more thoroughly are the parts of the grain separated and the more finely are they crushed. when the separation is complete, the resulting fine flour consists almost entirely of the center of the crushed grains (called _middlings_). flour made with fewer rollings and siftings contains more of the outer coats. in general, the term _patent_ is applied to flour made from the middlings. the flour containing more of the outer coats is called _baker's_ or family flour. patent flour contains more starch than does baker's flour while baker's flour contains more protein than does patent flour. the terms _patent_ and _baker's_ vary in meaning, however, in different localities. [illustration: _from maine agricultural experiment station bulletin no. ._ figure .--longitudinal section of wheat grain showing bran (outer coatings), floury part (interior of grain), and germ (base of grain).] value of coarse flour.--analyses show that graham and whole wheat flours contain more protein and ash than fine white flour. so it would seem that breads made from these coarser flours furnish more body-building material. but investigations have shown that the protein contained in the coarse flours is not entirely assimilated and that about the same quantity of protein is digested and absorbed from fine as from coarse flours. the coarser grain products, however, have more available ash than the fine flours. indeed, experiments show that the bran of coarse cereals is a valuable source of ash [footnote : see "chemistry of food and nutrition," second edition, h. c. sherman, p. , "grain products," and p. .] and that whole wheat flour is a more complete food than fine or bolted wheat flour. [footnote : see "the newer knowledge of nutrition," e.v. mccollum, p. .] doubtless, for many persons, whole wheat foods are more beneficial than fine flour products. per cent of nutrients; nutritive values.--the per cent of nutrients in a food does not always indicate the quantity of nourishment it will yield. the nutrient must be in a condition to be absorbed. wheat grains contain as much protein when whole as when ground into meal, yet uncooked whole wheat grains yield little nourishment to the body. they pass through the system with much nutriment unextracted. even if the unbroken grains are thoroughly cooked, they will not furnish as much nourishment to the body as they will when in the form of meal. in the consideration of nutritive value, the personal factor enters, for some persons assimilate food much more easily or completely than others. in summing up what has been said, it will be seen that three factors determine the nutritive value of a food: (_a_) per cent of nutrients, (_b_) form of nutrients, and (_c_) personal digestive characteristics. drop batters.--all batters can be stirred with a spoon. drop batters are somewhat stiffer than pour batters. they contain, approximately, _two parts of flour to one part of moisture_. compare the plain muffin recipe below with that for popovers. note how the recipes differ in the quantity of flour used. why do muffins contain baking powder, while popovers do not? muffin mixture is a typical drop batter. plain muffins cupfuls flour / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls fat to tablespoonfuls sugar egg cupful milk break the egg into a mixing bowl, beat it. add the milk to it. melt the fat, add it to the egg mixture. measure the dry ingredients thoroughly. add them (through a sifter) to the other ingredients. mix quickly and thoroughly, and drop into buttered muffin pans. bake in a hot oven ( degrees f.) from to minutes. _whole wheat_ flour may be substituted for fine white flour. for _graham_ muffins, use cupful of fine white flour and cupful of graham flour. / cupfuls of _sour milk_ may be used instead of cupful of sweet milk. if this substitution is made, use / teaspoonful baking soda and decrease the baking powder to teaspoonfuls. _molasses_ may be substituted for sugar. questions account for the quantity of baking powder in the muffin recipes. what determines the quantity of baking powder? write a recipe for muffins, using sour cream instead of milk. what ingredients may be decreased in quantity if sour cream is used? if all the cups in the muffin pan are not filled with batter, how should the empty cups be protected while in the oven? how many muffins will the recipes above make? from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of patent wheat flour, of graham flour, and of "entire" wheat flour. which contains the most protein and ash? which probably yields the most protein to the body? account for the discrepancy (see _value of coarse flour_). tabulate the percentage composition of baker's flour and of a high grade of wheat flour (patent roller process). which contains the more protein? which, the more carbohydrates? what is the weight of a barrel of flour? of an ordinary sack of flour? what is the present price per sack of baker's and of high-grade patent flour? how many cupfuls in a pound of flour? in what quantity are whole wheat flour and graham flour usually purchased for home use? what is the price per pound of each? lesson cxxi comparison of wheat and other grains--muffins substituting other cereals for wheat flour.--a resourceful worker in foods is able to follow a standard recipe and make such substitutions as her available materials permit. such ability is most desirable. it enables one to work more independently, to produce more varied foods, and to utilize all materials, allowing none to waste. during the wheat shortage of the world war, many valuable investigations were made regarding the substitution of other grains for wheat flour. it was found that _the substitution should be based upon the relative weights of wheat flour and other flours or meals_ rather than upon their relative measures. by comparing the weight of cupful of wheat pastry flour with the same quantity of its substitutes, the following data have been obtained. for cupful of wheat flour substitute: l / cupfuls barley flour / cupful buckwheat flour / cupfuls fine corn-meal scant cupful peanut flour / cupful rice flour / cupfuls rolled oats / cupfuls rolled oats, ground in food chopper / cupful tapioca flour / cupful soy-bean flour / cupful potato flour cupful rye flour although _yeast breads_ are not so satisfactory if made _entirely_ of a grain other than wheat, _quick breads of desirable grain and texture may be made without wheat_. it has been found, however, that a combination of two or more wheat substitutes gives more satisfactory results than a single substitute. when no wheat is used in quick breads, the following combinations of substitutes are suggested by the _united states department of agriculture, states relation service_. rolled oats (ground) _or_ barley flour _or_ buckwheat flour _or_ peanut flour _or_ soy-bean flour and corn flour _or_ corn-meal _or_ rice flour _or_ potato flour _or_ sweet potato flour since the wheat substitutes contain little or none of the kind of protein which when moistened forms a sticky and elastic substance, an increase in the number of eggs in quick breads containing no wheat produces a satisfactory texture. the albumin of eggs aids in holding the materials together. by scalding certain of the wheat substitutes before adding them to other ingredients, a sticky starch paste is formed. this also aids in binding materials together. when using a wheat substitute instead of wheat (as suggested in _quantity of baking powder in quick breads_) it is advisable to increase the quantity of _baking powder_,-- / _teaspoonful for each cupful of the substitute_ used. thus, if a muffin recipe calls for / teaspoonfuls of baking powder and cupfuls of corn flour are substituted for wheat, the quantity of baking powder should be increased to / teaspoonfuls. why wheat is popular.--in this country, wheat is doubtless the most used of all grains. its white or creamy color and mild flavor which blends well with that of many foods account in part for its popularity. from a culinary standpoint, wheat flour is more satisfactory to use than any other kind. it produces breads of pleasing texture,--tender but firm enough to hold their shape. yeast breads made of wheat flour are larger than those made with other cereals. although wheat is generally used, its food value is not superior to that of other grains. it is doubtless because we are "used to" wheat that we have favored it more than other cereals. comparing wheat with other grains.--make a comparative study of the composition of the following: _wheat flour and corn-meal_.--from _u.s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of wheat flour and of corn-meal. which contains the more fat? which contains the more ash? corn-meal does not contain as much protein as does wheat. the protein in corn-meal differs from that in wheat; it does not have the elastic property of the protein of wheat. it is this property which makes the latter so satisfactory in bread making. for this reason, it is always best to combine corn-meal with wheat flour or some other cereal in preparing corn breads. it should be noted that corn-meal contains more fat than wheat flour, and it compares favorably in digestibility with wheat flour. there is a difference in flavor, but no difference in the nutritive value of yellow and of white corn-meal. _wheat flour and oatmeal_.--from _u.s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of wheat flour and of oatmeal. which contains the more protein, fat, and ash? which contains the more carbohydrates? oatmeal contains more protein, fat, and ash than any of the cereals commonly used. it is a very tough cereal and requires long cooking in order to make it palatable. _wheat flour and rice_.--from _u.s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of wheat flour (all analyses, average). now tabulate the percentage composition of rice (average). which contains the more carbohydrates? which, the more protein and ash? polished rice contains the least ash and protein of all the common cereals. it is also deficient in fat in comparison with the other cereals. unpolished rice, however, contains more than twice as much ash as the polished cereal. it also contains more fat and protein. [footnote : composition of unpolished rice: protein, . ; fat, . ; carbohydrates, . ; ash, . .] hence it compares favorably with the composition of other grains. _wheat flour, barley, buckwheat, and rye._--from _u. s. department of agriculture,_ bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of wheat flour, of barley, of buckwheat, and of rye. note the quantity of fat in barley and in buckwheat, and the small amount of protein in buckwheat and in rye. corn muffins / cupfuls flour / cupful corn-meal teaspoonfuls baking powder to tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt egg / cupfuls milk tablespoonfuls fat mix as plain muffins, and bake in oiled muffin tins to minutes at f. _rye meal_ may be substituted for corn-meal in this recipe. rice muffins / cupfuls flour / teaspoonfuls baking powder tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt egg / cupful milk / cupful cooked rice tablespoonfuls fat beat the egg; add the milk and the cooked rice. add the dry ingredients (through a sifter) to the egg mixture; melt the fat; add it to the flour mixture. mix quickly and thoroughly, and bake in buttered muffin tins in a hot oven ( f.) for to minutes. oatmeal muffins use the recipe for plain muffins as a basic rule. substitute cupful rolled oats for cupful of wheat flour. scald the milk, pour it over the rolled oats. let the mixture stand for about / hour or until it is cool. then add the other ingredients and mix as plain muffins. use teaspoonfuls of baking powder instead of / teaspoonfuls. questions explain why corn-meal is not used alone for corn-meal muffins (see _wheat flour and corn-meal_). compare the quantity of milk used in rice muffins with that used in plain muffins. account for the difference. from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of boiled rice. compare with the composition of the uncooked food. how much nourishment is lost by boiling? by what method can rice be cooked to retain the most nourishment? explain why the per cent of nutrients in a food does not always indicate the quantity of nourishment that the nutrients yield to the body (see _per cent of nutrients; nutritive values_). lesson cxxii baking powder loaf breads quick loaf breads.--the making of yeast bread requires kneading and covers a considerable period of time. a loaf of bread leavened with baking powder or other leavens suitable for quick breads may be made in a short time. the ingredients used for such a loaf, and the method of mixing it are about the same as for muffins. baking the mixture in a bread pan rather than in muffin pans saves some effort in pouring the batter in the pan and in washing them. for those whose time is limited for food preparation, the making of baking powder loaf breads is recommended. if it is necessary or desirable to use meals or flours other than wheat, baking powder loaf breads are advisable. such grains can be used successfully in greater quantity (i.e. with the addition of little or no wheat flour) in quick breads than in yeast breads. a quick bread baked in a loaf should be placed in a moderate oven,--about degrees f. moderate heat is applied so that the loaf will rise sufficiently before a crust is formed. after or minutes, the temperature of the oven should be increased. some secure desirable results by allowing a loaf of quick bread to stand minutes before placing it in the oven. such a procedure is unnecessary if the loaf is placed in an oven of proper temperature. whole wheat baking powder bread cupfuls whole wheat flour tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful baking soda / teaspoonfuls salt egg / cupfuls sour milk tablespoonfuls fat mix these ingredients in the same way as plain muffins. pour into an oiled bread pan. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) to minutes. the egg may be omitted. if this is done, increase the baking powder to / teaspoonfuls. _peanut bread_ may be made by adding cupful chopped peanuts. if commercial salted peanuts are used, decrease the salt to / teaspoonful. prune baking powder bread / cupfuls whole wheat flour cupful pastry flour / cupful sugar / teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful salt egg cupful prunes (measured before soaking and cooking) cupful liquid (prune water and milk) tablespoonfuls fat wash the prunes, soak, and cook them as directed previously. drain, stone, and cut in pieces or chop them. break an egg in the mixing bowl. beat it and add the chopped prunes. put the water drained from the prunes in a measuring cup and fill up the latter with milk. add this liquid to the egg and prune mixture. then proceed as in making plain muffins. turn into an oiled bread pan. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) to minutes. _raisins_ or _dates_ may be used instead of prunes. these fruits may be cooked before adding to the other ingredients or they may be used uncooked. if the latter plan is followed, use / cupfuls milk instead of cupful liquid. questions write a recipe for prune baking powder bread in which no eggs are used. write a recipe for raisin baking powder bread in which uncooked raisins are used, and sour milk is substituted for sweet milk. use the recipe for whole wheat baking powder bread as a basis, and write a recipe for a loaf of quick bread in which fine white flour is used. decrease the sour milk to / cupfuls. if the latter change is made, what ingredients will also require changing in quantity? lesson cxxiii eggs for quick breads--cream puffs dried eggs.--eggs are a most valuable food, but they are extremely high in price. in the packing and transportation of eggs, many are broken. to save these cracked eggs, methods of drying them have been devised. if dried or desiccated eggs are cooked or used in cooked foods, they are not injurious. their food value is high. it has been found [footnote : see journal of home economics, vol. xi, p. (march, ), "the use of desiccated eggs," by lois lhamon] that desiccated eggs can be used successfully in custards, quick breads, cakes, and salad dressings. _use slightly rounded tablespoonful of dried egg for each egg desired_. to this amount of powder, _add tablespoonfuls of water_. cover the mixture and allow to stand from to minutes, stirring occasionally. a solution is thus obtained, which resembles eggs in which the whites and yolks have been beaten together. desiccated eggs should not be confused with the so-called egg-substitute powders. the latter contain little and sometimes no dried egg. these usually are composed of starch, coloring material, with a little nitrogenous material in the form of gelatine, casein, or albumin. their food value cannot be compared with that of eggs. for the amount of nutriment contained in egg-substitute powders, their price is high. the preparation of eggs for delicate quick breads.--in all the quick bread mixtures given thus far, the whites and yolks of eggs were beaten together. it was shown in experiments and that more air could be inclosed in an egg mixture when the white and yolk were beaten separately. it is well, therefore, to beat each part of an egg separately when a delicate bread is desired. the reason that meringues, unless cooked, fall after a time, is because some of the inclosed air has escaped. from this it is apparent why eggs used in quick breads should not be beaten until ready for use. it is possible, also, by much stirring and careless mixing, to lose some of the air inclosed in a beaten egg white. when the egg is to be separated, the method of cutting and folding, as used in foamy omelet, should be used for mixing the egg whites with the other ingredients of a quick bread. cream puff batter.--the flour of cream puff mixture is usually cooked before baking so that a paste is formed. when the mixture containing the flour paste is dropped on a flat surface, it does not spread to a great extent and holds its shape. it is possible to mix cream puffs in the same manner as popovers. if this method is followed and uncooked flour is added to the batter, it is necessary to bake the cream puff mixture in muffin tins or gem pans. the method of leavening cream puffs is similar to that used in leavening popovers, _i.e._ by means of steam and air inclosed in beaten eggs. cream puffs / cupful water tablespoonfuls vegetable oil tablespoonful butter / cupful flour / teaspoonful salt eggs mix the water and fat and heat the mixture until the water boils. add all of the flour and salt and mix thoroughly. stir and cook until the ingredients are well blended and the paste does not stick to the sides of the pan. (care should be taken not to cook the mixture too long. if the fat separates from the other ingredients, the puffs will not be successful.) while the mixture is hot, add the eggs, unbeaten, one at a time. beat until thoroughly mixed. drop by tablespoonfuls on an oiled baking-sheet, and bake at degrees f., for minutes, then at degrees f., for minutes. when cool slit one side open and fill with cream or chocolate filling or whipped cream. cream puffs may also be filled with creamed chicken or veal, or a salad mixture. cream filling cupful flour / cupful sugar cupfuls scalded milk / tablespoonful butter egg / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful vanilla mix the flour and sugar together. slowly add the hot milk. pour the mixture into a double boiler and cook for minutes. remove from heat. beat the egg, add the egg and butter to the flour and milk mixture. return to the fire and cook over water until the egg is coagulated; then add the salt. cool, and add flavoring. for economy the butter may be omitted. _chocolate filling_ may be made by following the recipe for cream filling, increasing the sugar to cupful and adding a paste made by cooking square (or ounce) of chocolate with / cupful of water as directed in chocolate corn-starch pudding. questions note the quantity of flour and water used in cream puff mixture. what kind of batter do these quantities of flour and moisture usually make? how do you account for the consistency of the cream puff batter when it is ready to bake? from the difference in the methods of preparing cream puffs and popovers before baking, explain the difference in the stiffness of the mixtures. by what gas is the mixture lightened? by what means is this gas introduced into the mixture? why is it necessary to bake the mixture for so long a time? what is the result of baking this mixture for too short a time? in cream filling, what is the purpose of mixing the flour and sugar before cooking (see experiment )? give two reasons for cooking this mixture in the double boiler, rather than directly over the flame. how long a time does it take to thicken the flour mixture? why is it necessary to cook it for minutes? what is the use of eggs in the filling? why are they not cooked as long as the flour mixture? determine the number of cream puffs this recipe will make. from _u.s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of the edible portions of whole eggs (see figure ), of egg yolk, and of egg white. compare the last two. which contains the more fat? which contains the more protein? which contains the more water? which contains the more nutriment? tabulate the percentage composition of milk (see figure ). related work lesson cxxiv food requirement daily energy requirement.--one hears much concerning working efficiency, _i.e._ the ability to do the maximum amount of work of the highest type with a minimum waste of effort. there is no doubt that the kind and quantity of food that an individual consumes has much to do with his working efficiency, and that it is consequently a matter worthy of serious consideration. enough gasoline is used in an automobile so that there is produced sufficient power to move the car at the desired speed. so sufficient food should be used by the individual that enough energy be supplied to his body for its greatest usefulness. since foods furnish the body with energy, _the energy which the body spends in doing its work is a measure of the fuel food needed_. if the body requires a certain amount of energy for its needs, this energy, measured in calories, can be supplied by a definite quantity of combustible food. hence, daily energy requirements can be measured in calories. scientists have done much experimenting and investigating concerning the quantity of food that individuals require. they have concluded that many factors may be taken into consideration in determining daily food requirements or _dietary standards_. some of these factors are: ( ) weight; ( ) occupation; ( ) age. ( ) _relation of weight, size, and shape to daily energy requirement_.--in general the quantity of food required increases with the size of an individual but not at the same rate as the body weight increases. two persons may be equal in weight, yet very different in height and shape. a tall, slender person requires more food than a short, fleshy person of the same weight. for this reason, size and shape rather than weight are found more accurate in computing the daily food requirement. however, for practical purposes, energy requirement is generally based upon body weight. ( ) _relation of occupation to daily energy requirement_.--from the previous consideration of energy, it is obvious that muscular exercise, even though very slight, requires some expenditure of energy. it has been found that, even during sleep and rest, energy is required to carry on the functions of the body (such as the beating of the heart, etc.). since the energy for both the voluntary and involuntary activities of the body is furnished by the fuel foods, it is clear that one's occupation is an important factor in determining the kind and quantity of food an individual should use. the man who is doing hard physical work needs more food than the man who sits quietly at his employment. the following table, showing the energy required for different conditions of activity, has been formulated by scientists: [footnote : atwater and benedict, united states department of agriculture, yearbook , p. .] man sleeping requires calories per hour man sitting at rest requires calories per hour man at light muscular exercise requires calories per hour man at active muscular exercise requires calories per hour man at severe muscular exercise requires calories per hour man at very severe muscular exercise requires calories per hour from these data, it is possible to compute the dietaries of people of different occupations. for example, the energy requirement for a bookkeeper (male) leading an inactive muscular life is: hours sleep ( calories per hour) calories hours work at desk ( calories per hour) calories hours sitting at rest and reading ( calories per hour) calories hours walking ( calories per hour) calories ------------- calories the energy requirement for a man of severe muscular activity, such as excavating, is: hours sleep ( calories per hour) calories hours excavating ( calories per hour) calories hour walking ( calories per hour) calories hours sitting at rest ( calories per hour) calories ------------- calories another authority [footnote : "textbook of physiology," p. , tigerstedt.] gives these data pertaining to men engaged in muscular work: shoemaker requires - calories per day weaver requires - calories per day carpenter or mason requires - calories per day farm laborer requires - calories per day excavator requires - calories per day lumberman requires or more calories per day the following data regarding the energy requirements of the average woman in some of her common occupations have been formulated [footnote : see "feeding the family," p. , by mary swartz rose, ph.d.]: at rest - calories per day sedentary occupations - calories per day milliners teachers bookkeepers seamstresses stenographers machine operatives occupations involving standing, walking, or manual labor - calories per day cooks in family groups chamber maids general housekeepers waitresses occupations developing muscular strength - calories per day laundresses cooks for large groups ( ) _relation of age to daily energy requirement._--young children, _i.e._ those under eight or nine years of age, do not require as much food as adults. the food requirement of a child and of an adult is not proportional to weight, however. in proportion to his weight a child requires more food than an adult. the growing child needs food, not only to give energy to the body and rebuild tissue, but to build new tissue. an aged person needs less food to build new tissue. furthermore, since an old person's strength is somewhat lessened, he needs less food to carry on the activities of the body. hence, the aged person requires less food than the adult of middle life. the following table [footnote : from "chemistry of food and nutrition," second edition, by henry c. sherman, ph.d., p. .] gives the differences in energy requirement of children from one to seventeen years inclusive. it is thought that after the age of seventeen, food requirement will depend quite as much upon occupation as upon age. hence, the foregoing tables can be used to estimate energy requirement for all ages above seventeen: children of - years inclusive - calories per day children of - years inclusive - calories per day children of - years inclusive - calories per day girls of - years inclusive - calories per day boys of - years inclusive - calories per day girls of - years inclusive - calories per day boys of - years inclusive - calories per day the fact that the energy requirement of the boy from to years is greater than that of the girl of equal age is due probably to the greater restlessness or muscular activity of the boy. daily protein requirement.--if a person's energy requirement were calories, sufficient energy might be supplied by using butter or beef steak for a day's ration. yet this would be extremely unpalatable and would not meet the needs of the body. the body should be nourished by all the combustible foodstuffs,--carbohydrates, fat, and protein. now the question arises: how many of the required calories shall be supplied by each of these foodstuffs? too much or too little protein is often harmful and produces serious results. as mentioned previously, too much protein may cause intestinal disturbances, and an overtaxing of the excretory organs. on the other hand, the use of too little protein may produce imperfect nourishment. concerning the quantity of protein used in diet, there has been much difference of opinion. atwater, an american authority, thought that there should be a generous supply, i.e. a surplus of protein, to supply the demands of body-building. chittenden, another american authority, believes in just enough protein to meet the demands of the body. however, the use of sufficient protein food to produce from ten to fifteen per cent of the total calories has been found both practical and satisfactory. daily carbohydrate and fat requirement.--although protein may furnish the body with energy, it should not serve as the principal source of fuel. its more essential function is to help build the body. if carbohydrates and fat are present with protein, the former supply energy and allow the protein to perform its more important function of body-building. there should always be enough carbohydrates and fat to furnish energy to the body, so that the protein can be used chiefly for body-building. in the growing period of youth or after a wasting disease, it might seem that "flesh" could be "put on" by increasing the quantity of bodybuilding food. but such is not the case. the most effective work in building the body can be accomplished by using a normal amount of food rich in protein and a generous supply of foods rich in ash, carbohydrates, fat, and vitamines. with such a combination, the protein can be used to best advantage for body-building. for practical purposes, the following general statement concerning the carbohydrates and fat requirement is believed to be adequate: if the total calories and the number of calories yielded by protein meet the requirement of a dietary standard and the food composing the diet is varied in composition, the carbohydrates and fat will exist in satisfactory proportion. daily ash requirement.--since ash is not a combustible foodstuff, it cannot be included in the foodstuffs whose energy requirement can be measured. although ash exists in small quantity in food, the use of certain ash constituents is considered as necessary as the use of protein. a diet may meet the total energy, the protein, the carbohydrate, and the fat requirements, yet may be lacking in certain essential mineral materials. it is especially necessary to include food containing phosphorus, iron, and calcium in one's diet. the appetite and food requirement.--the appetite is the most common measure of daily food requirement. if one relies upon his appetite as an index of the quantity of food he should consume, and if his health and weight remain normal, the appetite may serve as a guide for daily food requirement. but one may be a little over weight or under weight, and yet have normal body functions. there can be no doubt, however, that the whims of the appetite often lead to unwise selection of food. a study of food composition is absolutely essential in overcoming this fault. lack of energy or loss of flesh may be due to improper feeding. if the needs of the body and the kind and quantity of food that will supply these needs are understood by the home- keeper, she may do much in maintaining the health, happiness, and usefulness of the members of the family. weight as an index to proper nourishment.--it has been found that the diet of an individual has a most decided effect upon his weight. dr. thomas d. wood has prepared tables showing the normal height and weight of girls and boys of various ages. these tables are most valuable in determining whether or not a girl or boy is of the proper weight for his height. if the weight of a girl or boy is less than it should be, he is likely to be malnourished. height and weight table for girls height inches yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs about what a girl should gain each month age age to oz. to oz to oz. to oz to oz. weights and measures should be taken without shoes and in only the usual indoor clothes child health organization fifth avenue, new york courtesy of _child health organization_. prepared by _dr. thomas d. wood_. height and weight table for boys height inches yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs yrs about what a boy should gain each month age age to oz to oz to oz to oz courtesy of _child health organization_ prepared by _dr thomas d wood_ dr. wood's tables also indicate the proper rate of increase in weight. the rate of increase in weight is thought to be quite as important as is the correct proportion between weight and height. the use of scales in the home and school is to be recommended. they furnish a means of determining whether the proper amount is being eaten. questions compute the energy requirement of at least two members of your family. compute your own energy requirement from this table. determine your height and weight. how does your weight compare with the normal weight given in the table for one of your height? if you are under weight, discuss with your teacher the kind and quantity of food needed to increase your weight. at the end of a month, again determine your weight. how does the gain compare with that given in the table for one of your age? lesson cxxv planning, cooking, and serving a dinner plan a dinner. [footnote : see footnote .] use seasonable foods and a meat-substitute. follow the suggestions given in lesson cv. plan the menu so that the cost of the materials used does not exceed cents per person. analyze the menu and see that it meets the requirements stated in lesson cv. cook and serve the dinner. follow the russian or compromise style of serving. serve the dinner with a maid, provided the pupils find it useful to know how to serve with a maid either in their own homes or in the homes of others. [footnote : see suggestions for teaching, appendix), regarding service with and without a maid.] lesson cxxvi review--meal cooking menu potato soup lettuce salad with french dressing muffins see lesson xiv regarding suggestions for the preparation of the lesson. lesson cxxvii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--prepare muffins, baking powder biscuits, or baking powder loaf breads at least twice a week. suggested aims: ( ) to learn to work quickly. note the time required to mix these quick breads. strive to lessen the number of minutes each time you prepare them. ( ) to use available materials. use the food-materials you have on hand,-- such as sour or sweet milk, left-over cooked cereals, and different kinds of flours or meals. division twelve quick breads: soft doughs lesson cxxviii method of mixing fat in quick breads--drop biscuit mixing fat.--what method is used in mixing the fat in all batter quick breads (see previous lessons on _batters_)? in making quick breads, it is desirable to mix all ingredients thoroughly. fat is mixed in a quick bread most easily and thoroughly by melting it and stirring it into the other ingredients, provided only that the quick bread mixture is thin, _i.e._ a batter. when the quick bread is a stiff mixture, _i.e._ a dough, this method of mixing the fat is not considered satisfactory, although it has been found that biscuits of good quality can be made by adding melted fat, provided the dough is beaten thoroughly. fat is usually added to doughs by working it, in solid form, into the dry ingredients, either with a knife or with the fingers. (in which method of mixing--with the knife or with the fingers--can the mixture be kept cooler? which is the cleaner method?) if the fingers are used for mixing the fat, it is well to work it into the flour with the tips of the fingers rather than to rub the ingredients between the palms of the hands. soft doughs.--doughs are most easily mixed by using a knife instead of a spoon. a soft dough contains approximately _three parts of flour to one part of moisture_. baking powder biscuit is a typical soft dough mixture. drop biscuits cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls fat milk or water, about / cupful mix the dry ingredients; then work the fat into the mixture with the tips of the fingers, or cut it in thoroughly with a knife. with a knife mix the liquid with the dry ingredients. the mixture is of proper consistency when it may be dropped from the spoon without spreading. drop by spoonfuls on an oiled pan, or into oiled muffin tins. bake in a hot oven ( degrees f.) from to minutes. fruit pudding place sliced fruit--fresh, canned, or dried--in an oiled baking-dish. cover the fruit with a biscuit mixture, made by using the ingredients in the same proportion as for drop biscuits. two or three times as much fat as the given quantity may be used. bake until the fruit is tender and the batter is firm and brown, usually from to minutes. serve with cream or fruit sauce. plain cream may be used, or the cream may be whipped, or sweetened and flavored with a little nutmeg or vanilla. whipped cream sauce cupful whipped cream egg white / cupful powdered sugar / teaspoonful vanilla chill the cream; add the unbeaten egg; then beat with an egg beater (for method of whipping cream see lesson xlviii). add the sugar and vanilla. questions explain why the fat in drop biscuit is not added in the same manner as in pour batters. if the fat is to be mixed with the dry ingredients, why rub the ingredients together between the fingers rather than between the palms of the hands? compare as to taste and appearance the biscuits made with lard or vegetable fat with those made with butter. why should not a tin pan be used for the fruit pudding? mention at least four kinds of fruit that could be used for the pudding and tell how the use of some kinds of fruit would modify the time of baking. why does the quantity of liquid given in drop biscuits vary (see _pour batter_ and _gluten_)? why is it necessary to surround the cream with ice water while whipping it (see _whipping cream_)? lesson cxxix quantity of fat in quick breads--short cake "shortening."--the tenderness of a quick bread is an important consideration. it is dependent upon the quantity of fat in the bread. oil and water do not mix (see experiment ). hence when much fat is used in a quick bread, particles of dough or batter, which contain both fat and moisture, do not adhere firmly. quick bread containing much fat becomes tender, that is, it crumbles readily. in preparing modified biscuit mixtures,--short cakes, fruit dumplings, etc.,--in which the quantity of fat is increased, make very careful comparisons between the "rich" or "short" breads and those containing the standard quantity of fat. in making observations, note the following: (_a_) ease or difficulty in removing from the pan without breaking, (_b_) tenderness or toughness, (_c_) difference in flavor. fruit short cake make a biscuit mixture, containing two or three times the quantity of fat used in biscuit mixture. place one half of the mixture in an oiled cake pan, then spread it with a scant quantity of melted butter or substitute. add the remainder of the mixture and bake at degrees f., for minutes. remove from the pan, and place on a cake cooler for a few minutes. split the cake open and fill with crushed and sweetened fruits. place uncrushed fruits on the top, and serve with plain cream or whipped cream or fruit sauce; or cover the cake with a meringue, garnish with whole fruit, and serve with a soft custard sauce. / cupful of sugar may be added to the dry ingredients of short cake. questions what general statement can you make with regard to the effect of increasing the fat in quick breads? knowing the change that takes place in a quick bread, when the quantity of fat is increased, state the effect of adding too much fat. what is the purpose of using _melted_ butter or substitute in the short cake mixture? mention some fruits, or fruit combinations, that would be palatable in a short cake. how many persons can be served with a short cake made with cupfuls of flour? lesson cxxx "cut" biscuit use of the rolling pin.--when dough is to be rolled and cut into biscuits, it needs to be a little stiffer than for drop biscuits. it should, however, be a soft dough. biscuit dough should not be pressed down with a rolling motion, but should be deftly and gently "patted" out with several successive "touches" with the rolling pin. in using the rolling pin for stiff doughs, when more pressure should be exerted, the pin should be lifted up at the end of each stroke. baking powder biscuits cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder tablespoonfuls fat milk or water, about / cupful mix as in drop biscuits, using less milk, so that the dough is just stiff enough to roll out. roll gently to / inch thickness on a slightly floured board, and cut into small biscuits. if any dry flour clings to the top of the biscuits, moisten it with a little milk or water. place on a slightly oiled pan, and bake in a hot oven ( degrees f.) from to minutes. serve hot. they may be placed on a folded napkin or doily. apple dumplings make baking powder biscuit dough. roll until / inch thick and cut into pieces. place an apple (cored and pared) in the center of each piece. fold the dough over the fruit and bake ( degrees f.) or steam for / hour, or until the apples are soft. the dumplings may be browned in the oven after steaming. rich biscuit dough or pastry may be used for apple dumplings. other fruits may be used instead of apples. fruit rolls make a biscuit mixture, using tablespoonfuls of fat instead of tablespoonfuls, as given in the recipe for baking powder biscuits. gently roll to / inch thickness, and spread the following ingredients over it: tablespoonful butter or substitute tablespoonfuls sugar / teaspoonful cinnamon fruit for the fruit use: / cupful dried currants, or / cupful raisins and tablespoonfuls citron, or cupfuls chopped apples roll as jelly roll, then cut into pieces / inch thick and place (cut side down) on buttered tins. bake in a hot oven ( degrees f.) to minutes. if apples are used, serve the roll with cream and sugar as a dessert. if the dried fruits are used, serve the roll in place of a hot bread or cake. questions compare recipes for "drop" and "cut" biscuits. how do they differ? why should biscuits be "patted" out rather than rolled out with the rolling pin? if dry flour clings to the top of the biscuits after cutting, what is the result after baking? how can this be remedied? how can the biscuit cutter and rolling pin be prevented from sticking to the dough? why are biscuits sometimes served on a napkin or doily? write a recipe for baking powder biscuits, using cupfuls of flour as the basis. how many apples of medium size are required for apple dumplings, when cupfuls of flour are used? why do apple dumplings require a longer time for baking than baking powder biscuits? how should citron be cut for use in cooking? if apples are to be used for the fruit of fruit rolls, give in order the measuring, the preparation, and the mixing of the materials. related work lesson cxxxi measurement of the fuel value of food applied to daily food requirement practical method of diet calculation.--the -calorie portions can be used in a very practical way for computing the fuel value of one's daily diet. in lesson cxvi the weights of -calorie portions of flour, butter, sugar, etc., were determined, then these portions were weighed and measured. in much the same way, tables have been prepared containing the weight and measure of -calorie portions. if such a table is read and the quantity of the various ordinary foods that will produce calories of heat is kept in mind, the computation of the meal becomes very simple. if a person knows his energy requirement, he can select such quantities of food for the day as will conform with the ideal standard. the quantity of food to be used at each meal is a matter of personal choice. the important point is to have the food of the entire day conform to the standard. however, in computing the energy value of the foods of each meal, some find it convenient to divide the day's ration. the following is a convenient division: one third for breakfast, one fourth for luncheon, and five twelfths for dinner. but the division may vary with individual needs. ascertaining one's energy requirement and deciding upon a certain division for the three meals, one can very easily select such quantities of foods for each meal as will conform with the ideal standard. if the energy requirement of a girl of fourteen years is calories, her breakfast may yield approximately calories, her luncheon calories, and her dinner calories. a luncheon consisting of an omelet made with one egg ( ), one medium slice of homemade bread ( ), orange marmalade ( ), butter for bread ( ), large banana ( ), and a small glass of milk ( ) would yield sufficient nourishment according to the requirement above. if it is desired to compute the calories produced by the protein of a meal, data can be obtained from the table also (see _calories derived from protein_). the calculation of the protein content of the luncheon above is: number of calories derived from protein of egg . number of calories derived from protein of bread . number of calories derived from protein of marmalade . number of calories derived from protein of butter . number of calories derived from protein of banana . number of calories derived from protein of milk . ---- number of calories derived from protein of entire meal . if one tenth of the total energy requirement is taken as the desired protein requirement, the above luncheon approaches the ideal. the form c given below will be found convenient to use in calculating the fuel value of menus from -calorie portions. questions calculate your own breakfast, luncheon, and dinner energy requirement, and those of at least two members of your family. from the table of -calorie portions estimate the fuel value of all your meals served either at your home or at school for several days. compare the result with the ideal energy requirement obtained above. if the results vary greatly, strive to select the proper kind and quantity of foods so that the total calories and calories derived from protein approach the ideal. form c: calculation of -calorie portions meal: number served: food quantity number total calories total cost total of - calories produced calories of - cost calorie by protein produced calorie portions in - by protein portion calorie portion total total for one person percent of total calories produced by calories derived from protein: signature: date: table of -calorie portions [footnote : the approximate measure of -calorie portions is based in part upon "table of food units," compiled by dr. irving fisher. the weight in ounces of -calorie portions and calories derived from protein are based upon data found on p. of "chemistry of food and nutrition," by henry c. sherman, ph. d. items marked "*" are from "feeding the family," by mary swartz rose, table iii, p. .] edible portions approximate measure weight calories of -calorie in ounces derived portion of - from calorie protein portion almonds average . . apples medium . . apricots, fresh large . . asparagus, cooked servings . . bacon, smoked (uncooked) thin slice, small . . bananas large . . beans, baked, canned small serving ( / cupful) . . string, canned servings . . lima, canned large saucedish . . beef, corned . . dried, salted, and smoked large slices . . *loaf slice in.x in.x / in. . . porterhouse steak serving . . ribs, lean average serving . . ribs, fat . . round, free from visible fat generous serving . . rump, lean . . rump, fat . . *stew with vegetables / cupful . . sirloin steak average serving . . beets, cooked servings . . *biscuits, baking powder small . . *blanc mange / cupful . . brazil nuts average size . . bread, graham thick slice . . toasted medium slices (baker's) . . white homemade medium slice . . average thick slice . . whole wheat thick slice . . buckwheat flour / cupful . . butter tablespoonful(ordinary pat) . . buttermilk / cupfuls ( / . . glasses) cabbage servings . . *cake, chocolate piece / " x / " . . x / " *cake, one egg piece / " x / " . . x / " calf's-foot jelly . . carrots, fresh medium . . cauliflower (as purchased) . . celery . . celery soup, canned servings . . cheese, american pale (as purchased) / cubic inches . . american red (as purchased) / cubic inches . . cheddar (as purchased) / cubic inches . . cottage cubic inches ( / cupful) . . neufchatel / cubic inches . . ( / cupful) ( / small package) roquefort (as purchased) . . swiss (as purchased) / cubic inches . . chicken, broilers large serving . . chocolate "generous half" square . . *chocolate (beverage half milk and half water) / cupful (scant) . . cocoa / tablespoonfuls . . *cocoa (beverage, half milk and half water) / cupful . . cod, salt / tablespoonfuls . . *cookies , / in. diameter . . corn, green (as purchased) side dish . . corn-meal tablespoonfuls . . crackers, graham.. crackers . . soda crackers . . water crackers . . cranberries(as purchased) cupful (cooked) . . cream / cupful . . cucumbers large . . *custard, cup / cupful . . dates, dried medium . . doughnuts / doughnut . . eggs, uncooked / medium or small . . farina . . figs, dried large . . flour, rye / cupful . . wheat, entire / cupful . . wheat, graham / cupful . . wheat, average high and medium / cupful . . gelatine tablespoonfuls . . *gingerbread piece in. x in. x in. . . grapes large bunch . . haddock . . halibut steaks average serving . . ham, fresh, lean . . fresh, medium average serving . . smoked, lean . . herring, whole . . hominy, uncooked / cupful . . *ice cream, vanilla / cupful . . lamb, chops, broiled small chop . . leg, roast average serving . . lard, refined tablespoonful (scant) . (--) lemons medium . . lettuce large leaves . . liver, veal, uncooked small servings . . *macaroni and cheese / cupful . . macaroni, uncooked. / cupful( sticks) . . macaroons . . mackerel, uncooked large serving . . salt . . marmalade, orange tablespoonful . . milk, condensed, sweetened / cupfuls . . skimmed / cupfuls (scant) . . whole / cupful (generous half glass) . . molasses, cane / cupful . . *muffins, corn-meal / muffin . . *muffins, wheat / muffin . . muskmelons / average serving . . mutton, leg average serving . . oatmeal, uncooked / cupful . . olives, green to . . onions, fresh medium . . oranges very large . . oysters, canned oysters . . parsnips large . . peaches, canned large serving . . fresh medium . . peanuts to (double kernels) . . peas, canned servings . . peas, dried, uncooked tablespoonfuls . . green generous serving . . pies, apple / piece . . custard / piece . . lemon / piece . . mince / piece . . squash / piece . . pineapples, fresh slices . . canned small serving . . pork, chops, medium very small serving . . fat, salt [footnote : as purchased.] . . *potatoes, creamed / cupful . . potatoes, white, uncooked medium . . potatoes, sweet, uncooked / medium . . prunes, dried large . . raisins / cupful . . (packed solid) rhubarb, uncooked / cupfuls (scant) . . *rice pudding / cupful . . rice, uncooked tablespoonfuls . . salmon, whole small serving . . sauce, white / cupful . . *salmon, loaf / cupful . . shad, whole average serving . . shredded wheat biscuit . . *soup, corn / cupful . . potato / cupful (scant) . . cream of tomato / cupful . . spinach, fresh ordinary servings . . [footnote : as (after cooking) purchased] succotash, canned average serving . . sugar lumps, teaspoonfuls granulated . (--) / teaspoonfuls powdered sugar tapioca, apple / cupful . . tomatoes, fresh average servings . . canned / cupfuls . . turkey serving . . turnips large servings . . ( turnips) veal, cutlet . . fore quarter . . hind quarter . . walnuts, california whole nuts . . wheat, cracked . . white fish . . zwieback thick slice . . lesson cxxxii planning, cooking, and serving a dinner plan a dinner. [footnote : see footnote .] use seasonable foods. follow the suggestions given in lesson cv. plan the menu so that the cost of the materials does not exceed cents per person. from the table of -calorie portions estimate the total calories and the calories derived from protein produced by the foods of your menu. how do the total calories compare with the dinner energy requirement of an average man or woman? are the calories derived from protein from to per cent of the total calories? if necessary, change your menu so that its total calories meet the dinner energy requirements of an average man or woman and its calories derived from protein are from to per cent of the total calories. the pupil should note that the calorific value of meals is usually correct if the suggestions for menu-making given in lesson cv are followed. cook and serve the dinner. follow the russian or compromise style of serving. serve the dinner with a maid. [footnote : see footnote .] lesson cxxxiii review--meal cooking menu rolled beef steak stuffed baked potato drop biscuits see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson cxxxiv home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--plan and cook meals. from the table of -calorie portions estimate the fuel value of the meals you prepare. suggested aims: to compare the fuel value of the meals with the energy requirements secured in answering the _questions_ in lesson cxxxi. to use these comparisons as a basis on which to plan meals more nearly approaching the desired energy requirements. division thirteen yeast breads: stiff doughs lesson cxxxv yeast--loaf bread experiment : conditions for growth of the yeast plant.--(_a_) mix tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonful of sugar, / cake compressed yeast, and tablespoonfuls of cold water. put tablespoonful of the mixture in a test tube and mark the tube "_a_." fill the tube nearly full of lukewarm water and stand in a warm place for minutes. examine, noting especially the appearance at the top of the test tube. what kind of substance (gas, liquid, or solid) has been formed by the growth of the yeast plants? (_b_) put teaspoonful of the yeast mixture in a test tube, and fill nearly full of boiling water. label it "_b_" and after minutes examine. is there any change in the contents of the tube? what has happened to the yeast plants? (_c_) put teaspoonful of the yeast mixture in a test tube, fill nearly full of cold water, and label it "_c_." surround it with cracked ice or, if the weather is cold, place it out of doors. after minutes examine. is there any change in the contents of the tube? why do not the yeast plants grow? (_d_) surround the tube marked "_c_" with lukewarm water and stand in a warm place. after minutes examine. are the yeast plants growing? does freezing kill yeast plants? (_e_) mix / cake yeast with a little lukewarm water. stand in a warm place and after minutes examine. will yeast grow in water alone? (_f_) mix / cake yeast, tablespoonful of sugar, and a little lukewarm water. set aside in a warm place so that the yeast plants may grow. then examine under the microscope. are there any budding yeast cells? make a drawing of the plants as they appear under the microscope. draw at least two practical conclusions from these experiments as to the use and care of yeast for bread making [illustration: from _farmers' bulletin _ figure --growing yeast plants] properties of yeast.--yeast consists of a mass of microscopic plants (see figure ). when placed under proper conditions these plants grow rapidly, and in so doing they separate the sugar that exists in flour into carbon dioxide and alcohol. the carbon dioxide lightens dough. the alcohol passes off as vapor in baking. plants need moisture, warmth, light, and the food that is furnished by the air and soil for their growth. yeast plants require all of these except light. they are not green plants, hence they need no light. moisture is obtained from the water, milk, or other liquids used in bread dough. yeast thrives at a temperature of degrees f. it is killed by a temperature above degrees f. hence the yeast is mixed with lukewarm water. the other liquids that are added to it are of the same temperature. also, the dough is placed in a warm place while it is rising, or while the yeast plants are growing. the food required for the rapid growth of the yeast is obtained from the protein and carbohydrates in the flour. _compressed yeast cakes_ which are wrapped in tinfoil and received fresh at the market every day or two are the most satisfactory to use. this yeast must be fresh for successful bread making. it is fresh when it is of a light color, is free from dark streaks, and is crumbly in texture. stiff dough.--_approximately four parts of flour to one of moisture are used for stiff doughs._ when sufficient flour has been added to stiff dough, it should not cling to the sides of the mixing bowl. this is an indication to the pupil of the proper stiffness of the dough. the test applies, however, only when there is no coating of flour over the dough. one should remember that the softest dough will not "stick," if covered generously with flour. general suggestions for bread making.--use wheat bread flour, or a combination of wheat bread flour with whole wheat, or graham flour, or with flour or meal made from other grains, in making bread. flour should be kept in a dry place. it is well to warm flour for bread before using. if milk is used, scald or boil it to prevent it from souring. water should be boiled and then cooled (see _why foods spoil_). with pint of liquid / to cake of yeast should be used. when it is desired to mix and bake bread in a few hours, a greater quantity of yeast may be used. if the yeast is fresh, most satisfactory results are secured when this is done. the use of much yeast, however, adds to the cost of bread. the less quantity of yeast ( / cake) is used when the dough is allowed to rise overnight. mix yeast cake in cupful of lukewarm water before adding the rest of the liquid. it is desirable to use sufficient yeast and to subject it to desirable conditions so that the dough will rise quickly. if the rising process occupies much time, certain kinds of bacteria which may be present in the yeast or other materials may act upon the alcohol present in the risen dough and convert it into acid. this produces sour dough and consequently bread of sour taste and odor. although it is customary to allow bread to rise twice, tasty bread may be secured by one rising. bread raised only once, however, is usually of uneven grain, because the carbon dioxide bubbles formed during rising are uneven in size or are unevenly distributed. by kneading bread, the larger bubbles are broken or distributed more evenly through the dough. since considerable gas is pressed out by kneading, it is necessary to allow the dough to rise a second time. it is well to make the dough into small loaves, and place them in small pans, so that the bread will be baked through. loaves of bread should bake at least hour at a temperature varying from degrees f. to degrees f. during the first minutes they should rise but slightly and just begin to brown; during the second minutes they should continue to brown; during the last minutes they should shrink from the sides of the pan, while still continuing to brown. _to soften the crust_, rub it with a bit of butter or substitute a few minutes before taking from the oven and again after removing from the oven. after baking, place the loaves of bread on a bread cooler, or arrange them in such a way that the air may reach them on all sides. when cool, place in a covered tin box. bread ( loaves) cupfuls hot water _or_ milk and water teaspoonfuls salt teaspoonfuls sugar / tablespoonful fat / to cake compressed yeast / cupful lukewarm water bread flour ( to cupfuls) boil the water or milk and water. pour it into a bowl and add the salt, sugar, and fat. stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved, and the fat is melted. mix the yeast with lukewarm water. when the first mixture is cooled to lukewarm temperature, add the yeast mixture to it. then add flour enough to make it of the proper consistency (see _stiff dough_), using a knife for mixing. turn out on a floured board, and knead until soft and elastic. return the dough to the bowl, moisten, cover, and let rise until doubled in bulk. then divide it into loaves, or shape into biscuits. cover and allow the loaves or biscuit to rise in the pan in which they are to be baked until they are doubled in bulk. bake the biscuits minutes in a hot oven and the bread about minutes in a moderate oven (see _oven thermometers and temperatures_). questions why should the flour for bread be warmed before using? what should be the temperature of all materials mixed with yeast? why? what should be the difference in the temperature of the oven for loaf bread and for biscuits? explain. why should bread be stored in a covered tin box? at what temperatures should biscuits and loaf bread bake? why are these foods baked at different temperatures? for how long a time should biscuits and bread bake? explain the difference in the length of time of baking each. lesson cxxxvi wheat flour--bread sponge experiment : protein in flour.--make a stiff dough, using tablespoonfuls of bread flour and about / tablespoonful of water. knead well, and allow to stand for minutes. then tie the dough in cheese- cloth, place it in a bowl of water, and knead for a few minutes. pour a little of the water in a test tube; drain the remainder of the water from the dough. add more water to the bowl. again knead the dough under the clean water. examine the material in the cloth. what is its color? feel and pull it. put a little on a plate to dry, and bake some in the oven. examine after drying and baking. how has it changed in size by heating? test the water in the test tube for starch. gluten.--the material left in the cloth consists largely of protein. if flour is mixed with water, _gluten_ is formed from the two kinds of protein that are to be found in all wheat flours. gluten is yellowish gray in color, is extremely elastic and sticky, and, if moistened and heated, expands to many times its original bulk. these qualities of gluten are most desirable for good yeast bread; hence, the more protein that flour contains, the better it is for bread making. as has been stated, some flours contain more protein than others. the protein of wheat as well as of other grains is incomplete, hence grains need to be supplemented with other kinds of protein food. wheat flour.--the quantity of protein in flour is not only dependent upon the portion of the wheat kernel used in making the flour (see _difference in wheat flours_), but also upon the kind of wheat from which the flour is made. spring wheat, the seeds of which are sown in the springtime, usually contains more protein than winter wheat, the seeds of which are sown in the fall. the flour made from spring wheat is called _hard wheat flour_ or _bread flour_. this flour is creamy in color, rather gritty in feeling, and when pressed in the hand does not retain the impression of the fingers. flour made from winter wheat is called _soft wheat flour_ or _pastry flour_. this is white, very fine and velvety in feeling, and easily retains the impression of the fingers. on account of the greater quantity of protein in bread flour, this flour absorbs more moisture than pastry flour. less bread flour than pastry flour, therefore, is required for the bread mixture. if bread flour is substituted for pastry flour, its quantity should be decreased,-- tablespoonfuls for each cupful. dry yeast sponge.--it is generally agreed that compressed yeast is more satisfactory for bread making than dry yeast. by the use of the former, the method is shorter, and the "rising" can take place during the daytime and be checked at the proper time. the use of dry yeast, however, is necessary under some conditions. for this kind of yeast cake, the yeast is made into a stiff dough by mixing it with starch or meal, and is then dried. in the dry state, yeast plants do not grow, but remain inactive until they are subjected to conditions favorable for growth. in order that dry yeast may begin to grow, it is necessary to make a _sponge_ of the materials used in bread making. a sponge is a batter containing half as much flour as is required for the stiff dough. a thin mixture rises more quickly than does a stiff dough; hence the advantage of "starting" dry yeast in a sponge. the growth of yeast is somewhat retarded by salt and spices. sugar in small quantity aids rapid growth; much sugar delays the rising of bread. much fat and many eggs also make the process slower. in the preparation of buns, when much fat and sugar and many eggs are to be used, it is advisable to make a sponge. these materials are not to be added, however, until the sponge is stiffened. the yeast thus gets a good "start" before the eggs, etc., are added. bread (made with dry yeast) ( loaves) cupfuls water / cake dry yeast teaspoonfuls salt teaspoonfuls sugar tablespoonful fat cupfuls (or more) bread flour soak the yeast in the water (lukewarm) until softened. then add the salt, sugar, and fat. stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved, and the fat is melted. add one half the given quantity of flour. beat until the mixture is smooth; cover. let rise until very porous and foamy. add enough flour to make a stiff dough; knead; and allow to rise until doubled in bulk. proceed as for bread made with compressed yeast. score card for bread [footnote : "selection and preparation of food," by bevier and van meter, p. .]--determining its quality flavor lightness grain and texture crust (color, depth, texture) crumb (color, moisture) shape and size --- total questions under what conditions would dry yeast be used in bread making? for what reason is bread dough kneaded? what is the test for sufficient kneading of bread dough? in what part of the country is spring wheat grown? winter wheat? how are the flours distinguished that are made from these different kinds of wheat? from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of winter and of spring wheat flour. which contains the more protein; which, the more carbohydrates? compare the quantity of ash in each. knowing the method of leavening, the time required for raising, and the properties of gluten, explain why spring wheat flour is better adapted to yeast breads than to quick breads. what is the price per sack of pastry and of bread flour? what is the price per cake of compressed yeast? what is the price per package of dry yeast? how many cakes in a package? lesson cxxxvii modifications of plain white bread breads other than wheat.--as mentioned previously, wheat is the most popular grain in this country, largely because we are most used to it, not because it is a better food than other cereals. the use of different starchy materials and grains, especially the whole cereals, is advised to give variation not only in flavor, but in nutritive content. yeast breads containing cereals other than wheat are more satisfactory in texture and in size of loaf when they are made by combining some wheat with the other grains. the housekeeper of olden days considered the potato most essential for bread making. it is possible to make good bread by using / as much mashed potato as wheat flour. potato bread is moist; it keeps better than bread made entirely with wheat. it has been observed that bread containing potatoes or potato water rises quickly. it is possible that the growth of the yeast is stimulated by potato. although bread containing potatoes is light, it is not as delicate or "fluffy" as plain wheat bread. since potatoes contain much moisture, the quantity of liquid used in making potato bread should be lessened. because bread dough containing potatoes softens as it rises, sufficient flour should be added to make it very stiff or more flour added while kneading. much experimenting with bread during the world war showed that bread containing cereals other than wheat is more satisfactory when potatoes are used in making it. it was found that less of wheat and more of the other grains could be used when potatoes were added to the dough. bread made of grains other than wheat requires a greater quantity of yeast than wheat bread. the following explanation may account for this fact: some recent scientific investigations point out the fact that the activity of yeast is increased when vinegar or other weak acid material is added to bread dough. since the proteins of cereals other than wheat absorb more of the free acid of the dough than do the proteins of wheat, the acidity of the dough is lessened. hence more yeast is required to leaven dough containing grains other than wheat. graham bread use one half white bread flour and one half graham flour in the recipe given for bread in order to make graham bread. one fourth cupful of molasses may be substituted for the sugar. mix and bake as white bread. some consider that it is much more satisfactory to make a sponge when using graham flour. if this is done, first make a sponge using only one half the given quantity of flour. let the mixture rise, then add the remainder of the flour, and proceed as in making white wheat bread. whole wheat bread follow the recipe for bread, substituting whole wheat for the fine wheat bread flour, but make a soft, not stiff dough. _raisin bread_ may be made by adding cupfuls of seeded raisins to whole wheat bread mixture and increasing the sugar to / cupful or substituting / cupful molasses for the sugar. use the greater quantity of yeast. add the raisins to the mixture before adding the flour. potato bread ( loaves) cupfuls dry mashed potatoes cupful water in which potatoes were cooked tablespoonful salt / cupful lukewarm water tablespoonfuls sugar tablespoonful fat / to cake compressed yeast / to cupfuls wheat bread flour pare medium-sized potatoes. cut into pieces and cook in boiling water until tender. drain the water from the potatoes, but save the potato water to use as moisture for the dough, and for mixing with the yeast. mash the potatoes; add the potato water, salt, sugar, and fat. then proceed as directed for bread. oatmeal-potato bread ( loaves) / cupfuls potato water cupfuls rolled oats tablespoonful salt teaspoonfuls sugar wheat bread flour, about cupfuls tablespoonful fat cupfuls dry mashed potatoes cake compressed yeast tablespoonful lukewarm water heat the liquid to boiling point. pour it over the rolled oats. add the salt, sugar, and fat. stir and let stand until the mixture is lukewarm. add the potatoes, then proceed as for plain bread. let the dough rise in the pans until it is from / to / times its original bulk. questions from _u.s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of white, of graham, and of whole wheat bread. under what conditions should a sponge be made when compressed yeast is used? what kind of bread is most satisfactory in high altitudes, _i.e._ where the climate is dry? explain. why is potato water a more valuable liquid for bread making than water? what is the purpose of adding boiling water to rolled oats in making oatmeal-potato bread (see _substituting other cereals for wheat flour_)? compare the quantity of yeast used in oatmeal-potato bread with that used in plain wheat bread. account for the difference. lesson cxxxviii rolls and buns plain rolls or biscuits for rolls or biscuits use the recipe for bread, adding twice the quantity of fat, and using milk for part of the liquid. or they may be made by kneading more fat into any bread dough. knead well after the first rising; then cut into pieces half the size of an egg, and shape into balls. place the balls some distance apart in a pan or place the balls so that one touches another. the latter plan of placing in the pan produces biscuits having a small amount of crust. allow the biscuits to rise to double their bulk; then bake in a hot oven. parker house rolls cupfuls hot milk and water tablespoonfuls fat tablespoonfuls sugar teaspoonful salt yeast cake / cupful lukewarm water bread flour make a sponge of the ingredients, using cupfuls of flour. beat thoroughly, cover, and let rise until light. then add enough flour to knead. knead, cover, and allow to rise until doubled in bulk. knead again slightly, and roll out on a floured board until / of an inch in thickness. cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter; put a bit of butter or substitute near the edge of the biscuit; fold; and press the edges together. place in an oiled pan; cover. let rise until double in bulk, and bake at degrees f. from to minutes. the crust may be _glazed_ with a mixture of milk and sugar a few minutes before removing the biscuits from the oven. use part sugar to parts milk. diluted egg white also may be used for glazing. a corn-starch paste is sometimes used for _glazing_. it is made as follows: mix teaspoonfuls of corn-starch with the same quantity of cold water. add / cupful of boiling water; stir and cook for minutes. brush this over the top of the rolls, sprinkle with sugar. return the rolls to the oven and continue baking until the crust is browned. potato yeast rolls use the recipe for parker house rolls as a basic rule. in preparing the sponge, use cupfuls of dry mashed potatoes instead of flour. decrease the liquid to cupful. increase the quantity of salt to tablespoonful. when the sponge is light, add sufficient wheat flour to make the dough of the proper consistency. proceed as for plain wheat rolls. _rye flour_ may be used instead of wheat in preparing these rolls. cinnamon buns use one half of the recipe for parker house rolls. after the dough has risen, roll until / inch thick, and spread with the following: / cupful butter or butter and other fat softened tablespoonfuls cinnamon cupful currants or raisins cupful brown sugar roll the dough as for jelly roll or for fruit rolls and cut into slices inch thick. place in well-oiled pans or muffin tins, with a cut surface resting on the pan. when very light, bake in a moderate oven about minutes. the buns may be basted with molasses or sugar, or with a milk and sugar mixture (see _parker house rolls_). add teaspoonful of the basting material to each bun minutes before removing from the oven. biscuits with prune or raisin filling cupful milk cupful water tablespoonfuls sugar teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls fat to eggs cakes compressed yeast / cupful lukewarm water bread flour (about cupfuls) heat the milk and water. turn into a bowl and add the sugar, salt, and fat. let the mixture stand until it is lukewarm in temperature. mix the yeast with the lukewarm water and add it to the lukewarm milk mixture. break the egg; beat the white and yolk separately. add the egg to the other ingredients. through a sifter, add enough flour to knead. knead and roll out on a floured board until about inch in thickness. cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter. make a depression in the center of each biscuit, fill with prunes or raisins prepared as directed below. place the biscuits on greased pans, let them rise (in a warm place) until doubled in bulk; bake in a hot oven. prune or raisin filling pound dried prunes _or_ / cupfuls seeded raisins teaspoonful cinnamon / teaspoonful cloves tablespoonfuls lemon juice / teaspoonful salt sugar soak the fruit in enough water to cover overnight or for several hours. cook as directed on until the fruit is tender and the water is almost evaporated. if prunes are used, remove the stones. add the spices, lemon juice, and salt. also add sugar "to taste." questions why should a sponge be made when eggs are to be added to the yeast mixture? what would be the disadvantage in adding them to a dough, after the dough had stiffened? what must be done to produce biscuits having much crust rather than little crust? what care should be taken in regulating the temperature of the oven when baking cinnamon buns, especially if they are to be basted during baking? how many times are biscuits with prune or raisin filling allowed to rise? how does yeast bread made with one rising differ from that made with several risings? why is it necessary to cook the fruit used for filling for biscuits until the water is almost evaporated? what would be the effect on the biscuits of much moisture in the filling? related work lesson cxxxix food for girls and boys the young girl.--adolescence is a period of great activity and growth. much physical development characterizes the years of youth. during the time of rapid growth, it is very easy to acquire craving not only for sweets, but for condiments and highly seasoned and spiced foods and for foods of decided and contrasting flavor. as previously explained, such foods used excessively are harmful. it is especially necessary that a girl growing into womanhood use foods which furnish building and energy- giving nutrients in sufficient quantity as well as materials to promote growth. going without breakfast may be the cause of headaches, poorly prepared lessons, and in some cases irritability or bad dispositions. when the morning meal is omitted, an undue quantity of food is apt to be eaten at noon. in many schools, work is resumed immediately or shortly after luncheon. the digestion of a large quantity of hearty food interferes with mental effort. the hungry boy belongs to the period of adolescence. it is perfectly natural for the growing boy to be hungry. indeed during the time from twelve to seventeen years, more food is consumed by the average youth than by an adult. if three meals a day are to satisfy the hungry boy, a nourishing diet must be eaten. concentrated, but easily digested foods, such as eggs, cereals, meat, starchy and nitrogenous vegetables for building and energy as well as foods which supply mineral matter such as fruits and succulent vegetables, are needed. the use of milk and cocoa rather than tea and coffee should be encouraged. it is especially necessary that milk with its growth-promoting materials and valuable proteins be included in the diet of a growing youth. if coffee must be used, let it be cereal coffee. for the boy who would "make the team" and excel in athletics the matter of a proper food selection is most important. the athlete must give serious consideration to his diet. food plans for girls and boys.--according to the table given on previously, the diet of a girl from fourteen to seventeen should supply calories averaging , while that of a boy of the same age should supply calories averaging . [footnote : the reason why the energy requirements of a boy exceeds that of a girl of the adolescent period is stated on previously.] the following plans for a day's diet for the girl and boy of fourteen to seventeen years are offered as suggestions for wholesome food combinations: foods approximate calories breakfast. fruits, fresh or cooked - cereal with whole milk and sugar - toast and butter ( to slices) - cocoa or whole milk - luncheon. cream soup - meat substitute - bread and butter ( to slices) - rice or tapioca pudding or blanc mange - cocoa or whole milk - dinner. egg-dish or meat - starchy vegetable or cereal - succulent vegetable or salad - bread and butter ( to slices) - baked custard or ice cream with chocolate sauce - cereal coffee (with sugar, and top milk) or whole milk - --------- - the school luncheon.--girls and boys of high school age invariably lunch at school, or a luncheon is brought from home and eaten at school. if a pupil buys his luncheon at school, hot, wholesome, nourishing foods such as cream-soup vegetables, eggs, cereal puddings, cocoa, and milk should be purchased. it is unfortunate if pastry and sweets are chosen to the exclusion of the foods just mentioned. in case the plainer foods are selected, it is a mistake for the pupil to narrow his purchase to a very few foods such as meat, potatoes, and pastry. too often pupils get in the habit of choosing foods which furnish too little variety in composition. learning to like many different foods is a characteristic one should strive to develop. when one abolishes food prejudices and "eats everything" that is wholesome, the possibility of securing a well-balanced meal to meet the needs of the body is increased. luncheon menus.--the quantity and kind of food that should be eaten at luncheon depends largely upon the kind and quantity of foods eaten at breakfast and dinner or supper. some eat more breakfast than luncheon while others follow the reverse plan. it has been found, however, that a luncheon yielding from to calories furnishes adequate nutriment for the average youth, provided of course the foods are well balanced in composition. suggestive luncheon menus for school girls and boys follow. (the luncheon which is carried from home is discussed in lesson cxlix.) food calories derived total from protein calories serving macaroni and cheese ( cupful) . . slice bread and butter . . portion gingerbread ( ounces) . . medium baked apple with whole milk . . serving cocoa ( / cupful) . . ---- ------ . . serving vegetable soup ( cupful) . . cheese and peanut sandwich . . large orange . . portion cake ( ounces) . . glass milk ( / cupful) . . ------ ------ . . serving cream of tomato soup ( cupful) . . soda crackers . . ham sandwich . . portion ice cream ( / quart) . . large banana . . glass milk ( / cupful) . . ------ ------ . . questions plan a week's series of school luncheons containing foods which may be obtained at home or at school or at any other place where you eat your luncheon. calculate the total calorific value of the menus. also determine the per cent of calories derived from protein. lesson cxl planning a day's diet--cooking and serving a meal plan [footnote : see footnote ] a day's diet containing the kinds of foods suitable for you and other members of your class and furnishing sufficient calories to meet the energy-requirement of girls of your age. (follow the suggestions given in lesson cv and cxxxix.) determine the per cent of the total calories produced by calories derived from protein. compute the cost of the meal. cook and serve one of the meals of the day's diet. follow the english or family style of serving,--either with or without a maid. lesson cxli review: meal cooking menu bread (or raised biscuits) cranberry jelly (or fruit sauce) see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson cxlii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--bake yeast bread or raised biscuits at your home at least once a week. suggested aims: ( ) to improve the quality of the bread. score your products each time you prepare them. by careful observation and by consultation with your teacher, determine the cause of any undesirable quality your breads may have and then strive at the next baking to correct your mistakes. ( ) to compare homemade and baker's bread. determine the weight and cost of a loaf of homemade and baker's bread. compute the cost per pound of each. compare the flavor and satisfying qualities of each. consult other members of your family regarding these two qualities. name the advantages and disadvantages of baking bread at home. division fourteen cake lesson cxliii cake without fat--sponge cake comparison of sponge cake and popovers.--see the recipe for popovers. compare it with the recipe for sponge cake i. sponge cake no. i egg yolks cupful sugar teaspoonful lemon juice grated rind of / lemon egg whites / teaspoonful salt cupful flour what two ingredients are similar in these recipes? what ingredients does sponge cake contain which do not exist in popovers? what ingredients in popovers are omitted in sponge cake? note the number of eggs in each. what is the wetting material in popovers? in sponge cake? by what means are popovers lightened? sponge cake? how do you account for the difference in the number of eggs? note.--a typical sponge cake contains no baking powder or moisture except that contained in the eggs and flavoring material. to make a cheaper cake, the following modification may be made: instead of eggs, eggs with / cupful of water and teaspoonful of baking powder may be used. method of mixing sponge cake. beat the yolks of the eggs until thick and lemon-colored. add the sugar and continue beating; then add the flavoring and any other liquid that the recipe may call for. beat the mixture well. add the salt to the egg whites and beat until the whites are stiff. sift the flour (and baking powder if used) several times. add part of the dry ingredients through the sifter to the yolk mixture, then add some of the egg whites. repeat until all the dry ingredients and the egg whites have been added. mix by cutting and folding the ingredients. turn at once into an unoiled pan. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) for or minutes. baking sponge cakes.--_the baking of a cake, as well as the manner of mixing the ingredients_ and the quality of the ingredients themselves, determines the success of the cake. a practical test for the temperature of the oven is the placing of a bit of flour or white paper in the oven. if at the end of minutes the paper or flour is slightly browned, the oven is of proper temperature for sponge cakes or cakes without fat. the time required to bake a cake should be divided into quarters. during the first quarter the cake should begin to rise; during the second quarter it should continue to rise and begin to brown; during the third quarter it should continue to brown, and the fourth quarter it should finish baking. if the mixing and the baking have been successful, failure may result after removing the cake from the oven. it should not be placed in a cold place or in a draft. invert the cake pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to remain until cool. remove the cake from the pan, and store in a covered tin box. sponge cake no. ii or egg yolks l / cupfuls sugar tablespoonful lemon juice / cupful water cupfuls flour / teaspoonful salt teaspoonfuls baking powder or egg whites mix and bake according to the directions given above. it is advisable to oil the pan for this cake. washington pie sponge cake with cream filling is termed washington pie. follow the recipe for cream filling and put it between the layers of sponge cake, or as a filling between split sheets of a loaf or thick sheet of sponge cake. questions what is the purpose of cutting and folding the egg whites and the dry ingredients into a sponge cake mixture? why is it necessary to add moisture and baking powder to sponge cake no. ii? what is the effect of too cool an oven on sponge cake? lesson cxliv cake containing fat--one-egg cake classes of cakes.--cakes are commonly divided into two classes: (_a_) cakes without fat and (_b_) cakes containing fat. sponge cake is an example of the first class and the one-egg cake given below is an example of the second class. the method of mixing cakes containing fat differs from the method of mixing cakes without fat. the temperature of the oven and the length of time required for baking also differ for the two classes of cakes. comparison of one-egg cake and muffins.--see the recipe for plain muffins. compare it with the following recipe. one-egg cake [footnote : note to the teacher.--if a richer cake is desired, follow the plain cake recipe given in lesson cxlv.] cupfuls flour / teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt / to cupful sugar egg cupful milk or water teaspoonful flavoring to tablespoonfuls fat what ingredient does cake contain that is not present in muffins? what two ingredients exist in greater quantity in cake than in muffins? the ingredients of a cake containing fat.--materials of the best quality should be used for cakes. pastry flour and the finest granulated sugar are necessary ingredients. in determining the kind of fat to use in a cake, one should consider all of the ingredients in a recipe, and then decide which one will give the most pronounced flavor to the combined materials. if a cake contains so much fat that the fat will be one of the predominating flavoring ingredients, table butter should be used alone or combined with some bland fat. when but little fat is used in plain cake, there is little difference in the flavor of cake made with butter or substitutes. oleomargarine, tried-out chicken fat, suet, lard, or vegetable fat may be used for spice cakes or other highly flavored cakes. cake is one of the foods whose ingredients require the greatest accuracy and care in measuring. when a cake contains much fat, the latter can usually be more easily and accurately weighed than measured. method of mixing cake containing fat.--since cakes contain much more fat and sugar than muffins, a different method of mixing the fat with the other ingredients of the cake has been used quite generally. the fat and sugar have usually been blended by creaming them. however, many experiments in the mixing and baking of cakes have been made. these show that a cake of good quality may be made by following the method of mixing fat in a muffin mixture, _i.e._ melting the fat and adding it to other ingredients. the following is the method of mixing cake when melted fat is used: beat the eggs, add the sugar, liquid, and flavoring. melt the fat and add it to the other ingredients. mix the dry ingredients, _i.e._ the flour, baking powder, and salt. add these through a sifter to the egg and sugar mixture. beat from to minutes. in cake mixing, the yolks and the whites of the eggs are often separated. when this is done, the yolks and sugar are blended, the moisture, flavoring, melted fat, and dry ingredients are added, the mixture beaten, and finally the beaten whites are folded in. in combining cake ingredients, great care must be taken to mix all ingredients _thoroughly_. cakes, except those containing very little moisture and much fat, such as jumbles or pound cake, can be made satisfactorily by adding melted fat. it has been estimated that half as much time is required for mixing a cake in which melted fat is used as one in which the fat is creamed. it has been found [footnote : see journal home economics, vol. x, pp. - , december, .] that the amount of mixing and the preparation of ingredients in a cake are much more important factors than the manner of combining the ingredients. too little beating makes a cake of coarse, crumbly mixture. too much beating makes it compact in texture with "tunnels" through it. preparing the pans for cakes containing fat.--the pans for cakes that contain fat should be well oiled. it is well to line the pans with paper and to oil the paper thoroughly, or to oil the pans well and to sprinkle a little flour over them before adding the cake batter. baking layer and loaf cakes.--if a bit of flour or white paper is delicately browned after being placed for minutes in the oven, the oven is of proper temperature for layer cakes containing fat. for a loaf cake the oven should be cooler, since a longer time for baking is required. it is especially important that a crust does not form over the top of a cake before the cake has risen, or before it has been in the oven one fourth of the time required (see _baking sponge cakes_). to avoid this, the temperature of the oven should be quite low when a thick loaf cake is first placed in it. some housekeepers find it most satisfactory to cover the top of a pan containing loaf cake with paper until the cake has risen. in general, layer cakes require to minutes for baking and loaf cakes from minutes to / hours. shortly after taking from the oven, cake containing fat may be removed from the pan, and placed on a wire cake cooler or towel until cold. in a heat-regulated oven, bake layer cakes at degrees f., and loaf cakes at degrees f. the quality of cake.--desirable cake is tender and light, but of fine grain. the quantity of eggs, sugar, fat, and moisture affects these qualities. too much sugar makes a cake of coarse grain and of waxy or tough texture. on the other hand, a cake containing too little sugar is not as fine grained as one having "just enough." a cake in which there is too much fat is crisp or crumbly,--i.e. it will not hold its shape. too little fat may make it tough in texture. generally the more fat a cake contains the smaller the quantity of moisture needed. note that the one-egg cake recipe contains cupful of liquid, but when the fat is increased to / cupful, the moisture is decreased to / cupful (see plain cake recipe). many eggs without a proportionate quantity of fat and sugar produce a tough cake. the toughness occasioned by eggs, may be offset, of course, by the tenderness produced by fat. it is a most interesting study to compare cake recipes. some are well proportioned, others could be greatly improved by variations in the quantity of ingredients. the flavor of a cake is largely affected by the proportion of ingredients in a cake. for the sake of economy, however, certain ingredients, especially fat and eggs, must be decreased even though texture, grain, and flavor are sacrificed. the matter of wholesomeness must also be taken into consideration. many persons can eat with comfort plain cakes, i.e. those containing little fat and a moderate quantity of sugar, while rich cakes distress them. score card for cake,--determining its quality flavor lightness grain and texture baking (crust and color) appearance (shape and icing) --- total questions how should cake batter be spread in the pan to prevent it from rising higher in the center than at the edges? what is the purpose of placing the warm cake on a cake cooler or on a cloth? mention some substitute other than a cloth for a wire cake cooler. why not place the warm cake _inverted_ on the cake cooler? explain why a hot cake should not be placed in a cool place or in a draft. why store a cake in a tightly covered tin box? give two reasons for the cracking of the crust of a cake. what is the effect of using too much fat in a cake? too much sugar? too much moisture? if the quantity of fat is increased, what ingredient in a cake recipe should be decreased? if the number of eggs in a cake is reduced, what ingredient should be increased? lesson cxlv cake containing fat--plain cake and its modifications (a) the "conventional" method of mixing cake is as follows: cream the fat; then gradually add the sugar. cream the mixture. add egg yolks that have been beaten until light. add the flavoring. then add some of the milk and part of the dry ingredients. repeat until all the milk and dry ingredients have been added. beat the mixture thoroughly. cut and fold in the whites of the eggs quickly; then turn into oiled pans. bake layer cakes at degrees f., and loaf cakes at degrees f. plain cake cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt eggs cupful sugar / cupful liquid teaspoonful flavoring / to / cupful fat mix according to the directions above or according to _method of mixing cake containing fat_. _compare_ this recipe with that for one-egg cake. note that the eggs and fat are increased, while the baking powder and moisture are decreased. can you account for these variations? white cake follow the plain cake recipe, using egg whites instead of eggs and the greater quantity of fat. vanilla or almond flavoring are pleasing in white cake. if almond extract is used, add only / teaspoonful. white cake is mixed according to the general directions, except, of course, that the egg yolks are omitted; the egg whites are beaten until stiff and folded into the other ingredients. a cheaper but tasty white cake may be made by following the recipe for one-egg cake and using egg whites instead of whole egg. fresh coconut cake break open a fresh coconut, save all the milk and use it as part of the liquid for a white cake. add milk to the milk of coconut to make the / cupful of liquid in the plain cake recipe. prepare a white cake in two layers. cake break the coconut into pieces, pare these and put them through a food chopper or grate them. prepare boiled frosting. when the frosting is ready to spread on the cake, add about / of the chopped coconut. spread the mixture on the cake layers and sprinkle the remainder of the coconut over the frosting on the top layer of the cake. a fresh coconut cake will keep moist for a week. water frosting cupful confectioner's sugar tablespoonful hot water, milk, or cream salt tablespoonful lemon juice stir the hot water into the sugar and add the salt and lemon juice. if too stiff, add a little more boiling water. tablespoonfuls of _cocoa_ or ounce of _chocolate_ may be mixed with tablespoonfuls of water, cooked for a few minutes, and used in place of the moisture and lemon juice. / teaspoonful of vanilla should be added when these materials are used. when cocoa is used the addition of tablespoonful of butter improves the flavor. _mocha frosting_ may be made by mixing the cocoa or chocolate with strong coffee instead of water. egg frosting egg white tablespoonful lemon juice cupful confectioner's sugar salt put the unbeaten egg white into a bowl; add the lemon juice, then the salt and sugar. mix thoroughly. spread on warm cake. the lemon juice may be omitted, and _chocolate_ (or cocoa) and vanilla added, as in water frosting. gold frosting egg yolks confectioner's sugar tablespoonful lemon juice or vanilla salt add the flavoring and salt to the unbeaten yolks. add enough confectioner's sugar to the mixture to make it thick enough to spread. use on white cake when it is warm. boiled frosting / to cupful sugar teaspoonful vinegar teaspoonful flavoring / cupful water egg white salt mix the sugar, water, and vinegar in a saucepan. cook _gently_ until the sirup (when dropped from a spoon) "spins a thread" inches long. remove from the fire, and gradually pour the sirup over the egg white to which a pinch of salt has been added and which has been beaten stiff. continue to beat the mixture; when it begins to stiffen, add the flavoring, and spread over cooled cake. the less quantity of sugar produces a more delicate and less dense frosting than the greater quantity. chocolate-marshmallow frosting cupful sugar / cupful boiling water / teaspoonful salt marshmallows ounces chocolate tablespoonfuls water / teaspoonful vanilla in a saucepan stir the sugar, boiling water, and salt. then place over a low flame and heat until the sugar is dissolved. cut the marshmallows in halves, add to the sugar mixture, and beat until the marshmallows have melted. cut the chocolate in pieces and mix with tablespoonfuls water. stir and cook over a low flame until a thick, smooth paste is formed. add to the sugar mixture. beat until the frosting is of proper consistency to spread, then stir in the vanilla. questions give the reason for the greater quantity of fat in cake when egg yolks are omitted. if the conventional method of mixing cake is followed, what can be done in cold weather to hasten the creaming of fat? what is the result of insufficient creaming? why is the cake mixture beaten thoroughly before the whites of eggs are added? what is the purpose of cutting and folding in the whites of eggs in the cake mixture? what kind of fat should be used for white cake? why? why use hot water rather than cold water for water frosting (see experiment )? when egg whites alone are used in cake, give at least three uses for the yolks of the eggs. why is egg frosting used on warm cake, rather than on cold? what is the use of vinegar in boiled frosting (see christmas candy)? why should the white of egg be beaten while the hot sirup is being poured over it? lesson cxlvi cake containing fat--plain cake and its modifications (b) chocolate cake cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / to teaspoonful salt ounces chocolate _or_ / cupful cocoa / cupful water / teaspoonful baking soda eggs / cupfuls sugar / cupful milk teaspoonful vanilla / cupful fat cook the chocolate or cocoa in the water until a smooth paste is formed, stirring constantly while cooking. cool, and add the baking soda. beat the egg yolks and whites separately. mix as plain cake, adding the chocolate mixture after the egg yolks have been mixed with the sugar. use the less quantity of salt if butter is used for the fat. bake in layers at degrees f., placing chocolate filling between the layers and boiled frosting on the top layer. sour milk may be substituted for the sweet milk. when this is done, increase the baking soda to / teaspoonful and decrease the baking powder to teaspoonfuls. baking soda is used with chocolate to neutralize a small quantity of acid (tartaric) contained in it. its use with chocolate will also darken the cake. chocolate filling / cupful sugar / cupful flour cupful milk ounce chocolate tablespoonfuls water / teaspoonful salt egg yolk teaspoonful vanilla mix all ingredients except the egg yolk and flavoring in the same manner as chocolate corn-starch pudding. when sufficiently cooked, add the egg yolk as directed for butterscotch tapioca. continue cooking until the egg is coagulated. remove from the fire, cool, add vanilla. tablespoonfuls of cocoa may be substituted for the chocolate. when this substitution is made, mix the cocoa with the flour and sugar and omit the water. the egg yolk may be omitted. when this is done add / tablespoonful of corn-starch to the flour and sugar mixture. compare the recipes for chocolate and plain cake. how do you account for the difference in the quantities of sugar (see _chocolate corn-starch pudding_)? does the water used for making the chocolate paste change in quantity during the cooking? explain. what ingredient do both chocolate and cocoa contain which aids in thickening the cake? from this can you account for the greater quantity of moisture used in chocolate cake? would it be advisable to use a greater quantity of fat ( / cupful) for chocolate cake? why? nut cake follow the recipe for plain cake, use the smaller quantity of fat, and add cupful of chopped nuts. a convenient way of chopping nuts is to put them through the food chopper, using the coarse knife. cake containing fruit follow the recipe for plain cake, but add cupful of raisins or currants. clean the fruit, then dry, and sprinkle it with flour. raisins may be chopped, or cut in two pieces (see _to prepare raisins for cooking_). citron may also be added. it should be cut in thin slices or put through the food chopper. when light brown sugar is used instead of white sugar, dates make a pleasing addition. these should be cleaned, stoned, cut into pieces, and added as are the raisins or currants. spices give pleasing flavor when dried fruits are used. teaspoonful each of cinnamon and nutmeg and / teaspoonful of cloves make desirable flavoring. questions mention the kinds of fat that could be used for spice cakes and for chocolate cake. give the reason for the selection made. from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin , tabulate the percentage composition of some common nuts. of chocolate and cocoa. explain why the minimum quantity of fat should be used for nut cake. why are the dried fruits floured? why are nuts not floured? compare cakes made with the least and the greatest quantity of fat. which is the more tender? which has the better taste? calculate the cost per pound of sponge cake. calculate the cost per pound of cake containing fat (see _plain cake_). lesson cxlvii cake containing fat--cookies classes of cookies.--cooky mixture may be thin like a drop batter and dropped by spoonfuls on to a pan or it may be about as stiff as a soft dough and rolled and then cut into rounds or other shapes. hence cookies may be classified as: ( ) drop cookies. ( ) cut or rolled cookies. texture of cookies.--drop cookies may or may not contain fat. cut or rolled cookies usually contain fat. since a dough is prepared in making the latter kind of cookies, fat is needed to make the mixture sufficiently tender. a dough containing little or no fat usually produces a tough cut cooky. a skilled cooky maker, however, can secure a soft cut cooky containing little fat by making a very soft dough. if crisp, cut cookies are desired, the dough should be rolled thin. to secure soft cookies roll the dough to at least / inch thickness. if cookies containing fat are stored in a tightly covered box, they become softer after several days. compare the recipe for sugar cookies with that for plain cake. account for the difference in the quantity of milk. explain why the quantity of milk is decreased rather than the quantity of flour increased. sugar cookies cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt egg cupful sugar / cupful fat milk or water (about / cupful) teaspoonful flavoring or spice mix as for plain cake (do not separate the eggs), adding just sufficient milk to make the dough stiff enough to be rolled out. put the dough in a cool place to chill. roll out in small portions; then sprinkle with sugar. cut and bake at degrees f. minutes or until browned. sour milk or cream cookies follow the recipe for sugar cookies, using / cupful of thick sour milk or cream in the place of sweet milk and adding / teaspoonful of baking soda. if sour cream is used, only / cupful (instead of / cupful) of fat is needed. nutmeg-- / teaspoonful--is a pleasing flavoring material for these cookies. for _ginger cookies_, vary the recipe for sour cream cookies as follows: use / cupful sugar and / cupful molasses instead of cupful of sugar. increase the baking soda to / teaspoonful. for flavoring use teaspoonful ginger and teaspoonful allspice. since the molasses furnishes some moisture, it is usually necessary to add more flour or decrease the sour milk or cream. cookies with raisin filling prepare sour cream cooky dough. roll the dough into a thin sheet and cut it into rounds. spread half of the rounds with a thin layer of raisin filling (see below). then cover each round with another piece of dough. press the edges together. place on an oiled baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven. raisin filling / cupful corn sirup cupful seeded raisins / teaspoonful salt cook these ingredients until the mixture is thick enough to use as cake filling. one fourth cupful of chopped nuts may be added. one egg may also be added to the mixture just before removing from the fire. peanut butter cookies / cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful baking soda / teaspoonful salt egg cupful sugar / cupful peanut butter cupful sour milk mix and bake as sugar cookies. it is especially necessary to make the dough for these cookies very soft. it requires skilful handling. corn-meal cookies / cupful melted fat / cupful molasses / cupful corn sirup egg tablespoonfuls sour milk / teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonfuls baking powder cupfuls corn-meal cupful wheat flour / teaspoonful salt combine the melted fat, molasses, sirup, beaten egg, and milk. sift the dry ingredients and combine with the liquid. drop from a teaspoon on to a greased pan and bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) for minutes. this makes to cookies about inches in diameter. (adapted from _united states food administration bulletin_.) questions how does the method of preparing cooky mixture differ from that of preparing cake mixture? why should cooky dough be chilled before rolling out? what can be done to the cooky cutter to prevent it from sticking? why is less fat required for sour cream than for sour milk cookies (see figure )? from the _united states department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , find the per cent of fat in peanut butter. what is the per cent of fat in butter (see figure )? if butter were substituted for peanut butter in peanut butter cookies, how much would be needed to furnish the same quantity of fat? lesson cxlviii cakes without eggs omitting eggs in cake.--it was previously stated that teaspoonfuls of baking powder are required to leaven cupful of flour when no eggs are used. the statement was also made that the quantity of baking powder is reduced when eggs are used. hence cakes made with eggs require less than the proportionate quantity of leavening given above. when eggs are omitted in a cake, it is necessary to use teaspoonfuls of baking powder (or its equivalent) for each cupful of flour. the flavor of cakes is usually improved when eggs are used. in eggless cakes, it is advisable to use spices or other materials of pronounced flavor. since eggs are highly nutritious, their omission in cake decreases considerably the food value of the cake. leavens and flavoring materials (except chocolate) used in eggless cakes have practically no food value. apple sauce cake cupfuls flour / teaspoonful cloves / teaspoonfuls cinnamon teaspoonful nutmeg teaspoonful baking soda / teaspoonful salt cupful sugar cupful apple sauce (unsweetened) / cupful fat cupful raisins, cut in halves mix the sugar and apple sauce; add the fat. mix the dry ingredients. through a sifter, add them to the apple sauce mixture. flour the raisins and stir them into the batter. turn into a greased loaf-cake pan or into two layer-cake pans. bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.). if the cake is baked in layers, put raisin filling between them, but omit the raisins in the cake batter. chocolate cake cupfuls flour teaspoonfuls baking powder teaspoonful salt / cupful cocoa / cupful water / cupful fat / teaspoonful baking soda cupful sugar / cupful sour milk teaspoonful vanilla mix the cocoa and water. stir and cook until a thick smooth paste is formed. add the fat. if solid fat is used stir until it is melted. set aside to cool. add the baking soda and mix well. then add the sugar and sour milk. through a sifter, add the dry ingredients. then add the vanilla. beat well. bake in two layers ( degrees f.) or in one sheet ( degrees f.). use frosting or chocolate filling made without eggs between the layers and frosting on the top layer. if it is desired to save sugar, a thin layer of chocolate filling may be used between the layers and on the top layer. spice cake cupful brown sugar / cupful molasses cupful seeded raisins / cupful water / cupful fat / teaspoonful salt teaspoonful nutmeg teaspoonfuls cinnamon / teaspoonful cloves / cupfuls flour / teaspoonful baking soda / teaspoonfuls baking powder in a saucepan mix all the ingredients except flour and leavening materials. stir and cook the mixture at boiling temperature for minutes. set aside to cool. through a sifter, add the leavening materials and flour. beat well. turn into an oiled loaf-cake pan and bake in a moderate oven ( degrees f.) from to minutes. chopped nuts-- / cupful--may be added to this cake. this addition, however, increases the cost. for economy the raisins may be omitted. note.--various changes occur when certain of the ingredients of this cake are cooked, viz., (_a_) the sugar is dissolved (_b_) the raisins are softened (_c_) the fat is melted (_d_) the spices are improved in flavor. questions what materials in apple sauce cake leaven it? what ingredient usually present in cake recipes is omitted in this cake? what takes the place of this ingredient? in chocolate cake, how much baking soda is required to neutralize the acid of the sour milk? for what purpose is the additional quantity used? what is the purpose of cooking the cocoa and water (see _cocoa and chocolate_)? determine the difference in the cost of chocolate cake with and without eggs. what ingredient in spice cake contains a small quantity of acid? explain why baking soda is an ingredient of this ingredient. why should the cooked mixture of spice cake be cool before the remaining ingredients are added? related work lesson cxlix the luncheon box the luncheon box most commonly used is of pasteboard or tin. both these materials have advantages and disadvantages. bread and cake are prevented from drying out when placed in a tightly covered tin box. on the other hand, food odors are retained and one pronounced odor may permeate all of the foods. but since dry bread is unpalatable, the tin box is considered more satisfactory. it should be kept clean and free from odors, should be emptied of its contents every day, washed (scalded often), and allowed to remain open all night. the collapsible box is the most convenient. for most lunches, a teaspoon, jelly glass, and in some cases a drinking cup are all the "dishes" needed. the jelly glass may serve for many purposes. cup custard may be steamed or baked in it, or it makes an admirable mold for an individual steam pudding. small fruits and fruit sauces may also be carried in jelly glasses. menu making for the luncheon box.--a luncheon box may be made a source of pleasure to the school child or everyday worker. to bring this about, the foods must be varied on successive days. it is not necessary that each luncheon consist of various foods. indeed, many kinds of food or foods in great quantity are not desirable for a child who sits quietly at study much of the day or for a person of sedentary occupation. it is both possible and necessary, however,--if the luncheon box is not to become monotonous,--to have different foods for each day of the week. as in any meal, all of the foodstuffs should be represented in the food of a luncheon box. foods for the luncheon box.--( ) _sandwiches_.--bread is the basis of almost all box luncheons. since sandwiches furnish the most convenient way of carrying foods that are to be eaten with bread, they invariably form a part of every luncheon. because they are used so frequently they should be varied. different kinds of bread, such as graham, boston brown, and nut bread, may be used. variety may be had by serving bread sometimes in the form of muffins or rolls. the slices of bread may be cut thin or thick to suit the appetite of the eater. it is often desirable to leave the crusts on the bread. butter should be creamed before spreading it on the bread. if the sandwiches are to be cut extremely thin, spread the bread before cutting it into slices. if sandwiches are prepared some time before they are served, they can be kept moist by wrapping in a dry towel, covered with a towel wrung out of hot water. the fillings for sandwiches offer many variations. they may be divided into two classes, seasoned and sweet. _seasoned fillings_ may include meat, eggs, cheese, vegetables. if meat is used, it may be cut in slices, or chopped and mixed with a sauce. if sliced meat is used, it is well to tear it into pieces. (this applies also to lettuce.) if it is desired to lessen the quantity of meat in a diet, the meat should be chopped, for it has been found that only half as much meat is required when it is chopped and mixed with a dressing. either salad dressing or white sauce may be combined with meat. a french dressing made of vegetable oil, lemon juice, and seasonings is better, so far as ease of digestion is concerned, than cream or "boiled" salad dressing. if oil is not palatable, learn to like it. any of the seasoned fillings may be mixed with salad dressing. sliced tomatoes spread with mayonnaise or cream salad dressing, chopped peanuts mixed with salad dressing, sardines or cold chicken with lemon juice and paprika make tasty sandwich fillings. _sweet fillings_ for sandwiches include: preserved or dried fruits, bananas, nuts. sandwiches made with a sweet filling are most popular among children. some of them make good substitutes for cake, and are much more easily digested. the dried fruits such as dates, figs, and prunes, cooked and combined with bread and butter, make excellent foods. the growing child is apt to become anemic. since prunes contain iron, they should be frequently used in children's diet. cooked prunes--seeded and flavored with lemon juice--make palatable sandwiches, especially when brown bread is used or a few chopped nuts are added. breads containing sugar or molasses are most pleasing when used with a sweet filling. banana sandwiches are much improved by the addition of lemon juice or salad dressing. nuts are often combined with both sweet and seasoned materials; their use gives opportunity for variety. chopped raisins and nuts may be moistened with grape juice and used as sandwich filling. chopped dates, apples, and nuts mixed with salad dressing make a pleasing filling. crushed maple or brown sugar mixed with cream or butter and used with whole wheat bread is a favorite sandwich among children. ( ) _relishes_.--celery, olives, and radishes serve as relishes for the luncheon box. celery and olives (especially those stuffed with pimentos or nuts) are pleasing as a sandwich filling. most relishes, however, are more suitable for the luncheon box of a mature person than for that of a child. ( ) _desserts_.--cake is a common constituent of the luncheon box. not all cakes, however, are suitable for luncheons. for children, only the plainer cakes, _i.e._ those containing little fat, should be used. plain cake and cookies, sponge cake, lady fingers, and gingerbread (if not too highly spiced) are also desirable for the school luncheon. cookies or cakes baked in muffin pans are more suitable for packing than cut pieces of cake. most fresh fruits can be easily packed in the luncheon box. as has been mentioned, grapes, the small fruits such as strawberries and raspberries, sliced pineapple, or fruit sauces may be carried in jelly glasses. cup custards and simple puddings may be used as desserts. if a child is permitted to have sweets, a little candy may be placed in the luncheon box; it is better for a child to have candy at the end of a luncheon than after school (see _use of candy in diet_). packing the luncheon.--neatness is an essential in an inviting luncheon box. all foods should be wrapped separately in paraffin paper, and placed neatly in the box. since some foods crush readily, it is not always possible to place the foods to be eaten first on top, but it is desirable to arrange the foods so that not all of them will have to be removed before beginning to eat the luncheon. the paper napkin should always be placed on top. it is perhaps unnecessary to say that foods should not come in direct contact with newspapers or any printed matter. question plan menus for five school luncheons, making them as varied as possible. if you carry your luncheon to school, follow these menus in preparing your luncheon box. lesson cl planning and preparing box luncheons plan [footnote : see footnote .] box luncheons. make sandwiches and other foods for the luncheon box. fill one or more luncheon boxes according to plans. lesson cli review--meal cooking menu cake (for cottage pudding) vanilla sauce cocoa see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson clii home projects [footnote : see lesson ix] suggestions for home work.--bake cake or cookies at least once a week. if eggs are high in price, bake cake without eggs or bake one-egg cake. suggested aims: ( ) to improve the quality of cake. as suggested in a previous home project, score your product, determine the cause of any undesirable quality, and then avoid your error at the next baking. ( ) to compare homemade and baker's cake. determine the weight and cost of homemade and baker's cake. compare like kinds of cake, _i.e._ plain, chocolate, etc. compute the cost per pound of each. if possible compare the flavor, grain, and texture of each. what are the advantages of homemade over baker's cake? division fifteen pastry lesson cliii pie with under crust pastry.--good pastry is: (_a_) light, (_b_) flaky or friable, and (_c_) tender. the _lightness_ of pastry is largely dependent upon the temperature of the ingredients. all the materials should be cold, so that the expansion in baking may be as great as possible. in order to keep the ingredients cold and the fats solid, a knife (instead of the fingers) should be used in mixing. it is well to chill pastry by placing it on the ice before rolling out. the lightness of pastry is dependent somewhat upon quick and deft manipulations. a little baking powder also increases the lightness of pastry. _flaky_ pastry results when the ingredients are mixed so as to form layers. to accomplish this, solid fat is used and it is not cut fine into the dry ingredients, but is left in pieces. thus, when rolled, there are layers of flour and fat. pastry is sometimes made by cutting part of the fat into the flour mixture, then moistening and rolling it out; adding the remainder of the fat in small bits, folding and rolling out again. _friable_ pastry usually results when oil is used instead of solid fat. the following fats may be used alone or in combination: butter, oleomargarine, lard, vegetable oil or fat, lard substitutes. to make pastry _tender_ and not tough, the least possible moisture should be used. the quantity of fat used also determines its tenderness. the more fat used, the less the amount of water required. less moisture is required when oil rather than solid fat is used. for this reason, many persons can produce more tender pastry by using a cooking oil. the fact that the moisture is decreased when oil is used may also account for the decreased quantity of oil given in the recipe for pastry. less oil than solid fat will produce the same degree of tenderness, provided less water is used. pie with the under crust.--pastry is somewhat difficult of digestion; but a crust that is brittle and easily crumbled is more readily digested than one that is moist and pasty. pie crust should crumble as finely as a cracker. to prevent moist and pasty pie crust, it is advisable to bake "one crust" pie. if an under crust only is used, it should be baked before adding the filling. the filling should be cooked and sweetened before adding it to the crust. plain pastry ( crusts) / cupfuls flour teaspoonful baking powder / teaspoonful salt / to / cupful fat _or_ / to / cupful oil ice water mix the dry ingredients, cut in the fat slightly; then add just enough water to hold the ingredients together. chill; then roll out (one crust at a time). pastry should be baked in a hot oven. a pastry shell containing no filling should be baked at degrees f., for to minutes. bake a one crust pie on the outside of a pie pan; it should be pricked with a fork before baking. the pastry trimmings should be utilized. they may be made into tarts or cheese straws. lemon pie tablespoonfuls flour tablespoonfuls corn-starch cupful sugar cupfuls boiling water egg yolks juice and grated rind of lemon tablespoonful butter / teaspoonful salt meringue egg whites tablespoonfuls powdered sugar mix the sugar, flour, and corn-starch, add the boiling water. stir and cook on the back of the range, or over an asbestos mat, for minutes. add the egg yolks and cook at simmering temperature, until the eggs thicken. add the remaining ingredients. cool and place in a baked crust. cover with a meringue. bake until the meringue is a light brown, _i.e._ at degrees f., to minutes. note that the lemon is added to the mixture after cooking. cooking a starchy material with a small amount of acid, dextrinizes the starch. since dextrin has less thickening power than starch, the starch mixture would become thinner if cooked for some time with lemon. score card for pie,--determining its quality flavor tenderness lightness flakiness appearance (color and thickness) filling (flavor and consistency) --- total questions why should not the fingers be used to mix the fat with the dry ingredients in pastry making? why is it easier to roll out pastry, if it has been chilled after mixing? why should a lower crust, when used alone, be baked before adding the filling? what is the purpose of pricking the lower crust with a fork before baking? compare the filling for lemon pie with that for cream puffs. how do they differ in moisture, method of preparation, and length of time in cooking? give the reason for these differences. from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of butter (see figure ), oleomargarine, lard, lard substitute, and vegetable oil. what is the price per pound of each? which furnishes more fat,--a pound of butter or a pound of lard? if lard, lard substitute, or vegetable oil were substituted for butter in a cake or other quick bread, should the same quantity be used? explain. lesson cliv pies with upper crust digestion of pastry.--as previously mentioned (see _frying and digestion_), when fats are heated to a high temperature, they decompose. the products of this decomposition are less readily digested than is fat before it is decomposed. hence in fried foods, the fat is made somewhat indigestible. thus it is much better to spread uncooked fat over hot potatoes than to combine the two foods by frying the potatoes. fat is the most slowly digested of all foodstuffs. hence a combination of fat and carbohydrates is more slowly digested than carbohydrate. for this reason, foods consisting of fat and flour such as pastry may remain in the digestive tract for a long time and cause disturbances. distressing effects are less likely to result, however, when a person's work is out of doors. since fatty foods remain in the stomach longer than others, they may serve to allay the feeling of hunger which is caused by the contracting of an empty stomach. pie with the upper crust.--in the previous lesson (see _pie with under crust_), it was mentioned that "pasty" pie crust was not readily digested. for this reason, fresh fruit pie may be made with an upper crust only. such pie should be baked in a pan of granite, glass, or similar material. the fruit is placed in the pie pan, then a half-inch strip of pastry is placed over the rim of the pie pan; the strip is moistened and the crust placed over the top. the strip of pastry and the upper crust are pressed together, then the edges of the latter are trimmed. the upper crust should be cut in several places for the escape of steam. rhubarb pie cupfuls rhubarb, cut in small pieces egg tablespoonfuls flour cupful sugar salt lemon rind mix the sugar, salt, lemon rind, and flour; beat the egg. add the rhubarb and flour mixture to the egg. turn into an earthenware dish or a granite pan, and cover with pastry as directed above. bake until the rhubarb is tender and the crust is brown, i.e. at degrees f., to minutes. rhubarb contains such a large percentage of moisture that it is well to use but one crust. questions explain why it is that baked potatoes and butter are more readily digested than fried potatoes. what is the advantage of using only a top crust for fresh fruit pie? what is the purpose of egg and flour in rhubarb pie? why is it desirable to use these ingredients with rhubarb? why should the flour in rhubarb pie be mixed with sugar? how much water is there in apples and rhubarb (see _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. and figure )? lesson clv two-crust pies two crusts.--if both upper and lower crusts are used in making a pie, the lower crust should be placed inside the pan. the filling should be added, the edge of the crust moistened, and the upper crust placed over the pie and pressed around the edges. then the edges should be trimmed. as was mentioned before, upper crusts should always be cut in several places for the escape of steam. sometimes a half-inch strip of pastry is placed around the edge of the under crust before placing the upper crust. this is thought to aid in preventing the escape of the moisture of the filling. apple pie cut or apples into slices, and for each apple use tablespoonfuls (or more) of sugar. if the apples are not juicy, add from / to tablespoonful of water for each apple. flavor with teaspoonful each of lemon juice and rind, / teaspoonful cinnamon or nutmeg, and / teaspoonful salt. line the inside of a pie pan with pastry, pour in the apple mixture. add bits of butter, and cover with pastry as directed above. bake until the apples are soft and the crust is brown, i.e. at degrees f., to minutes. apple sauce may be used as a filling for a baked crust. such a pie is sometimes covered with meringue or strips of pastry. fruit pie with two crusts cupfuls fruit / to cupful sugar tablespoonfuls flour if the fruit is fresh, wash and drain it well. mix the sugar and flour. line the inside of a pie pan with pastry, add half of the sugar and flour mixture. add the fruit, and then the remainder of the sugar and flour. cover with a top crust according to the directions above. questions explain why pie with only one crust, if properly made, is more desirable than that with two crusts (see _pie with under crust_). why should fresh fruit, for fruit pie with two crusts, be well drained after washing? give three ways of preventing the juice from boiling over, in a pie with two crusts. compare pastry that is made with lard, lard substitutes, vegetable oils and butter, as to taste, appearance, flakiness or friability, and tenderness. related work lesson clvi infant feeding perfect food for infants.--nature in her wisdom provides ideal food for the infant,--mother's milk. no perfect substitute has been found for it. it is most unfortunate when a child is denied this food. it has been found [footnote : see "feeding the family," by mary swartz rose, ph.d., p. .] that babies fed with mother's milk are much less likely to contract disease and much more apt to grow to maturity. a mother's milk is adapted to the needs of her child. it agrees with the infant and nourishes it well. a practical advantage of a healthy mother's milk is that it is sterile and of the proper temperature. modified milk.--in case it is necessary to give the infant artificial diet, the greatest care should be taken to provide clean, easily digested food. cow's milk is the basis of the food generally chosen. the way babies digest cow's milk shows the necessity of changing or _modifying_ it to meet the needs of an infant. cow's milk is modified sometimes by diluting it to make it digest easier and adding other ingredients to it. in order to increase the fuel value of diluted milk, carbohydrate food of some soluble, easily digested kind is added. sometimes gruel or cereal water is used as one of the constituents of modified milk. formulas for modified milk vary with the individual infant. a physician should be consulted regarding the formula for food for a baby. (_a_) _utensils_ for measuring and preparing the ingredients of modified milk should be kept very clean. before using, all glass and metal utensils used for measuring and holding the milk should be covered with cold water, then the water should be heated and allowed to boil for twenty minutes. just before using rubber nipples, place them in boiling water for a few minutes. after using, they should be rinsed in cold water and then carefully washed inside and out with soap and water. when not in use, nipples should be kept in a clean covered jar or jelly glass. (the jar and cover should be sterilized daily.) after using the milk bottles (have as many bottles as there are feedings a day), rinse them in cold water, and then fill them with water and add a pinch of baking soda. before filling the bottle with milk, wash with soap and water--using a bottle brush--and then sterilize in boiling water for twenty minutes (as directed above). bacteria cannot pass through cotton, hence it is used for stoppering the filled milk bottles. it should be clean, however. paper caps are also used. (_b_)_ ingredients_.--( ) _milk_.--the selection of milk for an infant is an important consideration. _clean milk_ is most essential. milk is considered clean when it comes from dairy farms where clean milkers work under sanitary conditions, approved by a medical milk commission (see _care of milk_). such milk contains few bacteria and is called _certified milk_. this is by far the safest milk for infant diet, but it is expensive. it usually costs almost twice as much as ordinary milk. milk is _pasteurized_ commercially by heating it to degrees f., keeping it at that temperature for about thirty minutes, and then quickly cooling it. while pasteurizing kills most of the disease-producing germs, it does not destroy all the spores (see _microorganisms in thespore form_). the taste of milk is not affected by pasteurizing. milk is _sterilized_--all germ life destroyed--by heating at degrees f. from one to one and one half hours. since the value of milk as an infant food depends upon its cleanliness, it is difficult to state just how old milk may be before it is unsafe for infant feeding. it is safest to use only _fresh_ milk. bacteria in milk may develop so rapidly that it is unfit to use a few hours after it has been drawn from the cow. unless milk is certified, it should not be used in summer after it is twenty-four hours old, and in winter, after it is forty-eight hours old. _bottled_ milk should be used for infants. according to most plans for modifying milk, _whole milk_ is used. ( ) _sugar._--several kinds of sugar are used in modified milk. these are: milk sugar or lactose. malt sugar combined with dextrin or dextrimaltose. granulated sugar or cane sugar. the advice of a physician should be consulted regarding the kind of sugar best suited to the needs of the particular infant. the first two kinds of sugar can be obtained at a drug store. granulated sugar is too sweet for general use. ( ) _water or cereal water._--if plain water is to be used with milk, it should be boiled before adding to the other ingredients. in some cases, gruel or cereal water is added. usually rolled oats or barley flour is the grain used. to prepare either of these use: tablespoonfuls rolled oats _or_ tablespoonfuls barley flour quart cold water mix and boil gently until the mixture is reduced to a pint. then strain through a fine wire strainer or muslin. [illustration: figure .--graduated measure and dipper for measuring the ingredients of modified milk.] (_c_) _method of mixing_.--measure the sugar. this ingredient is usually measured in ounces, tablespoonfuls, or teaspoonfuls. ( / dipperfuls (figure ) of milk sugar weigh ounce.) in the graduated measure (figure ), measure the water or cereal water for diluting the milk and dissolve the sugar in it. stir the mixture until the sugar is completely dissolved. then pour it into the mixing pitcher. measure the milk (and other ingredients if required) and pour into pitcher. mix thoroughly. while stirring, turn the proper quantity of food into as many sterilized bottles as are required for a day's feeding. stopper with cotton or cap. if the milk used is certified, place in a clean refrigerator until used for feeding. if the milk is not certified, it may be pasteurized. pasteurizing milk at home.--place the bottles of milk in a wire basket. then place the basket in a kettle. pour water in the kettle so that the water is a little higher outside of the bottles than the surface of the milk inside. heat the water and let it boil for minutes. (do not begin to count the time until the water reaches the boiling point.) at once cool the milk by allowing a stream of cold water to displace the hot water. do not allow the cold water to run directly on the hot bottles. when the milk is cooled, place the bottles immediately in a clean refrigerator. preparation of milk before feeding.--at feeding time, milk should be heated to about degrees f. place the bottle in a pan of warm water. test the milk for proper temperature. use the method described in junket "custard", for testing the temperature of the milk. shake the bottle before feeding. other foods given to infants.--in addition to modified milk, boiled water should be given to infants. a few other foods--egg yolk or vegetable juices and orange juice--may often be given during the first year. the egg yolk should be soft-cooked. this food supplies iron and increases the calorific value of the diet. orange juice (strained through muslin) may be usually given at five or six months of age. it is especially necessary to give orange juice to infants whose milk is pasteurized or sterilized. its use prevents constipation and scurvy. energy requirement of an infant.--the energy requirement of an infant is greater than one would suppose. growth and development are going on at a rapid rate. like the adult, a baby asleep needs energy to carry on the involuntary activities of its body. when awake such muscular activities as crying, kicking, and throwing of arms require energy. an infant's energy requirement is usually based upon its body weight. according to generally accepted standards [footnote : see "feeding the family," by mary swartz rose, ph.d., p. .] an infant's average energy requirement is: st to d months calories per pound per day th to th months calories per pound per day th to th months calories per pound per day th to th months calories per pound per day quantity of food.--when a baby must be given artificial food entirely or as a supplement to natural food, it is safest and most satisfactory to follow the advice of a physician. it is said, however, that an infant requires an average of / ounces of milk per day for every pound of body weight. after the eighth month, this quantity of milk is usually decreased first to / and then to / ounces for every pound of body weight per day. the amount of artificial food found satisfactory for the infant during the first few months of its life is usually not sufficient to yield as many calories as given in the table above. but while the baby is adjusting itself to artificial feeding, it is especially necessary that the stomach be not overtaxed. as the infant develops, the quantity of food can be increased and the deficiency made up later. questions define certified, pasteurized, sterilized, modified, and top milk. give reasons for sterilizing utensils used for measuring and holding milk. in preparing modified milk why is milk diluted? why is sugar added? what is the price per quart of certified milk? lesson clvii modifying milk modify cow's milk according to a formula secured from a physician or baby's dispensary. pasteurize milk. lesson clviii review--meal cooking menu baked sweet potatoes or scalloped potatoes apple dumpling (made with pastry or biscuit dough) see lesson xiv, for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson clix home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--if pies are served in your home, bake at least one pie a week. in case pies are not used, bake cake in which different quantities of fat are used. suggested aims: ( ) to compare one- and two-crust pies. prepare each kind. determine the difference in cost, time of preparation, and quality of the crust of each. which kinds of pies do you consider more successful in regard to quality? which is cheaper? which kind meets the approval of other members of your home? ( ) to compare cake containing little and much fat. follow the recipe for one-egg or plain cake. vary the quantity of fat from / to / cupful. make comparisons regarding cost, texture, grain, and flavor. which amount do you consider most successful from the standpoint of texture, grain, and flavor? division sixteen frozen desserts lesson clx method of freezing--water ice experiment : mixtures for freezing.--prepare cupfuls of cracked ice. place cupful of the cracked ice in each of two bowls. to one bowl of ice add / cupful of rock salt, and mix thoroughly. insert thermometers into both bowls and note temperature. what effect does the salt have upon the temperature of the ice? allow the ice mixture to stand a few minutes, then observe the difference in the condition of the ice in the two bowls. besides lowering the temperature, what does the salt do to the ice? freezing with ice and salt.--when a solid substance is changed to a liquid, heat is absorbed from surrounding materials. when solid ice liquefies, heat is absorbed from surrounding materials. salt makes ice liquefy at a lower temperature, thus absorbing more heat from its surroundings. since foods must be cooled, i.e. heat drawn from them, in order to freeze them, a mixture of ice and salt rather than ice is used in freezing. if ice and salt surround a tin can containing substances to be frozen, from what is the heat absorbed when the ice is changed to liquid form? explain why it is that a mixture of ice and salt, rather than ice alone, is used to freeze a dessert. conductors of heat.--in experiment and in, _the principle of fireless cookery_, it is shown that some materials are better conductors of heat than others. which is a better conductor of heat, wood or metal? explain why it is that most freezers consist of an inner can of metal and an outer bucket of wood. a few freezers have an outside metal bucket. such freezing devices have been found more satisfactory when heavy paper is tied around the outer metal bucket. cooling by evaporation.--if a few drops of alcohol, ether, or gasoline are poured in the palm of the hand and allowed to evaporate, the hand feels cold. during evaporation, the liquid takes heat from the hand. when any liquid evaporates, heat is absorbed from surrounding materials. water may be cooled by placing it in a porous jar and hanging it in a breeze. when there is no ice, this principle of cooling by the rapid evaporation of a liquid may be applied to the cooling of butter and other foods. wrap butter in an oiled paper and place it in a flower crock or any porous jar. place the crock in a draft; put a bowl of water beside it. wrap a wet cloth about the crock and place one end of it in the bowl of water. the continuous evaporation of the moisture keeps the food cool. preparing and packing the freezer.--scald the can, the cover, and the dasher of the freezer; cool it before the mixture that is to be frozen is placed in it. adjust the can carefully in the bucket; put in the dasher; pour in the mixture, cover; adjust the crank. crush the ice for freezing by placing it in a strong bag and pounding it with a wooden mallet. mix the ice with rock salt in the proportion given below. then pour the ice and salt mixture around the can of the freezer. the ice and salt mixture should be higher around the can than the level of the mixture inside. for _freezing_ ice creams and most ices use _three_ parts of cracked ice to _one_ of rock salt. if ice of coarse grain is desired, use a greater quantity of salt. the less salt in proportion to ice used, the finer the grain; the process of freezing, however, takes place very slowly when little salt is used. for mixtures which are frozen by merely packing in ice and salt but are not stirred, such as mousse or parfait, use _two_ parts of cracked ice to _one_ of rock salt. for packing frozen mixtures after freezing, use _four_ parts of cracked ice to _one_ of rock salt. freezing.--if a dessert of fine texture is desired, turn the crank slowly and steadily until the mixture is rather stiff, then turn more rapidly. in making water ices, it is considered advisable by some to turn the crank steadily for minutes, then allow to stand minutes, turn again minutes, and continue until freezing is completed. do not draw off the salt water while freezing the mixture, unless the salt water stands so high that there is danger of its getting into the can. when the mixture is frozen, remove the ice and salt around the top of the can; wipe the cover and top; uncover; and remove the dasher. then stir the frozen mixture thoroughly; place thin paper or paraffin paper over the can; cover; place a cork in the hole of the cover. drain off all the water which has collected in freezing; repack the freezer with ice and salt mixture in the proportion given above; cover with carpet, blanket, or newspapers; and allow to stand in a cold place several hours. fruit ice cupfuls water / cupfuls sugar oranges lemons bananas / teaspoonful salt make a sirup of the sugar and water, and then cool it. extract the juice from the lemons and oranges; crush the peeled and scraped bananas with a wooden potato masher. mix the fruits and salt immediately with the sirup. freeze _at once_. when frozen, remove the dasher and repack as directed above. a less expensive but more mildly flavored ice may be prepared by using pints of water (instead of cupfuls). when the greater quantity of water is used, / cupfuls (instead of / cupfuls) of sugar should be used. these recipes for fruit ice are modifications of the popular recipe termed "five threes." questions explain why it is necessary to scald the can, cover, and dasher of an ice cream freezer (see _care of milk_). what harm sometimes results when an ice cream freezer has been carelessly prepared? why should not the salt water be drawn from the freezer during freezing (see experiment )? what is the purpose of placing paper over the can when packing the frozen mixture? what is the purpose of covering the packed freezer with carpet, blanket, or newspapers (see _the principle of fireless cookery_)? why is it well to tie heavy paper around an _outside metal_ bucket of a freezer? why should "fruit ice" mixture be frozen _at once_ after preparing the fruit? heat aids chemical action. can you explain why acid mixtures are not acted upon by the metal and consequently discolored when _frozen_ in a tin or iron can? lesson clxi frozen creams frozen desserts consist of: . cream mixtures: (_a_) _plain ice cream_.--cream, sugar, and flavoring. this is sometimes called philadelphia ice cream. (_b_) _french ice cream_.--custard, cream, and flavoring. on the continent, this frozen mixture is called neapolitan ice cream. in this country, three kinds of frozen mixtures served together make up what is termed neapolitan ice cream. (_c_) _mousse_.--whipped cream, folded into various sweetened and flavored mixtures, placed in a mold, and packed in ice and salt, but not beaten. . water mixtures: (_a_) _water ice._--fruit juice, water, and sugar. (_b_) _sherbet._--water ice with the addition of dissolved gelatine or beaten whites of eggs. (_c_) _frappe._--water ice of coarse texture. (_d_) _granite._--water ice to which fruit is added after freezing. . frozen puddings: various sweet mixtures. method of mixing frozen foods.--the sugar of a frozen dessert should always be dissolved. to accomplish this a sirup should be made of the sugar and water (see experiment ). for mixtures that contain no eggs, but in which cream or milk is used, the cream or milk may be scalded, and the sugar dissolved in the hot liquid. if eggs are used to thicken ice cream, they should be combined with the sugar and cream and cooked as for a soft custard. in sherbets, whites of eggs are often used. they are usually beaten stiff, and added uncooked to the mixture. if fruit juice is to be used with milk or cream, the latter should be chilled before adding the fruit. fruits that are to be frozen with the other ingredients should be crushed thoroughly. small fruits, or large fruits cut in pieces, are sometimes added to a dessert after it is frozen, thereby preventing the fruit from freezing and becoming hard. all frozen mixtures should stand several hours before serving, in order to ripen. plain ice cream quart cream / cupful sugar tablespoonful vanilla prepare as directed in _method of mixing frozen foods._ chocolate ice cream quart cream cupful sugar ounces chocolate / cupful boiling water salt teaspoonful vanilla scald the cream; add the sugar to it. prepare the chocolate in the usual way, by cooking it in the boiling water until a smooth paste is formed (see _chocolate_). add the chocolate mixture to the hot cream. cool, add salt and vanilla, and freeze. french ice cream quart cream pint milk egg yolks salt cupful sugar tablespoonful vanilla prepare as directed in _method of mixing frozen foods_. fruit ice cream cupfuls fruit juice, _or_ cupfuls crushed fruit quart cream cupfuls sugar prepare and freeze according to the _method of mixing frozen foods_. for frozen fruit or water ice, use water instead of cream. the flavor of most fruits is improved by adding tablespoonfuls of lemon juice to the water mixture. questions for fruit ice cream, why is it necessary to chill the cream before adding the fruit juice or crushed fruit (see experiment )? why is it necessary to crush the fruit for frozen fruit mixture? how much sugar would be required to sweeten one and one half quarts of custard, according to the recipe for soft custard? compare this with the quantity of sugar used for french ice cream. how do extremely cold beverages affect the sense of taste? from this, account for the difference in the quantity of sugar used in frozen and in cold desserts. also compare the quantity of sugar and vanilla used in chocolate ice cream and chocolate beverage. account for the difference. approximately how much ice is required to freeze and pack one quart of ice cream? what is the cost of ice per hundred pounds? how many persons does one quart of ice cream serve? related work lesson clxii diet for young children selection of food for children ( to years).--although solid food is included in the diet of a child after the first year, the baby is by no means ready for the food of adults. childhood differs essentially from maturity in that it is a period of growth. in proportion to weight a child is much more active than an adult. a child has not the reserve power of a grown-up person. his organs of digestion and assimilation are delicate. because the activities and needs of the child differ greatly from those of the adult, diet suitable for the adult is not adapted to the child. a consideration of foods for young children follows: ( ) _milk_.--since milk is the food provided for young animals, it should be used generously all through childhood. the nutritive value of milk is high in proportion to the effort required to digest and assimilate it. the average child with good digestion should take from one and one half pints to one quart daily until the tenth year. in this amount is included not only the milk that is used as a beverage, but the milk served with cereals and vegetables and that used in soups, custards, blanc mange, rice and bread puddings, and other easily digested desserts. ( ) _cereals and breads_.--well-cooked cereals are among the essential foods of childhood. "ready-to-serve" breakfast cereals are undesirable as staples for young children. cereals should be _cooked_ from _one_ to _three hours_. for very young children (under eighteen months) all cereals must be strained. for older children, unstrained cereals may be used, provided they are thoroughly cooked. frequent use of the whole grains, as rolled oats and wheat, is recommended. these cereals contain more protein and ash than the finer cereals and hence may be better body-builders, but they also contain much bran. usually the latter does not prove irritating if thoroughly cooked. but if these coarse cereals do cause irritation they should either be strained or the cereals containing less bran, as cream of wheat, farina, and arrowroot, should be used. cereals should be served with milk or cream, but with no sugar or sirup or not more than one teaspoonful to a serving. carefully made toast, "zwieback," and stale bread may be given to young children. on account of the difficulty in digesting fresh breads, they are excluded from children's diet. ( ) _eggs_ are especially good foods for children, provided they are fresh and properly cooked. they should be cooked in some way which leaves them soft such as soft-cooking or poaching. only soft-cooked egg yolks should be given to children under three years. one whole egg per day may be included in the diet of older children. ( ) _broth and meat_.--there is some difference of opinion regarding the use of meat in children's diet. some authorities advise beef broth and the more easily digested meats for young children. others say that if a generous amount of eggs and milk is included in children's diet, it is well not to give them meat before eight years. in the diets for children from two to eight years, neither broth nor meat is included. it is possible to obtain sufficient protein from milk and eggs. doubtless, as with adults, most young children would be benefited by much less meat than is generally given them or by none at all. if meat is given to young children, it should be scraped (see experiment ) and pan-broiled (see _pan-broiling_), as it is somewhat difficult to masticate. ( ) _fresh vegetables_ should be included in children's diet. for very young children select mild vegetables such as spinach, asparagus tips, string beans, and peas. cook until very soft and press through a sieve or mash. later, such cooked vegetables as potatoes (baked or mashed), beets, carrots, cauliflower, and squash may be added. no uncooked vegetables should be given to young children. ( ) _fruits and sugar_.--fruits are especially valuable for children. care should be taken, however, in selecting fruits. it is said that until a child is five years old only cooked fruits and the juice of fresh fruits should be given. for very young children the juice of orange or the pulp of cooked prunes should be given daily, because they contain valuable nutrients and possess laxative properties. for older children the cooked food fruits (see _kinds of fruits_) such as dates, figs, and raisins (without seeds), and bananas (baked) are desirable. apples, peaches, and apricots, baked or made into sauces, are also suggested. fruits should be cooked with little or no sugar. sweets in the form of sweet fruits rather than sugar and candy should be given to children under six years. after six years, very little candy or sweet chocolate may be given at the end of a meal, not between meals. it is a mistake to give children candy just because they want it (see _the use of candy in diet_.) ( ) _desserts_.--fruits selected and prepared as given in the previous section, very plain cakes--sponge cake and those containing little fat--and easily digested desserts made of eggs, milk, cereals, etc., are the only desserts suitable for young children. ( ) _water and other beverages_.--"pure" water in generous quantities is needed for children. water and milk are the only beverages (if milk can be considered a beverage) that should be given to children under six years. after that age, cocoa made with much milk may be given, but not tea, coffee, or any carbonated drinks. the importance of proper diet for children cannot be over-emphasized. it is a child's right to be "hardy." good food in proper quantity given at the right time is essential for the sure and steady growth of the body. the child's future health, usefulness, and happiness depend much upon the nourishment he receives. if insufficient food, or food lacking in foodstuffs for growth, is given to children, a wasting away of brain cells and muscle may take place and stunted growth will result. the additional care in preparing special menus for children is an effort well worth making; its compensation is inestimable. if from babyhood a child is given his own special diet, it is possible to satisfy him at the table with food that differs from that of the rest of the family. habits of eating plain food should be established in childhood. mrs. richards says: "habit rather than instinct guides civilized man in the choice of food." likes or dislikes for food should not be discussed in the presence of children. such discussions may establish distaste for a food of decided nutritive value. _regularity in feeding_ children is most important. there should be no lunches between meals. it is important also that a child be taught to _masticate_ food thoroughly. energy requirements of children of different ages.--it is difficult to write definitely regarding the quantity of food that should be given to children. as with adults, some children require more than others. the personal factor enters largely into this question. in lesson cxxiv the energy requirements of children of different ages are given (see _relation of age to daily energy requirement_). as stated there, these tables indicate the energy requirement of children of normal size, development, and activity. note that in the menus given below the calories derived from protein are approximately one seventh of the total calories (see _daily protein requirement_). the following menus [footnote : prepared by mary swartz rose, ph.d., assistant professor of nutrition, school of household arts, teachers college, columbia university (see teachers college bulletin, "the feeding of young children," pp. - ).] for children from two to twelve years were prepared for average children of moderate activity in a family of limited income. meals for one day _child - years old_ breakfast: : a.m. oatmeal mush . ounce dry cereal milk / cupfuls stale bread slice orange juice tablespoonfuls lunch: a.m. milk cupful stale bread slice butter teaspoonful dinner: p.m. baked potato boiled onion (mashed) bread and butter slice milk to drink cupful baked apple supper: : p.m. boiled rice cupful milk / cupful bread and butter slice fuel value, calories; calories derived from protein, . . substitutes or additions: for rolled oats or rice: other cereals, such as rolled wheat, wheaten grits, farina, hominy, and corn-meal. for orange juice and baked apple: prune pulp or apple sauce. for onions: spinach, strained peas, stewed celery, carrots, or cauliflower tips. an egg may be added every day, and should be included at least two or three times a week. these changes will alter the cost somewhat. _child - years old_ breakfast: oatmeal / ounces dry cereal top milk ounces stewed prunes or toast slice milk to drink ounces dinner: pea soup cupful croutons slice bread boiled onions small baked potato large molasses cookies supper: cream toast slices bread rice pudding with milk and sugar cupful milk to drink ounces fuel value, calories; calories derived from protein, . . substitutes or additions: for rolled oats: other cereals, as suggested on previous page. for onions and peas: strained dried beans; other vegetables carefully cooked; fresh lettuce. for prunes: fresh ripe apples, baked bananas, other mild fruits well cooked. for rice pudding: junkets, custards, blanc manges, bread puddings, and other very simple desserts. for cookies: gingerbread, sponge cake, or very plain cookies. _child - years old_ breakfast: oatmeal mush / ounces dry cereal top milk ounces stewed prunes or toast slices milk to drink ounces luncheon: pea soup cupful boiled onions small baked potato large bread and butter slices bread molasses cookies cookies dinner: baked haddock small serving ( ounces) creamed hashed potato / cupful spinach / cupful bread and butter slices rice pudding--milk and sugar cupful fuel value, calories; calories derived from protein, . . substitutes or additions: for rolled oats: other cereals thoroughly cooked. for haddock: rare beefsteak, roast beef, or mutton chops; other fish, especially white varieties. for prunes: any mild ripe fruit uncooked or cooked. for onions: string beans, stewed celery, beets, squash. peas or spinach: turnips or cauliflower. _suggestive dietary for child who will not drink milk, age years_ ( quart milk concealed in the menu.) breakfast: a.m. oatmeal / cup cereal cooked in cupful milk creamy egg on toast egg yolk with / slice bread and / cupful milk cocoa teaspoonful cocoa and / cupful milk a.m. "zwieback" and cream piece "zwieback" and tablespoonful cream : p.m. spinach soup ounces baked potato with potato and tablespoonfuls cream cream bread and butter slice caramel junket / cupfuls : p.m. rice and prunes tablespoonfuls rice cooked in / cupful milk, and prunes "zwieback" slice total calories, ; calories from protein, . . questions give at least three reasons why young children should have different food from adults. why are not ready-to-serve cereals suitable staple foods for young children? what are the advantages of using whole grains for children's food? why not serve sugar with breakfast cereals for children? why is not meat a desirable food for most young children? why are fresh vegetables and fruits such necessary foods for children? lesson clxiii planning and preparing menus for children plan [footnote : see footnote .] a day's feeding for a child of five years, meeting the total energy and the protein requirements. prepare these foods. lesson clxiv review--meal cooking menu creamed vegetable apricot dainty coffee see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson clxv home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--plan a week's diet for a small sister, brother, or other child in whom you are interested. (follow suggestions given in lesson clxii.) calculate the total calorific value and calories derived from protein. does your menu consist of foods which furnish the proper calorific value and calories derived from protein? supposed aims: ( ) if your menus do not conform to the requirements, to change them so as to meet the requirements of the young child. ( ) if possible, to arrange to have your menus prepared and fed to the child, assisting as much as possible in the preparation of the food and in the feeding of the child. division seventeen food preservation lesson clxvi the principles of preserving food why foods spoil.--most foods spoil or change readily,--fruits decay, milk sours, butter becomes rancid, and meat putrefies. knowledge concerning the spoiling of foods makes it possible for the housekeeper to preserve foods from one season to another; it gives her the assurance that her preserved fruit will "keep." the decay of foods is due largely to the existence of minute vegetable organisms or microorganisms. these microorganisms are molds, yeasts, and bacteria. the molds (see figure ) are visible to the naked eye, the yeasts (see figure ) and bacteria (see figure ) are microscopic in size. these plants exist everywhere, and in everything (except those things in which the organisms have been destroyed and prevented from reentering),--in the air, in and on foods, and all over our bodies. like all plants, these organisms require warmth, moisture, and food for their most rapid growth. oxygen is necessary for the growth of some of these plants. many foods constitute nourishment for these organisms. it is because these plants exist in foods and live upon them that changes in foods result. the mold on bread and fruit, the odor from decaying meat and eggs, the liquefaction of decayed eggs, and the gas from fermenting canned fruit are caused by microorganisms existing and growing in these foods. the following experiments show the growth of molds on food and other materials: experiment : effect of air, light, and drying upon the growth of molds. --place a piece of bread on a saucer. allow it to remain uncovered, in a light place, at room temperature, for several days. examine. what is the condition (moist or dry) of the bread? have molds grown upon the bread? [illustration: from household bacteriology, by buchanan. figure .--some species of molds.] experiment : effect of moisture and light upon the growth of molds.-- sprinkle a thick piece of bread with water, place it on a saucer, and cover with a jelly glass or any glass dish. leave in a light place at room temperature for several days. examine. is the bread moist or dry? have molds grown upon the bread? from the results of experiments and what would you say has caused the molds to grow? what conclusion can you draw from this concerning the growth of molds upon foods in damp and dry places and in damp and dry weather? how should bread be stored in dry weather? in damp weather? give the reason for storing dried bread crumbs as directed in lesson l. experiment : effect of moisture and darkness upon the growth of molds.-- repeat experiment , except the method of covering. cover with an earthen dish so that the light is excluded. let it remain at room temperature for the same length of time as given in experiment . have molds grown? how does the growth compare in quantity with that of experiment ? experiment : effect of moisture and low temperatures upon the growth of molds.--repeat experiment , but place the bread on the lower shelf of the refrigerator. after several days, examine. have molds grown? how do they compare in quantity with that of experiment ? what conclusion can you draw from this concerning the temperature at which food liable to mold should be kept? experiment : growth of molds upon cut fruit.--place pieces of apple, banana, lemon, or other fruits on separate saucers and cover each with a glass dish. place some lemon or other fruit juice in a test tube and allow it to stand. after two days examine. have molds grown on all the fruits? do you notice any difference in the quantity of the molds on the different fruits? have molds grown on the fruit juice? experiment : growth of molds upon whole fruits.--place whole fruits, such as apples and lemons, on saucers and cover with glass. after two days examine. have molds grown upon the whole fruits? if so, how do the molds compare in quantity to those growing on cut fruit? account for this difference. apply the results of experiments and to the "keeping" of fresh fruits. experiment : growth of molds on other foods.--place a piece of cheese and a piece of meat on separate saucers and cover each with a glass dish. after two days examine. have molds grown upon these foods? account for the growth of molds upon these foods when no moisture was added to them. devise a method for keeping cheese free from mold. give the reasons for your method. experiment : growth of mold upon wood.--soak a bit of wood in water for at least minutes. cover it with an earthen dish and let it stand at room temperature for several days. examine. have molds grown upon the wood? what has caused the molds to grow upon the wood? from this give directions for the care of the wooden part of the dasher of an ice cream freezer. draw conclusions concerning the care of pastry and bread boards and butter paddles after scrubbing. draw conclusions concerning the scrubbing, drying, and airing of wooden floors. experiment : growth of molds upon cloth.--sprinkle a bit of cloth with water. cover with an earthen dish. let stand a few days at room temperature. examine. have molds (mildew) grown upon the cloth? what caused the molds to grow? from this draw a conclusion concerning the care of washed clothes, wet dish-cloths, towels, and wash-cloths. experiment : contamination of fresh food by means of moldy food.--dip a piece of bread in water and place it on a saucer. with a knitting needle, place bits of mold at several points on the surface of the bread. cover with a glass dish. after several days examine. at what points on the bread have the molds started to grow? what conclusion can you draw from this concerning the placing of moldy food with fresh food? when fruit is falling to the ground, tell how an orchard should be cared for. explain. the following experiments show the growth of bacteria on food: experiment : growth of bacteria.--into test tubes put one of the following foods: ( ) bit of uncooked meat; ( ) small quantity of egg; ( ) piece of bread; ( ) crushed peas or beans; ( ) sugar or syrup. add a little water to each tube. set aside in a warm place. after several days, examine. what change in appearance do you note? what has caused the foods to spoil? experiment : effect of boiling on the growth of bacteria.--place a little chopped meat in two test tubes. add lukewarm water to each. boil the contents of one of the tubes for several minutes. set both aside. after hours, examine. what difference is there in the condition of the meat in each tube? explain this difference. from the result of this experiment draw conclusions regarding the boiling of food to prevent spoiling. experiment : effect of preservatives on the growth of bacteria.--beat slightly an egg white. add to it / cupful of water. pour a little of the diluted egg white into four test tubes. to three of the test tubes add one of the following: ( ) salt; ( ) sugar; ( ) vinegar. put all of the tubes in a warm place. after several days, examine. what is the condition of the egg white in each tube? explain. draw inferences regarding the use of "safe" preservatives to prevent foods from spoiling. the principles of preserving food.--food may be preserved by opposing the growth of microorganisms or by destroying them. low temperatures, certain preservatives, and drying destroy microorganisms or retard their growth. [illustration: from household bacteriology, by buchanan figure .-the four types of bacteria. a, cocci; b, bacilli; c, spirilla; d, branched filamentous organism.] drying is effective in preserving such foods as fruits, certain vegetables, fish, and meats. the drying of fruit and vegetables may be done in the home. this process of food preservation is often advisable when there is an excessive supply of fruit or vegetables in the orchard or garden. substances known as _preservatives_ are used in food preservation. some of these are harmless, as sugar, salt, vinegar, and spices. others are harmful, as formaldehyde, boric, salicylic, benzoic, and sulphurous acids, with their related compounds. saltpeter and smoke are also preservatives. there is some doubt concerning the harmlessness of these latter preserving agents. foods preserved with harmful materials should never be used. good food materials can be preserved without the use of harmful preservatives. the destruction of microorganisms by _heat_ is the basic principle of preserving much food, especially fruit and vegetables. in order to preserve fruits it is necessary to _process_ them, _i.e._ to apply heat in such a way as to insure preservation and secure the maximum of good quality. to do this, the fruit must be cooked well, packed in cans which have been boiled, and sealed to exclude the air from them. it is necessary, also, to sterilize all utensils which come in contact with the foods in the processes of cooking and sealing. if canned fruits do not "keep," some microorganisms either in the fruit, on the can, or on the utensils used in canning, have not been destroyed, or the can has not been securely sealed. slight flaws in the can or rubbers which were not detected at the time of sealing may cause the spoiling of carefully canned fruit. in the preservation of fruit, every effort should be made to secure sound fruit, perfect jars, and good rubbers, and to have the fruit and utensils perfectly processed, and the jars securely sealed. failure to accomplish these ends may result in much loss of materials and time. kinds of spoilage.--as mentioned previously, canned foods spoil either from imperfect processing or sealing. different organisms growing in preserved foods cause different kinds of spoilage. a discussion [footnote : adapted from journal of home economics, vol. x (july, ), pp. - , "a consideration of the canning problem," by elizabeth f. genung.] of the various kinds of spoilage follows: (_a_) fermentation or "swell."--when canned foods spoil with a production of gas, fermentation of the food is taking place. the visible indications of such spoilage are gas bubbles in the jar and a bulging of the lid of a jar or a distending of the top and bottom of a can. because of the latter condition, the term "swell" is used in the commercial canning industry to designate this kind of spoilage. when fermentation takes place, the lid of a jar may become loosened instead of bulged. this type of spoilage is caused by the action either of yeast or of a certain kind of bacterium which thrives best without air. it is usually due to imperfect sterilization. fermentation can usually be detected by the presence of bubbles of gas in the jar and a loosening of the sealed cover. (_b_) flat sour is a kind of spoilage in which no gas is formed, but acid is produced, giving the food a sour taste. in some cases of flat sour, a milky deposit appears in the bottom of the jar which can be detected if the container is glass. in other cases, no change in the appearance of the jar and its contents takes place. little is known of the kind of organism producing flat sour. whether or not food thus spoiled is injurious also has not been determined. flat sour is probably due to imperfect sterilization. (_c_) putrefaction.--when putrefaction takes place, food decays and disintegrates, or decay takes place with the production of a gas of a disagreeable odor. this type of spoilage is readily detected. food thus affected is unfit for use. putrefaction is usually caused by imperfect sealing. it may result, however, from imperfect sterilization. (_d_) botulism.--a bacillus termed _botulinus_ sometimes grows on canned foods, especially those rich in protein or lacking in acid. this organism produces a violent poison in the food. but fortunately, the poison may be destroyed by boiling the food for ten minutes. hence, it is advisable to _boil_ canned food at least minutes before using. this should be done even though the food is to be served cold. it may easily be cooled after boiling. when there is the least suspicion that food is spoiled, it should be discarded. questions explain why boiled milk keeps sweet for a longer time than uncooked milk. why do foods need to be sealed to preserve them? why does cooked meat "keep" longer than uncooked meat? lesson clxvii processing with little or no sugar--canned fruit jars for canned fruit.--there are many types of fruit jars. glass jars rather than metal cans should be used for home canning. jars should be constructed so that there is no contact of the fruit with metal, hence a jar having a glass cover is desirable. a large opening, simple construction, ease in cleaning, and perfect sealing are characteristics of good fruit jars. glass jars should be _tested_ before using: partly fill the jar with water, adjust the rubber and cover, seal, invert the jar. examine carefully for leakage. rubber rings.--soft, elastic rubbers should be chosen. it is poor economy to use old rubbers. rubber after usage becomes hard and inelastic; it may cause imperfect sealing and hence decay of the fruit. in certain processes of canning, it is necessary to subject the jars provided with rubber rings and covers to long periods of boiling or to the intense heat of a pressure or steam cooker. when such a method is followed it is especially necessary that rubber rings of good quality be used. to meet this requirement, the united states department of agriculture advises that rubber rings conform to the following: . inside diameter of / inches (for the jar of standard size). . width of ring or flange from / to / of an inch. . thickness of / of an inch. . tensile strength sufficient to "stretch considerably and return promptly to place without changing the inside diameter." . firm enough so that no crease or break shows after it has been tightly folded. selection and preparation of fruit for canning.--select solid, and not over-ripe, fruit. it is better to have underripe than over-ripe fruit. fresh fruits--if possible picked on the same day they are to be used--are desirable for canning. most fruits should be washed before using. quinces should be rubbed with a coarse towel before they are washed. berries and small fruits should be washed before they are hulled or stemmed. most small fruits contain so much water that it is not necessary to add water for cooking. hence such fruits should be drained thoroughly after washing. if there are any decayed or bruised spots on fruit, the damaged portion should be removed completely. peaches and tomatoes may be peeled instead of pared. this is done by placing the fruit in a wire basket and then immersing the basket in a kettle of boiling water for minutes. remove the basket of fruit from the hot water and plunge it for a moment in cold water. drain, then peel the fruit. if desired, cut into halves, quarters, or slices. after fruit is peeled or pared, it can be kept from discoloring by covering with cold water. methods of canning fruit several methods may be used for canning fruit: (_a_) open kettle.--this method consists of cooking the fruit in water or sirup and pouring it into jars and sealing. the entire process of sterilization takes place in the kettle before the food is poured into the jars. hence the name of the process,--_open kettle_. for this method it is necessary to _boil the jars and rubbers_ before placing the food in them. this is done as follows: fill and surround jars with cold water. cover lids and rubbers with cold water. gradually heat the water and allow it to boil for at least minutes. allow the jars, covers, and rubbers to remain in the boiling water until just ready to use them. do not touch the inside of the jars and covers with your fingers. immerse spoons, cups, knives, skewers, or knitting needles used for testing fruits, in boiling water before using them in contact with the foods. if corks are used for sealing bottles, scald them also. [illustration: courtesy of _merrill school _ figure --canning foods.] if small juicy fruits are preserved by the open kettle method, no water should be added. add the sugar to them and allow them to stand until some of the juice is drawn from them, then cook. if tough fruits are canned by this method, first steam, then cook in sirup, or first cook them in clear water, add the sugar, and finish cooking. fruit may be canned with or without sugar. usually some sugar is used. however, some housekeepers contend that the fresh-fruit flavor is retained better by reheating the fruit and adding the sugar just before it is served. different quantities of sugar may be used. if the fruit breaks into pieces readily, cook in a thick sirup. the quantity of water used with the sugar varies with the juiciness of the fruit. _for each pound of fruit use from / to cupful of sugar with from / to cupful of water_. after cooking the fruit, adjust the rubber on the sterilized jar, fill the jar (to overflowing) with the hot fruit and sirup, cover at once, and seal. invert the can and let it stand until cool. (_b_) cold pack.--this method is followed by placing the prepared food in a clean, tested, hot jar, covering the food with water or sirup, adjusting the rubber ring and cover to the jar, and processing both the jar and its contents in boiling water or steam. before placing the food in the jar, it may be _blanched_, _i.e._ subjected to boiling water or steam. after blanching, the food is _cold- dipped_, _i.e._ plunged into cold water. after the preliminary steps, such as washing, paring, and cutting into pieces, foods may be _blanched_ and _cold-dipped_ as follows: place the food in a cheese-cloth bag or in a wire basket and immerse it in boiling water. certain fruits are allowed to remain in the water from to minutes (see table). (the time is dependent upon the kind of fruit.) then remove the product from the boiling water, dip it immediately in cold water, remove at once, and drain for a few minutes. these two processes are used for large firm fruits. berries and all soft fruits are canned without blanching and cold-dipping. whether the fruit is blanched and cold-dipped or not, place it in hot jars to / inch of the top. if a sirup is desired, it may be made by using / _to_ _cupful of sugar for each quart jar with from to cupfuls of water._ adjust a new, wet rubber on the jar; fill the jar to / inch of the top with sirup or with boiling water. place the cover on the jar, but do not seal it tightly. if a screw top jar is used, screw on the lid by grasping it with the thumb and little finger. if the jar has a bail top, adjust the top bail only,--not the lower bail. then process the jars and their contents by placing in: [illustration: figure .--rack for holding jars. note that the rack is shaped to fit a wash boiler.] ( ) kettle or clothes boiler provided with a rack (see figure ) or some sort of false bottom such as strips of wood, straw, paper, or wire-netting of one half inch mesh. ( ) steam cooker (see figure ). ( ) pressure cooker (see figure ). if the kettle or wash boiler is used, rest the jars on the rack in the container, fill the latter with enough hot water so that it extends to a depth of one inch above the covers of the jars. then boil the water. count the time of processing when the water begins to boil. keep the water at boiling temperature for the length of time given in the table below. if the steam cooker is used, place the filled jars in the cooker and steam for a few minutes longer than when the jar is immersed in boiling water (see table below). if the pressure cooker is used, process according to the length of time stated in the table given below. after sterilizing fruit by any of these methods, remove the jars from the container, seal, invert, and set them aside to cool in a place free from draft. when cool, wash the outside of the jars, and label. store in a cool, dark cupboard. wrapping each jar in paper before storing is advised. bail top jars may be tested for perfect sealing by loosening the top bail, and lifting the jar by grasping its lid with the fingers. if the jar is securely sealed, the lid will not come off, because of internal suction. in case the lid comes off, remove the rubber, replace it with a new, wet one, adjust the cover and again process for at least / of the original processing period or not less than minutes. a discussion of methods of canning.--(_a_) while the open kettle is not as safe a method of canning as the cold pack from the standpoint of perfect processing, it is desirable for small watery fruits, especially strawberries, since evaporation of some of the water takes place. it is also generally used for fruits preserved with much sugar, such as preserves, jams, conserves, etc. many housekeepers find this method desirable for canning tomatoes and beets. the skins may be removed from the latter after cooking, thereby losing less coloring of the vegetable. (_b_) the cold pack method of canning is very satisfactory for most fruits and all vegetables. it is especially desirable for whole fruits or for fruits in large pieces. the shape of the fruit may be preserved better by this method than by the open kettle process. it is also a safer method as far as satisfactory processing is concerned. many housekeepers find it easier than the open kettle method. the blanching and cold-dipping of vegetables and fruits which may be one of the steps in the cold pack method is thought to accomplish several things: . to remove objectionable acids and flavors. . to make the foods more pliable for packing in the jars. it was formerly thought that blanching and cold-dipping of vegetables destroyed some of the bacteria and aided in processing the food. recent experimentation shows that these processes do not affect the bacteria and have no value as far as the preservation of the food is concerned. table for canning fruits by one period of processing [footnote : adapted from farmers' bulletin , "home canning of fruits and vegetables," revised august, .] time of processing in pint or food time of quart jars in: blanching (_a_) (_b_) water bath at pressure degrees f. or steam cooker pounds cooker minutes minutes minutes apples, cut in pieces / to apricots to blackberries, blueberries none to cherries / currants, dewberries, gooseberries none to pears - in boiling sirup to [footnote : do not cold dip after blanching in boiling sirup. use the longer time of processing in the water bath for large pears.] peaches or until skin is loosened to plums none to pineapples none raspberries none to rhubarb none to to strawberries none to note.--use only fresh, sound fruits for canning. do not begin to count the time of processing in a water bath until the water reaches the boiling point. when different times of processing are given, as to minutes, use the longer time for quart glass jars and the shorter for tin cans. for altitudes higher than feet, increase the time of processing per cent for each additional feet. for very high altitudes it may be best to use a pressure cooker for certain fruits. if fruits are packed tightly, time of processing should be increased. discussion of the different devices used in the cold pack process.--( ) the kettle or wash boiler provided with a rack is an inexpensive device. it is satisfactory for processing fruits and acid vegetables; there is a question whether non-acid vegetables may be processed in the hot water bath even though they are processed on three successive days. it is thought by some that the flavor of foods canned at low temperature, _i.e._ not above degrees f., is superior to that canned at a higher temperature. ( ) the steam cooker is a convenient and satisfactory equipment to use for canning fruits and some vegetables. it is more expensive, however, than the kettle having a rack, but less fuel is required when using it. ( ) the pressure cooker is the most satisfactory from the standpoint of processing. it is especially satisfactory for vegetables and meat, since a much higher temperature than that of boiling water is maintained during the processing period. the higher temperature also makes it possible to process foods in a shorter time. however, it is thought by some that the flavor of foods canned above degrees f. is inferior to that canned at a lower temperature. moreover, the pressure cooker is a more expensive device than either of the other two. questions why should processed jars, covers, and rubbers remain in boiling water until just ready for use? why not touch the inside of jars and covers with the fingers? why should berries and small fruits be washed before hulling or stemming? why should decayed or bruised spots on fruits be removed completely before canning the fruit? why is it that the cold pack method of canning is safer from the standpoint of processing than the open kettle method? why should the jar containing fruit that is to be processed by the cold pack method be filled to / inch of the top with sirup rather than to overflowing? why should the covers of jars not be sealed tightly before placing in the kettle or steamer used for processing? why is it unnecessary and undesirable to dislodge air bubbles in jars containing food processed by the cold pack process? when food is processed by immersing the jars in boiling water, why should the water extend above the covers of the jars to a depth of one inch? lesson clxviii processing with much sugar--preserves, jams, and conserves experiment : the use of sugar as a preservative.--place thin slices of fresh fruit in a sauce dish. sprinkle one of the slices generously with sugar. set the sauce dish aside for at least hours. examine. what change has taken place in the fruit without sugar? what has caused the change? compare the sugared fruit with that without sugar. what conclusion can be drawn concerning the use of sugar in preserving fruit? preserves sugar was mentioned as one of the preservatives used in the preservation of food (see _the principles of preserving food_). sugar in large quantity is unfavorable to germ life and hence is a most effective preservative. _preserves_ are made by cooking fruit in a thick sirup as in the _method of canning_ (_a_) open kettle. a large quantity of sugar is desirable as far as preservation is concerned; but for flavor less sugar is usually to be preferred. only a few fruits are better when preserved with considerable sugar. fruits best adapted for preserving are strawberries, sour cherries, sour plums, quinces, currants, and raspberries. for preserves, use / to pound of sugar for pound of fruit. the less quantity of sugar should be used for peaches, plums, quinces, currants, and raspberries; the greater quantity, for strawberries and cherries. use the quantity of water given in _method of canning_ (_a_) open kettle. cook and seal as canned fruit. jams jam is made as follows: clean the fruit. if large fruits are used, pare or peel them and cut into small pieces. if small fruits,--berries or grapes, --are used, mash them. cook the fruit in as little water as possible. when the fruit is soft, measure it and add the sugar,--use / to part of sugar to part of cooked fruit. cook until thick, stirring to prevent burning. test the thickness by dropping from a spoon. if it falls in heavy drops, the jam is sufficiently cooked. pour into sterilized jelly glasses. cover the glasses with clean cloth or paper and set aside to cool and stiffen. melt paraffin. pour it (hot) over the cold jam. allow the paraffin to harden and then cover the glasses with the lids. wipe the outside of the glasses, label, and store. fruit that is too soft or too ripe for canning or preserving may be used for making jam. marmalades marmalades are made much as jams. however, usually only the pulp and juices of fruits are used. the fruit is first cooked, and the skins and seeds removed before adding the sugar. in orange marmalade, the rind is used. conserves conserves consist of a combination of two or more fruits. nuts and other materials are sometimes added. conserves may be prepared as preserves, _i.e._ cooking the ingredients with sugar, until thick; or as jam, _i.e._ cooking the ingredients until tender, then adding the sugar and cooking until thick. it is thought by some that the latter method produces a finer flavor; it makes a product less tough and less sticky. in the special recipes for conserves given in this text, the latter method is followed. orange marmalade (i) dozen oranges grapefruit lemons sugar weigh the fruit, slice it. to each pound of fruit add quart of cold water. let the mixture stand for hours. then cook slowly for hours. weigh the cooked fruit. add an equal weight of sugar. cook for hour or until it stiffens. pour into sterilized jelly glasses, seal, and cover as directed for jams. orange marmalade (ii) dozen oranges pounds sugar quarts rhubarb rind of oranges wash the fruit. slice the oranges and cut the rhubarb into pieces. (do not peel the rhubarb.) cook the oranges and rhubarb for minutes. add the sugar and cook slowly for hours or until thick. pour into sterilized glasses. when cool, seal and cover as directed for jams. carrot marmalade pound carrots cupfuls sugar lemons / teaspoonful salt wash, scrape, and chop the carrots. extract the juice from the lemons. put the carrots and lemon rinds through a food chopper, cover them with water, and cook until tender. add the lemon juice, salt, and sugar to the cooked mixture. cook until it is thickened. turn into sterilized jelly glasses. let stand until cool. then cover with melted paraffin. strawberry and pineapple conserve use equal quantities of strawberries and shredded pineapple. cook the shredded pineapple in the least possible quantity of water. when tender, add the strawberries and cook until they are soft. measure the fruit and add three fourths as much sugar as fruit and a small quantity of salt. cook until thick (see _jams_). pour into sterilized glasses. seal and cover as directed for jams. cranberry conserve quart cranberries / cupfuls water / pound raisins / pound california walnuts, chopped orange,--juice and grated rind / pounds sugar / teaspoonful salt wash the fruit. cook the cranberries in the water until the berries burst. strain. add the remaining ingredients and cook minutes or until the mixture is thick (see _jams_). pour into sterilized glasses. when cool, seal and cover as directed for jams. grape conserve / peck grapes oranges,--juice and rind lemons,--juice and rind cupful chopped nuts sugar / teaspoonful salt wash the fruit. remove the grapes from the stems; remove the skins from the pulp. cook the pulp until soft; strain, to remove the seeds. place the strained pulp and skins in a preserving kettle. extract the juice from the oranges and lemons, then put the rinds through a food-chopper. add the lemon and orange juice and rind to the grape mixture and cook for hour. measure the mixture. then add an equal quantity of sugar and the nuts and salt. continue cooking until thick (_see jams_). pour into sterilized glasses. when cool, seal and cover as directed for jams. apricot conserve pound dried apricots / quarts water sugar pineapples _or_ large can shredded pineapple / teaspoonful salt wash the dried apricots and soak them in the water. in the water in which they were soaked, cook the apricots until tender. press through a colander. if fresh pineapples are used, shred them and cook, in as little water as possible, until tender. combine the cooked fruits and measure. add / as much sugar and the salt. cook until thick (see _jams_). pour into sterilized glasses. when cool, seal and cover as directed for jams. plum conserve pound ( / dozen) plums / cupful chopped nuts cupful seeded raisins oranges cupful water / cupfuls sugar / teaspoonful salt wash the plums, stone, and cut into pieces. extract the juice from the oranges. put the rind through a food chopper. mix the plums, raisins, orange rind, and water. simmer until the fruits and peel are tender. add the orange juice, sugar, nuts, and salt, and continue cooking until the mixture has the consistency of marmalade. pour into sterilized glasses. when cool, seal and cover as directed for jams. questions how do preserves differ from canned fruit? how does jam differ from preserves? how does jam differ from fruit sauce? why does jam "keep" better than fruit sauce? give method of sealing canned fruit and method of sealing jam. explain why different methods are used. lesson clxix processing with much sugar--jellies experiment : pectin in fruit juice.--put a few grapes, slices of apple, or cranberries in a small saucepan, and add enough water to cover and cook until the fruit is tender and soft enough to mash. strain the cooked fruit through cheese-cloth. put teaspoonful of the extracted fruit juice in a saucer, add an equal quantity of alcohol. [footnote : either grain (ethyl), wood (methyl), or denatured alcohol may be used. _both wood and denatured alcohol are poisonous_. if they are used for testing, they should be handled and stored away with caution.] mix by gently rotating the saucer. let the mixture stand for minutes. then examine. what change has taken place in the fruit juice? the formation of a solid mass in the mixture of fruit juice and alcohol which has stood for minutes indicates that the fruit juice contains pectin,--a vegetable gelatine. experiment : pectin in the inner portion of orange or lemon peel.--cut away the yellow portion from orange or lemon rind. cut or chop the white portion of the rind in small pieces. cover with water and soak several hours or overnight. then cook slowly for / hour. strain and set aside to cool. to teaspoonful of this liquid add an equal quantity of alcohol, and proceed as in experiment . does the lemon or orange rind contain pectin? the principle of jelly making.--when the juices of certain fruits are extracted and cooked with sugar, the mixture stiffens when cool. this property of stiffening is due to the presence in fruit of two materials,-- a certain carbohydrate, called _pectin_, and an acid. pectin is like starch in that it stiffens when cold; but like sugar, in that it is soluble. not all fruits contain pectin. jelly is most easily prepared from fruits which are rich in pectin and contain some acid. unless pectin is contained in the fruit, the addition of sugar to fruit juice will not cause the juice to jelly. but jelly may be made from a fruit lacking in pectin, if it is combined with a fruit rich in pectin. certain fruits contain pectin, but are lacking in acid, hence are not good for jelly making. these fruits can be used for jelly, however, if acid is added. selection of fruits for jelly making.--for jelly making, choose fruits which contain considerable pectin and some acid. the fruits should be fresh and not over-ripe. some "green" fruits make fine jelly. currant, crabapple, grape, apple, and plum are good jelly-making fruits. if it is desirable to use a fruit containing little pectin, as strawberries, add a fruit rich in pectin, as currants. if about per cent of the fruit which contain much pectin is added to the other fruit, the flavor of the foundation fruit is not much altered. if it is desired to use a fruit containing pectin but deficient in acid, as sweet apple and quince, add tartaric or citric acid. since the acidity of fruits varies, no definite quantity of acid can be stated. it has been suggested [footnote : see university of illinois bulletin, "principles of jelly making," p. .] that enough acid should be added to make the fruit juice about as acid to taste as good tart apples. at least one teaspoonful of acid is required for one quart of fruit juice. dissolve the acid in the fruit juice, then taste the mixture. if necessary, add more acid to produce the acidity indicated above. jelly may be prepared from strawberries, peaches, and pears by the addition of these acids, but the flavor is somewhat impaired. the suggestion has been made also [footnote : _idem_, p. .] that the inner white portion of lemon or orange peel be used as a source of pectin with fruit deficient in pectin. remove the yellow portion of the rind, put the white portion through a food chopper, and soak in water for several hours or overnight. then cook slowly for several hours. strain out the solid portion. add the liquid to the fruit juice deficient in pectin and use for jelly making. the rind of lemons and oranges may be dried for use in jelly making. when desired for use, soak and cook as directed above. general method of jelly making wash and pick over the fruit; remove the stems, but use the skin and seeds and thus retain as much of the fruit as possible. the skin of fruit usually adds color to jelly. if large fruit is used, cut it in pieces. cook the fruit slowly in water. use very little water for juicy fruits, such as currants and raspberries,--_ cupful of water to or quarts of fruit_. crush the fruits during cooking. to cook large fruits requires water. a general proportion is _half as much water, by measure, as prepared fruit_. a little less water may be used for peaches and plums and a little more for winter apples. a fair estimate is quarts of strained juice from quarts of fruit and quarts of water. if the quantity of juice is greater than this, it should be boiled down to quarts before adding the sugar. when the fruit is cooked until it is very soft, it is ready for straining. for straining, make a bag of double cheesecloth or flannel. wring the jelly bag out of hot water and suspend it from a strong support. pour the cooked fruit into the bag and let the juice drip into a bowl. if transparent jelly is desired, do not press the juice through the bag; let the juice drip for several hours or overnight. measure the clear fruit juice and heat it. the time of cooking depends upon the per cent of pectin and the acidity of the juice; the more pectin and acid, the less the time of cooking. the time varies from to minutes. skim the juice when necessary. while the juice is cooking, _measure three fourths as much sugar_ [footnote : the quantity of sugar used in jelly making depends upon the quantity of pectin in fruit juice,--the more pectin, the more sugar. a most satisfactory method of determining the quantity of pectin and consequently the quantity of sugar to use with fruit juice is suggested by the bulletin of the national war garden commission. the test follows: to a tablespoonful of fruit juice which has been boiled and cooled, add tablespoonful of alcohol (see footnote .). mix by gently rotating and then let stand. if a solid mass forms, _use equal parts of fruit juice and sugar_. if or masses form, _use / to / as much sugar as juice._ if several small solid particles form, _use / as much sugar as juice_. if no solid particles form, the fruit juice should be enriched by the addition of some pectin-rich fruit juice.] _as fruit juice_ and heat the sugar. for currants and green or under-ripe grapes, use equal quantities of sugar and fruit juice. add the hot sugar to the boiling sirup and cook. the following are _tests for sufficient cooking of jelly._ (_a_) coats the spoon. (_b_) falls from the spoon in heavy drops. [footnote : two drops forming side by side along the edge of the spoon has been found to be a reliable test.] (_c_) stiffens when dropped on a cold dish and allowed to cool. the first two tests are more satisfactory than the last, since the cooking process may be carried too far while the "test-jelly" is cooling. seal as jam or shred paraffin and place it in the bottom of sterilized jelly glasses. pour the hot jelly into the glasses and set aside to stiffen. then cover and store. it is well to store jelly in a cool, dry, and dark place. the color of fruit sometimes fades when kept in a light place. long cooking of pectin changes it into substances which do not have the property of jellying, hence, make jelly in as short a time as possible. the purpose of heating the sugar is to hasten the process of jelly making. the addition of cold sugar would cool the mixture and thus prolong the process. the addition of too much sugar is often the cause of unsuccessful jelly making. crystallization of the sugar from the jelly may result from an excess of sugar. the _fruit pulp left in the jelly bag_ should be utilized. marmalade may be made from it, or more jelly can be prepared from it. to accomplish the latter, add water to the fruit pulp (enough to cover), mix, and heat slowly until the boiling point is reached. strain and prepare jelly from the juice. however, more cooking of the juice before the sugar is added is required for the second extraction, since the juice contains so much water. the juice extracted for a third time from most fruits will contain enough pectin for jelly making. it has been found that more desirable jelly can be obtained by this method than by pressing the juice from the bag and thus obtaining what is termed "second quality" jelly. fruit juices without sugar.--extract the juice from fruit as directed in _general method of jelly making_. do not add sugar to the juice. can it as directed in (_a_) or (_b_). (_a_) reheat until the boiling temperature is reached, then pour into sterilized jars. fill to overflowing and seal. (_b_) place the juice in sterilized jars. partially seal and place in a water bath having the water reach the neck of the jar. let it cook at a simmering temperature from to minutes. remove from the water bath, and seal securely. in the winter time or when desired for use, this fruit juice may be made into jelly as directed in _general method of jelly making_, or it may be sweetened, diluted if necessary, and used as a beverage. this method of preserving fruit juice is especially desirable when there is a scarcity of sugar. [illustration: figure --the composition of fruits and fruit products. (revised edition.)] questions note the difference in the quantity of carbohydrates in canned fruit and fruit jelly (see figure ). what kind of carbohydrate is present in greatest quantity in these foods? to what is the difference in flavor of canned fruit and fruit jelly largely due? what is the chief difference in the processes of jam making and jelly making? what is the result if too much sugar is used in jelly making? what is the result if jelly is cooked too long? note the difference in the methods of sealing jams and jellies. explain. lesson clxx processing with vinegar and spices--relishes spices and vinegar are preservatives of foods. not all spices, however, have equal preservative power. it has been found that cinnamon and cloves aid in food preservation, but that pepper and ginger have very little, if any, preservative power. in the lesson on _flavoring materials: food adjuncts_, it was mentioned that spices and condiments should be used sparingly in the diet, hence spiced fruits and pickles should have only occasional use. there is no doubt that lemon juice or other tart fruit juices are better sources of acid-satisfying materials than vinegar. spiced pears / peck pears pounds sugar pint vinegar / ounce ginger root rind of / lemon whole allspice stick cinnamon whole cloves cut the pears in halves, remove the seeds, and pare. into each piece of pear stick two or three cloves. make a sirup of the vinegar and sugar. divide the cinnamon, allspice, and ginger into two parts, tie in cheese- cloth bags, and add to the sirup. when the sirup begins to simmer, add the pears and lemon rind; bring to the boiling point, remove from the fire, and turn into a stone jar. cover and stand in a cool place overnight. next day bring the mixture to the boiling point, again place in the stone jar and stand overnight. the following day heat as before. do this for five consecutive days. the last day, remove the fruit from the sirup, heat the sirup and evaporate it until there is just enough to cover the fruit. add the fruit to the hot sirup, heat to the boiling point, then put in stone or glass jars or tumblers. the pears may be finished in one day as follows: cook the fruit until tender, then remove it, evaporate the sirup, add the fruit, reheat again, and finish as above. fruit prepared by the first method has a finer flavor. tomato catsup ripe tomatoes large onions green peppers tablespoonfuls salt tablespoonfuls brown sugar tablespoonfuls ginger tablespoonful cinnamon tablespoonful mustard nutmeg grated pint vinegar peel the tomatoes and onions. chop the onions and peppers fine. cook all the ingredients together for hours, or until soft and broken. stir frequently. bottle and seal while hot. the mixture may be strained before bottling. celery sauce large ripe tomatoes large onions large stalks celery / cupful sugar large red pepper tablespoonfuls salt cupfuls vinegar chop the vegetables, add the salt and vinegar, and cook for hours. then add the sugar. allow it to reach the boiling point again. turn into sterilized bottles or jars, and seal. oil pickles dozen small cucumbers dozen small onions / cupful olive oil / cupful sugar pint vinegar / cupful salt / cupful mustard seed pint vinegar teaspoonful celery seed scrub the cucumbers. cut them (without paring) into thin slices. wash and cut the onions into thin slices. mix the salt with these vegetables (to extract moisture), and let the mixture stand over night. then drain the moisture from the vegetables so that the vinegar may not be diluted. mix the remaining ingredients. pour the mixture over the onions and cucumbers. mix well, cover, and set aside for a few hours. then pour into sterilized jars. fill the jar with liquid. (if necessary, more vinegar may be used.) to drive out the air, place the jars (with covers loosely adjusted) in a water bath at simmering temperature ( degrees f.) and heat at this temperature for minutes. remove from the water bath and seal. to seal bottles.--melt together, over hot water, equal parts of shoemaker's wax and resin. when liquefied, dip the tops of corked bottles into it. corks in bottles may be dipped also in hot paraffin. dip several times. questions what is the objection to excessive use of spiced foods? name some substitutes for pickles. why is an excessive or continuous use of pickles objectionable in diet? lesson clxxi canned vegetables microorganisms in the spore form.--many microorganisms are destroyed by heating them for a few minutes to boiling temperature. however, some microorganisms have a peculiar power of retaining life under most adverse conditions. when subjected to extreme heat or cold, intense drying, or when there is lack of food, certain microorganisms assume a spore form, _i.e._ they cease growing and reproducing, and are able to undergo conditions which would readily kill microorganisms in the active form. some microorganisms in the spore form are able to resist the temperature of boiling water for an hour or longer. then as soon as the adverse conditions mentioned above are removed, the microorganisms assume active form and begin to grow and reproduce. in the growing state, their destruction is not so difficult. some of the microorganisms in certain foods, especially vegetables and fruits grown in a dry season, are capable of spore formation. when microorganisms in spore form do exist in foods that are to be canned, or the microorganisms change into spore form during the canning process, the microorganisms may not be destroyed by the time the ordinary process of canning is completed. if such is the case, when the canned foods are cooled and the conditions are favorable for growth, the microorganisms assume active form, begin to grow, and cause the decomposition of food. twenty-four hours is sufficient time for the microorganisms to change from the spore to the active form. hence the canned foods must be heated again, if they are to be preserved. for foods difficult to process (for the reason given above) processing should be carried on for three successive days. this is called _intermittent processing_. destruction of microorganisms in the spore form can be accomplished in a short time by subjecting them to very intense heat. in canning factories this is done by processing at a temperature higher than that of boiling water. in the home this may be accomplished by processing in the pressure cooker. according to one authority processing intermittently, _i.e._ on three successive days, does not insure satisfactory processing of materials containing spores. single period and intermittent processing.--the acid of tomatoes and fruits aids in the destruction of microorganisms. hence intermittent processing is unnecessary for these. processing tomatoes and fruits in a hot water bath for one period has proved very satisfactory and certain. there is some question, however, regarding the safety of canning all vegetables by one period of processing in the water bath at degrees f., _especially in regions where botulism is known to occur and where foods cannot be stored in a cool place_. in farmers' bulletin , "home canning of fruits and vegetables," revised august, , one period of processing in the water bath at degrees f. is not advised in climates where the storage conditions are trying for the following vegetables: corn, beans, asparagus, okra, spinach and other greens, and peas (especially if at all mature). for processing these vegetables, a higher temperature than that obtained in the boiling water bath is recommended. processing at a high temperature (from degrees f. to degrees f.) can be accomplished conveniently by means of a _pressure cooker_. this is especially recommended for vegetable canning in high altitudes and in localities where botulism has occurred. it is thought that in some places the above mentioned vegetables may be _processed intermittently_ with safety. for vegetables difficult to can, pint jars only are recommended for both intermittent and single period processing in the water bath. heat penetrates more rapidly to the center of the small jars than to the center of the large jars. selection and preparation of vegetables and canning.--young vegetables, especially those that have grown quickly, are most desirable for canning. if possible, vegetables, especially corn, should be canned immediately after picking. vegetables for canning should be thoroughly washed, pared, scraped, or cut into pieces in the same manner as when they are cooked and served immediately. if the vegetables vary in size, it is well to sort them and fill jars with those of uniform size. if there is much difference in ripeness, sort the mature and young vegetables. method of canning vegetables.--the method of canning vegetables for a _single period_ does not differ greatly from the method of canning fruits. the chief difference is that jars containing fruit are filled with sirup, while those holding vegetables are filled with water and salt is added. blanch and cold-dip vegetables as directed previously, for the length of time given. greens and vegetables of delicate flavor are blanched most successfully by steaming either in a colander placed over boiling water or in a steamer. (steaming greens prevents the escape of volatile oils and other materials.) pack the vegetables in jars to within / inch of the top. it is well not to pack spinach and other greens too solidly in jars. since lima beans, corn, and peas swell during processing, they should be packed only to about inch of the top of the jar. to each jar add salt,-- teaspoonful to each quart jar. fill each jar to / inch of the top with boiling water. put a new rubber on the jar, partly seal the cover, and proceed as directed for fruit (see table below for the length of time for processing). when vegetables are processed _intermittently_, jars with glass tops and spring clamps are recommended. in processing vegetables for three successive periods, the same method of processing and sealing is followed as for the single period. at the beginning of the second and third periods, raise the clamps of the jars to allow for expansion, then fasten the clamps at the close of processing period (see table for the length of time of processing on each of the three successive days). food preservation table for canning fresh, sound, and firm vegetables by one period of processing [footnote : adapted from farmers' bulletin . revised august, .] time of processing time of vegetable blanching or (_a_) (_b_) steam pressure water (pressure cooker) cooking bath at ( ) lb ( ) lb ( ) lb deg. f. deg. f. deg. f. deg. f. minutes hours minutes minutes minutes asparagus - - to corn to - - to lima beans to - - to okra to - - peas to - - to spinach in water or in steam - - string beans. to - - to tomatoes to / to loosen skins / [footnote for asparagus: scrape off tough outer skin of _asparagus_. tie into bundles for blanching. blanch tough ends minutes and entire bundle minutes longer.] [footnote for corn: blanch _corn_ on the cob, then cold dip and cut from the cob. for each pint jar, use pint of cut corn, cupful boiling water, and / tea-spoonful each of salt and sugar. cook the mixture in a saucepan until it boils and pour immediately into a hot, sterilized jar.] [footnote for okra: cold dip _okra_ in _salt_ water ( tablespoonful salt to quart water).] [footnote for spinach: to loosen grit, cover _spinach_ with scalding water, let stand or minutes. then wash in several cold waters. do not cold dip after blanching.] [footnote for tomatoes: pack _tomatoes_ whole in jars, then fill the jars with cooked and strained tomato pulp. tomatoes cut into pieces may be packed closely in jars. when this is done, no liquid need be added.] note.--processing in the hot water bath is not advised for non-acid vegetables such as asparagus, corn, lima beans, okra, peas, spinach, and string beans. count time of processing in a water bath after the water boils. when two different times of processing are given, use the longer time for quart glass jars, the shorter time for tin cans. if the jar is packed tightly, increase the time of processing. for altitudes higher than feet, increase the time of processing per cent for each additional feet. for very high altitudes, the pressure cooker rather than the hot water bath should be used. time table for canning vegetables by intermittent processing [footnote : see statements previously] vegetable time of time of processing in water bath blanching at f. to hour intervals between periods (_a_) first day (_b_) second and third day asparagus to corn to lima beans to peas string beans to [footnote : (for asparagus, corn, and lima beans) process in _pint jars only_. see footnotes for asparagus and okra, above.] use of canned vegetables.--open the can and if it is tin, empty its contents at once. if the vegetable is surrounded by liquid, use the water in cooking the vegetable, as it contains valuable materials. there are some who contend, however, that the flavor of certain vegetables such as peas and string beans is improved if the vegetable water is drained from them and they are cooked in fresh water. if this is done, the vegetable water should not be wasted. it should be used in making soup or sauce. if possible, let the vegetable stand exposed to the air for an hour or longer. if the vegetable is to be served plain, turn into a saucepan. cook in its own liquor at boiling temperature, for at least minutes. (cooking at boiling temperature for this length of time is advised to remove any possible danger of botulism.) when cooked, the liquid should be almost entirely evaporated. add butter, salt, and, if desired, a very little sugar, and serve hot. a white sauce may also be used with a vegetable that has been heated as above. questions explain why vegetables (except tomatoes) are more difficult to can successfully than fruits. what foodstuffs does the water in which vegetables are canned contain? from this explain why the water should not be drained from vegetables when removing them from the cans. what is the purpose of cooking canned vegetables at boiling temperature? lesson clxxii dried vegetables advantages of drying foods.--while preserving foods by drying does not take the place of canning foods and storing them in jars or cans, it has certain advantages, viz.: . little storage space is required for dried foods. . dried foods can be stored in containers that cannot be used for canning. when foods are dried, they may be reduced in bulk as much as per cent; for example, pounds of fresh food may be reduced to pound of dried food. by this reduction no food value is lost, and the flavor is not greatly changed. dried foods may be stored in paper bags and boxes which are much less expensive containers than glass jars or tin cans. hence if space is limited and glass or tin containers are difficult to secure or are expensive, drying may prove a very satisfactory method of preserving food. methods of drying and driers.--food may be dried by: . sun. . steam (placing food on a specially constructed tray (see figure ) which is heated with steam). . stove or oven drying (placing food above a stove or in the oven). . fan drying (placing an electric fan near the food). a combination of these methods, especially the two latter, is often used in drying foods. plates or dishes may serve as driers when the drying is done in the oven. trays for drying may be constructed at home or they may be purchased. most of them consist of a wood or metal frame over which wire netting is tacked. single trays or a series of trays one placed above the other may serve as driers. when drying is accomplished by heat from a stove, the drier is hung over a stove or it rests on the top of the stove. in the latter case, it is necessary that the frame of the tray be constructed so that the bottom tray does not rest directly on the stove. in case the drying is done over a kerosene stove, the bottom of the tray must be of tin or galvanized iron to protect the food from kerosene fumes. the lowest tray must be placed at least inches above the metal bottom. selection and preparation of vegetables for drying.--to secure the best results, select mature but fresh vegetables. they should be in good condition, free from blemish. certain foods, such as berries, cherries, peas, lima and shell beans, are dried whole. most vegetables should be cut into slices from / to / inch in thickness. the slicing may be done with a paring or kitchen knife, or it may be done by means of a slaw-cutter or a rotary chopper. foods are sometimes cut into pieces for drying by means of the food chopper. it is necessary that all knives and cutting devices be clean. there should be no discoloration of the vegetable from the cutting utensil. it has been found advisable to blanch most vegetables before drying. the method of blanching given previously can be used in drying vegetables as well as canning them. foods are not cold-dipped, however, after blanching when they are to be dried. fruits are usually not blanched before drying. food preservation method of drying foods.--place the prepared food on drying trays. unless the drying is done in the oven, cover the food with cheese-cloth. if possible, tack the cloth to the frame so that no dust or insects can come in contact with the food. stir or turn foods once or twice a day while they are drying. this is especially necessary when foods are dried in the sun. _if the food is to be dried in the sun_, place the tray containing the food in the sun, where there is a breeze. if it rains, take the trays indoors. also bring the trays indoors just before sunset. _if food is to be dried by means of steam_, a special device is needed (see figure ). the device consists of a large pan for holding water and a hollow tray. the under surface of the tray has an opening about the size of the diameter of the pan. to this opening is fastened a collar which fits snugly into the pan. the pan filled with water is placed over a burner. when the water boils, the steam rises and fills the hollow tray and escapes by means of the small pipe in the upper surface of the tray. the food is placed on the upper surface and is dried by steam heat. _if the food is to be dried in the oven_, place the food on suitable trays. oven drying is much more satisfactorily done if the oven is provided with a thermometer. the temperature for drying foods is much less than that of boiling water,--it varies from degrees to degrees f. it is often necessary to keep the oven door open so that the temperature does not become too high. [illustration: figure .---drier for vegetables or fruits.] _if food is dried over a stove in a series of trays_ one placed above the other, the position of the trays should be changed so that the food may be uniformly dried. _if food is dried by means of an electric fan_, the fan should be so placed that the current of air is directed along the trays lengthwise. the drying will be most rapid nearest the fan; hence it is necessary to change the position of the tray or of the food every few hours. foods may be dried in less than hours by means of an electric fan. a few foods such as sliced string beans may be dried in a few hours. before drying by means of a fan, food should be blanched. it is also necessary to heat food dried in this way in an oven at degrees f. for or minutes before storing. testing for sufficient drying and conditioning.--the time for drying varies with the method of drying and the kind of food. a definite time of drying cannot be stated. there are some tests which may be applied in determining when a food is sufficiently dried. the following is quoted from the bulletin of the _national war garden commission_, victory edition, p. : "when first taken from the drier, vegetables should be rather brittle and fruits rather leathery and pliable. one method of determining whether fruit is dry enough is to squeeze a handful; if the fruit separates when the hand is opened, it is dry enough. another way is to press a single piece; if no moisture comes to the surface the piece is sufficiently dry. berries are dry enough if they stick to the hand but do not crush when squeezed." when the food is judged to be sufficiently dried, it should be placed in boxes or bowls and covered with clean cloths. the dried foods should be stirred or poured from one container to another once a day for days or two weeks. if at the end of this time the food is found to be moist, it must be subjected to the drying process for a short time. after the second drying, it should be treated as directed above. if the food is observed for several days and found to be dry, it may be stored away. this process of testing and making them sufficiently dry after removing from the drier is termed _conditioning_. dried corn select such sweet corn for drying as you would for immediate table use. blanch the corn (on the cob) for to minutes in boiling water. drain thoroughly. then cut the corn from the cob as directed in lesson iv. dry by subjecting to a temperature of degrees f. gradually increased to degrees f. stir the corn often. it is sufficiently dried when it is hard and semi-transparent. (adapted from _bulletin of the national war garden commission, victory edition_.) table for blanching and drying [footnote : from bulletin of the _national war garden commission_, victory edition] the following table shows blanching time for vegetables and the temperatures to be used in drying by artificial heat. vegetables blanching temperature time (fahrenheit) minutes degrees beets to cabbage to to carrots to cauliflower to to celery to figs to garden peas to to green string beans to to lima beans okra to onions parsnips to potatoes to to prunes - to pumpkin and winter squash to to spinach summer squash to to sweet corn to to sweet potatoes to to tomatoes / to turnips to to wax beans fruits apples to apricots to berries to cherries to peaches to pears to plums to questions under what conditions do you think it would be advisable to dry foods rather than can them? name the advantages of dried over canned foods and the advantages of canned over dried. from what you have learned regarding the cooking of dried fruits and dried peas and beans, how would you cook home-dried vegetables? give a reason for each step of the process. why is it necessary to stir foods occasionally while drying? why is oven drying of foods much more satisfactory when the oven is provided with a thermometer? explain why it is necessary to condition dried foods before storing. related work lesson clxxiii the sick-room tray selection of foods for the sick.--methods of preparation of food for the sick differ somewhat from methods of preparation of food for those in health. the chief difference is in the _selection_ of the foods to be prepared. in severe illness the physician prescribes definitely the diet of the patient. in the absence of a trained nurse, it is the home-keeper's work to follow the physician's directions and to prepare such foods as can readily be digested. often the home-keeper not only prepares, but selects the foods for the indisposed members of the household. in any case of feeding the sick, the following suggestions should be kept in mind: (_a_) choose easily digested foods and prepare them in such a way that they will be easily digested. liquid or easily liquefied foods are digested with the least effort, hence the use of milk, broths, soups, and gruels in sick-room diet. such semisolid foods as eggs (uncooked or soft cooked), cereals, softened toast, etc., are also easily digested. avoid foods that are digested with difficulty, as pastry, fried foods, "rich" sauces, pork, veal, lobster, and baked beans. (_b_) give special attention to the selection of foods that appeal to the appetite. when foods are served, even though they are selected according to the physician's directions, likes and dislikes of the patient should be observed. if food suitable for the patient is distasteful to him, substitutions should be made or distasteful foods should be disguised. eggs, for example, are most valuable foods for the sick. if disliked by the patient they may be slipped into such foods as cocoa or gruels. appeal to the appetite can be made by changing the methods of preparing foods. the selection and preparation of food for the sick call for ingenuity and resourcefulness on the part of the homekeeper. (_c_) prepare less food for the sick than for those in health. sometimes a lessened quantity of easily digested food is all that is needed to effect recovery from an indisposed condition. some energy is needed to carry on the involuntary activities of the body, such as the beating of the heart, and the movements of the lungs (see _table of energy requirements_). for the very sick patient, food served in small quantities, but served often, is necessary. selection of foods for the convalescent.--in recovery from severe illness, there is often the problem of building up an emaciated body. knowledge of the proper quantity and the kind of food aids greatly in solving this problem. the basic principles of the selection of food _to increase weight_ were discussed previously (see _daily carbohydrate and fat requirement_). the use of concentrated foods, _i.e._ those whose fuel value is high, such as eggs, cream or top milk, and butter, is usually advisable. these foods can be added to foods of less fuel value such as vegetables. a generous use of whole milk is also effective in gaining weight. this can be used to advantage not only at meal times but between meals and at bed time. milk is one of the few foods which can be used effectively between meals. because it is bland in flavor, it does not "spoil the appetite" for the following meal. bread and other grain foods and starch-rich vegetables are useful foods for gaining weight. many of the suggestions for the selection of foods for the sick apply to the selection of foods for the convalescent. preparation of special foods for the sick and for the convalescent.--( ) _milk_.--milk is one of the most important foods for an invalid because it is a liquid containing valuable nutrients. it is used in a partially predigested condition in junket "custard", peptonized milk, and malted milk. buttermilk, kumiss, and matzoon are often agreeable and beneficial to the sick; by some, they are more easily digested than whole milk. frozen desserts made of milk or cream are popular foods for the sick. ( ) _eggs_.--since eggs are both high in nutrients and easily digested, they serve as a most important article of diet for the sick. the variety of ways in which eggs can be cooked and served also adds to their value as a sick-room food. eggs combined with milk (egg-nog, custards), with cereals (rice pudding, gruels), and with toast make suitable foods for the sick and convalescent. the principles used in the preparation of custards (see lesson li) should be applied in combining eggs with hot liquids. ( ) _gruels_.--the principle of preparing breakfast cereals may be applied to the preparation of gruels. in the making of gruels less cereal and more liquid are used, _i.e._ mix tablespoonful of cereal with cupful of liquid. the finished product is strained. a gruel may be prepared by diluting a cooked cereal and straining. gruels should be of the consistency of cream soups. corn-meal, oatmeal, barley, rice, flour-- especially graham, whole wheat, and gluten--arrowroot, and crushed crackers--especially graham and oatmeal--are suitable cereals for gruels. water or a combination of water and milk is used for the liquid. when both water and milk are used, the method of cooking rice pudding should be followed. the seasoning and flavoring of gruels are most important. distaste for gruels is often due to improper seasoning. "high" seasoning is not desirable for the sick or convalescent. usually a patient does not care for highly seasoned food. but some seasoning is necessary to make a tasty gruel. gruels may be flavored with whole spices, meat extract, fruits, such as raisins, cranberries, etc., and lemon peel. the flavor of whole spices and fruits is extracted by cooking them with the gruel. if nutmeg is used, it is grated over the surface of the cooked food. the identity of this spice can thus be recognized. sugar is used sparingly for the sick. ( ) _broth and meat_.--although there is little nourishment contained in meat broths (see _protein in meat_), beef tea is often used as food for the sick, especially when liquid diet is necessary. it is appetizing and tasty. to make _beef tea_, soak chopped meat in water for at least one hour. (use pint of water to pound of lean beef.) then cook the mixture _slightly_, over hot water (until it becomes reddish brown in color), and stir constantly. strain through a _coarse_ strainer, season, and serve at once. sometimes the _juice of beef_ without any dilution with water is served to the sick. the meat is cut into pieces and heated slightly; then by means of a lemon "squeezer" or a meat press the juice is extracted. meats such as chicken (white meat preferably), lamb, broiled or roasted beef, can be used for convalescents. scraped meat, _i.e._ meat from which the tough tissue is removed (see experiment ), can often be given to an invalid when solid meats are denied. the scraped meat contains more nutriment than beef juice (see _protein in meat_). it should be made into balls and pan-broiled (see _pan-broiling_). preparing the tray.--attractive serving of foods may make a stronger appeal to the appetite than choice selection or skilful preparation of foods. it should be remembered that the foods are to be carried from the kitchen to the sick room. for this reason, it is well to place foods, especially liquids, in deep dishes suitable for transit. all hot foods should be placed in covered dishes, that they may be hot when the bedside is reached. for serving sick-room foods, the daintiest china available should be used. the tray should be spread with a clean napkin or doily. in the case of a contagious disease, a paper napkin or doily may be used. it should be destroyed at once after using. a bedside stand which supports the tray without any effort of the patient is a comfort. for contagious diseases, burn any remaining bits of food and sterilize the dishes,--cover with cold water, heat, and boil. questions keeping in mind that the requisite for food for the sick is ease of digestion, make a list of liquid, semisolid, and solid foods suitable for the sick room. explain why it is that liquid foods are invariably prescribed for the sick. give a variety of ways of cooking and serving eggs for the sick. keeping in mind the suggestions given in the chapter on _menu-making_ and in the present chapter, write several menus for an indisposed or convalescent patient. lesson clxxiv preparing trays for the sick and convalescent plan [footnote : see footnote .] menus for the sick and for the convalescent. prepare the foods and arrange them on trays. lesson clxxv review--meal cooking menu cream of potato soup croutons baked custard see lesson xiv for suggestions regarding the preparation of the lesson. lesson clxxvi home projects [footnote : see lesson ix.] suggestions for home work.--can fruit or vegetables, or make marmalades, jellies, etc. if possible, select the fruits or vegetables at market. suggested aims: ( ) to compare home-canned and factory-canned products. determine the difference in cost per pint or quart. compare the difference in flavor and appearance. ( ) to compare the yield of fruit made into jam or conserve and jelly. note the weight of the fruit, sugar, and other ingredients before preserving. how many glasses of jam or conserve does each five pounds of material yield? state the advantages of preparing jelly from fruit and of preparing jam or conserve. division eighteen supplementary lesson i thanksgiving sauce cranberry sauce quart ( pound) cranberries cupfuls water cupfuls sugar salt pick over and wash the cranberries. cook them in water until they are soft and the skins are broken. remove from the fire; strain if desired, add the sugar and salt, and stir until dissolved. set aside to cool. cranberry "jelly" quart ( pound) cranberries cupful water cupfuls sugar salt prepare and cook the cranberries in water, as for cranberry sauce. press through a strainer, add the sugar and salt, and mix well. without further cooking pour the mixture into molds which have been rinsed in cold water. set aside to cool and stiffen. questions give a practical method of washing cranberries. how does cranberry sauce differ from cranberry jelly? if you desired to make _clear_ cranberry jelly what change would you make in the method given above? lesson ii thanksgiving desserts plum pudding cupfuls soft bread crumbs / teaspoonful baking soda teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful cloves / teaspoonful cinnamon / teaspoonful salt / cupful suet / cupful molasses egg / cupful milk / cupful currants / cupful raisins to prevent suet from sticking while being chopped, sprinkle it with a little flour. use a meat grinder, or a chopping bowl and knife, to chop the suet. beat the eggs lightly and add the milk to them. the currants and raisins should be cleaned as directed previously, and sprinkled with flour. mix the ingredients in the order given. steam in an oiled pudding mold for at least hours. serve with hard sauce i or ii, yellow sauce, or vanilla sauce. vegetable plum pudding cupfuls flour pound seeded raisins cupful potatoes cupful carrots cupful sugar teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking soda tablespoonful cold water cupful suet oranges--juice and grated rind lemon--juice and grated rind mix the flour and raisins. put the potatoes, carrots, and suet through a food chopper. mix the baking soda and water. combine these three mixtures. then add the remaining ingredients. turn into a greased mold and steam three hours. serve hot with lemon sauce or with hard or yellow sauce. hard sauce ii / cupful brown sugar / cupful butter tablespoonfuls cream or milk teaspoonful vanilla _or_ teaspoonful lemon juice and / teaspoonful vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and mix thoroughly. add the cream or milk gradually. add the flavoring. chill; serve over hot puddings. yellow sauce eggs / cupful powdered sugar tablespoonful milk or cream / teaspoonful vanilla salt separate the eggs; beat the whites until they are stiff and dry. add the yolks and continue beating until the mixture is very light. then add the powdered sugar and beat again. continue beating and add the milk or cream gradually; finally add the vanilla and salt. serve at once over hot puddings. cranberry frappe quart ( pound) cranberries / cupfuls sugar cupfuls water juice large lemon salt cook the cranberries and water slowly, until soft. force through a sieve, and add the sugar, lemon juice, and salt. when cool, freeze (see _preparing and packing the freezer_ and _freezing_). serve with roast chicken or turkey, or as a dessert. questions what are the leavening materials used in plum pudding? explain their action. why are raisins and currants sprinkled with flour before adding to the pudding? how should pudding molds be prepared for pour batters (see _general suggestions for steamed quick-bread mixtures_)? if it is desired to use left-over steamed pudding, how should it be reheated? what is the price per pound of suet? how much by weight is required to make one half cupful? see figure and tabulate the percentage composition of beef suet and butter. which contains the more fat? how many persons does the plum pudding recipe serve? how many persons does the cranberry frappe recipe serve? lesson iii christmas sweets the use of candy in diet.--candy is an energy-giving food, but, unfortunately perhaps, it is not (at all times) a most desirable energy- giving food. sugar exists in candy in concentrated form. as stated previously, such sugar is irritating to the organs of digestion. sugar is contained in large quantity in some fruits, especially in dried fruits, figs, dates, prunes, etc. these fruits are a much better source of sweets for children than is candy, because they do not contain as much sugar, and have, in addition, valuable food materials in the form of ash. (see figures and . note the large quantity of carbohydrates and ash in raisins. also note the large quantity of carbohydrates--which are in the form of sugar--in stick candy.) candy should never be used to excess or at the wrong time. a little eaten at the end of a meal is not harmful to the normal person. at that time the sugar is diluted because it is mixed with other foods. when diluted it does not irritate the digestive tract to the extent that it would if eaten between meals with no other foods. it is well to drink a generous quantity of water when eating candy or other sweets. since molasses, honey, and maple sirup are not so concentrated as is sugar (see figure ), they are desirable sweets for children,--provided they are used moderately, at the right time, and are mixed with other foods. [illustration: figure --the composition of sugar and similar foods (revised edition)] parisian sweets chop equal parts of figs, dates, or raisins, and nuts together. knead on a board dredged with confectioner's sugar, until well blended. roll to / inch thickness, cut into cubes or rounds, and dip each piece in confectioner's sugar. store in tin boxes. stuffed fruits cover _prunes_ with cold water, and let them soak for minutes. then heat and cook at boiling temperature for minutes. now drain off the water and place prunes in the top part of a double boiler and cook over boiling water for minutes. or put the prunes in a tightly covered pan and place in the fireless cooker for several hours. cool and remove the stones and fill the open space with a nut or a mixture of chopped dates or raisins, figs, and nuts. press the prunes into symmetrical shape, then roll them in fine granulated sugar. (the parisian sweet mixture may be used for stuffing prunes.) prunes may also be stuffed with marshmallows. one half of a marshmallow should be inserted in each cooked and seeded prune. _dates_ stuffed with chopped nuts, peanut butter, or candied ginger are tasty sweets. they may be rolled in granulated sugar after stuffing. date bars egg cupful sugar teaspoonful vanilla cupful flour teaspoonfuls baking powder / teaspoonful salt / cupful dates, seeded and cut into pieces cupful nuts, chopped / cupful milk mix as date pudding. turn into an oblong or square pan about by inches. bake at degrees f., for from to minutes. when sufficiently baked, remove from the pan and place on a cake cooler for a few minutes. then cut the cake into halves, and cut each half into narrow strips about inch wide and / inches long. roll each strip in powdered sugar. store in a tightly covered tin box. these cakes have a finer flavor after they have been stored for a few days. raisins may be substituted for dates. pop-corn balls cupful molasses / teaspoonful baking soda cupful corn sirup or sugar / teaspoonful salt mix the molasses and sirup or sugar and cook them to the crack stage. then add the soda and salt and pour the mixture over popped corn,--about six quarts. stir the corn while pouring the sirup. let the sweetened corn stand a few minutes. then dip the hands into cold water, shake off the water, and with the two hands press some corn into a ball. repeat until all the corn is shaped into balls. questions explain why parisian sweets and stuffed fruits are a more desirable sweet food than candy. when is the best time to eat candy? explain your answer. why are mints served at the close, rather than at the beginning of a meal? why is it advisable to drink a generous quantity of water when eating candy or sweets? compare the recipes for date pudding and date bars. account for the greater quantity of flour, sugar, and milk in date bars. why is it necessary to dip the hands in cold water before shaping pop-corn balls? lesson iv christmas candy sugar and glucose.--granulated sugar and glucose differ in taste and composition. granulated sugar is crystalline in structure, while commercial glucose exists in the form of a heavy sirup, _i.e._ is non-crystalline in form. in many candies, a creamy consistency is desired. this is not possible, if all the sugar of the candy exists in coarse crystalline form. hence in the making of candy from granulated sugar, it is desirable to add glucose or sirup to granulated sugar or to change some of the crystallized sugar to a sugar which crystallizes with difficulty, _i.e._ _invert sugar_. this can be accomplished by boiling granulated sugar with acid. recent experimentation [footnote : see journal of home economics, february, (vol. xi), p. , "factors influencing the amount of invert sugar in fondant," by daniels and cook.] with sugars, however, shows that the quantity of acid required varies with the degree of hardness or the alkalinity of the water,--the more alkaline the water, the greater the quantity of acid needed. this experimental work also shows that unless soft water is used in boiling sugar to which acid is added, more constant and satisfactory results may be secured by adding glucose rather than acid to sugar. cooking sirups.--sugar and water are boiled to different degrees of temperature for making different kinds of candy. the thicker the sirup, the higher the temperature. tests for sirups of different consistencies are: (_a_) thread,--when dropped from a spoon, the sirup forms a thread about two inches long ( degrees f.). [footnote : these temperatures apply to sirups made from cane sugar. the addition of glucose to cane sugar lowers the temperatures of the sirups at the various stages. see note to the teacher, lesson cxvi, regarding the use of the fahrenheit scale of temperature.] (_b_) soft ball,--when dropped into cold water, the sirup forms a soft ball if rolled between the fingers ( degrees f.). (_c_) hard ball,--when dropped into cold water, the sirup forms a firm ball ( degrees f.). (_d_) crack,--when dropped into cold water, the sirup becomes brittle ( degrees f.). (_e_) hard crack,--when dropped into cold water, the sirup becomes very hard and brittle ( degrees f.). (_f_) caramel,--when sugar (without addition of water) liquefies when hot and becomes very hard and brittle when cold ( degrees f.). fudge cupfuls sugar / cupful water or milk / cupful corn sirup ounces chocolate tablespoonfuls butter teaspoonful vanilla / teaspoonful salt mix the sugar with the liquid. add the chocolate and sirup. boil _gently_ to a "soft ball" stage. just before removing from the fire, add the butter. cool, then beat the mixture until it thickens. add the vanilla and salt and pour into a buttered pan. cut into squares; when cool the fudge is ready for serving. the butter may be omitted. panocha cupfuls light brown sugar / cupful milk / teaspoonful cream of tartar tablespoonfuls butter or substitute / pound nuts / teaspoonful salt mix the sugar with the milk. add the cream of tartar, and boil gently to a "soft ball" stage. just before removing from the fire, add the butter and salt. cool and beat until the mixture thickens. add nuts that have been cut into pieces; pour into a buttered pan; cut into squares. when cool, the panocha is ready for serving. sour milk or cream may be substituted for sweet milk and cream of tartar. when sour cream is used, omit the butter or substitute. butterscotch / cupful water cupfuls light brown sugar juice of lemon _or_ / cupful vinegar to tablespoonfuls butter mix the sugar and liquids thoroughly. boil gently to the "crack" stage. add the butter. pour into buttered pans. when almost cool, cut into squares with a chopping knife. break into pieces when cold. the butter may be omitted. if this is done, add / teaspoonful of salt. cinnamon balls cupful sirup cupfuls sugar tablespoonful butter / teaspoonful salt tablespoonful water tablespoonful vinegar tablespoonful ground cinnamon _or_ drops of oil of cinnamon put all the ingredients except oil of cinnamon into a saucepan and boil to the crack stage. if oil of cinnamon is used for flavoring, add it to the mixture after cooking. pour into a greased pan. when cool enough to handle, take a small portion and shape it into a ball. if the candy becomes too stiff to shape, it may be placed in an oven until it is soft enough to handle. oil of cinnamon produces a more pleasing flavor than ground cinnamon. however, the former is expensive. if it is added, the use of a medicine dropper prevents its waste. questions what ingredient does corn sirup contain that would make it effective in preparing creamy candy? explain the use of corn sirup, cream of tartar, sour milk, and vinegar in these candies. in fudge, why is the butter added just before removing the candy from the fire (see _frying and digestion_)? why are not the nuts cooked in the panocha mixture? why is butter or substitute omitted in panocha if sour cream is substituted for sweet milk? if a thermometer is used for testing sirups, what precaution should be taken against breaking? from _u. s. department of agriculture_, bulletin no. , tabulate the percentage composition of granulated (see figure ), powdered, brown, and maple sugars. what is the price per pound of each? how many cupfuls in a pound of brown sugar? considering the percentage of carbohydrates, and the price per pound of granulated and brown sugar, which is the cheaper? tabulate the percentage composition of honey, of molasses, and of maple sirup. how much fudge, by weight, does pound of sugar make? what is the cost per pound of homemade fudge? appendix suggestions for teaching in using this text, the teacher may follow the _order_ of _presenting_ a lesson which she considers most satisfactory. she may prefer to preface processes of cooking with a discussion of foods and reasons for the steps involved in the processes, or she may consider it advisable to have the pupils do the cooking and discuss foods and methods later. in case both the so-called "theory" and practical work are undertaken in the same lesson, the time required to cook the food often determines the order of the lesson. in either case, this text may be used to advantage. although recipes in definitely stated form appear in the book, the teacher need not refer to them in class, or place them upon the board previous to the lesson. she may prefer to lead the pupils to develop a recipe. the latter method is valuable in training pupils to know the proper quantity of food materials to combine for practical _recipe making_, and to know how to _substitute_ one food material for another. the _relation_ of one recipe to another is shown in this text and should be constantly emphasized. the pupils should be made to understand that there are a few basic recipes from which many may be developed. much attention should be given to the _cost_ of foods. at frequent intervals, pupils should be required to compute the cost of particular dishes or of entire meals. the _buying_ of foods by the pupils is most valuable. in table service lessons, it is advisable to have the pupils not only plan and cook foods but, when possible, buy them. in teaching _table service lessons_, the greatest care should be taken to adapt the lessons to the standard of living of the pupils. in communities where the equipment for serving foods is most meagre, a special effort should be made to make the best use of such dishes and furnishings as are found in the homes of the pupils. serving meals in a more pleasing way with more adequate (but not elaborate) equipment should also be taught. methods of serving without a maid meet best the needs of most pupils of the public schools. the cooking of foods by each pupil in _family quantity_ rather than in individual amount is valuable. to do this some practical way of disposing of the cooked products must be arranged. the lunch rooms of the school may serve as the means of disposal. in case the pupils of a school cook for the lunch room, the greatest care needs to be exercised by the teacher to place the responsibility of preparing a salable product upon the pupil. too much assistance on the part of the teacher in directing the pupils' work and in deciding when a food is sufficiently cooked or baked, may interfere in developing initiative in pupils,--one of the aims to be accomplished in education. the plan of having each pupil prepare a food for the first time in individual quantity and then later in family quantity for the lunch room has proved satisfactory in some cases. this text furnishes material for a _year's_ work, if five lessons per week (at least ninety minutes in length) are given; or for _two years'_ work, if the curriculum provides for but two or three lessons per week. if it is necessary to arrange a shorter course, certain lessons may be omitted or assigned for home work, or lessons may be combined. if the teacher wishes to _correlate_ food study with some other subject such as general science, or physiology, chemistry, or physics, the time may be extended, or the order of work may be changed to fit the particular requirements. because many of the lessons of the first eight divisions treat of the uses of the foods in the body, they are especially good for correlation with physiology. the remaining lessons, many of which emphasize food composition, may be correlated to advantage with chemistry. if for any reason an entire semester's work is to be devoted to table service, including the planning, buying, cooking, and serving of foods and determining the cost and computing the calorific value of the foods, the material found in _related work_--the lessons placed at the end of each division--will be found adequate for such a course. books for reference _bevier and van meter_: selection and preparation of food. _brechner_: household physics. _brownlee and others_: chemistry of common things. _buchanan_: household bacteriology. _child health organization of america_: pamphlets. _cooley and others_: teaching home economics. _conn_: bacteria, yeasts, and molds in the home. _department of household science, university of illinois_: principles of jelly-making (bulletin). _farmer_: food and cookery for the sick and the convalescent. _farmer_: the boston cooking school cook book. _hill_: cooking for two. _hill_: the up-to-date waitress. _holt_: the care and feeding of children. _holt and sedgwick_: the human mechanism. _holt and shaw_: save the babies, pamphlet. _kansas agricultural college_: table etiquette and table service (bulletin). _lincoln and barrows_: home science cook book. _lusk_: elements of the science of nutrition. _lusk_: fundamental basis of nutrition. _mccollum_: the american home diet. _mitchell_: fireless cook book. _pattee_: practical dietetics. _richards, ellen h._: the cost of food. _rose_: feeding the family. _rose_: laboratory handbook for dietetics. _sherman_: chemistry of food and nutrition, second edition. _sherman_: food products. _styles_: human physiology. _taber_: the business of the household. _u. s. department of agriculture_: bulletins. _van rensselaer and others_: a manual of home-making. _vulte_: household chemistry. _vulte and vanderbilt_: food industries. the belgian cook-book by various edited by mrs. brian luck "lucullus, whom frugality could charm, ate roasted turnips at the sabine farm." preface the recipes in this little book have been sent by belgian refugees from all parts of the united kingdom, and it is through the kindness of these correspondents that i have been able to compile it. it is thought, also, that british cooking may benefit by the study of belgian dishes. the perfect cook, like mrs. 'arris or the fourth dimension, is often heard of, but never actually found, so this small manual is offered for the use of the work-a-day and inexperienced mistress and maid. it is not written in the interests of millionaires. the recipes are simple, and most inexpensive, rather for persons of moderate means than for those who can follow the famous directions for a certain savory: "take a leg of mutton," etc. a shelf of provisions should be valued, like love-making, not only for itself but for what it may become. savories: if you serve these, let them be, like an ankle, small and neat and alluring. this dish is not obligatory; recollect that it is but a culinary work of supererogation. soup: let your soup be extremely hot; do not let it be like the laodiceans. you know what st. john said about them, and you would be sorry to think of your soup sharing the fate which he describes with such saintly verve. be sure that your soup has a good foundation, and avoid the italian method of making _consommé_, which is to put a pot of water on to warm and to drive a cow past the door. fish: it is a truism to say that fish should be absolutely fresh, yet only too many cooks think, during the week-end, that fish is like the manna of the hebrews, which was imbued with sabbatarian principles that kept it fresh from saturday to monday. i implore of you to think differently about fish. it is a most nourishing and strengthening food--other qualities it has, too, if one must believe the anecdote of the sultan saladin and the two anchorites. meat: if your meat must be cooked in water, let it not boil but merely simmer; let the pot just whisper agreeably of a good dish to come. do you know what an english tourist said, looking into a moorish cooking-pot? "what have you got there? mutton and rice?" "for the moment, sidi, it is mutton and rice," said the moorish cook; "but in two hours, inshallah, when the garlic has kissed the pot, it will be the most delicious comforter from mecca to casa blanca." simmer and season, then, your meats, and let the onion (if not garlic) just kiss the pot, even if you allow no further intimacy between them. use bay-leaves, spices, herbs of all sorts, vinegar, cloves; and never forget pepper and salt. game is like love, the best appreciated when it begins to go. only experience will teach you, on blowing up the breast feathers of a pheasant, whether it ought to be cooked to-day or to-morrow. men, as a rule, are very particular about the dressing of game, though they may not all be able to tell, like the frenchman, upon which of her legs a partridge was in the habit of sitting. game should be underdone rather than well done; it should never be without well-buttered toast underneath it to collect the gravy, and the knife to carve it with should be very, very sharp. vegetables: nearly all these are at their best (like brunettes) just before they are fully matured. so says a great authority, and no doubt he is thinking of young peas and beans, lettuces and asparagus. try to dress such things as potatoes, parsnips, cabbages, carrots, in other ways than simply boiled in water, for the water often removes the flavor and leaves the fiber. do not let your vegetable-dishes remind your guests of froissart's account of scotchmen's food, which was "rubbed in a little water." sweets: it is difficult to give any general directions for sweets. they should be made to look attractive, and they should be constantly varied. the same remarks apply to savories, which last ought always to be highly seasoned, whether hot or cold. made dishes are a great feature in this little book. i have tried to help those small households who cook, let us say, a leg of mutton on sunday, and then see it meander through the week in various guises till it ends its days honorable as soup on the following friday. endeavor to hide from your husband that you are making that leg of mutton almost achieve eternal life. it is noticeable that men are attracted to a house where there is good cooking, and the most unapproachable beings are rendered accessible by the pleasantness of a _soufflé_, or the aroma of a roast duck. you must have observed that a certain number of single men have their hearts very "wishful" towards their cook. not infrequently they marry that cook; but it is less that she is a good and charming woman than that she is a good and charming cook. ponder this, therefore; for i have known men otherwise happy, who long for a good beef-steak pudding as vainly as the golden ass longed for a meal of roses. try these recipes, for really good rissoles and hashes. twice-cooked meat can always be alleviated by mushrooms or tomatoes. remember that the discovery of a new dish is of more use than the discovery of a new star,--besides which, you will get much more praise for it. and if on wednesday you find that you have to eat the same part of the very same animal that you had on monday, do not, pray, become exasperated; treat it affectionately, as i treat my black hat, which becomes more ravishing every time that i alter it. only, do not buy extravagant make-weight for a scrap of cold meat that would be best used in a mince patty, or you will be like a man keeping a horse in order to grow mushrooms. and, lastly, the good cook must learn about food what every sensible woman learns about love--how best to utilize the cold remains. m. luck. part i cauliflower soup after you have boiled a cauliflower, it is a great extravagance to throw away the liquor; it is delicately flavored and forms the basis of a good soup. wash well your cauliflower, taking great care to remove all grit and insects. place it to simmer with its head downwards, in salted water; and, when it is tender, remove it. now for the soup. let all the outer leaves and odd bits simmer well, then pass them through a sieve. fry some chopped onions, add the liquor of the cauliflower and the pieces that have been rubbed through the sieve, add a little white pepper and a slice of brown bread. let all cook gently for half-an-hour, then, just before serving it, take out the slice of bread and sprinkle in two teaspoonfuls of grated gruyere cheese. fish soup when you buy fish and have it filleted, ask for the bones and trimmings to be sent also. put a quart of milk to heat and add to it a bunch of mixed herbs, a few minced shallots, parsley, pepper and salt. throw in your fish and cook for an hour. if you have any celery put in a piece, or two or three white artichokes. strain the soup, taste it, and add more salt or more milk as you think necessary. return to the pan. take the yolk of an egg and just before taking the soup from the fire, stir it quickly in. this soup must never boil. it should be made out of the very white fish, excluding herring and mackerel. starvation soup if you have a pork-bone from the fresh meat, let it boil in water for an hour. put the pan to cool and take off the fat, and remove the bone. replace the pan on the fire and throw into it two pounds of brussels sprouts. do not add onions to this soup but leeks, and the hearts of cabbage. pepper and spice to taste. rub it through a sieve and let it be thick enough to form a thin purée. immediate soup, or ten minutes soup into a quart of boiling water throw two tablespoonfuls of either semolina or tapioca: let it boil for eight minutes with a dust of salt and pepper. meanwhile, take your tureen, put quickly into it two yolks of very fresh eggs, add two pats of butter and two small spoonfuls of water to mix it. stir quickly with the spoon, and when the soup has done its eight minutes' boiling, pour it on the egg and butter in the tureen. this is an extremely good soup. it is rendered still better by a small quantity of bovril. chervil soup put a bone of veal on to cook in water, with four or five potatoes, according to the quantity desired. when these are tender, pass them through the tammy and return them to the soup. chop up the chervil, adding to it half a dessert-spoonful of cornflour. quarter of an hour before serving, put in the chervil, but take the cover off the pot, so that it remains a good green color. pepper and salt to be added also. [_v. verachtert, café appelmans, anvers._] a good pea soup soak your dried peas over-night. the following day boil some fresh water, and throw in the peas, adding a few chopped onions and leeks, with pepper and salt. let the soup simmer for three hours on the top of the stove, giving it a stir now and then. if you have a ham-bone, that is a great improvement, or the water in which some bacon has been boiled is a good foundation for the soup, instead of the fresh water. [_mdlle. m. schmidt._] waterzoei this is an essentially flemish soup. one uses carp, eels, tench, roach, perches, barbel, for the real waterzoei is always made of different kinds of fish. take two pounds of fish, cut off the heads and tails, which you will fry lightly in butter, adding to make the sauce a mixed carrot and onion, three cloves, a pinch of white pepper, a sprig of parsley, one of thyme, a bay-leaf; pour in two-thirds of water and one-third of white wine till it more than covers the ingredients and let it simmer for half-an-hour. then the pieces of fish must be cut an equal size, and they are placed to cook quickly in this liquor for twenty minutes. five minutes before serving add a lemon peeled and cut into slices and the pips removed. some people bind the sauce with breadcrumbs grated and browned. you serve, with this dish, very thin slices of bread and butter. for english tastes, the heads and tails should be removed when dressing the dish. a good belgian soup is called _crême de sauté_. itself one of the most wholesome of vegetables, watercress combines admirably with potatoes in making soup. wash, dry, and chop finely four ounces of the leaves picked from the stalks, fry slowly for five minutes with or without a thinly-sliced onion, add one pound of potatoes cut in small dice, and fry, still very slowly, without browning; pour in one quart of water or thin stock, simmer gently, closely-covered, for from thirty-five to fifty minutes, rub through a hair sieve, and having returned the puree to the saucepan with a half-teaspoonful of castor sugar, and salt and cayenne to taste, thicken with one table-spoonful of flour stirred smoothly into one breakfast-cupful of cold milk; boil up sharply, and serve sprinkled with watercress. [_e. haig._] belgian purÉe cook two pounds of brussels sprouts in boiling water. take them out, drain them and toss them in butter for five minutes, sprinkle them with a teaspoonful of flour, and then cook them in gravy (or meat extract and water), fast boiling, over a good fire, and keep the lid of the saucepan off so that they may remain green. pass them through the sieve, leave them in ten minutes, bind the mixture with the yolks of three eggs, a pint of milk; then at the last minute one dessert-spoonful of butter for each pint and a half of soup. ambassador soup a pint and a half of either fresh peas, or of dried peas that have been soaked for six hours in cold water; a leek, and three onions chopped finely. simmer till the peas are tender, then pass all through the sieve. well wash some sorrel and chop it, and add as much as will be to your taste. in another pan cook five tablespoonfuls of rice, and add that to your soup. simmer up again, stirring it all very well. this soup should be of a green color. [_mme. georges goffaux._] crecy soup (belgian recipe) take ten carrots, two onions, one leek, five potatoes, and cook all gently in water, with salt and pepper; when they are tender, rub them through the sieve and serve it very hot. [_g. goffaux._] flemish soup to two pounds of washed and picked brussels sprouts add ten potatoes, two onions, two leeks, salt, pepper. cook all gently and pass through a sieve. add at the last moment a sprinkle of chopped chervil. [_g. goffaux._] tomato purÉe begin by cleaning four potatoes, two leeks, a celery, four carrots, three pounds of big tomatoes; well wash all these vegetables and cut them in dice, the tomatoes a little larger. cook them all gently for an hour in nearly two pints of gravy, to which you have already added two thick slices of bread and a pinch of salt. take care that your vegetables do not stick to the bottom of the pan. when all is well cooked, pass it through a fine tammy. add more gravy, or water and meat juice; make it of the consistency that you wish. bring it to the boil again over the fire, adding pepper and salt, and just before serving a bit of fresh butter also. it is a great improvement to add at the last minute the yolk of an egg, mixed in a little cold water, quickly stirred in when the soup is off the fire. the three recipes for seven or eight persons. [_g. kerckaert._] onion soup mince some thick onions, five or six, and let them color over the fire in butter. add a dessert-spoonful of flour, sprinkling it in, and the same amount in gravy; thicken it with potatoes and when these are cooked, peas, all through a sieve. bring the purée to the right consistency with milk, and let it simmer for a few minutes before serving, adding pepper and salt. [_gabrielle janssens._] potage leman make a good gravy with one and one-half pounds of skirt of beef. with one half of the gravy make a very good purée of peas--if possible the green peas--with the other half make a good purée of tomatoes. combine the two purées, adding pepper and salt and a dust of cayenne. for each guest add to the soup a teaspoonful of madeira wine, beat it all well and serve quickly. or add, instead of madeira, one dessert-spoonful of sherry wine. this celebrated soup is honored by the name of the glorious defender of namur. [_gabrielle janssens._] tomato soup boil together six medium potatoes, a celery, two leeks, two carrots, and a pound of fresh tomatoes, with pepper, salt and a leaf of bay. pass all through the sieve. fry two or three chopped onions in some butter and add the soup to them. boil up again for twenty minutes before serving. if you have no fresh tomatoes, the tinned ones can be used, removing the skin, at the same time that you add the fried onions. [_mme. van praet._] soup, cream of asparagus boil some potatoes and pass them through the sieve, add the asparagus-tops, with a pat of butter for each four tops; thin the soup with extract of meat and water, and at the last moment stir in the raw yolks of two eggs, and a little chopped parsley. [_mme. van praet._] green pea soup put half a pound of dry green peas to soak overnight in water, with a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda in it. in the morning take out the peas and put them on the fire in about three-and-a-half pints of water. when the peas are nearly cooked, add five big potatoes. when all is cooked enough for the skins to come off easily, rub all through a sieve. fry in some butter four or five onions and five or six leeks till they are brown, or, failing butter, use some fat of beef; add these to the peas and boil together a good half-hour. if possible, add a pig's trotter cut into four, which makes the soup most excellent. when ready to serve, remove the four pieces of trotter. little dice of fried bread should be handed with the soup. [_v. verachtert._] vegetable soup fry four onions till they are brown. add them to three pints of water, with four carrots, a slice of white crumb of bread, five potatoes, a celery and a bunch of parsley, which you must take out before passing the soup through the sieve. a few tomatoes make the soup better; if they are tinned, do not add them till after the soup has been passed through the tammy; if they are fresh, put them in with the other vegetables. simmer for an hour, add pepper and salt before serving. [_v. verachtert._] mushroom cream soup on a good white stock foundation, for which you have used milk and a bone of veal, sprinkle in some ground rice till it thickens, stirring it well for twenty minutes. wash and chop your mushrooms, and fry them in butter. add the yolk of an egg and bind it. this is a delicious soup. [_mme. van marcke de lunessen._] the soldier's vegetable soup (eight to ten persons) peel three pounds of vegetables. put them in a large pot with all the vegetables that you can find, according to the season. in the winter you will take four celeries, four leeks, two turnips, a cabbage, two onions, pepper and salt, two-penny-worth of bones, and about five and one-half quarts of water. let it all boil for three hours, taking care to add water so as to keep the quantity at five quarts. rub all the vegetables through a tammy, crushing them well, and then let them boil up again for at least another hour. the time allotted for the first and second cooking is of the greatest importance. leek soup cut up two onions and fry them till they are brown; you need not use butter, clarified fat will do very well. clean your leeks, washing them well; cut them in pieces and fry them also; add any other vegetables that you have, two medium-sized potatoes, pepper, salt, and a little water. let all simmer for three hours, and pass it through a fine sieve. let there be more leeks than other vegetables, so that their flavor predominates. [_mme. jules segers_.] celeris au lard take one pound of celery, cut off the green tops, cut the stems into pieces two-thirds of an inch long; put into boiling salted water, and cook till tender. take one-half pound potatoes, peel and slice, and add to the celery, so that both will be cooked at the same moment. strain and place on a flat fire-proof dish. prepare some fat slices of bacon, toast them till crisp in the oven; pour the melted bacon-fat over the celery and potato, adding a dash of vinegar, and place the rashers on top. serve hot. leeks may be prepared in the same way. cabbage with sausages cut a large cabbage in two, slice and wash, put it into boiling water with salt, and when partly cooked, add some potatoes cut into smallish pieces. cook all together for about an hour; then drain. put some fat in a saucepan, slice an onion, brown it in the fat, add the cabbage and potato, and stew all together for ten minutes; then dish. bake some sausages in the oven and dish them round the cabbage; serve hot. _another way (easier)_ stew the cabbages, potato and sausages all together and dish up neatly. leeks À liegoise take enough of leeks to make the size of dish required; if they are very thick, cut in two lengthwise; cut off the green tops; leaving only the blanched piece of stalk; put them into boiling salted water and cook thoroughly about one hour: strain and dish neatly on a fish-drainer. have ready some hard-boiled eggs; shell them, cut in two, and place round the leeks; serve hot with melted butter, or cold with mayonnaise sauce. n. b. the water in which the leeks have been boiled makes a wholesome drink when cold, or a nourishing basis for a vegetable soup. [_from belgians at dollarfield, n.b._] a salad of tomatoes to make a tomato salad you must not slice the fruit in a dish and then pour on it a little vinegar and then a little oil; that is not salad--that is ignorance. take some red tomatoes, and, if you can procure them, some golden ones also. plunge each for a moment in boiling water, peel off the skin, but carefully, so as not to cut through the flesh with the juice. take some raw onion cut in slices; if you do not like the strong taste, use shallot; and lay four or five flat slices on the bottom of the salad dish. put the tomato slices over them, sprinkle with salt and just a dust of castor sugar. in four hours lift the tomatoes and remove the onions altogether. make in a cup the following sauce: dissolve a salt-spoonful of salt in a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. stir in a dessert-spoonful of oil, dropping it slowly in, add a very little mustard, some pepper and a sprinkle of chopped chervil. some people like chopped chives. pour this over the tomato salad and leave it for an hour at least before serving it. potatoes and cheese every one likes this nourishing dish, and it is a cheap one. peel some potatoes and cut them in rounds. in a fireproof dish put a layer of these, sprinkle them with flour, grated cheese, pepper, salt, a few pats of butter. then some more potatoes, and so on till the dish is full. beat the yolks of two eggs in a pint of milk, add pepper and salt and pour it over the dish. leave it on the top of the stove for five minutes, then cook it for half-an-hour in a moderate oven. less time may be required if the dish is small, but the potatoes must be thoroughly cooked. the original recipe directs gruyère cheese, but red or pale canadian cheddar could be used. friday's feast cook a medium cabbage till it is tender, and all the better if you can cook it in some soup. when tender, mince it and rub it through a sieve. boil at the same time three pounds of chestnuts, skin them, keep ten whole, and rub the others through the sieve, adding a little milk to make a purée. mix the purée with the cabbage, adding salt, pepper, and a lump of butter the size of a chestnut. press it into a mold and cook it in a double saucepan for quarter of an hour. take it out and decorate with the whole chestnuts. red cabbage take half a red cabbage of medium size, chop it very finely and put it in a pan; add a little water, salt, and pepper, three or four potatoes cut in fine slices and five lumps of sugar. let it all simmer for two hours with the lid on. then take off the cover and let it reduce. before serving it, add either a bit of fat pork or some gravy, with a dessert-spoonful of vinegar. stir it well before sending it to table. [_mrs. emelie jones_.] asparagus À l'anvers clean a bunch of asparagus and cook it in salt water for fifteen minutes. to do this successfully, tie the bunch round with some tape and place it upright in a pan of boiling water. let the heads be above the water so that they will get cooked by the steam and will not be broken. simmer in this way to prevent them moving much. meanwhile, hard-boil three eggs and chop some parsley. lay the asparagus on a dish and sprinkle parsley over it, place round the sides the eggs cut in halves long-ways, and serve as well a sauce-boat of melted butter. [_mrs. emelie jones_.] cooked lettuce very often you will find that you cannot use all your lettuces, that they have begun to bolt and are no good for salad. this is the moment to cook them. discard any bad leaves and wash the others carefully. boil them for twelve minutes, take them off the fire, drain them and dry them in a clean cloth so as to get rid of all the water. mince them finely, then put them into a saucepan with a lump of butter, pepper and salt. stir till they begin to turn color, then put in a thimbleful of flour melted in milk. stir constantly, and if the vegetable becomes dry, moisten with more flour and milk. let it simmer for quarter of an hour, and turn it out as a vegetable with meat. stuffed cauliflower pick over a fine cauliflower, and plunge it for a moment in boiling water. look over it well again and remove any grit or insects. put it head downwards in a pan when you have already placed a good slice of fat bacon at the bottom and sides. in the holes between the pan and the vegetable put a stuffing of minced meat, with breadcrumbs, yolks of eggs, mushrooms, seasoning of the usual kinds, in fact, a good forcemeat. press this well in, and pour over it a thin gravy. let it cook gently, and when the gravy on the top has disappeared put a dish on the top of the saucepan, turn it upside down and slip the cauliflower out. serve very hot. gourmands' mushrooms there was a man in ghent who loved mushrooms, but he could only eat them done in this fashion. if you said, "monsieur, will you have them tossed in butter?" he would roar out, "no--do you take me for a prussian? let me have them properly cooked." melt in a pan a lump of butter the size of a tangerine orange and squeeze on it the juice of half a lemon. the way to get a great deal of juice from a lemon is to plunge it first of all for a few minutes, say five minutes, in boiling water. when the butter simmers, throw in a pound of picked small mushrooms, stir them constantly, do not let them get black. then in three or four minutes they are well impregnated with butter, and the chief difficulty of the dish is over. put the saucepan further on the fire, let it boil for a few minutes. take out the mushrooms, drain them, sprinkle them with flour, moisten them with gravy, season with salt and pepper, put them back in the butter and stir in the yolk of an egg. add also a little of the lemon juice that remains. while you are doing this you must get another person to cut and toast some bread and to butter it. pour on to the bread the mushrooms (which are fit for the greatest saints to eat on fridays), and serve them very hot. pommes chÂteau take twenty potatoes, turn them with a knife into olive shape, boil them in salted water for five minutes; drain them and put them on a baking-tin with salt and butter or dripping. cook them in a very hot oven for thirty minutes, moving them about from time to time. sprinkle on a little chopped parsley before serving. chipped potatoes take some long-shaped potatoes, peel them and smooth them with the knife. cut them into very thin rounds. heat the grease pretty hot, dry the slices of potato with a cloth, put them into the frying basket and plunge them into the fat. when they are colored, take the basket out, let the fat heat up again to a slightly higher temperature, and re-plunge the basket, so that the slices become quite crisp. serve with coarse salt sprinkled over. chicory À la ferdinand boil and chop in medium-sized pieces the chicory, mince up a few chives according to your taste and heat both the vegetables in some cream, adding salt and pepper. pour on a dish and decorate with chopped hard-boiled eggs. apples and sausages this dish comes from the french border of belgium; it tastes better than you would think. take a pound of beef sausages, and preferably use the small chipolata sausages. (what a delightful thing if the english would make other kinds of sausages as well as their beef and pork ones!) fry then your sausages lightly in butter, look upon them as little beings for a few moments in purgatory before they are removed to heaven, among the apples. keeping your sausages hot after they are fried, take a pound of brown pippin apples, pare them and core them. cut them into neat rounds quarter of an inch thick, put them to cook in their liquor of the sausages (which you are keeping hot elsewhere), and add butter to moisten them. let them simmer gently so as to keep their shape. put the apple-rings in the center of the dish, place the sausages round them. this dish uses a good deal of butter, but you must not use anything else for frying. stuffed chicory make a mince of any cold white meat, such as veal, pork or chicken, and add to it some minced ham; sprinkle it with a thick white sauce. in the meantime the chicories should be cooking; tie each one round with a thread to keep them firm and boil them for ten minutes. when cooked, drain them well, open them lengthwise very carefully, and slip in a spoonful of the mince. close them, keeping the leaves very neat, and, if necessary, tie them round again. put them in a fire-proof dish with a lump of butter on each, and let them heat through. serve them in their juice or with more of the white sauce, taking care to remove the threads. [_madame limpens_.] tomatoes stuffed with beans halve and empty the tomatoes, and put a few drops of vinegar in each. cook your beans, whether french beans or haricots or flageolets, and stir them, when tender, into a good thick bechamel sauce. let this get cold. empty out the vinegar from the tomatoes and fill them with the mixture, pouring over the top some mayonnaise sauce and parsley. [_madame van praet_.] cabbage and potatoes boil the cabbages in salted water till tender. chop them up. brown an onion in butter, and add the cabbage, salt, pepper, and a little water. slice some potatoes thickly, fry them, and serve the vegetable with cabbage in the center, and the fried potatoes laid round. [_mdlle. m. schmidt, antwerp_.] spinach À la braconniÈre cook two pounds of well-washed spinach; drain it, and pass it through a sieve; or, failing a sieve, chop it very finely with butter, pepper and salt. do not add milk, but let it remain somewhat firm. make a thick bechamel sauce, sufficient to take up a quarter of a pound of grated gruyère, and, if you wish, stir in the yolk of a raw egg. lay in a circular dish half a pound of minced ham, pour round it the thick white sauce, and round that again the hot spinach. this makes a pretty dish, and it is not costly. [_mme. braconnière_.] a dish of haricot beans put the haricots to soak for six hours in cold water. boil them in water with one carrot, one onion, salt, two cloves, a good pinch of dried herbs. drain off the liquor from the haricots. chop up a shallot, and fry it in butter; add your haricots, with pepper and salt and tomato purée. stir well, and serve with minced parsley scattered at the top. [_mme. goffaux_.] potatoes in the belgian manner take some slices of streaky bacon, about five inches long, and heat them in a pan. when the bacon is half-cooked, take it out of the pan and in the fat that remains behind fry some very finely-sliced onions till they are brown. when the onions are well browned, put them in a large pot, large enough for all the potatoes you wish to cook, adding pepper, salt, and a coffee-spoonful of sweet herbs dried and mixed, which in england replace the thyme and bay-leaves used in belgium. add sufficient water to cook the potatoes and your slices of bacon. cook till tender. [_e. wainard_.] tomatoes and shrimps lay on a dish some sliced tomatoes, taking out the seeds, and sprinkle them over with picked shrimps. then pour over all a good mayonnaise sauce. for the sauce: take the yolk of an egg and mix it with two soup-spoonfuls of salad oil that you must pass in very gently and very little at a time. melt a good pinch of salt in a teaspoonful of vinegar (tarragon vinegar, if you have it); add pepper and a small quantity of made mustard. in making this sauce be sure to stir it always the same way. it will take about half-an-hour to make it properly. [_paquerette_.] flemish endive choose twelve endives that are short and neat; cut off the outside leaves and pare the bottom; wash them in plenty of water, and cook them in simmering water for three minutes. then take them from the water and place them in a well-buttered frying-pan, dust them with salt and also with a pinch of sugar. add the juice of half a lemon, and rather less than a pint of water. place the pan on the fire for two or three minutes to start the cooking, then cover it closely, and finish the cooking by placing it in the oven for fifty minutes. take out the endives and put them in the vegetable-dish and pour over them the liquor in which they have been cooked. this liquor is improved by being reduced, and when off the fire, by having a small piece of butter added to it. the above recipe can be used for chicory as well as for endive. [_j. kirckaert_.] cauliflower and shrimps take a cauliflower and cut off the green part, and wash it several times in salted water. boil it gently till cooked, taking care that it remains whole. put it aside to cool, and when it is quite cold make a hole in the center down to the bottom. pick some shrimps till you have half a pint of them, make a good mayonnaise and, taking half of it, mix it with the shrimps. fill the hole in the cauliflower with the shrimps and sauce, and pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the cauliflower. this dish is to be served very cold. [_e. defouck_.] belgian carrots clean well the carrots, cut them in dice, and wash them well. put them on the fire with enough water to cover them, a bit of butter, an onion well minced, salt and pepper and a dessert-spoonful of powdered sugar. place the dish in the oven for at least an hour, and, when you serve it, sprinkle over the carrots some minced parsley. [_gabrielle janssens_.] stuffed tomatoes take ten good tomatoes and cut off the tops, which are to serve as lids. remove the insides, and fill with the following mixture: minced veal and ham, rather more veal than ham, mushrooms tossed in butter, a little breadcrumb, milk to render it moist, pepper and salt. put on the covers and add on each one a scrap of butter. bake them gently in a fireproof dish. the following excellent sauce is poured over them five minutes before taking them out of the oven: use any stock that you have, preferably veal, adding the insides of the tomatoes, pepper and salt; pass this through the wire sieve. make a _roux_--that is, melt some butter in a pan, adding flour little by little and stirring until it goes a brown color. add to it then your tomatoes that have been through the sieve, and some more fried mushrooms. pour this sauce over the whole and serve very hot. [_mme. van praet_.] red cabbage mince the cabbage and put it in a pan with plenty of refined fat (clarified fat) and two or three large potatoes, pepper and salt. add sufficient water to cover it, with a dash of vinegar and six dessert-spoonfuls of brown or moist sugar. let it simmer for four hours, drain it and serve cold. [_mme. segers_.] vegetable salad the special point of this dish is that peas, beans, carrots in dice, are all cooked separately and when they are cold they are placed in a large dish without being mixed. decorate with the hearts of lettuce round the edge and with slices of tomato, and pour over it, or hand with it, a good mayonnaise. [_mme. van praet_.] chicory this excellent vegetable can be dressed either in a bechamel sauce, or with butter and lemon-juice. it is gently stewed, first of all, and it requires pepper and salt. the sauces can be varied with tomato, or with some of the good english bottled sauces stirred with the bechamel. [_mme. van praet_.] cauliflower À la reine elizabeth simmer the cauliflowers till tender. prepare a mince of veal and pork, and season it well with a little spice. butter a mold and fill it with alternate layers of mince and of cauliflower broken in small pieces. fill a large saucepan three-quarters full of boiling water and place the mold in this; let it cook for one hour in this way over the fire; turn it out and pour a spinach sauce over it. [_mme. van praet_.] mushrooms À la spinette make some puff pastry cases, wash and chop the mushrooms and toss them in butter to which you have added a slice of lemon. make a bechamel sauce with cream, or, failing that, with thick tinned cream, and mix with the mushrooms. heat the cases for a few minutes in the oven and fill them with the hot mixture. [_mme. spinette_.] dressed cauliflower simmer a cauliflower till it is tender. pour out the liquor, and add to it a bit of butter, the size of a nut, rolled in flour, a pinch of nutmeg, a tablespoonful of gruyère cheese and a little milk. bind the sauce with a little feculina flour. at the moment of serving, pour the sauce over the cauliflower, which you have placed upright on a dish. the nutmeg and the cheese are indispensable to this dish. [_v. verachtert_.] brussels sprouts (the best way to cook them) having cleaned and trimmed your sprouts, let them simmer in salted water, to which you have also added a little soda to preserve the color. or, if you do not like to add soda, keep the pan firmly covered by the lid. when tender, take them out and let them drain, place them in another pan with a good lump of butter or fat; stir, so as to let the butter melt at once, and sprinkle in pepper and a tiny pinch of nutmeg. [_mdlle. germaine verstraete_.] ragout of mutton fry the mutton very well. then place in another pan sufficient water to cover your mutton, adding pepper, salt, a little nutmeg, a celery, and a few white turnips cut in pieces. when they are well cooked, add the meat and let all simmer for two hours. [_v. verachtert_.] stewed shoulder of mutton put in a pan a large lump of butter or clarified fat, and place the shoulder in it. add two big onions sliced, and a very large carrot also sliced, thyme, bay-leaf, two cloves, pepper and salt, and, if you like it, two garlic knobs. let the shoulder simmer in this by the side of the fire for three hours. strain the sauce through a fine sieve, and then add to it either a glass of good red wine or a little made mustard with a teaspoonful of brown sugar. [_mme. segers_.] shoulder of mutton put a handful of dried white haricots to soak over-night and simmer them the following day for two hours with some salt. rub your shoulder of mutton with a little bit of garlic before putting it in the oven to cook, and when it is done, serve with the haricots round it, to which have been added a pat or two of butter. [_v. verachtert_.] mutton collops take some slices of roast or boiled leg of mutton, egg them, and roll in a mixture of breadcrumbs, salt, pepper, and a little flower. fry till the slices are brown on each side; serve with chipped potatoes. shoulder of mutton dressed like kid my readers have probably tasted a shoulder of kid dressed as mutton. let them therefore try the converse of the dish, and, if they really take trouble with it, they will have a dinner of the most delicious. put into a deep dish that will hold your shoulder of mutton the following mixture: a cupful each of oil, vinegar, white wine, red wine, an onion stuffed with cloves, a bunch of herbs which must be fresh ones--thyme, parsley, marjoram, sage, a tiny bit of mint, a few bay-leaves--two medium carrots cut in slices. put the shoulder of mutton in this mixture and keep it there for four days, turning it every now and then and pouring the mixture on it. on the fifth day take it out, and, if you care to take the trouble, you will improve it by larding the meat here and there. put it to roast in front of a good fire, with your liquor, which serves to baste it with, in a pan beneath. if you cannot arrange to hang the mutton by a string to turn like a roasting jack, then bake it, and continually baste it. a small shoulder is most successful. for one of four pounds bake for fifty minutes. roast rump of beef, bordelaise sauce take three pounds of the rump of beef, put it into a pretty deep pan upon one onion, one sliced carrot, some thyme, and a bay-leaf, three table-spoonfuls of dripping, salt, and pepper. put it on the top of the fire, and when it comes fully to the boil, put it to the side, and allow it to simmer nicely for an hour and a half. dress it on a dish and serve the sauce separately. roasted fillet of beef about three pounds of fillet of beef roasted in a good hot oven for forty minutes; let it be rather underdone. take three turnips, four good-sized carrots, cut them into jardinière slices. cook them separately in salted water, drain them and add salt, pepper, a tiny pinch of sugar and one dessert-spoonful of butter. dress the fillet on a long dish with the garniture of carrots and turnips, and some artichoke-bottoms cooked in water and finished with butter, also add some potatoes _château_. be sure the dish is very hot. put a little water, or, for choice, clear stock, upon the roasting-dish and pour it over the fillet. beef À la bourguignonne braise three pounds of beef upon twenty little onions, ten mushrooms, and two glasses of red wine, salt, pepper, thyme and bay-leaf; cook for one and one-half hours with not too hot a fire. after that, place the beef on an oval dish; keep it hot; stir two tablespoonfuls of demi-glaze into the vegetables and let it boil up. cut some slices of the beef, and strain the sauce over all. ox-tongue À la bourgeoise braise a tongue with two glasses of madeira, one carrot, one onion, thyme, bay-leaf, for two hours. take seven tomatoes cut in pieces, four carrots cut in two and three in four, about one-half inch long, ten smallish onions, and braise them all together; then add two large table-spoonfuls of demi-glaze, some salt and pepper. serve all very hot on an oval dish. braised tongue eats very well with spinach, carrots or sorrel. beef À la mode take the raw beef, either rump-steak or fillet, and brown it in the pan in some butter. then add a little boiling water. add then six or eight chopped shallots, the hearts of two celeries chopped, a few small and whole carrots, pepper, salt, two cloves. before serving, bind the sauce with a little flour and pour all over the meat. [_v. verachtert_.] boeuf À la flamande for this national dish that part of the animal called the "spiering" is used, which is cut from near the neck. what is called fresh silverside in england answers very well. cut the beef into slices about half-an-inch thick and divide the slices into four pieces. this you can do with a piece of four pounds. for a piece of four pounds, cook first of all four large fried onions in fat. put the beef in the hot fat when the onions are colored, and sauté it; that is, keep moving the meat about gently. take the meat out and place it on a dish. add to the fat two dessert-spoonsful of flour and let it cook gently for five minutes, adding a good pint of water. pass the sauce through a tammy, over the onions, and put the meat back in it, and it ought to cover them. then add a dessert-spoonful of good vinegar and a strong bunch of herbs. stew for an hour, take off the fat and remove the bunch of herbs. heat up again and serve. caretaker's beef the real name of this dish is _miroton de la concierge_, and it is currently held that only _concierges_ can do it to perfection. put a handful of minced onion to fry in butter; when it is nearly cooked, but not quite, add a dessert-spoonful of flour, and stir it till all is well colored. pour on it a little gravy, or meat-juice of some kind, and let it simmer for ten minutes after it begins to steam again. then take your beef, which must be cold, and cut in small slices; throw them in and let it all cook for a quarter of an hour, only simmering, and constantly stirring it, so that though it becomes considerably reduced it does not stick to the pan. blankenberg beef this is a winter dish; it is most sustaining, and once made, it can be kept hot for hours without spoiling. make a purée of lentils or peas, and season it with pepper and salt. mince your beef with an equal quantity of peeled chestnuts, add chopped parsley, a dust of nutmeg or a few cloves. if you have any cheap red wine pour it over the mince till it is well moistened. if you have no red wine, use gravy. if you have no gravy, use milk. let all heat up in the oven for ten minutes, then sprinkle in some currants or sultanas. take the dish you wish to serve it in, put the stew in the middle, and place the purée round it. if the mince is moist it can be kept by the fire till required, or the dish can be covered with another one and placed in a carrying-can, taken out to skating or shooting parties. veal with tomatoes grill some slices of fat veal; cook some sliced tomatoes with butter, pepper and salt, on a flat dish in a pretty quick oven. garnish the veal with the tomatoes laid on top of each slice, and pour _maître-d'hôtel_ butter over, made with butter, salt, chopped parsley, and lemon-juice. fricandeau of veal a fillet of veal, larded with fat bacon, of about three pounds. braise it one and one-half hours on a moderate fire. dish with its own gravy. this eats well with spinach, endive, sorrel or carrots. veal cutlets with madeira sauce are garnished with potatoes and mushrooms, and the sauce is made of demi-glaze and madeira, worked up with butter, pepper, salt and chopped parsley. grenadins of veal cut your veal into fairly thick cutlets, lard them with fat bacon, and braise them in the oven, with salt, pepper and butter. dish up, and rinse the pot with a little stock, and pour it on the meat ready to serve. calf's liver À la bourgeoise take a calf's liver, lard it with fat bacon, braise it with the _bourgeoise_ garnish--carrots and turnips. after it is cooked and dished, stir some demi-glaze into the sauce, pour it on to the meat and garnish with potatoes _château_. veal with mushrooms, or the calf in paradise take some slices of loin of veal, fry them in butter, with pepper and salt, for twenty minutes. take two spoonfuls of demi-glaze and heat it with some mushrooms and a little madeira. put the mushrooms and sauce on each slice and sprinkle chopped parsley over all. this can also be done with _fines herbes_, mushrooms, chervil and parsley, chopped before cooking them in the butter. blanquette of veal take your veal, which need not be from the fillet or the best cuts. cut it into pieces about an inch long and add a little water when putting it into the pan; salt, pepper and a little nutmeg, and let it simmer for two hours. when tender, stir in the juice of half a lemon, and then bind the sauce with the yolk of an egg, or, in default of that, with a little flour. serve immediately. you will find that when you wish to bind a sauce at the last minute, egg powder will serve very well. [_v. verachtert_.] veal cake, excellent for supper take some chopped veal and with it an equal quantity of chopped beef, and one-quarter the quantity of breadcrumbs from a fresh loaf. bind all with a raw egg, adding salt and pepper, and, if wished, some blanched and chopped almonds. (put a large piece of butter both above and below.) shape the meat into the form of a loaf and put it in a dish, with a large slice of butter above and below it. cook it for about half-an-hour. [_mme. gabrielle janssens_.] breast of veal (a good and inexpensive dish) cook the breast of veal in stock or in a little meat extract and water, with sliced carrots and onions, thyme, pepper, salt, three bay-leaves and three cloves. let it stew for one hour in this, and then take it out. take out also the vegetables, and strain the liquor. make a bechamel sauce and add it to the liquor, giving it all a sharp taste with the juice of half a lemon. put back the breast of veal in this sauce and when hot again serve them together. [_mdlle. spinette_.] ox tongue cook the ox tongue in stock or in meat extract and water. make the hunters' sauce, as for a hare, but sprinkle into it some chopped sultanas. take the tongue out of the stock and skin it, cut it in neat pieces if you wish, and let it heat in your sauce. [_mdlle. spinette_.] veal À la milanaise egg and breadcrumb some thick slices of veal; fry and garnish with boiled macaroni cut in small pieces, with ham, mushrooms, truffles, all cut in julienne strips, pepper, salt, and a little tomato sauce. mix all these well together, and serve very hot. stuffed veal liver, or liver À la panier d'or the _panier d'or_ is a hotel in bruges, much frequented before the war by the english. take the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, a bit of bread the same size, and crumble them together; rub in some chopped parsley and onion and moisten it with gravy or with milk; season highly with salt, cayenne, and a little vinegar or mustard. take your liver, if possible in one rather large flat slice. make deep cuts in it, parallel to each other, and lying closely together. press your stuffing into these cuts. put a bit of butter the size of a walnut into a pan, or fireproof dish. take your liver and tie it round with a slice of fat bacon or fat pork. lay it in the dish and let it cook for an hour in a moderate oven. when done, remove the slice of bacon, if there is any left, and serve the liver in its own juice. veal À la crÊme take a piece of veal suitable for roasting, and put it in vinegar for twenty-four hours. roast it with butter, pepper and salt, with a few slices of onion. baste it well, and when it is finished crush the onions in the gravy and add some cream. mix together with flour so as to thicken. [_mdlle. spreakers_.] _this is the demi-glaze sauce which is used for all brown sauces._ take one pound of flour, dry it in the oven on a tray till it is the color of cocoa; pass it through a sieve into a saucepan, moisten it with stock, mixing very carefully. boil it up two or three times during forty-eight hours, adding two carrots, two onions, thyme, bay, all cut up, which you have colored in the frying-pan, also some salt and peppercorns. when it is all cooked, pass it through a cloth or sieve. when it is reduced the first time, you should add some stock, but by the time it is finished it should be fairly thick. it will keep for a fortnight. [_g. goffaux_.] dutch sauce for fish take a tablespoonful of flour and three of water; make it boil and add the yolks of three eggs; melt one-half pound of butter and beat it gently into your first mixture, add salt, the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of grated nutmeg. keep the sauce very hot in a _bain-marie_ or in a double saucepan. if you have neither, keep it in a large cup placed in a saucepan of hot water. [_mrs. emelie jones_.] bearnaise sauce (very good with stewed meat) put some onions to cook in tarragon vinegar and water; when they are half done, add more water and throw in a little thyme and a leaf or two of bay; let it cook for one hour and pass it through a sieve. melt some butter in a pan and thicken it with flour; put your vinegar to it and more water if you think it necessary; stir in salt and pepper and the yolks of two eggs or more, according to the quantity that you wish to make. let it get thick, and just as you take it off the fire add a sprinkle of chopped parsley and a pat of butter. this is a useful sauce and it well repays the trouble. [_mme. spinette_.] muslin sauce melt a piece of butter the size of an egg, sprinkle and stir in some flour, adding water if it becomes too thick. keep stirring over the fire for five minutes, and, still stirring, add pepper and salt and the yolks of two eggs. you may add the yolks of three or four eggs if you wish for a rich sauce. the last item is the juice of a lemon to your taste. this is a very popular addition to meat. [_mme. spinette_.] sauce bordelaise two shallots, ten tarragon leaves all chopped, are put into a very small saucepan. add a large glass of claret, a dessert-spoonful of butter, and let it all reduce together. add salt, pepper, three dessert-spoonfuls of demi-glaze, let it come to the boil, and stir in two dessert-spoonfuls of butter. [_georges goffaux_.] poor man's sauce even a piece of meat of poor quality is much liked if it has the following sauce poured over it when served. put a little milk, say a cupful, in a saucepan, with salt and pepper; let it heat. chop up a handful of shallots and a quarter as much of parsley that is well washed. throw them into the milk; let it boil, and when the shallots are tender the sauce is ready. if you have no milk, use water; but in that case let it be strongly flavored with vinegar. the good wife's sauce this sauce is indispensable to any one who wishes to use up slices of cold mutton. trim your slices, take away skin and fat and pour on them the following cold sauce. hard-boil three eggs, let them get cold. crumble the yolks in a cup, adding slowly a tablespoonful of oil, salt, pepper, a little mustard, a teaspoonful of vinegar; then chop the whites of egg, with a scrap of onion, and if you have them, some capers. mix all together and pour it over the cold meat. cream sauce roll a lump of butter in flour, put it in a pan on the fire, and as it melts add pepper and salt. stir it, and as it thickens add a little milk; let it simmer and keep on stirring it. you will never get a good white sauce unless you season it well and let it simmer for a quarter of an hour. strain it, heat it again, and serve it for fish, potatoes, chicken. sauce maÎtre d'hÔtel every one likes this sauce for either meat or fish. in a double saucepan melt a lump of butter, flavor it with salt, pepper, some minced parsley that you had first rubbed on a raw slice of onion, and some lemon-juice. use vinegar instead of the lemon if you wish, but do not forget that it does not require so much vinegar. mix it with a fork and serve it warm; do not let it bubble. sauce au diable (for cold meats) take a shallot or two, according to quantity of sauce needed, slice very finely, shred a little parsley, put both into the sauce-boat, with salt, pepper, and mustard to taste; add oil and vinegar in proportion of one dessert-spoonful of vinegar to two table-spoonfuls of oil, till sufficient quantity. fricassee of pigeons put your pieces of pigeon into a stew-pan in butter, and let it cook with the pigeons. then add one carrot, two onions, two sprigs of parsley, a leaf of sage, five juniper berries, and a very little nutmeg. stir it all for a few minutes, and then, and only then, add a half-cupful of water and liebig, two rusks or dry biscuits in pieces, the juice of a lemon. put it all on the side of the fire, cover the saucepan and let it cook gently for an hour and a half. [_mme. vandervalle_.] hunter's hare cut the hare in pieces and cook it in the oven in butter, pepper and salt, turning it now and then so that it does not get dry. then prepare hunter's sauce. melt a bit of butter the size of an egg and add flour, letting it brown, fry in it plenty of chopped onions and shallots, adding tarragon vinegar, cayenne and pepper-corns; spice it highly with nutmeg, three cloves, a sprig of thyme and a couple of bay-leaves. chop up the hare liver, put it in the sauce and pass all through the sieve. pour the sauce over the hare and add a good glass of claret, or, for english tastes, of port wine. if the sauce is too thin, thicken it with flour, and serve all together. [_mme. spinette_.] flemish rabbit cut the rabbit into neat pieces. put them into a deep frying-pan and toss them in butter, so that each piece is well browned without burning the butter. take them out of the pan and in the same butter cook six shallots (finely minced) till they are brown. then return the rabbit to the pan, seasoning all with salt and pepper, adding as well three bay-leaves, two cloves, and two white peppers. if you have any gravy, add a pint of it, but in default of gravy add the same quantity of bovril and water. place on the fire till it boils, then draw it to the side and let it cook there gently for three-quarters of an hour. just when it is nearly done, add a little vinegar, more or less according to your taste. this is served with boiled and well-drained potatoes. if the sauce is not thick enough, add to it a little flour which has been first mixed with some cold water. [_georges kerckeert_.] roast kid with venison sauce this dish is very excellent with mutton instead of kid; the meat tastes like venison if this recipe is followed: put the meat, say a shoulder of mutton, to soak in a bottle of red wine, with a sliced carrot, thyme, bay-leaves ( ), six cloves, fifteen peppercorns and a teaspoonful of vinegar, for two hours. then bring the liquor to the boil and just before it is boiling pour it over and over the meat. do this pouring over of hot liquor for two days. then put the meat in the oven with butter, pepper, and salt, till it is cooked. sauce: brown some onions in butter and pour in your liquor, but without the carrot. let it simmer for three-quarters of an hour, and pour it through a sieve. roll a nut of butter in flour and add little by little the liquor you have from the meat, then a coffee-spoonful of meat extract and two lumps of sugar. this sauce ought to be quite thick. it is served with the meat. [_mme. vandervalle_.] baked rabbit fry the pieces of rabbit, adding three onions, two medium potatoes, half a glass of beer, a little water or stock, pepper and salt. let it all bake gently in an earthenware pot for two hours, and then thicken the same with flour. it is an improvement to add when it is being cooked two cloves, two bay-leaves, a pinch of nutmeg, and any fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, mint. [_mme. e. maes_.] chicken À la max chop up some cold chicken into small squares, mix with a thick white sauce, and let it heat. put it on a hot dish and cover with fried onions. put chipped potatoes at the ends of the dish and a boiled chicory at either side. this excellent dish has received distinction also from its name, that of the heroic and ingenious burgomaster of brussels. [_m. stuart_.] rabbit À la bordelaise cut a rabbit into joints, cover with vinegar, chop finely two small onions, thyme, pepper, and salt, and a little grated nutmeg; let all soak for twenty-four hours. take out the joints and brown gently in a little dripping; when all are nicely browned take one cupful of the marmalade and stew till tender one and a half to two hours. when ready, strain off the sauce, thicken nicely with flour, dish the rabbit, and pour over the sauce. laeken rabbit take a medium-sized rabbit, and have it prepared and cut into joints. put the pieces to soak for forty-eight hours in vinegar, enough to cover them, with a sprinkle of fresh thyme in it and a small onion sliced finely. after forty-eight hours, put one-quarter pound of fat bacon, sliced, in a pan to melt, and when it has melted, take out any bits that remain, and add to the melted bacon a bit of butter as big as an egg, which let melt till it froths; secondly, sprinkle in a dessert-spoonful of flour. stir it over the fire, mixing well till the sauce becomes brown, and then put in your marinaded pieces of rabbit. add pepper and salt and cook till each piece is well colored on each side. when they are well colored, add then the bunch of thyme, the sliced onion and half the vinegar that you used for soaking; three bay-leaves, one dozen dried and dry prunes, five lumps of sugar, half a pint of water. cover closely and let it simmer for two hours and a half. [_a belgian at droitwich_.] rabbit put the back and the hind legs of one or two rabbits in an oven, covering the same first with a layer of butter (half inch thick) and then with a layer of french mustard, pepper and salt. roast by a good fire for one hour, baste often with the juice from the meat and the gravy. hare to be put in a pan in the oven: sauce, butter, and a quarter of a pint of cream, pepper, salt and some flour to thicken the sauce. before the hare is put in the oven, cover it with a thin piece of bacon, which must be taken away before the hare is brought to table. [_mdlle. breakers_.] rum omelette this simple dish is much liked by gentlemen. break five eggs in a basin, sweeten them with castor sugar, pour in a sherry glassful of rum. beat them very hard till they froth. put a bit of fresh butter in a shallow pan and pour in your eggs. let it stay on the fire just three minutes and then slip it off on to a hot dish. powder it with sugar, as you take it to the dining-room. at the dining-room door, set a light to a big spoonful of rum and pour it over the omelette just as you go in. it is almost impossible to light a glass of rum in a hurry, for your omelette, so use a kitchen spoon. the children's birthday dish boil up a quart of milk, sweeten it with nearly half a pound of sugar, and flavor with vanilla. let it get cold. beat up six eggs, both yolks and whites, mix them with the milk, put it all in a fireproof dish and cook very gently. cover the top before you serve it with ratafia biscuits. a frangipani put your saucepan on the table and break in it two eggs. mix these with two dessertspoonfuls of flour. add a pint of milk, and put it on the fire, stirring always one way. let it cook for a quarter of an hour, stirring with one hand, while with the other sprinkle in powdered sugar and ground almonds. turn out to get cold, and cut in squares. apricot soufflÉ this is good enough even for an english "dinner-party." beat the whites of six eggs stiffly. take four dessert-spoonfuls of apricot jam, or an equal quantity of those dried apricots that have been soaked and stewed to a purée. if you use jam, you need not add sugar. if you use the dried apricots, add sugar to sweeten. butter a dish at the bottom, and when you have well mixed with a fork the beaten whites and the apricot, put it in a pyramid on the dish and bake for fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. powder with sugar. stewed prunes prunes are very good done this way. take a pound of prunes, soak them twenty-four hours in water. put them on the fire in a cupful of water and half a bottle of light red wine, quarter of a pound of sugar and, if you like it, a pinch of cinnamon or mixed spice. let it all stew till the liquor is much reduced and the prunes are well flavored. let them get cold, and serve them in a glass dish with whipped cream. chocolate cream take the whites of six eggs and beat them stiff, doing first one and then another, adding to them three soup-spoonfuls of powdered sugar and three sticks of chocolate that you have grated. if you have powdered chocolate by you, use that, and taste the mixture to judge when it is well flavored. mix it all well in a cool place. to do this dish successfully, make it just before you wish to serve it. [_mdlle. lust, of brussels_.] semolina soufflÉ boil up two pints of milk and fifteen lumps of sugar with a bit of vanilla. add three soup-spoonfuls of semolina, and let it boil for fifteen minutes, while you stir it. take it from the fire, and add to it the yolks of two eggs and their whites that you have beaten stiffly. put it in the oven for a quarter of an hour, and serve it hot. [_mdlle. lust, of brussels_.] snowy mountains butter six circular rusks, and put on them a layer of jam. beat the whites of three eggs and place them on the rusks in the shape of a pyramide. put them in the oven and color a little. they must be served hot. [_mdlle. lust, of brussels_.] richelieu rice put three soup-spoonfuls of carolina rice to swell in a little water, with a pat of butter. when the rice has absorbed all the water, add a pint of milk, sugar to sweeten, a few raisins, some chopped orange-peel, and some crystallized cherries, or any other preserved fruit. put all on the fire, and when the mixture is cooked the rice ought to be creamy. add the yolk of an egg, stir it well, and pour all into a mold. put it to cool. turn it out, and serve it with the following sauce, which must be poured on the shape. a pint of milk, sugar, and vanilla; let it boil. stir a soup-spoonful of cornflour in water till it is smooth, mix it with the boiling milk, let it boil while stirring it for a few minutes, take it from the fire, add the yolk of an egg, and pour it on the rice shape. serve when cold. [_mdlle. lust, of brussels_.] excellent paste for pastry equal quantities of butter and flour, well mixed in a little beer; add also a pinch of salt. make this paste the day before you require it; it is good for little patties and tarts. [_mdlle. le kent_.] chocolate cream (no. ) melt four penny tablets of chocolate in hot milk until it is liquid and without lumps. boil up a pint of milk with a stick of vanilla, a big lump of butter (size of a walnut) and ten lumps of sugar. when this boils, add the chocolate and keep stirring continually. then take the yolks of three eggs and well beat them; it is better to have these beaten before, so as not to interfere with the stirring of your mixture. add your three yolks and keep on stirring, always in the same way. then pour the mixture into a mold that has been rinsed out in very cold water, and let it stand in a cool place till set. [_mrs. emelie jones_.] belgian gingerbread / pound cornflour / pound butter / pound white sugar or eggs / ounce ginger powder. work all the ingredients together on a marble slab, to get the paste all of the same consistency. make it into balls as big as walnuts, flattening them slightly before putting them into the oven. this sort of gingerbread keeps very well. [_l. l. b. d'anvers_.] apple fritters put half pound of flour in a deep dish and work it with beer, beating it well till there are no lumps left. make it into a paste that is not very liquid. peel and core some good apples, cut them into rounds, put them in the paste so that each one is well covered with it. have a pan of boiling fat and throw in the apple slices for two minutes. they ought to be golden by then, if that fat has been hot enough. serve them dusted with powdered sugar and the juice of half a lemon squeezed on them. [_mme. delahaye_.] four quarters weigh four very fresh eggs and put them in an earthenware dish. add successively, sieved flour, fine sugar, and fresh butter, each one of these items being of the same weight of the eggs--hence the name: four quarters. with a wooden spoon, work these four ingredients, then let them rest for five minutes. turn it all into a buttered mold and let it cook for five quarters of an hour in a gentle oven or in a double saucepan. turn it out, and eat it either cold or hot and with fruit. [_georges kerckaert_.] saffron rice wash the rice in cold water, heat it in a little water and add a dust of salt. flavor some milk (enough to cover the rice) with vanilla, and pour it on the rice. let it cook in the oven for an hour and a quarter. take it from the fire, and stir in the yolks only of two eggs, or of one only, if wished. sweeten the whole with sugar, and color it with a little saffron. turn it out, and let it get very cold. [_paquerette_.] semolina fritters quarter pound semolina, one and a half pints of milk, three eggs. put on the milk, and, as soon as it is boiling, drop the semolina in, in a shower. let it boil for a few minutes, stirring continually. then add the yolks of three eggs, and then the whites, which you have already beaten stiff. pour all on a dish, and cool. have some boiling lard (it is boiling when it ceases to bubble), and throw into it spoonsful of the mixture. when they are fried golden, take them out, drain them a moment, and sprinkle on some white sugar. [_mme. segers_.] speculoos (a brussels recipe) pound down half pound flour, four ounces brown sugar, three and a half ounces butter, a pinch of nutmeg, and the same of mace and cinnamon in powder. add, as well, a pinch of bicarbonate of soda. make the paste into a ball, and cover it with a fine linen or muslin cloth, and leave it till the following day. if you have no molds to press it in, cut it into diamonds or different shapes, and cook them in the oven on buttered trays. i believe waffle irons can be bought in london. gaufres from brussels mix in an earthern bowl half a pint of flour, five yolks of eggs, a coffee-spoonful of castor sugar, half pint of milk (fresh), adding a pinch of salt and of vanilla; then two ounces butter melted over hot water. then beat up the whites of four eggs very stiffly, and add them. butter a baking-tin or sheet (since english households have not got a gaufre-iron, which is double and closes up), and pour in your mixture, spreading it over the sheet. when the gaufre is nicely yellowed, take it out and powder it with sugar. but to render this recipe absolutely successful, the correct implement is necessary. rice À la conde simmer the rice in milk till it is tender, sweeten it, and add, for a medium-sized mold, the yolks of two eggs. let it thicken a little, and stir in pieces of pineapple. pour it into a mold, and let it cool. turn it out when it has well set, and decorate with crystallized fruits. pour round it a thin apricot syrup. [_mme. spinette_.] pains perdus (lost bread) make a mixture of milk and raw eggs, enough to soak up in six rusks. flavor it with a little mace or cinnamon. put some butter in a pan and put the rusks in it to fry. let them color a good brown, and serve them hot with sugar dusted over them. [_mme. spinette_.] fruit fritters peel some apples, take out the core and cut them in slices, powder them on each side with sugar. you can use also pears, melons, or bananas. make a batter with flour, milk and eggs, beating well the whites; a glass of rum and sugar to sweeten it. put your lard on to heat, and when the blue steam rises roll your fruit slices in the batter and throw them into the lard. when they are golden, serve them with powdered sugar. [_mme. spinette_.] mocha cake take half a pound of fresh butter, four ounces of powdered sugar, and work them well together. when they are well mixed, add the yolks of four eggs, each one separately, and the whites of two. when the mixture is thoroughly well done, add, drop by drop, some boiling coffee essence to your taste. butter a mold and line it with small sponge biscuits, and fill it with alternate layers of the cream and of biscuits. put it for the night in the cellar before you serve it the following day. you can replace the essence of coffee by some chocolate that has been melted over hot water. [_mme. spinette_.] vanilla cream sweeten well half a pint of milk and flavor it with vanilla. put it to boil. mix in a dish the yolks of four eggs with a little cornflour. when the milk boils, pour it very slowly over the eggs, mixing it well. return it all to the pan and let it get thick without bringing it to the boil. add some chopped almonds, and turn the mixture into a mold to cool. [_mme. spinette_.] rum cream take sponge biscuits and arrange them on a dish, joining each to the other with jam. (you can make a square or a circle or a sort of hollow tower.) pour your rum over them till they are well soaked. then pour over them, or into the middle of the biscuits, a vanilla cream like the foregoing recipe, but let it be nearly cold before you use it. decorate the top with the whites of four eggs sweetened and beaten, or use fresh cream in the same way. [_mme. spinette_.] pineapple À l'anvers take some slices of pineapple, and cut off the brown spots at the edges. steep them for three hours in a plateful of weak kirsch, or maraschino, that is slightly warmed. cut some slices of plain cake of equal thickness, and glaze them. this is done by sprinkling sugar over the slices and placing them in a gentle oven. the sugar melts and leaves the slices _glacés_. arrange the slices in a circle, alternating pineapple and cake, and pour over the latter an apricot marmalade thinned with kirsch or other liqueur. this dish looks very nice, and if whipped cream can be added it is excellent. [_l. l. b. anvers_.] pouding aux pommes take a pound of apples and peel them. cook them, and rub them, when soft, through a sieve to make them into a purée. sweeten it well, and scent it with a scrap of vanilla; then let it get cold. beat up three eggs, both whites and yolks, and mix them into your cold compôte, and put all in a dish that will stand the heat of the oven. then place on the top a bit of butter the size of a filbert and powder all over with white sugar. place the dish in an oven with a gentle heat for half-an-hour, watching how it cooks. this dish can be eaten hot or cold. [_e. defouck_.] soufflÉ au chocolat melt two tablets of chocolate (menier) in a dessert-spoonful of water over heat, stirring till the chocolate is well wetted and very thick. then prepare some feculina flour in the following way: take for five or six persons nearly a pint of milk. sweeten it well with sugar; take two dessert-spoonfuls of feculina. boil the sweetened milk, flavoring it with a few drops of vanilla essence. when it is boiled, take it from the fire, and let it get cold, mixing in the flour by adding it slowly so as not to make lumps. put it back on a brisk fire and stir till it thickens; add then the melted chocolate, and when that is gently stirred in take off your pan, and again let it get cold. at the moment of cooking the soufflé, add three whites of eggs beaten stiff. butter a deep fireproof dish, and pour in the mixture, only filling up half of the dish. cook in the oven for fifteen minutes in a gentle heat, and serve immediately. a tablet of chocolat menier is a recognized weight. [_gabrielle janssens_.] a new dish of apples take a pint of apple purée and add to it three well-beaten eggs, a taste of cinnamon if liked, quarter of a pound of melted butter and the same quantity of white powdered sugar. mix all together and, taking a fireproof dish, put a little water in the bottom of it and then some fine breadcrumbs, sufficient to cover the bottom. pour in your compôte, then, above that, a layer of fine breadcrumbs, and here and there a lump of fresh butter, which will prevent the breadcrumbs from burning. cook for half-an-hour. golden rice put a quart of milk to boil, and, when boiling, add half a pound of good rice. when the rice is nearly cooked, add a pennyworth of saffron, stirring it in evenly. this is excellent, eaten cold with stewed quinces and cream. [_v. verachtert_.] banana compÔte divide the bananas in regular pieces; arrange them in slices on your compôte dish, one slice leaning against the other in a circle. sprinkle them with sugar. squeeze the juice of an orange and of half a lemon--this would be sufficient for six bananas--and pour it over the bananas. cover the dish and leave it for two hours in a cold place. a mold of cornflour or of ground rice may be eaten with this. [_mme. gabrielle janssens_.] riz conde for one and one-half pints of milk half a breakfast-cupful of rice. let it boil with sugar and vanilla; strain the whole. add one-half pint of cream, well beaten, five leaves of gelatine (melted). mix the whole and pour in a mold which has been wet. when turned out of the mold, put apricots or other fruit on the top. pour the juice over all. [_mlle. breakers_.] chocolate cream leaves of gelatine, well melted and sifted. pint cream, _well beaten_. - / sticks of chocolate melted with a little milk. mix all the ingredients together and put them in a mold which has been previously wet. [_mlle. breakers_.] kidney soufflÉ mince finely a veal kidney and add one-half pound of minced veal. make a brown sauce of flour and butter, and add the meat to it. let it cool a little, and add three well-beaten eggs, with a teaspoonful of rasped gruyère. butter a mold, and sprinkle the inside with breadcrumbs, and fill it with the mince. leave it for three quarters of an hour in the oven, or for an hour and a half in the double saucepan of boiling water. turn it out of the mold and serve with either a tomato or a mushroom sauce. [_l. l. b. (d'anvers)_.] baked souffle three eggs, two table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar and a thimbleful of cornflour or feculina flour. the original recipe gives also one packet of vanilla sugar, but as this may be difficult to get in england it will be easier to add a few drops of vanilla essence when mixing. mix the yolks of eggs with the sugar for ten minutes, then add the whites, stiffly beaten, stirring in very lightly, so as to let as much air as possible remain in the mixture; sprinkle in the flour. take a fireproof dish, and butter it, and pour in the mixture, which place in a gentle oven for a quarter of an hour. it is better to practice this recipe at lest once before you prepare it at a dinner, on account of the baking. [_l. verhaeghe._] peasants' eggs for six people put on the fire two handfuls of sorrel, reduce it to a puree, and add two dessertspoonfuls of cream, a lump of butter the size of a pigeon's egg, pepper, salt. take six hard-boiled eggs and, crumbling out the yolks, add them to the sorrel puree. place the whites (which you should have cut longways) on a hot dish, and pour over them the puree of sorrel; sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs, and put bits of butter on it also. place in the oven for ten minutes, and serve garnished with tomatoes. [_mlle. a. demeulemeester._] two recipes for tomatoes and eggs take some good tomatoes, but not too ripe. cut them down from top to bottom, take out the pulp, and in each half tomato put half a hard-boiled egg. arrange them on a dish, and pour round them a good mayonnaise, to which you have added some chopped parsley. take some tomatoes not too ripe, and cut them in half horizontally. take out the pulp, so that you have two half-cases from each tomato. break an egg into each tomato and sprinkle it well with cheese. place them all in the oven, till the eggs are set, and decorate with sprigs of parsley. [mlle. a. demeulemeester.] tomatoes and eggs hard-boil some eggs and, while they are cooking, fry a large square slice of bread in butter to make a large crouton. peel the eggs when they have been in boiling water for ten minutes. pile them on the crouton, and have ready a tomato sauce to pour over. tomato sauce: gently stew two pounds of tomatoes and pass them through a sieve, return them to the pan and stir in a mustard-spoonful of mustard, a teaspoonful of vinegar, salt and pepper; heat well; and, if too thin, thicken it with flour to the right consistency. [_mme. van praet._] mushroom omelette toss the sliced mushrooms in butter, adding, if you wish, a little mushroom ketchup. break the eggs in a pan and beat them lightly together, and cook for three minutes over a good fire. slip the omelette on a hot dish, spread with butter. asparagus omelette this is made quite differently. cook the asparagus-tops in salt and water and drain them. roll them in a little bechamel sauce. break your eggs into the pan into which you have put a little butter; stir them with a fork in your left hand, adding salt and pepper with your right. this will only take a minute. add the asparagus-tops in the thick sauce; this will take another minute. roll or fold up the omelette and slip it on a hot buttered dish. [_mme. van praet._] stuffed eggs hard-boil your eggs, allowing half an egg for each person. take out the yolk. while they are boiling and afterwards cooling in water, make a small quantity of mayonnaise sauce. peel the eggs, cut them through lengthways, and take out the yolks. crumble these with a little chopped herbs, and add the mayonnaise. fill the eggs with this mixture, and place them in a dish with chopped lettuce round it, to which you may add a little more of the sauce. [_mme. van marcke de lunessen_.] poached eggs, tomato sauce make some rounds of toast and butter them; place on each a slice of tongue or of ham. keep these hot, and poach as many eggs as you require. slip each egg on the toasts, and cover them quickly with a highly seasoned tomato sauce. [_mme. van marcke de lunessen_.] eggs and mushrooms pick over half a pound of mushrooms, cut them in small pieces like dice, and put them to stew in the oven with plenty of butter, pepper, and salt. make a thick white sauce, and you may add to it the juice from the mushrooms when they are cooked; then stir in the mushrooms. take three hard-boiled eggs, and separate yolks from whites. put into a shallow vegetable-dish the whites cut up in small pieces, pour over them the bechamel with the mushrooms, and finish up by sprinkling over the top the hard-boiled yolks, which you have crumbled up with a fork. [_mme. braconnière_.] belgian eggs make some scrambled eggs, and place them on a very hot dish, and pour round them a thick tomato sauce. decorate the dish quickly with thick rounds of tomato. eggs À la ribeaucourt butter some little paper cases, and let them dry in the oven. put into each one a pat of butter and let it melt lightly. break an egg into each case, taking care not to break the yolk, and put a bit of butter on each yolk. place in a quick oven till the whites are half set. at the moment of serving take them out, and have ready some minced tongue or ham, to sprinkle on them, and decorate with a big bit of truffle. to use up remains of meat cut in slices the remains of any cold meat, such as pork, beef, veal, ham, or mutton. melt in a pan a bit of salt butter the size of a walnut, and put in it an onion cut into fine slices; let it get brown in the hot butter. in another pan put a larger piece of butter rolled in a soup-spoonful of flour; add to it the onion and butter, and add enough water to prevent the sauce from getting very thick. add, if you wish it, a teaspoonful of meat-extract and a pinch of salt. have ready some mashed potatoes, but let them be very light. place the slices of meat in a fireproof dish, pour the sauce on them, then the mashed potatoes, and put the dish in the oven, all well heated through. this is called in belgium "_un philosophe_." [_paquerette_.] veal with onions take a lump of butter the size of an egg, and let it color in a saucepan. slice some onions and fry them in another pan. when fried, add them to the butter with some sliced carrots, a few small onions, and your pieces of veal, salt, and pepper. add a small quantity of water, and close the lid on the saucepan. when the meat is tender, you can thicken the sauce with a little flour. this is a good way to use veal that is hard, or parts that are not the best cuts. [_paquerette_.] veal cake mince very finely three pounds of raw veal and one-fourth pound of pork. it is better to do this at home than to have it done at the butcher's. put two slices of bread to soak in milk, add two yolks of eggs and the whites, pepper and salt. mix it well, working it for ten minutes. then let it rest for half-an-hour. put it in a small stewpan, add a lump of butter the size of a pigeon's egg, and put it in the oven. it will be ready to serve when the juice has ceased to run out. [_paquerette_] to use up cold meat take a fresh celery, wash it well, and remove the green leaves. let it boil till half-cooked in salted water. drain it on a sieve, and then cut it lengthways, and place minced meat of any kind, well seasoned, between the two pieces. tie them together with a thread and let them cook again for a quarter of an hour, this time either in the same water and gently simmered, or in the oven in a well-buttered dish. other people, to avoid the trouble of tying the two halves, spread the mince on each half and cook it in the oven, laid flat in a fireproof dish. in this case put a good lump of butter on each portion of mince. [_l. verhaeghe._] flemish carbonade put two onions to color in butter or in hot fat. then add to them the beef, which you have cut into pieces the size of a small cake. let it cook for a few minutes, then add pepper, salt, a carrot sliced, and enough water to allow the meat to cook gently by the side of the fire, allowing one and one-half hours for one and one-half pounds of meat. ten minutes before serving add to the sauce a little meat-juice or liebig. you may at the same time, if it is wished, cook potatoes with the meat for about twenty minutes. serve it all in a large dish, the meat in the center and the potatoes round. the sauce is served separately, and without being passed through the sieve. [_l. verhaeghe._] a use for cold mutton cut the mutton into neat pieces, take away all fat and skin. fry in butter and add all sorts of vegetables in dice, with thyme, bay-leaves, and parsley. let all this stew very gently for two hours; you must add more stock or water to prevent it getting dry. keep the lid of the pan on and, half-an-hour before serving, put in peeled potatoes. this dish is served very liquid. [_mme. spinette_.] flemish carbonades take four pounds of beef--there is a cut near the neck that is suitable for this recipe. cut the meat in small pieces (square) and fry them in a pan. in another pan put a piece of refined fat and fry in it five big onions that you have finely chopped. when these are well browned, add to them the meat, sprinkling in also pepper, salt, mixed herbs. cover all with water, and let it cook for an hour with the lid on. after an hour's cooking, add half a glass of beer, a slice of crumb of bread with a light layer of mustard and three tablespoonfuls of best vinegar. let it cook again for three quarters of an hour. if the sauce is not thick enough, add a little flour, taking care that it boils up again afterwards. fish when there remains any cold fish, take away all skin and bones, mixing the flesh with salt, butter, pepper, and one or two raw eggs as you wish. take some small fireproof cases and place in each some lemon-juice with a little melted butter and grated breadcrumbs. bake the cases till the top of the fish is of a golden color. remains of fish make a good white sauce, add pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg and juice of a lemon. add then your remains of fish and a few pickled shrimps. fill some shells with it and sprinkle over the top a good powdering of grated gruyère cheese. lay a pat of butter in the middle of each shell and put them in the oven. when they are colored a good golden brown, serve them decorated with parsley. [_mme. lekent_.] good rissoles mince any cold meat, adding to a pound of it one-half pound of fresh lean pork, a chopped shallot and parsley, salt, pepper, a little nutmeg, and bind with an egg, both yolk and white. form into balls, and dip them in flour, then color them in some butter, and when they are nicely browned pour into the butter a little stock or meat-juice and water. let them gently cook in it for ten minutes, and serve. [_mme. lekent_.] croquettes of boiled meat i think that boiled meat when cold is often neglected as being tasteless, but, prepared as i will show you, it will deserve your approval. mince your boiled meat and put it into a thick white sauce well-spiced with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and let it remain for two hours. then prepare your croquettes by rolling the mixture in white of egg and fine breadcrumbs. put a piece of butter in the saucepan, sufficient to take all the croquettes, and let them brown in it for about ten minutes. a white sauce served with them is a good addition. [_mlle. a. demeulemeester_.] carbonades done with beer cut the meat into slices that are thin rather than thick. mince two big onions and fry them till brown; then fry the slices till they are colored on both sides. pour on them first some beer, then a dash of vinegar, adding thyme, pepper, and salt, and throw in also a slice of crust of bread, which you have spread with mustard. let this all simmer for three hours. [_mme. segur_.] walloon entrÉe make some toasted bread, either cut in rounds or in squares, and butter them. cut some slices of salt beef, or, better still, ham, and put them on top; spread the meat with a good layer of grated cheese, and over that place another piece of buttered toast of corresponding shape. melt some butter in a small saucepan and fry the rounds till they are golden-brown. [_mme. e. maes_.] scraps of meat your scraps of meat must be cut small or roughly minced; add to them a little sausage-meat, about a quarter as much, and a slice of white crumb bread that you have dipped in water or milk, and well drained. if eggs are not too dear, add two eggs, mixing them with the meat. place the dish in the oven for half-an-hour--but it must be a slow oven--and take care that the meat does not become dry. [_v. verachtert_.] fricadelle for one pound of minced pork take one and one-half pounds of minced veal; cut three slices of white bread the thickness of nearly an inch, and crumble them up; two raw eggs, pepper and salt. mix it all well, and place it in the oven for half-an-hour. if you eat this hot, serve it with a gravy sauce. if you wish for a supper-dish, put salad round the meat. chicory and ham with cheese sauce cook the chicories gently in butter till they are done. then take each one, and roll it in a slice of ham, and put them in a fireproof dish. then make a very good white sauce of flour and butter and milk, adding cheese to flavor it strongly, and the yolk of an egg. pour this sauce over the chicory, and place the dish in the oven. let it turn brownish, and then serve it directly. [_mme. vandervalle_.] croquettes of veal make first of all a very thick white sauce of flour, milk, and butter, not forgetting also salt and pepper; when it is very thick add grated gruyère cheese, in the proportion of a heaped teaspoonful of this to a breakfast-cupful of sauce. take it off the fire, and stir in first of all the juice of a lemon, and then the yolk of an egg. let it get cold. then mince up finely your veal, or, indeed, any lean meat. mix it well with the sauce, and make croquettes of it. then roll each in the white of egg that you have left, and then in grated breadcrumbs, and fry in deep fat. [_mme. vandervalle_.] entrÉe (croque-monsieur) cut out some rounds of crumb of bread, of equal size, with a tin cutter; or, failing that, with a wine-glass. butter all the rounds and sprinkle them with grated cheese--for preference with gruyère. on half the number of rounds place a bit of ham cut to the same size. put a lump of butter the weight of egg into a pan, and fry with the rounds in it, till they become golden. when they are a nice color, place one round dressed with cheese on a round dressed with ham, so as to have the golden bread both above and below. serve them very hot, and garnished with fried parsley. [_e. defouck_.] hot-pot before putting in your meat, cook in the water a celery, four leeks, two onions, two turnips, two carrots; then add the meat, with pepper and salt, and stew gently for three hours. if you can put in a marrow-bone as well, that will give the soup a delicious flavor. [_v. verachtert_.] hoche pot one pound of fresh pork, one pound rump (flank) of beef, one pound rump of veal, two onions, one celery, four leeks, two or three carrots, two or three turnips, according to the size, a few brussels sprouts, five or six potatoes, according to the number of persons. let the water boil before putting in the meat, and cut all the vegetables in cubes of the same size, like cubes of sugar. let simmer only, for three hours; it is delicious and makes a dinner. [_v. verachtert_.] bouchÉes À la reine get some little cases from the pastry-cook of puff paste, which are to be filled with sweetbread cut in dice. it is a good plan to heat the cases before filling them. the filling mixture. cook the sweetbreads in water with pepper and salt, till done, skin them and cut in dice. prepare a good bechamel sauce, seasoned with the juice of a lemon, and add to it a few mushrooms that have been fried in butter. heat the dice of sweetbread in this sauce and fill the cases with it. put them back in the oven to get quite hot. hoche pot of ghent clean two big carrots and cut them into small pieces, the same for two turnips, four leeks, two celeries, and a good green cabbage, only using the pale leaves. wash all these vegetables well in running water, two or three times, and put them on the fire in three and one-half pints of water. add salt, and let it cook for an hour. at the end of this time, add a good piece of pork weighing perhaps three pounds--for choice let it be cutlets. you can also add a pig's trotter. let it cook for another hour, taking care that the meat remains below the water. at the end of that time, and half-an-hour before you wish to eat it, add potatoes enough to be three for each person. watch the cooking so as to see that the potatoes do not stick, and finish the seasoning with pepper and salt. [_georges kerckaert_.] carbonade of flanders cut your beef into small neat pieces. mince some onions finely, and for five or six people you would add two bay-leaves, two cloves, pepper, salt; simmer gently for three hours in water, and at the end of that time bind the sauce with cornflour. some people like the sauce to be thickened instead with mustard. [_v. verachtert._] headless sparrows take two pounds of beef, which must be lean and cut in thin slices. cut your slices of beef in pieces of five inches by three. put in the middle of each piece a little square of very fat bacon, a sprig of parsley, pepper and salt. roll up the slices and tie them round with a thread so that the seasoning remains inside. melt in a pan a lump of butter the size of a very big egg. let it get brown and then, after rolling the beef in flour, put them in the butter. let them cook thus for five minutes, add half a pint of water, and let them simmer for two hours. fill up with water if it becomes too dry. before serving, take great care to remove the threads. [_a belgian at droitwich._] mutton stew take two pounds of mutton, the breast or one of the inferior parts will do as well as a prime piece. put in an earthenware pan a lump of butter as big as an egg, and let it color. cut the mutton in pieces and let them color in the butter, adding salt and pepper, a few onions or shallots. when all is colored, add at least a pound of turnips, cut in slices, with about a pint of water. let it boil up till the turnips are tender. then add two and one-half or three pounds of potatoes; salt and pepper these, but in moderation, if the meat has been already salted and peppered. add some thyme and bay-leaves, and let them all cook very gently till the potatoes are tender. when these are cooked, take out the pieces of meat, mix the turnips and potatoes, so as to make a uniform mixture; then place the meat on the top of the mixture, and serve it. _n.b._ it is necessary to watch the cooking of this dish very carefully, so that you can add a little water whenever it becomes necessary, for if one leaves the preparation a little too dry it quickly burns. [_a belgian at droitwich._] hoche pot gantois (for eight or nine persons) take one pound beef, one pound salt pork, and one pound mutton; cut into pieces about three inches by two, let it boil, and skim. take two or three carrots, one large turnip, one large head of celery, three or four leeks, a good green cabbage, cut in four, the other vegetables cut into pieces of moderate size, not too small; put them in with the meat, and see that they are first covered by the water. let it boil for three to four hours, and three quarters of an hour before dishing, add some potatoes cut in pieces. to dish: place the meat in the center of a flat dish, and the vegetables around; serve the liquid in a soup-tureen. this dish should be eaten out of soup plates, as it is soup and meat course at one time. chinese corks make a thick white sauce, and when it has grown a little cold, add the yolk of one egg, and a few drops of lemon-juice. sprinkle in a slice of stale bread, and enough grated cheese to flavor it strongly, and leave it to cool for two hours. then shape into small pieces like corks, dip them into the beaten whites of your egg, and then into grated breadcrumbs. have ready some hot fat, or lard, and fry the cheese-balls in it till they are golden. [_mme. limpens._] limpens cheese take a roll and, cutting it in slices, remove the crusts so that a round of crumbs remain. butter each slice, and cover it well with grated cheese, building up the slices one on the top of the other. boil a cupful of milk, with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg; when boiled, pour it over the bread till it is well soaked. put them in the oven, for quarter of an hour, according to the heat of the oven and the quantity you have. you must pour its juice over it every now and then, and when the top is turning into a crust, serve it. [_mme. limpens._] cheese soufflÉ take two good soup-spoonfuls of flour, and mix it with half a teacupful of milk; melt a lump of butter, the size of a filbert, and add that, then enough grated cheese to your taste, and the yolks of four eggs. add at the last the whites of the four eggs, beaten stiffly; pepper and salt. butter a mold, put in your mixture, and let it cook for one hour in a saucepan, surrounded with boiling water, and the lid on. then turn out the soufflé, and serve with a mushroom sauce. the sauce is a good white sauce, to which you add already cooked mushrooms. clean them first of all, chop them, and cook them till tender in butter; and their own juice; then throw them into the sauce, and pour it over your soufflé. [_mme. vandervalle._] cheese croquettes make a thick bechamel sauce, and be sure that you cook it for ten minutes, constantly stirring. add, till well flavored, some gruyère and parmesan cheese, mixed and grated. let it all get cold. then roll this mixture into the shape of carrots; roll them in finely-grated breadcrumbs, and fry them in hot lard or refined fat. lay them on a hot dish, and, at the thicker end of each carrot stick in a sprig of parsley to look like the stalk. [_mme. van marcke de lunessen._] cheese fondants for twelve fondants make a white sauce with two soupspoons of flour and milk. add to it the yolks of three eggs. stir in four ounces of mixed gruyère cheese, and parmesan, grated very finely. add at the end the juice of half a lemon, and a dust of cayenne. let it all grow cold. then make little balls with this paste and roll them in breadcrumbs. throw them in a pan of boiling fat, where they must remain till they are a good golden color. drain them, keeping them hot, and serve quickly. [_madame emelie jones_] cheese soufflÉ grate half a pound of gruyère cheese. mix in a cup of milk a dessert-spoonful of flour; beat four whole eggs, and add first the cheese, and then the flour and milk mixture. season with pepper and salt, and put all into a mold. let it cook in a saucepan of boiling water for an hour and a half. then at the end of this time put it in the oven for half an hour. [_madame emelie jones_.] potatoes and cheese wash some raw potatoes, peel them, cut them into very thin round slices. take a dish which will stand the oven, and be nice enough to go on the table, and put in it a layer of the slices sprinkled with pepper, salt, a little flour, and plenty of grated gruyère. continue in this way, finishing with a layer of cheese, and a little flour. put the dish in the oven, which must not be a very hot one, and cook gently. for a medium pie dish you will find that half an hour will be sufficient to cook the potatoes. [_madame emelie jones_.] york ham, sweetbreads, madeira sauce heat the ham in a double saucepan (bain marie). boil the sweetbreads, blanch them and let them fry in some butter. take flour and butter and melt them to a thick sauce, adding a tumbler of water and liebig which will turn your sauce brown. fry half a pound of mushrooms in butter and when brown, add them and the liquor to your sauce with a good glass of madeira or sherry. place your ham in the middle of the dish, surround it with the sweetbreads, and pour over all the madeira sauce. [_mme. vandervalle_.] ham with madeira sauce cook some macaroni or spaghetti, with salt and pepper. make a brown sauce, using plenty of butter, for this dish requires a great deal of sauce, and add to your "roux" some tomatoes in purée (stewed and run through a sieve), a little meat extract, some fried mushrooms, a few drops of good brandy or madeira to your taste. let your slices of ham heat in this sauce, and when ready, place them in the middle of a flat dish, put the mushrooms or spaghetti round, and put the sauce, very hot, over the ham. [_madame spinette._] a difficult dish of eggs and yet this is only fried eggs after all! put some oil on to heat; if you have not oil use butter, but oil is the best. when the bluish steam rises it is hot enough. break an egg into a little flat dish, tip up the frying pan at the handle side, and slip the egg into it, then with a wooden spoon turn the egg over on itself; that is, roll the white of it over the yolk as it slips into the pan. if you cannot manage this, let the egg heat for a second, and then roll the white over the yolk with a wooden spoon. do each egg in this way, and as soon as one is done let it drain and keep warm by the fire. when all are done put them in a circle, in a dish, and pour round them a very hot sauce, either made with tomatoes, or flavored with vinegar and mustard. country eggs make a white sauce thickly mixed with onions, such as you would eat in england with a leg of mutton, but do not forget a little seasoning of mace. make a high mold of mashed potatoes, and then scoop it out from the top, leaving the bottom and high sides of the vegetable. while your sauce is kept by the fire (the potatoes also), boil six eggs for two minutes, shell them, and you will find the whites just set and no more. pour the onion sauce into the potato, and drop in the whole eggs and serve very hot. french eggs put a lump of butter the size of an egg in a fireproof dish, mixing in when it is melted some breadcrumbs, a chopped leek, the inside of three tomatoes, pepper and salt. let it cook for three or four minutes in the oven, then stir in the yolks of two eggs, and let it make a custard. then break on the top of this custard as many eggs as you wish; sprinkle with pepper and salt. let it remain in the oven till these last are beginning to set. take out the dish, and pass over the top the salamander, or the shovel, red hot, and serve at once. i have seen this dish with the two extra whites of eggs beaten and placed in a pile on the top, and slightly browned by the shovel. oeufs celestes (hommage à sir edward grey) gently boil a quantity of the very best green peas in good gravy; as the gravy becomes reduced, add, instead, butter. do not forget to have put a lump of sugar in every pint of gravy. when the peas are done break on them the required number of fresh eggs, with pepper and salt. place all in a double saucepan, till the eggs are just done. it is a pity that in england there are no cooking pots made, which will hold fire on the top, so that a dish, such as this, becomes easily done in a few minutes. petites caisses À la furnes take a small ostend rabbit, steep it in water as usual, and boil it gently in some white stock, with a good many peppercorns. when it is cold chop the meat up into small dice; add to it about a quarter of the amount of ham, and the whites of two hard-boiled eggs, all cut to the same size. moisten the salpicon with a good white sauce made with cream, a little lemon juice, pepper and salt. the little paper cases must have a ring of cress arranged, about a quarter of an inch thick; the salpicon, put in carefully with a small spoon, will hold it in place. fill the cases to the level of the cress leaves, and decorate with a belgian flag made as follows: make some aspic jelly with gelatine, tarragon vinegar, and a little sherry. color one portion with paprika or coralline, pepper; a second part with the sieved yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, and the remainder with rinsed pickled walnuts, also passed through a wire sieve. pour the red jelly into a small mold with straight sides; when it is almost set pour in the yellow aspic, and when that is cold pour in the black. when the jelly is quite cold, turn it out, slice it, and cut it into pieces of suitable size. if you make too much aspic it can decorate any cold dish or salad. the walnut squash looks black at night. [_margaret strail, or mrs. a. stuart._] flemish carrots take some young carrots, wash and brush them as tenderly as you would an infant, then simmer them till tender in with pepper and salt. when cooked, draw them to the side of the fire and pour in some cream to make a good sauce. if you cannot use cream, take milk instead and stir with it the yolk of an egg. to thicken for use, add a pinch of sugar and some chopped parsley. aubergine or egg plant this purple fruit is, like the tomato, always cooked as a vegetable. it is like the brinjal of the east. it is hardly necessary to give special recipes for the dressing of aubergines, for you can see their possibilities at a glance. they can be stuffed with white mince in a white sauce, when you would cut the fruit in half, remove some of the interior, fill up with mince and sauce, replace the top, and bake for twenty minutes, or simply cut in halves and stewed in stock, with pepper and salt they are good, or you can simmer them gently in water and when ready to serve, pour over them a white sauce as for vegetable marrow. if they are cheap in england the following entrée would be inexpensive and would look nice. egg plants as soufflÉ wash the fruit, cut them lengthways, remove the inside. fill each half with a mixture made of beaten egg, grated cheese, and some fine breadcrumbs, and a dash of mustard. put the halves to bake for a quarter of an hour, or till the soufflé mixture has risen. when cooked place them in an oval dish with a border of rice turned out from a border mold. potato croquettes cook your potatoes, rub them through the sieve, add pepper and salt, two or three eggs, lightly beaten, mixing both yolks and whites, and according to the quantity you are making a little butter and milk. work all well and let it get cold. roll into croquettes, roll each in beaten egg, then in finely grated breadcrumbs, and let them cook in boiling fat or lard. [_madame emelie jones._] purÉe of chestnuts make a little slit in each chestnut, boil them till tender, then put them in another pan with cold water in it and replace them on the fire. peel them one by one as you take them out, and rub them through a sieve, pounding them first to make it easier, add salt, a good lump of butter and a little milk to make a nice purée. this is very good to surround grilled chicken or turkey legs, or for a salmi of duck or hare. hors d'oeuvres the attractive "savory" of english dinner tables finds its counterpart apparently in egg and fish dishes served cold at the beginning of a meal, and therefore what we should call hors d'oeuvres. potato dice boil your potatoes and let them be of the firm, soapy kind, not the floury kind. when cooked, and cold, cut them into dice, and toss them in the following sauce: take equal quantities of salad oil and cream, a quarter of that amount of tarragon vinegar, a pinch of salt, and a few chopped capers. mix very well, and pour it on the dice. you may vary this by using cream only, in which case omit the vinegar. season with pepper, salt, celery seed, and instead of the capers take some pickled nasturtium seed, and let that, finely minced, remain in the sauce for an hour before using it. anchovies fillets of these, put in a lattice work across mashed potato look very nice. be sure you use good anchovies preserved in salt, and well washed and soaked to take away the greater part of the saltness; or, if you can make some toast butter it when cold, cut it into thin strips, and lay a fillet in the center. fill up the sides of the toast with chopped hard-boiled yolk of egg. anchovy sandwiches cut some bread and butter, very thin, and in fingers. chop some water-cress, lay it on a finger, sprinkle a little tarragon vinegar and water (equal quantities) over it, and then lay on a fillet of anchovy, cover with more cress and a finger of bread and butter. put them in a pile under a plate to flatten and before serving trim the edges. anchovy rounds make some toast, cut it in rounds, butter it when cold. curl an anchovy round a stewed olive, and put it on the toast. make a little border of yolk of egg boiled and chopped. anchovy biscuits made as you would make cheese biscuits, but using anchovy sauce instead to flavor them. if you make the pastry thin you can put some lettuce between two biscuits and press together with a little butter spread inside. anchovy patties make some paste and roll it out thinly. take a coffee cup and turning it upside down stamp out some rounds. turn the cup the right way again, and put it on a round. then you will see an edge of paste protruding all round. turn this up with the end of a fork, which makes a pretty little edge. do this with all, and fill the shallow cases then made with a good mayonnaise sauce in which you have put chopped celery and potato, and a small quantity of chopped gherkins. lay three fillets of anchovy across each other to form a six-pointed star and season highly with cayenne pepper. all the above recipes can be followed using sardines instead of anchovies, and indeed one can use them in many other ways, with eggs, with lettuce, with tomatoes. as anchovies are rather expensive to buy, i give a recipe for mock anchovies, which is easy to do, but it must be done six months before using the fish. mock anchovies when sprats are cheap, buy a good quantity, what in england you would call a peck. do not either wipe or wash them. take four ounces of saltpeter, a pound of bay salt, two pounds of common coarse salt, and pound them well, then add a little cochineal to color it, pound and mix very well. take a stone jar and put in it a layer of the mixture and a layer of the sprats, on each layer of fish adding three or four bay leaves and a few whole pepper-corns. fill up the jar and press it all down very firmly. cover with a stone cover, and let them stand for six months before you use them. cucumber À la laeken take a cucumber and cut it in pieces two inches long, then peel away the dark green skin for one inch, leaving the other inch as it was. set up each piece on end, scoop it out till nearly the bottom and fill up with bits of cold salmon or lobster in mayonnaise sauce. cold turbot or any other delicate fish will do equally well or a small turret of whipped cream, slightly salted, should be piled on top. this dish never fails to please. herring and mayonnaise take some salt herring, a half for each person, and soak them for a day in water. skin them, cut them open lengthwise, take out the backbone, and put them to soak in vinegar. then before serving them let them lie for a few minutes in milk, and putting them on a dish pour over them a good mayonnaise sauce. [_mlle. oclhaye._] sweet drinks and cordials. orgeat blanch first of all half a pound of sweet almonds and three ounces of bitter, turn them into cold water for a few minutes; then you must pound them very fine in a stone mortar, if you have a marble one so much the better, and do it in a cool place. you must add a little milk occasionally to prevent the paste from becoming oily, then add three quarts of fresh milk, stirring it in slowly, sweeten to your taste, and then putting all into a saucepan clean as a chalice, bring it to the boil. boil for ten minutes, and then stir till cold, strain it through finest muslin, and then add two good glasses of brandy. bottle and keep in a dark place. hawthorn cordial when the hawthorn is in full bloom, pick a basketful of the blooms. take them home, and put the white petals into a large glass bottle, taking care that you put in no leaves or stalks. when the bottle is filled to the top do not press it down, but pour in gently as much good french brandy as it will hold. cork and let it stand for three months, then you can strain it off. this is good as a cordial, and if you find it too strong, add water, or sweeten it with sugar. dutch noyeau peel finely the rinds of five large lemons, or of six small ones, then throw on it a pound of loaf sugar that you have freshly pounded, two ounces of bitter almonds, chopped and pounded; mix these with two quarts of the best schnappes or hollands, and add six tablespoonfuls of boiling milk. fill your jars with this, cover it close, and put it in a passage or hall, where people can shake it every day. leave it there for three weeks, and strain it through some blotting paper into another bottle. it will be ready to drink. lavender water take a large bottle, and put in it twelve ounces of the best spirits of wine, one essence of ambergris, twopennyworth of musk, and three drachms of oil of lavender. cork it tightly, put in a dark place, and shake it every day for a month. this is really lavender spirit, as no water is used. hot burgundy take half a pint of good burgundy wine, put it to boil with two cloves, and a dust of mixed spice, sweeten to taste with some powdered sugar. if you like add a quarter of the quantity of water to the wine before boiling. crÊme de poisson À la roi albert take a fresh raw whiting, fillet it, and pass the flesh through a wire sieve. for a small dish take four ounces of the fish, mix them lightly with four tablespoonfuls of very thick cream, adding pepper and salt. fill an oval ring mold, and steam gently for twenty minutes, under buttered paper. have some marine crayfish boiled, shell the tails, cut them in pieces, removing the black line inside. cut three truffles into thick slices, heat them and the crayfish in some ordinary white sauce, enriched with the yolk of a raw egg, pepper and salt, and one dessertspoonful of tarragon vinegar. this must not be allowed to boil. when the cream is turned out into a hot silver dish, pour the ragout into the center, and put a hot lid on. this dish, and that on page - , has been composed by a scotch lady in honor of the king of the belgians. not every cook can manage the cream, but the proportions are exact, and so is the time. [_mrs. alex. stuart._] fish and custard boil up the trimmings of your fish with milk, pepper and salt. strain it and add the yolks of eggs till you get a good custard. pour the custard into a mold, and lay in it your fish, which must already be parboiled. if you have cold fish, flake it, and mix it with the custard. put the mold in a double saucepan. steam it for three quarters of an hour. turn it out, and garnish with strips of lemon peel, and if you have it, sprigs of fennel. hake and potatoes hake, which is not one of the most delicate fish, can be made excellent if stewed in the following sauce: a quart of milk to which you have added a dessertspoonful of any of the good english sauces; thicken it with a knob of butter rolled in flour, which stir in till all is smooth. when it boils take off the fire, and put in your pieces of hake, set it back by the side of the fire to keep very hot, without boiling, for twenty-five minutes. meanwhile mash some potatoes, and put it as a purée round a dish, pour the fish in the center, sprinkle on it chopped parsley. the liquor ought to be much reduced. very nice skate take skate, or indeed any fish that rolls up easily, make into fillets, dry them well, and sprinkle on each fillet, pepper, salt, a dust of mixed spice, and chopped parsley. roll each fillet up tightly, and pack them tightly into a dish, so that they will not become loose. take vinegar and beer in equal quantities, or, if you do not like to use beer, you must add to the vinegar some whole black pepper, and a good sprinkle of dried and mixed herbs with salt. pour over the fish, tie a piece of buttered paper over the top, and bake for an hour and a quarter (for a medium pie dish) in a moderate oven. to keep sprats a large quantity of these may be bought cheaply and kept for some weeks by this method. put on to warm equal quantities of vinegar and water, what you think sufficient to cover your sprats, allowing for wastage; and stir in for every quart of liquor a small saltspoonful of mixed spice, four bay leaves, a shallot minced, a small bunch of bruised thyme, the thin rind of a half lemon, salt and pepper; if you can use tarragon vinegar so much the better. clean the sprats, remove tails and heads, and lay them in a deep dish. take your liquor and pour it over the fish, tie a large paper over all, and let them bake in a cool oven for two or three hours; or cook them in a double saucepan; in any case do them very slowly. put aside to cool, and take out the fish to use as required. they will keep good four weeks. to keep mackerel for a week it sometimes happens that you can get a great quantity of this fish, very fresh, cheaply, and wish to use it later on. pickle it thus: boil a pint of vinegar with six peppercorns, four cloves, four bay leaves, a scrap of mace, a saltspoonful of salt, and the same of made mustard. when this is boiled up put it to cool. lay your mackerel prepared ready for eating, and sprinkle on each piece some salt, and minced thyme. it may be an hour before using. then fry the fish, lifting each piece carefully into the hot fat. when fried lay the fish in a deep dish, and pour on each piece your vinegar liquor till all is covered. cover over with paper such as you use for jam pots, well tied down. you can afterwards heat the fish as you require. a brown dish of fish take your fish, which should be herring or mackerel, relieve it of the bones, skin and fins, which you must put to boil for three quarters of an hour in water, with pepper and salt. after that time strain off the liquor, and add to it enough browning to color it well. then brown quarter of a pound of butter and knead into it two tablespoonfuls of flour, add it, when well mixed, to your liquor, with salt and pepper, a piece of lemon peel, and a dust of mixed spice. bring all this to the boil and drop in your fish. (cut in neat fillets.) let them simmer for twenty minutes, and if too dry pour in some darkly colored gravy. just before you wish to serve add a good wine glass of claret, or of burgundy, take out the lemon peel, and pour all on a hot dish. if you do not wish to put wine, the flavor of the sauce is very excellent if you stir into it a dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, or a teaspoonful of soy. this brown fish is nice to follow a white soup. baked haddocks take all the trimmings of two good sized haddocks, cover them with milk and water, and put them to simmer. add chopped parsley, a chopped shallot, pepper and salt. cut each fish in half across, and lay them in the bottom of a pie dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs, pats of butter, pepper and salt, between and on each piece. fill up the dish with water or milk, adding the simmered and strained liquor from the trimmings. bake gently for an hour, and when brown on top add more breadcrumbs, and pats of butter. filleted soles au fromage boil the filleted soles in water. make a sauce with butter. one spoonful of flour--milk, pepper and salt, powdered cheese (cheddar). boil it, adding some washed and chopped mushrooms and a little cream. put the filets on a dish and pour them over the sauce. leave it about a quarter of an hour in the oven, so that it becomes slightly browned. [_mdlle. spreakers._] filleted fish, with white sauce and tomatoes brown two onions in butter, and add a spray of parsley, half a pound of tomatoes and a claret glassful of white wine. let this simmer for half an hour, and then pass it through the tammy. then fry half a pound of mushrooms, and add them and their liquor to the sauce, thickening it, if necessary, with a little cornflour. a great improvement is a little liebig. place your fish in the oven, and cook it gently in butter, with pepper and salt. when it is done, serve it with the sauce poured over it. [_madame vandervalle._] the miller's cod (cabillaud meunier) cut your cod in slices, and roll them in flour. put them to fry in a good piece of butter, adding chopped parsley, pepper and salt, and the juice of one lemon. this is very good, if served in the dish that it is cooked in. dutch herrings (a cold dish) take some dutch, or some salted herrings, and remove the skin, backbones, etc. lay the fish in milk for at least twenty-four hours to get the salt out. make a mayonnaise sauce, adding to it the roe from the herrings, in small pieces; wipe and drain the fish, and pour over them the sauce. remains of cod i take your fish, and remove all bones and skin. put some butter to brown in a saucepan, and when it is colored, add the cod, sprinkling in pepper and salt and a good thickening of grated breadcrumbs. let this all heat gently by the fire and turn it into paper cases, with chopped parsley on the top. ii the above recipe can be followed for making fish rissoles, but, after having mixed it well, let it grow cold. then form into balls, roll them in breadcrumbs, and throw them into boiling fat. iii take all the remains of the fish and heat them in butter. make some mashed potatoes, and add to them some white sauce, made of flour, milk and butter. mix this with the fish, so that it is quite moist, and do not forget salt and pepper. place the mixture in a fireproof dish and sprinkle breadcrumbs over it. bake for fifteen minutes, or till it is hot through, and serve as it is. [_mdlle. m. schmidt, of antwerp._] * * * * * part ii the second half of this little book is composed chiefly of recipes for dishes that can be made in haste, and by the inexperienced cook. but such cook can hardly pay too much attention to details if she does not wish to revert to an early, not to say feral type of cuisine, where the roots were eaten raw while the meat was burnt. because your dining-room furniture is early english, there is no reason why the cooking should be early english too. and it certainly will be, unless one takes great trouble with detail. let us suppose that at : p.m. your husband telephones that he is bringing a friend to dine at . let us suppose an even more rash act. he arrives at : , he brings a friend: you perceive the unexpressed corollary that the dinner must be better than usual. in such a moment of poignant surprise, let fly your best smile (the kind that is practiced by bachelors' widows) and say "i am delighted you have come like this; do you mind eight or a quarter past for dinner?" then melt away to the cook with this very book in your hand. i take it that you consider her to be the junior partner in the household, you, of course, being the senior, and your husband the sleeping partner in it. ask what there is in the house for an extra dish, and i wager you the whole solar system to a burnt match that you will find in these pages the very recipe that fits the case. a piece of cold veal, viewed with an eye to futurity, resolves itself into a white creamy delightfulness that melts in your mouth; a new-laid egg, maybe, poached on the top, and all set in a china shell. if you have no meat at all, you must simply hoodwink your friends with the fish and vegetables. you know the story of the great frenchwoman: "hèlas, annette, i have some gentlemen coming to dine, and we have no meat in the house. what to do?" "ah! madame, i will cook at my best; and if madame will talk at her best, they will never notice there is anything wrong." but for the present day, i would recommend rather that the gentlemen be beguiled into doing the talking themselves, if any shortcoming in the menu is to be concealed from them, for then their attention will be engaged. it takes away from the made-in-a-hurry look of a dish if it is decorated, and there are plenty of motifs in that way besides parsley. one can use beetroot, radishes, carrots cut in dice, minced pickles, sieved egg; and for sweets, besides the usual preserved cherries and angelica, you can have strips of lemon peel, almonds pointed or chopped, stoned prunes cut in halves, wild strawberries, portions of tangerine orange. there is a saying, polish the shoe, though the sole be through, and a very simple chocolate shape may be made attractive by being garnished with a cluster of pointed almonds in the center, surrounded by a ring of tangerine pieces, well skinned and laid like many crescents one after the other. there is nothing so small and insignificant but has great possibilities. did not darwin raise eighty seedlings from a single clod of earth taken from a bird's foot? it is to be regretted that samuel johnson never wrote the manual that he contemplated. "sir," he said, "i could write a better book of cookery than has ever yet been written. it should be a book on philosophical principles." perhaps the pies of fleet street reminded him of the black broth of the spartans which the well-fed dionysius found excessively nasty; the tyrant was curtly told that it was nothing indeed without the seasoning of fatigue and hunger. we do not wish a meal to owe its relish solely to the influence of extreme hunger--it must have a beautiful nature all its own, it must exhibit the idea of thing-in-itself in an easily assimilable form. i am convinced, anyhow, that this little collection (formed through the kindness of our belgian friends) will work miracles; for there are plenty of miracles worked nowadays, though not by those romantic souls who think that things come by themselves. good dinners certainly do not, and i end with this couplet: a douce woman and a fu' wame maks king and cottar bide at hame. which, being interpreted, means that if you want a man to stay at home, you must agree with him and so must his dinner. m. luck. hors d'oeuvre (herring and mayonnaise) take some salt herrings, one for each person, and soak them for a day in water. skin them, cut them open lengthways, take out the backbone, and put them to soak for a day in vinegar. then before serving them, let them lie for a few minutes in milk, and, putting them on a dish, pour over them a good mayonnaise sauce. [_mme. delhaye._] carrot soup wash and scrape a pound of carrots, slice them, treat two medium sized potatoes in the same manner, add a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme and a chopped onion. cook all with water, add salt, pepper, and cook gently till tender, when pass it through a sieve. put in a pan a lump of butter the size of an egg, with a chopped leek and a sprig of chervil. let it cook gently for three or four minutes, then pour on the puree of carrots and let it all come to the boil before taking it off to serve. [_madame stoppers._] sorrel soup take a quart of bouillon or of meat extract and water. fry in butter a carrot, a turnip, an onion, a small cabbage, all washed and chopped, and add half a teaspoonful of castor sugar. put your soup to it and set on the fire. let it simmer for twenty minutes, add any seasoning you wish and a little more water, and let it simmer for another half hour. then shred a bit of basil or marjoram with a handful of well washed sorrel, throw them in, cook for five minutes, skim it, pour it into a soup tureen, and serve. ostend soup there are many varieties of this soup to be met with in the different hotels, but it is a white soup, made of fish pieces and trimmings, strained, returned to the pot, and with plenty of cream and oysters added before serving. it should never boil after the cream is put in. a little mace is usual, but no onions or shallot. a simple variety is made with flour and milk instead of cream, the liquor of the oysters as well as the oysters, and a beaten egg added at the last moment. [_esperance._] another sorrel soup take a tablespoonful of breadcrumbs, moisten them in milk in a pan, then add as much water as you require. throw in three medium potatoes, a handful of well washed sorrel, and a sprig or two of chervil, a lump of butter, pepper, and salt. bring to the boil, simmer for quarter of an hour, pass through a tammy, heat again for ten minutes and serve burning hot. [_esperance._] hasty soup into a quart of boiling water throw lightly four tablespoonfuls of semolina, so that the grains are separated. let it boil for a quarter of an hour, with pepper and salt. take the tureen and put the yolk of an egg in it with a bit of butter the same size, mix them with a fork and pour in a teacupful of hot water with extract of meat in it, as strong as you wish. quickly pour in the semolina soup and serve it at once. this is a quickly made and inexpensive dish, besides which it is a nice one. [_madame alphonse f._] artichokes a la vedette boil some globe artichokes in salted water till they are tender. take out the center leaves, leaving an even fringe of leaves on the outside. remove as much of the choke as you can. put them back in a steamer. toss some cooked peas in butter, then mix them in cream and taking up your artichokes again put in your cream and peas in the center of each, as much as you can get in. the cream is not necessary for this dish to be a good one, but the artichokes and peas must both be young. as a rule people cut their fruit too soon and their vegetables too late. [_chef reconnaissant._] surprise potatoes quarter of an hour will suffice to prepare and cook this savory surprise, once the potatoes are baked. take three large potatoes of symmetrical size, clean and bake them; cut each in two and remove the inside without injuring the skin. melt half an ounce of butter by the fire, add two ounces of potato passed through a sieve, a teaspoonful of grated parmesan, pepper, salt, and a tablespoonful of milk. then stir in the yolk of an egg and presently the white, well beaten. fill the empty potato skins with the mixture which ought to rise and puff out in ten or twelve minutes. vegetable salads sometimes one has a few leeks, a half cauliflower, a handful each of peas and beans. instead of currying these vegetables (which removes all distinctive flavor from them) cook them gently, and toss them when cold in a good salad dressing. if you can give the yolk of an egg to it, so much the better. any cold meat is improved by a side dish of this sort. the vegetables that one can curry with advantage are large marrows, cut into cubes, turnips, potatoes, parsnips. [_marguerite leblanc_.] tomatoes a la sir edward grey hommage take some fine firm tomatoes, not very ripe. turn them with the stalk side up and cut a slice off the top with a sharp knife. take out the inside with a teaspoon. break into each tomato a pullet's egg, sprinkle with pepper and salt. the inside of the tomato you will pass through a fine wire sieve and it will be a thick liquor; mix it with bread-crumbs, salt, pepper, and some grated cheese till quite thick. put this mixture on the top of each egg and place all in the oven for three or four minutes, so that the eggs are only just set and no more. [_amie inconnue._] stuffed carrots take some good sized carrots, and after washing them well and cutting off the green tuft, cut each one across about two and a half inches from the leaves. scoop out the inside yellow part, leaving a case of the redder part and a piece to form the bottom, at the smaller end. then stew the cases very gently till a little tender, but not quite soft. take them out of the water, drain them, and then placing each on its small end, fill up with hot chopped mushrooms, that have been tossed in butter. arrange in a circle on a dish, and garnish with small sprigs of carrot leaves. the insides that you have scooped out are to be used for soup flavoring. [_pour la patrie._] to cook asparagus one should not let the tips of this vegetable touch the water. take your bundle, dip the stalks in warm water to remove any dust, and the tips also, if it is necessary. then tie the bundle round with tape, keeping the ends of stalks even so that it will stand upright. place them in boiling water with the heads just sticking out, and keep them like that. in this way the heads, which are very tender, will be cooked in the steam and will not drop off. [_pour la patrie._] tomatoes in haste butter a pie-dish, preferably a fireproof china dish. open a tin of tomatoes and remove as much skin as you can if they are the unpeeled kind. put a handful of crumbled brown bread in the dish with lumps of butter, then pour on that some tomatoes, dust with pepper and salt, then more bread, and so on, finishing at the last with lumps of butter, and a thick sprinkling of grated cheese. bake for twenty minutes. [_pour la patrie._] kidneys and lettuce put on some water to boil. take your lettuce, and choose the round kind, and wash it well. take out neatly with your fingers the center leaves, and fill up instead with a sheep's kidney which you have lightly dusted with flour, pepper, and salt. tie the lettuce round very firmly and set it in a pan of boiling water that covers up only three quarters of the vegetable. boil for eighteen minutes. take out the lettuce, untie it, drain it, and serve at once. kidneys are good when they are placed inside large spanish onions and gently stewed, in which case a dab of made mustard is given them. tomato rice put on your rice to boil. make a tomato sauce by stewing them gently, and then rubbing them through a sieve; this makes a purée, which you must put back to heat with pepper and salt and a small quantity of made mustard. then grate some parmesan, or failing that, some gruyère cheese. take off the rice, drain it, keeping it hot, put it on a dish and pour over it your purée. then sprinkle the grated cheese thickly on top of all. [_pour la patrie._] rice with eggs boil some rice till it will press closely together. fill some teacups with it, pressing the rice well down; then leave a hole in the middle and pour into each hole a small raw egg, yolk, and white. set the tea-cups to cook in the oven, and when the eggs are just set and no more, press on them some more rice. turn them out of the teacups, and if you have rubbed the inside of the cups with a little butter this will be easy, and sprinkle over the top of each mold plenty of chopped parsley. do not forget salt and pepper to season the ingredients. [_pour la patrie._] broad beans in sauce take your shelled beans, very young and tender. throw them into boiling water for a minute, then pour the water away. heat for a pound of beans one and one-half pints of milk, stir in four ounces of salt butter, a very little chopped parsley, salt and pepper. do not let the milk boil, but when it simmers put in the beans. when they have been heated for ten minutes, thicken your sauce with the yolks of two eggs and a tablespoonful of cream. take out a bean and eat it to see if it is cooked, and if so, pour all on a hot dish. garnish with fried sippets of bread. old broad beans can be treated in the same way, but they must first be skinned. [_aimee._] omelette of peas beat up three eggs, to which add one tablespoonful of grated cheese, pepper, and salt, and mix thoroughly. butter an omelette pan, and pour in the mixture, keep moving it gently with a fork while you sprinkle in with the other hand some cooked green peas. the omelette will be cooked by the time you have sprinkled in two handfuls. slip it off on to a very hot dish, fold over, and serve at once. [_jean o._] brussels artichokes wash well some globe artichokes, and boil them in salted water. meanwhile make a good mushroom filling, highly seasoned, of cooked mushroom, dipped into butter, pepper, salt, a few breadcrumbs, and shreds of ham. remove the center leaves from the vegetable and as much of the choke as you can. fill up with the mushroom force and stew gently in brown sauce flavored with a bunch of herbs. [_f. r._] belgian salad is merely endive, washed and torn apart with red peppers added here and there as well as the ordinary salad dressing. _belgian asparagus_ is done by adding to the cooked vegetable a bechamel sauce, poured over the dish, and then slices of hard boiled eggs placed on the top. the giant asparagus is used, and it is eaten with a fork. [_a grocer's wife._] brussels carrots cut young carrots in small pieces, blanch them in salted water; melt some butter in a stew pan, add enough water and meat extract to make sufficient to cover the carrots, season with pepper, salt and a pinch of sugar and toss the carrots in this till they are tender. then add the yolk of an egg and a tablespoonful of cream, holding the pan just off the fire with the left hand, while you stir with the right. when it is well mixed pour all out on a vegetable dish and sprinkle over with chopped parsley. [_amie reconnaissante._] carrots and eggs make the same preparation as above, for the sauce, with the same seasonings, but add a dust of nutmeg. then add half a pint of white stock which will be enough for a small bunch of carrots; simmer them for fifteen minutes and then break in three whole eggs, taking care that they fall apart from each other. let them cook till nearly set (for they will go on cooking in the hot sauce after you remove them from the fire) and serve at once. this is nearly as good if you use old carrots sliced, instead of the young ones. [_m. zoeben_.] cucumbers and tomatoes take two earthenware pots and put some tomatoes to stew in one, in water, pepper, and salt. peel a cucumber, open it, remove the seeds and stuff it with any forcemeat that you have; but a white one is best. let it cook gently in some brown stock, well covered over. when tender put the cucumber along the dish and tomatoes on each side. a puree of potatoes can surround them. [_a. fanderverde_.] red haricots soak some white haricot-beans over night, or stew them till tender in some weak stock. make a tomato sauce in a saucepan, and flavor it rather strongly with made mustard, stirring well, so that it is well incorporated. when the beans are tender, drain them from the liquor (keeping them hot) and reduce that to half its quantity. put back the beans and add the tomato sauce, heat for a couple of minutes, and serve with three-cornered pieces of toast. [_elise et jean_.] potatoes a la brabanconne boil some potatoes, rub them through a sieve, add pepper, salt, and a tablespoonful of cream to a pound of potatoes, rub through a tammy again. chop a shallot, a spring or two of parsley and mix them in, sprinkling in at the same time a dust of nutmeg and a dessertspoonful of grated cheese. place the puree in a dish to be baked, and before setting it in the oven sprinkle on the top some bread-crumbs, and cheese grated and mixed and one or two pats of salt butter. bake till it is a golden brown. [_elise et jean_.] flemish peas cook some young peas and some carrots (scraped and shaped into cones) in separate pans. then put them together in an earthenware close covered pan to simmer together in butter and gravy, the first water having been well drained from them. season with pepper and salt and let them cook gently for ten or twelve minutes; do not uncover the pot to stir it, but shake it every now and then to prevent the contents from burning. [_amie inconnue_.] chou-croute take as many white september cabbages as you wish, trim them, cut in halves, remove the stalks, wash them very thoroughly and shred them pretty finely. procure an earthenware crock and put in a layer of cabbage, sprinkle it with coarse salt, whole pepper, and juniper berries. fill up the crock in this way, put on the lid, and keep it down closely with weights. it will be ready in about six weeks' time, when the fermentation has taken place. it is good with pork or bacon. spinach fritters take any cold boiled spinach--though people generally eat all that there is--and mix it thickly with the yolk of egg and a little rice flour; you may add a little powdered sugar. have ready some boiling fat, and drop spoonfuls of the spinach into it. if the fat is hot enough the fritters will puff out. drain them quickly and serve very hot. harlequin cabbages shred some red cabbage, to half a pound of it add two medium sized apples, minced finely without core or skin, a bit of fat bacon, season with pepper, salt, vinegar, which should be tarragon vinegar, and put it to simmer in some gravy or milk and water. it should cook for an hour over a gentle fire. cook separately some green cabbage, cleaned, boiled till tender in salted water, chopped, then put back on a gentle fire with salt, pepper, a dust of nutmeg, and some fat or butter. let it heat and mix well, and then serve the two colors side by side in the same dish; the red cabbage has a sour and the green has a nutty flavor which is very agreeable. little towers of salad put a couple of eggs on to boil hard, while you make a thick mayonnaise sauce. cut some beetroot, some cucumber, some cold potato, some tomato into slices. peel your eggs, and slice them, and build up little piles of the different things, till about two inches high. between each slice you will sprinkle grated breadcrumbs, pepper, salt, a tiny scrap of chopped raw shallot, parsley, all mixed in a cup. finish with the rounded ends of white of egg on the top, put lettuce round and pour the dressing over it. puffs for friday make a batter of a beaten egg, a dust of rice flour, pepper, salt and as much cream as you can give. roll out this batter so thinly that you can almost see through it. cut it into rounds and put on it any cooked vegetables that you have, but they must be highly seasoned. cold potatoes will do if they are done with mustard, vinegar, or a strong boiled sauce. fold over the paste, press it together at the edges, and fry in hot fat. haddock a la cardinal take some fillets of haddock, or cod or hake, and poach them gently in milk and water. meanwhile, prepare a good white sauce, and in another pan a thick tomato sauce, highly seasoned, colored with cochineal if need be, and as thick as a good cream. lay the fillets when cooked one each on a plate, put some of the white sauce round it, and along the top put the tomato sauce which must not run down. a sprig of chervil is to be placed at each end of the fillet. [_seulette._] skate stew put the fins, skin, trimmings of skate into water enough to cook them, with pepper and salt and simmer for half an hour. strain it through a fine sieve. make a brown sauce of butter and flour, pepper, salt, adding a little milk, about a teacupful for a pound of skate, then squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and if you have it, a glass of white wine. take the skate, cut it in pieces, simmer it in salted water; when cooked, strain away the water, dish the fish, pouring over it the above sauce. decorate with strips of lemon peel laid in a lattice-work down the center. [_une epiciere_.] to dress coarse fish any fish is good if dressed in this way. make a brown sauce, well flouring it with salt, pepper, and dried herbs. mince and fry a shallot and add it, then a large glass of red wine, a few drops of lemon juice. cook some fish roe, sieve it, and stir it into the sauce. take your fish and simmer it in milk and water till cooked, then heat it up quickly in the sauce to serve. [_f. r._] flemish salad this is fillets of herring, laid in a bowl with slices of apple, beetroot, cold potatoes, and cold cooked sprouts, covered with the ordinary salad dressing. if the fish is salted, let it soak first of all in milk to take away the greater part of the salt. this is a winter dish, but the same sort of thing is prepared in summer, substituting cold cooked peas, cauliflower, artichokes, beans, with the fish. [_amie reconnaissante._] flemish sauce this popular sauce is composed of melted butter thickened with yolk of egg and flavored with mustard; it is used greatly for fish. beef squares if you have a small piece of very good beef, such as rump steak or fillet of beef, it is more economical to cut it into squares, and grill it lightly at a clear fire. have ready some squares of toast, buttered and hot, lay these on a hot dish with a bit of steak on the top, and on the top of that a slice of tomato much peppered and salted and a small pile of horse-radish. this makes a pretty dish and can be varied by using capers or chopped gherkins instead of horse-radish. it is a great saving to cut meat, bread, etc., in squares instead of rounds. [_une amie au convent._] imitation cutlets a dish that i have done for those who like curry flavoring is the following. take any cold cooked vegetables, and cutting them in small pieces, roll them in a thick white sauce which you have strongly flavored with curry. put it aside to get firm. if you are in a hurry you can bind with the yolk of an egg in the flour and make a thick batter in that way. form into cutlets and fry as you would a real cutlet. the same thing can be done with macaroni or spaghetti that is already cooked, with cold fish or anything that is insipid to the taste. [_une amie au convent_.] kidneys with madeira use either sheep or pigs' kidneys. cut them longways, so as to be able to take out the threads from the inside of them. put some butter on to fry over a brisk fire and when it is browned, but not burnt, put in the kidneys for three or four minutes. take them out and keep them hot for a minute while you add to the butter they were cooked in a soupspoonful of madeira wine, a good dust of chopped parsley, a little cayenne pepper and salt. mix it well, and if too thick add a little gravy. pour the sauce over the kidneys and finish with a powdering of chopped parsley. fried potatoes are eaten with this dish. [_mme. vanderbelle genotte._] pigs' trotters in blanquette any part of pork or veal is good done in this way. take your pieces of meat and fry them in butter till they are a good golden brown color. put them in a pan, covering them with water, and adding a sliced onion, a bay leaf, a whole carrot, a leek, pepper, salt,--let it all simmer gently over a slow fire till the meat is cooked but not boiled. take the pieces from the liquor and pass it through a sieve. mix a little rice flour in a cup of cold water, stirring well. drop in the juice of half a lemon and the beaten yolk of an egg, which stir round quickly. put in the meat again for a moment and serve it with boiled potatoes. loin of mutton in the pot put in an earthenware pot three shallots, finely minced; take a bit of garlic, cut it close and rub it round the side of the pot; put in as well a lump of butter, pepper and salt, and some rather fat gravy. divide the loin and put six chops in to simmer for three quarters of an hour on a moderate fire, covering the pot with the lid. before you serve it, stir in a little lemon juice and stir up the sauce. to be served with cauliflower à la aerschot as follows: cut your cauliflower into medium pieces, seeing that it is very clean, while you have some salted water boiling up. put in the pieces, boil till tender, then drain them on a sieve. put leaves and trimming of the vegetable into the pot to simmer and serve as basis for a vegetable soup. make a good white sauce, adding the yolk of an egg, and flavoring it with nutmeg. put the vegetable on a dish and pour over the sauce, letting it stand for a few moments by the fire before it is eaten. [_madame herman noppen._] ox tongue with spinach and white sauce boil the tongue in salted water till the outer skin will peel off. take this off, then put the tongue back in the liquor to simmer while you prepare the same. take a piece of butter the size of an egg, melt it and mix it with two dessertspoonfuls of ground rice, add some of the liquor, pepper, and salt, stir well, so that it makes a good cream; drop in the yolks of two eggs, always stirring, and a little lemon juice. serve the tongue whole with this sauce poured over it and spinach done in the following way: wash the spinach in running water till every bit of grit has gone. put some water on to boil, salt it well, and throw in the spinach which you have freed from mid-rib and stalk. the water must be boiling and the fire brisk. when tender, pass the spinach through the sieve, then put a bit of butter into an enameled saucepan, then the spinach, which heat for six minutes, add a little pepper. serve it with the tongue, and you can garnish as well with little croutons of bread fried in butter. [_madame herman noppen_.] veal fritters if you have only a little piece of veal or other cold meat, you can make a very presentable dish in the following way: cut a thin slice of meat and spread on each side of it a layer of mashed potatoes to which you have added some tomato sauce. beat up an egg and dip the slices and potato into it, lay them in fine breadcrumbs and fry them till a good golden color in plenty of fat. send them to table under a hot cover. [_pour la patrie._] stewed beef if you are obliged to make a hot dish in a hurry and have only a piece of inferior meat, there is no better way of using it than by dressing it in the brabant way, which is rather expensive. clean and cook some mushrooms, and when fried lightly, add them and their liquor to your beef, cut up in small pieces, but not minced. add pepper, salt, a dust of spices, or an onion with three or four cloves in it, and a half bottle of good red wine. stew all together for at least twenty minutes, take out the onion and cloves, and serve in the dish it was cooked in which should be an earthenware pot. [_pour la patrie._] a mutton salad cut some slices of cold mutton or lamb, removing every bit of fat and skin that you can, unless that destroys the firmness of the slice. prepare a salad of lettuce, and if you cannot give a mayonnaise sauce, add to the lettuce plenty of sliced cucumber, for that keeps the mutton moist. put the salad on each slice and roll the meat over as tightly as you can. lay the rolls closely together in a dish and sprinkle a very little salad dressing over them. this way of doing meat is very useful for taking to picnics, or for taking on a long journey. [_pour la patrie._] sausage patties half a pound of sausage meat of any kind that you like. make some rounds of paste, lay the meat on half of each round and fold over. steam for quarter of an hour, or stew in plenty of gravy. [_pour la patrie_.] sausage and potatoes roll some cooked sausage meat in mashed potatoes, making a roll for each person. brush the potatoes over with milk and put them to bake till nicely browned. decorate with gherkins on each roll of butter. [_pour la patrie_.] ragout of cold meat take any cold meat that you have, free it from fat and skin and cut it in rounds like a five-franc piece. if you have some lean bacon or ham, a little of that should be added. i should tell you first of all to put some rice on to boil in boiling water. make a sauce of flour and butter in a pan, adding gravy if you happen to have it, but failing that, use water and vinegar in equal parts to thin it; season with pepper and salt and a small spoonful of anchovy sauce. when the sauce is heating, put in the meat and cover the pan, let it all heat for twelve minutes and then place meat and sauce in the middle of a dish. by this time the rice may be tender. drain it well and put it as a border to the stew. [_aimee._] a quickly made stew put a piece of butter in a stewpan, with an onion cut in pieces, a few cloves, salt and pepper, a tablespoonful of shredded parsley, and if you have it some good gravy or meat juice and water. throw into the sauce some cold meat, preferably underdone, and after it has simmered for fifteen minutes take a cut onion and rub with it the bottom of the dish that you are going to use. take a good glass of red wine, such as burgundy and mix it with the yolk of an egg, stir this into the stew and serve up in a couple of minutes. [_madame groubet._] grenadines of veal take a fireproof dish, and after sprinkling it with breadcrumbs put in it a layer of roast veal in slices, a layer of mashed potatoes, a layer of veal kidney, partly cooked, and cut into pieces and lastly a layer of potato. cover the whole with a bechamel sauce into which you have stirred some grated cheese; put it to bake in the oven. then make a brown sauce with any veal or kidney gravy that you have, and cook some mushrooms in it with pepper and salt; the sauce is to be served with the grenadine. hoche pot slice an onion and fry it in butter till it is brown; add pieces of pork and of mutton freed from fat and skin; cover them with water and throw into it any kinds of vegetables that you may have; but particularly sliced carrots and turnips and green cabbages; put it in the oven to cook. in another saucepan boil some white haricot beans, salt, and pepper, until they are tender, when they must be added to the stew with a small quantity of the liquor that they have been boiled in. pigeon and cabbage rolls take two pigeons, two cabbages, four slices of fried bacon, an ounce of butter, a large wineglassful of sherry, and some gravy. truss your pigeons and cook them in butter for ten minutes in a fireproof dish. then take them out, cut them into neat pieces. meanwhile have the cabbages boiled in salted water. drain them. cut them in small pieces and roll some up in each slice of bacon; lay the pigeons on top, pouring over them the liquor they were cooked in and half the wine. put all in the oven for ten minutes--pour in the rest of the wine and leave for another ten minutes before serving. if you have stock to add to this it is an improvement, or put half a teaspoonful of meat extract to half a pint of water. [_une refugiee_.] remains of sausage if you have a few inches of a big sausage cut it into as thick slices as you can--fry them and lay them in a circle on a dish with a poached egg on each. little dinner breads are good when soaked in milk, stuffed with sausage meat, and fried. it can be used to stuff cucumber, or eggplants, but you should then crumble up the meat and bind it with the yolk of a raw egg. [_mme. georgette._] shoulder of lamb a la beige braise your shoulder of lamb; that is, put it in a closely covered stewpan, in a good brown sauce or gravy with the vegetables, to be served with it. it is the lid being closed that makes the meat take some flavor from the vegetables. to do it in the belgian way, take some good white turnips, wash them and scrape them, put small ones in whole, large ones cut in half. take some small cabbages, trim off without leaves, cut them in half, remove the stalk, make a hollow in the center and fill it with forcemeat of any kind; but sausage meat is good. place the stuffed cabbages round the meat to cook gently at the same time. [_madame vershagen._] fillet of beef À la brabanconne take a whole fillet of beef, trim it neatly and set it in a braising pan to cook very slowly in some good brown sauce to which you have added a pint of stock. put in neatly shaped carrots and turnips and some balls made of mashed potato already fried. keep hot in two sauceboats a puree of brussels sprouts and a puree of onions. these are prepared by cooking the vegetables in water, then chopping fine, and rubbing through a sieve with cream, or with a little good milk, pepper, and salt. to serve the fillet, lay it on a dish with the carrots and turnip, potato cakes round; pour over it the rest of the brown sauce from the pan; then add in heaps the onion puree and the sprouts puree. [_madame vershagen._] stewed beef an inferior part of beef may be made to taste excellent if it is braised; that is, simmered with the cover on slowly, in company with onions (already fried) and well washed pieces of carrots and whole turnips. put on also some small cabbages cut in halves, and if you can give it, a glass of good red wine. [_une refugiee._] beef and apricots stew your beef, say three pounds of steak, in some gravy, adding to a pint of liquor a level teaspoonful of white sugar. throw in a handful of the dried apricots, but be sure you wash them well first. this dish is generally accompanied by leeks, first blanched for a few moments, and then put in the stew. flavor with salt, pepper, and the rind of half a lemon which remove before you serve the stew. for english taste the sugar could be omitted. [_seulette._] for an invalid this must be begun at least three hours before it will be required. take two ounces of pearl barley, wash it well, and put it in cold water enough to cover it, for an hour. take a pound of good steak, shred it in small pieces, and put it in an enameled saucepan with a quart of cold water and a sprinkle of salt. strain the water from the barley and add this last to the meat, and let it simmer for two hours. then strain off the liquor and pound the meat and barley in a mortar, rub it through a sieve; when it is a smooth puree put it back into the pan with its liquor and a gill of cream. let it simmer again for a moment and serve it in a cup with a lid to it. [_madame a. f._] invalids' eggs cut out some rounds of bread a good deal larger than a poached egg would be. while these are frying, make a puree of brussels sprouts. boil them till tender, squeeze in a cloth. rub them through a sieve and make into a very thick puree with cream, pepper and salt. poach a fresh egg for each crouton, and slip it on, very quickly, put some of the green puree round, and serve under a hot cover. a sweet for the children if you have some little breads over, cut each one in four, soak the pieces in milk sweetened and flavored with vanilla, for three hours. when they are well soaked roll them for a moment in grated and dried breadcrumbs, and dip them for a moment in boiling fat, just as you would do croquettes. sift some white sugar over them and serve very hot. [_madame m._] quince custard when you have quince preserves by you this is a quickly prepared dish. make a good custard with a pint of rich milk, four eggs and a little essence of almonds and two ounces of powdered sugar. put your quince preserve at the bottom of a fireproof circular dish and fill up with custard. put it to bake for half or hour or till set. when set add some more quince (heated) on the top with some chopped almonds and serve hot. the same dish can be done with apples, which should be stewed, flavored with the rind of a half lemon, and passed through a sieve. apple puree is put on the top in the same way, and it is decorated with some thin lemon peel cut into stars. [_chef reconnaissant._] yellow plums and rice put half a pound of rice in hot milk till it has absorbed all it can and is tender. beat lightly the yolks of three eggs, beating in a lump of fresh butter the size of a pullet's egg; add powdered sugar and the whites of the eggs well beaten. put the rice into this mixture and place all in a mold. cook it gently for twenty-five minutes. meanwhile take some very perfect yellow plums, skin and stone them and heat them in half a bottle of light white wine that you have seasoned with a little spice. turn out the rice, put the yellow plums on the top and pour round the sauce, strained through muslin. very good cold. brabant pancake butter first of all your pancakes, and you should have proper pancake saucers fit to go to table. heat half a pint of sweetened milk and melt a quarter of a pound of salt butter with it. when well melted pour it into a basin and sprinkle in nearly three ounces of flour. beat up the yolks of three large or four small eggs and incorporate them, then add the whites well beaten. put a spoonful or two on each saucer and set to bake in the oven for ten minutes and when done place each saucer on a plate with a good lump of apricot jam on each. if you have no pancake saucers, put the apricot preserve on one half of each pancake and fold it up. [_jean o._] delicious sauce for puddings to a large wineglassful (say a glass for champagne wine) of new madeira add the yolks only of two eggs. put in a very clean enamel saucepan over the fire and stir in powdered sugar to your taste. whisk it over the fire till it froths, but do not allow it even to simmer. use for genoese cakes and puddings. [_madame groubet._] fruit jellies jellies that are very well flavored can be made with fresh fruit, raspberries, strawberries, apricots, or even rhubarb, using the proportions of one ounce of gelatine (in cold weather) to every pound of fruit puree. in hot weather use a little less gelatine. as the fruit generally gives a bad color, you must use cochineal for the red jellies and a little green coloring for gooseberry jellies. the gelatine is of course melted in the fruit puree and all turned into a mold. you can make your own green coloring in this way. pick a pound of spinach, throwing away the stalks and midrib. put it on in a pan with a little salt and keep the cover down. let it boil for twelve minutes. then put a fine sieve over a basin and pour the spinach water through it. strain the spinach water once or twice through muslin; it will be a good color and will keep some time. orange and lemon jellies are much more wholesome when made at home than those made from bought powders. to the juice of every six oranges you should add the juice of one lemon, and you will procure twice as much juice from the fruit if, just before you squeeze it, you let it soak in hot water for three or four minutes. [_pour la patrie_.] strawberry fancy take a slice or two of plain sponge cake and cut out rounds two inches across. then whip up in a basin the whites only of four eggs, coloring them with the thinner part of strawberry jam. as a rule this jam is not red enough, and you must add a little cochineal. put the pink mixture in high piles on the cakes. [_pour la patrie._] pink rice this sweet is liked by children who are tired of rice pudding. boil your rice and when tender mix in with it the juice of a boiled beetroot to which some sugar has been added. turn it into a mold and when cold remove it and serve it with a spoonful of raspberry preserve on the top or with some red plums round it. [_pour la patrie._] military prunes take some of the best french preserved prunes, and remove the stones. soak them in orange curaçoa for as long a time as you have at your disposal. then replace each stone by a blanched almond, and place the prunes in small crystal dishes. [_pour la patrie._] madeline cherries take some madeleine cakes and scoop them out to form baskets. fill these with stoned cherries both white and black that you have soaked in a good liqueur--cherry brandy is the best but you may use maraschino. place two long strips of angelica across the top and where these intersect a very fine stoned cherry. [_pour la patrie._] strawberry tartlets it often happens that you have among the strawberries a quantity that are not quite good enough to be sent to table as dessert, and yet not enough to make jam of. put these strawberries on to heat, with some brown sugar, and use them to fill small pastry tartlets. pastry cases can be bought for very little at the confectioner's. cover the top of the tartlet when the strawberry conserve is cold with whipped cream. [_pour la patrie._] madeira eggs or oeufs À la grand'mÈre break the yolk of an egg in a basin and be sure that it is very fresh; beat it up, adding a little powdered sugar, and then, drop by drop, enough of the best madeira to give it a strong flavor. this makes a nice sweet served in glass cups and it is besides very good for sore throats. [_pour la patrie._] butterflies you will get at the confectioner's small round cakes that are smooth on the top; they are plain, and are about two and one-half inches across. take one and cut it in halves, separating the top from the bottom. cut the top pieces right across; you have now two half moons. put some honey along the one straight edge of each half moon and stick it by that on the lower piece of cake, a little to one side. do the same with the second half moon, so that they both stick up, not unlike wings. fill the space between with a thick mixture of chopped almonds rolled in honey, and place two strips of angelica poking forward to suggest antennae. a good nougat will answer instead of the honey. [_pour la patrie_.] cherry and strawberry compote take half a pint of rich cream and mix with it a small glassful of madeira wine or of good brandy. pick over some fine cherries and strawberries, stoning the cherries, and taking out the little center piece of each strawberry that is attached to the stalk. lay your fruit in a shallow dish and cover it with the liquor and serve with the long sponge biscuits known as "langues de chat" (savoy fingers). [_amitie aux anglais._] chocolate custard to make a nice sweet in a few minutes can be easily managed if you follow this recipe. make a custard of rich milk and yolks of eggs, sweeten it with sugar, flavored with vanilla, and if you have a little cream add that also. then grate down some of the best chocolate, as finely as you can, rub it through coarse muslin so that it is a fine powder. stir this with your custard, always stirring one way so that no bubbles of air get in. when you have got a thick consistency like rich cream, pour the mixture into paper or china cases, sprinkle over the tops with chopped almonds. there is no cooking required. gooseberry cream without cream take your gooseberries and wash them well, cut off the stalk and the black tip of each. stew them with sugar till they are tender, just covered in water. do not let them burn. if you have not time to attend to that put them in the oven in a shallow dish sprinkled with brown sugar. when tender rub them through a fine sieve at least twice. flavor with a few drops of lemon juice, and add sugar if required. then beat up a fresh egg in milk and add as much arrowroot or cornflour as will lie flat in a salt spoon. mix the custard with the gooseberries, pass it through the sieve once more and serve it in a crystal bowl. [_mdlle. b-m._] chocolate puddings make some genoese cake mixture as you would for a light cake, and pour it into greased molds like cups. you can take the weight of one egg in dried flour, butter, and rather less of sugar. beat the butter and sugar together to a cream, sprinkle in the flour, stirring all the time, a pinch of salt, and then the beaten egg. when your little cakes are baked, turn them out of the molds and when cool turn them upside down and remove the inside, leaving a deep hole and a thin crust all round. fill up this hole with the custard and chocolate as above, and let it grow firm. then turn the cases right way up and pour over the top a sweet cherry sauce. you may require the yolks of two eggs to make the custard firm. [_mdlle. b-m._] index anchovy biscuits " patties " rounds " sandwiches anchovies " mock apples, a new dish of apples and sausages artichokes a la vedette artichokes, brussels asparagus a l'anvers asparagus, to cook aubergine or egg plant banana compote beans, a dish of haricot " broad, in sauce beef a la bourguignonne beef a la mode beef, blankenberg " caretaker's " fillet of, a la brabanconne " roast rump of, bordelaise sauce " roasted fillet of " stewed beef and apricots beef squares brussels sprouts boeuf a la flamande bouchees a la reine brabant pancake burgundy, hot butterflies cabbage, red cabbage and potatoes cabbage with sausages cabbages, harlequin cake, mocha calf's liver a la bourgeoise carbonade, flemish carbonade of flanders carbonades done with beer carrots, belgian " brussels " flemish " stuffed carrots and eggs cauliflower a la reine elizabeth cauliflower and shrimps cauliflower, dressed " stuffed celeris au lard cheese fondants cheese limpens cherry and strawberry compote cherries, madeline chicken a la max chicory chicory a la ferdinand chicory and ham with cheese sauce chicory, stuffed children's birthday dish, the chinese corks chou-croute cod, remains of " the miller's cordial, hawthorn cream, chocolate " rum " vanilla creme de poisson à la roi albert croquettes of boiled meat croquettes of veal croquettes, cheese " potato cucumber à la laeken cucumbers and tomatoes custard, chocolate cutlets, imitation delicious sauce for puddings egg plants as souffle eggs à la ribeaucourt eggs, a difficult dish of " belgian " country " french " madeira or oeufs à la grand'mère " peasants' " poached, tomato sauce " stuffed eggs and mushrooms endive, flemish entrèe (croque-monsieur) " walloon fish " a brown dish of fish, filleted, with white sauce and tomatoes " remains of " to dress coarse fish and custard four quarters frangipani fricadelle friday's feast fritters, apple " fruit " semolina " spinach " veal fruit jellies gaufres from brussels gingerbread, belgian gooseberry cream without cream haddock a la cardinal haddocks, baked hake and potatoes ham with madeira sauce ham, york, sweetbreads, madeira sauce hare " hunter's haricots, red herring and mayonnaise herrings, dutch hoche pot hoche pot gantois hoche pot of ghent hors d'oeuvre hot pot invalid, for an invalid's eggs kid, roast, with venison sauce kidneys and lettuce kidneys with madeira lamb, shoulder of, à la belge lavender water leeks à la liegeoise lettuce, cooked mackerel, to keep for a week meat, cold, ragout of " scraps of " to use up cold " to use up remains of mutton, a use for cold " collops " loin of, in the pot " ragout of " shoulder of " shoulder of, dressed like kid " stew " stewed shoulder of mushrooms à la spinette mushrooms, gourmands' oeufs celestes, hommage à sir edward grey omelette, asparagus " mushroom " of peas " rum ox tongue ox tongue a la bourgeoise ox tongue with spinach and white sauce pains perdus pastry, excellent paste for peas, flemish petites caisses à la furnes pigeon and cabbage rolls, pigeons, fricassee of pigs' trotters in blanquette pineapple à l'anvers pommes château potato dice potatoes, chipped " surprise potatoes a la brabanconne potatoes and cheese potatoes in the belgian manner pouding aux pommes prunes, military " stewed puddings, chocolate puffs for friday purée of chestnuts quince custard rabbit " baked " flemish " laeken rabbit à la bordelaise rice, golden " pink " richelieu " saffron rice à la conde rice with eggs rissoles, good riz conde salad, belgian " flemish " little towers of " a mutton " of tomatoes " vegetable salads, vegetable sauce au diable sauce, bearnaise " bordelaise " cream " dutch, for fish " flemish " maître d'hôtel " muslin " poor man's " the good wife's sausage and potatoes sausage patties sausage, remains of skate, stew " very nice snowy mountains soles, filleted, au fromage soufflé, apricot " au chocolat " baked " cheese " kidney " semolina soup, a good belgian " a good pea " ambassador " another sorrel " belgian purée " carrot " cauliflower " chervil " cream of asparagus " crecy (belgian recipe) " fish " flemish " green pea " hasty " immediate, or ten minutes " leek " mushroom cream " onion " ostend " potage leman " sorrel " the soldiers' vegetable " starvation " tomato " tomato puree " vegetable " waterzoei sparrows, headless speculoos sprats, to keep spinach à la braconnière stew, a quickly made strawberry fancy strawberry tartlets sweet drinks and cordials orgeat sweet for the children, a tomato rice tomatoes, à la sir edward grey hommage tomatoes and eggs " and eggs, two recipes for tomatoes and shrimps tomatoes in haste tomatoes, stuffed " stuffed with beans veal, breast of, " blanquette of " fricandeau of " grenadines of " grenadins of veal à la crème veal à la milanaise veal cake, " excellent for supper veal cutlets with madeira sauce veal liver stuffed, or liver à le panier d'or veal with mushrooms, or the calf in paradise veal with onions veal with tomatoes yellow plums and rice transcriber's note: printer's inconsistencies in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained. always use opportune flour made from home grown hard spring wheat for sale by leading merchants williston mill co. williston, north dakota bruegger's the house of high class goods home brand canned goods home brand extracts home brand spices home brand pickles home brand preserves complete stock of well selected groceries always on hand phone great northern hotel richard peyton manager telephone no. * * * all men are liars except you and me. and i have some doubts about you the citizens farm loan company they make farm loans * * * your insurance real estate and investments with o. a. houge makes you safe and satisfied phone telephone building * * * kather's drug store where your prescriptions always receive the most careful and prompt attention. everything in the drug line. toilet articles, stationery, rubber goods, hospital supplies, books, school supplies, wall paper. phone first national bank r. d. sutherland cashier j. r. schuknecht asst. cashier o. w. bell asst. cashier interest paid on time deposits * * * william snyder general merchandise headquarters for the mishawaka ball brand rubbers and overshoes. first grade pure rubber * * * pingree shoes for women who care buster brown and educator shoes for boys and girls greengard bros. citizens national bank paid up capital $ , . ...united states depository... williston, - - north dakota * * * the boston ladies and misses exclusive outfitters if you bought it at the boston it is up-to-date union block williston, n. d. * * * edwin a. palmer thos. f. craven t. f. burns palmer, craven & burns ....lawyers.... williston, north dakota daniel bell & company plumbing steam and hot water heating telephone williston, n. dak. * * * john heffernan livery, feed and sale stable transfer. hack and bus line. agent standard oil co. dealer in live stock. phone - williston n. dak. * * * the williston bakery george g. hicks, prop. the home of home baked goods no fictitious or imitation ingredients used our specialty is home made bread, pies, cake, etc. williston, north dakota w. h. westergaard, president j. jos. blair, vice-pres. westergaard-blair co. (incorporated) capital and surplus $ , . bonded abstracters for williams county farm loans real estate abstracts williston, north dakota * * * bar meat market j. wanka, proprietor phone williston, north dakota * * * c. ellithorpe real estate williston, n. dak. * * * clothes to fit, and fit to wear claude k. olsen --tailor-- french dry cleaning the only plant in the northwest shirts to measure williston, n. d. williams county state bank capital $ , while considering the many good things to be found inside the covers of this book, don't forget to instil into the minds of your children the habit of thrift and of saving their earnings. it will add to their usefulness and your happiness in the years to come. we receive deposits of $ and upwards and assure you of careful and painstaking consideration of your business with this bank. williston, north dakota miss soura quality canned goods always the best ask your grocer williston grocery co. wholesale grocers the sequel to any first class cook book is the people's exchange west broadway where producers and consumers meet * * * st. louis candy kitchen a. n. kjos, proprietor manufacturer of candy and confectionery * * * the model market donahue & carney proprietors meats and provisions phone williston, north dakota tungstolier fixtures and mazda tungsten lamps. an ideal combination [illustration: the tungstolier company. plate no. . dining room bath. porch. up hall living room, bed room kitchen bed room.] is your home thus equipped. we can lower your light bill at least % if you will give us the opportunity. williston electric construction co. williston, n. d. what you buy at g. m. hedderich & co's department store is, first above all, as they represent it. in all lines their stock is complete. kuppenheimer clothes stetson hats walk over shoes peninsular stoves and ranges complete line of groceries the best hardware our dry goods department is unsurpassed "if you are fond of spicy literature read a cook book" civic league cook book published under the direction of the domestic science department of the civic league williston, north dakota "bad dinners go hand in hand with total depravity, while a properly fed man is already half saved." soups a sweet disposition. three grains of common sense, one large heart, one good liver, plenty of fresh air and sunlight, one bushel contentment, one good husband. do not bring to a boil. german soup.--good, fresh beef and some cracked bone are all important for soup making. the stock when nutritious, and properly prepared, forms the basis of meat soups. to make the stock great care must be taken in boiling the meat. put your meat on in cold water, enough to cover the meat, set on the stove to boil, for four hours, slowly but steadily; never boil very fast. when meat becomes tender, add salt, skim carefully, repeat until no more skum arises. now if more water is needed, always add boiling water from tea kettle. in adding vegetables, prepare such as one prefers, pick over and wash them, chop them, take out the meat, strain the stock through either a fine strainer or a cloth, return to kettle, drop in the vegetables, boil until tender. add also the meat after the bone is taken out; cut it up in medium sized pieces. the vegetables give the meat a nice flavor. i use cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes, peas, parsley, celery and potatoes. now for other soups the stock is prepared the same way. noodle soup may be made and rice soup; the rice to be parboiled; then there are the egg dumplings, or barley, vermicelli, and many other kinds of ways to have a change. celery or parsley should always be used as it flavors the stock very fine for any kind of soup. potato soup.--now this soup is made of left over meat and the bones of roasts, put them on in cold water and boil slowly; you may also add a little fresh meat; then dice some potatoes, strain the stock and return to the stove, put in the potatoes and some rice, boil until tender, then heat a little grease and fry onions until glazed, add a little flour, brown with onions in grease, then pour the soup into this hot mixture, and let it come to a boil. that is fine.--mrs. george bruegger. (demonstration of german cookery no. .) cream of celery soup.--take two celery roots, cut up fine and slowly cook one hour in a pint of water; flavor with a little piece of onion; strain through fine sieve. mix one tablespoon of butter and two of flour, add one quart of milk and boil twenty minutes. add a little salt and pepper. serve with one cup of whipped cream added the last minute.--mrs. r. j. walker. green pea soup.--one pint or one can green peas, one quart boiling water, one pint milk, two tablespoons butter, one teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, one half teaspoon sugar, two tablespoons flour. cook peas in water, scald milk. when peas are soft mash through a strainer, add milk and reheat. rub flour and butter together, stir into them a little of the soup and turn this mixture into the rest of the soup. stir till smooth, season. serve with croutons. to make croutons, cut buttered slices of bread one-half inch thick into one-half inch squares, heat these on a pan in the oven, stirring occasionally. they may be kept and reheated.--dorothy whitehead. demonstrated in th grade domestic science lesson. onion and potato soup.--one and one-half quarts milk (steamed), two large potatoes and two onions chopped real fine, season with butter, pepper and salt. cook in a stew pan until done. when ready to serve pour together.--mrs. john heffernan. cream tomato soup.--one can of tomatoes put through a sieve, season with butter, pepper and salt; thicken with two tablespoons flour, bringing to a boil. steam one and a half quarts milk in double cooker, just before serving, pour together, stirring with a spoon.--mrs. john heffernan. soup stock.--two soup bones, one of mutton and one of beef, (cracked to get the good of them), one onion chopped fine together with two tablespoons sugar, brown in kettle, stirring to keep from burning. add meat bones, turning them over a few times. pour in four quarts cold water, add one carrot, chopped fine, and bay leaves. boil slowly three hours, strain and season to taste. any vegetable may be added to this.--mrs. john heffernan. mock oyster soup.--to one can tomatoes add two quarts milk, tablespoon butter, salt and pepper. (steam milk in double cooker.) stew tomatoes in sauce pan, season, and when ready to serve pour together.--mrs. john heffernan. chicken gumbo soup.--fry a chicken, remove bones and chop chicken fine. put in a kettle with two quarts boiling water, three large ears of corn cut from cob, six tomatoes sliced, twenty-four pods of okra cut up. fry the corn, tomatoes and okra brown in the chicken drippings first, then add to the water and chicken with two tablespoons rice, pepper and teaspoon salt. simmer one hour.--mrs. whitehead. southern cookery demonstration. mullagatawnay soup.--cut four onions, one carrot, two turnips and one head of celery into three quarts of liquor in which one or two fowls have been boiled; keep it over a brisk fire till it boils, then place it on a corner of the fire and let it simmer twenty minutes. add one tablespoon of currie powder and one tablespoonful of flour; mix the whole well together and let it boil three minutes; pass it through a colander. serve with pieces of roast chicken in it. add boiled rice in a separate dish. it must be of good yellow color and not too thick. half veal and half chicken will answer.--mrs. whitehead. bouquet of sweet herbs.--two sprigs of parsley, two bay leaves, two sprigs of thyme, two of summer savory and two of sage. tie the dried herbs with the parsley. nice for seasoning soups and stews.--contributed. boiled potato dumplings.--grate several potatoes, add salt to taste, a little nutmeg, one egg and some bread crumbs browned in butter, a little flour and milk, add enough flour and milk so as to handle and make in balls. drop into boiling salt water. when done brown some bread crumbs in butter and put over dumplings when on platter.--mrs. paul leonhardy. dumplings.--two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one-half teaspoon salt, one cup sweet milk. stir and drop from a spoon into chicken broth or boiling meat. let boil fifteen minutes with cover off and put cover on and boil five minutes.--mrs. a. mckay. noodles.--four eggs well beaten, one tablespoon water, cups flour, one-half teaspoon salt. work and knead together and roll out in very thin sheets; let them dry; roll up like jelly roll and cut into very fine strips; then drop into boiling salted water and boil ten minutes; or they may be boiled in soup and served with it. if wanted as a separate dish drain them in a colander and turn them into a dish. fry bread crumbs in butter a light brown and turn them over the noodles and serve. these noodles can be fried in grease instead by cutting the sheets into strips two inches wide and four inches long, and dropping them into hot grease. lift out and dredge with sugar. both very nice.--mrs. paul leonhardy. oyster soup.--heat one quart of milk with two large tablespoonfuls of butter. heat a solid pint of oysters in enough water to cover them. add one large teaspoonful of salt and a good deal of pepper. as soon as the oysters get plump and the gills "ruffle" add them to the hot milk. stir in a cupful of crushed cracker crumbs and serve in soup plates or bowls, with oyster crackers.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. raised dumplings.--soak a cake of compressed yeast in a cup of lukewarm milk, together with a tablespoonful of sugar and a teaspoonful of salt. sift a pint of flour into a bowl and stir into it a cupful of milk, an egg and the soaked yeast and work all thoroughly, adding gradually flour for a soft dough. do not get it stiff. cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it has doubled the original bulk. flour the kneading-board and mold the dough into small biscuits. let these rise for half an hour. butter a large, round pan and set your dumplings within it, brushing each with melted butter on top. pour in enough milk to reach halfway to the top of the dumplings. set upon a brick in the oven and bake to a light brown. eat with vanilla sauce or prunes. no. two.--proceed as with no. , but instead of baking in the oven, put the dumplings into a steamer, not too close together. allow for swelling. cover with a close lid to keep in the steam. these may also be served with vanilla or with prune sauce. no. three.--have ready a large kettle of boiling water, slightly salted, and after shaping the dumplings drop them carefully into this. leave plenty of room to swell and puff. or they may be steamed in clear soup. if you like you may try all of these recipes and still have enough dough left for a pan of biscuits. fish, oysters and shell fish "he was a brave man who first ate an oyster."--dean swift. fish.--with the possible exception of salmon, fish is a less nutritious article of diet than flesh meat, and yet it fitly supplements the latter. the oily and coarser grained species is more nutritious than the white, or finer grained but not so easily digested. a fish is in good condition when its gills are bright clear red, its eyes full and the body firm and stiff. before cooking they should be well washed in cold water and kept in salt water for a short time, but they should not be allowed to stand in water for any length of time and should be kept upon ice until wanted. small fish are usually fried or boiled, all large fish to be boiled should be wrapped in a cloth and tied closely with twine, steaming is preferable to boiling. salmon, bluefish, halibut and shad are very palatable baked in cream. mackerel is best broiled and should be broiled upon the skin side first; other fish first on the inside. in boiling fish, let simmer gently as hard boiling breaks them; time, eight minutes to a pound, sometimes longer. baked fish.--clean and wipe dry a white fish or any good sized fish, stuffing made like that for poultry, but drier. sew it up and put in a hot pan with drippings and a lump of butter; dredge with flour and lay over the fish a few thin slices of salt pork or bits of butter. bake half hour, basting occasionally. boiled fish.--all fresh fish, except salmon should be placed in salted cold water for boiling. if placed in boiling water the outside would cook much sooner than the inside. a little vinegar added to the water in which fish is boiled improves the flavor. put the fish in the kettle with the back bone down, to three or four pounds of fish put a small handful of salt. boil the fish gently until you can draw out one of the fins easily. most varieties of fish will be well done in twenty or thirty minutes, some in less time. serve with drawn butter, with hard boiled eggs sliced, or if preferred, milk sauce. baked white fish with tomatoes.--take a white fish or trout that will weigh about three pounds, clean, rub with salt and pepper inside and out. lay a piece of salt pork, not too fat, in the flesh, put in a covered baking dish and turn over it one pint of stewed seasoned tomatoes, cold tomatoes left over are nice. bake about forty minutes. scalloped salmon.--place in a baking dish a layer of cracker crumbs, then a layer of salmon, then another layer of cracker and salmon, ending with a layer of cracker. on this pour two cups of milk, one egg whipped. add salt, pepper and butter size of an egg. bake. salmon cutlets.--one cup of hot mashed potatoes and one cup of salmon, mash together and form into cakes, put in a beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs or crackers and fry in hot lard. fried fish.--wash the fish thoroughly, wipe dry, sprinkle lightly with salt, dip in beaten egg then roll in cornmeal, fry in hot fat. note--above fish recipes were demonstrated in american cookery series by mrs. a. mckay. fish croquettes.--two small or one large white fish; boil, bone and chop; add a little salt, red pepper and onions; make gravy of the water the fish is boiled in; add milk, butter and flour; stir in fish, shape into croquette, roll in egg, cracker crumbs and fry in hot lard. garnish with parsley. tartare dressing for fish croquettes.--take yolk of one raw egg; beat; add a little salt, red pepper, mustard and mix well. beat in salad oil until thick; let stand on ice until needed. then add juice of two lemons or half cup of vinegar, one tablespoon of capers, six small cucumber pickles chopped fine and very little onion. serve cold with hot croquettes.--mrs. whitehead. oyster cocktail.--half pint of catsup, twenty-five drops tabasco sauce, one tablespoonful horseradish, one teaspoonful dry mustard, one teaspoonful lemon juice, oysters, pepper and salt to taste. put four or five oysters in glass and pour one tablespoon of this sauce over them. fill glass with finely chipped ice, serve at once.--mrs. davidson. oyster cocktail.--a small oyster is used, five or six being alloted each person. for six persons mix together three teaspoons each of vinegar, grated horseradish and tomato sauce; six teaspoons of lemon juice and one of worcestershire sauce. have the oysters very cold. put an equal amount of the prepared sauce over the oysters in each glass. the glass should be placed upon a plate. serve with an oyster fork and small spoon. this is the prevailing way of serving oysters as a first course.--mrs. r. j. walker. oysters a la bechemel.--melt three tablespoonfuls of butter and blend it with two tablespoonfuls of flour, add one large cupful of thin cream or milk and cook thick. plump a scant pint of oysters in their own liquor. season with one teaspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne, juice of half a lemon and one-half teaspoon of onion juice squeezed from an onion. add oysters to the cream sauce and cook two minutes. serve in pattie shells or on toast.--mrs. whitehead. salmon loaf.--one pound can salmon, four well beaten eggs, one cup fine cracker crumbs, one tablespoon melted butter, half teaspoon salt. remove bones from salmon and mince finely. mix all together with hands, form into loaf and steam one hour. serve with following sauce: take liquid from salmon and add two tablespoons sweet milk, little salt, one tablespoon corn starch, boil all together and pour over loaf.--mrs. schollander. scalloped salmon.--place in a baking dish a layer of bread crumbs then a layer of salmon, another crumbs and salmon, ending with crumbs. on this pour two cups of milk, one egg (whipped), salt, pepper and butter the size of an egg.--mrs. paul leonhardy. oyster fritters.--beat yolks of two eggs light, add one half cup milk and one cup of flour sifted with one fourth teaspoon of salt. beat well and add one half teaspoon of melted butter. set aside for an hour or so in a cool place. when ready to use beat the whites of eggs stiff and add them. take a large oyster in a big spoon, dip it into the batter and filling the spoon and drop into smoking hot grease or fry like doughnuts. serve with tomato catsup or any preferred sauce. oyster saute.--drain select oysters, heat pan hot and brown butter in it. just cover the bottom of the pan with large oysters as soon as the butter sizzles and is piping hot. when brown on under side turn and brown well. season with salt and pepper. add butter as needed and turn the oysters and butter sauce on to prepared toast points. heat the dry pan again, add butter and when hot brown more oysters in it. the butter must be hot and only a few oysters should be browned at a time. oysters and bacon baked.--butter a roast pan and lay large plump oysters in a layer on the bottom of it. season to suit taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice and lay three thin slices of bacon over the top. roast brown in a quick oven. serve on toast with tomato sauce, if liked, or with cream sauce. a piquant bake is made by mixing finely chopped green apples with the oysters before baking. pigs in blankets.--wrap each large oyster in a thin strip of bacon and fasten with a tooth pick, bake in a quick oven until bacon is crisp and oysters plump. sometimes they are broiled over clear coals. creole oysters.--bake in ramekins or individual dishes. put a teaspoon of butter in the bottom of each dish, then six or seven oysters; add one tablespoon of chili sauce and place a strip of bacon on top of each. place dishes in a baking pan and bake until bacon is crisp. sauce for oyster cocktails.--mix three tablespoons of tomato catsup, three tablespoons of vinegar, one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce, three tablespoons of grated horseradish, juice of one lemon and salt and pepper to season well. place on ice. chill the oysters well, wash and drain them, lay six in each serving glass and cover with the prepared sauce. serve very cold, with salted wafers.--contributed. oysters in celery sauce.--clean and cut celery into small pieces and cook until tender in boiling salted water. rub enough of the soft celery through a colander to make a cupful. in a saucepan melt a tablespoonful of butter and mix smoothly into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour. add a cupful of hot milk and cook until creamy; add the soft celery and half a pint of oysters, add more salt if needed, one-eighth teaspoon of pepper and a few drops of lemon juice; cook until the oysters curl, when the filling is ready for the ramekins. serve hot. deviled oysters.--butter scallop shells and put into each five oysters with their own liquor and sprinkle with a drop of tobasco, a little tomato catsup and a quarter-salt-spoonful of salt and cover with fine cracker or bread crumbs. scatter a few bits of butter here and there on the oysters and set the shells in a hot oven. serve on doily covered plates. kippered herring.--rinse herring in warm water, dry and put on tin or agate plate in hot oven minutes; then pour over a little melted butter, cover and leave in minutes more. this should be served on small pieces of toast. finnan haddie.--put a piece of butter the size of a walnut in pan and when hot add two cupfuls of finnan haddie picked fine. add one cupful of cream or milk into which one tablespoonful of flour has been rubbed smooth. let come to a boil and when cooled a little add a dash of pepper and the well beaten yolk of an egg. serve on toast. scalloped oysters.--roll one pound and a half of crisp crackers fine. butter a deep baking dish and spread a layer of crackers an inch deep. spread over them a dozen oysters in their liquor, sprinkle a generous half teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper over them, dot with bits of butter, (about two tablespoons) and pour in half a cupful of milk, then add another layer cracker crumbs, oysters, etc., and proceed until one quart of oysters and one and one half pounds of crackers are used. cover the top with cracker crumbs, dot generously with butter and pour on the remaining milk and oyster liquor. use altogether about one and one half pints of milk to this quantity of oysters and crackers. bake about one hour or until crumbs are well browned and oysters plump.--mrs. whitehead. sauce for oyster patties.--one cupful of solid oysters. melt two large tablespoons of butter in a stew pan, blend in two heaping tablespoons of flour and rub smooth; add one scant pint of cream or rich milk; stir until smooth and thick. drain the oysters and add them with one level teaspoon of salt and a good dash of pepper. when the oysters are plump remove to back of range and stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs mixed with a little cream. for canned oysters add one large teaspoon of curry powder before serving. serve in pattie shells of baked pastry or in timbal cases or on buttered toast.--mrs. whitehead. oyster pie.--line a baking dish with rich pastry, either pie crust or biscuit crust. put one quart of oysters in a double boiler with one cup of milk, and two thirds cup of butter and steam until oysters are plump. slice six hard boiled eggs, mix with one half cupful of cracker crumbs and a cupful of sweet cream; add one full teaspoon of salt and a generous sprinkling of pepper. mix with the prepared oysters and fill the lined baking dish. cover with the top crust and bake about twenty minutes in a hot oven or the pastry shell may be baked separately if preferred and filled with the cream. the thickened, creamed oyster patty filling makes a good filling for oyster pie, also it may be served with steamed dumplings or small baking powder biscuits.--contributed. fried oysters.--select large, fresh oysters. drain them and season with salt and pepper. roll bread crumbs that have been crisped in the oven very fine and then sift them. dip each oyster in the prepared crumbs and then into beaten egg and again into the crumbs. heap the crumbs in thick little piles and roll the oysters in them until a nice thick crust is formed over each oyster. have an iron kettle or skillet filled two inches deep with smoking hot lard, lay the oysters in a nice frying basket, if you have one, and plunge it into the hot grease. cook until nicely browned. drain and serve hot with lemon points, tomato catsup or any preferred sauce.--mrs. whitehead. salmon timbales.--one can salmon, flaked, add the beaten yolks of three eggs, two tablespoons of thick cream, one teaspoon of lemon juice, salt and pepper and lastly cut in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour into greased individual molds, set in a pan of hot water and bake about twenty minutes. baked fish scallops.--two cups cold cooked fish. remove the bones and break fish into small flakes. mix with a thick cream sauce, well seasoned. butter baking shells or individual dishes, fill with the creamed fish, cover with fine bread or cracker crumbs, dot with butter and bake until brown. serve with lemon points. codfish balls.--one cup of flaked cod fish soaked in clear water, then drained. boil three large potatoes until tender, then drain and mash with the cod fish. season with salt, pepper and butter and add one beaten egg. drop by the spoonful into smoking hot grease and fry like doughnuts. serve immediately. scalloped fish.--add flaked cold cooked white fish, halibut or salmon to a thick cream sauce seasoned with minced onions, thyme or parsley and butter, alternate with layers of cracker crumbs and bake brown. creamed fish canapes.--beat an egg with half a cup of milk and add a dash of salt. dip circles of bread, cut half an inch thick, in this and fry brown in butter, turning once. spread with creamed fish or chicken and place a poached egg on top. dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve for breakfast or lunch. game "variety is the spice of life."--cooper. wild duck roasted.--prepare as for roasting the same as any fowl, parboil for fifteen minutes with an onion in the water to remove the strong flavor. a carrot will answer the same purpose. stuff with bread crumbs, a minced onion, season with pepper and salt, a little sage and a good supply of butter, roast until tender. use butter plentifully in basting. one half hour will suffice for young ducks. if bread crumb dressing is not liked, sliced apple stuffed in the duck is very nice.--mrs. a. mckay. to prepare venison.--wash clean, dry well with clean dry cloth, salt, pepper and dredge with flour, cut long gashes into roast, place in gashes strips of salt pork or bacon; lay strips on top; place in a bake pan with a very little water, cover roast until nearly done, take off cover, baste and brown slightly.--mrs. a. mckay. broiled prairie chicken.--after dressing lay on ice for a few hours, then divide in halves, again divide the thick sections of the breast, sprinkle with salt and pepper and lay the pieces on a gridiron the inside down. broil slowly at first. serve with cream gravy and currant jelly. prairie chicken (steamed and baked).--stuff them with a dressing of bread crumbs and seasoning of pepper and salt, mixed with melted butter, sage, onion or summer savory may be added if liked. secure the fowl firmly with a needle and twine. steam until tender, then remove to dripping pan; dredge with flour, pepper and salt, and brown delicately in oven. baste with melted butter. garnish with parsley and currant jelly. above game recipes given in american cookery demonstration by mrs. a. mckay. broiled venison steak.--venison steaks should be broiled over a clear fire, turning often. it requires more cooking than beef. when sufficiently done season with salt and pepper, pour over two tablespoonfuls of currant jelly, melted with a piece of butter. serve hot on hot plates. delicious steaks, corresponding to the shape of mutton chops are cut from the loin.--mrs. c. c. mackenroth. roast venison.--rub the saddle or haunch of venison with a damp cloth and then rub in butter. make a thick paste of flour and water and spread it an inch thick on the roast. lay a buttered coarse wrapping paper or one of the new cooking paper bags over the roast and put the meat in the roasting pan with one cupful of hot water. lift the paper and baste every fifteen minutes with melted butter and hot water. roast in a hot oven until the meat is tender, then remove the paper and the coat of paste. dredge the meat with flour, one teaspoonful of salt and pepper and baste with pan drippings and butter until meat is nicely browned. add a pint of hot water to the drippings and thicken with flour for a gravy. add a pinch of cloves, nutmeg and mace and stir in a glass of currant jelly until it is dissolved. strain and serve with the meat. venison cooked this way will be moist instead of dry and hard.--mrs. whitehead. roast prairie chicken.--have chicken skinned and put in cold water at least three hours, then wipe dry and stuff with bread crumb dressing. put in roaster and dot with bits of butter and two or three slices of bacon, one onion pricked with three cloves, add several pepper and all spice kernels and a teaspoonful of salt and one cupful of water. roast about one and one half hours and baste occasionally.--mrs. j. bruegger. roast wild duck.--it is best to keep wild ducks a few days after they are killed if the weather is cold. as most wild duck have the flavor of fish, therefore it is advisable to parboil them, with a carrot in each duck, before roasting, as this absorbs all the unpleasant taste. an onion has the same effect, but when onion is used in dressing the carrot is preferable. roast the same as tame duck and use dressing for stuffing fowl with a little onion added; bake about one half hour in very hot oven, carefully turning them, baste them and add a little water if necessary. a few slices of bacon roasted with it adds to the flavor of wild game. serve hot with the gravy it yields. the canvas back duck requires no spices or flavors to make it perfect, as the meat partakes of the flavor of the food the birds feed upon, which is wild celery, and this delicious flavor is best preserved when roasted quickly with a hot fire.--mrs. george bruegger. prairie chicken or squab pie.--after the chickens are picked and drawn as a large fowl is for roasting, wash them and put them in a saucepan with a close cover; they should be covered with boiling water and boiled slowly till tender, when a little salt and an onion and cloves should be added; then take them out, drain and dry, and put in each squab a teaspoonful of butter, a little pepper, salt, minced parsley and thyme; then put into the cavity of each chicken a hard boiled egg; lay them in a large baking dish three or four inches deep; strain over them the liquor in which they were simmered, add teaspoonful of butter, one teacup of milk or cream; sift in two tablespoonfuls of cracker crumbs, put in a few slips of parsley, cover with a rich crust and bake.--contributed. poultry "take the goods the gods provide thee."--dryden. roast turkey.--select if possible a young turkey, carefully remove all feathers and singe it over a burning paper on the stove, then see that it is carefully drawn and no internals broken; remove the crop carefully; after the head is cut off, tie the neck close to the body, by drawing the skin over it, now wash the inside of the turkey in several clean waters, into the next to the last add a teaspoonful of baking soda, this is to destroy that sour taste which fowls often have, if not freshly killed. after a thorough rinsing and washing of the bird wipe dry both in and outside with a clean cloth, rub the inside with salt, then stuff the body and breast with dressing for stuffing fowls, then sew up with strong thread, rub it over with a little soft butter, sprinkle over some salt and pepper, dredge with a little flour, place in a roaster with a little water and cook from two to two and a half hours, turn it around occasionally so that every part will be browned alike, when it appears done, pierce with a fork and when the liquid runs clear, the bird is done. serve with cranberry sauce. garnish with parsley, or fried oysters.--mrs. george bruegger. dressing for stuffing fowl.--for an eight or ten pound turkey use about three pints of stale bread crumbs, put into a dish and pour tepid water over it, (not hot for that makes it heavy) let stand for a few minutes, then take up a handful and squeeze dry with both hands, put into another dish and when all is pressed dry toss it up lightly through your fingers, this process makes it very light. parboil the liver, heart, and gizzard, in a little stew pan. when tender mince very fine and add to the bread, now one teaspoon of salt, a little pepper, half cup of melted butter; peel and chop one cooking apple, two tablespoons of green or dry fine minced parsley; mix well, add one beaten egg, mix again and it is ready for either turkey or chicken. for goose or duck add a few slices of onion chopped fine. the water in which the heart, gizzard and liver were stewed may be used with the gravy of the roast turkey, goose, duck or chicken.--mrs. george bruegger. roast goose.--the goose should not be more than eight months old, and the fatter the more tender and juicy the meat. after the goose has been well washed, cleaned and wiped, rub a little salt inside, stuff with the dressing for stuffing fowls with a little onion added to the dressing. do not stuff too full and stitch the openings firmly to keep the flavor in and the fat out. place in roaster with a little water and bake about two and a half hours, carefully turning it frequently and baste with water and salt. when done with all parts evenly brown, take up, pour off the fat and to the brown gravy left, add a little water, and some flour to thicken, bring to a boil and serve in a gravy boat. garnish goose with parsley.--mrs. george bruegger. virginia fried chicken.--dress and cut up chickens, rub each piece with salt and pepper, then dip it into beaten egg, then into flour and fry brown in deep hot fat or butter and lard mixed, or bacon drippings. cover the skillet and let chicken cook slowly after it is browned well to be sure it is done. remove chicken to platter and turn out part of the drippings. add cooking spoon of flour to remaining drippings and cook a minute, then add milk or cream to make gravy. season with salt and pepper and just before serving add beaten yolk of one egg mixed with a little milk. serve with chicken. garnish chicken platter with slices of cold boiled ham or crisp bacon, and corn dodgers and you will have a typical "old dominion" dish. i got above recipe from a virginia woman.--mrs. whitehead. smothered chicken.--split a young chicken down back, season with salt and pepper and put in roaster with one cup hot water. roast (covered) until tender. as it begins to brown make a paste of two tablespoons each of butter and flour, blended, and spread it over chicken, basting often with pan dipper. add cupful cream to drippings in pan for gravy. if the chicken is large cut into pieces as for frying before roasting this way.--mrs. whitehead. creole stewed chicken.--boil a pint of rice in two quarts of water until half done, then add a cut up fowl with one minced onion, blade of mace, four large mushrooms or half a can, half a chili pepper, teaspoon salt and three or four small tomatoes cut up and one tablespoon butter. stew gently until chicken is tender, stirring often and adding hot water as needed. serve in baked pastry shell or on toast. mrs. whitehead. above chicken recipes were demonstrated in mrs. whitehead's paper on southern cookery. swedish duck filling.--one quart of bread crumbs, four good-sized apples, one half cup of browned butter, cinnamon, raisins, and currants to taste. stuff fowl.--contributed. dairy lunch chicken sandwich.--make a thin batter of one and one half pints of water, one pint of milk, one egg, scant half teaspoon of soda, one tablespoon of salt, dash of pepper and flour enough to mix like pan cake batter. cut a young chicken into quarters, dip it in the batter and fry brown in deep fat. serve between slices of bread. garnish with dill pickles.--mrs. t. a. mckay. chicken croquettes.--one cup of the white meat of boiled fowl packed in solid, then chopped fine and mashed till like fine powder. add one half level teaspoon salt, one half saltspoon paprika, or white pepper. make one pint thick cream sauce, with two level tablespoons butter and two heaped tablespoons of cornstarch cooked together, diluted with one pint of hot cream, and stirred till very smooth and thick. season with one half teaspoon salt and one half saltspoon pepper. stir as much of the hot sauce into the chicken as it will take up and enable you to handle the mixture in shaping, remembering that the sauce will be much thicker when cold, and so the mixture may be quite soft. the meat varies greatly in its power to absorb the sauce, therefore it is impossible to give an exact amount but if the sauce is thick a large portion may be used and the croquettes will be all the more creamy for it. when cold, shape a tablespoon of the mixture into a ball, then into a cylinder, roll in fine dry bread crumbs, beaten egg diluted with water, then crumbs again, and fry one minute in deep, smoking hot fat. more of the delicious flavor of the meat will be retained with this simple seasoning of salt and pepper than with a variety of condiments.--contributed. creamed stewed chicken.--cut up fowl as for fricassee, put over the fire in enough cold water to cover it well. bring gradually to a boil. when it begins to bubble, add a stalk of celery, some chopped parsley, and a bay leaf. simmer until tender before seasoning. make a white sauce in a frying pan of two tablespoons butter cooked with the same quantity of flour. as soon as well mixed stir into this a large cupful of strained and skimmed gravy from the pot, have ready one half cup cream, heated with a pinch of soda, add this to the thickened gravy, very slowly so as not to curdle. do not boil after cream is in. cook dumplings in the gravy left, after the reserved cupful and chicken are taken out. dumplings for chicken stew.--in a pint of flour, sift a heaping teaspoon baking powder, one fourth teaspoon salt, sift flour twice, now rub in a tablespoonful of shortening, and wet with enough milk to make a dough that can be rolled out. cut into rounds and drop into the boiling gravy. should be done in ten minutes.--mrs. paul leonhardy. creamed chicken.--three pounds of chicken boiled tender in salted water and freed of bones, skin and gristle. cut the meat into small pieces. boil two sweet breads tender in salted water with the juice of half a lemon. when tender, drain and throw them into cold water to blanch; then free from skin and gristle and cut into small pieces; drain a can of french mushrooms and cut them into quarters. make a cream sauce of two tablespoons of butter, melted and blended with two tablespoons of flour, add one pint of hot thin cream, one teaspoon of salt, juice of one lemon, and juice pressed from half a small onion, and a dash of pepper, cook thick but remove from fire and add one beaten egg yolk mixed with one cup of whipped cream. add to the heated chicken, mushrooms and sweet breads. mix well and serve in patty shells, or timbales. (the whipped cream may be omitted.) for escalloped chicken turn the above mixture into a buttered baking dish, cover with fine rolled bread crumbs, dot with butter and bake until well browned. reserve the chicken broth for soup or make a gravy of it and serve with baking powder biscuit or dumplings.--contributed. croquettes.--cook one large tablespoon of butter with two tablespoons of flour, add one cup milk or cream, one teaspoon onion juice, one teaspoon salt, dash of pepper and nutmeg and one beaten egg. mix with one cup of minced meat or chicken, form into croquettes after the mixture has stood an hour. fry brown in deep fat after rolling in egg and bread crumbs.--contributed. hot tamales.--cook a three pound chicken tender in salted water to cover. chop chicken meat fine and return bones to the kettle. cut open six large chilli peppers or chillies, wash, cut out seeds and cut into halves. cover with boiling water and cook until soft and press through a fine sieve. brown a golden color two medium sized chopped onions in hot butter, add the chilli pulps with half a cup of chicken broth, cover pan and cook slowly fifteen minutes. put one quart of corn meal into a bowl and pour over it enough hot chicken broth to make a dry paste; work with the hands into a soft but not wet paste. have broad six inch long corn husks soaked until pliable in warm water. open these and down the center of each put a wide strip of corn meal paste; mix the chopped chicken with the chilli mixture and spread it on the corn meal paste down the center; roll up the husks, fold in the ends and tie with narrow strips of husks. the corn meal must surround the chicken mixture. lay the prepared tamales carefully on top of the bones keeping them above the broth. sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt and cover the kettle and cook steadily one hour, being careful that the broth doesn't boil over the tamales. for the novice, it is easier to steam the tamales over the broth in a flat covered steamer. serve very hot in the husks. minced beef may be used instead of chicken and often one cup of chopped tomatoes are added to the chillies before cooking.--contributed. chile-con-carne.--cook chillies as in tamale recipe, add to the sieved chillies one pint of thick strained tomato pulp, one minced large onion, one fourth teaspoon salt and cover and simmer fifteen minutes. cut dark meat from a boiled or roasted chicken, into small pieces or use small pieces of cooked veal, cover with the chilli sauce and stew slowly one hour or stand over hot water and steam about an hour or until chicken has practically absorbed the sauce.--contributed. chilli mino pan cakes.--make a light fritter or pan cake batter and fry cakes in hot olive oil or butter shaking them until they are set. spread these cakes with chicken and chilli mixture (as prepared for tamales) roll up the pan cakes, pour over more of the sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and serve immediately.--contributed. rice and chicken con-carne.--one pint of stewed chicken cut up in chicken broth and seasoned with three cooked chillies (sieved) half a cup of washed rice, half a pint of finely minced cooked tongue, one teaspoon of salt. stir often and cook until rice has absorbed most of the broth but do not let it scorch. serve with half a pint of strained tomato cooked with one tablespoon of butter and a little salt.--contributed. meat "room! make way! hunger commands. my valour must obey."--beaumont and fletcher. to judge good beef.--good beef, if young, will be of a bright red color, fine grained and firm to the touch. the fat of a clear straw color with a little of it through the muscles, giving the meat a marbled appearance. the suet should be dry and crumbly and of a darker shade than the fat. in old beef both flesh and fat will be darker, much coarser in fiber and decidedly dry compared with young beef. if the beef is of a pale, dull color, and flabby, it is not well matured; if very dark and colored and coarse grained with deep yellow fat it will be found tough and tasteless and if it bears greenish tints and feels slippery on the surface it is already stale and unfit for use. when meat is tough add a little vinegar or a piece of lemon to the water in which it is boiled. this will result in a shortening of time and a saving of fuel, while the meat will be rendered more easy of digestion; also any slight taint that may be about the meat will be entirely removed by this process. a pinch of baking soda can be used instead of lemon or vinegar. pot roast.--take a nice piece of the round beef weighing about four pounds, season well with salt and pepper and dust over thoroughly with flour. in a flat bottomed kettle melt a piece of butter the size of an egg, when hot put in the meat, turning until well browned on every side. when roast is brown add a little onion, six cloves, six allspice and enough boiling water to come up half way to the top of the meat. cook slowly for three hours. when done take out meat, add one tablespoon of flour to a little cold water to thicken gravy. meat balls.--two pounds round steak, put through sausage grinder three times, season with salt and pepper, nutmeg and a little cream. beat two eggs and mix all together; shape into balls and roll in cracker crumbs and fry in butter to a light brown. baked veal cutlets.--one and one half pounds of veal cutlets laid in well buttered roasting pan with one cup of water; over this spread dressing made of two cups bread crumbs; two onions chopped fine, two well beaten eggs; butter size of an egg, salt and pepper. mix well, add water to moisten. lay tin cover on top of pan to prevent scorching. bake from half to three quarters of an hour. remove cover to brown. roast spare ribs.--trim off ends neatly, crack ribs across the middle, rub with salt, sprinkle with pepper, fold over, stuff with turkey dressing, sew up tightly, place in dripping pan with one pint water, baste often. turn over once so as to bake both sides equally. roast veal loaf.--four pounds of veal, one pound of pork, one or two eggs, one cup of crackers rolled fine, one tablespoon of salt, one teaspoon of pepper, one teaspoon of sage, mix and make into roll. bake three hours. steamed veal loaf.--to two pounds of veal, put through a grinder or chopped very fine, add two teaspoons of salt, one fourth teaspoon pepper, butter size of an egg, one cup freshly grated bread crumbs, two eggs, two tablespoons milk. knead until well mixed. butter baking powder cans, coat with bread crumbs and fill compactly with the meat and put on cover. stand in a kettle of water almost to the top of mold. boil steadily one and one half hours. when cool take out at once. stuffed beef steak.--prepare a dressing as for chicken, of one cup of bread crumbs moisten with one tablespoonful of melted butter, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. trim off the fat from a sirloin steak, spread on the dressing; roll up; tie to keep in shape, and bake one hour. baste often with stock and drippings. when done remove the string that it may not unroll and serve with brown sauce. mushrooms may be added to the dressing if desired. (roll may be steamed instead of roasted if desired.) sauce.--melt and brown one large tablespoonful butter, add to it two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir until it is smooth and brown, then add one pint of the liquid strained from the pan. stir until it thickens, take from the fire and add one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce; season with salt and pepper. directions for boiling ham.--put the ham in cold water over night and boil in the same water in the morning. when done skin it and roll it in crackers mixed with pepper, and put into oven to brown. veal loaf.--two pounds of veal chopped, one half pound salt pork, chopped or put through meat grinder twice. add one egg, twelve crackers, rolled fine, salt and pepper to taste. bake one and one half hours. (the above meat recipes were demonstrated in american cookery series by mrs. a. mckay.) veal stew, with lemon and egg sauce.--four pounds veal, salt and pepper, stew the veal until tender, drain off the broth, leaving barely enough to cover the meat. beat six eggs and add slowly to them, beating all the time, the juice of three lemons. pour this over the veal and heat but do not boil.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. norwegian meat pudding.--take five pounds of round steak, quarter pound beef suet, grind ten or twelve times, add salt, nutmeg, one cup sweet cream, one pint milk, mix well. bake in pudding tin with funnel in center. set tin in pan of boiling water. bake one hour. pudding sauce.--drain liquid from pudding when done. to this add sweet cream, thicken with flour and milk. season with salt, nutmeg and capers. this will serve ten or twelve people.--mrs. r. meidell. german cookery boiled meat balls.--one pound of round steak, one egg, one slice of bread, two tablespoons melted butter, one teaspoon salt, a dash of pepper. trim off all the fat, skin and bones, wash them and put on stove in cold water with one onion, piece of celery, a little parsley and salt to taste. let boil one hour. chop or grind the meat, soak the bread in water and press, then mix with all ingredients and form into balls the size of an egg, and boil in the above broth ten minutes. for the gravy brown one tablespoon butter, one of flour, add the broth and stir smooth. put meat balls into a deep dish and pour gravy over them.--mrs. j. bruegger. maryland baked ham.--soak a ham over night in cold water and boil it tender in sweet cider or water, putting it on in enough liquid to cover. it must be tender but not broken. remove the rind, outline the fat on top into diamonds, placing a clove in each. rub half a cup of maple syrup into ham, sprinkle with pepper, place in oven and brown, sprinkling with sifted bread crumbs if liked. serve hot or if sliced cold, lay plate and heavy weight on ham over night to make nice firm slices.--mrs. whitehead. southern cookery demonstration. lula's corned beef.--five pounds rump beef or sirloin, five tablespoons salt, three tablespoons brown sugar. saltpetre size of a hickory nut. dissolve the ingredients in enough water to cover the beef, and let the meat stand in the brine twenty four hours. boil meat in the same brine three and a half hours. quick, simple and good as it gives the purchaser a chance to select the cut of meat she prefers for corning.--contributed. spiced beef loaf.--two and one half pounds of round steak put through a food chopper, with one fourth pound of salt pork; one teaspoonful of dried and rolled bread crumbs; two scant cupfuls of milk, one beaten egg, one teaspoon of butter; one teaspoonful of salt; one half teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves, mace and allspice, a dash of cayenne pepper. mix into one large loaf and lay in a buttered roasting pan. (i use two individual bread tins using one loaf hot for dinner and reserving the other to slice cold.) add a cupful of hot water to each baking pan; sprinkle sifted bread crumbs over the meat and dot with butter. bake covered until brown and tender basting often but do not cook until hard and dry. serve with the gravy or hot tomato sauce, horseradish or mayonaise.--mrs. whitehead. faar i kaal. norwegian.--get twenty cents worth of leg of mutton, cut in small pieces. put in the kettle one layer of mutton, one medium sized head of cabbage cut into six pieces, four potatoes, cut in halves, two medium sized carrots, quartered. between each layer of meat and vegetables add salt, whole peppers and a little flour. set the kettle on the stove and add about one quart of water. let boil slowly for at least three hours. when done remove from fire and serve. this will serve three people.--mrs. r. meidell. round steak stew.--take one and one half quarter pounds of round steak and pound it well, roll in flour and fry (same as any other steak) over this pour one pint of boiling water, season with salt, pepper and a little onion. let stew one hour or until tender.--mrs. r. meidell. steamed veal loaf.--take two pounds raw veal, grind, two teaspoons salt, one fourth teaspoon pepper, butter size of an egg, one cup freshly grated bread crumbs, two eggs, two tablespoons milk, knead until well mixed. butter baking powder cans, coat with bread crumbs, fill compactly with the meat, put on cover, stand in kettle of water almost to the top of the mold. boil steadily one and one half hours. when cool remove from molds at once. can be eaten hot.--mrs. paul leonhardy. jellied veal or chicken.--three pounds of stewing veal shank or chicken, one tablespoon of chopped onion, one tablespoon chopped celery; one level teaspoon of salt, dash of pepper. cover with water and boil steadily until the meat is very tender and liquor reduced. remove the meat from the liquor, free it from gristle and bones and chop fine. strain the liquor, stir it through the meat and pack in a square mold, laying a heavy weight on top. serve it cold, cut in thin slices and garnished with sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced lemon or pickled beets.--mrs. whitehead. scrambled calf's brains.--soak two pounds of calf's brains in strong salt water one hour. then carefully remove all membrane and blood clots. dip the brains in flour and fry brown in hot drippings, bacon preferred. hash the brains with a knife and scramble four fresh eggs with them, season with salt and pepper, tossing well together with a knife until nicely browned. serve with toast or hot buttered rolls or baking powder biscuit.--contributed. crown of lamb with curried rice balls.--have the marketman prepare the rack of lamb for a "crown" roast by scraping the flesh from the ribs half way down, joining the rack together and fastening it firmly. sprinkle with pepper and salt, wrap the ribs in oiled paper and roast in a brisk oven. baste often and allow fifteen minutes to each pound. garnish with rice balls made as follows: steam one cupful of rice until tender. make two cupfuls of sauce by melting two tablespoonfuls of butter, adding one teaspoonful currie powder, one saltspoonful of onion juice, and two tablespoonfuls flour, and stock, or water and milk, and one half teaspoonful of salt. cook until smooth, then add sufficient sauce to the rice to form into balls; reheat them in a steamer, dip them in the sauce which has been kept warm and fill the crown. mint jelly.--is a toothsome accompaniment to roast lamb, and is a novel variation to the customary mint sauce. soak one cupful of chopped mint in one pint of water for one hour. strain, heat to the boiling point and pour over one half box of gelatin which has been softened in half a teacup of cold water. add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, four tablespoonfuls lemon juice and a saltspoonful of salt. pour into molds and set in a cold place to harden. turn out on chilled saucers just before serving.--contributed. tongue in port wine.--boil a beef's tongue until it is tender enough to stick a fork through; put it in cold water and remove the skin; set it away until cold; save the water in which it was boiled and put it on the stove with four small onions and two small carrots, boil until the vegetables are tender, then remove the carrots and mash the onions into pieces; brown two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, add it to the liquor, with a level teaspoonful each of allspice, cloves and mace, and pepper and salt to taste. blend two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, thicken the liquor with this and add three quarters of a cup of port wine. split the tongue lengthwise, put it in the liquor and heat thoroughly, and serve with the sauce.--mrs. whitehead. syrian stew.--to be eaten with boiled rice. neck of mutton will do nicely for this. separate the fat from the lean meat. mince the fat and melt it in frying pan. cut the lean meat into chunks about a cubic inch, more or less, in size, and fry in a hot fat. have at hand an earthen cooking vessel; remove the meat from frying pan when done and drop into the earthen vessel. have ready the vegetables, also cut into chunks (not slices), and brown in the fat, removing them as they brown and putting them with the meat. next, slice two large or four small spanish onions (slicing not into rings, but first into halves, lengthwise; next slicing each half lengthwise), and fry until well done (sprinkling them with salt hastens the process). add these to the meat and vegetables, then add a cupful of canned or fresh tomato and a small quantity of water, seasoned with salt and that brown pepper which is more spicy than hot; let it come to a boil and simmer gently. it should be begun two hours before mealtime. any vegetable will do. vegetable marrow is excellent, but this should be allowed to steam for awhile with the meat and onions before the tomatoes are added and cooked without water. for potatoes, add a few cloves or a small piece of cinnamon bark to flavor. celery stew is excellent and cabbage also is good; but for either of these omit the tomatoes and add some lemon juice shortly before removing from fire. such vegetables as celery, cabbage and haricot beans should not be browned in the fat, but stirred about for awhile in the cooking vessel with the meat and onions, and thus fried slightly before adding the water. there is an infinite variety of these stews, all on the same principle. boiled rice.--to accompany syrian stew.--a double boiler is not necessary. wash the rice until the water is clear, removing any foreign grains or dirt. have ready in a saucepan double the quantity of boiling water that you have of rice, in which has been melted a lump of butter. when the water boils hard drop in the rice, add a rounded teaspoonful of salt to every cup of rice and boil gently, uncovered. do not stir. for very hard rice allow two and one half cups of water to a cup of rice. you will soon learn just the quantity required. by the time the water dries out the rice should be done and each grain firm and separate. allow a generous teaspoonful of butter to each cup of rice. one cup is sufficient for two persons. when the water gets low, taste the rice, and if you find it is still hard add a little more boiling water, or cover and remove to the back of the stove to finish slowly.--contributed. home made sausage.--grind six pounds of raw lean fresh pork and three pounds of raw fat pork to a pulp. put it in a large graniteware pan and add twelve teaspoons of powdered sage, six teaspoons of ground black pepper, six teaspoons of dry salt and one teaspoon each of ground cloves, allspice and nutmeg. mix the seasoning well into the meat and pack it into stone jars, as closely as possible. pour melted lard or paraffine wax over the top, which will be all the protection it will require. all winter as wanted make it into small cakes and fry brown.--contributed. head cheese.--this is made of the head, ears and tongue of a pig. boil them after cleaning them, in salted water until tender. strip the meat from the bones and chop (not grind) very fine. season with salt, pepper, sage and powdered cloves, to taste; then add one cup of good vinegar. mix all together thoroughly and pack hard into molds or bowls, interspersing bits of the tongue cut into oblongs and triangles an inch in length. wet a plate and press down on the top of each mold and place a weight on top of that. in two days it will be ready to eat. if you desire to keep it several weeks you can turn it out of the molds and immerse in cold vinegar in stone jars. this will preserve it admirably and you have only to pare away the outside if too acid for your taste.--contributed. philadelphia scrapple.--take a cleaned pig's head and boil until the flesh slips easily from the bones. remove all the bones and chop fine. set the liquor in which the meat was boiled aside until cold, take the cake of fat from the surface and return the liquor to the fire. when it boils, put in the chopped meat and season well with pepper and salt. let it boil again and thicken with corn meal as you would in making ordinary corn meal mush, by letting it slip slowly through the fingers to prevent lumps. cook an hour, stirring constantly at first, afterwards putting back on the range in a position to boil gently. when done, pour into a long, square pan, not too deep, and mould. in cold weather this can be kept several weeks. slice and saute in butter or dripping.--contributed. mutton roast.--just cover the breast of mutton with water, adding a little salt. set over the fire, and when it comes to a boil place over a more moderate heat and simmer for three hours. then take it up on a platter, draw out the bones, make a stuffing of bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper and a little melted suet or butter; lay this on the meat, roll it up and fasten with skewers. cover thickly with egg and bread crumbs and bake in a good oven fifteen minutes to each pound of meat. when it begins to brown baste frequently with the pan drippings. serve on a bed of cress.--contributed. fried ham with cream sauce.--trim off the edges; put into a hot pan with one teaspoonful of drippings, put over hot fire and keep turning the ham. never put into pan and fry on one side before turning. you must keep turning constantly. when nice and brown on both sides remove to a hot platter. put one tablespoonful of flour into pan, mix well and add one cup of cold milk slowly, stir and boil three minutes. pour over ham.--contributed. ham jelly.--mix two cupfuls of boiled ham, chopped and pounded very fine, with one teaspoonful of french mustard, a good dash of cayenne, one teaspoonful of granulated gelatin dissolved in one half cupful of hot water (with a teaspoonful of beef extract if at hand), and finally with one half cupful of cream which has been whipped. when thoroughly blended press into a wet square mold and place on ice for two or three hours. it will keep for a day or two. when ready to serve cut in thin slices and put on each a teaspoonful of mayonnaise dressing in which a little freshly grated horseradish and whipped cream have been stirred. two tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise, four tablespoonfuls of whipped cream and one tablespoonful of horseradish will be the right proportions.--contributed. goulash.--use two pounds of lean beef cut into neat pieces; chop an onion, half a carrot and one eighth of a green pepper; place all in a kettle with two cups of stock, or water will do, cover and stew gently for two hours; add five small sour pickles in the kettle with the meat, a teaspoonful of salt; continue to stew for half an hour longer. remove the meat on a hot platter, place the pickles around the meat, thicken the gravy with a little flour and water and pour the gravy around the meat. jellied veal.--one or two knuckles of veal boiled until very tender in water to cover. strain the juice and cut the meat into small pieces or chop fine, season with salt, pepper and a little powdered sage; put back into strained broth and boil until nearly dry. add juice of one lemon and turn into a mold, press well and let it stand until cold and firm. slice in thin slices. for pressed beef use minced parsley instead of sage and omit the lemon juice. for pressed chicken omit the parsley and sage, add the lemon juice to the chicken broth and mould with a layer of sliced hard boiled eggs placed in the center of the loaf.--contributed. pork patties.--one cup chopped pork, two cups bread crumbs, two beaten eggs and one half cup milk, season with butter, salt and pepper, (and sage if liked). fill buttered gem tins and bake until nicely brown.--mrs. a. mckay. creamed dried beef.--pick half a pound of chipped dried beef into small pieces and bring it to a boil in water to cover. drain, add one tablespoon of butter and dredge with one large tablespoon of flour, add two cupfuls of milk or cream and cook thick. season with pepper. nice for breakfast or lunch. make creamed codfish the same way.--contributed. hamburg hash.--one pound hamburg steak, two tablespoonfuls butter, eight or ten potatoes, one small onion, one small bunch parsley, one teaspoonful celery salt, half teaspoonful common salt, paprika for seasoning, half cupful hot water. having all these things chopped and ready, melt the butter in a frying pan and toss the onion about in the pan until it becomes colored. add the chopped beef and stir it until it has become nicely browned. add the hot water, stirring thoroughly; then add the potatoes, parsley, paprika and salt. stir about until well cooked. turn out on a hot dish and serve promptly, garnished with parsley. corn beef hash.--make like above hamburg hash but use cold, chopped cooked corn beef and omit the onion and celery salt. sauces for meat, fish, fowl and game "it is not what we intend, but what we do that makes us useful."--h. w. beecher. tomato sauce.--take a quart can of tomatoes, put it over the fire in a stew pan, put in one slice of onion, add two cloves, a little pepper and salt, boil about twenty minutes; then remove from the fire and strain it through a sieve. now melt in another pan an ounce of butter, and as it melts sprinkle in a tablespoonful of flour, stir it until it browns and froths a little. mix the tomato pulp with it, and it is ready for the table. excellent for mutton chops and roast beef. tomato sauce.--melt one tablespoon of butter, rub in one tablespoon of flour, half teaspoon salt, a little pepper, add one pint hot milk, cook until well done, stirring all the time to keep it smooth. pass a few stewed tomatoes through the sieve to remove seeds, enough to give thirteen teaspoons for the sauce. stir in just before serving. serve with fish by pouring a few spoonfuls over each piece. cream sauce.--put two tablespoons butter in a pan, add two tablespoons flour, mix well together, pour on gradually one cup scalded milk, stirring all the time, one quarter teaspoon salt and a little white pepper. cook thick. cream sauce.--one tablespoon flour, half pint of cream or milk, one tablespoonful of butter, half teaspoonful of salt, dash of pepper. melt the butter being careful not to brown it, add the flour, mix until smooth then add the cream or milk, stir continually until it boils; add salt and pepper, and use at once. if you are not quite ready to use it stand over boiling water to keep warm, stirring often to prevent a crust forming on top. hollandaise sauce.--for baked or boiled fish. one half cup butter, yolks of two eggs, juice of half a lemon, one saltspoonful salt, quarter saltspoonful cayenne pepper, one and one half cups boiling water. rub the butter to a cream in a bowl with wooden or silver spoon, add the yolks, one at a time and beat well, then add lemon juice, salt and pepper. about five minutes before serving add boiling water, place bowl in saucepan of boiling water and stir rapidly until it thickens like boiled custard. pour the sauce around the fish. horse radish sauce.--grate sufficient horseradish to make four good sized tablespoonfuls, add this to half pint of salad dressing and serve with cold beef. salmon sauce.--one cup of milk, heated to boiling point and thickened with a tablespoonful of corn starch, the oil from salmons, one large tablespoonful of butter, one egg well beaten, juice of one lemon, cayenne pepper to taste. add the egg to the thickened milk when you have stirred in the butter and oil. take from fire, season and let stand in hot water three minutes covered, then put in lemon juice and turn over salmon immediately. note: above recipes for sauces were demonstrated by mrs. a. mckay at domestic science club. horseradish sauce.--add to six tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish the yolk of one egg and half a teaspoonful of salt. mix thoroughly; add a tablespoonful of good vinegar and then carefully a quarter of a cupful of cream whipped to a stiff froth. if the horseradish is already in vinegar omit the tablespoonful of vinegar and press dry the horseradish. this is one of the nicest sauces to serve with cold mutton or with hot corned beef. horseradish cream sauce.--beat one tablespoonful of cream until stiff. as cream begins to thicken add gradually three-fourths teaspoonful of vinegar. season with a few grains of salt and a dash of paprika, then fold in one half tablespoonful of grated horseradish root. sauce hollandaise.--heat two tablespoons of butter in tablespoons of vinegar and of chopped onion and one half pint of boiling water. beat the yolks of two eggs light and mix with one tablespoon of flour, one half teaspoon of salt and a saltspoon of pepper. cook gently in the hot vinegar and water and strain at once into the serving dish. this is nice with fish and with white asparagus boiled, drained and chilled on the ice. serve the sauce hot. mushroom sauce.--add one can of mushrooms to white or cream sauce and stand over hot water ten minutes but do not cook. serve with chicken or sweet bread. cucumber sauce.--pare four cucumbers, throw them into cold water for half an hour then grate them and drain. add one tablespoon of grated onion and one half teaspoon of salt, one saltspoon of pepper and two tablespoons of vinegar (tarragon if convenient). whip six tablespoons of cream stiff, and stir gradually into the cucumber mixture and serve at once with creamed fish, deviled salt fish or baked or broiled fish or with cold boiled or baked mutton. claret or wine sauce for game.--one half pint of claret or sherry, four tablespoons soup stock or water, one tablespoon lemon juice, one teaspoon grated horseradish, one saltspoon paprika and one half teaspoon of salt. heat gently but do not boil. serve hot with game. sauce tartare.--add two olives, one pickle or gherkins, one tablespoon of capers and one tablespoon of parsley all chopped fine together, to one half pint of mayonnaise dressing or to hot hallandaise sauce. mint sauce.--twelve stalks of fresh mint, one tablespoon of sugar and one half cup of vinegar or lemon juice. strip the mint leaves from the stalks and wash them, chop them very fine, add the sugar and mix well, add the vinegar, stir well, and cover and stand aside for an hour. serve in sauce boat, with spring lamb. apple sauce.--one pound green apples, one pint water, one half cup sugar. core the apples but do not pare them. cook with the water in a covered sauce pan. press through a colander, add sugar to the pulps and cool. serve with duck, goose and pork roast. gooseberry sauce.--one pint green gooseberries, one tablespoon of butter, one saltspoon of grated nutmeg, four tablespoons soup stock, one half teaspoon of salt. cook the gooseberries tender with the water in a covered saucepan about ten minutes. press through a sieve and add other ingredients. rhubarb may be substituted for the gooseberries. nice with salt meats and mackeral and other salt fish. cranberry sauce.--one quart cranberries cooked with one pint of water for five minutes. press through a colander, add one pound or two cups of sugar to the hot pulp, stir until melted and then cool. serve with turkey, chicken, mutton or game and with escalloped oysters. currant jelly sauce.--add one glass of currant jelly to four tablespoons of hot water or rich soup stock. turn this into the dish in which game has been roasted, bring to a boil and serve. curry sauce.--one tablespoon butter, cooked with one tablespoon chopped onion, add one teaspoon of curry powder, one tablespoon of flour and stir smooth, then add one half pint of boiling water. add one half teaspoon of salt and one tablespoonful of lemon juice after the sauce has cooked thick. serve with canned chicken; with oysters, and with boiled rice, lima beans, cauliflower or cooked tomatoes. bechamel sauce.--make like cream sauce using half cup of chicken stock and half cup of milk instead of milk alone adding one tablespoon chopped cooked carrots, one tablespoon chopped onion, cooked, and one saltspoon of celery seed. for french bechamel sauce add one half can mushroom and two tablespoons of cream. egg sauce.--add four hard boiled eggs, chopped fine, to cream sauce. caper sauce.--add one tablespoon capers to cream sauce. brown sauce.--drain the liquor from the pan in which meat is roasted reserving about four tablespoons of the fat for the sauce. leave it in the roasting pan and brown two tablespoons of flour in it over the fire, blending it well. when smooth add one pint of hot stock or water, and a little salt or kitchen bouquet if preferred. to this gravy or meat sauce, variety is given by adding one tablespoon of tomato catsup or of worcestershire sauce, or of mushroom catsup or of onion juice or one half can of mushrooms. quick tomato and chili relish for lobster, shell fish and ham.--six tomatoes peeled, chopped and drained, two tablespoons minced celery or one half teaspoon celery seed, two tablespoons of vinegar, a little garlic or onion, one chopped chili pepper or one drop of tabasco sauce and one teaspoon of salt. if chili pepper is used bake it until skin cracks open, then peel and seed and chop fine. let it cool and add to the tomato mixture. this is a relish served when ripe tomatoes are in season. it is not cooked. by substituting one cup of whipped cream for the vinegar and omitting the tabasco sauce, a nice sauce is quickly made to serve with cold beef, mutton or veal. piquante sauce or olive or vinegar sauce.--one tablespoon of chopped onion, one tablespoon of capers, two tablespoons of chopped pickles, or teaspoon of sugar, one half teaspoon of salt, two tablespoons of vinegar, one half saltspoon of pepper, four tablespoons of soup stock or water, and last if liked, three olives stoned and chopped fine or one tablespoon of minced parsley. heat the soup stock, add vinegar and other ingredients. serve with calf's head, boiled mutton, lobster or pigs feet. spanish sauce.--one and one half pints stock, one tablespoon gelatine dissolved in water, four tablespoons of butter, two tablespoons of flour, two tablespoons chopped onion, a sprig of parsley, one tablespoon chopped celery, one tablespoon chopped carrot, one bay leaf, three whole cloves, a blade of mace, one teaspoon of salt and half saltspoon of pepper. boil stock with the seasoning, until it is reduced to a pint, rub flour and butter together and add, cook thick and strain. at the last moment add the gelatine and serve with any fowl or meat that requires a rich brown sauce. celery sauce.--one bunch of celery, one tablespoon of flour, and one of butter; one pint of stock, six tablespoons of cream, one level teaspoon of salt, dash of white pepper. wash and cut up the celery, using green tops. cook in the stock or water until very tender. press through sieve; rub flour and butter together and cook in the celery puree, add the seasoning and serve with boiled mutton, chicken or rabbit. oyster sauce.--drain half a pint of oysters, wash and cook them in a saucepan until gills curl. add to cream sauce and serve with boiled poultry or fish. sauce saubise.--boil three chopped onions in water until tender; drain and add to cream sauce. serve with fowl. bread and rolls "the loaf is, after all, the thing that's most essential."--j. w. foley. white and rye bread.--while boiling potatoes i save the potato water, about one pint. after it is cooled and only luke warm, i soak in it one cake of yeast foam, one teaspoonful of sugar and a small pinch of ginger, and then let it dissolve until supper time; then take a quart of wheat flour and mix with a little warm water, or water and milk, and add your yeast so that the sponge will not be too thin, but like a stiff batter. let it stand over night in a warm place to raise. next morning i divide the sponge, using two thirds of it for wheat bread and one third for rye bread, as you can bake six loaves of bread from one cake of yeast; four of wheat and two of rye. to the two thirds part of sponge i take two quarts of wheat flour, one tablespoonful of salt and water enough to make quite a stiff dough. for the rye bread one quart of rye flour with one and one half cups of wheat flour and one teaspoonful of salt. knead it same as for wheat bread, then let it raise again and when it has doubled in size, it is ready for the tins and after raising there until light, it is ready for the oven in which if hot it will bake in from three fourths to one hour. before putting it in the oven, i usually wash it with luke warm milk to give it a nice brown color while baking.--mrs. john bruegger. demonstration of german cookery, breads and cookies. german coffee cake.--next comes german coffee cake and rolls. i set the sponge with one cake of yeast as for bread and mix it the next morning with two cups of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoons of lard, three eggs, grated rind and juice of one lemon, a little nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt, add two quarts of white flour, and knead with milk and water, not quite so stiff as for bread. let it raise two hours after which put it in tins and let raise again; then melt butter and spread on coffee cake and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and it is ready for the oven and ought to be quickly baked. from this dough you can bake quite a variety, for instance, one dozen rolls, two plain coffee cakes, one dozen raised doughnuts and one loaf cake. for the loaf cake you add one cupful of raisins, a little chopped citron, almond extract, one egg and a little butter, beat well with a spoon and fill in a sponge cake tin and let it raise before putting it in the oven to bake, then bake three quarters of an hour.--mrs. john bruegger. german cookery demonstration. rye bread.--to one pint of water (luke warm) add one cake of yeast foam, one teaspoon salt, two tablespoons sugar, and one medium sized boiled potato. mash this fine and mix with the salt and sugar in the water; let this stand until evening, then add enough well sifted flour to make a stiff batter. set in a warm place to rise over night. next morning add one quart of luke warm water, one heaping teaspoon salt, one quart of white flour, and two quarts of rye flour all well sifted, and work all together, then knead for ten minutes, adding a little flour from time to time until it ceases to stick to the fingers or mold board, then put into a large bread pan and set in warm place to rise again, until light, then knead again, and make into loaves. put into well greased bread pans, let raise and bake from one to one and a half hours. when done take out and brush lightly with melted butter or drippings.--mrs. george bruegger. white bread.--scald one pint of milk with three tablespoons of lard then put in bread pan with one quart of warm water; add two tablespoons sugar, two tablespoons salt. stir in flour to make a thick batter one yeast cake that has been soaked well in water. i make sponge after dinner and let set till evening then mix into a large loaf; let stand till morning. before breakfast knead into loaves. this will make from three to four loaves of bread.--mrs. southard. graham bread.--make the yeast sponge as above but add one half cup cooking molasses and a little more sugar. do not make sponge too thick with white flour. mix in evening, with graham flour but not quite as stiff as white bread. graham bread is very slow to raise. date bread.--one cup of chopped dates, two cups milk, one third cup sugar, one fourth yeast cake, one fourth cup luke warm water, one half teaspoon salt, five cups of sifted flour. mix and knead like bread and bake in loaves. pocket book rolls.--warm one quart new milk, add one cup butter or lard, four tablespoons sugar and two well beaten eggs. stir in flour enough to make a moderately stiff sponge. add a small cup of yeast and set in a warm place to rise, which will take three or four hours, then mix in flour enough to make a soft dough and let rise again. when well risen dissolve a lump of soda, size of a bean, in spoon of milk and work into the dough and roll into sheets one half inch thick. spread with butter, cut into squares and fold over, pocket book shape. put in tins, let rise a while and bake.--mrs. l. l. lampman. rolls.--take two teacupsful of light sponge. add to it one half cup shortening, one cup of sugar and two cups of warm water. mix with flour and knead but do not make a very stiff dough. let raise all day. in evening form rolls and let them raise all night. bake in moderate oven.--mrs. harry hanson. raised biscuits.--one cup of flour scalded with generous pint of hot potato water. (boil potatoes and drain water for this). when cold add one cake of yeast dissolved in luke warm water. mix this at noon and let it stand, uncovered, until night, then add one pint of warm water and enough flour to make a light sponge, beating well. let stand until morning in a warm place or in a covered bread pan well wrapped to retain the heat. add to this sponge in the morning one small cup of sugar, two eggs and one half cupful lard and a generous tablespoon of salt. mix stiff with flour. let stand until light then knead well, let raise an hour and knead again and make into biscuits. put in greased baking pans and let raise until very light. bake in a moderate oven.--mrs. george w. newton. almond wreath.--two ounces of flour; two cakes of yeast; one pint of luke warm milk; a tablespoonful of salt. mix into a light sponge and let it rise all night. in the morning add six ounces of butter and the same of pulverized sugar, six eggs, one pint of rich cream and enough flour to make a soft dough. let it rise again until very light. then roll out with few and swift strokes of the rolling-pin into a sheet less than half an inch thick and cut into strips. braid these into a coronet about some round object in the center. or you may make it into a round cake if you like. shell half a pound of sweet almonds, blanch and shred them and dry in the oven for a few minutes. then mix them with granulated and coffee sugar and cinnamon and strew over the cakes when you have washed the surface with white of egg to make the mixture stick. bake in a moderate oven. this quantity will make at least six large cakes. yeast.--three heaping tablespoons flour, two of salt, two tablespoons of sugar. pour one dipperful of boiling water on this and add twelve mashed potatoes. add cold water enough to cool for yeast. add one yeast cake which has been soaked one half hour in tepid water. use half of this for one baking.--mrs. a. mckay. biscuits, jems, pancakes and fritters "what an excellent thing did god bestow on man when he gave him a good stomach."--beaumont and fletcher. fritters.--beat four eggs very light. do not separate yolks and whites but beat together about five minutes; add one scant cupful of milk, one small teaspoon of salt and just a dash of baking powder (about as large as a small bean). quickly whisk in enough sifted flour to make a thin pan cake batter. beat smooth. drop by spoonfuls into deep smoking hot lard and fry like doughnuts. drain, and serve immediately with maple syrup, honey or jelly sauce.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. southern waffles.--mix together one scant pint of sifted flour and one generous pint of milk until smooth; add one half cupful of melted butter and the well beaten yolks of three eggs; then the well beaten whites and one half teaspoon of salt. just before baking add two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and hot lard. bake in a hot, well greased waffle iron and serve immediately with butter and maple syrup or honey.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. pan cakes.--for a family of six, take one quart of butter milk or of slightly clabbered sour milk. beat into it two level teaspoons of soda and one small teaspoon of salt. add the beaten yolks of two eggs and then enough flour to make a smooth batter, not too stiff. if too thick add a little more milk. lastly add one tablespoon of melted butter and the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. rub the smoking hot griddle with a piece of suet fastened to a skewer or fork, drop butter on by tablespoonful and bake the cakes a nice brown, turning once. serve immediately on hot plates. these cakes may be served with butter and syrup or they may be spread with jam or jelly and rolled. using half flour with half corn meal makes good corn cakes or half graham flour for graham cakes.--mrs. whitehead. corn oysters or corn fritters.--grate eight large ears of corn, or split each row of corn down the center and scrape out all of the pulp. beat the yolks of two eggs, add them to the corn pulps with half a teaspoon of salt and the beaten whites of eggs and then add enough rolled cracker crumbs to make a thick batter. fry oyster shape, in deep, smoking fat and put in the oven to crisp while the balance of the cakes are frying. do not use flour to thicken the batter. the crackers are much nicer and give the true oyster flavor. these are made from fresh, green corn, only.--mrs. whitehead. corn dodgers.--put one cup of corn meal, one half teaspoon of salt in double boiler; add one cup boiling water; beat smooth and add one tablespoon butter. cook and steam covered for one hour. butter a griddle, drop by spoonful on it, put down fat and when browned put bit of butter on each, before turning. good served with broiled ham or cooked in frying pan after bacon or sausage. hoe cake.--put one quart of white corn meal in a bowl; add one teaspoon salt, add sufficient boiling water to just moisten, stirring all the time, beating to stiff batter. moisten hands in cold water and make corn meal into small round cakes. bake on plank in front of open fire three quarters of an hour or fry slowly on griddle. when done pull apart, butter and send to table hot. beaten biscuit (virginia).--three pints pastry flour mixed with one cup lard; one teaspoon salt, mix together like pie crust. make into stiff dough with milk or milk and water mixed, and knead well; beat or pound with a rolling pin or mallet one hour. the dough should be smooth and glossy and bits should break off with a snap. shape in thin, flat cakes. pick all over with a sharp fork and bake until a delicate brown and until the edges crack a little. must bake thoroughly or they will be heavy in the middle. johnny cake or corn bread.--one cup corn meal, one half cup flour, two small teaspoons sugar, two tablespoons butter, or drippings, one beaten egg; salt; one cup of sour milk; one level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a bit of hot water. beat well and bake in greased tin. may be made with sweet milk and baking powder if preferred. makes one pan of bread. the foregoing recipes were demonstrated by mrs. whitehead in a paper on southern cookery. popovers.--cup sweet milk, one egg, two tablespoons melted butter, two cups flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder. bake in gem pans in a hot oven.--mrs. mary harvey. graham muffins.--one egg, one and one half cups sour milk, one teaspoon soda, a little salt, two tablespoons melted butter, two tablespoons molasses, graham flour to make a light batter. bake in gem tins.--mrs. mary harvey. wheaten gems.--mix one teaspoon baking powder and a little salt into one pint of flour; add to the beaten yolks of two eggs one teacup sweet milk or cream; a piece of butter (melted) half the size of an egg, the flour with baking powder and salt mixed and the well beaten whites of the two eggs. beat well and bake immediately in gem pans in a hot oven.--mrs. l. l. lampman. prune brown bread.--one cup corn meal, two cups graham flour, one half cup molasses, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda and same of salt, one cup dried prunes washed, pitted and chopped fine. scald the corn meal and then add the other ingredients; put in greased tins and steam three hours.--mrs. l. l. lampman. mrs. burk's nut bread.--baking powder. one cup sugar, one egg, two cups sweet milk, a pinch of salt, four teaspoons baking powder, four cups flour, one cup of chopped walnuts or more, mix together, let raise twenty minutes, pour into greased coffee cans (uncovered). bake in moderate oven till brown ( minutes or more). slice cold.--mrs. s. j. creaser. baking powder biscuits.--one quart flour, three teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon salt, sifted through the flour, mix smooth with three tablespoons of butter and lard in equal portions, mix lightly into a soft dough with about three cups milk. roll and cut in small biscuits. bake in greased tins in a quick oven.--dorothy whitehead. swedish timbale cases.--beat one egg well; add one fourth cup of milk, a few grains of salt, one teaspoon of olive oil and one half cup of flour or enough to make almost a drop batter. beat it until very nice and smooth. pour it into a small cup just large enough to hold the timbale iron. heat the timbale iron in the hot fat for about ten minutes, then lower it into the batter about one inch, turn it partly over as you take it out so the cases will not slip off, then plunge the iron into the fat and when browned slightly lift it up, and drain and slip the cup from the iron. when all are fried fill the cases with any delicate meat, game, fish or oysters, cut small and warmed in a rich cream sauce.--contributed. pancakes.--one cup sour milk, half cup of sour cream, small teaspoon soda dissolved in water and stirred in the milk; half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon baking powder mixed with flour enough to make thin batter.--mrs. l. l. lampman. pancakes.--two cups flour, two cups milk, two teaspoonfuls sugar, two teaspoonfuls baking powder, one teaspoonful salt, one tablespoonful melted butter, two eggs beaten separately. have griddle hot and clean but do not grease. blueberries stirred into pancake batter, as many as you wish, are excellent.--mrs. davidson. timbales.--one fourth cup flour, one half teaspoon salt, one teaspoon of sugar, one egg (beaten), one tablespoon olive oil or butter. mix the dry parts together and add milk, egg and olive oil. strain through sieve. dip hot tambale iron into the grease then into the batter then into the hot grease to cook. drain and use as pastry shells for creamed peas, chicken, mushroom or oysters. with beer.--timbales are very tender and nice made with stale beer or ale. let one half pint of beer stand in an open dish over night. omit the sugar and milk and mix flour with the beer, following other directions as given above.--contributed. mrs. alleman's apple fritters.--one cup flour, one teaspoon baking powder, pinch salt, and yolk of two eggs beaten light, with cup of milk. grate in three medium sized apples, beat well and fold in stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. drop by spoonful into hot fat and fry until nicely browned. drain on brown paper and serve with maple syrup. for corn fritters use one cup of canned corn in place of apples.--contributed. pop overs.--two cups flour, two cups sweet milk, two eggs, one teaspoon sugar, one quarter teaspoon salt. beat well together. put in hot gem tins and bake in hot oven.--contributed. pan cakes.--one cup of flour sifted with one teaspoon of baking powder, one half teaspoon of salt and one teaspoon of sugar, add enough milk to wet it, then beat in one egg thoroughly, add three teaspoons of melted butter and then thin to a smooth batter with milk, beat thoroughly and bake on a well greased, hot griddle.--mrs. a. mckay. jenny lind pancake.--two eggs, pinch of salt, tablespoonful sugar, small cup of flour, one cup of milk, one half teaspoon baking powder. bake in an omelette pan, put jelly on top, roll and sprinkle with powdered sugar.--mrs. lynch. date muffins.--beat the yolks of two eggs until light. add one cupful of milk. sift together one and a half cupfuls of entire wheat flour, one and a half teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one quarter teaspoon of salt. add the milk and eggs and a tablespoonful of melted butter, and give the batter a good beating. now add half a cup of dates chopped coarsely and floured, and last of all add the stiffly beaten whites. mix. fill gem pans two thirds full and bake in a moderately hot oven for half an hour. these are excellent. sandwiches "there is no higher art than that which tends toward the improvement of food."--henry ward beecher. bread for sandwiches should be at least one day old. cut into thin slices of uniform size, remove all crust and then cut into the desired shape either with the sharp, pliable knife or a sharp cookie cutter. the butter should be soft enough to spread smoothly and the most essential thing is to have good bread and fresh sweet butter. meat for filling should either be sliced very thin or chopped fine and other ingredients minced or mashed to make as smooth a paste as possible and mix evenly with the salad dressing or other dressing used. sandwiches are better eaten as soon as made. if necessary to let them stand an hour or so, wrap the plate of sandwiches in a dampened napkin and put in a cold place so the bread will not become hard and dry. be careful not to let the dressing run over the outer edge of the slices of bread. sandwiches must be dainty to be appetizing and easily handled. cut the slices as thin as you can and make into small triangles or squared sandwiches, or oblong ones two or three inches long. sandwiches.--mince the white meat of a roast chicken, and mix it with half a can of french mushrooms, chopped fine, and a half cupful of chopped english walnuts. season to taste with melted butter. put the mixture between slices of whole wheat bread. walnut sandwiches.--shell english walnuts. blanch and chop, and to every tablespoonful of nuts allow a good half teaspoonful of cream cheese. rub well together and spread on thin slices of crustless white or graham bread. deviled egg sandwiches.--mash the yolks of hard boiled eggs to a powder and moisten with olive oil and a few drops of vinegar. work to a paste, add salt, pepper and french mustard to taste, with a drop or two of tabasco sauce. now chop the whites of the eggs as fine as possible or until they are like a coarse powder and mix them with the yolk paste. if more seasoning is necessary, add it before spreading the mixture upon sliced graham bread. roast beef sandwiches.--chop rare roast beef very fine, taking care to use only the lean portions of the meat. sprinkle with salt, pepper and a saltspoonful of horseradish. mix and make into sandwiches with thinly sliced graham bread. peanut sandwiches.--shell and skin freshly roasted peanuts and roll them to fine crumbs on a pastry board. add salt to taste and mix the powdered nuts with enough fresh cream cheese to make a paste that can be easily spread on unbuttered bread. keep in a cold, damp place until wanted. stuffed eggs.--boil eggs hard and throw them into cold water. when cool remove the shells, cut the eggs in half carefully and extract the yolks. rub these to a powder with the back of a spoon and add to them pepper and salt to taste, a little melted butter to make the mixture into a smooth paste. if ham is not at hand any other cold meat will do, and either anchovies or anchovy paste may be used. make the compound into balls about the size and shape of the yolks and restore them to their place between the two cups of the whites. ham and olive sandwiches.--chop lean ham fine and beat into each cupful of the minced meat a tablespoonful of salad oil, a teaspoonful of vinegar, a saltspoonful of french mustard, six olives chopped fine and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. work all to a paste and spread on thin slices of white bread. salmon sandwiches.--small can salmon, one small onion chopped, two hard boiled eggs chopped, and chopped celery to taste. mix with a good mayonnaise dressing and spread between thin, buttered slices of bread.--mrs. l. l. lampman. ham sandwich.--run boiled ham through the food chopper or mince it very fine. this may be spread plain on buttered bread or it may be mixed with the ground yolks and whites of hard boiled eggs and mixed with mayonnaise dressing to a paste and spread between thin slices of buttered bread. rolled sandwiches.--cut the crust from a loaf of bread lengthwise of the loaf in thin slices. butter, spread with the ham mayonnaise paste and roll up like jelly roll, pressing firmly together. cut in slices like jelly roll cake slices. nut bread sandwiches.--these are made of nut bread slices spread with butter. raisin bread also makes nice sandwiches and so does date bread. english sandwiches.--spread toasted muffins (cold muffins cut into slices and toasted) with butter, then with cottage cheese or grated cream cheese. cover with a thin layer of plum (blue damson preferred) marmalade, and cover with top slice of toasted muffin. sardine or anchovy sandwiches.--mix ground yolks of five hard boiled eggs with three boned sardines or anchovies, mashed, two small pickles or as many capers chopped, one teaspoon of butter. spread between thin slices of buttered graham bread. evening sandwiches.--three hard boiled eggs, one half pint olives and one fourth pound walnuts, minced together fine and mixed with salad dressing. spread on rye bread or graham bread, with lettuce leaves between. one cup chopped celery, six stoned olives and two tablespoons salted nuts, minced together with salad dressing. salted almonds rolled fine and mixed to a paste with butter are nice on crackers, with a chafing dish lunch. bone sardines and mash them to a paste with lemon juice or oil and spread on thinly sliced bread. mince canned lobster, shrimp or crabs fine, mix with minced hard boiled eggs and salad dressing and spread between buttered slices of bread. anchovy sardines.--spread small triangles of bread or toast with anchovy paste. serve either hot or cold. no top crust for these. pass lemon slices. caviar sandwiches.--spread thin slices of rye bread with caviar and sprinkle with finely minced young onions or onion juice. no top crust for these. serve with lemon points. cheese wafers.--grate cheese and spread it on buttered cracker wafers or buttered wafers of toast and sprinkle lightly with salt and cayenne pepper. melt cheese in the oven and serve hot. boiled egg sandwiches.--run hard boiled eggs through meat grinder and mix with dry mustard, salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice or vinegar. spread between thin slices of buttered bread. minced celery or celery seed is nice mixed with this paste. the grated rind of a lemon added to ground hard boiled eggs (three), one half cup butter, two tablespoons of lemon juice, salt and half teaspoon of dry mustard makes a good devil paste for sandwiches. olive and cottage cheese sandwiches.--stone olives, or use the stuffed olives, and chop them fine; mix with an equal quantity of cottage cheese. make into a smooth paste with soft butter. spread between graham or rye bread slices. olives may be mixed likewise with grated cream cheese. cucumber sandwiches.--use the fresh, sliced cucumbers or cucumber pickles chopped fine. mix with mayonnaise salad dressing and spread on buttered bread, cover with shredded lettuce and lay slice of buttered bread on top. walnut and cheese sandwiches.--chop walnuts fine and mix with grated cream cheese and a little lemon juice or with soft butter or salad dressing. spread on lettuce leaves and place between buttered slices of bread. celery sandwiches.--mince celery fine; mix it with chopped nuts and chopped olives and blend together with mayonnaise dressing. spread between slices of buttered bread. cheese sandwiches.--mix grated cheese with the grated yolks of hard boiled eggs and add a few drops of lemon juice. for a change a few canned, sweet red peppers, chopped fine are nice added to the mixture. spread between thin slices of buttered white bread. cottage cheese sandwiches.--spread cottage cheese between thin slices of buttered graham, whole wheat or rye bread. chopped dill pickles are nice mixed with this cheese and spread on rye bread. nut and cheese sandwiches.--grate cream cheese and mix it with ground salted peanuts. make into a paste with butter or thick cream. spread on graham bread. dutch lunch sandwich.--grate cream cheese or cut up swiss cheese and spread it on thin slices of buttered rye bread; spread with german prepared mustard and press buttered slices of bread on top. pass dill pickles. peanut sandwiches.--spread thin slices of boston brown bread with peanut butter or with ground salted peanuts mixed with butter. white graham bread is also used this way. club house sandwiches.--spread bread or toast with butter, lay on a thin slice of cold meat chicken, (white meat preferred), spread with mayonnaise salad dressing then put on a layer of shredded lettuce, covered again with mayonnaise dressing and cover top with another thin slice of buttered bread or buttered hot toast. the sliced meat and bread must be cut very thin to make dainty sandwiches of this delicious combination. garnish with quartered dill pickles and olives or pimentos and parsley. hot egg sandwich.--toast bread in thin slices; lay on a thin slice of hot boiled bacon or ham and upon this place a hot fried egg or an egg scrambled fine. lay another hot slice of toast on top and serve. minced meat sandwiches.--minced cooked chicken or veal, mixed with minced celery and then with mayonnaise dressing is the usual paste for meat sandwiches. the flavor may be varied by adding minced sweet pickles, sweet canned peppers, olives, pimentos, mushrooms or nuts to this paste as fancy dictates. minced boiled ham and boiled chicken in equal portions make a nice combination. if mayonnaise isn't liked bind together with soft butter, thick cream, lemon juice or prepared mustard. layer sandwiches.--these are made of different varieties of bread combined in the same sandwich or of two or more kinds of thinly sliced cold, cooked meat, placed in alternate layers between slices of buttered bread or toast. cold roast duck, either wild or tame, sliced thinly and placed between buttered slices of raisin bread is nice. duck may first be dipped in mayonnaise. cold boiled tongue sliced thin and covered with lettuce mayonnaise and then with a thin slice of chicken or cold boiled ham, make a good layer sandwich. flaked white fish, spread with minced shrimp mayonnaise and lettuce or minced celery is another. brown bread and white bread cut as thin as wafers, buttered and spread with cream or cottage cheese and minced olives or nuts and put together in alternate layers then cut through like layer cake into oblong strips or finger sandwiches make pretty luncheon sandwiches. nut bread and raisin or date bread, sliced, buttered and built in layer sandwiches are delicious. rings of boston brown bread alternated with rings of white bread and spread with peanut butter is another popular combination. sweet sandwiches.--chop figs, raisins and stoned dates together and spread on buttered slices of graham or white bread. dates minced with nuts and spread on thin slices of buttered bread or upon cracker wafers make dainty afternoon tea sandwiches. grated sweet chocolate and ground nuts mixed smooth with butter or cream is another filling. grated cocoanut and dates minced to a paste is another favorite filling. game sandwiches.--cut thin slices of prairie chicken, wild duck or goose or venison. dip shredded celery into mayonnaise dressing; lay the sliced meat on buttered bread, scatter shredded celery over it and press bread on top. with sliced venison spread currant jelly on the meat and omit the salad dressing. with sliced turkey use cranberry jelly. with boiled ham cider jelly, grape jelly or apple jelly is nice. with sliced roast veal tomato jelly is best. with wild fowl use mild plum jelly or currant jelly.--contributed. hickory nut and banana sandwiches.--slice two bananas and mix with one half cupful of chopped hickory nut meats or pecans. spread between thin slices of buttered brown bread. apple and celery sandwiches.--mince celery fine and mix with chopped apples, sprinkle lightly with salt and spread between slices of buttered brown bread. nut sandwiches.--waldorf. chop fine equal quantities of sour apples, celery and pecans or other nuts. salt them, spread on buttered bread, then spread lightly with mayonnaise dressing and make into sandwiches with brown bread. smoked duck sandwiches.--cut thin slices from smoked breasts of duck or goose. cut hard boiled eggs into thin rings, lay over the duck and squeeze lemon juice on them; sprinkle with salt and pepper and place between buttered slices of bread, rye bread preferred. smoked salmon sandwiches.--cut thin slices of bread, butter it and lay a thin slice of smoked salmon between them, or mash the salmon smooth with minced hard boiled egg and mix with butter to a paste and spread on bread. bean sandwiches.--spread buttered brown bread with cold baked beans, sprinkle with chopped pickles or with salted water cress or nasturtium leaves minced fine. picquant sandwiches.--garden cress or pepper grass dipped lightly in salt and spread between thin slices of buttered bread makes dainty picquant sandwiches. minced nasturtium leaves are used likewise. fruit sandwiches.--mince seeded malaga grapes, sliced canned pineapple and mashed bananas together to a paste. spread on slices of plain white or graham bread or on nut bread. cover with a thin layer of salad dressing and press thin sliced buttered bread on top. dixie sandwiches.--spread sliced nut bread with butter and grated cream cheese, or with melted cream cheese and press buttered bread on top. raisin sandwiches.--spread raisin bread slices with grated cheese and cover with a slice of buttered raisin bread. nut and chocolate sandwiches.--spread thin slices of buttered nut bread with chocolate fudge or fondant. raisin bread is nice used the same way. marshmallow sandwiches.--toast marshmallows and place between thin slices of buttered nut bread. mushrooms may be steamed with a little cream, spread on buttered bread and covered with a thin coating of chocolate fudge or fondant. set the fondant dish in hot water to melt it for spreading. salads "how in the name of thrift does he rake this together?"--shakespeare. salad dressing.--one cup sugar, one tablespoonful salt, pinch cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful mustard, stir all together. add four eggs beaten, one cup cream, add one cup butter, put on fire in double boiler. when it boils remove and beat in one half pint vinegar a little at a time. this will keep till used.--mrs. c. c. mackenroth. salad dressing.--yolks of six eggs, two tablespoons butter, three fourths cup sugar, two thirds cup vinegar, two teaspoons mustard, one half teaspoon salt. mix sugar, salt and mustard then add butter. mix until smooth. lastly add beaten yolks and vinegar. cook until thick.--mrs. f. kleinsorge. salad dressing.--yolks of four eggs, one half cup vinegar, two tablespoons sugar, butter the size of walnut, salt and pepper to taste. beat yolks until light, add sugar and beat again, then add vinegar, butter, salt and pepper. cook in double boiler until quite thick stirring all the while. when cold thin with cream. a very little flour may be added while cooking. this will keep for several days. adding cream only as you use it.--mrs. mcguiness. a group of salad dressings oil mayonnaise.--mix the yolk of one raw egg, one half teaspoon of salt, a little mustard and a few grains of cayenne, add one cup of oil in small portions, and two tablespoons lemon juice. make as you would any mayonnaise dressing, and when ready to serve stir in one half cup of sour cream.--contributed. sour cream salad dressing.--stir one tablespoon of sugar, one half teaspoon of salt, one fourth teaspoon of pepper and one tablespoon of lemon juice into one cup of sour cream. serve it on cucumbers, onions, cabbage or lettuce.--contributed. french dressing.--with many people the french dressing is usually hit or miss. there is, however, a set formula that ensures having the proportions right every time. put into a bowl or bottle a half teaspoonful salt, and a salt spoonful of pepper. add four tablespoonfuls olive oil, stir with a fork or shake it in a bottle. add one tablespoonful of lemon juice or vinegar, mix thoroughly and pour over the salad. tarragon vinegar may be substituted in whole or part of the cider or white wine vinegar.--contributed. english salad dressing.--mash the yolks of two hard boiled eggs to a paste. add a saltspoonful of salt, a scant teaspoonful of powdered sugar, a few grains cayenne; a teaspoonful of cold water and mix it well. stir in by degrees a half cupful of cream, then stirring very rapidly, add a tablespoonful of strong chili vinegar and one of cider vinegar. six tablespoonfuls of olive oil may be used instead of cream, adding gradually.--contributed. chicken salad.--boil a chicken tender in salted water, cut the meat into small pieces; add half as much diced celery or chopped cabbage. mix with salad dressing. add one cupful of broken english walnuts just before serving. salad dressing.--yolks of five eggs and one whole one, beaten with one large tablespoon of sugar, one teaspoon of mustard, dash salt and cayenne pepper. cook thick in one half cup of hot vinegar and three tablespoons of butter. remove from fire and beat smooth. when ready to serve thin with half a cup of sweet cream.--mrs. fred southard. apple salad.--one cup chopped celery, two cups of chopped apples, one half cup of nuts. mix and serve with salad dressing.--mrs. southard. salmon salad.--one large can of salmon, four hard boiled eggs minced with salmon. mix with salad dressing.--mrs. southard. (editorial note.--above recipes for salads were demonstrated by mrs. southard in her paper on "salads" for domestic science club.) chicken salad.--cut cooked chicken into dice and add half as much diced celery. mix with half of salad dressing and pour the balance over it at serving time. dressing: yolks of four eggs, one teaspoon of salt, one heaping teaspoon of sugar, one teaspoon mustard, one cup weak vinegar and speck of cayenne. cook thick in double boiler. when cold add one cup of whipped cream.--mrs. w. s. davidson. shrimp salad.--one can of shrimps, wash thoroughly, then pick to pieces; two cups cabbage sliced fine; two cups chopped celery, one cup english walnuts cut quite fine. mix together and serve with salad dressing. salad dressing.--yolks of five eggs and one whole egg well beaten, one tablespoon sugar, six tablespoonfuls of vinegar and three of butter boiled together and turned slowly over beaten eggs, one tablespoonful of dry mustard, one teaspoonful of salt, dash of red pepper. cook in double boiler until thick. when wanted for table add whipped cream.--mrs. t. a. mckay. lobster salad.--one cup of chopped celery, five hard boiled eggs coarsely diced, one large or two small cans of lobster coarsely shredded, season with salt and a dash of cayenne, mix lightly with fork. dressing for above: one half cup vinegar, one teaspoon mustard, one half teaspoon salt, three tablespoons melted butter, three level tablespoons of sugar. cook in double boiler. when well heated add well beaten yolks of four eggs and one whole egg, stirring continuously till thick and smooth. when ready to mix with salad thin to proper consistency with sweet or sour cream, place salad on lettuce and pour dressing over it.--mrs. harry mckay. shrimp salad.--one can shrimps, one small head celery, one cucumber, cut all into dice. dressing: yolks of two eggs; pinch of salt; dash of cayenne pepper. beat well. have olive oil very cold and pour it in and keep beating until it gets thick. then add either vinegar or lemon juice. mix with shrimps, just before serving.--mrs. will lynch. hazels herring salad.--take equal quantities of cold boiled potatoes and herring and two or three small onions. cut potatoes in cubes, remove bones from herring and cut in small pieces or pick to pieces, add onions and let stand on ice till ready to serve, cover with sweet cream and season with salt and pepper.--mrs. schollander. potato salad.--i do not know much about salads different from the every day style, with the exception of an old fashioned german potato salad. boil your potatoes with the jackets, peel and slice while hot; heat bacon drippings in which glaze onions which must be cut very fine, then add flour, brown, add diluted vinegar, let it come to a boil, cool, add a little sweet cream, turn it over your potatoes, which were previously seasoned with pepper and salt. garnish with either sliced or chopped hard boiled eggs and green parsley. string bean salad.--cut ends of tender green beans, string them, cut them either lengthwise, or just break them, boil until tender, add salt, drain. slice onion very fine, mix with beans, season with pepper, and another pinch of salt, pour diluted vinegar over them, turn diced fried bacon quite hot over this mixture. cabbage salad or dutch slaw.--select a nice clean cabbage, slice very fine, something like sauer kraut; place in a stew pan, pour boiling water on, let stand for half hour, then drain, slice onion fine, mix with cabbage, season with salt and pepper, turn over this hot bacon grease, with bacon dices in diluted vinegar. above vegetable salads were given by mrs. bruegger in her german cookery demonstration. beet and cheese salad.--make cottage cheese into balls, stick on either side half english walnut. slice small sweet beets and put two cheese balls and three beet slices on lettuce leaf. keep on ice until just before time to serve. add french dressing just before serving. this is a simple salad and so tasty that you will be sure to like it. french dressing.--mix three teaspoonfuls of cider vinegar with three and one half tablespoonfuls of olive oil, one large pinch of salt, one tiny pinch of black pepper and red pepper. tomato salad.--choose smooth, red tomatoes, peel; cut into halves, set on ice. dip each piece into vinegar, lay on lettuce leaf. drop a spoonful of mayonnaise on each and garnish with nasturtiums.--mrs. r. j. walker. spinach salad.--chop cold boiled spinach fine, season well with salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg and mould into small cups. when cold and formed, turn out on lettuce leaves and garnish with hard boiled eggs sliced or the yolks of hard boiled eggs run through a ricer. serve with mayonnaise. strips of spanish red peppers may be used for garnishing in place of the eggs. the nutmeg can be omitted if distasteful, but most people find it an attractive addition.--contributed. shrimp and tomato salad.--add to the contents of one can of shrimps, an equal amount of crisp white celery cut in small pieces. mix with a cream or mayonnaise dressing. place a thick slice of tomato on a crisp lettuce leaf, and a mound of the salad mixture on the tomato. decorate with a few stuffed olives on each serving, and top with a spoonful of the mayonnaise. if ripe tomatoes are too expensive or not obtainable at this season the salad may be served on tomato jelly cut in thick slices or else molded in the form of cups.--contributed. tomato jelly.--to make the tomato jelly salad, soak a quarter cupful of gelatine in the same amount of water. when softened put into a sauce pan with a cupful of strained tomato, a quarter cupful cold water, a teaspoonful of salt, the same amount of onion juice, a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a quarter teaspoonful of white pepper. stir over the fire until the gelatine is dissolved, but not a moment longer, turn at once into egg cups or small molds and set away to harden. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise.--contributed. tomato salad with mayonnaise.--have as many hallowed out tomatoes or molded tomatoes as there are guests to serve and set each in a crisp lettuce leaf. upon this lay half of an egg that has been deviled and with this three little silvery sardines. sprinkle with pieces of green pepper, cut fine and dress with mayonnaise.--contributed. fancy egg salad.--select perfect lettuce leaves and arrange in circles on a large platter or on individual plates. cut hard boiled eggs into halves, remove the yolks and cut the whites into petals shaped like water lilies. arrange these strips in the center of the lettuce leaves (which simulate lily pads) to form a circle, leaving a small circular opening in the middle. then put in a second row of petals, placing the pieces between those in the first circle. lastly press the egg yolks through a ricer, heaping them in the center of the white petals, to represent the heart of a lily. pass a bowl of mayonnaise with the salad or heap lightly on the surface.--contributed. potato salad.--boil six medium sized potatoes in jackets, until done but do not let them break into pieces. they should be firm and dry. peel them and cut into thin slices or small dice; mix with two small onions chopped and two hard boiled eggs, sliced. mix thoroughly with boiled salad dressing, after dressing the potatoes first with lemon juice or vinegar and salt. let stand on the ice an hour or more. garnish the salad bowl with shredded lettuce, diced, boiled or pickled beets or radish roses or olives, sweet peppers or any favorite garnish.--contributed. french dinner salad.--the dinner salad should always be delicate and light. heavy meat or fish salads are reserved for luncheon or buffet suppers, where they form the main dish of the meal. the most popular dinner salad is lettuce dressed with oil and lemon juice or vinegar. cress is often used and of late years bleached dandelions are much in favor. sliced cucumbers and onion, or sliced tomatoes with shredded lettuce or chopped celery, and the typical spring salad of shredded lettuce, sliced young onions and sliced radishes are all liked. in france the french dressing of oil and vinegar or lemon juice is always used but in america many prefer the richer mayonnaise dressing. in any case the salad is never mixed until time to serve it, and then the dressing should be lightly tossed in when all of the ingredients must be crisp and cold.--contributed. pimento salad.--select sweet, red or green peppers, steam them till the skin cracks, then skin and seed. place on the ice and shred with cold boiled fish, or shell fish or with a mixture of cold, cooked and diced potatoes, green peas or beans and sliced cucumbers or celery. the canned sweet red peppers or pimentos may be substituted. spiced or pickled green peppers are also nice with a crisp green salad.--mrs. whitehead. vegetables "dyspepsia is largely the result of trying to force square meals into round stomachs." time for boiling vegetables.--turnips should be peeled and boiled from forty minutes to one hour. beets; boil from one to two hours then put in cold water then slip the skin off. spinach; boil twenty minutes in uncovered kettle if green color is to be retained. parsnips; boil from twenty to thirty minutes. string beans should be boiled one and one half hours, covered. shelled beans require one hour to cook. onions should be boiled from forty minutes to one hour, covered. green corn; boil ten to twenty minutes. green peas should be boiled in very little water, boil twenty minutes. asparagus should be cooked the same as peas. serve on toast with cream gravy or melted butter. cabbage should be boiled from one to two hours in plenty of salted water. carrots should be boiled from forty minutes to one hour. whole potatoes should be put in boiling salted water and boil rapidly in covered kettle from fifteen to thirty minutes according to size and age. test with the tines of a fork. drain as soon as tender, remove the cover and set on back of range to dry. if they are to be mashed do not let them stand long. vegetables.--vegetables of all kinds should be thoroughly picked over and well washed, and it is good sometimes to lay them into cold water a short time before cooking. salt should not be added until partly cooked, as it has a tendency to harden them; they should cook steadily, do not allow them to stop boiling or simmering until they are thoroughly done. drain, take some butter, heat it, add a little flour, mix smooth in the butter, add milk enough to make a smooth gravy, turn over vegetables, and let it heat through, then serve. this sauce is nice for many kinds. for asparagus, carrots, peas and a few others i keep some of the liquid they were boiled in, as it gives them a better flavor than milk alone. german cabbage.--another way of preparing cabbage in a german way: cut up a cabbage and pick over carefully, wash well, heat some lard, drop cabbage into the hot grease, stir, so as to get it all heated, then let fry for a short time, but watch carefully to avoid burning, then add a quartered cooking apple; now when it gets too dry add hot water from the tea kettle, and let it simmer for three or four hours, the longer the better, add salt when almost tender, and about half hour before serving add quarter cup of sugar, quarter cup of vinegar, and let simmer the last half hour. this is the real german way. green string beans.--select tender green string beans, cut the ends and remove strings, dice and wash thoroughly, put on in cold water to cover, add salt when partly cooked, then diced potatoes, and boil with beans about half an hour. then heat either bacon drippings or common lard, add flour and brown, when ready turn the beans, potatoes, liquor and all into the hot mixture, add a little vinegar and pepper. summer savory sprigs added to above give it a fine flavor.--mrs. george bruegger, german cookery demonstration of vegetables. creamed potatoes.--cut cold boiled potatoes into one half inch cubes, put these in a sauce pan. add white sauce and finely cut parsley. serve. white sauce.--two tablespoons butter, two tablespoons flour, one cup milk, salt and pepper. rub flour and butter together with spoon in sauce pan, add milk, add salt and pepper and potatoes. cook thick.--dorothy whitehead. stuffed potatoes.--bake the desired number of potatoes, cut open the top, scoop out inside, mash. add butter, salt and pepper, moisten with hot milk or cream to taste and add beaten whites of two eggs. fill skin with this mixture, heap well, brush over with yolk of egg and brown in oven. serve hot.--mrs. r. j. walker. stuffed cabbage.--one large cabbage, two pounds beef chopped fine, one half cup melted butter, one half cup sweet cream or milk, one half teaspoon ginger, one half teaspoon allspice, salt and pepper to suit taste, whites of two eggs beaten stiff. cut the stem end off the cabbage far enough down to form a cover, scoop out enough of the center of the cabbage to allow room for the meat. mix the meat and other ingredients together and place in the cabbage, put on the cover, tie in a cloth and boil for three hours, or until the cabbage is done, in salt water. sauce.--two thirds cup butter, one half teaspoon each of ginger and allspice; salt and pepper to suit taste, and one quart milk, thicken with flour.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. norwegian sauerkraut.--one medium sized head of cabbage cut in fine long strips with a knife, put in kettle, to this add three quarters of an ounce of flour sprinkled over the top of cabbage, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon caraway seed, one pint beef broth. let this boil slowly until tender, stir every few minutes to keep the cabbage from burning. when done add one teaspoon sugar and one teaspoon vinegar.--mrs. r. meidell. stewed okra and tomato (creole).--twelve pods of okra sliced thin, four tomatoes sliced. stew with salt and pepper and butter, half an hour slowly, add dash cayenne pepper and serve. southern sweet potatoes.--slice cold boiled sweet potatoes. lay in a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter. bake brown.--mrs. whitehead, southern cookery demonstration. scalloped sweet potatoes.--boil six sweet potatoes in salted water and cut them into thin slices in a baking dish. mix with a well seasoned cream sauce, cover with fine bread crumbs and dot with butter. brown in the oven. potato souffle.--four good sized potatoes boiled and mashed fine, one half teacup of milk, one tablespoon butter. let butter and milk come to a scald, add potatoes, a little salt and pepper, beat to a cream, add slowly the beaten yolks of four eggs. beat the whites to a stiff froth, add them to the mixture. do not beat often adding the white of egg. bake twenty minutes in a brisk oven. serve while hot with meats that have gravy.--mrs. mary harvey. cold slaw.--this is a creole dish and very delicious. cut very fine a quarter of a head of firm white cabbage. put it into a covered dish, pour over it one half cupful of vinegar, one half tablespoonful of salt and toss it about lightly with a fork. into a skillet pour one half cupful of milk, a teaspoonful of butter and one quarter of a cupful of sugar. beat one egg light. let the milk come to a boil, mix a teaspoonful of the milk with the egg, add sugar and butter, allow it to cook until a custard is formed, then pour over the sliced cabbage. allow it to become very cold before using. as vinegars differ do not use so much if very strong.--mrs. a. mckay. canned string beans.--prepare the beans as for dinner--that is, string and break into one inch pieces. have your cans and top all cleansed; then fill the cans with the beans--after washing them, of course--and shake them down. put one teaspoonful of salt to a quart of beans after the cans are full. now put fresh cold water upon them to overflowing. i run a thin knife between the can and the beans to get all the air bubbles out. put on the rubbers and then the lids, but not tight--only as you can with the thumb and one finger. lay thin boards in the bottom of the boiler and set your can on them; fill to the lids with cold water. i let them boil two hours after they are fairly at it; then i take them out one by one, and screw down the tops and set to get cold before putting away. when we eat them i drain off all the water, put in a piece of butter and pepper and milk, or any way i want them. i never lost a can.--contributed. nut loaf.--two cupfuls bread crumbs, one cup chopped walnuts, one half cup butter, one cup strained tomatoes, one small grated onion, one egg, salt and pepper to taste. pack in a can and steam one hour.--mrs. a. mckay. potatoes a la maitre d'hotel.--two cups potato balls or cubes, one cup hot milk, three level tablespoons butter, yolk of one egg, one half level teaspoon salt, one eighth level teaspoon paprika, one teaspoon lemon juice, one level teaspoon chopped parsley. cook the potato in boiling salted water until tender. drain and put into double boiler; add milk and cook until it is nearly absorbed. cream the butter, add to it the egg yolk slightly beaten, add the salt, paprika and lemon juice. stir this mixture into the potatoes and as soon as cooked turn into a hot dish, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.--contributed. hominy fritters.--break up two cups of cold cooked hominy with a fork. add one scant cup of milk, a pinch of salt, one beaten egg and one half cup of flour in which one level teaspoon of baking powder is sifted. drop by spoonfuls into hot lard and fry until a delicate brown.--contributed. tomato souffle.--one can tomatoes, two level tablespoons butter, two level tablespoons flour, one half teaspoon salt, one eighth level teaspoon paprika, one teaspoon onion juice, one fourth cup fine bread crumbs, three eggs. drain the tomatoes and cook the liquid down to one cup. cut the tomatoes into small pieces using one cup free from seeds. melt the butter. add the flour, salt and paprika and when blended add the cup of tomato liquid. stir until thick and smooth. add the onion juice, tomato and the bread crumbs. remove from the fire, and add the yolks of the eggs beaten very light. then fold in the white beaten stiff. pour into a buttered baking dish and bake in a moderate oven until light and firm in the center.--contributed. potato croquettes.--prepare one pint of hot mashed potatoes seasoned with one tablespoonful of butter, one half teaspoonful of salt, one half teaspoonful onion juice. beat all together until very light, and when slightly cool add the yolk of one egg. mix well and put through a sieve to be sure there are no lumps, as it is almost impossible to get them out by mashing the potato. and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. shape into smooth round balls. roll them in bread crumbs, then dip into beaten egg, then roll them in crumbs again. fry in smoking hot lard one minute, drain on soft paper and serve in the form of a pyramid.--contributed. mushroom and potato croquettes.--take one pound of mushrooms (the fresh are preferred to the canned), break in small pieces after rinsing, drop into three tablespoonfuls of hot butter, dust with half a teaspoonful of salt and a trifle of pepper, cover and steam slowly for ten minutes; add to three small cupfuls of seasoned mashed potato, beat in two eggs and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley: form into cones, egg and crumb and fry in hot fat. german fried potatoes.--or fried raw potatoes make an appetizing dish for breakfast. slice raw potatoes as thin as an egg shell and put them into a frying pan in which an equal amount of butter and lard is boiling. sprinkle them over with salt and pepper and cover with a close fitting lid and let the steam partly cook them. fry until golden color. french spinach.--boil one half peck spinach until tender in salted water. drain, throw into a colander and drench well with cold water. this gives it a certain firmness and delicacy. shake free from water, chop fine and put in a hot sauce pan, salt delicately and heat with butter and cream. then heap in a vegetable dish and garnish with poached or boiled eggs. wilted lettuce.--pick fresh, young garden lettuce when it is just big enough to eat. wash it and shred it, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a little sugar. minced young green onions may be mixed with it if liked. cut four or five slices of bacon into cubes or as much ham and fry it brown in its own grease. add two tablespoons of vinegar and the yolk of an egg beaten together and heat in the grease; turn hot over the prepared lettuce and stir quickly with a fork. same dressing is nice on young cooked string beans.--mrs. whitehead. buttered asparagus.--cut the tough ends from a bunch of asparagus (white variety preferred) or the canned may be used. leave it in five inch stalks and boil it tender in salted water. drain, melt three fourths cup of butter. lay the asparagus on individual serving plates, and pour the butter generously over it, or it may be served on toast. two tablespoons of thick cream added is liked by many, especially when the fresh asparagus is used. asparagus is nice served in the same manner, cold, with sauce tartar or a thick mayonnaise dressing heaped at one side of the plate. dip each stalk in it as it is eaten.--mrs. whitehead. scalloped cabbage.--chop a head of cabbage quite coarse. boil it twenty minutes in salted water, drain. make a cream sauce and add to the cabbage, cover with bread crumbs and bake. for varieties take and sprinkle the top thickly with grated cheese and serve cabbage au gratin.--contributed. corn souffle.--one pint of fresh or canned corn cooked in one cup of milk ten minutes. season with salt, pepper, one teaspoon of sugar and one teaspoon of butter. let it get cold, then add beaten yolks of three eggs and lastly cut in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and bake in a buttered pudding dish.--contributed. beets.--boil young beets tender in water to cover. drain and cover with cold water then skin them and slice fine. heat half cup diluted vinegar, salt, pepper and butter, turn over the prepared beets and serve.--contributed. green beans (german).--string the beans and shred into lengthwise strips. cook in salted water until tender, then drain and add some vinegar dressing as for beets. serve either hot or cold.--contributed. boiled string beans and bacon.--fill a kettle with green or wax beans, shredded or broken into inch lengths, insert a piece of bacon or salt pork (about one pound) in the center of the beans, cover with cold water and boil gently two or three hours covering the kettle. add more salt, if necessary and a good dash of pepper. let the water about cook off the beans and serve either hot or cold. fresh pork may be used with equal success. scalloped potatoes.--pare and slice six or eight potatoes of uniform size. butter a baking dish and spread a thin layer of potatoes on the bottom. mix one teaspoon of salt and one quarter teaspoon of pepper with three tablespoons of flour. sprinkle a teaspoon of this mixture over each layer of potatoes, dot each layer with butter and cover with milk, then add another layer of potatoes and continue until all are used. dot the top with butter and put in enough milk to just cover the potatoes. cover the baking dish and bake forty minutes or more, uncover and brown. for potatoes au gratin sprinkle each layer with grated cheese.--mrs. whitehead. pickles, condiments and spiced fruits "mingle, mingle, mingle, you that mingle, may." ripe cucumber pickles.--pare and seed ripe cucumbers, slice lengthwise and cut into pieces desired size. let them stand twenty-four hours covered with cold vinegar. drain, then put in fresh vinegar with two pounds of sugar and one ounce of cassia buds to one quart of vinegar and a tablespoonful of salt. boil all together twenty minutes. put in a crock and cover closely.--mrs. w. c. lynch. green tomatoes and onions.--one peck of green tomatoes sliced, and use about one half as many onions as tomatoes and to this quantity add three peppers (either green or red) cut in small pieces. sprinkle lightly with salt and let stand over night. drain off liquor and when dry put them in hot vinegar which has been sweetened and spiced with cinnamon and cloves. boil until tender. leave spice bag in jar.--mrs. lynch. uncooked mustard pickles.--(excellent). four quarts small cucumbers, four quarts small onions, three heads cauliflower, six green peppers. dressing: one gallon of vinegar, two pounds of brown sugar, one pound mustard, one cup of flour. let pickles stand over night in mild brine. drain and put in jar. then make dressing as follows and pour boiling hot over them. boil vinegar and sugar together and thicken with flour dissolved in cold water. pour this while boiling over pickles, when cold add mustard which has been dissolved in cold vinegar.--mrs. lynch. peach pickle.--make syrup by using two cups of sugar to one of vinegar. tie whole spices up in sacks and put in the syrup. when it comes to boil drop in peaches from which the skins have been removed by pouring over boiling water. stick whole cloves in each peach. cook until tender. be careful not to get mushy by over cooking. i pickle pears in same way.--mrs. harry mckay. mustard pickle.--get small pearl onions, cauliflower and small cucumbers. stand in brine for a week, changing each day. at end of time pour off brine and rinse in cold water. prepare the following dressing and cook pickles for ten minutes. one and a half quarts vinegar, thicken with cup mustard, same amount of flour and cup sugar and a tablespoon of curry powder rubbed to paste in water, add one half cup melted butter, stir well and bottle while hot.--mrs. harry mckay. chili sauce.--one peck of tomatoes, one quarter as many onions, one half teacupful of salt, two and one half teacups brown sugar, one and one half quarts of vinegar, three teaspoons cloves, one tablespoon of cinnamon, two teaspoons of nutmeg and two of ginger, scant teaspoon cayenne pepper, more if taste requires. peel and slice tomatoes and onions, add the ingredients as above and boil in porcelain or aluminum kettle three hours, simmering the last hour.--mrs. harry mckay. chow chow (excellent).--four quarts of chopped tomatoes, four quarts of chopped cabbage, two quarts of chopped onions, sprinkle salt over, let drain over night. in the morning put over to boil one gallon of vinegar, stir one and one half pounds of mustard into enough cold vinegar to mix thoroughly, add to boiling mixture. then stir into this the chopped mixture. keep stirring until it comes to a boil. when cool, add two ounces of curry powder. seal in glass cans. will keep for years. excellent for meats.--mrs. a. mckay. picalilli.--one peck of green tomatoes, eight large onions, seven large cucumbers, two small heads of cabbage. pear and chop medium fine. after well mixed add three quarters cup of salt and let them stand over night. in the morning, drain well, and add two cups of water, one cup of vinegar. boil all together twenty minutes, drain, put back into kettle, turn over them two quarts of vinegar, one pound of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves, one teaspoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of allspice, one half teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one cup of chopped horseradish, one tablespoonful of curry powder. if you use curry powder use less spices. boil fifteen minutes. seal.--mrs. george bruegger. chili sauce.--two quarts ripe tomatoes, three green peppers, three onions, one cup of sugar, three cups of vinegar, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful each of cinnamon and cloves. cook the tomatoes tender, chop the onion and peppers very fine, mix all well and cook a few minutes. celery improves it. bottle and seal.--mrs. lynch. german sauer kraut.--for this use nice, white, firm cabbages, slice them in very fine shreds, on one of these kraut cutters; place a layer of salt into a jar or keg, and alternately cabbage and salt, being careful to have salt on top. as each layer of cabbage is added it must be pounded down with a heavy pestle, and layers added as soon as the juice floods on the surface. when the jar is full, it must be set in a dry place, covered with a cloth, a wooden cover and then weight it down heavy, after it ferments the pickle must be drawn off and replaced by fresh until the liquor is clear. renew the cloth and wash weight and cover and let stand for a month, then it is ready for use. great care must be taken to have the cover perfectly clean. each time the jar is opened it must be properly closed and be sure to always have some liquor on top. either clear or salt water may be added. now to boil the kraut. put on in cold water, let it come to a boil, and never boil very fast but let it simmer for four or more hours. parboil a nice fat piece of fresh pork and place in same kettle with kraut; let it boil together for some hours; about one hour before taking it up grate half a small raw potato into the kraut, let it simmer away. this gives it a nice flavor and also tends to give it a smoother appearance. the oftener you warm over sauer kraut the better it gets. they say it should be cooked nine times. i never tried it for ours never lasted that long.--mrs. george bruegger, demonstrated at domestic science club. german dill pickles.--select medium sized cucumbers, as near of a size as possible, soak over night in a weak brine, or plain well water. next day wipe each one carefully, so as not to bruise them, then pack alternately in grape leaves and dill, start with a layer of leaves and dill then a layer of cucumbers, and so on; be sure and have leaves on the top; while packing add a couple of roots of horse radish. some wrap each cucumber in grape leaves, and claim it keeps them more solid and makes them much nicer. after they are all carefully packed then make a brine which will bear an egg, then add as much water as you have brine, to each gallon add one quart of strong vinegar, weight them down, but not too heavy. remove all the scum which arises.--mrs. george bruegger. chili sauce (very nice).--one quart onions, two quarts cabbage, two quarts tomatoes, green, two quarts cucumbers, two quarts mangoes, one quart celery. soak the tomatoes over night in salt water, run all the vegetables through food chopper and scald all together in clear water ten minutes then drain this water off. mix one half cup flour, one and one half cups sugar, ten cents worth of mustard seeds, five cents worth of turmeric powder, five cents worth of celery seeds, two quarts vinegar. pour over all and boil fifteen minutes. this has to be put in sealed jars.--mrs. southard. currant catsup.--five pounds currants, three pounds sugar, one half pint vinegar, one teaspoonful cloves, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful allspice, one teaspoonful black and red pepper mixed. boil one half hour and seal.--mrs. davidson. spiced currants.--four pounds currants, five pounds sugar, one pint vinegar, two tablespoons cinnamon, two tablespoons cloves, two tablespoons allspice. boil until thick.--mrs. mary harvey. chutney sauce.--one half pound brown sugar, eight tomatoes, eight ounces raisins, one quarter ounce cayenne pepper, one quarter ounce ginger, three ounces garlic, four ounces salt, one quart of vinegar. boil all to a mush for several hours.--mrs. schollander. green apple chutney.--pare and core six pounds of greening apples; boil in one quart of vinegar; set off until cool. boil two pounds of moist brown sugar in one pint of vinegar; add two pounds of sultana raisins, washed, picked and dried and four ounces of garlic pounded with vinegar; four ounces of green ginger; two ounces of red pepper and four ounces of salt. mix well together with more vinegar if too thick. keep on the back of the stove one day, slowly simmering, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. bottle on the next day. oriental chutney.--peel and core three pounds of tart apples. mix with a pound of stoned tamarinds, three quarters of a pound of seeded raisins, a head of garlic, two pods of red pepper, and one ounce of grated ginger roots. pound all together until reduced to a pulp. add to the mixture a pint of brown sugar and a tablespoon each of currant jelly and thick tomato catsup. blend well with a wooden spoon. put in small jars and seal. this chutney improves with age and is most pungent. east india chutney.--into three pints vinegar put a bag containing two ounces of ground mustard, four ounces of mustard seed, one ounce of cayenne pepper and one quarter ounce of turmeric. add a pound of brown sugar and scant half pound of salt. chop together thirteen large ripe apples, one pound of seeded raisins, seven large ripe tomatoes, four small onions and two cloves of garlic. mince fine. boil in the vinegar mixture for two hours. press through a colander and bottle while hot. this is fine for cold meat, particularly so with roast pork. green gooseberry chutney.--this relish has not yet become common in america, though it is found on all well supplied english tables. four pounds green gooseberries (not too ripe), one half ounce cayenne pepper, two ounces garlic, two ounces dried ginger, three pounds loaf sugar, two ounces mustard seed, two scant quarts best vinegar. put the berries, when picked over, into a preserving kettle with one quart of vinegar and sugar and let simmer for an hour; pound the seeds, garlic, etc., and add, stirring with wooden spoon; when well mixed add more vinegar until the mass is of the proper consistency for chutney. cool and bottle. corn salad.--take one dozen ears of corn, (cut corn from cobs), one large head of cabbage chopped quite fine, not quite a half box of mustard, one cup sugar, one tablespoon chopped peppers, two tablespoons salt, mix with about four cups of good vinegar and boil about ten minutes, first mix the mustard with some of the vinegar. if too thick when done add more vinegar. put in jars while hot. will keep all winter, very nice with meat and potatoes.--mrs. paul leonhardy. mixed pickles.--two quarts green tomatoes chopped, one quart cabbage chopped, one quart onions chopped, two green peppers chopped, one quart brown sugar, one tablespoon each of cinnamon, cloves, celery seed, white mustard seed. salt to taste. boil about twenty minutes.--mrs. d. e. plier. preserved green tomatoes.--take one peck of green tomatoes, peel and slice them, slice four lemons without removing the skins, put to this quantity six pounds of granulated sugar, and boil until transparent, and the syrup thick.--mrs. george bruegger. oil pickles.--(sliced). slice but do not pare medium sized cucumbers, sufficient to fill a gallon jar. sprinkle one half cup of salt through the sliced cucumbers and stand in cool place two or three hours, then drain from the salt. use one ounce black mustard seed, one ounce white mustard seed, one ounce celery seed, or one cup of finely minced celery, one half pint of olive oil, two onions chopped fine. spread the cucumbers in the jar in layers sprinkling the seeds over them and spreading with part of the olive oil repeating the layers until the jar is filled, then cover all with cold, strained vinegar. cover and set aside for future use.--contributed. spiced beets.--boil beets tender, lay in cold water, remove skins and unless small, slice and pack in fruit cans. boil one cup of vinegar, three cups of water, one cup of sugar and spices to suit taste. pour hot over the beets and seal.--contributed. uncooked chili sauce.--skin one peck of ripe tomatoes and chop them fine, add two cups skinned and chopped onions, two cups chopped celery, two cups sugar, one cup salt, four tablespoons white mustard seed, two teaspoons ground cloves, six or eight red peppers chopped fine, two teaspoons of ground black pepper and one quart of pure vinegar. seal in air tight bottle.--contributed. pickles.--to a gallon of rain water add one cup of salt. boil it and cover a gallon jar of pickles with the brine, drain off water, bring to a boil and turn over pickles for nine successive mornings. then take out the pickles, pack in jars with layers of mixed spices. boil enough vinegar (diluted if very strong) and add one cup of sugar to each gallon of vinegar and add a piece of alum size of a small walnut. pour hot over the pickles in the jar, cover and put a weight on them and store in a dry, cool place. good.--contributed. easy pickles.--take pickles of uniform size (about three inches long) wash and pack in fruit jars as tightly as you can. add one cup of salt, one cup of sugar, an ounce of mixed white and black mustard seed, an ounce of whole cloves and cinnamon bark mixed or any spices preferred and alum the size of a walnut to one gallon of vinegar. bring to a good boil, then turn over the pickles in the jars and seal. a piece of horse radish root is nice placed in each jar.--contributed. water melon pickles.--peel and cut the water melon rind into small cubes and boil it until tender and clear in water to cover, with alum the size of a pea. drain and boil again in a syrup made of one pint of diluted vinegar and three pints of sugar. add cloves and cinnamon in spice bag, to suit taste. pour over the pickles, bring to a boil and cover pickles for three days in succession. then seal.--contributed. canned currant juice.--express juice from currants by mashing through colander. mix one pound of sugar with each pint of juice. cook five minutes and seal. use one tablespoon of canned juice to a glass of ice water and fill with crushed ice. raspberry, strawberry and cherry juices may be canned likewise using a little less sugar. spiced gooseberries.--six quarts of gooseberries, four and one half quarts sugar. boil one hour, add one pint vinegar and one tablespoon each of cloves, cinnamon and allspice. boil three minutes then seal. spiced plums.--ten pounds of blue plums, eight pounds sugar, one pint vinegar and one tablespoon cloves and cinnamon. boil to a jam and seal. spiced grapes.--pulp seven pounds of grapes by separating skins and pulp and pressing pulp through a colander to extract seeds, then mixing it with the skins. boil with four and one half pounds of sugar and one teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon and allspice. boil twenty minutes or to a soft jam. spiced currants.--to four quarts of ripe currants, add three and one half pounds brown sugar, one pint vinegar and one tablespoon each of cloves and cinnamon. cook until currants are tender. boil syrup thick first then adding the currants. spiced green tomatoes.--chop eight pounds of green tomatoes fine, add four pounds brown sugar, boil three hours then add nearly one quart of vinegar and one teaspoon each of cloves, cinnamon and mace. boil fifteen minutes and seal. pepper hash.--(uncooked.) chop one head of cabbage, one bunch celery, one half dozen green peppers and one half dozen peeled and sliced onions fine together and let stand over night. drain in the morning and mix the chopped vegetables with one quart of vinegar, two cups white sugar, one half cup of salt, two tablespoons of mustard seed and one tablespoon of celery seed. seal in jars, keeps well all winter.--contributed. spiced gooseberries and spiced currants.--make a syrup of three pounds of sugar and one pint of vinegar, add steamed gooseberries (about six pounds) and when cooked thick add one tablespoon of cinnamon and one half tablespoon of cloves and allspice. for spiced currants substitute fresh red currants freed from stems but cook only until the currants are tender as too much boiling makes them hard and tough. boil the syrup quite thick before adding the currants and then bring to a boil and simmer five minutes. pickled cherries.--five pounds of stoned cherries, one quart of vinegar, two pounds of sugar, one half ounce each of cinnamon, cloves and mace. tie spices in a thin bag and boil with the vinegar and sugar to a thick syrup. pour over the cherries and seal. if the large dark california cherries are used do not stone them. tomato catsup.--wash and cut up one half bushel of tomatoes and six onions, mix with two pounds brown sugar, one fourth pound whole black peppers, one fourth pound each allspice and of salt, one ounce of cloves, cayenne pepper to suit taste. boil all together about two hours, strain through flour sieve and mix with one quart of vinegar. boil thick and seal hot. spices may be omitted if not liked. gooseberry catsup.--cook gooseberries soft in water, press through colander. allow three pounds of sugar to five pounds of pulp, half a pint of vinegar, and small teaspoon each of cinnamon and salt. boil until thick and seal. for grape catsup follow same directions, adding cloves to the spices. [advertisement: asbury quality grocery store telephone and * * * * * this is the flour i use for cakes. i've never used anything else. [illustration: swans down prepared cake flour not self-rising awarded grand prize st. louis world's fair makes lightest, whitest, finest cakes cake secrets, a valuable book brimful of cake recipes and information on baking fine cakes sent free on receipt of c stamp and your grocer's name. address dep't each package contains flour for cakes and cake recipes igleheart bros., evansville, ind.] i buy my groceries at asbury's. i do too. * * * * * where quality is sold williston, n. d.] cakes general directions for making cake.--cream the butter and sugar, usually beat the whites and yolks of eggs separately, mix the yolks with the butter and sugar, add the milk, sift the baking powder with the flour and stir in a little at a time then the whites of the eggs, then the flavoring. for cakes containing no butter beat the egg yolks until very light and thick. add the sugar gradually beating until very light and spongy. add flavoring and liquid. have the whites beaten to a stiff froth adding them alternately with the sifted flour (mixed with the baking powder or cream of tartar) and cut both in very lightly. gold cake.--yolks of eight eggs, one and one fourth cups granulated sugar, three fourths cup butter, three fourths cup water, two and one half cups flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder, one half teaspoon of lemon extract. sift flour and measure, add baking powder and sift three times. cream butter and sugar until light and creamy, add yolks beaten light and beat well together, then add water and flavoring and the flour. beat hard. bake in greased tin or in layers. loaf cakes are nicer baked in a funnel cake pan.--mrs. fred southard. delicate cake.--one half cup of butter creamed with one cup of sugar until very light, add one half cupful of milk and one and one half cups of flour sifted with one teaspoon of baking powder. lastly add the flavoring and stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. bake in one sheet or in two layers and ice with brown carmel or white frosting. nice for small family. for large layer cake double the recipe.--mrs. whitehead. lula's white cake.--one and one half cups of sugar creamed with one half cup butter until very light, add one cup of milk alternately with three cups of sifted flour. (sift flour four times). whites of six eggs beaten very stiff. when partly beaten add two even teaspoons of cream of tartar to the eggs. dissolve one even teaspoon of soda in one tablespoon of the milk and add it with the milk. cut in the beaten whites of eggs last, as you do for sponge cake. flavor with lemon, vanilla or almond extract as preferred. bake in a greased funnel tin. bake twenty minutes in a moderately warm oven, then increase the heat and bake to fifty minutes or until done. ice with boiled frosting.--mrs. whitehead. gold cake.--one cup of butter, one and one half cups of sugar, eight yolks of eggs, three cupfuls of pastry flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of lemon flavor. cream butter and sugar, add the well whipped yolks, then the flour with baking powder and lastly the flavor. two cupfuls of common flour with one cup of corn starch may be used instead of pastry flour.--mrs. george bruegger. no egg cake.--one and one half cups of sugar, one quarter cup of butter, one cup of sour cream, two cups of chopped raisins, one teaspoon cinnamon, one half teaspoon cloves, one half teaspoon nutmeg, one tablespoon grated chocolate, one teaspoon of soda dissolved in hot water, four cups of flour. mix spices and chocolate into flour, and add to the above, and add raisins dredged in flour. bake one hour.--mrs. george bruegger. mahogany cake.--one half cupful chocolate cooked in one half cup of sweet milk, one and one half cups of sugar, one half cup of butter, two and one half cups of flour, one half cup sweet milk, three eggs, level teaspoon of soda, dissolved in milk. bake in layers.--mrs. wolpert. sweet cream cake.--one large egg, beaten very light, one cup sugar beaten with egg till light as cream, one cup thick, sweet cream, one half spoon salt, one and one half cups flour, one teaspoonful baking powder. flavor with lemon. beat continuously while mixing. bake either in layers or as a loaf cake.--m. e. cooper. silver or gold cake.--three fourths cup butter, one and one half cups sugar, one half cup cold water, with one half teaspoon of soda dissolved in it, two and one half large cups of flour sifted with one level teaspoon of cream of tartar (or use two level teaspoons of baking powder and omit the soda and cream of tartar) and lastly the flavoring and stiffly beaten whites of eight eggs. cream butter and sugar until light and smooth, add water but do not stir, then beat in the flour and beat five minutes. cut in the whites and bake in a greased funnel loaf cake tin in a moderate oven forty minutes or until done when tested with a broom straw. for gold cake add the beaten yolks of eight eggs to the creamed butter and sugar and omit the whites and use scant measure of flour. ice the gold cake with white boiled frosting.--mrs. whitehead. corn starch cake.--two cups sugar, one cup butter, one cup of sweet milk, two cups flour, one cup corn starch, whites of seven eggs, one and one half teaspoons of baking powder. flavor.--contributed. jelly roll.--one cup sugar, three eggs well beaten, one cup flour, one teaspoon baking powder, one half cup boiling water added last, one half teaspoon lemon or vanilla, pinch of salt. spread in well buttered dripping pans. when done turn out, spread with jelly and roll quickly. makes two rolls.--contributed. bread cake.--three cups bread sponge, one cup lard or butter, one pound raisins, two cups sugar, two eggs, one teaspoon soda in a little water, nutmeg and spices. mix, raise until light and bake in one loaf. mocha cake.--bake a sponge cake mixture in two round layer cake pans and spread smoothly between the layers and on the outside with mocha cream. wash one half cup of butter, then beat to a cream and add slowly enough thick syrup to sweeten. make syrup as follows: cook together one cup of sugar and one half cup of clear, strong coffee until a thick syrup is formed; cool before using. (new and delicious.) mocha icing.--one quarter pound chopped almonds, blanched, put in oven to dry, one half cup of butter, eight tablespoons of icing sugar, one tablespoon of brandy or whisky; mix butter and sugar to a paste, then add almonds and whisky. paris sticks.--three cupfuls of chopped almonds, two and one half cupfuls of pulverized sugar, the whites of five eggs beaten to a stiff froth, the grated rind of two lemons. mix the ingredients and roll out on pulverized sugar, cut into strips an inch wide and put into paraffined pans. bake in a slow oven. excellent. sunshine cake.--whites of seven eggs, yolks of five eggs, one third teaspoon cream of tartar, one cup sugar, one cup of flour, a little salt and vanilla. beat whites stiff, add salt and cream of tartar, add sugar, then beaten yolks, then flour which has been sifted several times. flavor and bake in a funnel tin.--contributed. mock angel food.--one cup sweet milk, bring to boiling point, one cup flour, one cup sugar, three teaspoons of baking powder. sift dry ingredients together four times, add warm milk and stir well then fold in beaten whites of two eggs. flavor. bake in angel cake tins.--contributed. angel cake.--whites of twelve eggs--or, measured, one and one quarter cups of whites of eggs. add one third of a teaspoonful of salt, and beat until stiff. sift into this - / cups of granulated sugar, and beat. have at hand one cup of flour that you have sifted five times; sift this in and mix one teaspoonful of extract of bitter almonds, or any preferred flavor. bake in slow oven, and do not grease your pan. with a gas stove one young friend puts the grate in the oven in its lowest sliding place and bakes her angel cake there, lighting both burners for one minute. then she turns the front out and the other so low that it looks like a row of blue beads. she bakes it one hour. another, equally successful, puts her grate a little higher than the middle of the oven, and bakes the cake there for one half hour with a very moderate oven. mocha cake.--one cupful of sugar, one cupful of flour and one teaspoon of cream of tartar and one half teaspoon of soda sifted all together twice, blend in one large teaspoon of melted butter and break in the eggs and stir well, then add one half cup of boiling milk. bake in one loaf in a moderate oven. mocha filling.--one cupful of powdered sugar, a small piece of butter, two tablespoons of coffee, two teaspoons of vanilla. cream butter and sugar, add coffee and flavoring gradually and a little more sugar if necessary. spread with a knife dipped in hot water.--contributed. marshmallow filling.--one cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of white sugar, one cupful water and one tablespoon of vinegar boiled together like candy. beat two eggs very light and stir into the candy with one quarter pound of marshmallows, cut up. spread on layers of cake.--contributed. devil's food.--two eggs, one cup sugar, one half cup butter, two thirds cup sweet milk, one teaspoon vanilla, one half cup melted chocolate, one half teaspoon soda, one teaspoon baking powder, two scant cups of flour.--mrs. creaser. devil's food cake.--one egg, one cup sugar, half cup sour milk, one tablespoon butter, one fourth cup boiling water, teaspoon soda, one and one half squares chocolate and one cup flour. (can use sour cream instead of milk and butter.) cream eggs and sugar. melt chocolate over hot water and add butter to melt it, then add eggs and sugar. dissolve soda in water.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. boise brown cake.--one and one half cups sugar, three fourths cup butter, four eggs, three fourths cup grated chocolate, one cup milk, one cup chopped nuts, two cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon vanilla, one teaspoon cloves, one teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon allspice, one half teaspoon salt.--mrs. d. e. plier. mashed potato cake.--two cups sugar, three quarters cup butter, one cup mashed potatoes, four eggs, one cup chocolate, one half cup sweet milk, one teaspoonful cloves, one teaspoonful vanilla, one cup chopped walnut, two cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder.--mrs. f. kleinsorge. chocolate loaf cake.--one half cake of chocolate shaved in a bowl or three fourths cup of cocoa. pour one cup of boiling water on this mixture and let it stand while you are mixing the cake. cream three fourths cup of butter with two cups of sugar until light. it is best to cream the butter first and add sugar gradually especially if the butter is hard and cold. beat in yolks of two eggs, one half cup of sour milk or butter milk, one teaspoon of soda dissolved in a little water, (about two tablespoonfuls,) two cups of flour sifted, and beaten whites of two eggs. beat well, then add the chocolate. bake in one sheet in a dripping pan lined with greased paper. let the cake stand in the pan. ice with boiled frosting and when firm and cold, cover with one square of chocolate that has been melted in one teaspoon of butter in a cup placed in a pan of hot water for five minutes. pour the chocolate over the white frosting and spread evenly with a silver knife. cut the cake diagonally across the pan into two inch diamond shaped pieces. a cupful of floured chopped nuts may be added to the cake batter before baking, if nut loaf is liked, and sometimes i place a half english walnut in the center of the frosting on each diamond. this chocolate and white frosting is also nice with white layer cake and chopped nuts make it extra nice for a thick filling to a square two layer cake, shaking the nuts over the white frosting and then baking them with the chocolate.--mrs. whitehead. sponge cake.--beat four eggs and one cupful of granulated sugar until mixture is creamy white. add four tablespoons of cold water and one cup of flour sifted several times with a teaspoonful of baking powder. bake in a moderate oven. flavor with lemon. may be baked in layers.--mrs. h. hanson. sponge cake.--six eggs, (reserve whites of two for frosting), two cups sugar. beat (not stir) eggs and sugar until almost cream colored, two and one half cups flour, one teaspoon flavoring, and one teaspoon baking powder last, one cup boiling water, the water must be added gradually. while adding flour and water stir instead of beating. bake in loaf in a moderate oven thirty or forty minutes.--mrs. c. c. mackenroth. hot water sponge cakes.--four eggs beaten minutes, two scant cups sugar, cups sifted flour, teaspoons baking powder, two thirds cup boiling water, flavor with lemon or vanilla. bake in a deep square tin.--mrs. southard. boiled sponge cake.--five eggs, one cup white sugar, one cup flour, juice of one half lemon, one teaspoon vanilla. boil the sugar with three tablespoons water until it threads. pour over the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, beat this fifteen minutes, then add egg yolks, flavoring and the flour sifted three times. bake in angel food tin.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. gold sponge cake.--whites of eleven eggs beaten very stiff, yolks of four eggs beaten very light with one and one half cups of powdered sugar. cut in the whites and add one cup of swans down flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder. flavor. cut flour in lightly as you would for sponge cake. bake in one loaf.--mrs. c. h. mckay. snow sponge cake with cocoanut filling.--beat the whites of ten eggs very light, add one and one half cupfuls of powdered sugar and beat until the bowl can be inverted and retain the eggs. add one teaspoon cream tartar to one cupful of flour and sift several times. cut this into the egg mixture, flavor with almond extract and turn into square ungreased cake tins, baking in two sheets. fill with cocoanut frosting made by boiling two cupfuls of sugar with water until it hairs from the spoon, turn it hot on to the beaten whites of two eggs and whip to a frosting. add one small cocoanut which has been freed from the shell and all brown skin and grated fine. flavor with lemon or vanilla. if fresh cocoanut cannot be obtained try soaking the shredded cocoanut in warm milk and steaming it an hour or two before using and then squeeze it dry. this will make it more moist. if you have only one angel cake tin, split the cake through the center after it is cold and put the icing between the layers. swans down flour is best for this cake and the fresh cocoanut make a delicious filling.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. sunshine cake.--whites of ten eggs, yolks of six, one level teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one and one half cupfuls of sugar, sifted, one cupful of flour, sifted twice, the grated peel of one orange or one teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla or one half teaspoon of almond extract. beat whites very stiff, then beat in one half of the sugar, beat yolks light about ten minutes, add the flavoring and balance of the sugar and beat five minutes. mix yolks and whites lightly together and cut in the flour that has been sifted with the cream of tartar. bake in an ungreased, funnel angel cake tin about an hour in a slow oven or minutes in a moderate oven. avoid baking too long as it makes the cake dry and coarse. when the cake shrinks from the tin at sides of the pan it is sufficiently baked. invert the tin and let it stand until cold. if it sticks then run a knife around the edge of cake, pat the tin slightly on the bottom and sides until it drops from the pan. if a frosted cake is preferred ice it with white boiled icing.--mrs. whitehead. mocha cake.--one cup sugar, one half cup butter, three quarters cup milk, two cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one spoon vanilla, three eggs beaten separately. bake in small dripping pan. when cold cut into small squares. put into oven to brown. three cups shelled peanuts, pour over three teaspoons melted butter. when slightly browned put through meat grinder. whip one half pound butter with two cups powdered sugar to a cream. butter each piece of cake with this cream paste and roll into ground nuts.--mrs. a. mckay. nut loaf cake.--one cup sugar, one half cup butter, one half cup sweet milk, one and one half cups sifted flour, one cup chopped walnuts or hickory nuts, two eggs, two teaspoons baking powder.--mrs. schollander. blitz kuchen.--one cup sugar, three fourths cup butter, four eggs, one cup of flour, one half teaspoon baking powder, grated rind and juice of one lemon. cream butter and sugar and then add eggs, one at a time and stirring each five minutes, then add the flour and spread dough in square tin about half an inch thick. chop one fourth pound almonds, mix with sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of cake before putting in the oven. bake about thirty minutes.--mrs. j. bruegger. german cookery. sour cream nut cake.--break two eggs into a large cup and fill with sour cream. put in a mixing bowl and add a level teaspoonful of soda and one cupful of sugar, beat all well add flour to make quite stiff and flavor with vanilla. take a pound of english walnuts, chop all but what you wish to put on top of cake and stir into the batter. bake in moderate oven. ice the tops and lay on the half meats.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. dark cake.--one cup sugar, one cup butter and lard mixed, three eggs, one half cup black molasses, one cup cold coffee, one level teaspoon soda, two pounds raisins, flour to thicken. bake in moderate oven.--mrs. w. c. lynch. dark coffee cake.--one cup sugar, pinch of salt, one cup shortening (butter and lard) one cup cold coffee, one cup sour cream or milk (add that ingredient), three fourths cup molasses, two level teaspoonfuls soda dissolved in warm water, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg to suit the taste, one pound raisins, and flour enough to make a nice batter. nuts may also be used if desired.--mrs. w. s. davidson. raisin cake.--four eggs, one cup butter, two cups brown sugar, three cups flour, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda, dissolved in very little water, one small teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice, one half teaspoon vanilla. this is very nice used as a layer cake with carmel icing.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. coffee cake.--one cup sugar, one cup butter, one cup coffee, one cup molasses, one teaspoon soda, one teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon allspice, one half teaspoon cloves, nutmeg and lemon essence. four cups flour, one half pound raisins.--mrs. mary harvey. fruit spice cake.--one scant cup butter, one cup brown sugar, one fourth cup molasses, whites of three eggs, yolks of three eggs, three fourths cup water, one fourth teaspoonful baking soda. three cups flour, one teaspoon each of cinnamon, allspice, cloves and nutmeg, mixed. one half cup raisins, one fourth cup currants, and one fourth cup citron. mix like any batter cake adding molasses to the butter and sugar. remember to add soda last.--dorothy whitehead. salt pork cake.--one pound of salt pork chopped fine. pour one half pint of boiling water on it, add one cup molasses, one teaspoon of soda, two cups sugar, spices to suit taste, one pound of seeded and dredged raisins and of currants and one cup of nuts, chopped. stir thick with flour about three and one half cups. bake in one loaf. cut into pieces and steamed, this cake makes delicious pudding, served with pudding sauce. it calls for no butter or eggs so is a cheap cake when these foods are scarce and high priced.--mrs. whitehead. chocolate coffee cake.--one cup granulated sugar, one half scant cup of butter, yolks of two eggs and one white, one half cup strong coffee warmed on stove with two squares of bakers chocolate, one and one half cups of flour sifted with two small teaspoons of baking powder. cream butter and sugar, then beat in eggs. cool coffee and chocolate and add lastly the flour, and a cup of chopped nuts. bake in a moderate oven in one loaf or in two layers. ice with chocolate or white icing.--mrs. a. d. paulson. bread cake.--three cups bread dough, three cups sugar, one cup of butter, three eggs, one teaspoon each cinnamon, cloves and mace, a little ginger, one cup raisins, one cup currants, one half teaspoon soda. let rise one hour and bake.--mrs. r. j. walker. coffee cake.--two or three cups of bread sponge, one cup of sugar, two eggs well beaten, one pint of milk, (luke warm), two tablespoons of melted butter or lard, one teaspoon of lemon extract or lemon juice, one half teaspoon of nutmeg, one teaspoon salt. mix all well and add enough flour to make a stiff batter, set aside to rise, when light take out and spread into well greased dripping pans. spread melted butter over top then mix three tablespoons of melted butter, one cup of sugar and flour enough to make it dry and lumpy, to this add a little cinnamon then sprinkle over top quite thick and bake twenty to thirty minutes. fig cake.--one pound of powdered sugar, ten eggs, ten crackers rolled fine, one half cake of sweet chocolate grated, one half pound of figs, chopped fine, one teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon allspice, one teaspoon baking powder. whip the yolks of eggs very light, add sugar, then beat again, add part of rolled cracker, then add the grated chocolate, chopped figs, spices and lastly the well beaten whites of eggs alternately with remaining crackers, into which the baking powder is mixed. bake in medium oven one hour very quietly, being careful not to shake the stove. rye bread torte.--one pound powder sugar, ten eggs well beaten, three ounces of rye bread, (grated), one half cake of sweet chocolate (grated), one half cup of fine chopped sweet almonds, one half cup of citron, cut fine, one teaspoon cloves, one teaspoon baking powder. whip the yolk of egg, add the sugar and beat again, add a portion of the bread crumbs, then add the chocolate, citron, spice and almonds, mix the baking powder in the remaining bread crumbs, lastly the well beaten whites of eggs, alternately with the bread crumbs. bake in a medium oven about one hour. this may also be made in layers and whipped cream placed between.--mrs. george bruegger. gries torte or farina cake.--one cup farina, one cup sugar, eight eggs. beat sugar and yolks of eggs one half hour then add farina slowly, and the well beaten whites last. bake one hour by slow fire. when cooled put sliced pineapple on top and whipped cream.--mrs. j. bruegger. fruit cake.--cream one pound of brown sugar and one pound of butter, add one pound of eggs (beaten light) one pound of flour sifted with two teaspoons of baking powder, one nutmeg (grated) one tablespoon each of cloves and allspice, half a pint of brandy and two pounds each of seeded raisins and of currants, one half pound of chopped citron. flour the fruit well before adding to cake mixture. bake in one loaf in moderate oven. pour half a pint of wine over it while it is warm, after baking.--mrs. george newton. mother's fruit cake.--one pound of butter, one and one half pounds of sugar, one pound of flour, one cupful of new orleans molasses, one teaspoon of soda dissolved in two tablespoons of water, two teaspoons of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves and one teaspoonful of mace, one dozen eggs, one gill or one cup of brandy, three pounds of raisins, (seeded), two pounds of dried currants, one pound of shredded citron, one pound stoned dates and one pound of shelled english walnuts or pecans, cream the butter and sugar until light, add beaten yolks of eggs, add the molasses, soda and spices. clean and cut the fruit and dredge thoroughly with part of the flour, stir it into the mixture alternately with the flour and beaten whites of eggs. mix well and lastly add the brandy. bake in one large loaf very slowly. test with a broom straw to be sure that the cake is well baked. the batter will seem thin but do not add extra flour if you want a rich moist fruit cake. put in cake box and it will keep many months. pieces of it can be quickly steamed and used with foam sauce as plum pudding for dessert in an emergency which is sometimes worth the price of the cake.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. fruit cake.--rub one pound butter and one and one half pounds sugar to a cream, add eight eggs and beat. now add one tablespoon lemon extract, one grated nutmeg, one tablespoon cinnamon, one half teaspoon cloves, one pint sour cream. now add four pounds raisins, one pound citron, two pounds almonds, two pounds english walnuts, two pounds flour with two teaspoons soda in it, one glass jelly. bake three and one half hours in moderate oven. pour one cup brandy over the top of cake after it is baked.--mrs. southard. imperial fruit cake.--one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, three quarters pound of butter, one pound of almonds, blanched and cut fine, - pound of citron, - pound candied cherries and as much pineapple, one half pound of seeded raisins, rind and juice of one lemon, two pieces of candied orange, one nutmeg, ten eggs. this is very delicious and will keep for months. no baking powder or soda are used but the eggs are beaten separately, yolks added to creamed butter and sugar and the stiff whites put in last of all. bake in one loaf in a slow oven. ice with white boiled frosting.--contributed. blanche's date cake.--beat three egg yolks with one cup of sugar, add one cup of flour sifted with one teaspoon of baking powder, stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and one pound of stoned dates and one pound chopped nuts, (pecans, english walnuts or hickory nuts). bake in one loaf in a moderate oven. remove from oven and while it is hot pour one cup of sour cream over it. the cream soaks into the cake and makes it moist like fruit cake. no butter is used in this recipe.--mrs. whitehead. ginger bread.--one half cup sugar, one half cup butter, one cup molasses, each one teaspoon (heaped), ginger, cloves and cinnamon, two level teaspoons soda in one cup boiling water, three scant cups of flour, two well beaten eggs. make it in the above order. eggs last.--mrs. f. kleinsorge. ginger bread.--one cup of butter, one cup of sugar, one cup of molasses, (new orleans), one cup of boiling water, two eggs beaten in batter one at a time, one teaspoon of soda dissolved in the water, two and one half cups of flour, two tablespoons of ginger, one teaspoon of nutmeg. bake in a loaf or in gem tins.--mrs. john heffernan. good plain ginger bread--one cup of molasses, one cup of sugar, one cup of boiling water, two level teaspoons of soda dissolved in the hot water, one half cupful (generous) of butter or shortening, one large teaspoon of ginger and a little salt. add enough flour to make pretty stiff, about three cups. bake in moderate oven in one sheet. as molasses cake of any kind burns easily care should be taken not to have the oven too hot. eat warm for luncheon. is nice sliced cold and served with whipped cream as a dessert also.--mrs. whitehead. walnut filling for cake.--one pound chopped walnut meats, yolks of six eggs, two cups sugar, one cup sour cream, flavor with vanilla. boil in double boiler until thick and beat until cool. spread between layers of cake.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. raisin filling for cake.--one tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of flour, four tablespoons of sugar. mix well together, add enough hot water to cream it. cook in double boiler until thick. remove from fire and add one half package of raisins and two tablespoons of frosting.--mrs. john heffernan. boiled frosting.--two cups of sugar boiled with water till it threads from spoon. beat whites of two eggs very stiff. pour the thick hot syrup gradually into the whites, beating continually until light and thick. flavor to suit taste. for chocolate frosting add one third cake of bakers chocolate cut or shaved fine, while the frosting is warm enough to melt it. for tutti-fruitti filling add mixed chopped nuts, raisins, figs, dates or crystalized fruits to two thirds of the frosting, reserving the balance for icing the top of cake. for cocoanut cake, spread the layers with frosting and sprinkle thickly with grated cocoanut. marsh mallows may be steamed, mixed with nuts, and served through the frosting too.--mrs. whitehead. white caramel or fondant frosting.--two cups of sugar, boiled with one and three fourths cups of milk or thin cream to the soft ball stage. test it by dropping a spoonful in cold water. if you can pick it up in a soft ball take the carmel from the stove. add one tablespoon of (uncolored) butter and one teaspoon of vanilla and beat steadily until it creams or turns to a fondant. spread immediately on the cake. chopped nuts are nice added to this or halved english walnuts may be placed regularly on top of a square cake. chocolate may be added to the warm fondant before beating it. white icing like this is nice covered with thin layer of chocolate melted with butter or english walnuts buried in the white icing and then covered with chocolate fondant makes a delicious filling for layer cake. this caramel filling with nuts is especially nice on devil's food or dark chocolate. brown sugar caramel is made likewise using half granulated and half brown sugar for the fondant.--mrs. whitehead. marshmallow filling or icing for angel food cake.--steam one pound of marsh mallows with one pint of milk, and beat into this half a pint of whipped cream and one half cup chopped nuts. flavor with vanilla and spread between layers of angel food or sponge cake. may cover this filling with melted chocolate icing, also if liked.--contributed. cookies, drop cakes and doughnuts "bake, bake, bake! for the cookie jar piled high but yesterday, in some curious way, is empty again, o my! stir, stir, stir, in the froth of yellow and white for well she knows how the story goes of a small boy's appetite."--j. w. foley. german christmas cookies.--there are many different kinds and i will give you the names of them just as they are called in german as some names cannot be well translated into english language. the first will be springelie. one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, four eggs, butter the size of a walnut and one half teaspoon of baking powder. beat sugar and butter, and eggs one at a time, beating for fifteen minutes, then add flour with baking powder, now roll and cut, sprinkle baking board with flour and anise seeds, and lay cookies on that until next morning, then bake in a moderate oven a light yellow. weisse pfeffer nusse.--one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, four large eggs, three ounces of citron, the grated rind of one lemon, one nutmeg, one tablespoon cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves, one teaspoon of baking powder. eggs, sugar, baking powder and spices must be well beaten, then mix with flour and citron; roll and cut and let lay over night or form into little balls and bake until they become dry inside. eier kranze.--one pound of flour, one pound of butter, one fourth pound of sugar, the yolks of six hard boiled eggs, one half cupful of brandy. rub the boiled yolks and mix with the flour and butter, (which have been rubbed smooth together like pie crust) then sugar is added and the grated yolks of hard boiled eggs; then add brandy. roll and cut with doughnut cutter, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and chopped almond. bake in hot oven. baisors or kisses.--beat the whites of six eggs and three cups of sugar one hour or until the egg beater will stand in the mixture without falling, then flavor with vanilla and drop by spoonful on a tin and bake in a moderate oven.--mrs. john bruegger demonstrated all of the above recipes in the german cookery series for the club meeting of june , . cookies.--take two quarts of flour and two cups of sugar, sift the two together, then add one heaping cup of lard or butter; rub well through the flour and sugar and then add four teaspoons of baking powder and rub well through the flour, sugar and butter. then make a hole in the center and into it break five eggs and a half cup of sweet milk and flavor to taste. stir these contents together, roll out and bake in hot oven.--mrs. f. kleinsorge. mrs. hayes' date cookies.--one cup butter, one half cup lard, one and one half cups brown sugar, one half cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda, three cups oat meal, two cups flour, mix, one pound dates, one cup sugar, one cup water, boil one hour till it is a smooth paste. roll the dough as thin as you can and cut with a small round cutter. place one teaspoon of date paste on a cooky, then cover with another. bake in a moderate oven.--mrs. creaser. rosettes.--two eggs, one teaspoonful of sugar, one fourth teaspoonful salt, one cup of milk, one cup of flour, (a little more if necessary). mix flour and milk smooth then add sugar and salt and the beaten eggs. heat the rosette iron in the hot lard then dip into batter, not letting batter come over the top of iron, now return to the hot lard covering the iron with same for at least twenty five seconds. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve as cakes.--mrs. j. bruegger. marguerites.--one cup sugar, one third cup water. boil until it threads or hairs and beat into beaten white of eggs. add nuts and spread on saratoga flakes and brown in oven.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. oat meal cookies with date filling.--one cup light brown sugar, one and one half cups butter, one half cup sour milk, three cups oat meal, two cups flour, one teaspoon soda in milk. date filling.--one pound dates chopped, one cup sugar, one cup boiling water, cook until thick. spread between cookies. press together on edges and bake.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. oat meal cookies.--one cup butter, one cup sugar, two eggs, six tablespoons sweet milk, three fourths teaspoon soda, one half teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, one cup chopped raisins, one half cup currants, two cups flour, two cups oat meal, three fourths cup chopped walnuts. drop from teaspoon into greased pan and bake.--contributed. oat meal cookies, date filling.--four cups of oat meal, two cups of flour, one cup of shortening, three quarters cup of sugar, one teaspoon of soda, water to roll. roll thin, bake and put two together with cooked dates.--mrs. geo. farries. oat meal drop cookies.--three quarters cup butter, one cup sugar, cream together, three eggs well beaten, two cups flour, two cups of rolled oats, one and one half cups seeded chopped raisins, one teaspoon cinnamon, three quarters teaspoon soda. drop on buttered tins and bake in slow oven.--mrs. geo. farries. good cookies.--one and a half cups sugar, three fourths cup butter. rub butter and sugar to a cream, (three eggs) beating them into the cream one at a time, three tablespoons of cream, or sweet milk, one teaspoon cream tartar, half teaspoon soda, (soda dissolved in milk, cream of tartar put through sieve with flour), flour enough to roll thin, flavor with teaspoon nutmeg and vanilla. sprinkle with sugar and cut out. bake in a hot oven.--mrs. john heffernan. chocolate cookies.--one tablespoon lard, one half cup butter, one cup sugar, pinch of salt, one half teaspoon cinnamon, one half teaspoon soda, dissolve in very little cold milk, two ounces melted chocolate, two cups flour. roll very thin, cut and bake in greased tins.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. eggless cookies.--two cups sugar, one cup sweet milk, one cup butter, one half teaspoon soda, (dissolved in cold water), lemon extract, flour enough to roll out.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. oat meal cookies.--one cup butter, one and one third cups sugar, two eggs, one and three fourths cup raw oat meal, two cups flour, three fourths teaspoon of soda, one half teaspoon salt, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one and one half cups raisins, and three fourths cup of sour milk. drop by teaspoonful into floured tins and bake in a very moderate oven.--clara cooper. almond rings.--three fourths pound of butter creamed with one half pound powdered sugar; add three yolks of eggs (beaten) and one pound of flour. flavor with vanilla or almond extract. mix and roll thin. cut in large rings. beat three whites of eggs to a froth, brush over the cookies and sprinkle thickly with chopped almond, granulated sugar and cinnamon. brown in the oven.--mrs. whitehead. chocolate nut kisses.--ten ounces of powdered sugar beaten with the whites of six eggs for one hour. add ten ounces of grated chocolate and seven ounces of ground almond. bake like kisses in a moderate oven.--mrs. whitehead. cocoanut drop cakes.--two cupfuls of sugar boiled with one cupful of water until it threads from the spoon. beat the whites of two eggs very light. beat in the hot syrup and beat until light and thick, flavor with vanilla or lemon and stir very stiff with shredded cocoanut. drop in little stiff cakes on buttered papers on tins and brown a delicate color in a moderate oven. invert the papers and brush the backs of paper with a little cold water when the cakes will readily slip off. chopped pecans may be used instead of cocoanut but there must be enough nuts to make a stiff mixture that will not run when dropped on the papers.--mrs. whitehead. rocks.--two cups brown sugar, one cup butter, one cup cold strong coffee, two eggs, one level teaspoon soda, one teaspoon baking powder, sifted with three cups flour, one teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon nutmeg, two cups seeded raisins, one cup nuts chopped but not fine. roll out and cut into cookies. bake in quick oven. very good.--mrs. alta southard. vanilla wafers or crisp cookies.--one half cup of lard and butter mixed. cream with one cup of sugar; add one well beaten egg, one fourth cup of milk, two and one half cups of flour, one teaspoon baking powder, one half teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of vanilla. mix soft in order given, flour board and roll very thin. cut into small cookies and bake in a hot oven.--mrs. whitehead. sugar cookies.--one half cup butter creamed with one cup sugar, add two beaten eggs, one fourth cup milk, two and one half cups flour, one large teaspoon baking powder, one half teaspoon of lemon extract and grated nutmeg if liked. mix soft and roll but sprinkle with sugar, roll it in then cut and bake in greased pans in a hot oven.--contributed. brown cookies.--mix two cups of brown sugar with one cup of lard, add one cup of cooking molasses, and one cup of boiling water with two teaspoons of soda dissolved in it, one tablespoon of ginger. mix in flour enough to make a stiff dough and let it stand over night. roll out quite thick, cut and bake. when cool spread with a stiff icing of lemon juice and powdered sugar.--mrs. harry hanson. mother's white cookies.--two eggs, one cup of sugar, one cupful of butter, one half cupful of sour milk, one half teaspoon of soda, nutmeg to taste, one teaspoonful of baking powder. flour enough to make soft dough. roll thin and bake.--mrs. e. g. schollander. ginger snaps.--heat to boiling point one cup butter, add one cup molasses, two cups brown sugar, one tablespoon ginger, one tablespoon cinnamon, one scant teaspoon soda. take from fire, beat well, add two eggs. roll with six cups of flour. let stand over night.--mrs. e. schollander. clara's drop cakes.--two cups sugar, two eggs, one cup sweet milk, one teaspoon soda, one teaspoon cinnamon, one cup raisins, one cup shortening, one cup molasses, four cups flour, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon cloves, one cup currants. mix together sugar and shortening, stir in eggs beaten lightly, add soda dissolved in molasses, cloves, cinnamon, milk, fruit, mixed with a little of the flour and lastly the flour and salt sifted together. drop from teaspoon on greased tin and bake in moderate oven. this makes quite a large amount.--clara monroe. pepper ginger cookies.--one cup sugar, one cup molasses, one cup shortening (mixed lard and butter, one tablespoon ginger, fourth teaspoon (scant) black pepper, one teaspoon soda in one cup boiling water. mix with flour enough to roll out, about three large cups. roll thin, cut into cookies and bake in greased tins in a moderate oven. cheap and good.--contributed. oat meal cookies with date filling.--one cup of sugar, one cup butter, creamed together, add two eggs, beat and then add one half of a large cup of sour milk with one teaspoon soda dissolved in it, two cups of raw rolled oats and two cups of flour, a little salt. flavor with vanilla or lemon and roll and cut into small cookies. chopped raisins may be mixed with the dough or a date filling may be used, made as follows: boil one pound of stoned dates with one cup of water and one cup of sugar to a thick paste. spread a teaspoon of dates on each cookie, cover with another cookie, press edges together firmly and bake in moderate oven.--mrs. whitehead. soft molasses cookies.--two cups molasses boiled, one cup lard and butter put into boiling molasses, two eggs or yolks of four or five, two cups sugar, one cup sour milk, one half teaspoon nutmeg, one half teaspoon cloves, one heaping teaspoon each of ginger and cinnamon, pinch of salt, two heaping teaspoons soda, flour to roll very soft. do not let molasses boil more than a minute or two.--mrs. paul leonhardy. hermits.--one and one half cups brown sugar, one cup butter, one half teaspoon soda, three eggs, pinch of salt, nutmeg, one and one half cups chopped raisins or dates, one and one half cups chopped nuts, three and one half cups flour, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar. drop these in small, stiff, rough cakes on greased tins and bake brown. for chocolate hermits, add one half cup of grated bakers chocolate before baking or shave the chocolate and melt it in a little hot water. cocoa may be substituted for chocolate.--contributed. fattigmand. (scandinavian).--three well beaten eggs, three tablespoons of sugar, three teaspoons of cream, add cardamom seeds to flavor and one teaspoon of brandy. stir well together, add flour to roll soft, roll, cut in fancy strips or small cookies and fry in hot lard like crullers.--contributed. berliner krarze. (scandinavian). four raw egg yolks, three hard boiled egg yolks (grated), one cup sugar, one cup butter, three and one half cups of flour. flavor with one tablespoon of brandy or with any favorite extract. roll thin, cut, dip cookies into beaten whites of eggs, then into rolled loaf sugar and bake or finely chopped nuts and cinnamon may be sprinkled on them just before baking.--contributed. "s" fingers. (scandinavian).--one cup sugar, one half cup butter, two eggs, four tablespoons of milk, two teaspoons of baking powder. flour to roll stiff and flavoring. roll thin, cut into letter "s" fingers and bake in greased pans. jumbles.--one cup sugar, one cup molasses, three eggs, one cup sour cream mixed with two level teaspoons of soda. add four cups flour, one half teaspoon ginger, one fourth teaspoon cloves and a little salt. drop in small cakes on greased pans and bake in moderate oven.--contributed. puff balls.--three eggs, one cup sugar, four cups of flour, two teaspoons melted butter, one and one half cups sweet milk, two teaspoons baking powder. flavor, mix and drop in small balls into deep, smoking hot fat. drain and roll in powdered sugar.--wahpeton cook book. hermits.--two eggs, one and one half cups brown sugar, one cup butter and lard mixed, two thirds cup sour milk, one teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon cinnamon, one teaspoon vanilla, one half teaspoon cloves, one cup chopped raisins, one cup chopped nuts, about three cups of flour. drop dough on buttered pans with spoon. bake.--contributed. doughnuts "cook says it's awful 'scouragin' to bake and fret and fuss, an' w'en she thinks she's got 'em in the crock they're all in us!"--j. w. foley. doughnuts.--one and one half cups sugar, three eggs, one cup sour cream, one half cup milk sweet or sour, one half teaspoon soda dissolved in water and stirred into the cream, two teaspoons baking powder with flour to make soft dough, season to taste.--mrs. l. l. lampman. doughnuts.--three eggs beaten light, one cup sugar, two tablespoons butter, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda dissolved in hot water, one half teaspoon nutmeg, a little salt, one half teaspoon baking powder. use swansdown cake flour to make a nice smooth dough. roll, cut and fry brown in deep smoking hot lard.--mrs. southard. doughnuts.--two cups sugar, two eggs, one cup sweet milk, one heaping teaspoon butter, one and one half cups mashed potatoes, salt, nutmeg, three teaspoons baking powder. mash the potatoes and while they are hot add the butter, sugar, salt and nutmeg. beat the eggs and add with the milk, sift baking powder with flour twice. use only flour to roll out, the less flour used the better doughnuts will be.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. sour cream doughnuts.--one and one half cups sour milk, one half cup thick sour cream, one level teaspoon of soda, one and one half cups sugar, three eggs, a little salt and nutmeg or other flavoring. flour to roll soft, about six cups, cut. brown in deep, smoking hot fat, drain and sift powdered sugar over them, (two eggs will do).--contributed. extra good doughnuts.--one cup sugar, one cup sweet milk, one half (scant) cup sour cream, three eggs, two level teaspoons baking powder, one level teaspoon soda, salt. flour to roll soft. pour sweet milk over sugar, add soda to cream, stir in milk and sugar, then eggs and then flour, flavoring, etc.--contributed. pastry, pies and tarts "cook your husband what he likes, and save a hundred household strikes." pie crust.--for one pie, mix one large cup of flour sifted with half a teaspoon of salt, with one half cup of lard and butter mixed. blend these ingredients thoroughly with the hands or cut and shape with a knife, then lightly mix in one quarter cup ice cold water, just enough to bind the flour and lard together. use scant measure of water and do not handle much. flour the molding board and quickly roll half the dough into a thin crust and line the pie tin. fill the pie with prepared fruit, wet the edges of the crust with water, roll out the balance of the dough for the upper crust, gash it across the center and lift it carefully and cover the pie, pressing edges together with a fork. if a glazed crust is wanted rub the crust over with a little milk, egg and sugar slightly mixed together. this insures a nice brown crust. the oven should be hot enough to turn white note paper a nice, rich brown color in five minutes time. pastry requires a brisk oven but not too hot. the ingredients for pastry should be very cold. the measure of shortening (lard) should be generous and the water scant and it should not be handled after the water is added only sufficient to lift out of the mixing bowl and roll out. flour the board well and flour the rolling pin. currant pie.--one cup currants (fresh fruit), one cup sugar, one tablespoon flour, two tablespoons water, one lump of butter and yolks of two eggs. beat all together and bake in one crust. when done frost with the beaten whites of the eggs.--mrs. davidson. cherry pie.--line a pie plate with pie crust, fill it generously half full of fresh, stoned sour cherries, and sprinkle a generous cupful of sugar over them mixed with one large tablespoon of flour, dot with one level tablespoon of butter cut into bits, cover with another layer of cherries sprinkled lightly with sugar. cover with an upper crust wetting the edges and pressing well together to prevent juice escaping. cut a gash in center of top crust to allow steam to escape and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes or until cherries are tender and the juice bubbles in a simp. if a novice at the work, test the fruit with a broom straw through the gash in the upper crust. if the straw can pierce the fruit easily the pie is done.--mrs. whitehead. fresh fruit pies.--the recipe for cherry pie applies to all fresh berry or fruit pies gauging the sugar and flour according to the juicy sweetness of the fruit. gooseberries, currants, strawberries, cranberries and plums will take good full measures of sugar and flour. raspberries, blue berries and black berries require less sugar and apricots and peaches and apples small measures of flour. a little butter improves the flavor of all fruit pies and apple pie needs a dusting of nutmeg or cinnamon before adding the top crust. canned fruit may be drained free of its syrup and used the same way using less sugar and adding half a cupful of the syrup.--l. w. w. lemon pie. crust.--one half large cup of flour, one heaping tablespoon of lard, pinch of salt. mix well. add enough water to make paste. roll thin, put in tin, prick with fork and bake. filling. one large cup of sugar, two heaping tablespoons of flour, one large cup of boiling water, butter the size of a walnut, juice and grated rind of one lemon, yolks of two eggs. mix the flour and sugar together, add boiling water, put on the stove and let come to a boil, then add butter, yolks of two eggs, juice and grated rind of one lemon. remove from fire at once. beat the whites of two eggs with two tablespoons of sugar and put on top. put in oven to brown.--mrs. r. meidell. american prune pie.--stew about twenty four or thirty prunes, pitt and sweeten the prunes. bake a pie crust. whip one half pint of cream, sweeten with sugar, flavor with vanilla. put a layer of prunes in the crust, then the whipped cream on top and serve cold.--mrs. r. meidell. pumpkin pie.--one cupful of mashed pumpkin, three quarters cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one half teaspoonful each of mace, cinnamon and ginger. heat one teacupful of milk and beat three eggs and add to mixture. bake with under crust only.--mrs. h. hanson. pumpkin pie.--one quart milk, three cups stewed pumpkin, one tablespoon flour, four eggs, one and one half cups brown sugar, one half cup molasses, one teaspoon salt, one level tablespoon cinnamon, one teaspoon ginger, one tablespoon melted butter. bake with an under crust. makes three pies. beat eggs, add pumpkin, then flour, sugar, salt, spices, molasses and butter and lastly the milk which may be partly cream. mix well, fill pie tins which have been lined with pie crust and bake from thirty to forty minutes.--l. w. w. rhubarb pie.--one cup diced fresh rhubarb, one cup sugar, one tablespoon flour. mix all together, turn into a pie tin lined with pie crust. dot bits of butter over the top of rhubarb, sprinkle with one tablespoon of water. cover with top crust and bake in moderate oven about forty minutes.--contributed. cream pie.--two yolks of eggs beaten with one half cup sugar, add one large tablespoon of flour and a scant tablespoon of corn starch dissolved in a little milk. cook in one pint of boiling milk on back of range, stirring constantly. flavor with vanilla or lemon. fill baked pastry shell, cover with meringue and brown in oven. serve cold.--l. w. w. custard pies.--the rule for custard pie is four beaten eggs and one scant cup sugar to each quart of milk. for one small pie use half this recipe. mix all together and add flavoring of vanilla, lemon, almond or nutmeg. line deep pie tin with pie crust and fill with the raw custard and bake in a moderate oven until the custard sets and can be cut clean with a silver knife. do not bake too long or it will be dry and tough and use scant sugar measure to avoid a watery custard. cocoanut custard pie is made by adding one cup of shredded cocoanut before baking. date pie is made by pressing stewed dates through a colander and adding to the custard. open fruit custard pies are made by laying a layer of prepared fruit on the crust in the tin and covering with the raw custard. all custard pies are baked with an under crust only. pumpkin, squash and sweet potato pies are made by adding a quart of the cooked and mashed vegetable to each quart of custard and adding spices and salt to suit individual taste.--contributed. cream pies.--the cream fillings are cooked on top of stove until thick. line pie tins with a rich pie crust, pick with a fork to let out air while baking, and bake a golden brown, then fill with the cooked filling, cover with a meringue and bake until meringue sets. the rule for the cream filling is two eggs beaten with half a cup of sugar and one large tablespoon of flour or one scant tablespoon of cornstarch mixed smooth with a little milk, add flavoring. bring two small cups of milk or water to a boil, add the egg mixture and cook thick. if liked add one teaspoon of butter to the milk or water. for chocolate pie double the sugar and use two squares of chocolate shaved fine and heat with the cream filling. for pineapple add grated pineapple to the cream filling, double the measure of flour as acids thin the mixture considerably. for lemon cream pie use the juice and grated rind of one large lemon or two small ones and double the flour and sugar measure. (for orange pie use juice of one large orange and half a lemon.) in lemon and orange pie water is generally used in preference to milk and if a rich pie is liked use an extra egg yolk and a large measure of sugar.--contributed. meringue.--to make the meringue, beat the whites of two eggs very light and stiff, cut in two level tablespoons of sugar and beat five minutes. spread on top of the filled pie, sprinkle lightly with sugar and brown in a slow oven. when meringue is firm to the touch it is done and will not fall or shrink, if under-done it falls. if the oven is too hot leave the oven door open for three minutes before putting the meringue in to bake. long beating of the whites of eggs and sugar however will usually make a good, thick and firm meringue.--contributed. english orange cheese cakes or tarts.--one half pound sugar (one cup) mixed with one fourth pound butter (one half cup) add three eggs, (reserving white of one); juice of two oranges and grated rind of one; juice of one lemon. beat well. simmer until like honey. fill baked patty or tart shells of pie crust. make a meringue of the stiffly beaten white of egg and one tablespoon of sugar. frost the tarts, sprinkle with sugar and brown in a moderate oven. serve cold.--mrs. whitehead. devil's food cake.--one and one half cups of sugar, creamed with one half cup butter, yolks of three eggs, one half cup milk, one square chocolate melted in half cup boiling water, two cups flour sifted with two heaping teaspoons baking powder. add vanilla and the unbeaten whites of the three eggs the last thing.--mrs. t. b. huff. burnt sugar cake.--one and one half cups sugar creamed with one half cup butter, yolks of three eggs, one large cup cold water, three large tablespoons of thick burnt sugar or enough to make a light brown in color; two cups flour sifted with two heaping teaspoons baking powder. add the unbeaten whites of the three eggs and vanilla the last thing. frost with boiled frosting to which has been added one tablespoon of burnt sugar and a half cup broken nut meats.--mrs. t. b. huff. to make burnt sugar.--put in a sauce pan one cup sugar and cook, stirring constantly; the sugar will then form into lumps, then melt and throw off a thick black smoke. now take from fire and add three tablespoons hot water and place on stove and let come to a good boil; it is then ready to use and can be kept indefinitely.--mrs. t. b. huff. chocolate frosting.--to make a good chocolate frosting make a quantity of fudge, beating it until very smooth and until it sets. then add a teaspoon, or the necessary amount of cream, or milk, until the right consistency to spread.--mrs. t. b. huff. baked fish.--large white fish, pike or cat fish are best, but small fish can also be used. put in a pan, sprinkle well with salt and pepper and cover with bits of butter; then pour a little water or milk in the pan and bake, basting the fish often, and adding more water or milk as needed. this takes about a half hour to bake in a hot oven. make a white gravy of milk, butter and flour, season well and add a can of mushroom and serve over the fish. delicious.--mrs. t. b. huff. cocoanut cheese cakes or tarts.--boil one pint of sugar with two thirds of a pint of water and add one and one half cups of shredded cocoanut and boil slowly twelve minutes; remove to rear of range and while warm beat in one half cup of butter until smooth; then beat in the beaten yolks of five or six eggs. flavor with lemon juice or vanilla or almond extract. line patty pans or gem tins with a rich pastry crust, fill with the cocoanut custard and bake. they are pretty capped with a cube of currant jelly. serve either hot or cold. apple cheese cakes.--one pint of steamed, sweetened and stewed apple sauce heated. add grated rind of half a lemon, two level tablespoons of butter and beat smooth, then cut in two eggs beaten well. bake in patty pans lined with pastry. good way to use left over pie crust and apple sauce. mince meat.--four pounds of lean boiled meat, chopped fine; twice its weight in sour apples, peeled, cored and chopped fine, one pound of minced suet; three pounds of seeded raisins, two pounds of currants; one pound of brown sugar; one pint of molasses and of maple syrup or of fruit syrup, two quarts of sweet fresh cider, one pint of cider boiled, one tablespoon of salt, one scant teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon each of mace, allspice and cloves, four tablespoons of cinnamon. mix well and bring to a boil on the stove. when nearly cold stir in one pint of brandy and one pint of wine. if these are not liked use syrup from pickles or pears or unfermented grape juice. pack in a large stone crock or seal in mason jars and keep covered in a cool place. will keep good all winter. half of this recipe will suffice for the winter for a small family. considering that the mince meats put up in cartons and packages contain no meat and often an inferior grade of dried apples, it certainly pays to make mince meat at home out of fresh material, when butchering is done and apples are cheapest.--mrs. whitehead. mince meat. (small jar for small family.) two cups chopped boiled meat, or of hamburger steak, steamed tender in a double boiler, four cups of chopped apples, one pint of sweet cider or of juice from pickled peaches, one cup molasses, two cups sugar (scant), juice of three lemons, one cup shredded or chopped suet or one half cupful of butter or sweet drippings, one teaspoon of salt, mixed spices to suit taste. cook five minutes. when ready for pie thin the mixture with cider or with a glass of tart jelly melted and add seeded raisins or currants and a little brandy if liked. bake between two crusts of pastry and serve warm. one heaping cup of mince meat will make one pie. fruit juice left from canned fruit is nice added to mince meat and often can be nicely utilized this way. neopolitans.--take pie crust left over after mixing pie. roll it into a thin sheet and cut into oblong strips three by two inches. bake in quick oven. spread half with jam, lay balance of strips over that like sandwiches and spread jam or jelly on top. dust with powdered sugar. lemon or orange cake filling or frosting may be used instead of juice or marmolade, and crushed fresh, sweetened berries make a good filling and covering if capped with whipped cream. english cheese pie.--one cupful of thick sour cream or milk curd, salted slightly, two beaten eggs, three fourths cup of sweet milk, one half cup sugar, one half cupful of english currants (dried). rub curd thoroughly first and mix with other ingredients. bake in a deep pie tin lined with pie crust. powder with cinnamon. french tart.--pound eight macaroons fine, pour boiling milk over them to make a soft batter, add six well beaten eggs and one half cupful of sugar. cook thick, add one half cup of butter and the juice of an orange. line a pie with pastry, fill with the mixture and bake. dust with powdered sugar before serving. eight good sized macaroons will take from two to three cups of milk. patties.--three cups flour, one cup lard, three fourths cup of ice water, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon salt. mix and roll like pie crust. bake in patty pans. makes thirty patties. pie crust.--one and one quarter cups flour, pinch baking powder, mix with one half cup lard and one teaspoon salt. add ice cold water enough to roll out--about one fourth cup. flour board and roll thin. berry tarts.--one pint of buttered strawberries or red raspberries, one cup sugar, the beaten white of one egg stirred through the sugar. mix with the berries. bake between two crusts until egg is set then serve with whipped cream.--contributed. fancy desserts "they make maple syrup out of corn cobs that you can't tell from the adulterated." abe martin. sponge cake dessert.--take hot water sponge cake, cut it into thin slices and line the sides of stem sherbet glasses. fill in with sweetened strawberries and whipped cream.--mrs. southard, demonstration fancy desserts. sponge circles.--cut round pieces of sponge cake. lay a border of sweetened strawberries around the edge of each piece of cake and fill in the center with ice cream.--mrs. southard, demonstration fancy desserts. peach custard.--bake a custard pie. slice and sugar nice ripe peaches. spread the peaches on top of the custard and cap with whipped cream.--mrs. southard, demonstration of fancy desserts. pineapple dessert.--thick slice of canned, or of fresh sugared pineapple, heap each slice with sweetened whipped cream flavored with a dash of vanilla and powder lightly with chopped nuts. serve with cake.--mrs. southard, demonstration fancy desserts. strawberry sponge.--one quart strawberries, one half package knox gelatine, one and one half cups water, one cup sugar, juice of one lemon, whites of four eggs. soak gelatine until soft in one cup water. mash strawberries, add half of sugar. boil balance of sugar with the water twenty minutes. rub strawberries through a sieve. add gelatine to the strawberry juice and the hot, thin syrup. remove from fire, add berry pulp and lemon juice and beat five minutes in dish set in ice water. add whites of eggs and beat until mixture thickens. other berries, crushed peaches, plums and other fruits may be used the same way. serve with cream or with custard sauce.--mrs. southard, domestic science demonstration of fancy desserts. whiskey sponge pudding.--one quart sweet cream, yolks of ten eggs, one package gelatine, one small cup whiskey, one large cup sugar, one teaspoon vanilla. dissolve the gelatine and beat well with the eggs, then add half of the cream, boiled, add sugar, vanilla and whiskey, and the rest of the cream whipped stiff. allow to stand until cold and thick; at least six or eight hours. sauce.--one glass of jelly, one half cup sugar, one cup water. when boiling thicken very little with corn starch. use cold.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. coffee gelatine.--one and one half cups milk, one cup cold coffee, two thirds cup sugar, three eggs beaten separately, one pinch of salt, one rounded tablespoonful of granulated gelatine, one half teaspoon of vanilla. put the milk, coffee and gelatine in a double boiler, add sugar, salt and beaten yolks. cook till it thickens or starts to separate, stirring occasionally. take from fire. add vanilla, add beaten whites of eggs, stir and turn into a mold which has been dipped in cold water.--mrs. creaser. maple mousse.--four eggs beaten stiff, one cup maple syrup. cook until it thickens, then beat until cool. one pint whipped cream, beaten together.--mrs. schollander. buttercup jelly.--dissolve one box of knox gelatine in one pint of cold water. add three cupfuls of boiling water, one and one half cupfuls of sugar and the juice of four lemons and two oranges. cook five minutes and strain through cheese cloth. divide into two portions. add the beaten yolks of three eggs to one portion and one half cupful of chopped nuts. add one half pint of cream to the other portion and whip until stiff or the beaten whites of two eggs if you haven't cream. place in moulds. cut the white jelly into cubes and heap them at the base of the yellow mold. serve with whipped cream which may be capped with chopped pineapple. maraschino cherries or fresh strawberries.--mrs. whitehead, pudding demonstration. fruit gelatine pudding.--juice of three lemons, one pint of cold water, one and one half pints boiling water, one cup sugar, one box knox gelatine. soak gelatine in the cold water, pour on boiling water, add other ingredients. strain and turn over mixed sliced and sugared fruits and nuts, and serve with sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla.--mrs. whitehead, pudding demonstration. caramel pudding.--put pint of milk in double boiler. when hot add three heaping teaspoons of corn starch dissolved in one third cup cold milk. add pinch of salt. take one and one third cups of brown sugar and put in pan on stove and melt, stirring continuously to prevent scorching. when melted add very slowly one third cup boiling water. now stir this into the thickened milk. cook for half an hour stirring very often. add beaten eggs five minutes before taking off stove. serve with whipped cream.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. snow pudding.--pour one pint of boiling water on one half a box of gelatine; add the juice of one lemon and two cups of sugar. when nearly cold strain; add the whites of three eggs beaten to a froth, beat the whole together, put in mold and set on ice. with the yolks of three eggs, one pint of milk, one large teaspoon of corn starch, make a boiled custard, flavor to suit taste. serve cold by pouring the custard around portions of the snow placed in saucers.--l. w. caramel custard.--put one cup of sugar in a skillet and let it melt and brown, stirring constantly. when it smokes, add one cup boiling water and cook to a thick syrup. four eggs beaten with one half cup sugar, add one quart milk and a little vanilla. pour the syrup in the bottom of custard cups, turn in the custard and bake, set in a pan of boiling water. as soon as the custard will cut clean with a knife it is done. too much sugar and too much cooking makes custard "watery."--mrs. whitehead. orange and banana compote.--for six bananas a little underripe make a syrup of one cup of sugar and a half cup of water. flavor with six whole cloves and one inch stick cinnamon. boil eight minutes without stirring. add the bananas and simmer until they begin to clear. put in the juice of two oranges, a half lemon and a half glass of grape juice. remove the cloves and cinnamon and serve on rounds of toast or sponge cake with whipped cream. prune whip.--(dessert.) take about twenty four well cooked prunes, remove pits and chop up pulp. add one heaping tablespoon sugar, three eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately and half teaspoon vanilla. beat all together thoroughly and pour in buttered baking dish. bake in moderate oven thirty or thirty five minutes. this makes enough for a family of four.--mrs. monroe. banana short cake.--one cup sugar, one fourth cup butter, three eggs, one half cup milk, one and one third cups flour, one and one half teaspoons baking powder, flavoring. about one hour before serving slice six bananas, add one and one half cups sugar, juice of two lemons, four tablespoons water. stir three times. when ready to serve put between layers, add chopped walnuts and heap whipped cream over all.--mrs. d. e. plier. cream puffs.--one half cup melted butter, one cup hot water, cup flour, stir the flour into the water and butter while boiling. it will not lump. let stand until cold, then stir in separately with a fork three eggs not beaten. bake in greased gem pans or drop in greased pans and bake thirty minutes. when cold open at side and fill with stiffly beaten cream sweetened and flavored.--contributed. strawberry bavarian cream.--scald one cupful of milk or thin cream, pour it slowly over one egg yolk slightly beaten with one quarter cupful of sugar, return to double boiler, add one half tablespoonful of granulated gelatine dissolved in one quarter cupful of cold water; stir until mixture coats the spoon, strain at once into a bowl. when cool and beginning to show signs of stiffening beat in one half cupful of strawberries which have been mashed and sweetened with a tablespoonful of sugar, then fold in the stiffly beaten white of an egg and finally one half cupful of cream, whipped very stiff. fill wet molds and leave on ice three hours. serve with or without whipped cream. strawberry charlotte.--whip one cupful of cream very stiff. beat the white of one large egg or two small ones very stiff. beat into the white one half cupful of fine sugar. combine this with the whipped cream, then lightly stir in one cupful of strawberries cut in quarters. spoon into a mold lined with lady fingers or slices of sponge cake and place on ice for one hour. another strawberry charlotte.--mash one cupful of strawberries and sweeten according to the acidity of the berry. let stand to draw the juice, an hour, then strain. dissolve one level tablespoonful of granulated gelatine in two tablespoonfuls of cold water. set the bowl containing it in a pan of hot water and stir until smooth, add it to the strained strawberry. now whip one cupful of cream, sweetened with two level tablespoonfuls of sugar, lightly fold the strawberry gelatine in, a few drops at a time. turn into a wet mold and put on ice for two hours. if carefully mixed there will be no settling at the bottom. the mold for this need not be lined with cake, but a delicate wafer of some sort, preferably vanilla, should be served with it if it is molded plain. lemon jelly.--soak one box knox sparkling gelatine in one pint cold water, two minutes; add two pints boiling water, one and one half cups sugar, and stir until dissolved; add juice of three lemons, strain through jelly bag into molds. chocolate blanc mange.--one half box knox sparkling gelatine, one quart sweet milk, one half cup cold water, one cup sugar, two ounces grated chocolate. soak the gelatine in the cold water; boil the sweet milk with sugar and grated chocolate and a little salt, five minutes; then add dissolved gelatine, stirring constantly; flavor with vanilla, and pour into mold; serve with whipped cream. pineapple jelly.--read this recipe carefully and follow instructions. soak one box knox gelatine in one pint cold water, set on stove in double boiler to dissolve; when gelatine is cold and beginning to set, beat into it pineapple juice and pineapple, and place on ice to harden. be sure you follow the above, for if you mix pineapple and its syrup with gelatine when you first make it, the acid in it will digest the gelatine so it will not harden. wine jelly.--soak one box knox sparkling gelatine in one half pint cold water two minutes, add one quart boiling water, one and one half cups sugar, and stir until dissolved; add one half pint wine and juice of two lemons; strain and pour into mold. nut creams.--soak two large tablespoons of gelatine in one half cup milk. set in hot water until melted, but do not heat. whip one pint cream, reserving a cupful after it is whipped. turn the gelatine into the cream adding one half teaspoonful of sugar, the beaten white of an egg, a teaspoon of vanilla and a large cup of chopped hickory and walnuts. whip until stiff. mold in small cups that have been wet with cold water. when ready to serve turn on a flat dish, put on remainder of whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts.--mrs. alleman. maple cream gelatine.--one half package knox gelatine dissolved in one cup cold water; one cup maple syrup heated to boiling point, mix with gelatine, strain through a cloth and cool. beat one pint of cream, mix in and add one cup nuts.--mrs. schollander. brod torte.--one cupful of rye breadcrumbs, eight eggs, a cupful of granulated sugar, one quarter pound of almonds, sliced or ground, (i prefer them sliced), one quarter pound of citron, sliced thin; one half ounce of bitter chocolate (grated), a lemon, juice and rind; one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, one half teaspoonful of cloves, a wineglassful of brandy. dry the bread in the oven and put through food grinder or sifter. mix almonds, citron, chocolate and spices with the crumbs. beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar until thick; add lemon juice and heat again. mix the dry ingredients with beaten eggs and sugar; next put in the brandy and, lastly, the whites of four eggs beaten stiff, are folded into the mixture. (reserve the other four for the meringue. pour into a "spring form" and bake in a moderate oven. when the "torte" is done, spread jelly on the top and the meringue made with the reserved eggs upon the jelly. put back into the oven until the meringue is lightly colored. german pan cakes for dessert or lunch.--beat yolks of six eggs and then beat whites of three to a stiff froth. mix with three fourths cup grated bread crumbs, one cup cream and a large cupful of flour, pour in a buttered sauce pan, sprinkle with sugar and stir over the fire until thick then fry in butter, on a hot skillett, like pan cakes. put on a hot dish, sift powdered sugar on them and sprinkle with lemon juice and serve hot.--contributed. fruit trifle.--beat whites of six eggs light, add six tablespoons of sugar and beat about half an hour then beat in one cupful of grated pineapple or cut up fresh strawberries or fresh raspberries or cut up fresh, ripe peaches or apricots or any fruit jam or jelly and beat five minutes. serve ice cold in sherbet glasses as it is or chopped with flavored whipped cream. "trifle" is sometimes made by using whipped cream, sweetened, and adding one cupful of cut up fresh berries, or peaches or orange pulp or bananas chopped, or half a glass of any fruit, jam or any jelly cut into small pieces. beat it through the whipped cream. this is a simple and palatable dessert which can be quickly made.--mrs. whitehead. junket.--one quart of warm milk, two tablespoons brandy; wine or vanilla; two tablespoons sugar, one junket tablet or one tablespoon of rennet. stir well together, then let it stand undisturbed until thick, then place on ice. serve with sugar, nutmeg and cream. this is another dainty and easily made dessert.--mrs. whitehead. ice cream, sherbets, ices and frozen dainties "which is not amiss to cool a man's stomach this hot weather."--shakespeare. ice cream.--in packing the freezer use rock salt and crush the ice very fine. put it in a heavy grain sack and pound and mash until nearly as fine as snow. measure ice and salt allowing four parts ice to one of salt or ten pounds of ice to three of salt. pack ice in layers three inches deep, then shake over one large saucerful of salt, then another three inch layer of ice and more salt, alternating ice and salt until you reach top of can. pack the can with cream, put on the top of freezer, and let cream stand until it freezes on edges, then turn the dasher slowly for ten minutes, then quickly until cream is frozen thick but not too hard. remove the dasher, put on the top and cork, repack freezer with ice, cover with heavy carpet and let cream ripen two or three hours.--mrs. c. h. mckay. ice cream.--without cooking. two quarts of thick cream, two cups sugar. mix and stand until sugar dissolves. flavor to suit taste and freeze.--mrs. c. h. mckay. caramel ice cream.--beat three eggs, one cup sugar and one half cup of flour together and cook with one pint rich milk. brown one cupful of granulated sugar to a caramel and add to this hot custard. cool and add one quart thick cream. freeze.--mrs. c. h. mckay. chocolate ice cream.--let one large pint of milk come to a boil, add one cup of sugar and one third cup of flour mixed with the beaten yolks of three eggs; three fourths cake of sweet chocolate. cook until thick and creamy, stirring constantly. cool and add one quart of cream, one cup sugar and pinch of salt. add vanilla flavoring and freeze. when partly frozen add the beaten whites of the eggs and freeze until firm but not too hard. pack freezer well, cover and let it ripen two or three hours if possible.--mrs. c. h. mckay. maryland ice.--two quarts ripe strawberries mashed with four cups sugar. stand one hour and squeeze out the juice through a sieve or cheese cloth. add two quarts of water and freeze. remove water from freezer when ice is half frozen, pack, and let it stand twenty minutes. then scoop out the center; leave wall intact. make a filling of one pint of cream, one half cup sugar, one teaspoon flavoring beaten and whipped until stiff. add one half cup of chopped or rolled nuts. fill the cavity in the strawberry ice with this mixture. repack the freezer and let it ripen four or more hours. when ready to serve, remove freezer can, wrap it in a cloth dipped in boiling water, let stand one minute when the mould of ice cream will slip out easily onto the serving platter. serve in thick slices.--mrs. c. h. mckay. mousse.--(without cream.) rub one quart of berries through a sieve, add one cupful of powdered sugar, one ounce of dissolved gelatine, and the whites of five eggs beaten stiff. put in a mold and pack in ice and salt for three or four hours.--mrs. c. h. mckay. (editorial note.--the above recipes were demonstrated by mrs. mckay in her paper on "ice cream, ices and frozen dainties" at domestic science club.) vanilla ice cream.--one quart thick cream, seven tablespoons of sugar, one half of a vanilla bean. cut bean into halves, scrape out seeds and mix with sugar. add sugar to half of the cream, and put in the balance of the bean. heat and dissolve sugar in hot cream. remove from fire, strain and cool. add remaining cream and freeze. the flavor of the bean makes delicious ice cream but of course good vanilla extract may be substituted. use a tablespoon of extract. plain ice cream is nice served with hot chocolate caramel sauce or with maple sauce and chopped nuts.--mrs. whitehead. chocolate caramel sauce.--one and one half cups brown sugar, one half cup of milk, four ounces of chocolate. stir all together on back of range until chocolate is melted and smooth; then boil until it forms a soft ball when tried in cold water. serve hot over the ice cream. makes a nice pudding sauce also and is nice on cream puffs or eclairs.--mrs. whitehead. red raspberry ice cream.--follow directions for chocolate ice cream given above, omitting the chocolate and adding one quart of ripe red raspberries pressed through a sieve and sweetened, when the cream is half frozen, and when the meringue is added also. proceed with the freezing and ripen two or more hours before serving. strawberries, apricots and peaches are equally as good used this way.--mrs. whitehead. tortoni ice cream.--boil one and one half cups sugar with water to cover until it threads from the spoon. pour it over the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and beat well. scald one quart of new milk and add beaten yolks of eggs. cool and mix with one pint of cream (may be whipped but isn't necessary) and six crumbled almond macaroons. flavor with vanilla or almond extract. mix all together and freeze. cocoanut may be used in place of macaroons but it should be sprinkled with sugar and slightly browned in the oven first.--mrs. whitehead. maple mousse.--boil a cupful of maple syrup three minutes and stir into the beaten yolks of three eggs. put back in dish syrup was boiled in and boil two minutes. cool. whip a quart of cream and add the cooled mixture and freeze. do not stir. in the winter it may be simply set out of doors, or may be packed in ice and salt.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. caramel pudding.--take one and one third cups of brown sugar and put in pan on stove and melt, stirring constantly to prevent burning. when melted add very slowly one third cup of boiling water.--mrs. g. a. mcintosh. cold desserts maple mousse.--four eggs beaten stiff, one cup of maple syrup. cook until it thickens, then beat until cool. then add one pint of whipped cream, pack in salt and ice for several hours. frozen rice pudding.--one cup rice, one quart milk, one quarter teaspoon salt, one cup sugar, one cup cream, one teaspoon flavoring. cook rice in milk until soft, add sugar, salt and flavoring and pour into freezer when cold. whip cream and add to the mixture when nearly frozen.--mrs. schollander. fruit, ices or sherbets lemon sherbet.--one pound of sugar and one quart of water boiled to thin syrup and when cool add the grated rind of two lemons and the juice of six. for a water ice stir it now and then in the freezer and freeze slowly until like wet snow. for a sherbet freeze quickly until light and stiff. for a sorbet, add a meringue made of the beaten white of egg and sugar to the partially frozen ice. orange sherbet.--add the juice of six oranges and grated rind of three and the juice of one lemon to the above sugar and water syrup and freeze. pineapple sherbet.--add one pint of grated pineapple and juice of one lemon to above syrup and freeze rapidly. mint sherbet.--pound the leaves of two dozen stalks of mint to a pulp, add to the syrup as above with the juice of two lemons and freeze or use mint extract. grape sherbet.--add the juice of one lemon and a pint of grape juice to the above syrup and freeze. berry sherbet.--add one pint of the berry juice and juice of two lemons to above syrup and freeze. cranberry sherbet.--one pint of strained and sweetened cooked cranberry juice and the juice of two lemons added to above syrup and freeze stiff. fruit jellies may be melted and strained and used as substitutes for the fresh fruit juice. frozen strawberries.--mash one quart of berries, add one and one half cups sugar and the juice of one lemon. let it stand one hour, then add one pint of water and freeze like ice cream. serve in punch glasses with whipped cream. peaches and apricots are also nice frozen likewise as are cooked cranberries pressed through a colander. frappe.--this is strictly speaking of drink partially frozen until like wet snow. grape frappe is frozen coffee and lemon frappe is partly frozen lemonade. a punch is merely a cold fruit drink with a block of ice floating in it. it is usually made of a combination of fruit juices sweetened and wines and liquors are frequently added to it. parfait and mousse.--this is frozen whipped cream, sweetened and flavored to suit the taste. it is packed in a mould and buried in crushed ice and salt for several hours. the cream should be frozen one and one half inches deep. the center remains soft. the opening of the mould should be bound with a strip of muslin dipped in melted suet or butter. quick parfait is made by adding whipped cream to ice cream. at serving time beat in the whipped cream. coffee ice cream with whipped cream is much liked, as are chocolate and caramel ice cream served this way. macaroon mousse is made by adding crushed and rolled macaroons to whipped cream and burying the mould in ice and salt. chopped nuts are used the same way and crushed fruit. lemon ice.--two and three fourths cups sugar, two tablespoons corn starch; add one quart boiling water. when cool add juice of eight lemons and when half frozen add whites of three eggs and one pint thick cream.--mrs. d. e. plier. currant ice.--one pint currant juice (or two glasses of currant jelly), two lemons and one orange, three cups sugar, two quarts water. pour juices over sugar and stir until dissolved then add water and freeze. the whites of two eggs may be added just before the freezing is completed.--mrs. schollander. pineapple sherbet.--one quart of granulated sugar, and one quart cold water brought to a boil. pour over one quart can of grated pineapple and juice of six lemons. strain and put into freezer. when cold add whites of three eggs beaten stiff with one tablespoon of sugar. freeze.--mrs. w. s. davidson. pistacho mousse.--whip a pint of cream very stiff, beat into it lightly four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; flavor to taste with pistacho extract and stir in one half cupful of chopped nuts. last of all color a delicate green with vegetable coloring mixture. turn all cream into a mould and pack with ice and salt for four hours.--mrs. j. d. wolpert. strawberry ice cream.--three cupfuls of cream and one of milk, or one quart of thin cream, three quarters of a cupful of sugar; scald, but do not boil. beat until cold, add one cupful of strawberries mashed with their juice and one half cupful of sugar. place in freezer, pack in ice and salt, using three quarters ice and one quarter salt, and freeze until as stiff as can be turned. remove dasher, work up and down with a long handled spoon to pack solidly and set aside for twenty minutes or longer. serve garnished with a half cupful of strawberries cut in two. for individual servings a simple way is to pack the ice cream in pound or half pound baking powder tins after it has been frozen and bury it in ice and salt. it then may be turned out and sliced in rounds, one round to a person, and the strawberries used to decorate each service. of course, if this is done the cream must be very firm and should be packed at least two hours before it is used. to avoid much melting the bucket may be put in the ice box in a tin pan. strawberry mousse.--dissolve one tablespoonful of granulated gelatine in one quarter cupful of water by placing the bowl containing it in a pan of hot water; when smooth add three quarters of a cupful of powdered sugar and stir until cool. strain gradually into two cupfuls of cream whipped very stiff, add one cupful of fresh strawberries which have been chopped fine with a silver knife and sugared with one third cupful of sugar. have the mould already packed in ice and salt, put the mousse into it by the spoonful, first being sure that all the ingredients are well mixed; cover with buttered paper, put on the lid of one mould and pile ice and salt on top. put in a cold place for two to four hours. unmold and serve with halved strawberries and sponge cake or angels food. orange water ice.--juice of six oranges, two teaspoons extract of orange, juice of one lemon, one quart water, one pound powdered sugar, one gill rich, sweet cream, add all together and strain. freeze same as ice cream.--mrs. h. j. liddell. lemon sherbet with cream.--mix four large cups of sugar with three level tablespoons of flour and stir in two quarts of boiling water and cook thick. cool and add the juice of one dozen lemons. strain and freeze. when half frozen add one pint of cream whipped stiff with half a cupful of sugar and add the beaten whites of two eggs. stir well through the half frozen sherbet and finish freezing. when firm, remove the dasher from the freezer, repack and cover freezer with a carpet or heavy blanket. let it ripen two hours or more. makes one gallon of sherbet.--mrs. whitehead. lemon sherbet.--juice of three or four lemons, according to size, two cups sugar, one quart of fresh sweet milk. mix lemon juice and sugar and put them in the freezer and let stand while you pack freezer, quickly stir in ice cold milk and freeze quickly. the milk must be fresh morning's milk and it must commence to freeze immediately or it will curdle. grated pineapple may be added to this if liked. after it is frozen the beaten whites of two eggs mixed with two tablespoons of sugar, should be stirred through the sherbet and left to ripen until serving time. cream may be used instead of milk but half of it should be scalded with half of the sugar and cooled before mixing with the lemon juice.--mrs. whitehead. hot chocolate sauce for ice cream.--two cups of light brown sugar, tablespoons of chocolate, / cup sweet milk, butter size of a walnut. boil until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water. do not beat. flavor with vanilla and let it stand a moment, pour the sauce on ice cream in the dishes just before serving. maple sauce is made the same way substituting maple sugar for the brown and omitting the chocolate. caramel sauce is made by browning sugar in a hot skillet until it melts and smokes and then adding the sweet milk and butter and cooking to soft ball stage. minced nuts may be sprinkled over the sauce on top of ice cream.--mrs. whitehead. strawberry frappe.--for one quart of ripe berries use four lemons, three cupfuls of sugar and three pints of water. crush the berries with the sugar, and let them stand an hour before adding the juice of the lemons and the water. mix well, pour into a freezer and stir for fifteen or twenty minutes. pack in ice for an hour or two and serve in glasses with or without whipped cream on top. melon sherbet.--boil one pint of water with half a pound of sugar for twenty minutes, then stir in a little gelatine melted in cold water. add the strained juice of two lemons, half a pint of melon juice and then the beaten whites of two eggs. whisk all together and partially freeze. angel frappe.--dip half a pound of lump sugar in the strained juice of some white currants and boil them to the "thread" point. beat the whites of two eggs till stiff, then pour on the sugar and continue beating. whip a pint of double cream, add a quarter of a pint of currant juice, mix all quickly together and freeze without stirring until nearly solid. serve in tall glasses with a few white currants in the bottom of each. sherbet pineapple.--boil together one cup of sugar and one quart of water. dissolve in one half cup of water one teaspoon of gelatine; juice of two lemons, one can of pinapple. put in freezer and add one pint of water. when partly frozen add the whites of three eggs and one cup of sugar and finish freezing.--mrs. f. kleinsorge. puddings and pudding sauces "since eve ate apples much depends upon dinner."--lord byron. english plum pudding.--two cups sugar, five eggs, one nutmeg, one tablespoon salt, one quart sweet milk, one loaf bread without crusts, one large piece citron chopped, four cups suet, two cups currants, four heaping cups raisins, three pints flour. this makes a large pudding and if cooked in one mould, must boil ten hours.--mrs. mary harvey. brown betty pudding.--take stale pieces of bread and lightly brown them in oven until thoroughly dry and crisp. with rolling pin crush the bread into small crumbs. put into pudding dish a layer of these crumbs, then a layer of apples, and arrange in layers until dish is full, last layer crumbs. flavor with sugar, cinnamon, lemon and butter on each layer and bake slowly. serve with sweet sauce, cream or milk.--mrs. mary harvey. suet pudding.--one cup chopped suet, one cup raisins, one cup brown sugar, two tablespoons syrup, one tablespoon soda, salt, and one egg, three cups flour, one teaspoon cinnamon. steam from two to three hours and serve with pudding dip made of one cup sugar, scant, one tablespoon butter, two tablespoons flour, one cup boiling water, flavor to taste.--mrs. d. e. plier. plum pudding.--one and one half pounds suet, one pound stoned raisins, one pound currants, eight eggs, one and one half nutmeg, two ounces candied peel, one teaspoon ground ginger, one half pound bread crumbs, one half pound flour, two pounds of dark sugar, one half pint milk.--mrs. a. mckay. sponge pudding.--two large tablespoons sugar, two large tablespoons butter, four large tablespoons flour, six eggs, two cups sweet milk. let milk scald, while hot add butter, then sugar, then flour mixed with cold milk. stir well until it boils, remove from the fire, add yolks well beaten, then add whites beaten stiff. pour into buttered dish, set in pan of hot water and bake one hour. half of this will serve six people.--mrs. schollander. angel pudding.--two eggs, one cup of sugar, one cup of chopped walnuts, one cup of dates, two tablespoons flour, one teaspoon baking powder. bake twenty minutes, serve with hard sauce or whipped cream.--mrs. schollander. snow balls.--one half cup of butter, one half cup milk, one cup sugar, one and one quarter cups flour, three and one half teaspoons baking powder, whites of four eggs. cream butter, add sugar gradually, then milk. add flour mixed and sifted with baking powder, then add the whites of eggs beaten stiff. steam thirty five minutes. serve with orange sauce. orange sauce. whites of three eggs, one cup of powdered sugar, juice and rind of two oranges and juice of one lemon. beat whites until stiff, add sugar gradually, and continue beating. add rind and fruit juices.--mrs. schollander. prune pudding.--whites of six eggs, beaten stiff, and one cup of sugar. boil and pit twenty prunes and chop fine. mix all and bake forty minutes. serve with whipped cream.--mrs. r. j. walker. chocolate pudding.--one half cup sugar, a piece of butter the size of an egg, one heaping teaspoon baking powder, one egg, one half cup milk, one cup flour, two squares of chocolate grated. bake as a cake and serve cold. sauce: yolks of two eggs and one cup of sugar beaten to a cream, one half cup of cream, whipped, whites of two eggs, beaten stiff, and added last. flavor with vanilla.--mrs. c. c. mackenroth. angel pudding.--two eggs, one cup sugar, one cup chopped nuts, one cup dates, two tablespoons flour, one teaspoon baking powder, bake twenty minutes, serve with whipped cream.--mrs. schollander. corn pudding.--score the rows of corn in a dozen big ears and press out the juice and pulp. to two cups of pulp, add two well beaten eggs, one tablespoon of butter, one small teaspoon of salt, a dash of pepper and two scant cups of sweet milk. bake in a greased pudding dish until firm and brown. serve with hard sauce made by creaming half a cup of butter with one cupful of sugar until light, add a dash of nutmeg and put a tablespoon of sauce on each piece of hot pudding.--mrs. whitehead, southern cookery demonstration. prune whip.--one pound prunes, cook until tender, put through colander (to remove pits) add half cup sugar, when cold add the whites of four eggs, well beaten; beat all together, put dish in oven four minutes. serve cold, with whipped cream. this amount will serve six to eight people.--mrs. liddell. english plum pudding.--one pound chopped suet, one pound chopped raisins, one pound english currants, one ounce citron and lemon peel, six eggs, three cups of bread crumbs, three cups dark brown sugar, one teaspoon of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, one pint of sweet milk. mix all well together, then add flour until the consistency of fruit cake. tie it in a strong, new cloth, allowing room to swell, and boil it in a kettle of boiling water constantly for six hours.--mrs. eleanor wilkinson. lemon pudding.--slice one large or two small lemons in a pudding dish with one and one half cups hot water, one cup sugar, and one tablespoon butter. set on stove to get warm while you prepare batter, by mixing one half teaspoon butter, one half cup sugar, yolks of two eggs, one quarter cup sweet milk, one teaspoon baking powder, three fourths cup sifted flour. pour over the lemons and bake. when done cover with a meringue and brown.--mrs. a. d. paulson. mother's boiled indian pudding.--two cupfuls of corn meal, one cupful of flour, three teaspoons of baking powder or two level spoons of soda, one half cup of molasses, two beaten eggs, one tablespoon of salt, and enough sweet or sour milk (if soda is used) to make a thin batter. turn into a floured, wet pudding bag or into a greased double boiler and boil steadily from two to three hours. serve with cream and sugar alone, or spiced with nutmeg, or with any favorite pudding sauce.--mrs. whitehead. chocolate pudding with raisins.--sauce: one cup sifted flour, one and one half level teaspoons baking powder, one half teaspoon cinnamon, one quarter teaspoon salt. sift several times. beat one yolk of egg with one third cup sugar, three tablespoons melted butter and one quarter cup milk. stir into the flour mixture then beat in two squares of chocolate melted over hot water; add beaten white of egg, and steam half an hour in buttered cups. raisin sauce: chop one half cup raisins and stew in a little water then add one half cup sugar and cook to a thick syrup, then thin with hot water, one half cup, and serve.--mrs. whitehead, pudding demonstration. raisin sauce.--stew one cup seeded raisins in one pint of water until soft. mash them and strain them through cheese cloth. put the liquor on to boil, add one tablespoon lemon and sugar to taste. thicken with one tablespoon corn starch wet in cold water, and cook until smooth. add one tablespoon of butter just before serving. peach cobbler.--two cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one half teaspoon salt, one half beaten egg mixed with three fourths cup milk, one quart sweetened peaches. mix dry ingredients like pie crust, add milk and egg, roll out, line greased pudding pan, fill in with sweetened fruit. cover with crust and bake.--mrs. whitehead, pudding demonstration. french apple pudding.--two cups of flour, two teaspoons baking powder, one half teaspoon salt, one cup sugar, two cups milk, one half cup butter, two eggs. cream butter and sugar, add eggs, beat, add milk and other ingredients. butter deep pan, fill it with peeled and quartered cooking apples. cover with sugar and cinnamon or grated nutmeg. turn the batter over it and bake brown. invert the pudding pan and serve with cream and sugar, or pudding sauce. steamed apple pudding.--(in cups.) fill cups half full of prepared apples, sugared, buttered and spiced to taste. make a drop batter of one cup flour sifted with one teaspoon baking powder, one quarter teaspoon of salt and mixed soft with sweet milk. fill cups with batter and steam three quarters of an hour. serve with lemon or vinegar sauce, made as follows: one tablespoon each of butter, flour and sugar, stirred over the fire together, add boiling water, about one pint, and cook thick. season with one tablespoon vinegar, lemon juice or vanilla.--mrs. whitehead, pudding demonstration. strawberry pudding sauce.--cream one half cupful of butter and two cupfuls of sugar until very light, gradually add one pint of crushed strawberries and serve with bread, tapioca or rice pudding. lemon honey sauce.--cream one half cup of butter with one cupful of sugar and add yolks of three eggs. beat together and cook in double boiler, add slightly beaten whites of eggs and juice of two lemons. when cold add one half pint of whipped cream. serve on gelatine or snow pudding.--mrs. whitehead. foam sauce.--three eggs beaten light with one cupful of sugar, add one teaspoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of vanilla and one tablespoonful of brandy or whiskey or orange juice if liquor is not liked. just before serving add one cupful of boiling water. serve with suet or plum pudding. another foam sauce.--one beaten egg, one half cup sugar, three tablespoons boiling milk, flavor with vanilla. english sweet sauce.--yolks of two eggs, beaten with three quarters cup powdered sugar. add one cup sweet cream and the grated rind of one orange. cook over slow fire five minutes, stirring all of the time. maple syrup sauce for puddings.--melt one tablespoon of butter and blend with half as much flour, add one half cup of hot maple syrup and cook thick. serve as sauce on apple pudding. brown sugar syrup may be used instead of maple syrup and caramel sugar syrup is equally as good used the same way.--mrs. whitehead, sauces demonstrated in paper on puddings and pudding sauces. vanilla sauce.--norwegian. put three pints of fresh milk in a kettle over the fire and let come to a boil (but do not let it boil). four ounces of sugar, yolks of five eggs, beaten together about ten or fifteen minutes. add this to the hot milk, flavor with vanilla. get cool. to be served with fruit gelatine or sliced oranges.--mrs. r. meidell. steamed fruit pudding.--one cupful each of molasses, bread crumbs, water, flour and currants and raisins or dates. soak bread crumbs in the water until soft, add one beaten egg, three level tablespoons of melted butter or beef drippings, one teaspoon of soda, a little salt and cinnamon. mix all ingredients together and steam in a greased steam cooker or double boiler for two hours. serve with any favorite pudding sauce. as it is something like plum pudding foam sauce is liked best with it.--mrs. whitehead, demonstration of puddings. corn starch pudding.--one quart milk, eight tablespoons corn starch, pinch of salt and one half cup sugar. heat milk to boiling point and stir in sugar, salt and corn starch mixed together. when cooked sufficiently turn over the beaten whites of two eggs and stir. to make it yellow use the yolks of eggs. serve (without) with or without cream.--dorothy whitehead. chocolate pudding.--one quarter cup butter, one cup sugar, yolks of two eggs, one half cup milk, one and three eighths cups of flour, three teaspoons baking powder, whites of three eggs, one and one third squares bakers chocolate, one eighth teaspoon salt and one fourth teaspoon vanilla. cream the butter, add one half of the sugar, beat yolks and add remaining sugar, combine mixture, add milk, flour, baking powder and salt, then add the whites beaten stiff, melted chocolate and vanilla. bake in cake pan. fill the center with whipped cream sweetened and flavored and pour around chocolate sauce. chocolate sauce.--boil one cup sugar, one half cup water until a thin syrup. melt one and one half squares bakers chocolate and pour gradually over the hot syrup.--dorothy whitehead, demonstrated in th grade domestic science class at school. suet pudding.--one cup chopped suet, one cup milk (or water) one cup chopped raisins, one cup molasses, two and one half cups flour, one teaspoon soda, one half teaspoon each salt, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. sift flour, soda, salt and spices. add suet and raisins. mix milk (or water) and molasses, beat into the dry mixture and steam three hours. dressing for pudding: one cup sugar, one egg, one tablespoon flour, two tablespoons cold water, beat well and stir in half pint boiling milk or water. add butter size of an egg, flavor with vanilla.--mrs. w. c. mcguiness. nut pudding.--one cup sugar, one cup butter, one cup milk, two eggs, two and one half teaspoons salt, two teaspoons baking powder, two cups flour, one cup nuts. steam good three hours and do not uncover at all while steaming or it will fall. eat with golden sauce. one heaping teaspoon butter, one cup powdered sugar, two egg yolks, four or six tablespoons cream, flavoring. beat whites of two eggs well, and add last, do not boil.--mrs. paul leonhardy. strawberry short cake.--sift one quart of flour with three teaspoons of baking powder and a tablespoon of sugar and one half teaspoon of salt. work in three rounding tablespoons of butter to a mealy mixture or until the butter and flour are thoroughly blended; now lightly mix in enough milk to make a soft dough, (a little over a pint). handle just enough to roll out after the milk is added to the flour. roll in two round or square sheets, put in greased tins, dot with butter and bake a nice brown in a quick oven. crush two quarts of strawberries with sugar to sweeten. build the short cake in layers with the berries between cakes and generously spread on top. the whole berries are often reserved for the top. serve with thick cream or with sweetened whipped cream. raspberries, grated pineapple and fresh sliced peaches or oranges are used in season as well as strawberries.--mrs. whitehead, demonstration southern cookery. rice pudding.--mix one half cup of rice with two quarts of sweet milk, two thirds cup of sugar and a little salt. powder with cinnamon or nutmeg if liked. place dish in a pan of cold water and bake two hours or more, stirring frequently until milk has cooked out and rice is creamy.--contributed. steamed cup pudding.--two eggs, one half cup sugar, one tablespoon butter, one cup milk, two teaspoons baking powder, flour to make a stiff batter. steam twenty minutes in well greased cups and serve with pudding sauce.--mrs. a. mckay. cheese "it seems as tho' science has condemned everything we relished when a boy. * * * we have had this pure food idea pounded into us until we can't find anything any more that 'taint tainted."--sam clark. cottage cheese.--heat two quarts of lobbered milk slowly until curd is formed; drain through cheese cloth and when dry add one teaspoonful of salt and one half cup of sweet or sour cream.--mrs. j. bruegger. cheese and bread.--one cup bread crumbs, two cups milk, soak. add one half pound grated cheese, one tablespoon butter, two or three eggs, beaten lightly, pepper and salt to suit taste. brown lightly. for a small family use one half the amount.--mrs. davidson. cheese scallop.--one cup grated cheese, egg yolks beaten, tablespoons of melted butter, one cup bread crumbs soaked in one and one half cups milk, dash of cayenne pepper. mix all together, then add stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in a greased dish in a hot oven covering the top with fine bread crumbs.--contributed. cheese and bread omelet.--soak a cupful of bread crumbs until soft, then drain, add a cupful of milk and three egg yolks to the bread and salt and pepper. stir the stiffly beaten whites of eggs into the bread and one cupful of grated cheese. cook like an omelet with butter in a hot skillet. fold over and serve.--contributed. cheese and macaroni.--boil a cupful of broken macaroni tender in boiling salted water. make a cream sauce of two tablespoons of butter blended with as much flour and cooked with one half pint of milk. add salt and cook thick. then add four large tablespoons of grated cheese and one beaten egg. mix with the drained macaroni in a baking dish, cover with crumbs and brown in the oven.--contributed. cheese souffle.--stir one tablespoon of flour into one tablespoon of melted butter in a pan on the stove until well blended, add one cup of milk and cook until smooth. add one cup of grated cheese and well beaten yolks of three eggs, lastly add well beaten whites of eggs and a pinch of salt. put into a greased baking dish, set in a pan of hot water and bake about twenty minutes or until light and brown. eat as soon as it is baked.--contributed. cheese and potato omelet.--spread mashed potatoes an inch thick in a hot, heavy skillet with one tablespoon of hot butter or drippings. brown on bottom and grate cheese thickly over top; add pepper. cook and when potatoes are well browned on the bottom fold over like an omelet and serve. italian macaroni.--cook a cupful of macaroni in salted water until tender. drain off the water and put the macaroni into a colander. have ready in a saucepan a large tablespoonful of butter, heated. put into this a sliced onion and cook tender. turn into the saucepan, then a can of tomatoes and one chili pepper (or in quantity according to its "hotness"). salt and cook fifteen minutes. arrange the macaroni alternately in layers with the tomato in a bake dish, finishing of course, with the tomatoes. cover with grated cheese and bake fifteen or twenty minutes. tomatoes stuffed with macaroni and cheese.--cook one cup broken macaroni or spaghetti tender in salted water; drain and blanch in cold water. skin light tomatoes and scoop out centers. fill with the macaroni, dot with butter and season with salt and pepper, then cover top with grated cheese. bake in a moderate oven thirty minutes. serve plain or with cream sauce. for italian macaroni, chop the tomatoes, dredge with flour and mix with the above ingredients, putting a thick layer of cheese on top. bake until brown.--contributed. cheese croquettes.--make a thick stiff cream sauce as for chicken croquettes; add yolks of two eggs; one and one half cups grated cheese and salt and cayenne pepper to suit taste. when cold form into croquettes, dip into egg and fine bread crumbs and fry in deep hot fat. cheese straws.--grate cheese on rolled pie crust, fold over, grate more cheese thickly on, fold again and roll out. cut into strips and bake. sprinkle with cayenne.--contributed. beverages "serenely pure yet divinely strong."--pope. coffee.--three parts java to one part mocha coffee ground fine together. allow one tablespoonful of coffee to each cup of cold water. mix in one third of a whole egg for five cups of coffee. bring to a good boil. remove from fire, add a dash of cold water and serve.--mrs. c. h. mckay, demonstration of beverages. chocolate.--one half cup grated chocolate, one half cup sugar mixed. add to one quart of milk. bring to a boil. let it stand on back of range half an hour, then reheat it. serve whipped cream in each cup.--mrs. c. h. mckay, demonstration. tea.--water for making black tea should be boiling. allow level tablespoon tea to a pint of water. let it stand covered three to seven minutes. water for green tea should not be boiling hot, as green tea should be a smooth and oily beverage. the japanese serve tea warm but not hot. allow same proportions as above. let it stand three minutes. add hot water to tea leaves left in tea pot and leave again. use an earthen tea pot always. soft water makes better tea than hard water.--mrs. c. h. mckay, demonstration of beverages. claret freeze.--claret wine to taste. fill glass half full of chopped ice, add wine and sweeten to taste with cherry syrup. add sliced lemon or pineapple, rose leaves, or maraschino cherries. serve with straws. malted milk.--one egg sweetened with vanilla syrup, one spoonful of horlick's malted milk. shake in a shaker with crushed ice. strain; grate nutmeg on top and serve. lemonade.--one quart of water, juice of three lemons, one cup sugar. stir well and serve with crushed ice. crushed fruits may be added to this, or port wine, if liked. coffee.--one tablespoonful of finely ground coffee to each cup of water. add a white or half the white of an egg to the coffee; mix with a spoon. add one cup of cold water to each tablespoon of coffee. cook till it starts to boil. don't let it boil. serve at once.--mrs. creaser. cocoa with whipped cream.--heat one quart of milk with a pinch of cinnamon. mix four level tablespoons of cocoa with as much sugar and add one cupful of hot water. stir until smooth. add to the hot milk and simmer five to ten minutes, stirring often. whip one cupful of cream stiff, add one teaspoonful of sugar and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract to it. whip lightly and serve a generous tablespoonful in each cup of cocoa. chocolate is made by shaving one ounce of chocolate, mixing it with two large tablespoons of sugar and then heating over the fire with one tablespoonful of boiling water until smooth and glossy. add to hot milk as directed above. marshmallows added to a cup of cocoa or chocolate give a delicious flavor.--contributed. kentucky punch.--put into punch bowl one cup sugar, juice of six lemons and stir. add three peeled lemons, sliced thin, and at least one dozen large sprigs of mint and one quart of pounded ice, stir and let stand several moments and then pour in from a good height two or three bottles of imported ginger ale. a delicious creole recipe.--select fine oranges. cut through the skin around the orange and loosen the skin from the orange, turning it back, wrong side out, into a cup. now cut the orange into halves, leaving a cup on top of each half. place the orange, face down, on a dainty plate, acting as a standard for the skin cup as it were. into the cup put one whole clove, a bit of bay leaf, small piece of stick cinnamon, one lump of sugar and pour over the sugar two tablespoons of brandy. bring to the table with the after dinner coffee and place in front of each guest. touch a match to the brandy, and let each guest baste the sugar with the brandy until the alcohol has burned away, then pour the remaining liquor and spices into the coffee. the burning of the brandy and spices in the orange skin gives a very delicious flavor and a pungent, agreeable perfume. strawberry punch.--crush two quarts of strawberries and pour over them three quarts of cold water. set in the ice for three hours before straining through a cheesecloth bag, pressing hard. add then the strained juice of two lemons and two cups of granulated sugar. stir until the sugar is fully dissolved and set in the ice until you are ready to serve. fill each tumbler halfway to the brim with finely cracked ice before pouring in the strawberry mixture. strawberry fruit punch.--make as directed in foregoing recipe, and, just before serving, add two bananas, sliced very thin, two large sweet oranges cut into small dice and a cupful of the largest, ripest strawberries you can get. use a dipper in filling the glasses, that some of each kind of fruit may go into each. mint punch.--express the juice from four large lemons and strain it over a cupful (heaping) of granulated sugar. stir until the sugar is dissolved. now peel two lemons and one orange and slice as thin as paper. add to the melted sugar and set in the ice until you are ready to serve. have ready a dozen or more sprigs of freshly grated mint, which has been carefully washed and the dead leaves picked off. lay the mint in the bottom of a chilled punch bowl and pour the syrup, with the sliced fruits, upon it. next, stir in at least two quarts of shaved or pounded ice, and pour from a height upon all three bottles of the best ginger ale. there is no more delicious summer drink than this. serve at once before the effervescence ceases. roman punch.--four cups of steamed lemonade, two wine glasses of rum, juice of three oranges, one half pound sugar. shake and mix well. place block of ice in center of punch bowl and pour in this mixture. add one pint of maraschino cherries and serve in punch glasses. if preferred the mixture may be frozen to a soft mush in a freezer and serve as a dinner course.--contributed. champaigne punch.--make a syrup of two cups sugar and one quart of water and make a lemonade with juice of five lemons. add one gill brandy, one half gill jamaica rum and one pint of champaigne. whip white of one egg to a snow and sweeten and beat again. mix with the punch and freeze like lemon ice, or omit the egg. mix well and serve from punch bowl with large block of ice floating in the liquid.--contributed. temperance punch.--one quart strained lemonade, one pint unfermented grape juice; juice of six oranges with two cups sugar diluted in it. mix all well together with one gallon of ice water. taste and add more sugar if needed. sliced or diced pineapple, cherries or any fresh fruits may be added to this in season. have block of ice in punch bowl and stir well. wedding punch.--(no liquors.) one tumbler each of currant, raspberry and blackberry jelly, juice of twelve lemons, juice and pulp of two oranges, one pint grape juice, one pint of grated pineapple, one pint of preserved strawberries, one quart of canned peaches, one fourth pound conserved cherries, two pounds sugar, one quart ginger ale, three quarts water. make syrup of the water and sugar; strain. add all the jellies to hot syrup. when cool add strained lemon juice then the grated pineapple, orange pulp, and other fruits. cover and stand over night. at serving time turn into punch bowl with one quart of shaved ice or a big block of clear ice. add other ingredients, stir well and serve in punch cups or glasses.--contributed. wine punch.--make a gallon of rich lemonade, strain it and add a bottle of port wine, sherry of claret. mixed conserved cherries, pineapple and orange pulp may be stirred through this. add a quart of shaved ice or use a big block of clear ice and stir frequently, adding water and sugar as needed or more lemonade to the drips in the bowl. gingerale.--one half glass of currant jelly, one half cupful of sugar, two teaspoons of ginger. stir well together; put it into a quart pitcher and fill with ice water. serve in glasses of shaved ice. grape lemonade.--two quarts of sweet lemonade, one pint bottle of unfermented grape juice. mix thoroughly and serve with ice. fruit drink.--use one tablespoon of diluted currant, strawberry, raspberry or grape jelly to each glass of iced water and serve with shaved ice. or the canned fruit juice may be used instead of jelly. ginger ale punch.--add to a half pint of shaved ice one tablespoon brandy, one tablespoon powdered sugar and one well beaten egg. add half a pint of imported ginger ale. let it stand five minutes. blackberry cordial.--one gallon of blackberry juice, add two pounds of loaf sugar, half an ounce of cloves, one ounce nutmeg, cinnamon and allspice; boil together twenty five minutes. when cold add one quart of brandy. orange punch.--dissolve one fourth pound loaf sugar in one pint boiling water; add juice of one lemon, one pint of orange juice, one half cup brandy, one half cup rum. used either hot or cold.--contributed. hot brandy punch.--one fourth pint jamaica rum, one half pint brandy, one quarter pound sugar, one lemon and one pint boiling water. put sugar and lemon juice in a punch bowl or large pitcher; pour in the boiling water; add the rum and brandy and mix thoroughly. grate nutmeg on top and serve. for mint julep add one dozen sprigs of fresh mint to the lemon juice and sugar before adding the water.--contributed. sherry flip.--break an egg into a quart mason jar, add half a can of shaved ice and one tablespoon of sugar. fasten top securely on the can and shake hard until egg is light and foamy. add two tablespoons of sherry wine and shake again. serve with a grating of nutmeg.--contributed. fruit nectar.--put the thinly sliced rind of three lemons in a jar with one pound of chopped raisins, and one and one half pounds of sugar. pour two gallons of boiling water over it. when cold add juice of lemons and let stand in a cold place for a week, stirring it every day. strain through a jelly bag until clear, then seal in bottles. raspberry shrub.--place raspberries in a jar and cover with good cider vinegar, let it stand over night; next morning strain and to each pint of juice add a pint of sugar; boil ten minutes; bottle while hot. use one half glass of the shrub to one half glass shaved ice and water. good summer drink. same directions for currant shrub. milk shake.--fill your glass two thirds full of milk, sweeten to taste with any fruit syrup, or with sugar, then flavor with vanilla or orange. fill glass with shaved ice and shake in a covered mason jar or a milk shaker until well mixed. mulled ale.--heat one quart of good ale with a little nutmeg; beat five eggs light and mix with a little cold ale; then pour the hot and cold ale back and forth several times to prevent curdling. warm and stir until sufficiently thick; add a glass of brandy; strain and serve in tiny glasses. iced coffee.--make two pints of good, strong coffee, and clear it with the beaten white and shell of an egg. strain, sweeten, and let it get cold. add the juice of one lemon and set the mixture in ice for an hour. serve in cups or claret glasses with a little whipped cream on top. tea nectar.--draw one and a half pints of strong tea for three minutes and pour off into a bowl. sweeten to taste with sugar, the juice of a lemon and a wineglassful of brandy. ice for an hour, decorate with thin slices of lemon cut in quarters and serve in small glasses. orange punch.--stir a cupful of sugar into a scant cup of water and simmer for half an hour. skim and let it get cold before adding the strained juice of four oranges and half as much lemon juice. beat all well together; fill chilled tumblers with pounded ice and pour in enough of the syrup to fill up the interstices. refreshing beverages for convalescents for fever convalescent.--one half fresh peach, one teaspoon brandy, one tablespoon sugar, juice of half a lemon. press through sieve and add plenty of shaved ice. sip a little at a time. iced mint.--one fourth teaspoon peppermint essence, one tablespoon of powdered sugar, one tablespoon of water, one tablespoonful of wine, one teaspoon of brandy. mix well together, fill glass with shaved ice and sip through a straw. sterilized lemonade.--boil one pint of water and mix it with juice of a lemon, four lumps of sugar and grated rind of lemon. cover and stand two hours. strain and serve ice cold. for orangeade add juice of two oranges to above and two extra lumps of sugar. egg-nog.--scald one pint of milk, but do not boil. beat three eggs to a froth with one fourth cup sugar, add half a gill of beet brandy and one tablespoon of rum and a little nutmeg. beat well and add the scalded milk, either hot or cold. lemon whey.--good to induce perspiration, to break up a cold. boil half pint of milk and add one tablespoon of lemon juice; add more if this does not turn the milk. let it boil up then turn into bowl to settle; strain, sweeten and add hot water to suit taste. fruit jelly drinks.--melt currant, raspberry or cranberry jelly in hot water, sweeten to suit taste and set aside to cool. the juice of fresh berries is pleasing to a patient when the berries are forbidden. strain the fruit through a fine sieve or through cheese cloth and cool with shaved ice and sweeten. flax seed tea.--one ounce of flax seed and a little powdered licorice root and pour on a pint of hot water. steep four hours then strain. good for a cold. barley coffee.--roast barley until well browned and boil tablespoon of it in a pint of water five minutes, strain and add a little sugar, if liked. nourishing drink for fever convalescent. apple water.--roast two tart apples until soft. pour a pint of cold water on them and stand in cold place one hour. good for patients in fever and eruptive diseases. do not sweeten. eggs "twelve studies in white and gold, oh, egg, within thy oval shell, what palate tickling joys do dwell." stuffed eggs.--cook eggs twenty minutes just below boiling point. remove shells, cut in half lengthwise. take out yolks and mash them. add one half quantity finely minced ham or chicken, moisten with one tablespoon of butter softened and seasoned with salt, pepper and mustard. fill whites with this mixture and press halves together. roll in fine bread crumbs, then into beaten egg and again in crumbs. fry brown in very hot fat. serve garnished with parsley.--mrs. h. c. windel. eggs lyonnaise.--boil eight eggs twenty minutes and throw in cold water and remove shells. separate yolks and whites and chop whites fine. put whole yolks in a dish over boiling water to keep warm. peel and chop two medium sized onions and fry golden brown in two tablespoons of butter. season with salt, pepper and nutmeg and add a cupful of white sauce. stir gently to boiling point, then add chopped whites and cook two minutes. pour over hot whole yolks, sprinkle with minced parsley and serve.--mrs. h. c. windel. ham and egg on toast.--a good way to use small pieces of left over ham or other cooked meat is to chop them fine. toast several slices of bread and lay on a platter. beat three eggs slightly, pour in a little milk, cook over the fire a few minutes, but not till it is thick, stir in the chopped meat and pour over the toast.--mrs. geo. farries. onion eggs.--boil six eggs hard, slice three of the eggs, cut three onions in slices, fry in butter, lay them on a platter; place the sliced eggs over them, cover to keep hot, grate the other three eggs, season with salt and pepper, boil up in a little cream and pour over the eggs and onions.--mrs. geo. farries. shirred egg.--grease a shallow pan and break eggs carefully into it. sprinkle with salt and pepper and heat with butter. steam or bake until the whites are set and serve. shirred eggs are usually served in the individual dishes they are baked in. a little minced parsley is often sprinkled over the top of each plate. layer eggs.--fry two onions, sliced thin until they are tender and brown. cut hard boiled eggs into slices. add half a bowl of good gravy to the hot onions and then the eggs. season with salt and pepper and serve. scrambled egg.--(new.) break eight fresh eggs into a saucepan, add a piece of butter the size of an egg, eight tablespoons of cream; two tablespoons of soup stock, one scant teaspoon of salt and a little pepper. set over the fire and stir until the eggs begin to thicken then remove from the fire and beat with a dover beater until they are light and delicate. heat over the fire again and serve in a warm dish. very nice for breakfast and lunch. cream toast with egg.--heat a quart of milk; toast slices of bread, butter them and dip each into the milk a second. lay in a deep serving dish. now add a tablespoon of butter and a pinch of salt to the hot milk. beat the yolk of an egg, adding gradually a small tablespoon of flour and two tablespoons of cold milk. stir into the boiling milk and cook until creamy, then pour it over and around the toast and serve immediately. may be served with poached eggs, too. scrambled eggs with asparagus tips.--beat six eggs a trifle with two tablespoons of cream and scramble in hot pan. season and stir in the tips of a bunch of stewed asparagus. add a dash of pepper and serve on toast. eggs, new york style.--boil six eggs half an hour. drop them into cold water; shell and quarter them and lay them in a buttered baking dish. make a white sauce of one pint of hot milk with butter, and flour enough to thicken. season and stir until smooth. chop two large boiled onions, add to the sauce and pour over the eggs, sprinkle the top with cracker crumbs, dots of butter and two tablespoons of grated cheese. bake until a nice brown and serve immediately. creole eggs.--poach eggs in deep, boiling salted water and serve with a highly seasoned tomato sauce. creamed eggs.--poach eggs and serve with a thickened, seasoned cream sauce or a browned gravy sauce, mushrooms, asparagus tips, minced parsley or minced cold boiled ham, cauliflower, green corn, oysters, sausage or dried beef may be added to any cream sauce and served over poached eggs or hard boiled eggs, cut into slices or quartered. or any of these sauces may be spread on an omelet, folded over and served. cheese and eggs on toast.--beat three eggs with three tablespoons of bread crumbs, soaked soft in milk and drained. add three tablespoons of melted butter, one teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper and lastly one half pound of grated cheese. spread evenly on slices of toast and brown quickly in the oven. eggs and potatoes.--fry diced cold boiled or baked potatoes brown in a butter, seasoning with salt and pepper; break in three or four eggs and scramble lightly. add two tablespoons of thick cream and serve immediately. swiss eggs.--line a pie plate with thin slices of cheese. mix a cup of milk with one teaspoon of mustard, a dash of cayenne and a little salt. pour half of this mixture over the cheese. then break carefully five eggs on the cheese; pour over the rest of the milk and bake until the eggs are set. the cheese will melt and thicken the milk. honeycomb eggs.--set a granite pan with a tablespoon of butter in the oven to heat. beat five eggs with one third cup of milk and salt and pepper exactly one minute. pour into the hot pan and bake in a quick oven until eggs rise to the top. serve immediately. omelet, newport style.--soak a pint of bread crumbs in one pint of milk. beat eight eggs very light and stir with the crumbs, beating five minutes. heat two tablespoons of butter in a pan, pour in the mixture, season with salt and pepper and stir and scramble the mixture quickly with the point of a knife, tossing it lightly. cook about three minutes and serve on toast. plain omelet.--separate four eggs. beat the yolks with half a cup of milk or water, season with salt and pepper. beat the whites in a bowl very light or until the bowl can be inverted and retain the whites of eggs. cut the whites into the yolks and turn into a hot frying pan with melted butter. let it stand over the fire undisturbed until it is nicely browned on the bottom. then run the pan into a hot oven and brown on top. serve immediately with or without sauce. vegetable omelet is made by spreading hot thickened creamed vegetables over the omelet just before serving. asparagus omelet is excellent. fruit omelets are made by spreading with stewed fruit or jelly or crushed sweetened fresh fruit like strawberries, raspberries or peaches, or jams made of these fruits. fruit omelets are spread with powdered sugar usually. rice, macaroni or hominy are often seasoned in a favorite way with cheese or gravy and spread on the omelet before serving. macaroni cooked with tomatoes and cheese makes an excellent omelet filling. thickened, stewed tomatoes are nice, and mushrooms may be added with green peas to the tomatoes for spanish omelet. in fact there are a thousand good combinations and there isn't a nicer way to use a small portion of any left over than to use it for an omelet filling if it will harmonize with eggs at all. four eggs in an omelet combination of this kind will do nicely for a meal for a family of six people.--contributed. bread omelet.--soak one half cup of bread crumbs in one half cup of milk. separate four eggs, beat separately. beat bread crumbs into the yolks, add salt and pepper, beat whites till stiff. add them to yolks stirring with a spoon and pour into a hot spider at once. cook on top of stove till the bottom is browned then place in the oven till it is cooked through.--mrs. creaser. ham or meat omelets.--soak one cupful of bread crumbs in one cup of milk; add one cupful of minced cold boiled ham, veal, beef, corned beef, tongue, fish or chicken; season with salt and pepper. beat two eggs very light, stir in lightly. turn into a buttered hot frying pan, brown on the bottom well, then run the pan into a hot oven and brown on top. or they may be fried in deep lard by dipping a spoonful of the mixture into the smoking hot grease.--contributed. codfish omelet.--cook one tablespoon of flour with one of butter, add one half cup hot milk. add one cup of shredded codfish that has been parboiled until tender, and drained. add two cups cold boiled potatoes that have been chopped fine. mix well. brown butter in a hot frying pan, turn in the mixture, brown on the bottom, then fold over and serve.--contributed. baked eggs.--break eight eggs into a well buttered dish; salt and pepper them, add bits of butter and four tablespoons of cream; cover top with grated cheese. bake about twenty minutes.--contributed. eggs with mushrooms on toast.--break one cupful of mushrooms into small pieces, dredge them with flour and put them into the saucepan with three tablespoonfuls of butter, a few drops of onion juice, salt and paprika. cook for ten minutes. beat three eggs slightly, not separating them, and season them with salt and pepper. add them to the mushrooms and scrape them from the bottom as they cook until the mixture is thick and creamy. serve on hot buttered toast. left overs "beware of little extravagances; a small leak will sink a big ship."--benjamin franklin. left overs roll call responses bread and potatoes.--break up scraps of bread into small pieces, moisten with a little hot water; cover and steam a few moments. add to diced cold boiled potatoes, season, and fry in butter.--mrs. a. mckay. hash.--use twice as much cold boiled potatoes as you have cold cooked meat. chop fine, separately; mix until moist with hot water and season with salt and cayenne pepper and a little onion, if liked. spread on baking pan, pour bacon drippings on top and bake brown.--mrs. t. a. mckay. eier brod.--cut scraps of bread into small dice and fry brown in plenty of butter. to a pint of crumbs, beat five or six eggs lightly with two or three tablespoons of milk; add a dash of salt and turn eggs over the bread. scramble all together until the eggs are cooked. serve hot.--mrs. paul leonhardy. broiled boiled ham.--take thin slices of boiled ham, put on a broiler and broil crisp. nice for breakfast or lunch.--l. w. sweet and sour stew.--cut up two onions and fry until glazed; add one tablespoon of flour. brown and add one quart cold water, one bay leaf, a little salt and pepper, one cooking spoon of vinegar and the same of sugar. boil and add diced, cold boiled meat. stew about one hour.--mrs. george bruegger. second day chicken stew.--three fourths cup chicken broth, one cup thick cream, dash of salt, two tablespoons of flour rubbed with butter. thicken the above hot broth with this and add left over diced chicken and one half can mushrooms.--mrs. t. a. mckay. candies "sweets to the sweet." sea foam candy.--two cups light brown sugar, whites of one or two eggs according to size of cup used, one cup of nut meats, one teaspoon vanilla. beat the eggs stiff. put sugar on stove with enough water to cover and cook until it forms a soft ball in water. beat this into the eggs very vigorously and add nuts and vanilla. drop by spoonful on buttered paper.--mrs. davidson. marsh mallows.--three cups white sugar, sixteen tablespoons hot water. put on stove and boil until it forms a soft ball when dropped in water. have ready one package knox's gelatine, no. , and twelve tablespoons cold water. pour hot syrup over this slowly and beat twenty minutes. pour on buttered paper sprinkled with powdered sugar. let stand one hour then cut in squares and roll in powdered sugar.--mrs. davidson. chocolate creams.--one and one half cups white sugar, one large tablespoon glucose, three fourths cup water. put all together and place on back of stove for ten minutes, then place on brisk fire and boil until you can pick it up when dropped in cold water. have ready the white of one egg beaten to a froth. pour the hot sugar slowly over it and beat until stiff enough to drop in balls. use any flavor desired. dip in melted baker's chocolate.--mrs. davidson. fudge.--take three cups of sugar and one cup of milk or cream, add one cupful of chocolate and let all boil for about fifteen minutes. then beat well and add butter size of an english walnut, flavor with vanilla and add chopped nuts.--mrs. harry hanson. divinity fudge.--put two cups of sugar, one half cup water, one half cup corn syrup into a pan and boil till it strings when dropped from a spoon. beat into the whites of two beaten eggs. add nuts when cold and put into buttered tins. before real cold cut into squares.--marguerite heffernan. penoche.--one cup granulated sugar, three cups brown sugar, one lump of butter, half the size of an egg. boil until it will harden when dropped in a cup of cold water. add cup of broken nuts and stir fast until hard enough to pour. turn into buttered tins and cut into squares.--marguerite heffernan. chocolate fudge.--two cups of sugar, one cup of milk, butter size of an egg, chocolate to suit taste. put the sugar and milk and butter on to boil. when nearly done add chocolate and nuts, boil until it hardens in cold water. pour into buttered tins to cool.--marguerite heffernan. heavenly bliss candy.--two and a quarter cups granulated sugar, one half cup water, one cup walnut, one half cup corn syrup, whites of two eggs, vanilla to suit taste. boil together sugar, syrup and water until it hardens when tried in water. beat up whites of eggs until real stiff, then pour in syrup stirring and beating constantly, add walnut and vanilla, beat until quite stiff. put on greased tins, cut in squares when cold, or put in well buttered mould and cut in slices. care should be taken in boiling syrup long enough.--mrs. monroe. fudge.--two cups sugar, two squares chocolate, butter size of walnut, two thirds cup water, one half cup walnut meat, vanilla. heat sugar, water, butter and chocolate slowly until chocolate is melted. boil until when tried in water will form a soft ball. remove from fire, add walnuts and vanilla and beat until creamy. pour on buttered tins and cut in squares when cool.--mrs. monroe. divinity fudge.--two cups of sugar, one half cup of corn syrup, one half cup of water, whites of two eggs, one cup of chopped nuts, flavoring to taste. boil the sugar, corn syrup and water until brittle enough to break when tried in cold water. have the whites of eggs beaten stiff and add the syrup slowly. beat or stir constantly and when it begins to cool add nuts and flavoring. when thick put on buttered plates.--mrs. d. e. plier. ginger dates.--prepare the following mixture and use it to fill the cavities in stoned dates. chop fine some seeded raisins and an equal amount of soft preserved ginger root, mix thoroughly and fill the dates until plump and smooth, then roll in powdered sugar. nougat.--two cups sugar, one half cup light corn syrup, one half cup boiling water. boil until it makes a hard ball in water. have ready the whites of two eggs beaten and into this stir the syrup. flavor and beat in chopped nuts until quite thick. turn in buttered tin. set in cool place until next day.--mrs. f. kleinsorge. stuffed dates.--remove seeds, stuff with blanched almond or with cream or chocolate fondant or half english walnut meat. roll in powdered sugar.--mrs. whitehead. salted almonds or peanuts.--melt an ounce of butter in a baking pan. blanch a pound of shelled almonds by letting them stand in hot water till skins can be slipped off easily. dry well, mix with the butter, sprinkle with salt and brown a golden brown in the oven, shaking or stirring often. cool by drawing on brown paper. serve cold on small dishes. all varieties of nuts may be roasted this way.--mrs. whitehead. brown sugar taffy.--two cups brown sugar, one cup granulated sugar, one tablespoon butter. boil with water to cover, until it is crisp and brittle when tried in cold water. flavor with tablespoon of vanilla and pour carefully into greased pans to cool. cut into small squares before it becomes hard, then break apart. do not stir this candy while cooking.--mrs. whitehead. vanilla taffy.--two cups granulated sugar, three fourths cup cold water, one tablespoon of vinegar, one tablespoon of butter. mix well and boil without stirring until it is crisp and brittle when tested in cold water. add vanilla extract and turn into greased pans (sprinkle with nuts if liked). let it get cool enough to handle then pull until white. twist into a rope and cut with scissors into small cubes and put on buttered plates.--mrs. whitehead. canned fruit, preserves, jelly and wines "preserving the sweetness of proportion and expressing itself beyond expression."--ben jonson. canned berries.--fill the glass cans with the cleaned berries as full as you can crowd them in the jars. make a syrup of sugar and water, allowing a pint of sugar to each pint of water for the sour berries and a quarter less sugar for the sweet fruits. boil to a medium thick syrup. fill the cans of fruit with this syrup and seal, but not air tight. (put the tops lightly on). stand the jars in a large dish pan or preserving kettle half filled with boiling water. cover and let the water boil for twenty minutes, then remove the jars and seal as tight as possible. invert the cans and let them stand over night then place cans each in a paper bag to exclude the light and pack in a cool dry place. it is better to use wash boiler if much fruit is canned at a time and a cloth should be laid on the bottom of the boiler to prevent breaking of the cans. fruit canned this way retains its shape, color and flavor. strawberries, cherries, red or black raspberries, black berries, currants, gooseberries, huckleberries, grapes and plums are best canned by this method. if peaches, pineapple, apricots, pears and crab apples are canned this way they should cook twenty minutes longer to assure tender fruit. they are perhaps more satisfactory cooked in a thick syrup in an open kettle and then canned, as they are not soft enough to lose their shape and it is more convenient to test them and judge as to tenderness and flavor.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. berry jam.--weight the cleaned berries and take an equal weight of sugar for the sour fruit and crush and beat together until well mixed in the preserving kettle, then boil steadily and gently over the fire until thick, stirring frequently. gooseberries should be boiled in water to cover until the skins break, then add the sugar slowly and cook half an hour. currants should be cooked only long enough to let the fruit get tender, as the juice jellies easily anyway, and the currants get hard and tough if cooked too long. red raspberries are nice combined with currant juice and sugar.--mrs. whitehead. marmalades.--marmalade differs from jam because the fruit is cooked in water to cover and when soft and tender is pressed through a colander or sieve. then the sugar is added and the pulp is cooked to a smooth, thick consistency over a steady fire, stirring often to prevent the fruit from sticking to the kettle. the fruit is weighed before cooking and an equal weight of sugar is used. fruit "butters" are thick marmalades but they are usually not sweetened as much as marmalades and are cooked longer. sour fruits like cherries, gooseberries, plums, peach and apples make the best "butters." black berries, oranges, apricots, grapes, peaches and pears make the best marmalades. the hard seeds of blackberries and grapes are nicely disposed of in marmalade and yet the pulp and fine flavor of the fruit is retained. cook them as long as you would jelly.--mrs. whitehead. currant jelly.--wash the currants, steam them and fill a large preserving kettle with two pints of water added. wash the fruit and boil five minutes. strain through a jelly bag and measure the juice, allowing a pint of sugar to each pint of juice. put the juice over the fire and boil steadily twenty minutes. warm the sugar in the oven, add it to the boiling juice and stir well. boil three minutes. try a little on a saucer. if it "jells," pour into jelly glasses, placing a silver spoon in each to prevent cracking the glass. set in the sun until it is firm, then cover with melted paraffine. another method is to boil the strained juice ten minutes, then add the sugar and boil ten more minutes. this makes a stiff, firm jelly but the first method makes more delicate jelly. make grape jelly the same as currant, using green grapes if possible. grapes must be fresh and not over ripe or they will not "jell" nicely.--mrs. whitehead. raspberry jelly.--select red raspberries that are firm and if possible, not quite ripe. set them over a slow fire after crushing them with a potato masher. boil five minutes, then strain through a jelly bag and measure. use the same measure of sugar. boil the juice fifteen minutes, add the sugar and boil five minutes. or to each three pints of raspberry juice add one pint of currant juice and proceed as for currant jelly. strawberries are used the same as raspberries, selecting firm, solid fruit that is practically ripened, if possible. it may also be combined with apple juice instead of currant juice, if liked.--mrs. whitehead. crab apple jelly.--wash and quarter fresh, firm crab-apples and cover with water allowing one quart of water to each pound of fruit. cover the kettle and boil twenty minutes. drain in jelly bag over night. allow half a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. boil juice ten minutes, add warm sugar, boil up once and try the jelly, which should jelly instantly.--mrs. whitehead. wild plum jelly.--sprinkle the washed plums with a little soda; cover with boiling water and stand ten minutes; then drain and cover with fresh boiling water and cook thoroughly, to a mush. squeeze through a jelly bag and proceed as in making currant jelly. cultivated plums are cooked in a little water until soft and tender and then strained in a jelly bag and used like currants. many colors are possible from the different varieties of plums and as many fine flavors. fancy jellies.--three pints of pineapple juice to one pint of apple juice and an equal measure of sugar makes nice pineapple jelly. a rose geranium leaf in each glass of apple jelly is liked by many. a delicious mint flavor may be given to apple jelly by lining the bottom of a jelly glass with mint leaves or the juice may be flavored with essence of mint or winter green before it is boiled with the sugar. even red peppers are boiled in their own juice by chopping them and placing them in a double boiler and cooking until all of the juice is extracted. allow an equal measure of sugar and boil until it thickens and put in small glasses, and serve with cold meats. the seeds of two vanilla beans added to twelve pounds of apples made into jelly, just before turning the jelly into the tumblers makes a delicious jelly for cake fillings and desserts. rhubarb, apricots and quinces are sometimes used for jelly but are difficult to make unless combined with other fruits rich in pectose like currants and apples. plum conserve.--two baskets of blue plums, six large oranges. use the peeling of two. two pounds of seeded raisins chopped. use one half pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. boil one hour, stirring constantly.--mrs. creaser. carrot marmalade.--boil carrots with their skins on. when cooked remove skins and put carrots through a sausage grinder. take equal amounts by weight of sugar and carrot pulp and boil again. flavor with sliced lemons and almond extract. chopped nuts may also be added.--mrs. h. hanson. quince honey.--grate four large quinces in one quart of cold water. add two pounds granulated sugar and boil until thick as jam.--mrs. w. c. mcguiness. quince honey.--to five pounds granulated sugar, add sufficient water to make a syrup, thick enough for pancake syrup. pare six large quinces and grate them. after the syrup has thoroughly boiled add the grated quinces and boil all together until it becomes a reddish color, when it is ready to be put into jars for use.--m. e. cooper. mrs. alleman's pineapple conserve.--two pounds of pineapple, four pounds of rhubarb, grind together and add twice as much sugar as you have fruit. boil slowly until thick then put in jelly glasses. good with game and cold meats.--contributed. green tomato marmalade.--peel and cut in small pieces six cups of green tomatoes, add two lemons, use the outside yellow, but remove the inside white skin and cut the pulp up in small pieces, add six cups of white sugar and cook until thick. ginger pears.--pare and core large juicy pears and cut in small sections. to each quart of the fruit, use one pint of sugar, one piece of ginger root, one stick of cinnamon and one half of a lemon cut in small pieces. cook very slowly until the pear is clear and the mixture like marmalade.--mrs. schollander. gooseberry marmalade.--one pound of ripe gooseberries, one half pound of sugar, the shredded peel of one lemon or a stick of cinnamon. weigh, wash, drain and mash ripe gooseberries. press through a sieve. boil the sugar with one half cupful of water and the spice to a syrup; add the sifted gooseberry and cook to a thick marmalade, stirring almost continually. put up hot in air tight glasses. orange marmalade.--remove the seeds from--but do not peel--twelve large or fifteen small oranges and six lemons. cut both into thin slices. pour three quarts of cold water over them and let stand for forty eight hours. put into a preserving kettle and cook slowly until tender. add six pounds of sugar; if desired very sweet, add more, and cook until the consistency of ordinary marmalade. orange and honey marmalade.--peel the oranges, removing every particle of white pith. cut small; to one quart of this pulp and juice add one pound of honey and one quarter pound of the thin yellow peel of the orange. cut the peel into tiny bits, cover with half a pint of water and boil until tender; add to the pulp and honey, and cook together for half an hour, stirring frequently. pour into small glasses and when perfectly cold, cover with paraffin.--contributed. orange honey.--remove the peel from oranges, and cut into small pieces with a pair of scissors; wash and soak for twenty four hours, then chop fine, and turn into a preserve kettle, using one cupful of sugar, and one cupful of water for every cupful of peel. boil all together until it is a soft, thick mixture like honey, then bottle in screw top jars. serve on hot biscuits or rolls, or use like ordinary honey.--contributed. bar de luc currants.--take selected red (or white) currants of large size, one by one, carefully make an incision in the skin one fourth of an inch in size, with tiny embroidery scissors. through this slit, with a sharp needle, remove the seeds, separately, preserving the shape of the fruit. take the weight of the currants in strained honey and, when hot, add the currants. let simmer a minute or two, then seal as jelly. the currants retain their shape, are of a beautiful color and melt in the mouth. should the currant liquify the honey too much, carefully skim them out, reduce the syrup at a gentle simmer to desired consistency and store as before after adding the fruit.--contributed. sweet pickle of pineapple.--peel a pineapple, removing the eyes. tear the fruit from the core with a silver fork. for six pounds of fruit boil together a pint of vinegar and three pounds of sugar. put into the vinegar a bag containing two level teaspoons each of powdered cinnamon and mace, half a teaspoon of cloves and a piece of green ginger root about a half inch long. when scalding pour over the fruit, which should be in a large crock or earthen dish. let all stand for twenty four hours, drain off the syrup, bring it to the boiling point and pour over the fruit. repeat for two more successive days, then seal.--contributed. sun preserved strawberries.--select ripe, clean, perfect fruit. it spoils the fruit to wash it; if, however, this is necessary, put about one quart of berries in a wire basket or colander; put them carefully down in a pan of cold water; move the basket gently just a moment; lift and drain; then stem the berries. weigh, and to each pound allow one pound of sugar. select large stoneware or granite platters; heat them quite hot; cover with half an inch sugar, a layer of strawberries, and the remaining sugar over the top of the berries. stand the platters in a "cold frame", or cover them with glass and stand them in the hot sun. as soon as the sun becomes too cool bring them in; don't lift the covers, but stand them aside until morning. next morning put them out in the hot sun again. by this time the berries should be soft and transparent, but perfectly whole and of a brilliant color. lift each berry carefully with a fork; put it in the tumbler; fill all the necessary tumblers and cover them for a moment with glass. put the syrup over the fire and boil rapidly until it is sufficiently reduced just to cover the fruit; pour it over the fruit while it is hot; protect the tumblers and stand them aside to cool. when cold put over the top of each a tablespoonful of melted paraffin; cover the tops of the tumblers with two thicknesses of tissue paper and fasten firmly around the edge with library paste. when the paper is thoroughly dry brush it with cold water. in drying the paper will tighten and form an exceedingly good covering.--contributed. apple butter.--boil cider down to two thirds its original quantity, and turn into this as many peeled and sliced apples as the liquid will cover. simmer, stirring often until soft and broken. strain out the cooked apples, add more fresh ones and cook in the same way. do this until the cider is absorbed. set all aside in a stone crock for twelve hours, then boil to a soft brown mass and pack in stone jars.--contributed. canned whole gooseberries.--take stem and blossom ends from large firm gooseberries. fill fruit can with them, cover with boiling water, let stand until following day; drain, add boiling water again repeating for three days in succession. then fill with boiling water and seal. when ready to use cook and sweeten. fine for winter pies. sunned currants.--cover large red, stemmed currants with granulated sugar; spread on a platter and stand over night. cover with a pane of glass and stand in the sun three days in succession. seal in jelly glasses. use equal weights of sugar and fruit. same recipe is nice with red raspberries and with large, firm strawberries. the juice jellies around the fruit which retains its shape and rich color. canned grape juice.--stem, wash and drain concord grapes, cook until soft; strain through jelly bag. add a pint of sugar to each gallon of juice. cook only until sugar is dissolved and seal. peach preserves.--use four cups of sugar to each quart of peeled peaches. make a thick syrup of the sugar and water. pour hot over fruit and stand over night. drain syrup and boil thick again. drop in peaches and cook tender. pack them in jars, covering with the syrup. choke cherry and crab apple jelly.--cover choke cherries with water and stew until soft. strain through jelly bag. prepare crab apples likewise. use twice as much apple juice as cherry. mix and boil twenty five minutes. add one cup sugar to each cup juice and boil ten minutes more. sun preserved strawberries.--wash and stem berries. take an equal weight of sugar, add a very little water and dissolve. when boiling add the berries. let come to a boil and cook three minutes. pour into platters or shallow dishes and set in the sun until thick. three days will suffice if the weather is clear. if the dishes are covered with glass the fruit cooks more quickly. when thick put in tumblers, cover with paraffin and put in a dark place. conserves.--one quart of rhubarb (do not peel), one pint of red raspberries, one pint red currants, one pound raisins, one pound english walnuts, two oranges (sliced very thin), two lemons (sliced very thin); a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. cook until thick as jelly. put in jelly glasses and cover with paraffin. (delicious.) apple butter.--fill a preserve kettle with peeled, cored and sliced apples. add a slight flavoring of cloves, allspice and cinnamon. cover with fresh, sweet cider and boil slowly, stirring frequently until the whole becomes a dark brown jam with only juice enough to keep it soft and buttery. remove from fire and place in covered jars or seal. do not use for several weeks. good spread for bread for children. select firm apples that cook to a soft, smooth apple sauce. bell-flowers, greenings, baldwin or maiden blush apples make good apple butter.--mrs. whitehead. currant compote.--pick nice large red currants from stems after washing well. put one half of them into a preserve kettle. press juice out of remaining half; add enough sugar to make a syrup, heat until sugar is dissolved. cool slightly and pour over the currants in preserve kettle. bring to a boil and seal in pint jars. the currants will be whole and taste much like fresh fruit with jellied juice around them.--mrs. whitehead. wines "a cup of wine sir? a cup of wine that's brisk and fine."--shakespeare. grape wine.--for five gallons of wine use twelve and one half pounds of concord grapes, twelve and one half pounds of wild grapes, twelve and one half pounds sugar. wash the grapes then pick from stems and put in stone jars and mash; let stand from seven to ten days, then press through wine press or jelly bag. add sugar and water enough to fill a five gallon keg. put in cool cellar; let bung hole remain open but cover it with cheese cloth and let grapes ferment; change cloth frequently and after six weeks cork the keg tightly and let lie until march, then seal in bottles. may be made from bull berries or other fruit by same process. same recipe for choke cherries.--mrs. j. bruegger. rhubarb wine.--take five pounds of rhubarb and cut into small pieces, add one gallon of cold water and put in a crock for eight days, stirring it well two or three times a day, then strain and to every gallon add four pounds of white sugar, the juice and half the rind of one lemon. dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in a little of the liquid and add. cover it for a month, then strain through a muslin bag and bottle.--mrs. schollander. choke cherry wine.--to one gallon of fruit allow two gallons of water, mash fruit to get the juice, let stand nine days, then press through a fruit press. when the juice is all extracted strain through a cloth. to each gallon of juice allow three pounds of granulated sugar, or loaf sugar, let stand several days and when thoroughly mixed, the sugar all dissolved, strain through flannel bag, into keg or jug, leaving it uncorked, but should be covered with some perforated cover or cloth to avoid dirt or flies, or anything to get into the keg. let this ferment until it stops, which takes several weeks and be sure to keep it full, there is always loss when it bubbles over, therefore it is advisable to reserve a quart of juice to fill up with (plain sugar water will answer the same purpose). when it ceases to ferment cork tight, (air tight), let alone until the month of march then draw into bottles, cork tight and it will be ready for use.--mrs. george bruegger. salads fruit salads.--there is a large variety of dressings considered appropriate for fruit salads. boiled frosting is perhaps one of the most popular foundations with varying flavors of fruit, wine, etc. sugar and lemon juice, sugar and fruit juice, boiled custard, plain whipped cream sweetened and flavored, are all used, as well as a cooked dressing made in this way: add to the yolks of four eggs well beaten, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, one half teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne and four tablespoonfuls of vinegar. cook in a double boiler, stir constantly and cook rather slowly to prevent curdling. let this get thoroughly cold and just before serving add one pint of whipped cream unsweetened. mix well and pour over the salad.--contributed. golden dressing.--beat two eggs, and a quarter cupful of any light colored fruit juice, quarter cupful lemon juice, and a quarter cupful of sugar. put in a double boiler, stir until thickened, cool and pour over sliced fruit.--contributed. fruit salad.--for the salad itself all sorts of combinations are possible. malaga grapes cut in halves, seeded, and mixed with a third of the same quantity of shelled pecans in one happy mixture. pineapples, oranges and bananas go well together, as also pitted ripe sour cherries with nuts. orange, lettuce, lemon, nuts and water cress are congenial companions, while preserved fruit may be used with fresh fruit. prunes are delicious in a salad, stuffing them with nuts or cheese, covering with mayonnaise. the prunes should be washed, soaked over night, then cooked until tender before they are pitted. apricots, either fresh or canned, sliced ripe pears are two new favorites used with nuts and served with a nice boiled salad dressing, and garnished with shredded lettuce.--contributed. frozen salad.--put into a bowl one cupful orange slices, one cupful each bananas and pineapple, one cupful of mayonnaise, one cupful cream, measured before whipping, and a teaspoonful gelatine that has been softened in cold water, then dissolve over hot water, toss lightly, place in a mould and freeze. when frozen, cut in slices and serve on lettuce leaves.--contributed. pineapple salad.--lay one thick slice of canned pineapple on a lettuce leaf, spread with thick mayonnaise, cap with sweetened whipped cream and sprinkle with ground pecans or english walnuts.--mrs. whitehead. fruit salad.--one cup of diced apples, one cup diced pineapple, one cup diced oranges, one and one half cups bananas, one cup white grapes, (cut in half), seeds removed, one half cup walnut meats, one half cup diced celery. serve with a salad dressing or whipped cream.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. mrs. alleman's waldorf salad.--one cup each of chopped apples, walnuts and celery. dress with following mayonnaise dressing: mix one half tablespoon salt, one half tablespoon mustard and three fourths of a tablespoon of sugar, add one slightly beaten egg, two and one half tablespoons of melted butter, three fourths of a cup of thin cream and very slowly one fourth of a cup of vinegar. cook in double boiler until thick, then strain and cool. fruit salad.--one pound of malaga grapes, washed, cut into halves and seeded; six large slices of canned pineapple cut into small pieces; four apples peeled, quartered and cut into small pieces; three bananas sliced fine; one bunch of celery, cleaned and cut into small dice; one cupful of chopped pecans or english walnuts. mix all lightly together and mix with mayonnaise salad dressing. as all people do not like olive oil i usually make a boiled dressing as follows: heat half a cupful of vinegar with as much hot water and two large spoonfuls of butter. beat the yolks of four eggs very light with a scant half a cupful of sugar; add one level teaspoonful of flour and stir well; add then one tablespoonful of dry mustard, one teaspoonful of salt and one of celery salt or celery seed; a dash of black and of red pepper, beat a little; place over the fire and cook thick, beating well. cook only a few moments, then remove from the fire and beat until perfectly smooth. when ready to use add one cupful of thick whipped cream. mix with the prepared fruit. a scant teaspoon of flour added to sugar and egg mixture prevents curdling of the dressing and saves eggs at a season when they are scarce while it assures a smooth dressing always. a dash of sugar added to cream before whipping it will prevent its turning to butter. lemon juice sprinkled over the fruit will prevent discoloring of apples and bananas.--mrs. b. g. whitehead. banana salad.--skin bananas and cut into halves. roll each in chopped peanuts. lay on a lettuce leaf and serve with mayonnaise dressing capped with whipped cream.--contributed. serving dinner "truth seeks some broader meeting place for breed or clan or tribe or race for saint and sinner; but after all the noise and fuss the issue paramount with us is--what for dinner?"--j. w. foley. serving a formal dinner.--in cities the usual hour for a dinner party is seven o'clock; in country places it is frequently earlier in the day. when the last guest has arrived, dinner is announced. the host leads the way with the lady whom he wishes to honor and the hostess comes last with the gentleman whom she wishes to honor. the giving of a dinner is the most important of all the duties of a hostess. she must not betray ignorance or show nervousness, for she alone is responsible for its entire success. the serving maid should be trained to keep cool and avoid accidents. the number invited and the outlay expended should depend upon circumstances and one's means. the favorite form of serving a formal dinner is called a la russe. the articles of food are carved by the servants at a side table or in the kitchen and brought to the guests. this has one advantage; it allows the host and hostess more time for social enjoyment with their guests. but it calls for well trained servants to perform this duty satisfactorily. it requires about one servant to every six guests; therefore, when dinner is served in this fashion, where the help is inadequate, it is well to engage outside assistance. for a home like, informal, dinner, where the host does the carving, one servant can wait upon twelve persons and do it well if properly trained. on a table or sideboard should be placed the plates for the various courses, smaller spoons, finger-bowls, coffee cups and saucers. as the plates from each course are removed, they should be taken to the kitchen. the waiter should approach the guests from the left except in serving water, coffee, or anything of a like nature. the color and flavor of the various courses should be as different from each other as possible, offering all the foods in their respective seasons and of the finest quality. courses for a formal dinner.--first course: oysters, as a rule, should be served at the beginning of a dinner, though they are used only in those months of the year in which the letter "r" occurs. the balance of the year little neck clams are used. the second course consists of a soup, the clear soup being preferred, accompanied by crackers or bread. celery may be served also. the third course consists of fish, boiled or fried, and should be accompanied by small boiled potatoes; if boiled or cooked in any fancy manner, serve radishes. fourth course: an entree is next in order if desired; it should be made in a fancy way, so as to avoid carving; bread should be the accompaniment. relishes, such as olives, salted almonds, etc., are served with this course. the fifth course consists of roasts. these may be composed of beef, veal, mutton, lamb, venison, turkey, duck, goose, or capon, accompanied by one or two vegetables. sixth course: punch or sherbet may be dispensed with or not, as fancy dictates. the seventh course consists of snipe, prairie chicken, squabs, etc., but poultry, such as spring chicken, or duck, may be served instead. eighth course: any appetizing salad with cheese wafers. ninth course: hot and cold sweet dishes, consisting of puddings, ice cream, cakes, etc. tenth course: turkish or black coffee served demi-tasse. the above makes a pleasant menu, but it can be made simpler or more elaborate as one chooses. before serving the dessert all the dishes should be removed, save the drinking: glasses, and all crumbs should be lifted from the cloth by means of the crumb knife and tray. a dessert plate and dessert spoon and knife provided they are needed, should then be placed in front of each guest. coffee (made after the manner of after dinner coffee) should be passed last, demi-tasse, and served clear. sugar and cream should follow, in order that those who prefer either or both, may help themselves as they please. proper vegetables and sauces to serve with meats "the veal artist puts both heart and mind into every dish. it blends with the season, it is suited to the occasion and harmonizes with the general manner of living."--sarah tyson rorer. soups.--bread or bread sticks with clear soups. cracker with oyster, clam or lobster soups, grated cheese (parmesan preferred) with macaroni soup. celery, radishes or olives with all meat soups. croutons with puree of vegetables of all kinds and with chowders or hard water crackers with the latter. fish raw shell fish.--serve oysters and clam very cold or deep in their shells pressed into a plate of cracked ice. garnish with quarters of lemon. pass horse radish, tabasco sauce or tomato catsup and crackers or wafers or brown bread and butter. cooked shell fish.--brown sauce and toast with boiled oysters. cabbage salad, french dressing, tomato relish or catsup with fried oysters. lettuce, french dressing, or tomatoes raw or chili sauce or catsup; sauce tartare; with boiled lobster. sauce tartare and bread with deviled crabs or lobster. sauce tartare and bread with lobster farce. french rolls and lettuce salad with lobster. planked or baked fish.--potato puff, cucumbers with french dressing or cucumber sauce. boiled fish; fried potato balls or french fried potatoes and cucumbers. boiled fish; sauce hallandaise, boiled potatoes with parsley and cucumbers. small fried fish; sauce tartare and crisp bread. fish croquettes or cutlets; potato roses and crisp rolls. halibut steaks; cucumbers, brown bread and butter. creamed or deviled fish; cucumber sauce and crisp bread. salt cod fish; boiled potatoes, parsnips, biscuits or brown bread. salt mackeral; fried mush corn bread, gooseberry sauce. fish timbales; cream sauce or lobster, shrimp oyster sauce, small potato balls. sweets should not follow a fish supper or luncheon. entrees.--timbales, with cream sauce and peas; mushrooms; pass crisp bread. croquettes with peas. bondins with peas and delicate sauce. roasts.--serve with the meat course one starchy and one succulent vegetable, unless a dinner salad is served which generally takes the place of the succulent vegetable. never serve two starchy vegetables together and do not serve potatoes with meat if they were served with the fish course. beef with roast ribs of beef serve a choice of the following. starchy vegetables.--mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, browned roasted potatoes, baked squash, hominy, yorkshire pudding, corn meal dumplings. succulent or green vegetables.--string beans, new beets, lima beans, green corn, scalloped or baked tomatoes, egg plant (stuffed), parsnips, kale, cabbage and asparagus. with sirloin roast.--stuffed white or sweet potatoes, hominy croquettes or any of the foregoing starchy vegetables and any of the preceding succulent vegetables or spinach, young carrots or brussels sprouts. with a baked fillet of beef always serve mushroom sauce and potato croquettes and peas. with boiled fillet, sauce hallandaise and french salad or asparagus salad. with boiled steak for dinner, stuffed potatoes or potato croquettes, and peas or string beans, asparagus, mushrooms or baked tomatoes. with boiled steak for lunch, french fried or hashed brown potatoes and celery or lettuce. with rolled steak, tomato sauce and baked potatoes and stewed turnips or carrots. with pot roast, boiled potatoes, boiled turnips or baked squash, or cabbage. with boiled corn beef serve cabbage, turnips, greens and boiled potatoes and horse radish sauce. with brown stew, tomatoes and dumplings. with boiled beef, boiled potatoes, string beans or browned parsnips. with hamburger steak, brown or tomato sauce, or stewed mushrooms or sweet peppers. with beef tongue, raisin sauce, carrots and boiled rice. with hot salt boiled tongue, potato salad and rye bread. with baked heart, potatoes, beans, carrots or parsnips. with creamed dried beef, corn bread or mush. veal.--with veal cutlets, tomato or brown sauce and rice balls. with roasted veal, boiled rice, spinach, cauliflower or brussels sprouts. with stewed veal, dumplings and cooked tomatoes. with veal loaf, celery, apple or tomato salad. with calves liver, macedoine or vegetables and brown sauce. garnish with crisp bacon strips. with sweet breads, baked; brown sauce and peas; stewed; mushrooms and cream sauce; glazed; mushrooms and peas; broiled, peas and rolls. mutton.--with boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce, boiled rice and turnips. with roasted leg of mutton, brown sauce, rice croquettes, turnips or cabbage. with saddle and mutton, plain baked macaroni, peas or asparagus. with shoulder, boiled rice or turnips or boiled hominy and parsnip fritters. with irish stew, dumplings and onions. with roasted loin, rice croquettes and tomatoes. with broiled chops, creamed potatoes and peas. with breaded chops, tomato sauce and potato au gratin. with spring lamb, mint sauce, boiled rice or new potatoes; peas or asparagus or green beans. pork.--with hot boiled ham, potatoes, apple sauce or chili sauce and cabbage. with baked ham, wine or cider sauce, sweet potatoes or pan cake, squash and cabbage or spinach or beets. with boiled ham, browned mashed potatoes, cold slaw and baked apples. with roasted fresh pork, apple sauce, potatoes or baked squash, cold slaw or cabbage stewed. with young pig, apple sauce, hominy croquettes, pan baked sweet potatoes, young lima beans and cold slaw or kohl-rabi. with fat salt pork, boiled; beans and boiled cabbage and apple sauce or mustard sauce. poultry.--serve with turkey, rice either plain, boiled or in croquettes, or sweet potato or chestnut croquettes and boiled onions or stewed celery and cranberry sauce. cream sauce or oyster sauce or pan gravy. with roast chicken, chestnuts boiled or made into croquettes, rice or sweet potatoes, mashed, and creamed or baked onions or stewed celery and grape or crab apple jelly, pan cream gravy. with guinea fowl, rolls of crisp bacon, hominy and stewed celery, currant jelly. with capron, same as chicken. with boiled chicken, rice, baked onions and egg sauce. with fricassee of chicken, dumplings or boiled and baked onions. with panned chicken, brown sauce, baked dumplings, and corn fritters or baked sweet potatoes and corn pudding, or plain boiled rice and baked tomatoes. with boiled chicken, hominy bread, cream sauce and peas; pasa gauva or crab apple jelly, or waffles and cream sauce. with hot boned chicken, chestnuts (stewed) and sauce. stuff tame duck with walnut, potato or rice stuffing. serve with it brown sauce and browned turnips or parsnips or salsify fritters. if the duck is roasted unstuffed, serve macaroni or spaghetti, browned sweet potatoes or hominy croquettes and stewed celery, brussels sprouts or stuffed tomatoes. pass currant jelly or sour grape jelly. with goose, serve potato or hominy croquettes and sauer kraut or carefully boiled cabbage or stewed turnips. pass apple sauce or barberry jelly. rabbit or hare.--with belgian hare, roasted, serve hominy or rice, stewed celery or cabbage. pass quince or crab apple jelly. with panned hare or rabbit, boiled rice, brown sauce and celery with french dressing or mayonnaise. with fricassee of hare or rabbit dumplings, chestnuts, or baked squash, and celery or lettuce with salad dressing. with panned or fried rabbit, sweet potatoes and parsnips, or baked squash and stewed turnips; currant jelly. game.--with boiled partridge or small birds on toast, lettuce salad. with wild duck, for main meat course at dinner, cranberry sauce, macaroni or spaghetti and baked onions; or black currant jelly, macaroni and brussels sprouts or cabbage, or baked or browned sweet potatoes and lettuce salad. when served at a course dinner as a game course only, serve lettuce salad with it. with venison steak, serve red or black currant jelly, french fried sweet potatoes and celery salad. with roast venison, baked or brown sweet potatoes, stewed celery and currant jelly. with wood cock serve spaghetti and lettuce salad. with partridges, quail and other similar birds on toast or squares of fried hominy or corn meal mush, lettuce or celery salad. broiled or fried prairie chicken or pheasants are served with bread, horse radish sauce, french fried sweet potatoes and celery or lettuce salad. small birds like reed and rail are served on toast in cases of onions or sweet potatoes. serve squabs with peas or asparagus tips. pigeons with small almond balls, rolls of crisp bacon and celery. cold meats.--with collard beef, cold, serve salad with french dressing. with cold roast beef, cream horse radish sauce, aspic jelly, cress with french dressing. with cold mutton serve sliced tomatoes with salad dressing. with cold lamb, lettuce and chopped mint with french dressing. with cold veal serve mayonnaise of celery on lettuce hearts. with cold turkey, serve tomato jelly, salad dressing or mayonnaise of celery; or cranberry jelly. with cold duck, serve turnips in jelly with mayonnaise dressing; or cranberry jelly. with cold ham, cabbage salad or tomato relish or salad dressing. with cold pork, apple sauce and cole slaw.--(the above list is adopted from one given by a famous cook.) chafing dish recipes creamed oysters on toast.--one quart oysters, one quart milk, yolks of three eggs, butter size of an egg, salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. melt the butter and when slightly brown add the milk and seasoning. when this is boiling hot add the oysters, chopped, and eggs beaten well. thicken with a little flour and water. serve on hot buttered toast.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. spanish omelet.--one half can french peas, one half can tomatoes, one tablespoon chopped onion, salt and pepper to suit taste, a dash of paprika. cook until the onion is soft. make a plain omelet and serve on a platter with the vegetables around it. serve hot.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. mushrooms on toast.--drain the liquor from one can of french mushrooms, melt one half cup butter until it begins to brown, then add the mushrooms, salt, pepper, one tablespoon worcestershire sauce and a little parsley. allow to cook for about five minutes. serve on buttered toast.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. scrambled eggs with salmon.--one small can salmon, free from bones and skin, one cup bread crumbs, six eggs beaten light, salt and pepper to suit taste, one tablespoon butter, melt butter and add salmon, eggs and crumbs and seasoning. brown nicely.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. ham patties.--chop cold cooked ham and add one half amount of bread crumbs, season to suit taste, use enough milk to form in patties, place in pan and break on each an egg. cook covered until eggs are done.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. welsh rarebit.--one pound cheese grated, one large tablespoon butter, one large tablespoon catsup, one quarter teaspoon salt, dash of red pepper, one gill of beer. cook until smooth, stirring all the time. serve hot on buttered toast.--mrs. aaron j. bessie. kookery kinks fish may be scaled more quickly if dipped in boiling water for a moment. do not wash meats in water, wipe them with a wet cloth. the whites of eggs will whip more readily if a pinch of salt is added to them. if the eggs are placed in cold water for a time before being broken, they will whip easily. a small quantity of soda, stirred into milk or cream, will keep it from souring in hot weather. a few drops of lemon juice added to the water in which potatoes are boiled will prevent the potatoes turning dark when cooked. in mixing liquids with salads, add the liquid to the salad by degrees. they will blend more readily. to preserve the color of green vegetables put them on to cook in boiling water with a pinch of soda; or, keep the cover off the kettle while boiling them. if you use too much salt by mistake add a trifle of sugar or a vinegar, according to the dish. this will counteract the salty taste. measuring hints a cupful of liquid means all the cup will hold. a spoonful of liquid is all the spoon will hold. salt, flour, seasoning spices, butter and all salads are measured level. to measure a level spoonful, dip the spoon into the dry material, taking up a heaping spoonful, then level it off even with the edge of the spoon with a knife. to measure a part of a spoonful, cut lengthwise of the spoon for the half and crosswise for the quarter. a tablespoonful of butter should be measured before melting. a tablespoonful of melted butter should be measured after being melted. measure a cupful of cream before it is whipped. measure a cupful of whipped cream after it is whipped. always sift flour, salt, baking powder, spices, powdered sugar and soda before measuring. if measured in a solid state before sifting much more than the quantity called for will be used. when ice is not to be had, half fill a large flat bottomed bowl with cold water. set in this the vessels containing milk, butter, sauces, etc. cover with napkins which dip down into the water and set the whole thing in a draft. evaporation will keep everything sweet and cool. fruit cake recipes usually call for dried currants. these are hard and lack flavor. try using an equal measure of chopped prunes. they hold moisture and impart a delicious flavor to the cake. use a large sponge for general house cleaning instead of a brush. it gets a good grip on the dirt and is not so sloppy. silver may be cleaned by laying in a pan of sour milk for several hours then washed and wiped dry. keep lemons in cold water. change every few days. notes a little sugar added to cream before whipping will prevent it from turning to butter. use scant measure of sugar in custard pie and do not cook after the custard is set sufficiently to cut with a silver knife, if you want a smooth and palatable baked custard. a small dish of water placed in the oven will prevent scorched or burned food when the oven is hotter than it should be. save bread crusts and dry them in the warming closet of the kitchen range, to roll fine for a coating for fried oysters, croquettes and cutlets. dried crumbs are better for dressing and puddings also. drop a few slices of raw potatoes in the hot lard used for frying doughnuts to clarify the grease before putting it away for future use. laundry work in laundry work different methods must be used for different fabrics. the texture and color of a garment must be considered before method of laundering is decided on. as laundry is the heaviest part of house work one should carefully consider all means by which strength may be saved. a careful sorting of all clothes. thorough soaking of all articles that will not be injured thereby. a generous use of good soap and a well equipped room for laundry purposes with plenty of good soft water will to some extent lighten the labor. chemicals judicially used have been found helpful. a good solution for loosening dirt and may be used in soaking the different kinds of clothes including prints and flannels is given out and recommended by the agricultural school of minnesota. it is made as follows: procure cents worth of salts of tartar, cents worth of crystal ammonia, one can of lewis lye. dissolve all in a gallon of warm but not boiling water and cork tightly. when wanted for use a teacupful of the mixture for from three to four pailsful warm water will be the right amount to use when soaking clothes. laundry references use borax water to wash sateen. this method will restore the gloss to the goods. use warm water to sprinkle your starched clothes. fine ginghams and percales dipped in sweet milk instead of starch, gives them that dainty, glossy dressing they have when new. ink stains--soak in sour milk. if a dark stain remains, rinse in a weak solution of chloride of lime. blood stains--soak in cold salt water then wash in warm water with plenty of soap, afterward boil. grass stains--saturate the spot thoroughly with kerosene, then put them in the washtub. iodine stains--wash with alcohol, then rinse in soapy water. hot tea and coffee stains--soak the stained fabric in cold water; wring; spread out and pour a few drops of glycerine on each spot. let it stand several hours; then wash with cold water and soap. iron rust--soap the stain thoroughly with lemon juice; sprinkle with salt and bleach for several hours in the sun. grease spots--hot water and soap generally remove these. if fixed by long standing, use ether, chloroform or naptha. all three of these must be used away from fire or artificial light. mildew--soak in a weak solution of chloride of lime for several hours. rinse in cold water. sewing machine oil stains--rub with lard. let stand for several hours, then wash with cold water and soap. scorch stains--wet the scorched place, rub with soap and bleach in the sun. fruit stains--stretch the fabric containing the stain over the mouth of a basin and pour boiling water on the stain. in cold weather fruit spots can frequently be removed by hanging the stained garments out of doors over night. if the stain has been fixed by time soak the article in a weak solution of oxalic acid or hold the spot over the fumes of sulphur. here is an excellent cleansing fluid that will leave no rings or water lines: one pint of benzine, an ounce of ether and an ounce of chloroform. shake well before using and keep tightly corked. an absorbent pad (white blotting paper or thick towel) should be placed beneath the material. apply cleanser with a soft linen cloth and rub stain lightly until it disappears. beware of fire. cover the grass stains with common black molasses--the thickest you can get--and rub it in with the finger until the fabric is saturated. leave it on for a day and wash out with clear water. a homely but an effectual process. for a rust stain, wet the spot and cover with oxalic acid, rub it in well, and then wash off with clean, tepid water. soak the white articles in sour milk or in buttermilk all night. rinse in the morning and sun all day, wetting hourly with cream of tartar water. rinse again in the evening and repeat the soaking. if one trial does not wholly remove the mildew, repeat the process. reviving black dresses.--wash black cashmere, mohair, voile or other black dress goods, in soap suds until clean, then rinse well. put bluing into water enough to cover the cloth well until it looks almost black. put in the cloth and rinse it about in the water, then be sure it is all under water and leave it over night. lift from this bluing water directly to the line without wringing and let hang until almost dry, then press on the wrong side on an entirely smooth ironing sheet. to launder a black cotton dress.--black and white or all black muslin dresses seldom look well when they come from the laundry and black cotton does not appear to make a good "tub" dress. but if the following method is tried it will give the cotton a clear look and stiffness like new. mix one half cup of flour with cold water to make smooth, then turn on two quarts of boiling water and cook five minutes. add this starch, to enough warm water to wash the dress or waist in and wash the garment without using a particle of soap. rinse in two waters and hang to dry. just before ironing sprinkle on the wrong side. remedy for pallor.--an excellent lotion in case of pallor is made from one tablespoon of tincture of benzoin and three ounces of rose water. eggs preserved in water glass.--(silicate of sodine.) by this method eggs may be kept fresh for eight months if rules are carefully followed. boil a quantity of water and allow it to cool. use one gallon of water and one quart of water glass and stir until thoroughly mixed. use a glazed stone jar and deposit the eggs into the solution and see that the eggs are covered to the depth of at least an inch. the jar must be covered and stored in a cold place. the eggs must be perfectly fresh and best results are obtained if they are put in the solution as gathered from the nests each day. the shells must also be perfectly clean.--mrs. harry hansen. washing fluid.--this fluid is guaranteed not to injure or take the color out of any fabric and may be used in soaking white clothes, prints and flannels. it is made and used as follows: heat one gallon of water. add one can lewis lye, ten cents worth of crystal ammonia and ten cents worth of salts of tartar. have water hot but not boiling and cork solution in a gallon jug. a teacupful to three or four pails of hot water is the amount needed in soaking soiled clothes.--mrs. harry hansen. home remedies for simple ailments linseed poultice.--four ounces linseed meal and ten ounces of boiling water. mix gradually. dip spoon in boiling water when you spread this mixture on the poultice cloth. bind on inflamed parts. mustard poultice.--two ounces of dry mustard mixed with the whites of two eggs to a paste. spread on a cloth in a thick paste and apply while it is fresh and wet. colds.--for a cold in the head just appearing inhale spirits of camphor. put one or two drops of camphor on a small lump of sugar, dissolve in a wine glass of water, (one gill) and take a teaspoonful every half hour. take a good cathartic or drink four or five glasses of hot water at bed time and in half an hour follow with four more glasses of hot water. gargle sore throat with warm water and alcohol or warm water and salt using one level teaspoon of salt to a pint of water. if cold has made the throat or lungs sore, dip a cloth in cold water, wring dry and spread it on throat or chest. cover with three thicknesses of dry flannel and bind it on securely. take a hot foot bath and go to bed. this treatment should cure your cold. if is doesn't it will be a wise thing to call a physician in the morning before alarming symptoms are developed. bathe frequently, drink plenty of water and keep the bowels in regular action and prevent colds. to reduce swellings.--tincture of arnica or witch hazel applied to a bump on the head or a bruise where the skin is not broken brings relief from pain and often prevents inflammation and bad swellings. cuts and scratches.--apply peroxide to cuts, scratches and all bruises where the skin is broken. this remedy often serves as a preventative to blood poisoning. when a button is swallowed.--children sometimes swallow buttons, fruit stones, thimbles and pennies. when the mother is sure that the child has swallowed a foreign substance the child should be encouraged and even compelled to eat plentifully of mashed potatoes, thick mush and coarse bread. then follow with syrup of rhubarb or castor oil. do not give the cathartic immediately on finding out the accident but make sure that much bulky food is taken. give a child slippery elm to chew when it swallows a penny or button or hard object. this forms a slippery coating on the surface of the penny in the stomach which aids it in passing easily through the intestine and prevents its lodging there and was the remedy applied by a physician when called.--mrs. whitehead. cramps in the leg.--sleep with hot water bag at the feet. a garter tied tightly around the leg often effects a cure. quick, hard rubbing is best in sudden, painful attacks. often it is essential to walk about the room to bring the circulation of blood to the feet again. insect bites.--a teaspoonful of tincture of wild rosemary to a glass of water. apply this lotion frequently to the inflamed parts. good liniment.--one ounce of camphor, four ounces olive oil. dissolve the gum in the oil and add one quarter of an ounce of chloroform. shake well and apply to affected parts. this is for external use only. cure for hiccoughs.--lump of sugar saturated with vinegar will usually cure hiccoughs in a child. drink of water often brings immediate relief. in prolonged cases of hiccoughing, weak, hot coffee with cream and sugar given at frequent intervals has cured the patient. nose bleed.--snuff powdered alum up the nose. this alum is also good for checking hemorrhage, sometimes caused by extracting teeth. fill the cavity with the alum. apply cold salt water to bleeding nose if you haven't alum. corns.--bind bread soaked in vinegar on the corns day and night and they will come out by the roots. warts.--prick with a needle (sterilized by boiling in clear water for ten minutes) until the wart bleeds then apply soda. bunions.--pulverize salt petre and sweet oil mixed well and applied to the sore joints often brings relief. bunions are usually caused by wearing shoes too short. summer complaint or diarrhoea.--in early stages unless alarming symptoms appear, give the child or patient a generous dose of castor oil and keep patient on a light diet for a day or two or refrain from eating at all for twelve hours. if passages are green and full of mucous membrane call a physician immediately as delay may be fatal. whites of two eggs mixed with a little water sipped frequently is often healing also to stomach and bowels. good way to give castor oil.--put a tablespoon of orange juice into a small tumbler, pour in the required amount of oil, and more orange juice on top. the oil forms a ball in the middle of the juice and is swallowed without coming in contact with the tongue. wine may be used instead of orange juice. burns.--grated raw peeled potatoes spread on bandages and bound on a badly burned arm, shoulder and hand brought immediate relief to one of my children once when i was on a farm and could not get a doctor. i kept the bandages moist by binding fresh new, wet ones over the old ones until pain ceased but did not remove the dressing at all until wound was healed. it healed perfectly without leaving any scar. do not know the merits of this remedy from a physician's standpoint but it was used successfully in a bad hotel fire in a village where no physicians resided and the patients all recovered from severe burns and there were no scars left on their bodies.--mrs. whitehead. lock up poisons.--all poisons should be labeled and kept in a compartment by themselves. such household remedies as laudenum, chloroform, arsenic, aconite belladona, cough medicine, carbolic acid, headache pellets or powders, linaments, opiates, fly poison, etc., should be kept in a locked box or in a covered can labeled "poison" placed out of the reach of children. they should always be kept separate from all other medicine. "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." many deaths are caused by carelessness in placing poisonous remedies within the reach of children. unless poison can be kept in a safe place, it is wiser always to throw it in the fire or to bury it--and buy a new supply when needed than to run the risk of poisoning a member of the family. always look at the label on a bottle before taking any medicine. tooth ache.--chloroform and clove oil applied with a piece of absorbent cotton to the cavity of an aching tooth brings immediate relief. croup.--lard or goose grease and turpentine applied freely to the throat and chest. hot steam inhaled from a sponge dipped in boiling water makes breathing easier. in serious cases an antiseptic should be given to produce vomiting immediately until the physician arrives. give castor oil to a child showing symptoms of a croupy cough. general index bread and rolls biscuits, jems, pancakes and fritters beverages cakes cookies, drop cakes and doughnuts doughnuts cheese candies canned fruit, preserves, jelly and wines wines chafing dish recipes eggs fish, oysters and shell fish fancy desserts game germany cookery home remedies for simple ailments ice cream, sherbets, ices, and frozen dainties cold desserts fruit, ices and sherbet kookery kinks measuring hints notes left overs left overs roll call responses laundry work laundry references meat poultry pickles, condiments and spiced fruits pastry, pies and tarts puddings and pudding sauces proper vegetables and sauces to serve with meats beef refreshing beverages for convalescents soups sauces for meat, fish, fowl and game sandwiches salads a group of salad dressings salads serving dinner vegetables williston herald print the sequel to this book is found on page the mutual life insurance co. of new york by means of life insurance a man may buy from the mutual life of new york on the instalment plan a fortune deliverable to his family at his death, or to himself at the end of twenty years if he be then living. he makes secure the prize for them, and leaves himself free to run the race of life without the anxiety and care entailed by his fear for their future. his mind is at rest, his capital is free, and a fortune is practically secured for those he loves. for information concerning these policies call and see d. e. scott, dist. mgr., graphic block * * * e. b. link contractor and builder williston, n. d. * * * kalil bros. meats and groceries phone th ave. west electric cooking utensils and flat irons. : : : : : [illustration] with the new power rates no one can afford to be without electric cooking dishes and the iron.--we put any cooking utensil into your home on trial free. williston electric construction co. the williston herald the paper that is read by more people than any other paper in williams county and is as necessary in the home as good bread and pies. the difference in sewing machines it is a mistaken idea that sewing machines are pretty much alike, when as a matter of fact there is a vast difference. there is but one machine that sews better than any other--and that one is the singer. this is because the singer idea is distinctive--every year shows improvement in that idea. this is because the singer factories are not only equipped with tools and machinery better calculated to make good sewing machines than any other, but this equipment is unique and not to be found elsewhere. this is because a half century has been devoted to training and specializing men each to do one thing best in sewing machine construction. the singer's superiority--its lifetime-lasting value--does not appear on the surface. one machine does sew better than any other--and that one is the singer. nick held, agent west broadway williston, n. d. john shikany general merchandise williston, n. dak. * * * joe buller tailor french dry cleaning and repairing. first class work * * * do not be annoyed by flies screens of all sizes can be secured at the bovey-shute lumber yard phone wild and improved farm lands irrigated lands; large or small tracts--first mortgage farm loans negotiated--city loans. h. v. smith lands and loans insurance fire, tornado, hail, life, accident. come where big crops grow on cheap lands. * * * the paris confectionery store abe kassis, prop. homemade candies, ice cream, fruit, cigars and tobaccos exclusive confectionery main street williston, n. d. * * * swedlund bros. ...jewelers... everything in solid silver and plated ware for the table. * * * a. a. bradley j. p. cutting williston drug company drugs, stationery, office supplies, books, sporting goods, wall paper. agents for ansco cameras williston, n. d. "where everybody goes" the star theatre vaudeville and motion pictures two shows nightly : and p.m. * * * ...the... orpheum theatre the world's best photo plays continuous performance : to : * * * eat at the cafe with a reputation---- quantity, quality and service "that's how we got it" everything good to eat can be found here great northern cafe wm. c. lynch, prop. the cafe is annex to the great northern hotel rawson hardware company williston, north dakota the best place to buy cooking utensils with which to prepare the recipes found in this book. also a full line of general hardware smoke borden cigars get your money's worth and encourage home industry * * * e. vanantwerp everything in dependable furniture from parlor to kitchen. oldest furniture house in williams county. main st., williston, n. d. * * * the williston art store art needle work and novelties, stamped linens, pillow tubing. we make a specialty of hand embroideries, also embroidery thread. main street williston, n. d. * * * millinery miss c. m. taylor main street williston, n. d. kassis bros. general merchandise east broadway williston, n. d. * * * williston state bank williston, n. d. general banking farm loans interest paid on time deposits * * * a. n. eidsness dealer in general merchandise farm produce bought and sold phone williston, n. d. model laundry w. w. mcallister, prop. first class work ....guaranteed.... east broadway phone williston, n. d. * * * st. paul, minn., special diploma st. paul, minn., second prize badge wisconsin state exhibit. , special diploma duluth, minn., , bronze medal world's fair, st. louis, (cramer exhibit) gold medal minneapolis, minn., , gold medal minneapolis, minn., , gold medal williams co. fair, blue ribbon minneapolis, gold medal, grand prize j. e. pasonault artist photographer vice president n. w. p. a. north dakota - williston, n. d. * * * hamre furniture co. new and second hand furniture williston, n. d. [illustration] cook with pots and pans bought here and you'll not have to be renewing your stock every little while. it pays to buy good cooking utensils because they last so much longer. our hardware store contains a complete assortment of everything used in a kitchen. as a good housekeeper you should not fail to visit our house-furnishing department. stenehjem & husebye * * * [illustration] for household use we carry a splendid line of knives and forks, spoons, carving sets, etc. you couldn't find a finer assortment if you tried a month. and even if you found as fine, you would have to pay a much higher price than we ask. moral: buy here and save time, trouble and money. stenehjem & husebye cloud city cook book by mrs. william h. nash leadville, colorado herald democrat steam book and job printing house preface. "of making many books there is no end," said a wise man; but probably he had good cooks. there is a "place" for all things as well as a "time," and every hungry man knows the place for a good dinner. if the shortest road to man's heart is by way of his stomach, then the projectors of this little volume think they have struck it rich. so, like all other authors, we have written to meet a "long felt want." there are cook-books and cook-books, but who ever saw a cook-book for "cloud city"? it is a well-established fact that in a high altitude the science culinary has its local and peculiar laws. it is commonly held that a different proportion of ingredients is necessary, as well as a different length of time. it is even claimed by some that more fuel is required here than in a lower altitude. be this as it may, it is well established that the husband, who has recently brought his wife from the east, is not in healthy employment when he reminds her of the superior quality of his mother's cooking. he must wait until she has learned the new conditions in her new world. without a scientific explanation of why the boiling point is reached at lower temperature here than at lower altitude, or whether this one fact accounts for the necessity of different proportions of ingredients in cookery, the ladies of the congregational church gracefully bow themselves before the public with a genuine blessing to every family. poor cooking is responsible for much of the wretched health of women and children, and much of the drinking habit among men. if, by gathering together in this little volume the wisest experience, wrought out in the peculiar conditions of this lofty altitude, we are able to bring peace and happiness to the home, our ambition shall have been amply satisfied. ladies congregational church. soups. pea soup. parboil the peas in saleratus water (one heaping teaspoon to kettle two-thirds full of water), then wash well and put in to boil with a piece of salt pork. season to taste, with salt and pepper, and onions previously fried in butter. add dried bread crumbs just before serving.--mrs. c. h. bailey. * * * tomato soup. one quart of tomatoes, or a two-pound can of tomatoes, to which add one quart water, one-half of a small onion sliced, a piece of butter the size of a hen's egg, in which rub a large tablespoon of flour, and boil slowly one hour. just before serving, strain the soup and add one pint of scalded milk. * * * black bean soup. one pint of black beans, a small joint or shank of beef, a slice of salt pork. soak the beans over night, drain off the water, and put them into the kettle with the meat, and cover with water. boil about five hours; strain through the colander. season with red pepper and a little wine. add the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs and slices of lemon.--mrs. werner. * * * vegetable soup. boil a soup-bone all day in plenty of water; strain it, add a little salt, and let it stand until the next day. in the morning, boil steadily until about an hour before dinner, when season to taste, and add one large onion, part of a carrot, little cabbage, one tomato, part of a turnip, one potato, all chopped very fine.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * onion soup. four large onions, cut up (not sliced), six ounces of butter, salt, cayenne, soup stock, with yolks of four eggs, one-fourth of a loaf of bread cut in very thin slices and dried, two tablespoons of grated cheese. slowly stir the onions in the butter one hour, stirring frequently, being very careful not to brown; add salt, pepper, cayenne and stock, and cook one hour longer. add one-third as much stock. have in the tureen the bread and cheese. beat up the eggs with a ladle full of soup; pour this on the bread, cover close, and stand five minutes. add the rest of the soup and serve at once.--mrs. werner. * * * macaroni soup. one gallon soup stock, five sticks macaroni, one onion. season with salt and pepper. boil well.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * veal soup. two legs of veal, put on with boiling water and skimmed; when skimmed, add butter. prepare rice by boiling. when the soup is done, remove bone and meat, strain, add rice, and let come to a boil. beat yolk of egg in dish with a little water, add chopped parsley, little nutmeg; then pour over soup and serve. * * * rice soup. one quart of water, one-fourth cup of rice, piece of butter, yolk of egg, chopped parsley, little nutmeg. stir the yolk of the egg, add parsley and nutmeg; pour over the soup and serve. * * * noodle soup. boil two good, fat old chickens until all that is good of them is extracted for the broth. for the noodles, take two eggs, a pinch of salt, three tablespoons sweet milk, flour enough to make a stiff dough. roll out in two very thin sheets; let dry until they will roll without breaking. lay the sheets together, roll up tight, and cut as fine as possible with a sharp knife into little ribbons. thrown the noodles into the boiling broth about twenty minutes before serving. --mrs. werner. * * * asparagus or celery soup. six bunches of asparagus, cooked thoroughly and pressed through a sieve; one quart of milk, half pound butter, and four tablespoons flour. mix flour and butter together, and let boil five minutes, then add the milk, then the asparagus, stirring well but not boiling. season with salt and pepper to taste. if not perfectly white, strain again, and serve hot. if celery is used, three bunches are sufficient; the soup to be made same as above.--mrs. hugh parry. bread, yeast, gems, etc. yeast. peel and boil eight common-sized potatoes in two quarts of water, with one handful of hops tied up in a thin bag. when the potatoes are done, mash them fine, add one pint of flour, one tablespoon ginger, and one-half cup sugar; mix thoroughly, then, having added more water to make up for what has boiled away, turn on the water in which the potatoes and hops were boiled, boiling hot, stirring it well. when quite warm, but not hot, add one cup of yeast. after it is done working, add one tablespoon salt.--mrs. c. h. bailey. * * * graham bread. two cups graham flour, one and a half cups sour milk, one tablespoon n. o. molasses, one scant tablespoon soda, one tablespoon salt.--miss f. l. raymond. * * * biscuit. one quart flour, one cup lard, two teaspoons price's baking powder, sifted with flour. salt. mix with milk to roll soft, and bake in a quick oven.--mrs. brooks. * * * yeast. boil six potatoes until soft, mash them through a colander, add enough of the water they were boiled in to make a thin batter; then six tablespoons sugar. stir all together with a large cup full of fresh yeast, and put in a warm place over night. * * * hop yeast. boil four large potatoes, and at the same time steep a fourth package of hops in sufficient water to cover them. mash the potatoes through a colander, strain over them four cups of the hop water; add one cup sugar, tablespoon salt; thicken with flour to the consistency of batter cakes. add one-half cup yeast, and leave it uncovered in a jar to rise. use one-half a cup of this for four loaves of bread.--mrs. werner. * * * graham gems. one pint graham flour, one pint flour, one-half cup sugar, one pint sour milk, little salt, and small teaspoon soda.--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * muffins. one cup sweet milk, two eggs well beaten, one small teaspoon salt, two large teaspoons baking powder, flour for stiff batter. drop in hot muffin pans.--mrs. j. m. raymond. * * * graham gems. one cup sour milk, tablespoon of molasses, pinch of salt, half teaspoon soda, graham flour.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * boston brown bread. two cups sour milk, one cup sweet milk, one-half cup molasses, two cups indian meal, two cups graham flour, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon soda. steam five hours. bake one-half hour in a slow oven. --mrs. j. m. raymond. * * * brown bread. four cups milk, three cups indian meal, one cup graham flour, one cup flour, one cup molasses, one egg, teaspoon soda dissolved in a little boiling water, one teaspoon salt. steam five or six hours. bake half an hour. (this rule requires a five-pound lard pail to steam.)--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * graham gems. two cups graham meal, two cups flour, three cups sour milk, two large spoons sugar. salt. soda according to condition of the milk.--mrs. c. h. bailey. * * * griddle cakes. one cup sour milk, one cup sweet milk, two eggs, half teaspoon soda, one small teaspoon baking powder. mix with flour.--mrs. guilbault. * * * potato bread. six good-sized potatoes, boiled and well mashed; one pint or more of the water in which they were boiled, one cup of yeast for the sponge. set the sponge in a warm place over night. in the morning, when kneading the bread add a little salt, little sugar, lard the size of an egg, and sufficient luke-warm water to make six loaves of bread. --mrs. hugh parry. * * * griddle cakes. one cup stale bread crumbs soaked in two cups of water, three cups flour, one yeast cake to start. let it rise over night; in the morning add two eggs and one-half teaspoon soda, and milk to form a thin batter. the batter left can be used successive mornings, the same as buckwheats. * * * rusk. one pint milk and one pint sugar; warm slightly, add one-half cup yeast, raisins and some flour. let set over night, and in the morning add salt, three beaten eggs, one heaping cup melted butter and more flour. let it rise, then make into rolls and when light bake.--mrs. o. h. simons. * * * biscuit. one cup sweet milk, two teaspoons baking powder sifted in flour, one small teaspoon salt, lard size of a walnut, moulded with flour. mould well.--mrs. j. m. raymond. * * * brown bread. one quart corn meal, one pint flour, one cup molasses, one cup yeast, one teaspoon soda, one tablespoon salt, four cups cold water. mix well the meal, flour and salt, make a hole in the middle, put in the molasses, yeast and soda, stir it well, then add the water a cupful at a time. steam six or seven hours, bake two hours.--mrs. c. h. bailey. * * * johnny cake. two coffee cups meal, one and one-half coffee cups flour, two eggs, one teaspoon soda, sour milk. stir well.--mrs. h. d. leonard. salads. cabbage salad. one medium head cabbage, three eggs beaten, six tablespoons cream, and three of melted butter, (or five tablespoons milk and four of butter), one teaspoon or more of mustard, one of pepper, one of salt, one coffee-cup strong vinegar heated until it thickens but not boils. mix with the cabbage when hot. cover tightly.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * chicken salad. one chicken, smothered; when cold, cut in small pieces; do not use a chopping knife. prepare as much celery as chicken, two medium-sized cucumber pickles cut up; also, the whites of the eggs left from the dressing. this part of salad may be mixed at once, as it does not hurt to stand, and the dressing poured over just before it is used. dressing--yolks of four hard-boiled eggs mashed to a smooth paste, one-half teaspoon salt, one-half teaspoon pepper, two of mustard, two of sugar, four of salad-oil, one small teacup of good vinegar. pour over chicken, and mix with a fork; do not stir it. this is enough for eight persons.--mrs. j. b. henslee. * * * cold slaw. one small head of cabbage and one onion, chopped fine; add one teaspoon salt, two tablespoons sugar, one cup vinegar, and a little pepper.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * cold slaw. one-third pint vinegar, three tablespoons sugar, two of cream, one of butter, two eggs beaten with cream. cook vinegar, sugar and butter together; when boiling, add eggs and cream, cooking until thick. chop the cabbage fine, adding celery, if obtainable; if not, celery salt; then pour over it the dressing.--mrs. o. h. simons. * * * potato salad. pare six or eight large potatoes, boil until done, and slice thin while hot. peel and cut up a white onion in small bits and mix with the potatoes. cut up some breakfast bacon in small bits, sufficient to fill a teacup, and fry it a light brown. remove the meat, and into the grease stir three tablespoons vinegar, making a sour gravy, which, with the bacon, pour over the potato and onion. mix lightly. to be eaten when hot.--mrs. mckenzie. * * * winter salad. two boiled potatoes pressed through a sieve, one spoonful mustard, two of salt, three of olive oil, one of vinegar, yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, a little onion chopped fine, one spoonful anchovy sauce added last.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * cabbage slaw. boil one cup of vinegar, melt in it a piece of butter the size of a walnut. beat together one egg, one teaspoon each mustard, sugar, salt, and half teaspoon pepper. pour the boiling vinegar on this mixture. stir it well, then put back on the stove and boil one minute. pour this on the cabbage.--mrs. mckenzie. * * * salad dressing. yolks of three eggs, two teaspoons wet mustard, one-half cup vinegar, two tablespoons sugar, one-half teaspoon salt, two teaspoons butter. heat vinegar and butter, add other ingredients, and cook until thick as cream.--mrs. h. c. dimick. * * * carrot salad. select tender, rich colored carrots, scrape and boil them in fast-boiling water until tender; cut in thin slices and put in a glass salad bowl. sprinkle with sifted loaf sugar, add the juice of a large, fresh lemon, and a wineglass of olive oil. garnish the dish with very thin slices of onion, or any fresh, green salad leaves.--mrs. john alfred. * * * egg salad. six hard-boiled eggs cut quite fine, one-fourth of a cabbage chopped. mix well together. dressing--three tablespoons of melted butter, one small teaspoon each of pepper and salt, one teaspoon of prepared mustard. mix together and pour over salad.--mrs. c. a. frear. * * * salad dressing. yolks of two eggs, or one whole egg, well beaten, added to five tablespoons boiling vinegar. add butter the size of an egg. cook in a pan of boiling water. when cool, season to taste with salt, pepper and mustard. thin with sweet cream to the required consistency.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * potato salad. boil ten or twelve medium-sized potatoes, not too soft, cool a little, peel and slice; add pepper and salt, two tablespoons vinegar (be careful with vinegar not to make it too sour), two tablespoons hot water, a little onion cut very fine. let it stand half an hour; then add two or three spoons olive oil. mix well, then serve. to be eaten with cold meats.--mrs. werner. * * * egg salad. two dozen eggs, boiled hard and chopped not too fine, equal quantity of celery. mix with durkee's salad dressing to taste. garnish the dish with lettuce and serve. this is sufficient for ten or twelve persons. * * * cabbage slaw. take a medium head cabbage, chop fine, with one tablespoon of salt; squeeze the water out thoroughly with your hands, then pour one-half cup vinegar over. dressing--three eggs, one-fourth cup butter, two tablespoons condensed milk. season with pepper. beat together with one-half teacup boiling water; cook five minutes and pour over the cabbage. it is then ready to serve.--mrs. p. b. turnbull. pies. mince pies. four pounds of beef, twelve pounds of apples, one-half pound salt pork, two pounds of sugar, four pounds of raisins, one pound of citron, four ounces of cassia, two of nutmeg, one of cloves, one pint molasses, one quart of boiled cider, or one quart of good vinegar. --mrs. taylor. * * * mock mince pies. five large crackers rolled fine, one and a half cups molasses, one-half cup sugar, two-thirds cup vinegar, two cups chopped raisins, one-half cup butter, one and a half cups cold water, a little salt, one teaspoon each all kinds of spices. put all together and cook until thick. this will make four pies.--mrs. l. a. grover. * * * lemon pie. one heaping tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in a little cold water; pour on one coffee-cup boiling water, and boil until it puffs up; take off the stove and add two-thirds coffee-cup sugar, yolks of two eggs, small lump of butter, and juice and grated rind of two lemons. --mrs. o. h. simons. * * * pie-crust. four cups of flour, one large teaspoon salt, one teaspoon baking powder, one scant cup lard, one large cup water. mix rather soft. take part of crust and roll in butter for top crust.--miss price. * * * cream pie. whip one quart of stiff cream, add sugar and vanilla to your taste. line pie-plates with crust, and prick with a fork before baking. when cool, fill with the whipped cream.--mrs. paxton. * * * lemon pie. grate the rind of one lemon, add one tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water, one teacup boiling water, one whole egg and the yolks of two. take the whites of two eggs for the meringue, and brown in the oven.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * sweet potato pie. boil or bake sufficient sweet potatoes to make a pint of pulp when rubbed through a colander; add a pint of milk, a small cup of sugar, a little salt, yolks of two eggs, one teaspoon lemon extract. bake in a shallow pan lined with rich crust. when done, beat the whites with a little powdered sugar for top, and brown in the oven.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * lemon pie. the juice and grated rind of one lemon, one tablespoon cornstarch, one teacup sugar, two eggs (reserving the white of one), one cup boiling water. mix all together and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens; pour it in the crust and bake. beat the white with three spoons sugar and spread on top; return to the oven and brown lightly.--mrs. mckenzie. * * * cream pie. one pint of milk put in a steamer; let it come to a boil; then add half a cup of sugar, two tablespoons cornstarch and yolks of two eggs well beaten together. flavor with lemon. when cool, have crust baked ready for filling. beat the whites of the eggs, spread on top and brown in the oven.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * english apple pie. small piece of butter in pan, add apple sauce, then cover with crust and bake; add apple and crust and bake again, and so on until pan is filled. serve with hot sauce.--mrs. paxton. * * * cream pie. one cup sugar, one egg, one-fourth cup butter, one-half cup sweet milk, two cups flour, one teaspoon soda, one-half teaspoon of essence of bitter almonds. this makes two cakes, baked in round shallow tins. cream for filling--one scant pint milk, one cup sugar, yolks of two eggs, one-half cup flour. flavor with vanilla. boil the milk, add flour moistened smoothly with cold milk, then sugar and eggs; let it boil to the consistency of cream. use the whites of the eggs with two tablespoons sugar for the meringue. cut open the warm cakes, put cream between and meringue on top. brown the two pies in the oven. --mrs. hugh parry. cake. white cake. whites of eight eggs well beaten, one and a third cups sugar, one scant half cup butter, three cups sifted flour, one cup sweet milk, one-half teaspoon baking powder mixed in the flour. mix butter and sugar, then stir in gradually milk and flour, sifting the flour in, then the whites of eggs. flavor with lemon.--mrs. j. b. henslee. * * * ginger cookies. two cups molasses, one cup sugar, one cup water, one large cup butter, one tablespoon soda, one tablespoon ginger, little cinnamon. flour enough to roll.--mrs. wm. pemberthy. * * * cheap cream cake. one cup sugar, one cup sweet milk, two cups flour, one egg, one tablespoon butter, one teaspoon baking powder. flavor to taste. bake in layers. filling--one egg, one-half cup sugar, one-fourth cup flour mixed with a little cold milk, and stirred into one cup boiling milk. boil until thick enough. flavor.--miss cora paddock. * * * tea cake. one cup sugar, one tablespoon butter, two eggs well beaten, one cup sweet milk, one and a half teaspoons baking powder. flour enough for pretty thick batter. one teaspoon lemon or vanilla extract. bake in hot gem pans.--miss f. l. raymond. * * * gingerbread. one cup molasses, one egg, butter size of an egg, three cups of flour, one-fourth teaspoon cloves, one-half teaspoon ginger and one of soda. beat molasses, egg, butter and part of flour together; pour a cup of boiling water on soda, add it to mixture, then remainder of flour, beating thoroughly.--mrs. o. h. simons. * * * cookies. one cup butter, two cups sugar, one cup sweet cream. melt the sugar and pour over the butter. stir while it melts. after it is cold, cream it and stir in the sweet cream; after putting in the cream and mixing thoroughly, add an even teaspoon of soda. beat three eggs, yolks and whites together, and put in, but do not mix until you have added some flour. mix them as soft as possible, taking them up from the table with a knife. the less flour the better. use extra c sugar; you cannot use granulated sugar.--mrs. s. j. hanna. * * * angel food. the whites of eleven eggs beaten to a stiff froth, a tumbler and a half each of flour and pulverized sugar. sift the sugar and flour twice, adding a teaspoon of cream tartar, and a little salt. stir lightly, flavor to taste. bake twenty-five minutes. do not grease the pan.--mrs. c. e. dodge. * * * cheap sponge cake. one-half large teacup sugar, one teacup flour, three eggs, two tablespoons milk, one heaping teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon essence of lemon. stir all well together.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * jennie's sugar cakes. three cups sugar, two of butter, three eggs well beaten, one teaspoon soda. flour sufficient to roll out.--mrs. a. j. lampshire. * * * nut cake. six eggs, one large cup of sugar, one-half cup butter, one-half cup sweet milk, one pound of english walnuts rolled fine, one tablespoon of baking powder, and flour to thicken. flavor with extract of strawberry, and bake in a flat pan. cooked frosting--the whites of three eggs beaten stiff, and one cup of granulated sugar. put sugar in a pan and cover with water, let it cook until it will hair from the end of a fork. stir the beaten eggs with this until perfectly cold; it will then be thick enough to spread on cake.--mrs. w. l. scott. * * * cookies. two cups sugar, three-fourths cup butter, one and a half cups sour milk, one teaspoon soda. flavor with nutmeg. flour enough to roll softly. sprinkle sugar on top, cut and bake.--mrs. p. b. turnbull. * * * cheap fruit cake. three eggs, two-thirds cup brown sugar, fill up the cup with molasses, half cup butter, half cup sour milk, three cups sifted flour, one teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and soda, half teaspoon nutmeg. add currants and raisins.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * lemon filling for cake. the juice of two lemons, two eggs, piece of butter the size of a hickory nut, coffee-cup of sugar. beat all together and boil until it thickens, stirring carefully. this is enough for four layers.--mrs. c. e. dodge. * * * cookies. one cup light brown sugar, one-half cup butter, one egg, two tablespoons sweet milk, and two teaspoons of baking powder. add flower enough to roll thin. bake in a quick oven.--mrs. john alfred. * * * marble cake. for the white cake: one cup butter, three cups white sugar, five even cups flour, one-half cup sweet milk, one-half teaspoon of soda, whites of eight eggs. flavor with lemon. for the dark cake: one cup butter, two cups of brown sugar, one cup of molasses, one cup sour milk, one teaspoon soda, four cups of flour, yolks of eight eggs and one whole egg, spices of all kinds. put in pans first a layer of dark, then a layer of white, and so on, finishing with a dark layer.--mrs. wm. morris. * * * fruit cake. one pound of flour, one of brown sugar, three-fourths pound butter, twelve eggs, one and a half pounds raisins, one and one-half pounds currants, one-half pound citron, one-half pound almonds, one-half pound figs, one-half pint sour milk, one level teaspoon soda, two teaspoons each of allspice, cloves and cinnamon, one teaspoon mace. --mrs. c. a. frear. * * * white cake. one cup pulverized sugar, and one-half cup white butter beaten to a cream, one-half cup milk, one and two-thirds cups flour, one-fourth cup cornstarch, whites of nine eggs beaten to a froth, one teaspoon of baking powder and lemon extract.--mrs. g. b. harker. * * * doughnuts. one coffee-cup granulated sugar, one-fourth coffee-cup butter, one coffee-cup milk, four eggs, two tablespoons water, two teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon salt, one nutmeg. cream the sugar and butter as for cake, add the eggs, well beaten, then milk, water, salt and nutmeg; next flour enough to make stiff for handling. do not roll out all at once, but keep adding a little fresh every time, and roll half an inch thick. add baking powder with the flour and have your lard just right. in about an hour after cooking, roll in powdered sugar. keep well covered in an earthen jar.--mrs. guilbault. * * * jelly roll. two teacups of coffee sugar, two teacups of sifted flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder; into this break six good-sized eggs and beat all well together. turn into square tins and bake in a quick oven to a light brown. when done, turn out on a moulding board, and spread with jelly. roll carefully, and wrap each roll in a clean napkin. can be used for table at once.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * lemon cake. one cup sugar, one-half cup butter beaten to a cream; then add the yolks and whites of five eggs, beaten separately. grate the rind of one lemon, add the juice of same, and three-fourths cup sweet milk. dissolve one-half teaspoon of soda and stir all together. do not mix too stiff. bake in a moderate oven.--mrs. f. m. mahn. * * * prince of wales cake. white part.--one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, whites of three eggs, two cups flour, one-half cup sweet milk, one teaspoon baking powder. dark part.--one cup brown sugar, one-half cup butter, yolks of three eggs, one-half cup sweet milk, two cups flour, one cup seeded raisins, tablespoon cinnamon, little nutmeg, one teaspoon baking powder. bake in jelly tins, two white and two dark. cooked icing to be put between the layers. one and a half cups sugar, whites of two eggs; dissolve the sugar in water and boil until it hairs on the end of the spoon; beat the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir it in the hot syrup, and beat until cold.--mrs. p. b. turnbull. * * * drop ginger cakes. one quart flour, half pint milk, half pint molasses, two teaspoons soda, two teaspoons ginger, butter size of an egg. drop with spoon on tins.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * marble chocolate cake. light part.--one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, whites three eggs, one cup milk, one teaspoon baking powder, about two cups flour. dark part--one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, yolks three eggs, one cup milk, three-fourths cup grated chocolate, moistened with boiling water, one teaspoon baking powder, about two cups flour. flavor with vanilla. put alternate spoonfulls of the batter in a round deep pan with a stem, and bake until done.--mrs. p. b. turnbull. * * * gingerbread. one cup brown sugar, one cup new orleans molasses, one cup shortening, three eggs, one cup sour milk, teaspoon soda, pinch of salt, tablespoon ginger, little cinnamon. to be eaten as a dessert with cream.--mrs. guilbault. * * * gold cake. two heaping cups flour, yolks of four eggs, one cup sugar, one and a half cups butter, one and a half cups sweet milk, one and a half teaspoons soda, one teaspoon cream tartar. flavor to taste.--mrs. m. l. clark. * * * cornstarch cake. whites of three eggs, one and a half cups cornstarch, one and a half cups milk, one cup pulverized sugar, one and a half cups butter, one and a half teaspoons cream tartar, one-fourth teaspoon soda. flavor with lemon.--mrs. m. l. clark. * * * white cake. one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, two cups flour, whites of seven eggs, and a scant teaspoon baking powder. cream the butter and sugar, and add gradually the well-beaten whites, with a half teacup of sweet milk. flour and extract to taste. bake in a moderate oven, well covered, until light.--mrs. cooper. * * * sponge roll. one cup sugar, two cups flour, six eggs, six teaspoons of water, and one of baking powder. beat the eggs and sugar very light, add the rest of the ingredients and beat rapidly until smooth. bake quickly; turn on a clean cloth, spread with jelly or any kind of filling that is liked, and roll while warm. this mixture can be baked in jelly tins, if preferred.--mrs. cooper. * * * rolled jelly cake. four eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one half cup of pulverized sugar, one cup flour, one teaspoon baking powder. flavor with lemon extract. bake in a large flat tin.--mrs. p. b. turnbull. * * * sponge cake. one heaping coffee-cup flour, one even coffee-cup sugar, six eggs, essence lemon.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * cookies. two cups granulated sugar, one cup butter, three eggs, one cup boiling water, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon soda. flour enough to roll good. flavor with nutmeg to suit the taste.--mrs. g. b. harker. * * * coffee cake. four eggs (reserve the whites of two for frosting), one and one-half cups molasses, the same of sugar, two cups chopped raisins, one-half cup butter, one cup strong cold coffee, one tea spoon salt, two teaspoons soda, one teaspoon each all kinds spices. mix stiff with flour. this will make two large loaves.--mrs. l. a. grover. * * * doughnuts. one cup sweet milk, one even cup sugar, two eggs, one teaspoon salt, two teaspoons baking powder, two teaspoons melted butter, flour to roll.--mrs. j. m. raymond. * * * bride's cake. whites of twelve eggs, three cups sugar, small cup butter, cup sweet milk, four small cups of flour, half cup cornstarch, two teaspoons baking powder. flavor to taste. a cup of thin sliced citron dusted with flour, added to the above, makes a very nice citron cake.--mrs. a. j. lampshire. * * * white cake. whites of four eggs, one cup sugar, good half cup butter, cup of milk, three cups of flour, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon of flavoring. the yolks of the eggs, and the same ingredients make a nice gold cake.--mrs. mckenzie. * * * harrison cake. one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, three eggs well beaten, half teaspoon soda stirred in half cup sour milk, two small cups flour. flavor with lemon or vanilla. pour in small dripping pan. bake half an hour.--miss r. h. nash. * * * sponge cake. one cup sugar, two scant cups flour, one-half cup cold water, five eggs beaten separately, one teaspoon baking powder, one teaspoon extract.--mrs. t. kyle. * * * fig filling for cake. one and a half pounds figs chopped fine; boil down with half a cup of water. cool, then fill the cake.--mrs. guilbault. * * * fruit cookies. two eggs, one and a third cups brown sugar, two-thirds cup warm water, two-thirds cup butter, even teaspoon soda dissolved in hot water, one cup chopped raisins; salt, cinnamon and cloves. flour enough to handle easily.--mrs. c. a. frear. * * * chocolate frosting. shave three fourths cup baker's chocolate, add three-fourths cup sugar beaten with one egg and a tablespoon of cream. cook over the tea kettle.--miss price. * * * cheap drop cakes. one cup molasses, one cup water, three cups flour, two eggs, one teaspoon soda, butter size of an egg, one teaspoon each cloves, allspice and cinnamon.--mrs. c. h. bailey. * * * white cake. one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, whites of nine eggs, two and three-fourths cups flour, one-fourth cup cornstarch, one cup milk, one teaspoon baking powder. flavor with lemon. beat sugar, butter, flour and milk together, then add eggs and baking powder.--mrs. c. a. frear. * * * spice cake. yolks of five eggs, one cup sugar, one cup milk, two and a half cups flour, one teaspoon baking powder, butter the size of an egg, a heaping teaspoon of all kinds of spices.--mrs. c. e. dodge. * * * angel food. whites of ten eggs, three-fourths tumbler pulverized sugar, one full tumbler of flour measured and then sifted seven times, three-fourths teaspoon cream tartar sifted in the flour. lemon extract or bitter almond.--mrs. t. kyle. * * * ginger snaps. mix three teaspoons baking powder with one and a quarter quarts of flour; add to this one-quarter pound sugar, two teaspoons butter, one-half pint molasses, and two tablespoons extract of ginger. roll very thin and bake in a few minutes. will soften by being kept.--mrs. john alfred. * * * plain cake for layers. one-half cup butter, three-fourths cup sugar, two eggs, one cup milk, two and a half cups flour after sifting three times, one teaspoon baking powder. mix butter and yolks thoroughly, add milk, flour and baking powder; lastly, the beaten whites, with a good amount of flavoring. cream for layer cake--yolks of two eggs, one tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon flour and one teacup milk; boil until it thickens.--mrs. o. h. simons. * * * white cake. whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one cup sugar, piece of butter the size of an egg, one cup milk, two and a half cups flour, teaspoon baking powder. flavor to taste.--mrs. c. e. dodge. * * * marble cake. light part.--whites of four eggs, cup of sugar, one-half cup butter, one-half cup sweet milk, one teaspoon baking powder, two and a half cups flour. flavor with lemon. dark part.--yolks of four eggs, cup brown sugar, half cup molasses, half cup butter, half cup sour milk, teaspoon soda, two and a half cups flour. stir together, dark and light parts, and bake two hours in a slow oven.--mrs. taylor. * * * doughnuts. one cup sour milk, cup and a half c sugar, two teaspoons melted butter, half a teaspoon soda, pinch of salt, flour enough to mix soft dough. cinnamon to taste.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * pound cake. one and three-fourths cups sugar, half pound butter rubbed to a cream, one pound flour sifted three times, whites of sixteen eggs, one cup walnuts, one teaspoon baking powder.--mrs. werner. * * * cream cake. whites of three eggs beaten very light, one-fourth cup butter and one cup sugar beaten to a cream, one cup milk, three cups flour, two spoons baking powder. stir eggs in last and bake in layers. for the cream, take the yolks of two eggs, one cup milk, one-half cup sugar, two tablespoons cornstarch, butter size of a hickory-nut. beat the yolks, then add the other ingredients and boil. flavor to taste when cool. do not spread on layers until cool.--mrs. john alfred. * * * raisin cake. take one and a quarter pounds of light dough, a teacup of sugar, one of butter, three eggs, a teaspoon of soda, one pound of raisins, nutmeg or cinnamon to the taste. bake one hour. let it rise before being baked.--mrs. john alfred. * * * cookies. cup of melted butter, two-thirds cup sour milk, teaspoon soda dissolved in hot water, three eggs well beaten, one and a fourth cups sugar, flour to roll thin, and bake in a quick oven.--mrs. j. m. raymond. * * * banana cake. two cups sugar, one cup butter, one cup sweet milk, three cups flour, yolks of five eggs, whites of three, two teaspoons baking powder. bake in layers. filling.--whites of two eggs, one-half pound powdered sugar; spread each layer with the icing. cut banana thin with silver knife and spread thick over icing. strawberries may be used the same way.--mrs. werner. * * * strawberry short cake. one cup sour milk, very small teaspoon soda, one tablespoon melted butter, little salt, add flour to thicken, and bake in pie tins. split the cakes and add berries.--mrs. guilbault. * * * sponge cake. two cups flour, two teaspoons baking powder, six eggs, one cup milk, two cups sugar.--mrs. john alfred. * * * ginger snaps. one cup c sugar, one-half cup molasses, one cup boiling water, two eggs, one teaspoon each soda, ginger and cinnamon. flour enough to roll out well.--mrs. g. b. harker. * * * doughnuts. one coffee cup of not too thick sour cream, or one of sour milk and one tablespoon butter, two eggs, a little nutmeg and salt, one teacup sugar, one small teaspoon soda dissolved. mix soft.--mrs. a. j. lampshire. * * * old-fashioned gingerbread. one tablespoon soda, one teaspoon pulverized alum, each in one-half cup boiling water. add one pint new orleans molasses, one tablespoon ginger, one-half cup butter. mix soft, roll thin, and bake in a quick oven.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * confectionery frosting. take the white of one egg (don't beat it) and stir powdered sugar into it until it is as thick as cold cream, or as thick as it can be spread on the cake. flavor if desired. * * * layer cake. two cakes of three layers. one cup sugar, one-half cup butter, four eggs, one cup milk, four cups flour, two heaping teaspoons baking powder. cream filling--one cup milk, half cup sugar; boil one minute. two heaping tablespoons cornstarch, yolks of two eggs; boil five minutes. when cold add one teaspoon vanilla. * * * cookies. one cup c sugar, one cup melted lard, two teaspoons baking powder, one egg; flour enough to roll without sticking.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * ice-cream cake. two cups sugar, scant cup of butter, one cup sweet milk, two cups flour, one cup cornstarch, whites of eight eggs, two teaspoons baking powder sifted in the flour and cornstarch. cream, butter and sugar, add milk, then flour and cornstarch, and last eggs well beaten. bake in layers. icing for the above--whites of four eggs, four cups sugar; pour half pint boiling water on sugar and boil till it candies; pour boiling sugar on the well beaten whites; then beat till it is cold. flavor with lemon and two teaspoons vanilla. spread between the cake.--mrs. werner. * * * ginger snaps. bring to a scald one cup of molasses, and stir in one tablespoon soda; pour it while foaming over one cup sugar, one egg and one tablespoon ginger beaten together; then add one tablespoon vinegar and flour enough to roll, stirred in as lightly as possible.--mrs. wm. morris. * * * variety cake. light part.--whites of three eggs, one cup sugar, butter size of an egg, half cup sweet milk, one teaspoon baking powder. flavor with lemon. about two cups flour. dark part.--one-half cup sugar, one-half cup molasses, cup of chopped raisins, yolks of three eggs, one-half teaspoon soda, half a cup of coffee, about two cups flour, spices of all kinds. bake in square tins. beat the whites of two eggs with a little sugar, flavor with lemon; this is to be used between the layers, then add enough sugar to frost the top.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * cookies. rub together till white one teacup butter and two of sugar; beat two eggs and stir into the mixture with a little flour. grate in a nutmeg. dissolve one teaspoon soda in one cup milk. add flour to roll easy.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * macaroons. one-half pound grated almonds, one-half pound sugar, one lemon, whites of two eggs. blanch and chop the almonds, add eggs and sugar, with the juice of lemon. drop a small quantity on paper greased on the back, which will enable you to take off the pan.--mrs. werner. * * * cookies. one-half cup cold water, one teacup white sugar, one-half cup butter, one-half cup sweet cream, three eggs, two heaping teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoon lemon extract. mix well and roll to about one-fourth an inch in thickness. sprinkle with granulated sugar, cut, and bake in a quick oven.--mrs. wm. morris. * * * cream puffs. one pint of flour, one large pint of water, one-half pound of melted butter; let the butter stand a few moments till the salt settles to the bottom; eight eggs, grated rind of half a lemon. set the butter and water on the stove to boil; when it boils add the flour and stir quickly till it comes off from the dish; let it cool, then beat the eggs in one at a time. drop from the spoon on buttered pans, not too near together. bake in a quick oven. sprinkle the puffs with powdered sugar and fill with cream. this will make forty-five puffs.--mrs. werner. * * * chocolate icing. one tablespoon melted chocolate. one and a half cups sugar boiled to a syrup in two tablespoons water. add to this while hot the whites of two eggs, and then stir in chocolate. * * * jelly or chocolate layer cake. four eggs, half cup sugar, half a cup of flour, in which a teaspoon of baking powder has been well mixed, pinch of salt, half cup of milk or cream put in the last thing.--mrs. werner. * * * cinnamon cake. one and a fourth pounds flour, one pound sugar, four eggs, half pound butter, half pound grated almonds, one teaspoon cinnamon, grated rind of one lemon. stir sugar and eggs for half an hour, then add the butter, almonds, cinnamon, lemon rind and flour. roll out to the thickness of one-fourth an inch or less. cut out with cake-cutter and stand over night, and bake the next morning in a moderate oven.--mrs. werner. puddings and sauces. suet pudding. cup chopped suet, cup molasses, cup sweet milk, three cups flour after it is sifted, cup stoned raisins and a few whole ones, teaspoon soda dissolved in a little boiling water, teaspoon each of cloves and cinnamon, one-half teaspoon nutmeg. steam until done, at least three hours. sauce for same--butter size of an egg, cup of sugar, tablespoon flour. put all together and pour on boiling water, cook one-half hour. flavor with brandy, or anything preferred.--mrs. s. j. hanna. * * * snow pudding. one-half box nelson's gelatine, one pint boiling water, one and a half cups sugar, juice of two lemons. when mixture is cool add beaten whites of eight eggs, and beat until ready to congeal. tint with fruit coloring, and serve with whipped cream.--mrs. j. b. henslee. * * * tapioca pudding. take one-half cup of tapioca, soak over night, put on the stove in the morning; cook up clear, add one cup of sugar, large spoon of butter and raisins. bake one hour, set away until cool. serve with cream.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * plum pudding. six crackers pounded fine, six eggs, one quart boiling milk, one cup sugar, one-half cup butter. raisins, currants, citron and spices to taste.--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * pop-overs. three eggs, three cups flour, three cups milk, a little salt, butter the size of an egg, one heaping teaspoon baking powder. beat the whites separate and add last. bake in small muffin tins in a quick oven.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * plum pudding. chop and rub to a cream one-fourth pound of suet, add scant half pound sugar; mix well. add four well beaten eggs, one grated nutmeg, one-half teaspoon each cloves, mace, and salt, one-half cup brandy, three-fourths cup milk, flour to make a thin batter. seed and chop one-half pound raisins, wash clean one-half pound currants, cut into thin slices one-half pound citron. sprinkle fruits with flour to prevent their settling to the bottom of batter. steam five or eight hours. sauce for pudding--cream two cups of butter, add slowly one cup powdered sugar, the unbeaten white of one egg, two tablespoons of wine and one of brandy, one-fourth cup boiling water. heat until smooth and creamy. heat the bowl for the creamed butter, and when adding wine do so slowly to prevent curdling. this pudding will keep for a year. as it can be prepared beforehand, it is excellent for christmas, saving much labor on that busy day.--mrs. h. c. dimick. * * * chocolate pudding. one quart milk, three squares baker's chocolate melted in the milk, two eggs, four large spoons cornstarch, three large spoons sugar. beat sugar, eggs and cornstarch together, add small teaspoon salt. cool in a mould. serve with whipped cream.--mrs. f. g. barker. * * * indian pudding. one quart milk, one cup white meal or gold dust, one cup sugar, two eggs. salt. scald the meal in milk, and bake about two hours slowly. * * * queen of puddings. one pint bread crumbs, one quart of new milk, one cup sugar, yolks of four eggs. bake in slow oven; when done spread with jelly. whip whites of eggs to stiff froth, add four tablespoons pulverized sugar, spread on top, return to oven and brown. serve with whipped cream. --mrs. h. c. dimick. * * * snow pudding. one-half package gelatine, soak two hours in one pint cold water; heat without boiling until it is all dissolved; when nearly cold, beat thoroughly with an egg beater, then add the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one cup powdered sugar, the juice and grated rind of one lemon. let it cool. use the yolks for a soft custard to put around each dish when served.--mrs. t. kyle. * * * transcendental pudding. half a teacup of rice steamed in one quart of milk two hours. take the yolks of three eggs, grated rind of one lemon, a little salt, sweeten to taste. this is to be stirred into the rice. butter the pudding dish. bake. beat the whites stiff, sweeten with pulverized sugar, flavor with the juice of the lemon. set in oven and brown lightly.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * snow pudding. pour half a pint boiling water over half a box gelatine; stir until dissolved. into this squeeze the juice of three lemons, add two cups sugar; beat whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, add gradually to the dissolved gelatine, etc. beat constantly thirty minutes, until it has the appearance of snow. dip moulds in cold water, and put the mixture on ice to cool. custard for the above--three cups milk, three-fourths cup sugar, yolks of four eggs. flavor with vanilla. boil the milk and stir in the eggs gradually, being careful not to let it lump.--mrs. h. c. dimick. * * * baked custard. scald one quart of milk, then add four well-beaten eggs; sweeten and flavor to taste. pour into a pudding dish, and set in a pan of hot water in the oven. * * * orange pudding. peel four oranges, slice very thin, lay in a deep dish with one cup white sugar strewn over it; set it away for an hour. cream for same--one-half cup flour, three-fourths cup sugar, small piece of butter, yolks three eggs, one half teaspoon essence lemon. beat these together and pour into one pint boiling water; let it boil a few minutes; pour over the oranges while hot. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add two teaspoons sugar, spread over the top, place in the oven to brown a few minutes. serve cold.--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * baked custard. beat the yolks of four eggs half an hour; add five ounces pulverized sugar, then one quart cold, new milk; add a teaspoon lemon extract, fill the cups and set them in a pan half filled with warm water. place the pan in a rather cool oven and gradually increase the heat. in about twenty minutes dip a teaspoon in one of the custards to see if it is firm. great care is needed in baking custards, for if left in the oven a minute too long, or if the fire is too hot, the milk will certainly whey.--mrs. wm. morris. * * * dandy pudding. one quart sweet milk, two tablespoons cornstarch, five tablespoons sugar, yolks of four eggs. beat the cornstarch and sugar together, and stir into the milk when boiling; stir until it thickens and is smooth. flavor with a teaspoon vanilla. butter the pudding dish. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth with a little pulverized sugar, pour on the top, put in the oven and bake.--mrs. h. d. leonard. dessert. apple meringue. pare and stew a few apples just as you would for sauce; take two or three slices of bread, butter them well. line a bread pan with pie crust, cover with a layer of the apple sauce well sweetened with sugar, next a layer of bread, then of apples. bake till done. beat the white of an egg for meringue, spread on top and brown in the oven. serve with cream or sauce of any kind.--mrs. hugh parry. * * * gelatine custard. one quart milk, one-half box gelatine, two-thirds cup sugar, three eggs. put gelatine in milk, scald the same, then add the yolks of eggs with the sugar, and salt. let it come to a boil; when a little cool stir in the whites. set it in a basin of cold water and stir thoroughly, adding flavoring when quite cool. * * * orange jelly. one-half box gelatine dissolved in one-half pint cold water half an hour; then add half a pint boiling water, place over the steam of a tea-kettle. when thoroughly dissolved add one cup sugar, the juice of five oranges and two lemons, and put in a mould in a cool place. * * * prune jelly. soak in water one-half a box of gelatine. stew half a pound of prunes until tender, then remove the stones. to liquid add gelatine and one cup of sugar, and enough hot water to make a pint and a gill of liquid. return prunes to liquid and let boil. serve with whipped cream. * * * whipped cream. add to one-half pint cream of moderate thickness the white of one egg beaten to a stiff froth, one-half cup pulverized sugar and flavoring. the grated rind and juice of half a lemon is nice. * * * charlotte russe. eighteen savoy biscuit, three-fourths pint cream, one tablespoon powdered sugar, one-half ounce isinglass. flavor with vanilla or wine. brush the biscuit with the white of egg. line the bottom of a round mould, standing them upright all around the edge, then place the mould in the oven for five minutes to dry the egg. whip the cream to a stiff froth with the sugar, flavoring and melted isinglass. fill the charlotte, cover the top with a piece of sponge cake the shape of the mould, place on the ice until ready for use.--mrs. werner. * * * wine jelly. two pounds sugar, one pint pale sherry, one pint cold water, one package cox's gelatine, juice of two lemons, one quart boiling water, small stick cinnamon. soak the gelatine in cold water one hour, add to this sugar, lemon, cinnamon, and pour over all the boiling water, stirring until gelatine is dissolved. put in the wine last. strain through flannel bag without squeezing. wet mould with cold water and pour in the jelly; set on ice to cool.--mrs. werner. * * * ice-cream. one teacup milk, one cup sugar, two eggs beaten light, let come to a boil; cool and strain, adding one quart cream. flavor with a tablespoon of vanilla. then freeze.--mrs. mckenzie. * * * coffee jelly. one box gelatine dissolved in half a pint cold water two hours, then add one pint sugar, one pint strong hot coffee, one and a half pints boiling water. strain and set away to cool. serve with cream and sugar.--miss r. h. nash. * * * orange sherbet. six oranges, whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth, two quarts of water, two cups of sugar. freeze same as ice cream.--mrs. paxton. * * * lemon jelly. one-half paper gelatine dissolved in one-half pint cold water an hour; then add one pint of boiling water, juice of a lemon, three-fourths pint sugar. strain and set away to cool. * * * charlotte russe. one pint milk, one-fourth box nelson's gelatine, two cups sugar, yolks of two eggs. mix these ingredients and set in a vessel of boiling water until gelatine is dissolved. strain through a sieve. flavor with vanilla. when cool, beat in one pint of well-whipped cream. line your dish with sponge cake and pour in the custard. --mrs. j. b. henslee. * * * fruit ice-cream. two quarts cream, five eggs, one and one-fourth coffee-cups pulverized sugar, three pounds peaches peeled and chopped fine. beat whites and yolks of eggs separately. any fruit preferred may be used.--mrs. guilbault. * * * ice-cream. one pint of milk, one pint of cream, one cup pulverized sugar, two eggs. flavor to suit the taste. this makes three pints of cream. --mrs. g. b. harker. * * * pineapple sherbet. pour two quarts of boiling water over one can of sliced pineapple, steep one hour and strain. add juice of six lemons and two cups of sugar. put into freezer; when partly frozen, whip the whites of five eggs to a stiff froth, adding slowly after they are whipped four tablespoons pulverized sugar. stir this slowly into freezer and freeze two hours.--mrs. h. c. dimick. miscellaneous. creamed oysters. one quart of oysters, one and a half cups cream, one heaping tablespoon cornstarch. salt and pepper to taste. let the cream come to a boil, mix the cornstarch in a little milk and stir into the cream, add pepper and salt. let the oysters come to a boil in their own liquor, and skim carefully. drain off the liquor, and turn the oysters into the cream.--mrs. h. d. leonard. * * * creamed celery. cut in inch pieces and cover with milk, to which, when boiling, add salt and a small piece of butter. serve hot. * * * diced turnips. pare, slice, cut in dice an inch square; boil until nearly done in as little water as possible. to one quart of turnips, add one tablespoon sugar, and salt to taste; when boiled quite dry, add two or three spoons of cream and a beaten egg.--mrs. a. j. lampshire. * * * chopped pickle. one peck of green tomatoes, one pint green peppers, two quarts green cucumbers, four bunches celery and one ounce celery seed, one ounce mustard seed, five cents worth of turmeric in a bag, one large cup brown sugar, two heads of cabbage, one-fourth pound horse-radish. sprinkle salt over cabbage and tomatoes, and let drain over night; rinse with water in the morning. put seeds and turmeric in vinegar and boil, pour over the ingredients while hot. * * * egg omelette. ten eggs, one large coffee-cup milk, a little salt. beat the eggs very light, add the milk and salt. pour into a hot skillet in which a large tablespoon of butter has been melted. when partly cooked, remove from fire and bake in oven until firm. place a hot platter on top of omelette, invert quickly, and serve at once. * * * chili sauce. fifty large, ripe tomatoes, six green peppers, six red peppers, eight onions and six garlics, eight tablespoons salt, eight tablespoons sugar, twelve cups vinegar, celery, cloves, cinnamon and allspice to taste. chop peppers and onions very fine. peel and chop the tomatoes. boil two hours; stir while boiling. * * * watermelon sweet pickle. pare and cut the rind into thin pieces and place in a porcelain-lined kettle; to about five pounds of fruit, add two teaspoons salt, with sufficient water to cover, and boil until tender enough to pierce with a silver fork. drain well, then take one quart of vinegar, two pounds sugar, and pour over the fruit. scald the syrup and pour over the fruit for eight successive days, the ninth day add one ounce each stick cinnamon, whole cloves and allspice. scald all together and seal up. nicer if left to stand two or three months.--mrs. l. a. grover. * * * dressing for meats and poultry. especially for turkeys. one-half loaf baker's bread dried and soaked in cold water; squeeze the bread well with the hands until all the water is out. smother a small onion in a large piece of butter, but do not brown it; add this to the bread, also one pound chopped veal, one-half pound tender pork, grated half nutmeg, pepper, salt, chopped parsley, three eggs, beating the whites to a froth and adding last.--mrs. werner. * * * veal loaf. three-fourths pound raw veal, one-fourth pound raw salt-pork, three eggs, nine crackers, three teaspoons salt, one and a half teaspoons pepper, parsley. chop very fine, and bake one hour. when cold, slice thin.--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * german pickles. one bushel large, yellow cucumbers; peel, cut up lengthwise and remove seeds; sprinkle with salt and let stand twelve hours. strain and thoroughly dry with a cloth; cover with cold vinegar and let stand for two weeks; pour off vinegar, dry cucumbers, put in a jar with a teacup of mustard seeds and spices. boil sufficient vinegar to cover and pour over them warm.--mrs. werner. * * * escalloped oysters. sprinkle a buttered dish with cracker crumbs, then put in a layer of oysters, some bits of butter, a little pepper and salt, and so on until the dish is full, leaving crumbs and butter on top. pour over the top a little milk. bake until of a light brown. * * * to blanch almonds. shell the nuts and pour boiling water over them; let them stand a minute, then throw them into cold water; rub between the hands and the dark skin will come off. * * * boiled fish. one mountain trout or white fish, clean and wash well, sprinkle salt on the inside and out and let it stand over night; in the morning put into salt boiling water, boiling fifteen or twenty minutes. lay on a platter sprinkled with chopped parsley and serve at once with hot potatoes boiled in salt water. for gravy, a large piece of butter melted but not boiled; pour the butter slowly into a tureen, leaving the salt in the dish. add chopped parsley.--mrs. werner. * * * spiced currants. stem three pints of ripe currants. make a syrup of three parts of sugar to one of strong vinegar. add currants, boil for a few minutes, stirring constantly to prevent burning. spice with cinnamon and cloves.--mrs. h. c. dimick. * * * fish chowder. try out small pieces of salt pork in a kettle. cut up a medium-sized fish, slice thin four or five potatoes; add these to the salt pork in alternate layers; cover with boiling water and cook until soft. season to taste, add an onion if liked, one large pint milk, and piece of butter. let boil. add a few boston crackers (split) just before serving. * * * grape preserves. wash the grapes, weigh, having equal weight of sugar and grapes; then pulp the grapes, put the pulp in a kettle and boil twenty-five minutes. rub through a sieve; return this to the kettle, add the sugar, and boil thirty minutes, then put in the skins and boil ten minutes.--miss r. h. nash. * * * dumplings. one pint flour, one cup milk, one egg, a large teaspoon baking powder, little salt. make the batter soft, so as to drop in with a spoon. cook about ten minutes. be sure to have the soup boiling when you drop them in. serve at once.--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * sauer kraut with oysters. drain the oysters. mix some flour with part of the liquor, put the rest of the liquor on the stove, let come to a boil; add oysters and flour and let come to a boil again; add pepper and salt and piece of butter. then fill dish with layer of sauer kraut and layer of oysters alternately. serve at once.--mrs. werner. * * * sweet pickle. take seven pounds of fruit, three pounds sugar, one quart vinegar, one-half ounce each mace, cinnamon and cloves, and scald all together. take out the fruit and boil the syrup down and pour over; repeat this for three days. * * * cold tomato catsup. one-half peck tomatoes, three pints of good vinegar, three-fourths cup salt, three-fourths cup ground mustard seed, three peppers, handful celery seed, one tablespoon grated horse-radish. mix well and bottle tight. * * * spiced beef. chop one pound raw beefsteak and a piece of suet or pork the size of an egg. add one-half pint bread crumbs or crackers, two eggs, six tablespoons cream or milk, a small piece of butter. season with savory, marjoram, salt and pepper. mix and make in a roll with flour enough to keep together. bake. when cold slice thin. * * * prepared fish. boil until quite soft three pounds of fish; pick in small pieces and lay upon a flat dish. season with pepper and salt, add a small piece of butter. turn upon the well-beaten yolks of four eggs a pint of scalding milk, and pour it over the fish. beat to a stiff froth the whites and spread over the surface. bake half an hour.--mrs. w. h. nash. * * * tomato toast. run a quart of stewed ripe tomatoes through a colander, place in a porcelain kettle, season with butter, pepper, salt and sugar to taste. cut thin slices of bread, brown on both sides, place on a platter, and when ready to serve, add a pint of sweet cream to the tomatoes and pour over the toast.--mrs. a. j. lampshire. * * * cranberry jelly. cover cranberries with water and cook until soft; mash through a colander. to one pint of juice add one pound of sugar. return to stove and boil one-half hour. pour the hot liquid in moulds to cool. --miss r. h. nash. * * * hot mush bread for dinner. scald a pint of corn meal until of the consistency of mush; when cooked, cool with sour or buttermilk until about as thick as batter cake dough; then add one-half teaspoon each of salt and soda, two eggs, and a teaspoon of butter. beat well and bake quickly. to be served in the dish in which it is baked, and helped with a spoon. --mrs. cooper. * * * foam sauce. one cup sugar, one egg; beat well together, add four tablespoons boiling milk. flavor with vanilla.--mrs. w. h. nash. candies. molasses candy. two cups new orleans molasses, one cup sugar, one tablespoon vinegar, a piece of butter the size of a walnut. boil twenty-five minutes, stirring constantly. either pull it or pour out thin on pans.--miss f. l. raymond. * * * peanut candy. one pound of granulated sugar put in an iron spider; stir until free from lumps. crush a quart of peanuts very fine and add just before taking from the stove.--mrs. c. e. dodge. * * * chocolate caramels. one large cup sugar, one-half cup molasses, one half cup milk, butter the size of an egg, one teaspoon cornstarch, one-fourth pound chocolate.--miss r. h. nash. * * * chocolate caramels. one cup milk, two cups molasses, one cup sugar, one and a half cakes chocolate, small piece of butter. grate the chocolate and stir it into the milk when boiling, then stir in gradually the other ingredients. try it as you would molasses candy, and when done and cooled a little, cut in squares half an inch. * * * french cream candy. (uncooked.) mix whites of two eggs and their bulk in water in a large bowl; beat very well, add a dessert spoon vanilla and about two pounds "xxx" confectioners' sugar (finest grade of powdered sugar), well sifted; beat well, and the paste is ready. take half a pound of dates, remove stones, put in a piece of the candy paste and roll each one in granulated sugar. for fig candy, split half a pound of figs, place a layer of the dough on a board (first sprinkle well with powdered sugar to prevent its adhering), then a layer of figs, again a layer of dough, and cut in squares. nuts of any kind may be made up into candy by using the meats for the foundation or inside of little balls of paste, and then roll in coarse sugar; set each kind out in a cool place to harden. for chocolate creams roll any number of balls size of small marbles from the dough, and when they are hardened, dip with a fork into some baker's chocolate melted on the stove. be careful not to allow it to boil; better to melt it in a little cup placed in a pan of hot water on the stove. or make a caramel of three-fourths pint sugar, one-third pint milk, two tablespoons butter, and one square chocolate. boil twenty minutes and add one teaspoon vanilla. remove from fire, place in a pan of hot water, and dip in the little balls. cocoanut candy may be made by rolling out another portion of the dough on the floured board, sprinkle with cocoanut, roll a few times with the roller, and cut into squares. a mixture of cocoanut and nuts chopped fine makes a delicious candy. for english walnut candy split the walnuts, shape some of the dough into round flat balls, place a half of the nut on each and press firmly. use hickory-nut meats for hickory-nut candy. household hints. to clean the silver spoons and forks in everyday use, rub them with a damp cloth dipped in baking soda, then polish them with a small piece of chamois skin. * * * rub salt on the inside of your coffee pot when washing it, and it will remove the coffee and egg very quickly. be sure to rinse it thoroughly before using it again. * * * old lamp burners should be boiled often in strong saleratus water. let them boil for an hour, polish them, and they will be as good as new, and will not trouble you by causing a smoky light. * * * brooms become very brittle in this dry atmosphere; dipping them in hot suds every week will toughen them, so they will last much longer. * * * cut old boot tops into pieces the right size, cover with calico, and you have a holder that will not heat the hand. * * * javelle water. to bleach and remove stains. four pounds sal-soda, one pound chloride of lime, one gallon water. heat the sal soda in a vessel over the fire, add the water boiling. boil ten minutes. add the chloride of lime, having first reduced it to powder. when cold, bottle and cork the mixture. rinse well after using. * * * cleaning fluid. sulphuric ether, one drachm; chloroform, one drachm; alcohol, two drachms; deodorized benzine, two pints; oil of wintergreen, two drachms. nice for cleaning kid gloves, grease spots, etc. end of cloud city cook-book [ transcriber's note: italic text has been marked with _underscores_. ] tempting curry dishes copyrighted , by james p. smith & company. published by james p. smith & company. & park place, new york. & south water st., chicago, ill. & front street, san francisco, cal. rue d'antin, paris, france. . by thomas j. murrey, author of "good things from a chafing dish." "salads and sauces." "puddings and dainty desserts." "breakfast dainties." "fifty soups." "luncheon dainties." "practical carving." "fifty salads." "the book of entrees." "cookery for invalids," etc., etc. introductory. in the second and third centuries three mighty hindoo kings were renowned for their cookery. they were nala, the king of nishadhades, whose fame for dressing and preparing excellent dishes made his kingdom famous. he reigned in the second age. the second was bhima, who reigned in the third age. he was so devoted to the culinary art that for a whole year he served in the capacity of valala, or cook to virat rajah, king of panchala nagur. the third was king pakasasana, who was not only superintendent of the preparation of celestial food, but was also a distinguished chef. the secret of the cuisine of these noted cooks was a mysterious powder, which, when added to their dishes, cured disease, as well as appeased the appetite. those who partook of their food died only of extreme old age or by accident. no record can be found where the fevers of the country carried them off. in an ancient cookery book printed in the sanscrit language, are preserved many of the formulas and recipes used by these kingly cooks and their successors. the "mysterious powders" which they used were a combination of various fruits, spices, condiments, roots, seeds, etc., which were either pounded together dry or worked to a paste and dried afterwards. there were hundreds of these preparations which were used in different dishes; each dish had its own separate powder. they are known to modern civilization as curry powders. to-day almost every nation has its own appropriate curry powder and its own curry formulas. the curry powders of england are particularly suited to the damp, foggy weather of that country, but they are no more suited for this climate than are the heavily brandied champagnes which are of a necessity used in england and russia. a short time ago the members of the famous new york chafing dish club decided to hold a series of practical sessions in curry cookery, with a view to determining which curry powder on the new york market was the most appropriate for the united states, at the same time was made of the purest and most wholesome ingredients. over forty different curry powders were tasted. a number of distinguished english epicures were present and took part in the contest, with a view to demonstrate that the english preparations were the best. the different bottles were wrapped in paper so that the labels of the powders could not be seen. each package was numbered, and it was the universal opinion of the experts that number  was the best of the lot. when the wrapper was removed number  was found to be the curry powder of james p. smith & company, park place, new york. the author. [illustration] [illustration] curry oil. one of the agreeable and at the same time useful oils which should find a place on the shelf of every kitchen or butler's pantry, is known as curry oil. it is made by putting into a six-ounce, large-mouthed, glass stopper bottle two tablespoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder, then filling up the bottle with antonini olive oil. in a week it will be ready for use. a few drops of it should be added to sauces and salads. curry vinegar. put into a pint of good cider or wine vinegar a tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, shake it well from time to time, and in ten days it will be fit for use. it is excellent for flavoring soups, etc. curry essence. add three ounces of j. p. smith's curry powder to a quart of white wine vinegar. put the bottle into a pot of warm water and cork it the same as in cooking beef tea; let it boil an hour, then place at one side to cool and settle. when thoroughly settled pour off the clear liquid and use for flavoring soups and sauces. [illustration] a quick curry sauce. add to half a pint of drawn or melted butter a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder and a tablespoonful of epicurean sauce, stir and serve with broiled or boiled fish, meats, etc. table sauce, no.  . put into a quart bottle two tablespoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder; three cloves of garlic, cut fine; half a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's amboyna cloves, ground; a pint of epicurean sauce, and fill the bottle with claret or burgundy vinegar. shake well from time to time and use after two weeks. it will be found superior to worcestershire sauce. a delightful table sauce. put into a pint bottle two tablespoonfuls of james p. smith's curry powder, fill the bottle with either walnut or mushroom catsup, shake frequently; the sauce will be ready for use in ten days. these sauces may be purchased at the grocer's, or the mushroom catsup may be made as follows from field mushrooms: cover the bottom of a porcelain or crockery dish with fresh mushrooms, sprinkle over them a liberal quantity of salt; on top of the salt place another layer of mushrooms, then another thin layer of salt, and so on until the mushrooms are used up. let the dish stand twelve to fifteen hours, then rub the pulp through a sieve. put it into a stone jar, place the latter in a pan of water and let it simmer until the quantity is reduced one half. to keep it add a gill of brandy to every quart of sauce. to make it into a delightful table sauce add two tablespoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder to each pint; shake frequently; when cool, put away in well-corked bottles. [illustration] a refreshing tonic. one of the most delicious of refreshing tonics is prepared with an overflowing teaspoonful of maggi bouillon, half a pint of boiling water, seasoned with a pinch of j. p. smith's inimitable curry powder. a great many object to the peculiar taste which prepared bouillon, beef extracts, etc., usually possess, but with the addition of this particular curry it is an impossibility for even the most exacting palate not to appreciate the compound. mulligatawny soup. put into a frying pan a tablespoonful of antonini olive oil; when hot add a cut up red onion and fry brown; next add a tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, cook a moment and add a pint of chicken broth or a pint of hot water and a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon. pour the contents of the frying pan into two quarts of rich chicken broth, thicken slightly with a tablespoonful of rice flour, taste for salt, and serve. this is the family method of making this excellent soup. the meat of a chicken cut into squares may be used in this soup. curried apples. apples thus prepared are more toothsome than the ordinary spiced apples. peel and core six large greening apples. mix together half a pound of butter, half a pound of brown sugar, a tablespoonful of vinegar and a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder; fill the holes with the mixture, put them in a buttered tin, and bake. when cold serve with cold meats. crab apples boiled in sugar and flavored with curry, form an agreeable relish for cold game. [illustration] a dainty shrimp curry. put into a chafing dish, or frying pan, a tablespoonful of antonini olive oil, a teaspoonful of chopped onion and fry a delicate brown, then add a teaspoonful of james p. smith's curry powder. allow the powder to cook a moment, then add a pint of water and a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon. if the latter is not to be had, then add a pint of beef stock instead of the water; simmer ten minutes, and add a teaspoonful of rice flour dissolved in cold water. let boil until it thickens slightly, then strain into another dish. open a can of barataria shrimps, rinse them off with cold water, add them to the curry sauce, warm up the dish, then pour over it three tablespoonfuls of fresh orange juice, a teaspoonful of dry sherry, and serve. boiled rice for curry dishes. alas! how very few can say they can boil rice properly. it is a most difficult feat to many an expert cook, and yet it is very simple, when one knows how. the essential point to be gained is that after boiling, each grain must be distinct and unbroken, yet tender and to every appearance fairly ready to burst. to accomplish this a small quantity of rice must be cooked in a large volume of water. an ordinary half pint cup full of rice should be boiled in at least a gallon of water. it will surprise the uninitiated when they compare the bulk of the rice before and after cooking. the rice should be first well washed in several waters; reject all husks and imperfect grains, put the rice into cold water slightly salted, and boil about twenty-five minutes. old rice requires a little longer cooking. the grains should occasionally be tested, and when a slight pressure will crush them they are done. if boiled until the grains burst, the rice is spoiled for serving with curry. if boiled in a small volume of water the rice is also rendered useless, as the grains will stick together. after boiling the rice should be placed over the range where it will throw off the moisture absorbed in the boiling. should any water remain it should be carefully kept for soups, sauces, etc., as it is quite as nutritious as the rice itself. shrimp curry, no.  . fry a minced onion with a tablespoonful of antonini olive oil; when brown add a heaping tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, a teaspoonful of rice flour, and a heaping saltspoonful of salt. stir to prevent burning, add a pint of hot water or broth. cook until the sauce thickens slightly, strain and add a square of sugar, a heaping tablespoonful of either chutney, currant jelly, apple, or cranberry sauce. put into the sauce a can of shrimps, let the whole warm through thoroughly. arrange on a platter a border of boiled rice, put the curried shrimp in the centre, squeeze over the shrimp the juice of a lime, and over the rice sprinkle the juice of an orange. curry of cray fish. crayfish are to be had in the new york market at all seasons. they inhabit fresh water streams almost everywhere, but the west furnishes the best and largest which are sent to the new york market. in the fall, large quantities of them are put into cold storage houses for winter use. they are usually sold already boiled and shelled, but in summer are to be had alive. the former is the most advantageous way of buying them, as they require but little preparation. served as a curry they are excellent. to cook them follow instructions for shrimp curry, substituting crayfish for shrimps. curry of prawns. the prawn, although resembling the shrimp and the crayfish, is larger than either of the other crustacea. they have a more pronounced flavor, and are at their best served as curry. select a quart of boiled prawns, pick them over carefully to see that all shell has been removed, rinse in cold water a moment, and dry them in a napkin. put into a frying pan a heaping tablespoonful of butter; when hot add a chopped spring onion or a young leek, cook a few moments, and add a heaping teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder; stir to prevent burning, allow it to cook a moment, and add half a pint of hot water, or beef stock, one small sour apple, peeled, and cut into dice, a square of sugar, and a teaspoonful of epicurean sauce. cover and simmer until the apple is cooked, then add another half pint of beef broth, or hot water containing a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon, stir well and rub through a small strainer; add the prawns to the sauce, heat them through, season with a small quantity of salt and a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, pour the curry onto a hot platter, surround it with a border of boiled rice, squeeze over the curry the juice of half a lemon, and serve. curry of scallops. wash, drain, and scald, a pint of scallops; put them into a saucepan, add half a teaspoonful of salt, small piece of a bay-leaf, three whole cloves, and a pint and a half of milk; boil thirty minutes. in a frying pan prepare a curry sauce as follows: put into the pan a tablespoonful of antonini olive oil in which a few cloves of garlic had been steeped, add two teaspoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder, a chopped sweet spanish pepper and a gill of beef broth, or hot water containing a teaspoonful of maggi bouillon; cover and cook five minutes. add a pint more of the liquid, a teaspoonful of rice flour dissolved in cold water, two tablespoonfuls of mild chutney, and the grated outside peel of a lemon; stir and simmer a few moments. drain the scallops, put them in the centre of a hot platter, surround them with the sauce _without pouring any of it over them_; around the outer edge arrange a neat border of hot boiled rice, and send to table with a sauce-boat full of fresh orange juice. curry of frogs. proceed as per recipe for curry of scallops, with the exception that the frogs require one hour's cooking in the milk. they may then be served the same as the scallops, or put into the sauce and warmed up in it. a much plainer curry sauce may be prepared if so desired. curry of oysters. put into a frying pan two tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil, add a scant tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, a chopped bermuda onion, and cook until the onions are quite brown; stir frequently to prevent burning. add a pint of oyster liquor, a saltspoonful of salt, simmer until reduced one-third, then strain; add to the sauce a dozen large raw oysters. when they are thoroughly heated through and the gills begin to curl, they will be cooked sufficiently. serve with hot boiled rice. curry of crab. prepare a plain curry sauce as for oyster curry, and in the sauce put the contents of a can of crab meat; when warmed through it is ready to serve. the fresh crab meat from the shells is of course superior to the canned article, but it is more troublesome to prepare. before sending to table squeeze over the dish the juice of a fresh lime. soft shell crabs curried. select half a dozen fine large soft shell crabs, remove the sand-pouch and the feathery gill like parts found under the side points of the shells. mix together to a paste in a mortar a clove of garlic, a heaping tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder, a tablespoonful of epicurean sauce, and the juice of a lemon. if the paste is too thick, thin out with orange juice; cover the crabs with this paste, dip them in beaten egg, then in cracker or bread crumbs and fry like doughnuts. to be eaten cold. curry of lobster. kill two live lobsters, remove the meat from the tails, split each tail piece in two lengthwise, and remove the entrail found therein; cut the meat into inch pieces. put into a frying pan two tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil, when hot add the lobster, toss the pieces about a few moments, and strew over the meat a tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder. cook fifteen minutes, stirring continually; add the juice of two florida oranges, then quickly remove the pan from the fire and when the agitation in the pan ceases, serve on toast. dainty rice croquettes may be served with the dish. curry of lobster, no.  . use the meat of two boiled lobsters, cut it into neat pieces; take all green fat and coral, and set them aside; mix the green fat with a heaping spoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder. squeeze out the juice of three limes, and add to it half a teaspoonful of powdered sugar. put into a frying pan an ounce of butter; when creamed add a teaspoonful of minced onion, brown it a little, now add the mixed curry powder; dissolve a teaspoonful of rice flour in cold water, add this to a pint of hot water or soup stock, stir into the pan, and simmer till thick; now add the lobster, and simmer fifteen minutes longer. wash and dry the coral, separate it. prepare a border of rice on a dish, and over it sprinkle the coral and eggs, if any--put the curry in the centre, and serve. curry of clams. both the little neck and the paper shell clams are very good served as a curry; only the body part of the soft clam should be used, as the remainder is somewhat tough. the little necks, if cooked too much, will be tough. serve them with a plain curry sauce. curry of salmon. fresh cold boiled salmon may be served as a curry, and a salmon steak, cooked in a curry sauce until it is done, is very good eating, but there is no better way of serving canned salmon than as a curry. the only point is to be sure to buy the best known brand of salmon. fry a minced onion brown, with an overflowing tablespoonful of antonini olive oil, add two tablespoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder, let cook a moment and add a pint of hot water, a tablespoonful of flour dissolved in cold water, a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, or chutney, and a little salt, stir and simmer until the sauce thickens, then add the contents of a one-pound can of salmon to the sauce; let it warm through before serving, and send to table with hot boiled rice, or other cereal, such as hominy, cerealine, etc. fish curries. cold fish of any kind may be advantageously served the next day in the form of a curry. all that is necessary is to warm up the fish in the sauce; care must be exercised, however, not to break or separate the fish into too fine pieces. [illustration] curry of chicken. unjoint the chicken and cut the large pieces in two. put into a frying pan two tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil, and when hot fry the pieces of chicken in it until they are partially cooked; remove the chicken, add another tablespoonful of oil, and a minced bermuda onion; when brown add two tablespoonfuls of j. p. smith's curry powder. return the chicken to the pan with half a pint of hot water, cover and set on back of range to simmer half an hour. add a pint of hot water to the pan, strain the sauce to remove the onion, if objectionable. dissolve a tablespoonful of rice flour in a gill of cold water, stir it into the sauce with half a teaspoonful of salt, or use a teaspoonful of manioca instead of flour. when the sauce thickens, add the chicken (provided it had been removed to facilitate the straining of the sauce), and allow it to stand an hour before serving. when ready for the table, put the curry on a hot platter, and serve with hot boiled rice and a chutney sauce. chicken curry, no.  . prepare the curry sauce as before described, and in it warm up slices of cold roast or boiled chicken, or turkey. chicken curry, no.  . cut up a dry-picked roasting or spring chicken. rub into the pieces a liberal quantity of j. p. smith's curry powder, dry. fry the pieces thoroughly in four tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil; when done serve with a tomato sauce well flavored with a few drops of tobasco sauce. if for breakfast, serve with manioca griddle cakes. curry of duckling. the spring duckling is delightful eating, but its peculiar flavor is not always relished at first; they are best broiled. split the bird down the back, rub antonini olive oil over it, sprinkle over it a small quantity of j. p. smith's curry powder, then broil on both sides. when done squeeze over the bird the juice of a florida orange. curry of squab. squabs treated in the same manner as the duckling are most appetizing. they are excellent for cold luncheon, for picnics, collations, etc. the wild squab partially fried, then allowed to stand in a curry sauce half an hour before serving, is good eating. curry of venison. cold roast venison makes a very good breakfast curry, as the meat is tender and digestible. put in a frying pan, a tablespoonful of antonini olive oil, half a teaspoonful of dry flour, brown it slightly. add a clove of garlic and a tablespoonful of minced apple, a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, and half a pint of hot water, or venison gravy from the roast of the day before. simmer and set on the back of the range. cut the meat in neat pieces, add it to the sauce, and when quite hot send to table. before serving, add the juice of a florida orange. curry of venison, no.  . the pieces of venison which are not large enough for steaks or for roasting purposes may be thus prepared. cut a pound of the meat into inch squares and toss them about in a frying pan, with an overflowing tablespoonful of antonini olive oil; after cooking five minutes add a tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder and a gill of hot water containing a teaspoonful of maggi bouillon; cover. while this is cooking, cut two medium sized raw potatoes into small dice, and add them to the meat with half a teaspoonful of salt. the steam will cook the potatoes in ten minutes. mix the ingredients together and if too dry add a little more hot water. curry of rabbit. select two fine rabbits, cut them into neat pieces; put into an earthen crock a thin slice of bacon, add a few slices of rabbit, sprinkle over it a little of j. p. smith's curry powder, salt, fresh grated cocoanut, and a dozen raisins; put in another layer of rabbit meat, and season it as the first layer, repeat until the rabbit is all used, and you have also used the juice and meat of one fresh, or half a pound of dry cocoanut; moisten the whole with rhine wine; let this stand twenty-four hours, then place the crock in a pot of water and simmer three hours. while cooking, the crock must be tightly covered. serve with hot boiled rice and over the meat squeeze the juice of a lime. curry of hare. skin, clean, and quarter the hare and rub each piece well with j. p. smith's curry powder. put into a saucepan a tablespoonful of beef drippings, a sliced onion, the pieces of meat, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a gill of claret. cover and simmer an hour; add another gill of claret, two heaping tablespoonfuls of currant jelly, two squares of sugar, and simmer two hours longer. serve with boiled rice, over which sprinkle a little orange juice. curry of beef. the best piece of meat for this dish is the lean part of the flank, which, being cross-grained, allows the curry to thoroughly assimilate with every particle of the meat. cut up one pound of the meat into neat square pieces. put into the frying pan one ounce of antonini's olive oil, or butter, and fry in it a minced onion, stirring until brown; add the beef and stir to prevent burning; now add a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder and half a pint of rich gravy, salt, simmer, squeeze out the juice of one florida orange, sweeten it a little, add it to the dish, add a heaping teaspoonful of apple sauce, stir and simmer nearly an hour. curry of beef, no.  . fry an onion brown with two tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil, add a heaping tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, a pint of hot water, a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon, a tablespoonful of epicurean sauce, a teaspoonful of manioca, half a teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of tomato catsup. simmer three-quarters of an hour, and in this sauce warm up slices of cold roast beef. [illustration] curried veal chops. mix together a heaping tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, two saltspoonfuls of salt, a teaspoonful of made mustard, a dash of cayenne, a teaspoonful of epicurean sauce and antonini olive oil, enough to make a paste; spread a little of this on both sides of the chops, then dip in beaten egg, roll in bread crumbs, and fry in a large quantity of fat. they may be served with or without tomato sauce, and either hot or cold. curry of veal. cut up one pound of raw leg of veal into pieces. mix a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, half a teaspoonful of rice flour, and a saltspoonful of salt together, dip the meat in melted butter or oil, then roll each piece in the powder and fry until a delicate brown all over (onion may be added or omitted). mince half a sour apple and fry it with the meat; add half a pint of soup stock, simmer half an hour, squeeze over all the juice of half a lemon, mix and serve. curry of sweetbreads. select two pair of fine sweetbreads, scald them and remove from them all sinews, etc. put them into water slightly salted, cover and parboil half an hour. drain, and keep in cold water until wanted. prepare a plain curry sauce; slice the sweetbreads, cook them in the sauce half an hour and serve. curried calf's brains. wash the brains in several waters, then scald and free them from sinews; boil in water seasoned with salt, a gill of vinegar, a clove of garlic, and a small piece of bay-leaf. cook an hour, put the brains in the centre of a dish, surround it with a well made curry sauce. curry of calf's feet. boil the calf's feet, after cleaning them, five hours; then serve them with a well made curry sauce, or rub them well with antonini olive oil; sprinkle j. p. smith's curry powder over them, and broil; when done place on a hot dish, squeeze over them the juice of a lemon and serve. curried calf's head. cut cold boiled calf's head into neat square pieces. beat together the yolks of three eggs, add to it a tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, a teaspoonful of epicurean sauce, and half a teaspoonful of salt; in this dip the pieces of cold calf's head, roll each piece in cracker crumbs, again dip in the egg, again in the crumbs, and fry, like doughnuts. serve with tomato sauce. curry of calf's liver. cut three slices of raw calf's liver into inch pieces, scald and dry in a napkin. put into a frying-pan two tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil; when hot add a chopped onion; when this browns slightly add the pieces of meat, a heaping teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, and a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon; cover five minutes, then add half a pint of hot water; cook ten minutes longer. arrange round the border of a hot platter a layer of mashed potatoes, place it where the top of the potato will brown slightly, then put the curried liver in the centre of the dish and serve. curried tripe. rinse off a pound of fresh tripe in scalding hot water, drain it, cut it into conveniently sized pieces, and boil them in water slightly salted an hour and a half: then add the tripe to a plain curry sauce, and serve with boiled rice. curried tripe and onions. cut into slices three bermuda or white onions; fry a delicate brown with three tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil, strew over the onion a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, add half a pound of cold boiled tripe, cover the dish and shake the pan to prevent burning; when the onion is cooked serve. broiled tripe, curry sauce. rub a piece of cold boiled tripe with antonini olive oil; and broil the tripe a delicate brown color on both sides. put the tripe on a hot dish, cover it with melted butter seasoned with half a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, a chopped gherkin, a little salt and the juice of half a lemon. curried kidneys. scald four lamb kidneys, skin and split them, and let them stand in water slightly salted two hours. wipe them dry in a kitchen towel and cut them into pieces. pour into a soup plate a gill of antonini olive oil, put the kidneys in this and move them about in the oil so that each piece will be glazed with the oil. strew over the kitchen table a quantity of j. p. smith's curry powder, roll the oiled kidneys in this. put into a frying pan two tablespoonfuls of the olive oil, when very hot add the kidneys, and a little salt. shake the pan well to prevent burning, cook rather rare, as they will be tough if well done. curried veal kidneys. split two veal kidneys in two, skin them and allow them to stand in cold water, salted, three hours. drain and wipe dry. cut them into thin slices and cook them half an hour in a good curry sauce as before described. curried ox tails. cut two ox tails at the joints, and fry them in a little antonini olive oil five minutes. have cooking in a saucepan a minced onion with a thin slice of bacon and a heaping tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder. add the ox tails, quarter of a bay-leaf, half a pint of hot water, and half a teaspoonful of salt; cover, and simmer until the moisture is reduced one-half, and add two tablespoonfuls of maggi bouillon, a pint of hot water and a gill of good sherry; cover and simmer on back of range until the meat is very tender. put it away to get cold and next day warm it up in a frying pan or chafing dish, add a little lemon or lime juice and serve. plain mutton curry. cut up half a pound of cold boiled mutton in symmetrical pieces. chop up an onion and fry it with three tablespoonfuls of antonini olive oil or butter, add the meat, toss it about a few moments, strew over it a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, and add half a pint of gravy; simmer gently a few minutes and serve. this is about as simple a mode of preparing the dish as can be proposed; it may be improved by frying a little apple with the onion and adding more water, then thickening it with browned flour. raw mutton should be fried a little before it is added to the curry sauce. mutton chops may be curried the same as veal chops. curry of lamb. the breast of lamb freed from fat makes a very good curry. cut up a pound of it and toss the pieces about in the frying pan a few moments. sprinkle over the meat a teaspoonful of the j. p. smith curry powder and a gill of vinegar; cover, cook ten minutes and put the meat away to allow the curry to permeate it. when wanted fry an onion brown, add to it half a pint of hot water, a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon and a little salt; simmer ten minutes, strain and add the meat with a square of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of chutney or chili relish, or tomato catsup. if convenient add the grated fruit of half a fresh cocoanut. simmer slowly an hour, serve with boiled rice and orange juice in a sauce-boat. curried pork tenderloin. pound together in a mortar a clove of garlic, a tablespoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, a square of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and a saltspoonful of salt; add a tablespoonful of epicurean sauce, and one of french mustard. select a fresh pork tenderloin, cut it into three-inch pieces and cut gashes lengthwise all over the meat; into these gashes rub the paste. put them into a pan, pour a little antonini olive oil over each, and bake in the oven twenty minutes. turn frequently while they are cooking. these are excellent cold. curried eggs. hard boil six eggs; when cool enough, remove the shell and quarter them lengthwise. put these on a hot platter, surround the pile with a good curry sauce, garnish the border with boiled rice and serve. curried hamburg steak. ask the dealer for a pound of chopped lean meat; shape it into little cakes, over each cake rub a little curry oil and a few drops of garlic oil, and fry or bake the steaks. put them in the centre of a dish and pour over them a good strong curry sauce and serve plain. curried canned beef. make the curry sauce in the usual manner, warm the slices of the canned corned beef in it and serve. curried plantain. select the long green plantains that find their way here from cuba, peel them and boil them forty minutes. put them on a hot platter, cover them with curry sauce, squeeze the juice of an orange over them and serve. vegetable curries. cold boiled vegetables as well as the fresh vegetables are all excellent served as curries. they are cooked with butter and seasoned with curry powder, or warmed in the curry sauce. a list of vegetable curries would alone fill a large volume. in a very rare old hindoo cookery book i possess are recipes for curries of all kinds of grain, fruits, vegetables, roots, greens, flowers, seeds, etc., that would simply astound new yorkers. we, however, could not prepare, much less eat their dishes as per recipe any more than the hindoo would eat our curries. they have a different curry preparation for each different article. [illustration] curried macaroni. break into three pieces, each tube of a half a pound of geoffroy taganrok macaroni, which is the best in the market. put it into a porcelain lined dish or saucepan, cover with boiling water, add a scant teaspoonful of table salt and boil fifteen minutes; drain, place the macaroni on a hot platter, cover it with a curry sauce made of j. p. smith's curry powder, over this strew a liberal quantity of (j. p. s.) italien parmasan cheese and serve. [illustration] curried macaroni, no.  . procure from the italian grocer a tomato paste called pompodoro. put into a saucepan an ounce of butter, whisk it as it melts and add two ounces of the tomato paste; keep stirring, and add a tablespoonful of maggi bouillon, a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, and a pint of water; stir to prevent burning and set on back of range until wanted. boil half a pound of barton macaroni fifteen minutes, when done drain, put it on a hot platter and pour the sauce over it. serve j. p. smith's italien parmasan cheese separately with it. curry sandwich. work together a teaspoonful of j. p. smith's curry powder, and a heaping tablespoonful of table butter; spread this over thin slices of bread, and between the slices place thin slices of cold roast or boiled meat, poultry, etc. deviled chicken legs. make a curry paste the same as for curried veal chops. make deep incisions in the legs of two chickens and into the incisions rub the paste, and broil until well done. cold roast or boiled legs may be similarly treated but only need to be sauteed in a pan with a little antonini olive oil. deviled bones. rub two ribs of cold roast beef with curry paste and broil them enough to heat the meat through. transcriber's note - there are a few handwritten comments on the original document. these have been transcribed and included with the notation "[handwritten note: ]". - on page , the word "flour" has been changed to "flower" (in a flower pot). * * * * * [illustration: let's use soybeans] department of home economics extension service in agriculture and home economics university of illinois urbana, illinois let's use soybeans soybeans and soybean products are receiving increased attention at the present time when the rationing of many of the protein-rich foods of animal origin has made us aware of the possibility of insufficient protein in our dietaries. this interest is highly desirable, since soybeans are such a valuable source of protein of superior quality, of calcium and iron, and of at least some of the members of the vitamin b complex. soybeans also have a high caloric value due to fat content and have a higher energy value per pound than the other more commonly used legumes, with the exception of peanuts. soybean products are sometimes called "diabetic foods" because they contain no starch. it should be remembered, however, that soybeans contain some soluble sugars; in all about per cent or more of the weight of dry soybeans is carbohydrate which the body can utilize. even so, this is much less than the carbohydrate content of other beans and of wheat flour. _varieties of soybeans_ there are two general types of soybeans, the field type and the edible or vegetable type, which differ greatly in palatability. as the name implies, the edible or vegetable varieties are more satisfactory for human consumption, although a few of the field soybeans are also palatable. some of the vegetable types which are rated "very good" are hokkaido, willomi, jogun, imperial, and emperor. among the field varieties that are satisfactory for edible purposes are the illini and manchu. _how to use green soybeans_ immature soybeans are very welcome as an early fall green vegetable. soybeans are ready for table use as soon as the pods have completely filled out and while they are still green in color. this is in late august or in september, depending on the variety, the time of planting, and the season. not all plants of the same variety mature at the same time, but usually the maturity of pods on a single plant is sufficiently uniform to warrant pulling the entire plant. the plants can then be taken to a shady place to pick off the pods. _to make hulling easier_, pour boiling water over the soybean pods and let them stand minutes in the hot water. drain, and hull by breaking the pod crosswise and squeezing out the beans. cook as follows: to pt hulled beans, add c boiling water and / t salt. cover and cook for minutes after the beans begin to boil. avoid overcooking. drain, and season with butter or in any other manner desired. soybeans of the vegetable type should still be bright green in color after cooking, and they will have a nutty texture. they do not soften like green peas but can be used in any of the ways that green peas or green lima beans are used. _preservation_ green soybeans can be preserved by freezing, canning, or dehydrating, although at the present time freezing seems to be the most satisfactory method. (for directions for freezing see university of illinois circular , "how to prepare fruits and vegetables for freezer storage.") there is a difference of opinion with regard to the canning of soybeans. some feel that the flavor of the green soybean when canned is not satisfactory, while others report palatable products. soybeans should be packed hot after blanching the shelled beans for minutes in boiling water. some authorities recommend the addition of t salt and from / to t sugar to each pint of green soybeans. u.s.d.a. farmers' bulletin no. recommends using a pressure cooker at pounds pressure for the following periods: pint jars, minutes; quart jars, minutes; no. tin cans, minutes; no. tin cans, minutes. (soaked mature soybeans can also be preserved for future use by canning in the same way.) for the dehydration of green soybeans, it is generally agreed that a steam blanching of from to minutes before shelling is satisfactory. the shelled beans should then be dehydrated at a temperature of ° f. for the first half of the dehydration, and at ° f. for the remainder of the time. it will take from to hours for the process, and the finished product will be hard and wrinkled but still green in color. (for more complete directions for dehydration see university of illinois circular , "dehydrating fruits and vegetables at home.") _ways of using dry soybeans_ _cooking dry soybeans_ _method i._ soak c dry soybeans in c water overnight. drain[a] and cook for to - / hours in c fresh water to which t salt have been added. [a] to save nutrients, mild-flavored soybeans may be cooked in the water in which they were soaked. _method ii._ soak beans as in method i, cook in a pressure cooker at lbs. pressure for minutes in - / c water to which - / t salt has been added. the beans may be seasoned with either butter or meat and served, or they may be used in any of the dishes for which navy or lima beans are used. they are more nutty in texture, however, than ordinary beans. _roasted soybeans_ two methods for roasting mature soybeans are given below. the products in both cases are acceptable, but method i gives more desirable results, since the products more nearly resemble roasted peanuts. the second method is included because of the ease of preparation and as a means of conserving fat. _method i._ soak dry soybeans overnight, or until completely swollen. dry the surface between towels and fry in deep fat, a few beans at a time, for to minutes, depending upon the size of the beans (temperature, ° f.). when they are slightly brown and crisp, drain, salt, and use as salted peanuts would be used. _method ii._ soak beans overnight. dry thoroughly and roll in melted fat. spread in a shallow pan and roast in a moderate oven ( ° f.) until browned. sprinkle with salt while still warm. _sprouting dry soybeans_ "soybeans, like mung beans, can be sprouted in a flower pot, a sink strainer, or any container that has holes in it for drainage and can be covered. be sure the container is large enough, for the beans swell to at least six times their original bulk as they sprout. soak overnight, and next morning put the beans in the container, cover, and leave them in a warm place. flood with lukewarm water at least four or five times each day during the sprouting period. in to days the sprouts will be to inches long. then they should be kept in a cool place, just as any fresh vegetable." (u.s.d.a. leaflet no. , soybeans for the table.) some authorities are recommending the use of chlorinated lime (calcium hypochlorite) during the sprouting period to discourage the growth of mold and bacteria. the amounts suggested range from / to t per gallon of water. this chlorinated water should be used for the last sprinkling each day, and at other times plain water should be used. it has also been found that the soybeans should be kept away from the light while sprouting or they will develop an undesirable color. the first requisite for soybeans to be sprouted is a variety that will germinate readily. [handwritten note: green baked ones are delicious too. bake as dry ones only no soaking or pre cooking is needed.] _illinois baked soybeans_ c cooked soybeans / t mustard t salt / t pepper t molasses / c boiling water / c chili sauce / lb diced salt pork combine thoroughly, in a baking dish, all the ingredients except salt pork. cook the salt pork in a frying pan until delicately browned. add the melted fat to the beans and place the squares of pork on top. bake at ° for - / to hours. _baked soybeans croquettes_ t minced onion - / c celery, diced - / t salt c tomato puree t flour t fat c soybean pulp (cooked and ground) add minced onion, celery (tough celery should be parboiled), and salt to tomatoes and bring to a boil. mix the flour and fat together, add the boiling tomato puree, and cook to a thick paste. cool, and add soybean pulp. shape into croquettes; roll in corn flakes. dip in egg and milk mixture and roll again in corn flakes. place on a greased sheet and bake in a hot oven ( ° f.) for to minutes. yield: to croquettes. _cottage cheese soybean loaf_ / c roasted soybeans t chopped onion c cottage cheese c soybean pulp (cooked and ground) c milk egg, slightly beaten t fat / t salt t poultry seasoning pepper combine ingredients and bake in a greased loaf pan in a moderate oven ( ° f.) for minutes. yield: servings. _soybean loaf_ c cooked soybeans c dry bread crumbs t peanut butter t poultry seasoning c milk (more, if needed) / t pepper grind soybeans coarsely and combine with other ingredients. add enough milk to moisten. bake in a moderate oven ( ° f.) for minutes. the peanut butter may be omitted from this recipe if so desired. yield: to servings. _soybean sandwich filling_ c chopped cooked soybeans / c chopped olives or pickles t chopped green onion / t salt t mayonnaise blend the ingredients to the proper consistency for spreading. serve the sandwiches either toasted or plain. yield: large sandwiches. _soybean drop cookies_ - / c flour / t salt t baking powder c fat - / c sugar eggs - / c soybean pulp (cooked and ground) / c milk t lemon flavoring sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. cream the fat and sugar. add beaten eggs and soybean pulp. add milk and sifted dry ingredients alternately. drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased baking sheet and bake to minutes in a hot oven ( ° f.). for variety - / c raisins or c nuts may be added to this recipe. one-third less shortening may be used if a plainer cooky is desired. this amount makes dozen small cookies. _ways of using soybean flour with wheat flour_ soybean flours will probably be found on the market more generally in the near future than they have been in the past, and homemakers are advised to take advantage of the opportunity to use them. these flours are considered an especially valuable supplement to wheat flour, since they enhance the nutritive value of baked products from the standpoint of protein, minerals, and certain members of the vitamin b complex. at the present time millers are preparing three types of soybean flour, which differ in fat content. one type contains all the fat found in the original soybean and is known as high-fat or full-fat flour. there are also two low-fat flours from which different amounts of fat have been removed. because of these differences and the fact that soybean flour contains little or no starch and no gluten, it is wise to use recipes that are developed for soybean flour if any appreciable amount is to be incorporated. a small amount of flour can be added to many recipes (up to t soybean flour to t wheat flour) without altering the other ingredients, but above this amount a special recipe should always be used. the following recipes include directions for incorporating from to per cent soybean flour. soybean flour can be used as a meat extender, in gravies, soups, and sauces, and in a variety of baked products. when substituted for part of the wheat flour in a recipe, soybean flour has the advantage of giving a product which tends to brown more readily and will keep fresh for a longer time. soybean flour also improves the crust of breads and causes them to toast even better than usual. _soybean flour yeast bread_ c skimmed milk cake compressed yeast t sugar - / t fat t water - / t salt to - / c soybean flour mixture prepared as follows: mix / c soybean flour with c white flour and use amount needed to make a smooth, tender dough. scald milk and add salt, shortening, and sugar. cool to room temperature. soften yeast in the water and add to the cooled milk. add about c of the flour mixture and beat until smooth. add enough flour to make a soft dough. turn out on floured board and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding only enough flour mixture to prevent sticking. put in a greased bowl; brush top with melted fat. cover, and let rise until trebled in bulk (about hours). punch down and let rise until double in bulk (about hour). shape into a loaf and let rise in a greased pan until double in volume (about hour). this amount of dough will fill a pan x x inches, and the dough should rise to / inch above the edge of the pan before it is placed in the oven. bake for minutes in a moderate oven ( ° f.). _soybean flour rolls_ c milk, scalded / c water cake yeast - / t salt t shortening t sugar to c soybean flour mixture prepared as follows: mix c soybean flour with c white flour and use amount needed to make a smooth, tender dough. use the same method as for yeast bread. shape into the desired forms, brush tops of rolls with melted fat, and let rise until double in volume. bake at ° f. for about minutes. yield: to small rolls. _soybean flour applesauce cake_ / c fat c sugar egg / c thick applesauce (unsweetened) / t nutmeg / c soybean flour - / c white flour / t salt - / t baking powder / t soda cream fat and sugar. add beaten egg and applesauce to which the nutmeg has been added. stir in the sifted dry ingredients. bake as a layer cake for to minutes in a moderate oven ( ° f.). serves to persons. _soybean flour chocolate cake_ / c fat c sugar eggs / t salt t baking powder / t soda squares chocolate - / c cake flour / c soybean flour / c + t milk / t vanilla cream the fat, sugar, and vanilla. add beaten eggs; add melted chocolate. sift the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. bake in a shallow pan ( x inches) in a moderate oven ( ° f.) for to minutes. _brownies_ / c cake flour / c soybean flour / t baking powder / c shortening sq (oz) chocolate c sugar eggs t vanilla / c chopped nuts cream chocolate, shortening, and vanilla. combine sugar and beaten eggs; add the chocolate mixture and beat well. add sifted dry ingredients and nuts. bake in a greased pan ( x inches) in a moderate oven ( ° f.) for about minutes. cut in squares. / c of soybean flour can be used instead of the cake flour (making a total of / c soybean flour) if so desired. _miscellaneous soybean products_ there are other forms in which soybeans can be utilized as human food. some processors of soybeans are now preparing soybean grits and flakes, and there is promise that they will be on the retail market in the near future. these products are similar to soybean flour but are not so finely ground. the soybean grits usually resemble coarse corn grits but are sometimes pulverized to resemble corn meal. the flakes are similar but are flat in shape. soybean grits and flakes can be used as cereals, in baked products where a crisp texture is desirable, or as meat extenders. the greatest difference in the behavior of the two products is that of liquid absorption. the soybean grits tend to absorb more liquid than the flakes, and therefore an adjustment must be made in the recipe when using these products. _cinnamon cookies_ (using soybean grits or flakes) / c cake flour and t soybean grits or c cake flour and / c soybean flakes t cinnamon / c shortening / c sugar / t vanilla egg / t salt t baking powder cream the shortening and sugar. add the vanilla. sift the dry ingredients and combine with the soybean grits or flakes. add the dry ingredients alternately with the beaten egg to the creamed mixture. drop by teaspoonfuls on a greased cooky sheet. bake in a moderate oven ( ° f.) for about minutes. yield: dozen cookies. _apple crisp_ (using soybean grits or flakes) / c sugar / t cinnamon c apples / c brown sugar / c flour t soybean grits or flakes / c butter combine sliced apples, sugar, and cinnamon, and place in a shallow pan. mix brown sugar and flour and work butter into mixture until a crumbly mixture is formed. sprinkle this mixture over the apples. bake in a hot oven ( ° f.) for to minutes. yield: to servings. [handwritten note: (over)] [handwritten note: soy bean flour muffins / c. soy bean flour - / c. white flour t. baking powder t. sugar / t. salt egg t. melted fat c. milk sift all dry ingredients together. combine beaten egg, fat + milk + stir these quickly into the dry mixture. bake in deep, greased muffin pans for to min. in a hot oven ( ° f.). yield to muffins.] cooperative extension work in agriculture and home economics: university of illinois college of agriculture, and the united states department of agriculture cooperating. h. p. rusk, director. acts approved by congress may and june , brief of "ways of using soybeans as food," pp. mimeo (hee ), evelyn chambers faulkner, instructor in home economics hee [illustration: h. j. clayton] clayton's quaker cook-book, being a practical treatise on the culinary art adapted to the tastes and wants of all classes. with plain and easily understood directions for the preparation of every variety of food in the most attractive forms. comprising the result of a life-long experience in catering to a host of highly cultivated tastes. --by-- [illustration: h. j. clayton] san francisco: women's co-operative printing office. . copyrighted according to act of congress, a. d. , by h. j. clayton. preface. one of the sacred writers of the olden time is reported to have said: "of the making of many books, there is no end." this remark will, to a great extent, apply to the number of works published upon the all important subject of cookery. the oft-repeated saying, attributed to old sailors, that the lord sends victuals, and the opposite party, the cooks, is familiar to all. notwithstanding the great number and variety of so-called cookbooks extant, the author of this treatise on the culinary art, thoroughly impressed with the belief that there is ample room for one more of a thoroughly practical and every day life, common sense character--in every way adapted to the wants of the community at large, and looking especially to the preparation of healthful, palatable, appetizing and nourishing food, both plain and elaborately compounded--and in the preparation of which the very best, and, at the same time, the most economical material is made use of, has ventured to present this new candidate for the public approval. the preparation of this work embodies the result of more than thirty years personal and practical experience. the author taking nothing for granted, has thoroughly tested the value and entire correctness of every direction he has given in these pages. while carefully catering to the varied tastes of the mass, everything of an unhealthful, deleterious, or even doubtful character, has been carefully excluded; and all directions are given in the plainest style, so as to be readily understood, and fully comprehended by all classes of citizens. the writer having been born and brought up on a farm, and being in his younger days of a delicate constitution, instead of joining in the rugged work of the field, remained at home to aid and assist his mother in the culinary labors of the household. it was in this home-school--in its way one of the best in the world, that he acquired not only a practical knowledge of what he desires to fully impart to others, but a taste for the preparation, in its most attractive forms, of every variety of palatable and health-giving food. it was his early training in this homely school that induced him to make this highly important matter an all-absorbing theme and the subject of his entire life study. his governing rule in this department has ever been the injunction laid down by the chief of the apostles: "try all things; prove all things; and hold fast that which is good." introductory. a brief history of the culinary art, and its principal methods. cooking is defined to be the art of dressing, compounding and preparing food by the aid of heat. ancient writers upon the subject are of opinion that the practice of this art followed immediately after the discovery of fire, and that it was at first an imitation of the natural processes of mastication and digestion. in proof of the antiquity of this art, mention is made of it in many places in sacred writ. among these is notably the memoirs of the children of israel while journeying in the wilderness, and their hankering after the "flesh-pots of egypt." among the most enlightened people of ancient times,--cooking, if not regarded as one of the fine arts, certainly stood in the foremost rank among the useful. it was a highly honored vocation, and many of the most eminent and illustrious characters of greece and rome did not disdain to practice it. among the distinguished amateurs of the art, in these modern times, may be mentioned alexander dumas, who plumed himself more upon his ability to cook famous dishes than upon his world-wide celebrity as the author of the most popular novels of his day. in the state in which man finds most of the substances used for food they are difficult of digestion. by the application of heat some of these are rendered more palatable and more easily digested, and, consequently, that assimilation so necessary to the sustenance of life, and the repair of the constant waste attendant upon the economy of the human system. the application of heat to animal and vegetable substances, for the attainment of this end, constitutes the basis of the science of cookery. broiling, which was most probably the mode first resorted to in the early practice of this art, being one of the most common of its various operations, is quite simple and efficacious. it is especially adapted to the wants of invalids, and persons of delicate appetites. its effect is to coagulate, in the quickest manner, upon the surface the albumen of the meat, effectually sealing up its pores, and thus retaining the rich juices and delicate flavor that would otherwise escape and be lost. roasting comes next in order, and for this two conditions are essentially requisite--a good, brisk fire, and constant basting. as in the case of broiling, care should be taken at the commencement to coagulate the albumen on the surface as speedily as possible. next to broiling and stewing, this is the most economical mode of cooking meats of all kinds. baking meat is in very many respects objectionable--and should never be resorted to when other modes of cooking are available, as it reverses the order of good, wholesome cookery, in beginning with a slow and finishing with a high temperature. meats cooked in this manner have never the delicate flavor of the roast, nor are they so easily digested. boiling is one of the easiest and simplest methods of cooking, but in its practice certain conditions must be carefully observed. the fire must be attended to, so as to properly regulate the heat. the utensils used for this purpose, which should be large enough to contain sufficient water to completely cover the meat, should be scrupulously clean, and provided with a close-fitting cover. all scum should be removed as fast as it rises, which will be facilitated by frequent additions of small quantities of cold water. difference of opinion exists among cooks as to the propriety of putting meats in cold water, and gradually raising to the boiling point, or plunging into water already boiling. my own experience, unless in the preparation of soups, is decidedly in favor of the latter. baron liebig, the highest authority in such matters, decidedly favors this process. as in the case of roasting, the application of boiling water coagulates the albumen, thus retaining the juices of the meat that would be dissolved in the liquid. stewing is generally resorted to in the preparation of made dishes, and almost every variety of meats are adapted to this method. the better the quality of the meats, as a matter of course, the better the dish prepared in this way; but, by careful stewing, the coarser and rougher quality of meats can be rendered soft, tender and digestible, a desirable object not generally attained in other modes. add pieces of meat, trimmings, scraps and bones, the latter containing a large amount of palatable and nourishing gelatine, may be thus utilized in the preparation of wholesome and appetizing dishes at a comparatively trifling cost. an explanatory word in conclusion. as a matter of strict justice to all parties concerned, the author of this work deems it proper to explain his reasons for mentioning in the body of some of the recipes given in this book, the places at which the purest and best articles used are to be purchased. this recommendation is, in every instance, based upon a thorough and complete personal test of every article commended. in these degenerate days of wholesale adulteration of almost every article of food and drink, it is eminently just and proper that the public should be advised where the genuine is to be procured. without desiring to convert his book into a mere advertising medium, the author deems it not out of place to give the names of those dealers in this city of whom such articles as are essential in the preparation of many of the recipes given in these pages may be procured--of the most reliable quality, and at reasonable rates. index. soups. stock general directions for making soup calf's-head soup ox-tail soup okra soup chicken gumbo fresh oyster soup fish chowder clam soup clam chowder bean soup dry split-pea soup tomato soup celery soup pepper-pot egg-balls for soup nudels fish. boiled fish fried fish broiling fish fried oysters oysters in batter oyster patties stewed lobsters or crabs roast, boiled, baked, broiled and fried. retaining the juices in cooking meats roast pig to roast turkeys and chickens roasting beef a good way to roast a leg of mutton clayton's mode of cooking canvas-back ducks clayton's mode of cooking california quail or young chickens to cook boned turkey to bone a turkey to cook ducks or chickens, louisiana style breast of lamb and chicken, breaded scrapple or haggis loaf pig's-feet and hocks to cook a steak california style, - a good way to cook a ham beefsteak broiled beefsteak with onions corned-beef and how to cook it spiced veal calves' liver with bacon calves' or lambs' liver fried spiced beef stews, salads, and salad-dressing. terrapin stew stewed chicken cottage style stewed tripe chicken-salad clayton's celebrated california salad dressing salad flavoring eggs and omelettes. boiling eggs scrambled eggs to fry eggs oyster omelette ham omelette cream omelette spanish omelette omelette for dessert vegetables. beans, baked [see bean soup] baked tomatoes raw tomatoes cucumbers boiled cabbage to cook cauliflower to cook young green peas a good way to cook beets mashed potatoes and turnips boiled onions stewed corn stewed corn and tomatoes succotash saratoga fried potatoes salsify or oyster-plant egg-plant to boil green corn boiled rice stewed okra bread, cakes, pies, puddings and pastry. solid and liquid sauce. quick bread quick muffins brown bread graham rolls mississippi corn-bread nice light biscuit clayton's corn-bread johnny cake sweet potato pone ginger bread molasses ginger bread quaker cake pound cake chocolate cake.--jelly cake currant cake cream cup-cake jumbles sweet cake sponge cake ginger snaps a nice cake icing for cake chocolate icing lemon pie english plum pudding baked apple pudding bread pudding baked corn-meal pudding corn-starch pudding delmonico's pudding peach ice-cream apple snow strawberry sauce farina pudding snow pudding fruit pudding charlotte-a-russe solid sauce liquid sauce currant or grape jelly calf's foot jelly ice cream orange ice lemon jelly wine jelly peach jelly roman punch miscellaneous. butter and butter-making a word of advice to hotel and restaurant cooks clayton's california golden coffee the very best way to make chocolate old virginia egg-nogg clayton's popular sandwich paste welsh rabbit delicate waffles force-meat balls beef tea crab sandwich pork.--the kind to select, and the best mode of curing lard, home-made sausage, new jersey pot-pie curried crab to toast bread cream toast fritters hash hashed potato with eggs macaroni, baked drawn butter spiced currants canning fruits.--best mode of quinces, preparing for canning or preserving clayton's monmouth sauce mustard.--to prepare for the table mint sauce eggs ought never be poached sunny-side roast clayton's spanish omelette plain omelette clam fritters fried tripe ringed potatoes new potatoes, boiled fried tomatoes squash and corn.--spanish style pickles nice picklette pickled tripe to cook grouse or prairie chicken brains and sweet-bread stewed spare-ribs of pork broiled oysters pumpkin or squash custard fig pudding fried apples clayton's oyster stew boiled celery selecting meats rice pudding.--rebecca jackson's bread and butter pudding codfish cakes pickled grapes forced tomatoes broiled flounders or smelts onions singeing fowls taste and flavor.--secret tests of ware for ranges.--how to choose herbs.--drying for seasoning roaches, flies and ants.--how to destroy tinware.--to clean iron rust mildew oysters roasted on chafing-dish cod-fish, family style cod-fish, philadelphia style advertisements. jersey farm dairy w. t. coleman & co., royal baking powder quade & straut, choice family groceries j. h. mcmenomy, beef, mutton, veal arpad haraszthy & co., california wines and brandies will & finck, cutlers wilton & cortelyou, dairy produce john bayle, tripe, calves' heads, feet palace hotel, john sedgwick, manager deming bros., millers and grain dealers e. r. durkee & co's standard aids to good cooking berlin & lepori, coffee, tea and spices b. m. atchinson & co. butter, cheese, eggs, lard kohler & frohling, california wines and brandies richards & harrison, agents for english groceries robert f. bunker, hams, bacon edouart's art gallery e. r. perrin's quaker dairy hills bros., coffee, teas and spices emil a. engelberg, german bakery & confectionery a. w. fink, butter, cheese, eggs j. gundlach & co., california wines and brandies lebenbaum, goldberg & bowen, grocers women's co-operative printing office w. w. montague & co., french ranges mark sheldon, sewing machines and supplies [illustration] clayton's quaker cook-book. soups. stock. the foundation--so to speak--and first great essential in compounding every variety of appetizing, and at the same time wholesome and nourishing soups, is the stock. in this department, as in some others, the french cooks have ever been pre-eminent. it was said of this class in the olden time that so constantly was the "stock"--as this foundation has always been termed--replenished by these cooks, that their rule was never to see the bottom of the soup kettle. it has long been a fixed fact that in order to have good soup you must first have good stock to begin with. to make this stock, take the liquor left after boiling fresh meat, bones, (large or small, cracking the larger ones in order to extract the marrow,) bones and meat left over from a roast or broil, and put either or all of these in a large pot or soup kettle, with water enough to cover. let these simmer slowly--never allowing the water to boil--taking care, however, to keep the vessel covered--stirring frequently, and pouring in occasionally a cup of cold water, and skimming off the scum. it is only where fresh meat is used that cold water is applied at the commencement; for cooked meat, use warm. the bones dissolved in the slow simmering, furnish the gelatine so essential to good stock. one quart of water to a pound of meat is the average rule. six to eight hours renders it fit for use. let stand over night; skim off the fat; put in an earthen jar, and it is ready for use. every family should keep a jar of the stock constantly on hand, as by doing so any kind of soup may be made from it in from ten to thirty minutes. general directions for making soup. having prepared your stock according to the foregoing directions, take a sufficient quantity, when soup is required, and season, as taste may dictate, with sweet and savory herbs--salpicant, celery salt, or any other favorite seasoning--adding vegetables cut fine, and let the same boil slowly in a covered vessel until thoroughly cooked. if preferred, after seasoning the stock, it may be thickened with either barley, rice, tapioca, sago, vermicelli, macaroni, farina or rice flour. a roast onion is sometimes added to give richness and flavor. it is a well-known fact that soups properly prepared improve in flavor and are really better on the day after than when first made. by substituting different materials, garnitures, flavorings and condiments, of which an endless variety is available, the intelligent housewife may be able to furnish a different soup for every day of the year. in following these, as in all other directions for every department of cookery, experience will, after all, be found the great teacher and most valuable aid and adjunct to the learner of the art. calves'-head soup. take a calf's head of medium size; wash clean, and soak it an hour or more in salted water; then soak a little while in fresh, and put to boil in cold water; add a little salt and a medium-sized onion; take off the scum as it rises, and as the water boils away add a little soup stock; when quite tender take the meat from the bone, keeping the brain by itself; strain the soup, and if you think there is too much meat, use a portion as a side-dish dressed with brain sauce; do not cut the meat too fine--and season the soup with allspice, cloves and mace, adding pepper and salt to taste; put back the meat, and taking one-half the brain, a lump of butter, and a spoonful of flour, work to a thin batter, stirring in claret and sherry wines to taste, and last of all add a little extract of lemon, and one hard-boiled egg, chopped not too fine; if desirable add a few small force-meat balls. [turtle soup may be made in the same manner.] ox-tail soup. take one ox-tail and divide into pieces an inch long; pounds of lean beef cut in small pieces; carrots; onions sliced fine; a little thyme, with pepper and salt to taste, and quarts cold water; boil four hours or more, according to size of the ox-tail, and when done add a little allspice or cloves. okra soup. one large slice of ham; pound of beef, veal or chicken, and onion, all cut in small pieces and fried in butter together until brown, adding black or red pepper for seasoning, along with a little salt, adding in the meantime, delicately sliced thin, sufficient okra, and put all in a porcelain kettle. for a family of four use pods of okra, with quarts water, over a steady, but not too hot fire; boil slowly for or hours; when half done add or peeled tomatoes. chicken gumbo. [mrs. e. a. wilburn's recipe.] for the stock, take two chickens and boil in a gallon of water until thoroughly done and the liquid reduced to half a gallon. wipe off - / pounds of green okra, or if the dry is used, / pound is sufficient, which cut up fine and add to this stock while boiling; next add - / pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped fine, adding also / coffee cupful of rice; let these boil for six hours, adding boiling water when necessary; then take out the chickens, carve and fry them brown in clear lard; into the fat put large white onion, chopped fine, adding tablespoonfuls of flour. just before serving, put the chicken, boned and chopped, with the gravy thus prepared, and add to the soup with salt and pepper to taste. fresh oyster soup. take or small eastern and california oysters; wash clean, and put into a kettle over the fire, with a little over a pint of water. as soon as they open pour into a pan and take the oysters from the shells, pouring the juice into a pitcher to settle. if the oysters are large, cut in two once; return the juice to the fire, and when it boils put in a piece of butter worked in flour; season with pepper and salt, and let it boil slowly for two minutes; put in a cupful of rich milk and the oysters, along with a sufficient quantity of chopped crackers, and let the liquid boil up once. should you need a larger quantity of soup, add a can of good oysters, as they will change the flavor but little. in my opinion nutmeg improves the flavor of the soup. fish chowder. take pounds of fresh codfish--the upper part of the fish is best; fry plenty of salt pork cut in small strips; put the fat in the bottom of the kettle, then a layer of the fried pork, next a layer of fish; follow with a layer of potato sliced--not too thin--and a layer of sliced onions, seasoned with plenty of salt and pepper; alternate these layers as long as the material holds out, topping off with a layer of hard crackers. use equal parts of water and milk sufficient to cook, which will not require more than three-quarters of an hour, over a good fire. great care should be taken not to scorch in the cooking. [clam chowder may be made according to the foregoing formula, substituting pints of clams for the fish.] clam soup. take small round clams; rinse clean, and put in a kettle with a pint of water; boil for a few minutes, or until the shells gape open; empty into a pan, pick the meat from the shells, and pour the juice into a pitcher to settle; chop the clams quite small; return the juice to the fire, and as soon as hot, work in a good-sized lump of butter, with a little flour, and juice of the clams; stir in a teacup of milk; season with black pepper, and after letting this boil for two minutes, put in the clams, adding at the same time chopped cracker or nudels, and before taking up, a little chopped parsley. clam chowder. one hundred small clams chopped fine; / pound fat salt pork put in pot and fried out brown; small or large onion, and tomato chopped fine. put all in the pot with the clam juice and boil for two hours, after which add rolled crackers and pint hot milk, letting it boil up. season with salt and pepper, adding a little thyme if agreeable to taste. baked beans and bean soup. take three pints of white peas or army beans; wash very clean; soak eight hours; rinse and put to boil with plenty of water, hot or cold, with - / pounds beef soup-meat and / pound of salt pork, letting these boil slowly, and skimming as the scum rises. stir frequently, as the beans are apt to scorch when they begin to soften. when soft enough to be easily crushed with the thumb and finger, season with plenty of black pepper and salt; after five minutes have elapsed fill a nice baking pan--such a one as will do to set on the table--pour in the liquid until it nearly covers the beans, score the pork and put it half-way down in the beans, and bake in a slow fire until nicely browned. when the remaining beans are boiled quite soft rub them through a colander into the soup; add pint of milk, and season with ground cloves or mace. just before taking up cut some toast the size of the end of a finger and add to the soup. pepper sauce gives a nice flavor. dry split-pea soup. soak one quart dry or split peas ten or twelve hours, and put on to boil in gallon of water, with pound soup-beef, and a small piece of the hock end of ham, nicely skinned and trimmed, (but if you do not have this at hand supply its place with a small piece of salt pork;) season with salt, pepper and a little ground cloves, adding a little curry or sweet marjoram; boil slowly until quite tender; rub the peas through a colander, adding a little rich milk. this soup should be rather thick. cut bread in pieces the size of the little finger, fry in butter or lard, and put in the tureen when taken up. tomato soup. to one gallon good beef stock add - / dozen ripe tomatoes, or two-pound can; carrots, onions and turnip cut fine; boil all together for an hour and a half, and run through a fine tin strainer; take a stewpan large enough to hold the liquid, and put it on the fire with / pound of butter worked in two tablespoonfuls of flour; after mixing well together add a tablespoonful of white sugar; season with salt and pepper to taste, stirring well until the liquor boils, when skim and serve. the above quantity will provide sufficient for a large family. celery soup. to make good celery soup take or pounds of juicy beef--the round is best, being free from fat. cover with cold water, and boil slowly for three or four hours. an hour before taking from the fire take pound or more of celery, cut or inches long, taking also the root cut thin, and salting to taste, boil until quite tender; then take out the celery, dressing with pepper and salt or drawn butter. if you have some soup stock put in a little, boil a few minutes and strain. this is a most palatable soup, and the celery, acting as a sedative, is one of the best things that can be used for quieting the nerves. pepper-pot. take thick, fat and tender tripe; wash thoroughly in water in which a little soda has been dissolved; rinse well, and cut in strips half the length of your little finger; after boiling ten minutes, put in a colander and rinse with a little hot water; then, adding good soup stock, boil until tender; season with cayenne pepper and salt, a little worcestershire or chutney sauce, and some small pieces of dough made as for nudels. should the soup not be thick enough add a little paste of butter and flour; you may also add curry if you are fond of it. this soup was popular in the quaker city fifty years ago, and has never decreased in favor among the intelligent inhabitants. egg-balls for soup. boil eggs seven minutes, and mash the yolks with one raw egg, a tablespoonful of flour and a little milk; season with pepper, salt, and parsley or summer savory; make into balls and boil two or three minutes, and put in the soup just before serving. excellent for both pea and bean soup. nudels. rich nudels undoubtedly form the best thickening for nice, delicate soups, such as chicken, veal, oyster and clam. nudels are made with flour, milk and eggs, and a little salt, mixed to stiff dough, rolled as thin as possible, and cut in fine shreds the length of the little finger. in all soups where nudels are used, a little chopped parsley should be added just before taking up. fish. fish. the so-termed food fishes are to be found without number in all portions of the world, civilized and savage, and a large portion of the inhabitants of the globe are dependant upon this source for their subsistence. certain learned physiologists have put forth the theory that food-fish is brain-producing, and adds to the mental vigor of those who subsist upon it. while we are not disposed to controvert this consoling idea--if the theory be true--the south sea savages, who live upon this aliment, both in the raw and cooked state--and the esquimaux, whose principal summer and winter diet is frozen fish--should be the most intelligent people on earth. the modes of preparing fish for the table are equally as numerous as the species. the direction given by mrs. glass, in a cook-book of the olden time, is at the same time the most original and most sensible. this lady commences with: "first catch your fish." boiled fish. fresh fish should never lie in water. as soon as cleaned, rinse off, wipe dry, wrap carefully in a cotton cloth, and put into salted boiling water. if cooked in this manner the juice and flavor will be fully retained. twenty minutes boiling will thoroughly cook a medium sized fish. fried fish. in frying large-sized fish, cut the slices lengthwise instead of across, for if cut against the grain the rich juices will be lost in the cooking, rendering the fish hard, dry and tasteless. for this reason fish are always better cooked whole, when this can be done. beat up one or two eggs, with two tablespoonfuls of milk, with salt to season. after dipping the fish in this, dry in cracker dust--never use corn meal--and fry in good lard. broiling fish. in broiling fish, cut large as in frying, grease the bars of the gridiron. harden both sides slightly, and baste with butter, seasoning with pepper and salt. fried oysters. take large oysters, drain the juice, and dry them with a cloth, and run them in eggs, well beaten with a little milk; season with pepper and a little salt, and after drying in cracker dust, fry in equal parts best lard and butter, until a light brown. oysters in batter. save all the juice of the oysters; beat two eggs with two or three spoonfuls of milk or cream, seasoning with pepper; put this into the juice, with the addition of as much flour as will make a rich batter. when the fat is quite hot put into it a spoonful of the batter, containing one oyster, and turn quickly in order that both sides may be nicely done brown. oyster patties. roll good puff-paste quite thin--and cut in round pieces - / inches in diameter, on which put a rim of dough, about inch or less high, which may be stuck on with a little beaten egg; next add a top-piece or covering, fitting loosely, and bake in this until a light brown, and put away until wanted. stew oysters in their own juice, adding a little butter and cream; fill the patties with this, put on the lid, and set in the oven for five minutes, and send to the table. can oysters, with a rich gravy, make an excellent patty prepared in this way. stewed lobsters or crabs. take a two-pound can of lobster, or two large crabs, and cut as for making salad, and season highly with prepared mustard, cayenne pepper, curry powder, or sauce piquant, and salt to taste. put in a porcelain stewpan, with a little water, to prevent scorching, and, after letting it boil up once, add butter the size of an egg, and one tablespoonful of vinegar, or half a teacupful of white wine, and the juice of half a lemon, and the moment this boils add half a teacupful of cream or good milk, stirring at the same time. set the stew aside, and heat up shortly before sending to the table. putting slices of toast in the bottom of the dish before serving is a decided improvement. roast, boiled, baked, broiled and fried. retaining the juices in cooking meats. too little attention is paid to one of the most important features of the culinary art--particularly in roasting, boiling, and broiling--that is the retention of the natural juices of various meats in cooking. existing, as these always do, in a liquid form, unless this is carefully guarded against, these palatable and health-giving essences of all animal food, both tame and game, are apt to be wasted and dissipated in various forms, when the exercise of mature judgment and a little care would confine them to these meats in the course of preparation. by way of illustration, let us suppose that a fowl, a leg of mutton, or some of the many kinds of fish frequently served up in this way, is to be boiled in water. if put in cold water, and the heat gradually raised until it reaches the boiling point, the health-giving albumen--with the juices which give each its peculiar and pleasant flavor--are extracted from the meat and dissolved and retained in the water, rendering the flesh and fish insipid and in some cases almost tasteless. if, however, these are plunged at once into boiling water, thereby on the instant coagulating the albumen of the surface at least, and thereby closing the pores through which the inside albuminous juices would otherwise exude and be lost. besides this albumen, there are other juices which are among the most important constituent parts of every variety of animal food in which are embodied much of its fine flavor and nutritive qualities, and deprived of which such food becomes unpalatable and tasteless. all meats, then, instead of being put into cold water, should at the start be plunged into boiling hot water, as this prevents the escape of these juices, and the retaining not only the delicate and fine flavor of the meat, but confining and retaining its nutritive qualities where they naturally and properly belong. roast pig. take a sucking pig--one from three to five weeks old is best. when properly dressed lay in salted water for half an hour; take out and wipe dry inside and out; make a stuffing of bread and butter, mixing to a proper consistency with milk and a well beaten egg; season with salt, pepper and sage, with the addition of thyme or summer savory, and an onion chopped fine and stewed in butter with flour. sew up, and roast for a long time in an oven not too hot, first putting a little water with lard or dripping in the pan. baste frequently until done, taking care to keep the pan a little distance above the bottom of the range. to roast turkeys and chickens. turkeys and chickens for roasting should never be over a year old. after being properly cleaned, cut the wings at the first joint from the breast, pull the skin down the lower end of the neck, and cut off the bone. cut the necks, wings and gizzards into small pieces suitable for giblet stew--which should be put on the fire before preparing the fowls for roasting--which should be done by cutting off the legs at the first joint from the feet. make the stuffing of good bread, rubbed fine, with butter, pepper and salt, and a teaspoonful of baking powder, seasoning with thyme or summer savory, mixing to the consistency of dough, adding eggs, well beaten, with good milk or cream. fill the breast, and tie over the neck-bone with strong twine, rubbing the sides of the fowl with a dry cloth, afterwards filling quite full. sew up tight, tie up the legs, and encase the body with strong twine, wrapped around to hold the wings to the body. after rubbing well with salt and dredging lightly with flour, put the fowl in a pan, laying on top two or three thin slices of fat pork, salt or fresh. put a little water in the pan, and baste frequently, but do not roast too rapidly; raise the pan at least two inches from the bottom of the range. all white meat should invariably be cooked well done, and turkey or chicken, to be eaten cold, should be wrapped while warm in paper or cloth. when prepared in this way they will always be found soft and tender when cooled. when the giblets are stewed tender--which they must be in order to be good--chop a handful of the green leaves of celery, adding pepper and salt, and put in. ten minutes before taking from the fire add a lump of butter worked in with a tablespoonful of flour and the yolk of two boiled eggs, letting simmer two or three minutes, then put in the whites of the eggs, chopped fine, with the addition of a little good milk or cream. some of this stew, mixed with the drippings of the fowl, makes the best possible gravy. roasting beef. never wash meat; simply wipe with a damp cloth, rub with salt and dredge with flour; put in the pan with a little of the suet chopped fine, and a teacupful of water; set in a hot oven, two inches above the bottom. the oven should be quite hot, in order to close the pores on the surface of the meat as quickly as possible. as the meat hardens reduce the heat a little, basting frequently. turn two or three times during the roasting, taking care not to let the gravy scorch. meat cooked in this way will be tender and juicy, and when done will be slightly red in the centre. should it prove too rare, carve thin and lay in a hot pan with a little gravy for one minute. beef will roast in from one and-half to two hours, according to size. all meats may be roasted in the same way, taking care in every case, that the albuminous juices do not escape. a good way to roast a leg of mutton. into a kettle, with hot water enough to cover, put a leg of mutton. let it boil half an hour, and the moment it is taken from the water, salt, pepper, and dredge with flour, and put on to roast with one-half a teacup of water in the pan. baste frequently, first adding a tablespoonful of lard. cooked in this way the meat has none of the peculiar mutton flavor which is distasteful to many. clayton's mode of cooking canvas-back ducks. that most delicately flavored wild fowl, the canvas-back duck, to be properly cooked, should be prepared in the following style: the bird being properly dressed and cleaned, place in the opening, after drawing, a tablespoonful of salt dissolved in water--some add a stick of celery, or celery salt, to flavor, but this is not necessary. sew up the opening with strong thread; have your fire in the grate red hot--that is, the oven almost red hot; place your duck therein, letting it remain nineteen minutes--which will be amply sufficient time if your oven is at the proper heat--but as tastes differ in this as in other matters of cookery, some prefer a minute longer and others one less. serve the duck as hot as possible, with an accompanying dish of hominy, boiled, of course; the only condiment to be desired is a little cayenne pepper; some prefer a squeeze of lemon on the duck; others currant jelly; but the simplest and most palatable serving is the directions given. clayton's mode of cooking california quail, or young chickens. split the birds in the back, and wash, but do not let them remain in the water any time; dry with a cloth; salt and pepper well, and put in a pan with the inside up; also put in two or three slices of fresh or salt pork, and a piece of butter about the size of an egg, with three or four tablespoonfuls of water, and set the pan on the upper shelf of the range when quite hot, and commence basting frequently the moment the birds begin to harden on the top; and when slightly brown turn and serve the under side the same way, until that is also a little brown, taking care not to scorch the gravy. having prepared a piece of buttered toast for each bird, lay the same in a hot dish, place the birds thereon, and pour the gravy over all. birds cooked in this manner are always soft and juicy--whereas, if broiled, all the juices and gravy would have gone into the fire--and should you attempt cooking in that way, if not thoroughly, constantly basted, they are liable to burn; and if basted with butter it runs into the fire, smoking and destroying their rich natural flavor. i have been thus particular in the directions detailed in this recipe, from the fact that many people have an idea that the quail of california are not equal to that of the atlantic states, when, from my experience with both, which has been considerable, i find no difference in the flavor and juiciness of the birds when cooked in the way i have carefully laid down in the foregoing simple and easily understood directions. to cook boned turkey. for the filling of the turkey, boil, skin, trim, and cut the size of the end of your finger, two fresh calves' tongues. at the same time boil for half-an-hour in soup stock, or very little water, a medium-sized, but not old, chicken; take all the meat from the bones, and cut as the calves' tongues. take a piece of ham, composed of fat and lean, and cut small; also the livers of the turkey and the chicken, chopped fine, along with a small piece of veal, mostly fat, cut as the chicken, and half an onion chopped fine. put all these into a kettle with water to half cover, and stew until tender. at the time of putting on the fire, season with salt and pepper, ground mace, salpicant, celery salt and a little summer savory. just before taking from the fire stir in the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, with three or four truffles chopped the size of a pea, and a teacupful of sherry or white wine. when this mixture is cold put it in the turkey, with the skin side out; draw it carefully around the filling, and sew up with a strong thread; and after wrapping it very tightly with strong twine, encase it in two or three thicknesses of cotton cloth, at the same time twisting the ends slightly. these precautions are necessary to prevent the escape of the fine flavor of this delicious preparation. boil slowly for four hours or longer, in good soup stock, keeping the turkey covered with the liquid, and the vessel covered also. when taken up lay on a level surface, with a weight, to flatten the two sides a little, but not heavy enough to press out the juice. when quite cold take off the wrapping and thread, and lay on a nice large dish, garnishing with amber jelly cut the size of peas. to bone a turkey. use a french boning knife, five inches in length and sharp at the point. commence by cutting off the wings at the first joint from the breast; then the first joint from the drum-sticks, and the head, well down the neck. next place the bird firmly on the table, with the breast down, and commence by cutting from the end of the neck, down the centre of the back, through to the bone, until you reach the pope's nose. then skin or peel the flesh as clean as possible from the frame, finishing at the lower end of the breast-bone. chickens may be boned in the same manner. to cook ducks or chickens, louisiana style. carve the fowls at the joints, making three or four pieces of the breast; wash nicely in salted water, and put on to boil with water enough to cover, adding a little salt; boil slowly; carefully skimming off the scum. when the meat begins to get tender and the water well reduced, cook four onions, chopped fine, in a pan with pork fat and butter, dredging in a little flour and seasoning with pepper and salt, adding a little of the juice from the fowls. next take up the pieces of the meat and roll in browned flour or cracker-dust, and fry slightly. if the butter is not scorched put in a little browned flour; stir in the onion, and put it back in the kettle with the meat of the fowl, simmering until the gravy thickens, and the meat is thoroughly tender. breast of lamb and chicken, breaded. take the breast of lamb and one chicken--a year old is best--and after taking off the thin skin of the lamb, wash it well in cold salted water; then put on to boil, with sufficient cold slightly-salted water to cover it, and boil until tender--the addition of a medium-sized onion improves the flavor--then take up, and when quite cold, carve in nice pieces, and season with black pepper and salt. next, beat two eggs, with two or three spoonfuls of milk or cream, and a spoonful of flour. after running the meat through this, roll in cracker-dust or browned flour, and fry in sweet lard and a little butter until a light brown. next make a cream gravy; take a little of the liquid from the chicken, and make a rich thick drawn butter, and thinning it with cream, pour over the chicken while it is hot. [the liquid used in boiling the chicken will make any kind of rich soup for dinner.] scrapple, or haggis loaf. take three or four pounds best fresh pork, mostly lean, with plenty of bones--the latter making a rich liquid. put these into a kettle, and cover with hot or cold water, and let the mass boil slowly for two or three hours, or until quite tender, carefully removing the scum as it rises, after which take the meat out into a wooden bowl or tray. pick out the bones carefully, and strain the liquid. after letting these stand for a few minutes, if in your opinion there is too much fat, remove a portion, and then return the liquor to the kettle, adding pepper and salt, and seasoning highly with summer savory. next stir in two parts fine white corn-meal and one part buckwheat flour (deming & palmer's), until the whole forms quite a thick mush, after which, chopping the meat the size of the end of the finger, stir thoroughly into the mush. next put the mixture into baking pans to the depth of - / or inches, and bake in a slow oven for two hours, or until the top assumes a light brown--taking care not to bake too hard on the bottom. put in a cool place, and the next morning--when, after warming the pan slightly--so that the scrapple may be easily taken out--cut in slices of half-an-inch thick, which heat in a pan to prevent sticking, and serve hot. [a small hog's head or veal is equally good for the preparation of this dish, which will be found a fine relish.] pigs' feet and hocks. have the feet nicely cleaned, and soaked for five or six hours, or over night, in slightly salted water. boil until tender, and the large bones slip out easily, which will take from three to four hours. take up, pull out the large bones, and lay in a stone jar, sprinkling on each layer a little salt and pepper, with a few cloves or allspice. after skimming off the fat, take equal parts of the water in which the feet were boiled, and good vinegar, and cover the meat in the jar. this nice relish was known as "souse" fifty or sixty years ago, and is good, both cold or hot, or cut in slices and fried in butter for breakfast. to cook a steak california style of -' . cut a good steak an inch and an eighth thick. heat a griddle quite hot, and rub over with a piece of the fat from the steak, after which lay on the steak for two or three minutes, or long enough to harden the under side of the steak, after which turn the other side, treating in the same way, thus preventing all escape of the rich juices of the meat. after this, cut a small portion of the fat into small and thin pieces, to which add sufficient butter to form a rich gravy, seasoning with pepper and salt to taste. a steak cooked in this way fully equals broiling, and is at the same time quite as juicy and tender. a good way to cook a ham. boil a ten or twelve pound ham slowly for three hours; strip off the skin; take a sharp knife and shave off the outer surface very thin, and if quite fat take off a little, and spread over the fat part a thin coating of sugar. next put the ham in a baking-pan, with one-half pint of white wine, and roast half-an-hour. baste often, taking care that the wine and juice of the ham do not scorch, as these form a nice gravy. whether eaten hot or cold the ham should be carved very thin. beefsteak broiled. place the gridiron over a clear fire; rub the bars with a little of the fat, to keep from sticking. the moment it hardens a little--which closes the pores of the meat--turn it over, thus hardening both sides. you may then moisten with butter, or a little of the fat of the steak, and season with salt and pepper. lay on a hot dish along with the best butter, which, with the juices of the meat, makes the best of gravy, and cooked in this style you have a most delicious steak. beefsteak with onions. take five or six onions; cut fine, and put them in a frying-pan, with a small cup of hot water, and two ounces best butter, pepper and salt; dredge in a little flour, and let it stew until the onions are quite soft. next broil the steak carefully. lay on a hot dish, and lay the onions around, and not on top, of the steak, as that will create a steam, which will wilt and toughen it. to be eaten quite hot. corned beef, and how to cook it. select a piece of corned beef that is fat. the plate or navel pieces are best, and should only have been in salt five days. put the piece in boiling water in a pot just large enough to hold it, along with an onion and a spoonful of cloves or allspice; let it boil slowly, skimming the first half hour, if to be eaten cold. take it up as soon as tender, and when cool enough take out the bones and place the meat in a vessel just large enough to hold it, and pour in the fat, with sufficient hot water to cover it, letting it remain until quite cold. [beef tongues should be cooked in the same way, after laying in salt or strong pickle from twenty-four to thirty-six hours.] spiced veal. take three pounds lean veal, parboiled, and one-fourth pound salt pork, each chopped fine; six soft crackers pounded; two eggs beaten; two teaspoonfuls of salt, three peppers, one nutmeg and a little thyme or summer savory. mould up like bread, and place in a pan, leaving a space all around, in which place some of the water in which the meat was boiled. bake until quite brown, and slice when cold. calves' liver with bacon. cut both liver and bacon in thin slices, and an inch long, taking off the skin. place alternately on a skewer, and broil or roast in a quick oven. dress with melted butter, pepper and juice of lemon. calves' or lambs' liver fried. slice the liver thin, and season with salt and pepper. beat an egg with a spoonful of milk or cream. coat the slices with this, and dry in fine cracker dust. fry in two parts lard and one of butter until a light brown. if fried too much the liver will be hard and tasteless. salt pork fried brown is very nice with liver, and the fat from the pork will be found excellent to fry the liver in. spiced beef. take - / pounds lean beef chopped small; six soda crackers rolled fine; eggs well beaten; tablespoonfuls sweet cream; butter size of an egg; - / tablespoonfuls salt, and one of pepper. mix thoroughly, make into a loaf, and bake two hours, basting as you would roast beef. fried oysters. take the largest-sized oysters; drain off the juice, and dry in a cloth; beat two eggs in a spoonful of milk, adding a little salt and pepper. run the oysters through this, and fry in equal parts butter and sweet lard to a light brown. stews, salads and salad dressing. terrapin stew. take six terrapins of uniform size. (the females, which are the best, may be distinguished by the lower shell being level or slightly projecting.) if the terrapins are large, use one pound of the best butter; if small, less, and a pint of good sherry wine. after washing the terrapins in warm water, put them in the kettle alive, and cover with cold water, keeping the vessel covered tight. after letting them boil until the shell cracks and you can crush the claws with the thumb and finger, take them off the fire, and when cool enough, pull off the shell and remove the dark, or scarf skin, next pulling the meat from the trail and the liver--being careful not to break the gall, which would render the liver uneatable. after breaking the meat in small pieces, lay it in a porcelain kettle with a teacupful of water; put in the wine, and one-half the butter, with or blades of mace, or teaspoonfuls of extract of lemon, tablespoonfuls of worcestershire or challenge sauce; little salt is required, and if pepper is needed, use cayenne. after stewing for fifteen minutes, add the yolks of hard-boiled eggs--worked to a paste in the remainder of the butter--thinning with the juice of the stew, adding at the same time a teacupful of sweet cream, and after simmering for three minutes, chop the whites of the eggs fine, and add to the mixture; then take from the fire, and make hot five minutes before serving. if kept in a cool place this stew will remain perfectly good for three days. stewed chicken, cottage style, with white gravy. take two chickens, one or two years old, and cut each in about fourteen pieces, dividing each joint, and cutting the breast in two pieces; cut the gizzard quite small, and put it and the liver with the chicken. when the chicken is half done, cover with cold water, adding a good-sized onion, and when it reaches a boil, skim carefully; and when the same is about half cooked add sufficient salt and pepper, and also a handful of the green leaves of celery chopped fine, which will give it the flavor of oysters. boil slowly until you can tear the chicken with a fork, when turn it out in a dish. next, take one half pound of good butter, the yolks of three boiled eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of corn-starch or flour, and, after working well together, so as to form a thin batter, add the liquor from the chicken, return to the kettle, and, after boiling for five minutes, return the chicken, season with nutmeg or sal-piquant, adding at the same time a teacupful of cream or good milk, also the whites of the eggs, chopped fine. keep hot until served. stewed tripe. cut and prepare the tripe as for pepper-pot; season highly; add a pint of soup stock, and four spoonfuls of tomatoes, with a little butter, and half an onion chopped fine. cook until quite tender. chicken salad. boil a good-sized chicken, not less than one year old, in as little water as possible; if you have two calves' feet boil them at the same time, salting slightly, and leaving them in after the chicken is cooked, that they may boil to shreds. this liquid forms a jelly, which is almost indispensable in making good salad. when the chicken becomes cold, remove the skin and bones, after which chop or cut to the size of a pea; cut celery and lettuce equally fine--after taking off the outer fibre of the former--and mixing, add clayton's salad dressing, (the recipe for which will be found elsewhere); also incorporating four eggs, which should be boiled eight minutes, cutting three as fine as the chicken and celery, and leaving the fourth as a garnish on serving. cold roast turkey, chicken or tender veal make most excellent salad treated in this way. clayton's celebrated california salad dressing. take a large bowl, resembling in size and shape an ordinary wash-bowl, and a wooden spoon, fitted as nearly as possible to fit the curve of the bowl. first put in two or three tablespoonfuls of mixed mustard, quite stiff. pour on this, slowly, one-fourth of a pint of best olive oil, stirring rapidly until thick; then break in two or three fresh eggs, and, after mixing slightly, pour in, very slowly, the remaining three-fourths of the pint of oil, stirring rapidly all the while until the mixture forms a thick batter. next, take a teacupful of the best wine vinegar, to which the juice of one lemon has been added, along with a small tablespoonful of salt, and another of white sugar, stirring well, until the whole of these ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. when bottled and tightly corked, this mixture will remain good for months. those who are not fond of the oil, will find that sweet cream, of about sixty or seventy degrees in temperature, a good substitute; but this mixture does not keep so well. salad flavoring. it will be found a good thing before ornamenting a salad, to take a section of garlic, and, after cutting off the end, steeping it in salt, and then rubbing the surface of the bowl, putting in at the same time, small pieces of the crust of french or other bread, similarly treated. cover the bowl with a plate, and shake well. this gives the salad a rich, nutty flavor. eggs and omelettes. boiling eggs. unless quite sure the eggs are fresh, never boil them, as the well known remark that even to suspect an egg cooked in this style is undoubtedly well-founded. hard boiled eggs, to be eaten either hot or cold, must never be boiled more than eight minutes, when they will be found tender and of a fine flavor, whereas, if boiled for a longer time, they will invariably prove leathery, tough, and almost tasteless, and dark-colored where the whites and yolk are joined, giving them an unsightly and anything but attractive appearance. for soft boiled, three, and for medium, four minutes only, are necessary. scrambled eggs. beat well three eggs, with two tablespoonfuls of cream or milk; add salt and pepper; put in the pan a lump of fresh butter, and, as soon as melted, put in the eggs, stirring rapidly from the time they begin to set; as in order to be tender they must be cooked quickly. to fry eggs. put butter or lard in a hot pan, and then as many small, deep muffin rings as eggs required. drop the eggs in the rings. cooked in this manner the eggs are less liable to burn, look far nicer, and preserve their fine flavor. oyster omelette. stew a few oysters in a little butter, adding pepper for seasoning, and when the omelette is cooked on the under side, put on the oysters, roll over, and turn carefully. a good omelette may be made of canned oysters treated in this way. ham omelette. take a thin slice of the best ham--fat and lean--fry well done, and chop fine. when the omelette is prepared, stir in the ham, and cook to a light brown. cream omelette. beat three eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cream, adding a little salt and pepper. put a lump of butter in the pan, but do not let it get too hot before putting in the mixture. the pan should be about the temperature for baking batter cakes. fold and turn over quite soon. the omelette should be a light brown, and be sent to the table hot. should you have sausage for breakfast, the bright gravy from the sausage is preferable to butter in preparing the omelette. spanish omelette. make in the same manner as the cream omelette, but before putting in the pan have ready one-half an onion, chopped fine and fried brown, with a little pepper and salt. when the omelette is cooked on one side, put the mixture on, and turn the sides over until closed tight. omelette for dessert. beat eight eggs thoroughly, with a teacup of rich milk or cream, a tablespoonful of fine white sugar, and a very little salt. stir well, and make in two omelettes; lay side by side, and sift over a thin coating of fine white sugar. in serving, pour over and around the omelette a wine-glass of good california brandy, and set on fire. vegetables. baked tomatoes. pick out large, fair tomatoes; cut a slice from the stem end, and, placing them in a pan with the cut side up, put into each one-half teaspoonful of melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake until they shrivel slightly. raw tomatoes. cut the skin from both ends; slice moderately thin, and, if you like, add a small piece of onion chopped fine. season with salt and pepper, and pour over durkee's or clayton's salad dressing. cucumbers. take off a thick rind, as that portion between the seed and outer skin is the unwholesome part. slice, rather thin, into cold, salt water, and, after half-an-hour, drain off, and dress with salt, pepper, wine vinegar, and a little chile pepper-sauce, covering slightly with durkee's or clayton's salad dressing. boiled cabbage. cut large cabbage in four; small in two pieces, and tie up in a bag or cloth. put in boiling water, with some salt, and boil briskly for half-an-hour. a piece of charcoal in the pot will neutralize the odor given out by the cabbage, boiled in the ordinary way. cabbage should never be cooked with corned-beef, as the fine flavor of the latter is changed to the strong odor of the cabbage. to cook cauliflower. if the cauliflower is large, divide in three, if small, in two pieces; tie up in a cloth, and put in boiling water with a little salt, and cook not more than twenty minutes. eat with melted butter, pepper and salt, or nice drawn butter. (asparagus may be cooked in the same way, and eaten with similar dressing. both cauliflower and asparagus may be spoiled with too much cooking. care should be taken to drain the water from both as soon as they are done.) to cook young green peas. the best mode of cooking this most delicate and finely-flavored vegetable--put the peas in a porcelain-lined kettle, with just water sufficient to cover, and let them boil slowly until tender. add a lump of butter, worked in a teaspoonful of flour, to the rich liquid, with half a teacupful of rich milk or cream; season with salt and pepper. a good way to cook beets. take beets of a uniform size; boil until tender; slip off the skin, and slice into a dish or pan; season with salt and pepper, adding a little butter, made hot, and the juice of one lemon. pour this over the beets, set in a hot oven for a few minutes, and send to the table hot. mashed potatoes and turnips. take equal quantities of boiled potatoes and turnips; mash together, adding butter, salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly with a little good milk, working all together until quite smooth. boiled onions. take small white onions, if you have them; if large, cut and boil until tender, in salted water. pour off nearly all the water, and add a small lump of butter, worked in a little flour, and a small cup of milk; add pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. [all the foregoing are desirable additions to roast turkey and chicken.] stewed corn. if canned corn is used, put a sufficient quantity in a stewpan, with two or three spoonfuls of hot water, and, after adding pepper and salt to taste, put in a good-sized lump of butter, into which a teaspoonful of flour has been well worked, adding, at the same time, a cup of good, sweet milk or rich cream, and let it cook three minutes. corn cut fresh from the cob should be boiled at least twenty minutes before adding the milk and butter. stewed corn and tomatoes. take equal quantities of corn and tomatoes, and stew together half-an-hour, with butter, pepper and salt; and when taken up place slices of buttered toast in the dish in which it is served. succotash. this is the original native american indian name for corn and beans. in compounding this most palatable and wholesome dish, take two or three pounds of green, climbing, or pole beans--the pods of which are large, and, at the same time, tender. break these in pieces of something like half-an-inch long, and let them lie in cold water about half-an-hour, at which time drain this off. put them in a porcelain-lined kettle, covering them with boiling water, into which put a large tablespoonful of salt. when the beans become tender, pour off the greater portion of the water, replacing it with that which is boiling, and when the beans become entirely tender, cut from the cob about half the amount of corn you have of the beans, which boil for twenty minutes; but where canned corn is used five minutes will suffice. about five minutes before taking from the fire, take a piece of butter about the size of an egg, worked with sufficient flour or corn-starch to form a stiff paste. season with plenty of black pepper and salt to taste, adding, at the same time, a teacupful of rich milk or cream. then, to keep warm, set back from the fire, not allowing to boil, but simmering slowly. this will be equally good the next day, if kept in a cool place, with an open cover, which prevents all danger of souring. this is a simple, healthful, and most appetizing dish, inexpensive and at the same time easily prepared. saratoga fried potatoes. the mode of preparing the world-renowned saratoga fried potatoes is no longer a secret. it is as follows: peel eight good-sized potatoes; slice very thin; use slicing-machine, when available, as this makes the pieces of uniform thickness. let them remain half-an-hour in a quart of cold water, in which a tablespoonful of salt has been dissolved, and lay in a sieve to drain, after which mop them over with a dry cloth. put a pound of lard in a spider or stewpan, and when this is almost, but not quite, smoking hot, put in the potatoes, stirring constantly to prevent the slices from adhering, and when they become a light brown, dip out with a strainer ladle. [if preferred, cut the potatoes in bits an inch in length, and of the same width, treating as above.] salsify or oyster plant. the best way i have yet found to cook this finely flavored and highly delicious vegetable is: first, wash clean, but do not remove the skin. put the roots in more than enough boiling water to cover them; boil until quite soft; remove the skin; mash; add butter, and season with pepper and salt; make into the size of oysters, and dip in thin egg batter; fry a light brown. if the plant is first put into cold water to boil, and the skin scraped or removed, the delicate flavor of the oyster--which constitutes its chief merit--will be entirely dissipated and lost. egg plant. there is no more delicate and finely-flavored esculent to be found in our markets than the egg plant, when cooked in the right manner. properly prepared, it is a most toothsome dish; if badly cooked, it is anything but attractive. of all the varieties, the long purple is decidedly the best. cut in slices, less than one-fourth an inch in thickness; sprinkle with salt, and let the slices lie in a colander half-an-hour or longer, to drain. next parboil for a few minutes, and drain off the water; season with salt and pepper, and dip in egg batter, or beaten egg, and fry in sweet lard mixed with a little butter, until the slices are a light brown. serve hot. to boil green corn. green corn should be put in hot water, with a handful of salt, and boiled slowly for half-an-hour, or five minutes longer. the minute the corn is done, pour off the water and let it remain hot. all vegetables are injured by allowing them to remain in the water after they are cooked. boiled rice. american rice for all its preparations is decidedly preferable, the grain being much the largest and most nutritious. in boiling, use two measures of water to one of rice, and let them boil until the water is entirely evaporated. cover tightly; set aside, and let steam until every grain is separated. when ready to serve, use a fork in removing the rice from the cooking utensil. [the foregoing recipe was given me by a lady of south carolina, of great experience in the preparation of this staple cereal product of the southern atlantic seaboard.] stewed okra. cut into pieces one quart of okra, and put to boil in one cup of water; add a little onion and some tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste; and when all is boiled tender, add a good lump of butter, worked in with a spoonful of flour, and let stew five minutes, stirring frequently. bread, cakes, pies, puddings and pastry. solid and liquid sauces. quick bread. mix teaspoonfuls baking powder with quart of flour, adding teaspoonful salt and sufficient milk or water to make a soft dough, and bake at once in a hot oven. if eaten hot, break; use a hot knife in cutting. quick muffins. take eggs, tablespoonfuls best lard or butter, teaspoonful salt, teaspoonfuls baking powder, tablespoonful sugar, quart good milk, and flour to make a moderately stiff batter, and bake at once in muffin-rings. brown bread. cups of yellow corn-meal, cup flour, sweet, and / cup sour milk, with / cup syrup, teaspoonful soda, and a little salt. bake hours. graham rolls. two cups graham and of white flour, / cup of yeast or / cake compressed yeast, teaspoonfuls sugar; mix with warm milk or water, and let stand upon range until light. mississippi river corn-bread. one pint best yellow corn-meal, pint of butter-milk, tablespoonfuls melted butter, eggs and teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful saleratus; mix well, and bake at a brisk fire. nice light biscuit. before sifting quart of flour, put in or teaspoonfuls of best baking powder, adding a little salt after sifting. follow this with tablespoonfuls of best lard, and with good milk, mix into soft dough--working as little as possible. roll full half-an-inch thick; cut and bake in a hot oven until slightly browned on top and bottom. clayton's corn-bread. take cups of good corn-meal--either yellow or white--and cup of flour; add a teaspoonful of baking powder, stirring well together. next, put into a vessel, eggs, well beaten, tablespoonful of sugar, a little salt, a large tablespoonful of sweet lard or butter, and milk enough to make a thick batter. let these come to a boiling heat, stirring well at the same time, then pour in the meal, and beat to a stiff consistence. turn into a baking pan, and bake until thoroughly done, brown on top and bottom. use hot milk in mixing, as, in my opinion, it takes the raw taste from the corn-meal. johnny cake. two spoonfuls of melted butter, egg, well beaten, teaspoonfuls baking powder, cups milk, / cup sugar or syrup, cups each, corn-meal and flour. bake in a moderate oven until brown. sweet potato pone. one large sweet potato grated, cup yellow indian meal, eggs, tablespoonful butter, / cup molasses, / cup sugar, salt and spice to taste; add sufficient milk to make the usual thickness of cake. ginger-bread. one pint molasses, / pint of sour milk, teaspoonfuls ginger, teacup butter, teaspoonful soda, eggs--salt. molasses ginger bread. one cup syrup, / cup sugar, / cup sweet milk, tablespoonfuls vinegar, / cup shortening; flour to make moderately thick, and large teaspoonful baking powder. quaker cake. one cup butter, teaspoonfuls ginger, flour, / cup cider or any spirits, eggs, and a teaspoonful of saleratus, dissolved in a teacup of sweet milk. pound cake. one cup sugar, / cup best butter, / cup of rich milk or cream, eggs, well beaten, - / cups flour, large teaspoonful baking powder, and a teaspoonful ground nutmeg; and beat the whole thoroughly before baking. chocolate cake.--jelly cake. two cups sugar, cup butter, the yolks of eggs, and whites of , cup pure milk, - / cups flour, teaspoonful cream of tartar, / teaspoonful bi-carbonate soda, and stir thoroughly before baking. the following is the mixture for filling. whites of eggs, - / cups sugar, tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate, and teaspoonful extract vanilla. beat well together, and spread between each layer and on top the cake. [jelly cake may be made the same way, using jelly instead of chocolate.] currant cake. three eggs, cups sugar, butter, milk, / teaspoonful soda, cup currants, and a little citron, cut in thin slices, with flour to make a stiff batter. pour into pans, and bake medium quick. cream cup-cake. four cups of flour, of sugar, of sweet cream, eggs; mix and bake in square tins. when cold, cut in squares about two inches wide. jumbles. rub to a cream a pound of butter and a pound of sugar; mix with a pound and a half of flour, eggs and a little brandy; roll the cakes in powdered sugar, lay in flat buttered tins, and bake in a quick oven. sweet cake. one cup of sugar, cup sour cream, cup butter, egg, / teaspoonful soda, / nutmeg grated fine, flour enough to make a stiff batter. bake in a slow oven. sponge cake. five eggs, cups sugar, cups flour, / teacup cold water; mix well and bake quickly. ginger snaps. into pint of molasses put cup lard, tablespoonful of ginger, teaspoonful of soda, and a little salt; boil for a few minutes, and when quite cool, add sufficient flour to make a stiff dough; roll very thin and bake. a nice cake. one quart flour, eggs, / cup butter, / cup sweet lard, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and of salt. beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately, until light. sift the baking powder into the flour. melt the shortening in a cup of milk with the yolks of the eggs--putting the whites in last. work into a thick batter, and bake steadily for three-quarters of an hour; to be eaten hot. icing for cake. there are a number of formulas for the preparation of icings for cake, but the following will invariably be found the simplest, easiest prepared, and the best: take the whites of eggs, and pound of best pulverized white sugar, and any flavoring extract most agreeable to the taste. break the whites of the eggs into a broad, cool dish, and after throwing a small handful of sugar upon them, begin whipping it in with long even strokes of the beater. beat until the icing is of a smooth, fine and firm texture. if not stiff enough, put in more sugar, using at least a quarter of a pound to each egg. pour the icing by the spoonful on top of the cake, and near the centre of the surface to be covered. if the loaf is so shaped that the liquid will naturally settle to its place, it is best left to do so. to spread it, use a broad-bladed knife, dipped in cold water; if as thick with sugar as should be, one coat will be amply sufficient. leave in a moderate oven for three minutes. to color icing yellow, use the rind of a lemon or orange, tied in a thin muslin bag, straining a little of the juice through it and squeezing hard into the ice and sugar; for red, use extract of cochineal. chocolate icing. quarter of a cake of chocolate grated, / cup of sweet milk, tablespoonful corn-starch; flavor with extract of vanilla. mix these ingredients, with the exception of the vanilla; boil two minutes, and after it has fairly commenced to boil, flavor, and then sweeten to taste with powdered sugar, taking care to have it sweet enough. lemon pie. grated rind and juice of two lemons; cups sugar; butter, the size of an egg; tablespoonfuls corn-starch; eggs. rub the butter and sugar smooth in a little cold water; have ready cups boiling water, in which stir the corn-starch, until it looks clear; add to this the butter and sugar, and, when nearly cold, the yolks of four eggs, and the white of one, well beaten, and the rind and the juice of the lemons. after lining two deep dishes with a delicate paste, and pouring in the mixture, beat the remaining whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, adding two spoonfuls of powdered sugar. spread this over the pies when done, returning to the oven to brown. english plum pudding. three cups flour; eggs; cup milk; / cup brandy; nutmeg; a teaspoonful of salt; teaspoonfuls baking powder; / pound currants; / pound raisins, stoned and chopped fine; / pound suet chopped fine; cup sugar. boil three hours. baked apple pudding. two cups oatmeal or cracked wheat; eggs; tablespoonful butter; pint milk; three medium-sized apples; a little suet; cinnamon to flavor; sweeten to taste. beat sugar, eggs, and milk together; stir in the meal, and then add the other ingredients, the apples last, after reducing to small pieces. bake until well set. to be eaten with or without sauce. bread pudding. one loaf of stale bread, soaked in a pint of milk, and when soft, beat with an egg-beater until very fine. pour into this the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, a tablespoonful of butter, some flavoring, and a little salt, beating all well together. after baking until well set, let it cool, and spread a nice jelly over the top, and on this put the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, returning to the oven to brown. baked corn-meal pudding. into a large cup of corn-meal stir pint scalded milk; a small cup suet, chopped fine; two-thirds of a cup of syrup or molasses; salt to taste, and when cold, add pint milk, and eggs, well beaten, teaspoonful cinnamon, and cup raisins. bake three hours. corn-starch pudding (baked). four tablespoonfuls corn-starch; quart of milk; eggs; / coffee-cup white sugar; adding butter size of an egg, with flavoring to taste. after dissolving the corn-starch in a little cold water, heat the milk to boiling and stir this in, and boil three minutes, stirring the mixture all the time; next, stir in the butter, and set away until cold. beat the eggs until very light, when add the sugar and seasoning, and then stir into the corn-starch, beating thoroughly to a smooth custard. put into a buttered dish, and bake not more than half an hour. this pudding is best eaten cold, with sauce made of cream and sugar, flavored with nutmeg or cinnamon, or both, or plain powdered sugar, as tastes may prefer. delmonico pudding. one quart of milk; tablespoonfuls corn-starch; put in hot water until it thickens; to the yolks of eggs, add three tablespoonfuls white sugar, tablespoonfuls vanilla, and a little salt. pour on the corn-starch, stir thoroughly, and bake fifteen minutes, but not long enough to whey. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth; add tablespoonfuls of sugar; / teaspoonful vanilla; put on top, and let brown. peach ice-cream. pare and cut in pieces dozen peaches, or more, if desired, and boil with / pound loaf sugar. when reduced to a marmalade press through a fine sieve, and when cool, add pint cream and freeze. serve with halves or quarters of fresh peaches, half frozen, around the cream. apple snow. reduce half a dozen apples to a pulp; press them through a sieve; add / cup powdered sugar and a teaspoonful lemon extract; take whites of eggs and whip several minutes, and sprinkle tablespoonfuls powdered sugar over them; beat the apple-pulp to a froth and add the beaten eggs. whip the mixture well until it breaks like stiff snow, then pile it high in rough portions, in a glass dish--garnish with a spoonful of currant jelly. strawberry sauce. a delicious sauce for baked pudding: beat / cup butter and of sugar, to a cream; add, stiff beaten, white of egg and a large cupful of ripe strawberries, thoroughly crushed. ambrosia. have ready a grated cocoanut and some oranges, peeled and sliced; put a large layer of oranges in your dish, and strew sugar over them; then a layer of cocoanut, then orange, and sprinkle sugar; and so on until the dish is full, having cocoanut for the last layer. pine-apple may be substituted for the orange. farina pudding. two tablespoonfuls farina, soaked in a little milk for two hours; quart of milk. set in a kettle of boiling water; when the milk boils, add the farina, stirring four minutes. then stir in the yolks of eggs, well beaten, cup sugar, and a little salt. after boiling three or four minutes, pour into a dish to cool. flavor, and stir in the whites of the eggs beaten to a foam. to be eaten cold. baked corn-meal pudding. take large teacupful of corn-meal; scald pint of milk, and stir the meal in slowly and thoroughly. add a small cup of suet, chopped fine; / of a cup of molasses, salt to taste, and when cool add pint milk, with eggs, well beaten, teaspoonful of cinnamon and cup of raisins. bake hours. snow pudding. one box gelatine, cups sugar, juice of lemons, whites of eggs, quart of milk, eggs, tablespoonfuls sugar, and vanilla. dissolve the gelatine in / pint of water and let stand for hours; then add / pint of boiling water, the lemon juice, and sugar; strain and set away to cool and thicken, and when quite stiff, add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; stir these into the jelly until it looks like snow--mould and set on ice. for a similar custard; add eggs, well beaten in a dish, with tablespoonfuls white sugar. fruit pudding. one quart of flour, teaspoonfuls yeast powder, a little salt, cup suet chopped fine, or a / pound butter or sweet lard; mix to soft dough, and roll quite thin--spreading over any kind of cooked fruit, sweetened to taste--rolling up nicely. this may be boiled, but is much better steamed, as this makes it much lighter. this delicious pudding should be eaten with brandy or wine sauce, liquid or solid. charlotte-a-russe. take pint rich milk, / ounce of gelatine, dissolved in a little hot milk, the whites of eggs beaten to a froth, and cup sugar; flavoring with vanilla. mix the milk, eggs, sugar and flavoring; and when the gelatine is cold, pour it in, stirring thoroughly. line the dish or mould with slices of sponge cake, fill with this mixture, and set on ice to cool. solid sauce. work well into / cup of the freshest butter, cup of powdered white sugar, adding the white of an egg, well beaten, and worked in with a large spoonful of california brandy, or a couple of spoonfuls of good sherry or california white-wine; working all of these well together, that the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated, and season with nutmeg or cinnamon, or both, as may be preferred. liquid sauce. take butter, the size of an egg, and sufficient flour or corn-starch, and after adding boiling water to make thick drawn butter, boil two or three minutes; add brandy, sherry or white-wine--according to taste--with a little vinegar or juice of lemon. make quite sweet and season to taste. currant, or grape jelly. wash the currants or grapes well in a pan of water; afterwards mash thoroughly, and put in a preserving kettle, letting them simmer slowly for fifteen or twenty minutes. strain through a thin muslin bag, and, for every pint of juice, add one pound of granulated sugar. mix well together, and boil five minutes, and put into glasses while warm. cut paper to fit the top, dip in brandy, and lay over the jelly, and when quite cold tie a paper over the top, and put away in a dry, dark place. calves' foot jelly. boil calves' feet in or quarts of water, until reduced to shreds; strain, and let the liquid cool; after taking off the fat, put the jelly in a kettle, with one pint of california sherry, or white wine, cups granulated sugar, the whites of eggs, well beaten, the juice of lemon, with half of the grated peel, teaspoonful of ground cinnamon or nutmeg; boil until clear, and strain into moulds or glasses. ice-cream. there are a thousand and one modes and recipes for making ice-cream. but, after having tested the merits of a large number, i have found the following formula, used by mr. piper, the former head cook of the occidental hotel, of san francisco, in all respects superior to any that i have ever used: one quart of jersey, or best dairy milk, with the addition of a pint of rich cream; eggs, and pound of best granulated white sugar, thoroughly beaten and incorporated together; place the milk in a can, set it in a vessel of boiling water, and let it come to a boiling heat, stirring well at the same time. then take from the fire, and add vanilla, lemon, or such flavoring as you may prefer, after which set it in ice-water to cool, and then freeze. break the ice for the freezer of a uniform size, mixing coarse salt with the mass. stir the cream constantly, and scrape thoroughly from the sides. the more the cream is stirred, the more delicate the mixture will be. orange-ice. the juice of oranges; after adding the grated rind of mix the juice of two lemons, and the grated rind of one; after adding pint of granulated white sugar, dissolved in a pint of cold water, freeze the mixture the same as ice cream. lemon jelly. one pound sugar; lemons, sliced, and put into the sugar; ounce gelatine, dissolved in cold water sufficient to cover; add a quart of boiling water, and strain into moulds. wine jelly. one box cox's gelatine, dissolved in a little warm water; add a large goblet sherry wine, and - / pints of boiling water; sweeten highly and boil briskly. to be eaten with cream. peach jelly. do not pare, but rub your peaches; place them in a porcelain lined kettle, with just enough water to cover. let them cook thoroughly--from one to two hours--then strain through a jelly-bag. to every cups of juice, add cups of sugar, and set on to boil again. sometimes, when the fruit is particularly fine and fresh, three-quarters of an hour or less boiling is sufficient to make a jelly, but sometimes it takes longer. to test it, drop some in a saucer and set on ice; if it does not spread but remain rounded, it is done. roman punch. take the juice of oranges, and of the same number of lemons or limes. dissolve pound of white sugar in a pint of water. mix all these together, and strain; after which add pint of california champagne, and gills of good california brandy, if desirable. freeze the same as ice-cream. miscellaneous. butter and butter-making. with the exception of bread, which has been appropriately termed "the staff of life," there is, perhaps, no other article of food more universally used by mankind than butter. notwithstanding this well established fact, it is a lamentable reflection, that really good butter is one of the rarest and most difficult articles to be procured. although the adulterations of this staple article of food are numerous, the main cause of the quantities of bad butter with which the community is burdened, is ignorance of the true methods, and slovenliness in the preparation of this staple article, for which no reasonable excuse can be urged. in the making of good butter, no process is more simple or easily accomplished. the quakers, living in the vicinity of philadelphia, more than a century ago, so thoroughly understood and practised the art of making the best butter, that the products of their dairies sold readily in that city for from five to eight cents per pound more than that produced by any other class. with these thrifty people, cleanliness was really regarded as "akin to godliness," and the principal was thoroughly and practically carried out in all their every day affairs. the most scrupulous attention being paid to the keeping of all the utensils used scrupulously clean, and so thoroughly work the mass, that every particle of milk is expelled. the greatest evil to be guarded against, is the too free use of salt, which for this purpose should be of the utmost purity and refined quality. i am satisfied, from personal observation, that the butter made at the jersey farm, at san bruno, in the vicinity of san francisco, in every respect equals in quality the celebrated darlington, philadelphia. for the keeping milk fresh and sweet, and the proper setting of the rich cream, an old style spring-house is essentially requisite. who that has ever visited one of these clean, cool and inviting appendages of a well conducted farm and well ordered household, at some home-farm of the olden time, does not recall it in the mind's-eye, as vividly as did the poet woodworth when he penned that undying poem of ancient home-life, "the old oaken bucket that hung in the well." properly constructed, a spring-house should be built of stone, which is regarded as the coolest--brick or concrete--with walls at least twelve inches in thickness. the floor should be of brick, and not more than two feet below the surface of the ground. the roof should be of some material best adapted to warding off the heat, and keeping the interior perfectly cool, while due attention should be paid to the allowance of a free circulation of air, and provision be made for thorough ventilation; only as much light as is actually necessary should be admitted, and where glass is used for this purpose, it should invariably be shielded from the sun. walled trenches being constructed for this purpose, a constant stream of cool running water should pass around the pans containing the milk and cream, which, for the making of good butter, should never be permitted to become sour. the shelving and other furniture, and all wooden utensils used, should be of white ash, maple or white wood, in order to avoid all danger of communicating distasteful or deleterious flavors. as there is no liquid more sensitive to its surroundings, or which more readily absorbs the flavor of articles coming in contact with it, than pure milk, everything that has a tendency to produce this deleterious result should be carefully excluded. neither paints or varnish should be used about the structure, and the entire concern should be as utterly free from paint as the inside of an old time quaker meeting-house. in making butter, the cream should be churned at a temperature of about degrees. when the churning is finished, take up the lump and carefully work out every particle of milk. never wash or put your hands in the mass. to each pound of butter work in a little less than an ounce of the purest dairy salt. set the butter away, and at the proper time work the mass over until not a particle of milk remains. a word of advice to hotel and restaurant cooks. i wish to say a word to the extensive brotherhood and ancient and honorable guild constituting the grand army of hotel and restaurant cooks distributed throughout our country, on the all-important subject of making coffee and heating milk. some satirical writer has sarcastically said that the way to make good coffee is to ascertain how that beverage is prepared in leading hotels and restaurants, and then make your coffee as they don't! there is no good reason why coffee cannot be as well made in hotel and restaurant kitchens, as in private families or anywhere else, if the berry is good, well-browned, and pains are taken for the proper preparation of this popular beverage. twenty years ago the art of making coffee in large quantities, and of properly heating milk for the same, was an unsolved problem--in fact, if not numbered among the many lost arts, might be classed as among the unknown in the culinary art. twenty-one years ago, the late mr. marden--a well-known citizen of san francisco--and the author of this work--produced, as the result of long practical experience, a form for making a decoction of the ancient arabian berry, which is now in general use throughout the entire union. true, attempts have been made to improve upon the mode, which was the crowning triumph of the parties alluded to, but they have invariably proved failures, and to-day marden & clayton's coffee and milk urns stand pre-eminent in this important department of cookery. these urns are simply two capacious stone-ware jars, of equal capacity, and made precisely alike, with an orifice one inch from the bottom, in which a faucet is firmly cemented. each jar is suspended in a heavy tin casing, affording an intervening space of two inches, which is to be filled with hot, but not boiling water, as a too high temperature would injure the flavor of the coffee, and detract from the aroma of the fragrant berry. suspend a thin cotton sack in the centre, and half the height of the jar. after putting in this the desired amount of coffee, pour on it sufficient boiling water to make strong coffee. as soon as the water has entirely filtered through, draw off the liquid through the stop-cock at the bottom of the jar, and return it to the sack, passing it through, in the same manner, two or three times. after five minutes raise the sack, pour in a cup of hot water, and let it filter through, getting, in this manner, every particle of the strength. immediately after this remove the sack; for if it is left remaining but a short time, the aroma will be changed for the worse. cover tightly, and keep the jar surrounded with hot, but not boiling water. next, put into the milk urn--also surrounded with hot water--one-half the milk for the amount of coffee, and at the proper time add the remaining half of the milk, having it, in this manner, fresh, and not over-cooked. should the milk become too hot, pour in a cup of cold milk, stirring well at the same time. the first of these urns for making coffee and heating milk, were those used for the purpose at the opening of the occidental hotel of this city--of which mr. piper was at that time the intelligent and experienced head-cook. this mode of making coffee in large quantities is still followed at this hotel, which, from the time of its opening to the present, has maintained the reputation as one of the best of the numerous excellent public houses of this city, and the entire union. clayton's california golden coffee. let the coffee--which should be nicely browned, but not burned--be ground rather fine, in order that you may extract the strength without boiling--as that dissipates the aroma and destroys the flavor. put the coffee in a thin muslin sack--reaching less than half-way to the bottom of the vessel--then place it in the pot, and pour over enough boiling water to make strong coffee. let it stand on the hot range two or three minutes, when lift out the sack, pour the liquid in a vessel, and return it through the sack the second time, after which, raising the sack again, pour through a little hot water to extract all the strength from the grounds. next, pour into the liquid, cold, jersey dairy, or any other pure country milk, until the coffee assumes a rich golden color, and after it reaches a boiling-heat once more, set it back. should the milk be boiled separately, the richness, combined with its albumen, will be confined to the top; whereas, if added cold, and boiled with the coffee, it will be thoroughly incorporated with the liquid, adding materially to its rich flavor and delicate aroma. [never substitute a woolen for the muslin strainer, as that fabric, being animal should never come in contact with heat; while cotton or linen, being of vegetable fibre, is easily washed clean and dried. neither should tin be used, as that lets the fine coffee through, and clouds the liquid, which should be clear. to extract its full strength, coffee should invariably be ground as fine as oatmeal or finely-ground hominy, and protracted boiling dissipates the aroma and destroys its fine flavor.] the very best way to make chocolate. after grating through a coarse grater, put the chocolate in a stewpan with a coffee-cup or more of hot water; let it boil up two or three minutes, and add plenty of good rich country milk to make it of the right consistency. too much water tends to make this otherwise delightful beverage insipid. [good cocoa is made in the same manner.] old virginia egg-nog. two dozen fresh eggs; gallon rich milk; - / pounds powdered sugar; pints cognac brandy, or santa cruz rum--or / pint cognac and / pint jamaica, or santa cruz rum. break the eggs carefully, separating the whites from the yolks; add the sugar to the latter, and with a strong spoon beat until very light, adding gradually dessert spoonfuls of powdered mace or nutmeg. next, add the liquor, pouring in slowly, stirring actively at the same time; after which add the milk in like manner. meanwhile--having whipped the whites of the eggs with an egg-beater into a light froth--pour the egg-nog into a bowl, add the white froth, and decorate with crimson sugar or nutmeg, and serve. the foregoing proportions will be sufficient to make fourteen pints of very superior egg-nog. clayton's popular sandwich paste. take pounds of whittaker's star ham, in small pieces-- / lean and / fat--the hock portion of the ham is best for this purpose. have ready two fresh calves tongues, boiled and skinned nicely, and cut like the ham. put these in a kettle, along with good-sized onions, and cover with cold water, boiling slowly until quite tender; when add pound of either fresh or canned tomatoes, stirring for half-an-hour, adding a little hot water, if in danger of burning. add to the mixture, at the same time, these spices: plenty of best mustard, and a little ground cloves, along with worcestershire or challenge sauce, allowing the mixture to simmer five minutes. when cool enough, pour into a wooden bowl, and after chopping fine, pound the mixture well, while it is warm, with a potato-masher. after the mass has cooled it will spread like butter. should additional seasoning be desired, it can be worked in at any desired time. if not rich enough to suit some palates, one-fourth of a pound best butter may be worked in. the bread used for the sandwiches must be quite cold and perfectly fresh--cutting carefully in thin slices--using for this purpose a long, thin-bladed and quite sharp knife. take a thin shaving from the bottom of the loaf, then from the top an inch-wide slice, after removing the crust. care must be taken to cut without either tearing or pressing the bread. spread on one side of each slice--as if using butter--and after joining the slices, cut the same to suit the taste. [as the best bread is the only kind to be used in making sandwiches--without wishing to make invidious distinctions--i must say that engleberg furnishes from his bakery (on kearney street), the best i have ever used for this purpose, as it cuts without breaking, and does not dry so soon as other breads i have made use of.] welsh rabbit. to prepare welsh rabbit, or rare-bit--both names being used to designate this popular and appetizing dish, which has ever been a favorite with gourmands and good livers, both ancient and modern--take one-half pound of best cheese--not, however, over nine months old--davidson's, gilroy, california, or white's, herkimer county, new york, and cut in small pieces. put over a slow fire, in a porcelain-lined kettle; when it begins to melt pour in three tablespoonfuls rich milk or cream, and a little good mustard. stir from the time the cheese begins to melt, to prevent scorching. have ready a quite hot dish; cover the bottom with toast, buttered upon both sides, upon which pour the melted cheese, spreading evenly over. if you prefer, you may use as a condiment a little mustard, pepper or any favorite sauce. this is a dish that must be eaten as soon as taken from the fire. delicate waffles. take / pound butter; / pound fine sugar; eggs; pints of milk; - / ounces of best baking powder, and - / pounds sifted flour. beat the butter and sugar to a cream; add the yolks of the eggs, the milk, and half the flour; mix well, with the whites of the eggs, beaten to a staunch snow, and add the remainder of the flour. bake in waffle irons, well greased and heated. when baked, the tops may be dusted well with fine sugar, or with a mixture of sugar and powdered cinnamon. force-meat balls. mix, with pound of chopped veal, or other meat, egg, a little butter, cup, or less, of bread crumbs--moistening the whole with milk or the juice of the stewed meat. season with summer savory. make into small balls, and fry brown. beef-tea. take pounds of lean beef; chop as fine as coarse hominy, and put in a vessel, covering the meat with cold water. cover the vessel tightly, and let boil for four hours, carefully keeping the beef just covered with the water. pass through a colander, pressing out all the juice with a potato-masher, strain through a cotton cloth, and add a little salt. a glass of sherry wine decidedly improves beef-tea. crab sandwich. put / pound boiled crab meat in a mortar, and pound to a smooth paste, adding the juice of a lemon. season with pepper and salt, with a pinch of curry powder, and mix the paste well with ounces best butter. cut slices of bread rather thin, trim off the crust, and spread. something about pork.--the kind to select, and best mode of curing. the best quality of pork, as a matter of course, is that fed and slaughtered in the country. corn, or any kind of grain-fed, or, more especially, milk-fed pork, as every one knows, who is not of the hebrew faith, which entirely ignores this--when properly prepared, well-flavored, oleaginous production--and is fond of pork, from the succulent sucking pig, the toothsome and fresh spare-rib, unrivalled as a broil, to the broiled or boiled ham, and side-meat bacon of the full-grown porker, is vastly superior to the meat of the slop and garbage-fed animal raised and slaughtered in the city--more especially as the butchering of hogs in san francisco is at this time entirely monopolized by the chinese population, who seem to have a warm side, in fact a most devoted affection, for the hog, surpassing even that of the bog-trotters of the "ould sod" for the traditional pet-pig that "ates, drinks and slapes wid the ould man, the ould woman, and the childer." charles lamb's account of the discovery of the delights of roast pig, and invention of that luxury by the chinaman whose bamboo hut was burned down, in raking his pig, semi-cremated from the ashes, burned his fingers--which, naturally clapping into his mouth to ease the pain--which was changed to delight, causing john's torture-smitten visage to assume in an instant a broad grin of satisfaction at the discovery--is undoubtedly correct, or at least the love for the pork exhibited by the "heathen chinee" cannot reasonably be accounted for in any other way. in order, then, to get the best article of pork--wholesome, toothsome, and, what is most important of all, entirely free from any form of disease or taint, great care should be taken to make selections from the small lots fed and slaughtered in the country, and brought into the city most generally in the fall season, and which are to be procured at the stall or shop of any reputable and reliable dealer. select a carcass of one hundred, or less, pounds, with flesh hard and white, and thin skin. for salting, cut in pieces six by eight inches, and, after having rubbed thoroughly in salt--neither too fine nor too coarse--take a half-barrel, sprinkle the bottom well with salt, and lay the pieces of pork in tightly; then add salt, and follow with another layer of pork, until the whole is packed, with salt sprinkled on top. set in a cool place, and, after three or four days, make a brine of boiling water with salt--which, when cool, should be sufficiently strong to float an egg--stir in a half pound of brown sugar, pour over the meat sufficient to cover, and place on top a stone heavy enough to keep the pork weighted down. home-made lard. home-made lard is undoubtedly the best as well as cheapest. if leaf is not to be had, take lbs of solid white pork, as fat as possible, which is quite as good, if not better; cut in pieces uniformly the size of your finger, and put in a vessel with a thick bottom--one of iron is preferable--and adding pint of water, put on the range; keep tightly covered until the water has evaporated in steam, when leave off the cover, letting it cook slowly, until the scraps turn a light brown, when take off, and while still quite warm, strain through a colander, pressing the scraps hard with a potato-masher; pour the liquid into cans and set away. the next day it will be found snow-white, solid and of a fine and equal consistence; and for cooking purposes, quite as good as fresh churned butter in making biscuits, any kind of pastry, or frying eggs. [in frying lard keep a careful watch and see that it does not scorch.] new jersey sausage. take the very best pork you can get--one-third fat and two-thirds lean--and chop on a block with a kitchen cleaver. when half chopped, season with black pepper, salt and sage, rubbed through a sieve, and then finish the chopping; but do not cut the meat too fine, as in that case the juice of the meat will be lost. make the mixture up into patties, and fry on a common pan, placed in the oven of the stove, taking care not to cook them hard. veal is a good substitute for the lean pork in making these sausages, which are much better if made one day before cooking. pot-pie. the following i have found the best manner of making any kind of pot-pie. white meat, such as chicken, quail or nice veal, is decidedly the best for the purpose. stew the meat until tender, in considerable liquid as when you put into the paste much of that will be absorbed. in making the paste take quart of flour and tablespoonfuls of baking powder, rubbed well into the flour, / pound butter or sweet lard, and a little salt; mix with milk or water into a soft dough; roll / an inch thick; cut to size, and lay in a steamer for minutes to make light, then put in and around the stew; cooking slowly for ten minutes. curried crab. put into a saucepan / pound butter with a little flour; cook together and stir till cool; then add a gill of cream, a little cayenne pepper, salt, and a dessert-spoonful of east india curry powder. mix well together, and add pound boiled crab meat, chopped fine; stir well together--make very hot and serve. the addition of a glass of white wine adds to the flavor of this curry. to toast bread. cut bread in slices / an inch thick; first taking a thin crust from top, bottom and sides, or shave the loaf before cutting--otherwise the crust will scorch before the soft part is sufficiently toasted. cream toast. to make a delicious cream toast, mix well a teaspoonful of corn-starch with a little cold milk, and put in a stewpan with a piece of butter the size of an egg. pour in hot milk, and stir two minutes, adding a little salt--a little sugar is also an improvement--and pour over the toast while hot. fritters. four eggs, well beaten; quart of milk; quart of flour; teaspoonfuls baking powder; one tablespoonful sugar, and a little salt. cook in best lard, and serve with hard or liquid sauce, highly flavored with california brandy or white wine. hash. it is a mistaken idea (labored under by many), that hash can be made of waste material, that would otherwise be thrown away. this is a most excellent and palatable dish if properly prepared. take the shank, or other parts of good beef you may have at hand, and boil, with as little water as possible, until quite tender, and let stand until quite cold. then take of potatoes, that have been peeled before boiling, one-third the amount of the meat used, and chop moderately fine, adding plenty of pepper and salt, to taste. next, chop two or three onions fine, and stew them in some of the liquid in which the meat was boiled, dredging in a little flour, and when thoroughly done, put in the hash, and chop and mix thoroughly. if you think the mass requires moistening add a little of the fat and juice. put the whole in a pan, and bake in a quick oven until slightly browned at top and bottom. should you have good corned-beef--not too salt--it is very nice made in this manner. use the marrow from the bones in making hash. hashed potatoes with eggs. chop fine or cold boiled potatoes; heat a pan (cast-iron is preferable,) quite hot; put in butter the size of an egg, and as soon as melted add the potatoes; salt and pepper; slightly stirring frequently, and, when heated thoroughly, stir in four well-beaten eggs. serve on a hot dish. baked macaroni. break the macaroni rather short; wash and put in salted water; boil about twenty minutes. drain off the water, replace it with a cup of good milk and tablespoonful of best butter, and as soon as boiling hot put in a baking-dish. if you like cheese, grate over it the best california article--old cheese should never be used--and bake to a light brown. for stewed macaroni omit the baking and the cheese, if you like. drawn-butter. to make drawn-butter, take two tablespoonfuls of flour; good butter, the size of an egg; a little milk, and make to a smooth paste. then work in slowly one-half pint of water, until the flour is cooked. season to taste. the foregoing will be found a good basis for nearly all hot sauces, for fish, beet, and other vegetables, as well as for puddings. spiced currants. two boxes of currants, washed and stemmed; pounds sugar, tablespoonful allspice, tablespoonful of cloves, tablespoonful cinnamon; boil half-an-hour. the best method of canning fruits. there are various modes of canning fruits, almost every housekeeper having a method of her own. for the benefit of those who are at loss in this particular, we give the following mode--which we fully endorse as the best within our knowledge--made use of by mrs. george w. ladd, of bradford, massachusetts, whose fruits, prepared in this way, have repeatedly taken the first premium at the agricultural fair, held in the old bay state. this lady certainly deserves the thanks of all interested in this important matter, for her liberality in giving the public the benefit of her knowledge and experience in this line, as detailed in the following, published in the _new york graphic_ of august , : "as the season of ripe fruit advances, i prepare such quantities of syrup as i think i may need, in this way: three pounds of granulated sugar to one gallon of water and boil twenty minutes; this i put in glass jars, when cool, and set away for future use. peaches, quinces, pears, apples, plums, pine apples, rhubarb, crab apples, and, in fact, all fruits of this kind, i peel, quarter and place in a dish of cold water (to prevent discoloration), until i have prepared enough to fill a jar: i then pack them solid as possible in a jar, and then fill the jar with the syrup previously prepared. i then place a wire stand in the bottom of my preserving kettle, on which to place the jar, then fill the kettle with cold water until the jar is two-thirds covered; leave the jar open, but cover the kettle and boil until the fruit is sufficiently soft; have ready a little boiling syrup, if needed, to fill the jar full to overflowing. then place the rubber band around the neck of the jar and screw the cover on as tightly as possible; then in from three to five minutes give the cover another turn, in order to be sure it is air tight, and you will have no mortal trouble with it. i use mason's jars with metallic porcelain covers." preparing quinces for canning or preserving. quinces for canning or preserving should be kept in a dry place for thirty days after taking from the trees, in order to give them richness and flavor. peel and cut to the proper size, carefully saving skins and cores. put the last named in a porcelain kettle and boil until quite tender, when strain through a cotton-bag; afterwards put the juice back in the kettle, and add sugar as directed in the directions for canning fruit. boil slowly for half-an-hour, taking off the scum as it rises, then set away to cool, and can the fruit as directed in the receipt for canning. clayton's monmouth sauce. in making this delightful ketchup, take pounds of fresh, or two lb. cans of tomatoes, and slice, not too thin, adding five medium sized onions cut fine. put these, with plenty of salt, in a porcelain kettle; adding, with a handful of hot green peppers, or a less quantity, if dried, ounce of white ginger, chopped fine, ounce of horse-radish, and / ounce each of ground cloves and allspice, and lemon, with seeds removed and cut small. after letting these boil for three hours, work through a sieve and return to the kettle along with a pint of wine vinegar, tablespoonfuls sugar, of good mustard, a teacupful of challenge or worcestershire sauce, and let boil for or minutes, and set off. to prevent fermentation, stir in a teacupful of high-proof california brandy. if too thick, when cold reduce with vinegar. to prepare mustard for the table. take / pound best mustard and enough wine vinegar, mixed with / boiling water, large teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of sugar, juice of half a lemon, and mix to a thin batter, and put in a common glass jar and keep stopped tight. if pure mustard is used, treated in this way, it will keep good for months. [if you desire the best article of mustard, i think e. r. durkee & co's is the best i have ever used, although colman's ranks equally high, if you can get the genuine unadulterated article, which can be had by procuring crosse & blackwell's london brand, for which messrs. richards and harrison are the san francisco agents.] mint sauce. into a teacupful of hot vinegar, in which has been dissolved sufficient sugar to make slightly sweet, add a handful of mint chopped quite fine. serve hot. eggs ought never be poached. poached eggs are always tasteless, and also unhealthy, owing to the albumen going into the water into which they are dropped, giving it a white and milky appearance--taking away a portion of the richness which should remain in the egg, rendering it indigestible, and of course, unwholesome. sunnyside roast. select a good, tender piece either of beef or mutton--veal and pork can also be nicely roasted in the same way--place in your iron saucepan or pot one tablespoonful of good lard or half as much butter, and an onion, cut fine; let your onion fry to a light brown, and put in your meat, first having washed, dried and salted it. put the cover on and let stand until it is pretty well browned; then add water, unless in danger of burning. add only enough water, from time to time, to keep it from burning; turn it frequently so that it may brown on all sides. when tender, it will come forth brown and juicy. just before serving, see that there is enough water for gravy; if there is not, you can take out the meat and add enough, but not too much, hot water, and then pour it over the meat. clayton's spanish omelette. chop into dice / pound of breakfast bacon, a small tomato, mushrooms, mince very fine a small onion; add pepper to taste, put in a frying pan and cook slowly until the lean is done; take off and put in a warm place to keep hot. this is sufficient for eggs. plain omelette. beat the yolks and white of eggs separately until light, then beat together; add a little salt and tablespoonful cream. have in the pan a piece of butter, and when boiling hot pour in the omelette and shake until it begins to stiffen; then let it brown. fold double and serve hot. clam fritters. sift into an earthen dish spoonfuls flour and / teaspoonful baking powder; add to this a little of the clam juice, / a cup of cream and eggs, well beaten. mince a pint of clams and mix with the batter. put or spoonfuls of lard into a frying-pan, and when boiling, drop in the batter, by spoonfuls, to fry; after frying a minute, take from the pan, drain and serve. fried tripe. if the tripe is boiled tender, cut in pieces inches square, season with salt and pepper and dip in a batter made of eggs, milk and flour, and fry in sweet lard, or drippings from roast or corned beef. ringed potatoes. peel large potatoes, cut them round and round as you would pare an apple; fry in the best lard until a light brown; sprinkle with salt and serve hot. new potatoes boiled. wash and rub new potatoes with a coarse towel, drop in boiling water, and boil until done, taking care that they are not over boiled. have ready, in a saucepan, some milk or cream with butter, a little chopped parsley, pepper and salt; drain the potatoes, add them to the cream with a teaspoonful of corn-starch, soaked in a little milk; let it come to a simmer, and serve at once. fried tomatoes. take large smooth tomatoes, cut them in slices / an inch thick, dip in bread crumbs or cracker dust and fry a light brown, in half lard and half butter. squash and corn.--spanish style. take small summer squashes and ears of corn; chop the squashes and cut the corn from the cobs. put into a saucepan a spoonful of lard or butter, and when very hot an onion; fry a little; add the corn and squash, tomato and green pepper, cut small, and salt to taste. cover closely and stir frequently to prevent scorching. pickles. to make mixed pickles, cut small cucumbers crosswise in about pieces; onions, if not very small, in , and peppers, if the ordinary size, in pieces. should you have green tomatoes, cut them small. use a less amount of onions and peppers than cucumbers; mix all together with a few bay leaves. next, take a tub or keg, and, having covered the bottom with fine salt, put on a layer of pickles, adding alternate layers of each, leaving that of salt on top. cover with a cotton cloth, and lay on a stone or wooden weight. let them remain three days; then take out, rinse in cold water, but do not soak, and put them in a basket or sack to drain for twelve hours. have ready plenty of california wine vinegar, made hot, but not boiling, adding the following--cloves, allspice, green ginger, and whole mustard seed, with coffee-cup sugar. when the vinegar is at scalding heat pour over the pickles and cover. nice picklette. take nice cabbages, chopped fine; quart onions, chopped fine; quarts--or sufficient to cover the mixture--best wine vinegar, adding two tablespoonfuls each of ground mustard, black pepper, cinnamon, celery salt, of mace, and coffee-cup sugar. pack the cabbages and onions in alternate layers, with a little fine salt between, and let stand until next day; then scald the vinegar with the spices and sugar, and pour over the cabbages and onions. repeat this the next day; and on the third, heat the whole scalding hot, let it cool, and put in jars, when it is fit for use at once. pickled tripe. pickled tripe is very nice--and that sold by john bayle, in the california market, which is cleaned by steam process, and is quite tender and unsalted is a superior article. to prepare for pickling, cut in pieces about four inches square, say five or six pounds. put into a kettle; cover with boiling water, adding a handful of salt; let stand fifteen minutes; take out and drain, keeping warm. mix one-fourth water with the best wine vinegar--to which add cloves, allspice and mace, with teacupful sugar; heat, and pour over the tripe, and set away to cool. tripe prepared in this way is the best for broiling or frying. to cook grouse or prairie chicken. the best way i have found for cooking this delicious game bird is, first, after cleaning, to cut off the wings and legs, as, with the back, these parts are of little account; next, split the birds in the centre, taking out the breast-bone, and you have two heavy pieces; if the bird is large, divide again; do not wash, but wipe with a damp cloth. season with pepper and salt, and broil with butter quite rare; then lay in a porcelain-lined pan, with butter and currant or grape jelly, adding a little cayenne pepper, and a small quantity of port or white wine. [venison steak may be cooked in the same manner.] brains and sweet-breads. when properly prepared the brains of calves and sheep form a very inviting dish. lay fresh brains in cold, salted water for fifteen minutes; then put them in boiling water, and parboil for ten minutes. after cleaning off the outer membrane--for frying--split them, and season with salt and pepper, and run them through egg, beaten with a little milk; roll them in cracker-dust, and fry to a light brown in equal parts of sweet lard and butter. for stewed brains, cut half the size for frying and put in a stewpan, with a lump of butter, pepper and salt, a little water or soup-stock, and one-half an onion, chopped fine and stewed tender. add this, and cook slowly for a few minutes, when put in two or three spoonfuls of milk or cream, and a little white wine or juice of lemon. [sweet-breads may be cooked in the same manner.] stewed spare-ribs of pork. cut the ribs in pieces of a finger's length and the width of two fingers. put in the kettle with two onions, salt and pepper, and cover with cold water. let them stew slowly for two hours, and then put in potatoes, purple-top turnips, which have been peeled and cut, and left in cold water at least two hours; also add two tomatoes. this stew must have plenty of gravy, which can be made by working a little flour and butter with a few spoonfuls of rich milk, cooking five minutes. [an irish stew may be made in the foregoing manner by substituting ribs of mutton.] broiled oysters. in order to broil oysters properly, take those of the largest size, drain, and dry in a cloth, and lay carefully on a nice wire gridiron that will hold them tight; sprinkle slightly with salt and pepper, and put them over a good clear fire for a short time, and turn, taking care not to broil too much; serve with the best butter on a hot dish. pumpkin or squash custard. take enough pumpkin or squash to make quart when cooked; and after it is boiled or steamed, rub through a sieve, and work in eggs well beaten, with rich milk sufficient to make the proper consistence, adding sugar to taste; season with ginger and allspice, and bake in cups or dishes to a nice brown. may be eaten hot, but is better cold. fig pudding. take pint grated bread crumbs, cup suet, cup brown sugar, eggs and / pound of fresh figs. wash the figs in warm water, and dry in a cloth; chop the suet and figs together, and add the other ingredients, also nutmeg, grated. put in a mould or floured bag, and boil hours. serve with hard sauce. fried apples. take good cooking apples, cut in slices / of an inch thick; have a pan of fresh hot lard ready, drop the slices in and fry brown; sprinkle a little sugar over them and serve hot. clayton's oyster stew. in my long experience i have found that the best way to stew oysters, is, after having saved all the juice of the oysters, to put it in a stew pan with a little boiling water, and a good lump of butter worked in a little flour, adding pepper and salt. let these boil for two minutes, or long enough to cook the flour; then put in the oysters, and the moment the stew boils up again add a little sweet cream or country milk, and when it boils the stew is cooked and should be set away from a hot fire. cooked in this way, good oysters will never be tough and tasteless as is too often the case. boiled celery. cut the white stalks of celery the length of asparagus, boil in as little salted water as possible until quite tender. the root, cut in slices, is equally good. dress with drawn butter made with the water in which the celery was boiled. this vegetable is said to be a sedative and antidote to nervous debility. selecting meats. for a roast of beef, select from the ribs nearest the point of the shoulder-blade, running backward. for steaks, choose that with the diamond bone on either side. for chops of mutton or lamb, select the rib. for roasting, choose the loin or saddle; and for boiling, the leg of mutton--but not of lamb, the latter being best roasted. for corned-beef, select parts commonly known as the navel and plate pieces, and next best to these, the brisket and rounds. rebecca jackson's rice pudding. take quart of rich milk; / of a coffee-cup of rice, well washed, and a lump of butter the size of an egg, and nutmeg. this pudding must be made quite sweet, and without eggs. bake three hours in a moderate oven, stirring occasionally the first hour. bake until the top is a dark brown. to be eaten cold. [this pudding--which was a common dish in the last century--was generally baked on saturday for sunday's dessert.] bread-and-butter pudding. to quart of milk, add or eggs, well beaten, with sugar enough to make rather sweet, and season with nutmeg or cinnamon. put in a baking-pan and cover with slices of nice bread, buttered on both sides. bake until the bread is nicely browned, taking care, however, not to bake too much, which would make it watery. good either hot or cold. codfish cakes. pick boiled codfish in small bits, adding equal quantities of mashed potato and fish, with two eggs, well beaten, seasoning with black pepper, and roll in a little flour, the shape of a small cake. fry in sweet lard, or nice drippings, to a nice brown, but not hard. pickled grapes. remove from ripe grapes all imperfect and broken berries; line an earthen jar with grape leaves and fill with grapes. to quarts vinegar add pint white sugar, / ounce ground cinnamon, and / ounce cloves. let vinegar and spices boil five minutes; then add the sugar, and, when moderately cool, pour over the grapes. forced tomatoes. peel and slice some large-sized tomatoes, and put in a colander to drain. cut in small pieces pint of mushrooms, adding some minced parsley, a slice of finely chopped ham, some summer savory, thyme, salt, and cayenne pepper. put all these in a saucepan with some butter, and / cup of water. boil together ten or fifteen minutes, and set away to cool. have ready some fine bread crumbs, add to them seasoning, and the yolks of or well-beaten eggs. mix the mushrooms and tomatoes together; pour into a baking-dish a portion of it; then sprinkle over it a layer of the bread-crumbs and add the remainder of the tomatoes; cover with bread-crumbs, and put some bits of butter on top. bake half-an-hour in a well heated oven. broiled flounders or smelts. have medium-sized flounders or smelts, cleaned with as little cutting as possible; wash thoroughly in salted water, and dry on a towel; mix in a saucer three tablespoonfuls of olive oil, and of vinegar, with salt and pepper; score the sides of the fish at intervals of an inch, with a sharp knife, and rub all over with the mixture of oil, vinegar and seasoning. place them between the bars of a buttered gridiron, and broil a light brown over a moderate fire. onions. there is no more healthy vegetable or article of diet in general use than onions. taken regularly, they greatly promote the health of the lungs and digestive organs. used in a cooked--either fried, roasted or boiled--or in a raw state, their virtues are marked and beneficial. they are among the most popular of old-time remedies for colds, having the advantage of always being readily procured, and it is said that affections of the lungs and liver have been largely benefited, and even cured, by a free use of this palatable esculent. they are also resorted to as a sedative and remedy for sleeplessness. singeing fowls. the best mode i have ever followed for singeing fowls, is to put or tablespoonfuls of alcohol in a tin dish and light with a match, thus making a large flame, without smoke--that is apt to injure the flavor of the bird. the secret of tests of taste and flavor. the correct test of coffee or tea, is to make use of a thin china or delf-ware cup, by which the lips are brought close together, while a thicker cup would separate them widely apart. in testing the quality and flavor of wines, the thinnest quality of glass is for the same reason essentially requisite. our grandmothers, who lived a hundred years ago, understood the philosophy of this when they expressed the opinion, that it was only possible to get the true taste, fine flavor, and delicate aroma of tea, by drinking it out of a china cup. how to choose ware for ranges. in selecting ware for a range, especial care should be taken to see that the bottoms of all the cooking utensils are perfectly level, for if convex, they will invariably burn in the centre. an iron grating or gridiron-- / of an inch in depth--placed between the pan and the top of the range, will be found highly useful while cooking, as this increases the heat and lessens the liability of burning. drying herbs for seasoning. all herbs should be gathered just before blossoming and dried in the shade, or in a dark dry room, as exposure to the sun both takes away flavor and color. when perfectly dry, put in a clean sack and hang in a dry room or loft, and when wanted for use, rub through a sieve. herbs treated in this way, if left dry, will retain their strength and remain perfectly good for years. as long as the outer membrane of the leaves remains unbroken, the aroma cannot escape. to destroy roaches, flies and ants. take cents worth of powdered borax and a small bottle of persian insect powder, and mix thoroughly together. in order to use successfully, take a feather from the wing of a turkey or goose, by the quill, and dipping the feather end in the powder, spring the feather as a bow; in this way you can thoroughly rid the room of flies. before using on roaches, set the doors wide open, as they will start for the open air; generally, however, dying on the way. to rid cupboards or closets of ants, sprinkle wherever these minute pests "most do congregate." an easy and cheap remedy to rid pantries of cock-roaches is said to be fresh cucumber parings laid in their haunts. we have never tested this remedy, but can vouch for the efficacy of the above mentioned compound. to clean tin-ware. the best thing for cleaning tin-ware is common soda; dampen a cloth, dip it in the soda, rub the ware briskly, after which wipe dry. iron rust. iron rust may be removed by a little salt mixed with lemon-juice; put in the sun, and if necessary use two applications. mildew. an old time and effectual remedy for mildew is to dip the stained cloth in butter-milk and lay in the sun. oysters roasted on chafing-dish. take largest oysters, and put in a chafing-dish in their own liquor. season with red or black pepper, adding plenty of good butter, with a little worcestershire sauce or walnut catsup. after roasting--taking care not to roast too much--serve on buttered toast. codfish, family style. after the fish has been soaked twelve hours, boil slowly for twenty-five or thirty minutes, or until it will break up nicely. then pick all the bones out, but do not pick the fish too fine. have ready three hard-boiled eggs; rub the yolks in plenty of good butter; put into the kettle enough milk to heat the fish; when hot stir in the butter, with the fish. at the same time have potatoes peeled and boiled. cut, not too small, with the whites of the eggs cut small; season with pepper. serve hot with buttered toast at the bottom of the dish. codfish in philadelphia style. after soaking and boiling the fish, break up small, and picking out all the bones, have ready potatoes, peeled and boiled, equal to the amount of fish. put them in a wooden bowl or tray. pound or mash well with a potato masher. work to soft dough, with butter and well-beaten eggs, and milk or cream. season with pepper and salt, if salt is required. put it in a dish suitable to set on the table, and bake a few minutes, or until light brown. the parting hour. there's something in the parting hour will chill the warmest heart, yet kindred, comrades, lovers, friends, are fated all to part. but, this i've seen, and many a pang has pressed it on my mind, the one who goes is happier than those he leaves behind. no matter what the journey be, adventurous, dangerous, far; to the wild bleak or deep frontier, to solitude or war; still fortune cheers the heart that dares, in all of human kind, and those who go are happier than those they leave behind. the bride goes to the bridegroom's home with doubtings and with tears, but, does not hope her rainbow spread across her cloudy fears? alas! the mother who remains, what comfort can she find, but this: the one that's gone is happier than the one she leaves behind. have you a friend, a comrade dear, an old and valued friend? be sure your term of sweet concourse at length must have an end; and when you part, as part you will, oh! take it not unkind, if he, who goes, is happier than you he leaves behind. god wills it so! and so it is; the pilgrims on their way, though weak and worn, more cheerful are than all the rest who stay. and when at last, poor man, subdued, lies down to death resigned, may he not still be happier far than those he leaves behind? in school days. still sits the school-house by the road, a ragged beggar sunning; around it still the sumachs grow, and blackberry vines are running. within the master's desk is seen, deep scarred by raps official; the warping floor, the battered seats, the jack-knife's carved initial. long years ago, one winter's sun shone over it at setting; lit up the western window pane, and low eaves icy fretting. it shone upon the tangled curls, and brown eyes full of grieving, of one who still her steps delayed, while all the school were leaving. for near her stood the little boy her childish favor singled; his cap was pulled low on his brow, where pride and shame were mingled. with restless foot he pushed the snow to right and left; he lingered; as restlessly her tiny hands the blue checked apron fingered. he saw her lift her eyes, he felt the soft hand's light caressing, he heard the trembling of her voice, as if a fault confessing. "i'm sorry that i spelt the word, i hate to go above you," "because"--the brown eyes lower fell-- "because, you see, i love you." still, memory to a gray-haired man, that sweet child face is showing; dear girl, the grasses o'er her grave have forty years been growing; he lives to learn in life's hard school how few who pass above him, lament their triumph and his loss, like her, because she loves him. let fate do her worst! there are relics of joy, bright dreams of a past, which she cannot destroy; which came in the night-time of sorrow and care, and bring back the features that joy used to wear. long be my heart with such memories filled, like the vase in which roses have once been distilled; you may break, you may shatter that vase, if you will, but the scent of the roses will hang round it still! thomas moore. jersey farm dairy, san bruno, cal. city depot, howard street. _the milk from this dairy is delivered to consumers =absolutely pure and free from any adulteration whatever=, and has been for over eight years. the cows are largely jersey blood, and the milk will run on an average per cent. in cream, and is becoming richer every year, by the increase of the jersey blood. about five hundred cows are milked daily, which ranks this dairy the =largest in the world.=_ _the demand for this milk is larger than the supply, and has been for two years past._ r. g. sneath, _proprietor._ royal baking powder. absolutely pure. this powder never varies. a marvel of purity, strength and wholesomeness. more economical than the ordinary kinds, and cannot be sold in competition with the multitude of low test, short weight, alum or phosphate powders. sold only in cans. royal baking powder co., wall st., new york. wm. t. coleman & co., agents, san francisco. _quade & straut_, successors to peterson & palmer, wholesale and retail dealers in choice family groceries _ market street_, opposite third. san francisco. _j. h. mcmenomy_, stalls & california market. san francisco beef, mutton, veal, _lamb and corned beef_. nothing but the best. arpad haraszthy. henry epstein. arpad haraszthy & co. successors to i. landsberger & co. established . producers of champagnes by the natural process, and general dealers in california wines and brandies fine old table wines a specialty. claret, zinfandel, sherry, hock, gutedel, port, riesling, burgundy, angelica. ----proprietors of---- dr. henley's celebrated i x l bitters. wine vaults, to montgomery st. office, washington st. =san francisco.= p. o. box . julius finck. sim blum. will & finck, importing & manufacturing cutlers, locksmiths & bell hangers, market street. san francisco. _wholesale and retail dealers in_ carving sets, table cutlery, plated ware, knives of every description, scissors, button-hole cutters, kitchen saws, kitchen cleavers, corkscrews, champagne faucets, champagne stands, champagne cutters, lime squeezers, dog collars, carpet stretchers, dumb bells, upholsterers' hammers, money belts, roller skates, door plates, door numbers. cutlery in all its branches. grinding, repairing and job work done at short notice. john wilton p. l. cortelyou. wilton & cortelyou, wholesale and retail dealers in all kinds of dairy produce, butter, eggs, cheese, lard, ham, etc. stalls & california market, san francisco. agents for the [illustration: b] celebrated bihler's butter. every lady of delicate taste that cannot be suited elsewhere is invited to give the bihler butter a trial. john bayle, wholesale and retail dealer in tripe, calves' heads, feet tongues, ox tails, sweet bread, brains, etc. stall no. california market san francisco. palace hotel _this hotel, occupying an entire block in the centre of san francisco, is the_ model hotel of the world. it has double the accommodation _of any other house in the city; is thoroughly_ fire and earthquake proof, _and has five broad, easy stair-cases and five elevators. every room is extra large, light and airy. the system of ventilation is perfect. a bath and closet adjoin every room._ guests entertained on either the american or european plan. _a restaurant is connected with the hotel and is the finest in the city. people from the interior of the state visiting san francisco, for business or pleasure, will find the palace centrally located, as it is the pleasantest and most economical hotel in the city._ _john sedgwick_, manager. deming bros. successors to deming, palmer & co. millers and grain dealers, proprietors of capitol mills, & davis street, san francisco. e. r. durkee & co's standard aids to good cooking. _=spices and mustard, flavoring extracts, baking powder, salad dressing, celery salt, challenge table sauce, curry powder, farina tapioca, glutena, etc.=_ these articles are guaranteed to be absolutely pure; prepared from the very best materials procurable; and in all cases to be of strictly full measure and weight. do not be satisfied until you have given some one of them a fair trial. if your regular grocer does not keep them in stock, he can always get them for you, either at the address below, or from any wholesale grocer. thomas cotrel, jr. front street, san francisco. general wholesale agent for the pacific coast. eagle coffee and spice steam mills, bertin & lepori, manufacturers and dealers in all kinds of coffee, tea and spices, sole manufacturers of premium extract of coffee, eagle baking powder, soda, saleratus, sugar of lemon, etc. we recommend to the public our celebrated _java coffee_. commercial st., bet. sansome and montgomery, san francisco, cal b. m. atchinson & co. dealers in butter, cheese, eggs, lard, hams, bacon, pickles, honey and cranberries. nos. , , & centre market, bet. kearny and dupont, sutter and post, san francisco. fresh dairy butter and eggs received daily. orders called for and delivered every day free. _country orders and orders by telephone promptly attended to._ _pioneer wine house established in . vineyards in sonoma and los angeles cos. kohler & frohling, growers of and dealers in california wines and brandies, montgomery st. san francisco._ richards & harrison, _cor. sansome and sacramento sts., s. f._ agents for english groceries. crosse & blackwell's assorted and oriental pickles, fine lucca salad oil, spanish queen olives, assorted english sauces, mushroom and walnut catsups, malt and crystal vinegars, assorted jams and jellies, orange and lemon marmalades, citron, orange and lemon peel, potted meats and fish, curry powders and chutnies, cayenne and black peppers, table salt, in bags and glass, dried herrings and bloaters, metz crystalized fruits, arrowroot, groats and barley, christmas plum puddings, stilton and gloucester cheese. j. & j. colman's double superfine mustard. j. s. fry & son's prize medal chocolate, homoepathic and caracas cocoas. also liebig co's extract of beef, epps' homoepathic cocoa, dr. wilson's solidified cacao, van houten's soluble cocoa, day & martin's japan blacking, phillipp's dandelion coffee, cox & nelson's gelatines, indian chutnies and delicies, fine lucca oil in tins. cup and saucer japanese uncolored tea. neither colored, loaded, scented or doctored. each pound paper containing a handsome hand-made and painted cup and saucer. robert f. bunker, curer and dealer in california sugar-cured hams, bacon, pork, lard, smoked tongues, beef, sausages, etc. club sausages a specialty. agent for h. m. dupee & co's chicago hams and bacon. & california market, san francisco. packing house, brannan street, bet fifth and sixth. edouart's art gallery, no. turk street, junction of mason and market, san francisco. enlargements from old pictures, whether daguerreotype or card, worked up in crayon, india ink or colors, at greatly reduced rates. perfect satisfaction warranted in all cases. take the elevator.--elevator runs on sundays from to . e. r. perrin's quaker dairy. first-class restaurant for ladies and gentlemen. the oldest established and best quaker dairy on the pacific coast. sutter street, bet. kearny and montgomery, san francisco. e. r. perrin, proprietor. arabian coffee mills, hills bros. jobbers in coffee, teas and spices, office and mills, fourth street, san francisco. emil a. engelberg, german bakery & confectionery _no. kearny street_, _bet. california & pine sts._ san francisco. _a. w. fink_, dealer in butter, cheese, eggs, pacific honey depot, nos. and washington market, san francisco. wild game and poultry _sold on commission._ _sole agent for_ _l. k. baldwin's dairy butter._ j. gundlach. c. bundschu. j. gundlach & co. general dealers in california wines and brandies cor. market and second sts. san francisco. _vine growers & distillers_ of gundlach's cognac brandy. _gutedel, riesling, traminer, hock, zinfandel, malvoisier, burgundy, tokay, angelica, muscat, madeira, etc., etc._ lebenbaum, goldberg & bowen, successors to bowen bros. importers, wholesale and retail grocers, and wine merchants, nos. and pine street, san francisco. women's co-operative printing office. _mrs. l. s. richmonds & son_ proprietors. , & montgomery st., (upper floor,) (elevator entrance, .) _san francisco, cal._ commercial printing, book binding, paper ruling and society work _of all descriptions done at the above address._ please give us a call if you are in need of good work and fair dealing is an object to you. w. w. montague & co. french ranges, all sizes for hotels, boarding houses, restaurants and families. chief emporium on the pacific coast for granite and agate iron-ware and polished iron-ware. manufacturers of _plain, japanned and stamped_ _tinware._ everything required to fit up a kitchen complete. nos. to market street, san francisco, cal. mark sheldon, wholesale dealer in sewing machines and supplies, general agent for the "new davis," } "new howe," } family "household," } sewing "queen," and } machines. "june singer," } howe "a," "b," "c," and "d" and davis manufacturing machines, national needle company, excelsior needle company, "excelsior" sewing machine oil, "magic" plaiting boards, "acme" oil-can holders, etc. attachments and parts for all machines. nos. , and first street, san francisco, cal. [transcriber's notes: italics are noted by surrounding the italic section with _underscores_ bold is noted by surrounding the bold section with +plusses+ underlines are noted by surrounding the underlined section with =equals= small caps are not noted] scanned images of public domain material from the google print archive. better meals for less money by mary green [illustration] new york henry holt and company copyright, , by henry holt and company preface with the steadily increasing cost of all staple foods the need of intelligent buying, cooking, and serving is greater than ever before: more money must be spent for food, or more consideration must be given to selecting and using it. for those who would continue to serve their households well, and whose allowance for food has not kept pace with prices, there is only one alternative, and that is, to use more of the cheaper foods, and to prepare and combine them so skilfully that economy shall not be a hardship. good meals depend not so much upon expensive material as upon care and good judgment in the use of ordinary material. the time-worn boarding-house jokes about prunes and hash mean simply that these foods, in themselves excellent, are poorly prepared and too frequently served. it is the plan of this book to include a variety of ( ) recipes which require only a small amount of meat; ( ) recipes for vegetable dishes which can take the place of meat; ( ) recipes for the economical use of cereals, dairy products, and other common inexpensive foods; ( ) recipes for breads, cakes, and desserts requiring only a small amount of butter and eggs; and ( ) recipes for a few relishes, condiments, and other accessories which lend variety and interest. the general suggestions for economy (chapter i) are not all new, but are liable, through disuse, to be forgotten by the present generation. spasmodic economy counts for little in the long run; only systematic and continued watchfulness is really worth while. economy, however, ought not to necessitate the total elimination of one's favorite cuts of steak, nor all of the little luxuries, because by the skilful planning of the majority of the meals the occasional use of these luxuries can be made possible. this book is not intended as a complete guide to cookery; it presupposes an elementary knowledge of the care and preparation of food. the study of tables d and e in the appendix is especially recommended as an aid to the better understanding of food values. m. g. contents chapter page i. general suggestions for economy ii. common ways of cooking food iii. appetizers and relishes iv. beverages v. soups without meat vi. soups and stews with meat or fish vii. chowders viii. fish ix. meats x. sauces and stuffings for fish and meats xi. eggs xii. cheese and nuts xiii. vegetables xiv. cereals, macaroni, and rice xv. croquettes and fritters xvi. salads and salad dressings xvii. yeast breads, muffins, and rolls xviii. baking powder breads, muffins, and biscuit xix. shortcakes and roulettes xx. sandwiches and toasts xxi. griddle cakes, waffles, and sirups xxii. cakes and cookies xxiii. icings and fillings xxiv. hot desserts xxv. cold desserts xxvi. frozen desserts xxvii. sauces for desserts xxviii. pastries xxix. fruits, cooked and uncooked xxx. candies appendix a. table of weights and measures b. time table for cooking c. temperature table d. table of caloric values of average portions of food e. table of caloric values of raw food materials f. table of normal weights for men and women g. list of government publications on foods and cooking index before using recipes see _special notice_ on page . chapter i general suggestions for economy planning meals in order to buy, prepare, and serve food to the best possible advantage, an elementary knowledge of the composition and nutritive value of foods, and the necessary food requirement of the family, is essential. many books are published on these subjects, but from the government publications alone (see page ) an excellent working knowledge may be obtained. only the merest outline can be given here, and this should be supplemented by further reading. briefly stated, food is divided into three chief classes:[ ] ( ) _protein_, which builds and repairs the tissues.[ ] it is furnished chiefly by meats, fish, cheese, milk, eggs, cereals, and legumes. ( ) _fats_, which furnish heat and energy, but are chiefly valuable for storing a reserve supply of fat in the body. they are furnished largely by butter, cream, olive and similar vegetable oils, bacon and other fat meats. ( ) _carbohydrates_, which furnish heat and energy. they are supplied chiefly by potatoes and other vegetables, cereals, fruits, and sugars. people who are eating the proper amount and kind of food should approximate the normal weight[ ] for their sex, age, and height. for the proper maintenance of the body, a man of average height and weight, of sedentary life,[ ] requires daily food which will yield about , calories;[ ] a woman of average height and weight, about , calories (more or less according to activity). children between two and five years require from , to , calories; between five and ten years, from , to , calories; and from ten to fourteen years, from , to , calories. girls between fourteen and seventeen years require from , to , calories; and boys between fourteen and seventeen years, from , to , calories. of the total number of calories furnished ten per cent. should be protein, approximately per cent. fat, and per cent. carbohydrates. before planning meals the consideration of these caloric requirements and the study of the "caloric value of average portions of food" (table d, page ) and of the "fuel value of raw materials" (table e, page ) will help in the selection of foods to yield approximately the desired amount of nutrition. it is not necessary or desirable that the exact amount of each class of foods should be reckoned daily; but by the general study of foods and their nutritive value, and the food requirements of the body, which vary with age, sex, and conditions, the housekeeper may serve her family with the kinds and amount of food best suited to their needs. she should plan to use in a week as large a variety of food as possible, and to avoid an excess of any one class. with a definite idea of the needs of the family, she should take account of the stock in the ice-box and pantry, and see that every bit of food is utilized to advantage. meals should be planned in detail at least one day in advance, and, if possible, outlined for several days ahead; though these plans must, of course, be varied slightly, at times, according to the amount of left-over material and the exigencies of supply and demand. each day's programme should be plainly written; any special recipes to be used noted; and a list made of supplies to be ordered. to have the meals planned well in advance and the order list ready saves a deal of nervous energy, time, and money. marketing if possible, attend personally to your marketing and consider carefully the quality, quantity, and cost of your purchases in relation to the needs of your purse and your household. ask for what you want, and try hard to get it; but in trying to buy supplies at lowest prices be sure that the time and nervous energy spent are not out of proportion to the amount of money saved. meat in considering the price of meat, the amount of bone, fat, gristle, and so forth should be taken into account. many of the coarser and cheaper parts contain as much nutriment as the more expensive cuts, and can, by proper cooking, be made fully as palatable. see that every bit of left-over meat is used to advantage and in a variety of ways; the rinds of bacon and salt pork when cooked with spinach or other greens, or in soups of peas or beans, add both flavor and richness. the stock pot all trimmings and bones, both cooked and uncooked, and any left-over bits of meat or gravy that are not needed for other dishes, should be put into the stock pot, covered with cold water, and _simmered_ (_not boiled_) with soup vegetables and savory herbs for three or four hours. almost any left-over vegetable can be added, including macaroni, rice, and the scrapings of the cereal cooker. if the family is small, the cereal cooker itself makes an excellent stock pot: to the remnants of breakfast cereal, add any soup material at hand; cover with cold water; cook slowly; strain; and, if necessary, add one or two bouillon cubes, and a few drops of kitchen bouquet. when soup stock is lacking in richness a small amount of gelatine improves the quality. the water in which vegetables, macaroni, rice, or any meats, either fresh or salt, are cooked contains valuable mineral matter as well as flavor, and should be added wholly or in part to the stock pot. order corned meats lightly salted so that all of the stock may be used. be sure that all fat is removed from soup stock before using. do not serve greasy soups. when stock must be used before the fat has had time to harden, skim off as much as possible, and remove what remains with clean blotting paper, or a lump of ice wrapped in cheesecloth. fish fresh fish is offered in variety at all seasons of the year, and is a valuable and comparatively inexpensive food; salted and smoked fish contain much protein in a concentrated form; the canned varieties are important, too, especially for the emergency shelf, as they furnish a substantial, inexpensive food which can be served in many ways at short notice. groceries groceries in sealed packages are, as a rule, slightly more expensive than those sold in bulk; but they are cleaner, often fresher, and more convenient to store and use. butter and other shortening to the taste of the average person, there is no real equivalent for the flavor of fine creamery butter, but, for cooking, excellent results may be obtained by the use of cheaper shortening, beginning with the common household fats which are so often discarded. all drippings from the roasts and fat from boiled meats should be carefully strained and saved; beef and chicken fat may be used in many recipes, including those for cookies, cakes, meat sauces, soups, and made dishes; bacon fat is excellent for corn cake, meat sauces, and soups of peas, beans, or lentils; sausage fat may be used for gingerbread, cookies, poultry stuffing, and also for frying potatoes and other vegetables, for in these the spicy flavoring is not objectionable. both bacon and sausage fat and that from soup stock are useful for basting lean roasts, fish, or meat loaf. any surplus fat, including that of lamb and mutton, should be clarified and added to that in the frying kettle. fat which cannot be utilized for cooking should be made into kitchen soap. cooking fats--oils there are many excellent brands of wholesome cooking fats and oils on the market, including peanut, corn, and cottonseed oil, and compound vegetable fats. almost any of these costs less than butter. oleomargarine the best oleomargarine is wholesome and economical, and much to be preferred to inferior grades of butter. milk milk, even at present prices, gives good return in food value. unsweetened evaporated milk, which is absolutely sterile and clean, costs no more, and in some places costs less, than fresh milk, and can be used to advantage to supplement the supply. because of its consistency it is an excellent substitute for cream in frozen desserts. cream when eggs are relatively cheaper than cream, the stiffly beaten white of an egg may be used to advantage to mix with beaten cream. thin cream whipped with a whip churn is lighter and less expensive than heavy cream beaten. eggs unless the winter's supply of eggs has been preserved in water glass, guaranteed cold storage eggs will be found satisfactory, and much cheaper than hennery eggs. only enough for a few days should be bought at a time, however, and they should be kept in a cold place until used. wash eggs before breaking, and save the shells for clearing boiled coffee, soup, and aspic. for coating croquettes, dilute each beaten egg with one-fourth cup of water or one-third cup of milk; cover unused yolks with water to prevent drying, and pour off water before using. have both yolk and white of egg cold, so that they may be beaten more quickly; add a pinch of salt to whites of eggs which are to be beaten stiff, and beat in a current of air. soft-boiled or dropped eggs not used at table should be put back in boiling water, cooked hard, and used for garnishing, egg sauce, etc. cheese cheese is nutritious and, even at present prices, economical, as it contains a large proportion of protein in concentrated form. it can be successfully combined with many other foods, and every left-over bit should be so used; when partly dry it should be put through the food chopper, using a fine cutter; when very dry it should be grated and used in sauces, soufflés, soups, and many other dishes. cheese is more readily digested if a pinch of baking soda is cooked with it. to keep cheese moist and fresh, brush the cut surface with melted paraffin. save left-over welsh rarebit for sandwich filling. the shells of edam or pineapple cheeses should not be thrown away, but be filled with creamed macaroni, spaghetti, or rice, covered with crumbs, and baked in a hot oven. fresh vegetables a variety of vegetables should be served daily, and those which contain a large amount of protein, such as beans, lentils, and peas, should be used not only as an accompaniment to meat, but, in combination with other vegetables, sauces, bacon or other fats, as the substantial dish of the meal. dried vegetables dried vegetables should be soaked in cold water for twelve hours or longer, and then cooked slowly until tender; dried julienne should be soaked for twenty-four hours before cooking. macaroni, noodles, rice, cereals macaroni, noodles and similar pastas, rice, and the cereals furnish much nutriment at low cost; oatmeal and corn meal are among our cheapest foods. ready cooked cereals, though they are convenient and give variety to the diet, are more expensive than raw cereals well cooked; not only do they yield less food value, but, being dry, they require more cream or milk to make them palatable. left-over vegetables left-over vegetables and cereals, even in small quantities, should be saved for use in entrées, desserts, salads, sauces, and soups. celery tops should be saved for flavoring and garnishing, the root stalk chopped and added to the stock pot, and the outside stalks stewed, creamed, or used for cream soup. the outside leaves of lettuce should be shredded for salad, or, for any large quantity, cooked the same as spinach. canned vegetables the flavor of canned vegetables is improved if, before being cooked, they are rinsed with cold water and exposed to the air. parsley and chives may be kept growing in pots in the kitchen window to be used as needed. salads salads should be freely used at all seasons, and be made light or nourishing according to the foods served with them. they offer an opportunity to the housekeeper to exercise her ingenuity in combining various vegetables, meats, and fruits, especially left-over bits. crisp white cabbage, shredded, may be used in place of celery. salad dressings salad dressings need not necessarily be made of olive oil, for there are other good and less expensive vegetable oils well worth using, and many of the cooked salad dressings without oil are excellent. bread various kinds of bread should be freely used, especially whole wheat and other cereal breads, and those containing raisins, dates, and prunes. watch the bread-box, and see that every bit of bread is used in some way; the unused crusts should be dried, rolled, sifted, and kept in a covered jar for stuffing, crumbing croquettes, brown bread, puddings, or other dishes in which the color is not objectionable; cold toast or cut slices should be made into croutons, or used for canapés or french toast; other pieces should be used for croustades, or made into crumbs, both coarse and fine, for use in fondues, griddle cakes, omelets, sauces, and soups. bits of crackers should be dried, rolled, and used the same as bread crumbs. none of the recipes for cake require more than two eggs; many, only one; and some, none at all. water may always be used in place of milk, and any clean, fresh shortening may be substituted for butter, especially in the recipes which include molasses and spices. these cakes will not keep moist like richer cakes, however, and should be used soon after making. slices of stale cake and crumbs should be utilized in making other desserts in combination with custards, ices, preserves, etc. baking powder do not use more baking powder than is necessary for good results; two _level_ teaspoons to each cup of flour is the usual allowance, but one and one-half teaspoons each to each cup will be sufficient if the muffins, biscuits, or cake are quickly and lightly handled and properly baked. flavoring extracts when volatile flavoring extracts are used in cake, much of their strength is wasted during baking; grated rind or spices could well be used in their place, or only the icing or filling flavored. all desserts, whenever practicable, should be flavored when cold. coloring the small package of red coloring which comes with gelatine is useful for coloring cakes, icings, and other desserts as well as jellies. fruits fruits, either fresh, dried, or preserved, should be served at least once a day; dried fruits, such as apricots, peaches, and prunes, should be soaked in cold water for twelve hours or longer and then cooked slowly until tender. raisins, dates, and figs yield a large food value at comparatively low cost. bananas, which contain more nutriment than most fresh fruits, should be used for salads or desserts when the other courses are light. in cooking acid fruits, such as cranberries, plums, and cherries, less sugar is required if added after cooking. parings and cores from quinces and apples can be made into excellent jelly; the rinds of watermelons are the foundation of a delicious sweet pickle; orange and grape fruit peel, when candied, are well worth the trouble of making. surplus orange, lemon, and grape fruit peels, when dried, are not only useful for flavoring, but make an interesting and aromatic fuel for the fire-place; the nut meat found in prune stones tastes much like that of bitter almonds and can be used in place of them. when making jelly remember that the pulp of the fruit after the juice has dripped from it may be made into excellent marmalade: cover with water, heat to boiling point, press through a sieve, add three-quarters of the amount of sugar, and cook until thick. candies in spite of its cost, candy is now classed by many with the necessities rather than with the luxuries. after a little practice even the most elaborate candies can be successfully made at home, and the difference between the cost of a pound of the best ready-made candy and the cost of the raw materials is astonishing. for those who can spare the time, candy-making will prove both fascinating and economical. recipes for a few after-dinner candies are given. condiments a small supply of condiments and relishes, including kitchen bouquet, ketchup, and sweet herbs, and one or two table sauces, should be kept in stock, as they make possible a greater variety of flavors. many home-made sauces and relishes can be easily and quickly prepared and are usually much cheaper than the ready-made varieties. candle stubs candle stubs should be melted, strained through cheesecloth, and used for sealing ketchup, jellies, and preserves. garnishings any dish, attractively garnished and served, pleases the eye, stimulates the appetite, and often lifts a simple meal out of the commonplace. parsley, mint, celery tops, red and green peppers, olives, pickles, capers, cooked beets and carrots, hard-cooked egg, lemon cut in various shapes, nuts, cherries, and other small fruits are all effective if not too lavishly used. utensils a reasonable equipment of kitchen utensils and a convenient, systematic arrangement of them will save time and strength. kitchen scales are almost indispensable, and a cooking thermometer eliminates guesswork, especially in boiling sugar and heating fat for frying. pans, molds, and cutters of various shapes prevent monotony; suitable baking dishes and covered casserole dishes simplify both cooking and serving; and food cooked or served in individual dishes is often more attractive. when the cogs of the egg beater slip, do not discard it, but tighten the rivet; keep knives well sharpened. cream jars, jugs, bottles, or any other containers for which a charge is made, should be promptly returned to be credited. fuel do not waste fuel; concentrate your cooking; when a hot oven is needed for roasting meat or baking bread, plan to cook at the same time other things which require a high temperature; potatoes can be cooked in the pan with the meat; other vegetables and fruits can be cooked in the oven; and if a coal fire is used, a variety of food can be cooked in a steamer on top of the range without extra fuel. have the ashes sifted and save the _cinders_, which yield a quick top heat. economize _gas_ by using the minimum amount necessary to keep food cooking at the desired temperature. when the boiling point is reached a small supply of gas will maintain the temperature. _fireless cookers_ save much fuel and unnecessary heat, and are especially useful for any food which requires long, slow cooking, or for those foods of strong odor which so often scent up the whole house. footnotes: [ ] water and mineral salts are also necessary for the proper maintenance of the body, but these are yielded chiefly in combination with the other foods. [ ] protein can also furnish energy, but this is more easily and cheaply supplied by the fats and carbohydrates. [ ] see table f, page . [ ] people of sedentary life require daily approximately sixteen calories for each pound of their weight. so if the normal weight of such persons is multiplied by sixteen, the result will be the approximate number of calories needed. [ ] a calorie is the amount of heat required to raise one kilogram of water ° centigrade or one pound of water ° fahrenheit. special notice all ingredients in these recipes should be measured level, and the standard teaspoon, tablespoon, and half-pint measuring cup should be used. unless otherwise stated, one apple, onion, orange, etc., means one of medium size. sift flour before measuring, and fill cup lightly. use pastry flour, unless otherwise directed, for thickening soups and sauces, and in all recipes where baking powder is used; use bread flour in all recipes where yeast is used. the majority of these recipes are planned to serve four persons; those for chowders and other dishes which form the substantial part of the meal are sufficient for second helpings; those for cakes, muffins, and other breads are large enough to be served more than once. chapter ii common ways of cooking food _baking_ is cooking in confined heat in the oven. examples: bread, cake, meat. this method when applied to meat is commonly called roasting. before baking, see that the oven is clean and heated to the desired temperature. _boiling_ is cooking by immersion in water at ° f. examples: potatoes, cabbage, macaroni. _braising_ is a combination of stewing on the top of the range, and baking in the oven, with or without vegetables. examples: tough meats, fowl, whole liver. _broiling or grilling_ is cooking over or under direct heat, as over glowing coals or under a gas flame. examples: steak, chops. _fricasseeing_ is commonly a combination of stewing and sautéing. examples: fowl, forequarter of lamb or veal. _frying_ is cooking by immersion in hot deep fat. examples: doughnuts, croquettes. _pan-baking or pan-broiling_ is cooking in a lightly greased or ungreased hot frying pan or griddle. examples: steak, english muffins, griddle cakes. _pot roasting_ is cooking in an iron kettle or earthen pot in a small amount of water, after meat has been quickly browned in a small amount of fat in the frying pan or kettle. cook slowly until very tender, with or without vegetables. _roasting_ is cooking before an open fire. this method is seldom used in small households, although the baking of meats is commonly called roasting. _sautéing_ is cooking in a small amount of fat in a shallow pan on top of range. examples: sliced fish, meat, potatoes, eggs. _simmering_ is cooking in liquid at ° f. the bubbles should always be below the surface. examples: ham, corned beef, soups. _steaming._ _dry steaming_ is cooking by heat of steam, as in double boiler or tin, over or surrounded by boiling water. examples: rice, brown bread. _moist steaming_ is cooking by direct contact with steam as in a steamer or colander, over boiling water, closely covered. examples: fowl, puddings, dumplings. _stewing_ is cooking slowly in a small amount of water (about ° f.) until food is very tender. examples: beef, lamb, vegetables. chapter iii appetizers and relishes .--cocktail sauce / cup tomato ketchup / teaspoon salt tablespoon bottled horseradish teaspoon worcestershire sauce tablespoons vinegar dash of cayenne mix, and serve in four small glasses or lemon shells, with six small clams or oysters in each. shrimps, prawns, or lobster may be used instead of clams or oysters. .--asheville canapÉs peel and cut small tomatoes in quarter-inch slices; cut thin rounds of bread the same size as tomatoes; toast bread, spread with mustard butter (see no. ), or salad dressing, and cover with a slice of tomato; season lightly with salt and pepper, and cover with thin slices of cooked chicken livers. garnish with parsley. .--club canapÉs mix devilled ham with a little grated cheese; spread on thin rounds of brown bread, and mark into quarters with finely chopped pickle. chop fine the white of a hard-cooked egg, and cover two opposite quarters; press the yolk through a sieve, and cover the remaining quarters. .--crab meat canapÉs cup crab meat teaspoon worcestershire sauce / teaspoon paprika tablespoon lemon juice / teaspoon salt / teaspoon horseradish / teaspoon mustard chop crab meat, mix well with seasonings, and spread on thin rounds of untoasted brown bread. garnish with small cube of lemon. .--mock crab canapÉs cup canned corn teaspoon anchovy paste / teaspoon salt tablespoons grated cheese / teaspoon paprika use one cup of corn which has been drained from its juice; put through food chopper, using the finest cutter; add seasonings and cheese, and spread on small rounds of toast. garnish with small pickles sliced lengthwise. .--gloucester canapÉs cook a small haddock roe in boiling salted water for fifteen minutes, remove skin, mash, add a tablespoon of butter, half a teaspoon of anchovy paste, one-fourth teaspoon of paprika, and enough cream to moisten; add salt if necessary. mound on small rounds of toast, and garnish with sliced pickles and parsley. .--tuna canapÉs cup tuna fish / tablespoon olive oil tablespoon tomato ketchup / teaspoon salt tablespoon lemon juice / teaspoon paprika chop fish, add seasonings, and spread on small rounds of lightly toasted bread. garnish with sliced pimolas. .--celery relish cut large white stalks of celery in two-inch lengths, fill with cream cheese which has been seasoned with salt, pepper, and worcestershire sauce. garnish with a small piece of celery top. .--cheese and apple rings large tart apple teaspoon worcestershire sauce / cup soft cheese cut fine dash of cayenne / teaspoon salt tablespoons cream pare and core apples, and cut in one-third-inch slices; mix cheese with seasonings and cream, beat to a paste, and spread or force through a rose tube on apple rings. dust with paprika. .--spanish cheese cook together one and a half cups of soft or grated cheese with one-fourth cup of chili sauce until the cheese is melted. serve immediately on toasted crackers or rounds of toast, as an appetizer or savory. .--cantaloupe cocktail cups cantaloupe juice of / lemon / cup preserved ginger tablespoons powdered sugar cut melon in small cubes, or in balls (using a potato cutter). add chopped ginger, lemon juice, and sugar, and serve very cold. .--fruit cocktail tart apples teaspoon lemon juice large banana tablespoons powdered sugar oranges cut apples and bananas in small cubes; remove pith and seeds from oranges, cut pulp in small pieces, and add with juice to apples and bananas; add lemon juice and sugar, place in a shallow dish, and put directly on ice for ten minutes to chill; serve in glasses, and garnish with a preserved cranberry (see no. ), or a spoonful of mock bar-le-duc (see no. ). peeled tokay or malaga grapes and a little grated pineapple may be added to advantage. .--winter chili sauce can tomatoes / teaspoon cayenne onions finely chopped / teaspoon cinnamon / cup brown sugar / teaspoon clove - / teaspoons salt / cup vinegar teaspoon paprika mix, and simmer about half an hour or until thick. .--piccalilli quarts green tomatoes quarts vinegar quarts ripe tomatoes quart sugar red peppers teaspoon cinnamon onions / teaspoon clove / cup salt tablespoons white mustard seed put vegetables through the food chopper, using coarse cutter; sprinkle with salt, let stand over night, and drain; add other ingredients, and cook about forty-five minutes. .--table sauce ripe tomatoes / teaspoon pepper onion cup vinegar green peppers teaspoon ground clove tablespoons sugar teaspoon ground cinnamon - / tablespoons salt teaspoons mustard teaspoon paprika wipe tomatoes, cut in halves, and put in a clean, smooth preserving kettle; add onion and peppers sliced, and seasonings; simmer two hours, and press through a sieve; return to kettle, simmer one hour, and seal in jars or bottles; when cool, dip tops in paraffin. this may be used in place of ready-made sauce. .--tomato ketchup peck ripe tomatoes / cup whole mixed spices onions clove of garlic / cup salt / cup dry mustard teaspoons cayenne quart vinegar tablespoons paprika cup brown sugar wipe tomatoes, cut in halves, and put in a smooth, clean preserving kettle; add onions sliced, cook slowly for one hour, and press through a sieve; add salt, cayenne, and paprika; tie mixed spices, garlic, and mustard in double cheesecloth, add to tomatoes, and cook rapidly until mixture begins to thicken; boil vinegar and sugar together while tomatoes are cooking; add them to strained tomato; cook until ketchup is thick, or until water will not separate from it when tried on a plate. remove spice bag, seal in sterilized jars or bottles, and when cool dip tops in melted paraffin. .--small cucumber pickles (gherkins) wash thoroughly, count, and for every hundred cucumbers allow one cup of salt. cover with boiling water. let stand twenty-four hours; then drain. fill quart preserve jars with cucumbers, then add two tablespoons of mixed whole spices, a piece of alum the size of a pea, and boiling vinegar to fill the jar. seal, and let stand a week before using. the boiling water should be measured, as an equal amount of vinegar will be needed. .--pepper hash green peppers quart vinegar red peppers cup brown sugar onions tablespoons salt small white cabbage tablespoons mustard seed remove seeds from peppers and chop fine with the onion and cabbage. put in cheesecloth, scald with boiling water, and squeeze dry; heat vinegar, sugar, salt, and mustard seed, add vegetables, and bring to the boiling point. when cool, put in a stone crock or small jars. .--pickled nasturtium seeds into one quart of cider vinegar put three tablespoons salt and five or six slices of horseradish root. pour into a jar and cover closely. add the seeds as they ripen. use in salads, sauces, or for garnishing as a substitute for capers. chapter iv beverages .--coffee, egg, and milk eggs - / teaspoons instantaneous coffee - / tablespoons sugar cups milk few grains salt beat the eggs until light; add the other ingredients, and strain into glasses. serve very cold. (this recipe fills four tumblers.) .--grape juice (unfermented) pick over and wash grapes, barely cover with water, and cook until soft and white; drain through cheesecloth, and to each quart of juice add one cup each of water and sugar; bring to boiling point, skim, bottle, and cork tightly. when cold, dip corks into melted paraffin. .--grape eggnog egg / cup milk / cup grape juice nutmeg teaspoon powdered sugar beat egg until very light, add grape juice and sugar, and beat again, add milk, beat well, pour into a glass, and dust with nutmeg. .--ginger punch - / cups sugar teaspoons jamaica ginger quart boiling water / cup orange juice grated rind lemon / cup lemon juice boil sugar and water with the lemon rind for ten minutes; when cool, add ginger and fruit juice, and strain over cracked ice. .--ginger ale punch / cup mint leaves cup boiling water - / cups sugar pints ginger ale juice of lemons pint grape juice pour boiling water over mint leaves, sugar, and grated rind of one lemon, and let stand until cool; strain into a punch bowl containing ice, add ginger ale, grape juice, and strained lemon juice; garnish with sprigs of mint. .--mint julep (ginger ale) / cup sugar sprigs mint cup water pint ginger ale juice of lemons boil sugar and water ten minutes, and cool; add strained lemon juice, mint leaves bruised, and ginger ale; half fill glasses with crushed ice, add julep, and garnish with a sprig of mint. .--mint lemonade cup sugar cup mint leaves cups water juice of lemons boil sugar and water twenty minutes; add mint, and let stand until cold; add lemon juice, and strain into glasses half filled with cracked ice. garnish with sprigs of mint. .--tea tea should be made from freshly drawn, freshly boiled water, poured over the dry tea, which has been put into a clean, scalded teapot. cover with a cozy or stand on back of range for three or four minutes. allow from a half to a full teaspoon of tea to each cup, according to the variety used. the finer varieties made from the first pickings require less than the coarser kinds. be sure that tea does not boil. serve with sugar, cream, lemon, cloves, mints, ginger, or bits of candied fruit. .--iced tea fill a large glass two-thirds full with cracked ice, add two thin slices of lemon with seeds removed, two teaspoons of powdered sugar, and fill with freshly made hot tea. one or two mint leaves may be added. .--filtered coffee / cup pulverized coffee cups boiling water put coffee into bag or filter, add boiling water gradually; pour through a second time, or even a third time if liked strong. do not boil. serve with hot milk and cream. wash coffee pot and bag thoroughly, and dry in the sun if possible; renew bag often. .--after-dinner coffee / cup pulverized coffee cups boiling water put coffee into a filter coffee pot, add boiling water, and filter three times. serve very hot. .--cafÉ au lait to recipe for after-dinner coffee (see no. ) add one and a half cups of hot milk. .--cocoa teaspoons cocoa cups boiling water tablespoons sugar cups hot milk / teaspoon salt mix cocoa, sugar, salt, and boiling water, and boil five minutes; add hot milk, and beat with egg beater until frothy. .--chocolate - / squares chocolate cups boiling water / cup sugar cups hot milk / teaspoon salt melt chocolate in a saucepan over hot water; add sugar, salt, and boiling water; stir well, and boil five minutes; add hot milk, and beat with egg beater until frothy. evaporated milk makes excellent chocolate or cocoa. for marshmallow chocolate put two marshmallows in each cup and pour hot chocolate over them. chapter v soups without meat .--asparagus soup when fresh asparagus is served as a vegetable, cook the tough ends in the same water, which should be lightly salted. press through a sieve, add the water, and for each three cups add one-half teaspoon of onion juice and one cup of hot milk. thicken with one tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of flour blended together. add pepper, and salt if necessary. .--purÉe of black beans cup black beans / teaspoon mustard quart cold water tablespoon bacon fat slice bacon tablespoon flour / onion hard-cooked egg teaspoon salt lemon slices / teaspoon paprika soak beans over night in cold water; drain; add one quart of water, bacon, and onion, and cook three hours or until beans are soft, replacing water which cooks away; press through a sieve; add seasonings, and thicken with bacon fat and flour blended together. serve with a thin slice of egg and lemon in each plate. corned beef stock is an excellent substitute for water, but if it is used salt should be omitted. .--baked bean soup cups cold baked beans tablespoons flour - / cups tomatoes / teaspoon salt slices onion / teaspoon pepper cups cold water tablespoon tomato ketchup tablespoon butter simmer beans, tomatoes, onion, and water for half an hour, and press through a sieve; thicken with butter and flour blended together; add seasonings, and serve with fried croutons. .--purÉe of red kidney beans follow recipe for purée of black beans (see no. ), using red kidney beans in place of black beans. .--dried lima bean soup cup lima beans cup milk cups cold water teaspoon salt / onion sliced teaspoon worcestershire sauce / carrot sliced tablespoon bacon fat / bay leaf tablespoons flour soak beans over night; drain; add cold water, onion, carrot, and bay leaf, and simmer an hour and a half or until beans are soft; press through a sieve, add milk and seasonings, and thicken with bacon fat and flour blended together. serve with croutons. .--cauliflower soup to three cups of the water in which cauliflower has been cooked add one-half teaspoon of onion juice and one cup of hot milk. thicken with one tablespoon of butter and two tablespoons of flour blended together. season with cayenne, and salt if necessary. add a few left-over bits of cauliflower, and serve with croutons or crisp crackers. .--cream of celery soup cup celery tops / teaspoon pepper / cup chopped celery - / cups boiling water slices onion - / cups hot milk / cup rice / tablespoon butter - / teaspoons salt cook celery, onion, rice, seasonings, and boiling water for half an hour; press through a sieve; add hot milk and butter, and serve with crisp crackers. .--cream of corn soup can corn teaspoon salt / onion / teaspoon paprika cups boiling water tablespoon butter cups hot milk tablespoons flour chop corn and onion, add water, and simmer twenty minutes; press through a sieve, forcing through all the corn possible; add milk and seasonings, and thicken with butter and flour blended together. .--cheese soup cups milk tablespoons flour cups boiling water / cup grated cheese onion sliced egg well beaten / bay leaf teaspoon salt tablespoon butter dash of cayenne scald milk, water, onion, and bay leaf twenty minutes; skim out onion and bay leaf, thicken milk with butter and flour cooked together; add cheese, egg, and seasonings, and stir until cheese melts. .--fruit soup pears juice of / lemon apples / teaspoon cinnamon cups boiling water tablespoons honey or sugar tablespoon granulated tapioca chop fruit, add water, cook until tender, and press through a sieve; add tapioca, and cook until clear; add lemon juice, cinnamon, and honey. serve hot or cold with toast sticks. .--oatmeal soup / cup cooked oatmeal cups hot milk / onion sliced teaspoon salt cloves / teaspoon celery salt / bay leaf / teaspoon pepper cups boiling water / tablespoon butter cook oatmeal, onion, cloves, and bay leaf in boiling water for twenty minutes, and press through a sieve; add milk, seasonings, and butter, and serve with croutons. .--potato soup potatoes sliced / teaspoon pepper / cup celery tops cups hot milk / onion tablespoon butter cups boiling water tablespoons flour - / teaspoons salt cook potatoes, celery, onion, and water twenty minutes; press through a sieve; add seasonings and hot milk, and thicken with butter and flour blended together. .--cream of pea soup can peas / teaspoon pepper slice onion cups boiling water bit of bay leaf cups hot milk sprig of parsley tablespoon butter teaspoon sugar tablespoons flour - / teaspoons salt rinse the peas with cold water, and reserve one-fourth cup; simmer the remainder with seasonings and hot water for twenty minutes, and press through a sieve; thicken the milk with butter and flour blended together, and add to peas. add the whole peas just before serving. .--purÉe of split peas / cup split peas / teaspoon pepper cups water or ham stock tablespoon bacon fat slices onion tablespoon flour cup hot milk soak peas over night in cold water, and drain; add water or stock, and onion, and simmer about three hours or until peas are soft; press through a sieve; add milk and pepper, and thicken with bacon fat and flour blended together. serve with croutons. if water is used in place of stock, add two slices of bacon and one and a quarter teaspoons of salt. .--rice and tomato soup can tomatoes tablespoon sugar / onion cups boiling water / bay leaf / teaspoon soda cloves tablespoons bacon fat teaspoon salt tablespoons flour / teaspoon paprika / cup cooked rice simmer tomatoes, seasonings, and water half an hour; press through a sieve, and add soda; melt bacon fat, and cook with flour until brown; add to soup, and stir until smooth; add rice, and serve. .--tomato bisque cups tomatoes teaspoon sugar slice onion - / teaspoons salt bit of bay leaf / teaspoon pepper cloves cups hot milk cup boiling water tablespoons butter / teaspoon soda tablespoons flour simmer tomatoes, onion, bay leaf, cloves, and water for twenty minutes, and press through a sieve; add soda, sugar, salt, and pepper; thicken milk with butter and flour blended together, and add to tomato just before serving. serve with croutons. .--tomato bouillon can tomatoes / bay leaf cups water - / teaspoons salt / cup onion dash of cayenne / cup carrot teaspoon sugar cup celery tops tablespoons tomato ketchup cloves simmer all ingredients except tomato ketchup for half an hour, strain through double cheesecloth, add ketchup, and serve either very hot or very cold. the tomato pulp should be pressed through a sieve and used for flavoring other soups or sauces. .--tomato and oatmeal soup / can tomatoes teaspoon salt cups hot water teaspoon sugar slices onion / teaspoon soda / bay leaf / teaspoon pepper cloves teaspoon butter / cup rolled oats heat tomatoes, water, onion, bay leaf, and cloves to boiling point; add oatmeal gradually, and cook for forty-five minutes; press through a sieve; add seasonings and butter, and serve with croutons. .--tomato and peanut soup - / cups stewed and strained tomatoes / teaspoon paprika / cup peanut butter - / cups boiling water / teaspoon salt add tomatoes gradually to peanut butter, and when smooth add seasonings and water; simmer ten minutes, and serve with croutons. well seasoned soup stock may be substituted for the water; if so, use less salt. .--winsor soup potatoes tablespoon butter white turnip tablespoons flour / cup celery tops - / teaspoons salt slices onion / teaspoon pepper - / cups boiling water tablespoons tomato ketchup - / cups hot milk pare and slice potatoes and turnip, add celery tops, onion, and boiling water, cook half an hour, and press through a sieve; add hot milk, thicken with butter and flour blended together, season, and serve with croutons. .--vegetable soup / cup leeks cup half-inch potato cubes / cup carrots cup hot milk cup cabbage teaspoon salt tablespoons beef drippings / teaspoon pepper cups boiling water tablespoon chopped parsley cut leeks into slices, carrots and cabbage into small pieces, or put through the food chopper, and cook in beef drippings for ten minutes, stirring often; add boiling water and potatoes, and cook twenty minutes, or until vegetables are tender; add milk and seasonings, and serve with croutons. chapter vi soups and stews with meat or fish .--cream of chicken soup cups chicken stock salt slice onion / teaspoon pepper / cup celery tops tablespoons chicken fat or butter cup hot milk tablespoons flour cook stock, onion, and celery for fifteen minutes, and strain; add hot milk and seasonings, and thicken with chicken fat and flour blended together. the amount of salt will depend upon the quantity in the stock. celery salt may be used in place of celery tops. .--chicken and okra soup quart chicken stock cup tomatoes tablespoon grated onion / can okra / teaspoon celery salt tablespoons rice / green pepper chopped heat stock to boiling point, add other ingredients, and simmer half an hour or until rice is tender. add salt if necessary. ham stock in place of chicken stock makes an excellent soup. .--clam bisque pint clams / teaspoon pepper cup water cups hot milk slice onion tablespoon butter / teaspoon soda tablespoons flour / teaspoon celery salt teaspoon chopped parsley teaspoon salt remove necks and gills from clams, and chop fine; simmer with the soft part of clams, water, and onion for fifteen minutes; add soda and seasonings; thicken the milk with the butter and flour cooked together; add to clams, sprinkle with parsley, and serve at once. .--clam bouillon pint clams / teaspoon celery salt cups cold water dash of cayenne / teaspoon salt chop clams, add cold water, and simmer fifteen minutes; add seasonings, and strain through double cheesecloth. serve in cups with or without whipped cream; or pour over the stiffly beaten white of one egg. .--clear soup / cup chopped carrot quart boiling water / cup chopped onion teaspoon beef extract / cup chopped turnip teaspoon salt cloves dash of cayenne small bit bay leaf few drops kitchen bouquet cook vegetables, cloves, bay leaf, and water for half an hour, and strain through double cheesecloth. add extract, salt, cayenne, and kitchen bouquet. four bouillon cubes may be used in place of extract, and the salt, cayenne, and bouquet omitted. .--julienne soup (bouillon cubes) tablespoons onion / teaspoon salt tablespoons carrot cups boiling water tablespoons white turnip bouillon cubes cut vegetables into fine shreds an inch long, add salt and boiling water, and cook until tender; add bouillon cubes, and salt if necessary. two tablespoons of tomato ketchup may be added. .--mock turtle soup pounds knuckle of veal / teaspoon pepper / pound liver tablespoons beef drippings onion tablespoons flour carrot teaspoon sugar / bay leaf tablespoon vinegar / cup celery tops / teaspoon kitchen bouquet quarts water hard-cooked egg teaspoons salt wash meat, add vegetables cut fine, and boiling water, and cook slowly for four hours; remove meat, strain stock, remove fat, and add salt and pepper; cook drippings, flour, and sugar together until brown; add to stock, and stir until smooth; add vinegar, kitchen bouquet, and one-half cup each of liver and veal cut in small pieces. serve a slice of egg in each plate. the left-over meat may be used for hash, croquettes, etc. .--mushroom soup / pound mushrooms / teaspoon pepper cups stock salt slice onion tablespoons butter cup hot milk tablespoons flour wash mushrooms, chop stems, simmer with stock and onion for twenty minutes, and press through a sieve, reserving two or three whole caps; add milk, pepper, and salt if necessary; thicken with butter and flour blended together. cut mushroom caps into bits, and add to soup. .--onion soup slice bacon cups hot milk onions sliced teaspoon salt / green pepper chopped fine dash of cayenne sprig parsley tablespoon bacon fat clove tablespoons flour cups boiling water tablespoons grated cheese cut bacon in small pieces and cook with onions and green pepper five minutes; add parsley, clove, and boiling water; simmer half an hour, and press through a sieve; add milk and seasonings, and thicken with bacon fat and flour blended together; add cheese just before serving. .--oyster stew quart oysters / teaspoon paprika quart milk tablespoons butter - / teaspoons salt pick over oysters to remove bits of shell, and cook in their own liquor until plump, skimming when necessary; scald milk, add seasonings and butter, and mix with oysters. serve with oyster crackers. .--oyster and celery bouillon cup chopped celery tops pint small oysters slice onion teaspoon salt / bay leaf / teaspoon paprika cups boiling water white of egg simmer celery, onion, bay leaf, and water for fifteen minutes; add oysters finely chopped, and simmer ten minutes; strain through double cheesecloth; season with salt and paprika, and pour over the stiffly beaten white of egg. serve in cups. or serve without the egg, put a spoonful of whipped cream in each cup, and sprinkle with paprika. .--salmon bisque small can salmon tablespoon butter cups water tablespoons flour slice onion teaspoon salt bit of bay leaf / teaspoon pepper cups hot milk separate salmon into flakes, add water, onion, and bay leaf; simmer for fifteen minutes, and remove onion and bay leaf; scald milk, thicken with butter and flour blended together; add seasonings, and mix with salmon. serve with oyster crackers. .--soup stock use the liquid in which any meat has been cooked. season well with vegetables; if brown stock is wanted, add a small amount of kitchen bouquet or caramel, and a little beef or vegetable extract. (see suggestions for the stock pot, page .) .--tomato tapioca soup cups tomato - / teaspoons salt cups hot water / teaspoon pepper slice onion teaspoon sugar / bay leaf cubes beef extract cloves tablespoons granulated tapioca mix the tomato and seasonings with the hot water; simmer for fifteen minutes, and rub through a sieve; add beef extract and tapioca, and cook fifteen minutes. serve with croutons. .--tuna fish soup tablespoons grated carrot / teaspoon paprika tablespoon grated onion teaspoon chopped parsley cups boiling water / teaspoon worcestershire sauce cups hot milk cup tuna fish / cup sifted crumbs / tablespoon butter teaspoon salt cook vegetables, water, and milk in the double boiler for twenty minutes; add crumbs, seasonings, tuna fish separated into flakes, and butter; cook five minutes. .--beef stew pounds shoulder trimmings potatoes sliced quarts boiling water cup tomatoes onion - / teaspoons salt carrot / teaspoon pepper white turnip / cup flour cut beef in pieces for serving, add water, and simmer two hours; put onion, carrot, and turnip through the food chopper, using coarse cutter, and add to meat; add potatoes, tomatoes, and seasonings, and cook forty-five minutes; thicken with flour mixed to a paste with cold water. serve with dumplings (see no. ). .--irish stew with dumplings pounds forequarter lamb carrot quarts boiling water small white turnip teaspoons salt potatoes / teaspoon pepper tablespoons flour onion cut meat in small pieces, and trim off most of fat; cover with boiling water, and simmer for one hour; add salt and pepper, onion, carrot, and turnip cut in small cubes, and cook one hour; pare and slice potatoes, add to stew, and cook twenty minutes; thicken with flour mixed to a paste with cold water; add dumplings (see no. ), cover, and cook twelve minutes. .--dumplings cup flour teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup milk or water sift flour, salt, and baking powder, and mix to a soft dough with milk; drop by spoonfuls upon boiling stew; cover closely, and cook twelve minutes. .--lamb broth with spaghetti quart lamb stock / teaspoon pepper / cup tomato / cup spaghetti tablespoon chopped onion cup bits of lamb tablespoon chopped carrot remove fat from stock; add vegetables, pepper, and (if necessary) salt; heat to boiling point, add spaghetti, and cook half an hour. add meat just before serving. .--scotch broth pounds neck of mutton white turnips - / quarts cold water carrots / cup pearl barley teaspoons salt onions / teaspoon pepper wash mutton, cover with cold water, heat to boiling point, and simmer slowly for two hours; let stand over night. soak barley in cold water over night. in the morning, remove fat from stock, remove meat from bones, and strain stock; if water has evaporated, add enough to make two and a half quarts; heat stock to boiling point, add seasonings, barley, and vegetables, which have been pared and cut into small cubes. cook for one hour, add meat, and cook slowly one hour longer. chapter vii chowders .--clam chowder / cup half-inch cubes salt pork - / teaspoons salt onion sliced / teaspoon pepper cups boiling water cups hot milk cups potatoes cut in half-inch cubes / cup sifted crumbs quart clams cook salt pork and onion slowly for ten minutes; add boiling water, and strain into chowder kettle; add potatoes, and cook twenty minutes; remove necks of clams, chop fine, add with the soft part to the potatoes, and cook ten minutes; add seasonings, hot milk, and crumbs, and serve with pilot crackers. the salt pork and onion may be served in the chowder if preferred. .--corn chowder / cup half-inch cubes salt pork - / teaspoons salt onion sliced / teaspoon paprika cups boiling water can corn chopped cups thinly sliced potatoes cups hot milk / teaspoon celery salt common crackers split cook salt pork and onion together slowly for ten minutes; add boiling water, and strain into chowder kettle; add potatoes and seasonings, and cook about fifteen minutes or until potatoes are tender; put corn into a strainer, drain the juice into the kettle, and chop the corn, using finest cutter; add to chowder; add hot milk and crackers; and cook five minutes. the bits of pork and onion may be left in the chowder if desired. .--corn and tomato chowder / pound salt pork chopped fine / teaspoon pepper onion chopped fine / can corn green pepper shredded cups hot milk cups boiling water tablespoon butter / can tomatoes tablespoons flour potatoes sliced common crackers split teaspoons salt cook pork, onion, and pepper slowly for ten minutes; add water, tomatoes, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook until potatoes are tender; add corn and milk, and thicken with butter and flour blended together. add crackers (which have been moistened in cold water), and simmer for five minutes. .--fish chowder pounds haddock / teaspoon pepper / cup half-inch cubes salt pork tablespoon butter onion sliced tablespoons flour quart cold water cups hot milk cups thinly sliced potatoes common crackers split teaspoons salt order skin and bones removed from fish at market, and have them delivered with fish and head; cook salt pork and onion together slowly for ten minutes; add fish head, skin, and bones, cover with cold water; cook for twenty minutes, and strain into chowder kettle; add the fish (cut in two-inch pieces), potatoes, salt, and pepper, and cook twenty minutes; thicken milk with butter and flour blended together, and mix with chowder; add crackers (which have been moistened in cold water), and cover for five minutes. cod, hake, white fish, or any firm fish may be used in place of haddock. .--oyster chowder potatoes cut in half-inch cubes pint small oysters onion chopped fine - / teaspoons salt / cup celery chopped fine / teaspoon pepper tablespoons bacon fat cups hot milk cups boiling water / cup sifted crumbs cook potatoes, onion, celery, and bacon fat in boiling water for fifteen minutes; add oysters, salt and pepper, and cook five minutes; skim; add hot milk and crumbs, and serve with pilot crackers. .--potato chowder follow recipe for corn chowder (see no. ), cooking one-half cup of finely chopped carrot with the potatoes, and leaving out the corn. .--salmon chowder / cup half-inch cubes salt pork cups hot milk onion sliced can salmon cups boiling water tablespoons sifted crumbs potatoes cut in half-inch cubes beaten egg - / teaspoons salt / teaspoon salt / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon pepper / cup flour / teaspoon onion juice cook salt pork and onion slowly for ten minutes; add boiling water, and strain into chowder kettle; add potatoes and seasonings, and cook twenty minutes; mix flour to a smooth paste with cold water; add to milk, cook five minutes, and add to potatoes. chop the salmon, add crumbs, egg, salt, pepper, and onion juice, and mix well; shape into balls about an inch in diameter, add to chowder, and cook ten minutes. serve with pilot crackers. .--salt fish chowder follow recipe for corn chowder (see no. ), using one cup flaked salt fish in place of corn. the fish should be soaked in cold water for one hour, drained, and simmered in the chowder five minutes. .--vegetable chowder / cup half-inch cubes salt pork quart boiling water onion finely chopped cups hot milk - / cups half-inch potato cubes teaspoons salt cup half-inch parsnip cubes / teaspoon pepper / cup carrot chopped / cup dried bread crumbs / cup white turnip chopped teaspoon chopped parsley cook pork and onion five minutes; add vegetables and water, and cook about twenty minutes or until vegetables are tender; add milk, seasonings, crumbs, and parsley. four common crackers, split, may be used in place of bread crumbs. chapter viii fish[ ] .--baked cod steaks wash and dry four slices of cod steak, season with salt and pepper, put in baking pan, and pour around them one-half cup of water and one tablespoon of shortening; bake twenty-five minutes, basting often. remove skin and bone, and pour over fish either cheese sauce (see no. ) or egg sauce (see no. ). sliced halibut may be baked in the same way. .--baked stuffed haddock wash and dry a three-pound fish, fill with fish stuffing (see no. ), and sew together. place on a rack in a dripping pan, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and cover with thin slices of salt pork; bake in a hot oven forty-five minutes, basting often. until pork begins to try out, baste with two tablespoons of drippings melted in quarter of a cup of boiling water. serve with egg sauce (see no. ) and french fried potatoes (see no. ). .--boiled halibut order two pounds of halibut cut near the tail; wash, cover with boiling water, add one tablespoon each of salt and vinegar, and boil about twenty-five minutes, skimming when necessary; drain, remove skin, and serve with egg sauce (see no. ) or cheese sauce (see no. ). .--fried fillets of flounder have skin and bone removed from two medium-sized flounders; divide each piece of fish lengthwise, making eight fillets; wash and dry, brush with melted butter, and season with salt and pepper; roll, fasten with skewers, roll in flour, dip in egg, roll in crumbs, and fry in deep fat from five to seven minutes. serve with sauce tartare (see no. ). .--fish sautÉed with salt pork cut one-quarter pound of salt pork in thin slices, try out in frying pan, and remove scraps to platter. cut cod, haddock, white fish, or any similar fish into one-inch slices; wash, season with salt and pepper, dip in corn meal, and sauté on each side in pork fat about seven minutes, or until brown. .--broiled oysters select large oysters, season lightly with salt and pepper, dip in melted butter, and then in cracker crumbs. place on a well-greased oyster broiler, and broil about three or four minutes, turning often. serve very hot with lemon butter. .--oysters with brown sauce pint oysters / teaspoon celery salt tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon pepper tablespoons flour / teaspoon kitchen bouquet stock or milk teaspoon worcestershire sauce / teaspoon salt cook oysters until edges ruffle; drain, and save the liquor; melt bacon fat, add flour, and stir until brown; to the oyster liquor add enough milk or stock to make two cups; add to flour and fat, and stir until smooth; add seasonings and oysters, stir until hot, and serve on toast or in croustades (see no. ) or patty shells (see no. ). .--creamed oysters pint small oysters / teaspoon salt - / tablespoons butter / teaspoon paprika tablespoons flour / teaspoon celery salt milk cook oysters in their own liquor until plump; drain, and measure the liquor; melt butter, add flour, and blend well; add oyster liquor, and enough milk to make two cups; stir until smooth, add seasonings and oysters, and serve on toast. garnish with toast points and sliced pickles. .--creamed oyster pie bake a pie shell (see no. ), fill with creamed oysters (see no. ), and cover with a meringue made of the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, one teaspoon sugar, one-eighth teaspoon salt, two small sour pickles, and one canned sweet pepper (pickles and pepper wiped dry and chopped fine). bake in a moderate oven about ten minutes, or until meringue is well risen and brown. .--oysters and macaroni arrange two cups of cooked macaroni and one pint of small oysters in layers in a buttered baking dish; season each layer with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour; cover with buttered crumbs (see no. ), and bake in a hot oven twenty minutes. one-fourth cup of grated cheese may be added. .--oyster shortcake follow recipe for shortcake (see no. ); fill, and cover top with creamed oysters (see no. ). garnish with parsley and thin slices of lemon. .--panned oysters heat and butter individual egg shirrers, or other fireproof dishes which can be sent to the table; put in a piece of buttered toast, cover with oysters, season lightly with salt and pepper, and bake in a hot oven about ten minutes, or until the edges ruffle. garnish with toast points and lemon, and serve very hot. warmed-over fish .--creamed fish cup milk tablespoons flour slice onion / teaspoon salt slice carrot / teaspoon pepper bit of bay leaf - / cups flaked fish tablespoon butter / cup buttered crumbs scald milk with onion, carrot, and bay leaf for fifteen minutes; strain; melt butter, add flour, and blend well; add milk, and stir until smooth; add seasonings and fish; turn into a greased baking dish, cover with crumbs, and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes. or arrange a border of mashed potato on a platter, and turn the creamed fish into the center, omitting the crumbs. .--fish and potato pie line a deep greased dish with well-seasoned mashed potato to a thickness of one inch; fill to within one inch of the top with creamed fish (see no. ); cover with potato, brush with melted butter, and bake in a hot oven until brown. garnish with parsley and lemon. .--fish timbales - / cups hot milk / teaspoon salt tablespoon butter / teaspoon grated onion cup dried and sifted bread crumbs beaten egg / teaspoon paprika - / cups cold flaked fish scald milk, add other ingredients in order given; turn into greased individual molds and bake in a slow oven until firm; turn out upon serving dish and pour around them cheese sauce (see no. ). .--creole salmon tablespoons bacon fat cup hot milk green pepper finely chopped / teaspoon paprika onion finely chopped / teaspoon salt / cup tomato can salmon / teaspoon soda cook pepper and onion in bacon fat for five minutes; mix tomato and soda, and add to vegetables; bring to boiling point, and add seasonings and milk; add salmon, which has been rinsed with hot water and separated into flakes. serve with a border of boiled rice. .--dutch salmon tablespoons bacon fat teaspoon salt cups cabbage coarsely chopped / teaspoon pepper / cup boiling water can salmon heat bacon fat in frying pan, add cabbage, and cook five minutes, stirring frequently; add water and seasonings, and cook fifteen minutes or until cabbage is tender. rinse salmon with hot water, separate into flakes, and add to cabbage. .--salmon loaf cup dried bread crumbs cup boiling water teaspoon salt beaten egg / teaspoon pepper can salmon flaked teaspoon onion juice mix in order given, put in greased mold, and steam one-half hour. serve with white sauce to which has been added the juice of half a lemon. to free salmon of the oily taste, place in a sieve, and rinse with hot water before flaking. tuna fish may be used in place of salmon. .--salmon and peas soufflÉ cup hot milk / teaspoon paprika / cup soft bread crumbs - / cups flaked salmon tablespoon butter / cup peas / teaspoon salt whites of eggs cook crumbs, butter, and seasonings in the hot milk for three minutes; add the salmon and peas; fold in the whites of the eggs, which have been beaten very stiff; put in a greased baking dish, and bake about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. .--fried scallops wash one pint of deep sea scallops, and cut each scallop into quarters; scald with boiling water, drain, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, dip in egg, and then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat about two minutes; drain on soft paper, and serve with sauce tartare (see no. ). .--louisiana shrimps and rice tablespoons beef drippings teaspoon salt onion finely chopped / teaspoon paprika tablespoons flour cups cooked rice cup stewed and strained tomato cup cooked shrimps cut in pieces - / cups stock or water cook onion in fat for five minutes, add flour, and stir until well blended; add tomatoes and stock, and stir until smooth; add seasonings, rice, and shrimps. salt and smoked fish .--finnan haddie baked in milk wash fish, and soak in lukewarm water for half an hour; put in baking pan, add one-half cup each of milk and water, and bake about twenty-five minutes, basting often. remove to platter, spread with butter, and strain liquid in the pan over fish. .--baked herring arrange smoked, boned herring on pieces of entire wheat bread; place on platter, and pour hot milk over them, allowing three-quarters of a cup for six slices of bread. brown in a hot oven. .--baked salt mackerel (spiced) soak mackerel in cold water for twelve hours; drain, and rinse with cold water. place in a granite baking pan, sprinkle with one-fourth teaspoon each of clove, allspice, cinnamon, and pepper; add one-half cup each of vinegar and water; bake in a moderate oven one hour, basting frequently. .--salt fish baked with crackers cup flaked fish cups milk butter crackers tablespoon butter cold water a few grains pepper egg slightly beaten split crackers, put with fish in a baking dish, cover with cold water, and soak over night or for several hours; drain, press out water, add other ingredients, and bake about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. .--broiled finnan haddie wash well, and soak in lukewarm water half an hour; dry, brush with melted butter, and broil for fifteen minutes, turning often; spread with butter, sprinkle with lemon juice, and serve very hot. .--broiled salt codfish select thick pieces of fish, and soak over night in cold water; drain, dry, brush with melted butter, and broil over a moderate fire ten minutes, turning often. spread with soft butter. .--broiled smoked herring soak herring in cold water half an hour; drain, pour boiling water over skin side, and soak for ten minutes; remove skin, place on a greased broiler, and cook over a clear fire about eight minutes, turning frequently; spread with a little mustard butter (see no. ), and sprinkle with lemon juice. .--broiled smoked salmon soak salmon in cold water for twenty-four hours, changing the water once; drain, dry, place on a greased broiler, and broil over a moderate fire about five minutes on each side, turning often. spread with soft butter and sprinkle with lemon juice. .--creamed codfish - / cups hot milk cup salt codfish flaked tablespoons flour / tablespoon butter / teaspoon pepper thicken milk with flour which has been mixed to a paste with cold water, add pepper, and cook fifteen minutes; soak codfish for two hours in lukewarm water, separate into small flakes, add to sauce, and simmer five minutes; add butter just before serving. one beaten egg or one hard-cooked egg chopped may be added. serve with baked potatoes. .--fish cakes with pork scraps package shredded codfish egg well beaten cups hot mashed potato tablespoons milk / teaspoon pepper / pound salt pork soak fish in lukewarm water fifteen minutes; drain, and squeeze in cheesecloth; add potato, pepper, egg, milk, and salt if necessary; beat well, shape into small flat cakes, and roll in flour; cut pork in thin slices, and try out in frying pan; when crisp, but not burnt, remove to platter; cook fish cakes in fat in pan until brown, and serve with a piece of pork on each. .--fish balls follow recipe for fish cakes (see no. ), but shape slightly with a tablespoon, and cook in deep fat one minute. .--fish hash follow recipe for fish cakes (see no. ), but omit the egg and add double the quantity of milk. try out pork and remove scraps to platter; spread hash in frying pan with the fat, and stir well; cook slowly until well browned. fold double, and serve with pork scraps. .--salt codfish soufflÉ cup shredded codfish tablespoons butter cups mashed potato (hot or cold) dash of pepper yolks of eggs whites of eggs soak the fish in lukewarm water for ten minutes; drain and dry thoroughly; mix with the potato; add egg yolks, which have been beaten very light, and the butter and pepper. beat well, and fold in the whites of the eggs, which have been beaten stiff and dry. put in a greased baking dish, and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. half of a green pepper and a slice of onion may be chopped and cooked in the butter, and added to the potato and fish. .--spanish codfish onion - / cups tomatoes green pepper / cup salt codfish tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon salt chop onion and pepper, and cook in the bacon fat about five minutes; add the tomatoes and simmer ten minutes; add codfish, which has been flaked and freshened in lukewarm water, and salt if necessary. simmer two minutes and serve with border of boiled rice. footnotes: [ ] for cooking fish for which recipes are not given in this chapter, see time table for cooking (page ). chapter ix meats[ ] .--pressed beef wash a four-pound piece of beef flank or any other of the cheaper cuts. cover with boiling water, bring to boiling point, and skim; slice and add two carrots, two onions, and one white turnip; cook slowly for four hours or until meat is very tender; add two teaspoons of salt when half cooked; pack meat solidly into a deep bread pan, putting the grain of the meat lengthwise; place pan in a shallow pan to catch the overflow, put an empty bread pan on top of meat, and press with two heavy flatirons; let stand in a cool place over night. strain the stock, and use for soups or sauces. .--pressed corned beef select a four-pound piece of shoulder or lean end of brisket lightly corned; wash well, cover with boiling water, and cook slowly for four hours; pack and press as for pressed beef (see no. ). the heat should not be above the simmering point ( ° f.): if the water boils the meat will be tough. .--roast beef the most economical cuts of beef for roasting are the shoulder, the face of the rump, and the chuck ribs; they are all of good flavor and fairly tender. when ordering a shoulder roast, have an inch slice cut off to broil. the chuck roast should be ordered boned and rolled, and the bones sent with it. wipe beef with cheesecloth, place skin side down on a rack in a roasting pan suitable for the size of the roast; dust with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and cook in a hot oven, basting every ten minutes. when half roasted, turn over, dredge with flour, and finish cooking. for a medium-cooked roast allow seventeen minutes for each pound of meat. the oven should be very hot for the first fifteen minutes, after which the heat should be reduced. .--pot roast of beef a small aitchbone or a solid piece from the shoulder weighing about five pounds makes an economical roast. wash, dry, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and brown quickly in a hot frying pan or scotch kettle; place in kettle, half cover with water, cover closely, and cook slowly four hours; when half cooked, season with salt and pepper; add four small onions, two carrots, and one white turnip cut in quarters; when cooked place meat on platter with vegetables around it; remove fat from gravy, and thicken with flour mixed to a paste with cold water, allowing one-fourth cup of flour to two cups of gravy. color with a few drops of kitchen bouquet if necessary. .--shin of beef with creole sauce pounds shin of beef / onion chopped / onion sliced / teaspoon celery salt / carrot sliced / teaspoon paprika cups tomato / teaspoon salt green pepper chopped tablespoons dried bread crumbs wash meat, sprinkle with salt and pepper; put into an iron kettle or earthen crock; add onion and carrot; cover closely, and bake in a slow oven four hours. remove meat from the bone; skim fat from stock. cook tomatoes, pepper, onion, and seasonings twenty minutes; add stock, crumbs, and meat. the meat cooks in its own juice and will be very tender. .--stuffed shin of beef pounds shin of beef small white turnip onion / teaspoon salt carrot quart boiling water have the bone removed and cracked; finely chop vegetables and stuff into beef; place on a trivet in kettle with the bone; add boiling water, and cook slowly for four hours. skim when necessary. remove meat, and thicken gravy with flour mixed to a paste with cold water, allowing one-fourth cup flour to two cups gravy. color with a few drops of kitchen bouquet. .--to broil steak wipe steak, trim off superfluous fat, place on a greased broiler with fat towards the handle, and broil over a clear fire or under a gas flame. turn four or five times during the first minute, and then occasionally. for steak an inch and a half thick, medium cooked, allow twelve minutes to broil. season with salt and pepper, and spread with soft butter. a slice from the shoulder is a good and inexpensive cut. .--broiled flank steak follow directions for broiling steak (see no. ), but, as flank steak is thinner, broil only seven or eight minutes. season with salt and pepper, spread with one tablespoon of soft butter and one tablespoon of tomato ketchup. .--steak country style - / pounds flank steak / teaspoon salt onions / teaspoon pepper tablespoon flour / cup boiling water pound the steak with a meat pounder or a wooden potato masher to break the tough fibers. sear quickly on each side in a very hot frying pan; peel and chop onions, dredge with flour, and put in pan with the steak; add salt and pepper; cover closely, and cook slowly an hour and a half. put steak on platter, add boiling water to onions, and pour around steak. serve with hashed brown potatoes. .--broiled chopped beef put one pound and a half of any of the cheaper cuts of beef through the meat chopper; season with pepper and salt, and pat lightly into a flat cake an inch thick; place carefully on a greased broiler, and broil about eight minutes for a medium-cooked steak. spread with soft butter. .--hamburg meat cakes pound beef teaspoon salt thin slice salt pork / teaspoon pepper / cup dried crumbs / cup milk use any of the cheaper cuts of beef; put through the meat chopper with the salt pork, add crumbs, seasoning, and milk; mix well, shape into small flat cakes, roll in flour, and sauté slowly in beef drippings until brown, allowing ten minutes for each side. remove meat to platter; add two tablespoons of flour to the fat in the pan, and stir until brown; add one-fourth teaspoon each of mustard, salt, and paprika, and one cup of boiling water. stir until smooth, and pour around meat cakes. one teaspoon of grated onion may be added to meat. .--beef and bacon cakes pound flank of beef / cup water slices bacon / teaspoon salt / cup dried bread crumbs dash of cayenne put meat and bacon through chopper; add crumbs, water, and seasonings; mix well, form into small flat cakes, and sauté in bacon fat. .--beef loaf pounds shoulder trimmings chopped - / teaspoons salt / pound salt pork chopped common crackers rolled fine / teaspoon pepper cup milk mix in order given and bake in a deep pan about two hours in a slow oven. serve hot with tomato sauce (see no. ) or creole sauce (see no. ), or serve cold, sliced. one teaspoon of poultry seasoning may be added if desired. .--casserole of beef pound of shoulder trimmings tablespoon pearl tapioca tablespoon flour - / teaspoons salt potatoes / teaspoon paprika carrot tablespoon tomato ketchup onion cold water cut beef into inch pieces, sear quickly in hot frying pan, dredge with flour, and put into casserole; cut potatoes into cubes or balls; put carrot and onion through meat chopper; mix vegetables, and add to meat; add tapioca and seasonings, cover with cold water (a little of the water should be put into the frying pan to obtain all the flavor of the meat, and then added to the rest). cover, and bake slowly two and a half hours. any of the other cheaper cuts of meat may be used. serve with spinach or cold slaw. .--creamed dried beef with cheese / pound dried beef cup milk - / tablespoons butter tablespoons grated cheese tablespoons flour tablespoons ketchup cut beef in small pieces, cover with boiling water, let stand five minutes, and drain; melt butter, add beef, and stir until hot; add flour and milk, and stir until smooth; add cheese and ketchup, and stir until cheese is melted. serve with baked potatoes. .--american chop suey tablespoons bacon fat cup cooked spaghetti onion finely chopped / teaspoon salt / pound flank beef chopped fine / teaspoon pepper can condensed tomato soup cook onion and beef in fat until brown; add tomato, spaghetti, and seasonings, and simmer ten minutes. .--brown fricassee of lamb pounds forequarter lamb white turnips quarts boiling water carrots - / teaspoons salt tablespoons flour onions / teaspoon kitchen bouquet cut lamb in pieces the size of a chop, trim off nearly all fat, add boiling water, heat to boiling point, and skim; add salt and vegetables (left whole), and simmer for two hours; remove meat, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and sauté with two tablespoons of fat in a hot frying pan until brown; to the fat in the pan add the flour, and stir until brown, add two cups of stock, and stir until smooth; color with kitchen bouquet, add pepper, and salt if necessary. slice vegetables, and serve with meat. use left-over stock for soups or sauces. .--casserole of lamb - / pounds forequarter lamb tablespoons rolled oats / cup each white turnip, carrot, / teaspoon pepper and onion finely chopped - / teaspoons salt cup tomato cups hot water remove fat and cut meat into inch pieces; put into a casserole with vegetables, oats, seasonings, and water, and cook in a moderate oven two hours. .--lamb chops chops from the forequarter are much cheaper than loin or kidney chops. they contain more bone, but are tender and of good flavor, if well cooked. cook the same as lamb cutlets (see no. ). the time of cooking may vary slightly according to the thickness of the meat. .--lamb cutlets have a small forequarter of lamb cut in pieces for serving; select the best pieces, trim, and skewer into shape. season lightly with salt and pepper, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat about seven minutes; or dip in flour, and sauté on each side about ten minutes; or broil on each side about five minutes. the rest of the forequarter can be used for fricassee, scotch broth, croquettes, and many other dishes. .--rolled roast of lamb order a small forequarter of lamb boned and rolled; have the bones sent with the meat; wash bones and meat, put bones in kettle, put meat on top; add one sliced onion, one sliced carrot, one bay leaf, and a sprig of thyme. cover with two quarts of boiling water, and simmer for two hours, skimming when necessary; add two teaspoons of salt after meat has cooked one hour. remove meat to a roasting pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and roast in a hot oven about half an hour. to the drippings in the pan add four tablespoons of flour and stir until brown; add one and a half cups of stock which has been strained and had fat removed; stir until smooth and serve with meat. the left-over stock should be used for soups and sauces. the forequarter of lamb, although quite fat, is tender and of good flavor, and costs much less than a leg of lamb. .--brown fricassee of fowl clean, singe, and cut up a four-pound fowl, place in a kettle, cover with boiling water, add one whole onion, and one carrot cut in halves, and cook slowly for three hours, or until tender; add two teaspoons of salt when half cooked; remove fowl, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and brown in one-quarter of a pound of fat salt pork tried out in the frying pan. remove fowl to platter, and make a sauce in the pan with four tablespoons of fat, five tablespoons of flour browned together, and two cups of stock. pour over fowl, and garnish with toast points or small, thin baking powder biscuit. the remainder of the stock may be used for soup or sauce, or for celery toast (see no. ). .--roast fowl clean and singe a five-pound fowl; stuff with bread stuffing (see no. ), truss, place on a trivet in a pan suited to the size of the fowl, dredge with flour, cover with thin slices of fat salt pork, and bake in a slow oven three hours, basting every fifteen minutes. put into the pan the chicken fat (which was removed when cleaning) and use for basting. dredge with flour twice while cooking. cook the giblets in boiling water one hour, and chop fine; make a gravy in the pan, allowing four tablespoons each of fat and flour, and the water in which giblets were cooked, with enough boiling water added to make two cups; season with salt and pepper, and add the giblets. if cooked slowly and basted often, a fowl will be as tender as a chicken. .--chicken pie use the remnants of cold roast or fricasseed fowl. if roast fowl is used, make stock by covering bones and left-over gravy with cold water and simmering an hour or more; to three cups of stock add one-half onion chopped, two potatoes cut in half-inch cubes, one teaspoon salt, and one-eighth teaspoon pepper, and boil fifteen minutes; thicken with one-half cup of flour mixed to a paste with cold water; put chicken in a baking dish, add stock and potato, and cover with small biscuit made by baking powder biscuit (see no. ) or shortcake (see no. ) recipes. bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes or until biscuit are done. if the amount of chicken is scant, add one or two hard-cooked eggs sliced. .--potted pigeons pigeons / teaspoon salt bread stuffing (see no. ) / teaspoon pepper tablespoons bacon fat cups boiling water / onion sliced tablespoons flour / carrot sliced tablespoons cold water cup celery tops clean pigeons, wipe dry, stuff, and truss neatly into shape. brown in hot bacon fat in the frying pan, and place in a casserole dish or bean pot; add vegetables, seasonings, and boiling water. cover, and bake in a slow oven three hours. remove pigeons to serving dish, thicken the stock with the flour mixed to a paste with cold water; cook ten minutes, strain, and pour over pigeons. the giblets may be cooked in boiling salted water about ten minutes, chopped, and added to the sauce. .--country club rabbit cut a young rabbit in pieces for serving; sprinkle with salt and pepper; dip in flour, then in egg, and coat thickly with crumbs; put into a well-greased baking pan, and bake in a hot oven about half an hour, basting often with bacon fat. arrange rabbit on serving dish, and make a brown sauce in the pan, using three tablespoons each of bacon fat and flour, one teaspoon of grated onion, and one and one-half cups of stock, milk, or boiling water. season with one-half teaspoon of salt, one-fourth teaspoon paprika, and two tablespoons tomato ketchup. .--casserole of rabbit and okra slices bacon / teaspoon pepper rabbit cups boiling water onion finely chopped cup tomatoes tablespoons flour pint okra sliced - / teaspoons salt cut bacon into one-inch pieces, and cook in frying pan until brown; remove bacon; cut rabbit in pieces for serving and soak half an hour in cold salted water; drain, dredge with flour, brown in bacon fat, and put with cooked bacon in a casserole dish; cook onion in bacon fat until brown; add flour, salt, pepper, and boiling water; stir until smooth, and pour over rabbit; add tomato and okra, sprinkle with salt; cover, and bake in a moderate oven one hour and a half. .--roast pork have the bone removed from a six-pound fresh shoulder of pork; wash, dry, and stuff with bread stuffing (see no. ) or peanut stuffing (see no. ); season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and roast in a moderate oven about two and three-quarters hours. baste often, and be sure oven is not too hot, as pork must cook slowly. this is an excellent cut, and less expensive than the loin or fresh leg. strain the fat and add it to the frying fat, or use in place of lard. have the bones sent and use for stock. serve with dark red apple sauce (see no. ). .--pork chops baked with potatoes pare potatoes, and cut in thin slices; wash, drain, season with salt and pepper, and put into a baking dish; cover with small pork chops from which part of the fat has been removed; dust with salt, pepper, and flour; add half a cup of boiling water, and bake in a hot oven about forty minutes. turn chops when half cooked. .--sausage cakes / pound sausage meat / cup hot water teaspoon grated onion / cup sifted crumbs / teaspoon salt mix well, shape into small flat cakes, roll in crumbs, and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes, or until brown. .--sausage cakes baked with apple pound sausage meat apples shape meat into small flat cakes, and put in the center of a dripping pan; core apples, cut into half-inch slices, and put around sausage. bake in a hot oven until brown, basting frequently with the fat from the sausage. .--sausages with oysters and eggs small sausages eggs slightly beaten teaspoon grated onion / teaspoon salt cup small oysters cut sausages into half-inch bias slices, and cook with onion in a hot frying pan until brown; add oysters, and cook until edges ruffle; add eggs and salt, and scramble until firm. .--breakfast bacon lay slices of bacon close together on a fine wire broiler, place broiler over a dripping pan, and bake in a hot oven about ten minutes or until bacon is brown and crisp. avoid burning. save fat for cooking. .--broiled ham ham for broiling should be cut in very thin slices. trim off superfluous fat, cover ham with lukewarm water, and stand on back of range for fifteen minutes; dry, and broil over clear fire until fat is brown. .--baked sliced ham order a small slice of ham cut an inch and a half thick; cover with warm water, and place on the back of the range for an hour. drain ham, cover with a mixture of two tablespoons of flour, two tablespoons of brown sugar, one-half teaspoon of mustard, and a dash of cayenne. put a few small bits of the fat on top, and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. place ham on platter, pour off fat in the pan, add one-fourth cup of cider or weak vinegar; bring to boiling point, and pour around ham. .--ham loaf pound raw ham beaten eggs cup dried crumbs / teaspoon mustard cup boiling water / teaspoon salt put ham, including the fat, through meat chopper; add crumbs, water, eggs, and seasonings; mix well, and bake in a small bread pan, in a slow oven, an hour and a half; or cook in steamer two hours. .--roast breast of veal stuffed have a pocket cut in veal, wash, dry, and stuff with crust stuffing (see no. ); skewer neatly into shape, dredge with flour, season with salt and pepper, and cover with two thin slices of fat salt pork; place on rack in dripping pan, and roast in a moderate oven two hours, basting often. serve with gravy made from drippings in the pan, three tablespoons of flour, and one and one-half cups of water. season with salt and pepper, and strain. .--veal with vegetables pounds knuckle of veal cups hot water / cup each of finely chopped onion, - / teaspoons salt carrot, turnip, and celery / teaspoon paprika / cup pearl barley order veal cut in three-inch lengths; remove meat from bone, and put in a casserole dish; add vegetables, barley (which has been soaked for an hour in cold water), hot water, and seasonings; place the pieces of bone, cut edge down, on top; cover closely, and bake in a moderate oven two and a half hours. remove the bones before serving. .--veal loaf (baked) - / pounds raw veal cup dried and sifted crumbs / pound salt pork / cup boiling water / teaspoon pepper / cup milk teaspoons salt put veal and pork through the meat chopper; add pepper, salt, crumbs, water, and milk. mix well, press into a deep pan, cover with paper, and bake slowly for two hours. serve hot or cold. a teaspoon each of poultry seasoning and grated onion may be added. .--veal loaf (boiled) pounds knuckle of veal cups hot water onion / package gelatine bay leaf / cup cold water cloves juice of lemon - / teaspoons salt hard-boiled egg / teaspoon pepper gherkins cook veal with seasonings in hot water until meat is very tender; strain, remove fat and bone, and chop meat; soak gelatine in cold water, add to strained stock in which meat was cooked, add meat and lemon juice, cool, and turn into deep pan which has been garnished with slices of hard-boiled egg and pickles sliced lengthwise. put in the ice-box for several hours before serving. .--potted head calf's head / teaspoon paprika pound lean fresh pork teaspoon onion juice cups boiling water teaspoon poultry seasoning - / teaspoons salt have head split and dressed at the market; singe, wash well, put in kettle with pork and boiling water, cover, and simmer three hours. remove bones, and put meat through chopper; reduce stock to one and one-half cups, strain, and add, with seasonings, to the meat. press into a bread pan and put in a cold place. serve sliced cold, or dip slices in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. .--braised liver pounds liver / teaspoon salt - / -inch cube salt pork / teaspoon pepper / cup onion finely chopped cups boiling water / cup celery finely chopped / cup flour / cup carrots finely chopped soak liver in cold salted water for half an hour, scald, remove skin, and dredge with flour; cut pork in thin slices, and try out in frying pan; brown liver in pork fat, and place in an earthen dish or kettle, add vegetables, seasonings, and water which has first been put in the frying pan; cover closely, and bake three hours in a slow oven, adding water if necessary; remove liver, and thicken gravy and vegetables with one-fourth cup of flour mixed to a paste with cold water. .--brown fricassee of liver pound liver tablespoons flour cups boiling water / teaspoon salt tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon paprika tablespoon grated onion slices of toast cut liver into half-inch cubes, and soak in cold salted water fifteen minutes; drain; cover with the boiling water, and simmer six minutes; cook bacon fat, onion, and flour until brown; add seasonings, and stock in which liver was cooked; stir until smooth; add liver, and pour over toast or small, thin baking powder biscuit. .--chicken livers and bacon cook chicken livers in boiling salted water fifteen minutes; put each liver on half of a slice of bacon, fold other half over liver, and bake in a hot oven until bacon is crisp; moisten slices of toast with the stock in which livers were cooked, and serve two pieces of bacon and livers on toast for each person. .--fried lamb's liver and bacon cut liver in one-third-inch slices; soak in cold water for half an hour; drain, dry, and cook in hot deep fat, with six slices of bacon, until brown. .--lambs' kidneys in brown sauce lambs' kidneys / teaspoon paprika - / cups boiling water / teaspoon onion juice - / tablespoons butter teaspoon worcestershire sauce tablespoons flour few drops kitchen bouquet / teaspoon salt slices of toast split kidneys and soak in cold water half an hour; drain; cover with boiling water, and simmer five minutes; skim out of water, and cut in small dice; brown the butter, add the flour, and brown well; add the water in which the kidneys were cooked, and stir until smooth; add kidneys and seasonings, and serve on toast. .--devilled kidneys lambs' kidneys, split tablespoon worcestershire sauce tablespoons drippings teaspoon mustard tablespoon chopped onion / teaspoon salt tablespoons flour dash of cayenne cup water or stock scald, skin, and split kidneys; cook with fat and onion five minutes, and remove from the pan. to the fat in the pan add flour, and stir until brown; add liquid, and stir until smooth; add seasonings and kidneys. serve on toast or with mashed potato border. .--spanish tripe pound fresh boiled tripe / cup chopped white cabbage / can tomatoes / teaspoon salt / onion chopped few grains cayenne / green pepper chopped slices bacon cut tripe in small pieces for serving and put in greased casserole dish; scald tomatoes, add onion, pepper, cabbage, and seasonings; pour over tripe; cut bacon into bits, put on top, and bake in a moderate oven one hour. .--tripe fried in batter pound fresh boiled tripe cup flour slice onion - / teaspoons baking powder cloves / teaspoon salt / bay leaf egg well beaten tablespoon vinegar / cup water cut tripe in pieces the size of a large oyster, cover with boiling water, add seasonings, simmer fifteen minutes, and drain. make a batter of flour, baking powder, salt, egg, and water. dry each piece of tripe, dip in batter, and fry in deep fat for one minute. serve with sauce tartare (see no. ) or russian dressing (see no. ). .--tripe fried in crumbs prepare tripe as for tripe fried in batter (see no. ); dip each piece of tripe first in tomato ketchup, then in crumbs, then in beaten egg, and then in crumbs again. fry in deep fat for one minute, and drain on soft paper. warmed-over meats .--savory beef - / cups tomatoes - / cups cold roast beef / cup beef gravy cups cooked spaghetti / onion / cup bread crumbs cloves tablespoons beef drippings teaspoon salt tablespoon butter / teaspoon pepper simmer tomatoes, gravy, and seasonings for fifteen minutes, and press through a sieve; add beef cut in small pieces, and spaghetti, and pour into a greased baking dish; cover with crumbs which have been mixed with the drippings and butter melted together. bake in a moderate oven about fifteen minutes. a can of condensed tomato soup may be used in place of the tomato sauce. any meat may be used. .--scalloped corned beef tablespoons beef drippings cup corned beef stock tablespoons flour / cup hot milk teaspoon grated onion - / cups corned beef / teaspoon paprika cut in half-inch cubes / teaspoon celery salt / cup buttered crumbs (see no. ) melt drippings, add flour, onion, and seasonings, and cook two minutes; add stock and milk, and stir until smooth; add meat, and put into a greased baking dish; cover with crumbs, and bake until crumbs are brown. .--baked ham and potato cups well-seasoned mashed potato pimolas chopped cup chopped cooked ham / cup hot milk teaspoon grated onion / cup crumbs teaspoon chopped parsley tablespoon bacon fat / teaspoon mustard mix potato, ham, seasonings, and milk, put into a greased baking dish, cover with crumbs which have been mixed with melted bacon fat, and bake in a hot oven until brown; or prepare half of mixture, spread in egg shirrers, make a depression with the back of a spoon, and into it carefully break an egg; cover with crumbs, and bake until egg is set. .--ham mousse - / cups chopped cooked ham teaspoon mixed mustard / cup soft bread crumbs / teaspoon paprika tablespoon gelatine whites of eggs cup hot milk mix ham with bread crumbs; dissolve the gelatine in the hot milk, and add to crumbs with mustard and paprika; beat the whites of eggs very stiff and fold lightly into mixture. put into a deep pan or mold, and place on ice until firm. a little salt may be needed. .--corned beef hash with beets - / cups corned beef / teaspoon salt cups cooked potatoes teaspoon worcestershire sauce / cup cooked beets / cup stock or water teaspoon grated onion tablespoons beef drippings have meat, potatoes, and beets coarsely chopped; add seasonings and stock; melt fat in frying pan, and, when very hot, add hash; cook slowly until a rich brown crust is formed; fold, and serve on a hot platter. if meat is very fat, use less fat in frying pan. .--savory hash (baked) cup cold meat cut fine cup tomatoes cups cold cooked potatoes / teaspoon salt / onion finely chopped / teaspoon pepper stalks celery chopped, or tablespoons melted bacon fat / teaspoon celery salt or beef drippings mix, and bake in casserole in moderate oven forty-five minutes. .--southern hash raw potatoes / cup stock or water green peppers - / cups cold chopped beef tomatoes salt and pepper onion toast points put vegetables through the meat chopper, using coarse cutter; cook in the stock, covered, until tender; add beef, salt, and pepper, and when hot turn on a platter and garnish with toast points. if corned beef and stock are used, use salt with care. .--liver patties cups chopped cooked liver salt and pepper cups mashed potato coarse stale bread crumbs tablespoons finely chopped pickles mix liver, potato, and pickles, and season with salt and pepper. grease patty pans or cups; sprinkle with crumbs, and fill with mixture. bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven, turn out on serving dish, and serve with brown sauce (see no. ) or tomato sauce (see no. ). .--meat and tomato pie cups cooked meat cut in inch pieces / cup gravy or stock can tomatoes drained / teaspoon onion juice salt and pepper teaspoon worcestershire sauce / cup fine crumbs quick drop biscuit (see no. ) in a deep dish arrange in alternate layers meat and tomatoes cut in pieces; season each layer with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with crumbs; add onion and worcestershire sauce to gravy, and pour over all; bake twenty minutes in a hot oven; remove from oven, and drop biscuit mixture by spoonfuls on top; bake about fifteen minutes longer. use tomato juice for soup or sauce. .--meat soufflÉ / cup dry bread crumbs / onion chopped fine - / cups hot stock or milk - / teaspoons salt tablespoon butter / teaspoon paprika - / cups chopped meat yolks of eggs cup celery or white cabbage chopped fine whites of eggs mix in the order given, beating the yolks until thick and light, and the whites until very stiff. bake in a moderate oven about half an hour. any left-over meat may be used. .--meat shortcake - / cups cooked meat chopped / teaspoon paprika / cup celery tops chopped / teaspoon dry mustard teaspoon grated onion cup meat gravy or thickened stock / teaspoon salt mix ingredients, simmer for fifteen minutes, and put between layers of shortcake (see no. ). footnotes: [ ] recipes for using only the cheaper cuts of meat are given in this chapter. for cooking poultry, game, and other cuts of meat, see time table for cooking (page ). chapter x sauces and stuffings for fish and meats .--anchovy sauce add to drawn butter (see no. ) one and one-half teaspoons of anchovy paste and one tablespoon of lemon juice. .--banana sauce bananas few grains cayenne tablespoon butter few grains salt teaspoon sugar teaspoons worcestershire sauce juice of / lemon teaspoon horseradish peel and scrape bananas, and force through coarse sieve; melt butter, add sugar, lemon juice, seasonings, and bananas; stir until hot, and serve with cold roast beef. .--bechamel sauce cup white stock - / tablespoons flour slice onion / teaspoon salt slice carrot few grains cayenne sprig of parsley teaspoon butter tablespoon shortening simmer stock, onion, carrot, and parsley fifteen minutes, and strain; melt shortening, add flour, and blend well; add stock and seasoning, and stir until smooth; add butter just before serving. .--black butter / cup butter / teaspoon worcestershire or tablespoons vinegar brand's a sauce / teaspoon onion juice cook butter until brown, but do not burn; simmer vinegar, onion juice, and sauce five minutes, and add to butter. serve with cauliflower, celery, fried eggs, or fish. a tablespoon of chopped capers or parsley may be added. .--bread sauce - / cups milk sprig of parsley / onion / teaspoon paprika cloves / teaspoon salt bit of bay leaf / cup soft bread crumbs scald milk and seasonings, except salt, in double boiler half an hour, strain, add salt and soft crumbs, and simmer ten minutes. .--brown sauce cup brown stock / teaspoon salt slice onion chopped / teaspoon pepper slice carrot chopped - / tablespoons butter sprig parsley - / tablespoons flour cloves simmer stock, vegetables, and seasonings for fifteen minutes, and strain; brown the butter, add flour, and brown, add stock, and beat until smooth. any stock may be colored with a few drops of kitchen bouquet, and used; or beef cubes or extract may be used with water instead of stock, but in that case less salt and pepper should be used. .--caper sauce to recipe for drawn butter (see no. ) add one-fourth cup of capers. .--celery sauce cup celery chopped / teaspoon pepper teaspoon grated onion / cup milk cup boiling water tablespoon butter / teaspoon salt tablespoons flour simmer celery, onion, water, and salt for half an hour; add pepper and milk, and thicken with butter and flour creamed together. .--cheese sauce tablespoon butter / teaspoon salt - / tablespoons flour / teaspoon mustard cup milk / teaspoon paprika / cup cheese cut fine melt butter, add flour, and blend well; add milk and stir until smooth; add cheese and seasonings, and stir until cheese is melted. .--cheese sauce with chives follow directions for cheese sauce (see no. ), and just before serving add one tablespoon of finely chopped chives. serve with any white fish, or with plain omelet. .--cider sauce tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon paprika tablespoons flour / teaspoon salt cup cider / teaspoon mustard blend bacon fat and flour, add cider, and stir until boiling point is reached; add seasonings and simmer one-half hour. serve with roast pork or ham. .--creole sauce / can tomatoes tablespoon flour tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon salt / onion teaspoon worcestershire sauce green pepper cook tomatoes until reduced to one cup; peel and finely chop onion; remove seeds and veins from pepper, chop, and cook with onion in bacon fat for ten minutes; add flour, salt, and worcestershire sauce, and stir well; add tomato, and simmer five minutes. .--croquette sauce tablespoons shortening / teaspoon salt / cup bread flour / teaspoon pepper cup milk proceed as for white sauce (see no. ). stock may be used in place of milk, and the seasonings may be varied according to the croquette material, using a few drops of onion juice, a dash of nutmeg, cayenne, paprika, or a small quantity of table sauce or ketchup. .--cucumber sauce pare and grate two small cucumbers, drain, and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. serve with fish. .--drawn butter tablespoons butter / teaspoon salt tablespoons flour / teaspoon pepper cup hot water teaspoon butter cook butter until it bubbles, stir in flour, add hot water, salt, and pepper, and beat until smooth; add butter in small pieces just before serving. .--egg sauce add to drawn butter (see no. ) or white sauce (see no. ) one hard-cooked egg coarsely chopped. .--hollandaise sauce / cup butter / cup hot water tablespoon flour egg yolk / teaspoon salt tablespoon lemon juice few grains cayenne cream half of the butter with flour, salt, and cayenne; add hot water, and cook over hot water for ten minutes, stirring constantly until thickened; add egg yolk slightly beaten, lemon juice, and remainder of butter; cook about two minutes, or until thick; beat well, and serve at once. .--horseradish sauce to recipe for bread sauce (see no. ) add one-third cup grated horseradish and the juice of half a lemon. .--mint sauce bunch mint tablespoons sugar / cup boiling water / teaspoon salt / cup vinegar few grains cayenne wash and dry mint, pick leaves, and chop very fine, add other ingredients, put on back of range, and keep warm for half an hour. .--mushroom sauce wash six mushroom caps, cut in small pieces, and simmer with one teaspoon of butter for ten minutes. add to recipe for brown sauce (see no. ), or to recipe for white sauce (see no. ). if the mushrooms are fresh and tender the stems may be used also. .--mustard pickle sauce to drawn butter (see no. ) add two tablespoons of mixed mustard pickles chopped. .--orange mint sauce / cup vinegar tablespoon sugar cups orange juice / cup mint leaves chopped / teaspoon orange rind let stand on back of range for half an hour, and serve cold. .--sauce tartare to one cup mayonnaise dressing (see no. ) add three tablespoons finely chopped mixed pickles and one tablespoon finely chopped parsley. .--tomato sauce - / cups tomatoes / teaspoon salt / cup hot water / teaspoon paprika slice onion tablespoons bacon fat clove tablespoons flour teaspoon sugar simmer tomatoes, water, and seasonings for fifteen minutes, and press through a sieve; thicken with bacon fat and flour blended together, and cook five minutes. if tomatoes are very acid, add a pinch of soda. .--sauce for roast pork or goose pour off most of fat in the pan, leaving two tablespoons; add three tablespoons of flour and one and a half cups of boiling water, and stir until smooth. season with one-third teaspoon salt and one teaspoon each of mixed mustard, vinegar, and brand's a sauce. .--sharp sauce - / cups vinegar / teaspoon paprika tart apple chopped fine - / teaspoons worcestershire sauce onion chopped fine - / cups brown sugar / teaspoon salt - / teaspoons cornstarch heat vinegar, add apple, onion, and seasonings; when boiling stir in the sugar and cornstarch mixed together; cook fifteen minutes. serve cold with ham or pork. .--soubise sauce follow recipe for white sauce (see no. ), and add one-fourth cup of stock, and three onions which have been cooked until tender in boiling salted water and then drained and chopped. .--white sauce tablespoons shortening / teaspoon salt tablespoons flour / teaspoon pepper cup milk melt shortening, add flour, and stir until well blended; add milk and seasonings, and beat with wire whisk until smooth. for a thin sauce, use one and one-half tablespoons flour. .--bread stuffing / cup beef drippings or bacon fat / teaspoon pepper teaspoon grated onion teaspoons poultry seasoning cups soft stale bread crumbs / cup boiling water / teaspoon salt melt fat in the frying pan, add onion and crumbs, and stir until crumbs begin to brown; add seasonings and boiling water; cool slightly before using. .--crust stuffing cups bread crusts broken cup boiling water and dried in oven tablespoon grated onion / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / cup sausage fat tablespoon poultry seasoning put crusts in a bowl, add salt, sausage fat, and boiling water; let stand ten minutes; mix well, and add seasonings. .--fish stuffing (bread) tablespoons shortening teaspoon grated onion cup soft stale bread crumbs teaspoon chopped parsley / teaspoon salt tablespoon chopped pickles / teaspoon pepper / cup boiling water melt shortening, add crumbs, and stir until crumbs are golden brown, then add seasonings and water. the pickles may be omitted, or capers may be used in place of them. .--peanut stuffing cup dried bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / cup boiling water / teaspoon paprika tablespoons bacon fat teaspoon grated onion / cup shelled peanuts mix bread crumbs with boiling water and bacon fat, add peanuts finely chopped, and seasonings. chapter xi eggs .--boiled eggs for a soft-boiled egg, place egg in rapidly boiling water and boil from three to five minutes. for hard-boiled eggs, place in rapidly boiling water and boil twenty minutes, or cover with boiling water and cook in the double boiler one hour. for a soft-cooked egg, not boiled, place egg in a small saucepan of boiling water, cover, and let stand on back of range from six to eight minutes, when the albumen should be evenly coagulated throughout. the time for cooking in this way will depend upon the number of eggs to be cooked, the size of the saucepan, and the amount of boiling water. for uniform results, use medium-sized eggs, cook in the same pan, and measure the quantity of water each time. thus you can find the exact time required to cook the eggs as desired. .--creamy eggs on toast eggs cups hot milk / teaspoon salt teaspoon butter / teaspoon pepper slices toast beat eggs slightly, add salt and pepper, and stir into the hot milk; cook over hot water, stirring constantly until mixture is thick and creamy. add butter, and serve on toast. .--creole eggs tablespoon butter teaspoon salt tablespoon chopped onion teaspoon worcestershire sauce tablespoon chopped green pepper eggs cups tomato tablespoons cheese cook onion and pepper in butter for five minutes; add tomato and seasonings, and when thoroughly heated add the eggs unbeaten; pick up with a fork until eggs are nearly cooked; add cheese, and cook about one minute. serve on toast, or with a border of boiled rice. .--eggs with cheese and spaghetti - / tablespoons butter teaspoon worcestershire sauce tablespoons flour / teaspoon onion juice cups hot milk / cup cheese cut fine / teaspoon paprika cup cooked spaghetti / teaspoon salt hard-cooked eggs sliced melt butter, add flour; when well blended add milk gradually and stir until smooth; add seasonings and cheese, and stir until cheese melts; add spaghetti and eggs, cook two minutes, and serve on toast or crackers. .--eggs with ham and tomato / can tomatoes beaten eggs slice onion / teaspoon pepper cloves / teaspoon salt / cup chopped cooked ham cook tomatoes, onion, and cloves fifteen minutes, and rub through a sieve; add ham, eggs, and seasonings, and cook three or four minutes, stirring all the time. serve on toast or crackers. .--bread omelet tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon salt / cup soft stale bread crumbs / teaspoon paprika / cup hot milk eggs melt fat in frying pan, add bread crumbs, and stir until crumbs begin to brown; add hot milk, and let stand five minutes; add salt and paprika, and the yolks beaten until thick and light; fold in the stiffly beaten whites, pour into a hot greased omelet pan, and cook the same as light omelet (see no. ). .--creamy omelet eggs / teaspoon salt cup white sauce (see no. ) / teaspoon pepper beat yolks until thick and light; add to sauce and mix well; add salt and pepper to whites of eggs, beat until stiff and dry, and fold into sauce; pour into a hot greased omelet pan, and cook slowly until well risen and firm; put on oven grate for a minute or two to dry the top; fold, and turn on a hot platter. .--french omelet tablespoon butter or bacon fat / teaspoon pepper eggs / cup hot water / teaspoon salt heat fat in the omelet pan; beat the eggs until yolks and whites are well mixed, but not light; add seasonings and hot water, pour into hot pan and cook slowly; pick up with fork while cooking, letting the uncooked mixture run into the place of the cooked; when firm and lightly browned, fold double, and serve plain on a hot platter; or spread before folding with left-over bits of meat chopped, such as ham, bacon, or sausage, or with grated cheese or jelly. .--french cheese omelet eggs slightly beaten / cup hot water / teaspoon salt / cup grated cheese / teaspoon pepper mix in order given, pour into a hot greased omelet pan; as mixture thickens, pick up with a fork, letting the uncooked part take the place of the cooked; when firm, fold, and serve on a hot platter. .--ham omelet / cup stale bread crumbs / teaspoon pepper / cup hot milk eggs tablespoon butter / cup cooked ham finely chopped / teaspoon salt mix crumbs, milk, butter, and seasonings, and let stand five minutes; add egg yolks beaten until thick and light; add the meat, and fold in the whites of eggs beaten stiff; pour into a hot greased omelet pan and cook slowly until firm; fold, and serve at once. a white sauce or tomato sauce may be served around it. a few pieces of cooked bacon chopped fine may be used instead of ham. .--light omelet tablespoon bacon fat / teaspoon pepper yolks of eggs / cup hot water / teaspoon salt whites of eggs put fat in omelet pan; beat yolks until light and thick, add seasonings and hot water; fold in the stiffly beaten whites, and pour into the hot omelet pan; cook slowly until well risen and firm, or about twelve minutes, placing the pan on the upper grate in the oven for the last two minutes. when firm in the center, fold double, turn on a hot platter, and serve at once, either plain or with sauce. the omelet must be cooked slowly so that it will be firm throughout, and not fall. white sauce (see no. ), either plain or with bits of cold meat, oysters, peas, or other left-over vegetables, or brown sauce (see no. ) with a few mushrooms or chopped kidneys (see no. ), or almost any savory sauce, improves an omelet, and also makes it go further. .--salmon omelet tablespoon butter / teaspoon salt tablespoons flour / can salmon / cup milk eggs melt butter, stir in flour, add milk, and stir until smooth; add salt; rinse salmon with hot water; flake, and add to sauce; beat yolks of eggs until light and thick, and add to sauce; fold in whites of eggs beaten very stiff. pour into a hot greased omelet pan, and cook slowly until well risen and firm; finish cooking on top grate of oven for a minute or two; fold, and serve on a hot platter. .--scalloped eggs with cheese hard-cooked eggs / cup cheese cut fine cups white sauce (see no. ) / cup buttered crumbs (see no. ) cut eggs in eighths lengthwise; put half of them into a greased baking dish, cover with half of sauce, and sprinkle with half of cheese; repeat; cover with crumbs, and bake about fifteen minutes, or until crumbs are brown. bacon or sausage fat may be used in making the white sauce. .--scrambled eggs with sausages small sausages / teaspoon salt eggs / cup water cut sausages in half-inch bias pieces, and cook in a frying pan until brown; beat eggs until light, add salt and water, pour over sausages, and scramble until firm. garnish with toast points and parsley. .--scrambled eggs with tomato / can condensed tomato soup eggs slightly beaten / teaspoon soda slices buttered toast heat soup in an omelet pan; add soda, and stir while foaming; add eggs, scramble slowly with a fork until firm, and serve on toast. garnish with toast points. .--shirred eggs grease individual egg shirrers or a platter which can be put in oven; cover bottom of dish with white sauce or left-over gravy, sprinkle with left-over vegetables or bits of meat chopped; carefully break an egg into dish for each person, dust with salt and pepper; sprinkle with buttered crumbs, and bake in a moderate oven until egg is set. .--shirred eggs with ham cup finely chopped cooked ham / cup buttered crumbs (see no. ) cup soft bread crumbs eggs / cup milk salt and pepper mix ham, soft crumbs, and milk, and spread in four buttered egg shirrers; make a hollow in the middle, break an egg into it, season lightly with salt and pepper, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake until egg is set. .--soufflÉed egg with ham toast for each person cut a round of bread three inches in diameter; spread with finely chopped ham moistened with milk, stock, or gravy; add a few grains of salt to the white of an egg, and beat very stiff; mound on ham, make a depression in the center, put in the yolk, dust lightly with salt and pepper, and bake in a moderate oven until egg is firm. when several pieces of toast are to be made, keep the yolks in separate dishes until needed, but beat the whites together. .--shirred eggs with potato and ham see recipe for baked ham and potato (no. ). chapter xii cheese and nuts .--cheese croustades - / cups cheese cut fine / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon salt teaspoon brand's a sauce / teaspoon mustard tablespoons milk or cream mix in order given; fill croustades (see no. ), and put in a hot oven until cheese melts. serve immediately, before cheese toughens. .--cheese custard cup soft bread crumbs / teaspoon salt cup cheese cut fine / teaspoon soda / teaspoon mustard egg slightly beaten / teaspoon paprika cup hot milk mix in order given, turn into a greased baking dish, and bake in a slow oven twenty-five minutes. .--cheese fondue / cup dried bread crumbs / teaspoon paprika / cup boiling water teaspoon mustard tablespoon butter / cup milk cup cheese cut fine yolks of two eggs / teaspoon salt whites of two eggs mix in the order given, beating the yolks until thick and light, and the whites until very stiff; pour into a greased baking dish, bake twenty-five minutes in a slow oven, and serve at once. .--cottage cheese quart thick sour milk / tablespoon soft butter quart boiling water / teaspoon salt put milk in a large bowl, add boiling water, and let stand five minutes; pour into cheesecloth bag, and drain over night or for several hours. mix cheese with butter and salt, press into a small bowl, and chill. a sweet red pepper (canned) may be pressed through a sieve and mixed with cheese. .--crackers and cheese baked in milk split butter crackers, spread with butter and grated cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put in a buttered baking dish, cover with milk, and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. .--cheese paste / pound american cheese teaspoons worcestershire sauce cake cream cheese / teaspoon salt pimientos / cup cream chop american cheese and pimientos, using the finest cutter in the food chopper; add cream cheese and seasonings, and blend with cream until smooth. .--baked rice with cheese cups cooked rice / teaspoon pepper / cup grated cheese / cup hot milk / teaspoon salt arrange rice and cheese in layers in a greased baking dish; sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover with milk, and bake in a moderate oven about fifteen minutes. .--scalloped toast and cheese slices of toast egg beaten cup cheese cut fine / teaspoon salt - / cups milk / teaspoon mustard butter toast, cut each slice into four pieces, and arrange in a baking dish in layers sprinkled with cheese; mix milk, egg, and seasonings, pour over toast, and let stand fifteen minutes. bake in a moderate oven about twenty minutes. .--tomato rarebit can condensed tomato soup / pound cheese cut fine / cup soft bread crumbs / teaspoon mustard heat soup, add bread crumbs, cheese, and mustard; stir until cheese melts, and serve on toast or crackers. .--welsh rarebit tablespoon butter / teaspoon paprika tablespoon flour / teaspoon salt cup hot milk / teaspoon soda / pound cheese cut fine dash of cayenne / teaspoon mustard beaten egg melt butter, add flour, and when well mixed add milk, and stir until smooth; add cheese and seasonings, and cook until cheese is melted; add egg, cook two or three minutes, and serve on hot toast or crisp pilot crackers. the egg may be omitted. .--salted almonds cup almonds (shelled) teaspoon salt tablespoon butter cover almonds with boiling water and let stand on back of range for ten minutes; slip off the skins, and dry for several hours, or over night; melt butter, add almonds and salt, and mix well; spread in a dripping pan, and bake in a slow oven fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring occasionally. when prepared in this way nuts will keep crisp. .--peanut butter quarts lightly roasted peanuts cream or melted butter teaspoon salt remove shells and skins of peanuts, and put through the food chopper twice, using first a coarse cutter, and then the finest cutter; add salt, and enough cream or melted butter to make a smooth paste. .--to shell chestnuts cover with boiling water, boil ten minutes, drain, and cover with cold water. remove the shell with a knife, beginning at top of nut. the inner skin will come off with the shell. .--baked chestnuts pint chestnuts tablespoon butter - / cups hot ham stock / teaspoon pepper shell chestnuts, put in baking dish with stock, butter, and pepper; cover, and bake in hot oven about half an hour, or until soft; remove cover, and brown. if stock is very salt, dilute with water or milk. --celery, nut, and potato loaf cups celery cut in half-inch pieces egg slightly beaten / cup chopped nut meats teaspoon salt cups hot mashed potato / teaspoon paprika tablespoons butter teaspoon grated onion cook celery in boiling salted water about half an hour, or until tender, and drain; add other ingredients in order given; mix well; pack in deep greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven about half an hour. turn out on platter, and serve with creole sauce (see no. ) or tomato sauce (see no. ). .--nut loaf cups soft stale bread crumbs / teaspoon paprika cup nut meats finely chopped egg slightly beaten teaspoon salt tablespoons sausage fat or butter / teaspoon poultry seasoning / cup boiling water mix in order given; pack in a deep greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven half an hour. turn out on platter, and serve with cheese sauce (see no. ). chapter xiii vegetables[ ] .--boston baked beans quart pea beans / teaspoon soda tablespoon salt / cup molasses teaspoon dry mustard / pound fat salt pork soak beans in cold water over night; drain, cover with cold water, heat to boiling point, and simmer until beans are very tender but not broken; place in an earthen bean pot, add seasonings and pork (which has been scalded, scraped, and scored in half-inch squares); fill pot with boiling water, cover, and bake slowly for eight hours. uncover for the last hour. replenish water as needed. .--thick purÉe of black beans cups beans / teaspoon salt onion / teaspoon pepper carrot tablespoons bacon fat / bay leaf quart boiling water / teaspoon mustard soak beans over night in cold water; drain, add seasonings, bacon fat, and water, and simmer two hours; remove onion, carrot, and bay leaf, and press through a sieve. beat well, and serve with lamb or mutton. .--lima bean loaf cup dried lima beans / teaspoon paprika onion egg slightly beaten carrot tablespoons sausage fat or butter cup dried sifted crumbs / cup boiling water teaspoon salt pimolas teaspoon mustard soak beans over night in cold water, and drain; cover with boiling water, add onion and carrot, and cook until beans are tender; drain, and put through the food chopper with carrot and onion; add crumbs, seasonings, egg, and sausage fat melted in boiling water; add pimolas cut in small pieces, mix well, pack in a greased bread pan, and bake in a moderate oven half an hour. serve with tomato sauce (see no. ). .--baked cabbage cut a small white cabbage in inch pieces, soak in cold water half an hour, and drain; parboil ten minutes, place in greased baking dish, cover with one cup of white sauce (see no. ), and one-half cup of buttered crumbs (see no. ); bake in a moderate oven half an hour. .--cabbage cooked in milk put a small white cabbage through the food chopper, using the coarse cutter; soak in cold water half an hour, drain, cover with equal parts of milk and water, and cook uncovered about twenty-five minutes, or until cabbage is tender. season with salt and pepper. .--braised celery quart celery cut in -inch lengths tablespoons flour tablespoons bacon fat cups stock tablespoon grated onion cook celery, bacon fat, and onion in the frying pan for ten minutes; dredge with flour, put in baking dish, add stock (first rinsing frying pan with a little of it), cover, and bake in a moderate oven an hour and a half. serve on toast. add salt to stock if necessary. .--creamed celery root (celeriac) with cheese peel celery root, cut in half-inch cubes, and cook until tender in boiling salted water, to which a tablespoon of vinegar has been added. to three cups of root add one and one-half cups of white sauce (see no. ); put into a baking dish, sprinkle with a third of a cup of grated cheese, and place in a hot oven until cheese melts. celery may be used in place of celery root. .--southern corn pudding tablespoon bacon fat egg well beaten / green pepper chopped cup milk slice onion chopped / teaspoon salt can corn chopped / teaspoon paprika tablespoons dried bread crumbs slices bacon chopped fine cook pepper and onion in bacon fat five minutes; add corn, crumbs, egg, milk, and seasonings; pour into a greased baking dish, sprinkle with the chopped bacon, and bake in a slow oven until firm, or about twenty-five minutes. .--cucumbers sautÉed peel two cucumbers, cut in halves crosswise, slice in one-third-inch slices lengthwise, and soak in salted water for one hour; drain, dry, dip in flour seasoned with salt and pepper, and sauté in hot fat until brown. serve on toast. .--carrots sautÉed select very small carrots; wash, scrape, and cook until tender in boiling salted water. drain, dredge with flour, and sauté in fat until brown. .--carrots vinaigrette cups carrots cut in half-inch cubes / cup brown sugar / cup vinegar tablespoon shortening cook carrots in boiling salted water until tender, and drain; heat vinegar, sugar, and shortening to the boiling point, add carrots, and cook slowly half an hour, stirring occasionally. .--baked egg plant small egg plant / teaspoon paprika onion finely chopped / cup boiling water cup soft stale bread crumbs tablespoons butter teaspoon salt pare and slice egg plant, cut into half-inch cubes, soak in cold salted water half an hour, and drain; mix with onion, crumbs, and seasonings, and put into a greased baking dish; add boiling water, dot over with butter, and bake one hour in a moderate oven. .--fried egg plant cut a small egg plant in one-third-inch slices; pare; cut each slice in quarters; soak in cold salted water for half an hour; drain; season with pepper and salt, dip in crumbs, then in egg, and then in crumbs again; and fry in deep fat about three minutes. or dip in flour and sauté in butter. .--egg plant julienne cut egg plant in two-inch slices, and pare; cut into quarter-inch vertical slices, and cut slices into quarter-inch strips; soak in cold salted water for half an hour; drain; dry, and fry in deep fat about three minutes. .--creamed leeks cut off tops of two bunches of leeks, and soak in cold water ten minutes; drain, and cook in boiling salted water about twenty minutes, or until tender; drain, and serve with white sauce (see no. ). the tops may be used for flavoring soups. .--onions in potato nests quart small white onions / teaspoon pepper tablespoon butter tablespoon butter potatoes / cup hot milk / teaspoon salt tablespoon chopped parsley peel onions and cook in boiling salted water about one hour, or until tender; drain, and add butter. pare, boil, and mash potatoes, season with pepper and salt, add butter and hot milk, and beat until light; shape potato into small nests with a spoon, or force through a bag and a rose tube. fill with onions and sprinkle with parsley. .--green peas (canned) remove from can and rinse with cold water; put in saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to boiling point, and drain. season with one-half teaspoon salt, one-fourth teaspoon pepper, one tablespoon butter, and two tablespoons of milk. .--peas and lettuce head lettuce tablespoon butter / cup stock or water tablespoon flour / teaspoon salt can peas / teaspoon pepper sprig mint teaspoon sugar wash lettuce, drain, and chop; add stock and salt, and simmer half an hour; add pepper and sugar, and thicken with butter and flour blended together; add peas drained from their liquor, and mint, and simmer ten minutes. remove mint before serving. .--stuffed green peppers green peppers / cup tomatoes tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon salt teaspoon grated onion / cup buttered crumbs cup cooked rice cut off one inch of the tops of peppers, and chop the tops; remove seeds and veins from peppers, scald with boiling water, and drain; cook chopped pepper with onion in the bacon fat for five minutes; add rice, tomatoes, and salt; fill peppers, cover with crumbs, place in a baking dish or in individual ramekins, and bake in a moderate oven half an hour. .--boiled potatoes wash potatoes, pare as thin as possible, remove the eyes, and soak in cold water from fifteen minutes to one hour, according to the age of the potato; cook in boiling salted water about half an hour, or until tender, allowing one tablespoon of salt to two quarts of boiling water. drain, and dry on the back of the range or in the front of the oven with the door open. serve very hot in an uncovered dish. .--baked potatoes select medium-sized potatoes, scrub well, place in tin pan, and bake in a hot oven for about forty minutes. .--creamed potatoes cups raw potato balls cup white sauce (see no. ) or half-inch cubes teaspoon finely chopped parsley slice onion cook potatoes with the onion in boiling salted water until tender; drain; remove the onion, mix with sauce, and sprinkle with parsley. if potato balls are used, cover unused potato with water and save for soup. .--potato croutons cut potatoes in one-third-inch cubes, rinse with cold water, dry in a towel, and fry about two minutes in deep fat. .--french fried potatoes wash and pare medium-sized potatoes, cut in eighths lengthwise, and soak in cold water for half an hour; drain, dry, and fry in deep fat about seven minutes; drain on soft paper, and sprinkle with salt. cook only one layer in the basket at a time. .--hashed brown potatoes melt in the frying pan four tablespoons sausage fat, beef drippings, or other fat; add two cups chopped boiled potatoes, season, and cook slowly twenty minutes, or until well browned; fold double, and garnish with parsley. .--lyonnaise potatoes boiled potatoes tablespoons sausage fat / teaspoon salt slices onion finely chopped / teaspoon pepper cut potatoes in half-inch cubes, and season with salt and pepper; put fat in frying pan, add onion, and cook slowly for ten minutes; add potatoes, stir well, and cook for ten minutes without browning. .--pan-roasted potatoes (franconia) prepare potatoes as for boiling (see no. ), boil ten minutes, drain, and cook in roasting pan with meat about forty minutes; baste often with fat in pan. .--scalloped potatoes with cheese wash and pare four potatoes, cut in very thin slices, put half of them in a greased baking dish; dredge with flour, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and two tablespoons grated cheese; repeat; cover with hot milk, and bake in a moderate oven one hour, or until potatoes are tender. very old potatoes should not be used in this way. .--scalloped potatoes with peppers and cheese quart half-inch potato cubes / teaspoon salt onion chopped / teaspoon paprika tablespoons bacon fat canned red peppers tablespoons flour / cup grated cheese cups hot milk / cup buttered crumbs cook potatoes and onion in boiling salted water twenty minutes, and drain; melt bacon fat, add flour, and blend well; add milk and stir until smooth; add salt, paprika, peppers chopped, and cheese; mix with potatoes; turn into a greased baking dish, cover with buttered crumbs (see no. ), and bake fifteen minutes, or until brown. .--stuffed potatoes with cheese and bacon large potatoes / teaspoon paprika tablespoons grated cheese / cup hot milk / teaspoon salt slices bacon wash potatoes and bake in a hot oven forty-five minutes; cut in halves lengthwise, remove potato, and force through potato ricer; add cheese, seasonings, and hot milk, beat vigorously, and refill potato skins; place half a slice of bacon on top of each, and put on the upper grate of a hot oven until bacon is crisp. .--stuffed potatoes with nuts and cheese hot baked potatoes / tablespoon butter / cup nuts chopped fine / teaspoon salt / cup grated cheese / teaspoon pepper / cup milk butter and paprika cut potatoes in halves, lengthwise, remove potato, and mash; add nuts, cheese, milk, butter, and seasonings, and beat until very light; refill shells, heaping mixture in the center, make a slight depression with spoon, put in a small bit of butter, sprinkle with paprika, and brown in a hot oven. .--french fried sweet potatoes cut cold boiled sweet potatoes into eighths lengthwise, fry in deep fat until brown, drain on soft paper, and sprinkle with salt. .--glazed sweet potatoes cut cooked sweet potatoes in one-third-inch slices lengthwise, put in a greased dripping pan, brush with melted butter or drippings, sprinkle thickly with brown sugar, and bake in a hot oven until glazed with melted sugar. .--sweet potato custard cooked sweet potatoes / nutmeg grated eggs / cup brown sugar / teaspoon salt quart milk force potatoes through a ricer; beat the eggs and milk with potato; add other ingredients, pour into buttered baking dish or cups, and bake in a slow oven until firm. .--stuffed sweet potatoes medium-sized baked sweet potatoes tablespoon butter / teaspoon salt / cup milk / teaspoon pepper powdered sugar cut baked potatoes in halves lengthwise; mash potatoes, add salt, pepper, butter, and milk, and beat well; fill potato shells lightly, sprinkle thickly with sugar, and bake in a hot oven until brown. sliced marshmallows may be used instead of sugar. .--creamed salsify (oyster plant) cut off the tops of a bunch of salsify; scrape, cut in quarter-inch slices, and keep white by putting in cold water with a tablespoon of vinegar in it until ready to cook; drain; cook in boiling salted water about twenty-five minutes, or until tender; drain, and mix with one cup of white sauce (see no. ). .--spinach pick over spinach, and wash well in several waters; put in kettle without water, cover, and cook about half an hour, or until tender; chop fine and season with salt, pepper, and butter. a thin slice of fat salt pork or a tablespoon of bacon fat may be cooked with spinach if preferred. in that case, omit butter. or cook in ham or corned beef stock, drain, and season only with pepper. garnish with thin slices of hard-cooked egg, or sprinkle with the yolk of egg pressed through a sieve. .--baked winter squash cut half a small squash into four pieces, scrape out seeds and stringy part, put in a pan, shell side up, and bake in a hot oven about forty minutes. remove from shell with a spoon, press through a sieve, season with salt, pepper, and butter, and serve. or put in a greased baking dish, cover with buttered crumbs (see no. ), and bake until crumbs are brown. .--plymouth succotash / cup dried lima beans / teaspoon pepper corned beef stock / cup corned beef cut in small pieces / can corn soak beans over night, drain, cover with cold water, and cook one hour; drain, cover with stock, and cook until tender; add corn, pepper, and meat, and simmer ten minutes. add salt if necessary. any stock or left-over bits of meat may be used. .--baked tomatoes cut four tomatoes in halves crosswise, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cover with buttered crumbs; bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes, and serve with mustard pickle sauce (see no. ) or cooked salad dressing. .--tomato custard can tomatoes cloves cup water / bay leaf - / teaspoons salt tablespoons sugar / teaspoon pepper / cup cracker dust slices onion eggs simmer tomatoes, water, and seasonings for fifteen minutes, and press through a sieve; add crumbs and slightly beaten eggs, and bake in greased custard cups about twenty minutes, or until firm; turn out on platter and pour cheese sauce (see no. ) around them. .--fried green tomatoes wipe tomatoes, cut in thick slices, season with salt and pepper, dip first in flour, then in egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat until brown. or season, dip in flour only, and sauté in butter. .--stewed tomatoes can tomatoes, or / teaspoon pepper ripe tomatoes / teaspoon soda teaspoon salt tablespoon butter teaspoon sugar / cup bread crust crumbs put tomatoes in a stew pan; if fresh tomatoes are used, scald, peel, and cut in pieces. add seasonings, except pepper, and cook slowly for thirty minutes; add butter and crumbs just before serving. .--stuffed tomatoes select six medium-sized tomatoes; cut a thin slice from the top of each, and remove the pulp; rub slices through a sieve, and add to pulp; add one cup soft stale bread crumbs, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon worcestershire sauce, and one tablespoon tomato ketchup; mix well, fill tomatoes, cover with buttered crumbs (see no. ), and bake in a moderate oven half an hour. .--creamed white turnips cook two cups of half-inch cubes of white turnip in boiling salted water half an hour, or until tender; drain, and mix with one cup of white sauce (see no. ). .--vegetable hash cups cooked cabbage / teaspoon pepper cup cooked potatoes teaspoon salt cup cooked turnips tablespoons beef drippings cup cooked beets / cup stock or water tablespoon grated onion mix vegetables and seasonings; melt fat in frying pan, add vegetables and stock; cook slowly half an hour. fold, and serve on a hot dish. if vegetables are left from a boiled dinner, omit salt. footnotes: [ ] for cooking common vegetables for which recipes are not given in this chapter, see time table for cooking (page ). chapter xiv cereals, macaroni, and rice .--corn meal mush - / cups boiling water cup fine corn meal teaspoon salt add meal to boiling salted water by sifting it slowly through the fingers, while stirring rapidly with the other hand. boil for ten minutes, and cook over hot water for two hours. serve hot as a cereal. or pour into one-pound baking powder boxes to cool; slice, dip in flour, and sauté in butter; or dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve either for breakfast, or as an accompaniment to roast pork, or, with sirup, for dessert. .--steamed hominy cups boiling water cup fine hominy teaspoon salt put salt and boiling water in top of double boiler, place in direct contact with range, sift in hominy slowly, and boil for ten minutes, stirring often; cover, and cook over hot water two hours. .--scalloped macaroni and cheese - / cups elbow macaroni / cup cheese cut fine onion / teaspoon mustard cup white sauce (see no. ) / cup buttered crumbs (see no. ) cook macaroni and onion in boiling salted water until tender, and drain; remove onion, add cheese and mustard to sauce and mix with macaroni; turn into a greased baking dish, cover with crumbs, and bake in a moderate oven until crumbs are brown. .--noodle paste egg / teaspoon salt tablespoon water bread flour beat egg slightly, add water, salt, and flour enough to make a very stiff dough; knead well for three minutes, adding flour if necessary. roll out as thin as possible; cut in fancy shapes with small vegetable cutter; or roll like a jelly roll and cut thin slices from the end. cook in soup, or in boiling salted water. if served as a vegetable, season with butter, salt, and pepper, or serve with white sauce (see no. ). .--noodle balls (for soup) roll noodle paste (see no. ) very thin, fold double, and cut with small round vegetable cutter, or end of pastry tube; fry in deep fat until puffed into balls. drain on soft paper. .--scotch oatmeal cups boiling water cup oatmeal teaspoon salt put water and salt in top of double boiler, place in direct contact with range, sift in oatmeal slowly, and boil for five minutes, stirring often; cover, and cook over hot water four hours, or cook on back of range over night. .--polenta with cheese cups boiling water cup corn meal cups milk cup cheese grated, or soft cheese cut fine teaspoon salt heat water and milk to the boiling point, add salt, and sift in corn meal very slowly. cook over hot water two hours, or put into a fireless cooker for three hours. when cooked, add cheese, pour into a shallow pan until half an inch thick. when cold, cut into two-inch squares, dip in crumbs, then in egg, and then again in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. or roll in flour and sauté in butter. mustard, cayenne, worcestershire sauce, etc., may be added if desired. .--polenta with dates prepare recipe for polenta with cheese (see no. ), using in place of the cheese one and a half cups of dates, which have been washed, stoned, and cut in pieces. serve hot as a cereal or dessert, or in any way in which mush is served. cooked dried peaches, apricots, prunes, or figs may be substituted for dates. .--french fried polenta prepare recipe for polenta with cheese (see no. ); pour into a shallow pan until two-thirds of an inch thick; cool; cut into strips about three inches long; dip first in crumbs, then in egg, and then again in crumbs; and fry in deep fat. .--spanish polenta cups boiling water green pepper teaspoon salt cup corn meal onion cup cheese cut fine add salt to boiling water; add onion and pepper chopped fine; sift in corn meal very slowly, stirring all the time. cook over hot water for two hours; add cheese, and serve hot with tomato sauce (see no. ). .--baked rice and ham / cup rice / cup cooked ham finely chopped - / cups stock or water tablespoon onion finely chopped cups milk tablespoons carrot finely chopped wash rice, place in greased baking dish; add liquid, ham, vegetables, and salt if necessary. bake slowly for three hours, stirring occasionally during the first hour. ham stock or corned beef stock may be used, and any cooked meat substituted for ham. serve with boiled spinach or dressed lettuce. .--boiled rice wash one cup rice, and add slowly to two quarts of boiling salted water, allowing one tablespoon of salt; cook until tender, pour into strainer, rinse with boiling water, and put in oven or on back of range for a few minutes, until the grains separate. very old rice is improved by soaking in cold water for an hour or two before cooking. corned beef or ham stock may be used in place of salted water. .--rice and coconut loaf cups cooked rice / teaspoon paprika cup stewed and strained tomatoes / teaspoon mustard tablespoon grated onion can grated coconut teaspoons salt tablespoons melted bacon fat egg slightly beaten mix all ingredients except the bacon fat; put into a deep greased pan, cover with bacon fat, and bake in a slow oven one hour. .--risotto / cup rice onion chopped cup boiling water green pepper chopped teaspoon salt / can tomatoes tablespoons bacon fat / teaspoon paprika cook rice with boiling water and salt in top of double boiler twelve minutes, cook onion and pepper in bacon fat ten minutes, stirring often; add tomatoes and paprika, mix with rice, and cook forty-five minutes. .--steamed samp / cup samp / teaspoon salt - / cups boiling water wash samp, soak over night in cold water, and drain; put boiling water and salt in top of double boiler, and place directly on the range; add samp slowly, and boil five minutes; place over hot water and cook for four hours. .--corn meal and beef scrapple - / cups corned beef stock cup corned beef cut in small pieces cup corn meal cook meal in stock as directed in corn meal mush (see no. ), add meat, and pour into a deep bread pan; when cold, either slice and serve cold, or dip in flour and sauté in butter, or dip in crumbs, then in egg, and then again in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. if stock is very salt, dilute with water or milk. any kind of stock or meat may be used in place of corned beef. .--wheat and sausage scrapple - / cups boiling water cup cream of wheat teaspoon salt / pound link sausage stir wheat slowly into boiling salted water, cook five minutes, place over hot water, and cook half an hour. cook sausages in frying pan until brown, cut into half-inch pieces, add to mush, and pour into deep pan to cool. serve sliced cold, sautéed, or fried. .--baked spaghetti and ham cups cooked spaghetti - / cups white sauce (see no. ) / cup cooked ham finely chopped tablespoons tomato ketchup hard-cooked egg chopped / cup buttered crumbs (see no. ) put half of spaghetti into a greased baking dish; mix ham and egg, and add half of it to spaghetti; mix sauce and ketchup, and pour half of it over ham; repeat; cover with crumbs, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. .--creole spaghetti cups spaghetti broken in -inch pieces cup tomatoes onion chopped fine / teaspoon salt green pepper chopped fine / teaspoon paprika tablespoons bacon fat cook spaghetti in boiling salted water until tender, and drain; cook onion and pepper in bacon fat for ten minutes, stirring often; add tomatoes and seasonings, put in top of double boiler, add spaghetti, and cook half an hour. macaroni may be used in place of spaghetti. .--italian spaghetti cups spaghetti broken in -inch pieces / bay leaf / onion can condensed tomato soup cloves / cup grated cheese cook spaghetti in boiling salted water with the onion, cloves, and bay leaf until tender; drain, remove onion, cloves, and bay leaf; add soup and cheese, and heat to boiling point. one-half can tomatoes seasoned, stewed until thick, and pressed through a sieve, may be used in place of soup. macaroni may be used in place of spaghetti. chapter xv croquettes and fritters[ ] .--to clarify fat melt fat, add one pared and sliced raw potato, a pinch of soda, and a tablespoon of water; heat slowly, and cook until fat stops bubbling; strain through double cheesecloth. .--to try out fat cut any surplus fat into pieces, put into double boiler, cover, cook slowly until fat is extracted, and strain through double cheesecloth. .--crumbs for fried food dry left-over bits of bread in a slow oven, put through food chopper, using finest cutter, and sift through a coarse sieve. keep in covered jars. .--egg for dipping fried food break egg into a soup plate or similar shallow dish, beat enough to mix yolk and white, and add one-fourth cup of cold water or one-third cup of milk. coat food thoroughly to prevent soaking fat. .--cheese balls - / cups cheese cut fine / teaspoon mustard tablespoon flour / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon salt whites of eggs beaten stiff mix in order given, shape in balls about one inch in diameter, roll in sifted crumbs, and fry in deep fat until brown. drain on soft paper, and serve hot. serve with the salad course or as a savory. .--cheese croquettes tablespoons shortening / teaspoon paprika / cup bread flour / teaspoon mustard cup hot milk few grains cayenne / teaspoon salt cup cheese cut fine melt shortening, add flour; add hot milk, and stir until smooth and thick; add seasonings and cheese, and pour into a shallow dish to cool. shape into small pyramids, roll in sifted crumbs, dip in egg, and again in crumbs, and fry in deep fat until brown. serve immediately. .--fish croquettes cups cold flaked fish salt and cayenne tablespoon lemon juice cup croquette sauce (see no. ) few drops onion juice use remnants of baked or boiled fish, sprinkle with lemon and onion juice, dust lightly with salt and cayenne, and mix with sauce. when cold, shape into small croquettes or cutlets, dip in crumbs, egg, and again in crumbs, and fry in hot deep fat one minute. .--meat croquettes to two cups of cooked meat cut in small pieces add one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce and a few drops of onion juice; mix with one cup of croquette sauce (see no. ) and put on ice until cold. shape into small croquettes or cutlets, roll in crumbs, dip in egg, and again in crumbs, and fry in hot deep fat. any left-over meat may be used. .--potato and bean croquettes cups cold baked beans tablespoon worcestershire or cup mashed potato brand's a sauce / teaspoon paprika salt if needed press beans through a sieve, add potato and seasonings, mix well, and shape into small pyramids. roll in crumbs, dip in egg, roll in crumbs again, and fry in hot deep fat. drain on soft paper, and serve with tomato sauce (see no. ). .--rice croquettes egg slightly beaten teaspoon worcestershire sauce / teaspoon salt tablespoons cold water / teaspoon onion juice cups cooked rice tablespoon tomato ketchup mix in order given; shape into small pyramids, dip in crumbs, egg, and again in crumbs, and fry in hot deep fat. .--rice and raisin croquettes / cup rice cup hot milk cup boiling water tablespoon butter teaspoon salt tablespoons sultana raisins wash rice, stir into boiling salted water, and boil five minutes, add milk, butter, and raisins, and cook over hot water about twenty-five minutes, or until rice is tender. shape into small pyramids, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot deep fat. serve with currant jelly sauce (see no. ) or lemon sauce (see no. ). .--salmon and potato croquettes rinse a can of salmon with boiling water, and separate into flakes; mix with two cups of hot, well-seasoned mashed potatoes, and a tablespoon of finely chopped mixed pickles. shape into small croquettes, dip in crumbs, egg, and then in crumbs again, and fry in hot deep fat one minute. .--sliced apple fritters cup flour egg well beaten / teaspoon salt / cup cold water tablespoon sugar tart apples mix and sift flour, salt, and sugar; add egg and water, and beat well; pare, core, and cut apples into half-inch slices; dip in batter until well coated, and fry in hot deep fat; drain on soft paper, and dust with powdered sugar. serve with roast pork or sausage, or serve with a liquid sauce as an entrée or a dessert. .--banana fritters cup flour egg well beaten - / teaspoons baking powder / cup cold water / teaspoon salt bananas tablespoon powdered sugar mix and sift dry ingredients, add egg and water, and beat well; press bananas through a sieve, add to batter, and drop from a tablespoon into hot deep fat; drain on soft paper, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with currant jelly sauce (see no. ), or lemon sauce (see no. ), either as an entrée or as a dessert. .--corn fritters can corn teaspoon salt / cup dried and sifted crumbs teaspoon baking powder egg well beaten tablespoon flour / cup milk chop the corn, and add other ingredients in order given. drop from a tablespoon into hot deep fat and fry until brown. or sauté in a hot greased frying pan. .--cranberry fritters egg well beaten cup flour / teaspoon salt - / teaspoons baking powder tablespoons sugar / cup chopped cranberries / cup water mix in order given; drop from a tablespoon into hot deep fat, cook about three minutes, drain on soft paper, and dredge with powdered sugar. .--rice and currant fritters cup flour egg well beaten - / teaspoons baking powder / cup cold water / teaspoon salt cup cooked rice tablespoons sugar tablespoons washed currants / teaspoon nutmeg mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg and water, and beat well; add rice and currants, and drop from a tablespoon into hot deep fat; drain on soft paper, and serve with currant jelly sauce (see no. ), orange marmalade sauce (see no. ), or lemon sauce (see no. ). .--salmon fritters - / cups flour / cup water / teaspoon salt / teaspoon paprika teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon onion juice egg well beaten / can salmon chopped fine sift flour, salt, and baking powder; add egg, water, and seasonings, and beat well; add salmon, and drop from a tablespoon into hot deep fat; cook until brown, drain on soft paper, and serve with sauce tartare (see no. ) or tomato sauce (see no. ). .--doughnuts cups flour / cup sugar - / teaspoons baking powder egg well beaten / teaspoon salt / cup milk / teaspoon nutmeg tablespoon melted shortening mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg, milk, and shortening, and mix well; chill, and roll out on a floured board until half an inch thick; cut, and fry in hot deep fat. a little more flour may be necessary, but the dough should be as soft as can be handled easily. .--small tea doughnuts follow recipe for doughnuts (see no. ), roll mixture very thin, cut with a two-inch doughnut cutter, fry, and dust with powdered sugar. or fry the cut-out centers of large doughnuts, and roll in powdered sugar. .--fried jam cakes roll doughnut mixture very thin, and cut with a three-inch cookie cutter; put a teaspoon of jam on one half, moisten the edges with water, fold double, press edges firmly together, and fry in hot deep fat. dust with powdered sugar. footnotes: [ ] see temperatures for frying (page ). chapter xvi salads and salad dressings .--cooked salad dressing - / cups hot milk tablespoons sugar beaten eggs teaspoons mustard tablespoon salt dash of cayenne tablespoons flour / cup hot vinegar mix dry ingredients, add to egg, and stir into the hot milk; add vinegar slowly, and cook over hot water for ten minutes, stirring constantly at first. cool, put into a preserve jar, cover, and keep in a cool place. whipped cream may be added, if desired, before using. allow one cup for the whole recipe. two tablespoons of melted butter or salad oil may be added, but recipe is very good without either. .--cooked salad dressing (evaporated milk) / teaspoon salt beaten egg teaspoon mustard tablespoon melted butter - / teaspoons sugar / cup evaporated milk - / teaspoons flour / cup hot water few grains cayenne / cup vinegar mix in order given, and cook over hot water for ten minutes, stirring constantly at first. .--currant jelly dressing / cup currant or any other tart jelly juice of / lemon tablespoons candied ginger chopped dash of cayenne tablespoons oil melt the jelly, add ginger, cool slightly; add oil, lemon juice, and cayenne. .--devilled ham dressing egg / teaspoon salt small can devilled ham / teaspoon pepper / cup vinegar / teaspoon mustard / cup water / teaspoon cornstarch beat egg, add ham, vinegar, and water; mix salt, pepper, mustard, and cornstarch; add to ham mixture; and cook over hot water ten minutes. .--french dressing / cup oil / teaspoon pepper / cup vinegar / teaspoon mustard - / teaspoons salt teaspoon powdered sugar put the ingredients in a pint preserve jar; fasten the cover, chill, and shake well before using. keep in the ice-box and use as needed. for use with fruit salad, omit mustard. curry, brand's a sauce, worcestershire sauce, tomato ketchup, or similar condiments may be added in small amounts to vary the flavor. .--mayonnaise dressing yolk of egg / teaspoon paprika teaspoon salt cup salad oil / teaspoon powdered sugar tablespoons vinegar teaspoon mustard tablespoon lemon juice beat the egg yolk; add the seasonings; add oil, a few drops at a time, until mixture thickens; mix vinegar and lemon juice, and add in small quantities, alternating with the oil; as the oil thickens the dressing, dilute with the acid, leaving the finished dressing thick. it is important to have ingredients and utensils cold. .--potato mayonnaise / cup mashed potatoes / teaspoon worcestershire sauce tablespoons oil / teaspoon salt tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon mustard teaspoon horseradish / teaspoon sugar mix in order given and serve with vegetable salad or cold meat. .--russian dressing to mayonnaise dressing (see no. ) add one-third cup of thick chili sauce. cooked salad dressing may be used in place of mayonnaise. .--sour cream dressing / cup sour cream teaspoon powdered sugar / teaspoon salt tablespoons chili sauce beat cream until stiff; add salt, sugar, and chili sauce. .--quick mayonnaise tablespoons butter / teaspoon sugar / teaspoon salt tablespoons oil / teaspoon mustard tablespoon vinegar / teaspoon paprika egg cream butter, add seasonings, and when well mixed add oil all at once; mix well, add vinegar; mix well, add the well-beaten egg yolk, and fold in the stiffly beaten white of egg. do not chill. .--uncooked salad dressing (condensed milk) eggs beaten - / teaspoons salt can condensed milk - / teaspoons mustard / cup melted butter dash of cayenne cup vinegar mix, and beat with egg beater until thickened. .--chicken salad cups cold cooked chicken lettuce cups celery cut fine hard-cooked egg salad dressing cut remnants of chicken in small pieces and mix with celery and salad dressing; arrange on lettuce leaves and garnish with dressing and egg thinly sliced. cabbage and a little celery salt may be used in place of celery. .--coronado salad can tuna fish cooked dressing (see no. ) cups shredded cabbage tablespoons tomato ketchup green pepper cooked and shredded flake fish; shred cabbage very fine; cut pepper in halves, remove seeds, cook in boiling water ten minutes, and shred in inch lengths; mix, arrange on lettuce, and dress with boiled dressing, to which the ketchup has been added. garnish with parsley or pimiento. .--meat and potato salad - / cups cooked meat cut fine / teaspoon salt - / cups cooked potato cut fine tablespoons finely chopped pickle / cup celery cut fine salad dressing mix in order given, cover with dressing, and garnish with sliced pickles and celery tops. white cabbage may be used in place of celery. .--salmon salad can salmon finely chopped pickles cup cooked potato cubes cooked dressing (see no. ) cup shredded lettuce lettuce rinse salmon with boiling water, and separate into flakes; mix with potato, lettuce, and pickles, arrange on lettuce, and cover with dressing. garnish with sliced hard-cooked egg and parsley. .--shrimp salad pint cooked shrimps / cup salad dressing cup chopped white cabbage head lettuce tablespoons capers clean shrimps and break in pieces, reserving a few of the largest; mix with cabbage, capers, and dressing, and serve in lettuce nests. garnish with whole shrimps. canned shrimps may be used. .--tuna fish salad can tuna fish salad dressing cups cooked potato cubes lettuce / cup cooked beet flake tuna fish, mix with potatoes cut into fine cubes, and the beet cut into inch shreds; arrange on lettuce or any crisp salad green; and dress with cooked dressing (see no. ) or mayonnaise (see no. ). .--baked bean salad cups cold baked beans cup cooked dressing (see no. ) cup cooked potato cubes tablespoons tomato ketchup / cup chopped cooked beet tablespoons chopped pickle mix beans, potato, and beets; add ketchup and pickle to dressing, mix with vegetables, and serve on lettuce or any crisp salad green. garnish with radishes. .--bermuda onion salad bermuda onions / bay leaf quarts boiling water small piece lemon peel dozen pepper corns lettuce cloves french dressing (see no. ) / teaspoon salt peel and quarter onions, and cook in boiling water with seasonings until tender; drain, cool, arrange on lettuce, and cover with dressing. garnish with red radishes. .--cabbage and beet salad cups shredded cabbage tablespoons vinegar beets finely chopped / teaspoon white mustard seed / teaspoon salt cooked dressing (see no. ) mix cabbage, beets, salt, vinegar, and mustard seed; arrange on small white cabbage leaves, and dress with cooked dressing. garnish with parsley. .--cabbage and cranberry salad cups finely shredded white cabbage / cup chopped cranberries / cup finely shredded celery mix with cooked dressing (see no. ), and garnish with celery tops and whole cranberries. .--celery root salad cups creamed celery root (see no. ) cup shredded white cabbage cup chopped apple mix, and serve on lettuce with cooked dressing (see no. ) or mayonnaise dressing (see no. ). .--dutch potato salad boiled potatoes / teaspoon celery seed / onion finely chopped / teaspoon white mustard seed teaspoon salt / cup bacon fat / teaspoon pepper / cup hot vinegar cut potatoes into half-inch cubes; add onion, salt, pepper, celery, and mustard seed; heat bacon fat, add vinegar, and pour over potatoes; let stand until cold, and serve on any crisp salad green. garnish with pickled beet. .--leek salad cut leeks in half-inch slices and cook in boiling salted water until tender; drain, chill, and serve on lettuce with french dressing (see no. ); sprinkle with chopped parsley and paprika. .--pepper and cabbage salad / small white cabbage red pepper green pepper salad dressing shred cabbage into fine inch shreds; remove seeds and veins from peppers, and cut into fine shreds. mix with dressing and arrange on small inner cabbage leaves. garnish with parsley and strips of red pepper. .--potato salad potatoes / teaspoon salt onion / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon celery seed salad dressing / teaspoon mustard seed pare potatoes, cut in halves, and cook in boiling salted water with the onion until tender; cool, cut in half-inch cubes, add seasonings, and mix with dressing. cover with dressing, and garnish with parsley, red beets, or cooked carrot. devilled ham dressing (see no. ) is excellent with potato salad. .--sweet potato salad cups of cooked sweet potato cubes tablespoons oil cup white cabbage or celery tablespoon worcestershire sauce finely chopped / teaspoon salt tablespoons vinegar mix and serve on heart cabbage leaves, and garnish with parsley and pickles. .--samoset salad arrange lettuce in salad bowl, cover with slices of pickled beets, and sprinkle thickly with cottage cheese. cover with dressing made of three tablespoons each of beet vinegar and oil, one-fourth teaspoon salt, and one-eighth teaspoon pepper. .--spanish salad head of lettuce tomatoes quartered cups of half-inch cubes of bread french dressing (see no. ) spanish onion chopped fine sliced pickles cucumber sliced shred the coarser leaves of the lettuce, and arrange in salad bowl on heart leaves; cover with bread cubes, sprinkle with onion, add cucumber and tomatoes, and pour french dressing over all. garnish with pickles. .--spanish onion and tomato salad head lettuce green pepper mild onions french dressing (see no. ) ripe tomatoes wash and dry lettuce, and arrange in salad bowl; peel onions, cut in very thin slices, and put on lettuce; peel and slice tomatoes, and place on onions; cut pepper in thin slices, remove seeds and veins, and place on tomatoes; cover with french dressing, and serve very cold with brown bread sandwiches. .--tomato jelly salad can tomatoes / teaspoon soda / onion dash of cayenne cloves / bay leaf teaspoon salt / box gelatine teaspoon sugar / cup cold water cook tomatoes and seasonings for twenty minutes; soak gelatine in cold water for a few minutes; add to tomato, and stir until dissolved; press through a sieve, and fill individual molds, which have been garnished with a slice of hard-cooked egg. serve on lettuce with any dressing preferred. a small amount of clear jelly may be made by allowing mixture to drip through a jelly bag. put into very small molds, and use as a garnish for cold meat or salads. the pulp left in the bag will make excellent soup. .--vegetable salad (cooked) - / cups potatoes french dressing (see no. ) cup beets / teaspoon onion juice / cup white turnip bouillon cube / cup peas cut potatoes, beets, and turnips into half-inch cubes, and mix with peas; dissolve bouillon cube in one tablespoon of boiling water, and add with onion juice to dressing. arrange vegetables on any crisp salad green, and pour dressing over them. .--apple and mint salad cups finely cut apple tablespoons oil tablespoons chopped mint few grains cayenne tablespoons lemon juice head lettuce few gratings lemon rind mix the mint, lemon juice, and rind, cover, and let stand for half an hour; add oil and cayenne, and pour over apple. serve on lettuce and garnish with sprigs of mint. .--banana and apple salad peel and slice three bananas; pare, core, and slice four apples; arrange on lettuce, and cover with currant jelly dressing (see no. ). .--banana and peanut salad peel and scrape bananas, cut crosswise into three pieces, roll in finely chopped peanuts, and serve on lettuce with french dressing (see no. ). .--bellevue salad cup cottage cheese / cup french dressing (see no. ) / cup peanut butter large red apple / teaspoon salt lettuce leaves mix cheese, butter, salt, and dressing until well blended; core apples, cut in one-third-inch slices, and cover each slice with cheese mixture forced through a rose tube; arrange on lettuce, and serve with french dressing. .--cream cheese salad force cream cheese through potato ricer, arrange lightly on lettuce leaves, and dress with a french dressing (see no. ), to which two tablespoons of chili sauce have been added. .--frozen cream cheese mash a cream cheese, season with paprika and salt, moisten with cream, and beat until smooth; pack into individual paper cases, put into a tightly covered tin, and pack in equal parts of salt and ice for three hours. serve on lettuce with french dressing (see no. ), and garnish with bits of currant jelly or mock bar-le-duc currants (see no. ). .--jellied waldorf salad / package gelatine cup celery shredded / cup cold water / cup nut meats chopped cup boiling water lettuce / cup sugar pimolas sliced / cup lemon juice mayonnaise cups apple chopped soak gelatine in cold water five minutes, add boiling water, sugar, and lemon juice; chill until it begins to stiffen; add apples, celery, and nuts; turn into individual molds, and chill. serve on lettuce, and garnish with pimolas and mayonnaise. .--orange and cress salad bunch water cress seedless oranges head romaine french dressing (see no. ) pick over, wash, and dry cress; wash and dry romaine, and arrange in salad bowl; peel and cut oranges in thin slices, and arrange over romaine; put cress around edge of bowl, and cover all with french dressing made with lemon juice instead of vinegar. .--pear salad pears teaspoon jamaica ginger lettuce teaspoon powdered sugar tablespoons oil / teaspoon paprika tablespoons lemon juice pare, quarter, and core fruit; wash and dry lettuce; shred finely the outer leaves, and arrange on the heart leaves; cut quarters of pears lengthwise, place on lettuce, and cover with dressing made of oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. the pears should not be too ripe. .--pineapple, cheese, and date salad for each person allow two lettuce leaves, one slice of pineapple, and three dates stuffed with cream cheese. cut the pineapple in cubes and place on the lettuce; cut dates in halves lengthwise, remove stones, stuff with cream cheese, and arrange on pineapple; sprinkle cheese with paprika, and dress all with french dressing (see no. ). .--pineapple and cottage cheese salad arrange slices of pineapple on crisp lettuce; in the center of each slice place a cottage cheese ball rolled in chopped nut meats; dress with french dressing (see no. ). chapter xvii yeast breads, muffins, and rolls .--white bread cup scalded milk - / teaspoons salt cup boiling water / yeast cake tablespoon sugar / cup lukewarm water tablespoons shortening to cups flour put liquid, sugar, shortening, and salt in the mixing bowl; when lukewarm add the yeast cake (which has been dissolved in lukewarm water); add flour and knead well. the exact amount of flour will depend upon the quality; but enough should be used to make a smooth, soft dough which after kneading is not sticky. cover, and let rise in a warm room until double in bulk; cut down, knead well, and shape into loaves; cover, let rise until double in bulk, and bake in a hot oven about fifty minutes. to hurry the rising of the bread increase the quantity of yeast. bread mixed with two yeast cakes may be made and baked in about three hours. .--bran bread (yeast) / cup boiling water / yeast cake / cup scalded milk / cup lukewarm water tablespoons shortening cup entire wheat flour tablespoons molasses cup white flour - / teaspoons salt cups bran mix water, milk, shortening, molasses, and salt; when lukewarm add yeast cake dissolved in lukewarm water, add flour sifted, and bran, and mix with liquid to a soft dough; let rise until light, cut down, and knead into small loaves, using more bran if necessary to prevent sticking; let rise until nearly double, and bake in hot oven about fifty minutes. .--entire wheat bread follow recipe for white bread (see no. ), using four cups of entire wheat flour and two or more cups of white flour. molasses may be used in place of sugar. .--date bread (not kneaded) cup scalded milk / yeast cake cup boiling water / cup lukewarm water cup molasses cups entire wheat flour tablespoons shortening - / cups white flour teaspoons salt cup dates cut in pieces mix milk, water, molasses, shortening, and salt; when lukewarm, add yeast, dissolved in lukewarm water, and flour; mix, and beat well; let rise until double in bulk; add dates, beat well, turn into two greased bread pans, let rise until light, and bake one hour. the oven should be hot for the first fifteen minutes, and then the heat should be reduced. .--fried bread cut raised bread dough into pieces the size of a small egg, flatten with the rolling pin, cover, let rise until light, and fry in deep fat about three minutes. .--graham and corn bread cup corn meal / cup molasses cup boiling water / yeast cake cup scalded milk / cup lukewarm water tablespoons shortening cups graham flour - / teaspoons salt pour boiling water over corn meal; mix well, add milk and shortening; when lukewarm add salt, molasses, and yeast dissolved in lukewarm water; add flour, beat well, and let rise until double in bulk; beat again, pour into two greased bread pans, let rise until light, and bake about fifty minutes. the oven should be hot for the first fifteen minutes, and then the heat reduced. .--irish bread quart bread dough / cup sugar / cup shortening cup raisins seeded and chopped knead shortening, sugar, and raisins into dough; shape into two round loaves, let rise, brush with milk, and bake in hot oven about forty minutes. .--oatmeal bread cup rolled oats / yeast cake / cup corn meal / cup lukewarm water - / teaspoons salt / cup molasses tablespoon shortening cups flour cups boiling water mix oats, corn meal, salt, and shortening; add boiling water, and let stand one hour; add yeast dissolved in lukewarm water, molasses, and flour. mix well, cover, and let rise until double in bulk; beat well, turn into two greased pans, let rise, and bake in a hot oven about fifty minutes. .--rye bread cup scalded milk / yeast cake cup boiling water / cup lukewarm water tablespoons shortening cups rye flour tablespoons molasses to cups white flour teaspoons salt mix; let rise and bake the same as white bread (see no. ). .--shredded wheat bread shredded wheat biscuit tablespoon shortening cup hot milk / yeast cake cup hot water / cup lukewarm water / cup molasses cups entire wheat flour tablespoon salt crumble the biscuit; add milk, water, molasses, salt, and shortening; when lukewarm add yeast cake dissolved in lukewarm water, and sifted flour; knead well, cover and let rise until double in bulk; cut down, shape into loaves or biscuit, put into greased pans, let rise until light, and bake in a hot oven about fifty minutes for loaves, and twenty-five minutes for biscuit. this makes one loaf and one pan of biscuit. a little more or less flour may be needed. .--buns cup scalded milk / yeast cake / cup shortening / cup lukewarm water / cup sugar / cup currants teaspoon salt - / cups flour mix milk, shortening, sugar, and salt; when lukewarm, add yeast dissolved in lukewarm water; add currants, and flour enough to knead (a little more or less than the three and one-half cups may be required); let rise until double in bulk; knead, and shape into small round buns; place in a greased baking pan two inches apart, and let rise until light; brush with milk, dust with powdered sugar, and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes. .--crescents use parker house roll mixture (see no. ) or any bread dough into which more shortening has been kneaded; roll out half an inch thick, cut into four-inch squares, and cut squares in halves diagonally; brush with melted shortening, and roll firmly, beginning with the diagonal edge. curve into crescent shape, place on greased baking sheet, let rise until light, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. .--parker house rolls cups milk yeast cake / cup shortening / cup lukewarm water teaspoon salt to cups flour tablespoons sugar scald milk; add shortening, salt, and sugar; when cool add yeast dissolved in water; stir in two cups of flour, cover, and let rise until double in bulk; add enough flour to form a soft dough; knead well, and let rise again; cut down with a knife; roll out on lightly floured bread board until about half an inch thick; cut with small round cutter, brush with butter, and fold double; put on baking sheet, cover, and let rise until light, brush with milk, and bake in hot oven about twelve minutes. .--shamrock rolls to one quart of bread dough add one-fourth cup of melted shortening and two tablespoons of sugar. knead well, and shape into small balls about the size of a pecan nut; grease muffin tins, put three balls in each, let rise until light, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. .--swedish coffee rolls cup scalded milk / yeast cake / cup shortening / cup lukewarm water teaspoon salt - / cups flour / cup sugar teaspoon cinnamon egg well beaten tablespoons sugar scald milk, add shortening, salt, and sugar; when lukewarm add egg, yeast dissolved in water, and flour, of which a little more or less may be required; knead well, cover, and let rise until double in bulk; knead again; roll on a floured board until about one-fourth of an inch thick, brush with melted shortening, and sprinkle with cinnamon mixed with sugar; fold dough into three layers, cut in strips three-quarters of an inch thick; twist each strip, and shape like a figure eight, pressing the ends firmly in place; put on a greased baking sheet, let rise until light, and bake in a hot oven twenty minutes. spread with a thin coating of plain icing. .--raised muffins / cup boiling water egg / cup scalded milk / yeast cake teaspoon salt / cup lukewarm water tablespoons sugar - / cups flour tablespoons shortening pour water and milk over salt, sugar, and shortening; when cool add beaten egg, yeast dissolved in water, and flour; beat well and let rise over night; beat again; fill greased muffin pans two-thirds full, let rise, and bake in a hot oven thirty minutes. or place greased muffin rings on a hot greased griddle, fill two-thirds full, and cook on top of range about twenty minutes, turning when half cooked. .--raised corn muffins cup scalded milk / yeast cake tablespoons shortening / cup lukewarm water tablespoons sugar cup corn meal teaspoon salt - / cups flour add shortening, sugar, and salt to milk; when lukewarm add yeast dissolved in water, corn meal, and flour; beat well, let rise over night; beat well, half fill greased muffin rings, let rise until nearly double, and bake in hot oven half an hour. .--raised date muffins follow recipe for date bread (see no. ); half fill greased muffin tins, let rise until light, and bake in a hot oven twenty-five minutes. figs cut in small pieces may be used instead of dates. .--raised oatmeal muffins (uncooked oats) cup rolled oats egg cup scalded milk / yeast cake tablespoons shortening / cup lukewarm water teaspoon salt - / cups flour / cup molasses pour hot milk over oats, add shortening; when lukewarm add salt, molasses, egg well beaten, and yeast cake dissolved in lukewarm water; beat well, and add flour; beat well, and let rise over night; beat again, and half fill greased muffin pans; let rise until nearly double, and bake in a hot oven half an hour. .--raised roulettes roll out to one-half inch thickness any roll or soft raised bread mixture; brush with melted butter, and spread with cinnamon and sugar, fruit, or any of the fillings used for baking powder roulettes (see no. ). roll like a jelly roll until dough is about two and one-half inches in diameter, cut in half-inch slices with a sharp knife, place on greased sheet two inches apart, let rise until light, and bake in a hot oven twenty minutes. chapter xviii baking powder breads, muffins, and biscuit[ ] .--baking powder pound ounces _pure_ cream of tartar / pound cornstarch / pound cooking soda mix and sift thoroughly four times, and store in closely covered jars. .--barley bread cups barley meal teaspoon salt cup graham flour teaspoons baking powder cup white flour cups milk tablespoons sugar sift dry ingredients together, and mix well with milk; turn into a greased bread tin, let stand fifteen minutes, and bake in a moderate oven fifty minutes. raisins, dates, figs, or nuts may be added. .--bran bread cups bran teaspoons baking powder cups entire wheat flour / cup molasses teaspoon salt / cup water / teaspoon soda / cup milk sift flour, salt, soda, and baking powder, and add to bran; add molasses and liquid, and beat well; turn into a greased bread pan; let stand fifteen minutes, and bake in a moderate oven one hour. .--date bread cup corn meal / cup molasses cup entire wheat flour cup dates stoned and cut in pieces cup white flour / cup nut meats chopped - / teaspoons salt egg well beaten / teaspoon soda - / cups milk teaspoons baking powder mix and sift dry ingredients; add other ingredients in order given; mix well, turn into a greased bread pan, cover with a cloth, let stand fifteen minutes; bake in a moderate oven fifty minutes. .--dark nut bread / cup sugar cup bread flour / cup hot water teaspoons baking powder / cup molasses - / teaspoons salt / cup milk / teaspoon soda cups entire wheat flour / cup nut meats finely chopped mix in order given, sifting dry materials together before adding. turn into a greased bread pan, let stand fifteen minutes, and bake in a moderate oven one hour. .--quick raisin bread - / cups entire wheat flour / cup sugar / cup fine corn meal beaten egg teaspoons baking powder - / cups milk teaspoon salt cup seeded raisins cut in halves mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg, milk, and raisins, and mix well; put into a greased bread pan, cover, and let stand fifteen minutes; bake in a moderate oven about fifty minutes. one cup of finely chopped nuts may be added. .--bread crumb brown bread - / cups dried sifted crumbs / cup corn meal cup boiling water cup graham flour / cup molasses / teaspoon salt cup milk - / teaspoons soda put crumbs in mixing dish, add boiling water, and let stand ten minutes; add molasses, milk, and the dry ingredients sifted together. steam the same as steamed indian date bread (see no. ). .--steamed indian date bread - / cups corn meal / cup molasses cup rye meal cup water / cup flour cup milk - / teaspoons soda cup dates teaspoon salt mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses, liquid, and dates which have been stoned and cut in pieces. pour into greased one-pound baking powder boxes, and steam steadily for one and three-quarters hours. or pour into a large greased mold and steam for three hours. .--corn bread (without eggs) / cup corn meal / teaspoon salt / cup flour / teaspoon soda tablespoons sugar - / cups buttermilk or sour milk mix and sift dry ingredients, add buttermilk gradually, and beat well; pour into well-greased shallow pan, and bake in hot oven twenty minutes. .--country corn bread / cup corn meal / teaspoon salt / cup flour beaten egg teaspoons baking powder / cup milk and water mixed tablespoon sugar tablespoons melted bacon fat mix in order given, beat well, and bake in a well-greased shallow pan in a hot oven about twenty minutes. half of the egg will make a very good corn bread. left-over pieces may be split, lightly buttered, and browned in the oven. .--corn muffins cup corn meal tablespoons sugar cup flour beaten egg teaspoons baking powder cup milk and water mixed / teaspoon salt tablespoons melted shortening mix in order given, beat well, and bake in greased gem pans in hot oven twenty minutes. .--corn and rice muffins cup cooked rice tablespoon sugar / cup hot milk egg / cup corn meal / cup flour tablespoons bacon fat teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt pour hot milk over rice, and work with a fork to separate grains; add corn meal, bacon fat, salt, and sugar; when cool add egg well beaten, flour, and baking powder; beat well; bake in well-greased muffin pans in hot oven twenty minutes. .--custard corn cake / cup corn meal cup sour milk / cup flour egg tablespoons sugar tablespoons melted shortening / teaspoon salt / cup sweet milk / teaspoon soda mix and sift dry ingredients; add sour milk and egg well beaten, and beat thoroughly; melt shortening in an earthen baking dish, pour in batter, pour the sweet milk over it, and bake in a hot oven twenty-five minutes. cut in wedge-shaped pieces for serving. .--molasses corn bread cup corn meal egg cup flour / cup molasses teaspoons baking powder cup water / teaspoon salt tablespoons melted bacon fat mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg well beaten, molasses, water, and bacon fat; beat well, pour into a well-greased shallow pan, and bake about twenty minutes in a hot oven. .--rhode island corn cake cup white corn meal tablespoons sugar cup flour egg teaspoons baking powder / cup melted shortening / teaspoon salt cup milk mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg yolk well beaten, shortening, and milk; beat well; fold in the stiffly beaten white of egg, and bake in a greased, shallow pan in hot oven about twenty minutes. .--blueberry muffins follow recipe for cambridge muffins (see no. ); add one cup of blueberries just before putting into the pans. if canned blueberries are used, drain, and dredge with flour before adding to batter. .--bran muffins cups bran / cup molasses cup flour - / cups milk / teaspoon salt tablespoon melted shortening teaspoon soda mix in order given; beat well, and bake in moderate oven about twenty-five minutes. these muffins are moist, keep well, and may be reheated successfully in a covered pan, either over steam or in the oven. .--cambridge muffins / cup shortening cups flour / cup sugar teaspoons baking powder egg / teaspoon salt / cup milk cream the shortening; add the sugar and egg well beaten; beat well, add the milk, flour, baking powder, and salt, which have been sifted together; beat again, and bake in hot greased muffin pans twenty minutes in a moderate oven. .--cheese muffins use recipe for plain muffins (see no. ) or any muffin recipe, omitting the sugar; cut cheese in half-inch cubes, and place three or four pieces on top of each muffin before baking. .--cranberry muffins follow recipe for cambridge muffins (see no. ), and add one cup of cranberries coarsely chopped. .--crumb muffins cup dried and sifted bread crumbs egg tablespoon shortening / cup milk tablespoon sugar / cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder / cup boiling water mix crumbs, shortening, sugar, salt, and boiling water; when cool add the egg well beaten, the milk, flour, and baking powder; beat well and bake in greased muffin pans twenty minutes in a moderate oven. .--date muffins to recipe for plain muffins (see no. ) or cambridge muffins (see no. ) add one cup dates, stoned and cut in small pieces. .--plain muffins cups flour egg teaspoons baking powder cup milk / teaspoon salt tablespoons melted shortening tablespoons sugar mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg well beaten, milk, and shortening; beat well, and bake in greased muffin pans in moderate oven twenty minutes. for fruit muffins add one cup of figs, dates, or cooked prunes cut in pieces. .--rye muffins cup rye flour tablespoons molasses cup white flour egg / teaspoon salt tablespoons melted shortening teaspoons baking powder cup milk mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses, egg well beaten, shortening, and milk; beat well, half fill greased muffin tins, and bake in moderate oven twenty minutes. .--sour milk muffins - / cups flour egg tablespoon sugar cup thick sour milk / teaspoon soda tablespoons melted shortening / teaspoon salt mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg well beaten, sour milk, and shortening; beat quickly, and bake in greased muffin pans in moderate oven twenty minutes. .--buttermilk muffins follow recipe for sour milk muffins (see no. ), using buttermilk instead of sour milk. .--sally lunn cups flour eggs teaspoons baking powder cup milk / teaspoon salt / cup melted shortening tablespoons sugar mix and sift dry ingredients; add eggs well beaten, milk, and shortening; beat thoroughly, pour into shallow greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. .--baking powder biscuit cups flour tablespoons shortening teaspoons baking powder / cup milk teaspoon salt mix and sift dry ingredients, rub in shortening until fine and crumbly, and add milk to form a soft dough; a little more or less may be required, according to the brand of flour used. roll out on a slightly floured board until three-fourths of an inch thick, cut with small cutter, place on greased pan an inch apart, and bake in hot oven twelve minutes. for soft biscuit with little crust, place close together in the pan, and bake five minutes longer. left-over biscuit may be split, lightly buttered, and browned in the oven. .--corn meal rolls cup corn meal / teaspoon salt cup flour tablespoons bacon fat teaspoons baking powder / cup milk mix and sift dry ingredients; rub in shortening with finger tips; add milk, and mix thoroughly; roll lightly, on a floured board, to a thickness of one-half inch; cut with biscuit cutter, brush with milk or water, and fold double. bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. .--bacon sandwich rolls follow recipe for corn meal rolls (see no. ), putting a piece of cooked bacon on half of roll before folding. .--date rolls use recipe for baking powder biscuit (see no. ), roll out one-half inch thick, and cut in rounds with three-inch cutter; spread with soft butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and put a date, split lengthwise and stoned, on half of each roll; fold over, press edges firmly together, brush with milk, and bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. allow one-half teaspoon cinnamon to two tablespoons sugar. cooked and stoned prunes or chopped figs may be used instead of dates. .--quick coffee cake / cup shortening - / cups flour / cup sugar teaspoons baking powder egg / teaspoon salt cup milk and water mixed tablespoons sugar / cup seedless raisins teaspoon cinnamon cream the shortening and sugar; add egg well beaten, milk, raisins, flour, baking powder, and salt; spread in a greased shallow pan, brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar; bake in hot oven fifteen to twenty minutes. .--quick drop biscuit use recipe for baking powder biscuit (see no. ), increasing the milk to one cupful; drop from a tablespoon on a greased pan two inches apart, and bake in a hot oven ten minutes; or half fill greased muffin tins, and bake twelve minutes. .--entire wheat biscuit follow directions for baking powder biscuit (see no. ), using entire wheat flour in place of white flour, and adding one tablespoon of molasses. .--fruit tea biscuit to recipe for quick drop biscuit (see no. ) add one chopped apple, one-half cup of seeded and chopped raisins, two tablespoons of washed currants, and two tablespoons of sugar. put into hot greased muffin pans, and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes. serve for tea, or with a hot liquid sauce for dessert. .--graham biscuit cup graham flour / teaspoon salt / cup fine corn meal tablespoons shortening / cup bran tablespoon molasses teaspoons baking powder / cup milk mix dry ingredients without sifting; rub in shortening with finger tips; add molasses and milk; mix well; roll, cut, and bake as directed for baking powder biscuit (see no. ). .--jam rolls cups flour tablespoons shortening teaspoons baking powder egg teaspoon salt / cup milk tablespoon sugar sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; rub in shortening with finger tips until mealy; add beaten egg and milk, and mix with a knife to a soft dough; roll out one-third of an inch thick, and cut with a round cutter; put a teaspoon of jam on each, moisten the edges with water, fold over, and press firmly together; make two cuts on top so that jam will show, brush with milk, and bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. .--potato scones cups flour cup mashed potato / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening tablespoons baking powder / cup milk sift flour, salt, and baking powder; add potato and shortening, and work in with finger tips; add milk, and mix to a soft dough with a knife; roll out three-quarters of an inch thick on floured board, cut with biscuit cutter, and cook on hot greased griddle about twenty minutes, turning over when half cooked. split, butter, and serve hot. .--scotch scones cup fine oatmeal teaspoons baking powder / cup scalded milk teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening tablespoons sugar cup flour pour hot milk over oatmeal, mix well, add shortening, and let stand until cold; mix and sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; add to oatmeal, and mix well; roll out three-fourths of an inch thick, cut in rounds, and cook on a greased griddle about twenty minutes, turning when half cooked. without baking powder or yeast .--popovers cup flour cup milk / teaspoon salt teaspoon melted butter egg sift flour and salt; beat egg very light, and mix with milk; mix gradually with flour; add melted butter, and beat two minutes with a strong egg beater; pour into hot greased popover cups or pans, and bake in a hot oven twenty to thirty minutes, according to size of pans. the mixture should be very cold, and the pans and oven very hot. .--entire wheat popovers / cup entire wheat flour cup milk / cup corn meal egg / teaspoon salt teaspoon melted butter follow directions for mixing and baking popovers (see no. ). .--graham popovers follow recipe for entire wheat popovers (see no. ), except that graham flour should be used in place of entire wheat. .--breakfast puffs cup entire wheat flour cup ice water / teaspoon salt sift flour and salt, add ice water gradually, and beat three minutes with strong egg beater; bake in hot iron pans in very hot oven twenty minutes. .--maryland beaten biscuit cups flour tablespoons shortening / teaspoon salt cold water sift flour and salt, rub in shortening with tips of fingers, and add enough cold water to make a stiff dough; knead until smooth, and beat with the rolling-pin fifteen minutes, or until dough blisters; roll out about one-third of an inch thick, cut with a small round cutter, prick with a fork, place on a greased baking pan, and chill in the ice-box for half an hour; bake about twenty-five minutes, having the oven very hot for the first ten minutes. a biscuit brake may be used instead of rolling-pin. footnotes: [ ] recipes for breads made light chiefly by soda and an acid (gingerbread, etc.) and for those made light by the expansion of air and moisture (popovers, etc.) are also included in this chapter. chapter xix shortcakes and roulettes .--shortcake - / cups flour tablespoons shortening teaspoons baking powder / cup milk / teaspoon salt mix and sift flour, baking powder, and salt; rub in shortening with finger tips; add milk, and mix well with a knife. spread in two greased layer-cake pans, patting with the back of a tablespoon until pans are evenly filled. bake in a hot oven twelve minutes. if individual shortcakes are preferred, roll, cut with a biscuit cutter, and bake quickly about fifteen minutes; split, and put filling between and on top. .--apple and cranberry shortcake apples teaspoons cornstarch / cup cranberries tablespoons sultana raisins / cup water a few gratings of orange peel / cup sugar core and slice apples, add cranberries and water; cook ten minutes, and press through a sieve; mix sugar and cornstarch, stir into fruit; add raisins and grated rind, and simmer ten minutes; spread between and on top of shortcake, and garnish with a few raisins. .--banana shortcake prepare shortcake (see no. ), slice two small bananas over layer of hot shortcake, and sprinkle with lemon juice and powdered sugar; put on upper layer, cover with two more sliced bananas, sprinkle with lemon juice and sugar, and garnish with bits of jelly. .--date and apple shortcake / pound dates / cup sugar tart apples / teaspoon nutmeg / cup water wash and stone dates, and cut in pieces; pare, core, and slice apples; simmer with dates, water, sugar, and nutmeg until thick enough to spread. spread between and on top of shortcake (see no. ). .--prune and apple shortcake - / cups prunes teaspoons cornstarch apples pared and chopped grated rind of / lemon / cup sugar wash prunes and soak over night in cold water to cover; cook in same water until tender; remove stones and return to water in which they were cooked; add apple, and heat to boiling point; add sugar mixed with cornstarch, and grated rind; cook about ten minutes, or until thick. prepare recipe for shortcake (see no. ), and put sauce between and on top. .--strawberry shortcake prepare shortcake (see no. ); hull one box of berries, and save out a few of the largest; mash the remainder, and add about one-half cup of sugar; pour half of berries over hot shortcake, put on second layer, and cover with remaining berries; garnish with large whole berries, and serve with or without plain cream. blackberry, raspberry, currant, or blueberry shortcake may be made in the same way, the amount of sugar necessary depending upon the acidity of the fruit. .--roulettes use recipe for baking powder biscuit (see no. ), turn on floured board, roll out one-half inch thick, brush with soft butter, and spread with any of the following mixtures; then roll firmly like a jelly roll until dough is about two and one-half inches in diameter; cut in one-half-inch slices with a sharp knife, place on a greased sheet two inches apart, and bake in a hot oven twelve minutes. _cheese roulettes:_ spread with four tablespoons of grated cheese seasoned with salt and cayenne. _devilled ham roulettes:_ spread lightly with devilled ham, or any finely chopped and well-seasoned meat. _marmalade roulettes:_ spread lightly with any marmalade or jam. _peanut butter roulettes:_ spread with peanut butter and dust lightly with salt; sprinkle with salt before baking. _raisin and nut roulettes:_ spread with mixture of one-half cup of seeded and chopped raisins and one-fourth cup finely chopped nut meats. _fruit roulettes:_ spread with currants, chopped citron, figs, dates, prunes, or candied ginger. chapter xx sandwiches and toasts .--baked bean and lettuce sandwiches press cold baked beans through a sieve; spread bread with butter, cover with a lettuce leaf, cover lettuce with beans, and sprinkle beans with chopped mustard pickle. cover with a second piece of buttered bread. brown bread or any dark bread may be used. .--celery and egg cup chopped celery / cup mayonnaise hard-cooked egg put celery and egg through the food chopper, using finest cutter; add mayonnaise, and salt if necessary; spread between thin slices of buttered brown bread. .--cheese and nut sandwiches mix equal parts of grated american cheese and chopped nut meats; season with salt and cayenne, moisten with cream, and spread between thin buttered slices of bread. .--cheese club sandwiches cut bread in half-inch slices, remove crusts, spread with mustard butter (see no. ), cover with a lettuce leaf, spread with salad dressing, cover with cheese cut in thin slices, sprinkle with chopped mixed pickles, and cover with a second slice of bread spread with mustard butter. cut in quarters diagonally. .--chicken sandwiches (open) cup finely chopped chicken dash of celery salt / teaspoon salt / cup salad dressing dash of cayenne season the chicken, add the dressing, and beat well. butter circles of white bread, and spread with the chicken, mounding it in the center. garnish with slices of pimolas. .--giblet sandwiches cook giblets until tender, put through food chopper, and mix with salad dressing. spread between thin slices of buttered bread. a lettuce leaf may be added. .--ham and cheese sandwich (hot) spread thin buttered slices of stale bread with finely chopped ham; cover with thin slices of american cheese; cover with another slice of bread spread with ham, and sauté in a little butter until brown. these sandwiches may be toasted if preferred. .--marshmallow sandwiches toast marshmallows and press while hot between ginger snaps, vanilla wafers, or butter thins. .--mock crab sandwiches cup young america cheese cut fine teaspoon anchovy paste tablespoons milk / teaspoon paprika mix cheese to a paste with milk, anchovy, and paprika; spread between thin buttered slices of brown bread. .--peanut sandwich filling put freshly roasted peanuts through the food chopper, using the finest cutter, season with salt, and mix to a smooth paste with cream; or dilute peanut butter with a little milk until of consistency to spread easily. .--raisin bread and cheese sandwiches cut raisin bread in thin slices, and spread with cottage cheese (see no. ) mixed to a paste with a little fruit juice or cream. trim neatly and cut in triangles. .--mustard butter / cup butter a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice teaspoon dry english mustard a few grains of cayenne cream the butter, add the mustard and seasonings, and beat well. .--brewis cup brown bread crumbled / teaspoon salt cup white bread crumbled tablespoon butter cup milk put crumbled bread in a shallow pan in a slow oven until browned; put in a saucepan with milk, salt, and butter, and cook about ten minutes, beating well. serve as cereal or dessert. left-over corn bread or muffins may be used. .--brown bread toast with cheese and bacon toast brown bread, or crisp in the oven, dip quickly into hot salted water, and arrange on serving dish. make a sauce for cream toast (see no. ), add to it one-half cup of cheese cut fine, pour over toast, and put a piece of crisp bacon on each piece. .--celery toast cups celery cut in half-inch pieces / cup flour cups hot stock or water / cup milk salt slices toast / teaspoon pepper cook celery in stock or water about half an hour, or until tender; add salt (if necessary), pepper, and flour mixed to a paste with the milk; stir until thickened, and simmer fifteen minutes; pour over toast, and garnish with toast points and celery tips. use the coarser unbleached pieces of celery for cooking. .--cream toast cut six slices of bread in halves, toast slowly, or put into a moderate oven until light brown and crisp, dip each piece into sauce for cream toast (see no. ), and put into a covered serving dish; pour over remaining sauce, and cover for two or three minutes before serving. .--sauce for cream toast cups milk / teaspoon salt tablespoons flour tablespoon butter / cup cold water scald the milk; mix the flour to a smooth paste with water, add to milk and stir until thickened; cook over hot water fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally; add salt and butter, and pour over toast. .--cheese toast to recipe for cream toast (see no. ) add one-half cup of either soft cheese cut fine or grated cheese. .--cinnamon toast cut stale bread into thin slices, remove crusts, and cut in halves; toast evenly, and spread first with butter, then with honey, and dust with cinnamon. serve very hot. .--french toast egg slightly beaten / cup milk or coffee / teaspoon salt slices bread tablespoon sugar mix egg, salt, sugar, and liquid in a shallow dish; soak bread in mixture, and cook on a hot, greased griddle until brown, turning when half cooked. serve plain or spread with jam. .--goldenrod ham toast follow recipe for cream toast (see no. ); to the sauce add one-half cup finely chopped ham and the finely chopped whites of two hard-cooked eggs. when toast is in the serving dish, sprinkle with the hard-cooked yolks rubbed through a sieve. .--sunday toast cut whole wheat bread into four one-inch slices, remove crusts, butter, and cut bread into three strips; mix one-third cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon of cinnamon, two tablespoons of seeded and chopped raisins, and a tablespoon of milk; spread paste on bread, and bake in a hot oven until brown. serve hot. .--tomato cream toast with egg / can tomato / cup cold water / teaspoon salt / cup hot milk / teaspoon soda tablespoon butter teaspoon sugar hard-cooked eggs tablespoons flour slices toast simmer tomato for fifteen minutes and press through a sieve; add salt, soda, and sugar; heat to boiling point, and thicken with flour mixed to a smooth paste with cold water; cook five minutes, and add hot milk and butter. dip toast in sauce, place on platter, cover with remaining sauce, and garnish with egg cut into eighths lengthwise. .--to freshen stale loaf bread, rolls, muffins, or doughnuts dip quickly into cold water, put in a paper bag, fold top of bag firmly, and place in a hot oven until heated through. .--buttered crumbs melt two tablespoons of butter, stir in one-half cup of coarse, dried bread crumbs until butter is absorbed. .--croustades cut stale bread in slices about an inch and a half thick, remove crusts, and cut in rounds, squares, triangles, or any shape desired; remove the centers, using a small, sharp knife, and leaving a wall one-third of an inch thick; brush with melted butter, and brown in oven; or fry, inverted, in hot, deep fat. .--croutons cut stale bread in one-third-inch slices, cut slices into cubes, and brown in the oven or fry in deep fat. cold toast may be used instead of bread. .--crisp sticks cut stale bread in half-inch slices, remove crusts, spread lightly with butter, cut in half-inch sticks, and put in slow oven until light brown and crisp. chapter xxi griddle cakes, waffles, and sirups .--plain griddle cakes - / cups flour egg well beaten teaspoons baking powder tablespoon melted shortening / teaspoon salt / cup milk tablespoon sugar / cup water mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg well beaten, shortening, and liquid; beat well, and cook on a hot griddle. the cakes should be small and should be served very hot with butter and sirup. .--sour milk griddle cakes cups flour teaspoons sugar / teaspoon salt cups thick sour milk teaspoon soda egg well beaten mix and sift dry ingredients, add milk and egg, and beat well; cook the same as plain griddle cakes (see no. ). .--corn meal griddle cakes - / cups corn meal egg well beaten / cup flour / cup milk teaspoons baking powder / cup water / teaspoon salt tablespoon melted shortening tablespoon molasses mix in order given, beat well, and cook on a hot, greased griddle. if all of the batter is not needed at once, cover what is left, and keep in a cold place; add one-half teaspoon of baking powder, and beat vigorously before using; or half of the recipe may be used and the extra half egg used in some other way. .--dried crumb griddle cakes cup dried and sifted bread crumbs tablespoons sugar cup flour egg / teaspoon salt - / cups milk teaspoons baking powder mix and cook according to directions for plain griddle cakes (see no. ). half milk and half water may be used. .--rice griddle cakes cup cooked rice teaspoons baking powder egg well beaten tablespoon sugar cup milk / teaspoon salt cup flour few gratings nutmeg mix rice and egg thoroughly with a fork, add milk, and dry ingredients mixed and sifted together; beat well, and cook the same as plain griddle cakes (see no. ). .--raised buckwheat cakes cup boiling water / cup lukewarm water / teaspoon salt cup buckwheat flour tablespoon molasses / cup white flour / yeast cake / teaspoon soda mix boiling water, salt, and molasses, and when lukewarm add yeast dissolved in lukewarm water; add gradually to flour, and beat well; let rise over night, add soda, beat well, and cook the same as plain griddle cakes (see no. ). .--waffles - / cups flour egg well beaten / teaspoon salt cup milk teaspoons baking powder tablespoons melted shortening teaspoon sugar mix and sift dry ingredients; add egg, milk, and shortening, and beat well; cook in a hot, well-greased waffle iron. .--corn meal waffles follow recipe for oatmeal waffles (see no. ), using one cup of corn meal mush in place of oatmeal. .--oatmeal waffles cup cooked oatmeal teaspoons baking powder yolks of eggs / teaspoon salt cup milk tablespoon sugar tablespoons melted shortening whites of two eggs cup entire wheat flour mix oatmeal and yolks of eggs (which have been beaten very light) until there are no lumps in the mixture; add milk, shortening, and dry ingredients sifted together; beat well, and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. cook in a hot, well-greased waffle iron. .--rice waffles to recipe for waffles (see no. ) add one-half cup of cooked rice, mixing the rice thoroughly with the beaten egg before adding. .--brown sugar sirup boil one cup of brown sugar and one-half cup of water until the consistency of thick maple sirup. serve hot or cold. .--cider sirup - / cups cider cup sugar heat cider, add sugar, and boil until a thick sirup is formed, skimming when necessary. serve hot or cold. .--lemon sirup boil one cup of sugar, one-half cup of water, and one tablespoon of lemon juice until the consistency of thick maple sirup; add one teaspoon of butter, and serve hot. .--orange sirup / cup orange juice grated rind / orange cup sugar boil orange juice and sugar until mixture has the consistency of thick maple sirup, add rind, and serve hot or cold. chapter xxii cakes and cookies[ ] .--apple sauce cake (without butter, eggs, or milk) cup unsweetened apple sauce / teaspoon salt / cup melted shortening teaspoon cinnamon cup sugar / teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon soda / teaspoon clove cups flour cup raisins seeded and chopped mix in order given, sifting dry ingredients together, beat well, pour into a deep pan, and bake about one hour in a slow oven. .--canada war cake (without butter, eggs, or milk) cup brown sugar teaspoon cinnamon / cup shortening / teaspoon mace cup boiling water / teaspoon clove cups seeded raisins teaspoon soda / teaspoon salt cups flour mix sugar, shortening, water, raisins, and salt; boil five minutes; cool, and add spices, soda, and flour sifted together; beat well; pour into a greased, paper-lined bread pan, and bake in a slow oven one hour. .--date cake / cup melted shortening - / cups flour - / cups brown sugar - / teaspoons baking powder egg unbeaten / teaspoon mace / cup milk cup dates stoned and chopped mix in order given, and beat vigorously for three or four minutes; bake in two layer-cake pans in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes; when partly cool spread with tart jelly, and sprinkle top layer with powdered sugar. .--fudge cake / cup shortening / cup milk cup brown sugar - / cups flour square chocolate teaspoons baking powder egg well beaten / teaspoon salt cream shortening, add sugar, and beat well; add chocolate melted and egg; beat again; add milk; add flour, baking powder, and salt sifted together; beat for two minutes. pour into two greased layer-cake pans, and bake in a moderate oven about eighteen minutes. fill, and spread top with fudge filling (see no. ). .--old-fashioned pork cake / pound fat salt pork / pound citron shredded cup boiling water nutmeg grated cup molasses teaspoons cinnamon cup sugar / teaspoon cloves eggs beaten / teaspoon allspice / pound raisins teaspoon soda / pound currants cups flour put pork through meat chopper, using finest cutter; add boiling water and let stand fifteen minutes; add molasses, sugar, eggs, and fruit, and mix well; add dry ingredients, which have been sifted together; beat well; pour into two deep greased and paper-lined pans; and bake in a slow oven two hours. this cake keeps well if stored in a covered stone crock. it may be reheated in the top of double boiler, and served hot with pudding sauce. .--one-egg cake tablespoons butter - / cups flour / cup sugar - / teaspoons baking powder egg grated rind of lemon / cup milk cream the butter, add the sugar and the well-beaten egg; beat thoroughly, add the other ingredients in the order given, and bake in a moderate oven about half an hour. .--orange cake / cup shortening - / cups flour cup sugar - / teaspoons baking powder egg grated rind / orange / cup milk cream the shortening, add sugar and egg well beaten; add milk, flour, baking powder, and rind; beat well, and bake in two layer pans about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. fill and cover top with orange icing (see no. ). .--plain cake / cup shortening - / cups flour cup sugar teaspoons baking powder eggs few grains salt / cup milk / teaspoon lemon extract beat shortening and sugar until light and creamy; add eggs well beaten, flour, baking powder, salt, and extract; beat well, pour into a greased and papered cake pan, and bake about half an hour in a moderate oven, or in two layer-cake pans about twenty minutes. this is an excellent foundation cake for use with various flavorings, icings, and fillings. .--spice cake (without eggs) / cup shortening - / teaspoons cinnamon cup sugar / teaspoon nutmeg cup sour milk / teaspoon cloves cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoon soda cup raisins seeded and chopped cream shortening and sugar, add sour milk; add dry ingredients sifted together; beat well; add raisins, pour into a greased shallow pan, and bake half an hour in a moderate oven. dust with confectioners' sugar or cover with plain icing. .--white cake whites of eggs teaspoons baking powder melted butter / cup sugar milk / teaspoon almond extract - / cups flour break the whites of eggs into a measuring cup; add melted butter to half fill cup; add milk to fill cup. mix and sift flour, baking powder, and sugar; combine mixtures, add flavoring, and beat for five minutes. bake in a shallow cake pan half an hour, or in muffin tins about twenty minutes, in a moderate oven. .--sponge cake (hot water) yolks of eggs whites of eggs / cup hot water cup flour / cup sugar teaspoons baking powder grated rind lemon / teaspoon salt beat the yolks of eggs until thick and light, add the water and sugar, and beat three minutes with the egg beater; add the lemon rind and the whites stiffly beaten; sift flour, baking powder, and salt, and fold in carefully. pour into a shallow greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. .--velvet sponge cake eggs / cup pastry flour cup sugar teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt grated rind lemon / cup potato flour / cup hot milk beat eggs until very light, add sugar gradually, and continue beating with the egg beater; mix and sift salt, flour, and baking powder; add half to the eggs and sugar, and beat well; add rest of flour, and beat again; add rind and milk, and beat hard; pour into a deep pan, and bake forty minutes in a slow oven. .--cream pie follow rule for jelly roll cake (see no. ); bake in two layers, and fill with cream filling (see no. ). .--cake for jelly roll or charlotte russe eggs cup flour cup powdered sugar - / teaspoons baking powder / cup hot water / teaspoon salt beat the eggs very light, add sugar gradually, and continue beating; add water, flour, baking powder, and salt. pour into a greased, paper-lined dripping pan and bake in a moderate oven about fifteen minutes. the cake should be about half an inch thick when baked. trim off the edges, spread with jam or jelly, and roll firmly; wrap in a paper napkin to keep in shape. for charlotte russe cut cake into pieces to fit paper cases, and fill with charlotte russe mixture (see no. ). .--chocolate marshmallow roll to recipe for jelly roll (see no. ) add two squares of melted chocolate. bake as for jelly roll, trim edges, spread with marshmallow filling (see no. ), and roll the same as jelly roll. .--hot water gingerbread (without egg) / cup shortening teaspoon soda cup dark molasses / teaspoon salt / cup boiling water - / teaspoons ginger cups bread flour / teaspoon cinnamon mix shortening, molasses, and water; add dry ingredients sifted together, and beat well. pour into greased muffin pans and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes; or pour into a greased shallow pan and bake twenty-five minutes. .--hot water gingerbread (with egg) / cup beef drippings - / cups flour / cup boiling water teaspoon soda cup dark molasses / teaspoon salt egg well beaten - / teaspoons ginger pour boiling water over shortening, add molasses and egg; mix and sift dry ingredients, add to first mixture, and beat well. pour into a shallow, greased cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. .--sour milk gingerbread cups flour cup molasses - / teaspoons soda cup thick sour milk teaspoon ginger egg well beaten / teaspoon salt mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses, milk, and egg, and beat well; pour into a greased pan, and bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. .--ginger apple cake follow any recipe for gingerbread, bake in two layers, and put apple filling (see no. ) between layers and on top. .--ginger gems / cup molasses - / cups flour / cup brown sugar teaspoon soda / cup shortening teaspoon ginger / cup boiling water / teaspoon cinnamon beaten egg / teaspoon salt mix in order given, sifting the dry ingredients together; beat well, pour into greased muffin tins, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. .--bran drop cookies cup bran / teaspoon clove / cup flour / cup molasses / teaspoon salt / cup sugar / teaspoon soda / cup melted shortening / teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk mix in order given, drop from tablespoon, two inches apart, on greased pan, and bake in a hot oven twelve minutes. .--cheese drops tablespoons butter / teaspoon paprika / cup grated cheese / teaspoon mustard / cup dried and sifted crumbs few grains cayenne / teaspoon salt whites of eggs cream butter and cheese together; mix crumbs with seasonings and add to cheese; fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. drop from a teaspoon on a greased baking sheet about two inches apart, and bake in a moderate oven about twelve minutes. serve with soup or salad. .--cheese wafers cup flour tablespoon shortening / teaspoon salt / cup grated cheese / teaspoon paprika / cup cold water mix and sift flour, salt, and paprika; rub in shortening with finger tips; add cheese and mix to a stiff paste with cold water; roll out very thin, cut with a small round cutter, place on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven five or six minutes. serve with salad or soup. .--chocolate cookies squares chocolate cups flour / cup shortening - / teaspoons baking powder cup brown sugar / teaspoon salt egg well beaten / teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk put chocolate with shortening in mixing bowl and place over hot water until melted; add other ingredients in order given. chill, roll thin, and cut with fancy cutter. bake in a moderate oven about ten minutes. .--ginger wafers / cup shortening / teaspoon salt cup brown sugar - / teaspoons ginger - / cups bread flour / cup milk / teaspoon soda cream shortening and sugar; sift soda, salt, and ginger with flour, and add alternately with milk; chill; roll thin on baking sheet; mark in squares, and bake in a moderate oven eight or ten minutes. remove from pan while warm. .--marshmallow wafers arrange thin crackers or wafers on a baking sheet, place a marshmallow on each one, and bake in a moderate oven for a few minutes until marshmallows melt; into each one press half a nut meat, raisin, cherry, or a bit of candied fruit. .--molasses brownies / cup shortening beaten egg / cup sugar / teaspoon baking powder / cup molasses cup flour squares melted chocolate / cup chopped nut meats cream the shortening, add other ingredients in order given, drop from spoon on greased pan, and bake about twelve minutes in a moderate oven. .--oatmeal macaroons egg cup rolled oats / cup sugar / cup shredded coconut tablespoon melted butter / teaspoon salt beat egg until light, add other ingredients in order given, beat well, and drop from spoon on greased pan; bake about fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. .--peanut macaroons white of egg cup powdered sugar / teaspoon salt cup finely chopped peanuts add salt to the egg, and beat until stiff; add sugar and nuts, and mix well; drop from a teaspoon on a greased baking sheet two inches apart, and bake in a slow oven about fifteen minutes. .--raisin drop cookies tablespoons shortening cup flour / cup brown sugar teaspoons baking powder egg well beaten teaspoon cinnamon tablespoons milk / cup raisins seeded and chopped cream the shortening and sugar; add egg and milk, and beat well; add flour, baking powder, and cinnamon sifted together; add raisins; beat well, drop from a teaspoon two inches apart on a greased baking sheet, and bake in a moderate oven about twelve minutes. .--walnut wafers eggs / teaspoon salt cup brown sugar / teaspoon baking powder / cup flour / cup chopped nut meats / teaspoon cinnamon beat eggs until light; add sugar, and beat well; add dry ingredients sifted together; beat well, add nuts, pour into a greased dripping pan, and bake in a moderate oven about ten minutes. cut in squares while hot. mixture may be baked in tiny scalloped tins if preferred. footnotes: [ ] the amount of soda in these recipes is based upon the use of old-fashioned jug molasses; canned molasses varies greatly in acidity and, especially when freshly opened, requires little or no soda. if canned molasses is used, therefore, baking powder should wholly or partly take the place of soda. chapter xxiii icings and fillings .--boiled icing[ ] / cup boiling water white of egg cup sugar teaspoon vanilla / teaspoon cream of tartar boil water and sugar to ° f., or until the sirup forms soft ball when tried in cold water; add cream of tartar and vanilla, and pour slowly upon the stiffly beaten white of egg, beating constantly until thick enough to spread without running. for caramel flavor melt one-third of the sugar first. .--caramel icing cup brown sugar teaspoon butter / cup milk few grains salt put ingredients in saucepan, and boil to ° f., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water. beat until creamy, and spread while warm. chopped nut meats may be added. .--chocolate icing squares chocolate confectioners' sugar / cup boiling water / teaspoon vanilla melt chocolate, add boiling water, and mix well; add confectioners' sugar until of right consistency to spread; add vanilla and beat well. coffee may be used in place of water. .--cocoa icing tablespoon butter tablespoons cocoa tablespoons milk confectioners' sugar heat butter and milk in a saucepan, remove from fire, add cocoa, and enough confectioners' sugar to thicken. about one cup of sugar will be required. .--coffee icing follow directions for boiled icing (see no. ), using strong coffee in place of water. or to recipe for quick icing (see no. ) or cream icing (see no. ) add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee. .--cream icing - / cups confectioners' sugar / teaspoon vanilla heavy cream sift sugar and add cream until of right consistency to spread (about two tablespoons); add flavoring, and beat well. .--orange icing juice of / orange confectioners' sugar grated rind of / orange mix sugar with orange juice and rind until icing is firm enough to spread. .--quick icing tablespoon butter confectioners' sugar tablespoons boiling water / teaspoon flavoring pour boiling water over butter; stir in sugar enough to thicken; add extract, and beat well before spreading. (a little more than one cup of sugar will usually be required.) .--apple filling baked apples cup confectioners' sugar white of egg press apples through a sieve; beat white of egg until stiff; add half of sugar, and beat well; add apple and remaining sugar gradually, and beat until very light. spread between layers and on top of cake. two tablespoons of tart jelly may be beaten with the apple. .--coffee cream filling follow recipe for cream filling (see no. ), but use one-half cup strong coffee in place of one-half cup of milk. or add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee to the recipe. .--cream filling - / cups milk / teaspoon salt cup sugar egg slightly beaten / cup cornstarch teaspoon flavoring scald milk, mix sugar, cornstarch, salt, and egg; add to milk, and cook over hot water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens; cook fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. cool and flavor before spreading. .--date and fig filling cup figs / cup boiling water cup dates juice / lemon / cup sugar wash, dry, and chop figs; wash, dry, stone, and chop dates; mix fruit with sugar, water, and lemon juice, and cook over hot water until thick enough to spread. .--fudge filling - / cups brown sugar / cup milk tablespoon butter few grains salt square chocolate / cup nut meats chopped put sugar, butter, chocolate, milk, and salt in a saucepan; heat slowly to boiling point, and boil to ° f., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water; remove from fire, add nuts, and beat until smooth and creamy. .--marshmallow filling cup sugar / pound marshmallows / cup boiling water teaspoon vanilla boil sugar and water to ° f., or until a soft ball can be formed when tested in cold water; soften marshmallows over hot water, add sirup, and when partly cooled add vanilla and beat until stiff enough to spread. chopped nuts, dates, figs, raisins, or candied fruits may be added. .--mocha filling tablespoons hot black coffee / teaspoon vanilla tablespoon butter cup confectioners' sugar tablespoons cocoa mix coffee, butter, cocoa, and vanilla, and add sugar enough for mixture to spread without running. .--orange filling / cup sugar / cup orange juice tablespoons flour beaten egg grated rind / orange teaspoon butter mix sugar, flour, and rind in the top of double boiler, add orange juice, egg, and butter, and cook over hot water for twelve minutes, stirring often. .--prune filling to recipe for boiled icing (see no. ) add two-thirds of a cup of cooked prunes which have been stoned and cut in small pieces, and the chopped meats from six of the prune stones. spread between layers of cake. footnotes: [ ] the sirup should be boiled in a small saucepan; otherwise the bulb of the thermometer will not be covered. chapter xxiv hot desserts .--apple roulettes use recipe for baking powder biscuit (see no. ); roll dough very thin, brush with melted butter, and spread with one cup of chopped apple, mixed with one-fourth cup of sugar, and one teaspoon of cinnamon; roll firmly like a jelly roll, cut in three-fourths-inch slices, place in buttered pan, and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes. serve with hot liquid sauce. .--dutch apple cake - / cups flour / cup milk teaspoons baking powder tablespoons melted shortening / teaspoon salt apples tablespoons sugar tablespoons sugar egg / teaspoon cinnamon sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; add egg well beaten, milk, and shortening; beat well, and spread in a greased pan, having mixture about an inch deep; core, pare, and quarter apples, cut in thick slices, and arrange in rows on top of cake; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake in hot oven half an hour. serve with liquid sauce. .--steamed apple pudding apples teaspoons baking powder / cup sugar / teaspoon salt / teaspoon nutmeg tablespoons shortening - / cups flour / cup milk pare, core, and slice apples; place in a greased pudding dish, and sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg mixed. sift flour, baking powder, and salt; rub in shortening with finger tips, and mix with milk; spread over apples, and steam for one hour. turn out of dish, and serve with apples on top. serve with soft sauce (see no. ). .--banana toast mash and sweeten bananas, heap on rounds of buttered toast, and heat in oven. serve hot with cream or rich milk. garnish with split cherries, nuts, or bits of jelly. .--blackberry pudding add one cup of blackberries to recipe for cottage pudding (see no. ) and serve with blackberry sauce (see no. ). .--blueberry pudding to recipe for cottage pudding (see no. ) add one cup of blueberries. .--brown betty cups soft bread crumbs / teaspoon clove tablespoons butter / teaspoon nutmeg apples tablespoons molasses / cup brown sugar tablespoons hot water / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt mix crumbs with melted butter; pare, core, and slice apples; mix sugar and spices; arrange crumbs and apple in layers in a greased baking dish, sprinkle each layer with sugar; mix molasses, water, and salt, and pour over all. bake slowly for an hour and a half. .--baked cranberry pudding cups soft bread crumbs cup sugar / cup butter / cup sultana raisins cup chopped cranberries / cup boiling water mix crumbs with melted butter; add cranberries, sugar, and raisins, and put into a greased baking dish; add water, and bake in a slow oven one hour. serve with soft sauce (see no. ). .--baked indian pudding cups boiling water cups hot milk teaspoon salt / cup molasses tablespoons fine corn meal / teaspoon ginger add salt to boiling water, sift in corn meal very slowly, and boil ten minutes, stirring often; add milk, molasses, and ginger, pour into a greased earthen dish, and bake very slowly for three hours. serve with rich milk, cream, or ginger sauce (see no. ). .--caramel toast pudding / cup sugar / teaspoon salt slices toast / teaspoon nutmeg cups hot milk egg tablespoon butter caramelize sugar; cut each slice of toast in quarters, dip in caramel, and arrange in baking dish; add milk to caramel remaining in pan, and stir until dissolved; add butter, salt, nutmeg, and egg slightly beaten; pour over toast, and bake in slow oven about half an hour. serve with cream, rich milk, or liquid sauce. .--steamed chocolate pudding / cup sugar cup flour tablespoon melted butter - / teaspoons baking powder beaten egg / teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk square melted chocolate / teaspoon salt mix in order given, put in pudding mold, cover closely, and steam one hour. serve with cream or soft sauce (see no. ). .--cottage pudding / cup shortening cups flour / cup sugar teaspoons baking powder egg / teaspoon salt / cup milk cream the butter; add the sugar and the well-beaten egg, and beat well; add the milk and then the flour, baking powder, and salt, which have been sifted together; beat again, and bake in hot oven in pudding dish about half an hour, or in individual tins about twenty minutes. serve with hot liquid sauce. .--steamed fig pudding / cup shortening teaspoon cinnamon / cup sugar / teaspoon nutmeg egg well beaten / teaspoon salt cup milk pound figs chopped / cup molasses / cup currants - / cups flour / cup flour teaspoons baking powder mix shortening and sugar, and beat until creamy; add egg, milk, and molasses, add two and a half cups of flour sifted with baking powder, spices, and salt; beat well; add figs and currants mixed with one-half cup of flour. pour into a greased mold, and steam three hours, or pour into greased one-pound baking powder boxes, and steam an hour and three-quarters. serve with cranberry sauce (see no. ) or currant jelly sauce (see no. ). this pudding keeps well and can be reheated in the top of the double boiler. .--steamed fruit pudding egg well beaten / teaspoon salt cup molasses teaspoon cinnamon / cup water / teaspoon clove tablespoons melted shortening / teaspoon mace - / cups flour / cup raisins seeded and chopped / teaspoon soda / cup currants mix egg, molasses, water, and shortening; add dry ingredients sifted together; add fruit; mix well, pour into greased one-pound baking powder boxes, and steam an hour and three-quarters. serve with a tart sauce. one cup of dates, stoned and cut in pieces, may be used instead of raisins and currants. .--mock indian pudding slices bread buttered / cup sugar cups milk / teaspoon cinnamon / cup molasses / teaspoon salt butter two slices bread cut three-quarters of an inch thick, put into buttered baking dish, and pour over the bread the rest of the ingredients mixed together. bake one and a half hours in a slow oven. .--indian tapioca pudding / cup pearl tapioca / cup molasses cups boiling water tablespoon butter - / teaspoons salt / teaspoon cinnamon / cup corn meal cups hot milk soak tapioca in cold water for one hour, and drain; add salt to boiling water, sift in corn meal, and boil ten minutes, stirring often; add tapioca and other ingredients, pour into a greased earthen dish, and bake slowly for two hours. .--peach dumplings cover halves of preserved peaches with shortcake dough (see no. ) rolled thin; bake in hot oven, and serve with hot peach sirup and hard sauce. .--baked rice custard cup cooked rice pinch of salt eggs - / cups milk / cup sugar / teaspoon lemon extract mix in order given and bake about twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot or cold with cream or rich milk. .--baked rice pudding / cup rice / teaspoon salt cups milk / nutmeg grated cups boiling water cup raisins seeded and chopped / cup sugar wash rice, mix with other ingredients, pour into a greased baking dish, and bake slowly for three hours. stir occasionally during first hour of baking to prevent rice and fruit from settling. serve with rich milk or cream. .--mulled rice / cup rice / teaspoon salt cups hot milk egg tablespoon butter / teaspoon nutmeg tablespoons sugar tablespoons grape juice wash rice, and cook with milk, butter, sugar, and salt in double boiler until tender; beat egg, add nutmeg and grape juice, stir into rice, and cook five minutes. serve with cream or rich milk. chapter xxv cold desserts .--banana royal bananas slices of french toast (see no. ) / cup currant jelly or stale sponge cake / cup powdered sugar force bananas and jelly through potato ricer or a sieve, add sugar, and heap on french toast or sponge cake. or line individual glasses with lady fingers and fill with banana mixture. .--banana whip bananas tablespoons powdered sugar tablespoons grape juice or jelly whites of eggs peel and scrape bananas, force through a sieve; add grape juice, sugar, and stiffly beaten whites of eggs; pile lightly in individual glass dishes, garnish with bits of jelly, and serve at once. all materials should be very cold. .--banana and grape juice jelly / box gelatine / cup strained lemon juice / cup grape juice / cup sugar - / cups boiling water large bananas soak gelatine in grape juice five minutes; dissolve in boiling water, add lemon juice and sugar. when jelly begins to stiffen, beat with egg beater, and add the bananas pressed through a sieve. .--blackberry mold quart blackberries cups water / cup sugar / cup farina / teaspoon salt heat berries, sugar, salt, and water, and when boiling add farina slowly. cook over hot water half an hour, turn into a mold, and serve cold with cream. blueberries, either fresh or canned, may be used in place of blackberries. .--charlotte russe filling - / cups thin cream / cup hot milk - / teaspoons gelatine tablespoons powdered sugar tablespoons cold milk / teaspoon vanilla whip the cream with a whip churn; skim off the froth as it rises, and place in a fine sieve to drain; soak gelatine in cold milk, dissolve in hot milk, add sugar and flavoring. stir occasionally until mixture begins to stiffen; then fold in the whip from the cream. .--chocolate blancmange cups hot milk / cup sugar tablespoons cornstarch - / squares chocolate melted / teaspoon salt whites eggs / teaspoon cinnamon scald milk; mix cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and sugar; add slowly to milk, and cook over hot water until thickened, stirring constantly; add chocolate and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally; fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, and turn into individual molds to chill. .--coconut and orange jelly / box gelatine / cup sugar / cup cold water can coconut cup hot milk cold milk / cup orange marmalade soak gelatine in cold water for five minutes; dissolve in hot milk; add marmalade and sugar; drain one can of coconut, and add to coconut milk enough cold milk to make one and a half cups; mix with jelly, add coconut, and pour into a mold to chill. .--coffee caramel custards / cup sugar eggs cup milk few grains salt cup strong coffee put sugar in smooth saucepan, and stir over fire until a light-colored caramel is formed. (avoid burning.) heat milk and coffee, add to caramel, and keep over hot water until caramel is dissolved; add eggs slightly beaten and salt; strain into cups, and bake in slow oven until firm. .--coffee junket cups lukewarm milk few grains salt / cup sugar / junket tablet teaspoon instantaneous coffee teaspoon cold water mix milk, sugar, coffee, and salt; stir until sugar is dissolved; dissolve junket tablet in cold water, add to milk, and pour into glasses. if milk is overheated junket will not be firm. .--cranberry whip follow recipe for prune whip (see no. ), using one cup of strained cranberry sauce instead of prunes. .--soft custard cups milk few grains salt yolks of eggs teaspoon cornstarch / cup sugar / teaspoon vanilla scald the milk; mix sugar, salt, and cornstarch, add to beaten egg yolks, and stir into the hot milk; cook over hot water ten minutes, stirring constantly until thickened; beat with egg beater; strain, cool, and add vanilla. to vary the flavor, the sugar may be caramelized, or other extracts may be used. serve in glasses with a meringue made of the whites of eggs beaten stiff and sweetened with two tablespoons of sugar. garnish with dots of red jelly. .--coffee and rice jelly / box gelatine cup milk / cup cold coffee / cup sugar cups hot strong coffee cup cooked rice soak gelatine in cold coffee five minutes; add hot coffee and stir until dissolved; add milk and sugar; chill, and, when beginning to stiffen, beat with egg beater, add rice, and turn into a mold. .--fruit cream bananas tablespoon granulated gelatine orange / cup boiling water / lemon cup cream whipped / cup powdered sugar press bananas through a sieve; add juice and pulp of orange, juice of lemon, sugar, and gelatine which has been dissolved in hot water. stir over ice water until mixture begins to stiffen, then fold in the cream. put in mold and chill. .--spiced fruit jelly apples tablespoon gelatine / cup cranberries / cup cold water / cup boiling water / teaspoon cinnamon cup sugar / teaspoon clove core and slice apples, and cook with cranberries and boiling water fifteen minutes; press through a sieve, add sugar, gelatine dissolved in cold water, and spice. stir until sugar is dissolved, pour into a mold, and put in a cool place until firm. .--fruit whip (uncooked) tart apples grated tablespoons fruit jelly figs chopped whites of eggs dates stoned and chopped mix fruit; mash jelly with a fork; add to fruit, and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. serve in glasses, and garnish with bits of jelly. .--pineapple pudding follow recipe for chocolate blancmange (see no. ), omitting chocolate and cinnamon, and adding one-half can of grated pineapple. .--prune whip press cooked and stoned prunes through a sieve; to one cup of prune pulp add two tablespoons of sugar; beat the whites of two eggs very stiff; add prune mixture gradually, and beat well with a strong egg beater; when light turn into a small greased baking dish or into four individual dishes, and bake in a slow oven about twenty minutes, or until firm. serve plain or with a custard sauce made from the yolks of the eggs. .--prune and wheat mold cup prunes / teaspoon salt boiling water / cup cream of wheat wash prunes, soak over night; cook in same water until tender, and remove the stones; measure prunes and juice, and add boiling water to make one quart; add salt; slowly sift in wheat, and cook over hot water for half an hour, stirring often at first; turn into a mold to cool. .--jellied prunes and cranberries cup prunes cup sugar boiling water / box gelatine cup cranberries chopped / cup cold water wash prunes, and soak over night in water to cover; cook until soft in same water; drain, measure juice, and add enough boiling water to make three cups; put cranberries in a colander and rinse off the seeds with running water; drain, and add to water; add sugar, and cook ten minutes; add the gelatine soaked in cold water; stone the prunes, cut in quarters, and add to cranberries; turn into a mold, and chill. .--rice mold cup rice grated rind of / orange quarts boiling water / cup powdered sugar tablespoon salt tablespoons grape juice juice of orange cook rice in boiling salted water until tender; drain; mix with orange, sugar, and grape juice; press into a mold, and chill; turn out of mold, and serve with cream. .--sea moss blancmange / cup sea moss / teaspoon salt quart milk teaspoon vanilla / cup sugar soak moss in lukewarm water for ten minutes; lift carefully from the water so as not to disturb any sand which may have settled; rinse moss, drain well, add to hot milk, and cook in double boiler for half an hour. strain through a fine sieve, add sugar, salt, and vanilla, and turn into a mold until firm. serve with crushed berries, sliced bananas, or stewed fruit. chapter xxvi frozen desserts .--to freeze ices use one measure of freezing salt to three measures of finely cracked ice for ice cream, sherbet, and all mixtures which are to be churned. freeze slowly, remove dasher, pack solidly, add fresh salt and ice, and let stand for an hour before serving. to freeze mousse, bombe, and all unchurned mixtures, pack in equal parts of salt and ice, and let stand three hours. .--frozen custard quart milk teaspoons cornstarch eggs tablespoon vanilla cup sugar few grains salt scald milk; beat eggs slightly, add sugar mixed with cornstarch, and stir into milk; cook over hot water for twelve minutes, stirring constantly at first. cool, add vanilla and salt, and freeze. part cream may be used to advantage, or one can of evaporated milk with enough fresh milk added to make one quart. .--chocolate ice cream follow recipe for vanilla ice cream (see no. ), adding two and a half squares of chocolate to the custard before cooking. .--cocoa ice cream pint milk teaspoon cornstarch inches stick cinnamon egg beaten cup sugar pint cream / cup cocoa teaspoon vanilla few grains salt scald milk with cinnamon; mix sugar, cocoa, salt, cornstarch, and egg, and cook with milk until slightly thickened; cool, remove cinnamon, add cream and vanilla, and freeze. .--coffee ice cream can evaporated milk / cup sugar cup boiling water teaspoons instantaneous coffee add boiling water to milk, and cool; add sugar and flavoring, and freeze. serve in glasses and garnish with whipped cream. .--mint ice cream quart thin cream white of egg / pound mint stick candy put half of cream in double boiler with candy, and heat until candy is dissolved. cool, add the remainder of cream whipped, and the white of egg beaten stiff; freeze; and serve in glasses garnished with small green mint candies. .--orange velvet cream cup sugar cup orange juice cup water juice of lemon whites of eggs pint cream whipped boil sugar and water until it threads; cool slightly and add gradually to the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, beating steadily for three minutes; add fruit juice, and when cool fold in cream. freeze, and serve in glasses garnished with candied orange peel and a few mint leaves. .--philadelphia ice cream quart thin cream few grains salt / cup sugar tablespoon flavoring mix and freeze. .--prune ice cream - / cups hot milk cup cream eggs slightly beaten cups cooked prunes / cup brown sugar cook milk, eggs, and sugar over hot water until thickened, stirring constantly; when cool add cream, prunes stoned and pressed through a sieve, and freeze. undiluted, unsweetened, evaporated milk may be used in place of cream. .--strawberry ice cream quart strawberries quart thin cream - / cups sugar mash strawberries, add sugar, let stand an hour, and press through a sieve; add cream, and freeze. .--vanilla ice cream pint milk few grains salt cup sugar pint cream eggs tablespoon vanilla scald milk, add sugar, salt, and eggs slightly beaten; cook over hot water until mixture coats spoon; cool; add cream and vanilla, and freeze. .--canton ginger sherbet / cup canton ginger juice of orange cup sugar juice of / lemon - / cups boiling water white of egg put ginger through the food chopper, using finest cutter; add sugar and water, and boil fifteen minutes; add fruit juice; cool, and freeze. when nearly frozen, add the stiffly beaten white of egg. .--cider frappÉ quart sweet cider juice of oranges cup sugar juice of lemon mix cider, sugar, and strained fruit juice; freeze to a mush, and serve in frappé glasses with the roast. .--cranberry and raisin sherbet cups cranberries - / cups sugar cup seeded raisins white of egg - / cups water cook cranberries, raisins, and water ten minutes; press through a sieve, add sugar, and freeze; when nearly frozen add the stiffly beaten white of egg, and continue freezing until stiff and smooth. .--fruit sherbet cup sugar juice of orange cup water juice of lemon teaspoon gelatine / cup grated pineapple tablespoons cold water banana peeled and mashed boil sugar and water five minutes, add gelatine soaked in cold water, and stir until dissolved; add fruit; cool, and freeze. .--grape bombe line a mold with grape sherbet (see no. ), fill with charlotte russe filling (see no. ) to within one inch of top, cover with sherbet, and pack in salt and ice for three hours. .--grape sherbet cup sugar tablespoons water cup water cup grape juice teaspoon gelatine juice of lemon boil sugar and water five minutes; soak gelatine in cold water five minutes and add to sirup; add fruit juice, cool, and freeze. serve in glasses with or without whipped cream garnish. .--jelly sherbet teaspoon gelatine - / cups boiling water / cup cold water white of egg glasses jelly put gelatine and cold water in the top of double boiler; let stand five minutes; add jelly and boiling water, and stir until jelly is dissolved; when cool, freeze; when nearly frozen add the stiffly beaten white of egg. this is economical if home made jelly can be used. .--pineapple sherbet / cup sugar juice of lemon cups boiling water white of egg / can grated pineapple boil sugar and water for fifteen minutes, add pineapple, and lemon juice; when cool, freeze; when nearly frozen add the stiffly beaten white of egg, and finish freezing. .--somerset sherbet banana cup sugar / can apricots, or teaspoon gelatine - / cups stewed dried apricots / cup cold water lemon cup boiling water orange press banana and apricots, with their juice, through a sieve; add juice of lemon and orange, and sugar; soak gelatine in cold water, dissolve in boiling water, add to fruit, cool, and freeze. .--strawberry sherbet cups water box strawberries cup sugar white of egg boil sugar and water five minutes; mash berries, add to sirup, cool, and freeze; when nearly frozen add the stiffly beaten white of egg. if preferred, strain before freezing. .--frozen watermelon scoop out the inside of a watermelon with a large spoon; put in the freezer without the dasher, sprinkle with powdered sugar and lemon juice, and pack in equal parts of salt and ice for three hours. chapter xxvii sauces for desserts .--caramel sauce melt one cup of sugar in a smooth, clean saucepan, add three-fourths cup of boiling water, and simmer fifteen minutes. take care that sugar does not burn. strong coffee may be used instead of water, and, if desired, one-half cup of chopped nut meats may be added. .--chocolate sauce (hot) / cup sugar teaspoons boiling water / cup boiling water teaspoon butter / teaspoon salt / teaspoon vanilla square chocolate cook sugar, one-third cup water, salt, and chocolate until sirup threads; remove from fire, add two teaspoons water, butter, and vanilla. .--chocolate marshmallow sauce square chocolate / cup sugar / tablespoon butter cup boiling water tablespoon flour marshmallows cut in pieces few grains salt / teaspoon vanilla melt chocolate; add butter, flour, salt, sugar, and mix well; add water and boil two minutes; add marshmallows and beat well; add vanilla and serve hot. one tablespoon of shredded almonds may be added; or the marshmallows may be omitted and two tablespoons each of chopped nuts and raisins added. .--cinnamon sauce use recipe for lemon sauce (see no. ); but omit the lemon flavoring, and add one teaspoon cinnamon and one tablespoon of molasses. .--coffee sauce (evaporated milk) cup evaporated milk teaspoon soluble coffee, or / cup sugar tablespoons clear black coffee place milk on ice for a few hours; beat with a rotary egg beater until stiff, add sugar and flavoring. .--cranberry sauce (pudding) / cup butter tablespoons boiling water cup powdered sugar / cup strained cranberry sauce cream butter, add sugar and water gradually and alternately; beat well, and add cranberry sauce. the stiffly beaten white of one egg may be added. serve with cottage or steamed puddings. .--custard sauce make the same as soft custard (see no. ). .--currant jelly sauce (pudding) tablespoon cornstarch tablespoons currant jelly / cup sugar teaspoon butter cup boiling water juice of / lemon mix cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan, add water gradually, when thickened add jelly, simmer ten minutes; add butter and lemon juice just before serving. .--date sauce to lemon sauce (see no. ) add eight dates, which have been washed, stoned, and cut in small pieces. serve with cottage pudding (see no. ). .--fruit sauce heat one cup of sirup of preserved or canned fruit, thicken with one teaspoon of cornstarch moistened with one tablespoon of cold water, and cook ten minutes; add a few grains of salt, a teaspoon of butter, a few drops of red coloring, and serve hot. .--ginger sauce / cup sugar tablespoons water / cup molasses tablespoons vinegar teaspoon butter / tablespoon ginger mix in order given, boil for five minutes, and serve hot with indian pudding (see no. ) or steamed fruit pudding (see no. ). .--hard sauce / cup butter teaspoon vanilla, or cup powdered sugar / teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon milk cream butter, add sugar and milk gradually, and beat until very light; add flavoring, and chill before serving. .--lemon sauce / cup sugar teaspoon butter teaspoons cornstarch juice and rind of / lemon, or / teaspoon salt / teaspoon lemon extract - / cups hot water mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt; add hot water, stir constantly until boiling point is reached, and simmer ten minutes; add butter and flavoring. one teaspoon of vanilla or one-half nutmeg grated may be used instead of lemon. .--marshmallow sauce cup sugar cup marshmallows / cup boiling water / teaspoon vanilla boil sugar and water five minutes, add marshmallows, beat until they are melted, and add vanilla. beat well before serving. serve hot or cold. .--mocha sauce / cup butter or crisco teaspoon powdered soluble coffee cup powdered sugar tablespoon cocoa tablespoons milk cream shortening, add sugar and milk gradually, and beat until light; add coffee and cocoa, and blend well. .--orange marmalade sauce / cup orange marmalade / cup boiling water / tablespoon butter mix and serve hot with cottage pudding (see no. ), steamed puddings, or griddle cakes. .--soft sauce to hard sauce (see no. ) add two tablespoons of hot milk, a few drops at a time; beat well, and do not chill. .--strawberry sauce tablespoons butter tablespoons boiling water / cup powdered sugar cup crushed strawberries cream butter, add half of sugar gradually; add remaining half of sugar alternately with the water; beat well, and add strawberries. blackberries or raspberries may be used instead of strawberries. chapter xxviii pastries .--plain paste - / cups flour / cup shortening / teaspoon salt / cup ice water / teaspoon baking powder / cup butter sift flour, salt, and baking powder; rub in shortening with finger tips until mixture is like fine meal; add water gradually until a soft but not sticky dough is formed, mixing with a knife; when dough is mixed, the side of the bowl should be clean, neither sticky nor dry with flour. slightly more or less water may be needed. roll paste, on a lightly floured board, into an even rectangular shape; divide butter into three parts; cover two-thirds of paste with dots of butter, using one part; fold first the unbuttered third, then the remaining third, so that there will be three layers of paste with butter between; roll out again, dot with butter as before, and fold; repeat for third time. put paste on ice until thoroughly chilled. any good shortening may be used in place of butter, but the butter flavor will be lacking. this is enough for one pie with two crusts; double the amount of paste can be made with the same amount of labor. it keeps well if wrapped in cheesecloth and put in a cool place. .--rich paste cups flour - / cups shortening teaspoon sugar tablespoon lemon juice / teaspoon salt ice water sift flour, sugar, and salt; add shortening, and rub in with finger tips or chop with a knife in each hand until mixture is like fine meal; add lemon juice and enough water to form a stiff paste (about two-thirds of a cup); roll out into a thin sheet and fold in four layers; roll out and fold three times. chill before using. this rule makes two pies. it is less expensive than puff paste, and yet is a very good substitute for it. .--patty shells roll paste one-eighth of an inch thick, cover inverted tin patty pans or individual pie dishes, trim paste evenly, and press down the edge firmly; prick with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a hot oven about twelve minutes. remove pans, and fill with any cooked fruit mixture, berries, or creamed meats or vegetables. .--pie shell roll paste one-quarter inch thick, cover an inverted tin pie plate, trim, and press the edges firmly; prick with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. fill with cooked pie mixtures and cover with a meringue, or garnish with bits of pastry which have been cut in fancy shapes and baked. .--tart shells roll rich paste (see no. ) one-third of an inch thick, cut into small rounds, moisten the edges of half of them with cold water, cut out the centers of the other half with a small cutter, place upon whole rounds, and press firmly together; chill, and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes. fill with jelly, jam, or fruit paste. when shells are to be filled with creamed meats, etc., cut with a larger cutter. .--mince meat cups cooked beef chopped pound citron shredded cups chopped suet tablespoons salt cups chopped apples tablespoon cinnamon cup brown sugar tablespoon mace cups molasses teaspoon clove glass tart jelly teaspoon allspice - / pounds seeded raisins / teaspoon pepper pound washed currants quart boiled cider mix, and cook slowly about two hours, stirring frequently. one cup of chopped cranberries may be substituted for the jelly. store in jars or in a stone crock. if mince meat grows dry by standing, moisten with a little coffee. .--mock mince meat (uncooked) - / cups chopped apples / teaspoon cinnamon / cup raisins seeded and chopped / teaspoon mace / cup cranberries chopped / teaspoon clove / cup currants / cup brown sugar tablespoon citron shredded / cup vinegar / cup beef fat melted / cup coffee / teaspoon salt mix in order given and let stand a few hours before using. (fills one large pie.) .--green tomato mince meat - / cups green tomatoes chopped / cup water - / cups apple chopped / teaspoon cinnamon / cup raisins seeded and chopped / teaspoon mace cup brown sugar / teaspoon clove / cup beef fat melted / teaspoon salt tablespoons vinegar / cup jelly, fruit sirup, or grape juice mix and cook slowly for one hour. (fills two pies.) .--meringue for tarts and pies whites of eggs / cup granulated sugar beat the whites of eggs very stiff; add sugar gradually, spread over tarts or pies, mounding in the center; put in a slow oven, and bake about ten minutes for tarts and fifteen minutes for pies. if baked slowly, meringue will not settle. .--one-egg meringue white of egg teaspoon baking powder / cup granulated sugar / teaspoon extract beat the egg until stiff, add gradually sugar mixed with baking powder, flavor, spread on tarts or pies, and bake in a moderate oven ten minutes. .--sliced apple pie - / cups pared and sliced apples / teaspoon salt / cup sugar / teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon line a plate with paste, fill with apples, mounding them in the center; mix sugar, salt, and seasoning, and cover apples; moisten edge of paste with water; roll out paste for top crust, cut one-half inch larger than plate, and cut a few small gashes in the center; cover pie, turn edge under the lower crust, and press firmly. brush with milk, and bake about forty minutes. the oven should be hot for the first fifteen minutes, and then the heat should be reduced. .--blueberry pie - / cups blueberries - / tablespoons flour / cup sugar teaspoon butter line a pie plate with paste; fill with berries, add sugar and flour mixed, and dot butter over top. cover, and bake the same as apple pie (see no. ). .--cherry pie follow recipe for blueberry pie (see no. ), using stoned cherries in place of blueberries and adding one-fourth cup more sugar. .--mock cherry pie - / cups cranberries chopped and rinsed cup sugar / cup raisins seeded and chopped / cup water tablespoons sifted crumbs or flour mix, and bake in two crusts, the same as apple pie (see no. ). .--cranberry pie cups cranberries tablespoons sifted crumbs - / cups sugar / cup hot water chop cranberries, rinse, and mix with sugar, crumbs, and water. roll paste one-quarter inch thick, cover a perforated tin plate, trim the edge evenly, and moisten edge with water; fill with cranberries, cover with half-inch strips of paste placed half an inch apart to form a lattice top; trim the edges neatly, moisten, and finish with a half-inch strip of paste around the edge. bake about forty minutes. the oven should be hot for the first fifteen minutes, and then the heat should be reduced. .--open cranberry pie - / cups cranberries / cup water cup sugar tablespoons sifted crumbs mix berries, sugar, and water, and cook for ten minutes, stirring frequently to break the berries; add crumbs, and when nearly cool pour into a baked pie shell. garnish with bits of baked pastry. .--custard pie (cake crumbs) cups hot milk egg slightly beaten / cup dry cake crumbs / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar nutmeg mix crumbs and milk, let stand for five minutes, and press through a sieve; add sugar, egg, and salt; line a deep plate with paste rolled thin; build up a firm edge of crust, fill with custard, and dust with nutmeg. bake about forty minutes. the oven should be hot for the first ten minutes, and then the heat should be reduced. .--gooseberry pie to recipe for gooseberry patties (see no. ) add two tablespoons of dried and sifted crumbs. prepare and bake the same as cranberry pie (see no. ). .--lemon pie slice bread one inch thick yolks eggs cup boiling water / teaspoon salt cup sugar rind and juice lemon remove crusts from bread; cover bread with boiling water, let stand a few minutes, and press through a sieve; add sugar, egg yolks slightly beaten, salt, lemon rind, and lemon juice. prepare paste, fill, and bake the same as custard pie (see no. ). make a meringue (see no. ) of the whites of eggs. .--marlborough pie apples grated rind and juice lemon / cup sugar teaspoon cinnamon macaroons rolled / teaspoon salt tablespoons butter eggs slightly beaten pare and slice apples, add one-quarter cup of water; cook until soft, and rub through a sieve; add other ingredients in order given. line a deep plate or patty tins with rich paste, fill, and bake about forty minutes. cake crumbs may be substituted for macaroons. .--mince pie line a perforated tin plate with paste, rolled one-fourth inch thick; fill with mince meat, moisten edges with water, and cover with an upper crust with a few small gashes cut in it; turn the edge under lower crust about half an inch, press firmly, and trim edges of paste with a knife, slanting toward the center; brush with milk, and bake in a hot oven about half an hour. .--orange pie - / cups hot milk juice of orange / cup cake crumbs egg slightly beaten / cup sugar / teaspoon salt grated rind of / orange mix milk and crumbs, let stand five minutes, and press through a fine sieve; add other ingredients. prepare paste, fill, and bake the same as custard pie (see no. ). .--pineapple pie can grated pineapple few grains salt cup sugar egg - / tablespoons flour / tablespoon butter mix sugar, flour, and salt, add beaten egg, and mix with pineapple; pour into a deep pie plate lined with paste, add butter in small pieces, cover with strips of paste, and bake in a hot oven about forty minutes, reducing the heat during second half of baking. .--prune pie cups cooked prunes tablespoon flour / cup sugar grated rind of / orange stone prunes, cut in quarters, and put into a paste-lined plate; cover with sugar, flour, and rind mixed. cover with upper crust, brush with milk, and bake in a hot oven half an hour, reducing the heat during second half of baking. .--pumpkin pie - / cups baked pumpkin / teaspoon ginger egg well beaten teaspoon cinnamon / cup brown sugar / teaspoon cornstarch / teaspoon salt - / cups milk cut pumpkin in pieces and bake in a hot oven; mash and strain, and to one and a half cups add the other ingredients in order given. prepare paste and bake the same as custard pie (see no. ). .--raisin pie / cup raisins seeded and chopped / cup vinegar - / cups hot water tablespoons butter cup brown sugar / cup sifted crumbs mix, and cook for ten minutes; cool; and bake the same as cranberry pie (see no. ). .--rhubarb pie cups rhubarb cup sugar tablespoons sultana raisins grating of nutmeg / cup sifted crumbs few grains salt cut rhubarb in half-inch pieces, place in a strainer, and scald with boiling water; drain, put into a paste-lined plate, cover with raisins, crumbs, sugar, and nutmeg and salt mixed; cover with an upper crust, and bake the same as apple pie (see no. ). .--squash pie - / cups cooked squash / teaspoon cinnamon cup sugar / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon salt egg beaten / cup sifted crumbs - / cups milk mix in order given. prepare paste, fill, and bake the same as custard pie (see no. ). .--banbury tarts cup raisins juice and rind of lemon / cup sugar / cup sifted crumbs seed and chop raisins, and mix with sugar, lemon, and crumbs. roll paste one-eighth inch thick, and cut in three-inch rounds; put half a tablespoon of raisin mixture on half of each round, moisten edges with water, fold double, and press edges firmly together. prick with a fork, and bake in a hot oven about fifteen minutes. .--gooseberry patties remove tops and stems from one pint of gooseberries; wash, add one-half cup water, and cook about fifteen minutes, or until soft and well broken; add one cup of sugar, and cool; line patty pans with paste, fill with gooseberries, cover with narrow strips of paste to form a lattice. bake in a hot oven twenty-five minutes. .--prune and apple tart filling use recipe for prune and apple shortcake (see no. ), fill cooked paste shells, and garnish with bits of cooked paste. .--prune patties line patty pans with paste; prepare filling as for prune pie (see no. ); mix, and fill pans; cover with a lattice-work of narrow strips of paste, and finish with a narrow strip of paste around the outer edge. bake in a hot oven about twenty-five minutes. .--individual raspberry pie roll paste one-eighth inch thick, cut into circles two and a half inches in diameter. put a tablespoon of raspberry jam on half of them, and moisten the edges with water. with a small round cutter make three holes in each remaining circle, place on top of jam, press edges firmly together, and bake about fifteen minutes in a hot oven. bake the small cut-out pieces of paste, and serve with soup. .--rhubarb meringue patties cups rhubarb egg yolk beaten / cup water tablespoons sifted crumbs cup sugar teaspoon butter cut rhubarb in half-inch pieces and cook with water ten minutes; add sugar, egg yolk, crumbs, and butter, and cook five minutes; when cool, fill patty shells (see no. ), cover with one-egg meringue (see no. ), and bake ten minutes in a moderate oven. .--squash patties (without eggs) cups cooked and sifted squash tablespoon dried and sifted crumbs / cup sugar / teaspoon lemon extract / teaspoon salt mix in order given. line patty pans with paste, fill with squash, and bake in a hot oven about twenty-five minutes. .--cheese straws / cup flour / teaspoon mustard tablespoon shortening / teaspoon paprika / cup grated cheese / teaspoon baking powder / teaspoon salt ice water rub shortening into flour with finger tips; add cheese, seasonings, and baking powder, and mix to a stiff dough with ice water. roll out, fold in four layers, roll out again and fold as before; put on ice to chill; roll out one-third inch thick, and cut into four-inch straws. bake in a hot oven about twelve minutes. .--cheese straws (left-over paste) roll trimmings of pastry into a thin sheet, sprinkle with grated cheese and paprika; fold in four layers; repeat; chill, cut into straws, and bake in a hot oven about twelve minutes. .--cheese wafers prepare paste as for cheese straws (see no. ); roll out very thin, cut with a two-inch cutter, and bake in a hot oven about six minutes. .--cinnamon hearts roll rich paste (see no. ) very thin in an even rectangular shape; sprinkle with powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon. the paste should be about twelve inches long. fold each end toward the center two inches; fold each end again toward the center; fold double, and chill. cut in one-third-inch slices, place flat side down on a baking sheet two inches apart, and bake in a hot oven about eight minutes. chapter xxix fruits, cooked and uncooked[ ] .--to cook dried fruit wash thoroughly in two or three cold waters; put in granite kettle, cover with water, and soak twenty-four hours; cook very slowly two or three hours until tender; add sugar, and simmer half an hour. .--baked apples with dates wipe and core apples, and place in baking dish (not tin); in each cavity put a stoned date, a tablespoon of sugar, and two tablespoons of boiling water; bake in a moderate oven about half an hour, basting often. apple jelly may be used in place of dates, or sugar may be mixed with a little cinnamon or nutmeg. .--grape and apple jelly / peck grapes sugar tart apples pick over, stew, and mash grapes, put in kettle with apples, which have been coarsely chopped, but not pared or cored; heat to boiling point, mash, and boil thirty minutes; strain through a jelly bag; measure juice, return to kettle, and boil five minutes; add an equal amount of heated sugar, and boil three minutes. skim well and pour into glasses. .--spiced apple jelly wash apples, cut in quarters, cover with equal parts of water and vinegar, and cook half an hour; drain; and to each quart of juice add one-third cup of mixed spices (tied in a bag), and boil twenty minutes. remove spices. add heated sugar, allowing one quart for each quart of juice. boil ten minutes, and pour into glasses. when cold and firm cover with melted paraffin. .--grape juice and apple sauce cup grape juice apples / cup sugar slices sponge cake or toast boil grape juice and sugar for five minutes; pare, core, and slice apples, and cook in grape juice until tender; cool, and serve on toast or cake. two cups of grapes cooked with one-half cup of water and pressed through a sieve may be used in place of juice. .--dark red apple sauce tart apples / teaspoon nutmeg cup sugar / cup hot water pare and core apples, and cut into eighths; put into an earthen dish; add sugar, nutmeg, and hot water; cover closely, and bake in a slow oven three hours. .--baked bananas peel, scrape, and slice six bananas; put into a greased baking dish in layers, and sprinkle each layer with brown sugar; dot a tablespoon of butter over the top, and sprinkle with the juice of half a lemon. bake in a moderate oven half an hour. .--bananas with figs and nuts bananas tablespoons powdered sugar figs / cup chopped nut meats peel, scrape, and slice bananas; wash, dry, and chop figs; spread over bananas; sprinkle with sugar and nut meats, and serve with cream. grape nuts may be used in place of nut meats. .--mock bar-le-duc currants / cup large, hard cranberries / cup boiling water cup sugar cut cranberries in quarters, place in colander, and wash under running water to remove the seeds; heat sugar and water slowly to the boiling point, and boil seven minutes; add cranberries, and boil seven minutes. seal in small glasses. .--red currant conserve pounds red currants cup raisins oranges - / pounds sugar wash currants; grate rind of oranges and remove pulp; seed raisins and cut in halves; put in preserving kettle with sugar, heat gradually to boiling point, and simmer until as thick as marmalade. .--cranberry conserve quart cranberries cup raisins seeded and chopped cup water - / cups sugar grated rind orange / cup nut meats chopped pulp and juice of oranges wash cranberries and chop rather coarsely; put in colander and rinse with running water to remove seeds; add water, oranges, and raisins; cook fifteen minutes; add sugar and boil two minutes; add nut meats and pour into glasses. .--spiced cranberries quart cranberries teaspoons cinnamon cups brown sugar / teaspoon clove / cup vinegar / teaspoon allspice / cup water mix in order given, heat slowly to the boiling point, and simmer half an hour. serve with cold meats. .--preserved cranberries / cup water cup cranberries cup sugar heat water and sugar to the boiling point, and cook five minutes; add berries, and simmer for fifteen minutes, skimming when necessary. the berries should be unbroken. (useful for garnishing.) .--cranberry sauce pint cranberries cup sugar / cup water pick over and wash berries, add the water, and cook until very soft. mash with a wooden spoon, add the sugar, and cook until sugar is dissolved. for thick cranberry jelly, press through a sieve and pour into glasses. .--fig paste (laxative) pound prunes / pound figs ounce senna leaves cold water soak prunes over night in cold water to cover, add the senna leaves tied in cheesecloth, and cook slowly until prunes are tender. stone the prunes, and chop fine; add figs chopped fine, put in top of double boiler, remove senna, add prune juice, and cook until thick. .--candied grape fruit peel cut grape fruit peel into thin strips, and soak twenty-four hours in salted water, allowing one teaspoon of salt to each quart of water; drain, cover with cold water, and boil about one hour, or until tender, changing the water once; drain, weigh peel, and add an equal weight of sugar; heat slowly, and cook until sugar is almost absorbed; spread on a platter to dry for five or six hours; roll in powdered sugar. if put in airtight jars it will keep indefinitely. orange or lemon peel may be used in the same way. .--baked pears hard pears / cup boiling water / cup sugar cloves wipe pears, remove stems, and put in an earthen dish; add sugar, water, and cloves; cover, and bake in a slow oven for four hours, basting occasionally. serve cold. .--pear and ginger marmalade pounds hard pears / pound preserved ginger grated rind lemons pounds sugar juice of lemons quarter and core pears, and put through food chopper; add lemon rind, juice, and ginger (chopped); mix fruit with sugar, heat gradually to boiling point, and cook slowly about two hours, or until thick. .--spiced prunes cups cooked prunes juice of orange / cup chopped cranberries few gratings orange rind / cup prune juice / teaspoon cinnamon tablespoons sugar / teaspoon paprika stone prunes, cut in small pieces, add other ingredients, and simmer twenty minutes. serve with cold meats. .--quince honey quinces quart water - / pounds sugar pare, quarter, and core quinces; to the cores and parings add one pint of water, simmer half an hour, and press through a sieve. chop quinces, using the finest cutter, add a pint of water, and simmer while cores are cooking; add pulp and juice from cores and boil ten minutes; add sugar and boil about five minutes, or until it jellies. .--baked rhubarb and bananas cups rhubarb / cup sugar bananas tablespoon butter wash rhubarb and cut, unpeeled, into one-inch pieces; peel and slice bananas, and arrange in a baking dish in alternate layers with the rhubarb; add sugar and butter, cover, and bake in a slow oven two hours. serve hot or cold. .--rhubarb and orange marmalade cups rhubarb juice / lemon oranges cups sugar tablespoon orange rind grated cut rhubarb in half-inch pieces; add pulp and juice of oranges, rind, lemon juice, and sugar. cook slowly until juice will "jell" when tried on a cold plate. .--rhubarb and fig marmalade pounds rhubarb teaspoon ginger pound figs / teaspoon clove pounds sugar / teaspoon salt lemon cut rhubarb unpeeled into inch pieces; wash figs and put through food chopper; put in preserving kettle with half of sugar and let stand over night; in the morning boil until clear, then add remaining sugar, juice and grated rind of lemon, and seasonings. cook slowly until thickened. .--three-in-one marmalade cut in halves one grape fruit, one orange, and one lemon; remove pulp with a teaspoon, saving juice and discarding seeds; remove the membrane from peels, and put peel through the food chopper, using medium cutter; mix peel, pulp, and juice; measure, and to each cup add three cups of cold water; let stand over night; heat slowly to the boiling point, and cook one hour, or until peel is tender; measure, add an equal amount of sugar; boil about forty minutes, or until a little will "jell" when tried on a cold plate. .--red tomato jam pounds ripe tomatoes teaspoon ginger pounds sugar / teaspoon salt lemons scald and peel tomatoes; cut in halves crosswise and discard seeds; put in preserving kettle with sugar, lemon juice, and ginger; cook slowly about two hours, stirring often with a wooden spoon. skim when necessary. this may be kept in a stone crock or sealed in glasses. .--sweet pickled watermelon rind rind of / watermelon - / tablespoons cinnamon pounds brown sugar tablespoon cloves quart vinegar tablespoon allspice pare melon rind, cut in inch squares, wash, and drain; put sugar and vinegar in a preserving kettle, add spices tied in a bag, and boil one hour; add melon rind, and cook about one hour, or until tender; put melon rind into a stone crock, boil sirup hard for fifteen minutes, and pour over melon. footnotes: [ ] for standard recipes for jellies and preserves, see farmers' bulletin no. . chapter xxx candies .--plain fondant cups granulated sugar / teaspoon cream of tartar cup boiling water put sugar in a smooth, clean saucepan, add boiling water, and stir until dissolved; heat slowly to boiling point, add cream of tartar, and boil without stirring to ° f., or until sirup will form a soft ball when tested in cold water. as sirup granulates around the sides of saucepan, wash down with a clean brush which has been dipped quickly into cold water; pour out upon a slightly oiled slab or large platter; as the edges begin to harden, turn them toward the center, and when the mixture is partly cooled work with a wooden spatula or butter paddle until creamy; when it begins to lump, knead with the hands until smooth. let stand a few hours before using, or keep in a covered jar until needed. .--coffee fondant follow recipe for plain fondant (see no. ), using strong, clear coffee in place of water. or, if only a small quantity is needed, melt plain fondant over hot water and add one teaspoon of instantaneous coffee to each cup. this may be used melted for mints, or for dipping, or, when cooled, for centers. .--bonbon centers cut candied fruits or nuts into small pieces, and work with a bit of fondant into small balls; let stand a few hours before dipping. keep centers small so that bonbons will not be too large when finished. .--fondant bonbons melt fondant over hot water; flavor and color as desired; dip bonbon centers one at a time, and remove with a fork or confectioners' dipper; place on an oiled slab or platter until cold. .--chocolate bonbons melt bitter chocolate in a cup over hot water, and dip centers the same as for fondant bonbons (see no. ). dot chocolate (sweetened) may be used if preferred. confectioners' chocolate is best for dipping, but cooking chocolate is satisfactory if half a teaspoon of butter is melted with each four squares. .--fondant mints put plain fondant (see no. ) in cups, melt over hot water, and flavor with a few drops of oil of spearmint, wintergreen, orange, lime, or any desired flavor; color lightly if desired, and drop from a teaspoon upon an oiled slab or platter. .--quick fondant break the white of an egg into a bowl, add a tablespoon of water and about two cups of confectioners' sugar, or enough to knead. flavor with oil, extracts, or grated orange or lemon rind, and color as desired. use for mints (rolled and cut), stuffing dates, prunes, cherries or nuts, or for bonbon centers. .--quick mints cup sugar / teaspoon cream of tartar / cup boiling water drops oil of spearmint put sugar into a smooth, clean saucepan, add boiling water, and stir until dissolved; add cream of tartar, and boil to ° f., or about five minutes; cool slightly, add flavoring, beat until creamy, and drop from a teaspoon on an oiled slab or platter. if mixture thickens before all is used, add a few drops of boiling water. oil or essence of wintergreen, lime, orange, etc., may be used instead of spearmint, and mixture may be colored lightly to correspond with flavoring. .--after-dinner mints cups sugar / cup boiling water / cup molasses drops oil of spearmint put sugar and molasses into a smooth, clean saucepan, add boiling water, heat gradually to the boiling point, and boil to ° f., or until candy becomes brittle when tested in cold water; add flavoring, pour on an oiled slab or platter, and when cool enough to handle pull until nearly white; pull into long strips about half an inch in diameter, and cut in small pieces with scissors; roll in powdered sugar, and keep in a covered jar for several days before using. .--apricot paste follow recipe for mint paste (see no. ), omitting spearmint and coloring, and adding one cup of stewed and strained dried apricots (without juice); roll in confectioners' sugar, or dip in melted fondant or chocolate. .--mint paste box granulated gelatine / cup lemon juice / cup cold water grated rind orange cup boiling water drops oil of spearmint cups sugar green coloring soak gelatine in cold water five minutes; dissolve in boiling water; add sugar, and stir until dissolved; add lemon juice, and boil twenty minutes; add rind, flavoring, and coloring; pour into a small pan and let stand for several hours; cut into cubes and roll in confectioners' sugar. oil of wintergreen, cloves, or cinnamon may be used in place of spearmint, and other coloring may be used. .--turkish delight box granulated gelatine tablespoons lemon juice / cup strained orange juice grated rind orange cup boiling water / cup nut meats cut fine cups sugar / cup candied fruit cut fine soak gelatine in orange juice five minutes; dissolve in boiling water, add sugar and lemon juice, and stir until sugar is dissolved; boil twenty minutes; add rind, and, when nearly cold, add nuts and fruit and pour into a small pan; let stand several hours, cut in cubes, and roll in confectioners' sugar. paste may be colored pink by adding red gelatine to the orange juice. .--fruit wafers / pound prunes juice and grated rind / lemon / pound figs confectioners' sugar / pound dates soak prunes and figs in cold water over night, drain and wipe dry; cut prunes from stones, stone dates, and put all fruit through food chopper, using finest cutter; add lemon rind, juice, and sugar enough to knead to a firm paste; roll on a sugared board to one-fourth-inch thickness, and cut in small rounds, squares, or diamonds. or form paste into small balls, and roll in coconut or chopped nut meats. one-half cup of finely chopped nut meats may be added to the paste. this is an excellent filling for stuffed dates. .--spiced raisins cups large raisins seeded / teaspoon cinnamon / tablespoon butter / teaspoon mace tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon clove tablespoons water cook very slowly until raisins are plump and liquid has evaporated. cool, and roll in granulated sugar. .--stuffed dates wash one pound large dates, dry, and remove stones; stuff with plain fondant, or fondant mixed with candied fruits or nuts; or stuff with a seeded raisin, or a piece of date, fig, or pineapple. roll in confectioners' sugar. .--stuffed prunes pound large prunes / cup confectioners' sugar / pound dried apricots wash fruit, soak over night, drain and dry; remove stones from prunes with a knife; put apricots through food chopper, mix with sugar, and fill prunes; roll in confectioners' sugar. .--marrons glacÉs cups sugar tablespoon corn sirup - / cups water pint chestnuts shell one pint of chestnuts (see no. ) and simmer in a sirup made of sugar and water until chestnuts are tender but not broken. drain from sirup; cook the sirup with the corn sirup to ° f., or until sirup begins to discolor. remove saucepan from fire, place in a saucepan of hot water, put chestnuts on a dipping needle or long pin, and dip in sirup until thoroughly coated; place on an oiled platter. .--nuts and fruits glacÉ cups sugar / teaspoon cream of tartar cup water boil sugar, water, and cream of tartar to ° f. follow directions for dipping marrons glacés (see no. ). cherries, strawberries, orange sections, grapes, or mint and rose leaves may be dipped in the same way. appendix a.--table of weights and measures teaspoon = drops teaspoons = tablespoon tablespoons = cup cup = / pint pints = quart butter, tablespoons solidly packed = ounce butter, cups solidly packed = pound chocolate, square = ounce coffee, - / cups = pound eggs, in shells = pound english walnuts, chopped, cups = pound flour, tablespoons = ounce flour, pastry, cups = pound flour, bread, cups = pound flour, entire wheat, - / cups = pound flour, graham, - / cups = pound meat, cups finely chopped = pound oatmeal, - / cups = pound oats, rolled, cups = pound rice, - / cups = pound rye meal, - / cups = pound sugar, brown, - / cups = pound sugar, confectioners', - / cups = pound sugar, granulated, cups = pound sugar, powdered, - / cups = pound sugar or salt, tablespoons = ounce b.--time table for cooking baking beans, boston baked hours biscuits, baking powder (according to size) - minutes raised (according to size) - minutes bread (ten-cent loaf) minutes breads, baking powder muffins (according to size) - minutes corn bread (shallow pan) - minutes gingerbread (shallow pan) minutes popovers (according to size) - minutes yeast muffins (according to size) - minutes cake, fruit - / to hours layer - minutes loaf (shallow pan) minutes sponge (deep pan) minutes cookies and wafers - minutes cup custards minutes fish, whole, pounds hour fillets, or whole small - minutes meats, fillet of beef (medium) - minutes rump of beef (medium) per pound minutes sirloin or rib of beef (medium) per pound minutes chicken, per pound minutes duck, domestic to - / hours duck, wild - minutes goose, domestic, per pound minutes leg of lamb, per pound minutes pork chops minutes loin of pork, per pound minutes turkey, per pound minutes loin of veal, per pound minutes pies - minutes rice or tapioca pudding, cooked minutes rice or tapioca pudding, uncooked - / to - / hours boiling cereals corn meal hours hominy - hours macaroni - minutes oatmeal hours rice - minutes rolled oats / hour spaghetti minutes granulated or rolled wheat / hour eggs soft-cooked - minutes hard-cooked minutes fish bass, per pound minutes bluefish, per pound minutes cod, per pound minutes halibut, per pound minutes lobster, whole minutes salmon, per pound minutes small fish - minutes meats corned beef - hours fresh beef hours fowl, per pound minutes ham, per pound minutes mutton (leg), per pound minutes corned tongue - / hours fresh tongue - / hours vegetables artichokes - minutes asparagus - minutes dried beans - hours lima and other shell beans to - / hours string beans - hours beets, old - hours beets, young minutes brussels sprouts minutes cabbage - minutes cauliflower minutes green corn minutes onions to - / hours oyster plant (whole) minutes parsnips - minutes peas, fresh - minutes peas, dried hours potatoes, white - minutes potatoes, sweet - minutes spinach - minutes tomatoes (stewed) - minutes turnips, yellow - / to hours turnips, white to - / hours broiling bacon and ham, sliced thin minutes chicken, spring minutes chops, lamb or mutton - minutes fish, slices cod, halibut, salmon, swordfish - minutes fish, whole small, smelt, trout - minutes fish, whole split, bluefish, scrod, shad, whitefish - minutes oysters - minutes steak, inch thick (medium) minutes squab - minutes tripe and liver minutes frying chops or cutlets, breaded - minutes croquettes and fishballs minute doughnuts, drop cakes, fritters, muffins - minutes fish, rolled fillets and slices - minutes fish, whole small, smelt, trout, whitebait - minutes potatoes, straws, chips - minutes potatoes, french fried - minutes c.--temperature table fahrenheit freezing point ° lukewarm water or milk, not over ° albumen begins to coagulate ° milk, pasteurized, keep for / hour at ° simmering point ° boiling point, water (sea level) ° boiling point, milk (sea level) ° milk, scalded in double boiler ° baking, apples ° baking, bananas ° baking, biscuit (baking powder) ° baking, biscuit (yeast) ° baking, loaf bread ° baking, muffins ° baking, popovers ° baking, cake: cookies ° baking, cake: gingerbread ° baking, cake: fruit and pound ° baking, cake: layer ° baking, cake: plain (shallow pan) ° baking, cake: sponge (shallow pan) ° baking, meats, beef and mutton, for minutes ° then reduce to ° baking, meats, chicken and turkey, for / hour ° then reduce to ° baking, meats, goose and lamb, for / hour ° then reduce to ° baking, meats, pork and veal, for / hour ° then reduce to ° baking, pastry: pies, for / hour ° then reduce to ° baking, pastry: tart or patty shells ° baking, potatoes ° frying:[ ] breaded chops, oysters ° frying: croquettes, fishballs ° frying: doughnuts, fritters °- ° frying: potatoes, french fried ° frying: potato chips or straws ° fruit jelly ° sugar and water sirup, large thread ° sugar and water sirup, feather ° sugar and water sirup, soft ball ° sugar and water sirup, hard ball ° sugar and water sirup, for glacéd fruits and nuts ° sugar and water sirup, for spun sugar ° sugar and water sirup, caramel ° a very hot oven °- ° a hot oven °- ° a moderate oven °- ° a slow oven °- ° footnotes: [ ] to test fat without a thermometer, drop a bit of white bread into hot fat; it should brown in seconds for uncooked mixtures (doughnuts, fritters, etc.) seconds for cooked mixtures (croquettes, fishballs, etc.) seconds for chops, french fried potatoes, etc. d.--table of caloric values of average portions of food. the following table gives the approximate number of calories and the approximate percentage of protein, fat, and carbohydrate in an average portion of food.[ ] unless otherwise stated an egg, orange, potato, etc., means one of average size. percentage of number of kind of food amount calories protein fat carbohydrates _beverages_ buttermilk (see dairy products) chocolate[ ] cup cocoa[ ] cup eggnog cup grape juice / cup milk (see dairy products) orange juice / cup _breads_ baking powder biscuit small biscuit boston brown bread slice / in. x in. diameter white bread slice / in. x in. x - / in. corn bread piece in. x in. x in. crackers, graham crackers, soda croutons (fried) half-in. cubes croutons (toasted) half-in. cubes griddle cakes cakes - / in. in diameter muffins, corn meal muffins, one-egg popovers sandwich (club) _cake_ apple sauce cake slice / in. x - / in. x - / in. doughnuts fruit cake slice / in. x in. x in. hot water gingerbread piece in. x in. x in. hot water sponge slice - / in. x - / in. x in. macaroon one-egg cake slice / in. x in. x in. _candy and sugar_ bitter chocolate oz. chocolate fudge cubic inch sweet milk chocolate oz. molasses tablespoon sugar, granulated tablespoon sugar full-sized lump _cereals_ corn flakes cup corn meal mush / cup grape nuts / cup macaroni (cooked) / cup oatmeal (cooked) / cup rice (steamed) / cup shredded wheat biscuit wheat meal mush / cup _cheese dishes_ cheese fondue / cup welsh rarebit / cup and thin slice toast _dairy products_ butter tablespoon buttermilk cup cheese, american - / cubic inches cheese, cottage cubic inches cream, thin / cup milk, unskimmed cup milk, skimmed cup _desserts_ brown betty / cup chocolate blancmange / cup cup custard custard lemon jelly / cup pie, apple piece[ ] pie, custard piece pie, lemon meringue piece pie, mince piece pie, raisin piece pie, squash piece rice custard / cup indian tapioca / cup vanilla ice cream (custard) / cup _eggs_ boiled scrambled / cup _fats and salad dressings_ bacon fat tablespoon beef drippings tablespoon butter (see dairy products) cream (see dairy products) crisco tablespoon lard tablespoon oleomargarine tablespoon olive oil tablespoon french dressing tablespoon mayonnaise dressing tablespoon cooked dressing tablespoon _fruits_ apple, baked (with sugar) large bananas large cantaloupe / cranberry sauce / cup dates figs, dried grape fruit medium olives, green medium orange large peach prunes, stewed / cup raisins / cup _meats and fish (cooked)_ bacon thin slice dried beef (creamed) / cup hamburg steak (broiled) cake / in. thick - / in. diameter roast beef slice in. x - / in. x / in. stewed beef with dumpling cup lamb chops kidney chop pork chops loin chop sausage small clams (raw) codfish balls , inches in diameter creamed codfish / cup oysters (raw) salmon (canned) / cup _sauces_ brown sauce tablespoons lemon sauce tablespoons tomato sauce tablespoons white sauce tablespoons _soups_ bouillon / cup cream of corn / cup corn chowder / cup split pea / cup tomato (canned) / cup _vegetables_ asparagus stalks beans, baked / cup beans, lima (fresh) / cup beans, string / cup beets beet, in. diameter corn (canned) / cup peas (canned) / cup potatoes mashed / cup sweet, baked white, baked spinach / cup squash, winter / cup tomatoes (canned) / cup footnotes: [ ] this table is based chiefly on food analyses as determined in bulletin of the u. s. experiment stations (_chemical composition of american food materials_); _how to live_, by professor irving fisher and dr. e. l. fisk; and _feeding the family_, by professor mary s. rose. [ ] made of half milk and half water. [ ] one piece equals one-sixth of a pie inches in diameter. e.--approximate caloric value of raw food materials and the approximate percentage of protein, fat, and carbohydrate. by means of this table the fuel value of nearly all recipes may be computed.[ ] percentage of number of material quantity calories protein fat carbohydrates _cereals_ barley, pearl cup bran cup bread crumbs, dried cup bread crumbs, soft cup corn meal cup corn starch cup flour, graham cup flour, white, sifted cup macaroni, broken cup oatmeal cup rolled oats cup rice cup chocolate, bitter square cocoa, dry cup crackers, boston pound _dairy products_ butter, see fats cheese, american (fresh) { cup } { pound } condensed milk, sweetened cup condensed milk, unsweetened cup skimmed milk[ ] whole milk[ ] cream[ ] eggs[ ] egg, white egg, yolk _fats_ butter { cup } { pound } crisco { cup } { pound } lard { cup } { pound } oleomargarine { cup } { pound } olive oil cup suet { cup } { pound } _fruits_ apricots, dried pound blackberries cup concord grapes large bunch cranberries cup currants, dried cup dates, dried (unstoned) { cup } { pound } figs, chopped { cup } { pound } lemon juice / cup pineapple (canned, grated) cup other fruits[ ] gelatine ounce maple sirup cup _meats and fish_ (edible portion) beef, sirloin steak pound beef, round pound beef, tongue pound chicken, young pound clams, long pint cod pound fowl pound goose pound halibut pound ham pound lamb, forequarter pound liver pound lobster pound mackerel pound mutton, leg pound oysters pint salt pork, fat pound shad pound turkey veal, breast pound other meats and fish[ ] pound molasses cup _nuts_ (shelled) almonds cup peanuts cup peanut butter / cup pecans cup walnuts, english cup _sugar_ brown cup granulated cup powdered cup _vegetables_ beans, dried cup beans, lima, dried cup cabbage pound carrots pound celery (cut in / -inch pieces) cup corn, canned cup lentils (dried) cup lettuce large head mushrooms pound onions { onion } { pound } parsnips pound peas, canned (drained) cup peas, dried cup tapioca cup tomatoes, fresh pound tomatoes, canned cup turnip cup / -inch cubes other vegetables[ ] footnotes: [ ] see note on page . [ ] see table d on page . f.--normal weights for men and women[ ] what men should weigh ages: - - - - - - - - - ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. what women should weigh ages: - - - - - - - - - - ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. ft. in. footnotes: [ ] based upon statistics furnished by the mutual benefit life insurance company of newark, new jersey. g.--list of government publications on foods and cooking[ ] beans, peas, and other legumes as food farmers' bulletin, bread and bread making farmers' bulletin, canned fruit, preserves, and jellies farmers' bulletin, canning tomatoes; home and club work farmers' bulletin, canning vegetables in the home farmers' bulletin, care of food in the home farmers' bulletin, cereal breakfast foods farmers' bulletin, cheese; economical uses in the home farmers' bulletin, chemical composition of american food materials experiment stations bulletin, corn meal as a food and ways of using it farmers' bulletin, eggs and their uses as food farmers' bulletin, fireless cooker, hay box, or farmers' bulletin, fish as food farmers' bulletin, food for young children farmers' bulletin, food customs and diet in american homes experiment stations circular, fruit, use of, as food farmers' bulletin, functions and uses of food experiment stations circular, grape juice, unfermented, manufacture and use of farmers' bulletin, honey and its uses in the home farmers' bulletin, household equipment, selection of department of agriculture year book, measurements for the household standards circular, meat: economical use of in the home farmers' bulletin, meats: composition and cooking farmers' bulletin, milk, the care of and its use in the home farmers' bulletin, milk, the uses of as food farmers' bulletin, mushrooms and other common fungi agriculture bulletin, mushrooms, preserving wild farmers' bulletin, nutrition of man in u. s., investigation on experiment stations office nutrition, principles of, and nutritive value of food farmers' bulletin, nuts and their use as food farmers' bulletin, olive oil and its substitution chemistry bulletin, oysters: the food that has not "gone up" department of commerce, bureau of fisheries, economic circular no. peanut oil farmers' bulletin, popcorn for home use farmers' bulletin, raisins, figs, and other dried fruits, and their use agriculture year book, ; separate, sugar as food farmers' bulletin, vegetables, preparation of, for the table farmers' bulletin, footnotes: [ ] many of these bulletins are furnished free upon application to one's congressman. a list of farmers' bulletins, and a price list of other government publications on foods and cooking, will be sent on application to the superintendent of documents, government printing office, washington, d. c. index index no. page after-dinner coffee almonds, salted anchovy sauce appetizers and relishes asheville canapés cantaloupe cocktail celery relish cheese and apple rings club canapés cocktail sauce crab meat canapés cucumber pickles fruit cocktail gloucester canapés mock crab canapés pepper hash piccalilli pickled nasturtium seeds spanish cheese table sauce tomato ketchup tuna canapés winter chili sauce apple and cranberry shortcake apple and mint salad apple cake, dutch apple cake, ginger apple, cheese and, rings apple filling apple fritters apple pudding, steamed apple roulettes apple sauce cake apples, baked with dates apricot paste asheville canapés asparagus soup bacon and chicken livers bacon and lamb's liver, fried bacon, breakfast bacon sandwich rolls baked bean soup baked bean and lettuce sandwiches baked bean salad baked beans baked indian pudding baked pears baked rhubarb and bananas baked rice custard baked rice pudding baking defined baking powder baking powder baking powder biscuit banana and apple salad banana and grape juice jelly banana and peanut salad banana fritters banana royal banana sauce banana shortcake banana toast banana whip bananas, baked bananas with figs and nuts bar-le-duc currants, mock barley bread beans, black, thick purée of beans, black, purée of beans, red kidney, purée of beaten biscuit, maryland bechamel sauce beef, american chop suey beef and bacon cakes beef, broiled chopped beef, broiled flank steak beef, casserole of beef, corned beef, corned, hash beef, corned, scalloped beef, creamed dried, with cheese beef, hamburg meat cakes beef, loaf beef, pot roast beef, pressed beef, roast beef, savory beef, shin of, with creole sauce beef steak, country style beef stew beef, stuffed shin bellevue salad beverages café au lait chocolate cocoa coffee, after-dinner coffee, egg, and milk coffee, filtered ginger ale punch ginger punch grape eggnog grape juice mint julep (ginger ale) mint lemonade tea tea, iced biscuit, baking powder biscuit, beaten, maryland biscuit, entire wheat biscuit, fruit tea biscuit, graham biscuit, quick drop black butter blackberry mold blackberry pudding blancmange, chocolate blancmange, sea moss blueberry muffins blueberry pie blueberry pudding boiled eggs boiled icing boiling defined bonbon centers bouillon, tomato braising defined bran bread (baking powder) bran bread (yeast) bran drop cookies bran muffins bread bread, baking powder barley bran brown, bread crumb coffee cake, quick corn corn cake, custard corn cake, rhode island corn, country dark nut date indian date, steamed molasses corn quick raisin bread, yeast bran buns crescents date entire wheat fried graham and corn irish oatmeal roulettes rye shredded wheat white bread crumb brown bread bread omelet bread sauce bread, stale to freshen bread stuffing breakfast puffs brews broiling defined brown betty brown bread, bread crumb brown bread toast brown sauce brown sugar sirup buns butter buttered crumbs buttermilk muffins cabbage and beet salad cabbage and cranberry cabbage baked cabbage cooked in milk café au lait cake cake apple sauce canada war charlotte russe chocolate marshmallow roll cream pie date fudge ginger apple gingerbread, with egg gingerbread, without egg gingerbread, sour milk ginger gems jelly roll old-fashioned pork one-egg orange plain spice sponge velvet sponge white caloric value, tables of , calorie defined calories, daily requirement cambridge muffins canada war cake canapés, asheville canapés, club canapés, crab meat canapés, gloucester canapés, mock crab canapés, tuna candied grape fruit peel candies candies apricot paste bonbon centers chocolate bonbons fondant bonbons fondant, coffee fondant, mint fondant, plain fondant, quick fruit wafers marrons glacés mint paste mints, after-dinner mints, quick nuts and fruits glacé spiced raisins stuffed dates stuffed prunes turkish delight candle stubs canned vegetables cantaloupe cocktail canton ginger sherbet caper sauce caramel icing caramel sauce caramel toast pudding carbohydrates carbohydrates, uses carbohydrates, sources carbohydrates, daily requirement carrots sautéed carrots vinaigrette cauliflower celery and egg sandwiches celery, braised celery, cream of celery, nut, and potato loaf celery relish celery root, creamed celery root salad celery sauce celery toast cereals corn meal and beef scrapple corn meal mush hominy, steamed macaroni and cheese, scalloped noodle balls (for soup) noodle paste oatmeal, scotch polenta, french fried polenta, spanish polenta with cheese polenta with dates rice and cocoanut loaf rice and ham, baked rice, boiled risotto samp, steamed spaghetti and ham, baked spaghetti, creole spaghetti, italian wheat and sausage scrapple charlotte russe, cake for charlotte russe filling cheese cheese and apple rings cheese and nut sandwiches cheese, baked rice with cheese balls cheese club sandwiches cheese, cottage cheese, crackers and, baked cheese croquettes cheese croustades cheese custard cheese drops cheese fondue cheese muffins cheese paste cheese sauce cheese sauce with chives cheese, scalloped, toast and cheese soup cheese, spanish cheese straws cheese straws (left-over paste) cheese toast cheese tomato rarebit cheese wafers cheese wafers cheese welsh rarebit cherry pie cherry pie, mock chestnuts, baked chestnuts, to shell chicken and okra soup chicken, cream of chicken livers and bacon chicken salad chicken sandwiches chili sauce, winter chocolate chocolate blancmange chocolate bonbons chocolate cookies chocolate ice cream chocolate icing chocolate marshmallow roll chocolate marshmallow, sauce chocolate sauce chowders clam corn corn and tomato fish oyster potato salmon salt fish vegetable cider frappé cider sauce cider sirup cinders cinnamon hearts cinnamon sauce cinnamon toast clam bisque clam bouillon clam chowder clear soup club canapés cocktail, fruit cocktail, cantaloupe cocktail sauce cocoa cocoa ice cream cocoa icing coconut and orange jelly codfish, creamed codfish, spanish cod steaks, baked coffee, after-dinner coffee and rice jelly coffee cake, quick coffee caramel custards coffee cream filling coffee, egg, and milk coffee, filtered coffee ice cream coffee icing coffee junket coffee sauce coloring condiments cookies bran drop cheese drops cheese wafers chocolate ginger wafers macaroons, oatmeal macaroons, peanut marshmallow wafers molasses brownies raisin drop walnut wafers cooking, kinds of, defined cooking fats cooking, time tables for corn and tomato chowder corn bread, country corn bread, molasses corn bread, without eggs corn cake, custard corn cake, rhode island corn chowder corn, cream of corn fritters corn meal and beef scrapple corn meal griddle cakes corn meal mush corn meal rolls corn meal waffles corn muffins corn muffins, raised corn pudding corn and rice muffins coronado salad cottage cheese cottage pudding crab canapés, mock crab meat canapés crackers and cheese, baked cranberry conserve cranberry fritters cranberry muffins cranberry pie cranberry pie (open) cranberry pudding, baked cranberry sauce cranberry sauce (pudding) cranberry sherbet cranberry whip cream cream cheese salad cream cheese salad, frozen cream of celery soup cream of chicken soup cream of corn soup cream of pea soup cream filling cream icing cream pie cream toast cream toast, sauce for creamed fish creamy eggs on toast creamy omelet creole eggs creole sauce crescents crisp sticks croquettes croquette sauce cheese cheese balls fish meat potato and bean rice rice and raisin salmon and potato croustades croustades, cheese croutons crumb muffins crumbs, buttered crumbs for fried food crust stuffing cucumber pickles cucumber sauce cucumbers sautéed currant jelly sauce custard, baked rice custard, cheese custard, coffee caramel custard pie custard sauce dark red apple sauce date and apple shortcake date and fig filling date bread date bread date bread, steamed date cake date muffins, raised date muffins date rolls date sauce desserts, cold banana royal banana whip banana and grape juice jelly blackberry mold charlotte russe filling chocolate blancmange coconut and orange jelly coffee and rice jelly coffee caramel custards coffee junket cranberry whip custard, soft fruit cream fruit jelly, spiced fruit whip pineapple pudding prune and wheat mold prune whip prunes and cranberries, jellied rice mold sea moss blancmange desserts, frozen ices, to freeze canton ginger sherbet chocolate ice cream cider frappé cocoa ice cream coffee ice cream cranberry and raisin sherbet frozen custard frozen watermelon fruit sherbet grape bombe grape sherbet jelly sherbet mint ice cream orange velvet cream philadelphia ice cream pineapple sherbet prune ice cream somerset sherbet strawberry ice cream strawberry sherbet vanilla ice cream desserts, hot apple cake, dutch apple cake, ginger apple pudding, steamed apple roulettes banana toast blackberry pudding blueberry pudding brown betty caramel toast pudding chocolate pudding, steamed cottage pudding cranberry pudding, baked fig pudding, steamed fruit pudding, steamed indian pudding, baked indian tapioca pudding mock indian pudding mulled rice peach dumplings rice custard, baked rice pudding, baked doughnuts doughnuts, small tea doughnuts, stale, to freshen drawn butter dried crumb griddle cakes dried fruit to cook dried lima bean soup drop biscuit, quick dry steaming defined dumplings dumplings, peach dutch potato salad economy, general suggestions for. see chapter i eggnog eggs eggs, see also omelets boiled creamy, on toast creole egg for dipping fried food scalloped, with cheese scrambled, with sausages scrambled, with tomatoes shirred shirred, with ham shirred, with potato and ham souffléed, with ham toast with cheese and spaghetti with ham and tomatoes egg plant, baked egg plant, fried egg plant, julienne egg sauce entire wheat biscuit entire wheat bread entire wheat popovers extracts, flavoring fat fat, temperatures for frying fat, to clarify fat, to try out fats as food, chief uses fats as food, chief sources fats as food, daily requirement fats as food, cooking fig paste fillings apple coffee cream cream date and fig fudge marshmallow mocha orange prune filtered coffee finnan haddie, baked in milk finnan haddie, broiled fireless cooker fish fish, cod steaks, baked creamed codfish creamed finnan haddie, baked finnan haddie, broiled flounder, fried fillet fried scallops haddock, baked stuffed halibut, boiled herring, baked herring, broiled mackerel, baked salt, spiced oyster pie, creamed oyster pie shortcake oysters and macaroni oysters, broiled oysters, creamed oysters, panned oysters, with brown sauce salmon and peas, soufflé salmon, broiled smoked salmon, creole salmon, dutch salmon loaf salt codfish baked with crackers salt codfish, broiled salt codfish, soufflé sautéed with salt pork shrimps and rice, louisiana spanish codfish timbales warmed over fish and potato pie fish balls fish cakes with pork scraps fish chowder fish croquettes fish hash fish stuffing flavoring extracts flounder, fried fillet of fondant bonbons fondant, coffee fondant mints fondant, plain fondant, quick fondue, cheese food classified food daily requirement food government publications fowl, brown fricassee french cheese omelet french dressing french fried potatoes french omelet french toast fricasseeing defined fried bread fritters apple, sliced banana corn cranberry rice and currant salmon frozen custard fruit apple sauce, dark red baked apples, with dates baked bananas baked pears baked rhubarb and bananas bananas, with figs and nuts bar-le-duc currants, mock candied grape fruit peel cranberry conserve cranberry sauce dried, to cook fig paste, laxative grape and apple jelly grape and apple sauce jam, red tomato marmalade, pear and ginger marmalade, rhubarb and fig marmalade, rhubarb and orange marmalade, three in one preserved cranberries quince honey red currant conserve spiced apple jelly spiced cranberries spiced prunes watermelon rind, sweet pickled fruit cocktail fruit cream fruit sauce fruit sherbet fruit soup fruit tea biscuit fruit wafers fruit whip fruits frying defined fudge cake fudge filling fuel garnishings gas gherkins giblet sandwiches ginger ale punch ginger apple cake ginger gems ginger punch ginger sauce ginger wafers gingerbread, sour milk gingerbread, with egg gingerbread, without egg gloucester canapés goldenrod ham toast gooseberry patties gooseberry pie government publications on food graham and corn bread graham biscuit graham popovers grape bombe grape eggnog grape juice grape juice and apple sauce grape sherbet griddle cakes corn meal dried crumb plain raised buckwheat rice sour milk grilling defined groceries haddock, baked stuffed halibut, boiled ham and cheese sandwiches ham and potato, baked ham, baked sliced ham, broiled ham mousse ham omelet hamburg meat cakes hard sauce hash, corned beef, with beets hash, fish hash, pepper hash, savory, baked hash, southern hash, vegetable herring, baked herring, smoked broiled hollandaise sauce hominy, steamed honey, quince horseradish sauce iced tea ices, see frozen deserts icings boiled caramel chocolate cocoa coffee cream orange quick indian tapioca pudding irish bread irish stew with dumplings jam, red tomato jam cakes, fried jam rolls jellied prunes and cranberries jelly banana and grape coconut and orange coffee and rice grape and apple spiced apple spiced fruit jelly roll, cake for jelly sherbet julienne soup ketchup tomato kidneys, devilled kidneys in brown sauce kitchen equipment lamb broth with spaghetti lamb, brown fricassee lamb, casserole of lamb chops lamb cutlets lamb, rolled roast leek salad leeks, creamed left-over vegetables lemon pie lemon sauce lemon sirup lemonade, mint light omelet lima bean loaf lima bean soup, dried liver, lamb's, and bacon liver, braised liver, brown fricassee liver patties loaf, beef loaf, celery, nut, and potato loaf, ham loaf, lima bean loaf, nut loaf, rice and coconut loaf, salmon loaf, veal, baked loaf, veal, boiled macaroni macaroni and cheese, scalloped macaroni, oysters and macaroons, oatmeal macaroons, peanut mackerel, baked salt (spiced) marketing marlborough pie marmalade, pear and ginger marmalade, three in one marrons glacés marshmallow filling marshmallow sandwiches marshmallow sauce marshmallow wafers mayonnaise dressing meals, planning meat meat and potato salad meat croquettes meats american chop suey baked ham and potato baked sliced ham beef and bacon cakes beef loaf braised liver breakfast bacon broiled chopped beef broiled flank steak broiled ham brown fricassee of fowl brown fricassee of lamb brown fricassee of liver casserole of beef casserole of lamb casserole of rabbit and okra chicken livers and bacon chicken pie corned beef hash with beets country club rabbit creamed dried beef with cheese devilled kidneys fried lamb's liver and bacon ham loaf ham mousse hamburg meat cakes lamb chops lamb cutlets lambs' kidneys in brown sauce liver patties meat shortcake meat soufflé meat and tomato pie pork chops pot roast of beef potted head potted pigeons pressed beef pressed corn beef roast beef roast breast of veal roast fowl roast pork rolled roast of lamb sausage cakes sausage cakes with apple sausage with oysters and eggs savory beef savory hash (baked) scalloped corned beef shin of beef, creole sauce southern hash spanish tripe steak, to broil steak, country style stuffed shin of beef tripe fried in batter tripe fried in crumbs veal loaf, baked veal loaf, boiled veal with vegetables meringue for tarts and pies meringue, one-egg milk milk, coffee, egg, and mince meat mince meat, mock mince meat, green tomato mince pie mint julep (ginger ale) mint lemonade mint ice cream mint paste mint sauce mints, after-dinner mints, quick mocha filling mocha sauce mock bar-le-duc currants mock cherry pie mock crab canapés mock crab sandwiches mock indian pudding mock turtle soup moist steaming defined molasses brownies muffins, baking powder blueberry bran buttermilk cambridge cheese corn corn and rice cranberry crumb date plain rye sally lunn sour milk muffins, yeast raised raised corn raised date raised oatmeal muffins, stale, to freshen mulled rice mushroom sauce mushroom soup mustard butter mustard pickle sauce nasturtium seeds, pickled noodle balls (for soup) noodle paste noodles normal weights for men and women, table of nut bread, dark nuts almonds, salted celery, nut, and potato loaf chestnuts, baked chestnuts, to shell loaf marrons glacés nuts and fruits glacé peanut butter oatmeal, scotch oatmeal bread oatmeal macaroons oatmeal muffins, raised oatmeal soup oatmeal waffles oleomargarine omelets bread creamy french french cheese ham light salmon one-egg cake onion salad onion soup onion, spanish, and tomato salad onions in potato nests orange and cress salad orange cake orange filling orange icing orange marmalade sauce orange mint sauce orange pie orange sirup orange velvet cream oyster chowder oyster pie, creamed oyster plant, creamed oyster shortcake oyster stew oyster and celery bouillon oysters and macaroni oysters, broiled oysters, creamed oysters, panned oysters with brown sauce pan-baking defined pan-broiling defined panned oysters parker house rolls pastry apple pie, sliced banbury tarts blueberry pie cheese straws cheese straws (left-over paste) cheese wafers cherry pie cherry pie, mock cinnamon hearts cranberry pie cranberry pie (open) custard pie gooseberry patties gooseberry pie lemon pie marlborough pie mince pie orange pie patty shells pie shell pineapple pie plain paste prune and apple tart prune patties prune pie pumpkin pie raisin pie raspberry pie (individual) rhubarb pie rhubarb meringue patties rich paste squash patties squash pie tart shells pea soup, cream of peas, purée of split peach dumplings peanut butter peanut macaroons peanut sandwich filling peanut stuffing pear salad peas and lettuce peas, green pepper and cabbage salad pepper hash peppers, stuffed green philadelphia ice cream piccalilli pickled nasturtium seeds pickles, cucumber pie. see pastry pie, chicken pie, fish and potato pie, meat and tomato pie, meringue for pie, oyster pie shell pigeons, potted pineapple and cottage cheese salad pineapple, cheese, and date salad pineapple pie pineapple pudding pineapple sherbet plain cake plain muffins plain paste planning meals polenta, french fried polenta, spanish polenta with cheese polenta with dates popovers popovers, entire wheat popovers, graham pork cake pork chops pork, roast potato and bean croquettes potato chowder potato croutons potato salad potato soup potato, sweet, custard potatoes, baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, creamed potatoes, french fried potatoes, hashed brown potatoes, lyonnaise potatoes, pan-roasted potatoes, scalloped, with cheese potatoes, scalloped, with peppers and cheese potatoes, stuffed, with cheese and bacon potatoes, stuffed with nuts and bacon potatoes, sweet, french fried potatoes, sweet, glazed potatoes, sweet, stuffed pot-roasting defined potted head preserved cranberries protein, chief uses protein, chief sources protein, daily requirement prune and apple shortcake prune and apple tart prune and wheat mold prune filling prune ice cream prune patties prune pie prune whip publications on food, list of pudding, blackberry pudding, blueberry pudding, brown betty pudding, caramel toast pudding, chocolate, steamed pudding, cottage pudding, cranberry, baked pudding, fig, steamed pudding, fruit, steamed pudding, indian, baked pudding, indian tapioca pudding, mock indian pudding, pineapple pudding, rice, baked puffs, breakfast pumpkin pie punch, ginger ale punch, ginger purée of black beans purée of red kidney beans purée of split peas quick icing quince honey rabbit, casserole of, and okra rabbit, country club raised buckwheat cakes raised corn muffins raised muffins raisin bread raisin bread and cheese sandwiches raisin drop cookies raisin pie rarebit, tomato rarebit, welsh raspberry pie, individual red currant conserve relish, celery relishes, see appetizers and relishes rhubarb and fig marmalade rhubarb and orange marmalade rhubarb meringue patties rhubarb pie rice rice and coconut loaf rice and currant fritters rice and ham, baked rice and raisin croquettes rice and tomato soup rice baked, with cheese rice boiled rice croquettes rice griddle cakes rice mold rice, mulled rice waffles rich paste rings, cheese and apple risotto roasting defined roast goose, sauce for roast pork, sauce for rolls, baking powder bacon sandwich corn meal date jam rolls, yeast parker house shamrock stale, to freshen swedish coffee roulettes apple cheese devilled ham fruit marmalade peanut butter raised raisin and nut russian dressing rye bread rye muffins salads apple and mint baked bean banana and apple banana and peanut bellevue bermuda onion cabbage and beet cabbage and cranberry celery root chicken coronado cream cheese cream cheese, frozen dutch potato leek meat and potato orange and cress pear pepper and cabbage pineapple, cheese, and date pineapple and cottage cheese potato salmon samoset shrimp spanish spanish onion and tomato sweet potato tomato jelly tuna vegetable waldorf, jellied salad dressings cooked cooked, evaporated milk currant jelly devilled ham french mayonnaise potato mayonnaise quick mayonnaise russian sour cream uncooked, condensed milk sally lunn salmon and peas soufflé salmon and potato croquettes salmon bisque salmon chowder salmon creole salmon dutch salmon fritters salmon loaf salmon omelet salmon salad salmon, smoked broiled salsify, creamed salt codfish baked with crackers salt fish, broiled salt fish chowder salt fish soufflé samoset salad samp, steamed sandwiches baked bean and lettuce celery and egg cheese and nut cheese club chicken giblet ham and cheese marshmallow mock crab raisin bread and cheese sandwich filling, peanut sauce, cocktail sauces for desserts caramel chocolate chocolate marshmallow cinnamon coffee cranberry currant jelly custard date fruit ginger hard lemon marshmallow mocha orange marmalade soft strawberry sauces for fish and meat anchovy banana bechamel black butter bread brown caper celery cheese cheese with chives cider creole croquette cucumber drawn butter egg hollandaise horseradish mint mushroom mustard pickle orange mint for roast goose for roast pork sharp soubise table tartare tomato white winter chili sausage cakes sausage cakes baked with apple sausages with oysters and eggs sautéing defined scalloped eggs with cheese scalloped toast and cheese scallops, fried scones, potato scones, scotch scotch oatmeal scotch broth scrambled eggs with sausages scrambled eggs with tomato scrapple, corn meal and beef scrapple, wheat, and sausage sea moss blancmange shirred eggs shirred eggs with ham shirred eggs with potato and ham shortcakes shortcake apple and cranberry banana date and apple meat oyster prune and apple strawberry shortening shredded wheat bread shrimp salad shrimps and rice, louisiana simmering defined sirups brown sugar cider lemon orange sliced apple pie soft custard soft sauce somerset sherbet soubise sauce soufflé, meat soufflé, salmon and peas souffléed egg with ham toast soups without meat asparagus baked bean black bean cauliflower cheese cream of celery cream of corn cream of pea dried lima bean fruit oatmeal potato purée of split peas red kidney bean rice and tomato tomato bouillon tomato bisque tomato and oatmeal tomato and peanut vegetable windsor soups and stews with meat or fish beef stew chicken and okra clam bisque clam bouillon clear cream of chicken irish stew with dumplings julienne lamb broth with spaghetti mock turtle mushroom onion oyster and celery bouillon oyster stew salmon bisque scotch broth soup stock tomato tapioca tuna sour cream dressing sour milk gingerbread sour milk griddle cakes sour milk muffins southern corn pudding spaghetti and ham, baked spaghetti, creole spaghetti, italian spanish cheese spanish polenta spanish salad spice cake spiced cranberries spiced fruit jelly spiced prunes spiced raisins spinach sponge cake sponge cake, velvet squash, baked winter squash patties squash pie stale bread, to freshen steak, to broil steaming defined steamed chocolate pudding steamed fig pudding steamed fruit pudding stewing defined stock pot strawberry ice cream strawberry sauce strawberry sherbet strawberry shortcake stuffed dates stuffed prunes stuffings bread crust fish peanut succotash sunday toast sweet potato salad table sauce tartare sauce tarts, banbury tarts, meringue for tart shells tea tea, iced temperatures for cooking, table of timbales, fish toasts brewis brown bread celery cheese cinnamon cream cream, sauce for crisp sticks croustades croutons french goldenrod ham sunday tomato cream, with egg tomato and oatmeal soup tomato and peanut soup tomato bisque tomato bouillon tomato cream toast with egg tomato custard tomato jelly salad tomato ketchup tomato, rice and, soup tomato sauce tomato tapioca soup tomatoes, baked tomatoes, fried green tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, stuffed tripe fried in batter tripe fried in crumbs tripe, spanish tuna canapés tuna salad tuna soup turkish delight turnips, creamed utensils, kitchen vanilla ice cream veal loaf (baked) veal loaf (boiled) veal, roast breast, stuffed veal with vegetables vegetable chowder vegetable salad vegetable soup vegetables baked beans baked cabbage beans, thick purée of black braised celery cabbage cooked in milk carrots sautéed carrots vinaigrette corn pudding creamed celery, root cucumbers sautéed egg plant, baked egg plant, fried egg plant julienne hash leeks, creamed lima bean loaf onions in potato nests oyster plant, creamed peas, green peas and lettuce peppers, stuffed green potatoes, baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, creamed potatoes, french fried potatoes, hashed brown potatoes, lyonnaise potatoes, pan-roasted potatoes, scalloped, with cheese potatoes, scalloped, with peppers and cheese potatoes, stuffed, with cheese and bacon potatoes, stuffed, with nuts and cheese potatoes, sweet, glazed potatoes, sweet, french fried potatoes, sweet, stuffed potato croutons potato, sweet, custard salsify, creamed spinach squash, baked winter succotash tomato custard tomatoes, baked tomatoes, fried green tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, stuffed turnips, creamed vegetables, canned vegetables, dried vegetables, fresh vegetables, left-over waffles waffles, corn meal waffles, oatmeal waffles, rice waldorf salad, jellied walnut wafers watermelon, frozen watermelon rind, sweet pickled weights and measures, table of welsh rarebit wheat and sausage scrapple white bread white cake white sauce winsor soup winter chili sauce produced from images made available by the hathitrust digital library.) california mexican-spanish cook book selected mexican and spanish recipes by bertha haffner-ginger [illustration: very sincerely yours. bertha haffner-ginger.] this book is dedicated to my daughter, nicknamed miss "paprika" by our pupils. she has been my inspiration and devoted companion through all the years of my public life. b. h. g. to my readers an announcement that my lesson for the day would be spanish dishes, invariably brought record-breaking crowds in any city in the united states, and a demand for recipes induced me to search for the best to be found. my three years' stay in california has enabled me to learn how to prepare the very best dishes directly from the natives, both mexican and spanish. it is not generally known that spanish dishes as they are known in california are really mexican indian dishes. bread made of corn, sauces of chile peppers, jerked beef, tortillas, enchiladas, etc., are unknown in spain as native foods; though the majority of spanish people in california are as devoted to peppery dishes as the mexicans themselves, and as the mexicans speak spanish, the foods are commonly called spanish dishes. when made properly, there is great merit in this class of foods and i have endeavored to select the very best recipes, and have revised them into correct proportions and practical methods of preparation. many of the dishes are very delicious and will be found of great value for luncheon, entries, and a zest to various menus, and especially useful to those who desire to cater to the public. please note the classification of sauces and dressings which eliminates a repetition of the same sauce in different dishes. wishing you as much pleasure in the preparation and serving of this collection of recipes as i have had in compiling them, i am, very sincerely yours, bertha haffner-ginger. [illustration: the mission of the old padres was to make life brighter for such as these] regular spanish dinner c including table claret soup salad enchiladas carne con chili spanish beans spanish rice fruit and coffee special spanish dinner $ . per plate [illustration: a california "ramada" cafe] lista de los platos (table d'hote) [illustration] ensalada de frijoles [pink bean salad] sopa de papas [potato soup] arroz a la creole [rice, spanish] enchiladas a la brabo enpanadas de ternera, espagnol [veal cutlet, spanish] frijoles con carne [pink beans with cheese] dulce de naranja [orange pudding] queso galletas [cheese] [crackers] cafe negro [black coffee] dinner, cents [illustration: cabaret dancers casa verdugo cafe, los angeles] "ensaladas espanol" (spanish salads) prepared vinegar for spanish salad dressing put a button of garlic, large slice cucumber, slice onion, tablespoon parsley, tablespoon taragon leaves, or two tablespoons taragon vinegar into one pint cider vinegar. bottle and let stand several days, strain and keep for following salads and dressings. especially prepared dressings spanish dressing no. rub mixing bowl with button of garlic, break into bowl one egg yolk, whip stiff, add one-fourth cup best olive oil slowly, then one-fourth cup lemon juice, tablespoon prepared vinegar, teaspoon sugar, half teaspoon salt, tablespoon green chile pulp. very fine. spanish dressing no. six tablespoons of best olive oil in bowl, add gradually three tablespoons lemon juice and one of prepared vinegar, one teaspoon brown sugar, half teaspoon salt, tablespoon red chile pulp, stir with rotary motion until a thick cream, serve at once on salad. spanish salad dressing no. lemon or lime juice. six tablespoons to three of olive oil, teaspoon sugar, one-half teaspoon salt, dash red pepper, teaspoon onion juice. spanish salad, avacado (aligator pear) peel and cut in half pears, sprinkle with salt and sugar twenty minutes before using, then place in heart of small crisp lettuce head, pour over spanish dressing no. . tomato and cucumber salad select six fine ripe tomatoes; remove the hearts carefully; place on ice until chilled; pare two cucumbers and chop them finely; mix with tomato pulp; pour over a half cup of dressing no. and fill the tomatoes. serve on lettuce leaves and decorate with thinly sliced sweet peppers. spanish sweet pepper salad remove seed and fill half peppers with chopped cucumber and celery, mixed with dressing no. , garnish with pimiento or beets, serve on lettuce. spanish bean salad one cup spanish beans cooked tender, small pink (canned red kidney beans will do); chop sweet green pepper, one-fourth cup, tablespoon each of onion, ripe sweet pepper, parsley and cucumber, mix with beans, serve with spanish dressing no. . spanish tomato and egg salad peel smooth just ripe tomatoes, slice in three slices across, place on lettuce leaf, put border around of hard boiled whites of eggs, stand hard boiled yolk in center, pour over spanish dressing no. . stuffed tomato salad scald and peel large tomatoes, remove center, mix with equal parts celery, green chile, onions, fry in little olive oil and lemon juice, salt to taste, fill tomatoes, teaspoon spanish dressing no. , sprinkle little chopped parsley and grated cheese, set on ice, serve on lettuce. spanish california ripe olive salad remove seed from ripe olives, fill with mixture of cottage cheese, pimiento, salt, paprika, parsley, press together, serve on lettuce leaf, cover with spanish dressing no. . spanish moulded salad chop enough ripe tomatoes to fill a cup, half cup cucumber, one-fourth cup celery, one-fourth cup green sweet peppers, tablespoon onion, one-half teaspoon chile powder, salt to taste. dissolve one tablespoon gelatine in one cup tomato juice, pour over above, mix and mould, when firm cut in squares, serve with spanish sauce nos. or in lettuce leaf. spanish cucumber and tomato salad pare and chop fine one good-sized fresh cucumber. shred sufficient cabbage to make one pint, throw in cold water for one hour; scald and peel one good sized tomato and chop fine. remove the seeds from one large sweet pepper, chop and mix with the tomato. when ready to serve drain and dry the cabbage. put into salad bowl a layer of cabbage, then a layer of cucumber, then a layer of tomato and a layer of pepper; sprinkle with a few drops of onion juice; then another layer of cabbage and continue until all the material is used. serve with dressing no. . spanish cabbage salad two cups shredded cabbage red and white mixed, two tablespoons chopped roasted chestnuts, two of pecans, mix with dressing no. and serve in lettuce cups. rice salad a cup of boiled rice; four hard-boiled eggs, and one head of lettuce. arrange on platter, alternate layers of rice, shredded lettuce leaves, slices of hard-boiled eggs and dressing no. . over the top layer of dressing press the yolk of an egg through a sieve and garnish the edges with a layer of lettuce leaves and radish tulip. chop cress and cabbage, equal parts, add few minced chives, add one-fourth cup cream to one-half cup salad dressing no. and serve over salad. [illustration: oven in patio, ramona's marriage place] [illustration: old spanish kitchen in california] [illustration: indian ovens] sopa espanol (spanish soups) sopa de frijoles (bean soup) cook one pint pink beans in two quarts beef stock till tender. add one cup chopped onions, two green, two ripe chiles (fresh or canned), one quart canned tomatoes, two tablespoons chopped parsley. cook all thoroughly. drop in spanish meat balls and serve with spanish cheese fingers. spanish meat balls grind soup beef very fine. add one egg to one cup meat, salt, little onion juice, two tablespoons soaked bread, make into very small balls, roll in crumbs, fry, drop in soup just before serving and sprinkle each ball with finely chopped parsley and bits of pimiento for color effect. sopa de papas (potato soup) add one cup mashed potatoes to one cup chicken, veal or beef stock, one cup milk, tablespoon butter, salt, one bay leaf, tablespoon flour to thicken, cook and strain, cut thinly sliced bread, round, the size of a nickle, butter and toast, make little pile grated yellow cheese on toast, top with red sweet pepper, pinch of chopped parsley on top. serve hot. spanish hot vegetable broth make broth of one cup cabbage, one cup carrots, one-half cup onions, one cup garlic, one-half cup turnips, one-half cup celery, one-fourth cup green pepper. add one quart canned tomatoes, one quart clarified meat stock, cook thoroughly, strain, serve hot with spoonful well cooked rice in bowl. for vegetable soup leave all vegetables in. spanish fish chowder fry one-half cup salt pork cut into small cubes, one-half cup chopped onion to light brown, add tablespoon flour, then add two cups small pieces of white boneless fish meat, brown slightly, strain two cups hot milk, one cup prepared spanish sauce, salt to taste, dash of paprika. clams or oysters may be used, allowing only one minute for clams or oysters. tortillas [illustration: mexican woman making tortillas y. y. perez, public bakery, sonora town, los angeles. they refuse to make them any other way and take the same pleasure in making a perfectly thin and round tortilla that puffs up nicely while cooking, as you and i do in trying to make a beautiful loaf of bread. truly the heart of women are the same the world over. deep down, no matter what the environment, the desire is always there, to be "loaf givers."] modern way to prepare corn for tortilla and tamales put one gallon of shelled corn in enough water to cover; dissolve one-half cup lime in a little water and add to cover; boil fifteen or twenty minutes; remove from fire, pour off first water and add fresh cold water; rub with hand to remove husk. rinse in another water and it is ready to grind. don't wash too much or it will not be pasty enough to make tortilla. tortillas no. another way and liked best by some people: add to the corn dough (masa) rounding tablespoon of lard to four cups dough, little salt. tortillas no. still another way: corn meal and coarse flour half and half wet to stiff dough, salt and lard. tortillas no. but the best to my taste is the hominy or corn ground into a smooth paste, three cups corn, one of flour, two tablespoons melted lard, teaspoon salt, cook on ungreased iron, have ready enough hot salted lard to dip tortilla in just before you add filling to make enchiladas. when flour is used, dough may be rolled out on a board, a small pie tin placed on and cut round the edge to form cake; lift up with pancake turner. how to shape tortillas take piece of dough size of biscuit and press with hand into cake size of small pie plate, toast on top of stove moderately warm. do not brown. [illustration: a plate of tortilla] [illustration: taco made by putting chopped cooked beef and chile sauce in tortilla made of meal and flour; folded, edges sealed together with egg; fried in deep fat, chile sauce served over it.] [illustration: indian woman baking bread] [illustration: a public bakery in mexico women making tortilla] enchiladas [illustration: enchiladas] enchiladas, no. (very fine) make tortilla. chop one cup onions very fine, slice and chop one-half cup olives, cook in little lard; have cup grated cheese ready, dip tortilla in hot salted lard, dip in chile sauce no. , spread with grated cheese, put in center tablespoonful of cooked onions, tablespoon chopped hard-boiled eggs, two tablespoons chopped chicken, six seedless raisins soaked in claret, level tablespoon chopped olives, a sprinkle of cheese and fourth cup chile sauce no. , fold both sides, one over the other, pour chile sauce no. over all, put tablespoon cooked onion on center of top of each and several large pieces of cheese and three whole olives. place in hot oven till cheese is melted, serve very hot. enchiladas no. use green chile sauce for enchiladas no. , and filling of beef or veal, with onion or coddled or poached egg on top sprinkled with grated cheese, spoonful red chile sauce dropped in spots for color, heat till cheese melts. chile pulp and sauces for all recipes chile peppers are the base of all mexican and spanish dishes, and i have simplified the various recipes by making a list of different ways to make the pepper pulps and sauces. please note that they are numbered and named, referred to by number and name in the recipes. original way to prepare chile for sauce is to remove seed and toast on coals, top of stove or in oven, till they puff and look tender; and mash through sieve or colander; add water or tomatoes for right consistency; scalding is the quickest. no. , red chile sauce, for enchiladas or tamales, etc. split red chile pepper, remove all seeds and veins, soak several hours in water, pour off, pour on boiling water, pour off and repeat again, the last water just enough to cover peppers when pressed down. mash in this water and press through sieve, melt one-half cup pure lard, add heaping tablespoon flour, brown and add three cups of chile pulp, salt to taste, cook very slowly half hour. no. , green chile sauce for enchiladas or tamales, etc. split, remove seeds and veins from green chiles and boil in little hot water till tender; mash, press through sieve, melt one-fourth cup lard, add two tablespoons flour, teaspoon salt, brown just a little, add three cups green pulp, cook slowly half hour. prepared spanish sauce take equal parts red and green chile peppers, same amount green and red sweet peppers, split, remove seed from all, soak in water, drain, add enough water to barely cover, boil tender, mash in water, press through sieve, heat half cup olive oil, fry in it one-half cup onion, one-half parsley, three garlic buttons, tablespoon aregano, two cups raw tomatoes, six cloves, two cups of the pepper pulp, salt to taste, cook, strain, may heat and bottle larger quantities, very fine. pickles and relishes spanish pickle heat quart apple vinegar, add tablespoon salt, twenty cloves, two tablespoons aregano, two of cominos, boil five minutes, let cool, pour over small red and green chiles, wild tamatillos (wild tomatoes) and put up in jars. green chile relish, no. remove seed and veins from twelve large green chiles, soak over night in water with little salt in it, chop and measure one quart green tomatoes, chop chiles, one cup cucumber, garlic button, cook altogether until a pulp, press through sieve, add one-half cup lemon or lime juice, tablespoon salt. fine over cold meats, fish, oysters, eggs, croquettes, roast pork, mix with apple sauce; serve on fried apple fritters. red chile relish, no. make same as green, substitute ripe tomatoes and red chiles. you may bottle, seal tightly each sauce; will keep indefinitely. chile con carne mexican red hot chile con carne to each cup of raw or cooked, chopped or ground beef, one-half cup lard or suet, add one cup pulp of red chile pepper, two cups beef stock, salt, cook until a thick sauce is formed, serve with frijoles. chicken giblet chile cook chicken jiblets livers and hearts tender in small amount water; chop and add equal amount chile sauce no. or , salt to taste, serve on spanish rice put in dish, sprinkle with parmasan cheese or mexican grated cheese. chile con carne (mild) two cups cooked chopped beef, one-half cup green chile pulp, one-half cup suet, tablespoon lard, one cup tomatoes, one button garlic, one-half cup chopped onion. cook until thick, serve with frijoles. chile con carne one-half cup chopped salt pork, one-half cup suet, add one-half cup chopped onion, one teaspoon aregano, one-half teaspoon safron, fry all together; add two cups cooked ground beef, two cups frijoles, two cups red chile pulp, one cup water or three cups water and four tablespoons chile powder, salt to taste and cook forty minutes. chicken chile boil a fat chicken in small amount water with garlic button, or slice of onion to flavor. when tender chop the meat in small pieces, heat some of the chicken fat skimmed from the liquor and cut from chicken, add flour, bit of onion, add one cup green chile pulp, two cups of water chicken was boiled in, salt; add chopped chicken, stew few minutes, serve on spanish rice. chile con carne cook beef, veal or chicken with parsley, carrots, celery, onions, bay leaf. let it cook very slowly until tender, then cut meat into small pieces, strain the juice, add to every pint one-half cup chile pulp and one cup of cooked and mashed frijoles, add tablespoon butter or lard, then meat, and if too hot add cup tomatoes, cook few minutes longer. tamales [illustration: tamales chop one pound of beef, pork or chicken, add a little chopped tallow or one tablespoonful of lard and a little salt; fry in a pan until tender; chop again very fine; return to pan; add a little warm water and pulp of two red chiles; stir and fry few minutes. add to one quart of cornmeal two tablespoonfuls of salt, two tablespoonfuls of lard, and boiling water to make a thick dough. cut off about one inch of corn husk stalk ends and soak in hot water ten minutes; dry and rub over with hot lard. put a layer of dough on the husk about four inches long, one and one-half inches wide and one-fourth inch thick; along the center spread two teaspoonfuls of the prepared meat; roll and fold the small end of the husk; place them folded end down in a strainer over hot water. cover and steam several hours. serve hot.] chicken tamales soak some trimmed corn husk (bought in mexican stores) for several hours in cold water, then boil until soft, remove; dry on cloth, and rub with lard. cut up a fat chicken, cook until very tender in just enough water to leave about four cups. chop up cooked chicken, add corn meal or masa to boiling hot chicken broth until a thick dough; add salt to taste, one tablespoon chile powder, or chile sauce no. ; add tablespoon of lard and knead all together until light and smooth. now to all the chicken add enough chile sauce no. to mix thickly together; add about one-fourth cup of sliced olives and a few whole ones and one-fourth cup seedless raisins, and a few whole ones, salt to taste and cook together for five minutes; spread corn dough evenly over shuck or husk about one-eighth inch thick. in center of one larger husk place a large kitchen spoonful of chicken; spread over this one tablespoonful of dough; place another husk spread with dough; continue placing husk around on all sides until about ten are used. tie ends together with a strip of husk and place on end in a colander over boiling water for two or three hours, or place some corn husk in bottom of vessel, pile tamales on top, pour in about a quart of water, bring to a boil and steam slowly for three or four hours. tamale pie make a crust of two cups of hot water, one-half cup lard, one teaspoon salt, and cornmeal to make thick dough. spread on bottom and sides of pie tin. mix beef, pork, veal or chicken with plenty of suet for shortening--any two of above meats will do--measure two cups of meat, add two tablespoons of cornmeal, one-half cup of chile pulp, one teaspoon salt, one-half cup meat stock or water. cook for a few minutes, fill pie crust, spread more dough over top. make little balls the size of marbles set around edge. pour a little melted lard over the top, sprinkle with chile powder; bake about thirty minutes. beef tamales ground beef fried in lard and suet, add chile sauce no. and cook until thick. prepare cornmeal or masa by pouring on boiling hot water, salt to taste, add one cup of lard to four cups meal or masa, add few olives and raisins if desired. prepare as for chicken tamale recipe. steam. texas tamales made as above with olives and raisins left out and spoonful put in one long shuck, fold ends over and press flat. [illustration: corn husk and red chile there are firms in california putting up a specially prepared corn meal for tortillas. there are chile powders and canned red and green hot chile peppers; also the red sweet pepper, called pimiento, which makes it possible to cook spanish dishes anywhere.] eggs espanol (eggs cooked spanish) spanish omelet (supreme) a complete lesson--fry a strip of bacon for each diner; remove from fat and keep hot. cook until tender, in the fat, one tablespoon minced onion and sliver of garlic button (young green onion is best), one tablespoon minced green sweet pepper, same of canned sweet red pepper (pimiento), one tablespoon parsley, four sliced ripe olives, four seedless raisins, six mushrooms. add when done, level teaspoon flour, then add one cup tomato--raw or canned; cook few minutes, salt to taste, add one teaspoon chile powder or two tablespoons red chile sauce. use the above amount for every two eggs. keep hot and prepare eggs by breaking in separate bowl whites and yolk; beat yolk first very stiff till light in color, add tablespoon water to each yolk and one-eighth teaspoon salt. beat whites stiff, add small pinch cream tartar while whipping. fold three-fourths of the whites into the yolks--do not break up too fine. have hot omelet pan bottom covered well with lard or butter; pour in eggs; lower fire and cook slowly, lifting up with spatula at different places to let raw egg to bottom. when nearly done, set under gas broiler or in very hot oven for a few minutes until seared. remove, and with spoon, put prepared filling on one-half of omelet, fold other half over, turn out on a hot platter. put rest of whipped whites on top to form a circular crown around edge. sprinkle with salt and bits of butter; set back in oven and brown but not too deeply. remove; decorate with bits or strips of pimiento, sliced olives, parsley, and last, the strips of bacon and triangles of toast. a simple way, not so pretty and fluffy, but good, is to mix the filling with whipped eggs; cook, fold and serve hot. spanish stuffed tomato omelet soak one cup bread crumbs in one-half cup boiling milk, add tablespoon butter, salt, pepper, teaspoon onion juice. remove centers from peeled tomatoes, stuff with bread mixture, place in a serving platter, bake until tender. whip one egg for each tomato separately. add tablespoon water to each yolk, salt, chile pepper, teaspoon butter for each egg. pour around tomatoes to come to top. bake in moderate oven. serve hot, or partly fill tomato with bread mixture, break egg on top, sprinkle with cheese and bake. cut tomatoes out in squares to get all the egg, and serve on lettuce. eggs in chile blankets roll a long piece of cheese in strips of chile peppers roasted, peeled and seeded, fry in hot lard and serve with prepared spanish sauce on toast. spanish sausage omelet mix level tablespoon fine sausage, tablespoon bread crumbs in tablespoon milk for each egg, whip yolks of as many eggs as needed, little parsley, salt and teaspoon red pepper pulp, or chile powder; add white of egg and pour into hot greased pan; cook slowly, until done. fold and turn out, cover with spanish sauce. garnish with lettuce or parsley. spanish creamed eggs boil eggs hard fifteen minutes, shell, cut lengthwise; remove yolk (reserve one egg). mash yolk and add to each a teaspoon of thick white sauce, or bread cooked smooth in milk; bits of butter, pinch of salt, paprika and finely minced parsley. fill white of eggs, fasten together with toothpicks; roll in raw egg and bread crumbs; fry in deep hot olive oil or other fat; drain. remove toothpicks and where eggs are put together separate with knife and sprinkle center with little crumbled dry yolk, place on toast. make a border of chopped whites cut in rings. pour hot spanish sauce partly over and around egg; garnish with parsley, and you have a delicious dish in truly spanish colors. mexican scrambled eggs in chile mix one tablespoon green chile pulp to each egg, whipped separately, teaspoon lard or butter, a slice garlic or teaspoon onion juice, scramble quickly, serve on toast, garnish with spoonful red chile sauce and parsley. pimiento egg hard boil small eggs, shell, salt, put each in a canned pimiento large enough to close end with toothpick, salt well, dip in batter, fry in deep fat, slice in half lengthwise, make cup white sauce, add tablespoon green chile pulp, serve on egg, good and pretty spanish color effect. spanish eggs in peppers scald large sweet peppers; peel, cut in half, remove seeds, half fill with minced onion fried brown, one teaspoon red chile sauce, tablespoon tomato sauce or catsup. break one egg and scramble and pile on top. decorate with red chile powder and parsley. or break egg whole on top of sauce and bake in oven. spanish eggs, shirred brown in a teaspoon of butter or bacon fat, one teaspoon of minced onion, add teaspoon of flour, salt to taste, one teaspoon prepared chile sauce, one-fourth cup raw tomato. cook and pour into individual baking dish and break egg over top. set in oven until eggs are covered with a film. garnish with sprigs of parsley and serve hot. "carne espanol" (spanish meats) spanish steak (elegante) slightly grease very hot skillet with olive oil. select tender steak, sear both sides, turning until cooked as desired. make ready a sauce as follows: melt two tablespoons butter, one of olive oil together, add tablespoon onion, one small button of garlic, one tablespoon parsley, one green sweet pepper, and two tablespoons chili pulp. when well browned, add tablespoon flour and brown, add one can prepared tomato soup or two cups fresh chopped tomatoes, cook five minutes, strain and pour over hot steak. garnish with mushrooms and ripe olives browned in butter, sprinkled with salt and chile pepper and sprigs of parsley, or if cheese is liked, sprinkle grated yellow cheese over steak and sauce, melt in oven, serve hot, or use spanish prepared sauce. spanish steak (economical) select two pounds upper round steak, sear on hot skillet on both sides till crust is formed; then one-half cup suet, half cup hot water, cover; cook slowly half hour, add salt and pepper. fry one cup chopped onions in tablespoon lard until slightly brown; add tablespoon flour, can tomatoes, teaspoon oregano, two tablespoons green chile pulp; spread over steak, cover and cook twenty minutes longer. place on serving dish, sprinkle with cheese, set in oven to melt cheese and serve hot. flank steak, spanish have butcher cris cross a flank steak. rub into it flour, seasoned with salt and chile powder, not too much, spread with lard or melted suet, make a filling of bread crumbs, tomato, chile pulp or powder, onion, aregano, bay leaf, salt, roll up and tie. put tablespoon lard, cup tomato, little salt on top, cover and bake two or three hours slowly. spanish pork tenderloin cutlets pound tenderloin out flat; cover with flour, seasoned with salt, pepper and chili powder. fry brown in hot olive oil or bacon fat. place triangles of toast in center of platter, arrange cutlets standing around toast. put lettuce cups around outside of cutlets and fill with half of peeled tomato, sprinkled with cooked rice and parsley, salt and chile powder, or, tomatoes stuffed with a mixture of meat and rice, seasoned with salt, chile powder, onion and butter. bake until brown on top. garnish with parsley and set twig of parsley in center of toast. mexican meat cakes mix pork sausage and hamburger equal parts, to two cups meat add one cup wet bread, add one egg, one-fourth cup onion, teaspoon salt, tablespoon green chile pulp, mix and make into cakes one inch thick, put one cup prepared sauce in pan and heat, place meat in sauce, cover, simmer till done. spanish meat cakes (delicious) use finely ground beef, veal or chicken--raw or cooked. to each cup meat, add one-half cup wet bread crumbs, one-fourth cup chopped mushrooms, browned in a little butter, teaspoon onion juice, one-fourth cup white sauce and salt to taste. make into round flat cakes; fry in small amount olive oil and butter, until brown; make a sauce of six chopped olives, one-fourth cup mushrooms, tablespoon onion, tablespoon flour in tablespoon each of olive oil and butter; add salt and paprika, and cup of fresh or canned tomatoes, and tablespoon green chile pulp, and pour around meat cakes. sprinkle with chopped parsley. mexican meat dumplings mix one cup meat raw or cooked, add one-half cup chopped bacon, one-half cup tomatoes, teaspoon salt, tablespoon chile pulp or chile powder, mix to thick dough with corn meal, make into balls size of walnuts, drop in salted boiling water and tomatoes, little lard and corn meal to thicken water when meat is done. spanish beef stew cut one pound stew beef or veal in small two-inch pieces, flour thickly and brown in tablespoon of hot suet; add one-half cup chopped onion, one bay leaf, four cups tomatoes; cook slowly until meat is tender; add salt, one tablespoon chile pulp; one cup cold boiled potatoes--cut in neat squares. when potatoes are hot, serve on triangles of buttered toast. mexican chicken meat balls two cups ground chicken, two tablespoons finely chopped onion, one-half cup tomato, one-half garlic button, two tablespoons chopped sweet pepper, one egg, one teaspoon mint leaves, one-half teaspoon aregano, one teaspoon salt, one tablespoon butter, three tablespoons corn meal mush, mix together, roll in flour, make into balls, fry in deep fat, or bake in oven, serve with spanish sauce. spanish fish stew cut fish in three-inch pieces, salt and roll in corn meal. heat tablespoon bacon fat and one of olive oil, add half cup sliced onion, fry brown, add fish and brown, add enough tomato to barely cover fish, two tablespoons chile sauce, salt to taste, pinch safron, and aregano; cook few minutes. serve on platter. garnish with potato balls sprinkled with chopped parsley. spanish baked fish make a filling of bread crumbs wet with one cup of tomatoes, add one tablespoon minced onion, one tablespoon parsley, one-half cup red tomato pulp, two tablespoons melted butter, ten sliced olives, one-half cup seedless raisins; fill and sew up fish. place in pan. when done, remove carefully to hot platter and peel off skin. pour hot prepared spanish sauce over fish; garnish with lemon and parsley. awfully good. spanish fried fish salt and dip barracuda or any tender fish in a batter made of egg, flour, milk and salt. fry in deep hot olive oil. serve with sauce made by browning tablespoon onion in tablespoon olive oil, adding tablespoon flour and browning, then add one cup tomatoes, two tablespoons green or red chile pulp, salt; cook and pour across center of fish, allowing brown crisp ends to show. garnish with slices of sweet green pepper, lemon and parsley. spanish hash put a layer of seasoned whipped potatoes one inch thick in a shallow baking pan. another layer of finely chopped beef, lamb, veal, fish, or fowl; seasoned with salt and pepper and a little onion browned in lard; prepare a top layer of one cup onions, one green and one sweet red pepper, one tablespoon parsley, teaspoon chili powder or pulp, salt, tablespoon flour--all browned in two tablespoons lard. add one-half can tomatoes; cook till thick; spread over meat layer, sprinkle with bread crumbs, bits of cheese and bake. dainty when baked in individual dishes. spanish curry hash brown in two tablespoons butter, three tablespoons chopped onions, one cup ground meat,--one or more kinds, one cup tomatoes, ten sliced olives, one tablespoon worcestershire sauce, one chopped green sweet pepper, one-fourth teaspoon curry powder, one tablespoon flour; add cup of any meat stock or hot water; salt to taste; add one cup cooked rice; alternate in layer with hash. pour little butter over top and bake. garnish with parsley and slices of hard cooked egg. spanish stewed rabbit gut and roll rabbit in meal and flour, salt and chile powder, fry nice brown, cover with spanish sauce, little hot water, add one-half cup raisins, stew ten minutes, garnish with toast and mint. spanish chicken stew cut up tender chicken, salt and flour, brown in small amount of olive oil. keep hot. add tablespoon butter to oil left in frying pan; add one-half cup onions, one small clove of garlic, tablespoon parsley, two tablespoons flour; brown all together and add two cups tomatoes, two tablespoons chile pulp and one teaspoon sugar; cook until thick; pour over chicken; garnish with buttered toast and green peas. spanish style stuffed chicken brown a fat tender chicken in a small amount of lard by turning over and over for a few minutes. make a dressing of two cups bread crumbs, three tablespoons pulp of sweet green peppers, one cup tomatoes, two tablespoons chopped onion, one-half cup claret, two tablespoons sugar, one-half cup sliced onions, one-half cup seeded raisins, one teaspoon white pepper, and salt to taste. stuff chicken and bake in closed pan one hour. make gravy of drippings by adding flour, mushroom sauce and hot water. pour over chicken. spanish baked chicken en casserole salt a tender chicken, rub inside and out with onion, butter and flour. put in a large casserole. pour in bottom one cup hot water, one teaspoon oregano; add can mushrooms, stems and trimmings; one dozen sliced olives, two tablespoons green spanish sauce, and one chopped pimiento, two cups of tomatoes, one tablespoon butter and tablespoon flour to thicken; salt to taste; cover and cook till done; add cup of cream and cook ten to fifteen minutes longer. dip buttered toast in sherry--enough toast for each guest; lay on top of chicken; cover; let stand few minutes. serve from casserole. spanish dressing for chicken or turkey one pint of cold corn bread, one cup rich chicken or turkey broth, one-half cup roasted chopped chestnuts, one tablespoon butter, one hard-boiled egg minced, one teaspoon black pepper, three tablespoons red chile pulp, one-fourth cup minced onion, large tablespoon minced parsley, one egg whipped very light, salt to taste, stuff turkey or chicken, when baked, make the ordinary dressing of the drippings and chile sauce, to serve on dressing. spanish tripe in three tablespoons butter, fry one-half cup onion. cut one pound tripe into narrow strips; salt and roll in flour. add one tablespoon flour to fat and brown; add to this one cup tomato, season with tablespoon chile powder or pulp, one teaspoon sugar. let simmer until very tender. serve hot. frijoles (spanish beans) how to cook beans soak over night, put in fresh water in the morning and add one-fourth teaspoon of soda to each quart of water, boil until half done, drain and add more boiling water and cook till tender. boil longer when they are to be mashed. frijoles (bean) sauce cook red spanish beans tender, put in pan with hot lard, add onions, green or red chile pulp, salt, brown a little flour with it, mash, press through sieve, add meat stock to thin for sauce, serve over meat or whole beans. frijoles soak pink or kidney beans over night, boil till tender in salted water with pinch soda. drain and add can tomatoes, pulp of three red and three green chile peppers, one-half cup onions fried in bacon fat, salt to taste, boil slowly till very soft. spanish mashed baked beans cook pink or kidney beans in salted water with pinch of soda until very soft. drain and mash, fry bacon crisp, remove from pan and turn beans into fat, let brown and turn out on hot platter, pour hot spanish sauce over, garnish with bacon and parsley. spanish beans au gratin two cups of well-cooked beans, drained of water--into two tablespoons of hot lard, two tablespoons of red chile pulp; brown; add one-half cup grated cheese, stir until melted. serve piping hot. arroz a la espanol (spanish rice) how to cook rice wash rice in several waters, drain, rub between towels until dry, throw the rice spoonful at a time, one cup to five cups, into boiling hot salted water, boil hard for ten minutes then slowly until all water is absorbed, put asbestos mat under vessel and do not stir; grains will be dry and separate from each other. spanish rice--mint flavor heat two tablespoons lard, bacon or olive oil, add tablespoon chopped onion, one-half teaspoon salt, one-half teaspoon chile powder, pinch of mint leaves, slightly cook, add one cup rice and stir about until rice begins to color, add four cups hot water, cook slowly until all water is absorbed. pile on platter and cover with spanish sauce. spanish rice fry heaping tablespoon chipped bacon, add one garlic, stir, cook few minutes, add one cup washed and dried rice, one can tomatoes, salt, add one-half cup chile pulp, cook slowly; when about dry, add meat stock or hot water to finish cooking, but just enough to have rice dry and grains separated when done. spanish rice au gratin boil one cup rice in five cups water, add a button of garlic, teaspoon salt; when done remove garlic. drain any water and put in baking vessel alternate layers of rice, spanish sauce and cheese, topping with sauce and cheese on top. bake until hot through and cheese a rich brown. green peppers with rice chop two tablespoons onion, two tablespoons red sweet peppers, two tablespoons green sweet peppers very fine, fry until tender with a tablespoon chopped salt pork. add two cups tomatoes, cook and add tablespoon chile pepper, salt, fill green sweet peppers, put butter on top, sprinkle of brown sugar, lemon juice; bake. spanish stuffed peppers stuffed chile pepper fry chile peppers until they puff under skin; cool and peel; cut out stem, and with a spoon remove seed. prepare a mixture of any kind of meat, to a cup of meat, one tablespoon of chopped onion, one clove garlic, one-half cup tomatoes, one-half cup of sliced olives, one-fourth raisins--chopped very fine. add one tablespoon vinegar, and cook in two tablespoons hot lard; cool and fill the chile peppers. beat desired number of eggs separately, add a tablespoon flour, one of milk to each egg, and season with salt and red pepper. dip chile in batter, and fry brown in hot lard, drain, sprinkle with chopped parsley; serve hot. a prepared sauce may be served over chile or a white sauce with apple, raisins, peach preserves or marmalades added to desired taste. delicious. spanish stuffed sweet peppers mix one cup of ground meat, any kind, with half cup bread, two tablespoons onion, one-half cup tomatoes, one tablespoon sugar, one-half raisins, cook all together in one tablespoon hot butter for a few minutes, cool, add one egg, salt, chile powder, fill large sweet pepper that has all seed removed, set close together and fill in between with raw tomato, salt, pinch aregano to reach top of tomatoes, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake until well done and brown. sweet spanish peppers with sardines roast or scald and peel green sweet peppers, take out seed and veins, mix with half cup vinegar, half cup water, add one-half garlic button, one-half teaspoon aregano, piece of cinnamon; soak all night. make filling of one-half cup bread, tablespoon onion, one-half cup tomatoes, tablespoon sliced olives, six seedless raisins, drain peppers and fill. cover with melted butter, bread and grated cheese. bake and serve hot. spanish cheese and pepper fritters heat and peel green hot or sweet peppers; remove seed and fill with salt and red pepper, mixture of cheese and bread, wet in tomato juice--half and half--fasten with toothpicks; dip in egg and roll in bread; fry in deep fat; serve with spanish sauce and circle of hard-boiled eggs. chiles stuffed with cheese mix half cup bread wet with one-half cup tomatoes and one-half cup queso mexicano (a mexican cheese), tablespoon onion, one-half button garlic, tablespoon parsley, salt, pepper, one-fourth cup sliced olives, mushroom or raisins chopped and fried in tablespoon lard until tender. add the bread and cheese, when cool, stuff chiles, dip in the egg batter and fry in deep fat or saute in butter. to be eaten hot served with or without sauce. spanish onion grind one cup raw liver to a pulp, remove strings, add one whipped egg, one tablespoon onion juice, one-fourth cup cracker crumbs wet, one and one-half cup milk, one-half teaspoon salt; fill boiled onions (centers removed); cover with grated cheese, cover and cook until liver is firm. remove cover, brown slightly, serve with a prepared spanish sauce. spanish onions brown two tablespoons of flour in two tablespoons butter; add two tablespoons chopped onion, two tablespoons sliced olives, two tablespoons raisins, chopped sour pickle, one tablespoon parsley, two tablespoons chopped nuts, one-half cup bread crumbs, one-half cup cooked chicken, pork or veal, one teaspoon salt. fill onions that have been boiled tender, and centers removed--pile high--put large lump cheese on top and bake. serve with sauce made of one tablespoon butter, one tablespoon flour, two tablespoons lemon juice, one-half cup water and finely chopped parsley. spanish stuffed potatoes rub lard on large smooth potatoes. bake until soft; cut off a slice and cut out center of potatoes, add two tablespoons butter, one tablespoon of finely cut parsley, two tablespoons of pimiento--chopped--cucumber, chopped--one-fourth teaspoon chile powder, two tablespoons hot milk, one-half whipped egg; beat up until light, fill potato shell. place two strips of bacon on top, set in oven until bacon is crisp. garnish with stripe of pimiento and parsley. mexican baked macaroni or spaghetti cook and drain macaroni or spaghetti, two cups of either; heat one-fourth cup olive oil, add clove of garlic and one-half cup chipped dried beef, cook until beef curls, add tablespoon flour, brown, add one-half cup chopped mushrooms, two tablespoons green chile pulp, one large pimiento chopped fine, add two cups tomatoes, cook all together, salt to taste, mix with macaroni, put in baking dish, cover with grated mexican cheese (queso mexicano), bake till cheese is melted. calabasas (summer squash) cook round summer squash in salted water until tender; remove centers. mix with egg, bread crumbs and grated cheese, salt and chile powder. fill center of squash, pile high, sprinkle with cheese, and bits of butter; bake in a hot oven. garnish with bits of red chile pepper and chopped parsley mixed with a little hot butter. finis spanish cheese fingers to serve with all salads. make very short pie paste with butter, salt; roll and fold several times, sprinkle with grated cheese and chile pepper; roll it into paste enough to make it stick, cut in strips, bake in hot oven, tie in bunches with red ribbon, garnish with sprig of parsley, or cut strips of bread; cover with paste of melted cheese and chile pepper, toast in oven, serve with salads. mexican sandwiches remove seeds from chiles, green and red, if canned, chop fine; if raw, roast or scald and peel; first fry separately in a little butter, salt to taste, little lemon juice, don't brown. spread between layers of thickly cut white and brown bread alternately, with one slice of bread buttered and sprinkle thickly with grated cheese; the color effect is pretty when cut in fancy shapes and served on crisp lettuce leaf, or mix red and green chile together; fry, cool, add grated cheese, spread on tortillas that have been dipped in hot butter, roll lightly, fasten with toothpick; garnish with sprig parsley; serve on crisp lettuce leaves. spanish brown cake cream two cups brown sugar with one cup butter, pour around this one cup sweet or sour milk, whip four eggs and pour on top, add three cups flour with three teaspoons baking powder sifted through, two teaspoons cinnamon, mix and pour into baking tins, sprinkle top with brown sugar, ground pecans and cinnamon while raw; bake in medium oven. or add enough flour on rolling board to make a soft dough, cut into large round buns; bake and spread with icing made of hot water and brown sugar cooked until thick with pecan nuts added. spanish chocolate cake get the spanish chocolate, a little round cake about three inches across, flavor different from other chocolate. melt two cakes, add one-half cup butter, one cup brown sugar, beat four eggs separately, mix yolk into chocolate, butter and sugar, beat well, pour one cup milk on top, the beaten egg white on top of milk, three cups flour with two tablespoons baking powder, stir all together, add teaspoon vanilla, bake in loaf or layers, make icing of melted chocolate cake, tablespoon butter, one-half cup brown sugar, cook; when cool spread on cake or use as filling. mexican candy two cups dark brown sugar, one-half cup water, teaspoon butter, cook until it forms a soft ball in water, put pecan nuts in bottom of buttered saucers and pour sugar on while hot; let cool and there is the little thin round cakes one sees on the street sold by mexicans. [illustration: a type of spanish women] [illustration: another type of spanish women] [illustration: mrs. haffner-ginger in her kitchen] [illustration: mrs. haffner-ginger giving a lesson in how to set a table] [illustration: california audience watching mrs. haffner-ginger make a spanish omelet] list of mexican supplies in mexican stores as safron (safron), used for flavoring meat and chile dishes. oregano (mexican sage), used for flavoring all meat and chile dishes. cominos (common seed), used for flavoring all meat and chile dishes. cilantio (cariandos seed), used for flavoring all meat and chile dishes. frijoles colorado (pink beans). appelito marado (a blue mexican bean). belotas (mexican acorns). pinones (pine nuts). maize blanco (white corn), used for mexican dishes. ojas (corn husk for tamales). queso de tina (cheese made of cactus sweetened). queso mexicano (a mexican cheese). panocha (dark cane sugar in cone shape cakes). piloncillo (light brown cane sugar in cone shape cakes). chile colorado (red chile), chile sauce. dule tipinos (small round red chile used for pepper sauces). pinole corn or wheat parched ground for mexican drink, flavored with cinnamon and sweetened with sugar, mixed with milk or water. nixtamal mexican corn prepared old time way, ground in mortars. choriso (mexican sausage). jammiello (hamirello), candy made of pumpkin. cojeta de membrio, preserves made of quinces and panocha. cojeta de camote, sweet potatoes and panocha, preserves. tamarindo, a dried fruit to soak in water and sweetened for a drink. tomatillas, a small wild green tomato. classification of recipes page spanish dinner spanish menu ensaladas espanol (spanish salads) sopa espanol (spanish soups) tortillas enchiladas chili pulps and sauces pickles and relishes chili con carne tamales eggs, omelets, etc. carne espanol (spanish meats) frijoles (spanish beans) arroz a la espanol (spanish rice) spanish stuffed peppers and onions spaghetti, macaroni stuffed potatoes summer squash spanish cheese fingers mexican sandwiches spanish brown cake spanish chocolate cake mexican candy transcriber's note: minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. inconsistent spacing and hyphenation (e.g. cornmeal vs. corn meal), and capitalization (e.g. au gratin vs. au gratin) have been retained. unusual spellings of ingredients and dishes have also been retained, such as jiblet(s), tamatillos, aregano, parmasan, safron, taragon, and avacado. some illustration captions have been moved from before their corresponding chapter headings to after them. the following changes were also made to the text: p. : cups to cup (add one cup cooked rice) p. : add to and (dressing of the drippings and chile sauce) miss leslie's new cookery book. one volume, pages, bound. price $ . . t. b. peterson, no. chestnut street, philadelphia, has just published miss leslie's "new cookery book." it comprises new and approved methods of preparing all kinds of soups, fish, oysters, beef, mutton, veal, pork, venison, ham and bacon, poultry and game, terrapins, turtle, vegetables, sauces, bread, pickles, sweetmeats, plain cakes, fine cakes, pies, plain desserts, fine desserts, preparations for the sick, puddings, confectionery, rice, indian meal preparations of all kinds, miscellaneous receipts, etc. etc. also, lists of all articles in season suited to go together for breakfasts, dinners, and suppers, to suit large or small families, and much useful information and many miscellaneous subjects connected with general housewifery. this work will have a very extensive sale, and many thousand copies will be sold, as all persons that have had miss leslie's former works, should get this at once, as _all the receipts in this book are new_, and have been fully tried and tested by the author since the publication of her former books, _and none of them whatever are contained in any other work but this_. it is the most complete cook book published in the world; and also the latest and best, as in addition to cookery of all kinds and descriptions, its receipts for making cakes and confectionery are unequalled by any other work extant. this new, excellent, and valuable cook book is published by t. b. peterson, under the title of "miss leslie's new cookery book," and is entirely different from any other work on similar subjects, under any other names, by the same author. it is an elegantly printed duodecimo volume, of pages; and in it there will be found _hundreds of receipts_--all useful--some ornamental--and all invaluable to every lady, miss, or family in the world. read what the editors of the leading newspapers say of it. _from the philadelphia dollar newspaper._ "this is a large, well-bound volume of near seven hundred pages, and includes in it hundreds of receipts never before published in any of miss leslie's other works, accompanied by a well-arranged index, by which any desired receipt may be turned to at once. the receipts are for cooking all kinds of meats, poultry, game, pies, &c., with directions for confectionery, ices, and preserves. it is entirely different from any former work by miss leslie, and contains new and fresh accessions of useful knowledge. the merit of these receipts is, that they have all been tried, and therefore can be recommended conscientiously. miss leslie has acquired great reputation among housekeepers for the excellence of her works on cookery, and this volume will doubtless enhance it. _it is the best book on cookery that we know of_, and while it will be useful to matrons, to young housewives we should think it quite indispensable. by the aid of this book, the young and inexperienced are brought nearly on a footing with those who have seen service in the culinary department, and by having it at hand are rendered tolerably independent of _help_, which sometimes becomes very refractory. the best regulated families are sometimes taken a little by surprise by the untimely stepping in of a friend to dinner--to such, miss leslie is the friend indeed, ready as her book is with instructions for the hasty production of various substitutes for meals requiring timely and elaborate preparation." _from the philadelphia daily news._ "to the housekeeper, the name of miss leslie is a guaranty that what comes from her hand is not only orthodox, but good; and to the young wife about to enter upon the untried scenes of catering for a family, _miss leslie's new cookery book_ may be termed a blessing. it presents receipts, (and practical ones too,) for preparing and cooking all kinds of soups, fish, oysters, meats, game, cakes, pastry, and indeed everything which enters into the economy of housekeeping. their recommendations are that they are all practical, and the novice of the culinary art may enter upon her important duties with '_miss leslie's new cookery book_' by her side, with perfect confidence that the 'soup' will not be spoiled, and that the dinner will be what is designed. how many disappointments could be avoided, how many domestic difficulties prevented, and how many husbands made happy, instead of miserable, by the use of this '_vade mecum_,' we shall not pretend to say; but as we have a sincere regard for every lady who reads the _news_, our advice to them all is, by all means to buy _miss leslie's new cookery book_. mr. peterson has done admirably in getting up this work: it is handsomely and substantially bound in cloth, gilt, and does credit to his business skill; the low price at which the work is sold, when we take the size of it into consideration, one dollar and twenty-five cents only, will doubtless give it an immense sale." _from the philadelphia saturday courier._ "with such a book as _miss leslie's new cookery book_, published by mr. peterson, it is inconceivable what a vast extent of palate is destined to be astonished, and what a gastronomic multitude is to be made happy, by the delicious delicacies and substantial dishes so abundantly provided. miss leslie has in previous works shown how great an adept she has been in all culinary matters, and in all that relates to the comforts and the social enjoyment of the table around which cluster the good things of life. literature is very good in its way; but such dishes as miss leslie gives a foretaste of, come up to a more delicious standard. her authorship is exquisite, and is destined to diffuse the very essence of good taste among the fortunate people who sit down to good dinners and suppers, not one of whom will rise from the table without a blessing on _miss leslie's new cookery book_. and every taste is sure to be pleased, for all the receipts in this book are new, and to be found nowhere else, _and it is the best cook book ever published_--one which, with its hundreds of receipts, ought to be in the hands of every woman who has the slightest appreciation of convenience, comfort and economy." _from the philadelphia daily sun._ "about one thousand new receipts, never before printed, appear in this work, all of which have been tried before they are recommended by the author. all kinds of cooking and pastry; rules for the preparation of dinners, breakfasts, and suppers; appropriate dishes for every meal; and a vast quantity of other useful information, are embraced in the book. it is very comprehensive, and is furnished with an index for the use of the housewife. by the aid of miss leslie's peculiar happy talent in giving culinary directions, our girls can acquire a branch of useful information which is generally sadly neglected in their education, and thus become fitted for their duties as wives. one great advantage in _miss leslie's new cookery book_, is the economy which it teaches in the management of a household, as regards the preparations for the table. peterson has done this book up in beautiful style, and it will be sent to any part of the union, postage paid, upon the receipt of one dollar and twenty-five cents. those who know how much of the happiness of home depends upon well-cooked viands, neatly served up, will thank the accomplished authoress for this valuable contribution to domestic science." _from the philadelphia saturday evening gazette._ "miss leslie's 'new receipts for cooking' is perhaps better known than any similar collection of receipts. the very elegant volume before us, entitled '_miss leslie's new cookery book_,' is designed as a sequel and continuation to it, and should be its companion in every family, as the receipts are all new, and in no instance the same, even when their titles are similar. it contains directions for plain and fancy cooking, preserving, pickling; and commencing with soups, gives entirely new receipts for every course of an excellent dinner, to the jellies and confectionery of the dessert. our readers are not strangers to the accuracy and minuteness of miss leslie's receipts, as, since the first number of the gazette, she has contributed to our housekeepers' department. the new receipts in this volume are admirable. many of them are modified from french sources, though foreign terms and designations are avoided. the publisher has brought it out in an extremely tasteful style, and no family in the world should be without it." _from the pennsylvania inquirer._ "mr. t. b. peterson has just published '_miss leslie's new cookery book_.' this will be a truly popular work. thousands of copies will very soon be disposed of, and other thousands will be needed. it contains directions for cooking, preserving, pickling, and preparing almost every description of dish: also receipts for preparing farina, indian meal, fancy tea-cakes, marmalades, etc. we know of a no more useful work for families." _from the public ledger._ "as every woman, whether wife or maid, should be qualified for the duties of a housekeeper, a work which gives the information which acquaints her with its most important duties, will no doubt be sought after by the fair sex. this work is '_miss leslie's new cookery book_.' get it by all means." _from the boston evening traveler._ "we do not claim to be deeply versed in the art of cookery; but a lady, skilled in the art, to whom we have submitted this work, assures us that there is nothing like it within the circle of her knowledge; and that having this, a housekeeper would need no other written guide to the mysteries of housekeeping. it contains hundreds of new receipts, which the author has fully tried and tested; and they relate to almost every conceivable dish--flesh, fish, and fowl, soups, sauces, and sweetmeats; puddings, pies, and pickles; cakes and confectionery. there are, too, lists of articles suitable to go together for breakfasts, dinners and suppers, at different seasons of the year, for plain family meals, and elaborate company preparations; which must be of great convenience. indeed, there appears to be, as our lady friend remarked, everything in this book that a housekeeper needs to know; and having this book she would seem to need no other to afford her instruction about housekeeping." miss leslie's new cookery book. "as every woman, whether wife or maid, should be qualified for the duties of a housekeeper, a work which gives the information which acquaints her with its most important duties will no doubt be sought after by the fair sex. this work is '_miss leslie's new cookery book_.' get it by all means."--_public ledger._ philadelphia: t. b. peterson no. chestnut street. . entered according to act of congress, in the year , by eliza leslie, in the clerk's office of the district court of the united states, in and for the eastern district of pennsylvania. preface. i have endeavored to render this work a complete manual of domestic cookery _in all its branches_. it comprises an unusual number of pages, and the receipts are all practical, and _practicable_--being so carefully and particularly explained as to be easily comprehended by the merest novice in the art. also, i flatter myself that most of these preparations (if faithfully and liberally followed,) will be found very agreeable to the general taste; always, however, keeping in mind that every ingredient must be of unexceptionable quality, and that good cooking cannot be made out of bad marketing. i hope those who consult this book will find themselves at no loss, whether required to prepare sumptuous viands "for company," or to furnish a daily supply of nice dishes for an excellent family table; or plain, yet wholesome and palatable food where economy is very expedient. eliza leslie. _philadelphia, march th, ._ weights and measures. tested and arranged by miss leslie. wheat flour one pound of ounces is one quart. indian meal one pound ounces is one quart. butter, when soft one pound ounce is one quart. loaf sugar, broken up, one pound is one quart. white sugar, powdered, one pound ounce is one quart. best brown sugar, one pound ounces is one quart. eggs ten eggs weigh one pound. liquid measure. four large table-spoonfuls are half a jill. eight large table-spoonfuls are one jill. two jills are half a pint. a common-sized tumbler holds half a pint. a common-sized wine-glass holds about half a jill. two pints are one quart. four quarts are one gallon. about twenty-five drops of any thin liquid will fill a common-sized tea-spoon. four table-spoonfuls will generally fill a common-sized wine-glass. four wine-glasses will fill a half pint tumbler, or a large coffee-cup. a quart black bottle holds in reality about a pint and a half; sometimes not so much. a table-spoonful of salt is about one ounce. dry measure. half a gallon is a quarter of a peck. one gallon is half a peck. two gallons are one peck. four gallons are half a bushel. eight gallons are one bushel. throughout this book, the pound is avoirdupois weight--sixteen ounces. general contents. page soups, fish, shell-fish, beef, mutton, veal, pork, ham and bacon, venison, poultry and game, sauces, vegetables, bread, plain cakes, etc., plain desserts, fine desserts, fine cakes, sweetmeats, pickles, preparations for the sick, miscellaneous receipts, worth knowing, animals figures explanatory of the pieces into which the five large animals are divided by the butchers. [illustration: _beef._] . sirloin. . rump. . edge bone. . buttock. . mouse buttock. . leg. . thick flank. . veiny piece. . thin flank. . fore rib: ribs. . middle rib: ribs. . chuck rib: ribs. . brisket. . shoulder, or leg of mutton piece. . clod. . neck, or sticking piece. . shin. . cheek. [illustration: _veal._] . loin, best end. . fillet. . loin, chump end. . hind knuckle. . neck, best end. . breast, best end. . blade bone. . fore knuckle. . breast, brisket end. . neck, scrag end. [illustration: _mutton._] . leg. . shoulder. . loin, best end. . loin, chump end. . neck, best end. . breast. . neck, scrag end. _note._--a chine is two loins; and a saddle is two loins and two necks of the best end. [illustration: _pork._] . leg. . hind loin. . fore loin. . spare rib. . hand. . spring. [illustration: _venison._] . shoulder. . neck. . haunch. . breast. . scrag. miss leslie's new cookery book. soups. it is impossible to have good soup, without a sufficiency of good meat; thoroughly boiled, carefully skimmed, and moderately seasoned. meat that is too bad for any thing else, is too bad for soup. cold meat recooked, adds little to its taste or nourishment, and it is in vain to attempt to give poor soup a factitious flavor by the disguise of strong spices, or other substances which are disagreeable or unpalatable to at least one half the eaters, and frequently unwholesome. rice and barley add to the insipidity of weak soups, having no taste of their own. and even if the meat is good, too large a proportion of water, and too small a quantity of animal substance will render it flat and vapid. every family has, or ought to have, some personal knowledge of certain poor people--people to whom their broken victuals would be acceptable. let then the most of their cold, fresh meat be set apart for those who can ill afford to buy meat in market. to them it will be an important acquisition; while those who indulge in fine clothes, fine furniture, &c., had best be consistent, and allow themselves the nourishment and enjoyment of freshly cooked food for each meal. therefore where there is no absolute necessity of doing otherwise, let the soup always be made of meat bought expressly for the purpose, and of one sort only, except when the flavor is to be improved by the introduction of ham. in plain cooking, every dish should have a distinct taste of its natural flavor predominating. let the soup, for instance, be of beef, mutton, or veal, but not of all three; and a chicken, being overpowered by the meat, adds nothing to the general flavor. soup-meat that has been boiled long enough to extract the juices thoroughly, becomes too tasteless to furnish, afterwards, a good dish for the table; with the exception of mutton, which may be eaten very well after it has done duty in the soup-pot, when it is much liked by many persons of simple tastes. few who are accustomed to living at hotels, can relish hotel soups, which (even in houses where most other things are unexceptionable), is seldom such as can be approved by persons who are familiar with good tables. hotel soups and hotel hashes, (particularly those that are dignified with french names), are notoriously made of cold scraps, leavings, and in some houses, are the absolute refuse of the kitchen. in most cases, the sight of a hotel stock-pot would cause those who saw it, to forswear soup, &c. if the directions are _exactly_ followed, the soups contained in the following pages will be found palatable, nutritious, and easily made; but they require plenty of good ingredients. we have heard french cooks boast of their soup being "delicate." the english would call it "soup meagre." in such a country as america, where good things are abundant, there is no necessity of imbibing the flatulency of weak washy soups. all soups should be boiled slowly at first, that the essence of the meat may be thoroughly drawn forth. the lid of the pot should be kept close, unless when it is necessary to remove it for taking off the scum, which should be done frequently and carefully. if this is neglected, the scum will boil back again into the soup, spoil it, and make it impure or muddled. when no more scum arises, and the meat is all in rags, dropping from the bones, it is time to put in the vegetables, seasoning, &c., and not till then; and if it should have boiled away too much, then is the time to add a little _hot_ water from another kettle. add also a large crust of bread or two. it may now be made to boil faster, and the thickening must be put in. this is a table-spoonful or more of flour mixed to a smooth paste with a little water, and enriched with a tea-spoonful of good butter, or beef-dripping. this thickening is indispensable to all soups. let it be stirred in well. if making a rich soup that requires wine or catchup, let it be added the last thing, just before the soup is taken from the fire. when all is quite done and thoroughly boiled, cover the bottom of a tureen with small squares of bread or toast, and dip or pour the soup into it, leaving all the bones and shreds of meat in the pot. to let any of the sediment get into the tureen is slovenly and vulgar. not a particle of this should ever be found in a soup-plate. there are cooks who, if not prevented, will put all the refuse into the tureen; so that, when helped, the plates are half full of shreds of meat and scraps of bone, while all the best of the soup is kept back for the kitchen. this should be looked to. servants who cannot reconcile it to their conscience to steal money or any very valuable articles, have frequently no hesitation in purloining or keeping to themselves whatever they like in the way of food. soup may be colored yellow with grated carrots, red with tomato juice, and green with the juice of pounded spinach--the coloring to be stirred in after the skimming is over. these colorings are improvements both to its look and flavor. it may be browned with scorched flour, kept ready always for the purpose. never put cloves or allspice into soup--they give it a blackish ashy dirt color, and their taste is so strong as to overpower every thing else. both these coarse spices are out of use at good tables, and none are introduced in nice cookery but mace, nutmeg, ginger, and cinnamon. the meat boiled in soup gives out more of its essence, when cut off the bone, and divided into small pieces, always removing the fat. the bones, however, should go in, as they contain much glutinous substance, adding to the strength and thickness of the soup, which cannot be palatable or wholesome unless all the grease is carefully skimmed off. kitchen grease is used chiefly for soap-fat. in cold weather, good soup, if carefully covered and kept in a cool place, and boiled over again for half an hour _without_ any _additional water_, will be better on the second day than on the first. it is an excellent way in winter to boil the meat and bones on the first day, without any vegetables. then, when very thick and rich, strain the liquid into a large pan; cover it, and set it away till next morning--it should then be found a thick jelly. cut it in pieces, having scraped off the sediment from the bottom--then add the vegetables, and boil them in the soup. mushroom soup.--cut a knuckle of veal, or a neck of mutton, (or both, if they are small,) into large pieces, and remove the bones. put it into a soup-pot with sufficient water to cover the whole, and season with a little salt and cayenne. let it boil till the meat is in rags, skimming it well; then strain off the soup into another pot. have ready a large quart, or a quart and a pint of freshly-gathered mushrooms--cut them into quarters, having removed the stalks. put them into the soup, adding a quarter of a pound (or more) of fresh butter, divided into bits and rolled in flour. boil the whole about half an hour longer--try if the mushrooms are tender, and do not take them up till they are perfectly so. keep the pot lid closely covered, except when you remove the lid to try the mushrooms. lay at the bottom of the tureen a large slice of buttered toast, (cut into small squares,) and pour the soup upon it. this is a company soup. sweet corn soup.--take a knuckle of veal, and a set of calf's feet. put them into a soup-pot with some cold boiled ham cut into pieces, and season them with pepper only. having allowed a quart of water to each pound of meat, pour it on, and let it boil till the meat falls from the bone; strain it, and pour the liquid into a clean pot. if you live in the country, or where milk is plenty, make this soup of milk without any water. all white soups are best of milk. you may boil in this, with the veal and feet, an old fowl, (cut into pieces,) that is too tough for any other purpose. when the soup is well boiled, and the shreds all strained away, have ready (cooked by themselves in another pot) some ears of sweet corn, young and tender. cut the grains from the cob, mix the corn with fresh butter, season it with pepper, and stir it in the strained soup. give the whole a short boil, pour it into the tureen, and send it to table. venison soup.--is excellent, made as above, with water instead of milk, and plenty of corn. and it is very convenient for a new settlement. tomato soup.--take a shin or leg of beef, and cut off all the meat. put it, with the bones, in a large soup-pot, and season it slightly with salt and pepper. pour on a gallon of water. boil and skim it well. have ready half a peck of ripe tomatos, that have been quartered, and pressed or strained through a sieve, so as to be reduced to a pulp. add half a dozen onions that have been sliced, and a table-spoonful of sugar to lessen a little the acid of the tomatos. when the meat is all to rags, and the whole thoroughly done, (which will not be in less than six hours from the commencement) strain it through a cullender, and thicken it a little with grated bread crumbs. this soup will be much improved by the addition of a half peck of ochras, peeled, sliced thin, and boiled with the tomatos till quite dissolved. before it goes into the tureen, see that there are no shreds of meat or bits of bone left in the soup. family tomato soup.--take four pounds of the lean of a good piece of fresh beef. the fat is of no use for soup, as it must be skimmed off when boiling. cut the meat in pieces, season them with a little salt and pepper, and put them into a pot with three quarts of water. the tomatos will supply abundance of liquid. of these you should have a large quarter of a peck. they should be full-grown, and quite ripe. cut each tomato into four pieces, and put them into the soup; after it has come to a boil and been skimmed. it will be greatly improved by adding a quarter of a peck of ochras cut into thin round slices. both tomatos and ochras require long and steady boiling with the meat. to lessen the extreme acid of the tomatos, stir in a heaped table-spoonful of sugar. add also one large onion, peeled and minced small; and add two or three bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. the soup must boil till the meat is all to rags and the tomatos and ochras entirely dissolved, and their forms undistinguishable. pour it off carefully from the sediment into the tureen, in the bottom of which have ready some toasted bread, cut into small squares. fine tomato soup.--take some nice fresh beef, and divest it of the bone and fat. sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper, and pour on water, allowing to each pound of meat a pint and a half (not more) of water, and boil and skim it till it is very thick and clear, and all the essence seems to be drawn out of the meat. scald and peel a large portion of ripe tomatos--cut them in quarters, and laying them in a stew-pan, let them cook in their own juice till they are entirely dissolved. when quite done, strain the tomato liquid, and stir into it a little sugar. in a third pan stew an equal quantity of sliced ochras with a very little water; they must be stewed till their shape can no longer be discerned. strain separately the meat liquor, the tomatos, and the ochras. mix butter and flour together into a lump; knead it a little, and when all the liquids are done and strained put them into a clean soup-pan, stir in the flour and butter, and give the soup one boil up. transfer it to your tureen, and stir altogether. the soup made precisely as above will be perfectly smooth and nice. have little rolls or milk biscuits to eat with it. this is a tomato soup for dinner company. green pea soup.--make a nice soup, in the usual way, of beef, mutton, or knuckle of veal, cutting off all the fat, and using only the lean and the bones, allowing a quart of water to each pound of meat. if the meat is veal, add four or six calf's feet, which will greatly improve the soup. boil it slowly, (having slightly seasoned it with pepper and salt,) and when it has boiled, and been well skimmed, and no more scum appears, then put in a quart or more of freshly-shelled green peas, with none among them that are old, hard, and yellow; and also a sprig or two of green mint, and a little loaf sugar. boil the peas till they are entirely dissolved. then (having removed all the meat and bones) strain the soup through a sieve, and return it to the soup-pot, (which, in the mean time, should have been washed clean,) and stir into it a tea-cupful of green spinach juice, (obtained by pounding some spinach.) have ready (boiled, or rather stewed in another pot) a quart of young fresh peas, enriched with a piece of fresh butter. these last peas should be boiled tender, but not to a mash. after they are in, give the soup another boil up, and then pour it off into a tureen, in the bottom of which has been laid some toast cut into square bits, with the crust removed. this soup should be of a fine green color, and very thick. excellent bean soup.--early in the evening of the day before you make the soup, wash clean a large quart of dried white beans in a pan of cold water, and about bedtime pour off that water, and replace it with a fresh panful. next morning, put on the beans to boil, with only water enough to cook them well, and keep them boiling slowly till they have all bursted, stirring them up frequently from the bottom, lest they should burn. meantime, prepare in a larger pot, a good soup made of a shin of beef cut into pieces, and the hock of a cold ham, allowing a large quart of water to each pound of meat. season it with pepper only, (no salt,) and put in with it a head of celery, split and cut small. boil the soup (skimming it well) till the meat is all in rags; then take it out, leaving not a morsel in the pot, and put in the boiled beans. let them boil in the soup till they are undistinguishable, and the soup very thick. put some small squares of toast in the bottom of a tureen, and pour the soup upon it. there is said to be nothing better for making soup than the camp-kettle of the army. many of the common soldiers make their bean soup of surpassing excellence. split pea soup.--in buying dried or split peas, see that they are not old and worm-eaten. wash two quarts of them over night in two or three waters. in the morning make a rich soup of the lean of beef or mutton, and the hock of a ham. season it with pepper, but no salt. when it has boiled, and been thoroughly skimmed, put in the split peas, with a head of celery cut into small pieces, or else two table-spoonfuls of celery seed. let it boil till the peas are entirely dissolved and undistinguishable. when it is finished strain the soup through a sieve, divesting it of the thin shreds of meat and bits of bone. then transfer it to a tureen, in which has been laid some square bits of toast. stir it up to the bottom directly before it goes to table. you may boil in the soup (instead of the ham) a good piece (a rib piece, or a fillet) of corned pork, more lean than fat. when it is done, take the pork out of the soup, put it on a dish, and have ready to eat with it a pease pudding boiled by itself, cut in thick slices and laid round the pork. this pudding is made of a quart of split peas, soaked all night, mixed with four beaten eggs and a piece of fresh butter, and tied in a cloth and boiled three or four hours, or till the peas have become a mass. asparagus soup.--make in the usual way a nice rich soup of beef or mutton, seasoned with salt and pepper. after it has been well boiled and skimmed, and the meat is all to pieces, strain the soup into another pot, or wash out the same, and return to it the liquid. have ready a large quantity of fine fresh asparagus, with the stalks cut off close to the green tops or blossoms. it should have been lying in cold water all the time the meat was boiling. put into the soup half of the asparagus tops, and boil them in it till entirely dissolved, adding a tea-cupful of spinach juice, obtained by pounding fresh spinach in a mortar. stir the juice well in and it will give a fine green color. then add the remaining half of the asparagus; having previously boiled them in a small pan by themselves, till they are quite tender, but not till they lose their shape. give the whole one boil up together. make some nice slices of toast, (having cut off the crust.) dip them a minute in hot water. butter them, lay them in the bottom of the tureen, and pour the soup upon them. this (like green peas) will do for company soup. cabbage soup.--remove the fat and bone from a good piece of fresh beef, or mutton--season it with a little salt and pepper, put it into a soup-pot, with a quart of water allowed to each pound of meat. boil, and skim it till no more scum is seen on the surface. then strain it, and thicken it with flour and butter mixed. have ready a fine fresh cabbage, (a young summer one is best) and after it is well washed through two cold waters, and all the leaves examined to see if any insects have crept between, quarter the cabbage, (removing the stalk) and with a cabbage-cutter, or a strong sharp knife, cut it into shreds. or you may begin the cabbage whole and cut it into shreds, spirally, going round and round it with the knife. put the cabbage into the clear soup, and boil it till, upon trial, by taking up a little on a fork, you find it quite tender and perfectly well cooked. then serve it up in the tureen. this is a family soup. red cabbage soup.--red cabbages for soup should either be quartered, or cut into shreds; it is made as above, of beef or mutton, and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a jill of strong tarragon vinegar, or a table-spoonful of mixed tarragon leaves, if in summer. fine cabbage soup.--remove the outside leaves from a fine, fresh, large cabbage. cut the stalk short, and split it half-way down so as to divide the cabbage into quarters, but do not separate it quite to the bottom. wash the cabbage, and lay it in cold water for half an hour or more. then set it over the fire in a pot full of water, adding a little salt, and let it boil slowly for an hour and a half, or more--skimming it well. then take it out, drain it, and laying it in a deep pan, pour on _cold_ water, and let it remain till the cabbage is cold all through. next, having drained it from the cold water, cut the cabbage in shreds, (as for cold-slaw,) and put it into a clean pot containing a quart and a pint of boiling milk into which you have stirred a quarter of a pound of nice fresh butter, divided into four bits and rolled in flour, adding a little pepper and a very little salt. boil it in the milk till thoroughly done and quite tender. then make some nice toast, cut it into squares, lay it in the bottom of a tureen, and pour the soup on it. this being made without meat is a good soup for lent. it will be improved by stirring in, towards the last, two or three beaten eggs. cauliflower soup.--put into a soup-pot a knuckle of veal, and allow to each pound a quart of water. add a set of calf's feet that have been singed and scraped, but not skinned; and the hock of a cold boiled ham. boil it till all the meat is in rags, and the soup very thick, seasoning with cayenne and a few blades of mace, and adding, towards the last, some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. boil in another pot, one or two fine cauliflowers. they are best boiled in milk. when quite done and very tender, drain them, cut off the largest stalks, and divide the blossoms into small pieces; put them into a deep covered dish, lay some fresh butter among them, and keep them hot till the veal soup is boiled to its utmost thickness. then strain it into a soup-tureen, and put into it the cauliflower, grating some nutmeg upon it. this soup will be found very fine, and is an excellent white soup for company. for lent this soup may be made without meat, substituting milk, butter, and flour, and eggs, as in the receipt for fine cabbage soup. season it with mace and nutmeg. if made with milk, &c., put no water on it, but boil the cauliflower in milk from the beginning. this can easily be done where milk is plenty. fine onion soup.--take a fine fresh neck of mutton, and to make a large tureen of soup, you must have a breast of mutton also. let the meat be divided into chops, season it with a little salt, and put it in a soup-pot--allow a quart of water to each pound of mutton. boil, and skim it till no more scum arises, and the meat drops in rags from the bones. in a small pot boil in milk a dozen large onions, (or more,) adding pepper, mace, nutmeg, and some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. the onions should previously be peeled and sliced. when they are quite soft, transfer them to the soup, with the milk, &c., in which they were cooked. give them one boil in the soup. then pour it off, or strain it into the tureen, omitting all the sediment, and bones, and shreds of meat. make some nice slices of toast, dipping each in boiling water, and trimming off all the crust. cut the toast into small squares, lay them in the bottom of the tureen, and pour the soup upon them. where there is no objection to onions it will be much liked. if milk is plenty use it instead of water for onion soup. white soups are always best when made with milk. turnip soup.--for a very small family take a neck of mutton, and divide it into steaks, omitting all the fat. for a family of moderate size, take a breast as well as a neck. put them into a soup-pot with sufficient water to cover them, and let them stew till well browned. skim them carefully. then pour on more water, in the proportion of a pint to each pound of meat, and add eight or ten turnips pared and sliced thin, with a very little pepper and salt. let the soup boil till the turnips are all dissolved, and the meat in rags. add, towards the last, some bits of butter rolled in flour, and in five minutes afterwards the soup will be done. carefully remove all the bits of meat and bone before you send the soup to table. it will be found very good, and highly flavored with the turnips. onion soup may be made in the same manner. parsnip soup also, cutting the parsnips into small bits. or all three--turnips, onions and parsnips, may be used together. parsnip soup.--the meat for this soup may either be fresh beef, mutton, or fresh venison. remove the fat, cut the meat into pieces, add a little salt, and put it into a soup-pot, with an allowance of rather less than a quart of water to each pound. prepare some fine large parsnips, by first scraping and splitting them, and cutting them into pieces; then putting them into a frying pan, and frying them brown, in fresh butter or nice drippings. when the soup has been boiled till the meat is all in rags, and well skimmed--put into it the fried parsnips and let them boil about ten minutes, but not till they break or go to pieces. just before you put in the parsnips, stir in a table-spoonful of thickening made with butter and flour, mixed to a smooth paste. when you put it into the tureen to go to table, be sure to leave in the pot all the shreds of meat and bits of bone. carrot soup.--take a good piece of fresh beef that has not been previously cooked. remove the fat. it is of no use in making soup; and as it must all be skimmed off when boiling, it is better to clear it away before the meat goes into the pot. season the beef with a very little salt and pepper, and allow a small quart of water to each pound. grate half a dozen or more large carrots on a coarse grater, and put them to boil in the soup with some other carrots; cut them into pieces about two inches long. when all the meat is boiled to rags, and has left the bone, pour off the soup from the sediment, transferring it to a tureen, and sending it to table with bread cut into it. potato soup.--pare and slice thin half a dozen fine potatos and a small onion. boil them in three large pints of water, till so soft that you can pulp them through a cullender. when returned to the pot add a very little salt and cayenne, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into bits, and boil it ten minutes longer. when you put it into the tureen, stir in two table-spoonfuls or more of good cream. this is a soup for fast-days, or for invalids. chestnut soup.--make, in the best manner, a soup of the lean of fresh beef, mutton, or venison, (seasoned with cayenne and a little salt,) allowing rather less than a quart of water to each pound of meat, skimming and boiling it well, till the meat is all in rags, and drops from the bone. strain it, and put it into a clean pot. have ready a quart or more of large chestnuts, boiled and peeled. if roasted, they will be still better. they should be the large spanish chestnuts. put the chestnuts into the soup, with some small bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. boil the soup ten minutes longer, before it goes to table. portable soup.--this is a very good and nutritious soup, made first into a jelly, and then congealed into hard cakes, resembling glue. if well made, it will keep for many months in a cool, dry place, and when dissolved in hot water or gravy, will afford a fine liquid soup, very convenient to carry in a box on a journey or sea voyage, or to use in a remote place, where fresh meat for soup is not to be had. a piece of this glue, the size of a large walnut, will, when melted in water, become a pint bowl of soup; or by using less water, you may have it much richer. if there is time and opportunity, boil with the piece of soup a seasoning of sliced onion, sweet marjoram, sweet basil, or any herbs you choose. also, a bit of butter rolled in flour. to make portable soup, take two shins or legs of beef, two knuckles of veal, and four unskinned calves' feet. have the bones broken or cracked. put the whole into a large clean pot that will hold four gallons of water. pour in, at beginning, only as much water as will cover the meat well, and set it over the fire, to heat gradually till it almost boils. watch and skim it carefully while any scum rises. then pour in a quart of cold water to make it throw up all the remaining scum, and then let it come to a good boil, continuing to skim as long as the least scum appears. in this be particular. when the liquid appears perfectly clear and free from grease, pour in the remainder of the water, and let it boil very gently for eight hours. strain it through a very clean hair sieve into a large stoneware pan, and set it where it will cool quickly. next day, remove all the remaining grease, and pour the liquid, as quickly as possible, into a three-gallon stew-pan, taking care not to disturb the settlings at the bottom. keep the pan uncovered, and let it boil as fast as possible over a quick fire. next, transfer it to a three-quart stew-pan, and skim it again, if necessary. watch it well, and see that it does not burn, as that would spoil the whole. take out a little in a spoon, and hold it in the air, to see if it will jelly. if it will not, boil it a little longer. till it jellies, it is not done. have ready some small white ware preserve pots, clean, and quite dry. fill them with the soup, and let them stand undisturbed till next day. set, over a slow fire, a large flat-bottomed stew-pan, one-third filled with boiling water. place in it the pots of soup, seeing it does not reach within two inches of their rims. let the pots stand uncovered in this water, hot, but without boiling, for six or seven hours. this will bring the soup to a proper thickness, which should be that of a stiff jelly, when hot; and when cold, it should be like hard glue. when finished turn out the moulds of soup, and wrap them up separately in new brownish paper, and put them up in boxes, breaking off a piece when wanted to dissolve the soup. portable soup may be improved by the addition of three pounds of nice lean beef, to the shins, knuckles, calves' feet, &c. the beef must be cut into bits. if you have any friends going the overland journey to the pacific, a box of portable soup may be a most useful present to them. pepper-pot.--have ready a small half pound of very nice white tripe, that has been thoroughly boiled and skinned, in a pot by itself, till quite soft and tender. it should be cut into very small strips or mouthfuls. put into another pot a neck of mutton, and a pound of lean ham, and pour on it a large gallon of water. boil it slowly, and skim it. when the scum has ceased to rise, put in two large onions sliced, four potatos quartered, and four sliced turnips. season with a very small piece of red pepper or capsicum, taking care not to make it too hot. then add the boiled tripe. make a quart bowlful of small dumplings of butter and flour, mixed with a very little water; and throw them into the pepper-pot, which should afterwards boil about an hour. then take it up, and remove the meat before it is put into the tureen. leave in the bits of tripe. noodle soup.--this soup may be made with either beef or mutton, but the meat must be fresh for the purpose, and not cold meat, re-cooked. cut off all the fat, and break the bones. if boiled in the soup they improve it. to each pound of meat allow a small quart of water. boil and skim it, till the meat drops from the bone. put in with the meat, after the scum has ceased to rise, some turnips, carrots and onions, cut in slices, and boil them till all to pieces. strain the soup, and return the liquid to a clean pot. have ready a large quantity of noodles, (in french _nouillés_,) and put them into the strained soup; let them boil in it ten minutes. the noodles are composed of beaten eggs, made into a paste or dough, with flour and a very little fresh butter. this paste is rolled out thin into a square sheet. this sheet is then closely rolled up like a scroll or quire of thick paper, and then with a sharp knife cut round into shreds, or shavings, as cabbage is cut for slaw. these cuttings must be dredged with flour to prevent their sticking. throw them into the soup while boiling the second time, and let it boil for ten minutes longer. chicken soup.--cut up two large fine fowls, as if carving them for the table, and wash the pieces in cold water. take half a dozen thin slices of cold ham, and lay them in a soup-pot, mixed among the pieces of chicken. season them with a very little cayenne, a little nutmeg, and a few blades of mace, but no salt, as the ham will make it salt enough. add a head of celery, split and cut into long bits, a quarter of a pound of butter, divided in two, and rolled in flour. pour on three quarts of milk. set the soup-pot over the fire, and let it boil rather slowly, skimming it well. when it has boiled an hour, put in some small round dumplings, made of half a pound of flour mixed with a quarter of a pound of butter; divide this dough into equal portions, and roll them in your hands into little balls about the size of a large hickory nut. the soup must boil till the flesh of the fowls is loose on the bones, but not till it drops off. stir in, at the last, the beaten yolks of three or four eggs; and let the soup remain about five minutes longer over the fire. then take it up. cut off from the bones the flesh of the fowls, and divide it into mouthfuls. cut up the slices of ham in the same manner. mince the livers and gizzards. put the bits of fowl and ham in the bottom of a large tureen, and pour the soup upon it. this soup will be found excellent, and may be made of large old fowls, that cannot be cooked in any other way. if they are so old that when the soup is finished they still continue tough, remove them entirely, and do not serve them up at all. similar soup may be made of a large old turkey. also, of four rabbits. duck soup.--half roast a pair of fine large tame ducks, keeping them half an hour at the fire, and saving the gravy, the fat of which must be carefully skimmed off. then cut them up; season them with black pepper; and put them into a soup-pot with four or five small onions sliced thin, a small bunch of sage, a thin slice of cold ham cut into pieces, a grated nutmeg, and the yellow rind of a lemon grated. add the gravy of the ducks. pour on, slowly, three quarts of boiling water from a kettle. cover the soup-pot, and set it over a moderate fire. simmer it slowly (skimming it well) for about four hours, or till the flesh of the ducks is dissolved into small shreds. when done, strain it through a tureen, the bottom of which is covered with toasted bread, cut into square dice about two inches in size. french white soup.--boil a knuckle of veal and four calves' feet in five quarts of water, with three onions sliced, a bunch of sweet herbs, four heads of white celery cut small, a table-spoonful of whole pepper, and a _small_ tea-spoonful of salt, adding five or six large blades of mace. let it boil very slowly, till the meat is in rags and has dropped from the bone, and till the gristle has quite dissolved. skim it well while boiling. when done, strain it through a sieve into a tureen, or a deep white-ware pan. next day, take off all the fat, and put the jelly (for such it ought to be) into a clean soup-pot with two ounces of vermicelli, and set it over the fire. when the vermicelli is dissolved, stir in, gradually, a pint of thick cream, while the soup is quite hot; but do not let it come to a boil after the cream is in, lest it should curdle. cut up one or two french rolls in the bottom of a tureen, pour in the soup, and send it to table. cocoa-nut soup.--take eight calves' feet (two sets) that have been scalded and scraped, but not skinned; and put them into a soup-kettle with six or seven blades of mace, and the yellow rind of a lemon grated. pour on a gallon of water; cover the kettle, and let it boil very slowly (skimming it well) till the flesh is reduced to rags and has dropped entirely from the bones. then strain it into a broad white-ware pan, and set it away to get cold. when it has congealed, scrape off the fat and sediment, cut up the cake of jelly, (or stock,) and put it into a clean porcelain or enameled kettle. have ready half a pound of very finely grated cocoa-nut. mix it with a pint of cream. if you cannot obtain cream, take rich unskimmed milk, and add to it three ounces of the best fresh butter divided into three parts, each bit rolled in arrow-root or rice-flour. mix it, gradually, with the cocoa-nut, and add it to the calves-feet-stock in the kettle, seasoned with a small nutmeg grated. set it over the fire, and boil it, slowly, about a quarter of an hour; stirring it well. then transfer it to a tureen, and serve it up. have ready small french rolls, or light milk biscuit to eat with it; also powdered sugar in case any of the company should wish to sweeten it. almond soup is made in the above manner, substituting pounded almonds for the grated cocoa-nut. you must have half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, mixed with two ounces of shelled bitter almonds. after blanching them in hot water, they must be pounded to a smooth paste (one at a time) in a marble mortar; adding frequently a little rose-water to prevent their oiling, and becoming heavy. or you may use peach-water for this purpose; in which case omit the bitter almonds, as the peach-water will give the desired flavor. when the pounded almonds are ready, mix them with the other ingredients, as above. the calves' feet for these soups should be boiled either very early in the morning, or the day before. spring soup.--unless your dinner hour is very late, the stock for this soup should be made the day before it is wanted, and set away in a stone pan, closely covered. to make the stock take a knuckle of veal, break the bones, and cut it into several pieces. allow a quart of water to each pound of veal. put it into a soup-pot, with a set of calves' feet,[a] and some bits of cold ham, cut off near the hock. if you have no ham, sprinkle in a tea-spoonful of salt, and a salt-spoon of cayenne. place the pot over a _moderate_ fire, and let it simmer slowly (skimming it well) for several hours, till the veal is all to rags and the flesh of the calves' feet has dropped in shreds from the bones. then strain the soup; and if not wanted that day, set it away in a stone pan, as above mentioned. [a] in buying calves' feet always get those that are singed, not skinned. much of the glutinous or jelly property resides in the skin. next day have, ready boiled, two quarts or more of green peas, (they must on no account be old,) and a pint of the green tops cut off from asparagus boiled for the purpose. pound a handful of raw spinach till you have extracted a tea-cupful of the juice. set the soup or stock over the fire; add the peas, asparagus, and spinach juice, stirring them well in; also a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into four bits, and rolled in flour. let the whole come to a boil; and then take it off and transfer it to a tureen. it will be found excellent. in boiling the peas for this soup, you may put with them half a dozen sprigs of green mint, to be afterwards taken out. late in the spring you may add to the other vegetables two cucumbers, pared and sliced, and the whitest part or heart of a lettuce, boiled together; then well drained, and put into the soup with the peas and asparagus. it must be very thick with vegetables. summer soup.--take a large neck of mutton, and hack it so as nearly to cut it apart, but not quite. allow a small quart of water to each pound of meat, and sprinkle on a tea-spoonful of salt and a very little black pepper. put it into a soup-pot, and boil it _slowly_ (skimming it well) till the meat is reduced to rags. then strain the liquid, return it to the soup-pot, and carefully remove all the fat from the surface. have ready half a dozen small turnips sliced thin, two young onions sliced, a table-spoonful of sweet marjoram leaves picked from the stalks, and a quart of shelled lima beans. put in the vegetables, and boil them in the soup till they are thoroughly done. you may add to them two table-spoonfuls of green nasturtion seeds, either fresh or pickled. put in also some little dumplings, (made of flour and butter,) about ten minutes before the soup is done. instead of lima beans, you may divide a cauliflower or two broccolis into sprigs, and boil them in the soup with the other vegetables. this soup may be made of a shoulder of mutton, cut into pieces and the bones cracked. for a large potful add also the breast to the neck, cutting the bones apart. autumn soup.--begin this soup as early in the day as possible. take six pounds of the lean of fine fresh beef; cut it into small pieces; sprinkle it with a tea-spoonful of salt, (not more); put it into a soup-pot, and pour on six quarts of water. the hock of a cold ham will greatly improve it. set it over a moderate fire, and let it boil slowly. after it comes to a boil, skim it well. have ready a quarter of a peck of ochras cut into very thin round slices, and a quarter of a peck of tomatos cut into pieces; also a quart of shelled lima beans. season them with pepper. put them in; and after the whole has boiled three hours _at least_, take four ears of young indian corn, and having grated off all the grains, add them to the soup and boil it an hour longer. before you serve up the soup remove from it all the bits of meat, which, if the soup is sufficiently cooked, will be reduced to shreds. you may put in with the ochras and tomatos one or two sliced onions. the soup, when done, should be as thick as a jelly. ochras for soup may be kept all winter, by tying them separately to a line stretched high across the store room. winter soup.--the day before you make the soup, get a leg or shin of beef. have the bone sawed through in several places, and the meat notched or scored down to the bone. this will cause the juice or essence to come out more freely, when cooked. rub it slightly with salt; cover it, and set it away. next morning, early as possible, as soon as the fire is well made up, put the beef into a large soup-pot, allowing to each pound a small quart of water. then taste the water, and if the salt that has been rubbed on the meat is not sufficient, add a very little more. throw in also a tea-spoonful of whole pepper-corns; and you may add half a dozen blades of mace. let it simmer slowly till it comes to a boil; then skim it well. after it boils, you may quicken the fire. at nine o'clock put in a large head of cabbage cut fine as for cold-slaw; six carrots grated; the leaves stripped from a bunch of sweet marjoram; and the leaves of a sprig of parsley. an hour afterwards, add six turnips, and three potatoes, all cut into four or eight pieces. also two onions, which will be better if previously roasted brown, and then sliced. keep the soup boiling steadily, but not hard, unless the dinner hour is very early. for a late dinner, there will be time to boil it slowly all the while; and all soups are the better for long and slow boiling. see that it is well skimmed, so that, when done, there will be not a particle of fat or scum on the surface. at dinner-time take it up with a large ladle, and transfer it to a tureen. in doing so, carefully avoid the shreds of meat and bone. leave them all in the bottom of the pot, pressing them down with the ladle. a mass of shreds in the tureen or soup-plate looks slovenly and disgusting, and should never be seen at the table; also, they absorb too much of the liquid. let the vegetables remain in the soup when it is served up, but pick out every shred of meat or bone that may be found in the tureen when ready to go to table. in very cold weather, what is left of this soup will keep till the second day; when it must be simmered again over the fire, till it just comes to a boil. put it away in a tin or stone vessel. the lead which is used in glazing earthen jars frequently communicates its poison to liquids that are kept in them. vegetable soup--(_very good_.)--soak all night, in cold water, either two quarts of yellow split peas, or two quarts of dried white beans. in the morning drain them, and season them with a very little salt and cayenne, and a head of minced celery, or else a heaped table-spoonful of celery seed. put them into a soup-pot with four quarts of water, and boil them slowly till they are all dissolved and undistinguishable. stir them frequently. have ready a profuse quantity of fresh vegetables, such as turnips, carrots, parsnips, potatos, onions, and cauliflowers; also, salsify, and asparagus tops. put in, first, the vegetables that require the longest boiling. they should all be cut into small pieces. enrich the whole with some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. boil these vegetables in the soup till they are all quite tender. then transfer it to a tureen, and serve it up hot. the foundation being of dried peas or beans, makes it very thick and smooth, and the fresh vegetables improve its flavor. it is a good soup for lent, or for any time, if properly and liberally made. all vegetable soups can be made in lent without meat, if milk is substituted for water, and with butter, beaten eggs and spice, to flavor and enrich it. french pot au feu.--this is one of the national dishes of france. the following is a genuine french receipt, and it would be found very palatable and very convenient if tried in our own land of plenty. the true french way to cook it is in an earthen pipkin, such as can be had in any pottery shop. the french vessel has a wide mouth, and close-fitting lid, with a handle at each side, in the form of circular ears. it is large and swelling in the middle, and narrows down towards the bottom. the american pipkin has a short thick spout at one side, and stands on three or four low feet. no kitchen should be without these vessels, which are cheap, very strong, and easily kept clean. they can sit on a stove, or in the corner of the fire, and are excellent for slow cooking. the wife of a french artisan commences her pot au feu soon after breakfast, prepares the ingredients, puts them, by degrees, into the pot, attends to it during the day; and when her husband has done his work she has ready for him an excellent and substantial repast, far superior to what in our country is called a _tea-dinner_. men frequently indemnify themselves for the poorness of a tea-dinner by taking a dram of whiskey afterwards. a frenchman is satisfied with his excellent pot au feu and some fruit afterwards. the french are noted as a temperate nation. if they have eaten to their satisfaction they have little craving for drink. yet there is no country in the world where so much good eating might be had as in america. but to live well, and wholesomely, there should also be good cooking, and the wives of our artisans must learn to think more of the comfort, health, and cheerfulness of him who in scotland is called the _bread-winner_, than of their own finery, and their children's uncomfortable frippery. _receipt._--for a large pot au feu, put into the pipkin six pounds of good fresh beef cut up, and pour on it four quarts of water. set it near the fire, skim it when it simmers, and when nearly boiling, add a tea-spoonful of salt, half a pound of liver cut in pieces, and some black pepper. then add two or three large carrots, sliced or grated on a coarse grater; four turnips, pared and quartered; eight young onions peeled and sliced thick, two of the onions roasted whole; a head of celery cut up; a parsnip split and cut up; and six potatos, pared, sliced, or quartered. in short any good vegetables now in season, including tomatos in summer and autumn. also a bunch of sweet herbs, chopped small. let the whole continue to boil slowly and _steadily_; remembering to skim well. let it simmer slowly five or six hours. then, having laid some large slices of bread in the bottom of a tureen, or a very large pan or bowl, pour the stew or soup upon it; all the meat, and all the vegetables. if you have any left, recook it the next morning for breakfast, and _that day_ you may prepare something else for dinner. for beef you may substitute mutton, or fresh venison, if you live in a venison country, and can get it newly killed. wild duck soup.--this is a company soup. if you live where wild ducks are abundant, it will afford an agreeable variety occasionally to make soup of some of them. if you suspect them to be sedgy or fishy, (you can ascertain by the smell when drawing or cleaning them,) parboil each duck, with a carrot put into his body. then take out the carrot and throw it away. you will find that the unpleasant flavor has left the ducks, and been entirely absorbed by the carrots. to make the soup--cut up the ducks, season the pieces with a little salt and pepper, and lay them in a soup-pot. for a good pot of soup you should have four wild ducks. add two or three sliced onions, and a table-spoonful of minced sage. also a quarter of a pound of butter divided into four, and each piece rolled in flour. pour in water enough to make a rich soup, and let it boil slowly till all the flesh has left the bones,--skim it well. thicken it with boiled or roasted chestnuts, peeled, and then mashed with a potato beetle. a glass of madeira or sherry will be found an improvement, stirred in at the last, or the juice and grated peel of a lemon. in taking it up for the tureen, be careful to leave all the bones and bits of meat in the bottom of the pot. venison soup.--take a large fine piece of freshly killed venison. it is best at the season when the deer are fat and juicy, from having plenty of wild berries to feed on. i do not consider winter-venison worth eating, when the meat is poor and hard, and affords no gravy, and also is black from being kept too long. when venison is fresh and in good order it yields a fine soup, allowing a small quart of water to each pound of meat. when it has boiled well, and been skimmed, put in some small dumplings made of flour and minced suet, or drippings. also, boiled sweet potatos, cut into round thick slices. you may add boiled sweet corn cut off the cob; and, indeed, whatever vegetables are in season. the soup-meat should boil till all the flesh is loose on the bones, and the bits and shreds should not be served up. the best pieces of buffalo make good soup. game soup.--take partridges, pheasants, grouse, quails, or any of the birds considered as game. you may put in here as many different sorts as you can procure. they must all be fresh killed. when they are cleaned and plucked, cut them in pieces as for carving, and put them into a soup-pot, with four calves' feet and some slices of ham, two sticks of celery, and a bundle of sweet herbs chopped small, and water enough to cover the whole well. boil and skim well, till all the flesh is loose from the bones. strain the liquid through a sieve into a clean pot, then thicken it with fresh butter rolled in flour. add some force-meat balls that have been already fried; or else some hard-boiled yolks of eggs; some currant jelly, or some good wine into which a half-nutmeg has been grated; the juice of two oranges or lemons, and the grated yellow peel of one lemon. give the soup another boil up, and then send it to table, having bread rolls to eat with it. this is a fine soup for company. venison soup may be made in this manner. hare soup also. squatter's soup.--take plenty of _fresh-killed_ venison, as fat and juicy as you can get it. cut the meat off the bones and put it (with the bones) into a large pot. season it with pepper and salt, and pour on sufficient water to make a good rich soup. boil it slowly (remembering to skim it well) till the meat is all in rags. have ready some ears of young sweet corn. boil them in a pot by themselves till they are quite soft. cut the grains off the cob into a deep dish. having cleared the soup from shreds and bits of bone left at the bottom of the pot, stir in a thickening made of indian meal mixed to a paste with a little fresh lard, or venison gravy. and afterwards throw in, by degrees, the cut corn. let all boil together, till the corn is soft, or for about half an hour. then take it up in a large pan. it will be found very good by persons who never were squatters. this soup, with a wild turkey or a buffalo hump roasted, and stewed grapes sweetened well with maple sugar, will make a good backwoods dinner. mock turtle soup.--boil together a knuckle of veal (cut up) and a set of calves' feet, split. also the hock of a cold boiled ham. season it with cayenne pepper; but the ham will render it salt enough. you may add a smoked tongue. allow, to each pound of meat, a small quart of water. after the meat has come to a boil and been well skimmed, add half a dozen sliced parsnips, three sliced onions, and a head of celery cut small, with a large bunch of sweet marjoram, and two large carrots sliced. boil all together till the vegetables are nearly dissolved and the meat falls from the bone. then strain the whole through a cullender, and transfer the liquid to a clean pot. have ready some fine large sweetbreads that have been soaked in warm water for an hour till all the blood was disgorged; then transferred to boiling water for ten minutes, and then taken out and laid in very cold water. this will blanch them, and all sweetbreads should look white. take them out; and remove carefully all the pipe or gristle. cut the sweetbreads in pieces or mouthfuls, and put them into the pot of strained soup. have ready about two or three dozen (or more) of force-meat balls, made of cold minced veal and ham seasoned with nutmeg and mace, enriched with butter, and mixed with grated lemon-peel, bread-crumbs, chopped marjoram and beaten eggs, to make the whole into smooth balls about the size of a hickory nut. throw the balls into the soup, and add a fresh lemon, sliced thin, and a pint of madeira wine. give it one more boil up; then put it into a tureen and send it to table. this ought to be a rich soup, and is seldom made except for dinner company. if the above method is _exactly_ followed, there will be found no necessity for taking the trouble and enduring the disgust and tediousness of cleaning and preparing a calf's head for mock turtle soup--a very unpleasant process, which too much resembles the horrors of a dissecting room. and when all is done a calf's head is a very insipid article. it will be found that the above is superior to any mock turtle. made of shin beef, with all these ingredients, it is very rich and fine. fish soup.--all fish soups should be made with milk, (if unskimmed so much the better,) using no water whatever. the best fish for soup are the small sort of cat-fish; also tutaug, porgie, blue fish, white fish, black fish or sea-bass. cut off their heads, tails, and fins, and remove the skin, and the backbone, and cut the fish into pieces. to each pound of fish allow a quart of rich milk. put into the soup-pot some pieces of cold boiled ham. no salt will then be required; but season with cayenne pepper, and a few blades of mace and some grated nutmeg. add a bunch of sweet marjoram, the leaves stripped from the stalks and chopped. make some little dumplings of flour and butter, and put them in when the soup is about half done. half an hour's steady boiling will be sufficient. serve up in the tureen the pieces of fish and ham. also some toast cut in dice. soup may be made in this manner, of chickens or rabbits, using always milk enriched with bits of butter rolled in flour and flavored with bits of cold ham. lobster soup.--this is a fine soup for company. take two or three fine fresh lobsters, (the middle sized are the best.) heat a large pot of water, throwing in a large handful of salt. when it is boiling hard put in the lobsters, head foremost, that they may die immediately. they will require at least half an hour's fast boiling; if large, three quarters. when done, take them out, wipe off the scum that has collected on the shell, and drain the lobster. first break off the large claws, and crack them, then split the body, and extract all the white meat, and the red coral--nothing else--and cut it into small pieces. mash the coral into smooth bits with the back of a large spoon, mixing with it plenty of sweet oil; and, gradually, adding it to the bits of chopped lobster. put into a clear soup-pot two quarts, or more, of good milk, and thicken it with half a dozen crackers or butter-biscuit, pounded fine; or the grated crumbs of two or three small rolls, and stir in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter made into a paste with two spoonfuls of flour. put in the chopped lobster, seasoned with nutmeg, a few blades of mace powdered, and a little cayenne. let all boil together, slowly, for half an hour, keeping it closely covered. towards the last, stir in two beaten eggs. lay some very small soda biscuit in the bottom of a tureen, and pour the soup upon them. nasturtion flowers strewed at the last thickly over the surface of this soup, when in the tureen, are an improvement both to its appearance and flavor. so is peppergrass. crab soup.--take the meat of two dozen boiled crabs, cut it small, and give it a boil in two quarts of milk. season it with powdered mace, nutmeg, and a little cayenne, and thicken it with butter mixed in flour; or, make the flour and butter into little dumplings. have ready half a dozen yolks of hard-boiled eggs, and crumble them into the soup just before you take it from the fire. add the heart of a fresh green lettuce, cut small and strewed over the surface of the soup, after it is poured into the tureen. oyster soup.--strain the liquor from one hundred oysters, and carefully remove any bits of shell or particles of sea-weed. to every pint of oyster liquor allow an equal quantity of rich milk. season it with whole pepper and some blades of mace. add a head of celery, washed, scraped, and minced small. put the whole into a soup-pot, and boil and skim it well. when it boils put in the oysters. also, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; divide into four pieces, each piece rolled in flour. if you can procure cream, add a half-pint, otherwise boil some six eggs hard, and crumble the yolks into the soup. after the oysters are in give them but one boil up, just sufficient to plump them. if boiled longer they will shrink and shrivel and lose their taste. take them all out and set them away to cool. when the soup is done, place in the bottom of the tureen some small square pieces of nicely toasted bread cut into dice, and pour on the soup; grate in a nutmeg and then add the oysters. serve it up very hot. another way is to chop or cut small the oysters, omitting the hard part. make the soup as above, and put in the minced oysters at the last, letting them boil but five minutes. mix the powdered nutmeg with them. this is a good way, if you make but a small quantity of soup. clam soup.--having washed clean the outside shells of a hundred small sand clams, (or scrubbed them with a brush,) put them into a large pot of boiling water. when they open their shells take them out with a ladle, and as you do so, put them into a cullender to drain off the liquor. then extract the clams from the shells with a knife. save a quart of the liquor, putting the clams in a pitcher by themselves. mix with the quart of liquor, in a clean pot, two quarts of rich milk. put in the clams, and add some pepper-corns and some blades of mace. also, a bunch of sweet marjoram, the leaves stripped off and minced. after all has boiled well for an hour, add half a pound, or more, of nice fresh butter, made into little dumplings with flour; also a pint of grated bread-crumbs. let it boil a quarter of an hour longer. then pour the soup off from the clams and leave them in the bottom of the pot. they will not now be worth eating. if you cannot obtain small clams, you may cut large ones in pieces, but they are very coarse and tough. fast-day soup.--_for winter._--having soaked all night two quarts of split peas, put them into a soup-pot, adding a sliced onion, two heads of celery, the stalks split and cut small; a table-spoonful of chopped mint, another of marjoram, and two beets, that have been previously boiled and sliced. mix all these with half a pound of fresh butter cut into pieces and dredged with flour. season with a little salt and pepper. pour on rather more than water enough to cover the whole. let them boil till all the things are quite tender, and the peas dissolved. when done, cover the bottom of a tureen with small square bits of toast, and pour in the contents of the soup-pot. it is a good way to boil the split peas in a pot by themselves, till they are quite dissolved, and then add them to the ingredients in the other pot. vegetable soups require a large portion of vegetables, and butter always, as a substitute for meat. friday soup.--_for summer._--this is a fast-day soup. pare and slice six cucumbers, and cut up the white part or heart of six lettuces; slice two onions, and cut small the leaves of six sprigs of fresh green mint, unless mint is disliked by the persons that are to eat the soup; in which case, substitute parsley. add a quart of young green peas. put the whole into a soup-pot, with as much water as will more than cover them well. season slightly with salt and a little cayenne, and add half a pound of nice fresh butter, divided into six, each piece dredged well with flour. boil the whole for an hour and a half. then serve it up, without straining; having colored it green with a tea-cup of pounded spinach juice. when green peas are out of season, you may substitute tomatos peeled and quartered. this soup, having no meat, is chiefly for fast days, but will be found good at any time. baked soup.--on the days that you bake bread, you may have a dish of thick soup with very little trouble, by putting into a large earthen jug or pipkin, or covered pan, the following articles:--two pounds of _fresh_ beef, or mutton, cut into small slices, having first removed the fat; two sliced onions and four carrots, and four parsnips cut in four; also, four turnips, six potatos pared and cut up, and half a dozen tomatos, peeled and quartered. season the whole with a little salt and pepper. a large beet, scraped and cut up, will be an improvement. to these things pour on three quarts of water. cover the earthen vessel, and set it in the oven with the bread, and let the soup bake at the same time. if the bread is done before the dinner hour, you must keep the soup still longer in the oven. do not use _cold_ meat for this or any other soup, unless you are very poor. fish. to clean fish.--this must always be done with the greatest care and nicety. if sent to table imperfectly cleaned, they are disgraceful to the cook, and disgusting to the sight and taste. handle the fish lightly; not roughly so as to bruise it. wash it well, but do not leave it in the water longer than is needful. it will lose its flavor, and become insipid, if soaked. to scale it, lay the fish flat upon one side, holding it firmly in the left hand, and with the right taking off the scales by means of a knife. when both sides are done, pour sufficient cold water over it to float off all the loose scales that may have escaped your notice. it is best to pump on it. then proceed to open and empty the fish. be sure that not the smallest particle of the entrails is left in. scrape all carefully from the backbone. wash out all the blood from the inside. a dexterous cook can draw a fish without splitting it entirely down, all the way from head to tail. smelts and other small fish are drawn or emptied at the gills. all fish should be cleaned or drawn as soon as they are brought in, and then kept on ice, till the moment for cooking. to boil fish.--no fish can be fit to eat unless the eyes are prominent and lively, the gills very red, and the body firm and stiff, springing back immediately when bent round to try them. every scale must be carefully scraped off, and the entrails entirely extracted; not the smallest portion being carelessly left sticking to the backbone. previous to cooking, fish of every kind should be laid in cold water, and the blood thoroughly washed from the inside. few fish are not the better for being put on to boil in cold water, heating gradually with it till it comes to a boil. if you put it on in boiling water, the outside becomes boiling hot too soon; and is apt to break and come off in flakes, while the inside still remains hard and underdone: halibut, salmon, cod, and other large thick fish must be boiled slowly and thoroughly throughout, taking nearly as long as meat. always put salt into the water at the commencement, and a little vinegar towards the last. in every kitchen should be a large oval kettle purposely for boiling fish. this kettle has a movable strainer inside. the fish lies on the strainer. to try if it is done, run a thin sharp knife in it, till it reaches the backbone; and see if the flesh will loosen or separate easily. if it adheres to the bone it requires more boiling. when quite done, leave it no longer in the kettle, or it will lose its flavor and get a woolly look. take out the strainer with the fish upon it. drain off the water through the strainer, cover the fish with a folded napkin or fine towel, doubled thick; transfer it to a heated dish, and keep it warm and dry till it goes to table, directly after the soup. in the mean time prepare the sauce to be served up along with the fish. frying fish.--fish should be fried in _very good_ fresh butter, or nice beef drippings; or else in lard, which last, is the most usual method. a large allowance of lard should be put into the pan, and held over a clear fire, till it becomes so hot as to boil fast in the pan. till the lard hisses and bubbles do not put in the fish. they must first be dried separately in a clean cloth, and then scored on the back in deep incisions, or gashes, and slightly dredged with flour. unless the lard is amply sufficient in quantity to cover the fish well, and bear them up towards the surface, they will sink heavily to the bottom of the pan, and perhaps stick there and burn. also, if there is not fat enough, the fish will absorb the whole of what there is, and become dark-colored and greasy. baked fish.--this is a dish for company. you may bake in the same manner a shad, a fresh codfish, a sheep's head, a white fish, or a blue fish, or a pair of large black fish. trout also are considered fish for baking. cut off the head, and split the fish nearly down to the tail. for a stuffing, cut two slices of nice light wheat bread, of shape and size to fit easily into the inside of the fish, and spread them thickly with very new fresh butter. season them with cayenne and powdered mace, and moisten them with port wine or sherry. add the juice and yellow rind of a lemon, grated; and sufficient powdered white sugar to take off the extreme acid of the last. fill the body of the fish with this stuffing, kept in by tying round the fish, carefully, a white cotton cord, or tape, so as to confine it in several places. lay bits of fresh butter over the outside, at equal distances. place the fish on a trivet, in a bake pan, and pour round it a pint of wine and water mixed. baste it with this frequently while baking. it will require at least an hour in a quick oven. if the basting does not leave sufficient gravy, add half a pint more of wine mixed with a little hot water. when you have taken up the fish, keep it hot while you are finishing the gravy, which you should thicken and enrich by stirring in smoothly a piece of butter mixed slightly into a paste with flour, and seasoned with grated nutmeg. serve up the gravy in a sauce-boat, and lay slices of lemon along the back of the fish, having, of course, removed the string that was wound around it to confine the stuffing. send to table with the baked fish, a dish of potatos mashed with milk and butter, and browned on the surface with a salamander, or a red hot shovel. always remove the seeds of lemon slices. fresh mackerel may be baked thus. fish may be baked plainly, with a stuffing of sweet marjoram, minced sage, and onion, (previously boiled and drained,) a little butter, or finely chopped beef suet, and plenty of grated bread crumbs, seasoned with a little black pepper. or instead of crumbs you may put in slices of bread and butter soaked in milk, and secured as above from falling out while the fish is baking. stewed fish.--take any nice fresh fish of moderate size, and when it is drawn and washed, cut it into three or four pieces, and put them into a stew-pan with amply sufficient hot water to keep them from burning. season them with a little salt and cayenne. after it has simmered steadily for half an hour, and been skimmed, have ready a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, mixed into a smooth paste with a heaped table-spoonful of flour. add this to the stew, with a bunch of sweet marjoram chopped fine, and a sprig of chopped parsley. if approved, add a small onion pared and sliced very thin. cover it closely, and let it stew another half hour. then send it to table. this is a family dish. any fresh fish may be stewed thus. spiced fish.--cold fish that has been left at dinner is very nice to put away for the supper table. it should be fresh salmon, fresh cod, rock-fish, halibut, or the remains of any other large fine fish. take out the back bone, and cut the flesh into moderate sized pieces. lay it in a deep dish that has a cover. season the fish with cayenne pepper, a little salt, some grated nutmeg, and some blades of mace; also some whole black pepper-corns, and pour over it plenty of good cider vinegar. tarragon vinegar will be an improvement. cover it closely, and set it in a cold place till wanted. if in spring or summer, set it in ice. we do not recommend cloves or allspice. the taste of those coarse spices is so overpowering, (and to many persons so unpleasant,) that they are now nearly out of use at good tables. nutmeg, mace and ginger, will be found much better, and with cinnamon occasionally, are sufficient for all spice seasonings. nevertheless, for those who like them, a few cloves will relieve the insipidity of halibut. fish cakes.--take codfish (either fresh or salt) that has been boiled the day before. carefully remove the bones, and mince the flesh. mix with it a quantity of warm mashed potatos, (mashed with butter and milk) in the proportion of one third codfish, and two thirds mashed potatos. add sufficient beaten egg to make the whole into a smooth paste. season it with cayenne; and, if the mixture seems dry, moisten and enrich it with a little butter. make it into cakes about an inch thick, and as large round as the top of a common sized tea-cup. or into round balls. sprinkle them well with flour. fry them in lard, or beef-drippings. when one side is done turn them over. drain them, and send them to the breakfast table. if approved, you may add to the mixture two or three onions boiled and minced. any large cold fish may be dressed in this manner for next morning's breakfast. rock-fish.--rock-fish are generally plain boiled, (with the heads and tails left on,) and they are eaten with egg sauce, (hard boiled eggs chopped, and mixed with melted or drawn butter,) seasoned with a little cayenne. put on the side of your plate, any nice fish sauce from the castors. some serve up rock-fish with hard boiled eggs, cut into halves, and laid closely in a row along the back of the fish; half an egg being helped to each person. cold butter is then eaten with it. we think this a very nice way. blue fish, white fish, and black fish, may be drest in this manner. also, sea-bass. black fish and sea-bass--are all boiled in the same manner, having first carefully scaled, and drawn, and well washed them. in drawing fish take care that the whole of the inside is nicely scraped from the back-bone, all along. when ready, dredge a clean soft cloth with flour, wrap the fish in it; lay it on the strainer of a fish-kettle, and put it in plenty of water, into which has been thrown a small table-spoonful of salt. keep it steadily boiling near half an hour. take it carefully out of the cloth, drain it on the strainer, and keep it warm. send to table with it egg-sauce. eat mashed potatos with it. _frying._--to fry the above fish,--cut them in two or three pieces; wash them and wipe them dry; score them with deep cuts, and season with cayenne and a little salt--dredge them with flour, and fry them brown in a pan nearly full of boiling lard. any fish may be fried in this manner. fresh cod.--a fine codfish should be very thick about the neck; the eyes lively; the gills red; and the flesh firm and white. if flabby, it is not good. it is in season from october till may. after scaling, emptying, washing, and drying, cover it, and let it rest for an hour. then put it on in a fish-kettle of _cold_ water, (hard water if you can procure it,) throw in a small handful of salt, and let the cod heat gradually, skimming it well. boil it gently, but steadily, till thoroughly done. then, take it out of the kettle, drain it, and keep it warm till ready to go to table. no fish should be allowed to remain in the water after the boiling is quite over. serve it up with oyster or lobster sauce. you may broil fresh cod in steaks, or fry it in cutlets. for frying fish, you may use beef or veal drippings, with the fat skimmed off carefully. mutton fat (which is tallow) is unfit for all cookery. trout.--trout is considered a very nice fish, and is in season in the summer. when fresh it is a fine flesh color, and its spots are very bright. to fry trout, dry them in a cloth. score them deeply, and touch each incision or cut with a little cayenne. dredge them with flour. grate some bread-crumbs very fine, and in another pan beat some eggs very light and thick. dip each fish twice in the egg, and twice in the crumbs, and fry them in plenty of boiling lard, or in a mixture of lard and fresh butter. when done, drain them, and send them to table with a dish of cucumbers sliced and dressed in the usual way, with vinegar, pepper and salt. if boiled, serve them up with egg sauce. if broiled, eat them with cold butter and cayenne. stewed trout.--this is a dish for company. mix together as much cold water and sweet white wine, in equal quantities, as will well cover the fish. when done, take them out of the stew pan, drain them, and keep them hot while you prepare the gravy. for this, thicken the liquid with a piece of fresh butter divided into four, each bit rolled in flour; and add two or more well-beaten eggs, and season with powdered mace and nutmeg. mix all this together, give it one boil up, and pour it over the trout, after they are dished for table. baked trout.--having cleaned the trout, wrap each fish in a very thin slice of bacon, sprinkled with minced sweet marjoram, and seasoned with cayenne and mace. inclose each fish in a white paper, cut larger than to fit exactly. fasten the papers with strings or pins, to be removed before the fish goes to table. lay the trout in a square tin pan, and bake them in the papers, which must be taken off when the fish are done; but serve them up with the bacon round them or not, as you please. salt cod.--the afternoon before the fish is to be eaten, put it to soak in plenty of cold water. cover it, and let it stand in a warm place all night. in the morning pour off that water, wash the fish clean, and scrub the outside with a brush. put it into a kettle with cold water sufficient to cover it well; and let it boil fast till near dinner time, skimming it well. about half an hour before dinner, pour off this boiling water, and substitute a sufficiency of cold. in this last water give the fish one boil up. send it to table with egg sauce, made with plenty of butter, and hard-boiled eggs cut in half, and laid closely along the back of the fish, to be helped with it. accompany the cod with a plate of sliced beets drest with vinegar. next morning you may take what is left, and having removed all the bone, mince the fish, and mix it with an equal quantity of mashed potatos, adding some butter, pepper, and raw egg. make the whole into balls or flat cakes, and fry them in drippings or lard. they are good at breakfast. on every one put a small spot of pepper. fried smelts.--the smelt is a very nice little fish, which has a peculiarly sweet and delicate flavor of its own, that requires, to be tasted in perfection, no other cooking than plain broiling or frying in fresh lard. do not wash them, but wipe them dry in a clean cloth; having opened and drawn them, (they should be drawn through the gills,) and cut off the heads and tails, dredge them with flour. the frying-pan must be more than two-thirds full of boiling lard; boiling hard when the smelts are put in, so as to float them on the surface. if there is not sufficient lard, or if it is not boiling, the fish will sink and be dark colored, and greasy. about ten minutes are sufficient for the small ones, and fifteen for those of a larger size. when done, drain off the lard and send them to the breakfast table on a hot dish. if you prefer retaining the heads and tails, dish them, alternately, with the heads up and tails down. fried cat-fish.--the best cat-fish are the small ones. if too large, they are generally coarse and strong. they must be cooked quite fresh; if possible, directly out of the water. they are very popular at fishing parties. wash and clean them, cutting off their heads and tails, and removing the upper part of the back-bone, near the shoulders. score them along the back, with deep gashes or incisions. dredge them with flour, and fry them in plenty of lard, boiling fast when the cat-fish are put into the pan. or, you may fry them in the drippings or gravy saved from roast beef, or veal. they are very nice dipped in a batter of beaten egg and grated bread-crumbs, or they may be done in a plain, though not so nice a way, with indian meal instead of bread-crumbs. drain off the lard before you dish them. touch each incision or cut, _very slightly_, with a little cayenne before they go to table. cat-fish are a breakfast dish, and are also eaten at supper. porgie and tutaug are cooked in this manner. any fish may be fried as above, when not split open. fine chowder.--this is commodore stovens's receipt:--take four table-spoonfuls of minced onions that have been fried with slices of salt pork; two pilot-biscuits broken up; one table-spoonful of minced sweet marjoram, and one of sweet basil; a quarter of a bottle of mushroom catchup; half a bottle of port wine; half a nutmeg grated; a few cloves, and mace, and pepper-corns; six pounds of fresh cod, and sea-bass, cut in slices. put the whole into a pot, with water enough to cover it about an inch. boil it steadily for an hour, carefully stirring it. serve it up hot in a large deep dish. chowder may be made as above, substituting clams for the cod. the clams must be chopped small. you may, for variety, make chowder with oysters, or with boiled lobsters, or crabs; always beginning the mixture with pork fried with onions. yankee chowder.--having sliced very thin some salt fat pork, season it with pepper, lay it in the bottom of a large iron pot, set it over the fire, and let it fry. when done, take out the pork, leaving the liquid fat in the bottom. next, peel and slice some onions, and lay them on the fat. pour in sufficient clam or oyster liquor to stew the onions. have ready a sufficient quantity of sea-bass, black fish, tutaug, porgie, haddock, or fresh cod. cut the fish in small pieces, and put it into the pot. add plenty of potatos pared and quartered. then some clam liquor; and lastly, some crackers, (soaked and split,) or some soda biscuit; the crackers to cover the top. if you wish to fill a large pot, repeat all these ingredients, arranging them in layers. if there is not gravy enough, add some boiling milk, poured in at the last, and enriched with bits of butter mixed with flour. cover the pot closely, and let it stew half an hour, or more, till all the contents are thoroughly done. you may bake the chowder in an iron oven, over a wood fire, heaping live coals on the oven lid. clam chowder.--put into boiling water from fifty to a hundred of the small sand clams; and when all their shells have opened, take them out, as they are then sufficiently boiled. extract all the hard, or tough, uneatable part, and throw it away. slice thin as much salt pork as, when fried in the bottom of a large pot, will produce half a pint of liquid or gravy. take out all the pork, leaving the liquid in the pot. add to it a layer of clams. then a layer of biscuit soaked in milk or warm water. next another layer of clams; then another layer of soaked biscuit; then more clams. season it with pepper and mace. if there is no objection to onions, add three or four boiled and sliced, and some minced marjoram. also, some potatos, boiled, peeled, and quartered. let the last layer be clams, and then cover the whole with a good paste, and bake it in an iron oven, or boil it in an iron pot. chowder of fresh codfish, halibut, sea-bass, or any other good fish, is made as above. halibut requires a much larger portion of seasoning, and a little more pork. though very large and therefore very profitable, it is in itself the most tasteless of all fish. plain boiled halibut is not worth eating. salmon.--in choosing a salmon, see that the gills are a fine red, the eyes full, the scales clear, and the whole fish stiff; the flesh being of the peculiar red known as salmon-color. between the flakes is a substance called the curd, which gives it firmness. by keeping, this substance melts down and the flesh becomes soft. a salmon can only be eaten in perfection on the sea-coast where it was caught, and on the same day. to transport it any distance, it must be enclosed in a box, and well packed in ice. in america, salmon is found in the greatest perfection on the coast of maine, in the kennebec. very fine ones are brought to boston market. they also abound on the coasts of california and oregon. the american salmon is much larger than those of europe. it is so fine a fish that its own flavor is better than any that can be communicated except by the most simple sauce. it requires as much boiling as meat, that is, a quarter of an hour for every pound. it is in season from may till august or september. the lake salmon is good, but inferior to that of the ocean, in size, richness, and color. in boiling a large fish, to judge if it is done, draw up the strainer or fish-plate, and with a thin knife try if the flesh separates easily from the bone. if you can loosen it immediately, it is cooked enough. it injures a fish to let it get cool in the water. boiled salmon.--after carefully emptying the salmon, wash it very clean from the blood inside, and remove the scales. to preserve the fine color of the salmon, or to set the curd or creamy substance between the flakes, it should be put into boiling water, allowing to a gallon of water a handful of salt. after the water has been boiling a few minutes, and has been skimmed, put in the fish, (laying it on the drainer,) and let it boil moderately fast, skimming it well. it must be thoroughly boiled. underdone fish of every kind is disgusting and unwholesome. before it is taken from the fish kettle ascertain if it is sufficiently cooked, by trying if the back-bone easily loosens from the flesh. a quarter of an hour may be allowed for each pound, for a large thick salmon requires as much cooking as meat. when you take it up, drain it well, and serve it up immediately. have ready some lobster sauce, or shrimp, if more convenient. to make it, mince the meat of a boiled lobster, mashing the coral with it, and mix it with melted or drawn butter, made very thick, and having but a very small portion of water. for shrimp sauce, boil the shrimps, take off their heads, and squeeze out their bodies from the shells. thicken with them the drawn butter. nothing should go with salmon that will interfere with the flavor of this fine fish, or give it any taste that will overpower or weaken its own. many prefer salmon with nothing more than cold butter spread on after it is helped. we think, ourselves, that when the butter is very good, it is not improved (for salmon) by the addition of flour and water; and a very little is sufficient. you need use nothing from the castors except cayenne. it is usual to eat cucumbers with salmon, and no other vegetables; the cucumbers to be pared, sliced, laid in cold water, and dressed, and served up by themselves, with a little plate for each person, that the vinegar, &c., of the cucumbers may not impart too much acid to the salmon. in places remote from the sea, a whole salmon is seldom seen at table but at dinner parties, or at good hotels. in a very hot climate it should not be seen at all. when in season, it can be bought in any quantity by the pound, for a small family. for a small dinner company, from four to six pounds will suffice. cook salmon-trout in the same manner. large fish should be helped with a silver fish trowel. roasted salmon.--take a large piece of fine fresh salmon, cut from the middle of the fish, well cleaned and carefully scaled. wipe it dry in a clean coarse cloth. then dredge it with flour, put it on the spit, and place it before a clear bright fire. baste it with fresh butter, and roast it well; seeing that it is thoroughly done to the bone. serve it up plain; garnishing the dish with slices of lemon, as many persons like a little lemon-juice with salmon. this mode of cooking salmon will be found excellent. a small one, or a salmon-trout, may be roasted whole. baked salmon.--a small salmon may be baked whole. stuff it with forcemeat made of bread-crumbs; chopped oysters, or minced lobster; butter, cayenne, a little salt, and powdered mace,--all mixed well, and moistened with beaten yolk of egg. bend the salmon round, and put the tail into the mouth, fastening it with a skewer. put it into a large deep dish; lay bits of butter on it at small intervals; and set it into the oven. while baking, look at it occasionally, and baste it with the butter. when one side is well browned, turn it carefully in the dish, and add more butter. bake it till the other side is well browned. then transfer it to another dish with the gravy that is about it, and send it to table. if you bake salmon in slices, reserve the forcemeat for the outside. dip each slice first in beaten yolk of egg, and then in the forcemeat, till it is well coated. broiled salmon.--wash carefully all traces of blood from the inside of the fish. cut it into rather thick slices, or fillets. dry them in a clean cloth, and dredge them with flour. chalk the bars of the gridiron, or grease them with lard or suet, or the dripping of beef or veal, to prevent the fish from sticking. let the fire be a bed of clear bright hot coals. broil the slices well on both sides; and when done, transfer them to a hot dish, and lay a bit of fresh butter on each, and season them a little with cayenne. fresh codfish may be cut into steaks, and broiled as above. also halibut, or any other large fish. serve up shrimp or lobster sauce, with all cutlets or steaks of large fish. fried salmon cutlets.--having washed, dried and floured the cutlets, put near a pound of fresh lard into a frying pan, set it over a clear brisk fire till it boils fast. have ready a marinade or dressing made of grated bread-crumbs, chopped sweet-marjoram, beaten yolks of eggs, and powdered mace--all well mixed. dip each cutlet into this marinade twice over, and fry them. there must be plenty of lard, so that the cutlets may float on its surface instead of sinking to the bottom, and becoming dark, heavy, and greasy. when they are done, take them up with a perforated skimmer, draining off the lard as you do so. lay them on a hot dish, and keep them hot till wanted. serve up with them mashed potatos made into flat cakes, and browned with a salamander or red hot shovel. fresh codfish cutlets may be fried in this manner. you may broil halibut as above. halibut is too insipid for boiling. pickled salmon.--clean a fine fresh salmon, and remove the bones. cut off the head, fins, and tail. fish, to be pickled, should (instead of washing) be wiped, and rubbed with a clean dry cloth. cut it into steaks or cutlets. put it into a stone-ware jar with a close cover. a broad low jar will be best. sprinkle it with salt, and cayenne. add some grains of whole black pepper, and some blades of mace, seasoning it highly to make it keep well. fill up the jar with the best cider vinegar, set it in a moderate oven, and bake it till thoroughly done; adding more vinegar, if it seems too dry. then cover the jar very closely, with the lid--if there is the smallest crack, paste all round a fillet of strong, white paper. whenever you open the jar to take out some of the salmon for use, add some fresh vinegar. keep the jar in a dry cool place. if properly done, and well seasoned, it will keep several months. broiled fresh mackerel.--mackerel cannot be eaten too fresh, as no fish spoils so soon; for which reason in england mackerel is permitted to be sold on sundays. we have heard in london the fishwomen crying it about the streets on sunday morning before church time. and even then it is far inferior to mackerel taken immediately out of the sea, at the places on the coast. it is generally broiled, as no other cooking seems to suit it, and draw forth its true flavor. split your mackerel, remove the bone, and cut off the heads and tails. dredge them on both sides with flour, and sprinkle the inside with black pepper and a little salt. have your gridiron very hot, over a clear fire, and grease the bars with lard, or chalk them to prevent the fish from sticking. broil them well on both sides, and when they are done, and very hot, lay some bits of fresh butter upon them. cover to keep them warm, and send them to table as soon as possible. they are a fine breakfast fish, and good at a plain dinner. for sauce, cold butter is all that is necessary, but you may mix with it, chopped parsley, or minced fennel. at the best english tables, stewed _gooseberries_, pulped through a sieve and sweetened, is the fashionable sauce for broiled mackerel, or lemon-juice is squeezed profusely over the fish. to this the lovers of fruit with every thing, will not object. if a mackerel is fresh, the eyes will be full and lively, the gills very red, and the stripes or bars on the back a very dark color, (nearly black,) and strongly marked; and the body thick. if thin and flat below the shoulders, the eyes sunk, the gills pale, and the dark stripes dull and indistinct, the fish is unfit to eat. fried mackerel.--for frying, take small mackerel, as fresh as possible. wash them, dry them in a clean cloth, and score them deeply in the back, making several deep cuts. season them with a little salt and pepper. go over them with beaten egg, and then cover them thickly with grated bread-crumbs; which, for this purpose, are superior to indian meal or pounded crackers. fry them in boiling lard, and dish them hot. send them to table with a dish of potatos sliced and fried in butter. any fish may be fried in this manner. if large, cut it into pieces. fried halibut.--there is a great deal of eating in a halibut, as it is a fish of immense size, and has only the back bone. it is sold in pieces of any weight or quantity, and is exceedingly white and delicate in appearance. but it is so very insipid, that when _boiled_ it has no taste at all. therefore it is always broiled or fried, except at tables where economy is the chief consideration. if broiled, it is done in the same manner as any other large fish, but to make it palatable requires something to give it a little taste. to fry halibut--take a piece from the middle of the fish, wash it very carefully, and dry it in a clean cloth. then cut it into thick fillets, extracting the bone, which is easily done with a sharp knife, loosening the flesh from the bone, and raising it as you proceed. remove the skin. you may also cut the fillets into slices about an inch thick. season with cayenne, and a very little salt. cover them slightly with nice butter. have ready in one pan plenty of grated bread-crumbs; in another a sufficiency of beaten yolk of egg, seasoned with powdered mace and nutmeg. dip the slices first into the egg, then into the pan of bread-crumbs. do this twice over, to every slice. have ready over the fire a hot frying pan full of _boiling_ lard. put in the slices and fry them well. when one side is done, turn the other. when all are done, take them from the frying pan with a perforated skimmer, and drain them. keep them hot between two heated dishes. cooked in this manner, the halibut will be sufficiently flavored and is a profitable fish. instead of frying, the halibut steaks may be broiled over a clear fire, on a grooved gridiron. having first buttered it, dip each steak, as above, in bread-crumbs and egg, and lay upon each steak a large tomato opened, and stuffed with a forcemeat of bread-crumbs seasoned with butter, pepper, and mace. this will be found a very nice way of cooking halibut. fresh cod may be done in the same manner. cold halibut is sometimes drest as salad for the tea-table. boiled turbot or sheep's-head fish.--having cleaned and washed the fish, soak it an hour or two in salt and water to draw off the slime. then let it lie half an hour or more in cold water. afterwards drain, and wipe it dry. score the back deeply with a knife. the whiteness of the fish will be improved by rubbing it over with a cut lemon. the fish kettle must be large, and nicely clean. lay the fish with its back downward, on the strainer of the kettle. cover it well with cold water, (milk and water in equal portions will be better still,) and add a small spoonful of salt. do not let it come to a boil too fast, and skim it carefully. when the scum has ceased to rise, diminish the heat under the kettle, and let it simmer for about half an hour or more; not allowing it to boil hard. when the fish is done, take it up carefully with a fish-slice; and having prepared the sauce, pour it over the fish and send it to table hot. for the sauce, mix together very smoothly, with a broad-bladed knife, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and two table-spoonfuls of flour. put them into a clean sauce-pan, and hold it over the fire, and stir them till melted. then add a large salt-spoonful of powdered mace, and as much cayenne as will lie on a sixpence. it will be much improved by the addition of some boiled lobster, chopped small. when the sauce has simmered five minutes, add very gradually half a pint of rich cream, and let it come almost to a boil, stirring all the time. after the fish is taken up, pour the sauce over it hot. or you may send it to table in a sauce-boat. in this case ornament the fish with the coral of the lobster put on in a handsome figure. another way of dressing this fish is, after it has been boiled, to set it on ice to get cold; and then, having carefully removed the bones, cut the flesh into small squares, put it into a stew-pan, and having mixed the above sauce, add it to the fish, and let it stew slowly in the sauce; but do not let it come to a boil. when thoroughly hot, take it up, and send it to table in a deep dish. baked turbot or sheep's-head fish.--having cleaned the fish, soak it an hour or two in salt and water, and afterwards wash it well through two or three fresh waters. then dry it in a clean towel. score it deeply across the back; and then lay it in a deep white baking-dish. mix together a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace and nutmeg; add a salt-spoon of cayenne; a few sprigs of sweet marjoram and sweet basil, finely minced; two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter; and two table-spoonfuls of grated bread-crumbs. stir this mixture into a pint of rich cream. pour this marinade over the fish, cover it, and let it stand half an hour. then bake it in the marinade; and send it hot to table. if the fish is too large to be baked whole, cut it into fillets, extracting the bone. salmon-trout may be baked in this manner. sea bass with tomatos.--take three large fine sea-bass, or black-fish. cut off their heads and tails, and fry the fish in plenty of lard till about half done. have ready a pint of tomatos, that have been pickled cold in vinegar flavored with a muslin bag of mixed spices. drain the tomatos well from the vinegar; skin them, and mash them in a pan; dredging them with about as much flour as would fill a large table-spoon heaped up. pour the mixture over the fish while in the frying pan; and continue frying till they are thoroughly done. cutlets of halibut may be fried in this manner with tomatos: also, any other pan-fish. beef-steaks or lamb-chops are excellent fried thus with tomatos. baked salmon-trout.--having cleaned the fish, and laid it two hours in weak salt and water, dry it in a cloth, and then rub both the inside and outside with a seasoning of cayenne pepper, powdered mace, nutmeg, and a little salt, mixed well together. then lay it in a deep baking-pan, turn the tail round into the mouth, and stick bits of fresh butter thickly over the fish. put it into an oven, and bake it well; basting it frequently with the liquid that will soon surround it. when you suppose it to be nearly done, try it by sticking down to the backbone a thin-bladed knife. when you find that the flesh separates immediately from the bone, it is done sufficiently. serve it up with lobster-sauce. any large fresh fish may be baked in this way. cream trout.--having prepared the trout very nicely, and cut off the heads and tails, put the fish into boiling water that has been slightly salted, and simmer them for five minutes. then take them out, and lay them to drain. put them into a stew-pan, and season them well with powdered mace, nutmeg, and a little cayenne, all mixed together. put in as much rich cream as will cover the fish, adding the fresh yellow rind of a small lemon, grated. keep the pan covered, and let the fish stew for about ten minutes after it has begun to simmer. then dish the fish, and keep them hot till you have finished the sauce. mix, very smoothly, a small table-spoonful of arrow-root, the juice of the lemon, and two table-spoonfuls of sugar, and stir it into the cream. pour the sauce over the fish, and then send them to table. turbot or sheep's-head fish may be dressed as above; of course it will require a larger proportion of seasoning, &c., and longer time to cook. carp is very nice stewed in this manner. stewed codfish.--take fine _fresh_ cod, and cut it into slices an inch thick, separated from the bones. lay the pieces of fish in the bottom of a stew-pan: season them with grated nutmeg; half a dozen blades of mace; a salt-spoonful of cayenne pepper; and a small saucer full of chopped celery; or a bunch of sweet herbs tied together. add a pint of oyster liquor, and the juice of a lemon. cover it close, and let it stew gently till the fish is almost done, shaking the pan frequently. then take a piece of fresh butter the size of an egg; roll it in flour, and add it to the stew. also, put in two dozen large fine oysters, with what liquor there is about them. cover it again; quicken the fire a little, and let the whole continue to stew five minutes longer. before you send it to table, remove the bunch of sweet herbs. rock-fish may be stewed in this manner. fresh salmon also. fried codfish.--take the middle or tail part of a fresh codfish, and cut it into slices not quite an inch thick, first removing the skin. season them with a little salt and cayenne pepper. have ready in one dish some beaten yolk of egg, and in another some grated bread-crumbs. dip each slice of fish twice into the egg, and then twice into the crumbs. fry them in fresh butter, and serve them up with the gravy about them. halibut may be fried as above. stewed halibut.--cut the fish into pieces about four inches square, of course omitting the bone. season it very slightly with salt, and let it rest for half an hour. then take it out of the salt, put it into a large deep dish, and strew over it a mixture of cayenne pepper, ground white ginger, and grated nutmeg. lay among it some small bits of fresh butter rolled in grated bread. add half a pint of vinegar, (tarragon vinegar if you have it.) place the dish in a slow oven, and let the halibut cook till thoroughly done, basting it very _frequently_ with the liquid. when nearly done, add a large table-spoonful or more of capers, or pickled nasturtions. halibut is a very insipid fish; but this mode of cooking will give it taste. stewed rock-fish.--take a large rock-fish, and cut it in slices near an inch thick. sprinkle it _very slightly_ with salt, and let it remain for half an hour. slice very thin half a dozen large onions. put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, cut into bits. set them over a slow fire, and stir them continually till they are quite soft, taking care not to let them become brown. then put in the sliced fish in layers; seasoning each layer with a mixture of white ground ginger, cayenne pepper, and grated nutmeg; add some chopped parsley, and some bits of butter rolled in flour. pour in a pint of water, and, if you choose, a wine-glass of vinegar, (tarragon vinegar will be best.[b]) set it over a good fire and let it cook about an hour. when done, take out the fish carefully, to avoid breaking the slices. lay it in a deep dish that has been made hot, and cover it immediately. have ready the beaten yolks of two eggs. stir them into the gravy. give it one boil up; and then either pour it over the fish, or serve it up in a sauce-boat. [b] to make this vinegar--half fill a bottle with tarragon leaves, and fill it quite up with the best cider vinegar. cork it tightly, and do not remove the tarragon, but let it remain always at the bottom. the flavor is very fine. halibut, fresh cod, or any other large fish may be stewed in this manner. to keep a shad fresh.--by the following process, (which we can highly recommend from experience,) a shad may be kept twenty-four hours, or indeed longer, so as to be perfectly fresh in taste and appearance. for instance, if brought _fresh_ from market on saturday morning, it may be broiled for breakfast on sunday, and will seem like a fresh shad just from the water. immediately on bringing it in, let it be scaled, cleaned, washed, split, and wiped dry; cutting off the head and tail. spread the shad open on a large flat dish. mix well together in a cup, a heaped table-spoonful of brown sugar; a heaped tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, and a tea-spoonful of fine salt; and then rub the mixture, thoroughly and evenly, all over the inside of the fish; which, of course, must be spread with the skin or outside downward. cover it closely with a large tin cover or with another dish, and set it immediately on ice or in a very cold place, and let it rest till next morning, or till it is wanted for cooking. immediately before you put it on the gridiron, take a clean towel and carefully wipe off the _whole of the seasoning_, not letting a particle of it remain round the edges, or anywhere else. then put the shad on a previously heated gridiron, over hot coals, and broil it well. butter it, and send it hot to table, where every one can season it again, according to their taste. planked shad.--this is the best way of cooking shad when in perfection, just out of the river; and it is much in use at fishing party dinners. a board or plank, about three inches thick and two feet square, must be provided for the purpose. this plank should be of well-seasoned oak or hickory, and very clean. a pine board will very soon catch fire and burn; besides communicating to the fish a taste of turpentine or rosin. take a very fine shad, and (having cut off the head and tail,) split it down the back, clean it, wash it well, and wipe it dry. sprinkle it with salt, and cayenne. stand up the board before the fire till it becomes very hot, and almost begins to char. then nail to the hot board the spread-open shad, with the back or skin-side next to the plank, securing it with a few nails, not driven in so hard that they cannot easily be drawn out. begin to roast it with the head downward. after a while turn the other end of the plank, so as to place the tail downward. turn it frequently up or down, that the juices of the fish may be equally dispersed throughout. when done, butter it with fresh butter, and send it to table on the board; under which, place a large dish or tray. help it to the company off the plank. this mode of cooking a shad will be found superior to all others; and is so generally liked, that two at least will be required, one at each end of the table. it is much enjoyed by parties who have dinners on the banks of the river, and bespeak of the fishermen shad just out of the water. lake salmon may be cooked in this manner on a plank. also, blue fish, and the lake white fish. at the principal household stores, shad-boards of oak are now to be purchased ready made. the cost is from a dollar to seventy-five cents. they are very strong and smooth, and furnished with thick wires crossing the board diagonally. behind these the fish is to slip in without nailing. they are much used, and we advise every house-keeper to get one. we see very nice ones at carryl's furnishing store, chestnut street, philadelphia. shell fish. to choose oysters.--insert a knife, and if the shell instantly closes firmly on the knife, the oysters are fresh. if it shuts slowly and faintly, or not at all, they are dying, or dead. when the shells of raw oysters are found gaping open they are fit for nothing but to throw away, and should not have been seen in the market, as they are quite dead and decomposition has commenced. clams the same. to feed oysters.--when it is necessary to keep oysters a day or two before they are cooked, they must be kept clean and fed, otherwise they will die and spoil. put them into a large tub of clean water; wash from them the mud and sand, and scrub them with a birch broom. then pour off _that_ water, and give them a clean tubful, placing the oysters with the deep or large side downward, and sprinkling them well, with salt mixed with it, allowing about a pint of salt to every two gallons of water. but if you have a very large quantity of oysters, add to the salt and water several handfuls of indian meal. repeat this every twelve hours, with fresh water and meal. always at the time of high water, oysters may be seen to open their shells, as if in expectation of their accustomed food. if this is carefully continued, they will remain plump and healthy for two days. terrapins also, and other shell fish, should have the salt and water changed every twelve hours, and be fed with corn meal. turtle must also be well fed, and allowed salted water to swim in. stewed oysters.--get two hundred or more fine large fresh oysters. drain them from their liquor, (saving it in a pitcher,) and put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and set them over the fire. when they have simmered, and have almost come to a boil, remove them from the fire; and have ready a pan of very cold water. take out the oysters, (one at a time, on a fork,) and put them into the cold water. this will plump them, and render them firm. having saved about half their liquor, put it into the stew-pan, seasoned well with blades of mace, grated nutmeg, whole pepper-corns, and a little cayenne. stir in half a pint or more of thick rich cream; and if you cannot procure cream, an equal quantity of nice fresh butter divided into bits, slightly dredged with a very little flour. boil the liquor by itself, and when it comes to a boil, take the oysters out of the cold water, and put them into the boiling liquor. in five minutes remove the pan from the fire, (the oysters having simmered,) and transfer them to a tureen or deep dish, in the bottom of which has been laid a buttered toast, that has previously been dipped a minute in hot water or milk. french stewed oysters.--wash fifty fine large oysters in their own liquor, then strain it into a stew-pan, putting the oysters in a pan of cold water. season the liquor with a large glass or half a pint of white wine, (sherry or madeira,) the juice of two lemons, six or seven blades of mace, and a small grated nutmeg. boil the seasoned liquor; and skim, and stir it well. when it comes to a boil, put in the oysters. give them one good stir, and then immediately take them from the fire, transfer them to a deep dish, and send them to table. they are not to boil. many persons consider this the finest way of cooking oysters for company. try it. the oysters must be of the very best. fried oysters.--for frying, take only the largest and finest oysters. they should be as fresh as you can get them. salt oysters are not good for frying. take them out of their liquor, carefully, with a fork, picking off whatever bits of shell may be about them. dry them in a clean napkin. prepare some grated bread-crumbs, or pounded cracker, or soda biscuit, seasoned with cayenne pepper. have ready plenty of yolk of egg beaten till very light; and to each egg allow a large tea-spoonful of rich cream, or of the best fresh butter. beat the egg and cream together. dip each oyster first into the egg, &c., and then into the crumbs. repeat this twice till the oysters are well-coated all over. have ready boiling, in a frying-pan, an equal mixture of fresh butter and lard. it must come nearly to the edge or top of the frying-pan, and be boiling fast when the oysters go in; otherwise they will be heavy and greasy, and sink to the bottom. fry them of a yellow brown on both sides. send them to table very hot. oysters will be found much the best when fried in grated bread-crumbs. cracker-crumbs form a hard, tough coating that is very indigestible, and also impairs the flavor. use no salt in making the batter. omit it entirely. it overpowers the taste of the oysters. oyster fritters.--allow to each egg a heaped table-spoonful of flour, and a jill or small tea-cupful of milk. beat the eggs till very light and thick; then stir them, gradually, into the pan of milk, in turn with the flour, a little at a time. beat the whole very hard. have ready the oysters, that you may proceed immediately to baking the fritters. the oysters should be fresh, and of the largest size. having drained them from their liquor, and dried them separately in a cloth, and dredged them with flour, set over the fire a frying-pan nearly full of lard. when it boils fast, put in a large spoonful of the batter. then lay an oyster upon it, and cover the oyster with another spoonful of batter. fry the fritters of a nice yellow. as they are done, take them up, drain off the lard from the oysters, and keep them hot till they go to table. this will be found a very fine receipt if _exactly_ followed. clam fritters.--put a sufficient quantity of clams into a pot of boiling water. the small sand-clam will be best. when the shells open wide, take them out, extract the clams from the shells, and put them into a stew-pan. strain their liquor, and pour about half of it over the clams; adding a little black pepper. they will require no salt. let them stew, slowly, for half an hour; then take them out; drain off all the liquor; and mince the clams as fine as possible, omitting the hardest parts. you should have as many clams as will make a large pint when minced. make a batter of seven eggs, beaten till very thick and light, and then mixed gradually with a quart of milk, and a pint of sifted flour, stirred in by degrees, and made perfectly smooth and free from lumps. then, gradually, mix the minced clams with the batter, and stir the whole very hard. have ready in a frying-pan over the fire, a sufficiency of boiling lard. put in, with a spoon, the batter so as to form fritters, and fry them light brown. drain them well when done and serve them up hot. oyster fritters may be made as above: except that the oysters must be minced raw, and mixed into the batter without having been stewed. _soft-crab fritters._--use only the bodies of the crabs, and proceed as above. scolloped clams.--having boiled a quantity of small sand-clams till they open of themselves, remove them from the shells. drain away the liquor, and chop them small, omitting the hardest parts. season them with black pepper and powdered mace, and mix them with grated bread-crumbs and fresh butter. get some large clean clam-shells, and fill them to the edge with the above mixture, moistened with _a very little_ of the liquor. cover the surface with grated crumbs, and add to each one a small bit of butter. set them in an oven, and bake them light brown. send them to table in the shells they were baked in, arranged on large dishes. they are eaten at breakfast and supper. clams must always have the shells washed before they are boiled. oysters are frequently scolloped in this manner, minced, and served up in large _clam_ shells. boiled crabs, also, are cooked, minced, and prepared in this way, and sent to table in the back-shell of the crab. all these scollops are improved by mixing among them some hard-boiled eggs, minced or chopped; or some raw egg beaten. roasted oysters.--the old-fashioned way of roasting oysters is to lay them on a hot hearth, and cover them in hot cinders or ashes, (taking them out with tongs when done,) or to put them into a moderate fire. when done, their shells will begin to open. the usual way now is to broil them on large gridirons of strong wire. serve them up in their shells on large dishes, or on trays, at oyster suppers. at every plate lay an oyster knife and a clean coarse towel, and between every two chairs set a bucket to receive the empty shells. the gentlemen generally save the ladies the trouble of opening the oysters, by performing that office for them. have on the table, to eat with the oysters, bread-rolls, biscuits, butter, and glasses with sticks of celery scraped, and divested of the green leaves at the top. have also ale or porter. or, you may take large oysters out of their shells, dredge them lightly with flour, lay them separately on a wire gridiron, and broil them. serve them up on large dishes, with a morsel of fresh butter laid on each oyster. scolloped oysters.--drain the liquor from a sufficient quantity of fine fresh oysters; and season them with blades of mace, grated nutmeg, and a little cayenne. lay about a dozen of them in the bottom of a deep dish. cut some slices of wheat bread, and put them to soak in a pan of the oyster liquor (previously strained.) soak the bread till it is soft throughout, but not dissolved. cover the oysters in the bottom of the dish, with some slices of the soaked bread, (drained from the liquor,) and lay upon the bread a few small bits of nice fresh butter. then put in another layer of seasoned oysters; then another layer of soaked bread with bits of butter dispersed upon it. repeat this with more layers of oysters, soaked bread, and bits of butter, till the dish is full, finishing with a close layer of bread on the top. set this into a hot oven, and bake it, a short time only, or till it is well browned on the surface. oysters require but little cooking, and this bread has had one baking already. the liquid that is about the bread is sufficient. it requires no more. scolloped oysters may be cooked in large, clean, clam-shells and served up on great dishes. pickled oysters.--take a hundred fine large oysters--set them over the fire in their own liquor--add two ounces of nice fresh butter, and simmer them slowly for ten minutes; skimming them well. if they boil fast and long, they will become hard and shrivelled. take them off the fire and strain from them their liquor; spread the oysters out on large dishes, and place them in the air to cool fast, or lay them in a broad pan of cold water. this renders them firm. strain the liquor, and then mix with it an equal quantity of the best and purest clear cider-vinegar. season (if the oysters are fresh,) with a small tea-spoonful of salt, two dozen whole pepper-corns, and a table-spoonful of powdered mace and nutmeg, mixed. let the liquor boil till it is reduced to little more than enough to cover the oysters well. put the oysters into a tureen, or a broad stone jar. pour the hot liquor over them, and let them grow quite cold before they are eaten. you may give them a fine tinge of pale pink color by adding to the liquor (while boiling,) a little prepared cochineal. pickled oysters.--_for keeping._--have five or six hundred oysters of the finest sort and largest size. proceed as in the foregoing receipt, but increase, proportionately, the quantity of spice and vinegar. put them in stone-ware jars, securing the covers by pasting all round, bands or strips of thick white paper; and place on each jar, on the top of the liquor, a table-spoonful of salad oil. use no other than _genuine cider-vinegar_. much that is sold for the best white-wine vinegar is in reality a deleterious compound of pernicious drugs, that will eat up or dissolve the oysters entirely, leaving nothing but a sickening whitish fluid. this vinegar is at first so overpoweringly sharp and pungent, as to destroy, entirely, the taste of the spices; and, while cooking, emits a disagreeable smell. the oysters immediately become ragged, and in less than an hour are entirely destroyed. this vinegar acts in the same manner on all other pickles, and the use of it should always be shunned. _drugs_ should not be employed in any sort of cookery, though their introduction is now most lamentably frequent. they ruin the flavor and are injurious to health. oyster patties.--make sufficient puff-paste for at least a dozen small patties. roll it out thick, and line with it twelve small tin patty-pans. bake them brown in a brisk oven; and when done set them to cool. have ready two or three dozen large, fine, fresh oysters. wash and drain them, and put them into a stew-pan with no other liquid than just enough of their own liquor to keep them from burning. season them with cayenne, nutmeg, and mace, and a few of the green tops or leaves of celery sprigs minced small. add a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into bits, and laid among the oysters. to enrich the gravy, stir in, at the last, the beaten yolks of three or four eggs, or some thick cream or butter. let the oysters stew in this gravy about five minutes. when the patties are beginning to cool, fill each with one or two large oysters. if you choose, you can bake for every patty a small round lid of pastry, to be laid lightly on the top, so as to cover the oysters when they go to table. for company, make a large quantity of oyster patties, as they are much liked. oyster loaves.--take some tall fresh rolls, or small loaves. cut nicely a round or oval hole in the top of each, saving the pieces that come off. then carefully scoop out most of the crumb from the inside, leaving the crust standing. have ready a sufficient quantity of large fresh oysters. put the oysters with one-fourth of their liquor into a stew-pan; adding the bread-crumbs, a large piece of fresh butter, some powdered nutmeg, and mace. stew them about ten minutes. then stir in two or three large table-spoonfuls of cream; take them off just as they are coming to a boil. if cooked too long the oysters will become tough and shriveled, and the cream will curdle. fill the inside of your scooped loaves with the oysters, reserving as many large oysters as you have loaves. place the bit of upper-crust carefully on the top of each, so as to cover the whole. arrange them on a dish, and lay on each lid one of the large oysters kept out for the purpose. these ornamental oysters must be well drained from any liquid that is about them. oyster omelet.--having strained the liquor from twenty-five oysters of the largest size, mince them small; omitting the hard part or gristle. if you cannot get large oysters, you should have forty or fifty small ones. break into a shallow pan six, seven, or eight eggs, according to the quantity of minced oysters. omit half the whites, and, (having beaten the eggs till very light, thick, and smooth,) mix the oysters gradually into them, adding a little cayenne pepper, and some powdered nutmeg. put three ounces or more of the best fresh butter into a small frying-pan, if you have no pan especially for omelets. place it over a clear fire, and when the butter, (which should be previously cut up,) has come to a boil, put in the omelet-mixture; stir it till it begins to set; and fry it light brown, lifting the edge several times by slipping a knife under it, and taking care not to cook it too much or it will shrivel and become tough. when done, clap a large hot plate or dish on the top of the omelet, and turn it quickly and carefully out of the pan. serve it up immediately. it is a fine breakfast dish. this quantity will make one large or two small omelets. clam omelets may be made as above. an omelet pan should be smaller than a common frying-pan, and lined with tin. in a large pan the omelet will spread too much, and become thin like a pancake. never turn an omelet while frying, as that will make it heavy and tough. when done, brown it by holding a red-hot shovel or salamander close above the top. excellent omelets may be made of cold boiled ham, or smoked tongue; grated or minced small, mixed with a sufficiency of beaten eggs, and fried in butter. broiled oysters.--take the largest and finest oysters. see that your gridiron is very clean. rub the bars with fresh butter, and set it over a clear steady fire, entirely free from smoke; or on a bed of bright hot wood coals. place the oysters on the gridiron, and when done on one side, take a fork and turn them on the other; being careful not to let them burn. put some fresh butter in the bottom of a dish. lay the oysters on it, and season them with pepper and grated nutmeg. send them to table hot. oyster pie.--having buttered the inside of a deep dish, line it with puff-paste rolled out rather thick; and prepare another sheet of paste for the lid. pat a clean towel into the dish (folded so as to support the lid) and then put on the lid; set it into the oven, and bake the paste well. when done, remove the lid, and take out the folded towel. while the paste is baking, prepare the oysters. having picked off carefully any bits of shell that may be found about them, lay them in a sieve and drain off the liquor into a pan. put the oysters into a skillet or stew-pan, with barely enough of the liquor to keep them from burning. season them with whole pepper, blades of mace, some grated nutmeg, and some grated lemon-peel, (the yellow rind only,) and a little finely minced celery. then add a large portion of fresh butter, divided into bits, and very slightly dredged with flour. let the oysters simmer over the fire, but do not allow them to come to a boil, as that will shrivel them. next beat the yolks only, of three, four, or five eggs, (in proportion to the size of the pie,) and stir the beaten egg into the stew a few minutes before you take it from the fire. keep it warm till the paste is baked. then carefully remove the lid of the pie; and replace it, after you have filled the dish with the oysters and gravy. the lid of the pie may be ornamented with a wreath of leaves cut out of paste, and put on before baking. in the centre, place a paste-knot or flower. oyster pies are generally eaten warm; but they are very good cold. clam pie.--take a sufficient number of clams to fill a large pie-dish when opened. make a nice paste in the proportion of a pound of fresh butter to two quarts of flour. paste for shell fish, or meat, or chicken pies, should be rolled out double the thickness of that intended for fruit pies. line the sides and bottom of your pie-dish with paste. then cover the bottom with a thin beef steak, divested of bone and fat. put in the clams, and season them with mace, nutmeg, and a few whole pepper-corns. no salt. add a spoonful of butter rolled in flour, and some hard-boiled yolks of eggs crumbled fine. then put in enough of the clam liquor to make sufficient gravy. put on the lid of the pie, (which, like the bottom crust, should be rolled out thick,) notch it handsomely, and bake it well. it should be eaten warm. soft crabs.--these are crabs that, having cast their old shells, have not yet assumed the new ones. in this, the transition state, they are considered delicacies. put them into fast-boiling water, and boil them for ten minutes. then take them out, drain them, wipe them very clean, and prepare them for frying by removing the spongy part inside and the sand-bag. put plenty of fresh lard into a pan; and when it boils fast, lay in the crabs, and fry them well, seasoning them with cayenne. as soon as they are done of a nice golden color, take them out, drain off the lard back into the pan, and lay them on a large _hot_ dish. cover them to keep warm while you fry, in the same lard, all the best part of a fresh lettuce, chopped small. let it fry only long enough to become hot throughout. when you serve up the crabs cover them with the fried lettuce. stir into the gravy some cream, or a piece of nice fresh butter rolled in flour; and send it to table in a sauce-boat, seasoned with a little cayenne. soft crabs require no other flavoring. they make a nice breakfast-dish for company. only the large claws are eaten, therefore break off as useless the small ones. instead of lettuce, you may fry the crabs with parsley--removed from the pan before it becomes brown. pepper-grass is still better. terrapins.--in buying terrapins select the largest and thickest. like all other delicacies, the best are the cheapest in the end. small poor terrapins are not worth the cost of the seasoning. a poor terrapin, poorly dressed, is indeed a poor thing, and is always recognized as such, by those who are expected to eat it. _get fine terrapins only._ put them into a pot of water that is boiling very hard at the time, and let them boil for about ten minutes. immediately on taking them out, proceed to rub, with a coarse clean cloth, all the skin from the head, neck, and claws--also, the thin shell, as it comes loose. having washed them in warm water, put the terrapins into a clean pot with fresh water, and a table-spoonful of salt, and boil them again till they are thoroughly done, and the paws are perfectly soft. remove the toe-nails. some terrapins require three hours. when they are quite soft, open them carefully, remove the spongy part, the sand-bag, the gall, and the entrails--it being now the custom to throw away the whole of the disgusting garbage, always tasteless, tough, and disagreeable to look at. be careful not to break the gall, as it will give an unpleasant bitter taste to the whole. cut into small pieces all the meat of the terrapins, put them into a stew-pan, (adding the juice they have yielded in cutting up, _but no water_,) and proceed to season them, beginning with cayenne and black pepper, to your taste; also, a handful of flour for the thickening. stir all well together, and in a short time add four table-spoonfuls of cream, or fresh butter, and a half pint of madeira or sherry to every four terrapins. if they have no eggs, make up some artificially; crumbling the yolks of hard-boiled common eggs, mashed to a paste with a little nice butter, and then made into balls with beaten raw egg. add plenty of these to the stew, and let the whole cook together for a quarter of an hour longer. serve it up hot, in a well heated covered dish. four fine large terrapins generally make one dish; and the above is the usual quantity of seasoning for them. new way of dressing terrapins.--in buying terrapins, select those only that are large, fat, and thick-bodied. put them whole into water that is boiling hard at the time, and (adding a little salt) boil them till thoroughly done throughout. then, taking off the shell, extract the meat, and remove carefully the sand-bag and gall; also, _all the entrails_,--they are disgusting, unfit to eat, and are no longer served up in cooking terrapin for the best tables. cut the meat into pieces, and put it into a stew-pan with its eggs, and sufficient fresh butter to stew it well. let it stew till quite hot throughout, keeping the pan carefully covered that none of the flavor may escape; but shake it over the fire while stewing. in another pan, make a sauce of beaten yolk of egg, highly flavored with madeira or sherry, and powdered nutmeg and mace, and enriched with a large lump of fresh butter. stir this sauce well over the fire, and when it has _almost_ come to a boil, take it off. send the terrapin to table hot in a covered dish, and the sauce _separately_ in a sauce-tureen, to be used by those who like it, and omitted by those who prefer the genuine flavor of the terrapin when simply stewed with butter. this is now the usual mode of dressing terrapins in maryland and virginia, and will be found superior to any other. no dish of terrapins can be good unless the terrapins themselves are of the best quality. it is mistaken economy to buy poor ones. besides being insipid and tasteless, it takes more in number to fill a dish. the females are the best. a terrapin pot-pie.--take several fine large terrapins, the fattest and thickest you can get. put them into a large pot of water that is boiling hard; and boil them half an hour or more. then take them out of the shell, pulling off the outer skin and the toe-nails. remove the sand-bag and the gall, taking care not to break it, or it will render the whole too bitter to be eaten. take out also the entrails, and throw them away; as the custom of cooking them is now, very properly, exploded. then cut up all the meat of the terrapins, taking care to save all the liquid that exudes in cutting up, and also the eggs. season the whole with pepper, mace, and nutmeg, adding a little salt; and lay among it pieces of fresh butter slightly rolled in flour. have ready an ample quantity of paste, made in the proportion of a pound of butter to two large quarts (or pounds) of flour, or a pound and a half of butter to three quarts of flour, and rolled out thick. butter the inside of an iron pot, and line the sides with paste, till it reaches within one-third of the top. then put in the pieces of terrapin, with the eggs, butter, &c., and with all the liquid. lay among the terrapin, square pieces of paste. then pour in sufficient water to stew the whole properly. next, cover all with a circular lid, or top-crust of paste, but do not fit it so closely that the gravy cannot bubble up over the edges while cooking. cut a small cross slit in the top crust. place the pot, with the pie, over a good fire, and boil it till the whole is thoroughly done, which will be in from three quarters to an hour after it comes to a boil. take care not to let it get too dry, but keep at hand a kettle of boiling water to replenish the pot when necessary. to ascertain if the pie is done, lift up with a fork a little of the paste, at one side, and try it low down in the pot. it may be much improved, by mixing among the pieces of terrapins, (before putting them into the pie,) some yolks of hard-boiled eggs, grated or minced. they will enrich the gravy. a pot-pie may be made, (a very fine one too,) of some of the best pieces of a green turtle. a sea-coast pie.--having boiled a sufficient number of crabs and lobsters, extract all the meat from the shells, and cut it into mouthfuls. have ready some fine large oysters drained from the liquor. cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with puff-paste; and put in a thick layer of crab or lobster, seasoned with a little cayenne pepper, and a grated lemon-peel. mix it with some hard-boiled yolk of egg, crumbled fine, and moistened with fresh butter. next, put a close layer of oysters, seasoned with pounded mace and grated nutmeg. put some bits of butter rolled in flour on the top of the layer. proceed in this manner with alternate layers of crab or lobster, and of oysters, till the dish is nearly full. then pour in, at the last, a tea-cupful or more of the oyster liquor, with an equal quantity of rich cream. have ready a thick lid of puff-paste. put it on the pie, pressing the edges closely, so as to unite them all round; and notch them handsomely. make a wreath of leaves cut out of paste, and a flower or knot for the centre; place them on the top-crust; and bake the pie well. while it is baking, prepare some balls made of chopped oysters; grated bread-crumbs; powdered nutmeg, or mace; and grated lemon-peel; also, some hard-boiled yolks of eggs, grated. having fried these balls in butter, drain them, and when the pie is baked, lay a circle of them round the top, between the border of paste-leaves and the centre-knot. this pie will be found so fine that it ought to be baked in a dish which will contain a large quantity. to dress a turtle.--the turtle should be taken out of water, and killed over night in winter, and early in the morning in summer. hang it up by the hind fins, and before it has had time to draw in its neck, cut off its head with a very sharp knife, and leave the turtle suspended. it should bleed two or three hours or more, before you begin to cut it up. then lay it on its back upon a table: have at hand several vessels of cold water, in which to throw the most important parts as you separate them; also a large boiler of hot water. take off the fins at the joint, and lay them by themselves in cold water; next divide the back-shell from the under-shell. the upper part of the turtle is called the calipash--the under part the calipee. in cutting open the turtle, be very careful not to break the gall, which should be taken out and thrown away; if broken, its bitterness will spoil all around it. take out the entrails and throw them away. the practice of cooking them is now obsolete. so it is with the entrails of terrapins. using a sharp knife, cut off the fins carefully, also the liver, lungs, heart, kidneys, &c. wash them well, and lay them in a pan of cold water, the liver in a pan by itself. if there are eggs, put them also into cold water. having extracted the intestines, stand up the turtle on end, to let the blood run out. afterwards cut out all the flesh from the upper and under shells, and remove the bones. cut the calipee (or meat belonging to the under-shell) into pieces about as large as the palm of your hand, and break the shell. the calipash, or meat next the back-shell, may be cut smaller--the green fat into pieces about two inches square. put all the meat into a large pan, sprinkle it slightly with salt, and cover it up. lay the shells and fins in a tub of boiling water, and scald them till the scales can be scraped off with a knife, and all the meat that still adheres to the shells easily removed, as it is worth saving. clean the fins nicely, (taking off the dark skin,) and lay them in cold water. wipe the back-shell dry, and set it aside. then proceed to make the soup. for this purpose, take the coarser pieces of flesh with the bone likewise. put them into a pot with a pound of cold ham cut into pieces, and eight large calves'-feet (two sets) that have been singed and scraped, but not skinned. if you cannot conveniently obtain calves'-feet, substitute a large fore-leg or knuckle of veal. add four onions, sliced thin; two tablespoonfuls of sweet-marjoram leaves; a large bunch of basil; a dozen blades of mace; and a salt-spoon of cayenne. the ham will make any other salt unnecessary. pour on as much water as will completely cover the whole, and let it simmer slowly over a steady fire during five hours, skimming it well. if after a while the soup seems to be boiling away too much, replenish it with a little hot water from a kettle, kept boiling hard for the purpose. when it has simmered five hours, take up the whole, and strain the soup through a sieve into a deep pan. wash out the soup-pot with hot water, and return the strained soup to it, with the liver, &c., cut in small pieces, and some of the best of the meat, and a portion of the green fat. have ready two or three dozen force-meat balls, the size of a hickory nut, and made of the usual proportions of minced veal, bread-crumbs, butter, grated lemon-peel, mace, nutmeg, and beaten yolk of egg. put them into the soup, and let it boil an hour longer; also the eggs of the turtle, or some hard-boiled yolks of eggs. after it has thus boiled another hour, add the juice and grated yellow rinds of two lemons, and a pint of madeira. boil the soup a quarter of an hour longer, and it will then be ready for the tureen. it must never boil hard. in the mean time, stew in another pot the finest of the turtle-meat, seasoned with a little salt and cayenne, and a liberal allowance of sweet-marjoram leaves rubbed fine, and mixed with powdered mace and nutmeg. add a pound of fresh butter, cut into pieces and rolled in flour. when the turtle-meat has stewed an hour, put in the green fat, and add the juice and grated yellow rinds of two lemons, and a pint or more of madeira, and let the whole stew slowly an hour longer. while the meat is stewing, take the shell of the back; wash it clean, and wipe it dry; lay a band of puff-paste all round the inside of the shell, two inches below the edge, and two inches above it. notch the paste handsomely, and fill the shell with the stewed turtle. have ready the oven, heated as if for bread. lay a large iron baking-sheet or a square pan upon four bricks (one at each corner) to elevate the turtle-shell from the floor of the oven. place on it the shell with its contents, and let it bake till well browned on the surface. send it to table with the shell placed on a large dish. at the other end set the tureen of soup. have ready (on two side dishes) the fins stewed tender in a little of the soup, and the liver fried in butter. this receipt is for a turtle of moderate size. a large one will, of course, require an increased proportion of all the articles used in seasoning it--more wine, &c. in serving up turtle at a dinner-party, let it constitute the first course, and have nothing else on the table while the turtle is there. we have seen elegant silver turtle-dishes, representing the back-shell of the animal, superbly chased and engraved, the feet for it to stand on being paws of silver; and the fins having hollow places to hold the sauce. this was for the stew; making a dish separate from the soup, which is always sent to table in a tureen. turtle pasty.--when the meat has been all extracted, scrape and wash the large back shell of the turtle till it is perfectly clean. make a rich puff-paste. roll it out thin, and line with it the bottom and sides, in fact the whole of the back-shell. having prepared and seasoned the best pieces of the turtle-meat, as in the preceding receipt, stew them till thoroughly done, and very tender, and when cool, fill the shell with them. have ready an upper lid of the same puff-paste, rolled out rather _thick_. cover the pie with it. unite the edges of the upper and under crusts, very neatly, wetting your fingers with water. then notch them handsomely all round, and cut a cross slit in the centre of the top or cover. set it directly into a rather quick oven. bake the crust of a light brown, and send it to table hot. lobsters.--if you buy a lobster ready boiled, see that his tail is stiff and elastic, so that when you bend it under, it springs back immediately; otherwise he is not fresh. if alive or unboiled, he will be lively and brisk in his motion when newly caught. the same with prawns, and crabs. the heaviest lobsters are the best. to boil a lobster, have ready a pot of fast-boiling water, very strongly salted. put in the lobster head downward; and if the water is really hot (it is cruel to have it otherwise,) he will be dead in a moment. crabs, of course, the same. a moderate sized lobster (and they are the best,) will be done in half an hour. a large one requires from three-quarters to an hour. before it is sent to table, the large claws should be taken off, and laid beside it. the head also should be separated from the body, but laid so near it that the division is nearly imperceptible. the head is never eaten. split the body, and lay it open all the way down, including the tail. if there is a good dresser of salads in the house, the lobster may be served up ready dressed, in a deep dish, seasoned with the proper condiments, after being cut small or minced, heaped up towards the centre of the dish, and decorated with the small claws laid across on the top, with the addition of green celery leaves, or parsley sprigs. lobster salad--(_plain_.)--take a well boiled lobster. extract all the meat from the body and claws, cut it up small, and mash the coral with the back of a spoon or a broad knife. wash the best part of a fresh lettuce, and cut that up also, omitting all the stalk. mix together the chopped lobster and the lettuce, and put them into a salad bowl. make the dressing in a deep plate, allowing for one lobster a salt-spoon of salt, half as much of cayenne, a tea-spoonful of made mustard, (tarragon mustard is best,) four table-spoonfuls (or more) of sweet oil, and three table-spoonfuls of the best cider vinegar. mix all these together, with the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, mashed to a soft moist paste with the other ingredients, adding the coral of the lobster. when they are all mixed smoothly, add them to the lobster and lettuce. if the mixture seems too dry, add more sweet oil. toss and stir the salad with a box-wood fork. also, the things should be mashed with a box-wood spoon. cover, and set it in a cool place till wanted. it should be eaten as soon as possible after mixing, as it becomes flat by standing. plenty of sweet oil renders a lobster wholesome. still, persons who are not in good health, had best abstain from lobster. you may add to the dressing, one or two raw yolks of eggs, beaten well. fine lobster salad--(_this is for company._)--boil eight eggs for ten minutes, or till quite hard. lay them in cold water, or cool them by laying bits of ice among them. when quite cold, cut each egg lengthways into four or six pieces, taking a bit off one end of each piece or slice. cut up into long pieces the best part of a fresh lettuce, that has just been washed in a pan of cold water. lay the lettuce in a dish, and surround it closely with the pieces of egg standing up on their blunted ends, with the yolk side outward, and forming a handsome wall all round the bed of lettuce. upon this, pile neatly the bits of chopped lobster, finishing with the small claws stuck into the top. have ready the dressing in a sauce-tureen. make it of the beaten yolks of two raw eggs, and four table-spoonfuls of sweet oil, thickened with the mashed coral of the lobster, and the crumbled yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, and season slightly with a little salt, cayenne, and a spoonful of tarragon mustard. finish with two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, and stir the whole hard with a box-wood spoon or fork. send it to table with the sauce-tureen, along with the dish of lobster, &c. pour on each plate of lobster a portion of this dressing. or, if you can obtain no lettuce, mix this dressing at once with the chopped meat of the lobster. smooth it in a pile on the dish, (keeping it towards the centre) and stand up the slips of hard egg handsomely surrounding it--the small claws decorating the top. lobster rissoles.--extract all the meat from the shells of one or two boiled lobsters. mince it very fine; the coral also. season it with a little salt and cayenne, and some powdered mace and nutmeg. add about a fourth part of finely grated bread-crumbs; and with a sufficiency of fresh butter or a little finely-minced veal suet, or some sweet oil, make it up into balls or cones. brush them over with yolk of egg, dredge them lightly with flour, and fry them in lard. introduce them as a side dish at a dinner party, or as an accompaniment to salmon. this mixture may be baked in puff-paste as little patties, or you may bake in a soup-plate an empty shell of paste, and when done, (having stewed the rissole mixture made moist) fill the cold paste with it, and serve it up as a lobster pie. in buying lobsters, choose those that are the heaviest and liveliest, or quickest in their motions when touched. they are then fresh. the hen has the broadest tail and the softest fins. lobster pudding.--take the empty back shell of one large boiled lobster, and all the best meat of two. clean out the shell very nicely; washing it, and wiping it dry. mince the meat, and mash the coral with it; adding half a dozen yolks of hard-boiled eggs crumbled among it, and season it well with powdered mace and nutmeg, and a little cayenne. moisten it all through with plenty of sweet oil, and the raw yolks of one or two eggs, well beaten. fill the shell with this pudding, and cover the surface of the mixture with a coating of finely-grated bread-crumbs. brown it by holding over it a salamander, or a red hot fire-shovel. send it to table in the shell, laid on a china dish. small puddings may be made as above, of crab-meat put into several large crab-shells, and placed side by side on a dish. they may be eaten either warm or cold; and they look well with green lettuce or pepper-grass, disposed fancifully among them. crabs.--crabs are seldom eaten except at the sea-shore, where there is a certainty of their being fresh from the water. they are very abundant, but so little is in them, that when better things are to be had, they are scarcely worth the trouble of boiling and picking out the shell. they are cooked like lobsters, in boiling salt and water, and brought to table piled on large dishes, and are eaten with salt, pepper, sweet oil, and vinegar. the meat of two dozen crabs, when all is extracted, will make but a small dish. season it with cayenne, mustard, oil, vinegar, and eat it cold; or stew it with fresh butter, powdered mace, and nutmeg, and serve it up hot. _prawns._--the same. shrimps.--of all fish belonging to the lobster species, shrimps are the smallest. in england, where they abound, they are sold by the quart, ready boiled. the way to eat them is to pull off the head, and squeeze the body out of the shell by pressing it between your fore-finger and thumb. at good tables they are only used as sauce for large fish, squeezed out of the shell, and stirred into melted butter. lobster sauce.--take a small hen lobster that has been well boiled. extract all the meat, and chop it large. take out the coral, and pound it smooth in a marble mortar, adding, as you proceed, sufficient sweet oil. make some nice drawn butter, allowing half a pound of nice fresh butter to two heaped table-spoonfuls of flour, and a pint of hot water. mix the butter and flour thoroughly, and then gradually add to them the coral, so as to give a fine color. then mix this with a small pint of boiling water. hold the saucepan over the fire, (shaking it about till it simmers) but do not let it quite boil. put in the chopped lobster, and let that simmer in the sauce, till well heated. to allow it to boil will spoil the color, (which should be pale pink,) and may be improved by a little prepared cochineal. or, you may tie, in a small bit of thin muslin, a few chips of alkanet, and put it into the sauce, (taking it out, of course, before it goes to table.) alkanet communicates a beautiful pink color, and has no taste in itself. this quantity of sauce is for a large fish--salmon, cod, turbot, or sheep's head. there should always be an ample supply of sauce. it is very awkward for the sauce to give out, before it has gone round the company. beef. roasting beef.--the prime piece of beef for roasting is the sirloin; but being too large for a small family, the ribs are generally preferred, when there are but few persons to eat of it. so also is the baron, or double sirloin, undivided along the back. it is chiefly seen at great dinners. except the sirloin and ribs, there are no very good roasting pieces, all the rest being generally used for stews, soups, &c., and for corning or salting. unless the animal is a very fine one, the inferior pieces are apt to be tough, hard, and coarse. the round is the best piece for corning or salting, and for cooking, as beef _a-la-mode_, or converting into what, in england, is called rump-steaks. these steaks require a rolling-pin, before they can be made tender enough for good eating, or good digestion. the finest and tenderest steaks are those cut from the sirloin. the meat of a young well-fed heifer is very good; and that of an old ox, (that has done working, and afterwards been fattened well on plenty of wholesome food,) may be made of superior excellence. the lean of good fresh beef is of a bright red color, a fine close grain, and feels tender to the touch on pinching it between your thumb and finger. the fat is firm and very nearly white. the suet about the kidney, firm and quite white. if, on the contrary, the lean is coarse, tough, and of a dull color, and the fat scanty, yellow, and moist, do not buy that meat for any purpose. the same rules will apply to mutton. if the weather is so cold that the meat is frozen, thaw it by lying it all night or early in the morning in a tub of _cold_ water. if thawed in water the least warm, the meat will spoil, and be rendered unfit to eat. meat that has been frozen, requires a much longer time to cook, than if that accident had not happened. _all_ frozen animals must be thawed in cold water previous to cooking. cold roast-beef is much liked in england. in america, where meat is more abundant, and therefore less costly, it is not considered a proper dish to place before a visitor; therefore, in our country, a large piece is seldom cooked with a view to next day's dinner. we prefer smaller pieces, always served up fresh and hot. beef for roasting, should be well washed in plenty of cold water; then dried with a clean cloth. prepare the fire, in time to be burning well, when the meat is put down. it should have plenty of hot coals, and no part of the fire black, ashy, or smoky, and the hearth swept very clean: _for no sweeping must go on while the meat (or any thing else) is cooking_. the spit should always be kept perfectly clean, when not in use; and well washed, wiped, and rubbed immediately after using. run it evenly into the meat, which will hang crooked if not well balanced. when first put down, take care not to set it at once too close to the fire, but place it rather more than two feet distant, that the meat may heat gradually. if too near the fire at first, the outside will scorch, and leave the inside red and bloody. underdone meat (foolishly called _rare_) is getting quite out of fashion, being unwholesome and indigestible, and to most americans its savour is disgusting. to ladies and children it is always so, and even the english have ceased to like it. it is now seldom seen but at those public tables, where they consider it an object to have as little meat as possible eaten on the first day, that more may be left for the second day, to be made into indescribable messes, with ridiculous french names, and passed off as french dishes, by the so-called french cook, who is frequently an irishman. at first, baste the meat as soon as it begins to roast, with a little fresh butter, or fresh dripping saved from yesterday's beef. then, when its own fat begins to drip, baste it with that, all the while it is cooking. gradually move it nearer to the fire, turning the spit round frequently, so that the meat may be cooked equally on all sides. when it is nearly done, sprinkle it slightly, with a little salt. when it is quite done, and you take it from the spit, put it on a large hot dish, and keep it warm while you skim the gravy, thoroughly, so as to remove _all_ the fat. then mix in the gravy a small tea-cup full of hot water, and thicken it with a very little browned flour. send it to table very hot. as a general rule, a sirloin, weighing fifteen pounds, will require about four hours (or more) before a good steady fire. if it has been frozen, it will take much longer. the fatter it is the more cooking it will require. when sent to table, place near it, a small sauce-shell of horse-radish, washed, scraped fine, and moistened with the best vinegar. put a tea-spoon on the top to take it with. pickles, and a bottle of french mustard, at good tables, are generally accompaniments to beef or mutton, whether roasted or boiled. the dripping of roast beef, after all the fat has been removed, and the basting of the meat is over, should be strained into a pan, and kept in a cold place, with a cover; and next day, when it is congealed into a cake, scrape off whatever impurities may still adhere to the bottom, transfer it to a covered jar, and set it in the refrigerator, or where it will be cold. the dripping of roast beef is excellent for frying, for plain pie-crust, or for many other purposes. the dripping of mutton (being tallow) is only fit for soap-fat, and will spoil any dish whatever. broiled beef steaks.--the best steaks are those from the tender-loin. those from the round or rump require beating with a rolling-pin. a steak-mallet tears them and destroys the juices of the meat. without beating they will generally be found too tough or hard for an american taste, though much liked in europe, where tender-loin steaks are considered too expensive. but they are here so much preferred, that, on good tables, any others are seldom seen. have all the steaks nearly of a size and shape, and about half an inch thick. trim off the fat, and cut short the bone, or remove it altogether. season them with black pepper, but sprinkle on no salt till they have done cooking; as salt, if put on at first, hardens them. set your gridiron over a bed of bright clear coals, having first rubbed the bars with a very little beef suet, or dripping. not mutton fat, as it will give the taste of tallow. a beef steak cannot be cooked in perfection unless over wood coals. to cook them before an anthracite fire, on an upright gridiron, is more like toasting than broiling, and much impairs the true flavor. a gridiron of the usual shape, with grooved or hollow bars to catch the gravy, is best of all. broil the steaks well; and when done on one side, turn each steak with steak tongs; or a knife and fork, and an inverted plate. if onions are liked, peel and boil a few; drain and mince them, and sprinkle them thickly over the surface of each steak. when they are well done, take them off the gridiron, and transfer them to a heated dish, laying a small bit of butter upon it; and put another bit of butter on the surface of each steak, having first sprinkled them with a very little fine salt. what there is of their own gravy, pour round them on the dish. send it to table as hot as possible. the english custom of eating what is called _rare_ or underdone beef or mutton, is now becoming obsolete. to ladies, especially, all food is disgusting that is red and bloody-looking--and physicians have discovered, that nothing is wholesome unless well cooked. the introduction of french cookery has done that much good. the onions may be stewed in butter or gravy, and served up in a sauce-boat, seasoned with nutmeg. at the famous beef-steak club of london, each guest is furnished with a small raw onion, to take on his fork, and rub over his empty plate, just before the steaks are served up, which is done one at a time, and as hot as possible, being cooked in the room. fried beef steaks.--sirloin steaks should be tender enough without beating. rump steaks will require some; but do not beat them so much as to tear the meat and exhaust all its juices. we have seen them pounded almost into a mass of dry shreds, scarcely adhering together. remove the fat and bone. lay them in a frying-pan, with a little fresh butter dredged with flour, and season them with pepper. fry them brown, turning them on both sides. have ready some onions, peeled, washed, and sliced. after you have turned the steaks, cover them with the sliced onions, and then finish the frying, till all is thoroughly done, meat and onions, slightly sprinkling them with salt. the onions had best be boiled in a small sauce-pan by themselves, before they are sliced and fried. put the whole on one dish, the onions covering the meat. mutton chops, or veal cutlets, or pork steaks, may be fried in this manner with onions, adding to them some minced sweet marjoram, or if pork, some sage. beef steak with oysters.--take very fine tender sirloin steak, divested of fat and bone; cut them not larger than the palm of your hand; lay them in a stew-pan with some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. strain over them sufficient oyster-liquor to cook them well, and to keep them from burning, and to make a gravy so as to stew, but not to boil them. season them with some blades of mace, some grated nutmeg, and a few whole pepper-corns. let them cook till they are thoroughly done, and not the least red. then put in some fine large oysters. set the stew-pan again over the fire till the oysters are plump, which should be in about five or six minutes. if cooked too much, the oysters will toughen and shrink. when done, transfer the whole to a deep dish, mixing the oysters evenly among the meat. before you take them up, make some sippet or thin toast, in triangular or pointed slices, with the crust cut off. dip the slices (for a minute) in boiling water; then take them out, and stand them in a circle all round the inside of the dish, the points of the sippets upwards. corned or salted beef.--for boiling, there is no piece of corned beef so good, and so profitable, as the round. a large round is always better and more tender than a small one, if the ox has been well fed. a small round of beef is generally tough. in buying it, see that it looks and smells well, as sometimes beef is not salted till it begins to taint; and then it is done, with a view of disguising its unwholesome and disgusting condition, which, however, will immediately be manifest as soon as it is put on to boil, if not before. every sort of food, the least verging on decomposition, is unfit for any thing but to throw away or bury. it is not necessary to buy always a whole round of beef. you can have it cut into a half, third part, quarter, or into as many pounds as you want. if very salt, lay it to soak in cold water the night before, or early in the morning. half a round (weighing about fifteen pounds) will require about four hours to boil sufficiently. a whole round, double that time. it must boil very slowly. if it boils too fast at first, nothing will afterwards make it tender. the fire must be steady, and moderate, that the heat may penetrate all through, slowly and equally. the pot must be kept closely covered, unless for a minute when the scum is taken off, and that must be done frequently. the beef should, while boiling, be turned several times in the pot. it is much the best way to boil it without any vegetables in the same pot; they imbibe too much of the fat, particularly cabbage. boil the cabbage by itself in plenty of water, having first washed it well, laid it a while in cold water, with the head downwards, and examined it well to see if there are no insects between the leaves. the leaves on the very outside, should be removed, and the stalk cut short. tie a string round the cabbage to keep it from falling apart. put it into a pot with plenty of cold water, and boil it an hour. then take it out, drain it, and lay it in a pan of cold water, or place it under the hydrant, for the hydrant water to run copiously upon it. when the cabbage is perfectly cold, wash out the pot in which it was parboiled, or put it into another quite clean one, and boil it another hour. then take it up, and keep it warm till wanted. before you send it to table, lay some bits of nice fresh butter between the inside leaves, and sprinkle on a little pepper. this is much nicer than preparing what is called drawn or melted butter to pour over the cabbage, and far more wholesome. drawn butter is seldom well made, being frequently little more than a small morsel of butter, deluged with greasy water; and sometimes it is nearly all flour and water. cabbage cooked as above will be found excellent, and be divested of the cabbage smell which is to many persons disagreeable. carrots are also an usual accompaniment to corned beef. they should be washed, scraped, cut into pieces, and split, if very large; put into boiling water, and cooked, according to their size, from one hour to two hours. before taking them up, try with a fork if they are tender throughout. when done, they are best cut into slices, a little cold butter mixed with them, and put into a deep dish, to be helped with a spoon. parsnips may be dressed in the same manner. for a plain family dinner, corned beef, cabbage, and carrots, cooked _exactly_ as above, with, of course, the addition of potatos, will, on trial, be found excellent. corned beef _stewed_ very slowly, in a small quantity of water, (barely sufficient to cover the meat,) well skimmed, and with the vegetables done separately, is still better than when _boiled_. mustard is a good condiment for corned beef--so is vinegar to the cabbage. pickles, also; french mustard is very fine with it. next to the round, the edgebone is the best piece for boiling. the brisket or plate is too fat, and should only be eaten by persons in strong health, and who take a great deal of exercise. no fat meat should be given to children. indeed there is generally great difficulty in making them eat it. they are right, as it is very unwholesome for them, unless the very leanest bits are selected from among the mass of fat. have tarragon vinegar on the table to eat with corned beef and cabbage. fried corned beef.--this is a very homely and economical dish, but it is liked by many persons. cut thin slices from a cold round of beef, and season them with pepper. fry them brown over a quick fire, and put them in a covered dish to keep hot. then wash the frying-pan, cleaning it well from the fat, and put into it plenty of cold boiled cabbage, cut small, and some cold carrots, sliced thin, adding some thin sliced suet, or beef dripping to fry them in. when done, dish the meat with the vegetables laid around it; adding the gravy. this is the dish called in england, bubble-and-squeak, perhaps from the noise it makes when frying. it is only designed for strong healthy people with good appetites. it is sometimes made of salt pork or bacon; sliced potatos being added to the cabbage. dried and smoked beef.--for this purpose have as much as you want cut off from a fine round. mix together two ounces of saltpetre, (finely pounded) rub it into the meat, cover it, and let it stand a day. then mix together half a pound of bay-salt, an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of ground ginger, and an ounce of pounded mace, and a quarter of an ounce of powdered cloves. rub this mixture well into the beef, put it into a deep pan, and let it lie in this pickle two weeks, turning it every day. then hang it up in a smoke-house, and smoke it over a fire made of corn-cobs, or maple chips. never use pine for smoking. it may be eaten chipped at tea, or what is much better, stewed and warmed in a skillet. venison may be spiced, dried, and smoked in the same manner. to stew smoked beef.--having chipped it thin, put it into a skillet, with fresh butter, pepper, and two or three beaten yolks of eggs. let it stew till the beef is crisp and curled up. never allow yourself to be persuaded to use pyroligneous acid in curing dried beef or ham--instead of the real smoke of a wood fire. it communicates a taste and smell of kreosote, and is a detestable substitute, detected in a moment. a spiced round of beef.--take a large prime round of beef; extract the bone, and close the hole. tie a tape all round it to keep it firm. take four ounces of finely powdered saltpetre, and rub it well into the beef. put the meat into a very clean pickling-tub that has a close-fitting cover, and let it rest for two days. next rub it thoroughly with salt, and return it to the tub for eight days. then take an ounce of powdered mace, a large nutmeg powdered, a half-ounce of pepper, and a quarter of an ounce of powdered cloves, (not more.) mix these spices well together, and then mix them with a pound of fine brown sugar. rub the spices and sugar thoroughly all over the beef, which will be ready to cook next day. then fill the opening with minced sweet herbs, sweet basil, and sweet marjoram, laid in loosely and lightly. take half a pound of nice beef-suet. divide it in two, and flatten each half of the suet by beating it with a rolling-pin. lay it in a broad earthen pan, with one sheet of suet under the meat, and the other pressed over it. above this place a sheet of clean white paper, and over all put a large plate. set it in a hot oven, and bake it five hours or more, till by probing it to the bottom, with a sharp knife, you find it thoroughly cooked. it is excellent as a cold standing dish, for a large family. when it is to be eaten cold, boil fresh cabbage to go with it. also parsnips and carrots. _cabbage._--for this beef, red cabbage is very nice, cut small, and stewed with butter and tarragon vinegar. a-la-mode beef.--remove the bone from a fine round of fresh beef, and also take off the fat. for a round that weighs ten pounds, make seasoning or stuffing in the following proportions. half a pound of beef suet; half a pound of grated bread-crumbs; the crumbled yolks of three hard-boiled eggs; a large bundle of sweet marjoram, the leaves chopped; another of sweet basil; four onions minced small, a large table-spoonful of mixed mace and nutmeg, powdered. season slightly with salt and cayenne. stuff this mixture into the place from whence you took out the bone. make numerous deep cuts or incisions about the meat, and stuff them also. skewer the meat into a proper shape, and secure its form by tying it round with tape. put it into a clean iron oven or bake-pan, and pour over it a pint of port wine. put on the lid, and bake the beef slowly for five or six hours, or till it is thoroughly done all through. if the meat is to be eaten hot, skim all the fat from the gravy; into which, after it is taken off the fire, stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. if onions are disliked you can omit them, and substitute minced oysters. beef a-la-mode--(_another way._)--take a fine round of fresh beef, extract the bone, and fill the place from whence it was taken with a stuffing made of bread soaked in milk and then mashed up, butter, and some yolks of hard-boiled eggs crumbled fine, the yellow rind and juice of a large grated lemon, sweet marjoram and sweet basil chopped small, with some powdered nutmeg and mace. make deep cuts or incisions all over the outside of the meat, and in every cut stick firmly a slip of bacon or salt pork put in with a larding-pin. bring round the flap and skewer to the side of the round, filling in between with some of the stuffing. and pour round it a pint or more of port wine. lay it in an oven, and bake it slowly till it is well done all through, which will require some hours. serve it up with its own gravy under it. it is more generally eaten cold, at a supper party. in this case, cover it thickly all over with double parsley or pepper grass, so as to resemble a green bank. in the centre place a bouquet of natural flowers, rising from the green bank. french a-la-mode beef, or beef _a-la-daube_, is prepared as above, but stewed slowly all night in lard. beef bouilli.--take from six to eight pounds of a fine round of _fresh_ beef. put it into a soup-pot, with the remains of a piece of cold roast beef (bones and all) to enrich the gravy, but use no other cold meat than beef. season it slightly with salt and pepper, and pour on just sufficient water to cover it well. boil it slowly, and skim it well. when the scum ceases to rise, have ready half a dozen large carrots, cut into pieces, and put _them_ in first. afterwards add six turnips, quartered; a head of celery, cut small; half a dozen parsnips, cut in pieces; and six whole onions. let it boil slowly till all the vegetables are done, and very tender. send it to table with the beef in the middle of a large dish; the vegetables laid all around it; and the gravy (thickened with fine grated bread-crumbs) in a sauce-boat. serve up with it, white potatos, boiled whole; and mashed pumpkin, or winter squash. this is a good dinner for a plain family. those who like tarragon mustard, or tarragon vinegar, may add it on their plates. tomatos may be skinned and stewed with it. to stew cold corned beef.--cut about four pounds of lean from a cold round of beef, that tastes but little of the salt. lay it in a stew-pan, with a quarter of a peck of tomatos quartered, and the same quantity of ochras sliced; also, two small onions peeled and sliced, and two ounces of fresh butter rolled in flour. add a tea-spoonful of whole pepper-corns, (_no salt_,) and four or five blades of mace. place it over a steady but moderate fire. cover it closely, and let it stew three or four hours. the vegetables should be entirely dissolved. serve it up hot. this is an excellent way of using up the remains of a cold round of beef at the season of tomatos and ochras, particularly when the meat has been rather under-boiled the first day of cooking it. a few pounds of the lean of a _fresh_ round of beef, will be still better, cooked in this manner, increasing the quantity of ochras and tomatos, and stewing it six hours. cold fillet of veal is very good stewed with tomatos, ochras, and an onion or two. also, the thick or upper part of a cold leg of mutton; or of pork, either fresh or corned. to stew smoked beef.--the dried beef, for this purpose, must be fresh and of the very best quality. cut it (or rather shave it) into very thin, small slices, with as little fat as possible. put the beef into a skillet, and fill up with boiling water. cover it, and let it soak or steep till the water is cold. then drain off that water, and pour on some more; but merely enough to cover the chipped beef, which you may season with a little pepper. set it over the fire, and (keeping on the cover) let it stew for a quarter of an hour. then roll a few bits of butter in a little flour, and add it to the beef, with the yolk of one or two beaten eggs. let it stew five minutes longer. take it up on a hot dish, and send it to the breakfast or tea-table. cold ham may be sliced thin, and stewed in the same manner. dried venison also. french beef.--take a circular piece from the round, (having removed the bone,) and trim it nicely from the fat, skin, &c. then lard it all over with long slips of fat pork or bacon. the place from whence the bone was taken must be filled with a forcemeat, made of minced suet, grated bread-crumbs, sweet marjoram rubbed fine, and grated lemon-peel; add a little salt and pepper. tie a tape closely round the outside of the beef, to keep it compact, and in shape. put it into a broad earthen jar with a cover; or into an iron bake-oven. add some whole pepper, a large onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, three bay-leaves, a quarter of a pound of butter, divided into small bits, (each piece rolled in flour,) and half a pint of claret, or port wine. bake or stew it thus in its own liquor, for five, six, or seven hours, (in proportion to its size,) for it must be thoroughly done, quite tender, and brown all through the inside. stewed fresh beef.--cut a square thick piece of beef from the round or sirloin, and trim off the fat. put it into a stew-pan with just water enough to cover it, and season it slightly with salt and pepper. let it stew slowly, till tender all through. then add potatos pared and quartered, turnips the same; and also, parsnips split and cut short, and (if approved) a few sliced onions. stew altogether till the vegetables are thoroughly cooked, and then serve up the whole on one large dish. mutton, veal, and fresh pork, may be stewed in the same manner. sweet potatos, scraped and split, are excellent served with fresh meat. there should be a great plenty of vegetables, as they are much liked in stews. what is called an irish stew is fresh beef stewed with potatos only--the potatos being first pared, and cut in quarters. for economy, cold roast beef may be stewed next day with fresh potatos cut up, and as little water as possible. cold potatos, if re-cooked, are always hard, tough, and unwholesome. stewed beefsteaks with oysters.--take some fine tender beef-steaks cut from the sirloin. if they are taken from the round they should be beaten with a rolling-pin to make them tender. put them into a close stew-pan, with barely sufficient water to prevent their burning, and set them over the fire to brown. when they are browned, add sufficient oyster-liquor to cook them, and some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. let them stew slowly for an hour, or till they are thoroughly done. then add three or four dozen of fine large fresh oysters, in proportion to the quantity of meat, seasoning them well with nutmeg, a few blades of mace, and a little cayenne. cover the pan, and simmer them till the oysters are well plumped, but not till they come to a boil. when all is properly cooked, transfer the whole to a deep dish, and send it to table hot. the meat, when preparing, should be cut into pieces about as large as the palm of your hand, and an inch thick, omitting the fat. small clams may be substituted for oysters. tomato stewed beef.--take large ripe tomatos, and scald them, to make the skins peel off easily. pare, quarter them, and sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. lay in a stew-pan some thin tender beef-steaks, lamb, mutton-chops, or cutlets of fresh pork. bury the meat in the tomatos, and add some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour and a little sugar to take off the extreme acid of the tomatos; also, an onion or two, very finely minced. let the whole cook slowly till the meat is thoroughly done, and the tomatos dissolved to a pulp. send it to table all on the same dish. a rabbit or chicken, (cut apart as for carving,) is very good stewed with tomatos. freshly killed venison is excellent for this stew. many persons mix grated bread with tomato stew. we think it weakens the taste--a thing not desirable in any cooking. this stew must not have a drop of water in it; the tomatos will give out sufficient liquid to cook the meat. there is not a more wholesome dish. beef stewed with onions.--take a square piece of beef from the sirloin, where there is no bone or fat. with a sharp knife make very deep incisions all over it, but not quite so deep as to cut it through to the bottom. prepare a forcemeat by peeling and boiling some onions. then drain and mince them. mix in with the onions some fine bread-crumbs, and some chopped sweet-marjoram, (seasoning with powdered nutmeg and mace,) and fill tightly all the incisions. put into the bottom of a stew-pan some drippings of roast-beef, or else a piece of fresh butter rolled in flour. lay the seasoned meat upon it. let it stew till completely cooked, and no redness to be found in any part of it. serve it up hot, and send it to table in its own gravy. a round or fillet of fresh pork may be cooked as above, putting into the incisions, or holes, powdered sage instead of sweet marjoram, with the onions and crumbs; and using lard instead of beef-drippings. eat apple sauce with it. beef stewed with oysters.--prepare two or three pounds of the best beef, by trimming off all the fat, and removing the bone. lay in the bottom of the stew-pan a few bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. then put in the meat, and sprinkle a little pepper over each piece. have ready a quart of large fresh oysters. strain the liquor to clear it from bits of the shell, and pour it over the meat in the stew-pan. stew the meat in the oyster liquor till it is thoroughly cooked, skimming it well, and keeping it covered, except when skimming. then add grated nutmeg, and a few blades of mace. lastly, put in the oysters, and let them remain in just long enough to plump, which will be in a few minutes. if cooked too much oysters always shrivel, and become hard and tough. when all is done, serve up the whole in one dish. in the same manner clams may be stewed with beef. never put any salt where there are clams. they are quite salt enough in themselves. french stew.--cut into pieces two or three pounds of the lean of fresh tender beef, mutton, veal, or pork, and peel and slice a quarter of a peck or more of ripe tomatos. season the whole with a little pepper and salt. add, if you choose, a tea-spoonful of sugar to moderate the extreme acid of the tomatos. put the whole together into a stew-pot, and cover it closely, opening it occasionally to see how it is doing. put no water to this stew, the juice of the tomatos will cook it thoroughly. add a large table-spoonful of minced tarragon leaves. when the tomatos are all dissolved, stir in a piece of fresh butter, dredged with flour. let it stew about a quarter of an hour longer. when the meat is quite tender all through, and every thing well done, make some sippets of triangular shaped toast, with the crust trimmed off. dip the toast, for a moment, in hot water; butter and stand it up all round the inside of a deep dish. then fill it with the stew, and serve it hot. any meat may be stewed thus with tomatos. potato beef.--this is an excellent family dish. boil some potatos till well done, all through. peel them, put them into a large pan, and mash them smoothly, adding, as you proceed, some milk, and one or more beaten eggs, well mixed into the potatos. rub the bottom of a white ware pudding dish with nice butter, or some drippings of cold beef, and cover it with a thick layer of mashed potatos. next, put in thin slices of beef, (omitting the fat,) enough to cover the potatos. next, add another layer of mashed potatos, evenly and thickly spread. then, more thin slices of beef, and then more potatos. do this, till the dish is full; finishing it with potatos, on the top, heaping them up in the centre. bake it in an oven. there must be plenty of potatos, as they will be much liked. beef and mushrooms.--take three pounds of the best sirloin steaks. season them with black pepper and a very little salt, having removed the fat and bone. put a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter into a frying-pan, and set it over the fire. when it is boiling hot, put in the steaks, and fry them brown. have ready a quart of very fresh mushrooms, peeled and stemmed. if large, cut them in four. season them with a little pepper and salt, and dredge them lightly with flour, and add a few bits of butter. stew them in a separate pan kept closely covered. when the steaks are done, pour the mushrooms over them with all their juice. put them all (steaks and mushrooms) into a dish with a cover, and serve them up hot. this is a breakfast dish, or a side dish for dinner. unless the company is very small, four pounds of beef steaks, at least, and three pints of mushrooms, (with butter in proportion) will be required at dinner, as it will be much liked. beef's heart.--wash the heart well, and soak it in a pan of tepid water till all the blood is drawn out of the ventricles, and it is made very clean and dry. next par-boil it a quarter of an hour. then stuff the cavities with a forcemeat made of minced veal, bread-crumbs, butter or minced suet, and sweet herbs, seasoned with a little pepper and nutmeg; or it may be stuffed simply with sage and onions. sew up the openings with coarse brown thread, lest the forcemeat should fall out. put the heart on a spit, and roast it before a clear fire, for near two hours; basting it well with nice fresh butter. thicken the gravy with a little flour, and stir into it a glass of port wine, or of tarragon vinegar. have ready a hot dish and a heated cover. serve up the heart as hot as possible, for it soon chills, and pour the gravy around it. the gravy should be heated to a boil in a small sauce-pan. _calves' hearts_ are cooked in the same manner. as they are small, it takes four calves' hearts to make a dish. hearts may be sliced and stewed with onions and sweet herbs, adding to the stew a little salad oil. beef patties.--a nice way of disposing of underdone roast beef, is to mince fine all the lean, and a _very little_ of the fat. season it with cayenne, and powdered nutmeg, or mace, or else chopped sweet herbs. if you have any stewed mushroom-gravy, moisten the meat with that. make a nice paste, and cut it into small circular sheets, rolled out not very thin. cover one half of each sheet of paste with the minced beef (not too near the edge) and fold over the other half, so as to form a half moon. wet your fingers with cold water, and pinch together the two edges of the half moon. then crimp them with a sharp knife. lay the patties in square baking pans, prick them with a fork, and bake them brown. or you may fry them in lard. serve them up hot, as side dishes. cold veal, minced with cold ham, or tongue, makes very nice patties; also cold chicken or turkey. a beef steak pie.--stew two pounds or more, of fine tender sirloin steaks, divested of fat and bone, and cut rather thin. season them with a very little salt and pepper; and, when about half done, remove them from the fire, and keep them warm, saving all the gravy. make a nice paste, allowing to two quarts of flour one pound and a quarter of fresh butter. divide the butter into four quarters. rub one half into the pan of flour, and make it into a dough with, a very little cold water. roll it out into a large sheet, and with a broad knife stick over it, at equal distances, one of the remaining divisions of butter. then sprinkle it with more flour, fold it, and roll it out again into a large sheet. put on the remainder of the butter in bits, as before. then fold it again. cut the paste into equal halves, and roll them out into two sheets, trimmed into round or oval forms. with one sheet line a pie-dish, and fill it with your meat, adding, if convenient, some mushrooms, or some fresh oysters, or the soft part of a few clams, and some blades of mace. use the other sheet of paste as a cover for the pie, uniting the edges with the under crust by crimping it nicely. of the trimmings of the paste, make an ornament or tulip, and stick it into the slit at the top of the pie. meat pies--may be made in the above manner of lamb, veal, or pork. also of venison or any sort of fresh meat. pie crust for baking should be shortened with butter, or with the dripping of roast beef, veal, or _fresh_ pork. mutton or lamb dripping are unfit for pie crust, as they make it taste of tallow. suet will not do at all for _baked_ paste, though very good if the paste is to be boiled. butter and lard will make a nice plain paste for pies, if both are fresh and good; the butter to be rubbed into the flour, mixed with a little cold water, and rolled out; the lard to be spread evenly all over the sheet; then folded and rolled out again. meat pies should always have a bottom crust, as the gravy it imbibes makes it very relishing. veal pies are insipid without the addition of some cold ham. pies made of game should have a puff-paste, as they are generally for company. on the shores of the chesapeake, very fine pies are made of canvas-back, or red-neck ducks, when in season. they require puff-paste to be made in perfection. pot-pies of these ducks are, of course, excellent. a beef steak pot-pie.--take two pounds or more of tender beef steaks, exclusive of the fat and bone, which must be omitted; the steaks from the sirloin end, cut less than an inch thick, and not larger than four or five inches square. put them into a pot with enough water to cover them, and season them slightly with pepper and salt. dredge them with a little flour, and lay on each a morsel of nice fresh butter. stew the steaks for half an hour. meanwhile make a large portion of paste; allowing to every quart or pound of flour, a small half pound of nice beef-suet, entirely freed from all its skin and strings, and minced with a chopper as finely as possible. to three pounds of beef allow four quarts of flour and not quite two pounds of suet. a pot-pie with but little paste in proportion to the meat, is no better than a stew. the paste, if good, is always much liked. divide the minced suet into two halves. rub or crumble one half the suet into the pan of flour; adding by degrees a little _cold_ water, barely enough to make a stiff dough; first mixing in a small tea-spoonful of salt. roll out the lump of dough into a large sheet, and spread it all over with the remainder of the minced suet, laid on with a broad knife. then fold it up, and set it on a dish in a cool place, to get quite cold. take a large iron pot, made very clean. lay in the bottom the largest pieces of beef steak, and line round the sides with pieces of the paste, cut to fit. next put in the remainder of the meat, interspersed with raw potatos sliced, (either white or sweet potatos,) and also pieces of the paste cut into squares, and laid among the meat, to which must be added the gravy saved from the stew. when the pot is nearly full, cover its contents with a large round or circular piece of paste. this must not fit _quite closely_, but a little space or crack must be left all around for the gravy to bubble up as it boils. before you put on the lid pour in half a pint, or more, of water. cut a cross-slit in the centre of the top-crust. set the pot over a good fire, and let it boil steadily, till all is done, meat and paste. the upper-crust should be well-browned. when cooked, serve the whole upon one large dish, laying the brown upper-crust on the top of all. if there is too much gravy, send some of it to table in a sauce-boat, first skimming it. it will be improved by adding to the seasoning some nutmeg or powdered mace. these are the only spices that accord well with meat or poultry. pot-pies.--the preceding receipt is good for any sort of pot-pie. they are all on the same principle. the meat to be divested of the fat, and stewed first in a pot by itself, saving the gravy. the paste (of which there should always be an ample allowance) sufficient to line the sides of the pot all round, and reaching up nearly to the top, besides plenty of small square pieces to intersperse with the meat, and an upper crust to cover the whole. at the very bottom the meat and gravy only, as there the paste might burn. pot-pies may be made of any sort of fresh meat, or of fowls or any sort of poultry (cut up, as if for carving,) and previously stewed. if made of chickens or pigeons or rabbits, add a few slices of cold ham and put no other salt. for want of suet you may make the paste with butter, but it must be fresh and good. allow half a pound of butter to a large quart of flour. potato paste is tolerable for shortening pot-pies, if you make it half mashed potato and half lard. we do not recommend bread dough or any thing raised with yeast or soda for boiled paste; when there is no shortening, boiled paste is always tough and unwholesome. pot-pies may be made of apples pared, cored, and quartered; of peaches quartered and stoned, or of any nice fruit. fruit pot-pies should have butter paste, and be well sweetened with brown sugar. all boiled dough should be eaten warm. it falls and becomes heavy as soon as cold. beef-steak pudding.--after clearing it from the skin and strings, mince as fine as possible three quarters of a pound of nice beef suet. sift into a pan two small quarts of flour. rub half the suet into the flour, and make it into a paste with a little cold water, (as little as possible.) roll it out into a large sheet, and spread over it, evenly, the other half of the minced suet. fold it, flour it, roll it again, and divide it unequally into two pieces, one nearly three times larger than the other. roll them out, rather thick than thin. have ready a large pound and a quarter of tender-loin beef steak, that has been cut into thin pieces (without fat or bone, seasoned with a very little salt and pepper, and some nutmeg) and half-stewed, saving its gravy. lay this meat upon the large thick sheet of crust; pour the stewed gravy among it, and add some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. cover it with the small round of paste, cut to fit, only allowing the lid large enough to project a little over, so as to be joined firmly by pressing it all round with your fingers. do it well and securely, that it may not come apart while boiling. dip a large square pudding-cloth in hot water--shake it out--lay it in a deep pan, dredge it with flour, lay the pudding into it and tie it firmly, leaving room for swelling. put it into a large pot of boiling water, and boil it till, on probing with a fork, you find the meat quite tender. or you may boil it in a large bowl with a rim, tying the cloth carefully all over the top. set the bowl in a pot of boiling water. to boil tripe.--clean the tripe very carefully, giving it a thorough scraping, and washing in warm water, and trim off the superfluous fat. lay it all night in weak salt and water. then wash it again. let it lie an hour or two in milk and water, and then boil it five hours or more, putting it on in cold water. it must be perfectly tender throughout. this should be done the day _before_ it is to be cooked for dinner. on that day, cut it into strips or bands, roll them with the fat side inwards. tie the rolls round with small white twine, and boil them two hours longer; or till they are _perfectly tender throughout, and incline to look transparent near the edges_. have ready in a saucepan, some onions peeled; and boil in milk and water, till soft enough to mash. then take them out; drain them; mix with the onion-water some nice fresh butter divided into pieces and rolled in flour. when this has come to a boil, return the onions to the liquor; season them with pepper, and give them one boil up. when the tripe is done, transfer it to a deep dish, and pour the onion sauce over it. when on your plate, add to it some tarragon vinegar or mustard. take the strings off before the tripe goes to table. tripe curry.--having boiled two pounds of double tripe, cut it into slips, peel two large onions, cut them also into dice, and put them into a stew-pan, with three ounces, or three table-spoonfuls of fresh butter. let them stew till brown, stirring frequently, and mixing in a table-spoonful of curry-powder. add a pint of milk, and the cut-up tripe. let all stew together for an hour or more, skimming it well. serve it up in a tureen or deep dish, with a dish of boiled rice to eat with it. a good east india receipt for curry-powder, is to pound, very fine, in a marble mortar, (made very clean,) six ounces of coriander seed, three quarters of an ounce of cayenne, one ounce and a half of foenugreek seed; one ounce of cummin seed, and three ounces of turmeric. these articles (all of which can be obtained at a druggist's,) being pounded extremely fine, must be sifted through clean thin muslin, and spread on a dish, and laid before the fire for three hours, stirring them frequently. keep this powder in a bottle with a glass stopper. it is used for giving an east indian flavor to stews. the turmeric communicates a fine yellow color. boiled rice is always eaten with curry dishes. curry balls for mock turtle, &c., are made of bread-crumbs, fresh butter, hard-boiled yolk of egg, chopped fine, a seasoning of curry powder, and some beaten raw egg, to make the mixture into balls, about the size of a hickory-nut. fried tripe.--having boiled the tripe till perfectly tender all through; cut it into pieces three or four inches square. make a batter of four beaten eggs, four table-spoonfuls of flour, and a pint of milk, seasoned with powdered nutmeg or mace. have boiling in the frying-pan an ample quantity of the drippings of roast veal, or beef. dip each piece of tripe twice into the batter; then lay it in the pan, and fry it brown. send it to table hot. tripe was long considered very indigestible. this, it is now found, was a mistake; physicians having discovered that it is quite the contrary, the gastric juice that it contained, as the stomach of the animal, rendering it singularly fitted for digestion, provided that it is thoroughly cooked; so that on trial, a fork can easily penetrate every part of it. tongues.--corned or salted tongues are very little in use now. they spoil so soon, that it is scarcely possible to obtain one that has not been salted too late; and when quite fresh, they have a faint, sickening, doubtful taste. it is best always to buy them dried and smoked. choose the largest and plumpest, and with as smooth an outside or skin as you can. put a tongue into soak the evening before it is to be cooked; changing the water at bed-time. in the morning wash it in fresh water. trim off the root, which is an unsightly object, and never carved at table. but it may be cut into pieces, and added to pea-soup, or bean-soup, or pepper-pot. put on the tongue in a large pot of cold water, and boil it steadily for five or six hours, till it is so tender that a straw, or a twig from a corn-broom, will easily penetrate it. when you find that it is thoroughly done (and not till then) take it up. a smoked tongue requires more boiling than a ham, and therefore is seldom sufficiently cooked. when quite done, peel it carefully, and keep it warm till dinner. if well-boiled, it will seem almost to melt in your mouth. when you dish it do not split it. the flavor is much injured by carving it lengthways, or in long pieces. it should be cut in round slices, not too thin. for a large party we have seen two cold tongues on one dish. one of them whole--the root concealed entirely with double parsley, cut paper, or a bunch of flowers cut out of vegetables, very ingeniously, with a sharp penknife--the vegetables raw, of course not to be eaten. red roses made of beets, white roses or camellias of turnips, marigolds of carrots, &c. the stems are short wooden skewers, stuck into the flowers, and concealed by double parsley. these vegetable bouquets can be made to look very well, as ornaments to cold tongue, or to the end of the shank of a ham, or to stick into the centre of a cold round of a-la-mode beef. where there are two cold tongues on one dish, it is usual to split one to be helped lengthways, and garnish it with the other, cut into circular pieces, and laid handsomely round. cold tongue sliced is a great improvement to a chicken pie, or to any bird pie. baked tongue.--having soaked a fine large smoked tongue all night, in the morning trim it nicely, and if it still seems hard, soak it again in fresh cold water till it is time to cook it. then put it into a deep dish, (having trimmed off the root,) and make a coarse paste of flour and water. cut up the roots into little bits, and lay them round and about the tongue, to enrich the gravy. lay all along the surface some bits of butter rolled in flour, and season with a little pepper--no salt. pour in a very little water, and cover the dish with the coarse paste. bake it till the tongue is very tender. this you may ascertain by raising up with a knife one corner of the paste and trying the tongue. when done, peel it, dish it, strain the gravy over the tongue, and send it to table. garnish with baked tomatos, or mushrooms, or large roasted chestnuts peeled. for a large company have two baked tongues, one at each end of the table. eat them warm. larded tongue.--take a large cold tongue, that has been well boiled. trim off the roots. have ready some slips of the fat of cold boiled ham, cut into long thin pieces, about as thick as straws. with a larding needle, draw them through the outside of the tongue, and leave them there. arrange the borders in rows, or handsome regular forms, leaving about an inch standing up on the surface. cold meat or poultry is far better for larding than that which is yet to cook. tongue toast.--make some slices of nice toast, not very thick, but browned evenly all over, on both sides. trim off the whole of the crust. butter the toast slightly. grate, with a large grater plenty of cold tongue, and spread it thickly over the toast. lay the slices side by side, on a large dish--not one slice on the top of another. serve them up at breakfast, luncheon, or supper. ham toast--is prepared in the same manner, of grated cold ham spread on slices of buttered toast. sandwiches--are slices of cold ham, or tongue, _cut very thin_, and laid between thin slices of buttered bread. the meat may be seasoned with french mustard. roll them up nicely. there are silver cases made to contain sandwiches to eat on the road when traveling. sandwiches for traveling may be made of the _lean_ of cold beef, (roast or boiled,) cut very thin, seasoned with french mustard, and laid between two slices of bread and butter. mutton. mutton.--if mutton is good it is of a fine grain; the lean is of a bright red color, and the fat firm and white. unless there is plenty of fat the lean will not be good; and so it is with all meat. if the lean is of a very dark red, and coarse and hard, and the fat yellowish and spongy, the mutton is old, tough, and strong. therefore, do not buy it. if there is any dark or blackish tint about the meat, it is tainted, and of course unwholesome. if kept till it acquires what the english call venison taste, americans will very properly refuse to eat it. we give no directions for disguising spoilt meat. it should be thrown away. nothing is fit to eat in which decomposition is commencing. boiled loin of mutton.--a good loin of mutton is always very fat, so that in cooking it is well to remove or pare off a portion of the outside fat. unlike most other meats, mutton is the better for being boiled in soup. put it into a large pot; allow to every pound a quart of water. boil it slowly and skim it well, adding the vegetables when the scum has done rising. the vegetables should be sliced turnips, potatos, and grated carrots. have ready plenty of suet dumplings, in the proportion of half a pound of finely minced suet to a pound and a quarter of flour. rub the suet into the pan of flour, and use as little water as possible in mixing the dough. make it into thick dumplings, rather larger round than a dollar. boil them in a pot by themselves, till thoroughly done. serve up the meat with the dumplings round it. or put the dumplings in a dish by themselves, and surround the meat with whole turnips. this is an excellent plain dish for a private family. serve up pickles with it. sauce for boiled mutton.--this particularly applies to mutton that has been boiled in soup, and which is so very generally liked, that it is served up on tables where soup-meat of beef and veal is considered inadmissible. to make a suitable sauce to eat with it--take two or three large boiled onions; slice them and put them into a sauce-pan, with a piece of fresh butter slightly rolled in flour, a table-spoonful of _made_ mustard. french mustard will be best; or, for want of that, two table-spoonfuls of strong tarragon vinegar, and a half-salt-spoon of cayenne, and some pickled cucumbers chopped, but not minced. green nasturtion seeds will be still better than cucumbers. put these ingredients into a small sauce-pan, adding to them a little of the mutton soup. set this sauce over the fire, and when it simmers well, take it off, put into a sauce-boat, and keep it hot till the mutton goes to table. to keep nasturtions--take the full-grown green seeds, and put them into a large bottle of the best _cider_ vinegar, corking them closely. they require nothing more, and are far superior to capers. boiled leg of mutton.--after nicely trimming a middle-sized leg of mutton, wash, but do not soak it. put it into a pot that will hold it well, and pour on rather more water than is sufficient to cover it. set it over a good fire, and skim it as soon as it begins to boil, and continue till no more scum appears; having thrown in a small table-spoonful of salt after the first skimming. after the liquid is clear, put in some turnips, pared, and, if large, divided into four pieces. afterwards it should boil slowly, or simmer gently for about two hours or more. send to table with it caper sauce; or nasturtion, which is still better. eat it with any sort of green pickles. pickles and turnips seem indispensable to boiled mutton. do not mash the turnips, but let them be well drained. setting boiled turnips in the sun will give them an unpleasant taste. tarragon sauce is excellent with boiled mutton. mutton steaks stewed.--take some tender mutton steaks, cut from the leg. beat them a little with a rolling pin, and season them with pepper and salt. put them into a stew-pan with sliced potatos, sliced turnips, sliced onions, sliced or grated carrots, and sweet marjoram leaves stripped from the stalks. pour in just sufficient water to cover the stew, and let it cook slowly till it is tender and well done. serve it up hot in a deep dish, with a cover. a table-spoonful of tarragon mustard will improve the stew. when tomatos are in season, you can stew mutton or any other meat with tomatos only--no water. having prepared the meat, and laid it in the stew-pan, cover it with tomatos, peeled and quartered. add some sugar to take off a portion of their acid, and a chopped onion. no water, as the meat will cook in the liquid of the tomatos. they must stew till thoroughly dissolved. tender-loin beef steaks--or veal cutlets, may be stewed as above. mutton chops broiled.--the best steaks are those cut from the loin, about half an inch thick. divest them of the bone, and remove the skin and fat. then butter them slightly all over, before cooking. this will be found an improvement. the french go over them with salad oil, which is still better. sprinkle on them a little pepper and salt. having heated the gridiron well over a bed of very hot live coals, place it somewhat aslant, grease its bars with a little of the mutton suet, and lay on the steaks and broil them well; turning them three or four times, and seeing that they are not scorched or burnt on the outside, and red or raw when cut. turn them with a knife and fork, or with steak-tongs, an instrument with which every kitchen should be furnished. to cook them well requires a clear glowing fire, without blaze or smoke. they should be done in about a quarter of an hour. when you take them up, turn them on a well-heated dish, and pour their gravy over them. if onions are liked, mince one as fine as possible, and strew it over the steaks while broiling; or, boil and slice some onions, mix some butter among them, season them with pepper, and a little powdered mace or nutmeg, and serve them up with the meat on the same dish, or in a sauce-boat. mutton chops with tomatos.--broil some mutton steaks in the above manner, and have ready some baked tomatos. when the steaks are dished, lay on each a large baked tomato with the face downward, or cover each steak with stewed tomato sauce. for baking, take fine ripe tomatos of the largest size. cut out a piece from the stem end, and extract the seeds. then stuff each tomato with grated bread-crumbs, butter, and minced sweet marjoram, or finely minced onion. if you have any cold veal or chicken, add a little of that to the stuffing, mincing it, of course. bake them in a dish by themselves. or, you may send the steaks to table with a slice of fried egg-plant laid upon each; buttered, and sprinkled with bread-crumbs. mutton steaks fried.--make a nice batter of grated bread-crumbs, milk and beaten egg, and put it in a shallow pan. prepare some fine steaks cut from the loin, divested of fat, and with the bone cut short. have ready, in a hot frying-pan, some fresh butter or drippings. dip each steak twice over in the batter, then fry them brown. send them to table very hot. you may fry mutton chops like beef steaks, covered with onions, boiled, drained, and sliced. potato mutton chops.--cut some nice chops or steaks from the best end of a neck of mutton. the loin will be still better. trim off all the fat, but leave a small part of the bone visible, nicely scraped. season them with pepper and salt, and fry them in butter or drippings. have ready plenty of mashed potatos with which cover the chops all over separately, so as to wrap them up in the mashed potatos. glaze them with beaten egg, and brown them with a salamander or a red-hot shovel. this is a nice breakfast dish. kebobbed mutton.--this is an asiatic dish, much approved by those who have eaten it in turkey or india, and it is certainly very good. remove the skin from a loin of mutton, and also the whole of the fat. divide it at every joint, cutting all the steaks apart, and making separate steaks of the whole loin. make a mixture of grated bread-crumbs, minced sweet-herbs, a little salt and pepper, and some powdered nutmeg. have ready some beaten yolk of egg. dip each steak into the egg then; twice into the seasoning. roll up each steak round a wooden skewer, and tie them on a spit with packthread. roast them before a clear fire, with a dripping-pan under them to catch the gravy, which must be skimmed frequently. they must be roasted slowly and carefully, taking care to have them thoroughly cooked, even to the inmost of every roll. baste them with just butter enough to keep them moist. when done, carefully take the kebobs from the skewers, and send them to table hot. eat with them large spanish chestnuts, roasted and peeled; or else sweet potatos, split, boiled, and cut into short pieces. pour the gravy into the dish under the kebobs. instead of rolling up the kebobs, you may fasten them flat (after seasoning,) with the same spit going through them all, and roast them in that manner. they should all be of the same size and shape. to dish them, lay them one upon another in an even pile. eat mushroom sauce with them, or any other sort that is very nice. venison steaks are very good kebobbed in this manner, at the season when venison can be had fresh, tender, and juicy. for sauce have stewed wild grapes, mashed and made very sweet with brown sugar, or grape jelly, which is still better; or, sauce made of fine cranberries, such as abound in the north-west. an irish stew.--take three pounds of thick mutton cutlets from the loin, and remove the fat. slice thick five pounds of fine potatos that have been previously pared. place a layer of meat in the bottom of a stew-pan, or an iron pot, and lay some of the potatos upon it. season all with salt and pepper. upon this another layer of meat--then some potatos again, then meat, and so on till all is in, finishing with potatos at the top. pour in a pint of cold water. let it simmer gently for two hours or more, till the meat and potatos are thoroughly done. serve it up very hot, meat and potatos, on the same dish. if approved, you may add, from the beginning, one or two sliced onions. a similar stew may be made of beef steaks and potatos. you may stew pork cutlets in the same manner, but with _sweet_ potatos, split and cut in long pieces, or with yams. the seasoning for the pork should be minced sage. this is a very plain, but very good dish, if made of nice fresh meat and good potatos, and well cooked. lamb.--the vein in the neck of the fore-quarter should be blueish, and firm--otherwise do not buy it. if greenish or yellowish, it is tainted, and fit only for manure. never buy any thing that has been kept too long. the worst may, by some process, be a little disguised, but nothing can render wholesome any article of food in which decomposition has commenced, even in the slightest degree. the fat should be quite white. if there is but little meat on the shoulder it has not been a good lamb. in america, where food is abundant, there is no occasion to eat any thing, that has the flavor in the least changed by keeping. a fore-quarter of lamb comprises the shoulder, the neck, and the breast together. the hind-quarter is the loin and leg. lamb comes in season in the beginning of april, if the spring is not unusually backward. jersey lamb is sometimes garlicky early in the season. avoid buying it; you can easily tell it by the garlicky smell. it can only be rendered eatable by stewing, or frying it with plenty of onions. to plain roast or boil garlicky meat is in vain. beef, also, is sometimes garlicky. lamb may be cooked in every way that is proper for mutton. roast lamb.--the roasting pieces for lamb are the fore-quarter, and hind-quarter; and the saddle, or both hind-quarters together, not having been cut apart. if the saddle is cooked whole, it should be of a small delicate lamb, nice and fat, and is then a fashionable dish at company dinners. like all other young meat lamb should always be thoroughly done, not the least redness being left perceptible any where about it. a hind-quarter of eight pounds will require at least two hours--a fore-quarter, rather longer. it should be placed before a clear brisk fire, but not very near at first. put a little water in the dripping-pan, and baste it with that till it begins to cook, adding a little nice fresh butter. then place it nearer the fire, and when the gravy begins to fall, baste it with that, and repeat the basting very frequently. when the lamb drops white gravy it is nearly done, and you may prepare for taking it up. skim the gravy that is in the dripping-pan till all the fat is taken off. then dredge over it a little flour, and send it to table in a gravy boat, having stirred in one or two table-spoonfuls of currant jelly. lettuce is always an accompaniment to cold lamb. in carving a fore-quarter of lamb it is usual to take off the shoulder from the ribs, put in a slice of fresh butter, sprinkle it with a little cayenne, and squeeze over the divided parts a fresh lemon cut in half; and put, for that purpose, on a small plate beside the carver. the vegetables to be eaten with lamb are, new potatos, asparagus, green peas, and spinach. mint sauce is indispensable. french cooks seldom understand how to make it. to do it properly, take a large bunch of fresh green mint, wash it, and when you have shaken the wet from them, mince the leaves very fine, omitting the stems. put the leaves, when chopped, into a small tureen or sauce-boat, and pour on a sufficient quantity of the best cider vinegar to moisten the mint thoroughly, but not to render it the least liquid or thin. it should be as thick as horse-radish, prepared to eat with roast beef. mix in sufficient sugar to make it very sweet. good brown sugar will do. at table put a tea-spoonful on the side of your plate. those who make mint sauce thin and weak, and pour it over the meat like gravy, know nothing about it. lamb steaks.--cut some nice cutlets or steaks (without any bone) from a hind-quarter of lamb. lay them in a stew pan, and season them with a little salt and cayenne, adding some butter rolled in flour. wash carefully two fine fresh lettuces. remove the outside leaves, quarter the lettuces, and cut off all the stalks. set the stew-pan, with the meat, over a clear fire; and let it stew slowly till about half done. then put in the lettuce, covering the meat with it, and let them all stew about half an hour longer. when done, take out the lettuces first. put them into a sieve or cullender, press out the water, and chop them _large_. see if the meat is done all through. if it is, return the stewed lettuce to the pot, season it with a little cayenne and some salad oil, and add to it two or three hard-boiled eggs, chopped large. cover it, and let it stew five minutes longer. serve it up on the same dish. lamb cutlets.--cut the cutlets from the loin and trim them nicely, removing the skin, and most of the fat. scrape the bone, and cut it short. grate plenty of stale bread, and mix it with some minced sweet marjoram, seasoned with salt and pepper. have ready a small deep dish of light beaten egg, flavored with grated nutmeg and fresh lemon-peel, grated fine, the thin yellow rind only. put some nice lard or beef-dripping into a hot frying-pan, and when the lard boils is the time to put in the cutlets. dip every cutlet separately into the beaten egg. then into the bread-crumbs, &c. repeat this a second time both with the egg and bread. the cutlets will be found much better for the double immersion. then lay them separately in the boiling lard, and fry them well. one cutlet must not be laid on the top of another. when done, dish them and send them to table very hot, with some currant jelly to mix with the gravy. this is a fine breakfast dish or for a small dinner. instead of frying, you may broil them. dip each cutlet twice into the egg and twice into the crumbs, and cover each with clean writing paper, cut of a convenient shape, and secured with pins or packthread, the paper being twisted round the end of the bone. broil them in the papers, which must be taken off before the cutlets go to table. lamb chops, stewed.--cut a loin of lamb into chops or steaks, removing the bone, or else sawing it very short. trim off the skin and part of the fat. season the chops with a little pepper and salt, and fry them in fresh butter till they are of a pale brown color. then pour off the fat and transfer the steaks to a stew-pan. add enough boiling water to cover them; and having seasoned them with some powdered nutmeg or some blades of mace, add a pint of shelled green peas that have been already parboiled, or a pint of the green tops of asparagus cut off after boiling, and a fresh lettuce stripped of its outside leaves and stalks and quartered. finish with a small quarter of a pound of fresh butter cut in pieces and rolled in flour, and laid among the vegetables. let them all stew together with the meat, for half an hour rather slowly. serve up all upon one large dish. it will make an excellent plain dinner for a small family, with the addition of a dish or two of new potatos, if they are in season. you may omit the lettuce, and add more peas and asparagus tops. larded lamb.--cut off the fillet or round from a nice hind-quarter of lamb, and remove the bone from the centre. make a stuffing or forcemeat of bread-crumbs, fresh butter, sweet marjoram, and sweet basil, minced finely; the yellow rind of a fresh lemon, grated; and a tea-spoonful of mixed nutmeg and mace, powdered. fill with this stuffing the hole from whence the bone was taken, and secure the flap round the side of the meat, putting plenty of stuffing between. then proceed to lard it. cut a number of long thin slips of the fat of ham, bacon, or corned pork. all these slips must be of the same size. take one at a time between the points of the larding-needle, and draw it through the flat surface of the top, or upper side of the meat, so as to leave one end of the ham in, as you slip the other end out of the needle. do this nicely, arranging the slips of ham in regular form, and very near together. put the lamb into an iron oven, or bake-pan, with a small portion of lard or fresh butter under it, and bake it thoroughly. when the meat is about half done, put in a quart or more of nice green peas with sufficient butter to cook them well. serve up the lamb with the peas round it, on the same dish. this is a dish for company. lamb pie.--remove the fat and bone from two pounds or more of nice lamb steaks, or take some cutlets from the upper end of a leg of lamb, and cut them into pieces about as large as the palm of your hand. season them with pepper and salt very slightly. put them into a stew pot with a _very little water_, and let them stew for half an hour or more. in the mean time, make a nice paste, allowing half a pound of fresh butter to a pound of flour. mix with a broad knife half the butter with the flour, adding gradually enough of cold water to make a dough. roll out the dough into a large thin sheet, and spread all over it with the knife the remainder of the butter. fold it, sprinkle it with a little flour, and then divide it into two sheets, and roll out each of them. that intended for the upper crust to be the thickest. line with the under crust the bottom and sides of a pie-dish. put in the stewed lamb with its gravy. intersperse some blades of mace. add some potatos, sliced, and some sliced boiled turnips. cover the meat thick with the green tops of boiled asparagus, and lay among it a few bits of fresh butter. for asparagus tops you may substitute boiled cauliflower seasoned with nutmeg. put on the paste-lid, closing the edges with crimping them nicely. cut a cross-slit on the top. put the pie directly into the oven, and bake it of a light brown. serve it up hot. veal. veal.--do not buy veal unless the vein in the shoulder looks blue or bright red. if of any other color, the veal is not fresh. a calf's head should have the eyes full and prominent. if they are dull and sunken, the head is stale. the kidney should be well covered with firm white fat. all the fat must be firm, dry, and white, and the lean fine in the grain, and light colored. if any part is found clammy or discolored, do not buy that veal. the best pieces of the calf are the loin and the fillet. the loin consists of the best and the chump end; the hind knuckle, and the fore knuckle. the inferior pieces are the neck, blade-bone, and breast. the brisket end of a breast of veal is very coarse, hard, and tough; the best end is rather better, having sweet-bread belonging to it. veal, like all other meat, should be well washed in cold water before cooking. being naturally the most tasteless and insipid of all meat, it requires the assistance of certain articles to give it flavor. it is too weak to make rich soup without various additions. but well cooked, it is very nice as roasted loin, fillet, or fried cutlets. roast loin of veal.--wash the meat well in cold water, wipe it dry, and rub it slightly with mixed pepper and salt. make a stuffing of bread soaked in milk, or grated bread-crumbs, cold ham minced, sweet marjoram minced, and the juice and yellow grated rind of a lemon; also, a little fresh butter. loosen with a sharp knife the skin, and put the stuffing under it, skewering down the flap to keep it in. put the veal to roast before a strong clear fire, and pour a little water in the bottom of the roaster. baste it with this till the gravy begins to run. then baste it with that. set the spit at first not very close to the fire, but bring it nearer as the roasting proceeds. send it to table with its own gravy, well skimmed and slightly thickened with a little flour. always choose a fine fresh loin of veal with plenty of fat about the kidney. no meat spoils so soon. the breast and shoulder are roasted in the same manner as the loin, of which two dishes may be made, the kidney end, and the chump end. fillet of veal.--when a fillet is to be roasted or baked, let it be well washed, and then dried in a clean towel. take out the bone, fold the flap round, and skewer it to the meat. make plenty of forcemeat or stuffing, of bread soaked in milk, or grated dry and mixed with plenty of fresh butter, or some of the fat or suet finely minced. season with pepper, grated nutmeg, powdered mace, fresh lemon peel grated, and sweet marjoram and sweet basil minced fine. the hole that contained the bone must be stuffed full, and also the space between the flap and the side of the meat. this should be secured by three skewers. dredge the meat all over lightly with flour before you put it down. at first, place the spit at a distance from the fire, which should be strong and clear. then, as the meat begins to roast, set it nearer, and till the gravy begins to fall, baste it with fresh butter, or lard. just before it is finished, (it will take about four hours,) dredge it with flour, and baste it well with its own gravy. when the meat is dished, skim the gravy, thicken it with a little flour, and pour it round the veal in the dish, or serve it in a sauce-boat. a ham is the usual accompaniment to roast veal, whether fillet or loin. roast veal hashed.--take whatever cold roast veal was left from yesterday. to prepare it for a breakfast dish, cut it into small bits, and put it (without any water) into a stew-pan, adding to it the veal gravy that was left from yesterday, and a table-spoonful of fresh butter or lard, dredged with flour. cover it, and after stewing it half an hour by itself, put in two large table-spoonfuls of well spiced tomato catchup, an article no family should be without. after the catchup is in, cover the hash again, and let it stew half an hour longer. if you have no catchup, put in with the cold veal at the beginning, two or three large ripe tomatos, peeled and quartered, or sliced, and seasoned with powdered mace, nutmeg, and ginger; and let all stew together in gravy or butter. mushroom catchup is a good substitute for tomato in hashing cold meat. if you have neither, put in a large table-spoonful of tarragon or french mustard, to be bought in bottles at all the best groceries. cold roast venison is very good hashed as above. veal a-la-mode.--remove the bone from a fillet of veal, and make a large quantity of forcemeat or stuffing of grated bread-crumbs; beef-suet or veal-suet minced fine, the grated yellow rind and juice of a ripe lemon or orange, or some chopped mushrooms that have been previously stewed, some grated yolk of hard-boiled eggs, and some sweet marjoram. press in the stuffing, till the hole left by the bone is well filled; and also, put stuffing between the flap and the side of the meat, before you skewer the flap. have ready some lardons or slips of cold ham, or tongue, and with a larding pin draw them all through the surface of the veal. or else, make deep cuts or incisions throughout the meat, and press down into each a small thin square bit of bacon-fat, seasoning every one with a little of the stuffing. lay the veal in a deep baking-pan, or iron bake-oven. surround it with nice lard, and bake it till thoroughly done all through. then take it out, skim the gravy, and transfer it to a small sauce-pan. stir in a dessert-spoonful of flour; add a glass of white wine to the gravy, and give it one boil up. send it to table in a sauce-tureen, accompanying the veal. terrapin veal.--take some nice veal, (from the fillet, or the loin) and cut it into very small mouthfuls. put it into a stew-pan. have ready a dressing made of six or seven hard-boiled eggs, minced fine, a small tea-spoonful of made mustard, (tarragon or french mustard will be best,) a salt-spoon of salt, and the same of cayenne; two glasses of sherry or madeira, and half a pint of rich cream. if you cannot conveniently obtain cream, substitute a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into four pieces, and each piece dredged with flour. all the ingredients for this dressing must be thoroughly mixed. then, pour it over the veal, and give the whole a hard stir. cover it, and let it stew over the fire for about ten minutes. fresh venison is excellent, cooked in this manner. so, also, are ducks, pheasants, partridges, or grouse, making a fine side dish for company. to hash cold meat.--the best way of re-cooking cold roast meat, (veal, beef, or pork,) is to hash it, cutting it into mouthfuls, and stewing it in its own gravy, without a drop of water. for this purpose, save as much as you can of the dripping or gravy that fell from it when roasting. when you have done basting the roast meat, skim off all the fat from the surface, and strain the gravy through a small sieve. what is left of it, should be carefully set away in a cold place. next day, when it has congealed into a cake, scrape it with a knife on both sides. if not wanted for immediate use, cut it in pieces, and put it up in a jar well covered. use it (instead of water) for stews and hashes; and if well seasoned the meat will be found nearly as good (for a breakfast dish,) as if not previously cooked. whenever it is possible, make your hashes without any water; and if you have saved no gravy, substitute lard, or fresh butter. but gravy or drippings of the same meat is best. a hash of cold meat, stewed merely in water, and with no seasoning but salt and pepper, is a poor thing. cold potatos, when re-cooked, always remain hard and indigestible. in all cookery it is best to use _fresh vegetables_, even if the _meat_ has been previously drest. cold meat is of no use for soups or pies. it is better to slice it, and eat it cold--or, better still to give it the poor. roast beef or mutton, if very much underdone, may be sliced and broiled on a gridiron, and well seasoned with pepper. cold roast pork is best sliced plain, and eaten cold. ham also. veal cutlets in papers (_en papillotes_.)--make a nice sauce of sweet herbs, bread-crumbs, powdered mace and nutmeg, butter and beaten egg. lay the cutlets in a deep dish, (having first broiled them and saved the gravy,) pour the sauce over them, with the veal gravy added to it. cover them, and let them rest till cold. allow, for each cutlet, a sheet of foolscap paper, cut it into the shape of a heart, and go over it with sweet oil, or fresh butter or lard. lay a cutlet with a little of the sauce upon it, on one-half of each sheet of paper; turn the other half over the meat. fold a narrow rim all round, so as to unite both edges. begin at the top of the heart, and pleat both edges together so as to form a good shape without puckering. when you come to the bottom, where the paper is to cover the bone, give it a few extra twists. broil the cutlets slowly on a gridiron for half an hour, seeing that no blaze catches the papers--or put them in the oven for half an hour. if the papers are not too much burnt or disfigured, dish the cutlets still wrapped in them, to be removed by those who eat them. if the covers are scorched black, and ragged, take out the cutlets and lay them on a hot dish. serve up with them a dish of mashed potatos or potatoe cake, browned on the surface with a salamander. _côtelettes à la maintenon_, are mutton or lamb steaks cooked in papers, in the above manner. veal steaks.--cut the steaks from the neck, leaving the bone very short, and polishing what there is of it. make a seasoning of boiled onions minced, and sage or sweet marjoram leaves, or of chopped parsley. lay on each steak a bit of fresh butter, spread the seasoning thickly over each, and fry them in the gravy or drippings of cold roast veal or beef. they will be the better for beating them slightly with a rolling pin. put into the frying-pan three or four table-spoonfuls of mushroom or tomato catchup; or, fry them with fresh mushrooms or fresh tomatos, sliced. veal cutlets.--cut your veal cutlets from the fillet or round about half an inch thick. season them slightly with a little salt and cayenne. have ready a pan with grated bread-crumbs, and another with beaten egg. have ready, in a frying pan, plenty of boiling lard, or drippings of cold veal. dredge each cutlet slightly with flour; then dip it twice in the pan of beaten egg, and then twice also in the bread-crumbs. fry them well, and send them to table in their own gravy. saffron, scattered thickly over them while frying, is an improvement much relished by the eaters. veal is too insipid to be fried or broiled plain. if you live where cream is plenty, add to this fry two or three spoonfuls. minced veal, cold, is an excellent ingredient for forcemeats. knuckle of veal and bacon.--unless your family is very small, get two knuckles of veal, and have them sawed into three pieces each. put them into a pot with two pounds of ham or bacon; cover them with water, and stew them slowly, skimming them well. season them with a little pepper, but no salt, as the bacon will be salt enough. when the scum ceases to rise, put in four onions and four turnips, and six potatos pared, and quartered; also, a carrot and two parsnips, scraped and cut into pieces. let the whole boil till all the meat and all the vegetables are thoroughly done, and very tender. drain them well, and serve up the whole on one large dish, having other vegetables served separately. if you wish to have green vegetables, such as greens, young sprouts, poke, or string beans, flavored with bacon, put them to boil in a pot with the bacon only, and take another pot for the veal, and white vegetables, such as onions, turnips, &c. you may put the veal and bacon on the same dish. southern stew (_of veal_.)--peel and boil a half dozen fresh spring onions, and then drain them well and slice them thin. have ready two pounds or more of nice veal, sliced very thin, small, and evenly. lay the veal in a stew-pan, and season it slightly with salt, and _a very little_ cayenne. cover the veal with the sliced onions, and lay upon them some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. if you cannot obtain very excellent fresh butter, substitute lard, or cold gravy, or dripping of roast veal, which last will be best if you have enough of it. finish with a flavoring of powdered nutmeg or mace, and the grated yellow rind of a fresh lemon. this stew is very nice. it may be made with lamb or chicken, cut very small. veal kebobbed, (_or kibaubed_.)--cut into small thin slices some lean veal from the loin, chump end, or fillet. trim them into a round or circular form. season them with pepper, salt, and turmeric or curry powder. if onions are liked, slice some large ones, and lay them on the pieces of veal. cover them with slices of ham, cut round like the veal, but a little smaller. roll up the slices, (the ham inside,) and tie them on skewers. then roast or bake them. when done, take them off the skewers, and send them to table in the gravy that has fallen from them. this is a turkish dish, and is much liked. veal fritters.--take some thin slices of cold roast veal, and trim them round or circular. beat them with a rolling-pin, to make them very tender, and season them with a little salt and pepper and some powdered nutmeg. also some grated fresh yellow rind of lemon-peel. make a very light batter, of eggs, milk, and flour; in the proportion of four well-beaten eggs to a pint of milk; and a large half pint of sifted flour: the eggs beaten first, and then stirred gradually into the milk in turn with the flour. have ready a frying-pan, nearly full of boiling lard. drop into it two large spoonfuls of the batter. then put in a slice of the veal, and cover it with two more large spoonfuls of the batter. as the fritters are fried, take them up with a perforated skimmer, and drain them. veal patties.--mince very fine, some cold roast veal, or some cold chicken, mixing with it some cold minced ham, or cold smoked tongue. add some yolk of hard-boiled eggs, crumbled or minced. season the mixture with powdered mace and nutmeg, moistened with cream or soft fresh butter. have ready some nice puff-paste, rolled out thin, and cut into oval or circular pieces. cover the half of each with the mixture, spread on evenly and thickly. then, upon that, fold over the other half, (uniting both,) and crimp them together, in very small notches. brush their outsides all over with some raw egg, slightly beaten, and lay them in large square tin pans to bake. send them to table on china dishes. these patties are excellent made of cold game. the green tops of boiled asparagus will improve the mixture. fried liver.--put into a frying-pan some nice thin slices of ham or bacon, that have soaked all night, and fry them in their own fat. have ready your calf's liver, cut into slices not too thin, as that will render them hard. take out the ham as soon as it is done, put it into a hot dish, and cover it closely. lay the slices of liver into the gravy of the bacon that is left in the frying-pan, sprinkling it well with chopped parsley. it must be thoroughly done. then dish with the bacon. to those who like them, some onions will be thought an improvement to fried liver. first parboil the onions: then slice them, season them with a little salt and pepper, and fry them with the liver. if lettuces are in season, quarter a fresh one, and lay it under the liver when you dish it, having previously removed the thickest part of the stalk. the liver of beef or sheep is not seen at good tables. it is very inferior to that of calf's, being hard and coarse. larded liver.--wash and drain a nice fat calf's liver. liver of beef or mutton is never seen at a good table; they are hard, coarse, and tasteless, and only eaten by the poor, while the livers of veal and poultry are considered very nice. divide it into equal portions. lard them thickly with small slips of fat bacon, inserted at regular distances with a larding-needle, and very near each other. season the liver with powdered nutmeg and mace. put into a stew-pan, in the bottom of which you have laid a large slice or two of fat bacon. let it stew gently, till thoroughly done and tender throughout. when you take the liver out of the stew-pan, stir into the gravy left at the bottom, some thick catchup, either mushroom or tomato. do not send the slices of bacon to table with the liver. if liked, surround the liver while cooking, with small button onions, (peeled and washed,) and see that they are well done. serve them up on the same dish. it is best always to boil onions before frying them. stewed liver.--having soaked a fine calf's liver for two hours in cold water, cut it into thick slices, and then cut the slices into mouthfuls. chop fine a small bunch of sweet marjoram, and sprinkle it among the liver, seasoning with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and powdered mace. put it into a stew-pan, and cook it in lard or fresh butter. make some nice toast, and dip it for a minute in hot water, having pared off all the crust. lay the toast in the bottom of a deep dish, after covering it all over with the stewed liver. liver rissoles.--take a calf's liver, and remove carefully all the veins. weigh a pound of it, boil it, and when cold, mince it very finely with a quarter of a pound of suet, either of beef or veal. add a quarter of a pound of finely grated bread-crumbs. season it with cayenne, powdered mace, and nutmeg, and a very little salt. mix in two well-beaten eggs. shape them into oval forms, about the size of large walnuts, and fry them in plenty of boiling hot lard, draining them all on a perforated skimmer, before they go to table. liver pie.--prepare a fine fresh calf's liver. split it in long pieces. lay it in a pan of cold water for an hour or two. afterwards take it out and wipe it dry, and boil it till tender. drain it when done, and chop it large with a slice of cold ham. season it with pepper and nutmeg, (no salt for any thing that has ham in it,) and add some minced sweet marjoram and sweet basil, and two yolks of hard-boiled eggs, grated or minced. the grated yellow rind of a fresh lemon will be an improvement. make a very nice light paste, and line a pie dish with it. then fill it high with the mixture, laying on the top several pieces of fine fresh butter. cover it with a lid of paste, notching the edges handsomely, and cutting a cross-slit on the top. bake it light brown, and serve it up, either hot or cold. it will be found very nice. with the same mixture you may make liver dumplings, enclosing them in a nice paste, and boiling them; or a liver pudding, boiling the mixture in one large paste, and tying it in a cloth, leaving room for it to swell. chitterlings or calf's tripe.--this is very delicate and digestible, and is nice at breakfast, or as a side dish at dinner. to prepare it for cooking, it should be cut open with scissors, emptied, and thoroughly cleaned, and then laid all night, or for several hours, in cold water, _slightly_ salted. it can be bought of the veal butchers ready prepared, and run on a wooden skewer. wash it again just before cooking. cut it into small pieces, and boil it slowly till _quite_ tender, in water enough to keep it well covered. when entirely done, take it up, drain it, and keep it warm. have ready some onions boiled in milk till quite soft, and sliced thin. melt some excellent fresh butter, in milk thickened with flour. make a round of very nice toast, with the crust pared off. dip it for a minute in hot water; lay it in the bottom of a deep dish. cover it thickly with the onion sauce, and place the chitterlings upon it, seasoning them with pepper and vinegar. it will be an improvement to boil with them four or five blades of mace. eat vinegar with it, always. tarragon vinegar is best. this dish deserves to be more in use. try it. fried chitterlings.--get chitterlings ready prepared by the butcher. wash them, and let them lie an hour or two in weak salt and water. then drain them, cut them in pieces, and parboil them. dry them in a clean cloth. make a batter of two or three beaten eggs, and a pint of milk, with a heaped table-spoonful of flour. put into a frying-pan an ample portion of the dripping of roast veal or pork, and when it boils, (having first dipped each piece of the chitterling into the batter,) fry them in the dripping. they must be thoroughly done. you may fry them in lard, or fresh butter. this is a nice breakfast dish. baked chitterlings.--having first parboiled the chitterlings, lay among them some bits of fresh butter, season them with powdered nutmeg, put them into a deep dish, set it into an oven, and bake them brown. this is a side dish at dinner. fine veal pie.--boil, in two quarts of water, two unskinned calf's feet, adding the yellow rind of a large lemon, pared as thin as possible, or grated, and its squeezed juice. also, two broken-up sticks of cinnamon, half a dozen blades of mace, and two glasses of sweet wine. boil all these together (skimming well,) till the calf's feet are in rags, and all their flesh has dropped from the bone. then put the whole into a jelly-bag and let it drip into a broad bowl. set it away closely covered. have ready two pounds of the parboiled chump end of a loin of veal cut into square pieces. make a nice puff paste, and line with it a deep pie-dish. put the pieces of veal into it, (all the fat cut off,) and intersperse them with a dozen or more forcemeat balls, each about as large as an english walnut. the balls may be made of cold minced chicken and ham, minced suet, bread-crumbs, and hard-boiled yolk of egg grated or crumbled fine; seasoned with sweet herbs, and grated lemon rind. or they may be sweet balls of bread-crumbs, butter, chopped sultana raisins, and chopped citron, seasoned with nutmeg. having dispersed them among the pieces of veal, put in the jelly made from the calf's feet. cover the pie with a lid of puff-paste, cut a cross slit in the centre; notch the edges, and bake it brown. this pie is for a company dish. a plain veal pie.--cut the meat from an uncooked breast of veal, and stew it in a very little water. have ready a pie dish lined with a nice paste. put in a layer of stewed veal, with its gravy, and cover it with a layer of sausage meat; then veal again, and then sausage meat. repeat this till the dish is full, finishing with the sausage. cover it with a lid of paste, and bake it brown. this is a cheap and easy family pie. veal loaf.--take a cold fillet of veal, and (omitting the fat and skin) mince the meat as fine as possible. mix with it a quarter of a pound of the fattest part of a cold ham, also chopped small. add a tea-cupful of grated bread-crumbs; a grated nutmeg; half a dozen blades of mace, powdered; the grated yellow rind of a lemon; and two beaten eggs. season with a salt-spoon of salt, and half a salt-spoon of cayenne. mix the whole well together, and make it into the form of a loaf. then glaze it over with beaten yolk of egg; and strew the surface evenly, all over, with bread raspings, or with pounded cracker. set the dish into a dutch-oven, and bake it half an hour, or till hot all through. have ready a gravy made of the trimmings of the veal, stewed in some of the gravy that was left when the fillet was roasted the day before. when sufficiently cooked, take out the meat, and thicken the gravy with beaten yolk of egg, stirred in about three minutes before you take it from the fire. send the veal loaf to table, in a deep dish, with the gravy poured round it. chicken loaf, or turkey loaf, may be made in this manner. stewed calf's head.--take a fine, large calf's head; empty it; wash it clean, and boil it till it is quite tender, in just water enough to cover it. then carefully take out the bones, without spoiling the appearance of the head. season it with a little salt and cayenne, and a grated nutmeg. pour over it the liquor in which it has been boiled, adding a jill of vinegar, and two table-spoonfuls of capers, or of green nasturtion seeds, that have been pickled. let it stew very slowly for half an hour. have ready some forcemeat balls made of minced veal-suet, grated bread-crumbs, grated lemon-peel, and sweet marjoram,--adding beaten yolk of egg to bind the other ingredients together. put in the forcemeat balls, and stew it slowly a quarter of an hour longer, adding some bits of butter rolled in flour to enrich the gravy. send it to table hot. excellent minced veal.--take three or four pounds of the lean only of a fillet or loin of veal, and mince it very finely, adding a slice or two of cold ham, minced also. add two or three small young onions, chopped small, a tea-spoonful of sweet marjoram leaves rubbed from the stalks, the yellow rind of a small lemon grated, and a tea-spoonful of mixed mace and nutmeg powdered. mix all well together, and dredge it with a little flour. put it into a stew-pan, with sufficient gravy of cold roast veal to moisten it, and a large table-spoonful or more of fresh butter. stir it well, and let it stew till thoroughly done. if the veal has been previously cooked, a quarter of an hour will be sufficient. it will be much improved by adding a pint or more of small button mushrooms, cut from the stems, and then chopped small. also, by stirring in two table-spoonfuls of cream about five minutes before it is taken from the fire. veal with oysters.--take two fine cutlets of about a pound each. divide them into several pieces, cut thin. put them into a frying-pan, with boiling lard, and let them fry awhile. when the veal is almost done, add to it a pint of large, fine oysters,--their liquor thickened with a few grated bread-crumbs, and seasoned with mace and nutmeg powdered. continue the frying till the veal and oysters are thoroughly done. send it to table in a covered dish. terrapin veal.--take some cold roast veal, (the fillet or the loin) and cut it into mouthfuls. put it in a skillet or stew-pan. have ready a dressing made of six or seven hard-boiled eggs, minced fine; a small tea-spoonful of tarragon mustard; a salt-spoonful of salt; and the same of cayenne pepper; a large tea-cupful (half a pint) of cream, and two glasses of sherry or madeira wine. the dressing must be thoroughly mixed. pour it over the veal, and then give the whole a hard stir. cover it, and let it stew over the fire for ten minutes. then transfer it to a deep dish, and send it to table hot. cold roast duck or fowl may be drest as above. also, venison. veal olives.--take some cold fillet of veal and cold ham, and cut them into thin square slices of the same size and shape, trimming the edges evenly. lay a slice of veal on every slice of ham, and spread some beaten yolk of egg over the veal. have ready a thin forcemeat, made of grated bread-crumbs, sweet marjoram rubbed fine, fresh butter, and grated lemon-peel, seasoned with nutmeg and a little cayenne pepper. spread this over the veal, and then roll up each slice tightly with the ham. tie them round securely with coarse thread or fine twine; run a bird-spit through them, and roast them well. for sauce, simmer in a small sauce-pan, some cold veal gravy with two spoonfuls of cream, and some mushroom catchup. veal rissoles.--take as much fine wheat bread as will weigh one pound, after all the crust is cut off. slice it; put it into a pan and pour over it as much rich milk as will soak it thoroughly. after it has soaked a quarter of an hour, lay it in a sieve and press it dry. mince as finely as possible a pound of veal cutlet with six ounces of veal suet; then mix in gradually the bread; adding a salt-spoonful of salt, a slight sprinkling of cayenne, and a small tea-spoonful of powdered mace and nutmeg mixed; also the yellow rind of a lemon grated. beat two eggs, and moisten the mixture with them. then divide it into equal portions, and with a little flour on your hands roll it into oval balls rather smaller than an egg. strew over them some dry bread-crumbs; then fry them in lard or fresh butter--drain them well, and send them to table hot. for gravy (which should be commenced before the rissoles) put some bits and trimmings of veal into a small sauce-pan, with as much water as will cover them; a very little pepper and salt; and three or four blades of mace. cover the sauce-pan closely, and let the meat stew till all the strength is extracted; skimming it well. then strain it; return the liquor to the sauce-pan; add a bit of butter rolled in flour; and squeeze in the juice of a lemon. give it a boil up, and then, at the last, stir in the beaten yolk of an egg. serve up this gravy in a sauce-boat, to eat with the rissoles. instead of stewing meat for the purpose, you may make this gravy with the drippings of roast veal saved from the day before. you have then only to melt it over the fire; adding the seasoning; and giving it one boil. similar rissoles may be made of minced chicken or turkey. to prepare sweetbreads.--the sweetbread belonging to the breast of the calf is far superior to that which is found about the throat, being larger, whiter, more tender, and more delicate. always buy them in preference. they should be set immediately on ice, and prepared for cooking as speedily as possible, for they spoil very soon. soak them in warm water till all the blood is discharged. then put them into boiling water, and boil them five minutes. after this, lay them immediately in a pan of very cold water. this sudden transition from hot water to cold, will blanch or whiten them. dark-colored sweetbreads make a very bad appearance. four are generally sufficient for a small dish. but as, if well cooked, they are much liked, it is best to have six; or else eight upon two dishes. if the sweetbreads are to be cut up before cooking, remove and throw away the gristle or pipe that pervades every one. if they are to be cooked whole, you may leave the pipe in, to be taken out by the eaters. for company, it is usual to lard sweetbreads with slips of fat ham or bacon, or of cold smoked tongue. sweetbreads are used as side-dishes at dinners, or at nice breakfasts. sweetbread croquettes.--having trimmed some sweetbreads nicely, and removed the gristle, parboil them, and then mince them very fine. add grated bread, and season with a very little salt and pepper; some powdered mace and nutmeg; and some grated lemon-rind. moisten the whole with cream, and make them up into small cones or sugar-loaves; forming and smoothing them nicely. have ready some beaten egg, mixed with grated bread-crumbs. dip into it each croquette, and fry them slowly in fresh butter. serve them hot; standing up on the dish, and with a sprig of parsley in the top of each. sweetbreads should never be used unless perfectly fresh. they spoil very rapidly. as soon as they are brought from market they should be split open, and laid in cold water. never attempt to keep sweetbreads till next day, except in cold weather; and then on ice. similar croquettes may be made of cold boiled chicken; or cold roast veal; or of oysters, minced raw, and seasoned and mixed as above. fricasseed sweetbreads.--take half a dozen sweetbreads; clean them thoroughly, and lay them for an hour or two in a pan of water, having first removed the strings and gristle. then put them into a stew-pan with as much rich milk or cream as will cover them well, and a very little salt. stew them slowly, till tender throughout, and thoroughly done, saving the liquid. then take them up; cover them; and set them near the fire to keep warm. prepare a quarter of a pound of butter, divided into four pieces, and rolled in flour. put the butter into the milk in which the sweetbreads were boiled, and add a few sprigs of parsley cut small; five or six blades of mace; half a nutmeg grated; and a very little cayenne pepper. have ready the yolks of three eggs well-beaten. return the sweetbreads to the gravy; let it just come to a boil; and then stir in the beaten egg _immediately before_ you take the fricassee from the fire, otherwise it will curdle. serve it up in a deep dish with a cover. chickens, cut up, may be fricasseed in this manner. tomato sweetbreads.--cut up a quarter of a peck (or more) of fine ripe tomatos; set them over the fire, and let them stew with nothing but their own juice, till they go entirely to pieces. then press them through a sieve, to clear the liquid from the seeds and skins. have ready four or five sweetbreads that have been trimmed nicely, cleared from the gristle, and laid open to soak in warm water. put them into a stew-pan with the tomato-juice, seasoned with a little salt and cayenne. add two or three table-spoonfuls of butter rolled in flour. set the sauce-pan over the fire, and stew the sweetbreads in the tomato-juice till they are thoroughly done. a few minutes before you take them off, stir in two beaten yolks of eggs serve up the sweetbreads in a deep dish, with the tomato poured over them. sweetbreads and cauliflowers.--take four large sweetbreads, and two fine cauliflowers. split open the sweetbreads and remove the gristle. soak them awhile in lukewarm water. then put them into a sauce-pan of boiling water, and let them boil ten minutes over the fire. afterwards, lay them in a pan of very cold water. the parboiling will render them white; and putting them directly from the hot water into the cold will give them firmness. having washed and drained the cauliflowers, quarter them, and lay them in a broad stew-pan with the sweetbreads upon them, seasoned with a very little cayenne, four or five blades of mace, and some nutmeg. add as much water as will cover them; put on closely the lid of the pan, and let the whole stew for about an hour. then take a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and roll it in two table-spoonfuls of flour. add it to the stew with a tea-cupful of rich milk or cream, and give it one boil up, not more, or the milk may curdle. serve it hot in a deep dish; the sweetbreads in the middle with the gravy poured over them, and the quartered cauliflowers laid handsomely round. this stew will be found delicious. broccoli may be thus stewed with sweetbreads. sweetbread omelet.--for an omelet of six or seven eggs, take two fine sweetbreads. split them, take out the gristle, and soak them in two lukewarm waters, to extract all the blood. then put them into very hot water, boil them ten minutes, take them out, set them away to cool, and afterwards mince them small, and season them with _a very little salt_ and cayenne pepper, and some grated nutmeg. beat the eggs (omitting the whites of two) till very light. then mix in the chopped sweetbreads. put three ounces or more of fresh butter into a small frying-pan, and place it over the fire. stir the butter with a spoon, as it melts, and when it comes to a boil put in the mixture, stirring it awhile after it is all in. fry it a rich brown. heat the plate or dish in which you turn it out of the pan. an omelet should never be turned while frying. the top may be well browned by holding above it a salamander or red-hot shovel. if you wish it very thick, have _three_ sweetbreads. while frying the omelet, lift the edge occasionally by slipping a knife-blade under it, that the butter may get well underneath. if omelets are cooked too much they will become tough, and leather-like. many persons prefer having them sent to table as _soft omelets_, before they have set, or taken the form of a cake. in this case, serve up the omelet in a deep dish, and help it with a spoon. sweetbreads and oysters.--take four sweetbreads, and when they have been soaked and blanched, quarter them, and remove the pipe. strain the liquor from three dozen large fresh oysters, season it with powdered nutmeg and mace, and a little cayenne. put the quartered sweetbreads into a stew-pan, and pour over them enough of the oyster-liquor to cover them well, adding, if you have it, three large spoonfuls of the gravy of roast veal, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, cut into four bits; each bit rolled or dredged in flour. when the sweetbreads are done, put in the oysters, (first removing their gristle or hard part,) and take them out again as soon as they are plumped, which should be in five minutes. if allowed to boil, the oysters will shrivel, and become hard and tasteless. add, at the last, two wine-glasses of cream, and shake the pan about, for a few minutes. serve up in a deep dish. sweetbread pies.--make shells of puff-paste, and bake them empty. when done, fill them to the top with the above mixture. have ready a lid for each pie, baked on a flat plate, and lay it on the top of the filling. stewed sweetbreads.--after blanching them, extract the pipe very carefully, and fill its place with a stuffing made of cold minced chicken or veal, minced ham or tongue sweet marjoram, nutmeg, grated lemon-peel, and the crumbled yolks of hard-boiled eggs. fasten the openings with small wooden skewers, and put the sweetbreads into a broad stew-pan with a thin slice of ham under each, and another on the top of each, kept in place by a splinter-skewer. stew the sweetbreads in the gravy of roast veal, and before you send them to table take out the skewers. or make a gravy of uncooked trimmings of veal or beef, stewed slowly in as much water as will cover them well, and seasoned with pepper and salt--or, stew with the fresh meat, as much ham or bacon as will flavor the gravy, (using no other salt.) when all the essence is extracted from the meat, stir in a bit of butter dredged with flour. the flour for gravies should be browned. strain the gravy, and add any other flavoring you like. to brown flour, spread it evenly on a large dish or flat tin, and place it before the fire, or in a rather cool oven. scrape it up from the edges where it will get the brownest. take care it burns or blackens nowhere. keep it for use in a dry tin box. baked sweetbreads.--parboil four large sweetbreads, having first blanched them. when cold, lard them all over the surface, with slips of bacon the size of small straws. lay them in a shallow pan, putting under each sweetbread a piece of nice fresh butter with a very little flour mixed into it. pour into the pan a glass of nice white wine, mixed with the juice and grated yellow rind of a lemon. season also with grated nutmeg. or for sauce, you may use mushroom catchup, with a little salad oil stirred into it. if you do not live in a place where nice fresh butter is to be obtained, endeavor to do without butter at all, rather than use that which is strong, rancid, or too salt. bad butter tastes through every thing--spoils every thing, and is also extremely unwholesome, as decomposition (or in plain terms _putrefaction_,) has already commenced. rather than use what makes all your food taste worse instead of better, try to substitute something else--such as beef or fresh pork drippings, suet, lard, or olive oil; or, molasses, honey, or stewed fruit. _we know_ that with these it is possible to live in health for years, without tasting butter. nevertheless, good butter is a good thing, and an improvement to all sorts of cookery. pork. pork.--young pork has a thin rind or skin, easily indented by pressing with the finger, and the lean will break by pinching. if fresh, the meat is smooth and dry; but if damp and clammy, it is tainted. if the fat is rough with little kernels, the pig has had a disease resembling the measles, and to eat it is poisonous. pigs that have short legs, and thick necks, are the best. pigs fed entirely on slop make very bad pork. they should be kept up for at least two months, fed with corn, and not allowed during the time of fattening to eat any sort of trash. no animal tastes more of its food than a pig. if allowed to eat the garbage of fish, they will not only have a fishy taste, but a smell of fish so intolerable, when cooking, that such pork cannot be endured in the house. during the two months that they are kept up to fatten, all their food must be wholesome as well as abundant, and it does them much good to have soap-suds given to them occasionally. let them have plenty of corn, and plenty of fresh water. they will thrive better and make finer pork, if their pens are not allowed to be dirty. no animal actually likes dirt, and even pigs would be clean if they knew how. it is very beneficial to young pigs to wash them well in soap and water. we have seen this often done with great care. the pork in spain and portugal is delicious, from being fed chiefly on the large chestnuts, of which there is great abundance in those countries. these pigs are short-legged and thick-bodied--a profitable species. the best pieces of a pig are the hind-leg and loin; the next is the shoulder, or fore-leg. the spare-rib, (pronounced sparrib by the english,) affords so little meat, and the bones are so tedious to pick, that it is seldom seen on good american tables, nothing being popular with us that cannot be eaten fast or fastish. pork must be thoroughly cooked; done well, and completely to the very bone. who ever asked for a slice of pork _done rare_? who could eat pork with the blood appearing, when served? so it is with veal. underdone veal, or underdone chicken, is not to be thought of without disgust. pork, for boiling, is always previously salted or corned. fresh pork, however, is very good _stewed_ or cooked slowly in a very little water, and with plenty of vegetables in the same pot. the vegetables should be potatos, (either sweet or white,) pared and cut into pieces--parsnips the same, or yams in thick slices. for corned pork cook the vegetables separately from the meat, or they will taste too salt and fat. they should be cabbage, or green sprouts, green beans or peas, green corn, young poke, squash, pumpkin, or cashaw, (winter squash,) boiled, mashed, and squeezed. for salt pork, in winter, have dried beans or dried peas; first boiled, and then baked. to roast pork.--the roasting pieces are the loin, the leg, the saddle, the fillet, the shoulder and the spare-rib, (which last is found between the shoulder or fore-leg,) and the griskin or back-bone. all roast pork should be well seasoned; rubbed with pepper, salt, or powdered sage or marjoram. score the skin with a sharp knife, making deep lines at regular distances, about an inch apart. cross these lines with others, so as to form squares or diamonds. make a stuffing of minced sage or marjoram leaves; bread-crumbs; if liked, a very little minced onion previously boiled; and some powdered mace. introduce this stuffing profusely wherever it can be inserted, loosening a piece of the skin, and fastening it down again with a small skewer. in a leg or shoulder you can put in a great deal at the knuckle. in a fillet or large end of the leg, stuff the place from whence you have taken the bone. put the pork down to roast not very close to the fire, but place it nearer when the skin begins to brown. you can soon baste it with its own gravy; and see that it is thoroughly cooked, before removing it from the spit. after taking up the meat, skim the fat from the gravy, and stir in a little flour to thicken it. the crackling or skin will be much more crisp and tender if you go all over it with sweet oil, or lard, before you put it to the fire. always accompany roast pork with apple sauce, served in a deep dish or a sauce-tureen. cold roast pork is very good sliced at tea or breakfast. sweet potato pork.--boil, peel, and mash a sufficiency of sweet potatos, moistened with butter and egg. cover with them the bottom of a deep dish; then put on a layer of slices of fresh pork, sprinkled with minced sage or marjoram. next, another thick layer of mashed sweet potatos; then another layer of pork cutlets, and so on till the dish is full, finishing with mashed sweet potatos. bake it brown on the surface. chestnut pork.--where the large spanish chestnuts abound, a similar dish may be made of layers of chestnuts boiled, peeled, and mashed, and layers of fresh pork in thin slices. roasted spare-rib.--this will do for a second dish at the table of a very small family. rub it all over with powdered sage, pepper, and salt, and having put it on the spit, lay the thickest end to the fire. dredge it with powdered sage and baste it with a little butter. when dished, have ready some mashed potatos made into flat cakes, and browned on the top, and laid all round the pork, with some in another dish. send to table apple sauce also. when apples are difficult to procure, substitute dried peaches, stewed very soft, and in no more water than remains about them after being washed. sweeten them while hot, as soon as you take them from the fire, mashing them smoothly. to dress a young pig.--the pig should not be more than three weeks old. if not fat, it is unfit to eat. to be in perfection, a sucking pig should be eaten the day it is killed, or its goodness and tenderness is impaired every hour. it requires great care in roasting, and constant watching. the custom of _roasting_ a very young pig has now gone much, into disuse, it being found that baking answers the purpose equally well or better, and is far less troublesome. the pig should be washed perfectly clean, inside and out, and wiped very dry. have ready a stuffing made of slices of bread, thickly buttered and soaked in milk, seasoned with powdered nutmeg and mace, and the grated yellow rind of a lemon, with the _hard-boiled_ yolk of an egg, crumbled, and a large handful, or more, of fine bloom raisins, seeded and cut in half, mix all these ingredients well, and fill with them the body of the pig, sewing it up afterwards. or you may make a plain stuffing of chopped sage and onions, boiled together, with marjoram; and mixed with bread-crumbs and butter. having trussed the pig, with the fore-legs bent back, and the hind-legs forward, rub it _all over_ with sweet oil, or with fresh butter tied in a rag. lay it in a baking-pan, with a little water in the bottom. then set it in an oven, not too hot, and bake it well, basting it frequently with butter. when done, dish it whole. skim the gravy in the pan, and mix in some flour. give it one boil up, having first put into it the chopped liver and heart of the pig, taken out after it was cooked, and stir in the beaten yolk of an egg. the practice is now obsolete of dissecting a pig before it goes to table, splitting it down the back, and down the front, and laying the two halves in reverse positions, or back to back, with one half the split head at each side, and one ear at each end, the brains being taken out to enrich the gravy. all these disgusting things have been discarded by the better taste of modern epicures. and the pig is baked and comes to table whole. we have always thought it a most unfeminine fancy for a lady to enjoy eating the head of any thing, and the brain particularly. pork steaks, stewed.--take some nice fresh pork steaks, cut either from the leg or the loin. trim off the superfluous fat. season them with a little salt and pepper, and plenty of minced sage. put in with them, minced onions, sliced sweet potatos, parsnips, and white potatos cut into pieces, also some lima beans. pour in barely sufficient water to cover them; or else stew the pork in a very little lard. apples cored, pared, and baked whole; the core-place filled with sugar, moistened with a very little water, to put in the bottom of the baking-dish, are a very nice accompaniment to pork steaks. pork and apples.--take nice steaks, or cutlets, of fresh pork. season them with a little pepper, and a very little salt. pare, core, and quarter some fine juicy apples. flavor them with the grated yellow rind and the juice of one or two lemons, and strew among them plenty of sugar. stew them with merely sufficient water to prevent their burning; or else a little lard without water. when thoroughly done, serve all up in the same dish. if you cannot procure lemons, flavor the apple with rose-water, or nutmeg, _after_ it is cooked. rose-water evaporates much in cooking. pork steaks, fried.--cut them thin, but do not trim off the fat. sprinkle them well all over with finely minced sage or sweet marjoram. lay them in a frying-pan, and fry them well on both sides, keeping them very hot after they are done. wash out the frying-pan, (or have another one ready, which is better,) and put it over the fire with plenty of lard, or fresh butter. have ready plenty of slices of large juicy apples, pared, cored, and cut into round pieces. fry them well, and when done, take them up on a perforated skimmer, to drain the lard from them. sprinkle them with powdered sugar, and pile them on a dish to eat with the pork. otherwise, send to table with the pork, a dish of apple sauce made in the usual manner, or a dish of dried peaches, stewed, mashed, and sweetened. pork apple pot-pie.--make a plentiful quantity of nice paste. with some of it line the sides (but not the bottom) of a large pot. at the very bottom lay a slice of _fresh_ pork, with most of the fat trimmed off. season it with a very little salt and pepper, and add some pieces of paste. next put in a thick layer of juicy apples, cut in slices, strewed with brown sugar. add another layer of pork, and another of sliced apples. proceed thus till the pot is nearly full, finishing with a lid of paste, not fitting quite closely. cut a cross-slit in the top, through which pour in some sweet cider to moisten it, and set it to cooking. keep the pot covered; set it at once over a good fire, but not so hot as to burn the pie. see that it is well done before you take it up. it is a convenient dish in the country at the season of apple picking, cider making, and pork killing. stewed or baked apples are always greatly improved by a flavoring of lemon, rose-water, or nutmeg. apple pork pie.--core, peel, and quarter some fine juicy baking-apples. make a nice paste with fresh butter and sifted flour, and line with it the bottom and sides of a deep dish. put in the apples, and strew among them sufficient brown sugar to make them very sweet. if you can obtain a fresh lemon, pare off very thin the yellow rind, and squeeze the juice to flavor the apples. prepare some fresh pork steaks, cut thin, and divested of all the fat except a little at the edge; removing the bone. cover the apples with a layer of meat, and pour in a tea-cup of _sweet_ cider. the contents of the pie should be heaped up in the centre. have ready a nice lid of paste, and cover the pie with it, closing and crimping the edge. in the centre of the lid cut a cross-slit. put it into a hot oven and bake it well. this is a farm-house dish, and very good. try it. apples have always been considered a suitable accompaniment to fresh pork. fillet of pork.--cut a fillet or round, handsomely and evenly, from a fine leg of fresh pork. remove the bone. make a stuffing or forcemeat of grated bread-crumbs; butter; a tea-spoonful of sweet marjoram, or tarragon leaves; and sage leaves enough to make a small table-spoonful, when minced or rubbed fine; all well mixed, and slightly seasoned with pepper and salt. then stuff it closely into the hole from whence the bone was taken. score the skin of the pork in circles to go all round the fillet. these circles should be very close together, or about half an inch apart. rub into them, slightly, a little powdered sage. put it on the spit, and roast it well, till it is thoroughly done throughout; as pork, if the least underdone, is not fit to eat. place it, for the first hour, not very close to the fire, that the meat may get well heated all through, before the skin begins to harden so as to prevent the heat from penetrating sufficiently. then set it as near the fire as it can be placed without danger of scorching. keep it roasting steadily with a bright, good, regular fire, for two or three hours, or longer still if it is a large fillet. it may require near four hours. baste it at the beginning with sweet oil (which will make the skin very crisp) or with lard. afterwards, baste it with its own gravy. when done, skim the fat from the gravy, and then dredge in a little flour to thicken it. send the pork to table with the gravy in a boat; and a deep dish of apple sauce, made very thick, flavored with lemon, and sweetened well. a fillet of pork is excellent stewed slowly in a very little water, having in the same stew-pot some sweet potatos, peeled, split, and cut into long pieces. if stewed, put _no sage_ in the stuffing; and remove the skin of the pork. this is an excellent family dish in the autumn. italian pork.--take a nice leg of fresh pork; rub it well with fine salt and let it lie in the salt for a week or ten days. when you wish to cook it, put the pork into a large pot, with just sufficient water to cover it; and let it simmer, slowly, during four hours; skimming it well. then take it out, and lay it on a large dish. pour the water from the pot into an earthen pan; skim it, and let it cool while you are skinning the pork. then put into a pot, a pint of good cider vinegar, mixed with half a pound of brown sugar, and a pint of the water in which the pork has been boiled, and from which all the fat has been carefully skimmed off. put in the pork with the upper side towards the bottom of the pot. set it again over the fire, (which must first be increased,) and heat the inside of the pot-lid by standing it upright against the front of the fire. then cover the pot closely, and let the pork stew for an hour and a half longer; basting it frequently with the liquid around it, and keeping the pot-lid as hot as possible that the meat may be well browned. when done, the pork will have somewhat the appearance of being coated with molasses. serve up the gravy with it. what is left of the meat may be sliced cold for breakfast or luncheon. you may stew with it, when the pork is put into the pot a second time, some large chestnuts, previously boiled and peeled. or, instead of chestnuts, sweet potatos, scraped, split, and cut into small pieces. pork olives.--cut slices from a fillet or leg of cold fresh pork. make a forcemeat in the usual manner, only substituting for sweet herbs some sage-leaves, chopped fine. when the slices are covered with the forcemeat, and rolled up and tied round, stew them slowly either in cold gravy left of the pork, or in fresh lard. drain them well before they go to table. serve them up on a bed of mashed turnips, or potatos, or of mashed sweet potatos, if in season. pigs' feet, fried.--pigs' feet are frequently used for jelly, instead of calves' feet. they are very good for this purpose, but a larger number is required (from eight to ten or twelve) to make the jelly sufficiently firm. after they have been boiled for jelly, extract the bones, and put the meat into a deep dish: cover it with some good cider vinegar, seasoned with sugar and a little salt and cayenne. then cover the dish, and set it away for the night. next morning, take out the meat, and having drained it well from the vinegar, put it into a frying-pan, in which some lard has just come to a boil, and fry it for a breakfast dish. pork and beans.--take a good piece of pickled pork, (not very fat,) and to each pound of pork allow a quart of dried white beans. the bone should be removed from the pork, and the beans well picked and washed. the evening before they are wanted for cooking, put the beans and pork to soak in _separate pans_; and just before bed-time, drain off the water, and replace it with fresh. let them soak all night. early in the morning, drain them well from the water, and wash first the beans, and then the pork in a cullender. having scored the skin in stripes, or diamonds, put the pork into a pot with fresh cold water, and the beans into another pot with sufficient cold water to cook them well. season the pork with a little pepper, but, of course, no salt. boil them separately and slowly till the pork is thoroughly done (skimming it well) and till the beans have all burst open. afterwards take them out, and drain them well from the water. then lay the pork in the middle of a tin pan, (there must be no liquid fat about it) and the beans round it, and over it, so as nearly to bury it from sight. pour in a very little water, and set the dish into a hot oven, to bake or brown for half an hour. if kept too long in the oven the beans will become dry and hard. if sufficiently boiled when separate, half an hour will be long enough for the pork and beans to bake together. carefully skim off any liquid fat that may rise to the surface. cover the dish, and send it to table hot. for a small dish, two quarts of beans and two pounds of pork will be enough. to this quantity, when put to bake in the oven, you may allow a pint of water. this is a good plain dish, very popular in new england, and generally liked in other parts of the country, if properly done. pork with corn and beans.--boil a nice small leg of corned pork, skim it well, and boil it thoroughly. then have ready a quart, or more, of fresh string-beans, each bean cut into only three pieces. boil the beans for an hour in a separate pot. in another pot boil four ears of young sweet corn, and when soft and tender, cut it down from the cob, with a sharp knife, and mix it with the boiled beans, having drained them, through a cullender, from all the water that is about them. having mixed them well together, in a deep dish, season them with pepper, (no salt,) and add a large lump of fresh butter. for green beans you may substitute dried white ones, boiled by themselves, well drained, and seasoned with pepper and butter, and mixed in the same dish before they are sent to table. or the mixed corn and beans may be heaped round the pork upon the same dish. to eat with them make some indian dumplings of corn meal and water, mixed into a stiff dough, formed into thick dumplings, about as large round as the top of a tea-cup, and boiled in a pot by themselves. pork with peas pudding.--boil a nice piece of pickled or corned pork, (the leg is the best,) and let it be well skinned, and thoroughly cooked. to make the pudding, pick over and wash through cold water, a quart of yellow split peas, and tie them in a square cloth, leaving barely sufficient room for them to swell; but if too much space is allowed for swelling, they will be weak and washy. when the peas are all dissolved into a mass, turn them out of the cloth, and rub them through a coarse sieve into a pan. then add a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, mixed well into the peas, and a very little pepper. beat light, three yolks and one whole egg, and stir them into the peas a little at a time. then beat the whole very hard. dip your pudding-cloth into hot water; spread it out in a pan, and pour the mixture into it. tie up the cloth, and put the pudding into a pot of boiling water. let it boil steadily for at least an hour. when done, send it to table, and eat it with the pork. next day, if there is much left, boil both the pork and the pudding over again, (the remains of the pudding tied in the cloth.) let them boil till thoroughly warmed throughout. cut them in slices. place them on the same dish, the pork in the middle, with slices of pudding laid round, and send them to the breakfast table, for strong healthy eaters. sausage-meat.--to fifteen pounds of the lean of fresh pork, allow five pounds of the fat. having removed the skin, sinews, and gristle, chop both the fat and lean as fine as possible, and mix them well together. rub to a powder sufficient sage-leaves to make four ounces when done. mix the sage with two ounces of fine salt, two ounces of brown sugar, an ounce of powdered black pepper, and a quarter of an ounce of cayenne. add this seasoning to the chopped pork, and mix it thoroughly. pack the sausage-meat down, hard and closely, into stone jars, which must be kept in a cool place, and well covered. when wanted for use, make some of it into small flat cakes, dredge them with flour, and fry them well. the fat that exudes from the sausage-cakes, while frying, will be sufficient to cook them in. sausage dumpling.--make a good paste in the proportion of three mashed potatos, and a quarter of a pound of finely minced suet to a quart of flour. roll it out into a thick sheet. fill it with the best home-made sausage meat. lay the sausage meat in an even heap on the sheet of dough, and close it up so as to form a large round dumpling. dip a square cloth in boiling water, shake it out, dredge it with flour, and tie the dumpling in it, leaving room for it to swell. put it into a pot of boiling water, and keep it boiling hard till thoroughly done. do not turn it till immediately before it goes to table. it requires no sauce but a little cold butter. it may be made into several small dumplings. veal and sausage pie.--line a deep oval dish with a very nice paste. lay at the bottom a thin veal cutlet, seasoned with powdered mace. place upon it some of the best sausage meat, spread thin; then another veal cutlet, and then more sausage. repeat this till the dish is full, finishing with sausage meat on the top. then cover the pie with a rather thick lid or upper crust, uniting the two edges at the rim, by crimping or notching them neatly. make a cross slit in the centre of the lid. bake the pie well, and serve it up hot. put no water into this pie, as the veal and the sausage will give out sufficient gravy. we recommend this pie. if you live where veal cannot always be procured, substitute chicken or turkey, boiled and cut up, and covered with layers of sausage; or else thin slices of venison; or else, the best part of a pair of boiled or roasted rabbits. bologna sausages.--take three pounds of the lean of a round of corned or salted beef, and three pounds of the lean of corned or salted pork. boil them for an hour in separate pots. take them up, let them grow cold, and chop them separately. chop also, very fine, two pounds of the fat of bacon, and one pound of beef suet. when these things are all separately minced, mix them well together, seasoning them well with chopped sage, sweet marjoram, black pepper, and powdered mace. also, if liked, two or three boiled onions minced very small. have ready some of the large skins commonly used for these sausages. the skins must have been carefully emptied, washed, and scraped till quite transparent. fill them with the above mixture, stuffing it in hard and evenly with a sausage-stuffer, sewing and tying both ends securely. put the sausages into a brine or pickle, such as is made for ham, of salt, brown sugar, and molasses mixed with water, and strong enough to bear up an egg. let the sausages remain a week in this pickle, turning them every day, and keeping it closely covered. then take them out and hang them up to dry, tied in strings or links. smoke them for a week over a fire of oak sticks or corn-cobs. afterwards, rub them over with salad oil, which is much the better for being mixed with ashes of vine twigs. sausages made faithfully as above, will be found equal to the real bologna, by the lovers of this sort of relish. when it is eaten they are sliced very thin. few ladies eat them. hog's head cheese.--hog's head cheese is always made at what is called "killing time." to make four cheeses of moderate size, take two large hog's heads; two sets, (that is eight feet,) and the noses of all the pigs that have been killed that day. clean all these things well, and then boil them to rags. having drained off the liquid through a cullender, spread out the things in large dishes, and carefully remove all the bones, even to the smallest bits. with a chopper mince the meat as fine as possible, and season it well with pepper, salt, sage, and sweet marjoram, adding some powdered mace. having divided the prepared meats into four equal parts, tie up each portion tightly in a clean coarse cloth, and press it into a compact cake, by putting on heavy weights. it will be fit for use next day. in a cool dry place it will keep all winter. it requires no farther cooking, and is eaten sliced at breakfast, luncheon, or supper. if well made, and well seasoned with the herbs and spices, it will be found very nice for a relish. liver puddings.--boil some pigs' livers, and when cold mince them, adding some cold ham or bacon, in the proportion of a pound of liver to a quarter of a pound of fat bacon. add also some boiled pigs' feet, allowing to each pound of liver four pigs' feet boiled, skinned, boned, and chopped. season with pepper, powdered mace or nutmeg, and sweet herbs, (sweet basil and marjoram.) put the mixture (packed hard,) into straight-sided tin or white ware pans, and cover them with a clean cloth. put heavy weights on the top. cover them also with folded brown paper, and set them in a cool dry place. they will be fit to eat next day. slice them thick, and send them to the tea or breakfast table. or you may fill with the mixture, some nicely cleaned and very transparent sausage skins, (of a large size,) and tie up the ends with coarse brown thread, to be removed before going to table. you may cut them into large pieces, and broil them, or fry them in lard. calves' liver makes still nicer puddings. keep liver puddings in flat stone jars. never use newspaper to cover or wrap up any thing eatable. the black always rubs off, and the copperas in the printing ink is very poisonous. ham, etc. brine for pickling meat.--to every four gallons of water allow four pounds of fine salt, two ounces of saltpetre, three pounds of brown sugar, and two quarts of west india molasses. boil the whole together, stirring it well, and skimming it after stirring. when clear, let it cool. the meat being clean and dry, rub it all over with ground red pepper. then put as much meat into the pickling-tub as can be very well covered by the brine, which must be poured on cold. let it remain six weeks in the pickle, (carefully taking off the scum,) and turning each piece every day. afterwards, hang it till it is dry outside, and then smoke it well for a fortnight, hanging it high above the fire with the large end downward. the fire in the smoke-house should be steadily kept up all the time. hickory or oak is the best wood for this purpose. on no account use pine, cedar, spruce, or hemlock. they will communicate to the meat a strong taste of turpentine, and render it uneatable. a fire made of corn-cobs is excellent for smoking meat, and they should be saved for that purpose. when the meat is smoked, rub it all over with ground pepper to prevent insects, and sew up all the pieces in new cotton cloths, coarse and thick, and then white-wash them. we have seen ham-covers, painted with flowers and gilded. since california, gilding pervades the land. this pickle will be found excellent for hams, bacon, tongues, or beef. meat for pickling must be very fresh, and of excellent quality. before sewing it up in covers see that it is free from insects. if to go to sea, pack in boxes of powdered charcoal for a long voyage. for a short one, barrels of wood-ashes will do. to cure hams.--to make good hams the pork must be of the best quality. no animal tastes so much of its food as the pig. in america, we consider a pig "killed off the slop" as unfit to eat; and so he is. all our pigs are kept up in a pen, and fattened with indian corn, or corn meal, for several weeks previous to killing. a hundred pounds of corn meal, (mixed with water to about the consistency of very thick mush,) is said to be equal in fattening pigs to two hundred pounds of dry-shelled corn. they should be kept up, and well fed for eight weeks; and occasionally, in the country, where such fruits are superabundant, the pigs should have a regale of melons, peaches, &c. this we have seen, and the pork was, of course, very fine. the hams or hind-quarters are considered the most valuable part of the animal. they are cured in various modes. but the newbold receipt has hitherto been the most popular. mr. newbold was a pennsylvania farmer. the following directions, we believe, are authentic. for one hundred pounds of fine pork, take seven pounds of coarse salt, five pounds of brown sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, half an ounce of pearlash, and four gallons of water. boil all together, and skim the pickle when cold. pour it on the meat. let hams or tongues remain in the pickling-tub eight weeks. before it is smoked, hang it up and dry it two or three days. three weeks will be sufficient for pickling beef. previous to sewing the hams in cases, rub them all over with ground black pepper. soap-suds given frequently to pigs, when kept up to fatten, will greatly promote their health. boiled ham.--having soaked a fine ham from early in the evening till near bed-time, putting it into warm water, and changing that water about ten or eleven o'clock--wash and brush it well in the morning, and trim it so as to look nicely all over. lay at the bottom of the ham-boiler a bed of nice fresh hay, which will greatly improve the flavor. let the hock bone be sawed off short. a long shank bone looks very awkward. place the ham upon the hay--pour in plenty of cold water, and keep it simmering very slowly an hour before you allow it to boil. then increase the heat gradually, and keep the ham boiling steadily for four, five, or six hours, according to its size and age. an old ham requires more soaking and boiling than a new one. skim it frequently after the boiling begins. it will be much improved by transferring it to a spit, (having taken off the whole skin,) and roasting the ham, for the last two or three hours, basting it with its own essence. save the skin to cover the cold ham, and keep it fresh. before it goes to table cover the ham with grated bread-crumbs, sifted on so as to form a slight crust. if the ham is to be eaten cold, and is intended for company, brush it all over with beaten yolk of egg. then dredge on sufficient grated crumbs to form a crust half an inch thick, and finish by going all over it with cream. set it to brown in an oven, or put it on the spit of a roaster. when cold, this glazing will be found surpassingly fine. decorate the hock with white paper, handsomely cut, or with a bunch of flowers cut out of vegetables. carve a ham in very thin slices--if cut thick, they have not the same taste, besides looking ungenteelly. baked ham.--for baking, take a small ham, or part of a large one, trimmed and made of good shape, cutting away whatever looks unsightly. have the bone sawed off at the knuckle, or end of the hock. the evening previous to cooking, lay the ham in soak in a large pan of hot water. at bed-time pour off the water, and renew it. keep it closely covered all night. in the morning wash and brush it well. make a coarse paste of coarse flour mixed with water only, and roll it out about an inch thick. line a clean iron bake-oven with this, and put in the ham, reserving enough of paste to cover the top. pour in a very little water, merely sufficient to keep the ham from burning. put on the lid of paste, and having wet the edges slightly press them together, so as to unite closely the top and bottom crust. bake it over a steady fire, from four to five or six hours, or more, according to its size. when done, skim the gravy, remove the paste, (which is of no farther use,) and take off the skin of the ham. dredge it all over with finely grated bread-crumbs, before it goes to table. a ham can scarcely be cooked too much, and too slow. the general fault is in cooking them too little, and too fast. a ham of the smallest size will require at least four hours baking or boiling, even after it has been all night in soak. save the skin whole, to cover the cold ham when it is put away in the pantry. when a cooked ham is nearly all used up, take what remains, cut it all off from the bone, and stew the bits in a little water, till they are all to rags. you will find the essence an improvement to gravies, strained from the fragments. madeira ham.--this is a dish only seen at dinner parties. no one can believe, for a moment, that hams really cooked in madeira wine are served up every week at hotels, particularly at those houses where there is no other superfluity, and where most of the great dishes exist only in the bill of fare. a genuine madeira ham is cooked as follows:--take a ham of the very finest sort; should be a westphalia one. lay it in hot water, and soak it all day and all night, changing the water several times, and every time washing out the pan. early in the morning of the second day, put the ham into a large pot of cold water, and boil it slowly during four hours, skimming it well. then take it out, remove the skin entirely, and put the ham into a clean boiler, with sufficient madeira wine to cover it well. boil, or rather stew it, an hour longer, keeping the pot covered except when you remove the lid to turn the ham. when well stewed take it up, drain it, and strain the liquor into a porcelain-lined saucepan. have ready a sufficiency of powdered white sugar. cover the ham all over with a thick coating of the sugar, and set it into a hot oven to bake for an hour. mix some orange or lemon-juice with the liquor adding plenty of sugar and nutmeg. give it one boil up over the fire, and serve it up in a tureen, as sauce to the ham. what is left of the ham may be cut next day into small pieces, put into a stew-pan, with the remains of the liquor or sauce poured over it, and stewed for a quarter of an hour or more. serve it up all together in the same dish. while it is on the fire, add a little butter to the stew. broiled ham.--ham for broiling or frying should be cut into thin slices the evening before, trimmed, and laid in a pan of boiling water, which, near bed-time, should be changed for cold water, and very early in the morning for boiling water, in which it should lie half an hour to soak still longer. if ham is not well soaked previously, it will, when broiled or fried, be disagreeably hard and salt; the salt frying out to the surface and forming a rough unpleasant crust, which will create thirst in the eaters for hours after. much of the salt of a ham goes off in boiling, but if it is _not_ boiled or soaked, the salt comes out to the surface and there it sticks. the slices being cut thin and nicely trimmed, they should be broiled on a very clean gridiron over a clear fire, and so well done that they incline to curl up at the edges. dish them hot, and lay on every slice a very small bit of fresh butter, and sprinkle them with pepper. fried ham.--ham for frying need not be _quite_ so thin as for broiling. put but little butter in the frying-pan, as their own fat is generally sufficient to cook them. break an egg over the middle of each slice, and let it cook till the white is set, and the yolk appears round and yellow through it. before it goes to table trim off nicely the discolored and ragged edges of the fried eggs. they look disgusting when left on. cold ham is excellent for broiling or frying, and very nice without any further cooking. send it to table strewed with either nasturtion flowers, pepper-grass, or parsley. all these things have a fine flavor of their own, especially nasturtions. nice fried ham.--having scalded and soaked some nice ham, cut it into rather thick slices, and then cut these slices into mouthfuls or little narrow slips. put them into a hot frying-pan, and fry them well. when done, season them with pepper and nutmeg, and serve them up in their own gravy. it will be an improvement to add a beaten egg just before they go to table. you may add to the ham some bits of cold boiled chicken, pulled in little slips, from the breast, and fried with the ham, adding a little fresh butter. sliced ham.--slice very thin some cold boiled ham, and let the slices be nearly of the same size and appearance, making them look as handsome as you can. cover them with fresh green pepper-grass at a summer breakfast or tea-table; and decorate the pepper-grass by interspersing with it some nasturtion flowers, which are very nice to eat, having a taste agreeably and slightly pungent. pepper-grass and nasturtions, are very appetizing accompaniments to nice bread and butter. disguised ham.--scrape or grate a pound of cold boiled ham, twice as much lean as fat. season it slightly with pepper and a little powdered mace or nutmeg. beat the yolks only, of three eggs, and mix with them the ham. spread the mixture thickly over slices of very nice toast, with the crust pared off, and the toast buttered while hot. brush it slightly on the surface with white of egg, and then brown it with a red hot shovel or salamander. this is a nice breakfast dish. ham cake.--this should be made the day before it is wanted. take the remains of a cold ham. cut it into small bits, and pound it well (fat and lean together) in a marble mortar, adding some butter and grated nutmeg; or a little cream, sufficient to moisten it throughout. fill a mould with the mixture, and set it for half an hour into a moderate oven. when ready for use, set the mould for a few minutes into hot water, and then turn out the ham cake on a dish. cover the surface all over with a coating of beaten white of egg. and before it is quite dry, decorate it with capers, or pickled nasturtion seeds, arranged in a pattern. send small bread rolls to the supper table with the ham cake. ham omelet.--mince very fine some cold boiled ham, (twice as much lean as fat,) till you have a half pint. break six eggs, and strain them into a shallow pan. beat them till very light and thick, and then stir in gradually the minced ham. have ready, in a hot omelet pan, three table-spoonfuls of lard. when the lard boils, put in the omelet mixture and fry it. occasionally slip a knife under the edge to keep it loose from the pan. it should be near an inch thick, as a ham omelet is best not to fold over. make it a good even shape; and when one side is done, turn the other and brown it. you can turn it easily with a knife and fork, holding carefully, close to the omelet, the hot dish on which it is to go to table. dredge the surface with a little cayenne. omelets may be made in this manner, of smoked tongue, or oysters chopped, cold sweetbread, asparagus minced, boiled onions, mushrooms, &c. a good allowance for a small omelet is the above proportion of eggs and lard, or fresh butter; and a large tea-cup of the seasoning article, which must always have been previously cooked. they are much lighter when served up of their full size, and not folded over in halfs. a large omelet must have from eight to ten, or a dozen eggs. it is best to bake all omelets of the six egg size, and have more in number if required. ham toast.--make some very nice slices of toast, with all the crust trimmed off; and dip each toast for an instant into a bowl of hot water, then butter it slightly. have ready some grated cold ham, and spread it thick over each slice of toast. tongue toast is made in the same manner. sandwiches.--spread some thin slices of bread very thinly with nice fresh butter, and lay a thin slice of cold ham (the edges neatly trimmed) between every two slices of bread and butter. you may make them so thin, as to roll up--a number being piled on a plate. biscuit sandwiches.--this is a very nice and very pretty dish for a supper table. have ready one or two dozen of fresh soft milk biscuit. split them, and take a very little of the soft crumb out of each biscuit, so as to make a slight hollow. butter the biscuits with very nice fresh butter, and fill them liberally with grated ham or tongue. stick round the inside of the edges, full sprigs of pepper-grass, or curled parsley, or the green tops of celery. arrange the sprigs closely and handsomely, so as to project out all round the sides, forming a green border or fringe. we highly recommend biscuit sandwiches. potted ham.--take some cold ham, slice it, and mince it small, fat and lean together. then pound it in a mortar; seasoning it as you proceed with cayenne pepper, powdered mace, and powdered nutmeg. then fill with it a large deep pan, and set it in an oven for half an hour. afterwards pack it down hard in a stone jar, and fill up the jar with lard. cover it closely, and paste down a thick paper over the jar. if sufficiently seasoned, it will keep well in winter; and is convenient for sandwiches, or on the tea-table. a jar of this will be found useful to travelers in remote places. tongue may be potted as above. to prepare bacon.--all pieces of pork that, after pickling, are dried and smoked, come under the denomination of bacon; except the hind-quarters or legs, and they are always called ham, and are justly considered superior to any other part of the animal, and bring a higher price. the shoulders or fore-quarters, the sides or flitches, the jowl or head, and all the other parts, are designated as bacon; and in some places they erroneously give that name to the whole animal, if cured, or preserved by the process of smoking. to prepare bacon for being cooked, examine it well, and scrape it carefully, and trim off all unsightly parts. if the fat is yellow, the meat is rusty or tainted, and not fit to eat. so, also, if on the lean there are brownish or blackish spots. all sorts of food, if kept too long, should be thrown away at once. if perfectly good, prepare the bacon for cooking, by washing it well, and then soaking it for several hours in a pan full of cold water, removing the water once or twice during the process. if the bacon is salt and hard, soak it all night, changing the water at bed-time, and early in the morning. ham should also be soaked before cooking. a dish of broiled ham is a nice accompaniment to one of calves' chitterlings, at breakfast. to boil bacon.--put two or three pounds of nice bacon into a pot with plenty of cold water, and let it simmer slowly for an hour before it begins to boil. skim it well, and when no more scum rises, put in the vegetables which are usually eaten with bacon, and which taste better for boiling with the meat. these are young greens, or sprouts, very young roots and leaves of the poke plant, and green beans--strung and cut in half--not smaller. on no account should any other vegetables be boiled with bacon. when the bacon is so tender as to be easily pierced through with a fork, even in the thickest places, take it up and drain it well in a cullender or sieve. remove the skin. then take up the vegetables and drain them also, pressing out _all_ the liquid. season them with pepper only. send the meat to table with the vegetables heaped round it, on the same large dish, (the cabbage being chopped, but not minced fine.) potatos, squashes, peas, asparagus, &c., should never be boiled in the same pot, or served up in the same dish with bacon, which is too plain a dish for any but a country table; while a ham is a delicacy for the city, or for any place. bacon and beans.--scrape and trim a nice piece of bacon, (not too fat,) and see that no part of it looks yellow or rusty, or shows any appearance of being too old. if so, do not cook it, as it is unwholesome, unpalatable, and unfit to eat. a shoulder is a good piece to boil. the best of the animal, when smoked, is, of course, the ham or leg. we are now speaking of the other pieces that, when cured, are properly called bacon, and are eaten at plain tables only. the meat, if very salt, is the better for being put in soak early in the morning, or the night before. afterwards put it into a pot, and boil and skim it till tender. have ready a quart or two of fresh green string beans, cut into three pieces, (not more); put them into the pot in which the bacon is boiling, and let them cook with the meat for an hour or more. when done, take them out, drain them well; season them well with pepper, and send them to table on a separate dish from the bacon. many persons like so well this bacon flavor, that they _always_, when boiling string-beans, put a small piece of bacon in the pot, removing it before the beans are sent to table. with bacon and beans, serve up whole potatos boiled and peeled--and in the country, where cream is plenty, they boil some with butter, and pour it over the potatos, touching each one with pepper. broiled ham or bacon.--wash and trim a nice piece of bacon; soak it all night, or for several hours, in cold water. in the morning scald it with boiling water. let it lie till cool, then throw away the water, and scald it again. cut it into thin slices, very smooth and even; the rind being previously pared off. curl up the slices, rolling them round, and securing them with wooden skewers. broil them on a gridiron, or bake them in a dutch oven. if cut properly thin, they will cook in a quarter of an hour. they must not be allowed to burn or blacken. before you send them to table, take out the skewers. they may be cooked in flat slices, without curling, but they must be cut always very thin. slice some hard-boiled eggs, and lay them on the meat. season with black pepper. _cold_ boiled ham cooked as above, will require no soaking, and can be speedily prepared for a breakfast dish. lay sprigs of parsley on the ham. serve up with them mashed potatos made into balls, or thick flat cakes, and browned on the surface with a red-hot shovel. stewed ham.--cut some thin slices of cold boiled ham. season them slightly with pepper. no salt. lay them in a stew pan with plenty of green peas or lima beans, or else cauliflowers, or young summer cabbage, quartered, and the thick stalk omitted. add a piece of fresh butter, or _a very little lard_. put in just water enough to keep the things from burning. when the vegetables are quite done, add a beaten egg or two, and in five minutes, take up the stew and send it to table. stewed bacon.--take a small piece of bacon, not too fat or salt. it had best be soaked in cold water the night before. put it into a pot, with a large portion of string beans, each cut into three pieces, (not more,) or else some cabbage, or young cabbage sprouts. early in the spring, the young stalks of the pokeberry plant will be found excellent with stewed bacon. stew the bacon and vegetables in just water enough to cover them all; skimming frequently. drain all, through a cullender, when done. have a dish of boiled potatos also. a molasses indian pudding is a good conclusion to this homely dinner. prepared lard.--as soon as it is cut off from the newly killed pork, put the fat into a crock, or deep earthen pot. cover the crock with its own lid, and let it stand all night in a cool place. next day, cut it into small bits, (carefully removing all the fleshy particles of lean); and then put the fat into a _very clean_ pot, without either water or salt. the pot should not be more than half full of pork-fat. let it boil _slowly_, (stirring it frequently from the bottom, lest it burn,) till it becomes quite clear and transparent. then ladle it into clean pans. when almost cold, put it into stoneware jars, which must be closely covered, and kept in a cool place. if it is to go to a distance, tie it up in new bladders. there are two sorts of pork-fat for lard. the leaf-fat, which is best; and the fat that adheres to the entrails. these two fats should be boiled separately. the large entrails, whose skins are to be used for sausages, must be cleaned out carefully, well scraped, and thrown into strong salt and water for two days, (changing the brine the second day,) and afterwards into strong lye for twenty-four hours. lastly, wash them in fresh water. we think it much better to dispense with the skins altogether; keeping your sausage meat in jars, and frying it in cakes when wanted for use. its own fat (as it exudes) will cook it. never use bad butter when you can obtain good lard, for frying, and other purposes. venison. you may judge of the age of venison by looking at the hoof, which is always left on the leg. the deer is young if the cleft of the hoof is small and smooth; but large and rough, if he is old. buck venison is considered better than the meat of the doe. the haunch, or hind-quarter, is the best part, and the fat upon it should, be thick and white. the shoulder, or fore-quarter, is the next best piece. the saddle comprises both hind-quarters; and these, for a large company, are always cooked together. to eat venison in perfection, it should be killed when the deer can find plenty of fresh food in the forest, and when they have fattened on the abundance of wild berries, which they can obtain during the autumn. in winter, they are brought into the cities, lean, hard, dry, and black, and the meat infested all through with small threadlike white worms; showing that decomposition has commenced, and requiring the disguise of spices, wine, currant jelly, &c., to render it _eatable_, not _wholesome_, for every sort of food in the slightest degree tainted is utterly injurious to health, and cannot often be eaten with impunity. it never was very fashionable, in america, to eat spoiled victuals, and it is now less so than ever. fortunately, in our land of abundance, "we do not see the necessity". haunch of venison.--to prepare a haunch of venison for roasting (we will suppose it to be _perfectly_ good and well kept,) wipe it thoroughly all over with clean cloths, dipped in lukewarm water, and then go over it with clean dry cloths. trim off all unsightly parts. lay over the fat a large sheet of thick brown paper, well buttered, and securely tied on with twine. or else make a coarse paste of brown meal, and cover it with that. place it before a good steady fire, and let it roast from three to four hours, according to its size. after roasting well for three hours, remove the covering of paper or paste, and baste the meat well all over; first with dripping or butter, and then with its own gravy, dredging it very slightly with browned flour. skim the fat off the gravy, and send the venison to table plain, with sweet sauce of black currant jelly, or raspberry jam, in a glass dish with a spoon in it. venison steaks, broiled.--cut the steaks not quite an inch thick. trim them nicely, and season them with a little black pepper and salt. have ready, over a bed of clear bright hot coals from a wood fire, a gridiron with grooved bars to catch the gravy. put down the steaks, and when one side is quite done turn the other, and broil that. venison should always be very thoroughly done. before you take up the steaks, lay a bit of nice fresh butter upon each. take them up on a hot dish, and keep them warm. pour off the gravy into a small saucepan. give it a boil over the fire, and skim off all the fat from the surface. stir into it some nice wine, and serve up with the steaks a deep dish of cranberry, or peach sauce, or a large cup of grape jelly. stewed venison steaks.--take some fine steaks of _freshly killed_ venison. cut them from the upper part of the leg. make a forcemeat, or stuffing, with bread soaked in milk, mixed with fresh butter, with chopped sweet marjoram and sweet basil; or some boiled onions, minced small, and mixed with chopped sage, which may be boiled _with_ the onion, and seasoned with a very little salt and pepper. spread the stuffing thickly over the inside of the steaks. then roll them up, and tie them round with packthread, or secure them at the ends with wooden skewers. put the steaks into a stewpan with some fresh butter or lard, or some drippings that have been left of roast venison--the day before. let them stew (keeping the pan covered) till thoroughly done. then dish them with the gravy round them. serve up with them a sauce of stewed cranberries, or stewed dried peaches. you may stew lamb or mutton cutlets in the same manner, but do not use mutton dripping. water (a very small quantity) is best for them. veal cutlets may be stewed exactly like venison. hashed venison.--take the remains of cold roast venison, from which sufficient gravy or dripping has been saved to cook the meat again, without any water at all. it would be well if this were done in all hashes made from cold meat. for want of drippings, use butter or lard. cold meat stewed in water is weak and unpalatable. two or three large spoonfuls of mushroom, or tomato catchup, are improvements to all hashes. if nothing better can be obtained use onions, always previously boiled to render them less strong. minced sweet herbs are excellent seasoning for hashes. also minced tarragon leaves; they give a peculiar flavor that is very generally liked. fresh tarragon is in season in july, august, and september. french mustard (to be obtained at all the best grocery stores) is a great improvement to hashes and stews. stir in at the last, one or two large table-spoonfuls. the chief ingredient of french mustard is tarragon. a fine venison pie.--cut steaks from a loin or haunch of venison, which should be as freshly killed as you can get it. the strange and absurd prejudice in favor of hard black-looking venison, (that has been kept till the juices are all dried up,) is fast subsiding; and no one now eats any sort of food in which decomposition has commenced. those who have eaten venison fresh from the forest, when the deer have fattened on wild grapes, huckleberries, blackberries, cranberries, &c., will never again be able to relish such as is brought in wagon loads to the atlantic cities, and which has been kept till full of those fine threads that are in reality long thin whitish worms, and which are often seen in very old hams. having removed the bones and cut the meat into steaks, and seasoned it with salt and pepper, put the venison into a pot, with merely as much water as will cover it well. let it stew till perfectly tender, skimming it occasionally. then take it out, and set it to cool, saving the gravy in a bowl. make a nice puff paste; divide the paste into two equal portions, and roll it out rather thick. butter a deep dish, and line it with one of the sheets of paste, rolled thin at the bottom. then put in the stewed venison. season the gravy with a glass of _very good_ wine, (either port or sherry,) a few blades of mace, and a powdered nutmeg. stir into it the crumbled yolks of some hard-boiled eggs. pour the gravy over the meat, and put on the other sheet of paste, as the lid of the pie. bring the two edges close together, so as to unite evenly, and notch them handsomely. set it immediately into the oven, and bake it well. if a steady heat is kept up, it will be done in an hour. send it to table hot. instead of wine, you may put into the gravy half a pint of _black_ currant jelly, which, for venison, is thought preferable to red. either will do. any sort of game, partridges, pheasants, grouse, wild ducks, &c., may be made into a fine pie, exactly as above. very plain venison pie.--cut from the bone some good pieces of fine _fresh_ venison, season them slightly with salt and pepper, and put them into a pot with plenty of potatos, (either sweet or white,) split and quartered, and only as much water as will cover the whole. set it over the fire, cover it, and let it stew slowly and steadily, till all is tender, skimming it several times. meanwhile, make a nice paste of flour shortened with cold gravy, or drippings saved from roast venison, or of nice lard. allow half a pint of shortening to each quart of flour. put the flour into a pan, and rub the shortening into it as quickly as possible, adding a _very little_ cold water, to make it into a lump of paste. then roll it out into a sheet, and spread over it with a broad knife the remaining half of the shortening. dredge lightly with flour, fold it up, and roll it out in two sheets. with one of them line your pie-dish, and put into it the stewed venison and potatos. pour in the gravy of the stew. the filling of this pie should be piled high in the centre. lay on, as a lid, the other sheet of paste, which should be rather the largest. pare off smoothly the edges of the two crusts, and crimp them nicely. set the pie in the oven, and bake it well. it may be eaten either hot or cold, but is best hot. the above quantity of paste is only sufficient for a very small pie. for one of moderate size allow two quarts of flour, and a pound of shortening. venison pot-pie.--remove the bone from some fine venison steaks, cut near an inch thick. season them lightly with pepper and salt, and score them each in several places. stew them in a very little water till tender. have ready an ample portion of nice suet paste. if you cannot obtain beef suet use cold venison fat, minced fine and made into a paste with double its quantity in flour, and as little water as possible. lay some stewed venison at the bottom of the pot, and line the sides with paste almost up to the top. put in the meat, adding among it boiled sweet potatos cut into pieces, or (if they are to be had in plenty,) chestnuts, boiled and peeled. mushrooms will be a great improvement. onion also, (if liked,) boiled and cut up. intersperse the whole with square pieces of paste. fill the pot almost to the top with the meat and other ingredients. lay a thick paste over the whole, cut round to fit, but not too closely. pour in a pint of warm water to increase the gravy. make a cross slit in the middle of the upper crust. cook the pie till all is well done. serve it up with the brown crust in pieces, and laid on the top. this pie, if well made, and with plenty of paste, will be thought excellent whenever fresh venison is to be had. venison ham.--take fine freshly-killed venison. mix together an ounce of saltpetre, a pound of coarse brown sugar, and a pound of salt. let them be very thoroughly mixed and pounded. rub this well into the meat, and continue rubbing hard till it froths. keep the meat in the pickle for two weeks, turning it every day. then take it out, and roll it in saw-dust, (which, on no account, must be the saw-dust of any species of pine.) hang it for two weeks longer in the smoke of oak wood or of corn cobs. all hams, when being smoked, must be hung very high, and have the large end downwards. if hung too low, the heat softens or melts the fat. venison hams, if well cured, require no boiling. they are always eaten chipped or shaved like smoked beef, to which they are very superior. it may be stewed in a skillet with fresh butter and beaten egg, and cut into thin shavings, or very thin small slices--or, instead of butter, with the drippings of cold roast venison. season with pepper only. rabbits.--rabbits should be young and tender, but full-grown and fat. two are required to make a dish. one rabbit, except for an invalid, is scarcely worth the trouble of cooking; and, being naturally insipid, it must have certain seasoning to make it taste well. the hare, so much prized in england, owes its reputation entirely to their mode of dressing it, which is troublesome, expensive, and in our country would never become popular, unless the animal had in itself more to recommend it. with all that can be done for a hare, it is, when cooked, black, dry, hard; and if it has been kept long enough to acquire what they call the "true game flavor," so much the worse. a fine fat well-fed tame rabbit is much better. in virginia, the negroes frequently call a large rabbit "a hare"--or rather "a yar;" and though they know it to be young, they generally term it "that old yar." we opine that _with them_ "yars" are not admired. if a rabbit is really old his ears are tough, and his claws blunt and rough with coarse hairs growing between them. a young rabbit has short sharp claws, and ears so tender that on trying you can easily tear them. rabbits should be cooked the day they are killed. always cut off the head. a rabbit dished whole, with its head on, is, to most persons, a disgusting sight. the head of no small animal is worth eating, and always looks disagreeable when cooked. the livers of rabbits should be added to the gravy. roasted rabbits.--take a pair of fine well-fed young rabbits, and having drawn or emptied them, lay them, for about ten minutes, in a pan of warm water. then dry them inside with a clean cloth, carefully wiping them out. truss them short, and neatly, having removed the heads. line the inside with very thin slices of fat bacon that has had most of the salt soaked out. make a plentiful stuffing or forcemeat of bread steeped in milk, some fresh butter mixed with a very little flour; or, instead of butter, some beef suet finely minced; some chopped sweet herbs; and some crumbled yolks of hard-boiled eggs. season with mace and nutmeg, and grated lemon rind. fill the rabbits well with this--or, you may stuff them entirely with boiled potatos, mashed with plenty of nice butter, or the drippings of roast veal or pork. or (if liked) you may make the stuffing entirely of minced onion, (previously boiled,) and minced sage leaves, moistened with a very little lard or sweet oil, and seasoned with powdered mace, nutmeg, and pepper. having put in plenty of stuffing, sew up the bodies of the rabbits, flour them well, and put them on the spit and set them before a clear fire. baste them with milk, or with fresh butter, tied up in thin muslin. they will be done in an hour or more. thicken the gravy with flour, and pour it over them in the dish. roasted rabbits make a good second dish at a small dinner. take the livers of the rabbits, and chop them, to put into the gravy. rabbits with onions.--peel, boil, and slice six (or more) large onions, and season them with nutmeg, and a very little cayenne. cover them, and set them aside till wanted. cut two fine rabbits into pieces, and fry them in fresh butter or lard. when browned, and nearly done, cover them with the sliced onions, and brown _them_, having laid among them some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour. dish the rabbits, with the pieces entirely hidden under the onions. a plainer, and not so good a way, is to put the pieces of rabbit, and the sliced onions, into a stew-pan with a little water, and stew the whole together. rabbit pot-pie.--cut up the rabbits, and stew them in a little water. when nearly done, put the pieces into a pot and intersperse them with bits of cold ham. add the gravy left from the stew. season with pepper and mace. have ready sufficient paste, (made with minced suet, and rather more than twice its quantity of flour.) there must be enough of paste to line the sides of the pot all round, nearly up to the top, and enough to make a thick lid, besides having plenty of extra pieces to lay among the other contents. also have ready a few onions boiled and sliced. cover the pie with the lid of paste, not fitting very closely. make a cross slit in the top, and pour in a little water. when done, serve all up on one large dish. this pie will be much improved by stewing with the rabbits a fresh beef steak. a beef steak in any pot-pie thickens and enriches the gravy. pulled rabbits.--boil, very tender, a fine pair of nice young rabbits. when cold, cut them in pieces as for carving, and peel off the skin. then with a fork pull all the meat from the bones, first loosening it with a knife. put it into a stew-pan with plenty of cream, or some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour; some minced sweet herbs, some grated fresh lemon rind, and some hard-boiled yolks of eggs crumbled. season with cayenne and nutmeg. cover it, and let it simmer till it comes to a boil. then immediately take it off the fire, and transfer it to a deep dish. serve it up hot. this is a side dish at dinner. fricasseed rabbits.--cut up the rabbits as for carving, and go over every piece with lard or sweet oil. lay them in a frying pan, and fry them in nice fresh butter. if you cannot procure this, use lard. season them with a very little salt and cayenne, dredge them well with flour, and sprinkle them thickly with parsley, or sweet marjoram. when they are fried brown, take them up. keep them warm in a heated dish with a cover. skim the gravy that remains in the pan, and add to it some cream, or rich milk thickened with flour, enriched with the beaten yolk of an egg, and flavored with nutmeg. rabbits may be cut up, and fried in batter made of bread-crumbs and beaten egg. dip every piece of rabbit twice into the batter. a coated hare, or large rabbit.--the hare, or rabbit, should be large and fat. save the liver and heart to assist in the gravy, which ought to be made of some pieces of the lean of good fresh beef, seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, stewed in a small sauce-pan, till all the essence is extracted, adding the chopped liver and heart, and a bit of fresh butter, rolled in flour. cold fresh meat, or meat that has to be recooked, is unfit for gravy, and so it is for soup. line the inside of the hare with small thin slices of fat ham, or bacon, and then fill the cavity with a stuffing made of grated bread-crumbs, the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon, or orange, a piece of fresh butter, some minced sweet marjoram, and the crumbled yolk of one or two hard-boiled eggs. season the stuffing with a little pepper and salt, and some powdered nutmeg and mace. fill the body of the hare with this mixture, and sew it up, to keep in the stuffing. spit the hare, and roast it well, keeping it for a while at a moderate distance from the fire. to baste it, while roasting, make a dressing of the beaten yolks of four eggs, four spoonfuls of flour, a pint of milk, and three table-spoonfuls of salad oil, all well-beaten together. baste the hare with this till it is thickly coated all over with the batter, taking care it does not burn. send the gravy to table in a sauce-boat, accompanied by currant, or cranberry jelly. a very young fawn, or a kid, may be drest in a similar manner. kids are not eaten after three months old. till that age their meat is white and delicate. their flesh, _after_ that time, gradually becomes coarse and dark-colored. a very young kid, before it is weaned, is very delicious; but no longer. in the oriental countries, young kids are stuffed with chopped raisins and almonds, or pistachio nuts, previous to roasting; and basted with rich milk, or cream. for sauce to a kid or fawn, use orange marmalade, or grape jelly. poultry and game. spring chickens bring a high price, and are considered delicacies, but they are so insipid, and have so little on them, that we think the purchase of them, when very young, a mere fashionable extravagance, and a waste of money that might be better employed in something that had really a fine flavor, and that when divided was more than a morsel for each person. we wonder that any but invalids should care for spring chickens. it is better to wait till the young chickens grow into nice plump fowls, that were well fed, and have lived long enough to show it. a fine full-grown young fowl, has a clear white skin, that tears easily when tried with a pin. it has a broad fleshy breast, the legs are smooth, and the toes easily broken when bent back. fowls with whitish legs are considered the best for boiling; those with dark legs the best for roasting. the finest of all fowls are capons. they grow very large and fat, and yet are as tender as young chickens, have a fine delicate rich flavor of their own, and are well worth their cost. the great bucks county fowls are profitable because they are large; but they are never very plenty in market, being difficult to raise. the best poultry feels heavy in proportion to its size. hen turkeys are best for boiling. ducks and geese (particularly the latter) are so tough when old, that it is often impossible to eat them; therefore buy none that are not young. geese are generally kept alive too long, for the sake of their feathers, which they always shed in august, and for which there is always a demand. and geese are not expensive to keep, as in summer they feed on grass, and will graze in a field like sheep. the feet and legs of an old goose are red and hard. so is her bill. the skin is rough, coarse, and tough, and full of hairs. let nothing induce you to buy an old goose. you would find it too tough to carve, and too tough to eat. and no cooking can make her tender. poultry should be drawn, or emptied (taking care not to break the gall) as soon almost as killed. then let it be well washed, inside and out, and wiped dry. in picking it, carefully remove every plug or vestige of feathers, and singe off the hairs, by holding the bird to the fire, with a lighted piece of writing paper. brown paper will give it something of an unpleasant taste. newspaper is worse, on account of the printing-ink. if poultry is brought from market frozen, you need not hasten to thaw it, before it is actually wanted for use. till then, put it in a cold place, and let it remain frozen. it will keep the better. when you thaw it, by all means use only _cold_ water. any frozen poultry, or meat, thawed in warm water, will most certainly spoil. let it be remembered that any food which has been frozen requires a much longer time to cook. boiled turkey.--for boiling, choose a fine fat hen turkey. in drawing it, be careful not to break the gall, or a bitter taste will be communicated to the whole bird. in picking, remove every plug and hair, and then singe it with _writing-paper_. wash it very clean, and then wipe it dry, inside and out. in trussing, draw the legs into the body, having cut them off at the first joint. let the turkey look as round and plump as possible. fill the breast with a very nice forcemeat, or stuffing, made of a quarter of a pound of grated bread-crumbs, mixed with two large table-spoonfuls or two ounces of fresh butter, or finely minced suet, seasoned with a little pepper and salt, a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and mace mixed together, a table-spoonful of sweet herbs[c] (sweet basil and sweet marjoram) chopped small if green, and powdered if dry; and the crumbled yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. add the grated yellow rind, and the juice of a fresh lemon, and mix the whole very well. skewer the liver and gizzard under the pinions, having first cut open the gizzard and cleared it of sand or gravel. [c] the herbs summer savory and thyme (like the spices cloves and allspice) are now seldom used in good cookery. it is no longer customary to mix stuffing or forcemeat with beaten raw egg for the purpose of binding the ingredients together. leave them loose, without this binding, and the forcemeat will be much lighter, better flavored, and more abundant. it will not fall out if a packthread, or very _small_ twine is wound carefully round the body, (to be removed before serving up,) and it may be secured by sewing it with a needle and thread. put the turkey into a large pot with plenty of cold water, and boil it gently, for two hours or more, in proportion to its size; carefully removing all the scum as it rises. it will be whiter if boiled in a large clean cloth, or in a coarse paste, (the paste to be thrown away afterwards,) and take care that it is thoroughly done. serve up boiled turkey with oyster sauce, celery sauce, or cauliflower sauce. sweet sauce is rarely eaten with boiled things--unless with puddings. boiled turkey should be accompanied by a ham or tongue. to ascertain if boiled poultry is done, try the thickest parts with a large needle. if the needle goes through, and in and out easily, it is sufficient. a turkey (boiled or roast) for a family dish, may be stuffed with nice sausage meat, in which case it requires no other stuffing. surround it on a dish with fried sausage cakes, about the size of a dollar, but near an inch thick. it is very convenient to keep always in the house, during the winter months, one or two large jars of nice home-made sausage-meat, well covered. the best time for making sausage-meat is in november. after march, sausages are seldom eaten. oyster turkey.--(_french dish._)--prepare a fine young hen turkey, for boiling; skewering the liver and gizzard under the pinions. fill the body well with fine large fresh oysters, having removed their hard part or gristle. add to the oysters a tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and mace, and a tea-spoonful of celery seed or minced celery, and a piece of fresh butter dredged with flour. with this, stuff the turkey very full; securing the stuffing with packthread. put the turkey into a large block-tin kettle, and let it stew in the oyster liquor only, without any water. strain the oyster liquor before you put it in. set the kettle into an outer kettle full of boiling water. this will cook the turkey very nicely. for such purposes, nothing is so convenient as the utensil called in french a _bain marie_, (pronounced _bine marée_.) this is a permanent double kettle with two covers, and a large tube or spout outside, for pouring in fresh hot water, without opening the lid and letting out the steam. they are to be had of all sizes at the furnishing stores in new york and philadelphia, and are so excellent for stewing without water, that no family should be without them. when the turkey is well boiled and quite done, keep it warm by wrapping it closely in a cloth, putting a dish cover over it, and placing it near the fire. a fine oyster gravy will be found in the kettle. add to it some fresh butter, dredged with flour, and some mace and nutmeg, and some celery seed. give it one boil up, and send it to table as sauce for the turkey. this is a very nice way of cooking a small turkey. a pair of oyster chickens may be thus prepared, and stewed in the above manner in a _bain marie_, or double kettle. roast turkey.--take a fine large turkey, full-grown and fat, draw and singe him carefully, saving the giblets (neck, heart, gizzard, and liver,) for the gravy. after he is drawn, wash the inside well, wipe it dry, and sprinkle it with black pepper. make a large quantity of stuffing or forcemeat. it increases his apparent size, and besides is generally liked. mince small some cold boiled ham, in equal portions of fat and lean: grated lemon rind, minced sweet herbs, fresh butter, or finely minced suet. add plenty of grated bread-crumbs or crumbled rusk; also, hard-boiled yolk of egg crumbled. moisten the mixture with lemon juice and some good white wine. stuff the turkey well with this forcemeat, sewing it up, or winding a small cord round the body to secure the filling. roast it before a clear and substantial fire, basting it well with fresh butter. when done, take it up and keep it hot. cut up the giblets and put them into a small sauce-pan, with a very little water, and stew them while the turkey is roasting; adding a piece of fresh butter dredged with flour. when done, remove the pieces of neck, &c., retaining those of the heart, liver, and gizzard. stir into the gravy, after it comes from the fire, the yolk of a beaten egg. having skimmed the gravy in the dripping-pan, add it to the gravy that has been made of the giblets, and send it to table in a sauce-boat. accompany the turkey with an oval dish, or tureen of cranberry sauce, made very sweet. a roast turkey may be stuffed with oysters, or with chestnuts boiled, peeled, and mashed with butter. if with chestnuts, thicken the gravy with whole boiled chestnuts. if with oysters, send oyster-sauce to table with the turkey. if chestnuts cannot be obtained, any roasted poultry is good stuffed with well-boiled sweet potatos, mashed with plenty of butter or meat drippings. the legs of turkeys are never helped to any one at table. they are always sent away on the dish. a boned turkey.--for this purpose you must have a fine, large, tender turkey; and after it is drawn, and washed, and wiped dry, lay it on a clean table, and take a very sharp knife, with a narrow blade and point. begin at the neck; then go round to the shoulders and wings, and carefully separate the flesh from the bone, scraping it down as you proceed. next loosen the flesh from the breast, and back, and body; and then from the thighs. it requires care and patience to do it nicely, and to avoid tearing or breaking the skin. the knife should always penetrate quite to the bone; scraping loose the flesh rather than cutting it. when all the flesh has been completely loosened, take the turkey by the neck, give it a pull, and the whole skeleton will come out entirely from the flesh, as easily as you draw your hand out of a glove. the flesh will then fall down, a flat and shapeless mass. with a small needle and thread, carefully sew up any holes that have accidentally been torn in the skin. have ready a large quantity of stuffing, made as follows:--take three sixpenny loaves of stale bread; grate the crumb; and put the crust in water to soak. when quite soft, break them up small into the pan of grated bread-crumbs, and mix in a pound of fresh butter, cut into little pieces. take two large bunches of sweet marjoram; the same of sweet basil; and one bunch of parsley. mince the parsley very fine, and rub to a powder the leaves of the marjoram and basil. you should have two large heaping table-spoonfuls of each. chop, also, two very small onions or shalots, and mix them with the herbs. pound to powder a quarter of an ounce of mace; and two large nutmegs. mix the spices together, and add a tea-spoonful of salt, and a tea-spoonful of ground black pepper. then mix the herbs, spices, &c., thoroughly into the bread-crumbs, and add, by degrees, four hard-boiled eggs crumbled fine. take up a handful of this filling; squeeze it hard, and proceed to stuff the turkey with it--beginning at the wings; next do the body; and then the thighs. stuff it very hard; and, as you proceed, form the turkey into its natural shape, by filling out, properly, the wings, breast, body, &c. when all the stuffing is in, sew up the body and skewer the turkey into the usual shape in which they are trussed; so that, if skillfully done, it will look almost as if it had not been boned. tie it round with tape, and bake it three hours or more; basting it occasionally with fresh butter. make a gravy of the giblets, chopped, and stewed slowly in a little water. when done, add to it the gravy that is in the dish about the turkey, (having first skimmed off the fat,) and enrich it with a glass of white wine, and two beaten yolks of eggs, stirred in just before you take it from the fire. if the turkey is to be eaten cold at the supper-table, drop table-spoonfuls of currant or cranberry jelly all over it at small distances, and in the dish round it. a very handsome way of serving it up cold is, after making a sufficiency of nice clear calves'-foot jelly, (seasoned, as usual, with wine, lemon, cinnamon, &c.,) to lay the turkey in the dish in which it is to go to table, and setting it under the jelly-bag, let the jelly drip upon it, so as to form a transparent coating all over it; smoothing the jelly evenly with the back of a spoon, as it congeals on the turkey. apple jelly may be substituted. large fowls may be boned and stuffed in the above manner: also, a young roasting pig. roast goose.--a goose for roasting should be young, tender, and fat; so tender, that the skin can easily be torn by a pin; the bill and legs smooth and of a light yellow color, and the toes breaking when bent under. if the skin is thick and tough, and the bill and legs a dark reddish yellow, rough and hairy, do not buy the goose. it is old, and no cooking can make it eatable. a goose, from its profusion of feathers, looks like a large bird when walking about; but when plucked and prepared for the spit, it will be found very deceptive. it is much more hollow than a turkey; and, except the breast, there is but little eating on it. in large families it is usual to have a pair of roast geese, one not being sufficient. geese are not good except for roasting, or in a pie. in preparing a goose for cooking, save the giblets for the gravy. after the goose has been drawn, singed well, washed and wiped, inside and out; trussed so as to look round and short; make a quantity of stuffing, (as its hollow body will require a great deal.) for this purpose, parboil two good sized onions, and a large bunch of green sage. mince both the sage and onions, seasoning them with a small salt-spoon of salt, half as much black pepper, and still less cayenne. add a hard-boiled egg finely minced (yolk and white;) the chopped egg giving a nice smoothness to the sage and onion. if your goose is large, take two chopped eggs. to make the stuffing very mild, (if preferred so,) add a handful of finely grated bread-crumbs; or two or three fine juicy chopped apples. fill the body and craw with this stuffing, and secure it with a needle and thread from falling out. set the goose before a clear, steady fire--having a little warm water in the dripping-pan to baste it till the gravy begins to fall. keep it well basted all the time it is roasting. it must be thoroughly done all through. roast it according to its size, from an hour and a half to two hours or more. boil the giblets in a sauce-pan by themselves, seasoned with a little salt and pepper, and having among them a bit of butter dredged with flour. when done, remove the neck, and retain the heart, liver, and gizzard, cut into pieces, and served in the gravy, which should be well skimmed. also, skim carefully the fat off the gravy in the bottom of the dripping-pan. put the two gravies together, and serve them up in a gravy tureen. to eat with the goose, have plenty of apple-sauce, made of fine juicy apples, stewed very dry, well sweetened, and flavored with the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon; or with some rose-water and nutmeg stirred in after the sauce is taken from the fire. rose-water evaporates in cooking, and should never boil or be kept on the fire. a _bain marie_, or double kettle, is excellent for stewing fruit; putting the fruit inside, and the water outside. for a family dinner a goose is very good stuffed with well-boiled potatos, mashed smooth, with plenty of fresh butter or gravy. sweet potatos make an excellent stuffing. so do boiled chestnuts, mashed with butter or gravy. goose pie.--the old fashioned goose pie made with a standing crust, (the flour being mixed with boiling water, and therefore unfit for eating,) is now obsolete. they were generally sent as christmas presents. besides the goose, they contained chickens, pigeons, (all boned,) and various other things. they had standing sides like an oval wall, covered with a lid of the same paste, having, on the top, a knob, by which to lift off. these pies were expected to remain good a week; but generally the gravy became sour in a few days, even in winter, and however carefully kept from the air. the following is a receipt to make a fine goose pie for immediate use, and with a nice eatable paste. take a fine plump young goose, and parboil it, (in as little water as will cover it,) saving the gravy. having removed the skin, cut all the flesh from the bones. make a nice light short paste, allowing a large half pound of fresh butter to each quart of flour. for a goose pie you will require two quarts of flour and one pound of butter. line a deep pie-dish with one sheet of paste, reserving the other sheet for the lid, which should be rolled out thick. put in the pieces of goose, seasoned with pepper only, interspersing among it the best part of a smoked tongue, cut in thick round slices. make a nice forcemeat into balls, about the size of a hickory nut, and add them to the filling of the pie; and some chestnuts boiled and peeled; or some round slices of boiled sweet potato. having made a gravy of the giblets stewed, pour that over the other ingredients, filling the pie well, and heaping it high in the middle. add a few bits of fresh butter dredged in flour. pour in the gravy, and lay on the top the lid of the pie rolled out thick, ornamenting the edges handsomely. cut a cross slit in the top, and fit into it a flower, or tulip cut out of paste. this pie is for dinner company, and to be eaten warm. you may make a similar pie of a pair of fine ducks, either tame or wild. canvas-backs and red necks are excellent for this purpose. to eat with it, have mashed potato, browned all over with a salamander. on the shores of our southern rivers, where canvas-backs and other fine wild ducks are abundant, a pie affords an agreeable variety to the usual modes of cooking them. a giblet pie.--clean, very nicely, the giblets of two geese or four ducks. put them into a stew-pan, with a sliced onion; a bunch of tarragon, or sweet marjoram and sage; half a dozen pepper-corns; and four or five blades of mace. add a very little water; cover the pan closely, and let them stew till the giblets are tender. then take them out, and save all the gravy; having strained it from the seasoning articles. make a rich paste, and roll it out into two sheets. with one sheet cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish. put in the giblets--mixing among them a few raw potatos sliced very thin, the chopped yolks of some hard-boiled eggs, and some bits of butter rolled in flour. pour the gravy over the giblets, &c. cover the pie with the other sheet of paste, and notch the edges. bake it brown, and send it to table hot. a pigeon pie may be made in a similar manner: also, a rabbit pie. roast ducks.--take a pair of fine fat ducks, and having prepared them nicely for the spit, put them, for a few minutes, into boiling water to loosen the skin, which must be peeled entirely off, to have them very nice and tender. wash their insides by pouring water through them, and wipe the outside all over with a dry cloth. fill the body and craw of one duck with a seasoning of sage and onion, as for a goose. in case some of the company should have a dislike to onion, fill the other duck with a forcemeat of bread-crumbs, sweet herbs, &c., as for turkey. place them before a quick fire, but not so near as to scorch. roast them well, basting them all the time. skim the fat off, and pour over the ducks their own gravy, mixed with what has been made of the necks, livers, hearts, and gizzards, stewed in a small sauce-pan with some butter dredged with flour. send to table with the ducks either cranberry or apple sauce, made thick and sweet. let them be thoroughly roasted, which will require from an hour to an hour and a quarter. wild ducks.--to remove the fishy or sedgy taste so often found in wild ducks, parboil them with a large carrot, cut in pieces, and placed in the body of each. when the ducks are half boiled, take out the carrot and throw it away. it will have imbibed all the unpleasant taste, and taken it away from the ducks. then cook them as you please. boiled duck.--prepare for cooking a fine plump tame duck, and lay it five or six minutes in warm water. then put it into a clean large bowl or deep dish, and pour over it a pint of rich boiling milk, in which has been melted two table-spoonfuls of nice fresh butter. let the duck soak in the milk three hours, or till it has absorbed nearly all the liquid. next, dredge the duck well with flour. boil it in cold water for half an hour, till tender all through. have ready a quantity of onion sauce made with milk and butter, and flavored with powdered mace or nutmeg. cover the duck all over with the onion sauce, so as to smother it entirely. then send it to table hot. this is a french dish, (_canard bouilli_.) ducks and peas.--stuff a fine plump pair of ducks with potato stuffing, made of boiled potatos mashed very smooth with fresh butter; or, if for company, make a fine forcemeat stuffing, as for a turkey. bake the ducks in an iron oven or bake-pan; and when nearly done, put in with them a quart of very young green peas, and a few bits of fresh butter, seasoning slightly with black pepper. when the peas and ducks are all quite done, serve them all up on one large dish. fricasseed ducks.--half roast a pair of ducks. then cut them apart, as for carving. if they are _wild_ ducks, parboil them with a large carrot (cut to pieces) inside of each, to draw out the fishy or sedgy taste. having thrown away the carrot, cut the ducks into pieces, as for carving. put them into a clean stew-pan, and season them with pepper and salt. mix in a deep dish a very small onion minced fine, a table-spoonful of minced or powdered tarragon leaves, (for which you may substitute sage and sweet marjoram, if you cannot procure tarragon,) and two or three large tomatos, scalded, peeled, and quartered, or two large table-spoonfuls of thick tomato catchup. put in, also, two table-spoonfuls of fresh butter rolled in grated bread-crumbs, and a glass of port wine, claret, or brandy, with a small tea-spoonful of powdered mace. cover the pieces of duck with this mixture, and then add barely as much water as will keep the whole from burning. cover the pan closely, and let the fricassee stew slowly for an hour, or till the duck, &c., are thoroughly done. venison or lamb cutlets may be fricasseed in this manner. likewise, tame fat pigeons, which must previously be split in two. this, also, is a very nice way of dressing hares or rabbits. to roast canvas-back ducks.--having trussed the ducks, put into each a thick piece of soft bread that has been soaked in port wine. place them before a quick fire and roast them from three quarters to an hour. before they go to table, squeeze over each the juice of a lemon or orange, and serve them up very hot with their own gravy about them. eat them with currant jelly. have ready also, a gravy made by stewing slowly in a sauce-pan the giblets of the ducks in butter rolled in flour, and as little water as possible. serve up this additional gravy in a boat. canvas-back ducks dressed plain.--truss the ducks without washing, but wipe them inside and out with a clean dry cloth. roast them before a rather quick fire for half an hour. then send them to table hot, upon a large dish placed on a heater. there must also be heaters under each plate, and currant jelly on both sides of the table, to mix with the gravy, on your plate; claret or port wine also, for those who prefer it as an improvement to the gravy. to stew canvas-back ducks.--put the giblets into a sauce-pan with a very little water, and a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a very little salt and cayenne. let them stew gently to make a gravy, keeping the sauce-pan covered. in the mean time, half roast the ducks, saving the gravy that falls from them. then cut them up, put them into a large stew-pan, with the gravy (having first skimmed off the fat,) and merely water enough to keep them from burning. set the pan over a moderate fire, and let them stew gently till done. towards the last, (having removed the giblets) pour over the ducks the gravy from the small sauce-pan, and stir in a large glass of port wine, and a glass of currant jelly. send them to table as hot as possible. any ducks may be stewed as above. the common wild duck, teal, &c., should always be parboiled with a large carrot in the body to extract the fishy or sedgy taste. on tasting this carrot before it is thrown away, it will be found to have imbibed strongly that disagreeable flavor. broiled canvas-back ducks.--to eat these ducks with their flavor and juices in perfection, they should be cooked immediately after killing. if shot early in the morning, they will be found delicious, if broiled for breakfast. if killed in the forenoon, let them be on that day's dinner table. when they can be obtained quite fresh they want nothing to improve the flavor. neither do red-necks, or the other water fowl that are found in such abundance on the shores of the chesapeake. as soon as the ducks have been plucked, singed, drawn, and washed, split them down the back, (their heads, necks, and legs having been cut off,) rub with chalk the bars of a very clean gridiron, and set it over a bed of bright lively wood-coals. this gridiron (and all others) should have grooved bars, so as to save as much of the gravy as possible. broil the ducks well and thoroughly, turning them on both sides. they will generally be done in half an hour. dish them in their own gravy. the flesh should have no redness about it when dished. to half broil them on the gridiron, and to finish the cooking on a hot plate, set over a heater on the table, renders the ducks tough, and deadens the natural taste, for which no made-up sauce can atone. you may lay a few bits of nice butter on them after they are dished. terrapin ducks.--take a fine large plump duck. cut it in small pieces, and stew it in merely as much water as will cover it well, and keep it from burning. let it stew gently, and skim it well. when it is done take it out, and cut all the meat off the bones in little bits. return the meat to the stew-pan, and lay it in its own gravy. add the yolks of half a dozen hard-boiled eggs, and make them into little balls with beaten white of egg, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter divided into eight bits, each bit dredged with flour, the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon or orange, and a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered mace and nutmeg. let it stew or simmer gently till it comes to a boil, keeping it covered. when it has boiled, stir in while hot two beaten yolks of raw egg, and two large wine glasses of sherry or madeira. set it over the fire again for two or three minutes, keeping it covered. then serve it up in a deep dish with a cover. for company, you must have two ducks, and a double portion of all the above ingredients. roast fowls.--stuff two fowls with a nice forcemeat, made in the best manner, or with good sausage meat, if in haste. another nice stuffing for roast fowls is boiled chestnuts, stewed in butter, or in nice drippings. mushrooms cut up and stewed in a very little butter, make a fine stuffing for roasted fowls. secure the stuffing from falling out by winding a twine or tape round the body of the fowl, or sewing it. roast the fowls before a very clear fire, basting them with butter. when the fowls are done, set them away to be kept warm, while you finish the gravy, having saved the heart, gizzard, and liver, to enrich it. skim it well from the fat and thicken it with a very little browned flour. send it to table in a sauce-boat. serve up with roast fowls, dried peach sauce, or cranberry. make all fruit sauces very thick and sweet. if watery and sour, they seem poor and mean. full-grown fowls require, (at least,) an hour for roasting. if very large, from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half. nothing can be done with old tough fowls but to boil them in soup, till they are reduced to rags. the soup, of course, should be made chiefly of meat. the fowls will add nothing to its flavor but something to its consistence. capons are cooked in the same manner as other fowls. they are well worth their cost. boiled fowls.--take a fine plump pair of young (but full-grown) fowls, and prepare them for boiling. those with white or light yellow legs are considered the best. make a nice forcemeat stuffing, and fill their bodies with it, and fasten the livers and gizzards under the pinions. for boiled poultry they are not wanted in the gravy. having trussed the fowls, and picked and singed them carefully, put them into a large pot containing equal quantities of boiling water and cold water. this will make it lukewarm. let them boil steadily for an hour after the simmering has commenced, carefully removing the scum. serve them up with egg sauce, celery sauce, parsley sauce, or oyster sauce--or, with cauliflower or broccoli sauce. for boiled fowls, you may make a nice stuffing of fresh oysters, cut in small pieces, but not minced. omit the gristle. mix them with an equal portion of hard-boiled eggs chopped, but not minced fine. add plenty of grated bread-crumbs, and season with powdered mace. mix in, also, some bits of fresh butter. where onions are liked, you may substitute for the oysters some onions boiled and minced. fowls boil very nicely in a _bain marie_, or double kettle, with the water outside. they require a longer time, but are excellent when done. to quicken the boiling of a double kettle, put a handful of salt in the outside water. small chickens, of course, require a shorter time to cook. pulled fowl.--this is a side dish for company. select a fine tender fowl, young, fat, full-grown, and of a large kind. when quite done take it out of the pot, cover it, and set it away till wanted. then, with a fork, pull off in flakes all the flesh, (first removing the skin,) and with a chopper break all the bones, and put them into a stew-pan, adding two calves' feet split, and the hock of a cold ham, a small bunch of parsley and sweet marjoram, and a quart of water. let it boil gently till reduced to a pint. then take it out. have ready, in another stew-pan, the bits of pulled fowl. strain the liquor from the bones, &c., over the fowl, and add a piece of fresh butter, (the size of a small egg,) rolled in flour, and a tea-spoonful of powdered mace and nutmeg, mixed. mix the whole together, and let the pulled fowl stew in gravy for ten minutes. serve it hot. a turkey may be cooked in this manner, and will make a fine dish. for a turkey allow four calves' feet. fried chickens.--cut up a pair of nice young fowls, flatten and quarter them, and season them with cayenne and powdered mace, rubbing it in well. put some lard into a heated frying pan over the fire, or if you have plenty of nice fresh butter use that in preference. when the lard or butter boils, and has been skimmed, put in the pieces of chicken, and fry them brown on one side. then turn them, and sprinkle them thickly all over with chopped parsley, or sweet marjoram, and fry them brown on the other side. you may fry with them a few thin slices of cold ham. before serving them up drain off the lard you have used for frying. when there is no dislike to onions, they may be fried nicely with boiled onions cut in rings, and laid over the pieces of chicken. broiled chickens.--these are very dry and tasteless if merely split and broiled plain, which is the usual way. it seems to be supposed by many that no chicken is too poor for broiling, and therefore it is often difficult to get more than two or three small mouthfuls of flesh off their bones. on the contrary, poor chickens are not worth broiling or cooking in any way. to have broiled chickens good, choose those that are fat and fleshy. having cleaned them well, and washed them, and wiped them dry, split and divide them into four quarters; flattening the bones with a steak mallet. they will be much improved by stewing or boiling in a little water for ten minutes. then draining them and saving the liquor for gravy. boil in this the neck, feet, heart, gizzard and liver. strain it after boiling, and save the liver to mash into the gravy. season the gravy with grated carrot and minced parsley, or sweet marjoram, and a little cayenne, adding a small piece of fresh butter dredged in flour. have ready plenty of fine bread-crumbs, seasoned with nutmeg, and in another pan four yolks of eggs well beaten. the quarters of the chickens having become quite cold, dip each one first into the egg, and then into the crumbs. set the gridiron over a clear fire, and broil the chicken well, first laying down the inside. having prepared the gravy as above, give it a short boil, then send it to table in a sauce-boat with the chickens. the excellence of chickens broiled in this way amply repays the trouble. this is a breakfast dish. serve up with the broiled chicken a dish of mashed potato cakes, browned with a salamander or red-hot shovel. fricasseed chicken.--have ready a pair of fine plump full-grown fowls nicely prepared for cooking. strip off all the skin, and carve the fowls neatly. reserve all the white meat and best pieces for the fricassee, putting them in a dish by themselves, and save all the inferior pieces or black meat to make the gravy. season with pepper and salt slightly, and add a bunch of sweet herbs cut small, and four small bits of fresh butter dredged with flour. put the black meat, herbs, &c., into a stew-pan. pour in a pint and a half of water, and stew it gently, skimming off every particle of fat. when reduced to less than one half, strain the gravy. arrange the pieces of white meat in a very clean stew-pan, and pour over them the gravy of the inferior parts; add mace, nutmeg, and a little cayenne. mix into half a pint of boiling cream, a large tea-spoonful of arrow-root, and shake the pan briskly round, while adding the beaten yolks of two fresh eggs, mixed with more cream, (two table-spoonfuls.) shake it gently over the fire till it begins to simmer again, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle in an instant. watch it carefully. this is a fine side-dish for company. there is no better way of fricasseeing fowls. a fricassee is not a fry, but a stew. accompany this fricassee with a dish of asparagus tops, green peas, or lima beans. also, mashed potatos. chickens stewed whole.--having trussed a pair of fine fat young fowls or chickens, (with the liver under one wing, and the gizzard under the other,) fill the inside with large oysters, secured from falling out by fastening tape round the bodies of the fowls. put them into a tin butter kettle with a close cover. set the kettle into a larger pot or saucepan of boiling water, (which must not reach quite to the top of the kettle,) and place it over the fire. keep it boiling till the fowls are well done, which they should be in about an hour after they begin to simmer. occasionally take off the lid to remove the scum, and be sure to put it on again closely. as the water in the outside pot boils away, replenish it with more _hot_ water from a tea-kettle that is kept boiling hard. when the fowls are stewed quite tender, remove them from the fire; take from them all the gravy that is about them, and put it into a small sauce-pan, covering closely the kettle in which they were stewed, and leaving the fowls in it to keep warm. then add to the gravy two table-spoonfuls of butter rolled in flour, two table-spoonfuls of chopped oysters, the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs minced fine, half a grated nutmeg, four blades of mace, and a small tea-cup of cream. boil this gravy about five minutes. put the fowls on a dish and send them to table, accompanied by the gravy in a sauce-boat. this is an excellent way of cooking chickens. they do well in large _bain marie_. fowl and oysters.--take a fine fat young fowl, and having trussed it for boiling, fill the body and craw with oysters, seasoned with a few blades of mace, tying it round with twine to keep them in. put the fowl into a tall strait-sided jar, and cover it closely. then place the jar in a kettle of water, set it over the fire, and let it boil at least an hour and a half after the water has come to a hard boil. when it is done take out the fowl, and keep it hot while you prepare the gravy, of which you will find a quantity in the jar. transfer this gravy to a saucepan, enrich it with the beaten yolks of two eggs mixed with three table-spoonfuls of cream, and add a large table-spoonful of fresh butter rolled in flour. if you cannot get cream, you must have a double portion of butter. set this sauce over the fire, stirring it well, and when it comes to a boil, add twenty-five oysters. in five minutes take it off, put it into a sauce-boat, and serve it up with the fowl, which cooked in this manner will be found excellent. clams may be substituted for oysters, but they should be removed from the fowl before it is sent to table. their flavor being drawn out in the gravy, the clams themselves will be found tough, tasteless, and not proper to be eaten. french chicken pie.--parboil a pair of full-grown, but fat and tender chickens. then take the giblets, and put them into a small sauce-pan with as much of the water in which the chickens were parboiled as will cover them well, and stew them for gravy; add a bunch of sweet herbs and a few blades of mace. when the chickens are cold, dissect them as for carving. line a deep dish with thick puff paste, and put in the pieces of chicken. take a nice thin slice of cold ham, or two slices of smoked tongue, and pound them one at a time in a marble mortar, pounding also the livers of the chickens, and the yolks of half a dozen hard-boiled eggs. make this forcemeat into balls, and intersperse them among the pieces of chicken. add some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour, and then (having removed the giblets) pour on the gravy. cover the pie with a lid of puff-paste, rolled out thick; and notch the edges handsomely; placing a knot or ornament of paste on the centre of the top. set it directly into a well-heated oven, and bake it brown. it should be eaten warm. this pie will be greatly improved by a pint of mushrooms, cut into pieces. also by a small tea-cup of cream. any pie of poultry, pigeons, or game may be made in this manner. chicken gumbo.--cut up a young fowl as if for a fricassee. put into a stew-pan a large table-spoonful of fresh butter, mixed with a tea-spoonful of flour, and an onion finely minced. brown them over the fire, and then add a quart of water, and the pieces of chicken, with a large quarter of a peck of ochras, (first sliced thin, and then chopped,) and a salt-spoon of salt. cover the pan, and let the whole stew together, till the ochras are entirely dissolved, and the fowl thoroughly done. if it is a very young chicken, do not put it in at first; as half an hour will be sufficient to cook it. serve it up hot in a deep dish. you may add to the ochras an equal quantity of tomatos cut small. if you use tomatos, no water will be necessary, as their juice will supply a sufficient liquid. [d]filet gumbo.--cut up a pair of fine plump fowls into pieces, as when carving. lay them in a pan of cold water, till all the blood is drawn out. put into a pot, two large table-spoonfuls of lard, and set it over the fire. when the lard has come to a boil, put in the chickens with an onion finely minced. dredge them well with flour, and season slightly with salt and pepper; and, if you like it, a little chopped marjoram. pour on it two quarts of boiling water. cover it, and let it simmer slowly for three hours. then stir into it two heaped tea-spoonfuls of sassafras powder. afterwards, let it stew five or six minutes longer, and then send it to table in a deep dish; having a dish of boiled rice to be eaten with it by those who like rice. [d] pronounced fee_lay_. this gumbo will be much improved by stewing with it three or four thin slices of cold boiled ham, in which case omit the salt in the seasoning. whenever cold ham is an ingredient in any dish, no other salt is required. a dozen fresh oysters and their liquor, added to the stew about half an hour before it is taken up, will also be an improvement. if you cannot conveniently obtain sassafras-powder, stir the gumbo frequently with a stick of sassafras root. this is a genuine southern receipt. filet gumbo may be made of any sort of poultry, or of veal, lamb, venison, or kid. tomato chicken.--take four small chickens or two large ones, and cut them up as for carving. put them into a stew-pan, with one or two large slices of cold boiled ham cut into little bits; eight or ten large tomatos; an onion sliced; a bunch of pot-herbs,(cut up;) a small green pepper, (the seeds and veins first extracted;) half a dozen blades of mace; a table-spoonful of lard or of fresh butter, rolled in flour; or a handful of grated bread-crumbs. add a tumbler or half a pint of water. cover the sauce-pan closely with a cloth beneath the lid; set it on hot coals, or over a moderate fire; and let it stew slowly till the chickens are thoroughly done, and the tomatos entirely dissolved. turn it out into a deep dish. rabbits may be stewed in this manner. also, veal steaks, cut thin and small. turkey and chicken patties.--take the white part of some cold turkey or chicken, and mince it very fine. mince also some cold boiled ham or smoked tongue, and then mix the turkey and ham together. add the yolks of some hard-boiled eggs, grated or minced; a very little cayenne; and some powdered mace and nutmeg. moisten the whole with cream or fresh butter. have ready some puff-paste shells, that have been baked empty in patty-pans. place them on a large dish, and fill them with the mixture. cold fillet of veal minced, and mixed with chopped ham, and grated yolk of egg, and seasoned as above will make very good patties. chicken rice pudding.--parboil a fine fowl, and cut it up. boil, till soft and dry, a pint of rice; and while warm, mix with it a large table-spoonful of fresh butter. beat four eggs very light; and then mix them, gradually, with the rice. spread a coating of the fresh butter, &c., over the bottom and sides of a deep dish. place on it the pieces of the parboiled fowl, with a little of the liquid in which it was boiled--seasoned with powdered mace and nutmeg. add some bits of fresh butter rolled in flour and a little cream. cover the dish closely with the remainder of the rice; set the pudding immediately into the oven and bake it brown. cold chicken or turkey, cooked the day before, may be used for this purpose. the pudding may be improved by the addition of a few very thin, small slices of cold ham, or smoked tongue. rice croquettes.--boil half a pound of rice till it becomes quite soft and dry. then mix with it two table spoonfuls of rich (but not strong) grated cheese, a small tea-spoonful of powdered mace, and sufficient fresh butter to moisten it. mince very fine, six table-spoonfuls of the white part of cold chicken or turkey, the soft parts of six large oysters, and a few sprigs of tarragon or parsley; add a grated nutmeg, and the yellow rind of a lemon. mix the whole well, moistening it with cream or white wine. take of the prepared rice, a portion about the size of an egg, flatten it, and put into the centre a dessert-spoonful of the mixture; close the rice round it as you would the paste round a dumpling-apple. then form it into the shape of an egg. brush it over with some beaten yolk of egg and then dredge it with pounded crackers. in this way make up the whole into oval balls. have ready, in a sauce-pan over the fire, a pound of boiling lard. into this throw the croquettes, two at a time, so as to brown them. let them brown for a few minutes; then take them out with a perforated skimmer. drain them from the lard, and serve them up hot, garnished with curled parsley. chicken pot-pie.--cut up and parboil a pair of large fowls, seasoning them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg. you may add some small slices of cold ham; in which case use _no salt_, as the ham will make it salt enough. or you may put in some pieces of the lean of fresh pork. you may prepare a suet-paste; but for a chicken pot-pie it is best to make the paste of butter, which should be fresh, and of the best quality. allow to each quart of flour, a small half-pound of butter. there should be enough for a great deal of paste. line the sides of the pot, two-thirds up, with paste. put in the chickens, with the liquor in which they were parboiled. you may add some sliced potatos. intersperse the pieces of chicken with layers of paste in square slices. then cover the whole with a lid of paste, not fitting very closely. make a cross-slit in the top, and boil the pie about an hour or more. instead of ham, you may add some clams to the chicken, omitting salt in the seasoning, as the clams will salt it quite enough. chicken curry.--having skinned a pair of fine chickens, cut them into six pieces each, that is, two wings, two pieces of the breast, and two legs cut off at the joint. put into a stew-pan two boiled onions chopped, and four ounces or four table-spoonfuls of fresh butter. shake the pan till the contents begin to simmer; then add four table-spoonfuls of curry-powder and mix it well in; also, four table-spoonfuls of grated cocoa-nut. mix all well in the stew-pan, and then put in the pieces of chicken. cover the pan, and let all stew moderately for half an hour, stirring it round occasionally; and, if getting too dry, add a little hot water. also, towards the last, the grated yellow rind of a lemon and the juice. it should stew till the chicken is quite tender, and till the flesh parts easily from the bones. serve it up hot, in a covered dish, and send half a pound of boiled rice in a separate dish, _uncovered_. this is a dish for company. young ducks, or a young hen turkey, or a pair of rabbits, may be cooked in the same manner. also, lamb or veal. for curried oysters, take a hundred large fresh ones, and proceed as above. rice pie.--pick clean a quart of rice, and wash it well through two or three waters. tie it in a cloth, put it into a pot of boiled milk, and boil it till perfectly soft. then drain and press it till as dry as possible, and mix with it two ounces of fresh butter. take a small tin butter-kettle; wet the inside, put in the rice, and stand it in a cool place till quite cold. then turn it carefully out of the kettle, (of which it will retain the form,) rub it over with the beaten yolk of an egg, and set it in an oven till lightly browned. cut out from the top of the mass of rice an oval lid, about two inches from the edge, so as to leave a flat rim or border all round. then excavate the mould of rice, leaving a standing crust all round and at the bottom, about two inches thick. have ready some hot stewed oysters or birds, or brown or white fricassee. fill up the pie with it, adding the gravy. lay on the lid, and decorate it with sprigs of green curled parsley, stuck in all round the crack where the lid is put on. this pie may be filled with curried chicken. country captain.--this is an east india dish, and a very easy preparation of curry. the term "country captain," signifies a captain of the native troops, (or sepoys,) in the pay of england; their own country being india, they are there called generally the country troops. probably this dish was first introduced at english tables by a sepoy officer. having well boiled a fine full-grown fowl, cut it up as for carving. have ready two large onions boiled and sliced. season the pieces of chicken with curry powder or turmeric; rubbed well into them, all over. fry them with the onion, in plenty of lard or fresh butter, and when well-browned they are done enough. take them up with a perforated skimmer, and drain through its holes. it will be a great improvement to put in, at the beginning, three or four table-spoonfuls of finely grated cocoa-nut. this will be found an advantage to any curry. serve up, in another dish, a pint of rice, well picked, and washed clean in two or three cold waters. boil the rice in plenty of water, (leaving the skillet or sauce-pan uncovered;) and when it is done, drain it very dry, and set it on a dish before the fire, tossing it up with two forks, one in each hand, so as to separate all the grains, leaving each one to stand for itself. all rice for the dinner table should be cooked in this manner. persons accustomed to rice never eat it watery or clammy, or lying in a moist mass. rice should never be covered, either while boiling, or when dished. we recommend this "country captain." curried eggs.--boil six fresh eggs till they are hard enough for salad, and then set them away to get cold. mix together, in a stew-pan, three ounces (or three large table-spoonfuls) of nice fresh butter, and three dessert-spoonfuls of curry powder. shake them together for five minutes over a clear but moderate fire. then throw in two boiled onions finely minced, and let them cook, gently, till quite soft, adding three ounces or three large spoonfuls of grated cocoa-nut. cut the eggs into rather thick slices. put them into the mixture, with a small tea-cupful of thick cream, or if you cannot obtain cream, with two more spoonfuls of butter dredged with flour. let the whole simmer together, but when it approaches coming to a boil, take it immediately off the fire and serve it up hot. this is a nice side-dish for company. partridges pear fashion--(_french dish._)--your partridges should be fine and fat, and of the same size. for a large dish have three or four. truss them tight and round, and rub over them a little salt and cayenne, mixed. cut off one of the legs and leave the other on, fill them with a nice forcemeat. make a rich paste of flour, butter, and beaten egg, using as little water as possible. be sure to make enough of paste to cover each partridge entirely over, and roll it out evenly, and rather thick than thin. put a sufficient portion of paste nicely round each partridge, pressing it closely and smoothly with your hand, and forming it into the shape of a large pear. leave one leg sticking out at the top to resemble the stem, having cut off the foot. set them in a pan, and bake them in a dutch oven. in the mean time, make in a small sauce-pan, a rich brown gravy of the livers, and other trimmings of the partridges, and some drippings of roast veal or roasted poultry. it will be better still if you reserve one or two small partridges to cut up, and stew for the gravy. season it with a little salt and cayenne. when it has boiled long enough to be very thick and rich, take it off, strain it, and put the liquid into a clean sauce-pan. add the juice of a large orange, made very sweet with powdered white sugar. set it over the fire, and when it comes to a boil, stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. let it boil two or three minutes longer; then take it off, and keep it hot till the partridges and their paste are thoroughly well baked. when done, stand up the partridges in a deep dish, and serve up the gravy in a sauce-boat. ornament the partridge-pears by sticking some orange leaves into the end that represents the stalk. this is a nice and handsome side dish, of french origin. pigeons and quails may be dressed in this manner. salmi of partridges--(_french dish._)--having covered two large or four small partridges with very thin slices of fat cold ham, secured with twine, roast them; but see that they are not too much done. remove the ham, skin the partridges, cut them into pieces, and let them get quite cold. partridges that have been roasted the preceding day are good for this purpose. cut off all the meat from the bones, season it with a little cayenne, and put it into a stew-pan. mix together three table-spoonfuls of sweet oil, a glass of excellent wine, (either red or white,) and the grated peel and juice of an orange. pour this gravy over the partridges, and let them stew in it during ten minutes; then add the beaten yolk of an egg, and stew it about three or four minutes longer. all the time it is stewing, continue to shake or move the pan over the fire. serve it up hot. roasted partridges, pheasants, and quails.--make a stuffing of fat bacon finely minced, and boiled chestnuts or grated sweet potatoe boiled, mashed, and seasoned with pepper only. fill the birds with this. cover them with thin slices of bacon, and wrap them well in young vine leaves. roast them well, and serve them up in the bacon and vine leaves, to be taken off when they come to table. for company, have orange sauce to eat with them. if you roast pigeons, &c., without a covering of bacon and vine leaves, do them with egg and bread-crumbs all over. if these birds have a bitter taste when cooked, do not eat them. it is produced by their feeding on laurel berries in winter, when their food is scarce. laural berries are poisonous, and people have died from eating birds that have fed on them. birds with mushrooms.--take two dozen reed-birds, (or other nice small birds,) and truss them as if for roasting. put into each a button mushroom, of which you should have a heaping pint after the stalks are all removed. put the birds and the remaining mushrooms into a stew-pan. season them with a very little salt and pepper, and add either a quarter of a pound of fresh butter (divided into four, and slightly rolled in flour,) or a pint of rich cream. if cream is not plenty, you may use half butter and half cream, well mixed together. cover the stew-pan closely, and set it over a moderate fire, to stew gently till the birds and mushrooms are thoroughly done and tender all through. do not open the lid to stir the stew, but give the pan, occasionally, a hard shake. dip in hot water a large slice of toast with the crust trimmed off. when the birds are done lay them on the toast with the mushrooms around. if you cannot get button-mushrooms, divide large ones into quarters. plovers are very nice stewed with mushrooms. birds in a grove--(_french dish._)--having roasted some reed-birds, larks, plovers, or any other small birds, such as are usually eaten, mash some potatos with butter and cream. spread the mashed potato thickly over the bottom, sides, and edges of a deep dish. nick or crimp the border of potatoe that goes round the edge, or scollop it with a tin cutter. you may, if you choose, brown it by holding over it a salamander, or a red-hot shovel. then lay the roasted birds in the middle of the dish, and stick round them and among them, very thickly, a sufficient number of sprigs of curled or double parsley. thatched house pie--(_french dish._)--rub the inside of a deep dish with two ounces of fresh butter, and spread over it two ounces of vermicelli. then line the dish with puff-paste. have ready some birds seasoned with powdered nutmeg, and a very little salt and pepper. place them with the breast downward. they will be much improved by putting into each a mushroom or an oyster chopped fine. lay them on the paste. add some gravy of roast veal, (cold gravy saved from veal roasted the preceding day will do very well,) and cover the pie with a lid of puff-paste. bake it in a moderate oven, and when done, turn it out _carefully_ upon a flat dish, and send it to table. the vermicelli, which was originally at the bottom, will now be at the top, covering the paste like thatch upon a roof. trim off the edge, so as to look nicely. you may, if you choose, use a larger quantity of vermicelli. the yellow sort will be best for this purpose. birds prepared for larding.--cut a thin slice of fresh veal, and fill the bird with it, adding a bit of fat bacon. tie a string round the body to keep in the stuffing, and roast the bird head downward. the gravy of the meat will diffuse a pleasant taste all through the bird. after being well roasted, let it get cold, and then lard it all over the breast with lardons or regular slips of fat bacon, put in with a larding needle, and left standing in rows. it is more easy to lard poultry or game when cold, rather than warm. lardons should be set very close and evenly. bird dumplings.--take a large tender beef steak, trim off all the fat, and remove the bone. make a large sheet of nice suet paste. lay the beef steak upon it, seasoned with pepper and a very little salt. in the centre of the meat place either a partridge, a quail, a plover, or any nice game, or three or four reed-birds--season with powdered mace and nutmeg. add some bits of excellent fresh butter, dredged with flour. inclose the birds completely in the steak, so that the game flavor may pervade the whole. close the crust over all, so as to form a large dumpling. tie it in a cloth. put it into a pot of fast-boiling water, and boil it well, turning it several times with a fork. dish it very hot. if game is not convenient, a fine tame fat pigeon may be substituted. to roast woodcocks or snipes.--be very careful in plucking these to pull out the feathers as carefully and handle them as lightly as possible; for the skin is very easily torn or broken. do not draw them, for epicures have decided, that the trail, (as they call the intestines,) is the most delicious part of the bird, and should by all means be saved for eating. having wiped the outside carefully with a soft cloth, truss them with the head under the wing, and the bill laid along upon the breast. keep the legs bent from the knees, retaining that posture by means of a splinter skewer. suspend the birds to a bird-spit, with their feet downward. melt some fresh butter in the dripping-pan, and baste them with it, having first dredged the birds with flour. before the trail begins to drop, (which it will do as soon as they are well heated,) lay a thick round of very nice toast, (with the crust pared off,) buttered on both sides, and placed in the dripping-pan beneath, so as to catch the trail as it falls; allowing a slice of toast to each bird, with the trail spread equally over it. continue the basting, letting the butter fall back from them into the basting spoon. when the birds are done, which will be in less than half an hour at a brisk fire--carefully transfer the toasts to a very hot dish; place the birds upon them, and pour some gravy round the toast. snipes require less cooking than woodcocks. these birds are very fashionable; but we do not think either of them superlative. they seldom appear except at supper parties. plovers.--this is a very nice bird, with a peculiar and pleasant flavor. they abound near our large bays and estuaries in the vicinity of the ocean. there are two sorts, the green plover and the gray. roast them plain; basting them only with butter. or fill them with a forcemeat, and go entirely over the outside, first with beaten egg, and then roll each plover in finely grated bread-crumbs. if very fat, stew them plain in butter rolled in flour. then serve them up in their own gravy, enriched with a beaten egg. they make a nice breakfast dish, either roasted or stewed. and are excellent in pies. reed birds.--reed birds and rice birds are the same. they are very small, (only a mouthful on each side of the breast,) but very delicious, and _immensely fat_ in the summer and autumn. they are brought to market with a lump of fat skewered on the outside, and are sold by the dozen strung on a stick like cherries. to cook them, roast them on a bird-spit, basting with their own fat, as it drips. a nice way for retaining the whole flavor is to tie each bird closely in a vine leaf, and bake them in a dutch oven. or wrap them in double vine leaves, and roast them in the ashes of a wood fire. remove the vine leaves before the birds are dished. roasted pigeons.--take fine fat _tame_ pigeons, and clean and truss them nicely. four pigeons, at least, are requisite to make a dish. prepare a stuffing or forcemeat of finely minced veal, and an equal quantity of cold-boiled ham, seasoned with powdered mace and a very little cayenne. also, two slices of bread and butter soaked in as much milk as they will absorb. fill their bodies with this, (tying a string round to keep it in,) and roast the pigeons till thoroughly done; basting with fresh butter or lard. or you may stuff the pigeons with chopped mushrooms, seasoned with a little cayenne, and putting into each a piece of fresh butter rolled in flour. or you may stuff them with sweet potatos, boiled well, and mashed with plenty of fresh butter. or with chestnuts, boiled, peeled, and mashed with butter. wild pigeons are generally too poor to roast. in places where they abound, it has been found very profitable to catch them in nets, clip their wings, and put them into inclosures, feeding them well with corn so as to make them fat. they will then bring as high a price as tame pigeons. sauces. melted butter.--_for sauces._--this is frequently called drawn butter. for this purpose none should be used but fresh butter of the very best quality. it is usually sent to table with boiled fish and boiled poultry. also, with boiled mutton, lamb, and veal. it is never served up with any thing roasted, fried or broiled. numerous sauces are made with melted butter. if mixed with too much flour and water, and not enough of butter, it will be very poor, particularly if the water is in too large proportions. to prepare it properly, allow a quarter of a pound of nice butter, to a heaped table-spoonful of flour. mix the butter and flour thoroughly, _before_ it goes on the fire. then add to it four large table-spoonfuls of milk, or hot water, well mixed in. hold it over the fire in a small sauce-pan, kept for the purpose. one lined with what is called porcelain or enamel is best. take care there is no blaze where the sauce-pan is held. cover it, and shake it over the fire till it boils. then having skimmed it, add three or four hard-boiled eggs chopped small, and give it one more boil up; or season it with any other ingredient with which you wish to distinguish the sauce. clarified butter.--for this purpose use none but the very best fresh butter, such as is made in summer, when the cows are well pastured. cut up the butter, put it into an enameled or porcelain stew-pan, and melt it gently over a clear and moderate fire. when it simmers, skim it thoroughly, draw it from the fire, and let it stand five minutes, that the milk or sediment may sink to the bottom. then pour it clear from the sediment through a muslin strainer, or a fine clean hair sieve. transfer to jars with close covers, and keep them in a cool dry place. if well prepared, and originally very good, this butter will answer for sauces, stews, &c., and continue good a long time. in france, where they do not _salt_ any butter, large quantities are melted in this way for winter use. coloring for sauces.--_for pink sauce._ take a few chips of red alkanet root, (to be had at the druggist's.) pick it clean, and tie it in a very thin muslin bag. put the alkanet into the mixture, and let it infuse in the boiling drawn butter. it will communicate a beautiful pink color, which you may heighten, by pressing the bag a little. when done, take out the bag, and stir the alkanet color evenly through the sauce. the alkanet has no taste, and is very cheap. beet juice will color a tolerable red. _for green sauce._--pound some fresh spinach leaves, till you extract a tea-cup or more of the clear green juice. stir it into the melted butter while boiling. _for yellow sauce._--tie up a very little turmeric powder in a muslin bag. let it boil in the butter. when done, take it out of the sauce-pan, and stir the yellow coloring evenly through the sauce. _for white sauce._--make this with cream instead of milk. _for brown sauce._--stir in plenty of french mustard. _for wine sauce._--stir in, just before you take the sauce from the fire, a large wine-glass or more of _very good_ white wine, and grate in half a large nutmeg, adding the grated yellow rind, and the juice of a lemon. the wine must be of excellent quality, otherwise it will give a bad taste to the sauce. white thickening--(_french roux._)--cut up a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, and put it into a well tinned or enameled sauce-pan. set it over a moderate fire, and melt it slowly, shaking it round frequently, and taking care to skim it well. when no more scum appears on the surface, let it settle a few minutes; then pour it off from the sediment at the bottom. wash the sauce-pan or get another clean one. return the melted butter to it, and set it again over the fire. then dredge in gradually sufficient sifted flour to make it very thick and smooth, stirring it well after each addition of flour. do not allow it to brown in the slightest degree, but keep it perfectly white to the last; simmering, but not actually boiling, and take care that there is no smoke about the fire. to thicken white sauces, or soups, stir in a table-spoonful or two of this roux, pronounced _roo_. in french cooking it passes for cream. browned thickening is made in the same manner; but with butter and browned flour, and is used for brown soups and gravies. browning.--this is to enrich the taste and improve the color of gravies, stews, and soups. mix a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar with two ounces of fine fresh butter; and, having stirred them well together, put them into a sauce-pan over the fire, and simmer till it begins to froth; then diminish the heat a little. when its color becomes a fine dark brown, add two glasses of port wine, and three or four blades of mace, powdered. when it comes to a boil, take it off, and stir it into whatever you intend to color. another browning is mushroom catchup, or walnut catchup. they communicate a slightly acid taste. so also does french mustard. stir it in at the last. its tarragon flavor is very generally liked. browned flour.--sift some fine flour, spread it on a large dish, or clean tin-pan. place it before the fire, so as to brown but not to scorch or burn. it will color first at the edges; therefore watch it, and keep it evenly mixed with the white flour from the centre. when all is nicely browned, set it to cool, and then put it away for use in a large clean bottle or jar, well corked. flour may be browned in an oven, after baking is over, taking care to stir it well.--have two dredging boxes. one for browned flour and one for white. it is convenient also to have dredging-boxes for powdered herbs. the cost of these boxes is very trifling, and it saves time and trouble to have things ready when wanted. a small sieve for powdered white sugar is indispensable. lobster sauce.--this sauce is for fresh salmon or turbot, or sheep's-head fish. also for salmon-trout, blue-fish, or the lake white-fish. put a large hen lobster into a hard-boiling pot of highly-salted water, that the animal may die immediately. continue the boiling with a steady heat, and in about three quarters, or an hour, the lobster will be done. when cold, extract all the meat from the shell, and cut it into small bits. pound the coral, or red substance, in a marble mortar, with some fresh butter, or plenty of salad oil; and a little cayenne. add the coral to the cut-up lobster, and put the whole into a stew-pan, with some powdered mace and nutmeg, and a large table-spoonful of sweet oil. divide into four bits a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, each bit rolled in flour. if your butter is not fresh and very good, omit it entirely and substitute a larger quantity of oil. as bad butter spoils every thing, never on any account, use it. set the sauce-pan over the fire, and let it boil up once. then take it off, and while very hot, stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. crab sauce is made in the same manner. prawn sauce also. shrimp sauce.--shrimps are the smallest shell-fish of the lobster species. put them into salted boiling water. they are done when they have turned entirely red. when cold, pull off the heads, and peel off the shells from the bodies; or _squeeze_ out the meat with your fingers. have ready some nice drawn butter, and thicken it with the shrimps, either chopped or whole. season the sauce with mace or nutmeg powdered, and give it one boil up. shrimp sauce is eaten with salmon and other fine fish. pickled shrimps.--having boiled, in salted water, three quarts or more of shrimps, and taken them from the shells, boil two quarts of the best cider vinegar, and season it well with blades of mace and pepper-corns, and pour it hot on the shrimps, in a stone jar. cork the jar, and seal the cork with the usual red cement for pickle jars: a mixture of one-third beeswax with two-thirds powdered rosin, and some fine brickdust, all melted together. oyster sauce.--take a pint of the liquor of _fresh_ oysters, and strain it into a sauce-pan. if your oysters are salt, and you can get no others, boil a pint of milk instead of the oyster liquor, seasoning with powdered nutmeg and mace, and enriching it with fresh butter dredged with flour. when it has come to a boil, put in the oysters (having removed from each the gristle, or hard part.) let them simmer, but take them from the fire without letting them come to a boil, which will shrivel them, and render them tough and tasteless. a new fashion is to season oyster sauce with the grated yellow rind and juice of a fresh lemon. others stir in a glass of sherry or madeira. if you use wine or lemon, you must not make the sauce with milk, as it will curdle. use in this case the oyster liquor, if it is fresh, thickened well with finely grated bread-crumbs. the small, highly-flavored oysters, abounding on the coast of new england, are excellent for sauce, or soups. clam sauce.--make this of half milk and half clam liquor, seasoned with whole mace, and whole pepper. use only the soft part of the clams, cut up small, and simmer them from the beginning; adding bits of butter dredged all over with flour clams require longer cooking than oysters. egg sauce.--boil four eggs from eight to twelve minutes. then lay them in a pan of fresh water, and let them remain till quite cold. peel off the shells, and take out the eggs. chop the yolks and whites separately; mix them, lightly, into half a pint of melted fresh butter, made in the proportion of a quarter of a pound of butter to two large table-spoonfuls of flour, and four of milk and hot water. add some powdered mace, or nutmeg. egg sauce is eaten with boiled fish and poultry. instead of milk or water, you can use for melted butter, some of the water in which chicken or turkey was boiled, or some veal gravy. celery sauce.--split and cut up into short slips a bunch of celery, having taken off the green leaves from the tops. the celery must have been well washed, and laid an hour in cold water. take a pint of milk, and cut up in it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter that has been well dredged with flour. set it over the fire in a sauce-pan, and add the celery gradually; also three or four blades of mace broken up. boil all slowly together, till the celery is quite soft and tender, but not dissolved. the green tops of the celery, (strewed in, when it begins to simmer,) will improve the flavor. celery sauce is served up with boiled turkey, boiled fowls, and with any sort of fresh fish, boiled or fried. mint sauce.--this is only used for roast lamb in the spring. when the lambs are grown into sheep, the mint is too old for sauce. but they harmonize very pleasantly when both are young. take a large bunch of fine fresh green mint, that has been washed well. strip the leaves from the stems, and mince them small. put it into a pint bowl, and mix with it gradually some of the best cider vinegar. this sauce must not be the least liquid, but as thick as horse-radish sauce or thicker. make it very sweet, with the best brown sugar. mix it well, and transfer to a small tureen, or a little deep dish with a tea-spoon in it. serve it up always with roast lamb, putting a tea-spoonful on the rim of your plate. a quart or more of mint sauce, made as above, but with a larger proportion of sugar and vinegar, will keep very well for several weeks, in a jar well corked. horse-radish.--wash clean some roots of horse-radish, wipe them dry, and scrape off the outside. then grate the sticks of horse-radish with a large grater. put some of the grated horse-radish into a large saucer, or small deep plate, and moisten it with good cider vinegar, but do not put so much vinegar as will render it liquid. send it to table with roast beef or mutton. cauliflower sauce.--have ready some very rich good melted or drawn butter, made with milk and flavored with nutmeg. thicken it with plenty of ready-boiled cauliflower, cut into little sprigs or blossoms. give it one boil up after the cauliflower is in, and send it to table with any sort of boiled poultry. it will be found very nice. for a boiled turkey it is far superior to celery sauce, and well suited to dinner company. broccoli sauce.--make some nice drawn butter with milk. flavor it with powdered mace. pound some spinach in a mortar to extract the juice. strain the spinach juice, and stir a small tea-cupful into the butter to give it a fine green color. have ready some well-boiled broccoli. divide one or two heads of the broccoli into tufts or sprigs. put them into the melted butter, and when it comes to a boil, take it off, and transfer it to a sauce-boat. serve it up with boiled poultry or fresh fish. parsley sauce.--strip from the stalks the leaves of some fresh green parsley; allow plenty of it. chop it slightly; and while the drawn butter is hot, stir into it the parsley, till the butter looks very green. serve it up with boiled fowls, rabbits, or boiled fish. the appearance of parsley sauce will be much improved by stirring in some spinach juice. the whole will be then a fine green. crimped parsley.--pick the small sprigs of parsley from the large stalks. wash it, and then throw it into clean cold water. after the meat or fish that it is to accompany has been fried and taken out of the pan, give the fat that remains a boil up, and lay the parsley into it. it will crimp and still continue green, if not kept frying too long. take it out, drain it, and place it before the fire a few minutes, to dry it from the fat. dish it laid on the top of the fish or steaks. fennel sauce.--the fennel should be young and fresh. take a large handful, or more, and having washed it clean, strip the leaves from the stems, and boil it till quite tender. put it into a sieve, and press the water well from it. mince it very small, and stir it into drawn butter. it is served up with boiled fish. instead of melted butter, you may put the fennel into veal gravy, thickened with butter dredged with flour. sage and onion sauce.--take a bunch of fresh sage leaves. wash and drain them. pick them from the stems, and put them to boil in a small sauce-pan, with just water enough to cover them. boil them fast about ten minutes. take them out, and press them in a sieve to drain them dry. then mince or chop them small. have ready two onions, boiled tender in another sauce-pan; chop them also, and mix them well with the minced sage. while warm, mix in a small bit of nice butter--season with pepper. put this sauce into a little tureen, and serve it up with roast goose, roast duck, or roast pork, that has been stuffed with potato, bread, or other stuffing. the sage and onion sauce is for those who prefer their flavor to any other seasoning for those dishes. this sauce will be greatly improved if moistened with some of the gravy of the duck or goose. fine onion sauce.--peel some nice mild onions, and boil them in plenty of milk, skimming them well. when done, take them out of the milk, (saving it,) and slice them very thin, cutting the slices across, so as to make the pieces of onion very small. return them to the sauce-pan of milk, (adding some fresh butter dredged with flour;) season them with powdered mace or nutmeg, and give the onions another boil, till they are soft enough to mash, and to thicken the milk all through. eat this sauce with steaks, cutlets, rabbits, or chickens. plain onion sauce.--peel some very small onions, and boil them whole in milk, (seasoned slightly with pepper and salt,) and put in some bits of butter rolled in flour. let them boil till tender all through, but not till they loose their shape. eat them with any sort of boiled meat. nasturtion sauce.--this is eaten with boiled mutton; is superior to caper sauce, and costs almost nothing, if you have nasturtions in your garden. gather the green seeds as soon as they are full grown, and throw them (without the stems) into a jar of cider vinegar. they require no cooking, but keep a muslin bag of spice in the jar, (mace and nutmeg broken small, and a little piece of root ginger.) to use them for sauce, make some nice drawn butter, and as it simmers throw in plenty of nasturtions from the jar. the seeds, when gathered, should be full grown, but by no means hard; and the color a fine green. if there is the slightest brown tinge, the nasturtion seeds are too old, and should be kept for planting. mushroom sauce.--have ready some excellent drawn butter, and thicken it with small button mushrooms that have been pickled. or, take freshly-gathered mushrooms of good size, rub off the outer skin with a clean flannel, and cut off the stems close to the flaps. wash the mushrooms in a cullender. have ready some bits of fresh butter dredged all over with flour. lay them among the mushrooms, (which, if very large, should be quartered,) and put them into a stew-pan. cover the pan, and let them stew till the mushrooms are all tender. when you take off the lid to try them, replace it immediately, keeping in as much of the aroma as possible. if fresh, they will yield a great deal of juice. when done, transfer them to a sauce-tureen, and serve them up with any nice dish of meat or poultry. the best mushrooms are found in pure open air or rather high ground, and where there is no swamp or woodland. on the upper side of their top they are not white, but of a pale grayish tint; the under side is invariably light red, pinkish, or pale salmon color, which in a few hours, or after being gathered, turns brown. the false mushrooms are poisonous. they are entirely white above and below. the fungi that grow in forests or marshes can never be mistaken for real mushrooms. they are of various colors, chiefly bright yellow and red, and originate in foul air. by boiling a silver tea-spoon with your mushrooms, you may test their goodness. if the silver turns black, throw the mushrooms away. an onion will also blacken from the same cause. mushrooms should be cooked as soon as possible. if kept two or three days, worms will be found in them. never give mushrooms to children. even in their best state they are not wholesome. the taste for mushrooms is an acquired one, and it is best not to acquire it. tomato sauce.--scald some large ripe tomatos, to make them peel easily. then quarter them, and press them through a sieve to divest them of their seeds. put the juice into a stew-pan, adding some bits of fresh butter dredged with flour; add finely grated bread-crumbs, and season with a little pepper, and, if liked, a little onion boiled and minced. set the pan over a moderate fire, and let the tomatos simmer slowly till it comes to a boil. continue the boiling ten minutes longer. serve it up in a sauce-tureen. it will be mellowed and improved by stirring in (as soon as it comes to a boil) a table-spoonful or a lump of white sugar. tarragon sauce.--put into a sauce-pan a large half pint of any nice gravy that is at hand. after it has boiled five minutes, have ready a handful of fresh green tarragon leaves, minced, and moistened with plenty of cider vinegar. add this to the gravy, and let it simmer five minutes. then take it out, and serve it up with any kind of boiled poultry. to make gravy.--take two pounds of the lean of veal, or of very nice beef. cut it into small bits, and lay it in a sauce-pan with only as much water as will cover it. stew it slowly, (skimming it well) till the meat is all rags. then strain the gravy, and thicken it with some bits of fresh butter dredged all over with browned flour, and give it another simmer. you may flavor it with any seasoning you like. for made gravies, you can use any small pieces of fresh meat that has never been cooked, and the feet of calves and pigs. boil in it also such vegetables as you like, cut small. strain out every thing before it goes to table. for gravies, use nothing that has been cooked before. they will not add to its goodness, but only render it flat and washy. white gravy is made with fresh veal boiled in milk; and after straining, thickened arrow-root, or rice flour, mixed with fresh butter, if real cream cannot be obtained. mushroom catchup.--let the mushrooms be large and freshly-gathered, for they soon become worm-eaten if not speedily salted. they should be well examined. cut off the stalks of four quarts of nice mushrooms. put the flaps into a deep earthen pan, and break them up with your hands. strew among them half a pound of salt, reserving the largest portion of it for the top. let them stand for three days, stirring them gently every morning. the fourth day, put them into a sieve, and draw off the liquor without pressing the mushrooms. when all the liquor has drained through, measure it, allowing to each quart a tea-spoon of cayenne, a dozen blades of mace, and a nutmeg broken up. put the whole into a porcelain kettle, and boil it slowly till reduced one half. then pour it into a clean white-ware pitcher, cover it with a folded napkin, and keep it in a cool dry place till next day. then, through a funnel, pour it gently from the sediment into small bottles. finish with a tea-spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each. cork the bottles tightly, and seal the corks. the next time you make catchup, proceed as above with the new mushrooms, and other ingredients; and, when it is done, strain it, and put it into a clean kettle. then add to it a quart of _last year's_ mushroom catchup, and boil it a quarter of an hour. then bottle it as above. this double catchup is very fine. walnut catchup.--take two hundred walnuts or butter-nuts, while the green shell is still so soft that you can pierce it with the head of a pin. bruise them to small pieces, in a marble mortar. transfer them to a broad stone-ware pan, and stew among them six handfuls of salt. stir them three times a day, for ten days or two weeks. then squeeze and strain them through a cloth, pressing them very dry, till no more juice comes out. boil up the liquor with two quarts of cider vinegar, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of whole pepper, half an ounce of nutmegs broken up, and two roots of ginger cut small, and half a dozen shalots or small onions, peeled and cut up, and a large bunch of sweet herbs. let the whole boil for half an hour. then pour off the liquor into a large pitcher, leaving out the bunch of sweet herbs. pour off the liquor (through a funnel,) into small bottles, having first put into the bottom of each bottle a portion of the spice. fill the bottle up to the top with the catchup, finishing with a tea-spoonful of salad oil, which will greatly assist in keeping the catchup good. cork the bottles very closely, and seal the corks. tomato catchup.--take a peck of large ripe tomatos. in the middle states they are in perfection the last of august. late in the autumn they are comparatively insipid and watery. cut a slit down the side of every tomato. put them into a large preserving kettle without any water. their own juice is sufficient. on no account boil tomatos in brass or copper, their acid acting on those metals produces verdigris, and renders them poisonous. boil them till they are quite soft, and easily mashed, stirring them up frequently from the bottom. press and mash them through a hair sieve, till all the pulp has run out into the pan below, leaving in the sieve only the skins and seeds. season the liquid with a little salt, some cayenne, and plenty of powdered nutmeg and mace. mix it well, and when cold put up the catchup in small jars, the covers pasted all round with bands of white paper. this catchup, when done, should be very thick and smooth. lemon catchup.--take six fine large ripe lemons, and roll them under your hand to increase the quantity of juice. grate off all the yellow rind, and squeeze the juice into a pitcher, removing all the seeds. prepare two ounces of finely scraped horse-radish, and two ounces of minced shalots, or very small onions. put them into a pint of boiling vinegar, in which half an ounce of bruised ginger and a quarter of an ounce of mace have been simmered for five minutes. add to this the lemon-juice and the grated peel, and two grated nutmegs. boil all together for half an hour, and then transfer it with all the ingredients to a glass jar with a lid. paste a band of strong white paper round the lower part of the lid. set it in a dry cool place, and leave it undisturbed for three months. then, through a funnel, pour off the liquid into small bottles, putting a tea-spoonful of salad oil at the top of each. cork and seal them. cucumber catchup.--for a small quantity of this catchup, take twelve fine full-grown cucumbers, and lay them an hour in cold water. then pare them, and grate them down into a deep dish. grate also two small onions, and mix them with the grated cucumber. season the mixture to your taste with pepper, salt, and vinegar, making it of the consistence of very thick marmalade or jam. when thoroughly amalgamated, transfer it to a glass jar. cover it closely, tying over it a piece of bladder, so as to render it perfectly air-tight. it will be found very nice, (when fresh cucumbers are not in season,) to eat with beef or mutton. and if properly made, and securely covered, will keep well. it should be grated very fine, and the vinegar must be of very excellent quality--real cider vinegar. camp catchup.--take a pint or quart of strong ale or porter, and a pint of white wine; half a dozen shalots, or very small onions, peeled and minced; half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of nutmeg, broken up; and two large roots or races of ginger, sliced. put all together, over a moderate fire, into a porcelain-lined kettle, and boil it slowly till one-third of the liquid is wasted. next day transfer it to small bottles, putting a portion of the seasoning in the bottom of each, and filling them to the top with the liquid. finish with a tea-spoonful of salad oil at the top. cork the bottles with good corks, and seal them. in a dry place this catchup will keep for years. tarragon vinegar.--the fresh leaves of the tarragon plant are in perfection in july and august, and impart a new and pleasant taste to soups, hashes, gravies, &c. to use it fresh, wash a bunch of tarragon in cold water. afterwards strip off the green leaves, chop or mince them, and boil a tea-spoonful or more in the dish you intend to flavor. the best way of keeping tarragon is to strip off as many fresh leaves as will half fill a glass jar that holds a quart. pour on as much _real_ cider vinegar as will fill up the jar. cover it closely, and let the tarragon infuse in it for a week, shaking the jar every day. then pour off that vinegar carefully, and throw away the tarragon leaves that have been steeping in it. wash that jar, or take another clean one, put into it the same quantity of fresh tarragon leaves, and fill up with the same vinegar in which you have infused the first supply. let the second leaves remain in the jar of vinegar. a tarragon bush is well worth planting; even in a small city garden. tarragon is the chief ingredient of french mustard. fine french mustard.--take a jill or two large wine-glasses of tarragon vinegar, (strained from the leaves,) and mix with it an equal quantity of salad oil, stirring them well together. pound in a mortar, two ounces of mustard seed till it becomes a fine smooth powder, and mix it thoroughly. add to it one clove of garlic (not more) peeled, minced and pounded. make the mixture in a deep white-ware dish. if the mustard affects your eyes, put on glasses till you have finished the mixture. when done, put it up in white bottles, or gallipots. cork them tightly, and seal the corks. send it to table in those bottles. this mustard is far superior to any other, the tarragon imparting a peculiar and pleasant flavor. it is excellent to eat with any sort of roast meat, particularly beef or mutton, and an improvement to almost all plain sauces, stews, soups, &c. french mustard is to be purchased very good, at all the best grocery stores. sauce robert.--peel five large onions, and parboil them to take off some of the strength. cut them into small dice, and put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into four, and dredged with flour. when they are well browned, pour on them half a pint of beef or veal gravy, and let it simmer for a quarter of an hour. season it slightly with cayenne. just before it goes to table, stir in a table-spoonful of french mustard. this is a good sauce for any sort of roast meat, or poultry. green mayonnaise.--this is a fine accompaniment to cold poultry, which must be cut into small pieces as for chicken salad, using only the white meat. to begin the mayonnaise. put into a shallow pan the yolks only of three fresh eggs, having strained out the specks. having beaten them till light and thick, add, by degrees, a half pint of salad oil, stirring it in gradually, so that no oil whatever is to be seen on the surface. then add two table-spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar. next a few drops of shalot vinegar, or a _very small_ onion minced as finely as possible. if you have at hand any clear meat gravy (for instance, veal,) stir in two or three table-spoonsful. add the grated yellow rind, and the juice of a lemon. pound as much spinach as will yield a small tea-cupful of green juice. give it a short boil up, to take off the rawness, and mix it with the mayonnaise. when cool, pour it over the dish of cold poultry. epicurean sauce.--pound in a mortar five or six anchovies; a heaped table-spoonful of minced tarragon leaves; a shalot, or very small onion, two or three pickled gherkins, finely minced; the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a large table-spoonful of french mustard. if you have no good butter, mix a sufficient portion of olive oil to moisten it well. let the whole be thoroughly mixed. put it into a bowl, and set it on ice till wanted. then mould it into pats of equal size. arrange them on small glass or china plates, and send them to table for dinner company, to eat with the cheese. east india sauce for fish.--mix well together a jill of india soy; a jill of chili vinegar; half a pint of walnut catchup, and a pint of mushroom-catchup. shake the whole hard, and transfer it to small green bottles, putting a tea-spoonful of sweet oil at the top of each, and keep the sauce in a cool dry place. if you have not a fish castor, bring the store sauces to table in the small bottles they are kept in. when eating fish, mix a little of this with the melted butter on your plate. curry powder.--curry powder originates in india, where it is much used as a peculiar flavoring for soups, stews, and hashes. with curry dishes, boiled rice is always served up, not only in a separate dish, but also heaped round the stew in a thick even border. to make curry powder, pound in a marble mortar three ounces of turmeric, three ounces of coriander seed, and a quarter of an ounce of cayenne; one ounce of mustard, one ounce of cardamoms, a half ounce of cummin seed, and half an ounce of mace. let all these ingredients be thoroughly mixed in the mortar, and then sift it through a fine sieve, dry it for an hour before the fire, and put it into clean bottles, securing the corks well. use from two to three table-spoonfuls at a time, in proportion to the size of the dish you intend to curry. it may be mixed into the gravy of any of the preceding receipts for stews. two ounces of finely grated cocoa-nut is a pleasant improvement to curried dishes, and is universally liked. the curry powder you buy is frequently much adulterated with inferior articles. the best curry powder imported from india is of a dark green color, and not yellow or red. it has among its ingredients, tamarinds, _not_ preserved, as we always get them--but raw in the shell. these tamarinds impart a pleasant acid to the mixture. for want of them use a lemon. madras curry powder.--pound separately, and sift, six ounces of coriander seed, three of turmeric, one of black pepper, two of cummin, one of fennel seed, and half an ounce of cayenne. mix all together, put them into a glass jar or bottle, and seal the cover. with less turmeric, you may use ginger or sassafras. curry powder may be added to any stew of meat, poultry, or game. boiled rice must always accompany a dish of curry. the ingredients indispensable to all curries (and you may make a curry of any nice meat, or poultry, or even of oysters) is a very pungent powder, prepared for the purpose with turmeric. also onions and boiled rice. in india there is always something acid in the mixture, as lemons, sour apple juice, or green tamarinds. the turmeric has a peculiar flavor of its own. store sauces.--the celebrated english sauces, for fish and game, harvey's sauce, (which is the best,) quin's, reading's, kitchener's, soyer's, &c., are all very good, and keep well, if genuine. they are imported in small sealed bottles, and are to be had of all the best grocers. to make them at home, is so troublesome and expensive, that it is better to buy them. they are, however, very nice, and are generally introduced at dinner parties; a little being mixed on your plate with the melted butter. if you have no fish castors, bring these sauces to table in their own bottles, to be carried round by a servant. fine pink sauce.--take a pint of excellent port wine, the juice and grated yellow rinds of four large lemons, two dozen blades of mace and a large nutmeg, broken up; with a quarter of an ounce of prepared cochineal, or a small tea-spoonful of alkanet chips. add a table-spoonful of fresh salad oil. mix the whole well in a wide-mouthed glass jar with a lid. let the ingredients infuse a fortnight; stirring it several times a day. then strain it, pour it through a funnel into small bottles, and seal the corks. it will give a fine pink color to drawn butter. eat it with any sort of fish or game. alkanet produces a much finer color than cochineal, but it must unite with some substance of an oily nature to give out its color to advantage. it is very cheap, and very beautiful, and to be had at the druggist's. infuse it tied in a thin muslin bag. wine sauce for venison or game.--take the half of a sixpenny loaf of bread. cut off all the crust. put the crumb (or soft part) into a bowl, and pour on sufficient good port wine to steep it. soak the bread in the wine till dissolved. then add two heaped table-spoonsful of fresh butter, and two heaped spoonsful of sugar; seasoning with powdered mace and nutmeg, and the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon. beat all together till very smooth. put it into a sauce-pan, and give it one boil up; taking it off as soon as it comes to a boil. send it to table hot. it is a fine company sauce for venison, or hare, or any sort of game. fine pudding sauce.--take a large half-pint cup of the best fresh butter, and the same quantity of powdered loaf-sugar. put them together in an earthen pan, and beat them to a light thick cream. then mix a jill or wine-glass of boiling water, and a large wine-glass of the best brandy, with the grated yellow rind and juice of a large lemon or orange; and a small nutmeg, grated. mix these ingredients, gradually, with the beaten butter and sugar; and transfer the sauce to a small tureen, putting a spoon or ladle into it. if designed for sauce to a plum-pudding or any other large one, you will require a pint of butter, a pint of sugar, half a pint of boiling water with half a pint of brandy, two lemons or oranges, and a _large_ nutmeg, or two small ones. divide the sauce in two tureens. a boiled pudding for company requires no finer sauce than this. where _real_ cream is plenty, a bowl of it well sweetened with sugar, and flavored with nutmeg, is nice for any boiled pudding. if you add wine or lemon juice to cream sauce, previously mix the acid with the sugar, and make it very sweet before you put them to the cream, lest it should curdle. vanilla sauce.--split and break up a small stick of vanilla, and boil it in a very little milk, till all the vanilla flavor is extracted. then strain it through very fine muslin, and stir it into the cream. give it one boil up in a small porcelain sauce-pan; and sweeten it well with white sugar. plain sauce for pudding.--stir together (as in making pound cake) equal quantities of fresh butter and white sugar. this is the usual proportion; but if you can stir or beat it easily, try a little less butter, and a little more of the sugar. grate in some nutmeg, and the yellow rind of a fresh lemon, and send it to table heaped on a small plate, with a tea-spoon near it.[e] [e] the butter and sugar sauce is very nice flavored and colored with the juice of strawberries or raspberries. many persons prefer, with plain puddings, cold butter on a butter plate, and sugar from the sugar-bowl; mixing it for themselves on their own plate. this is best for boiled fruit pudding or dumplings; and for egg or batter puddings, molasses or syrup is very good; and costs but little. cranberry sauce.--pick the cranberries clean, seeing that no stems, sticks, or dead leaves are left among them. put them into a cullender, or sieve, and wash them through two waters. cook them in a porcelain-lined, or enameled stew-pan, without any additional water. the water that remains about them after washing is quite sufficient for stewing them properly. no stewed fruit should be too thin or liquid. keep a steady heat under the cranberries, stirring them up from the bottom frequently: and when they are soft, mash them with the back of the spoon. when they are quite shapeless, take them off the fire, and while they are very hot, stir in, gradually, an ample quantity of nice _brown_ sugar. they require much sweetening. season them with nothing else. their natural flavor is sufficient (if well sweetened) and cannot be improved by spice, lemon, or any of the usual condiments. always buy the largest and ripest cranberries. the best things are cheapest in the end. in stewing any sort of fruit, do not add the sugar till the fruit is done, and taken from the fire. if sweetened at the beginning, much of the strength of the sugar evaporates in cooking; besides rendering the fruit tough and hard, and retarding the progress of the stew. in america, sweet sauce is eaten with any sort of roast meat. send it to table cold. for company, put it into a blanc-mange mould, and turn it out in a shape, first dipping the mould, for a minute, in warm water to loosen it. apple sauce.--get fine juicy apples--bellflowers are the best for cooking. sweet apples cook very badly--becoming tough, dry and tasteless. green apples, if full grown, cook well, and have a pleasant acid. for sauce, pare, core, and quarter or slice the apples. wash the pieces in a cullender, and put them to stew, with only water enough to wet them a little. apple stews that are thin and watery are disgraceful to the cook, or to the cook's mistress. let them stew till you can mash them easily all through. then take them off the fire, and sweeten them, adding the seasoning while the apples are warm. season with rose-water, lemon juice, nutmeg; or with all these if for company. if you can get fresh lemon-peel, cut it into very thin slips, and put it in to stew with the apples at first. it is still better, and little more trouble, to grate the lemon-peel. fruit for pies should be stewed in the same manner as for sauce, and not sweetened till taken from the fire. let the paste be baked empty in large deep plates, and when cool, filled to the brim with stewed fruit. a pie, (as we have seen them,) only half or one third full, looks very meanly--and tastes so. all these fruit-sauces are good receipts for stewing fruit for pies or any other purpose. we advise all families to have, among their kitchen utensils, _bain maries_, or double-kettles, putting the article to be stewed in the inner kettle, and the boiling water in the outside one. they are to be had of all sizes at the furnishing stores. they are also excellent for custards and boiled puddings. baked apple sauce.--core very nicely as many fine juicy apples as will fill a large baking-pan. all coring of apples should be done with a tin cover. this you can buy at a tinman's for a quarter dollar, and it is invaluable for the purpose. after coring the apples, pare them smooth and evenly. put a large table-spoonful of cold water in the bottom of the baking-pan, and then put in the apples first, filling, with fine brown sugar, the hole from whence the core was taken out. to have them very nice, add some grated lemon-peel, or some rose-water. set the pan into an oven, (not too hot,) close the oven, and bake till the apples are all broken and can be easily mashed. this way of making apple sauce, by baking in a close oven, will be found far superior to boiling or stewing them. they require no more water than is barely sufficient to give them a start at the bottom. the flavoring (sugar, lemon, or rose,) may be deferred till the apples are baked, taken out of the oven and mashed. then mix it in while hot. boiled apple sauce is usually spoiled with too much water, rendering it the consistence of thin pap, weak, washy, and mean. gooseberry sauce.--get fine full-grown green gooseberries. pick them over, and top and tail them. wash them in a cullender or sieve through two waters. put them into an enameled stew-pan, with only the water remaining on them after washing, and no sugar till after they are stewed to a mash, and taken from the fire. then while hot, stir in brown sugar enough to make them very sweet. serve them up cold. for company, before they are sweetened, press them through a sieve, using only the pulp. then add the sugar; and mould the whole in a form. currant sauce.--take fine ripe currants, and strip them from the stems. put them into a pan, and mash them with a large spoon, or a wooden beetle. stew them in their own juice (no water,) and sweeten them when they are taken from the fire. for company, press the fruit through a sieve before you add the sugar, and shape it in a mould. it will answer every purpose of regular currant jelly, to eat with game, venison, &c. ripe peach sauce.--take juicy freestone peaches; pare and stone them, and cut them up. save all the juice, and stew them in it. when quite soft, take them off the fire, and sweeten them. the flavor will be much improved by stewing with them a bunch of fresh peach leaves, to be taken out when the peaches are done. or, if you cannot readily obtain the leaves, a handful of the fresh peach kernels, stewed with the fruit, (and to be taken out afterwards,) will answer the purpose. it is well, even in the sunny side of a city garden, to plant two peach stones; so that when they grow into trees, you may have peach leaves at hand for improving the flavor of custards, and other things. unless the trees are perfectly healthy, and the leaves green, do not use them. dried peach sauce.--the richest and best dried peaches, are those that are dried with the skins on. the skins (however thick,) entirely dissolve in cooking, and become imperceptible when the fruit is well stewed. it is a great error to pare peaches for drying. apples _must_ be pared, for the skin is tougher than that of peaches, and does not dissolve in cooking. to prepare dried peaches for stewing, pick them over carefully, throwing away all the imperfect pieces. wash them in two cold waters, and then put them into a stew-pan, (_adding no water_,) and stew them till they are quite soft, and shapeless, and mash easily and smoothly in the pan. sweeten them with plenty of brown sugar, as soon as they come off the fire. dried apple sauce.--wash the dried apples through a cullender, and put _a very little water_ with them in the stew-pan. being rather insipid, they require some additional flavor. add cinnamon, or other spice of any sort you like, and the yellow rind of a fresh lemon or orange, pared very thin and cut into slips. when these apples are well stewed and mashed, sweeten them. we believe, that when dried peaches can be procured, few will buy dried apples; they are so far inferior; being the poorest of dried fruit. dried cherries also are scarcely worth cooking, even if they _have_ been stoned. being tough and indigestible, they are very unwholesome, except for rough, hard-working people. if the stones are left in, dried cherries are fit for nothing. damson sauce.--having stewed the damsons in their own juice, till all the stones slip out, (and can be easily removed with a spoon, when taken from the fire,) make them very sweet by stirring in a large portion of brown sugar. damsons, cranberries, and gooseberries require more sugar than any other fruit. fine prune sauce.--wash a pound of prunes, and stew them in orange juice, adding the yellow rind of an orange, pared so fine as to be transparent--or grate it. stir them up frequently, and when quite done, and the stones are all loose, sweeten the prunes with plenty of sugar. prune sauce is eaten with venison, or any sort of game; or with roast kid or fawn--or with roast pig. chestnut sauce.--take the large spanish chestnuts. cut a slit in the side of each, and roast them well. peel them, and put them into a saucepan of very rich melted butter. if you use american chestnuts, boil them till quite soft, (trying two or three to ascertain,) then peel, and thicken your melted butter with them. american chestnuts are too small to roast. pea-nut sauce.--having roasted and shelled a pint of pea-nuts, or ground-nuts, remove the thin brown skin, and simmer the nuts in melted or drawn butter; adding some fine fresh oysters, omitting the gristle. vegetables. all vegetables are best when fresh, as can easily be discovered by the difference between those newly brought from the garden, and those that have been kept in a provision shop till next day, (and perhaps longer,) imbibing the atmosphere of meat, fish, poultry, and a variety of things, each becoming impure from the same causes; not to mention the rats, mice, and insects which run over them at night. you cannot have vegetables in perfection without a country garden. but if obliged to depend upon the market or the provision shops, always have your vegetables washed and laid in cold water before cooking. some are best when put on to boil in cold water; others require boiling water at the beginning, to give them what the cooks call a quick start. all should be thoroughly done throughout. if hard in the centre they are unpalatable, and very unwholesome; even worse than underdone meat. use but very little salt in cooking vegetables; too much renders them hard, and overpowers their real taste. also, it is easy for the lovers of salt to add more when at table. when vegetables are done, and taken out the pot, drain them well through a cullender or sieve, carefully pressing out all the water that is about them. there is generally, in our country, too much water allowed to the vegetables. merely enough to cover them well, and keep them from burning, is in most cases sufficient. in france, so little water is used in cooking vegetables, that they are rather stewed than boiled, and are the better for it. a puddle of greasy water in the bottom of every vegetable dish is a disgusting sight; and yet how frequently it is seen. if of every-day occurrence, it is a certain indication of a bad cook, or an inefficient mistress, or both. almost all green vegetables should be thrown into fast-boiling water, and cooked rapidly; first washing them carefully, and laying them for half an hour in a large pan of cold water. if found frozen in the winter, be sure to thaw them in cold water. continue the boiling till they are thoroughly done, and with a steady heat, taking off the scum as it rises. it is very usual in the spring to bring early vegetables from the south, for the markets of philadelphia and new york. by the time they reach us they are faded, withered, tough and unwholesome. it is better to wait a week or two longer till the season is a little more advanced, and the farms and gardens of our neighborhood can supply our own markets, at a far less cost, and with fresher and better vegetables. the water in which vegetables have been boiled becomes very unwholesome, and should be thrown out immediately. boiled potatos.--to have boiled potatos in perfection they should all be of a good sort and as nearly as possible of the same size. till it is time to cook them, let the slight mould or earth that has adhered to the potatos in digging, be carefully washed off, even scrubbing them with a hard brush. this can be done very conveniently, by laying them under the hydrant or pump, washing them there with a broom, and letting the water run on them. an iron pot is the best of all things for boiling potatos, as it retains the heat longer than any other utensil. lay them in it, closely and compactly, and pour in barely sufficient cold water to cover them well, adding a tea-spoonful of salt. simmer them till nearly done, which you may ascertain by probing all through with a fork. you may quicken the fire for the last five minutes. pour off all the water from them as soon as they are tender all through. lift the lid of the pot at one side to allow the steam to pass off, and set them beside the fire, or on a trevet far above it, till the moisture has escaped; the potatos will then be dry and mealy. then peel them; or if preferred, send them to table with the skin on, which will keep them hot longer. if the potatos are old, cut a piece of skin (about the size of a sixpence) from the top and bottom before boiling; or, take off a long slip from each side. in the spring, when quite old, cut out all the blemishes, pare the potatos, and always boil them for mashing. roast potatos.--potatos for roasting should always be large and fine. if small, "they go all to skin." select those that are nearest of a size, and wash them very clean, and wipe every one with a cloth. put them into an oven, and let them roast or bake for more than two hours, turning them with a fork. dish them in the skins, and send only cold butter to table with them. bake sweet potatos in the same manner, but much longer. small sweet potatos should be boiled; as, when small, they are not worth cooking in any other way; and when roasted there is scarcely any thing of them, but tough shriveled skin. baked potatos.--pare some fine potatos all about the same size, and cover with them the whole bottom of a large deep earthen dish; lay them close together so that they all touch. bake them under a nice piece of beef, veal, or pork, raised above them on a trivet. the gravy from the meat will drip upon them as soon as it begins to bake. they must bake till they are nicely browned, and till a fork will easily go through them. have a smaller dish of potatos baked without meat, in a dish by themselves, as potatos pared before baking are much liked. lay some bits of fresh butter among those that are cooked without any meat. to boil new potatos.--rub each one with a coarse cloth to clear off the skin, it being too thin for paring. wash them well, and cut a small piece off the top and bottom of each potato, to make them boil tender all through. put no salt in the water, and boil them till soft. serve them plain, and eat them with cold butter--or, put them into a sauce-pan, and stew them in butter. mashed potatos.--having boiled the potatos till tender all through, drain them very dry in a cullender, and mash them smoothly with a potato beetle, a large wooden spoon, or a short-handled wooden ladle. when all are nicely mashed, add gradually plenty of fresh butter, and some cream or rich milk. on no account spoil the potatos by putting any water to them, when mashing. put them into a deep dish or mould, and brown them with a salamander. potato cakes.--after the mashed potatos are mixed with butter in a deep earthen pan, beat them with a wooden spoon to render them very light. then make them up into thick flat cakes, about the size of a muffin, and brown each with a salamander. country potatos.--having boiled and peeled some fine newly-dug potatos, melt some butter in a sauce-pan, with cream, instead of flour and water, and pour it plentifully into the dish of potatos; seasoning with black pepper and sweet marjoram leaves. where cream is plenty, this is a very nice way of cooking. serve them up with the sauce poured over them, and around them. they must be well boiled, and tender all through. fried potatos.--the potatos must be raw, large, unblemished, and of a good round shape. first take off a thin paring of the skin. then, pare the whole potato round and round, (not too thin,) till you have gone through it all, and nothing is left unpared but a little lump in the centre. then put these continuous rings of potato into a frying-pan, in which is boiling plenty of fresh butter, or butter and lard mixed. fry them brown and tender, and arrange them handsomely in a dish for breakfast. _another way._--slice thin a sufficiency of fine raw potatos, and lay them in a pan of cold water to soak for an hour or more. then pour off that water entirely, and replace it with fresh. let them remain in this for another hour, or till it is time to cook them. put them into a frying-pan that has in it plenty of fresh butter or lard, enough, while frying, to keep the potatos near the surface. fry them till perfectly well done and tender. attempting to re-cook cold potatos renders them more hard and tough. when once cold, potatos always remain indigestible, cook them as you will. stewed potatos.--having pared some fine raw potatos, quarter them, and put them into a stew-pan with a little salt, pepper, and some green sweet marjoram stripped from the stalks, and scattered among the potatos. put them into a stew-pan with milk enough to prevent their burning, and some fresh butter--no water. if you can get cream conveniently, add some to the milk. cover the pan, and let the potatos stew, till, on trying them with a fork, you find them thoroughly cooked, and soft and tender all through. if not sufficiently done, they are hard, tough, leathery, and unfit to eat. they are very good stewed entirely in the dripping of cold gravy of roast beef, veal, or pork--but not mutton, as that will give them the taste of tallow. this is a nice breakfast dish. cold potatos re-cooked never again become good. after potatos once become cold, no cooking can restore them. stewed sweet potatos.--these should first be scraped or pared. then cut into pieces, and stewed as above. boiled cabbage.--all cabbage should be well washed, and boiled in a large quantity of water with a little salt; the loose or faded leaves being stripped from the outside. they should always be cut or split in two, or in four pieces if very large. cut the stalk short, and split it up to where the leaves begin. put it on in boiling water, and keep it boiling steadily till quite done, which will not be till the stalk is tender throughout. if a young summer cabbage, split it in half, and when well boiled, and drained and pressed in a cullender, serve it up with a few bits of cold fresh butter, laid inside among the leaves. season it with pepper. this is a much nicer and easier way, than to make drawn butter, and pour over the outside of the cabbage. sprouts and very young greens, require nothing more than to be well washed, boiled and drained. in the country, cabbage sprouts are commonly boiled with bacon. savoy cabbage is considered the finest sort. it is a late autumn and winter cabbage. if very large, split it in four. do not boil it with meat. the fat will render it strong and unwholesome. still worse, when melted butter is added to a cabbage already saturated with the fat of corned beef. an excellent way of boiling cabbage.--having trimmed the cabbage, and washed it well in cold water, (examining the leaves to see that no insects are lurking among them,) cut it almost into quarters, but do not divide it entirely down at the stem, which should be cut off just below the termination of the leaves. let it lie an hour in a pan of cold water. have ready a pot _full_ of boiling water, seasoned with a small tea-spoonful of salt. put the cabbage into it, and let it boil for an hour and a half, skimming it occasionally. then take it out; put it into a cullender to drain, and when all the hot water has drained off; set it under the hydrant. let the hydrant run on it, till the cabbage has become perfectly cold all through. if you have no hydrant, set it under a pump, or keep pouring cold water on it from a pitcher. then, having thrown out all the first water, and washed the pot, fill it again, and let the second water boil. during this time the cabbage under the hydrant will be growing cold. then put it on again in the second water, and boil it two hours, or two and a half. even the thickest part of the stalk must be perfectly tender all through. when thoroughly done, take up the cabbage, drain it well through the cullender, pressing it down with a broad ladle to squeeze out all the moisture; lay it in a deep dish, and cut it _entirely_ apart, dividing it into quarters. lay some bits of fresh butter among the leaves, add a little pepper, cover the dish, and send it to table hot. cooked in this manner it will be made perfectly wholesome, and the usually unpleasant cabbage smell will be rendered imperceptible. we recommend it highly. cale cannon.--boil in one pot a fine large cabbage, and when done, drain and press it in a cullender till all the water is squeezed out. have boiled in another, four or five large mealy potatos. peel and mash the potatos, and chop the cabbage small. mix the cabbage and the potatos evenly, in one large dish, and season them with black pepper; adding some bits of nice butter. cale cannon is a plain family dish, but is very good, when all the dinner corresponds. fried cabbage.--parboil a fine cabbage. when half-boiled, take it out, drain it, and lay it awhile in cold water, to remove the cabbage smell. next put it into a clean pot of fresh water, and boil it again till thoroughly done. afterwards, chop it small, season it with pepper and salt, and fry it in fresh butter. a less delicate way is to fry it in boiling lard, taking care to drain it well. it should be eaten only by people in good health. forced cabbage--(_choux farcie._)--this is for dinner company. take two fine fresh cabbages, and examine them well to see that there are no insects hidden among the leaves. wash the cabbages in cold water, and drain them. take out the heart or inside cluster of leaves in the centre of each cabbage, leaving a circle of them standing. cut off the stalk near the bottom, but not so close as to cause the cabbage to fall apart. you may leave a double circle of leaves. have ready plenty of stuffing, or forcemeat, made of veal or fresh pork minced finely, cold ham or smoked tongue minced also, grated bread-crumbs, fresh butter, powdered mace, sweet marjoram and sweet basil, grated lemon-peel, and two hard-boiled yolks of egg, crumbled fine. fill the cabbages full with this stuffing, and to keep them in shape, tie them firmly round in several places, with strings of twine or bass. they must be tied in the form of a round ball. put them into a stew-pot, with water enough to cover them well, and let them stew till thoroughly done. take them up immediately before they are wanted, and remove the strings that have kept them in shape while cooking. red cabbages may be done in this way. french sour crout.--this may be made fresh every day, and has none of the objections generally alleged against the german saur-kraut. having taken out the stalks or cores, split into quarters, four large white-heart cabbages. shred them fine with a cabbage-cutter. wash them well in two waters, and drain them in a cullender. next lay the shred cabbages in a large earthen pan, add a table-spoonful of salt, and a pint of the best cider vinegar. stir and toss the cabbage in this, and let it steep for three hours. then wash and drain it, and put it into a large stew-pan, with half a pound of nice sweet butter, or a quarter of a pound of lard. season it with a little black pepper, and three table-spoonfuls of french mustard, or a jill of tarragon vinegar. cover the whole with a buttered white paper, and stew it slowly for two hours longer. take off the paper, and send the sour crout to table in a covered dish. you may lay on the top of the stew, a pound of sausage meat, or of sausage cakes. or a thin slice or two of cold ham. dressing for slaw.--mix a small pint of real cider vinegar with four large table-spoonfuls of nice fresh butter, divided into four bits, and each bit rolled in flour; a tea-spoon of salt, and a salt-spoon of cayenne. being well stirred, and mixed thoroughly, boil this in a porcelain-lined sauce-pan; and, as soon as it has come to a fast boil, remove it from the fire, and stir in the beaten yolk of four eggs. have ready a nice fresh white cabbage, that has been washed, drained, and cut, or shaved, into small shreds with a cabbage cutter. lay the shred cabbage in a deep dish or bowl, while you prepare the above dressing. having taken it from the fire, and stirred in, gradually, the beaten yolk of egg, pour the dressing hot over the cabbage: mixing it all with a large boxwood salad-spoon or fork. set it out of doors to cool; or cool it quickly on ice or snow. or if preferred warm, place it on the top of a stove, and cover it closely till wanted. it may be made of red cabbage. this slaw (either cold or warm) will be found very superior to all others, if this receipt is exactly followed. salsify fritters.--having washed and scraped the salsify roots, and cut off the extreme joints, stand them up and grate them. beat three eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a pint of milk, with sufficient flour to make a stiff batter. instead of grating the salsify you may cut it into pieces, and boil it till quite soft, so that you can mash it easily. add a little pepper. have ready over the fire a deep frying-pan or skillet, with plenty of boiling lard. put in a large spoonful of the batter, and into the middle of each drop a spoonful of the mashed salsify. fry these fritters of a light brown on both sides, and take them out with a perforated skimmer, draining off the lard through its holes. you may fry the mashed salsify without the batter, taking large spoonfuls, and dipping each in beaten egg first, and afterward twice over in grated bread-crumbs, so as to resemble fried oysters. or you may first boil the roots merely split in two, and then fry them in fresh butter, or bake them brown in an oven. salsify oysters.--get some fine salsify roots, (called also oyster-plant,) and wash and scrape them well. boil them in sufficient fresh oyster liquor to cover them well, and when they are soft take them out, split them, and cut them into pieces about two inches long. then put them into a stew-pan, with the oyster liquor, some pieces of fresh butter rolled in flour, and some blades of mace and some grated nutmeg, with a few whole pepper-corns. let them cook between five and ten minutes, having stirred among them the beaten yolks of two or three eggs. serve them up hot, as a side dish. melongina or egg-plant.--take a large fine egg-plant, and see that there are no blemishes about it. having cut it into thin round slices, (without paring off the skin,) sprinkle between the slices a very little salt and pepper, cover them with a plate, and let them rest an hour more. then wipe the pieces dry. have some beaten egg in one deep plate, and some bread-crumbs, finely grated, in another. dip each slice of egg-plant first into the beaten egg, and then into the bread-crumbs, and fry them brown in a pan full of boiling lard, or else lard and fresh butter mixed in equal quantities. take them out with a perforated skimmer, and drain them well. they will be much better if each slice is dipped _twice_ in the egg, and twice in the crumbs. they may be fried very plainly, simply dredged with flour, and then put into a pan with plenty of boiling lard, the lard drained well from each slice when it is done. they should be fried brown on both sides. if underdone, and left greenish or whitish, they have a raw bitter taste. baked egg-plants.--prepare several fine large unblemished egg-plants, by scooping out the inside or pulp with a spoon, leaving the rind standing. to do this you must cut off very nicely and evenly a round piece from the top, (afterwards to be tied on again.) make a sufficient quantity of forcemeat or stuffing of soaked bread, pressed and dried slightly; fresh butter; minced sweet marjoram leaves; a little pepper and salt; and some powdered mace, and the yellow rind of a lemon grated off very fine. mix all these with the pulp or inside of the egg-plant. when thoroughly mixed, stuff with it the rind or outside into a perfectly round shape, and with a packthread tie on the top-piece which was cut off. put the egg-plants into a dish, the bottom covered with thin slices of cold ham. bake them for an hour or more, and then send them to table whole, with the slices of ham laid round on the dish. remove the strings. fried bananas.--the bananas should be perfectly ripe and yellow all over. peel them, split them into long slips, and dredge them slightly with flour. have ready a frying pan filled with boiling lard. put in the bananas, and fry them well. when done, take them up on a perforated skimmer, and drain back the lard into the frying pan. dish, and send them to table with powdered sugar to eat with them. in the west indies, the large green bananas that are exported from thence, are by no means in favor, compared with a _very small_ yellow sort, the only banana eaten at the best tables. the little ones are fried in the above manner. onion custard.--peel and slice ten or twelve mild onions, and fry them in fresh butter, draining them well when you take them up. then mince them as fine as possible. beat four eggs till very thick and light, and stir them gradually into a pint of milk, in turn with the minced onion. season the whole with plenty of grated nutmeg, and stir it very hard. then put it into a deep white dish, and bake it about a quarter of an hour. send it to table as a side dish, to be eaten with poultry. it is a french preparation, and will be found very nice, by those who have no dislike to onions. cauliflowers.--choose large fine white cauliflowers. wash them well, and lay them in a pan of cold water, having divided each cauliflower into quarters. trim off the outside green leaves. put on the cauliflowers in boiling water with a little salt in it. it is still better to boil them in milk. let them cook till tender throughout, flower and stalk. when quite done, put some bits of fresh butter among the flowers, or pour over them drawn butter sauce, made with milk and seasoned with powdered nutmeg or mace. serve them up hot, and covered. broccoli--is drest in the same manner. it is very good with toast under, though inferior to cauliflower. cauliflower omelet.--take the white part of a boiled cauliflower after it is cold; chop it very small, and mix with it a sufficient quantity of well beaten-egg, to make a very thick batter. then fry it in fresh butter in a small pan, and send it hot to table. fried cauliflower.--having laid a fine cauliflower in cold water for an hour, put it into a pot of boiling water that has been slightly salted, (milk and water will be still better,) and boil it twenty-five minutes, or till the large stalk is perfectly tender. then divide it, equally, into small tufts, and spread it on a dish to cool. prepare a sufficient quantity of batter made in the proportion of a table-spoonful of flour, and two table-spoonfuls of milk to each egg. beat the eggs very light, then stir into them the flour and milk alternately; a spoonful of flour, and two spoonfuls of milk at a time. when the cauliflower is cold, have ready some fresh butter in a frying-pan over a clear fire. when it has come to a boil and has done bubbling, dip each tuft of cauliflower twice into the pan of batter, and fry them a light brown. send them to table hot. broccoli may be fried in this manner. cauliflower maccaroni.--having removed the outside leaves, and cut off the stalk, wash the cauliflower, and examine it thoroughly to see if there are any insects about it. next lay it for an hour in a pan of cold water. then put it into a pot of boiling milk and water that has had a little fresh butter melted in it. whatever scum may float on the top of the water must be removed before the cauliflower goes in. boil it steadily half an hour, or till it is quite tender. then take it out, drain it, and cut it into short sprigs. have ready three ounces of rich, but not strong cheese, grated fine. put into a stew-pan a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, nearly half of the grated cheese, two large table-spoonfuls of cream or rich milk, and a very little salt and cayenne. toss or shake it over the fire till it is well mixed and has come to a boil. then add the tufts of cauliflower, and let the whole stew together about five minutes. when done put it into a deep dish, strew over the top the remaining half of the grated cheese, and brown it with a salamander or a red-hot shovel held above the surface. this will be found very superior to real maccaroni. it is a company dish. broccoli and eggs.--take several heads of broccoli and cut the stalks short, paring off from the stalks the tough outside skin. trim off the small outside shoots or blossoms, and tie them together in bunches. after all the broccoli has been washed, and lain half an hour or more in a pan of fresh cold water, put the large heads, with a salt-spoonful of salt, into a pot of boiling water, and let them boil till thoroughly done, and the stalk perfectly tender. when the large heads have boiled about a quarter of an hour, put in the small tufts, which of course require less time to cook. in the meanwhile have ready six beaten eggs. put a quarter of a pound of butter into a sauce-pan, and stir it over the fire till it is all melted; then add gradually the beaten eggs, and stir the mixture, or shake it over the fire till it becomes very thick. toast sufficient bread to cover entirely the bottom of a deep dish, cutting it to fit exactly, having removed the crust. dip the toast for a minute in hot water. pour the egg and butter over the hot toast. then place upon it the broccoli; the largest and finest head in the middle, the lesser ones round it, and having untied the small sprigs, lay them in a circle close to the edge. fried celery.--take fine large celery, cut it into pieces three or four inches in length, and boil it tender, having seasoned the water with a very little salt. then drain the pieces well, and lay them, separately, to cool on a large dish. make a batter in the proportion of three well-beaten eggs stirred into a pint of rich milk, alternately with half a pint of grated bread-crumbs, or of sifted flour. beat the batter very hard after it is all mixed. put into a hot frying-pan a sufficiency of fresh lard; melt it over the fire, and when it comes to a boil, dip each piece of celery _twice_ into the batter, put them into the pan, and fry them a light brown. when done, lay them to drain on an inverted sieve with a broad pan placed beneath it. then dish the fried celery, and send it to table hot. parsnips, and salsify, (or oyster plant) may be fried in butter according to the above directions. also the tops of asparagus cut off from the stalk, and the white part or blossom of cauliflower. cold sweet potatos are very nice, peeled, cut into long slips, and fried in this way. fried artichokes.--the artichokes must be young and tender. cut them into quarters, remove the choke part, and strip off the leaves. having washed the artichokes well and laid them an hour in cold water, put them into a pot of boiling water, and keep them boiling steadily for a long time, till you find by trying them with a a fork that they are tender all through. then take them out immediately, and drain them. have ready a sufficiency of batter, made in the proportion of the yolk of one egg to a large table-spoonful of milk, and a tea-spoonful of flour. the eggs must be well beaten before they are mixed with the milk; then beat in the flour a spoonful at a time. have ready over the fire some fresh butter, or lard, in a frying-pan. when it has boiled hard, dip the artichokes into the butter, (each piece should be twice dipped,) and fry them brown. then drain them well, and send them to table hot. parsnips may be fried as above. salsify also. another way of frying artichokes, parsnips, and salsify, is, after they have been boiled tender, to dip each piece first in beaten yolk of egg, (without milk or flour,) and then roll it in finely grated bread-crumbs. then put them into the pan and fry them in butter or lard, or a mixture of both. in boiling artichokes, observe to take them out as soon as they are tender. if they remain in the water after they are done, they turn blackish and lose their flavor. mushroom omelet.--take some fresh-gathered mushrooms; remove the stalks, and rub the flaps or heads very slightly with a little salt, mixed with cayenne. then stew the mushrooms in a small sauce-pan, with barely sufficient cream or rich milk to cover them. put in with them a small onion; and if the onion is found to turn blackish, throw away the whole; it being proof that there is among them a false or poisonous mushroom. stir them with a silver spoon, and keep on the lid of the pan closely, unless when you are stirring. if the spoon turns black, the mushrooms should not be eaten. after they have come to a boil, take them off the fire; drain them, and when cool, chop them small. to a pint or more of the minced mushrooms, allow six or seven eggs. beat the eggs till very light and thick, (omitting the whites of two,) and then mix in, gradually, the mushrooms, stirring the whole very hard. put three ounces of fresh butter into a hot omelet pan, or a _small_ frying-pan; place it over the fire and stir the butter as it melts. when it has boiled hard, put in the omelet mixture, and as it fries, stir it till it begins to set. do not turn the omelet; but brown the top by holding close above it a red-hot shovel. when done, drain off the butter, fold over or double the omelet, and serve it up immediately on a hot dish. in gathering mushrooms, those that are fit to eat may be known by their being of a pale pearl color, or of a grayish white, instead of what is called a dead white; and the underside of the flap or head (if good) is of a light pink, or a pinkish salmon color. the best mushrooms grow on uplands, or in high open fields where the air is pure and good, and they should be gathered early in the morning before the dew is off. all that are found in low swampy ground, or in the woods, or under large trees, are poisonous. scolloped tomatos.--take fine large tomatos, perfectly ripe. scald them to loosen the skins, and then peel them. cover the bottom of a deep dish thickly with grated bread-crumbs, adding a few bits of fresh butter. then put in a layer of tomatos, seasoned slightly with a little salt and cayenne, and some powdered mace or nutmeg. cover them with another layer of bread-crumbs and butter; then another layer of seasoned tomatos; and proceed thus until the dish is full, finishing at the top with bread-crumbs. set the dish into a moderate oven, and bake it near three hours. tomatos require long cooking, otherwise they will have a raw taste, that to most persons is unpleasant. asparagus omelet.--take two bunches of the largest and finest asparagus. put it into a pot of boiling water, with a salt-spoonful of salt, and boil it about twenty-five minutes, or till perfectly tender. then drain it, and chop small all the green part. beat four eggs very light, and add to them a wine-glass of cream. mix the chopped asparagus thoroughly with the egg and cream, adding a salt-spoon of salt, and a very little cayenne. melt a large slice of fresh butter in a frying-pan over the fire; and when it has boiled, and the bubbling has ceased, put in the mixture, and fry it till light and firm. then slip it from the frying-pan to a hot dish, and fold it over. for a soft omelet, put the mixture into a skillet with a piece of fresh butter. let it stew slowly for ten minutes. lay a thin slice of buttered toast in the bottom of a hot dish, and cut the toast into small squares, but let them remain close together. with a spoon heap the soft omelet upon the toast, and serve it up. any omelet mixture may be kept soft by stewing instead of frying it, and it will be found more wholesome. before buttering the toast dip it a minute in hot water. stewed peas.--take young, tender, green peas, wash them, and put them into a stew-pan, with sufficient fresh butter to keep them from burning, _but no water_. season them with a little black pepper, and a very little salt. set them over a moderate fire, and stir them about till the butter is well mixed through them. let them simmer till quite soft and slightly broken; take off the lid occasionally, and give them a stir up from the bottom. if you find them becoming too dry, add some more butter. when done, drain off what superfluous butter may be about the peas, and send them to table hot. they will be found excellent. to the taste of many persons, they will be improved by a lump or two of loaf-sugar put in with the butter, and also by a few sprigs of mint, to be removed before the peas go to table. lima beans may be stewed in butter, as above; also, asparagus tops, cut off from the white stalk. lettuce peas.--having washed four lettuces, and stripped off the outside leaves, take their hearts, and (having chopped them well) put them into a stew-pan with two quarts of young green peas, freshly shelled; a lump or two of loaf-sugar; and three or four leaves of green mint minced as finely as possible. then put in four slices of cold ham, and a quarter of a pound of butter divided into four bits, and rolled in flour; and two table-spoonfuls of water. add a little cayenne, and let the whole stew for about twenty-five minutes, or till the peas are thoroughly done. next take out the ham, and add to the stew half a pint of cream. let it continue stewing five minutes longer. then send it to table. plain lettuce peas.--cover the bottom and sides of a stew-pan with large fresh leaves taken from lettuces. have ready the peas, which should be young and green. to each quart of shelled peas allow two table-spoonfuls of fresh butter, and a lump of loaf sugar. add a very little pepper and salt, and a sprig of green mint. cover the pan closely, and let it stew for half an hour, or till the peas are thoroughly done. then take them out from the lettuce leaves, and send only the peas to table. to stew carrots.--half-boil the carrots; then scrape them nicely, and cut them into thick slices. put them into a stew-pan with as much milk as will barely cover them; a very little salt and pepper; and a sprig or two of chopped parsley. simmer them till they are perfectly tender. when nearly done, add a piece of fresh butter rolled in flour. send them to table hot. carrots require long cooking; longer than any other vegetable. parsnips and salsify may be stewed in the above manner, substituting a little chopped celery for the parsley. spinach.--having peeled and washed the spinach very nicely, put it into a _bain marie_, or inside kettle, without any water, and cover it closely. pour the water into the outside kettle, and you may hurry the boiling by throwing a handful of salt in the outside tin, taking care that none of the salt gets into the inside. when the spinach is well stewed, take it up and drain it without squeezing or pressing, as that will make it tough and dry. then chop it small, and add some hard-boiled eggs, also chopped. season it with pepper and fresh butter, stir it well together, return it to the kettle, and let it stew a quarter of an hour or more. serve it up with buttered toast and poached eggs laid upon it. spinach being very watery, should always be _stewed_ rather than boiled. if you have no _bain marie_, the water that remains about the spinach, after it has been washed, will suffice to stew it slowly. spinach juice, for coloring green, must be strained, and boiled slightly. you can obtain plenty of juice by pounding the leaves. to prepare cucumbers.--let the cucumbers be full-grown, but not in the least yellow or hard. they are then only fit to be saved for seed. lay the cucumbers in a pan of cold water for an hour or more, or till it is nearly time to send them to table, being careful not to set them in the sun. have ready another pan of fresh water, (very cold) and having pared the cucumbers, slice them into it. transfer them to a deep china or white-ware dish. season them with vinegar, pepper, salt, and a little salad oil, taking care not to use too much salt. when there is no dislike to onions, peel and slice a few that are mild, and mix them with the cucumbers. it is usual now, at the best tables, to have the onions in a small separate dish, (sliced with vinegar and pepper) to be eaten by those that like them, and omitted by those who do not. onions, (and also salad oil) are said to render cucumbers more wholesome. tomatos (raw) are frequently sliced, seasoned, and sent to table in the manner of cucumbers. tomatos are always wholesome. stewed cucumbers.--pare six fine fresh cucumbers. cut each of them lengthways into four pieces; lay them for an hour in a pan of cold water. take a clean stew-pan, and place in its bottom two table-spoonfuls of good fresh butter. then put in the slices of cucumber, and sprinkle them slightly with a very little pepper. add two table-spoonfuls of cold water. set the pan over a moderate fire, and let the cucumbers stew slowly for half an hour or more, till they are well cooked. keep the pan closely covered, except when you have to remove the lid to stir the stew. serve them up hot, at breakfast, or as a side dish, at dinner. persons who have no objection to the taste of onions, will think the cucumbers improved by the addition of the half of a moderate sized onion, sliced thin and stewed with them. a nice way of cooking asparagus.--where asparagus is plenty, there is no better way of cooking it than the following. take it as nearly of a size as possible, wash it, and cut off the stalks very short, leaving them not more than half an inch in length. two quarts of water will be sufficient to boil one quart of asparagus tops; allow a tea-spoonful of salt to this quantity of water, and set it over the fire to boil. when the water is boiling hard, put in the asparagus, and boil it fast for at least half an hour. to see if it is done, take up two or three of the largest pieces and taste them. while it is boiling, prepare two slices of bread cut half an inch thick, and (having removed the crust) toast the bread brown on both sides. have ready a large jill of melted (or drawn) fresh butter. when the asparagus is done, take it up with a perforated skimmer, and lay it on a sieve to drain. dip the slices of toast (one at a time) first in the hot asparagus liquor, and then in the melted butter. lay the slices, side by side, in a deep dish, and cover it with the asparagus, laid evenly over and round the toast. then add the remainder of the drawn butter, and send the asparagus to table hot, in a covered dish. this is a much nicer way than that of boiling and serving it up with the long stalks left on. and where you have asparagus in abundance, (for instance in a country garden,) it may always be cooked in this manner. this is from the receipt of mr. n. darling, of new haven. asparagus oysters.--take two bundles of fine full-grown asparagus. cut off the green tops or points as far down as the white stalk. take a sufficient quantity of fresh oysters, the finest you can get at that season. put the asparagus tops into a stew-pan, with enough of oyster liquor (previously strained) to stew them quite tender. stew the oysters themselves in another pan with some more of their liquor, seasoned with pepper, mace, and nutmeg, adding a large piece of fresh butter, divided into four, and each part rolled in flour. do not let the oysters stew more than five minutes, or they will become tough and shriveled. when they are merely plumped, take them out and cut them up small, omitting the gristle or hard part. set the mixture over the fire for about five minutes, stirring all the time. have ready some slices of nice toast, with all the crust pared off; the slices dipped for a minute in hot water. butter the toast, and cover with it the bottom of a deep dish, and fill it with the mixture of asparagus and oysters. onion eggs.--boil a dozen eggs quite hard. slice and fry in fresh butter five or six onions. slice (whites and yolks together) ten of the eggs, reserving two for the seasoning. drain the sliced onions, and lay them on a dish with the sliced eggs placed upon them. cover the dish, and keep it hot. take the two remaining eggs, grate the yolks, and mix them with cream and grated nutmeg, and a very little cayenne. put this mixture into a very small sauce-pan, give it one boil up, pour it over the eggs and onions, and send it to table hot. for those who have no objection to onions this is a nice side dish. egg balls.--boil eight eggs till quite hard, and when done, throw them directly into cold water. then put the yolks into a mortar, and pound them to a paste, moistening them as you proceed with the beaten yolks of three _raw_ eggs, seasoned with as much salt as will lie _flat_ upon a shilling, and a little cayenne, and powdered nutmeg and mace. mix the whole well together, and make it up into small round balls. throw them into mock-turtle soup, or into stewed terrapin, about two minutes before you take it up. curry balls.--take a sufficiency of finely-grated bread-crumbs; hard-boiled yolk of egg, grated; fresh butter, and a little curry powder. pound the whole in a mortar, moistening it with raw yolk of egg (well-beaten) as you proceed. make it into small balls, and add them to stewed chicken or rabbit, about five minutes before you take it up. tomato paste.--scald and peel as many ripe tomatos as will fill a large, deep, stone jar. set them into a warm oven for an hour. then skim off the watery liquid that has risen to the top, and press and squeeze the tomatos in a sieve. afterwards add salt, cayenne, pounded mace, and powdered nutmeg, to your taste; and to every quart of tomatos allow a half a pint of cider vinegar. stew the whole slowly in a porcelain kettle for three hours, (stirring it frequently from the bottom,) till it becomes a smooth, thick paste. then put it into small jars or glasses, and cover it closely, pasting paper over each. it is an excellent sauce, at the season when fresh tomatos are not to be had, and is very good to thicken soup. dried ochras.--take fine large fresh ochras; cut them into thin, round slices; string them on threads, and hang them up in festoons to dry in the store-room. before using, they must be soaked in water during twenty-four hours. they will then be good (with the addition of tomato paste) to boil in soup or gumbo. beef gumbo.--put into a large stew-pan some pieces of the lean of fresh beef, cut up into small bits, and seasoned with a little pepper and salt. add sliced ochras and tomatos, (either fresh or dried ochras and tomato paste.) you may put in some sliced onions. pour on water enough to cover it well. let it boil slowly, (skimming it well,) till everything is reduced to rags. then strain and press it through a cullender. have ready a sufficiency of toasted bread, cut into dice. lay it in the bottom of a tureen, and pour the strained gumbo upon it. to boil ochras.--for boiling, the ochras should be young and small. wash them, and cut off a small piece from each end. boil them till very tender throughout. then drain them well, and transfer them to a deep dish. lay among them some bits of fresh butter, and season them with pepper. cover the dish, that the butter may be warm and melt the sooner. or you may make a sauce of half a pint of milk boiled, and when it has come to a boil enrich with a quarter of a pound of very good fresh butter, divided into four pieces; each piece rolled in a little flour, the butter stirred in gradually and smoothly, as soon as the milk is taken off the fire. pour this sauce over the dish of ochras, and keep it covered till it has gone to table. we prefer the first way, putting the bit of butter cold into the hot ochras, with either milk or flour, and letting the butter melt gradually, in the manner of green beans. you may boil with them a small piece of very good bacon, removing when the ochras are taken off the fire. season with pepper. onions.--the best onions for cooking are the white or silver-skinned. the red-skinned are generally strong and coarse. shalots are very small and delicate. some sorts of large onions are milder and nicer than those of middle size, and some that are very small have a powerful taste and smell. the outer skin of most onions should be peeled entirely, and the ends cut off. all onions are the better for boiling, before they are cooked for any other purpose. put them into a stew-pan with cold water, and when they have come to a boil pour off that water, and replace it with fresh cold also. boil them slowly till quite tender all through, which will not be in less than half an hour; more, if they are large. when done, drain them well, dish them, and pour over them some nice melted butter. _to stew onions._--peel, slice them, and stew them in milk, enriched with butter rolled in flour, and seasoned with a little cayenne and a few blades of mace. _to roast onions._--select fine large onions; do not peel them, but place them in a bake-pan, and set them in an oven. bake them slowly till tender all through. when done, peel off the outer skin, and send them hot to table, to eat with pepper and cold butter. they are very good when covered up and roasted under hot ashes, taking care that they are done quite through to the heart. to boil green peas.--when the peas are shelled, wash them in a pan of cold water. put on the peas in cold water, (a little salted) and let them boil very fast. if nice peas, they will generally be done in a quarter of an hour after beginning to boil. when simmering, add to them a lump or a spoonful of loaf-sugar, and a sprig of fresh green mint, (half a dozen leaves) having first ascertained if mint is not disliked by any person who is to eat of the peas. to some the taste and odor of mint is very agreeable, to others very disgusting, as is the case with onions, and many other things that are liked by the majority. when the peas are all soft or tender, take out the mint, drain the peas through a cullender till not a drop of water is left among them; transfer them to a deep dish, mix into them some of the best fresh butter, and sprinkle them with pepper. cover them immediately, and send them to table hot. stewed peas.--having prepared the peas as above, put them into a stew-pan without any water. mix among them plenty of bits of nice fresh butter, sufficient to cook them. let them stew slowly in the butter till they are quite soft, stirring them up from the bottom frequently. drain and dish them. they will be found very fine--better than if boiled in water. peas should not be stewed this way, except in places where plenty of good _fresh_ butter is to be easily obtained. green peas.--the largest and finest peas are what the english call marrowfat. the sugar pea is next. all green peas for boiling should be young and tender, but not so young as to be tasteless or insipid. as a general rule, nearly every article of food is best when it has just attained its full growth and ripeness; after that period the older it is the worse. peas, so old as to be hard and yellow, are unfit to eat. in some ultra economical houses, good peas are things unknown. they are not bought in spring or early summer while young and fresh, but are never thought cheap enough till they become hard and yellow. afterwards, when they reach the cheap state, a quantity are bought low, and put into jars not to be touched till next spring, when they are boiled, (with great difficulty, for they never become soft,) and _attempted_ to be passed off "as this year's fresh peas"--and by the time the family have gotten through with _them_, "this year's young peas" have become old. do not believe (for it is untrue,) that any eatable can be kept in _all_ its genuine freshness and original flavor, by merely secluding them entirely from air. they will not spoil or decompose if skillfully managed; but they _have not exactly_ their natural taste and consistence. it is better for those who _never make pickles or preserves_, to wait for fresh vegetables or fruit, till they are actually in market--or, if put up in jars, to add something more than parboiling and seclusion from the air. vinegar, salt, sugar, spice and alcohol, will be found the grand and universal articles for securing the goodness of nearly all eatables. without some of these along with them, things that have not spoiled while secluded from air, will surely spoil almost as soon as the jars are opened, and the external air admitted to them. green or string beans.--take young and tender beans, the seeds just forming in the pods. take off the string with a knife, leaving no bits of string adhering to the beans, either at top or bottom. do not split them. cut each bean into three pieces, _not more_, and as you cut them throw them into a pan of cold water, kept beside you for the purpose. the old-fashioned way is now obsolete of cutting them into dice or diamonds, or of splitting them. the more they are cut up (beside the trouble and time wasted,) the more the water gets through them when cooking; the more tasteless they become, and the more difficult they are to drain. we have never met with beans that, when cut small, had not a puddle of greasy water in the bottom of the dish, and sometimes the water was all through the dish, and the beans floating in it. shame on such bean-cooking! when the beans are all ready for the pot, throw them into boiling water very slightly salted, and they will generally be done in half an hour after they have come to a boil. transfer them to a sieve; and press, and drain them well, till no water is left about them. then put them into a deep dish, mix them with fresh butter, and dredge them with black pepper. lima beans.--shell the lima beans into a pan of cold water. let them lie in it an hour. put them in boiling water, little more than enough to cover them, and boil them till soft and tender. when done, drain and serve them up in a deep dish, adding among them a good piece of butter. the lima beans now raised in north america have become coarse and white, requiring a renewal of fresh stock or new seeds from peru. they will then be green and delicate again, as formerly. sweet potatos.--choose the sweet potatos large, and nearly of the same size, then you can either boil or roast them. when small they should always be boiled; as, when baked or roasted, the skin becomes so thick and hard, that it takes up nearly the whole potato. wash them very clean, and cut off a bit from each end. put them into a large pot of boiling water without salt, and boil them steadily for at least an hour. probe them with a narrow-bladed sharp knife, and if it does not easily penetrate all through the largest potato, (in at one side and out at the other) continue the boiling till all are soft throughout. then take them up, peel them, and keep them warm till sent to table. _to bake sweet potatos_ they should all be large. wash them, dry them, and cut off the ends. then bake them in an oven, lying side by side, not piling one on another. or else (which is better) roast them in hot ashes. they will not be done in less than an hour and a half, perhaps longer. then wipe them clean, and serve them up in the skins. eat them from the skins, with cold butter and a tea-spoon. _to stew sweet potatos._--wash and wipe them. then scrape off the skins with a sharp knife. split them, and cut them into long pieces. stew them with fresh pork, veal, or beef; first putting at the bottom a very little butter or water to start them, and then the gravy of the meat will suffice for cooking them--skimming it well. water to stew should be hot. _mashed sweet potatos_ are very nice. when well boiled, mash them smoothly with a potato beetle. mix them with fresh butter, and then stir them well, or beat them with a large wooden spoon to render them light. afterwards, you may make them into round thick cakes, and touch the surface of every one with pepper--red or black. this is a breakfast dish for company. boiled turnips.--have all your turnips nearly of the same size. pare them; and if large cut them in half. put them into boiling water, very slightly salted, and keep them closely covered. twenty minutes will boil them if very small and young; their flavor is then very fine. afterwards, according to their size, they will require of gentle boiling, from three-quarters to a full hour. keep them boiling till, on trying them with a fork, you find them perfectly tender all through. then take them up, drain them well, and pour melted butter over them; touch the top of each with a spot of black pepper. if very old and spongy, they are only fit for the pig barrel. it is said that if boiled in their skins, (though requiring a much longer time to cook well) they have a fine flavor, and are less watery. you can try it. if the turnips are to be mashed, cut them into small pieces, boil them very soft, and drain and squeeze them till all the water is pressed out. then mash them very smooth. transfer them to a deep dish, and mix them with a _moderate portion_ of fresh butter. turnips are generally served with too much butter. season them with pepper. when sent to table take care not to set them in a sunny place, as it will give them a bad taste. turnips, baked in an oven, are very good--for a change. sydney smith's salad-dressing.--have ready two well-boiled potatos, peeled and rubbed through a sieve; they will give peculiar smoothness to the mixture. also, a very small portion of raw onion, not more than a _quarter_ of a tea-spoonful, (as the presence of the onion is to be scarcely hinted,) and the pounded yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. mix these ingredients on a deep plate with one tea-spoonful of salt, one of made mustard, three table-spoonfuls of olive oil, and one table-spoonful of vinegar. add, lastly, a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovy; mash, and mix the whole together, (using a boxwood spoon) and see that all the articles are thoroughly amalgamated. having cut up a sufficiency of lettuce, that has been well washed in cold water, and drained, add to it the dressing immediately before dinner, mixing the lettuce through it with a boxwood fork. this salad dressing was invented by the rev. sydney smith, whose genius as a writer and a wit is well known on both sides the atlantic. if _exactly_ followed, it will be found very fine on trial; no peculiar flavor predominating, but excellent as a whole. the above directions are taken from a manuscript receipt given by mr. smith to an american gentleman then in london. in preparing this, or any other salad-dressing, take care not to use that excessively pungent and deleterious combination of drugs which is now so frequently imposed upon the public, as _the best white wine vinegar_. in reality, it has no vinous material about it; and it may be known by its violent and disagreeable sharpness, which overpowers and destroys the taste (and also the substance) of whatever it is mixed with. it is also very unwholesome. its color is always pale, and it is nearly as clear as water. no one should buy or use it. the first quality of _real_ cider vinegar is good for all purposes. the above receipt may be tried for lobster dressing. a spanish proverb says, that for compounding a _good_ salad, four persons are required--a spend-thrift for oil; a miser for vinegar; a man of judgment for salt; and a madman for stirring the dressing. fine chicken salad.--having skinned a pair of cold fowls, remove the fat, and carve them as if for eating; cut all the flesh entirely from the bones, and either mince it or divide it into small shreds. mix with it a little smoked tongue or cold ham, grated rather than chopped. have ready one or two fine fresh lettuces, picked, washed, drained, and cut small. put the cut lettuce on a dish, (spreading it evenly,) or into a large bowl, and place upon it the minced chicken in a close heap in the centre. for the dressing, mix together the following ingredients, in the proportion of the yolks of four eggs well beaten, a tea-spoonful of powdered white sugar, a salt-spoon of cayenne; (no salt if you have ham or tongue with the chicken,) two tea-spoonfuls of made mustard, six table-spoonfuls of salad oil, and five of celery vinegar. stir this mixture well: put it into a small sauce-pan, set it over the fire, and let it boil three minutes,(not more,) stirring it all the time. then set it to cool. when quite cold, cover with it thickly, the heap of chicken in the centre of the salad. to ornament it, have ready half a dozen or more, hard-boiled eggs, which, after the shell is peeled off, must be thrown directly into a pan of cold water to prevent them from turning blue. cut each egg (white and yolk together) lengthways into four long pieces of equal size and shape; lay the pieces upon the salad all round the heap of chicken, and close to it; placing them so as to follow each other round in a slanting direction, something in the form of a circular wreath of leaves. have ready, also, some very red cold beet, cut into small cones or points all of equal size; arrange them in a circle upon the lettuce, outside of the circle of cut egg. to be decorated in this manner, the salad should be placed in a dish rather than a bowl. in helping it, give each person a portion of every thing, and they will mix them together on their plates. this salad should be prepared immediately before dinner or supper; as standing long will injure it. the colder it is the better. carrots.--having washed the carrots, and scraped off the outer skin with a sharp knife, or taken off a very thin paring, split them a few inches down, leaving a long cleft in the upper half only, and put them on to cook in plenty of boiling water, with a little salt in it. there is no table vegetable that needs more boiling than a carrot. small young carrots require at least half an hour. if large, they must boil from one to two hours, according to their size. when you find them tender throughout, dish them, with melted butter poured round them. they are eaten plain, only with boiled beef or boiled mutton. they are often added to soups and stews, when they must be put in long before the other vegetables. for soups and stews the nicest way is to grate them (before boiling,) on a coarse grater. this way they improve both the taste and color. carrots are very nice, sliced thin after boiling, put into a sauce-pan, with bits of butter dredged with flour, seasoned with pepper, and stewed soft without any water. parsnips.--scrape the parsnips, and split them half way down. put them into boiling water with a little salt. parsnips require less boiling than carrots; and, according to their size, will take from half an hour to an hour. skim the water while they are boiling. when quite tender take them up, drain them, dish them, and pour melted butter over them. they are especially eaten with corned pork, or salted cod; but are good with various things. they are excellent stewed with fresh beef, or fresh pork, for a plain dinner. _fried parsnips_ make a nice breakfast dish. they must first be parboiled; then split, and cut into long pieces, and fried brown in fresh butter, or in nice dripping of veal or beef. _baked parsnips._--split and parboil them. then place them in a large dish. lay among them some bits of fresh butter, and bake them brown. eat them with any sort of roast meat. _parsnip fritters._--boil and peel half a dozen large parsnips, and then split and cut them in pieces. make a nice batter, allowing four beaten eggs to a pint of milk, and four table-spoonfuls of flour. have ready over the fire, a frying-pan with boiling lard. put in a large spoonful of batter; upon that a piece of parsnip, and cover it with another spoonful of batter. proceed thus till you have used up the parsnips. when done, drain them from the lard, and serve them hot at breakfast or dinner. beets.--beets must be washed very clean, but not scraped, trimmed, or cut till after they are boiled. put them on in boiling water; and, according to their size, boil them steadily from one hour and a half, to two hours and a half, but they must not be probed (to ascertain if they are tender all through,) but pinched with the fingers. then peel off the skins, and trim them neatly. hold the beet in a pan of cold water while you peel it. do it quickly. serve them up either split or sliced, with melted butter poured over them, and seasoned with pepper. or else they may be sliced thick, (allowing them to get cold,) and spiced vinegar poured over them. red beets are usually dressed with vinegar; the white or pale ones with melted butter. _baked beets_ have a finer flavor, and are more nutritious than when boiled. wash and wipe them dry, but do not skin or cut them till after cooking. they must be thoroughly done before they are taken out of the oven, and then pared and trimmed. according to their size they will require from four to six hours baking. their blood-red color makes them ornamental to the table; but when cooked in soups or stews they add little to the taste, which is overpowered by that of other ingredients. squashes or cymlings.--see that the squashes are not turning old, and hardening. wash them, and cut them into four pieces each; but do not split them. put them on in boiling water, with a little salt. boil them steadily till quite tender throughout. then take them up, and mash or drain them through a cullender, pressing them with a broad short-handled wooden ladle. all the water (of which there will be a profusion,) must be entirely squeezed out. serve them up very dry, and smoothly and evenly mashed, having first mixed with them a _very little butter_; and season them with very little pepper. much butter gives them a disagreeable taste and consistence, and the butter should be fresh and good. it is better to mash squashes, turnips, pumpkins, &c., without any butter, than to use that which is salt and bad. the flat white ones are the best summer squashes; the striped green are more watery; the cashaw, or yellow winter squash, is best of all, and grows well in the new england states, from whence, as it keeps well all winter, it is often brought in barrels. every family should get a barrel of winter squashes from boston. they do not thrive in the middle states. in new jersey and pennsylvania, they cannot be raised even from the best yankee seed, turning pumpkinish the next year, and afterwards becoming quite pumpkins, and very bad ones too. but when raised in their native soil and climate nothing of the squash kind is equal to them. they are very dry and sweet, and of a rich yellow color. take them out of the barrel, and keep them far apart on the shelves or floor of a dry pantry. stewed pumpkin.--no pumpkin is too large to be good, but they may be too old. cut a good deep-colored pumpkin in half, and empty out all the seeds, &c. then cut it into pieces, and pare them. put the pieces of pumpkin into a pot with barely sufficient water to keep them from burning. when they are thoroughly done or soft all through, take them up; drain, mash, and press them through a cullender. they must be _very_ dry. put the stewed pumpkin into a dish, and mix it with a small portion of butter. season it with black pepper, and eat it with boiled corned beef, or corned pork, or bacon. stewed pumpkin is chiefly used for pies and puddings. yankee pumpkin pudding.--take a pint of stewed pumpkin. mix together a pint of _west india_ molasses and a pint of milk, adding two large table-spoonfuls of brown sugar, and two table-spoonfuls of ground ginger. beat three eggs very light, and stir them, gradually, into the milk and molasses. then, by degrees, stir in the stewed pumpkin. put it into a deep dish, and bake it without a crust. this is a good farm-house pudding, and _equally_ good for any healthy children. for a large family, double the quantities of ingredients--that is, take a quart of milk, a quart of molasses, four spoonfuls of brown sugar, four spoonfuls of ginger, six eggs, and a quart of stewed pumpkin. you had best have at hand _more than a quart_ of pumpkin, lest when mixed it should not hold out. this pudding is excellent made of winter squash. stewed mushrooms.--peel and wash a quart of very fresh mushrooms, and cut off all the stems. button mushrooms are best; but if you can only procure large ones, quarter them. sprinkle them slightly with salt and pepper, and put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of nice fresh butter, cut in pieces and slightly dredged with flour. keep the lid closely covered all the time. when quite tender, put the mushrooms into a deep dish, in the bottom of which is laid a nice toast that has had all the crust pared off, and been dipped for a minute in hot water, and slightly buttered. serve up the mushrooms closely covered. they require no seasoning. baked mushrooms.--take large fine fresh mushrooms. peel them and remove the stems. lay them on their backs in a large dish, (not letting them touch each other) and put into each mushroom, (as in a cup) a bit of the best fresh butter. set the dish in an oven and bake them. send them to table in the same dish; or transfer them to another, with a large toast at the bottom. there is no better way of cooking mushrooms than this. if you cannot procure good butter, cook them in nice olive oil. to boil indian corn.--corn for boiling should be full grown, but young and tender, and the grains soft and milky. if its grains are becoming hard and yellow, it is too old for cooking. strip the ears of their leaves and the silk. put them into a large pot of boiling water, and boil it rather fast for half an hour or more, in proportion to its size and age. when done, take it up, drain it, dish it under a cover, or napkin, and serve it up hot. before eating it, rub each ear with salt and pepper, and then spread it with butter. epicures in corn consider it sweetest when eaten off the cob. and so it is; but _before company_ few persons like to hold an ear of indian corn in their hands, and bite the grains off the cob with their teeth. therefore, it is more frequently cut off the cob into a dish; mixed with salt, pepper, and butter, and helped with a spoon. it is said that young green corn will boil sufficiently in ten minutes, (putting it, _of course_, into a pot of boiling water.) try it. _another way._--having pulled off the silk, boil the corn without removing any but the outside leaves. with the leaves or husk on, it will require a longer time to cook, but is sweeter and more nutritious. hominy.--hominy is white indian corn, shelled from the cob, divested of the outer skin by scalding in hot lye, and then winnowed and dried. it is perfectly white. having washed it through two or three waters, pour boiling water on it; cover it, and let it soak all night, or for several hours. then put it into a pot or sauce-pan, allow two quarts of water to each quart of hominy, and boil it till perfectly soft. then drain it, put it into a deep dish, add some butter to it, and send it to table hot, (and _uncovered_,) to eat with any sort of meat; but particularly with corned beef or pork. what is left may be made next day into thick cakes, and fried in butter. to be _very good_, hominy should boil four or five hours. carolina grits or small hominy.--the small-grained hominy must be washed and boiled in the same manner as the large, only allow rather less water for boiling. for instance, put a pint and a half of water to a quart of small hominy. drain it well, send it to table in a deep dish _without a cover_, and eat it with butter and sugar, or molasses. if covered after boiling, the vapor will condense within the lid, and make the hominy thin and watery. samp.--this is indian corn skinned, and then pounded or ground till it is still smaller and finer than the carolina grits. it must be cooked and used in the same manner. it is very nice eaten with cream and sugar. for invalids it may be made thin, and eaten as gruel. hominy cakes.--a pint of small hominy, or carolina grits; a pint of white indian meal, sifted; a salt-spoonful of salt, three large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter; three eggs or three table-spoonfuls of strong yeast; a quart of milk. having washed the small hominy, and left it soaking all night, boil it soft, drain it, and while hot mix it with the indian meal; adding the salt, and the butter. then mix it gradually with the milk, and set it away to cool. beat the eggs very light, and add them gradually to the mixture. the whole should make a thick batter. then bake them on a griddle, in the manner of buckwheat cakes, rubbing or scraping the griddle always before you put on a fresh cake. trim off their edges nicely, and send them to table hot. eat them with butter. or you may bake them in muffin rings. if you prefer making these cakes with yeast, you must begin them earlier, as they will require time to rise. the yeast should be strong and fresh. if _not_ very strong, use four table-spoonfuls instead of two. cover the pan, set it in a warm place; and do not begin to bake till it is well risen, and the surface of the mixture is covered with bubbles. corn porridge.--take young corn, and cut the grains from the cob. measure it, and to each heaping pint of corn allow not quite a quart of milk. put the corn and milk into a pot, stir them well together, and boil them till the corn is perfectly soft. then add some bits of fresh butter dredged with flour, and let it boil five minutes longer. stir in at the last, four beaten yolks of eggs, and in three minutes remove it from the fire. take up the porridge and send it to table hot, and stir some fresh butter into it. you may add sugar and nutmeg. corn oysters.--three dozen ears of large young indian corn, six eggs; lard and butter in equal portions for frying. the corn must be young and soft. grate it from the cob as fine as possible, and dredge it with wheat flour. beat very light the six eggs, and mix them gradually with the corn. then let the whole be well incorporated by hard beating. add a salt-spoon of salt. have ready, in a frying pan, a sufficient quantity of lard and fresh butter mixed together. set it over the fire till it is boiling hot, and then put in portions of the corn mixture, so as to form oval cakes about three inches long, and nearly an inch thick. fry them brown, and send them to table hot. in taste they will be found to have a singular resemblance to fried oysters, and are universally liked if properly done. they make nice side-dishes at dinner, and are very good at breakfast. summer saccatash.--string a quarter of a peck of young green beans, and cut each bean into three pieces, (not more,) and do not split them. have by you a pan of cold water, and throw the beans into it as you cut them. have ready over the fire a pot or sauce-pan of boiling water; put in the beans, and boil them hard near twenty minutes. afterwards take them up, and drain them well through a cullender. take half a dozen ears of young but full-grown indian corn, (or eight or nine if they are not all large) and cut the grains down from the cob. mix together the corn and the beans, adding a very small tea-spoonful of salt, and boil them about twenty minutes. then take up the saccatash, drain it well through a sieve, put it into a deep dish, and while hot mix in a large piece of butter, (at least the size of an egg,) add some pepper, and send it to table. it is generally eaten with salted or smoked meat. fresh lima beans are excellent cooked in this manner, with green corn. they must be boiled for half an hour or more, before they are cooked with the corn. dried beans and dried corn will do very well for saccatash, but they must be soaked all night before boiling. the water poured on them for soaking should be hot. winter saccatash.--this is made of dried shelled beans and hard corn, soaked over night in separate pans, and boiling water poured over them in the morning, after pouring off the first water. then boil both together till they are _quite soft_. drain them dry in a sieve, put them into a deep dish, and mix in a large piece of butter, seasoned with pepper. this is a good accompaniment to corned pork or beef. the meat must be boiled in a separate pot. carolina way of boiling rice.--pick the rice carefully, and wash it through two or three cold waters till it is quite clean. then (having drained off all the water through a cullender,) put the rice into a pot of boiling water, with a very little salt, allowing as much as a quart of water to half a pint of rice. boil it twenty minutes or more. then pour off the water, draining the rice as dry as possible. lastly, set it on hot coals with the lid off, that the steam may not condense upon it and render the rice watery. keep it drying thus for a quarter of an hour. put it into a deep dish, and loosen and toss it up from the bottom with two forks, one in each hand, so that the grains may appear to stand alone. tomatos.--tomatos require long cooking; otherwise they will have a raw taste, and be quite too acid. take fine tomatos that are quite ripe, put them into a pan, and scald them in very hot water. let them remain for ten minutes, or till you can peel them without scalding your hands. drain them through a sieve. you may either press out all the seeds, (retaining only the pulp or liquid,) or leave the seeds in, squeezing the tomatos slightly. put them into a stew-pan, which must on no account be of copper, as the acid of the tomatos will render it poisonous. we knew a lady who died in agonies from eating tomatos cooked in a copper vessel that had the tinning partly worn off. if the tin inside is indispensable, (which it is) why have any copper about it? a vessel of _double_ block tin only, will last as long, and stand the fire as well as if there was copper inside. for all stews, an iron pan, lined with delft (or what is called porcelain or enamel) is excellent. best of all for stewing tomatos, and many other things, is a _bain marie_, or double kettle, with the water outside, in the outer kettle. having nearly filled the stew-pan with the tomatos, (cut up, if they are large) add a little salt and pepper, a piece of fresh butter dredged with flour, and (if approved) a very little chopped onion. if you have ready-boiled onions at hand, take one or two of them and mince it fine. add to the tomatos some powdered white sugar to lessen the excessive acid. put but very few bread-crumbs--if too many, they will weaken the taste. tomatos are an improvement to every kind of plain soups, and may be added, with advantage, after the soup is in the tureen. the cooking of tomatos should be commenced at least three hours before dinner. put no water with them--their own juice is sufficient. many persons like tomatos raw, sliced like cucumbers, and seasoned with vinegar and pepper. to keep tomato pulp.--having boiled them till entirely dissolved, (adding a little salt and pepper) press and strain them through a sieve, pour the liquor into pint or half-pint bottles, (which must be perfectly clean) and stand the bottles up in a large iron pot or oven, with a layer of straw in the bottom. fill up the pot with cold water, cork them tightly, and let the water boil round the bottles for five hours. as it boils away, fill up with more hot water. when you take them out, put a spoonful of salad oil at the top of each bottle; seal the bottles with rosin cement. this pulp will be good for tomato purposes till next summer, if kept in a cool dry place. when you open a bottle use it fast, or cork it again immediately. broiled tomatos.--take the very largest and ripest tomatos. wash, but do not scald or peel them. cut the tomatos _half_ apart on four sides, extract the seeds, and fill each tomato with a nice forcemeat of stuffing, made of bread-crumbs, butter, minced veal or pork, mace, nutmeg, and sweet marjoram. having stewed this stuffing in a sauce-pan, (moistening it with tomato juice, or gravy) fill all the tomatos with it, opening them out a little like the leaves of a tulip. butter slightly a heated gridiron, and broil them on it. or, they may be baked in an oven. this is a dish for company, either at dinner or breakfast. button tomatos.--these are the very smallest tomatos, and are excellent for pickling and preserving. if quite ripe, and free from blemishes, they will keep very well in cold vinegar, and are the easiest done of all pickles. there are two sorts of button tomatos, the red and the yellow, both equally good. wipe every tomato clean and dry, and put them into small glass jars that have a cover. fill the jars two-thirds with the tomatos, and then fill up to the top with the best cider vinegar. on the top put a table-spoonful of salad oil, and cover them closely. they require nothing to secure their keeping well. but the taste will be improved, by putting in with them, three very small thin muslin bags, each containing mace, nutmeg, and ginger, broken small, but not powdered. lay one bag of spice at the bottom of the jar; one about the middle, and one near the top. if done without spice, they are the cheapest of all pickles. do not put them into soups or stews; but eat them cold with meat, like other pickles. if kegs of these tomatos were carried to sea, and liberally served out to the crew, the scurvy would be less frequent, even on long voyages. large whole tomatos would do for this purpose. we wish it were the universal custom in ships to take out with them plenty of tomatos kept in this way in vinegar. tomato catchup is now much used for the army--so it should be for the navy; not only for the sick, but for the well; to keep them well. bread, plain cakes, etc. hints on heating ovens and baking.--brick ovens are generally heated with dry fagots or small branches, or with light split wood. for baking bread, the oven-wood must be heavier than for pies. a heap of wood should be placed in the centre of the oven on the brick floor, and then set on fire. while the wood is burning, the door of the oven must be left open. when the wood is all burnt down, and reduced to a mass of small red coals, the oven will be very hot. then shovel out all the coals and sweep the oven floor with a broom, till it is perfectly clean, and entirely free from ashes. try the heat within. for baking bread, the floor of the oven should look red, and a little flour thrown in should burn brown immediately. if you can hold your hand within the mouth of the oven as long as you can distinctly count twenty, the heat is about right. pies, puddings, &c., require less heat. when a brick oven is used, a peel, or large broad-bladed long-handled wooden shovel is necessary for putting in the bread, pies, &c., placing them on the broad or shovel-end of the peel, and slipping them off on the oven floor. then close up the door of the oven, and leave the things to bake. when done, slip the peel beneath them, and hand them out on it. to bake in an iron dutch oven, (a large deep, cast-iron pan, with a handle, a close-fitting lid, and standing on three or four feet,) you must first stand the lid upright before a clear fire to heat the inside; and it will be best if the oven itself is also stood up before the fire for the same purpose. this should be done while the article to be baked is preparing, that it may be put in as soon as it is ready. the oven may be suspended to the crane, and hung over the fire, or it may be set on a bed of hot wood coals in the corner of the hearth. as soon as the loaf or pie is in, put on the lid of the oven, and cover it all over with hot coals, replenishing it with more live coals as the baking proceeds. if you find it too hot on the top, deaden it with ashes. if the oven stands on the hearth, keep up the heat at the bottom, by additional live coals placed beneath it. whether the oven is hung over the fire, or stood on the hearth, there must always be hot coals all over the lid, the hottest near the edge. to bake on a griddle, you may either hang it over the fire, or set it over hot coals on the hearth. most griddles have feet. the fire must be quite clear and bright, and free from smoke, or the cakes will be blackened, and have a disagreeable taste. the griddle must be perfectly clean; and while you are baking, it will require frequent scraping, with a broad knife. if it is well scraped after every cake is taken off, it will not want greasing, as there will be no stickiness. otherwise, some butter tied up in a clean rag and laid on a saucer, must be kept at hand all the time, to rub over the griddle between the baking of each cake; for butter, lard, or nice beef or veal dripping may be substituted, but it will not be so fine. never grease with mutton fat, as it will communicate the taste of tallow. a bit of the fat of _fresh_ pork may do, (stuck on a fork,) but salt pork will give the outside of the cakes a disagreeable saltness, and therefore should not be used. a griddle may be placed in the oven of a hot stove. some close stoves have a hole in the top with a flat lid or cover, which lid can be used as a griddle. the tin-reflecting ovens (with shelves for the pies and cakes) that are used for baking in the summer, and that, having a furnace beneath, and a chimney-pipe, can be set out of doors, so that the kitchen may not be kept hot, are very good for things that will bake soon, and that do not require what is called a strong, solid heat. but they are not effective unless the inside is kept _very bright_; otherwise it will not reflect the heat. the tin ovens should (as well as tin roasters) be cleaned thoroughly and scoured bright with sand every time they are used. the art of baking with anthracite, (or any other mineral coal,) can only be acquired by practice. the above hints on baking, refer exclusively to wood fires. when a charcoal furnace is used for baking, stewing, or any sort of cooking, it should either be set out in the open air, or the door of the kitchen must be kept open all the time. the vapor of charcoal in a close room is so deleterious as to cause death. dried corn meal yeast cakes.--half a pound of fresh hops, four quarts of water, a pint of wheat or rye flour, half a pint of strong fresh yeast from the brewer or baker, three pints or more of indian meal. boil half a pound of fresh hops in four quarts of water, till the liquid is reduced to two quarts. strain it into a pan, and mix in sufficient wheat flour to make a thin batter, adding half a pint of the best yeast you can procure. leave it to ferment; and when the fermentation is over, stir in sufficient indian meal to make a moderately stiff dough. cover it, and set in a warm place to rise. when it has become very light, roll it out into a square sheet an inch thick, and cut it into flat cakes, about four inches square. spread them out separately, on a large dish, and let them dry slowly in a cool place where there is no sun. while drying, turn them five or six times a day. when they are quite dry and hard, put them, separately, into brown paper bags, and keep them in a box closely covered, and in a place not the least damp. when you want them to use for yeast, dissolve in a little warm water one or more of the cakes, in proportion to the quantity of bread you intend making. when it is quite dissolved, stir it hard, thicken it with a little wheat flour, cover it, and place it near the fire to rise, before you use it. then mix it with the flour, according to the usual manner of making bread. one yeast cake is enough for two quarts of meal or flour. this way of preserving yeast is very convenient for keeping through the summer, or for conveying to a distance. excellent home-made yeast.--yeast should always be kept in a glass bottle or a stone jug, and never in earthen or metal. before you make fresh yeast, empty entirely the vessel that has contained the last; and if of stone, scald it twice with boiling water, in which it will be well to mix a little clear lye. then rince it with cold water, till perfectly clean. if you have not used lye in scalding it, dissolve some potash or pearlash in the rinsing water, to remove any acidity that may linger about the vessel, and may therefore spoil the new yeast. if you keep your yeast in glass bottles, the water must be warm, but not hot; as scalding water may crack them: also, melt some potash or pearlash in this water. the vessel for keeping it being purified, proceed to make your yeast. have ready, in a kettle over the fire, two quarts of boiling water; put into it a very large handful of hops, (as fine and fresh as possible,) and let the water boil again with the hops in it for twenty minutes more. sift into a pan three pints of wheat flour. strain the liquor from the hops into a large bowl, and pour half of it hot over the flour. stir it well, and press out all the lumps till it is quite smooth. let the other half of the liquid stand till it is cool, and then pour it gradually to the rest; mixing it well, by stirring as you proceed. then take half a pint of good strong yeast--brewer's or baker's yeast, if you can get it fresh; if not, you must use some that has been left from your last making, provided it is not the least sour; stir this yeast into the mixture of hop water and flour, put it immediately into your jug or bottles, and cork it loosely till the fermentation is over, (which should be in an hour,) and it will then be fit for use. afterwards cork it tightly. it will keep better if you put a raisin or two into the bottom of each bottle, before you pour in the fresh yeast. into a stone jug put half a dozen raisins. all yeast is better and more powerful for being fresh. it is better to make it frequently, (the trouble being little,) than to risk its becoming sour by endeavoring to keep it too long. when sour it becomes weak and watery, and tastes and smells disagreeably, and will never make light bread; besides, being very unwholesome. the acidity may be somewhat corrected by stirring in some dissolved pearlash, saleratus, or soda, immediately before the yeast is used; but it is better to have it good and fresh, without the necessity of any corrective. yeast should always be kept in a cool place. those who live in towns where there are breweries have no occasion to make their own yeast during the brewing season, and in summer they can every day supply themselves with fresh yeast from the baker's. it is only in country places where there are neither brewers or bakers that it is expedient to make it at home. for home-made yeast, we know the above receipt to be excellent. sweet cakes, buns, rusks, &c., require stronger and fresher yeast than bread; the sugar will otherwise retard their rising. indian bread or pone.--four quarts of indian meal sifted, a large half pint of wheat flour, a table-spoonful of salt, half a pint of strong fresh yeast, a quart of warm water. sift into a large deep pan the indian meal and the wheat flour, mixing them well. make a hole in the centre. the water must be warm, but not hot. mix it with the yeast, and pour them into the hole in the midst of the meal. take a spoon, and with it mix into the liquid enough of the surrounding meal to make a thin batter, which you must stir till it is quite smooth, and free from lumps. then strew a handful of wheat flour over the surface, scattering it thinly, so as to cover the whole. warm a clean cloth, and lay it folded over the top of the pan. then set it in a warm place to rise, nearer the fire in winter than in summer. when it is quite light, and has risen so that the flour on the surface is cracked, strew on the salt, and begin to form the whole mass into a dough; commencing round the hole that contains the batter, and adding, gradually, sufficient lukewarm water (which you must have ready for the purpose,) to mix it of the proper consistence. when the whole is completely mixed, and the batter in the centre is thoroughly incorporated with the dough, knead it hard for at least half an hour. then, having formed the dough into a round lump in the middle of the pan, strew a little more flour thinly over it. cover it, and set it again in a warm place for half an hour. then flour your pasteboard, divide the dough equally, and make it into two loaves. have the oven ready. put in the loaves directly, and bake them about two hours or more. indian meal requires always more baking than wheat. when you take them out, it is well to wrap each loaf in a clean, coarse towel, well sprinkled with cold water, and rolled up damp till the bread is baked. having thus wrapped up the loaves, stand them on end to cool slowly. the damp cloths will prevent the crust from hardening too much while the loaves are cooling. all indian bread, and every sort of indian cake, is best when quite fresh. excellent bread may be made of equal proportions of wheat, rye flour, and indian corn; or of three parts wheat and one part indian. all bread should be kept closely secluded from the air, wrapped in cloths, and put away in boxes or baskets with tightly-fitting lids. should you find the dough sour, (either from the heat of the weather, or from standing too long,) you may recover it, by dissolving in a little lukewarm water a tea-spoonful of pearlash, saleratus, or soda. sprinkle this water all over the dough. then knead it in, so that it may be dispersed throughout. then put it into the oven as soon as possible; first tasting the dough, to discover if the sourness is entirely removed. if not, mix in a little more pearlash, and then taste it again. take care not to put in too much of any of these alkaline substances, lest they communicate a disagreeable, soapy taste to the bread. when you buy corn meal, it will keep better if the whole is sifted as soon as you get it. avoid buying much at a time, unless you can keep it in a very cool place. when sour, it is unfit to eat. common indian meal is much the best for use. indian rye bread.--two quarts of indian meal, two quarts of rye meal, three pints of milk or water, two tea-spoonfuls of salt, half a pint of strong fresh yeast. having sifted the rye and indian meal in a large pan, mix them well together, adding the salt. boil the milk or water in a sauce-pan, and when scalding hot pour it on the meal, and stir the whole very hard. if too stiff, add a little more warm water. let it stand till it becomes only of a lukewarm heat, and then stir in the yeast. knead the mixture into a stiff dough, and knead it long and hard for at least half an hour. then cover the pan with a thick cloth that has been previously warmed, and set it near the fire to rise. when the dough is quite light, and cracked all over the top, take it out of the pan; divide the mass in half, make it into two loaves, knead each loaf well for ten minutes or more, and then cover and set them again near the fire for about half an hour. by this time have the oven ready, put in the loaves directly, and bake them at least an hour and a half. this bread is considered very wholesome. should you find the dough sour, you may rectify it by kneading in a tea-spoonful of soda or pearlash, dissolved in a little warm water. indian wheat bread.--this is made in the above manner, substituting wheat for rye flour. in any sort of home-made bread, (either white or brown) a handful or more of indian meal will be found an improvement, rendering it moist and sweet. boston rye and indian bread.--two quarts of indian meal, two quarts of rye meal, half a pint of strong fresh yeast, half a pint of west india molasses, a small table-spoonful of salt. sift the rye and indian meal into a large pan or wooden bowl; and mix them well together, adding a little salt. have ready half a pint of water, warm but not hot. mix with it the molasses, and then stir into it the yeast. make a hole in the middle of the pan of meal, pour in the liquid, and then with a spoon work into it a portion of the flour that surrounds the hole, till the liquid in the centre becomes a thick batter. sprinkle the top with rye meal, lay a thick cloth over the pan, and set it in a warm place to rise. in three or four hours it should be light enough to appear cracked all over the surface. then pour into the middle (by degrees) about a pint of warm water, (it must not be hot,) and as you pour mix it well all through the dough, till the whole becomes a round mass. sprinkle some rye flour on the dough, and having floured your hands, knead it long and hard, (at least half an hour, and after it ceases to stick to your hands,) turning it over as you proceed. then sprinkle the dough again with flour, cover it, and again set it in a warm place to rise. have the oven ready, and of the proper heat, so that the bread may be put in as soon as it has completely risen the second time. when perfectly light, the dough will stand high, and the surface will be cracked all over. this quantity will be sufficient for a common-sized loaf. set it directly into the oven, and bake it about two hours. when bread has done rising, it will fall again if not put into the oven. as soon as it is done, wrap it immediately in a clean coarse towel wet with cold water, and stand it up on end till it is cool. this is a palatable, cheap, and wholesome bread. it may be baked in a deep tin or iron pan. if the dough should have stood so long as to become sour, (which it will, if mixed over night,) restore it by kneading in a small tea-spoonful of pearlash or saleratus melted in a little warm water. egg pone.--three eggs, a quart of indian meal, a large table-spoonful of fresh butter, a small tea-spoonful of salt, a half pint (or more) of milk. beat the eggs very light, and mix them with the milk. then stir in, gradually, the indian meal, adding the salt and butter. it must not be a batter, but a soft dough, just thick enough to be stirred well with a spoon. if too thin, add more indian meal; if too stiff, thin it with a little more milk. beat or stir it _long and hard_. butter a tin or iron pan. put the mixture into it, and set the pan immediately into an oven, which must be moderately hot at first, and the heat increased afterward. a dutch oven is best for this purpose. it should bake an hour and a half or two hours, in proportion to its thickness. send it to table hot, and cut into slices. eat it with butter, or molasses. indian mush.--have ready on a clear fire a pot of boiling water. stir into it, by degrees, (a handful at a time,) sufficient indian meal to make a very thick porridge, and then add a very small portion of salt, allowing not more than a level tea-spoonful to a quart of meal. you must keep the pot boiling all the time you are stirring in the meal; and between every handful stir hard with the mush-stick, (a round stick about half a yard long, flattened at the lower end,) as, if not well stirred, the mush will be lumpy. after it is sufficiently thick and smooth, keep it boiling an hour longer, stirring it occasionally. then cover the pot closely, and hang it higher up the chimney, or set it on hot coals on the hearth, so as to simmer it slowly for another hour. the goodness and wholesomeness of mush depends greatly on its being long and thoroughly boiled. it should also be made very thick. if well made, and well cooked, it is wholesome and nutritious; but the contrary, if thin, and not sufficiently boiled. it is not too long to have it three or four hours over the fire, first boiling, then simmering. on the contrary, it will be better for it. the coarser the corn meal the less cooking it requires. send it to table hot, and in a deep dish. eat it with sweet milk, buttermilk, or cream, or with butter and sugar, or with butter and molasses; making a hole in the middle of your plate of mush, putting some butter into the hole, and then adding the sugar or molasses. cold mush that has been left may be cut into slices, or mouthfuls, and fried next day, in butter, or in nice dripping of veal, beef, or pork; but not mutton or lamb. indian hasty pudding.--put two quarts of milk into a clean pot or sauce-pan. set it over the fire, adding a level tea-spoonful of salt, and, when it comes to a boil, stir in a lump of fresh butter about the size of a goose egg. then add (a handful at a time) sufficient indian meal to make it very thick, stirring it all the while with a mush stick. keep it boiling well, and continue to throw in indian meal till it is so thick that the stick stands upright in it. then send it to table hot, and eat it with milk, cream, or molasses and butter. what is left may be cut into slices, and fried next day, or boiled in a bag. indian meal gruel.--this is an excellent food for the sick. having sifted some indian meal, mix in a quart bowl three table-spoonfuls of the meal with six of cold water. stir it smooth, and press out the lumps against the side of the bowl. have ready a very clean sauce-pan, entirely free from grease, with a pint of boiling water. pour this, scalding hot, on the mixture in the bowl, a little at a time, and stir it well, adding a pinch of salt. then put the whole back into the sauce-pan. set it on hot coals and stir it till it boils, making the spoon go down to the bottom to prevent the gruel from burning. after it has come to a boil, let it continue boiling half an hour, stirring it frequently, and skimming it. give it to the invalid warm, in a bowl or tumbler, to be eaten with a tea-spoon. it may be sweetened with a little sugar. when the physician permits, some grated nutmeg may be added; also, a very little wine. rye mush.--to make smooth rye mush, sift a quart or more of rye meal into a pan, and gradually pour in sufficient cold water to make a very thick batter, stirring it hard with a spoon as you proceed, and carefully pressing out all the lumps against the side of the pan. add a very little salt. the batter must be so thick at the last that you can scarcely stir it. then thin it with a little more water, and see that it is quite smooth. rye, and also wheat flour, have a disposition to be more lumpy than corn meal, when made into mush. when thoroughly mixed and stirred, put it into a pot, place it over the fire and boil it well, stirring it with a mush-stick till it comes to a hard boil; then place it in a diminished heat, and simmer it slowly till you want to dish it up. eat it warm, with butter and molasses, or with sweet milk, or fresh buttermilk. rye mush is considered very wholesome, particularly in cases of dyspepsia. common hoe-cake.--take an earthen or tin pan, and half fill it with coarse indian meal, which had best be sifted in. add a little salt. have ready a kettle of boiling water. pour into the indian meal sufficient hot water (a little at a time,) to make a stiff dough, stirring it with a spoon as you proceed. it must be thoroughly mixed, and stirred hard. if you want the cakes for breakfast, mix this dough over night; cover the pan, and set it in a _cool_ place till morning. if kept warm, it may turn sour. early next morning, as soon as the fire is burning well, set the griddle over it, and take out the dough, a handful at a time. flatten and shape it by patting it with your hands, till you form it into cakes about the size of a common saucer, and half an inch thick. when the griddle is quite hot, lay on it as many cakes as it will hold, and bake them brown. when the upper side is done, slip a broad knife beneath and turn them over. they must be baked brown on both sides. eat them warm, with buttermilk, sweet milk, butter, molasses, or whatever is most convenient. if you intend these cakes for dinner or supper, mix them as early in the day as you can, and (covering the pan) let them stand in a cool place till wanted for baking. in cold weather you may save trouble by mixing over night enough to last the next day for breakfast, dinner, and supper; baking them as they are wanted for each meal. or they may be all baked in the morning, and eaten cold; but they are then not so palatable as when warm. they will be less liable to stick, if before each baking the griddle is dredged with wheat flour, or greased with a bit of fat pork stuck on a fork. you may cover it all over with one large cake, instead of several small ones. this cake is so called, because in some parts of america it was customary to bake it on the iron of a hoe, stood up before the fire. it is better known by that name than by any other. common griddle cake.--a quart of indian meal, sufficient warm water to make a soft dough, a small tea-spoonful of salt. put the indian meal into a pan, and add the salt. make a hole in the centre of the meal, and pour in a little warm water. then mix it with a large, strong spoon, adding, by degrees, water enough to make a soft dough. flour your hands, and knead it into a large lump--divide it into two equal portions. flour your pasteboard, lay on it the first lump of dough, and roll it out about an inch thick. then, (having already heated your griddle,) lay the cake upon it, spreading it evenly, and make it a good round shape. it should cover the whole surface of the griddle, which must first be greased, either with butter or lard tied in a rag, or with a bit of fat fresh pork. bake it well; and when one side is well browned, turn it on the other, taking care not to break it. send it to table hot, cut into three-cornered pieces--split and butter them. as soon as the first cake is sent in, put on the other to bake. this is one of the plainest and simplest preparations of indian cake; and is very good when warm. plain johnny cake.--a quart of indian meal, a pint of warm water, a level tea-spoonful of salt. sift a quart of indian meal into a pan. make a hole in the middle, and pour in a pint of warm water, adding the salt. with a spoon mix the meal and water gradually into a soft dough. stir it very hard for a quarter of an hour or more, till it becomes light and spongy. then spread the dough, smooth and evenly, on a stout, flat board. a piece of the head of a flour barrel will serve for this purpose. place the board nearly (but not quite) upright, and set a smoothing-iron or a stone against the back to support it. bake it well. when done, cut it into squares, and send it hot to table, split and buttered. you may eat molasses with it. very plain indian dumplings.--sift some indian meal into a pan; add about a salt-spoon of salt to each quart of meal, and scald it with sufficient boiling water to make a stiff dough. pour in the water gradually, stirring as you pour. when the dough becomes a stiff lump divide it into equal portions; flour your hands, and make it into thick flat dumplings, about as large round as the top of a glass tumbler, or a breakfast cup. dredge the dumplings on all sides with flour, put them into a pot of boiling water, (if made sufficiently stiff they need not be tied in cloths,) and keep them boiling hard till thoroughly done. try them with a fork, which must come out quite clean, and with no clamminess sticking to it. they are an excellent appendage to salt pork or bacon, serving them up with the meat; or they may be eaten afterwards with butter and molasses, or with milk sweetened well with brown sugar, and flavored with a little ground cinnamon. on no account boil them with meat. indian muffins.--a pint and a half of yellow indian meal, sifted; a handful of wheat flour; a quarter of a pound of fresh butter; a quart of milk; four eggs; a very small tea-spoonful of salt. put the milk into a sauce-pan. cut the butter into it. set it over the fire and warm it till the butter is very soft, but not till it melts. then take it off, stir it well till all mixed, and set it away to cool. beat four eggs very light, and when the milk is cold, stir them into it alternately with the meal, a little at a time, of each. add the salt. beat the whole very hard after it is all mixed. then butter some muffin-rings on the inside. set them in a hot oven, or on a heated griddle; pour some of the batter into each, and bake the muffins well. send them hot to table, continuing to bake while a fresh supply is wanted. pull them open with your fingers, and eat them with butter, to which you may add molasses or honey. these muffins will be found excellent, and can be prepared in a very short time; for instance, in three quarters or half an hour before breakfast or tea. this mixture may be baked in waffle-irons, as waffles. butter them, and have on the table a glass bowl with powdered sugar and powdered cinnamon, to eat with these waffles. corn meal breakfast cakes.--a quart of indian meal; a handful or more of wheat flour; a large salt-spoon of salt; a quart of warm water; an additional pint of lukewarm water; a bit of pearlash the size of a hazle-nut, or the same quantity of soda or saleratus. mix over night, in a large pan, the indian meal, the wheat flour and salt. pour on gradually a quart of warm water, (warm but not hot,) and stir it in with a large wooden or iron spoon, so as to form a very soft dough. cover the pan, and set it on the dresser till morning. in the morning thin the dough with another pint of warm water, so as to make it into a batter, having first dissolved in the water a salt-spoonful of powdered pearlash or saleratus, or a bit the size of a hazle-nut. beat the mixture hard. then cover it, and let it stand near the fire for a quarter of an hour before you begin to bake it. bake it in thin cakes on a griddle. send them to table hot, and eat them with butter and molasses, or honey. indian rice cakes.--take equal quantities of yellow indian meal and well boiled rice. mix them together in a pan, the meal and rice alternately, a little at a time of each. the boiled rice may be either hot or cold; but it will be rather best to mix it hot. having first mixed it with a spoon, knead it well with your hands; moistening it with a little milk or water, if you find it too stiff. have ready, over the fire, a heated griddle. grease it with fresh butter tied in a clean rag; and having made the mixture into flat round cakes, bake them well on both sides. eat them with butter and sugar, or butter and molasses, or with butter alone. pumpkin indian cakes.--take equal portions of indian meal, and stewed pumpkin that has been well mashed and _drained very dry_ in a sieve or cullender. put the stewed pumpkin in a pan, and stir the meal gradually into it, a spoonful at a time, adding a little butter as you proceed. mix the whole thoroughly, stirring it very hard. if not thick enough to form a stiff dough, add a little more indian meal. make it into round, flat cakes, about the size of a muffin, and bake them over the fire on a hot griddle greased with butter. or lay them in a square iron pan, and bake them in an oven. send them to table hot, and eat them with butter. excellent buckwheat cakes.--a quart of buckwheat meal, sifted; a level tea-spoonful of salt; a small half pint or a large handful of indian meal; two large table-spoonfuls of strong fresh brewer's yeast or four table-spoonfuls of home-made yeast; sufficient lukewarm water to make a moderate batter. mix together the buckwheat and indian meal, and add the salt. make a hole in the centre of the meal, and pour in the yeast. then stir in gradually, from a kettle, sufficient tepid or lukewarm water to make a moderately thick batter when united with the yeast. cover the pan, set it in a warm place, and leave it to rise. it should be light in about three hours. when it has risen high, and is covered with bubbles, it is fit to bake. have ready a clean griddle well heated over the fire. grease it well with a bit of fresh butter tied in a clean white rag, and kept on a saucer near you. then dip out a large ladleful of the batter, and bake it on the griddle; turning it when brown, with the cake-turner, and baking it brown on the other side. grease the griddle slightly between baking each cake, or scrape it smooth with a broad knife. as fast as you bake the cakes, lay them, several in a pile, on a hot plate. butter them, and if of large size cut them across into four pieces. or send them to table to be buttered there. trim off the edges before they go in. if your batter has been mixed over night, and is found sour in the morning, dissolve a salt-spoon of pearlash or saleratus in a little lukewarm water, stir it into the batter, let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then bake it. the alkali will remove the acidity, and increase the lightness of the batter. if you use soda for this purpose it will require a tea-spoonful. if the batter is kept at night in so cold a place as to freeze, it will be unfit for use. do not grease the griddle with meat-fat of any sort. nice rye batter cakes.--a quart of lukewarm milk, two eggs, a large table-spoonful of fresh, brewer's yeast or two of home-made yeast; sufficient sifted rye meal to make a moderate batter; a salt-spoon of salt; having warmed the milk, beat the eggs very light, and stir them gradually into it, alternately with the rye meal, adding the salt. put in the meal, a handful at a time, till you have the batter about as thick as for buckwheat cakes. then stir in the yeast, and give the batter a hard beating, seeing that it is smooth and free from lumps. cover the pan, and set it in a warm place to rise. when risen high, and covered with bubbles, the batter is fit to bake. have ready over the fire a hot griddle, and bake the cakes in the manner of buckwheat. send them to table hot, and eat them with butter, molasses, or honey. yeast powders, used according to the directions that accompany them, and put in at the last, just before baking, are an improvement to the lightness of all batter cakes, provided that real yeast or eggs are also in the mixture. but it is not well to depend on the powders exclusively; particularly when real yeast is to be had. the lightness produced by yeast powders alone, is not the right sort; and though the cakes are eatable, they are too tough and leathery to be wholesome. as _auxiliaries_ to genuine yeast, and to beaten eggs, yeast powders are excellent. but not as the sole dependence. indian batter cakes may be made as above; or rye and indian meal be mixed in equal proportions. indian cup cakes.--a pint and a half of yellow indian meal; half a pint of wheat flour; a pint and a half of _sour_ milk; (buttermilk is best;) a small tea-spoonful of saleratus or soda dissolved in warm water; two eggs; a level tea-spoonful of salt. sift the indian and wheat meal into a pan and mix them well, adding the salt. if you have no buttermilk or other sour milk at hand, turn some sweet milk sour by setting a pan of it in the sun, or stirring in a spoonful of vinegar. take out a small tea-cupful of the sour milk, and reserve it to be put in at the last. beat the eggs very light, and then stir them, gradually, into the milk, alternately with the meal, a little at a time of each. lastly, dissolve the soda or saleratus, and stir it into the cup of sour milk that has been reserved for the purpose. it will effervesce; stir it while foaming into the mixture, which should be a thick batter. have ready some tea-cups, or little deep tins. butter them well; nearly fill them with the batter, and set them immediately into a rather brisk oven. the cakes must be thoroughly baked all through. when done, turn them out on large plates, and send them hot to the breakfast or tea-table. split them into three pieces, and eat them with butter. the soda will entirely remove the acidity of the milk, which will effervesce the better for being sour at first, adding therefore to the lightness of the cake. taste the milk, and if you find that the slightest sourness remains, add a little more dissolved soda. all the alkalies, pearlash, saleratus, soda, and sal-volatile, will remove acidity, and increase lightness; but if too much is used, they will impart a disagreeable taste. it is useless to put lemon or orange juice into any mixture that is afterwards to have one of these alkalies, as they will entirely destroy the flavor of the fruit. carolina rice cakes.--having picked and washed half a pint of rice, boil it by itself till the grains lose all form, and are dissolved into a thick mass or jelly. while warm, mix into it a large lump of the best fresh butter, and a salt-spoonful of salt. pour into a bowl a moderate sized tea-cupful of ground rice flour, and add to it as much milk as will make a tolerably stiff batter. stir it till it is quite smooth, and free from lumps. then mix it thoroughly with the boiled rice. beat six eggs as light as possible, and stir them, gradually, into the mixture. bake it on a griddle, in cakes about as large round as a saucer. eat them warm with butter; and have on the table, in a small bowl, some powdered white sugar and nutmeg, for those who like it. aunt lydia's corn cake.--sift into a large pan a quart of yellow corn meal, and add a level tea-spoonful of salt, (not more.) have ready a pint of boiling milk, sufficient to make a soft dough. mix the milk hot into the corn meal, and add about a quarter of a pound, or half a pint of nice fresh butter. having beaten five eggs till very light and thick, stir them gradually into the mixture, and set it to cool. all preparations of corn meal require much beating and stirring. have ready some small tin pans, about four or five inches square, and two or three inches deep. they are especially good for baking such cakes, (far better than patty-pans,) and are made by any tinsmith. grease the pans with the same butter you have used in mixing the cakes. _fill the pans to the top_ with the above mixture, that the heat may immediately catch the surface, and cause it to puff up high above the edges of the pan. if properly mixed, and well beaten, there is no danger of it running over. if only half filled, and not very light, the mixture when baking will sink down, and become heavy and tough. set these cakes immediately into a moderate oven. bake them brown, and send them to the breakfast table hot. split and butter them. they may be baked in muffin rings, but the small square pans are best. this is the very best preparation of indian cakes. if _exactly followed_, we believe there is none superior; as is the opinion of all persons who have eaten them. the cook from whom this receipt was obtained, is a southern colored woman, called aunt lydia. the above quantities will furnish cakes only for a small family. if the family is of tolerable size, double the proportions of each article--as for instance, two quarts of indian meal, one quart of milk, half a pound of butter, and ten eggs, with a level table-spoonful of salt. let them be well baked; not scorched on the top, and raw at the bottom. we recommend them highly as the perfection of corn cakes, if well made, well baked, and with all the ingredients of the best quality. use yellow indian meal in preference to white. the yellow is sweeter, has more of the true corn taste, and its color shows at once what it is. the white has less flavor, and may be mistaken for very coarse wheat. it is difficult to keep corn meal good for the whole year. before the new corn meal is in market, the old is apt to become musty. if you live in a city it is best to buy it as you want it; a few pecks at a time. if in the country, sift your barrel of corn meal soon after it is brought; divide it, and keep it in several different vessels, always well covered. short cake.--as this requires no rising, it may be mixed and prepared at half an hour's notice. take a quart and a pint of wheat flour, sift it into a pan, and divide into three parts three quarters of a pound of nice fresh butter. cut up one piece into the pan of flour, and mix it into a dough with a broad knife, adding, as you proceed, as little water as will be barely sufficient. the water must be very cold. roll out this lump of paste, dredge it slightly with flour, fold it up, and roll it out again. then cover it with a second division of the butter, put on the sheet of paste with the knife, and dispersed at equal distances. sprinkle it with flour, fold it, and roll out the sheet again. put on the remainder of the butter as before, in bits equally dispersed. fold, dredge, and roll out the dough into a rather thin sheet. cut it into small round cakes with the edge of a tumbler, or something like it, using up the clippings of paste left at the last to make one more cake. have ready a hot griddle or oven. put on the cakes so as not to touch each other, and bake them light brown on both sides. send them to table hot, to be split and buttered. mix and roll out these cakes as fast as possible, and avoid handling them more than you need. paste made _slowly_ is never light or flakey. mix quick and roll quick. this is a good plain paste for fruit pot-pies or dumplings. you may make common short cake for very healthy people, with two quarts of flour, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a quarter of a pound of lard, mixed into the pan of meal with a very little cold water, and a second quarter of lard spread all over the sheet of paste, after rolling it out. fold, sprinkle, and roll it out again into one round griddle cake, or two if you have enough of dough. take care, in baking, not to have it smoked or blackened at the edge. when done, cut it into "pie pieces," and send it to table to be split and buttered. half moons.--of this paste you may make half-moon pies. cut the paste into round cakes. on half the circle, lay plenty of stewed fruit well sweetened, (for instance, stewed dried peach,) fold over it the other half, pinch the two edges together, and crimp them. bake them in an oven, and eat them fresh. if you have fruit in the house ready stewed, half-moon pies can be got up for a plain dessert on an emergency. either mince meat, or sausage meat, may be baked in half-moons. they will bake very nicely, laid side by side, in large square tin pans, first dredged slightly with flour. soft muffins.--warm a quart of milk, and melt in it a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, cut into bits. when melted, stir it about, and set it away to cool. beat four eggs till very thick and light, and stir them gradually into a pan of milk, and butter when it is quite cold. then, by degrees, stir in enough of sifted flour to make a batter as thick as you can well beat it. then, at the last, stir in three table-spoonfuls of baker's or brewer's yeast. cover the pan of batter with a double cloth, and set it on the hearth (or some other warm place) to rise, but it must not be allowed to get hot. it should have risen nearly to the top of the pan, and be covered with bubbles in about three hours. the griddle being heated, grease it with nice butter tied in a rag; take a ladleful of batter out of the pan, pour it into the ring, and bake the muffins. send them hot to table, and split and butter them. these are superior to all muffins. those who have eaten them will never desire any others, if this receipt has been faithfully followed. try it. sally lunn cake.--this is a favorite tea cake, and so universally liked that it is well to make a liberal quantity of the mixture, and bake it in two loaves. sift into a large pan three pounds of fine flour. warm in a quart of milk half a pound of fresh butter, and add a small tea-spoonful of salt, six eggs well beaten, and add, gradually, two wine glasses of excellent fresh yeast. mix the flour well into the pan, (a little at a time) and beat the whole very hard. divide this quantity into two equal portions, and set it to rise in two pans. cover it with thick cloths, and set it on the hearth to rise. when quite light, grease two loaf-pans with the same butter used for the cakes, and bake it in a moderate oven, keeping up the heat steadily to the last. it should be thoroughly done all through. send it to table hot, cut in slices, but the slices left standing as in a pound cake at a party. the sally lunn mixture may be baked on a griddle, as muffins in muffin rings, and split and buttered at table. in mixing this cake, add neither sugar nor spice. they do not improve, but spoil it, as would be found on trial. it is the best of plain tea cakes, if properly made and baked. delaware cakes.--this is a plain tea cake. sift into a pan two quarts of flour. cut up half a pound of fresh butter, and rub it into the flour with your hands. beat five eggs very light and thick; make a hole in the centre of the flour, and gradually stir the beaten eggs, in turn with a pint of milk. then add a jill of fine fresh yeast. mix the whole thoroughly with a broad knife. transfer it to large square tin pans. cover it with a clean flannel, and set it on the hearth to rise. when it is quite light, and cracked all over the surface, divide the dough into cakes and bake them in muffin rings, on a griddle or in a stove. if baked in one large cake, there is a risk of their being made heavy, by cutting them when hot. to make sweet cakes with the above mixture, add gradually to the flour in the pan, half a pound of powdered sugar before you rub in the butter, and after the eggs and milk. stir in a wineglass of rosewater, or less, if it is very strong, (which rosewater seldom is) and also it loses much of its strength in cooking. or, substitute the yellow rind and juice of a lemon, and some powdered nutmeg. they will then be a cake for company; otherwise, they will be for family teas. either plain or sweet they are very good. we rather prefer them plain. if plain, omit even sugar. sugar, without other flavoring, gives plain tea cakes a faint sickly taste, and is better left out entirely, except for children--and they like any kind of sweetness, however little. maryland biscuit.--take two quarts of sifted wheat flour, and add a small tea-spoonful of salt. rub into the pan of flour a large quarter of a pound of lard, and add, gradually, warm milk enough to make a very stiff dough. knead the lump of dough long and hard, and pound it on all sides with a rolling-pin. divide the dough into several pieces, and knead and pound each piece separately. this must go on for two or three hours, continually kneading and pounding, otherwise it will be hard, tough, and indigestible. then make it into small round thick biscuits, prick them with a fork, and bake them a pale brown. this is the most laborious of cakes, and also the most unwholesome, even when made in the best manner. we do not recommend it; but there is no accounting for tastes. children should not eat these biscuits--nor grown persons either, if they can get any other sort of bread. when living in a town where there are bakers, there is no excuse for making maryland biscuit. believe nobody that says they are not unwholesome. yet we have heard of families, in country places, where neither the mistress nor the cook knew any other preparation of wheat bread. better to live on indian cakes. home-made bread.--you cannot have good bread without good flour, good yeast, good kneading, and good baking, all united. like many other things, the best flour is always the cheapest in the end. there is none better than that which comes from the mills of hiram smith, rochester, new york. all flour should be kept in a dry place, damp being always injurious to it. good flour goes farther than that of inferior quality, and is both whiter and lighter. no skill will avail either in making or baking bread, if the flour is of bad quality. flour will keep much better if, as soon as a new barrel is brought in, the whole of it is sifted, and divided in several buckets. flour buckets, made for the purpose, are short and wide, are broader at the bottom than the top, and have handles and lids. they are to be had of all coopers. yeast must always be of the best quality, strong and fresh. with too much yeast the bread will be bitter; with too little it will be heavy; with stale yeast it will be heavy, sour, and dark-colored. if baked too little, it becomes tough and clammy. we deprecate the practice of putting hartshorn in bread. it gives it a bad taste; and even if it produces a sort of factitious lightness, it also renders it tough and difficult to masticate, however nice it may look. also, it is very unwholesome. the oven should be heated in time, to set in the bread as soon as ready. when once it has risen to its utmost lightness, it will fall and turn sour if permitted to stand. the only remedy for sour bread is, to melt a table-spoonful of soda or pearlash in tepid water, and sprinkle it over the dough, which must then be kneaded again, after it has rested half an hour. in summer, do not begin your bread over night; it will certainly be sour before morning. in winter you may do so, but keep it all night in a warm (though not a hot) place. if the dough freezes, you may throw it away at once. to knead, double up your hands, put them deep into the dough, and work it with your knuckles, exerting all your strength. when the dough sticks to them no longer, but leaves your bent fingers clean and clear, it is time to cease kneading, for you have done enough for that time. sift into a deep pan, or large wooden bowl, a peck of fine wheat flour, (adding a large table-spoonful of salt,) and mix the water with half a pint of strong fresh brewer's yeast, or near a whole pint if the yeast is home-made. pour this into the hole, in the middle of the heap of flour. mix in with a wooden spoon, a portion of the flour from the surrounding edges of the hole so as to make a thick batter, and having sprinkled dry flour over the top, let it rest for near an hour. this is called "_setting the sponge_," or "_making the leaven_." when it has swelled up to the surface, and burst through the coating of flour that covered the hole, pour in as much more lukewarm water as will suffice to mix the whole gradually into a dough. knead it hard and thoroughly, leaving no lumps in it, and continue to knead till the dough leaves your hands. throw over it a clean thick cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise again. when it is quite light and cracked all over the surface, divide it into loaves, and give each loaf a little more kneading, and let it rest till it has risen as high as it will. have your oven quite ready, and (having transferred the loaves to pans, sprinkled with flour,) bake them well. try the heat of the oven by previously throwing in a little flour. if it browns well, and you can hold your hand in the heat while you count twenty, it is a good temperature for bread. if the flour scorches black the oven is too hot, so leave the oven open a little while till it becomes cooler. as soon as the bread is quite done, take out the loaves, wrap each tightly in a clean coarse cloth, damped by sprinkling it with water, and stand them up on their edges. this will prevent the crust from becoming too hard. keep the loaves wrapped up after they are deposited in the bread box. rolls--are made as above, except that they are mixed with warm milk instead of water, and a little fresh butter rubbed into the dough. twist bread.--before you put the dough into the baking pans, divide it equally into long thick rolls, (smaller at the ends) and plait or twist three together. bran bread--is made like any other, only of bran meal; and in setting the sponge, put _wheat_ flour into the hole, and add to the liquid half a tea-cupful of nice brown sugar. bran bread should look very brown. it should be eaten fresh. when stale, it is too dry and hard. bran batter cakes are made and baked like buckwheat. rye bread.--is made like wheat bread, but that it requires more kneading and baking. rye batter cakes, made like buckwheat, should have one half corn meal. bread biscuits.--when making bread after the dough has risen very light, take from it a quart or more; knead into it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and form it into tall rolls. bake them in an oven, and when done break them apart, but do not cut them with a knife--or, bake them in flat biscuits, to be split and buttered. bread dough, with some butter added to the mixture, will make plain cakes for children, with the addition of white sugar, powdered cinnamon, some good raisins, (stoned,) cut in half, and dredged well with flour, to prevent their clodding or sinking. a beaten egg mixed into the dough is an improvement. children, (accustomed only to plain living,) like these cakes very well, but they must be light and well baked. bread cakes.--take slices of stale wheat bread, that has been well made and light. there should be enough to fill a pint bowl, closely packed. put the bread into a deep dish, and pour boiling water upon it. while the bread is soaking, mix in a crock or jar a pint of milk, and a pint of wheat flour. put the soaked bread into a cullender, and let the water drain off. when the water is drained away, beat the bread _lightly_ with a fork, but do not press or mash it. beat two eggs very light and thick, and gradually stir them into the flour and milk. then stir in the bread. bake the mixture on a griddle in the manner of buckwheat cakes, and eat them hot with butter. this quantity is for a small family of four persons. for a family of moderate size, take a quart of stale bread, a quart of milk, a quart of flour, and four eggs. for a large family, two quarts of bread, two quarts of milk, two quarts of flour, and eight eggs. this quantity will not be more than sufficient for a large family, as they will all like these cakes. if you have not enough of stale bread in the house, send for a stale loaf, rather than not have the proper proportion for the cakes. milk biscuit.--warm a pint of milk on the top of the stove, and cut up in it half a pound of fresh butter, to soften, but not to melt. sift into a pan two quarts of flour; make a hole in the middle of the flour, and pour into it the milk and butter. beat two eggs till very thick and smooth, and pour them in also. lastly, pour into the hole two wine-glasses of strong fresh brewer's or baker's yeast; or, three of good home-made yeast. mix altogether with a broad knife, till it becomes a lump of soft dough. then knead it well on your pasteboard, and make it into round rolls or balls. knead every ball separately. flatten them with your hand into thick biscuits, and prick every one with a fork. lay them separately in buttered square pans, and set them to rise. if all is right, they will be light in little more than an hour. when quite light, (risen high and cracked all over) set them in a moderate oven, and bake them a light brown. they should be eaten quite fresh. rusk.--sift a quart of flour into a pan. make a hole in the centre, and pour in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, cut up and softened in half a pint of milk warmed on the stove. beat two eggs very light, and mix them gradually into the hole in the pan of flour, in turn with a small wine-glass of rose water; or a table-spoonful of the rose water if as strong as it should be, adding a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon. lastly, a wine-glass and a half of fresh brewer's yeast. mix those articles well into the flour, till it becomes a lump of soft dough. knead it well on your pasteboard, and divide it into pieces of equal size. knead each piece separately. form them so as to be tall and high, when finished. butter an iron pan, lay the rusks in it side by side, and set them in a warm place to rise again. when quite light, bake them in a moderate oven, and sift sugar over them when cool. dry rusks.--dry rusks are used for infant's food, and for invalids. they are made plain, without any butter, spice, or rose water, and after being once baked are split, and baked over till they are all crisp and browned on the inside. use them dissolved, by pouring on a little warm water or milk, and beat them with a spoon to a thick pap. cross buns.--pick clean a pound and a half of dried or zante currants; wash, drain, and dry them on a large flat dish placed in a slanting position near the fire, or in the sun. it will be still better to substitute for the currants a pound of sultana (or seedless) raisins, each raisin cut in half. when quite dry, dredge the fruit _thickly_ with flour to prevent their sinking or clodding in the cake. sift into a deep pan two quarts of flour, and mix thoroughly with it a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar. cut up three-quarters of a pound of fresh butter, into a large half pint of rich milk. warm it till the butter is quite soft, but not till it melts. make a hole in the centre of the pan of flour, and pour in the mixed liquid, adding a jill (or two wine-glasses) of strong fresh yeast. mix in the flour by degrees, beginning round the edge of the hole, and proceed gradually till you have the whole mass of ingredients well incorporated. cover the pan with a clean thick towel, and set it in a warm place to rise. when it has risen high, and is cracked all over, mix in a small tea-spoonful of dissolved soda. flour your pasteboard, divide the dough into equal portions, mix in the plums, and _slightly_ knead it into round cakes the size of a small saucer. place them on a large dish, cover them, and set them again to rise in a warm place for half an hour. mark every one deeply with a cross, bake them brown, and when done brush each bun lightly over with a glazing of white of egg, sweetened with sugar. cinnamon bread.--on a bread-baking day, (having made more than your usual quantity of wheat bread,) when the dough has risen quite light, and is cracked all over the surface, take out as much as will weigh two pounds. mix into it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, that has been cut up and melted in a half pint of milk; and also, three beaten eggs. incorporate the butter, milk, and egg, thoroughly with the dough, and then add (dissolved in a little tepid water,) a salt-spoonful (_not more_) of soda. have ready mixed in a bowl a pint of _brown_ sugar, moistened with fresh butter, so as to make a stiff paste, and flavor it with two heaped table-spoonfuls of powdered cinnamon. form the cake into the shape of a round loaf, and make deep incisions or cuts all over its surface; filling them up with the cinnamon mixture pressed hard into the cuts, pinching and closing the dough over them with your thumb and finger to prevent the seasoning running out. put the loaf into a round pan, and set it into the oven to bake with the other bread. when cool, glaze it over with white of egg, in which some powdered sugar has been dissolved. send it to table whole in form, but cut into loose slices. eat it fresh. all yeast cakes become dry and hard the next day. this mixture may be baked in a square iron pan, and cut into square cakes when cool. waffles.--we are indebted to the germans for this cake, which, if this receipt is exactly followed, will be found excellent. warm a quart of milk, and cut up in it a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, and stir it about to soften in the warm milk. beat eight eggs till very thick and smooth, and stir them gradually into the milk and butter, in turn with half a pound of sifted flour. then add two table-spoonfuls of strong fresh brewer's or baker's yeast. cover the pan with a clean thick cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise. when the batter has risen nearly to the top, and is covered with bubbles, it is time to bake; first stirring in a wine-glass of rose-water. having heated your waffle-iron in a good fire, grease it inside with the fresh butter used for the waffle mixture, or with fresh lard; fill it, and shut the iron closely. turn it on the fire, that both sides of the cake may be equally well done. each side will require about three minutes baking. take them out of the iron by slipping a knife underneath. then grease and prepare the iron for another waffle. butter them, and send them to the tea-table "hot and hot;" and, to eat with this, a bowl or glass dish of sugar flavored with powdered cinnamon. in buying waffle irons choose them _very deep_, so as to make a good impression when baked--if shallow, the waffle will look thin and poor. those that bake one waffle at a time are the handsomest and most manageable. soft crullers.--sift a pound and a half of flour, and have ready a pound of powdered sugar. heat in a round-bottomed sauce-pan a quart of water; and when quite warm, stir the flour gradually into the water. in another vessel set a pound of nice fresh butter over the fire, and when it begins to melt, stir it, by degrees, into the flour and water. then add, gradually, the powdered sugar, and a grated nutmeg. take the sauce-pan off the fire, and beat the contents with a wooden spaddle, (which is far better than a spoon) till they are thoroughly mixed. next, having beaten six eggs till very thick and light, stir them, gradually, into the mixture, and then beat the whole very hard till it becomes a thick batter. add rose-water or lemon juice. flour a pasteboard, and lay out the batter upon it in the form of rings. the best and easiest way is to pass it through a screw funnel. have ready on the fire a pot of boiling lard. put in the crullers, taking them off the board one at a time, on a broad-bladed knife. boil but a few at a time. they must be of a fine brown. lift them out with a perforated skimmer, draining back the lard into the pot. lay them on a large dish, and dredge them with sugar. these, if properly managed, are far superior to all other crullers, but they cannot be made in warm weather. dough-nuts.--on baking day, take two pounds of very light bread dough that has been made in the usual manner. put it into a broad pan. rub into it half a pound of fresh butter, and half a pound of powdered sugar, and a table-spoonful of mixed nutmeg and cinnamon. wet it with half a pint of milk, and mix in three well beaten eggs. cover it, and set by the fire to rise again. when quite light, flour your pasteboard, and make the dough into oval balls; or, you may cut it into diamond shapes, (handling it as little as possible.) have ready, over the fire, a pot of boiling lard. drop the dough-nuts into it, and boil them; or fry them brown in a frying-pan. take them out one by one in a perforated skimmer, draining back the lard into the pan. spread them on a large dish, and sift sugar over them. eat them fresh; when heavy and stale they are not fit. this is a german cake. common crullers.--the above mixture for dough-nuts will make good crullers. flour your pasteboard, lay the dough upon it, roll it very thick, and cut it into strips with a jagging iron. take off short pieces, and twist them into various forms. throw them into a pot of boiling lard. when done, drain the lard from them, spread them on a large dish, and dredge them with powdered white sugar. the alpistera is a spanish cruller, shaped like the five fingers united at the wrist. plain desserts. molasses pudding.--sift into a pan a large quart of yellow indian meal. simmer over the fire a quart of milk, a pint of _west india molasses_, stirred in while the milk is hot. put the milk and molasses into a large pan, and mix gradually into them the corn meal while they are quite warm. add a large table-spoonful of ground ginger, and a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. beat the whole mixture long and hard, for on that will chiefly depend the lightness of the pudding, as it has neither eggs, butter, nor yeast. if your batter seems too thin, add, gradually, a little more corn meal; if too thick, a little more milk and molasses. dip in hot water a large square pudding cloth. spread it out in a pan, dredge it well with flour, and then pour the pudding-mixture into it. tie it up, making the string very secure, but leave plenty of room between the batter and the tying place, for the pudding to swell in boiling, at least one-third. put the pudding, directly, into a large pot, and keep it steadily boiling for about three hours. corn meal requires long cooking. turn the pudding twice with a fork. if the water boils away too much, replenish it from a tea-kettle of hot water, kept boiling for the purpose. if you pour in _cold_ water the pudding will become hard and heavy, and be totally spoiled. do not turn it out and send it to table till wanted at dinner. then dip it for a moment in cold water, untie the string, and transfer it to a dish with a cover. eat it with molasses and butter; or make a sauce of drawn butter, flavored with wine and nutmeg. this pudding, if properly mixed, well beaten, and well boiled, will be as light as if made with eggs, (the _west india_ molasses having that property) and it will cut down rough or open grained, like a very light sponge cake, unless the batter has been made too thick and stiff, and not sufficiently beaten, and not allowed space enough to swell in boiling. if made _too thin_, or not boiled well, the pudding will come out a soft, shapeless mass. but if all is carefully managed, this (the least costly of american puddings) will be found excellent for a plain table, and perfectly wholesome. the flavor will be much improved by adding to the cinnamon and ginger the grated yellow rind and juice of an orange or lemon. if your first attempt at this pudding is a failure, try it again--practice makes perfect. for a large family, have two quarts of corn meal, two quarts of milk, and one quart of _west india_ molasses; two table-spoonfuls of ginger, and one of cinnamon. what is left may be tied in a cloth, and boiled over again next day, for half an hour or longer. molasses pie.--make a plain paste, allowing a quart of flour to a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a quarter of a pound of lard. cut up the butter into the pan of flour, and rub it into a dough, with a half tumbler of cold water. too much water is injurious to any paste, rendering it tough and hard. roll out the paste into a sheet, and with a broad knife spread all over it one-half of the lard. sprinkle it with flour, fold it, and roll it out again. spread on the remainder of the lard, dredge it slightly, fold it again, and then divide it into two sheets. line with one sheet the inside of a pie-dish, and fill it with molasses, mixed with butter, and flavored with ginger and cinnamon, or lemon or orange. put on the other sheet of paste as a lid to the pie. crimp or notch the edges. bake it of a pale brown, and send it to table fresh, but not hot. molasses pot-pie.--make plenty of paste, allowing to _each quart_ of flour a small half pound of finely minced suet. line the pot three-quarters up the sides with paste, and put in a quart of west india molasses, flavored with ginger and cinnamon, lemon or orange grating, and juice. cover it with a lid of paste, _not fitting closely_ round its edges, and cut a cross slit in the top. have ready six or eight extra pieces of suet paste, cut into squares, and boiled by themselves. when the pie is done, put these little cakes (ready boiled) into the molasses, having removed the lid or cover of the pie, and cut it up. take out the inside paste, and cut it in pieces also. serve up the whole in one large dish. batter pudding.--having beaten eight eggs till very thick and smooth, stir them gradually into a pan of milk, in turn with eight table-spoonfuls of flour, added by degrees. give the whole a hard stirring at last. dip a square pudding cloth into hot water, shake it out, dredge it with flour, and spread it over the inside of an empty pan. pour the pudding mixture into it. gather up the cloth, leaving ample space for the pudding to swell in boiling, and securing the string tightly. put the pudding into a large pot of boiling water, and boil it fast and steadily for two hours. turn it with a large fork once or twice while boiling. when done, dip it for a moment in cold water, that you may turn it out easily. send it to table hot, and eat it with any sauce you like, from molasses, or butter and sugar, to wine sauce. this, if exactly followed, is the very best receipt for a plain batter pudding. it may be made of corn meal, or wheat bread-crumbs, (eight table-spoonfuls to eight eggs, and one quart of milk.) corn meal requires with it one or two spoonfuls of wheat flour for this pudding. we cannot approve of boiling batter puddings in moulds, as they are rarely allowed sufficient space for swelling, and are therefore tough and solid. also, it is frequently very difficult to get a hot pudding out of a mould. the above pudding is very nice baked in the dripping pan under a piece of roast beef or veal. fritters.--make the same mixture as for batter pudding. eight eggs beaten very light and thick, and stirred gradually into a quart of milk, in turn with eight spoonfuls of flour; and, when all are united, beat the whole very hard. in a large frying-pan melt a pound of lard, and when it comes to a boil, put in with a large spoon a half tea-cupful of batter. fry them fast, a panful at a time, and as they require no stirring they will soon be done. for the next panful, add half a pound more of lard, and see that it is boiling well all the time. if there is not enough of lard, or if it only simmers, the fritters will stick to the bottom, and be heavy, dark, and greasy. send them to table "hot and hot," sprinkled with sugar. eat them with sugar, cinnamon, and white wine. this is the best possible receipt for plain fritters. orange fritters.--for frying fruit fritters use nice fresh butter. peel, and cut into round slices (not very thin) some fine oranges, removing the seeds carefully. put into each fritter (while frying) a slice of orange, and dredge with sugar. eat them with sweetened orange juice. these are fritters for company. peach fritters.--take large ripe free-stone peaches, the best you can get. peel them, cut them in half, remove the stones, and put some loaf sugar into the cavities from whence you took them. have ready, in a large frying-pan over the fire, an ample quantity of nice fresh butter, boiling fast. put in the batter, and to every spoonful allow half a peach, laid on its back. when done take them up separately, and drain the butter back into the pan. serve up the fritters dredged with white sugar. you may color these fritters pink by mixing in the batter a little prepared alkanet, the chips tied up in a thin muslin bag, and laid in a small saucer of sweet oil. stir the colored oil into the batter; it has no taste, but the color is beautiful. fritters may be colored green by mixing in the batter some of the juice obtained from pounded spinach leaves. apple or quince fritters.--pare and core some pippin or bell-flower apples, or ripe quinces. cut them into round slices, and fry one in every fritter. eat them with sweetened lemon juice. you may make fritters with a large table-spoonful of any thick marmalade in the centre. or, with a large fresh oyster in the middle of each. or, with a table-spoonful of minced meat. these, also, are company fritters. pancakes--are very inferior to good fritters, and much more troublesome to bake. they are the same ingredients mixed thinner; are also fried in lard, and must be turned by tossing them over (one at a time) in the frying-pan. junket.--having turned a quart of rich milk, by stirring into it a half tea-cupful of the water in which two or three square inches of rennet has been soaked for several hours, set the milk in a covered pitcher, in a warm place, till it becomes a firm curd, the whey separating from it, and looking thin and greenish. keep it on ice till just before it is wanted for table. then transfer it to a large bowl, and sweeten it well with white sugar. mix in two glasses of sweet wine, and grate over it a nutmeg. it is very nice with extract of vanilla added to the wine, &c. it is not a good way to preserve a rennet by cutting it into little pieces, and keeping it in wine, stirring the wine into milk when you wish to form a curd. if turned with rennet wine, the curd will never separate completely from the whey, which will therefore be always thick and whitish. by using rennet water, the whey will be pure, thin, and of a light green, and the curd very white and firm. in philadelphia market, dried rennets (which will keep a year or two hanging up in a cool dry closet) are universally used to make curds, and are always to be bought at small prices. they are cured by salting them, and stretching on a bent rod. to use this rennet, cut off a small bit, and soak it several hours, or over night, in a cup of lukewarm water. then stir this water into the milk. milk pottage or farmer's rice.--take some rich milk, and put it on to boil in a pot of sufficient size. when it has begun to boil, stir in, by degrees, enough of wheat flour to make it about as thick as the general consistence of rice milk, and boil it well, stirring it frequently down to the bottom. add a few blades of mace, or some powdered cinnamon. knead together some flour and fresh butter, forming a lump of white paste. divide the paste into small round dumplings about the size of a cent, and put them to boil with the milk. when the pottage is well boiled, take it up, and transfer it to a tureen or deep white-ware dish, and make it very sweet with good brown sugar. grate some nutmeg over the surface. this is an excellent addition to a winter supper-table, and is much liked by children, for whom it is also good at the end of a plain dinner. as a substitute for rice milk, it is better and more wholesome than rice itself. plain rice pudding.--pick some rice, carefully removing from it the husks, and all impurities; and if you find it the least sour or musty, throw it away, and get some that is perfectly good. wash it through two or three waters, till it drains off quite clean. stir a quarter of a pound of this rice into a quart of good rich milk. if the milk is poor and thin, and has been skimmed till it is blue, or mixed with water, the pudding will be poor accordingly. in the country where cream is easily to be obtained, add some to the milk which you use for the rice pudding. stir in also a quarter of a pound of good brown sugar, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. set the pudding into an oven, and bake till a brown skin covers the surface, and the rice is quite soft, which you may ascertain by lifting a bit of the brown skin from the edge and trying the rice. eat it warm or cold. it is usual in the country to put several of these rice puddings into the oven on baking days. they will be greatly improved by the addition of two or three beaten eggs, and a few bits of fresh butter, stirred in with the rice and sugar. also powdered cinnamon. rice is in itself so tasteless, that it requires good flavoring. plain boiled rice pudding.--pick, wash, and drain a pound of rice. moisten it with a quart of milk. have ready a pound of seedless raisins. dredge them well all over with flour to prevent their sinking. stir them gradually into the rice and milk. boil it in a cloth, leaving ample space for it to swell. keep the water very hot all the time. eat it with butter and sugar, seasoned with ground cinnamon. rice cups.--boil in water, in the usual manner, a pound or more of cleaned rice till it is perfectly soft. drain it well, and mix it with a quart of milk, seasoned with a mixed table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and nutmeg or mace. boil it a second time till all the grains are dissolved into a smooth mass, and their form cannot be distinguished. mould it in large tea-cups, pint bowls, or blanc-mange moulds; and when it has taken the desired form, turn it out on dishes, and serve up with it a small tureen of wine sauce, or of boiled custard made very sweet, and seasoned, by boiling in the milk of which the custard was made a few peach leaves, or some bitter almonds broken up, or a broken-up stick of cinnamon, to be taken out when it is done. bread pudding.--grate or crumble as much stale wheat bread (omitting the crust) as will fill a pint bowl when done. boil a pint of good milk with a broken-up stick of cinnamon in it. strain the milk, and pour it (boiling) over the bread. sweeten it with three large table-spoonfuls of sugar. stir in one or two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter. beat four eggs till very thick and smooth, and add them, gradually, to the mixture, when it is lukewarm. it will be much improved by the grated peel and juice of a lemon or orange. bake it in a deep dish or mould; sift white sugar over it. eat it warm, with sweet sauce flavored with nutmeg. bread and butter pudding.--cut large even slices of yesterday's bread, (_leaving on_ the crust) and spread them well with fresh butter. strew over them thickly half a pound of zante currants, picked and washed. make a batter of four beaten eggs and a large pint of milk, seasoned with powdered nutmeg or mace. pour some of this batter into the bottom of a deep white dish. then put on as many slices of bread and currants as will cover the bottom. next, add the remainder of the batter, and finish with slices of bread and butter strewed with currants. bake till the batter is set and firm. when done, serve it up warm. a brown betty.--pare, core, and slice thin some fine _juicy_ apples. cover with the apples the bottom of a large deep white-ware dish. sweeten them well with plenty of brown sugar; adding grated lemon or orange peel. strew over them a thick layer of bread-crumbs, and add to the crumbs a _very few_ bits of fresh butter. then put in another layer of cut apples and sugar, followed by a second layer of bread-crumbs and butter. next more apples and sugar; then more bread-crumbs and butter; repeat this till the dish is full, finishing it with bread-crumbs. bake it till the apples are entirely done and quite soft. send it to table hot. it will be improved (if in the country at cider-making season) by adding to each layer of apples a very little sweet unfermented cider, fresh from the press. this pudding is in some places called an apple pandowdy. we believe it is brown betty in the south; pandowdy in the north. it is a good plain pudding if the butter is fresh and sweet, and not too much of it. the apples must be _juicy_ and _not_ sweet. sweet apples never cook well. sweetened sweet potatos.--the sweet potatos should be all about the same size, or else so large as to require splitting. boil them till, on probing them with a fork, you find them soft all through. peel off the skin, and trim off the sharp points of each end. place them in a large baking dish, and lay among them some pieces of fresh butter; sprinkle powdered sugar _profusely_ over them and among them, especially in the vacancies between the potatos. set the dish into a moderate oven, and bake slowly till the butter and sugar are all melted and blended together, forming a nice crust. they should be eaten not with the meat, but _after_ it. they make a good supper or luncheon dish, and a plain dessert at dinner for plain-living people. sufficient butter and sugar will make the crust like a thick syrup, when broken. they should be cooked this way only when in the height of their season, and perfectly fresh and nice. when sweet potatos are old enough to decay at the ends, give them up. large sweet potatos may be first boiled; then peeled and sliced thick, sprinkled thick with sugar, and fried in fresh butter or lard; the lard well drained from them as they are taken up. eat _them_ with meat. they are good boiled very soft, peeled and sent to table mashed, (while hot) with fresh butter--or made into thick flat cakes, and browned on the top. it is a great waste to bake sweet potatos whole. if baked enough, (as they seldom are) they "go all to skin." apple dumplings.--for dumplings the apples should be large and juicy--pippins, bellflowers, or the best you can get. small sweet apples make very poor dumplings. having pared the apples, extract the cores with a tin apple-corer, so as to leave them smooth and whole. why is it that so many families "have never had an apple corer in their house?" they cost, at the utmost, but twenty-five cents, are to be had at all the tinsmiths' and furnishing stores; and they screw out an apple core in a minute; saving time and trouble. the apples being ready, make a nice paste in the proportion of a small pint of finely-minced suet, to a large quart of flour; one-half of the suet rubbed into the pan of flour, (adding _a very little_ water) the other half sliced thin, and spread all over the sheet of dough after it is rolled out; then folding it, and rolling it out again. cut the sheet of dough in as many circular pieces as you have apples, allowing them large enough to close entirely over the top, and rolling it thick enough to hold the apple securely without danger of its breaking through. put an apple on every piece of paste, and fill with brown sugar the hole from whence the core was taken. squeeze on the sugar some fresh lemon juice, with the grated yellow rind; or, add some powdered nutmeg or mace, or some rose-water. this will make them very nice. they should be boiled in small cloths kept clean for the purpose, dipped in hot water, and sprinkled with flour, and room left for the dumpling to swell. put them into a pot of boiling water, and boil them steadily for near an hour. serve them up very hot, as they become heavy when cold. eat with them butter and sugar, or cream sauce. peach dumplings.--take large fine free-stone peaches. peel them, cut them in half, and extract the stones; fill the sockets with white sugar, and put the two halves together. make a nice suet paste, or, if more convenient, of butter, but it must be quite fresh, and very nice. allow half a pound of butter to a large quart (or a pound) of sifted flour. rub half the butter into the pan of flour, and make it into a dough, with a very little cold water. too much water always makes tough heavy paste. then roll the paste into a sheet, and put on it with a knife the remainder of the butter in regular bits. fold it, roll it out again, and divide it into circular pieces. lay a peach on each. gather up the dough over the top, so as to form a well-shaped dumpling. boil them in cloths for full three-quarters of an hour or more. eat them with cream sauce. dumplings of raspberries, or blackberries, may be made as above. also, of gooseberries or currants, made very sweet. quinces preserved whole make excellent dumplings. apple puddings--are made like large dumplings, with suet paste, and flavored with lemon, or rose, or nutmeg. the apples must be sliced. the pudding should be tied in a cloth; put into a pot of fast-boiling water, kept steadily boiling for two hours or more, and sweetened with brown sugar as soon as it is taken up, cutting a round piece of paste out of the top, and putting in with the sugar a small piece of fresh butter. large puddings may be made in this manner of stoned cherries, damsons, or plums, or of gooseberries, or currants--allowing plenty of fruit, and making it very sweet; besides sending sugar to table with it. rolled pudding.--have ready a quart or more of apples stewed with _very little_ water, sweetened with brown sugar, and flavored with lemon or rose. prepare a nice suet paste. roll it out, and cut it into a square sheet. spread it _thickly_ with the stewed fruit, (not extending the fruit quite to the edges of the dough) and roll it up as far as it will go. close it nicely at each end. tie it in a cloth, dipped in hot water and floured, and put it into a fast-boiling pot. boil it well. cut it down in round slices. eat it with butter and sugar beaten together, or with cream sauce. you may make this pudding of any sort of thick marmalade, spread over the sheet of paste; or, with ripe uncooked currants, raspberries, or blackberries, mashed raw, sweetened, and spread on thickly. this pudding is the same that common english people call a "jack in a blanket;" and sometimes "a dog in a blanket." the _blanket_ is supposed to mean the paste; the _dog_ is probably the fruit. fruit pot-pies.--these are made in a pot lined with paste, interspersed with small squares of the same dough, and covered with a paste lid. the filling is of dried apples, peaches quartered, blackberries, raspberries, ripe currants, or gooseberries; all well sweetened, and cooked in their own juice, with a small tea-cupful of water at the bottom to "start them." both fruit and paste must be perfectly well done. fruit pot-pies are easier made and cooked, than fruit puddings or dumplings. we recommend them highly for plain tables. they require more sugar when they are dished. a large _bain-marie_ is excellent for cooking any sort of pot-pie, the water being all in the outside kettle. plain baked custard.--boil a quart of milk, with a small bunch of green peach leaves in it, or a half dozen of peach kernels broken up. when the milk has boiled well strain it into a broad pan, and set it away to cool. in a shallow pan beat six eggs till very light, thick, and smooth. stir them, gradually, into the milk, in turn with a tea-cup of white sugar, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon or mace. transfer the mixture to a deep white dish, set it into the oven, and bake it till the top is well browned, but not scorched. when done, set it away to cool, and grate nutmeg over the surface. boiled custard.--make exactly the above mixture; but instead of baking, boil it in a porcelain lined sauce-pan, stirring it all the time. as soon as it comes to a boil, take it immediately from the fire, or it will curdle. put it into a glass or china pitcher, and set it to cool. a _bain-marie_ is excellent for boiled custard. if custards are baked in cups, set them in an iron pan half full of warm water. if too hot, or kept baking too long, they will be tough and porous, and have whey at the bottom. so they will if the milk is warm when the eggs are added. good custards will cut down to the very bottom as smooth and firm as the best blanc-mange. apples baked whole.--never bake apples without paring and coring. they will be found nearly all skin and core, and are troublesome and inconvenient to eat. have fine large apples; take off a thin paring, and extract the core with a tin corer. fill up the holes with brown sugar. place the apples, side by side, in a square tin pan, set them in an oven, and bake them till, when tried with a fork, you find them soft all through. send them to table warm, but not burning hot. if you have country cream to eat with them, so much the better. baked pears.--take good-sized pears. small ones are not worth the trouble of cooking. peel them, split them in half, and remove the core, the stem, and the blossom end. strew them well with brown sugar, and lay them on their backs in a large baking dish. a narrow slip of the yellow rind of lemon or orange, (cut so thin as to look transparent,) will be a great improvement, laid in the hollow of each pear. also the juice squeezed. put into the dish sufficient molasses or steam-syrup to well cover the pears. place them in an oven, and bake them till they are soft, but not till they break. if you have no lemon or orange, season them with ground ginger or cinnamon. the great pound pears are baked as above, with the addition of port wine and a few cloves, and colored red with a little cochineal. country charlotte.--slice or quarter some fine juicy apples, having pared and cored them. put them on a large dish, sweeten them well with brown sugar, set them in the oven, and bake them till soft enough to mash smoothly. then cut some slices of bread, butter them slightly, and dip every one in sweet cider fresh from the press. let them soak in the cider a short time, but not till they break. take them out of the cider, spread every one thickly with the mashed apple, (sprinkling on more sugar) and send them to the dinner table in a deep dish or pan. a plain charlotte.--stew very nicely any sort of ripe fruit, (currants, gooseberries, blackberries, stoned cherries, or stoned plums,) and as soon as you take them from the fire make them very sweet with brown sugar. prepare some large slices of buttered bread, with the crust pared off. cover each slice thickly with the stewed fruit. lay some in the bottom of a deep dish, and stand up others all round its sides. fill up the dish with the same, and sift white sugar over the surface. it may be made of sliced sponge-cake, spread thickly with stewed dried peaches. gooseberry fool.--this foolish name signifies an excellent preparation of gooseberries; stewed, mashed, and made very sweet with brown sugar. have ready in another dish a good boiled custard. when all has become cool, mix well together in a large bowl the stewed gooseberries and the custard, and season the mixture well with nutmeg. it will be found very good. any other "fool" may be made in the same manner, of stewed fruit and boiled custard. it saves the trouble and expense of making paste, or can be prepared at a shorter notice. it is good either at dinner or tea. we hope somebody will think of a better name for it. potato paste.--boil three moderate-sized potatos till very soft. then peel and mash them fine and smooth. put them into a deep pan, and mix them well with a quart of flour and a half pint of lard; or what is better, with that quantity of beef dripping, or the dripping of fresh roast pork. never for any sort of crust use mutton dripping. having mixed the mashed potato, dripping, and flour into a lump, roll it out into a thick sheet. sprinkle it with flour, and spread over it evenly a thin layer of dripping or lard. fold it again, and set it in a cool place till wanted. it is good for meat pies, and for boiled meat pudding, or any sort of dumplings. very plain pie-crust.--sift a quart of flour into a pan. mix together, with a knife, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a quarter of a pound of lard, and when they are well blended mix them with the flour, and form them into a dough with as little water as possible--the water being very cold. use ice water in summer. avoid touching the paste with your hands, but use a knife almost entirely. if your hand is warm, do not rub butter into flour with it, but manage all the mixing with a knife. if you have a cool hand, you may rub the butter into the flour, and reserve the lard to spread all over the sheet of dough. roll it out lightly. dredge with flour, fold it, spread on the lard, and roll it again. divide it into two pieces, and roll out each of them. trim the edges nicely, and make them to fit your pie-dish. if one is for bottom crust, roll it out thinnest towards the centre, having for this part of the process a very small rolling-pin, but a finger long. grease with lard a deep dish, or soup plate, and line it with the bottom crust. fill it up with the fruit you intend for the pie, sweetened well with brown sugar, and heaping the fruit high in the centre. cover it with a lid of paste, trim, and notch the edges neatly, and make a cross slit in the top; set it in the oven, and bake it steadily till it is a light brown. when it seems to be done, lift up a small piece at one side to try if the fruit is soft. apples for pies should be pared, cored, and sliced very thin. if green, stew them before they are baked. if you have saved enough of the dripping of roast beef, veal, or pork, (skimmed and put away in a covered crock) it will be good shortening for common pies--far superior to salt butter, and much lighter. salt renders pastry hard and heavy. never use suet for _baked_ paste. it is only for dumplings and pot-pies. bread dough, or any dough made with yeast, is not good when boiled, becoming tough and leathery, and being very unwholesome. except in very plain country places a fruit pie, with two crusts, (under and upper) is now seen but rarely. _meat_ pies, or birds, however, should have two crusts. the gravy is a great improvement to the under one. english people usually make their fruit pies with a top-crust only, putting a turned down tea-cup under the centre of the lid to collect the juice, (of course removing the cup when the pie is cut.) it is a good method in a country where the cost of flour is high. too much economy in the shortening will infallibly make the crust very poor, hard, heavy, and unwholesome. if you cannot afford dessert paste, do not attempt pies at all; but substitute a plain charlotte, or slices of bread and butter, covered with stewed fruit, sweetened, and laid in a deep dish. common fruit pies.--make the paste as above. for baking, use only apples that are juicy, and rather sour. if green, stew them before they are put in the pie, and make them very sweet with brown sugar. peaches should be peeled and quartered, leaving out the stones. of cherries, take the large red juicy pie cherries. black cherries, (when baked) go all to stones, and they are not worth the trouble of cooking, though very good when eaten from the trees. currants must be carefully stripped from the stems, and made very sweet. gooseberries must be "top and tailed," and require great sweetening; so do cranberries. blackberries make good plain pies, and are very juicy if ripe. all pies should be well filled. pies may be made of ripe wild grapes, stewed in molasses or maple sugar. excellent plain paste.--sift into a deep pan a quart and a pint of the best superfine flour. have ready (set on ice, and covered with a thick double cloth) a pound of the very best fresh butter. when you want to use it, cut it into four quarters. cut one quarter into very little bits, and with a broad knife mix it well into the flour, adding, by degrees, a very little water, no more than half a tumbler. some flour, however, requires more water than others. avoid touching the dough with your hands, in case they should be warm. take out the lump of dough, dredge it with flour, and lay it on your pasteboard. keep on a plate near you a little extra flour for sprinkling and rolling. roll out the sheet of dough very thin, having floured the rolling-pin to prevent its sticking. place, with a knife, the second quarter of butter in little bits all over the sheet of paste, at equal distances. then fold it square, (covering the butter with the corners of paste) dredge it, and roll it out again to receive the third quarter of butter. repeat this again, till all the butter is in; always rolling very fast, and pressing on _lightly_. you will see, towards the last, the paste puffing into little blisters all over the surface; a sign of success. when the last layer of butter is all in, roll the whole into a large sheet; roll it round like a scroll, and put it away in a cold place, but not so cold as to freeze it, for it will then be spoiled. when you are ready for it bring it out, cut it down, and roll out each piece ready for use. there is no better family paste than this, for all sorts of pies; meat or bird pies, especially. lemon bread pudding.--mince very fine a quarter of a pound of beef suet. have ready a pint and a half of finely-grated bread-crumbs. prepare the yellow rind of a large lemon, grated off from the white skin beneath, and squeeze the juice among it. mix together in a deep pan the bread-crumbs and suet, adding four or five table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar, and a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and mace. beat in a broad shallow pan five eggs till very smooth and thick. add them gradually to the other ingredients, a little at a time. have ready a square pudding-cloth, scalded and floured. pour in the mixture, and tie the cloth tightly, but not closely, as room must be left for the pudding to swell in boiling. put it into a pot of hot water, and boil it steadily for two hours. send wine sauce to table with it--or cold sauce, of beaten butter, and sugar, and nutmeg. if you use butter instead of suet, you can bake this pudding. plain plum pudding.--this is for a small plain-living family. chop very fine half a pound of nice fresh beef suet. stone a half pound of very good raisins, or use the sultana or seedless sort. dredge them well on all sides with flour to prevent their sinking to the bottom. grate the yellow rind of a large fresh lemon, and strain the juice into the saucer on which you have grated the rind. it will be still better if you use the rind and juice of an orange as well as of a lemon. put into a bowl half a pint of grated bread-crumbs, and a heaped table-spoonful of flour, and pour on them a half pint of boiling milk. beat in a shallow pan four eggs till very thick and light. mix the suet gradually into the bread, adding alternately the beaten egg, (a little at a time) the lemon and orange, and four heaped table-spoonfuls of sugar. lastly, stir in by degrees, the raisins, well floured. put the mixture into a square pudding-cloth spread out into a deep pan, and dipped in boiling water. tie it securely, leaving room to swell. boil it three hours. eat with it a sauce of butter, sugar, and nutmeg, beaten together. fine desserts. the best puff-paste.--to a pound of the best fresh butter allow a pound of the finest flour, sifted into a deep pan. have on a plate some additional sifted flour for sprinkling and rolling in. divide the pound of butter into four equal parts, and three of those parts divide again into two portions. mix the first quarter of butter into the mass of flour, cutting it with a broad-bladed knife. if your hands are naturally warm, avoid touching the dough with them, as their heat will render it heavy. paste, to be very good, should be made on a marble slab. all well-furnished kitchens or pastry rooms should be provided with marble-topped tables, and marble mortars. add gradually to the lump of dough a _very little cold_ water, barely sufficient to moisten it with the first quarter of butter, and mix it well with the aid of the broad knife; but proceed as fast as you can, and do not work with it too long. too much water will render it tough, and too much working will make it heavy. then sprinkle the marble slab with some of the spare flour, take the lump of paste from the pan, and roll it out into a sheet. divide one of the portions of butter into little bits, and with the knife disperse them equally all over the sheet of paste. then sprinkle it again with flour, fold it up so as to cover the butter, and roll it out again. proceed in this manner till you have got in all the butter, rolling always lightly, and you will soon see the surface of the dough puffing up in little blisters, a sign that it is becoming light. besides the first mixing in the lump, the butter will then be put in with what are called six turns. when baked, you will see that every turn makes a layer or sheet. if you choose to multiply them, you may make nine sheets. we have seen twelve. all this must be done fast and lightly. then put away the paste to cool for ten minutes before arranging it in the dishes. this quantity will make two pies or four tarts. in baking, let the oven be hot, and keep up a steady heat, so the paste may not fall after it has first risen. when pale brown, it is done. shells.--for shells take the best puff paste, and line with it large deep plates, the size of a soup-plate. they should have broad rims. notch the edges of the paste handsomely with a sharp penknife, and be careful not to plaster on, afterwards, any bits by way of mending or rectifying an error. when baked, every patch in the border will show itself plainly. bake the shells entirely empty, till pale brown all over. when cool fill them, _quite up the top_, with whatever marmalade or stewed fruit you have prepared for the purpose. in this way (baking them empty,) the shells are thoroughly done, and not clammy and heavy at the bottom, as they always are when filled _before_ baking. the fruit requires no other cooking, having been done once already. sift white sugar over the surface. if for company whip some cream, sweeten it, and flavor it with lemon, orange, pine-apple, strawberry or vanilla, and pile it on the surface of the shell before it goes to table. small tarts may, in this way, be baked empty, for patty-pans, and filled with ripe fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, or grated pine-apple, made very sweet, and creamed on the top--or you may fill the shells with any sort of sweetmeats, either preserves or marmalade, or with mince-meat. shells may be made thus, and filled with stewed oysters, or reed-birds, cooked previously, and served up warm; or with nicely-dressed lobster. you may make lids for them of the same paste baked by itself on a shallow plate, and when taken off fitting well as a cover to put on afterwards before sending to table. borders of paste.--these are made of fine puff-paste cut into handsome patterns, or wreaths of leaves or flowers. they are laid round the broad edge of the deep plate that contains a rich pudding, such as lemon, orange, almond, cocoa-nut, pine-apple, &c.; the dish being full down to the bottom and up to the top, and having no paste but the border round the edge. they must be baked in the dish on which they come to table, and not in tin or iron, as the pudding cannot be transferred. at handsome tables, a pudding baked with a paste _under_ it (lining the dish,) is now seen but seldom. instead of wreaths, you may make a puff-paste border by laying a thick evenly cut band of paste round the flat rim of the dish, and notching it, forming with a penknife small squares about an inch wide, and turning one square up and one square down alternately, _cheveux de frize_ fashion. or you may make the squares near two inches wide and turn over one corner sharp, leaving the other flat. this looks pretty when baked, if the paste is _very puff_. lemon pudding.--to make two puddings take two fine large ripe lemons, and rub them under your hand on a table. grate off the thin yellow rind upon a large lump of loaf sugar. cut the lemon, and squeeze the juice into a saucer through a strainer, to avoid the seeds. put half a pound of powdered white sugar into a deep earthen pan, (including the sugar on which you have rubbed the lemons) and cut up in it half a pound of the best fresh butter, adding the juice. stir them to a light cream with a wooden spaddle, which is shorter than a mush-stick, and flattened at one end; that end rather thin, and rather broad. beat in a shallow pan, (with hickory rods) six eggs, till very thick and smooth, and stir them gradually into the mixture. have ready some of the best puff-paste, made in the proportion of a pint or half a pound of very nice fresh butter to a pint or half a pound of sifted flour. take china or white-ware dishes with broad rims. butter the rim, and lay round it neatly a border of the paste. _put no paste inside the dish beneath the mixture._ fill each dish to the top with the pudding mixture, and set it immediately into the oven. it will bake in about half an hour when done, and browned on the surface, set it to cool, and send it to table in the dish it was baked in. fine puddings are now made without an under crust, but merely a handsome border of puff-paste laid round the edge, and helped with the pudding. sift sugar over the surface. this quantity will make one large pudding, or two small ones. to almost all puddings the flavor of lemon or orange is an improvement. a genuine _baked_ lemon pudding, (such as was introduced by the justly celebrated mrs. goodfellow,) and is well known at philadelphia dinner parties, must have _no flour_ or bread whatever. the mixture only of butter, sugar, and eggs, (with the proper flavoring) and when baked it cuts down smooth and shining, like a nice custard. made this way, they are among the most delicious of puddings; but, of course, are not intended for children or invalids. we have already given numerous receipts for _plain_ family desserts. in this _chapter_ the receipts are "for company." the author was _really_ a pupil of mrs. goodfellow's, and for double the usual term, and while there took notes of every thing that was made, it being the desire of the liberal and honest instructress that her scholars _should learn in reality_. almond pudding.--blanch in hot water a quarter of a pound of shelled sweet and two ounces of bitter almonds, and as you blanch them throw them into a bowl of cold water. when all are thus peeled, take them out singly, wipe them dry in a clean napkin, and lay them on a plate. pound them one at a time in a marble mortar till they become a smooth paste, adding frequently a few drops of rose-water to make them light and preserve their whiteness, mixing the bitter almonds with the sweet. as you pound them, take out the paste and lay it in a saucer with a tea-spoon. without the rose-water they will become oily and dark-colored. without a few bitter almonds the others will be insipid. the almonds may be thus prepared a day before they are wanted for use. cut up a large quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a large quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and stir them together with a spaddle till very light and creamy. add a large wine-glass of mixed wine and brandy, and half a grated nutmeg. beat, till they stand alone, the whites only of six eggs, and stir them gradually into the butter and sugar, in turn with the pounded almonds. stir the whole very hard at the last. put the mixture into a deep dish with a broad rim, and fill it up to the top, laying a border of puff-paste all round the rim. serve up the pudding cool, having sifted sugar over it. _boiled almond pudding_--is made as above; only with whole eggs, both yolks and whites beaten together. boil it in a _bain-marie_ or in a thick square cloth, in a pot of boiling water. when done, turn it out and send it to table warm. eat it with sugar, wet with rose-water. _orange pudding_--is made exactly like lemon pudding; the ingredients in the same proportion, and baked without an under crust, having a border of puff-paste all round the edge, and sent to table in the dish it was baked in. these fine-baked puddings should have no addition whatever of bread-crumbs or flour. they should cut down smooth and glassy. _boiled lemon or orange pudding_--make the foregoing mixture either with two lemons or two oranges, adding to the other ingredients a half pint finely-crumbled sponge cake. boil the mixture either in a _bain-marie_ or a thick pudding cloth, and serve it up warm. for sauce, have ready butter and sugar beaten to a cream, and flavored well with lemon or orange, and grated nutmeg. cocoa-nut pudding.--break up a ripe cocoa-nut. having peeled off the brown skin, wash all the pieces of nut in cold water, and wipe them dry on a clean napkin. then grate the cocoa-nut _very fine_ into a pan, till you have a quart. in a deep pan cut up a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and add a very light quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. stir together (with a spaddle,) the butter and sugar till they are very light and creamy, and add a grated nutmeg. beat, (till they stand alone) the _whites only_ of six eggs; the yolks may be reserved for soft custards. stir the beaten white of egg gradually into the pan of butter and sugar, alternately with the grated cocoa-nut, a little at a time of each, and a glass of mixed brandy and white wine. stir the whole very hard. fill with it a broad-edged deep white dish, and lay a puff-paste border all round the rim. bake it light brown, and when cool sift white sugar over it, serving it up in the dish it was baked in. _boiled cocoa-nut pudding._--for this make the above mixture, and boil it in a mould, or in a _bain-marie_, with the water in the outside kettle. eat it either warm or cold. sweet potato pudding.--wash, boil, and peel some fine sweet potatos. mash them, and rub them through a coarse sieve--this will make them loose and light. if merely _mashed_ the pudding will clod and be heavy. in a deep pan stir to a cream a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar; adding a grated nutmeg, a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a half glass of white wine, and a half glass of brandy. beat in a shallow pan three eggs, till very thick and smooth, and stir them into the mixture of butter and sugar, alternately with the sweet potato. at the last mix all thoroughly with a very hard stirring. put the mixture into a deep dish, and lay a border of puff-paste all round the rim. set the pudding immediately into a rather brisk oven, and when cool sift white sugar over it. for two of these puddings _double_ the quantities of all the ingredients. _white potato pudding_--is made exactly as above. chestnut pudding also--the large spanish chestnuts, boiled, peeled, and mashed. _fine pumpkin pudding_--also, allowing to the above ingredients a half pint of stewed pumpkins, squeezed dry and rubbed through a sieve. _cashaw pudding._--a similar pudding may be made of stewed cashaw, or winter squash. pine-apple tart.--take a fine large ripe pine-apple. remove the leaves, and quarter it without paring, standing up each quarter in a deep plate, and grating it down till you come to the rind. strew plenty of powdered sugar over the grated fruit. cover it, and let it rest for an hour. then put it into a porcelain kettle, and steam it in its own syrup till perfectly soft. have ready some empty shells of puff-paste, baked either in patty-pans or in soup plates. when they are cool, fill them full with the grated pine-apple; add more sugar, and lay round the rim a border of puff-paste. quince pies.--wash well, pare, and core some fine ripe quinces, having cut out all the blemishes. put the cores and parings into a small sauce-pan, and stew them in a little water, till all broken to pieces. then strain and save the quince water. having quartered the quinces, or sliced them in round slices, transfer them to a porcelain stew-pan, and pour over the quinces water extracted from boiling the cores and parings. let them cook in this till quite soft all through. make them very sweet with powdered sugar, and fill with them two deep soup plates that have been baked empty, with a puff paste border round the rims. fill them up to the top, (they are already cooked) and sift sugar over them--or, you may pile on the surface of each some ice-cream. you may cook the quinces whole, and lay one on each tart. fine apple pies--may be made in the same manner, flavored with the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon. the apples should be fine juicy pippins. if done whole, lay one on each patty-pan tart, and stick into the core hole a slip of the yellow rind of lemon, pared so thin as to be nearly transparent. a meringue pudding.--rub off upon a large lump of _sugar_ the yellow rind of two fine ripe lemons, and mix it with a pound of powdered loaf sugar, adding the juice. whip, to a stiff froth, the _whites only_ of eight eggs; and then, gradually, beat in the sugar and lemon, adding a heaped table-spoonful of the finest flour. spread part of the mixture thickly over the bottom of a deep dish, the rim of which has been bordered with a handsome wreath of puff-paste, and baked. lay upon it a thick layer of stiff currant or strawberry jelly. then fill up the dish, and set it, a few minutes in a rather cool oven to brown slightly. this pudding is for dinner company. if you use oranges, omit half the grated peel. you may flavor the meringue with vanilla. split, and break up a small vanilla bean, and boil it in a _very little_ cream till all the vanilla flavor is extracted, the cream tasting of it strongly. then strain it well, and mix the vanilla cream with the white of egg. or, a little _home-made_ extract of vanilla will be still better. this is obtained by splitting and breaking up some vanilla beans, and steeping them for a week or two in a bottle of _absolute_ alcohol; then straining the liquid, transferring it to a clean bottle, and keeping it closely corked. very little of what is called "extract of vanilla" is good, and it is more expensive than to make it yourself. also, what is generally sold for essence of lemon is very inferior to real lemon juice. jelly or marmalade pudding.--divide the paste equally and line two puff-paste shells. bake them empty; and while baking, beat till very light and thick, the yolks of six eggs. mix the beaten egg with a liberal portion of any nice kind of fruit, jelly or marmalade, and boil it ten minutes in a sauce-pan, stirring it well. take it up and set it away to cool. when cold, fill with it the baked shells. fill them up to the top with the mixture, and before they go to table sift powdered white sugar over the surface of the puddings. cheese pudding.--take a quarter of a pound of excellent cheese; rich, but not strong or old. cut it in small bits, and then beat it (a little at a time) in a marble mortar. add a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter. cut it up, and pound it in the mortar with the cheese, till perfectly smooth and well mixed. beat five eggs till very thick and smooth. mix them, gradually, with the cheese and butter. put the mixture into a deep dish with a rim. have ready some puff-paste, and lay a broad border of it all round the edge, ornamenting it handsomely. set it immediately into a moderate oven, and bake it till the paste is browned, and has risen very high all round the edge of the dish. sift white sugar over it before it goes to table. it is intended that the cheese taste shall predominate. but, if preferred, you may make the mixture very sweet by adding powdered sugar; it may be seasoned with nutmeg and mace. either way is good. it may be baked in small patty-pans, lined at the bottom and sides with puff-paste. remove them from the tins as soon as they come out of the oven, and place them on a large dish. this pudding is very nice made of rich fresh cream cheese; the rind, of course, being pared off. cream cheese pudding will require sugar and spice--that is, a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, all mixed; two ounces of fresh butter, and six eggs. florendines.--these are made of any sort of fruit, stewed in its own juice or in sweetmeat syrup, but when practicable, without any water. a pint of this fruit is mixed with half a pint of fresh butter, and half a pint of powdered sugar stirred together to a light cream, and then mixed with three well-beaten eggs, and the fruit stirred in alternately with the beaten butter and sugar. have ready baked shells of puff-paste, ready to be filled with the mixture. the fruit may be apples, quinces, peaches, gooseberries, currants, raspberries. cranberries, gooseberries, and currants, require additional sugar, as they are naturally very sour. if you use plums or cherries for any sort of cooking, stone them first. peach pies.--take a sufficient number of fine juicy freestone peaches. clingstones are very hard and insipid when raw, and still more tasteless when cooked. peel the peaches and quarter them, having removed the stones. stew them in their own juice, and while hot make them very sweet with white sugar. when you put them to stew, place among them a bunch of fresh green peach leaves, to be removed when the peaches are done. or, cook with them some peach kernels, blanched in hot water, to be picked out when the stewing is finished. peach leaves or kernels communicate a flavor which to most persons is pleasant. have ready some puff-paste shells; baked, and beginning to cool. fill them to the top with the stewed peaches, and pile on them some whipped cream sweetened, and flavored with noyau or rose-water. a fruit charlotte.--have ready a large fresh almond sponge cake, or lady cake. cut a round or circular piece to fit the bottom of a great glass bowl. also, about twelve or fourteen oblong slices, to stand up all round to line the sides. have ready two quarts or more of ripe strawberries or raspberries. mash the fruit to a jam, and having made it very sweet with white sugar, spread it thickly over the pieces of cake. lay the circular piece of cake in the bottom of the bowl and stand up the others all round the sides, all close to each other or wrapping over a little. proceed to fill the bowl with the fruit; and when half way up, put on another layer of sliced cake spread with fruit. then fill up with fruit to the top. have ready a quart of whipped cream flavored with vanilla or bitter almonds. heap it high on the bowl, and set it in a cool place till it goes to table. this is a very fine article for a nice dessert, and can be prepared at a short notice, and without going down stairs, as it requires no cooking. for the whipped cream, you may pile the bowl with any sort of white ice-cream ready made, and if there is no fresh fruit in season, substitute marmalade or fruit jelly. if you have no large bowl you may serve up this charlotte in glass or china saucers, laying in the bottom of each a circular slice of cake spread over with ripe fruit or marmalade. fill up with the same, and finish with whipped cream, or ice-cream heaped on the top. vanilla custards.--split a vanilla bean, break it into small bits, and boil it in a half pint of milk, till all the flavor of the vanilla is extracted. strain it through a very fine strainer, cover it, and set it aside. boil a quart of rich milk, and when it comes to a boil set it away to cool. beat eight eggs till very thick and smooth, (and when the milk is cold) add that which is flavored with vanilla, and stir it in gradually with a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. divide the mixture in custard cups, (filling them to the top) and set them into an iron bake-pan filled with boiling water, reaching nearly to the the rim of the cups. put them into a moderate oven, and bake them a pale brown. when cool, grate nutmeg, or lay a maccaroon on the top over each. never send custards warm to table. if well made, and baked not too much, there will be no whey at the bottom of the cups, and the custards will be smooth and firm all through, and have no spongy holes in them. to make soft custards, omit the whites of all the eggs, and have a double quantity of yolks. the whites may be used for almond or cocoa-nut pudding, for lady cake, for meringue or icing, and for kisses or maccaroons. _orange custards._--prepare four large ripe oranges, by rolling them under your hand on a table to increase the juice. use none of the peel for these custards, but reserve it for something else. beat in a shallow pan twelve eggs till thick and smooth. mix the orange juice with a wineglass of cold water, and stir it gradually into the beaten egg, with a small tumblerful of powdered sugar. there is no milk in these custards. divide them into custard cups, and beat them ten minutes. when cold, grate nutmeg over them. _lemon custard_--is made in the above manner, with the juice of four large lemons, (omitting the rind) a small wineglass of cold water, twelve beaten eggs, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. any of these fine custards may be boiled in a _bain-marie_, with water in the outside kettle, and there is no way better. when boiled and cool, grate in some nutmeg, and serve up the custard in a glass or china pitcher, with saucers of the same to eat it from, or divide it in small glass cups with handles to them. lemon or orange custards are very fine. they are made without milk. _chocolate custard._--make some strong chocolate, allowing a quarter of a pound of the best, (which is baker's prepared cocoa) to a quart of rich milk; first mixing the milk and scraped chocolate to a smooth paste. boil them together a quarter of an hour. while warm, stir in two or three table-spoonfuls of loaf sugar. then set it away to cool. have ready eight well-beaten eggs, and stir them gradually into the chocolate. bake the mixture in cups, and serve them up with a chocolate maccaroon laid on the top of each. _almond and maccaroon custard._--boil in half a pint of rich milk a handful of _bitter_ almonds, blanched and broken up. when highly flavored, strain that milk and set it aside. boil a quart of milk by itself, and when cold stir in, gradually, eight well beaten eggs, adding the flavored milk, and half a pint of powdered sugar. stir the whole very hard at the last. bake it in cups, and when done and cold, lay on the top of each a maccaroon with four others placed around it; five maccaroons to each custard. or, if the maccaroons are made in the house, let every one be large enough to cover the top of the custard like a lid. fine plum pudding.--this pudding is best when prepared, (all but the milk and eggs,) the day before it is wanted. seed and cut in half one pound of the best bloom raisins; and pick, wash, and dry before the fire, a pound of zante currants, (commonly called plums.) dredge the fruit well with flour, to prevent its sinking or clogging. take one pound of fresh beef suet, freed from the skin and strings, and chopped _very fine_; a pint of grated bread-crumbs, and half a pint of sifted flour; a large quarter of a pound of the best sugar, a large table-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon mixed, and two powdered nutmegs--all the spice steeped in a half pint of mixed wine and brandy. put away these ingredients separately, closely covered, and let them stand undisturbed all night. next morning proceed to finish the pudding, which requires at least six hours boiling. beat nine eggs till very thick and smooth, then add gradually a pint of rich milk, in turn with the bread-crumbs and flour. mix with the sugar the grated yellow rind and juice of two large lemons or two oranges, and add gradually to the mixture all the ingredients, stirring very hard. if you find it too thick, add by degrees some more milk; if too thin, some more bread-crumbs. but take care not to have too much bread or flour, or the pudding will be solid and heavy. dip a large strong cloth in boiling water; shake it out, and spread it in a large pan. dredge it lightly with flour, and pour in the mixture. tie it tightly, but leave sufficient space for the pudding to swell in boiling. put it into a pot of fast-boiling water, and boil it steadily six hours or more, not taking it up till wanted for table. before turning it, dip the cloth for a moment in cold water to make the pudding come out easily. have ready some slips of citron or of blanched sweet almonds, or both, and stick them, liberally, all over the surface of the pudding after you have dished it. serve it up with wine sauce highly flavored, or with butter and sugar beaten to a cream, and seasoned with nutmeg and rose. do not set the pudding on fire to burn out the liquor; that practice has had its day, and is over. it was always foolish. if you wish to send it to a distant place, (for instance, to some part of the world where plum puddings are not known or not made) you may preserve it, (after boiling it well,) by leaving it tied up in the cloth it was cooked in; hanging it up in a cool dry place, and then packing it well in a tin vessel having a close fitting cover. paste a band of thick white paper all around the place where the lid shuts down, and put into a tight box the vessel that contains the pudding. when it arrives at its destination, the friend who receives it will pare off thinly the outside, and tying up the pudding in a fresh clean cloth, will boil it over again for an hour or more; and when done the surface may be then decorated with slips of citron or almond. it has been said that in this way a plum pudding can be kept for _six_ months, as good as ever. it cannot. but it may keep six _weeks_. do not _fry_ or _broil_ plum pudding that is left at dinner. the slices will be greasy and heavy. but tie the piece that remains in a small cloth, and _boil_ it over again for an hour. it will then be nearly as good as on the first day. believe in no wonders that you hear, of the long keeping of either plum pudding, plum cake, or mince meat, which are all of the same family. however long they may be preserved from absolute decomposition, these things are always best when fresh. mince pies.--the best mince meat is made of fresh beef's tongue boiled, peeled, and when quite cold, chopped very fine. the next best is of beef's heart boiled and chopped. the next of cold roast beef. and the next, of the lean of cold boiled beef, quite fresh, and cooked especially for the purpose. all the meat must be fresh, and not minced till entirely cold. to two large pounds of lean meat allow two small pounds of nice kidney suet, cleared from skin and strings, and chopped very small; two pounds of fine juicy apples, pared, cored, and minced; two pounds of zante currants, washed, and picked clean; two pounds of fine bloom raisins, seeded and chopped, or of seedless sultana raisins cut in half; two pounds of the best sugar; two large nutmegs, powdered; a table-spoonful of ground cinnamon; the same quantity of ground ginger, with the juice and grated yellow rind of six large lemons, or the juice of six oranges, and their grated rind; a pint of madeira or sherry, and half a pint of brandy; lastly, half a pound of citron cut into slips, rather large. if the citron is chopped small it cannot be distinguished among the other ingredients, and its flavor is lost. when all is prepared, mix well in a large pan the chopped meat, suet, and fruit. then, gradually add the spice, having steeped it in the liquor all the preceding night, mixing the whole thoroughly, and putting in the citron at the last. line with fine puff-paste deep pie-dishes, or patty-pans. fill them, quite full of the mince, heaping it higher towards the centre; and put on a lid, handsomely decorated with puff-paste ornaments, and having a cross slit in the centre surrounded with paste leaves or flowers. set the pies immediately into a moderately brisk oven, and bake them a light brown. eat them warm. if baked the preceding day, heat them again before they go to table. the foolish custom of setting the pies on fire after they come to table, and causing a blue blaze to issue from the liquor that is in them, is now obsolete, and considered ungenteel and tavern-like. if this practice originated in a polite desire to _frighten the ladies_, its purpose is already a failure, for the ladies are not frightened; that is, not really. mincemeat will taste more fresh and pleasant if the apples are not added till the day the pies are made. it should be kept well-secured from air and damp, in stone jars closely covered. whenever a jar is opened to take out some for immediate use, pour in a large glass or two of brandy, and stir it about. it is not true that mincemeat will keep all winter, even by this preservative. it is sure to become musty (or worse,) before two months. it is best to make fresh mincemeat at least three times during the season. when the cold weather is over, do not attempt it, unless a little for immediate use. mincemeat, with a double portion of excellent raisins, (cut in half,) will do very well without currants, which are very troublesome to prepare; and those imported of late years are rarely of good quality. we have heard of west india mincemeat made with cold roast turkey; chopped pine-apple; grated cocoa-nut; preserved ginger chopped, and moistened with its own syrup; and seasoned with nutmeg and noyau. the above mince pies are for company. calf's feet jelly.--select the largest and best calf's feet. four is called a set. choose those that, after the hair has been well scalded and scraped off, are prepared with the skins left on. there is much glutinous substance in the skin itself, therefore it adds to the strength and firmness of the jelly. the feet being made perfectly clean, split them upwards as far as you can, and put them to boil in a gallon of _very clear_ soft water. boil them till they have all gone to pieces, and the flesh is reduced to rags, and the liquid to one half. strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a white-ware pan, and set it away to cool. when quite cold, it should be a cake of firm jelly. take it out, and scrape from it all the fat at the top and sediment at the bottom. press on the surface, some clean blotting paper, to remove any grease that may yet remain about it. cut the cake of jelly into pieces, and put it into a _very clean_ porcelain kettle, with a large pint of sherry, (inferior wine will spoil it,) a pound of the best loaf sugar, broken small; the yellow rind of six lemons, pared so thin as to be transparent, and their juice squeezed over the sugar through a strainer; the _whites_ of six or seven eggs, with their shells mashed small. if the jelly is to be moulded, add a quarter ounce of the best russia isinglass. boil together all these ingredients for near twenty minutes. then take it off the fire, and let it stand undisturbed for about five minutes, to settle. next, have ready a pointed jelly bag, made of clean white flannel. spread it open, suspended by strings to a table edge. set a large tureen or white-ware pan beneath it, and let the jelly drip as long as it will; but on no account squeeze or press the bag, as that will spoil all, rendering the whole jelly cloudy or streaked. if it is not quite clear at the first straining, empty the contents of the bag into a basin, wash the bag clean, hang it up again, pour the jelly back, wash the tureen or pan, and let the jelly pass into it again. repeat this straining if necessary. when quite clear, shape the jelly in white-ware moulds, which have been setting two hours in cold water. when the jelly is wanted, wrap round the moulds for a moment, a cloth dipped in warm water, and turn it out on glass dishes. the ingredients that are left in the bag may be boiled and strained over again for children. if the jelly is _not_ to be moulded, you may omit the isinglass. in that case break it up, and serve it in a glass bowl. it is now the general opinion that jellies have a more lively taste when broken up, from the numerous acute angles they present to the tongue and palate. we think this opinion correct; and also they look brighter and more glittering, and _go farther_. _apple jelly_--is far less expensive than that of calf's feet, and if well made looks beautifully. it requires the very best and most juicy apples, (for instance, two dozen large pippins or bell-flowers.) wash and wipe them well, (removing all blemishes,) pare, core, and slice or quarter them. put them into a _bain-marie_ or double kettle, with the water outside, and let them boil till broken and dissolved, putting in with them the grated yellow rind of four large lemons. press and mash the stewed apples through a very clean sieve, till you have extracted all the juice. measure it while warm, and allow to each quart a pound of the finest powdered and sifted loaf sugar well mixed in, and the juice of the lemons. transfer it to a clean white flannel jelly bag, and let it drip into a large white-ware pan. when quite clear, put it into moulds, and set it on ice to congeal. when wanted, turn it out of the moulds, (loosened by wrapping round their outsides cloths dipped a minute in warm water) and serve it up in glass dishes. _siberian jelly._--a fine pink-colored jelly may be made in the above manner, of the red siberian crab-apple, but it requires an _additional_ quarter of a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. instead of lemon you may flavor it, (after all the juice has done dripping) by mixing with extract of rose, or strong rose-water, allowing a wine-glassful to each quart of jelly. rose-water, or extract of rose, evaporates so speedily when over the fire, that it should never be added till the very last. _orange jelly_--is made in the proportion of a pint of strained orange juice to a pound of loaf sugar, boiled with an ounce of isinglass, that has first been melted over the fire by itself in a very little water. add the _yellow_ rind of the oranges pared from the white as thin as possible. give it one boil up, and strain it into the jelly-bag. when clear, transfer it to moulds. twelve large oranges will generally yield a pint of juice. lemon jelly is made in the same manner, but with more sugar. currant jelly.--the currants should be large, fine, and fully ripe. the best and sweetest currants grow in the shade; and the largest, also. if exposed to the full heat of our american sun, it turns them sour, dries up the juice, and withers their growth. gather them when fully ripe, strip them from the stems into a cullender, and wash and drain them. transfer them to a large pan, and mash them well with a wooden beetle. then put the currants, with their juice, into a _bain-marie_ or double kettle, and cook them with the water outside, stirring them hard to bring out the juice. simmer them for a quarter of an hour, and then transfer them to a very clean sieve, and press them over a pan till no more juice appears. measure the juice, and to each pint allow a pound of broken-up loaf sugar. mix the sugar with the juice, put all into a porcelain kettle, and boil it till the scum ceases to rise. if the sugar is of excellent quality, (the best double-refined should be used for all nice sweetmeats) it will need but little skimming, and leave no sediment when poured off. boil it twenty minutes with the sugar. to try if it is done, take up a spoonful and hold it out in the open air. if it congeals very soon, it is cooked enough. put it warm into glass tumblers. cut out some white tissue paper into double rounds, exactly fitting the glasses. press these papers lightly on the surface of the jelly; and, next day, tie over the top thick papers dipped in brandy, and set them in the sun all that day if the weather is bright and warm. all jellies of small fruit may be made in a similar manner; first boiling the fruit by itself, and mashing it to get out all the juice. then boiling the berries again, _with the sugar_, for about twenty minutes. the above receipt is equally good for grapes, blackberries, and gooseberries. black currant jelly (excellent for sore throats,) requires but three quarters of a pound of sugar, the juice being very thick of itself. peaches, plums, damsons, and green gages, must be scalded, peeled, and stoned, before boiling for jelly, and they require, at least, a pound and a half of sugar to a pint of juice. it is better to preserve them as marmalade than as jelly. strawberries and raspberries require no previous cooking; mash out the juice, strain it, allow a pound of sugar to every pint of juice, and then boil them together (skimming carefully) for about a quarter of an hour, or till they congeal on being tried in the air. wine jelly.--wine jellies are seldom made except for company. the wine must be of excellent quality; either port, madeira, or champagne. to a quart of wine allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf sugar, and an ounce of the best russian isinglass. melt the sugar (broken small) in the wine. melt the isinglass by itself in as much warm water as will just cover it, and when quite dissolved, stir it into the mixed wine and sugar. boil all together, till on trial it becomes a firm jelly, which will be very soon. if it does not congeal well, add some more dissolved isinglass, and more sugar. serve in moulds, and eat it on saucers. jelly is made in this manner of any nice sort of _liqueur_ or cordial. also of strong green tea, or very strong coffee; first made as usual, and then boiled with loaf sugar and isinglass till they congeal. we do not recommend them, except as some exhilaration to the fatigue of a party. trifle.--this is a very nice and very elegant party dish, and is served in a large glass bowl. put into the bottom of the bowl a pound of bitter almond maccaroons. pour on sufficient madeira or sherry to dissolve them. let them soak in it till soft and broken. have ready a very rich custard, flavored with vanilla bean (broken up and boiled by itself in a little milk), and then strained into the quart of milk prepared for the custard, which should be of ten eggs, (_using only the yolks_) and sweetened with a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar. it is best and easiest to _bake_ the custard. it will be very rich and soft with yolk of egg only. when the custard is cold lay it on the dissolved maccaroons. then add a thick layer of very nice marmalade. rub off the yellow rind of a large lemon or two on some pieces of loaf sugar, and add to it some powdered sugar mixed with the lemon juice. whip to a strong froth a large quart (or more) of rich cream, gradually mixing with it the lemon and sugar. lastly, pile up the frothed cream high on the glass bowl, and keep it on ice till it is sent to table. instead of lemon you may flavor the whipt cream with rose-water; it will require, if not very strong, a wine-glassful. to give the cream a fine pink color, tie up some alkanet chips in a thin muslin bag; lay the bag to infuse in a tea-cup of plain cream, and then add the pink infusion to the quart of cream as you froth it. blancmange.--the best and finest blancmange is made with a set of calves' feet, (singed but not skinned) boiled slowly in a gallon of water till the meat drops from the bone; then strain it, and set it away till next day, in a broad white-ware pan. skim it well while boiling. next day it should be a solid cake of clear jelly. scrape off all the fat and sediment from the outside, cut the jelly into small bits, and melt it over again. boil in a porcelain kettle a pint of cream, and when it has come to a boil, stir in six ounces of loaf sugar, and whatever you intend for flavoring; either the milk, in which a handful of bitter almonds has been boiled, (first being blanched and broken up) or a vanilla bean split and cut to pieces, and boiled in a little milk and strained. or, it may be mixed with three ounces of chocolate, (baker's prepared cocoa is the best) scraped fine. when the flavoring has had a boil with the sugar, stir into it, gradually, the melted jelly, and transfer it to white-ware moulds that have set in cold water, and are still damp. stir it well, and when the blancmange is thickening, and becoming hard to stir, set the moulds on ice, or in pans of cold water in the cellar, and cease stirring. when quite congealed, dip the moulds in lukewarm water, and turn out the blancmange on glass dishes. you may color almond or vanilla blancmange a fine pink, by putting into the cream chips of alkanet root tied in a small thin muslin bag, to be removed as soon as the cream is highly colored. or, it may be made green by the infusion of spinach juice, obtained by pounding in a marble mortar, and then boiling and straining. gelatine is now frequently used for blancmange and jelly, instead of calves' feet or isinglass. it has no advantage but that of being more speedily prepared than calves' feet, which must be boiled the day before. four cakes of gelatine are equal to four calves' feet. before using, they must be soaked for an hour or more in a pan of cold water, then boiled with the other ingredients. some persons think they perceive an unpleasant taste in gelatine; perhaps they have heard of what it is made. when calves' feet cannot be obtained, pigs' feet will do very well, if nobody knows it. four feet of calves are equal to eight of pigs. they are very glutinous, and have no perceptible taste. finest blancmange.--break up a half pound of the best double-refined loaf sugar. on some of the pieces rub off the yellow rind of two large lemons, having rolled them under your hand to increase the juice. then powder all the sugar, and mix with it, gradually, the juice of the lemons, a pint of rich cream, and a large half pint (not less) of sherry or madeira. stir the mixture very hard till all the articles are thoroughly amalgamated. then stir in, gradually, a _second_ pint of cream. put into a small sauce-pan an ounce of the best russia isinglass, with one jill (or two common-sized wineglasses) of cold water. boil it till the isinglass is completely dissolved, stirring it several times down to the bottom. when the melted isinglass has become lukewarm, stir it gradually into the mixture, and then give the whole a hard stirring. have ready some white-ware moulds that have just been dipped and rinsed in cold water. fill them with the mixture, set them on ice, and in two or three hours the blancmange will be congealed. when it is perfectly firm, dip the moulds for a minute in lukewarm water, and turn out the blancmange on glass dishes. this, if accurately made, is the finest of blancmange. for company, you must have double, or treble, or four times the quantity of ingredients; each article in due proportion. farina.--farina is a very fine and delicate preparation, made from the inner part of the grain of new wheat. it is exceedingly nutritious, and excellent either for invalids or for persons in health. it is now much in use, and is to be had, in packages of a pound or half a pound, of the best grocers and druggists, and is highly recommended by physicians for gruel and panade. it also makes an excellent pudding, either boiled or baked, prepared in the same manner as any flour pudding. for boiling farina, nothing is so good as a _bain-marie_ or double kettle. _for farina blancmange._--from a quart of rich milk take out a half pint. put the half pint into a small sauce-pan, and add to it a handful of bitter almonds broken up; or a bunch of fresh peach leaves, or a vanilla bean split, cut up, and tied in a thin muslin bag. when this milk has boiled till very highly flavored, strain it into the pint and a half, and set it over the fire in a porcelain kettle or a _bain-marie_. when the milk has come to a boil, sprinkle in, gradually, a large half pint or more (or four large heaping table-spoonfuls) of farina, stirring it well--also sprinkling in and stirring, as if making thick mush. let it boil slowly a quarter of an hour after the farina is all in. when done, remove it from the fire, and stir in two large table-spoonfuls of sugar, and a wineglass of rose-water, or one of white wine. transfer it to a blancmange mould, (previously wet with cold water,) set it on ice, and turn it out when ready for dinner. eat it with sauce of wine, sugar, and nutmeg. fine marrow pudding.--mince very small a quarter of a pound of nice beef marrow, and grate or crumble half a pound of almond sponge cake. cut in half, a quarter of a pound of sultana or seedless raisins, chop two peels of candied citron, mix them with the raisins, and dredge both thickly with flour. add a large heaped table-spoonful of loaf sugar, a small nutmeg grated, and a wineglass of mixed wine and brandy. mix all these ingredients well, put them into a deep dish, lay a border of puff-paste all round the rim, and fill the dish up to the top with a nice custard made in the proportion of four eggs to a pint of well-sweetened milk, flavored with either bitter almonds, rose-water, peach-water, or vanilla. bake this pudding half an hour. when cool, sift sugar over it. omelette soufflÃ�.--break six eggs, separating the yolks and whites. give them a slight stir, and strain the whites into one pan and the yolks into another. add to the yolks three large table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar, a heaped tea-spoonful of arrow-root flour, and twelve drops of strong orange-flower water, and beat it till very thick and smooth. then beat the whites to a stiff froth, beginning slowly at first, but gradually beating faster. then add the beaten yolk very gently to the whites. have ready a silver or plated dish well-buttered. use tin for want of better, but it will not look well, as the omelette has to be served up in the dish it was baked in. place the dish with the mixture in a hot oven, and watch it while baking. when it has well risen, and seems very light, take it out of the oven for a moment; run a knife round it, sift some sugar over it, set it again in the oven, and when raised to its utmost take it out again, and serve it up as hot as possible, with a spoon on the plate beside it. when once broken, it will sink immediately. it is usual to send round the omelette soufflé at the very last of the pastry course; the cook not beginning to make it till the dinner has commenced. if not light when baked, give it up, and do not send it to table at all. it is safest for an inexperienced housewife to engage a french cook to come to the house with his own ingredients and utensils, and make and bake the omelette soufflé while there. still though very fashionable, it is less delicious than many other desserts. sunderlands.--warm a quart of rich milk, and cut up in it half a pound of the best fresh butter to soften in the milk, but not to oil. beat eight eggs till very light and thick, and then stir them gradually into the pan of milk and butter, in turn with eight large table-spoonfuls of sifted flour. beat all very hard together, and then transfer the batter to white tea-cups, slightly buttered, not filling them quite full. set them immediately into a brisk oven, and bake them about twenty minutes, or till they are slightly browned, and have puffed up very light. as soon as they are cool enough to handle without burning your fingers, turn them out of the cups on a dish, cut a slit in the top of each, and, taking a tea-spoon, fill them quite full of any sort of jelly or marmalade; or if more convenient, with ripe strawberries or raspberries, sweetened with powdered sugar, and mashed smoothly. when filled with fruit, close the slit neatly with your fingers; and on the top of each lay a large strawberry or raspberry, having first dredged the sunderland with sugar. _cream cakes_--are made in the above manner, but baked in patty-pans. when baked take them out, cut a slit in the _side_ of each; and having prepared an ample quantity of rich boiled custard, made with yolk of egg, and highly flavored (_after it has boiled_,) with lemon, orange, vanilla, rose-water or peach-water, fill the cakes full of the custard, closing the opening well by pinching it together. sift powdered sugar over them, and send them to table on a large china dish. cream tart.--make a fine puff-paste of equal quantities of fresh butter and sifted flour; mixing into the pan of flour a heaped table-spoonful of powdered sugar, and wetting it with a beaten egg. rub one quarter of the butter into the pan of flour. divide the remainder of butter into six, and roll it into the flour at six turns till it is all in. have, ready grated, the yellow rind and the juice of a large lemon or orange mixed with a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar; or a flavoring of a split-up vanilla bean; or a dozen bitter almonds broken up, and boiled in a very little milk. mix the flavoring with a pint of rich cream, and the well-beaten whites of three eggs. take small deep pans, line them all through with the paste rolled out very thin, and cut square. fill them with the cream, and turn the square pieces of paste a little over it at the top, so as to form corners. bake the tarts in a brisk oven, and when cold, grate nutmeg over the surface. are these the cream tarts of the arabian nights? orange cocoa-nut.--break up a fine ripe cocoa-nut, and after peeling off the brown skin, lay the pieces in cold water for a while. then wipe them dry with a clean towel, and grate them into a deep dish. mix in, plenty of powdered white sugar. take some fine large oranges, very ripe and juicy. peel off all the rind, and slice the oranges rather thick. cover the bottom of a large glass bowl with sliced orange, (the first layer being double, where the bowl is small) and strew among the slices sufficient sugar. then put in a thick layer of the grated cocoa-nut, next another layer of orange--again a layer of cocoa-nut, and so on, alternately, till the bowl is filled, finishing with cocoa-nut heaped high. this is a handsome and delicious article for a supper-table, and a nice _impromptu_ addition to the dessert at a dinner; and soon prepared, as it requires no cooking. when the fruit is in season, a dessert for a small company may consist entirely of orange cocoa-nut, raspberry charlotte, and cream strawberries. never send oranges whole to table. to ladies they are unmanageable in company. _creamed strawberries._--take fine large ripe strawberries. hull or stem them, and set them on ice till just before they are wanted. divide them into saucerfulls. if you have glass saucers, they will make a better show than china. put some powdered white sugar in the bottom of each saucer. fill them with strawberries, and then strew on a liberal allowance of sugar, for american strawberries (however fine in appearance) are seldom sweet. have ready sufficient whipped cream, that has been frothed with rods or with a tin cream-churn. pile high a portion of the whipt cream on each saucer of strawberries. strawberries are sometimes eaten with wine and sugar, when cream is not convenient. with _milk_ they curdle, and are unwholesome--besides tasting poorly. _creamed pine-apple._--cut into four pieces two large ripe pine-apples. stand them up successively in a deep dish, and grate them from the rind. when all is grated, transfer it to a large glass bowl, and make it very sweet by mixing in powdered white loaf sugar. whip to a stiff froth a sufficiency of rich cream, adding to it some sugar, and heap it high upon the grated pine-apple. _peaches and cream._--take fine juicy freestone peaches. pare them, and cut them in slices. put them, with their juice, into a large bowl, and make them very sweet with powdered loaf sugar. set them on ice, and let them remain in the juice till wanted. then send them to table with fresh sugar sifted over the top. set near them pitchers of plain cream, not frothed. if you cannot obtain cream, it is better to be satisfied with sugar alone, than to substitute milk, with peaches, or any other fruit. lemon taffy.--put into a porcelain-lined preserving kettle three pounds of the best loaf sugar, and pour on it a pint and a half of very clear water. when it has entirely dissolved, set it over the fire, and add a table spoonful of fine cider vinegar to assist in clearing it as it boils. boil and skim it well, and when no more scum rises add the juice of four large lemons or oranges. let it boil till it will boil no longer, stirring it well. when done transfer it to square tin pans, that have been made very clean and bright, and that are slightly greased with sweet oil. set the taffy away to cool, first marking it with a knife, while soft. mark it in straight lines the broad or crossway of the pans. if marked lengthways, the pieces will be too long. when the taffy is cold, cut it according to the lines, in regular slips, like cocoa-nut candy. it is for a handsome supper party. serve it up in glass dishes. orange taffy is made in the same manner. these candies should be kept in tin boxes. _cocoa-nut candy_--is made in the manner of taffy, using finely grated cocoa-nut, instead of lemon or orange. charlotte russe.--split, cut up, and boil a large vanilla bean in half a pint of rich milk, till it is highly flavored, and reduced to one-half. then strain out the vanilla through a strainer so fine as to avoid all the seeds. mix the strained milk with half a pint of rich cream. beat five eggs till very smooth and thick. strain them, and add them gradually to the cream when it is entirely cold, to make a rich custard. set this custard over the fire (stirring it all the time) till it simmers; but take it off before it comes to a boil, or it will curdle. set it on ice. have ready in another sauce-pan an ounce of the best russia isinglass, boiled in half a pint of water, till it is all dissolved into a thick jelly. when both are cold, (but not hard) mix the custard and the isinglass together, and add four table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar. then take a large lump of loaf sugar, and rub off on it the yellow rind of two large lemons. scrape off the lemon-grate with a tea-spoon, and add it to the mixture, with the lump of sugar powdered and crushed fine. mix together the strained juice of the lemons, and two glasses of madeira; dissolve in them the lemon-flavored sugar, and mix it with a pint of rich cream that has been whipped with a whisk to a strong froth. add the whipped cream gradually to the custard, starring very hard at the time, and also after the whole is mixed. then set it on ice. cover the bottom of a flat oval dish with a slice of almond sponge cake, cut to fit. prepare a sufficient number of oblong slices of the cake, (all of the same size and shape) to go all round; with one extra slice, in case they should not quite hold out. dip every one in a plate of beaten white of egg to make them adhere. stand each of them up on one end, round the large oval slice that lies at the bottom. make them follow each other evenly and neatly, (every one lapping a little way over its predecessor) till you have a handsome wall of slices, cemented all round by the white of egg. fill it quite full with the custard mixture. cover the top with another oval slice of cake, cemented with a little white of egg to the upper edge of the wall. make a nice icing in the usual way, of powdered sugar beaten into frothed white of egg, and flavored with lemon, orange, or rose. spread this icing thickly and smoothly over the cake that covers the top of the charlotte, and ornament it with a handsome pattern of sugar flowers. there is no charlotte russe superior to this. _another charlotte russe._--have a very nice circular lady cake. it should be iced all over, and ornamented with sugar flowers. take off the top nicely, and without breaking or defacing, and hollow out the inside, leaving the sides and bottom standing. the cake taken from the inside may be cut in regular pieces and used at tea, or for other purposes. make a very fine boiled custard, according to the preceding receipt. fill with it the empty cake, as if filling a mould. then put on the lid, set the whole on ice, and when wanted serve it up on a glass or china dish. a charlotte that requires no cooking may be very easily made by hollowing a nice circular almond sponge cake, and filling it with layers of small preserves, and piling on the top whipped cream finely flavored. for the walls of a charlotte russe you may use the oblong sponge cakes, called naples biscuits, or those denominated lady fingers, dipping them first in beaten white of egg, standing them on end, and arranging them so as to lap over each other in forming the wall. arrange some of them handsomely to cover the top of the custard. ice cream.--pewter freezers for ice cream are better than those of block tin; as in them the freezing goes on more gradually and thoroughly, and it does not melt so soon, besides being smoother when done. the ice tub should be large enough to allow ample space all round (six inches, at least,) the freezer as it stands in the centre, and should have a plug at the bottom (beneath the freezer) for letting out the water that drips from the ice; that a large coarse woolen cloth should be folded, and laid under it and around it. the ice should be broken up into small bits, and mixed with coarse salt, in the proportion of a pound of salt to five pounds of ice. fill the tub within three inches of the top; pounding and pressing down hard the mixed ice and salt. have ready all the ingredients. to every quart of _real_ rich cream mix in a pint of milk, (not more) and half a pound of fine loaf sugar. the following are the most usual flavorings, all the fruit being made very sweet. ripe strawberries or raspberries, mashed through a sieve till all the juice is extracted; ripe juicy freestone peaches, pared, and cut in half, the kernels being taken from the stones, are pounded, and mashed with the fruit through a cullender; all the juice that can be mashed out of a sliced pine-apple, the grated yellow rind and the juice of lemons or oranges, allowing two to each quart of cream, and mixing the juice with plenty of sugar before it is put to the cream. a handful of shelled bitter almonds blanched, broken, and boiled by themselves in half a pint of milk till all the almond flavor is extracted, and then strain the bitter almond milk into the cream. for vanilla flavor, split and cut up a vanilla bean, boil it by itself in a half pint of milk, and when highly flavored, strain the vanilla milk into the cream. for chocolate ice cream, scrape down a quarter of a pound of baker's prepared cocoa, and melt it in just water enough to cover it; then sweeten and mix it gradually into a quart of rich milk, (boiling at the time) and then boil and stir it till strong and smooth. ice cream is spoiled by the addition of eggs. besides giving it a yellowish color, eggs convert it into mere frozen custard, particularly if instead of using real cream, it is made of milk thickened with arrow-root or flour. for company at least, ice cream should be made in the best and most liberal manner, or else do not attempt it. mean ice cream is a very mean thing. when all the ingredients are prepared and mixed, put the whole into the freezer, and set it in the ice tub; and having put on the lid tightly, take the freezer by the handle and turn it about very fast for five or six minutes. then remove the lid carefully, and scrape down the cream from the sides with a spaddle or long-handled spoon. repeat this frequently while it is freezing, taking care to keep the sides clear, stirring it well to the bottom, and keeping the tub well filled with salt and ice outside the freezer. after the cream has been well frozen in the freezer, transfer it to moulds, pressing it in hard, so as to fill every part of the mould. then set the mould in a fresh tub of ice and salt, (using as before the proportion of a pound of salt to five pounds of ice) and let it remain undisturbed in the mould for an hour, not turning it out till it is time to serve it up to the company. then wrap a cloth, dipped in warm water, round the outside of the moulds, open them, and turn out the frozen cream on glass or china dishes, and serve it up immediately. unless ice cream is very highly flavored at the beginning, its taste will be much weakened in the process of freezing. the most usual form of ice cream moulds are pyramids, dolphins, doves, and baskets of fruit. we have seen ice cream in the shape of a curly lap-dog, and very well represented. if you eat what is called strawberry ice cream looking of an exquisite rose-pink color, there is no strawberry about it, either in tint or taste. it is produced by alkanet or cochineal. real strawberries do not color so beautifully; neither do raspberries, or any other sort of red fruit. but genuine fruit syrups may be employed for this purpose, having at least the true taste. to make strawberry or raspberry syrup, prepare first what is called simple syrup, by melting a pound of the best double-refined loaf sugar in half a pint of cold water; and when melted, boiling them together, and skimming it perfectly clean. then stir in as much fruit juice (mashed and strained,) as will give it a fine tinge, and let it have one more boiling up. _vanilla syrup._--take six fine fresh vanilla beans. split, and cut them in pieces. scrape the seeds loose in the pods with your finger nail, and bruise and mash the shells. all this will increase the vanilla flavor. put all you can get of the vanilla into a small quart of what is called by the druggist "absolute alcohol." cork the bottle closely, and let the vanilla infuse in it a week. then strain it through a very fine strainer that will not let out a single seed. have ready half a dozen pint bottles of simple syrup. put into every bottle of the simple syrup a portion of the strained infusion of vanilla. cork it tightly and use it for vanilla flavoring in ice creams, custards, blancmange, &c. _orange or lemon syrups_--are made by paring off the yellow rind very thin (after the fruit has been rolled under your hand on a table to increase the juice,) then boiling the rind till the water is highly flavored. strain this water over the best loaf sugar, allowing two pounds of sugar to a pint of juice. the sugar being melted, mix it with the juice. water ices or sherbet.--water ices are made of the juice of fruits, very well sweetened, mixed with a little water, and frozen in the manner of ice cream, to which they are by many persons preferred. they are all prepared nearly in the same manner, allowing a pint of juice to a pint of water, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. mix it well, and then freeze it in the manner of ice cream, and serve it up in glass bowls. for lemon and orange sherbet, first roll the fruit on a table under your hand; then take off a very thin paring of the yellow rind, and boil it slowly in a very little water, till all the flavor is extracted. next, strain the flavored water into the cold water you intend to mix with the juice, and make it very sweet with loaf sugar. squeeze the juice into it through a tin strainer to avoid the seeds. stir the whole very hard, and transfer it to a freezer. orange water-ice is considered the best, if well made. for pine-apple water-ice, pare, core, and slice fine _ripe_ apples very thin. put them into a dish with thick layers of powdered loaf sugar; cover the dish, and let them lie several hours in the sugar. then press out all the juice you can, from the pine-apple; mix it with a little water, and freeze it. to two large pine-apples allow a half pound of sugar, which has been melted in a quart of boiling water. this looks very well frozen in a mould shaped like a pine-apple. _orange_ sherbet may be frozen in a pine-apple mould. it can be made so rich with orange juice as to perfume the whole table. _roman punch_--is made of strong lemonade or orangeade, adding to every quart a pint of brandy or rum. then freeze it, and serve in saucers or a large glass bowl. put it into a porcelain kettle, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. when cold, bottle it, seal the corks and keep it in a cool place. syrup of strawberries, raspberries, currants and blackberries, is made in a similar manner. floating island.--for one common-sized floating island have a round thick jelly cake, lady cake, or almond sponge cake, that will weigh a pound and a half, or two pounds. slice it downwards, almost to the bottom, but do not take the slices apart. stand up the cake in the centre of a glass bowl or a deep dish. have ready a pint and a half of rich cream, make it very sweet with sugar, and color it a fine green with a tea-cupful of the juice of pounded spinach, boiled five minutes by itself; strained, and made very sweet. or for coloring pink you may use currant jelly, or the juice of preserved strawberries. whip to a stiff froth another pint and a half of sweetened cream, and flavor it with a large glass of mixed wine and brandy. pour round the cake, as it stands in the dish or bowl, the colored unfrothed cream, and pile the whipped white cream all over the cake, highest on the top. fine cakes. plum cake.--in making very fine plum cake first prepare the fruit and spice, and sift the flour (which must be the very best superfine,) into a large flat dish, and dry it before the fire. use none but the very best fresh butter; if of inferior quality, the butter will taste through every thing, and spoil the cake. in fact, all the ingredients should be excellent, and liberally allowed. take the best bloom or muscatel raisins, seeded and cut in half. pick and wash the currants or plums through two waters, and dry them well. powder the spice, and let it infuse over night in the wine and brandy. cut the citron into slips, mix it with the raisins and currants, and dredge all the fruit very thickly, on both sides, with flour. this will prevent its sinking or clodding in the cake, while baking. eggs should always be beaten till the frothing is over, and till they become thick and smooth, as thick as a good boiled custard, and quite smooth on the surface. if you can obtain hickory-rods as egg-beaters, there is nothing so good; but if you cannot get _them_, use the common egg-beaters, of thin fine wire. for stirring butter and sugar you should have a spaddle, which resembles a short mush-stick flattened at one end. stir the butter and sugar in a deep earthen pan, and continue till it is light, thick, and creamy. beat eggs always in a broad shallow earthen pan, and with a short quick stroke, keeping your right elbow close to your side, and moving only your wrist. in this way you may beat for an hour without fatigue. but to stir butter and sugar is the hardest part of cake making. have this done by a man servant. his strength will accomplish it in a short time--also, let him give the final stirring to the cake. if the ingredients are prepared as far as practicable on the preceding day, the cake may be in the oven by ten or eleven o'clock in the forenoon. for a large plum cake allow one pound, (or a quart) of sifted flour; one pound of fresh butter cut up in a pound of powdered loaf sugar, in a deep pan; twelve eggs; two pounds of bloom raisins; two pounds of zante currants; half a pound of citron, either cut into slips or chopped small; a table-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon, mixed; two grated nutmegs; a large wine-glass of madeira (or more), a wine-glass of french brandy, mixed together, and the spice steeped in it. first stir the butter and sugar to a light cream, and add to them the spice and liquor. then beat the eggs in a shallow pan till very thick and smooth, breaking them one at a time into a saucer to ascertain if there is a bad one among them. one stale egg will spoil the whole cake. when the eggs are very light, stir them gradually into the large pan of butter and sugar in turn with the flour, that being the mixing pan. lastly, add the fruit and citron, a little at a time of each, and give the whole a hard stirring. if the fruit is well floured it will not sink, but it will be seen evenly dispersed all over the cake when baked. take a large straight-sided block tin pan, grease it inside with the same butter used for the cake, and put the mixture carefully into it. set it immediately into a well-heated oven, and keep up a steady heat while it is baking. when nearly done, the cake will shrink a little from the sides of the pan; and on probing it to the bottom with a sprig from a corn broom, or a splinter-skewer, the probe will come out clean. otherwise, keep the cake in the oven a little longer. if it cracks on the top, it is a proof of its being very light. when quite done, take it out. it will become hard if left to grow cold with the oven. set it to cool on an inverted sieve. icing.--allow to the white of each egg a quarter of a pound of the best loaf sugar, finely powdered; but if you find the mixture too thin, you must add still more sugar. put the white of egg into a shallow pan, and beat it with small rods or a large silver fork, till it becomes a stiff froth, and stands alone without falling. then beat in the powdered sugar, a tea-spoonful at a time. as you proceed, flavor it with lemon juice. this will render the icing whiter and smoother, also improving the taste. you may ice the cake as soon as it becomes lukewarm, without waiting till it is quite cold. dredge it lightly with flour to absorb the grease from the outside; then wipe off the flour. with a broad knife put some icing on the middle of the cake, and then spread it down, thickly and evenly, all over the top and sides, smoothing it with another knife dipped in cold water. when this is quite dry, spread on a second coat of icing rather thinner than the first, and flavored with rose. set it a few minutes in the oven to harden the icing, leaving the oven-door open; or place it beneath the stove. when the icing is quite dry, you may ornament it with sugar borders and flowers; having ready, for that purpose, some additional icing. by means of a syringe, (made for the purpose, and to be obtained at the best furnishing stores) you can decorate the surface of the cake very handsomely; but it requires taste, skill, and practice. you may first cover the cake with pink, brown, green, or other colored icing, and then take white icing to decorate it, forming the pattern by moving your hand skilfully and steadily over it, and pressing it out of the syringe as you go. an easier way is to ornament the cake (when the top-icing is nearly dry, but not quite,) with large strawberries or raspberries, or purple grapes placed very near each other, and arranged in circles or patterns. be careful not to mash the berries. _warm icing._--this is made in the usual proportion of the whites of four eggs, beaten to stiff froth, and a pound of finely powdered loaf sugar afterwards added to it, gradually. then boil the egg and sugar in a porcelain kettle, and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. take it off the fire, and stir into it sufficient orange juice, lemon juice, or rose-water, to flavor it highly. flour your cake--wipe off the flour, put on the icing with a broad knife, and then smooth it with another knife dipped in cold water. for this icing the cake should be warm from the oven, and dried slowly and gradually afterwards. warm icing is much liked. it is very light; rises thick and high in cooling, and has a fine gloss. try it. the mixture called by the french a _meringue_, and used for macaroons, kisses, and other nice articles, is made in the same manner as icing for cakes, allowing a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar to every beaten white of egg. pound cake.--one of mrs. goodfellow's maxims was, "up-weight of flour, and down-weight of every thing else"--and she was right, as the excellence of her cakes sufficiently proved, during the thirty years that she taught her art in philadelphia, with unexampled success. therefore, allow for a pound cake a rather small pound of sifted flour; a large pound of the best fresh butter, a large pound of powdered loaf sugar, ten eggs, or eleven if they are small; a large glass of mixed wine and brandy; a glass of rose-water; a grated nutmeg, and a heaped tea-spoonful of mixed spice, powdered mace, and cinnamon. put the sugar into a _deep_ earthen pan, and cut up the butter among it. in cold weather place it near the fire a few minutes, till the butter softens. next, stir it very hard with a spaddle till the mixture becomes very light. next, stir in, gradually, the spice, liquor, &c. then beat the eggs in a shallow pan with rods or a whisk, till light, thick, and smooth. add them gradually to the beaten batter and sugar, in turn with the flour; and give the whole a hard stirring at the last. have the oven ready with a moderate heat. transfer the mixture to a thick straight-sided tin pan well greased with the best fresh butter, and smooth the butter on the surface. set it immediately into the oven, and bake it with a steady heat two hours and a half, or more. probe it to the bottom with a twig from a corn broom. when it shrinks a little from the pan it is done. when taken out, set it to cool on an inverted sieve. when you ice it, flavor the icing with lemon or rose. it should be eaten fresh, as it soon becomes very dry. pound cake is not so much in use as formerly, particularly for weddings and large parties; lady cake and plum cake being now substituted. a pound cake may be much improved by the addition of a pound of citron, sliced, chopped well, dredged with flour to prevent its sinking, and stirred gradually into the batter, in turn with the sifted flour and beaten egg. queen cake--is made in the same manner as pound cake, only with a less proportion of flour, (fourteen ounces, or two ounces less than a pound) as it must be baked in little tins; and small cakes require less flour than large ones. also, (besides a somewhat larger allowance of spice, liquor, &c.) add the juice and grated yellow rind of a lemon or two, and half a pound of sultana or seedless raisins, cut in half and dredged with flour. butter your small cake tins, and fill to the edge with the batter. they will not run over the edge if well made, and baked with a proper fire, but they will rise high and fine in the centre. ice them when beginning to cool, flavoring the icing with lemon or rose. queen cakes made _exactly_ as above are superlative. orange cakes.--make a mixture precisely as for queen cake, only omit the wine, brandy, and rose-water, and substitute the grated yellow rind and the juice of four large ripe oranges, stirred into the batter in turn with the egg and flour. flavor the icing with orange juice. lemon cakes--are also made as above, substituting for the oranges the grated rind and juice of three lemons. to give a full taste, less lemon is required than orange. sponge cake.--many persons suppose that sponge cake must be very easy to make, because there is no butter in it. on the contrary, the want of butter renders it difficult to get light. a really good sponge cake is a very different thing from those numerous tough leathery compositions that go by that name, and being flavored with nothing, are not worthy of eating _as cake_, and are neither palatable nor wholesome as diet, unless too fresh to have grown dry and hard. the best sponge cake we know of is made as follows, and even that should be eaten the day it is baked. sift half a pound of flour, (arrow-root is still better,) in a shallow pan; beat twelve eggs till very thick, light, and smooth. you need not separate the yolks and whites, if you know the true way of adding the flour. beat a pound of powdered loaf sugar, gradually, (a little at a time) into the beaten eggs, and add the juice and grated yellow rinds of two large lemons or oranges. lastly stir in the flour or arrow root. it is all important that this should be done slowly and lightly, and without stirring down to the bottom of the pan. hold the egg-beater perpendicularly or quite upright in one hand, and move it round on the surface of the beaten egg, while with the other hand you lightly and gradually sprinkle in the flour till all is in. if stirred in hard and fast it will render the cake porous and tough, and dry and hard when cold. have ready either a large turban mould, or some small oblong or square tins. butter them nicely, transfer to them the cake mixture, grate powdered sugar profusely over the surface to give it a gloss like a very thin crust, and set it immediately into a brisk oven. the small oblong cakes are called naples biscuits, and require no icing. a large turban cake may be iced plain, without ornament. a _very light_ sponge cake, when sliced, will cut down rough and coarse grained, and it is desirable to have it so. _lady fingers_--are mixed in the same manner, and of the same ingredients as the foregoing receipt for the best sponge cake. when the mixture is finished, form the cakes by shaping the batter with a tea-spoon, upon sheets of soft white paper slightly damped, forming them like double ovals joined in the centre. sift powdered sugar over them, and bake them in a quick oven till slightly browned. when cool, take them off the papers. they are sometimes iced. almond sponge cake.--the addition of almonds makes this cake very superior to the usual sponge cake. sift half a pound of fine flour or arrow root. blanch in scalding water two ounces of shelled sweet almonds, and two ounces of bitter ones, renewing the hot water when expedient. when the skins are all off, wash the almonds in cold water, (mixing the sweet and bitter) and wipe them dry. pound them to a fine smooth paste, (one at a time,) in a very clean marble mortar, adding, as you proceed, plenty of rose-water to prevent their oiling. then set them in a cool place. beat twelve eggs till very smooth and thick, and then beat into them, gradually, a pound of powdered loaf sugar, in turn with the pounded almonds. lastly, add the flour, stirring it round slowly and lightly on the surface of the mixture, as in common sponge cake. have ready a _deep_ square pan. butter it nicely. put the mixture carefully into it, set it into the oven, and bake it till thoroughly done and risen very high. when cool, cover it with plain white icing, flavored with rose-water. with sweet almonds, always use a small portion of bitter ones. without them, _sweet_ almonds have little or no taste, though they add to the richness of the cake. spanish buns.--in a shallow pan put a half pint of rich unskimmed milk, and cut up in it a half pound of the best fresh butter. set it on the stove, or near the fire, to warm and soften, but do not let it melt or oil. when soft, stir it all through the milk with a broad knife, and then set it away to cool. sift into a broad pan half a pound of the finest flour, and an additional quarter of a pound put on a plate by itself. beat four eggs in a shallow pan till very thick and smooth, and mix them at once into the butter and sugar, adding the half pound of flour. stir in a powdered nutmeg, and two wine-glasses of strong yeast, fresh from the brewer's, first removing the thin liquid or beer from the top. stir the mixture very hard with a knife, and then add, _gradually_, half a pound of powdered white sugar. the buns will become heavy if the sugar is thrown in all at once. it is important that it should be added a little at a time. then sprinkle in, by degrees, the extra quarter of a pound of sifted flour, and lastly add a wine-glass of strong rose-water. when all has been well stirred, butter (with fine fresh butter,) an oblong iron or block-tin pan, and carefully put the bun mixture into it. cover it with a clean cloth, and set it near the fire to rise. it may require five hours; therefore buns wanted for tea should be made in the forenoon. when the batter has risen very high, and is covered with bubbles, put the pan immediately into a moderate but steady oven, and bake it. when cool, cut the buns into squares, and ice each one separately, if for company; the icing being flavored with lemon or orange juice. otherwise, you may simply sift sugar over them. these buns were first introduced by mrs. goodfellow; and in her school were always excellently made, nothing being spared that was good, and the use of soda and other alkalis being unknown in the establishment--hartshorn in cakes would have horrified her. lady cake.--this cake must be flavored highly with bitter almonds; without them, sweet almonds have little or no taste, and are useless in lady cake. blanch, in scalding water, three small ounces of shelled bitter almonds, and then lay them in a bowl of very cold water. afterwards wipe them dry, and pound them (one at a time,) to a smooth paste in a clean marble mortar; adding, as you proceed, a wine-glass of rose-water to improve the flavor, and prevent their oiling, and becoming heavy and dark. when done, set them away in a cool place, on a saucer. almonds are always lighter and better when blanched and pounded the day before. cut up three quarters of a pound of the best fresh butter in a pound of powdered loaf sugar. mix it in a deep earthen pan, and stir and beat it with a spaddle till it becomes very light and creamy. then, gradually, stir in the pounded almonds. take the _whites only_ of seventeen or eighteen fresh eggs, and beat them in a shallow pan to a stiff froth, till they stand alone. then stir the beaten white of egg, gradually, into the pan of creamed butter and sugar, in turn with three small quarters of a pound (or a pint and a half,) of sifted flour of the very best quality. stir the whole very hard at the last, and transfer it to a straight-sided tin pan, well greased with excellent fresh butter. set the pan immediately into an oven, and bake it with a moderate but steady heat. when it has been baking rather more than two hours, probe it by sticking down to the bottom a twig from a corn broom, or a very narrow knife. if it comes out clean the cake is done; if clammy or daubed, keep it longer in the oven. a cake when quite done generally shrinks a little. when you take it out, set it to cool on an inverted sieve. ice a lady cake entirely with white, and ornament it with white flowers. it is now much in use at weddings, and if well made, and quite fresh, there is no cake better liked. cinnamon cake.--cut up half a pound of fine fresh butter, and warm it till soft in half a pint of rich milk. sift a pound of fine flour into a broad pan; make a hole in the centre, and pour into it the milk and butter, having stirred them well together. then, gradually, add a large quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. beat three eggs very smooth and thick, and stir them in, also a wine-glass and a half of strong fresh brewer's yeast, or two glasses of fresh baker's yeast. then mix, (having sprinkled some over the top,) all the flour into the hole in the centre, so as to make a soft dough. when all is well mixed cover it, and set it to rise in a round straight-sided tin pan. place it near the fire, and when quite light and cracked all over the surface, flour your pasteboard well, place the loaf upon it, and having prepared in a pint bowl a stiff mixture of ground cinnamon, fresh butter, and brown sugar, beaten together so as to stand alone, make numerous deep cuts or incisions all over the surface on the sides and top of the cake; fill them with the cinnamon mixture, and pinch each together so as to keep the seasoning from coming out. glaze it all over with beaten white of egg a little sweetened. then return the loaf to the pan, and bake it in a moderate oven till thoroughly done. when cool, cut it down in slices like a pound cake. this dough may be divided into small round cakes, the size of a muffin, and baked on tin or iron sheets, sifting sugar over them when cool. it must have a high flavor of cinnamon. west india cocoa-nut cake.--cut up and peel some pieces of very ripe cocoa-nut. lay them for a while in cold water. then take them out and wipe them dry, and grate very fine as much as will weigh half a pound. beat eight eggs till very light, thick, and smooth. have ready half a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and stir it into the pan of beaten egg, alternately with the grated cocoa-nut; adding a handful of sifted flour, a powdered nutmeg, and a large glass of madeira or sherry, stirring the whole very hard. butter an oblong tin pan. put in the mixture, set it immediately into a quick oven, and bake it well. set it to cool on an inverted sieve; cut it into squares, and ice each square, flavoring the icing with rose. you may bake it in a large loaf; adding double portions of all the ingredients, and ornamenting the icing handsomely. _sweet potato cake_--is made like the above cocoa-nut cake. the sweet potatos must be pared and grated _raw_, till you have as much as weighs half a pound. then proceed as above, and with the same ingredients and proportions. you may boil and mash the sweet potatos; but be sure, afterwards, to pass them through a coarse sieve, or they may chance to clod and become heavy. if well made, and well flavored, this cake is very nice. golden cake.--the best time for making this cake is when ripe oranges are plenty. for one cake select four large deep-colored oranges, and roll each one under your hand upon a table to soften them, and increase the juice. weigh a pound of the best loaf sugar. on some of the largest pieces rub off the yellow or outer rind of the oranges, omitting the white entirely. the white or inner rind of oranges or lemons should never be used for any thing. cut the oranges, and squeeze their juice through a strainer into a large saucer or a small deep plate. powder all the sugar, including that which has the orange zest upon it, and put it into a deep earthen pan, with a pound of the best fresh butter cut up among it. with a wooden spaddle stir the butter and sugar together, till very light and creamy. in a shallow pan beat twelve eggs, omitting the _whites_ of three. sift into a dish a small quart of the best and finest flour, and stir it gradually into the pan of butter and sugar and orange, in turn with the beaten egg, a little at a time of each. stir the whole very hard; and when done, immediately transfer the batter to square tin pans, greased with the same fresh butter that was used for the cake. many a fine cake has been spoiled, at last, by the poor economy of greasing the pans with salt butter. fill the pans to the top. if the cake has been well made, and well beaten, there is no danger of the batter running over the edges. put it, immediately, into a quick oven and bake it well, not allowing the heat to be lessened till the cake is quite done. when cool, cut it into squares. if you ice it, flavor the icing with orange juice. do not attempt to make this cake with yolk of egg only, by way of improving the yellow color. without any whites, it will assuredly be tough and heavy. cakes may be made light with white of egg only, but never with yellow of egg only. if you use soda, saleratus, hartshorn, or any of the alkalis, they will entirely destroy the orange flavor, and communicate a bad taste of their own. silver cake.--scald in a bowl of boiling water two ounces of shelled bitter almonds. as you peel off the skins throw each almond into a bowl of ice-cold water. when all are blanched, take them out, and wipe them dry on a clean napkin. put them, one at a time, into a very clean marble mortar, and pound each one separately to a smooth paste, adding, as you pound them, a few drops of strong rose-water, till you have used up a large wine-glass full. as you remove the pounded almonds from the water, lay them lightly and loosely on a plate. when all are done, put them into a very cool place. in a deep earthen pan cut up a pound of fresh butter into a pound of powdered sugar, and with a wooden spaddle stir the butter and sugar together till perfectly light. into another pan sift three quarters of a pound of fine flour, and in a broad shallow pan beat with small rods the whites only of eighteen eggs till they are stiff enough to stand alone. then, gradually, and alternately, stir into the pan of beaten butter and sugar the flour, the beaten white of eggs, and the pounded almonds. give the whole a hard stirring at the last. transfer it to square tin pans greased with the same butter, and bake it well. when cool, cut it into square cakes, and send it to table on china plates, piled alternately with pieces of golden cake, handsomely arranged. if you ice silver cake, flavor the icing with strong rose-water. these cakes, (gold or silver) if made as above, will be found delicious. the yolk of egg left from the silver cake may be used for soft custards. but yolk of egg alone, will not raise a cake; though white of egg will. apees.--cut up a pound of fresh butter into two pounds of sifted flour, and rubbing the butter very fine, and mixing in a pound of powdered sugar, with a heaped tea-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, and four tea-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. moisten the whole with a large glass of white wine; and barely sufficient cold water to make a stiff dough. mix it well with a broad knife, and roll it out into a sheet less than half an inch thick; then with the edge of a tumbler, or a tin cake-cutter, divide it into round small cakes. bake them in oblong pans, (tin or iron) slightly buttered; and do not place them so closely as to touch. bake them in a quick oven, till they are of a pale brown. these cakes are soon prepared, requiring neither eggs nor yeast. marmalade meringues.--make a mixture as for apees, omitting only the carraway seeds. roll out the sheet of dough quite thin; cut it into round flat cakes with the edge of a tumbler, and bake them a few minutes, till lightly colored. take them out of the oven and spread them thickly with very nice marmalade, or with ripe strawberries or raspberries, sweetened, and mashed without cooking. have ready a stiff meringue of beaten white of egg and sugar. pile it high over the marmalade on each cake. heap it on with a spoon, so as quite to conceal the marmalade, and do not smooth it on the top. it should stand up _uneven_ as the spoon left it. set it again in the oven for a minute or two, to harden it. jumbles.--mix together, all at once, in a deep pan, a pound of butter cut up in a pound of powdered sugar, a pound of sifted flour, and six eggs, previously beaten very light in a pan by themselves. add a table-spoonful of powdered spice, (mixed nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon) and a glass of mixed wine and brandy; or else a glass of rose water; or the juice and grated yellow rind of a large lemon. stir the whole very hard till all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, and become a soft dough. flour your hands and your pasteboard, and lay the dough upon it. take off equal portions from the lump, and with your hands form them into round rolls, and make them into rings by joining together the two ends of each. place the jumbles (not so near as to touch,) in tin pans slightly buttered, and bake them in a very brisk oven little more than five or six minutes, or enough to color them a light brown. if the oven is too cool, the jumbles will spread and run into each other. when cold, sift sugar over them. _jumbles_ may be made with yolks of eggs only, if the whites are wanted for something else. _cocoa-nut jumbles_--are made as above, only with finely grated cocoa-nut instead of flour, and with white of egg instead of yolk. _cocoa-nut puffs._--grate any quantity of cocoa-nut. mix it with powdered sugar and a little beaten white of egg, and lay it in small heaps of equal size. on the top of each place a ripe strawberry, raspberry, or any small preserved fruit, flattening a slight hollow, to hold it without its rolling off. scotch cake.--take a pound of fresh butter, a pound of powdered white sugar, and two pounds of sifted flour. mix the sugar with the flour, and rub the butter into it, crumbled fine. add a heaped table-spoonful of mixed nutmeg and cinnamon. put _no water_, but moisten it entirely with butter. a small glass of brandy is an improvement. roll it out into a large thick sheet, and cut it into round cakes about the size of saucers. bake them on flat tins, slightly buttered. this cake is very crumbly but very good, and of scottish origin. it keeps well, and is often sent from thence, packed in boxes. jelly cake.--for baking jelly cake you must have large flat tin pans rather larger than a dinner plate. but a very clean soap-stone griddle may be substituted, though more troublesome. make a rich batter as for pound cake, and bake it in single cakes, (in the manner of buckwheat, or thicker) taking care to grease the tin or soap-stone with _excellent_ fresh butter. have ready, enough of fruit jelly or marmalade, to spread a thick layer all over each cake when it cools. pile one on another very evenly, till you have four, five, or half a dozen; and ice the surface of the whole. cut it down in triangular pieces like a pie. jelly cake is no longer made of sponge cake, which is going out of use for all purposes, as being too often dry, tough, and insipid, and frequently not so good as plain bread. almond macaroons.--the day before they are wanted, prepare three quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds; by scalding, blanching, and pounding them to a smooth paste in a marble mortar, (one or two at a time) adding, as you proceed, rose-water to prevent their oiling, and becoming dark and heavy. having beaten to a stiff froth the whites of six eggs, and prepared a pound of powdered loaf sugar, beat the sugar into the egg a spoonful at a time. then mix in gradually the pounded almonds, and add a grated nutmeg. stir the whole very hard, and form the mixture into small round balls. then flatten slightly the surface of each. butter slightly some shallow tin pans. place the macaroons not so close as to be in danger of touching; and glaze them lightly with a little beaten white of egg. put them into a brisk oven, and bake them a light brown. ground-nut macaroons are made in the same manner. _chocolate macaroons._--scrape down, very fine, half a pound of baker's prepared cocoa. beat to a stiff froth the white of four eggs, and beat into the white of egg a pound of powdered loaf sugar, in turn with the chocolate, adding a little sifted flour if the mixture appears too thin. grease the bottom of some oblong tin pans, very slightly, with sweet oil. having formed the mixture into small thick cakes, lay them (not close,) in the pan, and bake them a few minutes. sift sugar over them while warm. kisses.--having beaten to a stiff froth, till it stands alone, the whites of eight eggs, mix with it, gradually, three quarters of a pound of finely powdered loaf sugar, beating it in very hard, a spoonful at a time, and as you proceed flavoring it with extract of vanilla, rose, or lemon juice. if the meringue is not thoroughly beaten and very stiff, the kisses will lose their shape and run in baking. try one first, and if that runs, beat a while longer before you bake the whole. pile portions of the meringue on sheets of letter paper, placing each heap far apart. smooth and shape them with a broad knife dipped in cold water. make them about the size and form of half eggs, with the flat part downwards. arrange them on a smooth hickory board, and set it in a quick oven, (leaving the door open) and watch them well. a few minutes will color them a pale brown, and that is all they require. then take them out, and set them to cool. when cool, slip a knife carefully under each, and remove them from the paper. then with your knife hollow the meringue from the base of each kiss and scrape upwards toward the top, being careful not to break through the outside or crust. fill up this vacancy with any sort of stiff jelly. then clap two halves together, and unite them at the base, by moistening the edges with a little of the meringue that was left. handle them very carefully throughout. large kisses, of twice or thrice the usual size, are introduced at parties, filled with ice cream, or flavored calf's foot jelly. it is very customary now to finish a fine charlotte russe with a thick layer of this jelly at the top. lafayette gingerbread.--cut up in a deep pan half a pound of the best fresh butter, with a half pound of excellent brown sugar; and stir it to cream with a spaddle. add a pint of west india molasses, mixed with half a pint of warm milk; four table-spoonfuls of ginger; a heaped table-spoonful of mixed powdered cinnamon and powdered mace and nutmeg; and a glass of brandy. sift in a pound and a half of fine flour. beat six eggs till very light and thick, and mix them, alternately, into the pan of butter, sugar, molasses, &c. at the last, mix in the yellow rind (grated fine) of two large oranges and the juice. stir the whole very hard. melt in one cup a very small level tea-spoonful of soda, and in another a small level salt-spoon of tartaric acid. dissolve them both in lukewarm water, and see that both are quite melted. first stir the soda into the mixture, and then put in the tartaric acid. on no account exceed the quantity of the two alkalis, as if too much is used, they will destroy entirely the flavoring, and communicate a very disagreeable taste instead. few cakes are the better for any of the alkaline powders, and many sorts are entirely spoiled by them. even in gingerbread they should be used very sparingly, rather less than more of the prescribed quantity. having buttered, (with the same butter) a large round or oblong pan, put in the mixture, and bake it in a moderate oven till thoroughly done, keeping up a steady heat, but watching that it does not burn. there is no gingerbread superior to this, if well made. instead of lemon or orange, cut in half a pound of seedless raisins, dredge them well with flour, and stir them, gradually, into the mixture. this is also called franklin gingerbread. ginger nuts.--cut a pound of the best fresh butter into two pounds or two quarts of sifted flour, and half a pound of fine brown sugar. add four heaped table-spoonfuls of ground ginger; a heaped table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and the same quantity of mixed nutmeg and mace. mix all the ingredients thoroughly together; adding, gradually, a large pint of west india molasses, and the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon or orange. stir it very hard with a spaddle. flour your hands, break off pieces of the dough, and knead each piece a little; then flatten them on the top. make them the size of a quarter dollar. or, (flouring your pasteboard) roll out the dough, and cut out the ginger-nuts with the edge of a small wine-glass. bake them on buttered tins, having first glazed them with a thin mixture of molasses and water. the same dough may be baked in long straight sticks, divided by lines deeply marked with a knife. there are many other gingerbreads; but any of the soft sorts may be made with little variation from the foregoing directions for lafayette gingerbread; and of the hard sort of ginger-nut preparation, the above is the basis of the rest. if the receipts are liberally and exactly followed, it will be found that to those two none are superior. pigeon pie.--for this pie take six fine fat tame pigeons, carefully cleaned and picked. lay them in cold water for an hour, changing the water twice during that time. this is to remove what is called "the taste of the nest." have ready the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs, seasoned with powdered nutmeg. place a bit of fresh butter rolled in flour, in the inside of each pigeon, with its liver cut up, and with a yolk of egg seasoned with powdered mace. lay a nice tender beef steak, or thin veal cutlet, in the bottom of a large deep dish, that has been lined with puff-paste. butter the steak, and dredge it with flour. there must be meat enough to cover well the bottom of the pie dish. lay the pigeons upon it, with the breast downward, (their heads and feet cut off, and their livers cut up, and put inside with the stuffing.) fill up the dish with water. roll out and put on the lid of the pie, which you may ornament with paste leaves or flowers, according to your taste. for company, pigeon pies are expected to look handsome. it is no longer fashionable to have the feet of the pigeons sticking out of the slit in the top of the paste. moorfowl, pheasants, partridges, or quails, may be made into pies in the above manner. it is usual, for partridge pies, to peel two fine sweet oranges; and having divided them into quarters, carefully remove the strings and seeds, and put the oranges into the birds without any other stuffing. instead of beef steak or veal cutlet, lay a thin slice of cold ham in the bottom of the pie-dish. this receipt, and the following, were accidentally omitted in their proper places. chicken pie.--skin a pair of fine fowls, and cut them up. save out the necks, backs, feet, livers, and gizzards, and the ends of the pinions; and seasoning them with a little pepper and salt add some trimmings or spare bits of fresh beef or veal, and stew them in a small sauce-pan with a little water, to make the gravy. let them stew till all to rags, and then strain off the liquid; and while hot, stir into it a beaten egg and a bit of fresh butter, dredged with flour. in the mean time make a nice puff-paste, and roll it out rather thick; divide it in two circular sheets. line with one sheet the bottom and sides of a deep pie dish, and put in the best pieces of chicken. lay among them four hard-boiled eggs, sliced or quartered. season well with powdered mace or nutmeg. the gravy being strained, pour that into the pie, and finish at the top with a layer of butter divided into small pieces, and dredge with flour. this is what the old english cookery books mean when they say--"close the pie with a _lear_." a chicken pie will be improved by the addition of a dozen or more large fresh oysters, stewed. if you add oysters, take off the lid or upper crust as soon as the pie is baked, and put in the oysters _then_; if put in at the beginning, they will bake too long. replace the lid nicely, and send the pie to table hot. the lid should have in the top a cross slit with a nice paste flower in it. to make a paste flower roll out a straight narrow slip of paste, about four or five inches wide. roll it up with your fingers as if you were rolling up a ribbon. then with a sharp knife cut four clefts in the upper half, and when baked, it will spread apart as like the leaves of a flower. sweetmeats. no sweetmeats can either look well or taste well unless the fruit and the sugar are of the best quality. as in all other branches of cookery, it is false economy to provide bad or low-priced ingredients. it has of late years been difficult to obtain _very_ good sugar at any price, so much is adulterated with flour or ground starch. in the common powdered sugar the flour is so palpable that we are surprised at its having any sale at all; and the large quantity required to produce any perceptible sweetness renders it totally unfit for sweetmeats, or indeed for any thing else. the best brown sugar is better than this, having clarified it with white of egg. to do this, allow to every pound of sugar the beaten white of an egg, and a half pint of clear cold water. having poured the water on the sugar, let it stand to melt before it goes on the fire. then add the white of egg and put in on to boil. when it boils, carefully take off the scum as it rises, and add when it is boiling hard another jill or quarter pint of water for each pound of sugar. remove it from the fire when the scum ceases to rise, and let it stand for a quarter of an hour to settle. strain, and bottle it for use. the best brown sugar _thus prepared_ will make a good syrup; and good marmalade, when white sugar of the best quality is not to be obtained. but for the nicest sweetmeats use always, if you can, the best double-refined loaf. in warm weather there is nothing better for a preserving fire than a portable charcoal furnace placed out in the open air; as in a room with the doors or windows shut the vapor of charcoal is deadly, and never fails to produce suffocation. of whatever the fire is made, it should be clear and steady without smoke or blaze. never use copper or bell-metal for either preserving or pickling. for all such purposes employ only iron, lined with what is called porcelain or enamel, but is in reality a thick strong white earthen, first made at delft, in holland. this lining will crack if the kettle is placed over a blaze, which it should never be. all sweetmeats should be boiled with the lid off. if covered, the steam having no means of escaping, returns upon them, and causes them to look dark and unsightly. when done, put the sweetmeats warm into jars or glasses, and leave them open a few hours that the watery particles may evaporate, but have them all pasted and closely covered before night. do nothing to render your preserves hard, or firm, as it is called. it is better to have them soft and tender. the old custom of steeping them for days in salt and water, and then boiling them in something else to remove the salt, is now considered foolish, and is seldom practised. put up jellies and small sweetmeats in common tumblers, laying on the surface of each a double cover of white tissue paper cut exactly to fit, and then put on another cover of thick white paper pleated and notched where it descends below the edge, using always gum tragacanth paste, which you should keep always in the house, as it requires no boiling; and if in making it, a bit of corrosive sublimate (not larger than a cherry-stone) is dissolved with the ounce of gum tragacanth and the half pint of warm water, in a yellow or white-ware mug, and _stirred only with a stick_, the paste will never spoil, and if kept covered, will be found superior to all others. no metal must touch this cement, as it will then turn black and spoil. keep your sweetmeats always in a dry place. but if after a while you see a coat of mould on the surface, you need not throw them away, till you have tried to recover them by carefully removing every particle of mould, filling up the jars with fresh sugar, and setting them, one by one, in a bottle of water, and in this way boiling them over again. but if they have an unpleasant smell, and you see insects about them, of course they must be thrown away. to purify jars, clean and scrape them, and wash them thoroughly with ley and water, or with a solution of soda--afterwards exposing them to the sun and air for a week or more. _jellies._--we have already given directions for various fruit jellies in the chapter on fine desserts. they are all made nearly in the same manner, using the juice of the fruit, and sufficient sugar to make it congeal and to keep it. jellies should always be bright and transparent, and therefore require the best and ripest of fruit and the finest of loaf sugar. marmalade or jams.--marmalade or jams are the easiest sweetmeats to make, and are useful for all sweetmeat purposes. they are all made nearly in the same manner; and to be very good, and to keep well, at least a pound of fine sugar should be allowed to every pound of fruit--the fruit being quite ripe, freshly gathered, and of the best kind. _for peach marmalade_--take fine, juicy free-stone peaches. pare them; cut them in half; remove the stones, and let them be saved and the kernels extracted to use as bitter almonds. cut up the peaches, and allow for each pound a pound of sugar. lay the peaches (with all the sugar among them,) in a large pan or tureen, and let them rest for three or four hours. boil the peaches and sugar together in a porcelain kettle (without a cover) for half an hour, skimming and stirring well. when it becomes a thick smooth mass it is finished. put it up in glass jars, and leave it uncovered till cool; but not longer. the flavor will be much improved by boiling with the peaches and sugar one or two handfuls of the kernels, blanched and pounded; or else a bunch of fresh peach leaves, to be removed afterward. _quince marmalade_ is made in the same manner--first carefully removing all the blemishes. allow a pound of sugar to a pound of quinces. they must boil longer than peaches. all marmalades must be cooked till the form of the fruit is quite indistinguishable, and till it mashes into a thick smooth mass. quinces should be allowed to remain on the trees till after the first frost, which greatly improves them. persimmons and wild grapes are not eatable till they are touched by the frost. _tomato marmalade._--make this when lemons are ripe and plenty. to every two pounds of tomatos allow two pounds of sugar, and the grated yellow rind and the juice of one lemon. the worst way of using lemons for any purpose is to merely slice them. depend on the slices for flavoring, and they are wasted; the taste being scarcely perceptible. they should always be first rolled under your hand, which increases the yield of juice. then grate off from the outside the _yellow_ rind only (the white part of the rind is worse than useless,) and having cut the lemon, squeeze the juice through a tin strainer to exclude the seeds, which otherwise would be troublesome to pick out. the yellow rind and the juice are all you need want of a lemon for any purpose of flavoring. scald the tomatos to make them peel easily, and mix the sugar thoroughly with them. boil them slowly for an hour in a porcelain kettle, skimming carefully, and stirring well after each skimming. then add the lemon grate and the juice, and boil the marmalade another half hour, or till it is a thick smooth mass. _pumpkin marmalade._--take a fine ripe high-colored pumpkin. cut it up. empty it very clean of the seeds and strings; take off a thick paring. slice the pieces small and thin, and weigh them. to each pound of pumpkin allow a pound of powdered sugar, and the grated peel and the juice of one large lemon. pumpkin sweetmeats require a high lemon flavoring. boil the pumpkin alone, till quite soft. then mash it in a cullender till the water is pressed out, and the pumpkin left dry. afterwards put it into a porcelain kettle, mix with it the sugar and lemon, and boil it again till it becomes a thick jam. cantaloupe marmalade is made in the same way with lemon and sugar--also marmalade of ripe figs. _plum marmalade._--choose plums that are fully ripe. allow to each pound a pound and a half of sugar. scald them till the skins peel off easily, and extract all the stones. lay them in the sugar for two or three hours or more, and then boil them till they become a thick smooth mass. green-gages the same. _raspberry jam._--to every quart of fine ripe raspberries allow a pound of best loaf sugar, powdered. put them together into a broad white-ware pan, and let them rest for two or three hours. then boil them in an uncovered porcelain kettle, taking off the scum carefully. when no more scum rises, mash them, and boil them to a smooth thick marmalade. when cold, put it up in half pint tumblers, and cover them with rounds of double tissue paper, cut exactly to fit, and then with thick white paper dipped in brandy. _strawberry jam._--the strawberries must be quite ripe, and very fine. allow to each quart a pound of powdered loaf sugar. put them into a large white-ware pan; a layer of sugar and a layer of strawberries alternately, finishing with strawberries on the top. let them rest in the sugar and juice three or four hours. then boil and skim them till they become very thick and smooth. when cold, put them up in tumblers, with double tissue paper over the top. blackberry jam is made in the same manner. _gooseberry jam._--top and tail the gooseberries, which must be thoroughly ripe, and with thin skins. they require to every pound of fruit a pound and a half of sugar of the best sort. mash them with a wooden beetle, and put them with all the sugar into an uncovered porcelain kettle, and boil and skim them. when half done add more sugar, and continue boiling till they are a very thick marmalade. when cold, cover the tumblers with brandy paper. _pine-apple marmalade._--take the best and ripest pine-apples; remove the leaves, and split each pine-apple into four pieces, and cut out the core from the centre. stand the pieces upright in a deep dish, and, with a large coarse grater grate down all the _flesh_ of the fruit, as it is called. to every pint of grated pine-apple allow a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and put them together in a large tureen. let them rest two hours. then transfer the whole to a porcelain kettle. leave it uncovered; and boil, skim, and stir, till it becomes a very thick marmalade. when cool, put it up in glass jars. it is a very nice sweetmeat, particularly for shells or tarts. _grape marmalade._--take a sufficiency of fine grapes, thoroughly ripe. having picked them from the stems, mash them with a wooden beetle, and then press them through a sieve. to every pint of the pulp allow a pound of powdered sugar, well mixed in; let it stand an hour or two. then boil it, uncovered, in a porcelain kettle, skimming and stirring well, till it is very thick and smooth. when cool, put it up in small marmalade pots of white-ware with lids, and paste a band of thick white paper round each, at the small crack where the cover fits on. a good marmalade for the backwoods may be made of wild grapes and maple sugar. _cherry marmalade._--if you cannot procure morellas, (the best of all cherries for sweetmeats) use the large virginia or carnation cherries. black cherries are unfit for cooking. stem and stone your cherries, saving all the juice you can. allow a pound of powdered loaf sugar to every pint of cherries. boil the fruit and the sugar together, uncovered, for an hour, skimming and stirring. when cool, put it in white-ware marmalade pots and paste the lids. _orange marmalade._--quarter some large ripe oranges, and remove the rind, the seeds, and the strings or filaments, taking care to save all the juice. put the pulp, with the juice, into a porcelain kettle, and mix with it an equal quantity of strained honey, adding sufficient powdered loaf sugar to render it very thick and sweet. the honey alone will not make it sweet enough. boil it uncovered, and skim it till very thick, smooth, and clear. taste it, and if necessary add more sugar, and boil it longer. when cold, put it up in tumblers or white-ware marmalade pots, and cover it securely. this marmalade is exquisite, and very superior to any other. _orange milk._--take four dozen large ripe juicy oranges, and roll them under your hand. cut them in two; remove the seeds, and squeeze the juice into a large clean stone jar. have ready four pounds of the best double-refined loaf sugar, dissolved in a gallon of french brandy. pour it into the jar that contains the orange juice; stir the mixture well, and add the yellow rind of the oranges, pared so thin from the white as to be transparent, and divide it into bits. cover the jar, and let it stand four days, stirring it frequently. then take a gallon of new unskimmed milk, (the morning's milk of that day,) boil it alone, and when it comes to a hard boil pour it into the mixture of orange, sugar, and brandy. cover it closely, and let it stand till quite cold. then strain it into another vessel through a linen jelly bag. bottle it immediately, and seal the corks. it improves by keeping. to use it, pour it out in half tumblers, and fill up with ice water, or serve it round undiluted in small cordial glasses, after ice-cream. it is much admired, and in orange countries may be made in large quantities. lemon milk is made in the same manner, having a larger proportion of sugar. _fruit in syrups._--make a syrup in the proportion of half a pint of water to every pound of sugar, and a pint of the juice of any sort of fine ripe fruit. boil and skim it till very clear, but not till it congeals or jellies. then bottle it, and cork the bottles. as the fresh fruit comes again into season, select the finest, largest, and ripest. for instance, half fill a white-ware preserve jar with fine fresh strawberries, and fill up from a bottle of strawberry syrup; or ripe raspberries with raspberry syrup; currants, with currant syrup, &c. cover them closely till wanted for immediate use. preserved citron melons.--take some fine citron melons; pare, core, and cut them into slices. then weigh them; and, to every six pounds of melon, allow six pounds of the best double refined loaf sugar, and the juice and yellow rind (grated very fine,) of four large fresh lemons, and _a quarter_ of a pound of root ginger. put the slices of lemon into a preserving kettle, and boil them half an hour or more, till they look _quite_ clear, and are so tender that a broom twig will pierce through them. then drain them; lay them in a broad pan of cold water, cover them, and let them stand all night. in the morning tie the root ginger in a thin muslin cloth, and boil it in three pints of clear spring or pump water till the water is highly flavored. then take out the bag of ginger. having broken up the sugar put it into a clean preserving kettle, and pour the ginger water over it. when the sugar is all melted set it over the fire, put in the grated yellow peel of the lemons, and boil and skim it till no more scum rises. then put in the sliced citrons, and the juice of the lemons; and boil them in the syrup till all the slices are quite transparent, and so soft that a straw will go through them; but do not allow them to break. when quite done, put the slices (while still warm,) into wide-mouthed glass or white-ware jars, and gently pour on the syrup. lay inside of each jar, upon the top of the syrup, a round of white paper dipped in brandy. put on the lids of the jars, and tie leather over them. this will be found a delicious sweetmeat; equal to any imported from the west indies, and far less expensive. pine-apples preserved.--take six fine large pine-apples, as ripe as you can get them. make them very clean, but do not, at first, pare off the rind or cut off the leaves. the rind and leaves being left on while boiling will _keep in_ the flavor of the fruit. put the pine-apples whole into a very large and very clean iron pot. fill it up with cold water, and boil the pine-apples till they are so tender that you can pierce them through the rind to the core, with a splinter skewer or a twig from a corn broom. then take them out of the pot, and drain them. when they are so cool as to be handled without inconvenience, remove the leaves, and pare off the rind. cut then into round slices about half an inch thick, extracting the core from the centre as to leave a small round hole in every slice. weigh them, and to each pound of fruit allow a pound of double refined loaf sugar, broken up and powdered. cover the bottom of a large dish or dishes with a thick layer of the sugar. on this place a layer of pine-apple slices; then a layer of sugar; then a layer of fruit, and so on till the slices are all thickly covered, finishing with a layer of sugar at the top. let them stand twenty-four hours. then drain the slices from the syrup, and lay them in wide jars. put all the syrup into a clear porcelain kettle, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. then pour it hot upon the pine-apple. while warm, cover the jars closely with white paper cut to fit, and dipped in brandy; and then tie on a piece of bladder. there is no better way of preserving pine-apples, or that retains the flavor so well. quinces may be preserved in the same manner. preserved lemons or oranges.--the fruit must be perfectly ripe, of the best quality, with a smooth rind and fine color. cut out from the stem end of each, a piece not quite the size of a quarter dollar, and with a small knife scoop out all the inside, keeping the rind as whole as possible. put the pulp and juice into a large bowl, and clear it from the strings and seeds. lay the skins in a tureen of cold ice water, and change it twice during the day, (fresh water and fresh ice); and at bedtime put ice only. next morning boil the skins slowly in a porcelain kettle with plenty of water, keeping them well covered. continue to boil till they are tender all through, and can easily be pierced with a splinter skewer. then drain them, and lay them in cold water immediately. take care to boil with them the small round pieces that come out of the top. make a thick jelly or marmalade of the pulp and juice of these, and some additional fruit, allowing to a pint of juice a pound of loaf sugar. when the jelly has been boiled till clear and firm when held in the air, fill with it the skins so as to swell them out into a good shape. replace the small circular pieces that have been cut off the top of the fruit, and tie them on securely with packthread, so as to keep in the jelly. next make a thin syrup, allowing to a pound of broken-up loaf sugar half a pint of fresh juice, and the beaten white of an egg. boil and skim it till no more scum rises. then having put the oranges into large glass jars rather more than half full, pour the syrup on them, filling up to the top. _to green small lemons or limes._--boil them first in a little hard water, placing them in a porcelain kettle with a thick bed of fresh vine leaves under them and a thick cover of vine leaves over them. boil them till green and tender in two or three waters, putting entirely fresh vine leaves whenever you change the water, and persisting till they are well greened. then make holes in the stem end, and extract the pulp, strings, and seeds, and proceed as directed in the last receipt. the skins, as soon as empty, being laid in cold water, and then filled and shaped out with lemon jelly, and the jars filled up warm with lemon syrup. or by putting a larger portion of sugar, and boiling the syrup longer, you may candy it all over the surface of the fruit. green limes are preserved in the above manner, filling the skins with lemon jelly. to candy the syrup use a double portion of sugar, and boil it till it bubbles and sparkles in the kettle. peaches preserved.--take the finest ripe free-stone peaches. pare them, cut them in half, and remove the stones. to every pound of peaches allow a pound of double refined loaf sugar, and half the white of an egg (slightly beaten) with half a pint of very clear soft water. put the sugar into a porcelain preserving kettle, mix it with the water and white of egg, and when it has entirely dissolved, set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise, which will be very soon, if the sugar is as good as it should be. there is no economy in using inferior sugar for sweetmeats, as much of it will be lost in skimming and sediment. in the mean time, boil in a little sauce-pan a bunch of fresh green peach leaves that have been cleared from all dust; or a handful of broken-up peach kernels. when the flavor is well extracted, strain this water and mix it with the syrup. then put in the halved peaches, and boil them (uncovered) till quite clear and soft, but not till they break. while warm, put them up with the syrup in glass or white-ware jars. apricots are preserved in the same way. _preserved green gages._--get the largest and ripest green gages, or egg plums. scald them in boiling water to make them peel easily; the skins of all sorts of plums becoming very hard and tough when preserved. remove the stems; they are no ornament, and render them troublesome to eat. make a syrup in the usual way, allowing to each pound of plums a pound of the finest loaf sugar, half a pint of water, and half a white of egg. when well skimmed and boiled put in the plums, and boil them gently till quite clear and soft, but not till broken. all plums may be done in this manner. if not as ripe as possible, they will require to each pound of fruit a pound and a half of the best sugar. brandy peaches.--take large juicy _free-stone_ peaches, not so ripe as to burst or mash on being handled. rub off the down from every one with a clean thick flannel. prick every peach down to the stone with a large silver fork, and score them all along the seam or cleft. to _each_ pound of peaches allow a pound of double-refined loaf sugar, broken-up small, and a half pint of water mixed with half a white of egg, slightly beaten. put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, and pour the water upon it. when it is quite melted give it a stirring, set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till no more scum rises. next put in the peaches, and let them cook (uncovered) in the syrup till they look clear, or for about half an hour, or till a straw will penetrate them. then take the kettle off the fire. having allotted a pint of the very best white brandy to each pound of peaches, mix it with the syrup, after taking out the fruit with a wooden spoon, and draining it over the kettle. put the peaches into a large tureen. let the syrup remain in the kettle a little longer. mix the brandy with it, and boil them together ten minutes, or more. transfer the peaches to large glass jars, (two thirds full,) and pour the brandy and syrup over them, filling quite up to the top. when cool, cover them closely, and tie some bladder over the lids. _green gages_--are brandied in the same manner. also, large egg-plums. pears also, having first peeled them. to pear sweetmeats always add lemon rind grated, and lemon juice. preserved tomatos.--this is an excellent and popular sweetmeat, when flavored well with lemon, which is indispensable to making it palatable. also, it should be well penetrated with sugar, therefore it is best not to attempt preserving tomatos whole. the best time for doing them is in the height of the lemon season. the most convenient for preserving are those with smooth even surfaces. if fluted or cleft they are difficult to peel when scalded, as the skins do not strip off so easily. having weighed the tomatos, (which must be full-grown and quite ripe) allow to every two pounds, two pounds of the best _brown_ sugar, a large spoonful of ground ginger, and the juice and grated yellow rind of one large ripe lemon, rolled awhile under your hand. having scalded and peeled all the tomatos, and mixed with the sugar a little beaten white of egg, put them into a porcelain-lined preserving kettle, (uncovered,) and add, gradually, the sugar. boil the tomatos and sugar _slowly_ together, till the scum ceases to appear. then add, gradually, the lemons, (peel and juice,) and boil slowly for an hour or more. the tomatos must all have bursted, otherwise they will not keep, from the sugar not getting sufficiently into them. when done, take them off the fire, and transfer to glass jars the tomatos with their syrup. for yellow preserves take yellow tomatos, scald and peel them, and prick each with a silver fork. lay them in a porcelain preserving kettle with plenty of fresh vine leaves under and over them. boil them with the vine leaves till they become a finer yellow. then wash out the kettle and boil the tomatos, as above, with the _white_ sugar, and add the lemon. _green tomatos preserved._--take green tomatos when they are full grown, but have not yet begun to turn in the least red. scald and peel them, and lay them in a porcelain kettle with plenty of fresh vine leaves at the bottom. cover them thickly with another layer of vine leaves at the top. boil them very slowly with the vine leaves till they have all turned yellow. then take them out, and spread them on large dishes. wash the kettle, put in fresh vine leaves under and over the tomatos. they should become a fine green with the second boiling in vine leaves; otherwise repeat the greening. then take them out, wash the kettle again, and return the tomatos to it with _a pound and a half of white sugar_ to each pound of tomatos. boil and skim, till all is clear and nice. then add the grated yellow rind and the juice of one large lemon to every pound of tomatos, and boil slowly an hour longer. all the tomatos should burst, that the sugar may thoroughly enter the inside. before you cover the jars, stir into each an additional quarter or half pound of powdered sugar. green tomatos require a high flavoring of lemon, as they have no peculiar taste of their own. preserved quinces.--take the largest and ripest yellow quinces; after they have remained on the trees till the first frost. wipe them clean, and boil them whole till they are tender all through, and can be easily penetrated with a splinter skewer. save and strain the water in which they were boiled. when cool, pare and core the quinces, and carefully remove the blemishes. to every pound of fruit allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf sugar. make a syrup of the water in which the quinces were boiled, allowing half a pint of this water to every pound of sugar. when melted, set it in a porcelain kettle over a moderate fire, and boil and skim it till no more scum appears. then put in the fruit, either whole or quartered, or cut into circular slices about half an inch thick; and boil it uncovered. when the quinces are quite clear and soft, (but not the least broken) take them out, and spread them on large flat dishes. afterwards transfer them to large glass jars, rather more than half filled; pour the syrup warm over them; and when cool cover the jars, and tie pieces of bladder over the covers. you may boil, by themselves, the cores and parings, in as much water as will cover them well, till they are entirely dissolved. then strain them through a linen bag, and while hot stir in as much powdered loaf sugar as will form a thick jelly. if the quinces have been preserved whole, fill up with this jelly the holes left by the cores; or if sliced, spread the jelly over the slices. quinces soon become very hard and tough, unless they have been well boiled by themselves, before putting them into the sugar. merely scalding or coddling them is not sufficient. if you have not jelly for filling up the holes, substitute marmalade. to keep quinces well, requires plenty of rich syrup. preserved crab-apples.--take the finest siberian crab-apples, which being always red, and having a pleasant acid, are the only sort now used for preserving. rub each crab-apple with a dry clean flannel, and then prick every one in several places with a large needle to prevent their bursting. to every pound of fruit allow a pound and a half of double-refined loaf sugar, and a pint of water. first make a syrup of the sugar and water, boiling it in a porcelain kettle, and skimming it till perfectly clear. put in the crab-apples, adding for each pound the juice and grated yellow rind of a large lemon. the lemon is indispensable to this sweetmeat. simmer them slowly in this syrup till tender all through, so that they can be pierced with a twig of broom-corn; but do not allow them to break. when done, put them up warm in glass jars more than half full, and the syrup over them. you may heighten the fine red color with a little prepared cochineal--that is, cochineal powder kept in a bottle after being boiled with alum and cream of tartar. _bellflower apples or large pippins_--may be preserved whole in the above manner. they look handsomely on a supper table, covered all over with a thick meringue or icing flavored with lemon or rose, and spread smoothly over every apple with a real rose-bud stuck in the top of each. you may color the icing a beautiful pink, by mixing with it a little prepared cochineal. preserved cherries.--no cherries are worth preserving except morellas, or the large virginia red, or carnation cherries. stem and stone them carefully, saving the juice; and strew them thickly with powdered white sugar. to a quart of cherries allow a pound of the best loaf sugar. make a syrup, allowing half a pint of water to a pound of sugar. boil and skim it, and when the scum has ceased to rise put in the cherries and their juice, and give them a slow boil up. put them up warm in glass or white-ware jars, and tie bladder over the lids. fine preserved strawberries.--have ready two sorts of strawberries, one half being of the largest and finest scarlet sort, (not too ripe,) the other smaller and less expensive, but quite ripe and perfectly fresh and nice. put the smaller ones into a porcelain kettle, having allowed three quarters of a pound of double-refined loaf sugar to every quart of fruit. boil the sugar and small strawberries together; skimming well, and stirring down to the bottom after every skimming, and mashing it to a jam. when done, set it to cool in a large pan; wash the kettle clean, or take another one, and make in it a clear syrup, allowing to each pound of the best loaf sugar a _small_ half pint of water. when melted set it over the fire, and boil and skim till the scum ceases to rise. put the large strawberries in this, and give them one boil up. if boiled too long they will break. as soon as they have come to a boil take them (one at a time,) with a silver tea-spoon, and lay them separately on large flat dishes. then mix the syrup with the jam thoroughly together, and boil it a quarter of an hour. put the large strawberries, one at a time, into glass jars, (more than half full,) and fill up to the top with the hot jam. when cool lay a round of brandy paper on the surface, and secure the lids by tying pieces of bladder over them. strawberries in wine.--put a small quart of fine large scarlet strawberries into a glass jar, having sprinkled among them a quarter of a pound of the best loaf sugar. fill up the jar with madeira or sherry. they are served at parties in small glass saucers, heaped on the top with whipped cream, or with white ice cream. what is sold by many confectioners as strawberry ice cream, has in reality no strawberries about it; as may be known by its beautiful rose color, such as strawberry juice never produces, particularly after being preserved with sugar. this fine delicate pink tinge comes in reality from alkanet. most of what is called strawberry cordial, is in reality alcohol colored with that elegant dye. strawberry wine.--fill four glass jars holding each a quart, with fine ripe strawberries that have been hulled or picked clean. cover them; set them in a large kettle of cold water, and place it in a moderate heat till it gradually comes to a boil. then let it boil but five minutes. cork the jars, and seal them closely before you take them out of the water. use the cement of two-thirds resin and one-third beeswax. keep the jar for four weeks in a dry cool place. by that time you will find the strawberries with a thick white scum at the top, and a clear juice at the bottom. pour it into clean bottles, through a funnel with a fine straining cloth. cork the bottles, but do not drive the corks hard down, lest the bottles should burst if too tight. arrange the bottles on the kitchen mantleshelf, where they may have some heat from the fire. you will see when a vinous fermentation takes place. it may continue a week. when it has entirely subsided, and is very clear, strain off the liquid from the sediment into fresh bottles, and cork them tightly. when you put them away, lay the bottles on their sides. this is a delicious cordial, and requires no brandy in it. _preserved gooseberries._--top and tail the gooseberries, which should be of two sorts, and as ripe as you can get. the best kind quite ripe, large, and of a light amber color. wash the others, and boil them in a porcelain kettle with barely water enough to keep them from burning. when they are soft and broken, mash the pulp through a sieve, or squeeze it through a linen bag. measure it, and to each pint allow a large pound of powdered loaf sugar. boil the sugar with the pulp, skimming and stirring it till it begins to jelly. then put in the large gooseberries, and give them one boil up. when done take them out separately, and spread them on a large flat dish. continue to boil the syrup a while longer, till you find it congeals well on holding out a spoonful in the open air. then put the large gooseberries into jars, and pour the syrup over them while still hot and liquid. put them up warm. _raspberries_--may be preserved as above, reserving the finest for putting whole into the jelly. the large white raspberries make a fine sweetmeat, done whole in jelly or jam of white currants. black currants should always be made into jelly or jam. they require less sugar than other sweetmeats, (a quarter of a pound less) their juice being naturally very thick. country plums.--gather your plums when perfectly ripe, and ready to fall from the trees. split them with a knife, and remove the stones. spread them out on large dishes, so as not to touch, and set them in the hot sun on a sunny roof or balcony; taking them in every evening before dark, and not putting them out till after the dew is off in the morning. repeat this for three or four days. then pack them down in stone jars with a large quantity of the best brown sugar, a layer of plums and a layer of sugar alternately, (sugar being at the bottom and top) and cover the jars closely. let them remain undisturbed till february or march. when opened, you will have plenty of rich syrup among them. they make good spring pies, and will be prized for family use at that season. _country grapes._--the little wild grapes have a very pleasant taste after the first frost in the autumn, and should not be gathered till that time. until frosted, they are too sour to eat. to keep them all winter, strip them from the stems and put them in stone jars with layers of good brown sugar, till the jars are three parts full. then fill up to the top with west india molasses. they will make good winter pies, when cranberries, dried peaches, and dried apples are scarce. _persimmon jam._--do not gather persimmons till late in the fall, when they are well sweetened with the frost. they are unfit to eat till all the leaves are off the trees, and till they are ripe enough to mash. then pack them in jars with plenty of brown sugar. maple sugar will do. in the back-woods they will be valued. when cooked they will be improved by the addition of a little _sweet_ cider. pickles. for pickles the articles should all be fine and freshly gathered. they are generally too hard to be cut or eaten conveniently, and there is too much unnecessary fear of pickles proving soft. it is not now customary to keep them for weeks in salt and water; two or three days will be sufficient for this part of the process, and some kinds do not require it at all. the arts of both preserving and pickling are of late years much simplified. all pickles have nearly the same taste, and there is no use (and much trouble) in multiplying varieties, when a few sorts of the very best will be found amply sufficient for any table. one important point to be always observed, is to use none but the most wholesome vinegar, (the genuine cider,) as all that is made of drugs is unwholesome to the eater and destructive to the pickles. on no consideration boil them in brass, copper, or bell-metal--things which fortunately are now nearly exploded from all kitchens; iron lined with delft, (called porcelain,) being universally substituted. to green pickles boil them with a thick bed of fresh vine leaves, both under and over them. this will first render them yellow; then boil them again in a clean kettle with fresh vine leaves. if not green enough when you think they are done, repeat the boiling again, with fresh vine leaves and fresh water. avoid eating pickles that are of a fine verdigris green. they are greened with copper, and are poisonous. if you cannot obtain vine leaves, you may green pickles by boiling them with fresh cabbage leaves under and over. the first boiling will turn them yellow, the second with new leaves should render them green. but vine leaves are better and more certain. put them up warm in stone or, glass jars with broad flat corks; and tie kid leather over them. india pickle.--for this pickle you may use a variety of _young_ fruits and vegetables. for instance, red cherries, grapes, plums, apricots, young peaches, or lemons, limes, button-tomatos, cauliflowers sliced, white cabbage sliced, hard-boiled eggs sliced, little onions, nasturtions, small cucumbers, &c. having nicely prepared these things, put them all together into a large porcelain kettle, and scald them in a strong brine made in the proportion of a quarter of a pound of fine salt to a quart of boiling water. pour it hot over the pickles, and let them remain in it till next day. then take them out, and drain off all the brine through a sieve. spread them out (so as not to touch,) on large flat dishes or old japan servers, and set them in the hot sun for three or four days; carefully taking them in at evening, and if the weather becomes damp or cloudy. afterwards put them into a cullender or sieve, wash them well through cold water, and then wipe them all dry with a coarse cloth. put them into a large pan. mix together a quarter pound of grated horse-radish, sliced; two cloves of garlic; half a hundred small white onions; two ounces of mace; a quarter of a pound of ground ginger; two nutmegs, powdered; two pounds of powdered loaf sugar; half a bottle of the best ground mustard; half a pound of yellow mustard seed, and an ounce of turmeric powder, which must on no account be omitted, as a yellow tinge is indispensable to this pickle. mix all the seasoning with sufficient excellent cider vinegar to render it liquid, and pour it over the pickles in the pan, and then stir them up from the bottom. let the whole rest till cold. then transfer it to stone jars. have ready some more vinegar, pour it boiling hot on the pickles, &c., but do not fill up to the top, as they expand and rise. pickled peaches.--take eight fine large free-stone peaches, (white or yellow,) when nearly but not quite ripe. wipe off the down with a clean flannel, and put them into a brine strong enough to bear up an egg. in two days take them out, and drain them for several hours on an inverted sieve. tie in a piece of thin muslin one ounce of whole white pepper; one of broken-up ginger; eight blades of mace, and two ounces of mustard seed. boil this seasoning for ten minutes in a quart of the best cider vinegar. lay the peaches in a broad-mouthed stone jar, with the bag of spice at the bottom, and pour the vinegar boiling hot upon them. at the top add a table-spoonful of salad oil. put them up warm, and secure them with broad flat corks, and rounds of leather tied on carefully. _peach mangoes._--the above sort of peaches are best for mangoes. steep them in brine for two days. cut a small piece out of each, and carefully loose the stones from the inside with a small sharp knife. it will then be easy to thrust them out of free-stone peaches, and none others should be used, either for pickling or preserving. make a filling for the places that were occupied by the stones. for this purpose, use fresh mustard seed moistened with vinegar; scraped horse-radish, powdered ginger, a clove of garlic, or a minced shalot or very small onion, and a very little chilli or red pepper minced very small. also a little powdered mace, and a little chopped peach. with this mixture stuff the peaches hard. replace the bits that were cut off, and tie them on firmly with fine packthread, crossing the peach. boil a quart of the best vinegar, seasoned with white spices and mustard seed, tied up in muslin; and when it has boiled ten minutes, pour it hot over the peach mangoes in a stone jar. add at the top a table-spoonful of salad oil; cork the jar immediately, and tie leather over it. where there is no dislike to cloves, you may stick half a dozen into the outside of each peach; but we think a few small bits of mace will be preferable, as the clove taste will overpower every thing else. melon mangoes.--take the small green melons, used only for this purpose, and let them lie in a strong brine for two days. take them out and drain them well. cut a small square bit out of one side, and through this hole extract all the seeds and filaments. have ready a stuffing made of grated horse-radish, white mustard seed, minced shalot, or a clove of garlic chopped fine; a very little chilli or red pepper, and a little powdered mace. wet this stuffing well with vinegar, and then fill with it the cavity of the mango. replace the bit that was cut out, and tie it in with packthread, crossing all over the melon. then place the mangoes in a stone jar. have ready a sufficiency of the best vinegar, (a large quart or more, for eight or ten mangoes,) boiled ten minutes, with a seasoning of mustard seed, ginger, mace, grated horse-radish, and chopped shalot or little onion, or a clove of garlic minced very small--all tied in a bit of muslin. pour the vinegar boiling hot over the mangoes, having placed among them the bag of seasoning. finish with sweet oil at the top of the jar. mushrooms pickled.--for pickling, the small button mushrooms are best. after cutting off the stalk closely, and with a sharp penknife peeling off carefully their thin outside skin, measure two quarts, taking care that they are all of the right sort, and freshly gathered; the outside of a dull whitish color, and the underside of a fine pinkish salmon tinge. if very white above and below, or if bright yellow, they are poisonous. _good_ mushrooms grow always in open fields or airy places; never in woods or marshes. to pickle two quarts, prepare eight little bags of very clear muslin; and tie up in each bag six blades of mace, six slices of root ginger, and half a nutmeg broken up. have ready four glass jars, such as are considered to hold a quart. lay a bag of spice in the bottom of each. having sprinkled the mushrooms well with salt, let them rest till next day. then divide the mushrooms and their liquor into four pints. put one pint into each jar, with a bag of spice at the bottom, and another at the top. pour on boiling cider vinegar of the best quality, and finish with a table-spoonful of salad oil. cork the jars immediately, and tie leather carefully over the top. all mushrooms turn brown on the under-side the day after they are gathered, and sometimes sooner. boiling the spice in the vinegar will weaken the mushroom flavor. when you open a jar of pickled mushrooms, immediately cork it again; tie on the leather cover, and use it up as soon as possible. therefore, pint jars, with half a pint of mushrooms in each, are convenient. bell-peppers pickled.--take fine full-grown bell-peppers. make a brine in a stone jar of salt and water, strong enough to float an egg, and let the peppers remain in it two days, putting a weight on the cover to keep it down. then take them out, wash them well in cold water, drain them, and wipe them dry. cut a slit in the side of each, and extract all the seeds, as if left in, they will be entirely too hot. through these slits let all the water run out. put them into a clean stone jar. boil sufficient of the best cider vinegar, interspersed with the muslin bags of broken-up cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg. pour it, boiling hot, on the peppers in the jar. distribute the bags of spice among the peppers, and cork the jar warm. you may stuff the peppers in the manner of mangoes, with pickled red cabbage finely shred, minced onions and minced cucumbers pickled, and seasoned with a little mustard seed, ginger, and mace. tie up the slit with packthread, crossing all round. fill up the jars with vinegar, putting sweet oil on the top. your may green bell-peppers in the usual way, with vine leaves or cabbage leaves. all pickles should be kept in a dry place. if you find them mouldy they are not always spoiled. take them out of the jar, wipe off all the mould carefully, and throw away the vinegar. wash the jar very clean, scald it, and set it in the sun to purify still more. make a new pickle with fresh seasoning, and put them into that. pickled cauliflowers.--take large, ripe, full-blown cauliflowers. remove the leaves and stalk, and divide the blossom into pieces or clusters of equal size. throw them into a porcelain kettle of boiling water, (adding a little salt,) let them simmer, and skim them well. when they come to a boil, take them up with a perforated skimmer, and lay them on a sieve to drain. put them into stone jars, (three parts full.) season with mace and nutmeg infused in sufficient of the best cider vinegar, and simmer it for a quarter of an hour. when it comes to a boil take it off the fire, and pour it hot over the cauliflower in the jar, filling quite up to the top, and adding sweet oil at the last. cover it while warm, and tie leather over the top. if you wish to have the cauliflowers yellow, boil with the vinegar some turmeric powder tied up in thin muslin. this is a very nice pickle. broccoli is done in the same manner, but should be previously greened by boiling it with vine leaves. pickled beets with cabbage.--take a large fine _red_ cabbage, wash it well, and drain it. quarter it, (having removed the stalk) and slice it with a cabbage-cutter as for coldslaw. boil some beets in the usual way till quite tender, (they require a very long time) and while warm peel and slice them in round pieces, or split them down, and cut them into long bits. lay them in a large stone jar, alternately with layers of the shred cabbage, till the jar is more than half full. have ready some scalding vinegar that has been boiled with a seasoning of blades of mace and sliced ginger root, and some nutmeg. pour the vinegar, boiling hot, upon the cabbage and beet, till you have the jars quite full. finish with a large table-spoonful of sweet oil. cover the jar with leather, and put it away warm. pickled cucumbers.--take small young cucumbers, freshly gathered, and free from blemishes. make a brine strong enough to float an egg, and let the cucumbers lie in it till they become yellow, stirring them down to the bottom twice a day. then pour off all the brine, wash the cucumbers in cold water, and drain them. lay a thick bed of fresh green vine leaves in the bottom and sides of a porcelain kettle. put in the cucumbers, and pour on sufficient cold water to wet them all plentifully. then cover them, closely, with more vine leaves, and pour on more water, packing the leaves well and pressing them down. fill up to the top with water and vine leaves, and cover the kettle closely to keep in the steam. hang it over a slow fire where there is no blaze, and keep it _warm_ all night, but not _hot_. in the morning if the pickles are not a fine deep green, remove the vine leaves and replace them with a fresh supply. after this, they will be generally green enough; but if not, continue till they are. then drain the cucumbers on a sieve, and transfer them to a very clean stone jar. to fifty cucumbers allow four quarts of excellent vinegar, and a bit of alum about the size of a large grain of corn, with half an ounce of mustard seed, half an ounce of mace, a broken-up nutmeg, and half an ounce of root ginger, sliced. tie up the spice in three muslin bags, and boil them ten minutes in the vinegar. then take out and lay them among the cucumbers in the jar; one to the bottom, one in the middle, and one at the top. pour over them the vinegar boiling hot; add a table-spoonful of sweet oil, and cork the jar immediately, tying a leather over it. keep wooden pickle spoons in the pantry for taking out pickles, and always be careful to close the jar immediately after. you need not keep the bags of spice in the jars more than two or three weeks. pickled onions.--take the small silver-skinned white onions. peel off the outer skin. make a brine strong enough to float an egg, skim it well, and when it begins to cool pour it upon the onions. let them stand in it (closely covered,) till quite cold. then take them out, peel off another skin, and wash them through a cullender in cold water. next, boil them in milk till tender all through, so that you can easily pierce them with a needle. then drain off the milk. measure them, and to a quart of onions allow a quart of the best cider vinegar. boil in the vinegar two muslin bags tied up with broken-up nutmeg and mace. when it has boiled, pour it hot over the onions in the jar; having laid one bag of spice at the bottom, and one in the middle. the onions should fill two thirds of the jar, and the vinegar the remainder. finish with a table-spoonful of salad oil, and cork the jar immediately, and tie on the leather cover. as onions pickled this way are generally much liked, it is well, when doing them, to make several jars full. _cucumber and onion pickle._--to a dozen fine cucumbers allow three large onions. pare the cucumbers and peel the onions, and cut both into thick slices. sprinkle salt and pepper over them, and let them rest till next day. then drain them well, and put them into a stone jar. pour boiling vinegar over them. close the jar, and set it in a warm place. next day repeat the boiling vinegar, and cork the jar. next day repeat it again, with a bag of mace, nutmeg, and ginger, boiled in the vinegar. then cork the jar, and tie it up. when the pickle is finished, divide it in small stone jars, with sweet oil on the top of each. walnuts or butternuts pickled--gather them in early summer, when they are full-grown, but so tender that a large needle will easily pierce them all through. rub off the outer skin with a coarse cloth, and then lay them in salt and water for a week, changing the brine every other day. allow for this brine a small quarter of a pound of salt to a large quart of water. make enough to cover all the nuts well. place a large lid over the pan, and keep them closely from the air. the last day take them out of the brine, drain them, and prick every one quite through in several places with a large needle. drain them again, spread them out on large flat dishes, and set them to blacken for two days in the hot sun. for a hundred nuts, allow a gallon of excellent cider vinegar, half an ounce of black pepper-corns, half an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of allspice, an ounce of root ginger, and an ounce of mace. boil the spice in the vinegar for ten minutes, tied up in eight small muslin bags. then take them out, and having divided the nuts in four stone jars, distribute among them, equally, the bags of spice, and pour on the vinegar hot, an equal portion in each jar. while warm, secure them with flat corks, and tie leather over them. done this way, you may begin to use them in a week. if you have not enough of vinegar to fill the jars up to the top, add some cold, and strew among the nuts some blades of mace. finish with a large spoonful of salad oil at the top of each jar. pickled plums.--take large fine plums; perfect, and quite ripe. to every quart of plums allow half a pound of the best white sugar powdered, and a large pint of the best cider vinegar. melt the sugar in the vinegar, and put it with the fruit into a porcelain kettle; all the plums having been previously pricked to the stone with a large needle. lay among them some small muslin bags filled with broken nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon; and if you choose, a few cloves. give them one boil up, skimming them well. put them warm into stone jars, with the bags interspersed, and cork them immediately. green gages may be done in this manner, first rendering them greener by boiling with vine leaves in the usual way. _damsons pickled._--do these in the same manner as plums; but as they are much more acid, allow brown sugar of the best kind. plums or damsons may be pickled plain, and with little trouble if full ripe, pricked with a needle, and packed down in a stone jar with profuse layers of brown sugar between the layers of fruit; the jars filled up with cold cider vinegar, and putting sweet oil at the top. _pickled cherries._--take the largest and finest red cherries, fully ripe. morellas are the best. either remove the stems entirely, or cut them short, within two inches of the fruit. have ready a large glass jar. fill it two thirds with fresh newly-gathered cherries, and then fill up to the top with the best vinegar. keep it well covered, and if both fruit and vinegar are of excellent quality, no boiling is necessary, and no spice, as the cherry flavor will be retained, and they will not shrivel. _button tomatos._--the small round tomatos, either red or yellow, will keep perfectly, if put whole into cold vinegar of the _really_ best quality. you may add a bag of spice if you choose. _nasturtion seeds._--keep a large glass jar of cold cider vinegar, and put in the green seeds of nasturtions after the flowers are off, and the seeds full-grown, but not hard. remove the stalks. in this simple way nasturtions will keep perfectly well, and are an excellent substitute for capers with boiled mutton. they can be raised profusely, even in a city garden, and the blossoms are very beautiful. with pepper-grass and nasturtion flowers from your own garden, you can have a nice salad for a summer evening tea-table. the three pickles above (cherries, button tomatos, and nasturtion seeds,) are cheap, easy, and palatable. try them. to flavor them with spice, boil the vinegar with a bag of spice in it, and pour it on hot, leaving the bag among them in the jar. preparations for the sick. chicken broth.--skin and cut up a fine full-grown fowl. if but little is wanted, take only the dark meat for the broth, and put it into a pot with a small quart of water, and slowly boil it to rags. strain the liquid and return it to the pot, and thicken it with two spoonfuls of arrow root, if no vegetables are permitted. otherwise, you may boil with the chicken some sliced onion and sliced turnip, with a grated parsnip and a sliced potato, straining out the vegetables with the shreds of fowl. you may reserve the white meat of the breast and wings to make another dish, if the patient is permitted to take it. this is the white meat cut off the bones, and stewed slowly in fresh oyster liquid, with a bit of nice butter. if the patient is well enough, stir in a beaten egg just before the stew is taken from the fire. _oyster soup for invalids._--remove the gristle from a dozen fine large fresh oysters. take half their liquor and mix it with an equal portion of very good milk, seasoning it with three or four blades of mace, and a stalk of celery scraped and cut into pieces. when it has boiled and been skimmed well, strain it over the oysters, and let all simmer together till the oysters are plumped, but do not let them come to a boil. serve it up in a bowl, with some milk biscuit to eat with it. _clam soup for invalids._--where salt is permitted, cut up and boil slowly in their own liquor a dozen or more small sand clams. when well boiled and skimmed, strain the liquor into a clean sauce-pan, and thicken it with bread crumbs, and a small bit of nice fresh butter. the clams are of no further use. throw them away. mutton broth for the sick.--take two pounds from a nice neck of mutton, and leave out some of the fat if there seems too much. cut the meat from the bones, and put it into a pot with a large quart of water, and no seasoning. boil it till the meat is all in rags. do not skim it, as the fat on the surface is very healing, if without salt or pepper. when done, strain it into a bowl. let the patient eat with it a slice of very light wheat bread, having the crust cut off. it is excellent for the dysentery. when the patient is convalescent, a little seasoning may be allowed, and some well-boiled mashed turnips stirred into the bowl of soup with a boiled onion sliced, and a thickening of arrow-root or farina, stirred in about half an hour before the soup is taken up. pour it off clear from the shreds of meat at the bottom. _veal broth for invalids._--take a pound of knuckle of veal cut in pieces, four calf's feet, split up. boil them in a large quart of water, till they are all reduced to rags. then strain the liquid, and add to it the soft part, only, of half a dozen fine oysters, and three or four blades of mace. set it again on the fire, and as soon as it simmers well, take it off, and serve it up with very light milk biscuit, or little bread rolls, to eat with it. veal broth may be made with a piece of knuckle of veal cut small, and boiled in the liquor of clams instead of water. the clams themselves must be omitted, as they are always tough and indigestible for an invalid, but their liquor adds a pleasant relish to the insipidity of the veal. as the strength of the patient improves, a grated carrot, a sliced onion, and some sliced turnip, may be added to the veal from the beginning. _raw oysters for the sick._--take large fine fresh oysters, and carefully cut out the hard part or gristle. they are considered very good for convalescents, being, when raw, cooling, refreshing, and nutritious. drain them well from the liquor, making them as dry as you can; and if permitted, accompany the oysters with black pepper and vinegar, and a plate of bread and butter. _birds._--convalescents, not yet allowed to eat meat, can generally relish birds nicely broiled, or stewed in their own gravy, with any appropriate seasoning, and a little _fresh_ butter, if they are not very fat. when dished, lay under each a piece of nice toast, dipped for a minute in hot water. _beefsteak for invalids._--when this can be eaten with an appetite, there is no greater promoter of returning health; but it must be of the best sirloin steak, very tender, well broiled, and thoroughly done on both sides, the gravy being carefully saved to serve up with it, a little fresh butter being added after the meat comes off the gridiron. if the taste of onion is desired, merely rub the plate with a peeled onion. a very tender lamb-chop well broiled may be eaten by way of change; but a tenderloin steak is better. avoid pork, or veal cutlets. _gravy sippets._--for invalids who cannot yet eat meat, a light and relishing preparation may be made with one or two slices of the best wheat bread, divested of the crust, and spread on a hot plate, while some nice well-skimmed gravy is poured over them; the gravy of roast beef, veal, or mutton, that has had no butter about it. gravy sippets will form a variety to the usual broths, and other beginnings for the resumption of animal food. herb teas.--have one or more china or white-ware pots for the purpose of making herb teas; and see that, after using, they are well washed, well scalded and dried, and set open in the sun till wanted again. the herbs, whether green or dried, should be of excellent quality, and picked very clean from dust and stems. having well-scalded the pot, take the allotted quantity of the herb and put it in; then pour on the water, which must be actually boiling at the time, and press the herbs down at the bottom with a silver spoon. then put on the lid closely, and immediately stop up the spout with a small cork, or a wad of soft white paper rolled tightly. this is to keep in the steam, and prevent the strength of the herb from escaping. when sufficiently boiled, pour into a pitcher with a lid, and through a strainer, as much of the tea as is wanted. strainers of block tin, with a handle and _very fine_ close holes, are excellent for this and other purposes. _herb candies._--hoarhound candy, and many others, may be made of a strong decoction or tea of the herb, thickened with loaf sugar, and boiled, skimmed, and stirred till very thick and stiff. then pour it smoothly into a square tin pan and set it in a cool place to congeal. while still soft, mark it in even squares with a knife. when quite cold and hard, loosen it from the pan with a knife, and take it out. it is good for coughs. peppermint candy is made in the same way, and is used for flatulence. gruel.--gruels, for patients who are unable to take any thing more substantial, may be made of ground rice flour, arrow root, indian meal, oatmeal grits, or farina. mix to a paste, with water, two large table-spoonfuls of any of the above articles; then stir the paste, gradually, into a pint of water boiling on the fire, making it very smooth and pressing out all the lumps. to prevent it boiling over, when it has risen nearly to the top of the pan, remove it from the fire. sweeten it while hot, and, if permitted, add a little white wine with nutmeg, and a small bit of fresh butter. _toast and water._--cut a large slice or two of the best wheat bread; pare off all the crust; and with a long-handled toasting fork toast it evenly on both sides, not allowing it to blacken or burn in any part. while hot from the fire, plunge the toast immediately into a quart pitcher of clear cold water. cover the pitcher instantly, and let it infuse for half an hour or more, without leaving off the cover. when done, it should be of a very pale brown color. jelly water.--stir a table-spoonful of currant jelly into a half pint tumbler of ice water, if the patient is feverish. the jelly may be of other fruit, and if not sweet enough add some loaf sugar. the juice of any ripe fruit, made sweet and mixed with cold water, is a good substitute when sweetmeats are not at hand. warm drinks are now seldom used, but to promote perspiration and carry off a cold. tamarinds are in themselves very cooling and pleasant, and make an agreeable drink infused in water, either warm or cold. carrageen blancmange.--carrageen is a species of sea moss which becomes glutinous when boiled, and is considered remarkably nutritious and strengthening. it can also be rendered very palatable. it is found abundantly on some parts of our sea-coast, and may be obtained of the best druggists, very nicely cleaned and pressed. to a small loose handful of carrageen allow a small quart of rich unskimmed milk, half a pound of powdered white sugar, a stick of the best cinnamon broken-up, six or seven blades of mace, and half a nutmeg, powdered. having washed the carrageen through two or three cold waters, and shaken it out to remove the drops that hang about it, put it to a pint and a half of the cold milk. boil it half an hour in a covered porcelain kettle. then take it out, for if it boils too long the carrageen will taste too strongly. in another vessel boil the remaining half pint of milk with the spices, till very highly flavored. then strain it into the carrageen milk, and stir in, gradually, the half pound of powdered loaf sugar. set the porcelain kettle again over the fire, and let it boil fast for five minutes longer. then strain it into moulds or bowls previously wet with cold water; and when it has well congealed, turn it out, and serve it up with sweetened cream, flavored with rose-water or peach-water. if for an invalid, who is not allowed spices, flavor it with rose-water only, stirred in after the blancmange has been taken from the fire. farina blancmange.--from a quart of rich milk take out half a pint. put the half pint into a small sauce-pan, and add (if permitted) sufficient mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon to flavor it well; the spices being tied up in a very thin muslin bag. then add the flavored milk to the remainder, having stirred in two heaped table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar. set it over the fire in a porcelain kettle, and when it has come to a boil sprinkle in, gradually, four large heaping table-spoonfuls of farina, stirring it well. keep it boiling a quarter of an hour after all the farina is in. when done, strain it into blancmange moulds, and set it on ice to congeal. if for an invalid not allowed spice, boil it plain, and when taken from the fire stir in a wine-glass of rose-water. if rose-water is boiled with it from the beginning, the strength and flavor will evaporate. _farina flummery._--mix with a small pint of water a large pint of the juice of ripe currants, or strawberries, or of stewed cranberries in winter, made very sweet with white sugar. boil the water and juice together, and stir in gradually a quarter pound of farina, and then boil it fifteen minutes longer. afterwards transfer it to moulds, and set it on ice till congealed. _farina gruel._--have some water boiling on the fire, and when it boils fast, sprinkle in sufficient farina to make it moderately thick. then sweeten it with white sugar. if permitted, stir in some white wine, and nutmeg grated. beef tea.--take a pound of fine fresh beefsteak cut from the round, without any fat. chop it into small bits, and season it with a level salt-spoon of salt. put it into a wide-mouthed bottle, cork it closely, and set it into a kettle of cold water, which must reach to the neck of the bottle. let it boil steadily for three hours, by which time the essence will be all extracted from the beef. then remove the cork, and strain the liquid into a bowl, and skim it. it can be made still more conveniently in a _bain-marie_ or double kettle; an article useful for many purposes, particular in cookery for an invalid. mutton or veal tea are made in the same manner. also chicken tea, or essence of any sort of poultry or game. _chicken panada._--having skinned and cut up a fine full-grown chicken, take the white meat from the breast and wings, and mince it small for panada. the dark meat will do for chicken tea. add to the panada a slice of wheat bread crumbled and mixed in, and boil it in a _bain-marie_ with the water outside; seasoning it (if permitted) with powdered mace or nutmeg. _sweet panada._--mix with a pint of water a glass of madeira or sherry; a heaped table-spoonful of powdered loaf sugar, half the yellow rind of a lemon grated, and half the juice; and a half tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg or mace. set the mixture over the fire, and as soon as it boils add crumbled milk biscuit, or a rusk. then give it another boil up. barley water.--having washed clean two ounces of pearl barley, put it into a sauce-pan with a quart of water, the grated rind and the juice of a lemon, and two ounces of seeded raisins. boil it slowly till the liquid is reduced one half. then strain it, and sweeten it, while warm, with loaf sugar. _gum arabic water._--take an ounce of the best and cleanest gum arabic. put it into a pitcher, and pour on a pint of boiling water, and stir while dissolving. when cool, squeeze in (if permitted) the juice of a lemon, and add loaf sugar enough to make it pleasantly sweet. gum arabic water, alone, is sometimes given to a patient, whom it is expedient to keep very low as a preventive to inflammation. _tamarind water._--this is a pleasant and cooling drink in fevers, allowing half a pint of cold water to as many tamarinds as you can take up with a table-spoon. cover it, and let it stand for a few minutes. _apple water._--take four fine large juicy apples, (pippins or bellflowers,) core and pare them, and bake them side by side in a tin pan. when well done and quite soft all through, put them into a pitcher and fill up with warm water. simmer them over the fire, and when quite soft mash them; and, if necessary, add more water till they become a thick liquid that can be drank. sweeten well with loaf sugar, and if permitted, add some lemon juice or rose-water. drink it cool. _egg wine._--break a nice fresh egg into a tumbler, and beat it till smooth and thick. add a heaped tea-spoonful of powdered loaf sugar, and stir in a glass of the best port wine. this, when permitted, is very strengthening and cheering for an invalid, to take about the hour of noon or earlier. when wine is not allowed, you may beat the egg into a glass of new unskimmed milk. whey.--milk can be converted into a curd by the infusion of rennet water, white wine, lemon juice, tamarind juice, or vinegar, stirred into good milk, covered and set in a warm place till the curd has formed, and has separated from the whey which remains beneath it. take off the curd carefully, breaking it as little as possible, and put it into a deep dish. pour the whey into a pitcher. it should look clear, and greenish rather than white, and have none of the milk curd remaining about it. set the pitcher on ice. it is an excellent drink in fevers. when approved, the curd may be eaten in a saucer with sugar. for rennet whey, cut a piece of dried rennet about two inches square, and wipe all the salt from the outside, but do not wash it. soak the bit of rennet for several hours (or all night) in a small tea-cup of lukewarm water. then pour the rennet water into the milk. for wine whey, boil a jill of sherry in a pint of milk, without stirring it. tapioca.--having washed in cold water three heaped table-spoonfuls of tapioca; drain it, put it into a clean quart bowl, pour on water enough to cover it well, and soak it four hours. then pour on as much more water, transfer the whole to a porcelain skillet, in the bottom of which you have laid the yellow peel of a fresh lemon, pared so thin as to be transparent, and boil the tapioca gently till it looks quite clear. then take out the lemon peel, and stir in sufficient loaf sugar to make it very sweet. if approved, flavor it with some madeira or sherry, and some grated nutmeg. tapioca may be boiled in plain milk, with no seasoning but the sugar to sweeten it. _sago._--pick and wash clean, in two cold waters, a half pint of sago. put it into a porcelain skillet, with the yellow rind of a lemon pared transparent. pour on it a quart of water, and let it all soak for two hours. then set it over the fire, and boil it, gently, till the lemon is all to pieces and nearly dissolved, and the sago looks clear. take out the lemon peel, and stir in, if permitted, some sherry wine, sugar, and grated nutmeg, and give it another boil. if the above seasoning is not allowed, boil the sago in milk only, or water only, till the liquid becomes thick and like a jelly. _sago pudding for an invalid._--boil three table-spoonfuls of _soaked_ sago in a pint of milk till quite soft. add gradually three ounces of white sugar, and set it away to cool. beat three eggs till thick and smooth, and stir them by degrees into the sago and milk. grate in some nutmeg, and bake the pudding in a deep dish. tapioca pudding is made in the same manner. sweetbreads for invalids.--cut open two fine fresh sweetbreads, and lay them in warm water till all the blood is discharged. then transfer them to a pan of cold water to blanch or whiten. stew them in the strained liquid of fresh oysters, till quite tender. when done, take out the sweetbreads, remove the gristle or pipe, and serve them up warm, having laid in the bottom of the dish a slice of nice toast that has been dipped for a minute in hot water. if permitted, the oysters may be cooked with the sweetbread, first removing the hard part. stewed smelts.--smelts are considered a delicate and nutritious fish for invalids. they are in season in winter, and early in the spring. choose them as large as you can find them. having drawn and cleaned them, cut off their heads and tails. put sufficient water to cover them in a small stew-pan, adding a very little powdered white sugar, and a few small sprigs of parsley, or sweet marjoram. when the water boils lay in the fish, and simmer them five minutes. then stir in a very little arrow root, mixed with a few drops of cold water, and let it stew ten minutes longer. serve up the stew in a small deep dish with a cover, and eat with it some very light bread-roll. it will be a pleasant change from the usual broths and infusions prepared for the sick. _a molasses supper._--make a thick slice of very nice toast, evenly browned on both sides, but not the least burnt. lay it in a pint bowl, and pour over it a small half pint of the best _west india_ molasses, having stirred into the molasses a heaped table-spoonful of ground ginger. mix the molasses with half a pint of hot water, and pour the whole over the toast. cover it with a plate for a few minutes, and eat it while warm, previous to going to bed. this is a wholesome strengthening palatable supper for an invalid, (as we know by experience) and may be continued as long as the patient continues to like it. it is always a good winter supper for children. the ginger must on no account be omitted. if the molasses has turned a little sour, stir in a salt-spoonful of soda. to prevent a jug of molasses from running over when kept in a warm place, pour out a little into another vessel, and leave the molasses jug uncorked for two days. then cork it tightly. miscellaneous receipts. tea.--no metal (not even silver,) is good for tea-pots. all tea should be made in china or queensware. wedgewood (whether black or white) imbibes much of the essence of the tea, and from constant use soon becomes unpleasant. britannia ware is exceedingly unwholesome for any sort of cooking, as one fourth of the composition is copper. block tin for a common tea-pot is less objectionable, and much cheaper. all tea-pots should, after using, be thoroughly emptied of the old leaves, and washed very clean in warm water, and set open in the sun and air for several hours. to make good tea, the tea itself, whether black or green, must be of excellent quality. there is no economy in buying that which is low-priced. green tea, if fresh and good, and not adulterated will look green in the cup, and have a fragrant odor. if it draws red, or brown, or blackish, it is old or mixed with something wrong. begin to make your tea about a quarter of an hour before it is wanted. scald the tea-pot (twice over) with boiling water. then put in the tea, allowing three heaping table-spoonfuls to each person, and a pint of water, actually boiling, when put in. cover it closely with the lid, and set it by the fire for ten or fifteen minutes to infuse. after the first cups have gone round, put some fresh tea into the pot, and pour on it some more boiling water, that the second cups may be as strong as the first, having time to infuse. weak tea for company is very mean. for those that like it so, have a small pot of water on the server. if the water is not boiling fast when poured on the tea, and is beginning to cool, the tea will be flat and insipid, and the leaves will float on the surface of the cups. there is then no remedy but to make some fresh. coffee.--to drink coffee in perfection, a sufficient quantity for breakfast should be roasted every morning, and ground hot, as it loses much of its strength by keeping even for a few hours. the best coffee roasters are iron cylinders, (standing on feet) with a door in one side, and a handle that turns the cylinder round towards the fire or from it, that the coffee may be equally done throughout. it must be roasted a bright brown color, and on no account black or burnt. when about half done, put in bits of fresh butter, allowing a table-spoonful to a pound of coffee. previous to roasting pick the coffee carefully, throwing away the defective grains, and the stones or sand. coffee should be ground while warm in a mill kept solely for that purpose, and fastened up against the kitchen wall. for boiled coffee allow four ounces of ground coffee (or a quarter of a pound) to a quart of water. when the water boils, stir in the coffee. give it one hard boil up. then set it farther from the fire, and simmer it for ten minutes, adding the white of an egg, (including the egg shell,) or a small strip of isinglass. pour out a large cup of the coffee, and then (holding it high above the coffee-pot,) pour it back again. repeat this till wanted, and then set the coffee-pot beside the fire, (but not over it.) for company, allow six ounces of coffee to a quart of water. keep the lid always on, but if when boiling hard it rises and seems inclined to run over, remove it instantly from the fire and set it back. cream is indispensable to first-rate coffee; if not to be obtained sweet, substitute rich milk boiling hot. on no consideration fill up the coffee-pot with water. a percolator (to be had at the best tin stores) makes excellent coffee without boiling, if properly managed. chocolate.--there is no plain chocolate better than baker's prepared cacao, and none has so much of the true chocolate flavor. the foreign chocolate is generally mixed with sugar, spice, and milk. it cannot be made thick and strong, and therefore to many tastes is not agreeable. to make a pint (or two large cupfuls of chocolate,) scrape down two ounces on a plate, and moisten the chocolate with a jill of water, rubbing it on the plate till quite smooth. then boil it five minutes, and add a small pint of water. when it has been well stirred with a wooden spoon, and has come again to a boil, serve it as hot as possible, accompanied by a saucer of fine loaf sugar, and a small jug of rich hot cream and a plate of nice dry toast, or some milk biscuits or sponge cake. milled chocolate is made with rich unskimmed milk instead of water. the chocolate mill is a deep pot, belonging to which is a stick with a broad wheel-shaped bottom, the other end coming up through a hole in the lid. take this between your hands, and turn it round fast till the chocolate is finely frothed. then transfer it to large cups. chocolate, after it becomes cold, is unfit to drink. but if made with milk, you can convert what is left into a custard or pudding, with the addition of more sugar and some beaten egg. the low-priced chocolate is both unpalatable and unwholesome, being adulterated with animal fat or lard, and made with _old_ cacao beans. milk toast.--to a pint of nice rich milk allow a quarter of a pound of excellent _fresh_ butter. boil the milk, and as soon as it boils take it off, and stir in the butter cut into pieces. when the butter has melted, give it another boil up have ready a deep plate with four rather thick slices of bread, nicely and evenly toasted on both sides. pour the milk hot over the toast, and keep it covered till it goes to the breakfast table. send a spoon with it. bread should always be toasted by a long-handled fork, such as are made for the purpose. they cost but twenty-five cents, and no kitchen should be without one. buttered toast.--cut even slices of bread all of the same thickness, and pare off the whole of the crust. with a long-handled toasting fork toast it evenly on both sides, taking care that no part of it is burnt or blackened. butter the slices hot, as you take them off the fork, (using none but nice fresh butter) and lay them evenly on a heated plate. cover them till they go to table. all toast prepared for cookery, (to lay in the bottom of dishes,) should have the crust pared off, and be dipped in hot water after toasting. raspberry vinegar.--take a gallon of fine ripe raspberries. put them into a large deep earthen pan, and mash them well with a wooden beetle. then pour them with all their juice into a large and very clean linen bag, and squeeze and press out their liquid into a vessel beneath. measure it, and to each pint of juice allow half a pint of the best and clearest cider vinegar, and half a pound of fine loaf sugar, powdered. first mix the juice and the vinegar, and give them a boil in a porcelain kettle. then stir in the sugar, gradually, adding to every two pounds of sugar a beaten white of egg. boil and skim till the scum ceases to rise. when it is done, bottle it cold, cork it tightly, and seal the corks. to use it, pour out half a tumbler of raspberry vinegar, and fill up with ice water. it is a pleasant and cooling beverage in warm weather, and for invalids who are feverish. mixed with hot water, and taken at bed-time, it is good for a cold. _strawberry vinegar_--is made in the above manner, carefully hulling them. the strawberries must be of the finest kind, and fully ripe. these vinegars are made with much less trouble than the usual way; and are quite as good, if not better. macaroni.--in buying macaroni, choose that of a large pipe; see that it is clean and white and that it has not been touched by insects. half a pound makes one dish. if _soaked_ before boiling it is apt to dissolve or go to pieces, but wash and drain it through cold water in a sieve. have over the fire a large pan of boiling water, in which has been melted a piece of fresh butter the size of an egg. if boiled steadily, it will be quite tender in less than an hour; but do not boil it so long that the pipes break up and lose their shape. having drained it well through a clean sieve, transfer it to a deep dish, dividing it into four layers, having first cut it into even lengths of two or three inches. between the layers place on it seasoning of grated cheese of the very best quality, and bits of fresh butter, with some powdered mace. on the top layer, add to the covering of cheese and butter sufficient bread-crumbs to form a slight crust all over the surface. brown it with a salamander or a red hot shovel. or (omitting the cheese) you may dress it with rich gravy of roast meat. _for sweet macaroni._--having boiled it in milk instead of water, drain it, and mix with it powdered mace and nutmeg, with butter, sugar, and rose or peach-water. macaroni (like vermicelli) has in itself no taste, but is only made palatable by the manner of dressing it. good soup is rather weakened than improved by the addition of macaroni. common omelet.--beat five eggs till very light and thick. stir gradually into the pan of eggs four table-spoonfuls of sifted flour. thin the batter with a large tea-cup of milk. take a yeast powder; dissolve the soda (from the blue paper) in a small quantity of tepid or lukewarm water, and stir it into the batter. in another cup melt the tartaric acid, (from the white paper;) stir that into the mixture, and stir the whole very hard. have ready in a frying-pan a large portion of lard, boiling hot. put in the omelet mixture, and fry it well. when one side is done turn it, and fry the other. to flavor this omelet, mix gradually into the batter either grated ham or smoked tongue; minced oysters; minced onion; mixed with sweet marjoram, or else some mushrooms chopped very fine. _for a sweet omelet_, add to the above batter powdered sugar, nutmeg, mace, and powdered cinnamon. the custom is now to dish omelets without folding them over, it being found that folding renders them heavy. spread them out at full length on a very hot dish. the batter for omelets should always be made in sufficient quantity to allow them very thick. there is no use in attempting to flavor an omelet, or any thing else, with marmalade or lemon, if you put in soda. the alkalies destroy the taste of every sort of fruit. a plain potato pudding.--having pared a pound of fine large potatos, put them into a pot, cover them well with cold water, and boil them gently till tender all through. when done, lay each potato (one at a time,) in a clean warm napkin, and press and wring it till all the moisture is squeezed out, and the potato becomes a round, dry lump. mince as fine as possible a quarter of a pound of fresh beef suet, (divested of skin, and strings.) crumble the potato, and mix it well with the suet, adding a small salt-spoon of salt. add sufficient milk to make a thick batter, and beat it well. dip a strong square cloth in hot water, shake it out, and dredge it well with flour. tie the pudding in, leaving room for it to swell, and put it into a large pot of hot water and boil it steady for an hour. this is a good and economical family pudding. ellen clark's pudding.--slice, rather thick, some fresh bread. pare off all the crust. butter the bread on both sides, and lay it in a deep dish. fill up with molasses very profusely, having first seasoned the molasses with ginger, ground cinnamon, and powdered mace or nutmeg. it will be much improved by adding the grated yellow rind and the juice of a large lemon or orange. bake it till brown all over the top, and till the bread and butter has absorbed the molasses; taking care not to let it burn. arrow-root biscuit.--mix in a pan half a pint of arrow-root, and half a pint of sifted wheat flour. cut up a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and rub it into the pan of flour, crumbling the bits of butter so small as to be scarcely visible. mix a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar, and wet it with a beaten egg. add gradually a very little cream, just enough to make it into a stiff dough. flavor it with the grated yellow rind and juice of a lemon, and half a nutmeg grated. roll out the dough into thin sheets, and cut it out into biscuits with the edge of a tumbler. prick every biscuit all over with a fork. lay them in square pans slightly floured, and bake them immediately. they will be improved by adding (at the last of the mixture) a table-spoonful of the best rose-water. if rose-water is put into cakes _early_ in the mixing, much of its strength will evaporate before baking. it should always be deferred to the last. these are very nice tea biscuits. ontario cake.--take a pint and a half (or three large breakfast cups,) of sifted flour, and the same quantity of powdered white sugar, and half a pint of milk; a quarter of a pint or half a cup of the best fresh butter, and the grated yellow rind and juice of a large lemon. have ready four well-beaten eggs, and two table-spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast. cut up the butter into the pan of flour. add the milk and sugar gradually, and then the beaten egg, and then the lemon; next the yeast. stir the whole very well, and set it to rise in a buttered pan. place it near the fire, and cover it with a clean flannel or a double cloth. when it has risen and is quite light, and is cracked all over the surface, transfer it to a square baking pan, put it immediately into the oven, and bake it well. when cool, either ice it or sift white sugar over it, and cut it into squares. or, you may bake it in a round loaf, or in small round cakes. new-year's cake.--stir together a pound of nice fresh butter, and a pound of powdered white sugar, till they become a light thick cream. then stir in, gradually, three pounds of sifted flour. add, by degrees, a tea-spoonful of soda dissolved in a small tea-cup of milk, and then a half salt-spoonful of tartaric acid, melted in a large table-spoonful of warm water. then mix in, gradually, three table-spoonfuls of fine carraway seeds. roll out the dough into sheets half an inch thick, and cut it with a jagging iron into oval or oblong cakes, pricked with a fork. bake them immediately in shallow iron pans, slightly greased with fresh butter. the bakers in new york ornament these cakes, with devices or pictures raised by a wooden stamp. they are good plain cakes for children. good yeast.--take two handfuls of hops. the best hops have a fresh light green color, and a pleasant, lively smell. pour on them two quarts of boiling water, and let them boil five minutes after they have come to a boil; not longer, for it makes them bitter. then strain the liquid into a pan, and add a table-spoonful of brown sugar and one of salt. when lukewarm, stir in flour enough to make a thick batter. add a jill and a half of fresh baker's yeast. set it in a warm place till it begins to ferment; then keep it in the cellar well corked. this yeast will continue good two weeks. when you open the jug to take out some yeast, put in always a table-spoonful of flour before you cork it up again. a stone jug or pitcher is a good vessel for yeast. wash it very clean in hot water, always before you put in fresh yeast, and then rinse the jug with water in which a spoonful of pearlash has been melted, letting the pearlash water remain in it five or six minutes, and shaking it round hard. then rinse it with plain cold water. all vessels that have contained acids should have pearlash or soda in the rinsing water, and then be finished with plain water. never clean a bottle by rinsing it with shot. the lead is poisonous, and has caused death. some bits of raw potato chopped, and put in the water, will clean the inside of bottles or jugs, and brighten decanters. yeast powders.--get two ounces of bicarbonate of soda, and one ounce of tartaric acid. divide the soda into equal portions, about a level tea-spoonful in each, and the tartaric acid into level salt-spoonfuls. by _level_ we mean that the article is not to be heaped in the least, not rising above the edge of the spoon. cut some papers of regular and sufficient size, and fold them nicely. put the soda into white papers, and the tartaric acid into blue papers. place an equal number of each in a little square or oblong box, standing up the papers on their folded edges. dissolve them in two separate cups, in as much tepid water as will cover the powder. they must be entirely melted before using. stir in the soda at the beginning, and the tartaric acid at the conclusion of the batter or cake mixture. we do not approve of the introduction of these substances into cakes. they give a sort of factitious lightness very different from that honestly produced by a liberal allowance of egg and butter, genuine yeast, and good beating and stirring--but they destroy the taste of the seasoning, and are certain destruction to the taste of lemon, orange, strawberry, pine-apple, and every kind of fruit flavoring. the justly celebrated mrs. goodfellow never used any of them in her school, and the articles made there by her pupils, (of whom the author was one) were such as no money can purchase in the present times. any confectioner who would _faithfully_ revive them could make a fortune by doing so. the present introduction of hartshorn into bread and cakes is an abomination, rendering the articles equally unpalatable and unwholesome. cannot the use of hartshorn in food be put down? which of our _american_ doctors will write a book on "culinary poisons." vinegar.--mix together in a clean keg three gallons of clear rain water, (that has been caught in a clean tub without running over the roof of a house,) one quart of _west india_ molasses, and one pint of baker's yeast. cover it, and set it in a warm place where it will be exposed to the summer sun. remember to shake the cask every day. in three months it will be excellent vinegar. then transfer it to stone jugs, and keep it closely corked. begin it in may. so much of the vinegar sold in stores is concocted of pernicious drugs, that we recommend all families to make their own, or to buy it from a cider farmer. good cider, set in the sun, will after a while become good vinegar. what is shamefully called the best white wine vinegar is frequently a slow poison, as may be known by its action upon oysters, pickles, &c. it is quite clear and well to look at. its taste is very sharp and pungent, as to overpower and render every thing that is with it painfully sour, and it has a singular and disagreeable smell when boiling. oysters cooked with this vinegar go immediately into rags, and are soon entirely eaten up, or dissolved into a thin whitish liquid, fit for nothing but to throw away. pickles the same. a punishment should be provided by law for persons who manufacture and sell these deleterious compounds, of which we have now so many, that it would indeed be well if we could make at home, as far as possible, every thing we eat and drink. pink champagne--(_domestic._)--pick from the stems three quarts of fine ripe red currants, and mix with them three quarts of ripe white currants. bruise them all. put nine pounds of loaf sugar to melt in three gallons of very clear soft water. boil the water and sugar together for half an hour, skimming carefully, and pour the liquid boiling hot over the currants. when it is nearly cold, add a small tea-cupful of excellent strong fresh yeast. let it ferment for two days, and then strain it into a small cask through a very clean hair sieve. put into the cask half an ounce of finely-chipped isinglass. have rather more liquor than will fill the cask at first, and keep it to fill up as it works over. in about a fortnight bung it up. let it remain in the cask till april. then transfer it to bottles, (putting into each a lump of double-refined loaf sugar,) and letting them remain one day uncorked. then cork and wire them. they must stand upright in the cellar; but when likely to be wanted, lay a few of them on their sides for a week. sherry cobbler.--lay in the bottom of a large tumbler, two table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar, and squeeze over it (through a strainer) the juice of a large lemon that has been softened by rolling under your hand. then half fill the tumbler with ice, broken very small. add a large glass of very good sherry wine. take another tumbler, and pour the liquid back and forward from glass to glass, till completely mixed without stirring. sip it through a clean straw, or one of the tubes made on purpose. mint julep.--cut two or three round slices from a fine ripe pine-apple that has been pared; and take out the core or hard part from the centre of each slice. a still better way is to split down the pine-apple into four pieces, and grate two of the quarters with a coarse grater, standing it upright while doing so. put it into a large tumbler, and cover the fruit with two or three heaped table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar. add a large glass of the best brandy, and pour on cold water till the tumbler is two-thirds full. then put in a thick layer of finely broken ice, till it almost reaches the top. finish by sticking in a full bunch of fresh green mint in handsome sprigs, that rise far above one side of the tumbler; and at the other side place a clean straw, or one of the tubes used for the same purpose. carolina punch.--mix together a tumbler of peach brandy and a tumbler of water, the juice of two lemons, the yellow rinds of four, pared to transparent thinness, and four large juicy free-stone peaches cut in half, and the kernels of their stones blanched and broken up. if you cannot obtain peaches, quarter and grate down a ripe pine-apple. let all these ingredients infuse with a quart of jamaica spirits in a bowl for two days before the punch is wanted. keep it carefully covered with a cloth. then pour on sufficient cold water to make the punch of the desired strength; and strain the liquid into another bowl, and put in a large lump of ice. serve it out in small glasses. nectar.--take two pounds of _the best_ raisins, seeded and chopped; the grated yellow rind and the juice of four fine lemons, and two pounds of loaf sugar, powdered. put the sugar into a large porcelain kettle, and melt it in a gallon of water. boil and skim it for half an hour, and while it is boiling hard, put in by degrees the raisins and lemons. continue the boiling about ten minutes. put the mixture into a stoneware crock, and cover it closely. let it stand three days, stirring it down to the bottom twice every day. then strain it through a linen bag, and bottle it, sealing the corks. it will be fit for use in a fortnight. take it in wine-glasses, with a bit of ice in each. this is a nice temperance drink. chocolate caramel.--take half a pint of rich milk, and put it to boil in a porcelain kettle; scrape down a square and a half of baker's chocolate, put it into a very clean tin cup, and set on the top of a stove till it becomes soft. let the milk boil up _twice_. then add, gradually, the chocolate, and stir both over the fire till thoroughly mixed and free from lumps. stir in a half pint of the best white sugar powdered, and half a jill (or four large table-spoonfuls,) of molasses. let the whole boil fast and constantly (so as to bubble,) for at least one hour or more, till it is nearly as stiff as good mush. when all is done add a small tea-spoonful of essence of vanilla, and transfer the mixture to shallow tin pans, slightly greased with very nice sweet oil. set it on ice, or in a very cool place, and while yet soft mark it deeply in squares with a very sharp knife. when quite hard, cut the squares apart. if it does not harden well it has not been boiled long enough, or fast enough. eggs to boil.--the water must be boiling fast when the eggs are put in. first wipe them clean all over, with a wet cloth. it is true that the shells are never eaten, but still, if brought to table dirty and discolored, they look slovenly, disgusting, and vulgar, such as are never seen in good houses. put them into water that is boiling fast; and if desired very soft, four minutes will be sufficient. six or eight minutes will barely set the whites and yolks, and ten or twelve minutes (in water that is really boiling,) will render them hard enough for salad. in the egg-boilers that are set on the table no egg will ever boil hard, as the water cools too soon. a _stale_ egg never boils hard. except in the spring, and late in the winter, there is often much difficulty in obtaining good eggs, unless you have fowls of your own. if an egg is really fresh, when held up against the light, the yolk looks round and compact and the white clear and transparent; you may then trust it. but if the yolk is thick, broken, and mixed among the white, and the white is cloudy and muddled, it is certainly bad, and should be thrown away. when tried in a pan of cold water the freshest will sink, and the stale ones float on the surface. it requires strong brine to bear up a good egg. eggs may be preserved for keeping a few months, by putting every one in fast boiling water for _one minute_. then grease them all over the outside with good melted fat, and wedge down close together (layer above layer,) in a box of powdered charcoal. this preserves them for a sea voyage of several weeks. the charcoal box must be kept closely covered, and closed immediately whenever opened. pack the eggs with the small end downwards. poached eggs.--see that the eggs are quite fresh. pour from a kettle of boiling water enough to fill a broad shallow stew-pan. break the eggs into a saucer, (one at a time,) slip them carefully into the hot water, and let them stand in it till the whites are set. then put the pan over a moderate fire; and, as soon as the water boils again, the eggs are ready. the whites should be firm, and the yolks should appear in the centre looking yellow through a thin transparent coating of the white. take them out carefully (one by one,) with an egg-slice. have ready, for each egg, a nice slice of toast of a light brown or yellow all over. trim off all the crust, and dip the toast for a minute in hot water. then butter it _slightly_ with fresh butter. trim off neatly the ragged and discolored white from the edge of each egg. lay a poached egg in the middle of every toast, and serve them up warm. instead of toast, you may lay beneath every egg a thin slice of ham, that has been soaked, and nicely broiled and trimmed. or, large thin slices from the breast of a cold roast turkey, or cold fillet of roast pork or veal. these are nice breakfast dishes. _scrambled eggs._--make a mixture as for an omelet, but instead of frying put it into a sauce-pan, and when it has boiled five minutes take it off, and chop and mix all the ingredients into confusion. serve it up hot in a deep dish. it is eaten at breakfast, and is by many preferred to a fried omelet. you may season it with grated ham, tongue, or sweet herbs. egg-nogg.--beat, till very light and thick, the yolks only of six eggs. stir the eggs, gradually, into a quart of rich unskimmed milk, and add half a pound of powdered loaf sugar, a half pint of brandy, and a grated nutmeg. next beat three whites of the eggs by themselves, and stir them quickly into the mixture. divide it into two pitchers, and pour it back and forward from one pitcher to the other till it has a fine froth. then serve it in a large china bowl, with a silver ladle in it, and distribute it in glasses with handles. _to beat eggs._--for beating eggs have a broad shallow earthen pan. if beaten in tin, the coldness of the metal retards their lightness; for the same reason, hickory rods are better than tin wire. beat with a short quick stroke, holding the egg rods in your right hand close to your side, and do not exert your elbow, or use your arm violently with a hard sweeping stroke; of this there is no necessity. if beaten in a proper manner, (moving your hand _only_ at the wrist) the eggs will be light long before you are fatigued. but you must continue beating till after the froth has subsided, and the pan of eggs presents a smooth thick surface, like a nice boiled custard. white of egg is done if it stands stiff alone, and will not fall from the beater when held upon it. butter and sugar should always be stirred with a strong hickory spaddle, which resembles a short mush stick, rather broad and flattened at one end. bran muffins.--take three quarts of bran, (unbolted wheat flour) and sift it into a large pan. warm three half pints of rich milk, mixing with it half a common tumbler of _west india_ molasses. cut up in the warm milk and molasses two ounces or two large heaped table-spoonfuls of fresh butter, and stir it about till well mixed all through. then stir all the liquid into the flour. beat in a shallow pan three eggs till very thick and light, and then stir them gradually into the pan of flour, &c. lastly, add two table-spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast. cover the mixture and set it to rise. when risen very light heat a griddle on the oven of a stove, set muffin rings upon it, fill the rings nearly to the top, and bake the muffins. send them to table hot, pull them open with your fingers, and butter them. they will be much liked if properly made and baked. cottage cheese.--this is a good way of using up a pan of milk that is found to be turning sour. or you may turn it, on purpose, by stirring in a spoonful of cider vinegar. having covered it, set it in a warm place till it becomes a curd. then pour off the liquid, and tie up the curd in a clean linen bag with a pointed end, and set a bowl under it to catch the droppings; but do not squeeze it. after it has drained ten or twelve hours, transfer the curd to a deep dish, enrich it with some cream, and press and chop it with a large spoon till it is a soft mass; adding, as you proceed, an ounce or more of nice fresh butter. then set it on ice till tea-time. french ham pie.--having soaked, boiled, and skinned a small ham of the best quality, and taken out the bone, trim it into a handsome oval shape. of the trimmings make a rich gravy by stewing them in a sauce-pan with a little water, and four pigs feet, (split up.) have ready a plentiful sufficiency of nice forcemeat made of cold roast chicken or veal, minced suet, and grated bread-crumbs, butter, minced sweet marjoram or tarragon, and some hard-boiled yolk of egg crumbled. have ready, prepared, a very nice puff paste; line with it the bottom and sides of a large deep dish, and lay in it the oval ham, filling up at the corners and all round with the forcemeat, and spreading a layer of it on the top. pour on gravy to moisten the whole, and put on the paste intended for the lid. notch the edges handsomely, and stick a flower or tulip of paste in the cross slit at the top, and place a wreath of paste leaves all round. bake it light brown, and eat it warm or cold. it is a fine dish for a dinner or supper party, or for a handsome luncheon or breakfast. _a tongue pie_--is made in a similar manner of a boiled smoked tongue, peeled and trimmed, and filled in with forcemeat. for a large company have _two_ tongue pies, as it will be much liked, if made as above. fig pudding.--take a pint of very ripe figs, (peeled,) cut them up and mash them smooth with the grated yellow rind of a large ripe lemon or orange, and the juice of two. mix together a large spoonful of fresh butter, and two table-spoonfuls of sugar, and stir the whole very hard. bake it in a deep dish, and eat it fresh, but not warm. grate sugar over the surface. when _ripe_ figs can be obtained, this pudding is much liked. poke plant.--early in the spring, the young green stalks of the pokeberry plant, (when they are still mild and tender, and have not yet acquired a reddish tinge or a strong unpleasant taste,) are generally much liked as a vegetable, and are by many persons considered equal to asparagus. they are brought in bundles to philadelphia market. wash and drain them, and put them on to boil in a pot of cold water. when _quite tender_ all through they are done. dish them in the manner of asparagus, laid on a toast dipped for a minute in hot water, and then buttered. you may pour a very little drawn or melted butter over the poke. rhubarb tarts.--take large fresh stalks of the rapontica plant, such as are full-grown and reddish. peel off the thin skin, and cut them into bits all of the same size, either one inch or two inches long. wash them in cold water through a cullender, (but do not drain them much,) and put them into a stew-pan without any more water. mix with them plenty of good sugar, in the proportion of half a pound of sugar to a pint of cut-up rhubarb stalks. cover it, and stew it slowly till quite soft. then mash it into a smooth mass. have some puff-paste shells baked empty; and when cool, fill them to the top, and grate nutmeg and powdered sugar thickly over them. the juice and grated yellow rind of a lemon (added when the rhubarb is half stewed,) will be a pleasant flavoring. this is sometimes called "spring-fruit" and "pie-plant." it comes earlier, but is by no means so good as gooseberries. we do not think it worth preserving, or making into a sweetmeat. vol-au-vent.--have ready a large quantity of the best and lightest puff paste. roll it an inch thick, and then cut it neatly into shapes, either square or circular. bake every one separately on a flat tin pan, cutting a round hole in the centre of each, and fitting in pieces of stale bread to keep the holes open while baking. the cakes of paste should diminish in size as they ascend to the top, but the holes should all be of exactly the same dimensions. the lower cake, which goes at the bottom, should be solid and not perforated at all. the small cake which finishes the top of the pyramid must also be left solid, for a lid. when all the cakes are baked and risen high, (as good puff-paste always does) take them carefully off the baking plates; remove the bread that has kept the centres open and in shape; brush over every cake, separately, with beaten white of egg, and pile one upon another nicely and evenly so as to form a pyramid. have ready a very nice stew of oysters or game cut small, and cooked with cream, &c. fill the pyramid with this, and then put on the top or lid, which may terminate in a flower of baked paste. _a sweet vol-au-vent_--may be filled with small preserves, or with ripe strawberries or raspberries, made very sweet. vol-au-vents are for dinner, or supper parties. the paste should be peculiarly light. the name _vol-au-vent_ signifies, in french, something that will fly away in the wind; which, however, it never does. a soufflÃ� pudding.--take eight rusks, or soft sugar-biscuits, or plain buns. lay them in a large deep dish, and pour on a pint of milk, sufficient to soak them thoroughly. cover the dish, and let them stand undisturbed for about an hour and a half before dinner. in the mean time, boil half a pint of milk in a small sauce-pan with a handful of bitter almonds or peach kernels broken small, or a small bunch of fresh peach-leaves, with two large sticks of cinnamon, broken up. boil this milk slowly, (keeping it covered,) and when it tastes strongly of the flavoring articles, strain it, and set it away to cool. when cold, mix it into another pint of milk, and stir in a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar. beat eight eggs very light, and add them gradually to the milk, so as to make a rich custard. after dinner has commenced, beat and stir the soaked rusk very hard till it becomes a smooth mass, and then, by degrees, add to it the custard. stir the whole till thoroughly amalgamated. set the dish into a brisk oven, and bake the pudding rather more than ten minutes. the yeast, &c., in the rusk, will cause it to puff up very light. when done, send it to table warm, with white sugar sifted over it. you may serve up with it as sauce sweetened thick cream flavored with rose-water, and grated nutmeg, or powdered loaf sugar and fresh butter stirred together in equal portions, and seasoned with lemon or nutmeg. iced plum pudding.--take two dozen sweet and half a dozen bitter almonds. blanch them in scalding water, and then throw them into a bowl of cold water. pound them one at a time in a mortar, till they become a smooth paste, free from the smallest lumps. as you proceed, add frequently a few drops of rose-water or lemon juice to make them light, and prevent their oiling. seed and cut in half a quarter of a pound of the best bloom raisins. mix with them a quarter of a pound of zante currants, picked, washed, and dried; and add to the raisins and currants three ounces of citron, chopped. mix the citron with the raisins and currants, and dredge them all with flour to prevent their sinking or clodding. take a half pint of very rich milk; split a vanilla bean, and cut it into pieces two or three inches long, and boil it in the milk till the flavor of the vanilla is well extracted; then strain it out, and mix the vanilla milk with a pint of rich cream, and stir in, gradually, a half pound of powdered loaf sugar, and a nutmeg grated. then add the pounded almonds, and a large wine-glass of either marasquino, noyau, curaçoa, or the very best brandy. beat, in a shallow pan, the yolks of eight eggs till very light, thick, and smooth, and stir them gradually into the mixture. simmer it over the fire, (stirring it all the time,) but take it off just as it is about to come to a boil, otherwise it will curdle. then, while the mixture is hot, stir in the raisins, currants, and citron. set it to cool, and then add a large tea-cupful of preserved strawberries or raspberries, half a dozen preserved apricots or peaches; half a dozen preserved green limes; and any other very nice and delicate sweetmeats. then whip to a stiff froth another pint of cream, and add it lightly to the mixture. put the whole into a large melon-mould that opens in the middle, and freeze it in the usual way. it will take four hours to freeze it well. do not turn it out till just before it is wanted. then send it to table on a glass dish. it will be found delicious. iced puddings are now considered indispensable on fashionable supper tables or at dinner parties. there is no flour in this pudding. the freezing will keep it together. rennets.--milk turned into a curd with wine is by no means so good as that which is done with rennet-water alone. the curd and whey do not separate so completely; the curd is less firm, and the whey less clear; the latter being thick and white, instead of thin and greenish, as it ought to be. neither is it so light and wholesome as when turned with rennet. rennets of the best quality can be had at all seasons in the philadelphia market; particularly in the lower part, called the jersey market. they are sold at twelve, eighteen, or twenty-five cents, according to their size, and will keep a year or two; but have most strength when fresh. you may prepare excellent rennets yourself at a very trifling expense, by previously bespeaking them of a veal butcher; a rennet being the stomach of a calf. its form is a bag. as soon as you get the rennet, empty out all its contents, and wipe it very clean, inside and out; then rince it with cold water, but do not wash it much, as washing will weaken its power of turning milk into curd. when you have made it quite clean, lay the rennet in a broad pan, strew it over on both sides with plenty of fine salt; cover it, and let it rest five days. when you take it out of the pan, do not wipe or wash it, for it must be stretched and dried with the salt on. for this purpose hold it open like a bag, and slip within it a long, thick, smooth rod, bent into the form of a large loop wide at the top, and so narrow at the bottom as to meet together. stretch the rennet tightly and smoothly over this bent rod, on which it will be double, and when you have brought the two ends of the rod together at the bottom, and tied them fast, the form will somewhat resemble that of a boy's kite. hang it up in a dry place, and cut out a bit as you want it. a piece about two inches square will turn one quart of milk; a piece of four inches, two quarts. having first washed off all the salt in several cold waters, and wiped the bit of rennet dry, pour on it sufficient _lukewarm_ water to cover it well. let it stand several hours; then pour the rennet-water into the milk you intend for the curd, and set it in a warm place. when the curd is entirely formed, set the vessel on ice. rennet may be used with good effect before it has _quite_ dried. an easy way of making butter in winter.--the following will be found an excellent method of making butter in cold weather for family use. we recommend its trial. take, in the morning, the unskimmed milk of the preceding evening, (after it has stood all night in a _tin_ pan,) and set it over a furnace of hot coals, or in a stove; being careful not to disturb the cream that has risen to the surface. let it remain over the fire till it simmers, and begins to bubble round the edges; but on no account let it come to a boil. then take the pan carefully off, (without disturbing the cream) and carry it to a cool place, but not where it is cold enough to freeze. in the evening take a spoon, and loosen the cream round the sides of the pan. if very rich, it will be almost a solid cake. slip off the sheet of cream into another and larger pan, letting as little milk go with it as possible. cover it, and set it away. repeat the process for several days, till you have thus collected a sufficiency of clotted cream to fill the pan. then scald a wooden ladle, and beat the cream hard with it during ten minutes. you will then have excellent butter. take it out of the pan, lay it on a flat dish, and with the ladle squeeze and press it hard, till all the buttermilk is entirely extracted and drained off. then wash the butter in cold water, and work a very little salt into it. set it away in a cool place for three hours. then squeeze and press it again; also washing it a second time in cold water. make it up into pats, and keep it in a cool place. the unskimmed morning's milk, of course, may also be used for this purpose, after it has stood twelve hours. the simmering over the fire adds greatly to the quantity of cream, by throwing all the oily part of the milk to the surface; but if allowed to boil, this oleaginous matter will again descend, and mix with the rest, so as not to be separated. this is the usual method of making winter butter in the south of england; and it is very customary in the british provinces of america. try it. sweet potato pone.--stir together till very light and white, three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, and three quarters of a pound of powdered white sugar, adding two table-spoonfuls of ginger. grate a pound and a half of sweet potato. beat eight eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the butter and sugar, in turn with the grated sweet potato. dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus or soda in a jill of sour milk, and stir it in at the last, beating the whole very hard. butter the inside of a tin pan. put in the mixture, and bake it four hours or more. it should be eaten fresh, cut into slices. rice bread.--to a pint of well boiled rice add half a pint of wheat flour, mixing them well together. take six eggs, and beat the whites and yolks separately. having beaten the whites to a stiff froth, mix them gradually with a pint of rich milk, and two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter, softened at the fire. mix, by degrees, the yolks of the eggs with the rice and flour. then add the white-of-egg mixture, a little at a time. stir the whole very hard. put it into a buttered tin pan with straight or upright sides. set it in a moderate oven, and bake it an hour or more. then turn it out of the pan, put it on a dish, and send it warm to the breakfast table, and eat it with butter. this cake may be baked, by setting the pan that contains it into an iron dutch-oven, placed over hot coals. heat the lid of the oven on the inside, by standing it up before the fire while the rice-bread is preparing; and, after you put it on, keep the lid covered with hot coals. rice-bread may be made of ground rice flour, instead of whole rice. rice flour bread.--sift into a pan a pint and a half of rice flour, and a pint and a half of fine wheat flour. add two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter or lard, and mix in a pint and a half of milk. beat four eggs very light; then stir them gradually into the mixture. when the whole has been well mixed, add, at the last, a small tea-spoonful of soda or saleratus, dissolved in as much warm water as will cover it. put the whole into a buttered tin pan, set it immediately into a quick oven, and bake it well. it is best when eaten fresh. slice and butter it. rice flour batter cakes.--melt a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, or lard, in a quart of milk; but be careful not to let it begin to boil. divide the milk equally, by putting it into two pans. beat three eggs very light, and stir them into one half of the milk with the addition of a large table-spoonful of wheat flour. stir in as much ground rice flour as will make a thick batter. then put in a _small_ tea-cupful of strong fresh yeast, and thin the batter with the remainder of the milk. cover it, and set it to rise. when it has risen high, and is covered with bubbles, bake it on a griddle in the manner of buckwheat cakes. send them to table hot, and butter them. similar cakes may be made with indian meal instead of rice flour. ground-nut macaroons.--take a sufficiency of ground-nuts, or pea-nuts, that have been roasted in an iron pot over the fire; remove the shells, and weigh a pound of the nuts. put them into a pan of cold water, and wash off the skins. have ready some beaten white of egg. pound the ground-nuts (two or three at a time,) in a marble mortar, adding frequently a little cold water to prevent their oiling. they must be pounded to a smooth light paste; and, as you proceed, remove the paste to a saucer or a plate. beat, to a stiff froth, the whites of four eggs, and then beat into it gradually a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace and nutmeg mixed. then stir in, by degrees, the pounded ground-nuts, till the mixture becomes very thick. flour your hands, and roll between them portions of the mixture, forming each portion into a little ball. lay sheets of white paper on flat baking tins, and place on them the macaroons at equal distances, flattening them all a little, so as to press down the balls into cakes. then sift powdered sugar over each. place them in a brisk oven, with more heat at the top than in the bottom. bake them brown. almond macaroons may be made as above, mixing one quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds, with three quarters of shelled sweet almonds. for almond macaroons, instead of flouring your hands, you may dip them in cold water; and when the macaroons are formed on the papers, go slightly over every one with your fingers wet with cold water. macaroons may be made, also, of grated cocoa-nut mixed with beaten white of egg and powdered sugar. columbian pudding.--tie up closely in a bit of very thin muslin a split vanilla bean, cut into pieces, and a broken-up stick of cinnamon. put this bag, with its contents, into half a pint of rich milk, and boil it a long time till very highly flavored. then take out the bag; set the milk near the fire to keep warm in the pan in which it was boiled, covering it closely. slice thin a pound of almond sponge cake, and lay it in a deep dish. pour over it a quart of rich cream, with which you must mix the vanilla-flavored milk, and leave the cake to dissolve in it. blanch, in scalding water, two ounces of shelled bitter almonds or peach kernels, and pound them (one at a time,) to a smooth paste in a marble mortar, pouring on each a few drops of rose-water or peach-water to prevent their oiling. when the almonds are done, set them away in a cold place till wanted. beat eight eggs till very light and thick; and having stirred together hard the dissolved cake and the cream, add them gradually to the mixture in turn with the almond, and half a pound of powdered loaf sugar, a little at a time of each. butter a deep dish, and put in the mixture. set the pudding into a brisk oven and bake it well. have ready a star nicely cut out of a large piece of candied citron, a number of small stars, all of equal size, as many as there are states in the union, and a sufficiency of rays or long strips also cut out of citron. the rays should be wide at the bottom and run to a point at the top. as soon as the pudding comes out of the oven, while it is smoking, arrange these decorations. put the large star in the centre, then the rays so that they will diverge from it, narrowing off towards the edge of the pudding. near the edge place the small stars in a circle. preserved citron-melon will be still better for this purpose than the dry candied citron. this is a very fine pudding; suitable for a dinner party, or a fourth of july dinner. a washington pudding.--pick, and wash clean half a pound of zante currants; drain them, and wipe them in a towel, and then spread them out on a flat dish, and place them before the fire to dry thoroughly. prepare about a quarter of a pound or half a pint of finely-grated bread-crumbs. have ready a heaping tea-spoonful of powdered mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg mixed. when the currants are dry, dredge them thickly on all sides with flour, to prevent their sinking or clodding in the pudding while baking. cut up in a deep pan half a pound of the best fresh butter, and add to it half a pound of fine white sugar, powdered. stir the butter and sugar together with a wooden spaddle, till they are very light and creamy. then add a table-spoonful of wine, and a table-spoonful of brandy. beat in a shallow pan, eight eggs till perfectly light, and as thick as a good boiled custard. afterwards, mix with them, gradually, a pint of rich milk and the grated bread-crumbs, stirred in alternately. next, stir this mixture, by degrees, into the pan of beaten butter and sugar, and add the currants a few at a time. finish with a table-spoonful of strong rose-water; or a wine-glass full, if it is not very strong. stir the whole very hard. butter a large deep white dish, or two of soup-plate size. put in the batter. set it directly into a brisk oven, and bake it well. when cold, dredge the surface with powdered sugar. serve it up in the dish in which it was baked. you may ornament the tops with bits of citron cut into leaves and forming a wreath; or with circles of preserved strawberries. this will be found a very fine pudding. it must be baked in time to become quite cold before dinner. for currants, you may substitute raisins of the best quality; seeded, cut in half, and well dredged with flour. instead of rose-water you may stir in the yellow rind (finely grated) of one large lemon, or two small ones, and their juice also. a cottage pudding.--take ripe currants, and having stripped them from the stalks, measure as many as will make a heaping quart. cover the bottom of a deep dish with slices of bread, slightly buttered, and with the crust cut off. put a thick layer of currants on the bread, and then a layer of sugar. then other layers of bread, currants, and sugar, till the dish is full; finishing at the top with very thin slices of bread. set it into the oven, and bake it half an hour. serve it either warm or cold; and eat it with sweetened cream. instead of currants you may take cherries, (first stoning them all,) raspberries, ripe blackberries, or barberries, plums, (first extracting the stones,) stewed cranberries, or stewed gooseberries. if the fruit is previously stewed, the pudding will require but ten minutes' baking. when it is sent to table, have sugar at hand in case it should not be sweet enough. ice-cream cakes.--stir together, till very light, a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. beat six eggs very light, and stir into them a half pint of rich milk. add, gradually, the eggs and milk to the butter and sugar, alternately with a half pound of sifted flour. add a glass of sweet wine and some grated nutmeg. when all the ingredients are mixed, stir the batter very hard. then put it into small deep pans, or cups that have been well buttered, filling them about two thirds with the batter. set them immediately into a brisk oven, and bake them brown. when done, remove them from the cups, and place them to cool on an inverted sieve. when quite cold make a slit or incision in the side of each cake. if very light, and properly baked, they will be hollow in the middle. fill up this cavity with ice cream, carefully put in with a spoon, and then close the slit with your fingers to prevent the cream running out. spread them on a large dish. either send them to table immediately before the ice-cream melts or keep them on ice till wanted. whipped cream meringues.--take the whites of eight eggs, and beat them to a stiff froth that will stand alone. then beat into them, gradually, (a tea-spoonful at a time,) two pounds or more of finely-powdered loaf sugar; continuing to add sugar till the mixture is very thick, and finishing with lemon juice or extract of rose. have ready some sheets of white paper laid on a baking board, and with a spoon drop the mixture on it in long oval heaps, about four inches in length. smooth and shape them with a broad-bladed knife, dipped occasionally in cold water. the baking board used for this purpose should be an inch thick, and must have a slip of iron beneath each end to elevate it from the floor of the oven, so that it may not scorch, nor the bottoms of the meringues be baked too hard. this baking-board must not be of pine wood, as a pine board will communicate a disagreeable taste of turpentine. the oven must be moderate. bake the meringues of a light brown. when cool, take them off the paper by slipping a knife nicely beneath the bottom of each. then push back or scoop out carefully a portion of the inside of each meringue, taking care not to break them. have ready some nice whipped cream, made in the following proportion:--take a quarter of a pound of broken-up loaf sugar, and on some of the lumps rub off the yellow rind of two large lemons. powder the sugar, and then mix with it the juice of the lemons, and grate in some nutmeg. mix the sugar with a half pint of sweet white wine. put into a pan a pint of rich cream, and whip it with rods or a wooden whisk, or mill it with a chocolate mill till it is a stiff froth. then mix in, gradually, the other ingredients; continuing to whip it hard a while after they are all in. as you proceed, lay the froth on an inverted sieve, with a dish underneath to catch the droppings; which droppings must afterwards be whipped and added to the rest. fill the inside of each meringue with a portion of the whipped cream. then put two together, so as to form one long oval cake, joining them nicely, so as to unite the flat parts that were next the paper, leaving the inside filled with the whipped cream. set them again in the oven for a few minutes. they must be done with great care and nicety, so as not to break. each meringue should be about the usual length of a middle finger. in dropping them on the paper, take care to shape the oval ends handsomely and smoothly. they should look like very long kisses. chocolate puffs.--beat very stiff the whites of three eggs, and then beat in gradually half a pound of powdered loaf sugar. scrape down very fine three ounces of the best chocolate, (prepared cocoa is better still,) and dredge it with flour to prevent its oiling; mixing the flour well among it. then add it gradually to the mixture of white of egg and sugar, and stir the whole very hard. cover the bottom of a square tin pan with a sheet of fine white paper, cut to fit exactly. place upon it thin spots of powdered loaf sugar about the size of a half dollar. pile a portion of the mixture on each spot, smoothing it with the back of a spoon or a broad knife, dipped in cold water. sift white sugar over the top of each. set the pan into a brisk oven, and bake them a few minutes. when cold, loosen them from the paper with a broad knife. cocoa-nut puffs.--break up a large ripe cocoa-nut. pare the pieces, and lay them awhile in cold water. then wipe them dry, and grate them as finely as possible. lay the grated cocoa-nut in well-formed heaps on a large handsome dish. it will require no cooking. the heaps should be about the circumference of a half dollar, and must not touch each other. flatten them down in the middle, so as to make a hollow in the centre of each heap; and upon this pile some very nice sweetmeat. make an excellent whipped cream, well sweetened and flavored with lemon and wine, and beat it to a stiff froth. pile some of this cream high upon each cake over the sweetmeats. if on a supper-table, you may arrange them in circles round a glass stand. fig marmalade.--take fine fresh figs that are perfectly ripe, such as can only be obtained in countries where they are cultivated in abundance. weigh them, and to every two pounds of figs allow a pound and a half of sugar, and the grated yellow rind of a large orange or lemon. cut up the figs, and put them into a preserving kettle with the sugar, and orange or lemon rind, adding the juice. boil them till the whole is reduced to a thick smooth mass, frequently stirring it up from the bottom. when done, put it warm into jars, and cover it closely. carraway gingerbread.--cut up half a pound of fresh butter in a pint of _west india_ molasses, and warm them together slightly till the butter is quite soft. then stir them well, and add gradually a half pound of good brown sugar, a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and two heaped table-spoonfuls of ground ginger, or three, if the ginger is not very strong. sift two pounds or two quarts of flour. beat four eggs till very thick and light, and stir them gradually into the mixture, in turn with the flour, and five or six large table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds, a little at a time. dissolve a very small tea-spoonful of pearlash or soda in as much lukewarm water as will cover it. then stir it in at the last. stir all very hard. transfer it to a buttered tin pan with straight sides, and bake it in a loaf in a moderate oven. it will require a great deal of baking. sea-voyage gingerbread.--sift two pounds of flour into a pan, and cut up in it a pound and a quarter of fresh butter; rub the butter well into the flour, and then mix in a pint of _west india_ molasses and a pound of the best brown sugar. beat eight eggs till very light. stir into the beaten egg two glasses or a jill of brandy. add also to the egg a tea-cupful of ground ginger, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, with a tea-spoonful of soda melted in a little warm water. wet the flour, &c., with this mixture till it becomes a soft dough. sprinkle a little flour on your pasteboard, and with a broad knife spread portions of the mixture thickly and smoothly upon it. the thickness must be equal all through; therefore spread it carefully and evenly, as the dough will be too soft to roll out. then with the edge of a tumbler dipped in flour, cut it out into round cakes. have ready square pans, slightly buttered; lay the cakes in them sufficiently far apart to prevent their running into each other when baked. set the pans into a brisk oven, and bake the cakes well, seeing that they do not burn. you may cut them out small with the lid of a cannister (or something similar) the usual size of gingerbread nuts. these cakes will keep during a long voyage, and are frequently carried to sea. many persons find highly-spiced gingerbread a preventive to sea-sickness. excellent ground rice pudding.--take half a pint from a quart of rich milk, and boil in it a large handful of bitter almonds or peach kernels, blanched and broken up; also half a dozen blades of mace, keeping the sauce-pan closely covered. when the milk is highly flavored and reduced to one half the quantity, take it off and strain it. stir, gradually, into the remaining pint and a half of milk, five heaping table-spoonfuls of ground rice; set it over the fire in a sauce-pan, and let it come to a boil. then take it off, and while it is warm, mix in gradually a quarter of a pound of fresh butter and a quarter of a pound of white sugar. afterwards, beat eight eggs as light as possible, and stir them gradually into the mixture. add some grated nutmeg. stir the whole very hard; put it into a deep dish, and set it immediately into the oven. keep it baking steadily for an hour. it should then be done. eat it cool, having sifted sugar over it. chocolate macaroons.--blanch half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, by scalding them with boiling water, till the skins peel off easily. then throw them into a bowl of cold water, and let them stand awhile. take them out and wipe them separately. afterwards set them in a warm place to dry thoroughly. put them, one at a time, into a marble mortar, and pound them to a smooth paste, moistening them, as you proceed, with a few drops of rose-water to prevent their oiling. when you have pounded one or two, take them out of the mortar with a tea-spoon, and put them into a deep plate beside you, and continue removing the almonds to the plate till they are all done. scrape down, as fine as possible, half a pound of the best chocolate, or of baker's prepared cocoa, and mix it thoroughly with the pounded almonds. then set the plate in a cool place. put the whites of eight eggs into a shallow pan, and beat them to a stiff froth that will stand alone. have ready a pound and a half of finely-powdered loaf sugar. stir it hard into the beaten white-of-egg, a spoonful at a time. then stir in, gradually, the mixture of almond and chocolate, and beat the whole very hard. drop the mixture in equal portions upon thin white paper, laid on square tin pans; smoothing them with a spoon into round cakes about the size of a half dollar. dredge the top of each lightly with powdered sugar. set them into a quick oven, and bake them a light brown. when done, take them off the paper. bread fritters.--pick, wash, and dry half a pound of zante currants, and having spread them out on a flat dish, dredge them well with flour. grate some bread into a pan, till you have a pint of crumbs. pour over the grated bread a pint of boiling milk, into which you have stirred, (as soon as taken from the fire,) a piece of fresh butter the size of an egg. cover the pan and let it stand an hour. then beat it hard, and add nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar, stirred in gradually, and two table-spoonfuls of the best brandy. beat six eggs till very light, and then stir them by degrees into the mixture. lastly, add the currants a few at a time, and beat the whole very hard. it should be a thick batter. if you find it too thin, add a little flour. have ready, over the fire, a hot frying-pan with boiling lard. put in the batter in large spoonfuls, (so as not to touch,) and fry the fritters a light brown. drain them on a perforated skimmer, or an inverted sieve placed in a deep pan, and send them to table hot. eat them with wine, and powdered sugar. to keep fresh butter for frying stewing, &c.--take several pounds of the _very best_ fresh butter. cut it up in a large tin sauce-pan, or in any clean cooking vessel lined with tin. set it over the fire, and boil and skim it during half an hour. then pour it off, carefully, through a funnel into a stone jar, and cover it closely with a bladder or leather tied down over the lid. the butter having thus been separated from the salt and sediment, (which will be found remaining at the bottom of the boiling vessel,) if kept closely covered and set in a cool place, will continue good for a month, and be found excellent for frying and stewing, and other culinary purposes. prepare it thus in may or june, and you may use it in winter, if living in a place where fresh butter is scarce at that season. excellent mutton soup.--having been accidentally omitted in its proper place, we here insert a receipt for very fine mutton soup. try it. if for a large family, take two necks of mutton of the best quality, and let the butcher disjoint it. to each pound of meat allow a quart of water. put it into a soup-pot, with a slice of ham, which will render the soup sufficiently salt. boil it slowly, and skim it well, till the scum ceases to appear. if you have no ham, season the meat, when you first put it in, with a tea-spoonful of salt. in the mean time prepare the vegetables, but do not put them in till the meat has boiled to rags, and all the scum has risen to the surface and been carefully removed. it is then time to strain out the shreds of meat and bone, return the soup to the pot, and add the vegetables. first, have ready the deep yellow _outsides_ of three or four carrots grated, and stir them into the soup to enrich it, and give it a fine color. next, add turnips, potatos, parsnips, salsify, celery, (including its green leaves from the top) and onions that have been already peeled and boiled by themselves to render them less strong. all the vegetables should be cut nicely into small pieces of equal size, (as for soup à la julienne.) you may add some boiled beets, handsomely sliced. and (if approved) strew in at the last a handful of fresh leaves of the marygold flower, which adds a flavor to some persons very agreeable. put all these vegetables gradually into the soup, (those first that require the longest boiling,) and when they are all _quite done_ the soup is finished. if well made, with a liberal allowance of meat and vegetables, and well boiled, it will be much liked--particularly if served as julienne soup, for company. new england cream cheese.--take a large pan of rich unskimmed milk that has set in the dairy all night, and is from pasture-fed cows in the summer. have ready a small tea-cup of rennet-water, in which a piece of rennet, from four to six inches square, has been steeping several hours. stir the rennet-water into the pan of milk, and set it in a warm place till it forms a firm curd. tie up the curd in a clean linen bag, and hang it up in the dairy with a pan under it to receive the droppings, till it drips no longer. then transfer the curd to a small cheese mould. cover it all over with a clean linen cloth, folded over the sides, and well secured. put a heavy weight on the top, so as to press it hard. the wooden vessel in which you mould cream cheeses, should be a bottomless, broad hoop, about the circumference of a dinner plate. set it (before you fill it with the curd) on a very clean table or large flat dish. turn it every day for four days, keeping it covered thickly all over with fresh green grass, frequently renewed. when done, keep it in a dry cool place, first rubbing the outside with fresh butter. when _once cut_, use the whole cheese on that day, as it may spoil before the next. send it to the tea-table cut across in triangular or pie pieces. molasses candy.--take three quarts of the best _west india_ molasses--no other will do. put it into a thick block-tin kettle, (or a _bain-marie_) and stir in a pound and a half of the best and cleanest brown sugar. boil slowly and skim it well, (stirring it always after skimming,) and taking care that it does not burn. prepare the grated rind and the juice of three large lemons or oranges, and stir them in after the molasses and sugar have boiled long enough to become very thick. continue to boil and stir till it will boil no longer, and the spoon will no longer move. try some in a saucer, and let it get cold. if it is brittle, it is done. then take it from the fire, and transfer it immediately to shallow square tin pans, that have been well greased with nice fresh butter or sweet oil. spread it evenly, and set it to cool. while boiling, you may add three or four spoonfuls of shell-barks, cracked clean from their shells, and divided into halves. or the same quantity of roasted pea-nuts or ground-nuts. with both nuts and lemon it will be very good. worth knowing. the best cement for jars.--before preserving and pickling time, buy at a druggist's, two ounces of the clearest and whitest gum tragacanth. obtain also two grains of corrosive sublimate, (indispensable to this cement), and having picked the gum tragacanth clean, and free from dust and dark or discolored particles, put it with the sublimate into a very clean yellow or white-ware mug that holds a small quart and has a close-fitting lid belonging to it. then fill the vessel more than two-thirds with very clean water, either warm or cold; and put on the lid. let it rest till next morning. then stir it with an _unpainted_ stick, that will reach quite down to the bottom. repeat the stirring frequently through the day, always replacing the lid. in a few days the cement will have risen to the top of the mug, and have become a fine, clear, smooth paste, _far superior to any other_; and, by means of the corrosive sublimate, it will keep perfectly well to an indefinite period, if always closely covered, and having no sort of metal dipped into it. on no account attempt to keep this paste in tin, or even in silver. both paste and metal will turn black and become spotted. remember this. when going to put away your sweetmeats or pickles, this paste will come into use, and be found invaluable. it is best to keep all these things in small jars, as opening a large jar frequently, may injure its contents by letting in the air. in a large family, or where many pickles are eaten, those in most frequent use may be kept in stone-ware jars, with a wooden spoon always at hand for taking them out when wanted. on the surface of every jar of pickles, put one or two table-spoonfuls of salad oil, and then cover the top of the jar closely with a circular piece of bladder or thin leather. next cut out a narrow band of the same, and cement it on with gum tragacanth paste, (made as above), and let it remain till you open the jar for use. for sweetmeats, have glass or white-ware jars. lay on the surface of each a circular paper, cut to fit and dipped in brandy. next, put on an outside cover of bladder or thick white paper secured with a band of the same, coated with tragacanth paste. when this cement is used, the jars will not be infested with ants or other insects, the corrosive sublimate keeping them out. this paste should be at hand in every library or office, when wanted for papers or books. it requires no boiling when made, and is always ready, and never spoils. for a small quantity, take an ounce of the best gum tragacanth and a grain of corrosive sublimate. get a covered white or yellow-ware mug that holds a pint; such a mug will cost but twelve cents. dissolve in less than a pint of water. a bain-marie; or, double kettle.--these are most useful and satisfactory utensils, as all who have tried them can certify. they are to be had of various sizes at the best household furniture stores, and are made to order by the chief tinsmiths. the french make great use of the bain-marie; which, in some measure, accounts for the general superiority of their cookery. this utensil, as made in america, is a double kettle of the strongest and best block-tin. the bottom of the outside kettle is of strong copper or iron, well tinned, and _kept so_. the food, however, is all contained in the inner kettle, which is of tin entirely. after the food is in, (having with it no water whatever), put on the lid tightly, and through the tube on the outside, pour into the outer kettle the water that is to cook it. if it boils away too fast, replenish it with more water poured in at the tube. if it boils too slowly, quicken it by adding some salt put in at the tube. keep the kettle closely covered, except when removing the lid to take off the scum; and do this quick and seldom. the superfluous steam is all the time escaping through the top of the tube and through a very small hole in the lid. nothing cooked in this manner (with all the water outside) can possibly burn or scorch. after every skimming, stir the stew down to the bottom before you replace the lid. to cook in a bain-marie, requires a strong, steady heat, well kept up; and you must begin earlier than in the common way of stewing. this is an excellent vessel for boiling custards, blancmanges, marmalades, and many other nice things; as a good housewife will soon discover. also, for making beef tea and other preparations for invalids. it is well to keep a small one purposely for a sick room. if from deficiency of sugar, or being kept too warm, or not closely covered, any of your sweetmeats turn sour, do not hastily throw them away, but carefully remove the surface, (even if coated with blue mould), add an additional portion of sugar so as to make them very sweet, and put them into a bain-marie. fill the outer kettle with _hot_ water, and boil it till you find the preserves restored to their proper taste. then put them up again in jars that have been well scalded, rinsed, and sunned, and lay brandied paper on the surface of each. mouldy pickles may be recovered in a similar manner, adding fresh spices and vinegar before you put them up again. [illustration: bain-marie; or, double kettle. (pronounced _bine maree_.)] index. a. a-la-mode beef, . almond and macaroon custards, . almond macaroons, . almond pudding, baked, . almond pudding, boiled, . almond sponge cake, . almond soup, . apees, . apple dumplings, . apples, baked whole, . apples, bellflower or pippins, . apple fritters or quince, . apple jelly, . apple pies, (fine) . apple pork pie, . apple sauce, . apple sauce, baked, . apple pudding, . apple water, . arrow-root biscuit, . artichokes, fried, . asparagus, new way, asparagus omelet, . asparagus oysters, . asparagus soup, . autumn soup, . aunt lydia's corn cake, . b. bacon, to prepare, . bacon, to boil, . bacon and beans, . bacon, broiled, . bacon, stewed, . baked fish, . baked soup, . baked tongue, . barley water, . bananas, fried, . batter pudding, . bean soup, . beans, (green,) . beef-a-la-mode, . beef bouilli, . beef, corned, . beef, corned, fried, . beef, (french,) . beef, corned, stewed, . beef, fresh, stewed, . beef, dried and smoked, . beefs heart, . beef with mushrooms, . beef with onions, . beef with oysters, . beef gumbo, . beef patties, . beef, spiced, . beef with potatoes, . beef, fresh, (stewed,) . beef, roasted, . beef, (smoked,) stewed, . beefsteaks, . beefsteaks, broiled, . beefsteaks, fried, . beefsteaks, stewed, . beefsteak with oysters, . beefsteak pie, . beefsteak pot-pie, . beefsteak pudding, . beefsteaks for invalids, . beef tea, . beef with tomatos, . beets, . beets, baked, . bell-peppers, pickled, . bird dumplings, . birds for larding, . birds for invalids, . birds in a grove, . birds with mushrooms, . biscuit sandwiches, . bologna sausages, . borders of paste, . boned turkey, . blackfish, and sea-bass, . blancmange, . blancmange, carrageen, . blancmange, finest, . bran muffins, . brandy green gages, . brandy peaches, . bread, . bran bread, . bread biscuit, . bread cakes, . bread, rye, . bread, home-made, . bread pudding, . bread-and-butter pudding, . bread, (twist,) . buckwheat cakes, . brine for pickling meat, . broccoli, . broccoli and eggs, . brown betty, . browning for soups, . browned flour, . buns, (spanish,) . butter, (clarified,) . butter, (melted,) . buttered toast, . butternuts to pickle, . c. cabbage, boiled, . cabbage boiled an excellent way, . cabbage, forced, . cabbage, fried, . cabbage soup, . cabbage, red, . cale cannon, . catchup, (mushroom,) . catchup, (tomato,) . catchup, (walnut,) . calf's head, stewed, . calf's feet jelly, . camp catchup, . canvass-back ducks, . canvass-backs, broiled, . canvass-backs, (stewed,) . canvass-backs, (roasted,) . carolina punch, . carrots, . carrot soup, . carrots, stewed, . carrageen blancmange, . cashaw pudding, . catfish, fried, . cauliflower, boiled, . cauliflower, fried, . cauliflower macaroni, . cauliflower omelet, . cauliflowers, pickled, . celery, fried, . charlotte, (country,) . charlotte, plain, . charlotte russe, . champagne, (pink,) . cheese pudding, . chestnut soup, . chestnut pork, . cherry marmalade, . cherries, preserved, . cherries, pickled, . chicken salad, . chicken curry, . chickens, fricasseed, . chickens, stewed whole, . chicken broth for the sick, . chicken gumbo, . chicken-pie, . chicken pot-pie, . chicken soup, . chicken, (tomato,) . chicken and turkey patties, . chicken rice pudding, . chickens, fried, . chickens, broiled, . chitterlings, . chitterlings, baked, . chitterlings, fried, . chocolate, . chocolate caramel, . chocolate custards, . chocolate macaroons, . chowder, fine, . chowder, (yankee,) . cinnamon bread, . cinnamon cake, . citron melons, preserved, . clam chowder, . clam fritters, . clam pie, . clams, scolloped, . clam soup, . clam soup for invalids, . cocoa-nut cake, . cocoa-nut jumbles, . cocoa-nut, (orange,) . cocoa-nut pudding, baked, . cocoa-nut pudding, boiled, . cocoa-nut puffs, . cocoa-nut soup, . codfish, (stewed,) . codfish, (boiled,) . codfish, (fried,) . codfish, salt, . coffee, . coloring for sauces, . corn cake, (aunt lydia's,) . corn soup, . cottage cheese, . country captain, . country grapes, . country plums, . country potatos, . crab-apples, preserved, . crabs, . crabs, (soft,) . crab fritters, soft, . cranberry sauce, . cream cakes, . creamed pine-apple, . cream and peaches, . creamed strawberries, . cream tarts, . cross buns, . crullers, (common,) . crullers, (soft,) . croquettes, (rice,) . cucumbers, (to prepare,) . cucumbers, stewed, . cucumbers, pickled, . cucumber catchup, . curry balls, . curried eggs, . curried chicken, . curry powder, . curry powder, (madras,) . custards, baked, . custard, boiled, . d. damson pickles, . damson sauce, . dressing for slaw, . dried apple sauce, . dried peach sauce, . dried and smoked beef, . doughnuts, . dumplings, (apple,) . dumplings, (peach,) . dumplings, (bird,) . dumpling, (sausage,) . ducks, boiled, . ducks, fricasseed, . ducks with peas, . ducks, roasted, . duck soup, . ducks, (terrapin,) . ducks, (canvas-back,) broiled, . ducks, (canvas-back,) plain, . ducks, (canvas-back,) roasted, . ducks, (canvas-back,) stewed, . e. east indian pickle, . east india sauce for fish, . egg balls, . egg-plants, baked, . eggs, to beat, . eggs, to boil, . egg-nogg, . egg sauce, . eggs, poached, . eggs, scrambled, . egg wine, . ellen clarke's pudding, . epicurean sauce, . f. farina, . farina blancmange, . farina flummery, . farina gruel, . fast-day soup, . farmer's rice, . fennel sauce, . fig pudding, . filet gumbo, . fish, to clean, . fish, to bake, . fish cakes, . fish, to boil, . fish, to fry, . fish, spiced, . fish soup, . fish, to stew, . floating island, . florendines, . fillet of pork, . fillet of veal, . fowls, boiled, . fowls, pulled, . fowls, roasted, . fowl and oysters, . french chicken pie, . french ham pie, . french pot-au-feu, . french sour crout, . french stew, . french white soup, . friday soup, . fried oysters, . fritters, . fritters, (orange,) . fritters, (peach,) . fruit charlotte, . fruit pies, (common,) . fruit pot-pies, . fruit in syrups, . g. game soup, . giblet pie, . gingerbread, (lafayette,) . gingernuts, . golden cake, . gooseberry fool, . gooseberries preserved, . gooseberry sauce, . goose pie, . goose, to roast, . gravy sippets, . gravy, to make, . green beans, to boil, . green gages, to preserve, . green lemons or limes, . green mayonnaise, . green peas, to boil, . green pea soup, . gruel, . gumbo, (beef,) . gumbo, (filet,) . gumbo, (chicken,) . gum arabic water, . h. halibut, fried, . halibut, stewed, . hams, to cure, . ham, baked, . ham, boiled, . ham, brine for pickling, . ham, broiled, . ham, disguised, . ham, fried, . ham, fried, (nice,) . ham cake, . ham, (madeira,) . ham toast, . ham omelet, . ham, potted, . ham pie, (french,) . ham, sliced, . hashed cold meat, . hare, coated, herb teas, . herb candies, . hog's head cheese, . hominy, . horse-radish, . i. ice cream, . icing, (warm,) . icing, . ice cream cakes, . ice water, (or sherbet,) . iced plum pudding, . indian corn, to boil, . indian mush, . india pickle, . indian pudding, (fine,) . italian pork, . irish stew, . j. jams or marmalade, . jam, strawberry, . jam, raspberry, . jellies, . jelly, apple, . jelly, calf's feet, . jelly cake, . jelly, currant, . jelly, (or marmalade,) pudding, . jelly, orange, . jelly, siberian, . jelly, (wine,) . jelly water, . jumbles, . jumbles, (cocoa-nut,) . junket, . k. kebobbed mutton, . kebobbed veal, . kisses, . knuckle of veal and bacon, . l. lady cake, . lady fingers, . lafayette gingerbread, . lamb, . lamb, larded, . larded tongue, . lamb chops, stewed, . lamb cutlets, . lamb pie, . lamb, roast, . lamb steaks, . lard, to prepare, . larded liver, . lemon cakes, . lemon catchup, . lemon custards, . lemon pudding, . lemon bread pudding, . lemons or limes, to preserve green, . lemon syrups, . lemon taffy, . lemons or oranges, preserved, . lettuce peas, . lettuce peas, plain, . lima beans, . liver, fried, . liver pie, . liver pudding, . liver rissoles, . liver, stewed, . lobsters, . lobster pudding, . lobster salad, (plain,) . lobster sauce, . lobster rissoles, . lobster salad, (fine,) . lobster soup, . m. macaroni, . macaroni, (sweet,) . macaroons, (almond,) . macaroons, (ground-nut,) . macaroons, (chocolate,) . mackerel, broiled, . mackerel, fried, . madras curry powder, . mangoes, (peach,) . mangoes, (melon,) . marmalade meringues, . marmalade, (grape,) . marmalade, (cherry,) . marmalade, (orange,) . marmalade, (peach,) . marmalade, (plum,) . marmalade, (pumpkin,) . marmalade, (quince,) . marmalade, (pine-apple,) . marmalade, (tomato,) . maryland biscuit, . marrow pudding, . mayonnaise, (green,) . melongina or egg-plant, . meringue pudding, . meringues, (whipped cream,) . meat pies, . milk biscuit, . milk pottage, . milk toast, . mince pies, . mint julep, . mint sauce, . mock turtle soup, . molasses pie, . molasses pot-pie, . molasses pudding, . molasses supper, . muffins, (soft,) . mush, . mushrooms with beef, . mushrooms, baked, . mushroom catchup, . mushroom omelet, . mushroom sauce, . mushrooms, pickled, . mushrooms, stewed, . mustard, (french,) . mutton, . mutton broth for invalids, . mutton, (boiled leg of,) . mutton, (boiled loin of,) . mutton chops, (broiled,) . mutton steaks, (fried,) . mutton chops with potatos, . mutton chops with tomatos, . mutton, (boiled,) (sauce for,) . mutton steaks, (stewed,) . mutton, kebobbed, . n. nasturtions, pickled, . nectar, . noodle soup, . new year's cake, . o. ochras, to boil, . ochras, dried, . omelet, (common,) . omelet soufflé, . omelet of sweetbreads, . onion custard, . onions, . onion eggs, . onions, pickled, . onion sauce, (fine,) . onion sauce, (plain,) . onions, (to roast,) . onions, (to stew,) . onion soup, . ontario cake, . orange cake, . orange or lemon custards, . orange cocoa-nut, . orange fritters, . orange jelly, . orange marmalade, . orange milk, . orange pudding, baked, . orange pudding, boiled, . oranges (or lemons,) preserved, . orange or lemon syrup, . oysters, broiled, . oysters, to choose, . oysters, to feed, . oysters, fried, . oyster fritters, . oysters, (french,) . oyster loaves, . oyster omelet, . oyster patties, . oysters, pickled, . oysters, pickled for keeping, . oyster pie, . oysters, roasted, . oysters, scolloped, . oysters, raw, for the sick, . oyster soup, . oyster soup, for invalids, . oysters, stewed, . p. panada, (chicken,) . panada, (sweet,) . pancakes, . parsley, crimped, . parsley sauce, . parsnips, baked, . parsnips, boiled, . parsnips, fried, . parsnip fritters, . parsnip soup, . partridges, (pear fashion,) . partridges, roasted, . partridge, plain, . paste, (excellent plain,) . paste, (potato,) . paste puff, (the best,) . paste borders, . peas, to boil, . peas, stewed, . pea soup, (green,) . pea soup, (split,) . peas with lettuce, . peas, plain lettuce, . peaches and cream, . peach dumplings, . peach mangoes, . peach marmalade, . peaches, (brandied,) . peaches, pickled, . peaches, preserved, . pears, baked, . pepper-pot, . peppers, (bell,) pickled, . persimmon jam, . pheasants, roasted, . pickles, . pickled beets with cabbage, . pickled bell-peppers, . pickled button tomatos, . pickled butternuts, . pickled cauliflowers, . pickled cherries, . pickled cucumbers, . pickled cucumbers with onions, . pickled damsons, . pickles, east india, . pickled melon mangoes, . pickled mushrooms, . pickled nasturtions, . pickled onions, . pickled peaches, . pickled peach mangoes, . pickled plums, . pickled shrimps, . pickled walnuts, . pie, (crust,) very plain, . pigeon pie, . pigeons, roasted, . pig, to dress, . pig's feet, fried, . pine-apple marmalade, . pine-apples, preserved, . pine-apple tart, . pink champagne, . pink sauce, . planked shad, . plovers, roasted, . plum cake, . plums, preserved, . plums, pickled, . plum pudding, (plain,) . plum pudding, (fine,) . poke plant, . pot-au-feu, (french,) . pot-pies, . pot-pie, (terrapin,) . pumpkin, stewed, . pork, . pork and apples, . pork and beans, . pork with corn and beans, . pork with pea pudding, . pork, (italian,) . pork, fillet, . pork olives, . pork pie, (apple,) . pork, (apple pot-pie,) . pork, to roast, . pork spare-ribs, roasted, . pork steaks, stewed, . pork steaks, fried, . pork, (sweet potato,) . portable soup, . potatos, boiled, . potatos, roasted, . potatos, baked, . potato cakes, . potatos, (country,) . potatos, fried, . potatos, (new,) . potatos, mashed, . potato paste, . potato pudding, (plain,) . potatos, stewed, . potato beef, . potato mutton chops, . potato soup, . pot-pie, (beefsteak,) . pot-pie, (chicken,) . poultry and game, . pound cake, . pudding, (almond,) baked, . pudding, (almond,) boiled, . pudding, (apple,) . pudding, (batter,) . pudding, (bread,) . pudding, bread and butter, . pudding, brown betty, . pudding, (cashaw,) . pudding, (cheese,) . pudding, (cocoa-nut,) . pudding, (cocoa-nut,) boiled, . pudding, (cottage,) . pudding, iced plum, . pudding, (columbian,) . pudding, (ellen clarke's,) . pudding, lemon bread, . pudding, marrow, . pudding, plum, . pudding, plum, (plain,) . pudding, molasses, . pudding, rice, (baked,) . pudding, rice, (boiled,) . pudding, orange, . pudding, lemon or orange, (boiled,) . pudding, sweet potato, . pudding, white potato, . pudding, meringue, . pudding, marmalade or jelly, . pudding, pumpkin, (fine,) . pudding, pumpkin, (yankee,) . pudding, rolled, . pumpkin, stewed, . q. quails, roasted, . queen cake, . quince marmalade, . quince pies, . quinces, preserved, . r. rabbits, . rabbits, coated, . rabbits, fricasseed, . rabbits with onions, . rabbit pot-pie, . rabbits, pulled, . rabbits, roasted, . raspberry jam, . raspberries, preserved, . raspberry vinegar, . rhubarb tarts, . rice cups, . rice pie, . rice pudding, baked, . rice pudding, boiled, . rennets, . ripe peach sauce, . rissole patties, . rockfish, . reed birds, . rolls, . rolled pudding, . roman punch, . rusk, . rusks, (dry,) . s. sage and onion sauce, . sago, . sago pudding, . salad, (chicken,) . sally lunn, . salsify fritters, . salsify oysters, . salmi of partridges, . salmon, . salmon, baked, . salmon, boiled, . salmon, broiled, . salmon cutlets, . salmon, pickled, . salmon, roasted, . salmon trout, . sandwiches, . sausages, (bologna,) . sausage meat, . sausage dumplings, . sauce, apple, . sauce, apple, baked, . sauce, apple, dried, . sauce, dried peach, . sauce, (broccoli,) . sauce, (cauliflower,) . sauce, chestnut, . sauce, (celery,) . sauce, (clam,) . sauce, (cranberry,) . sauce, (damson,) . sauce, (egg,) . sauce, (fennel,) . sauce, (gooseberry,) . sauce, (lobster,) , . sauce, mint, . sauce, mushroom, . sauce, (nasturtion,) . sauce, (onion,) plain, . sauce, (onion,) fine, . sauce, (onion and sage,) . sauce, (oyster,) . sauce, (parsley,) . sauce, pea-nut, . sauce, (peach,) ripe, . sauce, (prune,) . sauce, (pink,) . sauce, (pudding,) fine, . sauce, (pudding,) plain, . sauce, robert, . sauce, (shrimp,) . sauce, (vanilla,) . sauce, (wine,) . sausage dumplings, . sausage and veal pie, . scolloped tomatos, . scotch cake, . seabass with tomatos, . sea-coast pie, . shad, to keep without corning, . shad, planked, . shells, . sherry cobbler, . short cake, . shrimps, . siberian jelly, . silver cake, . smelts, fried, . smelts for invalids, . soft crabs, . soft crullers, . soft muffins, . soufflé, (omelet,) . soups, . soup, almond, . soup, asparagus, . soup, autumn, . soup, baked, . soup, bean, . soup, (cabbage,) . soup, red cabbage, . soup, fine cabbage, . soup, cauliflower, . soup, clam, . soup, cocoa-nut, . soup, crab, . soup, corn, . soup, carrot, . soup, chestnut, . soup, chicken, . soup, duck, . soup, fast-day, . soup, fish, . soup, french white, . soup, friday, . soup, game, . soup, green peas, . soup, lobster, . soup, mock turtle, . soup, mushroom, . soup, noodle, . soup, onion, . soup, oyster, . soup, parsnip, . soup, pea, green, . soup, peas, split, . soup, pepper-pot, . soup, portable, . soup, pot-au-feu, . soup, potato, . soup, spring, . soup, summer, . soup, squatters, . soup, tomato, . soup, family tomato, . soup, fine tomato, . soup, turnip, . soup, vegetable, . soup, venison, . soup, winter, . soup, wild duck, . southern stew, . sour crout, (french,) . soufflé pudding, . spanish buns, . spinach, . sponge cake, . squashes or cymlings, . stewed smoked beef, . stewed calf's head, . stewed peas, . stewed pumpkin, . store sauces, . strawberry jam, . strawberries, preserved, . strawberries in wine, . strawberry wine, . sweetbreads, baked, . sweetbread croquettes, . sweetbreads, fricasseed, . sweetbreads with cauliflower, . sweetbread omelet, . sweetbreads with oysters, . sweetbreads, to prepare, . sweetbreads for invalids, . sweetbread pies, . sweetbreads, stewed, . sweetbreads with tomatos, . sweetmeats, . sweet potatos, boiled, . sweet potatos, baked, . sweet potatos, mashed, . sweet potatos, stewed, . sweet potato pudding, . sweet potato cake, . sweet potatos, sweetened, . sunderlands, . sydney smith's salad dressing, . t. taffy, (lemon,) . tamarind-water, . tapioca, . tarragon sauce, . tarragon vinegar, . tea, . thatched house pie, . terrapins, . terrapins, dressed a new way, . terrapin pot-pie, . toast and water, . toast, buttered, . toast, (milk,) . tomato catchup, . tomato paste, . tomatos, pickled, . tomatos, preserved green, . tomatos, preserved, . tomatos with sea-bass, . tomato soup, . tomato soup, (fine,) . tomato soup, (family,) . tomato sweetbreads, . tongues, . tongue, baked, . tongue, larded, . tongue toast, . trifle, . tripe, to boil, . tripe, to fry, . tripe curry, . trout, . trout, baked, . trout, stewed, . trout with cream, . turbot, baked, . turbot, boiled, . turkey, boiled, . turkey, roasted, . turkey with oysters, . turkey, boned, . turnips, boiled, . turnip soup, . turtle, to dress, . turtle pastry, . v. vanilla custards, . vanilla sauce, . vanilla syrup, . veal, . veal a-la-mode, . veal and bacon, . veal broth for the sick, . veal cutlets, . veal cutlets, in papers, . veal fillet, . veal fritters, . veal kebobbed, . veal, (knuckle,) with bacon, . veal, hashed, . veal loaf, . veal, minced, . veal pie, . veal olives, . veal with oysters, . veal rissoles, . veal steaks, . veal and sausage pie, . veal, (loin of,) roast, . veal, southern stew, . veal, (terrapin,) . vegetables, . vegetable soup, . venison, . venison ham, . venison, hashed, . venison pie, (fine,) . venison pie, (plain,) . venison pot-pie, . venison steaks, (broiled,) . venison, stewed, . venison haunch, (roasted,) . venison soup, . vinegar, . vinegar, (raspberry,) . vol-au-vent, . vol-au-vent, (sweet,) . w. waffles, . walnut catchup, . walnuts, pickled, . washington pudding, . warm icing, . west india cake, . whey, . white thickening, . white potato pudding, . wine jelly, . wine sauce, . wine, (strawberry,) . winter butter, (to make,) . winter soup, . woodcocks or snipes, to roast, . y. yankee chowder, . yankee pumpkin pudding, . yeast, (good,) . yeast powders, . the end. * * * * * transcriber's notes some minor obvious typographical errors have been corrected silently. footnotes have been moved to underneath the paragraph they refer to so as to not disrupt the flow of the text. missing page numbers are attributed to blank pages in the original text. corrections made: pg. : "from the pennslyvania [replaced with pennsylvania]" pg. : "his excellent pot a [replaced with "au"] feu" pg. : "aid [replaced with "laid"] it a while in cold" pg. : "for any thing that has ham [added "in"] it," pg. : "taragon [replaced with "tarragon"] vinegar is best." pg. : "a dish of beiled [replaced with "boiled"] rice to be eaten" pg. : "looks very meanly--and thstes [replaced with "tastes"] so." pg. : "beat them with a wooden spoon to reder [replaced with "render"] them very light." pg. : "if you have a coo [last letter cut off, replaced with "cool"] hand," pg. : "loosened by wrapping round their ousides [replaced with "outsides"] cloths" pg. : "either port, madeira, or chamaigne [replaced with "champagne"]" pg. : "except as some exhiliration [replaced with "exhilaration"]" pg. : "ground-nut macaroon [replaced with "macaroons"] are made in the same manner." pg. : "stirring down to the bottom after evey [replaced with "every"] skimming," pg. : "brocoli [replaced with "broccoli"] is done in the same manner" pg. : "as soon as it simmers, [deleted comma] well [added comma] take it off" pg. : "beat and stir the soaked rusk very had [replaced with "hard"]" marjoram, marjoran (pg. ) and majoram (pp. , , ) are used in the text, these have all been standardised to "marjoram" as it was used in the majority. the following index entries were corrected (corrections listed below in square brackets): almond and macaroon custards, [ ] almond soup, [ ] arrow-root biscuit, . [ ] beef, corned, fried, . [ ] bird dumplings, . [ ] birds for invalids, . [ ] boned turkey, . [ ] cheese pudding, . [ ] chocolate, . [ ] cinnamon cake, . [ ] crab fritters, soft, . [ ] crullers, (soft,) . [ ] curry balls, . [ ] doughnuts, . [ ] eggs, scrambled, . [ ] ellen clarke's pudding, . [ ] farino [farina] flummery, . french ham pie, . [ ] gravy sippets, . [put in correct alphabetical order] gravy, to make, . [ ] halibut, fried, . [ ] ham, broiled, . [ ] ice water, (or sherbet,) . [ ] indian corn, to boil, . [ ] india pickle, . [ ] indian pudding, (fine,) . [incorrect page number, unable to locate] jam, raspberry, . [ ] jelly, (or marmalade,) pudding, . [ ] lamb pie, . [ ] lemon custards, . [ ] lemon syrups, . [ ] meringue pudding, . [ ] mint julep, . [ ] mutton chops, (broiled,) . [ ] orange or lemon syrup, . [ ] pea soup, (green,) . [ ] pork with pea pudding, . [ ] pork steaks, fried, . [ ] pudding, (apple,) . [ ] pudding, (cottage,) . [ ] pudding, (ellen clarke's,) . [ ] pudding, lemon or orange, (boiled,) . [ ] pudding, meringue, . [ ] pudding, plum, (plain,) . [ ] pudding, white potato, . [ ] pudding, marmalade or jelly, . [ ] quince pies, . [ ] raspberry vinegar, . [ ] rice pudding, baked, . [ ] rice pudding, boiled, . [ ] rissole patties, . [incorrect page number, unable to locate] sauce, chestnut, . [ ] sauce, (gooseberry,) . [ ] sauce, (lobster,) [ ], . sauce, pea-nut, . [ ] sausage and veal pie, . [ ] soufflé, (omelet,) . [ ] soup, red cabbage, . [ ] soup, corn, . [ ] soup, oyster, . [ ] soup, pea, green, . [ ] soup, peas, split, . [ ] soup, pepper-pot, . [ ] soup, vegetable, . [ ] stewed smoked beef, . [ ] stewed calf's head, . [ ] sweetbreads for invalids, . [ ] sweet potatos, stewed, . [ ] sweet potato cake, . [ ] tarragon sauce, . [ ] tomatos, pickled, . [ ] tomatos with sea-bass, . [ ] tomato soup, . [ ] tongue toast, . [ ] turtle, to dress, . [ ] vanilla custards, . [ ] vanilla syrup, . [ ] vinegar, (raspberry,) . [ ] white potato pudding, . [ ] yankee pumpkin pudding, [ ]. not changed: some entries in the index are not in alphabetical order. inconsistencies in word hyphenation, for example: backbone and back-bone, table-spoonful and tablespoonful. inconsistencies in section title punctuation. all french spelling. pg. : "your may green bell-peppers in the usual way, with vine leaves or cabbage leaves." [unsure as to the true meaning] variant spellings left unchanged: canvas-back, canvass-back ellen clarke's pudding, ellen clark's pudding inclose, enclose indian meal, indian meal macaroni, maccaroni marigold, marygold panada, panade potato, potatoe rince, rinse trevet, trivet _recipes for_ eatmor® _fresh_ cranberries [illustration] [illustration: guaranteed by good housekeeping replacement or refund of money if not as advertised therein] [illustration] -minute cranberry sauce cups sugar cups water cups eatmor cranberries (one bag or box) boil sugar and water together minutes. add cranberries and boil, without stirring, until all the skins pop open--about minutes. remove from heat and cool in saucepan. makes one quart -minute cranberry sauce. variations =cranberry-ambrosia.= pour sauce over thin-sliced oranges, top with shredded cocoanut for cranberry ambrosia. =minted cranberry sauce.= stir in teaspoon chopped fresh mint or few drops mint extract for minted cranberry sauce. =cranberry apricot delight.= add cup cooked sweetened apricots for cranberry apricot delight. =cranberry-chiquita.= fold in bananas cut in ½ inch slices for cranberry-chiquita. =cranberry-ruby pears.= spoon sauce over cooked or canned pear halves for cranberry-ruby pears. _put some in your freezer and enjoy these appetizing fresh cranberry sauces the year round._ quick-freezing fresh cranberries [illustration] you can enjoy the appetizing flavor of fresh cranberries the year round by putting a good supply of eatmor in your home freezer or storage locker. it's the easiest fruit to freeze. no processing is required. all you have to do is place the unopened bag or box of eatmor cranberries directly in your freezing unit. when ready to use--handle exactly as you would fresh cranberries. no thawing is required. pour in colander, rinse in cold water, drain. use in any standard fresh cranberry recipe. cranberry sherbet ¾ cups water cups sugar cups eatmor cranberries (one bag or box) tablespoon gelatin ( envelope) ¼ cup cold water juice and grated rind lemon juice and grated rind orange combine cranberries, water and sugar in saucepan. cook until cranberries are soft. put through sieve or food mill. soften gelatin in cold water and dissolve in hot cranberry puree. stir in fruit juice and rind. cool. pour into refrigerator tray and freeze until firm. makes quart. cranberry orange relish [illustration] cups sugar cups eatmor cranberries (one bag or box) sunkist oranges, quartered and seeded put raw cranberries and oranges through waring blendor or food chopper. add sugar and mix well. chill in refrigerator a few hours before serving. makes one quart relish. this relish will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks. try quick-freezing cranberry orange relish. variations =cranberry apple relish.= peel, core and dice apples; stir in for cranberry apple relish. =cranberry vegetable relish.= stir in ½ cup each diced raw carrots and celery for cranberry vegetable relish. =cranberry citrus relish.= add cup canned or fresh grapefruit segments for cranberry citrus relish. =spicy cranberry relish.= stir in pinch powdered cinnamon and cloves for spicy cranberry relish. =cranberry hawaiian relish.= stir in cup frozen, canned or fresh diced pineapple for cranberry hawaiian relish. _you can enjoy fresh cranberry orange relish the year round by freezing a supply for later use._ cranberry-apple pie [illustration] recipe favorite pastry ¼ cups sugar ½ cup water cups apple slices cups eatmor cranberries tablespoons cornstarch tablespoons water roll out half of pastry and fit into -inch pan. combine sugar, water, apple slices and eatmor cranberries in saucepan. cook until cranberries pop--about minutes. make a paste of cornstarch and remaining water, stir into fruit and continue cooking until thick and clear--about minutes. cool and pour into pie shell. roll out remaining pastry and cut in strips. arrange crisscross fashion over top. bake in ° f. oven minutes. ideas for christmas [illustration] trim the house in the real old-fashioned way with gay red cranberries strung with thread and needle on the christmas tree. alternate a piece of snowy white popcorn for contrast. also for dangling on the green branches, make four inch circlets of cranberries twisted with silver christmas rope or tinsel strips. make a cranberry santa. a circle of berries on wire makes the body and three berries make each arm and leg. a round cardboard circle topped with a paper red hat needs but a fluff of cotton whiskers to complete saint nick. [illustration] name me and _win_ a new cadillac convertible or one of other valuable prizes [illustration] select an appropriate first and last name for the eatmor cranberry girl pictured above. in words or less tell why you like eatmor® _fresh_ cranberries other prizes, g. e. home freezers, g. e. triple whip mixers, waring blendors, $ cash prizes. prizes will be awarded on what reuben h. donnelley corporation considers most appropriate first and last name and most original, sincere and apt statement. send as many entries as you wish to address below but make sure each entry includes your name and address and eatmor name from cellophane bag or window box. eatmor contest, p. o. box , new york, n. y. _contest closes december , ._ litho in u.s.a. produced from scanned images of public domain material from the google print project.) [ transcriber's note: every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible, including inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation; changes (corrections of spelling and punctuation) made to the original text are listed at the end of this file. a and o with macron have been replaced with â and ô, respectively. ] the curry cook's assistant note about "curries" in "saturday review," october , . everybody who likes curry, and who can get it (the pamphlet, not the curry), should invest in a little pamphlet by "daniel santiagoe, son of francis daniel, butler and fiddler, of colombo, ceylon, and the ceylon court, royal jubilee exhibition, liverpool." it is written in delightful pigeon-english (or whatever other bird may be more appropriate to ceylon's isle), is quite unpretentious, avows the author's very legitimate, and, indeed, laudable desire to "make a small fortune" by its sale, and contains admirable receipts. mr. santiagoe is much less cynical than the apocryphal mrs. glasse. he says, after recommending the more excellent way of the curry stone, "the best and easy way is to buy from your respected grocers, which, i should say, ought to be of two colours--one is brown and the other is yellow, and the red is cayenne pepper (if required, hot curries)." he is a little plaintive about mulligatawny. "why english people always spell this word wrong? everybody knows this--mollagoo, 'pepper;' tanney, 'water.'" so the reformers who call it "mulligatunny" are just as bad as we devotees of mumpsimus and mulligatawny ourselves. we note with special pleasure a receipt for "chicken moley"--evidently the same genus as that "mollet" which puzzled mrs. clarke. and all the prescriptions are interesting. "maldive fish" seems to take the place of "bombay duck" in these southern regions, and the number of vegetable curries is particularly noteworthy. nobody need think from the specimens we have given that mr. santiagoe is unintelligible. his english may be "pigeon," but it is a much more easily digestible tongue than the high and mighty gobble-gobble of some of our own professors of style and matter. [true copy from "saturday review."] the curry cook's assistant; or curries, how to make them in england _in their original style_. by daniel santiagoe, general servant, son of francis daniel, butler and fiddler, trichinopoly, madras, india, and colombo, ceylon ceylon tea house waiter royal jubilee exhibition, liverpool, international exhibition, glasgow, third edition london kegan paul, trench & co., , paternoster square (_the rights of translation and of reproduction are reserved._) index. list and names of curries, etc. no. page . home-made curry powder . beef curry (plain) . beef curry (ceylon way) . beef curry (madras) . beef curry (kabob) madras . beef curry (dry) do. . beef curry (balls) do. . chicken curry do. . snipe curry do. . pigeon curry do. . pork curry do. . veal curry do. . mutton curry do. . partridge curry do. . tripe curry do. . liver curry do. . chops curried do. . steaks curried do. . game curry (various) madras . rabbit (or young hare) curry . egg curry (whitish yellow) . egg curry (brown) . egg curry (omelet) . egg curry (poached) . fried eggs for curries . curry sauce (brown), for any meat . curry sauce (yellow), for vegetables and fish . curried fowl (a joint) . chicken moley . fish moley . fish curry (salmon) . fish curry (various) . sardines curried . vegetable curries . potato curry . cabbage curry . bean curry . onion curry . devilled cabin biscuits . devilled meats . mulligatawny . pillau rice (a mohammedan dish) . lemon (hot) sauce . apple chutney (how to make it in england) a. mint chutney . quickly-made samball . how to fry red herrings for curries . toast curry . how to make rice powder . mushrooms curried and served on toast . how to boil rice for curries . a salad for dinner, etc., in hot weather . sundal or poogathu, made of cabbage and other greens . vegetables boiled for table . economical curry paste . curry powder (a recipe) . curry powder (ordinary way) . curry powder (a most excellent) . tomato curry . curries under various names . chutney chicken . when to use curries tamil and english names for curry stuffs, etc. introduction by j. l. shand, esq. daniel santiagoe, who has twice come from his ceylon home to serve me in england and scotland, now gives to the world a second edition of a very valuable little book, and has asked me to write him an introduction. an introduction is generally apologetic, but i depart from custom and congratulate the purchasers of this book upon obtaining a collection of recipes which may add much to their gastronomic enjoyment, and perhaps also contribute to health and longevity. "i do not care for curry, it is too hot!!!" is a common but erroneous plaint; and the disciple of santiagoe will find recipes which provide the full delicacy of eastern condiments without the discomfort of excessive heat. why do old east indians live so long? is a question often asked. because so many of them are pensioners, says the student of finance. because so many of them are curry eaters, says the student of hygiene. all human nature requires to be occasionally stimulated, and a mild curry acts upon the torpid liver, reacts upon the digestive organs, and provides the necessary stimulant without injurious consequences. it is a remarkable fact that nearly all curry-eating nations are abstainers from strong drinks. daniel santiagoe's english may occasionally provoke a smile, but it is "english as she is spoken" by several millions of her majesty's subjects, and its originality often lends it force. were excuse necessary it would be found in this, that daniel santiagoe is a domestic servant to whom english is a foreign tongue. john loudoun shand. , rood lane, london, e.c. preface by author. with much thankfulness to mr. a. egmont hake for his kindness in writing a preface for my first book on curries, and great credit is due to _saturday review_ and humble respect is due to my two masters, shand, haldane & co., of london, who brought me over to england and scotland, with four other servants, and allowed me to publish a little book to make my desired little fortune, which is highly creditable. from the first edition of copies i fully sold , and another hundred copies presented to friends in england and ceylon. my intention in publishing this second edition is that i have given too little recipes and information in my first book for sixpence each copy. though i thought it is worth making it an enlarged and revised edition for same price this time, i should like to give good many recipes for making a curry, and give the names of all meat and vegetable in english and tamil. in each heading of curries two sorts of ingredients are given--one to be procured in england, the other in ceylon; and also each curry will be properly instructed. i have tasted the curries made by bengalee, etc., on board of steamers and on shore. they use proper curry stuffs, etc., but they flavour it too much; using plenty of ghee and fat mutton, etc.,--these spoil the taste. just the same with bombay curries, but in madras is the only place you could taste a proper curry, and also in ceylon, as a good many cooks of madras presidency came to ceylon several years ago and spread out the art of general cooking in ceylon. i believe at first the cooking business was instructed by european cooks. at present there is too many cooks in ceylon; almost every butler, appoo, second servant, kitchen mate, groom, etc., knows to cook a english dinner!!! now we shall go on with our curry business. i recommend to try curry powders from several grocers. the best curry powder is made of coriander seed (which could be got from the chemist's), saffron, dry chillies, cumin seed, few mustard seed, few pepper corns. if the curry powder contains all the above, it is a good curry powder. some curry powders tastes of acid, flour, and other mixtures, which i believe is unwholesome in every means. the tamils use tamarind for the acid taste. to every brown curries the singalese use gorakka[ ] (a sour fruit), slightly dried, and lime juice to their yellow curries. there is much different taste between a singalese curry and a tamil curry--the taste just differs the same as a madras beef curry, no.  , and a potato curry (vegetable). the curries should be treated same as a ordinary entree. if one article you had too much, it will spoil the whole curry. if the meat over done, no taste in it. if you have all curry stuffs, etc., at hand, could make a curry sauce in ten minutes the longest, and can warm up any meat for table in it (i mean the brown). the white curry sauce is not suitable, unless for a vegetable or fish. [ ] for fish curries, but not fresh fish--the fresh fish could be given acid taste from lemon, or tamarind, or vinegar. i could give several other recipes to curries, but the above said sixty will be quite sufficient. if you carefully tried the above said curries will be found most economical. a madras woman can beat any other indian woman in curry cooking. in several gentry's houses in madras, etc., they keep a woman to make curries and prepare vegetables for table--we call her "thanney kareyitchi"--besides the cook and kitchen matey. the madras curry always the best, much different than a bengal or bombay curry, to my opinion. d. santiagoe. international exhibition, glasgow, . preface of my first edition. by a. egmont hake, esq. [_true copy._] the author of this little work has asked me to write him a preface, and i gladly do so, especially if it will help to find him buyers, as well as readers, who will put into practice the admirable receipts he offers to gourmets and others. for my own part i can speak with some authority--indeed the best--as to the excellence of santiagoe's curries, for i am among the fortunate few who have tasted them in england. i was particularly struck by a remark which santiagoe made when i asked him what he would like me to write in his little book. some authors might have replied "speak up for my curries!" others might have said, "say a good word for my book;" but he, in the fulness of gratitude, said, "praise my masters." he then went on to speak of how mr. shand and mr. haldane had brought him and his fellow-servants all the way from ceylon to england. it is only fair to point out that the english of this little book is not "english as she is spoken," but represents the expression of santiagoe in its native costume--it is tamil anglicised by santiagoe himself. as santiagoe says, "i like broken english, because ladies gentlemen like that." the author is a native of trichinopoly. his grandfather and uncle were distinguished drummers in indian infantry regiments--in other words, they were masters of the tom-tom. he has lived all his life in ceylon,[ ] and for the last seven years--that is, since he was sixteen--has been in the service of english residents, of whom he appears to have nothing but pleasant recollections. it would seem that this will be the case in his experience of england, whither he has come with others as waiter at the ceylon tea rooms in the liverpool exhibition--though he told me with much modesty that "people were very kind, but he supposed the ceylon servants were a novelty." [ ] in have been to maldive island, or minicoi island, with my master, to a wrecked steamer of "bird" line.--ed. please to read the article of _saturday review_ of nd october, . it is, to say the least, highly creditable to santiagoe that, with many duties to perform, and these amid the distracting influences of our western civilization, he should have compiled this useful little guide to the art of curry cooking. the spirit of brillat-savarin and of soyer is stronger than the ephemeral attractions of an exhibition. let us hope santiagoe's enterprise will be more lasting than these; that it will achieve its aim in popularizing ceylon curries in this country; and that his "book on curries" will pass through many editions, and bring him the "little fortune" he deserves. (signed) a. egmont hake, _author of "general gordon's journal at khartoum;" editor of "the story of chinese gordon," etc., etc.; commissioner of war trophies, royal jubilee exhibition, liverpool, ._ copy of the note of my first edition on curries. i beg to bring the following receipts to curries, etc. i hope it will be handy to ladies, housekeepers, cooks, etc. i only mention the easy way of making it in england, for scarcity of fresh and pure curry stuffs none procurable. still, it is very troublesome to grind the curry stuffs without a curry stone, which is very common to a native cooly of india. no native houses without a curry stone. the way the native girls, etc., grind the curry stuffs will be an astonishment to european ladies. the best way to grind the curry powder in england, by hard stone made mortar or pounder, but the best and easy way is to buy from your respected grocers, which, i should say, ought to be of two colours, one is brown and the other is yellow, and the red is cayenne pepper (if required hot curries). with regard to above, if care should be taken and make the curries with any of the following meat:--beef, mutton, chicken, fish, etc., etc., and vegetables, you will find it an economical dish for an english meal to have an indian dish; if little care and attention is given to it, will find it as a relish. the same time i must say, many parties visited our indian continent will know the taste of a curry as well as my own experience. i have been instructed by several head cooks of india and ceylon. my own people are cooks under several respected gentry of ceylon and india. now, i must say, it is a national food to natives of india and ceylon as beef and bread to europeans. with attention to this i myself am a servant of gentlemen as approved cook, second boy, dressing boy, house and general servant, and will answer to several other capacity, as clerk, store-keeper, etc., etc. i only thought of publishing this little work by request of several parties requiring me to write some good curries. so just the same time i may have the chance of printing it and make a small fortune by the favour of customers, and by their favouring me to sell these few hundred copies, will be highly thankful; but i regret to say that i should have written large and more recipes, but my time is very little to spare to attend to this work. with regards i hope the lovers of curry will be satisfy with these accompanying recipes, which, i should say can be made in england with curry stuffs and provisions procurable here. the fact is i myself have tried several of these curries in england during my short visit in england, and found to be a good result, in fact, not in its original taste, but only second to it in my opinion. if carefully prepared will find it as a economical dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. only little time and attention is required. i wish the reader will have the pleasure of reading this book right through first. another matter to point out, that in madras cooks make curries with or without cocoanut, but in ceylon no curries without cocoanut, neither any vegetable curries without maldive fish. for this point i have given recipes to make with milk, cream, and gravy; and to every vegetable curry add a spoonful of chopped ham or corned beef; this for imitation of maldive fish.[ ] still it is much richer to vegetable curries than maldive fish. [ ] dried shark, prepared in the maldive islands.--ed. d. santiagoe. ceylon court, r.j.e., liverpool, england, . the curry cook's assistant. no.  .--home-made curry powder. in england. lb. coriander seed. / oz. saffron. eggspoon cumin seed. / doz. pepper corns. small bit of cinnamon ( in. square). dried chillies capsicums. tablespoons good rice. in ceylon. coriander. saffron and cumin seed. pepper corns. cinnamon. dried chillies--rice. curry leaves, and few other things of which cannot be procured in england. n.b.--i only mention this home-made curry powder, if you can procure the above said curry stuffs separately from the chemists or grocers. as i heard from a gentleman in liverpool, "everything the world produces can be bought in london"!!! _mode._--place a frying-pan (not an enamelled one) on fire; soon as it gets hot put in the coriander; when nice and gold colour take it off and put on a plate again. set the frying-pan on fire and add the cumin seed, pepper corns, dry chillies. just give a shake, and take it off and give it two or three more shakes and put on a plate, but don't put the saffron in the frying-pan. now wipe the frying-pan, and set on fire again; when hot, put in the rice, and keep on shaking till each grain gets goldish brown; do not let it burn. the rice on board of ships will answer to this better than you buying from your grocer's; but in the scarcity of above any rice will do. now when all these are done we shall have to grind it to a smooth powder. these cannot be done unless you have a stone-made pounder or curry stone and grinder. the latter i have not seen in england, still there is the finest strong metal stones in england. the curry stone and grinder is bought for no money in up country of ceylon, but in colombo, the chief city here, we pay cents, to rs.    cts. each. curry stone and grinder will last for generations. it is better to grind all curry stuffs separately and keep each in its own bottle, then you will be careful of what you are about, and you will know how much you are using of each stuff. for any meat curry (per lb.) add one tablespoon coriander seed, a saltspoon of saffron, a pinch of cumin seed, dash of pepper, small bit of cinnamon, one-half tablespoon of rice powder; if preferred hot, add a bit of cayenne. for white curries, only one-half teaspoon of saffron to be added. if at hand, just cut a young capsicum in quarters and add to the curry. you can add a green chillies to meat curries also. if the above home made curry powder cannot be done, you shall have to buy three sorts of curry powder. coriander, rice, cumin seed, and pepper (one mixture); cayenne and saffron each separately bottled. other things can be got from your respective grocers. if you buy a mixed curry powder or paste, it will taste everything too much, as following:--heat! hot? bitter, sour flour, spice, and too much of yellow colour of saffron, and too much of a nice curry smell. the fact is, i have tasted several curry powders and paste in england, and also in scotland, but nothing equal to separate curry stuffs. if the curry stuffs, etc., are imported from india to europe it will keep good for a long time, and will have a good market, except the dry chillies, because there is plenty of cayenne in england. garlic ginger (green), used for any meat curry, it is very healthy and helps to digest the curry and rice sooner, as parties think curries are not easily digestible. the curries must not be prepared too rich, as richness takes away all flavour, and the meat will taste like stewed curry. the butter you add to fry the curry stuffs will be quite sufficient to richen the curry without using fat meat. no.  .--beef curry (plain). lb. beef (fresh or cooked meat will do). tablespoon curry powder (not hot). pint good milk or strong (beef) gravy. large onion or few small ones. young capsicum and tablespoon rice powder. small piece of cinnamon. pinch of cumin powder; salt to taste. n.b.--in ceylon we use cocoanut milk (the juice), curry leaves, and some other leaves for spices. _mode._--cut the meat in half-inch squares; put into a clean stew-pan, then slice the onions, and add the onions, curry stuffs, chillies, cinnamon, milk, cumin seed, etc., and salt. mix all well together, and set on fire for to minutes; do not let it burn. when serving add a few drops of lemon juice. if required hot add a pinch of cayenne when preparing. no.  .--beef curry (ceylon). for a pound of good beef (i mean lean). tablespoon coriander powder and of rice powder. / eggspoon saffron powder and pinch of cumin powder. pint good milk or gravy. large onion or few small ones. young green chillies (capsicum). a bit of cinnamon (if you like spices); salt to taste. n.b.--in ceylon all the curry stuffs are freshly grinded. cocoanut juice, curry leaves, etc., are used. this is a very delicious curry to eat with rice boiled or bread toasted. _mode._--cut the meat in half-inch squares and put into a clean stew-pan with the onions sliced, the chillies in quarters; then add all the curry powder, etc. mix well with a wooden spoon and add three parts of a pint of milk or gravy; then salt to taste. set on slow fire for to minutes; soon as the meat is tender (but not overdone), then add the other quarter of milk and a few drops of lemon juice. just heat it again and send to table in a vegetable dish with boiled rice separate. if you add gravy to this curry then you must put in two tablespoons of cream before sending to table. no.  .--beef curry (madras). for a pound of beef. tablespoons coriander powder and of rice powder. saltspoon saffron and a pinch of cumin powder and fenugreek.[ ] / pint of milk or good gravy. large or few small onions. a bit of cinnamon, cloves (if you wish spices). / teaspoon green ginger chopped up fine. a small garlic chopped up fine. large spoonful of butter (fresh); salt to taste. [ ] if could be procured. n.b.--this curry is made in madras with or without cocoanut, but little tamarind will flavour this curry better than lemon juice. vinegar, curry leaves, etc., are used in madras and ceylon. this is a first-class curry if carefully prepared. _mode._--have the meat ready cut in half-inch squares; then slice the onions; put a good stew-pan on the fire, add the butter; soon as the butter gets hot put in the onions and curry powder, but not the ginger, garlic, and spices. when the onions, curry stuffs, etc., are nicely browned, add the meat, garlic, ginger, spices, and give it a turn. let it stand for a few seconds, then add the milk or gravy, salt, etc.; set on slow fire for about minutes. when sending to table add a few drops of lemon or good pickle vinegar, but tamarind is best. add little cayenne if preferred hot; a hot curry is considered always nice and healthy, the cayenne to be added when preparing. no.  .--beef curry (kabob or cavap curry).   / lb. lean beef. tablespoons coriander powder and of rice powder.   / saltspoon saffron and a good pinch of cumin powder. good pint of fresh milk or gravy. large onion or few small ones. ginger, about inches long. long budded garlics. large spoon butter (fresh). spices; salt to taste. n.b.--this curry same as madras curry, no.  , but the meat ought to be of tender part. must not overdo it, neither burn it. if tamarind used, it is nicer. _mode._--this is a first-class curry if carefully prepared. cut the meat in half-inch squares; the ginger as round as a threepenny piece, and the garlic the same size, but thicker. now sharpen few thin sticks with points to stick the meat (i mean as large as champagne bottle wire, three to four inches long). now begin the job; stick one of meat, another of garlic, another of meat, and one of ginger (i mean a piece of meat must be between garlic and ginger). proceed as above till you finish the meat, etc.; now place a stew-pan on fire; put in the butter and the onions sliced. when nicely browned add the curry stuffs and the meat. now let the whole fry gently in the butter for five minutes; now pour the milk in and let it simmer gently for minutes. when serving add a spoonful of cream and a few drops of lemon, and send to table with boiled rice (separate). no.  .--beef curry (dry). same ingredients as for madras curry, no.  , and prepare the same way, but do not add any milk. add about four tablespoons of good gravy when preparing, but add two tablespoons of cream five minutes before serving. (if i say dry, not very dry, but second to it; add few drops of lemon when sending to table.) this curry must be put on very slow fire, a hot oven will do; if so, you must look every five minutes in case it burns. this curry can be eaten with rice, boiled potatoes, or toast if wished. some dry curries are done in a frying-pan within ten minutes, only the onions and curry stuffs should be browned, and the meat mixed with it. n.b.--must use a wooden spoon to all curries when browning the onion and curry stuffs, etc.; better than a plated one. no.  .--beef curry (ball). take a pound of beef free from skin, bone, etc., put into a sausage machine, and get it mashed up; put on a plate, pepper it slightly. now take ingredients same as for no.  , and chop fine the ginger, garlic, and mix with the meat with little salt. now make this meat into balls as large as a marble, flour it, and fry in lard to a brown colour. do not let it break. now keep this to a side, and place a good stew-pan on fire, and put in the butter and the onions sliced, and the curry powder. when all these nice and brown add the meat balls to it. just mix slowly, not to break the meat balls. now add half-pint of good milk, or gravy, and let it stand on a slow fire till wanted. when serving, add a spoonful of cream, few drops of lemon, and salt to taste, and send to table with boiled rice, etc. n.b.--this curry must not overdo, neither must the meat be overdone when frying; and when passing the meat through sausage machine, at the same time you can add the spice, garlic, ginger, with the meat to be mashed up. if preferred hot, add little cayenne pepper. no.  .--chicken curry. one good-sized chicken (about a pound or more). other ingredients same as for madras curry, no.  . now cut up the chicken in half of each joint. keep it to a side. now fry the onions, sliced, in a stew-pan, with a large spoon of butter. when the onions are nice and brown, just fry the chicken in it less than half done. take it out and keep to a side. now fry the curry powder till it is nice and dark brown, then add the chicken, more onions, and other things into the frying curry powder, etc., and add half-pint of good gravy, and set it on a slow fire for minutes. when serving, add two large spoons of cream. if it is very dry, add little more gravy to it. a few drops of lemon will flavour it, but i recommend to make the chicken into a "moley," as no.  . much nicer to be eaten with rice or treated as an ordinary entree, and the curried fowl (whole) nicer as a joint. no.  .--snipe curry. dress four snipes as for serving on toast; then cut in halves, pepper and salt it, roll it in little (or sprinkle with) flour, and fry it in a large spoon of butter or lard, quarter done or nearly half done. keep it to a side. now take a good stew-pan, put on fire, melt a spoonful of butter, and fry a large onion, sliced; put in tablespoon coriander. dessertspoon rice powder. a pinch of cumin powder. a pinch of saffron and spices. let all these fry gently in the butter, then add half-pint of good gravy, salt to taste, and let this stand on a hot oven, simmering gently till required. five minutes before serving, add the fried _snipes_, with a few drops of lemon juice, and send to table. do not let it be too juicy, but the half-pint of gravy should be reduced to a quarter-pint. cayenne pepper should be added if preferred hot curries. snipe should only be heated through, and not quite _over_done. this curry nice with rice, toast, etc. etc. can almost be treated as an entree. no.  .--pigeon curry. take four young pigeons and dress same as for salmi of pigeon, and treat the same way as for snipe curry, no.  . any curry may be made of different taste by reducing the ingredients or exceeding it, or by using tamarind or pickle vinegar instead of lemon juice, or using milk instead of gravy; and to some curries add cream, and other curries using cocoanut juice (milk). no.  .--pork curry. one pound of fresh and lean pork, and the ingredients same as for madras curry, no.  ; use only three parts of everything. a pinch of cayenne will flavour this curry. tamarind (an acid?) is nicer than lemon juice, vinegar, etc. to use the tamarind, take a piece the size of a large walnut, put into a cup and add about two tablespoons of cold water, and squeeze it with a spoon or with your finger, strain through a clean muslin and add to the curry. tamarind is always good for any sort of brown curry, and lemon juice for yellow or white curries, and vinegar for "moley," because it is an entree, and not much curry stuffs are used. no.  .--veal curry. everything same as madras curry, no.  , but veal curry, not nicer. if you have veal chops, treat same as curried mutton chops, no.  . no.  .--mutton curry. for one pound mutton (without fat). ingredients same as for madras curry, no.  but not the quantity. only three parts should be taken of each; the curry stuffs need not be fried as for madras curries, but cut the mutton in half-inch squares, put into a stew-pan, and then add the curry stuffs (powders?), spices, etc., and add a tablespoon of cream when serving, as well as a few drops lemon juice. curries made from mutton are not so nice as if made from tender part of beef, but in india and ceylon several castes do not touch beef--they call themselves high caste people, and bear numerous names--they always eat mutton, fowl, vegetable, etc. the brahman caste never eat any meat of any sort; still they eat the pure juice of beef--as milk, ghee,[ ] butter, and another kind of medicine made out of the flesh of the ox, called in tamil "paroong kayam."[ ] [ ] ghee is only melted butter, much used in india, most by bengali. [ ] natives of india says it is a very useful medicine, but i myself know too little history about it, but has a nasty smell. no.  .--partridge curry. i have nothing to say for this curry, because you can imitate the pigeon curry; anyhow you must put in strong gravy, as partridge does not taste nice if curried. if you have any partridge left from dinner, the next day you may curry it same as pigeon, but don't let it simmer too long over the oven. any kind of game (birds?) can be made same as the pigeon. no.  .--tripe curry. take about two lbs. of good, thick part of the tripe, cut them in about four inches square, or not at all, dip it in hot water, not boiling, but nearly so. then take out and scrape off all the black stuff, and clean it as white as a white tablecloth, and boil it tender as you boil for "tripe fricassee." when cool cut it in half-inch squares, slightly pepper it. place a stew-pan on fire, and put in a lump of butter. when hot add the tripe, fry it to a brownish gold colour, then take out and put in a plate till required. now add the curry stuffs, as no.  , into the stew-pan on the fire, and turn it over and over till nice and brown. now add the tripe you fried, and half-pint of good gravy, and let it simmer gently on slow fire. when serving add a tablespoon of cream and few drops of lemon. some nice spices and a pinch of cayenne pepper should be added when frying the curry powders. this is a very nice curry. by-the-by, the gravy you boil the tripe in should be boiled with other bones, vegetables, etc., and add to the curry instead of other gravy. no.  .--liver curry, with bacon. take a pound of liver and a piece of fat of bacon, boil both in one pan for quarter of an hour, then take it off the fire, let it cool, then cut it in half-inch squares, add about / lb. bacon to a pound of liver, and treat it same as madras curry, no.  . the liver curry considered not nicer. parties in india and ceylon (europeans) do not care much for liver curry but as an entree, "liver and bacon." a breakfast dish in india and ceylon. no.  .--chops curried. this is a changeable way to have mutton chops done for breakfast or as an entree for dinner. take eight good chops, and flavour it the usual as for serving itself (i mean place the chops on a flat dish, pepper and salt it). vinegar, a dash of lucca oil, and few drops of sauce, and let these soak for a few minutes, then place a frying-pan on fire, add a lump of butter. when melted add the chops, and fry it in usual way of mutton chops. when done take it off the frying-pan, keep it in a plate. now take a large onion and slice it, and fry it to a gold colour in the frying-pan you fried the chops, then add all the curry stuffs to it as said in the madras curry, no.  , except the cayenne, ginger, and garlic. when all these are nicely fried add four spoons of good stock (brown), and now add the chops into the frying-pan. let it warm, then serve on a hot dish, and send to table with potatoes, vegetables, etc., same as an entree. certainly can used with boiled rice too. no.  .--steaks curried. same as chops curried, but to fry the steaks first, then proceed same as for mutton chops. mashed potatoes should join this dish, and boiled spinach fried in butter with an onion will be a nice accompaniment, but tough part of beef wouldn't do neither. you must not beat up the steaks with a chopper or steak tenderer, because all the juice will be out; scarcely any taste. when serving add a few drops of lemon juice, and this curry will taste nicer if gleeced before sending to table in the following way:--set a stew-pan on fire, when hot put a small bit of butter and a small onion, finely sliced, and teaspoon of any gravy. now use a wooden spoon for frying the onions, and press them in the sauce-pan. when nice and brown colour, and the fried onions have stuck in the sauce-pan, pour the curry you prepared and a spoon of cream; let it simmer a few minutes. send to table with rice. don't forget to add lemon juice or vinegar. no.  .--game curries (various). the game curry i mean is thus:--elk; venisons; poultry, as turkey, geese, duck, etc.; rabbit, etc. can be curried same as no.  , but it is not nicer to make them into a yellow curry, as for fish or vegetables. no.  .--rabbit or young hare curry. n.b.--i think the rabbit made into a gleeced brown stew much nicer than putting it in a jar, and prepare like a jugged hare, as it takes away all the flavour, and the gravy tastes nice, and the meat almost like the soup meat or plain boiled meat; but the curried rabbit is not a bad recipe, if properly made, to use as an ordinary entree. take a small rabbit; skin it; and cut up in small pieces as large as two inch square; flour it, and fry in butter or lard, just underdone, and brown it outside; keep it to a side. now place a stew-pan on fire, and add the remaining butter or lard you fried the rabbit with; when this lard is nice and hot, slice one onion, and brown in the stew-pan. now add curry powder same as madras curry, no.  . when all these are nice and brownish gold, add a pint of gravy or milk, and let it simmer gently on slow fire; and quarter of an hour before sending to table, add the fried rabbit to the curry sauce, and let it simmer for minutes. when serving add few drops of lemon juice, and a spoon of cream. the above curry for boiled rice; if for an "entree," just cut the rabbit in joints, and prepare same as the above curry. when serving add a glass of claret in place of lemon juice. no.  .--egg curry (whitish yellow). hard boil six eggs, and put in cold water till wanted. now place a stew-pan on fire, and add half teaspoon of saffron powder (yellow); half-pint of milk; one large onion, sliced; one tablespoon finely chopped ham or corned beef; one green capsicum, cut in quarters; one potato, mashed up (the potato left from last meal will do). now simmer this for quarter of an hour; don't let it burn. when serving, take eggs out of the shell; cut in halves; place the eggs on a vegetable dish (the cut part up). now add a tablespoon of cream, and a few drops of lemon juice; salt to taste, and pour over the eggs, and send to table with a brown curry to accompany the rice (boiled). samball and fried herring may be sent with these above curries and rice. poppadoms[ ] and bombay ducks will be a good accompaniment if could be procured. [ ] poppadoms is a thin kind of flour and turtle eggs, and a kind of grain, mixed and made as thin as paper. no.  .--egg curry (brown). boil the eggs same as no.  , and put in cold water till wanted. now prepare curry sauce (brown) as no.  , pour over the eggs cut in halves, as egg curry (yellow). egg curries always called in ceylon "a rest-house curry," because in several rest-houses in ceylon usually not many visitors pass that way, beside these rest-house keepers cannot get fresh beef, etc. they always have plenty of eggs, fowls, native vegetables, etc., but egg curry only can be made quick. when a gentleman is going from one planting district to another, a box cooly or a horse-keeper (groom) runs in front to a certain place, by order of his master. when he gets into the rest-house, the rest-house keeper knows that a gentleman is coming. at once he will order to kill a chicken and grill it in scotch form? and boil two eggs; when this is doing the kitchen mate[ ] will squeeze half of a cocoanut, with little water mix some saffron, salt green chillie, maldive fish, etc., now he boils this for five minutes. there is the breakfast ready! the bill of fare may be thus:--grilled chicken; boiled pumpkin or beans, sometimes potatoes; boiled rice; egg curry; samball; tea, coffee, or beer, etc. the dinner might be similar to above with addition of soup. sometimes the curries are made from native vegetables, as there is plenty of nice and wholesome vegetables in ceylon (i mean) besides the english vegetables. the rest-houses are in place of refreshment rooms and eating-houses are in england. [ ] kitchen mate is a boy kept under the cook to do all the washing, etc., etc. no.  .--egg curry (omelet). make a savoury omelet with chopped ham, parsley, etc. when done, cut in one-inch squares, and pour over the curry sauce, brown or yellow, as nos.  and . n.b.--the omelet should only be made just before serving, as it will get tough, etc. the curry sauce may be made beforehand. no.  .--egg curry (poached). prepare curry sauce, brown or yellow, as nos.  , . when serving just let the curry sauce simmer gently. now break the eggs carefully and put in the curry sauce, each separately. same as poaching eggs in a frying-pan. the pan must be a wide stew-pan. when dishing you must carefully take the yolks without breaking them and pour over the gravy, and send to table with boiled rice; and thin slices of ham should be handed round with this curry and rice. don't forget the samball for every curry, as well as fried red herring. no.  .--fried eggs for curries. beat up the eggs same as for savoury omelet, but omit the sweet herbs, add chopped ham, salt, pepper, dash of flour, and pinch of cayenne, and fry in butter or lard (same as omelets, or in small cakes). send to table with the curry and rice in separate dish. the above dish (usually the native way) not used in gentlemen's houses, but i recommend it to be tried. no.  .--curry sauce (brown, for meat of any sort). place a stew-pan on fire, add a spoonful of butter; when melted add one onion, sliced; when half brownish colour add a tablespoon and a half of coriander powder, one of rice powder as no.  , a saltspoon saffron, a pinch of cumin-seed powder. now turn this well with a wooden spoon. when nicely fried, add the spices as said in the curry no.  , ginger and garlic chopped up fine. now add a pint of good gravy or fresh milk, and let it simmer on slow fire till you find it reduced to a half-pint. add salt to taste, and a little cayenne if preferred hot. now this curry sauce is ready. this sauce can be heated up with any cold meats, as beef, mutton, pork, poultry, game, etc., etc., because the meat cooked beforehand cannot be cooked up in the above sauce, only warmed up. when preparing, the meat should only be added to the gravy about five to ten minutes before serving. the above recipe is only suitable for cold meats, fried livers, chops, steaks, etc., etc. the above is a brown curry for parties, like the curry stuffs; but for yellow curry with less curry stuffs, etc., see the accompanying recipe. but in ceylon or in india always two curries, etc., accompany the rice; especially in ceylon a brown and yellow curry, etc., accompanies the rice to table. no.  .--yellow curry sauce (for vegetables, fish, etc.). slice one onion, one large spoonful of chopped-up ham (fresh, best) or nice corned beef (cooked), one green capsicum cut in quarters, one small teaspoon of saffron powder, pinch of cayenne pepper if preferred hot curry, half-pint of milk, salt to taste. now put all these into a clean stew-pan and set on fire for twenty minutes or more, simmer gently, and let it reduce to half-pint. when serving add few drops of lemon juice and a large spoon of cream. the above curry sauce is very nice for fish and vegetables. if it is cooked up vegetable or fish, just add ten minutes before serving. if it is fresh vegetable or fish, to be cooked in the sauce from the beginning; see their separate headings. the above curry only second to a moley made of fish or fowl. no.  .--curried fowl (a joint). good-sized fowl and curry stuffs. everything same as for madras curry, but an extra spoon of coriander powder and spoonful of cocoanut scraped up fine (_i.e._, in england i have seen and also used cocoanut scraped and preserved in tins by some firm in london). this cocoanut can add to all kinds of brown curries, as it gives flavour to curry; but it is a new idea, not suitable or used in the east for a curry. dress the fowl as for boiling, and boil it for few minutes (underdone). keep this to a side, but don't waste the broth. now place a large stew-pan on fire (large enough to hold the fowl), slice one large onion and fry in the butter. when nicely brown take out the onions and put in the fowl, and fry it all sides nice and gold colour, take the fowl out of the pan. now add all the curry stuffs, spices, ginger, garlic, etc., etc., and the broth that the fowl has been boiled in, and a half-pint of milk and bay leaves. let all these simmer till the curry sauce is reduced to a pint or little more. now add the fowl and turn it occasionally; do not let it burn. when serving, add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar (pickled), a spoonful of cream, salt to taste, and cayenne if preferred. send to table on a flat dish large enough to carve the fowl, and leave enough gravy to go round the table; i mean not juicy, neither dry. the above should be treated as a joint. if any left can be warmed up in frying-pan, the fowl cut in pieces, and send to table with fried potatoes, garnished with nice green cabbage (boiled), or brussels sprouts will do best. the above will do better on a sunday for dinner, as thus:-- not a bad dinner for a small party. beef, mullagatawny, and rice. curried fowls, and plenty of vegetables and potatoes. some kind of pudding. no.  .--chicken moley. for two young chickens and some gravy. cut up the chicken in joints, and boil all the bones, etc., for gravy. place a stew-pan on fire, add the chicken-bone gravy, half-pint milk, one small spoon of butter, one eggspoon saffron powder, one tablespoon of chopped ham, small pinch of cayenne, one bay leaf, spices (bit of cinnamon, two cloves), salt to taste, one onion sliced. let it boil (i mean simmer) for five minutes, then add the chicken, set on slow fire till the meat is tender. when serving, mix a dessertspoon of flour in two tablespoons of cream in a tea cup, then add this into the moley and stir well; let simmer for two or three minutes. when dishing, add a few drops of lemon juice or pickled vinegar. the above dish should be light-yellow colour, the gravy thick as cream. mashed potatoes and fried bacon may garnish this dish, with red carrots, cut fine and pretty, and stuck in the mashed potatoes round the dish. the above entree should be served up on a small flat dish for a dinner, lunch, supper, etc. no.  .--fish moley. for two pounds of salmon. n.b.--the fish moley is almost like a curry (_see_ fish curry, salmon, no.  ). cut the salmon nearly an inch thick, then cut it in two inches long, one inch wide, or little round pieces. now mix in a stew-pan the following:--a pint of fish stock, white gravy, or milk, one small spoon of butter, one eggspoon saffron powder, one dessertspoonful finely-chopped ham, pinch of cayenne, one bay leaf, spices (bit of cinnamon or cloves), one large onion sliced, salt to taste. mix all the above into the stew-pan, and set on fire. when it simmers, add the fish and let it simmer gently until the fish is done. when serving, mash up a boiled potato in two tablespoons of cream. pour to the moley, and add few drops of lemon juice, and send to table with boiled potatoes (mashed up and baked in an oven), in shape as a pudding. suppose if you have any cold fish boiled the day before, just only mix up the sauce and let it simmer till wanted, and add the fish five or ten minutes before sending to table. any fresh beef, cold beef, mutton, etc., can be made into moley, but the fresh beef ought to be tender part--the under cut of a sirloin will do nicely. it cannot be made from pork, because it will not taste as nice as chicken or fish. no.  .--fish curry (salmon). the fish curry is made several different ways in ceylon and india, as brown or yellow curry, but similar to fish moley, hard-boiled egg curry, no.  , and the potato curry, no.  ; but you must add a spoonful of chopped ham or corned beef, and use lemon juice, not vinegar. the fish curry (brown) can be made same as madras curry, no.  . but proceed to make the curry sauce, no.  , then add the fish. as soon as the fish is tender, the curry is ready. don't add any butter to fish curries. the native cooks use the coriander, saffron, chillies, etc., without roasting them in the frying-pan.--see "home-made curry powder," no.  , but grinding it without roasting. no.  .--fish curry (various). salmon. haddocks. soles. whiting. codfish. whitebait. fresh herrings. lobsters. crabs. oysters. prawns. shrimps, etc. the above fish curries can be made same as salmon curry, no.  , egg curry (yellow), fish moley, madras curry, no.  , but great care must be taken not to be burned. the soles and whiting are not nice when curried, and the oysters should be used without the liquor. prawns and shrimps are celebrated curries if they are freshly caught and properly prepared. tamarind used for fish curries (brown) are very nice--better than lime (lemon) juice or vinegar. no.  .--tinned sardines (curried). for a small tin of sardines of one dozen. take the sardines, and take off the black part; just finely scrape; with a spoon place on a tin or plate, and make it warm in an oven. now make a curry sauce (brown), same as no.  , but less milk or gravy. the curry sauce must not be more than a small tea cup, nice and thick, if not thicker,--just mash up a boiled potato, and add to the sauce. just before serving, take each sardine carefully and place in the curry sauce you made; do not stir it; set on slow fire for five minutes. when serving take each carefully without breaking, arrange them nicely on a curry or vegetable dish; pour over the gravy, and send to table with boiled rice or hot toast. any tinned fish can be made same as the above, except yarmouth bloaters, smoked fish, salt fish, mackerel, etc., etc. tinned salmon makes a nice curry. afraid it will mash up and be like a gruel instead of lumps. the above curry sauce will answer to several boiled fish--boiled the day before. no.  .--vegetable curries (various). with reference to above, the potato, knol khol, turnips, carrots, parsnips, vegetable marrow, cucumber, beans, etc., can be made same way as potato curry, no.  ; but cabbage, spinach, turnip tops (young shoots), brussels sprouts, can be made same way as potato curry, with same ingredients, but the cabbage, brussels sprouts, etc., take little more time to tenderly boil; therefore extra gravy, milk, butter, and extra spoon of ham or corned beef. onions should be added for greens. the more good gravy you add the better the curry. as far as i have seen, there is not many english vegetables can be curried, but in india and ceylon there is numberless vegetables, greens, grasses, etc., can be curried. no.  .--potato curry. for one pound of good potatoes (peeled). cut them in half-inch squares; put them into a clean stew-pan with an eggspoon of saffron; one large onion, sliced; one large spoon of chopped ham or corned beef (salt to taste); three parts of a pint of milk. mix well together; put in a bay leaf; set on fire, and let it simmer till the potatoes are tender. if the three-quarters pint of milk is not sufficient to tender the potatoes, add some good gravy (stock), but not brown stock. when serving, add a quarter pint of milk and a dessertspoon or more of cream, and let it simmer. when simmering add a few drops of lemon juice, and send to table with boiled rice. but a brown curry must accompany the above curry. no.  .--cabbage curry. take half of a small cabbage, and cut it with a sharp knife as big as you cutting a lettuce for a salad; wash it thoroughly clean; put into a stew-pan with a pint of gravy, and boil it till half done. now take it off the fire; add an eggspoonful of saffron powder; two large spoons of chopped ham, etc.; a pinch of cayenne (if required hot); one large onion, sliced; salt to taste. mix well; set on fire. more gravy or milk should be added, till the cabbage is soft as usual form. no.  .--bean curry. for a pound of french beans. cut up the beans one inch long and prepare same as the cabbage curry. the same ingredients will do and must accompany a meat curry to table. these curries may only be gleeced, if you please, or can serve plain, but the gleece gives a nice smell and good taste. any curry can be gleeced. if you wish to make curry of broad beans, must take off the thicker skin and weigh a pound; but broad beans are not a useful bean for curry, but only better as a vegetable by cooking it in a jar with butter and mint.--see vegetables for table, as no.  . no.  .--onion curry. same as potato curry, no.  . the large onions should be cut in quarters, and the small onions put in whole; but in india and ceylon we have onions (i mean the button onions with red skin) which makes a delicious curry. no.  .--devilled cabin biscuits. onion sliced. dessertspoon butter. tablespoons of good beef gravy. eggspoon or less of cayenne. pinch of pepper; salt to taste. small potato mashed up. dessertspoon of worcester sauce (lea & perrins). _mode._--slice the onions and fry in a stew-pan with the butter; when the onions turn to a gold colour add all other ingredients. during you preparing the above, soak six cabin biscuits in boiling water for two minutes, then take it out of the water and dish the biscuits, and pour over the devil gravy you prepared. cover the biscuits with gravy and serve hot. the above dish is good for lunch, etc. no.  .--devilled meat (various). same ingredients as for biscuits, no.  , but meat must be cut two inches long and added to the stew-pan soon as the onions are fried. give it stirring for some while by turning the pieces of meat in it. by-the-bye, the fresh meat should be fried a little brown, because fresh meat devilled always tough unless the meat is undercut. extra spoons of gravy should be added to devilled meats. cuttings from cold joints are nice devilled; but fresh beef ought to be of tender part (as i said before, undercut). fowl, duck, mutton, turkey, geese can be done in same way (i mean from joints roasted beforehand); but you must reduce or exceed the ingredients for the amount of weight. the quantities given for devilled biscuits are sufficient for lb., or less of meat. be careful not to burn.--see devilled biscuits. no.  .--mollagoo tanney, and not mulligatawny.[ ] [ ] why english people always spell this word wrong? everybody knows this--mollagoo, _pepper_; tanney, _water_. in proper tamil the mollagoo tanney is pronounced "mollagoo neer" and "mollagoo tannir." good quarts of gravy of mutton beef or chicken soup. large spoons of coriander powder. tablespoon of rice powder as no.  , and pinch of pepper. pint of good milk. large onions, sliced. piece of ginger. garlic, small one. / teaspoon of cumin powder. pinch of saffron. dessertspoon butter. _mode._--the curry stuffs you use for mollagoo tanney should be very fine. take a large stew-pan and mix all the above together, only one onion (sliced), garlic and ginger chopped up fine. let these simmer for ten minutes, now strain it through a muslin or gravy strainer. now fry the other onion in the dessertspoon of butter in another stew-pan. when the onions are browned add the mollagoo tanney with a small bay leaf, and skim off the grease, and send to table in a soup tureen as a soup; but this should be used instead of soup, or the first dish for a lunch or breakfast or dinner, but i recommend for dinner in europe. cut lemon should be handed round with the above and plain boiled rice. fried red herring wouldn't be a bad accompaniment. in india the mullagatawny is used generally once a week--say on a sunday or wednesday. the natives usually have this mullagatawny on fridays after their caste. some mullagatawny are made of plain curry stuffs, tamarind, etc., not worth for europeans. some parties who visited india like native mullagatawny better than the above, according to taste, but i recommend the above for europeans. the cayenne pepper should be added if required hot. no.  .--pillau rice (a mohammedan dish), au joint for dinner. cook rice as no.  . keep it aside till wanted, then place a frying-pan on fire. have two large onions (sliced) and two tablespoons of butter, and add half-teaspoon of saffron. when all the above is nicely brown add the rice, and keep on turning for few minutes, sprinkle a little salt. now this is ready after dishing the above. fry a large onion (sliced), and raisins (fried), sliced almonds. sprinkle the above three over the pillau rice. the pillau rice should accompany roast fowl or mutton chops by dishing the meat on a flat dish, and cover it with pillau rice, and sprinkle over with fried onions, etc. parsley mint can be fried and added. if it is to be eaten with curry, use madras curry, kabob, or salmon, and omit the meat with pillau. no.  .--lemon (hot) sauce. juice of a large lemon. dessertspoon cayenne. dessertspoon pounded white sugar; some salt. mix all together in a cup and use. if required to be kept, boil the whole in an enamel-plated saucepan; when cold bottle it. this sauce is very nice with cold meat or with made dishes. no.  .--apple chutney. how to make in england. / lb. sour apples, peeled and cored. / lb. currants. oz. chillies (or / oz. cayenne). tablespoon brown sugar. oz. salt, or to taste. eggspoon pepper, finely ground. oz. garlic, chopped up fine. / oz. green ginger, chopped up fine. / lb. raisins. _mode._--have the currants and raisins clean, and pound them in grinder or pounder of stone. now grind the apples and all other ingredients to a smooth paste (i mean, not too thin or in lumps). now mix these well together with half bottle of best vinegar, and bottle it in tart fruit bottles, corked well. if you require sweeter have more sugar, and if it is too watery put in a little less of vinegar. the above plan of chutney is suitable for cold meats, curries, etc. in ceylon, mango chutney is made in similar way, but they use tamarind, and when grinding use vinegar to soften the ingredients when grinding. no.  a.--mint chutney. / lb. mint. oz. cayenne. / lb. salt. / lb. raisins. oz. ginger. / lb. brown sugar. oz. garlic. / bottle vinegar to grind the above. / bottle vinegar, hot, to pour over. _mode._--grind or pound the above by adding the cold vinegar by degrees to soften. when nice and smooth, put into a bowl and pour over the hot vinegar. when cool, bottle it in tart fruit bottles, and cork well. n.b.--i can give dozens of recipes for chutney. i am afraid it is no use telling in this book, because the ingredients cannot be procured fresh, as mangoes, pineapples, lavi-lavi, blinga, tamarind, ripe chillies, chutnies, etc., etc. the above is a recipe i tried in newera eliya, ceylon, where fresh mint can be had in any quantity of first class, same as in england and scotland. no.  .--quickly-made samball. how to make it in england. chop up fine one large onion, a teaspoon of cayenne, another of crushed sugar, one tablespoon finely-chopped ham (cooked), one teaspoon salt, one tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. _mode._--mix all the above in a small bowl with a wooden spoon or with your clean finger. now add the vinegar. again mix well, and send to table with cold pork, curries, etc. a little more sugar may be added if preferred sweet. there are great many samballs can be made, but all must pass the curry stone or stone-made pounder. the samballs made of dry chillies, green chillies, cocoanut juice, maldive fish, onions, cooked fishes, meats, mint, etc., etc. the samballs are a great improvement to curries. in ceylon every cook would send a samball to table with the curry and rice; also native meals are never without a samball--especially _samball_, or some ball. it is only a new-made chutney or pickle, but _fresh_ made, called _sampball_. no.  .--how to fry red herrings for curries. take two stout common red herrings, cut them about one and a-half inch long (cross ways); put in a plate and add one tablespoon of vinegar and a little dash of cayenne; roll the herrings well, and fry them in butter or lard, and send to table dry, free from grease. to be eaten with rice and curry instead of bombay ducks. the above is a new idea, which i came to know during my first visit to england, royal jubilee exhibition, , in liverpool. no.  .--toast curry. prepare some curry gravy, same as madras curry, no.  . now toast two slices of bread; cut thin, and in diamond shape. after toasted, dish the toast on a vegetable dish, and pour over the gravy you prepared, and send to table hot, with curry and rice, samball, etc. no.  .--how to make rice powder. take a pound of good rice, and pick out all the black and other things from it. and now place a frying-pan on fire; soon as it gets hot put in the rice, and keep on turning till you find it nice and brown colour; then put on a plate to get cool; then pound this in a stone-made mortar or pounder (very fine), and bottle it, well corked. use a tablespoon to brown curries. no.  .--mushrooms curried and served on toast. pick out half-pound of fresh and good mushrooms; sprinkle with little pepper and salt. now prepare curry sauce as for snipe curry. fry the mushrooms in a dessertspoon of butter, and add to the curry sauce; let it simmer gently for five minutes, then serve on hot toast. a nice dish for lunch or supper. when eating, a dash of cayenne and mushroom ketchup may be a nice taste. try the above. no.  .--rice, how to boil for curries. take an enamelled saucepan to hold four quarts, and fill it three-quarters full of fresh water, and let it boil. during the time the water is boiling, soak two pounds of rice (white) for three minutes in cold water; then strain off the water, and put the rice in the pan that is boiling, and stir for two minutes, and cover it up. when boiling put in a spoon, and take out some rice and feel it with your finger. if it is done drain off all the water, and place the pan near a hot oven till wanted. must not let it be overdone. if it is overdone and nearly soft, just drain the boiling rice water, and add a few cups of very cold water. stir it, and drain again, and set by the fire or on hot oven for a few minutes, and you will find each grain separate. boiled rice ought to have each grain separate. n.b.--the rice i have seen in england they call it "patcha areysi," used for rice cakes, etc., in india and ceylon, etc. i mean the rice taken out the shell without boiling the paddy. the rice taken out the shell, called "sothareysigal," as follows, of rangoon, chittagong, bengal, etc., etc.:-- samba. muthoo samba. mollagoo samba. oosi samba. collundha. bangalam. cara. vallareysee. masareysi. waddakathy samba. and several other native names too numerous to mention. the above all good for eating after boiled. no.  .--a salad for dinner, etc., for hot weather. cucumber. beet root, boiled. hard-boiled eggs. ripe tomatoes. water-cress. large onion, thin sliced. cold fowl, beef, or mutton. _mode._--cut the meat in thin slices, and put in a flat dish, then slice the cucumber, beet root, eggs, tomato, and onion, and dress the dish with the above, neatly arranging by putting one piece cucumber, another of beet root, another of eggs, and another of tomato, and put the sliced onions in the middle, and the water-cress round the dish as a decoration. now prepare this sauce. yolks of hard boiled eggs. potato, finely mashed up. dessertspoon of made mustard. teaspoonful of crushed sugar, another of butter. dessertspoons of condensed milk (omit the sugar); or, large spoon of cream instead of condensed milk. / teaspoon of salt, dash of cayenne and pepper. tablespoons vinegar, or more. take a small bowl and mash up the potato, yolks of eggs, mustard, sugar, salt, butter. when nice and smooth add the milk or cream. after mixed add the vinegar, and mix well and keep separate. when sending to table just pour the sauce all over the salad with a spoon. let it stand for two minutes and serve. the above can be made with or without meat, and also with lettuce if at hand. several other salads could be made as learned cooks have written in the cooks' books; but the above i tried myself in one of my former masters' bungalows in ceylon and in england. no.  .--sundal or poogathu (a native dish). finely cut one cabbage (a small one)--i mean as fine as the tobacco used for cigarettes, put a stew-pan on fire, add a small spoonful of butter, one onion (sliced). when the onions are nice and brown put in the cabbage, give it a turn, and add a teacup of good gravy, and cover it up, and set on gentle fire for few minutes; then add a spoonful of chopped ham, dash of cayenne and pepper, a pinch of saffron powder, and set over an oven till wanted. do not let it burn; keep on turning. when nice and dry send to table with curry, and rice, and samball. the above can be made from any greens; but this is not in use in european houses in ceylon, but very nice dish for curries. no.  .--vegetables boiled for table. french beans, broad beans, peas, brussels sprouts, etc., will be nice when boiled in preserve jar with a lump of butter, salt, and dash of pepper (and mint to peas), but brussels sprouts requiring lots of cooking may add some water to it. spinach and sorrel can be cooked in a jar with a small onion (sliced), and little more salt to sorrel. any vegetables might be done as above. i think it is an economical way of cooking vegetables; but i am afraid it wouldn't do for large establishments as hotels, etc., but for family houses it is a better way. the jar to be placed in a large pan, half full of water, and see it occasionally to prevent drying up. no.  .--economical curry paste. lb. coriander seed. / lb. dry chillies. / lb. mustard seed. oz. garlic. oz. ---- / lb. dried peas. / pint vinegar. / lb. saffron. / lb. pepper. oz. dry ginger. / lb. salt. / lb. brown sugar. oz. cumin seed. / pint lucca oil. n.b.--few bay leaves in ceylon and india. using carugapilbay or _curry leaves_, black. _mode._--grind all the above with the vinegar using to moisten the ingredients, using a curry stone or stone-made pounder. when all the above nice and thin as a paste, put in a jar and pour over the lucca oil, and cover it up. use a large spoon for madras curries. the above good for mushroom, snipe, partridge, and other brown curries of superior quality. no.  .--curry powder (a recipe). lbs. coriander seed. / oz. chillies. oz. pepper. oz. cumin seed. oz. mustard seed. oz. bay leaves. oz. carum seed. oz. saffron. make all the above into powder, and calculate the weight--ought to equal. use one and a-half tablespoonful for brown curries only. no.  .--curry powder (a recipe). lb. coriander seed. / lb. cumin seed. oz. saffron. oz. dry chillies.   / oz. vantheyam (tamil name) fenugreek. oz. ginger. handful chopped-up bay leaves. pound smooth all these, and bottle it in, well corked, and use as above. the above three recipes are from mr. symon nayajam, cook, of madras and colombo, ceylon. no.  .--curry powder (a most excellent). large old fowls. lb. coriander. / lb. chillies or cayenne. oz. saffron. large spoons cumin seed. oz. dry ginger. oz. garlic. large spoons of rice powder, as no.  ; or large spoons of dried peas (roasted and ground). / handful dried bay leaves. tablespoon peppercorns. doz. cloves. / lb. button onions, / lb. butter or ghee. _mode._--clean the fowls and cut them in small pieces, the giblets and all. put into a large saucepan, and add a few quarts of water, and boil it very tender--i mean simmer gently for two days. the bones, meat, etc., should be mashed up. now take out all the bones, and keep to a side. take a large saucepan, put in the butter and sliced onions, and fry it to a brown colour. now add all the curry powders, garlic chopped up, bay leaves, dry ginger, cloves, pepper, all in powders, and fry gently for a few minutes. now add the gravy of boiled fowls, with the meat, etc., and let it simmer so a few minutes. when all these are reduced to three quarts, just dish it on a flat dish and let it cool for a day, or till it gets hard as a brick. now pound this in a stone-made mortar to a smooth powder, and bottle it, well corked, and use for brown curries, a dessertspoon to a pound, with sliced onions, milk or gravy, and lemon juice. n.b.--the above recipe is a most excellent of all the curry powders and pastes, only second to none. in india we can prepare the above with tamarind included, for acid taste, and few other ingredients which can get fresh in ceylon and india, but i think not procurable in england. no.  .--tomato curry. for a pound of young or green tomato, ingredients same as for potato curry, no.  , or for brown curry same as no.  , madras curry. treat it same as the cabbage curry. but i recommend that tomatoes should be made brown curry--tastes nice. tomato curried is better than all the vegetables if it is properly made. ripe tomato not nice when curried, only for salads. no.  .--curries under various names. as to my opinion, curries can be made from anything, if you could procure the proper curry powders, etc. almost every curry is made one or two ways, by only reducing, exceeding, or mixing the various curry stuffs. some curries are hot, some dry, some juicy, some sour, and so on. then the cooks celebrate the names in the menu as delhi curry, agra curry, madras curry, curry à la punjab, bengal curry, mysore curry, and several other names too numerous to mention in this little work. but i myself and several parties who have visited india will be glad to recommend madras curries as best; and ceylon singhalese curry (yellow) is good, made of cocoanut juice, maldive fish, lemon, curry leaves, saffron, etc. several cooks add too much ghee or butter, lard, etc., but it only spoils the taste of the curry; and some cooks put too much spice, and give it too much flavouring. reasonable ingredients couldn't spoil a curry. a small girl of years of age will make a curry, as curries are easily made in india and ceylon. no.  .--chutney chicken. same as country capon, or country captian, but mix few tablespoons of mango chutney, or any other chutneys, but not hot. no.  .--when to use curries. _first course._ soup. fish. entrees. joints. _second course._ curry and rice. sweets. cheese. dessert. coffee. tamil and english names for curry stuffs, etc., as used in ceylon. i only give a few of tamil languages as generally in use, but not high words. many parties visited our indian continent will understand the following and names of native vegetables:-- english. tamil. rice. areysi. curry. currie. coriander. cotha mulle. saffron. münjal. cumin seed. seeragam. ginger, dry. sukkoo. ginger, green. engi. salt. oopoo. dry chillie. cotchi kaie. green chillie. patcha kotchi kaie. cocoanut. thankaie or thayangaie. maldive fish. massi. milk. paal. bread. rotti. sugar. sèèney. water. thannir. cocoanut oil. thankaie annay. ghee. naie. butter. vannai. onions. vengayam. curry leaves. caruga pillay. lemon or limes. thascekaie. tamarind. puley. cinnamon. carova patta. cloves. ikramba. dry fish. caroowadoo. fish. meen. beef. erratchi. mutton. art erratchi. pork. pandi erratchi. fowl. coley. chicken. coley kunju. articles of food--posana patharitlaugal. meat. ereitchi. fresh meat. patcha eratchi. ghie fish. ney meen. soles. nakoo meen. shrimps. cooni, erraal. prawn. erraal. lobster. singeerral. crab. nandoo. turkey. van coley. goose. peria vathu, or wathu. teal. seeragi. snipe. collan or collaan. cereals. thaniya vagayi. boiled rice. soru. pearl barley. barli arisi. sago. sav-vari-si. kurrakan raggy. koorakan _kapay_. maize. sollam, mâkka, solam. pulses. payaroo vagaie. grain. kadalay, thaniam. flour. mahà, vagai. wheat flour. gothuma mâ. corn flour. sollam mâ. tapioca. eli lay mâ. arrowroot. coova mâ. cabbage. govis keeray. cucumber. _wellari._ pumpkin. poosani kai. bringall. kathari kay. wenda kay. wenda kai. drumstick. mooroonga kai. curry stuffs. masalai. pepper. melagu. mustard. kadoogoo. garlic. vella vengâyam. fenugreek. vanthayam. dark margosa leaves. caroova pillay. aniseed. sôômboo. cardamom. alâmor elam. _nutmeg._ sathi kai. mace. sathi pathari. lime. ellumitchan _palam_. fruit. pala, vagai. mango. mâm _palam_. plantain. _vala_ palam. custard apple. seitha _palam_. jack fruit. paala, palam. bread fruit. lera palla kai. bullock's heel. rama seitha palam. pine apple. annâsi palam. orange. pani thottam, palam. guava. coiya palam. i can give several other names in tamil and english, but my little book is too light to carry the burden. d. santiagoe. printed by william clowes and sons, limited, london and beccles. [ transcriber's note: the following is a list of corrections made to the original. the first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. pepper (if required, hot curries). he is a little plaintive about pepper (if required, hot curries)." he is a little plaintive about its england. garlic ginger (green), used for any meat curry, it is very in england. garlic ginger (green), used for any meat curry, it is very no.  . mutton curry. no.  .--mutton curry. o.  .--egg curry (brown). no.  .--egg curry (brown). let the curry sauce simmer gently now break the eggs carefully and let the curry sauce simmer gently. now break the eggs carefully and no.  . onion curry. no.  .--onion curry. ] transcriber's note: minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. irregularities and inconsistencies in the text have been retained as printed. words printed in italics are noted with underscores: _italics_. the table of contents was not present in the original text and has been produced for the reader's convenience. practical italian recipes for american kitchens sold to aid the families of italian soldiers copyrighted, contents soups brown stock _sugo di carne_ vegetable chowder _minestrone alla milanese_ french onion soup _minestra di cipolla alla francese_ paradise soup _minestra del paradiso_ pea soup _zuppa di piselli_ bean soup _zuppa di fagiuoli_ queen's soup _zuppa regina_ vegetable soup _zuppa sauté_ soup with little hats _cappelletti all' uso di romagna_ vegetables milanese rice _risotto alla milanese i_ rice with chicken giblets _risotto alla milanese ii_ rice and peas _risotto coi piselli_ string beans with egg sauce _fagiuolini in salsa d'uovo_ fried celery _sedano fritto_ boiled celery _sedano per contorno_ boiled cauliflower _cavolfiore in umido_ vegetables alla napolitana _giambotto alla napolitana_ eggplant with tomato sauce _melanzana in umido_ baked eggplant with cheese _tortino di melanzana alla parmigiana_ potatoes "stufato" _stufato di patate_ mould of peas or beans _sformato di fagiuolini o piselli_ mould of spinach _stampa di spinaci_ eggs eggs all' aurora tomatoes with eggs corn meal dishes corn meal loaf _pasticcio di polenta_ polenta pie _polenta pasticciata_ spaghetti and other pastas gnocchi of farina or cornmeal _gnocchi alla romana_ spaghetti with anchovies spaghetti alla napolitana noodles or home made paste _tagliatelli o pasta fatta in casa_ ravioli ravioli with meat _ravioli alla genovese_ noodles with ham _tagliatelle col presciutto_ sauces bolognese sauce for macaroni _maccheroni alla bolognese_ tomato sauce _salsa di pomidoro_ white sauce for boiled asparagus or cauliflower _salsa bianca_ piquant sauce _salsa piccante_ fish salmon alla fiorentina codfish "stufato" _stufato di baccala_ codfish croquettes _cotolette di baccala_ meats fried chipped veal _frittura piccata_ scalloped meat _piatto di carne avanzata_ meat soufflÉ _flam di carne avanzata_ meat omelette _polpettone_ stew of beef or veal with macaroni _stufato di vitello con maccheroni_ pigeons in cornmeal _piccioni con polenta_ smothered chicken _stufato di pollo_ chicken alla cacciatora _pollo alla cacciatora_ boiled fowl with rice _lesso di pollo col riso_ stuffing for roast chicken or turkey _ripieno_ sweets chocolate pudding _budino di cioccolata_ zabaione mont blanc _monte bianco, dolce di castagne_ nut cake pasta marguerita bignÉ _foreword_ in this world war we are learning many lessons from our allies beside those of the battle field. the housewives of the old world have much to teach us in thrift, especially in the kitchen. italian cooking--not that of the large hotel or restaurant, but the _cucina casalinga_ of the little roadside hostelry and of the home where the mother, or some deft handmaid trained in the art from infancy, is priestess at the tiny charcoal stove--is at once so frugal and so delicious that we do well to study it with close attention. if you have ever sat at a snowy table in the garden of some wayside inn in the appennines, a savory dish of _risotto_ before you and the music of the mountain torrent far below in your ears; or sipped a _zabaione_ in the portico of a cafe on the sun-baked piazza of some brown old town clinging to a hillside of umbria; or eaten _fritto misto_ on a _pensione_ terrace overhanging the sapphire gulf of naples, one of those inimitable haunts of comfort kept by a handsome italian dame who served her apprenticeship in anglo-saxon ways as an english lady's maid; if any of these experiences have been yours you do not need to be convinced of the inimitable charms of the italian cuisine. the italian housewife uses quantities of vegetables, many soups and made dishes containing only a small proportion of meat and that the inexpensive cuts. vegetable salads are a staple, while fresh or dried fruits, coffee, cheese and nuts are the regular dessert. the elaborate creations for which the italian confectioner is justly famous are reserved for festal occasions. at first reading many of the recipes may sound elaborate, but in using them it is well to bear in mind the general plan of the italian menu. each dish is usually served as a course in itself. a good soup, a savory dish of spaghetti, rice or vegetables combined with meat, a crisp salad dressed with oil and vinegar, followed by a piece of fruit, a bit of cheese and black coffee make a characteristic italian meal and one with which an epicure could find no fault. it is a meal, moreover, in keeping with the suggestions of our food administrator that we use a minimum of meats and sweets and a maximum of soups, fruits, vegetables, made dishes and cheese. this little venture is launched in the hope that the booklet may pay its way in new suggestions to american homemakers while it is earning money to prevent italian homes from being destroyed. the expenses incident to publication have been contributed, so that every penny from the sale of every copy is forwarded direct to responsible people in italy who will use it for food and clothing for the families of italian soldiers. additional copies may be had at fifty cents apiece, from julia lovejoy cuniberti, west milwaukee street, janesville, wisconsin. _suggestions_ tomato paste. this is a concentrated paste made from tomatoes and spices to be had of importers or grocers in italian neighborhoods. thinned with water, it is a much used ingredient in italian recipes. catsup and concentrated tomato soup do not make satisfactory substitutes as they are too sweet in flavor, but canned tomatoes seasoned with salt and a bit of bay leaf, cooked down to a thick cream and rubbed through a sieve, serve very well in lieu of tomato paste. parmesan cheese. when an italian recipe calls for grated cheese it usually means parmesan. this is practically unobtainable now, except the grated, bottled cheese, which is inferior in flavor. gruyère, our own brick cheese, or any skim milk cheese dried and grated fresh as needed makes a good substitute. dried mushrooms. these may be had of importers or small groceries in foreign neighborhoods. they sound expensive until one realizes that a very few ounces go a long way. they make a pleasing variety added to soups or sauces, and are much cheaper and more highly flavored than the canned mushrooms. they should be thoroughly washed and softened in warm water before using. anchovies. these recipes do not call for the filets of anchovy prepared for _hors-d'oeuvres_, but the less expensive and larger whole anchovies in salt to be had in bulk or cans at large dealers. to clean them plunge in boiling water. this loosens the skin and removes superfluous salt. remove head, tail, backbone and skin and they are ready for use. garlic. garlic is an inoffensive and wholesome ingredient if properly handled. used in small quantities and thoroughly cooked it gives an indescribable flavor that is never disagreeable. by "a clove of garlic" is meant one of the tiny sections of a whole garlic peeled down to its white, fleshy core. substitution of other ingredients. many of the recipes which have been written down just as they were given can be made more economical and no less delicious by the substitution of clarified drippings, vegetable shortenings and corn or nut oils for salt pork, butter or bacon. corn-starch is recommended for thickening instead of flour. anyone who does not care for as much cheese or tomato as the italian likes, may omit them entirely or greatly reduce the quantity in most of the recipes and still have an excellent dish. [sidenote: _soups_] brown stock _sugo di carne_ lb. beef from some tough but juicy cut a small piece of salt pork a large onion a stalk of celery tablespoons butter a carrot cloves salt, pepper chop the pork and put it in the bottom of a saucepan. next add the onion, celery and carrot chopped. dot with butter and over this place the meat cut into small pieces. add any trimmings from steaks, roasts or chops that may be on hand and any bits of left over cooked meat. season with salt and the cloves. put over the fire without stirring. when you smell the onions getting very brown turn the meat and when everything is extremely brown add a cup of water and let it cook almost dry. repeat this operation of adding the water three times. finally add three pints of boiling water and let it boil gently five or six hours, when the stock will be reduced to a few cupfuls. strain, cool and skim off the fat which will form a cake on top of the liquid. the meat may afterwards be used for a _flam_, for _polpettone_ or croquettes. the stock may be kept for some days and forms the basis for many dishes. in soups it is far superior to beef extract or bouillon cubes which may be substituted for it. vegetable chowder _minestrone alla milanese_ / lb. salt pork or sprigs parsley kernel garlic carrots / medium sized cabbage scant cup dried beans, lima or kidney, soaked over night quarts cold water a little celery any left over peas tablespoon butter rice, salt and pepper cut off the rind of the pork and put it into quarts of water to boil. cut off a small slice of the pork and beat it to a paste with the parsley and garlic. add this paste to the pork and water. slice the carrots, cut the rib out of the cabbage leaves. add the carrots, cabbage leaves, other vegetables, seasoning and butter to the soup, and let it boil slowly for - / hours. the last / hour add small handful of rice for each person. when the pork is very soft, remove and slice in little ribbons and put it back. this is equally good eaten cold. three bouillon cubes may be used instead of pork, or may be added if a richer soup is desired. _mme. varesi._ french onion soup _minestra di cipolla alla francese_ large onions tablespoons of vegetable oil or meat drippings / lb. swiss or american brick cheese, grated quart to pints soup stock or boiling water slices of stale bread toasted, salt, pepper peel the onions and slice them very thin. fry them slowly in the fat until they are a uniform golden brown, using a kettle deep enough to hold the water afterwards. when the onions are thoroughly fried add the hot water, cover and let simmer at least three-quarters of an hour, seasoning to taste. the onions will make a clean brown liquor without the use of any meat but soup stock may be used instead of water, or beef extract or bouillon cubes may be added to the water if a meat soup is preferred. put the soup in a hot tureen, add the toast cut into triangles and sprinkle it over with the grated cheese. serve as soon as the toast and cheese have been added. paradise soup _minestra del paradiso_ tablespoons sifted bread crumbs tablespoons grated cheese quart white soup stock or clear broth eggs nutmeg salt, pepper beat the whites of the eggs, then beat in the yolks. add the breadcrumbs gradually, then the grated cheese, a pinch of salt and a grating of nutmeg. these ingredients should form a thin batter. have the broth boiling and drop the batter into it by spoonfuls. let it boil three or four minutes and serve immediately. the batter will poach in soft, curdled lumps in the clear soup. this soup is much used as a delicacy for invalids. in this case the cheese may be scanted or omitted entirely. by way of variety a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley may be added to the batter, or a half a cup of spinach drained and rubbed through a sieve may be substituted for half of the breadcrumbs. when stock or broth is not available, it may be made from bouillon cubes and a lump of butter dissolved in boiling water and seasoned with celery salt, onion salt and pepper. _signora maria ronchi-cuniberti._ pea soup _zuppa di piselli_ pint peas; fresh peas, canned peas or dried peas soaked over night tablespoons oil or butter substitute small onion small carrot a sprig of parsley oz. ham, fat and lean a piece of celery a bay leaf salt, pepper chop fine or put through a meat grinder the ham, onion, carrot and celery, add the parsley chopped or clipped fine with scissors, and the bay leaf. fry all this in the oil until it is golden brown, but not at all scorched. add one pint of boiling water and the peas. if this cooks away add more water as needed until the peas are tender. rub the soup through a sieve. serve this soup garnished with croutons or toast triangles, and send a dish of grated cheese to the table with it to be added according to individual taste. bean soup _zuppa di fagiuoli_ cup dried beans, kidney, navy or lima / cup oil / onion clove of garlic sprig of parsley piece of celery cup canned tomatoes soak the beans over night. boil until tender. many cooks put the beans to cook in cold water with a pinch of soda. when they come to a boil, pour off this water and add fresh. chop fine the onion, garlic, parsley and celery and put them to fry in the oil with salt and a generous amount of pepper. when the vegetables are a delicate brown add to them two cups of the broth from the beans, and the tomatoes. let all come to a boil and pour the mixture into the kettle of beans from which some of the water has been drained, if they are very liquid. this soup may be served as it is or rubbed through a sieve before serving. croutons or triangles of dry toast make an excellent addition. queen's soup _zuppa regina_ cup cooked chicken / cup bread crumbs / cup milk yolk of egg, if desired or blanched almonds quart chicken stock slice stale bread fat for deep frying grind the meat and almonds in a meat grinder, or chop very fine. soak the bread crumbs in the milk, and rub all these ingredients to a very smooth paste. add the hot broth. if you wish the soup to be richer and have a more milky consistency use the yolk of an egg, which should be beaten and have a few tablespoons of the hot broth stirred into it before adding to the soup. do not let the soup boil after the egg is added or it will curdle. cut the stale bread into cubes and fry in deep fat. put these croutons in the soup, and send it to the table with a dish of grated cheese. vegetable soup _zuppa sauté_ many kinds of vegetables may be used for this soup, carrots, celery, cabbage, turnips, onions, potatoes, spinach, the outside leaves of lettuce or greens of any variety. select three or four kinds of vegetables. shred or chop coarsely cabbage or greens, and slice or cut in cubes the root vegetables. put them over the fire with a small quantity of cooking oil or butter substitute, and let them fry until they have absorbed the fat. then add broth and cook until the vegetables are very tender. fry croutons of stale bread in oil and serve them in the soup. in this, as in other recipes, water may be used instead of broth if the latter is not available, and bouillon cubes or beef extract added just as the hot soup is removed from the fire. soup with little hats _cappelletti all' uso di romagna_ equal parts curds or cottage cheese and cooked meat (chicken, pork or veal) grated cheese egg grated lemon peel nutmeg, allspice, salt grind the meat very fine and make a highly seasoned mixture of it and all the other ingredients. the ground meat may be sautéed in a little butter or drippings before it is mixed with the other ingredients to improve the flavor. cut rounds measuring about three inches in diameter from a thin sheet of paste made according to the recipe on page . place a spoonful of the filling in the middle of each circle of paste. fold over and moisten the edge of the paste with the finger dipped in water to make it stay securely closed. these _cappelletti_ should be cooked in chicken or turkey broth until the paste is tender, and served with this broth as a soup. this is a time-honored christmas dainty in italy. [sidenote: _vegetables_] milanese rice _risotto alla milanese i_ lb. rice a medium sized onion tablespoons butter, or oil salt curry powder, / teaspoon grated cheese chop the onion very fine, or put it through a meat grinder. put it to cook in the butter, until it is soft and yellow. wash the rice and add it to the onion and butter, stirring constantly so that it will not stick. salt it and add boiling water, a little at a time, until the rice is cooked tender, yet not too soft, with each grain distinct. dissolve the curry powder in a tablespoon of cold water and add to the rice. take from the fire and serve very hot after mixing into it a handful of grated cheese. the delicacy of this dish is lost if it is overcooked or allowed to cool. _signorina irene merlani._ rice with chicken giblets _risotto alla milanese ii_ lb. rice the giblets of a chicken cooking oil or chicken fat egg chicken broth onion grated cheese salt and pepper the broth for this _risotto_ may be made by cooking together the giblets, neck and tips of wings of a chicken which is to be roasted, or it may be made from the remnants of roast fowl. boil the rice until it is about half done in salted water. then let the water cook away and begin adding the broth, in such quantity that the rice will be nearly dry when it is tender. fry the chopped onion in the oil or fat. some mushrooms cut up small are a very good addition to this "soffritto." mince the chicken giblets and add to the onion. stir this mixture into the rice. add grated cheese and a beaten egg just as the rice is taken from the fire. rice and peas _risotto coi piselli_ cup rice tablespoon oil tablespoon butter / onion grated cheese a small can of peas clean the rice. chop the onion fine and fry it a golden color in the oil. put in the rice and stir it until it has absorbed all the oil. salt and add boiling water. boil until the rice is tender, taking care to keep plenty of water on it until the very end when it should cook almost dry. drain the peas and add them toward the end of the cooking. grated cheese is a good addition to this dish. string beans with egg sauce _fagiuolini in salsa d'uovo_ lb. green or wax beans butter, salt and pepper yolk of egg teaspoon cornstarch or flour juice of / lemon / cup soup stock string the beans and parboil them in salted, boiling water. drain, cut up into inch pieces and season with butter, salt and pepper. beat the egg yolk in a sauce pan. beat in the flour and lemon juice, add the stock (cold water will do) and cook the mixture over a moderate fire until it thickens. pour over the hot beans and let remain over the fire a moment so that they will absorb the flavor of the sauce but not long enough to curdle the egg. fried celery _sedano fritto_ cut the outside stalks of celery into pieces to inches long, and strip off the coarsest fibres. cook in water until soft and transparent. drain in colander. when it is as dry as possible roll each piece separately in flour, and sauté separately, not in a mass, in butter, vegetable oil or drippings, with salt and pepper. each piece must be turned to cook on both sides. swiss chard may be cooked in the same way. _mme. varesi._ boiled celery _sedano per contorno_ cook the outside stalks of celery, cut into small pieces, in boiling salted water for minutes. drain and sauté in a very little butter. add a few tablespoons of brown stock and simmer until tender. sprinkle with grated cheese if desired, before serving. boiled cauliflower _cavolfiore in umido_ a small strip of salt pork / onion tablespoon butter or oil a large cauliflower tomato paste[ ] salt, pepper, allspice a little sausage meat grated cheese chop fine the onion and salt pork, and brown together, adding the butter and spices. add enough tomato paste and boiling water to moisten the mixture thoroughly, and let it boil a few minutes. then add the finely chopped sausage and more water as necessary to keep it boiling. wash and quarter the cauliflower and cook it for ten minutes in boiling, slightly salted water. drain it and add it to the sauce, and simmer slowly until tender. be careful not to cook it so long that it gets mushy. grated cheese may be sprinkled over it before serving. cabbage may be cooked in the same way. _signorina irene merlani._ [ ] see suggestions, page . vegetables alla napolitana _giambotto alla napolitana_ / onion an eggplant a few tablespoons oil fresh or canned tomatoes two or three green peppers one or two potatoes salt, pepper zucchini zucchini are a kind of small squash for sale in groceries and markets of the italian neighborhoods of our large cities. summer or winter squash, ripe cucumber or even pumpkin make good substitutes. chop the onion and fry in oil. the other vegetables should be in proportion to each other. for example, if there is a cupful of each of the other vegetables when they are cut up, use a cupful of tomatoes unless you wish the tomato flavor to be very pronounced. peel and cube the potatoes, eggplant and squash. remove the seeds and stems from the peppers and slice or shred them coarsely. add the tomatoes to the onion and oil. after that has cooked a few minutes add the potatoes. when they are half done, put in the peppers, lastly the eggplant, squash, and salt and pepper. continue cooking until the vegetables are tender but still whole and firm. _roma pavilion restaurant, chicago._ eggplant with tomato sauce _melanzana in umido_ peel and cut up the eggplant. salt it and let it stand for an hour or so to draw out the bitter juices. drain and sauté in a little oil or drippings. add tomato sauce[ ] and simmer a few moments until tender. [ ] see page . baked eggplant with cheese _tortino di melanzana alla parmigiana_ the eggplant should be prepared as for ordinary frying, that is, it should be peeled, sliced and the slices sprinkled with salt and left under a weighted plate for some time to extract the bitter juices. sauté the slices in oil or lard. line a baking dish with them. fill the center of the dish with hard boiled eggs and cheese cut into little pieces. add to this filling enough grated cheese and tomato sauce to flavor it to taste. cover the top with another layer of the fried eggplant and a little more tomato sauce. bake in the oven for minutes. _roma pavilion restaurant, chicago._ potatoes "stufato" _stufato di patate_ lbs. potatoes tablespoon flour tablespoons butter pint milk grated cheese salt, pepper peel the potatoes and cut them into little pieces. cook in boiling water for ten minutes. take them out, drain thoroughly, and put in a saucepan, sprinkling them with flour, then adding the butter and milk. cover the pan and let the potatoes cook slowly for a quarter of an hour or until thoroughly done. season well with salt and pepper and a generous amount of grated cheese before serving. _signorina irene merlani._ mould of peas or beans _sformato di fagiuolini o piselli_ lb. green or wax beans / onion a sprig of parsley a piece of celery tablespoons oil or butter substitute tablespoon flour cup milk eggs grated cheese string the beans. blanch them by throwing them into boiling water. as soon as the water has boiled again drain the beans and plunge them into cold water. fry the finely chopped onion, parsley and celery in a tablespoon of oil. when the onion is a golden color add the beans and let them absorb the oil. add just enough water to keep them from burning until the beans have simmered tender. make a white sauce of the milk, flour and one tablespoon of oil. beat the eggs. let the beans and sauce cool a little. then add the eggs, beans and a few tablespoons of grated cheese to the white sauce. pour into a buttered mould. bake or steam as a custard until firm, and serve hot. peas are good cooked in the same way. canned peas and beans may be used. this makes a very satisfactory luncheon dish. mould of spinach _stampa di spinaci_ cup milk tablespoon butter tablespoon flour grated cheese cups boiled spinach eggs brown stock salt, pepper make a smooth white sauce of the milk, butter and flour. let it cook until it is thick and the flour is thoroughly cooked. add to the sauce the spinach (drained, rinsed and chopped very fine) a few tablespoons of grated cheese, two eggs beaten, a few tablespoons of brown stock (or a bouillon cube dissolved in a little hot water) and salt. mix thoroughly and pour into a buttered mould. steam as a custard until it is firm. brown stock or tomato sauce may be poured over this, but it is excellent served hot just as it is. for the recipes for _brown stock_ and _tomato sauce_ see pages and . _pensione santa caterina, siena._ [sidenote: _eggs_] eggs all' aurora tablespoon butter or vegetable oil cup milk tablespoon flour eggs salt and pepper hard boil the eggs. make a white sauce of the flour, milk and butter. be sure to cook it thoroughly. add the whites of the eggs diced very fine. pour this out on a platter and cover with the yolks forced through a sieve or potato ricer. _pensione santa caterina, siena._ tomatoes with eggs or ripe tomatoes of equal size or eggs white sauce or brown gravy peel the tomatoes. cut a slice from the top of each, and scoop out the core. break a raw egg into each and replace the top. put in a baking dish and bake until the eggs are set. serve with a cream sauce or brown gravy. [sidenote: _corn meal dishes_] corn meal loaf _pasticcio di polenta_ yellow cornmeal dried mushrooms[ ] parmesan cheese[ ] butter cream salt the day before this dish is to be served, cook cornmeal very thoroughly with only enough water to make it very stiff. turn out to cool in just the shape of the dish in which it has cooked. next day take this same dish, butter it and sprinkle with bread crumbs. cut the mould of cornmeal in horizontal slices about / inch thick. lay the top slice in the bottom of the dish where it fits. dot with two or three small pieces of butter and three or four dried mushrooms which have had boiling water poured over them and soaked some time. moisten with cream and sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese. repeat slice by slice until the shape is complete. on the last slice put only two dots of butter. put in a moderate oven and bake three hours. if at the end of this time there should be too much liquid on top pour this off to use for the seasoning of some other dish, such as spaghetti, rice or noodles, and continue cooking until the liquid ceases to ooze. [ ] see suggestions, page . polenta pie _polenta pasticciata_ cup yellow corn meal cup milk tablespoon cornstarch grated cheese bolognese sauce[ ] salt tablespoon cooking oil or butter make a very stiff mush of the cornmeal. salt it well and when it is cooked spread it out to cool on a bread board in a sheet about an inch thick. make a smooth white sauce of the milk, cornstarch and butter. prepare the _bolognese sauce_ according to its recipe. when the cornmeal is cold slice it down in half inch slices and cut into diamonds or squares. butter a baking dish. put in a layer of the cornmeal, sprinkle it with cheese and a few tablespoons each of the white sauce and the meat sauce. repeat until the dish is full. bake until the top is nicely browned. this seems like an elaborate dish, but it is very delicious and a meal in itself. [ ] see page . [sidenote: _spaghetti and other pastas_] gnocchi of farina or cornmeal _gnocchi alla romana_ pint of milk, or half milk and half water / cup farina or cornmeal butter and grated cheese egg salt let the milk come to a boil, salt it and add the farina gradually, stirring constantly so it will not become lumpy. take from the fire and add a tablespoon of butter and several tablespoons of grated cheese, also the egg slightly beaten. mix well and spread out on a moulding board in a sheet about / inch thick. when it is cold cut it in squares or diamonds. put a layer of these on a shallow baking dish or platter that has been buttered. sprinkle with cheese and dot with butter. make another layer and so on until the dish is filled. bake in the oven until the crust is well browned. spaghetti with anchovies / lb. spaghetti medium sized anchovies[ ] olive oil canned tomatoes put the anchovies into a colander and dip quickly into boiling water to loosen the skins, and remove the salt. skin and bone them. chop them and put over the fire in a sauce-pan with a generous quantity of oil and some pepper. do not let them boil, but when they are hot add two tablespoons of butter and three or four tablespoons of concentrated tomato juice made by cooking down canned tomatoes and rubbing through a sieve. boil the spaghetti in water that is only slightly salted and take care not to let it become too soft. drain thoroughly and put it into the hot dish in which it is to be served. pour the sauce over the spaghetti, and if you have left the latter unbroken in the italian style mix by lifting the spaghetti with two silver forks until sauce has gone all through it. serve with grated cheese. [ ] see suggestions, page . spaghetti alla napolitana / lb. round steak / lb. salt pork or bacon small onion a clove of garlic tablespoon butter or substitute a few dried mushrooms, if desired several sprigs parsley fresh or canned tomatoes grind the salt pork and try it out in a saucepan. while it is frying put the onion through the grinder. as soon as the pork begins to brown add the onion, the parsley chopped, the garlic shredded fine, and the mushrooms which have been softened by soaking in warm water. when the vegetables are very brown (great care must be taken not to burn the onion, which scorches very easily) add the meat ground coarsely or cut up in little cubes. when the meat is a good brown color, add about one pint of tomatoes and simmer slowly until all has cooked down to a thick creamy sauce. it will probably take / hour. the sauce may be bound together with a little flour if it shows a tendency to separate. this sauce is used to dress all kinds of macaroni and spaghetti, also for boiled rice. spaghetti should be left unbroken when it is cooked. if it is too long to fit in the kettle immerse one end in the boiling salted water and in a very few minutes the ends of the spaghetti under the water will become softened so that the rest can be pushed down into the kettle. be careful not to overcook it and it will not be pasty, but firm and tender. drain it carefully and put in a hot soup tureen. sprinkle a handful of grated cheese over it and pour on the sauce. lift with two forks until thoroughly mixed. noodles or home made paste _tagliatelli o pasta fatta in casa_ the best and most tender paste is made simply of eggs and flour and salt. water may be substituted for part of the eggs, for economy, or when a less rich paste is needed. allow about a cup of flour to an egg. put the flour on a bread board, make a hole in the middle and break in the egg. use any extra whites that are on hand. work it with a fork until it is firm enough to work with the hands. knead it thoroughly, adding more flour if necessary, until you have a paste you can roll out. roll it as thin as a ten cent piece. if the sheet of paste is too large to handle with an ordinary rolling pin, a broom handle which has been sawed off, scrubbed and sandpapered, will serve in lieu of the long italian rolling pin. this paste may be cut in ribbons to be cooked in soup as _tagliatelli_, or cut in squares or circles and filled with various mixtures to make _cappelletti_, _ravioli_, etc. any bits that are left or become too dry to work may be made into a ball and kept for some time to be grated into soup, in which it makes an excellent thickening. ravioli / lb. curds or soft cottage cheese / cup cooked spinach or beet greens egg nutmeg salt grated cheese drain and chop the greens. mix well with the curds, egg, a little grated cheese, salt and nutmeg. make a paste such as that described in the recipe for _pasta fatta in casa_, page . roll out this paste very thin and mark it off in two or three inch squares. place a spoonful of the mixture on each square. fold together diagonally. moisten the edges with the finger dipped in cold water, to make them stick together, and press them down with the fingers or the tines of a fork. another method is to put the spoonfuls of the mixture in a row two inches from the edge of the paste and two inches apart. fold over the edge of the paste. cut off the whole strip thus formed, and cut into squares with the mixture in the middle of each square. boil these _ravioli_ in salted water, being careful not to break them open. drain and serve with a tomato sauce containing mushrooms[ ], either fresh ones, or the dried mushrooms soaked and simmered until tender. arrange the _ravioli_ on a platter, pour the hot sauce over them and finish with a sprinkling of grated cheese. [ ] see page . ravioli with meat _ravioli alla genovese_ cup cooked meat, veal, chicken, turkey or giblets small slice cooked ham / cup spinach egg grated cheese, nutmeg, salt chop the meat and spinach fine and work to a stiff mixture with the egg. season with cheese, nutmeg and salt to taste. enclose in little squares of the home made paste described above, and cook and serve as in the preceding recipe for _ravioli_. noodles with ham _tagliatelle col presciutto_ noodles a slice of ham, fat & lean oil or butter carrot celery tomato paste[ ] cut the ham into little pieces. chop carrot and celery to equal the ham in quantity. put them all on the fire with some butter. when the mixture is brown add a few tablespoons of tomato paste dissolved in a cup of hot water. cook the noodles in water that is only slightly salted. drain and dress with the sauce and grated cheese. the quantities to use in the sauce must be determined by the amount of noodles to be cooked. [ ] see suggestions, page . [sidenote: _sauces_] bolognese sauce for macaroni _maccheroni alla bolognese_ / lb. raw round steak a slice of salt pork or bacon ( oz.) tablespoon butter or substitute pint hot water or broth small carrot / onion large piece celery / tablespoon flour pepper, nutmeg if desired chop the meat and vegetables fine and put them over the fire with the butter. when the meat has browned add the flour and wet the mixture with hot water or broth, allowing it to simmer from half an hour to an hour. it is done when it is the consistency of a thick gravy. this is enough sauce for lb. of macaroni or spaghetti. dried mushrooms are a good addition to this sauce. they may be soaked, drained and chopped with other vegetables. this sauce forms the basis for the dish of scalloped cornmeal called _polenta pasticciata_. tomato sauce _salsa di pomidoro_ pellegrino artusi, the inimitable author of that droll yet practical manual of cooking science in the kitchen and the art of eating well (la scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene) has the following to say about tomato sauce. "there was once a good old priest in a village of the romagna who stuck his nose into everything; in every family circle and in every domestic affair he wanted to have his finger in the pie. aside from this he was a kindly old party and as his zeal was the source of more good than bad people let him go his way; but the wiseacres dubbed him don pomidoro (sir tomato) to indicate that tomatoes enter into everything; therefore a good tomato sauce is an invaluable aid in cooking." chop fine together a quarter of an onion, a clove of garlic, a piece of celery as long as your finger, a few bay leaves and just parsley enough. season with a little oil, salt and pepper, cut up seven or eight tomatoes and put everything over the fire together. stir it from time to time and when you see the juice condensing into a thin custard strain it through a sieve, and it is ready for use." this sauce serves many purposes. it is good on boiled meat; excellent to dress macaroni, spaghetti or other pastes which have been seasoned with butter and cheese, or on boiled rice seasoned in the same way. mushrooms are a great addition to it. white sauce for boiled asparagus or cauliflower _salsa bianca_ tablespoon flour or cornstarch / cup butter tablespoon vinegar salt and pepper / cup water or soup stock yolk of egg melt half the butter, add the flour and cook until it begins to brown. add the water slowly, stirring meanwhile, the vinegar and the rest of the butter. take from the fire and add the beaten egg yolk. this sauce should be smooth like a thin custard. piquant sauce _salsa piccante_ sardines or anchovies a bunch of parsley / of a small onion garlic lemon juice vinegar olive oil salt, pepper wash, skin and bone the anchovies. chop the parsley very fine with the onion. rub a bowl with the cut side of a clove of garlic. put in the anchovies and rub to a paste. add the parsley and onion, a tablespoon each of lemon juice and vinegar, / cup olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. stir the mixture until it is smooth and thick. capers may be added by way of variety. this is delicious as a sauce for plain boiled meat or fish. _signorina cornelia cuniberti._ [sidenote: _fish_] salmon alla fiorentina lbs. fresh salmon a sprig of parsley cloves garlic a bit of sage a bay leaf egg flour salt, pepper mayonnaise oil for frying boil the piece of salmon for half an hour with the parsley, garlic, sage and bay leaf. bone and roll into fillets / inch thick. if the fish has boiled very tender it may be necessary to tie the fillets in shape with string or strips of cheese cloth. dip in beaten egg, then in flour, salt and pepper. sauté a delicate brown. serve with oil mayonnaise. the white from the egg used in the mayonnaise may serve for dipping the fillets if only a small piece of salmon is cooked. codfish "stufato" _stufato di baccala_ cup codfish, flaked or picked to pieces with a fork tablespoons cooking oil several sprigs parsley tomato paste[ ] pepper, hot water freshen and soak the codfish in cold water, changing the water two or three times. heat the oil, with the parsley finely chopped. add the tomato paste, pepper and enough water to make sufficient liquid to cover the fish. add the fish and let it simmer over a slow fire until it is done. _signorina irene merlani._ [ ] see suggestions, page . codfish croquettes _cotolette di baccala_ lb. salt codfish anchovies[ ] a sprig of parsley grated cheese eggs / cup breadcrumbs tablespoon butter pepper flake the codfish and put it on the fire in cold water. when it has come to a boil remove from fire and drain. clean the anchovies and chop them together with the codfish and parsley. add enough hot water to the bread crumbs and butter to moisten thoroughly. mix with the other ingredients form into croquettes and dip into egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. serve with tomato sauce or simply garnish with lemon. [ ] see suggestions, page . [sidenote: _meats_] fried chipped veal _frittura piccata_ veal flour butter tablespoon vinegar chopped parsley salt and pepper take any piece of veal and slice it as thin as possible in small irregular slices like chipped beef. roll in flour, put butter in frying pan; when hot add the vinegar and stir hard. lay in the slices of veal and sprinkle salt, pepper and chopped parsley over it. sauté first on one side, then on the other, turning each piece separately. serve hot with its own butter and vinegar sauce poured over it. _mme. varesi._ scalloped meat _piatto di carne avanzata_ any left over meat onions tomatoes, fresh or canned flour butter or butter substitute sifted bread crumbs salt pepper into the bottom of a baking dish put a layer of thinly sliced onion, salt, pepper, a sprinkling of flour and a few dots of butter, then a layer of the cooked meat sliced very thin, another layer of onion and seasoning, and then one of meat, moistening it occasionally with a tablespoon of soup stock or hot water in which a bouillon cube has been dissolved. repeat this until the dish is nearly full. last put in a layer of raw tomatoes (canned tomatoes may be made to serve the purpose) and cover the top with bread crumbs, salt, pepper and bits of butter. bake in the oven for one-half hour. _signorina irene merlani._ meat soufflÉ _flam di carne avanzata_ cup cold boiled or roast meat chopped fine oz. butter tablespoon flour grated cheese, to taste pint of milk eggs salt, pepper make the butter, flour and milk into a white sauce by melting the butter, cooking the flour in it until the mixture bubbles and begins to brown, then adding the milk and cooking until it is smooth. let this cool. brown the meat in a saucepan with a little fat or drippings, salt and pepper. take it from the fire and add the white sauce and the eggs well beaten. season with grated cheese, salt and pepper. butter a mould and sprinkle it with bread crumbs, fill with the mixture and steam or bake as a custard for an hour. serve with any good meat or tomato sauce. _signorina irene merlani._ meat omelette _polpettone_ cold boiled meat an egg bread crumbs butter, hot water chop or grind cold boiled meat and form into an oval cake after mixing it with enough slightly beaten egg and bread crumbs (soaked in hot water and seasoned with butter) to make it hold its shape. sauté on one side in a frying pan. to turn it use a plate or cover so as not to break it. sauté on the other side. lift it from the pan and with the fat remaining in the pan make a gravy to pour over it, which may be enriched by the addition of a beaten egg and a dash of lemon juice just as it is taken from the fire. a _polpettone_ from left over soup meat often forms the second course to a meal, the first course of which has been the soup made from this meat with vegetables or macaroni cooked in it. stew of beef or veal with macaroni _stufato di vitello con maccheroni_ - / lbs. beef or veal suitable for stewing / cup vegetable oil or shortening cup broth or sour milk large onions salt pepper cut the meat into little pieces and season each piece with salt and pepper. chop the onions very fine or put them through the meat grinder, and fry them brown in the fat. put in the meat and let it cook until it has absorbed all the fat and is slightly browned. add the broth or milk and let it cook over a moderate fire. as a vegetable with this stew serve macaroni boiled, drained and seasoned with tomato sauce[ ] and butter. _signorina irene merlani._ [ ] see page . pigeons in cornmeal _piccioni con polenta_ pigeons butter chopped onion stock, or boiling water and bouillon cubes sage yellow cornmeal salt, pepper make a stiff cornmeal mush, thoroughly cooked. cut the pigeons in quarters or even smaller pieces. brown them in butter with salt, pepper and a little chopped onion. cover with stock, add a bit of sage and stew slowly for an hour and a half. if the birds are young less time will do. line a round dish with the mush, hollowed out. lay the pigeons with their sauce inside of this and serve hot. smothered chicken _stufato di pollo_ a chicken (this is an excellent way to cook a tough fowl) oz. fat, half butter and half lard, or any substitute cup tomatoes stewed down and put through a sieve carrot onion boiling water stalk celery cut up the chicken, rub it with the lard and brown it in the other half of the fat. add the strained tomato, then the finely chopped onion, finally the carrot and celery cut into small pieces, and season with salt and pepper. let it simmer slowly until perfectly tender, adding hot water enough to keep it moist, from time to time, as the strained tomato cooks away. _signorina irene merlani._ chicken alla cacciatora _pollo alla cacciatora_ a chicken pint fresh or canned tomatoes / lb. fat salt pork or bacon flour sweet green peppers or medium sized onions grind or chop the salt pork and put in a large frying pan with the onions sliced thin. fry the onions slowly and carefully until they are golden brown. skim them out. cut up the chicken, sprinkle the pieces with flour, salt and pepper, and sauté in the fat which remains in the frying pan. when the chicken is brown add the tomatoes and green peppers and put back the onions. when the vegetables have cooked down to a thick gravy keep adding enough hot water to prevent their burning. cover the pan tightly and simmer until the chicken is very tender. this an excellent way to cook tough chickens. fowls which have been boiled may be cooked in this way, but of course young and tender chickens will have the finer flavor. boiled fowl with rice _lesso di pollo col riso_ / lb. rice a fowl suitable for boiling salt and pepper egg butter grated cheese cut up the fowl and boil until it is tender. wash the rice and blanch it by letting it come to a boil and cook a few minutes in salted water. finish cooking it in the broth from the boiled fowl. do not cook it too long or it will be mushy. add the broth a little at a time to be sure the rice is not too wet when it is done. season with cheese and butter and add the egg yolk to bind it just as it is taken from the fire. serve as a border around the fowl. stuffing for roast chicken or turkey _ripieno_ small link sausages giblets of the fowl cup dry breadcrumbs tablespoon drippings egg a few dried mushrooms[ ] nutmeg very little salt and pepper or large roasted chestnuts brown the sausages and giblets in drippings. add a cup of boiling water and simmer until cooked. skim them from their broth and put the bread crumbs to soak in it. skin the sausages and chop or grind them together with the giblets, chestnuts and the mushrooms which have been washed and soaked in warm water. mix thoroughly with the bread crumbs. add more bread crumbs or hot water if it is not the right consistency. double the quantity for a turkey. this dressing is very nice sliced cold. [ ] see suggestions, page . [sidenote: _sweets_] chocolate pudding _budino di cioccolata_ cups milk eggs - / squares unsweetened chocolate / cup sugar oz. ground macaroons make a custard of the eggs, milk, sugar and chocolate. cook it in a double boiler until it thickens. take from the fire and add the finely ground macaroons, stirring and beating the mixture until it is smooth. pour into a buttered mould and chill thoroughly on the ice. _signorina irene merlani._ zabaione wineglass marsala or madeira wine ( / cup) tablespoon sugar eggs beat the eggs, beat in the sugar, add the wine. cook over a slow fire, beating constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. take from the fire and continue to beat a moment so the mixture will not cook to the side of the hot vessel. it should be a smooth, frothy cream. it is eaten hot, poured over sponge cake or served in tall glasses. a scant teaspoon of cinnamon may be added by way of variety. it is best to cook zabaione in a double boiler or in a dish set into a larger one of boiling water, to prevent its curdling. orange or other fruit juice may be substituted for the wine, but marsala is the original and authentic ingredient. made with fruit juice it becomes an acceptable pudding sauce. _pensione santa caterina, siena._ mont blanc _monte bianco, dolce di castagne_ lb french or italian chestnuts milk, sugar, whipped cream, cinnamon boil the chestnuts for two hours and then peel off the shells and inner skins. put them over the fire with a little milk, and mash them to a paste, adding more milk if necessary, to make them of about the consistency of mashed potatoes. flavor with sugar and cinnamon. pass them through a sieve or potato ricer to form a mound on the plate on which the mont blanc is to be served. decorate with a generous quantity of whipped cream just before serving. vanilla or a little wine may be used for flavoring instead of cinnamon. _marietta ieri_ nut cake / lb. rice flour oz. sugar oz. butter eggs vanilla oz. almonds and filberts blanch the almonds and filberts and dry them thoroughly. grind them very fine and mix with the rice flour and two tablespoons of the sugar. beat the eggs light and beat in the rest of the sugar. pour the eggs into the other mixture and beat all very light. add the melted butter and continue to beat. pour into a buttered loaf-cake tin and bake in a moderate oven. pasta marguerita / lb. potato flour / lb. powdered sugar eggs lemon juice beat the egg yolks thoroughly and beat in the sugar. then add the flour and lemon juice and beat in all / hour. beat the whites of the eggs dry and fold them into the rest. butter a mould and sprinkle with powdered sugar. pour into the mould and bake. when it is cool turn out of the mould and sprinkle with powdered sugar. bignÉ cup flour cup water / cup butter eggs a little salt boil the water and melt the butter in it. salt it, add the flour and let it cook a little while. cool and add the beaten eggs. form this into _bigné_, (little cakes or cookies) and bake them in the oven. when they are baked split them open and fill with a custard flavored with vanilla and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. _signorina irene merlani._ the art of cookery _made easy and refined_. [transcriber's notes: text that was superscripted in the original is framed as w^{th.}. spelling in this text is fluid and archaic. changes made are noted in the list at the end of this text.] the art of cookery _made easy and refined_; comprising ample directions for preparing every article requisite for furnishing the tables of the nobleman, gentleman, and tradesman. by john mollard, cook; lately one of the proprietors of freemasons' tavern, great queen street, lincoln's inn fields; now removed to dover street, piccadilly, formerly thomas's. _second edition._ _london_: printed for the author, and sold by j. nunn, great queen street, lincoln's inn fields, and all booksellers in town and country. . _t. bensley, bolt court, fleet street._ preface. the mode of cookery which the author of the following sheets has pursued for a series of years having obtained the most distinguished approbation of the public, has induced him to commit his practice to paper; in doing which, a deviation has been made from the usual introductory methods of other treatises of the kind, in omitting to give particular directions for the choice of fish, meats, poultry, and vegetables, and at what times they respectively might be in season, &c. &c. the author conceiving the simpler method to be the most acceptable: and, therefore, as actual knowledge must ever supersede written forms, he would advise a frequent attendance at the different markets, fully assured that experience will convey greater instruction in marketing than all the theories which could be advanced. there are, nevertheless, some useful observations interspersed in the course of the work for that purpose; the author having confined himself chiefly to the practical part of cookery; he has also given some directions in a branch of the confectionary business: in both of which it has been his constant endeavour that they might be rendered as simple and easy as possible, and that economy might pervade the whole. the receipts are written for the least possible quantities in the different made-dishes and sauces, it being a frequent error in most of the books that they are too expensive and too long; by which means the art has been rendered intricate in the extreme, both in theory and practice. independent, also, of a close adherence to any given rules, there are other qualities essential to the completion of a thorough cook; such as, an acute taste, a fertile invention, and a rigid attention to cleanliness. the preceding hints and subsequent directions, it is hoped, will prove fully adequate to perfection in cookery; the work being entirely divested of the many useless receipts from other professions, (which have been uniformly introduced in books of the like nature,) and nothing inserted but what has an immediate reference to the art itself. there is prefixed a bill of fare for each month in the year, as a specimen of the seasons, which may be altered as judgment directs. there is annexed, also, at the end of the volume, an index, by which, from the first letter or word of the different articles, will be found their respective receipts. february d, . contents. page beef stock veal stock, for soups ib. consumé, or the essence of meat cullis, or a thick gravy ib. liquid of colour for sauces, &c. benshamelle to make a passing of flour and butter for cullis or benshamelle ib. soup a la reine crayfish soup ib. vermicelli soup (white) to make a leason ib. cleared brown stock for gravy soups ib. rice soup celery soup turnip soup ib. cressey soup ib. santé, or spring soup onion soup green peas soup ib. old peas soup peas soup another way giblet soup fish meagré soup mock turtle of calf's head ib. mutton broth real turtle callipee glaize for hams, larding, roasted poultry, &c. fish plain boiled, how to be prepared fish generally fried ---- to prepare for frying, &c. broiled fish, how prepared ib. ------ salmon ditto ------ mackarel, common way to stew fish ib. water souchée of perch, flounders, soles, eels, &c. roasted pike or sturgeon ib. bacquillio with herbs entrée of eels ------ of soles ib. ------ of whitings, &c. ------ of salmon ib. ------ of smelts, &c. ------ of mackarel mackarel the german way ib. olios, or a spanish dish the olio, how to be made hodge podge, or english olio light forcemeat for pies or fowls, &c. forcemeat balls for ragouts, &c. ib. egg for balls omlets of eggs for garnishing or cutting in slips ib. ox cheek beef tails haricot sauce beef collops fillet of beef larded ib. beef palates rump of beef a-la-daube, or braised ib. to make spanish onion sauce savoy sauce ib. ashée sauce brisket of beef with spanish onions ib. ------- with ashée or haricot rump of beef a-la mode ib. baked beef marrow bones mutton rumps marinated ib. to make marinate haricot mutton cutlets ib. fillet of mutton with cucumbers stewed cucumbers ib. mutton cutlets with potatoes ------ a la maintenon cutlets a la irish stew pork cutlets with red or white cabbage ib. to stew cabbage pork cutlets with robert sauce ib. to make robert sauce pork cutlets another way ib. fillet of pork roasted pigs feet and ears ib. to prepare pigs feet and ears compotte of pigeons ib. pigeons a la craupidine pigeons glaized pigeons a la sousell ib. hashed calf's head breast of veal en gallentine breast of veal ragout ib. neck of veal en erison neck of veal larded veal cutlets larded ib. loin of veal a la cream veal tendrons (brown or white) celery sauce, (white), for veal, chickens, turkies,&c. celery sauce, (brown), for pullets, &c. ib. veal cutlets au natural veal collops (brown) ib. ------------ (white) fricando veal sorrel sauce ib. veal olives breast of veal with oysters ib. lamb's head minced breast of lamb with benshamelle breast or tendrons of lamb en matelote ib. ------ of lamb with peas to stew peas for sauce, for lamb, veal, chickens, &c. ib. lamb cutlets with cucumbers neck of lamb glaized onion sauce ib. lamb cutlets with tendrons ib. turnip sauce lamb cutlets with tendrons another way shoulder of lamb glaized ---------------- en epigram ---------------- grilled ib. hind quarter of lamb marinated -------------------- with spinach leg of lamb with oysters ib. currie plain rice to be eaten with currie currie of lobster ----- of veal ib. ------ of mutton ib. pig's head currie directions for roasting ib. soup for a family to prepare a haunch of venison, or mutton, for roasting to roast woodcocks or snipes -------- larks to fry breadcrumbs ib. to roast turkies -------- rabbits ib. -------- hares ib. -------- hares another way ib. -------- pigeons -------- quails, or ruffs and rees ib. -------- guinea fowls, pea fowls, pullets, chickens, and turkey poults -------- wild fowl ib. -------- partridges and pheasants ib. -------- green geese and ducklings ib. -------- other geese and tame ducks -------- a pig -------- sweetbreads -------- ribs of beef ib. -------- fillet of veal ib. observations on meat and poultry stuffing for turkies, hares, veal, &c. ib. gravy for roast meat, steaks, and poultry peloe of rice ib. ------------- another way timbol of rice petit patties of chicken and ham patties of lobsters or oysters forcemeat patties ib. pulpton of chicken, rabbits, &c. fishmeagre pie raised ham pie, with directions for making a raised crust raised chicken pie flat chicken pie (or tourte) ib. pigeon pie raised turkey pie with a tongue ------ macaroni pie ------ beef steak pie ib. veal pie pork pie eel pie mutton pie ib. sea pie rissoles ib. to fry parsley puffs with chicken, &c. ib. wings and legs of fowls with colours ----- larded and glaized fowl a la menehout pulled chicken (or turkey) ib. another way pullet a la memorancy ib. chickens with lemon sauce to make lemon sauce ib. fricassee of chickens or rabbits (white) chickens or turkies with celery turkies, pullets, or chickens, with oyster sauce ib. to make white oyster sauce ib. chickens with peas , fricassee of chickens or rabbits (brown) ib. to fry oysters for a dish directions for poultry, &c. plain boiled ib. jugged hare glaized hare duck aux naves ib. a duck with cucumbers ------ a la benshamelle hashed mutton ib. ------ venison ------ fowls ------ hare, wild fowl, pheasants, or partridges broiled beef steaks ib. beef steak pudding oyster sauce for beef steaks to dress mutton, lamb, or pork chops in a plain manner ib. to dress veal cutlets minced veal for a dish ib. ----------- another way partridges or pheasants au choux ib. ----------------------- with truffles turkey with truffles truffle sauce for turkies, &c. ib. turkey with chesnuts ------ with ragout rabbits with onions ib. glaized sweetbreads matelote of rabbits ib. sweetbreads en erison stewed giblets plain ib. ------ with peas green truffles for a dish ib. rabbits en gallentine for a dish ham braised ib. jerusalem artichokes stewed -------------------- another way mashed potatoes ib. cauliflower with parmezan cheese ----------- a la sauce ib. ----------- a la cream stewed artichoke bottoms ib. french beans a la cream for a dish stewed cardoons ib. vegetables in a mould broiled mushrooms stewed mushrooms (brown) and (white) , mashed turnips ib. potatoes creamed stewed watercresses ib. a neat dish of vegetables vegetable pie ib. fried potatoes fried onions with parmezan cheese pickle tongue forced stewed endive ib. forced cucumbers to stew peas for a dish ib. salad of asparagus asparagus peas ib. --------- another way stewed asparagus for sauce directions for vegetables ib. pickled oysters oyster atlets scollop oysters oyster loaves ragout of sweetbreads (brown) ib. --------------------- (white) poached eggs with forrel or endive buttered eggs ib. fried eggs, &c. eggs a la trip omlet of eggs ib. fricassee of tripe lambs tails and ears ib. curried atlets to stew maccaroni stewed cheese ib. to prepare a batter for frying different articles, being a sufficient quantity for one dish fried celery ib. ----- peths ----- sweetbreads ib. ----- artichoke bottoms ib. ----- tripe and onions hard eggs fried ib. to dress a lamb's fry --------------------- another way ib. puffs with forcemeat of vegetables ib. rammequins to dress part of a wild boar plovers eggs, to be served up different ways buttered lobsters ib. meat cake collared pig red beef for slices savory jelly aspect of fish ------ of meat or fowl canopies salmagundy ib. salad of lobster french salad blancmange ib. dutch blancmange riband blancmange cleared calves feet jelly ib. marbrée jelly bagnets a l'eau apple fritters for a dish golden pippins a la cream -------------- another way stewed pippins another way cream for pies mince meat compote of oranges tea cream virgin cream coffee cream ib. burnt cream ib. pastry cream almond paste ib. cheese cakes almond nuts to make syllabub ib. trifle tarts or tartlets paste for stringing tartlets ib. to stew apples for tarts fried puffs with sweetmeats pyramid paste ib. icing for a cake cherries in brandy for desserts ib. to make buns orgeat ib. orange marmalade raspberry jam quince jam green gage jam ib. apricot jam preserved apricots for tarts or desserts ib. currant jelly crisp tart paste eggs and bacon another way ib. to make puff paste ------- an almond cake almond custards rhubarb tart ib. orange pudding rice pudding tansey pudding almond pudding ib. marrow pudding bread pudding ib. a rich plum pudding batter pudding ib. boiled apple pudding apple dumplings baked apple pudding ib. damson pudding -------------- another way ib. baked fruit pudding another way muffin pudding with dried cherries potatoe pudding carrot pudding ib. ice cream observation on stores ib. partridge soup collared eels white puddings sausage meat calf's liver roasted to dry herbs ib. to make anchovie liquor to be used in fish sauces potted lobster ib. to clarify butter for potting potted cheese ------ veal ------ larks or small birds to dry morells, mushrooms, and champignons mushroom powder ib. potted beef tarragon vinegar ib. walnut ketchup for fish sauces to pickle tongues, &c. ib. india pickle to dry artichoke bottoms to pickle cucumbers, &c. rules to be observed in pickling to pickle onions --------- mushrooms ib. --------- beet roots --------- artichoke bottoms --------- large cucumbers --------- red cabbage --------- currants --------- barberries ib. sour crout peas pudding, to be eaten with boiled pork currie, or pepper water grills and sauce, which are generally eaten after dinner salmé of woodcocks to make a haggess ib. french black puddings milk punch plum pottage candied orange or lemon peels lemonade or orangeade poivrade sauce for game, maintenon cutlets, &c. lobster sauce for fish oyster sauce for fish shrimp sauce for fish dutch sauce for fish ib. anchovie sauce for fish observations in respect of fish sauces, &c. ib. apple sauce, for pork, geese, &c. green sauce for ducklings or green geese fennel sauce for mackarel ib. bread sauce, for turkies, game, &c. melted butter ib. to make melon citron rusks, or tops and bottoms wafers ib. cracknels to bake pears to clarify sugar ib. syrup of cloves, &c. ----- golden pippins ----- capillaire flowers in sugar ib. syrup of roses to preserve cucumbers ib. ----------- currants ----------- barberries gooseberry fool sago oatmeal pottage, or gruel ib. to bottle gooseberries, &c. for tarts ----------------------- another way small cakes ib. diet bread cake sponge biscuits ib. common seed cake cinnamon cakes ib. to make red colouring for pippin paste, &c. for garnishing twelfth cakes twelfth cakes ib. bristol cakes hyde park corner cakes good gingerbread nuts ib. bride cake rice cakes bath cakes pancakes ib. shrewsbury cakes portugal cakes, or heart cakes macaroons ib. mirangles ratafias lemon puffs ib. chantilly basket green codlins, frosted with sugar pound cake ib. yest cake rich plum cake dried cherries pippins with rice to make english bread ib. french bread pulpton of apples a sweet omlet of eggs to keep cucumbers for winter use for sauces ib. to preserve mushrooms for sauces pullet roasted with batter ib. dutch beef mushroom ketchup ib. suet pudding savoy cake nutmeg syrup ib. sweetbreads with veal and ham essence of ham for sauces ox heart roasted ib. slices of cod fried with oysters small crusts to be eaten with cheese or wine after dinner ib. devilled almonds boiled tripe and onions ib. ------ sweetbreads broiled sweetbreads ib. conclusion, with remarks errata. page , line and , for _beef pallets_ read _beef palates_. ---- , ---- , ---- _half_ read _halves_. ---- , ---- , ---- _tarragon of vinegar_ read _tarragon vinegar_. ---- , ---- , ---- _pickled_ read _picked_. ---- , ---- , ---- _solomongundy_ read _salmagundy_. [illustration: for january. _ ^{st.} course_ _soup santé_ _small ham_ _tendlons veal white_ _slises crimp'd cod_ _m^{d.} & whole potatoes_ _rump beef glaiz^{d} w^{th.} harricott_ _brocoli_ _whitings broil'd_ _pullet w^{th.} oyster sauce_ _raiz'd lamb pies_ _mock'd turtle_ ^{d.} course _wood cocks roast._ _scollop shells_ _stew'd mushrooms_ _apple fritters_ _triffle_ _shellfish in an ornamented ba^{s.}_ _jelly_ _fry'd puffs w^{th.} sweetmeats_ _stew'd cardoons_ _omlett w^{th.} cullis_ _partridges roast._ neele sc. strand] [illustration: february. _ ^{st.} course_ _soup cressey_ _frieandd veal w^{th.} sorrell_ _petite patties_ _tongue w^{th.} m^{d.} turnips_ _fillet mutton roasted w^{th.} celleri_ _chickens boil'd_ _beef pallets_ _cutlets pork w^{th.} stew'd red cabbage_ _rice soup_ _crimp'd seaite_ } } _to remove soup_ _water soucher_ } _ ^{d.} course_ _capon roasted_ _golding pippins cream'd_ _lobster sallad_ _forc'd asparagus_ _sweetbread roast_ _forc'd french beans_ _slic'd brawn_ _teal roast_ _ribband blancmange_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: march. _ ^{st.} course_ _soup and boullie_ _soles fry'd and boild_ _crimp'd cods head_ _soup ala reine_ _ ^{d.} course_ _fillet pork roast._ _harricott of begetables_ _potatoes mash'd_ _french pie_ _mash'd turnips_ _veal olives_ _leg lamb and spinach_ _ ^{d.} course_ _turkey roast._ _marbree jelly_ _tourte_ _brocoli ala sauce_ _pick'd crabb_ _sausages_ _pyrimid of paste_ _large pidgeons roast._ _pippins w^{th.} rice_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: april. _ ^{st.} course_ _mock'd turtle_ _tongue boild &c._ _chickens w^{th.} sweetbreads white_ _sallad_ _beef forc'd and roasted w^{th.} oy^{s.} sauce_ _rice_ _currie_ _vermiceli soup_ _cutlets lamb_ _crimp'd salmon & fry'd smelts_ } } _to remove soup_ _stew'd tench_ } _ ^{d.} course_ _levrett roast_ _apricot tart w^{th.} carrimel_ _dutch blancmange_ _stew'd cellery_ _prawnes_ _mushrooms broild_ _almond cake_ _ducklings roast._ _apple tart_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: may _ ^{st.} course_ _giblet soup_ _mullets broild_ _turbot_ _spring soup_ _ ^{d.} course_ _haunch mutton roast_ _potatoes each way_ _compotte of pidgeons_ _chickens_ _beef tails stew'd_ _ham glaiz'd_ _vegetable puffs fry'd_ _ ^{d.} course_ _green goose roast_ _jelly w^{th.} strawberrys_ _asparagus_ _pine apple tartlets_ _goosberry tart_ _artichoack bottoms_ _white blancmange_ _turkey poults roast_ _ornament w^{th.} flowers_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: june. _ ^{st.} course_ _green peas soup_ _chicken tourte_ _cutlets mutton_ _cauliflowers_ _roast beef_ _new potatoes_ _tendlons veal w^{th.} peas_ _crimp'd trout_ _lambs head minc'd_ _ ^{d.} course_ _duckling roast._ _shellfish_ _cherry tart_ _french beans ala cream_ _sweetbread roast._ _jelly & blancmange_ _neck house lamb roast._ _codling tart cream'd_ _green peas_ _plovers eggs_ _pidgeons roast._ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: july. _ ^{st.} course_ _rabbits w^{th.} onions_ _turtle_ _chickens_ _garden beans_ _calla pash_ _cauliflower_ _small ham glaiz'd_ _turtle_ _fillet lamb w^{th.} cucumbers_ _ small dishes fish to remove turtle_ _ ^{d.} course_ _goosberry cream in cups_ _haunch venison roast_ _apricot tart_ _french beans_ _pick'd crabb_ _artichoak bottoms_ _raspberry tourte_ _poullet roast._ _mirangles_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: august. _ ^{st.} course_ _soles each way_ _brest lamb w^{th.} celleri_ _pullet w^{th.} oy^{s.}_ _potatoes_ _onion soup_ _stew'd spanish onions_ _fillet beef larded & glaiz'd_ _salmon & fry'd fillets of haddock_ _raiz'd ham pie_ _small chine mutton roasted to remove the soup_ _ ^{d.} course_ _wheat ears roast_ _orange puffs_ _jelly w^{th.} peaches_ _scollop shells_ _frame_ _mushrooms stew'd white_ _almond custards_ _levrett roast_ _pulpton of apples_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: september. _ ^{st.} course_ _a pike baked_ _fricassee of chickens_ _fillet mutton & stew'd endive_ _fry'd celleri_ _turnip soup_ _french sallad_ _fillet pork roast_ _crimp'd cod and fry'd smelts_ _cutlets veal larded_ _ ^{d.} course_ _partridges roast_ _ragout of sweetbreads_ _maceroni_ _muffing pud^{g.} w^{th.} dry'd cherries_ _chantillie baskett_ _damson tart_ _eggs ala trip_ _larks roast_ _lambs fry_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: october. _ ^{st.} course_ _johndoree_ _pidgeons ala craupidine_ _foule w^{th.} trouffles sauce_ _cauliflower_ _partridge soup_ _stew'd spinach_ _chicken puffs_ _trout_ _rump beef w^{th.} spanish onions_ _ ^{d.} course_ _wild duck roast_ _raspberry tourte_ _jellys_ _fry'd sweetbreads_ _ribs house lamb roast_ _oyster attets_ _apples frosted_ _pheasant roast_ _marrow pud^{g.}_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: november. _ ^{st.} course_ _water souchee_ _pickle tongue forc'd_ _raiz'd pie w^{th.} macroni_ _ragout of vegetables_ _soup and boullie_ _cauliflower & french beans_ _chickens w^{th.} bershamelle_ _slices cod fry'd w^{th.} oyster sauce_ _cutlets pork w^{th.} fry'd potatoes_ _loine veale ala cream to remove soup_ _ ^{d.} course_ _wood cocks roast_ _fritters_ _coffee cream_ _jerusalem artichoaks_ _potted beef moddled_ _stew'd water cresses_ _preserved apricot tart_ _partridges roast_ _golding pippins w^{th.} jelly_ _neele sc. strand_] [illustration: december. _ ^{st.} course_ _turbot_ _leg lamb w^{th.} spinach_ _wings and legs fowles glaiz'd_ _pidgeon tourte_ _hodge podge_ _pickled beet roots_ _pheasant au choux_ _crimp'd cods head_ _small chine mutton roast_ _ ^{d.} course_ _turkey roast_ _apple tart w^{th.} perfumed cream_ _potted charr_ _pancakes_ _stew'd cardoons brown_ _jellies_ _lambs tails w^{th.} bershamelle_ _minced pies_ _prawnes_ _potatoe pudding_ _snipes roast_ _neele sc. strand_] the art of cookery. _beef stock._ cut chuck beef into pieces, put it into a pot, set it on the fire, with a sufficient quantity of water to cover it. when it boils skim it clean; add a bunch of parsley and thyme, cleaned carrots, leeks, onions, turnips, celery, and a little salt. let the meat boil till tender, skim off the fat, then strain it through a fine hair sieve. _veal stock, for soups._ take a leg of veal and some lean ham, cut them into pieces, put them into a pan with a quart of water, some peeled carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, and celery; draw them down till nearly tender, but of no colour; then add a sufficient quantity of beef stock to cover the ingredients, boil all together one hour, skim it free from fat, and strain it. some game drawn down with it will make it excellent. n. b. i have directed the veal stock not to be drawn down to a colour, as in that state it will answer two purposes; first, for white soups; and, secondly, as it might be coloured with a bright liquid to any height, which will be directed for gravy soups. it frequently happens, likewise, that, if not strictly attended to, it will burn. _consumé, or the essence of meat._ reduce veal stock to a good consistence, but be careful not to let it colour. _cullis, or a thick gravy._ take slices of ham, veal, celery, carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, a small bunch of sweet herbs, some allspice, black pepper, mace, a piece of lemon-peel, and two bay leaves; put them into a pan with a quart of water, and draw them down till of a light brown colour, but be careful not to let it burn; then discharge it with beef stock. when it boils, skim it very clean from fat, and thicken it with flour and water, or flour and butter passed. let it boil gently three quarters of an hour; season it to the palate with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and salt; strain it through a tamis cloth or sieve, and add a little liquid of colour, which may be made as in the following receipt. _liquid of colour for sauces, &c._ put a quarter of a pound of the best brown sugar into a frying pan very clean from grease, and half a gill of water; set it over a gentle fire, stirring it with a wooden spoon till it is thoroughly burnt and of a good bright colour, then discharge it with water; when it boils skim it and strain it. put it by for use in a vessel close covered. _benshamelle._ take white veal, lean ham, turnips, celery, onions cut in pieces, a blade of mace, a little whole white pepper; sweat them down till three parts tender, then discharge it with beef stock. let it boil, skim it clean, and thicken with flour and water, or flour and butter passed; add to it a sufficient quantity of cream to make it quite white. let it simmer gently half an hour, and strain it through a tamis cloth. n. b. let it be of the thickness of light batter. _to make a passing of flour and butter for cullis or benshamelle._ put fresh butter into a stewpan over a fire, when it is melted add a sufficient quantity of sifted flour to make it into a paste, and mix them together with a whisk over a very slow fire for ten minutes. _soup a la reine._ take three quarts of veal stock with a blade of mace boiled in it; then strain it to the crumb of four penny french rolls, three quarters of a pound of sweet almonds blanched and pounded very fine, likewise the white meat of dressed fowl pounded. let all simmer together for ten minutes, and rub them through a tamis cloth till the soup is of a proper thickness; season it to the palate with salt; make it boil, and serve it up with a gill of cream in it. _crayfish soup._ take three quarts of veal stock, the crumb of four penny french rolls, the meats of a hen lobster, and half a hundred crayfish pounded, with some live lobster spawn; add all together, make it boil, skim it clean, rub it through a tamis cloth, make it of a middling thickness, and season to the palate with salt and a little cayenne pepper. serve it up with crust of french bread cut into small round pieces. _vermicelli soup, white._ take three quarts of veal stock and two ounces of vermicelli, boil them together a quarter of an hour, rub it through a tamis cloth, season with salt, make it boil, skim it, and add a leason. let it simmer for five minutes. _to make the leason._ take the yolks of four eggs, half a pint of cream, and a little salt, mixed well together. _cleared brown stock for gravy soups._ take three quarts of veal stock perfectly free from fat; add a small quantity of liquid colour to make it of a fine brown; season to the palate with salt and a little cayenne pepper; beat up together two yolks, two whites, and two shells of eggs; whisk them with the stock, set it over a fire, let it boil gently ten minutes, then strain it through a tamis cloth. this stock is required for rice, brown vermicelli, celery, santé, or turnip soups. n. b. i have directed the brown stock, for gravy soups only, to be cleared with eggs, as that method has been most approved, it being pleasant to the eye, and equally agreeable to the palate. _rice soup._ add to three quarts of cleared stock two ounces of rice, washed, picked, parboiled, and drained dry. let it boil gently till the rice is tender. _celery soup._ cut celery heads two inches long then, some of the white part into small pieces; wash, blanch, and drain it, and put to it three quarts of cleared stock. make it boil, skim it, and let the celery simmer till tender. _turnip soup._ pare good and firm turnips, cut them with a knife or scoop into shapes, fry them with a bit of lard till of a light brown colour, then drain and wipe them free from fat (or they may be steamed with a very little water, to prevent them from burning, till they are half done); then put to them cleared stock, and boil them gently till tender. _cressey soup._ take twelve large red carrots, scrape them clean, cut off only the red part in thin slices, and put them in a stewpan with a quart of water; add cleaned turnips, celery, leeks, and onions, cut in pieces, and half a pint of split peas. stew all together till tender, adding some stock to prevent burning; then rub it through a tamis, and put to the pulp five pints of veal stock and some blanched water-cresses; make it boil for twenty minutes, skim it, season it with salt, and serve it up. n. b. to be the thickness of peas soup. _santé, or spring soup._ pare, and cut into shapes, turnips and carrots, likewise celery heads about two inches long; wash them, and steam them separately with a very little water till they are three parts done; then cut the white part of the celery into small pieces, likewise leeks, cabbage, cos lettuces, endive, and chervil, of each a small quantity; blanch and drain them dry, then put all the vegetables together; add to them three quarts of cleared brown stock, and boil them gently till tender. in spring add young green peas, tops of asparagus, and button onions, steamed as the above. n. b. a small piece of bouillie beef may be stewed till tender; and ten minutes before it is to be served up wipe it dry, and put it into the soup with the vegetables. _onion soup._ take eight middling-sized peeled onions, cut them into very thin slices, pass them with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter and flour till tender; then add three quarts of veal stock; make it boil twenty minutes; skim it, season it with salt, and add a leason; mix it well with a whisk, make it simmer, and serve it up. _green peas soup._ take one quart of young green peas, four turnips pared and cut in the form of dice, two cos lettuces cut in small slices, two middling-sized onions cut very fine; wash them, add a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and stew them till nearly done. then take two quarts of large fresh green peas, and boil them in three quarts of veal stock till tender; strain and pound them, preserving the liquor; then rub the peas through a tamis, and add the pulp with the liquor to the above herbs, a little flour and water, pepper and salt, and season to the palate, with a bit of sugar if approved. boil all together half an hour; skim it and when it is to be served up, add the pulp of some boiled parsley rubbed through a tamis to make it look green. n. b. cut pieces of bread into thin sippets, dry them before the fire, and serve up on a plate. _old peas soup._ take chuck beef cut into pieces, knuckles of ham and veal, pickle pork cut into square pieces of half a pound each; put all into a pot with peeled turnips, leeks, onions, carrots, and celery, cut into slices, and some old split peas, with a sufficient quantity of water; when it boils, skim it, and add a very small bunch of dried mint. let the ingredients boil till tender, then take the mint out, rub the soup through a tamis till of a good thickness; when done, add to the liquor, turnips cut in form of dice, celery and leeks cut small and washed. make the soup boil, skim it, season with pepper and salt, and serve it up with the pork in it. some bread cut in form of dice, and fried, to be served up on a dish. n. b. the pork to be taken out when nearly done, and added to the soup half an hour before it is served up. _peas soup another way._ put the peas with the above-mentioned vegetables into a pot with some water; stew them gently till tender, then add a little dried mint, and rub them through a tamis cloth; put the pulp to some good veal stock, likewise add some turnips pared and cut into forms like dice, some leeks and celery cut small and blanched; season to the palate with pepper and salt; then making it boil, skim it, and stew the herbs till tender. serve it up with pieces of pickle pork in it. n. b. the pickle pork to be cut into small square pieces and boiled till nearly done, and then added to the soup a quarter of an hour before it is to be served up to table. let the soup be of a proper thickness. _giblet soup._ let the giblets be scalded, picked clean, and cut in pieces; which done, put them in a stewpan, season them with herbs and spice, the same as for real turtle; add some veal stock, stew them till nearly done, pick them free from the herbs, chop the bones down, strain, thicken, and season the liquor, as for real turtle; make it boil, then add it to the giblets, stew them till tender, and serve them up with egg and forcemeat balls. _fish meagré soup._ take pieces of different sorts of fish, such as salmon, skate, soles, &c. sweat them till tender, with turnip, onion, celery, a clove of garlick, and a blade of mace; then add some plain veal broth. let all simmer together for half an hour; then strain and skim it free from fat; season with salt and cayenne pepper; clear it with white of eggs, and colour with a little saffron. n. b. it may be served up with celery or rice in it. _mock turtle of calf's head._ take a scalp cleaned by the butcher, scald it for twenty minutes, then wash it clean, cut it into pieces two inches square, add a gallon of veal stock, and boil them till nearly done. have ready some pieces of veal cut in form of dice, but four times larger, seasoned with herbs, spices, and onions, the same as real turtle; and strain to it the liquor the scalp is boiled in. let the meat simmer till almost done; pick it, and add to it the scalp with forcemeat and egg balls; then thicken the liquor as for real turtle, and when it boils skim it clean, put it to the meats, and simmer all together half an hour. _mutton broth._ take a neck of mutton cut into pieces, preserving a handsome _piece_ to be served up in the tureen. put all in a stewpot with three quarts of cold beef stock, or water with a little oatmeal mixed in it, some turnips, onions, leeks, celery cut in pieces, and a small bunch of thyme and parsley. when it boils skim it clean, and take the _piece_ of mutton out when nearly done, and let the other boil till tender; then have ready turnips cut in form of dice, some leeks, celery, half a cabbage, and parsley, all cut small, and some marigolds; wash them, strain the liquor of the meat, skim it free from fat, add it to the ingredients, with the _piece_ of mutton, and a little pearl barley if approved; season with salt, simmer all together till done, and serve it up with toasted bread on a plate. _real turtle._ hang the turtle up by the hind fins, and cut off the head overnight; in the morning cut off the fore fins at the joints, and the callipee all round; then take out the entrails, and be careful not to break the gall; after which cut off the hind fins and all the meat from the bones, callipee and callipash; then chop the callipee and callipash into pieces; scald them together, the fins being whole, but take care not to let the scales set. when cleaned, chop the fins into pieces four inches long; wash the pieces of the callipee, callipash, and fins, and put them into a pot with the bones and a sufficient quantity of water to cover; then add a bunch of sweet herbs and whole onions, and skim it when the liquor boils. when the fins are nearly done take them out, together with the remainder of the turtle, when done, picked free from bone. then strain the liquor and boil it down till reduced to one third part; after which cut the meat into pieces four times larger than dice; put it into a pot, add a mixture of herbs chopped fine, such as knotted marjoram, savory, thyme, parsley, a very little basil, some chopped onions, some beaten spices, as allspice, a few cloves, a little mace, black pepper, salt, some veal stock, and the liquor that was reduced. boil the meat till three parts done, pick it free from herbs, strain the liquor through a tamis sieve, make a passing of flour and three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, mixing it well over a fire for some time, and then add to it madeira wine, (if a turtle of seventy pounds weight, three pints,) and the liquor of the meat. when it boils, skim it clean, season to the palate with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and salt, and strain it to the pieces of fins and shell in one pot, and the lean meat into another; and if the turtle produce any real green fat, let it be boiled till done, then strained, cut into pieces, and added to the fins and shell, and then simmer each meat till tender. when it is to be served up, put a little fat at the bottom of the tureens, some lean in the center, and more fat at the top, with egg and force-meat balls, and a few entrails. n. b. the entrails must be cleaned well, then boiled in water till very tender, and preserved as white as possible, and just before they are strained off add the balls. if a callipash is served up, the shell to be cut down on each side, and chop the pieces for the soup; the remaining part of the back shell to be pasted round with a raised crust, egged, ornamented, and baked, and the soup served in it in the same manner as in the tureens. _callipee._ take a quarter of the under part of a turtle of sixty pounds weight, and scald it, and when done, take the shoulder-bone out and fill the cavity with a good high-seasoned forcemeat made with the lean of the turtle; put it into a stewpan, and add a pint of madeira wine, cayenne pepper, salt, lemon juice, a clove of garlick, a little mace, a few cloves and allspice tied in a bag, a bunch of sweet herbs, some whole onions, and three quarts of good beef stock. stew gently till three parts done; then take the turtle and put it into another stewpan, with some of the entrails boiled and some egg balls; add a little thickening of flour and butter to the liquor, let it boil, and strain it to the turtle, &c. then stew it till tender, and the liquor almost reduced to a glaize. serve it up in a deep dish, pasted round as a callipash, ornamented and baked. n. b. i think the above mode of serving it up in a dish the best, as it frequently happens that the shell of the callipee is not properly baked. _glaize for hams, larding, roasted poultry, &c._ take a leg of veal, lean of ham, beef, some indifferent fowls, celery, turnips, carrots, onions, leeks cleaned and cut into pieces, a little lemon peel, mace, and black pepper, a small quantity of each; add three quarts of water, sweat them down till three parts done, discharge with water, and boil it till the goodness is extracted; then skim it, and strain the liquor into a large pan. next day take the fat from it very clean; set the stock over a fire, and when warm clear it with whites and a few yolks of eggs; then add a little colour and strain it through a tamis; boil it quick till reduced to a glaize, and be careful not to let it burn. n. b. in the same manner may be made glaize of separate herbs or roots, which will be serviceable on board a ship, or in the country, where herbs or roots cannot be procured at all times; and they are to be preserved in bottles, as they will not, when cold, be of a portable substance. _fish plain boiled to be prepared thus:_ put them in clean boiling pump water well salted, and when served up to be garnished with fresh picked parsley and scraped horseradish; except salt fish, which should be properly soaked, then cut in pieces and put in cold water, and when it boils let it simmer six or eight minutes, and serve it up on a napkin with boiled parsnips and potatoes round, or on a plate, and egg sauce in a boat. n. b. fish should be chosen very fresh and of good appearance, it adding as much to their beauty as gratifying to the palate when dressed, there being in my opinion but two sorts--good and bad. but as an exception to the above observation, skate will be better for eating if kept for one or two days in a cool place before it is dressed. _fish generally fried._ pieces of skate. whitings. fillets of haddocks. smelts. soles. perch. flounders. slices of hollibut. slices of cod. _to prepare the above for frying, &c._ wipe the different sorts of fish dry, beat yolk of eggs, and spread it over them with a paste brush; then put crumbs of bread over the egg. have plenty of lard in an iron frying pan, and when it almost boils put a proper quantity and fry them of a fine gold colour; drain them dry, and serve them up with fried parsley. n. b. the crumbs to be rubbed through a hair sieve. the parsley also to be picked, washed, and dried with a cloth, then to be put into the lard not very hot, and fried of a green colour. sprinkle a little salt over. _broiled fish prepared thus:_ wipe the fish dry, flour them well, and have the gridiron clean; then rub the bars with a veal caul, and put the fish at a proper distance. broil them gently over a clear coal fire till of a fine colour, and serve them up directly. n. b. fish in general to be floured, except herrings, which are only to be scored with a knife, and the following methods of broiling other fish to be observed. _broiled salmon to be prepared thus:_ take pieces or slices of salmon, wipe them dry, dip them in sweet oil, and season with pepper and salt; fold them in pieces of writing paper, broil over a clear fire, and serve them up very hot. n. b. in the same manner are to be done red mullets, &c. _broiled mackarel, common way._ wipe them dry, split them down the back, sprinkle with pepper and salt, and broil them gently. _to stew fish._ add to some cullis a few chopped eshallots, anchovies, a bay leaf, horseradish scraped, a little quantity of lemon peel, and some red port; season it well with cayenne pepper, salt, and juice of lemon, and when it boils let it be of a proper thickness, and strain it to the fish; then stew it gently, and serve it up in a deep dish with the liquor, and fried bread round it. if carp or tench, some of the hard roe mixed in batter and fried in pieces. the roes likewise of different fish may be stewed in the same manner, and served up as a dish of themselves. eels, soles, or other fish may be done the same way. _water souchée of perch, flounders, soles, eels, &c._ take perch cleaned and fresh crimped; put them into boiling pump water well-seasoned with salt, and when they boil, skim them clean. take them out with a large skimmer, put them into a deep dish, strew parsley roots and scalded parsley over, and add some of the liquor. serve them up as hot as possible, with slices of brown bread and butter on a plate. n. b. the time the fish are to boil must be according to their size; and the parsley roots are to be cleaned, cut into slips, and boiled by themselves till tender. _roasted pike or sturgeon._ let the fish be well cleaned, then make a stuffing of capers, anchovies, parsley and thyme chopped fine, a little grated nutmeg and lemon peel, pepper, salt, breadcrumbs, fresh butter, and an egg. fill the fish and sew it up; turn it round, and fasten the head with the tail; then egg the fish over and breadcrumb it; after which bake or roast it gently till done, and of a good brown colour. serve it up with a sauce over, made of cullis, fresh butter, cayenne, anchovie essence, and lemon pickle. _bacquillio with herbs._ let the fish be well soaked; then boil them and pick free from bone. wash and chop small some spinach, sorrel, green onions, and parsley; after which add fresh butter, essence of anchovies, cayenne pepper, and plenty of the juice of seville oranges. sweat the herbs down, add the fish, and simmer them till tender. _entrée of eels._ take good-sized eels, bone and cut them in pieces of three inches long; pass them over a slow fire in a small quantity of sweet herbs and eshallots, fresh butter, pepper, salt, and lemon juice. when three parts done put all on a dish, dip each piece in the liquor, breadcrumb, and broil them over a clear fire. serve them up with anchovie sauce in a boat. _entrée of soles._ let good-sized soles be cleaned and filletted; roll them up, put them into a stewpan, add a little fresh butter, lemon juice, pepper, and salt, and simmer them over a slow fire till done. serve them up with a sauce over, made of button onions, mushrooms, egg balls, pickle cucumbers scooped round, slices of sweetbreads, and good strong cullis coloured with lobster spawn. n. b. the above fillets may be fried, and served up with the sauce round. _entrée of whitings, &c._ take fillets of haddocks or whitings, wet them with whites of eggs, and lay upon them slices of salmon, seasoned with pepper and salt. put them into a stewpan with a little fresh butter; stew the fish over a slow fire till done, with the pan close covered. serve them up with a sauce over, made with chopped parsley, chopped mushrooms and eshallots, a little rhenish wine, mustard, and cullis, mixed and boiled together for ten minutes. _entrée of salmon._ make white paper cases, and put a little sweet oil at the bottom of each. cut into pieces some fresh salmon, pepper and salt them, and put them into the cases; then set them over a fire on a baking plate and in a stewpan covered over, with a fire at top and bottom. when broiled enough, serve them up with poached eggs on the top of the salmon, and anchovie sauce in a boat. _entrée of smelts, &c._ clean, turn round, and fry of a good colour, some fresh smelts; then three parts boil a slice of fresh crimped cod cut two inches thick; pull it into flakes, have ready some benshamelle, whisk it with the yolks of two eggs, add the flakes of the cod, season with salt and lemon juice to the palate, and simmer the fish over a slow stove till done. serve it up with the fried smelts round the dish, and a few over the stew. _entrée of mackarel._ split them down the back, season with pepper and salt, and lay a sprig of fennel in them. broil them gently, and when served up, the fennel to be taken out, and a mixture of fresh butter, chopped parsley, green onions, pepper, salt, and plenty of lemon juice to be put in its stead. _mackarel the german way._ split them down the back and season with pepper and salt; broil them, and serve them up with the following sauce in a boat:--pick and wash fennel, parsley, mint, thyme, and green onions, a small quantity of each. boil them tender in a little veal broth; then chop and add to them some fresh butter, the liquor, a grated nutmeg, the juice of half a lemon, a little cayenne pepper and salt. let it boil, and make it of a proper thickness with flour and water. _olios, or a spanish dish._ the articles that are wanted consist of the following: viz. leg of mutton of ten pounds. leg of veal ditto. chuck beef ditto. lean ham six pounds. best end of a neck of mutton. breast of veal, small. two pieces of bouillie beef of one pound each. two pair of pigs feet and ears. a bologna sausage. a fowl. a pheasant. two partridges. two ruffs and rees. two quails. two teal. two pigeons. two rabbits. one hare. two stags tongues. one quart of burgonza peas. turnips. carrots. celery. onions. leeks. parsley. thyme. garlick. allspice. cloves. mace. nutmegs. black pepper. haricot roots. fried bread. eggs. saffron, and lemons. _the olio to be made as follows:_ take the beef, veal, mutton, and ham; cut them into pieces, put them into a pot, cover with water, and when it boils skim clean; then add carrots, celery, turnips, onions, leeks, garlick, parsley, and thyme, tied in a bunch; allspice, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, mace, and a little ginger, put in a cloth. boil all together till it becomes a strong stock, and strain it. then cut the breast of veal into tendrons, and best end of neck of mutton into steaks, and half fry them; pigs feet and ears cleaned; hare cut into joints and daubed with bacon; bouillie beef tied round with packthread; poultry trussed very neat, with the legs drawn in close; the tongues scalded and cleaned; and the rabbits cut into pieces. when the different articles are ready, blanch and wash them, then braise each in a separate stewpan, with the stock that was strained. when the different things are braised enough, pour the liquors from them into a pan, leaving a little with each to preserve from burning. when they are to be served up, skim the liquor very clean, and clear it with whites of eggs; then cut turnips and carrots into haricots, some button onions peeled, and heads of celery trimmed neat; after which blanch them, cut the bologna sausage into slices, boil the burgonza peas till three parts done, then mix all together, add some of the cleared liquor, and stew them gently till done. the remainder of the liquor to be coloured with a little saffron, and served up in a tureen with a few burgonza peas in it. when the olio is to be served up, take a very large deep dish, make several partitions in it with slips of fried bread dipped in whites of eggs, and set it in a slow oven or before a fire; then lay the tendrons, birds, beef, mutton, fowls, &c. alternately in the partitions, and serve up with the haricot roots, &c. over. n. b. the whole of the liquor to be seasoned to the palate with cayenne pepper and lemon juice. [this receipt for a spanish olio is only written to shew how expensive a dish may be made, and which i saw done. as a substitute i have introduced the following english one, which has been generally approved; and i think, with particular attention, it will exceed the former in flavour.] _hodge podge, or english olio._ take four beef tails cut into joints, bouille beef two pieces about a quarter of a pound each, and two pieces of pickle pork of the same weight. put them into a pot, cover with water, and when it boils skim clean, and add half a savoy, two ounces of champignons, some turnips, carrots, onions, leeks, celery, one bay leaf, whole black pepper, a few allspice, and a small quantity of mace. when the meats are nearly done, add two quarts of strong veal stock, and when tender take them out, put them into a deep dish, and preserve them hot till they are to be served up; then strain the liquor, skim it free from fat, season to the palate with cayenne pepper, a little salt, and lemon juice, and add a small quantity of colour; then have ready turnips and carrots cut into haricots, some celery heads trimmed three inches long, and some whole onions peeled. let them be sweated down, till three parts tender, in separate stewpans, and strain the essences of them to the above liquor; clear it with whites of eggs, strain it through a tamis cloth, mix the vegetables, add the liquor to them, boil them gently for ten minutes, and serve them over the meats. _light forcemeat for pies or fowls, &c._ cut in pieces lean veal, ham, and fat bacon; add chopped parsley, thyme, eschallots, a little beaten spices, juice of lemon, pepper and salt, a few cleaned mushrooms, or mushroom powder. put over a slow fire till three parts done; then pound in a marble mortar till very fine, and add a sufficient quantity of yolk of raw eggs and breadcrumbs to bind it. _forcemeat balls for ragouts, &c._ cut lean veal and beef suet into small pieces, and add chopped parsley, thyme, marjoram, savory, eschallots, pepper, salt, breadcrumbs, a little grated nutmeg, and yolk of raw eggs. pound all well together, and roll into balls. n. b. the balls should be boiled or fried before they are added to any thing. _egg for balls._ boil six eggs, take the yolks, pound them, and add a little flour and salt, and the yolks of two raw eggs. mix all well together, and roll into balls. they must be boiled before added to any made dish or soup. _omlets of eggs for garnishing or cutting in slips._ take eggs, break them, and put the yolks and whites into separate pans; beat them up with a little salt, and then put them again into separate earthen vessels rubbed with sweet oil. have ready a pot of boiling water over a fire, put them in close covered, and let the omlets steam till thoroughly done. _ox cheek._ bone and wash clean the cheek; then tie it up like a rump of beef, put it in a braising pan with some good stock (or water); when it boils, skim it, add two bay leaves, a little garlick, some onions, champignons, celery, carrots, half a small cabbage, turnips, a bundle of sweet herbs, whole black pepper, a little allspice and mace. let the cheek stew till near done, then cut off the strings, put the cheek in a clean stewpan, strain the liquor through a sieve, skim off the fat very clean, season with lemon juice, cayenne pepper and salt, add a little colour, clear it with eggs, strain it through a tamis cloth to the cheek, and stew it till tender. _beef tails._ cut the tails into joints, and blanch and wash them; then braise them till tender, drain them dry, and serve them up with haricot sauce over. _haricot sauce._ take clean turnips and carrots, and scoop or cut them into shapes, some celery heads cut about two inches long, button onions peeled, some dry or green morells, and artichoke bottoms cut into pieces. let them all be blanched in separate stewpans till three parts done; then drain and put them all together with some small mushrooms stewed, and a good cullis well-seasoned, and simmer the vegetables till done. _beef collops._ take the fillet from the under part of a rump of beef, cut it into small thin slices, and fry them till three parts done; then add to them slices of pickle cucumbers, small mushrooms stewed, blanched oysters, some good-seasoned cullis, and stew them till tender. _fillet of beef larded._ take a fillet or piece of a rump, force it and lard it with bacon, turn it round like a fillet of veal, roast it, glaize the top, and serve it up with the following sauce made with cullis, lemon pickle, and ketchup; add likewise some scalded celery heads and button onions; then stew till tender, and put the sauce round the beef. _beef pallets._ scald and scale the pallets clean, and boil them till tender; when cool roll them up with forcemeat in the middle, and tie them with thread; braise them as white as possible and serve them up with a sauce made of ham, breast of fowl, pickle cucumbers, omlets of eggs, and good-seasoned cullis or benshamelle. n. b. the ham, &c. are to be cut in the form of dice, and the omlets made as omlets for garnishing. _rump of beef a-la-daube, or braised._ bone a rump of beef and daub it with slips of fat bacon, seasoned with sweet herbs, eschallots, beaten spices, pepper, and salt. bind it round with packthread, and braise it till tender; then wipe it dry, glaize the top, and serve it up with the sauce round. either spanish onion sauce, or savoy, haricot, or ashée sauce may be used. n. b. it may be served with the sauce either plain or daubed. _to make spanish onion sauce._ braise six spanish onions with the beef till three parts done; then peel them, and add some good cullis, seasoned with cayenne pepper, salt, lemon juice, and a little sifted lump sugar, and stew them till tender. _savoy sauce._ cut some savoys in quarters, blanch them, and then tie them round and braise them with the beef till half done. take them out of the liquor, cut off the string, and put them into a stewpan with good strong cullis, and simmer them till tender. _ashée sauce._ take some pickle cucumbers chopped small, then capers, parsley, eschallots, breast of a fowl, lean of ham, carrots, and yolks and whites of eggs. then add to them a good-seasoned cullis and a little mushroom ketchup. simmer all together a quarter of an hour. n. b. the ham, fowl, egg, and carrot to be boiled before they are chopped. _brisket of beef with spanish onions._ to be done in the same manner as the rump, but not to be daubed with bacon. _brisket of beef with ashée or haricot._ to be done in the same manner as the preceding. _rump of beef a-la mode._ bone the rump, daub it with slips of fat bacon seasoned with sweet herbs, beaten spices, and pepper and salt. bind it round with packthread, put it into a braising pan, cover it with some veal stock, make it boil, skim it, and add a pint of red port, some onions, turnips, celery, a few bay leaves, garlick, champignons, a few whole allspice, and a little mace. let it stew till nearly done; then take it out of the liquor, cut off the strings, wipe it dry, and put it into a clean stewpan. then strain the liquor, skim the fat off clean, season with cayenne, salt, a gill of vinegar, lemon pickle, and a small quantity of juice of lemon; add a little colour, clear it with whites of eggs, and strain it through a tamis cloth to the beef. stew it gently till done, and serve it up in a deep dish. n. b. to the liquor, when cleared with eggs and strained, may be added some passing of flour and butter, by way of thickening, if approved. the reason for clearing the liquor is, that it will make it appear bright either thickened or plain. _baked beef._ bone a leg of beef, wash it clean, chop plenty of parsley, a middling quantity of thyme, eschallots, marjoram, savory, and a little basil. then mix them together, and add a small quantity of beaten allspice, mace, cloves, pepper, and salt. rub the beef well with the ingredients, set it in an earthen pan, put to it a gill of vinegar, half a pint of red port, eight middling-sized whole onions peeled, two bay leaves, a few fresh or dried champignons. let the meat remain till next day; then add a sufficient quantity of water to it, cover the pan close, and bake the meat till tender. _marrow bones._ chop the bones at each end so as to stand steady; then wash them clean, saw them in halves, set them upright in a saucepan with water, and boil them two hours. serve them up very hot, and with fresh toasted bread. _mutton rumps marinated._ clean and cut the rumps of an equal length, and lay them in a pan and the marinate liquor for a whole night; then pass them in butter till nearly done. lay them on a dish to cool, wash them over with yolk of egg, and breadcrumb them. fry them gently in boiling lard till done, and of a nice colour. drain them dry, and serve them up with a very good-seasoned cullis sauce and ketchup in it. n. b. in the same manner may be done mutton steaks. _to make marinate._ take a little gravy, vinegar, salt, whole black pepper, a few bay leaves, onions sliced, a clove of garlick, and a little thyme. boil all together and strain it. _haricot mutton cutlets._ cut a loin or best end of a neck of mutton into steaks, trim them neat, and fry them till three parts done, and of a nice colour. put them into a stewpan, add a little liquor to preserve them from burning, and simmer till tender. lay the steaks round in a dish, and serve them up with haricot sauce over. n. b. the essence that the steaks were stewed in to be strained, skimmed clean from fat, and added to the sauce. _fillet of mutton with cucumbers._ take the best end of a neck of mutton, cut off the under bone, leaving the long ones on; then trim it neat, lard it, or let it remain plain; roast it gently, glaize it, and serve it up with cucumber sauce under. _stewed cucumbers._ take fresh gathered cucumbers, pare them, cut them into shapes if seedy, or slices if young. put them into a stewpan, and add a little salt, vinegar, and an onion. simmer them over a fire till nearly done and the liquor reduced, or fry them with a bit of fresh butter, and add a good strong cullis. let the cucumbers stew till done, and serve them up with the mutton, which may be roasted with larding (or plain). n. b. the cucumbers may be served as an entrée of itself, and fried bread put round them. _mutton cutlets with potatoes._ cut a loin of mutton into steaks, beat them with a chopper, and trim them neat. pass them in sweet herbs, eschallots, pepper, salt, and lemon juice. when nearly done, lay them on a dish till almost cool, and then egg, breadcrumb, and fry them in boiling lard till of a light brown colour. place the steaks round in a dish, leaving a cavity in the center, which is to be filled up with potatoes, and the sauce under the steaks. n. b. the potatoes to be peeled, scooped, or cut into shapes. then fry them of a light colour, and put them before the fire till wanted; and add to the sauce the steaks were passed in, a little cullis and ketchup; then strain and reduce it almost to a glaize. _mutton cutlets a la maintenon._ get the best end of a loin of mutton, take off the under bone, and cut it into chops; beat them, and trim them neat; then add to them a bit of fresh butter, chopped parsley, thyme, eschallots, pepper, salt, a little pounded mace, and lemon juice. pass them till nearly done; then lay them on a dish, pour the liquor over the chops, and, when nearly cool, breadcrumb, and put them separately in oiled white paper; fold them up, broil them over a slow fire, and serve them up with hot poivrade sauce in a boat. n. b. see _poivrade sauce_ receipt. _cutlets a la irish stew._ get the best end of a neck of mutton, take off the under bone, and cut it into chops; season them with pepper, salt, a little mushroom powder, and beaten mace. put them into a stewpan, add a large onion sliced, some parsley and thyme tied in a bunch, and a pint of veal broth. simmer the chops till three parts done, then add some whole potatoes peeled, and let them stew till done. serve it up in a deep dish. n. b. let the parsley and thyme be taken out when the stew is to be served up. _pork cutlets with red or white cabbage._ take a piece of back pork, cut it into chops, beat and trim them, season with pepper and salt, broil them gently till done and of a light brown colour. serve them up with stewed red or white cabbage under. _to stew cabbage._ cut the cabbage into slips, and blanch and drain them dry. put them into a stewpan, with a bit of fresh butter, pepper, salt, an onion, some vinegar, half a pint of veal broth, and a little allspice tied in a cloth. stew the cabbage gently till done and the liquor nearly reduced, and then take the spice and onion out. _pork cutlets with robert sauce._ get a piece of back pork, or the best end of a loin, and take off the under bone; then cut the chops neat, season with pepper and salt, broil them gently, and serve them up with the sauce underneath. _to make robert sauce._ take some cullis, a bay leaf, an onion sliced, a blade of mace, a little mustard, and a gill of rhenish wine. boil all together a quarter of an hour, strain it, and reduce it nearly to a glaize. _pork cutlets another way._ trim the chops neat as above, pass them with a bit of fresh butter, chopped eschallots, pepper, salt, and a little lemon juice. when nearly done, breadcrumb and broil them till of a light brown colour. serve them up with the following sauce placed underneath; that is to say, cullis, mushroom, ketchup, lemon pickle, and mustard, a little of each, and reduce nearly to a glaize. _fillet of pork roasted._ take a piece of back pork, cut the chine bone from the under part, and lay it in a marinate all night. when it is to be roasted run a lark spit through, tie it on another spit, cover it with paper, and roast it gently; and when to be served up, if not coloured enough, glaize it lightly, and put some robert sauce underneath. _pigs feet and ears._ take prepared feet and pass them, with chopped parsley, thyme, eschallots, pepper, salt, and lemon juice. when done, breadcrumb and broil them gently. let the ears be cut in slices, and add cullis well-seasoned; then stew them for ten minutes, and serve them up with the feet over. _to prepare pigs feet and ears._ scald and clean them; then split the feet and tie them round with packthread; put them in a pot covered with water; make it boil, skim it clean, and add a little garlick, thyme, eschallots, onions, bay leaves, whole black pepper, allspice, mace, salt, and udder of veal. braise them till tender, and put them in an earthen pan for use. _compotte of pigeons._ cut off the pinions, draw the legs in close, colour the breast in boiling hot lard, and then blanch and wash them; which done, put them in a stewpan, add a little veal broth, and simmer them gently till nearly done, and then make a ragout of blanched sweetbreads, button mushrooms, truffles, morells, artichoke bottoms, egg balls, cullis, and the liquor of the pigeons strained, and season well to the palate. let the ingredients stew for ten minutes, then add them to the pigeons, and serve up all together in a deep dish. _pigeons a la craupidine._ cut off the pinions, draw in the legs, cut the breast so as to lay back, then pass them with sweet herbs, mushrooms, eschallots chopped fine, a little fresh butter, grated nutmeg, lemon juice, pepper, and salt. let them simmer till nearly done; then lay them on a dish, and when nearly cool, egg with yolk of eggs, and strew them with crumbs of bread rubbed through a fine hair sieve. fry them of a light colour in boiling hot lard (or broil them). serve them up with a good cullis and sharp sauce underneath. _pigeons glaized._ put some good-seasoned forcemeat in the pigeons, cut off the pinions, lay back the legs, blanch them, and roast them gently with vine leaves and bards of fat bacon over them. when they are to be served up glaize the top part, and serve them with cullis sauce, or celery heads, or asparagus tops, &c. under them. _pigeons a la sousell._ bone the legs and wings of four pigeons and draw them in; then fill them with a high-seasoned forcemeat, and braise them in a half pint of veal stock. when done enough, take the pigeons out, wipe them dry, glaize the top, and serve them up with stewed sorrel underneath. n. b. the liquor they were braised in to be strained, skimmed free from fat, and reduced almost to a glaize, and added to the sorrel. (or they may, when three parts done, be wiped dry, egged and breadcrumbed over, then fried in boiling lard, and served up with sorrel sauce underneath as above). _hashed calf's head._ take a head, without the scalp, chopped in half; wash and blanch it, peel the tongue, cut it in slices, and likewise the meat from the head. add blanched morells and truffles, egg and forcemeat balls, stewed mushrooms, artichoke bottoms, and well-seasoned cullis. let the meat stew gently till nearly done, and then add slices of throat sweetbreads. when it is to be served up, put round the hash the brains and rashers of bacon; and, if approved, half the head to be put on the top, which is to be prepared thus:--one half of the head when blanched to be done over with yolk of raw egg; then season with pepper and salt, strew with fine breadcrumbs, bake till very tender, and colour with a salamander if requisite. the brains to be egged and rolled in breadcrumbs, and fried in boiling lard. the rashers of bacon to be broiled. _breast of veal en gallentine._ bone the veal and lay a light forcemeat over it, and upon that some slips of lean ham, pickle cucumbers, fat bacon, and omlets of eggs white and yellow. roll it up tight in a cloth, tie each end, and braise it till tender. when it is to be served up, take it out of the cloth, wipe it dry, and glaize the top; then put under it stewed sorrel or stewed celery heads, or ragout. _breast of veal ragout._ take off the under bone and cut the breast in half, lengthways; then cut them in middling-sized pieces, fry them in a little lard till of a light brown colour, wipe them dry, put them into a stewpan with half a pint of veal stock, simmer them till nearly done and the liquor almost reduced; then add blanched morell, truffles, slices of throat sweetbread, egg balls, artichoke bottoms, a little ketchup, and some cullis; season to the palate with cayenne pepper and salt, and a little lemon juice. let all stew together till done. _neck of veal en erison._ cut off the scragg and the under chine bone, then lay a light forcemeat on the top of the veal about half the way, and wash it with whites of eggs with a paste brush, and work a sprig or any other device as fancy directs, with pickle cucumber, ham, breast of fowl, omlets of eggs white and yellow, boiled carrots, and some capers. put the veal into a stewpan, add a little stock, and stew it gently till tender, taking care the ornament is not disturbed. when it is to be served up glaize the plain part, and put under a cullis sauce with asparagus or peas. n. b. in the same manner may be done heart sweetbreads. _neck of veal larded._ take off the under bone of a neck of veal, leave only a part of the long bones on; trim it neat, lard it, and roast it gently with a veal caul over. ten minutes before it is done take off the caul, and let the veal be of a very light colour. when it is to be served up glaize it, and put under some sorrel sauce, celery heads, or asparagus tops. _veal cutlets larded._ cut the best end of a neck of veal into chops, leaving only a part of the long bone; then lard, blanch, and braise them; and when they are to be served up, drain, dry, glaize, and place them round each other in a dish, and put green truffle sauce, or white mushroom sauce, in the center. _loin of veal a la cream._ take the best end of a loin of veal, joint it, and cut a little of the suet from the kidney; cause it to lay flat, and then make an incision in the center of the top part about three inches deep and six inches long. take the piece out, chop it, add to it the suet or beef marrow, parsley, thyme, green truffles, mushrooms, eschallots, lemon peel, chopped very fine, and season it with pepper and salt, and a little beaten spice. put all together into a marble mortar, add the yolks of two eggs, and a little french bread soaked in cream; then pound the ingredients well, and fill the cavity with the forcemeat, and cover it with a piece of veal caul; after which tie it down close and cover the whole with a large piece of caul, roast it gently, and when it is to be served up, take off the large piece of caul, let it colour a little, glaize it lightly, and put under it a benshamelle or a ragout of sweetbreads, &c. n. b. in the same manner may be done a fillet of veal instead of plain stuffing. _veal tendrons (brown or white)._ take a breast of white veal, cut off the under bone and the top skin; then cut it into three long slips, and the slips again into pieces of two inches thick; blanch and put them into a stewpan, then add a little water, bards of bacon, and slices of lemon. braise them till tender, drain them dry, and serve them up with green truffle sauce, or celery, asparagus, or peas. the sauce to be served over the veal. _celery sauce, (white), for veal, chickens, turkies, &c._ cut celery heads three inches long, trim them, wash and blanch them, drain them dry, add a little stock, boil them till nearly done, and the liquor almost reduced; then put to them some benshamelle, and, if approved, five minutes before the sauce is put over the meat or poultry, add a leason of two yolks of eggs and cream. _celery sauce, (brown,) for pullets, &c._ dress celery heads as above, but instead of benshamelle add a good cullis only. n. b. the above sauces may be served up in dishes with fried bread round the celery heads, as an entrée of itself. _veal cutlets au natural._ cut the best end of a neck of veal into chops, trim off the bone, pass the steaks with a bit of fresh butter, chopped parsley, thyme, and eschallots, and season with pepper, salt, and lemon juice. when nearly done, lay them on a dish with the liquor; and when cool, egg, breadcrumb, and broil them gently. serve them up placed round each other, with a sauce in the center made with cullis, a little ketchup, lemon pickle, and artichoke bottoms cut into pieces. _veal collops (brown)._ cut veal cutlets (taken from the fillet) into small thin pieces, and fry them in a little boiling lard till of a light brown colour. drain them dry, put them into a stewpan, add cullis, stewed mushrooms, some blanched truffles, morells, pieces of artichoke bottoms, some slices of throat sweetbreads, and egg balls. let them simmer over a slow fire till tender, season to the palate, and serve them up with rashers of broiled bacon round them. _veal collops (white)._ cut the collops as for brown, but instead of frying, put them into a stewpan with a bit of fresh butter, a little lemon juice, and a blade of mace. simmer them till nearly done, then strain the liquor to some benshamelle, and add the collops with some slices of throat sweetbreads, some cocks combs blanched, egg balls, pieces of artichoke bottoms, and stewed white mushrooms. let them stew gently, season to the palate with salt, and make the sauce of a sufficient thickness to adhere to the ingredients. n. b. five minutes before the collops are to be served up a leason may be added of eggs and cream. _fricando veal._ cut off a long or round piece of veal from the leg, beat it flat with a chopper, and make an incision in the under part. put into it a little light forcemeat, sew it up, lard the top part with pieces of fat bacon very neat, blanch it, put it into a stewpan with a little stock, and cover it close; then let it stew till very tender, and the liquor nearly reduced. when it is to be served up glaize the larding, and put stewed sorrel under. n. b. the forcemeat, if not approved, may be omitted; and instead of only one piece of veal, three or four small pieces may be served on a dish. _sorrel sauce._ wash clean, squeeze and chop fine, plenty of sorrel, and put it into a stewpan with a bit of fresh butter; stew it till the liquor is almost reduced, and then add a little strong cullis. let the sauce be of a good thickness. _veal olives._ cut thin bards of fat bacon of six inches long and four broad, lay upon them very thin slices of veal of the same dimensions, wash the veal with yolk of egg, and put upon it some light forcemeat. then roll them up, run a lark spit through sideway of each olive, tie a string over them to prevent their falling off, trim each end with a sharp knife, roast them gently, and froth and serve them up with a cullis sauce under _breast of veal with oysters._ cut off the under bone of a breast of white veal, and the skin from the top; then blanch and braise it, or roast it gently till very tender with a veal caul over. when it is to be served up take off the caul, glaize the top of the breast, and put round it white oyster sauce. (see receipt for _oyster sauce_.) _lamb's head minced._ chop the head in halves, and blanch it with the liver, heart, and lights. then chop the heart, &c. and add to them a little parsley chopped very fine, a small quantity of shredded lemon peel, and some cullis; then stew it gently till done, and season to the palate. wash the head over with yolk of egg, season it with pepper and salt, strew fine breadcrumbs over, and bake it gently till very tender. when it is to be served up, colour it with a salamander, put the mince under, and the brains fried round it, with rashers of broiled bacon. n. b. to prepare the brains, clean them in warm water, wipe them dry, dip them in yolk of egg, breadcrumb, and fry them in boiling lard. _breast of lamb with benshamelle._ take off the under bone, then blanch and put it into a stewpan, with parsley, thyme, and eschallots, chopped very fine, a bit of fresh butter, pepper, salt, a little essence of anchovie, and lemon juice. let it simmer over a slow fire till nearly done; then lay it on a dish, and, when almost cool, egg and breadcrumb it, broil it over a slow clear fire till tender, and let it be of a nice brown colour. serve it up with a benshamelle sauce under. _breast or tendrons of lamb en matelote._ cut the breast into two long slips, trim off the bone and skin, cut them into small pieces, blanch and boil them in a little stock and lemon juice. when nearly done, add peeled and half-boiled button onions, pieces of pickle cucumber cut of the same size, a few button mushrooms stewed, some slices of throat sweetbreads, blanched omlet of egg (the same kind as for garnishing) cut into pieces the form of dice, and lean ham cut in the same manner; then add a cullis or benshamelle. when it is to be served up, put sippets of fried bread round. _breast of lamb with peas._ cut off the under bone, and then blanch and braise it. when it is to be served up, glaize the top and put the stewed peas under. _to stew peas for sauce: for lamb, veal, chickens, &c._ to a quart of shelled young green peas add two ounces of fresh butter, a very little sifted sugar, and some salt. put them into a stewpan, cover it close, simmer the peas till nearly done, then add some good-seasoned cullis, and stew them till tender. _lamb cutlets with cucumbers._ take the bone from a loin of lamb, cut it into chops, beat them flat with a chopper, and trim off some of the fat. pass them with a piece of fresh butter, chopped parsley, thyme, eschallots, lemon juice, and pepper and salt. when three parts done, put them on a dish, and, when nearly cool, egg, breadcrumb, and fry them in boiling lard till of a light brown colour. drain them dry, place them round each other in the dish, and serve them up with the cucumber sauce in the center. n. b. in the same manner may be done mutton and veal cutlets. _neck of lamb glaized._ cut the scragg and the chine bone from a neck of house lamb; then take off the skin, trim part of the fat away to lard the neck lengthways, blanch it, and braise or roast it gently with a veal caul over. when it is to be served up, glaize the larding, and put round it white onion sauce made thus: _onion sauce._ take boiled onions, rub them through a hair sieve; then add to them fresh butter, cream, flour, salt, a very little of each, and let it stew five minutes. _lamb cutlets with tendrons._ cut a neck of house lamb into chops, leaving only the long bone; then beat them flat, and pass them with parsley, thyme, eschallots, chopped very fine, and add a little lemon juice, mushroom powder, pepper, and salt. when they are three parts done lay them on a dish, and when half cold breadcrumb them and broil them on a stewpan cover over a slow fire with a bit of fresh butter. when they are to be served up, put in the center of the dish some braised tendrons of the breast of lamb, and round them the cutlets, and turnip sauce over the center. _turnip sauce._ pare four turnips, sweat them with a little water till they are done and the liquor reduced, then rub them through a tamis sieve. add to them a small quantity of benshamelle, and then cut some more turnips in shapes as for a haricot. sweat them in the like manner, and add the benshamelle to them. _lamb cutlets with tendrons another way._ the tendrons may be served in the center of the dish, with the cutlets larded, braised, and glaized, to go round them; and the sauce made in the same manner, but instead of benshamelle add cullis. _shoulder of lamb glaized._ bone a shoulder of house lamb, then season it with pepper, salt, mushroom powder, and beaten spice; fill the cavity with some light forcemeat; sew it up, and make it in the form of a leg of lamb; after which blanch it, and braise in a little stock and bards of fat bacon. when it is done wipe it dry, glaize it, and serve it up with sorrel sauce under; or a strong cullis sauce with a little tarragon of vinegar in it. _shoulder of lamb en epigram._ roast a shoulder of lamb till three parts done, and let it stand till cold; then take the blade-bone out with the meat, leaving only the skin whole in the form of a fan. cut the meat into slips, add to it parsley, thyme, eschallots, and mushrooms, chopped fine, some good-seasoned cullis, and a little lemon pickle. let it stew gently for a quarter of an hour; and let the fan of the shoulder and the blade bone be broiled, and served up over the stew. _shoulder of lamb grilled._ roast it till three parts done, then score it with chequers, season with pepper and salt, and grill it gently till done. let it be of a light brown colour, and serve it up with a sauce over it made with cullis, ketchup, lemon juice, and a bit of fresh butter. _hind quarter of lamb marinated._ bone the leg, fill the cavity with a light forcemeat well-seasoned, sew it up and lard the top part of the quarter with slips of fat bacon. when done, take a quart of veal stock, half a gill of vinegar, whole black pepper, some salt, two bay leaves, three onions cut in pieces, a little garlick, and half a pint of rhenish wine. boil all the ingredients together a quarter of an hour, put the lamb into a deep dish, and strain the liquor to it. let it lay five or six hours, turn it several times, then roast the lamb gently with a veal caul over it. when it is nearly done, let it colour a little and glaize the top. serve it up with a sauce under it, made with the above liquor boiled down almost to a glaize, with some cullis added. n. b. in the same manner may be done a shoulder or leg of lamb. _hind quarter of lamb with spinach._ boil the leg, preserve it as white as possible, serve it up with spinach under, and the steaks round it very hot. the loin to be cut into chops, and seasoned with pepper and salt; then fried or broiled. pick and boil the spinach till nearly done; then strain and squeeze it dry, chop it, and add a little piece of fresh butter, pepper, and salt, a little cullis or cream, and let it stew for five minutes. n. b. the spinach may be served up as a dish with fried bread round it. _leg of lamb with oysters._ bone the leg, fill the cavity with light forcemeat, and some blanched and bearded oysters pounded with it. sew it up, put over it slices of lemon, salt, bards of fat bacon, and paper. roast it gently, and when it is to be served up, glaize it, and put a sauce round it made with oysters blanched and bearded, stewed mushrooms, boiled button onions, some cullis, and the oyster liquor they were blanched in. season to the palate with cayenne and lemon juice. _currie._ cut two young chickens into pieces, and blanch and drain them dry; then put them into a stewpan with two table spoonfuls of currie powder and a gill of veal stock, and stew them gently till half done. then cut into slices three middling-sized onions, and put them into a stewpan with a table spoonful of currie powder, a quart of veal stock, two ounces of jordan almonds blanched and pounded fine, and boil till the onions are tender; then rub it through a tamis sieve to the chicken, and season to the palate with cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon or tamarind juice. let the chickens stew till three parts done, then pour the liquor into another stewpan, and add three ounces of fresh butter, a very little flour and water, and reduce it to three gills. strain it through a tamis sieve to the chickens, and let them simmer till tender. n. b. rabbits may be done in the same manner. _plain rice to be eaten with currie._ pick one pound of rice, and wash it very clean; then have ready some boiling water and put the rice in. let it simmer till three parts done, and strain and wash it in several waters till free from slime. drain it in a large hair sieve, and when dry put it into a stewpan with some paper and the cover over it. set it in a moderate oven for one hour and a half, or longer, if there be a greater quantity. _currie of lobster._ boil lobsters till three parts done, and pick and cut the claws and tails into good-sized pieces; then add currie powder, and proceed with the same directions as with the chickens, only pound the body of the lobsters and spawn, if any, and add them to the almonds and other ingredients. _currie of veal._ cut a piece of breast of veal into tendrons, and fry them in a little lard till of a light colour; then drain them dry, add currie powder, and proceed with the same directions as for chicken currie. _currie of mutton._ take three pounds of the best end of a loin of mutton, cut off the bone and some of the fat; then cut the meat into small square pieces, fry them, and proceed with the same directions as for veal. _pig's head currie._ take a young porker's head, cleave it in half, blanch and wash it, then cut it into small thick pieces, fry them, and dress in the same manner as veal and mutton; only omit the fresh butter, as there will be a sufficient quantity of fat. _directions for roasting._ observe that in roasting it requires a good quick fire, but not too strong, and the meats should be well-jointed, trimmed neat, and covered with paper to preserve it from being too high a colour. beef and mutton should not be done too much; veal, pork, and lamb, should be done well; and some little time before it is to be served up, take the paper off, sprinkle the meat with salt, and when of a proper colour, froth it with butter and flour. large poultry to be papered and done in the same manner; but small poultry, such as chickens, woodcocks, rabbits, wild fowls, &c. will not require papering. the time the several articles will take roasting depends upon a little practice, as the weather and the different strengths of fires make a material alteration. i have given directions for some particular roasts which require a preparation; as for others which are served with sauces, they may be found under their respective heads: and for the trimmings of meat, &c. i have wrote a receipt to make into soup, or they may be put into the beef stock pot. _soup for a family._ cut the particles of meat from the trimmings of different joints, as beef, mutton, veal, pork, &c. and when done put the bones into a pot, cover with water, and boil them till the goodness is extracted. then strain the liquor, wash the trimmings of the vegetables, such as turnips, carrots, onions, leeks, celery, and a little cabbage. cut all small, put them into a pot with the above liquor and some split peas; boil till the peas are tender, add a little dry mint, and rub it through a tamis cloth or sieve. then season the meat with pepper and salt, sweated down till three parts tender, and add the pulp. boil all together till the meat is done, skim it and serve it up with fried bread in the form of dice. _to prepare a haunch of venison, or mutton, for roasting._ take great care the venison is well hung and good. wipe it, take the skin from the top part, and put butter and plenty of salt over it; then put paste confined on with four or five sheets of paper braced with packthread. roast it gently, and ten minutes before it is done, take off the paper, let it colour gradually, and froth it with flour and butter. serve up with the venison warm currant jelly in a boat, and some good gravy with a little red port in it in another sauce boat. _to roast woodcocks or snipes._ take out the trail, then roast the birds, and ten minutes before they are done bake a toast, put the trail into a stewpan, with a little cullis and fresh butter, and boil them together. when the woodcocks are to be served up put the sauce over the toast, and the woodcocks upon it. n. b. if the woodcocks are thin roast them with a bard of bacon over. _to roast larks._ take the entrails out of the birds, wash and wipe them dry, put them upon a lark spit, with small thin slices of fat bacon and a piece of a vine or green sage leaf between each, if approved; and while roasting, put over them crumbs of bread, or roast them plain. when they are done, serve them up with fried breadcrumbs round them, and melted butter in a sauce boat. _to fry breadcrumbs._ rub crumbs of bread through a hair sieve, have ready a clean frying pan, put them into it with a piece of fresh butter, set them over a moderate fire, keep stirring with a wooden spoon till they are of a light brown colour, and put them upon a plate. _turkeys._ to be roasted with a stuffing in the breast, and served with bread sauce in a boat. _rabbits._ to be roasted either plain, or a stuffing, with the liver chopped in it, put into the belly, and served up with parsley and butter in a boat. _hares._ to be dressed in the same manner as rabbits, with stuffing; but served up with cullis and fresh butter put over, and warm currant jelly in a sauce boat. _hare roasted another way._ stuff as above, and while roasting drudge it with flour, baste it with milk, and so alternately till a quarter of an hour before the hare is done; then baste it with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter put into the dripping pan. serve it up with a cullis sauce and butter put over, and currant jelly in a sauce boat. n. b. baste it repeatedly, as there must be a good crust over. it will require three pints of warm milk for that purpose. _pigeons._ may be roasted with a little stuffing in them, or plain; and served up with parsley and butter. _quails, or ruffs and rees._ to be roasted with bards of bacon and vine leaves over them, with sauce in a boat made with cullis and red port in it. _guinea fowls, pea fowls, pullets, chickens, and turkey poults._ to be roasted either larded or plain, and served up with gravy under, and bread and egg sauces in separate boats. _wild fowl._ to be roasted plain, not done too much, and served up with onion sauce in a boat; as also a small quantity of gravy and red port boiled together. _partridges and pheasants._ to be roasted plain, and served up with poivrade sauce hot, and bread sauce in boats. _green geese and ducklings._ to be roasted with pepper and salt put in the bellies, and served with green sauce in a boat. _other geese and tame ducks._ to be roasted with onion and sage chopped fine, seasoned with pepper and salt put into the inside, and served up with apple sauce in a boat. _to roast a pig._ make a stuffing with chopped sage, two eschallots, two eggs, breadcrumbs, and fresh butter, and season with pepper and salt; put it into the belly, sew it up, spit it, and rub it over with a paste brush dipped in sweet oil. roast it gently, and when done cut off the head; then cut the body and the head in halves, lay them on a dish, put the stuffing with the brains into a stewpan, add to them some good gravy, make it boil, and serve up the pig with the sauce under it. _to roast sweetbreads._ blanch heart sweetbreads till half done, then wash and wipe them dry, cut off some of the pipe, put yolk of eggs on the tops with a paste brush, and strew fine breadcrumbs over. roast them gently till done and of a nice colour, serve them up with a toast under and melted butter poured over, together with some cullis sauce round. _to roast ribs of beef._ bone the beef, roll it round like a fillet of veal, put a good stuffing in the center, bind it tight, roast it gently, and serve it up with brown oyster sauce round it. _fillet of veal._ to be done in the same manner as the above, with white oyster or cullis sauce round. _observations on meat and poultry._ meats to be preferred when of a good fatness and the lean appears juicy, but not particularly streaked with fat, as it then frequently happens to eat hard. when the season will permit let it hang for a week, and not more, as i have found that period bring it to its best state. poultry, likewise, should be chosen tolerably fat and of a soft grain. let them hang three or four days, which will add to their better eating; except woodcocks, snipes, larks, or pigs, which should be dressed fresh. be particular that the poultry are trussed very neat. _stuffing for turkies, hares, veal, &c._ chop very fine beef suet, parsley, thyme, eschallots, a very small quantity of marjoram, savory, basil, and lemon peel, with grated nutmeg, two eggs (or milk), pepper, salt, and an anchovie chopped (if approved). mix all well together. _gravy for roast meat, steaks, and poultry._ cut slices of chuck beef, veal, and lean ham; pare onions, turnips, a carrot, and cut them with celery; then add a bunch of parsley and thyme, a few whole pepper, and a little mace. put all the ingredients into a stewpan, set them over a moderate fire, sweat down till the liquor becomes of a light brown colour, and be careful not to let it burn. discharge it with water or beef stock, season to the palate with salt, and, if required, add a little liquid of colour. let it simmer till the meat is perfectly done, skim it free from fat, and strain it through a tamis cloth. _peloe of rice._ wash, pick, and dress, in the same manner as the directions for plain rice, observing only, that, before it is to be set in the oven, add a little pounded mace with the rice; and put into a stewpan a chicken half boiled and a piece of pickle pork three parts boiled, and cover with the rice. when it is to be served up, put the fowl and pork at the bottom of the dish, the rice over, and garnish with boiled or fried button onions and halves of hard eggs, which should be hot. _peloe of rice another way._ wash and pick two pounds of rice, boil it in plenty of water till half done, with a dozen of whole cardamum seeds; then drain it, pick out the seeds, put the rice into a stewpan, with three quarters of a pound of fresh butter and some pounded mace, and salt to the palate. take a loin of house lamb or some fresh pork cut into small pieces; put them into a frying-pan, add cinnamon, cloves, cummin and cardamum seeds, a small quantity of each pounded and sifted, with a bit of butter and some cayenne pepper, and fry the meat till half done. then take two bay leaves, four good-sized onions sliced, and add to them a pint and a half of veal stock. boil them till tender and rub them through a tamis cloth or sieve; then boil the liquor over a fire till it is reduced to half a pint, add it to the fried meat and spices, together with some peeled button onions boiled. then put some of the rice at the bottom of another stewpan, then a layer of meat and onions on the rice, and so on alternately till the whole is put in. cover the pan close, set it in a moderately heated oven for two hours and a half, and when it is to be served up turn the rice out carefully on a dish. _timbol of rice._ pick, wash, and parboil the rice; then strain it, put it into a stewpan with a little oiled butter and yolk of egg. simmer it gently till tender; then fill an oval tin mould with the rice, press it down close, take the shape out of the mould, wash it lightly with a paste brush with yolk of egg, and set it in a quick oven. when it is a good colour cut a square piece out of the top, scoop out the inside, and fill the cavity with fricassee of chickens, or any thing else you please. _petit patties of chicken and ham._ sheet the pans with puff paste, and put a bit of crumb of bread the bigness of a dice in each; then cover them with more paste, trim round the pan, wash the tops of the paste with egg, and bake the patties of a light colour. when they are to be served up take out the bread, have ready the white meat of dressed fowl, lean ham, an eschallot chopped fine, a spoonful of consumé of veal, a little cream, flour, salt, cayenne, and lemon juice, a small quantity of each. mix all the ingredients together over a fire, boil them for five minutes, fill the patties with it, and serve them up very hot. _patties of lobsters or oysters._ bake patties as before directed, fill them with lobsters or oysters chopped, add to them a little strong consumé of veal, a small quantity of flour, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, a bit of lemon peel, an eschallot chopped fine, an anchovie rubbed through a sieve, and mixed over a fire for five minutes. n. b. the lobsters or oysters are to be half boiled before they are chopped. _forcemeat patties._ sheet the pans as for chicken patties, but instead of bits of bread fill them with a light forcemeat well-seasoned. cover and bake them, and serve them up with a little cullis added to the forcemeat. _pulpton of chicken, rabbits, &c._ take veal suet or beef marrow, chop it, put it into a stewpan over a fire till melted, and when lukewarm mix it to some flour with a little water into a paste. knead it well, and rub fresh butter round the inside of a mould of any shape, and strew vermicelli upon the butter. then sheet the mould over the vermicelli with the paste rolled of the thickness of half an inch, and within the paste put a layer of chicken, slices of sweetbread, mushrooms, artichoke bottoms, truffles, and morells; after which put a little light forcemeat round with a paste over, close it well, egg, and bake it gently. when to be served up, turn it out of the mould, make a little hole in the top, and put into it a good cullis. n. b. cut the chicken in pieces and blanch them; the sweetbreads, truffles, and morels to be blanched, and afterwards season with pepper and salt. _fishmeagre pie._ bone and cut into pieces a male carp; make it into a forcemeat with some of the roe, parsley, thyme, eschallots chopped very fine, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, pepper, salt, a little beaten spice, half a pint of cream, four eggs, and crumb of french bread. afterwards take pieces of eel, salmon, and skate, pass them with sweet herbs, pepper, salt, lemon juice, and a bit of butter. when they are cold, put some of the forcemeat at the bottom of a deep dish, and mix with the fish some stewed mushrooms, button onions, truffles and morells blanched, and the roe cut into pieces, and put them into the dish with more forcemeat round the top; then cover with puff paste, ornament with leaves of paste, egg it, and bake it. when it is to be served up cut a small hole in the center of the top, and add a good cullis. _raised ham pie, with directions for making a raised crust._ take water boiling hot, put a piece of fresh butter into it, and mix it with flour into a paste, and as it gets cold knead it several times, taking care it is of a good consistence but not too stiff, and then raise it into any shape you please. have ready part of a ham boiled till half done, trim it to the shape of the crust, which must be big enough to put some light forcemeat at the bottom and round the ham when in the pie. cover it with the same kind of paste, pinch round the top, and egg and ornament it. just before it is set in the oven add half a pint of madeira wine, bake it gently for four hours, and when it is to be served up add some good cullis, but be careful it is not too salt. _raised chicken pie._ cut chicken into pieces, and put them into a stewpan, either blanched or not, with a bit of fresh butter, lemon juice, pepper and salt, parsley, thyme, eschallots chopped very fine, and a little pounded mace. when the chicken are half done put them on a dish, and when cold raise the crust, put light forcemeat at the bottom, the chicken upon it, and more forcemeat round the top. cover, bake gently, and when served up, cut off the lid, and add a ragout of sweetbreads, cocks combs, &c. &c. n. b. rabbits and veal may be done in the same manner; as also pigeons, but they are to be put into the crust whole. _flat chicken pie (or tourte)._ cut chicken into pieces, blanch them, and season with pepper and salt; then put a light forcemeat at the bottom of a deep dish, and upon it some of the chicken, some slices of throat sweetbreads seasoned, some stewed mushrooms, truffles and morells, and upon them the remainder of the chicken. cover it with a puff paste, then egg and ornament the top with leaves of paste of the same kind, bake it of a nice colour, and when it is to be served up put into it a good cullis. n. b. the chicken may be passed with sweet herbs, &c. and when cold put into the dish as above. rabbits also may be done in the same manner. _pigeon pie._ wash the pigeons in cold water and wipe them dry; then put into a deep dish a rump steak cut into pieces, beat with a chopper, and seasoned with pepper and salt, and upon it the pigeons with the liver, &c. seasoned. add also some yolk of hard eggs, cover it with puff paste, egg and ornament it with small leaves, bake it, and add some cullis. _raised turkey pie with a tongue._ bone a turkey, and have ready a boiled pickled tongue; pare the principal part, put it into the center of the turkey with some light forcemeat well-seasoned, and some slices of throat sweetbreads. sew it up, and put it into boiling water for ten minutes. then make a crust with raised paste big enough to receive the turkey, which, when cold, put in with bards of fat bacon upon it and forcemeat at the bottom of the crust; then cover and ornament it as a raised chicken pie, and bake it. when it is to be served up, take off the lid and the bards of bacon, glaize the breast lightly, and add a cullis or green truffle sauce. n. b. pullets, chickens, partridges, and pheasants, may be done in the same manner; but instead of the tongue put in whole green truffles pared, and some truffles pounded with the forcemeat, and when served up, add a good cullis. or, instead of a raised crust, they may be put in a dish and covered with puff paste, &c. _raised macaroni pie._ raise a crust and ornament and bake it, and when it is to be served up have ready some hot macaroni stewed and a white fricassee of chicken in separate stewpans. put them alternately into the pie, strew a little grated parmezan cheese over it, put a slip of paper round the edge of the pie to prevent from burning, and colour the cheese with a salamander. _raised beef steak pie._ take prime steaks of a rump of beef, cut the skin from the fat, beat the steaks with a chopper, cut them into middling-sized pieces, then pass them with a bit of fresh butter, pepper, salt, lemon juice, and eschallots chopped, and when they are half done put them into a dish till cold. blanch oysters, strain them, and preserve the liquor; then raise a crust, put a layer of steak at the bottom, some oysters upon it, and so alternately; cover the pie, ornament and bake it. when it is to be served up put into it a good cullis, with the oyster liquor and some ketchup mixed with it. n. b. in the same manner put steaks and oysters into a deep dish, and cover them with puff paste. _veal pie._ cut the best end of a loin of veal into thin chops, take off part of the bone and some of the fat from the kidney, season with pepper and salt, put them into a deep dish with yolks of boiled eggs, cover with puff paste, egg and ornament with leaves, bake it, and when it is to be served up, put into it some good consumé. _pork pie._ take a piece of loin of pork with the rind and part of the under bone cut off; then cut into chops, season them with pepper and salt, cover them with puff paste, bake the pie, and when it is to be served up put into it cullis, with the essence of two onions and a little mustard mixed with it. n. b. i have directed puff paste to be used for meat pies, it having the best appearance when baked; but there is another mode which may be thought preferable; and which is, to mix together half a pound of sifted flour, six ounces of fresh butter, the yolks and whites of two eggs well beaten, and a little milk and salt; then knead it well. _eel pie._ skin and clean the eels, cut them into pieces of two inches long, pass them with chopped parsley and eschallots, a little grated nutmeg, pepper, salt, and lemon juice, for five minutes; then put a little light forcemeat at the bottom of a deep dish, put the eels over it, cover with puff paste, bake it, and put into it some benshamelle or cullis. _mutton pie._ take off the bone from part of a loin of mutton, cut it into chops, and season with pepper and salt. then put into a deep dish a layer of chops, and upon them some slices of peeled potatoes (and if approved, some thin slices of onions); put the remaining chops over, cover with puff paste, bake it, and add some cullis. or, the chops may be passed with sweet herbs, &c. and when cold put into small or large raised crusts with the above vegetables, and when baked add some cullis. _sea pie._ take small pieces of salt beef and pickle pork, veal and mutton chops, a goose or a duck cut into pieces, onions and potatoes cut into thick slices, and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper. make a paste with beef suet chopped fine, some flour and water; knead them well together, then roll out the paste, sheet a large bowl with it, put into it the above ingredients alternately; cover it with the paste, put a cloth over, and boil four hours. when it is to be served up take off the cloth, make a little hole in the top, and add a good consumé. _rissoles._ cut into small slips breast of fowl, lean ham, pickle cucumbers, and anchovies; add to them consumé, cayenne pepper, breadcrumbs, and raw yolk of egg. simmer them over a fire for five minutes, and be careful not to let the mixture burn. then put the mixture on a plate, and when cold, cut into pieces, and dip them in yolk of raw egg, afterwards in fine breadcrumbs, and mould them with the hands into what form you please. have ready boiling lard, fry them of a nice colour, drain them dry, and serve them up with fried parsley under. _to fry parsley._ take fresh gathered parsley, pick, wash, and drain it very dry with a cloth. have ready clean boiling lard, put the parsley into it, keep stirring with a skimmer, and when a little crisp, take it out, put it on a drainer, and strew salt over. _puffs with chicken, &c._ chop breast of fowl, lean ham, and half an anchovie; then add a small quantity of parsley, lemon peel, and eschallots, cut very fine, with a little cayenne and pounded mace. put them into a stewpan with a ragout spoonful of benshamelle, set them over a fire for five minutes; then put the mixture on a plate, and when cold roll out puff paste thin, cut it into square pieces, put some of the mixture on them, fold the paste, run a jagger iron round to make them in form of a puff, fry them in boiling lard, and serve them up with fried parsley under. _wings and legs of fowls with colours._ cut the legs from a good-sized fowl and the wings as large as possible, leaving no breast bone; then fill the cavities with light forcemeat, sew them up neat, blanch them, drain them dry, wash the tops with raw white of egg, and lay a small quantity of forcemeat on it, and work a sprig with slips of lean ham and white and yellow omlets of eggs. then put them into a stewpan with a little stock, cover the pan close, and stew them gently till done and the liquor nearly reduced. when they are to be served up, put under a cullis boiled almost to a glaize. n. b. they may be done in the same manner and served up cold; or put round them savory jelly, instead of cullis, for an ornamental supper. _wings and legs larded and glaized._ cut the wings and legs and force them as before directed, then lard very neat and blanch them, and stew them with a little stock. when they are to be served up, glaize the larding, and put under a strong cullis, or sorrel sauce, or benshamelle. n. b. they may be done likewise in the above manner, and served up cold for a ball supper. _fowl a la menehout._ take the bones out of the legs and wings, and draw them in; then split the fowl from the top to the bottom of the back, skewer it down close, pass it with chopped parsley, thyme, and eschallots, pepper, salt, and lemon juice. when three parts done put it on a dish, and when cold wash it with yolk of egg with a paste brush, strew breadcrumbs over, and broil gently till done and of a light brown colour. serve it up with a cullis sauce under, with ketchup and lemon-pickle mixed in it. _pulled chicken (or turkey)._ boil a fowl till three parts done, and let it stand till cold; then take off the skin, cut the white meat into slips, put them into a stewpan, add a little cream, a very small quantity of grated lemon-peel and pounded mace, cayenne, salt, one eschallot chopped, a little lemon juice, and a spoonful of consumé; thicken with a little flour and water, simmer it over a fire ten minutes, during which time score the legs and rump, season them with pepper and salt, broil them of a good colour, and serve them up over the pulled chicken. _another way._ cut the fowl as above, and add to it some benshamelle; or, instead of thickening with flour and water as the above, add, five minutes before it is to be served up, a leason of two eggs. _pullet a la memorancy._ bone it, leaving the legs and wings on; then season the inside with pepper, salt, and beaten spice. put a light forcemeat into it, sew it up, truss it as for roasting, set it with hot water, lard it neat, and roast it gently with a veal caul over. when it is done, take off the caul, glaize the larding, and serve it up with white ragooed sweetbreads round it, or with strong cullis or plain benshamelle. _chickens with lemon sauce._ boil two chickens as white as possible, or braise them with bards of bacon over them; and when they are done wipe them dry and pour the sauce over. _to make lemon sauce._ pare two lemons and cut them into very small pieces in the form of dice; then take the liver and scalded parsley chopped, put them into a stewpan, add some boiling benshamelle and a little melted butter, and simmer over a fire for two minutes. _fricassee of chickens or rabbits (white)._ cut them into pieces and blanch and drain them dry; then put them into a stewpan with a little veal stock, a blade of mace, and a middling-sized whole onion. stew them gently till three parts done; then add slices of blanched throat sweetbreads, stewed white button mushrooms, egg balls, and pieces of artichoke bottoms. when they are all nearly stewed, season with salt and a little lemon juice, add a leason of three eggs, simmer it over a fire for five minutes, taking care not to let it curdle, and serve it up very hot, with the mace and onion taken out. n. b. instead of a leason, the stock it is stewed in may be almost reduced, and a benshamelle added with the sweetbreads, mushrooms, &c. _chickens or turkies with celery._ boil or braise them, and when they are to be served up wipe them dry, and pour over them white celery sauce. or they may be served with brown celery sauce under them, and the breast of the poultry glaized. [see _celery sauce, white and brown_.] _turkies, pullets, or chickens, with oyster sauce._ boil them, wipe them dry, and when they are to be served up pour over them white oyster sauce. _to make white oyster sauce._ blanch large oysters till half done, and strain and preserve the liquor; then beard and wash them, and put the liquor, free from sediment, into a stewpan. add to it two ounces of fresh butter, half a pint of good cream, a piece of lemon peel, and a blade of mace; put it over a fire, and when it nearly boils add mixed flour and water to thicken it properly. season to the palate with lemon juice, salt, and a little cayenne pepper if approved; then strain it through a fine hair sieve to the oysters, and boil them gently five minutes. n. b. in the same manner may be done stewed oysters for dishes, only serve them up with sippets of bread round. _chickens with peas._ truss them as for boiling, blanch them five minutes, and wash them clean; then braise them till tender with a little veal stock and bards of fat bacon or with white paper over them. when they are to be served up wipe them dry, glaize the tops lightly, and put pea sauce under. _another way to stew chickens with peas._ cut the chickens into pieces, blanch and drain them dry, and put them into a stewpan with a little veal stock; then stew them till tender and the liquor almost reduced. when they are to be served up, put them on a dish, and the peas sauce over. _fricassee of chickens or rabbits (brown)._ cut the chickens into pieces, and fry them in a little lard till of a light brown colour; then drain them with a cloth very dry; after which put them into a stewpan, add button mushrooms stewed, pieces of artichoke bottoms, blanched truffles, morells, egg balls, and some good-seasoned cullis. set them over a moderate fire, stew them gently till done, and serve up with fried oysters round them. _to fry oysters for a dish._ open twenty-four large oysters, blanch them with their own liquor, and when three parts done strain them, and preserve the liquor; then wash and let them drain. in the meanwhile make a batter with four table spoonfuls of flour, two eggs, a little pepper and salt, and their liquor. beat it well with a wooden spoon or a whisk for five minutes. put the oysters into the batter, mix them lightly, and have ready boiling lard. take the oysters out singly with a fork, put them into the lard, and fry them of a nice brown colour. then put them on a drainer, strew over a small quantity of salt, and serve them up. if they are for a dish put fried parsley under them, or stewed spinach. _directions for poultry, &c. plain boiled._ let it be observed that turkies, chickens, and meats, intended to be plain boiled, should be soaked in cold water, and put afterwards into plenty of boiling pump water, kept skimmed and preserved as white as possible. the time they will take dressing depends on a little practice, as in roasting. be particular in trimming the meats neat, and in trussing the poultry. the carving, likewise, should be carefully attended to, which is frequently expressed by the phrase of _cutting into pieces_. _jugged hare._ case the hare, cut off the shoulders and legs, and the back into three pieces. daub them well with fat bacon, and put them into a stewpot with the trimmings. add to them allspice, mace, whole pepper, a little of each; a small clove of garlick, three onions, two bay leaves, parsley, thyme, and savory, tied together in a small bunch; a quart of veal stock, three gills of red port; and simmer them over a fire till three parts done. then take out the shoulders, legs, and back; put them into another stewpan, strain the liquor to them, and add some passed flour and butter to thicken it a little. let it stew till tender, skim it free from fat, season with cayenne, salt, and lemon juice, and serve it up in a deep dish. _glaized hare._ case the hare, bone it as whole as possible, wash it, and fill the inside with light forcemeat; then sew it up, and truss it as for roasting. lard the back with bacon, the same as a fricando veal; cover it with a veal caul, and roast it very gently. when it is to be served up, take off the caul, glaize the larding, and put strong cullis, with a gill of red port boiled with it, under the hare. _duck aux naves._ bone a tame duck as whole as possible, and season the inside with beaten spices, pepper, and salt; then draw in the legs and wings, and fill the inside with light forcemeat. sew it up, braise it in a pint of veal stock, cover it with white paper and the cover of the stewpan. let it stew gently till tender, and the liquor almost reduced. when it is to be served up glaize the breast, and pour the sauce round it, which is to be made with turnips cut into shapes as for haricot; afterwards to be put into a stewpan and sweated with a bit of fresh butter till three parts done; then add a good cullis and the essence in which the duck was braised. when it boils, skim free from fat, season to the palate, and stew the turnips till done. _a duck with cucumbers._ the duck to be boned, braised, and served up in the same manner as the above, but instead of turnips put cucumber sauce, or peas, as for veal tendrons. _a duck a la benshamelle._ bone, braise, and glaize the duck as mentioned in the preceding article, and when it is to be served up put a sauce round it made with heads of sprue grass boiled in a little veal stock, and when tender rub them through a tamis. add the pulp to a small quantity of benshamelle, boil them together for five minutes, and let the sauce be very white and strong. _hashed mutton for a dish._ take mutton ready dressed, cut it into thin slices, put them into a stewpan with slices of pickle cucumbers, or walnuts, or onions; then make a sauce with chopped eschallots or onions passed with a bit of fresh butter over a slow fire till three parts done; after which add a pint of veal stock, or gravy, and a little ketchup. boil it ten minutes, season to the palate with cayenne pepper and salt; then strain it to the mutton, let it stew gently till thoroughly hot, and add a small quantity of liquid of colour. n. b. in the same manner may be done beef; and when it is to be served up put the bones (which are to be seasoned with pepper and salt, and grilled) over the hash. _hashed venison._ take the part least done of ready-dressed venison, cut it in slices, and put them into a stewpan; then pass a bit of fresh butter and flour and chopped eschallots over a slow fire for ten minutes, and add to them half a pint of red port, a pint and a half of veal stock, its own gravy, if any, a little piece of lemon peel, cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice. season to the palate, boil all together a quarter of an hour, and strain it to the venison. let it simmer gently till thoroughly hot. n. b. the venison should not be put into the liquor above ten minutes before it is to be served up, by reason of the fat dissolving too much. _hashed fowls._ cut into pieces (very neat) ready-dressed fowls, turkies, or rabbits, and put them into a stewpan; then make a thickening with a bit of fresh butter, flour, and chopped eschallots or onions mixed over a slow fire. discharge it with veal stock, add a little lemon pickle and ketchup, season to the palate, put a small quantity of liquid of colour, boil for ten minutes, strain to the poultry, and let it stew gently. when served up, there may be put a few pieces of the fowl grilled round it. n. b. instead of the thickening and veal stock, may be added cullis with lemon pickle and ketchup. _hashed hare, wild fowl, pheasants, or partridges._ cut the poultry into neat pieces, put them into a stewpan, and add a liquor made in the same manner as for venison; or put cullis and red port with their own gravy. _broiled beef steaks._ take a small fat rump of beef, and cut off the fillet and the first two or three steaks; then cut the remainder into steaks also, and cut the skin from the fat. beat them with a chopper, and season with pepper and salt just before they are to be put on the gridiron, which should be well cleaned, and the steaks frequently turned. when they are done according to desire, serve them up on a hot dish with a little gravy under, some scraped horseradish, chopped eschallots, and pickles, on small plates, and oyster sauce in a sauce boat, or with slices of onions dipped in batter and fried. n. b. the fillet and outside steaks of the rump may be made into a pudding, in order to have prime steaks for broiling. _beef steak pudding._ take flour, chopped suet, some milk, a little salt, and one egg, and mix them well together. roll out the paste of half an inch thick, and sheet a bason or a bowl with it. then trim the skin from the meat, beat the steaks well with a chopper, cut them into middling-sized pieces, season with pepper and salt, put them into the bason with blanched oysters and slices of potatoes alternately (or slices of onions, if approved). cover the top with paste, and tie a cloth over the bason. boil the pudding (if of a middling size) two hours; and when it is to be served up put into it a little cullis and ketchup. _oyster sauce for beef steaks._ blanch a pint of oysters, and preserve their liquor; then wash and beard them, and put their liquor into a stewpan with india soy and ketchup, a small quantity of each, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. set them over a fire, and when nearly boiling thicken with flour and water; season to the palate with a little cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice; strain it to the oysters, and stew them gently five minutes. _to dress mutton, lamb, or pork chops in a plain manner._ cut a loin of mutton, lamb, or pork, into chops of a middling thickness; beat them with a chopper, trim off a sufficient quantity of the bone and fat; then season with pepper and salt, broil them over a clear moderate fire, and serve them up very hot with gravy. n. b. lamb chops may have stewed spinach or fried parsley underneath. _to dress veal cutlets._ beat the cutlets with a chopper, and cut them into middling-sized pieces; then strew on each side of them a mixture of breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and thyme, grated nutmeg, pepper and salt, and broil them over a clear fire till done and of a nice colour. serve them up with cullis sauce and ketchup in it, or stewed mushrooms and cullis. rashers of broiled bacon and fried oysters (a few of each if approved) may be put round the cutlets or chops, which may be done in the same manner. _minced veal for a dish._ cut into small pieces ready dressed veal, put it into a stewpan, add to it a very small quantity of grated lemon peel and a little benshamelle; season to the palate with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and salt; stew the veal gently ten minutes, and serve it up with sippets of bread round it either fried or plain. _minced veal another way._ add to the veal a little stock, one eschallot chopped fine, some grated nutmeg and grated lemon peel, a very small quantity of each. season with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and salt. let it stew ten minutes, and just before it is to be served up add a leason of two eggs and cream, simmer them together five minutes, and be careful it does not burn nor curdle. sippets of bread, likewise, to be placed round. _partridges or pheasants au choux._ bone the birds, put into them some light forcemeat well-seasoned; sew them up, blanch and wipe them dry, and braise them in a pint of stock till tender. after which cut two savoys into quarters and boil them till a fourth part done; then squeeze them and tie round with twine, put them into a stewpan, add a pint of stock, and boil them gently till done. then take the savoys out, cut off the strings, put the birds into the center of a dish, the savoys round them, and set the dish in an oven or in a warm place covered over. then mix the two liquors together, season to the palate with pepper, salt, and lemon juice. make it of a proper thickness with flour and water, boil it till three parts reduced, add a little colour and strain it. when the birds are to be served up glaize their breasts lightly, and put the sauce over the savoys. _partridges or pheasants with truffles._ bone the birds, and force and braise them in a small quantity of stock. when they are to be served up glaize the breasts lightly, and put green truffle sauce round them, with the essence of the birds mixed in it. _turkey with truffles._ truss the turkey as for boiling, put some light forcemeat with truffles pounded with it into the cavity near the breast, and secure it from falling out. then put slices of lemon, some salt, and bards of fat bacon on the breast, and white paper over it bound on with packthread, and roast gently (if a good-sized turkey) one hour and a half. when it is to be served up, take off the paper, glaize the breast, and put the truffle sauce round the turkey. n. b. in the same manner may be done pullets or chickens. _truffle sauce for turkies, &c._ put green truffles into water, clean them well with a hard brush, cut the outside paring thinly off, trim them into shapes or round, put the trimmings into a marble mortar, pound them, and add to the forcemeat which is to be put into the cavity near the breast of the turkey. then put the truffles into a stewpan with a pint of beef stock, stew them gently, and when the liquor is almost reduced add some cullis well-seasoned. _turkey with chesnuts._ truss the turkey as for boiling, stuff it with light forcemeat and spanish chesnuts whole, and paper and roast it as a turkey with truffles. when it is to be served up, glaize the breast and put chesnut sauce round it, made with good cullis and chesnuts, which should be boiled till half done, and then roasted in a frying pan till wholly done; after which let them be peeled and put into the cullis five minutes before the turkey is served up. _turkey with ragout._ stuff it in the plain way, boil it, and when it is to be served up put over the following sauce:--take slices of throat sweetbreads blanched, white button mushrooms stewed, artichoke bottoms boiled till half done and cut in halves, cocks combs boiled till done, a few egg balls scalded; add a good benshamelle, and stew them gently for ten minutes. or, instead of benshamelle, there may be put to the above ingredients half a pint of veal stock, and let them all be boiled ten minutes; then add a leason of three eggs and cream, simmer them together five minutes more, and season with salt, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. _rabbits with onions._ boil them as white as possible, and when they are to be served up, wipe them dry and put over onion sauce, made thus:--take mild onions peeled, and boiled till three parts done; then squeeze and chop them but not too small; add a bit of fresh butter, a little salt and flour, a sufficient quantity of cream to mix them, and a little white ground pepper, if approved. let the sauce be of a good thickness, and simmered over a slow fire for ten minutes. _glaized sweetbreads._ lard very neat two heart sweetbreads, then blanch and braise or roast them; and when they are to be served up, glaize the top part, and put stewed endive under them. _matelote of rabbits._ cut them into pieces and blanch and wash them; then put them into a stewpan with a gill of water, cover close and preserve them as white as possible. when they are nearly done and the liquor almost reduced, which should not be of any colour, add half a pint of good benshamelle, a few whole boiled cocks combs, pickle cucumbers, ham, tongue, omlets of eggs (the same as for garnishing) cut into small squares, and a few stewed button mushrooms. stew them together for ten minutes, and serve the matelote up directly. _sweetbreads en erison._ to be done in the same manner as neck of veal, which see. _stewed giblets plain._ cut two pair of scalded goose giblets into pieces of two inches long; then blanch them, trim the bones from the ends, and wash the giblets; after which drain them dry, put them into a stewpan with half a pint of stock, cover the pan close, simmer over a slow fire till three parts done and the liquor nearly reduced, then add good-seasoned cullis, and stew them till tender. _stewed giblets with peas._ proceed as with the above, except, instead of plain cullis, take a pint of shelled young green peas, and sweat them till three parts done with a bit of fresh butter and a little salt; then add some cullis, put them to the giblets, and stew them till tender. if requisite put a little liquid of colour. _green truffles for a dish._ well clean two pounds of green truffles; then put them into a stewpan with half a pint of stock, a gill of red port, and a little salt, and boil them gently half an hour. when they are to be served up, drain them dry and put them into a folded napkin. they are to be eaten with cold fresh butter, or with oil, vinegar, and cayenne pepper. n. b. the liquor they were boiled in may be made into a cullis, and put into different sauces, such as haricot, ragout, or celery, &c. _rabbits en gallentine for a dish._ bone two rabbits, lay them flat, put a little light forcemeat upon them, and slips of lean ham, breast of fowl, and omlets of eggs white and yellow, the same as for garnishing. roll the rabbits up tight and sew them, lard the top part with slips of fat bacon very neat, and blanch and braise them. when they are to be served up glaize the larding, and put good cullis under them. _ham braised._ take a mellow smoked ham perfectly clean; then well trim and put it into a braising pan; after which, add to it four quarts of water, a bottle of madeira wine, and a few bay leaves. cover the pan close, and simmer the ham over a moderate fire till very tender. then wipe it quite dry, take off the rind, glaize the top part, and serve it up on a large dish with stewed spinach on one side and mashed turnips on the other. n. b. hams may be plain boiled and served up in the same manner. pickled tongues may be stuffed with marrow and boiled, then peeled, and served up with the above vegetables and in the same manner. _jerusalem artichokes stewed._ pare and cut them into halves, boil them in a little consumé till nearly done and the liquor almost reduced; then add a bit of fresh butter, salt, flour, and cream, a small quantity of each. set them over a fire for five minutes, and serve them up with fried bread round. _jerusalem artichokes another way._ pare and cut them into shapes as for haricot, and fry them in boiling-hot lard till of a light brown colour; then drain them dry, put them into a stewpan, and add a little strong cullis with a small quantity of vinegar and mustard mixed in it. serve them up with fried bread round. _mashed potatoes._ pare and steam or boil floury potatoes, and mash them with a wooden spoon; then add a bit of fresh butter, a little salt, and some milk or cream. mix them well together over a fire for five minutes, then put them in the center of a dish, make them smooth, chequer the top with the back of a knife, and put some whole potatoes round if approved. serve them up very hot, but be careful the mash is not too thin, and preserve them as white as possible. n. b. the same mash may be put into scollop shells and coloured with a salamander; or the mash may be mixed with yolk of egg, then moulded with the hands into round balls, and fried in boiling lard. _cauliflower with parmezan cheese._ cut off the leaves and stalk, boil it in salt and water till nearly done, and drain till dry. have ready a dish with fried bread dipped in white of raw egg, and put round the rim. set the flower in the center of the dish, and pour over it a sauce made with boiling-hot benshamelle, and, three minutes before it is to be put over the cauliflower, add grated parmezan cheese. _cauliflower a la sauce._ boil the flower, and either serve it up whole or in pieces, placed round each other in a dish. the sauce over it to be boiling hot and of a good thickness, made with strong cullis, a little vinegar, and fresh butter mixed together. n. b. broccoli may be done in the same manner. _cauliflower a la cream._ boil the flower and pour over it the following sauce:--take a gill of consumé and a table spoonful of vinegar, which put into a stewpan and set over a fire till hot, and five minutes before it is to be sent to table add a leason of two eggs and a gill of cream. _stewed artichoke bottoms._ boil six artichokes till half done; then take the leaves and choke away, trim the bottoms neat with a knife, or cut them with a shape; after which put them into a stewpan, add half a pint of stock, a little salt and lemon juice, and boil them gently till done. when they are to be served up wipe them dry, put them in the center of a dish with fried bread round the rim, and a strong bright cullis over them, or benshamelle. _french beans a la cream for a dish._ cut young beans in slips, boil them in plenty of water and salt to preserve them green, and when they are done drain them dry. then put into a stewpan two ounces of fresh butter, the yolks of three eggs beat up in a gill of cream, and set over a slow fire. when it is hot add a table spoonful of vinegar and the beans, simmer all together for five minutes, and keep stirring the beans with a wooden spoon to prevent the mixture from burning or curdling. _stewed cardoons._ cut the heads in pieces, take off the outside skin, wash, and scald them; then put them into a stewpan, add a little stock to cover them, boil till three parts done and the liquor almost reduced, then add a small quantity of benshamelle and stew them gently till done. serve them up with sippets of fried bread and stewed watercresses alternately round the rim of the dish, and the cardoons in the center. or they may be done in the same manner with cullis instead of benshamelle. _vegetables in a mould._ sheet the inside of an oval jelly or cake mould with bards of fat bacon; then put upright alternately round the inside of the bacon slips of cleaned turnips, carrots, pickle cucumbers, and celery and asparagus heads. lay a forcemeat at the bottom and round the inside of the vegetables, filling the center with small pieces of veal or mutton passed with sweet herbs, pepper, salt, and lemon juice. cover it with forcemeat, wash it with yolk of egg, and bake it. when it is to be served up turn it gently out of the mould into a deep dish, take off the bacon, make a little hole at the top, and add a small quantity of good cullis. _broiled mushrooms._ clean with a knife fresh forced mushrooms, and wash and drain them dry. then make a case with a sheet of writing paper, rub the inside well with fresh butter, and fill it with the mushrooms. season them with pepper and salt, put them upon a baking plate over a slow fire, cover them with a stewpot cover with some fire upon it, and when the mushrooms are nearly dry, serve them up very hot. _stewed mushrooms (brown)._ clean with a knife a pottle of fresh forced mushrooms, put them into water, and when they are to be stewed take them out with the hands to avoid the sediment. then put them into a stewpan with an ounce and an half of fresh butter, a little salt, and the juice of half a lemon. cover the stewpan close, put it over a fire, and let the mushrooms boil for five minutes. then thicken them with a little flour and water mixed, add a small quantity of liquid of colour, (some cayenne if approved,) and stew them gently for five minutes more. _stewed mushrooms (white)._ let the same process be followed as above; but instead of adding liquid of colour put to them a gill of good cream. _mashed turnips._ pare and boil them till three parts done; then squeeze them between two plates, put them into a stewpan, add flour, fresh butter, cream, and salt, a little of each. mix them well over a fire, stew them gently for five minutes, and preserve them as white as possible. _potatoes creamed._ pare good potatoes, cut them into quarters, trim them round, and put them into a stewpan. boil them gently till half done, drain them dry, add to them cream, salt, and fresh butter, a small quantity of each, or some benshamelle. stew them very gently till they are done, and be careful they do not break. _stewed watercresses._ pick and wash twelve bunches of watercresses, boil them till half done, and drain and squeeze them dry; then chop and put them into a stewpan, add to them cullis, cream, salt, pepper, and flour, a little of each. stew them gently ten minutes, and serve them up with fried bread round. _a neat dish of vegetables._ wash a dish with white of raw egg, then make four divisions in it with fried bread, and put alternately in each the following vegetables:--in the first, stewed spinach; in the second, mashed turnips; in the third, mashed potatoes; and in the fourth, slices of carrots and some button onions blanched: afterwards stew them in a little cullis, and when they are put into the dish let the essence adhere to them: or in the fourth partition put pieces of cauliflower or heads of broccoli. n. b. instead of fried bread to make the divisions, may be used mashed potatoes and yolks of eggs mixed together, and put on a dish in as many partitions as approved; afterwards baked till of a nice colour, and served up with any kind of stewed vegetable alternately. _vegetable pie._ cut celery heads two inches long, turnips and carrots into shapes, some peeled button onions or two spanish onions, artichoke bottoms cut into quarters, pieces of cauliflowers or heads of broccoli, and heads of large asparagus. let all the vegetables be washed clean; then boil each separately in a sufficient quantity of water to cover them, and as they get tender strain the liquor into one stewpan and put the vegetables into another. then add to their essences half a pint of strong consumé, thicken it with flour and water, season to the palate with cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice; add also a little colour. let it boil ten minutes and strain it to the vegetables; then simmer them together, and serve them up in a raised pie crust, or in a deep dish with a raised crust baked round it, of two inches high. _fried potatoes._ pare and slice potatoes half an inch thick; then wipe them dry, flour, and put them into boiling hot lard or dripping, and fry them of a light brown colour. then drain them dry, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve them up directly with melted butter in a sauce boat. _fried onions with parmezan cheese._ pare six large mild onions, and cut them into round slices of half an inch thick. then make a batter with flour, half a gill of cream, a little pepper, salt, and three eggs, beat up for ten minutes; after which add a quarter of a pound of parmezan cheese grated fine and mixed well together, to which add the onions. have ready boiling lard; then take the slices of onions out of the batter with a fork singly, and fry them gently till done and of a nice brown colour. drain them dry, and serve them up placed round each other. melted butter with a little mustard in it to be served in a sauce boat. _pickle tongue forced._ boil it till half done, then peel it, and cut a piece out of the under part from the center, and put it into a marble mortar. then add three ounces of beef marrow, half a gill of cream, the yolk of two eggs, a few breadcrumbs, a little pepper, and a spoonful of madeira wine. pound them well together, fill the cavity in the tongue with it, sew it up, cover it with a veal caul, and roast till tender, or boil it. _stewed endive._ trim off the green part of endive heads, wash and cut them into pieces, and scald them till half done; then squeeze, chop, and put them into a stewpan; add a small quantity of strong cullis, stew it till tender, and serve it up in a sauce boat, or it may be put under roast mutton. _forced cucumbers._ pare fresh gathered cucumbers of a middling-size; then cut them into halves, take out the seeds with a knife, fill the cavity with forcemeat, and bind the two halves together with strong thread. put them into a stewpan with vinegar, salt, and veal stock, a small quantity of each. set them over a fire, simmer them till three parts done, and reduce the liquor; then add with it a strong cullis, put it to the cucumbers, and stew them gently till done. _to stew peas for a dish._ put a quart of fresh shelled young peas into a stewpan, add to them a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a middling-sized onion sliced very fine, a cos or cabbage lettuce washed and cut into pieces, and a very little salt. cover the pan close, put it over a moderate fire, and sweat the peas till half done. make them of a proper thickness with flour and water, add a spoonful of essence of ham, season to the palate with cayenne pepper, and add a small lump of sugar if approved. let the peas stew gently till tender, being careful not to let them burn. _salad of asparagus._ scale and cut off the heads of large asparagus, boil them till nearly done, strain, and put them into cold water for five minutes, and drain them dry; afterwards lay them in rows on a dish, put slices of lemon round the rim, and mix well together a little mustard, oil, vinegar, cayenne pepper, and salt, and put it over the asparagus just before they are to be eaten. _asparagus peas._ scale sprue grass, cut it into pieces the bigness of peas as far as the green part extends from the heads, and wash and put them into a stewpan. to a quart of grass peas add half a pint of hot water lightly salted, and boil them till three parts done; after which strain and preserve the liquor, which boil down till nearly reduced, and put to it three ounces of fresh butter, half a gill of cream, a little sifted sugar, flour, and water, sufficient to make it of a proper thickness; add the peas, stew them till tender, and serve them up with the top of a french roll toasted and buttered put under them in a dish. _another way._ boil the peas in salt and water till nearly done, strain and put them into a stewpan, add to them a little sifted sugar, two ounces of fresh butter, a table spoonful of essence of ham, half a gill of cream, with two yolks of raw eggs beat up in it; stew them gently five minutes, and be careful they do not burn. serve them up in the same manner as the above. n. b. large heads of asparagus may be done in the same manner whole. _stewed asparagus for sauce._ scale sprue or large asparagus, then cut off the heads as far as they are eatable, boil them till nearly done, strain them, and pour cold water over to preserve them green. then make (boiling) a good strong cullis, and put in the heads five minutes before the sauce is served up, which may be put over tendrons of veal, lamb, &c. n. b. some tops of sprue grass may be boiled in a little stock till tender, and rubbed through a tamis. the pulp to be put to the cullis before the heads are added. _directions for vegetables._ it is necessary to remember, that in dressing vegetables of every kind, they should be gathered fresh, picked clean, trimmed or pared neatly, and washed in several waters. those that are to be plain boiled should be put into plenty of boiling water and salt. if they are not to be used directly, when they are three parts done put them into cold water for five minutes, such as spinach, greens, cauliflowers, and broccoli, as it preserves their colour; and when they are to be served up put them again into boiling water till done, then drain them dry. n. b. potatoes and carrots are best steamed. _pickled oysters._ put two dozen of large oysters into a stewpan over a fire with their liquor only, and boil them five minutes; then strain the liquor into another stewpan, and add to it a bay leaf, a little cayenne pepper, salt, a gill and a half of vinegar, half a gill of ketchup, a blade of mace, a few allspice, and a bit of lemon peel. boil it till three parts reduced, then beard and wash the oysters, put them to the pickle, and boil them together two minutes. when they are to be served up place the oysters in rows, and strain the liquor over them. garnish the dish with slices of lemon or barberries. _oyster atlets._ blanch throat sweetbreads, and cut them into slices; then take rashers of bacon the bigness of the slices of the sweetbreads, and as many large oysters blanched as there are pieces of sweetbread and bacon. put the whole into a stewpan with a bit of fresh butter, parsley, thyme, and eschallots, chopped very fine, pepper, salt, and lemon juice, a small quantity of each. put them over a slow fire, and simmer them five minutes; then lay them on a dish, and when a little cool, put upon a small wooden or silver skewer a slice of sweetbread, a slice of bacon, and an oyster, and so alternately till the skewers are full; then put breadcrumbs over them, which should be rubbed through a hair sieve, and broil the atlets gently till done and of a light brown colour. serve them up with a little cullis under them, together with the liquor from the blanched oysters reduced and added to it. _scollop oysters._ blanch the oysters and strain them; then add to their liquor, which must be free from sediment, a good piece of fresh butter, a little pepper and salt, some lemon peel and grated nutmeg, a small quantity of each. then beard and wash the oysters, add them to the ingredients, simmer them over a fire five minutes, and put the oysters into scollop shells with the liquor. if there be more than sufficient, boil it till nearly reduced and add it; then put fine breadcrumbs over, smooth them with a knife, bake or set them over a fire upon a gridiron for half an hour, and colour the top part with a salamander. _oyster loaves._ take small french rasped rolls, and cut a little piece off the top part; then take the crumb entirely out, and afterwards fry the case and tops in boiling lard only till they are crisp and of a light colour. drain them dry, keep them warm, and just before they are to be served up put oysters into them, done in the same manner as for scollops, with the top of the rolls over. _ragout of sweetbreads (brown)._ take throat sweetbreads blanched and cut into slices; morells blanched, cut into halves, and washed free from grit; some stewed mushrooms, egg balls, artichoke bottoms, or jerusalem artichokes, boiled till half done and cut into pieces; green truffles pared, cut into slices half an inch thick, and stewed in a little stock till it is nearly reduced; and cocks combs boiled till three parts done. then mix all the ingredients together, add some cullis, stew them gently a quarter of an hour, and season to the palate. _ragout of sweetbreads (white)._ put into a stewpan some stewed mushrooms, egg balls, slices of blanched throat sweetbreads, cocks combs boiled till nearly done, and half a pint of consumé. stew them ten minutes, then pour the liquor into another stewpan, and reduce it over a fire to one half the quantity. beat up the yolks of two eggs, a gill of cream, a little salt, and strain them through a hair sieve to the sweetbreads, &c. then put them over a slow fire and let them simmer five minutes; or the above four articles may be put into a stewpan with some benshamelle only, and stewed till done. _poached eggs with sorrel or endive._ take a slice of bread round a loaf, and cut it to cover three parts of the inside of a dish; then fry it in boiling lard till of a light colour, drain it dry, and lay it in a warm place. then wash and chop sorrel, squeeze and put it into a stewpan with a bit of fresh butter, cayenne pepper, and a table spoonful of essence of ham; simmer it till done, thicken it with flour and water, boil it five minutes, butter the toast, poach the eggs, and drain them; then lay them over the bread, put the sorrel sauce round, and serve them up very hot. _buttered eggs._ break twelve eggs into a stewpan, add a little parsley chopped fine, one anchovie picked and rubbed through a hair sieve, two table spoonfuls of consumé or essence of ham, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter made just warm, and a small quantity of cayenne pepper. beat all together, set them over a fire, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon till they are of a good thickness, and to prevent their burning. serve them up in a deep dish with a fresh toast under them. _fried eggs, &c._ take slices of ham or rashers of bacon, and broil, drain, and put them into a deep plate. have ready a little boiling lard in a stewpan, break the eggs into it, and when they are set, turn and fry them not more than two minutes. then take them out with a skimmer, drain them, and serve them up very hot over the bacon or ham. put a strong cullis, with a little mustard and vinegar (but no salt) in it, under them. _eggs a la trip._ boil the eggs gently five minutes, then peel, wash, and cut them in halves; put them into a stewpan, add a little warm strong benshamelle, and a small quantity of parsley chopped very fine. simmer them over a fire a few minutes, and serve them up plain, or with fried oysters round them. _omlet of eggs._ break ten eggs, add to them a little parsley and one eschallot chopped fine, one anchovie picked and rubbed through a hair sieve, a small quantity of grated ham, a little pepper, and mix them well together. have ready an iron frying-pan, which has been prepared over a fire with a bit of butter burnt in it for some time, in order that the eggs might not adhere to the pan when turned out. wipe the pan very clean and dry; put into it two ounces of fresh butter, and when hot put in the mixture of eggs; then stir it with a wooden spoon till it begins to thicken, mould it to one side of the pan, let it remain one minute to brown, put a stewpan cover over it, and turn it over into a dish, and if approved (which will be a good addition) pour round it a little strong cullis, and serve it up very hot. there may be added also, a small quantity of boiled tops of asparagus or celery, some fowl, or oysters, or other ingredients, pounded and rubbed through a sieve, with a table spoonful of cream and one of ketchup. then add the pulp to the eggs, beat them well together, and fry them as above. or the mixture, instead of being fried, may be put over a fire and stirred till it begins to thicken; then put it on a toast, colour it with a hot salamander, and serve it up with a little cullis or benshamelle, or green truffle sauce underneath. _fricassee of tripe._ cut the tripe into small slips, and boil in a little consumé till the liquor is nearly reduced; then add to it a leason, of two yolks of eggs and cream, a small quantity of salt, cayenne pepper, and chopped parsley. simmer all together over a slow fire for five minutes, and serve it up immediately. or instead of the leason, &c. a little benshamelle and chopped parsley may be added. _lambs tails and ears._ scald four tails and five ears very clean, and braise them in a pint of veal stock. when the tails are half done, take them out, egg and breadcrumb them over, and broil them gently. let the ears be stewed till three parts done, and nearly reduce the liquor; then add cullis, stew them till tender, and serve them up with the sauce in the center of the dish, the tails round them, and a bunch of pickle barberries over each ear. or the tails and ears may be stewed in a little stock till tender; then add a leason of eggs and cream, and serve them up with twelve heads of large asparagus cut three inches long, boiled till done, and put over plain. let the heads be preserved as green as possible. _curried atlets._ take slices of throat sweetbreads, and slices of veal or mutton of the same size; put them into a stewpan with a bit of fresh butter, a table spoonful of currie powder, the juice of half a lemon, and a little salt. set them over a slow fire, and when they are half done add to them blanched and bearded oysters with their liquor free from sediment. simmer all together five minutes, lay them on a dish, and when cold put them alternately on small wooden or silver skewers. then dip them in the liquor, strew fine breadcrumbs on each side, broil them over a clear fire till of a brown colour, and serve them up with some currie sauce under them. n. b. the slices of sweetbread, oysters, veal, and mutton, to be of an equal number. _to stew maccaroni._ boil a quarter of a pound of riband maccaroni in beef stock till nearly done; then strain it and add a gill of cream, two ounces of fresh butter, a table spoonful of the essence of ham, three ounces of grated parmezan cheese, and a little cayenne pepper and salt. mix them over a fire for five minutes, then put it on a dish, strew grated parmezan cheese over it, smooth it with a knife, and colour with a very hot salamander. _stewed cheese._ cut small into a stewpan cheshire and gloucester cheese, a quarter of a pound of each; then add a gill of lisbon wine, a table spoonful of water, and (if approved) a tea spoonful of mustard. mix them over a fire till the cheese is dissolved; then have ready a cheese plate with a lighted lamp beneath, put the mixture in, and serve it up directly. send with it some fresh toasted bread in a toast rack. _to prepare a batter for frying the following different articles, being a sufficient quantity for one dish._ take four ounces of best flour sifted, a little salt and pepper, three eggs, and a gill of beer; beat them together with a wooden spoon or a whisk for ten minutes. let it be of a good thickness to adhere to the different articles. _fried celery._ cut celery heads three inches long, boil them till half done, wipe them dry, and add to the batter. have ready boiling lard, take out the heads singly with a fork, fry them of a light colour, drain them dry, and serve them up with fried parsley under. _fried peths._ to be done, and served up in the same manner as the above. _fried sweetbreads._ let some throat sweetbreads be blanched, then cut into slices, and served up in the like way. _fried artichoke bottoms._ let the chokes be boiled till the leaves can be taken away, then cut the bottoms into halves and fry them in batter as the beforementioned articles; then serve them up with melted butter in a sauce boat with a little ground white pepper in it. _fried tripe and onions._ cut the tripe into slips of four inches long and three inches wide, dip them in the batter and fry them. when it is to be served up put under it slices of onions cut one inch thick, and fry them in the same manner. or, instead of slips of tripe, pieces of cowheel may be used; and let melted butter be sent in a sauce boat with a little mustard in it, and (if approved) a table spoonful of vinegar. _hard eggs fried._ let the eggs be boiled five minutes; then peel, wipe them dry, cut them in halves, dip them in batter, and fry them of a light brown colour. serve them up with stewed spinach under, with a little strong cullis and essence of ham mixed in it. _to dress a lamb's fry._ scald the fry till half done; then strain, wash, and wipe it dry; dip the pieces in yolks of eggs, and breadcrumb them; fry them in plenty of boiling lard, and serve them up with fried parsley underneath. _another way._ scald the fry as above, and instead of dipping them in egg fry them in a plain way with a piece of butter till they are of a light brown colour; then drain and sprinkle a little pepper and salt over, and serve them up with fried parsley underneath. _puffs with forcemeat of vegetables._ put into a stewpan a little fat bacon cut small, the same quantity of lean veal, some parsley and eschallots chopped together, and season with pepper, salt, and beaten spice. then add six french beans, twelve heads of asparagus, six mushrooms chopped, and a little lemon juice. stew the ingredients gently for ten minutes, then put them into a marble mortar, add a little cream, breadcrumbs, and yolk of egg, pounded well together. then roll out puff paste half an inch thick, cut it into square pieces, fill them with the forcemeat, fold them, run a jagger iron round to form them like a puff, and fry them in boiling lard. let them be of a brown colour, and drain them dry; then serve them up with sauce under them, made with a little cullis, lemon pickle, and ketchup. _rammequins._ put into a pan four ounces of grated parmezan cheese, two ounces of fresh butter just warm, two yolks of eggs, a little parsley and an eschallot chopped fine, one anchovie picked and rubbed through a hair sieve, some cream, pepper, and salt, a small quantity of each, and beat them well together with a wooden spoon. then make paper cases of three inches long, two inches wide, and two inches deep, and fill them with the mixture. then whisk the whites of two eggs to a solid froth, put a little over the mixture in each case, and bake them either in an oven, or on a baking plate over a fire with a stewpot cover over them. serve them up as soon as they are done. _to dress part of a wild boar._ put into a braising pan fourteen pounds weight of the boar; add to it a bottle of red port, eight onions sliced, six bay leaves, cayenne pepper, salt, a few cloves, mace, allspice, and two quarts of veal stock. stew it gently, and when tender take it out of the liquor, put it into a deep dish, and set it in an oven. then strain the liquor, reduce it to one quart, thicken it a little with passed flour and butter, and season it to the palate with lemon pickle. let it boil ten minutes, skim it clean, pour it over the meat, and serve it up. _plovers eggs, to be served up in different ways._ boil them twenty minutes, and when they are cold peel and wipe them dry; then lay them in a dish and put chopped savory jelly round and between them, and slices of lemon and bunches of pickled barberries round the rim of the dish. or they may be served up in ornamental paper or wax baskets, with pickled parsley under them, and either peeled or not. or they may be sent to the table hot in a napkin. _buttered lobsters._ boil two lobsters till half done; then take off the tails, cut the bodies in halves, pick out the meat, and leave the shells whole. then break the tails and claws, cut the meat very small, put it into a stewpan with a table spoonful of the essence of ham, two ounces of fresh butter, consumé and cream half a gill of each, a little beaten mace, one eschallot and parsley chopped very fine, and a few breadcrumbs. then mix all together over a fire for five minutes, season to the palate with cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice; fill the reserved shells with the mixture, strew fine breadcrumbs over, and bake them gently twenty minutes. when they are to be served up colour the crumbs with a salamander. n. b. in the same manner may be done a pickled crab. _meat cake._ cut the fillet from the inside of a rump of beef into small pieces, also lean veal, and pound them very fine in a marble mortar. then add a little lemon juice, pepper, salt, chopped parsley, basil, thyme, mushrooms, savory, and eschallots, a small quantity of each; some beaten spices, and yolks of eggs a sufficient quantity to bind it. then add and mix with your hands some fat bacon and lean of ham cut into the form of small dice. have ready a stewpan or a mould lined with bards of fat bacon, fill it with the mixture, press it down, put on the top bay leaves and a little rhenish wine, cover it with bards of bacon, put it into a moderate oven, and bake it thoroughly. when it is cold turn it out of the mould, trim it clean, set it on a dish, put chopped savory jelly round it, and a small modelled figure on the top; or the whole of the cake may be modelled. _collared pig._ bone the pig; then have ready some light forcemeat, slips of lean ham, pickled cucumbers, fat bacon, white meat of fowl, and omlet of eggs white and yellow. season the inside of the pig with beaten spices; then lay on them the forcemeat, and on that the slips of the above different articles alternately; after which roll it up, put it into a cloth, tie each end, sew the middle part, put it into a stewpan with a sufficient quantity of stock to cover it, and stew it two hours and a half. then take it out of the liquor, tie each end tighter, lay it between two boards, and put a weight upon it to press it. when cold take it out of the cloth, trim and serve it up whole, either modelled or plain, or cut into slices, and put chopped savory jelly round. n. b. in the same manner may be done a breast of veal, or a large fowl. _red beef for slices._ take a piece of thin flank of beef, and cut off the skin; then rub it well with a mixture made with two pounds of common salt, two ounces of bay salt, two ounces of salt petre, and half a pound of moist sugar, pounded in a marble mortar. put it into an earthen pan, and turn and rub it every day for a week; then take it out of the brine, wipe it, and strew over pounded mace, cloves, pepper, a little allspice, and plenty of chopped parsley and a few eschallots. then roll it up, bind it round with tape, boil it till tender, press it in like manner as collared pig, and when it is cold, cut into slices, and garnish with pickled barberries. _savory jelly._ take the liquor, when cold, that either poultry or meat was braised in, or some veal stock, taking care it be very free from fat. make it warm, and strain it through a tamis sieve into a clean stewpan; then season it to the palate with salt, lemon pickle, cayenne pepper, and tarragon or plain vinegar. add a sufficient quantity of dissolved isinglass to make it of a proper stiffness, and whisk into it plenty of whites of eggs, a small quantity of the yolks and shells, and add a little liquid of colour. then set it over a fire, and when it boils let it simmer a quarter of an hour, and run it through a jelly bag several times till perfectly bright. _aspect of fish._ put into a plain tin or copper mould warm savory jelly about an inch and an half deep; then take fresh smelts turned round, boil them gently in strong salt and water till done, and lay them on a drainer. when the savory jelly in the mould is quite cold, put the smelts upon it with the best side downwards; then put a little more jelly just lukewarm over the fish, and when that is cold fill the mould with more of the same kind. when it is to be served up dip the mould in warm water, put the dish upon the jelly, and turn it over. n. b. pieces of lobsters, fillets of soles, &c. may be done in the same manner. _aspect of meat or fowl._ bone either a shoulder of lamb or a fowl, and season the inside with pepper, salt, and a little beaten spice; then put into it some light forcemeat, sew it up, blanch, and then braise it in stock. when it is done lay it on a dish with the breast downward to preserve it as white as possible; and when the jelly which is in the mould is quite stiff, work on it a sprig or star with small slips of ham, pickle cucumber, breast of fowl, and omlets of egg white and yellow; then set it with a little jelly, and when cold put the meat or poultry upon it, and fill the mould with lukewarm jelly. when it is to be served up turn it out as the aspect of fish. n. b. in the same manner may be done pieces of meat or poultry without forcing. _canopies._ cut some pieces of the crumb of bread about four inches long, three inches wide, and one inch thick, and fry them in boiling lard till of a light brown colour; then put them on a drainer, and cut into slips some breast of fowl, anchovies picked from the bone, pickle cucumbers, and ham or tongue. then butter the pieces of bread on one side, and lay upon them alternately the different articles till filled. trim the edges, and put the pieces (cut into what form you please) upon a dish with slices of lemon round the rim, and serve in a sauce boat a little mixture of oil, vinegar, cayenne pepper, and salt. _solomongundy._ chop small and separately lean of boiled ham, breast of dressed fowl, picked anchovies, parsley, omlets of eggs white and yellow (the same kind as for garnishing), eshallots, a small quantity of pickle cucumbers, capers, and beet root. then rub a saucer over with fresh butter, put it in the center of a dish, and make it secure from moving. place round it in partitions the different articles separately till the saucer is covered, and put on the rim of the dish some slices of lemon. _salad of lobster._ take boiled hen lobsters, break the shells, and preserve the meat as white as possible. then cut the tails into halves, put them into the center of a dish with the red side upwards, and the meat of the claws whole. then place round the lobster a row of parsley chopped fine, and a row of the spawn from the inside chopped, and afterwards mix a little of each and strew over the top of the lobster. then put slices of lemon round the rim of the dish, and send in a sauce boat a mixture of oil, vinegar, mustard, cayenne pepper, and salt, a little of each. _french salad_ consists of the different herbs in season, as tarragon, chervil, sorrel, chives, endive, silician lettuces, watercresses, dandelion, beet root, celery, &c. all of which should be very young, fresh gathered, trimmed neat, washed clean, drained dry, and served up in a bowl. the sauce to be served up in a sauceboat, and to be made with oil, lemon pickle, vinegar, ketchup, cayenne pepper, a boiled yolk of an egg, and salt. n. b. some persons eat with this salad cold boiled turbot or other fish. _blancmange._ to a quart of new milk add an ounce of picked isinglass, a small stick of cinnamon, a piece of lemon peel, a few coriander seeds washed, six bitter almonds blanched and pounded, or a laurel leaf. put it over a fire, and when it boils simmer it till the isinglass is dissolved, and strain it through a tamis sieve into a bason. let it stand ten minutes, skim it, pour it gently into another bason free from sediment, and when it begins to congeal stir it well and fill the shapes. _dutch blancmange._ put a pint of warm cleared calves feet jelly into a stewpan; mix with it the yolks of six eggs, set it over a fire, and whisk it till it begins to boil. then set the pan in cold water and stir the mixture till nearly cold, to prevent it from curdling, and when it begins to thicken fill the shapes. when it is ready to be served up dip the shapes in warm water. _riband blancmange._ put into a shape some white blancmange two inches deep, and when it is quite cold put alternately, in the same manner, cleared calves feet jelly, white blancmange coloured with cochineal, or dutch blancmange. _cleared calves feet jelly._ take scalded calves feet, chop them into pieces, put them into a pot with plenty of water to cover them, boil them gently four or five hours, strain the liquor, and preserve it till the next day in order that it may be quite stiff. then take off the fat, and afterwards wash it with warm water to make it perfectly clean; after which put it into a stewpan, set it over a fire, and when it is dissolved season it well to the palate with lemon and seville orange juices, white wine and sugar, a piece of lemon peel, cinnamon, and coriander seeds whole, (or add a few drops of liquid of colour if thought requisite). then whisk into it plenty of whites of eggs, a few yolks, and some shells. let it boil gently a quarter of an hour, run it through a fine flannel bag several times till quite bright, and when it is nearly cold fill the shapes, which should be very clean and wiped dry. n. b. when seville oranges are not in season, orange flower water may be added, or (if approved) syrup of roses or quinces. old hock or madeira wine will make it of the best quality. _marbrée jelly._ put into a mould cleared calves feet jelly one inch deep, and when it is cold put on the center, with the ornamented side downwards, a medallion of wafer paper; or ripe fruits, such as, halves of peaches or nectarines of a fine colour, or black grapes; or small shapes of cold blancmange; or dried fruits, such as, cherries, barberries, green gages, &c. then set them with a little lukewarm jelly, and when that is quite cold fill the mould with some nearly cold. _bagnets a l'eau._ take half a pint of water, a stick of cinnamon, a bit of lemon peel, a gill of rhenish wine, and a few coriander seeds; sweeten to the palate with sugar, boil the ingredients ten minutes, add an ounce of fresh butter, and when it is melted strain the liquor to a sufficient quantity of flour to make it into a batter. then put it over the fire again to simmer gently, and add six yolks of eggs. have ready boiling lard, put into it pieces of the mixture of the bigness of a damson; fry them of a light brown colour, drain them, and serve them up with sifted sugar over. n. b. the butter should be well beaten. _apple fritters for a dish._ mix together three ounces of sifted flour, a little salt, a gill of cream or milk, and three eggs; beat them for ten minutes with a spoon or whisk. then pare twelve holland pippins, cut them into halves, core and put them into the batter. have ready boiling lard, take the halves out singly with a fork, fry them till done and of a light colour, drain them dry, serve them up with sifted sugar over, some pounded cinnamon on one plate, and seville oranges on another. n. b. peaches or pears may be done in the same manner; or oranges, which are to be peeled, divided into quarters, and then put into the batter. some jam likewise may be mixed with the batter instead of the apples, and fried in small pieces. _golden pippins a la cream._ take three gills of lisbon wine, a gill of water, a stick of cinnamon, a bit of lemon peel, a small quantity of the juice, and a few coriander seeds; sweeten well with lump sugar, and boil all together for ten minutes. then have ready twelve large ripe golden pippins pared, and cored with a small iron apple scoop. put them into a stewpan, strain the above liquor to them, and stew them gently till done; then take them out, put them into a trifle dish, and reduce the liquor to a strong syrup. after which mix with it a pint of cream, the yolks of ten eggs, and a dessert spoonful of syrup of cloves; then strain it, set it over a slow fire, and whisk till it is of a good thickness. put the pan in cold water, stir the mixture some time, let it cool, and when the pippins are to be served up pour the cream over them, and put round the edge of the dish leaves of puff paste baked of a pale colour. n. b. the same kind of cream may be put over codlins, gooseberries, or cranberries, when made into pies, only omitting the pippins. _golden pippins another way._ take half a pint of white wine, a gill of water, a stick of cinnamon, a few cloves and coriander seeds, a bit of lemon peel, a little juice, and plenty of loaf sugar; boil them a quarter of an hour. then strain the liquor to twelve large pippins pared and cored, stew them gently till done, and the liquor reduced to a strong syrup of a consistence sufficient to adhere to the apples, and put them into a dish. when cold serve them up with chopped cleared calves feet jelly round them. _stewed pippins another way._ proceed with the same ingredients as the preceding, but when the apples are half done lay them on a dish to cool, and add to the syrup the yolk of eight eggs and three gills of cream; then strain and set it over a fire, whisk it till of a good thickness, and let it stand till cold. have ready boiling lard, dip the apples in batter of the same kind as for fritters, and fry them of a light colour; then drain them, and when cold serve them up with the cream under and sifted sugar over them. _cream for pies._ take a pint of new milk; then add a few coriander seeds washed, a bit of lemon peel, a laurel leaf, a stick of cinnamon, four cloves, a blade of mace, some sugar, and boil all together ten minutes. then have ready in another stewpan the yolks of six eggs and half a table spoonful of flour mixed, and strain the milk to them. then set it over a slow fire, whisk it till it is of a good consistence, and be careful it does not curdle. when it is cold it may be put over green codlins, gooseberries, or currants, &c. in pies. n. b. the cream may be perfumed, by adding, when nearly cold, a dessert spoonful of orange flower water, a table spoonful of syrup of roses, and a little ambergrise. fruit pies, likewise, should be sweetened with sifted loaf sugar, covered with puff or tart paste, and when served up the top to be cut off, the fruit covered with either of the above creams, and small leaves of baked puff paste put round. _mince meat._ roast, with a paper over it, a fillet of beef cut from the inside of a rump, and when cold chop it small. to two pounds of meat add two pounds of beef suet chopped fine, two pounds of chopped apples, one pound of raisins stoned and chopped, one pound of currants washed and picked, half a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of candied orange and a quarter of a pound of candied lemon peels cut into small slices; add some beaten cinnamon, mace, cloves, allspice, a small quantity of each, a pint of brandy, and a very little salt. then mix all the ingredients well together, put them into a pan, and keep it close covered in a cool place. n. b. it is advised that the meat be omitted, and instead of it add one pound of the yolks of hard eggs chopped. _compote of oranges._ peel and divide into quarters china oranges; then put them into a clear syrup, boil them gently five minutes, and take them out. put into a gill of water a small quantity of cinnamon, cloves, and mace, the juice of two oranges, and a bit of the peel; boil them ten minutes, strain the liquor to the syrup, and reduce it to a strong consistence. then put into it the quarters of the oranges, and when they are cold set them in a trifle dish, and put some cleared calves feet jelly chopped round them. _tea cream._ take a pint of cream, a few coriander seeds washed, a stick of cinnamon, a bit of lemon peel, and sugar; boil them together for ten minutes; then add a gill of very strong green tea. have ready the whites of six eggs beat up, and strain to them the cream; whisk it over a fire till it begins to thicken, then fill cups or a deep dish, and when cold garnish with whole ratafias. _virgin cream._ to be done in the same manner, only omitting the tea, and adding slices of citron when put into a dish. _coffee cream._ to be done in the same way, but instead of the liquid boil an ounce of whole coffee in the cream. _burnt cream._ to be done in the same manner as virgin cream, and when it is quite cold and to be served up put sifted sugar over, and burn it with a clear red-hot salamander. put round the edge of the dish some ratafias. _pastry cream._ to a pint of cream add half a table spoonful of pounded cinnamon, a little grated lemon peel, three table spoonfuls of flour, two ounces of oiled fresh butter, eight yolks and the whites of three eggs well beaten, half a pound of sifted sugar, and a table spoonful of orange flower water. put the ingredients over a fire, and when it begins to thicken add four ounces of ratafias and two ounces of pounded citron, mixing all well together. let it stand till quite cold, then cut it into what shapes you please, and dip them singly into yolk of raw egg; then breadcrumb and fry them in boiling lard till of a light colour, drain them dry, and serve them up hot. _almond paste._ blanch and pound very fine half a pound of jordan almonds, add six yolks of eggs, a sufficient quantity of flour to bind it well, an ounce of oiled fresh butter, and sweeten to the palate with sifted sugar. mix the ingredients thoroughly in a marble mortar, and when it becomes a stiff paste roll it out, and cut it into what shapes you please; bake them, and when cold fill them with creams or jellies. _cheese cakes._ to three quarts of new milk add three parts of a gill of runnet; let it stand in a warm place, and when it is thoroughly turned drain it well, and mix into it with your hand half a pound of fresh butter, and sweeten to the palate with pounded sugar. then add a few currants washed and picked, a little citron, candied orange and lemon peels cut into small slices, and an ounce of jordan almonds pounded fine. then beat up three eggs, put them with the mixture, sheet the pans with puff paste, fill them with the curd, and bake them in a brisk oven. or the paste may be made with half a pound of sifted flour, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and cold pump water, mixed lightly and rolled out. _almond nuts._ take three eggs, their weight of sifted sugar, flour of the weight of two eggs, and two ounces of almonds blanched and pounded fine; then beat the whites to a solid froth, and mix the ingredients well with it. have ready wafer or writing paper rubbed over with fresh butter, and with a teaspoon drop the mixture upon the paper in rows and bake them. _to make syllabub._ to a pint and a half of cream add a pint of sweet wine, a gill of brandy, sifted sugar, and a little lemon juice; whisk it well, take off the froth with a spoon, lay it upon a large sieve, fill the glasses three parts full with the liquor, add a little grated nutmeg, and put the froth over. _trifle._ put into a deep china or glass dish half a pound of spunge biscuits, two ounces of ratafias, two ounces of jordan almonds blanched and pounded, citron and candied orange peel an ounce of each cut into small slices, some currant jelly and raspberry jam, a small quantity of grated nutmeg and lemon peel, half a pint of sweet wine, and a little of the liquor of the syllabub. then make the same kind of cream as for pies, and when cold put it over the ingredients. when it is to be served up put plenty of the stiff froth of a syllabub raised high on the cream, and garnish with coloured comfits or rose leaves, which are recommended for elegance. _tarts or tartlets._ sheet tart or tartlet pans with puff paste a quarter of an inch thick, trim round the edge with a sharp knife; then fill with raspberry or apricot jam, or orange marmalade or stewed apple, and put fine strings of paste across in what form you please. bake them in a brisk oven, and be careful not to let the top colour too much. _paste for stringing tartlets._ cut a bit of puff paste into pieces, mix with it half a handful of flour, a little cold water, and let it be of a moderate stiffness, and mould it with the hands till it draws into fine threads. roll a piece out three inches long and two inches broad; then cut it into slips, draw them out singly, and put them across the tarts in any form, which may be repeated two or three times over each other, as it will add much to their appearance when baked. _to stew apples for tarts._ pare, cut into quarters, and core, some apples; put them into a stewpan, add to them a piece of lemon peel, a little water, and a stick of cinnamon. cover the pan close, put it over a fire till the apples are dissolved, sweeten to the palate with sifted sugar, add a table spoonful of syrup of cloves, and rub them through a hair sieve. let it stand till cold before it is put into the paste. n. b. to make a very fine flavoured tart, stew golden pippins in the same manner, and when they are rubbed through the sieve add only half a table spoonful of syrup of cloves, and mix well with it a quarter of a pound of pine-apple jam. this mixture will keep a month if close covered. _fried puffs with sweetmeats._ roll out puff paste half an inch thick, cut it into slips of three inches wide, the slips into square pieces, and put on each some sweetmeat of any kind. fold the paste, and run a jagger iron round to form it, or cut it with a sharp knife. have ready boiling lard, fry them of a light colour, drain them dry, and serve them up with sifted sugar over. _pyramid paste._ take a sheet of puff paste rolled of half an inch thick; cut or stamp it into oval forms, the first to be the size of the bottom of the dish in which it is to be served up, the second smaller, and so on till it becomes a pyramid; then put each piece separately on paper laid on a baking plate, and when the oven is ready, egg the top part of the pieces and bake them of a light colour. when they are done take them off the paper, lay them on a large dish till quite cold, and when to be served up set the largest piece in the dish for which it was formed, and put on it raspberry or apricot jams or currant jelly, the next size on that and more sweetmeats, proceeding in the same manner till all the pieces are placed on each other. put dried fruits round the pyramid, such as green gages, barberries, or cherries. n. b. instead of stamping the pieces it is thought better to cut them with a sharp knife; then to cut out small pieces round the edges to make them appear like spires, as, being done in this manner, it causes the paste to appear lighter. _iceing for a cake._ whisk the whites of four eggs to a solid froth, and put to it as much treble refined sifted sugar as you can; then add the juice of a lemon, mix all well together with a spoon, and spread it over the cake when warm. _cherries in brandy for desserts._ on a dry day gather the largest ripe morella cherries, and be careful they are not bruised; then cut off the stalk half way, prick each cherry with a needle four times, put them into glasses, add strong best brandy enough to cover them, and sweeten with clarified sugar. tie over them a bladder washed and wiped dry, some white leather over that bound tight, and turn the glasses bottom upwards. n. b. grapes or apricots may be done in the same manner. _to make buns._ put five pounds of best flour into a wooden bowl, set a spunge of it with a gill of yeast and a pint of warm milk; then mix with it one pound of sifted sugar, one pound of oiled fresh butter, coriander seeds, cinnamon, and mace, a small quantity of each pounded fine. roll the paste into buns, set them on a baking plate rubbed over with a little butter, put them in a moderate oven to prove, then wash them with a paste brush dipped in warm milk, and bake them of a good colour. _orgeat._ blanch a pound of jordan and one ounce of bitter almonds, pound them in a marble mortar till very fine; then put to them a pint of pump water, rub them through a tamis cloth till the almonds are quite dry, and add to the liquor more water to make it of a proper consistence for drinking; after which sweeten with clarified sugar, or sugarcandy, or capillaire; then put it into a decanter, and when it is to be used shake it together. _orange marmalade._ take seville oranges when in season, which is generally at the beginning of march; cut them into halves, and the halves again into thin slices, which put with the juice, but not too much of the core, and take away the pips. to every pound weight of orange add two pounds of sifted sugar and a gill of water; then put them into a preserving pan, set the pan over a quick fire, and when the mixture boils keep stirring and skimming till it becomes of a proper stiffness, which may be known by putting a little into a saucer and setting it in cold water. then fill the pots with the marmalade, and when cold put over white paper dipped in brandy; after which cover the pots with paper and white leather, and preserve them in a dry place for use. n. b. in the same way try the proper stiffness of other jellies or jams, and cover them in like manner. _raspberry jam._ to every pound weight of ripe picked raspberries, add fourteen ounces of sifted sugar and half a gill of currant juice; put them into a preserving pan, set them over a brisk fire, and when it boils skim it well and let it simmer till it becomes of a good consistence. n. b. the raspberries may be mashed with a spoon previous to adding the sugar, or rubbed through a wicker sieve. _quince jam._ pare ripe quinces, cut them into thin slices, put them into a stewpan with a sufficient quantity of water to cover them, let them boil gently till tender close covered, and rub them through a large hair sieve; add to a pound of the pulp a pound and a half of sifted sugar and half a gill of syrup of cloves; then put them into a preserving pan, and let them simmer together till of a good strength. n. b. a little of this jam mixed with apples in a pie will make it very good. _green gage jam._ rub ripe gages through a large hair sieve, and put them into a preserving pan; then, to a pound of pulp add a pound of sifted sugar; after which boil to a proper thickness, skim it clean, and put it into small pots. _apricot jam._ take apricots when nearly ripe, pare and cut them into halves, break the stones, blanch the kernels, and add them to the halves. to a pound of fruit put a pound of sifted sugar and a gill of the water in which the parings have been boiled. then set it over a brisk fire, stir the mixture well together till it becomes of a good strength, but let it not be very stiff. _preserved apricots for tarts or desserts._ cut ripe apricots in halves, blanch the kernels and add them to the fruit. have ready clarified sugar boiling hot, put the apricots into it, and let them stand till cold. then boil the syrup again, add the apricots as before, and when they are cold put the halves into small pots or glasses, and if the syrup is too thin boil it again, and when it is cold put it to the fruit, and cover it with paper dipped in brandy. n. b. green gages may be done whole in the same manner, or green gooseberries with the seeds taken out. these fruits may be served up with the syrup; or they may be dried on tin plates, in a moderately heated oven, and when almost cold put sifted sugar over. _currant jelly._ take two thirds of ripe red currants and one third of white, pick them, put them into a preserving pan over a good fire, and when they are dissolved run their liquor through a flannel bag. to a pint of juice add fourteen ounces of sifted sugar. set it over a brisk fire, let it boil quick, skim it clean, and reduce it to a good stiffness, which may be known as before directed in orange marmalade. n. b. in the same manner may be made black currant jelly, but allowing sixteen ounces of sugar to a pint of juice. _crisp tart paste._ take half a pound of sifted flour, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, two ounces of sifted sugar, and two eggs beaten; mix them with pump water, and knead the paste well. _eggs and bacon another way._ boil six eggs for five minutes, then peel and cut them into halves; after which take out the yolks, put them into a marble mortar with a small quantity of the white meat of dressed fowl, lean ham, a little chopped parsley, one eschallot, a table spoonful of cream, a dessert spoonful of ketchup, a little cayenne, some breadcrumbs, and sifted mace, a very small quantity of each. pound all well together, fill the halves of the whites with the mixture, bake them gently ten minutes, and serve them up on rashers of bacon or ham broiled, and put some cullis over them. _to make puff paste._ mould with the hands a pound of fresh or good salt butter and lay it in cold water; then sift a pound of best white flour, rub lightly into it half the butter, mix it with cold spring water, roll it out, put on it (in pieces) half the remaining butter, fold the paste, roll it again, and add the remainder of the butter. strew lightly upon it a little flour, fold it together, set it in a cold place, and when it is wanted for use, roll it out twice more. n. b. in summer time the white of an egg beat up may be added with the water that mixes it. _to make an almond cake._ take eight ounces of jordan and one ounce of bitter almonds, blanch and pound them very fine; then beat in with the almonds the yolks of eight eggs, and let the whites be whisked up to a solid froth. then take eight table spoonfuls of sifted sugar, five spoonfuls of fine flour, a small quantity of grated lemon peel and pounded cinnamon, and mix all the ingredients. rub the inside of a mould with fresh butter, fill it with the mixture, and bake it of a light colour. _almond custards._ add to a pint and a half of cream a small stick of cinnamon, a blade of mace, a bit of lemon peel, some nutmeg, and sugar to the palate. boil the ingredients together ten minutes, and strain it; then blanch and pound (quite fine) three ounces of jordan and eight single bitter almonds; after which rub through a hair sieve, add the fine pulp to the cream, likewise a little syrup of roses, and the yolks of six eggs beat up, and put the mixture into small cups; or it may be baked in a dish with a rim of puff paste round it. n. b. plain custards may be made in the same manner, but instead of almonds add a little orange flower water. _rhubarb tart._ take slips of green rhubarb, wash it, and cut it into small pieces the bigness of young gooseberries; put them into a dish, sweeten with sifted sugar, add the juice of a lemon, cover it with puff paste, and bake it. serve it up either plain or with cream, the same as for an apple pie. _orange pudding._ peel four seville oranges thin, boil them till tender, rub them through a hair sieve, and preserve the fine pulp. take a pound of naples biscuits, a little grated nutmeg, two ounces of fresh butter, and pour over them a quart of boiling milk or cream in which a stick of cinnamon has been boiled. when the ingredients are cold mix with them the pulp and eight eggs well beaten, sweeten to the palate, and (if approved) add half a gill of brandy. edge a dish with puff paste, put in the mixture, garnish the top with strings of paste as for tartlets, and bake it in a moderately heated oven. n. b. a lemon pudding may be made in the same manner. _rice pudding._ to a pint and a half of cream or new milk add a few coriander seeds, a bit of lemon peel, a stick of cinnamon, and sugar to the palate. boil them together ten minutes, and strain it to two ounces of ground rice, which boil for ten minutes more. let it stand till cold, and then put to it two ounces of oiled fresh butter, a little brandy, grated nutmeg, six eggs well beaten, and a gill of syrup of pippins. mix all together, put it into a dish with puff paste round it, and bake it, taking care it is not done too much. should the pudding be made with whole rice it should be boiled till nearly done before the cream is strained to it, and if approved a few currants may be added. n. b. millet or sago (whole or ground) may be done in the same manner. _tansey pudding._ blanch and pound very fine a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds; then put them into a stewpan, add a gill of the syrup of roses, the crumb of a french roll, a little grated nutmeg, half a gill of brandy, two table spoonfuls of tansey juice, three ounces of fresh butter, and some slices of citron. pour over it a pint and a half of boiling cream or milk, sweeten to the palate, and when it is cold mix it well, add the juice of a lemon and eight eggs beaten. it may be either boiled or baked. _almond pudding._ to be made as a tansey pudding, only omitting the french bread and tansey juice, and adding as substitutes a quarter of a pound of naples biscuits and a spoonful of orange flower water. _marrow pudding._ boil with a quart of new milk cinnamon and lemon peel, and strain it to half a pound of beef marrow finely chopped, a few currants washed and picked, some slices of citron and orange peel candied, a little grated nutmeg, brandy, syrup of cloves, a table spoonful of each, and half a pound of naples biscuits. when the mixture is cold add eight eggs beat up, omitting five of the whites, and bake it in a dish with puff paste round it. _bread pudding._ to be made as a marrow pudding, only omitting the naples biscuits and a quarter of a pound of the beef marrow, adding as a substitute the crumb of french bread. _a rich plum pudding._ take one pound of raisins stoned, one pound of currants washed and picked, one pound of beef suet chopped, two ounces of jordan almonds blanched and pounded, citron, candied orange and lemon peel pounded, two ounces of each, a little salt, some grated nutmeg and sugar, one pound of sifted flour, a gill of brandy, and eight eggs well beaten. mix all together with cream or milk, and let it be of a good thickness; then tie it in a cloth, boil it five hours, and serve it up with melted butter over. _batter pudding._ to a pound of flour sifted add a little salt and a gill of milk, mix them till smooth, beat well six eggs, and add them together with more milk till the batter is of a proper thickness; then put the mixture into a bason rubbed with fresh butter, tie a cloth over, boil it an hour and a quarter, turn it out of the bason, and serve it up with melted butter, sugar, and grated nutmeg, in a sauce boat; to which may be added also (if approved) a table spoonful of white wine, or a dessert spoonful of vinegar. n. b. when puddings are put into the pot the water in general should boil. _boiled apple pudding._ make a paste with flour, chopped beef suet, or marrow, a little salt and water; then knead it well, roll it out thin, sheet a bowl or bason with it, fill it with good baking apples pared, cut into quarters and cored; add lemon peel grated, cloves, nutmeg, and cinnamon pounded fine, a small quantity of each. lay a thin paste on the top, tie the bason in a cloth, and let the pudding boil till well done. when it is to be served up cut a piece out of the top and mix with the apples, sugar to the palate, and add a bit of fresh butter and a little syrup of quinces. _apple dumplings._ pare large baking apples, core them with a scoop, fill the cavities with quince marmalade, roll out (a quarter of an inch thick) the same kind of paste as for an apple pudding, mould over each apple a piece of paste, and boil them separately in a cloth, or wash them with whites of eggs with a paste brush, and bake them. serve them up with grated nutmeg, sifted sugar, and fresh butter, in different saucers. _baked apple pudding._ stew the apples as for a tourte or tartlets, and when they are cold add to them six eggs well beaten; put the mixture into a dish with puff paste round the rim, and bake it. _damson pudding._ make paste and sheet a bason in the same manner as for an apple pudding; then fill it with ripe or bottled damsons, cover it with paste, boil it, and when it is to be served up cut a piece out of the top, mix with the fruit, sifted sugar to the palate, and a small quantity of pounded cinnamon or grated nutmeg. n. b. puddings made with gooseberries, currants, or bullies, may be done in the same manner. _damson pudding another way._ to a pint of cream or milk add six eggs, four table spoonfuls of sifted flour, a very little salt, a small quantity of pounded cinnamon, and whisk them well together. have ready ripe or bottled damsons, rub them through a hair sieve, add to the mixture a sufficient quantity of the fine pulp to make it in substance a little thicker than batter, sweeten it to the palate, put it into a buttered bason, flour a cloth and tie over, boil it an hour and a quarter, and when it is to be served up turn it out of the bason and put melted butter over. n. b. in the same manner may be done ripe peaches, nectarines, gooseberries, apricots, green gages, or egg plums; or instead of boiling may be baked in a tart pan, sheeted with puff paste. _baked fruit pudding another way._ rub gooseberries or other ripe fruit through a hair sieve; and to half a pint of the fine pulp add a quarter of a pound of naples biscuits, three ounces of oiled fresh butter, half a pint of cream, grated nutmeg, sugar to the palate, and six eggs. beat all the ingredients together for ten minutes; then add slices of citron, and bake the mixture in a dish with puff paste round the rim. _muffin pudding with dried cherries._ to a pint and a half of milk add a few coriander seeds, a bit of lemon peel, sugar to the palate, and boil them together ten minutes. then put four muffins into a pan, strain the milk over them, and, when they are cold, mash them with a wooden spoon; add half a gill of brandy, half a pound of dried cherries, a little grated nutmeg, two ounces of jordan almonds blanched and pounded very fine, and six eggs well beaten. mix all together and boil in a bason, or bake it in a dish with paste round it. _potatoe pudding._ peel potatoes, steam them, and rub them through a fine sieve. to half a pound of pulp add a quarter of a pound of fresh butter oiled, sifted sugar to the palate, half a gill of brandy, a little pounded cinnamon, half a pint of cream, a quarter of a pound of currants washed and picked, and eight eggs well beaten. mix all together, bake (or boil) the pudding, and serve it up with melted butter in a sauceboat. _carrot pudding._ take red carrots, boil them, cut off the red part, and rub them through a sieve or tamis cloth. to a quarter of a pound of pulp add half a pound of crumb of french bread, sifted sugar, a spoonful of orange flower water, half a pint of cream, some slices of candied citron, some grated nutmeg, a quarter of a pound of oiled fresh butter, eight eggs well beaten, and bake it in a dish with a paste round the rim. _ice cream._ take a pint and a half of good cream, add to it half a pound of raspberry or other jams, or ripe fruits, and sifted sugar; mix them well together and rub through a fine sieve. then put it into a freezing mould, set it in ice and salt, and stir it till it begins to congeal. after which put at the bottom of a mould white paper, fill with the cream, put more paper over, cover close, set it in ice till well frozen, and when it is to be turned out for table dip the mould in cold water. or it may be served up in glasses, taking the cream out of the freezing mould. _observation on stores._ as frequent mention is made of syrups, jams, pounded spices, sugar sifted, grated nutmeg, and orange flower water, to be used in puddings and pies; and as a very small quantity of each is wanted at a time; it is therefore recommended (as a saving of trouble and expence) that the syrups, &c. be made when the fruits are in season, and preserved in small bottles with the different stores. but should any of the receipts be thought too expensive or rich, it is recommended, likewise, that a curtailment be made in some of the articles, pursuing nearly the same process, they being written in that state only to shew their first and best manner. the same observation may be borne in remembrance with respect to made dishes, roasting, pastry, or sauces. _partridge soup._ cut to pieces two or three picked and drawn partridges or pheasants, an old fowl, a knuckle of veal, some lean ham, celeri, onions, turnips, a carrot, and a blade of mace. put them into a stewpot with half a pint of water, set them over a fire close covered, and steam them till three parts done. then add three quarts of beef stock, simmer till the ingredients are tender, strain the liquor through a fine sieve, and when cold take the fat clean off, add a little liquid of colour, a small quantity of salt and cayenne pepper, whisk with it two eggs and their shells, clear it over a good fire, and strain it through a tamis cloth; then cut half a middling-sized white cabbage into small slices, scald it, add to the soup, and boil it gently till tender. _collared eels._ skin and bone two large eels, lay them flat, and season with plenty of parsley, an eschallot chopped very fine, pepper, salt, beaten spices, and mushroom powder, a small quantity of each. then roll and bind them tight with tape, put them into a stewpan with a pint of veal stock and a little lemon juice, simmer them over a fire till done, put them on a dish, skim the liquor free from fat, season with salt to the palate, clear it with two eggs, strain it through a tamis cloth, boil it down gently till of a strong jelly, and put it into a bason. when the eels are cold, take off the tape, trim the ends, wipe them dry, serve them up with the chopped jelly round them, a few bunches of pickled barberries on their tops, and slices of lemon round the rim of the dish. n. b. should the liquor be pale at the time it is cleared, add a few drops of liquid of colour. _white puddings._ to half a pound of beef marrow chopped fine, add six ounces of jordan almonds blanched and pounded quite fine, with a dessert spoonful of orange flower water, half a pound of the crumb of french bread, half a pound of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar, a little mace, cloves, and cinnamon pounded, a gill of mountain wine, and the yolks of four eggs beaten. mix all well together, fill the entrails of a pig three parts full, tie each end, and boil them half an hour. _sausage meat._ take the lean meat of young pork chopped small, and to a pound of it add a pound of the flay and fat chopped, some breadcrumbs, nutmeg, allspice and mace pounded, a small quantity of each, a little grated lemon peel, sage, parsley, thyme, and two eschallots, chopped very fine, an egg beaten, and season with pepper and salt. mix all well together, with the hands, or pound it in a marble mortar; then make it into cakes and broil it, or put it into the entrails of a pig nicely cleaned. _calf's liver roasted._ make an incision in the under part of a calf's liver, fill it with a stuffing made with beef marrow, breadcrumbs, grated nutmeg, one eschallot, two mushrooms, parsley and thyme chopped fine, and one egg beaten. then sew it up, lard it with small slips of fat bacon, put a piece of veal caul over, and roast it gently. when it is to be served up take off the caul, glaize the top, put under it some good cullis sauce, and plenty of fried parsley round. _to dry herbs._ gather marjoram, savory, thyme, basil, parsley, &c. on a dry day, when in season, and not blown. divide them separately into small bunches, as in that state they will dry best. then hang them on a line in a dry room or place where the air has free admission, but no direct rays of the sun. when they are perfectly dry (which will require two or three weeks to accomplish) put them in rows in boxes close covered, and set them in a dry place. _to make anchovie liquor to be used in fish sauces._ put into a stewpan one pound of best anchovies, two quarts of water, two bay leaves, some whole pepper, a little scraped horseradish, a sprig of thyme, two blades of mace, six eschallots chopped small, a gill of red port, half the rind of a lemon, a gill of ketchup; boil all together twenty minutes, and rub them through a tamis cloth with a wooden spoon. when the essence is cold put it into pint bottles, cork them close, and set them in a dry place. _potted lobster._ boil two live hen lobsters in strong salt and water till half done; then take the meat and spawn out of the shells, put it into a stewpan, add a little beaten and sifted mace, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, salt, a small quantity of lemon juice, a spoonful of essence of ham, a dessert spoonful of anchovie liquor, the same as for fish sauce, and simmer them over a fire for ten minutes. then pound the meat in a marble mortar, reduce the liquor almost to a glaize, put it to the meat with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, mix them well together, press the mixture down into small flat preserving pots, cover with clarified butter, and when cold put white paper over the pots, and set them in a dry place. n. b. prawns, shrimps, crayfish, and crabs, may be done in the same manner. _to clarify butter for potting._ put fresh butter into a stewpan with a spoonful of cold water, set it over a gentle fire till oiled, skim it, and let it stand till the sediment is settled; then pour off the oil, and when it begins to congeal put it over the different ingredients. _potted cheese._ to a pound of grated parmezan or cheshire cheese add three ounces of cold fresh butter, a little sifted mace, and a tea spoonful of mustard. mix all well in a marble mortar, put it into small pots, cover with clarified butter, and set the pots in a cold dry place. _potted veal._ cut small a pound of lean white veal, put it into a stewpan, with two ounces of fresh butter, the juice of a lemon, pepper, salt, sifted mace, a bay leaf, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and mushroom powder, a small quantity of each, a little parsley, thyme, savory, and two eschallots chopped fine. put them over a fire and stew them ten minutes; then pound them, and add a pound of the mellow part of a boiled pickle tongue and half a pound of cold fresh butter. mix them well together with two eggs beaten; then press the mixture down tight into small pots, cover them with paper, put them into a moderate oven, bake them twenty minutes, and when the meat is cold put clarified butter over. _potted larks or small birds._ pass them with the same ingredients as for veal, and when they are half done take them out and put the lean veal in. when the forcemeat is made put the birds into the pots with it, bake them, and proceed in the same manner as with potted veal. n. b. pheasants, partridges, chickens, &c. may be done in the same way, but will take a longer time baking. _to dry morells, mushrooms, and champignons._ take morells and champignons of the largest size, forced mushrooms of the size of a shilling, and let them be gathered fresh; then take off the stalk, wash them free from grit, drain them dry with a cloth, run a fine twine through them with a large needle, hang them up in a warm dry place, and when they are perfectly dry put them into paper bags in boxes close covered. when they are wanted for use lay them in warm water for half an hour, and prepare them as if they were fresh. _mushroom powder._ after the mushrooms or champignons are dried whole they may be set before a fire till crisp; then grind and sift them through a fine sieve, and preserve the powder in small bottles close corked. _potted beef._ take two pounds of the fillet out of the inside of a rump of beef and two pounds of best fat bacon. cut them small, put them into a marble mortar, add to them a small quantity of parsley, thyme, savory, four eschallots chopped fine, some pepper, salt, two spoonsful of essence of ham, a spoonful of mushroom powder, sifted mace, cloves, and allspice, a little of each, two eggs beaten, and a gill of rhenish wine. pound all well together till quite fine; then fill small pots with the mixture, cover with paper, bake it very gently for forty minutes, and when cold cover with clarified butter. _tarragon vinegar._ put into a stone jar half a pound of fresh gathered tarragon leaves and two quarts of best common vinegar, and let them ferment a fortnight; then run it through a flannel bag, and add to it a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in cyder. put it into a clean jar, let it stand till fine, pour it off, put it into small bottles, cork them close, and set them in a dry place. n. b. in the same manner may be done elder flowers, &c. &c. _walnut ketchup for fish sauces._ to a quart of walnut pickle add a quarter of a pound of anchovies and three gills of red port; boil them till reduced one third, strain it, and when cold preserve it in small bottles close corked. _to pickle tongues, &c._ take large tongues perfectly fresh, cut some of the root away, make an incision in the under part, rub them well with common salt, and lay them in a tub or pan close covered for four days. then pound together two parts of saltpetre, one part of common salt, one part of bay salt, and one part of moist sugar. rub the tongues well with the mixture, put all into the pan, and turn them every two days till pickled enough, which will be in ten days. n. b. pigs faces and hams to be done in the same manner, but according to their size let them lay in the different pickles for longer periods, and when well coloured smoke them. if it be wished to have the hams or tongues of a westphalia flavour add some socho to the pickle. _india pickle._ take large fresh cauliflowers in the month of july, pick them into small pieces, wash them clean, put them into a pan with plenty of salt over them for three days; then drain and lay them separately to dry in the sun, repeatedly turning them till they are almost of a brown colour, which will require several days. then put plenty of whole ginger, slices of horseradish, peeled garlick, whole long pepper, peeled eschallots and onions, into salt and water for one night; drain and dry them also; and when the ingredients are ready, boil more than a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover them, and to two quarts of it add an ounce of the best pale turmeric, and put the flowers and the other ingredients into stone jars, pour the vinegar boiling hot over, cover them till the next day, then boil the pickle again, and the same on the third day; after which fill the jars with liquor, cover them over close with bladder and white leather, and set them in a dry place. n. b. in the same manner may be done white cabbages cut into half quarters, whole french beans, heads of celery, heads of asparagus, onions whole or sliced, or pickling melons peeled thin, cut into halves, and formed like an indian mango. _to dry artichoke bottoms._ gather the largest firm artichokes when in season, cut off the stalks, and boil them till the leaves and choke can be taken away. afterwards put them on a baking plate and set them in a very slow heated oven, or hang them up in a warm place to dry, and when perfectly so put them into paper bags. when they are wanted for use lay them in warm water and salt, and when pliable trim them neat, braise them in stock and lemon juice, which will preserve them white, and when they are done enough, if for ragout, cut them into pieces; if for dishes, serve them whole with good cullis sauce over them. _to pickle cucumbers, &c._ gather jerkins not too large, lay them in a strong brine of salt and water for three days, then wipe them dry, and put them into stone jars. then put a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover them into a preserving pan, add plenty of whole ginger and black pepper, a middling quantity of mace, allspice and cloves, some slices of horseradish, peeled onions, eschallots, and a small quantity of garlick. let the ingredients boil for ten minutes, and pour them with the liquor over the cucumbers; cover the jars with cabbage leaves and a plate, set them in a warm place, the next day drain the liquor from them, boil it, and pour over them again, and if on the third day they are not green enough, boil the vinegar again, pour it over, and when cold tie bladder and white leather over the jars, and set them in a dry place. n. b. in the same manner may be done walnuts, love apples, barberries, capsicums, french beans, nasturtiums, and small pickling melons peeled very thin and cut into quarters. _rules to be observed in pickling._ it is recommended that the best common vinegar be in general used for pickling, and that it be put into a well-cleaned copper or brass-preserving pan just before it is to be put over the fire, and when it boils not to remain in the pan. there can be no occasion of the many arts that are used in order to preserve the ingredients green, if the vegetables are gathered fresh, on a dry day, when in season, and the process followed that has been recommended. further directions could be given that might be attended with greater expence, but which would scarcely answer a better purpose, excepting only to those who are in the habit of extensive practice. _to pickle onions._ peel small button onions into milk and water, in which put plenty of salt; set it over a fire, and when it boils strain the onions, wipe them dry, and put them into glasses. have ready cold white wine vinegar, in which whole white pepper, ginger, mace, and slices of horseradish have been boiled. pour it over the onions, and cover them with bladder and leather. _to pickle mushrooms._ take a sufficient quantity of double distilled white wine vinegar to cover the mushrooms; add to it whole white pepper, ginger, mace, peeled eschallots, and a small quantity of garlick if approved; boil all together ten minutes and let it stand till cold. then peel fresh forced button mushrooms into water, wash them clean, strain, and put them into a stewpan. to a quart of mushrooms add the juice of a lemon and a table spoonful of salt. cover the pan close, set it over a fire, and when the liquor is sufficiently drawn from the mushrooms put the whole into glasses and cover them with the pickle. tie bladder and white leather over the glasses. the general rule has been deviated from of making the pickle for onions and mushrooms with double distilled white wine vinegar, as in this instance it is requisite to preserve them white. it is likewise recommended that they be put into small jars or glasses for use; for this reason, that, if exposed to the air but for a short space of time, they will discolour. _to pickle beet roots._ boil the roots till three parts done, and cut them into slices of an inch thick. then take a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover them, and add to it whole allspice, a few cloves, mace, black pepper, slices of horseradish, some onions, eschallots, a little pounded ginger, some salt, and a few bay leaves. boil the ingredients together twenty minutes and strain it, and when the pickle is cold add a little bruised cochineal. put the slices of beet into jars, add the pickle, put a small quantity of sweet oil on the top, and tie the jars down close. n. b. when the beet is wanted for use mix well together sweet oil, mustard, some of the liquor in which the roots were pickled, and a very little sifted sugar. lay the slices in a deep plate and pour the mixture over. _to pickle artichoke bottoms._ take large fresh and sound artichokes, boil them just enough to take the leaves and choke away, then trim and lay them in salt and water; after which boil (for five minutes) a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover them, in which put whole allspice, black pepper, ginger, mace, cloves, eschallots, salt, a few bay leaves, and some slices of horseradish. drain and wipe dry the bottoms, put them into jars, add the liquor and ingredients to them, and tie them down close. when they are fit for use serve them up in a deep plate with a little of the pickle, oil, and mustard mixed with it. _to pickle large cucumbers._ peel them very thin, cut them into halves, throw the seeds away, and lay the cucumbers in salt for a day. then wipe them dry, fill them with mustard seed, peeled eschallots, garlick, small slips of horseradish, and mace. after which tie them round with twine, put them into jars, pour over them some boiling liquor made as for india pickle or for jerkins, and cover them down close till fit for use. _to pickle red cabbage._ cut a fresh light red cabbage into slips, wash it clean, and put it into a pan with plenty of salt for two days. then boil together for half an hour a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover the cabbage, together with bruised black pepper, mace, allspice, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, and mustard seed, a middling quantity of each. strain the vinegar and ingredients, and let them stand till cold; then add a little bruised cochineal, drain the cabbage on a large sieve till dry, put it into the jars, add the pickle, and tie the jars down close; or the liquor may be poured over the cabbage boiling hot; and when cold, before the jars are tied down, add a little bruised cochineal. this method will make the cabbage sooner fit for use. n. b. onions may be peeled and done whole in the same manner, and mixed with red cabbage. _to pickle currants._ to a quart of double distilled white wine vinegar add half a pound of loaf sugar, whole ginger, one ounce of salt, and a pint of red currant juice; boil all together, skim it clean, and let it stand till cold. then pick and put some best ripe red currants into glasses, fill them with the pickle, and cover them down close with bladder and leather. _to pickle barberries._ bruise and strain ripe barberries, and to a pint of juice add three pints of vinegar, a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, an ounce of salt, and a quarter of an ounce of pounded and sifted ginger. boil all together, skim it clean, and put bunches of the best ripe barberries into jars, pour the pickle boiling hot over, and let it stand till cold; then add a little bruised cochineal, and tie the jars over close. n. b. bunches of currants may be done in like manner. _sour crout._ take large white cabbages when in season, cut them into halves, and then into slips; wash them clean and drain them dry. after which put into a tub a layer of cabbage, then a layer of salt, afterwards a small quantity of pounded and sifted coriander seeds, and so on alternately; when the tub is nearly full put a weight over to press it well, and set it in a cold dry place covered with a coarse cloth. when it is wanted for use put some of the cabbage into boiling water over a fire for five minutes, and strain it. have ready some pieces of salted bouillie beef (of a quarter of a pound each) nearly boiled enough; likewise some pieces of pickle pork of the same number and weight. then put them into a stewpan, add the cabbage, fresh butter, a little vinegar, onions sliced very thin, some whole pepper, allspice, and mace, tied in a bit of cloth. let all stew till tender; then take out the spices, season the cabbage to the palate with cayenne pepper, and serve it up with fried onions (done as per receipt), with fried sausages round the crout. _peas pudding, to be eaten with boiled pork._ lay a pint of best split peas into water for half an hour; strain, pick, and put them into a cloth, tie them tight, and boil them gently for three hours. then put the peas out of the cloth into a stewpan, mash them well with a wooden spoon, add a bit of fresh butter, a little pepper and salt, the yolks of two eggs, and mix all well together. put the mixture into a clean cloth, tie it up, and let it hang near a fire for half an hour; then turn it out on a dish, and pour melted butter over. _currie, or pepper water._ cut a chicken into pieces, blanch and wash it, put it into a small stewpot, add a table spoonful of currie powder, half a pint of veal broth, and simmer them till half done. then peel and cut into thin slices two good sized onions, fry them with two ounces of fresh butter till nearly done and of a brown colour; then add them to the chicken, together with a pint of veal broth, half a bay leaf, the juice of half a lemon, two table spoonfuls of the juice of tamarinds, which are to be dissolved in boiling water and strained. boil all together till the chicken is nearly done; then take it out, put it into another stewpan, rub the ingredients through a tamis sieve, and add it to the fowl with a table spoonful of flour and water to thicken it. make it boil, season it well to the palate with cayenne pepper and salt, skim it clean, and serve it up in a bowl. _grills and sauce, which are generally eaten after dinner._ season some small pieces of ready-dressed fowl or turkey with pepper and salt, and grill them gently till of a nice brown colour. in the mean time put into a stewpan a gill and a half of cullis, an ounce of fresh butter, a table spoonful of mushroom ketchup, the juice of a lemon, and a small bit of the rind, a little cayenne pepper, a tea spoonful of the essence of anchovies, and one eschallot chopped fine. boil all the ingredients together five minutes, strain the liquor, and serve it up in a sauceboat; the pieces of chicken, &c. on a dish. _salmé of woodcocks._ take two woodcocks half roasted, cut them up neatly, and let the trimmings with the entrails be pounded in a marble mortar; then put them into a stewpan, add half a pint of cullis, two eschallots chopped, half a gill of red port, and a bit of rind of lemon; season to the palate with pepper, salt, and lemon juice. boil the ingredients ten minutes, and strain the liquor to the carved woodcocks, which stew gently till done. serve them up in a deep dish with sippets of fried bread strewed over. _to make a haggess._ take the heart and lights of a sheep, and blanch and chop them; then add a pound of beef suet chopped very fine, crumb of french roll soaked in cream, a little beaten cinnamon, mace, cloves, and nutmeg, half a pint of sweet wine, a pound of raisins stoned and chopped, a sufficient quantity of flour to make it of a proper consistence, a little salt, the yolks of three eggs, and some sheep chitterlings well cleaned and cut into slips. mix all together, and have ready a sheep's bag nicely cleaned, in which put the mixture; then tie it tight and boil it three hours. _french black puddings._ pick, wash, and boil, till three parts done, two pounds of grits or rice; then drain it dry, put it into a stewpan with a quart of pigs blood preserved from curdling, with plenty of salt stirred into it when taken from the animal; add to them ground pepper, pounded and sifted mace, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice, a small quantity of each, a gill of cream with a bit of crumb of french bread soaked in it, together with chopped savory, thyme, parsley, and pennyroyal, a little of each. mix the ingredients over a slow fire for twenty minutes, and when cold put with them plenty of the flay cut into small dice. have ready the entrails cleaned very nice, fill them with the mixture three parts full, tie the ends, put the puddings into hot water, boil them gently a quarter of an hour; if they are to be eaten directly when done, prick them with a fork and broil them upon a very clean gridiron for ten minutes: if they are not to be eaten immediately when made, put them on clean straw, and when they are wanted for use put them into boiling water, let them simmer ten minutes, then take them out, and prick and broil them as above. n. b. if large puddings they will take longer periods in boiling and broiling. _milk punch._ to a gallon of milk add a little cinnamon, cloves, mace, lemon and orange peel, a pint of brandy, a pint of rum, plenty of orange and lemon juice, and sweeten to the palate. then whisk with it the yolks and whites of eight eggs, put it over a brisk fire, and when it boils let it simmer ten minutes; run it through a jelly bag till quite clear, put it into bottles, and cork it close. n. b. the rum and brandy should be added when the milk is cleared. _plum pottage._ to veal and beef broths (a quart of each) add a pound of stoned pruens and the crumb of two penny french rolls, rubbing all through a tamis cloth; then mix to the pulp half a pound of stoned raisins, a quarter of a pound of currants, a little lemon juice, some pounded cinnamon, mace, and cloves, a pint of red port, a pint of claret, a small quantity of grated lemon peel, and season to the palate with lump sugar. let all simmer together for one hour; then add a little cochineal to make it of a nice colour, and serve it up in a tureen. let it be of the consistence of water gruel. _candied orange or lemon peels._ take either lemon or orange peels well cleaned from the pulp, and lay them in salt and water for two days; then scald and drain them dry, put them into a thin syrup, and boil them till they look clear. after which take them out, and have ready a thick syrup made with fine loaf sugar; put them into it, and simmer till the sugar candies about the pan and peels. then lay them separately on a hair sieve to drain, strew sifted sugar over, and set them to dry in a slow oven; or the peels may be cut into chips, and done in the same manner. _lemonade or orangeade._ to a gallon of spring water add some cinnamon and cloves, plenty of orange and lemon juices, with a bit of each peel; sweeten well with loaf sugar, and whisk with it the whites of six eggs and one yolk. put it over a brisk fire, and when it boils let it simmer ten minutes; then run it through a jelly bag, and let it stand till cold before it is drunk. this mode is recommended, the liquor having been boiled. _poivrade sauce for game, maintenon cutlets, &c._ peel and chop small twelve eschallots; add to them a gill and a half of vinegar, a table spoonful of veal consumé, half an anchovie rubbed through a fine sieve, a little cayenne pepper, and salt. serve it up in a sauceboat cold, if to be eaten with cold game; but if to be eaten with hot, roast, or grills, make it boiling. _lobster sauce for fish._ take the spawn out of live lobsters before they are boiled, bruise it well in a marble mortar, add a little cold water, strain it through a sieve and preserve it till wanted; then boil the lobsters, and when three parts done pick and cut the meat into small pieces, and put it into a stewpan. to the meat of a large lobster add a pound of fresh butter and a pint of water, including a sufficient quantity of the spawn liquor to colour it. put it over a fire, thicken it with flour and water, keep stirring till it boils, and then season to the palate with anchovie liquor, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper. let it simmer five minutes and skim it. n. b. in place of the above the following method may be adopted:--instead of cutting the meat of the lobster into pieces, it may be pounded in a marble mortar, then rubbed through a tamis cloth, and the pulp put with the other ingredients when the sauce is to be made. [see _anchovie essence for fish sauce_.] _oyster sauce for fish._ blanch the oysters, strain them, and preserve their liquor; then wash and beard them, drain, and put them into a stewpan; then add fresh butter and the oyster liquor free from sediment, some flour and water to thicken it, season to the palate with lemon juice, anchovie liquor, a little cayenne pepper, a spoonful of ketchup if approved, and a bit of lemon peel. when it boils skim it, and let it simmer five minutes. n. b. muscles and cockles may be done in like manner. _shrimp sauce for fish._ boil live shrimps in salt and water for three minutes, then pick, wash, and drain them dry; after which add fresh butter, water, anchovie liquor, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and flour and water to make it of a sufficient thickness. put the ingredients over a fire, and when it boils skim it, and let the shrimps simmer for five minutes. or it may be made thus:--when the shrimps are picked, wash the shells, drain them dry, put them into a stewpan, add a little water, and boil them ten minutes; then strain the liquor to the butter (as above) instead of the water, which will make it of a better flavour. the bodies of lobsters, also, when picked, may be done in like manner for lobster sauce. _dutch sauce for fish._ boil for five minutes, with a gill and a half of vinegar, a little scraped horseradish; then strain it, and when it is cold add to it the yolks of two raw eggs, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a dessert spoonful of flour and water, and a little salt. whisk the ingredients over a fire till the mixture almost boils, and serve it up directly to prevent it from curdling. _anchovie sauce for fish._ put half a pound of fresh butter into a stewpan, add to it three spoonfuls of anchovie liquor, walnut and mushroom ketchups a spoonful of each, the juice of half a lemon, a little cayenne pepper, a tea spoonful of india soy if approved, a sufficient quantity of flour and water to make it of a proper thickness. make the mixture boil, and skim it clean. _observations in respect of fish sauces, &c._ let it be particularly observed that fish sauces should be of the thickness of light batter, so that it might adhere to the fish when dressed, it being a frequent error that they are either too thick or too thin. the thickening should be made with the best white flour sifted, and some water, mixed smooth with a wooden spoon or a whisk, and to be of the consistence of light batter also. a little of it is recommended to be always ready where there is much cooking, as it is frequently wanted both in fish and other sauces. there are, likewise, other articles repeatedly wanted for the use of stovework; and as their possession has been found to obviate much inconvenience and trouble, they are here enumerated: that is to say, liquid of colour preserved in a bottle, strained lemon juice preserved in the same manner, cayenne pepper, ground spices, ground pepper and salt mixed, which should be preserved separately in small jars; and every day, when wanted, fresh breadcrumbs rubbed through a hair sieve; parsley, thymes, eschallots, savoy, marjoram, and lemon peel, chopped very fine, and put on a dish in separate partitions. directions are not given for serving the fish sauces with any particular kind of fish,--such as turbot or salmon with lobster sauce, &c. but the receipts have been written only for the making them; therefore it is recommended that every person make a choice, and not be biassed altogether by custom. _apple sauce for pork, geese, &c._ pare, quarter, and core, baking apples; put them into a stewpan, add a bit of lemon rind, a small stick of cinnamon, a few cloves, and a small quantity of water. cover the pan close, set it over a moderate fire, and when the apples are tender take the peel and spices out; then add a bit of fresh butter, and sugar to the palate. _green sauce for ducklings or green geese._ pick green spinach or sorrel, wash it, and bruise it in a marble mortar, and strain the liquor through a tamis cloth. to a gill of the juice add a little loaf sugar, the yolk of a raw egg, and a spoonful of vinegar; if spinach juice, then put one ounce of fresh butter, and whisk all together over a fire till it begins to boil. n. b. should the sauce be made of spinach juice instead of vinegar, there may be put two table spoonfuls of the pulp of gooseberries rubbed through a hair sieve. _fennel sauce for mackarel._ pick green fennel, mint, and parsley, a little of each; wash, boil them till tender, drain and press them, chop them fine, add melted butter, and serve up the sauce immediately, for should the herbs be mixed with the butter any length of time before it is served up, they will be discoloured. the same observation should be noticed in making parsley and butter sauce. _bread sauce, for turkies, game, &c._ soak a piece of crumb of bread with half a pint of milk or cream, add a peeled middling-sized onion, and put them over a fire; when the milk is absorbed bruise the bread, mix with it two ounces of fresh butter, a little white pepper, and salt; and when it is to be served up take out the onion. _melted butter._ in order to prevent butter from oiling, the flour and water that may be sufficient for the quantity of butter should be made boiling, skimmed clean, and the butter added to dissolve, being careful it is of a proper thickness. in the same manner may be made fish sauces, adding the liquor of the lobsters or oysters, &c. with flour and water, and when boiling add the butter with the other ingredients. _to make melon citron._ take middling-sized melons when half ripe, cut them in quarters, take away the seed, and lay the melons in salt and water for three days. have ready a thin syrup; then drain and wipe dry the quarters, put them into the sugar, and let them simmer a quarter of an hour; the next day boil them up again, and so on for three days; then take them out, and add to the syrup some mountain wine, a little brandy, and more sugar; clarify it, and boil it nearly to a candied height, put the melons into it and boil them five minutes; then put them in glasses, and cover them close with bladder and leather. _rusks, or tops and bottoms._ take two eggs beat up, add them to a pint of good mild yest and a little milk. sift four pounds of best white flour, and set a sponge with the above ingredients; then make boiling half a pound of fresh butter and some milk, a sufficient quantity to make the sponge the stiffness of common dough. let it lay in the kneading trough till well risen; then mould and make it into the form of loaves of the bigness of small teacups; after which batch them flat, bake them in a moderate oven, and when nearly done take them out, cut the top from the bottom, and dry them till of a nice colour on tin plates in the oven. _wafers._ take a table spoonful of orange flower water, a table spoonful of flour, the same of good cream, sifted sugar to the palate, and a dessert spoonful of syrup of cinnamon; beat all the ingredients together for twenty minutes; then make the wafer tongs hot, and pour a little batter just sufficient to cover the irons; bake them over a slow fire, and when taken from the tongs roll them round, and preserve them in a dry place. _cracknels._ to half a pound of best white flour sifted add half a pound of sifted loaf sugar, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, two table spoonfuls of rose water, a little salt, the yolks and whites of three eggs beat up, and mix all well together for twenty minutes. then roll it out, cut it into what shapes you please with a pastry cutter, put them on baking plates rubbed with butter, wash the tops of the paste with whites of eggs well beaten, and bake them in a brisk oven. _to bake pears._ to a pint of water add the juice of three seville oranges, cinnamon, cloves, and mace, a small quantity of each, a bit of lemon peel, and boil them together a quarter of an hour; then strain and add to the liquor a pint of red port, plenty of loaf sugar, and a little cochineal; after which pare, cut into halves, and core, twelve large baking pears, put them into a pan, add the liquor, cover the pan with writing paper, and bake them in a moderate oven. n. b. they may be done in the same manner in a stewpan over a fire. _to clarify sugar._ to four pounds of loaf sugar put two quarts of water into a preserving pan, set it over a fire, and add (when it is warm) the whites of three eggs beat up with half a pint of water; when the syrup boils skim it clean, and let it simmer till perfectly clear. n. b. to clarify sugar for carmel requires but a small quantity of water; and the different degrees of strength, when wanted, must be attended to with practice. they are generally thrown over a mould rubbed with sweet oil; for cakes, with a fork dipped in the sugar, &c. _syrup of cloves, &c._ put a quart of boiling water into a stewpan, add a quarter of a pound of cloves, cover the pan close, set it over a fire, and let the cloves boil gently for half an hour; then drain them dry, and add to a pint of the liquor two pounds of loaf sugar. clear it with the whites of two eggs beat up with a little cold water, and let it simmer till it becomes a strong syrup. preserve it in vials close corked. n. b. in the same manner may be done cinnamon or mace. _syrup of golden pippins._ take the pippins when nearly ripe, pare, core, and cut them into very thin slices, or bruise them a little in a marble mortar. then put them into an earthen vessel, add a small quantity of water, the rind of a lemon, plenty of sifted sugar, and a little lemon juice. let the ingredients remain in the pan close covered for two days, then strain the juice through a piece of lawn, add more sugar if requisite, clear it with white of egg if necessary, and boil it to a syrup. n. b. nonpareils, quinces, pine-apples, or the rind of lemons peeled very thin, may be done in the same manner. _syrup of capillaire._ clarify with three whites of egg four pounds of loaf sugar mixed with three quarts of spring water and a quarter of an ounce of isinglass; when it is cold add to the syrup a sufficient quantity of orange flower water as will make it palatable, and likewise a little syrup of cloves. put it into bottles close corked for use. _flowers in sugar._ clarify sugar to a carmel height, which may be known by dipping in a fork, and if it throws the sugar as fine as threads put in the flowers. have ready teacups with the insides rubbed with sweet oil; put into each cup four silver table spoonfuls of the sugar and flowers, and when cold turn them out of the cups, and serve them up piled on each other. _syrup of roses._ gather one pound of damask rose leaves when in high season, put them into an earthen vessel, add a quart of boiling spring water, cover the pan close, and let it remain six hours; then run the liquor through a piece of lawn, and add to a pint of the juice a pound and a half of loaf sugar; boil it over a brisk fire till of a good syrup, being careful in the skimming, and preserve it in bottles close corked. n. b. the syrup may be cleared with two eggs. _to preserve cucumbers._ take fresh gathered gerkins of a large size, and lay them in salt and water for two days; then drain and wipe them dry, put them into glasses, make boiling-hot a mixture of sugar, vinegar, and water, a small quantity of each; pour it over the cucumbers, cover and set them in a warm place, likewise boil the liquor and pour over them for three successive days. then take a quart of the liquor, add to it plenty of cloves, mace, ginger, and lemon peel. boil these ingredients for half an hour, strain and put to it plenty of sifted sugar, clear it with whites of eggs if requisite, boil to a strong syrup, and put it to the gerkins. when wiped dry and in the glasses, cover them down very close. _to preserve currants._ take large bunches of ripe currants, make a thin syrup with sugar and water, set it over a fire, when it boils put in the fruit, and let them remain in a cold place till the next day; then take them out carefully, lay them on a dish, make the liquor boil again, and put in the currants, taking care not to let them break. take them out a second time, add more sugar to the syrup, with a quart of currant juice; clarify it, boil it to a strong syrup, and when it is cold put the currants into glasses, pour the syrup over, and tie them down close. _to preserve barberries._ bruise a quart of ripe barberries, add a quart of spring water, put them over a fire, when boiling run the liquor through a fine sieve, and put with it three pounds of clarified sugar. then add a sufficient quantity of large bunches of ripe barberries, put them over a fire, when boiling-hot set them away till the next day, take the barberries out of the syrup and put them into glasses; boil the liquor to a good consistence, pour it over, and cover them close. _gooseberry fool._ put a quart of green gooseberries and a gill of water in a stewpan over a fire close covered; when the fruit is tender rub it through a fine hair sieve, add to the pulp sifted loaf sugar, and let it stand till cold. in the mean time put a pint of cream or new milk into a stewpan, with a stick of cinnamon, a small piece of lemon peel, sugar, a few cloves and coriander seeds, and boil the ingredients ten minutes. have ready the yolks of six eggs and a little flour and water well beaten; strain the milk to them, whisk it over a fire to prevent it from curdling, when it nearly boils set the pan in cold water, stir the cream for five minutes, and let it stand till cold. then mix the pulp of the gooseberries and the cream together, add a little grated nutmeg, and sweeten it more if agreeable to the palate. n. b. strawberries, raspberries, apricots, and other ripe fruits, may be rubbed through a sieve and the pulp added to the cream. _sago._ to half an ounce of sago washed clean add a pint of water and a bit of lemon peel; cover the pan close, set it over a fire, let it simmer till the sago is nearly done, and the liquor absorbed. then put to it half a pint of red port, a tea spoonful of pounded cinnamon and cloves or mace, sweeten to the palate with loaf sugar, and let it boil gently for ten minutes. _oatmeal pottage, or gruel._ mix together three table spoonfuls of oatmeal, a very little salt, and a quart of water; put them over a fire, and let it boil gently for half an hour. then skim and strain it, add to it an ounce of fresh butter, some loaf sugar, a little brandy, and grated nutmeg; or instead of these ingredients put pepper, salt, and fresh butter, to the palate; then boil it again five minutes, mix it till very smooth, and let it be of a moderate consistence. _to bottle gooseberries, &c. for tarts._ gather gooseberries on a dry day when about half grown, and pick off the stalks and blossoms; then put the fruit into wide-mouthed bottles and shake them down; cork them very close, bake them in a moderate oven till thoroughly heated through, and set them in a dry cool place. n. b. damsons, currants, cherries, or plums may be done in the same way. [the above mode of preserving fruits is recommended in preference to preserving them with sugar, it frequently happening that fruits done with syrup will fret, and in that event the whole be spoiled.] _to bottle gooseberries another way._ when the gooseberries are picked put them into the bottles and cover them with spring water; then set them in a large pan of cold water, put them over a moderate fire, and when the gooseberries appear to be scalded enough take out the bottles and set them in a cool place, and when cold cork them close. [this mode has been found to answer extremely well. the small champaign gooseberry is recommended likewise for the purpose.] _small cakes._ take half a pound of sifted sugar, half a pound of fresh butter, three quarters of a pound of sifted flour, and rub all together; then wet it with a gill of boiling milk, strew in a few carraway seeds, and let it lay till the next day; after which mould and cut it into eleven dozen pieces, roll them as thin as possible, and bake them in an oven three parts cold. _diet bread cake._ take nine eggs and sifted sugar of their weight; break the whites into one pan and the yolks into another; then whisk the whites till of a solid froth, beat the yolks, and whisk them with the whites; add the sugar with the weight of five eggs of flour, mix all well together, put in a few carraway seeds, and bake it in a hoop. _sponge biscuits._ take the same mixture as for diet bread, only omitting the carraway seeds; then rub the inside of small tin pans with fresh butter, fill them with the mixture, sift sugar over, and bake them in a moderate oven. _common seed cake._ to one pound and a half of flour put half a pound of fresh butter broke into small pieces round it, likewise a quarter of a pound of sifted sugar, and half a grated nutmeg; then make a cavity in the center of the flour and set a sponge with a gill of yest and a little warm milk; when well risen add slices of candied orange or lemon peel and an egg beat up. mix all these ingredients well together with a little warm milk, let the dough be of a proper stiffness, mould it into a cake, prove it in a warm place, and then bake it. _cinnamon cakes._ break six eggs into a pan with three table spoonfuls of rose water, whisk them well together, add a pound of sifted sugar, a dessert spoonful of pounded cinnamon, and as much flour as will make it into a good paste; then roll it out, cut it into what shapes you please, bake them on white paper, and when done take them off, and preserve them in a dry place for use. _to make red colouring for pippin paste, &c. for garnishing twelfth cakes._ take an ounce of cochineal beat very fine; add three gills of water, a quarter of an ounce of roche-alum, and two ounces of lump sugar; boil them together for twenty minutes, strain it through a fine sieve, and preserve it for use close covered. _twelfth cakes._ take seven pounds of flour, make a cavity in the center, set a sponge with a gill and a half of yest and a little warm milk; then put round it one pound of fresh butter broke into small lumps, one pound and a quarter of sifted sugar, four pounds and a half of currants washed and picked, half an ounce of sifted cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of pounded cloves, mace, and nutmeg mixed, sliced candied orange or lemon peel and citron. when the sponge is risen mix all the ingredients together with a little warm milk; let the hoops be well papered and buttered, then fill them with the mixture and bake them, and when nearly cold ice them over with sugar prepared for that purpose as per receipt; or they may be plain. _bristol cakes._ take six ounces of sifted sugar, six ounces of fresh butter, four whites and two yolks of eggs, nine ounces of flour, and mix them well together in an earthen pan with the hand; then add three quarters of a pound of picked currants, and drop the mixture with a spoon upon tin plates rubbed with butter, and bake them in a brisk oven. _hyde park corner cakes._ take two pounds of flour, four ounces of common sugar, and half an ounce of carraway seeds pounded; then set a sponge with half a gill of yest and some warm milk, and when it works take some boiling milk, add to it five ounces of fresh butter, mix it up light, add let it lay some time; then roll it out, cut it into what forms you please, and bake them in a moderate oven. _good gingerbread nuts._ take four pounds of flour, half a pound of sifted sugar, one ounce of carraway seeds, half an ounce of ginger pounded and sifted, six ounces of fresh butter, and two ounces of candied orange peel cut into small slices. then take a pound of treacle or honey and a gill of cream, make them warm together, mix all the ingredients into a paste, and let it lay six hours; then roll it out, make it into nuts, and bake them in a moderate oven. _bride cake._ take two pounds of sifted loaf sugar, four pounds of fresh butter, four pounds of best white flour dried and sifted, a quarter of an ounce of mace and cinnamon, likewise the same quantity of nutmeg pounded and sifted, thirty eggs, four pounds of currants washed, picked, and dried before a fire, a pound of jordan almonds blanched and pounded, a pound of citron, a pound of candied orange and a pound of candied lemon peels cut into slices, and half a pint of brandy; then proceed as follows:--first work the butter to a cream with the hand, then beat in the sugar for a quarter of an hour, whisk the whites of eggs to a solid froth, and mix them with the sugar and butter; then beat the yolks for a quarter of an hour and put them to the above, likewise add the flour, mace, and nutmeg; beat all well together till the oven is ready, and then mix in lightly the brandy, currants, almonds, and sweetmeats. line a hoop with paper, rub it with butter, fill it with the mixture, bake it in a brisk oven, and when it is risen cover it with paper to prevent it from burning. it may be served up either iced or plain. _rice cakes._ whisk the yolks of seven eggs for a quarter of an hour, add five ounces of sifted sugar, and mix them well; put to them a quarter of a pound of rice, some flour, a little brandy, the rind of a lemon grated very fine, and a small quantity of pounded mace; then beat six whites of eggs for some time, mix all together for ten minutes, fill a hoop with the mixture, and bake it in a brisk oven. _bath cakes._ take a pound of fresh butter and rub with it a pound of flour, mix them into a light paste with a gill of yest and some warm cream, and set it in a warm place to rise; then mould in with it a few carraway seeds, make it into cakes the size of small french rolls, and bake them on tins buttered. _pancakes._ to half a pound of best white flour sifted add a little salt, grated nutmeg, cream or new milk, and mix them well together; then whisk eight eggs, put them to the above, and beat the mixture for ten minutes till perfectly smooth and light, and let it be of a moderate thickness. when the cakes are to be fried, put a little piece of lard or fresh butter in each frying-pan over a regular fire, and when hot put in the mixture, a sufficient quantity just to cover the bottom of each pan, fry them of a nice colour, and serve them up very hot. serve with them, likewise, some sifted loaf sugar, pounded cinnamon, and seville orange, on separate plates. n. b. before the frying pans are used let them be prepared with a bit of butter put into each and burnt; then wipe them very clean with a dry cloth, as this method prevents the batter from sticking to the pan when frying. _shrewsbury cakes._ beat half a pound of fresh butter to a cream, add to it the same quantity of flour, one egg, six ounces of sifted sugar, and a quarter of an ounce of carraway seeds. mix all together into a paste, roll it out thin, stamp it with a tin cutter, prick the cakes with a fork, lay them on tin plates rubbed with butter, and bake them in a slow oven. _portugal cakes, or heart cakes._ take a pound of flour, a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand (or a whisk) till they become like a fine batter. then add two spoonfuls of rose water, half a pound of currants washed and picked, break ten eggs, whisk them, and mix well all together. butter ten moulds, fill them three parts full with the mixture, and bake them in a brisk oven. _macaroons._ take a pound of jordan almonds blanched and pounded fine, with a little rose water to preserve them from oiling, and add a pound of sifted sugar; then whisk the whites of ten eggs to a solid froth and add to the above; beat all together for some time. have ready wafer paper on tin plates, drop the mixture over it separately the size of a shilling or smaller, sift a little sugar over, and bake them. _mirangles._ take the whites of nine eggs, and whisk them to a solid froth; then add the rind of six lemons grated very fine and a spoonful of sifted sugar; after which lay a wet sheet of paper on a tin, and with a spoon drop the mixture in little lumps separately upon it, sift sugar over, and bake them in a moderately heated oven, observing they are of a nice colour. then put raspberry, apricot, or any other kind of jam between two bottoms, add them together, and lay them in a warm place or before the fire to dry. _ratafias._ blanch and pound half a pound of jordan almonds, likewise the same quantity of bitter almonds, and preserve them from oiling with rose water; then add a pound of sifted sugar, beat the whites of four eggs well, and mix lightly with them; after which put the mixture into a preserving pan, set it over a moderate fire, stirring till it is pretty hot, and when it is cold roll it into small rolls, cut them into small cakes the bigness of a shilling, dip the top of your finger into flour and touch lightly each cake, put them on wafer paper, sift sugar over, and bake them in a slow oven. _lemon puffs._ put a pound of sifted loaf sugar in a bowl with the juice of two lemons, and beat them together; then whisk the white of an egg to a very high froth, add it to the mixture, and whisk it for twenty minutes; after which put to it the rind of three lemons grated very fine and three eggs, mixing all well together. sift sugar over wafer paper, drop on it the mixture in small quantities, and bake them in a moderately heated oven. _chantilly basket._ have ready a small quantity of warm clarified sugar boiled to a carmel height, dip ratafia cakes into it, and place them round the inside of a dish. then cut more ratafia cakes into squares, dip them into the sugar, pile them on the others, and so on for two or three stories high. after which line the inside with wafer paper, fill with sponge biscuits, sweetmeats, blanched almonds, and some made cream as for an apple pie, put some trifle froth over that, and garnish the froth with rose leaves, or coloured comfits or carmel of sugar thrown lightly over the top. _green codlins, frosted with sugar._ take twelve codlins, blanch them in water with a little roche-alum in it and some vine leaves; when they are nearly done take off the outside skin, rub the apples over with oiled fresh butter, and sift plenty of sugar over them; then lay them on a clean tin, put them into a slow oven, and when the sugar sparkles like frost take them out. when they are cold serve them up in a trifle glass with some perfumed cream round them made as for an apple pie, and on the top of each codlin stick a small flower for garnish. _pound cake._ take a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand for ten minutes; then put to them nine yolks and five whites of eggs beaten, whisk them well, and add a pound of sifted flour, a few carraway seeds, a quarter of a pound of candied orange peel cut into slices, a few currants washed and picked, and mix all together as light as possible. _yest cake._ take one pound of flour, two pounds of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, a quarter of a pound of lisbon sugar, a quarter of a pound of citron and candied orange peel cut into slices, cinnamon and mace a small quantity of each pounded and sifted. make a cavity in the center of the ingredients, add a gill of sweet wine, a little warm milk, a teacupful of yest, and let it stand till the yest works; then put a little more warm milk, mix all together, fill a hoop with it, and let it remain till risen, and bake it. _rich plum cake._ take one pound of sifted sugar, one pound of fresh butter, and mix them with the hand in a earthen dish for a quarter of an hour. then beat well ten yolks and five whites of eggs, put two thirds of them to the sugar and butter, and mix them together till it begins to be tough; after which add one pound and a half of currants washed and picked, a quarter of a pound of citron, a quarter of a pound of candied orange or lemon peel cut into slices, a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds blanched and bruised very fine. then pound a quarter of a pound of muscadine raisins, put to them a gill of sweet wine and a spoonful of brandy, strain the liquor through a cloth to the mixture, add the rest of the eggs, and mix all together as light as possible. _dried cherries._ gather the largest flemish cherries (or english bearers) when nearly ripe, pick off the stalks and take the stones away; have ready a thin syrup boiling-hot, put the cherries into it, and let them remain till the next day; then strain and boil the liquor again, and add to the cherries; the same again on the third day; on the fourth day strain the syrup, add more sugar, and clarify it; boil it to a strong consistence, add the cherries, put them into jars, and when they are cold cover them close. when wanted for use take them out, lay them on large drying sieves, and put them in a very slack oven. n. b. in the same manner may be done apricots, pears, plums, &c. _pippins with rice._ boil two ounces of whole rice with half a pint of milk, and when it is nearly absorbed put the rice into a marble mortar, add a table spoonful of brandy, a little grated lemon peel, a small quantity of pounded cinnamon and cloves, two ounces of sifted sugar, two eggs, and pound all together. then pare twelve large ripe golden pippins, core them with an apple scoop, mould over them some of the mixture with the hand, put writing paper on a tin-plate, rub it over with sweet oil or butter, put the apples on it, and bake them gently till done; then serve them up in a deep dish with melted butter over and a little of the syrup of quinces mixed with it. _to make english bread._ take a peck of the best white flour, sift it into a trough, make a cavity in the center, and strain through a hair sieve (mixed together) a pint of good yest and a pint of lukewarm water; mix them lightly with some of the flour till of a light paste, set it in a warm place covered over to prove for an hour; then mix the whole with two quarts of lukewarm water and a little salt, knead it, let it be of a good stiffness, prove it an hour more and knead it again; prove it another hour, mould it into loaves or batch two pieces together, and bake them in a brisk oven. n. b. a middling-size loaf will require an hour and a half in baking. _french bread._ sift a peck of fine flour into a trough, make a cavity in the center with the hand, strain into it (mixed together) a pint of lukewarm milk and a pint of good yest; mix them with some of the flour till of a light sponge, set it in a warm place covered over to prove for an hour; then add to it two quarts of lukewarm milk, half a pound of fresh butter, an ounce of sifted loaf sugar, and a little salt; knead it till of a nice stiffness, let it prove an hour more, knead it again, and let it prove another hour; then mould it into bricks, lay them on tins, put them into a very slack oven or warm place to prove for half an hour, and bake them in a brisk oven. _pulpton of apples._ pare, cut into quarters, and core eight good-sized baking apples; put them into a stewpan, add a bit of lemon peel and a table spoonful of rose water; cover the pan close, put it over a slow fire, and when the apples are tender rub them through a hair sieve, put to the pulp, sugar to the palate, sifted cinnamon and cloves a small quantity of each, four eggs well beaten, a quarter of a pound of the crumb of french bread soaked in a gill of cream, and mix all the ingredients together. rub the inside of a mould with fresh butter, fill it with the mixture, bake it in a moderately heated oven, when done turn it out on a dish, and serve it up with sifted sugar over. _a sweet omlet of eggs._ mix well together ten eggs, half a gill of cream, a quarter of a pound of oiled fresh butter and a little syrup of nutmeg; sweeten it with loaf sugar, put the mixture into a prepared frying pan as for a savory omlet, fry it in the same manner, and serve it up with a little sifted sugar over it. _to keep cucumbers for winter use for sauces._ take fresh gathered middling-sized cucumbers, put them into a jar, have ready half vinegar, half water, and some salt, a sufficient quantity to cover them; make it boiling-hot, pour it over them, add sweet oil, cover the jars down close with bladder and leather, and set them in a dry place. _to preserve mushrooms for sauces._ peel button forced mushrooms, wash them and boil till half done in a sufficient quantity of salt and water to cover them; then drain them and dry in the sun, boil the liquor with different spices, put the mushrooms into a jar, pour the boiling pickle over them, add sweet oil, and tie them over with bladder, &c. _pullet roasted with batter._ bone and force the pullet with good stuffing or forcemeat, paper it and put it to roast; when half done take off the paper, and baste the fowl with a little light batter; let it dry, baste it again, so repeating till it is done and nicely crusted over; then serve it up with benshamelle or poivrade sauce beneath. _dutch beef._ rub the prime ribs of fat beef with common salt, and let them lay in a pan for three days; then rub them with the different articles as for hams or tongues, and add plenty of bruised juniper berries. turn the meat every two days for three weeks, and smoke it. _mushroom ketchup._ take a parcel of mushrooms either natural or forced, the latter will prove the best, and cut off part of the stalk towards the root. wash the mushrooms clean, drain them, then bruise them a little in a marble mortar, put them into an earthen vessel with a middling quantity of salt, let them remain for four days, and then strain them through a tamis cloth. when the sediment is settled pour the liquor into a stewpan, and to every pint of juice add half a gill of red port, a little whole allspice, cloves, mace, and pepper. boil them together twenty minutes, then skim and strain the ketchup, and when cold put it into small bottles and cork them close. _suet pudding._ chop fine half a pound of beef suet, add to it the same quantity of flour, two eggs beaten, a little salt, a small quantity of pounded and sifted ginger, and mix them together with milk. let the mixture be of a moderate thickness. it may be either boiled or baked. _savoy cake._ beat well together the yolks of eight eggs and a pound of sifted sugar, and whisk the whites till of a solid froth; then take six ounces of flour and a little sifted cinnamon, and mix all the ingredients lightly together; after which rub a mould with fresh butter, fill it three parts full with the mixture, and bake it in a slack heated oven. _nutmeg syrup._ pound a quarter of a pound of nutmegs, put them into a stewpan, add a pint and a half of hot water, and boil them for half an hour; then strain, and put to a pint of liquor two pounds of sifted sugar and one egg beat up with a little cold water; set it over a fire, and when it boils skim it till perfectly clear and reduced to a good syrup, and when it is cold mix with it half a pint of brandy. having this syrup always at hand will answer a better purpose for puddings, &c. than grated nutmeg and brandy, as the mixtures can be better palated, and likewise save trouble and expense. _sweetbreads with veal and ham._ blanch heart sweetbreads eight minutes, and wash and wipe them dry; then make an incision in the under part, take out a piece and pound it with a small quantity of light forcemeat; after which fill the cavity in the sweetbread, rub the top with white of egg, lay over it a thin slice of lean ham, a slice of veal, and a bard of bacon; put paper and a thin sheet of common paste over the whole, bake them gently for an hour, and when they are to be served up take off the paste and paper, glaize lightly the bacon, and put under the sweetbreads a good benshamelle. _essence of ham for sauces._ take four pounds of slices of lean ham, and be careful it is of a good flavour; put it into a stewpan with a little water, six peeled eschallots, and two bay leaves; cover the pan close, set it over a fire, and simmer the ham till three parts done; then add two quarts of water and boil it till tender, strain it through a fine sieve, skim it perfectly free from fat, clear it with whites of eggs, strain it through a tamis, boil it till it is reduced to a pint, and when cold put it into small bottles and cork them close. _ox heart roasted._ let the heart be very fresh, wash and wipe it, fill it with a stuffing as for a fillet of veal, tie over the top a piece of veal caul, roast it gently one hour and an half, and five minutes before it is done roast it quick, froth it with flour and butter, and put it on a very hot dish. serve it up with a sauce under it made with cullis, fresh butter, a table spoonful of ketchup, and half a gill of red port boiled together. _slices of cod fried with oysters._ egg, breadcrumb, and fry in boiling lard, some slices of crimped cod; when done, drain them dry, serve them up with oyster sauce in the center, made in the same manner as for beef steaks. _small crusts to be eaten with cheese or wine after dinner._ take the crumb of a new-baked loaf, pull it into small pieces, put them on a baking plate, and set them in a moderately heated oven till they are of a nice brown colour. _devilled almonds._ blanch half a pound of jordan almonds and wipe them dry; then put into a frying-pan two ounces of fresh butter, make it hot, add the almonds, fry them gently till of a good brown colour, drain them on a hair sieve, strew over cayenne pepper and some salt, and serve them up hot. _boiled tripe and onions._ cut a prepared double of tripe into slips, then peel and boil some spanish or other onions in milk and water with a little salt, and when they are nearly done add the tripe and boil it gently ten minutes. serve it to table with the onions and a little of the liquor in a tureen. serve up, likewise, in a sauceboat, some melted butter with a little mustard mixed with it, and (if approved) there may be added a table spoonful of vinegar. _boiled sweetbreads._ blanch two heart sweetbreads, wash and trim off the pipe, then boil them in milk and water with a little salt for half an hour; drain them dry, and when they are to be served to table put over them some boiling benshamelle with a little parsley chopped very fine in it. _broiled sweetbreads._ blanch the sweetbreads till half done, wash and trim off the pipe, then cut them into large slices, season with a small quantity of cayenne pepper and salt, broil them gently over a clear fire till of a nice brown colour, and serve them up very hot, with some cold fresh butter on a plate. _conclusion, with remarks._ all sweets, pastry, shellfish or savoury dishes, either plain or modelled, with fat or butter, or ornaments of any kind, that are served up in second courses or ball suppers, &c. should be very light, airy, and neat; the pastry, likewise, of the best puff paste, well-baked, and rather inclining to a pale colour, which has a very good effect. let it also be observed, that mention should have been made in the receipt for mock turtle, of an addition to the passing of flour and butter, to each gallon of liquor half a pint of madeira wine; and (if approved) the mock turtle may be made with pieces of cow-heel or pig's head instead of calf's scalp. index. a. a la reine soup, almond cake, ------ custards, ------ nuts, ------ paste, ------ pudding, almonds devilled, anchovie essence for fish sauces, -------- sauce, apples, to stew, for tarts, apple dumplings, ----- fritters, ----- pudding baked, ------------- boiled, ----- sauce for pork, &c., apricot jam, apricots, preserved, for tarts or desserts, ib. artichoke bottoms fried, ----------------- stewed, -----------------, to dry, -----------------, to pickle, ashée sauce, asparagus peas, --------- peas another way, --------- tops for sauces, aspect of fish, ------ of meat or fowl, atlets curried, b. bacquillio with herbs, bagnets a l'eau, baked beef, ----- pears, barberries, to pickle, ----------- to preserve. bath cakes, batter, to prepare, for frying, ------- pudding, beef collops, ---- palates stewed, ---- red, for slices, ---- steaks broiled, ---- steak pudding, ---- stock, ---- tails, beet root, to pickle, benshamelle, or white cullis, black puddings, french, blancmange, white, boiled sweetbreads, breadcrumbs to prepare for frying, bread pudding, ----- sauce for turkies, &c., breast of lamb with benshamelle, -------------- en matelote, ib. -------------- with peas, breast of veal en gallentine, -------------- ragout, ib. -------------- with oysters, bride cakes, brisket of beef with spanish onions, -------------------- ashée or haricot, bristol cakes, broiled mackarel, ------- salmon, ------- sweetbreads, burnt cream, butter clarified for potting, ------ melted, buns, c. cabbage, red, to pickle, -------- to stew, calf's feet jelly, ------ head hashed, ------ liver roasted, callipash, callipee, canopies, cardoons stewed, carrot pudding, cauliflower a la cream, ----------- sauce, ----------- with parmezan cheese, ib. celery fried, ------ sauce (brown), ------ sauce (white), ib. ------ soup, champignons, &c. to dry, chantilly basket, cheese cakes, ------ stewed, cherries in brandy for desserts, chicken puffs, ------- tourte, ------- with lemon sauce, ------- or turkies with celery sauce, ------- with oyster sauce, ib. ------- with peas, -------------- another way, cinnamon cakes, citron of melons, clarified butter for potting, --------- sugar, cleared brown stock, cloves, syrup of, codlins, green, frosted with sugar, coffee cream, collared eels, -------- pig, collops, veal (brown), ------- (white), colouring for paste for garnishing, compote of oranges, ------- of pigeons, consumé, cracknels, crayfish soup, cream for fruit pies, cressey soup, crisp tart paste, cucumbers forced, ---------, to keep for winter use, ---------, to pickle, ---------, large, to pickle, ---------, to preserve, cullis, or thick gravy, currant jelly, currants, to pickle, --------, to preserve, currie or pepper water, ------ of chickens, ------ of lobsters, ------ of mutton, ib. ------ of pig's head, ------ of veal, curried atlets, cutlets, lamb, with cucumbers, -------------- with tendrons, -------------- another way, cutlets, mutton, with haricot, ---------------, with potatoes, ---------------, a la maintenon, ---------------, a la irish stew, cutlets, pork, with red or white cabbage, ib. -------------, with robert sauce, -------------, another way, cutlets, veal, larded, -------------, natural, d. damson pudding, -------------- another way, ib. diet bread, directions for meat and poultry plain boiled, ---------- for roasting, ---------- for vegetables, dried cherries, duck with benshamelle, ---- with cucumbers, ---- aux naves, dutch beef, ----- blancmange, ----- sauce, e. eel pie, egg paste for balls, soups, &c., eggs and bacon, ---- buttered, ---- fried with ham, &c., ---- poached with sorrel, &c., ---- a la tripe, endive stewed, english bread, entrée of eels, ------ of mackarel, ------ of salmon, ------ of smelts, ------ of soles, ------ of whitings, essence of ham for sauces, f. fennel sauce for mackarel, fillet of beef larded, ------ of mutton with cucumbers, ------ of pork roasted, ------ of veal prepared for roasting, fish for frying, ---- meagre pie, ---- meagré soup, ---- plain boiled, ---- prepared for broiling, ------------- for frying, ib. ------------- for stewing, flat chicken pie, or tourte, flowers in sugar, forcemeat balls for soups and ragouts, fowl a la memorancy, --------- st. menehout, fowl, &c. with oyster sauce, french beans creamed, ------ black puddings, ------ bread, ------ salad, fricando veal glaized, fricassee of chicken or rabbits (white or brown), --------- of tripe, fried parsley, ----- puffs with sweetmeats, fruit pudding baked, g. giblet soup, giblets stewed plain, ------ stewed with peas, gingerbread nuts, glaize for hams, larding, &c., golden pippins a la cream, -------------- another way, -------------- stewed, -------------- syrup of, gooseberries, to bottle, ------------- another way, gooseberry fool, gravy for meats and poultry, green codlins frosted, ----- gage jam, ----- geese for roasting, ----- peas soup, ----- sauce for poultry, ----- truffles for a dish, grills generally eaten after dinner, grown geese and ducks prepared for roasting, guinea fowls for roasting, ib. h. haggess, to make, ham braised and glaized, hard eggs fried, hare glaized, ---- jugged, hares to prepare for roasting, ----- another way, ib. haricot mutton cutlets, ------- sauce, hashed beef, in n. b., ------ calves head, ------ fowl, ------ hare, wild fowl, &c., ------ mutton, ------ venison, haunch of venison, &c. to prepare for roasting, herbs dried, hodge podge, or an english olio, hyde park corner cakes, i. j. ice cream, iceing for cakes, india pickle, jerusalem artichokes stewed, -------------------- another way, l. lamb, hind quarter of, marinated, ------------------ with spinach, ----, leg of, with oysters, ib. lamb or pork chops plain broiled, lamb's fry with parsley, ---------- another way, ib. ------ head minced, ------ tails and ears, larks, to prepare for roasting, leason for fricassees and soups, lemonade or orangeade, lemon peel candied, ----- puffs, ----- sauce, to make, light forcemeat for pies, &c., liquid of colour for sauces, lobsters buttered, lobster sauce for fish, loin of veal a la cream, m. macaroni stewed for a dish, macaroons, mackarel, broiled, common way, -------- the german way, marbree jelly, marinate, to make, marrow bones, ------ pudding, mashed potatoes, mashed turnips, matelote of rabbits, meat cake, melted butter, to prepare, milk punch, mince meat, minced veal for a dish, ----------- another way, mirangles, mock turtle, morells, &c. to dry, muffin pudding with dried cherries, mushroom ketchup, -------- powder, mushrooms broiled, ---------, to dry, ---------, to pickle, ---------, to preserve, for sauces, ---------, stewed (brown), -----------------,(white), mutton broth, ------ or lamb, &c. broiled, ------ pie, ------ rumps marinated, n. neck of lamb glaized, ---- of veal en erison, ----------- larded, nutmeg syrup, o. oatmeal pottage or gruel, observations on fish and sauces, ------------ on meat and poultry, ------------ on stores, old or split peas soup, --- peas soup another way, olios, or a spanish dish, ------ how to make, omlets of eggs for garnishing, -------------- several ways, onion sauce, ----- soup, onions fried with parmezan cheese, ------, to pickle, orangeade, orange or lemon peel candied, ------ marmalade, ------ pudding, orgeat, ox cheek stewed, -- heart to prepare for roasting, oyster atlets, ------ loaves, ------ sauce for beef steaks, ------------ for fish, ------------ (white), oysters prepared for frying, ------- scolloped, p. pancakes, parsley, to fry, partridge soup, partridges or pheasants au choux, ----------------------- for roasting, ----------------------- with truffles, passing of flour and butter, paste for stringing tartlets, &c., pastry cream, patties of lobster or oysters, ------- with forcemeat, ib. peas pudding to be eaten with pork, ---- stewed for a dish, ----, to stew, for sauce, peloe of rice, -----, another way, pepper or currie water, peths fried, petit patties of chicken and ham, pickled oysters, ------- tongues, pickle tongue forced, pickling, rules to be observed in, pig, to prepare for roasting, pigs feet and ears, ------------------, to prepare, pigeon pie, pigeons a la craupidine, ------- glaized, ------- with sorrel, ib. ------- to prepare for roasting, pike or sturgeon baked or roasted, pippins with rice, plovers eggs different ways, plum pottage, ---- pudding, very rich, poivrade sauce for game, pork pie, portugal or heart cakes, potatoe pudding, potatoes creamed, -------- fried, potted beef, ------ cheese, ------ larks, &c., ------ lobster, ------ veal, poultry, directions for plain boiling, pound cake, prepared batter for several articles, preserved barberries, --------- cucumbers, --------- currants, puff paste, puffs with forcemeat of vegetables, pulled chicken or turkey, pullet a la memorancy, ------ roasted with batter, ------ with celery sauce, ------ with oyster sauce (white), ib. pulpton of apples, ------- of rabbits, &c., pyramid of paste, q. quails, or ruffs and rees, to prepare for roasting, quarter of lamb marinated, ------- -- ---- with spinach, quince jam, r. rabbits en gallentine, ------- with onions, ------- to roast, ragout sweetbreads (brown), ------ ----------- (white), raised beef steak pie, raised chicken pie, ------ ham pie with directions to make a raised crust, raised pie with macaroni, ------ turkey pie with a tongue, rammequins, raspberry jam, ratafias, real turtle, red beef for slicing, --- cabbage, to pickle, remarks in conclusion, rhubarb tart, riband blancmange, ribs of beef to prepare for roasting, rice cakes, ---- pudding, ---- soup, ----, plain, to be eaten with currie, rich plum cake, rissoles, roasting, directions for, robert sauce, to make, rump of beef a-la mode, ------------ daubed or plain, rules to be observed in pickling, rusks, or tops and bottoms, s. sago, salad of asparagus, ----- of lobster, salmagundy, salmé of woodcocks, salmon broiled, santé soup, or with bouillie, savory jelly, savoy cake, ----- sauce, sausage meat, sea pie, seed cakes common way, shoulder of lamb en epigram, ---------------- glaized, ---------------- grilled, shrewsbury cakes, shrimp sauce, slices of cod fried with oyster sauce, small cakes, small crusts to be eaten after dinner with cheese or wine, sorrel sauce, soup a la reine, ---- for a family, sour crout, spanish onion sauce, sponge biscuits, stewed apples for tarts, ------ cucumbers, ------ peas for a dish, ----------- for sauces, stock, cleared, (brown), stores, observation on, stuffing for veal, turkey, &c., sturgeon roasted, suet pudding, sugar, to clarify, sweetbreads boiled, ----------- broiled, ib. ----------- en erison, ----------- fried, ----------- glaized, ----------- roasted, ----------- with veal and ham, sweet omlet of eggs, syllabub, syrup of capillaire, ----- of cloves, ----- of golden pippins, ----- of roses, t. tansey pudding, tarragon vinegar, tarts or tartlets, tea cream, tendrons of veal (brown or white), timbol of rice, tongues, &c. to pickle, trifle, tripe and onions boiled, ---------------- fried, truffles, green, for a dish, truffle sauce, turkey with chesnuts, ------ with celery or oyster sauce, ------ with ragout, ------ with truffles, turkies, to prepare for roasting, turnip sauce, ------ soup, twelfth cakes, v. veal cutlets common way, ---- olives, &c., ---- pie, ---- stock for soups, vegetable pie, vegetables, a neat dish of, ib. ----------, directions for, ---------- in moulds, venison, haunch of, to prepare for roasting, vermicelli soup (white), virgin cream, w. wafers, walnut ketchup for fish sauces, watercresses stewed, water souchée, white oyster sauce, white puddings, wild boar, to dress, ---- fowls to prepare for roasting, wings and legs of fowls glaized, ----------------------- with colours, woodcocks and snipes, to prepare for roasting, y. yest cake, the end. t. bensley, printer, bolt court, fleet street, london. * * * * * transcriber's notes: text uses é for fish meagré soup and e for fishmeagre pie. this was retained. all spelling on the monthly menus was retained as printed, for example, "begetables." to confirm this, please see the images included in the html version. in the remaining text, spelling was only changed where a clear majority of usage could be found in the same text. for example, "benshamelle" for "béchamel" was retained while "posssible" for "possible" was corrected. page x, "fishmeagré" changed to "fish meagré" to match usage in text (fish meagré soup) page xix, "preser ed" changed to "preserved" (preserved apricots for) page , "glaise" changed to "glaize" to match rest of usage (dry, glaize the top) page , "into it" changed to "it into" (it into a stewpan) page , "posssible" changed to "possible" (white as possible) page , "sallad" changed to "salad" (eat with this salad) page , "tea-poonful" changed to "tea spoonful" (red port, tea spoonful) page , "dumplins" changed to "dumplings" (apple dumplins, ) page , "blancmonge" changed to "blancmange" (blancmange, white, ) page , "parmesan" changed to "parmezan" to match usage in text (----------- with parmezan cheese, ib.) page , "blancmonge" changed to "blancmange" (----- blancmange, ) page , "megre" changed to "meagré" to match usage in text (---- meagré soup) page , index, reference for "india pickle" moved to land above "jerusalem". page , "blancmonge" changed to "blancmange" (riband blancmange, ) transcriber's note: every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible. missing punctuation and spaces have been added, and capitalization has been fixed. some other changes have been made. they are listed at the end of the text. hyphens have been doubled where they represent dashes. underlined text has been marked with _underscores_. friendship club cook book [illustration] [illustration] dora levitan memorial gift of mortimer levitan foreward the friendship club is an inter-racial women's social club. it was founded two years ago in madison by a group of negro and white women, who felt that in developing mutual understanding among themselves, they were thus answering a most grave result of segregation--ignorance. in the course of its short history, the club has brought together white, negro, chinese, jewish, catholic and protestant women; working and professional women, students and teachers, mothers and housewives. in informal gatherings, at our pot-luck suppers, sewing bees, teas and coffee hours, the women of the friendship club have gained insight into each others problems and re-affirmed their confidence that if people of different races, creeds and national origins would but have the opportunity to know and appreciate each other, it would be a long step forward towards solving some of the trying problems which face us all. this little book is a token of our friendship and faith in each other and in all people. madison, wisconsin friendship club cook book christmas-- contents meats, entrees, fish, one-dish meals white hot vegetables, salads, salad dressings gold cookies, cakes, frostings, desserts white breads, hot breads, breakfast specialties green in this little cookbook you will find the favorite recipes of the club members and many of their friends. they are favorites for one or more of three reasons--economy, ease of preparation, or unusual tastiness. the simplicity of the book is in keeping with the simplicity of our belief--our differences are superficial; our likenesses are fundamental. for we are all members of a single race--the human race. swedish meatballs c soft bread crumbs ¾ c water lb. ground beef t dried milk egg--slightly beaten t minced onion ½ t salt ¼ t nutmeg _ / t pepper_ ¼ c flour ¼ c fat c milk t salt ¼ t nutmeg soak bread in water. add to meat. sprinkle dried milk over this. blend thoroughly. add rest of ingredients (except flour and fat). make " meatballs; roll in flour; brown in fat. remove from skillet. add fat to pan to make t. combine t. cornstarch with small amount of milk to make paste. add milk to c. add seasoning and add mixture to melted fat. cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thick. return meatballs to gravy and reheat. creole chicken poulets (spring chickens) large onions sliced cloves garlic large tomatoes sweet green peppers or sprigs thyme sprigs parsley bay leaf t butter t flour c stock or water salt pepper disjoint chicken, season well with salt and pepper. cook chicken in melted butter until brown all over. add onion and brown lightly. sprinkle with flour, mix and cook until flour browns. add sliced tomatoes, chopped garlic and herbs and peppers. cover and simmer for minutes. add hot stock or water, season highly with salt and pepper and simmer for minutes more. serve pieces of chicken with sauce poured over them. serve with rice. cheese bake stale bread cut in pieces onion chopped cheese grated or sliced (any process cheese although swiss cheese is best) - eggs milk (about c) salt pepper grease a deep baking dish. cover bottom with a layer of bread, then cheese and onion. alternate layers ending with bread. beat egg, milk and seasoning. pour slowly over layers. milk mixture should fill half the dish. bake in moderate-hot oven about minutes or until brown. swiss cheese pie - " pie shell ½-¼ lb. swiss cheese grated - eggs separated t cornstarch c milk mix egg yolks, cheese, milk, cornstarch and seasoning. add stiffly beaten egg whites. pour into unbaked pie shell and bake until brown. about ½ hour. variations: a) an onion sauteed in fat may be added to the cheese mixture. b) pie shell may be lined with sliced tomatoes. bacon and beef burgers slices bacon lb. ground beef t chopped onion egg, beaten ½ c sharp cheese grated ½ t catsup ½ t worcestershire sauce ½ t salt ¼ t pepper combine all the ingredients except the bacon, mixing well. pat the meat into a roll and slice one inch thick. wrap each slice with a strip of bacon fastening with a toothpick. broil or pan broil minutes on each side. suki yaki (japanese beef & vegetables) lb. beef cut in thin strips and pounded flat (sirloin is excellent) green onions celery watercress leeks any of the above vegetables plus any other vegetables may be used except starchy ones like potatoes t sugar t soy sauce fat for frying ½- c beef stock or bouillon fry meat and vegetables sliced very thin in fat in saucepan until brown. moisten with stock, add sugar and soy sauce and let simmer for - minutes or until beef is tender. serve over dry rice. note: pork or chicken may be substituted for beef orange meat loaf egg / c milk onion chopped t salt ¼ t pepper t worcestershire sauce ½ c bread crumbs ½ lb. ground beef ½ lb. ground pork ½ lb. ground veal - orange sections t sugar t light corn syrup t orange juice combine egg, milk, salt, pepper, worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs and meat. mix well; shape into loaf about inches long and inches high in greased baking pan. cut slits across top of loaf and tuck in orange sections. combine orange juice, sugar and corn syrup. pour over top of loaf, reserving / to use for basting. bake in moderate oven about hour, basting often. spaghetti with garlic & oil ½- lb. spaghetti - t olive oil - cloves garlic salt pepper parsley boiling water boil spaghetti in plenty of water so that strands are well separated from each other. cook until tender but still firm. do not break the strands of spaghetti and do not overcook. drain cooked spaghetti in a colander. put spaghetti in a frying pan with oil in which the garlic has been browned. sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley. mix well & let simmer a few minutes over low heat. serve on hot platter. spiced chicken stew stewing hen cut in pieces large onion chopped bay leaves whole cloves can tomato soup salt & pepper make a layer of the onion in the bottom of a large saucepan. put the spices on the onion and then the pieces of chicken. pour a can of tomato soup over the top. bring to a boil and reduce flame so that chicken cooks slowly. when chicken is tender and browned remove spices and use gravy over rice or potatoes. gravy should be salted before serving. veal tongue small veal tongues bay leaves onion cloves boil tongue until tender. take out of juice and remove outer skin. put back in juice, add salt and pepper, bay leaves, onions and cloves. cook ½ hour. chinese chicken small chicken, cut into serving pieces _sauce_ t chopped dow soo ½ t chopped garlic ½ t salt t soy sauce ½ c water brown chicken in hot pan quickly. let chicken simmer in pan with sauce for ¾ hour or until tender. saute green peppers and tomatoes in another until tender. season to taste. add cooked chicken. thicken gravy if desired. note: beef or pork may be substituted for chicken. dow soo, a chinese spice may be purchased in chinese importing shops or in some restaurants. pot roast in pressure cooker chuck roast, round bone or blade onion sliced t water salt pepper bay leaf (op) fat potatoes carrots brown meat well on all sides in fat. add other ingredients and cook minutes per pound at pounds pressure. let stand _at least hours_ before using. thicken gravy if desired. liver and rice lb. beef, calf or lamb liver medium sized onion t savory fat (bacon or chicken) t soy sauce salt & pepper to taste ½ t cornstarch c bouillon cut liver into small pieces. brown the liver and sliced onion quickly in hot fat. add the cornstarch to a little of the bouillon and mix to a smooth paste. add to the rest of the bouillon and cook until thick and clear. add the soy sauce and seasoning, then the browned liver and onion. serve over dry rice. cream peas & tuna fish t butter t flour c warm milk can tuna fish c peas toast make cream sauce and cook until thickened. add tuna and peas. serve on toast. veal paprika lbs. boneless veal steak--pounded paper thin lb. mushrooms medium onion t salad oil brown onions & mushrooms in oil and remove from skillet. brown veal--(cut up in serving size pieces). return onions and mushrooms to skillet. add sour cream & seasonings. simmer minutes. if sour cream too thick, thin with milk. make sweet cream sour with few drops vinegar. if canned mushrooms used, use juice in gravy. spaghetti with meat sauce in pressure cooker lb. hamburger onion chopped can tomato paste cans tomato sauce green pepper chopped ½ t worcestershire sauce salt pepper bay leaves mash the meat with a fork. add onion, green pepper, paste, sauce, spices and cook at pounds pressure for minutes. it is best to add salt and pepper after cooking to taste. remove bay leaves. serve meat sauce over cooked spaghetti. this may be made earlier and reheated when ready to use but long simmering is not necessary. baked snapper cuba french dressing (marinade) / c lime juice / c olive oil t soy sauce dash garlic salt dash fresh ground black pepper marinate a big snapper or any baking fish in cup of the french dressing for - hours. if fish is split for stuffing, marinate the inside of the fish too. stuff with bread stuffing if desired. bake at ° for - minutes or until well seared, brush plenty of the marinade over the fish. cover and bake until tender, basting with the marinade frequently. a little basil or thyme or crushed bay leaves may be added to the fish before baking. this is a recipe from havana, cuba. lasagne t. oil lb. hamburger--crumbled cloves garlic--crushed oz. cans tomato sauce ½ t salt; ¼ t pepper ½ t oregano ½ lb. lasagne noodles mazzarella cheese (½ lb) sliced ¾ lb. cottage cheese parmesan cheese-grated heat oil. brown hamburger and garlic. add sauce and seasonings. simmer until thickened ( - minutes). cook noodles in water with a little oil about minutes (until tender). fill casserole with alternate layers: noodles mazzarella cheese cottage cheese meat sauce parmesan cheese end with meat sauce and parmesan cheese. bake in oven ° - minutes. squaw corn can corn lb. hamburger ½ green pepper ½ onion salt & pepper can tomatoes fry hamburger crumbling it while it cooks, then add onions and diced green pepper. fry. add corn and tomatoes. season to taste. beef porcupine lb. hamburger c cooked rice t catsup ½ onion diced egg can tomato paste can water fry in fat until brown, then add tomato paste and water. cook until done. creole jambalaya with sausages c rice ½ lb. or more sausages large onion clove garlic ½ lb. tomatoes ½ chilli pepper salt pepper cayenne butter cook rice and let stand so that the water will evaporate and the rice will be dry. chop onion and garlic and fry to a light golden colour in butter. quarter the tomatoes and add to the onion, crushing them to extract the juice. fry the sausages separately and when done cut in inch lengths. put the cooked rice in a deep pan, add the fried onion, garlic and tomatoes, and the butter in which they were cooked. add the sausages, mix well, season with salt, pepper, dash cayenne and finely chopped chilli pepper. cover and simmer very gently for minutes, stirring often. serve very hot. sour cream veal stew lb boneless veal medium onions t fat salt & pepper to taste qt. stock (beef bouillon cubes & water) stalk celery sprig parsley pinch thyme medium potatoes ½ qt. mushrooms c sour cream fry onions. remove from fat. fry veal seasoned to taste. return onions and add stock and seasonings. cover and simmer about hours. add and cook until tender potatoes and mushrooms. add sour cream just before serving and heat long enough for thorough blending. meat loaf ½ lb. ground beef ½ lb ground pork ½ c cracker or dry bread crumbs egg strips browned bacon medium onion, chopped small can tomato sauce saute onion in bacon fat. chop crisp bacon fine. combine other ingredients. add onion and chopped bacon. bake in moderate oven ( °) for one hour liver and onions soak lb. of liver in enough milk to cover for one hour. saute one large onion sliced into rings. dip liver pieces in salted flour; fry on both sides until brown; cover tightly and simmer for minutes. cover with browned sauteed onion rings and serve hot. chili veal large onion green peppers large peeled tomatoes or large can tomatoes t salt t chili powder c gravy or tomato soup (condensed) - c pieces of cooked cold veal or pot roast saute chopped onion & green peppers in bacon fat. add tomatoes & seasoning. cook minutes. add gravy or soup. cook minutes. add meat. cook until thoroughly heated. serve on broad noodles or rice. mashed-potato-coated meat loaf _loaf_ large pepper large onion c cracker crumbs ½ c tomatoes (no. ½ can) lb ground beef lb ground pork ½ t salt / t paprika slices bacon juice from tomatoes _potato_-_coating_ medium potatoes ¼ c margarine ½ c hot milk salt & pepper egg yolk grind pepper and onion. add crumbs. drain tomatoes and add (saving juice). add meat and seasoning. shape into loaf and dredge. cover with bacon. bake for hour at °. baste frequently with tomato juice. for potato coating: cook peeled potatoes in boiling salted water. drain and mash well. add margarine, milk, salt, pepper, and egg yolk. beat until fluffy. cover loaf completely; brush with melted butter. brown in broiler. blintzes _batter_ eggs c flour ½ c milk pinch salt grease for pan _filling_ - oz. dry cottage cheese egg t melted butter t sugar salt to taste pinch pepper pour batter into small frying pan ( "), so that batter just covers bottom of pan. cook over low heat until set and dry but not brown. turn sheets of batter out on towel until filled. pancakes should not be thicker than three sheets of paper. filling: mash cheese well or put through sieve. add other ingredients. put t of filling on a pancake, roll, tuck in ends to make envelope, fry in butter or shortening (veg.). blintzes filled or unfilled keep well in refrigerator until fried. can be served with sour cream or sprinkled with sugar. hot slaw--german cabbage small head cabbage t diced bacon cooked to light brown ½ c hot water - t sugar t vinegar salt and pepper steam cabbage, bacon and hot water over low heat for twenty minutes. add more water if necessary. when done add the sugar, vinegar, salt & pepper. simmer for minutes more with cover on. spinach pancakes c cooked spinach, well drained egg, beaten ½ t salt ¼ t pepper ¼-½ c cracker meal, flour or bread crumbs shortening mix all the ingredients together except for the shortening, adding the cracker meal last. add enough cracker meal so that the mixture will hold its shape. drop by tablespoon into hot shortening until brown and crisp on the surface. italian squash or eggplant medium egg plant medium summer squash green pepper - tomatoes, sliced ½ c water (if vegetables not juicy) dash of salt, pepper, cinnamon handful of grated swiss or parmesan cheese oil cut egg plant, squash and pepper in walnut-sized pieces (squash and egg plant may be substituted for each other). saute in salad oil. sprinkle with salt, sugar, cinnamon. add tomatoes, and water if needed. cover and cook over slow heat - minutes. add cheese, cover and cook for five minutes. turnips with caraway seeds medium sized turnip t sugar salt caraway seeds fat c water cut turnips lengthwise into strips. melt sugar in pan until brown. add water at once. add turnips. sprinkle with salt and caraway seeds. add a piece of fat or butter. cook for twenty minutes or until done. caraway potatoes medium sized potatoes salt caraway seeds oil scrub potatoes. cut in half. brush cut side with oil. sprinkle with salt and caraway seeds. put cut side up in baking dish and bake tender. dutch potatoes onion chopped t fat medium potatoes cubed t chopped parsley salt & pepper brown onion in hot fat. add potatoes, parsley, and seasonings. barely cover with hot water. cook covered until potatoes are tender. raw potato pancakes (latkes) large potatoes grated eggs ½ t baking pdr. t salt ½ t pepper cracker meal, matzo meal or flour vegetable shortening or oil add all the ingredients to the grated potatoes, mixing well. add enough cracker meal to absorb the liquid from the potatoes so that the mixture can be dropped by the spoonful into hot fat or oil. fry until brown and crisp. the edges of the pancake should be very crisp and the inside soft. serve with applesauce or sour cream. note: a medium-sized onion may be grated into the potatoes and the pancakes served with meat. salads raw grated yellow turnips, carrots, or beets make a very good salad. for their dressing take oil, vinegar (or lemon), a little milk or cream and salt. to turnips and beets add a few grains of caraway seeds. any kind of raw vegetable, or chopped fruit can be put in a suitable flavor of jello. marshmellow (chopped) is good mixed with fruit or celery. mayonnaise egg yolk ½ t salt / c salad oil t vinegar t worcestershire sauce put egg yolk into a small chilled bowl or saucer. stir in salt. add oil, a few drops at a time, stirring vigorously after each addition. after a few additions more oil may be added. when the mixture thickens add the vinegar alternately with the oil. add the worcestershire sauce last. if the mixture should separate add another egg yolk a little at a time. note: mayonnaise is easy to make if the oil & vinegar are well chilled. sour cream dressing c thick sour cream ½ c vinegar (scant) t salt ½ t pepper t sugar t celery seed (op) dash paprika (op) mix all ingredients until well blended. store in jar in refrigerator. celery seed may be added for variety. very good on cabbage slaw. carrot casserole c (heaping) mashed carrots cooked in salted water - c cracker crumbs ½- c diced cheese small onion diced ¼ c diced green pepper c milk salt pepper butter on top mix ingredients and place in greased casserole dish. can be mixed several days ahead and cooked as needed. for economy use maximum crackers, minimum cheese. bake for hr.-- ° carrot ring c butter or oleo (no other shortening) ½ c brown sugar c raw grated carrots ¼ c f t baking pdr. ½ t salt eggs t lemon juice t grated lemon rind ½ t soda, dissolved in t hot water cream butter and sugar. add ingredients in order given. put in ring mold which is set in a bowl of hot water. bake in moderate oven about one hour. delicate spice cookies c sugar, white or brown ¾ c shortening egg c flour t soda t salt t molasses ½ t cinnamon ¼ t ginger ¼ t cloves put ingredients together in the order given. mix thoroughly. pinch off pieces of dough the size of a marble. roll in granulated sugar. bake at °, - minutes. quick doughnuts t shortening / c sugar eggs, well beaten ½ c sifted flour t baking pdr. t salt ¼ t cinnamon (op) / t cloves (op) / t nutmeg / c milk cream shortening and sugar, blend in eggs. sift dry ingredients together and add alternately with milk to make dough the consistency of biscuit dough (amount of flour may vary) roll out ½ inch on a floured board and cut with a doughnut cutter. fry a few at a time in deep hot fat ( °- °) turning as soon as the doughnuts rise to the top of the fat. when cool dust with confectioner's sugar. banana cake ½ c shortening c sugar ¾ c brown sugar eggs well beaten t vanilla extract c flour ½ t salt ½ t soda ¼ c sour milk c banana pulp mashed cream shortening & sugar, add eggs & vanilla and beat well. add sifted dry ingredients alternately with sour milk & banana pulp, beating well after each addition. bake in greased ½- ½ inch loaf pan in a moderate oven for minutes. frost with nut frosting. honey cake c honey, or molasses or corn sirup (or any desired combination of these) t sugar c flour t baking pdr. ½ c milk (or more) ½ c chopped walnuts peel of one orange cut up fine dash of cinnamon, cloves, anise heat sugar and honey. sift dry ingredients and spices. add warm sirup to dry ingredients. add orange peel and nuts. add enough milk so that batter is thin and can be poured easily. pour into greased pan, layer or loaf. bake in slow oven for minutes. increase heat somewhat for second half of baking. when done brush warm cake with sweetened milk and sprinkle with nuts (op.). serve next day, slice thin. this is a swiss recipe and uses no eggs and little sugar. golden frosting c sugar t vinegar ½ c hot water t butter egg yolks t baking pdr. t orange juice t lemon juice t grated orange rind combine sugar, vinegar, water. stir & cook until mixture boils. cover and cook without stirring until syrup spins a thread inches long. ( °f) add butter. beat egg yolks until thick. pour syrup over the egg yolks in a fine stream, beating vigorously. add baking powder & flavoring. beat with beater until creamy. store in refrigerator until needed. may be thinned with more fruit juice if necessary. soft chocolate frosting ½ c sugar ½ t cornstarch -ounce square unsweetened chocolate pinch salt ½ c water _boiling_ ½ t butter or margarine t vanilla flavoring ½ t rum extract (op) mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. cut chocolate into small pieces and add to sugar mixture. add boiling water; cook until thick. remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. spread on cake as a frosting or filling. can be used hot. ranger cookies c shortening c white sugar c brown sugar eggs t vanilla c flour t soda ½ t baking powder ½ t salt c oatmeal c rice krispies c coconut cream shortening and sugar. add the eggs and vanilla and mix until smooth. add flour which has been sifted with soda and baking powder and salt. add oatmeal, cereal and coconut. mold dough in balls size of walnut and press slightly on cookie sheet. bake at f. large yield. cherry pie filling - ½ t cornstarch / c cherry juice ½ c sugar t butter t orange juice t lemon juice / c drained sour cherries mix dry ingredients and fruit juices. cook until clear and thick. remove from heat and add butter and cherries. fill pie shell and bake in hot oven until pastry is browned. variation: omit orange and lemon juice and use t vanilla and ½ t almond extract for flavoring. substitute brown sugar for white. after cherries are added to the thickened sauce, cook the cherries for about minutes and then cool. the cooked cherries may be then put into a baked pie shell. whipped cream can be put over serving or over the whole cooled pie filling. delicate french cookies ½ lb. butter ½ lb. cream cheese t sugar t salt c flour * * * * * * egg beaten (with t water) granulated sugar chopped nuts mix butter, cheese, sugar & salt until the consistance is like thick cream. add flour and make a ball of the dough. do not use any liquids. wrap in wax paper and towel and put in the refrigerator over night. (the dough keeps well for a week). roll out / of the dough at a time. roll the dough ¼ inch thick and fold over times. roll out again ¼ inch thick and cut with cookie cutter. dip top surface of cookies in beaten egg, sugar and chopped nuts. bake on greased sheet in hot oven until puffed and brown. remove carefully. cry babies ½ c strong hot coffee ½ c molasses ½ c sugar ½ c butter eggs t baking pdr. t ginger t nutmeg c flour ½ t soda melt the butter with the coffee. add sugar, molasses and the well beaten eggs. sift the spices, flour, baking powder and soda. add to the liquid ingredients. beat well. chill. drop in tablespoonfuls on a well buttered baking sheet or pan. bake minutes in a moderate oven ( °f) frost while hot. makes dozen cry babies. strawberry dessert package frozen strawberries ½ pint whipping cream t vanilla dash salt t powdered sugar strawberry gelatine in a ring mold let berries defrost and drain off the syrup. whip the cream with the sugar, vanilla and salt. mix the berries with the cream and put into the center of the ring of gelatine which has been unmolded onto a large platter. cut a slice of the gelatine and top with the berries and cream. serve with small cookies. schenbeli c flour c sugar eggs / lb butter peelings of ½ lemon grated juice of lemon fat for deep frying cream sugar and butter. add eggs, beat well. add lemon peelings and juice. add flour, beat well. knead dough a few times. let dough stand in a cool place for hour. roll out dough on lightly floured board and shape into rope like strips around size of thumb. deep fry in hot fat until brown. sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. makes - . strudel ½ c flour t salt eggs beaten t butter ½ c warm water filling c sliced apples t lemon rind grated c brown sugar t melted butter ½ c raisins ½ c chopped nuts sift flour & salt. cut in butter, add eggs and water. knead well, beat or throw dough until it blisters. let stand in warm place under cloth for minutes. cover table with white cloth and flour it. pull dough out on the cloth until paper thin. spread on filling. roll as for jelly roll. grease top. bake roll for minutes at °, then for minutes at °. cool and slice. caramelized custard eggs ¼ c sugar / t salt c milk, scalded ½ t vanilla extract ½- c brown sugar spread sugar (brown) in the bottom of a baking dish. pour the following custard over it. add sugar and salt to well beaten eggs. stir in scalded milk slowly. add flavoring. place baking dish with custard and brown sugar in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until firm. cool and invert onto a platter. the brown sugar forms a caramel sauce. use more or less brown sugar depending on how much sauce is desired. peach scallop arrange alternate layers of layers of each: ½ c sliced peaches ½ c light brown sugar t butter c cake crumbs (last layer) over top pour ½ c evaporated milk diluted with ¼ c water. bake until brown. if canned peaches are used use juice for sauce. poppy-seed cookies c sifted flour t baking pdr. ¼ t salt c shortening ½ c brown sugar c granulated sugar eggs, well beaten c poppy seed t vanilla cream shortening, add sugar gradually and cream together thoroughly. add eggs, poppy-seed and vanilla. add flour sifted with baking powder and salt. mix well. shape stiff dough into rolls, ½ inches in diameter. wrap in waxed paper and chill well or overnight. slice / inch thick. bake on ungreased cookie sheet in ° oven or until lightly browned. this is a very sweet cookie. if less sweetness and more richness is desired cut white sugar to ½ cups and flour to cups. dozen cookies. economy angel food cake c (scant) egg whites ¼ c sugar c cake flour sifted times (once before measuring) t cream of tartar ½ t salt t lemon extract or ½ t vanilla and ½ t almond extr. nutmeg if desired beat egg whites until stiff with cream of tartar and salt. with wire whisk fold in sifted sugar and flavoring. fold in flour through sifter. bake in ungreased chimney pan an hour or more at °, or by the new method (½ hour at °) until wire tester comes out clean. invert on chimney to cool. cut with vertical motion with very sharp knife, wiping clean after each cut with moist cloth. pfeffernuesse ½ c sifted flour ¼ t soda t each: cloves, nutmeg, salt / t cinnamon ¼ t black pepper t anise seed eggs slightly beaten c (packed brown sugar) combine eggs and brown sugar. add dry ingredients and mix. shape into walnut-sized balls and put on greased baking sheet. let stand overnight covered with towel. bake to minutes ( °). shake few cookies at time in paper bag with confectioner's sugar. keep tightly covered. become softer the longer kept. quick chocolate cake c sour milk or buttermilk c brown or white sugar egg sq baking chocolate t shortening t vanilla t baking soda ½ c flour dissolve sugar in milk. add egg and beat well. melt chocolate and shortening together. add other ingredients in order given beating well after each addition. bake in moderate oven in greased " baking pan or in cupcake tins. german sweet chocolate cake. ½ c shortening c brown sugar eggs cake germain's sweet chocolate dissolved in ½ c hot water c sour milk with ½ t soda / c flour t baking pdr. / t salt frosting oz. bitter chocolate c powdered sugar egg t vanilla ¼ c milk t soft butter cream shortening and sugar. add eggs. beat well. add chocolate, and then milk and dry ingredients alternately. bake in " pans at ° until tester comes out clean. when cool ice with frosting. _frosting_: melt chocolate. mix c sugar, egg, vanilla, milk and butter. place bowl this mixture in pan of _cold_ water. add melted chocolate. beat with rotary beater until stiff. for variation add drops peppermint extract. lemon meringue pie t corn starch c water c sugar ¼ t salt eggs (slightly beaten) t butter t lemon juice t lemon rind meringue: beat egg whites stiff, adding t sugar. bake for minutes in ° oven. after it has become brown turn off oven and let cool in oven. mix corn starch with ½ c water in top of double boiler. blend in sugar and salt. add remainder of water. stir constantly over low heat until mixture boils. cover and cook over boiling water minutes. gradually pour hot mixture over beaten egg yolks. stirring constantly return to double boiler and cook minutes longer. remove from heat, add butter, lemon juice and rind. mix well and cool. pour into " pie shell. single " pie crust c flour ½ t salt / c shortening ½ t water sift together flour and salt. cut in shortening until it is the size of peas. sprinkle the water over the mixture and make into ball. roll out on floured board. build up fluted edge and prick bottom with fork to prevent puffing. bake for - minutes in ° oven. quick loaf cake eggs c sugar c flour t baking pdr. ¼ t salt ½ c milk, scalded t melted shortening beat eggs until very light with rotary beater. add baking powder and salt and mix well. melt shortening in hot milk and add all at once to egg mixture. fold in flour. bake in greased loaf pan in a moderate oven until brown. seven-minute frosting in three minutes egg whites c brown sugar firmly packed ½ c water dash salt t vanilla extract place all ingredients except vanilla extract in a double boiler; mix well. cook over boiling water, beating with beater until mixture holds peaks, about minutes. remove from heat, add vanilla and beat until of spreading consistency (not usually necessary). note: if very dark brown sugar is used, omit the vanilla since the frosting will have a caramel taste. use the vanilla with yellow sugar. economy sponge cake egg yolks cup sugar ½ c hot water ½ c cake flour sifted times (once before measuring) t baking pdr. ½ t salt t lemon extract nutmeg if desired beat egg yolks until lemon colored. add sugar, hot water and stir until sugar dissolved. sift dry ingredients into egg mixture, beating constantly. add flavoring, and beat five hundred times ( or minutes on mixer). bake in chimney pan at °- ° for minutes or longer until tester comes out clean. invert on chimney to cool. cut as angel food. whipped cream frosting c whipping cream t powdered coffee t powdered sugar ½ t vanilla flavoring or ½ t rum flavoring or ¼ t almond flavoring t cocoa dash salt mix cream with coffee or cocoa or both. add sugar, one of the flavorings and salt. beat until stiff and use to frost any kind of chocolate, white, yellow, chiffon or sponge type cake. do not use with fruit flavored cakes. note: the coffee & cocoa makes a mocha flavored frosting. this is a very stiff mixture and may be thinned with light cream to make spreading easier. the coffee alone, without cocoa used on devil's food cake is especially good. the cocoa, without the coffee, makes a lightly flavored chocolate frosting. pickled watermelon rind lbs. rind (skinned) ½ lb. gran. sugar pt. white vinegar ½ t oil of cloves ½ t oil of cinnamon wash rind, and cut into desired size, "x ", or oblong. cover rind with boiling water. parboil in this water until the rind can be pierced with a fork, but not too soft. bring sirup, made of remaining ingredients, to boil. pour over drained rind. cover tightly and put in cool place overnight. in the morning drain off sirup, boil for few minutes and pour over rind again. do the same thing the next morning. on rd morning heat rind in sirup slowly until boiling. fill sterilized jars, cover with wax and seal. cheese straws c flour ¼ t salt ½ c shortening ½ c grated cheese t worcestershire sauce cayenne pepper sift flour and salt. cut in shortening and grated cheese. mix with worcestershire sauce until blended. press into a ball and roll on floured board to ¼ inch thickness. cut in strips about ½ inch wide. bake in hot oven - minutes until golden brown. sprinkle very lightly with cayenne pepper if desired. clam dip for potato chips clove garlic oz. cream cheese t worcestershire sauce (op) t lemon juice ½ t salt ½ c minced clams t clam juice rub bowl with garlic. blend cheese with seasonings. add drained clams and juices. chill. all purpose pastry c flour c vegetable shortening (not margarine) t sugar t salt ½-¾ c ice water cut shortening into sifted dry ingredients. add ice water and work quickly into a ball of dough. wrap in wax paper and towel and place in refrigerator. use as needed. keeps indefinitely. can be used for filled meat patties, fruit horns, pies etc. waffles c flour t baking pdr. ½ t salt eggs separated ¼ c milk ¼ c melted shortening c cornmeal mix and sift dry ingredients. combine well-beaten egg yolks and milk. add to flour mixture, beating until smooth. add shortening and fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. bake in hot waffle iron. yield-- waffles hush puppies ½ c corn meal ¼ c flour t baking pdr. salt t shortening (veg) egg milk to make dough mix ingredients and form into balls. brown in deep fat. buttermilk pancakes egg, beaten c buttermilk c flour t salt t sugar t soda dissolved in a little hot water t butter melted t baking pdr. add ingredients in order given, mixing well after each addition. bake on hot, lightly greased griddle. buccellate (italian bread) ¼ lb. butter ½ c sugar eggs separated ½ t baking pdr. c milk ½ c flour handful anise seed t vanilla extract cream butter and sugar. add egg yolks and beat well. add milk and beat well. mix in dry ingredients. add stiffly beaten egg whites and beat well. bake in well greased pan at ° until brown. bircher mues _for each serving_ heaping teaspoons quick-cooking oatmeal (raw) apple, banana or berries t lemon juice t sweetened condensed milk (or sugar & milk or honey & milk) few chopped walnut meats t wheat germ (op) in each bowl put the oatmeal, and cover with water to moisten. add grated apple, thinly sliced banana, fresh berries or a combination of these. add juice and milk; nuts and wheat germ. soup balls (kneidlach) eggs medium onion, chopped or grated t salt matzo or cracker meal t chicken fat, melted beat eggs until light & foamy. add other ingredients. enough meal should be added so a loose dough is formed. put in refrigerator to chill. the dough will become stiffer when cold. form into balls the size of a walnut and drop into boiling chicken soup. cover and let cook minutes. serve with soup or as a meat garnish. buckwheat knishes (dumplings) ½ lb. buckwheat groats (medium grind) eggs c flour t butter ½ lb. potatoes, boiled onions, chopped t salt c boiling water note: the recipe for filling can be used as a base for gravy to be served with meat. (kasha) the stuffing: mix the buckwheat with egg and place into the oven for or minutes. when the buckwheat is browned add to the boiling water. add teas. salt, tablespoon of butter and allow to boil minutes on slow fire. fry the onions and mix with the buckwheat. the dough: mash the potatoes; add eggs, teaspoon salt. add flour and knead a thin dough. cut the dough into sections; place some buckwheat mixture on each and roll into a dumpling. bake in buttered pan in oven for minutes, moderate temperature. never fail hot cakes c flour t baking pdr. ½ t salt t sugar egg, beaten ¾ c milk t melted shortening sift dry ingredients together. combine egg and milk and add gradually to dry ingredients to make smooth batter (beat with rotary beater). add shortening. drop batter on hot, greased baking sheet. (do not re-grease sheet between bakings). makes about one dozen. transcriber's notes: the following is a list of changes made to the original. baked snapper cuba: "sexared" changed to "seared" lasagne: "organo" changed to "oregano" in list of ingredients beef porcupine: "hamberger" changed to "hamburger" in list of ingredients sour cream veal stew: "bouillion" changed to "bouillon" in list of ingredients hot slaw--german cabbage: "wate water" changed to "water" salads: "mild" changed to "milk" soft chocolate frosting: "margerine" changed to "margarine" in list of ingredients ranger cookies: "crean" changed to "cream" "soze" changed to "size" strudel: "raisens" changed to "raisins" in list of ingredients german sweet chocolate cake: repeated "in" removed from "place bowl this mixture in in pan of _cold_ water." lemon meringue pie: "sligthly" changed to "slightly" in list of ingredients single " pie crust: "buil" changed to "build" clam dip for potato chips "worstershire" changed to "worcestershire" in list of ingredients all purpose pastry: "margerine" changed to "margarine" in list of ingredients "indefinately" changed to "indefinitely" bircher mues: "teasoons" changed to "teaspoons" in list of ingredients a thousand ways to please a husband [illustration] [illustration] a thousand ways to please a husband with bettina's best recipes by louise bennett weaver and helen cowles lecron [illustration] _the romance of cookery_ and housekeeping decorations by elizabeth colbourne a. l. burt company publishers new york copyright, by britton publishing company, inc. all rights reserved made in u. s. a. [illustration] a dedication _to every other little bride who has a "bob" to please, and says she's tried and tried and tried to cook with skill and ease, and can't!--we offer here as guide bettina's recipes!_ _to her whose "bob" is prone to wear a sad and hungry look, because the maid he thought so fair is--well--she just can't cook! to her we say: do not despair; just try bettina's book!_ [illustration] _bettina's measurements are all level_ c = cup t = teaspoon t = tablespoon lb. = pound pt. = pint b.p. = baking-powder [illustration] contents chapter page i home at last ii bettina's first real dinner iii bettina's first guest iv bettina gives a luncheon v bob helps to get dinner vi cousin matilda calls vii a new-fashioned sunday dinner viii celebrating the fourth ix uncle john and aunt lucy make a visit x ruth inspects bettina's kitchen xi bettina's birthday gift xii bettina's father tries her cooking xiii bob helps with the dinner xiv a sunday evening tea xv a motor picnic xvi bettina has a caller xvii bob gets breakfast on sunday xviii bettina gives a porch party xix bettina and the expense budget xx mrs. dixon and bettina's experiment xxi a rainy day dinner xxii buying a refrigerator xxiii bettina's sunday dinner xxiv bettina visits a tea-room. xxv bettina entertains alice and mr. harrison xxvi over the telephone xxvii bettina has a baking day xxviii polly and the children xxix bettina puts up fruit xxx a cool summer day xxxi bob and bettina alone xxxii bettina attends a morning wedding xxxiii after the "tea" xxxiv bettina gives a porch breakfast xxxv a piece of news xxxvi bettina entertains her father and mother xxxvii the big secret xxxviii after the circus xxxix mrs. dixon asks questions xl a telegram from uncle eric xli bettina entertains state fair visitors xlii uncle john and aunt lucy xliii sunday dinner at the dixon's xliv a rainy evening at home xlv ruth makes an apple pie xlvi bettina makes apple jelly xlvii after a park party xlviii bettina spills the ink xlix bettina attends a porch party l a dinner cooked in the morning li a sunday dinner lii bob makes peanut fudge liii dinner at the dixon's liv a good-bye luncheon for bernadette lv bettina plans an announcement luncheon lvi ruth and bettina make preparations lvii a rainbow announcement luncheon lviii an early caller lix ruth comes to luncheon lx a kitchen shower for alice lxi a rainy night meal lxii alice gives a luncheon lxiii motoring with the dixons lxiv ruth makes baking powder biscuits lxv plans for the wedding lxvi a guest to a dinner of left-overs lxvii a handkerchief shower lxviii just the two of them lxix a luncheon in the country lxx a "pair shower" for alice lxxi bob makes popcorn balls lxxii and where was the dinner lxxiii alice tells her troubles lxxiv the dixons come to dinner lxxv the wedding invitations lxxvi hallowe'en preparations lxxvii hallowe'en revels lxxviii a foretaste of winter lxxix surprising alice and harry lxxx a dinner for the bridal party lxxxi rehearsing the ceremony lxxxii after the wedding lxxxiii a "happen-in" luncheon lxxxiv uncle john a guest at dinner lxxxv during the teachers' convention lxxxvi a luncheon for the teachers lxxxvii ruth comes to luncheon lxxxviii the hickory log lxxxix some christmas plans xc after the football game xci a thanksgiving dinner in the country xcii planning the christmas cards xciii harry and alice return xciv the firelight social xcv alice's troubles xcvi some of bettina's christmas plans xcvii more of bettina's christmas shopping xcviii christmas gifts xcix a christmas shower c bettina gives a dinner ci bob's christmas gift to bettina cii a christmas breakfast ciii a supper for two civ alice comes to luncheon cv ruth stays to dinner cvi how bettina made candy cvii ruth's plans cviii a luncheon for three cix the dixons come to dinner cx a steamed pudding cxi on valentine's day cxii ruth gives a dinner for four cxiii alice practices economy cxiv a company dinner for bob cxv supper after the theatre cxvi washington's birthday plans cxvii an afternoon with bettina cxviii a washington's birthday tea cxix another oven dinner cxx bob makes pop-overs cxxi in march cxxii a fireless cooker for aunt lucy cxxiii the dixons drop in for dessert cxxiv ruth passes by cxxv bettina entertains a small neighbor cxxvi a sunday night tea cxxvii a shamrock luncheon cxxviii at dinner cxxix an anniversary dinner cxxx ruth comes to dinner cxxxi mildred's spring vacation cxxxii helping bettina cxxxiii helping with a company dinner cxxxiv mildred's day cxxxv polly comes for mildred cxxxvi mildred's plans cxxxvii a luncheon for polly cxxxviii furs to put away cxxxix planning a children's party cxl the party circus cxli planning a luncheon cxlii the new car cxliii in housecleaning time cxliv mrs. dixon happens in cxlv engagement presents cxlvi with housecleaning over cxlvii spring marketing cxlviii plans for the wedding cxlix entertaining the wedding guests cl the bridesmaids' dinner cli a morning wedding in june clii the first year ends [illustration] _june._ _no, you cannot live on kisses, though the honeymoon is sweet, harken, brides, a true word this is,-- even lovers have to eat._ chapter i home at last [illustration] "home at last!" sighed bettina happily as the hot and dusty travelers left the train. "why that contented sigh?" asked bob. "because our wedding trip is over? well, anyhow, bettina, it's after five. shall we have dinner at the hotel?" "hotel? why, bob! with our house and our dishes and our silver just waiting for us? i'm ashamed of you! we'll take the first car for home--a street-car, not a taxi! our extravagant days are over, and the time has come to show you that bettina knows how to keep house. you think that you love me now, bobby, but just wait till you sit down to a real strawberry shortcake made by a real cook in a real home!" half an hour later bob was unlocking the door of the new brown bungalow. "isn't it a dear?" cried bettina proudly. "when we've had time to give it grass and shrubs and flowers and a vegetable garden, no place in town will equal it! and as for porch furniture, how i'd like to get at mother's attic and transform some of her discarded things!" "just now i'd rather get at some of mother's cooking!" grinned bob. "oh, dear, i forgot! i'll have supper ready in ten minutes. do you remember my emergency shelf? why, bob--bob, they must have known we were coming! here's ice--and milk--and cream--and butter--and bread--and rolls, and even a grape fruit! they knew, and didn't meet the train because they thought we would prefer to have our first meal alone! wasn't that dear of them? and this will save you a trip to the corner grocery!" bettina fastened a trim percale bungalow apron over her traveling suit, and swiftly and surely assembled the little meal. "i like that apron," said bob. "it reminds me of the rainy day when we fixed the emergency shelf. that was fun." "yes, and work too," said bettina, "but i'm glad we did it. do you remember how much i saved by getting things in dozen and half dozen lots? and mother showed me how much better it was to buy the larger sizes in bottled things, because in buying the smaller bottles you spend most of your money for the glass. now that you have to pay my bills, bob, you'll be glad that i know those things!" "i think you know a great deal," said bob admiringly. "lots of girls can cook, but mighty few know how to be economical at the same time! it's great to be your----" "dinner is served," bettina interrupted. "it's a 'pick-up meal,' but i'm hungry, aren't you? and after this, sir, no more canned things!" and bob sat down to: creamed tuna on toast strips canned peas with butter sauce rolls butter strawberry preserves hot chocolate with marshmallows bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed tuna on toast strips= (two portions) t-butter t-flour / t-salt / slice pimento c-milk slices of bread / c-tuna melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pimento. mix well. gradually pour in the milk. allow the mixture to boil one minute. stir constantly. add the fish, cook one minute and pour over toasted strips of bread. =hot chocolate= (three cups) square of chocolate t-sugar / c-water c-milk / t-vanilla marshmallows cook chocolate, sugar and water until a thin custard is formed. add milk gradually and bring to a boil. whip with an egg beater, as this breaks up the albumin found in chocolate, and prevents the coating from forming over the top. add vanilla and marshmallows. allow to stand a moment and pour into the cups. =strawberry preserves= (six one-half pt. glasses) lbs. berries lbs. sugar c-water pick over, wash and hull the berries. make a syrup by boiling the sugar and water fifteen minutes. fill sterilized jars with the berries. cover with syrup and let stand fifteen minutes to settle. add more berries. adjust rubbers and covers. place on a folded cloth in a kettle of cold water. heat water to boiling point and cook slowly one hour. screw on covers securely. =on bettina's emergency shelf= cans pimentos (small size) cans tuna (small size) cans salmon (small size) jars dried beef cans corn cans peas cans string beans cans lima beans cans devilled ham (small size) cans tomatoes pt. jars pickles pt. jars olives small cans condensed milk boxes sweet wafers pound box salted codfish pkg. marshmallows cans mushrooms pkg. macaroni chapter ii bettina's first real dinner "say, isn't it great to be alive!" exclaimed bob, as he looked across the rose-decked table at the flushed but happy bettina. "and a beefsteak dinner, too!" "steak is expensive, dear, and you'll not get it often, but as this is our first real dinner in our own home, i had to celebrate. i bought enough for two meals, because buying steak for one meal for two people is beyond any modest purse! so you'll meet that steak again tomorrow, but i don't believe that you'll bow in recognition!" "so you marketed today, did you?" "indeed i did! i bought a big basket, and went at it like a seasoned housekeeper. i had all the staples to get, you know, and lots of other things. after dinner i'll show you the labelled glass jars on my shelves; it was such fun putting things away! june is a wonderful month for housekeepers. i've planned the meals for days ahead, because i know that's best. then i'll go to the market several times a week, and if i plan properly i won't have to order by telephone. it seems so extravagant to buy in that way unless you know exactly what you are getting. i like to plan for left-overs, too. for instance, the peas in this salad were left from yesterday's dinner, and the pimento is from that can i opened. then, too, i cooked tomorrow's potatoes with these to save gas and bother. you'll have them served in a different way, of course. and---- oh, yes, bob," bettina chattered on, "i saw ruth down town, and have asked all five of my bridesmaids to luncheon day after tomorrow. won't that be fun? but i promise you that the neglected groom shall have every one of the good things when he comes home at night!" "it makes me feel happy, i can tell you, to have a home like this. it's pleasant to be by ourselves, but at the same time i can't help wishing that some of the bachelors i know could see it all and taste your cooking!" "well, bob, i want you to feel free to have a guest at any time. if my dinners are good enough for you, i'm sure they're good enough for any guest whom you may bring. and it isn't very hard to make a meal for three out of a meal for two. now, bobby, if you're ready, will you please get the dessert?" "what? strawberry shortcake? well, this is living! i tell you what, bettina, i call this a regular man-size meal!" it consisted of: pan-broiled steak new potatoes in cream baking-powder biscuits butter rhubarb sauce pea and celery salad strawberry shortcake cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pan-broiled steak= (two portions) lb. steak t-butter t-salt / t-pepper t-hot water t-parsley chopped wipe the meat carefully with a wet cloth. remove superfluous fat and any gristle. cut the edges to prevent them from curling up. when the broiling oven is very hot, place the meat, without any fat, upon a hot flat pan, directly under the blaze. brown both sides very quickly. turn often. reduce heat and continue cooking about seven minutes, or longer if desired. place on a warm platter; season with salt, pepper and bits of butter. set in the oven a moment to melt the butter. if salt is added while cooking, the juices will be drawn out. a gravy may be made by adding hot water, butter, salt, pepper and parsley to the pan. pour the gravy over the steak. =new potatoes in cream= (two portions) new potatoes qt. water t-salt scrape four medium sized new potatoes. cook in boiling water (salted) until tender when pierced with a fork. drain off the water, and shake the kettle over the fire gently, to allow the steam to escape and make the potatoes mealy. make the following white sauce and pour over the potatoes. =white sauce for new potatoes= (two portions) t-butter t-flour c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. thoroughly mix, slowly add milk, stirring constantly. allow sauce to cook two minutes. =strawberry shortcake= (two portions) t-lard t-butter c-sifted flour / c-milk / t-salt t-baking powder qt. strawberries / c-sugar cut the fat into the flour, salt and baking powder until the consistency of cornmeal. gradually add the milk, using a knife to mix. do not handle any more than absolutely necessary. toss the dough upon a floured board or a piece of clean brown paper. pat into the desired shape, and place in a pan. bake in a hot oven for to minutes. split, spread with butter, and place strawberries, crushed and sweetened, between and on top. serve with cream. chapter iii bettina's first guest "hello! yes, this is bettina! why, bob, of course! is he a real woman-hater? no, i've never met any, but i'll just invite alice, too, and tomorrow you won't be calling him that. six-thirty? yes, i'll be ready for you both; i'm so glad you asked him. he'll be our first guest! good-bye!" bettina left the telephone with more misgivings than her tone had indicated. she couldn't disappoint bob, and she liked unexpected company, but the dinner which she had planned was prepared largely from the recipes filed as "left-overs" in her box of indexed cards. "well, bob will like it, anyhow," she declared confidently, "and if alice can come, we'll have enough scintillating table-talk to make up for disappointments." alice accepted with delight, promising to wear "a dream of a gown that just came home," and confessing to a sentimental feeling at the thought of dining with such a new bride and groom. "let's see," said bettina in her spick and span little kitchen, "there is meat enough, but i must hard-boil some eggs to help out these potatoes. 'potatoes anna' will be delicious. goodness, what would my home economics teacher have said if she had heard me say 'hard-boil'? they mustn't really be boiled at all, just 'hard-cooked' in water kept at the boiling point. there will be enough baked green peppers for four, and enough of the pudding, and if i add some very good coffee, i don't believe that bob's mr. harrison will feel that women are such nuisances after all! it isn't an elaborate meal, but it's wholesome, and at any rate, our gas bill will be a little smaller because everything goes into the oven." when alice arrived, bettina was putting the finishing touches on her table. "alice, you look stunning!" "and you look lovely, which is better! and the table is charming! those red clover blossoms in that brown basket make a perfect center-piece! how did you think of it?" "mother necessity reminded me, my dear! my next door neighbor has roses, but i covet some for my luncheon tomorrow, and did not like to ask for any today. so i had to use these red clover blooms from our own back yard. they are simple, like the dinner." "don't you envy me, harrison?" asked bob at the table. "this is my third day of real home cooking! you were unexpected company, too!" the dinner consisted of: boubons with tomato sauce potatoes anna baked green peppers stuffed bread butter cottage pudding lemon sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =boubons= (four portions) c-cooked meat ground fine (one or more kinds may be used) t-fresh bread crumbs / t-pepper / c-milk t-green pepper or pimento chopped fine / t-celery salt egg / t-salt t-butter (melted) beat the egg, add milk, seasonings, melted butter, breadcrumbs and meat. mix thoroughly. fill buttered cups three-fourths full of mixture. place in a pan of boiling water, and bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. the mixture is done as soon as it resists pressure in the center. allow them to remain in the pans a few minutes, then remove carefully upon a serving plate. they may be made in a large mould or individual ones. serve with the following sauce. =tomato sauce= (four portions) c-tomatoes slice onion bay leaves cloves / t-sugar / c-water t-butter t-flour / t-salt simmer the tomatoes, onion, bay leaves, cloves, sugar and water for fifteen minutes, rub through the strainer. melt butter, add flour and salt, add strained tomato juice and pulp. cook until the desired consistency. =potatoes anna= (four portions) - / c-cooked diced potatoes hard-cooked eggs / t-celery salt / t-onion salt c-thin white sauce place alternate layers of diced cooked potatoes and sliced hard-cooked eggs in a baking dish. season. pour a thin white sauce over all of this. place in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. =stuffed green peppers= (four portions) green peppers c-boiling water remove the stems of the peppers and take out all the contents. remove small slices from the blossom end so they will stand. cover peppers with boiling water, allow to stand five minutes and drain. fill with any desired mixture. bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes, basting frequently with hot water. =filling for peppers= (four portions) c-fresh bread crumbs t-chopped onion or / t-onion salt / c-chopped ham, or t-salt pork / t-salt t-melted butter / t-paprika t-water mix thoroughly and fill the pepper cases. =baked cottage pudding= (four portions) c-flour - / t-baking powder / t-salt well-beaten egg / c-sugar t-melted butter / c-milk / t-vanilla or lemon extract mix dry ingredients, add egg and milk. beat well and add melted butter and extract. bake twenty-five minutes in a well buttered mould. serve hot with the following sauce: =lemon sauce= (four portions) / c-sugar - / t-flour c-hot water t-butter t-lemon extract or / t-lemon juice / t-salt mix sugar, flour and salt. slowly add the hot water. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add flavoring and butter. chapter iv bettina gives a luncheon "o you darling bettina! did you do it all yourself?" mary exclaimed impulsively, as the girls admired the dainty first course which their hostess set before them. "everything is pink and white, like the wedding!" "yes," said bettina, "and those maline bows on the basket of roses actually attended my wedding. and after this is over, you may see that maline again. i expect to press it out and put it away for other pink luncheons in other junes! today, since my guests were to be just my bridesmaids, i thought that a pink luncheon would be the most appropriate kind." "isn't it fine to be in bettina's own house? i can't realize it!" said ellen. "and the idea of daring to cook a whole luncheon and serve it in courses all by herself! why, bettina, how did you know what to have?" "well," said bettina, "i went to the market and saw all the inexpensive things that one can buy in june! (they had to be inexpensive! why, if i were to tell you just what this luncheon cost, you'd laugh. but i want you to like it all before i give that secret away.) and then in planning my menu, i thought of pinky things that went together. that was all, you see." "but didn't it take hours and hours to prepare everything?" "why, no. i thought it all out first, and wrote it down, and did most of it yesterday. i've found that five minutes of planning is worth five hours of unplanned work. i haven't hurried, and as bob will have this same meal as his dinner tonight, i didn't have to think of him except to plan for more. you see, i estimated each portion as carefully as i could, for it isn't necessary to have a lot of left-over things. tonight i'll wear this same pink gown at dinner so that bob will get every bit that he can of my first luncheon except the silly girls who flattered the cook." "bettina, there are so many things i'd like to ask you!" said ruth, who was a little conscious of the shining ring on her left hand. "tell me, for instance, how you shaped these cunning timbales. with your hands?" "with a conical ice-cream mould. it is so easy that way." "and this salad! fred is so fond of salad, but i don't know a thing about making it." "well, i washed the lettuce thoroughly, and when it was very wet i put it on the ice in a cloth. i poured boiling water over these tomatoes to make the skins peel off easily. and, oh, yes, these cucumbers are crisp because i kept the slices in ice water for awhile before i served them. good salad is always very cold; the ingredients ought to be chilled before they are mixed." "these dear little cakes, bettina! how could you make them in such cunning shapes?" "with a fancy cutter. and i dipped it in warm water each time before i used it, so that it would cut evenly. i'd love to show you girls all that i know about cooking. do learn it now while you're at home; it will save much labor and even tears! why, bob said----" "i knew that was coming!" laughed alice. "girls, in self-defense, let's keep the conversation strictly on betty's menu, and away from betty's husband!" and so they discussed: strawberries au naturel kornlet soup whipped cream croutons salmon timbales with egg sauce buttered beets potato croquettes pinwheel biscuit butter balls vegetable salad salad dressing wafers fancy cakes coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =strawberries au naturel= (ten portions) quarts strawberries c-powdered sugar pick over selected berries, place in a colander and wash, draining carefully. press powdered sugar into cordial glasses to shape into a small mould. remove from glasses onto centers of paper doilies placed on fruit plates. attractively arrange ten berries around each mound. berries should be kept cool and not hulled. natural leaves may be used very effectively on the doily. =croutons for the soup= (ten portions) slices bread t-butter (melted) / t-salt cut stale bread in one-third inch cubes. brown in the oven. add melted butter and salt. mix and reheat the croutons. =salmon timbales= (eight portions) c-salmon flaked / c-bread crumbs slightly beaten egg / c-milk t-lemon juice / t-paprika / t-salt mix ingredients in order named. fill small buttered moulds or cups one-half full. set in a pan of hot water, and bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with following sauce: =egg sauce= (eight portions) t-butter t-flour - / c-milk / t-salt / t-pepper egg yolk melt the butter, stir flour in well, and slowly add the milk. let it boil about two minutes, stirring constantly. season, add yolk of egg, and mix well. (the oil from the salmon may be substituted for melted butter as far as it will go.) =white cakes= (sixteen cakes) / c-butter c-sugar / c-milk c-sifted flour t-baking powder / t-lemon extract / t-vanilla egg whites cream butter, add sugar, and continue creaming. alternately add the dry ingredients mixed and sifted. add the milk. beat well, add flavoring. fold in the stiffly beaten whites. spread evenly, two-thirds of an inch thick, on waxed paper, placed in a pan. bake twenty minutes in moderate oven. remove from oven, allow cake to remain in pan five minutes. carefully remove and cool. cut with fancy cutters. =white mountain cream icing for cakes= c-granulated sugar / t-cream tartar / c-water egg white / t-vanilla boil the sugar, water and cream of tartar together without stirring. remove from fire as soon as the syrup hairs when dropped from a spoon. pour very slowly onto the stiffly beaten egg white. beat vigorously with sweeping strokes until cool. if icing gets too hard to spread, add a little warm water and keep beating. add extract and spread on cakes. decorate with tiny pink candies. chapter v bob helps to get dinner "guess who!" said a voice behind bettina, as two hands blinded her eyes. "why, bob, dear! good for you! how did you get home so early?" "i caught a ride with dixon in his new car. and i thought you might need me to help get dinner; it's nice to be needed! but here i've been picturing you toiling over a hot stove, and, instead, i find you on the porch with a magazine, as cool as a cucumber!" "the day of toiling over a hot stove in summer is over. at least for anyone with sense! but i'm glad you did come home early, and you _can_ help with dinner. will you make the french dressing for the salad? see, i'll measure it out, and you can stir it this way with a fork until it's well mixed and a little thick." "i know a much better way than that. just watch your uncle bob; see? i'll put it in this little mason jar and shake it. it's a lot easier and--there you are! we'll use what we need tonight, put the jar away in the ice-box, and the next time we can give it another good shaking before we use it." "why, bob, what an ingenious boy you are! i never would have thought of that!" "you married a man with brains, betty dear! what is there besides the salad?" "halibut steak. it's friday, you know, and there is such good inexpensive fish on the market. a pound is plenty for us. the potatoes are ready for the white sauce, the beans are in the fireless cooker, and for dessert there is fresh pineapple sliced. the pineapple is all ready. will you get it, dear? in the ice-box in a covered jar." "why didn't you slice it into the serving dish?" "because it had to be covered tight. pineapple has a penetrating odor, and milk and butter absorb it in no time." "what else shall i do, madam bettina?" "well, you may fix the lemon for the fish. no, not sliced; a slice is too hard to handle. just cut it in halves and then once the other way, in quarters; see? you may also cut up a little of that parsley for the creamed new potatoes. that reminds me that i am going to have parsley growing in a kitchen window box some day. now you can take the beans out of the cooker, and i'll put butter sauce on them. no, it isn't really a sauce,--just melted butter with salt and pepper. there, bobby dear! dinner is served, and you helped! how do you like the coreopsis on the table?" "you always manage to have flowers of some kind, don't you, betty? i'm growing so accustomed to that little habit of yours that i suppose i wouldn't have any appetite if i had to eat on an ordinary undecorated table!" "don't you make fun of me, old fellow! you'd have an appetite no matter when, how or what you had to eat! but things are good tonight, aren't they?" bob had helped to prepare: halibut steak new potatoes in cream string beans butter sauce bread butter tomato, cucumber and pimento salad french dressing sliced fresh pineapple bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =halibut steak= (two portions) / lb. halibut steak t-flour / t-salt / t-paprika wash one pound of halibut steak and wipe dry. cut in two pieces. roll in flour, and cook ten minutes in a frying pan in hot fat. brown on one side, and then on the other. season with salt and paprika. serve very hot. =string beans with butter sauce= (two portions) - / c-string beans c-water t-butter t-salt / t-paprika remove ends and strings from green beans. add water and cook over a moderate fire for twenty-five minutes. drain off the water, add butter, salt and paprika. reheat and serve. =tomato, cucumber and pimento salad= (two portions) tomato sliced / c-sliced cucumbers t-pimento cut fine t-salt / t-paprika pieces lettuce arrange lettuce on serving dishes. place portions of tomato, cucumber and pimento on the lettuce. sprinkle with salt and paprika. serve with french dressing. =french dressing= (two portions) t-olive oil t-vinegar / t-salt / t-paprika mix ingredients, which have been thoroughly chilled, and beat until the mixture thickens. pour over the vegetables. =pineapple sliced= (two portions) pineapple / c-sugar remove the skin and eyes from the pineapple. cut crosswise in half-inch slices, and the slices in cubes, at the same time discarding the core. sprinkle with sugar and stand in a cold place for an hour before serving. chapter vi cousin matilda calls "hello, is this you, bettina? this is mother! i'll have to speak in a low voice. who do you think is here? no,--cousin matilda! just between trains, but she says she must see how you are 'situated'! clementine has such a wonderful establishment now, you know! no, of course not, but i want her to see how happy you are. she seems to have the idea that an 'establishment' is necessary! just to see the house, you know! i know the porch isn't ready, but don't worry! about three, then. good-by!" that afternoon bettina looked anxiously through the living room window across the bare little front yard. if only critical cousin matilda had waited a few months before coming! but then, the only thing to do was to be as cheerful about it as possible---- "so this is little bettina!" said a majestic voice at the door. "and how is love in a cottage? how charmingly simple everything is!" "they planned it all just as they wanted it," explained bettina's mother proudly. "on a small scale, of course, but perhaps some day----" "but i couldn't ever be happier than i am right now, cousin matilda. what do you think of our big living room? browns and tans seemed best and safest in a little house like this, and i knew i shouldn't tire of them as of any other color! i do so dislike going into a bungalow with one little room in blue, another in pink, and so on. the walls are all alike, even in the bedrooms. and the curtains are just simple cotton voiles, ecru in the living and dining rooms, and white in the bedrooms. no side curtains to catch the dust and keep out the air. but i beg your pardon for seeming too complacent; i love it all so that i just can't help boasting." "what is this, my dear? a wedding gift?" "yes, isn't it lovely? it is a sampler in cross-stitch that bob's great-great-grandmother made! his aunt margaret had it put under the glass cover of this tea cart, and gave it to us for a wedding present. see, the cart is brown willow, and i think it looks well with our furniture, don't you? this is to be a living porch, but we haven't furnished it yet except for this green matting rug. and bob brought that hanging basket home from the florist's the other day. . . . oh, yes, this is my japanese garden! bob laughs at me, i have so much fun watching it." "what a lovely table decoration those red cherries make in your dining room, my dear! like a picture, in that piece of dull green pottery!" "yes, bob says i decorate the table differently for every meal! we use this breakfast alcove for breakfast, sunday evening tea, or any informal meal when we are alone. you see how convenient it is! i do want to put a round serving table with leaves on our living porch. then we can eat there on warm evenings in summer." "bettina is very accomplished in economy," said her mother. "you must let her tell you some of her methods." "clementine would be interested, i'm sure," said cousin matilda in her languid way. "is this your guest room?" "yes, and bob and i are proud of that. we white enameled the furniture ourselves! it is some that we found in a second-hand store, and it was certainly a bargain, though it didn't look it at the time. i sewed the rags together for these blue and white rugs. bob made that little open desk out of a small table that we found somewhere. now that it is white, too, i think it is cunning. and, cousin matilda, i give you three guesses as to the place in which i keep my sewing machine!" "why, i haven't seen it yet. in the kitchen?" "goodness, no! well, i'll tell you! this looks like a dressing table, but is merely a shelf with a mirror above it. the shelf has a cretonne cover and 'petticoat' that reaches the floor. and underneath it--behold the sewing machine! bob made the shelf high enough and wide enough to let the sewing machine slip under it! but, cousin matilda, you must be tired of bettina's economies! please sit down with mother in the living room and i will get the 'party.'" and bettina wheeled her tea cart into the kitchen, returning with luncheon napkins, plates, glasses, a pitcher of iced fruit juice, a plate of little chocolate cakes, and several sprays of wild roses. "what delicious little cakes, bettina! at least you can't be called economical when you serve such rich and dainty food as this!" "i must plead guilty still, cousin matilda. i made these little cakes partly from dry bread crumbs. the fruit juice is mostly from the pineapple which bob had for dessert last night. i cooked the core with about two cups of water and added it to the lemonade." "bettina, bettina! how did you learn these things? robert is certainly a lucky man, and i'm sure that some day he will be a wealthy one! you must give me the recipes you used!" and bettina wrote them down as follows: bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =little chocolate cakes= (twelve cakes) eggs / c-butter / c-sugar c-dry bread crumbs t-flour t-vanilla squares chocolate cream the butter, add sugar, and cream the mixture. add the beaten eggs and stir well. add melted chocolate, bread crumbs, flour and flavoring. spread the mixture very thinly on a buttered pan, and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. shape with a tiny biscuit cutter, and put together in pairs with mountain cream icing between and on top. (icing recipe already given.) =fruit juice= (eight glasses) c-sugar c-water - / c-lemon juice boil sugar and water ten minutes without stirring, add lemon juice, and any other fruit juices. cool and bottle. keep on ice and dilute with ice water when desired for use. serve mint leaves with the fruit juice. [illustration] _july._ _the market is full of delights in july: fresh vegetables, berries, red cherries for pie! good housewives and telephones seldom agree, so market yourself! you can buy as you see!_ chapter vii a new-fashioned sunday dinner [illustration] "you will go to church with us this morning, bettina?" asked bob's cousin henry, known also as the rev. henry clinkersmith, as he came into bettina's immaculate kitchen one sunday. "yes, indeed, i will go!" bettina answered him. "is it nearly ten o'clock? oh, yes, nine forty-five. i'll go at once and get ready." cousin henry had arrived late saturday evening. he was filling the pulpit of a friend that sunday morning. bettina finished arranging the low bowl of pansies which was to be her table decoration. "for the dinner table," she explained to cousin henry. "and bob," she said as they walked to church (cousin henry was ahead with an old friend), "i do believe he was worried about dinner. there wasn't a trace of any preparation to be seen! you know i made the cake and the salad dressing yesterday, and the lettuce was on the ice. the sherbet was on the porch (i bought it, you know), and the lamb and potatoes were in the cooker." "well, let him worry! how long will it take to get it ready after we get home?" "about fifteen minutes. the table is set, but i'll have to warm the plates and take things up. then there's the gravy to make, of course." "all i can say is this," said cousin henry at dinner, as he passed his plate for a second helping, "since you've explained the mysteries of the fireless cooker, i realize how it would have helped those cold sunday dinners of the past generation. the women could have obeyed the fourth commandment and given their families a good sunday dinner, too!" that day they had: leg of lamb with potatoes lamb gravy head lettuce thousand island dressing mint sauce bread butter pineapple sherbet bettina's loaf cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =roast leg of lamb with potatoes= (ten portions) a -lb. leg of lamb large potatoes / t-paprika t-salt t-lard wash the lamb with a damp cloth. wipe dry and sprinkle with two teaspoons of salt. place the lard in a frying-pan. when hot, add the lamb, and brown well on all sides. place the meat in the fireless utensil. sprinkle the potatoes with salt and paprika. arrange these about the leg of lamb. place the disks, heated for baking, over and under the baking pan. cook three hours in the fireless. use the drippings for gravy. =lamb gravy= (four portions) t-drippings / c-water t-flour / t-salt place half of the drippings in a sauce-pan. add the flour, and allow it to brown. add slowly the water, salt and the rest of the drippings (two tablespoonsful). boil one minute. =mint sauce= (four portions) / c-mint leaves / c-boiling water t-sugar t-vinegar / t-paprika / t-salt chop the mint leaves very fine. add the boiling water and sugar. cover closely and let stand one-half hour. add the vinegar, pepper and salt. =loaf cake (bettina's nut special)= (twelve pieces) / c-butter c-"c" sugar egg - / c-flour / t-cinnamon t-baking powder / c-nut-meats, cut fine / t-salt / c-milk t-vanilla / t-lemon extract cream the butter, add the sugar and the egg. mix well. add the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nut-meats, salt, milk, vanilla and lemon extract. beat two minutes. pour into a loaf-cake pan prepared with waxed paper. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. chapter viii celebrating the fourth "now, boys, run and play while alice and i set the picnic table!" said bettina to bob and mr. harrison. "see if the fish are biting! cultivate your patience as well as your appetites and we'll surprise you soon!" "bettina, let me help you unpack. everything looks so dainty and interesting!" said alice, as bob and mr. harrison strolled off toward the river. "you ought to have allowed me to bring something, although i'll admit that i do enjoy being surprised. you were a dear to bring me with you!" "i?" said bettina. "of course i'm glad to have you here--no one is better fun--but i wish you had heard something that bob told me. he and harry harrison were planning to go fishing today, all by themselves, until harry suggested that bob might like to bring me along. and then he added as an afterthought, that as three is a crowd, miss alice might be induced to come too. (why is it that 'miss alice' or 'miss kate' or 'miss may' always sounds so like a confirmed bachelor?) bob chuckled when he told me how careless and offhand harry tried to be!" "betty, how pretty those pasteboard plates are with the flag-seals pasted on them!" "i saw some ready-made fourth of july plates, but it was more economical to make my own. and how do you like the red, white and blue paper napkins and lunch cloth? 'lunch paper,' i ought to say, i suppose. alice, you arrange the fruit in the center in this basket, with some napkins around it, and with these little flags sticking out of it in every direction. but first, my dear, please tell me why you changed the subject when i was speaking of mr. harrison?" "those devilled eggs wrapped in frilled tissue-paper look just like torpedoes." "alice, alice, i learned something new about you today. harry said that society girls got on his nerves, but that 'miss alice' seemed sensible enough!" "goodness, betty, he has disagreed with every single thing i've said, so far! if he is being pleasant behind my back, i don't see why he should be so disapproving in his manner to me! but if he is really beginning to think me sensible, let us by all means encourage him! hide my frivolous new hat in the lunch-basket, and give me something useful to be doing. can't i appear to be mixing the salad? . . . honestly, betty, i do get tired of society as a single interest. but what else is there for me to do? go into settlement work? i'd be a joke at that! learn to design jewelry? take singing lessons?" "try the good old profession of matrimony. why are you so fickle, alice, my dear?" "i'm not; it's the men! every sensible one i meet is--well, disagreeable to me!" "meaning harry harrison? he appears to be taking quite an interest, at least!" "that is merely his reforming instinct coming to the surface. but--is everything ready now? we'll sing a few bars of the star spangled banner, and i'm sure the men will come immediately!" the lunch table was set with: lobster and salmon salad ham sandwiches nut bread sandwiches pickles radishes potato chips devilled eggs moist chocolate cake bananas oranges torpedo candies lemonade bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =lobster and salmon salad= (four portions) c-salmon / c-lobster c-diced cucumber or celery sweet pickles cut fine hard-cooked eggs, sliced t-salt / c-salad dressing mix the ingredients in the order given. use a silver fork for mixing. garnish with lettuce leaves. =ham sandwiches= (four portions) / c-chopped ham t-pickles t-chopped olives t-salad dressing slices bread mix ham, olives and pickles with salad dressing and spread on lettuce or nasturtium leaves between buttered slices of bread. trim off the crusts, and cut the sandwiches in fancy shapes. =devilled eggs= (six eggs) hard-cooked eggs t-vinegar / t-mustard t-melted butter / t-chopped parsley / t-salt shell the eggs, cut lengthwise in half, remove yolks, mash them and add vinegar, mustard, melted butter, parsley and salt. refill the whites and put pairs together. wrap in tissue paper with frilled edges to represent torpedoes. =moist chocolate cake= (ten portions) / c-butter c-sugar eggs / c-hot mashed potatoes ounce melted chocolate / c-milk c-flour - / t-baking powder / t-cinnamon / t-clove / t-nutmeg t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar. mix well. add the egg yolks, slightly beaten, and the potato. stir, add the chocolate, milk and then all the dry ingredients which have been mixed and sifted together. fold in the white of the eggs beaten stiffly. add the vanilla. pour into two layer-cake pans which have been prepared with waxed paper. bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. ice with white mountain cream icing. chapter ix uncle john and aunt lucy make a visit uncle john and aunt lucy had driven bob and bettina home from a sunday spent in the country. "do come in," begged bettina, "and have a little lunch with us. after such a bountiful dinner, we really ought not to be hungry, but i confess that the lovely drive home has given me an appetite. and you've never been here for a meal! don't be frightened, uncle john, i really thought of this yesterday, and my cupboard isn't entirely bare. it would be so much fun to show you our things and the house!" "i'm not afraid i won't be fed well," said uncle john, "but those clouds are black in the east. if it should rain we'd have trouble getting home. besides, i don't like to have the car standing out in a storm." "i don't believe it'll rain, john," said comfortable aunt lucy. "and if it does, well, we'll manage somehow. i, for one, would like to see bettina's kitchen--and all the rest of her house," she added. bettina arranged the dainty little meal on the porch table, and aunt lucy and uncle john sat down with good appetites. "this looks almost too pretty to eat," said he as he looked at his plate with its slice of jellied beef on head lettuce, served with salad dressing, and its fresh crisp potato chips. and the nasturtium and green leaf lay beside them. "have a radish and a sandwich, uncle john," said bettina. "we have plenty, if not variety. our only dessert is fresh pears." "but it all tastes mighty good!" said uncle john. "say, bob, it is beginning to rain, i believe!" "sure enough, a regular storm! we must put the car in the empty garage across the street. i'm sure we can get permission." and he and uncle john hurried out. "it will blow over, i'm sure," said aunt lucy. "but if it doesn't--why, aunt lucy, stay here all night! we'd love to have you! the guest room is always ready. i know you'll be comfortable, and they can manage without you at home for once, i'm sure." "of course they'll be all right, and it would be quite exciting to be 'company' for a change. if only uncle john thinks he can do it!" "it looks as if there'll be nothing else to do," said uncle john, when he and bob returned. "not but what i'd enjoy it--but i haven't been away from home a night for--how long is it, lucy?" "seven years last may, john. all the more reason why this'll do you good." "oh, i'm so glad you'll really stay!" said bettina. "now tell me what you like for breakfast!" "anything you have except those new fashioned breakfast foods," uncle john replied. "i might feed 'em to my stock, now, but not to a human being. but don't you worry about me, betty! because i don't worry about the breakfast proposition. bob here is a pretty good advertisement of the kind of cooking you can do!" the lunch that night consisted of: jellied beef potato chips radishes peanut butter sandwiches iced tea fresh pears bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =jellied beef= (four portions) c-cold chopped cooked beef / t-chopped onion t-chopped pimento / t-salt / t-pepper t-chopped parsley t-lemon juice t-granulated gelatin t-cold water / c-boiling water soak the gelatin in one tablespoon cold water for three minutes. add the boiling water and dissolve thoroughly. add the meat, onion, pimento, salt, pepper, lemon juice and parsley. stir well together and turn into a mould that has been moistened with cold water. (a square or rectangular mould is preferable.) stand in a cold place for two hours. when cold and firm, unmould on lettuce leaves and cut into slices. salad dressing may be served with it. =radishes= (four portions) radishes c-chopped ice wash the radishes thoroughly with a vegetable brush. cut off the long roots and all but one inch of green tops. these tops make the radishes easier to handle and more attractive. serve in a bowl of chopped ice. =peanut butter sandwiches= (twelve sandwiches) t-peanut butter / t-salt t-butter t-salad dressing slices of bread uniform pieces of lettuce cream the peanut butter, add the butter. cream again, add the salt and salad dressing, mixing well. cut the bread evenly. butter one side of the bread very thinly with the peanut butter mixture. place the lettuce leaf on one slice and place another slice upon it, buttered side down. press firmly and neatly together. cut in two crosswise. arrange attractively in a wicker basket. chapter x ruth inspects bettina's kitchen "may i come in?" said a voice at the screen door. "i came the kitchen way because i hoped that you would still be busy with the morning's work, and i might learn something. you see" (and ruth blushed a little), "we are thinking of building a house and we have lots of ideas about every room but the kitchen. neither fred nor i know the first thing about that, so i told him that i would just have to consult you." "how dear of you, ruth!" said bettina, as she put away the breakfast dishes. "well, you shall have the benefit of everything that i know. bob and i began with the kitchen when we planned this little house. it seemed so important. i expected to spend a great deal of time here, and i was determined to have it cheerful and convenient. i never could see why a kitchen should not be a perfectly beautiful room, as beautiful as any in the whole house!" "yours is, bettina," said ruth, warmly, as she looked around her. "no wonder you can cook such fascinating little meals. it is light, and sunny and clean looking--oh, immaculate!--and has such a pleasant view!" "i wanted it to have lots of sunshine. we had the walls painted this shade of yellow, because it seemed pretty and cheerful. perhaps you won't care to have white woodwork like this, but you see it is plain and i don't find it hard to keep clean out here on the edge of town! i think it is so pretty that i don't expect to regret my choice. another thing, ruth, do get a good grade of inlaid linoleum like this. i know the initial expense is greater, but a good piece will last a long time, and will always look well." "how high the sink is, bettina!" "thirty-six inches. you see, i'm not very tall and yet i have always found that every other sink i tried was too low for solid comfort. the plumbers have a way of making them all alike--thirty-two inches from the floor, i think. they were scandalized because i asked them to change the regulation height, and yet, i find this exactly right. and isn't it a lovely white enameled one? i am happy whenever i look at it! don't laugh, ruth; a sink is a very important piece of furniture! i had always liked this kind with the grooved drain-board on each side, sloping just a little toward the center. and see how easily i can reach up and put away the dishes in the cupboard, you see. i don't like a single dish or utensil in sight when the kitchen is in order. this roll of paper toweling here by the sink is very convenient for wiping off the table or taking grease off pans and dishes or even for drying glass and silver. a roll lasts a long time, and certainly does save dishcloths and towels. "do you use your fireless cooker often?" "every day of the year--i do believe. i cook breakfast food in it, and all kinds of meats except those that are boiled or fried. then it is splendid for steaming brown bread and baking beans, and oh, so many other things! mother keeps hers under the kitchen table, but i find it more convenient here at the right of the stove--on a box just level with the stove. next, o neophyte, you may observe the stove. the oven is at the side, high up so that one need not stoop to use it. it has a glass oven door through which i can watch my baking." "i like this white enameled table. and the high stool must be convenient, too." "it is splendid. ruth, haven't you an old marble topped table at home? it would be just the thing for pastry making." "yes, i do know of one, i think, and i'll have the lower part enameled white." "fred can do it himself. let him help to fix things up, and he'll be all the more interested in them, and in helping you use them." "bettina, this is an adorable breakfast alcove! what fun you must have every morning! if we have one, i don't believe we'll ever use the dining room. how convenient! here come the waffles--hot from the stove! fred, do have a hot muffin!" "not at the same meal, ruth!" "no, he'll be fortunate if he gets anything to eat at all! he isn't marrying a bettina. but he says he's satisfied. bettina, does bob help get breakfast?" "indeed he does. he loves to make coffee in the electric percolator and toast on the toaster. he says that an electric toaster and plenty of bath towels are the real necessities of life, but i say i cannot live without flowers and a fireplace. oh, you will have such fun, ruth! let fred help you all he will." "i'm hearing all this advice!" suddenly shouted a big voice in her ear. "look here, mrs. bettina, does bob know that you are advising your friends to train their husbands just as you are training him?" "fred, you old eavesdropper! i hope that ruth makes you get breakfast every single morning to pay for this! aren't you ashamed? don't you know that listeners never hear any good of themselves?" "i suppose fred knew he needn't worry," said rosy ruth, as she took his arm. "look, fred, isn't it a dear little house? may he see it all, bettina?" "yes, if he'll explain how a busy man can get away at this hour of the morning." "well, you see i was on my way to the office when i caught a glimpse of ruth's pink dress at your back door. i happened to think that she said she didn't get a recipe for those 'skyrocket rolls' that you had at your party the other day. i just thought i'd have to remind her, for the sake of my future." "what under the shining sun! oh, pinwheel biscuits!" "yes--that's it!" "why--all right. i have it filed away in my card-index. here--with a picture of them pasted on the card. i cut it out of the magazine that gave the recipe. they are delicious." bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pinwheel biscuits= (fifteen biscuits) c-flour t-baking powder t-lard / t-salt / c-milk / c-stoned raisins t-sugar t-melted butter / t-cinnamon sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, work in the lard with a knife, add gradually the milk, mixing with the knife to a soft dough. toss on a floured board, roll one inch thick, spread with butter, and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon, which have been well mixed. press in the raisins. roll up the mixture evenly as you would a jelly roll. cut off slices, an inch thick--flatten a little and place in a tin pan. bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. (these are similar to the cinnamon rolls made from yeast sponge.) chapter xi bettina's birthday gift "your set, bob," said bettina, as she gathered up the tennis balls. "but please say you think i'm improving! oh, there'll come a time when i'll make you a stiff opponent, but i'll have to work up my service first! it's time to go home to breakfast now, but hasn't it been fun?" "fine, betty! we'll do it again! i don't object at all to getting up early when i'm once up! and we ought to get out and play tennis before breakfast every day." "i knew you'd like it when you'd tried it once. but it took my birthday to make you willing to celebrate this way." "just you wait till you see what i have for you at home! i made it all myself, with a little help from ruth!" "oh, bob, is that what you've been doing all these evenings? i'm so anxious to see it! i've begrudged the time you've spent all alone hammering and sawing away down in the basement, but i didn't let myself even wonder what it was you were making, since you had asked me not to look." "well, while you're beginning the breakfast, i'll be bringing your birthday gift upstairs. then i can help you." in a short time, when bettina was arranging the cheerful hollyhocks on the table, she heard a low whistle behind her. there stood bob--looking like a sandwich-man, with a brightly flowered cretonne screen draped about him. "well, how do you like it?" "oh, bob, it's the sewing-screen i've been wanting, and it just matches the cretonne bedroom hangings! here are the little pockets for mending and darning materials--and the larger ones for the unfinished work! how beautifully it is made--and won't it be convenient! it will be useful as a screen, and also as a place for those sewing things, for i have no good place at all in which to keep them! it will be decorative, too! and how light it is! i can carry it so easily, and work beside it on the porch or in the living room!" "glad you like it! ruth designed it, and made the pockets. i did the carpenter work." "bob, it's a lovely birthday gift, and i appreciate it all the more because you made it yourself. how pretty it is with all the woodwork enameled white!" "i wanted it to match the bedroom things. well, is that coffee done yet? tennis certainly does give me an appetite!" breakfast consisted of: iced cantelope poached eggs on toast toast apple sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =poached eggs= (two portions) eggs t-butter t-salt pt. water, boiling butter the bottom of a saucepan or frying-pan. fill half full of boiling water. break the eggs one at a time in a sauce dish, and slip them very gently into the pan of boiling water. the eggs will lower the temperature of the water to a point below the boiling point. keep the water at this point (below boiling). allow the eggs to remain in the water four to six minutes, or until the desired consistency. remove from the water with a skimmer and serve on slices of toast which are hot, buttered, and slightly moistened with water. the proper length of time for poaching eggs is until a white film has formed over the yolks and the white is firm. a tin or aluminum egg poacher is very convenient. when using rings, butter the rings, fill each compartment with an egg, and dip into the boiling water. these are inexpensive, and economical, as no part of the egg is wasted. =toast= (four pieces) slices bread t-butter toast slices of bread one-half an inch thick on the broiler directly under the flame, or on a toaster fitted for a burner on top of the stove. brown on one side, then turn and brown on the other. when both sides are an even golden brown, butter one side, care being taken to butter the edges. set the toast on an enamel plate or tin pie-pan in the oven, until all the pieces are ready for serving. always serve toast very hot. =apple sauce= (two portions) apples / c-water t-sugar / t-cinnamon wash, peel and core the apples. add water and cook slowly in a covered utensil until tender. remove cover, add the sugar and cook two minutes. sprinkle cinnamon on the top. chapter xii bettina's father tries her cooking "so she is about to try her cooking on me, is she?" said bettina's father to bob, as he sat down at the table. "well, i'll admit that i have looked forward to this all day. but there was a time when i was a little more skeptical of bettina's culinary skill. you know, when mother was in california two years ago last winter----" "now, charlie, you know that all girls have to learn at some time or other," interrupted bettina's mother. "and i believe that bob has fared pretty well, considering that bettina is just beginning to keep house----" "i should say so!" said bob, heartily. "why, i'm getting fat! i was weighed to-day, and----" "don't say any more, bob! we'll rent the house and take to boarding! if you get fat----" "no boarding-houses for mine! not after your cooking, bettina! i had enough of boarding before i was married. say--how long ago that does seem." "has the time dragged as much as that? well, i'll change the subject. dad, how do you like my japanese garden? i think it's pretty, don't you?" "i certainly do, my dear. what are those feathery things?" "why, don't you know that, father? and when you were a boy, you worked on a farm one summer, too! there's a parsnip and a horse radish, and a beet. then there are a few parsley seeds and grass seeds on a tiny sponge! and see the little shells and stones that bob and i collected for it." "yes, we found that pink stone up the river on a picnic a year ago last may, before we were engaged, or were we engaged then, bettina? and the purple one----" "oh, you needn't reminisce," bettina interrupted hastily. "eat your dinner." _"every little stone has a meaning all its own, every little shell---- but it wouldn't do to tell."_ "i composed that poem just this minute," said bob, undisturbed. "will you help me get the dessert now, robert? are you ready, mother? and father?" "yes, indeed. a very fine dinner, bettina. we never have steak fixed this way at home; do we, mother? can we try it some day soon?" "i have something for dessert that you like, dad. guess what!" "what is it? oh, lemon pie! that is fine, i can tell you! but i know already that it won't be as good as your mother's! still, we'll try it and see!" that evening for dinner, bettina served: devilled steak new potatoes in cream baking-powder biscuits jelly cucumber and radish salad lemon pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =devilled steak= (four portions) t-butter t-onion - / lb. flank steak / inch thick t-flour t-salt / t-pepper / t-paprika t-mustard t-vinegar t-flour c-water melt the butter in a frying-pan, slice the onion in it and sauté gently until golden brown in color. remove the onion from the butter, cut the flank steak into pieces three by two inches. dredge these lightly in one tablespoon flour and sauté in the butter until well browned. remove the meat from the frying-pan; add the salt, pepper, paprika, mustard, vinegar and flour. mix all together and add the water slowly. replace the steak in the pan, cover closely and simmer one hour, or until the steak is tender. serve on a warm platter and pour the gravy over it. =baking powder biscuit= (fifteen biscuits) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-lard / c-milk mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt; cut in the lard with a knife until the consistency of cornmeal. add the milk, mixing with a knife. pat into a rectangular shape, one-half inch thick, on a floured board. cut with a biscuit cutter one and one-half inches in diameter. place side by side in a tin pan. bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. =cucumber and radish salad= (four portions) c-diced cucumbers / c-diced radishes t-chopped onion t-salt / t-pepper t-salad dressing lettuce leaves mix the cucumbers, radishes, onions, salt and pepper. add salad dressing. serve on lettuce leaves. =lemon pie= filling c-sugar / t-salt juice large lemon egg-yolks - / c-water t-grated rind / c-flour t-butter beat the egg yolks, add the sugar gradually and beat; add the flour, salt, water, lemon juice and rind. cook in a double boiler until it thickens. pour into the pastry shell, cover with meringue and bake in a moderate oven until the meringue is brown. =pie crust= c-flour / c-lard / t-salt t-cold water cut the lard into the flour and salt with a knife. add the water gradually, lifting with a knife that portion that was moistened first and pushing it to one side of the bowl, wet another portion and continue until all is moistened, using just enough water to hold together. put together and place on a floured board. roll the crust to fit the pan. press the crust firmly into the bottom of the pan. prick the sides and bottom with a fork. crinkle the edges of the crust; have the crust extend above the edge of the pan to make a deep shell for the filling. bake the crust first to make it more crisp. do not butter the pan. bake from five to six minutes in a hot oven. when the crust is done, add the filling and cover this with the meringue. =meringue= egg whites beaten stiff t-sugar (powdered preferred) / t-lemon extract do not beat the egg-whites until ready for use. then beat until stiff and add the sugar and extract, beating only a minute. pile the meringue lightly on top of the filling, and bake the whole slowly. if baked too quickly, the meringue will rise and then fall. bake only until it turns a golden brown. chapter xiii bob helps with the dinner "here, bettina, let me mash those potatoes! it's fine exercise after a day at the office!" and bob seized the potato masher with the same vigor that he used to handle a tennis racquet. "good for you, bob! they can't have a single lump in them after that! about the most unappetizing thing i can think of is lumpy mashed potato, or mashed potato that is heavy and unseasoned. more milk? you'd better use plenty. here! now watch me toss them lightly into this hot dish and put a little parsley and a lump of butter on the top. there, doesn't that look delicious?" "i should say so! and look at the fancy tomatoes, each one with a cover! what on earth is inside?" "just wait till you taste them; they're a new invention of mine, and i do believe they'll make a splendid luncheon dish for the next time that ruth is here, or alice brings her sewing over. i'm practising on you first, you see, and if you survive and seem to like them, i may use them for a real company dish." "you can't frighten me that way! creamed chicken?" "creamed veal. don't you remember what we had for dinner last night? there were two chops left and i made it of them. i know it is good when made of cold veal roast, but i had never tried it with cold veal chops--so again i am experimenting on you, bobby!" "you don't frighten me so easily as that! i've just caught a glimpse of something that looks like cocoanut cake, and i'll be happy now, no matter how the rest of the dinner tastes!" "there, everything is on, bob! let's sit down to dinner, and you tell me all about your day!" dinner consisted of: creamed veal mashed potatoes stuffed tomatoes bettina bread butter sliced peaches cream cocoanut cake iced tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed veal= (two portions) c-cooked veal chopped / c-white sauce (medium) rounds of toast mix the veal and sauce. heat and serve hot on rounds of toast. =mashed potatoes= (two portions) potatoes c-water t-salt / t-butter / t-salt / t-paprika t-milk wash and peel medium-sized potatoes; cook in boiling water (salted) until tender. (about twenty minutes.) drain and shake over the fire a minute or two until they are a little dry. either mash with potato masher, or put through potato ricer. add butter, salt, paprika and milk. beat till very light, fluffy and white. reheat by setting the saucepan in a larger kettle containing boiling water. place over flame. more milk may be needed. pile them lightly on the hot dish in which they are to be served. =stuffed tomatoes bettina= (two portions) firm, good-sized tomatoes t-fresh bread crumbs t-left-over cooked vegetables (peas, beans, celery or corn) t-chopped cooked ham or cooked bacon / t-paprika t-egg t-melted butter / t-salt wash the tomatoes thoroughly and cut a slice one inch in diameter from the blossom end, reserving it for future use. carefully scoop out the pulp, being careful to leave the shell firm. to the tomato pulp, add bread crumbs, left-over vegetables, chopped meat, egg, melted butter, salt and paprika. cook the mixture four minutes over the fire. fill the shells with the cooked mixture. put the slices back on the tomatoes. place in a small pan and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. chapter xiv a sunday evening tea "what kind of tea is this?" ruth inquired one sunday evening on the porch. "why, this is a mixture of green and black tea," said bettina. "i like that better for iced tea than either kind alone." "i like tea," said fred, "although perhaps that isn't considered a manly sentiment in this country. i hope you do too, ruth. nothing seems so cozy to me as tea and toast. and i like iced tea like this in the summertime. an uncle of mine is very fond of tea, and has offered to send me some that he considers particularly fine. i believe that orange pekoe is his favorite." "i think that has the best flavor of all," said bettina, "though just now we are using an english breakfast tea that we like very much. and the green tea mixed with it for this is japan tea." "i've heard my uncle say that 'pekoe' means 'white hair,' and is applied to young leaves because they are covered with a fine white down. uncle also says that black teas are considered more wholesome than green because they contain less tannin. i tell you, he's a regular connoisseur." "i see that i must become an expert tea-maker!" said ruth. "i'm learning something new about fred every day. bettina, do tell me exactly how you make tea. fred can listen, too, unless he already knows." "well, let's see, ruth. i take a level teaspoonful of tea to a cup of water. i put the tea in a scalded earthenware tea-pot--that kind is better than metal--and pour boiling water over it--fresh water. then i cover it and allow it to steep from three to five minutes. then i strain and serve it. you know tea should always be freshly made, and never warmed over. it shouldn't be boiled either, not a second. boiling, or too long steeping, brings out the tannin." "but how about iced-tea? that has to stand." "it shouldn't steep, though. i make it just like any tea and strain it. then i let it cool, and set it on the ice for three or four hours. i serve it with chipped ice, lemon and mint." "mother always added a cherry to her afternoon tea," said ruth. "that would be great," said bob. "i don't care much for hot tea, but i believe i would be willing to drink a cup for the sake of the cherry." "ruth," said bettina, "i know now what i will give you for an engagement present since fred likes tea, too. a silver tea-ball. surely that will symbolize comfort and fireside cheer." "speaking of firesides," asked bob, "what material have you decided upon for your fireplace? it seems to me that we're talking too much about tea-making, and not enough about house-building." that evening bettina served: salmon salad with jellied vegetables boston brown bread sandwiches sliced fresh peaches one egg cake chocolate icing iced tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =salmon salad with jellied vegetables= (four portions) c-cooked mixed diced vegetables (string beans, carrots, peas or celery) c-meat stock or water (hot) t-granulated gelatin t-salt t-chopped pimento t-cold water t-lemon juice cooked vegetables may be combined for this salad. soak the gelatin in cold water a few minutes, add the meat stock or water and stir until the gelatin is thoroughly dissolved. if it is not completely dissolved, heat over a pan of hot water. add the vegetables in such proportions as desired or convenient. add the salt, lemon juice and pimento; turn the mixture into a moistened mould. (a ring mould is attractive.) allow to stand for one hour or more in a cold place. when ready to serve, remove from mould to a chilled plate. if a ringed mould is used, the center may be filled with flaked salmon over which salad dressing has been poured. if the vegetable part is used as a salad, salad dressing may be placed around the vegetables. =one egg cake= (ten portions) t-butter / c-sugar egg / c-milk - / c-flour - / t-baking powder t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and the egg well beaten. mix and sift the flour and baking powder and add alternately with the milk. add the vanilla. bake in a loaf-cake pan twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =chocolate icing for cake= square of chocolate, melted t-boiling water - / powdered sugar / t-vanilla melt the chocolate, add a little powdered sugar, then water and flavoring and sufficient sugar to allow the icing to spread on cake. usually one and one-half cups is the necessary amount. spread on the cake. chapter xv a motor picnic "hello, bettina; this is bob. what are you having for dinner to-night?" "it's all in the fireless cooker! why?" "couldn't you manage to make a picnic supper of it? one of the men at the office has invited us to go motoring to-night with him and his wife, and, of course, i said we'd be delighted. they're boarding, poor things, and i asked if we couldn't bring the supper. he seemed glad to have me suggest it. i suppose he hasn't had any home cooking for months. do you suppose you could manage the lunch? how about it?" "why, let me think! how soon must we start?" "we'll be there in an hour or a little less. don't bother about it--get anything you happen to have." "it's fine to go, dear. of course, i'll be ready. good-bye!" bettina's brain was busy. there was a veal loaf baking in one compartment of the cooker, and on the other side, some boston brown bread was steaming. her potatoes were cooked already for creaming, and although old potatoes would have been better for the purpose, she might make a salad of them. as she hastily put on some eggs to hard-cook, she inspected her ice box. yes, those cold green beans, left from last night's dinner, would be good in the salad. what else? "it needs something to give it character," she reflected. "a little canned pimento--and, yes--a few of the pickles in that jar." of course, she had salad dressing--she was never without it. sandwiches? the brown bread would be too fresh and soft for sandwiches, but she could keep it hot, and take some butter along. "i'm glad it is cool to-day. we'll need hot coffee in the thermos bottle, and i can make it a warm supper--except for the salad." she took the veal loaf and the steamed brown bread from the cooker, and put them into the oven to finish cooking. "how lucky it is that i made those spanish buns! and the bananas that were to have been sliced for dessert, i can just take along whole." when bettina heard the auto horn, and then bob's voice, she was putting on her hat. "well, betty, could you manage it?" "yes, indeed, dear. everything is ready. the thermos bottle has coffee in it, piping hot; the lunch basket over there is packed with the warm things wrapped tight, and that pail with the burlap over it is a temporary ice box. it holds a piece of ice, and beside it is the cream for the coffee and the potato salad. it is cool to-day, but i thought it best to pack them that way." "you are the best little housekeeper in this town," said bob as he kissed her. "i don't believe anyone else could have managed a picnic supper on such short notice. come on out and meet mr. and mrs. dixon. may i tell them that they have a fine spread coming?" "don't you dare, sir. it's a very ordinary kind of a supper, and even you are apt to be disappointed." but he wasn't. bettina's picnic supper that cool day consisted of: warm veal loaf cold potato salad fresh brown bread butter spanish buns bananas hot coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =veal loaf= (six to eight portions) lbs. lean veal / lb. salt pork large crackers t-lemon juice t-onion salt t-salt / t-pepper t-cream put two crackers in the meat grinder, add bits of meat and pork and the rest of the crackers. the crackers first and last prevent the pork and meat from sticking to the grinder. add other ingredients in order named. pack in a well-buttered bread-pan. smooth evenly on top, brush with white of an egg and bake one hour in a moderate oven. baste frequently. the meat may be cooked in a fireless cooker between two stones. it is perfectly satisfactory cooked this way, and requires no basting. =boston brown bread= (six portions) c-rye or graham flour c-cornmeal c-white flour t-salt - / t-soda / c-molasses / c-sugar - / c-sour milk or - / c-sweet milk or water / c-raisins mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses and liquid. fill well-buttered moulds two-thirds full, butter the top of mould, and steam three and one-half hours. remove from moulds and place in an oven to dry ten minutes before serving. --if sweet milk is used, t-vinegar to - / c will sour the milk. --baking powder cans, melon moulds, lard pails or any attractively shaped tin cans may be used as a mould. --two methods of steaming are used: (a) regular steamer in which the mould, either large or individual, is placed over a pan of boiling water. buttered papers may be tied firmly over the tops of uncovered moulds. (b) steaming in boiling water. the mould is placed on a small article in the bottom of a pan of boiling water. this enables the water to circulate around the mould. care must be observed in keeping the kettle two-thirds full of boiling water all of the time of cooking. (bettina used the method in the fireless cooker.) she started the brown bread in the cooker utensil on the top of the stove. when the water was boiling vigorously, she placed it over one hot stone in the cooker. the water came two-thirds of the distance to the top of her cans. in the cooker, she did not have to watch for fear the water would boil away. after fastening the lid tightly on the cooker-kettle in which the bread was to steam, she did not look at it again for four hours. (it takes a little longer in the cooker than on the stove.) chapter xvi bettina has a caller the next morning bettina was alone in her little kitchen when the door bell rang. "why, mrs. dixon; how do you do?" she said, as she opened the door and recognized the visitor. "won't you come in?" it must be admitted that bettina was somewhat embarrassed at the unexpected call at so unconventional a time. mrs. dixon was dressed in a trim street costume, but under her veil bettina could see that her eyes were red, and her lips quivered as she answered: "forgive me for coming so early, but i just had to. i know you'll think me silly to talk to you confidentially when i met you only yesterday, but i do want your advice about something. you mustn't stop what you are doing. couldn't i come into the kitchen and talk while you work?" "why, my dear, of course you can," said bettina, trying to put her at her ease. "you can't guess what i was doing! i was washing my pongee dress; someone told me of such a good way!" "why, could you do it all yourself?" said mrs. dixon, opening her eyes wide. "why not send it to be dry-cleaned?" "of course i might," said bettina, "but it would be expensive, and i do like to save a little money every month from my housekeeping allowance. there are always so many things i want to get. you see i'm doing this in luke-warm, soapy water--throwing the soap-suds up over the goods, then i'll rinse it well, and hang it in the shade to drip until it gets dry. i won't press it till it is fully dry, because if i do, it will be spotted." "how do you learn things like that?" "oh, since i've been married, and even before, when i thought about keeping house, i began to pick up all sorts of good ideas. i like economizing; it gives me an opportunity to use all the ingenuity i have." "does it? i always thought it would be awfully tiresome. you see, i've lived in a hotel all my life; my mother never was strong, and i was the only child. i liked it, and since i've been married, we've lived the same way. i never thought of anything else and i supposed frank would like it, too--but lately--oh, all the last year--he's been begging me to let him find us a house. and then"--(bettina saw that her eyes had filled with tears)--"he has been so different. you have no idea, my dear. why--he hasn't been at home with me two evenings a week--and----" "you must be dreadfully unhappy," interrupted bettina, wondering what she could say, since she disliked particularly to listen to any account of domestic difficulties. "but why not try keeping house? maybe that would be better. why, bob doesn't like to be away from home any evenings at all." "but you've just been married!" said mrs. dixon, tactlessly. "wait and see how he'll be after a few years!" "well, that's all the more reason for trying to make him like his home. have you thought of taking a house?" "that was just the reason i came to you. you seem to be so happy living this way--and it surprised me. i knew last evening what frank was thinking when he saw this little house--and then when you unpacked the lunch--tell me honestly, did you cook it yourself?" "of course," said bettina, smiling. "wasn't it hard to learn? why, i can't cook a thing--i can't even make coffee! frank says if he could only have one breakfast that was fit to eat----" and she buried her face in her handkerchief. "why, mrs. dixon!" cried bettina, cheerfully, though her heart was beating furiously. "your trouble is the easiest one in the world to remedy! your husband is just hungry--that's all! i'll tell you--we'll make this a little secret between us, and have such fun over it! you do just as i tell you for one month and i'll guarantee that frank will be at home every single minute that he can!" "do you suppose i can learn?" "i'll show you every single thing. we'll slip out this very day and look for a little house--to surprise frank! and i'll teach you to cook by easy stages!" "oh, will you?" smiled mrs. dixon, showing an adorable dimple in her round cheek. "you don't know how much better i feel already! when can we begin?" "right now--with coffee--real, sure 'nough coffee that will make frank's eyes stick out! have you a percolator?" "no, but i can get one." "it isn't necessary at all. i'll tell you how to do without it, and then using one will be perfectly simple." bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =coffee= (four cups) t-coffee t-cold water / t-egg white - / c-boiling water scald the coffee pot, add the coffee, cold water and egg-white. mix thoroughly, add the boiling water. boil two minutes. allow to stand in the pot one minute. serve. =twin mountain muffins= c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt egg c-milk t-melted butter / c-sugar mix and sift together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. beat the egg, add the milk; add these liquid ingredients to the dry ones. beat two minutes. add the melted butter. fill well buttered muffin pans one-half full. bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. chapter xvii bob gets breakfast on sunday "now, bettina, you sit here and direct me, but don't you dare to move. i'm going to get breakfast myself." "fine for you, chef! have it on the porch, will you? it's the most beautiful morning of the year, i do believe! but you must give me something to do. let me set the table, will you?" "well, you can do that, but get me an apron first. be sure you get one that'll be becoming!" bettina went to a deep drawer in the pantry, of which the breakfast alcove was a part, and selected a white bungalow apron with red dots. "here, put your arms through this! there, how 'chic' you look! bob, do you realize that this is our first breakfast on the porch? i must get some of those feathery things growing out there; i want them for the table. we must celebrate!" "if having flowers on the table is celebrating, you celebrate every day!" "of course, my dear! our married life is just one long celebration. haven't you discovered that yet?" bettina had thus far no flower garden, but she was never without flowers. the weeds and grasses in her backyard had a way of turning themselves into charming centerpieces, and then, too, red clover was always plentiful. bob moved the coffee percolator and the electric toaster to the porch and attached them while bettina spread the luncheon cloth upon the small table. "aren't you glad we thought to plan it so that we might have the percolator and the toaster out here?" she said. "that was your idea, wasn't it?" "aren't you glad you married me?" said bob enthusiastically. "i'll bet i'm the only man on this street who can frizzle dried beef and cream it! and make coffee!" "who taught you that, i'd like to know? give some credit to your wife who forces you to do it! here, bridget! the grapefruit is in the ice box; did you see it? and the oatmeal in the cooker is waiting to be reheated. set it in a kettle of water over the fire, so that it won't burn. there are rolls in the bread-box. put them in the oven a minute to warm up. if they seem dry, dip them quickly in water before heating them. now shall i be making some toast-rounds for the chipped beef?" "well, you might be doing that. i'm getting dizzy with all these orders, ma'am. you can hunt up the cream and the milk and the butter, too, if you will. now for the beef! say, but this is going to be a good breakfast! 'befoh de wah' i used to sleep late on sundays, but not any more for me! i like to cook!" "there's someone at the door. i'll go; you're busier than i am." there on the doorstep beside the sunday paper stood a little four-year-old neighbor, her hands full of old-fashioned pinks. "my mother sent these to you," she said. "oh, lovely, dear! thank you! won't you come in?" "no'm! my daddy has to shine my shoes for sunday school." "bob, aren't these pretty with the white feathery weeds? i do love flowers!" "they don't look half so pretty as this 'ere frizzled beef does! breakfast is all ready!" bettina sat down to an open-air breakfast of grapefruit oatmeal cream creamed beef toast rounds rolls butter coffee after a jolly and leisurely meal, bob announced that he was ready to wash the dishes. "ever since i've seen that nice white-lined dishpan of yours, i've wanted to try it. it's oval, and i never saw an oval one before." "i like it because it fits into the sink so well, and fills all the space it can." "see how efficient i am! i put on the water for the dishes when we sat down to eat! now i'll have nice hot, soapy water, and lots of it, to rinse them!" "but don't rinse the glasses, dear. see how i can polish glass and silver that has just come out of that clean soapy water! look! isn't that shiny and pretty? there, you can scald everything else!" "there's the telephone! it's mrs. dixon! what on earth can she want? she asked for you!" bettina talked for a few moments in monosyllables and then returned to the dishes. "what did she have to say?" bob asked. "she asked me not to tell you, bob. nothing much. perhaps you'll know some day." bob looked puzzled and slightly hurt. it was the first time that bettina had kept anything from him and he could not help showing some displeasure. bettina saw this, and said: "bob, i don't want to have any secret from you, and i'd like you to know that this is nothing that i wouldn't tell you gladly if i were the only one concerned. i promised, that's all. you'll smile when you know all about it." and bob was mollified. bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =oatmeal= (four portions) / c-rolled oats c-hot water / t-salt put the hot water in the upper part of the double boiler. when boiling, add salt and oats. boil the mixture for three minutes. cover and place the upper part in the lower part of the double boiler. cook over a moderate fire for one hour. stir occasionally. =creamed beef= (four portions) / lb. diced beef thinly sliced t-butter t-flour c-milk place the butter in a frying-pan, and when the pan is hot and the butter is melted, add the beef separated into small pieces. allow it to frizzle. add the flour, mix thoroughly with beef and butter, allowing the flour to brown a little. add the milk slowly, cooking until thick and smooth. pour over rounds of toast. garnish with parsley. chapter xviii bettina gives a porch party "i'm so glad that you girls have come, for i've been longing to show you the porch ever since bob and i put on the finishing touches." "o bettina, it's lovely!" cried all the guests in a chorus. "but weren't you awfully extravagant?" "wait till i tell you. perhaps i ought not to give myself away, but i am prouder of our little economies than of anything else; we've had such fun over them. this is some old wicker furniture that mother had in her attic, all but this chair, that came from aunt nell's. bob mended it very carefully, and then enameled it this dull green color. i have been busy with these cretonne hangings and cushions for a long time, and we have been coaxing along the flowers in our hanging baskets and our window boxes for days and days, so that they would make a good impression on our first porch guests. bob made the flower boxes himself and enameled them to go with the furniture. this high wicker flower box was a wedding gift, and so was the wicker reading lamp. this matting rug is new, but i must admit that we bought nothing else except this drop-leaf table, which i have been wanting for a long time. you see it will make a good serving table, and then we expect to eat on it in warm weather." "what are we to make today, bettina? the invitation has made us all curious. "'the porch is cool as cool can be, so come on thursday just at three, to stay awhile and sew on something useful, strong, and neat, which, with your help, will quite complete bettina's bungalow!'" "what about the little sketches of knives and forks and spoons in the corners?" "bob did that. he wrote the verse, too, or i'm afraid i should have telephoned. are we all here? wait a minute." and bettina wheeled out her tea-cart, on which, among trailing nasturtiums, were mysterious packages wrapped in fringed green tissue paper. "what is in them? silver cases--cut and ready to be made! oh, how cunning! shall we label them, too? what is the card? "'i'll not incase your silver speech, for that is quite beyond my reach!'" "did bob do that, too? the impudence!" and ruth threaded her needle in preparation. "you see," said bettina, "i hadn't found time to make cases for my silver, so i just decided to let you girls help me! the card tells what to label them, in outline stitch in these bright colors. i used to open ten cases at home before i found what i wanted, so i am insuring against that." talk and laughter shortened the afternoon, but at five o'clock bettina wheeled out her tea-cart again. the dainty luncheon was decorated with nasturtiums. the girls laid aside their work while bettina served: sunbonnet baby salad nut bread sandwiches iced tea mint wafers lemon sherbet tea cakes bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =sunbonnet baby salad= (ten portions) halves pears cloves, whole almonds thin slices pimento t-salad dressing pieces lettuce arrange the halves of canned pears, round side up, on lettuce leaves, which curl closely about the pear and have the effect of a hood. place cloves in the pear for eyes, blanched almonds for ears, and slip thin slices of canned pimento into cuts made for nose and mouth. the expressions may be varied. put salad dressing around the outside of the pear to represent hair and arrange a bow of red pimento under the chin of the sunbonnet baby. these salads are very effective and easy to make. =nut bread= (twenty-four sandwiches) - / c-graham flour c-white flour t-baking powder c-"c" sugar t-salt - / c-milk / c-chopped nut meats, dates or raisins sift together all the dry ingredients, add the nut meats and fruit. add the milk. stir well, and pour into two well-buttered loaf pans. allow to stand and rise for twenty minutes. bake three-fourths of an hour in a moderate oven. use bread twenty-four hours old for the sandwiches. "c" sugar is light brown sugar and gives food a delicious flavor. =lemon sherbet= (ten portions) c-water c-sugar / c-lemon juice egg white boil sugar and water ten minutes. cool, add lemon juice and strain. freeze, and when nearly stiff, add beaten egg white and finish freezing. =icing= (white mountain cream) c-sugar / c-water egg whites / t-lemon extract boil the sugar and water without stirring until it threads when dropped from the spoon. pour slowly into the whites of the eggs beaten stiffly. beat until it holds its shape. add the flavoring and spread on the cake. =bettina's suggestions= arrange the sunbonnet babies on a salad platter, and let the guests help themselves. the salad is light and attractive. the stem end of the pear represents the neck. cream the butter to be used for sandwiches. it spreads more evenly and goes farther. sandwiches taste better if allowed to stand for several hours, wrapped securely in a napkin which has been well dampened (not wet). cut the slices very thin and press together firmly. cut into fancy shapes. chapter xix bettina and the expense budget "ruth asked me today how we manage our finances," said bettina over the dinner table. "she said that she and fred were wondering what plan was best. i'm so glad i have a definite household allowance and that we have budgeted our expenses so successfully. the other day i was reading an article by carolyn claymore in which she says that three-fourths of the domestic troubles are caused by disagreements about money." "then we haven't much to quarrel about, have we, betty? that is true in more than one sense. but i'm sure that this way seems to suit us to a t." "i'm even saving money, bob." "i don't see how you can when you give me such good things to eat, and when we have so much company." "well, i plan ahead, you know--plan for my left-overs before they are left, even. i do think that an instinct for buying and planning is better than an instinct for cooking. and either one can be cultivated. but it was certainly hard to get that budget of expenses fixed satisfactorily, wasn't it? i told ruth that no two families are alike, and that i couldn't tell her just what they ought to spend for clothes, or just what groceries ought to cost. after all, it is an individual matter which things are necessities and which are luxuries. the chief thing is to live within your means, and save as well as invest something--and at the same time be comfortable and happy. i told ruth we started with the fixed sums and the absolute necessities, and worked backward. i told her they must absolutely be saving something, if only a quarter a week. then, that fred must manage the budget of expenses that comes within his realm, and not interfere with hers, and that she must do the same with the household expenditures, and not worry him. it takes a lot of adjusting to make the system work satisfactorily, but it is certainly worth it." "did you tell ruth about the envelope system that my sister harriet, uses? she says she is so careless naturally that when george gives her her allowance each month, she has to put the actual cash in separate envelopes, and then vow to herself that she will not borrow from the gas money to make the change for the grocer-boy, and so forth. that is the only way she can teach herself." "my cousin's wife used to keep the most wonderful and complete accounts, but she couldn't tell without a lot of work in hunting up the items how much she already had spent for groceries or clothes or anything. she had to change her method, and it was she who taught me to keep my accounts in parallel columns, a page for a week, because you give me my allowance each week. i like this way so much, for i can tell at a glance how my expenses are comparing with the allotted sum." "i like to look at your funny, neat little notebook, bettina, all ruled so carefully for the week, and the headings, such as gas, electricity, groceries, meat, milk, laundry, across the top." "don't make fun of my notebook. i couldn't keep house without it. in case of fire, i'd save it first of all, i know! it is almost like a diary to me! i can look back over it and remember, 'that was the day bob brought mr. green home and we almost ran out of potatoes!' or 'this was the day i thought my brown bread had failed, but bob seemed to like it!'" she exaggerated. "failures in cooking! why, bettina, i don't know the meaning of the words! and i don't see how you can feed me so well on the sum i give you for the purpose. i'd feel guilty, only you don't look a bit unhappy or overworked." "i should say not!" "you surely don't remember how to cook all the things you give me!" "no, indeed, bob, not definitely, that is. you see, on the shelf by my account book, which you smile over, i have my card index with lots and lots of recipes filed away. then i have notebooks, too, with all sorts of suggestions tucked in them just where i can lay my hand on them." "betty dear, you've given me a real glimpse into your business-like methods! some men seem to think that it doesn't take brains to run a house well, but they don't know. it requires just as much executive ability and common sense as it does to manage a big business." that night the dinner for two consisted of: cold ham green peppers stuffed with rice light rolls peach butter hot fudge cake bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =light rolls= t-sugar / t-salt / c-scalded milk / yeast cake / c-flour t-melted butter egg, well-beaten t-lukewarm water flour add the sugar and salt to the scalded milk and when lukewarm, add the yeast dissolved in the lukewarm water, and three-fourths of a cup of flour. cover and set in a warm place to rise. then add the melted butter, the well-beaten egg, and enough flour to knead. let rise in a warm place. roll to one-half an inch in thickness and shape with a biscuit cutter. butter the top of each. fold over, place in a buttered pan, close together. let rise again for forty-five minutes and then bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. =green peppers stuffed with rice= green peppers c-white sauce / c-cooked rice t-chopped green pepper onions cooked and cut fine / t-paprika cut the stem ends from the peppers, and remove all seeds; add one-eighth of a teaspoonful of soda to each pepper, fill with water and allow to stand one-half hour. mix one cup of white sauce with the rice, onions, chopped pepper and paprika. fill the pepper cases and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. =hot fudge cake= / c-butter c-sugar egg yolks squares (or ounces) of chocolate, melted / c-molasses / c-sour milk / c-hot water c-flour t-cinnamon t-soda t-baking powder / t-salt t-vanilla egg whites cream the butter, add the sugar and continue creaming. add the egg yolks, melted chocolate, molasses, sour milk, hot water, flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, salt and vanilla. beat two minutes, and add the stiffly beaten egg whites. fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. serve hot as a dessert, with whipped cream. chapter xx mrs. dixon and bettina's experiment "i'm so happy!" said mrs. dixon, as she stopped at bettina's door one cool morning. "but i'm nervous, too! what if frank shouldn't like it?" "oh, but he will!" bettina assured her. "he'll think he's the luckiest man in town, and i almost believe that he is! he'll love that dear little white house with the screened porch! why, the very grass looks as if it longed to spell 'welcome' like some of the door mats i've seen! and think of the flower boxes! you were very fortunate to rent it for a year, furnished so nicely, and probably when that time is up you'll be ready to build or buy one of your own." "you are a dear to cheer me up this way, but i'm nervous in spite of you. perhaps i should have consulted frank before i promised to take the house." "but he has been urging you to keep house for so long! and i know he'll be grateful to you for sparing him the worry of hunting one himself. besides, he'll like being surprised." "well, i'll go back to the hotel for luncheon with him, and then i'll phone him later to meet me at the house. i won't tell him a thing; i'll just give him the address. i'll say it's very, very important. that will surprise him and perhaps will frighten him a little. he never does leave his office during business hours, but it will take only a few minutes for him to run out here in the car. goodness, i'm forgetting what i came for! do you suppose i am too stupid to try to make those spanish buns frank liked so much? we had them at the picnic, you know. i have three hours after luncheon until he comes, and i just long to give him some good coffee and some spanish buns that i've made myself! that little kitchen looks as if it would be so nice to work in! i tried coffee a little while ago over at the house, and really--it was fine! it looked just like yours! i was so surprised! to think of my doing such things!" "of course you could make spanish buns; it would be fine if you would. i'll tell you,--why not let me come over for an hour right after luncheon and superintend? then i'll slip home so that you can be alone when frank comes. i could tell you some other things about cooking while we're there together,--things you may write down in your new notebook. for example, i've often wondered that so few housekeepers can make good white sauce." "what in the world is that?" "it's used in cream soups, and it's the cream part of creamed vegetables and meat and fish, and then there is a thicker white sauce that is used to bind croquettes--that is, hold the ingredients together. there are really four kinds of white sauces and they are very simple to make. i think everyone should know the right way to make them, for they are useful in preparing so many good things." "i'm glad we'll be near you because i can ask you so many questions." "and i'm glad that it is summer, because you can have so many things that require little or no cooking, and by fall, i'm sure you will be an accomplished housekeeper." "will you come over at two, then, or earlier if you can?" "of course i will!" and as mrs. dixon hurried away bettina felt a sympathetic thrill at the happiness two other people were about to find. bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =spanish buns= (twelve buns) / c-butter c-sugar egg-yolk / c-milk - / c-flour t-baking powder t-cinnamon / t-powdered cloves egg-white beaten stiffly t-vanilla / c-currants cream the butter and sugar, add the egg yolk. mix and sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and cloves; add these and the milk to the first mixture. beat one minute. add the vanilla and the stiffly beaten egg white. bake in well buttered muffin pans twenty minutes in a moderate oven. ice with confectioner's icing. =confectioner's icing= (twelve portions) t-cream t-vanilla c-powdered sugar mix the cream and vanilla, add sugar slowly until the consistency to spread (more sugar may be needed). this is a most satisfactory frosting and is easily and quickly made. it is suitable for hot weather. =white sauces= (four portions) = --soup= t-flour t-butter c-liquid / t-salt this is the consistency for creamed soups. = --vegetable sauce= t-butter t-flour c-milk / t-salt this white sauce is used for creamed vegetables, creamed fish, etc. this amount is required for two cups of vegetables. = --pattie sauce= t-butter t-flour c-milk / t-salt this sauce is used for oyster or other patties. = --croquette sauce= t-butter t-flour c-milk / t-salt this is called a binding white sauce and is used to hold other ingredients together. =method of preparing white sauces= melt the butter in a saucepan and add the flour and salt, stirring constantly. when well mixed add the liquid, a little at a time. bring to a boil, stirring constantly. this is far better than mixing the flour with a little of the liquid when cold, as so many people do when creaming potatoes or other things. if the white sauce seems too thick for the purpose, thin with a little more liquid before removing from the fire. chapter xxi a rainy-day dinner the rain had been falling all day in a heavy downpour, and bettina had ventured out only to gather some red clover blooms for the porch table, which she was now setting for dinner. in spite of the rain, it was not cold, and she liked the contrast of the cheerful little table, with its white cloth and bright silver, and the gray day just outside the screen. "if bob would only come home early, how nice it would be!" she thought. "perhaps that's he at the telephone now." however, it proved to be mrs. dixon. "i phoned to ask you if i should throw away the yolks of two eggs. i've just used the whites." "oh, no, mrs. dixon! beat them up well, and add a little cold water to them. then set them in the ice-box. they will be just as good later as they would be now. you may want them for salad dressing or something else." "if i ever have the white of the egg left, shall i treat that the same way?" "no, don't beat that up at all, nor add any water. just set it in the refrigerator as it is. i'm so glad you called up, mrs. dixon. will you and your husband take dinner with us next sunday? perhaps we might all go to church first." "we'd love to do that! i've just been worrying over sunday dinner, and you've restored my peace of mind. but won't it be a great deal of work for you?" "i won't let it be. i don't believe in those heavy, elaborate sunday dinners that take all the morning to prepare. we'll just come home from church and have it in half an hour. you may help me." "we'd love to come. i have so much to tell you. i've been very busy, but frank has helped, and it has been such fun! you don't know how he enjoys the little house! well, good-bye till tomorrow!" "boo!" shouted bob in her ear, as she hung up the receiver. "i discovered your dark secret this morning! frank dixon told me!" "well, what did you think of it?" "the only possible solution in that case. you are their good angel--that is, if she doesn't poison frank with her cooking, or burn the house down when she's lighting the fire." "she won't, don't worry! she takes to housekeeping as if she had always done it. her house is immaculate; she has been cleaning and dusting and polishing from morning to night. i'm almost ashamed of mine!" "i'm not!" said bob, decidedly. "i don't see how you can keep it clean at all with a man like me scattering papers and cigar ashes everywhere. and i'm always losing my belongings, and always will, i suppose." "that's only a sign that we haven't discovered the proper place for them all yet. but we'll work it out in time. well, are you hungry?" "hungry? i should say so! why, i could almost eat you!" "well, bob, we have a rainy-day dinner tonight that i hope you'll enjoy. hash! does that frighten you?" "not your hash, betty." "well, everything is ready." the rainy evening menu consisted of: browned hash creamed cauliflower date muffins butter apple sauce cake chocolate bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =browned hash= (two portions) c-chopped cold cooked beef c-cold boiled potatoes diced a few drops of onion juice / t-salt / t-pepper t-milk t-fat (lard, butter or one-half of each) mix all the ingredients thoroughly. spread the mixture evenly in a hot frying-pan in which the fat has been placed. cook without stirring until a crust is formed on the bottom; fold over like an omelet and place on a hot platter. =creamed cauliflower= (two portions) head cauliflower c-water t-salt c-vegetable white sauce separate cauliflower into sections, wash well and cook in boiling salted water until tender. (about half an hour.) drain and cover with vegetable white sauce. =date muffins= (ten muffins) / c-sugar / c-dates cut fine egg / t-salt / c-milk - / c-flour t-baking powder t-butter (melted) mix the sugar, dates, baking powder, flour and salt. add milk in which one egg has been beaten. beat two minutes. add butter, melted. fill well-buttered muffin pans half full of the mixture, and place in the oven. bake twenty minutes. serve hot or cold. =apple sauce cake= (ten portions) / c-butter c-sugar egg, beaten light - / c-flour t-soda - / t-cinnamon / t-powdered cloves c-hot, thick, strained, sweetened apple sauce c-mixed, chopped raisins, nut meats and dates t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually. stir well. add the well-beaten egg. mix the soda and apple-sauce, and add to the first ingredients. alternately with the flour and spices, add the vanilla and fruit. beat for two minutes. turn into a square pan, and sift granulated sugar over the top. bake in a moderate oven one-half hour. chapter xxii buying a refrigerator "something in refrigerators?" said the clerk politely to mrs. dixon and bettina. "you talk to him," said mrs. dixon. "i don't know a thing about a refrigerator; that's why i begged you to come." "well," considered bettina, her red brown head on one side, "we want one that will hold not less than a hundred pounds of ice. the large ones are much more economical in the long run. here, mrs. dixon, is a hundred-pound fellow. may we examine it, please?" "certainly, madam." "no, this won't do. see, mrs. dixon, the trap is in the bottom of the food chamber. that is wasteful and inconvenient, because in cleaning it you would have to leave the door of the larger compartment open. that would let the cold air out and waste the ice. anyhow, you know the trap is the sewer of the refrigerator, and has no business in the food chamber. the trap really ought to be in the bottom of the ice chamber, where it can be cleaned without removing the food, or opening the door of the food compartment. besides, i prefer to have the ice put in at a door on the side of the front, not on the top. yes, here is the kind i mean. i like this trap, too. see, mrs. dixon, isn't it fine? it has a white enamel lining and shelves of open wire that can be removed." "it looks nice, doesn't it? and when i get some white shelf paper on those shelves it will be like an attractive cupboard." "oh, my dear! you mustn't do that! that would prevent the circulation of air through the ice-box, which is the very thing that makes the food compartment cold. you see, that circulation of air goes on through these open-wire shelves. another thing, i've seen people cover the ice with newspapers to keep it from melting, as they thought. but they were mistaken. any friction causes warmth, and ice keeps better when there is nothing touching it." "well, if you like this one, i'll ask the price of it." "it will be expensive, i'm afraid, but the most economical in the long run. are you staying downtown to meet mr. dixon?" "yes, i'd like him to see the refrigerator. he takes such an interest in these household things i'm getting." "well, good-bye, dear. i must hurry home to get dinner. it won't take long, but i'll have to go, or bob will get there first, and i'm a little sentimental about being there to greet him at the door." bettina's dinner that night consisted of: broiled lamb chops boiled new potatoes new peas in cream vegetable salad bread butter rhubarb pudding bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =broiled lamb chops= (three portions) chops t-salt wipe chops and place in a red-hot frying-pan. as soon as the under surface is seared, turn and sear the other side. turn down the fire a little, and continue to cook, turning chops often. cook seven minutes if liked rare. when cooked, sprinkle with salt and spread with butter. =creamed new peas= (three portions) qt. peas / t-soda / t-salt shell one quart of peas, cover with cold water and let stand ten minutes, wash well, and drain off the water. cover with boiled water and cook twenty to fifty minutes, according to age of peas. a pinch of soda may be added to the water. it softens the skins on the peas. add salt when the peas have cooked twenty minutes. =white sauce for peas= (three portions) t-butter t-flour / t-salt / c-milk melt the butter, add the flour and salt, mixing well, and the milk, stirring constantly. cook two minutes. add the peas. =rhubarb pudding= (three portions) c-cooked, sweetened rhubarb sauce t-flour t-cold water egg-white / t-salt add the water slowly to the flour and mix well. add the rhubarb sauce and cook until very thick (about five minutes). add the stiffly beaten white of egg, mix thoroughly and turn into moistened moulds. serve cold with cream. chapter xxiii bettina's sunday dinner "this seems like old times!" remarked mr. dixon, as he and his wife strolled leisurely home from church with bob and bettina. "i haven't had this peaceful sunday feeling since i was a youngster. then all the sundays were like this, cool, quiet and sunny--sprinkled all over with little girls in smooth curls and white leghorn hats, and little boys in uncomfortable, hot clothes a size too large, and newly polished shoes. i often recall the plentiful sunday dinners, too!" "don't get your hopes too high!" said bettina. "though i will promise you one treat, wild roses on the table. bob and i walked out into the country last evening and found them." "what can i do?" inquired mrs. dixon, when she and bettina were alone in the kitchen. "you can sit here and talk to me while these potatoes are cooking and the veal birds getting done. you see, the birds have already cooked three-quarters of an hour this morning before i went to church. the waxed beans are in the fireless cooker; i have to make the butter sauce for them. and you see i have the new potatoes all prepared, standing in cold water. i have only to cook them in boiling salted water till they are done. that won't take long, as they aren't large. i set the table on the porch this morning. bob can make the coffee in the percolator in a little while, when we're ready. he usually starts it when we come to the table, and then it is ready in time to serve last. by the way, if you like the thousand island dressing we are to have for the head lettuce, i'd like to give you the recipe. it is a very popular one just now." "oh, i've eaten it! frank is very fond of it, and used to order it every chance he had at the hotel. will you really tell me how to make it? so many good dinners now end with the salad and cheese and coffee, and i think thousand island dressing on head lettuce makes a splendid salad." "of course i'll show you. well, the iced cantaloupe, which is our first course, is in the ice-box. our dessert today is just cake with chocolate cream frosting, and coffee. it is such a simple sunday dinner, but that's the kind i believe in!" bettina's sunday dinner iced cantaloupe veal birds boiled new potatoes gravy waxed beans butter sauce bread butter head lettuce thousand island dressing salt wafers cake with chocolate cream frosting coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =veal birds= (six portions) - / lb. veal steak slices bacon t-butter / c-crumbs, fresh / t-salt / t-paprika t-milk t-fat cut veal from the round (veal steak) into strips, four by two and a half inches. put the trimming and four slices of bacon through the food chopper. cook the chopped meat three minutes in the butter. add to this the fresh bread crumbs, salt, pepper and milk. spread this mixture on the strips of veal. roll and tie securely with white cord, roll in flour and sauté until browned a little on both sides, in two tablespoons fat in frying pan. place in a casserole or small covered pan. season each bird with salt and a small piece of butter. pour an inch and a half of water into the pan. cook an hour, or a little less, in a moderate oven. gravy may be made by adding four tablespoons of water to two level tablespoons of flour, mixing carefully and gradually pouring into the stock in which the meat has been cooked. bring to a boil. =thousand island salad dressing= (six portions) / c-olive oil t-lemon juice t-orange juice t-onion juice / t-salt / t-paprika t-worcestershire sauce / t-mustard t-chopped parsley place all the above ingredients in a pint fruit jar, fit a rubber on the jar cover, and shake vigorously until the dressing is well mixed and creamy. pour over tomatoes, asparagus, peas, beans, spinach or lettuce. serve as a salad. =cake with chocolate cream filling= (six portions) / c-butter c-sugar beaten egg yolk - / c-sifted flour t-baking powder / t-mace / t-vanilla / c-milk egg-white, stiffly beaten cream the butter, add the sugar, yolk of egg, dry ingredients and milk. stir well, add the flavoring, beat two minutes, cut and fold in the egg white. bake in a large round buttered pan in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. the pan should be seven inches in diameter. cover with confectioner's icing. =confectioner's icing= c-powdered sugar t-milk t-vanilla chocolate creams mix vanilla and milk, add powdered sugar. mix until stiff enough to spread. cut creams in half and arrange on the cake. chapter xxiv bettina visits a tea-room "aren't you a bit timid about driving?" asked bettina, as she stepped into the car beside mrs. dixon. "not now. you see, i've been practicing every evening with frank, and he says that i am as good a driver as he is! oh, bettina, we are having so much fun these days! the little house is a great success, and i'm really learning to cook! i've had some dreadful failures; but frank doesn't seem to mind. you see, i know he gets a good meal downtown at noon, and so i don't worry about him." "look, charlotte! what lovely goldenrod! we must stop and get some! don't you love it?" "indeed i do! i have a rough brown waste-paper basket that it looks stunning in. i set the jar of goldenrod right inside! frank is very fond of it." "charlotte, you're just like a bride yourself--thinking about frank's likes and dislikes." "am i?" laughed mrs. dixon as her color rose. "well, lately frank seems just like his old self! he appreciates everything so, and is so nice at home! and it seems that he can hardly get home quickly enough! we have enjoyed getting things settled and planning our future. next year we may build a house of our own, but i don't care to have it too large to manage easily." "are you going to stop here?" asked bettina, as mrs. dixon slowed down after a peaceful stretch of level road. "yes, i want to show you something." a short path led to a small house close to the road, but almost hidden in a tangle of flowers and wild grapevines. "isn't this a cunning little rustic place?" asked charlotte. "two friends of mine started it. see" (pointing to the sign over the door), "it's called 'the friendly inn.' inside you'll find that quotation about living in a house at the side of the road and being a friend to every man. you know that one. these girls live on that farm over there. when they came home from college they wanted something to do--some way to earn money--but they didn't care to leave home. this is such a splendid road that the autos swarm past all summer long. these girls opened this little tea room, and serve luncheons and tea here all summer. most of their supplies come directly from the farm. it is just a pleasant drive from the city, and many people like to come out here in the afternoon. i'll introduce you to the girls." bettina found the inn-keepers charming, and after a short conversation, she and mrs. dixon ordered: tomato cup salad iced tea bread and butter sandwiches vanilla ice cream chocolate sauce marshmallow cakes bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =tomato cup salad= (six portions) tomatoes c-diced cucumbers / c-chopped green peppers / c-sliced radishes t-chopped onion t-salt / t-paprika t-salad dressing wash cold firm tomatoes of a uniform size. cut a slice from the stem end and scoop out seeds and pulp. save the pulp. sprinkle the inside with salt. invert for five minutes. mix the cucumber, green pepper, radishes, onions, tomato pulp, and salad dressing. fill with the mixture and refill the shells. have all of the ingredients cold and serve at once. if the mixture stands in the tomato cups very long it becomes watery. the tomatoes may be prepared and kept cool, and the mixture prepared, all but the onion, and placed in the ice-box until ready for use. never put anything containing onion in the ice-box. serve the tomatoes on crisp lettuce leaves. =chocolate sauce for the ice cream= (six portions) c-sugar square of chocolate / t-salt t-flour t-butter t-vanilla c-boiling water mix the sugar, flour and salt. add the square of chocolate and boiling water. allow to boil four minutes, stirring constantly. add the butter and vanilla. serve hot or cold with ice cream. =marshmallow cake= use any white cake recipe. bake in gem pans. cover with white mountain cream icing. just before the icing is ready to spread, add quartered marshmallows. do not add the marshmallows while the icing is hot, as they will melt, and the little "bumps" are attractive when spread on the cake. chapter xxv bettina entertains alice and mr. harrison "by the way, bettina," said bob, over the phone, "i saw harrison and asked him out to dinner tonight. he said he was to call on alice later, so i suggest that you invite her, too." bettina smiled to herself at bob's casual tone. ought she to ask him not to invite company without consulting her? "no!" she decided emphatically. "company or no company, our meals shall be simple, but good enough for anybody. i'll not change my menu for alice and mr. harrison. i'm sure they'll like it just as it is." "to tell the truth, bettina," said alice's vivacious voice over the telephone, "i'd love to come, if it weren't for that--that man!" "but, alice, you're going to see him later." "i know; worse luck! he's the most insufferable person i know! you see, last night we had a little argument, and he was very rude." "maybe he's coming to apologize." "don't you imagine it! he couldn't. he dislikes society girls above all other people." "oh, alice!" "well, he does! he told me so evening before last, out at the park." "seems to me you're seeing a good deal of him for a man you feel that way about." "well, you started it. you told me that he was a woman-hater, and i thought it would be fun to reform him. at first he thought me fine and sensible, but lately i've been showing him how frivolous i really am. i suppose i hoped that by this time he'd approve of everything i said and did. but he won't. he seems actually to be trying to reform me! and i won't be reformed! i could never be anything but frivolous alice if i wanted to! i hate those big, slow, serious men, without any fun in them!" "cheer up, my dear!" laughed bettina. "come tonight, anyhow. i like the frivolous kind, whether he does or not." that evening, much to bettina's secret amusement, mr. harrison and alice met on the doorstep. "don't think we came together," explained alice, flippantly. "a dinner and an evening of me are about all mr. harrison can endure!" "i couldn't have spared the time, anyhow, miss alice. you see, i'm a busy man, and the people who are doing worth-while things in this world are obliged to overlook some of the amenities." it was on bettina's tongue to inquire how a busy man found time to make so many calls as he was making now. but she refrained, knowing well that lively alice could hold her own with any man in the universe, even though she might not be doing the things that mr. harrison considered worth while. "a fine dinner," said he to bettina, as they sat down at the table. "i admire a woman who knows how to prepare and serve food. she is paying her way in the most dignified and worth-while profession of all--that of a home-maker." "mr. harrison," asked alice severely, "may i inquire whether or not you know how to drive insects out of cabbage before serving it?" "i'm afraid i don't." "well, i'm surprised, for even i know that. bettina just told me. you place the cabbage, head downward, in cold water, to each quart of which has been added a tablespoonful of vinegar." "silly alice!" said bettina. "don't tease! look at my lovely pansies. alice, i believe you gave me that flower-holder when i announced my engagement." "when i announce my engagement----" said alice. bettina saw a strange and startled look come over mr. harrison's face, which immediately departed when alice added: "which will be years hence, no doubt--i hope my friends will give me nothing useful. i love to come here, bettina, but i'm not a natural-born housekeeper like you. i shall marry an idle millionaire, and we will do nothing but travel aimlessly about from one end of the world to the other. that is my idea of perfect happiness!" that night for dinner bettina served: pork chops potatoes maitre d'hotel butter bread butter cabbage salad served in lemon halves cocoanut blanc mange custard sauce iced tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pork chops= (four portions) chops / c-water / t-salt / t-pepper wipe the chops, sprinkle with salt and pepper. place in a hot frying-pan (no fat added), brown on one side and then turn on the other side, cooking over a moderate fire. add the water and immediately place the cover on the frying-pan. the steam cooks the pork more quickly and prevents over-browning. cook twenty-five minutes. =maitre d'hotel butter sauce= (four portions) t-butter t-lemon juice / t-salt / t-pepper / t-parsley cream the butter, add the lemon juice, salt, pepper and finely chopped parsley. pour this over new potatoes which have been boiled. garnish with parsley. =cocoanut blanc mange= (four portions) / c-cornstarch / c-sugar / t-salt t-cold water c-milk / c-cocoanut egg whites / t-vanilla mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt with the cold water. add the milk slowly, stirring well. cook twenty minutes in a double boiler, stirring occasionally, or ten minutes over the flame, stirring constantly. cool slightly and add the shredded cocoanut and the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. add the vanilla. one-fourth of a cup of nuts, candied cherries or preserved pineapple may be added if desired. chill in moulds wet with cold water. serve with cream or custard sauce made from the egg yolks. =custard sauce= (four portions) egg yolks / c-sugar / t-salt t-flour c-milk t-vanilla beat the eggs, slowly add the sugar and the flour well blended, the salt and the milk. cook in a double boiler until thick enough to coat a silver spoon. add the flavoring and serve cold. chapter xxvi over the telephone bob and bettina were at breakfast one morning when the telephone rang. "it's mrs. dixon, bettina," said bob, his hand over the mouthpiece. "much excited. panicky. house afire. hurry." "hello, charlotte!" said bettina, quickly. "what in the world is the trouble?" "the worst yet!" came a nervous voice. "frank's aunt isabel is to be at our house tonight! oh, i wish you knew her! she never did approve of me!" "oh, charlotte, you just imagine that! she wouldn't come if she disliked you so!" "that's just it! she didn't approve of me when we lived at the hotel, and now that we've taken a house, she wants to see how things are." "well, things are fine! doesn't frank say so?" "yes, of course. but the meals! two company meals to get, and for a critical person like her, too! what on earth shall i do?" "now, don't be nervous, charlotte! it's easy! we'll think up a delicious little dinner that you can prepare mostly beforehand. when does she arrive?" "five o'clock, and leaves just after breakfast." "good! two simple meals and all day in which to get them ready. let's see. the weather is warm, so you will prefer a dinner that is partly cold. watermelon that has been in the refrigerator all day would be a simple dessert, with no cake or anything else to think of. how about cold boiled tongue for your main dish? sliced thin and garnished with parsley. you might also have a very good salad. apple, celery and green pepper salad would be delicious and economical also. then you might have corn on the cob. i've had it recently and know how good it is. that would be the only thing you would have to think of at meal time, and it is very easy to cook. you would serve it in a napkin to keep it hot. then i want to send you some peach butter that i made the other day; that would go beautifully with your dinner. there you have it all! if i were doing it, i should add iced tea to drink, served very daintily, with sliced lemon and mint leaves." "oh, bettina, how good it sounds! will you repeat that menu for me?" cold boiled tongue apple, celery and green pepper salad golden bantam corn on the cob bread butter peach butter iced tea lemon sliced watermelon "now, if you'll get a pencil and paper, i will give you some directions about cooking." bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =boiled tongue= (four portions) a fresh beef tongue of two pounds t-vinegar wipe the tongue well. place in a kettle and cover with cold water. add the vinegar. bring to a boil, and boil slowly until it seems tender when pierced with a fork. (it should boil at least two hours.) take the tongue from the water, and remove the skin and roots while it is still warm. cool, and slice thin. this may easily be cooked in the fireless cooker, in which case the water with which the tongue is covered must be brought to a good boil on the stove, and then removed to the cooker. if the tongue is very salty, soak in cold water for two hours. =apple, celery and green pepper salad= (four portions) cup tart apples cut in / -inch cubes t-lemon juice / c-celery (diced) large green pepper (cut in strips) t-salt / t-paprika t-salad dressing mix the lemon juice and apples to prevent discoloring. add the celery, green peppers, salt, paprika seasoning and salad dressing. serve cold on lettuce leaves. =corn on the cob= (four portions) ears corn carefully remove husks and all silk from the corn. cover with boiling water. cook ten minutes, or longer if the corn is old. if salt is added to water, it turns the corn yellow and toughens the husks. very tender young corn needs little cooking. salt may be added (one teaspoon to a quart of water) two minutes before removing from the fire. =peach butter= (one and one-half pints) c-peaches c-sugar peel peaches and slice very fine. add one cup of sugar to every two cups of peaches. let stand twenty minutes. mix well, and cook quickly for twenty-five minutes. put in glasses and seal. chapter xxvii bettina has a baking-day "why, ruth, i didn't hear you come in!" "the door was partly open--bob must have left it that way--and i slipped in quickly to see what you were up to. it's raining as if it never intended to stop. i called to bob on his way downtown, and asked what you were doing today. he said that wonderful baking preparations were going on because you expected his sister polly and her three children tomorrow. that sounded like a deluge--all those lively youngsters, and polly livelier yet--so, i came over to see if i couldn't help." "indeed you can, ruth! that was dear of you! we'll have a houseful, won't we? i have planned to put polly and dorothy and the baby in the guest room, but donald will have to sleep on the davenport. and i'm planning to do most of the cooking today, so that tomorrow we can visit and see people and show the children the sights. they are coming this afternoon, and will be here sunday and monday at least. as soon as i finish filling these salt-shakers, i'll begin the baking. goodness, it will certainly be a help to have you here, ruth! you were such a dear to come in all this rain!" "oh, i like it! i always learn so much from you, bettina. but what on earth are you doing with that rice?" "just putting a few grains in the shakers. you know salt gets damp on a rainy day like this, and the rice loosens it and absorbs the moisture. i'm doing it first because i might forget." "what are you going to make?" "well, i'll cook some potatoes and beets to warm up or make salad of, and i'll make a veal loaf and a white cake, i think. then some salad dressing, and a berry pie and some sour cream cookies. oh, yes, some nut-bread and some tomato gelatin, too." "goodness! can you use all those things?" "yes, indeed! for tonight's dinner i'll have lamb chops, and some of the cooked potatoes, creamed, and tomato gelatin, and the blackberry pie. (you know berry pies ought to be eaten soon after they are made.) if tomorrow is a nice day, we'll eat our dinner in the park, and in any case, i'll be prepared, for i'll have the veal loaf, and the beets to warm up, and the rest of the potatoes to cream or make salad of, and the nut-bread for sandwiches if we need them, and the cake and some sliced peaches for dessert." "and the cookies?" "well, children always want cookies. i'll bake these on my big baking sheets just the size of the oven, and i'll put lots of raisins on top." "bettina, what fun it would be to visit you! but we must get at our work or polly and family will be here before this big baking is done!" bettina's baking day recipes (all measurements are level) =berry pie= (four portions) - / c-berries (black or blue berries) / c-sugar t-flour / t-salt t-lemon juice wash the fruit, mix with the sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. line a deep pie tin with a plain pie paste and sprinkle one tablespoon sugar over bottom crust. add the berry mixture. wet the lower crust slightly. roll out the upper crust and make slits in the middle to allow the steam to escape. place on the lower crust, pinching the edges together. bake in a moderately hot oven forty minutes. =tomato jelly= (six portions) c-tomatoes / c-water t-sugar bay leaf cloves t-salt t-gelatine simmer tomatoes, water, sugar, bay leaf, cloves, and salt for ten minutes. strain. soak the gelatin in two tablespoons cold water, and add the hot vegetable mixture. pour into small wet moulds. chill for two hours and serve with salad dressing. =boiled salad dressing= (one cup) egg yolks t-flour t-salt t-mustard / t-paprika / t-butter / c-vinegar / c-water t-sugar beat egg-yolks thoroughly and add the dry ingredients (mixed and sifted). gradually add the vinegar and water. cook in a double boiler until thick and creamy, or directly over small flame, stirring constantly. if whipped cream is to be used, no butter need to be added. if not, add butter the last thing. beat with a dover egg beater until creamy. keep in a cool place. =sour cream cookies= (three dozen) c-sugar / c-butter (or lard and butter mixed) eggs / c-sour cream or sour milk / t-soda / t-salt t-grated nutmeg about c-flour, or as little as possible cream the fat, add the sugar. cream again. add the eggs well beaten, sour milk, one cup flour, soda, salt and nutmeg mixed and sifted together. add the rest of the flour. roll out to one-third of an inch thickness, cut any desired shape, and bake in a moderately hot oven for fifteen minutes. sugar mixed with a little flour may be sifted over the dough before cutting. raisins may also be pressed into the top of each cooky. =doughnuts= (thirty) / c-sugar egg beaten / c-milk c-flour / t-salt / t-cinnamon t-baking powder mix the beaten egg and sugar, add the milk, flour, salt, cinnamon and baking powder, sifted together. take one-half of the dough, and roll out one-third of an inch thick. cut with a doughnut cutter. roll and cut the other half. put the scraps together and roll again. fry in deep fat, turning until a delicate brown. drain on brown paper. chapter xxviii polly and the children "will you look at the way that child eats her cereal!" ejaculated polly at the breakfast table. "and i simply can't get her to eat it at home! in fact, on warm days like this, she won't eat any breakfast at all." "i like aunt betty's cereal; it looks so pretty," explained little dorothy gravely, looking down at her plate of moulded cereal surrounded by plump red raspberries. "i hope you don't mind my serving it cold today," said bettina. "it seemed so warm yesterday that i cooked the cereal and put it in moulds in the refrigerator." "no indeed! the change is a regular treat for the children. they like fixed-up things like this, and it certainly does give anyone an appetite." "well, in hot weather, no one feels much like eating, anyhow, so i try to make things as attractive as i can. and i want the children to have just what they like. . . . you needn't be afraid of this cream, polly. we buy it from a neighbor, and i am absolutely sure that it is both clean and good. i'm ashamed to say that we have no certified milk in this town. isn't that dreadful? and people keep on buying it of dairies that they don't know one thing about! why, i've seen women who had just moved to town, and who knew nothing about conditions here, begin housekeeping by cleaning house thoroughly from top to bottom, and at the same time, leave an order for milk with the first dairy wagon that happened to drive down their street! and they buy groceries and meat from the nearest stores without knowing that three blocks away there may be other stores that are better, cleaner and less expensive. shouldn't you think that women would insist upon knowing all about the food they are giving their children? it seems to me that much common sense in a housewife is a great deal more important even than knowing how to cook and sew." "i think that knowing how to plan and buy is more important than knowing how to do things with your hands," said polly. "after all, it's the result that counts. you're a wonder, bettina, because you have a useful head and useful hands, too, but i haven't. so i try to know as much as possible about every article of food and clothing that i buy, and to be sure that i am getting the very best value from tom's money, but i don't know how to cook or sew or trim hats or embroider. i like friends and babies and outdoor exercise, but i'll confess that i don't like housework." "well, tom and the children seem to be perfectly contented and happy, and so do you. therefore, you are a successful housekeeper." "you are the right kind of a sister-in-law to have, betty! i quite approve of bob's choice!" the breakfast that morning consisted of: moulded cream of wheat raspberries sugar cream poached eggs on toast coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =wheat cereal= (three portions) c-wheat t-cold water / c-raspberries cook the wheat according to the instructions on the package, only cook twice as long as the directions suggest. mix cereal and cold water. add boiling water slowly. this method prevents lumping. wet individual moulds with cold water, place raspberries around the inside of the mould and fill with the wheat. allow to remain in mould for fifteen minutes. remove from mould, surround with more berries and serve. if desired cold, chill in the refrigerator. cereals may be cooked in a double boiler or a fireless cooker. =method of cooking cereals= put the water and salt in the upper part of double boiler and place directly over the flame. when the water boils, add the cereal very slowly, stirring constantly. cook for five minutes directly over the fire. place the upper part in the lower part of the double boiler containing boiling water, and cook the required time. all cereals must be thoroughly cooked. _august._ _twenty little jelly-glasses, twenty pots of jam, twenty jars of pickles and preserves, making other wealth than this appear a stupid sham,---- ah, you dears! what color, gleam and curves!_ [illustration] chapter xxix bettina puts up fruit [illustration] "honk! honk!" sounded an auto horn at bettina's door one cool morning, as a crowd of lively voices also summoned her. "bettina, o, bettina! we've come to get you to play tennis with us this morning. you must! you've been neglecting us for bob and we're jealous." "oh, girls, i simply can't! i have just bought quarts and quarts of cherries and currants of a boy who came to the door, and i must take today to put them up!" "that's easy! leave 'em till tomorrow!" said alice cheerfully. "i can't do that, because they're just at the canning point and it isn't a good thing to have them a bit over-ripe. then these are freshly picked, and that is the best way to have them." "i'll stay and help; may i?" said ruth, who had suddenly developed a deep interest in things domestic. "why, of course i'd love to have you, ruth, but seeding cherries is slow work, and i believe that playing tennis would be more exciting." "but not half so interesting as to hear you tell me how you do things. i love to listen." "we'll all stay," suggested mary. "it'll do us good. but you'll have to lend us big aprons; can you?" and she looked down at her white middy, skirt, and shoes. "come on!" shouted elsie. "you can lecture as we seed cherries, bettina. how are you going to put them up?" "well, bob likes plain currant jelly, and plain canned cherries awfully well. i may preserve some cherries with currant juice, too, but i think i'll not do anything very elaborate today." "goodness, that sounds elaborate enough to suit me! will you be looking over the currants while we are stoning cherries?" "leave the stones in half of them, girls; many people like them that way better." "what were you doing to all those jars?" "just getting ready to sterilize them. you see i'll put them on a folded cloth, in this big kettle of cold water. then i'll slowly heat the water to the boiling point, and fill the jars immediately with the fruit and syrup. i must scald the rubber rings, too, before i use them." bettina was rapidly looking over currants as she talked. "girls, do you notice my jelly strainer? see, it's a piece of cheese-cloth fastened into a wire strainer. it can be attached to any kettle. i haven't used it yet, but i know that it will be very convenient. you know it's best to strain the juice through the cheese-cloth without pressure. if i have the cloth double, the juice will be quite clear. if i wanted an especially clear jelly, i could even have the juice pass through a flannel or felt bag." "how on earth can you tell when the jelly jells?" asked ruth. "well, i test it this way. i take up, in a cold silver spoon, a little of the mixture that is cooking. if it jells and breaks from the spoon, it has been cooking long enough. of course i remove the rest from the fire while testing it, because it might be done." "bettina, cooking and jelly-making and things like that seem to be so natural for you!" cried ruth. "i get so frightened sometimes when i think what if i should be a poor housekeeper and make fred unhappy!" "alice," said mary, "heaven forbid that either of us should ever be talking like that about a man!" "goodness, i should say so!" declared alice emphatically, a little too emphatically, thought bettina. bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =currant jelly= qts. currants sugar pick over currants, but do not remove the stems. wash and drain. mash a few with a vegetable masher in the bottom of a porcelain-lined or granite kettle. add more currants and mash. continue adding currants until all are used. bring to a boil slowly and let simmer without stirring until the currants appear white. strain through a coarse strainer, and allow juice to drain through a jelly bag. measure the juice, and boil ten minutes. gradually add an equal amount of heated sugar, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, and continue boiling until the test shows that the mixture has jelled. when filling sterilized glasses, place them in a pan containing a little boiling water. this keeps the glasses from breaking when hot jelly is poured in. fill and set the glasses of jelly aside to cool. cover with hot melted paraffin. =canned cherries= qts. cherries - / qts. sugar / pt. water measure the cherries after the stems have been removed. stone if desired. if they are stoned, be sure to save the juice. put the sugar and water in a kettle and stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. add the cherries and heat slowly to the boiling point. boil ten minutes skimming carefully. put into sterilized jars, filling the jars to overflowing with the syrup. seal securely. (when filling the jars stand them in a pan containing boiling water. this keeps them from breaking.) =bettina's jelly-making suggestions= . use a porcelain-lined or a granite kettle. . let juice drip from a cheese cloth or flannel bag. . measure equal quantities juice and sugar. . boil juice ten minutes, add heated sugar. (heated by being placed in warm oven.) . boil until it drops thick from a cold silver spoon, or jells on a plate. . the smaller the quantity of jelly made at a time, the clearer it is. . cook no more than three cups of juice at a time. . skim carefully. . boil regularly. . pour in sterilized glasses. . let stand in bright sun twenty-four hours. . cover with very hot paraffin. this kills any bacteria that may have collected. . keep jelly in a cool, dark, dry place. chapter xxx a cool summer day "why, hello, ruth!" cried bettina at the door one afternoon. "i haven't seen you for weeks, it seems to me! what have you been doing? come in and give an account of yourself!" "first let me deliver these nasturtiums that mother sent," said ruth. "she always remembers how fond you are of flowers." "thank you, they're lovely! i need them tonight for my table, too. will you come into the kitchen with me while i put these in water?" "m-m," said ruth. "something smells good! in the oven?" "yes, pork chops, baked apples and escalloped potatoes. peek in and see 'em." "outch!" cried ruth, holding her hand in sudden pain. "i forgot that that pan was hot, and started to pull it out to see better! i'm a perfect idiot! i do that every time i have anything in the oven!" "that's a shame, ruth, dear! here, apply a little of this olive oil! it's the nearest remedy i have. vaseline is good, too, or baking soda. hold it with the damp cloth to keep out the air." "it feels better already," said ruth. "i made some gingerbread last evening for dinner--fred was there--and burned my hand in the same way exactly. and even at such a cost the gingerbread wasn't very good. i think i didn't bake it quite long enough. how long ought it to be in the oven?" "well, gingerbread takes longer than most quick-breads. here, let me give you my time-guide for baking, and you can keep it in your card-index. then it's always at hand when you want to refer to it." "thank you, that's a good idea, bettina. may i sit down here at the kitchen table and copy it?" "do, i'll get you a pencil and a piece of paper. ruth, won't you stay to dinner tonight?" "i can't possibly, bettina. i am going out with mother, and should be at home now dressing. oh, by the way, i had a chance to refer last night to something you made me copy and put with my recipe cards. 'how to remove grass stains'! i got it on my white dress--a dreadful looking stain--and immediately referred to my card-index. it said, 'moisten with alcohol or camphor, allow to stand five minutes, and wash out with clear water.' the stain came out like magic! i used camphor; we didn't happen to have any alcohol in the house." "i'm so glad it came out; that is such a pretty white dress. and weren't you glad you knew just where to find a remedy? it seems a little trouble to index things, but it is really worth doing." "i think so, too. well, there's bob, and i must rush off. bob, you're going to have a good dinner tonight! i've just been investigating!" bob had: pork chops escalloped potatoes baked apples bread butter fresh pears tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =baked apples= apples t-sugar / c-water / t-cinnamon t-butter select apples of uniform size. wash and core. place in a pan, cover the bottom with water. fill each cavity with sugar, a dash of powdered cinnamon and a tiny lump of butter. bake for thirty minutes, basting occasionally. serve around the platter of pork chops. =bettina's time-guide for baking quick breads= pop-overs--thirty minutes in a hot oven. baking-powder biscuits--ten to fifteen minutes in a hot oven. corn bread--twenty-five to forty minutes in a moderate oven. muffins--twenty to twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. gingerbread--thirty to forty-five minutes in a slow oven. chapter xxxi bob and bettina alone "why, bob, look at the front of your palm beach suit!" exclaimed bettina, after she had greeted bob at the door. "what in the world have you been doing?" "pretty bad; isn't it!" said he, ruefully. "frank dixon brought me home in his car, and he had some sort of engine trouble. we worked on it for awhile, but couldn't fix it, so he phoned the garage and i came home on the street car. i must have rubbed up against some grease. do you suppose my clothes are spoiled?" "no-o," said bettina, slowly, "not if i get at them. let me see; what is it that takes out auto grease? oh, i know! bob, you go and change your clothes right away while i'm cooking the meat for dinner. then i'll doctor these." "what will you do to them?" "i'll rub them with lard, and let it stay on them for about an hour. then after dinner i'll wash them out in warm water and soap, and then--well, bob, i believe they'll be all as good as new." "i thank you, mrs. bettina." when bob returned and bettina was putting the dinner on the table, she smiled to herself over a new idea that had popped into her head. "bob, what would you think if i should enter some of my nut-bread at the state fair?" "well, is that what you've been smiling at all this time? i think it would be fine. if i were judge you'd get first prize in a minute! say, strikes me this is a pretty good dinner!" it consisted of: ham mashed potatoes escalloped onions rolls butter dutch apple cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =ham= (three portions) / lb. ham t-water wipe a slice of ham (one-third of an inch thick) and remove the rind. place in a hot frying-pan. add the water. cook until brown on both sides (about fifteen minutes). =escalloped onions= (two portions) c-cooked onions / c-vegetable white sauce t-fresh bread crumbs t-butter mix the onions with the white sauce and pour into a buttered baking dish. melt the butter and add the fresh bread crumbs. place the buttered crumbs on top of the onions. brown the mixture in the oven (about fifteen minutes). =dutch apple cake= (two portions) c-flour / t-salt t-baking powder t-butter egg well beaten / c-milk sour apple t-sugar / t-cinnamon mix flour, salt and baking powder. cut in the butter. add the milk and egg. mix well. spread one-half an inch thick in a shallow pan. pare and cut the apples in lengthwise sections. lay in rows in the dough with the sharp edges pressed lightly into the dough. mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with lemon sauce. =lemon sauce= (two portions) / c-sugar / t-salt t-flour c-water t-butter t-lemon juice mix the sugar, salt and flour well. add the water slowly. cook seven minutes. add the butter and lemon juice. serve hot. chapter xxxii bettina attends a morning wedding "how lovely!" bettina whispered to bob after the beautiful ceremony had taken place in the rustic grape arbor. "how like cousin kate this is! but i had no idea that frances planned to be married out of doors, had you?" "she told me that they were hoping for fair weather, but weren't counting on it." "and this is a regular golden day; isn't it! what a time to remember! bob, look at cousin kate's flowers! a natural altar, without decoration! poppies, sweet-peas, nasturtiums, cosmos, more kinds than i can count! it's a little earlier than they usually have weddings, too; isn't nine-thirty early?" "yes, but frances thought that this would be the prettiest time for it, and you know they aren't at all conventional." "what are you two gossiping about?" shouted big cousin charles in bettina's ear: "don't you see enough of each other at home without avoiding the rest of us at a time like this? go and kiss the bride and congratulate the groom as soon as you can get to them. fanny wants to see you particularly, bettina. breakfast is to be served on the porch; don't forget that you two are to be at the bride's table!" the wide porch looked very charming. each table seated four, except the one for the bridal party and near relatives, which was in the center, surrounded by the others. on each table was a basket of pink sweet-peas and trailing greenery. each simple white place-card held a flower or two, slipped through two parallel cuts across the corner. frances was seated at the groom's left, and at her left sat her new brother-in-law, who was the best man. next to him was the minister's wife, then jolly cousin charles, the bride's father, then the groom's mother. at the right of the groom sat anne, fanny's sister, who was maid-of-honor; and next to her sat the clergyman. then came the bride's mother and the groom's father. beyond him sat bettina, then bettina's cousin harry, then aunt nell and bob. that was all, for there were few near relatives and bettina's father and mother were in california. "frances looks well; doesn't she?" said aunt nell to bettina. "no showers, no parties or excitement, and you can see how simple the wedding has been. cousin kate is so sensible, and so is frances. i can tell you already that the breakfast menu will be dainty and delicious, but simple." she was right, for it consisted of: watermelon cubes (served in sherbet glasses) fried spring chicken new potatoes creamed peas hot rolls butter currant jelly peach ice cream bride's cake coffee nuts candy bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =fried chicken= - / -lb. chicken t-flour t-salt / t-paprika t-fat (lard and butter) t-water =to prepare the chicken for serving and cooking= cut the legs from the body, break the joint at the thigh and cut in two. cut off the neck and wings. break the breastbone and cut in two lengthwise. break the back in two pieces lengthwise, if desired. plunge the pieces into cold water and allow to drain. sprinkle each piece with salt and paprika, and roll in flour. place the fat in a frying-pan. when very hot add the chicken. allow all the pieces to brown thoroughly; cover the pan with a lid and add the water, lower the fire and cook over a moderate fire for thirty minutes. turn frequently to prevent scorching. =gravy= (six portions) t-fat from frying-pan t-butter t-flour t-salt / t-paprika - / c-milk t-parsley chopped loosen the pieces of chicken which have stuck to the frying-pan, add the butter, stir constantly until the butter "bubbles," add the flour, salt and paprika. mix thoroughly. add the milk slowly, cook for two minutes, add the chopped parsley and pour the gravy into a gravy bowl for serving. =bride's cake= (thirty pieces) - / c-sugar / c-butter - / c-flour / t-salt / c-milk t-baking powder / t-cream of tartar / t-almond extract t-vanilla egg-whites cream the butter, add the sugar and continue creaming the mixture. mix and sift three times the flour, salt, baking powder and cream of tartar. add these dry ingredients alternately with the milk to the first mixture. add the almond and vanilla extracts. beat two minutes. cut and fold in the egg-whites which have been stiffly beaten. pour the cake batter into a large, round loaf cake pan, having a hole in the center. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. when the cake is removed from the oven, allow it to stand in a warm place for five minutes, then with a spatula and a sharp knife, carefully loosen the cake from the sides, and turn out onto a cake cooler. when cool, cover with white mountain cream icing. =suggestions for serving the bride's cake= the bride's cake may be baked in this form and placed in the center of the table for the central decoration. a tall, slender vase, filled with the flowers used in decorating, may be placed in the hole in the cake. place the cake upon a pasteboard box four inches high and one inch wider than the cake. this gives space to decorate around the cake. the cake and box may be placed on a reflector, which gives a very pretty effect. if cake boxes containing wedding cakes are distributed among the guests as favors, use the one in the round pan for central decoration and bake others in square pan. square pieces may then be cut, wrapped in waxed paper, and placed in the boxes. chapter xxxiii after the "tea" "doesn't it bore you to think of cooking when you've been out all afternoon?" asked mrs. dixon, wearily. "and today the refreshments were so elaborate and everything was so stiff and tiresome!" "i usually anticipate feeling this way," said bettina, "and plan to have something at home that is already prepared, and that i can get together without much trouble. then i put on a house dress as quickly as i can, for i can't bear to cook in party clothes. but i'm sure i don't know what i am going to have for dinner tonight. bob and i had planned to go downtown to dinner with some friends, but just before i went out this afternoon he phoned that the invitation had been withdrawn because of somebody's illness." "goodness!" cried mrs. dixon, "what will you do? go downtown yourselves?" "no; bob doesn't enjoy that, and neither do i. i can manage somehow, for of course there are always things in the house to get. i'll tell you. i'll phone bob to bring mr. dixon here, and you can see what an emergency supper is like." "oh, i couldn't think of it! you're tired, and it's nearly six now!" "well, what of that? you can help. and i know you're dreading to get dinner at home. we'll just combine forces." bettina went to the telephone and called bob. "hello, dear! please bring mr. dixon home to dinner with you; charlotte is going to stay. and if you come in his car, will you stop on the way and get a watermelon that has been on ice? be sure it's cold!" "and now," she said to mrs. dixon, "let me get into a house-dress, and then for a sight of the refrigerator." "oh, what beautiful glazed apples!" exclaimed mrs. dixon ten minutes later. "they were to have been for breakfast, but i'll have them for dinner instead. then there are enough cold boiled potatoes for creamed potatoes; and, besides that, we'll have an omelet. and then i'll stir up some emergency biscuit----" "and you can explain everything that you do!" "well, for the omelet--we'll take four good-sized eggs--one for each of us----" "what else goes in? milk?" "no, i think that hot water makes a more tender omelet. then i'll use a few grains of baking powder to assist in holding it up, though that isn't necessary. we'll beat the yolks and whites separately till they're very light. goodness! there come the men!" "here's your watermelon, bettina!" called bob. "a big fellow! don't forget to save the rind for pickles, will you? why, hello, mrs. dixon! frank's here!" the menu that night consisted of: omelet creamed potatoes glazed apples emergency biscuit butter watermelon bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =omelet= (four portions) eggs t-hot water / t-salt / t-pepper t-butter a little parsley beat the yolks until thick and lemon colored. add hot water (one tablespoonful to an egg), salt and pepper. beat the whites till stiff and dry. cut and fold into the first mixture. heat the omelet pan, add the butter, turn the pan so that the melted butter covers the sides and bottom of the pan. turn in the mixture, spread evenly, turn down the fire and allow the omelet to cook slowly. turn the pan so that the omelet will brown evenly. when well puffed and delicately browned underneath, place the pan on the center shelf in a moderate oven to finish cooking the top of the omelet. crease across center with knife and fold over very carefully. allow to remain a moment in pan. turn gently with a spatula onto a hot platter. garnish with parsley. an omelet is sufficiently cooked when it is firm to the touch when pressed by the finger. =creamed potatoes= (four portions) c-cold diced potatoes t-chopped parsley t-chopped pimento / t-salt / t-paprika c-vegetable white sauce add the potatoes, sprinkled with salt and pepper, to vegetable white sauce. add pimento and parsley. cook three minutes, stirring constantly. =emergency biscuit= c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-fat (lard and butter) / c-milk mix the dry ingredients and cut in the fat. add the milk, mixing with a knife. drop by spoonfuls on a buttered pan, placing one inch apart. bake twelve minutes in a hot oven. =glazed apples= (six portions) apples - / c-"c" sugar - / c-water t-butter boil the sugar and water six minutes in a deep saucepan. do not stir. pare and core the apples. place them in the syrup as soon as pared, to prevent them from discoloring. cook until apples are tender. remove the apples from the syrup and boil the sugar and water longer if it is not thick enough. add the butter to the syrup and pour in and around the apples. serve hot or cold. granulated sugar may be used, but "c" sugar gives a better flavor. chapter xxxiv bettina gives a porch breakfast bettina had risen early that beautiful july morning, for she had much to do. bob had insisted upon helping her, and at eight, ruth was coming. "such a simple breakfast after all, bob! do you think she'll like it?" "sure she will! if she doesn't i'll disown her! say, bettina, i haven't had my breakfast yet, and ten o'clock sounds far away. may i have just one doughnut with my coffee?" "why, bobby, bobby! did i forget you? your aunt elizabeth and the whole suffrage cause is on my mind this morning, but i didn't think even that could make me forget you. help yourself to anything you see that looks good!" the aunt elizabeth on bettina's mind was an aunt of bob's who was to be in town between nine and twelve, in conference with some of the leading suffragists of the city. she wished to see the bungalow, and at ten o'clock bettina was giving a breakfast for her and the women with whom she was to confer. it was with fear and trepidation that bettina had invited them, although she declared to herself that she was sure, sure, sure, of every dish on the menu! as she arranged the great graceful yellow poppies in the center of the porch table, set for six, she was feeling somewhat nervous. "bob, you must go now, or you'll be too late for the train. take a taxi home, not a street car." "taxi! you don't know my aunt elizabeth. she'd say, 'say, young man, if you aren't saving your money any better than this, you ought to be.' and we'd probably end by walking." "hurry, dear." the train proved to be late, and ruth and bettina were ready to the last detail. while beautiful, distinguished-looking aunt elizabeth was dressing, bettina was meeting guests at the door. before she realized it, she had introduced everybody to the guest of honor, and was ushering them out to her charming porch table. "oh, ruth," she said in the kitchen, "isn't my aunt elizabeth lovely? i'll say 'mine' now, not bob's. i was in such a hurry that i forgot to be frightened." the breakfast consisted of: moulded cereal on bananas whipped cream codfish balls egg soufflé green peas twin mountain muffins jelly doughnuts coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =codfish balls= (four portions) c-raw salt fish c-raw potatoes t-butter / c-cracker crumbs egg, well-beaten / t-pepper more salt if needed t-water shred the fish. pare and quarter potatoes. place the fish and potatoes in a stewpan and cover with boiling water. boil twenty-five minutes or till the potatoes are soft. do not boil too long or they will become soggy. drain well, mash and beat until light. add butter, seasoning and egg. shape, roll in crumbs, egg mixed with water, more crumbs, and fry in deep fat. these may be shaped into flat cakes, rolled in flour and sautéd in hot fat. garnish with parsley. =egg soufflé= (four portions) t-butter t-flour c-milk eggs t-salt a pinch of cayenne or / t-paprika c-white sauce / c-cooked peas melt the butter, add the flour and gradually add the milk. cook three minutes, add seasoning and the well-beaten yolks. fold in the beaten whites and turn into buttered moulds. set in a pan of hot water and bake in a slow oven until firm (about twenty-five minutes). serve with a white sauce, highly seasoned, to which has been added one cup of cooked peas. pour the sauce around the soufflé. =potato doughnuts= (three dozen doughnuts) c-mashed potatoes, hot - / c-sugar t-melted butter t-baking powder / t-salt / c-sweet milk eggs c-flour / t-grated nutmeg / t-powdered cinnamon beat the eggs, add the sugar. mash the potatoes and add the butter and the milk. add this mixture to the eggs and sugar. add the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon sifted together. roll one-fourth of an inch thick, cut with a doughnut cutter, and fry in hot deep fat. chapter xxxv a piece of news as bettina was putting the finishing touches on her porch table, set for dinner, and humming a little song as she tried the effect of some ragged robins in a mist of candy-tuft, all in a brass bowl, she heard a murmur of voices at her front door. "i'll tell just betty; no one else must know--yet. but what if i haven't the courage to tell even her?" "perhaps she'll suspect anyhow!" "goodness, harry! you make me afraid to go in! is my expression different?" the answer was not audible to bettina, though she was sure that she heard whispers and a little suppressed laughter. certainly it had sounded like alice's voice! what? could mr. harrison be with her? for a moment bettina stood stock still, feeling like an eavesdropper. then she let out a gasp of amazement. "well!" was all she said, and sat down to think. when the door-bell rang, she could not at first gain the composure necessary to answer it. "why, how are you, alice? i haven't seen you for ages! and mr. harrison! do come in; you must stay to dinner, for you're just in time. bob will be home any minute." "oh, we couldn't stay!" answered alice. "har--mr. harrison and i were walking home from town, and when we came to this house, we couldn't help stopping to say 'hello.'" bettina was conscious of a strained feeling in the air, which made her want to giggle--or shake alice. after all, she couldn't help overhearing! and yet she might be mistaken! she found herself saying--she scarcely knew what--to keep up the conversation. "do stay! we have a funny little dinner tonight, but i believe you'll like it. bob had been rather over-worked at the office lately--and i tried today to think of some of his favorite dishes for dinner. i wanted to have a jolly little meal to take his mind off his worries. and it would help a lot if he could see you two people. do stay! do you care for blueberry tarts, mr. harrison? well, that's to be our dessert!" "my, that sounds fine!" said mr. harrison. "couldn't we stay, after all?" he asked, turning to alice. "well, if you really, truly want us," said alice to bettina. "why, of course i do! i'm delighted to see you! i think we're fortunate. mr. harrison, you are usually so busy that we scarcely dare invite you!" "i suppose i ought to be at work today, but i'm taking a little holiday. i couldn't put my mind on business." he was actually blushing, bettina thought. suddenly she found alice's arms around her and alice's laughing face hidden on her shoulder. "don't, harry! let me be the one to tell her!" and so bob found them, all laughing and talking at once. "hurrah!" said he when he heard the news. "the best possible idea! is dinner ready, bettina? get out some grape juice and we'll drink to the health and future happiness of alice and harry! i'm the man that made this match!" dinner that night consisted of: fish a la bettina rice cakes stuffed tomato salad rolls butter iced grape juice blueberry tarts bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =fish a la bettina= (four portions) c-medium white sauce - / c-cooked fish t-chopped pimento t-chopped sweet pickle / t-paprika mix ingredients in order given, heat and serve on wafers. =rice cakes= (four portions) - / c-boiled rice / t-salt egg yolk t-crumbs t-fat (lard and butter mixed) mix the rice and salt with the egg. shape into flat cakes, two and a half inches in diameter and one-half an inch thick. roll in bread crumbs and sauté in hot fat until brown on both sides. (about eight minutes.) if the egg does not sufficiently moisten the rice, add one tablespoon of milk. =stuffed tomato salad= (four portions) tomatoes c-chopped cabbage / t-salt / t-paprika t-salad dressing stuff fresh tomatoes with cabbage, seasoned, and mixed with salad dressing. arrange the tomatoes on lettuce leaves and place one tablespoon salad dressing on the top. add a small piece of green pepper or a sprig of parsley to the salad dressing. =blueberry tarts= (four portions) fill muffin pans with plain pastry. place two tablespoons of mixture on each crust. cover with pastry strips and bake twenty minutes. =blueberry mixture= / c-blueberries / c-sugar t-butter t-vinegar t-cinnamon mix the berries, sugar, butter cut in small pieces, vinegar and cinnamon. cook, stirring constantly, over a moderate fire for three minutes. chapter xxxvi bettina entertains her father and mother "we had no such steak as this in california!" declared bettina's father with satisfaction, as bob served him a second helping. "but then," said bettina's mother, "did you find anything in california that you thought equalled anything in your own state? father never does," said she, laughing. "he seems to enjoy traveling because it makes him feel that his own home is superior to every other place on earth. and it is," she agreed, looking about her happily. "i can say that after a summer spent in california, i'm more than thankful to be back again." "i was afraid that you and father would be so anxious to open up the house that you wouldn't agree to come here for your first meal." "of course we're anxious to get home," said mother, "but after you wrote father that if he would come here to dinner tonight you would have a steak cooked just to suit him, he was as eager as a boy to get here." "well, who wouldn't look forward to it, after a summer spent in hotels?" said father. "and i must say that bettina's dinner justifies my eagerness. it's exactly right--steak and all." "now for dessert!" said bob. "this coffee that i've been making in the percolator is all ready, bettina!" for dinner that night they had: pan-broiled sirloin steak mashed potatoes carrots head lettuce thousand island dressing sliced bananas quick cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pan-broiled steak= (six portions) lb. sirloin steak an inch and a half thick t-butter / t-salt t-parsley t-lemon juice wipe the meat with a damp cloth. have a tin pan sizzling hot. place the meat in the pan and cook directly under the broiling flame. turn frequently with spoons, as a fork will pierce the meat and allow the juices to escape. a steak an inch and a half thick should be cooked from eight to ten minutes. place the steak on a hot platter. sprinkle with salt, lemon juice and parsley. dot with butter. serve very hot. =gravy= (six portions) t-drippings from the steak t-flour / c-water / c-milk / t-salt pour the drippings from the steak into a pan, add flour and mix well. allow the flour to brown, add water and milk very slowly to the flour and drippings. add the salt and allow to cook until the gravy thickens. if there are not two tablespoons of drippings, add sufficient butter to equal the amount. =carrots= (six portions) medium-sized carrots t-butter / t-salt / t-pepper wash and scrape the carrots, cut into two-thirds inch cubes and cook until tender in enough boiling water to cover. (about fifteen minutes.) drain, add the butter, salt and pepper. heat thoroughly and serve. carrots may be scraped and steamed whole or cooked whole in boiling water. =quick cake= (sixteen pieces) / c-butter - / c-brown sugar egg / c-milk / t-salt - / c-flour t-baking powder t-cinnamon / t-nutmeg dates, cut fine cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. add the egg and milk, salt, flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and dates. beat for two minutes. bake in a well-buttered loaf cake pan for thirty-five minutes. =icing= egg white t-cold water / c-powdered sugar / t-vanilla beat the egg white until very stiff; add water and sugar gradually. beat thoroughly and add the flavoring. beat until it will stand alone, then spread on cake. more sugar may be added if necessary. =thousand island salad dressing= (six portions) / c-olive oil juice of half a lemon juice of half an orange t-onion juice / t-salt / t-paprika t-worcestershire sauce / t-mustard t-chili sauce t-green pepper cut fine t-chopped parsley place all the above ingredients in a pint fruit jar, fit a rubber and top tightly on the jar, shake vigorously until well mixed and creamy, and pour over head lettuce, tomatoes, asparagus, peas, beans or spinach. serve as a salad. chapter xxxvii the big secret "come in, alice! now do say that you'll stay to dinner, for we can talk afterward." "well, if you'll take me out into the kitchen where you are working. you see, i have all this to learn, and i'm depending on you to help me." "of course i'll help, alice, but you are so clever about anything that you care to do that i know you'll soon outstrip your teacher. tell me first, does anyone know the big secret yet?" "not a soul but bettina, bob, and my family. that is what i came to talk about." "oh, alice, i'd love to be the one to give the announcement luncheon, or the breakfast, or whatever you prefer to have it!" "would you do it, really? bettina, i've been longing to have you offer, but it is work and trouble, and i didn't want to suggest it." "why, alice, i just enjoy that kind of work! i'd be flattered to be allowed to have it here. of course, you know that i can't do anything very elaborate or expensive, but i'm sure that between us we can think up just the prettiest, cleverest way of telling it that any prospective bride ever had!" "bettina, my faith is in you!" "when do you plan to be married?" "late in october or early in november, i think. and i'd prefer not to have it announced for a month. you see, i don't want to allow time for too many festivities in between." "oh, alice, if you take my advice, you won't have any showers or parties at all. i know you! if you do allow it, you'll have more excitement than any bride in this town!" "well, harry advises me not to, but oh, betty, you know how it is! i know so many people, and i do like fun, and then mother likes to think of me as the center of things. she's afraid that when i am married to harry i'll become as quiet as he is, and then too, i honestly don't think she'd feel that i was really married without it. you know sister lillian had lots of excitement and more parties crowded into a day than----" "yes, and she was so tired that she nearly fainted when she stood up to be married!" "that's true, but she liked the fun, anyhow. she says that a girl can have that kind of fun only once, and she's silly to deny herself. well, i'll have a whole month to think it over in. i've been sitting here all this time, bettina, trying to decide what it is that you are making--those croquettes, i mean." "they are potato and green corn croquettes, and bob is very fond of them. i made them because i happened to have some left-over corn. until i learned this recipe, i didn't know what to do with the ears of cooked green corn that were left." "and what is the meat dish?" "well, that is made of left-overs, too, but i think you'll like it. creole lamb, it is called. it is made of a little cold cooked lamb that was left from last night's dinner. the rhubarb sauce that i am serving with the dinner was our dessert last night. but i do have a very good new dessert!" "new or not, the dinner does sound good. there is bob, now, and i'm so glad, for i confess that my appetite is even larger than usual!" the menu that night was as follows: creole lamb potato and green corn croquettes rhubarb sauce bread butter head lettuce french dressing lemon pie cheese bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creole lamb= (three portions) t-butter t-chopped green pepper / t-onion, chopped t-flour / c-meat stock or water / c-tomato pulp / t-lemon juice / t-salt / t-horseradish / c-cold cooked lamb, cut in cubes pieces of toast melt the butter, add pepper and onion. cook two minutes and add flour, stock, pulp, lemon juice, salt and horseradish. boil two minutes, stirring constantly. add the lamb. heat thoroughly, and serve on toast strips. =potato and green corn croquettes= (three portions) c-hot mashed potatoes c-green corn pulp, cooked with t-butter / t-salt / t-pepper egg yolk mix all ingredients together thoroughly. shape into cylindrical form, roll in bread crumbs, dip in beaten egg, roll again in crumbs. deep fry. the egg yolks for croquettes may have a tablespoon of water added for each yolk. the whites as well as the yolks may be used for covering the croquettes. to get the corn pulp, cut the kernels lengthwise of the rows, and press out the pulp with the back of the knife. this recipe is good for left-over corn. chapter xxxviii after the circus "there is nothing so exciting as a circus," said ruth, "but oh, how comfortable and peaceful it seems to get away at last from the crowds and the noise! how quiet and cool this porch is, bettina. in two minutes i'll get up and help you with dinner, but you made a mistake to put such a comfortable chair here in this particular spot." "ruth, stay just where you are! this meal is supper, not dinner, and it will be ready in the shortest possible time. where are the men?" "going over the plans of our house, i suppose. fred has worn them almost in pieces by exhibiting them so often. there seem to be a great many details to settle at the last minute. as for me, i'm perfectly satisfied, for i'm going to have a kitchen exactly like yours. bettina, what lovely nasturtiums, and how delicious that cold sliced ham looks with more nasturtiums to garnish it!" "yes, and i have nasturtium leaves lining the salad bowl--and see, i'll put one large flower on each plate!" "don't nasturtiums always seem cool and appetizing? the whole supper looks that way!" "well, circus day is almost invariably warm, and people are tired when they come home, so i planned to have a cold and simple meal." "isn't boiled ham hard to prepare?" "no, indeed, nothing could be simpler. i bought a half of a ham--i like a piece cut from the large end--and i soaked it for an hour in cold water. then i brought it to a boil in fresh cold water and a little vinegar, and transferred it to the fireless cooker for five hours. then i baked it for an hour in the cooker, having first trimmed it, and covered it with brown sugar and almost as many cloves as i could stick into it. it is very tender and good, i think--one of the best of my fireless cooker recipes." "i am planning to have a fireless cooker when i keep house." "that is fine, ruth! you have no idea how they save both gas and worry. some day i'll give you all of my best fireless recipes; i use my cooker a great deal. for instance, this brown bread was steamed in the cooker. a fireless is invaluable for steaming. i usually plan to have boston brown bread, tuna or salmon loaf and a pudding all steaming in the large compartment at once. then i've learned to bake beautiful beans in the cooker! i wonder what our grandmothers think of boston baked beans and boston brown bread all made in the fireless! i'm sure i could prove to any of them that my way is just as good, besides being much cooler and more economical! well, shall we call fred and bob?" the circus day supper consisted of: cold sliced ham boston brown bread butter blackberries cream spiced cake iced tea sliced lemon bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =spiced cake= (sixteen pieces) / c-butter c-sugar egg yolks / c-sour milk - / t-cinnamon / t-ground cloves / t-mace t-soda c-flour egg white t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar and egg yolks. mix well. mix and sift all dry ingredients. sift and add alternately with sour milk. add vanilla and stiffly beaten egg white. bake in a loaf cake pan, prepared with waxed paper, in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. cover with "c" sugar icing. ="c" sugar icing= (sixteen pieces) c-"c" sugar / c-water / t-cream of tartar egg white / t-vanilla mix the sugar, water and cream of tartar. cook until the syrup clicks when a little is dropped in cold water. do not stir while cooking. have the mixture boil evenly but not too fast. pour gently over the beaten white of the egg. stir and beat briskly until creamy. add vanilla. place on the cake. if too hard, add a tablespoon of water. chapter xxxix mrs. dixon asks questions "i had resolved," said mrs. dixon, at bettina's dinner-table, "not to accept another invitation to come here until you people had eaten again at our house. but your invitations are just too alluring for me to resist, and your cooking is so much better than mine, and i always learn so much that--well--here we are! for instance, i feel that i am about to learn something this very minute! (now, frank, please don't scold me if i talk about the food!) bettina, how did you ever dare to cook cabbage? it looks delicious and i know it is, but i tried cooking some the other day and the whole house has the cabbage odor in no time. yours hasn't. now what magic spell did you lay on this particular cabbage?" "let me answer that," said bob. "i want to show off! bettina cooked that as she always cooks onions and turnips, in a a large amount of water in an uncovered utensil. isn't that correct, bettina? send me to the head of the class!" "yes, you're right. i did boil the cabbage this morning, and of course i have a well-ventilated kitchen, but i don't believe the odor would be noticeable if i had cooked it just before dinner." "i never used to eat cabbage," said bob, "but i like bettina's way of preparing it. she never lets it cook until it gets a bit brown, and so it has a delicate flavor. most people cook cabbage too long." "another question, teacher. how did you manage to bake these potatoes so that they are so good and mealy? mine always burst from their skins." "well," said bettina, "i ran the point of the knife around the outside of the potato. this cutting of the skin allows it to swell a little and prevents it from bursting. then i baked it in a moderate oven. another thing. i've discovered that it is better not to pierce a potato to find out if it is done. i press it with my fingers, and if it seems soft on the inside, i remove it from the oven and press the skin until it breaks, allowing the steam to escape. if i don't do that, a mealy potato becomes soggy from the quickly condensing steam." "oh, bettina, i'm so glad to know that! i like baked potatoes because i know they are so digestible, but i never can make them like these. now i won't monopolize the conversation any longer. you men may discuss business, or the war, or anything you choose." the dinner that night was as follows: hamburger steak lemon butter baked potatoes escalloped cabbage bread butter prune soufflé bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =hamburger steak= (six cakes) lb. of beef cut from the round / t-salt t-onion salt or onion juice / t-pepper grind the meat twice and add the seasoning. shape into cakes two and a half inches in diameter and one inch thick, handling as little as possible. place on a hot pan and cook under the broiler twelve minutes, turning when brown. dot with butter and serve hot. =lemon butter for the steak= (four portions) t-butter / t-salt / t-lemon juice / t-minced parsley / t-paprika mix in order given and spread on hot meat of any kind, broiled steak, chops or fish. =baked potatoes= (four portions) select potatoes of a uniform size. wash thoroughly with a vegetable brush. run the point of the knife around the outside of the potato. bake in a moderate oven forty to sixty minutes. =escalloped cabbage= (four portions) c-cooked cabbage c-white sauce / t-paprika / c-bread crumbs t-butter remove the outer leaves of a two and a half pound head of cabbage. cut in half (using but half for dinner). wash thoroughly and cut in shreds or chop moderately fine. put in a large kettle of rapidly boiling water. boil for twenty minutes. drain well, add one-half a teaspoon salt. make the white sauce, add the cabbage and paprika, mix well. place in a buttered baking dish. cover with buttered crumbs and place in a moderate oven until browned. =prune soufflé= (four portions) / lb. prunes t-sugar t-lemon juice or / t-lemon extract egg whites wash the prunes thoroughly, cover with water, and allow to soak three hours. cook slowly in the same water until soft. remove the stones from the prunes, and save the pulp and juice. add sugar, cook until very thick (about three minutes). stir constantly. cool, add the lemon juice. cut and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. fill a well-buttered open tin mould half full of the mixture. place the pan in another pan filled with boiling water. cook in a slow oven until well raised, firm, and light brown in color (about twenty-five minutes). serve with the following custard sauce: =custard sauce= (four portions) egg yolks t-sugar t-flour / t-salt - / c-milk / t-lemon extract beat egg yolks until light, in the upper part of a double boiler. add sugar, flour and salt. mix well and slowly add the milk. cook over the lower part of the boiler until thick enough to coat a silver spoon. beat well, add the extract, and cool. chapter xl a telegram from uncle eric "what shall i do with this butter, bettina?" inquired bob, who was helping to clear off the table after dinner one evening. "put it in the ice-box?" "the butter from the table?" asked bettina. "no, bob, i keep that left-over butter in a covered dish in the cupboard. you see, there are so many times when i need butter for cake making or cooking, and prefer not to have it very hard. then i use that cupboard butter. there's the doorbell, bob. now who do you suppose that can be?" "a telegram from uncle eric," said bob, when he returned from the door. "well, isn't that the limit! he's coming tonight!" "tonight!" echoed bettina. "yes, on business. you see, there are so many people in town for the state fair and there are several that he must see. he's a queer old fellow--uncle eric is--and he has some queer notions. doesn't like hotels, or anything but home cooking. he doesn't want anything elaborate, but he's pretty fussy about what he does want. i'm sorry for you, bettina, but i guess we'll have to make him welcome. he's been pretty good to me, in his funny way, and so i suppose he feels he can descend on us without warning." "but, bob--tonight! why, i'm not ready! i haven't groceries in the house, or anything! and i was planning to give you a cooked cereal for breakfast tomorrow." "it's too bad, betty," said bob sympathetically, "but it seems as if we'll just have to manage some way. uncle eric has been good to me, you see. he's an old fogy of a bachelor, but he has a warm heart way down underneath his crusty exterior. and----" "don't you worry, bob," said bettina heartily. "we will manage. as a rule, i think it's pretty poor taste for anyone to come without warning or an invitation, but maybe uncle eric is an exception to all the rules. tell me about him; do you have time? when does the train get in? do you have to meet it?" "i guess i'd better hurry right off now." "but, bob, tell me! what must i have for breakfast?" "anything but a cereal, betty! uncle eric draws the line at cereals. he has an awful time with his cooks, too. they never suit him." "goodness, bob!" said betty, in despair. "and i have almost nothing in my cupboard. it's as bare as mother hubbard's!" "good-bye, dear! i'm off! i know you'll think of some thing." bettina smiled hopelessly at the masculine viewpoint, and as soon as bob had gone she sat down to think, a dish towel in one hand and a spoon in the other. "be a sport, bettina," she murmured to herself. "if uncle eric doesn't like his breakfasts, it's his own fault for coming. get a pencil and paper and plan several cereal-less breakfasts, so that while he is here you will never be at a loss." thus fortified by her common sense and what is less common, her sense of humor, bettina soon evolved the following breakfast menus for uncle eric: ( ) cantaloupe french toast maple syrup broiled bacon coffee ( ) fresh pears creamed beef on toast coffee ( ) cantaloupe sweet milk griddle cakes syrup coffee ( ) baked apples broiled ham graham muffins coffee ( ) fresh plums codfish balls twin mountain muffins coffee ( ) cantaloupe waffles syrup coffee ( ) watermelon corn oysters syrup toast coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =french toast= (three portions) slices stale bread eggs / t-salt t-sugar / c-milk beat the eggs slightly, add salt, milk and sugar. place in a shallow dish. soak bread in the mixture until soft. cook on a hot, well-greased griddle, browning on one side and then turning and browning on the other. serve hot with maple syrup. =sweet milk griddle cakes= (four portions) c-flour t-baking powder c-milk t-salt egg, well-beaten mix the flour, baking powder and salt, add the milk to the well-beaten egg, and pour the liquid slowly into the dry ingredients. beat thoroughly for one minute. put a spoonful on a hot, well-greased griddle. when done on one side, turn, and brown on the other. never turn more than once. =broiled bacon= (three portions) slices of bacon place bacon slices, which have had the rind removed, on a hot tin pan and set directly under a flame for three minutes. turn and broil the other side. =corn oysters= (three portions) / c-corn / c-bread crumbs well-beaten egg / t-salt / t-pepper / t-sugar mix the corn, egg, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and sugar. shape into cakes two inches in diameter and one-half an inch thick. grease a griddle or a frying-pan thoroughly, and when very hot, place fritters on the pan. when brown on one side, turn over onto the other side. serve hot, with syrup. chapter xli bettina entertains state fair visitors the next morning when bob and uncle eric had partaken of a cereal-less breakfast, and uncle eric had even complimented the cook, bettina called her mother on the telephone. "i was about to call you, bettina. won't you go to the fair with us this afternoon? you know cousin mabel and the children are here from ford center, and cousin wilfred may arrive some time this morning." "you do have your hands full this week, don't you, mother? uncle eric is at home only for breakfast, and i called up to ask if you would all come here to dinner tonight." "oh, bettina! i'm afraid it will be too much work for you, dear!" "i'll plan a simple meal, mother; one that i can get together in a hurry. in fact i've already planned it." "but, in that case, you couldn't go to the fair with us this afternoon, could you? and it's said to be especially good today." "why, yes, i could go. i can get the most of my dinner ready this morning. what time would you start?" "at two, i think. well, bettina, we'll come, but you must make the meal simple, for we won't be back till six." "don't worry, mother." bettina hastened to make her preparations, and at half after one her house was in order and she was ready to go. besides, she was comfortably conscious of a well-filled larder--cold fried chicken ready and waiting, cold boiled potatoes to be creamed, green corn to be boiled, peaches to be sliced, and delicious chocolate cookies to delight the hearts of the children. "it will take only a few moments," she thought as she arranged the nasturtiums on her dining table, "to set the table, cream the potatoes, boil the corn, slice the peaches and make the tea. and i believe it's the sort of a dinner that will suit them." the dinner for state fair guests consisted of: cold fried chicken creamed potatoes corn on the cob sliced peaches chocolate cookies tea milk bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed potatoes as bettina served them= (six portions) c-cold, cooked potatoes, chopped t-butter t-flour t-grated cheese - / c-milk / t-salt / t-pepper melt the butter, add the flour and seasoning and mix well; gradually add the milk and cheese. cook until the consistency of vegetable white sauce (about one minute after it boils). add the potatoes, cook four minutes, stirring constantly, and serve. =chocolate cookies= (three dozen) c-sugar / c-butter egg / c-milk c-flour / t-cinnamon / t-salt t-baking powder square chocolate t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar and cream well. add alternately the sifted flour, salt, baking powder and egg beaten in milk. add the melted chocolate and vanilla. turn out on a floured board and roll a small portion at a time to one-fourth of an inch in thickness. cut with a floured cooky cutter. place on a buttered, floured pan and bake in a moderate oven until slightly brown. (about ten minutes.) chapter xlii uncle john and aunt lucy as bettina was standing before a beautiful exhibit of honey in the agricultural building, she was startled by a hand upon her shoulder. "gracious, uncle john!" she exclaimed. "how you frightened me! but i'm so glad to see you! where is aunt lucy?" "here, somewhere. you know she took a few prizes herself and is probably hanging around to hear any stray compliments for her butter or preserves." "aren't you ashamed, john!" said aunt lucy, herself appearing like magic. "i was just looking for the queen bee among the others in this glass case." "and here she is!" said uncle john, laying his hand on bettina's shoulder, and laughing delightedly at his own joke. "you've been looking in the wrong place." "for that, uncle john, i'm going to beg you and aunt lucy to come home with me to dinner. won't you? when did you come in?" "this morning, and we're making a day of it. we'd like to see the fireworks this evening, but perhaps we could go to your house and get back again. for that matter, you and bob could go with us to see the fireworks. how about it?" "oh, that would be splendid! bob couldn't come to the fair this afternoon, and i came with a friend." "well, we'll take you both home in the car. when shall we see you? five o'clock? fine! and you and bob must come back with us this evening." dinner that night consisted of: broiled ham hashed brown potatoes pickled beets bread butter coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =hashed brown potatoes= (four portions) c-chopped potatoes / t-salt a pinch of pepper t-fat put fat in frying-pan, when very hot, add the potatoes, salt and pepper. cook three minutes, allowing to cook without stirring for two minutes. fold as an omelet and turn onto a hot platter. garnish with parsley. =pickled beets= (four portions) beets / c-vinegar t-sugar wash the medium-sized beets thoroughly, and cook until tender in boiling water. drain, cover with cold water and slip off the skins. slice the beets into one-fourth inch slices. cover with vinegar and sugar. allow to stand two hours before using. =brown betty= (four portions) c-sliced apples c-fresh bread crumbs / c-brown sugar t-cinnamon t-butter / c-water mix the apples, all but two tablespoons of the bread crumbs, brown sugar, and cinnamon. add the melted butter and pour into a buttered baking-dish. pour the water over the whole mixture. use the remainder of the crumbs and a little melted butter for the top. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot or cold with hard sauce. =hard sauce for brown betty= (four portions) t-butter c-powdered sugar / t-vanilla extract / t-lemon extract t-boiling water cream the butter, add the boiling water, and the sugar gradually. stir until the sauce is creamy. add vanilla and lemon extract. set in the ice-box to harden. serve cold. chapter xliii sunday dinner at the dixon's "you seem to have gained in weight, frank," said bob, as he and bettina sat down to sunday dinner with the dixons. "and what's more, i've gained in spirits! say, there's nothing like living in a real home! why, people, just think of having charlotte say to me as she did yesterday, 'frank, bob and bettina are coming to dinner to-morrow, and i want you to plan the menu!' and here it is! excuse me for seeming too proud of my own good judgment and my wife's skill in cookery, but----" "hush, frank! maybe bob and bettina won't like your choice of dishes or your wife's cooking!" "what!" said bob. "i have yet to meet the person who doesn't like fried chicken! and roasting ears and new potatoes! sa-ay!" "it's a man-size dinner all right, isn't it?" said mr. dixon. "you know ever since i was a boy my idea of sunday dinner (at least in the summer) has been fried chicken with gravy, new potatoes, boiled corn on the cob, and ice cream with sliced peaches! because ice cream is coming, isn't it, charlotte? at least i ordered it, and this appears to be my lucky day!" "indeed, it is coming," said mrs. dixon. "you see, bettina, ever since i came to keep house (thanks to you) i've longed for the time to come when i could let frank plan a company meal that i could carry out to the last detail. i have tried all these things before, although not all at the same time. i have always suspected that he would order fried chicken and its accessories (a 'little boy dinner' i called this), so when i told him that he might plan the meal, i knew that i could cook it. you see, i have wanted to invite you and bob--oh, i've been thinking of it for a long time, but you can cook so well that i thought perhaps you'd rather eat at home!" "charlotte, this is a perfect dinner--far better than i could get, i know." "this salad is an acquired taste with me," put in mr. dixon. "in my boyhood, my ideal dinner did not include salad, but charlotte said there must be one, so this was my choice. i mixed the oil-dressing myself," he added with pride. "it was a simple dinner to get," said mrs. dixon. "but now, frank, we mustn't boast any more about our own dinner, must we? bob and bettina will laugh at us. you see, we're regular children since we took the house, but we do have lots of fun. i wouldn't go back to hotel living for anything in the world!" "and neither would i," said frank, "if for no other reason than the joy of entertaining our friends at dinner this way!" their sunday dinner consisted of: fried chicken new boiled potatoes corn on the cob bread butter sliced cucumber, tomato and onion salad oil dressing vanilla ice cream with peaches white cake iced tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =vegetable salad= (four portions) medium-sized tomatoes / cucumber onion =dressing= t-vinegar t-oil / t-salt / t-paprika cut the peeled tomatoes and cucumber in one-third inch cubes, mix with the onion chopped fine. add the dressing, which has been well mixed, and allow to stand ten minutes in a cold place. serve on head lettuce. =peaches for ice cream= (six portions) c-peaches, sliced / c-sugar add the sugar to the peaches and allow to stand in the ice box for ten minutes. place peaches around the ice cream. =white cake= (twenty pieces) / c-butter - / c-sugar - / c-sifted flour t-baking powder / t-salt c-milk egg whites, beaten stiffly t-vanilla / t-lemon extract cream the butter, add the sugar, and continue creaming for two minutes. alternately add all the dry ingredients and the milk. beat well. cut and fold in the egg-whites. add the flavoring. bake in two buttered layer-cake pans, twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. cover with "c" sugar icing. ="c" sugar icing= (twenty portions) egg whites c-"c" sugar / c-water t-vanilla cook the sugar and water together without stirring until the icing "clicks" in cold water. remove from the fire and pour very slowly over the stiffly beaten egg-whites. beat vigorously and continuously until the icing gets thick and creamy. add the vanilla. spread on the cake. =vanilla ice cream= (six portions) qt. cream / c-sugar t-vanilla / t-salt mix cream, sugar, vanilla and salt. place in a scalded and chilled freezer. turn until the mixture stiffens. pack for two hours to ripen. chapter xliv a rainy evening at home "this is just the kind of a cold, rainy evening," said bob as he pushed back his chair, "that makes me feel like making candy." "fine!" said bettina. "what kind shall it be?" "penoche, if you have all the ingredients." "i think i have. let's see. it's better when it's made partly with 'c' sugar, and i have that. i wonder if there will be enough milk left for breakfast if we use a little! well, penoche really tastes exactly as good when it is made with water instead, though, of course, it isn't so rich. but then, i think, we do have enough milk." "first of all, though," said bob, "we'll wash these dishes. it was a mighty good dinner tonight, bettina. the nice kind of a hot meal that it seems good to come home to on a night like this." "it was an oven dinner, bob. you see, the meat loaf, the escalloped potatoes, and the rice pudding were all in the oven at once. i always try to use the oven for more than one dish if i am using it at all." "we seem to have eaten all of this tomato sauce," said bob, as he carried out the dish, "but there is a good deal of meat left. will you have to make more sauce?" "no, i planned just enough for one meal. then, tomorrow, i'll serve the rest of the meat cold without a sauce. how did you like the rice pudding hot as it was tonight? you know i usually serve it cold." "it tasted very good for a cold evening. there, all these dishes are ready to wash, bettina. will you get out some tea towels for me?" the dinner that night consisted of: hot beef loaf tomato sauce escalloped potatoes bread butter rice pudding bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =beef loaf= (five portions) lb. beef cut from the round / lb. salt pork / t-salt / t-pepper / t-onion salt / c-cracker or bread crumbs egg yolk t-milk t-butter grind the meat well, and mix all the ingredients excepting the butter. pat into an oblong shape and place in a well-buttered pan. add three tablespoons of water to the pan, and place the butter in small pieces on the top of the loaf. cover the pan and bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =tomato sauce= (three portions) c-tomatoes, cut up / c-water bay leaves t-sugar / t-ground cloves slice of onion or / t-onion salt t-butter t-flour / t-salt simmer for fifteen minutes the tomatoes, water, bay leaves, sugar, cloves and onion. strain and press out all the pulp. melt the butter, add the flour, blend well, slowly add the strained tomato and salt. cook one minute. serve hot on the meat. =escalloped potatoes= (three portions) potatoes (medium sized) t-flour t-butter t-salt / t-pepper milk (about one cup) wash and peel the potatoes. slice very thin. mix through the sliced potatoes, the flour, salt, pepper and the butter in small pieces. place the mixture in a well-buttered pan or baking dish, and cover with milk. usually one cup suffices. bake in a moderate oven forty-five to fifty minutes. (do not fill the pan more than three-fourths full, as the potatoes will boil over.) =rice pudding= (three portions) - / c-milk egg t-sugar / t-salt t-vanilla c-cooked rice t-butter / t-grated nutmeg beat the egg, add the sugar, salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and milk. add the rice. pour the mixture into a well-buttered baking dish and dot over with the butter. bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. it may be served hot or cold. cream may be served with it if desired. =penoche= c-"c" sugar c-granulated sugar t-butter / c-milk / t-cream of tartar / c-nut-meats t-vanilla mix the sugar, butter, milk and cream of tartar. cook, stirring occasionally to prevent from scorching, until a soft ball is formed when a little candy is dropped in cold water. remove from the fire, and do not stir until it is cool. put back on the stove for one minute, stirring constantly. remove from stove, and beat vigorously until very creamy. add the nuts and vanilla. when hard and creamy, remove from the pan, patting into shape and kneading until soft and creamy. place on a buttered pan, patting to the thickness of three-fourths of an inch. cut into the desired shape. _september._ _apple-tree, apple-tree, crowned with delight, give me your fruit for a pie if you will;---- crusty i'll make it, and juicy and light!---- give me your treasure to mate with my skill!_ [illustration] chapter xlv ruth makes an apple pie [illustration] "i'll tell you, ruth," said bettina, in answer to some questions, "you come home with me now, and make an apple pie for our dinner! i'll watch and direct you, and perhaps i can show you what made the crust tough on the one you made at home. do come. i can't promise you an elaborate dinner tonight, for my funds are very low and i must be careful. but i had planned to make an apple pie myself. bob is so fond of it that no matter what else we may have, an apple pie dinner is a feast to him." "but goodness, bettina! i might spoil it!" "no, you wouldn't, and i would show you just what to do. i suspect that you handled the dough too much before and that was what made the pie seem tough." "i suppose i did; i was so anxious to have it well mixed." "did you use your fingers in mixing in the shortening? i know that many good cooks do it, but it is really better to use a knife, with the blade flat. and then roll the pastry out just as lightly as possible." "do you make pastry with lard or butter?" "i usually make it with an equal amount of each. lard makes a more tender crust than butter, and a whiter crust, but i think butter gives it a better flavor." bettina and ruth had reached home by this time, and bettina brought out the materials for ruth's pie. "i'll give you ice-water to moisten the pastry," said she; "it isn't necessary, but it is really better in the summer time. and while you're mixing in the shortening with this knife, i'll be cooking some eggs hard for eggs a la goldenrod which i am going to give you tonight." "eggs a la goldenrod!" exclaimed ruth, "how good that does sound!" "it is a very good luncheon-dish, but i find it also good for dinner when i'm not having meat. i think it looks appetizing, too." "i must learn how to make it. you know father comes home at noon, and it is hard to think of a variety of luncheon-dishes. i usually have eggs or cheese in some form or other, but 'eggs a la goldenrod,' are new to me." "we also have cottage-cheese tonight," said bettina. "i plan to make it about once a week. ruth, i believe i hear bob now! well, he'll have to wait half an hour or more for his dinner!" that night they had: eggs a la goldenrod potato cakes strained honey cottage cheese bread butter apple pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =eggs a la goldenrod= (four portions) hard-cooked eggs t-butter t-flour - / c-milk / t-salt / t-pepper / t-parsley melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper. mix well. add the milk gradually. cook until a white sauce consistency. add chopped egg-whites. pour this mixture over slices of toast arranged on a platter. force the yolks through a strainer on top of the sauce on the toast. garnish with parsley and serve hot. =potato cakes= (four portions) c-mashed potatoes t-lard t-butter form cold seasoned mashed potato into cakes two inches in diameter. dip the cakes lightly into a little flour. allow one tablespoon butter and one tablespoon lard to get very hot in a frying-pan. put in the cakes, brown on each side, and serve. =cottage cheese= (four portions) qt. sour milk t-salt / t-paprika t-cream place thick freshly soured milk over a pan of hot water, not boiling. when the milk is warm and the curds separate from the whey, strain off the whey in a cheese cloth. put into a bowl, add salt, pepper and cream to taste. stir lightly with a fork. =some of bettina's pastry rules= one--all the materials must be cold. two--always roll one way and on one side of the pastry. three--shortening should be handled as little as possible. four--dough should be mixed with a knife and not touched with the hands. five--shortening should be cut in with a knife. six--cook pastry in a hot oven having the greatest heat at the bottom so that it may rise before browning. crust is done when it slips from the pan. chapter xlvi bettina makes apple jelly "what have you been doing?" asked bob, as he and bettina sat down to dinner. "oh, bob, i've had the nicest day! mother 'phoned me this morning that uncle john had brought her several big baskets of apples from the farm, and that if i cared to come over to help, we would put them up together, and i might have half. well, we made apple jelly, plum and apple jelly, and raspberry and apple jelly. i had made all these before, and knew how good they were, but i learned something new from mother that has made me feel happy ever since." "and so you came home, and in your enthusiasm made this fine dandy peach cobbler for dinner!" "bob, that was the very way i took to express my joy!" "well, what is this wonderful new apple concoction?" "perhaps it isn't new, but it was new to me! it is an apple and mint jelly, and i know it will be just the thing to serve with meat this winter." "how did you make it? (i hope you are noticing how interested i'm becoming in all the cooking processes!)" "well, i washed and cut into small pieces four pounds of greening apples. then i washed and chopped fine one cup of fresh mint, and added it to the apples. i covered the mixture with water, and cooked it all till the apples were so tender that they were falling to pieces. i strained it then, and used three-fourths of a cup of sugar for each cup of juice. i cooked this till the mixture jellied, and then i added four teaspoons of lemon juice and enough green vegetable color paste to give it a delicate color." "isn't that coloring matter injurious?" "oh, no, bob! it's exactly as pure as any vegetable, and it gives things such a pretty color. why, i use it very often, and i'm sure that more people would try it if they knew how successful it is! it is such fun to experiment with. of course, i never use anything but the vegetable coloring." "well, go on with the jelly. what next?" "that's all, i think. i just poured it into glasses, and there it is, waiting for you to help me carry it home from mother's. now, bob, won't that be good next winter with cold roast beef or cold roast veal? i know it will be just the thing to use with a pork roast!" "i'm growing very enthusiastic. sounds fine. but speaking of cooking, this is a mighty good dinner. i like peach cobbler as well as any dessert there is." "i'm glad you like it. but i forgot to tell you, bob, that i'm to have all the apples i can use in the fall. uncle john has promised them to me. then mother says we'll make cider. won't that be fine?" "i should say it will! cider and doughnuts and pumpkin pie! makes me long for fall already! but then, i like green corn and watermelon and peaches, so i suppose i can wait." that evening bettina served: sliced beef loaf sautéd potatoes creamed corn cinnamon rolls butter peach cobbler cream bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =sautéd potatoes= (two portions) large potatoes cooked t-lard / t-salt / t-pepper peel cold boiled potatoes. put two tablespoons of lard in the frying-pan. when hot, add the potatoes and season well with salt and pepper. brown thoroughly on all sides. (they should cook about ten minutes.) =creamed corn= (two portions) c-corn cut from the cob / c-water t-butter t-milk or cream / t-sugar / t-salt cook the corn and water together very slowly for twenty minutes, or until the water is all cooked out. (place on an asbestos mat to prevent burning.) add butter, milk, sugar and salt. serve hot. =cinnamon rolls= (twelve rolls) t-sugar / t-salt c-milk (scalded and lukewarm) yeast cake / c-lukewarm water - / c-flour t-butter t-sugar / c-butter / c-sugar mix sugar, salt and scalded milk. when lukewarm, add the yeast cake dissolved in one-fourth of a cup of lukewarm water. add one and a half cups flour. cover and set in a warm place to rise. when double in bulk, add the butter (melted), four tablespoons sugar and more flour (enough to knead). let rise, knead and roll into a sheet half an inch thick, spread with a mixture made by adding melted butter, one and a fourth cups sugar and the cinnamon. roll up like a jelly roll. cut in slices three-fourths inch thick. place in a pan one inch apart, let rise again. bake in a moderately hot oven twenty-five minutes. =peach cobbler= (two portions) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-butter / c-milk good-sized peaches / c-sugar / t-vanilla / c-sugar / c-water cut the butter into the dry ingredients (baking powder, salt and flour), and add the milk. (the resulting dough should be of biscuit dough consistency.) peel and slice the peaches, mix well with the sugar (one-third cup) and place on the bottom of a baking dish (not tin.) place dough shaped to fit on the top of the peaches. make three holes to allow the steam to escape. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. boil the sugar and water four minutes. when the cobbler has cooked for twenty minutes, pour the syrup over it and allow to cook ten minutes more. cream may be served with the cobbler if desired. chapter xlvii after a park party "a beautiful day," said bettina at the breakfast table. "september is doing better than august." "i was just thinking," said bob, "that it might be fun to get harry and alice, and go out to killkare park this evening. i don't believe you've been on a roller coaster this year." "it would be fun to go," said bettina, "although i haven't missed the roller coaster." "well, let's ask them to go. we can stay there awhile and then----" "then what?" "oh, nothing. then go home." "bob, you meant--come here afterward and have a nice little lunch; didn't you?" "i confess that i thought of that, and then i happened to remember that you were going out this afternoon and wouldn't want to bother with any preparations for a party." "going out this afternoon would not worry me at all--it is just that my funds are getting a little low, and i couldn't serve anything expensive. let me think what i have on hand--yes, i believe i could do it by serving a salad and a dessert out of my own head." "a bettina salad? that's the very best kind. and what will the dessert be?" "a bettina dessert, too. i have some lovely apples, bob, and i just can't afford anything very expensive. i know this will be good, too, but you mustn't complain if i have sponge cake to eat with it." "i should say not, bettina. whatever you give us will tickle me, and alice and harry are in such a state of blindness that they won't know what they're eating." that evening they had: bettina salad boston brown bread sandwiches bettina's apples sponge cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina salad= (four portions) c-chopped new york cheese pimento stuffed olives, chopped sweet pickles, chopped very fine / c-chopped roasted peanuts / t-salt / t-paprika t-salad dressing pieces of lettuce put the cheese through the food chopper or grate it, add the olives chopped, the sweet pickles, peanuts, salt and paprika. blend well, and form into balls, one inch in diameter. arrange several on a lettuce leaf. serve salad dressing with the salad. =bettina's apples= (six apples) apples c-"c" sugar c-water marshmallows / c-cocoanut shredded cherries peel and core the apples. drop into the sugar and water which has been boiled for ten minutes to form a syrup. place a lid on the pan and cook the apples until tender. remove from the syrup and roll in the cocoanut. add the marshmallows to the syrup (which has been removed from the fire) and allow them to melt. stir them in the syrup. when the marshmallows are dissolved, stir the mixture to mix the marshmallows with the syrup. pour around the apple, and fill the hole in the center of the apple. place a red cherry on the top of each. =hot water sponge cake= (eight portions) egg-yolks c-sugar / c-boiling water t-lemon juice t-grated rind lemon egg-whites c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt beat the yolks until thick and lemon colored, add the sugar gradually and beat for two minutes. add the flour, sifted with the baking powder, and salt. add the boiling water, lemon juice, and grated rind. beat with a dover egg-beater, two minutes. fold in whites of the eggs. bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven in an unbuttered pan. do not cut sponge cake, except through the crust, then break apart. chapter xlviii bettina spills the ink "where are you, bettina?" called bob one september evening when bettina failed to meet him at the door. "oh, bettina!" "here i am, bob, in the kitchen! i'm so ashamed of myself!" "what for?" "my carelessness. i just spilled a whole bottle of ink on this new apron of mine! i had begun to get dinner, and as it was a little early, i sat down for a minute to finish a letter to polly. then all at once i thought something was burning, and jumped up in such a hurry that i spilled the ink. i ought to have known better than to try to do two things at once! luckily, the dinner was all right, but look at this apron! and it was such a pretty one!" "well, bettina, i'm always getting ink and auto grease on my clothes, and you seem to keep yours spotless. so it is a surprise to me that it happened. still, spoiling a new apron may be unfortunate, but i shouldn't call it tragic. is it really spoiled?" "no, i think i can fix it up so it will be almost as good as new, but it's a nuisance. see, i'm soaking it in this sour milk. i'll leave it here for four hours, and then apply some more milk for awhile. then i believe the ink will come out when i rinse it." "well, bettina, i'm glad you didn't spill ink on the dinner. something smells mighty good!" they had: beef balls gravy mashed potatoes bettina's celery and eggs cinnamon rolls butter watermelon bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =beef balls= (three portions) lb. round steak t-salt / t-paprika / t-celery salt / t-onion salt grind round steak, season, shape into round cakes and broil them for seven minutes under the flame. while they are cooking, prepare the horseradish sauce. =horseradish sauce= (four portions) t-butter t-flour c-milk t-horseradish / t-salt melt the butter, add the flour. mix well, add the milk and cook one minute. add the salt and the horseradish. serve immediately. =mashed potatoes= (three portions) medium-sized potatoes - / t-butter / c-milk / t-salt / t-pepper cook the potatoes (peeled) in boiling salted water. when done, drain off the water, pass through a vegetable ricer, or mash well with a potato masher. add butter, salt, pepper, and the milk. beat vigorously, reheat and pile lightly in a hot dish. =bettina's celery and eggs= (three portions) c-cooked diced celery hard-cooked eggs sliced / c-vegetable white sauce t-butter t-fresh bread crumbs add the sliced hard-cooked eggs and cooked celery to the white sauce. mix well. pour the mixture into a well-buttered baking dish. cover with the crumbs which have been mixed with melted butter. bake in a moderate oven until a delicate brown. (about twenty minutes.) chapter xlix bettina attends a porch party "well, what have you been doing today?" asked bob, after he had finished an account of events at the office. "i've been away all afternoon, bob, at the loveliest little porch party at alice's! you know her porch is beautiful, anyhow, and her party was very informal. she telephoned to five of us this morning, and asked us to come over and bring our sewing; the day was so perfect. she served a delicious little luncheon from her tea cart, very simple but so good! and the beauty of it was that she had made everything herself! she didn't tell the girls, but she whispered it to me. of course, if she had told the others, she would have given herself away; they are a little suspicious of her now because she is seen everywhere with harry!" "he told me he wished they could announce it right away! he doesn't like to make a secret of it." "it won't be very long now--you know they are to be married in october or november. but, bob, as i was telling you, alice did all the cooking for this party herself. of course, it was simple, but really, i think she is quite wonderful. she has never done anything useful before, but she is so clever, and she has such a 'knack' that it will really be easier for her than for ruth. and ruth will work twice as hard. alice says that she is going to give other little parties this way, and practice on her guests. she says she is determined to do things just as well as anybody else, and now that she is interested, she has a tremendous pride in being a success. you know how high-spirited alice is. well, she isn't to be surpassed by anyone in anything she cares to do! oh, i forgot, bob, she gave me some cakes to bring to you, and also some salted nuts." "hurray for alice! she's some friend all right! what else did you have at the party?" "such good salad--she gave me the recipe--well, her menu consisted of: honolulu salad graham bread sandwiches frozen apricots white cake salted nuts coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =honolulu salad= (six portions) slices canned pineapple / c-cottage cheese t-chopped pimento t-chopped green pepper / t-salt nut-meat halves pieces of lettuce t-salad dressing add the chopped pimento, green pepper and salt to the cottage cheese. work all together well, shape into balls one inch in diameter. place a ball in the center of each slice of pineapple, which has been arranged upon a piece of lettuce. place a nut meat upon the top of each cheese ball. serve one tablespoon of salad dressing upon each service. =frozen apricots= (six portions) c-peeled and quartered apricots c-sugar t-lemon juice c-water egg-white cook apricots, sugar and water until the apricots are soft. (about five minutes.) cool, add the lemon juice and freeze. when the mixture is half frozen, add the stiffly beaten white and continue freezing until stiff. more sugar may be used if desired. chapter l a dinner cooked in the morning "we'll treat uncle eric so well that he'll have a good time in spite of himself," bob had said when he had proposed that his gruff old uncle be invited. "i'll take saturday afternoon off, and we'll go to the matinee, then we'll come home to dinner, and then go again to the theatre in the evening." for a great actor was to be in town, and this was the reason for uncle eric's possible visit. "if he'll only come," bob had added doubtfully. "he'll come," said bettina confidently, for she felt that she had discovered the soft spot in uncle eric's heart. "we'll have a good dinner, too." bob remembered what she had said about the dinner and repeated it to himself as they stepped from the street car after the matinee. "it's late, bettina," he said anxiously, "will it take you long to get dinner?" "a very few minutes," answered bettina. "just long enough to warm it over." to warm it over! but then, all of bettina's dinners were good, so he resolved not to worry. nevertheless, he could not help leaving uncle eric for a few minutes to come into the kitchen. "what can i do to help?" "not a thing, bob dear. you see, i had this whole dinner ready this morning, and i have warmed it all up in the oven. i have discovered that croquettes are exactly as good when fried in the morning, and so are veal cutlets. and wait till you try the cauliflower!" "i trust you, bettina," said bob, laughing. "it all looks mighty good to me. here, i'll help you put it on the table." for dinner that night they had: veal cutlets potato croquettes escalloped cauliflower baked apples bread butter chocolate ice cream white cake bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =veal cutlets= (three portions) lb. / -inch slices of veal cut from the leg t-salt - / pints of water c-cracker crumbs / t-paprika / t-salt egg-white or yolk t-water hot fat for frying wipe the meat, place in one and one-half pints of boiling water, to which has been added one level teaspoon of salt. boil gently until tender (about thirty minutes). remove from the water and allow to cool until easy to handle. remove the bone and skin, and cut into pieces for serving. mix the paprika, salt (one-third of a teaspoon) and the cracker crumbs. roll each piece of meat in the crumbs, then in the egg, to which the water has been added, and again in the crumbs. pat the crumbs onto the meat. arrange the meat on a platter and allow to stand fifteen minutes. have sufficient fat in a pan to cover articles of food. when the fat is smoking hot, add the veal cutlets, and turn to cook each side. when a delicate brown (after about five minutes), remove and drain on paper. keep hot in the oven. place the veal cutlets on a platter and arrange baked apples around the edges. serve the potato croquettes on the same platter, garnished with parsley. =potato croquettes= (three portions) c-hot mashed or riced potatoes / t-celery salt / t-chopped parsley / t-onion extract egg-yolk t-milk t-salt t-butter / t-paprika t-flour mix the mashed potatoes, celery salt, parsley, onion extract, egg yolk, milk, salt, butter and paprika. beat two minutes. shape into balls two inches in diameter. roll in flour and allow to stand fifteen minutes. cook in deep fat three minutes or more until a delicate brown. drain on brown paper and keep hot in a moderate oven. =escalloped cauliflower= (three portions) small head of cauliflower qt. water t-salt - / c-vegetable white sauce, seasoned / c-buttered crumbs soak the cauliflower in cold water to which a tablespoon of vinegar has been added. cut apart and cook in a quart of water to which salt has been added. make white sauce and add the cauliflower. pour into a well-buttered baking dish. cover with buttered crumbs. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. chapter li a sunday dinner "we have gone 'over home' for so many sunday dinners lately," bettina had said to her mother, "that i want you and father to come here tomorrow." "but, bettina," her mother protested, "isn't it too much work for you? and won't you be going to church?" "i can't go to church tomorrow, anyhow, for bob's uncle eric is to be in town all morning; he leaves at noon, and the dixons have offered us their car to take him for a drive. don't worry, mother, i'll have a simple dinner--a 'roast beef dinner,' i believe. i often think that is the very easiest kind." sunday morning was so beautiful that bettina could not bear to stay indoors. accordingly, she set the breakfast table on the porch, even though uncle eric protested that it was too far for her to walk back and forth with the golden brown waffles she baked for his especial delight. when he and bob had eaten two "batches," uncle eric insisted that he could bake them himself for a while. he installed bettina in her chair at the table, and forced waffles upon her till she begged for mercy. "gracious!" bettina exclaimed as she heard the "honk" of the dixons' automobile at the door. "there are the dixons already and we have just finished breakfast! bob, you and uncle eric will have to go on without me, for i must get the roast in the oven and do the morning's work." "well, i learned today to make waffles," said uncle eric. for dinner that day bettina served: roast beef brown gravy browned potatoes baked squash lettuce french dressing lemon sherbet devil's food cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =roast beef= (eight portions) - / lb. rump roast of beef t-flour t-salt / c-hot water roll the roast in the flour and set on a rack in a dripping-pan. place in a hot oven and sear over all sides. sprinkle the salt over the meat and add the hot water. cover the meat and cook in a moderate oven. baste every fifteen minutes. allow fifteen minutes a pound for a rare roast, and twenty minutes a pound for a well done roast. when properly done, the outside fat is crisp and brown. =brown potatoes= (six portions) potatoes t-salt wash and peel the potatoes. sprinkle with salt. forty minutes before the roast is to be done, add the potatoes. during the last ten minutes of cooking the lid may be removed from the meat and potatoes to allow all to brown nicely. =browned gravy= (six portions) t-beef drippings t-flour c-water / t-salt place four tablespoons of beef drippings in a pan, add the flour and allow to brown. add the rest of the drippings, the water and the salt. cook two minutes. serve hot. =baked squash= (six portions) squash t-butter - / t-salt / t-paprika wash and wipe the squash, and cut into halves, then quarters. remove the seeds. place the pieces of squash, skin down, in a baking-dish and bake in a moderate oven until tender (about one hour). remove from the oven, mash up with a fork, and add to each portion one-half a teaspoon of butter, one-fourth a teaspoon of salt, and one-eighth a teaspoon of paprika. reheat in the oven and serve hot. =devil's food cake= (sixteen pieces) / c-butter c-sugar egg / c-sour milk t-vanilla / t-soda c-flour squares of melted chocolate cream the butter, add the sugar and continue to cream the mixture. add the egg, well beaten, and the chocolate. mix well. add the soda and flour sifted together, and the sour milk and vanilla. beat three minutes. bake in two layer cake pans prepared with waxed piper for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =icing= (sixteen portions) c-"c" sugar / c-water egg-whites beaten stiffly t-vanilla cook the sugar and water together until it clicks when a little is dropped into a cup of cold water. pour slowly over the beaten egg whites. beat vigorously until creamy. add the vanilla. pour on one layer of the cake. place the upper layer on top, and pour the rest of the icing upon it. spread evenly over the top and over the sides. chapter lii bob makes peanut fudge "i usually complain when it rains--i have that habit--but i must confess that i like a rainy evening at home once in a while," said bob, as he and bettina sat down at the dinner table. "dinner on a rainy night always seems so cozy." "liver and bacon don't constitute a very elaborate dinner," said bettina. "but they taste good for a change. and oh, bob, tonight i want you to try a new recipe i heard of--peanut fudge. it sounds delicious." "i'm there," said bob. "i was just thinking it would be a good candy evening. then, when the candy is done, we'll assemble under the new reading lamp and eat it." "yes, it'll be a good way to initiate the reading lamp! wasn't it dear of uncle eric to give it to us? i kept wondering why he was so anxious to know just what i planned to do with the money i won for my nut bread at the fair. i even took him around and pointed out this particular lamp as the thing i had been saving for. and here it arrived the day after he left, as a gift to me! it was dear of uncle eric! but now what on earth shall i do with my fair money?" "don't worry about that, bettina. put it in the bank." "but i'd like to get something as sort of a monument to my luck. have you any particular needs, bob?" "not a need in the world! except for one more of those fine fruit gems over there." that night they had for dinner: liver and bacon creamed turnips fruit gems apple sauce tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed turnips= (two portions) c-turnip cubes / t-salt t-butter t-flour / t-salt / c-milk peel the turnips. cut into one-half inch cubes. soak in cold water ten minutes. cook in boiling water in an uncovered utensil until transparent no longer. drain and sprinkle with salt. melt the butter, add the flour and the one-fourth teaspoon salt, blend well, add the milk gradually and cook until creamy. add the turnips and serve. =liver and bacon= (two portions) slices bacon / lb. liver t-salt / t-paprika t-flour cover slices of calves' liver cut one-half inch thick with boiling water. allow to stand five minutes. drain and cut into pieces for serving. sprinkle with salt and pepper and roll in flour. have a frying pan very hot. add sliced bacon. when the bacon has cooked on each side, pile up on one side of the pan and add the liver, placing a piece of bacon on top of each portion of liver, thus preventing the bacon from getting too well done, and also seasoning the liver. brown the liver thoroughly on both sides. (it should be cooked about ten minutes.) serve hot. =fruit gems= (nine gems) c-flour t-baking powder t-sugar / t-salt / c-milk egg t-melted butter / c-seeded, chopped raisins or currants mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. break the egg into the milk, stir well, pour into the dry ingredients. beat vigorously one minute. add the melted butter and raisins or currants. bake in nine well buttered gem pans for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. =peanut fudge= (six portions) c-"c" sugar c-granulated sugar / t-cream of tartar squares of chocolate / c-milk t-butter t-vanilla / c-broken peanuts mix the sugar, cream of tartar, chocolate, milk and butter. cook over a moderate fire until the fudge forms a soft ball when a little is dropped into cold water. remove from the fire, allow to stand without stirring for twenty minutes. beat vigorously until creamy. add the vanilla and peanuts. when very thick remove to a buttered plate. allow to harden and cut in squares. chapter liii dinner at the dixons "is it still as much fun to keep house as it was at first, charlotte?" asked bettina as she and bob sat down to dinner with the dixons. "fun?" said charlotte. "bettina, look at me! or better still, look at frank! and the funny part of it all is that aunt isabel thinks our keeping house is a result of her preachments against boarding and hotel living. why, she quite approves of me now! and i'll just keep quiet and let her feel that she was the one who did it, but all the while in my heart i'll be remembering that it was the sight of your happiness that roused my ambition to make a home myself." "i tell you," said mr. dixon, "we can never thank you enough, bettina. now shall i play 'home sweet home' on the piano? and will you all join in the chorus?" "not if you sing, too," said mrs. dixon, smiling at her husband's foolishness. "i've learned a great deal from you, since i began, bettina, and not the smallest lesson is that of having company without dreading it. i don't try to make things elaborate, just dainty and simple food such as we have every day. why, tonight i didn't make a single change for you and bob! and i don't believe i should dread even aunt isabel's sudden arrival now." "aunt isabel is really a good soul, bettina," said frank. "charlotte has never learned how much worse her bark is than her bite, and she takes it to heart when aunt isabel speaks her mind. why, i remember so well the scoldings she used to give me when i was a boy, and the cookies she would manage to treat me with afterward! i used to anticipate those pleasant scoldings!" "if a scolding always comes before food," said bob, "charlotte must have given you an extra good one before inviting us to partake of that delicious-looking chocolate pie!" that evening they had: cold sliced ham creamed potatoes tomatoes stuffed with rice peach butter chocolate pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =tomatoes stuffed with rice= (six portions) tomatoes / c-rice, cooked / c-green pepper, chopped t-grated cheese t-chopped onion / t-salt t-butter remove a piece one inch in diameter from the stem end of each tomato. take out the seeds. fill the shells with the rice, pepper, cheese, onion and salt, well mixed. place a small dot of butter on top of each. place in a small pan and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =chocolate pie crust= (six portions) c-flour / c-lard / t-salt t-ice water mix the flour and salt, cut in the lard with a knife, add the liquid slowly, stirring with the knife. more water may be needed. roll out thin, fit onto a tin pan, prick with holes, and bake in a hot oven until light brown (about seven minutes). =filling= (six portions) c-sugar t-flour / t-salt c-milk egg yolks - / squares melted chocolate / t-vanilla mix well the sugar, flour and salt. add gradually the milk and beaten egg yolks. cook in a double boiler fifteen minutes. add the melted chocolate. cook until thick (about ten minutes), and add the vanilla. fill the baked shell, and cover with meringue. place in a moderate oven and cook until the meringue is a delicate brown (about five minutes). =meringue= egg whites t-sugar beat the whites of eggs very stiff. add the sugar. pile lightly on the chocolate mixture. brown in the oven. chocolate pie should be served cold. chapter liv a good-by luncheon for bernadette "big success!" was what bettina's eyes telegraphed to ruth across the purple and white asters in the center of a long porch table. ruth was giving a farewell luncheon for bernadette, her young cousin, who was leaving that night for a fashionable new york school. although there was no suggestion of it in the dainty dishes the two girls served to the hungry and vivacious young guests, ruth was "trying out" her cooking with all of the stage-fright of the beginner. the recipes and suggestions were chiefly bettina's, and the two had been busy in ruth's kitchen since early that morning. bernadette was a critical young person, although light-hearted and affectionate, and ruth felt that she could set her humble efforts before no sterner judge. yet all the while, as she tasted each course in its turn, her mind was running on, "will fred like this? some day i'll be serving this to fred!" it was certainly a satisfaction to feel one's self able to cook a luncheon acceptable to "the younger society set!" with each course an enormous motto, supposedly of the "don'ts for school girls' series," was brought in ceremoniously on a tray and suspended from the chandelier over the table, until finally five huge, if foolish, "don'ts" were dangling there for bernadette's inspection. with the last course, ruth, in the postman's hat, coat and bag, brought in an endless supply of letters for bernadette, to be opened at such times as "when you meet your impossible room-mate," "when you feel the first pangs of homesickness," "when reprimanded by a horrid old teacher", "when forced to mend your own stockings," etc. bernadette seized them all delightedly, glanced at the covers and cried out, half in laughter, half in tears, "oh, girls, i simply can't go 'way off there! i'll die!" her friends fell upon her with scoldings and hugs, and in the midst of the noise and clamor, ruth and bettina slipped out to laugh and talk over ruth's first serious culinary effort. the menu consisted of: iced cantaloupe balls chicken croquettes potatoes in cream green peppers stuffed with corn rolls peach pickles cherry salad wafers chocolate cream pudding coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =chicken croquettes= (eight croquettes) - / c-cooked chopped chicken / t-celery salt t-lemon juice t-parsley chopped fine / c-thick white sauce / t-salt c-crumbs t-egg, beaten mix the chicken, celery salt, lemon juice, parsley, salt and thick white sauce. shape into croquettes. roll in cracker crumbs, beaten egg and more crumbs. deep fry. serve hot. =green peppers stuffed with corn= (six portions) c-corn-pulp, cooked / t-salt egg-yolk / c-milk t-bread crumbs / t-pepper / t-sugar t-butter green peppers scoop out the contents of the peppers. mix the corn, salt, egg yolk, milk, bread crumbs, pepper and sugar. fill the peppers. dot with butter. place in a pan and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. cover the bottom of the pan with water. baste the peppers frequently. =cherry salad= (six portions) c-california cherries / c-hazelnuts lettuce leaves t-salad dressing remove the seeds from two cups of california white cherries, and fill with filberts or hazel nuts. arrange on crisp lettuce leaves, and serve with salad dressing. =chocolate cream pudding= (six portions) c-milk t-cornstarch / c-sugar / t-salt - / squares of melted chocolate t-hot water egg-whites t-vanilla mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt. add cold milk gradually, mixing well. melt the chocolate in the hot water, and add it to the other mixture. cook in the double boiler ten minutes, stirring occasionally. beat three minutes. add the stiffly beaten white and the vanilla. mould, chill and serve. if the chocolate does not melt in the hot water, cook over the fire a minute. whipped cream may be served with the pudding. chapter lv bettina plans an announcement luncheon "and so i thought, if you were willing, i would have the luncheon the last of this week," said bettina to alice one sultry afternoon which they were spending on bettina's porch. "that's dear of you, bettina. oh, how queer it will seem to have everyone know about it! you must let me help with the luncheon, of course." "no, indeed, alice! ruth and i are going to do it all alone, and the guest of honor is not to lift a finger! you can advise us, of course, but you mustn't arrive that day till everything is ready. i want to tell you about a few plans i've made. i wish i could consult harry, too." "but he won't be at the announcement party!" "no, but he's the leading man in the drama, and important even when off the stage. let's telephone him to come here to dinner tonight. it is so warm that i have planned only a lunch, but we can set the porch table and have a jolly informal time. do call him up, alice." "i'd love to, of course, if you really want us." "indeed i do, but we'll have to hurry, for it's after five now." "i'll help you," said alice, after harry had given his hearty acceptance. "let me fix the salad." "all right, and i'll stir up some little tea cakes. it's better not to cut those beets too small, alice; it makes them soft. i never add them till just before i serve the salad. there, that's fine! do you want to fix the parsley to garnish the ham? ham looks so much better with parsley that i never fail to garnish it. i have nasturtiums for the center of the table, and we'll garnish the salad with them, too." "it will be a festive little meal. what else can i do while you're baking the tea cakes?" "you can make the iced tea, alice. you do everything so easily and deftly that i love to watch you. and you have never cooked at all until lately, have you?" "no, but i really like it. wouldn't it be a joke if i should become very domestic?" "well, your fate is pointing in that direction! time is swiftly passing, and in a few short weeks--alice, shall i call off the announcement luncheon?" "oh, no, no, bettina! let fate do her worst! i'm resigned." supper that night consisted of: cold sliced ham beet salad bread butter tea cakes apple sauce iced tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =beet salad= (four portions) c-cold boiled beets cut in / -inch cubes / c-cold boiled potatoes, cubed / c-diced celery hard-cooked egg, diced / c-diced cucumber / t-salt / c-salad dressing mix the beets, potatoes, celery, egg, cucumber and salt very lightly together with a fork. mix with salad dressing. serve in a bowl garnished with nasturtium leaves and flowers. ="lightning" tea cakes= (twelve cakes) - / c-flour / c-granulated or powdered sugar t-baking powder / t-salt t-butter (melted) egg / c-milk / t-vanilla sift and mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. make a "well" in the center of the mixture and pour in the melted butter, egg, milk and vanilla. stir all together and beat vigorously for two minutes. fill well buttered muffin pans half full of the mixture and bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. chapter lvi ruth and bettina make preparations "oh, bettina, aren't the butterflies darling?" exclaimed ruth, looking once more at the table display of her work. "and with everything ready to begin in the morning, won't things be easy for us both? what shall i do next?" "not a thing, ruth dear. you've worked too hard all this afternoon, i'm afraid. now we're going to sit down to a good hot dinner, and tell bob all about our preparations." "m--m! something smells good!" said ruth. "i've been so busy with all these cunning things that i haven't even thought of eating. but now that you mention it, i'll admit that i have a fine healthy appetite." "well, dinner is almost ready, and bob will be here any minute. it's all in the oven except the corn: meat loaf, sweet potatoes and apricot cobbler." "oh, how good it sounds! more sensible than all our fluffy dishes for the announcement luncheon. but then, i do love fluffy things. i'm sure alice will like it, and all the others, too. makes me 'most wish i'd kept my engagement a secret, and announced it with ceremony as alice is doing. but i couldn't, somehow." "no, you couldn't, ruth, and neither could fred. he'd give it away if you didn't. so i guess there's no use wishing you had kept it. anyhow, you just suit me as you are. you've been such a dear to help with the luncheon! goodness, there's bob now!" the dinner consisted of: beef loaf sweet potatoes corn on the cob bread butter apricot cobbler bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =beef loaf= (three portions) lb. beef ground / lb. salt pork, ground / t-onion salt / c-fresh bread crumbs egg / t-salt / t-pepper / c-tomato / c-water t-fat drippings mix the ground beef and salt pork, add the onion salt, fresh crumbs, egg, salt, pepper and tomato. mix thoroughly. shape into a loaf which will fit into a small buttered pan. add the water and pour fat drippings over the top. (bacon fat is good.) cover the pan, and allow to cook in the oven one-half hour. uncover the loaf, basting frequently, and brown it. this will take fifteen or twenty minutes. serve hot. more water may be added while cooking if necessary. =sweet potatoes= (three portions) potatoes / t-salt peel the potatoes, salt them with one-fourth a teaspoon of salt in each potato, and place them in the pan with the meat. this gives the potatoes a good flavor. =bettina's apricot cobbler= (three portions) c-cooked and sweetened apricots t-flour / t-cinnamon c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-butter / c-milk / c-sugar / c-water / t-vanilla mix the apricots, one tablespoon flour and cinnamon. mix and sift together flour, baking powder and salt. cut in the butter with a knife. add the milk until a soft dough is formed. place the apricot mixture in a baking-dish and the dough on top of the apricots. cook the water and sugar together for three minutes. add the vanilla. when the cobbler has baked fifteen minutes pour syrup over it. bake ten minutes more in a moderate oven. chapter lvii a rainbow announcement luncheon "oh, bettina, how lovely!" cried the ten guests in a chorus, as ruth and bettina ushered them into the softly lighted dining-room. not one had had even a glimpse of the luncheon table before, for ruth had been entertaining them on the porch while bettina put on the finishing touches. it all seemed a burst of soft rainbow colors. "what is it?" cried someone. "how did you ever get the rainbow effect?" "let's not examine it too closely," said bettina. "you know a rainbow after all is nothing but drops of water with the sun shining through, and maybe my rainbow table has a prosy explanation, too." from the low mass of variegated garden flowers in the center--pink, yellow, lavender, orange, blue, and as many others as the girls could find--ran strips of soft tulle in rainbow colors. the strips were attached at the outer end to the dainty butterflies which perched lightly on the tulle covered candy cups. these candy cups held pink, lavender and green jordan almond candies. more butterflies in all sizes and colors hovered among the flowers. upon the plain white name cards, little butterflies had been outlined in black and decorated in butterfly colors. ruth and bettina had cut with the scissors around this outline and then, when it had been cut almost away, had folded back the butterfly so that it stood up on the card, as ready for flight as its brothers and sisters. "aren't they cunning?" exclaimed barbara, taking her butterfly from her favor cup. "goodness, it's attached to something!" pulling gently by the rainbow tulle to which the butterfly had been pasted, she drew forth from the greenery in the center a little golden bag. it was in reality a little fat bag of soft yellow silk tied with gold cord and holding something that, seen through the mesh, appeared to be--gold? the other girls, in great excitement, drew forth their little bags. "rice!" declared mary, "though it looks yellow!" "it's the bag of gold at the foot of the rainbow!" exclaimed ruth, with flushed cheeks. "discovered by----" "harry harrison and alice!" cried the girls, laughing almost hysterically. for one small card which read, "discovered by" and the two names, in gold letters, was tied to the little bag by the gold cord. "alice, how did you ever manage to keep it a secret?" asked someone. "well, it would have been harder if you had all known harry, but you see, we haven't been with the crowd much lately, have we? now admit it! you haven't even missed me!" "but you're more of a butterfly than any of the rest of us. and the limits of the old crowd don't always bound your flutterings." "i'm not a butterfly anymore," said alice. "i suppose i'll have a butterfly wedding (harry will detest it, but he'll have to give in that once), but after that i expect to be as domestic as bettina here, though not such a success at it, probably. aren't these orange baskets the prettiest things?" the girls, in their excitement, had almost forgotten to eat, but now they looked down at their plates. fruit cups in orange baskets, with handles of millinery wire twisted with pink, green, yellow and violet tulle, added to the rainbow effect. the baskets were placed on paper doilies on tea plates, and were artistically lined with mint leaves. "it looks too pretty to eat," said dorothy. "ruth will feel hurt if you don't like it, but i know you will," said bettina. "she prepared this course, and made most of the table decorations, too." "and didn't you wish that you were announcing something yourself, ruth?" asked mary. "although i don't believe the crowd could stand two such surprises! we've known fred and you so long that your engagement seems the natural thing, but when a perfectly strange man like mr. harrison happens by, and helps himself to one of our number--well, it certainly takes my breath away! where did you first meet him, alice? was it love at first sight?" "love at first sight? bob introduced us--here, in this very house, and i thought--well--i thought harry the most disagreeably serious man i'd ever had the misfortune to meet! and he thought me the most disagreeably frivolous girl he had ever seen! so our feud began, and of course we had to see each other to fight it out!" "and then comes bettina's rainbow luncheon to show us how serious the feud proved to be," laughed barbara. "what? more courses, bettina? this is a beautiful luncheon! i wonder who'll be the next to discover the treasure at the foot of the rainbow?" the menu consisted of: fruit cups in orange baskets -------------- cream of celery soup whipped cream salt wafers -------------- tuna moulds egg sauce potatoes a la bettina green peppers stuffed with creamed cauliflower rolls butter -------------- head lettuce, russian dressing thin sandwiches in fancy shapes marshmallow cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =tuna loaf= (eight portions) - / c-tuna c-fresh bread crumbs eggs (just the yolks may be used) t-lemon juice t-chopped green pepper t-salt / t-paprika mix all the ingredients together thoroughly, picking the fish apart with a silver fork. mould firmly in a loaf. roll in flour, and place in a buttered bread pan. dot with butter, and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. this same recipe may be distributed among fancy individual moulds, filled half full. arrange a star-shaped piece of pimento, green pepper, beet or egg in the bottom of a fancy aluminum mould. an attractive design may be made by putting the star cut from any vegetable with radiating pieces of any other kind of vegetable of a different color. place the design firmly on the fish. set the moulds in a pan of hot water and bake until the mixture is firmly set. (about thirty minutes.) remove from the oven, let moulds stand three minutes, and then, with the assistance of a knife, slip them from the pan, unmould all the moulds in one flat pan, and keep them hot until needed. do not forget that the mould must be thoroughly buttered before using. when ready to serve, make a regular vegetable white sauce (two t-butter, t-flour, c-milk, / t-salt). when ready to serve and while steaming hot, add one beaten egg yoke. the hot sauce will cook the egg. pour around the mould. chapter lviii an early caller bob had scarcely left the house the next morning when bettina was called to the door. "i couldn't resist coming!" said alice. "the announcement party was lovely, and i must thank you for doing it. aren't you tired to pieces?" "no, ruth helped me a great deal, and by the time bob came home to dinner, the luncheon dishes were washed and put away and the house was in apple-pie order." "everything tasted delicious, bettina. maybe it sounds altogether too practical for my own announcement party, but i'm armed with a pencil and a notebook, and i do want to get some of those recipes of yours!" "you're welcome to them all, alice, of course. they are all recipes that i have used over and over again, and i'm sure of them." "what kind of soup was it? celery? i thought so. wasn't it hard to prepare?" "why, alice, it was canned celery soup, diluted with hot milk. then i added a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a teaspoonful of chopped red pepper." "but surely it had whipped cream in it, bettina!" "yes, i put a teaspoonful of whipped cream in the bottom of the bouillon cup and poured the hot soup on it, so that it would be well mixed." "well, that accounts for it; i thought it must be made with whipped cream. oh, bettina, everything was so pretty! the tulle bows on the baskets holding the wafers and the rolls--and the butterflies perched on them! how did you ever think of it?" "well, butterflies are a happy choice for decorations! they can be put anywhere, and they are easy to make--at least ruth says so." "you use paper doilies a great deal, don't you! aren't they expensive?" "expensive? well, i wish you'd price them! they are so inexpensive that i like to use them even for a very informal meal; they add such a dainty touch, i think." "i must write down the recipes for your tuna loaf, and green peppers stuffed with cauliflower, and russian dressing--and oh, that wonderful kind of rainbow dessert! bettina, what was that dessert?" "marshmallow cream made with gelatine and cream and marshmallows and whites of eggs. i puzzled a long time over a real 'rainbow' dessert, and finally decided on marshmallow cream with a few variations. come into the kitchen, where i keep my card index, and i'll get all the recipes for you." bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =potato balls= (four portions) potatoes c-crumbs t-salt t-egg boil potatoes of uniform size with the skins on. when cold, peel, roll in crumbs, to which salt has been added and then the beaten egg and crumbs. deep fry in very hot fat. =green peppers stuffed with cauliflower= (four portions) green peppers c-cooked cauliflower c-vegetable sauce t-crumbs t-butter, melted cut a thin slice from the stem end of each large green pepper and remove the seeds. parboil ten minutes, and fill with creamed cauliflower and buttered crumbs. bake until the skins are tender, basting occasionally with butter and water. =marshmallow cream= (four portions) t-granulated gelatin t-cold milk / c-sugar - / c-double cream t-vanilla extract egg white well beaten t-lemon extract / lb. marshmallows, cut in one-fourth cubes toasted marshmallows pecans almonds soften the gelatin in milk for five minutes, and dissolve by setting the dish in boiling water. add the sugar. allow the mixture to cool. when it begins to congeal, add the flavorings. beat in the whipped cream, and continue beating until it is firm. fold in the egg-white and the marshmallows cut in cubes. when the mixture begins to set, pile lightly in sherbet cups. place one-half of a toasted marshmallow on the top, and arrange pecan meats and candied cherries in a conventional design. set aside one hour to cool and harden. bettina colored the mixture with vegetable coloring of a very delicate green. then on the top she placed a teaspoonful of white whipped cream, then the toasted marshmallow and the different fruits. bettina browned the marshmallows quickly in the oven, after she had cut them the desired shape. she used cups with handles, and decorated them with fluffy bows of variegated tulles. to make these bows, she took strips of each color desired, one inch wide, tied them together, and "fluffed them out." she might have gained a real rainbow effect by dividing the marshmallow cream (when mixed, but not yet firm) into three bowls, and coloring them green, lavender and pink, with delicate vegetable colors. then, having beaten in the whipped cream, she might have placed in each sherbet cup three layers, pink, lavender and green. then, on the top, she might have placed the whipped cream. chapter lix ruth comes to luncheon "and here we are, busily planning alice's affairs," said bettina, "when we might be talking of yours, ruth. are you sure, sure, sure, that you don't want any parties, or showers, or affairs of any sort?" "sure, sure, sure!" said ruth, emphatically. "i may be silly, bettina, but to me such a fuss beforehand takes something away from the beauty of the wedding! and then there are other reasons. we've had to postpone building till next summer, and may not be married till the house is done--you know that. so we'll have been engaged a long time. it seems to me that after a long engagement like ours, it is better to have a simple wedding and no parties. alice's is happening just as i always expected that it would--a surprising announcement, a short engagement, and many parties, with an elaborate wedding as the climax! sometimes i think that sort would be the kind to have--but you see, bettina, when you're expecting to be married only once, you want to have just the kind that seems best to you." "and yours will be just right for you, ruth," said bettina, warmly. "you are you, and fred is fred, and i can't imagine either of you caring for much excitement. and when you are in your new house----" "i'm going to have you over at least once a week to just such a dear little luncheon as this! or rather--as much like it as i can devise. bettina, how did you have time to cook such good things?" "well," said bettina, "bob will have these same things for dinner tonight, with the addition of some cold sliced meat. so now, ruth, we have a long afternoon before us--to sew and talk!" bettina's luncheon consisted of: bettina's mexican salad brown bread apricot preserves orange cake hot chocolate bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's mexican salad= (four portions) cucumber diced tomatoes cut in one-inch cubes c-cut celery / c-cooked beets t-chopped parsley t-green pepper, cut fine / c-cottage cheese t-salt / c-salad dressing lettuce leaves mix all the ingredients in order given and serve on lettuce leaves. =brown bread (baked)= (two loaves) c-graham flour c-white flour t-soda t-salt / c-molasses c-sour milk mix well the graham flour, white flour, soda and salt. add the molasses and sour milk; mix thoroughly. pour into two well-buttered bread tins, and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. =orange cake= (sixteen pieces) / c-butter c-sugar eggs beaten separately grated rind of one orange t-baking powder / t-salt / c-orange juice / c-milk - / c-flour / t-lemon extract cream the butter, add the sugar and egg-yolks; mix thoroughly. add the orange rind. add the baking powder, salt and flour sifted together and then the orange juice and milk. mix, and beat one minute. add the egg-whites beaten stiffly, and the lemon extract. bake in two square cake tins fitted with waxed paper for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =orange filling for the cake= (sixteen portions) / c-sugar t-flour / t-salt egg yolk grated rind of / an orange / c-water / c-orange juice / t-lemon juice mix the flour, sugar and salt well; add slowly the egg-yolk and the grated rind, the orange juice and water. cook slowly over hot water for ten minutes, or until thick enough to spread. add the lemon juice or lemon extract. spread on one layer of cake. place the other layer carefully on the top and spread quick cake icing over the top and sides of the cake. _october._ _oh, hazy month of glowing trees,-- and colors rich to charm our eyes! yet--not less fair than all of these are mother's fragrant pumpkin pies!_ [illustration] chapter lx a kitchen shower for alice [illustration] "did you want me for something, mary?" asked alice at the door. "mother said you had telephoned." "come in! come in!" cried ten girls at once, while bettina whispered to ruth: "thank goodness, she's come! the muffins are all but done!" "what in the world!" said alice. "a party for you!" "and i'm wearing my old suit!" "we caught you this time, but never mind. come in, and take off your things." as soon as alice reappeared in the living room, a small table was drawn up before the open fire. two girls appeared, wearing gingham aprons and carrying overflowing market baskets. "this is a kitchen shower for you, alice," ruth explained somewhat ceremoniously. "but if you are willing, we will use the utensils in serving the luncheon and afterwards present them to you. may we unpack the baskets?" "do," said alice, laughing. from the larger basket, ruth removed twelve white enamelled plates of different sizes (suitable for holding supplies in the refrigerator), and twelve cross-barred tea towels. the latter she passed around to be used as napkins, and mary distributed the plates. on the small serving table before the fire, a white muslin table cover was placed. as she unfolded it, ruth read from the attached card: "if breakfast you should chance to eat upon the kitchen table-- i'll make it dainty, fair and neat so far as i am able." when the steel forks and spoons of various sizes were taken out and passed around, two glass measuring cups were found to hold loaf sugar wrapped in frilled paper. upon one of these ruth read: "please eat us all, but let your sweet sweet hours be duly treasured, for we belie the worldly eye-- true sweetness can't be measured." a glass rolling-pin filled with stick candy came next, and its sentiments read, and meanwhile the girls had begun to read aloud the advice pinned upon the tea-towels, such as: "no matter what his whims and wishes-- just tell him he must wipe the dishes!" and "but if he breaks a cup or plate, just throw the pieces at him straight." "what vindictive dish-towels!" said alice. "they're not a bit sentimental!" when the contents had been removed and all the verses read, the large basket was presented to alice, who read from its handle: "to market, to market, to buy your supplies! you'll go there in person, if careful and wise." "i will, mr. basket, with you over my arm!" answered alice. meanwhile the girls had carried in the salad in an earthenware mixing-bowl, the muffins heaped high in a small basket with a dainty dustcloth over them, the coffee in a large enamelled pitcher, and the "molasses puffs" wrapped in frilled paper in a basket suitable for holding supplies. "bettina's apples" were arranged in two flat enamelled pans. all the food was served informally from the small table, and the merriment grew as the luncheon progressed. "i wish that all the meals harry and i have together might be as jolly as this one! i'm sure i should be glad to eat always from kitchen dishes, if that is what makes the fun," said alice. at the kitchen shower, the luncheon was as follows: bettina's potato salad bettina's spiced beets twin mountain muffins currant jelly molasses puffs bettina's apples coffee stick candy bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's potato salad= (twelve portions) c-cold boiled potatoes, diced c-diced celery / c-diced hard-cooked egg / c-diced sweet pickles t-diced pimento t-salt t-chopped onion c-salad dressing lettuce leaves mix all the ingredients in the order named. serve the salad very cold on crisp lettuce leaves. =bettina's spiced beets= (twelve portions) large, cooked beets, sliced / c-vinegar t-"c" sugar cloves t-salt / t-pepper heat the vinegar, add the cloves, sugar, salt and pepper. pour over the beets, cut in one-third inch slices. allow to stand one hour before serving. =molasses puffs= (twelve portions) / c-molasses / c-sugar / c-hot water / c-butter and lard (melted) egg, well beaten t-ginger t-cinnamon t-soda c-flour mix the molasses and sugar. add the hot water and fat. beat well, add the egg and mix thoroughly. sift the ginger, cinnamon, flour and soda together, and add to the rest of the ingredients, mixing well. fill well-buttered muffin pans three-fourths full. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. ice with "c" sugar icing. =icing= egg-whites beaten stiffly c-"c" sugar / c-water / t-vanilla cook the sugar and water together until it "clicks" when a little is dropped into cold water. pour the syrup slowly over the stiffly beaten egg whites. beat vigorously until cool and creamy. add the vanilla and spread on the cakes. if the icing gets hard before it is cool, add two tablespoons of water and continue beating. the secret of good icing is steady, constant beating. =bettina's apples= (twelve portions) apples c-"c" sugar c-water / t-cinnamon / t-vanilla marshmallows t-butter wash, peel and core the apples. place in a broad flat pan in which the sugar and water have been thoroughly mixed. cook the apples, turning often until tender, remove from the syrup and place in a serving dish. fill the center with one-half a marshmallow. add the cinnamon and butter to the syrup and cook five minutes or until it thickens. pour over and around the apples. decorate with a marshmallow cut into fourths. serve warm. chapter lxi a rainy night meal "why, bob, i thought you'd be miles away by this time!" cried bettina, as bob came into the house at the usual time one evening. "they called off our trip on account of the weather. and i supposed you'd be at your mother's!" "it was raining so that i decided to build a cozy little fire in the fireplace and stay at home." "well, i'm glad you're here! i was expecting to come home to a cold, dark house, and this is much more cheerful." "and i expected not to see you till midnight, so i'm well suited too! but, bobby, you mustn't complain if i give you a 'pick-up meal.' i expected to eat only a lunch myself." "i don't care what you give me, just so it's hot. my walk through the rain has given me an appetite. i'll help you get supper and wash the dishes, bettina, and then afterward we'll pop corn and toast marshmallows by the fire. what do you say?" "fine, bob! i cooked some celery today--just a little--and i think i'll fix 'celery au gratin' for you. the cooky-jar is full of rocks----" "a full cooky-jar! bettina, that ought to be the symbol of our happy home. may it always be full!" "you're altogether too oratorical for a staid married man, bob. well, as i was saying, here is apple sauce, and i'll soon have some emergency biscuit stirred up. then with scrambled eggs----" "hurry, bettina! my appetite grows with every dish you mention!" they had a meal of: scrambled eggs celery au gratin emergency biscuit fresh apple sauce rocks coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =scrambled eggs= (two portions) eggs t-milk / t-salt / t-paprika t-butter beat the eggs slightly; add milk, salt and paprika. melt the butter in a frying pan or omelet pan. when hot, add the egg mixture, and cook slowly, scraping from bottom and sides of the pan when mixture first sets. cook until creamy, or longer if preferred. if desired, the egg may be constantly "scrambled" with a fork while cooking. turn into a hot dish and serve at once. =celery au gratin= (two portions) c-cooked diced celery t-butter t-flour / c-milk and celery stock t-grated cheese / t-paprika / t-salt cook the celery in a small amount of water at a low temperature, as too fast boiling makes it tough. simmer until tender. melt the butter, add the flour and blend well. add the milk and stock, pepper and salt. add the cheese. allow to cook until it is the consistency of a thin vegetable white sauce. add the celery. place in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. (bettina uses a part of the water in which the celery is simmered to make up the cup of combined milk and celery stock. the remainder of the celery stock she saves for soup.) =rocks= (two dozen) - / c-brown sugar / c-butter eggs t-cinnamon / t-ground cloves / t-salt - / c-flour t-soda - / c-chopped nut meats and raisins t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar, and cream the mixture. add the eggs, well beaten, and the remaining dry ingredients (except nuts and raisins) sifted together. mix well. add the nut meats and chopped raisins, and vanilla. the mixture should be very stiff. drop from a spoon onto flat buttered pans or preferably onto a buttered baking sheet. bake about twelve minutes in a moderate oven. (bettina keeps rocks in a stone jar, and finds that they keep well, and are really better when a day old.) chapter lxii alice gives a luncheon "these are the first baking powder biscuits i have ever made for company," said alice, "but i knew that i must begin some time. mother has gone out to spend the day; i persuaded her that my efforts to serve a luncheon would upset her nervous system completely. just think, girls! you are at my mercy--for i have prepared this humble repast with my own useless hands!" "shame on you, alice! don't pretend to be so humble. you do everything so easily that i'll not be surprised to see you papering your own house and acting as your own plumber and doing every other hard thing. a useless butterfly like you who turns out to be so competent after all is the despair of all us plodders who have always plodded and always will!" and ruth sighed. "never mind, ruthie," said bettina. "i've eaten a mighty fine luncheon that you cooked yourself--four or five courses, if i haven't forgotten!" "yes, and i worried every minute during that day!" "we all do at first, except maybe alice!" "why worry?" said alice. "(seems to me i've heard that expression before.) you girls won't die if the biscuits do fail--i'll give you bread. harry and i are going to laugh at our own mistakes--and enjoy them. isn't that a good philosophy? but, girls, to get down to biscuits. i want to ask you--one and all--collectively and individually, to be in my wedding party. with the addition of sister, who isn't here. she and bettina will be the matrons of honor. will you?" "will we!" they all cried with enthusiasm. the luncheon menu was as follows: salmon salad green beans butter sauce baking-powder biscuits watermelon pickles cream puffs coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =salmon salad= (six portions) c-salmon c-diced celery / c-sweet pickles, cut fine t-salt hard-cooked eggs, cut fine c-salad dressing break the salmon apart carefully with a silver fork, add the diced celery, sweet pickles, salt and hard-cooked eggs. mix together well, and add the salad dressing. arrange on lettuce leaves in a salad bowl, garnish with hard-cooked eggs to represent daisies, and pickles cut in strips. serve very cold. (to represent daisies, cut the whites of each hard-cooked egg in six long petals. arrange these on the salad. cut the yolks in half, and place in the center--round side out. arrange the pickle to represent stem and leaves.) =green beans, butter sauce= (six portions) c-green beans (canned) t-water t-salt / t-paprika t-butter remove beans from the can and rinse with cold water. add water, salt, paprika and butter. cook over a moderate fire for three minutes. serve. =cream puffs= (twelve puffs) c-boiling water / c-butter / t-salt c-flour eggs place the water and butter in a sauce pan. heat to the boiling point, then add the flour, all at once, and stir till smooth. cook till the paste comes away from the sides of the pan. (a very short time.) remove from fire, and when cold, add the unbeaten eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each egg is added. (the mixture should be stiff enough to hold its shape without spreading.) chill the paste by placing in the ice-box and then drop by tablespoonsful on a buttered sheet. bake thirty-five minutes in a hot oven. when cold, make an opening in the side of each and fill with cream filling. =cream filling= (twelve portions) c-milk / c-sugar / t-salt t-cornstarch t-flour egg t-butter / t-vanilla mix the sugar, salt, cornstarch and flour. gradually add the milk and egg. cook until very thick, in a double boiler. add the butter and vanilla. beat one minute. cool before using. chapter lxiii motoring with the dixons "not through dinner yet?" exclaimed the dixons at the door. "may we sit down and wait? it's a beautiful evening, and we've come to get you to take a long drive with us." "fine," said bob. "come out to the dining-room and talk till we're through." "and then i'll help bettina clear off the table," said charlotte. "well, people, it looks like a good dinner, and sherlock holmes deduces, moreover, that you had roast lamb yesterday for your sunday dinner." "you might also deduce that we had baked potatoes, from which these creamed ones are made," laughed bettina. "nothing else to guess at, except that part of a cabbage made cold slaw yesterday and escalloped cabbage today. and my dessert, while simple, has no secret past," she added as she removed the first course. "a plain and simple custard, that's all." "suits me," said bob, heartily, "especially when it's cold like this." "by the way, bettina," said charlotte, "did you ever get rid of those black ants you were telling me about?" "yes, i've never seen one since." "well, you know how worried i was about the little red ones that bothered me. aunt isabel, in a letter, gave me a remedy that has worked like magic." "aunt isabel has her uses, after all," teased frank. "i should say she has! she knows all about housekeeping, from a to z! her remedy sounds queer, but i can vouch for its efficacy, so if anyone ever asks you what to do for red ants, you tell them this, bettina. i took some covers from baking powder cans, and some mason jar covers, and some pie tins, and chalked the sides well with common school crayon. then i set them on the pantry shelves to hold dishes of whatever kinds of food the ants liked. the ants never climbed over those chalked covers and soon they had all disappeared. i don't have to use the chalked tins any more, but if i ever see a red ant in my pantry again, i'll get out the chalk." "couldn't you make a heavy chalk mark on the shelf paper around the dish of food?" asked bob. "i tried that, but it didn't do any good. but the other way worked beautifully." "i'm glad to know about it," said bettina. "well, bob, are you ready? it will take only a few minutes to carry out the dishes and pile them up. i'm sorry we've kept you people waiting." for dinner that night they had: cold sliced lamb creamed potatoes chili sauce escalloped cabbage bread butter baked custard bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =escalloped cabbage= (two portions) c-cooked cabbage t-butter t-flour / t-salt / c-milk t-fresh bread crumbs t-melted butter melt the butter, add the flour and salt, and mix well. slowly pour over the milk and cook until creamy. add the cabbage. pour into a buttered baking dish. add bread crumbs to melted butter, and place the buttered crumbs on the cabbage. bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes, or until the crumbs are browned. =chili sauce= (one and one-half pints) large, ripe tomatoes green peppers onions t-salt t-sugar t-ground cinnamon c-vinegar peel the tomatoes and onions, and chop separately very fine. chop the pepper also, and add the salt, sugar and cinnamon. mix all the ingredients together and add the vinegar. cook one and one-half hours over a moderate fire, stirring sufficiently to prevent sticking. bottle, and when cool, seal with paraffin. =cup custard= (three portions) eggs c-milk t-sugar / t-salt a few gratings of nutmeg / t-vanilla beat the eggs slightly, add the sugar and milk slowly. add salt and flavoring. stir well. pour into well-buttered cups. sprinkle the nutmeg gratings on the top. set the cups in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until a knife comes out clean upon piercing the custard (about thirty-five minutes). do not allow the water in the pan to boil. serve the custard cold, removing from the cups just before ready to serve. the custards may be served in cups. chapter lxiv ruth makes baking powder biscuits "oh, ruth!" called bettina from her door to ruth, who was walking past. "come in and stay to dinner!" "my dear, i'd love to, but----" "i'm going to have baking powder biscuits, and i remember that you were longing to learn how to make them." "oh, bettina! would you really show me? i'll simply have to come, then. i hesitated because aunt martha is here, but i know she'll excuse me for one evening. what time is it? five? i'll take these packages home and be back in fifteen minutes!" when ruth returned she found bettina in her kitchen with all of the ingredients for the biscuits set out on the table. "perhaps two cups of flour will make too many for three people," she said, "but bob has a good-sized appetite these crisp fall days, and he's fond of biscuits with jelly. now, ruth, you can get to work! sift the flour, baking powder and salt together, and then cut the lard in this way with this knife. . . . fine! now add the milk very slowly--perhaps it will take a little more than two-thirds of a cup, it all depends on the flour. there! now pat the dough into shape on this floured board, and then you can cut the biscuits out with this little cutter. yes, about three-fourths of an inch thick. ruth, those look fine! we'll wait a little while to bake them, they're better perfectly fresh. set them out in the cold, there, until i have fixed the macaroni, and they can pop into the oven at the same time." "that was so easy, bettina. i do hope those biscuits will be good!" the dinner consisted of: lamb chops macaroni and cheese sliced tomatoes baking powder biscuits jelly apple tapioca pudding cream bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =macaroni and cheese= (three portions) / c-macaroni, broken in pieces qt. water t-salt t-butter t-cheese, cut in small pieces - / c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika t-flour cook the macaroni in the boiling salted water until tender. (about fifteen minutes.) drain and rinse thoroughly with cold water. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper. gradually add the milk and cheese. cook three minutes. add the macaroni. mix well, and pour into a well-buttered baking dish. place in a moderate oven and cook twenty minutes. =baking-powder biscuits= (fifteen biscuits) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-lard / c-milk mix the flour, baking powder and salt, and cut in the fat with a knife. slowly add the milk. (more or less may be required, as it depends on the flour.) pat into shape three-fourths of an inch thick. cut with a cutter, place side by side on a tin pan. bake in a hot oven twelve to fifteen minutes. =apple tapioca= (three portions) t-pearl tapioca / c-cold water - / c-boiling water / t-salt t-sugar c-sweetened apple sauce / t-vanilla soak the pearl tapioca in the cold water for ten minutes in the upper part of the double boiler. add the boiling water, salt and sugar. cook in the double boiler until transparent. add one cup of apple sauce and the vanilla. mix well. serve either hot or cold. chapter lxv plans for the wedding "oh, bob, i can hardly wait to tell you all of alice's wonderful plans," said bettina. "don't wait, then. (say, these are my favorite potatoes, all right!) well, what about the wedding? all the gowns are being made, i suppose?" "yes, indeed. you know the four bridesmaids are to wear lavender maline over lavender taffeta, very fluffy and short,--can you picture them in your mind, bob?" "not exactly, but then, go on." "well, they're nearly finished. i saw them today, and they're lovely. the girls are to carry lavender maline muffs, too--the round kind with fluffy bows at each end, and little pink rosebuds around the hand, you know. then a corsage bouquet of violets with a pink rose in the center will be pinned on each muff. the bridesmaids will also wear lavender maline hats, with fluffy tarn o' shanter crowns and pink rosebuds around them." "is that what you'll wear?" "no, lillian and i are the matrons of honor, and we will be all in white, with white muffs, and corsage bouquets of pink roses on them. won't that be lovely? i don't know yet whether lillian's little elizabeth, who will scatter rose petals from a fluffy long-handled basket, is to wear pink or white. oh, i wish you might have seen the girls this afternoon! we tried on our dresses and planned the hats and muffs. i shall begin my muff this evening; won't that be exciting?" for dinner that night they had: pork chops bettina's potatoes date bread butter head lettuce french dressing chocolate sponge cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's potatoes= (two portions) c-cold cooked potatoes diced t-butter - / t-flour t-pimento, cut up piece of soft cheese--a -inch cube / t-salt melt the butter, add the flour, cheese and salt. mix well, and add the milk gradually. cook until thick and creamy. add the pimento and potatoes. serve hot. (bob considers this dish superfine.) =date nut bread= (twelve pieces) c-graham flour c-white flour / c-"c" sugar t-salt t-nut meats t-chopped dates t-baking powder c-milk mix the ingredients in the order given. place in a well-buttered bread pan, and bake in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. =chocolate sponge cake= (fourteen cakes) t-butter t-cocoa egg / c-sugar t-cinnamon / t-cloves c-flour t-baking powder / c-cold water / t-vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar. stir in the egg and beat well. add the cinnamon, cloves, baking powder, cocoa, flour, vanilla and water. beat vigorously for two minutes. bake in well-buttered gem pans for eighteen minutes. serve warm if desired. chapter lxvi a guest to a dinner of left-overs "aha, i've found you out!" bettina heard a laughing voice shout as she hurried up the steps. "why, jack, when did you come to town?" "this afternoon. went to bob's office the very first thing, and he insisted on bringing me home with him to dinner. i told him it might 'put you out,' but he spent the time it took to come home assuring me that you were always waiting for company--kept a light ever burning in the window for them and all that. he said that i'd see,--that you'd be on the doorstep waiting for us!" "and after all that--you weren't here!" said bob reproachfully. "i'm just as sorry as i can be not to live up to bob's picture of me," said bettina. "i generally am waiting for bob,--almost on the doorstep if not quite. but this afternoon i've been to a shower for alice,--do you remember alice, jack?" "very well. the gay dark-eyed one. you don't mean to say that she's found a man who's lively enough to suit her?" "well, she seems to be suited, all right. but i must fly into an apron if you boys are to get any dinner within a half-hour. jack, you'll have to pardon me if after all of bob's eloquence i give you a meal of left-overs----" "don't apologize to a bachelor, bettina. he probably won't know left-overs from the real thing," said bob. "bachelors are said to be the most critical of all," she answered. "but i'll do my little best to please." that night bettina served: roast beef pie bread butter sliced tomatoes with salad dressing marble cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =roast beef pie= (three portions) c-chopped cold roast beef c-gravy c-cold diced potatoes (cooked) t-chopped onion c-flour t-baking powder t-lard / t-salt t-milk mix the beef, gravy, potato and onion. place in a shallow buttered baking dish. make a biscuit dough by cutting the lard into the flour, which has been sifted with the baking powder, and salt, and gradually adding the milk. pat the dough into shape and arrange carefully on top of the meat. make holes in the top to allow the steam to escape. bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. =marble cake= (fourteen slices) c-sugar / c-butter cream together and divide into two parts, half for light and half for dark. =dark part= to one half add: / c-molasses / c-milk egg-yolks c-flour t-baking powder t-powdered cinnamon / t-powdered cloves / t-grated nutmeg / t-vanilla mix this together thoroughly and set aside while the light part is being mixed. =light part= to the other half of the butter and sugar add: / c-milk c-flour t-baking powder / t-vanilla whites of two eggs beaten stiff put large spoonfuls of light and dark batter, alternating, in a loaf cake pan well fitted with waxed paper, until the pan is two-thirds full. bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. chapter lxvii a handkerchief shower "what a cunning table!" exclaimed four girls in various words and ways. ruth and bettina smiled happily to each other, for they, too, had admired the low bowl of purple and yellow pansies in the center, and the tiny individual vases for a few pansies at each place. the dainty doilies were also attractive, and ruth had darkened the room and lit the small yellow candles on the table. "but bettina helped with the soufflé and the gold hearts," she said gallantly. "did you see her disappear a short time ago? she was baking the cakes. when she suggested refreshments that should be made just before they were served, i was frightened. but when she offered to bake the things, you may be sure i was delighted." at this moment a small figure appeared in the doorway. "weady, cousin wuth?" "yes, dear." in popped little marjorie, ruth's cousin, carrying a huge bouquet of handkerchiefs folded like white roses, fastened somehow to long stems with green leaves attached, tied with streaming yellow satin ribbon. making a low bow to alice, she recited in a baby voice: "a handkerchief posie to carry each day. we trust they will not come amiss, in fact, we are sure that no other bouquet was ever so useful as this!" "thank you, you darling!" said alice, receiving the gift with delight. ruth served: apricot soufflé whipped cream gold hearts salted peanuts coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =apricot soufflé (soo-flay) "lightened with air"= (six portions) / lb. dried apricots / c-sugar t-lemon extract or t-lemon juice / t-salt eggs t-baking powder / t-vanilla candied cherries wash the dried apricots and soak for three hours in sufficient water to cover them. cook slowly until tender (about ten minutes) in the same water in which they were soaked. press through a colander, add the sugar and cook until very thick, stirring constantly to prevent burning. add salt and extract. allow to cool. beat the egg whites until very stiff, add the baking-powder, apricots and vanilla. stir just enough to mix. pour into well buttered individual tin or aluminum moulds until two-thirds full. place the moulds in a pan of hot water and bake thirty-five minutes in a slow oven. turn off the fire and allow the pans to remain in a warm place so that they will not fall. when slightly cool, remove carefully and serve as quickly as possible. place whipped cream and a candied cherry on the top. =whipped cream= (six portions) / c-heavy cream t-sugar / t-vanilla drops of lemon extract beat the cream until thick, add the sugar, vanilla and lemon extract. place in a cool place until used. =gold hearts= (twelve hearts) t-butter / c-sugar egg-yolks t-water / c-milk / c-flour t-lemon extract t-baking-powder / t-salt cream the butter, add the sugar, and mix well. add the egg yolks, beaten well, and the water, milk, flour, baking-powder, lemon extract and salt. beat for two minutes. pour into a large flat pan prepared with waxed paper. the batter should be three-fourths of an inch thick in the pan. bake twelve minutes in a moderate oven. remove the paper, and cut when cool with a heart-shaped cooky cutter. wet the cutter with water before using, as this assures even edges. keep in a moist place until ready to serve. =salted almonds= (six portions) / lb. almonds (shelled) qt. boiling water t-salt t-olive oil allow the almonds to stand in boiling water in a covered utensil for fifteen minutes. rinse off with hot water and place in a colander. remove the skins. place oil in a frying-pan when hot, add nuts. stir constantly over a moderate fire for fifteen minutes. pour into a clean cloth. rub off any oil which has remained on the almonds. sprinkle salt over the nuts while warm. when thoroughly cooled, place the almonds in a covered tin can until ready to serve. chapter lxviii just the two of them "it seems good to be alone this evening, doesn't it, bettina?" said bob, as they sat down to dinner. "or are you growing so accustomed to gaiety lately that a dinner for two is a bore?" "bob!" said bettina reproachfully. "if i thought you really believed that i was ever bored by a dinner for the two of us,--well, i'd never be in a wedding party again! alice likes excitement, and i suppose that next week will be very gay, but after the wedding i hope that you and i can have a quiet winter, with just invitations enough to keep us from becoming too stupid." "but tell me what the wedding will be like. is it all planned down to the last detail? i suppose it is, although harry doesn't seem to have any idea what it is to be." "poor harry, he seems to be left out of most of the showers and parties so far." "don't pity him; he wouldn't go if he could. i'm just wondering what they'll do after the wedding. will alice go and harry stay at home? or, will he be obliging and force himself to go, too?" "i don't know, i'm sure. alice is so full of life that i don't see how she can settle down and never go anywhere, as harry would have her. but time will tell. perhaps they'll compromise. meanwhile, we must plan some sort of a shower or prenuptial party that harry can enjoy, too. one with the men included, i mean. of course, i know he hates parties, but i think he would really like a very jolly informal one with just a few friends!" the dinner for two consisted of: cold sliced lamb baked potatoes creamed carrots and peas bread butter apple dumplings bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed carrots and peas= (three portions) / c-cooked, diced carrots / c-peas / t-salt t-butter t-flour / c-milk melt the butter, add the flour and salt, gradually add the milk. cook two minutes. add the peas and carrots. serve very hot. =apple dumpling= (three portions) / c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-sugar t-lard t-milk apples / t-cinnamon mix the flour, baking-powder and salt, cut in the lard with a knife. add the liquid, mixing to a soft dough. roll on a well floured board to one-fourth of an inch in thickness. wash, pare and quarter the apples. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. cut the dough in five inch squares; place two quarters of apple in the center of a square; moisten the edges of the dough with water and bring the four corners together around the apple. place in a tin pan and bake in a moderate oven until the apples are soft. (about thirty minutes.) serve warm with cream. chapter lxix a luncheon in the country "oh, charlotte, i've just come from the loveliest luncheon," said bettina, coming face to face with mrs. dixon in front of her own home. "you have? another for alice?" "no, this was in the country--on the interurban, at cousin kate's. frances, her daughter, who was married last spring, has come home on a visit, and cousin kate was entertaining for her." "tell me about it!" "oh, it was just an informal luncheon, but i couldn't help thinking how delicious everything was, and at the same time inexpensive. in fact, i wrote down several of cousin kate's recipes after the guests had gone, and i'm sure that there aren't many such inexpensive luncheons that are also so good." "you must let me have some of the recipes." "of course i will. come in now, and copy them." "i can't possibly, bettina. as it is, i'm afraid that frank will be home before i am. it's almost six o'clock now." "is it? then i must hurry in and start dinner; i want to make some muffins. i hate to have bob eat a cold dinner just because i've been out in the afternoon; in fact, i usually spend more time than usual in the morning fixing some dessert that he especially likes, if i'm to be out in the afternoon. good-bye, charlotte!" "good-bye, dear!" the luncheon menu was as follows: oyster cocktail in pepper cases cream of celery soup croutons cheese timbales creamed peas baked apples baking-powder biscuit green bean salad salted wafers lemon sherbet devil's food white icing coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =oyster cocktail in pepper cases= (six portions) green peppers pint oysters t-tomato catsup t-lemon juice t-horseradish / t-salt / t-tabasco sauce cut the stem end from the sweet green peppers. remove the seeds and allow to stand in iced water. pick over the oysters to remove any shells, and surround with chipped ice until ready to serve. mix the catsup, lemon juice, horse radish, salt and tabasco sauce. fill each pepper with four oysters, and put on tablespoon of the mixture on the top. serve very cold. =cheese timbales= (six portions) t-butter t-flour / c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika / c-fresh, soft bread crumbs / c-grated american cheese egg melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix well, gradually add the milk, cheese and bread crumbs. cook three minutes, and then stir in the egg, well beaten. butter six timbale moulds well. place the cups in a pan of hot water and cook fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. allow to stand three minutes, and remove from the moulds. serve hot with creamed peas. =bettina's green string bean salad= (six portions) c-cooked green beans / c-cut celery / c-pimento, cut fine hard-cooked egg, diced t-salt / t-paprika / c-salad dressing pieces of lettuce mix thoroughly the beans, celery, pimento, egg, salt and paprika. add the salad dressing and serve on a piece of crisp lettuce. =devil's food cake= (twenty-four pieces) c-brown sugar c-milk / c-butter eggs squares chocolate c-flour t-soda t-vanilla cream the butter, add one cup sugar. mix egg yolks, the other cup sugar, one-half cup milk and chocolate; cook two minutes, stirring constantly. when cool, add this to the first mixture. add the rest of the milk, vanilla, the flour and soda sifted together. beat two minutes. add stiffly beaten egg whites. fill two tin pans prepared with waxed paper, bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. when cool, ice with white icing. chapter lxx a "pair shower" for alice when bettina called the girls into the dining-room after several hours spent in hemming dish towels for alice, they exclaimed that the time had passed so quickly. the table was set for twelve, and the chair at the right of the hostess was gaily decorated with white ribbon and white paper flowers. "oh, for me?" cried alice. "how important i feel!" as soon as the girls were seated, ruth rose and placed before the guest of honor a large wicker basket heaped high with packages of all shapes and sizes, each wrapped in white tissue paper and tied with white ribbon. a card hung from the handle of the basket. "i'll read it aloud!" laughed alice. "dear alice, we have tried to choose some gifts for you that come by twos. a few, perhaps, you'll often use, while some may comfort and amuse, if you should chance to get the blues, when household cares your mind confuse. "this basket, which our blessing bears, besides the gifts that come in pairs, our friendship and our love declares. 'twill share your troubles and your cares and hold the hose that harry wears. so keep them free from holes and tears." "goodness!" cried alice. "the thought of my future cares frightens me! but now i must open all the packages!" she discovered a salt and pepper shaker, a pair of guest towels, a pair of hose, a sugar bowl and a creamer, and many other gifts in pairs. it was a long time before the girls could calm down sufficiently to eat the luncheon that bettina, with ruth's assistance, set before them. bettina served: bettina's tuna salad date bread sandwiches salted peanuts maple ice cream white cake with maple icing coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =tuna salad= (twelve portions) c-tuna fish c-diced celery hard-cooked eggs, diced t-green pepper, chopped fine t-sweet pickle, chopped fine t-pimento, cut fine t-salt / t-paprika t-lemon juice c-salad dressing mix the tuna, celery, eggs, sweet pickle, pepper, salt and paprika with a silver fork. (care should always be taken not to mash salads.) add the salad dressing; more than a cup may be necessary. keep very cold, and serve attractively on a lettuce leaf. =salad dressing= (twelve portions) egg-yolks / c-vinegar / c-water t-salt t-mustard t-sugar / t-paprika t-flour beat the egg yolks, add the vinegar. mix the salt, mustard, sugar, paprika and flour thoroughly. slowly add the water, taking care not to let the mixture get lumpy. pour into the yolks and vinegar. cook slowly, stirring constantly until thick and creamy. thin with sour cream or whipped cream. =date bread= (eighteen sandwiches) c-graham flour c-white flour t-baking powder / c-"c" sugar t-salt / pound of dates, cut fine - / c-milk egg mix the flour, baking-powder, sugar, salt and dates ground fine. beat the egg with a fork, and add the milk. pour slowly into the dry ingredients. mix thoroughly and pour into two well-buttered bread pans. allow to stand fifteen minutes and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. when cold, cut very thin and spread with butter for sandwiches. date bread is better for sandwiches when one day old. =maple icing= - / c-maple sugar - / c-granulated sugar / c-milk t-butter / t-cream of tartar cook all the ingredients together until a soft ball is formed when a little is dropped into cold water. beat until creamy enough to pour on the cake. =salted peanuts= (twelve portions) / lb. peanuts (shelled) t-olive oil t-salt cover the peanuts with boiling water; allow to stand for fifteen minutes. place one-third of the amount in a strainer (allowing remainder to stay in water) and remove the skins. prepare all the peanuts the same way. place two tablespoons of oil in the frying pan, when hot add the peanuts; stir constantly with a fork and cook over a moderate fire fifteen minutes. when brown remove the nuts, add another tablespoon of oil and another third of the peanuts, continue until all the nuts are cooked. add the salt. lard may be used in place of oil, but the latter makes the nuts taste and brown better. chapter lxxi bob makes popcorn balls "oh, i forgot to tell you, bettina," said bob at the dinner table, "the dixons are coming over this evening. frank asked me if we would be at home." "i'm so glad they're coming," said bettina. "i haven't seen charlotte for several weeks; i have been so busy with the affairs we girls have been giving for alice. but i wish i had known this afternoon that they were coming. i'd like to celebrate with a little supper, but i haven't a single thing in the house that is suitable." "there's the cider that uncle john brought us," suggested bob. "yes," said bettina, "we might have cider. but what else?" "i'll tell you," said bob, "i'll make some popcorn balls. i've made them before, and i know exactly how." "i'll help," said bettina. "no, i won't need you at all; i'm the chef." "well, bobbie, at least you'll let me look on. may i be washing the dishes at the same time?" "yes, i'll permit that. these are going to be champion popcorn balls, i can tell you, bettina--as big as pumpkins!" "we'll serve them in that large flat wicker basket, and i'm sure they'll look and taste delicious. but we must hurry, bob; it's after seven now!" for dinner that night they had: broiled ham mashed potatoes chili sauce creamed onions hot scones prune blanc mange with cream =bettina's recipes= (all measurements are level) =broiled ham= (four portions) lb. ham c-milk soak a one-half inch slice of ham in one cup of lukewarm milk for half an hour. drain and wipe dry. place in a hot tin pan and cook for five minutes directly under the flame, turning frequently to prevent burning. =scones= (fourteen scones) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-lard egg / c-milk t-"c" sugar / t-cinnamon mix the flour, baking-powder and salt. cut in the lard with a knife, add all but one teaspoonful of the beaten egg, then add the milk gradually. mix with a knife into a soft dough. pat into a square shape one-half inch thick. brush over the top with one teaspoonful of egg and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon (mixed thoroughly). cut into one and one-half inch squares. place in a tin pan and bake twelve minutes in a hot oven. =prune blanc mange= (four portions) t-cornstarch t-sugar t-cold milk / c-hot milk / t-salt / c-cooked, cut prunes / t-lemon extract / t-vanilla mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt, and add the cold milk slowly. gradually add the hot milk. cook in a double boiler for twenty minutes. add the prunes, lemon extract and vanilla. beat well, and serve cold with cream. chapter lxxii and where was the dinner? "hello!" called bob at the door one evening. no answer. "hello, bettina!" he called again. again the dark house gave forth no reply. feeling, it must be admitted, a little out of harmony with a world that allowed weary and hungry husbands to come home to dark and empty houses when the clock said plainly that it was a quarter after six, bob made his way to the kitchen. perhaps bettina had left his dinner there for him; perhaps she had been called away, or perhaps, even, she had rushed out on some errand after dinner preparations were begun. the kitchen, however, was so immaculate as to seem distinctly forbidding to a hungry man whose appetite was growing keener every minute. and he had been thinking all the way home that a hot dinner would taste so good! at that moment a clamor of voices at the door aroused him. "you poor old bob!" cried bettina, kissing him twice before fred and ruth without the least embarrassment. "have you waited long?" "it seemed hours," admitted bob. "ruth and i have been to a tea for alice. fred came for her there, and i persuaded them to come home to dinner with me. i'll give you each something to do while i stir up a little cottage pudding. then dinner will be ready in half an hour." "half an hour?" cried bob. "but, bettina, where is the dinner? i didn't see any!" "in the fireless cooker, you crazy boy! are you 'most starved?" "well," said bob, "that cooker was the neatest, stiffest-looking thing in the kitchen! i didn't dream that it was busily cooking a dinner. say, i'll be glad to see a hot meal again!" the dinner consisted of: round steak with vegetables dutch cheese bread plum butter cottage pudding vanilla sauce bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =round steak with vegetables= (six portions) lbs. round steak potatoes carrots onions t-flour t-lard t-salt / t-paprika / c-water pound the flour into the round steak with the edge of a small plate. this breaks the fibers of the meat, making it more tender. wash and peel the potatoes, slicing in half lengthwise. scrape the carrots, and cut into one-half inch slices lengthwise. wash the onions and remove their outside skins. sprinkle the vegetables with one and a half level teaspoons of salt, and the paprika. add the water, and place in the bottom of the large fireless cooker utensil. place the lard in a frying pan, and when hot, add the meat. brown thoroughly on each side. salt the meat with one-half level teaspoon of salt, and place in the kettle on top of the vegetables. place the heated disks of the fireless cooker over and under the utensil, and cook at least one hour in the cooker. =cottage pudding= (six portions) - / c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt / c-sugar egg / c-milk / t-vanilla t-melted butter mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. add the egg, milk and vanilla, and beat one minute. add the melted butter, and pour into a well buttered tin pan. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve warm with vanilla sauce. =vanilla sauce= (six portions) / c-sugar t-flour t-vanilla / t-lemon extract / t-salt - / c-water t-butter mix the sugar, flour and salt thoroughly. add the water slowly. boil two minutes. add the vanilla, lemon extract, and butter. beat one minute and serve. if too thick, more water may be added. chapter lxxiii alice tells her troubles "and the minute i caught a glimpse of you, bettina, at the tea this afternoon, i thought, 'oh, if betty would only ask me to go home with her to a sensible homelike dinner, with no one there but herself and bob----'" "not even harry, alice?" "no, not even harry! i'm so sick and tired of teas and dressmakers and wedding gowns and bridesmaids that i'm tired even of harry, too! almost." "but, alice, then why do it all? why have all this fuss and feathers?" and bettina's knife, with which she was cutting bread, came down with a click of vehemence. "it has always seemed silly to me--all the worry and bother----" "but what can i do now, bettina? i've started, and i'll have to go through with it! why, even now, i ought to be home for dinner--mother has several guests--but i phoned her that i had a headache and was coming here, where i could be quiet. and i do have a headache--and no appetite, and----" "just wait till you taste this nice brown meat that i have in the oven, alice! the trouble with you is that you've been eating silly party food for such a long time. and tonight you are to have a sensible dinner with plain people." "plain people? who calls me plain?" interrupted bob, coming in like a tornado. "hello, alice! how can you spare any time from all these festivities i hear about?" for dinner that night they had: rolled flank of beef with bread dressing browned potatoes hot slaw prune pudding cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =rolled flank of beef= (four portions) lb. round steak one inch thick t-flour t-salt one-inch cubes of suet wipe the meat, trim the edges, pound on both sides with the edge of a plate to break the tendon. place the dressing (given below) on the steak, roll, and tie with a cord. roll in the flour and salt. place in a small dripping pan, put the suet on the top of the meat, add enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, and bake in a moderate oven for fifty minutes. baste frequently. =bread dressing= c-soft bread crumbs t-melted butter t-chopped parsley / t-chopped onion / t-celery salt / t-salt / t-pepper t-water mix all the ingredients in the order named, stirring lightly with a fork. place in shape on the meat. care should be taken not to have the dressing soggy or heavy. =prune pudding= (four portions) c-cooked, seeded and chopped prunes / c-sugar / c-nut meats, cut fine / c-milk t-vanilla / t-lemon extract / c-cracker crumbs t-baking powder / t-salt mix all the ingredients in the order named. pour into a well-buttered shallow earthenware dish. place the dish in a pan of hot water and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven, or until the mixture is firm. serve warm. individual amounts may be made in moulds. chapter lxxiv the dixons come to dinner "charlotte, you must have bettina tell you how to cook fish this way," said frank. "it's the bechamel sauce on it that you like, i suspect," said bettina. "and it isn't at all hard to make. i serve it with so many things. we like it with carrots----" "oh, is it the very same sauce that you serve with carrots?" said charlotte. "i can make it, frank. i'll have it for dinner one of these days, with halibut, just as bettina has served it tonight." "there is only one thing to think about especially in making it," said bettina. "after you have beaten the egg slightly, add a very little of the hot liquid to it, and then pour the mixture into the rest. then cook it a short time, not long, as a sauce made with egg sometimes separates." "i'll remember," said charlotte. "you do have such good meals, bettina. how do you manage it? sometimes i can think of the best things to cook, and other days i don't seem to have a bit of imagination!" "i plan my menu all out a week, and sometimes two weeks, ahead," said bettina. "it is really quite a complicated process, as i want to have a variety, as well as inexpensive things that are on the market. of course, i may change my plans in many details, but i keep to the general outline. planning the meals seems simple, but it really requires a lot of thinking sometimes. excuse me while i bring in the dessert. bob, will you please help me take the plates?" the menu that night consisted of: sautéd halibut steak bechamel sauce potato cubes butter sauce sliced cucumbers and onions with vinegar rolls butter prune whip whipped cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bechamel sauce= (four portions) t-butter t-flour - / c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika egg-yolk melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper, mix well, and gradually add the milk. cook until it thickens. (not as thick as white sauce for vegetables.) add the egg yolk. serve immediately. to add egg yolk to the hot liquid, beat the egg slightly, add a small portion of the hot liquid slowly and pour it all into the remainder of the hot liquid. cook only a short time, as the mixture may separate if cooked longer. =potato cubes= (four portions) c-raw potatoes cut in / -inch cubes / t-salt c-boiling water add the salt to the boiling water, add the potatoes and boil till tender. (about ten minutes.) drain and shake over the fire for a moment. add the sauce, and serve. =butter sauce= (four portions) t-butter t-chopped parsley t-chopped green pepper / t-paprika mix together, heat and add to the potatoes. =prune whip= (four portions) / lb. prunes egg-whites t-lemon juice / c-sugar pick over and wash the prunes, then soak for several hours in cold water, enough to cover. cook slowly until soft, about fifteen minutes. rub through a strainer. add sugar and lemon juice and cook five minutes; the mixture should be the consistency of marmalade. beat the whites until stiff, add the prunes when cold, pile lightly into a buttered baking dish and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. serve with cream. chapter lxxv the wedding invitations bob and bettina had scarcely sat down to dinner one crisp cold evening, when they heard laughing voices at the door. "it sounds like alice," said bettina. "what can she be up to now? and harry, too!" bob had already thrown open the door, and there, as bettina had guessed, were alice and harry, each carrying a large box. "we've come to deliver your invitation to the wedding," said alice. "it may be unconventional, but it's fun. the rest we are going down to mail--that is, if we don't get frightened at the idea, and pitch the boxes in the river instead." "if that's the way you feel," said harry firmly, "i'll carry your box myself." "please don't, harry! just think, i may never have another opportunity of mailing the invitations to my own wedding, so don't deprive me of the privilege." "stay to dinner won't you?" said bettina. "we had really planned on having uncle john and aunt mary this evening, but they didn't come to town after all. so i am sure we have plenty, even to apple dumplings for dessert." "harry had asked me to take dinner with him down town," said alice, "by way of celebrating when these invitations were mailed. but perhaps we might stay here instead, since this was the very place in which we met first! harry, i believe sentiment demands that we accept bettina's invitation." "i must broil another steak," said bettina, "but that will take only a few minutes. i'm so glad you can stay." "but we'll have to leave immediately after dinner," said alice, "for these invitations simply must be mailed this evening." that night for dinner, bettina served: beefsteak mashed potatoes turnips lettuce bettina's russian salad dressing apple dumplings and cream bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =turnips= (four portions) turnips t-butter / t-salt / t-pepper wash, pare and cut the turnips in small pieces. cook until transparent and tender. drain, mash, add the butter, salt and pepper, mix thoroughly and return to the fire to dry out the superfluous water. serve hot with vinegar. (never cook turnips until brown.) =head lettuce= (four portions) head lettuce remove the outer leaves and core of the lettuce. clean thoroughly. place very wet in a towel, wrap well and lay directly on the ice. allow to stand one hour before serving to allow the lettuce to get very cold and crisp. =bettina's russian dressing= (four portions) / c-salad dressing t-chili sauce t-chopped green pepper mix the ingredients in the order named. shake thoroughly in a glass jar. serve cold. =apple dumplings= (four portions) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-lard / c-water apples / c-sugar t-cinnamon mix thoroughly the flour, baking powder and salt. cut in the lard with a knife, and then add the water, mixing to a soft dough. roll on a well-floured board to one-fourth of an inch in thickness. wipe and pare the apples, and cut them in quarters. cut the dough in four square pieces. place four quarters of apple in the center of each piece of dough. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. moisten the edges of the dough with water. bring the four corners of each piece up around the apple, pressing tightly together. pierce with a fork to allow the escape of steam. place each dumpling upside down on a floured tin, and bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. serve warm with cream. chapter lxxvi hallowe'en preparations "there it is again!" said bob to ruth, who was dining with them. "and now it's gone!" "i feel the same old hallowe'en thrill that i used to, years ago," said bettina, "when i turn around suddenly and see a jack-o'-lantern grinning in at the window! don't you love them?" "those are the stewart children," said bob. "they're just hoping that i'll come out and chase them away! there's no fun for them in having us like it too well! you girls ought to give at least an imitation of a shriek apiece. you don't have ladylike nerves at all!" "bob, that jack-o'-lantern reminds me that we have a piece of work laid out for you--making the jack-o'-lanterns for a hallowe'en party we have planned. will you do it?" "will i?" said bob. "indeed i will! i haven't made one for years and years! not since i was a boy!" "years and years and years and years!" said ruth, laughing. "well, this party is in honor of harry, so you mustn't tell him anything about it--not even that we're giving it. and bob, i believe fred would help make the jack-o'-lanterns." "see here, ruth," said bob, "you want fred to get half the credit for the artistic job i'm going to do. well, for your sake, i may let him help a little, but i'm bossing the work, i can tell you. why, i'm particular." that evening's menu consisted of: breaded lamb chops baked potatoes creamed peas sliced tomatoes salad dressing steamed date pudding lemon sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =breaded lamb chops= (four portions) chops egg-yolk t-water / c-bread crumbs / t-salt t-butter wash and look over the chops carefully to remove any particles of bone. beat the egg yolk and water. dip each chop into the egg mixture, and then roll in the crumbs, to which the salt has been added. place in a buttered pan, dot well with butter, and bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. =steamed date pudding= / c-soft, fresh bread crumbs / c-flour t-baking powder / c-fine chopped suet / c-sugar egg / c-dates, chopped fine / t-salt t-vanilla / c-milk mix all the ingredients in the order given. stir well for two minutes, and place in a buttered mould. steam two hours on the stove or in the fireless cooker. serve hot with lemon sauce. =lemon sauce= / c-sugar t-flour c-water t-lemon juice / t-salt t-butter mix well the flour, sugar and salt, add the water and cook for one minute. add the lemon juice and butter. beat vigorously, and serve with the date pudding. chapter lxxvii hallowe'en revels "come, on mystic hallowe'en, let us seek the dreadful scene, where the witches, imps and devils, elves and ghosts will hold their revels! carberry avenue. seven o'clock." this was the invitation received by harry, alice, fred and even bob, who had an inkling of what was about to happen, inasmuch as carberry avenue happened to be his own address. at seven o'clock that evening bob was nowhere to be found. however, when four horribly disguised figures were ushered into the house, the witch who pointed the way up the stairs seemed satisfied. a few minutes later, the ghosts and demons having removed such garments as were needed only in the outer air, assembled in the weirdly lighted living-room. all of the electric lights were covered with yellow crêpe paper shades, with faces cut in them. jack-o'-lanterns stood in every conceivable place, and a fire burned brightly in the open fireplace. the two witches, who were evidently the hostesses, commenced a weird chant in a minor key. the male ghosts, three in number, immediately took up the music, if it could be so called, howling in loud and uncanny tones. thereupon the witches beckoned the whole company with all speed to the dining-room. the table was a mass of color and light. potatoes, carrots and beets, with sticks for legs, held the lighted candles. at each place were individual favors, witches holding the place cards, and small jack-o'-lanterns standing beside them. the center of the table was a miniature field of pumpkins and cornstalks. the place cards were read and the places were found. the guest of honor, he who sat at the right of her who was evidently "witch-in-charge," discovered the following on his card, and the others were equally descriptive and illuminating: this place is laid for one who soon will marry! o youth bewitched by maid and moon, be wary! but if you can't, then make it soon, dear harry! the supper, decorative as well as delicious, was all upon the table. little individual pumpkin pies on paper doilies stood beside each place. the salad caused much delight among the guests, who at the invitation of the witches, had now removed their masks. a large red apple with a face cut on the outside, had been hollowed out, and the salad was within. on the top of the apple was a round wafer with a marshmallow upon it to represent a hat. the hat was further decorated with a "stick-up" of stick candy on one side. the apple stood on a leaf of lettuce, with a yellow salad dressing necktie. the favor boxes, which were under the witches, were filled with candy corn, while the popcorn balls, placed on a platter, had features of chocolate fudge, and bonnets of frilled paper. the supper menu was as follows: oyster patties bettina's surprise salad hallowe'en sandwiches pickles pumpkin pie cider doughnuts jumbles popcorn balls "have another jumble, harry," urged ruth. "see, this one has unusual eyes and a particularly soulful expression." "i have already eaten so many that i fear my memory of this party will be a jumble of faces! i'll see them in my sleep--all with that soulful expression!" "another toasted marshmallow, bettina?" asked fred, thrusting it toward her on the end of a hat-pin. "this candle is nearly burned out, so i'm afraid i can't offer you any more." "it is really time to bob for apples," said bettina. "who ever heard of a hallowe'en party without that! and we must each try to bite the swinging doughnut, and then we must blindfold each other and try to pin the tail on the unfortunate black cat. bob, will you carry this tub into the living-room? and ruth, will you remove the popcorn balls to the piano bench? perhaps someone will grow hungry from the exertion of these games. and i know that later in the evening alice, though a guest, will tell our fortunes." "alice can tell my fortune by looking at her own hand," said harry. "because she holds my happiness there." "what a sentimental sentence, harry!" said fred, looking amazed. "see, you've embarrassed us all!" "well, i'm always being called cold and reserved, and i've decided to turn over a new leaf." "oh, harry, don't be so foolish!" said alice, who had grown as red as the apples on the table. "it's time for games!" bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =oyster patties= (six portions) t-butter t-flour c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika / pint of oysters clean the oysters by removing any shells, and drain off the liquor. melt the butter, add the flour and salt, and mix thoroughly. gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. cook until very thick. place the oysters in a pan and heat one minute. this "plumps" them. do not cook too long. add the oysters to the white sauce, and serve immediately in patty shells which have been freshened in a hot oven. =bettina's surprise salad= (six portions) apples green pepper, chopped fine / c-diced celery / c-seeded white grapes / c-sliced diced pineapple t-chopped nut meats c-salad dressing / t-salt / c-diced marshmallows remove the insides of the apples, add the green pepper, celery, grapes, marshmallows, pineapple, nut-meats and salt, mixed thoroughly with the salad dressing. serve very cold. =to make the hallowe'en sandwiches= when the bread is a day old, cut in slices one-third inch thick. match in pairs. cream the butter and spread one side. place the other side on top. press firmly. with a thimble cut out circles on one piece of the bread, cut nose and mouth with a knife. the butter showing through gives the resemblance to features. =pumpkin pie= (eight pies) =crusts= c-flour t-lard t-water / t-salt cut the lard into the flour and salt. add sufficient water to make a stiff dough on a floured board. roll into shape one-fourth inch thick. place in tin muffin pans making individual pies, filling with the following mixture and baking minutes in a moderate oven. =pumpkin filling= - / c-canned pumpkin / c-brown sugar t-cinnamon / t-ginger / t-salt eggs c-milk mix the ingredients in the order given, and fill the pie-crusts two-thirds full. =jumbles= (twenty-four jumbles) / c-butter c-sugar egg / t-soda / c-sour milk / t-salt about c-flour grape jelly. cream the butter, add the sugar, and gradually add the egg, the soda mixed with the sour milk, the salt, and the flour to make a soft dough. (one which will roll easily.) cut into shape with a round cooky cutter. on the centers of one-half the pieces, place a spoonful of grape jelly. make features on the rest, using a thimble to cut out the eyes. press the two together, and bake minutes in a moderate oven. _november._ _cosy fire a-burning bright,---- cosy tables robed in white,---- dainty dishes smoking hot,---- home! and cold and snow forgot!_ [illustration] chapter lxxviii a foretaste of winter [illustration] "say, but it's cold today!" called bob at the door. "frost tonight all right! i was glad i took my overcoat this morning. have you had a fire all day?" "yes, indeed," said bettina, "and i've spent most of the afternoon cleaning my furs with corn meal, and fixing those new comforters for the sleeping porch, and putting away some of the summer clothing." "i believe we will need those new comforters tonight. how were you fixing them?" "i was basting a white cheese-cloth edge, about twelve inches wide, along the width that goes at the head of the bed, you know. it's so easy to rip off and wash, and i like to have all the comforters fixed that way. i was cleaning my old furs, too, to cut them up. i'm planning to have a fur edge on my suit this winter. i don't believe you'll know the furs, the suit, or bettina when you see the combination we will make together! fur is the thing this year, you know." "couldn't you spare me a little to transform my overcoat? i'd like to look different, too!" "silly! come along to the kitchen! there's beefsteak to-night (won't it taste good?) and i want you to cook it, while i'm getting the other things on the table. i didn't expect you quite so soon." that night for dinner they had: beefsteak creamed potatoes devilled tomatoes rolls butter plum sauce bettina's drop cookies bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed potatoes= (two portions) c-diced cooked potatoes t-green pepper, chopped fine t-butter t-flour / c-milk / t-salt melt the butter, add the flour and salt, mix well, and add the milk slowly. cook until creamy, and add the potatoes and the chopped green pepper. serve very hot. =devilled tomatoes= (two portions) tomatoes t-flour t-lard / t-salt t-butter t-sugar / t-mustard / t-salt a pinch of paprika hard-cooked egg / t-flour t-vinegar t-water peel the tomatoes, cut in half and sprinkle with flour. place the lard in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the tomatoes. brown nicely on both sides, and sprinkle with salt. when brown, place on a hot platter and pour over them the following sauce: sauce--place the butter in a pan, add the sugar, mustard, salt and paprika, the egg cut fine, and the flour. mix well, add the vinegar and water. heat, allow to boil one minute, and then pour over the tomatoes. (if the sauce seems too thick when it has boiled one minute, add a little more water.) =drop cookies= (twenty-four cookies) / c-butter c-sugar egg / c-sour milk / t-soda / t-salt t-vanilla / c-chopped raisins - / c-flour / t-baking powder cream the butter, add the sugar, then the whole egg. mix well. add the sour milk and the vanilla. mix the baking powder, soda and flour well, add the raisins and add to the first mixture. beat well. drop from a spoon onto a buttered and floured pan, leaving three inches between the cookies. bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. chapter lxxix surprising alice and harry "we knew you'd be here, and we've come to surprise you!" shouted bob, fred, bettina and ruth, as they opened the door of the new apartment which was to be the home of harry and alice. "we've brought the party with us!" and they held out several bulging baskets. "welcome!" smiled alice, delightedly, as she stepped down from the box on which she was standing to hang a soft, silky curtain. harry, tall and silent, rose, hammer in hand from the crate he was opening, and welcomed each one in turn. "bob and i came to be chaperones if you needed us," said bettina, putting on a prim and disapproving look, as different as possible from her usual happy expression. "oh, my dear!" exclaimed alice's mother, in a shocked tone. "surely you didn't imagine--but then, of course you didn't--because you would naturally know that i would be here." alice laughed her ringing laugh. "mother is too literal for any use, bettina!" and alice's absent-minded father looked up from the newspaper he was reading to ask what the joke was. "the joke, father dear," said alice, "is that your foolish daughter should be about to marry this solemn and serious youth!" and she turned harry around by the shoulders till he faced her father. "but perhaps you hadn't heard about the wedding, father. now don't tell me you had forgotten!" "forgotten? forgotten your wedding, alice?" said her mother, astonished. "of course your father hasn't forgotten. why, only yesterday he was saying that the cost of a trousseau apparently hadn't lessened since lillian was married. weren't you, father? it was when your new green corduroy came home, alice, and i was saying----" but alice had led the girls off to show them over the apartment. father had retired behind his newspaper and harry was showing fred and bob his own private den whither he might retire from the worries of domestic life. "only," observed fred sagaciously, "since it opens off the living room, you can't retire very far. i predict that married life will make you rather a sociable person, harry." harry shrugged his shoulders, and said nothing. "old bear!" cried alice, entering the room at this point. "you don't need to be a sociable person! i like you just as you are!" and she turned to the others. "come to the party, please. it's all in the kitchen! we've made coffee, too, and everything is bee-youtiful! i love surprises!" the "party" consisted of: apples popcorn balls nut cookies maple fudge coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =popcorn balls= (eight balls) / c-light brown or "c" sugar / c-white sugar / c-molasses / c-water t-butter / t-soda qts. freshly popped corn t-salt t-vinegar place in a sauce pan, the sugar, molasses, water, vinegar and butter. cook without stirring until the candy forms a hard ball which clicks against the side of the glass when dropped into cold water. add the soda, stir well and pour over the corn, which has been salted and placed in a large pan. mix the syrup thoroughly with the corn, and when partially cool, moisten the hands and press the corn into balls of uniform size. popcorn balls should be kept in a cool place. =nut cookies= (three dozen cookies) / c-butter and lard mixed / c-"c" sugar egg t-milk c-flour t-baking powder / c-chopped nut-meats (preferably black walnuts) t-powdered cinnamon / t-powdered cloves / t-mace / t-nutmeg cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. add the egg and milk and then the flour, nuts, cinnamon, cloves, mace, nutmeg and baking powder. place the dough on a floured board. roll it out one-fourth of an inch thick and cut with a cooky cutter. place on a well-buttered and floured baking sheet. bake twelve minutes in a moderate oven. =maple fudge= (eight portions) / lb. maple sugar c-granulated sugar / t-cream of tartar t-butter / c-milk mix all the ingredients in the order named. cook until the candy forms a soft ball when a little is dropped in a glass of cold water. remove from the fire and let it cool. when cool, beat until it becomes creamy. pour into a buttered plate. chapter lxxx a dinner for the bridal party the bridal dinner, given for the wedding party by alice's parents, was truly an elaborate affair. as the young people, who knew each other so well, and had spent so many merry hours together, glanced across the softly lighted table, a little feeling of shyness and constraint came over them because of the formality of the occasion. even alice, usually the ringleader in all their fun, was a little silent. "shucks!" thought boyish fred. "none of this in mine! i'd elope first! wonder if harry likes it! (bet he doesn't.)" ruth was thinking, "oh, how lovely! how perfectly lovely! i believe after all--as a time to remember through all the years----" but fred could not read her thoughts, and saw only the particularly happy smile that she gave him. "how do you like the nut cups?" alice asked. "bettina made these yellow 'mum' nut cups as a christmas gift to me, and gave them to me now for this dinner! see, they just match the real chrysanthemums! i'm sure i don't know which i like best!" the girls exclaimed so heartily over the nut cups that bettina declared to herself that she would make sets for each of them, of different colors and kinds. these of alice's were really charming. their wire handles were wound with green maline and tied with a green bow. they were filled with pecans, and pink and yellow bon-bons, which were grapes covered with colored creams. the place cards were tied with narrow green ribbon to little china slippers, cupids, doves and hearts. besides the yellow chrysanthemums, which were the table decorations, there was for each of the girls a corsage bouquet of pink roses, and for each of the men a boutonniere of pink rosebuds in a tinfoil case. flower pins were tucked in the maline bows of the bouquets as favors for the girls, while scarf pins were favors for the men. when the dinner was over, and the guests were passing into the living room for dancing and music, alice slipped her arm through bettina's. "the dinner was lovely; wasn't it?" she said. "i did think i was too tired to enjoy it, but my heart is as light as a feather now! i am going to dance all evening till my last guest goes!" the menu was as follows: grapefruit cocktail cream of asparagus soup croutons sautéd halibut potato rosettes cabbage relish in green pepper cases peas in timbale cases celery hot rolls currant jelly vegetable salad cheese wafers brick ice cream individual cakes coffee pecans bon-bons bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) recipes of the bridal dinner =grapefruit cocktail= (twelve portions) grapefruit t-powdered sugar cherries cut the grapefruit in halves crosswise. half a grapefruit is one service. remove all the seeds. insert a sharp-pointed knife between the outside skin or shell and the pulp, and cut out around the inside. cut the skin away from each section of the pulp. insert the knife under the core and cut free from the shell, lift out the core and membranes in one piece, leaving the pulp. sprinkle each grapefruit half with one tablespoon of powdered sugar. garnish with a maraschino cherry in the center and a mint leaf on each side. serve very cold on a paper doily with some green rose leaves under the grapefruit. =cream of asparagus soup= (twelve portions) c-strained asparagus pulp c-milk t-butter t-flour t-salt / t-paprika melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix well, and gradually add the milk and asparagus. cook until slightly thick. (about two minutes.) serve hot. =croutons= (twelve portions) slices of bread t-butter cut the bread into one-third inch cubes, add the butter melted, and salt. mix well and brown in a moderate oven, stirring occasionally to permit the bread to brown evenly. chapter lxxxi rehearsing the ceremony alice's wedding day dawned clear and cold, and bettina realized with a start all that was before her. she had as house guests two school friends of alice's, gay and charming girls who were, nevertheless, somewhat difficult visitors, as the little bungalow was soon strewn with their belongings and as they were completely indifferent to such a thing as punctuality. "s'pose geraldine'll be in to borrow my mirror in a minute," grumbled bob. "how long'll they stay?" "'till tomorrow morning, dear. hurry! you know we have to rehearse at ten o'clock." "ushers and all?" "of course. you wouldn't know what to do without a rehearsal, would you?" "i suppose not. but what if i can't get away from the office?" "you'll have to, bob, for harry's sake. surely you can manage it for once." bob went on grumbling about the foolishness of "these fancy weddings" until bettina consoled him with the promise of waffles for breakfast. "and we'll simply have to call geraldine and lenore," said she. "they are going to the rehearsal with me, and i must have my morning's work done before we start. you see i shall have them here for luncheon, and we won't be back 'till noon." bettina, with some effort, managed to reach the church with her guests shortly after ten o'clock. the nervous and excited wedding party stood about in chattering groups, and when summoned, went through their parts with many mistakes and giggles. "how can it ever seem beautiful and solemn," thought bettina in despair, "when we all do it so stupidly? i'm afraid we are going to spoil the wedding!" bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) more bridal dinner recipes =sautéd halibut= (twelve portions) - / lb. halibut steak / t-pepper t-salt t-lemon juice / t-onion juice t-egg-yolks t-water - / c-cracker crumbs t-fat t-melted butter mix the pepper, lemon juice, onion juice, salt, butter, egg and water. wipe the halibut with a damp cloth and then cut into strips two and a half by four inches. dip each strip into the above mixture and roll in cracker crumbs. place the fat in a frying-pan, and when hot add the halibut. brown thoroughly on each side and garnish with lemon and parsley. =potato rosettes= (twelve portions) c-mashed potatoes t-milk t-salt / t-paprika t-butter mix potatoes, milk, salt, paprika and butter. beat one minute. place the hot potato mixture in a pastry bag and press rosettes on a flat buttered tin pan three inches apart. set in a moderate oven twenty minutes to brown. remove from the pan with a spatula. =cabbage relish in green pepper cases= (twelve portions) green peppers c-finely chopped cabbage t-pimento, cut fine green pepper, cut fine / c-vinegar t-"c" sugar t-salt t-mustard t-olive oil mix the mustard, oil, salt, sugar and vinegar. add the green pepper, pimento and cabbage. fill the peppers with this mixture. the peppers are prepared by cutting off the stem end, removing the seeds and washing thoroughly. =glazed sweet potatoes= (twelve portions) sweet potatoes c-brown sugar / c-water t-butter wash, pare and boil the sweet potatoes. when tender, drain, cut in lengthwise slices one-half inch thick, and lay in a buttered pan. cover with a syrup made by cooking the brown sugar, water and butter for two minutes. baste frequently. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. chapter lxxxii after the wedding the stately wedding ceremony had taken place in the big church, and bettina, climbing into the automobile for the drive to the reception, had, for all her own part in the affair, only a confused memory of music, lights and faces, soft lavender and soft pink, and alice and harry murmuring their vows. "wasn't it lovely, bob? wasn't it stately and impressive?" "say, aren't you cold?" was his prosy reply. "that church was too warm; take my coat!" "no, indeed; i don't need it! oh, wasn't it a beautiful wedding! did lillian and i walk slowly enough?" and she chattered on about all of the details until the house was reached. the bride and groom were already there, and gay congratulations followed from the many guests. the dining-room, where the dainty wedding supper was served, was elaborate with palms and high baskets of roses. tables about the room held six, and in the center, a large round table, decorated with a broad, low mound of violets and roses, was arranged for the bridal party. here also was the bride's cake, and the small boxes of wedding cake which the guests received upon leaving the room. when alice cut the bride's cake, the thimble fell to ruth, which occasioned much merriment, while the dime was discovered by harry in his own piece. the ring went to mary, who emphatically denied that the omen spoke truly. but when mary also caught alice's bouquet of lilies-of-the-valley, the young people refused to listen to her protests. "dear alice," said bettina, as she helped the bride into her traveling suit, "may your whole life be as beautiful as your wedding!" the wedding supper consisted of: chicken and mushroom patties fruit jelly hot rolls olives pickles ice cream in individual slipper moulds violet decorated cake salted pecans fancy candy in tiny baskets coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) the wedding recipes =chicken and mushroom filling for patty shells= (fifteen portions) c-cooked chicken, diced c-button mushrooms, diced t-pimentoes, cut fine t-salt / t-paprika / c-flour / c-chicken fat c-milk melt the fat, add the flour and salt; mix thoroughly. add one-half a cup of milk. cook until thick, remove from the fire and heat one minute. add one cup of milk and reheat. when it thickens, beat vigorously until creamy. add the rest of the milk, and cook until thicker than vegetable white sauce. add the chicken, mushrooms and pimentoes. serve hot in patty cases. to prepare the cases for serving, heat until hot in a moderate oven. to obtain the chicken fat, cook a fat chicken slowly for a long time. remove the chicken from the stock and allow the stock to cool. the fat will rise to the top. use this instead of butter. it has a better flavor and is cheaper. =fruit jelly= (fifteen portions) t-granulated gelatin / c-cold water c-boiling water / c-lemon juice c-sugar c-white grapes, seeded / c-diced pineapple / c-maraschino cherries, halved soak the gelatin twenty minutes in the cold water, and dissolve in the boiling water, stirring till all is thoroughly dissolved. strain through a moistened cheese-cloth and add the sugar and the lemon juice. place in moistened individual moulds or one large pan. when the mixture is slightly thick and cool, add the fruit, well-mixed. set in a cold place for one hour. cut in squares when desired for use. chapter lxxxiii a "happen-in" luncheon bettina had finished her morning's work and was busy with her mending when the telephone rang. "why, hello, bob!" she answered, surprised to hear his voice at this time of day. "bettina," said he, "could you possibly arrange to let me bring carl edwards and his wife home to luncheon? they blew in a few minutes ago and leave at two-thirty. we haven't much time, you see, and they are especially anxious to see the house. they are planning to build for themselves soon." "why, of course, bob," said bettina, hesitating for the briefest possible second. "it's after eleven now, but i'll be glad to have you bring them. let's see--i'll give them the salad i had planned for tonight, but i don't know what else--but, then, i'll manage somehow." "all right, dear; that's fine. we'll be there early--a little after twelve." bettina's "emergency shelf" was always well stocked, and before her conversation with bob was over her mind had hastily reviewed its contents. in a very short time, her oven held escalloped salmon, graham gems and "quick pudding," and she was setting the dainty porch table. "i'm glad the weather is so beautiful," she said to herself, "for it is so much fun to have a hurry-up luncheon like this out-of-doors. well, whatever the guests think, i'm sure that bob will like my menu, for 'quick pudding' is a favorite dessert of his, and he can always eat several graham gems!" for luncheon they had: escalloped salmon graham gems apricot sauce bettina's vegetable salad chocolate marshmallows bettina's "quick pudding" bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =escalloped salmon= (four portions) - / c-salmon t-sweet pickles, chopped fine t-lemon juice / c-cracker crumbs egg / t-paprika / t-salt / c-milk t-fresh bread crumbs t-melted butter pick the salmon apart with a fork and add the pickles, lemon juice, cracker crumbs, egg, paprika, salt and milk, using a fork for mixing. place in a well-buttered baking dish. melt the butter, add the fresh crumbs and spread evenly over the top. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. =graham gems= (ten gems) c-graham flour c-white flour t-salt / c-sugar / t-soda / c-sour milk egg mix the graham and white flour, the salt, sugar and soda, add the milk and egg. beat two minutes. fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. =apricot sauce= (four portions) / lb. dried apricots c-water / c-sugar wash the dried apricots well. add the water and allow them to soak for three hours or longer. cook very slowly in the same water until tender. add the sugar, and cook three minutes. =bettina's vegetable salad= (four portions) / c-cooked peas / c-diced celery / c-green pepper, chopped / c-diced cooked potatoes t-chopped onion hard-cooked eggs, diced t-salt / c-salad dressing mix the peas, celery, green pepper, potatoes, onion, egg and salt thoroughly. add the salad dressing, and serve cold on lettuce leaves. garnish with rings of green pepper and egg slices. =bettina's "quick pudding"= (four portions) egg-whites, stiffly beaten t-powdered sugar dates, cut fine t-nuts, cut fine / t-vanilla / t-salt / t-baking powder beat the eggs stiffly, add the nut meats, dates, vanilla, salt, sugar and baking powder. place in a well-buttered tin mould or a pan and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. allow the mould to stand in a pan of hot water while in the oven. serve hot. chapter lxxxiv uncle john a guest at dinner "well, well! in time for dinner; am i?" said uncle john, letting in a gust of snow-filled air as he opened the front door. "why, uncle john, i should say you are!" answered bettina with delight as she removed her kitchen apron. "do you smell my date buns? i believe you'll like them!" "date buns? never heard of anything so absurd in my whole life! what are they?" and then, without waiting for an answer, he went on, "a regular blizzard tonight, i do believe! i telephoned your aunt lucy that i wouldn't be back to the farm till morning, then i found a place to leave my car, and came up here to see if i couldn't get a bite to eat. but date buns! i don't know about that! i'm not used to anything so fancy." "well, uncle john, there's a salmon loaf baking in the oven, and also some lemon rice pudding, so i believe there'll be something you'll like." "maybe!" said uncle john, doubtfully, but with a twinkle in his eye that belied his words. "but let me see! aunt lucy sent you something; what was it? oh, yes, some cream!" and he took a glass jar from its wrappings. "oh, uncle john, how lovely!" said bettina. "won't we just revel in cream! there comes bob now! get behind the door, uncle john, and say 'boo'! the way you used to do with me when i was a little girl!" that night for dinner bettina served: salmon loaf creamed potatoes date buns butter cranberry sauce lemon rice pudding coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =salmon loaf= (three portions) c-flaked salmon / c-fresh bread crumbs / c-milk egg-yolk / t-salt / t-paprika t-melted butter t-flour mix the salmon, bread crumbs, milk, egg-yolk, salt and paprika. pack down in a well-buttered pan. pour one teaspoon of melted butter over the top. dredge with flour. bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot or cold. =date buns= (twelve buns) c-flour / t-salt yeast cake t-sugar / t-butter / c-milk egg / c-dates mix and sift the flour and the salt. add the dates, which have been pitted and cut into small pieces. mix with sugar the yeast cake (broken up). heat the milk and add the butter. when the butter is melted, cool the milk mixture slightly, and add it to the yeast mixture, stirring carefully until the yeast is dissolved. add the egg well-beaten to the milk mixture, and add this to the flour. mix thoroughly and toss onto a well-floured board. knead two minutes. place in a warm place and allow to rise one hour. divide into twelve pieces by cutting with a knife. allow to rise ten minutes. brush the tops with one tablespoon of egg to which has been added one tablespoon of milk. bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. =lemon rice pudding= (three portions) / c-cooked rice / t-salt c-milk egg t-lemon juice / c-sugar t-powdered sugar t-lemon juice beat the egg-yolk, add the sugar, salt and lemon juice. add the milk and the rice. cook one minute, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. pour into a well-buttered pudding dish. beat the egg-white very stiff. add the powdered sugar and the lemon juice. (one teaspoon.) pile lightly on top of the pudding. bake thirty minutes in a slow oven. chapter lxxxv during the teachers' convention "so you'll not be back until dinner time?" bettina had said at the breakfast table to bob's cousin, edna, and her friend, catherine. "a whole day of it! how tired you'll be!" edna laughed her ripply laugh that always made everyone else laugh, too. "tired getting me a hat and a suit? oh, bettina! that makes me feel livelier than ever!" catherine looked troubled. "now, edna," she said, "you positively mustn't miss that afternoon meeting. i know it will be so inspiring! remember what professor macy said!" edna laughed again. "catherine always quotes professor macy as if he were an oracle or a sphinx or something instead of a nice solemn young high school teacher who's getting a little bald!" "he isn't bald and he isn't solemn," declared catherine with some spirit. "forgive me, catherine dear! he is a lamb and a darling and everything else you want me to say!" "i want you to say? why, edna, aren't you ashamed!" said catherine, growing very red. "who ever heard of such nonsense?" "i love to tease you, catherine. it's so easy! so you won't help me get my hat? i want a beautiful purple one--or else a perky little black one. i haven't decided whether to be stately and gracious, or frivolous and cunning. but i do know that i will not look as if i were about to cram the multiplication table into the head of some poor little innocent!" "don't worry, edna," said bob. "you won't look that way at all. in fact, i wonder that you can be serious long enough to impress the members of the school board when they come visiting." "she doesn't try to impress them; she just smiles at them instead, and that does just as well," said catherine. "but she's not so utterly frivolous as her conversation sounds. she wants to hear the convention addresses just as much as i do--and i know she'll be there this afternoon. in fact, i intend to save a seat for her." "between you and professor macy?" asked edna, innocently. "or on his left?" "shame on you, edna," said bettina. "now you girls tell me just what you'd like for dinner! aren't there some special dishes you're hungry for?" "pork tenderloin and sweet potatoes!" said edna. "our landlady never has them, and i often dream of the joy of ordering such delicacies!" and so that evening for dinner bettina had: pork tenderloin and sweet potatoes baked apples bread butter cottage pudding with chocolate sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pork tenderloin and sweet potatoes= (four portions) - / lbs. pork tenderloin t-salt / t-pepper large sweet potatoes wipe the tenderloins which have been prepared by cutting into small pieces (by the butcher). place in a small roaster and put in a hot oven. when brown on each side, season with salt and pepper. pare the potatoes and place in the pan with the meat. baste every ten minutes with one-fourth cup of water if there are not sufficient drippings to baste both the potatoes and meat. cook until the potatoes are done (about forty-five minutes). =baked apples= (four portions) jonathan apples t-"c" sugar t-cinnamon c-water / t-vanilla wash and core the apples. fill each with one tablespoon of sugar and one-half teaspoon of cinnamon. place in a small tin pan just large enough to hold them. add the water and the rest of the sugar, and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. baste frequently with the syrup. after the apples have cooked thirty minutes, add the vanilla to the syrup. =bettina's cottage pudding= (four portions) / c-sugar / t-salt c-flour t-baking powder t-chopped nuts / t-vanilla egg / c-milk t-melted butter mix the sugar, salt, flour, baking powder and nuts. add the egg and milk and mix well. add the vanilla. beat vigorously for two minutes, and then add the melted butter. pour into well-buttered gem pans, filling each half full. bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. serve with chocolate sauce. =chocolate sauce= (four portions) / c-sugar t-flour c-water / t-salt square of chocolate / t-vanilla mix thoroughly the sugar, flour and salt. add the water and the chocolate. cook slowly until the chocolate is melted (about two minutes). add the vanilla and serve hot. if too thick, add more water until the desired consistency is reached. chapter lxxxvi a luncheon for the teachers "i'll stay at home and help you this morning; may i, bettina?" asked edna, looking wistfully around at bettina's white kitchen. "no, indeed, my dear. it is such a simple little luncheon that i have planned that i can easily do it all alone. and you must go to the meeting. all i ask is that you won't forget to come home at noon." "edna would much rather fuss around with you in this dear little kitchen than to go to the meetings," said catherine, "but i won't let her. she is always crazy to cook and do housework and things like that, but she came to this convention with me, and i intend to have her get the benefit of it. do you hear me, you bad girl? it's almost time for us to be there. go and get your things!" "this is the way i'm managed all the time!" complained edna to bettina. "do you wonder that i look thin and pale?" "poor edna!" said bettina, smiling at her round figure and rosy cheeks. "now do run along with catherine. but don't forget we'll have three other guests at noon! so wear your prettiest smile!" "and i'll help you serve!" edna smiled back. that day for luncheon, bettina had: creamed oysters on toast pear salad brown bread sandwiches pecan ice cream sponge cake mints coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed oysters on toast= (six portions) pieces of toast, cut circular t-butter t-flour / t-paprika t-salt - / c-milk c-oysters pick over the oysters, and drain off the liquor. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika, and mix thoroughly. gradually add the milk, cook until thick and creamy (about three minutes), and add the oysters. serve very hot on toast. garnish with parsley. =pear salad= (six portions) halves of pear / c-cottage cheese t-chopped pimento t-chopped green pepper halves of walnuts / t-paprika t-salad dressing pieces of lettuce arrange the pears on the lettuce leaves. mix the cheese, pimento, green pepper and paprika thoroughly. fill the half of the pear with the mixture. place salad dressing over the mixture and lay one nut meat on top of each portion. serve cold. =pecan ice cream= (ten portions) qt. of cream / c-sugar - / t-vanilla / c-pecan meats, cut fine mix the cream, sugar and vanilla. fill a freezer half full of the mixture. when half frozen add the pecan meats. continue freezing until stiff. pack and allow to stand two hours to "ripen" before serving. =sponge cake= (ten portions) egg-yolks c-sugar t-lemon extract egg-whites c-flour / t-salt beat the egg-yolks until thick and lemon colored. add the sugar gradually and continue beating, using a dover egg-beater. add the extract and whites of the eggs very stiffly beaten. remove the egg beater and cut and fold the flour which has been sifted four times, the salt having been added to the last sifting. bake one hour in an unbuttered, narrow pan in a slow oven. genuine sponge cake has no baking powder or soda in it. the eggs must be vigorously beaten so that the cake will rise. a very slow oven is necessary. increase the heat slightly every fifteen minutes. do not cut sponge cake; it should be broken apart with a fork. chapter lxxxvii ruth comes to luncheon "bettina, what makes the gas stove pop like that when i light it? i've often wondered." "why, ruth, that's because you apply the match too soon. you ought to allow the gas to flow for about four seconds; that fills all the little holes with gas and blows out the air. then light it, and it won't pop or go out. the flame ought to burn blue; if it burns yellow, turn it off, and adjust it again." "well, i'm glad to know that. sometimes it has been all right and sometimes it hasn't, and i never realized that it was because i applied the match too soon. i'm glad i came today." "i'm glad, too, but not because of instructing you, i'm not competent to do that in very many things, goodness knows! when i called up and asked you to lunch, it was because i had such a longing to see what lovely things you'd be making today. you will have the daintiest, prettiest trousseau, ruth!" "i love to embroider, so i'm getting great fun out of it. i tell fred it's a treat to make pretty things and keep them all! they were usually for gifts before! oh, lobster salad?" "no, creamed lobster on toast. there, mister lobster, you're out of your can. i always hurry him out in double-quick time onto a plate, or into an earthen-ware dish, because i'm so afraid something might interrupt me, and i'd be careless enough to leave him in the opened can! though i know i never could be so careless. then i never leave a metal fork standing in lobster or canned fish. it's a bad thing." "i knew about the can, but not about the fork, though i don't believe i ever do leave a fork or a spoon in anything like that." "would you prefer tea, coffee, or chocolate with these cookies for dessert?" "coffee, i believe, bettina. aren't they cunning cookies! what are they?" "peanut cookies. i think they are good, and they are so simple to make. they are nice with afternoon tea; mother often serves them. there--lunch is all ready but the coffee, and we'll have that last." luncheon consisted of: creamed lobster on toast head lettuce french dressing with green peppers bread butter peanut cookies coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed lobster on toast= (two portions) / c-lobster t-butter a few grains of cayenne pepper / t-salt t-flour c-milk / t-lemon juice egg-yolk slices of toast melt the butter, add the salt, cayenne and flour. gradually add the milk, cook until thick, stirring constantly unless in double boiler. add the egg-yolk. add the lobster, separated with a fork, and the lemon juice. serve very hot on toast, garnished with parsley. =head lettuce= (two portions) head lettuce remove the outside leaves and the core. soak in cold water with one-half teaspoon salt in it, with the head of the lettuce down. cut into quarters. serve a quarter as a portion. =french dressing with green peppers= (two portions) / t-salt / t-pepper t-vinegar t-olive oil t-chopped green peppers mix the salt, pepper, and green pepper. add the vinegar. beat well and add the olive oil slowly. beat with a silver fork until the dressing thickens. =peanut cookies= (two dozen) / c-sugar t-butter egg t-baking powder / t-salt c-flour / c-chopped peanuts / t-lemon juice cream the butter, add the sugar, mix well, and add well-beaten egg. add the baking-powder, salt, flour, chopped peanuts, and lemon juice. mix thoroughly, and drop two inches apart on a greased baking-tin or in pans. bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. chapter lxxxviii the hickory log "say, this feels good!" said bob, as he warmed his hands by the cheerful blaze. "doesn't it!" said bettina, enthusiastically. "and see, i've set the dinner table here by the fireplace. it's such fun when just the two of us are here. isn't the log burning well?" "i wondered if we could use one of our new logs tonight--thought about it all the way home. and here you had already tried it! november has turned so much colder that i believe winter is coming." "so do i, but i don't mind, i don't want a warm thanksgiving." "dinner ready? m--m, what's that? lamb chops? escalloped potatoes? smells good!" "come on, dear! after dinner, we'll try those nuts we left so long out at uncle john's. do you think they're dry enough by this time? charlotte phoned me that they had tried theirs, and found them fine. by the way, she and frank may come over this evening." "hope they do. listen--i hear a car outside now." "sure enough, that's frank and charlotte. go to the door, bob! we'll persuade them to eat dessert with us. . . . hello, people! come in; you're just in time to have some tea and a ginger drop-cake apiece." "that's what we came for, bettina!" shouted frank, laughing. "and then you must come out in the car with us. it's a beautiful, clear, cold night, and you'll enjoy it--if you take plenty of wraps!" for dinner that night bettina served: lamb chops escalloped potatoes egg plant bread butter ginger drop-cakes tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level). =broiled lamb chops= (two portions) lamb chops t-salt / t-paprika wipe the chops and place in a red-hot pan over the flame. when the under surface is seared, turn and sear the other side. turn often for twelve minutes. when nearly cooked, sprinkle with salt and paprika. =escalloped potatoes= (two portions) - / c-raw potatoes, sliced / t-salt t-flour / c-milk t-butter / t-paprika t-chopped green pepper mix the potatoes, salt, flour, paprika and green pepper. place in a buttered baking dish or casserole. pour the milk over the mixture and dot with butter. put a cover on the dish and allow to cook for half an hour. remove the cover and allow to cook twenty minutes more. more milk may be added if the mixture is too dry. =egg plant= (three portions) egg plant t-salt t-egg-yolk t-water / c-cracker crumbs t-lard peel and slice the egg plant in slices one-half an inch thick. sprinkle each slice with salt. place the slices on top and allow to stand for two hours. this drains out the liquid. wipe each piece with a cloth and dip in the beaten egg-yolk, to which the water has been added. dip in the cracker crumbs. place the lard in a frying-pan, and when very hot, add the slices of egg plant. brown thoroughly on both sides, lower the fire and cook five minutes. serve on a hot platter with the slices overlapping each other. =ginger drop-cakes= (fifteen cakes) c-molasses / c-boiling water - / c-flour t-soda t-ginger / t-salt / c-chopped raisins t-melted butter put the molasses in a bowl, add the boiling water and the dry ingredients, sifted. then add the raisins and the melted butter. beat well for two minutes. pour into buttered muffin pans, filling the pans one-half full. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. chapter lxxxix some christmas plans "christmas is in the air today, i believe," said charlotte as she took off her hat and warmed her cold hands at bettina's open fire. "you ought to see the children around the toys downtown--swarming like flies at the molasses! still, we ought to think about thanksgiving before we begin our christmas plans, i suppose." "i try to get all my christmas packages ready by thanksgiving," said bettina. "of course, i don't always succeed, but it is a splendid aim to have! there is always so much to do at the last minute--baking and company and candy making! this year we plan to give very few gifts--but to send a card at least to each of our friends. we're racking our brains now to think of something that will be individual--really ours, you know. i think a tiny snapshot of yourself or your home, or your baby or your dog--or even a sprig of holly or a bit of evergreen on a card with a few written words of greeting means more to a friend than all the lovely engraved cards in the world! of course, some people can draw or paint and make their own--alice will, i'm sure. one girl i know makes wonderful fruit cake, and she always sends a piece of it, in a little box tied with holly ribbon, to each of her friends. aren't the little gifts that aren't too hard on one's purse the best after all--especially when they really come straight from the giver, and not merely from the store?" "bettina, i'll be afraid to send you anything after such an eloquent sermon as this!" "oh, charlotte, how you talk! i'm telling you my idea of what a christmas gift should be, but i'll probably fall far below it myself! luncheon is ready, dear." for luncheon bettina and mrs. dixon had: mutton in ramekins rice peanut bread butter apple sauce tokay grapes coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =mutton in ramekins= (three portions) - / c-cold mutton / c-brown gravy / t-salt t-chopped mint egg-yolk egg-white, beaten stiff mix the mutton, gravy, salt, mint and egg-yolk thoroughly. add the egg-white. turn into well-buttered ramekins or china baking dishes. bake in a moderate oven in a pan of hot water for twenty-five minutes. serve in the ramekins. =rice= (three portions) / c-rice qts. boiling water t-salt t-butter wash the rice, add slowly to the boiling salted water. boil twenty minutes. pour the rice in a strainer and rinse with cold water. place in the oven for five minutes to dry. serve warm, dotted with butter. =peanut bread= (twelve slices) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-"c" sugar egg / c-chopped peanuts / c-milk mix thoroughly the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and peanuts. add the egg and milk. stir vigorously two minutes. place in a well-buttered bread pan, and bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. chapter xc after the football game "there are the men now," said mrs. dixon, rolling up the hose she had been darning. "good!" said bettina. "the dinner is just ready for them, and i'm glad they didn't keep us waiting." "hello! hello!" shouted frank and bob, letting in a gust of cold air as they opened the door. "whew! it's cold!" "how was the game?" "fine! to in favor of blake!" "not very exciting, i should think." "still, frank here wanted to bet me that blake would be badly beaten!" "frank!" said charlotte in exasperation. "is that the way you show your loyalty to your home college?" "shame on you, frank!" grinned bob. "well, dinner ready? i'm about starving!" "bettina has a regular 'after-the-game' dinner tonight," said charlotte. "just the kind to make a man's heart rejoice!" "hurray!" said bob, stirring up the grate fire. "and afterward we'll have our coffee in here, and toast marshmallows. shall we?" "suits me!" said frank. "anything you suggest suits me, if it's something to eat." "dinner's ready," said bettina. "come into the dining-room, people, and tell us about the game. charlotte and i have mended all your hose this afternoon, and we deserve a royal entertainment now." "bettina," said frank, "do you expect us to talk when you set a dinner like this before us?" the menu consisted of: flank steak, braized with vegetables cabbage salad bread butter brown betty with hard sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =flank steak braized with vegetables= (four portions) - / lbs. flank steak, - / inches thick t-flour t-salt t-butter - / c-sliced, raw potatoes / c-thinly sliced onions green pepper, sliced thin c-tomato pulp cut with a knife across the grain of the flank steak, to prevent it from curling up. sprinkle the flour and one teaspoonful of salt on both sides of the meat. dot with butter, and place in an oblong baking pan. over the meat place a thick layer of sliced raw potatoes. add the green pepper, and season with one-half a teaspoonful of salt. place the onions next and the rest of the salt. (one-half a teaspoonful.) pour one cup of stewed or raw tomato pulp over all the mixture, and cover the baking pan tightly. cook slowly in the oven for two hours. one-half hour before the meat is done, remove the cover to allow it to brown. water may need to be added to prevent burning. in serving, very carefully transfer the steak to a hot platter, preserving the various layers of vegetables. to serve, slice down through the layers as through a loaf. =cabbage salad= (four portions) c-chopped cabbage pieces of celery / t-salt / t-paprika / c-salad dressing or enough to moisten chop the cabbage and the celery fine. add salt, paprika and salad dressing. serve cold. =brown betty= (four portions) c-bread crumbs c-sliced apples, pared and cored / c-sugar t-cinnamon / c-water t-lemon juice t-butter / t-salt mix the crumbs, apples, sugar, salt and cinnamon well. pour water and lemon juice over the mixture. place in a buttered baking-dish. place the butter over the top in small pieces. cover the pan with a lid and bake in a moderate oven forty-five to sixty minutes. remove the lid after the brown betty has been cooking twenty-five minutes. more water may be needed if the apples are not very juicy. =hard sauce= (four portions) t-butter t-boiling water / t-lemon extract / t-vanilla extract / c-powdered sugar cream the butter, add the water and slowly add the sugar. continue mixing until very creamy. add the lemon and vanilla extract. form into a cube and place in the ice box. allow to stand half an hour, then cut into slices and serve on top of the brown betty. chapter xci a thanksgiving dinner in the country after all the excitement of alice's wedding, bettina was more than delighted when she and bob were invited to a family dinner at aunt lucy's on thanksgiving day. "it always seems to me the most comfortable and restful place in the world," said she to bob. "and aunt lucy is such a wonderful cook, too! we're very lucky this year, i can tell you!" "who's to be there?" "father and mother--we are to drive out with them--and aunt lucy's sister and her big family. thanksgiving seems more natural with children at the table, i think. and those are the liveliest, rosiest children!" bob had slept late that morning, and consequently had eaten no breakfast, but he did not regret his keen appetite when uncle john was carving the great brown turkey. "the children first, john," said kind aunt lucy. "the grown folks can wait." little dick and sarah had exclaimed with delight at the place cards of proud turkeys standing beside each plate. in the center of the table was a great wicker basket heaped with oranges, nuts and raisins. "it doesn't seem natural without pumpkin pie," said aunt lucy, "but john was all for plum pudding instead." "we can have pie any day," said uncle john, "but this is a special occasion. what with dick here--and sarah--and bettina--who's some cook herself, i can tell you!--i was determined that mother should show her skill! and she did; didn't she?" the menu was as follows: turkey with giblet gravy oyster dressing mashed potatoes creamed onions cranberry frappé bread celery butter plum pudding hard sauce nuts raisins coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) the thanksgiving dinner recipes =roast turkey= (fourteen portions) -lb. turkey the turkey should be thoroughly cleaned and washed in a pan of water to which one teaspoon of soda has been added to each two quarts of water. wash the inside with a cloth, rinsing thoroughly, allowing plenty of water to run through the turkey. dry well and stuff. season all over with salt, pepper and butter. when baking, lay the fowl first on one side, then on the other until one-half hour before taking from the oven. then it should be turned on its back, allowing the breast to brown. a twelve pound turkey should be cooked three hours in a moderate oven, basting frequently. =oyster dressing= (fourteen portions) c-stale bread crumbs / c-melted butter t-salt / t-pepper pt. oysters mix the ingredients in the order given, adding the oysters cleaned and drained from the liquor. fill the turkey and sew up with needle and thread. =preparing the giblets= wash thoroughly the heart, liver and gizzard. cut through the thick muscle of the gizzard and peel it slowly without breaking through the inside lining. cut the heart open, and remove carefully the gall bladder from the liver. wash carefully again, and soak ten minutes in salted water. cook slowly until tender, in one cup of water. more water may be needed. cut fine, and add to the gravy. save the stock. =the gravy= c-stock t-flour t-cold water / t-salt for each cup of liquor, which is left in the roasting pan, add one tablespoon of flour. mix the flour with two tablespoons of cold water, add the liquid slowly, and cook two minutes. add one-fourth of a teaspoon of salt, and the giblets. serve hot. =creamed onions= (six portions) c-cooked onions c-white sauce cook the onions in one quart of water in an uncovered utensil until tender. (about fifteen minutes.) drain and add one cup of white sauce. serve hot. =plum pudding= (six portions) c-soft bread crumbs / t-soda / t-cloves t-cinnamon / t-salt / c-suet / c-molasses t-"c" sugar egg / c-milk / c-currants / c-raisins t-vanilla chop the suet, and sprinkle with one tablespoon of flour to prevent sticking. add the raisins, currants, "c" sugar, salt, cinnamon, cloves and bread crumbs. add the egg and milk beaten together, add the vanilla, mix the soda in the molasses and add to the first mixture. fill a well-buttered pudding mould one-half full. steam two hours. serve with hard sauce. =hard sauce= / c-butter t-hot water / c-brown sugar / t-vanilla / t-lemon extract cream the butter, add water and gradually add the sugar. continue mixing until very creamy. add the vanilla and lemon extract. chill and serve over the hot pudding. chapter xcii planning the christmas cards "and what is in this dish, bettina?" asked bob, as he lifted the hot cover. "candied sweet potatoes, dear, and i'm almost sure that you'll like them. i made them in the fireless cooker, and they're really more candy than potatoes." "they'll suit me, then," said bob. "the sweeter the better! my mother used to cook up candied sweet potatoes with a lot of brown sugar syrup--say, but they tasted good about this time of year when i would come in from skating! well, i believe these are exactly like hers!" "only hers weren't made in a fireless cooker," said bettina. "now, bob, as soon as you have allayed your hunger a little we must put our heads together long enough to get an idea for christmas cards. if we have something made, it may take several weeks, and you know it is no small task to address several hundred of them. as soon as we have ordered them, we'd better make out our christmas list. but first, what shall the cards be? think, bob!" "goodness gracious sakes alive, but thinking is hot work! well, how's this? suppose we don't have cards engraved--they're expensive, and besides, 'twould take too long! we'll find some plain white correspondence cards--or perhaps white cards with a red edge--and envelopes to go with them, and in the corner of the card we'll stick a tiny round snapshot of the house. then we'll write this verse very neatly and sign it 'bettina and bob.' perhaps you can improve on this, however: "we enclose our christmas greetings and the hope that we may know many happy future meetings in this little bungalow!" "bob, that's the very thing!" cried bettina. for dinner that night they had: beefsteak fireless sweet potatoes creamed carrots pineapple charlotte custard sauce bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =fireless sweet potatoes (candied)= (six portions) large sweet potatoes c-brown sugar / c-water t-salt / t-pepper t-butter wash and peel the sweet potatoes. slice them lengthwise in one-half inch slices. make a syrup by boiling for five minutes the brown sugar and water. add the butter. arrange the potatoes in a fireless cooker utensil. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and pour the syrup over them. place the heated disks under and over the pan of potatoes, and cook in the fireless an hour and a half. =pineapple charlotte= (four portions) t-corn starch t-cold water / t-salt / c-sugar c-boiling water egg-whites t-vanilla / t-lemon extract slices of pineapple cut in slices lengthwise mix the corn starch, salt and sugar; gradually add the cold water, stirring well, and then add the hot water. cook about five minutes, stirring constantly. then add the vanilla, and the egg-whites stiffly beaten. pour into a moistened mould in which the slices of pineapple have been arranged. set in a cool place for two hours. serve with custard sauce. =custard sauce= (four portions) - / c-milk egg-yolks / c-sugar / t-vanilla / t-salt t-flour / t-lemon extract mix well the sugar, salt and flour, gradually add the beaten egg-yolks, and the milk. cook in a double boiler until the mixture coats a silver spoon yellow. add the vanilla and lemon extract. beat one minute. serve very cold. _december._ _roasting turkeys! rich mince pies! cakes of every shape and size! santa, though they're fond of you, christmas needs us housewives, too!_ [illustration] chapter xciii harry and alice return [illustration] "who can that be?" said bettina, laying down her napkin. "someone is at the door, bob, i think. i wonder why he doesn't ring?" "hello!" said bob, throwing open the door. "why, bettina! it's alice and harry! when did you get home?" "we're on our way home now," said harry, as he set down the suitcases he was holding. "say, these are heavy! we thought we'd stop in for a minute to rest." "welcome home!" said bettina. "just think, we don't even know yet where you went for your wedding trip, though we suspected california." "california it was," said alice, "along with all the other recent brides and grooms. we escaped any particular notice; there were so many of us. it was rather a relief, though." "have you had your dinner?" asked bettina, a little embarrassed at the thought of the "dinner for two" that she and bob were just finishing. there was certainly not enough left for another person, not to suggest two. but then, of course there was her ample emergency shelf. "we had our dinner on the diner," said harry, "or we shouldn't have dared to stop at this hour." "do come on out to the kitchen," said bettina. "bob is about to make some delicious sour cream candy, aren't you, bob? surely that is a splendid way to entertain a newly returned bride and groom." "fine!" said harry, "though we can't stay long. we must hie to our own apartment and get rid of the dust of travel. we're looking forward to the time when we can return some of your hospitality. i shall learn to make even better candy than bob's!" for dinner that night bettina had: pork chops with sweet potatoes apple sauce bread butter perfection salad salad dressing bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pork chops with sweet potatoes= (two portions) sweet potatoes t-salt / t-paprika chops / c-boiling water pare sweet potatoes, add salt and place in the bottom of a small roasting pan. wipe pork chops and place on top of the potatoes. place the pan, uncovered, on the top shelf of a hot oven in order to brown the chops. brown on one side and then turn gently and brown on the other. sprinkle with a little salt and paprika, and add one-third of a cup of boiling water. cover, and bake one hour, or until the potatoes are done. baste frequently. =perfection salad= (three portions) t-granulated gelatin t-cold water t-vinegar t-lemon juice c-boiling water t-sugar / t-salt / c-diced celery / c-shredded cabbage green pepper, chopped t-pimento, cut fine add the cold water to the gelatin, and let it stand for five minutes. add the boiling water. when thoroughly dissolved add the vinegar, salt, lemon juice and sugar. mix well. add the celery, cabbage, green pepper and pimento when the jelly begins to set. pour into a mould which has been dipped in cold water. allow to set in a very cold place for one hour. serve with salad dressing. =sour cream candy= (six portions) c-brown sugar t-vanilla / c-sour cream or / c-sour milk plus t-butter / t-cream of tartar mix the sugar, cream of tartar and the sour cream or milk. cook until a soft ball is formed when dropped in cold water. remove from the fire and allow to cool. beat until creamy and place in a well-buttered pan. chapter xciv the firelight social "and what have you been doing all day?" asked bob after he had related his own experiences at the office. "just my usual work this morning, and this afternoon i went to a meeting of the social committee of our young people's league; you know i've promised to help this winter. they plan a social to be given in about two weeks to raise money for the orphanage fund, and i do think their idea is a clever one. you see, it's a 'firelight social'; admission ten cents. mrs. lewis has offered her house for it. invitations are to be sent to all members of the church, sunday school and league, inviting people to 'come and read pictures in the fire.' the cards are to be decorated with little pen and ink sketches of hearthstones with burning logs on them. of course there will be a huge log in her big fireplace. then as soon as the guests are gathered around, someone is to read aloud that passage from 'our mutual friend,' where lizzie hexam reads the pictures in the firelight for her brother. then pencils and paper will be passed among the guests and each one writes a short description of the pictures he sees in the fire. in ten minutes these are collected and read aloud, with a prize for the best one. then corn will be popped and marshmallows toasted, and weird ghost stories told. (of course certain clever people have been asked beforehand to be prepared.) then supper will be served by candlelight; it will consist of things like sandwiches, cider, coffee, nuts and cookies. don't you think a firelight social will be fun?" "sure it will! but i'm glad to-night we can be alone by our own firelight, bettina!" that evening for dinner bettina served: fried oysters baked potatoes bettina's relish asparagus on toast apple tapioca cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =fried oysters= (two portions) oysters / c-cracker crumbs t-egg t-water / t-salt / t-paprika t-fat look over the selected large oysters to remove the shells. mix the egg, water, salt and paprika. dip the oyster in the egg mixture and in the crumbs. place the fat in the frying-pan, and when hot add the oysters. brown nicely on each side, three minutes. serve very hot on a hot platter. garnish with parsley. =bettina's fried-oyster relish= (two portions) c-cabbage, cut fine green pepper, cut fine pimento, cut fine / t-celery salt / t-mustard / t-salt t-"c" sugar t-vinegar mix the celery salt, mustard, salt and sugar, add the vinegar. pour over the pimento, green pepper and cabbage. serve as a relish with oysters and meats. this relish should be served within one-half hour after it is made. =asparagus on toast= (two portions) / can asparagus tips c-vegetable white sauce / t-salt / t-pepper slices of toast heat the asparagus tips in the liquid in the can. when hot, remove from can upon slices of toast, sprinkle salt and pepper over each portion. pour one serving of white sauce over each portion. =apple tapioca= (two portions) t-pearl tapioca t-cold water c-boiling water / t-salt t-sugar / t-vanilla sour apples soak the tapioca in the cold water for ten minutes in the upper part of the double boiler. add the boiling water and salt. cook until transparent. (about twenty minutes.) cut the apples fine, mix thoroughly with the sugar, place in the bottom of a small baking dish, pour the tapioca mixture on them, and bake in a moderate oven until the apples are soft. (about twenty-five minutes. the time depends upon the variety of apple.) chapter xcv alice's troubles "why, alice, come in! are you going out to dinner, or just on your way home from some afternoon party?" "i'm going down town to dinner with harry; i'll meet him there. and afterward we are going to the theatre." "what fun!" "yes, fun for me," said alice slowly. "i persuaded him to go. just think, bettina, we haven't been to the theatre one single time since we've been married!" "and that is--let's see--about six weeks?" said bettina, laughing. "come into the kitchen, alice. i'm making a cranberry pie for dinner." "a cranberry pie? one of those darling criss-crossy ones?" said alice joyfully, throwing off her evening cloak. "do let me help. i used to make little cranberry pies in a saucer when i was little! i had forgotten that they existed! harry shall have one to-morrow!" and she rolled out the crust with deft fingers. "how easily and quickly you do everything, alice." "yes, too easily. getting breakfast is fun, and getting dinner is fun, but it's over too soon. what do you do in the evening, bettina?" "oh, stay at home and read and mend mostly. what do you do?" "that's the trouble. don't you get dreadfully bored just sitting around? harry likes it--but i don't see how he can." "but aren't you tired in the evening? i suppose he is." "tired? mercy no! not with the care of that little apartment! i like fun and excitement and something to do in the evening! i've been studying household economy, as you suggested, and i've learned a lot, but i can't be doing that all the time! well, i must run on, bettina! let me know how the pie turns out!" that night bettina served: bettina's pork chops and dressing baked potatoes apple sauce bread butter cranberry pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pork chops bettina= (two portions) pork chops / t-chopped onion t-chopped green pepper - / c-fresh bread crumbs / t-chopped parsley / t-salt t-melted butter egg-yolk / t-celery salt t-water add the onion, green peppers, parsley, salt and celery salt to the crumbs. add the egg-yolk, butter and water, and mix thoroughly. wipe the chops, and place one in a small pan (to serve as a roasting pan), place the dressing on top. place the other chop on top of the dressing. press together and bake in a moderate oven one hour. turn the chops so that the under one will brown. baste occasionally with one-fourth of a cup of hot water to which has been added one teaspoon of butter. put a lid on the pan so that the steam will cause the chops to cook. place one tablespoon of water in the pan to prevent burning or drying out. replenish when necessary. =apple sauce= (two portions) jonathan apples / c-sugar / t-cinnamon enough water to cover wash, pare, core and quarter the apples. cover with water and cook until tender when pierced with a knitting needle. add the sugar and cook five minutes more. sprinkle cinnamon over the top when serving. =cranberry pie= (four portions) c-cranberries c-boiling water - / c-sugar egg-yolk t-water t-flour / t-butter / t-almond extract cook the cranberries and water until the cranberries are soft. add the sugar and cook five minutes. mix flour and water, add the egg-yolk, butter and extract. mix thoroughly. add to the cranberry mixture. pour into the uncooked pie-crust. place pastry bars lattice fashion across the top, and bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =pie crust= (four portions) c-flour t-lard / t-salt t-water mix the flour and salt. cut in the lard with a knife, and add the water very carefully, to form a stiff dough. roll into shape, and reserve a small part of the dough for the bars. fit the crust carefully into a deep tin pie-pan. fill the crust with the cranberry filling, being careful not to let any juice run out. cut the bars two-thirds of an inch wide. moisten the ends, and arrange in criss-cross fashion across the pie. chapter xcvi some of bettina's christmas plans "to-night," said bettina at the dinner table, "i expect to finish three christmas gifts--one for alice, one for mary and one for eleanor. now aren't you curious to know what i've been making?" "curiosity is no name for it," said bob, "but i'm even more curious to know what particular thing it is that makes this ham so tender. is it baked? anyhow, it's the best i have ever eaten." "thank you," said bettina, "but you always say that about sliced ham, no matter how it is cooked. but this is a little different. it is baked in milk." "great, anyhow," said bob. "now tell me about your conspiracy with santa claus." "well, i am making for alice an indexed set of recipes--a card index. all the recipes are just for two, and they are all tried and true." "just for two, tried and true-- sent, with betty's love, to you." echoed bob. "you can write that on the card that goes with it." "i shall have you think what to say on all the gifts, bob. i must show you the box of cards. it is only a correspondence-card box, with the white cards to fit, but i'm sure that alice will like her new cook book. then for mary and eleanor i have made card-table covers. mary's is of white indian head--just a square of it, bound with white tape and with white tape at the corners for tying it to the table. it is to have a white monogram. eleanor's is linen-colored and is bound in green with a green monogram. hers is finished and i shall finish mary's this evening--that is, if you will read to me while i work!" "hurray!" said bob. "what shall i read? mark twain?" for dinner that night they had: baked ham baked potatoes corn bread butter cranberry sauce bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =baked ham= (three portions) / lb. slice of ham one inch thick c-milk t-flour t-water cover the ham with boiling water and let it stand ten minutes. remove from the pan, and place the ham in a pan just large enough to hold it. cover with the milk. place in a moderate oven and bake thirty minutes. more milk may be added if necessary. when the ham is done, add more liquid (enough to make one-half a cup). mix flour with water. add the hot milk to this slowly. heat and cook one minute. serve with the ham. =corn bread= (three portions) / c-corn meal / c-flour t-sugar t-baking powder / t-salt egg-yolk / c-milk t-melted butter mix the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt thoroughly. add the egg-yolk and milk, and beat two minutes. add the melted butter. mix well. pour into a well buttered square cake pan. bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. =cranberry sauce= (four portions) qt. cranberries c-sugar c-water look over and wash the cranberries. cook them in the water until they are soft and the skins are broken. remove from the fire, add the sugar and stir well. cook three minutes. pour into a mould which has been dipped in cold water. chapter xcvii more of bettina's christmas shopping "bob," said bettina, as she served the plum pudding, "christmas is in the very air these days!" "did the christmas spirit inspire this plum pudding?" said he. "blessings on the head of santa claus! but why your outburst?" "because today i went shopping in earnest! i bought the very things that seem most christmassy: tissue paper, white and green, gold cord, a ball of red twine, santa claus and holly stickers, and the cards to tie to the packages. i love to wrap up christmas things!" "and are most of your gifts ready to be wrapped?" "no, not all, for some of them can't be made till the last minute. for instance, i thought and thought about uncle eric's gift! i want so much to please him, but he has everything that money can buy except perhaps a cook that suits him. finally i decided to send him a box containing a jar of spiced peaches, a jar of russian dressing, a little round fruit cake, and a box of fudge. the things will all be wrapped with tissue paper, and gold cord and holly----" "lucky uncle eric!" sighed bob. "i wish santa claus would bring me a christmas box like that--fruit cake and spiced peaches and russian dressing----" "maybe he will if you're very good!" laughed bettina. "if you eat everything your cook sets before you." "tell me something hard to do!" said bob, with enthusiasm. for dinner that night they had: escalloped eggs and cheese baked potatoes currant jelly rolls plum pudding with yellow sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =escalloped eggs with cheese= (three portions) hard-cooked eggs t-butter t-flour c-milk c-soft bread crumbs c-cheese, cut fine t-salt t-parsley melt the butter, add the flour and mix well. gradually add the milk. cook one minute, add the cheese and the eggs cut in slices. add the parsley and the salt. place one-half the crumbs in the bottom of a well-buttered baking dish, add the egg mixture and cover with the remaining crumbs. dot with butter, and brown in a moderate oven. =bettina's plum pudding= (four portions) c-fresh bread crumbs / c-suet, chopped fine / t-soda / t-ground cloves / t-ground cinnamon / t-salt t-baking powder / c-molasses egg / c-milk t-raisins t-nuts mix the bread crumbs, suet, soda, cloves, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. add the raisins cut fine, and the nuts. break the egg into the molasses, beat well, and add the milk. mix with the first ingredients. stir and mix thoroughly. fill a well-buttered pudding mould one-half full. steam one and a half hours, and serve with yellow sauce. =yellow sauce= (four portions) egg / c-powdered sugar t-milk / t-vanilla beat the egg white until stiff and dry. add the yolk and beat one minute. add the powdered sugar and continue beating. add the milk gradually and the vanilla. continue beating for one minute. serve at once over a hot pudding. chapter xcviii christmas gifts "speaking of christmas gifts," said charlotte, "wouldn't anyone be delighted to receive a little jar of your russian dressing, bettina?" "i'm sure i'd like it!" said frank dixon. "much better than a pink necktie or a white gift book called 'thoughts at christmas-tide!'" "mary owen makes candied orange peel for all of her friends," said bettina, "and i think that is so nice, for hers is delicious! she saves candy boxes through the year, and all of her close friends receive the same gift with mary's card. we all know what to expect from her, and we are all delighted, too. and you see she doesn't have to worry over different gifts for each one. i do think christmas is growing more sensible, don't you?" "my sister in south carolina sends out her christmas gifts a few weeks early," said frank. "she sends boxes of mistletoe to everyone. they seem to be welcome, too. by the way, bob, did you and bettina decide on your christmas cards?" "yes," said bob, "and they are partly ready. but we are waiting to get a little picture of the bungalow with snow on the roof--a winter picture seems most appropriate--and the snow isn't forthcoming! the weather man seems to be all upset this year." "charlotte has been making some small calendars to send out," said frank. "she has used her kodak pictures, and i'm afraid they're mostly of me! i don't know what some of my friends will say when they see me with an apron around my neck, seeding cherries!" "they'll be surprised, anyhow," said charlotte. "i rather like that picture myself!" for dinner that night bettina served: escalloped oysters baked potatoes head lettuce russian dressing baking powder biscuits apple jelly prune whip cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =escalloped oysters= (four portions) c-oysters c-cracker crumbs t-melted butter t-salt / t-pepper - / c-milk look over the oysters carefully and remove any particles of shell. to the melted butter add salt, pepper and cracker crumbs. place a layer of crumbs in the bottom of a well buttered baking dish, and add the oysters and more crumbs until the dish is filled. pour the milk over the oysters and crackers. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. =russian dressing= (four portions) c-salad dressing t-chopped pimento t-chopped green pepper t-vinegar / t-paprika / t-salt / c-olive oil / c-chili sauce to the cup of salad dressing, add the oil, chili sauce, seasonings, vinegar and finely chopped vegetables. beat two minutes. pour over head lettuce. =prune whip= (four portions) / lb. prunes egg-whites t-lemon juice / c-sugar look over and wash the prunes. soak for three hours in cold water. cook until soft. rub through a strainer, and add the sugar and lemon juice. cook this mixture for five minutes. beat the egg whites until very stiff, and add the prunes when cold. pile lightly into a buttered baking dish and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. serve with cream. chapter xcix a christmas shower "dear bettina," wrote polly, "somehow i never do like to write letters--certainly not at this busiest time of the year!--but i simply must tell you about a luncheon that elizabeth carter and i gave the other day for one of our holiday brides. (angeline carey; do you remember her? a dear girl--rather quiet, but with plenty of good common sense.) "we had a large christmas table (aren't they simple and effective?), with a christmas tree in the center, strung with tiny electric lights, and hung with tinsel and ornaments. strings of red christmas bells stretched from the chandelier above the table to the four corners. the favors at each place were several kinds,--santas, little christmas trees, snow men and sleds, all of them concealing at their bases the boxes holding the salted nuts. the place-cards were simply christmas cards. "before the guest of honor stood a small santa, larger, however, than any of the other santas, and in his hands were the ends of twenty or more narrow green ribbons, each leading to a separate shower-package at the base of the tree. these packages (it was a miscellaneous shower) made an interesting-looking heap, but we didn't ask angeline to open them until we had reached the salad course. then she drew each one toward her by the end of a ribbon, opened it, and read the verse on the gift. you have no idea how clever some of the gifts and verses were! margaret mclaughlin--do you remember her?--had dressed a dishmop in two tea towels, making the funniest old woman! this she introduced as bridget, angeline's cook-to-be! one of the girls who sketches cleverly had illustrated her card with pictures of angeline in her kitchen. "but i am forgetting our table decorations! we had furnished four rooms for angeline, doll size, and the furniture of each was grouped along the table. besides the living room, bedroom, dining room and kitchen, we presented angeline and dean with an auto (in miniature, of course), a cow, a horse, several ducks and chickens, a ferocious dog and a sleepy cat. weren't we good to them? and lo and behold! beside the auto stood dean himself, disguised as a little china kewpie man; while angeline, always a lady, stood gracefully in the living room and refused to help him with his menial tasks, or to assist nora, who was hanging out the clothes in the back yard. angeline was a kewpie, dressed in style. "we had the greatest fun finding and arranging these decorations! and now i must tell you about the luncheon itself. i'm even enclosing our recipes, for i know you'll be interested. . . ." "hello, there, bettina!" called bob at this moment, coming in with a rush, "is dinner ready? what do you suppose i've done? i've absolutely forgotten to send a christmas gift to aunt elizabeth, and i know she'll feel hurt. will you go with me after dinner to get it?" polly's luncheon menu was as follows: a christmas shower grapefruit with maraschino cherries chicken croquettes candied sweet potatoes creamed peas light rolls butter cranberry jelly vegetable salad salad dressing santa claus sandwiches chocolate ice cream a la tannenbaum christmas white cake salted nuts coffee candy canes "i wish, bettina," polly's letter continued, "that you might have seen the cunning sandwiches that we served with the salad. they were cut with a star-shaped cooky cutter, and on each one was perched a tiny santa claus. the sandwiches were arranged on a tray decorated with christmas tree branches. "and now comes the dessert. the chocolate ice cream was served in small flower pots lined with waxed paper, and in each flower pot grew a miniature christmas tree. around the base of the tree, whipped cream was heaped to represent snow. they were really very cunning. "served with the ice cream was a large round white cake decorated very elaborately with icing bells and holly. on the top was placed a real candy bell, large and red. this cake was carried in to angeline to cut. around the base, inside the cake, were twenty tiny favors wrapped in waxed paper. they were of all sorts: pipes, canoes, flat irons, animals, birds, many things, but all very tiny. narrow white bows tied on each favor indicated its position in the cake so that the pieces could be cut to give each guest a favor. angeline cut her piece first and drew her favor by pulling the little white ribbon. it was really great fun drawing and unwrapping the favors, and the girls tried to interpret the meaning of each. mary katherine, angeline's younger sister, drew the ring, and delightedly proclaimed that she would be the next bride. at this the girls looked a little doubtful, for at the table were no less than six engaged girls besides angeline. mary katherine may fool them--who knows?--but i hope not, for she is far too young and silly to 'settle down' for many years. "with the coffee we served striped candy canes. "well, betty, i believe i've told you everything about our christmas luncheon. do write me soon again, for i love to get your letters. stir bob up to write occasionally; he has forgotten his sister--now that he has a wife. "yours always, "polly." bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =chicken croquettes= (twenty-five croquettes) a -lb. chicken, cooked and cut fine lb. lean veal, cooked and cut fine t-chopped green pepper / t-paprika t-salt c-chicken fat / c-flour t-salt c-milk eggs t-water c-cracker crumbs melt the chicken fat. add the flour and salt and mix well. gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. when the mixture gets thick and creamy, allow it to cook, with an asbestos mat under the pan, for five minutes. this cooks the flour thoroughly. beat one minute to make it creamy. add the chicken, veal, green pepper, paprika and salt. allow the mixture to cool. take one tablespoon of the cooled mixture, and dip in the beaten egg to which the water has been added. dip in the crumbs and shape any desired shape, preferably conical. allow the croquettes to stand at least one hour before frying. fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. keep hot in the oven until serving. =vegetable salad= (twenty portions) tomatoes t-salt t-paprika c-cottage cheese c-pimentoes, cut in strips / c-green pepper, cut in strips pieces of lettuce c-salad dressing / c-oil from the canned pimento / c-whipped cream arrange the lettuce leaves (washed) on salad plates. place one slice of tomato, two slices of pimento and two slices of green pepper on each. sprinkle the vegetables with pepper and salt. add two teaspoons of cottage cheese. place one teaspoon of salad dressing on each portion. to prepare the salad dressing, mix boiled dressing and pimento oil together and then add the whipped cream. mix well, and pile attractively on the salad. chapter c bettina gives a dinner "the christmas feeling is everywhere now!" said bettina, as she arranged a small artificial fir tree in the center of the table. "it may be a little early, but i can't keep from using christmas decorations to-night. tannenbaum, o tannenbaum, you look wonderfully festive with snow at your foot and your branches strung with tinsel and ornaments! all that you lack is candles, but i shall use my red shaded candles on the table instead. let me see, everything is ready, even to the biscuits which are in the ice box waiting to be popped in the oven when the guests arrive. the salad is mixed and waiting, and that washington pie does look delicious! i'm glad i made it, for bob is so fond of it. wonder why bob doesn't come! i want him to see the table and the tree before the others get here! and build up the fire in the fireplace. it's snowing hard outside, and i want it to be warm and cozy inside. there's someone! well, off goes my apron!" the "someone" proved to be bob, who came in, very pink as to his face, and very white as to his snow-covered shoulders. "it's growing colder every minute!" said bob. "well, a christmas table! i like that! makes a fellow feel festive!" "i couldn't resist the spirit of christmas," said bettina. "i couldn't, either," said bob, taking a half-dozen gorgeous yellow chrysanthemums from their wrappings. "so i bought you an early christmas gift. like 'em?" for dinner, bettina served: pork tenderloins candied sweet potatoes creamed cauliflower baking powder biscuits butter currant jelly orange and cherry salad wafers washington pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =orange and cherry salad= (two portions) oranges / c-white cherries / c-diced celery / t-salt / c-salad dressing remove the white membrane from the pulp of two oranges, and cut each section into half, crosswise. add the seeded cherries, celery and salt. mix thoroughly. add the salad dressing, and serve very cold on lettuce leaves. =washington pie= (six portions) - / c-sugar eggs / c-water / t-lemon extract c-flour t-baking powder beat the egg-yolks five minutes, add the sugar and beat three minutes. add the water, lemon extract, flour and baking powder. mix thoroughly. fold in the beaten egg whites very carefully. bake twenty-five minutes in two round shallow pans in a moderate oven. when cool, put the following filling between the layers. sprinkle the top with powdered sugar. =cream filling for washington pie= / c-sugar / c-flour / t-salt - / c-milk egg-yolk / t-vanilla / t-lemon extract mix thoroughly the sugar, salt and flour. gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. pour into the top of a double boiler, and cook until very thick. add the egg-yolk, vanilla and lemon extract, and cook two minutes. beat until creamy and cool. spread on the cake. serve washington pie with whipped cream if desired. chapter ci bob's christmas gift to bettina bob had walked home from the office through the falling snow--and it was no short distance--with thought for neither snow nor distance. he was distinctly worried,--christmas only two weeks off, the first christmas since he and bettina had been married, and as yet he had no idea what sort of a christmas gift he ought to purchase for his wife. what did she need? unfortunately he had heard her say only a few days ago that she didn't need a thing. what did she secretly long for? a glass baking dish! shucks, what an unromantic present! surely bettina had been teasing him when she mentioned such a prosy gift as that! well, if he didn't have some inspiration by the day before christmas there would be nothing to do but get her violets, or candy, or perhaps some silly book that she didn't want. "hello, bob!" said a voice almost at his feet. "say mister bob, billy," another voice corrected severely. "hello, jacky! good evening, marjorie! coasting good?" "oh, pretty good. you don't know what we've got at our house!" "four angora kittens!" interrupted marjorie eagerly, before bob had a chance to guess. "four whole kittens. can't see a thing, though, but they'll learn after a while! we're going to sell three of 'em, and keep one, and----" "see here, marjorie!" exclaimed bob. "i'd like to buy one myself, for a christmas present to some one! how about it? you ask your mother to save one for me--i'll stop in tomorrow morning and talk to her about it. could you take care of it for me till christmas morning?" and bob strode on with a happy grin on his face. wouldn't bettina laugh at the idea of an angora kitten! for dinner that night bettina served: beef steak baked potatoes cauliflower in cream cranberry jelly moulds bread butter burnt sugar cake confectioner's icing coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =cranberry jelly= (three portions) c-cranberries / c-water / c-sugar look over the cranberries, removing any stems and soft berries. add the water and cook until the skins have burst and all the berries are soft. press through a strainer, removing all the pulp. add the sugar to the pulp, and cook until the mixture is thick, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. when the jelly stands up on a plate it is done. pour into moulds (preferably of china or glass) which have been wet with cold water. =burnt sugar cake= (sixteen pieces) / c-butter - / c-sugar eggs / t-salt - / c-flour t-baking powder c-boiling water t-vanilla caramelize two-thirds of a cup of sugar. when the sugar is melted and reaches the light brown or the "caramel" stage, add the water. cook until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved in the water. allow it to cool. cream the butter, add the rest of the uncooked sugar, and then add the egg-yolks. mix well. add the salt, flour, baking-powder, vanilla and the cooled liquid. beat two minutes and add the egg-whites stiffly beaten. pour into two pans prepared with buttered paper. bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. ice with confectioner's icing. =confectioner's icing= (sixteen portions) t-cream or milk / t-vanilla t-carmelized syrup or maple syrup - / c-powdered sugar mix the cream, vanilla and syrup. add the sugar (sifted) until the right consistency to spread. spread carefully between the layers and on the top. set aside to cool, and to allow the icing to "set." (more sugar may be needed in making the icing.) chapter cii a christmas breakfast of course a tiny christmas tree was the centerpiece on bettina's breakfast table, set for a nine o'clock family breakfast. all of the christmas gifts except those that were too large were grouped around the base of the tree. bettina refused to allow even bob to have a peep at the gifts until the guests, father, mother, uncle john and aunt lucy, had arrived. "now, don't you give us too much to eat, bettina," laughed father. "i know your mother has been making some mighty elaborate preparations for dinner at home, and you must leave us with an appetite." "well, you won't have any appetite left if you eat all you want of these waffles of mine!" exclaimed bob, coming in from the kitchen with a spoon in his hand and an apron tied around his neck. "go back to the kitchen, cook!" said uncle john. "we don't want to see you, but we're willing to taste your waffles. bring 'em on!" "first," said bettina, "we'll eat our grapefruit. then we'll open our packages, and then, bob, you can help me serve the rest of our christmas breakfast." "come on!" said uncle john. "then i'll be santa claus and deliver the presents!" for breakfast bettina served: grapefruit with maraschino cherries oatmeal and dates whipped cream ham cooked with milk creamed potatoes muffins orange marmalade waffles maple syrup coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =oatmeal with dates= (six portions) c-oatmeal - / c-water t-salt / c-dates, cut fine mix the oatmeal, salt and water, and cook directly over the fire for three minutes. add the dates, put in the fireless, and cook all night. serve with unsweetened whipped cream. =ham cooked in milk= (four portions) lb. ham (a slice two-thirds of an inch thick) c-milk pour boiling water over the ham, and allow it to stand ten minutes. remove the ham, and place in the frying-pan. add the milk, and allow to cook slowly for twenty-five minutes. remove from the milk and garnish with parsley. =muffins= (twelve muffins) c-flour t-baking powder / c-sugar / t-salt egg c-milk t-melted butter mix the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. add the egg, beaten, and milk, and beat two minutes. add the melted butter. fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. =waffles= (six portions) - / c-flour t-sugar t-salt t-baking powder well-beaten eggs / c-milk t-melted butter mix and sift the flour, sugar, salt and baking-powder. add the eggs and milk. beat two minutes. add the butter. bake in well-greased waffle irons. chapter ciii a supper for two "well, this is something like it!" said bob, as he sat down to dinner one evening several days after christmas. "a good plain meal again. i'm so tired of christmas trees and christmas flowers and christmas food that i don't believe i'll care to see any more of them till--well, next year." "everything is put away now," said bettina. "all the presents are in their permanent places. except fluff," she added, glancing at the persian kitten cuddled in an arm chair. "i couldn't put fluff away, and don't care to. isn't he a darling? just the very touch that the living room needed to make it absolutely homelike!" "well," said bob, "we did need a cat, but i think we need a dog, too. about next spring i'll get one, if i can find one to suit me." "oh, bob, won't a dog be a nuisance? and destructive? and do you suppose fluff could endure one?" "fluff can learn to endure one," bob said. "every home ought to have a dog in it. oh, we'll get a good dog some day, bettina, if i keep my eyes open." "have another muffin," said bettina. "they'll do to change the subject. some day i may long for a dog, too, but just now--well, fluff seems to be a pet enough for one house." for supper that night they had: bettina's scrambled eggs creamed potatoes corn gems plum butter hickory nut cake confectioner's icing coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's scrambled eggs= (two portions) eggs t-onions, cut fine / t-celery salt t-chopped pimento t-green pepper, chopped t-ham, cooked and cut fine t-milk / t-butter / t-salt / t-paprika melt the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the onions, pimento and green pepper. let cook slowly one minute. beat the egg, add the milk, celery salt, salt, paprika and chopped ham. add the mixture to that in the frying-pan. cook, stirring until it is thick and creamy. (about two minutes.) serve immediately on a hot platter. =corn gems= (six gems) / c-corn meal t-sugar / c-white flour t-baking powder / t-salt egg / c-milk t-melted butter mix the cornmeal, sugar, flour, baking-powder, salt, egg and milk. beat two minutes. pour into well-buttered muffin pans, filling each half full. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. _january._ simpler meals and wiser buying,---- more of planning,--less of hurry,---- more of smiling,--less of sighing,---- more of fun, and less of worry, in this new year's resolution, trouble finds a swift solution. [illustration] chapter civ alice comes to luncheon [illustration] "i do love to cook!" exclaimed alice enthusiastically. "and we have had such delicious meals since we began to keep house, if i do say it! but oh, the bills, the bills! bettina, isn't it terrible? but you can't get any meal at all without paying for it, can you? i really do dread having harry get the first month's grocery bill, though." "you ought not to have to say that, alice," said bettina, laughing nevertheless. "why don't you have an allowance, and pay the grocery bill yourself?" "because i know i could never manage to pay it," said alice, making a little face. "i do love to have perfect little meals and cooking is such fun, but you just can't have things right without having them expensive; i've found that out. last night we had a simple enough dinner--a very good steak with french fried potatoes and creamed asparagus on toast. then a fruit salad with mayonnaise and steamed suet pudding and coffee. harry said everything was perfect, but----" "i'm sure it was, alice. you are so clever at everything you do. but wasn't that expensive for just a home dinner for two? steak and creamed asparagus! and mayonnaise is so expensive! then think of the gas you use, too!" "i didn't think of the gas," said alice ruefully. "i thought of harry's likes, and of variety, and of a meal that balanced well. but not much about economy. i'll have to consult you, bettina. i'll tell you: couldn't i plan my menus ahead for a week, and bring them over to you to criticise? that would be fun, and i'm sure you could teach me a great deal." "i'd love to have you, alice," smiled bettina. for luncheon bettina served: chicken loaf creamed potatoes baking powder biscuits cranberry jelly caramel custard whipped cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =chicken loaf= (two portions) / c-cooked chicken / c-ground, cooked veal / c-soft bread crumbs / t-salt / t-celery salt t-chopped parsley egg / c-milk mix the chicken, veal and bread crumbs. add the salt, celery salt, parsley, egg and milk. mix thoroughly. bake in a well-buttered pan thirty minutes in a moderate oven. =caramel custard= (two portions) c-milk egg t-sugar / t-salt / t-vanilla melt the sugar to a light brown syrup in a sauce pan over a hot fire, add the milk and cook until free from lumps. beat the egg, sugar, salt and vanilla, and pour the liquid slowly into the egg mixture. pour into buttered moulds. set the moulds in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is firm (about forty minutes). do not let the water in the pan reach the boiling point during the process of baking. chapter cv ruth stays to dinner "see, ruth, it's snowing harder--a perfect blizzard. that means that you'll have to stay to dinner." "i'm only too glad to find an excuse, bettina, but you must remember that i'll have to get back some time, and i suppose that now is best." "well, bob will take you after dinner. see, i've put on a place for you." "that's fine, bettina, and i suppose i may as well stay. i've been anxious to ask you what you were putting in the oven just as i came in." "a dish of tomatoes, cheese and rice baked together; bob is fond of it. you know i almost always plan to have two or more oven dishes if i am using the oven at all, and tonight i was making baked veal steak." "i learned something new yesterday, bettina, that i have been anxious to tell you. mother was preparing cabbage for cold slaw (she always chops it, you know), and it suddenly occurred to her that she might easily use the large meat grinder. so she did, and the slaw was delicious. i would have supposed that the juice would be pressed out in the grinding, but it wasn't." "i must remember that. i suppose that other people may have thought of it, but i never have, and i'm glad to know that it works so well." "i believe i hear bob, bettina. he must be cold, for it is snowing and blowing harder every minute." "well, i'm glad i started the fire in the fireplace. there's nothing like an open fire." for dinner that night bettina served: baked veal steak baked tomato, cheese and rice bread butter tapioca and date pudding cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =baked veal steak= (three portions) slice of veal steak (three-fourths of a pound, one-half inch thick) t-flour t-salt / t-paprika t-bacon fat t-water wipe the veal and cut off any rind. mix the flour, salt and paprika. roll the steak thoroughly in this mixture. place the bacon fat in the frying-pan and when hot add the meat and brown thoroughly on both sides. place the drippings and the meat in a small baking pan. add the water, cover, and place in the oven. cook one hour. more water may be added if necessary. =baked tomato, cheese and rice= (three portions) c-cooked rice / c-tomatoes t-cheese, cut fine t-pimento t-salt / t-paprika t-flour / c-milk t-melted butter / c-cracker or bread crumbs mix the rice and flour, and add the tomatoes, cheese, salt and paprika. add the milk. pour into a well-buttered baking dish. melt the butter and add the crumbs. spread the buttered crumbs on the rice mixture. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. =tapioca and date pudding= (three portions) t-tapioca / t-salt t-cold water c-boiling water t-sugar dates, cut fine t-lemon juice egg-yolk egg-white t-vanilla soak the tapioca in cold water for ten minutes. add the salt and boiling water and cook in a double boiler until transparent. (about twenty minutes.) add the sugar and the dates cut fine, the lemon juice, egg-yolk and vanilla. remove from the fire and add the stiffly beaten egg-white. pile the mixture lightly in glass dishes and serve cold. chapter cvi how bettina made candy "i ran over this morning," said alice to bettina, "to get your candy recipes. that was such delicious christmas candy that you gave harry! wasn't it a great deal of work to make so much at a time? perhaps i can't manage it, but i'd like to make a box of it for harry's brother; it will be his birthday in a few days." "it is very easy to make candy for christmas boxes," said bettina. "that is, it is no harder to make a large quantity than to fill one box. bob helped me one evening, and we made four kinds at once. i had already stuffed some dates and made some candied orange peel, so you see when the candy was made, it was fun to fill the boxes with a variety of things. i always save boxes throughout the year for christmas candy, and then i fill them all at once. of course, until this year i didn't have bob to help me; he enjoys it, you know, and two people can make it so much more quickly than one." "next year," said alice, "i think i shall make christmas candy--a quantity of it, so that i can put a box of it in every family box that i send. meanwhile, i'll practise and experiment, and perhaps i can improve on the good old recipes, or think of clever ways of arranging and wrapping. now will you let me write down some of your best recipes? i'll try them for harry's brother." the candies that bettina made were: chocolate fudge white fudge peanut brittle peanut fondant bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =chocolate fudge= (one pound) c-sugar c-sugar, "c" / t-cream of tartar t-butter squares or two ounces of chocolate c-milk t-vanilla mix the ingredients in order named, and cook until a soft ball is formed when a little of the candy is dropped in a glass of cold water. remove from the fire and allow to cool. do not stir while cooling. when cool, beat until creamy, add vanilla and pour into a well-buttered pan. make white fudge and pour on top. when cool cut into squares. =white fudge= (one pound) c-sugar / c-milk / t-cream of tartar t-butter t-vanilla mix and cook the same as chocolate fudge. =bettina's peanut fondant= (one and one-half pound) c-"c" sugar / c-milk / t-cream of tartar t-butter / c-roasted, shelled peanuts / t-vanilla cook the "c" sugar, milk, cream of tartar and butter until a soft ball is formed in cold water. remove from the fire and allow it to cool. beat until thick and creamy and add the nuts and vanilla. shape into a loaf two inches thick and two inches wide. when cool and hard enough to cut, slice into one-fourth inch slices. wrap in waxed paper and pack in boxes. chapter cvii ruth's plans "and so, bettina," said ruth, sitting down on the high stool in bettina's neat little kitchen, "fred says we will begin the house early in the spring--as early as possible--and be married in may or june." "what perfectly splendid news!" said bettina. "i'm just as glad as i can be!" "we've waited so long," said ruth, wistfully. "of course, if it hadn't been for the war--it did interfere so with business, you know--we would have been married last spring." "i know," said bettina, sympathetically, "but you'll be all the happier because you have waited." "i'll want you to help me a great deal with my plans," said ruth. "i've had time to do lots of sewing, of course, but i haven't thought anything about the wedding except that it will be a quiet one. and i want to ask you so much about house furnishings--curtains, and all that." "i'd love to help!" cried bettina with enthusiasm. "there isn't anything that is such fun. oh, ruth!" "gracious me! what?" cried ruth, for bettina had jumped up suddenly. "poor ruth," laughed bettina, "i didn't mean to frighten you. i forgot my cake, that was all, and i was afraid it had burned. but it hasn't. a minute longer though--you know a chocolate cake does burn so easily. but it's all right. however, you must admit that i did pretty well not to burn it while i was listening to wedding plans!" that night bettina served for dinner: swiss steak mashed sweet potatoes creamed cauliflower bread butter chocolate nougat cake coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =swiss steak= (three portions) lb. of round steak two-thirds of an inch thick t-flour bay leaf / t-salt / t-pepper / c-water t-onion cloves t-bacon fat wipe the steak with a damp cloth, trim the edges to remove any gristle, and pound the flour into the meat, using a side of a heavy plate for the pounding. this breaks up the tendons of the meat. place the bacon fat in a frying-pan and when hot, add the meat. brown thoroughly on each side. lower the flame. add the bay leaf, salt, pepper, onion and water. cover with a lid and allow to cook slowly for one and a half hours. more water may be needed if the gravy boils down. pour the gravy over the meat when serving. this recipe is good for the fireless. =mashed sweet potatoes= (two portions) good-sized sweet potatoes c-water / t-salt t-butter t-milk / t-paprika wash the potatoes and remove any bad places. add the water, and cook gently until tender. drain, and peel while still hot, by holding the potatoes on the end of a fork. mash with a spoon or a potato masher, adding the salt, butter, milk and paprika. beat one minute. pile lightly in a buttered baking dish, and place in a moderate oven about twenty minutes until a light brown. =chocolate nougat cake= t-butter / c-sugar squares of chocolate t-sugar t-water egg / c-milk - / c-flour t-baking powder / t-soda / t-vanilla cook the two tablespoons of sugar, water and chocolate together for one minute, stirring constantly. cream the butter, add the sugar, the whole egg and the flour, baking powder and soda sifted together. add the vanilla. beat two minutes. pour into two square layer-cake pans prepared with waxed paper. bake twenty-two minutes in a moderate oven. chocolate cakes burn easily and they should be carefully watched while baking. ice with white mountain cream icing. chapter cviii a luncheon for three "oh, bettina, what a perfectly charming table!" exclaimed alice, while her guest from new york, in whose honor bettina was giving the little luncheon, declared that she had never seen a prettier sight. "but it's your very own christmas gift to me that makes it so," declared bettina, with flushed cheeks. for alice's deft fingers had fashioned the rose nut cups (now holding candied orange peel), and the rose buds in the sunset shades in the center of the table. "they are almost more real than real ones! i can scarcely believe that they are made of crêpe paper." the square luncheon cloth on the round table was of linen, decorated with a cross-stitch design in the same sunset shades, so that the table was all in pink and white. a french basket enameled in ivory color held the rose buds, and another christmas gift to bettina was the flat ivory basket filled with light rolls. the luncheon napkins matched the luncheon cloth, as the guests noted, and "the menu matches everything else!" exclaimed alice. "i'm glad you like it," said bettina. "i have eaten chicken a la king often at hotels and restaurants, but until recently it never occurred to me to make it myself. and it isn't difficult to make either." "you must give me the recipe," said alice. for luncheon bettina served: chicken a la king toast light rolls butter bettina salad salad dressing cheese wafers strawberry sherbet hickory nut cake coffee candied orange peel bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =chicken a la king= (three portions) / c-cold, cooked chicken, diced t-butter t-green pepper, cut fine t-pimento, cut fine / t-celery salt t-flour - / c-milk / t-salt egg-yolk, beaten slices of toast melt the butter, add the green pepper, cook slowly for two minutes, and then add the flour. mix well and add the milk slowly. cook until creamy. add the celery salt and the salt. when very hot, add the beaten egg-yolk. mix well, and add the chicken and pimento. reheat. serve very hot on hot toast. (do not cook the sauce any longer than absolutely necessary after the egg-yolk is added.) =bettina salad= (three portions) slices of pineapple halves of pears marshmallows maraschino cherries halves of nut meats t-salad dressing t-whipped cream pieces of lettuce wash the lettuce and arrange on salad plates. lay a slice of pineapple on the lettuce and half a pear, the hollow side up, on the pineapple. fill the cavity of the pear with salad dressing, and place one tablespoon of whipped cream on top of the salad dressing. arrange two nut-halves, two marshmallows and one cherry attractively on each portion. serve very cold. =hickory nut cake= / c-butter - / c-sugar eggs / c-chopped hickory nut meats t-baking powder c-flour / c-milk / t-vanilla / t-lemon extract cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. add the egg-yolks, the nut meats, and the flour and baking powder sifted together. then add the milk, vanilla and lemon extract. beat vigorously for two minutes. add the whites stiffly beaten. mix thoroughly and pour into two layer-cake pans prepared with buttered paper. bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. ice with confectioner's icing. =bettina's confectioner's icing= t-cream / t-vanilla extract / t-lemon extract c-powdered sugar mix the cream and extracts. gradually add the powdered sugar sifted through a strainer. add enough sugar to form a creamy icing which will easily spread upon the cake. (more than a cup of sugar may be needed.) chapter cix the dixons come to dinner "shall i open this jar of grapefruit marmalade?" asked charlotte, who was helping bettina to prepare dinner. "yes, charlotte, if you will." "how nice it is, bettina! how long do you cook it before you add the sugar?" "well, that depends altogether on the fruit. sometimes the rind is so much tougher than at other times. you cook it until it's very tender, then add the sugar and cook until it jells." "there's another thing i'd like to ask you, bettina. how on earth do you cut the fruit in thin slices? isn't it very difficult to do?" "not with a sharp knife. i place the fruit on a hardwood board, and then if my knife is as sharp as it ought to be, it isn't at all difficult to cut it thin." "well, perhaps i haven't had a sharp enough knife. oh, bettina, what delicious looking cake! is it fruit cake?" "it's called date loaf cake. it has nuts in it, too, but no butter. i always bake it in a loaf cake pan prepared with waxed paper. bob is very fond of it. i think it's very good served with afternoon tea." "i should think it might be." "tonight, though, i am serving just sliced oranges with it." "that will be a delicious dessert, i think. listen! is that bob and frank coming in?" for dinner that night they had: roast beef browned potatoes gravy bettina's jelly pickle bread grapefruit marmalade date loaf cake sliced oranges coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's jelly pickle= (four portions) t-granulated gelatin t-cold water / c-vinegar from a jar of sweet pickles t-sweet pickles, chopped fine t-olives, chopped fine t-spiced peach, chopped fine t-pickled melon rind soak the gelatin in cold water for ten minutes. heat the vinegar and when very hot pour into the gelatin mixture. stir until dissolved. when partially congealed so that the fruit will not stay on the top, add the pickles, olives, peaches and rind. pour into a well-moistened layer mould or four small ones. set in a cold place one hour. unmould. =grapefruit marmalade= (one and one-half pints) grapefruit lemons orange lb. sugar for each lb. of fruit c-cold water for each lb. of fruit wash the grapefruit, lemons and orange carefully. cut each in quarters. slice the quarters through the rind and pulp, making thin slices. weigh the fruit, and for each pound allow six cups of cold water. allow to stand with the water on the fruit for twenty-four hours. let all boil gently until the rind is very tender. no particular test can be given for this, as some fruit is much tougher than others. set aside for four hours. drain off the liquid. weigh the fruit mixture, and for each pound allow a pound of sugar. let cook slowly until the mixture thickens or "jellies" when tried on a dish. be careful not to get the mixture too thick, as it will thicken somewhat more upon cooling. =date loaf cake= (twelve pieces) c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt c-sugar eggs t-vanilla c-dates, cut fine / c-nut meats, cut fine mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar thoroughly. add the dates, nut meats and vanilla. mix thoroughly, add the egg-yolks and mix well. beat the egg-whites until very stiff. cut and fold these into the mixture. pour into a loaf cake pan prepared with waxed paper. bake in a slow oven for fifty minutes. _february._ _cold and snowy february does seem slow and trying, very. still, a month made gay by cupid never could be wholly stupid._ [illustration] chapter cx a steamed pudding [illustration] "this was a splendid dinner, bettina," said ruth, as the two of them were carrying the dishes into the kitchen and fred and bob were deep in conversation in the living-room. "such a delicious dessert! suet pudding, wasn't it? i couldn't guess all that was in it." "just a steamed fig pudding, ruth. the simplest thing in the world!" "simple? but don't you have to use a steamer to make it in, and isn't that awfully complicated? i've always imagined so." "you don't need to use a steamer at all. i steamed this in my fireless cooker, in a large baking powder can. i filled the buttered can about two-thirds full, and set it in boiling water that came less than half way up the side of the can. of course, the cover of the can or the mould must be screwed on tight. and the utensil in which it is steamed must be covered. i used one of the utensils that fit in the fireless, of course, and i brought the water to a boil on the stove so that i was sure it was boiling vigorously when i set it in the cooker on the sizzling hot stone. you see it is very simple. in fact, i think steaming anything is very easy, for you don't have to keep watching it as you would if it were baking in the oven, and basting it, or changing the heat." "we haven't a cooker, you know. could i make a steamed pudding that same way on the stove?" "yes, indeed the very same way. just set the buttered can filled two-thirds full in a larger covered utensil holding boiling water. keep the water boiling all the time." "i shall certainly try it tomorrow, bettina!" for dinner that night bettina served: breaded veal creamed potatoes browned sauce spinach with hard cooked eggs bread butter spiced peaches fig pudding foamy sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =breaded veal= (four portions) lb. veal round steak, cut one-half an inch thick t-egg (either the white or the yolk) t-water / c-cracker crumbs, or dry bread crumbs t-lard / t-salt t-butter / t-paprika wipe the meat with a damp cloth, and cut into four pieces. mix the egg, water, salt and paprika, and dip each piece of meat into the egg mixture. roll in the crumbs and pat the crumbs into the meat. place the lard in the frying-pan, and when hot, add the meat. brown well on one side, and then turn, allowing the other side to become the same even color. lower the flame under the meat, and cook thirty minutes, keeping the pan covered. when the meat has cooked twenty-five minutes, add the butter to lend flavor to the lard. =browned gravy= (four portions) t-butter t-flour / t-salt / c-water / c-milk remove the breaded veal from the pan, and place on a hot platter. (keep in a warm place.) loosen all the small pieces of crackers and meat (if there are any) from the bottom of the pan. if there is no fat left, add butter. allow the fat to get hot, and add flour and salt. mix well with the heated fat, and allow to brown. stir constantly, and add the water. mix well, and add one-fourth cup of milk. allow to cook one minute, stirring constantly. if a thinner sauce is desired, add another one-fourth of a cup of milk. if a thicker sauce is desired, allow to cook for two minutes. =bettina's steamed fig pudding= (four portions) c-flour / t-soda / t-ginger / t-cinnamon / t-nutmeg / c-molasses / c-milk / c-suet, chopped fine / c-chopped figs / c-stoned raisins / t-lemon extract mix the flour, soda, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and suet. add the figs, raisins, molasses and milk. stir well. add the lemon extract. fill a well-buttered pudding mould two-thirds full. steam an hour and a half, with the water boiling. serve hot with foamy sauce. =foamy sauce= (four portions) egg / c-sugar / c-hot water t-lemon juice or t-lemon extract beat the egg vigorously. add the sugar and mix well. add the hot water and stir vigorously. add the lemon juice. serve, (this sauce may be reheated if desired.) chapter cxi on valentine's day "bob, the flowers are lovely!" said bettina, looking again at the brilliant tulips on the dinner table. "they make this a real valentine dinner, although there is nothing festive about it. i had intended to plan something special, but i went to a valentine luncheon at mary's, and stayed so late----" "a valentine luncheon? with red hearts everywhere, i suppose?" "yes, everything heart-shaped, and in red, too, as far as possible. mary had twelve guests at one large round table. of course, there were strings and strings of red hearts of various sizes decorating the table--not a very new idea, of course, but so effective. and everything tasted so good; cream of tomato soup, the best stuffed tenderloin with mushroom sauce (i must find out how that is made), and the best sweet potato croquettes!" "sweet potato croquettes? that's a new one on me!" "i'll have to try them some time soon. and mary had peas in heart-shaped baking powder biscuits--the cunningest you ever saw!--heart-shaped date bread sandwiches with her salad, and heart-shaped ice cream with individual heart cakes." "that was valentine's day with a vengeance; wasn't it?" "yes, but it was lovely, bob!" that night bettina served: broiled steak baked potatoes macaroni with tomatoes and green peppers bread butter cornstarch fruit pudding cherry sauce coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =macaroni, tomatoes and green peppers= (three portions) / c-macaroni c-water t-salt c-canned tomatoes t-chopped green pepper / t-salt / t-celery salt / t-onion salt t-cheese, cut fine / c-meat stock or milk / c-crumbs t-butter boil the water, add the salt. add the macaroni cut in small pieces. boil until tender (about fifteen minutes) and drain. butter a baking dish. add a layer of macaroni, a layer of tomatoes and some green pepper. sprinkle with salt, celery and onion salt. add the cheese, and continue with the layers until the dish is full. if available, use meat stock, if not, milk. pour the liquid over the mixture. melt the butter, add the crumbs and place on the top of the food. place the dish in a moderate oven, and allow to bake twenty-five minutes, or until brown. =corn starch fruit pudding= (three portions) / c-water / c-cherry juice t-corn starch / t-salt t-sugar egg-yolk egg-white mix thoroughly the corn starch, sugar and salt. gradually add the cold water and then the juice. cook over hot water until the mixture becomes quite thick. add the egg-yolk. mix well, cool slightly and add the egg-white stiffly beaten. pour into a well-moistened custard mould. allow to stand for half an hour or more. serve with cherry sauce. =cherry sauce= (three portions) / c-cherry juice / c-water t-flour / t-lemon extract / t-salt t-sugar / c-cherries, cut fine mix the flour, salt and sugar. add slowly the cherry juice and water. cook two minutes. add the cherries and extract. serve hot over the cold pudding. chapter cxii ruth gives a dinner for four bettina and bob arrived at half-past six, as ruth had requested. "she wouldn't let me come earlier, bob," explained bettina as they rang the bell. "i wanted to help her, you know, but she said her father and mother were out of town and fred was to be the only guest besides ourselves, so she was sure that she could manage alone. there she is now!" but it was not ruth after all. "why, fred; hello!" said bob. "did you come early to assist the cook?" "i did," said fred, "but she informed me at once that she wanted no inexperienced 'help' around. so i've been sitting in the living-room alone for the last half hour. she did say that i might answer the bell, but as for doing anything else--well, she was positively rude!" and fred raised his voice so that its penetrating tones would reach the kitchen. "the worst of it all is that i've been hungry as well as lonesome. i might endure sitting alone in the living-room if i hadn't gone without lunch today in anticipation of this banquet. and now----" "shame on you, fred!" interrupted ruth, coming in with flushed cheeks above her dainty white apron. "did he receive you properly?" "i leave it to you, bettina, to say that i've received harsh treatment! here i went and purchased four good seats for the duchess theatre tonight." "you did, fred," cried ruth. "why, you dear boy! for that, i'll see that you are certainly fed well! dinner is ready, people! will you walk into the dining-room?" ruth's dinner consisted of: pigs in blankets candied sweet potatoes escalloped egg plant bread butter date pudding cream bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pigs in blankets= (four portions) c-oysters slices thin bacon / t-salt / t-paprika remove the rind from long, thin slices of bacon. place two or more oysters upon each slice of bacon. sprinkle the oysters with salt and pepper. roll up and tie with a white string. saute in a hot frying-pan until nicely browned. garnish with parsley. =candied sweet potatoes= (six portions) large sweet potatoes c-brown sugar / c-water t-salt t-butter wash the potatoes thoroughly. cook in boiling water until tender when pierced with a knitting needle. drain and peel when cool enough to handle. cut in slices lengthwise, three-fourths of an inch thick. make a syrup by boiling the sugar, butter and water five minutes. lay the potatoes in a pan, sprinkle with salt and pour the syrup over them. cook in a moderate oven until the potatoes are browned, basting frequently. =escalloped egg plant= (six portions) c-cubed egg-plant t-butter t-flour / t-salt / t-pepper - / c-milk remove the skin from the egg-plant, and cut into slices a quarter of an inch thick. sprinkle the slices with salt, pile one above the other, and place a weight on the top to extract the juice. allow to stand one hour. wash off, and cut into quarter of an inch cubes. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper. mix well, gradually add the milk and cook two minutes. add the egg-plant and pour the whole mixture into a buttered baking dish. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. =date pudding= (four portions) c-flour t-baking powder / c-"c" sugar dates, cut fine / t-salt egg / c-milk / t-vanilla t-melted butter mix the flour, baking powder, "c" sugar, dates and salt. add the egg, milk and vanilla. stir vigorously and beat one minute. add the melted butter. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven, and serve hot with cream. chapter cxiii alice practises economy "oh, bettina," said alice, delightedly, as she opened the door. "i'm so glad to see you! i've just been thinking about you! what do you suppose i'm doing?" "getting dinner? that is what i must be doing very soon. i stopped in for only a minute on my way home." "i am getting dinner, and i want to tell you that it is a very economical dinner. and it's going to be good, too. i thought and thought about your advice, and decided to practise it. so i searched through all my cook books for the recipes i wanted, and finally decided on this particular menu. but, bettina, now i can tell you the flaw in your system of economy!" "what is that? harry doesn't like it?" "goodness no! harry was delighted with the idea! my argument is this: it's going to take me an endless amount of time to plan economical meals that are also good, time that i ought to spend in polishing silver and making calls, and sewing on buttons, and----" "i don't believe it'll be as bad as you think, alice, dear," laughed bettina. "for instance, if this meal tonight is good and economical, and harry is pleased, don't forget the combination, but write it down in a note-book. you can repeat the menu in two or three weeks, and you have no idea how soon you will collect the best combinations, and ideas of economy! tell me what you are having tonight." that night alice served: baked eggs potatoes escalloped with bacon baking powder biscuits butter peach cup with peach sauce tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) the recipes alice used =baked eggs= (two portions) eggs / c-milk t-soft bread crumbs t-butter / t-salt / t-paprika butter two individual moulds, and break an egg into each. mix the salt and pepper in the milk, and pour half of the mixture over each egg. melt the butter, and add the crumbs. place the buttered crumbs on top of each egg. bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. serve in the moulds. =potatoes escalloped with bacon= (two portions) medium-sized potatoes slices of bacon / t-salt / t-paprika t-flour c-milk broil the bacon, cut each piece in three parts. butter a casserole and place in it a layer of peeled sliced potatoes. sprinkle part of the flour, salt and paprika over the potatoes, and add three pieces of bacon. continue in this manner until the dish is filled. pour the milk over the contents, and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. =peach cup= (two portions) halves of canned peaches, sweetened t-egg t-milk / c-flour - / t-baking powder / t-salt t-melted butter / t-vanilla t-sugar mash two peach halves, add the egg, milk, vanilla, melted butter, flour, baking powder and salt. mix thoroughly. place a tablespoon of the mixture in the bottom of a well-buttered baking cup. add a peach half, and cover with the batter. sprinkle one tablespoon of granulated sugar on the top and bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. turn from the cups and serve hot with peach sauce. =peach sauce= (two portions) / c-peach juice t-lemon juice t-flour / t-butter / t-salt mix one tablespoon of the peach juice with the flour. gradually add the rest of the peach and lemon juice. add the salt cook one minute. add the butter. serve hot. chapter cxiv a company dinner for bob "some dinner tonight," remarked bob, as he sat down at the table. "were you expecting company that didn't show up?" "no, indeed," laughed bettina. "i expected just you and nobody else. but maybe i did cook a little more than usual. you see i was over at alice's this afternoon inspecting her list of next week's menus. you know she is trying to economize, and she is really doing it, but in spite of economy, harry is having elaborate meals. i do hope he appreciates it. nearly all of her dinners are three-course affairs, most carefully planned to look like 'the real thing' as she calls an expensive dinner. i tell her that hers are the real thing, only almost too elaborate. you see, she is trying to disguise her economy so that harry won't miss the first meals she gave him. she makes me almost afraid that i'm not feeding you enough." "no danger of that," said bob, emphatically. "but what are all these economical things she is serving?" "wait, i wrote some of them down. listen. here is one: peanut croquettes olive sauce duchess potatoes creamed beets parker house rolls orange marmalade pea and cheese salad wafers apricot ice sponge cake "how's that? and here's another: creamed tuna stuffed potatoes mock egg plant whole wheat muffins grape jelly russian salad fairy gingerbread hard sauce "well," said bob, "they sound good, but not so good as the dinners you give me." that evening bettina served: escalloped salmon baked potatoes creamed cabbage egg rolls currant jelly chocolate kisses coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =escalloped salmon= (two portions) / c-flaked salmon t-butter t-flour / c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika hard-cooked egg t-lemon juice t-chopped sour pickle / t-minced parsley t-cracker crumbs t-butter melt the butter, add the flour and mix well. add the milk and cook one minute. add the salmon, salt, paprika, egg diced, lemon juice, pickle and parsley. mix thoroughly with a silver fork, being careful not to let the mixture get pasty. pour into a well-buttered baking dish, melt the butter and add the crumbs. place buttered crumbs on the top. bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =egg rolls= (two portions) - / c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-lard t-egg / c-milk =for the top= t-milk t-sugar mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt. cut in the fat with a knife. add the egg and milk, using the knife to make a soft dough. toss onto a floured board. roll out to a thickness of one-fourth an inch. cut out with a round cooky cutter, three inches in diameter. brush over with milk. fold over like pocket-book rolls. place in a tin pan and brush over the top with one tablespoon of milk to which has been added one teaspoon of sugar. bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. =chocolate kisses= (fourteen kisses) c-powdered sugar egg-whites c-fine bread crumbs ounces melted chocolate t-cinnamon t-vanilla t-baking powder beat the egg-whites very stiffly. add very carefully the powdered sugar. cut and fold in the bread crumbs and the baking powder. add the chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. drop the mixture from the tip of a spoon, two inches apart upon a well-greased pan. bake in a moderate oven twelve to fifteen minutes. chapter cxv supper after the theatre "now, bob, you start the fire in the fireplace while i go into the kitchen and get a little lunch." "mrs. bob," said donald, an old school-friend of bob's, "i don't want you to do any such thing! we don't need any lunch! stay in here and we'll all talk." "you'll talk all the better for something to eat," said bettina, "and so will bob. won't you, bob?" "well," said bob, with a grin, "i will admit that coming home in the cold has given me something of an appetite. then too, i'll tell you, donald, that bettina's after-theatre suppers aren't to be lightly refused! yes, on the whole, i think we'd better have the supper. we couldn't get you for dinner tonight, and you're leaving so early in the morning that you see you won't have had any real meal at our house at all!" meanwhile, bettina was busying herself with the little supper, for which she had made preparations that morning. when she had creamed the oysters and placed them in the ramekins, she popped them in the oven. next she put on the coffee in her percolator, and placed in the oven with the oysters the small loaf of bran bread that she had steamed that morning. "bob likes it better warm," she said to herself. then she arranged her tea-cart with plates, cups, silver, napkins and peach preserves, not forgetting the rice parfait from the refrigerator. when she wheeled the little supper into the living room, bob and donald welcomed her with delight. "i take it back; i am hungry after all!" said donald. bettina served: creamed oysters in ramekins steamed bran bread peach preserves rice parfait coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed oysters in ramekins= (three portions) doz. oysters t-butter t-flour / t-salt / t-paprika - / c-milk t-crumbs t-butter hard-cooked egg t-chopped parsley heat the oysters until they are plump. drain. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix well. add the milk slowly and cook until creamy. (about two minutes.) add the oysters, and place one-third of the mixture in each well-buttered ramekin. melt the butter (two teaspoons) and add the crumbs, stirring well. place the buttered crumbs on top of the mixture in each ramekin. brown in the oven for fifteen minutes. sprinkle with parsley, and garnish with hard-cooked egg cut in slices. =steamed bran bread= (one small loaf) c-bran / c-white flour / t-soda / t-salt t-baking powder t-raisins t-chopped nuts t-sugar t-molasses / c-milk t-water mix the bran, flour, soda, baking powder, salt, raisins and nuts. add the molasses, sugar, milk and water. stir well for two minutes. fill a well-buttered mould one-half full of the mixture. cover with the lid, well-buttered, and steam for two hours. the steaming may be done in the fireless cooker, if desired. =rice parfait= (three portions) c-cooked rice / c-hot milk c-cold water t-granulated gelatin t-chopped nut meats / c-brown sugar / t-salt / c-whipped cream soak the gelatin in cold water for five minutes. add the hot milk and allow it to dissolve thoroughly. add the sugar, salt, nut meats and rice, and mix well. when thoroughly cooled, add the whipped cream. pour into a well-buttered mould, and allow to stand in a cool place for two hours. serve cold. whipped cream may be served with the parfait if desired. chapter cxvi washington's birthday plans "good bran bread," said bob, reaching for another piece. "i like that recipe," said bettina, "and it is so easy to make." "what have you been doing all day?" bob asked, "cooking?" "no, indeed. charlotte was here this afternoon and we made plans for the tea we are going to give at her house on washington's birthday. oh, bob, we have some of the best ideas for it! our refreshments are to be served from the dining-room table, you know, and our central decoration is to be a three-cornered black hat filled with artificial red cherries. of course we'll have cherry ice, and serve cherries in the tea, russian style. the salad will be served in little black three-cornered hats; these filled with fruit salad, will be set on the table and each guest will help herself. the thin bread and butter sandwiches will be cut in hatchet shape. and--oh, yes, i forgot the cunningest idea of all! we'll serve tiny gilt hatchets stuck in tree-trunks of fondant rolled in cocoanut and toasted brown. isn't that a clever plan? charlotte saw it done once, and says it is very effective." "it sounds like some party! and i'll feel especially enthusiastic if you don't forget to plan for one guest who won't appear--or perhaps i should say two, for i know frank won't want to be forgotten." for dinner that night bob and bettina had: corned beef au gratin baked tomatoes apple sauce gluten bread butter cream pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =corned beef au gratin= (three portions) - / c-milk / slice of onion piece of celery t-flour t-butter egg t-salt / t-paprika c-chopped corned beef place the milk, onion and celery over the fire. allow to get very hot. remove from the fire and let stand for ten minutes. remove the celery and onion from the milk. melt the butter, add the flour. mix well and slowly add the milk. cook until the consistency of white sauce. add the egg, well beaten, the salt, paprika, and beef. pour into well-buttered individual dishes. place in a moderate oven and bake twenty-five minutes. remove from the oven and allow to stand two minutes. remove from the moulds and garnish with parsley. =baked tomatoes and cheese= (three portions) c-canned tomatoes / t-salt / t-paprika / c-fresh bread crumbs t-cheese, cut fine / c-cooked celery t-butter mix the tomatoes, salt, paprika, cheese and celery. add half the bread crumbs. pour into a well-buttered baking dish. melt the butter, add the remaining crumbs and place on top of the mixture. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. =gluten bread= (ten slices) c-gluten flour - / t-baking powder / t-salt / c-bran t-sugar / c-milk / c-water t-melted butter mix the flour, baking powder, salt, bran and sugar. add the milk and water. beat vigorously for one minute and then add the butter. pour into a well-buttered bread pan and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. chapter cxvii an afternoon with bettina when bettina pushed her tea cart into the living-room, alice and ruth laid aside the mending at which they had been busy. "what delicious toast, bettina!" said alice, taking one bite. "why, it has cinnamon on it! and sugar! i wondered what on earth you were making that smelled so good, and this is something new to me!" "it is cinnamon toast," said bettina, "and so easy to make. i was busy all morning, and didn't have time to make anything but these date kisses for tea, but cinnamon toast can be made so quickly that i decided to serve it." "i like orange marmalade, too, bettina," said alice. "i wish i had made some. i have spiced peaches, and a little jelly, but that is all. next summer i intend to have a perfect orgy of canning. then my cupboard will be even better stocked than bettina's--perhaps! i opened a jar of spiced peaches last evening for dinner, and what do you think! harry ate every peach in the jar! i had expected them to last several days, too." "i hoped you saved the juice," said bettina. "i did, but i don't know why. it seemed too good to throw away, somehow." "have you ever eaten ham cooked in the juice of pickled peaches? it's delicious. just cover the slice of ham with the juice and cook it in the oven until it is very tender. then remove it from the juice and serve it." "it sounds fine. i'll do it tomorrow." that afternoon bettina served: cinnamon toast tea orange marmalade date kisses bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =cinnamon toast= (six portions) slices of stale bread t-butter / c-powdered sugar / t-cinnamon make a delicate brown toast and butter each slice. mix the sugar and cinnamon, and place in a shaker. shake the desired quantities of sugar and cinnamon over the hot buttered toast. keep in a warm place until ready to serve. =bettina's date kisses= (one dozen) egg-white / t-salt / c-powdered sugar / t-baking powder / c-chopped dates / c-chopped nut meats / t-lemon extract add the salt to the white of an egg, and beat the egg-white very stiff. then add the sugar, baking powder, nuts, dates and lemon extract. drop from a teaspoon onto a buttered pan. bake in a slow oven until delicately browned. (about twenty-five minutes.) =orange marmalade= (one pint) oranges lemons / grapefruit sugar wash thoroughly the rinds of the fruits. weigh the fruit, and slice it evenly. to each pound of fruit, add one quart of cold water. let the mixture stand for twenty-four hours. cook slowly for one hour. drain. weigh the cooked fruit, and add an equal weight of sugar. cook with the sugar for thirty minutes, or until it stiffens slightly when tried on a dish. pour into sterilized jelly glasses. when cool seal with hot paraffin. chapter cxviii a washington's birthday tea when the tea guests were ushered into charlotte's dining-room that afternoon, they were delighted with the table and its red, white and blue decorations. in the center was a large three-cornered hat made of black paper, and heaped with artificial red cherries. the cherry ice was tinted red, and served in sherbet glasses. a large white cake, uncut, was one of the chief decorations, for halves of red cherries were placed together on it to represent a bunch of cherries, while tiny lines of chocolate icing represented the stems. bettina poured the tea and placed in each cup a red cherry. the guests helped themselves to trays, napkins, forks and spoons, and each took a portion of washington salad, served in a small, black, three-cornered hat, lined with waxed paper. each took also a rolled sandwich, tied with red, white and blue ribbon, and a nut bread sandwich in the shape of a hatchet. the washington fondant, rolled in cocoanut and toasted to represent tree trunks, with small gilt hatchets stuck in them, occasioned great delight. "how did you ever think of it?" ruth asked, and bettina gave charlotte the credit, though she in turn disclaimed any originality in the matter. "one thing is lacking," said bettina. "charlotte and i should be wearing colonial costumes. we did think of it, but happened to be too busy to make them." that afternoon charlotte and bettina served: george washington salad rolled sandwiches nut bread sandwiches cherry ice cherry cake washington fondant bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =washington salad= (twelve portions) c-diced pineapple c-marshmallows, cut fine c-grapefruit, cut in cubes c-canned seeded white cherries / c-filberts / c-brazil nuts, cut fine - / c-salad dressing / c-whipped cream red cherries tiny silk flags mix the pineapple, marshmallows, grapefruit, white cherries and nuts. add the salad dressing. serve immediately. place waxed paper in the paper cups of the small, black, three-cornered hats. place one serving of salad in each cup. put one teaspoon of whipped cream on top and half a cherry on that. stick a tiny silk american flag into each portion. =nut bread for sandwiches= (twenty-four sandwiches) c-graham flour c-white flour t-baking powder egg / c-sugar - / t-salt / c-nut meats, cut fine - / c-milk mix the flours, baking powder, salt, nut meats and sugar. break the egg in the milk and add to the dry ingredients. mix thoroughly, pour into a well-buttered bread pan and allow to rise for twenty minutes. bake in a moderate oven for fifty minutes. =nut bread sandwiches= pieces bread / c-butter when the nut bread is one day old, cut in very thin slices. cream the butter and spread one piece of bread carefully with butter. place another piece on the top. press firmly. make all the sandwiches in this way. allow to stand in a cool, damp place for one hour. make a paper hatchet pattern. lay the pattern on top of each sandwich and with a sharp knife, trace around the pattern. cut through carefully and the sandwiches will resemble hatchets. this is not difficult to do and is very effective. =washington's birthday sandwiches= loaf of white bread one day old t-butter yards each of red, white and blue ribbon cut the bread very thin with a sharp knife. remove all crusts. place a damp cloth around the prepared slices when very moist, and tender. spread with butter which has been creamed with a fork until soft. roll the sandwiches up carefully like a roll of paper. cut the ribbon into six-inch strips, and tie around the sandwiches. place in a bread box to keep moist. pile on a plate in log cabin fashion. chapter cxix another oven dinner bettina heard a step on the porch, and quickly laying aside her kitchen apron, rushed to the door to meet bob. her rather hilarious greeting was checked just in time, at sight of a tall figure behind him. "bettina, this is mr. macgregor, of macgregor & hopkins, you know. mr. macgregor, my wife, bettina. i've been trying to get you all afternoon to tell you i was bringing a guest to dinner and to spend the night. the storm seems to have affected the lines." "oh, it has! i've been alone all day! haven't talked to a soul! welcome, mr. macgregor, i planned bob's particular kind of a dinner tonight, and it may not suit you at all, but i'm glad to see you, anyhow." mr. macgregor murmured something dignified but indistinct, as bob cried out heartily, "well, it smells good, anyhow, so i guess you can take a chance; eh, macgregor?" bettina had a hazy idea that mr. macgregor, of macgregor & hopkins, was somebody very important with whom bob's firm did business, and although she knew also that bob had know "mac," as he called him, years before in a way that was slightly more personal, her manner was rather restrained as she ushered them into the dining-room a few minutes later. however, the little meal was so appetizing, and the guest seemed so frankly appreciative, that conversation soon flowed freely. bob's frank comments were sometimes embarrassing, for instance when he said such things as this: "matrimony has taught me a lot, macgregor! i've learned--well, now, you'd never think that all this dinner was cooked in the oven, would you? well, it was: baked ham, baked potatoes, baked apples, and the cakes--bettina's cakes, i call 'em. you see, my wife thinks of things like that--a good dinner and saving gas, too!" "oh, bob!" said bettina, with a scarlet face. "you needn't be embarrassed, bettina, it's so! i was just telling 'mac' as we came in, that two can live more cheaply than one provided the other one is like you--always coaxing me to add to our bank account. it's growing, too, and i never could save before i was married!" the dinner consisted of: baked ham baked potatoes head lettuce roquefort cheese dressing bread butter baked apples bettina's cakes bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's baked ham= (three portions) (bob calls it "great") lb. slice of ham three-fourths of an inch thick cloves / c-vinegar / c-water t-sugar t-mustard remove the rind from ham. stick the cloves into both sides. place in a pan just the size of the meat. pour the vinegar, water, sugar and mustard (well mixed) over the ham. baste frequently. bake in moderate oven until crisp and tender (about forty-five minutes). =head lettuce with roquefort cheese dressing= (three portions) head of lettuce / t-salt t-oil / t-pepper / c-roquefort cheese t-vinegar cream the cheese, add salt, pepper and vinegar. add the oil gradually. mix well, shake thoroughly. pour over the lettuce and serve. =baked apples= (four portions) apples t-brown sugar t-granulated sugar t-cinnamon marshmallows t-butter wash and core apples of uniform size. mix the sugar and cinnamon together. fill the apples. press a marshmallow in each apple also. dot the top with a piece of butter. place the apples in a pan, add the remaining sugar, cover the bottom with water, and bake until tender (twenty-five to thirty minutes), basting often. serve hot or cold. =bettina's cakes= (eight cakes) c-flour / t-cinnamon / t-powdered cloves / c-sugar t-melted butter / t-soda / t-baking powder / t-salt egg / c-sour milk mix and sift the dry ingredients. add the egg and the sour milk. beat two minutes. add the melted butter; beat one minute. fill well-buttered muffin pans one-half full. bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. chapter cxx bob makes pop-overs bettina was busily setting the table in the dining-room when bob appeared. "oh, bettina," said he in a disappointed tone, "why not eat in the breakfast alcove? i'd like to show macgregor how much fun we have every morning." "won't he think we're being too informal?" "i want him to think us informal. the trouble with him is that he doesn't know that any simple brand of happiness exists. his life is too complex. of course we're not exactly primitive--with our electric percolator and toaster----" "sorry, bob, but you can't use the toaster this morning; i'm about to stir up some pop-overs." "well, i'll forgive you for taking away my toy, inasmuch as i do like pop-overs. let me help you with them, bettina; this is one place where you can use my strong right arm." "yes, indeed i can, bob. i'll never forget those splendid pop-overs that you made the first time you ever tried. they look simple, but not very many people can make good ones. the secret of it is all in the beating," said she, as she stirred up the smooth paste, "and then in having the gem pans and the oven very hot." "well, these'll be good ones then," said bob, as he set about his task. "you light the oven, betty, and put the gem pans in it, and then before you have changed things from the dining-room to the alcove, i'll have these pop-overs popping away just as they ought to do!" the percolator was bubbling and the pop-overs were nearly done when they heard mr. macgregor's step. "he's exactly on time," chuckled bob. "that's the kind of a methodical fellow he is in everything." "well, there's no time when promptness is more appreciated than at meal-time," said betty, decidedly. "i like him." "come on out here!" called bob, cheerfully. "this is the place in which we begin the day! we'll show you the kind of a breakfast that'll put some romance into your staid old head. i made the pop-overs myself, and i know they're the best you ever saw--likewise the biggest--and they'll soon be the best you've ever eaten!" when bob had finished removing the pop-overs from their pans, the two men took their places at the table to the merry tune of the sizzling bacon bettina was broiling. "i never entertained a stranger so informally before," said she. "and i was never such a comfortable guest as i am at this minute," said mr. macgregor, looking down at his breakfast, which consisted of: grapefruit oatmeal bacon pop-overs coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pop-overs= (eight) c-flour c-milk / t-salt egg, beaten well add the milk slowly to the flour and salt, stirring constantly, until a smooth paste is formed. beat and add the remainder of the milk, and the egg. beat vigorously for three minutes. fill very hot gem pans three-fourths full. bake thirty minutes in a hot oven. they are done when they have "popped" at least twice their size, and when they slip easily out of the pan. iron pans are the best. _march._ _weary are we of our winter-time fare; hasten, o springtime, elusive and arch! bring us your dainties; our cupboards are bare! pity us, starved by tyrannical march!_ [illustration] chapter cxxi in march [illustration] "spring is in the air," thought bettina, as she opened the casement windows of her sun room. "i believe we'll have dinner out here tonight. if bob would only come home early, before the sun goes down! now i wonder who that can be!" (for she heard a knock at the kitchen door.) "why, charlotte. come in!" she cried a moment later, for it was mrs. dixon with a napkin-covered pan in hand, whom she found at the door. "i've brought you some light rolls for your dinner, bettina," said charlotte. "i don't make them often, and when i do, i make more than we can eat. will they fit into your dinner menu?" "indeed they will!" said bettina. "i'm delighted to get them. now i wish i had something to send back with you for your dinner, but i seem to have cooked too little of everything!" "don't you worry," said charlotte, heartily. "when i think of all the things you've done for me, i'm only too glad to offer you anything i have! well, i must hurry home to get our dinner. that reminds me, bettina, to ask you this: when you escallop anything, do you dot the crumbs on top with butter?" "no, charlotte, i melt the butter, add the crumbs, stir them well, and then spread them on the top of the escalloped oysters, or fish, or whatever i am escalloping." "i'm glad to know the right way of doing, bettina. good-bye, dear." for dinner bob and bettina had: ham timbales macaroni and cheese baked apples light rolls butter grapefruit salad chocolate custard coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =ham timbales= (three timbales) c-ground, cooked ham / c-soft bread crumbs / t-salt / t-paprika egg / c-milk mix the ham, salt, crumbs and paprika. add the egg, well beaten, and the milk. pour into a well-buttered tin or aluminum individual moulds. place in a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven for thirty minutes. unmould on a platter. serve hot or cold. =grapefruit salad= (two portions) c-grapefruit, cut in cubes / c-marshmallows, cut in squares / c-diced celery / t-salt t-cottage cheese / t-paprika t-salad dressing lettuce leaves place the lettuce leaves on the serving plates. arrange carefully portions of grapefruit, marshmallows, celery and cheese upon the lettuce. sprinkle with salt and paprika. pour the salad dressing over each portion and serve cold. =chocolate custard= (two portions) c-milk large egg t-sugar / square of chocolate, melted t-water / t-vanilla / t-salt cook half the sugar, the chocolate and the water until smooth and creamy (two minutes). add the milk while the mixture is hot. stir until smooth. beat the egg, add the rest of the sugar and the salt. add to the custard mixture. mix well. pour into two well-buttered custard moulds. place the moulds in a pan surrounded by hot water. set in a moderate oven and cook until a knife piercing it will come out clean. (generally thirty minutes.) allow to stand fifteen minutes in a warm place. unmould and serve cold. chapter cxxii a fireless cooker for aunt lucy "well, uncle john! hello!" said bob, as he came into the kitchen. "is aunt lucy here, too?" "no, she isn't," said uncle john, shaking his head solemnly, "and the fact is, i shouldn't be here myself if it weren't for a sort of conspiracy; eh, bettina?" "that's so, bob," said bettina, coming in from the dining-room, her hands full of dishes, "and now i suppose we'll have to let you in on the secret. uncle john has just bought a beautiful new fireless cooker for aunt lucy. haven't you, uncle john?" "well!" said bob, heartily. "that's fine! how did you happen to think of it?" "well bob, she's been dreading the summer on the farm--not feeling so very strong lately, you know--and this morning she was just about discouraged. it's next to impossible to get any help out there--she says she's given up that idea--and at breakfast she told me that if the spring turned out to be a hot, uncomfortable one, she believed she'd go out and spend the summer with lem's girl in colorado. i naturally hate to have her do that, so i concluded to do everything i could to keep her at home. i telephoned to bettina, and she promised to help me. the very first thing she suggested was a fireless cooker, and we bought that today. i believe your aunt lucy'll like it, too." for dinner bettina served: meat balls with egg sauce baked potatoes creamed peas marshmallow pudding chocolate sauce bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =meat balls= (three portions) c-raw beef, cut fine / c-bread crumbs t-milk egg-yolk / t-salt / t-paprika t-chopped parsley / t-onion salt / t-celery salt t-bacon fat soak the crumbs, milk and egg together for five minutes. add the beef, salt, paprika, parsley, onion and celery salt. shape into flat cakes one inch thick, two and a half inches in diameter. place the fat in the frying-pan and when hot, add the cakes. lower the flame and cook seven minutes over a moderate fire, turning to brown evenly. serve on a hot platter. garnish with parsley. serve with egg sauce. =egg sauce for meat balls= (three portions) t-flour t-butter t-chopped parsley c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika hard-cooked egg, cut fine melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix well, add the milk, and cook for two minutes. add the hard-cooked egg sliced, or cut in small pieces. serve hot with the meat balls. =marshmallow pudding= (three portions) t-granulated gelatin t-cold water / c-sugar / c-boiling water t-lemon extract t-vanilla egg-white soak the gelatin in cold water for three minutes. add the boiling water, and when thoroughly dissolved add the sugar. allow to cool. beat the egg-white stiff. when the gelatin begins to congeal, beat it until fluffy, add the extracts and then the egg-white. beat until stiff. pour into a moistened cake pan. when hard and cold, remove from the pan, cut in one inch cubes and pile in a glass dish. chapter cxxiii the dixons drop in for dessert "come in! come in!" cried bob to the dixons. "you're just in time to have dessert with us! bettina, here are the dixons!" "do sit down," said bettina, "and have some boston cream pie with us!" "frank won't need urging," said charlotte. "our dessert tonight was apple sauce, and boston cream pie (whatever it is) sounds too enticing to be resisted." "it looks a little like the washington pie my mother used to make," said frank. "only that wasn't so fancy on the top." "washington pie needs whipped cream to make it perfect," said bettina, "and as i had no whipped cream i made this with a meringue." "dessert with the neighbors!" said frank, laughing. "charlotte read me a suggestion the other day that sounded sensible. a housewife had introduced a new custom into her neighborhood. whenever she had planned a particularly good dessert she would phone a few of her friends not to plan any dessert for themselves that evening, but to stroll over after dinner and have dessert with her family. wasn't that an idea? it might lead to cooperative meals! we haven't done our share; have we? we should have telephoned to you to have the main course with us tonight. say, bettina, i like this boston cream pie! it's what i call a real dessert!" lamb chops creamed carrots baked potatoes rolls butter baked apples boston cream pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =creamed carrots= (two portions) c-carrots t-flour t-butter / c-milk / t-salt / t-paprika =carrots= wash and scrape the carrots thoroughly, cover with boiling water, and allow to boil until tender when pierced with a knitting needle or a fork. (about twenty minutes.) drain and serve with sauce. carrots may be cut into three-fourth inch cubes or any fancy shapes, and will cook in less time. =white sauce for carrots= melt butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix well. gradually add the milk, and cook the sauce until creamy. =baked potatoes= (two portions) potatoes wash thoroughly two medium-sized potatoes. with the sharp point of the knife, make a small cut around the potato to allow the starch grains to expand. bake the potato in a moderate oven until it feels soft and mealy, when pressed with the hands. (about forty-five minutes.) break open the potato to allow the steam to escape. (turn the potato about in the oven to insure evenness in baking.) =bettina's baked apples= (two portions) apples / c-"c" sugar / c-water t-cinnamon / t-vanilla a few grains of salt wash and core the apples. mix the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt, and fill the cavity with the mixture. place the apples in a small pan, and pour a little water around them. bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =boston cream pie= (six portions) t-butter t-(one-half c-sugar) egg / c-milk / c-flour - / t-baking powder / t-vanilla cream the butter, add the egg. mix well. add the sugar and mix thoroughly. add the milk alternately with the flour and baking powder. mix thoroughly. add the flavorings. bake in two layer-cake pans, fitted with waxed paper, in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. spread the following filling between the layers. =filling= t-sugar t-flour / t-salt egg-yolk c-milk / t-vanilla mix the sugar, flour and salt. add slowly the egg-yolk, beaten, and the milk. stir well. cook ten minutes in a double boiler, stirring occasionally to prevent lumping. add vanilla and remove from the fire. when partially cool, spread part of the filling over one layer of the cake. allow to stand five minutes and then add more filling. allow to stand two minutes. place the other layer on the top. spread a meringue over the whole and place in a hot oven long enough to brown it delicately. =meringue= egg-white / t-salt t-sugar / t-baking powder add salt to the egg, beat until thick and fluffy, add the sugar and baking powder and beat one minute. chapter cxxiv ruth passes by "m--m!" said ruth, walking into bettina's kitchen late one afternoon. "what is it that smells so perfectly delicious?" "lamb stew," said bettina. "bob is particularly fond of it, and we haven't had it for a long time. this is such a cold day that i thought lamb stew would taste very good tonight." "and what are you making now?" "soft gingerbread. it's just ready to pop into the oven, and then i can go into the living-room with you and we'll visit in state." "don't, bettina. i'd much rather talk in your shining little kitchen with the kettle bubbling on the hearth (only it's a gas stove and you won't let it bubble long if you think of your gas bill). 'kitchen konfidences!' what a name for a nice little domestic science book!" "well, we'll stay in the kitchen then, and exchange kitchen konfidences. where have you been this afternoon in your big woolly coat?" "down town to the market. and i did get something besides food--a small purchase that you advised me to buy. a box of labels--plain label stickers, you know--to stick on the boxes that i put away--out of season things and all that. i've noticed how neatly all your stored-away things are labeled." "it saves so much time in finding things. and a label looks better than writing on the box, for the labels are white and very often the box is dark pasteboard, and pencil marks are difficult to see." "well, good-bye, betty dear, i must run along now." bettina's menu that night consisted of: lamb stew apple sauce rolls gingerbread coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =lamb stew= (four portions) - / lbs. lamb (from the shoulder) t-lard c-boiling water small onion t-salt / t-powdered cloves c-tomato medium-sized potatoes t-rice / c-diced carrots wipe the meat with a damp cloth, and cut into two-inch pieces. place the lard in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the onion cut fine and allow to brown. add the meat and brown. add the boiling water to the meat and onion, and cook one minute. pour all of the contents of the frying-pan into a sauce pan, and let it cook slowly for one hour. increase the heat a little to allow the stew to boil occasionally. add the potatoes cut in one-inch cubes, and the diced carrots. in twenty minutes, add a cup of canned tomato pulp or fresh tomatoes to the stew. add the seasoning (salt and cloves), and cook ten minutes. this allows two hours for the entire stew. if at this time the stew does not seem thick enough, mix four tablespoons of water very slowly with two level tablespoons of flour, stir thoroughly, and pour slowly into the stew. allow to cook two minutes and serve. =soft gingerbread= (twelve pieces) c-molasses t-sugar / c-butter and lard / c-warm water t-soda t-ginger t-cinnamon t-salt c-flour cream the butter and lard, add the sugar, molasses and warm water; mix well. mix and sift the soda, ginger, cinnamon, salt and flour and add to the first mixture. beat one minute and pour into a well-buttered pan. bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. serve hot or cold. chapter cxxv bettina entertains a small neighbor "indeed i will keep kathleen for you," said bettina to mrs. fulton. "i'll enjoy it. we'll have to invent some new plays and have such a jolly time that she won't miss her mother at all." "you're sure you don't mind?" asked mrs. fulton, anxiously. "if mother were only stronger, i would leave her there----" "go right on, mrs. fulton, and don't worry one bit! kathleen and i are going to have the time of our lives! let's see--it's nearly three. shall i feed her anything?" "well, she had an early lunch, and has just wakened from her nap. perhaps she is a little hungry. are you?" "bed'n delly," replied kathleen with emphasis. "oh, i know something that's better for little girls than bread and jelly!" said bettina, lifting the roly-poly little mite onto the kitchen table. "i'll make her some good cream toast! may i, mrs. fulton?" "indeed, you may, if you will," said mrs. fulton. "i'm afraid she won't always eat it, though. well, i'll have to go, i suppose, if i get to sister annie's train on time. then we'll do a little shopping down town, and i'll be back for kathleen at six o'clock sharp." "just whenever it's convenient for you, mrs. fulton. good-bye!" "doodby," echoed kathleen, apparently without the least regret. when kathleen was established with her cream toast at the kitchen table, bettina said, "now, when you're all through eating, you and aunt bettina will make a beautiful graham cracker cake for uncle bob. but first we'll clean some white gloves! shall we?" kathleen nodded solemnly, her mouth full of "dood tream toast." "well, watch me then, honey-lamb. see, i'll put these dirty old gloves in this nice mason jar of clean gasoline, and let 'em soak awhile. then once in a while i'll shake 'em up like this. then by and by i'll rinse 'em in nice new gasoline, and they'll be just as white as new. did you know that, kathleen?" "'es," said kathleen, staring wisely. "oh, you little owl! you knew more than aunt bettina then--at least than i knew till yesterday, for i always thought it necessary to rub white gloves to get them clean. see? this way i'll drop them down in the gasoline, and won't need to soil my hands at all! i'll get them out with a clean little stick or a long fork. there! now, are we all ready to make the cake?" bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =cream toast= (two portions) / t-butter / t-flour / c-milk / t-salt pieces of toast melt the butter, add the flour, mix well, add the milk slowly. add the salt and boil two minutes. dip the toasted bread into the white sauce, and when soft, remove to the serving dish. pour the rest of the sauce over the toast and serve hot. one teaspoon of sugar may be added to the sauce. =graham cracker cake= (twelve pieces) / c-butter / c-sugar egg-yolks c-milk t-baking powder egg-whites, beaten / t-ground cinnamon / t-vanilla / lb. graham crackers rolled fine cream the butter, add the sugar and heat. add all the dry ingredients mixed together alternately with the milk. beat two minutes. add the vanilla and the egg-whites, stiffly beaten. bake in square tin pans for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. =white icing= / c-sugar / c-water sifted powdered sugar / t-vanilla boil the sugar and the water five minutes without stirring. remove from the fire. add the flavoring, and sufficient sifted powdered sugar to spread evenly on the cake. chapter cxxvi a sunday night tea "stir this chicken a la king a moment for me, will you, ruth?" said bettina. "i'll warm the plates in the oven." "what is that brown paper for?" "to put under the dishes i'm warming. it breaks the heat and prevents cracking. there, that cream sauce has cooked enough now. i'll take it and beat it for a minute. see? there, now it's ready for the egg and the chicken mixture." "shall i stir it now? don't you put it back over the fire?" "just for a minute. you see, if any custard or egg sauce is allowed to cook more than a minute after the egg has been added, it will curdle." "oh, is it done now? let me toast the bread for it, will you, bettina? i like to make cunning little light brown triangles." "i hope i have made enough of this chicken a la king." "for eight people? i'm sure that you have, bettina. even for people with as good appetites as fred and i have! are you ready to serve it now?" that sunday evening bettina served: chicken a la king toast cakes with bettina icing coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =chicken a la king= (eight portions) - / c-cold boiled chicken, cut in / -inch cubes / t-salt / c-button mushrooms, cut in fourths t-pimento, cut in half-inch lengths t-green pepper, cut fine t-butter or chicken fat t-flour - / t-salt / t-paprika c-milk egg-yolks pieces of toast boil the green pepper slowly for five minutes. drain off the water. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika, mix thoroughly, and add the milk, stirring constantly. cook three minutes or until quite thick. remove from the fire, beat one minute, reheat, add the egg-yolk, mix thoroughly, and add the chicken mixture. heat again. serve immediately by pouring over slices of toast. to prepare the chicken mixture, thoroughly mix the chicken, half a teaspoon of salt, the mushrooms, the cooked green pepper and the pimento. =small cakes= (fourteen cakes) - / c-sugar / c-butter c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt / c-milk t-vanilla / t-lemon extract egg-whites cream the butter, add the sugar slowly and continue creaming. mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt and add these and the milk, vanilla and lemon extracts to the butter and sugar. mix well and beat two minutes. beat the egg-whites till very stiff and fold these very carefully into the cake mixture. when thoroughly mixed, fill the cake pans (which have been prepared with waxed paper) two-thirds of an inch deep with the mixture. bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven, allow to stand five minutes, then slip a knife around the edges and remove the cake carefully from the pan. turn over, remove the paper and allow the cake to cool. ice on the bottom side. when ready for serving, cut in two-inch squares. =bettina icing= egg-white t-cream t-vanilla / t-lemon extract c-powdered sugar beat the egg-white add part of the sugar. add the cream, vanilla and lemon extracts. keep beating. add the rest of the sugar gradually. (a little more sugar may be needed.) beat the icing till very fluffy and until it will spread without running off the cake. spread each layer. chapter cxxvii a shamrock luncheon bettina was entertaining "the crowd" at a shamrock luncheon, and each guest, to show her enthusiasm for the charms of "ould ireland," was wearing somewhere upon her gown, a bit of green. a green basket filled with white carnations and green foliage stood in the center of the table. white glass candlesticks with green shades also carried out the color scheme, while white crocheted favor baskets, filled with dainty green candies, were at each plate. the table was set for six. the name cards were white shamrocks outlined with green ink and edged with gilt, and the name on each was written in green. bettina used green ferns for decoration in every possible place where they might add to the attractiveness of the table, under the glass dishes and around the baskets containing rolls, cakes and croutons. "you might be irish yourself, bettina," said mary, "you have such a feeling for green! and isn't the table lovely, girls!" for luncheon bettina served: grapefruit cocktail cream of celery soup shamrock croutons bettina meat timbales brown sauce asparagus on toast mashed sweet potato croquettes shamrock rolls mint jelly pepper salad sandwiches bombe glace shamrock cakes coffee shamrock candies bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =grapefruit cocktail= (six portions) grapefruit / c-sugar green cherries smilax or fern leaves peel the grapefruit, remove the white part and the tough membrane, leaving the fruit. cut with the scissors into one-inch cubes. place in a bowl, add the sugar and allow to stand in a cold place for one hour. arrange the servings in six sherbet glasses. place one green cherry on the top of each and garnish the plate with smilax or a fern leaf. stand the sherbet glasses on a paper doily on a small serving plate. arrange a bit of the green leaf under the sherbet glass (on top of the doily) so that the green color will be visible through the glass. =cream of celery soup= (six portions) / c-celery, cut fine - / c-water t-butter t-flour - / c-milk t-salt / t-paprika t-chopped parsley t-whipped cream wash the celery thoroughly, and cut into small pieces. add the small leaves and the water. simmer for thirty-five minutes. strain through a coarse strainer, rubbing all of the pulp through. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. add the milk and cook two minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. add the celery stock and the pulp. cook one minute. fill bouillon cups three-fourths full, add two pinches of parsley and one teaspoon of cream to each serving. =shamrock croutons= (six portions) slices bread t-butter / t-salt cut the slices of bread half an inch thick and cut pieces out of each with a shamrock cooky cutter. toast on each side until a delicate brown. butter and sprinkle with salt, serve warm with soup. chapter cxxviii at dinner "mary gave a waffle party today," announced bettina at the dinner table. "a waffle party in the afternoon?" said bob. "that was queer! usually at afternoon parties you women serve tiny little cups of tea and dainty olive sandwiches, almost too small to be visible; don't you? waffles are more sensible, i think, but it seems a shame that we men had to miss such a party." "well, i'm afraid i'll have to acknowledge that we had a very good time without you," laughed bettina, wickedly. "it has been cold today, you know, and mary's kitchen was so warm and bright and cozy! we all went out there and took turns baking the waffles. we consumed a large number of them, and had a very jolly informal kind of time. we housekeepers compared notes and gave each other advice and really learned a great many things." "such as----" "well, alice tells me that when she makes a devil's food cake she removes all of the melted chocolate from the pan by adding a little flour which mixes in thoroughly and saves any waste of chocolate. surely that is worth knowing." "it certainly is, though i'll admit that i don't quite understand your language." "well, cheer up, bob! there are times when i confess that i don't quite understand the automobile explanations you so often give me of late!" their dinner that evening consisted of: pork chops mashed potatoes creamed carrots bettina salad orange dessert coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pork chops= (two portions) pork chops / c-cracker crumbs t-egg t-water t-bacon fat wipe the chops with a damp cloth. mix the crumbs and the salt. beat the egg and the water together. dip the chops in the crumbs, then in the egg mixture and then in the crumbs. place the bacon fat in the frying-pan and when hot add the chops. brown thoroughly on both sides, add half a cup of water, and cook over a moderate fire until tender. (about thirty minutes.) cover with a lid while cooking. more water may be needed to prevent burning. =bettina salad= (two portions) tomato green pepper t-pimento cut in small pieces t-grated cheese t-salt / t-onion salt / t-celery salt / t-paprika / c-salad dressing pieces of lettuce arrange the lettuce leaves on a plate. place a slice of tomato, two slices of green pepper, one tablespoon of pimento and one tablespoon of cheese on each serving. mix the salad dressing with salt, paprika, celery and onion salts. pour half of the mixture over a portion of the salad. =orange dessert= (two portions) slices of sponge cake orange t-sugar t-nut meats, cut fine / c-whipped cream t-vanilla add the vanilla and the sugar to the whipped cream. arrange the slices of cake on the plates. place one-fourth of the orange, divided into sections and sprinkled with sugar, on each slice. pile the whipped cream on the orange. place one tablespoon of nut meats and the remaining fourth of the orange (cut small) on each portion. do not arrange this dessert until just ready to serve. chapter cxxix an anniversary dinner "this is some dinner, bettina!" said bob, over his dessert. "it's like a celebration, somehow, with the pink candles on the table, and the flowers, and the company menu. why, bettina, i do believe it is an anniversary! isn't it? let me see! the second anniversary of our engagement!" "i've been waiting to see if you would remember that, bob, and i must say that i'm a little ashamed of you! after all, it took the pink candles and the company dinner to make you think of it! well, i suppose men are all alike!" and she sighed the sigh of deep disillusionment. bob waited for a moment to see the dimple reappear in her cheek, and the twinkle in her eyes, and then he, too, sighed--a sigh of relief. "bless your heart, bettina, don't you sigh like that again! you almost had me thinking that you were in earnest. now you took the very nicest way to remind me of that anniversary. instead of feeling neglected like some women----" "what do you know about 'some women,' bob?" "only what i've read in books----" "well, the books don't know. but i give you fair warning, bob, that on the next anniversary you fail to remember, i'll feed you bread and milk, and not chicken." "this is a fine dessert," said bob meekly and tactfully. "do you like it? i enjoy making it, it looks so light and fluffy. i pile it very lightly into the glass dish to make it that way. i prefer gelatin in glass dishes, don't you, bob?" "you bet i do! everything about this anniversary dinner is fine except for my own stupidity!" that night bettina served: bettina's chicken en casserole whole wheat bread butter cranberry jelly head lettuce with salad dressing bettina's sponge coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina's chicken en casserole= (two portions) pieces of chicken t-flour t-lard c-boiling water t-salt t-butter / c-cooked potatoes, cut in cubes / c-cooked carrots / c-cooked celery t-raw onion t-salt roll the chicken in the flour. place the lard in the frying-pan, and when very hot, add the chicken, browning thoroughly on all sides. season with the salt. place in the casserole and add the boiling water. cover, and place in a moderate oven for one hour. melt the butter, and when hot, add the potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and salt. stir constantly, and when well-browned, add to the chicken mixture. allow to cook for half an hour. more water may be needed. serve in the casserole. =bettina's sponge= (three portions) t-granulated gelatin t-cold water t-sugar t-lemon juice c-boiling water / c-whipped cream cocoanut macaroons, crushed candied cherries, cut fine t-nut meats, cut fine add the cold water to the gelatin and allow it to stand five minutes. add the sugar and the lemon juice. mix well, and add boiling water. when thoroughly dissolved, allow to cool. when the mixture begins to congeal, or thicken, add the whipped cream, crushed macaroons, cherries and nut meats. beat until the mixture begins to thicken. pile lightly into a glass dish and set away to harden for one hour. chapter cxxx ruth comes to dinner "how do you like this kind of meat, ruth?" asked bob. "it is a little invention of bettina's own. i call it a symphony and no 'mis-steak.'" "it is an economy, not a symphony," said bettina, "but if it leads you to make such dreadful puns as that, i'll wish i had fed you something else for dinner." "to me," said ruth, "this dish is a delicacy and a despair. how can you think of things like this? i know i never could do it in the wide world!" "i can't compose symphonies or poems," said bettina, "so i express myself in this way. and most of my music is played in a simple key. it is difficult to think of a variety of inexpensive meat dishes, and sometimes i have to invent them in order to keep within my allowance, and still vary my menus. creamed onions are economical and healthful, too, so you see that my whole dinner is inexpensive." "and also delicious," said ruth. "i don't see how you manage to keep cooked onions from having a strong smell, and to keep the house so free from the odor." "o that someone would patent that someone would patent and sell an onion with an onion taste and with a violet smell," quoted bob. "well," said bettina, "i'm afraid that a house in which onions have recently been cooking, can't be entirely free from the odor, but i largely overcome the difficulty by peeling them under cold water, and then cooking them in an uncovered vessel. then, too, i wonder if you know that boiling them for five minutes and then draining them and covering them with boiling water again--even draining them twice and finishing the cooking in fresh boiling water--is a splendid thing for taking away the strong taste." "no, i didn't know that. bettina, dear, your kind of apple sauce is as fine a dessert as i ever ate." "you're good to say so, ruth. i was afraid when i urged you to stay tonight that you might think this meal very plain and simple for a guest, but i know it is healthful and economical and bob seems to thrive, so i'll not be remorseful." "just let me ask you what gives this apple sauce such a delicate flavor. it isn't a bit like common, ordinary apple sauce." "i don't know; maybe it's the butter. i always put that in, and a few grains of salt. this has also a thin slice of lemon cooked in it--rind and all--and of course there is a little cinnamon, though some people prefer nutmeg. then i try to be careful in putting in the sugar, for i know that some apples require more than others. these were tart apples; i like them better for apple sauce." "the reason why i'm never cross is 'cause i'm fed on apple sauce," remarked bob complacently. "but i am sure you'd fret and cry if fed instead on apple pie," added ruth. "not bettina's apple pie!" said bob decidedly. "you may just be sure that it would improve any disposition!" dinner that night consisted of: bettina steak new potatoes with maitre d'hotel sauce creamed onions apple sauce bread butter bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina steak= (four portions) lb. ground beef from the round / c-bread crumbs / c-milk egg, well beaten / t-grated nutmeg / t-onion juice or onion salt / t-chopped green pepper t-salt / t-paprika / t-chopped parsley soak the crumbs in milk for three minutes, add the meat, egg, nutmeg, onion juice, parsley, salt, green pepper and paprika. mix well. pat into shape one and one-half inches thick in a well buttered tin pan. cook five minutes under a very hot broiler. turn down the heat a little and cook ten minutes more. turn the steak into another buttered pan the same size and cook that side ten minutes. pie tins may be used to cook the meat in. =creamed onions= (four portions) onions - / c-vegetable white sauce peel six medium sized onions under cold water. place in a stew-pan and cover with boiling water. boil five minutes, drain, cover again with boiling water and cook ten minutes. drain, recover with boiling water and cook ten minutes longer or until tender. serve with hot white sauce. =apple sauce= tart apples / c-water / c-sugar thin slice of lemon / t-cinnamon / t-butter a few grains of salt wash, peel, quarter and core the apples. add the water, cover the kettle with a lid and cook till apples are soft. add other ingredients. cook enough longer to dissolve the sugar. mash or put through a colander, if desired. _april._ _tell me, housewife blithe and fair. how does your garden grow? crisp and green the lettuce there,---- onions, row by row,---- radishes beyond compare! spring and i with tender care watch them well, you know!_ [illustration] chapter cxxxi mildred's spring vacation [illustration] "i was so afraid father wouldn't let me come, aunt bettina!" exclaimed mildred, after the first greetings. "and your letter sounded so jolly--about the cooking and all--well, if father had said 'no' i should simply have died." "died, mildred?" asked bob. "i must say you look fairly healthy to me, too much so to pine away soon!" "i don't intend to die now, uncle bob! i'm going to live and have the most fun helping aunt bettina! i like that so much better than lessons. i brought two aprons in my suit case; mother said i acted as if i wouldn't meet anybody in a three day visit but your kitchen stove. and to tell the truth, aunt bettina, i just hope i won't! i'd rather help you cook than see sights or meet people." "oh, dear!" exclaimed bob tragically. "just when i was counting on you to climb to the dome of the capitol with me, too! why was i ever born?" "you'll have to do your climbing alone, i'm afraid," mildred replied cheerfully. "now, aunt bettina, may i set the table for you? do show me what you are going to have for dinner! little custards? oh, how cunning! made in moulds and served cold with maple syrup? aunt bettina, i just believe i could make that dessert myself! will you teach me while i'm here?" the dinner consisted of: round steak en casserole baked potatoes lettuce salad bettina dressing steamed custard maple syrup coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =round steak en casserole= (three portions) lb. round steak, cut one inch thick / c-flour t-onion, cut fine t-green pepper, cut fine c-diced carrots c-water t-salt place the meat, which has been wiped with a damp cloth, upon a meat board. cut into four pieces. pound the flour into the meat on both sides, using a meat pounder or the side of a heavy saucer. butter the casserole, add a layer of meat, then onions and green peppers. add the carrots. add the salt to the water and pour over the meat. cover closely. place in a moderate oven and allow to cook slowly for two hours. more water may be needed before the meat is done. serve in the casserole. =lettuce salad= (three portions) pieces of lettuce / t-salt arrange the lettuce, which has been washed and chilled, upon three plates. sprinkle the lettuce with salt and serve with the following dressing: =bettina dressing= / c-salad dressing t-olive oil t-chopped pickle t-chopped pimento t-pimento catsup / c-celery, cut fine t-nut meats, cut fine / t-salt / t-paprika beat the salad dressing, add the oil, pickle, pimento, catsup, celery, nut meats, salt and paprika. beat one minute. pour three tablespoons of the mixture over each portion of the lettuce. serve very cold. =steamed custard= (four custards) - / c-milk eggs t-sugar / t-salt / t-vanilla extract / t-lemon extract / t-grated nutmeg beat the eggs, add the sugar, salt, vanilla, and lemon extract. mix thoroughly. butter four custard cups. fill a pan four inches deep with hot (not boiling) water. set the cups in the pan and place in a moderately slow oven for thirty-five or forty minutes (or until a knife inserted in the custard comes out clean). serve cold with maple syrup poured over it. chapter cxxxii helping bettina "mildred helped me get the dinner tonight," said bettina, as they sat down at the table. "indeed i did, uncle bob!" exclaimed the little girl delightedly. "and i'm having so much fun that i don't ever, ever, ever want to go home! aunt bettina is going to show me how to make cookies tomorrow!" "is she?" said bob. "well, don't eat 'em all up before i get here. save me six fat ones, with raisins in. don't forget the raisins." "i set the table, uncle bob, and i made the rice croquettes into that cunning shape, and when they were fried, i put in the jelly! don't they look nice?" "the most artistic rice croquettes, i ever ate!" declared bob. "and wait till you see the dessert! i fixed that; aunt bettina showed me how. but i won't tell you what it is--yet. i know you'll like it, though." "well, you're a great little helper, mildred, aren't you!" "that's just what aunt bettina says. and i've learned so many things! i didn't know before that it was easier to cut up marshmallows with the scissors than any other way. oh, aunt bettina! i almost told him about our dessert!" "marshmallows? marshmallows?" said bob. "a clue, i do believe! i have it: 'marshmallows served with scissors!'" "oh, uncle bob, you're too funny!" cried mildred, shouting with laughter. "appreciated at last!" said bob. for dinner that night they had: lamb chops rice croquettes creamed peas bread butter sponge cake whipped cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =broiled lamb chops= (three portions) lamb chops t-butter t-salt / t-paprika / t-parsley wipe and trim the chops. place on a hot tin pan four inches from a direct hot flame (under a broiler). cook two minutes, turn and thoroughly cook the other side for two minutes. lower the flame a little, add the salt and pepper, and cook for eight minutes more. (a little longer if the chops are very thick.) remove to a warm platter, dot with butter, add the parsley and serve immediately. =rice croquettes with jelly= (three croquettes) c-steamed rice egg-yolk t-butter / t-paprika / t-salt t-chopped parsley t-flour t-grape jelly mix the steamed rice, egg-yolk, butter, paprika, salt and parsley. shape into flat disks one inch thick and three inches in diameter. roll in flour. make an indentation in the center of each with a spoon, to hold the jelly. fry in hot deep fat until brown. drain, the wrong side up. heat in a hot oven and serve hot. place a cube of jelly in the center of each. =sponge cake with whipped cream= (three portions) slices of stale cake (three by three by one inch) marshmallows cut in cubes t-canned cherries t-cherry juice t-whipping cream / t-vanilla - / t-sugar beat the cream until stiff, add the vanilla, marshmallows and sugar. arrange the cake in glass sherbet dishes. place a tablespoon of cherries and a tablespoon of juice on each slice. place one and a half tablespoons of the whipped cream mixture on each portion. allow to stand in a cold place for five minutes. chapter cxxxiii helping with a company dinner "cooking a company dinner is such fun!" sighed mildred. "i like the dinner part, but i always wish that the company would stay away at the last minute." "oh, you'll like mr. jackson, mildred. he's one of uncle bob's best friends, and so nice and jolly!" "the jolly men always like to tease, and the ones who aren't jolly are always cross. i don't intend to get married myself. i'm going to live in a nice little bungalow like this one and do my own cooking." "will you live all alone?" asked bettina. "i'll adopt some children--seven or eight, i think,--all girls. i don't want any boys around." "your bungalow will have to be larger than this to accommodate them all if you adopt seven or eight." "i don't want a large one; that would spoil the fun. i'll let the children take turns sleeping on the floor. children always love to sleep on the floor, and mothers never like to have them do it! i wonder why? now, will you let me brown the flour for the gravy?" "yes, dear. put half a cup of white flour in that frying-pan over the fire and keep stirring it constantly until it is a nice brown color, about like powdered cinnamon." "this way?" "yes, mildred; a little darker than that, but keep stirring it so that it won't burn. there, that's exactly right!" that evening bettina served: leg of lamb with browned potatoes gravy egg and lettuce salad strawberry shortcake cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =leg of lamb and browned potatoes= (four portions) lb. leg of lamb potatoes t-salt / t-paprika t-bacon fat / c-boiling water allow the lamb to stand in cold water for ten minutes. remove and wipe dry. place the fat in a frying-pan. add the meat and cook until thoroughly browned on all sides. place in the fireless cooker (or a slow oven) and surround the meat with the potatoes. sprinkle with the salt and paprika. add the water. (if in the cooker, place the heated disks under and over the meat.) cook two hours. =gravy= (four portions) t-browned flour t-butter t-salt / t-white pepper - / c-meat stock and water remove the meat from the pan in which it was cooked (also remove the potatoes) and add sufficient water to the stock in the pan to make one and a half cups all together. melt the butter, add the browned flour and a tablespoon of the stock. mix well, and add the salt and pepper. add the remaining stock; cook, stirring constantly for two minutes. pour into a heated gravy dish. serve at once. =egg and lettuce salad= (four portions) pieces of lettuce hard-cooked eggs radishes young onions t-salt / t-paprika / t-celery salt t-salad dressing arrange two pieces of lettuce on each plate. slice an egg, a radish and an onion and arrange these upon the lettuce leaves. sprinkle each portion with a fourth of the seasoning. place two tablespoons of salad dressing on each portion. have all the ingredients cold before combining. chapter cxxxiv mildred's day "i helped to make the cunning little biscuits, uncle bob," explained mildred at dinner. "you did?" said bob, feigning astonishment. "you rolled them out with a rolling pin, i suppose, and----" "oh, no, uncle bob! you ought never to use a rolling pin, aunt bettina says!" said mildred in a horrified tone, as if she had been cooking for the first families for a score of years. "good cooks always pat down the dough--they never roll it out." "well, what do you do first? stir up the dough with a spoon?" "no, indeed; you use a knife. then you pat the dough down, and cut out the dear little biscuits with a biscuit cutter." "and put them side by side in a nicely buttered pan? i know how!" "but you don't butter the pan," said mildred triumphantly. "or flour it, either. aunt bettina says that lots of people think the pan has to be buttered or floured, but they're wrong. it's lots better to put the biscuits into a nice clean pan." "but don't they stick to it, and burn?" "no, indeed! they don't burn a bit! look at these!" said mildred, delighted to find the opportunity to impart some of her newly acquired knowledge. "well, what else did you help aunt bettina to make?" "these nice stuffed onions. it was fun to make them, even though i don't like onions. i ground up the dry bread that aunt bettina keeps in the jar by the stove." "well, you can tell mother polly that aunt bettina will make a good cook of you yet!" for dinner that night they had: rolled stuffed steak potatoes au gratin stuffed onions sour cream biscuits currant jelly sliced bananas cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =stuffed onions= (four portions) onions / c-bread crumbs t-tomato pulp t-butter t-parsley t-pimento egg-yolk / c-cooked celery / t-salt wash and peel the onions. cook for ten minutes in boiling water. rinse with cold water to make them firm. push out the centers. place the onions in a well-buttered baking pan and fill each onion with filling. place in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. =filling= mix the crumbs, tomato pulp, butter, parsley, pimento, salt, egg yolks and celery. cook for one minute. fill each onion case carefully with the mixture. then pour the following sauce about the onions before placing them in the oven: =white sauce= (four portions) t-butter t-flour / t-salt / t-paprika c-milk melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix well, add the milk, and cook for one minute. =sour cream biscuits= (four portions) c-flour / t-salt t-baking powder t-fat / t-soda / c-sour milk mix the flour, salt and baking powder. cut in the fat with a knife. add the soda to the milk, and when the effervescing ceases, add slowly to the dry ingredients. (all the milk may not be needed.) when a soft dough is formed, toss onto a floured board. pat into shape, cut with a biscuit cutter, and place side by side on a tin pan or baking sheet. bake fifteen minutes in a moderately hot oven. chapter cxxxv polly comes for mildred "so you've been teaching mildred to cook?" asked polly as they sat down to dinner. "oh, mother, i've learned so much!" cried mildred with enthusiasm. "and when i'm married, i'm going to have a dear little kitchen just like aunt betty's! aunt betty does know the very best way to do everything! why, mother, i think she's a better cook even than selma, and not half so cross when i bother!" "bother!" said bettina. "why, mildred, you've been a real help to me!" "i hope so," laughed polly, "but i'm not so sure. children never worry me--it's fortunate, isn't it?--but i don't see how on earth anyone can cook with a child in the kitchen! i wanted selma to teach mildred, but i hadn't the heart to insist when she objected to the plan." "h--m, selma!" said mildred with scorn. "why, mother, selma doesn't even know enough to line her cake pans with waxed paper! she butters 'em! and i don't believe we have a spatula in the whole house!" "a--what?" said polly in a puzzled tone. "i don't believe i----" "don't you know what a spatula is, mother?" asked mildred didactically. "why, it's one of those flattened out spoon-things to use in the kitchen. we ought to have one. and--mother, you ought to see how much mayonnaise aunt bettina makes at a time! it'll keep, you know." "goodness!" said polly tragically. "what a dreadful thing it will be to live with a child who knows more than i do!" for dinner that night they had: veal chops baked potatoes escalloped onions bread butter mocha cake mocha icing coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =escalloped onions= (four portions) c-onions qt. water t-butter t-flour t-salt / t-pepper c-milk / c-buttered crumbs wash and peel the onions. cook in one quart of water. allow to boil five minutes. change the water and continue boiling ten minutes. change the water again, and when thoroughly cooked (about fifteen minutes more), remove from the fire and drain. melt the butter, add the flour and salt and mix thoroughly. add the milk and cook one minute. add the onions, and pour the mixture into a well-buttered baking dish. place the buttered crumbs on the top of the onions and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. =mocha cake= (twelve portions) / c-butter c-sugar eggs c-strong coffee / t-vanilla c-flour t-baking powder cream the butter, add the sugar and cream the mixture, add the egg-yolks, mix well and add the coffee, vanilla, flour and baking powder. beat two minutes. add the stiffly beaten egg-whites. pour the mixture into two layer-cake pans prepared with waxed paper. bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. when cool, spread with the mocha icing. =mocha icing= (twelve portions) t-strong boiling coffee t-vanilla - / c-powdered sugar mix the vanilla with the coffee. add the powdered sugar slowly until the proper consistency to spread. spread over one layer and place the upper layer on the lower. place the icing on the top layer and on the sides. more sugar may be needed. chapter cxxxvi mildred's plans "i suppose that when we get home again, mildred will be insisting that we reorganize our household along the lines of yours, bettina," laughed polly. "i can just hear selma's outbursts at the idea of any changes in her department." "but you can always smile selma out of her 'spells,' mother," coaxed mildred. "and just think, selma doesn't even know what a fireless cooker is! we'll have to explain it to her." "what can you make in a fireless cooker, mildred?" asked polly of her little daughter, who was fairly bursting with her newly acquired information. "oh, mother, this roast! isn't it good? aunt betty kept it in the cooker almost four hours, and think how much gas that saved!" "well, i'll admit that such an item would appeal to your father, mildred," polly replied, "so i think i'll leave it to you to get around him and selma. i'm sure," she continued, turning to bob, "that such an undertaking can reasonably be expected to occupy mildred for some time. but i do like the roast." "the roast?" said bob. "it is good, polly, but you needn't think that this is a company meal, especially. why, bettina gives me company dinners every day!" for dinner that night they had: pot roast gravy boiled rice apple and nut salad chocolate pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pot roast= (four portions) - / lbs. of beef (a rump roast) t-bacon drippings t-flour bay leaf cloves t-salt / t-pepper / c-diced carrots / c-diced turnips t-chopped onions / c-celery c-boiling water place the bacon drippings in a frying-pan. roll the beef in the flour, and when the fat is hot, add the beef and brown thoroughly on all sides. place the meat in a kettle, and add the vegetables. pour the water in the frying-pan to remove any fat. pour all over the meat. add the bay leaf, cloves and salt. cover closely and allow to cook very slowly for three and a half hours. turn the meat after the second hour. this is a good fireless cooker recipe. =gravy= c-stock t-flour t-water remove the meat from the kettle. strain the stock into a bowl. to the flour, add the water. mix well, and gradually add the stock. mix and cook one minute. pour the gravy over the meat and reserve the remaining stock and vegetables for soup. =soup= strain the vegetables through the strainer, pressing thoroughly to remove all the pulp. add the stock and one-half a cup of water. reheat and serve for dinner with croutons or salted wafers. =rice= / c-rice c-boiling water t-salt / t-paprika t-butter when the water is boiling, add the salt. add the rice and allow it to boil twenty minutes. more water may be needed. stir occasionally with a fork. pour into a strainer, and rinse thoroughly with cold water. toss into a buttered vegetable dish. sprinkle with paprika and dot with butter. set in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. chapter cxxxvii a luncheon for polly "now that this delicious little luncheon is over, bettina," said alice, "i want to ask you something. how did you make the croquettes that cunning shape?" "with a conical ice cream mould, alice," bettina answered. "it is very simple. and i'll tell you another thing. i made those croquettes yesterday, not today." "you don't mean that you fried them yesterday?" "yes, i did, alice. in deep fat." "but they were warm, not cold." "yes, for i reheated them in the oven a few minutes before i served them. they really are as good as new when treated that way. i had always supposed that croquettes had to be served immediately after they were fried, and you know frying in deep fat is really a nuisance when it has to be done at the last minute. for instance, today i had the biscuits to make, and the soup and sweet potatoes to prepare. and i believe in being leisurely when giving a luncheon, so i certainly would not serve croquettes if they had to be made that day. i tried reheating them once when bob and i were here alone and discovered that they were delicious. so i've always, ever since, fried my croquettes the day before." "hereafter i'll serve croquettes at luncheon myself," said alice. "you have taught me something." for luncheon that day bettina served: cream of pea soup toasted sticks pork croquettes glazed sweet potatoes creamed green beans biscuit cherry butter head lettuce french dressing date pudding cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =cream of pea soup= (four portions) c-peas c-water / t-sugar t-flour t-butter c-milk t-salt / t-paprika cook the peas, water and sugar slowly for fifteen minutes. strain, and rub all the pulp through the strainer. melt the butter, add the flour, salt and paprika. mix thoroughly and gradually add the milk. boil one minute and add the pulp and liquid from the peas. cook one minute. serve in hot soup plates or bouillon cups. =toasted sticks= (four portions) slices of bread t-butter / t-salt cut the slices of bread one-half an inch thick. butter, and sprinkle with salt. cut into strips, the length of the slice and half an inch wide. place on a tin pan, and cook directly under a fire or in an oven until a delicate brown. serve warm. =ground pork croquettes= (four croquettes) c-chopped, cooked pork / t-paprika / t-celery salt / t-onion salt / t-salt t-pimento, cut fine / t-butter t-flour / c-milk / c-crumbs t-egg t-water melt the butter, add the flour, paprika, celery salt, onion salt, salt and pimento. gradually add the milk and cook thoroughly for one minute. add the meat and allow the mixture to cool. when cool, shape into the desired shape, preferably conical. roll in the crumbs, dip in the egg and water mixed, then dip in the crumbs and allow to stand for fifteen minutes or more. fry in deep fat. =date pudding= (four portions) egg-whites / c-sugar t-flour / t-salt t-baking powder / c-dates, cut fine / c-nut meats, cut fine / t-vanilla beat the egg whites thoroughly, add the sugar, flour, salt and baking powder. mix well, add the dates, nuts and vanilla. pile lightly in a well-buttered baking-dish. place the dish in a pan of hot water and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. allow the pudding to remain in the oven a little while after the heat is turned off. if cooled slowly, it will not fall. the pudding may be baked in individual moulds if preferred, and may be served with whipped cream. chapter cxxxviii furs to put away "a penny for your thoughts!" bettina started in surprise. "why, ruth, i didn't see you coming up the walk!" "i knew you didn't. but what on earth are you doing out here on your front steps? enjoying the weather?" "indeed i am! isn't it a wonderful spring day? but my thoughts weren't very poetic, i must admit. i was just wondering if it was too early to put away my furs for the summer. i'm always tempted to do that when the first signs of spring appear, and then i'm generally sorry a few days later." "i'll have to put mine away soon, too. do tell me, bettina, just how you go about it." "well, i always hang mine in the sun for a while, then i beat them well, comb them out with a steel comb, and wrap them up." "with moth-balls?" "that is a good way, but not at all necessary. i always wrap mine in a newspaper--a good tight package. moths don't like printer's ink, you know, and furs so wrapped are perfectly safe." "then, bettina, you don't need to add that you label the package, for i know that you do, you thoroughly thorough housekeeper!" bettina laughed. "well, ruth, i do label it. labelled packages are so much better to have, for very often you need to get something out in a hurry." for dinner that night bettina served: broiled steak lyonnaise potatoes bean salad bread butter date rocks coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =lyonnaise potatoes= (two portions) t-onion t-butter / t-paprika / t-salt c-cold boiled potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes t-chopped parsley place one tablespoon of butter in a frying-pan and when hot add the onion. let the onion cook until it is brown. add the salt and parsley, the rest of the butter, the potatoes and the paprika. stir well. cook until the potatoes are well browned. =bean salad= (two portions) c-kidney beans / c-celery, cut fine t-nut meats t-salt t-chopped pickle / c-salad dressing pieces of lettuce mix the beans, celery, nut meats, green pepper, pickles and salt. add the salad dressing. serve very cold on lettuce leaves. =date rocks= c-sugar / c-lard and butter mixed - / c-flour / t-baking powder eggs t-cinnamon / t-powdered cloves / t-vanilla / c-dates, cut fine / c-nut meats, cut fine / t-salt cream the butter and lard, add the sugar, and mix well. add the two eggs well beaten. mix and sift thoroughly the flour, baking powder, salt, cloves and cinnamon. add the dates and nuts. stir these dry ingredients into the first mixture. add the vanilla. mix thoroughly and drop from the end of the spoon upon a well larded and floured baking pan. bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. chapter cxxxix planning a children's party "of course, i'll help you, ruth," said bettina. "i'd love to. a children's party! what fun it will be! how many children will be there?" "twelve or fifteen, i think. now let me tell you ralph's own idea for entertainment. i suppose i'm a doting aunt, but it sounds very possible to me." "did ralph suggest the kind of a party he wished? well, isn't he a clever boy! and he's only eleven years old, too." "he suggested that the invitations invite the children to a circus. you see, we could write a little rhyme to that effect on animal paper, or with an animal picture pasted in the corner. when the children arrive, we'll have the parade. we'll have ready the horns, drums, and so forth, for the band, and some of the children will represent the various wild animals. the parade will lead to the refreshment table (after some circus games, perhaps), which will be set outdoors if it is warm enough. the table must represent a circus ground (i've seen those paper circuses downtown, haven't you?), and the refreshments must carry out the scheme. so, bettina, do help us to plan the details!" bettina's dinner that night consisted of: sliced ham and potatoes en casserole baked creamed cabbage bread butter plum pudding cocoanut pudding bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =sliced ham and potatoes en casserole= (four portions) lb. slice of ham two-thirds of an inch thick new potatoes c-water cloves / t-paprika t-chopped parsley t-flour have a frying-pan very hot. add the ham and brown thoroughly on both sides. add the water and let boil for one minute. remove the ham. stick the cloves into it, and place it in the bottom of a casserole. add the parsley and paprika to the water in the pan, and pour the liquid over the meat. cover and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. roll the potatoes (which have been washed and peeled) in the flour, and add to the casserole. baste with the liquid. cover and cook three-fourths of an hour. serve in the casserole. =creamed cabbage baked= (four portions) c-cabbage, cut or chopped fine qt. water t-flour t-butter t-salt c-milk / c-cracker or dry bread crumbs t-butter wash the cabbage and chop into half inch pieces. cook in boiling water fifteen minutes. drain and rinse with cold water. make a white sauce by melting the butter, adding the flour and salt, and then adding the milk. cook two minutes, stirring constantly. add the cabbage, and pour into a well-buttered open baking dish. melt the one tablespoon of butter, add the crumbs and mix well. spread the buttered crumbs over the top of the cabbage. bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. serve in the dish. =cocoanut pudding= (four portions) c-milk / t-salt t-corn starch egg yolk / t-lemon extract / t-vanilla t-cocoanut t-sugar mix the corn starch and salt in the upper part of the double boiler. add the milk slowly, stirring all the time. add the sugar. place the upper in the lower part of the double boiler and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent lumping. when very thick, add the egg-yolk, the vanilla and lemon extracts and the cocoanut. beat one minute. cook again for three minutes. place in a buttered baking dish. beat the egg-white and when very stiff, add the two tablespoons of sugar. pile lightly on the top of the pudding and place in a moderate oven for ten minutes to brown the meringue. chapter cxl the party circus ruth and bettina led "the parade," the band at its head, to the cheerful sunroom, where the table had been set. at sight of the "party" spread before them, the young musicians and the others gave a sudden shriek of delight. "it's a circus!" explained ralph to curly-headed margery, who was adding her own piping voice to the general din. a small american flag floated from a flag pole in the center of the table, and around it were arranged paper circus tents and circus wagons of the five and ten cent store variety. animal crackers were all about, and the animal sandwiches and animal cakes in flat baskets looked almost too real to be eaten. smooth boards on supports represented circus seats, and on these the children soon clambered, eager to eat as children always are. the paper napkins, decorated with animals, were folded before the places to represent tents. the salad faces, which ralph called "clowns," leered up from the plates. but the joy was not to be all in seeing. there was a favor for each child to carry away, the favors from the table being claimed by matching the numbers on each one with a corresponding number on the pieces of candy passed at the close of the meal. the refreshments consisted of: clown salad animal sandwiches picnic lemonade brick ice cream fancy cakes candies bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =sandwiches= (forty) loaves bread / lb. butter - / c-ham, minced or ground fine hard-cooked eggs t-chopped pickles / c-salad dressing / t-salt chop the ham, eggs and pickles very fine. add the salt and salad dressing. cut the bread very thin and match the pieces in pairs. spread one of a pair with the ham mixture and spread the other side with butter which has been mixed and softened with a wooden spoon. place the two pieces of bread together and press firmly. moisten the cooky cutter with water and cut evenly the desired shape. =clown salad= (twelve portions) rounds of sliced pineapple t-salad dressing filberts canned pimentos pieces of lettuce wash the lettuce carefully. roll and cut into fine shreds. arrange a portion on each serving plate. place a slice of pineapple on each portion and very carefully place the salad dressing on it so that it just covers the circle of pineapple. arrange two filberts on top to represent eyes, and cut the pimento in a strip to represent the mouth. cut small triangular pieces of pimento to represent the nose. arrange these as features on the pineapple and serve at once. =fancy cakes= (eighteen cakes) / c-butter c-sugar egg-yolks / c-milk - / c-flour t-baking powder t-lemon extract cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. beat the egg-yolks until very thick, and add to the first mixture. mix and sift together the flour and baking-powder and add the milk alternately with the flour mixture, beating well. beat two minutes after mixing. add the extract. pour to the thickness of one inch into flat pans lined with buttered paper. bake twelve minutes in a moderate oven. remove from the fire and when cool, cut into shapes with fancy animal cutters. the individual cakes may be iced if desired. chapter cxli planning a luncheon "it won't be hard, ruth, if you plan it out in detail several days before. decide on the menu, and if you find that some one dish is going to cause more trouble than it's worth, plan something else in its place." "if it weren't for aunt gertrude i shouldn't worry at all, but she is such a wonderful housekeeper! and i am determined that mother sha'n't have one bit of the responsibility. she's to feel herself just as much a guest as aunt gertrude." "i think it's a lovely thing for you to do, ruth. now let me tell you how i think you should go about it. make a visit to your grocery store or to the market tomorrow, and notice the good things that are in season and inexpensive. build your menu around them. when you get home, sit down with a paper and pencil and plan everything out. go into detail, even if it takes several hours of planning. it will be well worth it. i don't mean by that an elaborate luncheon; it ought to be a simple and delicious one, but complete in every detail. when i plan, i write down the things that i can do the day before, and even the day before that. you know there are always so many things to see to--polishing the silver and writing the name cards and seeing that the table linen is in order. it ought to be planned so that the day of the party won't be crowded full of 'last minute things.' come into the kitchen with me, ruth; i must baste my pork tenderloin." that night bettina served: pork tenderloin baked potatoes bread butter raspberry jam vegetable salad salad dressing tapioca pudding coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =pork tenderloin= (three portions) lb. pork tenderloin t-salt t-water / t-paprika t-chopped parsley t-lemon juice have the tenderloin cut in two-inch pieces and flattened. place these in a small baking dish. sprinkle with salt and paprika and add the water. cover, and cook in a moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. turn and baste frequently. when done, place on a heated platter, pour the parsley and lemon juice over the top and serve immediately. =vegetable salad= (three portions) tomato slices of cucumber t-chopped onion t-chopped pimento t-salt / t-paprika t-chopped green pepper t-nut meats lettuce leaves wash the lettuce carefully and arrange on individual serving dishes. place upon each lettuce leaf a slice of tomato, three slices of cucumber and one-third of each of the other ingredients. sprinkle with salt and paprika. pour the salad dressing over the top and serve very cold. =bettina salad dressing= egg-yolks t-sugar / t-salt t-flour / c-vinegar / c-sour cream t-pimento liquor (the juice from the can) beat the egg-yolks, add the sugar, salt and flour. mix well and add the vinegar, pimento liquor and water. cook in a double boiler until very thick. when cool, add the sour cream, and pour over the salad. chapter cxlii the new car "do stay to dinner, ruth!" begged bettina. "bob is going to drive the new car out when he comes, and we'll have him take us for a spin after dinner." "oh, bettina, has bob really bought it? will you really have a car of your own?" "yes, indeed, we will. i can hardly realize it myself, and although i'm so happy over it, i have a little haunting fear that perhaps it is too great an extravagance. but we'll enjoy it so!" "of course you will. i'm so glad! won't the summer be delightful when you can get out into the country every day!" "ruth, you must stay to dinner and see the car for yourself! i planned a special little celebration dinner, a kind of salad that bob particularly likes, and a good dessert, too. and now, if you'll come into the kitchen with me, i'll show you how to make peanut butter rolls. you never heard of them? well, they're a little like pinwheel biscuit. don't you remember the pinwheel biscuit that i make sometimes--baking powder biscuit dough rolled out and spread with butter and sugar and cinnamon--then rolled up and cut like cinnamon rolls and baked?" "of course, i remember, bettina! they're the best little things, and so easy to make!" "well, these peanut butter rolls are like them, but spread with butter and peanut butter. come into the kitchen and i'll show you how they're made." for dinner they had: lamb chops sautéd potatoes creamed peas peanut butter rolls pear salad cheese wafers chocolate pie coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =peanut butter and fruit rolls= (eight rolls) - / c-flour t-baking powder t-lard / t-salt / c-milk t-peanut butter t-currants / t-butter mix the flour, baking powder and salt thoroughly, cut in the lard with a knife until the consistency of cornmeal. add the milk, mixing with a knife until a soft dough is formed. more milk may be needed; this depends on the consistency of the flour. pat into a rectangular shape, on a floured board or on a paper. the dough should be half an inch thick. cream the butter, add the peanut butter and spread on the biscuit dough. sprinkle the currants on the top. roll up carefully, over and over like a cinnamon roll. cut off pieces half an inch wide and pat them down in a tin pan. bake eighteen minutes in a moderate oven. =pear salad= (three portions) halves of pears / c-cottage cheese / t-salt / t-paprika t-nut meats dates, cut fine t-pimento, cut fine t-salad dressing lettuce leaves mix the cottage cheese, salt, paprika, nut meats, dates and pimento thoroughly. add two tablespoons of salad dressing. arrange the pears on the lettuce leaves and place one tablespoon of the mixture on each portion. place a tablespoon of salad dressing on the top. serve very cold. =cheese wafers= salted wafers / t-butter t-yellow cream cheese / t-pimento, cut fine / t-salt / t-paprika cream the butter, add the cheese, pimento, salt and paprika and mix into a paste. spread carefully on top of the wafers. place in a moderate oven until a delicate brown. serve with the salad. _may._ _scrub and polish,--sweep and clean,---- fling your windows wide! see, the trees are clad in green! coax the spring inside! home, be shining fair to-day for the guest whose name is may!_ [illustration] chapter cxliii in housecleaning time [illustration] "goodness gracious, ruth!" said bettina. "surely it can't be half-past five already!" "yes, it is, bettina. exactly that!" said ruth, glancing at her tiny wrist watch. "but bob won't be home till six, will he?" "no, but i want to have dinner ready when he arrives. you see, as i told you before, i simply shouldn't have gone to mary's this afternoon. my curtains are down and my rugs are up, and my house isn't an attractive place for a man to come home to, to say the least. and then to come straight from a party and give bob a pick-up lunch instead of a full meal, will be----" "the last straw? what had you planned for lunch?" "well, i have some soup all made, ready to reheat. then i think i'll have banana salad, tea, and hot baking-powder biscuits." "de-licious!" said ruth, with a teddy-fied grin. "i believe i'll invite myself to stay!" "good! you can make the salad while i'm mixing the biscuits. i also have some chocolate cookies, and i'll open a jar of canned peaches----" "and i'll be so bright and scintillating that old bobbie won't even miss the curtains and the rugs!" that night bettina served: bettina soup oyster crackers banana salad hot biscuits canned peaches chocolate cookies tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =bettina soup= (three portions) c-meat stock (left over) / c-cooked rice / c-tomato pulp t-sliced onion / t-salt / t-paprika celery leaves add the rice, tomato pulp, onion, salt, paprika and celery leaves to the meat stock. cook for twenty minutes over a slow fire. strain and serve in hot soup dishes or bouillon cups. =banana salad= (three portions) bananas / c-shelled peanuts, broken in halves / c-celery, cut small t-lemon juice / t-salt / t-paprika / c-salad dressing lettuce leaves cut the bananas in one-fourth inch cubes. add the lemon juice, mixing thoroughly. add the peanuts, celery, salt and paprika. add the salad dressing, mixing lightly with a silver fork. pile on the lettuce leaves which have been washed and arranged on a serving dish. serve immediately. =baking powder biscuits= (eight biscuits) - / c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt - / t-lard / c-milk mix and sift well the flour, baking powder and salt. cut in the lard with a knife until the consistency of cornmeal. add the milk slowly, stirring with a knife until the dough is soft enough to be handled without sticking to the fingers. place on a floured board, pat into shape, with the hands, to a thickness of two-thirds of an inch. cut with a biscuit cutter. place the biscuits side by side in a tin pan. bake in a moderate oven fifteen minutes. serve on a folded napkin. chapter cxliv mrs. dixon happens in "i must hurry home to get dinner," said mrs. dixon. "see, bettina, i've been to the market! isn't this a fine big cantaloupe? i have two more just like it. frank is very fond of them, but----" she added ruefully, "i like them cold, of course, and after i've fixed them and had them in the refrigerator a while, everything in it--milk, butter and eggs--has the cantaloupe taste!" "i'll tell you how you can prevent that, charlotte. of course they must be very cold when served, but i never prepare them till just before the meal. i put them in the ice box whole, in a paper sack, taking care that the mouth of the sack is closed. they become very cold that way, and at the same time can't affect the other food." "i'm so glad you told me that, bettina. i've learned a great many things from you, haven't i? oh, yes, another thing puzzles me. i like chipped ice served in and with the cantaloupe, and i don't own any tool for preparing the ice. i do fix it somehow, of course, but i've wondered how other people manage." "well, there are regular ice shavers, you know; but i haven't one, either. i keep a salt sack that i use for that purpose whenever i need just a little chipped ice. it isn't hard to break off a piece small enough to go in a salt sack; in fact, you usually have one in your ice box already. i put it in the sack and break it fine with the flat side of a small hatchet." "well, i've learned something more, and i'll use the knowledge tomorrow evening. i must be going now. how lovely those asters are on your dinner table! they seem to prophesy an especially good meal! do tell me what you are going to have! i never can think of a variety--simple meat dishes are my bugbear." "we have veal chops for tonight--just plain veal chops and boiled new potatoes and carrots with bechamel sauce." "gracious me! here comes bob. i must hurry along or frank will be home before i am." bettina's dinner that evening was made up of: veal chops new potatoes carrots bechamel sauce bread butter peaches custard sauce bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =veal chops= (two portions) chops t-salt / t-paprika t-flour t-fat trim and wipe chops one-half inch thick, which are cut from the thick part of the leg. season with salt and pepper and roll in flour. put the fat (bacon fat or lard) in the pan, and when hot, add the chops. brown both sides evenly and allow to cook ten minutes. =creamed carrots= (two portions) c-carrots c-boiling water t-salt carrots should not be peeled, but after being scrubbed well they should be scraped with a knife. cut into one-half inch cubes, cook in boiling water (salted) twenty-five minutes, or until soft when pierced with a knitting needle. drain and serve with bechamel sauce. =bechamel sauce= (two portions) t-butter t-flour / t-salt / t-pepper egg-yolk / c-milk melt the butter, add the flour, salt and pepper and mix well. gradually stir in the milk. cook until it thickens slightly. add the beaten egg-yolk, cook one minute and serve immediately with one cup of diced carrots. chapter cxlv engagement presents "ruth has had some of the loveliest engagement presents," said bettina to bob across the dinner table. "and some that are so practical and sensible!" "did you see her this afternoon?" "yes, and we walked over to the new house. she has had fred put up a shelf in the kitchen for her cook-books and recipe card box, and she finds that she really has quite a library! and the various engagement gifts are all put away. in fact the bungalow is nearly ready for use. i've told ruth that she might write a magazine article on 'engagement presents' using her own for illustrations." "what does she have?" "well, a dear old aunt of bob's presented her with some wonderful kitchen scales--an aid to economy. then it seems to me that every friend who has some favorite kitchen device has given one to her--she has egg-beaters, waffle-irons, cream-whippers, silver-polishers, cases for linen and silver--oh, everything you can think of!" "what did you give her?" "the cards and card box for her indexed recipes. i included many of my own recipes, you know. that is to be my own particular engagement gift to all my friends." that night bettina served: salmon loaf salmon sauce baked potatoes bread butter marble pudding whipped cream iced tea bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =salmon loaf= (two portions) / c-flaked, canned salmon / c-cracker crumbs / t-salt / t-paprika egg / c-milk flake the salmon apart with a silver fork, add the crumbs, salt and paprika. beat the egg and add the milk. add to the first mixture. place in a well-buttered mould and bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes. allow to stand three minutes, remove from the mould, and place on a warmed platter. pour salmon sauce around the loaf and serve at once. =salmon sauce= (two portions) t-flour t-butter / c-liquor from the salmon / c-milk egg, hard-cooked and chopped fine / t-salt t-pickle, chopped fine / t-chopped parsley / t-paprika melt the butter, add the salmon liquor. add the flour, salt and paprika and mix well. add the milk and cook two minutes. add the egg, pickle and parsley, mix well, and pour around the loaf. =baked marble pudding= c-flour t-baking powder / t-cinnamon / t-salt / c-sugar egg t-melted butter / c-water / t-vanilla / square of chocolate, melted mix and sift the sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon. add the egg-yolk, water and vanilla. beat one minute. add the egg white stiffly beaten. mix well. add the butter, melted. divide the mixture, and to half add the melted chocolate. prepare a loaf-cake pan or a small round tin with waxed paper. fill it with both mixtures, first placing in it a tablespoon of the plain mixture, then a tablespoon of the chocolate mixture, then the plain, until all is used, and the pudding has a marbled appearance. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. serve warm with whipped cream. chapter cxlvi with housecleaning over "broiled steak and french fried potatoes! whew!" said bob, strolling into bettina's shining kitchen. "why so festive?" "because i've just finished house-cleaning, bob, and i want to celebrate. doesn't everything look splendid?" "well, it looked good to me before, but now that i think of it, i believe there is an extra shine on things. what makes that nickel there look so bright and silvery?" "i cleaned it with a damp cloth dipped in powdered borax. that always makes nickel bright and clean." "i might have done that for you, betty. why didn't you suggest it to me?" "oh, this house is so small and dear that i enjoyed every minute of my house-cleaning. and i didn't want to bother you with it at all." "well, i'll help now with dinner. what can i do?" "will you cut the bread, dear? there's the steel bread knife; doesn't it look bright and shiny, too? i cleaned all my steel knives by dipping them into the earth in a flower pot i keep filled for that purpose. well, i think dinner is ready now, bob." for dinner they had: broiled steak french fried potatoes stuffed onions bread currant jelly orange tapioca whipped cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =stuffed onions= (two portions) large spanish onions t-soft bread crumbs t-egg / t-chopped parsley / t-salt t-melted butter / t-celery salt / c-milk cook the whole onions in boiling water until tender, but not broken. when the fork pierces them easily, drain off the water and rinse in cold water. this makes them firm for stuffing. remove the centers carefully. add the removed portion, chopped fine, to the crumbs, egg, parsley, salt, butter and celery salt. mix thoroughly. fill the holes with the mixture. place the onions in a small pan. sprinkle the salt over the onion and pour over it the milk. bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. =orange tapioca= (two portions) t-orange juice t-lemon juice t-sugar / c-boiling water t-powdered tapioca / t-salt orange stir the tapioca into the orange and lemon juice. add the sugar and salt. let it stand for three minutes while boiling the water. add the water. place directly over the fire. stir constantly and cook till thick (about three minutes). peel the orange and break apart in sections. line a glass serving dish with it and pour the tapioca over the sections. serve cold with whipped cream. =whipped cream= / c-thick cream t-sugar / t-lemon extract / t-vanilla extract place the cream in a round-bottomed, chilled bowl. beat until thick and fluffy. add the sugar, lemon and vanilla. mix well. pile lightly on the orange tapioca and serve very cold. chapter cxlvii spring marketing "i've been to the market, bettina," said charlotte, "and i thought i'd stop here just a moment to rest." "come in," said bettina, "and set that heavy basket down. why didn't you leave it for frank to bring?" "because i needed the things for dinner." "what did you get?" "oh, the same old fresh vegetables," said charlotte wearily. "a month ago they seemed so wonderful--strawberries, asparagus, new potatoes and all--but there are no new ways to cook them! one day i cream the asparagus and the next day i serve it on toast." "do you ever make asparagus salad?" asked bettina. "we are very fond of it. cold cooked asparagus is good with any kind of salad dressing, but we like best a very simple kind that i often make--oil and lemon juice and cheese." "cheese?" echoed charlotte in surprise. "yes, cottage cheese and roquefort cheese are equally good. and, charlotte, if you want some delicious strawberry desserts----" "oh, i do! we're so tired of shortcake and plain strawberries!" "i know several good strawberry dishes. come, let me show you one that i made today!" bettina's dinner consisted of: veal steak new potatoes in cream bread butter asparagus salad salad dressing strawberry tapioca bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =asparagus salad= (three portions) stalks of asparagus / t-salt c-water pieces of lettuce wash the asparagus and cut it in six-inch pieces. cook for ten minutes in boiling salted water (longer if necessary). rinse with cold water, handling carefully. arrange six stalks on each piece of lettuce. serve with salad dressing. =asparagus salad dressing= (three portions) t-olive oil t-lemon juice / t-salt / t-paprika t-cottage cheese beat the oil, and add the lemon juice slowly. add the salt and paprika. beat one minute. add the cheese. serve very cold, poured over the asparagus salad. =strawberry tapioca= t-granulated tapioca t-sugar - / c-hot water / t-salt / t-vanilla c-strawberries / c-sugar wash and hull the strawberries, and cut in halves with a spoon. add the sugar, mix well, and set in a cold place. mix the tapioca, the sugar and the salt. add the boiling water slowly. cook ten minutes in the upper part of the double boiler. add the vanilla. when cold, add the strawberries. serve very cold with plain or whipped cream. chapter cxlviii plans for the wedding "oh, bob!" cried bettina, "don't you hope it won't rain?" "rain? when? tonight?" asked bob, absent-mindedly, for he was busily eating the first cherry cobbler of the season, and enjoying it, too. "no, stupid! i'm thinking about the wedding--ruth's wedding." "and fred's wedding, too," added bob. "you talk as if ruth were the only one who is vitally interested." "fred's wedding, then. for, you see, the ceremony is to be in that darling summer house if it doesn't rain. if it does it will have to be in the solarium. the bridesmaids and matrons (if it is an outdoor wedding) are to carry the prettiest green silk parasols that you ever saw. they will be ruth's gifts to us. over our arms we'll carry plain soft straw hats filled with pink peonies, and lots of trailing greenery. won't that be lovely? for you know we are all to wear short white dresses and white shoes." "and what am i to do?" "you're to be an usher and help carry the green ropes that form the aisle." "ropes?" "yes, plain ropes covered with greenery. will you have some more cherry cobbler, bob?" that night for dinner bettina served: pork tenderloin creamed new potatoes cauliflower with butter sauce vegetable salad french dressing cherry cobbler cream coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =vegetable salad= (four portions) tomatoes slices of cucumber t-cottage cheese / t-celery salt t-salt / t-paprika pieces of lettuce arrange two pieces of lettuce on each salad plate. cut the tomatoes in half and arrange on the lettuce. place three slices of cucumber on each piece of tomato. add a tablespoon of cheese to each portion. sprinkle with celery salt, salt and paprika. serve at once with french dressing. =bettina's french dressing= (four portions) t-lemon juice t-olive oil t-salt / t-paprika t-chopped parsley mix the lemon juice, salt, paprika and parsley. add the oil slowly, beating vigorously with a dover egg-beater or a fork. beat until the mixture becomes a little thick. pour over the salad. =cherry cobbler= (four portions) c-cherries, stemmed and pitted / c-sugar t-flour t-water / t-salt c-flour t-baking powder / t-salt t-sugar t-butter t-milk mix the cherries, sugar, flour and salt. allow to stand five minutes. add the water. pour the mixture into a deep glass or china baking dish. mix and sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. cut in the butter with a knife. add the milk, mixing until a soft dough is formed. shape it with the hands to fit over the cherries. make three slits in the dough to permit the steam to escape. place in a moderate oven and bake for thirty minutes, serve in the baking dish. plain cream or whipped cream should be served with the cobbler. chapter cxlix entertaining the wedding guests "if you girls only would, my dear," ruth's mother had responded to bettina's suggestion that she and alice entertain ruth's house guests the entire day before the wedding, "you have no idea what a load would be taken off my mind!" "and alice and i would so enjoy helping you," bettina had replied. "and remember, we mean the whole day, breakfast and all!" luckily, the day before the wedding dawned warm and clear at eight o'clock harry and bob drove them all in automobiles to a lovely country spot in which the girls served an outdoor breakfast. the morning was spent in motoring and luncheon was eaten at a charming downtown tea-room. then they were whisked off to bettina's little home for an informal afternoon, and harry and bob, feeling that they had indeed been model husbands, departed for their respective offices. "the girl from kentucky has volunteered to sing," whispered alice to ruth. "she's a dear. do you suppose we can keep aunt jenny from talking for half an hour?" that afternoon the following refreshments were served on trays: fruit salad bettina sandwiches orange sherbet bettina's cake, white mountain cream icing coffee nuts candy bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =fruit salad= (twelve portions) c-diced pineapple c-nut meats, cut in small pieces / c-oranges, cut in small pieces / c-marshmallows, cut fine / c-red cherries, cut fine / c-figs, cut fine c-salad dressing / c-whipped cream pieces lettuce mix the pineapple, nut meats, oranges, marshmallows, cherries and figs. mix the whipped cream and the salad dressing. pour this over the fruit. serve on lettuce leaves which have been washed and placed on serving plates. serve immediately. =bettina sandwiches= (twelve portions) / c-creamed cheese t-pickles, chopped fine / c-pimento olives, chopped fine t-salad dressing / t-salt mix the cheese, pickles, olives and salt. add the salad dressing. spread this mixture between two thin pieces of buttered bread. press firmly together and cut into fancy shapes. =bettina cake= (twelve squares) / c-butter / c-sugar egg-yolks / c-flour t-baking powder / c-strained orange juice / t-orange extract / t-lemon extract cream the butter, add the sugar and mix well. add the egg-yolks which have been well beaten. mix and sift the flour, baking powder and salt, and add these, with the orange juice and the orange and lemon extracts to the first mixture. beat vigorously for two minutes. fill a twelve-inch square pan which has been prepared with waxed paper, with the mixture. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. when cool, cover with the icing and cut into twelve pieces. chapter cl the bridesmaids' dinner ruth's wedding colors were to be pink and green, and pink and green were, therefore, the colors which decorated the charming dinner table laid for the wedding party and close relatives the night before the wedding. a bud vase holding a half-opened pink rose bud stood before every two places. a large, low dish in the center of the table held pink roses, while at either end was another low arrangement of the same flowers. tiny paper slipper nut cups at each place held the pecans, and at the places laid for the best man and the ushers, silver pencils, fred's gifts to the groomsmen, were found. "they are cunning, of course," chattered bernadette, ruth's cousin and maid-of-honor, "but you men just wait till you see the green parasols that we bridesmaids are to carry! ruth is giving them to us, you know!" the dinner menu was as follows: watermelon balls celery bouillon bread sticks veal birds creamed new potatoes buttered new beets rolls butter balls mint frappé blackstone salad french dressing thin bread and butter sandwiches brick ice cream white cake coffee salted pecans bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =blackstone salad= (eighteen portions) pieces of head lettuce grapefruit t-neufchatel cheese t-cottage cheese / t-paprika / t-salt t-cream t-salad dressing arrange two pieces of lettuce on each salad plate. carefully peel the grapefruit and remove all the tough fibres and the white skin. cut the grapefruit into one-inch pieces. arrange the pieces in a circle upon the lettuce leaves. in the center of the circle, place the cheese mixture. pour the salad dressing over the lettuce, cheese and grapefruit. =cheese mixture= mix the neufchatel and cottage cheese, the salt, paprika, cream and salad dressing. stir until very creamy. spread on a piece of waxed paper to the thickness of one inch. place in the refrigerator, on the ice if possible. when cold and hard, cut in pieces three-fourths of an inch square. place a cube in the center of the grapefruit circle on each side plate. =french dressing= t-lemon juice t-salt / t-paprika c-olive oil mix and beat thoroughly the lemon juice, salt and paprika. add the oil very slowly. beat for three minutes. add one tablespoon to each portion of the salad. serve at once. chapter cli a morning wedding in june after the solemn and beautiful ceremony had taken place in the rose-embowered summer house, there was the usual hush for a moment, and then ruth and fred were engulfed in a sudden rush of chattering friends, eager to offer congratulations. bettina and bob were swept off with the others to the house, where the wedding breakfast was waiting to be served. "the morning is after all the happiest time for a wedding," whispered ellen to bettina, as they found their places at the bride's table. "everything seems so fresh and new and green and hopeful! isn't the table lovely, bettina?" and indeed it was. rose-decorated again, with the graceful flowers in baskets, and the white bride's cake in the center of the table, bettina felt that it made the proper setting for the flushed and smiling little bride. "and the wedding cake is to be passed in darling little baskets," continued ellen. "little baskets with handles--and the cake in tiny packages tied with white ribbon! pink and green candy all around them, too!" the wedding breakfast consisted of: watermelon balls in halves of cantaloupe chicken croquettes creamed potatoes mushroom sauce new peas butter sauce parker house rolls loganberry jam fruit salad wafers, bettina brick ice cream white cake coffee nuts candy bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =mushroom sauce= (thirty portions) c-chicken fat / c-water - / c-flour t-salt / t-paprika c-milk mix the fat and flour carefully, add the water, salt and paprika. cook one minute, stirring constantly, add one-half of the milk and cook until the mixture gets very thick. beat one minute, add the rest of the milk and cook again, still stirring continuously. when the sauce is very thick and creamy, add the mushrooms. stir over a hot fire for one minute. this allows the mushrooms to get hot. serve one tablespoonful of the mixture around each croquette. the sauce may be reheated by adding two tablespoons of milk, and placing over a hot fire. =fruit salad= (thirty portions) slices of pineapple white cherries red maraschino cherries pecan meats t-salad dressing pieces of head lettuce t-salt arrange the pieces of lettuce on the salad plates. sprinkle with salt, arrange on each portion a slice of pineapple, four white cherries, four pecan nuts and one maraschino cherry. place one tablespoon of salad dressing on each slice of pineapple, then arrange the fruits and nuts in any desired design. serve immediately. =wafers bettina= (thirty portions) double wafers / lb. cream cheese (white) t-chopped nut meats t-butter / t-salt mix the cheese, nuts, butter and salt thoroughly. spread evenly over the double wafers. bake in a moderate oven until a delicate brown on the top. chapter clii the first year ends "and a whole year has gone since then," said bob, as his eyes met bettina's across the little table set for two. "that's the queer part of it," bettina replied. "that year seems unbelievably short in some ways and unbelievably long in others, and stranger yet, i don't feel that it is really gone. i feel as if we had it, captured, held forever, with all of its fun and all of its little sad times. we own it, even more than we own a collection of snapshots in a camera book--because that year is a part of us now." "and the little hard places only make the bright spots all the brighter by contrast. do you know, bettina, that i've found you wiser than i ever imagined a young wife could be?" "bob,"--and bettina laughed and blushed at the same time. "don't interrupt. this is our anniversary and i'm making a speech. you are wise because from the first you've realized that we get out of life just what we put into it. you've faced things. you've realized that marriage isn't a hit-or-miss proposition. it's a business----" "a glorified business, bobby. dealing in materials that can't all be felt and seen and tasted, but that are, nevertheless, just as real as others. more truly real, i sometimes think. i know that the more love we give the more we receive, but we can't forget that we were given intelligence, too. so we mustn't turn the rose-colored lights of romance too beautifully low to let us see the wheels go round. and after all, romance is really in everything that we do lovingly, and intelligently. i find it in planning and cooking the best and most economical meals that i can, and in getting the mending done on time, and in keeping the house clean and beautiful. and--in having you appreciate things." "if you knew how i _do_ appreciate them!" said bob. "let's make our second year even happier than the first. if that is possible!" for that anniversary dinner bettina served: broiled steak new potatoes in cream hot biscuits butter currant jelly tomato salad charlotte russe coffee bettina's recipes (all measurements are level) =currant jelly= (five glasses) qts. of currants c-water sugar pick over the currants, leaving the berries on the stems. wash and drain. place in an enamel preserving kettle and add one cup of water. cook slowly until the currants are white. strain through a jelly bag. boil the juice five minutes in a shallow pan. it is better to boil small quantities at a time, as this makes the jelly much clearer. when the juice has all been boiled, measure, and add an equal amount of heated sugar. boil three minutes, or until it jells when tried on a cold saucer. pour into sterilized glasses. allow to stand in the sun twenty-four hours. cover with boiling paraffin and put away in a cool, dark place. this recipe makes about five glasses or two and a half pints. =tomato salad= (two portions) slices tomato, / inch thick t-chopped green pepper / t-salt / t-paprika / t-celery salt t-olive oil t-lemon juice pieces lettuce mix the salt, paprika, celery salt, olive oil and lemon juice. beat one minute. add the tomatoes and green pepper. place in the ice box for half an hour. arrange the lettuce leaves on salad plates. place two slices of tomato on each portion. pour the oil mixture over the tomatoes. =charlotte russe= (two portions) t-granulated gelatin t-cold water / c-hot milk c-whipped cream / t-vanilla thin pieces sponge cake / c-sugar place the sponge cakes around the edges of a moistened mould. soak the gelatin in cold water five minutes. add the hot milk. stir until it dissolves. add the sugar and vanilla. allow the gelatin mixture to cool. when it begins to thicken, fold in the cream. beat until the mixture holds its shape. pour into the mould. allow to remain two hours in a cold place. index bread, rolls, etc. baking powder biscuit, , , boston brown bread, brown bread, bran bread, steamed, cheese wafers, cinnamon rolls, cinnamon toast, corn bread, corn gems, cream toast, croutons, , croutons, shamrock, date bread, date buns, date muffins, date nut bread, egg rolls, emergency biscuit, french toast, fruit gems, graham gems, gluten bread, light rolls, muffins, muffins, twin mountain, nut bread, nut bread for sandwiches, peanut butter and fruit rolls, peanut bread, pinwheel biscuits, pop-overs, sour cream biscuits, spanish buns, sweet milk griddle cakes, time guide for quick breads, toast, toasted sticks, wafers, bettina, waffles, cakes and cookies. apple sauce cake, bettina's cake, bettina's cakes, bettina's sponge cake, bettina's wafers, brides' cake, burnt sugar cake, charlotte russe, chocolate cream filling, chocolate sponge, chocolate nougat, chocolate, little cakes, chocolate, moist, date loaf cake, date rocks, devil's food, , doughnuts, doughnuts, potato, drop cookies, fancy cakes, 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dutch apple cake, lemon pie, peach cobbler, pumpkin, rules for pastry, strawberry short cake, pickles, relishes, etc. beets, pickled, beets, spiced, cabbage relish, chili sauce, jelly pickle, radishes, relish for fried oysters, puddings. apricot soufflé, brown betty, , chocolate cream pudding, chocolate custard, cocoanut, cocoanut blanc mange, cornstarch fruit, cottage pudding, , cottage pudding, bettina's, cream, whipped, date pudding, , date pudding, steamed, fig pudding, steamed, lemon rice, marble, marshmallow cream, marshmallow pudding, plum pudding, bettina's, plum pudding, pineapple charlotte, prunes, prune blanc mange, prune soufflé, prune whip, , "quick pudding", rhubarb pudding, rice pudding, rice parfait, tapioca, apple, , tapioca and date, tapioca, orange, tapioca, strawberry, salads. apple, celery and green pepper, asparagus, banana, beet, bean, bettina, , , blackstone, cabbage, clown, cherry, cucumber and radish, egg and lettuce, fruit, , grapefruit, honolulu, lettuce, , , , lobster and salmon, mexican, orange and cherry, pear, , perfection salad, potato, salmon, , string bean, sunbonnet baby, surprise, tomato, tomato, cucumber pimento, tomato cup, tomato, stuffed, tuna, washington, vegetable, , , , , salad dressing and sauces. bread dressing, bechamel sauce, , butter sauce, boiled salad dressing, bettina dressing, bettina's french dressing, cranberry sauce, custard sauce, egg sauce, french dressing, french dressing with green peppers, giblet gravy, horseradish sauce, lemon sauce, mushroom sauce, maitre d'hotel, roquefort cheese dressing, russian dressing, , salad dressing, thousand island salad dressing, , tomato sauce, , vanilla sauce, white sauces, sandwiches. bettina's, ham, ham, chopped, hallowe'en, nut-bread for sandwiches, peanut butter, washington's birthday, soups. bettina's soup, cream of asparagus, cream of celery, cream of pea, vegetables. asparagus on toast, cabbage, creamed, cabbage, escalloped, , cauliflower, creamed, cauliflower, 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stuffed, tomatoes, with rice, turnips, turnips, creamed, bettina's suggestions. bettina's suggestions, emergency shelf, menus for cerealess breakfasts, , suggestions for serving bride's cake, pastry rules, jelly making, * * * * * transcriber's notes: varied hyphenation was retained as on page where "egg white" has no hyphen in the ingredient list for coffee but does have one in the recipe directions. it was also retained in words such as "tonight", "to-night" and "today", "to-day." many recipes have the list of ingredients in a different order than the directions use them. this was retained. obvious punctuation errors were repaired. page , "c" changed to "c" twice ( c-milk) ( c-sifted flour) page , string beans with butter sauce, "(two portions)" moved out of bold notation to match rest of usage. page , "certainly" changed to "certainly" (tennis certainly does give) page , "sautè" changed to "sauté" twice (in it and sauté) (tablespoon flour and sauté) page , "bulgeted" changed to "budgeted" (that we have budgeted) page , subtitle "bettina's recipes" moved to after the menu list to follow rest of usage in text. page , veal birds, recipe ingredient list calls for "paprika" while recipe directions asks for "pepper." this was retained. page , "sautè" changed to "sauté" (sauté until browned) page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" in menu. (egg soufflé) page , "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" (and sautéd in hot fat) page , "soufflè" changed to "soufflé" in recipe title. (egg soufflé) page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" (sauce around the soufflé) page , the title "=fish a la bettina= (four portions)" was listed both above the menu list and after the menu as a recipe title. the first was removed. page , "sautè" changed to "sauté" (crumbs and sauté in hot) page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" (prune soufflé) page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" (prune soufflé) page , chocolate cookies, ingredient list calls for cinnamon but directions do not mention when to add it. page , rice pudding, "suger" changed to "sugar" (add the sugar) page , "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" twice (sautéd potatoes) page , both in menu and recipe title, "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" (sautéd potatoes) page , hot water sponge cake, "lmon" changed to "lemon" ( t-grated rind lemon) page , "soufflè" changed to "soufflé" (with the soufflé) page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" twice (apricot soufflé) page , "stirr" changed to "stir" (while i stir up a little) page , "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" (sautéd halibut steak) page , "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" (sautéd halibut) page , "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" (sautéd halibut) page , word "chapter" added to text of chapter header (chapter xc) page , "teasponful" changed to "teaspoonful" (a teaspoonful of salt) page , "tap" changed to "tape" (bound with white tape) page , "current" changed to "currant" (currant jelly) page , "sizzlinz" changed to "sizzling" (cooker on the sizzling) page , "hallf" changed to "half" (cut in half-inch lengths) page , menu, "lettuce and egg" changed to "egg and lettuce" (egg and lettuce salad) page , bean salad recipe, directions call for green pepper, but it is not mentioned in the list of ingredients. page , "sautèd" changed to "sautéd" (sautéd potatoes) page , "frappe" changed to "frappé" (mint frappé) page , mushroom sauce recipe, actual quantity of mushrooms not listed. page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" twice (soufflé, ) page , three bacon items moved to correct alphabetical order to be above beef listings instead of right after the beef listings as in the original text. page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" (apricot soufflé) page , "souffle" changed to "soufflé" (prune soufflé) page , "creaw" changed to "cream" (cream of celery) transcriber's note: italic text is denoted by _underscores_. the national cook book. by a lady of philadelphia, a practical housewife. a lady, in whose judgment we have the most unbounded confidence, pronounces this "the only cook book worthy of a housekeeper's perusal." _graham's magazine._ ninth edition. philadelphia: hayes & zell, market street. . entered according to the act of congress, in the year , by robert e. peterson, in the clerk's office of the district court of the eastern district of pennsylvania. deacon & peterson, printers, no. s. third street. preface. the following receipts, the result of many years experience, have been placed before the public, in the hope that they may prove useful to all who may consult them, and under the conviction that they will be found truly practical. the author has endeavored to draw them up in the most concise and simple manner; and has in all cases sacrificed _style_ to minute detail; not even avoiding repetition where it might render the directions more explicit. a great defect in many works of a similar character is, that the cook is forced to wade through a formidable amount of reading before she can learn the process of making a pudding, or discover the different articles necessary to the concocting of a dish. whilst some are so diffuse, others on the opposite extreme, are so brief in their explanations as to fall far short of being understood, and consequently are ever liable to misconception. as no utensils are requisite except those in common use in every family, the difficulty of preparing the various dishes will be greatly lessened. great attention has been paid to that department of cookery exclusively adapted to the sick or convalescent, most of the dishes having been prepared according to the directions of eminent physicians of philadelphia. nearly all the receipts in this book are purely american; the author therefore entertains a hope that they may meet the wants of the community, and the approbation of all those who may honor them with a trial. philadelphia, may, . contents. soups. beef, veal, pepper-pot, chicken, lamb, oyster, clam, green corn, pea, succotash, noodles for, fish. rock, boiled, fried, cod, boiled, cakes, shad, spiced, boiled, fried, broiled, baked, roasted on a board, potted, no. , no. , halibut, cat, potted herring, pickled oysters, fried oysters, stewed oysters, no. , no. , scalloped oysters, oyster fritters, pie, roasted oysters, oyster omelette, stewed clams, clam fritters, fried clams, terrapins, boiled crabs, soft crabs, boiled lobster, lobster salad, oyster omelette, meats. beef, roast, a-la-mode, steaks, steak, fried, smothered, baked and yorkshire pudding, french stew, no. , no. , beef stewed with onions, kidney, stewed, fried, corned, jewish method of preparing for salting, boiled corned, boiled tongue, tripe, veal, roast, pie, plain, pot-pie, fillet of, a-la-mode, fillet of, baked, french stew of, stewed, cutlets, fried with tomatoes, plain fried, spiced, sweet-breads fried, stewed, boiled, calves' feet spiced, fried, liver fried, chitterlings, or calves' tripe, lamb, roast leg of, boiled leg of, stewed with onions, mutton dressed like venison, chops, chops with lemon, pork, roast, pig, roast, pork, stuffed leg of, steaks, leg of, corned and boiled, spare rib, soused pig's feet, scrapple, hog's-head cheese, boiled ham, glazed ham, sausage meat, venison, to roast a haunch of, steaks, best way of cooking, rabbit, roasted, pie, baked, pot-pie, french stewed, fricaseed, smothered, pigeons, roasted, stewed, squab, broiled, pigeon pie, reed birds, stewed, no. , no. , roasted, pie, fried, turkey, roasted, boiled, duck, roasted, no. , no. , goose, roasted, giblet pie, chickens, roasted, pie, pot-pie, chickens, broiled, fried, boiled, stewed, brown fricassee, white fricasseed chicken, chicken salad, no. , no. , vegetables. potatoes, boiled, no. , no. , fried, no. , no. , no. , no. , sweet potatoes, fried, potatoes, roasted, cakes, kale, salad, sausage, tomatoes, stewed, fried, baked, scalloped, broiled, dressed as cucumbers, fricandeau, beets, baked, egg-plant, no. , no. , no. , no. , no. , browned, parsnips, no. , no. , no. , no. , stewed, corn, boiled green, fritters, oysters, hominy, sour krout, boiled, cauliflower, slaw, cold, hot, slaw, french, mushrooms, spinach, as greens, dandelion, squashes or cymlins, ochras, carrots, turnips, celery dressed as slaw, stewed with lamb, asparagus, salad, dutch, corn, onions, boiled, cucumbers, fried, beans, lima, windsor or horse, stringed, boiled dried, peas, green, salsify or oyster-plant, no. , no. , no. , no. , sauces. sauce, apple, lemon, yorkshire, nuns' butter, dried peach, cranberry, wine, cream, vegetable, tomato mustard, egg, drawn butter, onion sauce, mint, mushroom, parsley, caper, haslet, horse-radish, french tomato, oyster, tomato, pickles. pickled peppers, mushrooms, no. , no. , onions, eggs, chow chow, pickled walnuts, peaches, beans, mangoes, cucumbers, beets, cherries, tomato catsup, no. , no. , mushroom catsup, walnut " pickled nasturtiums, tomatoes, pastry. puff paste, plain " common paste, lemon pudding, no. , no. , orange cheese-cake, lemon " " curd " " cottage " " indian florendines, rice " orange pudding, almond " cocoa-nut pudding, no. , no. , apple pudding, no. , no. , plain apple pudding, no. , pumpkin " no. , no. , quince pudding, french custard pudding, potato pudding, sweet potato pudding, cranberry tarts, rhubarb tarts, ripe peach pie, peach pot-pie, quince pie, plum pie, quince dumplings, peach " apple " cherry pie, rhubarb pie, sweet dishes. guernsey pudding, eve's " french " sago " french bread pudding, green corn " rice cup " newcastle " peach baked " farmer's apple " rice " no. , no. , boiled rice " rice pudding, with fruit, rice cups, plum pudding, boiled " no. , no. , indian boiled pudding, baked " oxford pudding, college " blanc mange, clear blanc mange, charlotte de russe, peach charlotte, savoy " cherry " rice milk, rice flummery, apple floating island, floating island, whips, syllabub, vanilla cup custard, hasty pudding, or farmer' rice, spanish fritters, apple " orange " german puffs, snow custard, boiled custard, baked pears, stewed cherries, baked apples, blackberry mush, rice dumplings, glazed currants, strawberries, stewed ripe peaches, cold custard, apple cream, tea cakes. short cake, muffins, hard biscuits, yorkshire biscuits, potato rolls, brentford rolls, french " parsnip cake, maryland biscuits, waffles, without yeast, buckwheat cakes, rye batter cakes, guernsey buns, tottenham muffins, crumpets, or flannel cakes, scotch crumpets, indian fritters, indian slappers, pone, johnny or journey cake, indian light cake, muffins, no. , no. , meal breakfast cakes, milk biscuits, sally lunn, no. , no. , water toast, milk " mush cakes, rice waffles, buttermilk cakes, indian metland, cream-of-tartar cakes, cakes. fruit or plum cake, no. , no. , new york plum cake, pound-cake, no. , no. , common pound-cake, cocoa-nut pound-cake, indian " " loaf cake, bristol loaf-cake, indian " " almond cake, sponge " no. , " " no. , " " no. , jumbles, spanish jumbles, plain " cocoa-nut " ginger fruit cake, cup " nuts, bread, no. , no. , boston ginger-bread, common " " plain " " soda biscuit, kisses, or cream-cakes, sugar cake, federal " white cup-cake, german " seed cake, currant cake, rock " election " devonshire cakes, scotch cake, crullers, dutch loaf, rice cup-cake, cocoa-nut cakes, spanish buns, buns, dough-nuts, macaroons, lady cake, composition cake, scotch loaf, french cake, travelers' biscuit, light sugar biscuits, plain cup-cake, apees, shrewsbury cake, dover biscuits, washington cake, no. , no. , sugar biscuits, preserves. calf's-foot jelly, fox-grape " cranberry " no. , " no. , orange " strawberry " currant " quince " marmalade, peach " preserved pears, quinces, pine-apple, peaches, fresh figs, citron melon, green-gages, plums, strawberry jam, cherry " raspberry " blackberry " green-gage " plum " pine-apple " brandy grapes, peaches, sick. sago milk, orgeat, stewed prunes, cocoa, egg and wine, sago pudding, for invalids, tapioca pudding, arrow-root pudding, for invalids, pudding for the convalescent, indian gruel, egg and milk, sugared orange, lemons, no. , no. , mulled wine, cider, vegetable soup, carrageen, or irish moss, arrow-root, macaroni, lemonade, for an invalid, oat-meal gruel, baked pudding, for invalids, chicken broth, pap of unbolted flour, grated " sweet-breads, for invalids, panada, no. , no. , ground rice, no. , no. , mustard whey, wine " vinegar " rennet " tamarind " potato jelly, port wine jelly, tapioca " hartshorn " rice " jelly of gelatine, slippery-elm tea, flax-seed " veal " beef " essence of beef, mutton tea, chicken " gum-arabic water, tamarind " grape " mulled " apple " barley " toast, water, almond " miscellaneous. lemon syrup, no. , no. , ginger " brandy cherries, to preserve eggs during winter, blackberry cordial, raspberry brandy, currant shrub, raspberry shrub, cherry bounce, mixture for salting butter, egg-nog, minced meat, sandwiches, wine sangaree, porter " poached eggs, plain omelette, ham " bread " tomato " browned flour, dried cherries for pies, apples " peaches " pumpkin " to prepare salæratus, lemonade, punch, macaroni, indian mush, fried " welsh rabbit, mint julep, milk punch, cottage cheese, to prepare rennet, cure hams, prepare apples for pies, cure dried beef, beef and hams, shad, roast coffee, coffee, chocolate, tea, to make yeast, potato yeast, bread, potato bread, mush bread, rye " dyspeptic bread, fried " common mustard, icing for cakes, to dry herbs, raspberry vinegar, celery " pepper " molasses candy, gooseberry pie, ripe currant pie, green " apple butter, jelly cake, no. , no. , honey " no. , no. , citron " vanilla kisses, cake, ginger pound-cake, currant biscuits, plain crullers, to make butter, queen cake, index, table of weights and measures. for the convenience of those who have no scales and weights, the following table has been arranged. the measures correspond as nearly as possible with the weight of the different articles specified. these measures will answer for all the plainer cakes, &c but greater accuracy is necessary for the richer kinds. avoirdupois is the weight employed in this table. sixteen ounces are one pound. eight ounces are half a pound. four ounces are a quarter of a pound. white sugar, (pulverized) four gills and a half, equal one pound. light brown sugar, three half pints, equal one pound. " " nine heaping table spoonsful, equal one pound. wheat flour, one quart and one table spoonful, equal one pound. " fifteen heaping table spoonsful, equal one pound. ten eggs, equal one pound. fine indian meal, one quart, equals one pound five ounces. coarse " one quart, equals one pound nine ounces. butter, one common sized tea-cup holds a quarter of a pound. spices, (ground) two large table spoonsful, equal one ounce. nutmegs, (whole) seven common sized, equal one ounce. liquid measure. two gills are half a pint. four gills are one pint. two pints are one quart. four quarts are one gallon. six common table spoonsful equal one gill. one wine glassful equals half a gill. one common sized tumblerful equals half a pint. the national cook book. soups. all soups are better to be made with fresh uncooked meat, as that which has been cooked once has lost much of its flavor and nearly all its juices. it is therefore better economy to hash or spice your cold meat, and buy fresh for soup. soup should not boil _very_ hard, as that has a tendency to toughen the meat. fat meat is not so proper nor healthy for soup as the leaner parts of the finest meat. the fat does not impart much flavor, and is not palatable. soup may be kept till the next day; before it is heated over again, skim off the cake of fat which congeals on the top. it is often preferred one day old to the day it is cooked. beef soup. . crack the bone of a shin of beef, and put it on to boil in one quart of water to every pound of meat, and a large tea spoonful of salt to each quart of water. let it boil two hours, and skim it well. then add four turnips pared and cut in quarters, four onions pared and sliced, two carrots scraped and cut in slices, one root of celery cut in small pieces, and one bunch of sweet herbs; which should be washed and tied with a thread, as they are to be taken out when the soup is served. when the vegetables are tender, take out the meat, strain off the soup and return it to the pot again, thicken it with a little flour mixed with water; then add some parsley finely chopped, with more salt and pepper to the taste, and some dumplings, made of a tea spoonful of butter to two of flour, moistened with a little water or milk. drop these dumplings into the boiling soup; let them boil five minutes and serve them with the soup in the tureen. noodles may be substituted for the dumplings. for directions for making them see no . veal soup. . take a knuckle of veal, put it in a pot with four quarts of water, and add a tea spoonful of salt to each quart. pare and slice three onions, four turnips, two carrots, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a small portion of celery. let the veal boil one hour, then add the above vegetables. when they are tender, strain the soup. put it in the pot it was boiled in, thicken the soup with some flour mixed smoothly with a little water, and add a little parsley finely chopped. make some dumplings of a tea spoonful of butter to two of flour, and milk or water enough to make a very soft dough. drop them into the boiling soup. they should be about as large as a hickory-nut, when they are put in. if noodles are preferred, they may be put in and boiled ten minutes. for directions for making them see no. . dish the meat with the vegetables around it. drawn butter may be served with it, or any other meat sauce. pepper-pot. . cut in small pieces four pounds of tripe, put it on to boil in as much water as will cover it, allowing a tea spoonful of salt to every quart of water. let it boil three hours, then have ready four calves feet, which have been dressed with the skin on. put them into the pot with the tripe and add as much water as will cover them; also four onions sliced, and a small bunch of sweet herbs chopped finely. half an hour before the pepper-pot is done add four potatoes cut in pieces; when these are tender add two ounces of butter rolled in flour, and season the soup highly with cayenne pepper. make some dumplings of flour and butter and a little water--drop them into the soup; when the vegetables are sufficiently soft, serve it. the calves feet may be served with or without drawn butter. any kind of spice may be added. if allspice or cloves are used, the grains should be put in whole. chicken soup. . wash a fine large chicken, put it in a pot and cover it with water with a little salt. pick and wash two table spoonsful of rice, a bunch of sweet herbs, washed, and tied with a thread, two onions, and a little celery cut fine. add these to the chicken as soon as it begins to boil. when the chicken is tender add a small bunch of parsley finely minced; let it boil a few minutes and then serve it. season with pepper and salt to the taste. serve the chicken with drawn butter. some like allspice in this soup. if you should like it add a tea spoonful of the whole grains. noodles or dumplings may be substituted in place of the rice. to make noodles see no. . the dumplings are made with a tea spoonful of butter, two of flour, and water enough to form a soft dough. take a tea spoonful of the dough and drop into the boiling soup. let them boil a few minutes. pearl barley may be used instead of rice. lamb soup. . take a neck and breast of lamb, wash it, and to each pound of meat add a quart of water, and a tea spoonful of salt. pare and slice two onions, two carrots, four turnips, two or three potatoes and a bunch of sweet herbs. add all these to the meat after it has boiled one hour. if in the proper season add three or four tomatoes or half a dozen ochras. when the vegetables are done, take out the meat, and add some flour mixed to a smooth paste with a little water. noodles or dumplings may be added, as for beef soup. some thicken lamb soup with a little rice put in the pot with the lamb. oyster soup. . take one hundred oysters out of the liquor. to half of the liquor add an equal quantity of water. boil it with one tea spoonful of crushed allspice, a little mace, some cayenne pepper and salt. let it boil twenty minutes, then strain it, put it back in the stew pan and add the oysters. as soon as it begins to boil, add a tea cupful of cream, and a little grated cracker rubbed in one ounce of butter. as soon as the oysters are plump, serve them. clam soup. . wash the shells of the clams and put them in a pot without any water. cover the pot closely to keep in the steam; as soon as the clams are opened which will be in a few minutes, take them out of the shells and proceed as directed for oyster soup. green corn soup. . put on a knuckle of veal to boil in three quarts of water, and three tea spoonsful of salt. cut the corn off of one dozen ears, and put it on to boil with the veal. when the veal is tender the soup is done. then roll an ounce of butter in flour and add to it before it is served. if the fire has been very hot and the water has boiled away too much, a little more may be added. pea soup. . this is made in the same manner as the green corn soup, only the peas must not be put in till about half an hour before the meat is done. a quart of peas will be requisite to make a dish of soup. succotash. . one quart of green corn cut off the cob, one quart of lima beans, and two pounds of pickled pork. if the pork should be very salt, soak it an hour before it is put on to boil. put the pork on to boil and let it be about half cooked before the vegetables are put in. then put in the corn (which must be cut off the cob) and the beans; let them boil till they are tender. take all up, put the meat on a dish and the vegetables in a tureen. it should be a very thick soup when done. to make noodles for soup. . beat up an egg and to it add as much flour as will make a very stiff dough. roll it out in a thin sheet, flour it, and roll it up closely, as you would do a sheet of paper. then with a sharp knife cut it in shavings about like cabbage for slaw; flour these cuttings to prevent them from adhering to each other, and add them to your soup whilst it is boiling. let them boil ten minutes. fish. fish should always be perfectly fresh when cooked. to select fresh ones observe the eyes; if they have a bright life-like appearance the fish is fresh; if, on the contrary, the eyes are sunken and dark colored, and have lost their brilliancy, they are certainly stale. some judge by the redness of the gills, but they are sometimes colored to deceive customers. crabs should be of a dark green color, and when fresh from the water are always very lively, the same remarks hold good with regard to lobsters. if the tail of the lobster will return to its former position when pulled out, the lobster is fresh. never buy a clam or oyster if the shells are parted. if the valves are tightly closed the oyster is fresh. boiled rock. . scale a rock, take out the eyes and gills, draw it and wash it well. flour a cloth, wrap the fish in it, and boil it in plenty of water strongly salted. a common sized fish requires about half a large tea cupful of salt. place your fish kettle over a strong fire, and when the water boils put in the fish. let it boil hard twenty minutes. take it out of the cloth carefully, place it on your fish dish and send it to the table. have egg sauce in a sauce boat. mashed potatoes are an accompaniment to boiled fish. garnish the dish with green parsley. if any of the boiled fish should be left from dinner it may be spiced as shad, and makes an excellent relish for breakfast or tea. fried rock. . clean and score your fish; wash and wipe them dry; season well with cayenne pepper and salt. let them stand at least one hour before they are cooked, that the seasoning may have time to penetrate them. have ready a pan of hot lard, dredge flour over your fish, put them in the pan and fry them slowly, that they may be done through. they should be of a handsome brown on both sides. all pan fish are fried in the same way. boiled cod. . soak a dried cod for three hours in cold water; scrape and wash it very clean; then put it on to boil in as much cold water as will cover it. let it boil half an hour. drain it on your fish dish, and serve it with mashed potatoes, drawn butter, or egg sauce, and eggs boiled hard. the castor should contain cayenne pepper, mustard, sweet oil, pepper, vinegar, and catsup. cod fish cakes. . boil a piece of salt cod; take out all the bones, and mash with it equal quantities of mashed potatoes. season it with pepper and salt to your taste; then add as much beaten egg as will form it into a paste. make it out into thin cakes, flour them, and fry them of a light brown. spiced shad. . one large shad, two table spoonsful of salt, three tea spoonsful of cayenne pepper, two table spoonsful of whole allspice, as much vinegar as will cover it. split the shad open, rub over it two table spoonsful of salt, and let it stand several hours. have ready a pot with boiling water in it sufficient to cover the shad, allowing a tea spoonful of salt to every quart of water. boil it twenty minutes. take it out of the water, drain it, bruise your allspice just so as to crack the grains. sprinkle over your shad the allspice and pepper, and cover it with cold vinegar. boiled shad. . clean your shad, wash it and wipe it, flour it well, wrap it in a cloth, and put it into a large vessel of boiling water with a great deal of salt. it will require about twenty minutes to cook it. serve it with egg sauce, or rich drawn butter. fried shad. . cut your shad in half, wash it and wipe it dry, score it and season with cayenne pepper and salt, dredge flour over it, and fry it in hot lard. when done, put the two halves together, that it may assume the appearance of a whole fish. broiled shad. . split your shad down the back, wash it and season it well with salt. have your gridiron heated, grease the bars, put on the shad and broil it slowly till quite done. it should be of a fine brown on both sides. if designed for the dinner table, after having basted it well with butter on both sides, fold it over, that it may assume its original form, and serve it. baked shad. . open your shad by cutting it down the back, wash it well and wipe it dry, score it and season it with cayenne pepper and salt; put it in a pan with two ounces of butter cut in small pieces, put a few pieces of butter in the bottom of the pan and the remainder on the shad, add two table spoonsful of water. place it in a very moderate oven and let it stand three or four hours. shad roasted on a board. . take a piece of clean oak board about three inches thick, and two feet square, stand it before the fire till the board is very hot, indeed almost charred. have your shad split down the back, cleaned, washed, wiped dry, and seasoned with salt; fasten it to the hot board with a few small nails; the skin side should be next the board, place the board before the fire with the head part down; as soon as the juices begin to run, turn it with the tail down; it should be turned frequently in order to retain the juices. when done butter it and serve it hot. send it to the table on the board. this is the receipt for baking shad at the philadelphia "fish house." potted shad, no. . . cut a shad in six or eight pieces, wash and wipe it dry. mix one dessert spoonful of ground allspice, half a table spoonful of black pepper, and half a table spoonful of salt--sprinkle a portion of this seasoning over each piece of shad. put them into a stone jar with enough good cider vinegar to cover them; cover the jar with a clean cloth, and over this tie closely several thicknesses of brown paper to keep in the steam; set it in a moderate oven and let it remain twelve hours. this is very good, but the fish is dark colored. when potted according to no. , it retains its whiteness. potted shad, no. . . cut a shad in about half a dozen pieces, wash it and wipe it dry. mix together two table spoonsful of whole allspice and one table spoonful of whole black pepper; put one table spoonful and a half of salt over the shad the evening before it is to be potted, the next morning sprinkle over it a half a tea spoonful of cayenne pepper. place the shad in a stone jar, and over each layer throw a portion of the grains of pepper and allspice, cover it with vinegar and set it in a moderate oven for twelve hours. halibut. . cut it in slices about a quarter of an inch thick; wash and dry them, season with cayenne pepper and salt; have ready a pan of hot lard and fry your fish in it till of a delicate brown on both sides. some dip the cutlets in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs and fry it. when done in this manner it should be cut rather thinner than according to the first method. or, heat your gridiron, grease the bars, season your fish with cayenne pepper and salt, and broil it till of a fine brown color. lay it on a dish and butter it. cat fish. . cut each fish in two parts, down the back and stomach; take out the upper part of the back bone next the head; wash and wipe them dry, season with cayenne pepper and salt, and dredge flour over them; fry them in hot lard of a nice light brown. some dress them like oysters; they are then dipped in beaten egg and bread crumbs and fried in hot lard. they are very nice dipped in beaten egg, without the crumbs, and fried. potted herring. . clean your herring, wash them well and wipe them dry; then rub each one with salt and cayenne pepper; place in your jar a layer of herring, then some grains of allspice, half a dozen cloves, and two or three blades of mace; then put in another layer of herring, and so on till all are in; cover the herring with cold vinegar, tie up the jar closely with several thicknesses of paper, and set it in the oven after the bread has been drawn out; let it remain there all night. as soon as they become cold they will be fit for use. shell fish. pickled oysters. . take one hundred oysters out of their liquor, and add to them as much water as there was liquor. put them over the fire, with salt to the taste, skim them, and as soon as they boil take them off. have ready in a pan one gill of vinegar, one table spoonful of allspice, one table spoonful of pepper grains, a little cayenne pepper and mace, half a gill of pepper vinegar and half a gill of common vinegar. they should be pickled the day before they are to be eaten. after standing a few hours, if a scum should have risen on them, take out the oysters and strain the liquor. about six hours before they are to be served, slice a lemon and add to them. fried oysters. . select the largest oysters for frying. take them out of their liquor with a fork, and endeavor in doing so, to rinse off all the particles of shell which may adhere to them. dry them between napkins; have ready some grated cracker, seasoned with cayenne pepper and salt. beat the yelks only of some eggs, and to each egg add half a table spoonful of thick cream. dip the oysters, one at a time, first in the egg then in the cracker crumbs, and fry them in plenty of hot butter, or butter and lard mixed, till they are of a light brown on both sides. serve them hot. stewed oysters, no. . . take one hundred large oysters, add to them a quarter of a pound of butter, with salt, black and red pepper to the taste. stew _as fast as possible_ for three minutes. serve them hot. stewed oysters, no. . . rinse one hundred oysters, and put them in a stew pan with the water which adheres to them; season them with salt and cayenne pepper, and a very little mace. as soon as they begin to boil pour in half a pint of cream, and stir in half an ounce of butter rolled in a little grated cracker. let them boil once and serve them hot. scalloped oysters. . drain your oysters, and season them with salt and cayenne pepper; crumb some stale bread, and season it with salt and pepper. to each gill of the bread crumbs add one hard boiled egg, finely chopped; butter a deep dish, strew in a layer of egg and crumbs, then a layer of the oysters, with some lumps of butter on them, then more crumbs, and so on till all are in. put a cover of crumbs on the top. bake this in a tolerably quick oven and serve it hot. oyster fritters. . drain the oysters and wipe them dry; season them with salt, if they are not salt enough; make a batter in the proportion of a pint of milk to three eggs, and flour to thicken it; beat the yelks till they are very thick, stir in the milk and as much flour as will make a batter, but not a very thick one; add a pinch of salt, beat the whole very hard, whisk the whites to a stiff dry froth and stir them in gently at the last. put a small spoonful of the batter in a pan of boiling lard, then lay an oyster on the top, and over this put a little more batter; when they are brown on both sides, put them on a dish and send them to the table hot. oyster pie. . take one hundred oysters out of their liquor, one at a time, so as to free them from any portions of the shell which might adhere to them. drain and place them between clean napkins in order to dry them perfectly; pour off half the liquor into a stew-pan, salt it to your taste, stir in one gill of cream, one ounce and a half of butter rolled in grated cracker, and a little cayenne pepper; boil two eggs hard, chop them up, and mix them with as many bread crumbs as will cover the top of your pie; season the bread and egg with cayenne pepper and salt, make a rich paste, line the sides of your pie dish, put in the oysters, pour the hot liquor over them, strew the bread crumbs on the top, cover the whole with a lid of paste, cut an opening in the centre of the top crust, and ornament it with flowers or leaves made of the paste, bake it and serve it hot. as soon as the crust is done take the pie out of the oven. roasted oysters. . wash the shells perfectly clean, put them in pans and set them in the oven, or place them in rows on the top of your kitchen range. those who live in the country, and have large wood fires, may roast them nicely on their hot hearth stone. take them up as soon as the shells begin to open, before the liquor is lost; have ready a hot vegetable dish, take out the oysters and serve immediately. or, the upper shell may be taken off, and the oysters placed on broad dishes in the other shell. the dishes must be well heated as the oysters should be eaten hot. each person dresses his oysters on his plate. oyster omelette. . eight oysters chopped fine, six eggs, a wine glassful of flour, a little milk, pepper and salt to the taste. beat the eggs very light, add the oysters and the flour, which must be mixed to a paste with a little milk; pepper and salt to the taste. fry it in hot butter, but do not turn it; as soon as it is done slip it on a dish and serve it hot. the above is the usual mode of preparing oyster omelette; but the better way is to put your oysters in a stew pan, set them over the fire, and the moment they begin to boil take them out, drain them and dry them in a napkin. they are not so watery when prepared in this manner, and consequently will not dilute the beaten egg as much as the former mode. when they are cold mince them and proceed as above. stewed clams. . wash the clams, put them in a pot and cover them closely; set them near the fire, and as soon as they begin to open take them out of the shell; drain them, and to a pint of clams add half a pint of water, one ounce of butter rolled in flour, cayenne pepper and salt to the taste; let them stew ten minutes. just before they are to be dished add one gill of cream. clam fritters. . wash your clam shells, put them in a pot with the water only which adheres to them, cover the pot closely, and as soon as they open take them out of the shell. take out the hard part and cut the remainder in half, and season them with pepper and salt; beat the yelks of four eggs very light, add to them a pint of milk, a little salt, and flour enough to form a batter; whisk the whites very dry and add them at the last. have ready a pan of hot lard, put in a spoonful of the batter, lay on the top two or three pieces of the clams, then cover them with a little more of the batter. fry them on both sides and serve them hot. the small sand clams are the best kind. fried clams. . wash your clams before they are opened; place them in a vessel without any water. cover the vessel closely and as soon as they open their mouths take them out of the shell. dry them in a napkin, season them with cayenne pepper and salt if necessary, and fry them in butter. or, they may be fried in egg and bread crumbs as oysters. terrapins. . put the terrapins on in boiling water and let them boil ten minutes, take them out and with a coarse cloth rub all the skin off the head, neck, and claws, also the thin shell that may come loose. then boil them in clean water, with a little salt in it, until the claws are perfectly soft. the time of boiling depends very much on the age of the terrapin; some take three hours. when they are soft, open them carefully, take out the sand bag, the spongy part, and the gall, which you must not break. cut all the remainder of the terrapin in small pieces, put them in a stew pan, and to each large terrapin take a quarter of a pound of butter, one wine glass of sherry or madeira wine, salt, black and red pepper, and mustard, to suit the taste, also to each terrapin, the yelks of two hard boiled eggs, mashed to a paste, with a little butter. mix the whole together, and stew fifteen minutes. send them to the table hot. boiled crabs. . have a large pot of water strongly salted, let it boil hard, put in your crabs and boil them for twenty minutes. if the water should cease boiling the crabs will be watery. take them out, break off the claws, wipe the shells very clean, also the large claws. when cold, place them on a dish with the large claws around it. the claws should be cracked before they are sent to the table. the small ones are not generally eaten. soft crabs. . prepare your crabs by removing the spongy part, and sand bag. wipe them very clean and fry them in some hot lard and butter mixed. when they are a fine yellow brown on both sides, place them on a dish and send them to the table hot. boiled lobster. . lobsters, as well as crabs, should be boiled in strong salt and water. have your pot of water boiling hard, put in your lobsters and boil them for half an hour, or if they are very large, a little longer. take them out of the pot and when they have drained, open them, extract the meat carefully, and send it to the table cold. lobster is usually dressed at the table with mustard, hard boiled eggs, cayenne pepper, salt, vinegar and oil. lobster salad. . one large lobster, three table spoonsful of french mustard, or, two dessert spoonsful of common mixed mustard, one gill and a half of vinegar, one gill and a half of sweet oil, the yelks of five hard boiled eggs, salt to the taste, a small tea spoonful of cayenne pepper, the inside leaves of two heads of cabbage lettuce. cut the meat and lettuce in small pieces. boil the eggs hard, mash the yelks with a wooden or silver spoon, and oil enough to make them to a smooth paste, then add the vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt to the taste. mix this dressing thoroughly with the lobster and lettuce, and serve it before the salad becomes wilted. oyster omelette. . beat four eggs very light. cut the hard part out of eight or a dozen oysters, according to their size, wipe them dry, and cut them up in small pieces, stir them into the beaten egg and fry them in hot butter. when the under side is brown, sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top, and fold one half over the other. never turn an omelette, as it makes it heavy. meats. the finest grained beef is the best, the flesh is of a fine red, and the fat a light cream color, but not yellow; the fat, too, is solid and firm. the lean of mutton should be of a red color, and the fat white. the lean of veal should be of a light color and the fat white. the skin of pork should be of a light color, and if young it is tender. the fat should appear firm. a tender goose is known by taking hold of the wing and raising it; if the skin tears easily, the goose is tender, or if you can readily insert the head of a pin into the flesh, it is young. the same remarks will hold good with regard to ducks. young chickens may be known by pressing the lower end of the breast bone; if it yields readily to the pressure they are not old, for in all animals the bones are cartilaginous when young. the breast should be broad and plump in all kinds of poultry, the feet pliable, and the toes easily broken when bent back. roast beef. . the nicest piece for roasting is the rib. two ribs of fine beef is a piece large enough for a family of eight or ten. the lean of beef should always appear of a bright red before it is cooked, and the fat of a very light cream color. season the beef with salt, and place it in a roaster before a clear bright fire. do not set it too close at first. as to the time of roasting, that must be left to the judgment of the cook and the taste of those who are to eat it. if it is preferred quite rare an hour and a half or two hours will cook two large ribs sufficiently, but if it is to be better done, it must be cooked a proportionably longer time. whilst the beef is roasting, baste it frequently with its own gravy. when nearly done, dredge flour lightly over it so as to brown it. when the meat is taken out, skim off the fat on the top of the gravy, and pour the remainder in a pan, add a little flour, with salt to the taste, and some water, give it one boil, and serve it in a small tureen or gravy boat. in cold weather the plates should be warmed just before the dinner is served. or, a small chafing dish placed under each plate. beef a-la-mode. . a round of beef is the best for this purpose. with a sharp knife cut incisions in the meat about an inch apart, and within one inch of the opposite side, season it with pepper and salt according to the size of the piece of meat. make a dressing of butter, onion, and bread crumbs, in the proportion of a pint of crumbs, one small onion finely chopped, and an ounce of butter, with pepper and salt to the taste, fill the incisions with the dressing, put the meat in a pot, with about a pint of water, and cover it tightly. let it simmer six or eight hours. some stick in a few cloves, and those who are fond of spice add allspice. when the meat is done, dish it up and thicken the gravy with a little flour. let it boil once, and serve it. this is excellent when cold. beef steaks. . scrape some fine sirloin steaks, wipe them with a clean cloth, heat the bars of your gridiron, grease them, and put your steaks over clear coals. turn them frequently by placing a dish over them, and then quickly turn them, holding the dish in one hand and the gridiron in the other. in this manner you will preserve the gravy. when done, season them with pepper and salt; baste them well with butter, and add two table spoonsful of water, with a little salt. send them to the table hot. fried beef steak. . season your steaks with salt and pepper, and fry them in hot lard. when done, dish them, add a little flour to the fat they were fried in, pour in a little water, and season with pepper and salt to the taste; give the gravy one boil and pour it over. smothered steak. . take one dozen large onions, boil them in very little water until they are tender. pound and wash a beef steak, season it with pepper and salt, put it in a pan with some hot beef dripping, and fry it till it is done. take it out, put it on a dish, where it will keep hot. then, when the onions are soft, drain and mash them in the pan with the steak gravy, and add pepper and salt to the taste. put it on the fire and as soon as it is hot, pour it over the steak and serve it. baked beef, and yorkshire pudding. . rub salt on a nice piece of beef, put it on bars, which should fit your dripping pan, set it in the oven, with a gill of water in the pan, and when it is half done, make the pudding in the following manner: beat four eggs very light; the yelks in a pan, the whites in a broad dish. when the yelks are thick stir in a pint of milk, and as much flour as will make a batter, but not a thick one. then stir in the whites which must be whisked very dry; do not heat the batter after the white is in; lastly stir in a tea spoonful of dissolved carbonate of ammonia. take out the meat, skim all the fat off the gravy, pour in the batter and replace the meat; put all into the oven again, and cook it till the pudding is done. you should make batter enough to cover your dripping pan about half an inch deep. when the meat is dished, cut the pudding in squares, and place it round the dish, the brown side up. french stew, no. . . cut up two pounds of beef, and add to it a pint of sliced tomatoes. the tomatoes must be peeled. put the meat in a stew-pan and season it well with pepper and salt, then add your tomatoes and an ounce of butter rolled in flour. cover it closely, and let it simmer till the beef is tender. it does not require any water as the tomatoes are sufficiently juicy. if the gravy should not be thick enough, add a little flour mixed with cold water. french stew, no. . . cut up one pound of beef in small pieces about an inch square, pare and slice six onions; put a layer of the meat and a layer of onions in a stew-pan, with salt and pepper and a little flour alternately till all is in, and add half a tea cupful of water; cover it closely and set it on a slow fire to stew; when about half done, if the gravy seems too thin, add one ounce of butter rolled in flour; but if it should be thick enough, add the butter without the flour. when tomatoes are in season two tomatoes may be cut in small pieces and stewed with the meat. cold beef may be cooked in the same manner. beef stewed with onions. . cut some tender beef in small pieces, and season it with pepper and salt, slice some onions and add to it, with water enough in the stew-pan to make a gravy; let it stew slowly till the beef is thoroughly done, then add some pieces of butter rolled in flour to make a rich gravy. cold beef may be done in the same way, only the onions must be stewed first and the meat added. if the water should stew away too much put in a little more. stewed beef's kidney. . clear the kidney of all the fat, cut it in two, and with a sharp knife cut out the fibre which runs through the middle of it. lay it in a sauce-pan with a very little water and a little salt, cover it close and let it stew till it is perfectly tender, then take it up and cut it in small pieces, season it with pepper, and more salt if requisite, and return it to the stew-pan; let it stew till there are about two spoonsful of gravy remaining in the stew-pan, then add a piece of butter and a little flour. let it boil once and serve it. fried beef's kidney. . clean all the fat off the kidney, cut it open and take out the fibre which runs through it; put it in a stew-pan with a very little water and some salt, and cook it till it is tender; then season it with pepper and more salt if required, flour it and fry it in hot lard, add a little flour and water to make the gravy. or, you may broil instead of frying it, after it has been parboiled. corned beef. . one hundred pounds of beef, six pounds of coarse salt, two ounces and a half of saltpetre, one pound and a half of sugar, four gallons of water. mix the above ingredients together and pour over the meat. cover the tub closely. jewish method of preparing beef for salting. . take out all the veins. sprinkle with salt and let it lay for half an hour; wash off all the salt and soak it half an hour in cold water, drain it and then put it in the pickle as directed above. boiled corned beef. . put on the meat in cold water; allow one quart of water to every pound of meat. the slower it boils the better it will be. for every pound of meat let it boil fifteen minutes; thus, a piece of beef weighing twelve pounds should boil three hours. if the beef is to be eaten cold--as soon as it is taken out of the pot immerse it in cold water for a short time, in order to retain the juices. tongues are boiled in the same manner. boiled tongue. . see boiled corned beef, article . tripe. . scrape and wash it very clean--put it in a pot with a tea spoonful of salt to every quart of water, and let it boil till the top of each piece begins to look clear--it requires a great deal of boiling and must be exceedingly soft. when cold cut it in pieces, season and fry it in egg and bread crumbs like oysters. or, it may be fried without the egg and crumbs, and the gravy thickened with a little flour, and flavored with catsup or vinegar. serve it hot. roast veal. . season a breast of veal with pepper and salt; skewer the sweet-bread firmly in its place, flour the meat and roast it slowly before a moderate fire for about four hours--it should be of a fine brown but not dry; baste it with butter. when done put the gravy in a stew-pan, add a piece of butter rolled in browned flour, and if there should not be quite enough gravy add a little more water, with pepper and salt to the taste. the gravy should be brown. plain veal pie. . take the best end of a neck of veal, cut it in pieces, season it with pepper and salt, and stew it in just enough water to cover it. when it is nearly done make a rich gravy with some butter rolled in flour, added to the water it was stewed in. line the sides of a deep pie dish with paste, put in the meat and pour in the gravy, roll out a sheet of paste and cover the top; cut an opening in the centre of the top, about three inches long, and another to cross it at right angles; turn back the four corners and ornament with bars of paste twisted and laid over. set it in the oven, and when the crust is done send it to the table in the dish it was baked in. veal pot pie. . cut up some veal, the best part of the neck is preferable to any other, wash and season it with pepper and salt; line the sides of your pot with paste, put in the veal with some pieces of paste rolled out and cut in squares, cut up some pieces of butter rolled in flour and add to it, pour in as much water as will cover it, and lay a sheet of paste on the top, leaving an opening in the centre; put the lid on the pot and put it over a moderate fire, let it cook slowly till the meat is done; place the soft crust on a dish, then put the meat over it, and on the top lay the hard crust, with the brown side up. serve the gravy in a boat. to have the crust of a pot pie brown, set the pot on a few coals before the fire, and turn it frequently. fillet of veal a-la-mode. . cut deep incisions in the meat about an inch apart, and season it with pepper and salt. make your dressing with a four cent baker's loaf, two small onions finely chopped, and an ounce of butter, with pepper and salt to the taste; fill the incisions with this dressing, put the veal in a pot with three gills of water and cover it tightly. let it cook slowly two hours at least. some prefer a little sweet marjoram or thyme, finely powdered, added to the dressing. take out the veal when it is done, and thicken the gravy with a little flour. baked fillet of veal. . make incisions all around the bone as closely as possible, so as not to touch each other. make a dressing of bread crumbs, an onion finely chopped, a little sweet marjoram, pepper and salt to the taste, with enough butter to cause the bread crumbs to adhere together; fill these incisions with the dressing, season the meat with pepper and salt, and skewer the strip of fat around it. pour in enough water to cover the bottom of the pan, put in the rack and place the meat on it; as the gravy stews away add a little more water, put it in a cool oven and let it cook three or four hours. when done, make the gravy with some flour rolled in butter, and add pepper and salt to the taste. french stew of veal. . boil a knuckle of veal in just enough water to cover it, with a little salt. when the veal is tender pour off the water it was boiled in and save it. cut the veal in small pieces and put it in a pan with the water it was boiled in. add to this two hard boiled eggs, chopped very fine, a table spoonful of allspice in grains, (which should be crushed but not broken fine) a quarter of a pound of butter, a little mace and pepper, and salt to the taste. stir two table spoonsful of flour smoothly in a little water, and pour into it. set it over the fire, let it boil for two or three minutes, pour in two glasses of wine, and serve it hot. stewed veal. . cut a slice of the cutlet in small pieces, season it with pepper, salt, and, if you prefer it, a little grated lemon peel and nutmeg. pour in as much water as will nearly cover it, let it cook slowly till about half done, then make a rich gravy with some pieces of butter rolled in flour, and add to the water it was stewed in. veal cutlets. . cut the veal in thin slices, pound and wash it, then dry it in a clean cloth. beat some egg, and have ready some bread crumbs, or grated cracker. season the meat with salt, pepper, and a little mace, dip each slice in the egg, then in the crumbs, and fry them in hot lard. they should be brown on both sides. fried veal with tomatoes. . cut some veal in thin slices, season it and fry it of a nice brown. have ready some tomatoes which have been stewed very dry; pass them through a sieve to take out the seeds. then put them into the pan in which the meat has been fried and add butter enough to make a rich gravy. pour them hot over the veal and serve it. beef is excellent cooked in the same way. plain fried veal. . cut the meat in thin slices, pound and wash them. season with pepper and salt, and fry them in hot lard, of a nice brown, on both sides. when the meat is done stir a little flour into the fat and pour in some water; set the pan over the fire, let it boil once, then pour it over the veal, and send it to the table. spiced veal. . take some of the thick part of a cold loin of veal, cut it in small pieces, and pour over as much hot spiced vinegar as will cover it. to half a pint of vinegar put a tea spoonful of allspice, a very little mace, salt and cayenne pepper to the taste. fried sweet-breads. . parboil them in salt and water; when done, take them up and dry them in a cloth. with a sharp knife, cut them in half, season them with pepper and salt, and flour them, fry them in hot lard, of a light brown. or they may be fried as oysters, with egg and bread crumbs, or grated crackers. stewed sweet-breads. . put them on in very little water with some salt, when they have cooked slowly for half an hour, take them out. cut them in small pieces, and return them to the liquor they were boiled in. make a rich gravy of butter rolled in flour, and pepper and salt to the taste. mace and nutmeg may be added if preferred. boiled sweet-breads. . wash and dry them, and rub them with dry flour and a little salt, then put them in a stew-pan, with water sufficient to keep them from burning. when they are tender, put them in a dish and pour over a rich drawn butter. spiced calves' feet. . boil them as directed for fried calves' feet in the following receipt, and save the liquor they were boiled in. when cold, cut them in pieces, and put them in a jar; take equal portions of the liquor they were boiled in, and good sharp vinegar; to every pint of this mixture add a tea spoonful of allspice crushed, two or three blades of mace, and salt and cayenne pepper to the taste. heat the vinegar, liquor, and spices together, and pour it hot over the feet. this makes a good dish for tea or breakfast. fried calves' feet. . boil them in very little water, with some salt. there should be no more water than barely sufficient to cook them. when they are tender, cut them in half, and place them on a dish to get cold. save the liquor they were boiled in. when they are to be fried season them with pepper and salt, dredge flour over them and fry them in hot lard or butter. they should be of a handsome brown on both sides when done. put some of the liquor they were boiled in, in the pan, and make a rich gravy with some pieces of butter rolled in flour. pour this over the fried feet, and send them to the table. fried calves' liver. . cut the liver in thin slices and lay them in salt and water for several hours, to draw out all the blood. then season them with pepper and salt, and fry them in hot lard. when they are done, thicken the gravy with a little flour, and add a little water. let it boil once, pour it over the liver, and serve it. it should be fried slowly, or it will be brown on the outside before it is done through. some prefer the liver fried without any gravy made for it. in that case, lay the slices on the dish and serve. it may be broiled and buttered. chitterlings, or calves' tripe. . wash them and put them on to boil in water enough to cover them, with a little salt. when they are quite tender, drain them, put them on a dish, and pour over them a rich drawn butter. roast leg of lamb. . cut deep incisions round the bone and in the flesh; make a dressing of bread crumbs, salt, pepper, sweet marjoram, or summer savory, and as much butter as will make the crumbs adhere together. fill all the incisions with the dressing, season the meat with salt and pepper, put it on the spit and roast it before a clear fire; when nearly done dredge flour over and baste it with the gravy. skim the fat off the gravy, and add a little flour, mixed with water; let it boil once, and serve it in a gravy boat. boiled leg of lamb. . trim off all the loose fat, cut off the shank, wash and wipe it dry; dredge it with flour and tie it in a clean cloth; put it in boiling water enough to cover it. the water should be salted in the proportion of two tea spoonsful of salt to a quart of water. let it boil from two to three hours according to its size. serve it with drawn butter or rich parsley sauce, which ever may be preferred, and vegetables of any kind which may be in season. lamb stewed with onions. . this is a french dish. peel some onions, cut them in slices, and put them in your stew-pan; cut off the ends of the chops, pound them, and lay them in with the onions and some pepper and salt. put in as much water as will cook them; let them stew slowly till they are tender, then add a piece of butter rolled in flour to thicken the gravy. mutton dressed like venison. . hang a leg of mutton and let it freeze. then cut from it slices about a quarter of an inch thick, cook them at the table in a chafing dish with butter and currant jelly, and salt and pepper to the taste. mutton chops. . trim your mutton chops, take off the loose fat, and heat your gridiron; grease the bars, put on the chops over clear coals, turn them frequently, and when done put them in a dish, butter them well and season with pepper and salt. they may be served with slices of lemon. mutton chops with lemon. . wash the chops, wipe them dry, grease the bars of your gridiron, and broil them over hot coals. when they are done lay them on a dish and season them with pepper and salt, and baste them with butter; peel and slice lemons, lay a slice on each chop and send them to the table. this is the french method of serving them. roast pork. . take a nice middle piece of young pork, separate the joints and crack the bones across the middle, but do not break the skin, score it parallel with the ribs, wash it, put it on the spit, with a little water in the bottom of the roaster, and to five pounds of pork rub in well two tea spoonsful and a half of salt, two tea spoonsful of sage and one of cayenne pepper. put no flour on it nor baste it while cooking, as it softens the skin and makes it tough. pour the gravy into a pan, skim off a part of the fat, stir in a little flour mixed with cold water, add some water and let it boil once, then serve it in a gravy tureen. if it should not be sufficiently seasoned, add a little more pepper or salt, as it may require. apple sauce is always served with roast pork. roast pig. . prepare the pig by cutting off the feet, scraping and cleansing the head and ears, cutting out the tongue and eyes, and cleaning the throat. wash it perfectly clean and wipe it dry. make a dressing of bread crumbs, some onions finely chopped, with salt, pepper, and sweet marjoram to the taste, also butter enough to make the crumbs adhere together. any spice may be added, and the grating of a lemon, but many prefer the dressing without spice. rub the pig thoroughly inside with salt, cayenne pepper, and powdered sage, then fill it with the dressing and sew it up. rub the outside with salt, cayenne pepper and sage, put it on the spit and place it before a clear, but not too hot a fire. have a piece of clean sponge tied on a stick, dip it in melted butter, and as the skin dries moisten it. a common sized pig takes from three to four hours to roast. an excellent filling may be made of potatoes boiled and mashed instead of the bread. if potatoes are used the dressing will require more butter. roast pig is always served with haslet sauce. for directions for making it see under the head of sauces. apple sauce is also thought to be an indispensable accompaniment to roast pig. stuffed leg of pork. . make deep incisions in the meat parallel to the bone; trim it so as to leave the skin longer than the flesh; then boil some potatoes, when they are done mash them with a piece of butter, cayenne pepper, salt, and an onion finely chopped and a little rubbed sage. with this dressing fill the incisions, draw the skin down and skewer it over to keep the dressing from falling out; season the outside of the meat with salt, cayenne pepper, and rubbed sage; roast it slowly; when it is done pour the gravy in a pan, skim off the fat, and add a little flour mixed with water; let it boil once. serve it with apple or cranberry sauce. some prefer a dressing made of bread crumbs instead of potatoes. pork steaks. . cut the steaks in thin slices, season them with cayenne pepper, salt, and rubbed sage. they may be broiled and buttered, or fried in hot lard, with a gravy thickened with a little flour and poured over them. leg of pork corned and boiled. . mix salt and sugar together, in the proportion of a table spoonful of salt to one tea spoonful of sugar; with this mixture rub your meat all over well, let it stand three days, and turn it every day. have boiling water enough to cover it, put in the meat, and if the water should boil away put more in; when it is tender, serve it with tomatoes, cabbage, turnips, or any vegetables in season. spare rib. . crack the ribs across, separate the joints, wash it and season it with cayenne pepper, salt, and rubbed sage; put it on the spit and cook it slowly till it is done. this is served without gravy. or, it may be prepared in the same manner and broiled on the gridiron. soused pig's feet. . after they have been well scalded and cleaned, wash them, and put them on to boil in a sufficiency of water to cover them, with two tea spoonsful of salt to a quart of water. let them boil till the bones are all loose and the flesh nearly ready to fall to pieces. take them out and lay them on a dish to get cold, and save the liquor they were boiled in; mix equal portions of the liquor and good sharp vinegar, with whole allspice, a few cloves, pepper and salt to the taste. heat the vinegar and spice, and pour it over them. they may be sent to the table cold, or they may be heated with a portion of the vinegar. the feet may be boiled as for the souse, and when cold, cut in half, dredged with flour, and fried brown. scrapple. . this is generally made of the head, feet, and any pieces which may be left after having made sausage meat. scrape and wash well all the pieces designed for the scrapple, put them in a pot with just as much water as will cover them. add a little salt, and let them boil slowly till the flesh is perfectly soft, and the bones loose. take all the meat out of the pot, pick out the bones, cut it up fine, and return it to the liquor in the pot. season it with pepper, salt, and rubbed sage, to the taste. set the pot over the fire, and just before it begins to boil, stir in gradually as much indian meal as will make it as thick as thick mush. let it boil a few minutes, take it off, and pour it in pans. when cold, cut it in slices, flour it, and fry it in hot lard, or sausage fat. some prefer buckwheat meal; this is added in the same manner as the indian. indian meal is preferable, as it is not so solid as buckwheat. sweet marjoram may be added with the sage, if preferred. hogs-head cheese. . clean a pig's head nicely, wash it well, and boil it in very little water, with some salt. let it boil until the bones fall from the flesh. then take it up, pick out all the bones, and with a wooden spoon mash it up well, and return it to the water it was boiled in. add red and black pepper, rubbed sage and sweet marjoram to the taste. boil the whole down till it is quite thick and nearly dry; then pour it in pans or forms, smooth it over the top with the back of a spoon, and stand it away to get cold. cut it in slices and send it to the table. some prefer spice in hogs-head cheese; in that case, add a small quantity of ground cloves and mace. boiled ham. . wash and scrape your ham; if it is not very salt it need not be soaked; if old and dry, let it soak twelve hours in lukewarm water, which should be changed several times. put it in a large vessel filled with cold water. let it simmer, but be careful not to let it boil, as it hardens and toughens the meat. allow twenty minutes to cook each pound of meat. when it is done, take it out of the water, strip off the skin, and serve it. twist scalloped letter paper round the shank, or ornament it with sprigs of green parsley neatly twisted round it. if it is not to be eaten whilst hot, as soon as it is taken from the pot, set it away to get cold, then skin it, by which means you preserve all the juices of the meat. it may be garnished as above, or, if you choose, you may glaze it; the receipt for which see under its proper head. glazed ham. . beat the yelks of two eggs very light, cover your ham all over with the beaten egg, then sift over some grated cracker, and set the ham in the oven to brown the glazing. sausage meat. . twenty-five pounds of pork, half a pint of salt, one gill of rubbed sage, half a gill of black pepper, one table spoonful of cayenne pepper. to roast a haunch of venison. . put your venison on a spit before a clear, steady fire, cover it with some thick paper to keep it from burning, and place it at a sufficient distance from the fire, that it may not brown too soon. the paper may be fastened on by sticking through it two or three large darning needles. turn the spit frequently, and baste the meat with butter. venison is very unpalatable if too much cooked; about two hours will be sufficient. it should never be roasted unless it is fat. a gravy may be made of the trimmings of the haunch stewed in very little water, to which add the drippings from the meat, season with pepper and salt, and thicken with butter rolled in flour. some baste with melted butter and wine mixed together. serve with currant jelly. venison steaks. . cut your venison in slices, pound it, and having heated your gridiron, grease the bars and place the meat on it. broil the venison very quickly over clear coals, and as soon as it is done put it on a dish, season with pepper and salt and plenty of butter. send it to the table immediately. serve it with currant jelly. the plates should be warm. best way of cooking venison. . cut your venison in rather thin slices, pound them, lay them on a dish, and send them to the table. have a chafing-dish on the table, lay some of the slices of venison in the pan of the chafing-dish, throw on a little salt, but not so much as for other meat, a lump of butter, and some currant jelly, put the cover on the dish, let it remain a minute or two, take off the cover, turn the slices of meat, place it on again, and in two or three minutes more the venison will be sufficiently cooked. each person at the table adds pepper to suit the taste. some prefer venison cooked without currant jelly. roasted rabbit. . cut off the head, open and wash it clean, and fill it with a dressing made of bread crumbs, some onions finely chopped, pepper, salt, a little powdered mace, and as much butter as will cause the crumbs to adhere together; sew the rabbit up after the dressing is in, put it on a spit before the fire, and baste it with butter, whilst it is roasting. or it may be put in a pan with a little water, and baked. make a gravy of a gill of water, an ounce of butter, an onion finely chopped, pepper, salt and mace to the taste. wine may be added, if preferred. baked rabbit pie. . cut a rabbit in pieces, wash it, and season it with salt and pepper. nearly cover it with cold water, and stew it till it is tender, then add three ounces of butter rolled in flour. if it should not be seasoned sufficiently, add more pepper, as rabbits require more seasoning than many other kinds of meat. make a paste, butter your pie dish, and line the sides. place the pieces of rabbit in the dish, and add just enough of the gravy to keep it from burning, then cover it with a lid of paste, leave an opening on the top, which may be ornamented with strips of paste, and bake it. it should be served in the dish it is baked in. keep the remainder of the gravy hot, but do not let it boil or simmer, serve it in a gravy boat, or fill the pie with the gravy just before it is sent to the table. rabbit pot pie. . cut a rabbit in small pieces, season it highly with salt and pepper. make a paste, line the sides of a pot with the crust, then put in the rabbit, with three ounces of butter cut up and rolled in flour. roll out some of the dough, cut it in pieces about three inches square, and lay it in with the pieces of rabbit; pour in as much water as will cover it, roll out a sheet of paste and place on the top, leaving an opening in the centre. cover the pot with the lid, and let it cook slowly till the rabbit is done. if when your pie is nearly done, the gravy should not be thick enough, add a few more pieces of butter rolled in flour. when the pie is done put the top or soft crust at the bottom of the dish, lay the rabbit on it, then place the brown crust on the top with the brown side up. serve the gravy in a gravy boat. french stewed rabbit. . cut a rabbit in pieces, wash it, and put it in a stew-pan with salt, pepper, a little mace, and a quarter of a tea spoonful of ground allspice; put in water enough to keep it from sticking to the pan; cover it closely and let it stew very slowly. when about half done add a quarter of a pound of butter, cut in pieces, and rolled in flour, and half a pint of claret wine. if the meat should not be seasoned enough, add more salt, pepper or spice. rabbit requires a great deal of seasoning, especially pepper. serve it hot. this dish is much esteemed by many americans. fricasseed rabbit. . cut your rabbit in pieces, wash it and put it in a stew-pan with three gills of water, season it with salt, and _very highly_ with pepper, a little mace, and powdered cloves; let it stew very slowly, and when nearly done add three ounces of butter rolled in flour. if you wish a brown fricassee the flour should be browned before it is rolled with the butter; if it is to be a white fricassee, after you stir in the flour and butter add a gill of cream. smothered rabbit. . clean a rabbit, cut off the head, wash it well, and skewer it as if for roasting. put it in a stew-pan with half a pint of water, some pepper, salt, mace, and cloves, and let it simmer very slowly; keep the stew-pan covered in order to retain the steam. when half done add a quarter of a pound of butter rolled in flour. if the water should stew away too much a little more may be added. peel some onions and boil them till they are tender, drain and chop them fine, season with salt, pepper and butter to the taste. when the rabbit is done place it upon the dish it is to be served in, then put the onions into the gravy and give them one boil, pour them over the rabbit and serve hot. roasted pigeons. . pick the pigeons, draw and wash them; dry them on a clean napkin, rub them inside and outside with pepper and salt; fill them with a dressing of bread crumbs, pepper, salt, butter, and a little onion finely minced; skewer them, or if you choose, tie them round with tape; put them on the spit and baste them frequently with butter. about twenty minutes will cook them. stewed pigeons. . cut the pigeons down the back, clean them, cut them in four pieces, and wash and wipe them dry. put them in a stew-pan, and for each pair of pigeons roll an ounce of butter in a little flour, add some pepper and salt, and water enough just to cover them; stew them till they are tender. if the gravy should not be thick enough add a little more flour. pigeons are prepared in the same way for pies. broiled squab. . young pigeons or squabs are the nicest for broiling. cut them down the back, clean them nicely, wash them and dry them on a clean napkin. have ready a bed of clear coals, heat your gridiron, grease the bars to prevent the pigeons from sticking, and place them over the fire; turn them frequently, and be careful not to let the legs and wings burn. when they are done put them on a dish, season them with pepper and salt, and baste them well with butter on both sides. pigeon pie. . this is made in the same manner as chicken pie. stewed reed birds, no. . . pick the birds, and cut and clean them like chickens. make a force meat of cold veal, finely chopped with a little grated ham, some powdered nutmeg and mace, and a very small portion of cloves; season the birds inside with pepper and salt, fill them with the dressing, rub them on the outside with pepper and salt, tie the legs down with a piece of thread, which must be cut off when the birds are dished. place them in the stew-pan with a piece of butter on each and a little flour; put a little water in the bottom of the stew-pan to keep them from burning, and cover them close; when they are tender take them out, cut off the threads, and if the gravy should not be thick enough, add some butter rolled in flour. pour the gravy over them and serve them hot. stewed reed birds, no. . . pick and singe them, and with a pair of scissors cut them down the back; or they may be drawn in the same way as chickens. wash them and dry them on a clean cloth; season with pepper and salt, place a layer of birds at the bottom of your stew-pan, dredge a little flour over them, and add some lumps of butter; then put in another layer of the birds, and so on till all are in. pour over them just enough water to keep them from burning, cover the stew-pan and let the birds cook slowly. when they are done take them up, and if the gravy is not thick enough, add a little butter rolled in flour, let it boil once and pour it over the birds. roasted reed birds. . pick your birds, and with a pair of scissors cut and draw them as chickens. wash them clean and wipe them dry; make a dressing of bread crumbs, pepper, salt and butter enough to make the crumbs adhere together; chopped onion may be added, with a small quantity of any kind of sweet herb, finely powdered. fill the birds with this dressing, sew them up, put them on a spit, and baste them with butter whilst they are roasting. reed bird pie. . cut your birds in half, wash them and wipe them dry; season with pepper and salt. line the sides of your pie dish with paste, then place in a layer of reed birds; over these dredge a little flour and put some lumps of butter; then put in another layer of birds, and flour, and butter, till all are in. put in enough water to make the gravy, cover with a lid of paste, and bake in a moderate oven. leave an opening in the centre of the top crust to let the steam escape. fried reed birds. . pick them, cut them down the back with a pair of scissors, wash them and dry them in a cloth, season with salt and pepper, dip each one first into some yolk of egg well beaten, then into bread crumbs or grated cracker, and fry them in hot lard and butter mixed in equal portions. the white of the egg should not be used, as the bread or cracker crumbs will not adhere to the flesh so well. they may be dressed as above, and fried in the hot lard and butter, without the egg and crumbs. roast turkey. . draw your turkey and prepare it for roasting in the same manner as chickens. make a dressing of bread crumbs, some onions finely minced, pepper, salt, and a little sweet marjoram, with enough butter to make the crumbs adhere together; rub the inside of the turkey with pepper and salt, fill it with this dressing, season the outside with salt and pepper, truss it firmly, put it on the spit, dredge some flour over it, and place it before the fire; baste it with butter while it is cooking. clean the giblets, boil them in very little water, with some salt. when the turkey is done take it up, pour the liquor the giblets were boiled in, into the gravy which fell from it, chop up the liver and put it in with some butter rolled in flour to thicken the gravy, and more pepper and salt. serve it hot, with the gravy in a small tureen. a very good dressing may be made of potatoes boiled and finely mashed with onion, pepper and salt, and plenty of butter. some fill the crop with bread and the inside with potatoes. boiled turkey. . draw your turkey, wash it clean, season it with salt, but no pepper. make a force-meat of some cold veal finely minced, a little grated ham, pepper and salt to the taste; add also a little grated nutmeg and powdered mace. fill the crop of the turkey with this force-meat, tie or skewer it well. dredge flour over it, and wrap it in a napkin. put it in a large pot with plenty of water which has been salted. let it boil for about two hours, which will cook it sufficiently, unless it be a very large one. take it out of the napkin, place it on a large dish, garnish the edges of the dish with double parsley, and serve with a rich oyster sauce in a tureen. roasted duck, no. . . clean your ducks nicely, wash them and wipe them dry. rub them inside with pepper and salt, and fill them with a dressing made of crumbs of bread, two or three onions finely minced, some pepper, salt, and butter enough to make the crumbs adhere. some use beaten egg in the dressing, but it makes it tough and heavy. after having filled the ducks truss them and put them on the spit; baste them with butter whilst they are roasting. wash the livers, first cut out the gall; with a sharp knife open the gizzards by cutting an incision round them, but not so deep as to cut the inner skin; then with your fingers tear them open. pour boiling water on the feet and skin them; cut off the toes, and crack the leg in half, wash all these, and stew them in very little water, with pepper and salt. when the ducks are done, add the liquor the giblets were boiled in to the gravy, which has dropped from them, and thicken it with a little butter rolled in flour. serve the liver on the dish with the ducks. roast duck, no. . . prepare the ducks as directed above, and for the filling, mince two onions finely, add some pepper, salt, and a table spoonful of powdered sage, with an ounce of butter and some beaten egg. rub the inside of the ducks with pepper and salt, put in the dressing, truss them, and put them on the spit. for the gravy, proceed as directed above. roast goose. . clean your goose, wash it, and wipe it dry, then season it with pepper and salt both inside and out. make a dressing of bread crumbs, pepper, salt, butter, a little sweet marjoram, and some onions finely minced. fill the goose with this dressing, truss it firmly, and put it on the spit. whilst it is roasting, baste it with butter, and be careful not to let it burn. clean the giblets, put them on in a stew-pan, with very little water, some salt and pepper, and boil them. add the liquor they were boiled in to the gravy which dripped from the goose. thicken it with some butter rolled in flour, let it boil a few minutes; add more pepper and salt, if necessary. pour this gravy in the boat, and serve it with the goose. some prefer a little sage added to the dressing in place of the sweet marjoram. a very good dressing for roast goose is to substitute potatoes boiled and finely mashed instead of the bread crumbs, then add the pepper, salt, onions, and sweet marjoram as before. giblet pie. . wash and clean your giblets, put them in a stew-pan, season with pepper, salt, and a little butter rolled in flour, cover them with water, stew them till they are very tender. line the sides of your pie dish with paste, put in the giblets, and if the gravy is not quite thick enough add a little more butter rolled in flour. let it boil once, pour in the gravy, put on the top crust, leaving an opening in the centre of it in the form of a square; ornament this with leaves of the paste. set the pie in the oven, and when the crust is done take it out. roast chickens. . clean your chickens, wash them and wipe them dry; season them inside with pepper and salt, make a dressing of bread crumbs, some minced onion, pepper, salt, and as much butter as will hold the crumbs together. fill your chickens with this dressing, skewer them well and season them on the outside with salt and pepper; put them on the spit, dredge a little flour over, and baste them with butter whilst they are roasting. boil the gizzards and livers in very little water, take out the liver, chop it up fine, and add it to the water it was boiled in, with a little salt; stir into this all the gravy which dripped from the chickens, and thicken it with some butter rolled in flour. partridges are roasted in the same way. chicken pie. . cut your chickens in pieces, wash them, and put them in a stew-pan with salt and pepper, and water enough to nearly cover them. to each one, rub one ounce of butter in flour, and add it to the gravy when the chickens are done; let it boil a few minutes. make a rich paste, line the sides of your pie dish, put in the chickens and half the gravy, cover the pie with the paste; leave an opening in the centre, and ornament the top with paste cut in flowers, or bars twisted and laid across the centre. when the crust is done take out the pie, pour in the remainder of the gravy, and send it to the table in the dish it is baked in. if all the gravy is put in at once it will be apt to boil over the top and disfigure the lid of the pie. partridge pies are made in the same manner. chicken pot pie. . cut your chickens in pieces, wash them and dry them in a clean napkin; season with salt and pepper. line the sides of the pot with paste, put in the pieces of chicken, and between every layer of chicken put a piece of butter rolled in flour, with squares of the paste if you choose; pour in enough cold water to cover it, and put on a lid of the paste; leave an opening in the centre of the top crust; cover the pot, place it in front of the fire with a few coals under it. turn the pot frequently that the crust may be evenly browned all around. when it is done, if the gravy should not be thick enough, add a little more flour mixed with butter. dish it by putting the top crust on the sides of the dish, lay the chicken in the centre, and place the brown crust on the top. serve the gravy in a sauce boat. broiled chickens. . split them down the back, wash them nicely and wipe them dry. heat your gridiron, grease the bars, and put your chickens over clear coals. broil them nicely, be careful not to burn the legs and wings. when done season them with pepper, salt, and a large piece of butter. send them to the table hot. partridges, pheasants and pigeons are broiled in the same way. fried chickens. . wash your chickens, cut them in pieces, season them with pepper and salt. have in a pan some hot butter and lard mixed; dust some flour over each piece, and fry them slowly till of a bright brown on both sides; take them up, put a little water in the pan, add some butter rolled in flour to thicken the gravy, and more pepper and salt if required. young spring chickens are only suitable for frying. boiled chickens. . clean and wash your chickens, put them in a pot with boiling water enough to cover them; if the water should boil away add more, as the skin will be discolored if not covered with water. put enough salt in the water to season the chickens sufficiently when they are done; tie some tape around them to keep them in their proper shape; when they are tender take them up and serve them with rich egg sauce. boiled chickens are frequently stuffed with bread crumbs, seasoned with pepper, salt, a little onion, finely chopped, and some butter; fill the chickens with this dressing, truss them and tie tape around them to preserve their shape. but it is preferable to boil chickens without the filling, as it soaks the water and becomes very insipid. stewed chickens. . one pair of large chickens, two tea spoonsful of salt, one tea spoonful of pepper, eight tea spoonsful of flour, one pint of water. cut up the chickens, separate the thighs from the lower part of the leg, cut the breast in six parts, cut the wings in two parts, and the back in four pieces, put them into a stew-pan with the pepper, salt and flour, stir all well together, and then add the water. let them stew till perfectly tender. if the gravy should not be thick enough add a little flour mixed with water. fat chickens require no butter, but early fall chickens would need a quarter of a pound to make a rich gravy. brown fricassee. . cut your chicken in pieces, wash it and wipe it dry; it must be young, an old one would not be tender when cooked in this manner; season it with pepper and salt. put in your pan some lard or beef dripping, let it get hot, dredge some flour over your chicken and fry it of a handsome brown, turn each piece so as to have both sides done alike. take the pieces out, put them on a dish, put a little water in the pan with the gravy, and a piece of butter rolled in brown flour to thicken it. let it boil once and pour it over the chicken. white fricasseed chicken. . cut up a chicken in pieces, wash it, and season with pepper and salt, put it in a stew-pan with a little water, and let it stew till nearly done; then add a tea cupful of cream and some butter rolled in flour to thicken the gravy. if not sufficiently seasoned, add more pepper or salt as may be required. if the chicken is fat very little butter is necessary. mace or nutmeg may be added if you like spice. chicken salad, no. . . a pair of large fowls, four table spoonsful of mixed mustard, or eight of french mustard--the french is preferable, half a pint of vinegar, half a pint of sweet oil, the yelks of ten hard boiled eggs, one tea spoonful of cayenne pepper, one tea spoonful of salt, six large heads of celery. boil the fowls in water which has been salted, and stand them away to cool. take off the skin, cut the meat in small pieces about a quarter of an inch square, then cut the white part of the celery in very small pieces, put it in a colander, place the colander in a pan of cold water in order to keep the celery crisp. boil the eggs till the yelks are hard, which will take twenty minutes; mash the yelks with the oil until they are smooth, then add the vinegar, mustard, pepper and salt. about fifteen minutes before the chicken salad is to be sent to the table, drain the celery, mix it thoroughly with the chicken, and then pour the dressing over it. stir it well. cold veal or turkey is very good dressed in this way. this receipt may be relied on as being particularly nice. no. is not quite so rich. chicken salad, no. . . one pair of chickens, eight eggs, half a pint of oil, one gill of vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt to the taste, six heads of celery. boil the chickens in water with a little salt when cold cut the meat in small pieces about a quarter of an inch square; cut the celery in small pieces and lay it in water; boil the eggs twenty minutes, take out the yelks, mash them fine with the oil, add the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. drain the celery, mix it with the chicken, and stir the mixture of egg, vinegar, oil, &c., well through the chicken and celery. vegetables. all vegetables are better to be freshly gathered, when left to stand long, they lose much of their flavor. late in the season, when turnips, parsnips, carrots, &c., begin to lose their sweetness, they may be greatly improved by adding a tea spoonful or two of sugar to the water they are boiled in. boiled potatoes, no. . . select the potatoes as nearly as possible of the same size. wash and boil them with the skins on. throw a little salt in the water. when they are soft, peel them and send them to the table hot. or they may be mashed with butter, salt to the taste, and milk or cream in the proportion of an ounce of butter and half a gill of milk or cream to ten potatoes. they should be sent to the table immediately, as they spoil if they stand after they are done. put them over the fire, in cold water, or they will be likely to burst before they are cooked. boiled potatoes, no. . . wash ten potatoes, boil them in water, with a little salt. when they are soft, peel them, put them in a pan, with an ounce of butter and half a gill of milk or cream. mash them well, add more salt if necessary, and put them in a vegetable dish. have ready an egg beaten light; spread the egg over the potatoes, and brown it with a salamander, if you have one, or wash the pan of the shovel, heat it very hot, and hold it over the potatoes sufficiently near to brown the egg. serve it hot. fried potatoes, no. . . boil some potatoes in water a little salted. when they are done, peel them, and set them away to cool. when cold, cut them in thin slices, season with salt and pepper, and dredge a little flour over them. have ready some hot lard in a pan, pour in the potatoes, and fry them a delicate brown. fried potatoes, no. . . boil some potatoes; when done, peel them, and set them away to get cold. then chop them up fine, and add pepper and salt to the taste. flour them, and fry in hot lard. they must be brown. some add a little vinegar just before they are taken out of the pan. fried potatoes, no. . . boil some potatoes, peel, and mash them finely. to ten potatoes add half a gill of milk or cream, and pepper and salt to the taste. make the mashed potato in little cakes, flour them on both sides, and fry them in hot lard. if there are any cold mashed potatoes left from dinner, they may be cooked in this way for breakfast. fried potatoes, no. . . boil some potatoes, mash and season them with pepper and salt. to ten potatoes chop four onions and mix with the mashed potato, and half a gill of milk or cream. make it out in small cakes, dredge flour on both sides, and fry them in hot lard till they are of a light brown. fried sweet potatoes. . boil some sweet potatoes till they are soft enough to pass the prong of a fork through them. peel them, and when they get cold slice them. season with pepper and salt to the taste, dredge flour over, and fry them in hot lard. they should be of a fine light brown. roasted potatoes. . wash them, and put them in a pan, in a moderate oven. when they can be easily pierced by a fork, they are done. serve them with the skins on. those who reside in the country, and have wood fires, may roast them in the following manner. sweep the hot stone in front of the fire, place the potatoes on it, and cover them with hot ashes. when they are soft, wipe the skins and send them to the table hot. potato cakes. . boil six potatoes, mash them fine, and add to them three eggs, boiled hard and finely chopped, with salt and pepper to the taste, and a table spoonful of milk or cream. make it out in small cakes, flour them on both sides, and fry them a delicate brown. potato kale. . six potatoes, half head of cabbage, two ounces of butter, one gill of cream. put your cabbage on to boil, with a little salt in the water; when it is nearly done, pare your potatoes and put them in with the cabbage. when the potatoes are soft, take them out--drain the cabbage--wipe a sauce-pan, or the pot they were boiled in, put the potatoes and cabbage into it, mash both very fine, add the butter and cream with salt and pepper to the taste. set the pot over the fire and stir it till the potatoes are hot. serve it immediately. this is very good with cold meat. potato salad. (_a german dish_.) . six potatoes, six onions, two ounces of butter, pepper, salt, and vinegar to the taste. boil the potatoes and the onions till they are soft; the onions require about as long again as the potatoes. wipe out the pot in which the potatoes were boiled, mash the onions in it, slice the potatoes, but do not mash them, and add to the onions, put in the butter, pepper, salt, and vinegar; set it over the fire and stir it till it is hot, when it will be ready for the table. some persons prefer it without the vinegar. potato sausage. . of cold veal finely chopped add the same quantity of cold mashed potato, and season with pepper and salt to the taste. make it out in small cakes, flour them, and fry them a light brown. they may be fried in sausage gravy if you have any left. cold potatoes left from dinner will answer for this dish. stewed tomatoes. . if they are not very ripe, pour boiling water over them, and let them stand a few minutes, the skin will peel off very easily. then cut them up, put them in a stew-pan without any water, and cook them till they are soft. if they prove too juicy, dip some of the water out and mash them fine. season with butter, cayenne pepper and salt. they may be thickened with bread crumbs or grated cracker, if preferred. fried tomatoes. . wash them, cut them in half, take out the seeds, and season them with pepper and salt. have ready some melted butter in a pan, put them into it, and fry them slowly till very soft. baked tomatoes. . wash them, and cut them in two parts, round the tomato, that is, so as the cells can be divested of the pulp and seeds which they contain. to six tomatoes take half a pint of bread crumbs, one large onion finely chopped, one ounce of butter, pepper and salt to the taste. fill the cells of each piece with the dressing, put two halves together, and tie them with a piece of thread. put them in a pan with an ounce of butter and a gill of water, set them in a moderate oven, and cook them till they are soft. when done, cut off the threads and serve them. scalloped tomatoes. . peel fine ripe tomatoes, cut them up in small pieces, and put in a pan a layer of bread crumbs, then a layer of tomatoes, with pepper, salt and some pieces of butter; then put another layer of bread crumbs and tomatoes, and so on till the dish is full. spread some beaten egg over the top and set it in the oven and bake it. broiled tomatoes. . wash them, cut them in half, take out the seeds, grease the bars of your gridiron, put on the tomatoes and broil them slowly. the bars of the gridiron should not be very far apart. when they are done season them with pepper, salt and butter, and serve them hot. tomatoes dressed as cucumbers. . peel some tomatoes, cut them in slices, add salt, pepper and vinegar, and serve them cold. they may be dressed as above with the addition of mustard and sweet oil. some prefer them peeled, sliced, and seasoned only with salt. tomato fricandeau. . get some slices of veal cutlets, pound and wash them, season them with pepper and salt, and fry them slowly till they are done. they should be of a light brown on both sides. stew some tomatoes very dry, strain them through a sieve to get out all the seeds, pour the pulp into the gravy after the meat has been taken out, and thicken it with a piece of butter rolled in flour. pour this over the meat and serve it hot. baked beets. . wash your beets, put them in a pan, and set them in a moderate oven where they will bake slowly. when they are very soft take them out, remove the skins, slice them, and dress them with butter, pepper and salt, or vinegar if preferred. they may be boiled and dressed in the same way. egg-plant, no. . . pare and cut them in slices about a quarter of an inch thick, season them with salt and pepper. have ready some hot butter in a pan, put in the slices and fry them _very slowly_ till they are perfectly soft. there should be enough butter in the pan to prevent them from sticking to the bottom. serve them hot. egg-plant, no. . . make a batter as for fritters. slice your egg-plant in thin slices not more than the eighth of an inch thick; cut each slice in four parts, or any size you choose, season with pepper and salt, dip each piece in the batter, and fry them in hot lard of a light brown on both sides. egg-plant, no. . . peel your egg-plant and cut it in thin slices, each slice may be cut in four or five pieces according to the size of the plant. beat some eggs and have ready some bread crumbs or grated cracker; season your egg-plant, dip each piece in the egg, then in the crumbs, and fry them in hot lard of a handsome brown on both sides. egg-plant, no. . . put on an egg-plant in a vessel of water, and boil it until you can pierce it with a fork, and it is perfectly soft; then take it out, cut it in half, with a spoon scoop out all the inside; season it well with pepper and salt, have some bread crumbs or grated cracker and beaten egg. take up a portion of the egg-plant about the size of an oyster, with a spoon, dip it into the egg, then into the crumbs, and fry them in hot lard of a light brown on both sides. egg-plant, no. . (_french mode_.) . cut an egg-plant in half, but do not cut off the rind. then with a sharp knife score it very deeply, both lengthwise and crosswise, but be careful not to break the skin in so doing. place each half in a pan with the scored side up, season it with pepper and salt, and over this pour some sweet oil or melted butter, if preferred. set it in an oven and cook it slowly till the plant is perfectly soft. the top should be brown. browned egg-plant. . boil an egg-plant in water which has been salted, until it is perfectly soft; when done take it out of the water, cut it in half and scoop out all the inside, mash it very fine, and to every tea cupful of mashed egg-plant add one table spoonful of grated cracker and a dessert spoonful of butter, with salt and pepper to the taste. put it in the dish it is to be served in, beat an egg light, spread a portion of it over the egg-plant, then strew on some grated cracker, and lastly spread over the remainder of the egg. set it in the oven and brown it. serve it hot. parsnips, no. . . scrape and wash your parsnips and put them on with just enough water to boil them and no more; when they are done they should be nearly dry. then dish them and pour over melted butter and a little salt, or some drawn butter. parsnips, no. . . boil them as directed in no. , and when done cut them in half, grease the bars of your gridiron, put them on it over some lively coals and brown them. parsnips, no. . . boil them as directed in no. , when done mash them, season with pepper and salt, and a small piece of butter. parsnips, no. . . boil them as in no. , slice, flour and fry them of a light brown in some hot lard. parsnips stewed. . put on a piece of pickled pork and boil until it is about half done or a little more. then scrape and wash your parsnips, put them on in as little water as will keep them from burning, then add the pork; when the parsnips are soft dish them. boiled green corn. . green corn should always be boiled on the cob, with the inner husks on it. to prepare it turn down the inner husks, cut off the upper end, wash the corn, and replace the husks. boil it about half an hour in water salted to the taste. it should be cooked in just enough water to cover it. corn fritters. . one tea cupful of milk, three eggs, one pint of green corn grated, a little salt, as much flour as will form a batter. beat the eggs, the yelks and whites separate. to the yelks of the eggs add the corn, salt, milk, and flour enough to form a batter, beat the whole very hard, then stir in the whites, and drop the batter, a spoonful at a time, into hot lard, and fry them on both sides of a light brown color. corn oysters. . one pint of grated green corn, two eggs, as much wheat flour as will make it adhere together. beat the eggs, mix them with the grated corn, and add enough flour to form the whole into a paste. fry them of a light brown in hot lard. hominy. . one quart of hominy or broken corn to one pint of beans; pick and wash them, and put them to soak with water enough just to cover them. let them soak all night; in the morning put all on to boil, with three pounds of pickled pork, and more water to cover them. boil it eight hours. the pot will require filling up with hot water, whilst the hominy is boiling. it requires no stirring. sour krout . six heads of cabbage, half a gill of salt. wash the cabbages nicely, line the tub with the outer leaves, and sprinkle over a little of the salt. cut the cabbages very fine, and put in a layer of cabbage and a sprinkle of salt until the whole is in. each layer of cabbage must be well pounded down with a heavy pestle. cover the top with cabbage leaves and a little more salt. spread over the whole a clean cloth, and then a board to fit closely, with a weight to press the cabbage down. as soon as fermentation ceases, take off the board and cloth, wash them well, and replace them. the sour krout will now be fit for use. boiled sour krout. . one quart of sour krout, one pound of pickled pork. put on the sour krout to boil, wash the pork and put with it; at the end of two hours take out the pork, but let the krout boil one hour longer. cauliflower. . wash a fine cauliflower, put it in a net and boil it in just enough water to cover it. the water must be salted to the taste. when it is done drain it, put it in a vegetable dish, and pour drawn butter over it. cold slaw. . cut a cabbage in half, and with a sharp knife shave it down very finely. make a dressing of one egg, well beaten, half a gill of vinegar, salt to taste, and a tea spoonful of butter. beat the egg light, add to it the vinegar, salt, and butter. as soon as the egg is thick, take it off the fire, set it away to cool, then pour it over the cabbage, and mix it well together. some prefer a little sugar in the egg and vinegar. hot slaw. . cut the cabbage in half, and shave it very finely. put it into a stew-pan, with a piece of butter, and salt to the taste; pour in just enough water to prevent it from sticking to the pan. cover it closely, and let it stew, stir it frequently, and when it is quite tender, add a little vinegar, and serve it hot. french slaw. . shave the cabbage as for other slaw. to one pint of the cut cabbage, have three eggs boiled hard, mash the yelks with a spoon, and add gradually one wine glassful of oil, then pour in one wine glass of vinegar, one tea spoonful of common mustard, or a dessert spoonful of french mustard, salt and cayenne pepper to the taste. pour the mixture over the cabbage, stir it well, and serve it. mushrooms. . wash your mushrooms, cut off the end of the stalks, and peel them. put them in a stew-pan, without any water, and season with salt and pepper. add two ounces of butter rolled in two tea spoonsful of flour, to every pint of mushrooms. cover them closely, and let them simmer slowly till they are soft. spinach. . wash it well through several waters, as it is apt to be gritty. put it into a pot without any water, let it cook slowly until it is very soft. then drain and mash it with a piece of butter, pepper and salt to the taste. put it in a vegetable dish, and strew over the top eggs which have been boiled hard and finely chopped, or poached eggs. spinach as greens. . spinach may be boiled with a piece of corned beef, or pickled pork, and served as greens. cabbage may be boiled in the same manner, but meat has a very strong taste when boiled with vegetables in this way. dandelion. . pick and wash your dandelion and cut off the roots. drain it, and make a dressing of an egg, well beaten, a half a gill of vinegar, a tea spoonful of butter, and salt to the taste. mix the egg, vinegar, butter and salt together, put the mixture over the fire, and as soon as it is thick, take it off, and stand it away to get cold. drain your dandelion, pour the dressing over it and send it to the table. squashes or cymlins. . if they are old and tough peel them, but if they are young, and the rind is tender, they are better cooked with the skin on. the round squashes may be cooked whole, but the long ones must be cut in two or three pieces, according to the size of the vessel they are to be cooked in. stew them in as little water as possible, till they are soft. take them out, drain, and press them as dry as you can. then put them in a stew-pan, add butter, pepper and salt to the taste. add some cream if you have it. heat them very hot and serve them. ochras. . wash them, cut them in half, season with pepper and salt; fry them in butter till of a light brown. they must be fried slowly. carrots. . scrape and wash them. boil them in a little water, with salt to taste. when they are soft dish them, and pour over melted butter, or drawn butter. turnips. . they should be boiled in as little water as possible. season the water with salt just to taste. when they begin to lose their sweetness, late in the season, add a little sugar, which greatly improves their flavor. when soft, take them up and mash them with a little pepper, salt, butter, and cream, if you have it. celery dressed as slaw. . cut the celery in pieces about a quarter of an inch long. make a dressing of the yelks of three eggs boiled hard, half a gill of vinegar, half a gill of sweet oil, one tea spoonful of french mustard, or half a tea spoonful of common mustard, with salt and cayenne pepper to the taste. pour this mixture over the celery, stir it well and send it to the table. it should be kept in cold water to make it crisp, until about fifteen minutes before it is sent to the table, then drain it and pour the dressing over. celery stewed with lamb. (_french fashion_.) . take six neck chops, crack the bone of each across the middle, and put them into a stew-pan. cut up and wash two large heads of celery, and mix with the meat; pepper and salt to the taste. roll two ounces of butter in a little flour and add to it, with half a gill of water. cover it closely, and let it simmer slowly till the celery is soft. if the gravy stews away too much, add a little water, and if it should not be quite thick enough, stir in a little flour mixed with cold water. asparagus. . scrape and wash your asparagus, put it in a net, boil it in just enough water to cover it, with salt to the taste. when it is done and perfectly soft, take it up, drain it, and pour over it a rich drawn butter. toast is generally laid in the bottom of the dish and the asparagus put on it, but some prefer it without the toast. dutch salad. . choose a head of fine cabbage lettuce, strip off the outer leaves, cut it in half, and wash it well. fry a slice of ham; when it is done, take it out of the pan, and pour in to the hot fat one beaten egg, and a wine glassful of vinegar, set it on the fire, and as soon as it thickens take it off. cut the salad in small pieces, and pour the egg and vinegar over it whilst it is lukewarm. lay the salad in a deep dish, cut the ham in pieces about an inch square, and place on the top. let it stand about five minutes, and send it to the table. corn salad. . this may be dressed at the table with sugar and vinegar, or lemon juice; or with eggs boiled hard, vinegar, mustard, sweet oil, salt and pepper as directed for french slaw. scurvy grass and lettuce may be dressed in the same manner. boiled onions. . peel them, and boil them in equal parts of milk and water. when they are tender, take them up, drain them, and add salt, pepper and butter to the taste. do not put salt in the water they are boiled in, as that will curdle the milk and cause a scum to settle on the onions. fried cucumbers. . slice your cucumbers lengthwise, season them with pepper and salt, flour and fry them in hot butter. they should be of a delicate brown color when done. lima beans. . lima beans require from half an hour to three quarters to boil. they should be boiled in as little water as possible to preserve their flavor. as soon as they are soft take them out, drain them in a colander and season with butter, pepper and salt; pour them in a pan to be seasoned, as the butter would run through the colander. add salt to the water they are boiled in. windsor or horse beans. . shell the beans, put them in a pan, and pour boiling water over them, cover them and let them stand where they will keep warm. in fifteen minutes pour off the water and remove the thick brown skin which gives them such a strong flavor when boiled with it on. put them in a stew-pan with very little water, and boil them till they are soft. drain them and season with butter, pepper and salt. stringed beans. . prepare the beans by cutting each end and stripping off the tough fibre, commonly known as the string; cut each bean in three or four pieces, and stew them in very little water, which has been salted, so that when they are done the pan will be nearly dry. they require from one to two hours to boil. when they are perfectly soft drain them in a colander, then put them in a pan and season with butter, pepper and salt to the taste. serve them hot. boiled dried beans. . put a piece of pickled pork in a pot with two quarts of water. in another pot put one quart of dried beans, which must have been carefully picked and washed. as soon as the beans begin to boil take them out, put them in a colander to drain, then put them in with the meat and just cover the whole with water. boil them till they are quite soft and send them to the table. green peas. . these should be boiled in very little water, with a tea spoonful of salt to a pint of water, and if the peas are not very sweet add a little sugar. when they are young fifteen minutes is sufficient to boil them. drain them and add butter, pepper and salt to the taste. salsify or oyster-plant, no. . . scrape the roots, wash and boil them in water with a little salt. when they are soft take them up, drain them and season to the taste with pepper, and more salt if necessary. for ten roots pour over half an ounce of melted butter. salsify or oyster-plant, no. . . boil the roots in water, with a little salt, until they are soft. take them up, mash them very fine, add pepper and salt to the taste. have ready some bread crumbs or grated cracker, and a couple of eggs beaten. with a spoon dip out a portion of the salsify about as large as an oyster, dip it in the egg, then in the cracker, and fry it in hot lard. when of a light brown on both sides lay them on a dish and send to the table. this is a breakfast dish. salsify or oyster-plant, no. . . wash the roots and scrape them clean; grate them and add a little pepper and salt; beat two eggs, add a pint of milk, and stir in enough flour to make a thick batter, also salt to the taste. mix the salsify with the batter, and have ready a pan with some hot lard, dip out a spoonful of the batter and drop in the pan, then another close by the first, and so on. turn the fritters, and when they are of a light brown on both sides they are done. they resemble oyster fritters. salsify or oyster-plant, no. . . boil the roots till tender, mash them and season with salt to the taste. make a batter as directed in no. , mix the salsify with it, and proceed as before. sauces. apple sauce. . pare, core and slice your apples, put them in a kettle with water enough to keep them from burning, cover them, and as soon as they are soft mash them very fine. when they are nearly cold sweeten them to the taste. quince sauce is made in the same manner. lemon sauce. . half a pint of water, five ounces of nice _brown_ sugar, two ounces of butter, three tea spoonsful of flour, the rind of a lemon grated, and some of the juice. mix the flour smoothly with a little cold water, and stir it into half a pint of boiling water, let it boil one minute, then add the sugar, the butter, and the grated rind of one lemon. stir in as much of the lemon juice as will make it an agreeable acid. some prefer nutmeg and vinegar to the lemon. to be served hot. yorkshire sauce. . three ounces of butter, five table spoonsful of powdered sugar, three drops of essence of lemon, nutmeg or cinnamon to the taste. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, and add the lemon and spice. this sauce is eaten with baked puddings, fritters, &c. some add a tea spoonful of brandy. nun's butter. . take equal portions of butter and sugar; beat them well together, then add cinnamon and nutmeg to the taste. dried peach sauce. . pick your fruit, wash it through several waters; then pour as much hot water on as will cover it, and let it stand all night. the next morning put the fruit, and the water it was soaked in, into a preserving kettle, and stew the peaches till they are very soft; when done pass the fruit through a colander to make it perfectly smooth, sweeten it to your taste, put it back in the stew-pan and let it boil once. stand it away to cool. cranberry sauce. . pick and wash your cranberries, and add half a tea-cup of water to a quart; stew them till they will mash, then add the sugar; let them boil a few minutes, and pour them while warm into the dishes they are to be served in. wine sauce. . two gills of water, two table spoonsful of brown sugar, two small tea spoonsful of flour, one ounce of butter, one gill of wine. stir the sugar into the water, and as soon as it boils add the flour, which should be mixed smoothly with a little cold water. let it boil one minute, then take it off the fire, and add the butter and wine. it should be sent to the table warm. add ground cinnamon to your taste. rich wine sauce. . half a pint of boiling water, five ounces of sugar, three ounces of butter, two gills of wine. mix the flour to a smooth paste with a little cold water, stir this into the half pint of boiling water. let it boil about one minute. take it off, and add the sugar, (brown is the best,) butter, and wine. some prefer a little nutmeg. serve it hot. cream sauce. . boil a pint of cream, sweetened very well with white sugar, and flavored with grated lemon-peel, or vanilla. let it boil once, then take it off the fire and strain it. serve it hot or cold, according to the dishes it is to be eaten with. vegetable sauce. . take equal quantities of ripe tomatoes and young ochras; chop the ochras fine, skin the tomatoes, and slice an onion. put all into a stew-pan, with half an ounce of butter, salt and pepper to the taste. stew it very slowly. when the vegetables are tender serve it. with cold meat this sauce is very good. tomato mustard. . cut a peck of tomatoes in small pieces, boil them till tender. rub them through a sieve to extract the pulp, which put on and boil until nearly dry. then add one table spoonful of cayenne pepper, one table spoonful of black pepper, one tea spoonful of cloves, two table spoonsful of mustard seed, and two table spoonsful of salt. boil the whole a few moments, and when cold bottle it and cork it tightly. if this should not be quite salt enough, a little more may be added before it is boiled the last time. put a table spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each bottle before it is corked, to exclude the air. egg sauce. . boil half a pint of milk, and stir into it as much flour mixed with cold water as will thicken it. then take it off the fire, and beat in gradually three ounces of butter; add a little salt. boil two eggs hard; chop them finely, and add them to the milk and butter. this sauce is used for boiled chicken or fish. drawn butter. . boil half a pint of milk, and stir into it as much wheat flour mixed with cold milk, as will thicken it. take it off the fire and beat in gradually three ounces of butter. add a little salt. this is poured over asparagus and some other vegetables. onion sauce. . peel the onions, put them on to boil in equal portions of milk and water, but no salt, as it will curdle the milk. when soft, drain them in a colander, put them in a pan, chop them up finely, and add butter, pepper and salt to the taste. onions for sauce ought to be white. mint sauce. . choose some young mint, pick and wash it; chop it very fine, and pour on enough vinegar to wet it. to every gill of vinegar allow two gills of brown sugar. the sugar should be dissolved in the vinegar, then poured on the mint. mushroom sauce. . peel and wash a quart of mushrooms, put them in a stew-pan, with a little salt, pepper, and two ounces of butter. cover the stew-pan, and simmer them slowly till they are tender. mix smoothly one tea spoonful of flour with a gill of cream, stir this into the mushrooms, let them boil once, and serve them. mace, nutmeg, and cloves may be stewed with this sauce, if spices are preferred. parsley sauce. . make some drawn butter, (see no. ,) and whilst it is warm stir into it some parsley finely chopped. caper sauce. . make a half-pint of drawn butter, (see no. ,) and into this stir half a wine-glass of capers with two table spoonsful of vinegar. haslet sauce. (_for roast pig_.) . put on the feet and liver of the pig with just enough water to cover them, with a little salt. let them stew slowly, when the feet are tender take them up, cut them in two or three pieces, but do not take out the bones; chop the liver, return it and the feet to the liquor they were boiled in; set the stew-pan over the fire, add pepper, salt and sweet-marjoram to the taste. roll a piece of butter in flour, and stir in to thicken the gravy, add two glasses of port wine and serve it hot. any kind of spice may be added. horse radish sauce. . grate a stick of horse-radish, mix with it as much vinegar as will cover it, and a tea spoonful of sugar, with a little salt. this is generally eaten with roast beef or cold meat. french tomato sauce. . peel your tomatoes and cut them in small pieces. make a dressing for six tomatoes of a table spoonful of sweet oil, one table spoonful of vinegar, half a tea spoonful of common mustard, or one tea spoonful of french mustard, cayenne pepper and salt to the taste. pour this dressing over the tomatoes, stir them well and serve them. tomatoes may be dressed as cucumbers, and make a very good sauce for cold meat. oyster sauce. . cut off the beards and boil them with the liquor with a bit of mace and lemon peel. in the mean time throw the oysters in cold water and then drain them; strain the spice from the liquor, put it into a sauce-pan with the oysters, with two ounces of butter rolled in flour, and a gill of rich milk or cream. let it boil once, squeeze in a little lemon juice, and serve it hot. tomato sauce. . wash a dozen tomatoes, cut them in pieces but do not skin them. put them in a stew-pan with salt, cayenne pepper, one tea spoonful of whole allspice, half a dozen cloves, and four or five blades of mace. stew them slowly till they are soft, pass them through a sieve to remove the skins and spice; put them back in the stew-pan, let them boil five minutes, then add two ounces of butter rolled in half a tea spoonful of flour, let it boil once, then serve it. pickles. pickles should always be done in the very best cider or wine vinegar, as the chemical preparations known by the name of vinegar soften the pickles, besides being very injurious to the stomach. stone or glass jars are the best for keeping pickles, which should be always completely covered with vinegar. when they are first put into the jars they require attention for a day or two, to keep them filled up, as the vinegar sinks in the jar, or is imbibed by the pickles. pickled peppers. . if you would prefer your peppers less pungent, cut an opening in the top of the pepper, and take out half the seeds. lay them for two weeks in salt and water which will bear an egg. be careful to keep them covered with the brine. put a board over them to keep them under the salt and water, and take off the scum as it rises. if they are not yellow at the end of two weeks, let them remain in the brine a little longer. when yellow take them out, wash them, and put them in a kettle with cold water--cover the top with leaves--place them near the fire, let them get hot, but do not permit them to simmer. when they are greened in this manner, take them out, drain them, place them in your jars, and pour cold spiced vinegar over them. if you wish to stuff them, chop some cabbage very fine, season it highly with mace, cinnamon, cloves, and mustard seed--stuff the peppers with this preparation, and tie a thread round each one to keep the stuffing in. pickled mushrooms, no. . . choose button mushrooms; wipe them well with a clean cloth. sprinkle a little salt over them, and put them in a stew-pan, with some pieces of mace and whole pepper corns. simmer them slowly till all the juice is out of them. shake them frequently. let them simmer very gradually till all the liquor is dried up, but be careful not to let the mushrooms get dry. when the juice has all evaporated, pour over them as much cold vinegar as will cover them, let them get hot, and put them in jars. when cold, cover them closely. pickled mushrooms, no. . . select the _button_ mushrooms, that is, those which are not fully blown. cut off the ends of the stems, scrape them, peel the tops, and wipe them on a clean cloth. put them into a stew-pan, with just enough water to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan. shake them occasionally, to prevent them from burning. as soon as they are tender, pour over them some boiling vinegar, seasoned with mace, cloves, whole grains of pepper, and salt. when cool, bottle them, and seal the corks. pickled onions. . choose small white onions, peel them, and throw a few at a time in a pan of boiling salt and water; as soon as they look clear take them out carefully, and place them on a sieve to dry; then put in more, and so on, till all are cooked. when they are cold, put them in jars, and pour spiced vinegar over them. to each quart of the vinegar, put one table spoonful of whole allspice, half a table spoonful of pepper grains, three or four small pieces of mace, half a dozen cloves, and a table spoonful of mustard seed. boil all these spices in the vinegar, and pour it, boiling hot, over the pickles. pickled eggs. . boil some eggs hard; take off the shells, put them into a jar, and cover them with cold vinegar. chow chow. . three cabbages, twenty-five peppers, half a pint of mustard seed, three sticks of horse-radish, chipped. cut the cabbages as for slaw; chop the peppers very fine. put in a jar a layer of cabbage, a very little salt, then a layer of peppers, sprinkle over this some horse-radish and mustard seed, and so on, till all is in, then fill up the jars with cold vinegar, in every quart of which dissolve two ounces of sugar. this is very good with hot or cold meat. pickled walnuts. . rub your walnuts well with a coarse towel, and lay them for two weeks in salt and water strong enough to float an egg. drain them, and put them in your kettle, with fresh water enough to cover them, and let them stand twelve hours, where they will keep hot, but not boil. to one hundred walnuts take one gallon of the best vinegar, one ounce of pepper, one ounce of cloves, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of nutmeg, four ounces of ginger. break the ginger and nutmegs in pieces, bruise the pepper a little, and put the spices into the vinegar just before it boils. let it boil five minutes; pour it out, cover it closely, and stand it away to get cold. place the walnuts in your jars, and strew over them about four ounces of mustard seed, pounded and sifted, then pour the spiced vinegar over and cover them closely. pickled peaches. . select ripe cling-stone peaches. to one gallon of good vinegar add four pounds of brown sugar; boil this for a few minutes, and take off any scum which may rise. rub the peaches with a flannel cloth, to remove the down, and stick a clove in each; put them in glass or stone jars, and pour the liquor upon them boiling hot. when cold, cover the jars and let them stand in a cool place for a week or ten days, then pour off the liquor and boil it as before, after which return it, boiling, to the peaches, which should be carefully covered and stored away for future use. if your peaches are very hard, boil them in water till tender, before you pickle them, and they will be fit for use almost immediately. pickled beans. . string-beans, or french beans, are the kind used for pickling. take off the strings but do not break the beans; put them in strong salt and water for three or four days; cover them with a board and weight so as to keep them under the water. then take them out, wash them, and put them in a preserving kettle with hot water enough to cover them, and put leaves or a cloth over them to keep in the steam. when they are green take them out, drain them and put them in jars; pour hot vinegar over them, with any kind of spice you may like best, and a small piece of alum in each jar. radish pods are pickled in the same way. pickled mangoes. . cut your mangoes in half, take out all the seeds, tie them together with coarse thread, and lay them in strong salt and water for three or four days. then wash and drain them, put them into a kettle with vine or cabbage leaves over the top, or they may be covered with a clean coarse cloth; pour in hot water enough to cover them, and let them stand near the fire to keep hot. when they are green take them out, untie them, turn the cut side down and drain them. cut some horse-radish in fine slips, and mix with it some mace, cloves, pepper, allspice and mustard seed; fill your mangoes with this, and if you like it add a clove of garlic to each one, place the two sides together and tie them again. put them in jars and cover them with vinegar. cut off the threads before they are sent to the table. pickled cucumbers. . select the small sized cucumbers for pickling. they should be free from bruises and of a fine green color, for if they are old and yellow when picked from the vines they will never be green when they are pickled. wash your cucumbers in cold water to remove all the sand and grit, put them in your pickling tub, make a brine of salt and water strong enough to float an egg. pour enough of this brine over the cucumbers to cover them; spread over the top a coarse cloth and over this put the lid of the tub, which should be just large enough to fit inside and slip down so as to press on the cucumbers, put a weight on the lid to keep it in its place. let them stand in the salt and water till they are perfectly yellow, which will be in about nine days. when they are quite yellow take them out, wash them in cold water and examine each one separately; if you should find any soft or bruised reject them, as they would be likely to spoil the others. put them into a preserving kettle, cover them with hot water and vine or cabbage leaves, or if you have no leaves a clean coarse towel will answer as well. put a plate over the top and stand them where they will keep hot, but not simmer, as that would ruin them. when they are perfectly green take them out of the water, drain them, and put in your jars first a layer of cucumbers, then a tea spoonful of whole allspice, half a dozen cloves, some strips of horse-radish, and half a tea spoonful of mustard seed, then more cucumbers, and so on till the jar is full. pour in as much good vinegar as will cover them, with a tea spoonful of pulverized alum to each jar. in a day or two examine them, and fill up the jars with vinegar if the pickles have absorbed it so as to leave the top ones uncovered. if you do not wish to pickle all your cucumbers at once, (and they are much better when they are freshly pickled,) take them out of the salt and water, wash and drain them. put the brine over the fire, boil and skim it; let it stand to get cold; wash the pickle tub, wipe it dry, put the cucumbers into it; examine each one that no specked ones may be put in the tub, pour the cold brine over them, wash the cloth and lid of the tub and replace them as before. cucumbers will keep in this way all winter. they may be pickled a few at a time whenever they are wanted. they must be soaked twenty-four hours in cold water before they are pickled; if they are so long in salt and water they imbibe too much salt to green them without soaking. gherkins are done in the same way. pickled beets. . boil your beets till tender, but not quite soft. to four large beets boil three eggs hard, remove the shells; when the beets are done take off the skin by laying them for a few minutes in cold water and then stripping it off; slice them a quarter of an inch thick, put the eggs at the bottom, and then put in the beets with a little salt. pour on cold vinegar enough to cover them. the eggs imbibe the color of the beets, and look beautiful on the table. pickled cherries. . pick over your cherries, remove all the specked ones. put them into a jar, and pour over them as much hot vinegar and sugar as will cover them; to each gallon of vinegar allow four pounds of sugar. boil and skim it and pour it hot over the fruit. let it stand a week, then pour off the vinegar and boil it as before, pour it hot over the cherries the second time. as soon as they are cold tie them closely. tomato catsup, no. . . boil half a bushel of tomatoes until they are soft, squeeze them through a fine wire sieve and add-- one quart of vinegar, half a pint of salt, one ounce of cloves, two ounces of _whole_ allspice, two ounces of ground cayenne pepper, a dessert spoonful of ground black pepper, two heads of garlic skinned and separated. mix the whole together and boil three hours; bottle without straining it. on the top of each bottle pour a table spoonful of sweet oil, cork them closely and seal them. the sweet oil by excluding the air tends to preserve the catsup. tomato catsup, no, . . slice the tomatoes, put a layer in a deep vessel, and sprinkle over some salt; then another layer of tomatoes and salt till all are in. stand them in the sun for two or three days, when they are soft pass them through a sieve, and put the pulp, thus drained out, over the fire to boil. add cayenne pepper, whole black pepper, mace, cloves, allspice, and a little race ginger if you like; let it boil till it is thick, add a clove of garlic; by tasting it you can judge if it is seasoned to your taste. when cold, bottle it off; put a table spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each bottle, and seal the corks. mushroom catsup. . procure fresh mushrooms, pick them carefully, wipe them clean, and put a layer in the bottom of a pan, sprinkle over some salt, then another layer of mushrooms and more salt until all are in; cover the pan and let them stand two days, mash them well and strain them through a hair sieve. to each quart of the pulp add one ounce and a half of whole black pepper, half an ounce of whole allspice, and a few blades of mace. boil it till reduced to two-thirds the original quantity. when done pour it in a pan and stand it away till the next day, then pass it through a hair sieve and bottle it for use. put it in small bottles, on the top of each pour a table spoonful of sweet oil to exclude the air. cork them closely and rosin the corks. walnut catsup. . when your pickled walnuts are soft, mash them through the vinegar which covers them, strain it and boil it to a proper thickness. bottle it, put a table spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each bottle, and cork them tightly; seal the corks and it will keep for several years. this catsup is excellent. pickled nasturtiums. . cut the green seeds of the nasturtiums with a piece of the stem to each. put them in a jar of cold vinegar. pickled tomatoes. . take one peck of ripe tomatoes, prick them with a large needle, and lay them in strong salt and water eight days. then take them out of the brine and lay them in vinegar and water for twenty-four hours. scald a dozen small onions in vinegar and stand the whole away to get cold. drain the tomatoes and add them to the cold onions and vinegar, with two wine-glasses of mustard-seed and an ounce of cloves. pastry. the flour for pastry should be of the whitest and finest quality. it should be mixed with a broad knife, as the moisture and warmth of the hand makes it heavy. the butter should be of the best quality, as if it is a little rancid it will taste. to make puff paste it should have all the salt washed out of it. iron, or block tin plates are the best for baking pastry. always use cold water (in summer iced water) to mix pastry, and if it cannot be baked immediately, set it away in a cool place. puff-paste. . one pound of butter, one pound of flour. wash your butter in cold water to extract all the salt; work it well with a broad wooden spoon in order to get out all the water. lay it between clean napkins, put it in a tin pan or plate, set it on the ice to get hard, but do not let it freeze. sift your flour in a pan, cut the butter in four equal parts, cut one-fourth in very small pieces in the flour, but do not touch it, as the warmth of your hands will make the paste heavy. add to the flour as much _cold_ water as will make it a stiff dough. turn it out on your pie-board, roll it gently into sheets, cut one-third of the remainder of the butter into small pieces, and lay over it, sprinkle on a _very_ little flour, fold it over, roll it out again, cut one-half of the butter which is left in small pieces and lay on, put on a little flour, and fold it as before, roll it out again, and put on the remainder of the butter. it should now be set on the ice, but should not come in contact with it. when it is perfectly cold, roll it out in a sheet thinner in the centre than at the edges of your pie, cut it with a _very sharp_ knife the size you wish it. fill with whatever you choose, and bake in a tolerably quick oven. plain paste. . one pound of flour, three-quarters of butter. put the ingredients together in the same manner as directed for puff paste. common paste. . one pound of flour, half a pound of butter. proceed as directed for puff-paste, only the butter need not be washed, nor the paste placed upon the ice. a very good paste may be made with the above quantity of flour, and a quarter of a pound of butter, and the same quantity of nice fresh lard. lemon pudding, no. . . half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, five eggs, the grated rind and juice of one lemon, half a gill of brandy. beat the butter and sugar. whisk the eggs and add to it the grated _yellow_ rind and juice of one lemon, and lastly the liquor. make a puff-paste, line your pie plates with it, and pour in the mixture. these ingredients will make three puddings. it requires a moderate oven. this is a very rich and expensive kind of pudding--for a plainer kind see no. . in place of the liquor, a table spoonful of rose water, and a tea spoonful of grated nutmeg may be added. lemon pudding, no. . . half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, five eggs, the grated yellow rind and juice of one lemon. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs and add to it, then stir in the lemon juice and grated rind. make a paste, cover your pie plates, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. two table spoonsful of brandy may be added, if preferred, to flavor it. orange cheese-cake. . a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, three eggs, a wine glass of milk or cream, two ounces of sponge cake, the rind of one orange grated, half a nutmeg, one table spoonful of brandy, or two of rose water. pour the milk or cream over the sponge cake to moisten it. then stir together your butter and sugar, whisk your eggs, mash the cake very fine, and mix all together with the liquor and spice. line your pie plates with paste, fill with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. lemon cheese-cake. . a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a wine glass of milk or cream, two ounces of sponge cake, three eggs, the grated rind of one and juice of half a lemon. slice the cake, and pour over it the milk or cream. beat the butter and sugar together, and stir into it. mash the sponge cake very fine, and add to the above. grate the yellow rind, and squeeze the juice of half a lemon and stir in. cover the pie plates with paste, fill with the mixture, and bake in a moderately hot oven. curd cheese-cake. . one quart of milk, half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, five eggs, one tea spoonful of grated nutmeg, a quarter of a pound of currants. warm the milk, and turn it to a curd, with a piece of rennet, or a table spoonful of the wine in which a rennet has been soaked. as soon as the milk is a thick curd, take it out with a broad ladle or spoon, and lay it on a sieve to drain. beat the eggs, and add the drained curd, also the sugar and butter, which must have been beaten to a cream, then the spice and fruit. for those who would prefer it sweeter, more sugar may be added. line your pie plates with paste, fill them with the above mixture, and bake in a moderately hot oven. cottage cheese-cake. . one pint of curd, one gill and a half of cream, three eggs, sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon to the taste. mix the curd and cream thoroughly together. beat the eggs, add them with the sugar and spice. make a paste, cover your pie plates, and fill them with the mixture. bake in a moderate oven. indian florendines. . one quart of milk, three eggs, one ounce of butter, two table spoonsful of brandy, sugar to the taste, as much indian meal as will make the milk as thick as pap. when the milk boils, stir in the indian meal till it is thickened about like pap, then add the butter. set it off to cool. when cold stir in the eggs, which must have been well beaten, then the sugar and brandy. they are very good without brandy. make a paste, cover your pie plates, pour in the above mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. rice florendines. . one quart of milk, eight eggs, sugar to the taste, a quarter of a pound of butter, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, brandy, or rose-water to the taste, rice flour enough to thicken the milk. boil the milk, and stir in enough rice flour mixed with cold milk, to thicken it about as stiff as thick molasses. add the butter while it is hot. beat the eggs, stir them in when it gets cold, and add the other ingredients, bake in pie plates, with an under crust only. orange pudding. . half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, five eggs, two table spoonsful of brandy, the rind of an orange. lay the rind of an orange to soak over night. the next day boil it and mash it fine. it must be boiled in fresh water. beat the butter and sugar as for cake. whisk the eggs and add to it, then stir in the liquor and orange. cover your pie plates with rich paste, fill them and bake in a moderate oven. almond pudding. . half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, five eggs, six ounces of sweet almonds, two ounces of bitter almonds, half a gill of rose-water. blanch the almonds, pound them in a mortar to a paste with a little rose-water. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs, mix all the ingredients together, line your pie plates with paste, fill them, and bake them as directed for other puddings. cocoa-nut pudding, no. . . a quarter of a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of cocoa-nut, three ounces of butter, the whites of six eggs, half a glass of wine and brandy mixed, one table spoonful of rose-water. beat the butter and sugar smooth, whisk the eggs and add to it, then stir in the grated nut and liquor. cover your pie plates with rich crust, fill them with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. cocoa-nut pudding, no. . . half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, one pound of nut, eight eggs, the whites only, half a gill of wine and brandy mixed, one table spoonful of rose-water. peel off the outer skin of the cocoa-nut, grate it and stir it into the butter and sugar, which must be beaten to a cream. add the brandy, wine, and rose-water, then the whites of the eggs, which must be whisked till they are dry. bake in a puff paste. apple pudding, no. . . half a pound of the mashed apple, half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, five eggs, half a nutmeg, two table spoonsful of brandy, or rose-water if preferred. peel the apples and core them; cut them in small pieces, and stew them in very little water till they are soft. pass them through a sieve to free them from lumps. beat the butter and sugar smooth, whisk the eggs and add to it; then stir in the apples, (which should be half a pound when mashed,) brandy or rose-water and nutmeg. cover your pie plates with a rich crust and bake in a moderate oven. these are very rich. apple pudding, no. . . one pound of grated apple, half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, six eggs, half a pint of cream, the juice and grated rind of one lemon. grate your apples; beat the butter and sugar very light, whisk the eggs and add to it, add the apples, cream and lemon. stir all together, line your pie plates with rich paste, pour in the mixture and bake it. a few currants may be added. plain apple pudding, no. . . one pound of the mashed apples, a quarter of a pound of butter, sugar to the taste, six eggs, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, half a nutmeg, brandy or rose-water to the taste. peel the apples, cut them in slices, and stew them in a very little water till they are tender. mash them fine, and while they are hot add the butter. set them away to cool. beat the eggs, and when the apples are cold add the eggs and sugar, liquor and spice. cover your pie plates with plain paste, fill them and bake in a moderate oven. a quarter of a pound of dried currants may be added if preferred. pumpkin pudding, no. . . a quarter of a pound of butter, sugar to the taste, eight eggs, two table spoonsful of brandy, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, one tea spoonful of grated nutmeg, one pint of mashed pumpkin. stew the pumpkin in very little water, mash it fine, and add the butter to it whilst it is hot; whisk the eggs and stir into the pumpkin when it is cool enough, and add the other ingredients. bake in a light paste. pumpkin pudding, no. . . eight eggs, one pint of stewed pumpkin, a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, two table spoonsful of brandy, one tea cupful of cream, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, one tea spoonful of nutmeg. stew the pumpkin in very little water, mash it very fine, add the butter and stand it away to cool. beat the eggs, and when the pumpkin is cool add them and the other ingredients. line your pie-plates with paste, pour in the pumpkin, and bake in a moderately hot oven. when they are to be sent to the table sift sugar over them. quince pudding. . six ounces of mashed quinces, half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, five eggs, a table spoonful of brandy. stew the quinces, mash them very fine, and when nearly cold add to them the butter and sugar beaten to a cream. whisk the eggs very light and stir in with the other ingredients. cover your pie-plates with a nice paste, pour in the mixture and bake it. french custard pudding. . one pint of milk, one table-spoonful of flour, three eggs, sugar to the taste, flavored with rose-water, essence of lemon, or brandy. put on the milk to boil, mix the flour smoothly with a little cold milk; as soon as the milk boils stir in the mixture of flour and milk. let it boil one minute, take it off and set away to cool. beat the eggs, and when the milk is cool add them to it with the sugar, then the spice and rose-water, or whatever it is to be flavored with. line your pie plates with paste, pour in the above mixture, and bake it in a moderate oven. potato pudding. . half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, half a pound of mashed potatoes, half a gill of cream, five eggs, two table spoonsful of brandy, the grated peel of one orange, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, one tea spoonful of cinnamon. mash the boiled potatoes with the cream, and when cool, add to it the butter and sugar beaten to a cream, the eggs well whisked, and all the other ingredients. bake in a puff paste. sweet potato pudding. . made as the white potato. cranberry tarts. . stew your cranberries with sugar in the proportion of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and merely enough water to melt the sugar. when they are done set them away to get cold. make some shells of puff paste and fill with the fruit. rhubarb tarts. . cut your fruit in pieces, strew over it plenty of sugar, and stew it till it is soft, then mash it fine. line your pie plates with good light paste, bake it, and when the shells are cold fill them with the stewed fruit. ripe peach pie. . pare your peaches, cut them in halves or quarters according to their size; lay them in a dish, and between every layer of peaches strew sugar according to the acidity of the peach. line your pie plates with a paste, then put in the fruit and cover with a lid of paste, leaving a small opening in the centre for the steam to escape. ripe peach pie may be made without any sugar; when the pie is baked take off the top crust, mash the fruit, and add as much sugar as will sweeten it. be careful not to break the crust as it will disfigure the pie. peach pot pie. . line the sides of a deep pot with a paste made in the proportion of half a pound of butter to one pound of flour. then pare and slice some peaches, sugar them to your taste, and fill up the pot and cover the top with the paste, leaving an opening in the middle of the crust to permit the steam to escape while the pie is baking. bake it in a moderately hot oven, and when cold serve it with cream. quince pie. . the quinces are prepared in the same manner as for quince marmalade. make your paste, line your pie plates, fill them with the marmalade, cover with a lid of paste and bake them. quince pies made in this way, are excellent during the winter when fruits are scarce. plum pie. . cut your plums in two, and take out the stones. make a paste, line your pie plates, put in a layer of fruit and one of sugar, in the proportion of three-quarters of a pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. roll out some paste, cover the pies and bake them in a moderate oven. leave an opening in the centre of the lid to allow the steam to escape while they are baking. quince dumplings. . pare and core your quinces, put them in a sauce-pan with very little water, and as soon as they _begin_ to get tender take them out. make a paste of six ounces of butter to a pound of flour, cover the fruit, tie them in dumpling cloths and boil them. peach dumplings. . choose large free-stone peaches; peel them, make a paste of six ounces of butter to one pound of flour; cover each peach with this paste, and boil them in cloths or nets till the fruit is tender. they are very nice. serve with sugar and cream. apple dumplings. . make a paste of six ounces of butter to a pound of flour. pare your apples, take out the cores, and cover them with the paste; tie them in cloths and boil them till the apples are tender. serve with sugar and cream, or molasses and butter. cherry pie. . stew your cherries with sugar, in the proportion of a pound of cherries to half a pound of sugar, and stir in a little flour to thicken the syrup. make a paste, as rich as you like, line your pie plates, fill with the fruit, and cover with a lid of the paste. rhubarb pies. . cut the young stalks in pieces about half an inch in length. make a paste, cover the bottom of your pie plate, put in the fruit with a great deal of sugar, about four table spoonsful to each pie: put on a cover and bake them till the fruit is soft. sweet dishes. guernsey pudding. . half a pound of beef suet, one pound of flour, half a pound of dried currants, half a pound of stoned raisins, two eggs, nutmeg and cinnamon to the taste, half a salt spoonful of salt. shred the suet, chop it fine, and rub it through the flour. wash, pick, and dry the currants; seed the raisins, mix the currants and raisins together, and dredge over them as much flour as will adhere to them. beat the eggs till they are very thick and light, and add enough milk to form a batter--stir in the eggs, then the spices and salt, and lastly the fruit. dip your pudding bag into cold water, turn it wrong side out and flour it well, then turn it back again, pour in the batter, tie the mouth of the bag with a strong string, but take care to leave a space sufficient to allow the pudding to swell. have ready a pot of boiling water, with a plate in the bottom to prevent the bag from touching the bottom of the pot, put in the pudding and let it boil two hours and a half. keep a kettle of boiling water to fill up the pot as may be required. when the pudding is done, take it out of the pot, dip it for an instant in cold water, untie the bag, and turn it out on a dish. to be eaten with sweet sauce. eve's pudding. . six eggs, six apples, six ounces of bread crumbs, six ounces of currants, six ounces of sugar, nutmeg to the taste, half a salt spoonful of salt. beat the eggs very light, add to them the apples, which must be finely chopped, the currants, sugar and bread crumbs, nutmeg and salt. if the mixture should be too thick, add a little milk. pour the batter in a pan leaving a space at the top, tie a cloth tightly over the pan so as to exclude all the water, and let it boil three hours. serve it with sweet sauce. french pudding. . one quart of milk, ten table spoonsful of flour, eight eggs. beat the eggs very light, add them to the milk, with the flour. butter a pan, pour in the mixture, and bake it. serve it hot with sweet sauce. sago pudding. . a quarter of a pound of sago, three pints of milk, eight eggs, sugar to the taste, a quarter of a pound of butter, half a pound of currants, half a tea spoonful of nutmeg and cinnamon mixed. pick and wash the sago, and pour over it enough warm water to cover it. put it in a warm place, and let it stand for three hours to soak. wash, pick, and dry your currants, and sift flour over them. boil the sago in the milk until it is completely incorporated with it. add the butter and stand it away to cool. beat the eggs, and stir them into the milk; add the sugar, fruit, and spice. butter a deep dish, pour in the mixture and bake it. french bread pudding. . one-half of a four cent baker's loaf, one quart of milk, three eggs, one gill of dried currants, sugar to the taste. boil the milk, slice the bread, and pour the boiling milk over it. stand it away to cool. beat the eggs, and add them and the sugar when the milk is cool. wash, pick and flour the currants, and stir them in to the mixture. put it in a pudding dish, and bake it half an hour in a moderate oven. serve it with or without sweet sauce. green corn pudding. . cut off the cob one dozen ears of green corn whilst in the milky state. beat five eggs very light, add to them one quart of milk, with sugar to the taste, stir in the grains of corn, butter thoroughly the bottom and sides of a pudding pan, pour in the mixture, and bake it in a very moderate oven for three hours. it may be eaten with any kind of sweet sauce; or the sugar may be left out of the pudding, and then it may be eaten hot for breakfast with butter. rice cup puddings. . pick and wash a tea cupful of rice, and boil it in a quart of milk till it is very thick and dry; add to this whilst it is hot, a pint of rich milk or cream, and two ounces of butter. when it is sufficiently cool, add three eggs, well beaten, and sugar to the taste. butter your cups, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. grate nutmeg over the top, and serve them with cream. newcastle pudding. . make a custard of six eggs to a quart of milk and sugar to the taste. beat the eggs; stir them in the milk, and add the sugar. butter some bread, lay it in the bottom of a dish, then strew over it some currants, then another layer of buttered bread and currants. pour on the egg and milk prepared as above, and bake it until the custard is thick. peach baked pudding. . line a deep pudding dish with slices of baker's bread cut thin. fill up the dish with ripe peaches cut in pieces and sugared, cover the top with some bread sliced thin, buttered and dipped in the yelk of an egg well beaten. set the pudding in the oven and bake it. serve it with milk or cream. farmer's apple pudding. . stew some tender apples; if the apples are juicy they will require very little water to cook them; add to one pound of the mashed apple, whilst it is hot, a quarter of a pound of butter, and sugar to the taste. beat four eggs and stir in when the apple is cold. butter the bottom and sides of a deep pudding dish, strew it very thickly with bread crumbs, put in the mixture, and strew bread crumbs plentifully over the top. set it in a tolerably hot oven, and when baked, sift sugar over. this is good with a glass of rich milk. it is a good substitute for pie, and can be eaten by those who cannot partake of pastry. rice pudding, no. . . half a tea cup of rice, two ounces of butter, three pints of milk, five eggs, sugar to the taste. put the rice and milk together, and simmer it gently till the rice is soft, then take it out and add the butter while the rice is hot. set it away to cool. beat the eggs, stir them in when the rice is cool, and add the sugar. put the mixture in a pudding dish, place it in a moderate oven, and as soon as it forms a custard take it out. grate nutmeg over the top. rice pudding, no. . . one quart of milk, rice flour enough to thicken the milk, six eggs, two ounces of butter, sugar to the taste. boil the milk and thicken it with rice flour mixed with cold milk. it should be about as thick as pap. add the butter while the milk is hot. when cool add the beaten eggs, and sugar to the taste. put it in a deep dish and bake it till a fine custard is formed. dried currants may be added before it is baked, also a little lemon or rose-water. boiled rice pudding. . pick and wash your rice, tie it in a pudding bag, allowing it room to swell. boil it till the rice is soft, and serve it with sugar and cream, or molasses and butter. rice pudding with fruit. . put your rice in a stew-pan, with very little milk; that is, to one cup of rice one gill of milk. stand it where it will be hot, but not boil; when the rice has absorbed all the milk add to it a quarter of a pound of dried currants, and one egg, well beaten. boil it in a bag till the rice is tender, and serve it with sugar and cream. more fruit may be added to the rice if it should be preferred. rice cups. . boil some rice in very little milk so as it may be perfectly dry when done. mash it fine, and while it is hot add a little butter and sugar to the taste. put the rice in cups; you should fill them as full as they will hold, by pressing the rice into them. when they are cold, turn them out on a dish, pour a custard round them, and eat them with cream. plum pudding. . one quart of milk, six eggs, a quarter of a pound of seeded raisins, a quarter of a pound of currants, sugar to the taste. beat the eggs, and add them to the milk with the fruit. pour it in a pudding dish, cover the top with slices of bread well buttered. first dip the bread in the milk, so as it may be brown when it is baked. this is generally eaten cold. it may be flavored with lemon or vanilla. boiled pudding, no. . . pour over a pint of the crumbs of baker's bread as much boiling milk as will moisten it, mash it smoothly in the milk. beat the yelks of four eggs and add them to the bread and milk, beat it very hard; then whisk the whites of the eggs and stir in gently with as much flour as will make a batter. fruit may be added if preferred, but the pudding will be lighter without. rinse your pudding bag, flour it on the inside, pour in the batter, tie it very closely, leaving room for it to swell. boil it two hours. boiled pudding, no. . . eight eggs, one quart of milk, one pint of flour, salt just to taste. beat the eggs very light, the yelks and whites separate--the yelks should be as thick as batter--add to them the flour and milk alternately, and very gradually, beating it hard all the time; then stir in the whites, but do not beat it after they are in. the whites should be very dry. wet your pudding bag, wring it dry, flour the inside, and pour in the pudding. it requires one hour to boil, and is very delicate, being very little thicker than a custard. serve it with any kind of sweet sauce. this makes a light wholesome pudding. indian boiled pudding. . one quart of milk, four eggs, half a pound of dried currants, two ounces of butter, salt just to taste, indian meal sufficient to form a batter. stand the butter near the fire where it will dissolve without getting hot. stir as much indian meal in the milk as will form a thick batter, then add the salt and melted butter. separate the yelks and whites of the eggs; beat the yelks very thick and light, and add to the batter; whisk the whites till they are very dry, stir them gently into the mixture. have your currants washed, picked and dried, flour them and stir in at the last. dip your pudding bag in water, wring it out, turn it wrong side out, flour it well, turn it again, pour in the mixture and tie it closely with a strong string, taking care to leave room at the top of the bag for the pudding to swell. have ready a pot of boiling water, put the pudding in, and have a kettle of boiling water to fill it up as it boils away. keep the pudding boiling all the time, as it would be heavy if it should cease. let it boil three hours. when done immerse the bag for an instant into a pan of cold water, untie the string, turn back the bag and place your pudding on a dish. serve it immediately. to be eaten with any kind of sweet sauce. indian baked pudding. . one pint of indian meal, one heaping table spoonful of wheat flour, a table spoonful of butter, four eggs, salt just to taste, milk enough to form a batter. stand your butter near the fire to warm, add it to the indian meal, then the salt and milk. beat the eggs very light, the yelks and whites separate; add the yelks to the indian batter, then the whites alternately with the flour. do not beat it after the whites are in. butter a pan, pour in the batter, and bake it in a moderate oven. this pudding is very good with a quarter of a pound of currants and a quarter of a pound of raisins, floured and stirred into the batter. to be served with sweet sauce of any kind. oxford pudding. . half a pint of bread crumbs, one pint of milk, six eggs, two ounces of butter, half a pint of cream, a quarter of a pound of dried currants, sugar and nutmeg to the taste. after the bread is soaked in the milk, which should be warm, mash it very smooth and add the butter while it is hot. beat the eggs very light, the yelks first, and stir them into the bread and milk, then add the cream, sugar, nutmeg and fruit. lastly have the whites whisked to a dry froth; stir them gently into the mixture; butter your cups, half fill them with the batter, and bake them in a tolerably hot oven. serve with pudding sauce. college pudding. . four eggs, one pint of milk, a little salt, flour to make a rather thin batter, one dessert spoonful of dissolved carbonate of ammonia. beat the yelks of the eggs very light, add the salt, milk and flour. the batter must not be thick. beat the whole very hard for ten or fifteen minutes. then stir in gently the whites of the egg, which should have been whisked very dry. do not beat the batter after the whites are in, only stir it sufficiently to incorporate them with it. lastly add the ammonia. butter well a cake mould or iron pan, pour in the mixture and bake it in an oven about as hot as for bread. this pudding is very nice with wine or lemon sauce. cream sauce may be served with it if preferred. blanc mange. . one pint of milk, one pint of cream, one ounce of isinglass, the grated rind and juice of one lemon, sugar to the taste. boil the milk and pour it whilst hot over the isinglass, let it stand near the fire until it is perfectly dissolved, then strain it through a flannel jelly bag into the pint of cream, to which add the grated rind and juice of one lemon, and sugar to the taste. let the whole boil once; take it off the fire, strain it again through your jelly bag, and pour it in moulds. set it in a cool place. clear blanc mange. . boil four calves' feet in three quarts of water until the water is reduced to one quart, then strain it through a flannel jelly bag and stand it away to cool. when it is perfectly cold scrape off all the fat, which will be congealed in a cake on the top; after you have scraped all off as clean as you can get it, take a piece of clean damp sponge, or soft cloth a little damp, and wipe the top of the jelly and the inner edge of the vessel which contains it, lest any of the grease should be combined with the jelly when it is melted, as it would destroy its transparency. break the jelly in pieces, put it in a preserving pan, add to it one pound of pulverized white sugar, half an ounce of bitter almonds pounded in a mortar with a little rose-water; put the almonds in the mortar one at a time, so as to pound them very finely, they should be like cream when done; strain them and add them to the jelly with a table spoonful of rose-water. place the preserving pan in a vessel of boiling water, let it stand till it gets _very hot_, but do not let it boil. strain it through the jelly bag several times, and when perfectly clear pour it in moulds; wet them inside first to prevent the jelly from adhering to them, and stand them in a cold place. when you strain the jelly do not squeeze the bag, as by that means you force the sediment through it; and by no means wash it, as it is impossible to wring it perfectly dry, and consequently the jelly will be thinned; scrape it on the inside as clean as you can each time. charlotte de russe. . get a sponge cake which has been baked in a mould, and weighing about two pounds or little more. place this in the centre of a deep china or glass dish. mix together half a pint of wine with half a pint of water, and sweeten it well with white sugar. pour this over the cake, which should have been baked the day before; let it stand till it has absorbed as much of the wine as it will take up, then make a custard according to the following directions: put over the fire three half-pints of milk, well sweetened and flavored with lemon or vanilla, and as soon as it is ready to boil stir in _very_ gradually the yelks of six eggs which should have been well beaten. as soon as the milk and egg begins to bubble a little at the edges, take it off the fire. when the custard is lukewarm pour it round the cake in the dish; whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, sweeten them with powdered white sugar and flavor with essence of lemon or lemon juice. pile the whites on the top of the cake and serve it immediately. peach charlotte. . line the bottom and sides of a dish with slices of fresh sponge cake. pare some ripe peaches, cut them in halves, sprinkle sugar over them, and fill up the dish. then whisk a pint of sweetened cream; as the froth rises, take it off till all is done. pile the cream on the top of the peaches and send it to the table. savoy charlotte. . lay some slices of sponge cake in the bottom of a deep dish; moisten it with wine. make a custard of one quart of milk and five eggs, with as much sugar as will sweeten it. beat the eggs, stir them into the milk with the sugar, pour it in a pan, place the pan in a vessel of water, put it in the oven, and as soon as the custard is thick, set it away to cool. with a silver spoon lay the custard over the cake. take half a pint of cream, flavor it with wine and white sugar, whip it to a froth, and as the froth rises, take it off carefully and lay it on the custard. the wine may be dispensed with, and the charlotte be very nice, if made according to the above directions. cherry charlotte. . stone and stew some morella cherries; to each pound of cherries add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and one tea spoonful of flour, mixed smoothly with a little water. when the fruit is done, butter some baker's bread, lay it on a dish, spread some of the stewed fruit over it, then put another layer of bread and fruit; cover the top with the fruit. this is very nice served with cream. rice milk . two quarts of milk, two gills of rice, sugar to the taste. pick and wash the rice, put it in the milk, and set it over a slow fire to boil. when the rice is _very_ soft, add sugar to the taste, pour it into a bowl, and stand it away to cool. grate nutmeg on the top. rice flummery. . one quart of milk, one ounce of butter, sugar to the taste, rice flour enough to thicken the milk. as soon as the milk begins to boil, stir in as much rice flour as will make it as thick as a stiff batter. add the butter and sugar, turn it out in cups, and stand it away to get cold. serve it with cream and nutmeg if preferred. it would be better to place the vessel in which the milk is to be boiled in a pan of hot water, which will prevent the milk from burning, should the fire be hot. apple floating island. . stew in a sauce-pan, with very little water, eight or nine fine apples; when they are soft, pass them through a sieve, and season them with nutmeg and pulverized sugar to the taste. whisk to a froth the whites of four or five eggs, mix them gradually with the apples; stir in one table spoonful of rose-water. sweeten some cream or rich milk, and place the above mixture upon it in heaps. this is a very nice dish. floating island. . one quart of milk, sugar to the taste, the whites of three eggs. sweeten the milk to your taste, and to it add wine, if you prefer it. then whisk the whites of the eggs to a dry froth, and to every egg add one tea spoonful of currant, quince, or any kind of jelly you choose, add also one tea spoonful of white sugar to each white. pile the froth upon the milk, and serve it soon, as the whites will fall. whips. . the whites of three eggs, sugar to the taste, one pint of milk or cream. mix the whites of the egg (without beating them) into the milk. sweeten it to your taste, then whisk it to a froth, which must be taken off and put in glasses as it rises. the milk may be flavored with lemon or vanilla. syllabub. . half a pound of sugar, three pints of lukewarm milk or cream, one tea cupful of wine. dissolve the sugar in the wine, then pour in the milk, in a small stream, from a vessel, holding it up very high so as to cause the milk to froth. in the country it is best to milk into the bowl, the last of the milk which is taken from the cow is richer. vanilla cup custards. . pound a vanilla bean in a mortar, and stir it into three pints of milk, eight well beaten eggs, and sugar to the taste. fill your cups, place them in a pan of hot water, set them in the oven, and as soon as a custard is formed take them out. they are very nice if placed on the ice in warm weather an hour or two before they are served. hasty pudding, or farmer's rice. . beat one egg very light, and add to it as much flour as it will moisten. rub it through your hands until the flour is in fine dry lumps like bread crumbs. put on a quart of milk to boil, and when boiling, stir in as much of this flour as will make it very thick. serve it with butter and sugar, and rich cream if you have it. spanish fritters. . cut the soft part of bakers' bread in slices a quarter of an inch thick, and of any form you choose. take a pint of milk or cream, three well beaten eggs, half a tea spoonful of nutmeg and cinnamon mixed, three drops of the essence of lemon, and sugar to the taste, stir all well together and pour over the pieces of bread. when they have absorbed as much of the milk as they will, take them out before they get too soft, and fry them of a nice light brown on both sides. they may be served with or without sweet sauce. apple fritters. . one pint of milk, three eggs, salt just to taste, as much flour as will make a batter. beat the yelks and whites separately, add the yelks to the milk, stir in the whites with as much flour as will make a batter; have ready some tender apples, peel them, cut them in slices round the apple; take the core carefully out of the centre of each slice, and to every spoonful of batter lay in a slice of the apple, which must be cut very thin--fry them in hot lard of a light brown on both sides. orange fritters. . these are made as the above, only a slice of orange is to be substituted for the apple. german puffs. . one pint of milk, three eggs, one pound of flour, one dessert spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, a tea spoonful of butter, a salt spoon of salt. beat the yelks and whites of the eggs separately. the yelks must be as thick as batter, and the whites perfectly dry. add to the yelks half the milk and half the flour, stir it well until the batter is smooth, then add the remainder of the flour and milk. warm the butter and stir in and beat the batter thus made till it is light and full of bubbles. stir in the salæratus, and lastly the whites--but do not beat it after the whites have been added, as that will make it tough. butter tea cups, or an earthen mould, pour in the batter, and bake it in a moderate oven. serve with butter and sugar, or any kind of sauce which may be preferred. they require from half an hour to three-quarters to bake. snow custard. . one quart of milk, eight eggs, one vanilla bean, or a little grated lemon peel. beat the eggs, leaving out the whites of four, add them to the milk. pound the vanilla bean in a mortar, and mix it with the milk. pour the whole in your pudding dish, place it in a pan of boiling water, and when the custard is thick set it away to cool. about fifteen minutes before it is to be served, beat the whites to a dry froth, sweeten with fine white sugar, pile it on the top and send it to the table. if suffered to stand the white of egg will fall. boiled custard. . eight eggs, one quart of milk, sugar to the taste. add the sugar to the milk with any thing to flavor it you choose. set it over the fire, and as soon as it begins to boil stir in the beaten eggs very gradually--stir all the time one way; as soon as it is thick take it off the fire, or it will curdle. fill your cups and stand it away to cool. grate nutmeg over before they are sent to table. baked pears. . wash them, put them in a deep pan, strew over plenty of white or brown sugar, and pour very little water in the bottom of the pan. put them in a moderate oven and let them cook slowly till the fruit is soft. serve them with cream. stewed cherries. . stone some cherries, and to every pound of fruit add half a pound of sugar. when they are done set them away to get cold. serve them with cream. baked apples. . wash the apples, take out the cores, and put them in a deep pan; strew sugar over them, and bake them in a cool oven till they are soft. serve them with cream. a piece of lemon peel may be stuck in the centre of each apple before it is set in the oven. blackberry mush. . put your fruit in a preserving kettle, mash it to a pulp, with sugar enough to make it quite sweet. set it over the fire, and as it begins to simmer stir in very gradually two tea spoonsful of flour to a quart of fruit. it should be stirred all the time it is boiling. serve it either warm or cold, with cream. raspberries may be cooked in the same way. rice dumplings. . put your rice in a stew-pan, and pour on each cup of rice one gill of milk; stand it near the fire where it will keep hot but not boil. as soon as it has absorbed all the milk, pare your apples, take out the cores, and put the rice around them instead of paste. boil them until the apple is soft. they should be tied in dumpling cloths. glazed currants. . select large ripe bunches of currants, wash them by dipping them in a bowl of cold water, and drain them dry; have ready the whites of two eggs, give them three or four beats, dip the bunches in the egg, place them on a sieve so as not to touch each other, sift powdered sugar over them and place them in a warm place to dry. the whites of the eggs should only be broken, but not beaten till dry, or they will not adhere to the fruit. glazed strawberries. . choose large ripe strawberries, pick them off the vines so as the stems may all adhere to the fruit. dip them one at a time in a vessel of cold water and place them on a sieve to dry. beat the whites of two or three eggs, according to the quantity of fruit. the egg should be beaten very little or it will not adhere to the fruit, dip the berries in the egg one at a time, place them on a sieve so as not to touch each other, and sift powdered white sugar over them. they are very ornamental to a dessert table. bunches of grapes, oranges peeled and quartered, or any small fruit may be done in the same manner. stewed ripe peaches. . take ripe peaches, cut them in half, and to every pound of fruit allow half a pound of sugar, and half a wine-glass of water. peel your peaches, sprinkle the sugar over them, and stew them till tender. stand them away to cool and serve them with cream. cold custard. . sweeten to your taste, one quart of milk with white sugar; stir into it a table spoonful of wine in which a rennet has been soaked; if this does not flavor the milk sufficiently add some more wine without the rennet; or, if the use of wine is an objection, the rennet may be soaked in water. in warm weather one hour before it is to be served will be the proper time to make it, as it is not good if the curd is hard. as soon as the rennet is put into the milk stir it and pour it in cups to coagulate. or you may serve it in a glass bowl. it is to be eaten with cream. it may be made as above directed, without the sugar, and served with sweetened cream and grated nutmeg. apple cream. . stew half a dozen tender apples, mash them to a pulp; whisk the whites of six eggs till they are very light, and as soon as the apples are cold add them to the eggs with five ounces of pulverized loaf sugar. whisk the whole till it will stand up when placed on a dish. serve it with sweetened cream flavored with lemon, vanilla, or wine. tea cake. short cakes. . half a pound of butter, a pound of flour; cold water to form a dough. cut up the butter in the flour, and rub it until they are thoroughly mixed. roll the dough out in sheets, and cut the cakes with a cutter or tumbler. serve them hot, split them open, and eat them with butter. muffins. . four eggs, one quart of milk, two ounces of butter, one gill of yeast, salt just to taste, enough flour to make a batter. warm the milk and butter, beat the eggs and stir in the milk, then add flour enough to make a thick batter, add the yeast and set it to rise. butter your bake-iron and the inside of your muffin-rings, place the rings on the iron and fill them three parts full of the batter. the iron should not be too hot or they will not be done through. split or tear them open, butter them, and send them to the table hot. hard biscuits. . four pounds of flour, three ounces of butter, four eggs, salt to taste, milk enough to form a dough. take out a tea cupful of the flour and set it aside. to the remainder add the butter cut up small, the eggs well beaten, a little salt, and milk enough to form a dough. knead the dough well, then roll it out, sprinkle over it a portion of the reserved flour, roll it out again and sprinkle on more flour till all the flour is used. roll it out thin, cut out your cakes, and bake in a moderate oven. yorkshire biscuits. . three pounds of flour, one gill of yeast, a quarter of a pound of butter, three eggs, milk enough to form a dough. rub the butter and flour together. beat the eggs and add them, then the yeast and milk to form a dough. stand it away to rise, when light make it out in biscuits, butter your tins, place the biscuits on them, let them rise again and bake them. potato rolls. . four large potatoes boiled, one table spoonful of butter, salt to the taste, half a pint of milk, half a tea cupful of yeast, flour sufficient to form a dough. boil the potatoes, peel and mash them, and while they are hot add the butter and salt, then pour in the milk. when the mixture is lukewarm add the yeast and flour. knead the dough, set it away to rise, when it is light mould out your rolls, place them on buttered tins, let them rise and bake them. brentford rolls. . two pounds of flour, two ounces of powdered sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, two eggs, one gill of yeast, milk enough to form a dough, salt to taste. rub the flour, butter and sugar together; beat the eggs and add with the other ingredients. when light, mould the dough out in rolls, let them rise again, and bake them on tins. french rolls. . one ounce of butter, one pound of flour, one gill of home-made yeast, one egg, milk enough to make a dough. rub the butter through the flour, beat the egg and stir in, then add the yeast, milk, and a little salt. knead the dough, when it is light mould it out into large biscuits, and bake them on tins. parsnip cake. . boil your parsnips till perfectly soft; pass them through a colander. to one tea cupful of mashed parsnip add one quart of warm milk, with a quarter of a pound of butter dissolved in it, a little salt, and one gill of yeast, with flour enough to make a thick batter. set it away to rise, which will require several hours. when light stir in as much flour as will make a dough, knead it well and let it rise again. make it out in cakes about a quarter or half an inch thick, butter your tins or pans, put them on and set them to rise. as soon as they are light bake them in a very hot oven. when done wash over the tops with a little water, and send them to the table hot. these biscuits do not taste of the parsnips. maryland biscuits. . one pound of flour, one ounce of butter, as much luke-warm milk as will wet the flour, salt just to taste. rub the butter and flour together thoroughly, add the salt, and lastly just enough milk to form a _very stiff_ dough; knead the dough, then pound it with a rolling-pin. break the dough in pieces, pound and knead it again, and so on for two or three hours. it will be very smooth and light when kneaded sufficiently. make it out in small biscuits and bake in a moderate oven. waffles. . two eggs, one pint of milk, half an ounce of butter, half a gill of yeast, salt just to taste, as much flour as will form a thick batter. warm the milk and butter together; beat the eggs and add them by turns with the flour; stir in the yeast and salt. when they are light, heat your waffle-irons and butter them, pour in some of the batter and brown them on both sides. butter them and serve them with or without sugar and cinnamon. waffles without yeast. . three eggs, one pint of milk, one tea spoonful of butter, as much flour as will make a batter. beat the yelks and whites separately. melt the butter, and while lukewarm stir it into the milk. whisk the yelks very light, add to them the milk and flour alternately, beat it well, lastly stir in the whites, which must be whisked very dry. the batter should not be beaten after the whites are in. grease your waffle-irons after having heated them, fill them nearly full of the batter, close them and place them over the fire--turn the irons so as to bake the waffle on both sides--when done take it out and butter it. these must be baked the moment they are mixed. buckwheat cakes. . one pint of buckwheat meal, one quart of water, salt just to taste, one gill of home-made yeast. mix the water (which should be lukewarm if the weather is cold,) with the meal, add the salt and yeast, beat it well; when light bake them on a griddle. grease the griddle, pour on a little of the batter, spread it so as to form a cake about the size of a breakfast plate. the cakes should be very smooth at the edges. when they are done on one side turn them, when brown on both sides, put some butter on the plate, place the cake on it, butter the top, bake another and put on it, butter it and send them to the table. buckwheat cakes are much better if they are sent to the table with only one or two on a plate. rye batter cakes . one pint of rye meal; to this add enough lukewarm milk to make a thin batter, a little salt just to taste. beat it well--add a gill of home-made yeast. when they are light, bake them on a griddle as buckwheat cakes. guernsey buns. . one pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, one gill of yeast. cut up the butter in the flour and rub it well together. then add the yeast and as much milk as will form a dough. let it rise, then make it out in cakes, grease tins or pans, and lay the buns on them; as soon as they rise again bake them in a quick oven. tottenham muffins. . one quart of flour, three eggs, one gill of yeast, a table spoonful of butter, salt to taste, milk sufficient to form a batter. place the butter near the fire where it may dissolve but not get hot. beat the eggs till they are thick, add them to the flour, with as much milk as will make a thick batter; stir in the melted butter and salt. lastly a gill of yeast. bake in muffin hoops. crumpets or flannel cakes. . one pint of milk, one egg, a tea spoonful of butter, salt to taste, half a gill of yeast, as much wheat flour as will form a batter. warm the milk and butter together; it should be lukewarm but not hot. beat up the egg and add to it with the salt, then flour enough to form a batter; lastly the yeast. set it to rise, and when light grease your bake-iron and bake them like buckwheat cakes--butter them and serve them hot. scotch crumpets. . two eggs, one pint of milk, a tea spoonful of butter, half a gill of yeast, salt to taste, as much oatmeal or unbolted flour as will make a batter. warm the butter in the milk--it must be merely lukewarm when the eggs are put in. beat the eggs very light, stir them into the milk, and add as much oatmeal or unbolted flour (the latter is preferable,) as will form a batter, add the salt and yeast, beat it well, and stand it away to rise. bake them like buckwheat cakes, butter them and serve hot. indian fritters. . two tea cupsful of indian meal, half a tea-cup of wheat flour, salt just to taste, three eggs, milk enough to form a thick batter. mix the indian meal and salt, stir into this as much milk as will make a thick batter. whisk the yelks very thick and light and stir into the indian; then beat the whites to a stiff dry froth, and stir them into the mixture alternately with the flour. do not beat it after the white is in as that will make it tough. have a pan with some hot lard, drop a spoonful of the batter into it, and bake a light brown on both sides. they should be baked as soon as they are mixed, as if suffered to stand they will be heavy. with a sweet sauce these may be eaten as dessert. indian slappers. . one pint of indian meal, one gill of boiling milk, one tea spoonful of butter, salt just to taste, one gill of wheat flour, two eggs, one gill of yeast, milk sufficient to make a batter. cut up the butter in the indian meal, and add the salt, then stir into it the gill of boiling milk. beat the eggs, and when the meal is cool add them and the wheat flour to it, with as much milk as will form a batter. then add the yeast. when the batter is light grease your griddle, and bake them as buckwheat cakes. indian pone. . put on one quart of water in a pot, as soon as it boils stir in as much indian meal as will make a _very thin_ batter. beat it frequently whilst it is boiling, which will require ten minutes. then take it off, pour it in a pan, and add one ounce of butter, and salt to the taste. when the batter is lukewarm stir in as much indian meal as will make it quite thick. set it away to rise in the evening; in the morning make it out in small cakes, butter your tins and bake in a moderate oven. or the more common way is to butter pans, fill them three parts full, and bake them. this cake requires no yeast. johnny or journey cake. . one quart of indian meal, add to this salt to taste, and pour over it as much boiling water as will form a dough. take the dough, roll it into balls, press it on a board to form the cake--it should be about the eighth of an inch in thickness. place the board in front of the fire so as the heat may brown the cakes, turn them, and when brown on both sides, send them to the table. indian light cake. . one pint of indian meal, one pint of milk, two eggs, one tea spoonful of butter, salt to the taste, one tea spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus. mix the butter and salt with the meal; boil half the milk, add the _dissolved_ salæratus and the eggs, after they have been well beaten, to the remaining half of cold milk. pour the boiling milk over the meal and let it cool. then add the cold milk and salæratus. bake it in a shallow pan. indian muffins, no. . . one pint of indian meal, one pint of wheat meal, two eggs, one gill of yeast, salt to the taste, as much milk as will make a batter. pour as much boiling milk over the indian meal as will wet it. beat the eggs very light and add them alternately with the cold milk and flour. lastly stir in the yeast and salt. they may be baked in pans or rings, as soon as they rise. indian muffins, no. . . one quart of corn meal, half a gill of yeast, two eggs, salt to the taste, half an ounce of butter. cut up the butter into the meal, and pour on it enough boiling milk to form a thick batter; set it away to cool. whisk the eggs very light and add to the batter, then the yeast and salt. butter square tins, fill them three parts full, and bake in a quick oven. or they may be baked in rings as wheat muffins. indian meal breakfast cakes. . one quart of indian meal, two eggs, a tea spoonful of dissolved salæratus, half an ounce of butter, salt to taste, milk sufficient to make a thick batter. beat the eggs very thick and light. cut up the butter in the meal, then pour over it enough boiling water to wet it. when it is cool add the eggs and salt; pour the dissolved salæratus into the milk, and add as much milk as will make it into a thick batter. butter square tin pans, fill them but about two-thirds and bake in a quick oven. when done cut them into squares and serve hot. milk biscuits. . a quarter of a pound of butter, one quart of milk, one gill of yeast, as much flour as will form the dough, a little salt. stir flour into the milk so as to form a very thick batter, and add the yeast, this is called a sponge. this should be done in the evening; in the morning cut up the butter, and set it near the fire where it will dissolve but not get hot; pour the melted butter into the sponge, then stir in enough flour to form a dough, knead it well and stand it away to rise. as soon as it is perfectly light, butter your tins, make out the dough in small cakes, and let them rise. when they are light bake them in a _very_ quick oven, take them out, wash the tops over with water and send them to the table hot. sally lunn, no. . . two pounds of flour, half a pound of butter, three eggs, one pint of milk, half a gill of yeast, salt to taste. cut up the butter in the flour, and with your hands rub it well together. beat the eggs and add them gradually to the flour alternately with the milk. stir in the yeast and salt. bake it in an earthen mould or iron pan one hour. sally lunn, no. . . a quarter of a pound of butter, a pound of flour, two eggs, salt to taste, half a gill of yeast, milk to make a soft dough. cut up the butter and warm it in a little milk; when the milk is lukewarm stir it into the flour with the eggs beaten light, and the yeast. butter your cake mould, and set it near the fire to rise. when perfectly light bake it in a moderate oven. it is always eaten hot. water toast. . toast some slices of bread, pound the crust to soften it, butter it well on both sides: have a vessel of boiling water with a little salt in it. on each slice of bread put one table spoonful of the boiling water. serve it hot. milk toast. . slice some bread, toast it of a nice light brown on both sides. boil a pint of milk; mix together two tea spoonsful of flour in a little cold water; stir this into the boiling milk. let it boil about one minute, then add a little salt and stir into it two ounces of butter. dip the toast in the milk, place it on a dish, and pour the remainder of the milk over it. the toast may be made much richer by increasing the quantity of butter. mush cakes. . one quart of milk, a quarter of a pound of butter, half a pint of yeast, salt to taste, indian meal sufficient to thicken the milk, flour enough to make a dough. boil the milk, and stir into it as much indian meal mixed with cold milk as will make a mush as thick as batter, add the butter and salt while the mush is hot. as soon as it becomes lukewarm stir in the yeast and as much flour as will form a dough; cover it and stand it to rise. when light make it out into biscuits, put them in buttered pans, and as soon as they rise again bake them in a hot oven. these cakes are very nice. rice waffles. . one gill of rice, three gills of flour, salt just to taste, one ounce of butter, three eggs, as much milk as will make it a thick batter. boil the rice in very little water until it is soft; drain it and mash it fine. then add the butter to the rice whilst it is warm; whisk the eggs very light, the yelks and whites separately, add the yelks to the rice, and as much milk as will form a batter. beat the whole very hard, then stir the whites of the eggs gently into the mixture. grease your waffle-irons and bake them. if the batter should be too thin, add a little more flour. buttermilk cakes. . take one pint of buttermilk and stir into it as much flour as will form a dough, with one table spoonful of dissolved carbonate of ammonia. roll the dough out in sheets, cut the cakes, and bake them in a moderate oven. the carbonate of ammonia may be obtained at any of the druggists; it is the common smelling-salts, without any of the aromatic drugs. it never imparts any taste to the food, as the heat disengages the carbonic acid gas and the ammonia. indian metland. . one pint of milk, the yelk of one egg and whites of two, half an ounce of butter, salt to the taste, indian meal enough to make a batter. warm the milk and butter together, beat the yelk of the egg, stir it into the milk, then add the meal. lastly whisk the whites till they are very dry, and stir them in gently. butter a square pan, pour in the batter, and bake in a moderate oven. when done cut it in squares and serve hot. cream of tartar cakes. . one pint of milk, one ounce of butter, three pints of flour, three tea spoonsful of cream of tartar, one tea spoonful of carbonate of soda or salæratus. rub the butter in the flour, add the cream of tartar; dissolve the salæratus in the milk and add it to the flour. roll out the dough, cut it in cakes and bake them on tins in a moderately hot oven. cakes. in the manufacture of cakes it is of very great importance that the materials be of a good quality. it is better to make a plain cake of good materials than a richer one of those of an inferior quality. eggs should be beaten in a broad pan until they are _thick_, the yelks when whisked alone will be as thick as batter. the whites when beaten by themselves, should be dry and frothy, and appear full of small white grains. for most cakes the fine white pulverized sugar is best. the flour should always be sifted, as it renders the cakes lighter. never warm butter in the pan it is to be beaten in, as it will be likely to make your cake heavy. if the weather is cold let the butter stand in the warm kitchen some time and it will be soft enough, the action of beating the butter and sugar, and the friction produced, softens the butter sufficiently. never beat cakes with your hand, the warmth of the hand will make them streaked. always use a wooden ladle for butter and sugar, or batter, and rods or switches for eggs. fruit or plum cake, no. . . one pound of flour, one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, twelve eggs, one pound of citron, two pounds of dried currants, picked and washed, one pound of seeded raisins, one table spoonful of ground cinnamon, two large nutmegs grated, one wine-glass of brandy, one wine-glass of wine. sift the flour, prepare the spice, wash, pick and dry the currants, and seed the raisins. with a wooden ladle beat the butter and sugar together in a deep pan. when it is smooth and light, beat the eggs. they should be whisked till they are thick, as the lightness of the cake depends in a great measure upon its being well beaten. stir in a portion of the egg and flour into the butter and sugar, then a little more, till all is in and thoroughly incorporated. add the liquor and spice gradually, and lastly the fruit, which must be well floured. beat the whole fifteen minutes. butter your pan, line it with two thicknesses of paper well buttered, pour in the batter, and bake about five hours. instead of the liquor, rose-water or lemon may be added to suit the taste. fruit or plum cake, no. . . one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, one pound of butter, ten eggs, two pounds of dried currants, washed, picked and wiped dry, two pounds of raisins, washed, picked and stoned, a quarter of a pound of citron, cut in small slices, a tea spoonful of ground cinnamon, one nutmeg, a wine-glass of brandy, and one of wine. stir the butter and sugar together till it is very smooth and light. whisk the eggs till they are as thick as batter, and stir them into the butter and sugar alternately with the flour. add the spice and liquor very gradually, then the fruit, which must be floured before it is put in, or it will settle at the bottom of the cake and burn. beat the whole very hard for fifteen minutes. if it is baked in a tin or iron pan, butter the pan, line the bottom and sides with very thick white or brown paper, butter the paper well, and pour in the mixture. bake in a moderate oven five hours. as many object to the use of wine and brandy, this cake may be finely flavored with a glass of rose-water instead; or a little lemon juice and a portion of the rind of the lemon grated in it. new york plum cake. . one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, one pound of citron, cut in small thin slices, eight eggs, two pounds of raisins, seeded, two pounds of currants, a quarter of an ounce of ground cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of ground cloves, a quarter of an ounce of ground mace, a quarter of an ounce of grated nutmeg, one wine-glassful of brandy. slice the citron, pick, wash and dry the currants, seed the raisins and mix the fruit together, and dredge over it as much flour as will adhere to it. prepare the spice. stir the butter and sugar till it is smooth and light. beat the eggs very light and stir them into the butter and sugar. add the flour and fruit gradually; beat the batter till the fruit is thoroughly mixed with it, then add slowly the spice and liquor. beat the mixture very hard for ten or fifteen minutes. line your pans with two thicknesses of stout white paper, which should be well buttered, pour in the batter, and bake from four to five hours. rose-water and lemon may be used to flavor it instead of the liquor. a wine-glass of rose-water and as much lemon as to give it a taste. pound cake, no. . . one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, one pound and a quarter of butter, ten eggs, one nutmeg grated, one wine-glass of rose-water. beat the butter and sugar together; when it is perfectly light stir in the eggs, which must have been whisked to a thick froth; add the flour, then the nutmeg and rose-water. beat the whole for a quarter of an hour. butter your pan, line it with paper, which should be well buttered, and pour in the mixture. bake it for three hours in a moderate oven. when the edges of the cake appear to shrink from the sides of the pan the cake will be done. pound cake, no. . . one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, ten eggs, one nutmeg grated, one glass of rose-water and brandy mixed. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs till they are very light, then add them to the butter and sugar alternately with the flour. stir in the spice and liquor, and beat the whole very hard for ten or fifteen minutes. line your pan with two or three thicknesses of paper well buttered, pour in the mixture, and bake it in a moderate oven for about three hours. two pounds of dried currants may be added to this cake if you choose. common pound cake. . one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, three-quarters of butter, ten eggs, two tea spoonsful of ground cinnamon, two tea spoonsful of grated nutmeg, a wine-glass of brandy. beat the butter and sugar till light and creamy; whisk the eggs till they are thick. stir the eggs into the butter and sugar, by degrees, alternately with the flour. add gradually the spice and liquor. beat the whole very hard for fifteen minutes. line your pan with paper well buttered; pour in the mixture and bake it in a moderate oven for about three hours. when the edges appear to leave the sides of the pan the cake is nearly done. this cake is very good, but the spice gives it a dark color. leave out the spice if you would have your cake a handsome color. cocoa-nut pound cake. . one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, one pound of cocoa-nut, one wine-glass of rose-water, ten eggs. peel the brown skin off the cocoa-nut and grate it. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs and add to it, and stir in the flour. add gradually the grated nut and rose-water. beat the mixture very hard for ten or fifteen minutes; butter your pan, line the sides with thick paper, which should be well buttered, pour in the mixture and bake it in a moderate oven for about three hours. indian pound cake. . three-quarters of a pound of sugar, nine ounces of indian meal, a quarter of a pound of wheat flour, half a pound of butter, one nutmeg grated, one tea spoonful of ground cinnamon, eight eggs, four table spoonsful of brandy. mix the wheat and indian meal together. stir the butter and sugar to a cream; beat the eggs light and add to it, then the flour; add the spices and liquor; beat it well. line your pan with paper well buttered and pour in the mixture, or bake it in an earthen mould in a moderate oven. rose-water may be substituted for the brandy. loaf cake. . four cups of flour, four cups of sugar, two cups of butter, six eggs, three table spoonsful of brandy, two table spoonsful of rose-water, one grated nutmeg, one tea spoonful of ground cinnamon, one cup of milk, one table spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs very thick, and stir them into the butter and sugar, add the flour, and beat the whole very hard. add the milk, spice and liquor. butter an earthen cake-mould or iron pan, pour in the mixture, and bake about two hours in a moderate oven. this is a plain cake, and is very good for a lunch. instead of the brandy, grated lemon peel may be added. bristol loaf cake. . five ounces of butter, two pounds of flour, half a pound of sugar, one pound of currants, one table spoonful of powdered cinnamon, one gill of yeast, enough milk to make a thick batter. mix the flour, leaving out a quarter of a pound, with the butter cut in small pieces, the sugar, cinnamon and fruit; add milk enough to form a thick batter, and lastly stir in the yeast. mix it over night and set it away to rise, in the morning stir in the remainder of the flour and let it rise, when light mould it out very lightly, butter your pan, and bake it in an oven about as hot as for bread. indian loaf cake. . one pound of indian meal, a quarter of a pound of butter, two eggs, half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of raisins, a quarter of a pound of currants. cut up the butter in the indian meal, pour over it as much boiling milk as will make a thick batter. beat the eggs very light; when the batter is cool pour them into it. seed the raisins, wash, pick, and dry the currants, mix them with the raisins, and dredge as much wheat flour on them as will adhere to them. stir the fruit into the batter and add the sugar. bake it in a moderate oven two hours. almond cake. . ten eggs, one pound of sugar, half a pound of flour, one wine-glass of rose-water, one ounce of bitter almonds. beat the eggs, the yelks and whites separate, when the yelks are very light add the sugar and the almonds, which must have been blanched and pounded with the rose-water. beat the whole well. whisk the whites to a dry froth, and stir in one-half the white with one-half the flour till it is thoroughly mixed, then add the other half of the white and flour. do not beat it after the white is in, as that will make it tough and heavy. sponge cake, no. . . three-quarters of a pound of flour, twelve eggs, one pound of sugar, a table spoonful of rose-water. beat the yelks and sugar together until they are very light. whisk the whites till they are perfectly dry, add the rose-water, then the whites and flour alternately, but do not beat it after the whites are in. butter your pans, or if you wish to bake it in one large cake, grease a mould, pour in the mixture, and bake it. the small cakes should have sugar sifted over them before they are set in the oven, and the oven should be hot. sponge cake, no. . . one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of flour, ten eggs. dissolve the sugar in one gill of water, then put it over the fire and let it boil. beat the eggs a few minutes, till the yelks and whites are thoroughly mixed together, then stir in _very gradually_ the boiling sugar; beat the eggs hard all the time you are pouring the sugar on them. beat the mixture for three-quarters of an hour; it will get very light. stir in the flour very gently, and add the grated rind of a lemon. butter your pan and set it in the oven immediately. sponge cake, no. . . five eggs, half a pound of loaf sugar, the grated rind and juice of one lemon, a quarter of a pound of flour. separate the yelks from the whites. beat the yelks and sugar together until they are very light, then add the whites after they have been whisked to a dry froth, alternately with the flour. stir in the lemon, put the mixture in small pans, sift sugar over them, and bake them. jumbles. . one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, one pound of flour, five eggs, one table spoonful of rose-water. beat the butter and sugar till smooth and light. whisk the eggs, stir them into the butter and sugar, then add the rose-water and flour. roll the dough in strips half an inch wide and four inches long, join them at both ends so as to form rings, sift sugar over, place them on tins, and bake them in a slow oven. spanish jumbles. . one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, eight eggs, flour sufficient to form a soft dough, one nutmeg, one tea spoonful of ground cinnamon. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs very light and add them to it with the spice, and stir in flour enough to form a soft dough. roll the dough in strips about four inches long, join the ends so as to form rings. butter your tins or pans, place them on them, but do not let them touch each other, and bake in a rather quick oven. plain jumbles. . two pounds of flour, one pound and a quarter of sugar, half a pint of milk, three eggs, and a half pound of butter, one tea spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, essence of lemon to the taste. beat the butter and sugar to a cream; add the eggs, which must have been whisked till very thick, and some essence of lemon, then pour in the milk and salæratus. the salæratus should be dissolved in water, and a tea spoonful of this solution be mixed with the milk. bake in the form of jumbles. cocoa-nut jumbles. . half a pound of butter, one pound of grated cocoa-nut, three eggs, one pound of white sugar, one table spoonful of rose-water, as much flour as will form a dough. peel off the brown skin, wash the cocoa-nut and grate it. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs and add to it, with the rose-water and grated nut. lastly stir in the flour; as much as will form a dough. roll it out in strips about four inches long, join the ends and bake them on buttered tins. ginger fruit cake. . three-quarters of a pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, two pounds of flour, six eggs, one quart of molasses, one pound of raisins, half a pound of currants, two table spoonsful of ginger, one table spoonful of salæratus, two table spoonsful of cinnamon. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. add to this the eggs well beaten, then the ginger and cinnamon, and molasses and flour. stir all very hard. flour the fruit and stir in last, with the salæratus. line your pan with several thicknesses of buttered paper, pour in the mixture, and bake in a slow oven. ginger cup cake. . two cups of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of molasses, one cup of cream, three eggs, one table spoonful of dissolved salæratus, four heaping cups of flour, half a cup of ginger. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs light and add to it, then stir in the other ingredients. butter a pan or earthen mould and pour in the mixture, bake in a moderate oven. or it may be baked in queen-cake pans. ginger-nuts. . half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, one pint of molasses, two ounces of ginger, half an ounce of ground cloves and allspice mixed, two table spoonsful of cinnamon, as much flour as will form a dough. stir the butter and sugar together; add the spice, ginger, molasses, and flour enough to form a dough. knead it well, make it out in small cakes, bake them on tins in a very moderate oven. wash them over with molasses and water before they are put in to bake. ginger-bread, no. . . one pound of sugar, one pound of butter, three pounds of flour, two table spoonsful of ginger, one gill of cream, one pint of molasses. rub the butter in the flour; add the other ingredients. roll out the dough, cut it into cakes, place them on buttered tins, and bake in a moderately cool oven. wash the cakes over with molasses and water before you bake them. ginger-bread, no. . . half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, one pound and a half of flour, one ounce of ginger, one pint of molasses. rub the flour and butter well together, add the other ingredients. roll out the dough, cut it in cakes, place them on tins, wash them over with molasses and water and bake them in a very moderate oven. boston ginger-bread. . three cups of flour, one cup of butter, one cup of molasses, two eggs, one table spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, two large table spoonsful of ginger, one table spoonful of cinnamon, milk enough to form a dough. rub the butter and flour together, and add the other ingredients. roll it out in sheets, cut them, butter your tins, place them, and wash the cakes over with molasses and water before they are put in the oven. they require a very moderate heat to bake them, as they easily scorch. common ginger-bread. . half a pound of butter, half a tea cupful of ginger, one pint of molasses, two pounds of flour, one table spoonful of salæratus. rub the flour and butter together and add the other ingredients. knead the dough well. roll it out, cut it in cakes, wash them over with molasses and water, and bake them in a moderate oven. plain ginger-bread. . three pounds of flour, a quarter of a pound of sugar, half an ounce of ground ginger, half a pound of butter, molasses sufficient to moisten the flour. cut up the butter in the flour, add to it the sugar and ginger, and stir in molasses barely enough to moisten the flour, as it will become softer by kneading. knead the dough well, roll it out in sheets, cut it in cakes, place them on tins, wash them over with molasses and water, and bake in a cool oven. soda biscuit. . six ounces of butter, six ounces of sugar, one tea spoonful of the carbonate of soda, one pint of milk, flour enough to form a dough. melt the butter in the milk and dissolve the soda in it. stir in the sugar, and add flour enough to form a stiff dough. knead it well, roll it out thin, then knead it up again until it is smooth and light. roll it out in sheets about a quarter of an inch thick, cut it into cakes, and bake them in a rather hot oven. kisses, or cream cake. . the whites of three eggs, one drop of essence of lemon, as much powdered sugar as will thicken the eggs. whisk the whites to a dry froth, then add the powdered sugar, a tea spoonful at a time, till the egg is as thick as very thick batter. wet a sheet of white paper, place it on a tin, and drop the egg and sugar on it in lumps about the shape and size of a walnut. set them in a cool oven, and as soon as the surface is hardened take them out; with a broad bladed knife, take them off the paper, place the flat parts of two together, put them on a sieve in a very cool oven to dry. sugar cake. . half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, one pound of flour, three eggs, milk enough to form a dough. beat the butter and sugar together. whisk the eggs light and add them, then stir in the milk and flour alternately, so as to form a dough. roll it out, cut it in cakes, and bake them in a moderate oven. federal cake. . two pounds of flour, one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, four eggs, the juice of one lemon, one table spoonful of dissolved salæratus, milk enough to form a dough. rub the butter and flour together, add the sugar and beaten egg, then the salæratus, lemon, cinnamon, and milk. roll out the dough in sheets, cut the cakes in the form of a diamond, and bake in a tolerably hot oven. white cup cake. . one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, the whites of eight eggs, a small table spoonful of salæratus, a table spoonful of rose-water, milk or cream to make a thick batter. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. whisk the eggs very light, and add them gradually with the flour, add the rose-water and salæratus, and if this should not be quite as thin as pound cake batter, add a little rich milk or cream. fill small tins about three parts full with the mixture and bake them. the yelks of the eggs which are left may be used for a pudding. german cake. . three-quarters of a pound of butter, one pound and a half of sugar, four eggs, two pounds of flour, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, half a wine glass of rose-water, one pound of dried currants. beat the butter and sugar together. whisk the eggs, and add with the other ingredients. roll out the dough in sheets, cut them in cakes with a tin cutter or the top of a tumbler. bake in a moderate oven. seed cake. . half a pound of butter, three tea cups of sugar, one pound of flour, one tea spoonful of carraway seed, half a table spoonful of salæratus, as much milk as will form a dough. rub the butter in the flour and sugar, then add the seed, salæratus, and milk. knead the dough till it is smooth. roll it out, cut it in cakes, and bake them in a moderately hot oven. currant cake. . a quarter of a pound of butter, half a pound of flour, two ounces of currants, six ounces of sugar, two eggs, a table spoonful of brandy or rose-water, milk enough to form a dough. rub the butter, sugar, and flour together with the fruit, which must have been washed, picked, and dried. beat the eggs and add with the brandy or rose-water, and milk enough to form a dough. roll it out thin cut it into cakes. rock cake. . three eggs, (the whites only.) three-quarters of a pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of sweet and bitter almonds. whisk the eggs very light and dry, then add gradually a tea spoonful of the sugar at a time. beat it hard until all the sugar is in. blanch the almonds, cut them in pieces about the size of a pea, mix them with the egg, drop them on sheets of white paper, and bake them in a cool oven. election cake. . two pounds of sugar, three quarters of a pound of butter, one pint of milk made into a sponge, four eggs, two table spoonsful of cinnamon, and flour enough to make a dough. set a sponge the evening before with a pint of milk, a gill of yeast, a little salt, and flour enough to make a thick batter. the next morning stir the butter and sugar together, whisk the eggs, and add to it with the sponge and other ingredients, and flour enough to form a dough. knead it, butter your pan, put in the dough; let it rise. when it is light bake it. devonshire cakes. . half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, four eggs, one tea spoonful of grated nutmeg, one ounce of carraway seed, and flour enough to form a dough. beat the eggs very light, stir the butter and sugar to a cream, and mix them together, with the nutmeg, carraway seed and flour. knead the dough, roll it out rather thin, cut the cakes, butter your tins, put them on so as not to touch each other. scotch cake. . three-quarters of a pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, one gill of milk, one large table spoonful of powdered cinnamon. stir the butter and sugar together, then add the cinnamon, flour and milk; roll out the dough into sheets, cut it in cakes and bake them in a moderate oven until they are brown. crullers. . five eggs, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, one table spoonful of ground cinnamon, two table spoonsful of brandy, one table spoonful of salæratus, as much flour as will form a soft dough. beat the butter and sugar together till it is light. whisk the eggs, and then stir in the spice and liquor. beat the whole very hard; add the salæratus, and as much flour as will form a soft dough, cut it in strips, twist them and drop them in a pot of boiling lard. when they are of a light brown they will be done. sift sugar over them when cold. dutch loaf. . a quarter of a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, one pound of dried currants, two table spoonsful of cinnamon, a pint of sponge, as much flour as will form a dough. make a sponge the evening before you wish to bake the cake, of a tea cupful and a half of milk, and as much flour stirred into it as will form a _thick_ batter, with a little salt, and one gill of good yeast. in the morning this sponge should be light. then beat the butter and sugar together, add the cinnamon, currants and sponge, with flour enough to form a dough. butter a pan, and when it is light, bake it in an oven about as hot as for bread. rice cup cake. . two cups of sugar, two cups of butter, one cup and a half of rice flour, half a cup of wheat flour, ten eggs, a tea spoonful of nutmeg, half a pound of currants, half a gill of rose-water. beat the butter and sugar very light; whisk the eggs till they are very thick, and stir in; add the nutmeg and the flour gradually, then the rose-water. beat the whole very hard for ten minutes. stir in the fruit, which must be floured to prevent it from sinking to the bottom of the cake. butter a pan, line it with thick paper well buttered, and bake it in a moderate oven. or you may bake the batter in small pans. cocoa-nut cakes. . three eggs, ten ounces of sugar, as much grated cocoa-nut as will form a stiff paste. whisk the eggs very light and dry, add the sugar gradually, and when all the sugar is in stir in the cocoa-nut. roll a table spoonful of the mixture in your hands in the form of a pyramid, place them on paper, put the paper on tins, and bake in a rather cool oven till they are just a little brown. spanish buns. . one pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, two table spoonsful of rose-water, four eggs, one gill of yeast, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, half a tea spoonful of nutmeg, half a pint of milk. cut up the butter and rub it well with the flour, add the sugar, beat the eggs very light, and stir in lastly the spices and rose-water, with milk enough to form a very thick batter, then add the yeast. the next morning stir it again and let it rise the second time. butter your pans and fill them three parts full. when they are done and cold sift sugar over, and with a sharp knife cut them in squares. buns. . one pound of flour, three ounces of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, two eggs, three half gills of milk, one gill of home-made yeast, one table spoonful of rose-water, two tea spoonsful of powdered cinnamon. warm the butter in the milk. beat the eggs. mix the eggs with the milk and butter, and pour altogether into the pan of flour, then add the rose-water, cinnamon and yeast. mix all thoroughly, knead the dough well, let it rise, when light make it out into cakes, put them in buttered pans, let them stand till they rise again and bake them. dough-nuts. . three pounds of flour, a quarter of a pound of butter, one pound of sugar, four eggs, one gill of yeast, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, one nutmeg grated, one table spoonful of rose-water, milk enough to form a soft dough. rub the butter and flour well together, and add the spices and sugar. whisk the eggs, stir them in with the rose-water and yeast, and milk enough to form a soft dough. stand it away to rise; when light roll it out very lightly, cut it in diamonds, or any shape you choose, and drop them into a pot of boiling lard. sift sugar over when cool. macaroons. . three eggs, three-quarters of a pound of powdered white sugar, half a pound of sweet almonds, two ounces of bitter almonds. whisk the eggs till they are very dry, then add gradually a tea spoonful of the sugar at a time, for if too much is put in at once it will thin the egg. beat it hard until all the sugar is in. have your almonds blanched and bruised in a mortar, but they must not be pounded to a paste. then stir in the almonds, drop a spoonful in a place, on sheets of white paper laid on tins, and bake them in a cool oven till they have just a tinge of brown. lady cake. . three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one pound of flour, the whites of sixteen eggs, half an ounce of bitter almonds, two table spoonsful of rose water. beat the butter and sugar to a cream; pour boiling water over the almonds, let them stand a little time, blanch them, pound them in a mortar, adding but a few at a time, with a little rose-water to prevent them from getting oily, add to them the remainder of the rose-water, then stir the almonds into the butter and sugar. whisk the whites very dry, and stir them gradually into the butter and sugar with the flour. butter your pans and bake them in a moderate oven. it may be baked in one large cake. composition cake. . two cups of butter, three cups of sugar, five cups of flour, five eggs, one cup of milk, one tea spoonful of dissolved salæratus, two table spoonsful of brandy, one pound of raisins, half a nutmeg grated. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, beat the eggs and add to it, then the spice, liquor and salæratus; lastly the raisins, which must be seeded and floured. line your pans with paper well buttered, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. scotch loaf. . one pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, ten eggs, half a gill of rose-water, one table spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, one pound of dried currants, two tea spoonsful of ground cinnamon. pick, wash and dry the currants, and dredge as much flour over as will adhere to them. beat the butter and sugar till it is smooth and light; whisk the eggs to a froth, stir them into the butter and sugar alternately with the flour; add the spice and liquor, beat the whole very hard for ten minutes; lastly stir in the fruit and salæratus. butter an earthen cake mould or iron pan, pour in the mixture, and bake for about two hours in a moderate oven. french cake. . one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, one pound and a half of flour, twelve eggs, half a wine glass of wine, half a wine glass of brandy, half a tea cupful of milk, half a grated nutmeg, a quarter of a pound of seeded raisins, a quarter of a pound of citron, half a pound of currants, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds. seed the raisins, slice the citron in very small thin pieces, wash, pick, and dry the currants, prepare the spice, pour some hot water on the almonds, let them stand a few minutes, then take each kernel between the thumb and finger, gently press it and the skin will come off. put them in a marble or wedgewood mortar, and pound them to a paste, add a little water or milk to them whilst you are pounding them, or they will be oily. mix your fruit together, and dredge as much flour over it as will adhere to it. beat the butter and sugar together till it is perfectly light and smooth. whisk the yelks of the eggs, without the whites, till they are very thick. stir the yelks into the butter and sugar. add to this the spice, liquor, and almonds. beat it very hard for five minutes. whisk the whites till they are dry and present a grained appearance. stir the whites and flour into the batter alternately, but do not beat it after the whites are in; just stir it sufficiently to mix the flour thoroughly. lastly stir in the fruit. line your pans with thick paper well buttered, and pour in the mixture. bake in a moderate oven for three hours. a wine glassful of rose-water may be used instead of the wine and brandy. traveler's biscuit. . two pounds of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, one tea spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, milk sufficient to form a dough. cut up the butter in the flour, add the sugar, and put in the salæratus and milk together, so as to form a dough. knead it till it becomes perfectly smooth and light. roll it in sheets about the eighth of an inch thick, cut the cakes with a cutter or the top of a tumbler. bake in a moderate oven. light sugar biscuits. . one pound and a half of powdered white sugar, half a pint of milk made into a sponge, two ounces of butter, as much flour as will form a dough, one gill of yeast. make a sponge with the half pint of milk and as much flour stirred into it as will form a thick batter, add the yeast and a little salt. this should be done in the evening. the next morning cut the butter in small pieces, place it near the fire where it will dissolve, but not get hot, add this to the sponge, with as much flour as will form a dough. stand it to rise, and when light, butter your tins, make out the dough in biscuits, but take care not to handle it more that you can help, put the cakes on tins, and when they are light bake them in a very hot oven. when they are done wash them over with a brush dipped in sugar dissolved in water and sift sugar over the top. plain cup cake. . one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, two cups of flour, four eggs, half a grated nutmeg, table spoonful of rose-water. stir the butter and sugar together till very light. whisk the eggs till they are thick, and stir them into the butter and sugar alternately with the flour. add the nutmeg and rose-water. beat the whole very hard. butter some cups or shallow pans, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. apees. . three-quarters of a pound of flour, half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, one tea spoonful of grated nutmeg, as much milk as will form a dough. cut up the butter in the flour, add the sugar, and spice by degrees. stir in as much milk as will make a dough. knead it well, roll it out in sheets, cut it in cakes. butter your tins, lay them on so as not to touch, and bake in a moderate oven. shrewsbury cake. . one pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, five eggs, half a nutmeg. beat the butter and sugar together. whisk the eggs and add to it, with the nutmeg. stir in the flour, roll out the dough and cut it in cakes. bake in a quick oven. dover biscuits. . half a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of flour, two eggs, one table spoonful of rose-water, half a tea spoonful of nutmeg. stir the butter and sugar together. beat the eggs light and stir into it, with the rose-water; add the spice and flour. roll out thin and cut into small cakes. washington cake, no. . . one pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, six eggs, one wine glass of wine, one wine glass of brandy, one grated nutmeg, one table spoonful of cinnamon, two pounds of dried currants, one table spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, half a pint of rich milk. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the eggs very light and stir into it, then add the liquor, spice, and milk, then stir in the flour, lastly the salæratus and fruit. butter a pan and bake it. washington cake, no. . . one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, four eggs, one pound of flour, one tea cupful of milk, two tea spoonsful of _dissolved_ salæratus, three table spoonsful of brandy, half a tea spoonful of cinnamon, half a nutmeg, one pound of dried currants washed, picked, and wiped dry. beat the butter and sugar until it is smooth and light. whisk the eggs till they are thick and add them to the butter and sugar. stir in the flour, brandy, and spice. flour the fruit and stir it in. beat, the whole very hard for fifteen minutes. then stir in the salæratus. line the sides and bottom of your pan with thick paper, butter it well, pour in the mixture and bake it in a moderate oven. for those who object to the use of brandy, two table spoonsful of rose-water may be substituted in its place. sugar biscuits. . three-quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, one pint of milk, one tea spoonful of carbonate of soda, flour sufficient to make a dough. melt the sugar, butter, and soda in the milk. when the milk is lukewarm stir in the flour till it forms a dough. knead it well for a very long time, then roll it out in sheets, and with a sharp knife cut it in squares, butter your tins, and bake them in a hot oven. preserves. fruit for preserving should be carefully selected, it should never be bruised, and always be of the largest kind and fairest quality. no sugar will make handsome preserves but the purest white. it may be pulverized or in the loaf. besides, it is a mistaken idea that low priced sugars are cheaper for preserves, for they must be boiled much longer in order to collect the great amount of scum which arises on the syrup, consequently the evaporation reduces the quantity. very little white of egg or isinglass is sufficient to clarify an ordinary sized kettle of syrup. if too much of either is used it froths on the surface and is of no utility. preserves should always be boiled smartly; many persons would be more successful with their preserving if they would let their fruit boil fast. when permitted to simmer it breaks in pieces. all jellies and preserves should be put in the jars while lukewarm, as the jelly or syrup, if it be thick, breaks after it has become cold; the jars should be left open till the next day. glass jars of a small size, or large tumblers, are better for preserves than china, for should they not keep well it can be detected immediately. each jar should have a piece of white paper cut the size of the top, dip the paper in brandy or spirits of wine and lay it on the preserves; then cut another piece about a quarter of an inch larger than the mouth of the jar; cut the edge of it in slits nearly a quarter of an inch long; cover this edge with paste, place the paper over the jar and lap the edge over on the side of the jar, which may easily be done, as the strips will lap one over the other. each jar should have the name of the contents written on the cover. preserves should be kept in a cool dry place. calf's foot jelly. . to one set of feet pour three quarts of water. let it boil till reduced to one half, then strain the liquor through a jelly bag and stand it away to get cold. when it is cold scrape off the cake of fat, and in order to cleanse the jelly from all the grease wipe the surface with a damp spunge, also the sides of the vessel which contains it. cut up the jelly and put it in your preserving kettle, but be careful not to take the sediment which settles at the bottom. to each pint of this jelly add half a pound of the very best white sugar, and a quarter of an ounce of russian isinglass dissolved in warm water, one tea cupful of madeira wine, and the juice and rind of two lemons. when the sugar is dissolved set the kettle over the fire and boil it for twenty minutes. then pour it into your jelly bag and let it drip but do not squeeze the bag. as soon as it has all dripped through turn the bag, scrape it well but do not wash it, and strain your jelly again. repeat this till it is perfectly clear. pour it in the moulds while it is warm and let them stand open till the jelly is cold. when you wish to turn it out of the moulds wring a napkin out of hot water and wrap it round the moulds for a minute or two, then turn the moulds upside down, and the jelly will turn out. fox grape jelly. . take green fox grapes, wash them and put them in a preserving kettle with just water enough to pulp them. when they are tender mash and strain them through a sieve, to free them from the seeds and skin. to each pint of the pulp add a pound of the best white sugar, and a piece of isinglass about an inch square, dissolved in warm water. when the sugar has dissolved stir it well, and place the kettle over the fire. let it boil fifteen or twenty minutes, then try it by dropping a little in a glass of cold water, if it falls to the bottom without mixing with the water the jelly is done. pass it through a jelly bag, pour it into your glasses while warm, and let it stand till the next day before the glasses are pasted. cranberry jelly, no. . . pick and wash your cranberries, which should be very ripe, and put them over the fire with half a pint of water to each quart of cranberries. stew them till they are soft, then mash them and strain the juice through a jelly bag; to each pint of juice add one pound of loaf or pulverized white sugar, with some isinglass, in the proportion of half an ounce to two quarts of juice. dissolve the isinglass in as much warm water as will cover it; when perfectly dissolved, which will require a couple of hours, pour it in with the sugar and juice. when the sugar is dissolved set the kettle over the fire, and boil and skim it till a jelly is formed, which you can tell by dropping a little in a glass of cold water. if it falls to the bottom without mingling with the water the jelly is done. when it is lukewarm pour it in glasses and let them stand till the following day, then cover them with brandy paper and paste them closely. cranberry jelly, no. . . dissolve one ounce of russian isinglass in three half-pints of warm water. strain it through your flannel jelly-bag. add to this three pints of cranberry juice with four pounds of sugar; boil and skim it. as soon as the scum has ceased to rise strain it and put it in moulds. the sugar should be of the best quality. orange jelly. . squeeze the juice from the oranges, and to every pint of the juice add a pound of sugar and a quarter of an ounce of dissolved isinglass. the russian isinglass is the kind to use for this purpose. boil and skim it till a jelly is formed, which you may tell by letting a drop fall in a glass of cold water, and if it falls to the bottom in a mass the jelly is done. or, take a little out in a spoon and expose it to the cool air for a few minutes. strawberry jelly. . stem the strawberries, put them in a pan, and with a wooden spoon or potato masher rub them fine. put a sieve over a pan, and inside of the sieve spread a piece of thin muslin; strain the juice through this, and to a pint add one pound of sugar, with a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in water to every five pounds of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved set the kettle over the fire and boil it till it is to a jelly. pour it into glasses while it is warm, and paste them when cold. currant jelly. . mash your fruit with a wooden spoon, and squeeze the juice through your jelly bag. to every pint of juice allow a pound of white sugar. when the sugar is dissolved, add a piece of isinglass dissolved in warm water to clarify the jelly. a quarter of an ounce of isinglass to five pints of juice will be sufficient. boil and skim it till a jelly is formed; then take it off the fire and put it in glasses while warm. the next day put brandy paper over them and paste them. black currant jelly is made in the same way, only it requires but three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. quince jelly. . pare and core your quinces, and as you pare them throw them into cold water. put them into a preserving kettle with water enough to cover them, and let them boil till the fruit is tender. then put a sieve over a pan, pour the fruit and water into it and let it drain, but do not mash the fruit; strain the juice through the jelly bag. to each pint of juice thus obtained add one pound of loaf or pulverized white sugar; and to every five pounds of sugar add a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in hot water. when the sugar is dissolved put it over the fire and boil and skim it till a jelly is formed, which you can discover by dropping a little in a glass of cold water: if it sinks to the bottom without mingling with the water the jelly is done. pour it in your glasses when it is lukewarm, and let them stand open till it is entirely cold. cover with brandy paper, and paste paper over the top. if you wish to have _light colored_ jelly, never put in the parings, as they always make it dark. a jelly may be made of the parings and cores for family use. apple jelly maybe made in the same manner as the quince. the pulp of the apple, which is left after the jelly is made, may be sweetened for pies. the pulp of the quince may be made into marmalade according to the following receipt: quince marmalade. . to each pound of the pulp obtained according to the above receipt for jelly, add one pound of white sugar; boil the whole until it is perfectly smooth. it must be stirred all the time it is boiling. if you do not make jelly of your quinces cut them up in small pieces, add a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and as much water as will dissolve the sugar; then boil it till it is a perfectly smooth paste; stir it all the time. peach marmalade. . pare and cut up the peaches in small pieces, and to a pound of fruit add a pound of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved set it over the fire and let it boil till it is a smooth paste. stir it all the time it is boiling. put it in the jars while warm and paste them over the next day. preserved pears. . peel the pears, and if they are large, cut each one in four pieces, and take out the core. to a pound of fruit weigh a pound of sugar; dissolve the sugar with just enough water to wet it, add a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in warm water to five pounds of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved, make the syrup as directed for preserved peaches, and cook the fruit in the same manner. preserved quinces. . pare and core the fruit, cut them in quarters, and boil them in water untill tender. weigh the fruit and add a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. put the sugar in a preserving-kettle with two wine-glasses of water to each pound of sugar, and a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in warm water to every six pounds of fruit. when the sugar is dissolved set it over the fire, boil and skim it till no more scum rises. then pour the syrup in another vessel, wash the kettle so as to free it from any scum which may adhere to it, pour the jelly back in the kettle and put in the fruit. set it over a brisk fire and let it boil for about an hour and a half, or until the fruit looks clear when held towards the light. it should always boil hard or the preserves will be dark colored. when it appears translucent take it off the fire; take the fruit out a piece at a time, and lay it on broad dishes. strain the syrup, and when it is lukewarm put the fruit in your jars and pour the syrup over. when cold cover with brandy paper and paste them closely. preserved pine-apple. . scald the slices in water till tender; then make a syrup of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and proceed as directed for quinces. preserved peaches. . choose the white cling-stones, known by the name of the "heath peach." insert the knife at the stem and cut them longitudinally through to the stone. wring out the stones by placing one hand on each half of the peach and suddenly give each a turn in opposite directions; the fruit will break in half, leaving the stone attached to one side. with a pointed knife it may easily be extracted. after the peaches have all been prepared in this manner pare and weigh them. then weigh a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit. put the sugar into a preserving kettle, and allow a gill of water to each pound of sugar. let the sugar stand until it is perfectly dissolved before it is put on the fire; to ten pounds of sugar add the half of the white of an egg, well beaten, or a piece of russian isinglass, about an inch square, dissolved in two table spoonsful of water. set the kettle over the fire, and as soon as the syrup begins to boil skim it. when the scum has ceased to rise, take the syrup off the fire, pour it into a pan, and wash the kettle in order to prevent the scum which adheres to the sides from boiling into the fruit. now pour the syrup back into the kettle, add the fruit to it, and place it over a brisk fire, let the fruit boil fast for about an hour and a quarter, or until it appears translucent when held on a fork towards the light. then take your peaches out very carefully, a piece at a time; place them on dishes so as merely to touch. pour the syrup in pans, and let it stand until it is about lukewarm. then put the fruit into your jars and pour the syrup over; paste the jars the next day. preserved fresh figs. . select the fruit when fully ripe, though not soft, pick them carefully that they may not be broken. pour boiling water over them, and let them simmer for five minutes. preserve them as other fruits. preserved citron melon. . cut off the hard rind of the melon (which should be the _preserving_ citron, not the green cantelope) and cut it in pieces of any size and shape you choose: the slices should be from a quarter to half an inch thick. weigh your fruit, and to every pound add one of sugar. put the sugar in a preserving kettle with a gill of water to each pound of sugar and some isinglass dissolved in warm water; it will require a quarter of an ounce of isinglass to every five pounds of fruit. when the sugar is dissolved, put it over the fire and boil and skim it. then pour the syrup out of the kettle, wash it and return the syrup to it. now put in the fruit, and set it over a brisk fire, where it will boil rapidly. when the fruit appears translucent when held up towards the light it is done. it will take from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half to cook it. then take it out a piece at a time, spread it on dishes, and strain the syrup in a pan. when the syrup is lukewarm, put your fruit in the jars and pour it over. let them stand till next day, put brandy paper over and paste them. this fruit may be flavored with lemons sliced and preserved with it. do not peel the lemons, cut them in thin slices, and cook them with the fruit. to three pounds of fruit add one lemon. as the citron makes a beautiful but tasteless preserve, it is necessary to flavor it with lemon, orange, or some other fruit. if, when it is a little cool, it should not taste sufficiently of the lemon, a few drops of the essence of lemon may be added. preserved green gages. . prepare the fruit by pricking each one with a needle to prevent them from bursting. leave a portion of the stem on each, as it gives small fruits a handsome appearance on the table. make a syrup of a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit; and a gill of water to a pound of sugar. add a quarter of an ounce of isinglass, dissolved in warm water, to every six pounds of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved put it with the dissolved isinglass over the fire, boil and skim it. then pour it out of the kettle, wash the kettle, put the syrup back again, put in the fruit, and boil it till by holding one towards the light it looks clear. take the gages out one at a time, strain the syrup; put the fruit in jars, and pour the syrup over warm. paste them up the next day. preserved plums. . these are preserved in the same manner as gages, only they are skinned by pouring hot water over them; the skins will peel off nicely and leave the stems attached to the fruit. strawberry jam. . put together equal weights of fruit and sugar, mash all well, put it into a preserving kettle, and boil it about twenty minutes. while it is warm put it in jars, and paste it when cold. cherry jam. . this is better when made of fine morella cherries. wash the cherries and put them on to stew with a gill of water to a pound of fruit. when perfectly tender, pass them through a colander to extract the stones. to a pound of the pulp add a pound of sugar, when the sugar is dissolved put it over the fire, and boil it to a smooth paste. raspberry jam. . to a pound of fruit weigh a pound of sugar; mash the fruit in a pan with a wooden spoon; put the sugar to it, and boil it hard for fifteen or twenty minutes. to four pounds of raspberries you may add one pound of ripe currants; they give the jam a fine flavor and a pretty color. blackberry jam is made in the same manner; only leave out the currants. green gage jam. . wash the fruit, and stew it with enough water to keep them from scorching. mash them, and strain the pulp through a colander. to a pint of pulp add a pound of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved, boil it till it is a smooth mass. plum jam is made in the same way. pine apple jam. . this is made like all other jams, only the pine apple is grated. brandy grapes. . put some close bunches, when ripe, into a jar, first pricking each grape with a needle; strew over them half their weight in pounded loaf sugar, fill up with brandy, and tie them closely. they look very handsome on the table. brandy peaches. . select the white cling-stone, known by the name of the "heath peach." make a hot ley of ashes and water, put in a few peaches at a time, and let them remain about a minute and a half, or until the skin will rub off with your finger. take them out and throw them in a vessel of cold water, when all are done in this manner, rub off the skins with a cloth, and throw them in another vessel of cold water. make a syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. prepare it in the same manner as for preserves; put in your peaches, and let them boil until they are sufficiently tender to be easily pierced with a straw. take them out, and add to each pint of syrup a quart of the _very best_ white brandy, when the fruit is cool put it in your jars, but leave plenty of room to fill them with the syrup, as if packed too closely they lose their shape. sick. sago milk. . wash half an ounce of sago and soak it in a tea cupful of cold water for an hour or more. drain it and add to it three gills of good milk; put it over the fire and let it simmer until the sago is entirely incorporated with the milk. sweeten it with white sugar. it may be flavored with vanilla, lemon, or nutmeg, if allowed of by the physician. orgeat. . blanch one ounce of bitter, and two of sweet almonds. pound them in a mortar with a little milk until they are to a paste. rub gradually into the pounded almond one tea cupful of milk. sweeten it to the taste and strain it. it may be flavored with lemon. stewed prunes. . pour enough boiling water over your prunes to cover them, and stand them where they will keep hot but not boil. they require six or eight hours to cook. when they are perfectly done add sugar to the taste of the patient. cocoa. . put three table spoonsful of cocoa to a pint of water. let it boil slowly for an hour. put some sugar and cream in a bowl, pour the cocoa over it and serve hot with toast. egg and wine. . beat the yelk of an egg very light, add to it a glass of wine and sugar to the taste. sago pudding for invalids. . see tapioca pudding, no. . tapioca pudding. . pick and wash a table spoonful of tapioca, pour over it a pint of warm milk, and stand it near the fire for about one hour, but do not let it simmer. then boil it until it forms a semi-transparent mucilage. stand it aside to cool. beat two eggs, stir them into the mucilage with as much sugar as will sweeten it, pour the mixture in a pan and bake it slowly. it may be eaten with sweet sauce. arrow-root and sago can be made in the same manner, only the sago requires more soaking and boiling than the tapioca. arrow-root pudding for invalids. . see tapioca pudding, no. . pudding for the convalescent. . one pint of milk, two table spoonsful of flour, three eggs, sugar to the taste. beat the eggs, add the sugar, then the milk and flour by turns. put the mixture in a bowl or pan, place it in another pan of hot water, set it where it will cook, and when a custard is formed set it off to cool. there should not be too much sugar for invalids as it is apt to produce dispepsia. indian gruel. . stir one table spoonful of indian meal mixed with a little cold water into a pint of boiling water. let it boil fifteen minutes and add salt to the taste. egg and milk. . take a fresh egg, break it in a saucer, and with a three-pronged fork beat it until it is as thick as batter. have ready half a pint of new milk sweetened with white sugar, stir the egg into the milk, and serve it with a piece of sponge-cake or slice of toast. it is considered very light, nourishing food for an invalid. some prefer the yelk and white of the egg beaten separately. the yelk should be beaten till it is very light and thick, then pour it into the sweetened milk; afterwards beat the white till it will stand alone, and add gradually half a tea spoonful of white sugar; pile the white on the top of the milk and serve as before. sugared orange. . select the lightest colored oranges for this purpose, as they are more acid than the dark. peel off the rind and slice them, latitudinally or crosswise, about the eighth of an inch in thickness. strew over them some powdered white sugar, in the proportion of a tea spoonful of sugar to each slice. let them stand fifteen minutes. they are very palatable in fevers, as they serve to cleanse the mouth and keep it cool. sugared lemons, no. . . these may be prepared in the same manner as the sugared oranges (see above,) only they should have a tea spoonful and a half of sugar to each slice; as they are more firm than oranges, they require to stand longer to become perfectly impregnated with the sugar. they are better to stand about an hour before they are to be eaten. the white skin should be carefully peeled off, as it imparts an unpleasant bitter flavor when permitted to remain long in the sugar. these are very grateful to the sick and feverish. sugared lemons, no. . . select fine large lemons. peel off the outer skin and as much as possible of the white skin. cut them in slices latitudinally or _round_ the lemon, about the eight of an inch thick. sprinkle them with white powdered sugar, a tea spoonful of sugar to each slice. let them stand three hours, then strain off as much of the juice as possible from the lemons, put it in a sauce-pan over a slow fire, and as soon as the juice begins to simmer throw in the slices of lemon. let them cook five minutes, take them out and pour the syrup over them. should the lemons not prove sufficiently juicy to melt the sugar entirely, a little water may be added. mulled wine. . half a pint of wine, half a pint of water, one egg, sugar and nutmeg to the taste. mix the wine and water together--let it boil. beat the eggs in a pan, pour them into the wine, then quickly pour the whole from one vessel into another five or six times. mulled cider. . one pint of cider, one egg, sugar and nutmeg to the taste. boil the cider. have the egg well beaten, pour it into the cider, then have ready two vessels and pour the whole quickly from one vessel into the other several times. add the sugar and nutmeg. vegetable soup. . two potatoes, two onions, two turnips, one carrot, a little parsley chopped fine, salt to the taste. cut the potatoes in quarters, slice the onions, cut the turnips in quarters, slice the carrots. put all in a stew-pan with three pints of water, and salt to the taste. boil it down to one quart. about fifteen minutes before it is done add the parsley. strain it and serve with light bread or toast. this is the receipt of a late eminent physician of philadelphia. carrageen or irish moss. . one ounce of moss, one pint of water, lemon juice and sugar to the taste. boil the moss in water until it forms a jelly, and add the lemon-juice and sugar. vanilla may be substituted for lemon-juice, but the latter is more palatable. strain it. arrow root. . one table spoonful of ground arrow-root, one pint of water. mix the arrow-root with a little water, to the consistence of a paste. have ready a pint of boiling water, pour the arrow-root into it, and let it boil till it looks clear; pour it off and sweeten to the taste. some add a little lemon juice. macaroni. . take a quarter of a pound of macaroni and boil it till it is very tender in water which has been salted. take it up and drain it. if admissible a tea spoonful of melted butter may be poured over. lemonade for an invalid. . squeeze the juice out of a fine lemon, pour over it as much boiling water as will make it palatable, and add sugar to the taste. stand it away to cool; when cold it will be found quite as good as that made with cold water, and is generally preferred by physicians, as the boiling water destroys the unhealthy qualities of the lemon. oat-meal gruel. . mix one table spoonful of oat-meal to a smooth paste with a little cold water. pour this into one pint of boiling water; let it boil for half an hour. sweeten it and serve it with toast. some prefer a little salt. baked pudding for invalids. . one pint of milk, three eggs, sugar to the taste, two table spoonsful of flour. beat the eggs, add the sugar, then the flour, and stir in the milk gradually. butter a pan, pour in the pudding, and bake it. chicken broth. . take half a chicken and pour over it three tea cupsful of cold water, with a salt spoonful of salt and two tea spoonsful of rice or pearl barley. let it simmer slowly until reduced to one half. ten minutes before it is served, add some celery top, or parsley chopped very fine. pap of unbolted flour. . mix some unbolted flour with a little cold water, and stir it until it is smooth. pour this into some boiling water, and let it boil fifteen or twenty minutes. sweeten it and pour cream over it. children become very fond of this. pap of grated flour. . take a quarter of a pound of flour and pour on just enough water to moisten it. form it into a ball and tie it in a cloth, closely and firmly. put it in a vessel of boiling water and let it boil the whole day. then take it out, dip it in a pan of cold water, remove the cloth, and place it in a cool oven to dry, when it will be fit for use. to make the pap, grate some of this, mix it to a paste with cold milk, and stir it into some boiling milk; boil it slowly ten or fifteen minutes. sweet-breads for invalids. . put them in a stew-pan, with just water sufficient to cover them, and very little salt. let them boil slowly until they are tender, but not broken to pieces, then dish them, and if not quite salt enough, a little may be sprinkled over them. care should be taken to season the meat for an invalid with very little salt, as it is frequently very unpalatable during convalescence. after the sweet-breads have been cooked as above described, they may be taken from the water and drained; then heat the gridiron, grease the bars, to prevent the sweet-breads from sticking, and broil them quickly over some hot coals. they should be of a very delicate brown when done. panada, no. . . mix two tea spoonsful of grated cracker, with a little cold water, and stir it into half a pint of boiling water. let it boil a few minutes till it thickens, then sweeten it with white sugar, and flavor it with wine and nutmeg to the taste. toast a slice of bread nicely, cut it in pieces about an inch square, put them in a bowl, and pour the panada over. panada, no. . . cut some light stale bread in small squares, put it in a bowl, and pour over some boiling water. sweeten it to the taste with white sugar. add wine and nutmeg if permitted by the physician. boiling milk may be substituted in place of the water if approved. ground rice, no. . . one table spoonful of ground rice, one pint of milk. mix the rice with cold milk to a smooth paste. set the pint of milk over the fire, and as soon as it boils, stir in the rice; let it boil for fifteen minutes, but be careful not to let it burn. sweeten it to the taste with white sugar; it may be flavored with vanilla if approved of. ground rice, no. . . two table spoonsful of ground rice, one pint of milk. boil the milk, and stir in the rice, which must have been previously mixed with cold milk. let it boil slowly twenty minutes; if it should be thicker than a thin batter, add a little more milk. sweeten it to the taste. pour it into tea cups, and serve it with cream if allowed of by the physician. mustard whey. . take two heaping tea spoonsful of mustard seed, mash them a little, and pour over them six wine glasses of milk, boil it till the milk is curdled. take it off the fire, let it stand to cool, and strain off the whey. wine whey. . put a pint of milk over the fire, and the moment it boils stir into it two glasses of wine mixed with two tea spoonsful of sugar. let it boil once again; stand it off to cool, and strain the whey through a fine strainer or sieve. vinegar whey . half a gill of vinegar mixed with two tea spoonsful of sugar, stirred into two tea cupsful of boiling milk; let it boil one or two minutes, stand it off to cool, and strain off the whey. this is often recommended in fevers. lemon-juice may be used in place of the vinegar. rennet whey. . wash a piece of rennet about the size of a dollar, and soak it for six hours or more in two table spoonsful of warm water. pour this into three tea cupsful of lukewarm milk; let it stand near the fire until a thick curd is formed. with a knife break it in pieces and strain off the whey. tamarind whey. . stir half a wine glass of tamarinds mixed with three tea spoonsful of sugar into a pint of boiling milk; as soon as it boils stand it off the fire to cool, and strain off the whey. potato jelly. . grate some white potatoes into cold water, stir it well, and strain it through a hair sieve. let it stand a couple of hours, till the farina settles at the bottom, then pour the water off, and set the vessel on its side, so as all the water may drip out and the farina become perfectly dry. then put it into a box or jar for use. take a tea spoonful of this farina mixed smoothly in a little cold water, and pour as much boiling water over it as will make it a thick jelly. let it boil two or three minutes, sweeten it to the taste, and flavor it with lemon or nutmeg. to be eaten cold. milk may be substituted for water. port wine jelly. . half an ounce of russian isinglass, half an ounce of gum arabic, one ounce of rock candy, half a pint of boiling water, half a pint of port wine. cut the isinglass in very small pieces, pound up the candy and gum arabic, pour the boiling water over, and stand it where it will keep hot but not simmer. when the above named ingredients are dissolved, add the wine, and boil the whole a few minutes. strain it and set it away to get cold. tapioca jelly. . soak a quarter of a pound of tapioca in water enough to cover it. let it stand several hours, then stir it into a pint of boiling water. simmer it slowly till it appears semi-transparent. sweeten it to the taste, and flavor with wine and nutmeg if approved of by the physician. turn it into cups or moulds. hartshorn jelly. . take a quart of boiling water and pour it over three ounces of hartshorn shavings. boil it until reduced to one-half the original quantity. pass it through a fine sieve, sweeten it, and stir in a table spoonful of lemon-juice and three ounces of sugar with a glass of wine. it is very good without the lemon-juice and wine. rice jelly. . pick and wash some rice, and pour enough water over it to cover it. let it soak for three hours. then simmer it very slowly till the rice is entirely soft. whilst it is hot sweeten it with white sugar, and flavor it with any thing you please. strain it and pour it in a mould. jelly of gelatine. . half an ounce of gelatine, one quart of water, the grated rind and juice of two fine lemons, the whites of four eggs, sugar to the taste. pour a quart of boiling water over the gelatine, and stand it near the fire to keep hot until the gelatine is dissolved. add the rind and juice of the lemon with the sugar (which must be loaf or pulverized white;) let it boil once, take it off, strain it, and when lukewarm add the beaten whites of four eggs with the shells (which must have been washed and wiped dry.) strain it till the jelly is perfectly clear. pour it in moulds and set it to cool. slippery-elm tea. . strip your slippery-elm in small pieces; take two table spoonsful of these pieces and pour over them two tea cups of boiling water. let it stand until it becomes mucilaginous, then strain it. flax-seed tea. . pour two tea cups of boiling water over two table spoonsful of unground flax-seed. cover the vessel, and stand it in a warm place until a mucilage is formed. be careful to keep it closely covered, as it soon becomes stringy if exposed to the air. when sweetened and flavored with lemon-juice it is a very palatable drink. the lemon-juice should be scalded. veal tea. . cut one pound of a knuckle of veal in thin slices, pour over it a quart of cold water. cover it, and let it simmer for an hour and a half. when boiled to a jelly it will keep for three or four days, and may be used at any time by pouring over it a little boiling water and letting it stand near the fire. add salt to the taste. beef tea. . one pound of beef, one quart of cold water. cut the beef in thin slices, and pour on the water. cover it and set it in a warm place for three-quarters of an hour, then put it over a slow fire where it will simmer for half an hour. strain it, and serve it hot or cold as recommended by the physician. salt it to the taste. essence of beef. . select some lean, tender beef, cut it in small pieces, put them in a bottle and cork it. set the bottle in a pot of cold water, let the water boil six hours. the heat of the water will extract all the juice from the beef in the bottle. mutton tea. . slice one pound of mutton, remove all the fat, and add one quart of cold water. cover it, place it near the fire for an hour, then simmer it for two hours, strain it, and serve it warm. add salt to the taste. chicken tea. . cut a quarter of a chicken in small pieces, take off the skin, and remove all the fat, add to it a pint of cold water; cover it, and let it simmer till reduced to one-half. strain it, and serve warm with toast lightly browned. add salt to suit the patient's taste. gum arabic water. . pour one pint of boiling water over two table spoonsful of gum arabic; add lemon-juice and sugar to the taste. stand it away to get cold. tamarind water. . pour half a pint of boiling water on a table spoonful of tamarinds. stand it away to get cold. pour off the water, and add sugar to the taste. if it should prove too acid, cold water may be added. grape water. . put in a tumbler a table spoonful of grape jelly. fill the tumbler with cold water. mulled water. . one egg, half a pint of boiling water, sugar to the taste. beat the egg well; pour the water gradually over it, but be sure to stir it all the time. sweeten it to the taste of the patient. serve it with light bread or dry toast. wine may be added if approved of by the physician. apple water. . slice three large pippin apples, and pour over them a pint of boiling water. stand them in a cool place, when perfectly cold strain off the water, and sweeten it to the taste. toast may be added. barley water. . wash and pick one ounce of pearl barley, pour over it one tea cupful of water, and let it boil for ten minutes. drain it, and pour over it three tea cupsful of boiling water; set it over the fire, and boil it down one half. strain it through a hair sieve or piece of muslin. gum arabic is sometimes dissolved in it; the liquid sweetened to the taste, forms a very agreeable drink. toast water. . toast two or three slices of bread of a dark brown all the way through, but do not burn it. put the toast in a deep bowl, and pour over it one quart of water, let it stand for two or three hours. then pour the water from the bread. some flavor it by soaking a piece of lemon-peel with the bread. almond water. . one ounce of sweet almonds (blanched,) half an ounce of white powdered sugar, three half pints of water. pour boiling water on the almonds, and in a few minutes the brown skin will come off by taking each kernel between the thumb and finger and gently pressing it. after having blanched them in this manner, put them in a stone or wedgewood mortar with the sugar and a little water. add the water gradually until the almond is perfectly smooth. strain it through a fine hair sieve or cloth. more or less sugar may be added according to the taste. miscellaneous. lemon syrup, no. . . eight pounds of sugar, three quarts of water, one quart of lemon-juice. mix the sugar and water together; as soon as the sugar has dissolved place it over the fire and boil and skim it, then add the lemon-juice. lemon syrup, no. . . six pounds of sugar, two quarts of water, one pint of lemon-juice. mix the sugar and water together, and as soon as the sugar is dissolved place it over the fire; boil and skim it, then add the lemon-juice. ginger syrup. . one pound of green ginger root, ten pounds of sugar, two gallons of water. cut up the root in pieces and add to it two gallons of water; boil it till reduced to one gallon, strain it, and pour it over ten pounds of white sugar. when the sugar has dissolved boil and skim it till no more scum rises; take it off, and when cold bottle it for use. brandy cherries. . stem your cherries, put them into a jar, and to a pound of fruit put a pound of white sugar. cover them with french brandy and tie them closely. monongahela whisky will do as well as the brandy and is much cheaper. to preserve eggs during the winter. . in the fall as you collect your eggs, pack them in a keg with a layer of salt at the bottom, then a layer of eggs, set in with the small end downwards, then a layer of salt, and so on till all are in; then put a layer of salt on the top. blackberry cordial. . gather the ripest fruit, mash it in a pan with a large wooden spoon, strain out all the juice, and allow a quarter of a pound of sugar to a pint of the juice. mix the juice and sugar together, and boil and skim it; then strain it again, and when cool to each pint of juice add a tea cupful of brandy. bottle it and it will be fit for use. this is highly esteemed by some in cases of dysentery. raspberry brandy. . pick the fruit when dry, put it into a glass jar, and place the jar in a kettle of cold water. set the kettle over the fire and let the water get hot; let the fruit remain thus until the juice will run; strain it, and to every pint of juice add half a pound of sugar. boil and skim it. when cold mix with it an equal quantity of brandy. bottle it tightly. currant shrub. . mix a pound of sugar with every pint of currant-juice. when the sugar is dissolved boil it a few minutes and skim it. when almost cold add a gill of brandy to every quart of syrup. bottle it, cork it well, and keep it in a cool place. raspberry shrub. . this is made in the same manner as the currant shrub. cherry bounce. . to fifteen pounds of morella cherries add one gallon of the best french brandy or good monongahela whisky. let them stand for three or four months, then pour off the liquor and add to the cherries two quarts of water, which should remain on them for three weeks; pour off the water and add it to the liquor; to all of which add four pounds of sugar made into a syrup. mixture for salting butter. . half a pound of _fine_ salt, a quarter of a pound of _pulverized loaf sugar_. mix them well together, and add one ounce of the mixture to every pound of butter. this is to keep butter sweet for winter use. egg-nog. . six eggs, one pint of milk, half a pound of loaf sugar, half a pint of brandy. beat the eggs very light and thick, add the milk sugar and brandy. minced meat. . five pounds of beef or tongue, two pounds of suet, seven pounds of sugar, seven pounds of apples, three pounds of raisins, three pounds of currants, three nutmegs, two ounces of cinnamon, a dessert spoonful of ground allspice, one small tea spoonful of ground mace, the juice of two lemons and the grated rind of one, moisten it with equal portions of wine and cider, brandy to the taste. boil the meat in water which has been salted in the proportion of one tea spoonful of salt to every quart of water. when it is tender stand it away to get perfectly cold before it is chopped. wash, pick and dry your currants, prepare the spices, and seed the raisins. pare and core the apples, chop them fine, chop the meat very fine, add the fruit, sugar and spice, lemon-juice, and grated lemon rind, (also the brandy and wine.) mix the whole thoroughly; it will be fit for use on the following day. if you wish to keep your minced meat for several weeks, chop the meat and add the currants, raisins, sugar and spice, but leave out the apples, lemon, wine and cider; mix the other ingredients and merely moisten it with brandy; pack the mixture tightly in a stone jar and cover it close. when you wish to make it into pies, take out some of the meat, chop your apples, and mix with it in the proportions given above. moisten with cider, and add wine and brandy to your taste. sandwiches. . these are generally made of cold boiled ham or tongue. slice your ham or tongue as thin as possible. then butter your bread on the loaf, and with a very sharp knife cut it in _very thin_ slices. roll in each slice of bread a slice of the ham or tongue. a cold fried oyster is very nice in each sandwich. wine sangaree. . mix equal portions of wine and water, sweeten it to your taste, and grate nutmeg over the top. ale or porter sangaree is made in the same manner. poached eggs. . have a broad shallow vessel of boiling water. break your eggs in a plate, and be careful not to break the yelks. take the water from the fire, slide the eggs carefully into it one at a time, and then put them over the fire again. whilst they are boiling throw the water over the yelks with a spoon, and as soon as the whites are thick take them out with an egg slice. trim them neatly and send them to the table hot. plain omelette. . beat four eggs very light. have ready a pan of hot butter, pour the beaten eggs into it, and fry it till it is of a fine brown on the under side, then lap one half over the other, and serve it hot. just before you lap it, sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top. chopped parsley or onion may be mixed with the egg before it is fried. ham omelette. . whisk four eggs very light, and add to it as much grated ham as will flavor it. fry it in hot butter till it is brown on the lower side. sprinkle salt and pepper over it, and fold one half over the other. the salt should not be put in the egg, as it thins it. garnish the dish with green parsley. bread omelette. . one gill of bread crumbs, eight eggs, a gill and a half of cream, pepper and salt to the taste. warm the cream and pour it over a gill of baker's bread crumbs; when the bread is perfectly soft mash it well with the cream, and add pepper and salt to the taste. beat the eggs and stir them into the bread and cream. have a pan of hot butter, pour the mixture in and fry it. do not turn it as that will make it heavy. the top may be browned with a salamander, or the pan of the shovel heated very hot and held near it will brown it. it may be folded one half over the other; in that case it need not be browned with a salamander. tomato omelette. . six eggs, a wine-glass of flour, four ripe tomatoes, pepper and salt to the taste, milk sufficient to mix the flour smoothly. beat the eggs very light, stir in the mixed milk and flour, peel and chop the tomatoes and add with the pepper and salt. have a pan with some hot butter, pour in the mixture and fry it. when done it may be lapped half over or not, according to the fancy. do not turn it. browned flour. . this is very useful to thicken gravy and give it a brown color. put your flour into a pan, and set it over a moderate fire, stir it all the time till it is brown, but do not let it scorch, as it will communicate an unpleasant taste to your gravy. when it is cool put it in a jar for future use. dried cherries, for pies. . pick your cherries, and wash them thoroughly through several waters to remove all the grit. put them into a stone jar with half a pound of sugar to a pound of cherries, and warm water enough to cover them. place your jar in a vessel of water and set it where it will keep hot. let them stand for twelve hours. if the water should soak into the cherries and leave them too dry, add a little more. when they are fully swollen and perfectly soft they are fit for use. if they are not sweet enough add more sugar. dried fruits are more tender and juicy cooked in this manner than when they are boiled or stewed. dried apples, for pies. . pick and wash them well. then pour over boiling water enough to cover them. let them stand all night to soak. in the morning put the apples with the water they were soaked in into your stew-pan, if they have absorbed all the water and are nearly dry, add a little more, simmer them slowly, but do not let them boil. when perfectly soft, pass them through a sieve, and prepare them for pies according to the directions given for apples which have not been dried. dried peaches, for pies. . these are cooked in the same manner as dried apples (see above,) only they are flavored with a piece of lemon or orange-peel stewed with them. when they are done, take out the peel and mash them, add sugar to the taste. they require no butter. dried pumpkin, for pies. . cut a pumpkin in half lengthwise, take out the seeds, pare off the rind, and cut it in slices about an inch thick. string it on fine twine and hang it in a dry place. in the winter stew and use it as green pumpkin. the cheese-shaped pumpkin is the best kind for drying. to prepare salaeratus. . put the salæratus in a vessel, add enough cold water to dissolve it, then pour off the liquid into a bottle and cork it. be careful to pour it off gently as a great deal of sediment settles at the bottom of the vessel in which it is dissolved. carbonate of ammonia is much nicer than salæratus; it is prepared in the same manner; be careful to keep the bottle corked, and keep it in a cool place. it may be used in all the receipts where salæratus is directed; but only half the quantity is necessary--thus: if one table spoonful of the salæratus is required, half a table spoonful of ammonia will be sufficient. lemonade. . one quart of lemon-juice, nine quarts of water, eight pounds of white sugar. mix the lemon-juice and sugar, and stand it away. just before the lemonade is served, add the water which should be iced. punch. . four pounds of sugar, one pint of lemon-juice, one pint of jamaica spirits, half a pint of peach brandy, half a pint of french brandy, five quarts of water. the quantity of liquor may be regulated according to the taste. macaroni. . a quarter of a pound of macaroni, one tea spoonful of butter, one gill of milk or cream, one table spoonful of grated cheese. boil the macaroni in water that has been salted in the proportion of a tea spoonful of salt to a quart of water. when it is tender take it out of the water and place it on a sieve, or in a colander, to drain. boil a gill of milk or cream, and add to it a tea spoonful of butter rolled in flour, let it boil half a minute. put your macaroni, after it is well drained, into a stew-pan, pour this boiled cream over it, and add to it the grated cheese. let it get very hot, but do not let it boil, and serve it. indian mush. . two quarts of water, two tea spoonsful of salt, as much indian meal as will make a thick batter. have a pot with two quarts of boiling water, add the salt as above, and stir in _very gradually_ as much indian meal as will form a thick batter. let it boil half an hour, and beat it hard all the time it is cooking, which will make it light when done. this is generally eaten with new milk, or sometimes with molasses and butter. fried mush. . the mush is prepared as in the above receipt. let it get cold, cut it in slices, flour them on both sides, and fry them of a light brown. welsh rabbit. . cut some old rich cheese in very thin pieces, add to it a spoonful of cream. put it over a slow fire and let it stand until the cheese is entirely dissolved. serve it with toast. some like pepper and mustard. mint julep. . take young mint, pick off the leaves, wash them, and to one tumbler of leaves add one tumbler of brandy and jamaica spirits mixed. pour the liquor on the mint to extract the flavor, then strain it off on a tumbler of sugar; when the sugar is dissolved, add a tumbler of ice finely pounded. stir all well together. milk punch. . sweeten a half pint of rich milk to the taste. add to this half a table spoonful of fourth proof brandy. cottage cheese. . put some sour milk in a warm place until the whey begins to separate from the curd, but by no means let it get hard. pour the curd into a three cornered bag in the shape of a pudding bag, hang it up and let it drain until no more water will drip from it. then turn it out into a pan, mash the curd very fine and smooth with a wooden spoon; add as much good rich cream, as will make it about as thick as batter. salt it to your taste. sprinkle pepper over the top if you choose. to prepare rennet. . get a dried rennet in market, wash it in lukewarm water, but do not scrape it. cut it up in small pieces, put them in a bottle, and pour over them a quart of lisbon wine. after this has stood for a week a table spoonful of the wine will turn a quart of milk. or if the use of wine is objectionable, the rennet may be preserved by hanging it in a cool dry place. and then every time you wish to use it, cut off a piece, wash it, and soak it in warm water; the water it is soaked in will turn the milk. to cure hams. . the following is the newbold receipt for curing hams. seven pounds of coarse salt, five pounds of brown sugar, half an ounce of pearl-ash, two ounces of saltpetre, four gallons of water. boil the above ingredients together, and skim the pickle when cold. pour it over your hams, and let them remain in it eight weeks. the above proportions are for one hundred pounds of meat. to prepare apples for pies. . pare and core your apples, cut them in slices, and throw them into cold water. then take them out of the water, put them into a stew-pan; if the apples are tender, the water which adheres to them will be sufficient to cook them; if not, a little more may be added. cover the stew-pan, and place them near the fire. let them stew till they are soft and burst; then mash them, and add half an ounce of butter to each pint of the stewed apple. when they get nearly cold, add sugar, rose-water, and nutmeg to the taste. to cure dried beef. . for one hundred pounds of beef: seven pounds of coarse salt, five pounds of brown sugar, half an ounce of pearl-ash, two ounces of saltpetre, four gallons of water. boil the sugar, salt, pearl-ash, saltpetre and water together, skim it and pour it over the meat when it is cold. at the end of three weeks take out your beef. this is the celebrated newbold receipt. to cure beef and hams. . half a bushel of fine salt, half a pound of saltpetre, half a gallon of molasses. mix the salt, saltpetre, and molasses together well with your hands, until the mixture resembles brown sugar. rub the meat well with this mixture, then place it in your tubs, with the fleshy side up; it should have a coating of the salt, &c., at least half an inch thick. at the end of ten days, or two weeks at farthest, take out your beef, and hang it in a dry place. hams should remain in the salt from five to six weeks. never smoke beef. hams would be better if not smoked. to cure shad. . clean the shad nicely, place them in layers with back down, and laid open so as the inside of the fish may be up. sprinkle each fish plentifully with ground salt, and let them stand twenty-four hours. this draws out all the blood. wipe them all dry with clean napkins. place them in layers in a clean tub, with the backs down as before. for one hundred shad take half a pound of saltpetre, and two pounds of brown sugar. strew plenty of rock salt over them with the saltpetre and sugar, there is no danger of putting on too much salt as they will only absorb a certain quantity. to roast coffee. . pick the black or imperfect grains from the coffee. put it in a pan, and stir it all the time it is roasting; when done it should be the color of the hull of a ripe chestnut. it should be brown all through, but not black. about ten minutes before it is done add to two pounds of coffee half an ounce of butter. whilst hot put it in a box and cover it closely. coffee. . beat an egg; and to one tea cupful of ground coffee add one-third of the beaten egg, and as much cold water as will just moisten the coffee; do not put in much cold water, stir all well together, put the mixture in your coffee pot, and pour over it six tea cupsful of _boiling_ water. let it boil hard for ten or fifteen minutes. when it begins to boil stir it frequently, and never leave it until the grounds sink, which they will do in a few minutes after it has been on the fire. be careful and do not let your coffee boil over, as by that means you lose a great deal of the grounds and consequently the coffee will be weakened. rinse your pot, if it be silver or britania metal, with _boiling water_, pour the coffee into it, and serve it hot. coffee and tea lose much of their flavor if served cold. chocolate. . shave down three ounces of chocolate, over this pour enough hot water to dissolve it; mix it to a smooth paste, put it in a pipkin, and add one quart of boiling water. place it on the fire, stir it occasionally, and let it boil fifteen minutes, then add one tea cupful of rich milk or cream. let it boil a minute or two longer, pour it off, and send it to the table. chocolate retains its heat longer than either tea or coffee. never boil chocolate in your coffee pot as it would be likely to impart to the coffee an unpleasant flavor. tea. . scald your tea pot with boiling water, and allow a tea spoonful of tea for each person and one over. pour enough boiling water on the tea leaves to rather more than wet them. let it stand fifteen minutes; pour on as much boiling water as will serve one cup to each one of the company. as soon as the first cups are poured out, add half a tea spoonful for each person, and pour on some boiling water. the most convenient article for hot water is an urn with an iron heater inside which keeps it boiling on the table. but water may be kept sufficiently hot in an ordinary tea pot. some who are particular about their tea, stop the spout of the tea pot with a cork, while the tea is drawing, to retain the aroma. tea and coffee pots should always be set away with the lids off. to make yeast. . boil a tea cupful of hops in one quart of water till reduced to one half. strain it through a sieve, and add one wine glassful of salt. return the hot water into the vessel it was boiled in. mix some flour with cold water, and stir in so as to make it about the consistency of thick molasses. let it boil a few minutes, then take it off the fire, and set it away to cool; when lukewarm, add some yeast, and when it rises put it into a stone jar; which should not be filled, cover it, and the following day it will be fit for use. as the yeast is so well salted there is no necessity to put salt in the bread. you should always have a vessel on purpose to boil hops. potato yeast. . boil some potatoes, mash them, and to six potatoes add one gill of flour. stir in as much water as will make the whole into a thick batter; add some yeast and a wine glassful of salt. when it is light, put it in your jar and cover it. bread. . set a sponge at night of a pound of flour, a little salt, if your yeast should not be salt enough, a gill of yeast, and water enough to make a thick batter. in the morning stir in as much flour as will form a dough, knead it well, and if the weather is cold set it in a warm place to rise. when it is light grease your pans, mould out the dough in loaves, put them in the pans, and as soon as they rise again bake them. if the weather is cold, set your sponge with lukewarm water, place it near the fire to rise. but in summer it should be set with cold water, and not be placed near the fire. it is better in warm weather to put the dough in your pans as soon as the flour is added to the sponge and the dough well kneaded, as if permitted to stand it might turn sour. bread is much nicer baked in small loaves. potato bread. . boil some potatoes, mash them fine, and add as much warm water as will make a mixture about as thick as cream. pass it through a sieve in order to extract all the lumps. when cool add a little salt, some yeast, and as much flour as will make a very thick batter. the next morning stir in enough flour to make a dough. knead it well, let it rise, when light grease your pans, mould it out gently into loaves, put them in the pans, let them stand till they rise again, then bake them. this bread may be made with milk instead of water, but it is best when eaten fresh, as it soon becomes dry. mush bread. . make some thin indian mush, (see no. ,) when cool add a little salt and flour enough to make a thick batter, stir in some yeast. let it stand all night to rise, in the morning add flour enough to form a dough. knead it well, set it to rise; when light mould it out in loaves, grease your pans, and when it gets light again bake it. rye bread. . this is made in the same manner as wheat, (no. ,) only it must have more rye flour to make a stiffer dough, and requires more kneading. it takes rather longer to bake than wheat bread. dyspeptic bread. . this bread is made of unbolted flour instead of that in general use. it is made in the same manner as bread, (no. ,) knead it very well and be careful to have it thoroughly baked. toast made of this bread is very good. fried bread. . slice some bread, stale is better than fresh; pour over it enough rich milk or cream, if you have it, to moisten it. beat an egg, dip each slice of the bread in the egg, and fry them brown on both sides. season the bread with pepper and salt to your taste. common mustard. . one table spoonful of ground mustard, one tea spoonful of sugar, one salt spoonful of salt. mix the salt, sugar, and mustard together, and then pour on some boiling water gradually, stir it with a horn spoon or knife till it is quite smooth. some like it quite thick, others prefer it so thin as to run on the plate. icing for cakes. . beat the whites of two eggs till they are very dry, then add gradually ten ounces of pulverized white sugar. dredge flour over the top of the cake and wipe it off, to make the icing adhere. put it over with a broad bladed knife; it should be put on quite thick. when this coating is dry, dilute the remainder of the icing on your dish with a little rose-water, and put another coating over the top, which will have a glossy appearance. to dry herbs. . they should be picked just before the plant blossoms, wash them to free them from the dust, place them on a sieve to drain. then put them in the oven after the bread has been drawn out, and let them remain in it till they are perfectly dry. rub them from the stalks, put them in glass jars and cover them closely. raspberry vinegar. . take ripe raspberries, put them in a pan, and mash them with a large wooden spoon or masher. strain the juice through a jelly bag, and to each pint of juice add one pound of loaf sugar and one quart of vinegar. when the sugar has dissolved place the whole over the fire in a preserving kettle, and let it boil a minute or two and skim it. when cold bottle it, cork it well, and it will be fit for use. celery vinegar. . put half a pint of celery seed into a quart of vinegar; bottle it, and in a month it will be fit for use. it must be strained before it is put in the castor bottle. pepper vinegar. . put the coral peppers in a bottle, and pour over vinegar enough to cover them. molasses candy. . one quart of west india molasses, half a pound of brown sugar, the juice of one lemon. put the molasses in a kettle with the sugar, boil it over a slow, steady fire till it is done, which you can easily tell by dropping a little in cold water, if done it will be crisp, if not, it will be stringy. a good way to judge if it is boiled enough is to let it boil till it stops bubbling. stir it very frequently, and just before it is taken off the fire add the lemon-juice. butter a shallow tin pan, and pour it in to get cold. molasses candy may be flavored with any thing you choose. some flavor with lemon, and add roasted ground-nuts, or almonds blanched. gooseberry pie. . pick off the stems and blossoms of your gooseberries, wash them, and pour enough boiling water over to cover them. let them stand a few minutes and then drain them. line your pie-plates with paste, fill them with the fruit, and add three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pint of fruit. dredge a little flour over the top and cover with a lid of paste, leave an opening in the centre to permit the steam to escape, and bake them. ripe currant pie. . stem your currants and wash them. line your pie-plates with paste, fill them with the fruit, and add sugar in the proportion of a half a pound to one pint of currants. dredge some flour over the top, put on the lid of the pie, leave an opening in the centre and bake it. green currant pie. . the fruit should have attained its full size before it is picked. stem the currants and wash them; then pour enough boiling water over them to cover them, and let them stand while you prepare the paste. line the bottom of your pie-plates with paste, drain your fruit through the colander and fill your plates, adding half a pound of sugar to a pint of currants, or in that proportion. dredge a little flour over the fruit, and put on the top crust; leave an opening in the centre to permit the steam to escape. the pie requires no water, as a sufficient quantity will adhere to the fruit. apple butter. . boil one barrel of cider till reduced to one half the original quantity. pare, core, and slice enough apples to measure two bushels and a half when cut up. put them in with the cider, let them boil, and stir it all the time it is boiling. the apples must be reduced to a pulp, which will take from nine to twelve hours. it should be boiled till perfectly smooth and thick. great care should be taken not to let it scorch, as it would be entirely spoiled. new cider is the kind used for making apple butter. jelly cake, no. . . ten eggs, one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of sifted flour, the grated rind of two, and juice of one lemon. beat the yelks of the eggs very light and add the sugar. stir the yelks and sugar very hard until they are smooth and light. add to this the grated rind and lemon-juice, and beat it, for a few minutes longer. whisk the whites to a dry froth, and stir them in very gently. do not beat it after the whites are in. butter some shallow tin-plates and put in three table spoonsful of the mixture. bake them in a quick oven. or you may heat a griddle or bake-iron, grease it well with butter; grease a tin cake-ring, place the ring on the griddle, pour in three table spoonsful of the mixture, put the griddle in a hot oven, and bake it without turning it. when done take it off, grease the griddle and ring again, and proceed as before. when the cakes are cool place one on a plate, cover the top of it with any kind of _thick_ jelly, put another cake on the top of this, cover it with a layer of jelly, and so on. place the cakes evenly over each other. it is customary to ice the top one, though it looks very nice with white sugar sifted over. these are better to be eaten fresh. jelly cake, no. . . one pound of flour, one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, ten eggs, one gill of rose-water, one tea spoonful of grated nutmeg, half a tea spoonful of ground cinnamon. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs very light and add to it; stir in the spices and rose-water, then the flour. beat the mixture very hard for ten minutes. heat your griddle or bake-iron, grease it well with butter, grease a cake-ring and place on the griddle. pour into the ring three table spoonsful of the mixture, place the griddle in a hot oven and bake it quickly. these cakes are never turned; the oven should be hot enough to bake the top. when one is done take it out, place it on a clean napkin to cool, and grease the griddle and ring and proceed as before. when they are all cold spread the top of each one with thick jelly, and place them neatly one over the other. the top cake should have no jelly on it. it may be iced, or have white sugar sifted over it. honey cake, no. . . three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, six eggs, two pounds of flour, one table spoonful of ground cinnamon, half a gill of cream, one quart of honey, one table spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus. beat the butter and sugar to a cream; beat the eggs and stir in with the flour, cinnamon, cream and honey. beat the whole for ten minutes, then stir in the salæratus. line your pan with several thicknesses of paper, well buttered; pour in the mixture and bake it in a slow oven. honey cake, no. . . half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, one pint of honey, one table spoonful of cinnamon, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, as much flour as will form a dough. stir the butter and sugar together, add the nutmeg, cinnamon, honey, and enough flour to form a dough. knead it well, roll it out in sheets, cut it in cakes with a cake-cutter or the rim of a tumbler, place them on tins and bake them in a moderately hot oven. before you set them in the oven wash them over with a little honey and water, mixed in equal quantities. citron cake. . one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, one pound of citron, ten eggs, half a gill of brandy, one tea spoonful of grated nutmeg, one tea spoonful of cinnamon. grate the nutmeg, slice the citron in very thin narrow strips about half an inch long, and flour it. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs very light, and stir them in with the flour, brandy, and spices. beat the whole for several minutes; then stir in the citron. line your pans with several thicknesses of paper, well buttered, pour in the mixture and bake them in a slow oven. when cold ice them. vanilla kisses. . half a pound of pulverized white sugar, the whites of six eggs, one vanilla bean. pound the bean in a mortar until it is completely pulverized. whisk the eggs to a stiff froth, add the sugar very gradually, then stir in the vanilla. drop the mixture on white paper so as not to touch each other. you may make them any size you choose. about a dessert spoonful makes a pretty sized cake. take care to have them sufficiently far apart. place them on tins with several thicknesses of stout paper under them, set them in a hot oven, and as soon as they have a tinge of brown take them out, with a broad bladed knife slip them off the paper, and place the under sides of two together. vanilla cake. . half a pound of pulverized white sugar, the whites of four eggs, one small vanilla bean, or half of a large one. pound the vanilla bean in a mortar until it is completely pulverized. beat the eggs to a dry froth, add the sugar very gradually; when all the sugar is in stir in the vanilla. drop a tea spoonful of the mixture on thick white paper to form each cake, they must not be near enough to touch each other. place them in a cool oven, and as soon as they are sufficiently dry take them out, as soon as they are cold slip the blade of a case-knife under each one to loosen it from the paper. the oven should not be hot enough to brown them. ginger pound cake. . three-quarters of a pound of butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, six eggs, one pound and a half of flour, one pint of molasses, the grated rind of two large oranges, three table spoonsful of ginger, two table spoonsful of cinnamon, one table spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, or one large tea spoonful of dissolved carbonate of ammonia. beat the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the eggs very light and add to it, then stir in all the other ingredients except the salæratus or ammonia. beat the mixture very hard for several minutes, then stir in the salæratus or ammonia. butter an earthen cake mould or thick iron pan, pour in the mixture and bake it in a moderate oven. if you bake it in an iron pan line the pan with several thicknesses of stout paper well buttered. currant biscuits. . one pound of sugar, one pound of butter, one pound and a half of flour, four eggs, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, one pound of currants. beat the butter and sugar together; whisk the eggs, and add to it with the other ingredients. roll the dough out in sheets, cut it into cakes, place them on tins, sift white sugar over the top, and bake them in a moderate oven. the currants must first be picked, washed and dried, before they are put in the cakes. plain crullers. . three-quarters of a pound of pulverized white sugar, eight eggs, as much flour as will make a soft dough, one dessert spoonful of _dissolved_ salæratus, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, the grated rind of one lemon, or six drops of essence of lemon. whisk the eggs very light, stir in the sugar, and about half the flour, spices and lemon; then add the salæratus, and as much more flour as will make a soft dough. do not knead it, but roll it with your hands in round strips, cut them about three inches long, double and twist them. throw them into boiling lard to cook them. they require to be turned over whilst they are boiling in the lard, in order to have them brown on both sides. these cakes are very much liked and are very easily made. sift sugar over before they are sent to the table. to make butter. . strain your milk and stand it in a spring-house or cellar, which should be about degrees of fahrenheit. the spring-house should be well ventilated. let the milk stand about three days, then skim off the cream with a skimmer made for the purpose, and take care to get as little of the sour milk with it as possible. then churn it; and after churning, wash your butter thoroughly in clear fresh water, which should be as cold as you can get it. then salt it and work it well, to get out all the remaining buttermilk. it should be dry and solid when you have finished working it this time. after your butter has been salted and worked thoroughly, let it stand about five or six hours, or until every particle of salt is entirely dissolved; then work it again in order to mix the salt more completely through the whole mass, but do not touch it with your hands as it will make it greasy, and spoil both its appearance and taste. make it into pounds or small prints, and it will be ready for use. when more than one churning is done at a time, each churning should be worked separately, or it will be apt to be streaked; as, if the temperature of the cream is higher in one churning than in the other, the butter will not mix without appearing clouded. the above receipt was obtained from one of the best butter-makers in montgomery county, pennsylvania, and may be confidently relied on for its accuracy. queen cake. . one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, fourteen ounces of flour, ten eggs, one tea spoonful of cinnamon, one tea spoonful of nutmeg, one large table spoonful of brandy, one table spoonful of rose water. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, whisk the eggs well, and stir the whole together, add gradually the liquor, spices and flour. beat the mixture for several minutes, butter some small round tin pans, fill them about three parts full and bake them. queen cakes are very nice with a few dried currants in them. to the above quantity one pound and a half of dried currants would be sufficient. the end. index. a. almond cake, . pudding, . water, . apple cream, . apees, . apples, to prepare for pies, . baked, . dried, for pies, . apple dumplings, . floating island, . fritters, . pudding, no. , . no. , . pudding, plain, no. , . sauce, . water, . arrow-root, . pudding, for invalids, . asparagus, . b. baked apples, . beef and yorkshire pudding, . beets, . fillet of veal, . pears, . pudding, for invalids, . rabbit-pie, . shad, . tomatoes, . barley water, . beans, boiled dried, . lima, . pickled, . stringed, . windsor, or horse, . beef, a-la-mode, . and hams, to cure, . boiled corned, . corned, . essence of, . beef's kidney, stewed, . fried, . beef steaks, . fried, . stewed with onions, . soup, . tea, . to cure dried, . beets, baked, . pickled, . best way of cooking venison, . biscuits, currant, . dover, . biscuit, hard, . light sugar, . maryland, . milk, . soda, . sugar, . travelers', . yorkshire, . blackberry cordial, . jam, . mush, . blancmange, . clear, . boiled chickens, . cod, . corned beef, . crabs, . custard, . dried beans, . green corn, . ham, . leg of lamb, . lobster, . onions, . potatoes, no. , . no. , . pudding, no. , . no. , . rice pudding, . rock, . shad, . sour-krout, . sweet-breads, . tongue, . turkey, . boston ginger-bread, . brandy cherries, . grapes, . peaches, . raspberry, . bread, , dyspeptic, . fried, . mush, . omelette, . potato, . rye, . brentford rolls, . bristol loaf-cake, . broiled chickens, . shad, . squab, . tomatoes, . browned egg-plant, . flour, . brown fricassee, . buckwheat cakes. . buns, . guernsey, . spanish, . butter, to make, . mixture for salting, . butter-milk cakes, . c. cakes, . almond, . bristol loaf, . buckwheat, . butter-milk, . cocoa-nut, . pound, . cod-fish, . common pound, . composition, , cream-of-tartar, . crumpets, or flannel, . cake, currant, . devonshire, . election, . federal, . french, . fruit, or plum, no. , . no. , . german, . ginger cup, . fruit, . pound, . icing for, . indian light, . loaf, . meal breakfast, . pound, . johnny, or journey, . kisses, or cream, . lady, . loaf, mush, . new york plum, . parsnip, . plain cup, . potato, . pound, no. , . no. , . queen, . rice cup, . rock, . rye batter, . scotch, . seed, . short, . shrewsbury, . sponge, no. , . no. , . no. , . sugar, . tea, . vanilla, . washington, no. , . no. , . white cup, . calves' feet, spiced, . fried, . liver, fried, . calf's-foot jelly, . caper sauce, . carrots, . carrageen, or irish moss, cat-fish, . catsup, tomato, no. , . no. , . mushroom, . walnut, . cauliflower, . celery, dressed as slaw, . stewed with lamb, . vinegar, . charlotte, cherry, . peach, . de russe, . savoy, . cheese, cottage, . cheese-cake, cottage, . curd, . lemon, . orange, . chocolate, . chow chow, . cherry bounce, . charlotte, . jam, . pie, . cherries, brandy, . dried, for pies, . pickled, . chickens, boiled, . broiled, . broth, . fried, . pie, . pot-pie, . roast, . salad, no. , . no. , . soup, . stewed, . tea, . white fricasseed, . chitterlings, or calves' tripe, . citron melon, preserved, . clams, fried, . stewed, . fritters, . soup, . clear blanc mange, . cocoa, . cocoa-nut cake, . jumbles, . pound-cake, . pudding, no. , . no. , . cod, boiled, . fish cakes, . coffee, . to roast, . cold custard, . slaw, . college pudding, . common ginger-bread, . mustard, . paste, . pound-cake, . composition cake, . cordial, blackberry, . corned beef, . corn, boiled green, . fritters, . oysters, . salad, . soup, . cottage cheese, . cheese-cake, . crabs, boiled, . soft, . cranberry jelly, no. , . no. , . sauce, . tarts, . cream, apple, . sauce, . of tartar cakes, . crumpets, or flannel cakes, . scotch, . crullers, . plain, . cucumbers, fried, . pickled, . cup-cake, plain, . rice, . curd, cheese-cake, . currant biscuits, . cake, . glazed, . jelly, , shrub, . custard, boiled, . cold, . snow, . vanilla cup, . cutlets, veal, . cymlins, . d. dandelion, . devonshire cake, . dough-nuts, . dover biscuits, . drawn butter, . dried apples, for pies, . beans, boiled, . beef, to cure, . cherries, for pies, . peaches, for pies, . peach sauce, . pumpkin, for pies, . duck, roasted, no. , . no. , . dumplings, apple, . peach, . quince, . rice, . dutch loaf, . salad, . dyspeptic bread, . e. eggs, to preserve during winter, . egg and milk, . wine, . nog, . pickled, . plant, no. , . no. , . no. , . no. , . no. , . plant, browned, . poached, . sauce, . election cake, . essence of beef, . eve's pudding, . f. farmers' apple pudding, . federal cake, . figs, preserved fresh, fillet of veal a-la-mode, . fish, . flax-seed tea, . floating island, . apple, . florendines, indian, . rice, . fox-grape jelly, . french bread-pudding, . cake, . custard pudding, . pudding, . rolls, . slaw, . stew, no. , . no. , . stewed rabbit, . stew of veal, . tomato sauce, . fricassee brown, . chicken white, . rabbit, . fried beef's kidney, . beef steak, . bread, . calves' liver, . feet, . chickens, . clams, . cucumbers, . mush, . oysters, . potatoes, no. , . no. . . no. , . no. , . reed birds, . rock, . shad, . sweet-breads, . potatoes, . tomatoes, . veal with tomatoes, . fritters, apple, . clam, . corn, . indian, . orange, . oyster, . spanish, . fruit or plum-cake. no. , . no. , . cake, ginger, . g. gelatine, jelly of, . german cake, . puffs, . giblet pie, . ginger-bread, no. , . no. , . boston, . common, . plain, . cup-cake, . fruit-cake, . nuts, . pound-cake, . syrup, . glazed currants, . ham, . strawberries, . gooseberry pie, . goose, roast, . grape water, . green corn pudding, . soup, . currant pie, . gage jam, . gages, preserved, . peas, . ground rice, no. , . no. , . gruel, indian, . oat-meal, . guernsey buns, . pudding, . gum-arabic water, . h. halibut, . hams, to cure, . ham, boiled, . glazed, . omelette, . hard biscuit, . hartshorne jelly, . haslet sauce, . hasty pudding, or farmers' rice, . herbs, to dry, . herring, potted, . hog's-head cheese, . hominy, . horse beans, . radish sauce, . hot slaw, . i. icing for cakes, . indian baked pudding, . boiled " . florendines, . fritters, . gruel, . light-cake, . loaf-cake, . meal breakfast cakes, . metland, . muffins, no. , . no. , . mush, . pone, . pound-cake, . slappers, . j. jam, blackberry, . cherry, . green-gage, . pine-apple, . raspberry, . strawberry, . jelly, calf's foot, . currant, . fox-grape, . of gelatine, . hartshorn, . orange, . potato, . port wine, . quince, . rice, . strawberry, . tapioca, . jewish method of preparing beef for salting, . johnny, or journey cake, . jumbles, . jumbles, cocoa-nut, . plain, . spanish, . k. kisses, or cream cake, . l. lady-cake, . lamb, boiled leg of, . soup, . stewed with onions, . leg of pork, corned and boiled, . lemonade, . for an invalid, . lemon cheese-cake, . pudding, no. , . no. , . sauce, . sugared, no. , . no. , . syrup, no. , . no. , . light sugar biscuit, . lima beans, . loaf-cake, . bristol, . indian, . loaf, dutch, . scotch, . lobster, boiled, . salad, . m. macaroni, . . macaroons, . mangoes, pickled, . marmalade, peach, . quince, . maryland biscuits, . meats, . milk biscuits, . punch, . toast, . minced meat, . mint julep, . mint sauce, . miscellaneous, . mixture for salting butter, . molasses candy, . muffins, . indian, no. , . no. , . tottenham, . mulled cider, . water, . wine, . mush bread, . cakes, . fried, . indian, . mushrooms, . catsup, . pickled, no. , . no. , . sauce, . mustard, common, . tomato, . whey, . mutton chops, . with lemon, . dressed like venison, . tea, . n. nasturtiums, pickled, . newcastle pudding, . new york plum-cake, . noodles for soup, . nuns' butter, . nuts, dough, . ginger, . o. oatmeal gruel, . ochras, . omelette, bread, . ham, . oyster, . plain, . tomato, . onion sauce, . pickled, . boiled, . beef slewed with, . orange fritters, . cheese-cake, . jelly, . pudding, . sugared, . orgeat, . oxford pudding, . oysters, corn, . fried, . pickled, . scalloped, . stewed, no. , . no. , . fritters, . omelette, . . pie, . plant, . sauce, . soup, . p. panada, no. , . no. , . pap of grated flour, . unbolted flour, . parsnip cake, . parsley sauce, . parsnips, no. , . no. , . no. , . no. , . stewed, . paste, common, . plain, . puff, . pastry, . peas green, . pea soup, . peach, baked pudding, . charlotte, . dumplings, . sauce, dried, . marmalade, . pie, ripe, . pot-pie, . peaches, dried, for pies, . stewed, ripe, . pickled, . preserved, . pears, baked, . preserved, . peppers, pickled, . pot, . vinegar, . pickles, . pickled beans, . beets, . cherries, . cucumbers, . eggs, . mangoes, . mushrooms, no. , . no. , . nasturtiums, . onions, . oysters, . peaches, . peppers, . tomatoes, . walnuts, . pie, baked rabbit, . cherry, . chicken, . pot, . giblet, . gooseberry, . green currant, . oyster, . peach pot, . pigeon, . plain veal, . plum, . quince, . rabbit pot, . reed-bird, . rhubarb, . ripe currant, . ripe peach, . veal pot, . pig's feet, soused, . pigeon pie, . roasted, . stewed, . pine-apple jam, . preserved, . plain apple pudding, no. , . crullers, . cup-cake, . fried veal, . ginger-bread, . plain jumbles, . omelette, . paste, . veal pie, . plum cake, new york, . pies, . preserved, . pudding, . poached eggs, . pone, indian, . pork, leg of, corned and boiled, . steaks, . stuffed leg of, . porter sangaree, . port wine jelly, . potatoes, boiled, no. , . no. , , bread, . cakes, . fried, no. , . no. , . no. , . no. , . jelly, . kale, . pudding, . roasted, . rolls, . salad, . sausage, . yeast, . potted herring, . shad, no. , . no. , . pound-cake, no. , . no. , . cocoa-nut, . common, . indian, . preserved citron melon, . fresh figs, . green-gages, . peaches, . pears, . pine-apple, . plums, . quinces, . prunes, stewed, . pudding, almond, . apple, no. , . no. , . arrow-root, for invalids, . for the convalescent, . baked for invalids, . beef and yorkshire, . boiled rice, . cocoa-nut, no. , . no. , . college, . eve's, . farmers' apple, . french, . bread, . custard, . green corn, . guernsey, . hasty, or farmers' rice, . indian baked, . boiled, . lemon, no. , . no. , . newcastle, . orange, . oxford, . peach, baked, . plain apple, no. , . potato, . plum, . pumpkin, no. , . no. , . quince, . rice, with fruit, . no. , . no. , . cup, . sago, . for invalids, . sweet potato, . tapioca, . puffs, german, . paste, . pumpkin, dried for pies, . pudding, no. , . no. , . punch, . milk, . q. queen cake, . quince dumplings, . jelly, . marmalade, . pie, . preserved, . pudding, . r. rabbit, french stewed, . fricasseed, . pot-pie, . smothered, . raspberry brandy, . jam, . shrub, . vinegar, . reed-birds, fried, . pie, . roasted, . stewed, no. , . no. , . rennet, to prepare, . whey, . rhubarb pie, . tarts, . rice cups, . cake, . pudding, . dumplings, . florendines, . flummery, . ground, no. , . no. , . jelly, . milk, . pudding, no. , . no. , . boiled, . with fruit, . waffles, . rich wine sauce, . ripe currant pie, . peach pie, . roast beef, . chickens, . duck, no. , . no. , . roast goose, . leg of lamb, . oysters, . pig, . pigeons, . pork, . potatoes, . rabbit, . reed-birds, . turkey, . veal, . rock, boiled . cake, . fried, . rolls, brentford, . french, . potato, . rye batter cakes, . bread, . s. sago pudding, for invalids, . . milk, . salaeratus, to prepare, . sally lunn, no. , . no. , . salsify or oyster-plant, no. , . no. , . no. , . no. , . sandwiches, . sangaree, porter, . wine, . sauces, . caper, . egg, . french tomato, . haslet, . horse-radish, . mint, . mushroom, . onion, . oyster, . parsley, . tomato, . sausage meat, . savoy charlotte, . scalloped oysters, . tomatoes, . scotch cake, , crumpets, . loaf, . scrapple, . seed cake, . shad, baked, . boiled, . broiled, . fried, . potted, no. , . no. , . roasted on a board, . to cure, . shell-fish, . short-cake, . shrewsbury cake, . shrub, currant, . raspberry, . slaw, cold, . french, . hot, . slippery-elm tea, . smothered rabbit, . smothered steak, . snow custard, . soda biscuit, . soft crabs, . soup, beef, . chicken, . clam, . corn, . green corn, . lamb, . noodles for, . oyster, . pea, . veal, . vegetable, . sour krout, . soused pig's feet, . spanish buns, . fritters, . jumbles, . spare rib, . spiced calves' feet, . shad, . veal, . spinach, . as greens, . sponge cake, no. , . no. , . no. , . squashes, or cymlins, . steak, beef, . steaks, venison, . stewed beef's kidney, . cherries, . chickens, . clams, . oysters, no. , . no. , . ripe peaches, . pigeons, . prunes, . reed-birds, no. , . no. , . sweet-breads, . tomatoes, . veal, . strawberries, glazed, . strawberry jam, . jelly, . stringed beans, . stuffed leg of pork, . succotash, . sugar biscuits, . light, . cake, . sugared lemons, no. , . no. , . orange, . sweet-breads, boiled, . for invalids, . fried, . stewed, . dishes, . potatoes, fried, . pudding, . syllabub, . syrup, lemon, no. , . no. , . ginger, . t. tamarind water, . whey, . tapioca jelly, . pudding, . tarts, cranberry, . rhubarb, . tea, . tea, beef, . cake, . chicken, . flax-seed, . mutton, . slippery-elm, . veal, . terrapins, . toast, milk, . water, . . tomatoes, baked, . broiled, . catsup, no. , . no. , . dressed as cucumbers, . fricandeau, . fried, . mustard, . omelette, . pickled, . sauce, . scalloped, . stewed, . tongue, boiled, . to roast a haunch of venison, . tottenham muffins, . travelers' biscuit, . tripe, . turkey, boiled, . roast, . turnips, . v. vanilla cake, . cup-custards, . veal, baked fillet of, . cutlets, . fillet of, a-la-mode, . french stew of, . fried plain, . with tomatoes, . pie, plain, . pot-pie, . soup, spiced, . stewed, . tea, . vegetables, . sauce, . soup, . venison, best way of cooking, . mutton dressed like, . steaks, . vinegar celery, . pepper, . raspberry, . whey, . w. waffles, . rice, . without yeast, . walnut catsup, . pickled, . washington cake, no. , . no. , . water toast, . welsh-rabbit, . whey, mustard, . rennet, . tamarind, . vinegar, . wine, . whips, . white cup-cake, . fricasseed chicken, . windsor, or horse beans, . wine sangaree, . sauce, . rich, . whey, . y. yeast, potato, . to make, . yorkshire sauce, . biscuit, . * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. both "buttermilk" and "butter-milk" were used in this text. both "lukewarm" and "luke-warm" were used in this text. both "oatmeal" and "oat-meal" were used in this text. both "green gage" and "green-gage" were used in this text. both "pine apple" and "pine-apple" were used in this text. article , word "seive" changed to "sieve" (through a sieve to take) article , word "fricaseed" changed to "fricasseed" (fricasseed rabbit) article , removed dittograph "it" (cut it it into) article , word "farenheit" changed to "fahrenheit" ( degrees of fahrenheit) article , word "thorougly" changed to "thoroughly" (and worked thoroughly) this file was produced from images generously made available by the digital & multimedia center, michigan state university libraries. miss parloa's new cook book, a guide to marketing and cooking. by maria parloa, principal of the school of cooking in boston illustrated. preface. when the author wrote the appledore cook book, nine years ago, she had seen so many failures and so much consequent mortification and dissatisfaction as to determine her to give those minute directions which were so often wanting in cook-books, and without which success in preparing dishes was for many a person unattainable. it seemed then unwise to leave much to the cook's judgment; and experience in lecturing and in teaching in her school since that time has satisfied the author that what was given in her first literary work was what was needed. in this book an endeavor has been made to again supply what is desired: to have the directions and descriptions clear, complete and concise. especially has this been the case in the chapter on marketing. much more of interest might have been written, but the hope which led to brevity was that the few pages devoted to remarks on that important household duty, and which contain about all that the average cook or housekeeper cares and needs to know, will be carefully read. it is believed that there is much in them of considerable value to those whose knowledge of meats, fish and vegetables is not extensive; much that would help to an intelligent selection of the best provisions. of the hundreds of recipes in the volume only a few were not prepared especially for it, and nearly all of these were taken by the author from her other books. many in the chapters on preserving and pickling were contributed by mrs. e. c. daniell of dedham, mass., whose understanding of the lines of cookery mentioned is thorough. while each subject has received the attention it seemed to deserve, soups, salads, entrées and dessert have been treated at unusual length, because with a good acquaintance with the first three, one can set a table more healthfully, economically and elegantly than with meats or fish served in the common ways; and the light desserts could well take the place of the pies and heavy puddings of which many people are so fond. many ladies will not undertake the making of a dish that requires hours for cooking, and often for the poor reason only that they do not so read a recipe as to see that the work will not be hard. if they would but forget cake and pastry long enough to learn something of food that is more satisfying! after much consideration it was decided to be right to call particular attention in different parts of the book to certain manufactured articles. lest her motive should be misconstrued, or unfair criticisms be made, the author would state that there is not a word of praise which is not merited, and that every line of commendation appears utterly without the solicitation, suggestion or _knowledge_ of anybody likely to receive pecuniary benefit therefrom. note. the following is a table of measures and weights which will be found useful in connection with the recipes: one quart of flour one pound. two cupfuls of butter one pound. one generous pint of liquid one pound. two cupfuls of granulated sugar one pound. two heaping cupfuls of powdered sugar one pound. one pint of finely-chopped meat, packed solidly one pound. the cup used is the common kitchen cup, holding half a pint. contents. marketing groceries care of food kitchen furnishing soups fish meats poultry and game entrées salads meat and fish sauces force-meat and garnishes vegetables pies and puddings dessert cake preserving pickles and ketchup potting breakfast and tea economical dishes bread drinks how to do various things bills of fare the publishers' compliments to the reader. dear madame: in the preparation of this book the author and publishers have expended much time and money, with the hope that it may lessen your cares, by enabling you to provide your household with appetizing and healthful food, at a reasonable outlay of expense and skill. should they not be disappointed in this hope, and you find yourself made happier by the fond approval of those who enjoy the food which you set before them as a result of your use of this book, we trust you will recommend its purchase by your friends, to the end that they may also be benefited by it, and that both author and publisher may be recompensed for its preparation. miss parloa's new cook book. marketing. upon the amount of practical knowledge of marketing that the housekeeper has, the comfort and expense of the family are in a great measure dependent; therefore, every head of a household should acquire as much of this knowledge as is practicable, and the best way is to go into the market. then such information as is gained by reading becomes of real value. many think the market not a pleasant or proper place for ladies. the idea is erroneous. my experience has been that there are as many gentlemen among marketmen as are to be found engaged in any other business. one should have a regular place at which to trade, as time is saved and disappointment obviated. if not a judge of meat, it is advisable, when purchasing, to tell the dealer so, and rely upon him to do well by you. he will probably give you a nicer piece than you could have chosen. if a housekeeper makes a practice of going to the market herself, she is able to supply her table with a better variety than she is by ordering at the door or by note, for she sees many good and fresh articles that would not have been thought of at home. in a book like this it is possible to treat at length only of such things as meat, fish and vegetables, which always form a large item of expense. beef. beef is one of the most nutritious, and, in the end, the most economical, kinds of meat, for there is not a scrap of it which a good housekeeper will not utilize for food. as to choosing it. good steer or heifer beef has a fine grain, a yellowish-white fat, and is firm. when first cut it will be of a dark red color, which changes to a bright red after a few minutes' exposure to the air. it will also have a juicy appearance; the suet will be dry, crumble easily and be nearly free from fibre. the flesh and fat of the ox and cow will be darker, and will appear dry and rather coarse. the quantity of meat should be large for the size of the bones. quarters of beef should be kept as long as possible before cutting. the time depends upon climate and conveniences, but in the north should be two or three weeks. a side of beef is first divided into two parts called the fore and hind quarters. these are then cut into variously-shaped and sized pieces. different localities have different names for some of these cuts. the diagrams represent the pieces as they are sold in the boston market, and the tables give the new york and philadelphia names for the same pieces. in these latter two cities, when the side of beef is divided into halves, they cut farther back on the hind quarter than they do in boston, taking in all the ribs--thirteen and sometimes fourteen. this gives one more rib roast. they do not have what in boston is called the tip of the sirloin. the hind quarter. in philadelphia they cut meat more as is done in boston than they do in new york. the following diagram shows a hind quarter as it appears in boston. in the other two cities the parts and f are included in the _fore_ quarter. the dotted lines show wherein the new york cutting differs from the boston: [illustration: diagram no. . hind quarter of beef.] explanation of diagram no. . boston. . tip end of sirloin. . second cut of sirloin. . first cut of sirloin. . back of rump. . middle of rump. . face of rump. . aichbone. . best of round steak. . poorer round steak. . best part of vein. . poorer part of vein. . shank of round. . flank. philadelphia. . first cut of ribs. . sirloin roast or steak. . sirloin roast or steak. . hip roast; also rump steak. . middle of rump. . face of rump. . tail of rump. . best of round steak. . poorer round steak. . best part of vein. . poorer part of vein. . leg. . (e) flank. new york. . first cut of ribs. . porter-house steak or sirloin roast . flat-boned sirloin steak or roast. , , . /(a) large sirloin (a) steaks or roasts . aichbone. . (and b and b) rump steak. . (and e) round steak. . best part of vein . poorer part of vein. . (d) leg of beef. . (e) flank. the hind quarter consists of the loin, rump, round, tenderloin or fillet of beef, leg and flank. the loin is usually cut into roasts and steaks; the roasts are called sirloin roasts and the steaks sirloin or porter-house steaks. in the loin is found the tenderloin; and a small piece of it (about two and a half pounds in a large animal) runs back into the rump. in boston this is often sold under the name of the short fillet, but the new york and philadelphia marketmen do not cut it. plate no. shows the fillet. [illustration: plate no. . short fillet.] next the loin comes the rump, from which are cut steaks, roasts and pieces for stewing, braising, a la mode and soups. next the rump comes the round, from which are cut steaks, pieces for a la mode, stewing, braising and soups. the flank is cut from the loin, and used for corning, stewing and as a roll of beef. plate no. represents a loin as cut in boston and philadelphia, and it and no. represent one as cut in new york, if the two parts be imagined joined at the point a. no. also shows the inside of the loin, where the tenderloin lies. the sirloin is cut in all sizes, from eight to twenty pounds, to suit the purchaser. the end next the ribs gives the smallest pieces, which are best for a small family. the tenderloin in this cut is not as large as in the first and second. in cutting sirloin steaks or roasts, dealers vary as to the amount of flank they leave on. there should be little, if any, as that is not a part for roasting or broiling. when it is all cut off the price of the sirloin is of course very much more than when a part is left on, but though the cost is increased eight or ten cents a pound, it is economy to pay this rather than take what you do not want. [illustration: plate no. . rump, showing end which joins round.] [illustration: plate no. . loin. the lower end joins ribs.] porter-house steaks. every part of the sirloin, and a part of the rump, is named porter- house steak in various localities. in new york the second cut of the sirloin is considered the choice one for these steaks. the rump steak, when cut with the tenderloin in it, is also called porter-house steak. the original porter-house steaks came from the small end of the loin. sirloin steaks. sirloin steaks are cut from all parts of the loin, beginning with the small end and finishing with the rump. in new york the rump steaks are also known as sirloin. in some places they do not cut tenderloin with sirloin. one slice of sirloin from a good-sized animal will weigh about two and a half pounds. if the flank, bone and fat were removed, there would remain about a pound of clear, tender, juicy meat there being, therefore, considerable waste to this steak, it will always be expensive as compared with one from a rump or round. but many persons care only for this kind, as it has a flavor peculiar to itself; and they will buy it regardless of economy. plate no. shows a second cut of the sirloin, with the shape of a sirloin or small porter-house steak. the only part that is really eatable as a steak is from the base to the point a, the remainder being flank. [illustration: plate no. . sirloin roast--second cut.] [illustration: plate no. . short rump steak.] [illustration: plate no. . long rump steak.] rump steak. what in boston and philadelphia is called rump steak is in new york named sirloin. there are three methods of cutting a rump steak; two of these give a very fine steak, the third almost the poorest kind. the first two are to cut across the grain of the meat, and thus obtain, when the beeve is a good one, really the best steaks in the animal. plates nos. and represent these steaks. no. is a long rump steak, very fine; and no. a short rump, also excellent. in both of these there is a piece of tenderloin. in new york, no. is sirloin without bone, and no. sirloin. there is yet another slice of rump that is of a superior quality. it is cut from the back of the rump, and there is no tenderloin in it. plate no. shows a rump steak cut with the grain of the meat; that is, cut lengthwise. it comes much cheaper than the others, but is so poor that it should never be bought. it will curl up when broiled, and will be tough and dry. [illustration; plate no. . rump steak with the grain.] [illustration: plate no. . back of the rump.] [illustration: plate no. . aitchbone.] [illustration: plate no. . round of beef.] some marketmen will not cut rump steak by the first two methods, because it spoils the rump for cutting into roasts, and also leaves a great deal of bone and some tough meat on hand. the price per pound for a rump steak cut with the grain is ten cents less than for that cut across, and yet dealers do not find it profitable to sell steak cut the latter way. plate no. shows the back of the rump, which is used for steaks and to roast. the steaks are juicy and tender, but do not contain any tenderloin. round steaks. plate no. shows the round of beef with the aitch bone taken off; a, a, a, a, is the top of the round, b, b, b, b, the under part, where the aitchbone has been cut off, and c, c, c, c, the vein. plate no. is this aitchbone, which is first cut from the round, and then the steaks are taken off. the best steak begins with the third slice. the top and under part of the round are often cut in one slice. the top is tender and the under part tough. when both are together the steak sells for fifteen or sixteen cents per pound; when separate, the top is twenty or more and the under part from ten to twelve. if it is all to be used as a steak, the better way is to buy the top alone; but if you wish to make a stew one day and have a steak another, it is cheaper to buy both parts together. round steak is not, of course, as tender as tenderloin, sirloin or rump, but it has a far richer and higher flavor than any of the others. it should be cut thick, and be cooked rare over a quick fire. steaks are cut from the vein in the round and from the shoulder in the fore quarter. they are of about the same quality as those from the round. tenderloin steak. this is cut from the tenderloin, and costs from twenty-five cents to a dollar per pound. it is very soft and tender, but has hardly any flavor, and is not half as nutritious as one from a round or rump. quality and cost. we will now consider the various kinds of steak, as to their cost and nutritive qualities. the prices given are not those of all sections of the country, but they will be helpful to the purchaser, as showing the ratio which each bears to the other. top of the round, the most nutritious, to cents. rump cut across the grain, next in nutritive qualities, to cents rump cut with the grain, to cents sirloin, to cents porter-house, cents tenderloin, cts. to $ . the tenderloin, rump and round steaks are all clear meat; therefore, there is no waste, and of course one will not buy as many pounds of these pieces to provide for a given number of persons as if one were purchasing a sirloin or porter-house steak, because with the latter- named the weight of bone and of the flank, if this be left on, must always be taken into consideration. after the aitchbone and steaks have been taken from the round there remain nice pieces for stewing and braising; and still lower the meat and bones are good for soups and jellies. the price decreases as you go down to the shank, until for the shank itself you pay only from three to four cents per pound. sirloin. it will be remembered that plate no. represents a loin of beef, showing the end which joined the ribs, also the kidney suet. no. represents the same loin, showing the end which joined the rump. there are about thirty pounds in a sirloin that has been cut from a large beeve. this makes about three roasting pieces for a moderately large family. the piece next the rump has the largest tenderloin and is, therefore, by many considered the choicest. steaks cut from it are now served in the principal hotels as porter-house. the rump. in plate no. was shown that part of the ramp which joins the round. plate no. represents the end which joins the sirloin. [illustration: plate no. . rump.] [illustration: plate no. . loin.] ribs. plate no. represents the first five ribs cut from the back half where it joins the tip of the sirloin, and shows the end that joined. this cut is considered the best of the rib-roasts. for family use it is generally divided into two roasts, the three ribs next the sirloin being the first cut of the ribs and the others the second cut. [illustration: plate no. . first five ribs.] [illustration: plate no. . chuck ribs.] plate no. represents the chuck ribs, the first chuck, or sixth rib, being seen at the end. there are ten ribs in the back half as cut in boston, five prime and five chuck; we must remember that in new york and philadelphia there are thirteen ribs, eight of which are prime. the first two chuck ribs make a very good roast or steak, being one of the most nutritious cuts in the animal, and the next three are good for stewing and braising. many people roast them. the flavor is fine when they are cooked in this manner, but the meat is rather tough. a chuck rib contains part of the shoulder-blade, while the prime ribs do not. in new york and philadelphia the ribs are cut much longer than in boston; hence the price per pound is less there. but the cost to the purchaser is as great as in boston, because he has to pay for a great deal of the rattle-ran or rack. it is always best to have the ribroasts cut short, and even pay a higher price for them, as there will then be no waste. fore quarter. the fore quarter is first cut into two parts, the back half and the rattle-ran, and these are then cut into smaller pieces for the different modes of cooking. diagram no. represents a fore quarter. the back half only is numbered, for the rattle-ran is given in diagram no . [illustration: face of the rump.] [illustration: diagram no. . the fore quarter.] explanation of diagram no. . boston. . first cut of ribs. . second cut of ribs. . third cut of ribs. and . best chuck ribs. and . poorer chuck ribs. . neck piece. new york. . first cut of ribs, with tip of sirloin. . second cut of ribs. . third cut of ribs. and . best chuck ribs. and . poorer chuck ribs. . neck piece. philadelphia. . first cut of ribs, with tip of sirloin. . second cut of ribs. . third cut of ribs. and . best chuck ribs. and . poorer chuck ribs. . neck chuck. the rattle-ran. the whole of lower half of the fore quarter is often called the rattle-ran. diagram no. shows this, and the table following gives the name of the separate cuts: [illustration: diagram no. . the rattle-ran.] explanation of diagram no. . boston. . rattle-ran. . shoulder of mutton. . sticking piece. . shin, thick end of brisket, part of sticking piece. and . brisket piece. . middle cut or rib plate. . navel end of brisket. new york. . plate piece. and . shoulder of mutton. . shin and thick end of brisket. and . brisket piece. and . navel end of brisket. philadelphia. . plate piece. . shoulder of mutton or boler piece. . sticking piece. . shin and thick end of brisket. and . brisket piece. and . navel end of brisket. the rattle-ran or plate piece is generally corned, and is considered one of the best cuts for pressed beef. the shoulder of mutton is used for stews, beef _à la mode_, roasts and steaks, and is also corned. the sticking piece, commonly called the back of the shoulder, but which is really the front, is used for stews, soups, pie meat and for corning. the shin is used for soups, and the brisket and ribs for corning and for stews and soups. one of the best pieces for corning is the navel end of the brisket. the middle cut of the rattle-ran is also corned. mutton. mutton is very nutritious and easily digested. the best quality will have clear, hard, white fat, and a good deal of it; the lean part will be juicy, firm and of a rather dark red color. when there is but little fat, and that is soft and yellow and the meat is coarse and stringy, you may be sure that the quality is poor. mutton is much improved by being hung in a cool place for a week or more. at the north a leg will keep quite well for two or three weeks in winter, if hung in a cold, dry shed or cellar. mutton, like beef, is first split through the back, and then the sides are divided, giving two fore and two hind quarters. diagram no. is of a whole carcass of mutton, and half of it is numbered to show the pieces into which the animal is cut for use. [illustration: diagram no. .] explanation of diagram no. . , , . hind quarter. , , . fore quarter . leg. . loin. . shoulder. . flank. , . breast. hind quarter of mutton. this consists of the leg and loin, and is the choicest cut. it makes a fine roast for a large family, but for a moderate-sized or small one either the leg or loin alone is better. a hind quarter taken from a prime animal will weigh from twenty to thirty pounds. leg of mutton. this joint is nearly always used for roasting and boiling. it has but little bone, as compared with the other parts of the animal, and is, therefore, an economical piece to select, though the price per pound be greater than that of any other cut. it is not common to find a good leg weighing under ten or twelve pounds. a leg is shown in plate no. . [illustration: plate no. .] loin of mutton. in a loin, as cut in boston, there are seven ribs, which make a good roast for a small family. this cut is particularly nice in hot weather. it is not as large as a leg, and the meat is, besides, of a lighter quality and more delicate flavor. the cost when the flank is taken off will be about seven cents more a pound than if the loin be sold with it on; but, unless you wish to use the flank for a soup, stew or haricot, it is the better economy to buy a trimmed piece and pay the higher price. when the two loins are joined they are called a saddle. plate no. shows a saddle and two french chops. [illustration: plate no . saddle of mutton and french chops.] fore quarter of mutton. in this is included the shoulder and breast. when the shoulder-blade is taken out the quarter makes a good roast for a large family. the shoulder is separated from the breast by running a sharp knife between the two, starting at the curved dotted lines near the neck (shown in diagram no. ), and cutting round to the end of the line. the shoulder is nice for roasting or boiling. the breast can be used for a roast, for broths, braising, stewing or cotelettes. rib chops are also cut from the breast, which is, by the way, the cheapest part of the mutton. chops and cutlets. chops are cut from the loin. they are called long when the flank is cut on them and short if without it. when part of the bone of the short chop is scraped clean it is called a french chop. the rolled chops sold by provision dealers are the long chops with the bone removed. one often sees them selling at a low price. they are then the poor parts of the mutton, like the flank, and will be found very expensive no matter how little is asked. prices. the price of mutton varies with the seasons, but a table giving the average price may help the purchaser to an estimate of the comparative cost of each cut: hind quarter, cents. leg, cents. loin, with flank, cents. loin, without flank, cents. fore quarter, cents. trimmed chops, cents. untrimmed chops, cents. when one has a large family it brings all kinds of meat considerably cheaper to buy large pieces untrimmed, as the trimmings can be used for soups, stews, etc.; but for a small family, it is much better to purchase only the part you want for immediate use. although mutton costs less per pound than beef, it is no cheaper in the end, because to be good it must be fat, and mutton fat, unlike beef fat, cannot be employed for cooking purposes, as it gives a strong flavor to any article with which it is used. lamb. lamb is cut and sold like mutton. being much smaller, however, a hind or fore quarter is not too large for a good-sized family. lamb will not keep as long as mutton, for, being juicy, it taints more readily. it is of a delicate flavor until nearly a year old, when it begins to taste like mutton and is not so tender. the bones of a young lamb will be red, and the fat hard and white. this meat is in season from may to september. veal. the calf being so much larger than the sheep, the fore and hind quarters are not cooked together, and for an ordinary family both are not purchased. the animal is, however, cut into the same parts as mutton. the loin, breast and shoulder are used for roasting. chops are cut from the loin and neck, those from the neck being called rib chops or cotelettes. the neck itself is used for stews, pies, fricassees, etc. the leg is used for cutlets, fricandeaux, stews and roasts, and for braising. the fillet of veal is a solid piece cut from the leg-- not like the tenderloin in beef, but used in much the same way. the lower part of the leg is called a knuckle, and is particularly nice for soups and sauces. good veal will have white, firm fat, and the lean part a pinkish tinge. when extremely white it indicates that the calf has been bled before being killed, which is a great cruelty to the animal, besides greatly impoverishing the meat. when veal is too young it will be soft and of a bluish tinge. the calf should not be killed until at least six weeks old. veal is in the market all the year, but the season is really from april to september, when the price is low. the leg costs more than any other joint, because it is almost wholly solid meat. the fillet costs from to cents; cutlets from the leg, cents; chops from loin, cents; loin for roast, cents; breast, to cents. veal is not nutritious nor easily digested. many people cannot eat it in any form, but such a number of nice dishes can be made from it, and when in season the price is so low, that it will always be used for made dishes and soups. pork. pork, although not so much used in the fresh state as beef, mutton, lamb, etc., is extensively employed in the preparation of food. it is cut somewhat like mutton, but into more parts. fresh young pork should be firm; the fat white, the lean a pale reddish color and the skin white and clear. when the fat is yellow and soft the pork is not of the best quality. after pork has been salted, if it is corn-fed, the fat will be of a delicate pinkish shade. when hogs weighing three and four hundred pounds are killed, the fat will not be very firm, particularly if they are not fed on corn. the amount of salt pork purchased at a time depends upon the mode of cooking in each family. if bought in small quantities it should be kept in a small jar or tub, half filled with brine, and a plate, smaller round than the tub, should be placed on top of the meat to press it under the brine. the parts into which the hog is cut are called leg, loin, rib piece, shoulder, neck, flank, brisket, head and feet. the legs and shoulders are usually salted and smoked. the loin of a large hog has about two or three inches of the fat cut with the rind. this is used for salting, and the loin fresh for roasting. when, however, the hog is small, the loin is simply scored and roasted. the ribs are treated the same as the loin, and when the rind and fat are cut off are called spare-ribs. this piece makes a sweet roast. having much more bone and less meat than the loin, it is not really any cheaper, although sold for less. the loin and ribs are both used for chops and steaks. the flank and brisket are corned. the head is sold while fresh for head- cheese, or is divided into two or four parts and corned, and is a favorite dish with many people. the feet are sometimes sold while fresh, but are more frequently first pickled. the fat taken from the inside of the hog and also all the trimmings are cooked slowly until dissolved. this, when strained and cooled, is termed lard. many housekeepers buy the leaf or clear fat and try it out themselves. this is the best way, as one is then sure of a pure article. sausages. these should be made wholly of pork, but there is often a large portion of beef in them. they should be firm, and rather dry on the outside. liver. calves' liver is the best in the market, and always brings the highest price. in some markets they will not cut it. a single liver costs about fifty cents, and when properly cooked, several delicious dishes can be made from it. beef liver is much larger and darker than the calves', has a stronger flavor and is not so tender. it is sold in small or large pieces at a low price. pigs' liver is not nearly as good as the calves' or beeves', and comes very much cheaper. hearts. both the calves' and beeves' hearts are used for roasting and braising. the calves' are rather small, but tenderer than the beeves'. the price of one is usually not more than fifteen cents. the heart is nutritious, but not easily digested. kidneys. the kidneys of beef, veal, mutton, lamb and pork are all used for stews, broils, _sautés_, curries and fricassees. veal are the best. tongues. these are very delicate. beef tongue is the most used. it should be thick and firm, with a good deal of fat on the under side. when fresh, it it used for bouilli, mince pies and to serve cold or in jelly. salted and smoked, it is boiled and served cold. lambs' tongues are sold both fresh and pickled. poultry and game. chickens. all fowl less than a year old come under this head. the lower end of the breast-bone in a chicken is soft, and can be bent easily. the breast should be full, the lean meat white, and the fat a pale straw color. chickens are best in last of the summer and the fell and winter. the largest and juciest come from philadelphia. spring chickens. these are generally used for broiling. they vary in size, weighing from half a pound to two and a half pounds. the small, plump ones, weighing about one and a half or two pounds, are the best. there is little fat on spring chickens. fowl. these may be anywhere from one to five or six years old. when over two years the meat is apt to be tough, dry and stringy. they should be fat, and the breast full and soft. the meat of fowl is richer than that of chickens, and is, therefore, better for boiling and to use for salads and made dishes. the weight of bone is not much greater than in a chicken, while there is a great deal more meat. another point to be remembered is that the price per pound is also generally a few cents less. turkeys. the lower end of the breast-bone should be soft, and bend easily, the breast be plump and short, the meat firm and the fat white. when the bird is very large and fat the flavor is sometimes a little strong. eight or ten pounds is a good size for a small family. geese. it is more difficult to judge of the age and quality of a goose than of any other bird. if the wind pipe is brittle and breaks easily under pressure of the finger and thumb, the bird is young, but if it rolls the bird is old. geese live to a great age--thirty or more years. they are not good when more than three years old. indeed, to be perfect, they should be not more than one year old. they are in season in the fall and winter. green geese. the young geese are very well fed, and when from two to four months old are killed for sale. they bring a high price, and are delicious. they are sometimes in the market in winter, but the season is the summer and fall. ducks. the same tests that are applied to chickens and geese to ascertain age and quality are made with ducks. besides the tame bird, there are at least twenty different kinds that come under the head of game. the canvas-back is the finest in the list; the mallard and red-head come next. the domestic duck is in season nearly all the year, but the wild ones only through the fall and winter. the price varies with the season and supply. a pair of canvas-backs will at one time cost a dollar and a half and at another five dollars. pigeons. there are two kinds of pigeons found in the market, the tame and the wild, which are used for potting, stewing, &c. except when "stall-fed" they are dry and tough, and require great care in preparation. the wild birds are the cheapest. they are shipped from the west, packed in barrels, through the latter part of the winter and the early spring. stall-fed pigeons are the tame ones cooped for a few weeks and well fed. they are then quite fat and tender, and come into market about the first of october. squabs. these are the young of the tame pigeon. their flesh is very delicate, and they are used for roasting and broiling. grouse, or prairie chicken. these birds comes from the west, and are much like the partridge of the eastern states and canada. the flesh is dark, but exceedingly tender. grouse should be plump and heavy. the breast is all that is good to serve when roasted, and being so dry, it should always be larded. the season is from september to january, but it is often continued into april. venison. there should be a good deal of fat on this meat. the lean should be dark red and the fat white. venison is in season all the year, but is most used in cold weather. in summer it should have been killed at least ten days before cooking; in winter three weeks is better. the cuts are the leg, saddle, loin, fore quarter and steaks. the supply regulates the price. partridge. this bird is so like the grouse that the same rules apply to both. what is known as quail at the north is called partridge at the south. quail. these birds are found in the market all through the fall and winter. they are quite small (about the size of a squab), are nearly always tender and juicy, and not very expensive. they come from the west. woodcock. woodcock is in season from july to november. it is a small bird, weighing about half a pound. it has a fine, delicate flavor, and is very high-priced. other game. there are numerous large and small birds which are used for food, but there is not space to treat of them all. in selecting game it must be remembered that the birds will have a gamey smell, which is wholly different from that of tainted meat. fish. to fully describe all the kinds of fish found in our markets would require too much space and is unnecessary, but a list of those of which there is usually a supply is given, that housekeepers may know what it is best to select in a certain season and have some idea of the prices. to select fish. when fresh, the skin and scales will be bright, the eyes full and clear, the fins stiff and the body firm. if there is a bad odor, or, if the fish is soft and darker than is usual for that kind, and has dim, sunken eyes, it is not fit to use. codfish. this is good all the year, but best in the fall and winter. when cooked, it breaks into large white flakes. it is not as nutritious as the darker kinds of fish, but is more easily digested. the price remains about the same through all seasons. haddock. this is a firmer and smaller-flaked fish than the cod, but varies little in flavor from it. the cod has a light stripe running down the sides; the haddock a dark one. cusk. this also belongs to the cod family, and is a firm, white fish. it is best in winter. pollock. this is used mostly for salting. it is much like the cod, only firmer grained and drier. halibut. this fine fish is always good. it varies in weight from two pounds to three hundred. the flesh is a pearly white in a perfectly fresh fish. that cut from one weighing from fifty to seventy-five pounds is the best, the flesh of any larger being coarse and dry. the small fish are called chicken halibut. flounders. these are thin, flat fish, often sold under the name of sole. good at all times of the year. turbot. this is a flat fish, weighing from two to twenty pounds. the flesh is soft, white and delicate. turbot is not common in our market. salmon. salmon is in season from april to july, but is in its prime in june. it is often found in the market as early as january, when it brings a high price. being very rich, a much smaller quantity should be provided for a given number of people than of the lighter kinds of fish. shad. this is in season in the eastern and middle states from march to april, and in the southern states from november to february. the flesh is sweet, but full of small bones. shad is much prized for the roe. blue-fish. this is a rich, dark fish, weighing from two to eight pounds' and in season in june, july and august. it is particularly nice broiled and baked. black-fish, or tautog. good all the year, but best in the spring. it is not a large fish, weighing only from one to five pounds. white-fish, or lake shad. this delicious fish is found in the great lakes, and in the locality where caught it is always in season. at the south and in the east the market is supplied only in winter, when the price is about eighteen cents a pound. the average weight is between two and three pounds. sea-bass. this fish, weighing from half a pound to six or seven, pounds, is very fine, and is in season nearly all the year. it is best in march, april and may. rock-bass. the weight of rock-bass generally ranges from half a pound to thirty or forty pounds, but sometimes reaches eighty or a hundred. the small fish are the best. the very small ones (under one pound) are fried; the larger broiled, baked and boiled. the bass are in season all the year, but best in the fall. sword fish. this is very large, with dark, firm flesh. it is nutritious, but not as delicate as other kinds of fish: it is cut and sold like halibut, and in season in july and august. sturgeon. this fish, like the halibut and sword fish, is large. the flesh is of a light red color and the fat of a pale yellow. there is a rather strong flavor. a fish weighing under a hundred pounds will taste better than a larger one. the season is from april to september. weak-fish. weak-fish is found in the new york and philadelphia markets from may to october. in the eastern states it is not so well known. it is a delicate fish, and grows soft very quickly. it is good boiled or fried. small, or "pan"-fish. the small fish that are usually fried, have the general name of "pan"- fish. there is a great variety, each kind found in the market being nearly always local, as it does not pay to pack and ship them. a greater part have the heads and skin taken off before being sold. smelts. these are good at any time, but best in the winter, when they are both plenty and cheap. mullet. there are several varieties of this fish, which is much prized in some sections of the country. it is a small fish, weighing from a quarter of a pound to two or three pounds. it often has a slightly muddy flavor, owing to living a large part of the time in the mud of the rivers. mackerel. this fish is nutritious and cheap. it is in the market through the spring and summer, and averages in weight between one and two pounds. spanish mackerel. these are larger than the common mackerel, and have rows of yellow spots, instead of the dark lines on the sides. they are in season from june to october, and generally bring a high price. eels. these are sold skinned; are always in season, but best from april to november. lobsters. this shell-fish is in the market all the year, but is best in may and june. if the tail, when straightened, springs back into position, it indicates that the fish is fresh. the time of boiling live lobsters depends upon the size. if boiled too much they will be tough and dry. they are generally boiled by the fishermen. this is certainly the best plan, as these people know from practice, just how long to cook them. besides, as the lobsters must be alive when put into the pot, they are ugly things to handle. the medium-sized are the tenderest and sweetest. a good one will be heavy for its size. in the parts of the country where fresh lobsters cannot be obtained, the canned will be found convenient for making salads, soups, stews, etc. hard-shell crabs. these are in the market all the year. they are sold alive and, also, like the lobster, boiled. near the coast of the southern and middle states they are plenty and cheap, but in the interior and in the eastern states they are quite expensive. they are not used as much as the lobster, because it is a great deal of trouble to take the meat from the shell. soft-shell crabs. as the crab grows, a new, soft shell forms, and the old, hard one is shed. thus comes the soft-shelled crab. in about three days the shell begins to harden again. in maryland there are ponds for raising these crabs, so that now the supply is surer than in former years. crabs are a great luxury, and very expensive. in the eastern states they are found only in warm weather. they must always be cooked while alive. frying and broiling are the modes of preparing. shrimp. these are found on the southern coasts; are much the shape of a lobster, but very small. they are used mostly for sauces to serve with fish. their season is through the spring, summer and fall. there is a larger kind called big shrimp or prawns, sold boiled in the southern markets. these are good for sauces or stews, and, in fact, can be used, in most cases, the same as lobster. but few shrimp are found in the eastern or western markets. the canned goods are, however, convenient and nice for sauces. terrapin. this shell-fish comes from the south, baltimore being the great terrapin market. it belongs to the turtle family. it is always sold alive, and is a very expensive fish, the diamond backs costing from one to two dollars apiece. three varieties are found in the market, the diamond backs, little bulls and red fenders. the first named are considered marketable when they measure six inches across the back. they are then about three years old. the little bulls, or male fish, hardly ever measure more than five inches across the back. they are cheaper than diamond backs, but not so well flavored. the red fenders grow larger than the others, and are much cheaper, but their meat is coarse and of an inferior flavor. terrapin are in the market all the year, but the best time to buy them is from november to february. oysters. no other shell-fish is as highly prized as this. the oyster usually takes the name of the place where it is grown, because the quality and flavor depend very much upon the feeding grounds. the blue-point, a small, round oyster from long island, is considered the finest in the market, and it costs about twice as much as the common oyster. next comes the wareham, thought by many quite equal to the blue-point. it is a salt water oyster, and is, therefore, particularly good for serving raw. the providence river oyster is large and well flavored, yet costs only about half as much as the blue-point. the very large ones, however, sell at the same price. oysters are found all along; the coast from massachusetts to the gulf of mexico. those taken from the cool northern waters are the best. the sooner this shell-fish is used after being opened, the better. in the months of may, june, july and august, the oyster becomes soft and milky. it is not then very healthful or well flavored. the common-sized oysters are good for all purposes of cooking except broiling and frying, when the large are preferable. the very large ones are not served as frequently on the half shell as in former years, the blue-point, or the small wareham, having supplanted them. clams. there are two kinds of this shell-fish, the common thin-shelled clam and the quahaug. the first is the most abundant. it is sold by the peck or bushel in the shell, or by the quart when shelled. clams are in season all the year, but in summer a black substance is found in the body, which must be pressed from it before using. the shell of the quahaug is thick and round. scollops. this shell-fish is used about the same as the clam, but is not so popular, owing to a peculiarly sweet flavor. it is in season from september to march, and is sold shelled, as only the muscular part of the fish is used. vegetables. every good housekeeper will supply her table with a variety of vegetables all the year round. one can hardly think of a vegetable, either fresh or canned, that cannot be had in our markets at any season. the railroads and steamers connect the climes so closely that one hardly knows whether he is eating fruits and vegetables in or out of season. the provider, however, realizes that it takes a long purse to buy fresh produce at the north while the ground is yet frozen. still, there are so many winter vegetables that keep well in the cellar through cold weather that if we did not have the new ones from the south, there would be, nevertheless, a variety from which to choose. it is late in the spring, when the old vegetables begin to shrink and grow rank, that we appreciate what comes from the south. buying vegetables. if one has a good, dry cellar, it is economy to procure in the fall vegetables enough for all winter, but if the cellar is too warm the vegetables will sprout and decay before half the cold months have passed. those to be bought are onions, squashes, turnips, beets, carrots, parsnips, cabbages, potatoes and jerusalem artichokes, all of which, except the first two, should be bedded in sand and in a cool place, yet where they will not freeze. squashes and onions should be kept in a very dry room. the price of all depends upon the supply. when in season. bermuda sends new potatoes into northern markets about the last of march or first of april. florida soon follows, and one southern state after another continues the supply until june, when the northern and eastern districts begin. it is only the rich, however, who can afford new potatoes before july; but the old are good up to that time, if they have been well kept and are properly cooked. cabbage is in season all the year. beets, carrots, turnips and onions are received from the south in april and may, so that we have them young and fresh for at least five months. after this period they are not particularly tender, and require much cooking. squashes come from the south until about may, and we then have the summer squash till the last of august, when the winter squash is first used. this is not as delicate as the summer squash, but is generally liked better. green peas are found in the market in february, though they are very expensive up to the time of the home supply, which is the middle of june, in an ordinary season, in the eastern states. they last until the latter part of august, but begin to grow poor before that time. there is a great variety, some being quite large, others very small. the smaller are the more desirable, being much like french peas. when peas are not really in season it is more satisfactory to use french canned peas, costing forty cents a can. one can is enough for six persons. when buying peas, see that the pods are green, dry and cool. if they have turned light they have been picked either a long time or when old. spinach. spinach is always in season, but is valued most during the winter and spring, as it is one of the few green vegetables that we get then, and is not expensive. it should be green and crisp. asparagus. asparagus, from hot houses and the south, begins to come into the market in march and april. it is then costly, but in may and june is abundant and quite cheap. about the last of june it grows poor, and no matter how low the price, it will be an expensive article to buy as it has then become very "woody." the heads should be full and green; if light and not full, the asparagus will not spend well. dandelions. the cultivated dandelion is found in the market in march, april and a part of may. it is larger, tenderer and less bitter than the wild plant, which begins to get into the market--in april. by the last of may the dandelion is too rank and tough to make a good dish. cauliflower. this vegetable is generally quite expensive. it is found in the market a greater part of the year, being now grown in hot houses in winter. it is in perfection from the first of may to november or december. the leaves should be green and fresh and the heads a creamy white. when the leaves are wilted, or when there are dark spots on the head, the cauliflower is not good. tomatoes. the fresh tomato comes to the market from the south in april and sometimes in march. on account of the high price it is then used only where the canned tomato will not answer. in july, august and september it is cheap. it comes next to the potato in the variety of forms in which it may be served. by most physicians it is considered a very healthful vegetable. the time to buy ripe tomatoes for canning is about the last of august, when they are abundant and cheap. about the middle or last of september green ones should be secured for pickling, etc. as the vines still bear a great many that cannot ripen before the frost comes, these are sold for this purpose. beans. there are two kinds of green beans in the market, the string or snap bean and the shell bean. string beans come from the south about the first of april. they are picked in northern gardens about the first of june, and they last until about the middle of july. they should be green, the beans just beginning to form, and should snap crisply. if wilted or yellow they have been picked too long. shell beans. shell beans come in may, but are not picked at the north before june. they are good until the last of september. there is a great variety of shell beans, but the lima is considered the best when fresh, shell beans are dry and smooth; but if old, they look dull and sticky. celery. celery is found in the market from august to april, but is in its prime and is cheapest from november to the first of march. before the frost comes it is slightly bitter, and after the first of march it grows tough and stringy. unless one has a good cellar in which to bury celery, it is best to purchase as one has need from time to time. celery is a delicious salad. it is also considered one of the best vegetables that a nervous, rheumatic or neuralgic person can take. the heads should be close and white, and the stalks should break off crisply. save the trimmings for soups. lettuce. lettuce is found in the market all the year round, being now raised in hot houses in winter. it then costs two and three times as much as in summer; still, it is not an expensive salad. there are a number of varieties having much the same general appearance. that which comes in round heads, with leaves like a shell, is the most popular in this country, because it can be served so handsome. there is another kind, high in favor in paris and in some localities in this country for its tenderness and delicate flavor, but not liked by marketmen, because it will not bear rough handling. the tune will come, however, when there will be such a demand for this species that all first-class provision dealers will keep it. the french call it romaine, and in this country it is sometimes called roman lettuce. it does not head. the leaves are long and not handsome whole; but one who uses the lettuce never wishes for any other. lettuce should be crisp and green, and be kept until used in a very cold place--in an ice chest if possible. mushrooms. mushrooms are in the market at all seasons. in summer, when they are found in pastures, they are comparatively (fifty or seventy-five cents a pound), but in winter they are high priced. being, however, very light, a pound goes a great way. the french canned mushrooms are safe, convenient and cheap. one can, costing forty cents, is enough for a sauce for at least ten people. there is nothing else among vegetables which gives such a peculiarly delicious flavor to meat sauces. mushrooms are used also as a relish for breakfast and tea, or as an entrée. in gathering from the fields one should exercise great care not to collect poisonous toadstools, which are in appearance much like mushrooms, and are often mistaken for these by people whose knowledge of vegetables has been gained solely by reading. the confusion of the two things has sometimes resulted fatally. there can hardly be danger if purchases are made of reliable provision dealers. green corn. green corn is sent from the south about the last of may or the first of june, and then costs much. it comes from the middle states about the middle of july and from the eastern in august, and it lasts into october in the north eastern states. it should be tender and milky, and have well-filled ears. if too old it will be hard, and the grains straw colored, and no amount of boiling wilt make it tender. corn is boiled simply in clear water, is made into chowders, fritters, puddings, succotash, etc. artichokes. there are two kinds of artichokes, the one best known in this country, the jerusalem artichoke, being a tuber something like the potato. it is used as a salad, is boiled and served as a vegetable, and is also pickled. this artichoke comes into the market about july, and can be preserved in sand for winter use. the globe artichoke. a thick, fleshy-petaled flower grows on a plant that strongly resembles the thistle; this flower is the part that is eaten. it is boiled and served with a white sauce, and is also eaten as a salad. it is much used in france, but we have so many vegetables with so much more to recommend them, that this will probably never be common in this country. cucumbers. cucumbers are in the market all the year round. in winter they are raised in green houses and command a high price. they begin to come from the south about the first of april, and by the last of may the price is reasonable. they last through the summer, but are not very nice after august they are mostly used as a salad and for pickles, but are often cooked. they should be perfectly green and firm for a salad, and when to be pickled, they must be small. if for cooking, it does no harm to have them a little large and slightly turned yellow. radishes. there are two forms of the radish commonly found in the market, the long radish and the small round one. they are in the market in all seasons, and in early spring and summer the price is low. radishes are used mostly as a relish. chicory or endive. the roots and leaves of this plant are both used, but the leaves only are found in the market (the roots are used in coffee), and these come in heads like the lettuce. chicory comes into the market later than lettuce, and is used in all respects like it. sometimes it is cooked. sweet herbs. the housekeeper in large cities has no difficulty in finding all the herbs she may want, but this is not so in small towns and villages. the very fact, however, that one lives in a country place suggests a remedy. why not have a little bed of herbs in your own garden, and before they go to seed, dry what you will need for the winter and spring? thus, in summer you could always have the fresh herbs, and in whiter have your supply of dried. it is essential to have green parsley throughout the winter, and this can be managed very easily by having two or three pots planted with healthy roots in the fall. or, a still better way is to have large holes bored in the sides of a large tub or keg; then fill up to the first row of holes with rich soil; put the roots of the plants through the holes, having the leaves on the outside; fill up again with soil and continue this until the tub is nearly full; then plant the top with roots. keep in a sunny window and you will have not only a useful herb, but a thing of beauty through the winter. for soups, sauces, stews and braising, one wants sweet marjoram, summer savory, thyme, parsley, sage, tarragon and bay-leaf always on hand. you can get bunches of savory, sage, marjoram and thyme for five cents each at the vegetable market. five cents' worth of bay-leaves from the drug shop win complete the list (save tarragon, which is hard to find), and you have for a quarter of a dollar herbs enough to last a large family a year. keep them tied together in a large paper bag or a box, where they will be dry. mint and parsley should be used green. there is but little difficulty in regard to mint, as it is used only in the spring and summer. groceries. the manner in which a housekeeper buys her groceries must depend upon where she lives and how large her family is. in a country place, where the stores are few and not well supplied, it is best to buy in large quantities all articles that will not deteriorate by keeping. if one has a large family a great saving is made by purchasing the greater portion of one's groceries at wholesale. flour. there is now in use flour made by two different processes, by the old, or st. louis, and the new, or haxall. the haxall flour is used mostly for bread and the old-process for pastry, cake, etc. by the new process more starch and less of the outer coats, which contain much of the phosphates, is retained; so that the flour makes a whiter and moister bread. this flour packs closer than that made in the old way, so that a pound of it will not measure as much as a pound of the old kind. in using an old rule, one-eighth of this flour should be left out. for instance, if in a recipe for bread you have four quarts (old- process) of flour given, of the new-process you would take only three and a half quarts. this flour does not make as good cake and pastry as the old-process. it is, therefore, well, to have a barrel of each, if you have space, for the pastry flour is the cheaper, and the longer all kinds of flour are kept in a _dry_ place, the better they are. buying in small quantities is extremely extravagant. when you have become accustomed to one brand, and it works to your satisfaction, do not change for a new one. the _best_ flour is the cheapest. there are a great many brands that are equally good. graham. the best graham is made by grinding good wheat and not sifting it. much that is sold is a poor quality of flour mixed with bran. this will not, of course, make good, sweet bread. the "arlington whole wheat meal" is manufactured from pure wheat, and makes delicious bread. graham, like flour, will keep in a cool, dry place for years. indian meal. in most families there is a large amount of this used, but the quantity purchased at a time depends upon the kind of meal selected. the common kind, which is made by grinding between two mill-stones, retains a great deal of moisture, and, in hot weather, will soon grow musty; but the granulated meal will keep for any length of time. the corn for this meal is first dried; and it takes about two years for this. then the outer husks are removed, and the corn is ground by a process that produces grains like granulated sugar. after once using this meal one will not willingly go back to the old kind. indian meal is made from two kinds of corn, northern and southern. the former gives the yellow meal, and is much richer than the southern, of which white meal is made. rye meal. this meal, like the old-process indian, will grow musty in a short time in hot weather, so that but a small quantity of it should be bought at a time. the meal is much better than the flour for all kinds of bread and muffins. oat meal. there are several kinds of oat meal--scotch, irish, canadian and american. the first two are sold in small packages, the canadian and american in any quantity. it seems as if the canadian and american should be the best because the freshest; but the fact is the others are considered the choicest. many people could not eat oat meal in former years, owing to the husks irritating the lining of the stomach. there is now what is called pearled meal. all the husks are removed, and the oats are then cut. the coarse kind will keep longer than the fine ground, but it is best to purchase often, and have the meal as fresh as possible. cracked wheat. this is the whole wheat just crushed or cut like the coarse oat meal, but unlike the meal. it will keep a long time. it is cooked the same as oat meal. that which is cut makes a handsomer dish than the crushed, but the latter cooks more quickly. hominy. this is made from corn, and it comes in a number of sizes, beginning with samp and ending with a grade nearly as fine as coarse-granulated sugar. the finest grade is really the best, so many nice dishes can be made with it which you cannot make with the coarse. hominy will keep a long time, and it can be bought in five-pound package or by the barrel. sugar. the fine-granulated sugar is the best and cheapest for general family use. it is pure and dry; therefore, there is more in one pound of it than in a damp, brown sugar, besides its sweetening power being considerably greater. the price of sugar at wholesale is not much less than at retail, but time and trouble are saved by purchasing by the barrel. spice. it is well to keep on hand all kinds of spice, both whole and ground. they should not be in large quantities, as a good cook will use them very sparingly, and a good house-keeper will have too much regard for the health of her family and the delicacy of her food to have them used lavishly. for soups and sauces the whole spice is best, as it gives a delicate flavor, and does not color. a small wooden or tin box should be partly filled with whole mace, cloves, allspice and cinnamon, and a smaller paste-board box, full of pepper-corns, should be placed in it. by this plan you will have all your spices together when you season a soup or sauce. english currants. these keep well, and if cleaned, washed and _well_ dried, will improve in flavor by being kept. raisins. in large families, if this fruit is much used, it is well to buy by the box. time does not improve raisins. soda, cream of tartar, baking powder. there should not be so much of these articles used as to require that they be purchased in large quantities. cream of tartar is expensive, soda cheap. if one prefers to use baking powders there will be no need of cream of tartar, but the soda will still be required for gingerbread and brown bread, and to use with sour milk, etc. the advantage of baking powder is that it is prepared by chemists who know just the proportion of soda to use with the acid (which should be cream of tartar), and the result will be invariable if the cook is exact in measuring the other ingredients. when an inexperienced cook uses the soda and cream of tartar there is apt to be a little too much of one or the other. just now, with the failure of the grape crops in france, from which a greater part of the crystals in use come, cream of tarter is extremely high, and substitutes, such as phosphates, are being used. to be always kept on hand. besides the things already mentioned, housekeepers should always have a supply of rice, pearl barley, dried beans, split peas, tapioca, macaroni, vermicilli, tea, coffee, chocolate, corn-starch, molasses, vinegar, mustard, pepper, salt, capers, canned tomato, and any other canned vegetables of which a quantity is used. of the many kind of molasses, porto rico is the best for cooking purposes. it is well to have a few such condiments as curry powder (a small bottle will last for years), halford sauce, essence of anchovies and mushroom ketchup. these give variety to the flavoring, and, if used carefully, will not be an expensive addition, so little is needed for a dish. care of food. a great saving is made by the proper care and use of cooked and uncooked food. the first and great consideration is perfect cleanliness. the ice chest and cellar should be thoroughly cleaned once a week; the jars in which bread is kept must be washed, scalded and dried thoroughly at least twice a week. when cooked food is placed in either the ice chest or cellar it should be perfectly cool; if not, it will absorb an unpleasant flavor from the close atmosphere of either place. meat should not be put directly on the ice, as the water draws out the juices. always place it in a pan, and this may be set on the ice. when you have a refrigerator where the meat can be hung, a pan is not needed. in winter, too, when one has a cold room, it is best to hang meats there. these remarks apply, of course, only to joints and fowl. the habit which many people have of putting steaks, chops, etc., in the wrapping paper on ice, is a very bad one. when purchasing meat always have the trimmings sent home, as they help to make soups and sauces. every scrap of meat and bone left from roasts and broils should be saved for the soup-pot. trimmings from ham, tongue, corned beef, etc., should all be saved for the many relishes they will make. cold fish can be used in salads and warmed up in many palatable ways. in fact, nothing that comes on the table is enjoyed more than the little dishes which an artistic cook will make from the odds and ends left from a former meal. by artistic cook is meant not a professional, but a woman who believes in cleanliness and hot dishes, and that there is something in the appearance as well as in the taste of the food, and who does not believe that a quantity of butter, or of some kind of fat, is essential to the success of nearly every dish cooked. the amount of food spoiled by butter, _good_ butter too, is surprising. one should have a number of plates for cold food, that each kind may be kept by itself. the fat trimmings from beef, pork, veal, chickens and fowl should be tried out while fresh, and then strained. the fowl and chicken fat ought to be kept in a pot by itself for shortening and delicate frying. have a stone pot for it, holding about a quart, and another, holding three or four quarts, for the other kinds. the fat that has been skimmed from soups, boiled beef and fowl, should be cooked rather slowly until the sediment falls to the bottom and there is not the shadow of a bubble. it can then be strained into the jar with the other fat; but if strained while bubbles remain, there is water in it, and it will spoil quickly. the fat from sausages can also be strained into the larger pot. another pot, holding about three quarts, should be kept for the fat in which articles of food have been fried. when you have finished frying, set the kettle in a cool place for about half an hour; then pour the fat into the pot through a fine strainer, being careful to keep back the sediment, which scrape into the soap-grease. in this way you can fry in the same fat a dozen times, while if you are not careful to strain it each time, the crumbs left will burn and blacken all the fat. occasionally, when you have finished frying, cut up two or three uncooked potatoes and put into the boiling fat. set on the back of the stove for ten or fifteen minutes; then set in a cool place for fifteen minutes longer, and strain. the potatoes clarify the fat. many people use ham fat for cooking purposes; and when there is no objection to the flavor, it is nice for frying eggs, potatoes, etc. but it should not be mixed with other kinds. the fat from mutton, lamb, geese, turkey or ducks will give an unpleasant flavor to anything with which it is used, and the best place for it is with the soap-grease. every particle of soup and gravy should be saved, as a small quantity of either adds a great deal to many little dishes. the quicker food of all kinds cools the longer it keeps. this should be particularly remembered with soups and bread. bread and cake must be thoroughly cooled before being put into box or jar. if not, the steam will cause them to mold quickly. crusts and pieces of stale bread should be dried in a slow oven, rolled into fine crumbs on a board, and put away for croquettes, cutlets or anything that is breaded. pieces of stale bread can be used for toast, griddle- cakes and puddings and for dressing for poultry and other kinds of meat. stale cake can be made into puddings; the best tub butter will keep perfectly well without a brine if kept in a cool, sweet room. it is more healthful and satisfactory to buy the choicest tub butter and use it for table and cooking purposes than to provide a fancy article for the table and use an inferior one in the preparation of the food. if, from any cause, butter becomes rancid, to each pint of it add one table-spoonful of salt and one teaspoonful of soda, and mix well; then add one pint of cold water, and set on the fire until it comes to the boiling point now set away to cool, and when cool and hard, take off the butter in a cake. wipe dry and put away for cooking purposes. it will be perfectly sweet. milk, cream and butter all quickly absorb strong odors; therefore, care must be taken to keep them in a cool, sweet room or in an ice chest. cheese should be wrapped in a piece of clean linen and kept in a box. berries must be kept in a cool place, and uncovered. kitchen furnishing. stove, or range? the question often arises, even with old housekeepers, which shall it be--a stove or a range? there are strong points in favor of each. for a small kitchen the range may be commended, because it occupies the least space, and does not heat a room as intensely as a stove, although it will heat water enough for kitchen and bath-room purposes for a large family. that the range is popular is evident from the fact that nearly every modern house is supplied with one; and thus the cost of, and cartage for, stoves is generally saved to tenants in these days. there are these advantage of a stove over a set range: it requires less than half as much fuel and is more easily managed--that is, the fire can be more quickly started, and if it gets too low, more easily replenished and put in working order; and the ovens can be more quickly heated or cooled. but, although you can have a water-back and boiler with most modern stoves or, as they are now called, portable ranges, the supply of hot water will not be large. and you cannot roast before the fire as with a range. so near-perfection have the makers of ranges and stoves come that it would be difficult to speak of possible improvements, especially in stoves. this can be said not of a few, but of a great many manufacturers, each having his special merit. and where the products are so generally good, it is hard to mention one make in preference to another. when purchasing, it is well to remember, that one of simple construction is the most easily managed and does not soon get out of order. no single piece of furniture contributes so much to the comfort of a family as the range or stove, which should, therefore, be the best of its kind. gas and oil stoves. during the hot weather a gas or oil stove is a great comfort. the "sun dial," manufactured by the goodwin gas stove co., philadelphia, is a "perfect gem," roasting, baking, broiling, etc., as well as a coal stove or range. indeed, meats roasted or broiled by it are jucier than when cooked over or before coals. the peculiar advantage of oil and gas stoves is that they can be coveniently used for a short time, say for the preparation of a meal, at a trifling expense. the cost of running a gas stove throughout the day is, however, much greater than that of a coal stove, while an oil stove can be run cheaper than either. there are a great many manufacturers of oil stoves, and as a natural consequence, where there is so much competition, the stoves are nearly all good. one would not think of doing the cooking for a large family with one or, indeed, two of them; but the amount of work that can be accomplished with a single stove is remarkable. they are a great comfort in hot weather, many small families doing their entire cooking with them. refrigerators. the trouble with most refrigerators is that the food kept in them is apt to have a peculiar taste. this is owing in a great measure to the wood used in the construction of the interior and for the shelves. on the inside of the eddy chest-shaped refrigerator there is not a particle of wood, and the food kept in it is always sweet. it is simply a chest, where the ice is placed on the bottom and slate shelves put on top. with this style of refrigerator the waste of ice is much greater than in those built with a separate compartment for ice, but the food is more healthful. utensils. the following is a list of utensils with which a kitchen should be furnished. but the housekeeper will find that there is continually something new to be bought. if there be much fancy cooking, there must be an ice cream freezer, jelly and charlotte russe moulds and many little pans and cutters. the right way is, of course, to get the essential articles first, and then, from time to time, to add those used in fancy cooking: two cast-iron pots, size depending upon range or stove (they come with the stove). one griddle. one porcelain-lined preserving kettle. one fish kettle. three porcelain-lined stew-pans, holding from one to six quarts. one no. deep scotch frying kettle. one waffle iron. three french polished frying-pans, nos. , and . four stamped tin or granite ware stewpans, holding from one pint to four quarts. one double boiler, holding three quarts. one dover egg-beater. one common wire beater. one meat rack. one dish pan. two bread pans, holding six and eight quarts respectively. two milk pans. two russian-iron baking pans--two sizes. four tin shallow baking-pans. four deep pans for loaves. two quart measures. one deep, round pan of granite-ware, with cover, for braising. one deep russian-iron french roll pan. two stamped tin muffin pans. one tea-pot. one coffee-pot. one coffee biggin. one chocolate pot. one colander. one squash strainer. one strainer that will fit on to one of the cast-iron pots. one frying-basket. one melon mould. two brown bread tins. one round pudding mould. two vegetable cutters. one tea canister. one coffee canister. one cake box. one spice box. one dredger for flour. one for powdered sugar. one smaller dredger for salt. one, still smaller, for pepper. one boning knife. one french cook's knife. one large fork. two case-knives and forks. two vegetable knives. four large mixing spoons. two table-spoons. six teaspoons. one larding needle. one trussing needle. one set of steel skewers. one wire dish cloth. one whip churn. one biscuit cutter. one hand basin. one jagging iron. three double broilers--one each for toast, fish and meat. one long-handled dipper. one large grater. one apple corer. one flour scoop. one sugar scoop. one lemon squeezer. chopping tray and knife. small wooden bowl to use in chopping. moulding board of good _hard_ wood. board for cutting-bread on. one for cutting cold meats on. thick board, or block, on which to break bones, open lobsters, etc. a rolling pin. wooden buckets for sugar, graham, indian and rye meal. wooden boxes for rice, tapioca, crackers, barley, soda, cream of tartar, etc. covers for flour barrels. wire flour sieve--not too large. a pail for cleaning purposes. one vegetable masher. stone pot for bread, holding ten quarts. one for butter, holding six quarts. one for pork, holding three quarts. one dust pan and brush. one scrubbing brush. one broom. one blacking brush. four yellow earthen bowls, holding from six quarts down. four white, smooth-bottomed bowls, holding one quart each. one bean pot. one earthen pudding dish. all the tin ware should be made from xx tin. it will then keep its shape, and wear three times as long as if made of thin stuff. scouring with sand soon ruins tin, the coarse sand scratching it and causing it to rust. sapolio, a soap which comes for cleaning tins, wood-work and paint, will be found of great value in the kitchen. granite ware, as now made, is perfectly safe to-use. it will not become discolored by any kind of cooking, and is so perfectly smooth that articles of food will not stick and bum in it as quickly as in the porcelain-lined pans. nearly every utensil used in the kitchen is now made in granite ware. the mixing spoons are, however, not desirable, as the coating of granite peels off when the spoon is bent. have no more heavy cast-iron articles than are really needed, for they are not easily handled, and are, therefore, less likely to be kept as clean, inside and out, as the lighter and smoother ware. [illustration: scotch kettle] the scotch kettle is quite cheap, and will be found of great value for every kind of frying, as it is so deep that enough fat can put into it to immerse the article to be cooked. [illustration: french frying-pan.] the french polished frying-pans are particularly nice, because they can be used for any kind of frying and for cooking sauces and omelets. the small size, no. , is just right for an omelet made with two eggs. [illustration: tin kitchen.] when possible, a tin kitchen should be used, as meat cooked before a bright fire has a flavor much nicer than when baked in an oven. [illustration: bird roaster.] the bird roaster will be found valuable. [illustration: ice cream freezer.] an ice cream freezer is a great luxury in a family, and will soon do away with that unhealthy dish--pie. no matter how small the family, nothing less than a gallon freezer should be bought, because you can make a small quantity of the cream in this size, and when you have friends in, there is no occasion to send to the confectioner's for what can be prepared as well at home. with the freezer should be purchased a mallet and canvas bag for pounding the ice fine, as much time and ice can be saved. [illustration: bain-marie.] [illustration: bain-marie pan.] a bain-marie is a great convenience for keeping the various dishes hot when serving large dinners. it is simply a large tin pan, which is partially filled with boiling water and placed where this will keep at a high temperature, but will not boil. the sauce-pans containing the cooked food are placed in the water until the time for serving. [illustration: carving knife and fork.] the large knives for the kitchen, as well as those belonging in the dining-room, should be kept very sharp. if used about the fire they are soon spoiled. [illustration: french cook's knife.] the french cook's knife is particularly good for carving, cutting bread, etc. it. is rather expensive, but it pays to get one, if only proper care can be taken of it. the butcher's knife should be used for all heavy work. one should never try to break a bone with a knife. that this is often attempted in both kitchen and dining room, the nicked edges of the knives give proof, and show the greater hardness of the bones. [illustration: boning knife.] where much boning is done a small boning knife, costing about seventy- five cents, will be necessary; it should be used only for this purpose. [illustration: french vegetable scoop.] the french vegetable scoop, costs about seventy-five cents, will cut potatoes and other vegetables in balls for frying or boiling. the largest size is the best. [illustration: garnishing knife.] the garnishing knife flutes vegetables, adding much to their appearance when they are used as a garnish. [illustration: long french roll pan.] [illustration: short french roll pan--made of russian iron.] [illustration: muffin pans] the long french roll pan, made from russian iron, is nice for baking long loaves or rolls where a great deal of crust is liked there are muffin pans of tin, russian iron and granite ware. those of iron should be chosen last, on account of their weight. it is a good thing to have pans of a number of different shapes, as a variety for the eye is a matter of importance. the muffin rings of former years have done their duty, and should be allowed to rest, the convenient cups, which comes in sheets, more than filling their place. [illustration: frying basket.] the frying basket should have fine meshes, as delicate articles, like croquettes, need more support than a coarsely-woven basket gives. [illustration: meat rack.] where roasting is done in the oven there must be a rack to keep the meat from coming in contact with the water in the bottom of the pan. [illustration: larding and trussing needles.] one medium-sized larding needle will answer for all kinds of meat that are to be larded. [illustration: potato slicer.] a potato slicer will be found useful for slicing potatoes, for frying, or cabbage, for slaw. it cuts vegetables in very thin pieces. [illustration: steamer for pot. steamer for tea-kettle.] the steamers which fit into the cast-iron pot or the tea-kettle are quite convenient. both kinds will not, of course, be required. [illustration: quart measure] the quart measure for milk is the best for common measuring. being divided into half pints, the one vessel answers for all quantities. a kitchen should be furnished with two measures, one for dry material and the other for liquids. [illustration: bread grater. whip churn.] in the preparation of desserts the whip churn is essential. it is a tin cylinder, perforated on the bottom and sides, in which a dasher of tin, also perforated, can be easily moved tip and down. when this churn is placed in a bowl of cream and the dasher is worked, air is forced through the cream, causing it to froth. [illustration: double boiler.] the double boiler is invaluable in the kitchen. it is a good plan to have two of them where a great deal of cooking is done. the lower part of the boiler is half filled with boiling water, and the inside kettle is placed in this. by this means food is cooked without danger of burning, and more rapidly than if the kettle were placed directly on the stove, exposed to the cold air, because the boiling water in the outside kettle reaches not only the bottom, but also the sides of that in which the food is. [illustration: double broiler, with back.] [illustration: double broiler.] when broiling is done before the fire it is necessary to have a back for the double broiler, for the tin reflects the heat, and the food is cooked much sooner. [illustration: colander.] [illustration: squash strainer.] the colander is used for draining vegetables, straining soups, etc., and with the squash arid gravy strainers, it is all that is required in the way of strainers. [illustration: coffee biggin. coffee pot.] under "drinks" will be found a description of the french coffee biggin. [illustration: brown-bread tin.] there should be two brown-bread tins, each holding three pints. they answer also for steaming puddings. [illustration: melon mould. round pudding mould. ] the melon and round padding moulds are nice for frozen or steamed puddings. [illustration: stew-pan.] the stew-pans that are porcelain-lined are better than the tin-lined, because the tin is liable to melt when frying is done, as, for instance, when meat and vegetables are fried for a stew. granite ware stew-pans are made in the same shapes as the porcelain-lined. [illustration: heavy tin sauce-pan.] the tin sauce-pans are nice for sauces and gravies. the porcelain- lined come in the same shapes. copper is a better conductor of heat than either tin or iron, but when it is not kept perfectly clean, oxide of copper, which is very poisonous, collects on it, and is dissolved by oils and fats. then when fruit, pickles, or any food containing an acid is allowed to cool in the vessels, verdigris is produced; and this is a deadly poison. [illustration: bread or dish pan. shallow milk pan.] [illustration: dripping pan. bread pan.] the stamped tin-ware is made from a better quality of metal than the soldered; therefore, it comes higher, but it is in the end cheaper, and it is always safer. bread, milk and dish pans should be made of stamped tin. the pans for roasting meat should be made of russian iron. [illustration: basting spoon. ladle. dredging box.] the spoons for basting and mixing, and also the ladle, should be strong and well tinned. [illustration: lemon squeezer.] the plain wooden lemon squeezer is the most easily kept clean, and is, therefore, the best. that made of iron, with a porcelain cup, is stronger, but it needs more care. [illustration: dover egg beater.] the dover egg beater is the best in the market. it will do in five minutes the work that in former years required half an hour. there are three sizes. the smallest is too delicate for a large number of eggs. the second size, selling for $ . , is the best for family use. [illustration: apple parer.] an apple parer saves a great deal of time and fruit, and is not very expensive. [illustration: wooden buckets.] [illustration: wooden boxes.] [illustration: cake box.] wooden buckets and boxes come in nests, or, they can be bought separately. a good supply of them goes a great way toward keeping a store-room or closet in order. the japanned ware is best for canisters for tea and coffee and for spice and cake boxes. cake boxes are made square and round. the square boxes have shelves. the most convenient form is the upright. it is higher-priced than the other makes. [illustration: tea caddy.] [illustration: spice box.] the spice box is a large box filled with smaller ones for each kind of ground spice. it is very convenient, and, besides, preserves the strength of the contents. [illustration: oblong jelly mould.] [illustration: pointed jelly mould.] [illustration: rice mould.] there are so many beautiful moulds for fancy dishes that there is no longer any excuse for turning out jellies, blanc-mange, etc., in the form of animals. there are two modes of making moulds. by one the tin is pressed or stamped into shape, and by the other it is cut in pieces and soldered together. moulds made by the first method are quite cheap, but not particularly handsome. those made in the second way come in a great variety of pretty forms, but as all are imported, they are expensive. [illustration: crown moulds.] the crown moulds are especially good for bavarian creams, with which is served whipped cream, heaped in the centre. [illustration: french pie mould.] the french pie mould comes in a number of sizes, and can be opened to remove the pie. deep tin squash-pie plates, answer for custard, cream, washington and squash pies, and for corn cake. [illustration: vegetable cutter.] tin vegetable cutters, for cutting raw vegetables for soups, and the cooked ones for garnishing, are nice to have, as is also a confectioner's ornamenting tube for decorating cake, etc. larger tubes come for lady fingers and éclairs. little pans also come for lady- fingers, but they cost a great deal. the jagging iron will be found useful for pastry and hard gingerbread. [illustration: lady-fingers pan.] [illustration: confectioner's tube. jagging iron.] the little tin, granite ware and silver-plated escaloped shells are pretty and convenient for serving escaloped oysters, lobster, etc. the price for the tin style is two dollars per dozen, for the granite ware, four dollars, and for the silver-plated, from thirty to forty dollars. [illustration: escaloped shell.] soups. remarks on soup stock. there is a number of methods of making soup stocks, and no two will give exactly the same results. one of the simplest and most satisfactory is that of clear stock or bouillon. by this the best flavor of the meat is obtained, for none passes off in steam, as when the meat is boiled rapidly. the second mode is in boiling the stock a great deal, to reduce it. this gives a very rich soup, with a marked difference in the flavor from that made with clear meat kept in water at the boiling point. the third way leaves a mixed stock, which will not be clear unless whites of eggs are used. in following the first methods we buy clear beef specially for the stock, and know from the beginning just how much stock there will be when the work is completed. by the second method we are not sure, because more or less than we estimate may boil away. the third stock, being made from bones and pieces of meat left from roasts, and from the trimmings of raw meats, will always be changeable in color, quantity and quality. this is, however, a very important stock, and it should always be kept on hand. no household, even where only a moderate amount of meat is used, should be without a stock-pot. it can be kept on the back of the range or stove while cooking is going on. two or three times a week it should be put on with the trimmings and bones left from cooked and uncooked meats. this practice will give a supply of stock at all times, which will be of the greatest value in making sauces, side dishes and soups. meat if only slightly tainted will spoil a stock; therefore great care must be taken that every particle is perfectly sweet. vegetables make a stock sour very quickly, so if you wish to keep a stock do not use them. many rules advise putting vegetables into the stock-pot with the meat and water and cooking from the very beginning. when this is done they absorb the fine flavor of the meat and give the soup a rank taste. they should cook not more than an hour--the last hour--in the stock. a white stock is made with veal or poultry. the water in which a leg of mutton or fowl have been boiled makes a good stock for light soups and gravies. a soup stock must be cooled quickly or it will not keep well. in winter any kind of stock ought to keep good a week. that boiled down to a jelly will last the longest. in the warm months three days will be the average time stock will keep. stock for clear soups. five pounds of clear beef, cut from the lower part of the round; five quarts of cold water. let come to a boil, slowly; skim carefully, and set where it will keep just at the boiling point for eight or ten hours. strain, and set away to cool. in the morning skim off all the fat and turn the soup into the kettle, being careful not to let the sediment pass in. into the soup put an onion, one stalk of celery, two leaves of sage, two sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, two of summer savory, two bay leaves, twelve pepper-corns and six whole cloves. boil gently from ten to twenty minutes; salt and pepper to taste. strain through an old napkin. this is now ready for serving as a simple clear soup or for the foundation of all kinds of clear soups. mixed stock. put the trimmings of your fresh meats and the bones and tough pieces left from roasts or broils into the soup pot with one quart of water to every two pounds of meat and bones. when it comes to a boil, skim and set back where it will simmer six hours; then add a bouquet of sweet herbs, one onion, six cloves and twelve pepper-corns to each gallon of stock. cook two hours longer; strain and set in a cool place. in the morning skim off the fat. keep in a very cool place. this can be used for common soups, sauces, and where stock is used in made dishes. it should always be kept on hand, as it really costs nothing but the labor (which is very little), and enters so often into the preparation of simple, yet toothsome, dishes. consommé. eight pounds of a shin of veal, eight pounds of the lower part of the round of beef, half a cupful of butter, twelve quarts of cold water, half a small carrot, two large onions, half a head of celery, thirty pepper-corns, six whole cloves, a small piece each of mace and cinnamon, four sprigs each of parsley, sweet marjoram, summer savory and thyme, four leaves of sage, four bay leaves, about one ounce of ham. put half of the butter in the soup pot and then put in the meat, which has been cut into very small pieces. stir over a hot fire until the meat begins to brown; then add one quart of the water, and cook until there is a thick glaze on the bottom of the kettle (this will be about an hour). add the remainder of the water and let it come to a boil. skim carefully, and set back where it will simmer for six hours. fry the vegetables, which have been cut very small, in the remaining butter for half an hour, being careful not to burn them. when done, turn into the soup pot, and at the same time add the herbs and spice. cook one hour longer; salt to taste and strain. set in a very cold place until morning, when skim off all the fat. turn the soup into the pot, being careful not to turn in the sediment, and set on the fire. beat the whites and shells of two eggs with one cup of cold water. stir into the soup, and when it comes to a boil, set back where it will simmer for twenty minutes. strain through a napkin, and if not ready to use, put away in a cold place. this will keep a week in winter, but not more than three days in summer. it is a particularly nicely-flavored soup, and is the foundation for any clear soup, the soup taking the name of the solid used with it, as _consommé au ris_, consommé with macaroni, etc. bouillon. bouillon, for germans and other parties, is made the same as the clear stock, using a pint of water to the pound of meat, and seasoning with salt and pepper and with the spice, herbs and vegetables or not, as you please. it should be remembered that the amount of seasoning in the recipe referred to is for one gallon of stock. white stock. six pounds of a shin of veal, one fowl, three table-spoonfuls of butter, four stalks of celery, two onions, one blade of mace, one stick of cinnamon, eight quarts of cold water, salt, pepper. wash and cut the veal and fowl into small pieces. put the butter in the bottom of the soup pot and then put in the meat. cover, and cook gently (stirring often) half an hour, then add the water. let it come to a boil, then skim and set back where it will boil gently for six hours. add the vegetables and spice and boil one hour longer. strain and cool quickly. in the morning take off all the fat. then turn the jelly gently into a deep dish, and with a knife scrape off the sediment which is on the bottom. put the jelly into a stone pot and set in a cold place. this will keep a week in cold weather and three days in warm. consommé à la royale. two eggs, two table-spoonfuls of milk, one-fourth of a tea-spoonful of salt. beat eggs with a spoon, and add milk and salt turn into a buttered cup, and place in a pan of warm water. cook in a slow oven until firm in the centre. set away to cool. cut into small and prettily-shaped pieces; put into the tureen, and pour one quart of boiling consomme or clear stock on it. cheese soup. one and a half cupfuls of flour, one pint of rich cream, four table- spoonfuls of butter, four of grated parmesan cheese, a speck of cayenne, two eggs, three quarts of clear soup stock. mix flour, cream, butter, cheese and pepper together. place the basin in another of hot water and stir until the mixture becomes a smooth, firm paste. break into it the two eggs, and mix quickly and thoroughly. cook two minutes longer, and set away to cool. when cold, roll into little balls about the size of an american walnut when the balls are all formed drop them into boiling water and cook gently five minutes; then put them in the soup tureen and pour the boiling stock on them. pass a plate of finely grated parmesan cheese with the soup. thick vegetable soup. one quart of the sediment which is left from the clear stock, one quart of water, one-fourth of a cupful of pearl barley, one good-sized white turnip, one carrot, half a head of celery, two onions, about two pounds of cabbage, three potatoes, salt and pepper. wash the barley and put it on in the quart of water, and simmer gently for two hours. then add all the vegetables (except the potatoes), cut very fine, and the quart of stock. boil gently for one hour and a half, then add the potatoes and the salt and pepper. cook thirty minutes longer. when there is no stock, take two pounds of beef and two quarts of water. cook beef, barley and water two hours, and add the vegetables as before. the meat can be served with the soup or as a separate dish. mulligatawny soup. one chicken or fowl weighing three pounds, three pounds of veal, two large onions, two large slices of carrot, four stalks of celery, three large table-spoonfuls of butter, one table-spoonful of curry powder, four of flour, salt, pepper, five quarts of water. take two table- spoonfuls of the fat from the opening in the chicken and put in the soup pot as soon as melted, put in the vegetables, which have been cut very fine. let all cook together for twenty minutes, stirring frequently, that it may not burn; then add the veal, cut into small pieces. cook fifteen minutes longer; then add the whole chicken and the water. cover, and let it come to a boil. skim, and set back where it will simmer for four hours (in the mean time taking out the chicken when it is tender). now put the butter into a small frying-pan, and when hot, add the dry flour. stir until a rich brown; then take from the fire and add the curry powder. stir this mixture into the soup, and let it cook half an hour longer; then strain through a sieve, rinse out the soup pot and return the strained soup to it. add salt and pepper and the chicken (which has been freed from the bones and skin and cut into small pieces); simmer very gently thirty minutes. skim off any fat that may rise to the top, and serve. this soup is served with plain boiled rice in a separate dish or with small squares of fried or toasted bread. the rice can be served in the soup if you choose. mulligatawny soup, no. . chicken or turkey left from a former dinner, bones and scraps from roast veal, lamb or mutton, four quarts of water, four stalks of celery, four table-spoonfuls of butter, four of flour, one of curry, two onions, two slices of carrot, salt, pepper, half a small cupful of barley. put on the bones of the poultry and meat with the water. have the vegetables cut very fine, and cook gently twenty minutes in the butter; then skim them into the soup pot, being careful to press out all the butter. into the butter remaining in the pan put the flour, and when that is brown, add the curry powder, and stir all into the soup. cook gently four hours; then season with salt and pepper, and strain. return to the pot and add bits of chicken or turkey, as the case may be, and the barley, which has been simmering two hours and a half in clear water to cover. simmer half an hour and serve. green turtle soup. one can of green turtle, such as is put up by the "merriam packing co." separate the green fat from the other contents of the can, cut into dice and set aside. put one quart of water with the remainder of the turtle; add twelve pepper-corns, six whole cloves, two small sprigs each of parsley, summer savory, sweet marjoram and thyme, two bay leaves, two leaves of sage. have the herbs tied together. put one large onion, one slice of carrot, one of turnip, and a stalk of celery, cut fine, into a pan, with two large table-spoonfuls of butter. fry fifteen minutes, being careful not to burn. skim carefully from the butter and put into the soup. now, into the butter in which the vegetables were fried, put two table-spoonfuls of dry flour, and cook until brown. stir into the soup; season with salt and pepper and let simmer very gently one hour. strain, skim off all the fat and serve with thin slices of lemon, egg or force-meat balls, and the green fat. the lemon should have a very thin rind; should be put into the tureen and the soup poured over it cooking the lemon in this or any other soup often gives it a bitter taste. if the soup is wished quite thick, add a table-spoonful of butter to that in which the vegetables were cooked, and use three table-spoonfuls of flour instead of two. many people use wine in this soup, but it is delicious without. in case you do use wine there should not be more than four table-spoonfuls to this quantity. if you desire the soup extremely rich, use a quart of rich soup stock. the green turtles are so very large that it is only in great establishments that they are available, and for this reason a rule for preparing the live turtle is not given. few housekeepers would ever see one. the cans contain not what is commonly called turtle soup, but the meat of the turtle, boiled, and the proper proportions of lean meat, yellow and green fat put together. they cost fifty cents each, and a single can will make soup enough for six persons. black bean soup. a pint of black beans, soaked over night in three quarts of water. in the morning pour off this water, and add three quarts of fresh. boil gently six hours. when done, there should be one quart. add a quart of stock, six whole cloves, six whole allspice, a small piece of mace, a small piece of cinnamon, stalk of celery, a bouquet of sweet herbs, also one good-sized onion and one small slice each of turnip and carrot, all cut fine and fried in three table-spoonfuls of butter. into the butter remaining in the pan put a spoonful of flour, and cook until brown. add to soup, and simmer all together one hour. season with salt and pepper, and rub through a fine sieve. serve with slices of lemon and egg balls, the lemon to be put in the tureen with the soup. scotch broth. two pounds of the scraggy part of a neck of mutton. cut the meat from the bones, and cut off all the fat. then cut meat into small pieces and put into soup pot with one large slice of turnip, two of carrot, one onion and a stalk of celery, all cut fine, half a cup of barley and three pints of cold water. simmer gently two hours. on to the bones put one pint of water; simmer two hours, and strain upon the soup. cook a table-spoonful of flour and one of butter together until perfectly smooth; stir into soup, and add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. season with salt and pepper. meg merrilies' soup. one hare, one grouse, four onions, one small carrot, four slices of turnip, a bouquet of sweet herbs, three table-spoonfuls of rice flour, four table-spoonfuls of butter, half a cupful of stale bread, half a cupful of milk, one egg, six quarts of water. wash the grouse and hare and put to boil in the six quarts of cold water. when this comes to a boil, skim, and set back where it will simmer for one hour. then take out the hare and grouse and cut all the meat from the bones. return the bones to the soup and simmer two hours longer. cut the meat into handsome pieces, roll in flour, and fry in the butter till a rich brown. set aside for the present. slice the onions, and fry in the butter in which the meat was fried; when brown, add to the soup. make force-meat balls of the livers of the hare and grouse (which have been boiled one hour in the stock), the egg, bread and milk. boil the bread and milk together until a smooth paste. mash the livers with a strong spoon, then add bread and milk and the egg, unbeaten. season well with pepper and salt and, if you like, with a little lemon juice. shape into small balls and fry in either chicken fat or butter. put these into the soup twenty minutes before dishing. have the turnip and carrot cut into small pieces and cooked one hour in clear water. when the bones and the onions have simmered two hours, strain and return to the soup pot. add the fried meat and vegetables. mix the rice flour with a cupful of cold water; add to the soup, season with salt and pepper, simmer ten minutes. add force-meat balls and simmer twenty minutes longer. okra soup. one cold roast chicken, two quarts of stock (any kind), one of water, quarter of a pound of salt pork, one quart of green okra, an onion, salt, pepper, three table-spoonfuls of flour. cut the okra pods into small pieces. slice the pork and onion. fry the pork, and then add the onion and okra. cover closely, and fry half an hour. cut all the meat from the chicken. put the bones on with the water. add the okra and onion, first being careful to press out all the pork fat possible. into the fat remaining put the flour, and stir until it becomes a rich brown; add this to the other ingredients. cover the pot, and simmer three hours; then rub through a sieve, and add the stock, salt and pepper and the meat of the chicken, cut into small pieces. simmer gently twenty minutes. serve with a dish of boiled rice. okra soup, no. . one pint of green okra, one of green peas, one of green com, cut from the cob, half a pint of shell beans, two onions, four stalks of celery, two ripe tomatoes, one slice of carrot, one of turnip, two pounds of veal, quarter of a pound of fat ham or bacon, two table- spoonfuls of flour, four quarts of water, salt, pepper. fry the ham or bacon, being careful not to bum. cut the veal into dice; roll these in the flour and fry brown in the ham fat; then put them in the soup pot. fry the onion, carrot and turnip in the remaining fat. add these to the veal, and then add the okra, cut into small pieces, the shell beans, celery and water. simmer two hours, and then add the tomatoes, corn, peas and salt and pepper. simmer half an hour longer and serve without straining. if dried okra be used for either soup, half the quantity given in the recipes is sufficient okra is often called gumbo. the same kind of a soup is meant under both names. grouse soup. the bones of two roasted grouse and the breast of one, a quart of any kind of stock, or pieces and bones of cold roasts; three quarts of cold water, two slices of turnip, two of carrot, two large onions, two cloves, two stalks of celery, a bouquet of sweet herbs, three table- spoonfuls of butter, three of flour. cook the grouse bones in three quarts of water four hours. the last hour add the vegetables and the cloves; then strain, and return to the lire with the quart of stock. cook the butter and the flour together until a rich brown, and then turn into the stock. cut the breast of the grouse into very small pieces and add to the soup. season with salt and pepper and simmer gently half an hour. if there is any fat on the soup, skim it off. serve with fried bread. when bones and meat are used instead of the stock, use one more quart of water, and cook them with the grouse bones. spring soup. half a pint of green peas, half a pint of cauliflower, one pint of turnip, carrot, celery and string beans (all the four vegetables being included in the pint), half a cupful of tomato, half a pint of asparagus heads, two quarts of soup stock--any kind will do; three table-spoonfuls of butter, three table-spoonfuls of flour, and salt and pepper. cook all the vegetables, except the peas and tomato, in water to cover one hour. cook butter and dry flour together until smooth, but not brown; stir into the stock, which has been heated to the boiling point. now add the tomato and simmer gently fifteen minutes; then strain. add the peas and cooked vegetables to the strained soup, and simmer again for thirty minutes. serve small slices of toasted bread in a separate dish. spring and summer soup without stock. quarter of a pound of salt pork, or three large table-spoonfuls of butter; three large young onions, half a small head of cabbage, three potatoes, half a small carrot, half a small white turnip, three table- spoonfuls of flour, two quarts of water, six large slices of toasted bread, salt, pepper, one small parsnip. cut the pork into thin slices; place these in the soup pot and let them fry out slowly. have the vegetables (except the potatoes), cut quite fine, and when the pork is cooked, put the vegetables into the pot with it. cover tightly, and let cook very gently, on the back of the stove, one hour. stir frequently to prevent burning. add the water, which should be boiling. let simmer gently for one hour, and then add the potatoes, cut into slices, and the flour, which has been mixed with a little cold water. season with salt and pepper, and simmer gently an hour longer. have the toasted bread in the tureen. turn the soup on it and serve. a pint of green peas, cooked in the soup the last half, is a great addition. when the butter is used, let it melt in the soup pot before adding the vegetables. giblet soup. the giblets from two or three fowl or chickens, any kind of stock, or if there are remains of the roast chickens, use these; one large onion, two slices of carrot, one of turnip, two stalks of celery, two quarts of water, one of stock, two large table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, salt, pepper. put the giblets on to boil in the two quarts of water, and boil gently until reduced to one quart (it will take about two hours); then take out the giblets. cut all the hard, tough parts from the gizzards, and put hearts, livers and gizzards together and chop rather coarse. return them to the liquor in which they were boiled, and add the quart of stock. have the vegetables cut fine, and fry them in the butter until they are very tender (about fifteen minutes), but be careful they do not burn; then add the dry flour to them and stir until the flour browns. turn this mixture into the soup, and season with pepper and salt. cook gently half an hour and serve with toasted bread. if the chicken bones are used, put them on to boil in three quarts of water, and boil the giblets with them. when you take out the giblets, strain the stock through a sieve and return to the pot; then proceed as before. potage à la reine, boil a large fowl in three quarts of water until tender (the water should never more than bubble). skim off the fat, and add a teacupful of rice, and, also, a slice of carrot, one of turnip, a small piece of celery and an onion, which have been cooked slowly for fifteen minutes in two large table-spoonfuls of butter. skim this butter carefully from the vegetables, and into the pan in which it is, stir a table- spoonful of flour. cook until smooth, but not brown. add this, as well as a small piece of cinnamon and of mace, and four whole cloves. cook all together slowly for two hours. chop and pound the breast of the fowl very fine. rub the soup through a fine sieve; add the pounded breast and again rub the whole through the sieve. put back on the fire and add one and a half table-spoonfuls of salt, a fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper and a pint of cream, which has come just to a boil. boil up once and serve. this is a delicious soup. tomato soup. one quart can of tomato, two heaping table-spoonfuls of flour, one of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, a pint of hot water. let tomato and water come to a boil rub flour, butter and a table- spoonful of tomato together. stir into boiling mixture, add seasoning, boil all together fifteen minutes, rub through a sieve, and serve with toasted bread. this bread should first be cut in thin slices; should be buttered, cut into little squares, placed in a pan, buttered side up, and browned in a quick oven. mock bisque soup. a quart can of tomato, three pints of milk, a large table-spoonful of flour, butter the size of an egg, pepper and salt to taste, a scant teaspoonful of soda. put the tomato on to stew, and the milk in a double kettle to boil, reserving however, half a cupful to mix with flour. mix the flour smoothly with this cold milk, stir into the boiling milk, and cook ten minutes. to the tomato add the soda; stir well, and rub through a strainer that is fine enough to keep back the seeds. add butter, salt and pepper to the milk, and then the tomato. serve immediately. if half the rule is made, stir the tomato well in the can before dividing, as the liquid portion is the more acid. onion soup. one quart of milk, six large onions, yolks of four eggs, three table- spoonfuls of butter, a large one of flour, one cupful of cream, salt, pepper. put the butter in a frying-pan. cut the onions into thin slices and drop in the butter. stir until they begin to cook; then cover tight and set back where they will simmer, but not burn, for half an hour. now put the milk on to boil, and then add the dry flour to the onions, and stir constantly for three minutes over the fire. then turn the mixture into the milk and cook fifteen minutes. rub the soup through a strainer, return to the fire, season with salt and pepper. beat the yokes of the eggs well; add the cream to them and stir into the soup. cook three minutes, stirring constantly. if you have no cream, use milk, in which case add a table-spoonful of butter at the same time. potato soup. a quart of milk, six large potatoes, one stalk of celery, an onion and a table-spoonful of butter. put milk to boil with onion and celery. pare potatoes and boil thirty minutes. turn off the water, and mash fine and light. add boiling milk and the butter, and pepper and salt to taste. rub through a strainer and serve immediately. a cupful of whipped cream, added when in the tureen, is a great improvement. this soup must not be allowed to stand, not even if kept hot. served as soon as ready, it is excellent. asparagus soup. two bundles of asparagus, one quart of white stock or water, one pint of milk, and one of cream, if stock is used, but if water, use all cream; three table-spoonfuls of butter, three of flour, one onion, salt and pepper. cut the tops from one bunch of the asparagus and cook them twenty minutes in salted water to cover. the remainder of the asparagus cook twenty minutes in the quart of stock or water. cut the onion into thin slices and fry in the butter ten minutes, being careful not to burn; then add the asparagus that has been boiled in the stock. cook five minutes, stirring constantly; then add flour, and cook five minutes longer. turn this mixture into the boiling stock and boil gently twenty minutes. rub through a sieve, add the milk and cream, which has just come to a boil, and also the asparagus heads. season with salt and pepper, and serve. dropped eggs can be served with it if you choose, but they are rattier heavy for such a delicate soup. green pea soup. cover a quart of green peas with hot water, and boil, with an onion, until they will mash easily. (the time will depend on the age of the peas, but will be from twenty to thirty minutes.) mash, and add a pint of stock or water. cook together two table-spoonfuls of butter and one of flour until smooth, but not brown. add to the peas, and then add a cupful of cream and one of milk. season with salt and pepper, and let boil up once. strain and serve. a cupful of whipped cream added the last moment is an improvement. pumpkin soup. two pounds of pumpkin. take out seeds and pare off the rind. cut into small pieces, and put into a stew-pan with half a pint of water. simmer slowly an hour and a half, then rub through a sieve and put back on the fire with one and a half pints of boiling milk, butter the size of an egg, one tea-spoonful of sugar, salt and pepper to taste, and three slices of stale bread, cut into small squares. stir occasionally; and when it boils, serve. cream of celery soup. a pint of milk, a table-spoonful of flour, one of butter, a head of celery, a large slice of onion and small piece of mace. boil celery in a pint of water from thirty to forty-five minutes; boil mace, onion and milk together. mix flour with two table-spoonfuls of cold milk, and add to boiling milk. cook ten minutes. mash celery in the water in which it has been cooked, and stir into boiling milk. add butter, and season with salt and pepper to taste. strain and serve immediately. the flavor is improved by adding a cupful of whipped cream when the soup is in the tureen. tapioca cream soup. one quart of white stock, one pint of cream or milk, one onion, two stalks of celery, one-third of a cupful of tapioca, two cupfuls of cold water, one table-spoonful of butter, a small piece of mace, salt, pepper. wash the tapioca, and soak over night in cold water. cook it and the stock together, very gently, for one hour. cut the onion and celery into small pieces, and put on to cook for twenty minutes with the milk and mace. strain on the tapioca and stock. season with salt and pepper, add butter, and serve. cream of rice soup. two quarts of chicken stock (the water in which fowl have been boiled will answer), one tea-cupful of rice, a quart of cream or milk, a small onion, a stalk of celery and salt and pepper to taste. wash rice carefully, and add to chicken stock, onion and celery. cook slowly two hours (it should hardly bubble). put through a sieve; add seasoning and the milk or cream, which has been allowed to come just to a boil. if milk, use also a table-spoonful of butter. cream of barley soup. a tea-cupful of barley, well washed; three pints of chicken stock, an onion and a small piece each of mace and cinnamon. cook slowly together five hours; then rub through a sieve, and add one and a half pints of boiling cream or milk. if milk, add also two table-spoonfuls of butter. salt and pepper to taste. the yolks of four eggs, beaten with four table-spoonfuls of milk, and cooked a minute in the boiling milk or cream, makes the soup very much richer. duchess soup. one quart of milk, two large onions, three eggs, two table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, salt, pepper, two table-spoonfuls of grated cheese. put milk on to boil. fry the butter and onions together for eight minutes; then add dry flour, and cook two minutes longer, being careful not to burn. stir into the milk, and cook ten minutes. rub through a strainer, and return to the fire. now add the cheese. beat the eggs, with a speck of pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt. season the soup with salt and pepper. hold the colander over the soup and pour the eggs through, upon the butter, and set back for three minutes where it will not boll. then serve. the cheese may be omitted if it is not liked. yacht oyster soup. a quart of milk, one of oysters, a head of celery, a small onion, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of powdered cracker, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, a speck of cayenne and salt and pepper to taste. chop onion and celery fine. put on to boil with milk for twenty minutes. then strain, and add the butter, cracker, oyster liquor, (which has been boiled and skimmed), and finally the seasoning and oysters. cook three minutes longer, and serve. lobster soup with milk. meat of a small lobster, chopped fine; three crackers, rolled fine, butter--size of an egg, salt and pepper to taste and a speck of cayenne. mix all in the same pan, and add, gradually, a pint of boiling milk, stirring all the while. boil up once, and serve. lobster soup with stock. one small lobster, three pints of water or stock, three large table- spoonfuls of butter and three of flour, a speck of cayenne, white pepper and salt to taste. break up the body of the lobster, and cut off the scraggy parts of the meat. pour over these and the body the water or stock. if there is "coral" in the lobster, pound it and use also. boil twenty minutes. cook the butter and flour until smooth, but not brown. stir into the cooking mixture and add the seasoning. boil two minutes, and strain into a saucepan. have the remainder of the lobster meat--that found in the tail and claws--cut up very fine, and add it to the soup. boil up once, and serve. philadelphia clam soup. twenty-five small clams, one quart of milk, half a cupful of butter, one table-spoonful of chopped parsley, three potatoes, two large table-spoonfuls of flour, salt, pepper. the clams should be chopped fine end put into a colander to drain. pare the potatoes, and chop rather fine. put them on to boil with the milk, in a double kettle. rub the butter and flour together until perfectly creamy, and when the milk and potatoes have been boiling fifteen minutes, stir this in, and cook eight minutes more. add the parsley, pepper and salt, and cook three minutes longer. now add the clams. cook one minute longer, and serve. this gives a very delicate soup, as the liquor from the clams is not used. fish chowder. five pounds of any kind of fish, (the light salt-water fish is the best), half a pound of pork, two large onions, one quart of sliced potatoes, one quart of water, one pint of milk, two table-spoonfuls of flour, six crackers, salt, pepper. skin the fish, and cut all the flesh from the bones. put the bones onto cook in the quart of water, and simmer gently ten minutes. fry the pork; then add the onions, cut into slices. cover, and cook five minutes; then add the flour, and cook eight minutes longer, stirring often. strain on this the water in which the fish bones were cooked and boil gently for five minutes; then strain all on the potatoes and fish. season with salt and pepper, and simmer fifteen minutes. add the milk and the crackers, which were first soaked for three minutes, in the milk. let it boil up once, and serve. the milk maybe omitted, and a pint of tomatoes used, if you like. corn chowder. cut enough green corn from the cob to make a quart; pare and slice one quart of potatoes; pare and slice two onions. cut half a pound of pork in slices, and fry until brown then take up, and fry the onions in the fat. put the potatoes and corn into the kettle in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper and flour. use half a teaspoonful of pepper, one and a half table-spoonfuls of salt and three of flour. place the gravy strainer on the vegetables, and turn the onions and pork fat into it, and with a spoon press the juice through; then slowly pour one and one-fourth quarts of boiling water through the strainer, rubbing as much onion through as possible. take out the strainer, cover the kettle, and boil gently for twenty minutes. mix three table-spoonfuls of flour with a little milk, and when perfectly smooth, add a pint and a half of rich milk. stir this into the boiling chowder. taste to see if seasoned enough, and if it is not, add more pepper and salt. then add six crackers, split, and dipped for a minute in cold water. put on the cover, boil up once, and serve. corn soup. one pint of grated green com, one quart of milk, one pint of hot water, one heaping table-spoonful of flour, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one slice of onion, salt and pepper to taste. cook the corn in the water thirty minutes. let the milk and onion come to a boil. have the flour and butter mixed together, and add a few table-spoonfuls of the boiling milk. when perfectly smooth stir into the milk; and cook eight minutes. take out the onion and add the corn. season to taste, and serve. glaze. boil four quarts of consommé rapidly until reduced to one quart. turn into small jars, and cool quickly. this will keep for a month in a cool, dry place. it is used for soups and sauces and for glazing meats. french paste for soups. a preparation for flavoring and coloring soups and sauces comes in small tin boxes. in each box there are twelve little squares, which look very much like chocolate caramels. one of these will give two quarts of soup the most delicious flavor and a rich color. the paste should not be cooked with the soup, but put into the tureen, and the soup poured over it; and as the soup is served, stir with the ladle. if you let it boil with the clear soup the flavor will not be as fine and the soup not as clear. it may be used with any dark or clear soup, even when already seasoned. it is for sale in boston by s.s. pierce and mcdewell & adams; new york: park, tilford & co., retail, e.c. hayward & co., - chamber street, wholesale; philadelphia: githens & rexsame's; chicago: rockwood bros., north clark street; st. louis: david nicholson. the paste costs only twenty-five cents per box. egg balls. boil four eggs ten minutes. drop into cold water, and when cool remove the yolks. pound these in a mortar until reduced to a paste, and then beat them with a teaspoonful of salt, a speck of pepper and the white of one raw egg. form in balls about the size of a walnut. roll in flour, and fry brown in butter or chicken fat, being careful not to burn. fried bread for soups. cut stale bread into dice, and fry in boiling fat until brown. it will take about half a minute. the fat must be smoking in the centre when the bread is put into it. fish. a general chapter on fish. it may seem as if a small number of recipes has been given, but the aim has been to present under the heads of baking, boiling, broiling, frying and stewing such general directions that one cannot be at a loss as to how to prepare any kind of fish. once having mastered the five primary methods, and learned also how to make sauces, the variety of dishes within the cook's power is great all that is required is confidence in the rules, which are perfectly reliable, and will always bring about a satisfactory result if followed carefully. fish, to be eatable, should be perfectly fresh. nothing else in the line of food deteriorates so rapidly, especially the white fish-those that are nearly free of oil, like cod, cusk, etc. most of the oil in this class centres in the liver. salmon, mackerel, etc., have it distributed throughout the body, which gives a higher and richer flavor, and at the same time tends to preserve the fish. people who do not live near the seashore do not get that delicious flavor which fish just caught have. if the fish is kept on ice until used, it will retain much of its freshness; let it once get heated and nothing will bring back the delicate flavor. fresh fish will be firm, and the skin and scales bright. when fish looks dim and limp, do not buy it. fish should be washed quickly in only one _(cold)_ water, and should not be allowed to stand in it. if it is cut up before cooking, wash while whole, else much of the flavor will be lost. for frying, the fat should be deep enough to cover the article, and yet have it float from the bottom. unless one cooks great quantities of fish in this way it is not necessary to have a separate pot of fat for this kind of frying. the same pot, with proper care, will answer for chops, cutlets, muffins, potatoes, croquettes, etc. all the cold fish left from any mode of cooking can be utilized in making delicious salads, croquettes, and escallops. boiled fish. a general role for boiling fish, which will hold good for all kinds, and thus save a great deal of time and space, is this: any fresh fish weighing between four and six pounds should be first washed in cold water and then put into boiling water enough to cover it, and containing one table-spoonful of salt. simmer gently thirty minutes; then take up. a fish kettle is a great convenience, and it can be used also for boiling hams. when you do not have a fish kettle, keep a piece of strong white cotton cloth in which pin the fish before putting into the boiling water. this will hold it in shape. hard boiling will break the fish, and, of course, there will be great waste, besides the dish's not looking so handsome and appetizing. there should be a gentle bubbling of the water, and nothing more, all the time the fish is in it, a fish weighing more than six pounds should cook five minutes longer for every additional _two_ pounds. boiled fish can be served with a great variety of sauces. after you have learned to make them (which is a simple matter), if you cannot get a variety of fish you will not miss it particularly, the sauce and mode of serving doing much to change the whole character of the dish. many people put a table-spoonful of vinegar in the water in which the fish is boiled. the fish flakes a little more readily for it. small fish, like trout, require from four to eight minutes to cook. they are, however, much better baked, broiled or fried. court-bouillon. this preparation gives boiled fish a better flavor than cooking in clear water does. many cooks use wine in it, but there is no necessity for it. four quarts of water, one onion, one slice of carrot, two cloves, two table-spoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, one table-spoonful of vinegar, the juice of half a lemon and a bouquet of sweet herbs are used. tie the onion, carrot, cloves and herbs in a piece of muslin, and put in the water with the other ingredients. cover, and boil slowly for one hour. then put in the fish and cook as directed for plain boiling. boiled cod with lobster sauce. boil the fish, as directed [see boiled fish], and, when done, carefully remove the skin from one side; then turn the fish over on to the dish on which it is to be served, skin side up. remove the skin from this side. wipe the dish with a damp cloth. pour a few spoonfuls of the sauce over the fish, and the remainder around it; garnish with parsley, and serve. this is a handsome dish. boiled haddock with lobster sauce. the same as cod. in fact, all kinds of fish can be served in the same manner; but the lighter are the better, as the sauce is so rich that it is not really the thing for salmon and blue fish. many of the best cooks and caterers, however, use the lobster sauce with salmon, but salmon has too rich and delicate a flavor to be mixed with the lobster. cold boiled fish, a la vinaigrette. if the fish is whole, take off the head and skin, and then place it in the centre of a dish. have two cold hard-boiled eggs, and cut fine with a silver knife or spoon, (steel turns the egg black). sprinkle the fish with this, and garnish either with small lettuce leaves, water-cresses, or cold boiled potatoes and beets, cut in slices. place tastefully around the dish, with here and there a sprig of parsley. serve the vinaigrette sauce in a separate dish. help to the garnish when the fish is served, and pour a spoonful of the sauce over the fish as you serve it. this makes a nice dish for tea in summer, and takes the place of a salad, as it is, in fact, a kind of salad. if the fish is left from the dinner, and is broken, pick free from skin and bones, heap it lightly in the centre of the dish, sprinkle the sauce over it, and set away in a cool place until tea time. then add the garnish, and serve as before. many people prefer the latter method, as the fish is seasoned better and more easily served. the cold fish remaining from a bake or broil can be served in the same manner. this same dish can be served with a sauce piquante or tartare sauce, for a change. baked fish. as for the boiled fish, a general rule, that will cover all kinds of baked fish, is herewith given: a fish weighing about five pounds; three large, or five small, crackers, quarter of a pound of salt pork, two table-spoonfuls of salt, quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, half a table-spoonful of chopped parsley, two table-spoonfuls of flour. if the fish has not already been scraped free of scales, scrape, and wash clean; then rub into it one table-spoonful of the salt. roll the crackers very fine, and add to them the parsley, one table-spoonful of chopped pork, half the pepper, half a table-spoonful of salt, and cold water to moisten well. put this into the body of the fish, and fasten together with a skewer. butter a tin sheet and put it into a baking pan. cut gashes across the fish, about half an inch deep and two inches long. cut the remainder of the pork into strips, and put these into the gashes. now put the fish into the baking pan, and dredge well with salt, pepper and flour. cover the bottom of the pan with hot water, and put into a rather hot oven. bake one hour, basting often with the gravy in the pan, and dredging each time with salt, pepper and flour. the water in the pan must often be renewed, as the bottom is simply to be covered with it each time. the fish should be basted every fifteen minutes. when it is cooked, lift from the pan on to the tin sheet, and slide it carefully into the centre of the dish on which it is to be served. pour around it hollandaise sauce, tomato sauce, or any kind you like. garnish with parsley. broiled fish. bluefish, young cod, mackerel, salmon, large trout, and all other fish, when they weigh between half a pound and four pounds, are nice for broiling. when smaller or larger they are not so good. always use a double broiler, which, before putting the fish into it, rub with either butter or a piece of salt pork. this prevents sticking. the thickness of the fish will have to be the guide in broiling. a bluefish weighing four pounds will take from twenty minutes to half an hour to cook. many cooks brown the fish handsomely over the coals and then put it into the oven to finish broiling. where the fish is very thick, this is a good plan. if the fish is taken from the broiler to be put into the oven, it should be slipped on to a tin sheet, that it may slide easily into the platter at serving time; for nothing so mars a dish of fish as to have it come to the table broken. in broiling, the inside should be exposed to the fire first, and then the skin. great care must be taken that the skin does not burn. mackerel will broil in from twelve to twenty minutes, young cod (also called scrod) in from twenty to thirty minutes, bluefish in from twenty to thirty minutes, salmon, in from twelve to twenty minutes, and whitefish, bass, mullet, etc., in about eighteen minutes. all kinds of broiled fish can be served with a seasoning of salt, pepper and butter, or with any of the following sauces: _bearer noir, maître d' hôtel_, tartare, sharp, tomato and curry. always, when possible, garnish with parsley or something else green. broiled halibut. season the slices with salt and pepper, and lay them in melted butter for half an hour, having them well covered on both sides. roll in flour, and broil for twelve minutes over a clear fire. serve on a hot dish, garnishing with parsley and slices of lemon. the slices of halibut should be about an inch thick, and for every pound there should be three table-spoonfuls of butter. broiled halibut, with maître d' hôtel butter. butter both sides of the broiler. season the slices of halibut with salt and pepper, place them in the broiler and cook over clear coals for twelve minutes, turning frequently. place on a hot dish, and spread on them the sauce, using one spoonful to each pound. garnish with parsley. stewed fish. six pounds of any kind of fish, large or small; three large pints of water, quarter of a pound of pork, or, half a cupful of butter; two large onions, three table-spoonfuls of flour, salt and pepper to taste. cut the heads from the fish, and cut out all the bones. put the heads and bones on to boil in the three pints of water. cook gently half an hour. in the meanwhile cut the pork in slices, and fry brown. cut the onions in slices, and fry in the pork fat. stir the dry flour into the onion and fat, and cook three minutes, stirring all the time. now pour over this the water in which the bones have been cooking, and simmer ten minutes. have the fish cut in pieces about three inches square. season well with salt and pepper, and place in the stew-pan. season the sauce with salt and pepper, and strain on the fish. cover tight, and simmer twenty minutes. a bouquet of sweet herbs, simmered with the bones, is an improvement. taste to see if the sauce is seasoned enough, and dish on a large platter. garnish with potato balls and parsley. the potato balls are cut from the raw potatoes with a vegetable scoop, and boiled ten minutes in salted water. put them in little heaps around the dish. fried fish. all small fish, like brook trout, smelts, perch, etc., are best fried. they are often called pan-fish for this reason. they should be cleaned, washed and drained, then well salted, and rolled in flour and indian meal (half of each), which has been thoroughly mixed and salted. for every four pounds of fish have half a pound of salt pork, cut in thin slices, and fried a crisp brown. take the pork from the pan and put the fish in, having only enough to cover the bottom. fry brown on one side; turn, and fry the other side. serve on a hot dish, with the salt pork as a garnish. great care must be taken that the pork or fat does not burn, and yet to have it hot enough to brown quickly. cod, haddock, cusk and halibut are all cut in handsome slices and fried in this manner; or, the slices can be well seasoned with salt and pepper, dipped in beaten egg, rolled in bread or cracker crumbs and fried in boiling fat enough to cover. this method gives the handsomer dish, but the first the more savory. where indian meal is not liked, all flour can be used. serve very hot any kind of fried fish can be served with _beurre noir_, but this is particularly nice for that which is fried without pork. when the cooked fish is placed in the dish, pour the butter over it, garnish with parsley, and serve. to cook salt codfish. the fish should be thoroughly washed, and soaked in cold water over night. in the morning change the water, and put on to cook. as soon as the water comes to the boiling point set back where it will keep _hot_, but will _not boil_. from four to six hours will cook a very dry, hard fish, and there are kinds which will cook in half an hour. the boneless codfish, put up at the isles of shoals, by brown & seavey, will cook in from half an hour to an hour. where a family uses only a small quantity of salt fish at a time, this is a convenient and economical way to buy it, as there is no waste with bone or skin. it comes in five pound boxes, and costs sixty cents. dropped fish balls. one pint bowlful of raw fish, two heaping bowlfuls of pared potatoes, (let the potatoes be under medium size), two eggs, butter, the size of an egg, and a little pepper. pick the fish very fine, and measure it lightly in the bowl. put the potatoes into the boiler, and the fish on top of them; then cover with boiling water, and boil half an hour. drain off all the water, and mash fish and potatoes together until fine and light. then add the butter and pepper, and the egg, well beaten. have a deep kettle of _boiling_ fat. dip a table-spoon in it, and then take up a spoonful of the mixture, having care to get it into as good shape as possible. drop into the boiling fat, and cook until brown, which should be in two minutes. be careful not to crowd the balls, and, also, that the fat is hot enough. the spoon should be dipped in the fat every time you take a spoonful of the mixture. these balls are delicious. common fish balls. one pint of finely-chopped cooked salt fish, six medium-sized potatoes, one egg, one heaping table-spoonful of butter, pepper, two table-spoonfuls of cream, or four of milk. pare the potatoes, and put on in _boiling_ water. boil half an hour. drain off all the water, turn the potatoes into the tray with the fish, and mash light and fine with a vegetable masher. add the butter, pepper, milk and eggs, and mix all very thoroughly. taste to see if salt enough. shape into smooth balls, the size of an egg, and fry brown in boiling fat enough to float them. they will cook in three minutes. if the potatoes are very mealy it will take more milk or cream to moisten them, about two spoonfuls more. if the fat is smoking in the centre, and the balls are made _very_ smooth, they will not soak fat; but if the fat is not hot enough, they certainly will. putting too many balls into the fat at one time cools it. put in say four or five. let the fat regain its first temperature, then add more. salt fish with dropped eggs. one pint of cooked salt fish, one pint of milk or cream, two table- spoonfuls of flour, one of butter, six eggs, pepper. put milk on to boil, keeping half a cupful of it to mix the flour. when it boils, stir in the flour, which has been mixed smooth with the milk; then add the fish, which has been flaked. season, and cook ten minutes. have six slices of toasted bread on a platter. drop six eggs into boiling water, being careful to keep the shape. turn the fish and cream on to the toast. lift the eggs carefully from the water, as soon as the whites are set, and place very gently on the fish. garnish the dish with points of toast and parsley. salt codfish, in purée of potatoes. six large potatoes, one pint and one cupful of milk, two table- spoonfuls of butter, a small slice of onion (about the size of a silver quarter), one pint of cooked salt codfish, salt, pepper, one large table-spoonful of flour. pare the potatoes and boil half an hour; then drain off the water, and mash them light and fine. add the salt, pepper, one table-spoonful of butter, and the cupful of milk, which has been allowed to come to a boil. beat very thoroughly, and spread a thin layer of the potatoes on the centre of a hot platter. heap the remainder around the edge, making a wall to keep in the cream and fish, which should then be poured in. garnish the border with parsley, and serve. to prepare the fish: put the pint of milk on to boil with the onion. mix flour and butter together, and when well mixed, add two table- spoonfuls of the hot milk. stir all into the boiling milk, skim out the onion, add the fish, and cook ten minutes. season with pepper, and if not salty enough, with salt. this is a nice dish for breakfast, lunch or dinner. salt fish soufflé. one pint of finely-chopped cooked salt fish, eight good-sized potatoes, three-fourths of a cupful of milk or cream, four eggs, salt, pepper, two generous table-spoonfuls of butter. pare the potatoes and boil thirty minutes. drain the water from them, and mash very fine; then mix thoroughly with the fish. add butter, seasoning and the hot milk. have two of the eggs well beaten, which stir into the mixture, and heap this in the dish in which it is to be served. place in the oven for ten minutes. beat the whites of the two remaining eggs to a stiff froth, and add a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt; then add yolks. spread this over the dish of fish; return to the oven to brown, and serve. cusk, à la crème. a cusk, cod or haddock, weighing five or six pounds; one quart of milk, two table-spoonfuls of flour, one of butter, one small slice of onion, two sprigs of parsley, salt, pepper. put the fish on in boiling water enough to cover, and which contains one table-spoonful of salt. cook gently twenty minutes; then lift out of the water, but let it remain on the tray. now carefully remove all the skin and the head; then turn the fish over into the dish in which it is to be served (it should be stone china), and scrape off the skin from the other side. pick out all the small bones. you will find them the whole length of the back, and a few in the lower part of the fish, near the tail. they are in rows like pins in a paper, and if you start all right it will take but a few minutes to remove them. then take out the back-bone, starting at the head and working gently down toward the tail. great care must be taken, that the fish may keep its shape. cover with the cream, and bake about ten minutes, just to brown it a little. garnish with parsley or little puff-paste cakes; or, you can cover it with the whites of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and then slightly brown. to prepare the cream: put the milk, parsley and onion on to boil, reserving half a cupful of milk to mix with the flour. when it boils, stir in the flour, which has been mixed smoothly with the cold milk. cook eight minutes. season highly with salt and pepper, add the butter, strain on the fish, and proceed as directed. escaloped fish. one pint of milk, one pint of cream, four table-spoonfuls of flour, one cupful of bread crumbs and between four and five pounds of any kind of white fish--cusk, cod, haddock, etc., boiled twenty minutes in water to cover and two table-spoonfuls of salt. put fish on to boil, then the cream and milk. mix the flour with half a cupful of cold milk, and stir into boiling cream and milk. cook eight minutes and season highly with salt and pepper. remove skin and bones from fish, and break it into flakes. put a layer of sauce in a deep escalop dish, and then a layer of fish, which dredge well with salt (a table- spoonful) and pepper; then another layer of sauce, again fish, and then sauce. cover with the bread crumbs, and bake half an hour. this quantity requires a dish holding a little over two quarts, or, two smaller dishes will answer. if for the only solid dish for dinner, this will answer for six persons; but if it is in a course for a dinner party, it will serve twelve. cold boiled fish can be used when you have it. great care must be taken to remove every bone when fish is prepared with a sauce, (as when it is served _à la crème_, escaloped, &c.), because one cannot look for bones then as when the sauce is served separately. turbot à la crème. boil five or six pounds of haddock. take out all bones, and shred the fish very fine. let a quart of milk, a quarter of an onion and a piece of parsley come to a boil; then stir in a scant cupful of flour, which has been mixed with a cupful of cold milk, and the yolks of two eggs. season with half a teaspoonful of white pepper, the same quantity of thyme, half a cupful of butter, and well with salt. butter a pan, and put in first a layer of sauce, then one of fish. finish with sauce, and over it sprinkle cracker crumbs and a light grating of cheese. bake for an hour in a moderate oven. matelote of codfish. cut off the head of a codfish weighing five pounds. remove bones from the fish, and fill it with a dressing made of half a pint of oysters, a scant pint of bread crumbs, a fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, two teaspoonfuls of salt, two table-spoonfuls of butter, half an onion, an egg and half a table-spoonful of chopped parsley. place five slices of pork both under and over the fish. boil the bones in a pint of water, and pour this around the fish. bake an hour, and baste often with gravy and butter. have a bouquet in the corner of the baking pan. make a gravy, and pour around the fish. then garnish with fried smelts. smelts à la tartare. clean the smelts by drawing them between the finger and thumb, beginning at the tail. this will press out the insides at the opening at the gills. wash them, and drain in the colander; salt well, and dip in beaten egg and bread or cracker crumbs (one egg and one cupful of crumbs to twelve smelts, unless these are very large). dip first in the egg, and then roll in the crumbs. fry in boiling fat deep enough to float them. they should be a handsome brown in two minutes and a half. take them up, and place on a sheet of brown paper for a few moments, to drain; then place on a hot dish. garnish with parsley and a few slices of lemon, and serve with tartare sauce in a separate dish; or, they may be served without the sauce. smelts as a garnish, smelts are often fried, as for _à la tartare_; or, rolled in meal or flour, and then fried, they are used to garnish other kinds of fish. with baked fish they are arranged around the dish in any form that the taste of the cook may dictate; but in garnishing fish, or any other dish, the arrangement should always be simple, so as not to make the matter of serving any harder than if the dish were not garnished. smelts are also seasoned well with salt and pepper, dipped in butter and afterwards in flour, and placed in a very hot oven for eight or ten minutes to get a handsome brown. they are then served as a garnish or on slices of buttered toast. when smelts are used as a garnish, serve one on each plate with the other fish. if you wish to have the smelts in rings, for a garnish, fasten the tails in the opening at the gills, with little wooden tooth picks; then dip them in the beaten egg and in the crumbs, place in the frying basket and plunge into the boiling fat. when they are cooked take out the skewers, and they will retain their shape. fish au gratin. any kind of light fish--that is, cod, cusk, flounder, etc. skin the fish by starting at the head and drawing down towards the tail; then take out the bones. cut the fish into pieces about three inches square, and salt and pepper well. butter such a dish, as you would use for escolloped oysters. put in one layer of fish, then moisten well with sauce; add more fish and sauce, and finally cover with fine bread crumbs. bake half an hour. the dish should be rather shallow, allowing only two layers of fish. sauce for _au gratin_: one pint of stock, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, juice of half a lemon, half a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a slice of onion, the size of half a dollar, and about as thick--chopped very fine, (one table-spoonful of onion juice is better); one table-spoonful of vinegar, salt, pepper. heat the butter in a small frying-pan, and when hot, add the dry flour. stir constantly until a rich brown; then add, gradually, the cold stock, stirring all the time. as soon as it boils, season well with salt and pepper, and then add the other seasoning. this quantity is enough for three pounds of fish, weighed after being skinned and boned, and will serve six persons if it is the only solid dish for dinner, or ten if served in a course. another way to serve fish _au gratin_, is to skin it, cut off the head, and take out the back-bone; and there are then two large pieces of fish. season the fish, and prepare the sauce as before. butter a tin sheet that will fit loosely into a large baking-pan. lay the fish on this, and moisten well with the sauce. cover thickly with bread crumbs, and cook twenty-five minutes in a rather quick oven. then slip on a hot dish, and serve with tomato, tartare or hollandaise sauce poured around the fish. eels à la tartare. cut the eels into pieces about four inches long. cover them with boiling water, in which let them stand five minutes, and then drain them. now dip in beaten egg, which has been well salted and peppered, then in bread or cracker crumbs. fry in boiling fat for five minutes. have tartare sauce spread in the centre of a cold dish. place the fried eels in a circle on this, garnish with parsley, and serve. stewed eels. cut two eels in pieces about four inches long. put three large table- spoonfuls of butter into the stew-pan with half a small onion. as soon as the onion begins to turn yellow stir in two table-spoonfuls of flour, and stir until brown. add one pint of stock, if you have it; if not, use water. season well with pepper and salt; then put in the eels and two bay leaves. cover, and simmer gently three-quarters of an hour. heap the eels in the centre of a hot dish, strain the sauce over them and garnish with toasted bread and parsley. if you wish, add a table-spoonful of vinegar or lemon juice to the stew. oysters. on the half shell. not until just before serving should they be opened. marketmen often furnish some one to do this. six large oysters are usually allowed each person. left in half the shell, they are placed on a dinner plate, with a thin slice of lemon in the centre of the dish. on a block of ice. having a perfectly clear and solid block of ice, weighing ten or fifteen pounds, a cavity is to be made in the top of it in either of two ways. the first is to carefully chip with an ice pick; the other, to melt with heated bricks. if the latter be chosen the ice must be put into a tub or large pan, and one of the bricks held upon the centre of it until there is a slight depression, yet sufficient for the brick to rest in. when the first brick is cold remove it, tip the block on one side, to let off the water, and then use another brick. continue the operation till the cavity will hold as many oysters as are to be served. these should be kept an hour previous in a cool place; should be drained in a colander, and seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar. after laying two folded napkins on a large platter, to prevent the block from slipping, cover the dish with parsley, so that only the ice is visible. stick a number of pinks, or of any small, bright flowers that do not wilt rapidly, into the parsley. pour oysters into the space in the top of the ice, and garnish with thin slices of lemon. this gives an elegant dish, and does away with the unsightly shells in which raw oysters are usually served. it is not expensive, for the common oysters do as well as those of good size. indeed, as many ladies dislike the large ones, here is an excellent substitute for serving in the shell, particularly as the oysters require no seasoning when once on the table. a quart is enough for a party of ten; but a block of the size given will hold two quarts. roasted oysters on toast. eighteen large oysters, or thirty small ones, one teaspoonful of flour, one table-spoonful of butter, salt, pepper, three slices of toast. have the toast buttered and on a hot dish. put the butter in a small sauce-pan, and when hot, add the dry flour. stir until smooth, but not brown; then add the cream, and let it boil up once. put the oysters (in their own liquor) into a hot oven, for three minutes; then add them to the cream. season, and pour over the toast. garnish the dish with thin slices of lemon, and serve very hot. it is nice for lunch or tea. oysters panned in their own liquor. eighteen large, or thirty small, oysters, one table-spoonful of butter, one of cracker crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, a speck of cayenne. put the oysters on in their own liquor, and when they boil up, add seasoning, butter and crumbs. cook one minute, and serve on toast. oysters panned in the shell. wash the shells and wipe dry. place them in a pan with the round shell down. set in a hot oven for three minutes; then take out, and remove the upper shell. put two or three oysters into one of the round shells, season with pepper and salt, add butter, the size of two peas, and cover with cracker or bread crumbs. return to the oven and brown. oyster sauté. two dozen large, or three dozen small, oysters, two table-spoonfuls of butter, four of fine cracker crumbs, salt, pepper. let the oysters drain in the colander. then season with salt and pepper and roll in the crumbs. have the butter very hot in a frying-pan, and put in enough of the oysters to cover the bottom of the pan. fry crisp and brown, being careful not to burn. serve on hot, crisp toast. oysters roasted in the shell. wash the shells clean, and wipe dry. place in a baking pan, and put in a hot oven for about twenty minutes. serve on hot dishes the moment they are taken from the oven. though this is not an elegant dish, many people enjoy it, as the first and best flavor of the oysters is retained in this manner of cooking. the oysters can, instead, be opened into a hot dish and seasoned with butter, salt, pepper and lemon juice. they should be served immediately. little pigs in blankets. season large oysters with salt and pepper. cut fat english bacon in very thin slices, wrap an oyster in each slice, and fasten with a little wooden skewer (toothpicks are the best things). heat a frying- pan and put in the "little pigs." cook just long enough to crisp the bacon--about two minutes. place on slices of toast that have been cut into small pieces, and serve immediately. do not remove the skewers. this is a nice relish for lunch or tea; and, garnished with parsley, is a pretty one. the pan must be very hot before the "pigs" are put in, and then great care must be taken that they do not burn. fricasseed oysters. one hundred oysters (about two quarts), four large tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one table-spoonful of flour, a speck of cayenne, salt, yolks of three eggs. brown two table- spoonfuls of the butter, and add to it the parsley, cayenne and salt and the oysters, well drained. mix together the flour and the remainder of the butter and stir into the oysters when they begin to curl. then add yolks, well beaten, and take immediately from the fire. serve on a hot dish with a garnish of fried bread and parsley. creamed oysters. a pint of cream, one quart of oysters, a small piece of onion, a very small piece of mace, a table-spoonful of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. let the cream, with the onion and mace, come to a boil. mix flour with a little cold milk or cream, and stir into the boiling cream. let the oysters come to a boil in their own liquor, and skim carefully. drain off all the liquor, and turn the oysters into the cream. skim out the mace and onions, and serve. crôustade of oysters. have a loaf of bread baked in a round two-quart basin. when two or three days old, with a sharp knife cut out the heart of the bread, being careful not to break the crust. break up the crumbs very fine, and dry them slowly in an oven; then quickly fry three cupfuls of them in two table-spoonfuls of butter. as soon as they begin to look golden and are crisp, they are done. it takes about two minutes over a hot fire, stirring all the time. put one quart of cream to boil, and when it boils, stir in three table-spoonfuls of flour, which has been mixed with half a cupful of cold milk. cook eight minutes. season well with salt and pepper. put a layer of the sauce into the _crôustade_ then a layer of oysters, which dredge well with salt and pepper; then another layer of sauce and one of fried crumbs. continue this until the _crôustade_ is nearly full, having the last layer a thick one of crumbs. it takes three pints of oysters for this dish, and about three teaspoonfuls of salt and half a teaspoonful of pepper. bake slowly half an hour. serve with a garnish of parsley around the dish, escaloped oysters. two quarts of oysters, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of cream or milk, four teaspoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two quarts of stale bread crumbs, and spice, if you choose. butter the escalop dishes, and put in a layer of crumbs and then one of oysters. dredge with the salt and pepper, and put small pieces of butter here and there in the dish. now have another layer of oysters, seasoning as before; then add the milk, and, finally, a thick layer of crumbs, which dot with butter. bake twenty minutes in a rather quick oven. the crumbs must be light and flakey. the quantity given above is enough to fill two dishes. escaloped oysters, no. . put a layer of rolled crackers in an oval dish, and then a layer of oysters, and lay on small pieces of butter. dredge with salt and pepper, and moisten well with milk (or equal parts of milk and water). add another layer of cracker and of oysters, and butter, dredge and moisten as before. continue these alternate layers until the dish is nearly full; then cover with a thin layer of cracker and pieces of butter. if the dish be a large one, holding about two quarts, it will require an hour and a half or two hours to bake. oysters served in escalop shells. the shells may be tin, granite-ware, or silver-plated, or, the natural oyster or scollop shells. the ingredients are: one quart of oysters, half a pint of cream or milk, one pint of bread crumbs, one table- spoonful of butter, if cream is used, or three, if milk; salt and pepper, a grating of nutmeg and two table-spoonfuls of flour. drain all the liquor from the oysters into a stew-pan. let it come to a boil, and skim; then add the cream or milk, with which the flour should first be mixed. let this boil two minutes, and add the butter, salt, pepper and nutmeg, and then the oysters. take from the fire immediately. taste to see if seasoned enough. have the shells buttered, and sprinkled lightly with crumbs. nearly fill them with the prepared oysters; then cover thickly with crumbs. put the shells in a baking-pan, and bake fifteen minutes. serve very hot, on a large platter, which garnish with parsley. the quantity given above will fill twelve common-sized shells. oyster chartreuse. one quart of oysters, one pint of cream, one small slice of onion, half a cupful of milk, whites of four eggs, two table-spoonfuls of butter, salt, pepper, two table-spoonfuls of flour, one cupful of fine, dry bread crumbs, six potatoes. pare and boil the potatoes. mash fine and light, and add the milk, salt, pepper, one spoonful of butter, and then the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. have a two-quart charlotte russe mould well buttered, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with the bread crumbs (there must be butter enough to hold the crumbs). line the mould with the potato, and let stand for a few minutes. put the cream and onion on to boil. mix the flour with a little cold milk or cream--about one-fourth of a cupful--and stir into the boiling cream. season well with salt and pepper, and cook eight minutes. let the oysters come to a boil in their own liquor. skim them, and drain of all the juice. take the piece of onion from the sauce, and add the oysters. taste to see if seasoned enough, and turn gently into the mould. cover with the remainder of the potato, being careful not to put on too much at once, as in that case the sauce would be forced to the top. when covered, bake half an hour in a hot oven. take from the oven ten minutes before dishing time, and let it stand on the table. place a large platter over the mould and turn both dish and mould at the same time. remove the mould very gently. garnish the dish with parsley, and serve. a word of caution: every part of the mould must have a thick coating of the mashed potato, and when the covering of potato is put on no opening must be left for sauce to escape. to pickle oysters two hundred large oysters, half a pint of vinegar, half a pint of white wine, four spoonfuls of salt, six spoonfuls of whole black pepper and a little mace. strain the liquor, and add the above-named ingredients. let boil up once, and pour, while boiling hot, over the oysters. after these have stood ten minutes pour off the liquor, which, as well as the oysters, should then be allowed to get cold. put into a jar and cover tight. the oysters will keep some time. lobster. lobster, to be eatable, should be perfectly fresh. one of the tests of freshness is to draw back the tail, for if it springs into position again, it is safe to think the fish good. the time of boiling varies with the size of the lobster and in different localities. in boston, rockport and other places on the massachusetts coast the time is fifteen or twenty minutes for large lobsters and ten for small. the usual way is to plunge them into boiling water enough to cover, and to continue boiling them until they are done. some people advocate putting the lobsters into cold water, and letting this come to a boil gradually. they claim that the lobsters do not suffer so much. this may be so, but it seems as if death must instantly follow the plunge into boiling water. cooking a lobster too long makes it tough and dry. when, on opening a lobster, you find the meat clinging to the shell, and very much shrunken, you may be sure the time of boiling was too long. there are very few modes of cooking lobster in which it should be more than thoroughly heated, as much cooking toughens it and destroys the fine, delicate flavor of the meat. to open a lobster. separate the tail from the body, and shake out the tom-ally, and, also, the "coral," if there is any, upon a plate. then by drawing the body from the shell with the thumb, and pressing the part near the head against the shell with the first and second finger, you will free it from the stomach or "lady." now split the lobster through the centre and, with a fork, pick the meat from the joints. cut the under side of the tail shell open and take out the meat without breaking. on the upper part of that end of this meat which joined the body is a small piece of flesh, which should be lifted; and a strip of meat attached to it should be turned back to the extreme end of the tail. this will uncover a little vein, running the entire length, which must be removed. sometimes this vein is dark, and sometimes as light as the meat itself. it and the stomach are the only parts not eatable. the piece that covered the vein should be turned again into place. hold the claws on edge on a thick board, and strike hard with a hammer until the shell cracks. draw apart, and take out the meat. if you have the claws lying flat on the board when you strike, you not only break the shell, but mash the meat, and thus spoil a fine dish. remember that the stomach of the lobster is found near the head, and is a small, hard sack containing poisonous matter; and that the intestinal vein is found in the tail. these should always be carefully removed. when lobster is opened in the manner explained it may be arranged handsomely on a dish, and each person can season it at the table to suit himself. lobster broiled in the shell. divide the tail into two parts, cutting lengthwise. break the large claws in two parts, and free the body from the small claws and stomach. replace the body in the shell. put the meat from the claws in half of the shells it came from, and put the other half of the shells where they will get hot. put the lobster into the double broiler, and cook, with the meat side exposed to the fire, for eight minutes; then turn, and cook ten minutes longer. place on a hot dish, and season slightly with salt and cayenne, and then well with _maître d' hôtel_ butter. cover the claws with the hot shells. garnish the dish with parsley, and serve. broiled lobster. split the meat of the tail and claws, and season well with salt and pepper. cover with soft butter and dredge with flour. place in the broiler, and cook over a bright fire until a delicate brown. arrange on a hot dish, pour bechamel sauce around, and serve. breaded lobster. split the meat of the tail and claws, and season well with salt and pepper. dip in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs, which let dry on the meat; and then repeat the operation. place in a frying-basket, and plunge into boiling fat. cook till a golden brown--about two minutes. serve with tartare sauce. stewed lobster. the meat of a two and a half pound lobster, cut into dice; two table- spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, one pint of stock or water, a speck of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. let the butter get hot, and add the dry flour. stir until perfectly smooth, when add the water, gradually, stirring all the while. season to taste. add the lobster; heat thoroughly, and serve. curry of lobster. the meat of a lobster weighing between two and three pounds, one very small onion, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, a scant one of curry powder, a speck of cayenne, salt, a scant pint of water or stock. let the butter get hot; and then add the onion, cut fine, and fry brown. when the onion is cooked add the flour and curry powder, and stir all together for two minutes. add stock; cook two minutes, and strain. add the meat of lobster, cut into dice, and simmer five minutes. serve with a border of boiled rice around the dish. devilled lobster in the shell. two lobsters, each weighing about two and a half pounds; one pint of cream, two table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, one of mustard, a speck of cayenne, salt, pepper, a scant pint of bread crumbs. open the lobster and, with a sharp knife, cut the meat rather fine. be careful, in opening, not to break the body or tail shells. wash these shells and wipe dry; join them in the form of a boat, that they may hold the prepared meat. put the cream on to boil. mix the butter, flour, mustard and pepper together, and add three spoonfuls of the boiling cream. stir all into the remaining cream, and cook two minutes. add the lobster, salt and pepper, and boil one minute. fill the shells with the mixture, and place in a pan, with something to keep them in position (a few small stones answer very well). cover with the bread crumbs, and brown for twenty minutes in a hot oven. serve on a long, narrow dish; the body in the centre, the tails at either end. garnish with parsley. if for a large company, it would be best to have a broad dish, and have four lobsters, instead of two. this is a very handsome dish, and is really not hard to cook. there is always a little more of the prepared lobster than will go into the shells without crowding, and this is nice warmed and served on slices of crisp toast. escaloped lobster. prepare the lobster as for devilling, omitting, however, the mustard. turn into a buttered escollop dish, and cover thickly with crumbs. brown in a hot oven, and serve. white stock may be used instead of the cream. many people who cannot eat lobster when prepared with cream or milk, find it palatable when prepared with stock or water. lobster cutlets. a lobster weighing between two and a half and three pounds, three table-spoonfuls of butter, half a cupful of stock or cream, one heaping table-spoonful of flour, a speck of cayenne, salt, two eggs, about a pint of bread crumbs, twelve sprigs of parsley. cut the meat of the lobster into fine dice, and season with salt and pepper. put the butter on to heat. add the flour, and when smooth, add the stock and one well-beaten egg. season. boil up once, add the lobster, and take from the fire immediately. now add a table-spoonful of lemon juice. butter a platter, and pour the mixture upon it, to the thickness of about an inch. make perfectly smooth with a knife, and set away to cool. when cool, cut into chops, to resemble cutlets. dip in beaten egg and then in bread crumbs, being sure to have every part covered. place in the frying-basket and plunge into boiling fat. cook till a rich brown. it will take about two minutes. drain for a moment in the basket; then arrange on a hot dish, and put part of a small claw in each one, to represent the bone in a cutlet. put the parsley in the basket and plunge for a moment into the boiling fat. garnish with this, or, pour a white or bechamel sauce around the dish, and garnish with fresh parsley. the quantity given will make six or seven cutlets. canned lobster. canned lobster can be used for cutlets, stews, curries and patties, can be escaloped, or served on toast. other shell-fish. stewed terrapins. put them into boiling water, and boil rapidly for ten or fifteen minutes, or until the nails will come out and the black skin rub off-- the time depending upon the size of the fish. after this, put into fresh boiling water, and boil until the under shell cracks, which will be about three-quarters of an hour. remove the under shell, throw away the sand and gall bags, take out intestines, and put the terrapins to boil again in the same water for an hour. pick liver and meat from upper shell. cut the intestines in small pieces, and add to this meat. pour over all a quantity of the liquor in which the intestines were boiled sufficient to make very moist. put away until the next day. for each terrapin, if of good size, a gill of cream and of wine, half a cupful of butter, yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, rubbed smooth, salt, pepper and cayenne are needed. pour over the terrapin, let it come to a boil, and serve,--[mrs. furness, of philadelphia.] soft-shell crabs. lift the shell at both sides and remove the spongy substance found on the back. then pull off the "apron," which will be found on the under side, and to which is attached a substance like that removed from the back. now wipe the crabs, and dip them in beaten egg, and then in fine bread or cracker crumbs. fry in boiling fat from eight to ten minutes, the time depending upon the size of the crabs. serve with tartare sauce. or, the egg and bread crumbs may be omitted. season with salt and cayenne, and fry as before, when broiled, crabs are cleaned, and seasoned with salt and cayenne; are then dropped into boiling water for one minute, taken up, and broiled over a hot fire for eight minutes. they are served with _maître d' hôtel_ butter or tartare sauce. meats. boiling. all pieces, unless very salt, should be plunged into boiling water, and boiled rapidly for fifteen minutes, to harden the albumen that is on the outside, and thus keep in the juices. the kettle should then be put back where it will just simmer, for meat that is boiled rapidly becomes hard and stringy, while that which is kept just at the boiling point (where the water hardly bubbles) will cut tender and juicy, provided there is any juiciness in it at the beginning. white meats, like mutton and poultry, are improved in appearance by having rice boiled with them; or, a still better way is to thickly flour a piece of coarse cotton cloth, pin the meat in it, and place in the boiling water. meat cooked in this way will be extremely juicy. leg of mutton. cook, as directed, in boiling water to cover. a leg that weighs eight or nine pounds will cook in one hour and a quarter if it is wanted done rare. allow five minutes for every additional pound. save the water for soups. lamb. cook the same as mutton. serve with drawn butter. boiled ham. wash the ham very clean, and put on with cold water to cover. simmer gently five hours, and set the kettle aside for one or two hours. when nearly cold, take out the ham and draw off the skin. cover with cracker crumbs and about three table-spoonfuls of sugar. place in the oven, in a baking-pan, for thirty or forty minutes. many people stick cloves into the fat part of the ham, and use only a few crumbs. the time given is for a ham weighing about twelve pounds; every pound over that will require fifteen minutes more. the fish kettle comes next to a regular ham kettle, and answers quite as well as both. if you have neither kettle, and no pot large enough to hold all the meat, cut off the knuckle, which will cook in about two hours. but this rather hurts the flavor and appearance of the dish. salt tongue. soak over night, and cook from five to six hours. throw into cold water and peel off the skin. fresh tongue. put into boiling water to cover, with two table-spoonfuls of salt. cook from five to six hours. skin the same as salt tongue. corned beef. wash, and put into cold water, if very salt; but such a piece as one finds in town and city shops, and which the butchers corn themselves, put into boiling water. cook very slowly for six hours. this time is for a piece weighing eight or ten pounds. when it is to be served cold let it stand for one or two hours in the water in which it was boiled. if the beef is to be pressed, get either a piece of the brisket, flank or rattle-ran. take out the bones, place in a flat dish or platter, put a tin sheet on top, and lay on it two or three bricks. if you have a corned beef press, use that, of course. roasting. there are two modes of roasting: one is to use a tin kitchen before an open fire, and the other and more common way is to use a very hot oven. the former gives the more delicious favor, but the second is not by any means a poor way, if the meat is put on a rack, and basted constantly when in the oven. a large piece is best for roasting, this being especially true of beef. when meat is cooked in a tin kitchen it requires more time, because the heat is not equally distributed, as it is in the oven. to prepare for roasting: wipe the meat with a wet towel. dredge on all sides with salt, pepper and flour; and if the kitchen is used, dredge the flour into that. run the spit through the centre of the meat, and place very near the fire at first, turning as it browns. when the flour in the kitchen is browned, add a pint of hot water, and baste frequently with it, dredging with salt and flour after each basting. roast a piece of beef weighing eight pounds fifty minutes, if to be rare, but if to be medium, roast one hour and a quarter, and ten minutes for each additional pound. roasting in the oven. prepare the meat as before. have a rack that will fit loosely into the baking-pan. cover the bottom of the pan rather lightly with flour, put in rack, and then meat place in a very hot oven for a few minutes, to brown the flour in the pan, and then add hot water enough to cover the bottom of the pan. close the oven; and in about ten minutes, open, and baste the meat with the gravy. dredge with salt, pepper and flour. do this every fifteen minutes; and as soon as one side of the meat is brown, turn, and brown the other. make gravy as before. allow a quarter of an hour less in the oven than in the tin kitchen. the heat for roasting must be very great at first, to harden the albumen, and thus keep in the juices. after the meat is crusted over it is not necessary to keep up so great a heat, but for rare meats the heat must, of course, be greater than for those that are to be well done. the kitchen can be drawn back a little distance from the fire and the drafts closed. putting salt on fresh meat draws out the juices, but by using flour a paste is formed, which, keeps in all the juices and also enriches and browns the piece. never roast meat without having a rack in the pan. if meat is put into the water in the pan it becomes soggy and looses its flavor. a meat rack costs not more than thirty or forty cents, and the improvement in the looks and flavor of a piece of meat is enough to pay for it in one roasting. the time given for roasting a piece of beef is for rib roasts and sirloin. the same weight in the face or the back of the rump will require twenty minutes longer, as the meat on these cuts is in a very compact form. if a saddle or loin of mutton is to be roasted, cook the same time as beef if the weight is the same; but if a leg is to be roasted, one hour and a quarter is the time. lamb should be cooked an hour and a half; veal, two hours and three-quarters; pork, three hours and a quarter. ten minutes before dishing the dinner turn the gravy into a sauce-pan, skim off all the fat, and set on the stove. let it come to a boil; then stir in one table-spoonful of flour, mixed with half a cupful of cold water. season with salt and pepper, and cook two minutes. serve the meat on a hot dish and the gravy in a hot tureen. boiled rib roast. either have the butcher remove the bones, or do it your-self by slipping a sharp knife between the flesh and bones--a simple matter with almost any kind of meat. roll up the piece and tie with strong twine. treat the same as plain roast beef, giving the same time as if it were a piece of rump (one hour and a half for eight pounds), as the form it is now in does not readily admit the heat to all parts. this piece of beef can be larded before roasting, or it can be larded and braised. serve with tomato or horse-radish sauce. roast beef, with yorkshire pudding. a rib or sirloin roast should be prepared as directed for roasting. when within three-quarters of an hour of being done, have the pudding made. butter a pan like that in which the meat is being cooked, and pour in the batter. put the rack across the pan, not in it. place the meat on the rack, return to the oven, and cook forty-five minutes. if you have only one pan, take up the meat, pour off the gravy and put in the pudding. cut in squares, and garnish the beef with these. another method is to have a pan that has squares stamped in it. this gives even squares and crust on all the edges, which baking in the flat pan does not. when the meat is roasted in the tin-kitchen, let the pudding bake in the oven for half an hour, and then place it under the meat to catch the drippings. for the yorkshire pudding, one pint of milk, two-thirds of a cupful of flour, three eggs and one scant teaspoonful of salt will be needed. beat the eggs very light. add salt and milk, and then pour about half a cupful of the mixture upon the flour; and when perfectly smooth, add the remainder. this makes a small pudding--about enough for six persons. serve it hot. fillet of veal, roasted. about eight or ten pounds of the fillet, ham force-meat (see rule for force-meat), half a cupful of butter, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two table-spoonfuls of salt, two lemons, half a pound of salt pork. rub the salt and pepper into the veal; then fill the cavity, from which the bone was taken, with the force-meat. skewer and tie the fillet into a round shape. cut the pork in thin slices, and put half of these on a tin sheet that will fit into the dripping pan; place this in the pan, and the fillet on it. cover the veal with the remainder of the pork. put hot water enough in the pan to just cover the bottom, and place in the oven. bake slowly for four hours, basting frequently with the gravy in the pan, and with salt, pepper and flour. as the water in the pan cooks away, it must be renewed, remembering to have only enough to keep the meat and pan from burning. after it has been cooking three hours, take the pork from the top of the fillet, spread the top thickly with butter and dredge with flour. repeat this after thirty minutes, and then brown handsomely. put the remainder of the butter, which should be about three table-spoonfuls, in a sauce- pan, and when hot, add two heaping table-spoonfuls of flour, and stir until dark brown. add to it half a pint of stock or water; stir a minute, and set back where it will keep warm, but not cook. now take up the fillet, and skim all the fat off of the gravy; add water enough to make half a pint of gravy, also the sauce just made. let this boil up, and add the juice of half a lemon, and more salt and pepper, if needed. strain, and pour around the fillet. garnish the dish with potato puffs and slices of lemon. roast ham. prepare the ham as for boiling, and if it is of good size (say ten pounds), boil three hours. remove the skin, and put the ham in a baking pan. let it cook two hours in a moderate oven. serve with champagne sauce. broiling. the fire for broiling must be clear, and for meats it must be hotter and brighter than for fish. coals from hard wood or charcoal are best, but in all large towns and cities hard coal is nearly always used, except in hotels and restaurants, where there is usually a special place for broiling with charcoal. the double broiler is the very best thing in the market for broiling meats and fish. when the meat is placed in it, and the slide is slipped over the handles, all there is to do is to hold the broiler over the fire, or, if you have an open range, before the fire. a fork or knife need not go near the meat until it is on the dish. a great amount of the juice is saved. with the old-fashioned gridirons it is absolutely necessary to stick a fork into the meat to turn it, and although there are little grooves for the gravy to run into, what is saved in this way does not compare with what is actually kept within the meat where the double broiler is used. professional cooks can turn a steak without running a fork into the meat, but not one in a hundred common cooks can do it. mutton chops. sprinkle the chops with salt, pepper and flour. put them in the double broiler. broil over or before the fire for eight minutes. serve on a _hot_ dish with butter, salt and pepper for tomato sauce. the fire for chops should not be as hot as for steak. chops can be seasoned with salt and pepper, wrapped in buttered paper and broiled ten minutes over a hot fire. beef steak. have it cut thick. it will never be good, rich and juicy if only from one-fourth to one-half an inch thick. it ought to be at least three- quarters of an inch thick. trim off any suet that may be left on it, and dredge with salt, pepper and flour. cook in the double broiler, over or before clear coals, for ten minutes, if to be rare, twelve, if to be rather well done. turn the meat constantly. serve on a hot dish with butter and salt, or with mushroom sauce, _maitre d' hôtel_ butter or tomato sauce. do not stick a knife or fork into the meat to try it. this is the way many people spoil it. pounding is another bad habit: much of the juice of the meat is lost. when, as it sometimes happens, there is no convenience for broiling, heat the frying pan very hot, then sprinkle with salt, and lay in the steak. turn frequently. miscellaneous modes. braised beef. take six or eight pounds of the round or the face of the rump, and lard with quarter of a pound of salt pork. put six slices of pork in the bottom of the braising pan, and as soon as it begins to fry, add two onions, half a small carrot and half a small turnip, all cut fine. cook these until they begin to brown; then draw them to one side of the pan and put in the beef, which has been well dredged with salt, pepper and flour. brown on all sides, and then add one quart of boiling water and a bouquet of sweet herbs; cover, and cook _slowly_ in the oven for four hours, basting every twenty minutes. take up, and finish the gravy as for braised tongue. or, add to the gravy half a can of tomatoes, and cook for ten minutes. strain, pour around the beef, and serve. fricandeau of veal. have a piece of veal, weighing about eight pounds, cut from that part of the leg called the cushion. wet the vegetable masher, and beat the veal smooth; then lard one side thickly. put eight slices of pork in the bottom of the braising-pan; place the veal on this, larded side up. add two small onions, half a small turnip, two slices of carrot, one clove and a bouquet of sweet herbs--these to be at the sides of the meat, not on top; and one quart of white stock or water. dredge with salt, pepper and flour. cover, and place in a rather moderate oven. cook three hours, basting every fifteen minutes. if cooked rapidly the meat will be dry and stringy, but if slowly, it will be tender and juicy. when done, lift carefully from the pan. melt four table-spoonfuls of glaze, and spread on the meat with a brush. place in the open oven for five minutes. add one cupful of hot water to the contents of the braising-pan. skim off all the fat, and then add one heaping teaspoonful of corn-starch, which has been mixed with a little cold water. let it boil one minute; then strain, and return to the fire. add two table-spoonfuls of glaze, and when this is melted, pour the sauce around the fricandeau, and serve. potato balls, boiled for twelve minutes in stock, and then slightly browned in the oven, make a pretty garnish for this dish. it is also served on a bed of finely- chopped spinach or mashed potatoes. leg of lamb à la française. put a leg of lamb, weighing about eight pounds, in as small a kettle as will hold it. put in a muslin bag one onion, one small white turnip, a few green celery leaves, three sprigs each of sweet marjoram and summer savory, four cloves and twelve allspice. tie the bag and place it in the kettle with the lamb; then pour on two quarts of boiling water. let this come to a boil, and then skim carefully. now add four heaping table-spoonfuls of flour, which has been mixed with one cupful of cold water, two table-spoonfuls of salt and a speck of cayenne. cover tight, and set back where it will just simmer for four hours. in the meantime make a pint and a half of veal or mutton force- meat, which make into little balls and fry brown. boil six eggs hard. at the end of four hours take up the iamb. skim all the fat off of the gravy and take out the bag of seasoning. now put the kettle where the contents will boil rapidly for ten minutes. put three table-spoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan, and when hot, stir in two of flour; cook until a dark brown, but not burned, and stir into the gravy. taste to see if seasoned enough. have the whites and yolks of the hard-boiled eggs chopped separately. pour the gravy over the lamb; then garnish with the chopped eggs, making a hill of the whites, and capping it with part of the yolks. sprinkle the remainder of the yolks over the lamb. place the meat balls in groups around the dish. garnish with parsley, and serve. braised breast of lamb. with a sharp knife, remove the bones from a breast of lamb; then season it well with salt and pepper, and roll up and tie firmly with twine. put two table-spoonfuls of butter in the braising-pan, and when melted, add one onion, one slice of carrot and one of turnip, all cut fine. stir for five minutes, and then put in the lamb, with a thick dredging of flour. cover, and set back, where it will not cook rapidly, for half an hour; then add one quart of stock or boiling water, and place in the oven, where it will cook _slowly_, for one hour. baste often. take up the meat, skim all the fat off of the gravy, and then put it where it will boil rapidly for five minutes. take the string from the meat. strain the gravy, and pour over the dish. serve very hot. or serve with tomato or bechamel sauce. the bones should be put in the pan with the meat, to improve the gravy. beef stew. two pounds of beef (the round, flank, or any cheap part; if there is bone in it, two and a half pounds will be required), one onion, two slices of carrot, two of turnip, two potatoes, three table-spoonfuls of flour, salt, pepper, and a generous quart of water. cut all the fat from the meat, and put it in a stew-pan; fry gently for ten or fifteen minutes. in the meantime cut the meat in small pieces, and season well with salt and pepper, and then sprinkle over it two table-spoonfuls of flour. cut the vegetables in very small pieces, and put in the pot with the fat. fry them five minutes, stirring well, to prevent burning. now put in the meat, and move it about in the pot until it begins to brown; then add the quart of boiling water. cover; let it boil up once, skim, and set back, where it will just bubble, for two and a half hours. add the potatoes, cut in thin slices, and one table- spoonful of flour, which mix smooth with half a cupful of cold water, pouring about one-third of the water on the flour at first, and adding the rest when perfectly smooth. taste to see if the stew is seasoned enough, and if it is not, add more salt and pepper. let the stew come to a boil again, and cook ten minutes; then add dumplings. cover tightly, and boil rapidly ten minutes longer. mutton, lamb or veal can be cooked in this manner. when veal is used, fry out two slices of pork, as there will not be much fat on the meat. lamb and mutton must have some of the fat put aside, as there is so much on these meats that they are otherwise very gross. irish stew. about two pounds of the neck of mutton, four onions, six large potatoes, salt, pepper, three pints of water and two table-spoonfuls of flour. cut the mutton in handsome pieces. put about half the fat in the stew-pan, with the onions, and stir for eight or ten minutes over a hot fire; then put in the meat, which sprinkle with the flour, salt and pepper. stir ten minutes, and add the water, boiling. set for one hour where it will simmer; then add the potatoes, peeled, and cut in quarters. simmer an hour longer, and serve. you can cook dumplings with this dish, if you choose. they are a great addition to all kinds of stews and ragouts. toad in the hole. this is an english dish, and a good one, despite the unpleasant name. one pound of round steak, one pint of milk, one cupful of flour, one egg, and salt and pepper. cut the steak into dice. beat the egg very light; add milk to it, and then half a teaspoonful of salt. pour upon the flour, gradually, beating very light and smooth. butter a two- quart dish, and in it put the meat. season well, and pour over it the batter. bake an hour in a moderate oven. serve hot. this dish can be made with mutton and lamb in place of steak. scotch roll. remove the tough skin from about five pounds of the flank of beef. a portion of the meat will be found thicker than the rest. with a sharp knife, cut a thin layer from the thick part, and lay upon the thin. mix together three table-spoonfuls of salt, one of sugar, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one-eighth of a teaspoonful of clove and one teaspoonful of summer savory. sprinkle this over the meat, and then sprinkle with three table-spoonfuls of vinegar. roll up, and tie with twine. put away in a cold place for twelve hours when it has stood this time, place in a stew-pan, with boiling water to cover, and simmer gently for three hours and a half. mix four heaping table- spoonfuls of flour with half a cupful of cold water, and stir into the gravy. season to taste with salt and pepper. simmer half an hour longer. this dish is good hot or cold. poultry and game. to clean and truss poultry. first singe, by holding the bird over a blazing paper. it is best to do this over the open stove, when all the particles of burnt paper will fall into the fire. next open the vent and draw out the internal organs, if this has not been done at the butcher's. be careful not to break the gall bladder. wash quickly in one water. if there are large black pin-feathers, take out what you can with the point of a knife, (it is impossible to get out all). cut the oil bag from the tail. be sure that you have taken out every part of the wind-pipe, the lights and crop. turn the skin back, and cut the neck quite short. fill the crop with dressing, and put some in the body also. with a short skewer, fasten the legs together at the joint where the feet were cut off. [be careful, in cutting off the feet of game or poultry, to cut in the joint. if you cut above, the ligaments that hold the flesh and bones together will be severed, and in cooking, the meat will shrink, leaving a bare, unsightly bone. besides, you will have nothing to hold the skewer, if the ligaments are cut off.] run the skewer into the bone of the tail, and tie firmly with a long piece of twine. now take a longer skewer, and run through the two wings, fastening them firmly to the sides of the bird. with another short skewer, fasten the skin of the neck on to the back-bone. place the bird on its breast, and draw the strings, with which the legs were tied, around the skewers in the wings and neck; pass them across the back three times, and tie very tightly. by following these directions, you will have the bird in good shape, and all the strings on the back, so that you will avoid breaking the handsome crust that always forms on properly basted and roasted poultry. when cooked, first cut the strings, then draw out the skewers. the fat that comes from the vent and the gizzard of chickens, should be tried out immediately and put away for shortening and frying. that of geese, turkeys and ducks is of too strong a flavor to be nice in cookery. to clean the giblets: cut the gall-bag from the lobe of the liver, cutting a little of the liver with it, so as not to cut into the bag. press the heart between the finger and thumb, to extract all the blood. with a sharp knife, cut lightly around the gizzard, and draw off the outer coat, leaving the lining coat whole. if you cannot do that (and it does require practice), cut in two, and after removing the filling, take out the lining. when the poultry is to be boiled, and is stuffed, the vent must be sewed with mending cotton or soft twine. unless the bird is full of dressing, this will not be necessary in roasting. fowl and pork. clean and truss, pin in the floured cloth and put into water in which one pound of rather lean pork has been boiling three hours. the time of cooking depends upon the age of the fowl. if they are not more than a year old an hour and a half will be enough, but if very old they may need three hours. the quantity of pork given is for only a pair of fowl, and more must be used if a large number of birds be cooked. serve with egg sauce. the liquor should be saved for soups. boiled fowl with macaroni. break twelve sticks of macaroni in pieces about two inches long; throw them into one quart of boiling water, add a table-spoonful of salt and half a table-spoonful of pepper. boil rapidly for twelve minutes; then take up, and drain off all the water. season with one table-spoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of salt. after the fowl have been singed and cleaned, stuff with the macaroni. truss them, and then pin in a floured cloth and plunge into enough boiling water to cover them. boil rapidly for fifteen minutes; then set back where they will just simmer for from one and a half to two and a half hours. the time of cooking depends upon the age of the birds. serve with an egg or bechamel sauce. the quantity of macaroni given is for two fowl. plain boiled macaroni should be served with this dish. boiled turkey with celery. chop half a head of celery very fine. mix with it one quart of bread crumbs, two scant table-spoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two heaping table-spoonfuls of butter and two eggs. stuff the turkey with this; sew up and truss. wring a large square of white cotton cloth out of cold water, and dredge it thickly with flour. pin the turkey in this, and plunge into boiling water. let it boil rapidly for fifteen minutes; then set back where it will simmer. allow three hours for a turkey weighing nine pounds, and twelve minutes for every additional pound. serve with celery sauce. the stuffing may be made the same as above, only substitute oysters for celery, and serve with oyster sauce. boiled turkey. clean and truss the same as for roasting. rub into it two spoonfuls of salt, and put into boiling water to cover. simmer gently three hours, if it weighs nine or ten pounds, and is tender. if old and tough it will take longer. serve with oyster, celery or egg sauce. pour some of the sauce over the turkey, and serve the rest in a gravy boat. roast turkey. proceed the same with a turkey as with a chicken, allowing one hour and three-quarters for a turkey weighing eight pounds, and ten minutes for every additional pound. roast turkey with chestnut stuffing and sauce. clean the turkey, and lard the breast. throw fifty large chestnuts into boiling water for a few minutes; then take them up, and rub off the thin, dark skin. cover them with boiling water, and simmer for one hour; take them up, and mash fine. chop one pound of veal and half a pound of salt pork very fine. add half of the chestnuts to this, and add, also, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two table-spoonfuls of salt and one cupful of stock or water. stuff the turkey with this. truss, and roast as already directed. serve with a chestnut sauce. the remaining half of the chestnuts are for this sauce. boned turkey. get a turkey that has not been frozen (freezing makes it tear easily). see that every part is whole; one with a little break in the skin will not do. cut off the legs, in the joints, and the tips of the wings. do not draw the bird. place it on its breast, and with a small, sharp boning knife, cut in a straight line through to the bone, from the neck down to that part of the bird where there is but little flesh, where it is all skin and fat. begin at the neck, and run the knife between the flesh and the bones until you come to the wing. then cut the ligaments that hold the bones together and the tendons that hold the flesh to the bones. with the thumb and fore-finger, _press_ the flesh from the smooth bone. when you come to the joint, carefully separate the ligaments and remove the bone. do not try to take the bone from the next joint, as that is not in the way when carving, and it gives a more natural shape to the bird. now begin at the wish-bone, and when that is free from the flesh, run the knife between the sides and the flesh, always using the fingers to press the meat from the smooth bones, as, for instance, the breast-bone and lower part of the sides. work around the legs the same as you did around the wings, always using great care at the joints not to cut the skin. drawing out the leg bones turns that part of the bird inside out. turn the bird over, and proceed in the same manner with the other side. when all is detached, carefully draw the skin from the breast-bone; then run the knife between the fat and bone at the rump, leaving the small bone in the extreme end, as it holds the skewers. carefully remove the flesh from the skeleton, and turn it right side out again. rub into it two table-spoonfuls of salt and a little pepper, and fill with dressing. sew up the back and neck and then the vent. truss the same as if not boned. take a strong piece of cotton cloth and pin the bird firmly in it, drawing very tight at the legs, as this is the broadest place, and the shape will not be good unless this precaution be taken. steam three hours, and then place on a buttered tin sheet, which put in a baking pan. baste well with butter, pepper, salt and flour. roast one hour, basting every ten minutes, and twice with stock. when cold, remove the skewers and strings, and garnish with aspic jelly, cooked beets and parsley. to carve: first cut off the wings, then about two thick slices from the neck, where it will be quite fat, and then cut in thin slices. serve jelly with each plate. filling for a turkey weighing eight pounds: the flesh of one chicken weighing four pounds, one pound of clear veal, half a pound of clear salt pork, one small capful of cracker crumbs, two eggs, one cupful of broth, two and a half table-spoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of summer savory, one of sweet majoram, one of thyme, half a spoonful of sage, and, if you like, one table-spoonful of capers, one quart of oysters and two table-spoonfuls of onion juice. have the meat uncooked and free from any tough pieces. chop _very_ fine. add seasoning, crackers, etc., mix thoroughly, and use. if oysters are used, half a pound of the veal must be omitted. where one cannot eat veal, use chicken instead. veal is recommended for its cheapness. why people choose boned turkey instead of a plain roast turkey or chicken, is not plain, for the flavor is not so good; but at the times and places where boned birds are used, it is a very appropriate dish. that is, at suppers, lunches and parties, where the guests are served standing, it is impracticable to provide anything that cannot be broken with a fork or spoon; therefore, the advantage of a boned turkey, chicken, or bird, is apparent. one turkey weighing eight pounds before being boned, will serve thirty persons at a party, if there are, also, say oysters, rolls, coffee, ices, cake and cream. if the supper is very elaborate the turkey will answer for one of the dishes for a hundred or more persons. if nothing more were gained in the boning of a bird, the knowledge of the anatomy and the help this will give in carving, pay to bone two or three chickens. it is advisable to bone at least two fowls before trying a turkey, for if you spoil them there is nothing lost, as they make a stew or soup. aspic jelly: one and a half pints of clear stock--beef if for amber jelly, and chicken or veal if for white; half a box of gelatine, the white of one egg, half a cupful of cold water, two cloves, one large slice of onion, twelve pepper-corns, one stalk of celery, salt. soak gelatine two hours in the cold water. then put on with other ingredients, the white of the egg being beaten with one spoonful of the cold stock. let come to a boil, and set back where it will just simmer for twenty minutes. strain through a napkin, turn into a mould or shallow dish, and put away to harden. the jelly can be made with the bones of the turkey and chicken, by washing them, covering with cold water and boiling down to about three pints; by then straining and setting away to cool, and in the morning skimming off all the fat and turning off the clear stock. the bones may, instead, be used for a soup. roast goose. stuff the goose with a potato dressing made in the following manner: six potatoes, boiled, pared and mashed fine and light; one table- spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, one spoonful of sage, two table-spoonfuls of onion juice, two of butter. truss, and dredge well with salt, pepper and flour. roast before the fire (if weighing eight pounds) one hour and a half; in the oven, one hour and a quarter. make gravy the same as for turkey. no butter is required for goose, it is so fat. serve with apple sauce. many people boil the goose half an hour before roasting, to take away the strong flavor. why not have something else if you do not like the real flavor of the goose? roast duck. ducks, to be good, must be cooked rare: for this reason it is best not to stuff. if, however, you do stuff them, use the goose dressing, and have it very hot. the better way is to cut an onion in two, and put into the body of the bird; then truss, and dredge with salt, pepper and flour, and roast, if before the fire, forty minutes, and if in the oven, thirty minutes. the fire must be very hot if the duck be roasted in the kitchen, and if in the oven, this must be a quick one. serve with currant jelly and a sauce made the same as for turkey. roast chicken. clean the chicken, and stuff the breast and part of the body with dressing made as follows: for a pair of chickens weighing between seven and eight pounds, take one quart of stale bread (being sure not to have any hard pieces), and break up in very fine crumbs. add a table-spoonful of salt, a scant teaspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, half a teaspoonful of powdered sage, one of summer savory and a scant half cupful of butter. mix well together. this gives a rich dressing that will separate like rice when served. now truss the chickens, and dredge well with salt. take soft butter in the hand, and rub thickly over the chicken; then dredge rather thickly with flour. place on the side, on the meat rack, and put into a hot oven for a few moments, that the flour in the bottom of the pan may brown. when it is browned, put in water enough to cover the pan. baste every fifteen minutes with the gravy in the pan, and dredge with salt, pepper and flour. when one side is browned, turn, and brown the other. the last position in which the chicken should bake is on its back, that the breast may be nicely frothed and browned. the last basting is on the breast, and should be done with soft butter, and the breast should be dredged with flour. putting the butter on the chicken at first, and then covering with flour, makes a paste, which keeps the juices in the chicken, and also supplies a certain amount of rich basting that is absorbed into the meat. it really does not take as much butter to baste poultry or game in this manner as by the old method of putting it on with a spoon after the bird began to cook. the water in the pan must often be renewed; and always be careful not to get in too much at a time. it will take an hour and a quarter to cook a pair of chickens, each weighing between three and a half and four pounds; anything larger, an hour and a half. a sure sign that they are done is the readiness of joints to separate from the body. if the chickens are roasted in the tin-kitchen, before the fire, it will take a quarter of an hour longer than in the oven. gravy for chickens: wash the hearts, livers, gizzards and necks and put on to boil in three pints of water; boil down to one pint. take them all up. put the liver on a plate, and mash fine with the back of the spoon; return it to the water in which it was boiled. mix two table-spoonfuls of flour with half a cupful of cold water. stir into the gravy, season well with salt and pepper, and set back where it will simmer, for twenty minutes. take up the chickens, and take the meat rack out of the pan. then tip the pan to one side, to bring all the gravy together. skim off the fat. place the pan on top of the stove and turn into it one cupful of water. let this boil up, in the meantime scraping everything from the sides and bottom of the pan. turn this into the made gravy, and let it all boil together while you are removing the skewers and strings from the chickens. chicken à la matelote. cut up an uncooked chicken. rub in butter and flour, and brown in an oven. fry in four table-spoonfuls of chicken fat or butter, for about twenty minutes, a small carrot, onion and parsnip, all cut into dice. when the chicken is browned, put it in a stew-pan with the cooked vegetables and one quart of white stock. then into the fat in which the vegetables were fried, put two table-spoonfuls of flour, and cook until brown. stir this in with the chicken. add the liver, mashed fine, one table-spoonful of capers and salt and pepper to taste. cook very gently three-quarters of an hour; then add one-fourth of a pound of mushrooms, cut in small pieces. cook fifteen minutes longer. serve with a border of boiled macaroni, mashed potatoes or rice. chicken à la reine. clean, stuff and truss a pair of chickens, as for roasting. dredge well with salt, pepper and flour. cut a quarter of a pound of pork in slices, and put part on the bottom of a deep stew-pan with two slices of carrot and one large onion, cut fine. stir over the fire until they begin to color; then put in the chickens, and lay the remainder of the pork over them. place the stew-pan in a hot oven for twenty minutes; then add white stock to half cover the chicken (about two quarts), and a bouquet of sweet herbs. dredge well with flour. cover the pan and return to the oven. baste about every fifteen minutes, and after cooking one hour, turn over the chickens. cook, in all, two hours. serve with hollandaise sauce or with the sauce in which the chickens were cooked, it being strained over them. chicken à la tartare. singe the chicken, and split down the back. wipe thoroughly with a damp cloth. dredge well with salt and pepper, cover thickly with softened butter, and dredge thickly on both sides with fine, dry bread crumbs. place in a baking pan, the inside down, and cook in a very hot oven thirty minutes, taking care not to bum. serve with tartare sauce. broiled chicken. singe the chicken, and split down the back, if not already prepared; and wipe with a damp cloth. never wash it. season well with salt and pepper. take some soft butter in the right hand and rub over the bird, letting the greater part go on the breast and legs. dredge with flour. put in the double broiler, and broil over a moderate fire, having the breast turned to the heat at first. when the chicken is a nice brown, which will be in about fifteen minutes, place in a pan and put into a moderate oven for twelve minutes. place on a hot dish, season, with salt, pepper and butter, and serve immediately. this rule is for a chicken weighing about two and a half pounds. the chicken is improved by serving with _maître d' hôtel_ butter or tartare sauce. chicken stew with dumplings. one chicken or fowl, weighing about three pounds; one table-spoonful of butter, three of flour, one large onion, three slices of carrot, three of turnip, three pints of boiling water and salt and pepper. cut the chicken in slices suitable for serving. wash, and put in a deep stew-pan, add the water, and set on to boil. put the carrot, turnip and onion, cut fine, in a sauce-pan, with the butter, and cook slowly half an hour, stirring often; then take up the vegetables in a strainer, place the strainer in the stew-pan with the chicken, and dip some of the water into it. mash the vegetables with the back of a spoon, and rub as much as possible through the strainer. now skim two spoonfuls of chicken fat from the water, and put in the pan in which the vegetables were cooked. when boiling hot, add the three table- spoonfuls of flour. stir over the fire until a dark brown; then stir it in with the chicken, and simmer until tender. season well with pepper and salt. the stew should only simmer all the while it is cooking. it must not boil hard. about two hours will be needed to cook a year old chicken. twelve minutes before serving draw the stew-pan forward, and boil up; then put in the dumplings, and cook _ten_ minutes. take them up, and keep in the heater while you are dishing the chicken into the centre of the platter. afterwards, place the dumplings around the edge. this is a very nice and economical dish, if pains are taken in preparing. one stewed chicken will go farther than two roasted. larded grouse. clean and wash the grouse. lard the breast and legs. run a small skewer into the legs and through the tail. tie firmly with twine. dredge with salt, and rub the breast with soft butter; then dredge thickly with flour. put into a quick oven. if to be very rare, cook twenty minutes; if wished better done, thirty minutes. the former time, as a general thing, suits gentlemen better, but thirty minutes is preferred by ladies. if the birds are cooked in a tin-kitchen, it should be for thirty or thirty-five minutes. when done, place on a hot dish, on which has been spread bread sauce. sprinkle fried crumbs over both grouse and sauce. garnish with parsley. the grouse may, instead, be served on a hot dish, with the parsley garnish, and the sauce and crumbs served in separate dishes. the first method is the better, however, as you get in the sauce all the gravy that comes from the birds. larded partridges. partridges are cooked and served the same as grouse. larded quail. the directions for cooking and serving are the same as those for grouse, only that quails cook in fifteen minutes. all dry-meated birds are cooked in this way. the question is sometimes asked, should ducks be larded? larding is to give richness to a dry meat that does not have fat enough of its own; therefore, meats like goose, duck and mutton are _not_ improved by larding. broiled quail. split the quail down the back. wipe with a damp towel. season with salt and pepper, rub thickly with soft butter, and dredge with flour. broil ten minutes over clear coals. serve on hot buttered toast, garnishing with parsley. broiled pigeons. prepare, cook and serve the same as quail they should be young for broiling, squabs being the best. broiled small birds. all small birds can be broiled according to the directions for quail, remembering that for extremely small ones it takes a very bright fire. as the birds should be only browned, the time required is very brief. small birds, roasted. clean, by washing quickly in one water after they have been drawn. season with salt and pepper. cut slices of salt pork _very thin_, and with small skewers, fasten a slice around each bird. run a long skewer through the necks of six or eight, and rest it on a shallow baking-pan. when all the birds are arranged, put into a _hot_ oven for twelve minutes, or before a hot fire for a quarter of an hour. serve on toast. potted pigeons. clean and wash one dozen pigeons. stand them on their necks in a deep earthen or porcelain pot, and turn on them a pint of vinegar. cut three large onions in twelve pieces, and place a piece on each pigeon. cover the pot, and let it stand all night in the morning take out the pigeons, and throw away the onions and vinegar. fry, in a deep stew- pan, six slices of fat pork, and when browned, take them up, and in the fat put six onions, sliced fine. on these put the pigeons, having first trussed them, and dredge well with salt pepper and flour. cover, and cook slowly for forty-five minutes, stirring occasionally; then add two quarts of boiling water, and simmer gently two hours. mix four heaping table-spoonfuls of flour with a cupful of cold water, and stir in with the pigeons. taste to see if there is enough seasoning, and if there is not, add more. cook half an hour longer. serve with a garnish of rice or riced potatoes. more or less onion can be used; and, if you like it so, spice the gravy slightly. pigeons in jelly. wash and truss one dozen pigeons. put them in a kettle with four pounds of the shank of veal, six cloves, twenty-five pepper-corns, an onion that has been fried in one spoonful of butter, one stalk of celery, a bouquet of sweet herbs and four and a half quarts of water. have the veal shank broken in small pieces. as soon as the contents of the kettle come to a boil, skim carefully, and set for three hours where they will just simmer. after they have been cooking one hour, add two table-spoonfuls of salt. when the pigeons are done, take them up, being careful not to break them, and remove the strings. draw the kettle forward, where it will boil rapidly, and keep there for forty minutes; then strain the liquor through a napkin, and taste to see if seasoned enough. the water should have boiled down to two and a half quarts. have two moulds that will each hold six pigeons. put a thin layer of the jelly in these, and set on ice to harden. when hard, arrange the pigeons in them, and cover with the jelly, which must be cold, but liquid. place in the ice chest for six or, better still, twelve hours. there should be only one layer of the pigeons in the mould. to serve: dip the mould in a basin of warm water for one minute, and turn on a cold dish. garnish with pickled beets and parsley. a tartare sauce can be served with this dish. if squabs are used, two hours will cook them. all small birds, as well as partridge, grouse, etc., can be prepared in the same manner. remember that the birds must be cooked tender, and that the liquor must be so reduced that it will become jellied. roast rabbit. first make a stuffing of a pound of veal and a quarter of a pound of pork, simmered two hours in water to cover; four crackers, rolled fine; a table-spoonful of salt, a scant teaspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of summer savory, a large table-spoonful of butter and one and a quarter cupfuls of the broth in which the veal and pork were cooked. chop the meat fine, add the other ingredients, and put on the fire to heat. cut off the rabbit's head, open the vent, and draw. wash clean, and season with salt and pepper. stuff while the dressing is hot, and sew up the opening. put the rabbit on its knees, and skewer in that position. rub thickly with butter, dredge with flour, and put in the baking pan, the bottom of which should be covered with hot water. bake half an hour in a quick oven, basting frequently. serve with a border of mashed potatoes, and pour the gravy over the rabbit. curry of rabbit. cut the rabbit in small pieces. wash, and cook the same as chicken curry. saddle of venison. carefully scrape off the hair, and wipe with a damp towel; season well with salt and pepper, and roll up and skewer together. rub thickly with soft butter and dredge thickly with flour. roast for an hour before a clear fire or in a _hot_ oven, basting frequently. when half done, if you choose, baste with a few spoonfuls of claret. or, you can have one row of larding on each side of the back-bone. this gives a particularly nice flavor. to make the gravy: pour off all the fat from the baking pan, and put in the pan a cupful of boiling water. stir from the sides and bottom, and set back where it will keep hot. in a small frying-pan put one table-spoonful of butter, a small slice of onion, six pepper-corns and four whole cloves. cook until the onion is browned, and then add a generous teaspoonful of flour. stir until this is browned; then, gradually, add the gravy in the pan. boil one minute. strain, and add half a teaspoonful of lemon juice and three table-spoonfuls of currant jelly. serve both venison and gravy very hot. the time given is for a saddle weighing between ten and twelve pounds. all the dishes and plates for serving must be hot. venison is cooked in almost the same manner as beef, always remembering that it must be served _rare_ and _hot_. roast leg of venison. draw the dry skin from the meat, and wipe with a damp towel. make a paste with one quart of flour and a generous pint of cold water. cover the venison with this, and place before a hot fire, if to be roasted in the tin kitchen, or else in a very hot oven. as the paste browns, baste it frequently with the gravy in the pan. when it has been cooking one hour and a half, take off the paste, cover with butter, and dredge thickly with flour. cook one hour longer, basting frequently with butter, salt and flour. make the gravy the same as for a saddle of venison, or serve with game sauce. the time given is for a leg weighing about fifteen pounds. entrees. fillet of beef, larded. the true fillet is the tenderloin, although sometimes one will see a rib roast, boned and rolled, called a fillet. a short fillet, weighing from two and a half to three pounds (the average weight from a very large rump), will suffice for ten persons at a dinner where this is served as one course; and if a larger quantity is wanted a great saving will still be made if two short fillets are used. they cost about two dollars, while a large one, weighing the same amount, would cost five dollars, fillet of beef is one of the simplest, safest and most satisfactory dishes that a lady can prepare for either her own family or guests. after a single trial she will think no more of it than of broiling a beef steak. first, remove from the fillet, with a sharp knife, every shred of muscle, ligament and thin, tough skin. if it is not then of a good round shape, skewer it into shape. draw a line through the centre, and lard with two rows of pork, having them meet at this line. dredge well with salt, pepper and flour, and put, without water, in a very small pan. place in a hot oven for thirty minutes. let it be in the lower part of the oven the first ten minutes, then place on the upper grate. serve with mushroom, hollandaise or tomato sauce, or with potato balls. if with sauce, this should be poured around the fillet, the time given cooks a fillet of any size, the shape being such that it will take half an hour for either two or six pounds. save the fat trimmed from the fillet for frying, and the lean part for soup stock. fillet of beef à la hollandaise. trim and cut the short fillet into slices about half an inch thick. season these well with salt, and then lay in a pan with six table- spoonfuls of butter, just warm enough to be oily. squeeze the juice of a quarter of a lemon over them. let them stand one hour; then dip lightly in flour, place in the double broiler, and cook for six minutes over a very bright fire. have a mound of mashed potatoes in the centre of a hot dish, and rest the slices against this. pour a hollandaise sauce around. garnish with parsley. fillet of beef à l'allemand. trim the fillet and skewer it into a good shape. season well with pepper and salt. have one egg and half a teaspoonful of sugar well beaten together; roll the fillet in this and then in bread crumbs. bake in the oven for thirty minutes. serve with allemand sauce poured around it. fillet of beef in jelly. trim a short fillet, and cut a deep incision in the side, being careful not to go through to the other side or the ends. fill this with one cupful of veal, prepared as for quenelles, and the whites of three hard-boiled eggs, cut into rings. sew up the openings, and bind the fillet into good shape with broad bands of cotton cloth. put in a deep stew-pan two slices of ham and two of pork, and place the fillet on them; then put in two calf's feet, two stalks of celery and two quarts of clear stock. simmer gently two hours and a half. take up the fillet, and set away to cool. strain the stock, and set away to harden. when hard, scrape of every particle of fat, and put on the fire in a clean sauce-pan, with half a slice of onion and the whites of two eggs, beaten with four table-spoonfuls of cold water. when this boils, season well with salt, and set back where it will just simmer for half an hour; then strain through a napkin. pour a little of the jelly into a two-quart charlotte russe mould (half an inch deep), and set on the ice to harden. as soon as it is hard, decorate with the egg rings. add about three spoonfuls of the liquid jelly, to set the eggs. when hard, add enough jelly to cover the eggs, and when this is also hard, trim the ends of the fillet, and draw out the thread. place in the centre of the mould, and cover with the remainder of the jelly. if the fillet floats, place a slight weight on it. set in the ice chest to harden. when ready to serve, place the mould in a pan of warm water for half a minute, and then turn out the fillet gently upon a dish. garnish with a circle of egg rings, each of which has a stoned olive in the centre. put here and there a sprig of parsley. alamode beef. six pounds of the upper part, or of the vein, of the round of beef, half a pound of fat salt pork, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two onions, half a carrot, half a turnip, two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one of lemon juice, one heaping table-spoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two cloves, six allspice, a small piece of stick cinnamon, a bouquet of sweet herbs, two scant quarts of boiling water and four table-spoonfuls of flour. cut the pork in thick strips-- as long as the meat is thick, and, with a large larding needle (which comes for this purpose), draw these through the meat. if you do not have the large needle, make the holes with the boning knife or the carving steel, and press the pork through with the fingers. put the butter in a six-quart stew-pan, and when it melts, add the vegetables, cut fine. let them cook five minutes, stirring all the while. put in the meat, which has been well dredged with the flour; brown on one aide, and then turn, and brown the other. add one quart of the water; stir well, and then add the other, with the spice, herbs, vinegar, salt and pepper. cover tightly, and _simmer gently_ four hours. add the lemon juice. taste the gravy, and, if necessary, add more salt and pepper. let it cook twenty minutes longer. take up the meat, and draw the stew-pan forward, where it will boil rapidly, for ten or fifteen minutes, having first skimmed off all the fat. strain the gravy on the beef, and serve. this dish may be garnished with, potato balls or button onions. macaronied beef. six pounds of beef from the upper part of the round or the vein, a quarter of a pound of macaroni (twelve sticks), half a cupful of butter, four large onions, one quart of peeled and sliced tomatoes, or a quart can of the vegetable; two heaping table-spoonfuls of flour, salt, pepper and two cloves. make holes in the beef with the large larding needle or the steel, and press the macaroni into them. season with salt and pepper. put the butter and the onions, which have been peeled and cut fine, in a six-quart stew-pan, and stir over the fire until a golden brown; then put in the meat, first drawing the onions aside. dredge with the flour, and spread the top of the meat with the fried onions. put in the spice and one quart of boiling water. cover tightly, and simmer _slowly_ for three hours; then add the tomato, and cook one hour longer. take up the meat, and strain the gravy over it. serve hot. the tomato may be omitted if one pint more of water and an extra table-spoonful of flour are used instead. always serve macaroni with this dish. cannelon of beef. one thin slice of the upper part of the round of beef. cut off all the fat, and so trim as to give the piece a regular shape. put the trimmings in the chopping tray, with a quarter of a pound of boiled salt pork and one pound of lean cooked ham. chop very fine; then add a speck of cayenne, one teaspoonful of mixed mustard, one of onion juice, one table-spoonful of lemon juice and three eggs. season the beef with salt and pepper. spread the mixture over it, and roll up. tie with twine, being careful not to draw too tightly. have six slices of fat pork fried in the braising pan. cut two onions, two slices of carrot, and two of turnip into this, and stir for two minutes over the fire. roll the cannelon in a plate of flour, and put it in the braising pan with the pork and vegetables. brown slightly on all sides; then add one quart of boiling water, and place in the oven. cook three hours, basting every fifteen minutes. when it has been cooking two hours, add half a cupful of canned tomatoes or two fresh ones. taste to see if the gravy is seasoned enough; if it is not, add seasoning. the constant dredging with flour will thicken the gravy sufficiently. slide the cake turner under the beef, and lift carefully on to a hot dish. cut the string in three or four places with a _sharp_ knife, and gently draw it away from the meat. skim off all the fat. strain the gravy through a fine sieve on to the meat. garnish with a border of toast or riced potatoes. cut in thin slices with a sharp knife. cannelon of beef, no. . two pounds of the round of beef, the rind of half a lemon, three sprigs of parsley, one teaspoonful of salt, barely one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, a quarter of a nutmeg, two table-spoonfuls of melted butter, one raw egg and half a teaspoonful of onion juice. chop meat, parsley and lemon rind very fine. add other ingredients, and mix thoroughly. shape, into a roll, about three inches in diameter and six in length. roll in buttered paper, and bake thirty minutes, basting with butter and water. when cooked, place on a hot dish, gently unroll from the paper, and serve with flemish sauce poured over it. you may serve tomato or mushroom sauce if you prefer either. beef roulette. have two pounds of the upper part of the round, cut very thin. mix together one cupful of finely-chopped ham, two eggs, one teaspoonful of mixed mustard, a speck of cayenne and three table-spoonfuls of stock or water. spread upon the beef, which roll up firmly and tie with soft twine, being careful not to draw too tightly, for that would cut the meat as soon as it began to cook. cover the roll with flour, and fry brown in four table-spoonfuls of ham or pork fat. put it in as small a sauce-pan as will hold it. into the fat remaining in the pan put two finely-chopped onions, and cook until a pale yellow; then add two table-spoonfuls of flour, and stir three minutes longer. pour upon this one pint and a half of boiling water. boil up once, and pour over the roulette; then add two cloves, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper and one heaping teaspoonful of salt. cover the sauce-pan, and set where it will simmer slowly for three hours. after the first hour and a half, turn the roulette over. serve hot; with the gravy strained over it. it is also nice to serve cold for lunch or supper. ham force- meat balls and parsley make a pretty garnish. beef olives. one and a half pounds of beef, cut very thin. trim off the edges and fat; then cut in strips three inches wide and four long; season well with salt and pepper. chop fine the trimmings and the fat add three table-spoonfuls of powdered cracker, one teaspoonful of sage and savory, mixed, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper and two teaspoonfuls of salt. mix very thoroughly and spread on the strips of beef. roll them up, and tie with twine. when all are done, roll in flour. fry brown a quarter of a pound of pork. take it out of the pan, and put the olives in. fry brown, and put in a small sauce-pan that can be tightly covered. in the fat remaining in the pan put one table- spoonful of flour, and stir until perfectly smooth and brown; then pour in, gradually, nearly a pint and a half of boiling water. stir for two or three minutes, season to taste with salt and pepper, and pour over the olives. cover the sauce-pan, and let simmer two hours. take up at the end of this time and cut the strings with a sharp knife. place the olives in a row on a dish, and pour the gravy over them. veal olives. these are made in the same manner, except that a dressing, like chicken dressing, is made for them. for one and a half pounds of veal take three crackers, half a table-spoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of savory, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of sage, a teaspoonful of salt, a very little pepper and an eighth of a cupful of water. spread the strips with this, and proceed as for beef olives. fricandelles of veal. two pounds of clear veal, half a cupful of finely-chopped cooked ham, one cupful of milk, one cupful of bread crumbs, the juice of half a lemon, one table-spoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one cupful of butter, a pint and a half of stock, three table-spoonfuls of flour. chop the veal fine. cook the bread crumbs and milk until a smooth paste, being careful not to burn. add to the chopped veal and ham, and when well mixed, add the seasoning and four tablespoonfuls of the butter. mix thoroughly, and form into balls about the size of an egg. have the yolks of three eggs well beaten, and use to cover the balls. fry these, till a light brown, in the remainder of the butter, being _very_ careful not to burn. stir the three table-spoonfuls of flour into the butter that remains after the balls are fried. stir until dark brown, and then gradually stir the stock into it. boil for two minutes. taste to see if seasoned enough; then add the balls, and cook _very slowly_ for one hour. serve with a garnish of toast and lemon. fricandelles can be made with chicken, mutton, lamb and beef, the only change in the above directions being to omit the ham. braised tongue. wash a fresh beef tongue, and, with a trussing needle, run a strong twine through the roots and end of it, drawing tightly enough to have the end meet the roots; then tie firmly. cover with boiling water, and boil gently for two hours; then take up and drain. put six table- spoonfuls of butter in the braising pan, and when hot, put in half a small carrot, half a small turnip and two onions, all cut fine. cook five minutes, stirring all the time, and then draw to one side. roll the tongue in flour, and put in the pan. as soon as browned on one side, turn, and brown the other. add one quart of the water in which it was boiled, a bouquet of sweet herbs, one clove, a small piece of cinnamon and salt and pepper. cover, and cook two hours in a slow oven, basting often with the gravy in the pan, and salt, pepper and flour. when it has been cooking an hour and a half, add the juice of half a lemon to the gravy. when done, take up. melt two table- spoonfuls of glaze, and pour over the tongue. place in the heater until the gravy is made. mix one table-spoonful of corn-starch with a little cold water, and stir into the boiling gravy, of which there should be one pint. boil one minute; then strain, and pour around the tongue. garnish with parsley, and serve. fillets of tongue. cut cold boiled tongue in pieces about four inches long, two wide and half an inch thick. dip in melted butter and in flour. for eight fillets put two table-spoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan, and when hot, put in the tongue. brown on both sides, being careful not to burn. take up, and put one more spoonful of butter in the pan, and then one heaping teaspoonful of flour. stir until dark brown; then add one cupful of stock, half a teaspoonful of parsley and one table- spoonful of lemon juice, or one tea-spoonful of vinegar. let this boil up once, and then pour it around the tongue, which has been dished on thin strips of toast. garnish with parsley, and serve. for a change, a table-spoonful of chopped pickles, or of capers, can be stirred into the sauce the last moment. escaloped tongue. chop some cold tongue--not too fine, and have for each pint one table- spoonful of onion juice, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of capers, one cupful of bread crumbs, half a cupful of stock and three table-spoonfuls of butter. butter the escalop dish, and cover the bottom with bread crumbs. put in the tongue, which has been mixed with the parsley, salt, pepper and capers, and add the stock, in which has been mixed the onion juice. put part of the butter on the dish with the remainder of the bread crumbs, and then bits of butter here and there. bake twenty minutes, and serve hot. tongue in jelly. boil and skin either a fresh or salt tongue. when cold, trim off the roots. have one and a fourth quarts of aspic jelly in the liquid state. cover the bottom of a two-quart mould about an inch deep with it, and let it harden. with a fancy vegetable cutter, cut out leaves from cooked beets, and garnish the bottom of the mould with them. gently pour in three table-spoonfuls of jelly, to set the vegetables. when this is hard, add jelly enough to cover the vegetables, and let the whole get very hard. then put in the tongue, and about half a cupful of jelly, which should be allowed to harden, and so keep the meat in place when the remainder is added. pour in the remainder of the jelly and set away to harden. to serve: dip the mould for a few moments in a pan of warm water, and then gently turn on to a dish. garnish with pickles and parsley. pickled beet is especially nice. lambs' tongues in jelly. lambs' tongues are prepared the same as beef tongues. three of four moulds, each holding a little less than a pint, will make enough for a small company, one tongue being put in each mould. the tongues can all be put on the same dish, or on two, if the table is long. lambs' tongues, stewed. six tongues, three heaping table-spoonfuls of butter, one large onion, two slices of carrot, three slices of white turnip, three table- spoonfuls of flour, one of salt, a little pepper, one quart of stock or water and a bouquet of sweet herbs. boil the tongues one hour and a half in clear water; then take up, cover with cold water, and draw off the skins. put the butter, onion, turnip and carrot in the stew-pan, and cook slowly for fifteen minutes; then add the flour, and cook until brown, stirring all the while. stir the stock into this, and when it boils up, add the tongue, salt, pepper and herbs. simmer gently for two hours. cut the carrots, turnips and potatoes into cubes. boil the potatoes in salted water ten minutes, and the carrots and turnips one hour. place the tongues in the centre of a hot dish. arrange the vegetables around them, strain the gravy, and pour over all. garnish with parsley, and serve. stewed ox tails. two ox tails, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, one large onion, half a small carrot, three slices of turnip, two stalks of celery, two cloves, a pint and a half of stock or water, salt and pepper to taste. divide the tails in pieces about four inches long. cut the vegetables in small pieces. let the butter get hot in the stew-pan; then add the vegetables, and when they begin to brown, add the flour. stir for two minutes. put in the tails, and add the seasoning and stock. simmer gently three hours. serve on a hot dish with gravy strained over them. ox tails à la tartare. three ox tails, two eggs, one cupful of bread crumbs, salt, pepper, one quart of stock, a bouquet of sweet herbs. cut the tails in four- inch pieces, and put them on to boil with the stock and sweet herbs. let them simmer two hours. take up, drain and cool. when cold, dip them in the beaten eggs and in bread crumbs. fry in boiling fat till a golden brown. have tartare sauce spread on the centre of a cold dish, and arrange the ox tails on this. garnish with parsley, and serve. haricot of ox tails. three ox tails, two carrots, two onions, two small white turnips, three potatoes, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, three pints of water and salt and pepper to taste. cut the tails in pieces about four inches long. cut the onions very fine, and the carrots, turnips and potatoes into large cubes. put the butter, meat and onion in the stew-pan and fry, stirring all the time, until the onions are a golden brown; then add the flour, and stir two minutes longer. add the water, and when it comes to a boil, skim carefully. set back where it will simmer. when it has been cooking one hour, add the carrots and turnips. cook another hour, and then add the salt, pepper and potatoes. simmer twenty minutes longer. heap the vegetables in the centre of a hot dish, and arrange the tails around them. pour the gravy over all, and serve. ragout of mutton. three pounds of any of the cheap parts of mutton, six table-spoonfuls of butter, three of flour, twelve button onions, or one of the common size; one large white turnip, cut into little cubes; salt, pepper, one quart of water and a bouquet of sweet herbs. cut the meat in small pieces. put three table-spoonfuls each of butter and flour in the stew-pan, and when hot and smooth, add the meat. stir until a rich brown, and then add water, and set where it will simmer. put three table-spoonfuls of butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, put in the turnips and onions with a teaspoonful of flour. stir all the time until a golden brown; then drain, and put with the meat. simmer for an hour and a half. garnish with rice, toasted bread, plain boiled macaroni or mashed potatoes. small cubes of potato can be added half an hour before dishing. serve very hot. ragout of veal. prepare the same as mutton, using one table-spoonful more of butter, and cooking an hour longer. chicken pie. one fowl weighing between four and five pounds, half the rule for chopped paste (see chopped paste), three pints of water, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, one table-spoonful of salt (these last two quantities may be increased if you like), three table-spoonfuls of flour, three of butter, two eggs, one table-spoonful of onion juice and a bouquet of sweet herbs. clean the fowl, and cut in pieces as for serving. put it in a stew-pan with the hot water, salt, pepper and herbs. when it comes to a boil, skim, and set back where it will simmer one hour and a half. take up the chicken, and place in a deep earthen pie dish. draw the stew-pan forward where it will boil rapidly for fifteen minutes. skim off the fat and take out the bouquet. put the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the flour. stir until smooth, but not brown, and stir in the water in which the chicken was boiled. cook ten minutes. beat the eggs with one spoonful of cold water, and gradually add the gravy to them. turn this into the pie dish. lift the chicken with a spoon, that the gravy may fall to the bottom. set away to cool. when cold, roll out a covering of paste a little larger than the top of the dish and about one-fourth of an inch thick. cover the pie with this, having the edges turned into the dish. roll the remainder of the paste the same as before, and with a thimble, or something as small, cut out little pieces all over the cover. put this perforated paste over the first cover, turning out the edges and rolling slightly. bake one hour in a moderate oven. pasties of game and poultry. make three pints of force-meat. (see force-meat for game.) cut all the solid meat from four grouse. lard each piece with very fine strips of pork. put half a cupful of butter and a finely-cut onion in a frying- pan. stir until the onion is yellow; then put in the grouse, and cook slowly, with the cover on, for forty minutes. stir occasionally. take up the grouse, and put three table-spoonfuls of flour with the butter remaining in the pan. stir until brown; add one quart of stock, two table-spoonfuls of glaze, a bouquet of sweet herbs, and four cloves. simmer twenty minutes, and strain. butter a four-quart earthen dish, and cover the bottom and sides with the force-meat. put in a layer of the grouse, and moisten well with the gravy, which must be highly seasoned with salt and pepper; then put in the yolks of six hard- boiled eggs, and the whites, cut into rings. moisten with gravy, and add another layer of grouse, and of eggs and gravy. twelve eggs should be used. make a paste as for chicken pie. cover with this, and bake one hour and a half. serve either hot or cold. any kind of meat pasties can be made in the same manner. with a veal pastie put in a few slices of cooked ham. cold game pie. make three pints of force-meat. (see force-meat for game.) cut all the meat from two partridges or grouse, and put the bones on to boil with three quarts of water and three pounds of a shank of veal. fry four large slices of fat salt pork, and as soon as brown, take up, and into the fat put one onion, cut in slices. when this begins to turn yellow, take up, and put the meat of the birds in the pan. dredge well with salt, pepper and flour, and stir constantly for four minutes; then take up, and put away to cool. make a crust as directed for raised pies. butter the french pie mould very thoroughly, and line with paste. spread upon the paste--both upon the sides and bottom of the mould--a thin layer of fat salt pork, then a layer of force-meat, one of grouse, again one of force-meat, and so on until the pie is filled. leave a space of about half an inch at the edge of the mould, and heap the filling in the centre. moisten with half a cupful of well-seasoned stock. roll the remainder of the paste into the shape of the top of the mould. wet the paste at the edge of the mould with beaten egg; then put on the top, and press the top and side parts together. cut a small piece of paste from the centre of the top crust, add a little more paste to it, and roll a little larger than the opening, which it is to cover. cut the edges with the jagging iron, and, with the other end of the iron, stamp leaves or flowers. place on the top of the pie. bake in a slow oven three hours and a half. while the pie is baking the sauce can be prepared. when the bones and veal have been cooking two hours, add two cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs and the fried onions. cook one hour longer; then salt and pepper well, and strain. the water should be reduced in boiling to one quart. when the pie is baked, take the centre piece from the cover, and slightly press the tunnel into the opening. pour slowly one pint of the hot gravy through this. put back the cover, and set away to cool. the remainder of the gravy must be turned into a flat dish and put in a cold place to harden. when the pie is served, place the mould in the oven, or steamer, for about five minutes; then draw out the wires and open it. slip the pie on to a cold dish, and garnish with the jellied gravy and parsley. this is nice for suppers or lunches. all kinds of game and meat can be prepared in the same manner. pâté de foies gras. make a paste with one quart of flour, as for raised pies, and put away in a cool place. put four fat goose livers in a pint of sweet milk for two or three hours, to whiten them. chop _very fine_ two pounds of fresh pork, cut from the loin (it must not be too fat), and one pound of clear veal. put one and a half cupfuls of milk on to boil with a blade of mace, an onion, two cloves, a small piece of nutmeg and a bouquet of sweet herbs. cook all these for ten minutes; then strain the milk upon four table-spoonfuls of butter and two of flour, which have been well mixed. add to this the chopped pork and veal and one of the livers, chopped fine; stir over the fire for ten minutes, being careful not to brown. season well with pepper and salt, add four well-beaten eggs, and stir half a minute longer; then put away to cool. cut half a pound of salt pork in slices as thin as shavings. butter a french pie mould, holding about three quarts. form three- fourths of the paste into a ball. sprinkle the board with flour, and roll the paste out until about one-fourth of an inch thick. take it up by the four corners and place it in the mould. be very careful not to break it. with the hand, press the paste on the sides and bottom. the crust must come to the top of the mould. put a layer of the pork shavings on the sides and bottom, then a thick layer of the force- meat. split the livers, and put half of them in; over them sprinkle one table-spoonful of onion juice, salt, pepper, and, if you like, a table-spoonful of capers. another layer of force-meat, again the liver and seasoning, and then the force-meat. on this last layer put salt pork shavings. into the remaining paste roll three table-spoonfuls of washed butter, and roll the paste, as nearly as possible, into the shape of the top of the pie mould. cut a small piece from the centre. the filling of the pie should have been heaped a little toward the centre, leaving a space of about one inch and a half at the edges. brush with beaten egg the paste that is in this space. put on the top crust, and, with the fore-finger and thumb, press the two crusts together. roll the piece of paste cut from the centre of the cover a little larger, and cover the opening with it. from some puff-paste trimmings, cut out leaves, and decorate the cover with them. place in a moderate oven, and bake slowly two hours. have a pint and a half of hot veal stock (which will become jellied when cold) well seasoned with pepper, salt, whole spice and onion. when the _pâté_ is taken from the oven, take off the small piece that was put on the centre of the cover. insert a tunnel in the opening and pour the hot stock through it. replace the cover, and set away to cool. when the _pâté_ is to be served, place it in the oven for about five minutes, that it may slip from the mould easily. draw out the wires which fasten the sides of the mould, and slide the _pâté_ upon the platter. garnish the dish with parsley and small strips of cucumber pickles. truffles and mushrooms can be cut up and put in the _pâté_ in layers, the same as the liver and at the same time. the strasburg fat livers (_foies gras_) come in little stone pots, and cost from a dollar to two dollars per pot. chartreuse of chicken. make the force-meat as for _quenelles_ of chicken. simmer two large chickens in white stock for half an hour. take up, and let cool. have a pickled tongue boiled tender. cut thin slices from the breast of the chickens, and cut these in squares. cut the tongue in slices, and these in turn in squares the same size as the chicken. butter a four-quart mould, and arrange the chicken and tongue handsomely on the bottom and sides, being careful to have the pieces fit closely together. have note paper cut to fit the bottom and sides. butter it well, and cover about an inch deep with the force-meat. take up the bottom piece by the four corners and fit it into the mould, the meat side down. pour a little hot water into any kind of a flat-bottomed tin basin, and put this in the mould and move it over the papers, to melt the butter; then lift out the paper. place the papers on the side in the same way as on the bottom and melt the butter by rolling a bottle of hot water over them. remove these papers, and set the mould in a cold place until the filling is ready. cut from the tenderest part of the chicken enough meat to make two quarts. cut four large, or six small, mushrooms and four truffles in strips. put half a cupful of butter, half a large onion, four cloves, a blade of mace, a slice of carrot, one of turnip and a stalk of celery in a sauce-pan, and cook five minutes, stirring all the while; then add five table-spoonfuls of flour. stir until it begins to brown, when add one quart of the stock in which the chickens were cooked, a bouquet of sweet herbs, and salt and pepper. simmer twenty minutes; strain, and add to the chicken. return to the fire, and simmer twenty minutes longer, and set away to cool. when cold, put a layer of the chicken in the mould, and a light layer of the truffles and mushrooms. continue this until the form is nearly full, and then cover with the remainder of the force-meat. spread buttered paper upon it, and put in a cool place until cooking time, when steam two hours. turn carefully upon the dish. brush over with three table-spoonfuls of melted glaze. pour one pint of supreme sauce around it, and serve. the force-meat must be spread evenly on the paper and smoothed with a knife that has been dipped in hot water. all kinds of meat _chartreuses_ can be made in this manner. chartreuse of vegetables and game. six large carrots, six white turnips, two large heads of cabbage, two onions, two quarts of stock, three grouse, one pint of brown sauce, four table-spoonfuls of glaze, two cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs, one pound of mixed salt pork and one cupful of butter. scrape and wash the carrots, and peel and wash the turnips. boil for twenty minutes in salted water. pour off the water, and add three pints of stock and a teaspoonful of sugar. simmer gently one hour. take up, drain, and set away to cool. cut the cabbage in four parts. wash, and boil twenty minutes in salted water. drain in the colander, and return to the fire with a pint of stock, the cloves, herbs and onions, tied in a piece of muslin; a quarter of a cupful of butter and the pork and grouse. cover the sauce-pan, and place where the contents will just simmer for two hours and a half. when cooked, put the grouse and pork on a dish to cool. turn the cabbage into the colander, first taking out the spice and onion. press all the juice from the cabbage and chop very fine. season with salt and pepper, and put away to cool. butter a plain mould holding about four quarts. butter note paper, cut to fit the sides and bottom, and line the mould with it. cut the cold turnips and carrots in thick slices, and then in pieces all the same size and shape, but of any design you wish. line the sides and bottom of the mould with these, being particular to have the pieces come together. have the yellow and white arranged in either squares or rows. with the chopped cabbage put half a pint of the brown sauce and two spoonfuls of the glaze. stir over the fire for six minutes. spread a thick layer of this on the vegetables, being careful not to displace them. cut each grouse into six pieces. season with salt and pepper, and pack closely in the mould. moisten with the remaining half pint of brown sauce. cover with the remainder of the cabbage. two hours before serving time, place in a steamer and cook. while the _chartreuse_ is steaming, make the sauce. put two table-spoonfuls of butter in a stew-pan, and when hot, add two table-spoonfuls of flour. stir until a dark brown; then add the stock in which the cabbage was cooked and enough of that in which the turnips and carrots were cooked to make a quart. stir until it boils; add two spoonfuls of glaze, and set back where it will just simmer for one hour. skim off the fat, and strain. when the _chartreuse_ is done, take up and turn gently upon the dish. lift the mould _very_ carefully. take off the paper. pour two table-spoonfuls of the sauce on the _chartreuse_ and the remainder around it. the vegetable _chartreuse_ can be made with any kind of game or meat. chartreuse of chicken and macaroni. one large fowl, about four and a half or five pounds, boiled tender; half a box of gelatine, one cupful of broth in which the chicken was boiled, one cupful of cream, salt, pepper, fourteen ounces of macaroni. just cover the fowl with boiling water, and simmer until very tender, the time depending upon the age, but being from one to two hours if the bird is not more than a year old. take off all the skin and fat, and cut the meat in thin, delicate pieces. soak the gelatine two hours in half a cupful of cold water, and dissolve it in the cupful of boiling broth; add to the cream, and season highly. have the chicken well seasoned, also. put the macaroni in a large flat pan with boiling water to cover, and boil rapidly for three minutes. drain off the water, and place the macaroni on a board, having about twelve pieces in a bunch. cut in pieces about three-fourths of an inch long. butter a two-quart mould (an oval charlotte russe mould is the best) very thickly, and stick the macaroni closely over the bottom and sides. when done, put the chicken in lightly and evenly, and add the sauce very gradually. steam one hour. serve either cold or hot. great care must be taken in dishing. place the platter over the mould and turn platter and mould simultaneously. let the dish rest a minute, and then gently remove the mould. serve immediately. a long time is needed to line the mould with the macaroni, but this is such a handsome, savory dish as to pay to have it occasionally. if you prefer, you can use all broth, and omit the cream. galatine of turkey. bone the turkey, and push the wings and legs inside of the body. make three pints of ham force-meat. cut a cold boiled tongue in thin slices. season the turkey with salt and pepper, and spread on a board, inside up. spread a layer of the force-meat on this, and then a layer of tongue. continue this until all the tongue and force-meat are used. roll the bird into a round form, and sew up with mending cotton. wrap tightly in a strong piece of cotton cloth, which must be either pinned or sewed to keep it in position. put in a porcelain kettle the bones of the turkey, two calf's feet, four pounds of the knuckle of veal, an onion, two slices of turnip, two of carrot, twenty pepper-corns, four cloves, two stalks of celery, one table-spoonful of salt and three quarts of water. when this comes to a boil, skim, and put the turkey in. set back where it will just simmer for three hours. take up and remove the wrapping, put on a clean piece of cloth that has been wet in cold water, and place in a dish. put three bricks in a flat baking pan, and place on top of the bird. set away in a cool place over night. in the morning take off the weights and cloth. place on a dish, the smooth side up. melt four table-spoonfuls of glaze, and brush the turkey with it. garnish with the jelly, and serve. or, the galatine can be cut in slices and arranged on a number of dishes, if for a large party. in that case, place a little jelly in the centre of each slice, and garnish the border of the dish with jelly and parsley. the time and materials given are for a turkey weighing about nine pounds. any kind of fowl or bird can be prepared in the same manner. to make the jelly: draw forward the kettle in which the turkey was cooked, and boil the contents rapidly for one hour. strain, and put away to harden. in the morning scrape off all the fat and sediment. put the jelly in a clean sauce-pan with the whites and shells of two eggs that have been beaten with four table-spoonfuls of cold water. let this come to a boil, and set back where it will just simmer for twenty minutes. strain through a napkin, and set away to harden. galatine of veal. bone a breast of veal. season well with salt and pepper. treat the same as turkey, using, however, two pounds of boiled ham instead of the tongue. cook four hours. chicken in jelly. for each pound of chicken, a pint of water. clean the chicken, and put to boil. when it comes to a boil, skim carefully; and simmer gently until the meat is very tender--about an hour and a half. take out the chicken, skin, and take all the flesh from the bones. put the bones again in the liquor, and boil until the water is reduced one half. strain, and set away to cool. next morning skim off all the fat. turn the jelly into a clean sauce-pan, carefully removing all the sediment; and to each quart of jelly add one-fourth of a package of gelatine (which has been soaked an hour in half a cupful of cold water), an onion, a stalk of celery, twelve pepper-corns, a small piece of mace, four cloves, the white and shell of one egg and salt and pepper to taste. let it boil up; then set back where it will simmer twenty minutes. strain the jelly through a napkin. in a three-pint mould put a layer of jelly about three-fourths of an inch deep. set in ice water to harden. have the chicken cut in long, thin strips, and well seasoned with salt and pepper; and when the jelly in the mould is hard, lay in the chicken, lightly, and cover with the liquid jelly, which should be cool, but not hard. put away to harden. when ready to serve, dip the mould in warm water and then turn into the centre of a flat dish. garnish with parsley, and, if you choose, with tartare or mayonnaise sauce. chicken chaud froid. skin two chickens, and cut in small pieces as for serving. wash, and put them in a stew-pan with enough white stock to cover, and one large onion, a clove, half a blade of mace, a bouquet of sweet herbs and half a table-spoonful of salt. let this come to a boil; then skim carefully, and set back where it will simmer for one hour. take up the chicken, and set the stew-pan where the stock will boil rapidly. put three table-spoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan, and when it melts, stir in two table-spoonfuls of flour, and cook until smooth, but not brown. stir this into the stock, of which there must be not more than a pint; add four table-spoonfuls of glaze, and boil up once. taste to see if seasoned enough; if it is not, add more salt and pepper. now add half a cupful of cream, and let boil up once more. have the chicken in a deep dish. pour this sauce on it, and set away to cool at serving time, have large slices of cold boiled sweet potatoes, fried in butter till a golden brown, handsomely arranged on a warm dish. on them place the chicken, which must be very cold. on each piece of the meat put a small teaspoonful of tartare sauce. heap the potatoes around the edge of the dish, garnish with parsley, and serve. to remove a fillet from a fowl or bird. draw the skin off of the breast, and then run a sharp knife between the flesh and the ribs and breast-bone. you will in this way separate the two fillets from the body of the bird. the legs and wings of the largest birds and fowl can be boned, and stuffed with force-meat, and then prepared the same as, and served with, the fillet. the body of the bird can be used for soups. fillets from all kinds of birds can be prepared the same as those from chickens. chicken fillets, larded and breaded. lard the fillets, having four fine strips of pork for each one, and season with salt and pepper. dip in beaten egg and in fine bread crumbs. fry ten minutes in boiling fat. serve on a hot dish with a spoonful of tartare sauce on each. chicken fillets, braised. lard the fillets as for breading. for each one lay a slice of fat pork in the bottom of the braising pan, and on this a very small piece of onion. dredge the fillets well with salt, pepper and flour, and place them on the pork and onion. cover the pan, and set on the stove. cook slowly half an hour; then add one pint of light stock or water and the bones of one of the chickens. cover the pan, and place in a moderate oven for one hour, basting frequently with the gravy. if the gravy should cook away, add a little more stock or water, (there should be nearly a pint of it at the end of the hour). take up the fillets, and drain; then cover them with soft butter, and dredge lightly with flour. broil till a light brown. serve on a hot dish with the sauce poured around. or, they can be dressed on a mound of mashed potato, with a garnish of any green vegetable at the base, the sauce to be poured around it. to make the sauce: skim all the fat from the gravy in which the fillets were cooked. cook one table-spoonful of butter and one heaping teaspoonful of flour together until a light brown; then add the gravy, and boil up once. taste to see if seasoned enough, and strain. chicken fillets, sauté. flatten the fillets by pounding them lightly with the vegetable masher. season with pepper and salt, and dredge well with flour. put in the frying-pan one table-spoonful of butter for each fillet, and when hot, put the fillets in, and cook rather slowly twenty minutes. brown on both sides. take up, and keep hot while making the sauce. if there are six fillets, add two table-spoonfuls of butter to that remaining in the frying-pan, and when melted, stir in one table- spoonful of flour. stir until it begins to brown slightly; then slowly add one and a half cupfuls of cold milk, stirring all the while. let this boil one minute. season with salt, pepper and, if you like, a little mustard. fill the centre of a hot dish with green peas or mashed potatoes, against which rest the fillets; and pour the sauce around. serve very hot. chicken curry. one chicken, weighing three pounds; three-fourths of a cupful of butter, two large onions, one heaping table-spoonful of curry powder, three tomatoes, or one cupful of the canned article, enough cayenne to cover a silver three-cent piece, salt, one cupful of milk. put the butter and the onions, cut fine, on to cook. stir all the while until brown; then put in the chicken, which has been cut in small pieces, the curry, tomatoes, salt and pepper. stir well. cover tightly, and let simmer one hour, stirring occasionally; then add the milk. boil up once, and serve with boiled rice. this makes a very rich and hot curry, but for the real lover of the dish, none too much so. veal curry. two pounds of veal, treated in the same manner, but cooked two hours. mutton and lamb can be used in a like way. chicken quenelles. one large chicken or tender fowl, weighing about three pounds; six table-spoonfuls of butter, one table-spoonful of chopped salt pork, three eggs, one teaspoonful of onion juice, one of lemon juice, half a cupful of white stock or cream, one cupful of stale bread, one of new milk, and salt and pepper to taste. skin the chicken, take all the flesh from the bones, and chop and pound _very_ fine. mix the pork with it, and rub through a flour sieve. cook the bread and milk together for ten minutes, stirring often, to get smooth. add this to the chicken, and then add the seasoning, stock or cream, yolks of eggs, one by one, and lastly the whites, which have been beaten to a stiff froth. cover the sides and bottom of a frying-pan with soft butter. take two table-spoons and a bowl of boiling water. dip one spoon in the water, and then fill it with force-meat, heaping it; then dip the other spoon in the hot water, and turn the contents of the first into it. this gives the _quenelle_ the proper shape; and it should at once be slipped into the frying-pan. continue the operation until all the meat is shaped. cover the quenelles with white stock, boiling, and slightly salted, and cook gently twenty minutes. take them up, and drain for a minute; then arrange on a border of mashed potatoes or fried bread. pour a spoonful of either bechamel, mushroom or olive sauce on each, and the remainder in the centre of the dish. serve hot. chicken quenelles, stuffed. prepare the force-meat as for _quenelles_. soak four table- spoonfuls of gelatine for one hour in cold water to cover. put two table-spoonfuls of butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, add one table-spoonful of flour. stir until smooth, but not brown; then gradually stir in one pint of cream. add one table-spoonful of lemon juice, a speck of mace and plenty of salt and pepper. cook for two minutes. stir in the soaked gelatine, and remove from the fire. into this sauce stir one pint and a half of cold chicken, cut _very_ fine. set away to cool. butter eighteen small egg cups, and cover the sides and bottoms with a thick layer of the force-meat. fill the centre with the prepared force-meat, which should be quite firm. cover with chicken. place the cups in a steamer and cover them with sheets of thick paper. put on the cover of the steamer, and place upon a kettle of boiling water for half an hour. do not let the water boil too rapidly. take up, and put away to cool. when cold, dip the _quenelles_ twice in beaten egg and in bread crumbs. fry in boiling fat for three minutes. serve hot with a garnish of stoned olives. chicken quenelles, breaded. prepare the _quenelles_ as before, and when they have been boiled, drain, and let them grow cold. dip in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs; place in the frying basket and plunge into boiling fat. cook three minutes. serve with fried parsley or any kind of brown sauce. veal quenelles. one pound of clear veal, one cupful of white sauce, six table- spoonfuls of butter, one cupful of bread crumbs, one of milk, four eggs, salt, pepper, a slight grating of nutmeg and the juice of half a lemon. make and use the same as chicken _quenelles_. chicken pilau. cut a chicken into pieces the size you wish to serve at the table. wash clean, and put in a stew-pan with about one-eighth of a pound of salt pork, which has been cut in small pieces. cover with cold water, and boil gently until the chicken begins to grow tender, which will be in about an hour, unless the chicken is old. season rather highly with salt and pepper, add three tea-cupfuls of rice, which has been picked and washed, and let boil thirty or forty minutes longer. there should be a good quart of liquor in the stew-pan when the rice is added. care must be taken that it does not burn. instead of chicken any kind of meat may be used. chicken soufflé. one pint of cooked chicken, finely chopped; one pint of cream sauce, four eggs, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one teaspoonful of onion juice, salt, pepper. stir the chicken and seasoning into the boiling sauce. cook two minutes. add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and set away to cool. when cold, add the whites, beaten to a stiff froth. turn into a buttered dish, and bake half an hour. serve with mushroom or cream sauce. this dish must be served the moment it is baked. any kind of delicate meat can be used, the _soufflé_ taking the name of the meat of which it is made. fried chicken. cut the chicken into six or eight pieces. season well with salt and pepper. dip in beaten egg and then in fine bread crumbs in which there is one teaspoonful of chopped parsley for every cupful of crumbs. dip again in the egg and crumbs. fry ten minutes in boiling fat. cover the centre of a cold dish with tartare sauce. arrange the chicken on this, and garnish with a border of pickled beets. or, it can be served with cream sauce. blanquette of chicken. one quart of cooked chicken, cut in delicate pieces; one large cupful of white stock, three table-spoonfuls of butter, a heaping table- spoonful of flour, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, one cupful of cream or milk, the yolks of four eggs, salt, pepper: put the butter in the sauce-pan, and when hot, add the flour. stir until smooth, but not brown. add the stock, and cook two minutes; then add the seasoning and cream. as soon as this boils up, add the chicken. cook ten minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs with four table-spoonfuls of milk. stir into the blanquette. cook about half a minute longer. this can be served in a rice or potato border, in a _crôustade_, on a hot dish, or with a garnish of toasted or fried bread. blanquette of veal and ham. half a pint of boiled ham, one pint and a half of cooked veal, one pint of cream sauce, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, the yolks of two uncooked eggs, salt, pepper, two hard-boiled eggs. have the veal and ham cut in delicate pieces, which add with the seasoning to the sauce. when it boils up, add the yolks, which have been beaten with four table-spoonfuls of milled cook half a minute longer. garnish with the hard-boiled eggs. salmis of game, take the remains of a game dinner, say two or three grouse. cut all the meat from the bones, in as handsome pieces as possible, and set aside. break up the bones, and put on to boil with three pints of water and two cloves. boil down to a pint and a half. put three table- spoonfuls of butter and two onions, cut in slices, on to fry. stir all the time until the onions begin to brown; then add two spoonfuls of flour, and stir until a rich dark brown. strain the broth on this. stir a minute, and add one teaspoonful of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste; if you like, one table-spoonful of leicestershire sauce, also. add the cold game, and simmer fifteen minutes. serve on slices of fried bread. garnish with fried bread and parsley. this dish can be varied by using different kinds of seasoning, and by serving sometimes with rice, and sometimes with mashed potatoes, for a border. half a dozen mushrooms is a great addition to the dish, if added about five minutes before serving. a table-spoonful of curry powder, mixed with a little cold water, and stirred in with the other seasoning, will give a delicious curry of game. when curry is used, the rice border is the best of those mentioned above. game cutlets à la royale. one quart of the tender parts of cold game, cut into dice; one generous pint of rich stock, one-third of a box of gelatine, one quart of any kind of force-meat, four cloves, one table-spoonful of onion juice, two of butter, one of flour, three eggs, one pint of bread or cracker crumbs, salt, pepper. soak the gelatine for one hour in half a cupful of cold water. put the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the flour. stir until smooth and brown, and add the stock and seasoning. simmer ten minutes; strain upon the game, and simmer fifteen minutes longer. beat an egg and add to the gelatine. stir this into the game and sauce and take from the fire instantly. place the stew-pan in a basin of cold water, and stir until it begins to cool; then turn the mixture into a shallow baking pan, having it about an inch thick. set on the ice to harden. when hard, cut into cutlet- shaped pieces with a knife that has been dipped in hot water. when all the mixture is cut, put the pan in another of warm water for half a minute. this will loosen the cutlets from the bottom of the pan. take them out carefully, cover every part of each cutlet with force-meat, and set on ice until near serving time. when ready to cook them, beat the two eggs with a spoon. cover the cutlets with this and the crumbs. place a few at a time in the frying basket, and plunge them into boiling fat. fry two minutes. drain, and place on brown paper until all are cooked. arrange them in a circle on a hot dish. pour mushroom sauce in the centre, garnish with parsley, and serve. poultry cutlets can be prepared and served in the same way. cutlets à la duchesse. two pounds of lamb, mutton or veal cutlets, one large cupful of cream, one table-spoonful of onion juice, four table-spoonfuls of butter, one of flour, two whole eggs, the yolks of four more, two table-spoonfuls of finely-chopped ham, one of lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. put two table-spoonfuls of the butter in the frying-pan. season the cutlets with salt and pepper, and when the butter is hot, put them in it. fry gently for five minutes, if lamb or mutton, but if veal, put a cover on the pan, and fry very slowly for fifteen minutes. set away to cool. put the remainder of the butter in a small frying-pan, and when hot, stir in the flour. cook one minute, stirring all the time, and being careful not to brown. stir in the cream. have the ham, the yolks of eggs and the onion and lemon juice beaten together. stir this mixture into the boiling sauce. stir for about one minute, and remove from the fire. season well with pepper and salt. dip the cutlets in this sauce, being careful to cover every part, and set away to cool. when cold, dip them in beaten egg and in bread crumbs. fry in boiling fat for one minute. arrange them in a circle on a hot dish, and have green peas in the centre and cream sauce poured around. cutlets served in papillotes. fold and cut half sheets of thick white paper, about the size of commercial note, so that when opened they will be heart-shaped. dip them in melted butter and set aside. after trimming all the fat from lamb or mutton chops, season them with pepper and salt. put three table-spoonfuls of butter in the frying pan, and when melted, lay in the chops, and cook slowly for fifteen minutes. add one teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley, one teaspoonful of lemon juice and one table- spoonful of halford sauce. dredge with one heaping table-spoonful of flour, and cook quickly five minutes longer. take up the cutlets, and add to the sauce in the pan four table-spoonfuls of glaze and four of water. stir until the glaze is melted, and set away to cool. when the sauce is cold, spread it on the cutlets. now place these, one by one, on one side of the papers, having the bones turned toward the centre. fold the papers and carefully turn in the edges. when all are done, place them in a pan, and put into a moderate oven for ten minutes; then place them in a circle, and fill the centre of the dish with thin fried, or french fried, potatoes. serve very hot. the quantities given above are for six cutlets. veal cutlets with white sauce. one and a half pounds of cutlets, two table-spoonfuls of butter, a slice of carrot and a small slice of onion. put the butter and the vegetables, cut fine, in a sauce-pan. season the cutlets with salt and pepper, and lay them on the butter and vegetables. cover tightly, and cook slowly for half an hour; then take out, and dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling fat till a golden brown. or, dip the cutlets in soil butter and then in flour, and broil. serve with white sauce poured around. put a quart of green peas, or points of asparagus, in the centre of the dish, and arrange the cutlets around them. pour on the sauce. this gives a handsome dish. or, serve with olive sauce. mutton cutlets, crumbed. season french chops with salt and pepper, dip them in melted butter, and roll in _fine_ bread crumbs. broil for eight minutes over a fire not too bright, as the crumbs burn easily. serve with potato balls heaped in the centre of the dish. mutton cutlets, breaded. trim the cutlets, and season with salt and pepper. dip in beaten egg and in bread crumbs, and fry in boiling fat. if three-quarters of an inch thick, they will be done rare in six minutes, and well done in ten. arrange in the centre of a hot dish, and pour tomato sauce around them. one pint of sauce is enough for two pounds of cutlets. stewed steak with oysters. two pounds of rump steak, one pint of oysters, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, three of butter, one of flour, salt, pepper, one cupful of water. wash the oysters in the water, and drain into a stew-pan. put this liquor on to heat. as soon as it comes to a boil, skim, and set back. put the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, put in the steak. cook ten minutes. take up the steak, and stir the flour into the butter remaining in the pan. stir until a dark brown. add the oyster liquor, and boil one minute. season with salt and pepper. put back the steak, cover the pan, and simmer half an hour; then add the oysters and lemon juice. boil one minute. serve on a hot dish with points of toast for a garnish. rice borders. these are prepared in two ways. the first is to boil the rice as for a vegetable, and, with a spoon, heap it lightly around the edge of the fricassee, ragout, etc. the second method is a little more difficult. put one cupful of rice on to boil in three cupfuls of cold water. when it has been boiling half an hour, add two table-spoonfuls of butter and one heaping teaspoonful of salt. set back where it will just simmer, and cook one hour longer. mash very fine with a spoon, add two well-beaten eggs, and stir for three minutes. butter a plain border mould, and fill with the rice. place in the heater for ten minutes. turn upon a hot dish. fill the centre with a fricassee, salmis or blanquette, and serve hot. a mould with a border two inches high and wide, and having a space in the centre five and a half inches wide and eleven long, is pretty and convenient for rice and potato borders, and also for jelly borders, with which to decorate salads, boned chicken, creams, etc. potato border. six potatoes, three eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, one of salt, half a cupful of boiling milk. pare, boil and mash the potatoes. when fine and light, add the butter, salt and pepper and two well-beaten eggs. butter the border mould and pack the potato in it. let this stand on the kitchen table ten minutes; then turn out on a dish and brush over with one well-beaten egg. brown in the oven. fill the centre with a curry, fricassee, salmis or blanquette. to make a crôustade. the bread for the _crôustade_ must not be too light, and should be at least three days old. if the loaf is round, it can be carved into the form of a vase, or if long, into the shape of a boat. have a very sharp knife, and cut slowly and carefully, leaving the surface as smooth as possible. there are two methods by which it can be browned: one is to plunge it into a deep pot of boiling fat for about one minute; the other is to butter the entire surface of the bread and put it into a hot oven, being careful not to let it burn. care must be taken that the inside is as brown as the outside; if not, the sauce will soak through the crôustade and spoil it. creamed oysters, stewed lobster, chicken, or any kind of meat that is served in a sauce, can be served in the crôustade, cheese soufflé. two table-spoonfuls of butter, one heaping table-spoonful of flour, half a cupful of milk, one cupful of grated cheese, three eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt, a speck of cayenne. put the butter in a sauce- pan, and when hot, add the flour, and stir until smooth, but not browned. add the milk and seasoning. cook two minutes; then add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and the cheese. set away to cool. when cold, add the whites, beaten to a stiff froth. turn into a buttered dish, and bake from twenty to twenty-five minutes. serve the moment it comes from the oven. the dish in which this is baked should hold a quart. an escalop dish is the best. rissoles. roll the trimmings from pie crust into a sheet about a sixth of an inch thick. cut this in cakes with the largest patty cutter. have any kind of meat or fish prepared as for croquettes. put a heaping teaspoonful on each cake. brush the edges of the paste with beaten egg, and then fold and press together. when all are done, dip in beaten egg and fry brown in boiling fat. they should cook about eight minutes. serve hot. fritter batter. one pint of flour, half a pint of milk, one table-spoonful of salad oil or butter, one teaspoonful of salt, two eggs. beat the eggs light. add the milk and salt to them. pour half of this mixture on the flour, and when beaten light and smooth, add the remainder and the oil. fry in boiling fat. sprinkle with sugar, and serve on a hot dish. this batter is nice for all kinds of fritters. fritter batter, no. . one pint of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, one of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, one tablespoonful of oil, one egg, half a pint of milk. mix the flour, salt, sugar, cream of tartar and soda together, and rub through a sieve. beat the egg very light, and add the milk. stir half of this on the flour, and when the batter is light and smooth, add the remainder, and finally the oil. chicken fritters. cut cold roasted or boiled chicken or fowl in small pieces, and place in an earthen dish. season well with salt, pepper and the juice of a fresh lemon. let the meat stand one hour; then make a fritter batter, and stir the pieces into it. drop, by the spoonful, into boiling fat, and fry till a light brown. drain, and serve immediately. any kind of cold meat, if tender, can be used in this way. apple fritters. pare and core the apples, and cut in slices about one-third of an inch thick. dip in the batter, and fry six minutes in boiling fat. serve on a hot dish. the apples may be sprinkled with sugar and a little nutmeg, and let stand an hour before being fried. in that case, sprinkle them with sugar when you serve them. fruit fritters. peaches, pears, pineapples, bananas, etc., either fresh or canned, are used for fritters. if you choose, when making fruit fritters, you can add two table-spoonfuls of sugar to the batter. oyster fritters. one pint of oysters, two eggs, one pint of flour, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, one table-spoonful of salad oil, enough water with the oyster liquor to make a scant half pint. drain and chop the oysters. add the water and salt to the liquor. pour part of this on the flour, and when smooth, add the remainder. add the oil and the eggs, well beaten. stir the oysters into the batter. drop small spoonfuls of this into boiling fat, and fry until brown. drain, and serve hot. clam fritters. drain and chop a pint of clams, and season with salt and pepper. make a fritter batter as directed, using, however, a _heaping_ pint of flour, as the liquor in the clams thins the batter. stir the clams into this, and fry in boiling fat. cream fritters. one pint of milk, the yolks of six, and whites of two, eggs, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, half a pint of flour, three heaping table- spoonfuls of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, a slight flavoring of lemon, orange, nutmeg, or anything else you please. put half of the milk on in the double boiler, and mix the flour to a smooth paste with the other half. when the milk boils, stir this into it cook for five minutes, stirring constantly; then add the butter, sugar, salt and flavoring. beat the eggs well, and stir them into the boiling mixture. cook one minute. butter a shallow cake pan, and pour in the mixture. have it about half an inch deep in the pan. set away to cool. when cold, cut into small squares. dip these in beaten egg and in crumbs, place in the frying basket, and plunge into boiling fat. fry tall a golden brown. arrange on a hot dish, sprinkle sugar over them, and serve _very hot_. potato fritters. one pint of boiled and mashed potato, half a cupful of hot milk, three table-spoonfuls of butter, three of sugar, two eggs, a little nutmeg, one teaspoonful of salt. add the milk, butter, sugar and seasoning to the mashed potato, and then add the eggs well beaten. stir until very smooth and light. spread, about half an inch deep, on a buttered dish, and set away to cool. when cold, cut into squares. dip in beaten egg and in bread crumbs, and fry brown in boiling fat. serve immediately. croquettes. care and practice are required for successfully making croquettes. the meat must be chopped fine, all the ingredients be thoroughly mixed, and the whole mixture be as moist as possible without spoiling the shape. croquettes are formed in pear, round and cylindrical shapes. the last is the best, as the croquettes can be moister in this form than in the two others. to shape: take about a table-spoonful of the mixture, and with both hands, shape in the form of a cylinder. handle as gently and carefully as if a tender bird. pressure forces the particles apart, and thus breaks the form. have a board sprinkled lightly with bread or cracker crumbs, and roll the croquettes _very gently_ on this. remember that the slightest pressure will break them. let them lie on the board until all are finished, when, if any have become flattened, roll them into shape again. cover a board _thickly_ with crumbs. have beaten eggs, slightly salted, in a deep plate. hold a croquette in the left hand, and with a brush, or the right hand, cover it with the egg; then roll in the crumbs. continue this until they are all crumbed. place a few at a time in the frying basket (they should not touch each other), and plunge into boiling fat. cook till a rich brown. it will take about a minute and a half. take up, and lay on brown paper in a warm pan. royal croquettes. three small, or two large, sweetbreads, one boiled chicken, one large table-spoonful of flour, one pint of cream, half a cupful of butter, one table-spoonful of onion juice, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, one teaspoonful of mace, the juice of half a lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. let the sweetbreads stand in boiling water five minutes. chop very fine, with the chicken, and add seasoning. put two table-spoonfuls of the butter in a stew-pan with the flour. when it bubbles, add the cream, gradually; then add the chopped mixture, and stir until thoroughly heated. take from the fire, add the lemon juice, and set away to cool. roll into shape with cracker crumbs. dip in six beaten eggs and then in cracker crumbs. let them stand until dry, when dip again in egg, and finally in bread crumbs--not too fine. all the crumbs should first be salted and peppered. fry quickly in boiling fat. royal croquettes, no. . half a boiled chicken, one large sweetbread, cleaned, and kept in hot water for five minutes; a calf's brains, washed, and boiled five minutes; one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt, pepper, half a pint of cream, one egg, quarter of a cupful of butter, one table-spoonful of corn-starch. chop the chicken, brains and sweetbread very fine, and add the egg well beaten. mix the corn-starch with a little of the cream. have the remainder of the cream boiling, and stir in the mixed corn-starch; then add the butter and the chopped mixture, and stir over the fire until it bubbles. set aside to cool. shape, and roll twice in egg and in cracker crumbs. put in the frying basket, and plunge into boiling fat. they should brown in less than a minute. [mrs. furness, of philadelphia.] oyster croquettes. haifa pint of raw oysters, half a pint of cooked veal, one heaping table-spoonful of butter, three table-spoonfuls of cracker crumbs, the yolks of two eggs, one table-spoonful of onion juice. chop the oysters and veal very fine. soak the crackers in oyster liquor, and then mix all the ingredients, and shape. dip in egg and roll in cracker crumbs, and fry as usual. the butter should be softened before the mixing. lobster croquettes. chop fine the meat of a two-pound lobster; take also two table- spoonfuls of butter, enough water or cream to make very moist, one egg, salt and pepper to taste, and half a table-spoonful of flour. cook butter and flour together till they bubble. add the cream or water (about a scant half cupful), then the lobster and seasoning, and, when hot, the egg well beaten. set away to cool. shape, dip in egg and cracker crumbs, and fry as usual. salmon croquettes. one pound of cooked salmon (about a pint and a half when chopped), one cupful of cream, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one of flour, three eggs, one pint of crumbs, pepper, salt. chop the salmon fine. mix the flour and butter together. let the cream come to a boil, and stir in the flour, butter, salmon and seasoning. boil for one minute. stir into it one well-beaten egg, and remove from the fire. when cold, shape, and proceed as for other croquettes. shad roe croquettes. one pint of cream, four table-spoonfuls of corn-starch, four shad roe, four table-spoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, the juice of two lemons, a slight grating of nutmeg and a speck of cayenne. boil the roe fifteen minutes in salted water; then drain and mash. put the cream on to boil. mix the butter and corn-starch together, and stir into the boiling cream. add the seasoning and roe. boil up once, and set away to cool. shape and fry as directed. [miss lizzie devereux.] rice and meat croquettes. one cupful of boiled rice, one cupful of finely-chopped cooked meat-- any kind; one teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, two table- spoonfuls of butter,--half a cupful of milk, one egg. put the milk on to boil, and add the meat, rice and seasoning. when this boils, add the egg, well beaten; stir one minute. after cooling, shape, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry as before directed. rice croquettes. one large cupful of cooked rice, half a cupful of milk, one egg, one table-spoonful of sugar, one of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, a slight grating of nutmeg. put milk on to boil, and add rice and seasoning. when it boils up, add the egg, well beaten. stir one minute; then take off and cool. when cold, shape, and roll in egg and crumbs, as directed. serve very hot. any flavoring can be substituted for the nutmeg. potato croquettes. pare, boil and mash six good-sized potatoes. add one table-spoonful of butter, two-thirds of a cupful of hot cream or milk, the whites of two eggs, well beaten, and salt and pepper to taste. if you wish, use also a slight grating of nutmeg, or a teaspoonful of lemon juice. let the mixture cool slightly, then shape, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry. chicken croquettes. one _solid_ pint of finely-chopped cooked chicken, one table- spoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one cupful of cream or chicken stock, one table-spoonful of flour, four eggs, one teaspoonful of onion juice, one table-spoonful of lemon juice, one pint of crumbs, three table-spoonfuls of butter. put the cream or stock on to boil. mix the flour and butter together, and stir into the boiling cream; then add the chicken and seasoning. boil for two minutes, and add two of the eggs, well beaten. take from the fire immediately, and set away to cool. when cold, shape and fry. many people think a teaspoonful of chopped parsley an improvement, other croquettes. veal, mutton, lamb, beef and turkey can be prepared in the same manner as chicken. very dry, tough meat is not suitable for croquettes. tender roasted pieces give the finest flavor. large vol-au-vent. make puff or chopped paste, according to the rule given, and let it get chilled through; roll it again four times, the last time leaving it a piece about seven inches square. put in the ice chest for at least half an hour; then roll into a ten-inch square. place on this a plate or a round tin, nine and a half inches in diameter, and, with a sharp knife, cut around the edge. place another plate, measuring seven inches or a little more, in the centre. dip a case-knife in hot water and cut around the plate, having the knife go two-thirds through the paste. place the paste in a flat baking pan and put in a hot oven. after twelve or fifteen minutes close the drafts, to slacken the heat, and cook half an hour longer, being careful not to let it burn. as soon as the _vol-au-vent_ is taken from the oven, lift out the centre piece with a case-knife, and take out the uncooked paste with a spoon. return the cover. at the time of serving place in the oven to heat through; then fill and cover, and serve while hot the _vol-au- vent_ can be made and baked the day before using, if more convenient. heat it and fill as directed. vol-au-vent of chicken. cut into dice one and a half pints of cooked chicken, and season with salt and pepper. make a cream sauce, which season well with salt and pepper; and, if you like, add half a teaspoonful of onion juice and the same quantity of mixed mustard. heat the chicken in this, and fill the _vol-au-vent_. all kinds of poultry and other meats can be used for a _vol-au-vent_ with this sauce. vol-au-vent of sweetbreads. clean and wash two sweetbreads, and boil twenty minutes in water to cover. drain and cool them, and cut into dice. heat in cream sauce, and fill the _vol-au-vent_. serve hot. vol-au-vent of salmon. heat one pint and a half of cooked salmon in cream sauce. fill the _vol-au-vent_, and serve hot. any rich, delicate fish can be served in a _vol-au-vent_. vol-au-vent of oysters. prepare the vol-au-vent as directed. put one quart of oysters on to boil in their own liquor. as soon as a scum, rises, skim it off, and drain the oysters. return half a pint of the oyster liquor to the sauce-pan. mix two heaping table-spoonfuls of butter with a scant one of flour, and when light and creamy, gradually turn on it the boiling oyster liquor. season well with salt, pepper and, if you like, a little nutmeg or mace, (it must be only a "shadow"). boil up once, and add three table-spoonfuls of cream and the oysters. stir over the fire for half a minute. fill the case, cover, and serve immediately. vol-au-vent of lobster. rub together four table-spoonfuls of butter and one and a half of flour. pour on this, gradually, one pint of boiling white stock. let it boil up once, and add the juice of half a lemon, salt and a speck of cayenne; add, also, the yolks of two eggs, beaten with a spoonful of cold water, and the meat of two small lobsters, cut into dice. stir for one minute over the fire. fill the case, put on the cover, and serve. patties. make puff paste as directed. (see puff paste.) after it has been rolled four times, put it on ice to harden. when hard, roll again twice. the last time leave the paste about an inch thick. put in the ice chest to get very firm; then put on the board, and gently roll it down to three-quarters of an inch in thickness. great care must be taken to have every part equally thick. cut out pieces with a round tin cutter three and a half inches in diameter, and place in the pans. take another cutter two and a half inches in diameter, dip it in hot water, place in the centre of the patty, and cut about two-thirds through. in doing this, do not press down directly, but use a rotary motion. these centre pieces, which are to form the covers, easily separate from the rest when baked. place in a very hot oven. when they have been baking ten minutes close the drafts, to reduce the heat; bake twenty minutes longer. take from the oven, remove the centre pieces, and, with a teaspoon, dig out the uncooked paste. fill with prepared fish or meat, put on the covers, and serve. or, if more convenient to bake them early in the day, or, indeed, the previous day, put them in the oven twelve minutes before serving, and they will be nearly as nice as if fresh baked. the quantities given will make eighteen patties. chicken patties. prepare the cream the same as for oysters, and add to it one pint of cold chicken, cut into dice. boil three minutes. fill the shells and serve. where it is liked, one teaspoonful of onion juice is an improvement. other poultry and all game can be served in patties the same as chicken. veal patties. put in a stew-pan a generous half pint of white sauce with a pint of cooked veal, cut into dice, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. stir until very hot. fill the shells, and serve. lobster patties. one pint of lobster, cut into dice; half a pint of white sauce, a speck of cayenne, one-eighth of a teaspoonful of mustard. heat all together. fill the shells and serve. oyster patties. one pint of small oysters, half a pint of cream, a large tea-spoonful of flour, salt, pepper. let the cream come to a boil. mix the flour with a little cold milk, and stir into the boiling cream. season with salt and pepper. while the cream is cooking let the oysters come to a boil in their own liquor. skim carefully, and drain off all the liquor. add the oysters to the cream, and boil up once. fill the patty shells, and serve. the quantities given are enough for eighteen shells. crust patties. cut a loaf of stale bread in slices an inch thick. with the patty cutter, press out as many pieces as you wish patties, and with a smaller cutter, press half through each piece. place this second cutter as near the centre as possible when using. put the pieces in the frying basket and plunge into boiling fat for half a minute. take out and drain, and with a knife, remove the centre crusts and take out the soft bread; then fill, and put on the centre pieces. filling for crusts: put two table-spoonfuls of butter in the frying- pan, and when hot, add one of flour. stir until smooth and brown. add one cupful of stock. boil one minute, and stir in one pint of cooked veal, cut rather fine. season with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. when hot, fill the crusts. any kind of cold meat can be served in this manner. sweetbreads. sweetbreads are found in calves and lambs. the demand for calves' sweetbreads has grown wonderfully within the past ten years. in all our large cities they sell at all times of the year for a high price, but in winter and early spring they cost more than twice as much as they do late in the spring and during the summer. the throat and heart sweetbreads are often sold as one, but in winter, when they bring a very high price, the former is sold for the same price as the latter. the throat sweetbread is found immediately below the throat. it has an elongated form, is not so firm and fat, and has not the fine flavor of the heart sweetbread. the heart sweetbread is attached to the last rib, and lies near the heart. the form is somewhat rounded, and it is smooth and firm. to clean sweetbreads. carefully pull off all the tough and fibrous skin. place them in a dish of cold water for ten minutes or more, and they are then ready to be boiled. they must always be boiled twenty minutes, no matter what the mode of cooking is to be. sweetbreads larded and baked. when the sweetbreads have been cleaned, draw through each one four very thin pieces of pork (about the size of a match). drop them into cold water for five or ten minutes, then into hot water, and boil twenty minutes. take out, spread with butter, dredge with salt, pepper and flour, and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. serve with green peas, well drained, seasoned with salt and butter, and heaped in the centre of the dish. lay the sweetbreads around them, and pour a cream sauce around the edge of the dish. garnish with parsley. one pint of cream sauce is sufficient for eight or ten sweetbreads. sweetbread sauté. one sweetbread, after being boiled, split and cut in four pieces. season with salt and pepper. put in a small frying-pan one small table-spoonful of butter and the same quantity of flour. when hot, put in the sweetbreads; turn constantly until a light brown. they will fry in about eight minutes. serve with cream sauce or tomato sauce. broiled sweetbreads. split the sweetbread after being boiled. season with salt and pepper, rub thickly with butter and sprinkle with flour. broil over a rather quick fire, turning constantly. cook about ten minutes, and serve with cream sauce. breaded sweetbreads. after being boiled, split them, and season with salt and pepper; then dip in beaten egg and cracker crumbs. fry a light brown in hot lard. serve with tomato sauce. sweetbreads in cases. cut the sweetbreads, after being boiled, in very small pieces. season with salt and pepper, and moisten well with cream sauce. fill the paper cases, and cover with bread crumbs. brown, and serve. pancakes. six eggs, a pint of milk, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, one cupful of flour, one table-spoonful of sugar, one of melted butter or of salad oil. beat the eggs very light, and add the milk. pour one-third of this mixture on the flour, and beat until perfectly smooth and light; then add the remainder and the other ingredients. heat and butter an omelet pan. pour into it a thin layer of the mixture. when brown on one side, turn, and brown the other. roll up, sprinkle with sugar, and serve hot. or, cover with a thin layer of jelly, and roll. a number of them should be served on one dish. salads. a salad should come to the table fresh and crisp. the garnishes should be of the lightest and freshest kind. nothing is more out of place than a delicate salad covered with hard-boiled eggs, boiled beets, etc. a salad with which the mayonnaise dressing is used, should have only the delicate white leaves of the celery, or the small leaves from the heart of the lettuce, and these should be arranged in a wreath at the base, with a few tufts here and there on the salad. the contrast between the creamy dressing and the light green is not great, but it is pleasing. in arranging a salad on a dish, or in a bowl, handle it very lightly. never use pressure to get it into form. when a jelly border is used with salads, some of it should be helped with the salad. the small round radishes may be arranged in the dish with a lettuce salad. in washing lettuce great care must be taken not to break or wilt it. the large, dark green leaves are not nice for salad. as lettuce is not an expensive vegetable, it is best, when the heads are not round and compact, to buy an extra one and throw the large tough leaves away. in winter and early spring, when lettuce is raised in hot-houses, it is liable to have insects on it. care must be taken that all are washed off. only the white, crisp parts of celery should be used in salads. the green, tough parts will answer for stews and soups. vegetable salads can be served for tea and lunch and with, or after, the meats at dinner. the hot cabbage, red cabbage, celery, cucumber and potato salads, are particularly appropriate for serving with meats. the lettuce salad, with the french dressing, and the dressed celery, are the best to serve after the meats. a rich salad, like chicken, lobster or salmon, is out of place at a company dinner. it is best served for suppers and lunches. the success of a salad (after the dressing is made) depends upon keeping the lettuce or celery crisp and not adding meat or dressing to it until the time for serving. mayonnaise dressing. a table-spoonful of mustard, one of sugar, one-tenth of a teaspoonful of cayenne, one teaspoonful of salt, the yolks of three uncooked eggs, the juice of half a lemon, a quarter of a cupful of vinegar, a pint of oil and a cupful of whipped cream. beat the yolks and dry ingredients, until they are very light and thick, with either a silver or wooden spoon--or, better still, with a dover beater of second size. the bowl in which the dressing is made should be set in a pan of ice water during the beating. add a few drops of oil at a time until the dressing becomes very _thick_ and rather hard. after it has reached this stage the oil can be added more rapidly. when it gets so thick that the beater turns hard, add a little vinegar. when the last of the oil and vinegar has been added it should be very thick. now add the lemon juice and whipped cream, and place on ice for a few hours, unless you are ready to use it. the cream may be omitted without injury. salad dressing made at the table. the yolk of a raw egg, a table-spoonful of mixed mustard, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, six table-spoonfuls of oil. stir the yolk, mustard and salt together with a fork until they begin to thicken. add the oil, gradually, stirring all the while. more or less oil can be used. cream salad dressing. two eggs, three table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one of cream, one teaspoonful of sugar, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of mustard. beat two eggs well. add the sugar, salt and mustard, then the vinegar, and the cream. place the bowl in a basin of boiling water, and stir until about the thickness of rich cream. if the bowl is thick and the water boils all the time, it will take about five minutes. cool, and use as needed. red mayonnaise dressing. lobster "coral" is pounded to a powder, rubbed through a sieve, and mixed with mayonnaise dressing. this gives a dressing of a bright color. or, the juice from boiled beets can be used instead of "coral." green mayonnaise dressing. mix enough spinach green with mayonnaise sauce to give it a bright green color. a little finely-chopped parsley can be added. aspic mayonnaise dressing. melt, but heat only slightly, one cupful of aspic jelly; or, one cupful of consommé will answer, if it is well jellied. put in a bowl and place in a basin of ice water. have ready the juice of half a lemon, one cupful of salad oil, one-fourth of a cupful of vinegar, one table-spoonful of sugar, one scant table-spoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt and one-tenth of a teaspoonful of cayenne. mix the dry ingredients with the vinegar. beat the jelly with a whisk, and as soon as it begins to thicken, add the oil and vinegar, a little at a time. add the lemon juice the last thing. you must beat all the time after the bowl is placed in the ice water. this gives a whiter dressing than that made with the yolks of eggs. boiled salad dressing. three eggs, one table-spoonful each of sugar, oil and salt a scant table-spoonful of mustard, a cupful of milk and one of vinegar. stir oil, salt, mustard and sugar in a bowl until perfectly smooth. add the eggs, and beat well; then add the vinegar, and finally the milk. place the bowl in a basin of boiling water, and stir the dressing until it thickens like soft custard. the time of cooking depends upon the thickness of the bowl. if a common white bowl is used, and it is placed in water that is boiling at the time and is kept constantly boiling, from eight to ten minutes will suffice; but if the bowl is very thick, from twelve to fifteen minutes will be needed. the dressing will keep two weeks if bottled tightly and put in a cool place. sour cream salad dressing. one cupful of sour cream, one teaspoonful of salt, a speck of cayenne, one table-spoonful of lemon juice, three of vinegar, one teaspoonful of sugar. mix all together thoroughly. this is best for vegetables. sardine dressing. pound in a mortar, until perfectly smooth, the yolks of four hard- boiled eggs and three sardines, which have been freed of bones, if there were any. add the mixture to any of the thick dressings, like the mayonnaise or the boiled. this dressing is for fish. salad dressing without oil. the yolks of four uncooked eggs, one table-spoonful of salt, one heaping teaspoonful of sugar, one heaping teaspoonful of mustard, half a cupful of clarified chicken fat, a quarter of a cupful of vinegar, the juice of half a lemon, a speck of cayenne. make as directed for mayonnaise dressing. salad dressing made with butter. four table-spoonfuls of butter, one of flour, one table-spoonful of salt, one of sugar, one heaping teaspoonful of mustard, a speck of cayenne, one cupful of milk, half a cupful of vinegar, three eggs. let the butter get hot in a sauce-pan. add the flour, and stir until smooth, being careful not to brown. add the milk, and boil up. place the sauce-pan in another of hot water. beat the eggs, salt, pepper, sugar and mustard together, and add the vinegar. stir this into the boiling mixture, and stir until it thickens like soft custard, which will be in about fire minutes. set away to cool; and when cold, bottle, and place in the ice-chest. this will keep two weeks. bacon salad dressing. two table-spoonfuls of bacon or pork fat, one of flour, one of lemon juice, half a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, one of mustard, two eggs, half a cupful of water, half a cupful of vinegar. have the fat hot. add the flour, and stir until smooth, but not brown. add the water, and boil up once. place the sauce-pan in another of boiling water. have the eggs and seasoning beaten together. add the vinegar to the boiling mixture, and stir in the beaten egg. cook four minutes, stirring all the while. cool and use. if corked tightly, this will keep two weeks in a cold place. french salad dressing. three table-spoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar, one salt-spoonful of salt, one-half a salt-spoonful of pepper. put the salt and pepper in a cup, and add one table-spoonful of the oil. when thoroughly mixed, add the remainder of the oil and the vinegar. this is dressing enough for a salad for six persons. if you like the flavor of onion, grate a little juice into the dressing. the juice is obtained by first peeling the onion, and then grating with a coarse grater, using a good deal of pressure. two strokes will give about two drops of juice--enough for this rule. chicken salad. have cold roasted or boiled chicken free of skin, fat and bones. place on a board, and cut in long, thin strips, and cut these into dice. place in an earthen bowl (there should be two quarts), and season with four table-spoonfuls of vinegar, two of oil, one teaspoonful of salt and one-half of a teaspoonful of pepper. set away in a cold place for two or three hours. scrape and wash enough of the tender white celery to make one quart. cut this, with a sharp knife, in pieces about half an inch thick. put these in the ice chest until serving time. make the mayonnaise dressing. mix the chicken and celery together, and add half of the dressing. arrange in a salad bowl or on a flat dish, and pour the remainder of the dressing over it. garnish with white celery leaves. or, have a jelly border, and arrange the salad in this. half celery and half lettuce is often used for chicken salad. many people, when preparing for a large company, use turkey instead of chicken, there being so much more meat in the same number of pounds of the raw material; but the salad is not nearly so nice as with chicken. if, when the chicken or fowl is cooked, it is allowed to cool in the water in which it is boiled, it will be juicier and tenderer than if taken from the water as soon as done. lobster salad. cut up and season the lobster the same as chicken. break the leaves from a head of lettuce, one by one, and wash them singly in a large pan of cold water. put them in a pan of ice water for about ten minutes, and then shake in a wire basket, to free them of water. place in the ice chest until serving time. when ready to serve, put two or three leaves together in the form of a shell, and arrange these shells on a flat dish. mix one-half of the mayonnaise dressing with the lobster. put a table-spoonful of this in each cluster of leaves. finish with a teaspoonful of the dressing on each spoonful of lobster. this is an exceedingly inviting dish. another method is to cut or tear the leaves rather coarse, and mix with the lobster. garnish the border of the dish with whole leaves. there should be two-thirds lobster to one-third lettuce. salmon salad. one quart of cooked salmon, two heads of lettuce, two table-spoonfuls of lemon juice, one of vinegar, two of capers, one teaspoonful of salt, one-third of a teaspoonful of pepper, one cupful of mayonnaise dressing, or the french dressing. break up the salmon with two silver forks. add to it the salt, pepper, vinegar and lemon juice. put in the ice chest or some other cold place, for two or three hours. prepare the lettuce as directed for lobster salad. at serving time, pick out leaves enough to border the dish. cut or tear the remainder in pieces, and arrange these in the centre of a flat dish. on them heap the salmon lightly, and cover with the dressing. now sprinkle on the capers. arrange the whole leaves at the base, and, if you choose, lay one-fourth of a thin slice of lemon on each leaf. oyster salad. one pint of celery, one quart of oysters, one-third of a cupful of mayonnaise dressing, three table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one of oil, half a teaspoonful of salt, one-eighth of a teaspoonful of pepper, one table-spoonful of lemon juice. let the oysters come to a boil in their own liquor. skim well and drain. season them with the oil, salt, pepper, vinegar and lemon juice. when cold, put in the ice chest for at least two hours. scrape and wash the whitest and tenderest part of the celery, and, with a sharp knife, cut in _very_ thin slices. put in a bowl with a large lump of ice, and set in the ice chest until serving time. when ready to serve, drain the celery, and mix with the oysters and half of the dressing. arrange in the dish, pour the remainder of the dressing over, and garnish with white celery leaves. sardine salad. arrange one quart of any kind of cooked fish on a bed of crisp lettuce. split six sardines, and if there are any bones, remove them. cover the fish with the sardine dressing. over this put the sardines, having the ends meet in the centre of the dish. at the base, of the dish mate a wreath of thin slices of lemon. garnish with parsley or lettuce, and serve immediately. shad roe salad. three shad roe, boiled in salted water twenty minutes. when cold, cut in _thin_ slices. season and set away, the same as salmon. serve the same as salmon, except omit the capers, and use chopped pickled beet. salads of fish. all kinds of cooked fish can be served in salads. lettuce is the best green salad to use with them, but all green vegetables, when cooked and cold, can be added to the fish and dressing. the sardine and french dressings are the best to use with fish. polish salad. one quart of cold game or poultry, cut very fine; the french dressing, four hard-boiled eggs, one large, or two small heads of lettuce. moisten the meat with the dressing, and let it stand in the ice chest two or three hours. rub the yolks of the eggs to a powder, and chop the whites very fine. wash the lettuce and put in the ice chest until serving time. when ready to serve, put the lettuce leaves together and cut in long, narrow strips with a _sharp_ knife, or tear it with a fork. arrange on a dish, heap the meat in the centre, and sprinkle the egg over all. beef salad. one quart of cold roasted or stewed beef--it must be very tender, double the rule for french dressing, one table-spoonful of chopped parsley, and one of onion juice, to be mixed with the dressing. cut the meat in _thin_ slices, and then into little squares. place a layer in the salad bowl, sprinkle with parsley and dressing, and continue this until all the meat is used. garnish with parsley, and keep in a cold place for one of two hours. any kind of meat can be used instead of beef. meat and potato salad. prepare the meat as directed for beef salad, using, however, one-half the quantity. add one pint of cold boiled potatoes, cut in thin slices, and dressing. garnish, and set away as before. these salads can be used as soon as made, but the flavor is improved by their standing an hour or more. bouquet salad. four hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped; one head of lettuce, or one pint of water cresses; a large bunch of nasturtium blossoms or buttercups, the french dressing, with the addition of one teaspoonful of sugar. wash the lettuce or cresses, and throw into ice water. when crisp, take out, and shake out all the water. cut or tear in pieces. put a layer in the bowl, with here and there a flower, and sprinkle in half of the egg and half the dressing. repeat this. arrange the flowers in a wreath, and put a few in the centre. serve immediately. cauliflower salad. boil one large cauliflower with two quarts of water and one table- spoonful of salt, for half an hour. take up and drain. when cold, divide into small tufts. arrange on the centre of a dish and garnish with a border of strips of pickled beet. pour cream dressing, or a cupful of mayonnaise dressing, over the cauliflower. arrange a star of the pickled beet in the centre. serve immediately. asparagus salad. boil two bunches of asparagus with one quart of water and one table- spoonful of salt, for twenty minutes. take up and drain on a sieve. when cold, cut off the tender points, and arrange diem on the dish. pour on cream salad dressing. asparagus and salmon salad. prepare the asparagus as before directed. season a quart of cooked salmon with one teaspoonful of salt, one-third of a teaspoonful of pepper, three table-spoonfuls of oil, one of vinegar and two of lemon juice. let this stand in the ice chest at least two hours. arrange the salmon in the centre of the dish and the asparagus points around it. cover the fish with one cupful of mayonnaise dressing. garnish the dish with points of lemon. green peas can be used instead of asparagus. cucumber salad. cut about one inch off of the point of the cucumber, and pare. (the bitter juice is in the point, and if this is not cut off before paring, the knife carries the flavor all through the cucumber.) cut in thin slices, cover with cold water, and let stand half an hour. drain, and season with french dressing. if oil is not liked it can be omitted. tomato salad. pare ripe tomatoes (which should be very cold), and cut in thin slices. arrange on a flat dish. put one teaspoonful of mayonnaise dressing in the centre of each slice. place a delicate border of parsley around the dish, and a sprig here and there between the slices of tomato. cabbage salad. one large head of cabbage, twelve eggs, two small cupfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one table-spoonful of melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of mustard, one cupful of vinegar, or more, if you like. divide the cabbage into four pieces, and wash well in cold water. take off all the wilted leaves and cut out the tough, hard parts. cut the cabbage very fine with a _sharp_ knife. have the eggs boiled hard, and ten of them chopped fine. add these and the other ingredients to the cabbage. arrange on a dish and garnish with the two remaining eggs and pickled beets. hot cabbage salad. one quart of finely-shaved cabbage, two table-spoonfuls of bacon or pork fat, two large slices of onion, minced _very fine_; one teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, half a cupful of vinegar, one teaspoonful of sugar. pry the onion in the fat until it becomes yellow; then add the other ingredients. pour the hot mixture on the cabbage. stir well, and serve at once. lettuce can be served in the same manner. vegetable salad. a spoonful of green parsley, chopped fine with a knife; six potatoes, half of a small turnip, half of a carrot, one small beet. cut the potatoes in small slices, the beet a little finer, and the turnip and carrot very fine. mix all thoroughly. sprinkle with a scant teaspoonful of salt--unless the vegetables were salted in cooking, and add the whole french dressing, or half a cupful of the boiled dressing. keep very cool until served. red vegetable salad. one pint of cold boiled potatoes, one pint of cold boiled beets, one pint of uncooked red cabbage, six table-spoonfuls of oil, eight of red vinegar (that in which beets have been pickled), two teaspoonfuls of salt (unless the vegetables have been cooked in salted water), half a teaspoonful of pepper. cut the potatoes in _thin_ slices and the beets fine, and slice the cabbage as thin as possible. mix all the ingredients. let stand in a cold place one hour; then serve. red cabbage and celery may be used together. use the french dressing. potato salad. ten potatoes, cut fine; the french dressing, with four or five drops of onion juice in it, and one table-spoonful of chopped parsley. potato salad, no. . one quart of potatoes, two table-spoonfuls of grated onion, two of chopped parsley, four of chopped beet and enough of any of the dressings to make moist. the sardine is the best for this. pare and cut the potatoes in thin slices, while hot. mix the other ingredients with them, and put away in a cool place until serving time. this is better for standing two or three hours. cooked vegetables in salad. nearly every kind of cooked vegetables can be served in salads. they can be served separately or mixed. they must be cold and well drained before the dressing is added. any of the dressings given, except sardine, can be used. dressed celery. scrape and wash the celery. let it stand in ice water twenty minutes, and shake dry. with a sharp knife, cut it in pieces about an inch long. put in the ice chest until serving time; then moisten well with mayonnaise dressing. arrange in the salad bowl or on a flat dish. garnish with a border of white celery leaves or water-cresses. when served on a flat dish, points of pickled beets, arranged around the base, make an agreeable change. lettuce salad. two small, or one large head of lettuce. break off all the leaves carefully, wash each separately, and throw into a pan of ice water, where they should remain an hour. put them in a wire basket or coarse towel, and _shake_ out all the water. either cut the leaves with a sharp knife, or tear them in large pieces. mix the french dressing with them, and serve immediately. beets, cucumbers, tomatoes, cauliflower, asparagus, etc., can each be served as a salad, with french or boiled dressing. cold potatoes, beef, mutton or lamb, cut fine, and finished with either dressing, make a good salad. meat and fish sauces. brown sauce. one pound of round beef, one pound of veal cut from the lower part of the leg; eight table-spoonfuls of butter, one onion, one large slice of carrot, four cloves, a small piece of mace, five table-spoonfuls of flour, salt and pepper to taste, four quarts of stock. cut the meat in small pieces. rub three spoonfuls of the butter on the bottom of a large stew-pan. put in the meat, and cook half an hour, stirring frequently. add the vegetables, spice, a bouquet of sweet herbs and one quart of the stock. simmer this two hours, and add the remainder of the stock. half a dozen mushrooms will improve the flavor greatly. put the remainder of the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, add the flour. stir until dark brown, and as soon as it begins to boil, add to the sauce. simmer one hour longer. season with salt and pepper, and strain through a fine french sieve or gravy strainer. skim off the fat, and the sauce is ready to use. this will keep a week in winter. it is the foundation for an fine dark sauces, and will well repay for the trouble and expense of making. white sauce. make the white sauce the same as the brown, but use all veal and white stock. when the butter and flour are cooked together be careful that they do not get browned. white sauce, no. . one quart of milk, four table-spoonfuls of butter, four of flour, a small slice of onion, two sprigs of parsley, salt and pepper to taste. put the milk, onion and parsley on in the double boiler. mix the butter and flour together until smooth and light. when the milk boils, stir four table-spoonfuls of it into the butter and flour, and when this is well mixed, stir it into the boiling milk. cook eight minutes. strain, and serve. this sauce is best with fish. white sauce, no. . one large slice of onion, one small slice of carrot, a clove, a small piece of mace, twelve pepper-corns, two table-spoonfuls of flour, two heaping table-spoonfuls of butter, one quart of cream--not very rich, salt to taste. cook the spice and vegetables slowly in the butter for twenty minutes. add the flour, and stir until smooth, being careful not to brown. add the cream, gradually, stirring all the while. boil for two minutes. strain, and serve. this sauce is good for veal and chicken cutlets, _quenelles_, sweetbreads, etc. white sauce, no. . one pint of milk, one of cream, four table-spoonfuls of flour, the yolks of two eggs, salt and pepper to taste. put the milk and cream on in the double boiler, reserving one cupful of the milk. pour eight table-spoonfuls of the milk on the flour, stir until perfectly smooth, and add the remainder of the milk. stir this into the other milk when it boils. stir the sauce for two minutes; then cover, and cook eight minutes longer. season well with salt and pepper. beat the yolks of the eggs with four spoonfuls of cream or milk. stir into the sauce, and remove from the fire immediately. the eggs may be omitted, if you choose. one table-spoonful of chopped parsley stirred into the sauce just before taking from the fire, is an improvement. this sauce is nice for all kinds of boiled fish, but particularly for boiled salt fish. bechamel sauce. one pint of white sauce, one pint of rich cream, salt, pepper. let the sauce and cream come to a boil separately. mix them together, and boil up once. strain, and serve. cream bechamel sauce. three table-spoonfuls of butter, three scant ones of flour, ten pepper-corns, a small piece of mace, half an onion, a large slice of carrot, two cupfuls of white stock, one of cream, salt, a little nutmeg, two sprigs of parsley, one of thyme and one bay leaf. tie the parsley, bay leaf and thyme together. rub the butter and flour to a smooth paste. put all the ingredients, except the cream, in a stew- pan, and simmer half an hour, stirring frequently; add the cream, and boil up once. strain, and serve. allemande sauce. one pint of white sauce, the yolks of six eggs, the juice of half a lemon, one table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, one table-spoonful of butter, half a cupful of cream, salt, pepper, a grating of nutmeg. let the sauce come to a boil. place the sauce-pan in another of boiling water, and add all the seasoning except the lemon. beat the yolks of eggs and the cream together, and add to the sauce. stir three minutes. take off, add the lemon juice, and strain. cream sauce. one pint of cream, one generous table-spoonful of flour, and salt and pepper to taste. let the cream come to a boil. have the flour mixed smooth with half a cupful of cold cream, reserved from the pint, and stir it into the boiling cream. add seasoning, and boil three minutes. this sauce is good for delicate meats, fish and vegetables, and to pour around croquettes and baked and quaker omelets. cream sauce, no. . one cupful of milk, a teaspoonful of flour and a table-spoonful of butter, salt and pepper. put the butter in a small frying-pan, and when hot, _but not brown,_ add the flour. stir until smooth; then gradually add the milk. let it boil up once. season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve. this is nice to cut cold potatoes into and let them just heat through. they are then creamed potatoes. it also answers as a sauce for other vegetables, omelets, fish and sweetbreads, or, indeed, for anything that requires a white sauce. if you have plenty of cream, use it, and omit the butter. polish sauce. one pint of stock, two table-spoonfuls of butter, four of grated horseradish, one of flour, one of chopped parsley, the juice of one lemon, one teaspoonful of sugar, salt, pepper. cook the butter and flour together until smooth, but not brown. add the stock; and when it boils, add all the other ingredients except the parsley. boil up once, and add the parsley. this sauce is for roast veal. robert sauce. two cupfuls of stock, two small onions, four table-spoonfuls of butter, one heaping table-spoonful of flour, one tea-spoonful of dry mustard, one of sugar, a speck of cayenne, two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, salt. cut the onions into dice, and put on with the butter. stir until they begin to color; then add the flour, and stir until brown. as soon as it boils, add the stock and other ingredients, and simmer five minutes. skim, and serve. supreme sauce. add to one pint of white sauce three finely-chopped mushrooms, the juice of half a lemon and one table-spoonful of butter. simmer all together ten minutes. rub through the strainer and use. olive sauce. two dozen queen olives, one pint of rich stock, the juice of one lemon, two table-spoonfuls of salad oil, one of flour, salt, pepper, a small slice of onion. let the olives stand in hot water half an hour, to extract the salt. put the onion and oil in the stew-pan, and as soon as the onion begins to color, add the flour. stir until smooth, and add the stock. set back where it will simmer. pare the olives, round and round, close to the stones, and have the pulp in a single piece. if this is done carefully with a sharp knife, in somewhat the same way that an apple skin is removed whole, the olives will still have their natural shape after the stones are taken out. put them in the sauce, add the seasoning, and simmer twenty minutes. skim carefully, and serve. if the sauce is liked thin, half the amount of flour given can be used. this sauce is for roast ducks and other game. flemish sauce. cut a cupful of the red part of a carrot into _very small_ dice. cover with boiling water, and simmer one hour. put three table- spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, a slice of carrot, an onion, cut fine; a blade of mace and twenty pepper-corns in a sauce-pan. stir over the fire one minute, and add two cupfuls of stock. simmer gently half an hour. add a cupful of cream, boil up once, and strain. now add the cooked carrot, one table-spoonful of chopped parsley, two of chopped cucumber pickles and, if you like, one of grated horseradish. taste to see if salt enough. chestnut sauce. one pint of shelled chestnuts, one quart of stock, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, one table-spoonful of flour, two of butter, salt, pepper. boil the chestnuts in water for about three minutes; then plunge them into cold water, and rub off the dark skins. put them on to cook with the stock, and boil gently until they will mash readily (it will take about an hour). mash as fine as possible. put the butter and flour in a sauce-pan and cook until a dark brown. stir into the sauce, and cook two minutes. add the seasoning, and rub all through a sieve. this sauce is for roast turkey. when, to be served with boiled turkey, use only a pint and a half of stock; rub the butter and flour together, and stir into the boiling mixture; rub through the sieve as before; add half a pint of cream to the sauce; return to the fire, boil up once, and serve. the chestnuts used are twice as large as the native fruit all first-class provision dealers and grocers keep them. celery sauce. cut the tender parts of a head of celery _very fine._ pour on water enough to cover them, and no more. cover the sauce-pan, and set where it will simmer one hour. mix together two table-spoonfuls of flour and four of butter. when the celery has been boiling one hour, add to it the butter and flour, one pint of milk or cream, and salt and pepper. boil up once, and serve. brown mushroom sauce. one forty-cent can of french mushrooms, two cupfuls of stock, two table-spoonfuls of flour, four of butter, salt, pepper. melt the butter. add the flour, and stir until a very dark brown; then gradually add the stock. when this boils up, add the liquor from the mushrooms. season, and simmer twenty minutes. skim off any fat that may rise to the top. add the mushrooms, and simmer five minutes longer. too much cooking toughens the mushrooms. this sauce is to be served with any kind of roasted, broiled or braised meats. it is especially nice with beef. brown mushroom sauce, no, . one pint of stock, two cloves, one small slice each of turnip, carrot and onion, three table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, half a can of mushrooms, or one-eighth of a pound of the fresh vegetable. cut the vegetables in small pieces, and fry in the butter with the cloves until brown. add the flour, and stir until dark brown; then gradually add the stock. chop the mushrooms, stir into the sauce, and simmer half an hour. rub through the sieve. use the same as the other brown mushroom sauce. white mushroom sauce. hake a mushroom sauce like the first, using one cupful of white stock and one cupful of cream, and cooking the butter only until smooth. do not let it become browned. beurre noir. two table-spoonfuls of butter, one of vinegar, one of chopped parsley, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, half a tea-spoonful of salt, one quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper. put the butter in a frying-pan, and when very hot, add the parsley and then the other ingredients. boil up once. this sauce is for fried and broiled fish, and it is poured over the fish before sending to the table. maitre d' hotel butter. four table-spoonfuls of butter, one of vinegar, one of lemon juice, half a teaspoonful of salt, one quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the seasoning. this sauce is spread on fried and broiled meats and fish instead of butter. it is particularly nice for fish and beefsteak. maître d' hôtel sauce. one pint of white stock, the yolks of three eggs, one heaping table- spoonful of corn-starch. put the stock on to boil, reserving one-third of a cupful for the corn-starch. mix the corn-starch with the cold stock and stir into the boiling. boil gently for five minutes. prepare the _maître d' hotel_ butter as directed in the rule, and add to it the yolks of the eggs. gradually stir into this the boiling mixture. after placing the sauce-pan in another of boiling water, stir constantly for three minutes. take off, and serve. hollandaise sauce. half a tea-cupful of butter, the juice of half a lemon, the yolks of two eggs, a speck of cayenne, half a cupful of boiling water, half a teaspoonful of salt. beat the butter to a cream; then add the yolks, one by one, the lemon juice, pepper and salt. place the bowl in which these are mixed in a sauce-pan of boiling water. beat with an egg- beater until the sauce begins to thicken (about a minute), and add the boiling water, beating all the time. when like a soft custard it is done. the bowl, if thin, must be kept over the fire only about five minutes, provided the water boils all the time. the sauce should be poured around meat or fish when it is on the dish. lobster sauce. one small lobster, four table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, one- fifth of a teaspoonful of cayenne, two table-spoonfuls of lemon juice, one pint of boiling water. cut the meat into dice. pound the "coral" with one table-spoonful of the butter. rub the flour and the remainder of the butter to a smooth paste. add the water, pounded "coral" and butter, and the seasoning. simmer five minutes, and then strain on the lobster. boil up once, and serve. this sauce is for all kinds of boiled fish. butter sauce. two table-spoonfuls of flour, half a cupful of butter and one pint of boiling water. work the flour and butter together until light and creamy, and gradually add the boiling water. stir constantly until it comes to a boil, but do not let it boil. take from the fire, and serve. a table-spoonful of lemon juice and a speck of cayenne may be added if you choose. a table-spoonful of chopped parsley also gives an agreeable change. white oyster sauce. one pint of oysters, three table-spoonfuls of butter, one heaping table-spoonful of flour, one of lemon juice, salt, pepper, a speck of cayenne. wash the oysters in enough water, with the addition of the oyster liquor, to make a pint. work the butter and flour to a smooth paste. let the water and oyster juice come to a boil. skim, and pour on the flour and butter. let come to a boil, and add the oysters and seasoning. boil up once, and serve. half a cupful of the water may be omitted and half a cupful of boiling cream added at the last moment. brown oyster sauce. the same ingredients as for the white sauce. put the butter and flour in the sauce-pan and stir until a dark brown. add the skimmed liquor, boil up, and add the other ingredients. boil up once more, and serve. in the brown sauce stock can be used instead of water. the sauce is served with broiled or stewed beefsteak. shrimp sauce. make a butter sauce, and add to it two table-spoonfuls of essence of anchovy and half a pint of canned shrimp. stir well, and it is ready to serve. anchovy sauce. make the butter sauce, and stir into it four table-spoonfuls of essence of anchovy and one of lemon juice. egg sauce. six hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine with a silver, knife or spoon; half a cupful of boiling cream or milk, and the butter sauce. make the sauce, add the boiling cream or milk, and then the eggs. stir well, and serve. fine herbs sauce. one table-spoonful of chopped onion, two of chopped mushroom, one of chopped parsley, two of butter, salt, pepper, one pint of white sauce, no. . put the butter and chopped ingredients in a sauce-pan and stir for one minute over the fire. add the sauce, and boil up once. caper sauce. make a butter sauce, and stir into it one table-spoonful of lemon juice, two of capers, and one of essence of anchovy. mustard sauce. stir three table-spoonfuls of mixed mustard and a speck of cayenne into a butter sauce. this is nice for devilled turkey and broiled smoked herrings. curry sauce. one table-spoonful of butter, one of flour, one teaspoonful of curry powder, one large slice of onion, one large cupful of stock, salt and pepper to taste. cut the onion fine, and fry brown in the butter.. add the flour and curry powder. stir for one minute, add the stock, and season with the salt and pepper. simmer five minutes; then strain, and serve. this sauce can be served with a broil or _sauté_ of meat or fish. vinaigrette sauce. one teaspoonful of white pepper, one of salt, half a teaspoonful of mustard, half a cupful of vinegar, one table-spoonful of oil. mix the salt, pepper and mustard together; then _very_ slowly add the vinegar, and after mixing well, add the oil. the sauce is to be eaten on cold meats or on fish. piquant sauce. two cupfuls of brown sauce, one of consomme, (common stock will do), four table-spoonfuls of vinegar, two of chopped onion, two of chopped capers, two of chopped cucumber pickles, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of cayenne, one teaspoonful of sugar, salt to taste. cook the onion and vinegar in a sauce-pan for three minutes; then add the sauce, consomme, sugar, salt and pepper. boil rapidly for five minutes, stirring all the while. add the capers and pickles, and boil three minutes longer. tomato sauce. one quart of canned tomatoes, two table-spoonfuls of butter, two of flour, eight cloves and a small slice of onion. cook the tomato, onion and cloves ten minutes. heat the butter in a small frying-pan, and add the flour. stir over the fire until smooth and brown, and then stir into the tomatoes. cook two minutes. season to taste with salt and pepper, and rub through a strainer fine enough to keep back the seeds. this sauce is nice for fish, meat and macaroni. tartare sauce. the yolks of two uncooked eggs, half a cupful of oil, three table- spoonfuls of vinegar, one of mustard, one teaspoonful of sugar, one- quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, one of onion juice, one table-spoonful of chopped capers, one of chopped cucumber pickles. make the same as mayonnaise dressing. add the chopped ingredients the last thing. this sauce can be used with fried and broiled meats and fish, and with meats served in jelly. champagne sauce. mix thoroughly a table-spoonful of butter with one of flour. set the sauce-pan on the fire, and stir constantly until the mixture is dark brown; then pour into it half a pint of boiling gravy (the liquor in which pieces of lean meat have boiled until it is very rich). pour in this gravy slowly, and stir slowly and continually. let boil up once, season well with pepper and salt, and strain. add half a cupful of champagne, and serve. port wine sauce for game. half a tumbler of currant jelly, half a tumbler of port wine, half a tumbler of stock, half a teaspoonful of salt, two table-spoonfuls of lemon juice, four cloves, a speck of cayenne. simmer the cloves and stock together for half an hour. strain on the other ingredients, and let all melt together. part of the gravy from the game may be added to it. currant jelly sauce. three table-spoonfuls of butter, one onion, one bay leaf, one sprig of celery, two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, half a cupful of currant jelly, one table-spoonful of flour, one pint of stock, salt, pepper. cook the butter and onion until the latter begins to color. add the flour and herbs. stir until brown; add the stock, and simmer twenty minutes. strain, and skim off all the fat. add the jelly, and stir over the fire until it is melted. serve with game. bread sauce for game. two cupfuls of milk, one of dried bread crumbs, a quarter of an onion, two table-spoonfuls of butter, and salt and pepper. dry the bread in a warm oven, and roll into rather coarse crumbs. sift; and put the fine crumbs which come through, and which make about one-third of a cupful, on to boil with the milk and onion. boil ten or fifteen minutes, and add a table-spoonful of butter and the seasoning. skim out the onion. fry the coarse, crumbs a light brown in the remaining butter, which must be very hot before they are put in. stir over a hot fire two minutes, being watchful not to burn. cover the breasts of the roasted birds with these, and serve the sauce poured around the birds, or in a gravy dish. force-meat and garnishes. force-meat for game. one pound of clear uncooked veal, a quarter of a pound of fat pork, one pound of boiled ham, one quart of milk, one pint of bread crumbs, half a cupful of butter, three table-spoonfuls of onion juice, one table-spoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, six mushrooms, the yolks of four eggs, a speck each of clove, cinnamon, mace and nutmeg. chop the veal, pork, ham and mushrooms _very fine_, and, with a pestle, pound to a powder. cook the bread and milk together, stirring often, until the former is soft and smooth. set away to cool, first adding the butter and seasoning to it. when cold, add to the powdered meat. mix thoroughly, and rub through a sieve. add the yolks of the eggs. this force-meat is used for borders in which to serve hot entrees of game. it is also used in game pies, and sometimes for _quenelles._ when used for a border it is put in a well-buttered mould and steamed three hours. it is then turned out on a flat dish, and the hot salmis, blanquette or ragout is poured into the centre. ham force-meat. two pounds of cooked ham, chopped, and then pounded very fine; one pound of bread crumbs, one pint of milk, the yolks of four eggs, one table-spoonful of mixed mustard, one teaspoonful of salt, a speck of cayenne, one cupful of brown sauce. make as directed for force-meat for game. veal force-meat. three pounds of veal, one cupful of butter, one pint of bread crumbs, one pint of milk, one pint of white sauce, two table-spoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, two table-spoonfuls of halford sauce, two of onion juice, the yolks of six eggs, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, two table-spoonfuls of chopped parsley. make and use the same as game force-meat. chicken force-meat. use only the breast of the chicken. make the same as veal force-meat, using cream, however, with the bread crumbs, instead of milk. this force-meat is for the most delicate entries only. either the chicken or veal can be formed into balls about the size of a walnut and fried or poached for soups. fish force-meat. this can be made the same as veal force-meat. salmon and halibut will be found the best kinds of fish to use for it. the force-meat is for entrees of fish. force-meat is sometimes formed into a square or oval piece for the centre of the dish. it should be about an inch and a half thick. place on a buttered sheet or plate and steam two hours. when cooked, slip on to the centre of the dish. arrange the entree on this, and pour the sauce around the base. delicate cutlets, sweetbreads, etc., can be used here. veal or chicken force-meat is the best for all light entrees. jelly border. make one quart of aspic jelly. set the plain border mould (see rice border, under entries) in a pan with a little ice and water. pour enough of the liquid jelly into the mould to make a layer half an inch deep. let this get hard. when hard, decorate with cooked carrot and beet, and the white of a hard-boiled egg. these must all be cut in pretty shapes with the vegetable cutter, and arranged on the jelly. very carefully add two table-spoonfuls of jelly, and let it harden. fill with the remainder of the jelly, and set away to harden. at serving time put the mould for half a minute in a pan of warm water. wipe it, and turn the jelly on a cold flat dish. fill the centre with salad, boned fowl, or anything else you choose. marinade for fish. one quart of cider, two slices of carrot, one large onion, four cloves, a bouquet of sweet herbs, two table-spoonfuls of butter, two of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper and the same quantity of mustard. cook the onion and carrot in the butter for ten minutes, and add the other ingredients. cover the sauce-pan, and simmer one hour and a half. this is for stewing fish. it should be strained on the fish, and that should simmer forty minutes. cold marinade. a bouquet of sweet herbs, the juice of half a lemon, two table- spoonfuls of oil, six of vinegar, one of onion juice, a speck of cayenne, one teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, one-tenth of a teaspoonful of ground clove. mix all together. sprinkle on the meat or fish, which should stand ten or twelve hours. this is particularly for fish, chops, steaks and cutlets which are to be either fried or broiled. any of the flavorings that are not liked may be omitted. when cooked meats or fish are sprinkled with salt, pepper and vinegar, as for salads, they are said to be marinated. to get onion juice. feel the onion, and grate on a large grater, using a good deal of pressure. to fry parsley. wash the parsley, and wipe dry. put in the frying basket and plunge into boiling fat for half a minute. to make spinach green. wash a peck of spinach. pour on it two quarts of boiling water. let it stand one minute. pour off the water, and pound the spinach to a soft pulp. put this in a coarse towel and squeeze all the juice into a small frying-pan. (two people, by using the towel at the same time, will extract the juice more thoroughly than one can.) put the pan on the fire, and stir until the juice is in the form of curd and whey. turn this on a sieve, and when all the liquor has been drained off, scrape the dry material from the sieve, and put away for use. another mode is to put with the juice in the frying-pan three table-spoonfuls of sugar. let this cook five minutes; then bottle for use. this is really the more convenient way. spinach green is used for coloring soups, sauces and creams. points of lemon. cut fresh lemons in thin slices, and divide these slices into four parts. this gives the points. they are used as a garnish for salads and made dishes. to make a bouquet of sweet herbs. put two sprigs of parsley on the table, and across them lay two bay leaves, two sprigs of thyme, two of summer savory, and two _leaves_ of sage. tie all the other herbs (which are dry) with the parsley. the bouquet is for soups, stews, game, and meat jellies. when it can be obtained, use tarragon also. vegetables. all green vegetables must be washed thoroughly in cold water and dropped into water which has been salted and is just beginning to boil there should be a table-spoonful of salt for every two quarts of water. if the water boils a long time before the vegetables are put in it loses all its gases, and the mineral ingredients are deposited on the bottom and sides of the kettle, so that the water is flat and tasteless: the vegetables will not look green, nor have a fine flavor. the time of boiling green vegetables depends very much upon the age, and how long they have been gathered. the younger and more freshly gathered, the more quickly they are cooked. the following is a time- table for cooking: potatoes, boiled. minutes. potatoes, baked. minutes. sweet potatoes, boiled. minutes. sweet potatoes, baked. hour. squash, boiled. minutes. squash, baked. minutes. green peas, boiled. to minutes. shell beans, boiled. hour. string beans, boiled. to hours. green corn. minutes to hour. asparagus. to minutes. tomatoes, fresh. hour. tomatoes, canned. minutes. cabbage. minutes to hours. cauliflower. to hours. dandelions. to hours. beet greens. hour. onions. to hours. turnips, white. minutes to hour. turnips, yellow. / to hours. parsnips. to hours. carrots. to hours. nearly all these vegetables are eaten dressed with salt, pepper and butter, but sometimes a small piece of lean pork is boiled with them, and seasons them sufficiently. potatoes. no other vegetable is in america so commonly used and abused. the most inexperienced housekeeper takes it as a matter of course that she or her cook cannot fail of boiling potatoes properly. the time of cooking the potato, unlike that of nearly all other vegetables, does not vary with age or freshness; so there need never be a failure. in baking, the heat of the oven is not always the same, and the time of cooking will vary accordingly. the potato is composed largely of starch. cooking breaks the cells and sets this starch free. if the potato is removed from heat and moisture as soon as this occurs, it will be dry and mealy, but if it is allowed to boil or bake, even for a few minutes, the starch will absorb the moisture, and the potato will become soggy and have a poor flavor. boiled potatoes. twelve medium-sized potatoes, one table-spoonful of salt, boiling water to cover. pare the potatoes, and if old, let them stand in cold water an hour or two, to freshen them. boil fifteen minutes; then add the salt, and boil fifteen minutes longer. pour off _every drop_ of water. take the cover from the sauce-pan and shake the potatoes in a current of cold air (at either the door or window). place the saucepan on the back part of the stove, and cover with a clean coarse towel until serving time. the sooner the potatoes are served, the better. this rule will ensure perfectly sweet and mealy potatoes, if they were good and ripe at first. mashed potatoes. twelve potatoes, one and a half table-spoonfuls of salt, one table- spoonful of butter, half a cupful of boiling milk. pare and boil as directed for boiled potatoes, and mash fine and light. add the salt and butter. beat well; then add the milk, and beat as you would for cake. this will give a light and delicate dish of potatoes. the potatoes must be perfectly smooth before adding the other ingredients. purée of potato. prepare the potatoes as directed for mashed potatoes, except use a generous cupful of milk and half a teaspoonful of pepper. if the puree is to serve as a foundation for dry meats, like grouse, veal or turkey, use a cupful of rich stock instead of the milk. this preparation, spread on a hot platter, with any kind of cold meat or fish that has been warmed in a little sauce or gravy, heaped in the centre of it, makes a delightful dish for lunch or dinner. potato puffs. prepare the potatoes as directed for mashed potato. while _hot,_ shape in balls about the size of an egg. have a tin sheet well buttered, and place the balls on it. as soon as all are done, brash over with beaten egg. brown in the oven. when done, slip a knife under them and slide them upon a hot platter. garnish with parsley, and serve immediately. riced potato. have a flat dish and the colander hot. with a spoon, rub mashed potato through the colander on to the hot dish. be careful that the colander does not touch the potato on the dish. it is best to have only a few spoonfuls of the potato in it at one time. when all has been pressed through, place the dish in the oven for five minutes. potato à la royale. one pint of hot toiled potatoes, a generous half cupful of cream or milk, two table spoonfuls of butter, the whites of four eggs and yolk of one, salt and pepper to taste. beat the potato very light and fine. add the seasoning, milk and butter, and lastly the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. turn into a buttered escalop dish. smooth with a knife and brush over with the yolk of the egg, which has been well beaten. brown quickly, and serve. it will take ten minutes to brown. the dish in which it is baked should hold a little more than a quart. potatoes à l'italienne. prepare the potatoes as for serving _à la royale_. add one table- spoonful of onion juice, one of finely-chopped parsley, and half a cupful of finely-chopped cooked ham. heap lightly in the dish, but do not smooth. sprinkle on this one table-spoonful of grated parmesan cheese. brown quickly, and serve. the cheese may be omitted if not liked. thin fried potatoes. pare and cut raw potatoes _very thin_, with either the vegetable slicer or a sharp knife. put them in cold water and let them stand in a cold place (the ice chest is best) from ten to twenty-four hours. this draws out the starch. drain them well. put about one pint in the frying basket, plunge into boiling lard, and cook about ten minutes. after the first minute set back where the heat will decrease. drain, and dredge with salt. continue this until all are fried. remember that the fat must be hot at first, and when it has regained its heat after the potatoes have been added, must be set back where the potatoes will not cook fast. if the cooking is too rapid they will be brown before they have become crisp. care must also be taken, when the potatoes are first put in the frying kettle, that the fat does not boil over. have a fork under the handle of the basket, and if you find that there is danger, lift the basket partly out of the kettle. continue this until all the water has evaporated; then let the basket remain in the kettle. if many potatoes are cooked in this way for a family, quite an amount of starch can be saved from the water in which they were soaked by pouring off the water and scraping the starch from the bottom of the vessel. dry, and use as any other starch. french fried potatoes. pare small uncooked potatoes. divide them in halves, and each half in three pieces. put in the frying basket and cook in boiling fat for ten minutes. drain, and dredge with salt. serve hot with chops or beefsteak. two dozen pieces can be fried at one time. potatoes à la parisienne. pare large uncooked potatoes. cut little balls out of these with the vegetable scoop. six balls can be cut from one large potato. drop them in ice water. when all are prepared, drain them, and put in the frying basket. this can be half full each time--that is, about three dozen balls can be put in. put the basket carefully into the fat, the same as for thin fried potatoes. cook ten minutes. drain. dredge with salt, and serve very hot. these are nice to serve with a fillet of beef, beefsteak, chops or game. they may be arranged on the dish with the meats, or served in a separate dish. potato balls fried in butter. cut little balls from cooked potatoes with the vegetable scoop. after all the salt has been washed from one cupful of butter (chicken fat will do instead), put this in a small frying-pan. when hot, put in as many potato balls as will cover the bottom, and fry until a golden brown. take up, drain, and dredge with salt. serve very hot. these balls can be cut from raw potatoes, boiled in salted water five minutes, and fried in the butter ten minutes. when boiled potatoes are used, the part left after the balls have been cut out, will answer for creamed or lyonnaise potatoes; but when raw potatoes are used, the part left should be put into cold water until cooking time, and can be used for mashed or riced potatoes. potatoes baked with roast beef. fare rather small potatoes, and boil for twelve minutes in salted water. take up and put on the grate with roast beef. bake twenty-five or thirty minutes. arrange on the dish with the beef, or, if you prefer, on a separate dish. broiled potatoes. cut cold boiled potatoes in slices a third of an inch thick. dip them in melted butter and _fine_ bread crumbs. place in the double broiler and broil over a fire that is not too hot. garnish with parsley, and serve on a hot dish. or, season with salt and pepper, toast till a delicate brown, arrange on a hot dish, and season with butter. lyonnaise potatoes. one quart of cold boiled potatoes, cut into dice; three table- spoonfuls of butter, one of chopped onion, one of chopped parsley, salt, pepper. season the potatoes with the salt and pepper. fry the onions in the butter, and when they turn yellow, add the potatoes. stir with a fork, being careful not to break them. when hot, add the parsley, and cook two minutes longer. serve immediately on a hot dish. duchess potatoes. cut cold boiled potatoes into cubes. season well with salt and pepper, and dip in melted butter and lightly in flour. arrange them on a baking sheet, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven. serve _very hot_. housekeeper's potatoes. one quart of cold boiled potatoes, cut into dice; one pint of stock, one table-spoonful of chopped parsley, one of butter, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, salt, pepper. season the potatoes with the salt and pepper, and add the stock. cover, and simmer twelve minutes. add lemon juice, butter and parsley, and simmer two minutes longer. potatoes à la maître d' hôtel. one quart of cold boiled potatoes, cut into dice; one scant pint of milk, one table-spoonful of chopped parsley, three of butter, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, salt, pepper, the yolks of two eggs, one teaspoonful of flour. mix the butter, flour, lemon juice, parsley and yolks of eggs together. season the potatoes with salt and pepper. add the milk, and put on in the double boiler. cook five minutes; then add the other ingredients, and cook five minutes longer. stir often. stewed potatoes. one quart of cold boiled potatoes, cut into little dice j one pint and a half of milk, one table-spoonful of parsley, one of flour, two of butter, salt, pepper. put the potatoes in the double boiler, and dredge them with the salt, pepper and flour. add the parsley, butter and milk. cover, and put on to boil. cook twelve minutes. serve very hot. creamed potatoes. one quart of cold boiled potatoes, cut in very _thin_ slices; one pint of cream sauce, salt, pepper. season the potatoes with salt and pepper, and turn them into the sauce. cover the stew-pan, and cook until the potatoes are hot--no longer. serve immediately in a hot dish. they will heat in the double boiler in six minutes, and will not require stirring. escaloped potatoes. cut one quart of cold boiled potatoes in _very thin_ slices, and season well with salt and pepper. butter an escalop dish. cover the bottom with a layer of cream sauce, add a layer of the potatoes, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and moisten with sauce. continue this until all the material is used. have the last layer one of cream sauce. cover the dish with fine bread crumbs, put a table-spoonful of butter in little bits on the top, and cook twenty minutes. it takes one pint of sauce, one table-spoonful of parsley, half a cupful of bread crumbs, one teaspoonful of salt and as much pepper as you like. this dish can be varied by using a cupful of chopped ham with the potatoes. indeed, any kind of meat can be used. potato soufflé. six large, smooth potatoes, half a cupful of boiling milk, one table- spoonful of butter, the whites of four eggs, salt and pepper to taste. wash the potatoes clean, being, careful not to break the skin. bake forty-five minutes. take the potatoes from the oven, and with a sharp knife, cut them in two, lengthwise. scoop out the potato with a spoon, and put it in a hot bowl. mash light and fine. add the seasoning, butter and milk, and then half the whites of the eggs. fill the skins with the mixture. cover with the remaining white of the egg, and brown in the oven. great care must be taken not to break the skins. sweet potatoes. sweet potatoes require from forty-five to fifty-five minutes to boil, and from one hour to one and a quarter to bake. the time given will make the potatoes moist and sweet if, however, they are preferred dry and mealy, fifteen minutes less will be enough. french fried sweet potatoes. prepare and fry the same as the white potatoes. or, they can first be boiled half an hour, and then pared, cut and fried as directed. the latter is the better way, as they are liable to be a little hard if fried when raw. cold boiled sweet potatoes. cut cold boiled sweet potatoes in thick slices, and season well with salt and pepper. have the bottom of the frying-pan covered with either butter, or pork, ham or chicken fat. put enough of the sliced potatoes in the pan to just cover the bottom. brown one side, and turn, and brown the other. serve in a hot dish. cold potatoes can be served in cream, cut in thick slices and toasted, cut in thick slices, dipped in egg and bread crumbs and fried brown, and can be fried in batter. plain boiled macaroni. two quarts of boiling water, one table-spoonful of salt, and twelve sticks of macaroni. break and wash the macaroni, throw it into the salt and water, and boil _rapidly_ for twenty-five minutes. pour off the water, season with salt, pepper and butter, and serve. macaroni in gravy. twelve sticks of macaroni, one and a half pints of stock, one scant table-spoonful of flour, one generous table-spoonful of butter, salt, pepper. break and wash the macaroni. put it in a sauce-pan with the stock. cover, and simmer half an hour. mix the butter and flour together. stir this and the seasoning in with the macaroni. simmer ten minutes longer, and serve. a table-spoonful of grated cheese may be added. macaroni with cream sauce. boil the macaroni as directed for the plain boiled dish. drain, and serve with half a pint of cream sauce. macaroni with tomato sauce. boil and drain as directed for plain boiled macaroni. pour over it one pint of tomato sauce. macaroni with cheese. prepare the macaroni with the cream sauce. turn into a buttered escalop dish. have half a cupful of grated cheese and half a cupful of bread crumbs mixed. sprinkle over the macaroni, and place in the oven and brown. it will take about twenty minutes. macaroni à l'italienne. twelve sticks of macaroni (a quarter of a pound), half a pint of milk, two table-spoonfuls of cream, two of butter, one of flour, some salt, white pepper and cayenne, and a quarter of a pound of cheese. break and wash the macaroni, and boil it rapidly for twenty minutes in two quarts of water. put the milk on in the double boiler. mix the butter and flour together, and stir into the boiling milk. add the seasoning, cream and cheese. drain, and dish the macaroni. pour the sauce over it, and serve immediately. one table-spoonful of mustard can be stirred into the sauce if you like. if the sauce and macaroni are allowed to stand long after they are put together the dish will be spoiled. if they cannot be served immediately, keep both hot in separate dishes. stuffed tomatoes. twelve large, smooth tomatoes, one teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, one table-spoonful of butter, one of sugar, one cupful of bread crumbs, one teaspoonful of onion juice. arrange the tomatoes in a baking pan. cut a thin slice from the smooth end of each. with a small spoon, scoop out as much of the pulp and juice as possible without injuring the shape. when all have been treated in this way, mix the pulp and juice with the other ingredients, and fill the tomatoes with this mixture. put on the tops, and bake slowly three- quarters of an hour. slide the cake turner under the tomatoes and lift gently on to a flat dish. garnish with parsley, and serve. stuffed tomatoes, no . twelve tomatoes, two cupfuls of bread crumbs, one of stock, four table-spoonfuls of butter, one of flour, salt, pepper, one teaspoonful of onion juice. cut slices from the stem end of the tomatoes. remove the juice and pulp with a spoon, and dredge the inside with salt and pepper. put two table-spoonfuls of the butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, stir in the bread crumbs. stir constantly until they are brown and crisp, and fill the tomatoes with them. cover the openings with fresh crumbs and bits of butter. bake slowly half an hour. fifteen minutes before the tomatoes are done, make the sauce in this manner: put one table-spoonful of butter in the frying-pan, and when hot, add the flour. stir until brown and smooth; then add the stock, tomato juice and pulp. stir until it boils up, and add the onion juice, salt and pepper. simmer ten minutes, and strain. lift the tomatoes on to a flat dish, with the cake turner. pour the sauce around, garnish with parsley, and serve. any kind of meat, chopped fine and seasoned highly, can be used in place of the crumbs. escaloped tomatoes. one pint of fresh or canned tomatoes, one generous pint of bread crumbs, three table-spoonfuls of butter, one of sugar, one scant table-spoonful of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper. put a layer of the tomato in an escalop dish. dredge with salt and pepper, and dot butter here and there. now put in a layer of crumbs. continue this until all the ingredients are used, having crumbs and butter for the last layer. if fresh tomatoes have been used, bake one hour, but if canned, bake half an hour. broiled tomatoes. cut the tomatoes in halves. sprinkle the inside of the slices with _fine_ bread crumbs, salt and pepper. place them in the double broiler, and broil over the fire for ten minutes, having the outside next the fire. carefully slip them on a hot dish (stone china), and put bits of butter here and there on each slice. put the dish in the oven for ten minutes, and then serve. or, if you have a range or gas stove, brown before the fire or under the gas. fried tomatoes. slice ripe tomatoes and dip them in well-beaten eggs, which have been seasoned with salt, pepper and sugar (one teaspoonful of sugar to each egg), and then, in fine bread or cracker crumbs. have two table- spoonfuls of butter in a frying-pan, and when hot, put in as many slices of tomato as will cover the bottom. fry for ten minutes, five for each side. serve on thin slices of toast. to peel tomatoes. put the tomatoes in a frying basket and plunge them into boiling water for about three minutes. drain, and peel. baked onions. peel large onions, and boil one hour in plenty of water, slightly salted. butter a shallow dish or a deep plate, and arrange the onions in it. sprinkle with pepper and salt, put a teaspoonful of butter in the centre of each onion, and cover lightly with crumbs. bake slowly one hour. serve with cream sauce. stuffed onions. boil as for baking. cut out the heart of the onions, and fill the space with any kind of cold meat, chopped fine, and highly seasoned. to each pint of meat add one egg and two-thirds of a cupful of milk or cream. when the onions are filled put a bit of butter (about a teaspoonful) on each one. cover with crumbs, and bake one hour. serve with cream sauce. parsnips fried in butter. scrape the parsnips, and boil gently forty-five minutes. when cold, cut in long slices about one-third of an inch thick. season with salt and pepper. dip in melted butter and in flour. have two table- spoonfuls of butter in the frying pan, and as soon as hot, put in enough parsnips to cover the bottom. fry brown on both sides, and serve on a hot dish. parsnips fried in molasses. have one cupful of molasses in a large frying-pan. when boiling, put in slices of parsnips that have been seasoned with salt, and cooled. fry brown, and serve hot. parsnip balls. mash one pint of boiled parsnips. add two table-spoonfuls of butter, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, two table-spoonfuls of cream or milk and one beaten egg. mix all the ingredients except the egg. stir on the fire until the mixture bubbles; then add the egg, and set away to cool. when cold, make into balls one-third the size of an egg. dip them in beaten egg and in crumbs. put in the frying basket and plunge into boiling fat. cook till a rich brown. escaloped parsnip. prepare the parsnips as for the balls, omitting the egg. turn into a buttered dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. asparagus with cream. have the asparagus tied in bundles. wash, and plunge into boiling water in which there is a teaspoonful of salt for every quart of water. boil rapidly for fifteen minutes. take up, and cut off the tender heads. put them in a clean sauce-pan with one generous cupful of cream or milk to every quart of asparagus. simmer ten minutes. mix one tablespoonful of butter and a generous teaspoonful of flour together. when creamy, stir in with the asparagus. add salt and pepper to taste, and simmer five minutes longer. green, peas à la française. boil green peas until tender, and drain. for every quart, put in a sauce-pan two table-spoonfuls of butter, one of flour, and half a teaspoonful of sugar. stir until all are thoroughly mixed. add the peas, and stir over the fire for five minutes. add one cupful of white stock or cream, and simmer ten minutes. the canned peas can be prepared in the same manner. minced cabbage. drain boiled cabbage in the colander. put it in the chopping tray and chop fine. for each quart of the chopped cabbage, put two table- spoonfuls of butter and one of flour in the frying-pan. as soon as smooth and hot, put in the cabbage, which season well with salt, pepper, and, if you like it, two table-spoonfuls of vinegar. stir constantly for five or eight minutes. when done, heap on a dish. make smooth with a knife, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs. minced spinach. boil the spinach in salt and water until tender. drain in the colander, and chop fine in the tray. season well with pepper and salt. for each quart of the chopped spinach, put two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour in a frying-pan. when this has cooked smooth, and before it has become browned, add the spinach. stir for five minutes; then add half a cupful of cream or milk, and stir three minutes longer. arrange in a mound on a hot dish. garnish with a wreath of slices of hard-boiled eggs at the base, and finish the top with another wreath. serve hot. lettuce can be cooked and served in the same manner. it must be boiled about twenty minutes to be tender. cauliflower with cream sauce. take off the green leaves and the stalk of the cauliflower. wash, and put on to cook in boiling water. boil gently for half an hour. turn off the water, and add one pint of milk, one pint of boiling water and one table-spoonful of salt. simmer half an hour longer. take up with, a skimmer, being careful not to break it. pour over this a cream sauce, and serve. escaloped cauliflower. cook the cauliflower one hour in salt and water. drain, and break apart. put a layer of the cauliflower in an escalop dish, moisten it with bechamel or cream sauce, and sprinkle in a little grated cheese. put in another layer of cauliflower, and continue, as directed before, until all of the vegetable is used. there should be two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese and one pint of sauce to each head of cauliflower. cover with bread crumbs and cheese, and dot with bits of batter. bake half an hour in a moderate oven. stewed celery with cream sauce. wash and scrape the tender white part of two heads of celery. cut them in pieces about two inches long. cover with boiling water and simmer gently half an hour. season well with salt. drain off the water in which the celery was cooked. add a pint of cream sauce, and serve. celery stewed in stock. scrape, wash and cut the white part of two heads of celery. put in a stew-pan with one pint of stock, and simmer half an hour. mix together two table-spoonfuls of butter and one of flour. stir this in with the celery. season with salt, and simmer five minutes longer. stewed okra. after the ends of the pods have been cut off, wash, and put on with just enough water to prevent burning (about a cupful to a quart of the okra) and a teaspoonful of salt. simmer gently thirty minutes. season with pepper and butter, and with more salt, if necessary. okra stewed with tomatoes. cut the okra in thin slices, and pare and slice the tomatoes. have one pint of tomatoes to two of okra. put the vegetables in a stew-pan with one teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper. simmer half an hour. add one table-spoonful of butter, and more salt, if needed. scalloped okra and tomatoes. prepare the same as stewed okra and tomatoes. when they have been stewing fifteen minutes add the butter and pepper, and turn into a deep dish. cover with bread or cracker crumbs, dot with butter, and bake half an hour. fried egg plant. cut the plant in slices about one-third of an inch thick. pare these, and lay in a flat dish. cover with boiling water, to which has been added one table-spoonful of salt for every quart of water. let this stand one hour. drain, and pepper the slices slightly, and dip in beaten egg and bread crumbs (two eggs and a pint of crumbs for a good- sized plant). fry in boiling fat for eight or ten minutes. the slices will be soft and moist when done. or, the slices can be seasoned with pepper, and fried in just enough pork fat to brown them. the egg plant is sometimes stewed, and sometimes baked, but there is no other mode so good as frying. boiled rice. one cupful of rice, one quart of boiling water, one scant table- spoonful of salt. wash the rice in three waters, and put in the double kettle with the salt and boiling water. boil rapidly fifteen minutes; then pour off _all_ the water. cover tightly, return to the fire, and cook twenty minutes longer. the water in the under boiler must boil rapidly all the time. rice cooked in this manner will have every grain separate. corn oysters. one cupful of flour, half a cupful of melted butter, three table- spoonfuls of milk, two teaspoonfuls of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, one pint of grated corn. pour the corn on the flour, and beat well; then add the other ingredients, and beat rapidly for three minutes. have fat in the frying-pan to the depth of about two inches. when smoking hot, put in the batter by the spoonful. hold the spoon close to the fat and the shape of the oyster will be good. fry about five minutes. new bedford corn pudding. twelve ears of corn, four eggs, a generous pint and a half of milk, a generous teaspoonful of salt, four table-spoonfuls of sugar. grate the corn, beat the eggs with a spoon, and mix all the ingredients together. butter a deep earthen dish, and pour the mixture into it. bake slowly two hours. serve hot. when the corn is old it will take one quart of milk. if very young and milky, one pint of milk will be sufficient. pickled beets. cut boiled beets in slices. lay these in a large glass jar or earthen pot. for every beet, put in one slice of onion, one table-spoonful of grated horse-radish, six cloves, and vinegar enough to cover. the beets will be ready to use in ten or twelve hours. they will not keep more than a week. baked beans. pick one quart of beans free from stones and dirt. wash, and soak in cold water over night. in the morning pour off the water. cover with hot water, put two pounds of corned beef with them, and boil until they begin to split open, (the time depends upon the age of the beans, but it will be from thirty to sixty minutes). turn them into the colander, and pour over them two or three quarts of cold water. put about half of the beans in a deep earthen pot, then put in the beef, and finally the remainder of the beans. mix one tea-spoonful of mustard and one table-spoonful of molasses with a little water. pour this over the beans, and then add boiling water to just cover. bake _slowly_ ten hours. add a little water occasionally. pies and puddings. puff paste. one quart of pastry flour, one pint of butter, one table-spoonful of salt, one of sugar, one and a quarter cupfuls of ice water. wash the hands with soap and water, and dip them first in very hot, and then in cold, water. rinse a large bowl or pan with boiling water and then with cold. half fill it with cold water. wash the butter in this, working it with the hands until it is light and waxy. this frees it of the salt and butter-milk, and lightens it, so that the pastry is more delicate. shape the butter into two thin cakes, and put in a pan of ice water, to harden. mix the salt and sugar with the flour. with the hands, rub one-third of the butter into the flour. add the water, stirring with a knife. stir quickly and vigorously until the paste is a smooth ball. sprinkle the board _lightly_ with flour. turn the paste on this, and pound quickly and lightly with the rolling pin. do not break the paste. roll from you and to one side; or, if easier to roll from you all the while, turn the paste around. when it is about one-fourth of an inch thick, wipe the remaining butter, break it in bits, and spread these on the paste. sprinkle lightly with flour. fold the paste, one-third from each side, so that the edges meet. now fold from the ends, but do not have these meet. double the paste, pound lightly, and roll down to about one-third of an inch in thickness. fold as before, and roll down again. repeat this three times if for pies, and six times if for _vol-au-vents_, patties, tarts, etc. place on the ice, to harden, when it has been rolled the last time. it should be in the ice chest at least an hour before being used. in hot weather if the paste sticks when being rolled down, put it on a tin sheet and place on ice. as soon as it is chilled it will roll easily. the less flour you use in rolling out the paste the tenderer it will be. no matter how carefully every part of the work may be done, the paste will not be good if much flour is used. chopped paste. one quart of pastry flour, two cupfuls of unwashed butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one table-spoonful of sugar, and a scant cupful of ice water. put the flour, salt, sugar and butter in the chopping- tray. chop all together until the butter is thoroughly mixed with the flour; then add the water, and continue chopping. when well mixed, sprinkle the board with flour, turn the paste on it, and roll into a flat piece. place in a pan on the ice. when hard, use the same as puff paste. it can be used as soon as mixed, but will not, of course, be so nice. french paste for raised pies. one quart of pastry flour, one table-spoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one scant cupful of butter, one egg, one tea- cupful of water. rub the butter, salt and sugar into the flour. beat the egg, and add the water to it. stir this into the flour and butter. stir this mixture until it is a smooth paste; then put on the board and roll the same as puff paste. this paste must be rolled eight times. to make a pie. butter the pie plate (tin is the best), and cover with paste that has been rolled very thin. roll a strip of paste long enough to go around the plate, and cut in strips an inch wide. wet the edge of the plate with water, and put a strip of paste on it. fill with any kind of prepared fruit have the paste in a roll, and cut enough from the end to cover the pie. sprinkle the board lightly with flour, and place the paste up-on it. flour the rolling pin with, the hand. roll from you and to one side until the paste is the right size. it must be much larger than the plate. in the centre cut a slit about halt an inch long. cover the pie, having the paste "_fulled_" on, as it shrinks in the baking. the oven must be hot at first, and after the first fifteen minutes the drafts must be closed. a mince pie will require one hour to bake, and an apple pie fifty minutes. peach, and nearly all other fruit pies, require the same time. mince pie meat. boil a beef tongue, weighing six pounds, and six pounds of the vein of a round of beef (these should just simmer). after skinning the tongue, chop it and the beef very fine, and add five pounds of beef suet, chopped fine; five pounds of stoned raisins, three of dried currants, one and a half of citron, cut fine; nine of sugar, one and a half pints of molasses, two quarts of the liquor in which the meat was boiled, one quart of brandy, one pint of white wine, a cupful of salt, half a cupful of cinnamon, one-fourth of a cupful of cloves, one- fourth of a cupful of allspice, three nutmegs, a table-spoonful of mace. put all in a large pan, and let stand over night. put what you wish to bake in another pan with half as much stewed and sweetened apple as you have meat, and let it stand one hour. put the remainder of the meat in a jar. cover with a paper dipped in brandy, and then cover tightly, to exclude the air. set in a cool place for future use, [mrs. m. l. w.] squash pies. five pints of stewed and strained squash, two quarts of boiling milk, one and a half nutmegs, four teaspoonfuls of salt, five cupfuls of sugar, nine eggs, four table-spoonfuls of sicily madeira and two of rose-water. gradually pour the boiling milk on the squash, and stir continually. add the nutmeg, rose-water and sugar. when cold, add the eggs, well beaten; and just before the mixture is put in the plates, add the madeira. butter deep plates, and line with a plain paste. fill with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. [mrs. m. l. w.] sweet potato pies. when the potatoes are dry and mealy, take a quart after they have been pared, boiled and mashed, a quart of milk, four eggs, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and sugar to taste. bake the same as squash pies. if the potatoes are very moist, use less milk. lemon pie. the juice and rind of one lemon, two eggs, eight heaping table- spoonfuls of sugar, one small tea-cupful of milk, one teaspoonful of corn-starch. mix the corn-starch with a little of the milk. put the remainder on the fire, and when boiling, stir in the corn-starch. boil one minute. let this cool, and add the yolks of the eggs, four heaping table-spoonfuls of the sugar, and the grated rind and juice of the lemon, all well beaten together. have a deep pie plate lined with paste, and fill with this mixture. bake slowly half an hour. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat into them the remainder of the sugar. cover the pie with this, and brown slowly. orange pies. two cupfuls of sugar, two of flour, five eggs, one tea-spoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, the juice and rind of one orange. these are for the cake. beat the eggs very light; then add the sugar, and beat until frothy. now add the orange. mix the soda and cream of tartar with the flour, and rub through a sieve on to the beaten eggs and sugar. stir well, and bake in deep tin plates. there will be enough for six plates. when baked, put a thin layer of the icing between the cakes, and cover the pie with icing. there should be three cakes in a pie. icing: the whites of four eggs, one tea-cupful of powdered sugar, the juice and rind of two oranges. after beating the whites to a stiff froth, beat in the sugar and then the rind and juice of the oranges. when the pies are iced, dry them in the heater. chocolate pies. make plain cup cake, and bake in washington-pie plates, having the cake thick enough to split. after splitting, spread one half with a filling made as below, place the top piece on, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. the cake should always be fresh. filling: one square of baker's chocolate, one cupful of sugar, the yolks of two eggs, one-third of a cupful of boiling milk. mix scraped chocolate and sugar together; then add, very slowly, the boiling milk, and then the eggs, and simmer ten minutes, being careful that it does not burn. flavor with vanilla. have fully cold before using. hot puddings. custard soufflé. two scant table-spoonfuls of butter, two table-spoonfuls of flour, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, one cupful of milk, four eggs. let the milk come to a boil. beat the flour and butter together; add to them, gradually, the boiling milk, and cook eight minutes, stirring often. beat the sugar and the yolks of the eggs together. add to the cooked mixture, and set away to cool. when cool, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and add to the mixture. bake in a buttered pudding dish for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve _immediately_ with creamy sauce. cabinet pudding. one quart of milk, four eggs, four table-spoonfuls of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt, one table-spoonful of butter, three pints of stale sponge cake, one cupful of raisins, chopped citron and currants. have a little more of the currants than of the two other fruits. beat the eggs, sugar and salt together, and add the milk. butter a three- pint pudding mould (the melon shape is nice), sprinkle the sides and bottom with the fruit, and put in a layer of cake. again sprinkle in fruit, and put in more cake. continue this until all the materials are used. gradually pour on the custard. let the pudding stand two hours, and steam an hour and a quarter. serve with wine or creamy sauce. english plum pudding. a pound of suet, chopped fine; a pint of sugar, one pound of grated stale bread, one pound of raisins, two of currants, a glass of brandy, two teaspoonfuls of ginger, two nutmegs, half a pint of milk, a little salt beat well, and steam five hours. serve with rich sauce. rachel pudding. one quart of breadcrumbs, one of apples, cut very fine; half a cupful of suet, chopped very fine; one cupful of english currants, the rind and juice of two lemons, four eggs, well beaten. mix thoroughly. grease a pudding mould, and put the mixture in it. steam three hours, and serve with rich wine sauce. chocolate pudding. one quart of milk, four table-spoonfuls of corn-starch, four of sugar, four of scraped chocolate, two of boiling water, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt. reserve one cupful of the milk, and put the remainder on to boil. put the sugar, chocolate and water in a sauce- pan or, better still, a small frying-pan, and stir over a _hot_ fire for about a minute, when the mixture should be smooth and glossy. stir this into the boiling milk. mix the corn-starch with cold milk. beat the egg, and add to the corn-starch and milk; add, also, the salt. stir this into the _boiling_ milk, and beat well for about three minutes. turn the mixture into a melon mould that has been dipped in cold water. let the pudding stand in the mould about fifteen minutes. turn into the pudding dish, and heap whipped cream around it. serve sugar and cream with it; or, vanilla sauce will answer. chocolate roll pudding. this pudding consists of cake, frosting and sauce. it is very nice. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and add the yolks. beat into the eggs one cupful of sugar and one of flour. as soon as all are thoroughly mixed, stir in half a cupful of cold water, in which has been dissolved soda about the size of a pea. pour thin into a buttered pan, and bake in a moderate oven from twelve to fifteen minutes. when baked, sprinkle the top with two table-spoonfuls of milk. frosting: beat the whites of six eggs to a froth, and divide into two parts. put a teaspoonful of sugar to one half, and one teaspoonful of sugar and three of grated chocolate to the other. take the cake from the pan and put it on a flat dish or tin sheet. spread half of each mixture over the top. return to the oven for about five minutes, to harden the frosting. take out and roll up. put the remainder of the frosting on the top and sides of the roll. put again in the oven to harden the frosting. take out, and slide on a flat dish. pour the sauce around, and serve. the yolks of the eggs may be used for puddings or custards. sauce: one egg, one tea-cupful of powdered sugar, five table-spoonfuls of boiling milk, one teaspoonful of vanilla extract. beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth, and gradually beat in the sugar. add the yolk of the egg, the vanilla, and lastly the boiling milk. ground rice pudding. one quart of milk, five table-spoonfuls of ground rice, four of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, six eggs, half a cupful of butter. put the milk in the double boiler, reserving half a cupful. mix the rice and cold milk together, and stir into the milk in the boiler when this is hot. stir constantly for five minutes. add the salt, butter and sugar, and set away to cool. when cold, add the eggs, well beaten. bake one hour in a moderate oven. serve with creamy sauce. rice pudding. one cupful of rice, one quart of milk, one cupful of raisins, one heaping teaspoonful of salt, one cupful of water, one quart of soft custard. wash the rice, and let it soak two hours in cold water. turn off the water, and put the rice in the double boiler with the cupful of water. cook half an hour; then add the salt, raisins and milk, and cook an hour longer. butter a melon mould and pack the rice in it. let it stand twenty minutes. turn out on a deep dish, decorate with bits of bright jelly, pour the custard around, and serve. the custard should be _cold_ and the pudding _hot_. the raisins can be omitted if not liked. german puffs. the yolks of six eggs, five table-spoonfuls of flour, one of melted butter, one pint of milk, half a teaspoonful of salt. beat the yolks of the eggs light, add the milk to them, and pour part of this mixture on the flour. beat light and smooth; then add the remainder of the eggs and milk, and the salt and butter. butter muffin pans, and half fill them with the batter. the quantities given will make twelve puffs. bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. serve on a hot platter with the sauce poured over them. sauce: the whites of six eggs, one cupful of powdered sugar, the juice of two oranges or of one lemon. after beating the whites to a stiff froth, gradually beat in the sugar, and then the juice of the fruit. down-east pudding. one pint of molasses, one quart of flour, one table-spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, three pints of blackberries. boil three hours, and serve with sauce made in the following manner: one tea-cupful of powdered sugar, half a cupful of butter, one egg, two teaspoonfuls of _boiling_ water, one of brandy. beat the butter to a cream, and add, very gradually, the sugar and brandy. beat in the yolk of the egg, and, when perfectly creamy, add the white, which has been beaten to a froth; then add the water, and stir very carefully. amber pudding. one dozen large, tart apples, one cupful of sugar, the juice and rind of two lemons, six eggs, four table-spoonfuls of butter, enough puff or chopped paste to line a three-pint pudding dish. pare and quarter the apples. pare the thin rind from the lemon, being careful not to cut into the white part. put the butter, apple, and lemon rind and juice in a stew-pan with half a cupful of water. cover tightly, and simmer about three-quarters of an hour. rub through a sieve, add the sugar, and set away to cool. line the dish with _thin_ paste. beat the yolks of the eggs, and stir into the cooled mixture. turn this into the lined dish. bake slowly for half an hour. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and gradually beat into them three table- spoonfuls of powdered sugar. cover the pudding with this. return to the oven and cook twelve minutes with the door open. serve either hot or cold. fig pudding. one cupful of molasses, one of chopped suet, one of milk, three and a quarter of flour, two eggs, one teaspoonful of soda, one of cinnamon, half a teaspoonful of nutmeg, one pint of figs. mix together the molasses, suet, spice, and the figs, cut fine. dissolve the soda with a table-spoonful of hot water, and mix with the milk. add to the other ingredients. beat the eggs light, and stir into the mixture. add the flour, and beat thoroughly. butter two small or one large brown bread mould. turn the mixture into the mould or moulds, and steam five hours. serve with creamy or wine sauce. date pudding. make the same as fig pudding, but use a pint of dates instead of the figs. apple tapioca pudding. one large cupful of tapioca, three pints of water, one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of essence of lemon, three pints of pared and quartered apples. wash the tapioca and soak over night in three pints of cold water (three hours will do if there is no more time). put the tapioca in the double boiler and cook until it looks clear. it will take from twenty to thirty minutes. when cooked enough, add the sugar, salt and lemon, and then the apples. turn into a buttered dish and bake an hour and a quarter. let it stand in a cool room half an hour before serving. serve with sugar and cream. baked apple pudding. fill a three-quart earthen dish with pared and quartered apples. sprinkle on these one cupful of sugar, a slight grating of nutmeg, one table-spoonful of butter, and half a cupful of water. cover, and bake thirty minutes. make half the rule for chopped paste. roll a piece of the paste into a strip that will reach around the pudding dish. this strip should be about two inches deep. roll the remainder of the paste to cover the dish. take the pudding dish from the oven, slip the strip of paste between the apple and the dish, and put on the top crust. return to the oven, and bake one hour longer. serve with a cream sauce. dutch apple pudding. one pint of flour, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, half a teaspoonful of salt, an egg, a generous two-thirds of a cupful of milk, two table-spoonfuls of butter, four large apples. mix the salt, soda and cream of tartar with the flour, and rub through the sieve. beat the egg light, and add the milk. rub the butter into the flour. pour the milk and egg on this, and mix quickly and thoroughly. spread the dough about half an inch deep on a buttered baking pan. have the apples pared, cored and cut into eighths. stick these pieces in rows into the dough. sprinkle with two table-spoonfuls of sugar. bake in a quick oven for about twenty-five minutes. this pudding is to be eaten with sugar and cream or a simple sauce. apple soufflé. one pint of steamed apple, one table-spoonful of melted butter, half a cupful of sugar, the whites of six eggs and the yolks of three, a slight grating of nutmeg. stir into the hot apple the butter, sugar and nutmeg, and the yolks of the eggs, well beaten. when this is cold, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into the mixture. butter a three-pint dish, and turn the _soufflé_ into it. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. serve immediately with any kind of sauce. apple and rice pudding. one cupful and a half of uncooked rice, and two dozen apples. wash the rice well, and soak two hours in cold water. peel and quarter the apples. wet the pudding cloth and spread it in the colander. cover with two-thirds of the rice. lay in the apples, having them packed as closely as possible. sprinkle the remainder of the rice over them. tie as tightly as possible, and plunge into boiling water. boil one hour. serve with molasses sauce. eve's pudding. six eggs, six apples, six ounces of bread, six ounces of currants, half a teaspoonful of salt, nutmeg. boil three hours, or steam four. serve with wine sauce. batter and fruit pudding. one pint of milk, one pint of flour, four eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one pint of fruit, pared and quartered, (apples or peaches are best). beat the eggs well with a spoon, and add the milk to them. turn part of this mixture on the flour, and beat to a light, smooth batter. add the remainder of the milk and eggs, and the salt. butter a pudding dish and pour in the batter. sprinkle in the fruit. bake half an hour. serve with foaming sauce the moment it comes from the oven. amherst pudding. three-fourths of a cupful of butter, three-fourths of a pint of sugar, four eggs, five table-spoonfuls of strained apple, the grated rind and the juice of a lemon, and nutmeg and rose-water, if you like. bake half an hour, in a moderate oven, in a shallow pudding dish that has been lined with a rich pasts, rolled very thin. let it become partially cooled before serving. swiss pudding. one tea-cupful of flour, four table-spoonfuls of butter, three of sugar, one pint of milk, five eggs, the rind of a lemon. grate the rind of the lemon (the yellow part only, remember,) into the milk, which put in the double boiler. rub the flour and butter together. pour the boiling milk on this, and return to the boiler. cook five minutes, stirring the first two. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together, and stir into the boiling mixture. remove from the fire immediately. when cold, add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. have a three-quart mould, well buttered. turn the mixture into this, and steam forty minutes. turn on a hot dish, and serve without delay. creamy sauce, or a tumbler of currant jelly, melted with the juice of two lemons, should be served with it. delicate indian pudding. one quart of milk, two heaping table-spoonfuls of indian meal, four of sugar, one of butter, three eggs, one teaspoonful of salt. boil the milk in the double boiler. sprinkle the meal into it, stirring all the while. cook twelve minutes, stirring often. beat together the eggs, salt, sugar and half a teaspoonful of ginger. stir the butter into the meal and milk. pour this gradually on the egg mixture. bake slowly one hour. indian and apple pudding. one cupful of indian meal, one cupful of molasses, two quarts of milk, two teaspoonfuls of salt, three table-spoonfuls of butter, or one of finely-chopped suet; one quart of pared and quartered apples (sweet are best, but sour will do), half a teaspoonful of ginger, half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. put the milk on in the double boiler. when it boils, pour it gradually on the meal. pour into the boiler again and cook half an hour, stirring often. add the molasses, butter, seasoning and apples. butter a deep pudding dish, pour the mixture into it, and bake slowly three hours. make half the rule if the family is small. cold puddings. royal pudding. one quart of milk, half a cupful of sago, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one tea-cupful of granulated sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt, four eggs, four table-spoonfuls of raspberry jam, four table- spoonfuls of wine. put the milk in the double boiler, and just before it comes to a boil, stir in the sago. cook until it thickens (about half an hour), stirring frequently; then add the butter, sugar and salt. let it cool; and when cold, add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and the wine. turn into a buttered pudding dish, and bake half an hour. set away to cool. when cold, spread the jam over it. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into them four table- spoonfuls of powdered sugar. spread this on the pudding. brown quickly, and serve. the pudding can be made the day before using. in this case, put the whites of the eggs in the ice chest, and make the meringue and brown just before serving. cold tapioca pudding. soak a cupful of tapioca over night in a quart of cold water. in the morning drain off all the water. put the tapioca and a quart and half a pint of milk in the double boiler. after cooking forty-five minutes, add a teaspoonful of salt stir well, and cook fifteen minutes longer. wet a mould or bowl in cold water. turn the pudding into this, and set away to cool. serve with sugar and cream. this. pudding is also nice hot. danish pudding. one cupful of tapioca, three generous pints of water, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a tea-cupful of sugar, one tumbler of any kind of bright jelly. wash the tapioca, and soak in the water all night. in the morning put on in the double boiler, and cook one hour. stir frequently. add the salt, sugar and jelly, and mix thoroughly. turn into a mould that has been dipped in cold water, and set away to harden. serve with cream and sugar. black pudding. one quart of blueberries, one pint of water, one cupful of sugar, a five-cent baker's loaf, butter. stew the berries, sugar and water together. cut the bread in thin slices, and butter these. put a layer of the bread in a deep dish, and cover it with some of the hot berries. continue this until all the bread and fruit is used, and set away to cool. the pudding should be perfectly cold when served. serve with cream and sugar. any other small berries can be used instead of blueberries. almond pudding. one pint of shelled almonds, two dozen macaroons, the grated rind of a lemon, half a cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, the yolks of six eggs, one quart of milk, one pint of cream, one table-spoonful of rice flour. blanch the almonds and pound them in a mortar. put the milk in a double boiler, reserving half a cupful. add the pounded almonds to it. mix the rice flour with the half cupful of cold milk, and stir into the boiling milk. cook six minutes, and put away to cool. when about half cooled, add the sugar and butter, which should have been beaten together until light when cold, add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, the macaroons, which have been dried and rolled fine, and the cream. butter a pudding dish that will hold a little more than two quarts; or, two small ones will do. turn the mixture into this, and bake slowly forty-five minutes. serve cold. jenny lind pudding. one dozen sponge fingers, one dozen macaroons, one dozen cocoanut cakes, one quart of custard, two cupfuls of freshly-grated cocoanut. make a quart of soft custard, and season with one teaspoonful of lemon extract or two table-spoonfuls of wine. when cold, pour on the cakes, which have been arranged in a deep glass dish. sprinkle the grated cocoanut over this, and serve. if you have not the fresh cocoanut use one cupful of the prepared. peach meringue pudding. three dozen ripe peaches, one and a third cupfuls of granulated sugar, six table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar, one quart of milk, three teaspoonfuls of corn-starch, six eggs. put one cupful of the granulated sugar and one pint of water on to boil. peel and quarter the peaches. when the sugar and water begins to boil, put in one-third of the peaches, and simmer eight minutes. take them up, and put in another third. continue this until all the fruit is done. boil the syrup until it becomes thick. pour over the peaches and set away to cool. separate the whites and yolks of the six eggs, and put the whites in the ice chest. beat together the yolks and one-third of a cupful of sugar. put a pint and a half of milk in the double boiler. mix three teaspoonfuls of corn-starch with half a pint of cold milk, and when the other milk is boiling, stir this into it stir for three minutes; then put on the cover and cook three minutes longer. pour the boiling mixture gradually on the beaten eggs and sugar. return to the boiler and cook four minutes, stirring all the while. take from the fire, add half a teaspoonful of salt, and set away to cool. this is the sauce. twenty minutes before serving heap the peaches in the centre of a shallow dish. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat in five table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. cover the peaches with this. place a board in the oven, put the dish on it, and cook until a light brown. season the sauce with one-fourth of a teaspoonful of almond extract, and pour around the pudding. serve. the peaches and sauce must be cold. if the oven is hot, and the board is placed under the dish, the browning of the meringue will not heat the pudding much. apple meringue pudding. two quarts of pared and quartered apples, a lemon, two cupfuls of granulated sugar and six table-spoonfuls of powdered, six eggs, one quart of milk, three teaspoonfuls of corn-starch. pare the thin yellow rind off of the lemon, being careful not to cut into the white part, and put it in a sauce-pan with one and two-thirds cupfuls of the granulated sugar. boil ten minutes; then put in the apples and juice of the lemon. cover, and simmer half an hour. the apples should be tender, but not much broken. take them up, and boil the syrup until thick. when it is reduced enough, pour it over the apples, and put these away to cool. make the sauce and finish the pudding the same as for peach meringue, flavoring the sauce, however, with extract of lemon. frozen cabinet pudding. two dozen stale lady-fingers, one cupful of english currants, one pint of cream, one pint of milk, one _small_ tea-cupful of sugar, three eggs, three table-spoonfuls of wine. put the milk in the double boiler. beat the eggs and sugar together, and gradually pour the hot milk on them. return to the boiler and cook two minutes, stirring all the while. pour the hot custard on the lady-fingers, add the currants, and set away to cool. when cold, add the wine and the cream, whipped to a froth. freeze the same as ice cream. when frozen, wet a melon mould in cold water, sprinkle a few currants on the sides and bottom, and pack with the frozen mixture. pack the mould in salt and ice for one hour. at serving time, wipe it, and dip in warm water for a moment turn out the pudding on a dish, pour apricot sauce around it, and serve. frozen cabinet pudding, no. . one dozen macaroons, one dozen and a half sponge fingers, one dozen cocoanut cakes, one cupful of english currants, one quart of custard. wet a melon mould in cold water. sprinkle the sides and bottom with currants. arrange layers of the mixed cakes, which sprinkle with currants. continue this until all the cake and currants are used. put a pint and a half of milk in the double boiler. beat together four eggs and two table-spoonfuls of sugar. when the milk is hot, stir in one-third of a package of gelatine, which has been soaking one hour in half a cupful of milk. add the beaten egg and sugar, and cook four minutes, stirring all the while. take off, and add one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt and one teaspoonful of vanilla, or two table- spoonfuls of wine. pour this, a few spoonfuls at a time, on the cake. set away to cool. when cold, cover with thick white paper, and put on the tin cover. pack the mould in salt and ice for four or six hours. at serving time, wipe the mould free of salt and ice and dip for a moment in warm water. take off the cover and paper, and turn out. serve with quince sauce. peach pudding. pare and cut fine one dozen ripe peaches. sprinkle with three table spoonfuls of sugar, and let them stand one hour. make a custard the same as for frozen cabinet pudding, no. . have the peaches in a deep glass dish, and, as soon as the custard is partly cooled, turn it on them. set away in a cold place for six or eight hours. when convenient, it is well to make this pudding the day before using. orange pudding. one pint of milk, the juice of six oranges and rind of three, eight eggs, half a cupful of butter, one large cupful of granulated sugar, a quarter of a cupful of powdered sugar, one table-spoonful of ground rice, paste to line the pudding dish. mix the ground rice with a little of the cold milk. put the remainder of the milk in the double boiler, and when it boils, stir in the mixed rice. stir for five minutes; then add the butter, and set away to cool. beat together the sugar, the yolks of the eight eggs and whites of four. grate the rind and squeeze the juice of the oranges into this. stir all into the cooked mixture. have a pudding dish, holding about three quarts, lined with paste. pour the preparation into this, and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. beat the remaining four whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. cover the pudding with this. return to the oven, and cook ten minutes, having the door open. set away to cool. it must be ice cold when served. orange pudding, no. . one cupful and a half of granulated sugar, six table-spoonfuls of the powdered, six eggs, six large, or eight small, sweet oranges, half a package of gelatine, one quart of boiling milk. soak the gelatine for two hours in one cupful of the milk. put the remaining milk in the double boiler. beat together the yolks of the eggs and the granulated sugar. when the milk boils, stir in the gelatine, and then the beaten yolks and sugar. stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken (which will be about five minutes); then remove from the fire and put away to cool. pare the oranges, and free them of seeds and tough parts. put them in a large glass dish, and when the custard has cooled, pour it over the fruit. let this stand in a cold place six or eight hours. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. cover the pudding with this, and serve. royal diplomatic pudding. soak half a box of gelatine in half a cupful of cold water one or two hours. pour on this two-thirds of a pint of boiling water, and add the juice of a lemon, a cupful of sugar and half a pint of wine. stir, and strain. have two moulds, one holding two quarts, the other a quart. put a layer of jelly in the large mould, and place on ice. when hard, garnish with candied cherries, cut in two. pour in a few spoonfuls of liquid jelly, _not hot,_ to hold the cherries, and then pour in enough to cover them. when the jelly is perfectly hard, set the small mould in the centre of the large one, and fill the space between with jelly. fill the small mould with ice, and set both in a basin of ice water. when the jelly is again hard, remove the ice from the small mould, which fill with warm water, and lift it out carefully. the vacant space is to be filled with custard made by the following recipe: the yolks of five eggs, half a cupful of sugar, two table- spoonfuls of wine, one teaspoonful of vanilla extract, half a box of gelatine, soaked in half a cupful of cold water, a scant cupful of milk. put the milk to boil. add the gelatine, and the eggs and sugar, beaten together. strain, and add the wine and vanilla. when the custard begins to thicken, add half a pint of cream, whipped to a stiff froth. pour the custard into the space mentioned, and let it stand until it hardens. turn the pudding out of the mould, and serve with soft custard poured around it. orange diplomatic pudding. make one quart of orange jelly. arrange this in the mould and make a filling the same as for royal diplomatic pudding. flavor the filling, and the custard for the sauce, with orange. lemon diplomatic pudding. make one quart of lemon jelly, and prepare the mould with it the same as for the royal diplomatic pudding. make a lemon sponge, with which fill the cavity. when hard, serve with a custard flavored with lemon. bird's nest pudding. half a package of cox's sparkling gelatine, six oranges, three cupfuls and a half of sugar, one pint of blanc-mange. take the peel from the oranges in quarters. put it in two quarts of water, and let it stand over night. in the morning drain off the water. cut the peel in thin strips with the scissors. put it in cold water and boil until tender. make a syrup of half a cupful of sugar and a pint of water. drain the straws of orange peel on a sieve. put them in this syrup and simmer half an hour. turn into a bowl, and let stand until next day. put one pint of sugar and one pint of water on to boil. cook rapidly for twenty minutes; the syrup will then fall from the spoon in threads. put the straws in this and boil half an hour. take out, and drain on a sieve. as they dry, put them in a dish, which place in the warm oven. these are for the nests. for the jelly, soak the gelatine two hours in half a cupful of cold water; then pour on it enough boiling water to make, with the juice of the oranges, two cupfuls and a half. add one small cupful of sugar and the orange juice. stir well, and strain through a napkin into a shallow dish. in one end of each of six eggs make a hole, about the size of a cent break the yolks with a skewer, and pour the eggs into a bowl. (they may be used for puddings and custards.) wash and drain the shells. fill them with the blanc-mange. have a pan filled with meal, in which to stand the shells. set away to cool. break the jelly in pieces with a fork, and put in a flat glass dish. arrange the straws in the form of nests, six in number, and arrange them on the jelly. place the eggs in these, and serve. quince iced pudding. beat three eggs very light; then add one cupful and a half of powdered sugar, and beat until foamy. put two cupfuls of sifted pastry flour in the sieve, and add one teaspoonful of cream of tarter and half a teaspoonful of soda. stir half a cupful of cold water into the beaten eggs and sugar; then sift the flour on this. mix quickly and thoroughly. have a tin mould similar to the border moulds shown in the chapter on kitchen furnishing, but of oval shape, higher and plain. it should be about four inches high, and six wide and eight long, top measurement--the mould tapering. the space between the outer and inner walls should be an inch and a half. butter this mould and pour the cake mixture into it. bake slowly for forty-five minutes. let it stand in the mould until nearly cold. turn on a flat dish. put the whites of two eggs in a bowl, gradually beat into them one cupful and a half of powdered sugar, and season with half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract ice the cake with this, and set away to dry. in the meantime, make a cream with one generous quart of cream, one cupful of sugar, one table-spoonful of vanilla and one pint of soft custard. freeze the same as ice cream. spread the inside of the cake with a large tumbler of quince jelly. at serving time pack the frozen cream in the centre of the cake. heap whipped cream on the top and at the base, and serve immediately. this is an elegant pudding, and is not difficult to make. princess pudding. soak for an hour in a pint of cold water one box of cox's sparkling gelatine, and add one pint of boiling water, one pint of wine, the juice of four lemons, and three large cupfuls of sugar. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into the jelly when it begins to thicken. pour into a large mould, and set in ice water in a cool place. when ready to serve, turn out as you would jelly, only have the pudding in a deep dish. pour one quart of soft custard around it, and serve. apple porcupine. sixteen large apples, two large cupfuls of granulated sugar, one lemon, one quart of water, one tea-cupful of powdered sugar, one quart of milk, one table-spoonful of corn-starch, half a teaspoonful of salt, six eggs, one pint of blanched almonds. put the water and granulated sugar in a sauce-pan. have ten of the apples pared and cored, and as soon as the sugar and water boils, put in as many of the apples as will cook without crowding. simmer gently until the fruit is cooked through. when done on one side the fruit must be turned. drain, and cool them on a dish. cook ten apples in this manner. have the six that remain pared and quartered and stewed in one cupful of water. turn the stewed apples into the syrup left from cooking the others. add the grated rind and the juice of the lemon. simmer until a smooth marmalade is formed. it will take about twenty minutes. set away to cool. put the milk on in the double boiler, reserving half a cupful. when it boils, stir in the corn-starch, which has been mixed with the cold milk. stir well, and cook five minutes. beat the yolks of the six eggs and the whites of two with half of the powdered sugar. gradually pour the boiling mixture on this. return to the boiler and cook three minutes, stirring all the time. add the salt. turn into a pitcher or bowl, and set away to cool. heap the cooked apples in a mound, using the marmalade to fill up the spaces between the apples. beat the four whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and beat the half cupful of powdered sugar into it. cover the apples with this, and stick the almonds into it. brown slowly in the oven. set away to cool. at serving time, season the custard with lemon, and pour it around the porcupine. sauces. rich wine sauce. one cupful of butter, two of powdered sugar, half a cupful of wine. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar gradually, and when very light, add the wine, which has been made hot, a little at a time. place the bowl in a basin of hot water and stir for two minutes. the sauce should be smooth and foamy. creamy sauce. half a cupful of butter, one cupful of _powdered_ sugar, one- fourth of a cupful of cream or milk, four table-spoonfuls of wine, or one teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon extract. if lemon or vanilla is used, add four table-spoonfuls of cream. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, beating all the while. when light and creamy, gradually add the wine, and then the cream, a little at a time. when all is beaten smooth, place the bowl in a basin of hot water and stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy--no longer. it will take only a few minutes. this is a delicious sauce, and if well beaten, and not kept in the hot water long enough to melt the sugar, it will be white and foamy all through. foaming sauce. one cupful of butter, two of powdered sugar, the whites of two eggs, five table-spoonfuls of wine or three of brandy, one-fourth of a tea- cupful of _boiling_ water. beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat the sugar into it. add the whites of the eggs, unbeaten, one at a time, and then the brandy or wine. when all is a light, smooth mass, add the water, beating in a little at a time. place the bowl in a basin of hot water and stir until smooth and frothy, which will be about two minutes. this sauce is for rich puddings. german sauce. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of water, three eggs, one table- spoonful of butter, three of brandy, or a teaspoonful of any extract you like. put the sugar and water in a sauce-pan and boil for fifteen minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs, and stir them into the boiling syrup. put the basin in another of hot water and beat the mixture with the whisk until it begins to thicken; then add the butter, the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and the brandy. stir one minute longer, and serve. german sauce, no. . the yolks of five and whites of three eggs, one cupful of powdered sugar, one pint of cream, and any flavor you choose. beat together the yolks of the eggs and the sugar, and add the cream. put this mixture in the double boiler (having first beaten the whites to a stiff froth), and stir until it begins to thicken; then add the whites and seasoning. beat thoroughly, and serve. lemon sauce. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of water, the rind and juice of two lemons, the yolks of three eggs. boil together the sugar, water, lemon juice and grated rind for twenty minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs. put the basin containing the boiling syrup in another of boiling water. stir the yolks of the eggs into this, and beat rapidly for three minutes. take up the sauce-pan and continue the beating for five minutes; then serve. cream sauce. one cupful of powdered sugar, one egg, two cupfuls of whipped cream. beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth. add the yolk and sugar, and beat well. flavor with vanilla, lemon or wine, and add the cream last of all. this sauce is excellent for a light pudding. vanilla sauce. the whites of two eggs and the yolk of one, half a cupful of powdered sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla, three table-spoonfuls of milk. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, next beat in the sugar, and then the yolk of the egg and the seasoning. serve immediately. this sauce is for light puddings. molasses sauce. one cupful of molasses, half a cupful of water, one table-spoonful of butter, a little cinnamon or nutmeg (about half a teaspoonful), one- fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, three table-spoonfuls of vinegar. boil all together for twenty minutes. the juice of a lemon can be used instead of the vinegar. this sauce is nice for apple or rice puddings. caramel sauce. put one cupful of sugar in a small frying-pan and stir on the fire until a dark brown, if you like a strong caramel flavor, or till a light brown, if you like a delicate flavor. add a cupful of boiling water, and simmer fifteen minutes. set away to cool. quince sauce. one cupful of quince preserve, one of milk, one table-spoonful of corn-starch, half a cupful of sugar. mix the corn-starch with a little of the cold milk, and put the remainder in the double boiler. when it boils, stir in the corn-starch, and cook ten minutes; then add the sugar and the preserve, mashed fine. cook ten minutes longer and rub through a strainer. this sauce is usually served cold, but when used with hot pudding, it too should be hot. apricot sauce. one cupful of canned apricot, one of sugar, one of milk, one table- spoonful of corn-starch, half a cupful of water. put the milk in the double boiler. mix the corn-starch with a few spoonfuls of cold milk, and stir into the boiling milk. cook ten minutes. boil the sugar and water together for twenty minutes. rub the apricot through a sieve, and stir it into the syrup. beat well, and then beat in the boiled milk and corn-starch. place the sauce-pan in a dish of cold water and stir for about eight minutes. set away to cool. if you have cream, use it instead of the milk. all kinds of fruit can be used in pudding sauces by following this rule. if the fruit is preserved, use less sugar; and if very acid, use more. if it is necessary to make the wine, creamy or foamy sauce any considerable time before dinner, do not add the hot water or hot wine, and do not place the bowl in hot water, until serving time. the vanilla and cream sauces are spoiled by standing after being made. dessert. blanc-mange made with sea moss farina. one quart of milk, one level table-spoonful of sea moss farina, half a teaspoonful of salt, three table-spoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of flavor. put the milk in the double boiler and sprinkle the farina into it, stirring all the while. let this heat slowly. stir often. when it boils up, and looks white, add the sugar, salt and flavor. strain, and turn into a mould that has been dipped in cold water. set away to harden. it will take about three hours for this. the blanc- mange is ready to use as soon as cold. blanc-mange made with gelatine. one package of gelatine, three pints of milk, four table-spoonfuls of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of extract of vanilla or of lemon. put the gelatine with the milk and let it stand in a cold place for two hours; then put it in the double boiler, and heat quickly. do not let it boil. stir often; and as soon as the gelatine is melted, take off, and add the sugar, salt and flavor. strain, and partially cool, before putting into the moulds. it should stand six hours before serving, and it is even better, especially in summer, to make it the day before using. blanc-mange made with isinglass. one quart of milk, three and a half sheets of cooper's isinglass, half a teaspoonful of salt, three table-spoonfuls of sugar and a four-inch piece of stick cinnamon. break up the isinglass, put it and the cinnamon with the milk, and let stand in a cold place two hours; then put it in the double boiler and let it come, gradually, to the boiling point. it must not boil. stir often while heating. as soon as the isinglass is dissolved, take from the fire, and add the salt and sugar. strain into a tin basin, which place in a pan of cold water. stir occasionally while cooling. when nearly cold, turn into a mould and place in the ice chest. it can be poured into the mould as soon as strained, but the cream will rise to the top in that case, unless the mixture is stirred carefully in the centre of the mould. the sheets of isinglass vary in thickness, so that it is best to take part of die thick sheets and part of the thin. chocolate "blanc"-mange. one package of gelatine, four table-spoonfuls of sugar, one (ounce) square of baker's chocolate, three pints of milk. soak the gelatine two hours in the milk, and then put it in the double boiler. scrape the chocolate fine and put it in a small frying-pan with two spoonfuls of the sugar and two of boiling water. stir this over a _hot_ fire until smooth and glossy (it will take about a minute), and stir into the milk. add the remainder of the sugar, and strain. turn into moulds, and set away to harden. this dish should be made at least eight hours before being used. if you please, you can add a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. by adding the chocolate to any of the preparations for blanc-mange while they are hot, you have a chocolate "blanc"-mange. cream à la versailles. one quart of milk, half a cupful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, half a teaspoonful of salt, seven eggs, two table- spoonfuls of water. put the sugar in a small frying-pan and stir until a very light brown. add the water, stir a moment longer, and mix with the milk. beat the eggs and salt with a spoon. add this mixture and the vanilla to the milk. butter a two-quart charlotte russe mould lightly, and put the custard in it put the mould in a basin of warm (not hot) water and bake slowly until the custard is firm in the centre. it should take forty minutes; but if the oven is quite hot, it will be done in thirty minutes. test by putting a knife down into the centre, for if the custard is not milky, it is done. set away in a cold place until serving time. it must be ice cold when eaten. turn out on a flat dish, and pour caramel sauce over it. royal cream. one quart of milk, one-third of a box of gelatine, four table- spoonfuls of sugar, three eggs, vanilla flavor. put the gelatine in the milk, and let it stand for half an hour. beat the yolks well with sugar, and stir into the milk. set the kettle in a pan of hot water and stir until the mixture begins to thicken like soft custard. have ready the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; and the moment the kettle is taken from the fire, stir them in, quickly, and turn into the moulds. set away in a cold place to harden. when you cannot get cream, to make charlotte russe, this is a good filling, if you omit the whites of eggs, and fill the moulds when the cream is perfectly cold, but not hardened. lemon sponge. the juice of four lemons, four eggs, one cupful of sugar, half a package of gelatine, one generous pint of cold water. soak the gelatine two hours in half a cupful of the water. squeeze the lemons, and strain the juice on the sugar. beat the yolks of the eggs and mix them with the remainder of the water. add the sugar and lemon to this, and cook in the double boiler until it begins to thicken; then add the gelatine. strain this mixture into a tin basin, which place in a pan of ice water. beat with the whisk occasionally, until it has cooled, but not hardened. now add the unbeaten whites of the eggs, and beat all the time until the mixture begins to thicken. let it thicken almost to the point where it cannot be poured, and then turn into a mould and set away to harden. remember that the whites of the eggs must be added as soon as the mixture cools, which should be in about six or eight minutes, and that the mixture must be beaten until it begins to harden. the hardening is rapid after it once begins, so that it will be necessary to have the moulds all ready. the sponge will not be smooth and delicate if not poured into the moulds. if for any reason you should get the mixture too hard before pouring, place the basin in another of hot water, and let the sponge melt a little; then beat it up again. serve with powdered sugar and cream. orange sponge. make orange sponge the same as lemon, using a small pint of water and the juice of six large oranges. peach sponge. one pint of canned peaches, half a package of gelatine, the whites of five eggs, one scant cupful of sugar, one and a half cupfuls of water. soak the gelatine for two hours in half a cupful of the water. boil the cupful of water, and the sugar fifteen minutes. hash the peaches fine, rub through a sieve, and put in the syrup. cook five minutes, stirring all the time. place the sauce-pan in another of boiling water and add the gelatine. stir for five or eight minutes, to dissolve the gelatine; then place the sauce-pan in a dish of ice water and beat the syrup until it begins to cool. add the whites of the eggs, and beat until the mixture begins to harden. when it will just pour, turn it into the mould, and set away to harden. serve with sugar and cream. apricot and pear sponges can be made in the same manner. strawberry sponge. one quart of strawberries, half a package of gelatine, one cupful and a half of water, one cupful of sugar, the juice of a lemon, the whites of four eggs. soak the gelatine two hours in half a cupful of the water. mash the strawberries, and add half the sugar to them. boil the remainder of the sugar and the cupful of water gently twenty minutes. rub the strawberries through a sieve. add the gelatine to the boiling syrup and take from the fire immediately; then add the strawberries. place in a pan of ice water and beat five minutes. add the whites of eggs and beat until the mixture begins to thicken. pour into the moulds and set away to harden. serve with sugar and cream. raspberry and blackberry sponges are made in the same way. pineapple sponge. one small fresh pineapple, or a pint-and-a-half can of the fruit; one small cupful of sugar, half a package of gelatine, one cupful and a half of water, the whites of four eggs. soak the gelatine two hours in half a cupful of the water. chop the pineapple, and put it and the juice in a sauce-pan with the sugar and the remainder of the water. simmer ten minutes. add the gelatine, take from the fire immediately, and strain into a tin basin. when partially cooled, add the whites of the eggs, and beat until the mixture begins to thicken. pour into a mould and set away to harden. serve with soft custard flavored with wine. strawberry bavarian cream. one quart of strawberries, one pint of cream, one large cupful of sugar, half a cupful of boiling water, half a cupful of cold water. soak the gelatine two hours in the cold water. mash the berries and sugar together, and let them stand one hour. whip the cream to a froth. strain the juice from the berries, pressing through as much as possible without the seeds. pour the hot water on the gelatine, and when dissolved, strain it into the strawberry juice. place the basin (which should be tin) in a pan of ice water and beat until the cream begins to thicken. when as thick as soft custard, stir in the whipped cream; and when this is well mixed, turn into the mould (it will make nearly two quarts), and set away to harden. serve with whipped cream heaped around it, or, if the border mould is used, have the cream in the centre. raspberry and blackberry bavarian creams are made the same as the strawberry. orange bavarian cream. a pint and a half of cream, the juice of five oranges and grated rind of two, one large cupful of sugar, the yolks of six eggs, half a package of gelatine, half a cupful of cold water. soak the gelatine two hours in the cold water. whip the cream, and skim off until there is less than half a pint unwhipped. grate the rind of the oranges on the gelatine, squeeze and strain the orange juice, and add the sugar to it. put the unwhipped cream in the double boiler. beat the yolks of the eggs and add to the milk. stir this mixture until it begins to thicken, and add the gelatine. as soon as the gelatine is dissolved, take off, and place in a pan of ice water. stir until it begins to cool (about two minutes), and add the orange juice and sugar. beat about as thick as soft custard, and add the whipped cream. stir until well mixed, and pour into the moulds. set away to harden. there will be about two quarts. serve with whipped cream heaped around the orange cream. peach bavarian cream. one quart of canned peaches, one large cupful of sugar, one pint of cream, half a box of gelatine, half a cupful of cold water. mash the peaches and rub them and the juice through a sieve. add the sugar. soak the gelatine two hours in the cold water. whip the cream to a froth. put the peaches in a sauce-pan and let them simmer twenty minutes. stir often. add the gelatine to the hot peaches and remove from the fire immediately. place the sauce-pan in a pan of ice water and beat until the mixture begins to thicken; then stir in the cream. mix thoroughly, and pour into the mould. set away to harden. serve with whipped cream. apricot and pear bavarian creams are made in the same way. pineapple bavarian cream. one pint of canned pineapple, one small tea-cupful of sugar, one pint of cream, half a package of gelatine, half a cupful of cold water. soak the gelatine two hours in the water. chop the pineapple fine and put it on with the sugar. simmer twenty minutes. add the gelatine, and strain immediately into a tin basin. rub as much of the pineapple as possible through the sieve. beat until it begins to thicken, and add the cream, which has been whipped to a froth. when well mixed, pour into the mould, and put away to harden. serve with whipped cream. almond bavarian cream. one pint and a half of cream, one pint of blanched sweet almonds, one- fourth of a teaspoonful of essence of almond, half a package of gelatine, three eggs, one small cupful of sugar, half a cupful of milk. soak the gelatine two hours in the milk. whip the cream to a stiff froth, until about half a pint is left unwhipped. pound the almonds to a paste in the mortar. put the almonds and unwhipped cream in the double boiler. beat the sugar and eggs together and stir in with the cream and almonds. cook until the mixture begins to thicken; then stir in the gelatine, and remove from the fire. strain this into a tin basin, and add the essence of almond. beat until it begins to thicken, and add the whipped cream. mix well, pour into the moulds, and set away. serve with whipped cream. pistachio bavarian cream is made in the same way, using one pint of pistachio nuts instead of the almonds, and omitting the essence of almond. chocolate bavarian cream. one pint of cream, one cupful of milk, half a cupful of sugar, half a box of gelatine, one square of baker's chocolate (an ounce). soak the gelatine in half a cupful of the milk. whip the cream to a stiff froth. scrape the chocolate, and add two table-spoonfuls of the sugar to it. put in a small frying-pan with one table-spoonful of hot water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. have the remaining half cupful of milk boiling. stir the chocolate into it, and add the gelatine. strain into a tin basin, and add the remainder of the sugar. place the basin in a pan of ice water and beat the mixture until it begins to thicken; then add the whipped cream; and when well mixed, turn into the mould. when hard, serve with whipped cream heaped around. coffee bavarian cream. one cupful of strong coffee, one pint of cream, half a package of gelatine, one cupful of sugar, one-third of a cupful of cold water. soak the gelatine two hours in the cold water. pour on this the coffee, boiling hot, and when the gelatine is dissolved, add the sugar. strain into a tin basin, which put in a pan of ice water. beat with a whisk until it begins to thicken; then add the cream, which has been whipped to a froth. when thoroughly mixed, turn into a mould and set away to harden. serve with sugar and cream. directions for freezing. four the mixture that is to be frozen into the tin can, put the beater in this, and put on the cover. place in the tub, being careful to have the point on the bottom fit into the socket in the tub. put on the cross-piece, and turn the crank to see if everything is in the right place. next comes the packing. ice should be broken in large pieces, and put in a canvas bag, and pounded fine with a mallet. put a thick layer of it in the tub (about five inches deep), and then a thin layer of salt. continue this until the tub is full, and pack down solid with a paddle or a common piece of wood. after turning the crank a few times add more salt and ice, and again pack down. continue in this way until the tub is full. for a gallon can, three pints of salt and perhaps ten quarts of fine ice will be required. remember that if the freezer is packed solid at first, no more ice or salt is needed. the water must never be let off, as it is one of the strongest elements to help the freezing. if more salt than the quantity given is used, the cream will freeze sooner, but it will not be so smooth and rich as when less is used. turn the crank for twenty minutes--not fast at first, but very rapidly the last ten minutes. it will be hard to torn when the mixture is frozen. turn back the cross-piece, wipe the salt and ice from the cover, and take off the cover, not displacing the can itself. remove the beater and scrape the cream from it. work a large spoon up and down in the cream until it is light and the space left by taking out the beater is filled. cover the can, cork up the hole from which the handle of the beater was taken, put on the cross piece, and set the tub in a cool place until serving time. then dip the can for a few seconds in water that is a trifle warm, wipe it, and turn on the dish. rest it for a moment, and lift a little. if the cream is to be served from a mould, remove it when you do the beater. fill the mould and work the cream up and down with a spoon. this will press the cream into every part, and lighten it. cover the top of the mould with thick white paper, put on the tin cover, and bury in fresh ice and salt. there are a great many good freezers. the packer is especially suited to family use. it turns so easily that any lady can make her own creams. for the first twelve minutes a child can work it. it is made of the best stock, and will last many years. the cogs on freezers should be oiled occasionally. when you have made cream, see that every part of the freezer is clean and perfectly dry before putting away. vanilla ice cream. the foundation given in this rule is suitable for all kinds of ice cream. one generous pint of milk, one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of flour, _scant_; two eggs, one quart of cream, one table- spoonful of vanilla extract, and when the cream is added, another tea- cupful of sugar. let the milk come to a boil. beat the first cupful of sugar, the flour and eggs together, and stir into the boiling milk. cook twenty minutes, stirring often. set away to cool, and when cool add the sugar, seasoning and cream, and freeze. vanilla ice cream, no. . one pint of sugar, one of water, three pints of cream--not too rich, the yolks of five eggs and one large table-spoonful of vanilla extract boil the sugar and water together for twenty-five minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs with one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt place the basin of boiling syrup in another of boiling water. stir the yolks of the eggs into the syrup, and beat rapidly for three minutes. take the basin from the fire, place it in a pan of ice water and beat until cold. add the vanilla and cream, and freeze. lemon ice cream. make the same as vanilla cream, and flavor with one table-spoonful of lemon extract. lemon ice cream, no. . three tea-cupfuls of sugar, the juice of three lemons, three pints of cream, the yolks of eight eggs, one pint of water. boil the water, sugar and lemon juice together twenty minutes; then proceed as directed for vanilla ice cream, no. . orange ice cream. follow the second rule for lemon cream, but use the juice of six oranges instead of that of lemons. pineapple ice cream. make the same as vanilla, and flavor with a teaspoonful of extract of pineapple. pineapple ice cream, no. . pare a pineapple and cut it fine. put it in a sauce-pan with one pint of water and a scant pint of sugar. simmer gently for thirty minutes. rub through a sieve, add the cream, gradually, and freeze. strawberry ice cream. one quart of cream, one quart of strawberries, one pint of sugar. mash the sugar and strawberries together, and let them stand one or two hours. add the cream, rub through a strainer into the freezer, and freeze. or, the cream can be made the same as the vanilla cream, and when half frozen, the whole berries be stirred in. strawberry ice cream à la surprise. put three pints of strawberries in a deep dish with one cupful of sugar. season three pints of cream with a cupful and a half of sugar and two table-spoonfuls of wine. freeze this. take out the beater and draw the frozen cream to the sides of the freezer. fill the space in the centre with the strawberries and sugar, which cover with the frozen cream. put on the cover and set away for an hour or more. when the cream is turned out, garnish the base, if you please, with strawberries. raspberry ice cream. make raspberry ice cream the same as strawberry, using a little less sugar. apricot ice cream. one quart of cream, one generous pint of canned apricot, one pint of sugar, the yolks of three eggs, one pint of water. boil the sugar and water together twenty minutes. rub the apricot through a sieve and add it to the boiling syrup; add also the beaten yolks of the eggs, and cook for six minutes, stirring all the while. take from the fire and place in a pan of cold water. beat the mixture ten minutes. if cold at the end of that time, add the cream, and freeze. peach ice cream. peach ice cream can be made like the apricot, having the pint of peaches a very generous one. banana ice cream. make this the same as the apricot, using, however, only one cupful and a half of sugar, and six bananas. more bananas can be used if a strong flavor of the fruit is liked. chocolate ice cream. make a foundation with two eggs, one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of flour and a pint of milk, the same as for vanilla ice cream. while this is cooking, scrape one square (an ounce) of baker's chocolate, and add to it two table-spoonfuls of sugar and one of boiling water. stir this over the fire until perfectly smooth and glossy, and add it to the boiling mixture. this quantity gives a very delicate flavor. if a stronger one is wished use two squares of the chocolate. put the mixture in cold water to cool. stir occasionally. when cold, add one tea-cupful of sugar and one quart of milk. freeze. brown bread ice cream. dry the crust of brown bread in a warm oven. roll fine and sift. add one pint of the crumbs to the preparation for vanilla ice cream. the vanilla, and two-thirds of the second cupful of sugar must be omitted. macaroon ice cream. make a cream the same as for vanilla, except omit the second cupful of sugar and the vanilla flavor. brown one dozen and a half macaroons into the oven. let them cool; then roll them into fine crumbs. add these and three table-spoonfuls of wine to the cream, and freeze. coffee ice cream. make the same as vanilla, with the addition of one cupful of strong coffee. this gives a strong flavor. less can be used. the second cupful of sugar should be large. caramel ice cream. make the hot mixture, as for vanilla. put the small cupful of sugar in a small frying-pan and stir over the fire until the sugar turns liquid and begins to smoke. turn into the boiling mixture, and put away to cool. when cold, add one quart of cream. strain the mixture into the freezer, and freeze. the flavor of this cream can be varied by browning the sugar more or less. almond ice cream. this is made the same as vanilla, except that one teaspoonful of extract of bitter almond is used for flavoring. almond ice cream, no. . one pint of blanched almonds, the yolks of five eggs, one quart of cream, one and a half cupfuls of sugar, one pint of milk, one pint of water. boil the water and sugar together for twenty-five minutes. put the almonds in a frying-pan and stir over the fire until they are a rich brown. remove from the fire, and pound to a paste in the mortar. cook the milk and powdered almonds in the double boiler for twenty minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs and stir them into the boiling syrup. beat this for four minutes, having the basin in boiling water. take from the fire, and gradually beat into it the almonds and milk. strain the mixture through a sieve, and rub through as much as possible. stir occasionally while cooling. when cold, add the cream and half a teaspoonful of extract of almond. freeze. pistachio ice cream. one pint of pistachio nuts, half a cupful of blanched almonds, one quart of cream, one pint of water, one scant pint of sugar, the yolks of five eggs, one pint of milk, spinach green enough to give a delicate color (about a heaping teaspoonful-to be cooked with the nuts). make the same as almond cream. walnut ice cream. one pint of the meat of walnuts (the american are the best), pounded fine in a mortar; one pint of milk, one quart of cream, two small cupfuls of sugar, four eggs, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs with one cupful of sugar. put them and the milk in the double boiler, and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken; then add the salt, and put away to cool. when cold, add the cream and nut meat, and freeze. cocoanut ice cream. one quart of cream, one pint of milk, three eggs, one cupful and a half of sugar, one cupful of prepared cocoanut, the rind and juice of a lemon. beat together the eggs and the grated lemon rind, and put with the milk in the double boiler. stir until the mixture begins to thicken. add the cocoanut, and put away to cool. when cool, add the sugar, lemon juice and cream. freeze. fig ice cream. one quart of milk, two table-spoonfuls of corn-starch, one of gelatine, one pint of cream, a cupful and a half of sugar, three eggs, two cupfuls of figs, cut fine; one table-spoonful of vanilla. put the milk in the double boiler, reserving half a cupful. when it is _boiling_, stir in the corn-starch, which has been mixed with the cold milk. cook ten minutes. beat the eggs and sugar together. pour the cooked mixture on this, stirring all the time. return to the fire, add the gelatine, which has been soaking in four table-spoonfuls of cold water, and cook three minutes. set away to cool. when cold, add the cream and vanilla, and freeze. when the cream has been freezing ten minutes, take off the cover and stir in the figs. cover again and freeze until hard. take out the beater, and with a large spoon, pack the cream smoothly. set away until serving time. glacé méringue. one quart of cream, one large cupful of granulated sugar and six table-spoonfuls of powdered, one table-spoonful of vanilla extract, the whites of six eggs, one cupful of milk, one table-spoonful of gelatine, soaked an hour in four of cold water. let the milk come to a boil, and stir the gelatine into it. strain into the cream. add the vanilla and granulated sugar. turn into the tin, and freeze. when the mixture is frozen (it will take about fifteen minutes), take out the beater and pack the cream smoothly, being careful to have the top perfectly level. set away until serving time. it should stand half an hour at least. when ready to serve, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat into this the powdered sugar. turn the cream out on an earthen dish and cover every part with the méringue. brown in a hot oven, and serve immediately. if the dish is flat, put a board under it. this keeps the heat from the bottom. _glacé méringue_ is an elegant dish. bombe glacée. one quart of strawberry or raspberry sherbet, no. , one pint of sugar, one pint and a half of water, the yolks of eighteen eggs, one large table-spoonful of vanilla extract. boil the sugar and water together twenty minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs very light. place the sauce-pan, with the syrup, in another of boiling water. stir the beaten yolks of eggs into this syrup and beat with a whisk for ten minutes. take from the fire, place the basin in a pan of cold water, and continue beating for twelve or fifteen minutes. pack an ice cream mould in salt and ice. take the sherbet from the freezer and spread on the sides and bottom of the mould. when it is hard, put the cooked mixture in the centre, being careful not to disturb the sherbet. cover the cream with a piece of thick white paper. put on the cover, and cover the top of the mould with salt and ice. _bombe glacée_ can be made with any kind of (no. ) sherbet, having the centre part flavored to correspond with the sherbet. the handsomest dishes are, of course, made with the brightest-colored sherbets. frozen pudding. one generous pint of milk, two cupfuls of granulated sugar, a scant half cupful of flour, two eggs, two table-spoonfuls of gelatine, one quart of cream, one pound of french candied fruit--half a pound will do, four table-spoonfuls of wine. let the milk come to a boil. beat the flour, one cupful of sugar and the eggs together, and stir into the boiling milk. cook twenty minutes, and add the gelatine, which has been soaking one or two hours in water enough to cover it. set away to cool. when cool, add the wine, sugar and cream. freeze ten minutes; then add the candied fruit, and finish freezing. take out the beater, pack smoothly, and set away for an hour or two. when ready to serve, dip the tin in warm water, turn out the cream, and serve with whipped cream heaped around. nesselrode pudding. one pint of shelled almonds, one pint and a half of shelled chestnuts, one pint of cream, a pint can of pineapple, the yolks of ten eggs, half a pound of french candied fruit, one table-spoonful of vanilla extract, four of wine, one pint of water, one of sugar. boil the chestnuts half an hour; then rub off the black skins, and pound in the mortar until a paste. blanch the almonds, and pound in the same manner. boil the sugar, water and juice from the pineapple for twenty minutes in a sauce-pan. beat the yolks of the eggs, and stir them into the syrup. put the sauce-pan in another of boiling water and beat the mixture, with an egg beater, until it thickens. take off, place in a basin of cold water, and beat for ten minutes. mix the almonds and chestnuts with the cream, and rub all through a sieve. add the candied fruit and the pineapple, cut fine. mix this with the cooked mixture. add the flavor and half a teaspoonful of salt. freeze the same as ice cream. lemon sherbet. the juice of five lemons, one pint of sugar, one quart of water, one table-spoonful of gelatine. soak the gelatine in a little of the water. boil one cupful of the water and dissolve the gelatine in it. mix together the sugar, water, gelatine and lemon juice. turn into the can, and freeze. this is light and creamy. lemon. sherbet, no. . one pint and a half of sugar, three pints of water, the juice of ten lemons. boil the sugar and water together twenty-five minutes. add the lemon juice, and strain and freeze. this makes a smooth, rich sherbet. orange sherbet. make this the same as the lemon, using, however, ten oranges. in the spring, when oranges are not very acid, add the juice of a lemon. orange sherbet, no. . make the same as lemon sherbet, no. , but use the juice of twenty oranges instead of ten lemons. boil the syrup for this dish thirty minutes. pineapple sherbet. a pint-and-a-half can of pineapple, or, if fresh fruit is used, one large pineapple; a small pint of sugar, a pint of water, one table- spoonful of gelatine. soak the gelatine one or two hours in cold water to cover. cut the hearts and eyes from the fruit, chop it fine, and add to the sugar and the juice from the can. have half of the water hot, and dissolve the gelatine in it. stir this and the cold water into the pineapple. freeze. this sherbet will be white and creamy. pineapple sherbet, no. . two small cans of pineapple, one generous pint of sugar, one quart of water. pour the juice of the pineapple into a bowl. put the fruit in a sauce-pan with half the water, and simmer twenty minutes. put the sugar and the remainder of the water on to boil. cook fifteen minutes. rub the cooked pineapple through a sieve and add it to the boiling syrup. cook fifteen minutes longer. add the juice, and cool and freeze. strawberry sherbet. two quarts of strawberries, one pint of sugar, one pint and a half of water, one table-spoonful of gelatine. mash the berries and sugar together, and let them stand two hours. soak the gelatine in cold water to cover. add one pint of the water to the strawberries, and strain. dissolve the gelatine in half a pint of boiling water, add this to the strained mixture, and freeze. strawberry sherbet, no. . one pint and a half of strawberry juice, one pint of sugar, one pint and a half of water, the juice of two lemons. boil the water and sugar together for twenty minutes. add the lemon and strawberry juice. strain, and freeze. raspberry sherbet. this sherbet is made the same as the strawberry. when raspberries are not in season, use the preserved or canned fruit and a smaller quantity of sugar. the juice of a lemon or two is always an improvement, but is not necessary. the sherbet can also be made by following the second rule for strawberry sherbet. raspberry sherbet, no. . one bottle of german raspberries (holding a little more than a pint, and costing about $ . ), one cupful of sugar, one quart of water, the juice of two lemons. mix all together, strain, and freeze. currant sherbet. one pint of currant juice, one pint and a half of water, the juice of one lemon, one pint of sugar, one table-spoonful of gelatine. have the gelatine soaked in cold water, and dissolve it in half a pint of boiling water. mix it with the pint of cold water, the sugar, lemon and currant juice, and freeze. currant sherbet, no. . one pint of sugar, one quart of water, one pint of currant juice, the juice of a lemon. boil the water and sugar together half an hour. add the currant and lemon juice to the syrup. let this cool, and freeze. frozen strawberries. two quarts of fresh strawberries, one pint of sugar, one quart of water. boil the water and sugar together half an hour; then add the strawberries, and cook fifteen minutes longer. let this cool, and freeze. when the beater is taken out add one pint of whipped cream. preserved fruit can be used instead of the fresh. in this case, to each quart of preserves add one quart of water, and freeze. frozen raspberries. prepare raspberries the same as strawberries. when cold, add the juice of three lemons; and freeze. all kinds of canned and preserved fruits can be prepared and frozen in any of the three ways given. frozen peaches. one can of peaches, one heaping pint of granulated sugar, one quart of water, two cupfuls of whipped cream. boil the sugar and water together twelve minutes; then add the peaches, and cook twenty minutes longer. rub through a sieve; and when cool, freeze. when the beater is taken out, stir in the whipped cream with a large spoon. cover, and set away until serving time. it should stand one hour at least. frozen apricots. one can of apricots, a generous pint of sugar, a quart of water, a pint of whipped cream--measured after being whipped. cut the apricots in small pieces, add the sugar and water, and freeze. when nearly frozen add the cream. biscuit glacé. mix together in a deep bowl or pail one pint of _rich_ cream, one-third of a cupful of sugar and one teaspoonful of vanilla extract. put the mixture in a pan of ice water and whip to a stiff froth. stir this down, and whip again. skim the froth into a deep dish. when all the cream has been whipped to a froth, fill paper cases with it, and place these in a large tin box (or, the freezer will do,) that is nearly buried in ice and salt--two quarts of salt to six of ice--and is wholly covered after the cases are put in. let these remain there two hours. make a pint of strawberry sherbet. put a thin layer of it on each case of cream, and return to the freezer. let the cases stand half an hour longer, and serve. they should be arranged on a bright napkin, spread on a flat dish. biscuit glacé, no. . one pint of cream, whipped to a froth; a dozen and a half macaroons, three eggs, half a cupful of water, two-thirds of a cupful of sugar, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. boil the sugar and water together for half an hour. beat the eggs well, and stir into the boiling syrup. place the sauce-pan containing the mixture in another of boiling water, and beat for eight minutes. take from the fire, place the sauce-pan in a pan of cold water, and beat the mixture until it is cold; then add the flavor and whipped cream. stir well, and fill paper cases. have the macaroons browned and rolled fine. put a layer of the crumbs on the cream in the cases, and freeze as directed in the other recipe. chocolate soufflé. two cupfuls of milk, one and a half squares of baker's chocolate, three-fourths of a cupful of powdered sugar, two table-spoonfuls of corn-starch, three eggs, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. boil the milk in the double boiler, leaving out a third of a cupful to mix with the corn-starch. after mixing, stir into the boiling milk, and cook eight minutes. dissolve the chocolate with half a cupful of the sugar and two table-spoonfuls of boiling water. add to the other mixture. beat the yolks and add them and the salt. cook two minutes. set in cold water, and beat until cool; then add the flavor, and pour into a dish. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add the remaining sugar, and heap on the custard. dredge with sugar. brown with a salamander or hot shovel. orange soufflé. a pint of milk, five eggs, one-fourth of a cupful of granulated sugar and three table-spoonfuls of powdered, five florida oranges and a speck of salt. put the milk on to boil. beat the yolks of five eggs and whites of two with the granulated sugar. pour the milk, gradually, over this, stirring all the while. return to the sauce-pan, place in a basin of boiling water, and stir until it begins to thicken like soft custard. this will be about two minutes. add the salt, and set away to cool. pare the oranges, remove the seeds, cut up fine, and put in a glass dish. pour on the cold custard. just before serving beat the three remaining whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and beat in the powdered sugar. heap this on the custard, and brown with a hot shovel or a salamander. surprise soufflé. one pint of the juice of any kind of fruit, one-third of a package of gelatine, half a cupful of sugar (unless the fruit is very acid, in which case use a little more), one pint of soft custard, ten macaroons, half a cupful of water. soak the gelatine two hours in a little of the water. let the remainder of the water come to a boil, and pour it on the soaked gelatine. place the basin in another of hot water and stir until all the gelatine is dissolved. strain this into the fruit juice. add the sugar. place the basin in a pan of ice water, and as soon as the mixture begins to thicken, beat with a whisk until it hardens; then place in the ice chest for a few hours. brown the macaroons in a cool oven. let them cool and roll them fine. at serving time put the custard in a _soufflé_ dish. heap the jelly on this, and cover all with the macaroon crumbs. omelet soufflé à la crème. four eggs, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, a speck of salt, half a teaspoonful of vanilla' extract, one cupful of whipped cream. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually beat the sugar and the flavor into them. when well beaten, add the yolks, and lastly the whipped cream. have a dish, holding about one quart, slightly buttered. pour the mixture into this and bake _just twelve minutes_. serve the moment it is taken from the oven. omelet soufflé à la poêle. the whites of eight and yolks of four eggs, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, a speck of salt, two table-spoonfuls of butter, half a teaspoonful of any kind of flavor. beat the yolks of the eggs, the sugar, salt and flavor together. beat the whites to a stiff froth. stir this in with the beaten yolks. have a large omelet pan very hot. put one table-spoonful of butter in this, and pour in half the mixture. shake rapidly for a minute; then fold, and turn on a hot dish. put the remainder of the butter and mixture in the pan, and proceed as before. turn this omelet on the dish by the side of the other. dredge lightly with sugar, and place in the oven for eight minutes. serve the moment it comes from the oven. charlotte russe. ten eggs, one cupful of sugar, four table-spoonfuls of wine, one of vanilla extract, a package of gelatine, one and a half cupfuls of milk, one pint of cream. soak the gelatine in half a cupful of the milk. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together, and put in the double boiler with the remaining milk. stir until the mixture begins to thicken; then add the gelatine, and strain into a large tin basin. place this in a pan of ice water, and when it begins to cool, add the whites of the eggs, well beaten, the wine and flavor, and the whipped cream. mix thoroughly, and pour into moulds that have been lined with sponge cake. set away to harden. with the quantities given two quart moulds can be filled. the lining may be one piece of sponge cake, or strips of it, or lady-fingers. the wine may be omitted. charlotte russe, no. . one pint of _rich_ cream, one teaspoonful of vanilla flavor, one- third of a cupful of sugar. mix all together in a tin pail and place in a basin of ice water. whip the cream to a stiff froth, and skim, into a colander. when nearly whipped, return to the pail that which has drained through the colander, and whip it again. have a quart mould lined with stale sponge cake. fill it with whipped cream and set in the ice chest for an hour or two. apple charlotte. one scant pint of apples, steamed, and rubbed through a sieve; one- third of a box of gelatine, soaked an hour in one-third of a cupful of cold water; one cupful of sugar, the juice of a large lemon, the whites of three eggs. pour half a cupful of boiling water upon the gelatine, stir until thoroughly dissolved, and pour upon the apple; then add the sugar and lemon juice. place in a basin of ice water, and beat until it begins to thicken. add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. pour into a two-quart mould, which has been lined with sponge cake, and put on ice to harden. make a soft custard of the yolks of the eggs, one pint of milk and three table-spoonfuls of sugar. when the charlotte is turned out on a dish, pour this around. calf's foot jelly. four calf's feet, six quarts of water, the juice of two lemons and rind of one, two cloves, a two-inch piece of stick cinnamon, two cupfuls of sugar, a pint of wine, the whites and shells of two eggs. wash the feet very carefully and put them on with the cold water. boil gently until the water is reduced to two quarts; then strain through a napkin, and set away to harden. in the morning scrape off all the fat and wipe the jelly with a clean towel. break it up and put in a kettle with the other ingredients, having first beaten the whites of the eggs and the shells with half a cupful of cold water. let the mixture come to a boil slowly, and set back for twenty minutes where it will keep at the boiling point. strain through a napkin, mould, and set away to harden. wine jelly. one box of gelatine, half a pint of cold water, a pint and a half of boiling water, one pint of sherry, one of sugar, the juice of a lemon. soak the gelatine two hours in the cold water. pour the boiling water on it, and stir until dissolved. add the lemon juice, sugar and wine. strain through a napkin, turn into moulds, and, when cold, place in the ice chest for six or eight hours. one good way to mould this jelly is to pour some of it into the mould, harden it a little, put in a layer of strawberries, pour in jelly to set them, and then enough to make another layer, then put in more berries, and a third layer of jelly, and so continue, until all the jelly has been used. cider jelly. a box of gelatine, one pint of sugar, a quart and half a pint of cider, half a pint of cold water. soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. let the cider come to a boil, and pour it on the gelatine. add the sugar, strain through a napkin, and turn into moulds. when cold, place in the refrigerator for six or eight hours. lemon jelly. two cupfuls of sugar, one of lemon juice, one quart of boiling water, one cupful of cold water, a box of gelatine. soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. pour the boiling water on it, add the sugar and lemon juice, strain through a napkin, mould and harden. orange jelly. one box of gelatine, one pint of orange juice, the juice of a lemon, one pint of sugar, a pint and a half of boiling water, half a pint of cold water, the white and shell of an egg. soak the gelatine as for the other jellies. add the boiling water, sugar, the fruit juice, and the white and shell of the egg, beaten with two table-spoonfuls of cold water. let the mixture come to a boil, and set back for twenty minutes where it will keep hot, but will not boil. strain through a napkin. a pretty way to mould this jelly is to fill the mould to the depth of two inches with liquid jelly, and, when this is hardened, put on a layer of oranges, divided into eighths; to pour on a little more jelly, to set the fruit, and then fill up with jelly. keep in the ice chest for six or eight hours. currant jelly. make the same as wine jelly, using a pint of currant juice instead of wine. strawberry jelly. three pints of ripe strawberries, a box of gelatine, a pint of sugar, one pint of boiling water, half a pint of cold water, the juice of a lemon. soak the gelatine for two hours in the cold water. mash the berries with the sugar, and let them stand two hours. pour the boiling water on the fruit and sugar. press the juice from the strawberries and add it and the lemon juice to the dissolved gelatine. strain through a napkin, pour into moulds, and harden. raspberry jelly is made in the same way. pineapple jelly. a pint-and-a-half can of pineapple, a scant pint of sugar, the white and shell of an egg, a box of gelatine, the juice of a lemon, one quart of boiling water, half a pint of cold water. cut the pineapple in fine pieces, put with the boiling water and simmer gently twenty minutes. soak the gelatine in the cold water for two hours. add it, the sugar, lemon and pineapple juice, and the white and shell of the egg to the boiling mixture. let this boil up once, and set back for twenty minutes where it will keep hot, but will not boil. strain through a napkin, turn into moulds and set away to harden. coffee jelly. one pint of sugar, one of strong coffee, a pint and a half of boiling water, half a pint of cold water, a box of gelatine. soak the gelatine two hours in the cold water. pour the boiling water on it, and when it is dissolved, add the sugar and coffee. strain, turn into moulds, and set away to harden. this is to be served with sugar and cream. soft custard. one quart of milk, one scant half teacupful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt, the yolks of eight eggs and whites of two, one teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla flavor, or half as much of almond. beat the sugar and eggs together, and add one cupful of milk. let the remainder of the milk come to a boil, pour it on the beaten mixture, and put this on the fire in the double boiler. stir until it begins to thicken, which will be in about five minutes, when add the salt, and set away to cool. when cold, add the flavor. serve in custard glasses. soft caramel custard. one quart of milk, half a cupful of sugar, six eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt. put the milk on to boil, reserving a cupful. beat the eggs, and add the cold milk to them. stir the sugar in a small frying-pan until it becomes liquid and just begins to smoke. stir it into the boiling milk; then add the beaten eggs and cold milk, and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. set away to cool. serve in glasses. chocolate whips. one quart of milk, one (ounce) square of baker's chocolate, one generous half cupful of sugar, six eggs, a speck of salt. scrape the chocolate fine and put it in a small frying-pan with two table- spoonfuls of the sugar and one of boiling water. when dissolved, add it to a pint and a half of the milk, which should be hot in the double boiler. beat the eggs and the remainder of the sugar together, add the cold milk, and stir into the boiling milk. stir constantly until it begins to thicken. add the salt, and set away to cool. season one pint of cream with two table-spoonfuls of sugar and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. whip to a stiff froth. when the custard is cold, half fill glasses with it, and heap whipped cream upon it. or, it can be served in one large dish, with the whipped cream on top. kisses. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth. they should be beaten until so light and dry that they begin to fly off of the beater. stir in a cupful of powdered sugar, gently and quickly. spread paraffin paper over three boards, which measure about nine by twelve inches. drop the mixture by spoonfuls on the boards, having perhaps a dozen on each one. dry in a warm oven for about three-quarters of an hour; then brown them slightly. lift from the paper and stick them together at the base by twos. a dozen and a half can be made from the quantities given. cream méringues. these are made similar to kisses, but are pat on the paper in oblong shape, and dried two hours. take from the board and, with a spoon, remove all the soft part. season half a pint of rich cream with a table-spoonful of sugar and one of wine, or a speck of vanilla, and whip it to a stiff froth. fill the shells with this, and join them. or, they may be filled with ice cream. if the méringues are exposed to much heat they are spoiled. kiss wafers. half a pint of blanched bitter almonds, one heaping cupful of powdered sugar, the whites of six eggs, one-third of a cupful of flour, two table-spoonfuls of corn-starch. blanch the almonds and pound them in a mortar. as soon as they are a little broken add the white of an egg. pound until very fine. when there is a smooth paste add the sugar, a little at a time, the whites of two eggs, one at a time, and the flour and corn-starch. when thoroughly mixed, add, by degrees, the three remaining whites. butter the bottom of a flat baking pan and put the mixture on it in spoonfuls. spread it _very thin_, especially in the centre, and bake in a quick oven. the moment the cakes are taken from the oven, roll into the shape of cornucopias. if allowed to cool, they cannot be rolled, and for this reason it is best to bake only half a dozen at a time. when all are shaped, fill with the kiss mixture, made by beating the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and stirring into them, lightly, four table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. place the wafers in a warm oven for twenty minutes or half an hour, to dry. with the quantities given two dozen can be made. brier hill dessert. stew one quart of blackberries with one quart of sugar and half a cupful of water. they should cook only fifteen minutes. when cold, serve with powdered cracker and sugar and cream. the cracker and berries should be in separate dishes. richmond maids of honor. in the little town of richmond, england, is a small pastry shop widely known for its cheese cakes. it is said that the original recipe for them was furnished by a maid of queen elizabeth, who had a palace at richmond. in the neighboring city of london the cakes are in great demand, and the popular opinion there is that the only place to get them is the shop mentioned, where they are made somewhat as follows: one cupful of sweet milk, one of sour, one of sugar, a lemon, the yolks of four eggs, a speck of salt. put all the milk in the double boiler and cook until it curds; then strain. rub the curd through a sieve. beat the sugar and yolks of eggs together, and add the rind and juice of the lemon and the curd. line little patty pans with puff or chopped paste, rolled very thin. put a large spoonful of the mixture in each one, and bake from fifteen to twenty minutes in a moderate oven. do not remove from the pans until cold. these are nice for suppers or lunches as well as for dessert. fanchonettes. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of water, one table-spoonful of corn-starch, one teaspoonful of butter, the yolks of four eggs, the juice and rind of two lemons. mix the cornstarch with a little cold water, and stir in half a cupful of boiling water. beat the sugar, eggs and lemon together, and stir into the boiling corn-starch. place the basin in another of boiling water, and stir (over the fire) until it thickens, perhaps from eight to ten minutes; then add the butter and set away to cool. line little patty pans with puff paste, or any rich paste, rolled very thin. put a spoonful of the mixture in each one, and bake in a slow oven from twelve to twenty minutes. when cool, slip out of the pans, and serve on a napkin. they are nice for lunch, tea or children's parties, only for parties make them small. the mixture for fanchonettes will keep a number of weeks in a cool place, so that if one makes a quantity at one time, portions can be used with the trimmings of pastry left from pies. fruit glacè. boil together for half an hour one cupful of granulated sugar, one of water. dip the point of a skewer in the syrup, after it has been boiling the given time, and then in water. if the thread formed breaks off brittle the syrup is done. have oranges pared, divided into eighths and wiped free of moisture. pour part of the hot syrup into a small cup, which keep in boiling water. take the pieces of orange on the point of a large needle or skewer and dip them in the syrup. place them on a dish that has been buttered lightly. grapes, cherries, walnuts, etc., can be prepared in the same way. care must be taken not to stir the syrup, as that spoils it. gâteau saint honoré. make a paste the same as for _éclairs_. butter three pie plates. roll puff or chopped paste very thin, and cover the plates with it. cut off the paste about an inch from the edge all round the plates. spread a thin layer of the cooked paste over the puff paste. put a tube, measuring about half an inch in diameter, in a pastry bag. turn the remainder of the paste into the bag and press it through the tube on to the edges of the plates, where the puff paste has been cut off. care must be taken to have the border of equal thickness all round the plates. with a fork, prick holes in the paste in the centre of the plate. bake half an hour in a moderate oven. when the plates have been put in the oven, make what paste is left in the bag into balls about half the size of an american walnut. there will be enough for three dozen. drop them into a pan that has been buttered lightly, and bake fifteen or twenty minutes. while they are baking, put half a cupful of water and half a cupful of granulated sugar in a small sauce-pan, and boil twenty-five minutes. when the little balls and the paste in the plate is done, take the balls on the point of a skewer or large needle, dip them in the syrup and place them on the border of paste (the syrup will hold them), about two inches apart. a word of caution just here: do not stir the syrup, as that will make it grain, and, of course, spoil it. a good plan is to pour part of the syrup into a small cup, which place in hot water. that remaining in the sauce-pan should be kept hot, but it should not boil, until needed. when all the balls have been used, dip four dozen french candied cherries in the syrup, and stick them between the balls. reserve about fifteen cherries, with which to garnish the centre of the cake. whip one pint and a half of cream to a froth. soak half a package of gelatine in half a cupful of milk for two hours. pour on this half a cupful of boiling milk. place the pan of whipped cream in another of ice water, and sprinkle over it two- thirds of a cupful of sugar and nearly a teaspoonful of vanilla flavor. strain the gelatine on this, and stir gently from the bottom until it begins to thicken. when it will just pour, fill the three plates with it, and set them in the ice chest for half an hour. garnish the top with the remaining cherries, and serve. this is an excellent dish for dessert or party suppers. cake. rice cake. one cupful of butter, two of sugar, two and one-fourth of rice flour, six eggs, the juice and rind of a lemon. beat the butter to a cream; then gradually beat in the sugar, and add the lemon. beat the yolks and whites separately, and add them to the beaten sugar and butter. add also the rice flour. pour into a shallow pan, to the depth of about two inches. bake from thirty-five to forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. silver cake. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, the whites of three eggs, half a cupful of corn-starch, dissolved in nearly half a cupful of milk;--one and a fourth cupfuls of flour, half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of soda, and vanilla or almond flavor. beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar. add the flavor. mix the flour, cream of tartar and soda together, and sift. beat the whites to a stiff froth. add the corn- starch and milk to the beaten sugar and butter; then add the whites of the eggs and the flour. mix quickly and thoroughly. have the batter in sheets, and about two inches deep. bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour. a chocolate frosting is nice with this cake. [mrs. l. c. a.] gold cake. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, the yolks of three eggs and one whole egg, half a cupful of milk, one-fourth of a teaspoonful each of soda and cream of tartar, one and three-fourths cupfuls of flour. mix the butter and sugar together, and add the eggs, milk, flavor and flour, in the order named. bake the same as the silver cake. a white frosting is good with this cake. [mrs. l. c. a.] angel cake. the whites of eleven eggs, one and a half cupfuls of granulated sugar, one cupful of pastry flour, measured after being sifted four times; one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one of vanilla extract. sift the flour and cream of tartar together. beat the whites to a stiff froth. beat the sugar into the eggs, and add the seasoning and flour, stirring quickly and lightly. beat until ready to put the mixture in the oven. use a pan that has little legs at the top corners, so that when the pan is turned upside down on the table, after the baking, a current of air will pass under and over it. bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. do not grease the pan. sunshine cake. this is made almost exactly like angel cake. have the whites of eleven eggs and yolks of six, one and a half cupfuls of granulated sugar, measured after one sifting; one cupful of flour, measured after sifting; one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and one of orange extract. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and gradually beat in the sugar. beat the yolks in a similar manner, and add to them the whites and sugar and the flavor. finally, stir in the flour. mix quickly and well. bake for fifty minutes in a slow oven, using a pan like that for angel cake. demon cake. one cupful of butter, one of sugar, one of molasses, two eggs, four and one-fourth cupfuls of flour, one table-spoonful of ginger, one of cinnamon, four of brandy, half a grated nutmeg, one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in two table-spoonfuls of milk; one cupful of currants, and one of preserved ginger, cut in fine strips. beat the butter to a cream; then beat in the sugar, molasses, brandy and spice. have the eggs well beaten, and add them. stir in the soda and flour. have two pans well buttered, or lined with paraffin paper. pour the cake mixture, to the depth of about two inches, in each pan. sprinkle a layer of fruit on it. cover with a thin layer of the mixture, and add more fruit. continue this until all the batter and fruit is used. bake two hours in a moderate oven. ames cake. one generous cupful of butter, two of sugar, three cupfuls of pastry flour, one small cupful of milk, the yolks of five eggs and whites of three, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, or one and a half teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of lemon extract, or the juice of one fresh lemon. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, then the seasoning, the eggs, well beaten, next the milk and then the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar are mixed. mix thoroughly, but quickly, and bake in two sheets in a moderate oven for twenty-five or thirty minutes. cover with a frosting made by stirring two small cupfuls of powdered sugar into the whites of two eggs, and seasoning with lemon. black cake. three cupfuls of butter, one quart of sugar, three pints of flour, half a pint of molasses, half a pint of brandy, half a pint of wine, one teaspoonful of saleratus, one ounce each of all kinds of spices, twelve eggs, three pounds of raisins, two of currants, half a pound of citron. bake in deep pans, in a moderate oven, between three and four hours. this is one of the best of rich cakes. fruit cake. one cupful of butter, two of sugar, three of flour, the whites of eight eggs, half a wine-glass of white wine, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one-fourth of a pound of citron, cut fine; half a pound of chopped almonds, one tea-cupful of dessicated cocoanut. beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar, and then the wine. beat the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir into the butter and sugar. add the flour, which is thoroughly mixed with the baking powder, and lastly the fruit. bake, in two loaves, forty minutes in a moderate oven. wedding cake. nine cupfuls of butter, five pints of sugar, four quarts of flour, five dozen of eggs, seven pounds of currants, three and a half of citron, four of shelled almonds, seven of raisins, one and a half pints of brandy, two ounces of mace. bake in a moderate oven for two hours or more. this will make eight loaves, which will keep for years. lady's cake. three-fourths of a cupful of butter, two cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of milk, three cupfuls of pastry flour, the whites of six eggs, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one teaspoonful of essence of almond. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, then the essence, milk, the whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and the flour, in which the baking powder has been mixed. bake in one large pan or two small ones, and frost, or not, as you please. if baked in sheets about two inches deep, it will take about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. queen's cake. one cupful of butter, a pint of sugar, a quart of flour, four eggs, half a gill of wine, of brandy and of thin cream, one pound of fruit, spice to taste. warm the liquids together, and stir quickly into the beaten sugar, butter and egg; add the flour; finally add the fruit. bake in deep pans in a moderate oven. composition cake. one and one-half quarts of flour, half a pint of sour milk, one pint of butter, three-fourths of a quart of sugar, eight eggs, one wine- glass of wine and one of brandy, one scant teaspoonful of soda, one cupful of raisins, stoned and chopped; two pounds of currants, half a pound of citron, a nutmeg, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one of allspice, one of mace, half a teaspoonful of clove. beat the butter to a cream, and add the sugar, gradually, the well-beaten eggs, the spice, wine and brandy. dissolve the soda in a table-spoonful of hot water; stir into the sour milk, and add to the other ingredients. then add the flour, and lastly the fruit. bake two hours in well-buttered pans in a moderate oven. this will make three loaves. ribbon cake. two cupfuls of sugar, one of butter, one of milk, four of flour (rather scant), four eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda, one of cream of tartar. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, beating all the while; then the flavoring (lemon or nutmeg). beat the eggs very light. add them and the milk. measure the flour after it has been sifted. return it to the sieve, and mix the soda and cream of tartar with it. sift this into the bowl of beaten ingredients. beat quickly and vigorously, to thoroughly mix, and then stop. take three sheet pans of the same size, and in each of two put one-third of the mixture, and bake. to the other third add four teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, a cupful of currants and about an eighth of a pound of citron, cut fine. bake this in the remaining pan. when done, take out of the pans. spread the light cake with a thin layer of jelly, while warm. place on this the dark cake, and spread with jelly. place the other sheet of light cake on this. lay a paper over all, and then a thin sheet, on which put two irons. the cake will press in about two hours. regatta cake. two pounds of raised dough, one pint of sugar, one cupful of butter, four eggs, a nutmeg, a glass of wine, a teaspoonful of saleratus, one pound of raisins. mix thoroughly, put in deep pans that have been thoroughly greased, and let it rise half an hour, if in very warm weather, or fifteen minutes longer, if in cold weather. bake in a moderate oven. nut cake. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of milk, two cupfuls of pastry flour, two eggs, one coffee-cupful of chopped raisins, one of chopped english walnuts, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, and when light, the eggs, well beaten, then the milk and the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been thoroughly mixed. mix quickly, and add the raisins and nuts. bake in rather deep sheets, in a moderate oven, for thirty-five minutes. frost, if you please. the quantities given are for one large or two small sheets. if you use baking powder, instead of cream of tartar and soda, take a teaspoonful and a half. snow flake cake. half a cupful of butter, one and a half of sugar, two of pastry flour, one-fourth of a cupful of milk, the whites of five eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, or a teaspoonful and a half of baking-powder, the juice of half a lemon. beat the butter to a cream. gradually add the sugar, then the lemon, and when very light, the milk, and whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; then the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar are well mixed. bake in sheets in a moderate oven. when nearly cool, frost. frosting: the whites of three eggs, two large cupfuls of powdered sugar, half a grated cocoanut, the juice of half a lemon. beat the whites to a stiff froth. add the sugar, gradually, and the lemon and cocoanut. put a layer of frosting on one sheet of the cake. place the other sheet on this, and cover with frosting. or, simply frost the top of each sheet, as you would any ordinary cake. set in a cool place to harden. federal cake. one pint of sugar, one and a half cupfuls of butter, three pints of flour, four eggs, two wine-glasses of milk, two of wine, two of brandy, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of saleratus, fruit and spice to taste. bake in deep pans, the time depending on the quantity of fruit used. sponge rusks. two cupfuls of sugar, one of butter, two of milk, one of yeast, three eggs. rub the butter, sugar and eggs together. add the milk and yeast, and flour enough to make a thick batter. let this stand in a warm place until light, and then add flour enough to make as thick as for biscuit. shape, and put in a pan in which they are to be baked, and let them stand two or three hours (three hours unless the weather is very warm). bake about forty minutes in a moderate oven. it is always best to set the sponge at night, for it will then be ready to bake the following forenoon. if the rusks are wanted warm for tea, the sponge must, of course, be set early in the morning. taylor cake. half a cupful of butter, two and a half of sugar, one of milk, three and a half of pastry flour, three eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, flavor to taste. beat the butter to a cream, then beat in the sugar, next the eggs, well beaten; the seasoning, the milk, and lastly the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been thoroughly mixed. bake in a moderate oven, either in loaves or sheets. if in sheets, twenty-five minutes; if in loaves, forty-five. the quantities given are for two loaves or sheets. this cake is nice for washington or chocolate pies, and is good baked in sheets and frosted. loaf cake. two quarts of sugar, seven cupfuls of butter, six quarts of sifted flour, six pounds of fruit, one pint of wine, one pint of yeast, eight nutmegs, mace, twelve eggs, one quart of milk. it should be made at such an hour (being governed by the weather) as will give it time to get perfectly light by evening. it should stand about six hours in summer and eight in whiter. put in half the butter and eggs, and the milk, flavor and yeast, and beat thoroughly. in the evening add the remainder of the butter, rubbing it with the sugar, the rest of the eggs, and the spice. let the cake rise again, until morning; then add the fruit. put in deep pans, and let rise about half an hour. bake from two to three hours in a slow oven. chocolate cake. one and a half cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of milk, one and three-fourths cupfuls of flour, a quarter of a pound of baker's chocolate, three eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. scrape the chocolate fine, and add five table-spoonfuls of sugar to it (this in addition to the cupful and a half). beat the butter to a cream. gradually add the sugar, beating all the while. add three table-spoonfuls of boiling water to the chocolate and sugar. stir over the fire until smooth and glossy; then stir into the beaten sugar and butter. add to this mixture the eggs, well beaten, then the milk and the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been thoroughly mixed. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. this will make two sheets. frost it, if you like. chocolate cake, no. . one cupful of butter, two of sugar, three and a half of sour, one of milk, five eggs--the whites of two being left out, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and half a teaspoonful of soda, or one and a half of baking powder. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, then the eggs, well beaten, the milk, next the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been well mixed. bake in two sheets for thirty minutes in a moderate oven, and ice. icing: the whites of two eggs, one and a half cupfuls of powdered sugar, six table-spoonfuls of grated chocolate, one teaspoonful of vanilla. put the chocolate and six table-spoonfuls of the sugar in a sauce-pan with two spoonfuls of hot water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. beat the whites to a froth, and add the sugar and chocolate. orange cake. two cupfuls of sugar, a small half cupful of butter, two cupfuls of flour, half a cupful of water, the yolks of five eggs and whites of four, half a teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, the rind of one orange and the juice of one and a half. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, then the orange, the eggs, well beaten, the water and the flour, in which the soda and cream of tartar have been well mixed. bake in sheets for twenty-five minutes, in a moderate oven, and when cool, frost. frosting: the white of an egg, the juice of one and a half oranges and the grated rind of one, one cupful and a half of powdered sugar, unless the egg and oranges are very large, in which case use two cupfuls. railroad cake. two cupfuls of sugar, two of flour, six table-spoonfuls of butter, two of milk, six eggs, one teaspoonful of saleratus, two of cream of tartar, lemon peel. bake in shallow pans in a quick oven. hot water sponge cake. six eggs, two cupfuls of sugar, two of pastry flour, half a cupful of _boiling_ water, the grated rind of half a lemon, and one teaspoonful of the juice. beat the yolks and sugar to a froth; also, beat the whites to a stiff froth. add the lemon to the yolks and sugar, then add the boiling water, next the whites, and, last of all, the flour. mix quickly, and bake in two sheets for half an hour, in a moderate oven. sponge cake. ten eggs, two and a half cupfuls of sugar, two and a half of pastry flour, the juice and grated rind of one lemon. beat the yolks and sugar together until very light. add the lemon. beat the whites to a stiff froth. stir the flour and this froth alternately into the beaten yolks and sugar. have the batter about three inches deep in the pan. sprinkle with sugar, and bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. if the batter is not so deep in the pan it will not take so long to bake. sponge cake, no. . the yolks of a dozen eggs and whites of eight, one and three-fourths cupfuls of sugar, the same quantity of flour, the rind of one lemon and juice of two. beat the yolks and sugar together. add the lemon rind and juice and beat a little longer. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and add them to the mixture. gradually stir in the flour. pour the mixture into a baking pan to the depth of about two inches. bake from thirty-five to forty minutes in a slow oven. viennois oakes. cut any kind of plain cake into small squares. cut a small piece from the centre of each square, and fill the cavity with some kind of marmalade or jelly. replace the crust part that was removed, and cover with icing. these cakes are nice for dessert. dominos. have any kind of sponge cake baked in a rather thin sheet. cut this into small oblong pieces, the shape of a domino. frost the top and sides of them. when the frosting is hard, draw the black lines and make the dots with a small brush that has been dipped in melted chocolate. these are particularly good for children's parties. lady-fingers. four eggs, three-fourths of a cupful of pastry flour, half a cupful of _powdered_ sugar. have the bottom of three large baking pans covered with paraffin paper or sheets of buttered note paper. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar to a froth. beat the whites to a stiff, dry froth, and add to the yolks and sugar. add the flour, and stir quickly and gently. pour the mixture into the pastry bag, and press it through on to the paper in the shape and of the size you wish. when all the mixture has been used, sprinkle powdered sugar on the cakes, and bake from twelve to sixteen minutes in a _very_ slow oven. caution. the mixture must be stirred, after the flour is added, only enough to mix the flour lightly with the sugar and eggs. much stirring turns the mixture liquid. if the oven is hot the fingers will rise and fall, and if too cool they will spread. it should be about half as hot as for bread. you will not succeed in using the pastry bag the first time, but a little practice will make it easy to get the forms wished. there are pans especially for baking lady-fingers. they are quite expensive. sponge drops. make the batter the same as for lady-fingers, and drop on the paper in teaspoonfuls. sprinkle with sugar. bake in a slow oven from twelve to sixteen minutes. sponge drops, no. . three eggs, one and a half cupfuls of sugar, two of flour, half a cupful of cold water, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of saleratus. beat the sugar and eggs together. add the water when they are light, and then the flour, in which mix the saleratus and cream of tartar. flavor with lemon. have muffin cups very lightly buttered, and drop a teaspoonful of the mixture into each one. bake in a quick oven. these drops are nice for dessert or tea. sponge cake for charlotte russe. line the bottoms of two shallow baking pans with paraffin paper or buttered paper, and spread the lady-finger mixture on it. bake slowly eighteen minutes. cut paper to fit the sides of the mould. when the cake is cold, lay this pattern on it and cut with a sharp knife. jelly roll. make the sponge cake mixture as for lady-fingers, and bake in one shallow pan twenty minutes. while it is yet warm, cut off the edges, and spread the cake with any kind of jelly. roll up, and pin a towel around it. put in a cool place until serving time. cut in slices with a sharp knife. molasses pound coke. one quart of molasses, one pint of water, six and a half pints of flour, one ounce of soda, half an ounce of alum, one heaping cupful of butter, six eggs, one ounce of cinnamon, one pound of raisins. boil the alum in part of the pint of water, and let it cool before mixing with the other ingredients. instead of alum, one ounce of cream of tartar may be used. soft gingerbread. six cupfuls of flour, three of molasses, one of cream, one of lard or butter, two eggs, one teaspoonful of saleratus, and two of ginger. this is excellent. hard gingerbread. one cupful of sugar, one of butter, one-third of a cupful of molasses, half a cupful of sour milk or cream, one teaspoonful of saleratus, one table-spoonful of ginger, flour enough to roll. roll thin, cut in oblong pieces, and bake quickly. care must be taken that too much flour is not mixed in with the dough. all kinds of cakes that are rolled should have no more flour than is absolutely necessary to work them. canada gingerbread. one cupful of butter, two of sugar, one of molasses, five of flour, three eggs, one nutmeg, one teaspoonful of ginger, one of soda, one tea-cupful of cream or rich milk, one table-spoonful of cinnamon, one pound of currants. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, molasses and spice; next the eggs, well beaten; then the milk, in which the soda has been dissolved, next the flour; and lastly the currants. this will make three sheets, or two very thick ones. bake in a moderately- quick oven, if in three sheets, twenty five minutes; if in two sheets, ten minutes longer. fairy gingerbread. one cupful of butter, two of sugar, one of milk, four of flour, three- fourths of a teaspoonful of soda, one table-spoonful of ginger. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar, gradually, and when very light, the ginger, the milk, in which the soda has been dissolved, and finally the flour. turn baking pans upside down and wipe the bottoms very clean. butter them, and spread the cake mixture very thin on them; bake in a moderate oven until brown. while still _hot_, cut into squares with a case-knife and slip from the pan. keep in a tin box. this is delicious. with the quantities given a large dish of gingerbread can be made. it must be spread on the bottom of the pan as thin as a wafer and cut the moment it comes from the oven. shewsbury cake. two cupfuls of butter, one pint of sugar, three pints of flour, four eggs, half a teaspoonful of mace. roll thin, cut into small cakes, and bake in a quick oven. not a particle more of flour than what is given above must be used. the cakes should be made in a rather cool room, and they cannot be made in very warm weather. they can be kept a long time, and are delicious. jumbles. three cupfuls of sugar, two of butter, five of flour, one egg, half a teaspoonful of soda, flavor to taste. roll thin, sprinkle with sugar, cut in round cakes, and cut a small piece from the centre of each. bake in a quick oven. seed cakes. three-fourths of a pint of sugar, one cupful of butter, a quart and half a pint of flour, one teaspoonful of saleratus, two eggs, and seeds. roll thin, cut in round cakes, and bake quickly. cookies. one cupful of butter, two of sugar, five of flour, a teaspoonful of saleratus, dissolved in four of milk; one egg, flavor to taste. roll and bake like seed cakes. hermits. two cupfuls of sugar, one of butter, one of raisins (stoned and chopped), three eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in three table-spoonfuls of milk; a nutmeg, one teaspoonful each of clove and cinnamon, and six cupfuls of flour. roll about one-fourth of an inch thick, and cut with a round cake cutter. bake in a rather quick oven. it will take about twelve minutes. [mrs. l. c. a.] kneaded plum cake. two and a half cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of sour milk, two spoonfuls of cream, a teaspoonful of saleratus, half a spoonful of cinnamon and of nutmeg, a cupful of chopped raisins, and flour enough to knead (about six cupfuls). roll an inch thick, and cut in oblong pieces. bake on sheets in a quick oven. eclairs. put one cupful of boiling water and half a cupful of butter in a large sauce-pan, and when it boils up, turn in one pint of flour. beat well with the vegetable masher. when perfectly smooth, and velvety to the touch, remove from the fire. break five eggs into a bowl. when the paste is nearly cold, beat the eggs into it with the hand. only a small part of the eggs should be added at a time. when the mixture is thoroughly beaten (it will take about twenty minutes), spread on buttered sheets in oblong pieces about four inches long and one and a half wide. these must be about two inches apart. bake in a rather quick oven for about twenty-five minutes. as soon as they are done, ice with either chocolate or vanilla frosting. when the icing is cold, cut the _éclairs_ on one side and fill them. chocolate Éclairs. put one cupful and a half of milk in the double boiler. beat together two-thirds of a cupful of sugar, one-fourth of a cupful of flour, two eggs, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. stir the mixture into the boiling milk. cook fifteen minutes, stirring often. when cold, flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla extract. put two squares of scraped chocolate with five table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar and three of boiling water. stir over the fire until smooth and glossy. dip the tops of the _éclairs_ in this as they come from the oven. when the chocolate icing is dry, cut open, and fill with the cream, which should be cold. if a chocolate flavor is liked with the cream, one table-spoonful of the dissolved chocolate may be added to it. vanilla Éclairs. make an icing with the whites of two eggs and a cupful and a half of powdered sugar. flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla extract. frost the _éclairs_; and when dry, open, and fill with a cream, the same as chocolate _éclairs_. they may be filled with cream sweetened, flavored with vanilla and whipped to a stiff froth. strawberry and raspberry preserves are sometimes used to fill _éclairs_. they are then named after the fruit with which they are filled. frosting. the white of one egg, one tea-cupful of powdered sugar, one table- spoonful of lemon juice. put the white of the egg in a bowl and add the sugar by degrees, beating with a spoon. when all has been added, stir in the lemon juice. if the white of the egg is large it will require a very full cup of sugar, and if small, a rather scant cupful. the egg must _not_ be beaten until the sugar is added. this gives a smooth, tender frosting, which will cover one small sheet of cake. the same amount of material, prepared with the whites of the eggs unbeaten, will make one-third less frosting than it will if the eggs are beaten to a stiff froth before adding the sugar; but the icing will be enough smoother and softer to pay for the extra quantity. it may be flavored with half a teaspoonful of vanilla. chocolate icing. two squares of baker's chocolate, the whites of two eggs, two cupfuls of powdered sugar, four table-spoonfuls of boiling water. beat one and two-thirds cupfuls of the sugar into the unbeaten whites of the eggs. scrape the chocolate, and put it and the remaining third of a cupful of sugar and the water in a small frying-pan. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy, and then stir into the beaten whites and sugar. with the quantity given two sheets of cake can be iced. chocolate icing, no. . soak a teaspoonful of gelatine one or two hours in three table- spoonfuls of water. pour on it one-fourth of a cupful of boiling water, and stir into it one and two-thirds cupfuls of powdered sugar. prepare two squares of chocolate as for the first icing, and stir them into this mixture. use immediately. caramel frosting. one cupful of brown sugar, one square of baker's chocolate, scraped fine; one table-spoonful of water. simmer gently twenty minutes, being careful not to let it burn. spread on the cake while hot. golden frosting. into the yolks of two eggs stir powdered sugar enough to thicken, and flavor strongly with lemon. this does not have so good a flavor as other kinds of frosting, but it makes a change. marking cakes in gold. bake round cakes for the children, and when the frosting on them is hard, dip a small brush into the yolk of an egg, and write a word or name upon the cake. it pleases the little ones very much. preserving. in using self-sealing glass jars great care must be taken. if the work is properly done the fruit can be kept for years. have a kettle of hot water on the stove beside the preserving kettle, and also a small dipper of hot water. plunge a jar into the hot water, having the water strike both inside and outside the jar at the same time. if you set it down instead of plunging it, it will break. put the cover in the dipper. when the jar is hot, lift it up and pour the water from it into the kettle. stand the jar in the hot water and fill it with hot fruit from the preserving kettle. fill to the brim with the hot syrup. take the cover from the dipper of hot water and screw it on very tightly. in using the jars a second time have the right cover and band for each one. a. large-mouthed tunnel, such as grocers have, is almost indispensible in the work of preserving. jellies and jams should be put in tumblers or bowls. a paper should be cut to fit the top, and then wet in brandy, and another paper should be pasted over it jelly tumblers with glass covers are more convenient than the old-fashioned ones, and where they are used the second paper cover is not necessary. it is better not to cover until some weeks after the jelly is made. white crushed sugar is much the nicest for preserving. if jelly does not seem hard, as it should be the day after it is made, it can be set in the sun for several hours, which will help it greatly. strawberries. to each pound of berries allow half a pound of sugar. put the berries in a kettle, and mash them a little, so that there will be juice enough to cook them without using water. stir them to prevent scorching. cook fifteen minutes; then add the sugar, and let them boil hard one minute. put them in the jars as directed. more or less sugar may be used, as one prefers. raspberries. to each pound of berries allow three-fourths of a pound of sugar, and cook the same as the strawberries. cherries. cherries may be preserved either with or without stones. many think the stones give a richer flavor. to each pound of cherries allow one third of a pound of sugar. put the sugar in the kettle with half a pint of water to three pounds of sugar. stir it until it is dissolved. when boiling, add the cherries, and cook three minutes; then put in the jars. currants. currants should be prepared the same as raspberries. pineapple. pare the fruit, and be sure you take out all the eyes and discolored parts. cut in slices, and cut the slices in small bits, taking out the core. weigh the fruit, and put in a pan with half as many pounds of sugar as of fruit. let it stand over night in the morning put it over the fire and let it boil rapidly for a minute only, as cooking long discolors it. put it in the jars as directed. grated pineapple. pare the fruit clean; then grate it on a coarse grater, rejecting the cores. weigh it, and put to each pound of fruit a pound of sugar. let it stand over night. in the morning boil for a minute, and it is done. put it in jars as directed. blackberries. blackberries are prepared like strawberries. if they are quite ripe, not quite so much sugar is needed. whortleberries. to each quart of berries allow one-third of a pound of sugar, and half a pint of water to three pounds of sugar. put the water and sugar over the fire, and when boiling hot, add the berries. cook three minutes. put in the jars as directed. crab-apples. to each pound of fruit allow half a pound of sugar, and a pint of water to three pounds of sugar. when the syrup is boiling hot, drop in the apples. they will cook very quickly. when done, fill a jar with the fruit, and fill it up with syrup. pears. pare the fruit and cut in halves. throw into cold water, or they will be discolored. use one pound of sugar for three of fruit, and one quart of water for three pounds of sugar. when the syrup is boiling, take the pears from the water, and drop into the syrup. cook until they can be pierced easily with a silver fork. fill the jars with fruit, and fill up to the brim with syrup, using a small strainer in the tunnel, that the syrup may look clear. bartlett pears are delicious, as are, also, seckel; but many other varieties are good. peaches. have ready a kettle of boiling water. fill a wire basket with peaches and plunge them into the boiling water. in two minutes take them out, and the skins will come off easily. drop the fruit into cold water, to keep the color. for three pounds of fruit use one pound of sugar, and one pint of water for three pounds of sugar. when the syrup is boiling hot, take the fruit from the water, and drop into it. put but a few in at a time, as they cook very quickly. take them from the syrup with a silver fork, fill the jar, and fill up with strained syrup. peaches are much nicer preserved whole, as the stones give a rich flavor. brandied peaches. the morris white peaches are the best. take off the skins with boiling water. to each pound of fruit allow one pound of sugar, and half a pint of water to three pounds of sugar. when the syrup is boiling hot, put in the peaches, and as fast as they cook, take them out carefully and spread on platters. when cool, put them in jars, and fill up these with syrup, using one-half syrup and one-half pale brandy. first-proof alcohol, diluted with an equal quantity of water, can be used, instead of brandy, but it is not, of course, so nice. plums. the large white plums must be skinned by using boiling water, as for peaches, and then throwing them into cold water. for one pound of fruit allow half a pound of sugar, and half a pint of water for three pounds of sugar. cook but few at a time, and take them out carefully. fill up the jar with hot syrup. damsons. wash the fruit, and for one pound of it use half a pound of sugar, and half a pint of water for three pounds of sugar. when the syrup is boiling hot, put in the fruit, and cook three minutes. dip the plums and syrup together into the jars. quinces. pare and quarter the fruit, and take out all the cores and the hard place around them. boil the fruit in clear water until tender; then spread it on towels to dry. for one pound of fruit allow half a pound of sugar, and one pint of water for three pounds of sugar. when the syrup is boiling hot, put in the fruit, and let it cook very slowly; or, set it back on the stove so that it hardly cooks at all, and keep it on for an hour or more, if you can without its cooking to pieces-- as the longer it cooks, the brighter red color it will be. put it in jars, and strain the syrup over it, as with other fruits. sour oranges. grate off the rind, cut the orange into two parts, and remove the pulp. weigh the peel, place it in a large stone pot, and cover with brine made of three gallons of water and a quart of salt. let it stand twenty-four hours, and drain off the brine. again cover the peel with brine made of the same quantity of water and half as much salt as was first used, and let it stand another day. drain, cover with clear cold water, and let it stand a third day. drain again, and put in a boiler and cover with fresh cold water. let it come to a boil, and boil fifteen minutes; then take out and drain. make a syrup of three quarts of sugar and one of water, for every six pounds of peel. when the syrup is clear, drop in the peel and boil until it is clear and tender--perhaps four hours of slow boiling. great care must be taken that it is not scorched. it must be stirred every fifteen minutes. the sugar may be either white or brown. the orange used is not the common orange, but the wild, sour fruit, found in florida. the pulp may be used for marmalade. grapes. squeeze the pulp of the grapes out of the skins. cook fee pulp (a few minutes) until you can press it all through a sieve. reject the seeds. add a little water to the skins, and cook until they are quite tender. then put the skins and pulp together. measure; and to each pint add a pound of sugar, and boil fifteen minutes. apple ginger. four pounds each of apple and sugar. make a syrup of the sugar, adding a pint of water. chop the apple very fine--with one ounce of green ginger; or, if you cannot get the green ginger, use white ginger root put in the syrup with the grated rind of four lemons, and boil slowly for two hours, or until it looks clear. raspberry or strawberry jam. for each pound of fruit allow a pound of sugar. mash the fruit in the kettle. boil hard for fifteen minutes; then add the sugar, and boil five minutes. orange marmalade. take equal weights of sour oranges and sugar. grate the yellow rind from a fourth of the oranges. cut all the fruit in halves at what might be called the "equator." pick out the pulp, and free it of seeds. drain off as much juice as you conveniently can, and put it on to boil with the sugar. let it come to a boil. skim, and simmer for about fifteen minutes; then put in the pulp and grated rind and boil fifteen minutes longer. put away in jelly tumblers. quince marmalade. cut up quinces--skins, cores and all, cover with water and boil until tender. rub through a sieve, and to every pint of pulp add one pint of sugar. boil two hours, stirring often. peach, crab-apple and, in feet, all kinds of marmalade may be made in the same manner. currant jelly. wash the currants clean. put them in the preserving kettle and mash them, and boil twenty minutes or more, or until they are thoroughly cooked. dip them, a quart or more at a time, into a strainer cloth, and squeeze out all the juice. measure this, and for each pint allow one pound of sugar. put the juice over the fire, and let it boil rapidly for five minutes; then add the sugar, and let it boil rapidly one minute longer. take off of the fire, skim clear, and put in tumblers. barberry jelly. the barberries need not be stripped from the stems. put the fruit in a kettle with water enough to come just to the top of the fruit, and boil until thoroughly cooked. put in a strainer cloth and get out all the juice. to each pint of it allow one pound of sugar. boil the juice hard for fifteen minutes. add the sugar, and boil rapidly five or ten minutes, or until it is thick. grape jelly. mash the grapes in a kettle, put them over the fire, and cook until thoroughly done. drain through a sieve, but do not press through. to each pint of the juice allow one pound of sugar. boil rapidly for five minutes. add the sugar, and boil rapidly three minutes more. cider apple jelly. cut good, ripe apples in quarters, put them in a kettle, and cover them with _sweet_ cider, just from the press. (it should, if possible, be used the day it is made--or, at any rate, before it has worked at all.) boil until well done, and drain, through a sieve. do not press it through. measure the liquor, and to each pint add one pound of sugar. boil from twenty minutes to half an hour. crab-apple jelly. wash the fruit clean, put in a kettle, cover with water, and boil until thoroughly cooked. then pour it into a sieve, and let it drain. do not press it through. for each pint of this liquor allow one pound of sugar. boil from twenty minutes to half an hour. other jellies. jellies can be made from quinces, peaches and porter apples by following the directions for crab-apple jelly. pickles and ketchup. pickled blueberries. nearly fill a jar with ripe berries, and fill up with good molasses. cover, and set away. in a few weeks they will be ready to use. sweet melons. use ripe citron melons. pare them, cut them in slices and remove the seeds. to five pounds of melon allow two and one-half pounds of sugar and one quart of vinegar. the vinegar and sugar must be heated to the boiling point and poured over the fruit six times, or once on each of six successive days. in the last boiling of the syrup add half an ounce of stick cinnamon, half an ounce of white ginger root and a few cloves. when the syrup boils, put in the melon, and boil ten minutes; then put in jars. skim the syrup clear and pour it over the melon. peaches, pears and sweet apples. for six pounds of fruit use three of sugar, about five dozen cloves and a pint of vinegar. into each apple, pear or peach, stick two cloves. have the syrup hot, and cook until tender. sweet tomato pickle. one peck of green tomatoes and six large onions, sliced. sprinkle with one cupful of salt, and let them stand over night. in the morning drain. add to the tomatoes two quarts of water and one quart of vinegar. boil fifteen minutes; then drain again, and throw this vinegar and water away. add to the pickle two pounds of sugar, two quarts of vinegar, two table-spoonfuls of clove, two of allspice, two of ginger, two of mustard, two of cinnamon, and one teaspoonful of cayenne, and boil fifteen minutes. spiced currants. make a syrup of three pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, two table- spoonfuls of cinnamon, two table-spoonfuls of clove, and half a teaspoonful of salt. add six pounds of currants, and boil half an hour. spiced plums. make a syrup, allowing one pound of sugar to one of plums, and to every three pounds of sugar, a scant pint of vinegar. allow one ounce each of ground cinnamon, cloves, mace and allspice, to a peck of plums. prick the plums. add the spices to the syrup, and pour, boiling, over the plums. let these stand three days; then skim them out, and boil down the syrup until it is quite thick, and pour hot over the plums in the jar in which they are to be kept. cover closely. pickled cucumbers. six hundred small cucumbers, two quarts of peppers, two quarts of small onions. make enough brine to cover the pickles, allowing one pint of salt to four quarts of water, and pour it, boiling, over the pickles. let them stand until the next morning; then pour off the brine, throw it away, make a new one, and scald again. the third morning scald this same brine and pour it over again. the fourth morning rinse the pickles well in cold water, and cover them with boiling vinegar. add a little piece of alum and two table-spoonfuls each of whole cloves and allspice, tied in a bit of muslin, if you like the spice. pickled cucumbers, no. . wash and wipe six hundred small cucumbers and two quarts of peppers. put them in a tub with one and a half cupfuls of salt and a piece of alum as large as an egg. heat to the boiling point three gallons of cider vinegar and three pints of water. add a quarter of a pound each of whole cloves, whole allspice and stick cinnamon, and two ounces of white mustard seed, and pour over the pickles. cover with cabbage leaves. stuffed peppers. get large bell peppers. cut around the stem, remove it, and take out all the seeds. for the stuffing use two quarts of chopped cabbage, a cupful of white mustard seed, three table-spoonfuls of celery seed, two table-spoonfuls of salt, half a cupful of grated horse-radish. fill each pepper with part of this mixture, and into each one put a small onion and a little cucumber. tie the stem on again, put the peppers in a jar, and cover with cold vinegar. mangoes. get small green musk-melons or cantelopes. cut a small square from the side of each one, and, with a teaspoon, scrape out all the seeds. make a brine of one pint of salt to a gallon of water. cover the mangoes with it while it boils. let them stand two days; then drain them, and stuff with the same mixture as is used for peppers. pour boiling vinegar over them, using in it a bit of alum. chopped pickle. one peck of green tomatoes, two quarts of onions and two of peppers. chop all fine, separately, and mix, adding three cupfuls of salt. let them stand over night, and in the morning drain well. add half a pound of mustard seed, two table-spoonfuls of ground allspice, two of ground cloves and one cupful of grated horse-radish. pour over it three quarts of boiling vinegar. pickled tomato. one peck of green tomatoes, a dozen onions, sliced thin; two cupfuls of salt, a small (quarter of a pound) box of mustard, one quarter of a pound of mustard seed, one ounce each of ground allspice, clove and pepper. cut the tomatoes in thin slices, sprinkle with the salt, and let them stand two days; then drain them. mix the spices. put layers of tomato, onion and spice in the kettle, and cover with vinegar. cook slowly until the tomato looks clear--about half an hour. pickled cauliflowers. two cauliflowers, cut up; one pint of small onions, three medium-sized red peppers. dissolve half a pint of salt in water enough to cover the vegetables, and let these stand over night. in the morning drain them. heat two quarts of vinegar with four table-spoonfuls of mustard, until it boils. add the vegetables, and boil for about fifteen minutes, or until a fork can be thrust through the cauliflower. tomato ketchup. twelve ripe tomatoes, peeled; two large onions, four green peppers, chopped fine; two table-spoonfuls of salt, two of brown sugar, two of ginger, one of cinnamon, one of mustard, a nutmeg, grated; four cupfuls of vinegar. boil all together till thoroughly cooked (about three hours), stirring frequently. bottle while hot. tomato ketchup, no, . skin the tomatoes, and cook them well. press them through a sieve, and to each five pints add three pints of good cider vinegar. boil slowly a long while (about two hours), until it begins to thicken; then add one table-spoonful of ground clove, one of allspice, one of cinnamon and one of pepper, and three grated nutmegs. boil until very thick (between six and eight hours), and add two table-spoonfuls of fine salt. when thoroughly cold, bottle, cork and seal it. barberry ketchup. three quarts of barberries, stewed and strained; four quarts of cranberries, one cupful of raisins, a large quince and four small onions, all stewed with a quart of water, and strained. mix these ingredients with the barberries, and add half a cupful of vinegar, three-fourths of a cupful of salt, two cupfuls of sugar, one dessert- spoonful of ground dove and one of ground allspice, two table- spoonfuls of black pepper, two of celery seed, and one of ground mustard, one tea-spoonful of cayenne, one of cinnamon and one of ginger, and a nutmeg. let the whole boil one minute. if too thick, add vinegar or water. with the quantities given, about three quarts of ketchup can be made. potting. for potting, one should have small stone or earthen jars, a little larger at the top than at the bottom, so that the meat may be taken out whole, and then cut in thin slices. all kinds of cooked meats and fish can be potted. the meat must, of course, be well cooked and tender, so that it can be readily pounded to a paste. of the fish, salmon and halibut are the best for potting. when the potted meat or fish is to be served, scrape off all the butter, run a knife between the meat and the jar, and, when the meat is loosened, turn it out on a dish. cut it in thin slices, and garnish with parsley; or, serve it whole, and slice it at the table. the butter that covered meats can be used for basting roasted meats, and that which covered fish can be used for basting baking fish. beef. three pounds of the upper part of the round of beef, half a cupful of butter, one table-spoonful of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper, a speck of cayenne, one-eighth of a teaspoonful of mace, the same quantity of clove, a bouquet of sweet herbs, three table- spoonfuls of water. cut the meat in small pieces and put it in a jar with the water, herbs and seasoning. mix one cupful of flour with water enough to make a stiff paste. cover the mouth of the jar with paper, and spread over this the paste. place the jar in a pan of hot water and put in a moderate oven for five hours. take up and remove the cover and herbs. pound the meat to a paste, add half of the butter to it, and when thoroughly mixed, pack solidly in small jars. melt the remainder of the butter and pour it over the meat. paste paper over the jars, put on the covers, and set away in a cool, dry place. veal may be potted in the same manner, omitting the clove. chicken. one quart of cold roasted chicken, one cupful of cold boiled ham, four table-spoonfuls of butter, a speck of cayenne, a slight grating of nutmeg, and two teaspoonfuls of salt. free the chicken of skin and bones. cut it and the ham in fine pieces. chop, and pound to a paste. add the butter and seasoning, and pack solidly in small stone pots. cover these, and place them in a pan of hot water, which put in a moderate oven for one hour. when the meat is cold, cover with melted butter, and put away in a cool, dry place. tongue. pound cold boiled tongue to a paste, and season with salt, pepper and a speck of cayenne. to each pint of the paste add one table-spoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of mixed mustard. pack closely in little stone jars. place these in a moderate oven in a pan of hot water. cook half an hour. when cool, cover the tongue with melted butter. cover, and put away. ham. cut all the meat, fat and lean, from the remains of a boiled ham, being careful not to mix with it either the outside pieces or the gristle. chop very fine, and pound to a paste with the vegetable masher. to each pint of the paste add one teaspoonful of mixed mustard and a speck of cayenne, and, if there was not much fat on the meat, one table-spoonful of butter, pack this smoothly in small earthen jars. paste paper over these, and put on the covers. place the pots in a baking pan, which, when in the oven, should be filled with hot water. bake slowly two hours. cool with, the covers on. when cold, take off the covers and pour melted butter over the meat. cover again, and set away in a cool place. the ham will keep for months. it is a nice relish for tea, and makes delicious sandwiches. marbled veal. trim all the roots and tough parts from a boiled pickled tongue, which chop and pound to a paste. have two quarts of cold roasted or boiled veal chopped and pounded to a paste. mix two table-spoonfuls of butter and a speck of cayenne with the tongue, and with the veal mix four table-spoonfuls of butter, one of salt, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of pepper and a speck of mace. butter a deep earthen dish. put a layer of the veal in it and pack down solidly; then put spoonfuls of the tongue here and there on the veal, and fill in the spaces with veal. continue this until all the meat has been used, and pack very solidly. cover the dish, and place it in the oven in a pan of water. cook one hour. when cold, pour melted butter over it. cover, and set away. fish. take any kind of cooked fish and free it of skin and bones. to each quart of fish add one table-spoonful of essence of anchovy, three of butter, two teaspoonfuls of salt, a little white pepper and a speck of cayenne. pound the fish to a paste before adding the butter and anchovy. when all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, pack the fish closely in little size jars. place these in a pan of water and put in a moderate oven. cook forty-five minutes. when cold, pour melted butter over the fish. paste paper over the top, and set way. lobster. prepare and pot lobster the same as fish. if there is "coral" in the lobster, pound it with the meat. mackerel. nine pounds of small mackerel (about twenty-five in number), one ounce of whole cloves, one of pepper-corns, one of whole allspice, six teaspoonfuls of salt, three pints of vinegar. wash the mackerel and pack them in small, deep earthen or stone pots. three will be needed for the quantities given. divide the spice into six parts. put each portion in a small piece of muslin, and tie. sprinkle two teaspoonfuls of salt on the fish in each pot, and put two of the little bags of spice in each pot. cover the fish with the vinegar; and if there should not be enough, use more. cover the pots with old plates, and place in a moderate oven. bake the fish four hours. cool, and put away in the pots in which they were baked. they will keep five or six months. where oil is liked, half a cupful can be added to each pot with the vinegar. any kind of small fish can be potted in this manner. smelts. six dozen smelts, one pint of olive oil, three pints of vinegar, or enough to cover the smelts; three table-spoonfuls of salt. spice the same as potted mackerel, and prepare and cook the same as mackerel. more or less oil can be used. smelts are almost as nice as sardines. breakfast and tea. meat hash. chop rather fine any kind of cold meat; corned beef is, however, the best. to each pint add one pint and a half of cold boiled potatoes, chopped fine; one table-spoonful of butter and one cupful of stock; or, if no stock is on hand, two-thirds of a cupful of hot water. season with salt and pepper to taste. put the mixture in a frying-pan, and stir over the fire for about eight minutes, being careful not to burn. spread smoothly. cover the pan and set back where the hash will brown slowly. it will take about half an hour. when done, fold it like an omelet and turn on to a hot dish. garnish with points of toast and parsley. serve hot. if there are no cold potatoes, the same quantity of hot mashed potatoes may be used. vegetable hash. chop, not very fine, the vegetables left from a boiled dinner, and season them with salt and pepper. to each quart of the chopped vegetables add half a cupful of stock and one table-spoonful of butter. heat slowly in the frying-pan. turn into a hot dish when done, and serve immediately. if vinegar is liked, two or more table- spoonfuls of it can be stirred into the hash while it is heating. breaded sausages. wipe the sausages dry. dip them in beaten egg and bread crumbs. put them in the frying-basket and plunge into boiling fat. cook ten minutes. serve with a garnish of toasted bread and parsley. meat fritters. cut any kind of cold meat into dice. season well with salt and pepper. make a fritter batter. take up some of it in a large spoon, put a small spoonful of the meat in the centre, cover with batter, and slide gently into boiling fat. cook about one minute. drain on brown paper, and serve on a hot dish. lyonnaise tripe. about one pound of cooked tripe, cut in small pieces; two table- spoonfuls of butter, one of chopped onion, one of vinegar, salt, pepper. put the onion and butter in a frying-pan, and when the onion turns yellow, put in the tripe. cook five minutes. season with the salt, pepper and vinegar. serve on slices of toast. meat and potato sandwiches. any kind of cold meat, cut in slices and seasoned with salt and pepper; four large potatoes, two eggs, salt, pepper, one-forth of a cupful of boiling milk, one table-spoonful of butter. have the meat cut in thin slices and seasoned with salt and pepper. pare, boil and mash the potatoes. add the milk, butter, salt, pepper and one well- beaten egg. cover the slices of meat on both sides with this preparation, and dip in well-beaten egg. put in the frying-basket and fry till a light brown. serve on a hot dish. minced veal and eggs. one quart of cold veal, chopped rather coarse; one teaspoonful of lemon juice, one cupful of stock or water, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of flour, salt, pepper. melt the butter in a frying-pan. add the flour to it. stir until smooth, and add the stock and seasoning. when it boils up, add the chopped veal. heat thoroughly, and dish on slices of toast. put a dropped egg in the centre of each slice, and serve very hot. mutton, réchauffé. cut cold roasted or boiled mutton in slices about half an inch thick, and cover both sides with sauce made in this way: put two table- spoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan, and when melted, add one of flour. stir until smooth. add, gradually, one cupful of stock, and two table-spoonfuls of glaze. boil for one minute, and stir in the yolks of two eggs. season with salt, pepper and one table-spoonful of lemon juice, and remove from the fire at once. season the mutton with salt and pepper, and as soon as the sauce begins to cool, dip both sides of the slices in it, and roll them in fine bread crumbs. beat one whole egg and the two whites together. dip the sauced mutton in this and again in the crumbs. fry in boiling fat for two minutes. drain on brown paper, and serve with either tomato, tartare or hollandaise sauce. any kind of cold meat can be served in this manner. chicken in jelly. a little cold chicken (about one pint), one cupful of water or stock, one-fifth of a box of gelatine, half a teaspoonful of curry powder, salt, pepper. cut the meat from the bones of a chicken left from dinner. put the bones on with water to cover, and boil down to one cupful put the gelatine to soak in one-fourth of a cupful of cold water. when the stock is reduced as much as is necessary, strain and season. add the curry and chicken. season, and simmer ten minutes; then add the gelatine, and stir on the table until it is dissolved. turn all into a mould, and set away to harden. this makes a nice relish for tea or lunch. if you have mushrooms, omit the curry, and cut four of them into dice. stir into the mixture while cooking. this dish can be varied by using the whites of hard-boiled eggs, or bits of boiled ham. to serve: dip the mould in warm water, and turn out on the dish. garnish with parsley. chicken cutlets. season pieces of cold chicken or turkey with salt and pepper. dip in melted butter; let this cool on the meat, and dip in beaten egg and in fine bread crumbs. fry in butter till a delicate brown. serve on slices of hot toast, with either a white or curry sauce poured around. pieces of cold veal make a nice dish, if prepared in this manner. broiled liver. cut in slices and dip in melted butter, and lightly in flour. broil over a bright fire eight or ten minutes. liver, fried in crumbs. season slices with salt and pepper. dip in beaten egg and very fine cracker crumbs. fry six minutes in boiling lard. liver and bacon. cut in slices, season with salt and pepper, and cut again into small squares. place on a skewer pieces of liver and bacon, alternating. fry five minutes in boiling fat. slip off of the skewer on to toasted bread, and serve immediately. liver, sauté. cut the liver in _thin_ slices. season with salt and pepper. heat together in a small frying-pan two table-spoonfuls of butter and a large one of flour. lay in the liver, and brown it on both sides. add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, two table-spoonfuls of water and one of wine. taste to see if salt enough. boil up once, and serve. liver, sauté, with piquant sauce. cut the liver in slices about one-third of an inch thick, and if beef liver, let it stand in warm water ten minutes (calves' livers will not need this). drain dry, and put in the frying-pan with enough beef or pork drippings to prevent its sticking, and cook very slowly for eight minutes, turning constantly. take up on a hot dish and pour a piquant sauce over it. serve immediately. curry of liver. cut the liver in small, thin pieces, and for every pound have four table-spoonfuls of butter, two slices of onion, two table-spoonfuls of flour, a speck of cayenne, salt, pepper, one teaspoonful of curry powder. let the butter get hot; then cook the liver in it slowly for four minutes. add the flour and other ingredients. cook two minutes, and add, slowly, one cupful of stock. let this boil up. dish, and serve. chicken livers, sauté. wash and wipe six livers. put two table-spoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan, and when hot, add a large slice of onion, which cook slowly ten minutes, and then take out. dredge the livers with salt, pepper and flour, and fry for ten minutes in the butter; add one teaspoonful of flour, and cook a minute longer. pour in half a cupful of stock, one tea-spoonful of lemon juice, one of vinegar and one- fourth of a spoonful of sugar, and boil up once. serve with a garnish of toasted bread. chicken livers and bacon. cut the livers in pieces the size of a half dollar, and have thin slices of bacon of the same size. nearly fill a small wire skewer with these, alternating. place in the frying basket and plunge into boiling fat for about one minute. serve on the skewers, or on toast, with thin slices of lemon for a garnish. or, the skewers can be rested on the sides of a narrow baking pan and placed in a hot oven for five minutes. serve as before. the livers of all other kinds of poultry can be cooked the same as chicken. chicken livers in papillotes. wash the livers and drop them into boiling water for one minute. take them up; and when drained, split them. for eight livers put two table- spoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan, and when hot, add one table- spoonful of flour. stir until smooth; then gradually add half a cupful of cold water. stir into this two spoonfuls of glaze, if you have it. season with pepper and salt, and stir into the sauce half a cupful of finely-chopped ham. spread this mixture on the livers, place them in _papillotes_ the same as cutlets, lay them in a pan, and put in a slow oven for fifteen minutes. have little squares of toast or of fried brown bread. heap these in the centre of a hot dish, and arrange the livers around them. serve very hot. stewed kidneys. cut the kidneys in thin round slices. cover them with cold water and let them stand half an hour; then wash them clean, and put them in a stew-pan with one quart of water or stock, a clove, two table- spoonfuls of onion juice, and salt and pepper. simmer two hours. put one table-spoonful of butter in the frying-pan, and when hot, add one of flour. stir until it is brown and smooth, and add to the kidneys. put a small bouquet of sweet herbs in the stew-pan, and simmer half an hour longer. taste to see if seasoned enough; if not, add more salt and pepper, and, if you like, one table-spoonful of lemon juice. take out the bouquet, and serve. this dish can be prepared any time in the day, as it is quite as good warmed over as when first prepared. kidneys, sauté. skin, wash and wipe the kidneys, cut in thin, round slices, and season with salt and pepper. put one table-spoonful of butter and half a table-spoonful of flour in the frying-pan, and when hot, put in the kidneys. stir two minutes, then add half a cupful of stock or water. when the dish boils up, add half a table-spoonful of lemon juice. serve with a garnish of points of toast. broiled kidneys. skin, wash, wipe and split sheep's or lambs' kidneys. run a small skewer through each, to keep it open. season with salt and pepper, dip in melted butter and in flour, place in the double broiler and cook six minutes over a bright fire. serve on a hot dish. kidneys à la maître d'hôtel. split and cut in two, lengthwise, lambs' or sheep's kidneys. wash and wipe them. season with salt and pepper, and dip in melted butter and fine bread crumbs. run a small skewer through each, to keep it open. put them in the double broiler and cook about six minutes over a bright fire. serve on a hot dish with _maître d'hôtel_ butter. ham and eggs on toast. chop fine the trimmings from cold boiled or roasted ham. toast and butter slices of stale bread. spread the ham on these, and place in the oven for about three minutes. beat six eggs with half a cupful of milk, a little pepper and one teaspoonful of salt. put this mixture in a sauce-pan with two table-spoonfuls of butter, and stir over the fire until it begins to thicken. take off, and beat for a moment; then spread on the ham and toast. serve immediately. ham croquettes. one cupful of finely-chopped cooked ham, one of bread crumbs, two of hot mashed potatoes, one large table-spoonful of butter, three eggs, a speck of cayenne. beat the ham, cayenne, butter, and two of the eggs into the potato. let the mixture cool slightly, and shape it like croquettes. roll in the bread crumbs, dip in beaten egg and again in crumbs, put in the frying-basket and plunge into boiling fat. cook two minutes. drain, and serve. canapees. after cutting the crust from a loaf of stale bread, cut the loaf in very thin slices, and toast to a delicate brown. butter lightly, and spread with any kind of potted meat or fish. put two slices together, and, with a sharp knife, cut them in long strips. arrange these tastefully on a dish and serve at tea or evening parties. sardines may be pounded to a paste and mixed with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, also pounded to a paste, and used instead of potted meats. in this case, the slices of bread may be fried in salad oil. welsh rare-bit. half a pound of cheese, two eggs, a speck of cayenne, a table-spoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of mustard, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a cupful of cream. break the cheese in small pieces and put it and the other ingredients in a bright sauce-pan, which put over boiling water. stir until the cheese melts; then spread the mixture on slices of crisp toast. serve immediately. a cupful of ale or beer can be used instead of the cream. welsh, rare-bit, no. . grate one pint of cheese. sprinkle on it half a teaspoonful of mustard, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt and a speck of cayenne. heap this on slices of buttered toast. put in the hot oven for a few moments, and when the cheese begins to melt, serve at once. corn pie. four ears of cold boiled corn, two eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, one of flour, half a cupful of milk, half a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper. cut the corn from the cobs. mix the milk, gradually, with the flour. beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately, and add them and the other ingredients to the flour and milk. the butter should be melted. bake twenty minutes in two squash pie plates. this is a dish for breakfast. hominy. wash a cupful of hominy in two waters; then stir it into one quart of boiling water, with a teaspoonful of salt, and boil from thirty to sixty minutes. the latter time is the better. be careful that the hominy does not burn. it can be used more than oatmeal, as it is good with any kind of meat. it is appropriate for any meal, and is nice eaten warm or cold with milk. oatmeal. oatmeal, indian meal and hominy an require two things for perfection-- plenty of water when put on to boil, and a long time for boiling. have about two quarts of boiling water in a large stew-pan, and into it stir a cupful of oatmeal, which has been wet with cold water. boil one hour, stirring often, and then add half a spoonful of salt, and boil an hour longer. if it should get too stiff, add more boiling water; or, if too thin, boil a little longer. you cannot boil too much. the only trouble in cooking oatmeal is that it takes a long time, but surely this should not stand in the way when it is so much better for having the extra time. if there is not an abundance of water at first the oatmeal will not be very good, no matter how much maybe added during the cooking. cracked wheat is cooked in the same way. strawberry short-cake. one pint of flour, measured before sifting; one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, four of butter, one tea-cupful of milk. mix the other dry ingredients with the flour, and rub through a sieve. rub the butter into the mixture, and add the milk. butter two tin squash-pie plates. spread the mixture in them, and bake in a quick oven from eighteen to twenty minutes. mash one quart of strawberries with three-fourths of a cupful of sugar. when the cakes are taken from the oven, split and butter them, and put half of the strawberries and sugar in each cake. serve immediately. sweet strawberry short-cake. three eggs, one cupful of sugar, two of flour, one table-spoonful of butter, one scant teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a small half teaspoonful of soda. beat the butter and sugar together. add the eggs, well beaten. mix the soda and cream of tartar with the flour, and rub through a sieve. stir into the beaten egg and sugar. bake in deep tin plates. four can be filled with the quantities given. have three pints of strawberries mixed with a cupful of sugar. spread a layer of strawberries on one of the cakes, lay a second cake over this, and cover with berries. or, a mèringue, made with the white of an egg and a table-spoonful of powdered sugar, may be spread over the top layer of strawberries, muffins and cakes. english muffins. one quart of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one-third of a cake of compressed yeast, or one-third of a cupful of liquid yeast; one cupful and a half of water. have the water blood warm. dissolve the yeast in one-third of a cupful of cold water. add it and the salt to the warm water, and gradually stir into the flour. beat the dough thoroughly; cover, and let it rise in a warm place until it is spongy (about five hours). sprinkle the bread board with flour. shape the dough into balls about twice the size of an egg, and drop them on the floured board. when all the dough has been shaped, roll the balls into cakes about one-third of an inch thick. lay these on a warm griddle, which has been lightly greased, and put the griddle on the back of the stove, where there is not much heat. when the cakes have risen a little, draw the griddle forward and cook them slowly, turning often, to keep the flat shape. it will take about twenty minutes for them to rise on the griddle, and fifteen to cook. tear them apart, butter them, and serve. muffins, no. . one quart of flour, two cupfuls of milk, half a cupful of sugar, two eggs, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of soda, half a teaspoonful of salt, butter the size of an egg. mix the other dry ingredients with the flour, and rub through a sieve. melt the butter with four table-spoonfuls of boiling water. beat the eggs light, and add the milk. stir into the flour, and add the butter. beat thoroughly. bake in buttered muffin pans from twenty-five to thirty minutes, in a quick oven. muffins, no. . one cupful of milk, one of flour, one teaspoonful of sugar, a scant half teaspoonful of salt, two eggs. beat the eggs light, and add the milk, salt and sugar. pour gradually on the flour. beat till light and smooth. pour into buttered muffin pans and bake in a _hot_ oven for twenty minutes. raised muffins. one pint of warm milk, half a cake of compressed yeast, or half a cupful of liquid yeast; one quart of flour, one table-spoonful of butter. beat two eggs well, and add them and the salt, butter and yeast to the milk. stir gradually into the flour. beat until the batter is light and smooth. let it rise four hours in a warm place. fill buttered muffin pans two-thirds to the top with the batter, and let them stand until the batter has risen to the brim. bake half an hour. graham muffins. into a bowl put one and a half pints of graham, half a cupful of sugar, and a teaspoonful of salt. into a sieve put half a pint of flour, a teaspoonful of saleratus and two of cream of tartar. mix thoroughly with the flour, and sift on to the material in the bowl. mix all thoroughly while dry, and add two well-beaten eggs and a pint of milk. fill muffin cups about two-thirds to the top, and bake in a quick oven. raised graham muffins. these are made the same as graham bread. fill tin muffin pans two- thirds to the brim and let the mixture rise to the top. this will take an hour. bake in a rather quick oven for twenty minutes. corn muffins. one pint of flour, one of indian meal, one-third of a cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of soda, two of cream of tartar, two eggs, a pint of milk, one table-spoonful of melted butter. mix the dry ingredients together, and sift them. beat the eggs light, add the milk to them, and stir into the dry ingredients. bake twenty minutes in buttered muffin pans. two dozen muffins can be made with the quantities given. fried indian muffins. one pint of indian meal, one pint of _boiling_ water, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, one table-spoonful of sugar, one heaping table-spoonful of flour. pour the boiling water gradually on the meal, salt and sugar. beat thoroughly, and set away in a cool place. in the morning add the eggs, well beaten, and the flour. dip a table-spoon in cold milk, fill it with batter, and drop this into boiling fat cook ten minutes. corn cake. one quart of milk, one pint of indian meal, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, butter the size of an english walnut. let the milk come to a boil, and gradually pour it on the meal add the butter and salt, and beat well, and set away in a cool place. do this at night. in the morning beat thoroughly. beat the eggs well, and add them. pour the mixture into buttered deep earthen plates. bake from twenty to thirty minutes. success depends upon a good, beating of the cake in the morning. corn cake, no. . two tea-cupfuls of corn meal, one of flour, three of sour milk, two eggs, one table-spoonful of sugar, or of molasses, if you prefer; one teaspoonful of soda, one of salt. mix together the sugar, salt, meal and flour. beat the eggs light. dissolve the soda in two table- spoonfuls of boiling water, and pour into the sour milk. stir well, and add to the other mixed ingredients. add the eggs, and mix thoroughly. pour into buttered tins to the depth of about an inch and a half. bake twenty-five minutes in a quick oven. raised corn cake. one pint of indian meal, one pint and a half of boiling milk or water, one table-spoonful of sugar, two of butter, an egg, one teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of a cake of compressed yeast or one-fourth of a cupful of liquid yeast. pour the boiling milk, gradually, on the meal; then add the salt, sugar and butter, and beat well. set away to cool. when blood warm, add the compressed yeast, dissolved in two table- spoonfuls of cold water, or the liquid yeast, and the egg, well beaten. let the batter rise five hours. turn into buttered pans to the depth of about two niches. let it stand in a warm place for half an hour, and then bake it from thirty-five to forty-five minutes. thin corn cake. one cupful of indian meal, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, butter the size of an egg, one cupful and a half of boiling water, one teaspoonful of sugar. pour the boiling water on the meal, sugar and salt. beat thoroughly. add the butter, and, when well mixed, spread _very_ thin on buttered tin sheets. bake slowly for about twenty minutes. rye muffins. one pint of rye meal, not flour; one pint of wheat flour, one pint of milk, half a cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one of soda, two of cream of tartar and two eggs. put the meal in a mixing bowl. put the flour and other ingredients in a sieve, and mix thoroughly, and sift. beat the eggs light. add the milk to them and pour on the dry ingredients. beat well. butter the muffin tins and bake twenty minutes is a quick oven. the quantities given will make twenty-four muffins. to make a less quantity, divide the dry mixture after it is prepared (it can be used whenever it may be wanted if it is kept dry); then halve the other ingredients. fried rye muffin. one cupful and a half of rye meal, one cupful and a half of flour, one cupful of milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful of soda, two of cream of tartar, two generous table-spoonfuls of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt. put the meal in a large bowl. put the flour, cream of tartar, soda, sugar and salt in the sieve, and rub through on to the meal. beat the eggs well, add the milk to them, and stir into the dry ingredients. fry the same as indian muffins. rice muffins. one pint of milk, one quart of flour, one pint of boiled rice, three eggs, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one of soda, two of cream of tartar. mix the sugar, salt, soda and cream of tartar with the flour, and rub through a sieve. beat the eggs and add to the milk. stir gradually into the flour. when a smooth, light paste, add the rice. beat thoroughly. bake thirty-five minutes in buttered pans. three dozen muffins can be made from the quantities given. raised rice muffins. one pint of warm milk, two cupfuls of warm boiled rice, one quart of bread flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one-third of a cake of compressed yeast. mix the butter, rice and milk together. pour the mixture on the flour, and beat till a light batter is formed. mix the yeast with four table-spoonfuls of cold water, and add it and the salt to the batter, which let rise over night in a cool place. in the morning fill buttered muffin pans two-thirds to the top, and set them in a warm place till the batter has so risen as to fill the tins. bake thirty-five minutes. one-third of a cupful of liquid yeast may be substituted for the compressed yeast. hominy muffins. a pint of milk, a quart of haxall flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one-third of a cake of compressed yeast, or one-third of a cupful of liquid yeast; half a cupful of hominy, measured before cooking. wash the hominy, and add a pint of boiling water. boil one hour, stirring often. then add the milk, salt, yeast and butter. pour this, gradually, on the flour, beating well. let it rise over night in the morning put in buttered muffin pans and let rise from half to three-quarters of an hour. bake thirty-five minutes. the muffins may be put to rise in the morning for tea. gems. one pint of flour, one of milk, an egg, half a teaspoonful of salt. beat the egg until light, add the milk and salt to it, and beat, gradually, into the flour. bake twenty minutes in hot gem pans. a dozen cakes can be made with the quantities given. hominy drop-cakes. one pint of fresh boiled hominy (or, cold hominy may be used; if the latter, break into grains, as lightly as possible, with a fork, and heat in a farina kettle without adding water), one table-spoonful of water, two eggs--whites and yolks beaten separately. stir the yolks into the hominy first, then the whites, and a teaspoonful of salt, if the hominy has not been salted in cooking; or, if it has, use half a teaspoonful. drop, in table-spoonfuls, on well-buttered tin sheets, and bake to a good brown in a quick oven. squash biscuit. one cupful and a half of sifted squash, half a cupful of sugar, half a cake of compressed yeast, or half a cupful of liquid yeast; one cupful of milk, half a teaspoonful of salt, four table-spoonfuls of butter, five cupfuls of flour. dissolve the yeast in a scant half cupful of cold water. mix it and the milk, butter, sugar, salt and squash together, and stir into the flour. knead well, and let it rise over night in the morning shape into biscuit. let these rise an hour and a half, and bake them half an hour. sally lunn. one quart of flour, one generous pint of milk, two table-spoonfuls of sugar, two eggs, three table-spoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, half a cake of compressed yeast. have the milk blood warm, and add the butter, melted; the eggs, well beaten; and the yeast, dissolved in three table-spoonfuls of cold water. pour, gradually, on the flour, and beat into a smooth batter; then add the salt and sugar. butter baking pans, and pour in the batter to the depth of about two inches. let it rise two hours in a warm place. bake half an hour. snow pancakes. half a pint of milk, an egg, an apple, pared, quartered, and chopped very fine; a cupful and a half of flour, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, a bowl of snow. beat the egg light, and add the milk to it. pour gradually on the flour, and beat until smooth and light add the apple and salt, and at the last moment the snow. drop by spoonfuls into boiling fat, and cook until a rich brown. waffles. one pint of sifted flour, milk enough to make a thin batter (about two-thirds of a pint), two eggs, beaten very light; a table-spoonful of melted butter, and a little salt. gradually mix the milk with the flour until there is a smooth paste; then add the salt and butter, and lastly the eggs. have waffle irons about as hot as a griddle for cakes, and butter them well, or grease with pork as you would a griddle. pour in enough of the batter to cover an iron, and put the other side gently down upon it. keep over the fire about half a minute; then turn over, and let the other side remain to the fire the same time. remove, and place the waffles where they will keep warm until enough are cooked to serve. many people butter the waffles as they place them on the dish, and others add sugar. this is very well if known to be to the taste of the family, but it is always safe to let each suit himself at the table. waffles, no. . one pint of milk, two eggs, two table-spoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, one scant pint and a half of flour. mix the other dry ingredients with the flour, and rub through a sieve. beat the eggs very light. add the milk and the butter, which should be melted with two table-spoonfuls of boiling water. stir into the flour. raised waffles. one pint of milk, one pint and a half of flour, an egg, a teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth of a yeast cake, or one-fourth of a cupful of liquid yeast. dissolve the yeast in two table-spoonfuls of cold water. have the milk blood warm, and add to it the yeast, salt and the egg, well beaten. stir gradually into the flour. cover, and let it rise four hours. cook as usual. indian waffles. half a cupful of indian meal, two cupfuls of boiling milk, two eggs, one generous cupful of flour, one table-spoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of baking powder, half a teaspoonful of salt. pour the boiling milk on the meal and butter. beat well, and set away to cool. mix the other dry ingredients with, the flour, and sift. beat the eggs, and add them and the flour to the cold mixture. rice waffles. stir two cupfuls of boiled rice into the mixture for waffles, no. . hominy waffles can be made in the same way. flannel cakes. one cupful of indian meal, two of flour, three of boiling milk, one- fourth of a yeast cake, or one-fourth of a cupful of liquid yeast; one teaspoonful of salt, one table-spoonful of sugar, two of butter. have the milk boiling, and pour it on the meal and butter. when cool, add the flour, salt, sugar and the yeast, which has been dissolved in four table-spoonfuls of cold water. let the mixture rise over night. fry like griddle-cakes. graham griddle-cakes. two cupfuls of graham, one of flour, two and a half of milk, one table-spoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, two eggs. let half the milk come to a boil. pour it on the graham, and stir until perfectly smooth; then add the cold milk, and set away to cool. mix the other dry ingredients with the flour, and rub through a sieve. add with the eggs, well beaten, to the graham and milk. rye griddle-cakes are made the same way. squash griddle-cakes. one pint of flour, nearly a pint of milk, two eggs, one tea-spoonful of cream of tartar, half as much soda, four table-spoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, two cupfuls of sifted squash. mix the flour with the other dry ingredients, and rub through a sieve. beat the eggs well, add them and the milk to the squash, and pour on the flour. beat till smooth and light. this gives a thin batter. if the cakes are liked thick a little more flour may be used. fry as usual. indian griddle-oakes. one cupful of indian meal, one of flour, three of boiling milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, one of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda, two table-spoonfuls of sugar. have the milk boiling, and, gradually, pour it on the meal. put the other dry ingredients with the flour, and rub through a sieve. when the scalded meal is cool, add to it the flour and the eggs, well beaten. hominy griddle-cakes. to a pint of warm boiled hominy add a pint of milk or water and a pint of flour. beat two or three eggs and stir into the batter with a little salt fry as any other griddle-cakes. they are delicious. eggs. omelets. there is no better form in which to serve eggs than as an omelet, but so few people make a good omelet that that is one of the last things the inexperienced housekeeper or cook will attempt. yet the making is a simple operation, the cause of failure usually being that the pan for cooking is not hot enough, and too much egg is put in at one time. when there is too much egg in the pan, one part will be cooked hard before the other is heated through. a pan measuring eight inches in diameter will cook an omelet made with four eggs; if more eggs are used, a larger pan is necessary. plain omelet. four eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, two table-spoonfuls of milk, one table-spoonful of butter. beat the eggs with a dover, or any other good egg beater, and add the salt and milk. have the pan _very hot_. put in the spoonful of butter and pour in the beaten egg. shake vigorously on the hottest part of the stove until the egg begins to thicken; then let it stand a few seconds to brown. run the knife between the sides of the omelet and the pan, fold, and turn on a _hot_ dish. serve without delay. quaker omelet. a quaker omelet is a handsome and sure dish when care is taken in the preparation. three eggs, half a cupful of milk, one and a half table- spoonfuls of corn-starch, one tea-spoonful of salt, one table- spoonful of butter. put the omelet pan, and a cover that will fit closely, on to heat. beat well together the yolks of the eggs, the corn-starch and the salt. beat the whites to a stiff froth. add to the well-beaten yolks and corn-starch. stir all together very thoroughly, and add the milk. put the butter in the hot pan. when melted, pour in the mixture. cover, and place on the stove where it will brown, but not burn. cook about seven minutes. fold, turn on a hot dish, and serve with cream sauce poured around it. if the yolks and corn-starch are thoroughly beaten, and if, when the stiff whites are added, they are well mixed, and the pan and cover are very hot, there can hardly be failure. cheese omelet. make the same as plain omelet, and as soon as it begins to thicken, sprinkle in three table-spoonfuls of grated cheese. ham omelet. the same as plain omelet, and add three tablespoonfuls of cooked ham, chopped rather fine, as soon as it begins to thicken. chicken omelet. the same as plain omelet, and, just before folding, add one cupful of cooked chicken, cut rather fine, and warmed in cream sauce. jelly omelet. a jelly omelet is made like the others, and, just before folding, spread with any kind of jelly (currant or grape is the best, however). fold quickly, and serve. savory omelet. this is made like a plain omelet, with the addition of salt and one table-spoonful of chopped parsley. a little grated onion may be used also, if you like it. fish omelet. boil a shad roe twenty minutes in salt and water. chop it fine, and add to it a cupful of any kind of cold fish, broken fine. season with salt and pepper, and warm in a cupful of cream sauce. make a plain omelet with six eggs. when ready to fold, spread the prepared fish on it. roll up, dish, and serve immediately. corn omelet. one pint of cold boiled corn, four eggs, half a cupful of milk, one teaspoonful and a half of salt, a little pepper, three table-spoonfuls of butter. beat the eggs, and add to them the salt, pepper, milk and corn. fry like a plain omelet. baked omelet. one pint and a half of milk, four eggs, one table-spoonful of flour, one of butter, one teaspoonful of salt. let the milk come to a boil. mix the butter and flour together. pour the boiling milk on the mixture, which then cook five minutes, stirring all the while. put away to cool. when cooled, add the salt and the eggs, the yolks and whites having been beaten separately. pour into a buttered dish, and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. serve at once. the dish should hold a little more than a quart. dropped eggs, have one quart of boiling water and one table-spoonful of salt in a frying-pan. break the eggs, one by one, into a saucer, and slide carefully into the salted water. cook until the white is firm, and lift out with a griddle-cake turner and place on toasted bread. serve immediately. scrambled eggs. four eggs, one table-spoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs, and add the salt to them. melt the butter in a sauce- pan. turn in the beaten eggs, stir quickly over a hot fire for one minute, and serve. poached eggs. two eggs, two table-spoonfuls of milk, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of butter. beat the eggs, and add the salt and milk. put the butter in a small sauce-pan, and when it melts, add the eggs. stir over the fire until the mixture thickens, being careful not to let it cook hard. about two minutes will cook it. the eggs, when done, should be soft and creamy. serve immediately. soft-boiled eggs. place the eggs in a warm saucepan, and cover with _boiling_ water. let them stand where they will keep hot, but _not_ boil, for ten minutes. this method will cook both whites and yolks. soft-boiled eggs, no. . put the eggs in boiling water, and boil three minutes and a half. by this method the white of the egg is hardened so quickly that the heat does not penetrate to the yolk until the last minute, and consequently the white is hard and the yolk hardly cooked enough. the first method is, therefore, the more healthful. hard-boiled eggs. put the eggs in hot water to cover, and boil twenty minutes. ten minutes will boil them hard, but they are not so digestible as when boiled twenty. ten minutes makes the yolks hard and soggy; twenty makes them light and mealy. spanish eggs. cook one cupful of rice thirty minutes in two quarts of boiling water, to which has been added one table-spoonful of salt. drain through a colander, and add one table-spoonful of butter. spread very lightly on a hot platter. on the rice place six dropped eggs, and serve. eggs sur le plat. little stone china dishes come expressly for this mode of serving eggs. heat and butter the dish, and break into it two eggs, being careful not to break the yolks. sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and drop on them half a teaspoonful of butter, broken in small pieces. place in a moderately-hot oven until the white is set, which will be in about five minutes. there should be a dish for each person. the flavor can be changed by sprinkling a little finely-chopped ham or parsley on the plate before putting in the eggs. creamed eggs. boil six eggs twenty minutes. make one pint of cream sauce. have six slices of toast on a hot dish. put a layer of sauce on each one, and then part of the whites of the eggs, cut in thin strips; and rub part of the yolks through a sieve on to the toast. repeat this, and finish with a third layer of sauce. place in the oven for about three minutes. garnish with parsley, and serve. stuffed eggs. cut six hard-boiled eggs in two. take out the yolks and mash them fine. add two teaspoonfuls of butter, one of cream, two or three drops of onion juice, and salt and pepper to taste. mix all thoroughly. fill the eggs from the mixture, and put them together. there will be a little filling left, to which add a well-beaten egg. cover the other eggs with this last preparation, and roll in cracker crumbs. fry in _boiling_ lard till a light brown. scotch eggs. one cupful of cooked lean ham, chopped very fine; one-third of a cupful of stale bread crumbs, one-third of a cupful of milk, half a teaspoonful of mixed mustard, cayenne enough to cover a silver five- cent piece, one raw egg, and six hard-boiled. cook the bread and milk together until a smooth paste. add to the ham, and add the seasoning and raw egg. mix thoroughly. break the shells from the hard-boiled eggs, and cover with this mixture. put in a frying basket, and plunge into boiling fat for two minutes. these are nice for lunch, tea, or picnics. eggs, brouillé. six eggs, half a cupful of milk, or, better still, of cream; two mushrooms, one teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, three table- spoonfuls of butter, a slight grating of nutmeg. cut the mushrooms into dice, and fry them for one minute in one table-spoonful of the butter. beat the eggs, salt, pepper, and cream together, and put them in a saucepan. add the butter and mushrooms to these ingredients. stir over a moderate heat until the mixture begins to thicken. take from the fire and beat rapidly until the eggs become quite thick and creamy. have slices of toast on a hot dish. heap the mixture on these, and garnish with points of toast. serve immediately. economical dishes. calf's liver, braised. wash and wipe a calf's liver. lard one side of it. cover the bottom of the braising pan with slices of salt pork, using about a quarter of a pound. cut an onion and half a carrot in small pieces, and spread over the pork. lay the liver on this, and dredge thickly with salt, pepper and flour. cover the pan, and place where it will cook slowly for half an hour. add a bouquet of sweet herbs and three pints of stock or water. put the pan in a moderate oven and cook for two hours. baste frequently with the gravy in the pan, and salt, pepper and flour. about twenty minutes before the liver is done, add one teaspoonful of vinegar and one of lemon juice. strain the gravy over the liver when it is dished. beef stew. take the bones and hard, tough parts left from a roast of beef. remove all the meat from the bones, and cut it in small pieces. cut about a quarter of a pound of the fat of the meat in very small pieces. put it in the stew-pan to fry. when it begins to brown, put in half a carrot, one small turnip, and two onions, cut fine. stir over the fire for ten minutes. take out the fat and vegetables, and put the bones in the bottom of the kettle. add the meat and the cooked vegetables, but not the fat. dredge well with salt, pepper, and flour, shaking in at least half a cupful of flour. add three pints of water, and simmer gently one hour; then put in six potatoes, pared and cut in slices. simmer one hour longer. taste to see if seasoned enough. draw forward where it will boil more rapidly. stir the stew, and put in the dumplings. cook just ten minutes. the cover of the stew-pan must fit tightly. there should be about two pounds of meat for this stew, not counting the bones. cold meat with purée of potato. six good-sized potatoes, one table-spoonful of butter, one cupful of boiling milk, salt and pepper to taste. pare and boil the potatoes, and mash light and fine. add the butter, seasoning and boiling milk. beat up light, and spread on a hot platter. lay on this handsome slices of any kind of cold meat, and on each slice put a table- spoonful of hot gravy. put a little gravy around the dish, and set in the oven for five minutes. garnish with parsley, and serve. if there is no gravy left from the dinner of the day before, make a pint in the following manner: put a quart of water with some of the hard pieces and bones of the meat, and boil down to one pint. put one table- spoonful of butter in a frying-pan, and, when hot, add one table- spoonful of flour. stir until dark brown, and strain the broth on this. season with salt, pepper and, if you please, one spoonful of halford sauce. shepherds' pie. one quart of any kind of cold meat, eight large potatoes, one small onion, one cupful of boiling milk, salt, pepper, and nearly a pint of gravy or stock, thickened with one table-spoonful of flour. season the meat and put in a deep earthen dish. grate the onion into the gravy, and pour over the meat. pare, boil and mash the potatoes. add the salt, pepper and milk and one table-spoonful of butter. cover the pie with this, and bake gently half an hour. shepherds' pie, no. . cut into dice one quart of any kind of cold meat. mince very fine two table-spoonfuls of salt pork, and add to the meat. pare and cut into dice four large uncooked potatoes; grate or chop fine one onion; chop fine one table-spoonful of parsley. mix, and season well with salt and pepper, and add a large cupful of water. put in a deep earthen dish. make a paste with four potatoes, two table-spoonfuls of butter, a large cupful of boiling milk and a pint of flour. pare, boil and mash the potatoes; then add butter, salt and milk. when all is very light, beat in the flour, gradually. sprinkle the board with flour, and roll the paste a little larger than the dish. make a hole in the centre, to let out the air. cover the dish with the paste, being careful to have the edge come inside the dish. bake gently one hour. escaloped meat. chop the meat rather coarse. season with salt and pepper. for one pint of meat use half a cupful of gravy and a heaping cupful of bread crumbs. put a layer of the meat in an escalop dish, then gravy, then a thin layer of crumbs; and continue this until the dish is full. the last layer should be a thick one of crumbs. cook in a hot oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. all kinds of cold meat can be escaloped, but beef is so dry that it is not so good as mutton, veal, etc, curry of cold meat. three table-spoonfuls of butter, three teaspoonfuls of flour, one onion, one teaspoonful of curry powder, salt, pepper, one generous pint of stock or water, about two pounds of any kind of cold meat, cut in thin slices. put the butter in the frying-pan, and, when hot, add the onion. when the onion turns yellow, add the flour and curry powder. stir two minutes, add the stock or water, simmer five minutes, and strain on the meat. simmer all together for ten minutes. serve with a border of rice or mashed potatoes. barley stew. about a quarter of a pound of cold roasted or broiled meat, two onions, four potatoes, a quarter of a cupful of barley, one table- spoonful of flour, one quart of water, and salt and pepper to taste. cut the meat into dice; wash the barley; cut the onions _very fine_. put all in a stew-pan, and dredge with the flour, half a table-spoonful of salt, and one-eighth of a teaspoonful of pepper. add the water, and simmer two hours. pare and slice the potatoes. add them to the stew, and simmer one hour longer. taste to see if there is enough, salt and pepper, and if there is not, add more. dumplings. one pint of flour, measured before sifting; half a teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt. mix all thoroughly and run through the sieve. wet with a small cupful of milk. sprinkle a little flour on the board. turn the dough (which should have been stirred into a smooth ball with a spoon) on it roll to the thickness of half an inch, cut into small cakes, and cook ten minutes. by remembering that the soup should be boiling rapidly when the dumplings are put in; that they should not sink too deep in it; that they should boil _just ten minutes_; that the cover should fit tightly, so that the steam shall not escape; and that the pot boils all the time, so that the steam is kept up; and by following the other directions, success is insured. bread. when you put the bread on the board, pat it lightly. do not _press down_, but let all motions be as elastic as possible. knead with the _palm_ until the dough is a flat cake, and then fold. keep doing this until the dough is light and smooth and will not stick to the board or hands. use as little flour as possible in kneading. do not stop until you have fully finished, for bread that has "rested" is not good. milk can be used instead of water in mixing. it should always be first scalded, and then allowed to cool to blood heat. one table-spoonful of lard or butter makes the bread tenderer when water is used. in cold weather some kitchens grow cold very quickly after the fire is out. in this case the bread should be made earlier in the evening, and set in a warmer place (about eighty or ninety degrees); because if it begins to rise within the first two hours, it will continue to rise, unless the temperature falls to the freezing point. the reason for letting the rolls rise longer than the loaves is that the former, being smaller, are penetrated by heat much more quickly than the loaves are, and, of course, fermentation is stopped sooner; therefore, the rolls do not rise as much in the oven as the loaves. rolls should be made into smooth little balls, and should be placed in even rows in a shallow pan. breakfast rolls, are first made into little balls and then rolled between the hands until three inches long. they are placed close together in even rows in the pan. dinner and french rolls, after being made into little balls, are put on a well-floured board, and a little, well-floured rolling-pin, two and a half inches in diameter, is pressed nearly through their centre. the rolls are to be so placed in pans as not to touch each other. being so small, and baking so quickly, they have a sweet taste of the wheat. the best-sized pan for loaves is made of block tin; is eight and a half inches long, four and a half wide, and three deep. those for wheat bread should be greased very slightly with either butter or lard. for rye, indian, or graham, they must be greased thoroughly, as the dough clings more to the tins. there are many kinds of bread that can be made readily and safely after once learning to make good common bread. it is difficult to give exact rules for flour, as it varies, some kinds requiring much more water than others. the "new process" flour has so much more starch, and packs so much more closely than the "old process," that one-eighth less is required, or one-eighth more of liquid; but if the flour is weighed, the same amount of water is taken for a pound of flour made by either process. the best flour is always the cheapest for bread. as there is no one article of food of so great importance for the health and happiness of the family as bread, make it as nearly perfect as possible. yeast. put two quarts of water and two table-spoonfuls of hops on to boil. pare and grate six large potatoes. when the hops and water _boil_, strain the water on the grated potatoes, and stir well. place on the stove and boil up once. add half a cupful of sugar and one-fourth of a cupful of salt. let the mixture get blood warm; then add one cupful of yeast, or one cake of compressed yeast, and let it rise in a warm place five or six hours. when well risen, turn into a stone jug. cork this tightly, and set in a cool place. as poor yeast is the chief cause of poor bread, pains should be taken to make yeast properly and to keep it well. it must never be allowed to stand in a warm room after it has risen, and the jug in which it is kept should be carefully washed and _scalded_ each time the yeast is renewed. as much care must be taken with the stopper as with the jug. when it is convenient to get fresh cakes of fleischmann's compressed yeast, it will be much better and cheaper to use them than to make your own. this yeast is wholly free of any injurious substance, and with it good bread can always be made, provided the flour is good and the rules are followed. yeast bread, no. . with these materials two loaves can be made: two quarts of flour, half a cupful of yeast, nearly a pint and a half of water, half a table- spoonful each of lard, sugar, and salt. sift the flour into a bread- pan, and, after taking out a cupful for use in kneading, add the salt, sugar, yeast, and the water, which must be about blood warm (or, say one hundred degrees, if in cold weather, and about eighty in the hot season). beat well with a strong spoon. when well mixed, sprinkle a little flour on the board, turn out the dough on this, and knead from twenty to thirty minutes. put back in the pan. hold the lard in the hand long enough to have it very soft. rub it over the dough. cover closely, that neither dust nor air can get in, and set in a warm place. it will rise in eight or nine hours. in the morning shape into loaves or rolls. if into loaves, let these rise an hour where the temperature is between ninety and one hundred degrees; if into rolls, let these rise an hour and a half. bake in an oven that will brown a teaspoonful of flour in five minutes. (the flour used for this test should be put on a bit of crockery, as it will have a more even heat.) the loaves will need from forty-five to sixty minutes to bake, but the rolls will be done in half an hour if placed close together in the pan; and if french rolls are made, they will bake in fifteen minutes. as soon as baked, the bread should be taken out of the pans and placed on a table where it can rest against something until cool. it should then be put in a stone pot or tin box, which has been thoroughly washed, scalded and dried, and be set away in a cool, dry place. yeast bread, no. . one cupful of indian meal, two quarts of flour, one pint and a half of boiling water, one table-spoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, half a cake of compressed yeast. pour the boiling water on the indian meal. stir well, and set away to cool. when blood warm, add the yeast, salt and sugar to it. stir this mixture into the flour, and proceed as for yeast bread, no. i. bread made with dried yeast. two quarts of flour, one yeast-cake, one generous pint of water, blood warm; one table-spoonful of sugar, one of butter, one teaspoonful of salt. dissolve the yeast in the water, and stir gradually into one pint of the flour. set in a warm place for two hours. it will then be risen to a sponge. stir it into the remainder of the flour. knead well, and put in a warm place to rise. it will rise in about five hours if the heat is about seventy-five or eighty degrees. or, it will rise during the night in a heat of sixty degrees. in the morning treat like yeast bread, no. i. sticks. four cupfuls of flour, one table-spoonful of sugar, one-fourth of a cupful of butter, one cupful of boiled milk, the white of an egg, one- fourth of a cake of compressed yeast, one scant teaspoonful of salt. dissolve the butter in the milk, which have blood warm. beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth. dissolve the yeast in three table- spoonfuls of cold water. add all the other ingredients to the flour, and knead well. let the dough rise over night, and in the morning make into balls about the size of a large english walnut. roll each of these balls into a stick about a foot long. use the moulding board. place the sticks about two inches apart in long pans. let them rise half an hour in a cool place, and bake twenty-five minutes in a very moderate oven. sticks should be quite dry and crisp. they cannot be if baked rapidly. graham bread. with this material two loaves or two dozen muffins can be made: one pint of water or milk, one of flour, one _large_ pint of graham, half a cupful of yeast, half a cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt. have the milk or water blood warm, and add the yeast. sift the flour into a deep dish. add the milk and yeast, gradually, and beat until wholly smooth. set in a rather cool place (about sixty degrees) to rise over night. in the morning add the salt and sugar and then the graham, a little at a time, beating vigorously all the while. when thoroughly beaten, turn into pans, and let it rise an hour in a temperature of from ° to °. bake an hour. togus bread. three cupfuls of sweet milk and one of sour, three cupfuls of indian meal and one of flour, half a cupful of molasses, one teaspoonful of saleratus, one of salt. steam three hours. brown bread. one cupful of rye meal, one of indian meal, one of molasses, two of flour, one pint and a half of sour milk, a teaspoonful of soda, an egg, one teaspoonful of salt. mix the dry ingredients together. dissolve the soda in two table-spoonfuls of boiling water. add it and the milk to the molasses. stir well, and pour on the other mixed ingredients. beat the egg and add it. mix thoroughly, and pour into a well-buttered tin pan that holds two quarts. steam four hours, and then put in the oven for half an hour. drinks. cocoa. cocoa is rich in nutritive elements. like milk, it has all the substances necessary for the growth and sustenance of the body. it is the fruit of a small tree that grows in mexico, central america, the west indies and other islands. the fruit is in shape like a large, thick cucumber, and contains from six to thirty beans. there is a number of forms in which it is sold in the market, the most convenient and nutritious being chocolate. next comes cocoa, then cocoa nibs, and lastly cocoa shells. the beans of the cocoa are roasted in the same manner as coffee. the husks or shells are taken off and the beans then ground between hot rollers. sometimes the husks are not removed, but ground with the bean. the ground bean is called cocoa; and mixed with sugar, after being ground very fine, is termed chocolate. vanilla is often added as a flavor. sometimes the cocoa is mixed with starch. when the bean is broken in small pieces, these are called nibs. to make cocoa. put a gill of the broken cocoa in a pot with two quarts of water, and boil gently three hours. there should be a quart of liquid in the pot when done. if the boiling has been so rapid that there is not this quantity, add more water, and let it boil once again. many people prefer half broken cocoa and half shells. if the stomach is delicate, this is better than all cocoa. sugar and milk are used, as with coffee. shells. use twice the quantity of shells that you would of broken cocoa, and boil twice as long. chocolate. scrape fine an ounce (one of the small squares) of baker's or any other plain chocolate. add two table-spoonfuls of sugar, and put in a small saucepan with a table-spoonful of hot water. stir over a hot fire for a minute or two, until it is perfectly smooth and glossy, and then stir it all into a quart of boiling milk, or half milk and half water. mix thoroughly, and serve at once. if the chocolate is wanted richer, take twice as much chocolate, sugar, and water. made in this way, chocolate is perfectly smooth, and free of oily particles. if it is allowed to boil after the chocolate is added to the milk, it becomes oily and loses its fine flavor. coffee. there is a variety of coffees; but, unlike the teas, they do not owe their difference of flavor or color to the curing, but to the soil and climate in which they grow. coffee grows on small trees. the fruit is something like the cherry, but there are two seeds in it. the beans are separated by being bruised with a heavy roller, and are then washed and dried. the longer the raw berry is kept the riper and better flavored it becomes. in countries where coffee is grown the leaves are used as much as the berry. like tea, coffee must be roasted, that the fine flavor shall be developed. there are large establishments for roasting and grinding coffee. the work is done by machinery; and nearly always the grains arc evenly roasted, and just enough to give the right flavor. if the coffee, after roasting, is put in close tin cans, it will retain its best qualities for a long time. it can be ground when needed for use. many persons think that heating the dry coffee just before making improves the flavor. there are many modes of making coffee, each having its advantages and disadvantages. some people think that by first wetting the coffee with cold water, and letting it come to a boil, and by then adding the boiling water, more of the strength of the coffee is extracted. when there is not cream for coffee the milk should be boiled, as it makes the coffee richer. as soon as the milk boils up it should be taken off of the stove, since it grows strong and oily by much boiling. to many people it is injurious to drink coffee; but physicians say that, taken without milk, it is harmless. some element of the coffee combines with the milk to form a leathery coating on the stomach, which impairs digestion. a great many substances are mixed with coffee, when sold, to cheapen it,--chicory, beans, peas, rye, and wheat being the commonest. to obtain it pure, the safest way is to buy it unground, unless you purchase of a strictly honest dealer. coffee drinkers, as a rule, eat less than other people, though coffee, and also tea, have little direct food value; but they retard the waste of the tissues, and so take the place of food. the sugar and milk used with them give some nutriment. boiled coffee. the old method of boiling coffee is still practised by at least one- half the housekeepers in this country. the coffee is sometimes boiled with an egg, which makes it perfectly clear, and also enriches it. when an egg is not used a small piece of salt fish skin is boiled with the coffee to clear it. directions for making: a small cupful of roasted and ground coffee, one-third mocha and two-thirds java; a small egg, shell and all, broken into the pot with the dry coffee. stir veil with a spoon, and then pour on three pints of boiling water. let it boil from five to ten minutes, counting from the time it begins to boil. as soon as it has boiled enough, pour in a cupful of cold water, and turn a little of the coffee into a cup, to see that the nozzle of the pot is not filled with grounds. turn this back, and let the coffee stand a few moments to settle, taking care that it does not boil again. the advantages of boiled coffee are that when the egg is used the yolk gives a very rich flavor, and when the milk or cream is added the coffee has a rich, yellow look, which is pleasing. it has also a peculiar flavor, which many people prefer to the flavor gained by any other process. the disadvantages are that the egg coats the dry coffee, and when the hot water is added the coating becomes hard, and a great deal of the best of the coffee remains in the grounds after boiling. also, in boiling, much of the fine flavor is lost in the steam that escapes from the pot. filtered coffee. another--and really the most economical and the easiest--way of making coffee is by filtering. the french coffee biggin is valuable for this. it consists of two cylindrical tin vessels, one fitting into another, and the bottom of the upper being a fine strainer. another coarser strainer, with a rod running from the centre, is placed upon this. then the coffee, which must be finely-ground, is put in, and another strainer is placed at the top of the rod. the boiling water is poured on, and the pot set where it will keep hot, but not boil, until the water has gone through. this will make a clear, strong coffee, with a rich, smooth flavor. the advantage of the two extra strainers is that the one coming next to the fine strainer prevents the grounds from filling up the fine holes, and so the coffee is clear, and made more easily. the upper strainer causes the boiling water to fall on the coffee like rain. in this way it is more evenly distributed, and the fine coffee is not carried through the fine strainer, as it would be if the water were poured directly on the dry coffee. when milk or cream is added to filtered coffee it does not turn a rich yellow, as in the case of that boiled with an egg. a few spoonfuls of this coffee, without sugar or milk, taken after dinner, is said to help digestion. vienna coffee. a quartet of a cupful of boiled milk. add three table-spoonfuls of whipped cream, and fill up with filtered coffee. café au lait. this is simply one pint of filtered coffee added to one pint of milk that has come just to the boiling point. steamed coffee. another mode of preparing coffee is to steam it. the coffee is put in a pot and boiling water poured on it. this pot, which is made to fit into a tea-kettle, is placed in the kettle, and the coffee is cooked from ten to twenty minutes, the water in the kettle boiling all the time. this will make a clear and delicious drink. tea. there are three varieties of the tea plant; both black and green tea can be prepared from them all. green tea is made from leaves which are dried quickly, and black from leaves which have first been allowed to stand twelve hours or more before roasting. the leaves wilt and grow moist in that time, and that is what gives the dark and peculiar appearance to this tea. in making tea the pot should be earthen, rinsed with boiling water and left to stand a few moments on the stove, to dry. put in the tea leaves, and let the pot stand a few minutes longer. pour on boiling water, leaving the pot standing where it will be at the boiling point, yet will not boil, for from three to five minutes. for moderate strength use one teaspoonful of tea to half a pint of water. if the water is soft it should be used as soon as it boils, for boiling causes all the gases which flavor the water to escape; but if the water is hard it is best to boil from twenty to thirty minutes. the gases escape from hard water also, but boiling causes the mineral matter, which hardens the water, to settle on the bottom of the kettle, and the water becomes softer. lemonade. good lemonade can be made with half a pint of lemon juice (extracted with a squeezer, and strained), three pints of water and a generous pint of sugar. have the drink cold. hot lemonade is highly recommended for a cold. a glass can be made with the juice of a lemon, one large table-spoonful of sugar and a cupful of boiling water. drink it hot. how-- to blanch almonds. shell the nuts, and pour boiling water over them. let them stand in the water a minute, and then throw them into cold water. rub between the hands. to corn beef. for fifty pounds of beef make a pickle with two gallons of water, four pounds of salt, one and a half pounds of brown sugar, one and a half ounces of saltpetre, half an ounce of saleratus. put these ingredients on to boil, and when they boil, skim, and put away to cool. when cold, put the beef in it. put weights on the meat, to keep it under the brine. to scrape chocolate. if only one square of chocolate is needed, draw a line across the two squares at the end, dividing them in halves. with a sharp knife, shave off the chocolate until you come to the line. by this method there is no waste of time or material. if you want two or more squares, all that is necessary is, of course, to shave off until you come to the dividing line already there. the pound packages of baker's chocolate consist of two cakes, each of which has eight squares; so one of these squares is an ounce. to use the salamander. the salamander is a circular iron plate, to which is attached a long handle. it is made red hot in the fire and held over the article to be browned, being careful not to have it touch. if you have not a salamander the fire shovel can be heated and used in the same way; but the shovel is not improved by the operation. to clean english currants. pick all the stones, bits of dirt and long stems from the currants. add one pint of flour to two quarts of currants, and rub well between the hands. this starts the stems and dirt from the fruit. put about a pint of currants in the flour sieve and rub them until all the flour has passed through; then put them in the colander and shake until the stems have passed through. when all the fruit has been treated in this manner, put it in a large pan of cold water. wash thoroughly, and drain in the colander. repeat this operation three times. when the fruit is well drained, spread it on boards or flat dishes and dry in a warm place. put away in jars. to remove jellies and creams from moulds. have in a pan water enough (a little more than blood warm) to come to the top of the mould. if the mould is tin, set it in this for about half a minute; if earthen, keep it in long enough to have the heat pass through the mould. wipe the mould, place over it the dish into which the jelly is to be turned, and turn both dish and mould simultaneously. let the mould rest a moment before lifting it gently from the jelly. to whip cream. very rich or _very_ poor cream will not whip well. when too rich it turns to butter, and when too poor the froth becomes liquid almost as soon as it has been skimmed. thick cream, that will hardly pour, should have an equal quantity of milk added to it before whipping. such cream as one gets from the milkman will rarely be found _too_ rich for whipping. it is more likely to be the other way; and one is often disappointed in finding it too poor to froth. the cream should be ice cold. have a large bowl or tin pail, rather narrow at the bottom. place this in a pan of ice water. have a bright tin pan in another of ice water. put the cream in the bowl and put the whip churn in this. hold the churn with the left hand, tipping it slightly, that the cream may flow out at the bottom. with the right hand draw the dasher lightly about half way up the cylinder; then press down hard. it must not be forgotten that the _up_ stroke is _light_ and the _down_ stroke is _hard_. when the bowl is full, skim the froth into a tin pan. continue this until nearly all the cream has been whipped. draw the froth in the pan to one side, and turn the liquid cream at the bottom of the pan back into the bowl. whip it again. a little of the cream will always become liquid again. when the cream is for whips, or for a garnish for frozen pudding or bavarian creams, sweeten it, and flavor with anything you please, before whipping. if the cream is very rich a dover beater will whip it, but there is nothing that will whip cream so quickly and so well as the whip churn described in the chapter on kitchen furnishing. to boil sugar. the degrees of boiling sugar are variously divided by different cooks. some give six and others as high as eight. the stench boil sugar for nearly all their desserts. for all practical purposes a cook need understand only three stages. put one cupful of granulated or loaf sugar and half a cupful of water on to boil. when the mixture has boiled fifteen minutes, dip the fore-finger and thumb in cold water and take up a little of the syrup between them. if, upon drawing them apart, the syrup forms a thread, it is at the second degree. this is the best stage for frozen fruits, sherbets, and preserves. if, a little later, when some syrup is taken up with a spoon and blown hard, it flies off in tiny bubbles, it is at the fourth degree, called the _soufflé_. it takes about twenty minutes' boiling for this. the syrup is then used for _biscuit glacé_ and various kinds of creams. at this stage it also gives sherbets and fruits a much richer flavor than when used at the second degree. if, when a little syrup is taken up on the point of a stick or skewer, and dipped in cold water, it breaks off brittle, the sixth degree has been reached. this is the stage where it is used for icing fruit and cake, the dish being called fruit _glacé_ or _gâteau glacé_. the syrup must _never_ be stirred, as this will cause it to grain. great care must be taken that it does not boil after coming to the sixth degree, as it burns quickly after that point is reached. to make and use a pastry bag. fold a piece of strong cotton cloth (perhaps a foot square) from the opposite corners, so as to give it a triangular shape. on one side sew together the two edges, thus making a bag shaped like a "dunce's cap." cut the cloth at the apex just enough to permit a short tin tube, somewhat like a tailor's thimble, to be pushed through. the tube for éclairs measures about three-fourths of an inch at the smallest opening; that for lady-fingers is three-eighths of an inch, and that for meringues and kisses, half an inch. the tubes for decorating with frosting are very small. fill the bag with the mixture to be forced through, and gather the cloth together at the top with the left hand. hold the point of the tube close to the pan on which the mixture is to be spread. press the mixture out with the right hand. if the cakes are to be large use a good deal of pressure, but if to be small, very little will do. at first, it will be hard to get the shapes, but with a little practice it will seem comparatively easy. to make paper cases. this is not difficult, if one will carefully study for a moment the diagram below and the directions following: [illustration: diagram] cut the paper on the dark lines--(there are _eight_). crease on every dotted line. at each end turn the parts lettered a over that lettered b, so that the lines _c_ rest on the line _d_, and one a overlaps the other. fold the parts b up against the backs of the parts a. fold inward those parts of the edges which are lightly shaded, and fold outward those which are heavily shaded. stick the parts of the box together with the white of an egg mixed with a little flour. remember that it is a box that is to be made, and after the first two steps it may be easy to guess how to complete the work. by tracing a copy of the diagram one obtains a good model one quarter of the size the case should be; that is, the square should be five inches on a side instead of two and one-half. after experimenting with this the shape may be varied to suit the taste. stiff white paper should be used. cases can be bought of restaurateurs. they are used for _biscuit glacé, biscuit soufflé,_ and other dainties. to lard. larding is a simple operation. the pork should be firm and young (salt, of course). cut thin, even slices parallel with the rind, and cut these in long, narrow strips that will fit into the needle. for beef, veal, turkey or chicken the strips should be about as large round as a lead pencil, and about three and a half inches long; and for birds, chops, and sweetbreads they should be about as large round as a match. three slices are all that can be cut from one piece of pork, because when you get more than an inch away from the rind, the pork is so tender that it will break when in the needle. put the strips in a bowl of broken ice, to harden. have the meat, if beef or veal, free of skin and gristle. put a strip (also called a lardoon) into the needle as far as it will go. with a skewer or knife draw a line on both sides of the meat and along the upper part. thrust the needle into the meat at one of the side lines; and when it is about half way through to the top of the piece, press the steel slightly with the thumb and fore-finger, to hold the lardoon in place until it has entered the meat. now push the needle through to the top, and gently draw it out, leaving about three-quarters of an inch of the strip exposed at both the side and upper part of the meat that part of the pork which is hidden should be half an inch under the surface. the needle's course is as if it started under the eaves of a gable roof and came out at the ridge-pole. continue until all the rows are filled with lardoons. two rows are enough for a fillet of beef. if the strips are too large for the needle they will be pressed out as soon as the lower part of the needle enters the meat. to stew. the meat and vegetables for stews should, when it is possible, be browned in a little fat, and hot water should then be added. as soon as the stew comes to the boiling point, skim it, and set back where it will just simmer, not boil, the given time. the pieces of meat in a stew should come to the table whole and tender and juicy, and they will be in this condition only with _slow_ cooking. to braise. braising is one of the best modes of preparing meat. there are pans expressly for braising; but any deep tin, sheet-iron, or granite-ware pan, with a cover, will answer quite well. the meat to be cooked must always be browned in some kind of fat, the vegetables fried in the same fat, and enough stock (if possible) or water be added to half cover the meat. the pan should then be covered and placed in the oven. the meat must cook _slowly_ and thoroughly, and be basted frequently. no matter how tough, if properly braised it will become tender and juicy. if, however, the cooking is hurried the dish will be spoiled. to fry. there are two modes of frying. one is to have just enough fat to prevent the article from burning or sticking; and the other is to have enough not only to cover the food, but to float it. the latter is by far the better way, as all the surface of the article is instantly hardened, and, therefore, will not absorb fat. it is also the cheaper way, because the fat can be used so many times. if the drippings saved from meats, soups and gravies should not be enough for frying purposes, buy pure lard to use with it. many recommend buying beef suet for this same purpose; but food fried in suet is more liable to absorb fat than that fried in lard. the reason of this is that lard can be heated to a higher temperature without burning than can beef or any of the other fats. butter is also often recommended for frying. if used, it should be free of salt. but aside from being so expensive, it is not so nice for frying purposes as fats, for it burns at a much lower temperature than either beef fat or lard. the scotch kettle is the _best_ utensil for frying. it rests on a rim, which lifts the bottom from the stove, and the inside surface is polished very smooth; therefore, the fat is less liable to burn than if the surface were rough and the bottom rested on the hot stove. the fat should heat gradually; and when the food is plunged into it a slight smoke should rise from the _centre._ it will smoke at the sides some time before it has become hot enough for frying. after the food has been put in, let the kettle stand on the hottest part of the stove until it regains its former temperature, and then set it back where it is not quite so hot. in frying fish-balls, doughnuts, etc., put only a few at a time in the boiling fat; then wait a few moments for the fat to regain its former temperature, and put in a few more. fish-balls are often spoiled by the putting of a great many in the kettle at once. the temperature of the fat is instantly reduced, and the balls absorb the fat. when an article of food is fried, drain the fat from it, and lay it on a sheet of brown paper in a warm pan. the paper will absorb any fat that may remain on the food. as soon as you are through frying, take the fat from the fire, and when cooled a little, strain it, (see the chapter on the care of food.) if the directions given are followed, there will be no difficulty in having food fried without its being saturated with grease. to serve. the dishes on which meats, fish, jellies and creams are placed should be large enough to leave a margin of an inch or so between the food and the lower edge of the border of the dish. it is well to pour the sauce for cold puddings around the pudding, especially if there will be a contrast in color. it is a great improvement to have the sauce poured around the article instead of over it, and to have the border of the dish garnished with bits of parsley, celery tops or carrot leaves. when sauce is poured around meat or fish the dish must be quite hot, or the sauce will cool quickly. small rolls or sticks of bread are served with soup. potatoes and bread are usually served with fish, but many people prefer to serve only bread. butter is not served at the more elegant dinners. two vegetables will be sufficient in any course. cold dishes should be very cold, and hot dishes _hot._ it is a good idea to have a dish of sliced lemons for any kind of fish, and especially for those broiled or fried. melons, cantelopes, cucumbers and radishes, and tomatoes, when served in slices, should all be chilled in the ice chest. be particular not to overdo the work of decorating. even a simple garnish adds much to the appearance of a dish, but too much decoration only injures it. garnishes should be so arranged as not to interfere with serving. potato-balls and thin fried potatoes make a nice garnish for all kinds of fried and broiled meats and fish. cold boiled beets, carrots and turnips, and the whites of hard-boiled eggs, stamped out with a fancy vegetable cutter, make a pretty garnish for cold or hot meats. thin slices of toast, cut into triangles, make a good garnish for many dishes. whipped cream is a delicate garnish for all bavarian dreams, blanc- manges, frozen puddings and ice creams. arrange around jellies or creams a border of any kind of delicate green, like smilax or parsley, or of rose leaves, and dot it with bright colors--pinks, geraniums, verbenas or roses. remember that the green should be dark and the flowers small and bright. a bunch of artificial rose leaves, for decorating dishes of fruit at evening parties, lasts for years. natural leaves are preferable when they can be obtained. wild roses, buttercups and nasturtiums, if not used too freely, we suitable for garnishing a salad. bills of fare. what to set before guests at the table, or, indeed, before one's own family, is sometimes a perplexing matter for housekeepers to decide, and a few bills of fare are given on the following pages as an aid. the number of dishes can readily be increased or diminished. any of the company dinners can be prepared at home almost as easily as an ordinary dinner, success depending not upon a great number of dishes, but upon a few well cooked and well served, and a hostess apparently free from care. a great part of any company dinner can be prepared the day before. the vegetables can be prepared and put in cold water, the game or meat be larded, the meat or fish cooked for croquettes and salads, the salad dressing made ready, and jellies, creams and cold puddings be made. if a clear soup (and that is always best) is to be served, it also should be made. in the morning the bread and cake can be baked, and the fish and other dishes prepared. early in the afternoon freeze the creams and sherbets. make a list of the principal dishes. with each dish have a list of the vegetables, sauces or other things to be served, and the time for serving. this will insure the dishes being ready at the proper moment. have the plates and other dishes counted and ready to warm--and, by the way, arrange to have these and the silver washed where the noise cannot reach the guests. twelve seems to be a good number of people for a dinner party. but very little increase in the quantity of material will be required if the number should be as large as sixteen or eighteen. fox six or eight the quantity of soup, oysters, creams, sherbets and coffee, can be diminished one-third, but that of meats and fish should not be much smaller. it is supposed that the coffee will be served in small cups. although it is usually drunk clear, cream and sugar should be offered with it. people differ as to the kinds of breakfast required. many believe in the french custom of having only chocolate or coffee, rolls, and perhaps eggs in some form. again, others believe in and require a substantial breakfast. there is no limit to the variety of dishes that can be prepared for breakfast and tea if the cook has taste and judgment in using the remains of meats, fish and vegetables left from dinner. either oatmeal or hominy should always be served at breakfast. when it is possible, have fruit for the first course. breakfast. fruit. oatmeal and cream. baked potatoes. mutton chops. rye muffins. hominy griddle-cakes. coffee, tea or chocolate. * * * * * * * fruit. oatmeal. broiled ham. omelet. graham muffins. toast. griddle-cakes. coffee or tea. * * * * * * * fruit. escaloped meat. dropped eggs. raised muffins. corn cake. drinks. * * * * * * * dinners for twelve. clear soup (five pints). fish (four or five pounds, baked, boiled, or escaloped). bread, and potatoes if you like. chicken croquettes, or any kind of patties. fillet of beef, larded (two and a half to three pounds), with mushroom sauce. potato puffs. sweetbreads (six). green peas (two quarts, if fresh, or two cans of french peas). lettuce salad (french dressing; two large heads of lettuce). a cold pudding. ice cream (one gallon). cake. crackers. cheese. coffee. the cost of a dinner like this, when prepared at home, depends somewhat upon the market, but will rarely exceed twenty-five dollars. * * * * * * * oysters on a block of ice (two quarts). _consommé à la royale_ (five pints). baked fish (five pounds), hollandaise sauce (double the rule). cheese _soufflé_ (double the rule). roast chicken (nine to twelve pounds). mashed potatoes (twelve). green peas (two quarts or two cans). celery. cranberry jelly. oyster patties (fourteen). lettudfe salad (two heads of lettuce with french dressing). water crackers (a dozen and a half). neufchatel cheese (two packages). orange sherbet (three quarts). frozen cabinet pudding (the rule given), apricot sauce. _glacé meringué_ (the rule given). sponge cake. fruit. coffee (the rule for filtered coffee). * * * * * * * _potage à la reine_ (five pints). sardine canapees (two dozen). olives. roast turkey (about eight pounds), chestnut stuffing and sauce. macaroni, _à l'italienne_ (twice the rule). cranberry jelly. plain boiled potatoes. lettuce salad (two large heads). custard _soufflé_ (twice the rule), creamy sauce. frozen pudding (the rule given). lemon sherbet cake. fruit. coffee (three pints of filtered). crackers and cheese. * * * * * * * oyster soup (two quarts). smelts _à la tartare_ (three dozen). chicken _vol-au-vent_ (a large one). rolled rib roast (about twelve pounds). polish sauce. grape jelly. cauliflower, with cream sauce. potato _soufflé_. rice croquettes (two dozen). larded grouse with bread sauce (three grouse). potatoes, _a la parisienne._ dressed celery (two heads). royal diplomatic pudding (the rule given). raspberry sherbet (three quarts). vanilla ice cream (three quarts). cake. fruit. coffee (three pints of the filtered). crackers and cheese. * * * * * * * game dinner. meg merrilies' soup. grouse soup. stewed terrapin. turtle steak. larded grouse, bread sauce and crumbs. broiled quail on toast, currant jelly. potato croquettes. escaloped tomato. roast loin of venison, game sauce. potato puffs. cauliflower, with cream sauce. roast ducks, olive sauce. potatoes _à la parisienne._ french peas. dressed celery. lemon sherbet. charlotte russe. nesselrode pudding. crackers and cheese. coffee. fruit. * * * * * * * supper for fifty. boned turkey (one). tongue in jelly (two). chicken salad (six quarts). escaloped oysters (six quarts). two quarts of olives. one hundred _small_ rolls, buttered. fifty sardine sandwiches. jelly (four moulds). orange bavarian cream (four moulds). frozen pudding (three gallons). chocolate ice cream (two gallons). vanilla (ten quarts). pistachio (ten quarts). mixed cake (three baskets). coffee (twelve quarts). * * * * * * * children's party (fifty). chicken sandwiches. tongue sandwiches. buttered rolls. buttered slices of bread. richmond maids of honor. _gáteau st. honore._ dominos and other small cakes. vanilla and chocolate ice cream. candies and fruit. the meat for the sandwiches should be chopped fine. the rolls must be small, and the buttered bread should be cut in thin slices, two slices be put together, and then be cut into long strips or little squares. there should be one hundred sandwiches, seventy-five rolls, one hundred dices of bread, forty maids of honor, six dishes of _gáteau st. honore_ two gallons of each kind of ice cream, and a generous supply of small cakes, candies and fruit. * * * * * * * family dinners-spring. oyster soup. spinach. fricandeau of veal. mashed potatoes. lettuce salad. orange sherbet. cake. * * * * * * * potato soup. boiled haddock, lobster sauce. potato _souffle._ chicken croquettes, cream sauce. chocolate blanc-mange. * * * * * * * scotch broth. broiled halibut, _mâitre d'hôtel_ butter. french fried potatoes. stewed tomatoes. braised tongue. rice. ground rice pudding. * * * * * * * lobster soup. roast beef. potatoes. yorkshire pudding. squash. cabbage salad. lemon sponge. * * * * * * * turbot _à la crème._ cold roast beef with purée of potatoes. stewed tomatoes. boiled macaroni. ice cream. cake. * * * * * * * mock bisque soup. roast chicken. currant jelly. potato puffs. asparagus. corn-starch pudding. * * * * * * * family dinners---summer. asparagus soup. boiled blue fish, _ maître d' hôtel_ butter. veal cutlets, white sauce. green peas. dressed cucumbers. mashed potatoes. charlotte russe. * * * * * * * salmon, white sauce. green peas. potatoes. rice croquettes. lettuce salad. strawberry bavarian cream. * * * * * * * green pea soup. braised fillet of beef. potatoes _à la parisienne._ string beans. lobster salad. frozen pudding. cake. * * * * * * * cream of barley soup. soft-shell crabs. fried egg plant. blanquette of chicken in a rice border. shelled beans. strawberry ice cream. cake. * * * * * * * vegetable soup. roast lamb, mint sauce. potato croquettes. green peas. salmon salad. frozen apricots. cake. * * * * * * * baked fish, tomato sauce. potatoes. sweetbreads, cream sauce. green peas. tapioca pudding. * * * * * * * family dinners--fall. macaroni soup. boiled fish, egg sauce. celery. roast ducks, game sauce. stuffed tomatoes. french fried potatoes. eve's pudding, wine sauce. * * * * * * * fried smelts, tartare sauce. boiled turkey, oyster sauce. macaroni _à l'italienne_. boiled potatoes. escaloped cauliflower. lemon pudding. * * * * * * * white soup. baked fish, hollandaise sauce. salmis of turkey in a potato border. stewed celery with cream sauce. potato salad. apple and rice pudding. * * * * * * * family dinners-winter. fish chowder. braised beef. macaroni with tomato sauce. baked sweet potatoes. potato puffs. oyster salad. cabinet pudding, creamy sauce. * * * * * * * beef stew with dumplings. mutton cutlets, tomato sauce. thin fried potatoes. vegetable salad. blanc-mange with cream. * * * * * * * celery soup. mashed turnips. boiled fowl, bechamel sauce. boiled potatoes. beef steak, brown oyster or mushroom sauce. potatoes _à la parisienne_. orange cream. * * * * * * * cream of rice soup. baked cod, tomato sauce. riced potatoes. rice. beef olives. squash. danish pudding. * * * * * * * clear soup. cusk, _à la crème_, boiled potatoes. roast leg of mutton, currant jelly. mashed potato. mashed turnip. ice cream. cake. * * * * * * * tomato soup. escaloped fish. stewed celery. mutton with purée of potatoes. macaroni with cheese. apple tapioca pudding. * * * * * * * illustrations. aitchbone apple parer back of the rump bain-marie bain-marie pan baked fish, hollandaise sauce basting spoon bird roaster boning knife bread grater bread pans brown bread tin buckets cake box carcass of mutton carving knife and fork chuck ribs coffee biggin coffee pot colander confectioner's tube crown moulds devilled lobster double boiler double broilers dover egg beater dripping pan escalop shell face of the rump fillet of beef, mushroom sauce first five ribs fore-quarter of beef french cook's knife french frying-pan french pie mould french roll pans frying basket garnishing knife hind-quarter of beef ice cream freezer jagging iron jellymoulds knife box ladle lady's fingers pans larding and trussing needles leg of mutton lemon squeezer lobster salad loin of beef long rump steak meatrack melon mould milk pan muffin pan paper cases potato slicer quart measure rattle-ran rice mould round of beef round pudding mould royal diplomatic pudding rump rump, showing end which joins the round rump steak, out with the grain saddle of mutton and french chops saucepan scotch kettle shortfillet short rump steak sirloin roast, second cut skewers spice box squash strainer steamer for pot steamer for tea-kettle stew-pan tea caddy tin kitchen vegetable cutter vegetable scoop whip churn wooden boxes index allemand sauce, almond bavarian cream, ice cream, pudding. almonds, to blanch amber pudding, ames cake, amherst pudding, anchovy sauce, angel cake, apple and indian pudding, and rice pudding, charlotte, fritters, ginger, meringue pudding, porcupine, pudding, baked pudding, dutch _ souffle_, tapioca pudding, apple, pickled sweet apricot ice cream, appricots, frozen artichokes, asparagus, salad, and salmon salad, soup, with cream, aspic jelly, bacon dressing for salads, baking powder, banana ice cream, barberry jelly, ketchup. barley stew, bass, batter and fruit pudding, bavarian cream, almond chocolate coffee orange peach pineapple strawberry beans, baked bechamel sauce, beef, see "marketing" in index, alamode boiled corned braised cannelon of fillet, _à l'allemande_, _a la hollandaise_, in jelly, larded, how to corn macaronied olives, potted roasted, with yorkshire pudding roulette, salad, steak, broiled, stew, tongue, braised in jelly. beets, pickled _beurre noir_, bills of fare, breakfest, children's party, dinners for twelve, family dinners. spring, summer, autumn, winter, game dinner. supper for fifty, bird's nest pudding _biscuit glacé_, black bean soup, blackberries, preserved black cake, black-fish, black pudding. blanc-mange, chocolate made with, gelatine, isinglass, sea moss farina, blanquette of chicken, of veal and ham, blueberries, pickled blue-fish, boiled salad dressing, boiling meats. _bombe glacee_, boned turkey, border, jelly potato rice bouillon, bouquet salad, braising, bread, brown fried for soups, graham made with dried yeast, sauce, sticks, togus yeast breakfast and tea. breaded sausages. cakes, corn flannel gems, griddle cakes, graham hominy indian squash hominy drop cakes. sally lunn, snow pan-cakes. waffles, indian raised rice canapees, chicken cutlets, in jelly, livers and bacon, livers in _papillotes_, livers, _sauté_, corn pie, eggs, _bruillé_ creamed dropped hard-boiled omelets, poached scotch scrambled soft-boiled spanish stuffed _sur le plat_, ham and eggs on toast, ham croquettes, hominy, kidneys, _à la maitre d'hôtel_, broiled _sauté_, stewed liver and bacon, broiled curry of fried in crumbs, _sauté_, _sauté_, with piquant sauce, lyonnaise tripe, meat and potato sandwiches, fritters, hash, minced veal and eggs, muffins, corn, english, fried indian, graham, hominy, raised, rice, rye, mutton, _rechauffé_, oat meal, strawberry short-cake, vegetable hash, welch rare-bit, brier hill dessert, broiling meats broth, scotch, brown bread, brown broad ice cream, butter sauce, cabbage, minced, salad, cabinet pudding, _café au lait_, cake, ames, angel, black, caramel frosting for, chocolate, _eclairs,_ icing, composition, cookies, corn, raised thin demon dominoes _Éclairs,_ federal, frosting for gingerbread, canada fairy hard soft gold golden frosting for hermits, jelly roll, jumbles, lady-fingers, lady's, loaf, marking in gold, molasses pound, nut, orange, plum, kneaded, queen's, railroad, regatta, ribbon, rice, seed cakes, shrewsbury cakes, silver, snow-flake, sponge, drops, for charlotte russe, rusks, sunshine, taylor, vanilla _eclairs_, viennois, wedding, white fruit, calf's foot jelly, canapees, caper sauce, caramel, frosting, ice cream, care of food, cauliflower, escaloped pickled salad, with cream sauce, celery, salad, sauce, soap, stewed in stock, with cream sauce, champagne sauce, charlotte russe, _chartreuse_ of chicken, of chicken and macaroni, of oysters, of vegetables and game, cheese _soufflé,_ soup, cherries, preserved chestnut sauce, chickens, _à la matelote,_ _à la reine,_ _à la tartare,_ blanquette of broiled _chartreuse_ of _chaud-froid,_ croquettes, curry, cutlets, fillets, force-meat, fried fritters, in jelly, livers and bacon, in _papillotes_, _sauté_, patties, pie, pillau, potted _quenelles_, roasted salad, _soufflé_, stew with dumplings, _vol-au-vent of_ chicory, chocolate, bavarian cream, "blanc" mange, cake, _éclairs_, ice cream, icing, pie, pudding, _soufflé_, to scrape whips, chops, broiled mutton chowder, corn fish cider apple jelly, cider jelly, clam fritters, clams, cocoa, to make cocoanut ice cream, cod, in purée of potatoes, _matelote_ of to cook salt with lobster sauce, boiled coffee, boiled _café au lait_, filtered steamed vienna coffee bavarian cream, ice cream, jelly, composition cake, consommé, _consommé à la royal_, cookies, corn, cake, chowder, oysters, pie, pudding, soup, court-bouillon, crab-apple jelly, crab-apples, preserved crabs, cream _à la versailles_, fritters, méringue, of barley soup, of celery soup, of rice soup, of tartar, salad dressing, sauces, to whip croquettes, chicken lobster oyster potato rice rice and meat royal salmon shad roe _crôustade_, oyster to make a crumbs, to fry (under bread sauce) crust patties, cucumber salad, cucumbers, pickled currant jelly, jelly sauce, sherbet, currants, english preserved spiced curry, of chicken, of lobster, of veal, cusk, _à la crème_, custard _soufflé_, custards, soft, soft caramel, cutlets, _à la duchesse_, game, _à la royale_, lobster, mutton, served _in papillotes_, veal, damsons, preserved, dandelions, danish pudding, date pudding, demon cake, dessert. apple charlotte, bavarian creams, _biscuit glacé_, blanc-mange, _bombe glacée_, brier hill dessert, charlotte russe, chocolate whips, cream _à la versailles_, cream méringues, fanchonettes, frozen apricots, peaches, pudding, raspberries, strawberries, _fruit glacé_, _gâteau st. honoré_, _glacé méringue_, ice cream, jellies, kisses, kiss wafers, nesselrode pudding, richmond maids of honor, royal cream, sherbets, soft custards, _soufflé_, chocolate, omelet, _à la crème_, omelet, _à la poête_, orange, surprise, sponges, directions for freezing, dominos, down east pudding, dressings for salads, drinks, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, lemonade, shells, tea, duchess soup, duck, roasted, dumplings, _Éclairs_, chocolate, vanilla, economical dishes. barley stew, beef stew, calf's liver, braised, cold meats with purée of potato, curry of cold meats, dumplings, escaloped meat, shepherd's pies, eels, _à la tartare_, stewed, egg balls for soups, plant, fried, sauce, eggs, _brouillé_, creamed, dropped, hard-boiled, omelets, poached, scotch, scrambled, soft-boiled, spanish, stuffed, _sur la plat_, endive, english currants, to clean, entrees. alamode beef, beef olives, beef roulette, blanquette of chicken, of veal and ham, braised tongue, cannelon of beef, _chartreuse_ of chicken, of chicken and macaroni, of vegetable and game, cheese _soufflé_, chicken, _chaud-froid_, curry of fillet, braised fried in jelly, pie, pillau, _quenelles_, _soufflé_, cold game pie, croquettes, _crôustade_, to make a cutlets, escaloped tongue, fillets, fricandelles of veal, fritters, galatine of turkey, of veal, lambs' tongues in jelly, macaronied beef, ox-tails, pancakes, pasties of game and poultry, _pâté de fois gras_, patties, potato border, ragouts of mutton and veal, rice border, rissoles, salmis of game, stewed lambs' tongues, stewed steak with oysters, sweetbreads, tongue in jelly, veal, curry of olives, _quenelles_, _vol-au-vents_, eve's pudding, fanchonettes, federal cake, fig ice cream, pudding, fillet of beef, of chicken, of tongue, of veal, to remove a fish, see "marketing" in index. _à la vinaigrette_, _au gratin_, baked, balls, boiled cod with lobster sauce, court-bouillon, haddock with lobster sauce, broiled halibut, chowder, crabs, cusk _à la crème_, eels, escaloped force-meat, fried lobsters, _matelots_ of cod, oysters, salad, salmon, salt cod in purée of potato, to cook salt fish _soufflé_, with dropped eggs, sauces for smelts, stewed terrapins, stewed, turbot _à la crème_, flannel cakes, flemish sauce, flounders, flour, food, care of force-meat, chicken fish, for game, ham veal fowl, boiled, with macaroni, with pork, french dressing for salads, paste for soups, fricandeau of veal, fricandelles of veal, fritters, apple batter for chicken clam cream fruit meat oyster potato frosting, caramel chocolate golden frozen apricots, cabinet puddings, peaches, pudding, raspberries, strawberries, fruit cake, white _fruit glacé_, frying, game, cutlets, _à la royale_, force-meat for goose, roasted, grouse, larded, partridges, larded, pie, pigeons, broiled, in jelly, potted, quail, broiled, larded, rabbit, curry of roasted, salmis of small birds, broiled, roasted, venison, roast leg of saddle of garnishes. jelly border, lemon points, marinade, cold marinade for fish, _gâteau st. honoré_, geese, gems, german puffs, giblet soup, gingerbread, canada fairy hard soft _glacé méringue_, glaze, gold cake, golden frosting, goose, roasted graham, bread, muffins, grape jelly, grapes, preserved green turtle soup, griddle-cakes, graham hominy indian squash groceries, baking powder, cracked wheat, cream of tartar, english currants, flour, graham, hominy, meal, indian oat rye raisins, soda, spices, sugar, sundries, grouse, soup, larded, haddock, with lobster sauce, halibut, broiled with _maître d'hôtel_ butter, ham and eggs on toast, blanquette of veal and boiled croquettes, force-meat, potted roasted haricot of ox-tails, hash, hearts, herbs sauce, sweet to make a bouquet of hermits, hollandaise sauce, hominy, drop cakes, muffins, hot cabbage sald, how to blanch almonds, to boil sugar, to braise, to clean and truss poultry, to clean english currants, to corn beef, to fry, to fry crumbs, (under bread sauce) to fry parsley, to get onion juice, to lard, to make a bouquet of sweet herbs, to make and use a pastry bag, to make paper cases, to make spinach green, to open lobsters, to remove jellies and creams from moulds, to scrape chocolate, to serve, to stew, to use the salamander, to whip cream, ice cream, almond, apricot, banana, brown bread, caramel, chocolate, cocoanut, coffee, directions for freezing, fig, lemon, macaroon, orange, peach, pineapple, pistachio, raspberry, strawberry, vanilla, walnut, icing, chocolate indian and apple pudding, meal, pudding, delicate irish stew, jelly, aspic, barberry border, calf's foot cider cider apple coffee crab-apple currant grape lemon orange pineapple roll, strawberry wine jenny lind pudding, jumbles, ketchup, barberry tomato kidneys, _à la maître d'hôtel_, broiled _sauté_, stewed kisses, kiss wafers, kitchen furnishing, gas and oil stoves, refrigerators, stoves and ranges, utensils, lady fingers, lady's cake, lake shad, lamb, boiled, braise breast of, leg of, _à la française_, tongue in jelly, tongue, stewed, larding, lemon diplomatic pudding, ice cream, jelly, pie, points, sherbet, sponge, lettuce, salad, little pigs in blankets, liver, and bacon, braised calf's, broiled, curry of, fried in crumbs, _sauté_, _sauté_, with piquant sauce, loaf cake, lobster, breaded, broiled, broiled in the shell, canned, croquettes, curry of, cutlets, devilled, in the shell, escaloped, patties, potted, salad, sauce, soup, stewed, to open a, _vol-au-vent of_, macaroni, _à l'italienne_, boiled, _chartreuse_ of chicken and, in gravy, with cheese, with cream sauce, with tomato sauce, macaroon ice cream, mackerel, mackerel, _continued._, potted, _maître d'hôtel_ butter, sauce, mangoes, pickled, marbled veal, marinades, marketing, beef, as to choosing it, fore-quarter, hearts, hind-quarter, kidneys, liver, porter-house steak, quality and cost, rattle-ran, ribs, round steak, rump steak, sirloin, sirloin steak, tenderloin steak, the rump, tongues, fish, bass, black-fish, or tautog, blue-fish, clams, cod, crabs, cusk, eels, flounders, haddock, halibut, lake shad, lobster, mackerel, mullet, oysters, pollock, salmon, scollops, shad, shrimp, small, or pan-fish, smelts, sturgeon, sword-fish, tautog, terrapin, turbot, weak-fish, white-fish, or lake shad, lamb, kidneys, tongues, mutton, chops and cutlets. fore-quarter, hind-quarter, leg, loin, prices, pork, kidneys, liver, sausages, poultry and game, chickens, ducks, fowl, geese, grouse, or prairie chicken, partridges, pigeons, quail, squabs, turkeys, venison, woodcock, veal, vegetables, artichokes, asparagus, beans, cauliflower, celery, chicory, or endive, corn, cucumbers, dandelions, endive, lettuce, mushrooms, radishes, spinach, sweet herbs, tomatoes, when in season, marking cakes in gold, mayonnaise dressings, meal, indian oat rye meat and fish sauces. and potato salad, cold, with purée of potato. escaloped meats, boiling, cornedbeef, ham, lamb, leg of mutton, tongues, broiling, beefsteak, mutton chops, roasting, beef, with yorkshire pudding fillet of veal, ham, in the oven, rolled rib, miscellaneous modes, beef stew, braised beef, braised breast of lamb, fricandeau of veal, irish stew, leg of lamb, _à la française_, scotch roll, toad in the hole, meg merrilies' soup, melon, sweet minced veal and eggs, mince-pie meat, mock bisque soup, molasses pound cake, muffins, corn, english, fried indian, graham, hominy, raised, rice, rye, mullet, mulligatawny soups, mushrooms, mutton. see "marketing" in index. chops, broiled, cutlets, leg of boiled, ragout of _réchauffé_ nesselrode pudding, nut cake, oatmeal, okra, escaloped, with tomatoes, soups, stewed, stewed, with tomatoes, olives, beef, sauce, veal, omelets, baked, cheese, chicken, corn, fish, ham, jelly, plain, quaker, savory, _soufflé à la crème_, _soufflé a la poête_, onions, baked, soup, stuffed, to get juice of, orange bavarian cream, cake, diplomatic pudding ice cream, jelly, marmalade, pie, pudding, sherbet, _soufflé_, sponge, oranges, preserved sour, ox tails, _à la tartare_, haricot of, stewed, oysters, _chartreuse_ of, creamed, croquettes, _crôustade_ of, escaloped, fricasseed, fritters, in escalop shells, little pigs in blankets, on a block of ice, on the half shell, panned in the shell, panned in their own liquor, patties, pickled, roasted in the shell, roasted, on toast, salad, sauces, _sauté_, _vol-au-vent of_, pancakes, pan-fish, paper cases, to make, parsley, to fry, parsnip balls, escaloped, fried in butter, fried in molasses, partridges, larded, paste, chopped, french, for pies, french, for soups, puff, pasties of game and poultry, pastry bag, to make and use a, _pâté de foie gras_ patties, chicken, crust, lobster, oyster, veal, peach, bavarian cream, ice cream, méringue pudding, pudding, sponge, peaches, brandied, frozen, pickled, preserved, pears, pickled, preserved, pea soup, green, peas, _à la française,_ when in season, peppers, stuffed, philadelphia clam soup, pickled, blueberries, cauliflower, chopped pickle, cucumbers, mangoes, oysters, peaches, pears and sweet apples, spiced currants, spiced plums, stuffed peppers, sweet melons, sweet tomato, tomatoes, pies, chicken, chocolate, cold game, corn, how to make, lemon, orange, shepherd's, squash, sweet potato, pigeons, broiled, in jelly, potted, pineapple bavarian cream, ice cream, jelly, preserved, sherbet, sponge, piquant sauce, pistachio ice cream, plum cake, kneaded, pudding, plums, preserved, spiced, polish salad, sauce, pollock, pork, see "marketing" in index., port wine sauce, _potage à la reine_, potatoes, _à la maître d'hôtel, à la parisienne, à la royale, à l'italienne_, baked with roast beef, balls, fried in butter, boiled, borders, broiled, creamed, croquettes, duchess, escaloped, fried, fritters, housekeeper's, lyonnaise, mashed, puffs, purée of, riced, salad, _soufflé_, soup, stewed, sweet, when in season, potting, beef, chickens, fish, ham, lobsters, mackerel, smelts, tongue, veal, poultry, see "marketing" in index. chicken _à la matelote, à la reine, à la tartare_, broiled, roasted, stew with dumplings, duck, roasted, fowl and pork, fowl and pork, boiled with macaroni, goose, roasted, to clean and truss, turkey, boiled, boiled, with celery, boned, roasted, with chestnut stuffing and sauce, pound cake, molasses, prairie chickens, preserving, apple ganger, barberry jelly, blackberries, brandied peaches, cherries, cider apple jelly, crab-apples, crab-apple jelly, currants, currant jelly damsons, grapes, grape jelly, orange marmalade, peaches, pears, pineapple, pineapple, grated plums, quinces, quince marmalade, raspberries, raspberry jam, sour oranges, strawberries, strawberry jam, whortleberries, puddings. cold. almond, apple méringue, apple porcupine, bird's nest, black, danish, frozen, frozen cabinet, jenny lind, lemon diplomatic, nesselrode, orange, orange diplomatic, peach, peach méringue, princess, quince iced, royal, royal diplomatic, tapioca, hot. amber, amherst, apple and rice, apple _soufflé_ apple tapioca, baked apple, batter and fruit, cabinet, chocolate, chocolate roll, corn, custard _soufflé_ date, delicate indian, down east, dutch apple, english plum, eve's, fig, german puffs, ground rice, indian and apple, rachel, rice, yorkshire, sauces. apricot, caramel, cream, creamy, foaming, german, lemon, molasses, quince, rich wine, vanilla, puff paste, pumpkin soup, quail, broiled, larded, queen's cake, _quenelles_, chicken, breaded, stuffed, veal, quince iced pudding, marmalade, quinces, preserved, rabbit, curry of, roasted, rachel pudding, radishes, ragout of mutton, of veal, railroad cake, raisins, ranges and stoves, raspberry ice cream, jam, sherbet, raspberries, frozen, preserved, red vegetable salad, refrigerators, regatta cake, ribbon cake, rice, boiled, border, cake, croquettes, muffins, pudding, richmond maids of honor, rissoles, roasting meats, robert sauce, rolled rib roast, royal cream, croquettes, diplomatic pudding, pudding, rusks, sponge, rye meal, muffins, salad dressing, bacon, boiled, cream, french, made at the table, made with butter, mayonnaise, aspic, green, red, sardine, sour cream, without oil, salads, asparagus, asparagus and salmon, beef, bouquet, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, chicken, cucumber, fish, hot cabbage, lettuce, lobster, meat and potato, oyster, polish, potato, red vegetable, salmon, sardine, shad roe, tomato, vegetable, salamander, to use a, sally lunn, salmon, croquettes, salad, _vol-au-vent_ of, sandwiches, meat and potato, sardine dressing, salad, sauces, meat and fish, allemande, anchovy, bechamel, _beurre noir_, bread, brown, butter, caper, celery, champagne, chestnut, cream, cream bechamel, currant jelly, curry, egg, fine herbs, flemish, _hollandaise_, lobster, _maître d'hôtel_ butter sauce, mushroom, brown white, mustard, olive, oyster, piquant, polish, port wine, robert, shrimp, supreme, tartare, tomato, vinaigrette, white, pudding, apricot, caramel, cream, creamy, foaming, german, lemon, molasses, quince, rich wine, vanilla, sausages, breaded, scallops, scotch broth, scotch roll, seed cakes, serving, hints on, shad, shad roe croquettes, salad, shell beans, shells, shepherd's pies, sherbet, currant, lemon, orange, pineapple, raspberry, strawberry, shrewsbury cakes, shrimp, sauce, silver cake, smelts, _à la tartare_, as a garnish, potted, snow-flake cake, snow pancakes, soda, soups, asparagus, black bean, bouillon, cheese, consommé, _consommé à la royal_, corn, corn chowder, cream of barley, of celery, of rice, duchess, egg balls for, fish chowder, french paste for, fried bread for, giblet, glaze for, green pea, green turtle, grouse, lobster, with milk, with stock, meg merrillies', mixed stock, mock bisque, mulligatawny, okra, onion, philadelphia clam, _potage à la reine_, potato, pumpkin, scotch broth, spring, spring and summer, stock for clear, tapioca cream, thick vegetable, tomato, white stock, yacht oyster, sour cream dressing, spices, spinach, green, to make, minced, spongecake, for charlotte russe, drops, rusks, sponges, lemon, orange, peach, pineapple, strawberry, spring soup, spring and summer soup, squabs, squash biscuit, pie, squashes, when in season, steak, stewed with oysters, steaks, broiling stew, beef irish stewing, sticks, stock, for clear soups, mixed, remarks on, white, stoves and ranges, strawberry bavarian cream, ice cream, jam, jelly, sherbet, short-cake, sponge, strawberries, frozen, preserved, sturgeon, sugar, to boil sunshine cake, supreme sauce, surprise _soufflé_, sweetbreads, breaded, broiled, in paper cases, larded and baked, _sauté_, to clean _vol-au-vent_ of sweet herbs, to make a bouquet of sweet potatoes, sweet potato pie, swiss pudding, sword-fish, tapioca cream soup, pudding, cold tartare sauce, tautog, taylor cake, tea, terrapin, stewed toad in the hole, togus bread, tomato ketchup, salad, sauce, soup, tomatoes, broiled, escaloped, fried, pickled, stuffed, sweet, to peel, tongue, boiled, braised, escaloped, fillets of, in jelly, potted, stewed, tripe, lyonnaise, turbot, _à la crème,_ turkeys, turkey, boiled, boned, galatine of, roasted, utensils, kitchen, vanilla _éclairs,_ ice cream, veal, and ham, blanquette of, curry of, cutlets, with white sauce, force-meat, fricandeau of, fricandelles of, galatine of, marbled, olives, patties, _quenelles,_ ragout of, roasted fillet of, vegetables, see "marketing" in index. asparagus with cream, baked beans, cabbage, minced, cauliflowers, celery, corn oysters, pudding, egg plant, fried green peas, _à la française,_ macaroni, okra, onions, parsnips, pickled beets, potatoes, rice, boiled salad, soup, spinach, time table for cooking, tomatoes, viennois cakes, venison, roast leg of, saddle of, vinaigrette sauce, _vol-au-vent_ of chicken, of lobster, of oysters, of salmon, of sweetbreads, waffles, indian, raised, rice, walnut ice cream, weak-fish, wedding cake, welch rare-bits, wheat, cracked white-fish, white fruit cake, sauces. whortleberries, wine jelly, woodcock, yacht oyster soup, yeast, bread, yorkshire pudding, transcriber note emphasized text displayed as _italics_ and =bold=. mrs. beeton's famous cookery books. =mrs. beeton's book of household management.= s. d. =mrs. beeton's family cookery and housekeeping book.= s. =mrs. beeton's every day cookery and housekeeping book.= s. d. =mrs. beeton's all about cookery.= s. d. =mrs. beeton's cookery book=. s. =mrs. beeton's englishwoman's cookery book.= d. =mrs. beeton's penny cookery book.= d. _a handbook of fish cookery._ _by the same author._ price s. d. the profession of cookery from a french point of view. _with some economical practices peculiar to the nation._ "an excellent practical treatise, well expressed, full of sound information lucidly conveyed by a writer who really knows her subject well, and combines fine taste with a real regard for economy."--_the times._ a handbook of fish cookery _how to buy, dress, cook, and eat fish_ by lucy h. yates _author of "the profession of cookery from a french point of view."_ london ward, lock & co., limited warwick house, salisbury square, e.c. new york and melbourne contents. -----¤<>¤----- page introduction part i. choosing and buying fish part ii. the cooking of fish part iii. tested recipes part iv. fish sauces _introduction._ in spite of a considerable amount of trade grumbling, the best part of the market is still held by english fish, as a glance at any time over the names on the crates will show. the foreign importations, though large, are not nearly so extensive as might be supposed. as a rule the north british ports furnish the largest supply; the southern ports suffer the most from foreign competition. continental freightage also is light, and as the foreigner rarely keeps very closely to the laws of "fence months," he gets fish into the market when no home-caught of the same kind is to be had. if all people, both rich and poor, could be persuaded to eat fish more freely, they would be benefited both in health and pocket. if the _demand_ were greater the _supply_ would be more liberal, more varied, and also much cheaper. at present, although there is much complaining about catches falling off, many grounds yielding but a poor harvest, yet tons of fish are annually sent away from the markets for manure. the trade is both risky and variable, consequently prices have to be kept up that the dealer may realise some profit, and for this state of things _the modern housewife is largely accountable_. it is not wholly a question of price, although there is still much to desire on this point. ignorance, especially with the working-man's wife, will generally be found to be the cause of the aversion which many housewives have to the cooking of fish; even in middle and upper class households much ignorance as to the kinds of fish and the best means of making use of them prevails. the poorer classes still regard fish as "nothing to make a meal of," and, sad to say, a great many of the poor of our cities will not eat fish, however cheaply they may get it. they have many advantages of getting it which those who live in superior neighbourhoods have not. often before the central market closes, first-rate cod is to be had for twopence the pound--a seven-pound cod for a shilling. plentiful and wholesome as cod is, it is seldom much thought of by poor people. salted, sun-dried cod, is thought beneath notice, although large quantities are consumed on the continent, and some very dainty dishes made therefrom. plaice, too, generally to be had at fourpence the pound, is but lightly esteemed. humble londoners care most for smoked fish, "something that has a grip with it," they say. to meet this demand many adulterations are practised by the cockney curer. "haddocks" are often but indifferent codling. the "finnan haddie" was caught in the scheldt, and stavanger herrings are passed off as yarmouth bloaters. unwholesome common lobsters, winkles, and whelks, are preferred to good substantial fish, and, as before stated, ignorance of the proper methods of cooking is most frequently the reason of this. where late dinners, with people of small incomes, are coming more into favour, it is found an economy, as it is also considered the "correct thing," to have a course of fish. indeed, as an economical article of diet, fish has few rivals. many people who really would enjoy eating it are debarred from doing so by its being invariably badly cooked, or presented always in the same monotonous dress. phosphorus being essential for brain food, and as analysis has proved fish to contain a greater amount than almost any other article of diet, it is the more valuable still on this account. the fish which afford the most nourishment are the kinds which most resemble meat, as salmon, mackerel, &c.; turbot and halibut, though strictly belonging to the "lighter" order, are very nourishing on account of the amount of meat which they bear in proportion to bone. the whiter kinds of fish are the most easily digestible, as soles or cod, whiting, &c., and some kinds of river fish, notably perch. with the exception of trout--and perhaps pike--fresh-water fish are less esteemed than they deserve to be. salmon is sometimes called a river fish, though genuinely it is not so, as, although born in the river, the sea is its home and natural sphere. in parisian restaurants many dainty dishes are prepared from fish caught in the seine; and in country places where sea-water fish is often difficult to obtain, the ponds and rivers will often furnish excellent substitutes. all fresh-water fish--with the exception of trout--is at its best in winter-time. shell-fish, perfectly harmless in themselves as they may be, exemplify the saying that "what is one man's meat is another man's poison;" accordingly, where they are found to disagree they should be strictly avoided. oysters, the most highly esteemed of shell-fish, are frequently ordered by the physician when it is desirable to unite great nourishment with easy digestion, the amount of gluten they contain giving them this valuable quality. lobsters are popularly considered to be the least harmful next to oysters, and the flesh of a fresh crab is both delicate and delicious. shrimps, prawns, and crayfish, should properly rank as "relishes"; they are extremely useful in savoury dishes, either with or without other fish. cockles are deservedly esteemed by the rich, and they have often staved off the pressure of starvation from the poor of our coasts. the limpet is a great favourite with the irish, while the periwinkle is the poor man's luxury, and the clam enjoys high favour in the united states. part i. _choosing and buying fish._ before coming to this important part of our subject, we would like to offer a suggestion (in all courtesy, be it understood) to our friends the fishmongers. why do they, we would ask, invariably establish themselves on the sunny side of the road? surely if any branch of trade requires coolness and shade it is the fish trade, yet how rare an exception to find one so situated. then we would respectfully draw their attention to their way of handling the fish. often it receives most unmerciful treatment, being knocked about on the marble slab with a force quite unnecessary. all fish suffer more or less, but delicate fish, such as soles, suffer in this way just as a ripe peach or pear does if subjected to the same treatment. the same difference can be detected in the bruised part of fish as in a bruised peach. also a too liberal pouring-on of water is injurious. no doubt the bright and well-washed fish, surrounded with lumps of ice, look far more tempting than the boat-load all smeared with blood, yet the fish would be much better if they did not see fresh water until they are to be dressed at home. in this matter, however, the fishmonger is to a large extent ruled by popular opinion, and if the latter forbids the purchase of fish in their more natural condition, he is perhaps justified in endeavouring to suit the fancy of his customers. in choosing fish care should be taken not to judge too much by first appearances, although, fortunately, fish, if not fresh, soon tells its tale. if the eyes are dull, or the skin and the scales rub off easily, _avoid that fish_. if the skin is bright, the flesh firm to the touch when pressed between the thumb and finger, you may rely upon its being fresh; stale fish, or that which has been kept long in ice, is always flabby. one safe general direction for choosing fish may be given in few words, viz., _choose the plump ones_. a short fish, thick about the shoulders, is much to be preferred to a long thin one. thick soles, or thick turbots, are far preferable to thin ones. the same with codfish. lobsters and crabs should be chosen by weight, and those of medium size are best in flavour. there are one or two kinds of fish which are positively improved by being kept a day or two, notably skate and red mullet. mackerel, on the contrary, is a fish than which none spoils more rapidly. the sole holds a first position among flat fish, and is deservedly esteemed, as its flesh is firm and delicate and very easily digested, hence its great popularity with the sick. it has also the advantage of being obtainable all the year round in good condition. the skin of the back is sometimes dark, sometimes white, varying with the nature of the ground on which the fish feeds. soles vary in size from quite little slips, called "tongues," to large fish weighing eight or nine pounds per pair. those in roe are rather insipid in flavour, and are best for filleting. they vary in price, but are never a _cheap_ fish. halibut is an excellent substitute for turbot, which it rather resembles in flavour, and is a comparatively cheap fish. it is abundant in spring and summertime, and always a favourite with jewish people. being a very large fish, it is rarely sold entire. the choice bits are the flackers over the fins and the pickings about the head. a fillet or "steak" is the most profitable portion for general eating. cod is at its best about christmas time. from the end of january to march it is less good and not abundant; in may again it is generally very fine. the best are those which are plump and round at the tail, the sides having a slightly ribbed appearance, with yellow spots on a clear skin. large cod are not generally cooked whole, being so much thicker at the head than at the tail. the head and shoulders, usually sold apart, form a handsome dish. it is a very nourishing fish, valuable in many ways, and if its "adaptabilities" were more understood it would be more generally appreciated. the salmon has been called the "king of fresh-water fish," yet, as before remarked, it does not belong to this category. the river is its birthplace, it is true, but the sea is its pasture ground, where it returns periodically to renew its strength. it inhabits fresh and salt water alternately, spending its summer in the river and its winter in the sea. just as the swallow returns again to the same roof which sheltered it, so the salmon returns again to the same river. this fact has been taken advantage of to naturalise salmon in rivers where formerly there were no signs of them. no stranger salmon cruising along the coast will mistake another river's mouth for the mouth of its own river. the flesh is rich and delicious in flavour, and to be eaten in perfection it should be dressed as soon as caught; there will then be found between the flakes a creamy-white substance called "curd," which is highly esteemed by the epicure. nevertheless, it is then highly indigestible; to be perfectly wholesome eating the salmon should be kept twenty-four hours, then the curd solidifies, and though perhaps less delicate in flavour, it is richer and far less likely to disagree. in season from february to august; it is at its cheapest in july and august. salmon trout, though resembling salmon in flavour and appearance, are really not at all the same species. they rarely exceed two to three pounds in weight--generally they are but three-quarters of a pound. they are justly regarded as a great delicacy, and are at their best in spring and early summer. the flesh is sometimes white, sometimes red; the latter is the most prized. when choosing salmon trout examine the inside of the throat through the gills. if this is very red the flesh will prove to be red, though not so red as salmon. there are two or three kinds of trout: common, sea, and white trout. sea trout reaches a good size, white trout never does. river trout are most delicious and highly esteemed; the most delicate in flavour are those which weigh from three-quarters to one pound. trout, which is in season from may to september, is in perfection in june. carp and tench are pond rather than river fish, and both have a great fondness for burying themselves in mud, and owing to this the flesh has often a slight muddy taste; for this reason the fish should lie in strong salt and water for a few hours, then be well cleansed in clear spring water. both are at their best in the winter months. the tench, though a smaller fish, is richer and more delicate than the carp. they are useful fish to families residing in the country. although the pike attains to a considerable size in england, it is small in comparison with its brethren found in russian and lapland waters. indeed it more truly deserves to be called a russian fish, so much more abundant and popular is it there. in colour the skin is a pale olive-grey, with several yellowish spots on the sides, and the mouth is furnished with a prodigious number of teeth, which has earned for it the name of "fresh-water shark." it was at one time a very popular article of food, and is still considered a good fish for the table. in some countries the fish is salted and dried, and the roe made into caviare. the perch, which is one of the commonest of our fresh-water fish, is also one of the best. it is met with in almost all lakes and rivers in temperate regions. when full-grown it is a large fish, although one weighing a pound is thought a good size, and one of three pounds very large. the flesh is white, firm, of a good flavour, and easily digested. perch are so tenacious of life, they may be carried fifty miles and yet survive the journey. best used as soon as caught, they are also better for being crimped as soon as they leave the water. their season is from june to february. perhaps the most commonly used fish is the herring. shoals of herring visit the british islands from the end of may till october, and even occasionally during the winter months. in the beginning of the season the fish is rather oily, and often found to be indigestible on that account, but after the first few weeks this disappears, and then it becomes both digestible and nourishing. in choosing herrings take care that they feel firm, and have bright eyes and scales. sprats closely resemble herrings in appearance and flavour, only they are but a third of the size of the latter. they are very abundant on the north british coasts, and in edinburgh and glasgow are sold by measure. their best season is the winter time, and their freshness may be judged by their silvery appearance--or otherwise. the highly esteemed smelt is a most delicate fish. when fresh it possesses an odour like a freshly-cut cucumber, but this perfume passes away twelve hours after it has been caught. the dutch fisheries furnish very fine smelts, and the baskets full of bright silvery little bodies look very tempting in the wholesale market. these are never what may be called cheap fish. in season from november to may. smelts which have been split and dried are called sparlings. another fish which is cheap and plentiful in the winter months is the haddock. they seldom weigh more than from three to four pounds, and the largest are considered the best. they should be gutted as soon as possible, and hung up to dry with salt inside them. scotch haddock have the highest reputation. among lesser known fish are the gurnet, dory, and ling. all of them are excellent eating. the dory resembles the turbot in flavour, and the gurnet has firm white flesh, of agreeable taste. in the early spring months ling is captured in large quantities off the orkney and shetland isles. skate and plaice are both less thought of in england than they deserve to be; in france they are better appreciated. skate improves by being hung up for a day before using. young skate are called "maids," and their flesh is tender and delicate. plaice is in good condition when the body is thick and firm, the eyes bright, and the pale side tinged with pink. hake, or "white salmon," is a west-country fish, common in devonshire. in season in the autumn months. eels and lampreys, very rich, and not over wholesome, are mostly food for the epicure. they are useful in cookery where a succulent dish is required. the lamprey is but little met with in the present day. part ii. _the cooking of fish._ the recipes given in this part have been gleaned from reliable sources. many of them are from french cooks, and are strictly in accordance with the methods in use in the best "cuisines," where the cooking of fish receives great care and attention. for greater convenience in reference the recipes for preparing the different kinds of fish are all classed under the name of each kind, and the names given in alphabetical order. perhaps the only ways of properly cooking fish are baking and broiling, yet these are precisely the ways least practised--out of france. boiling and frying have hitherto held too great a monopoly in our methods. in the following pages, while giving the latter modes their due share of attention, we beg to call for special notice to be given to the examples for _broiling_, &c., as they may be relied upon to bring about a satisfactory result if carefully followed. to begin with a few general directions: in broiling a perfectly clear fire is _absolutely indispensable_; more so in the case of fish than when intending to cook steak or chops. a shovel-full of good cinders, slightly wetted, and given sufficient time to become red-hot, will generally ensure a good surface heat, but a charcoal "braisière" is _par-excellence_ the fire for this purpose, and no french housewife considers her kitchen complete without this little contrivance. a little charcoal sprinkled over some hot coals is not a bad substitute for it. a special gridiron should be kept for fish only. after using, let it be thoroughly washed and dried, and before using again rub the bars over with a little oil; fish is more easily marked, and apt to stick sooner than meat. if the gridiron is not a double one, use a pair of sugar-tongs with which to turn the fish over; beware of sticking a fork into it. there can be no doubt that grilling brings out a flavour which nothing else will. what can surpass a fresh mackerel, grilled after being split open and boned? an important point to bear in mind in this method of cookery is, to _keep in the flavour_. a slice of grilled salmon will taste far nicer if the slice has been wrapped in buttered paper; but cooking anything in paper requires the greatest care, as should there be the least flare the paper will catch fire,--what is required is a fierce heat. when baking fish _en papillot_, that is wrapped in buttered paper, the chief thing to bear in mind is not to spare the butter. this, one of the most delicate and delicious ways of cooking fish, is apt to be entirely spoilt, because only a little dab of butter is allowed. when fish has been cooked in paper it should be sent to table just as it is, paper and all. always use plain white note paper, never printed. in boiling fish a very common fault is omitting to put sufficient salt into the water. in the case of large fish, salt should be added in the proportion of half a pound to a gallon of water; for smaller fish, a proportion of a quarter-pound to the gallon is sufficient. it is now generally thought best to place fish in nearly boiling water, then allow it to come gently to the boiling point again, this keeps in the flavour on the same principle as the boiling of meat. the time allowed depends entirely on the size of the fish, but when the flesh shows signs of being just able to be separated from the bone, it is amply done. experience is the only safe guide. to preserve the _whiteness_ of white fish, it is wise to rub them over with lemon-juice before boiling. one method of boiling fish, when it is intended for eating cold, which is much approved of on the continent, is to do it in "court-bouillon," and if fresh-water fish be cooked this way it is relieved of much of its insipidity. one part of vinegar, one part of red wine, to four parts of water, for the "bouillon." to two quarts of the liquor put an ounce of salt, half an ounce of pepper, a bunch of savoury herbs, a sliced onion and a carrot. sometimes a small piece of salt bacon is also added. let these all boil together for some time, then strain the liquor and keep in a stone jar. it will keep a long time if occasionally re-boiled. the fish should be well covered with the liquid when laid in the fish-kettle, and allowed to boil gradually. to fry fish successfully it should be literally _boiled_ in fat. this cannot be done over a slow or smoky fire, neither can it be done unless an abundance of fat be allowed. it is not an extravagant method, even if the pan be a large one, and it takes two or three pounds to fill it. if carefully poured into a basin containing boiling water after the fish has been cooked, the loose breadcrumbs and other particles will fall to the bottom, and the fat form a clear white crust. when due care is exercised there is no reason why the same fat should not be used fifty times over. let it be quite boiling when the fish is put in. this may be known by its perfect stillness and the faint blue vapour which will rise from it. when the fish has been washed and carefully dried, flour it before dipping into beaten egg, and use brown raspings in preference to breadcrumbs. lay a small piece of blotting-paper at the bottom of the dish to absorb all grease. various recipes for _baking_ fish are given in the following pages. perhaps one of the nicest ways of doing fish in the oven is _au gratin_. briefly described, this consists of a layer of mixed herbs and breadcrumbs laid first at the bottom of a well-buttered dish, the fish laid on this, then the same ingredients with seasoning and more butter over it. very often a glass of wine or vinegar is added. anything cooked _au gratin_ must always come to table in the dish in which it was cooked, hence the gratin-dish, sometimes of silver, sometimes of polished tin or fire-proof china, is another kitchen requisite almost indispensable. when intending to use salted fish for any dish it should always be allowed to lie in water at least twenty-four hours previously, and the water should be changed frequently; then drain and dry thoroughly. part iii. _tested recipes._ =anchovies= are the only fish which come under this letter. they are usually bought in pickle from grocers and oilmen, and ought to soak in cold water before they are used. the small, plump ones are the best--the pickle is red, the scales of the fish white. if cut into fillets and added to sliced cucumber, hard-boiled egg, also sliced, minced parsley and herbs, and dressed with the usual salad dressing, they form an acceptable variety in the salad series. =anchovies, essence of= (home-made), is made by beating to a paste half-a-pound of anchovies, bones also, then adding a pint of raisin wine to the paste and boiling both together until it is dissolved. for seasoning add a very small quantity of cayenne pepper, two or three jamaica peppercorns and three or four shallots. home-made essence is greatly superior in flavour to that which can be bought. =anchovy butter= is prepared by pounding to a paste half-a-pound of anchovies with half that weight of butter. a pinch of cayenne is an improvement. this butter is especially useful for flavouring sauces for meat and fish, and if kept in very small pots, closely covered, it will remain good for some time. _anchovy paste_, so much liked for sandwiches, is made in the same way. =anchovy sauce.=--two ounces of butter melted, two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smoothly with it, a tumblerful of boiling water. when this has boiled stir in gradually three teaspoonfuls of the essence of anchovies, and add the juice of half a lemon; let all boil once more, then pour into a tureen. =barbel.=--this is but a poor fish, being woolly and rather flavourless. it may be made palatable by cutting in pieces, then steeping in a marinade of oil, pepper and salt, for half an hour, after which broil the pieces over the fire, and serve with _maître d'hôtel_ butter. =bloaters.=--the smoked bloaters should be scalded with boiling water, then dried. the bones can often be drawn off after this, before cooking. they may either be broiled over the fire for a moment, or cooked in the oven with a morsel of butter. before broiling fresh bloaters split them open down the middle, remove the backbone and cleanse them. sprinkle with pepper and salt, and drop a morsel of butter on each before bringing to table. =bream= is a handsome, although not a delicate fish. it must be thoroughly cleansed and washed out with vinegar. split it open and remove the bone, but do not scale it. it is best broiled, but is excellent if stuffed with a little forcemeat, then baked in the oven for twenty minutes. melted butter, caper sauce, or anchovy sauce, must accompany it to table. =brill.=--this fish has an excellent reputation, resembling turbot so nearly; it may be cooked in almost every way recommended for the latter. thick brill are the best, and a yellowish hue in the flesh denotes its freshness. lay it in salted water for a few minutes, then dry it and rub with the juice of a lemon. when boiling brill allow plenty of salt in the water, and half a teacupful of lemon juice. let it simmer gently after reaching boiling point till just tender through. lay on a clean serviette, the white side uppermost, garnish with cut lemon and parsley, also a sprinkling of lobster coral. =carp, baked.=--after washing and scaling, remove the inside of the carp, squeeze over it the juice of one or two lemons and let it lie thus for an hour. next place it in a baking tin, sprinkle some minced parsley and shallots over it, also pepper and salt, then pour a little oiled butter over all. cover with white paper and bake for upwards of forty minutes--gently. make a little thick melted butter, enrich it further with a spoonful of cream, stir in the juice of half a lemon, and more salt and pepper--cayenne if liked. lift the carp on to a dish, pour this sauce over it, garnish with chopped gherkins and lobster coral. =carp, fried.=--cut the fish into fillets after having thoroughly cleansed it. roll each fillet in flour seasoned with salt and cayenne. fry in a depth of boiling fat, serve with anchovy sauce. =carp, grilled.=--only very small carp can be cooked this way, and they should be wrapped in buttered papers, after having been washed and emptied. serve with a piquant sauce of minced herbs, lemon-juice and butter. =carp, stewed.=--carp are excellent treated this way if rather large. after washing in vinegar and water, cut the fish into fair-sized pieces, roll each piece in seasoned flour, then lay in a covered stewpan, and pour a tumblerful of white wine over them. allow nearly an hour for the cooking, then when done remove the pieces of fish carefully on to a dish, stir in a tablespoonful of grated horseradish, a little cream, and the beaten yolk of an egg into the sauce, and pour it over the carp. if boiled in "court-bouillon," carp is equally good for eating cold. =caveach fish.=--clean some large fish, such as cod or salmon, then cut them into slices. rub each slice with salt, pepper and spice, and fry in boiling fat till lightly browned. let them drain and get quite cold, then lay in deep jars. boil some vinegar with a few shallots, peppercorns, a bay leaf and blade of mace; when this is cold fill the jars nearly full with this, pour a little salad oil on the top and cover closely. they will keep for months, and when required the slices are lifted out, placed in the centre of a dish with dressed salad round them. =clams.=--clams, which are a species of cockle, were declared by the great soyer to be superior to the oyster in flavour. they are very nice if fried, after dipping into beaten egg and breadcrumbs. in america they are stewed. put into a stewpan with a little water, they are boiled for a few minutes, then seasoned with pepper and salt. =cockles.=--cockles should be roasted on a tin laid on the top of a stove; they are eaten whilst hot with bread and butter. they require to be well washed, and the shells scrubbed with a brush. =cod, baked.=--take a piece weighing about three pounds out of the middle of a large fish. make a simple forcemeat of breadcrumbs, minced parsley, thyme, seasoning, and the yolk of an egg; put this inside the fish and sew it up. place in a baking-dish, and surround with a carrot sliced, and also a turnip and small onion. pour a spoonful of vinegar over, and place two or three lumps of butter on the top; bake for twenty minutes. remove the vegetables, but serve the liquor with the fish instead of sauce. =cod, fried à la maître d'hôtel.=--take two or three slices of cod about an inch and a half in thickness, let them lie in salt water for half an hour, then drain and dry them. cover with seasoned flour, and fry in a quantity of boiling fat for a few minutes. pile in pyramid form on a hot dish, pouring the following sauce round them: two tablespoonsful of fresh green parsley chopped small, two ounces of butter, half an ounce of flour, a little salt, pepper, and a spoonful of vinegar; add a little water if it thickens too much. mix the ingredients well, let them boil up once, then serve. =cod, à la crème.=--the remains of boiled cod will do excellently well for this, or if fresh fish is used it must be first boiled till tender, then broken into flakes, all skin and bone removed. into a saucepan put a pint of milk with a teaspoonful of salt and the rind of a lemon. let this boil once, then pour off into a basin. in the saucepan melt an ounce of butter and stir in smoothly an ounce of flour, add a pinch of cayenne pepper, then the milk, and boil all together until thick. put in the flakes of cod to heat through, then pour all on to a hot dish, garnish with tufts of parsley, and pass round strips of toasted bread to eat with it. =cod, curried.=--take the remains of cold boiled cod broken into flakes, fry them a moment in butter. lay them aside on a hot plate and prepare the curry. for this put an ounce of butter into a saucepan and slice into it two shallots and one small apple. when these have frizzled brown stir in a tablespoonful of flour, half a teaspoonful of curry powder, the same of salt, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, and lastly a teacupful of stock. let this boil a few minutes, then put in the cod to warm up, and serve quickly. a wall of boiled rice round the edge of the dish is an improvement. =cod, salted, with parsnips.=--take a couple of pounds of salted cod, let it soak for twenty-four hours, then drain, and pouring fresh cold water over it let it heat through gradually. it should simmer until tender, but must not boil, or it will become hard. drain again, lay on a hot dish, garnish with boiled parsnips cut into lengths, and cover all with egg sauce, made as follows: half a pint of milk thickened with flour, a small bit of butter, salt, pepper, the juice of a lemon, and two hard-boiled eggs chopped small and stirred in. garnish the dish with parsley. =cod, salted, en mousse.=--soak and cook the cod as in the previous recipe, then drain and break into flakes. frizzle a slice of a spanish onion in a small quantity of butter, but do not brown it. scald the soft part of a slice of white bread, break it with a fork, then add to the onion, and at the same time add gradually a cupful of new milk. continue to beat until all is quite smooth, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then add the flakes of cod, still continuing to beat. if becoming too stiff add more milk. when all is light and like a froth, pour on to a dish and dot small bits of fried or toasted crusts about the surface. =cod, head and shoulders boiled.=--a portion or the whole of a large fish, when intended for boiling, should be previously crimped, when it should receive some deep cuts as far as the bone on both sides. afterwards it should lie in vinegar and water for half an hour. it should be plunged at once into boiling water, then allowed to simmer till just tender. drain, and serve on a white d'oyley, garnished with lemon and parsley. crimping renders the flesh firmer, and makes it easier both to cook and to serve. =crab.=--the crabs which have a rough shell and claws are the best. when choosing one shake it well; if it rattle it is sure to prove watery. the shell should be of a bright red, and the eyes look clear. in picking out the meat from the shell and claws leave out the part near the head, which is not fit to be eaten. =crab, hot buttered.=--pick the meat from the shell of a crab, mix with half its quantity of breadcrumbs, a little pepper, salt, grated nutmeg, a spoonful of salad oil and the same of vinegar. clean the empty shell, then refill it with this mixture, sprinkle more crumbs over the top, then a nob of butter, and bake for nearly ten minutes. to eat with hot dry toast. =crab, salad.=--pick the meat from the shell into flakes, make a pile in the centre of a dish, leaving the claws on the top; surround with shred lettuce and watercress, and pour a simple salad dressing over all. =crab soup, or potage bisque.=--this is most delicious and delicate. choose a nice heavy crab, pick out the meat from the claws into shreds. the soft meat from the inside of the body is pounded in a mortar with half its quantity of boiled rice; this is thinned a little with some clear stock, then passed through a colander. put this into a stewpan with sufficient stock to make the required quantity (veal stock is preferable), add a cupful of thickened cream, salt to taste, and a little cayenne pepper, let it boil once only, then take from the fire and add the shredded meat from the claws. a little lobster butter stirred in will make it a richer colour. make potage from lobster or crayfish in exactly the same manner. the result will be almost as satisfactory. =crayfish.=--crayfish resemble lobsters in flavour, but they are smaller, and the flesh is more delicate. those which are red under the claws are the best. wash them well, and boil in salt water for ten minutes, after which they will become a bright red. drain well, then pile in pyramid form, and garnish with parsley. a pretty dish may be made from them by preparing a clear savoury jelly, and arranging the crayfish in a fancy mould--minus the tails--filling in all spaces with the jelly. =crayfish, as a breakfast relish.=--remove the tails from a pint of crayfish, put the bodies to simmer gently in a saucepan with an ounce of butter, a teacupful of water, a spoonful of vinegar, grate of nutmeg, and a little salt and pepper. simmer for ten minutes, thicken with flour, and pour over a slice of toast. crayfish may also be potted like shrimps. =dabs.=--these insignificant little fish are caught in the mouths of rivers near the sea. they are nice if fried, but more tasty if wrapped in buttered paper and baked for fifteen minutes. send to table with sliced lemon. =dace.=--this fish scarcely repays the trouble of cooking, and is usually only enjoyed by the angler who has caught it. it may be either fried or boiled. a little sharp sauce with lemon juice and mustard are almost necessary accompaniments. =dory.=--although by no means a handsome fish, yet the dory has a flavour which makes it excellent eating. it is best boiled, or rather _simmered_, after it has boiled once, twenty minutes for a fair-sized fish. serve on a napkin, garnished with parsley. anchovy, shrimp, or caper sauce, are all suitable for serving with boiled dory. =eels, en matelote.=--skin and clean about two pounds of eels, divide into pieces of two inches long, let them lie in salt water while some onions are being fried in butter. when the onions have browned, stir in flour to absorb all the butter, then a cupful of stock and the same of red wine, a few mushrooms, pepper and salt, and a pinch of herbs. stew the eels in this gravy until thoroughly tender, about forty minutes. serve altogether. =eels, boiled, for invalids.=--when the skin has been drawn off the eel, and it has lain in salt water to cleanse it, it should be placed before a clear fire for ten minutes to draw out the oil. wash again in warm water, and set to boil in a saucepan with a bunch of parsley and spoonful of salt. when tender take it out, divide into lengths, thicken a small quantity of the broth, add cream and chopped parsley, and pour over the eel. =findon, or "finnan," haddocks.=--the findon haddock, so highly esteemed for its delicate flavour, may be distinguished by its odour and creamy yellow colour. the skin should be stripped off, and the fish broiled quickly over a clear fire. rub butter over it before bringing to table. =flounders.=--flounders may be boiled, baked, fried, or stewed. as they are apt to have a slight muddy flavour, they should lie in salt water for a while. perhaps the nicest way of cooking them is to dip them into beaten egg, cover with raspings, and boil them in fat. flounders may also be done _au gratin_, by laying the fish (neatly trimmed) on a bed of chopped shallots and parsley, breadcrumbs and butter, covering them with the same, then adding a glass of white wine, and baking for twenty minutes. allow at least one for each person. =gurnet.=--the head of the gurnet is large in comparison with the rest of the body. it is apt to be a dirty fish, and needs very thorough cleansing. the gills should be cut off. perhaps the best way of cooking it is to remove the head and the inside, stuff it with a forcemeat, sew the body up and lay it in a deep tin, covering with a slice or two of salt fat. bake for half an hour, then remove on to a hot dish, and pour _maître d'hôtel_ butter over it. =haddock, broiled.=--draw and clean the haddock very thoroughly, wiping it perfectly dry. dredge with flour, then pour a little salad oil over it. lay on the gridiron and broil quickly. when brown and crisp it is done. serve with anchovy sauce. =haddock, baked.=--empty and wash the fish, scaling it carefully; let it lie in vinegar for fifteen minutes, then dry it, dredge with flour, cover with beaten egg, then with breadcrumbs, and lay in a greased baking-dish. pour melted butter over it, and bake about twenty minutes. the gravy which comes from the fish may be seasoned and sent to table with it. garnish with cut lemons. =haddock, curried.=--choose small haddocks for this purpose. split them open, remove bones and the head, divide into convenient-sized pieces. dip each piece into seasoned flour and fry till crisp and brown. prepare a curry sauce by frizzling a small onion and an apple in butter, thickening with flour, adding seasoning and a little curry powder and clear stock to make the requisite quantity. put the fish into this sauce to heat through, then pile in the centre of a dish and pour the sauce over. garnish with rice. =halibut.=--being very large fish, perhaps the most satisfactory way of dealing with halibut is to cut them into steaks, viz., slices across the fish of any thickness desired. they may be either broiled or fried. when broiling, sprinkle them with seasoning, and let them lie in salad oil for a few minutes, then drain and broil quickly over a bright fire. lay on a hot dish, squeeze lemon juice over, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. for frying, the steaks may be either dredged with flour, or dipped in egg and breadcrumbs, then fried in a shallow depth of fat till lightly brown. drain on blotting paper, and send shrimp or anchovy sauce to table with them. boiling is the least satisfactory way of cooking halibut, but if it be chosen, have the fish in one thick piece. put into boiling water, and simmer gently until the fish shows signs of parting from the bone. =halibut pie.=--take a piece of the middle of the fish, remove all skin, and cut into pieces an inch square. roll each piece in a mixture of salt, pepper, and breadcrumbs, place in a pie-dish with lumps of butter at the top. pour a glass of white wine over. cover with a "short" crust, and when this has baked until well brown, the fish also will be done. =herrings, boiled.=--few fish are more delicious than fresh herrings boiled. wash, scale, and empty them very particularly. souse them with vinegar, then drop into boiling salted water, simmer for about ten minutes, and lift them out the moment they are done. drain them, arrange nicely on a clean napkin, garnish with parsley and horseradish, and serve parsley sauce with them. =herrings, broiled.=--let them lie in salt overnight, wash them, empty, and split them open. dry thoroughly, and dredge a little flour over them. lay on an oiled gridiron, broil on both sides. lay each one separately on a hot plate, and place a morsel of butter on the top. then pour the following sauce over them: a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the same of minced herbs, and a "suspicion" of onion, same of butter, a teaspoonful of salt and pepper mixed, a wineglassful of vinegar; boil altogether for a moment. =herrings, pickled= (to eat cold).--scale and clean the herrings carefully, split them open and take out the backbone. sprinkle with salt and pepper after laying in a deep dish. cover with vinegar and water. bake till tender through. =herrings, pickled= (french mode).--scale and clean the herrings, empty without splitting them. cut off the heads, and put the fish into an earthern jar, strew salt liberally over them; let them lie twenty-four hours. drain them and place them in an enamelled saucepan with a dozen peppercorns, a bay-leaf or two, and an onion with a clove. cover with cold vinegar. let them come to boiling point, and boil two minutes only. stand aside until quite cold, when they may be placed in a covered jar. they will keep good for some time. =lampreys, stewed.=--rub the lamprey well with salt, and wash it in water (warm) to get rid of the slime. cut off the head, tail, and gills, empty it, then cut into pieces three inches long. slice three or four onions into the bottom of a stewpan, dip each piece of lamprey into flour, and lay over the onions. add next a dozen mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, grated lemon-rind and a little juice, pepper, and salt. a glassful of red wine and sufficient stock to cover the whole, replace the lid, and stew gently for two hours. serve altogether. =ling, baked.=--cleanse and empty the fish, cut it into thick slices, removing the head and tail. dredge the slices with flour, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. lay them in a baking-dish, and pour some melted butter over them. bake for twenty minutes, place the slices of fish on a hot dish, then add a cupful of cream and a small tinful of button mushrooms to the butter, make thoroughly hot and pour over the fish just before bringing to table. or, the slices of ling may be dipped into beaten egg, covered with raspings, and fried in hot fat, a _sauce rémoulade_ being brought to table with them. =lobster, à la crème.=--pick the meat from a fresh lobster without breaking the shell; cut it into dice. put into an enamelled saucepan with a mixed teaspoonful of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, a glassful of white wine, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and an ounce of butter rolled in flour. simmer gently for ten minutes, stirring all the time. then stir in two tablespoonfuls of thickened cream. pour the mixture into the shell of the lobster, cover the top with breadcrumbs, brown quickly in the oven, then set the shell on a folded napkin, and garnish with parsley. =lobster cutlets.=--a large lobster is required for these. boil for five minutes, then crack the shell and take out the meat as whole as possible. cut this across in slices a quarter of an inch in thickness. dip each slice into beaten egg and breadcrumbs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fry in fat for about five minutes. make a small mound of whipped potato for the centre of a dish, arrange the cutlets round this, and send oyster sauce to table with them. =lobster patties.=--boil a lobster for fifteen minutes. crack it open and pick the meat out into flakes. put the flakes into an enamelled saucepan with an ounce of butter, a tablespoonful of cream, same of white stock, and a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, a little seasoning also, and a few dry breadcrumbs. boil up for a moment. line some patty-pans with good puff paste not rolled too thinly, place a morsel of crumb of bread in the middle before putting on the top crust; bake the patties a bright brown, lift off the top crust, take out the bread, fill with the hot mixture, and replace the cover. serve very hot. =lobster salad.=--for this the lobster is required very sweet and fresh; it should have been boiled about twenty minutes and then have become quite cold. crack the shell and remove the meat as whole as possible, saving the coral for garnishing. divide the meat into small neat pieces, seasoning each with salt, pepper, and vinegar. take two lettuces with firm, white hearts, wipe them clean with a cloth. they must be crisp and perfectly dry. place first a layer of shred lettuce at the bottom of a bowl, then a layer of seasoned lobster; alternate till the stock is exhausted. pour the following dressing over all at the last moment, and sprinkle the coral over the surface. a fanciful outer edge may be made of sliced eggs and beetroot, or nasturtium flowers, radishes set in parsley, &c. _dressing_.--the yolks of two eggs beaten until thick, a saltspoonful of salt, half of pepper, same of made mustard. beat in slowly half a pint of oil and two spoonsful of vinegar. =lobster butter, and sauce.=--the spawn and coral of a freshly-boiled hen lobster, pounded together in a mortar with twice their quantity of fresh butter and a spice of cayenne pepper, makes lobster butter. it should be of a bright red colour. keep in small pots well covered, and in a cool place. for the sauce, make some good plain melted butter, pick out a few flakes of the white meat of a lobster, then stir in a spoonful of the lobster butter. do not boil it after this, or the colour will be spoilt. the juice of a lemon may be added if liked. =mackerel, broiled.=--for a perfectly fresh, small, plump mackerel, this is _the_ mode of cooking _par excellence_. cleanse the fish thoroughly, and dry them first with a cloth, then by hanging up in the open air. split them open flat and carefully remove the backbone. smear them with salad oil, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, wrap each one in a fold of buttered note-paper, and lay on the gridiron. broil carefully over a clear _red_ fire for twenty minutes, turning occasionally. they may be broiled without the paper, in which case fifteen minutes will be more than long enough, but will taste less delicate and be less easily digested. lay on a hot dish, cover closely, and serve with or without _maître d'hôtel_ butter. =mackerel, baked.=--large mackerel are preferable for this mode. after cleaning and taking out the roes, fill with the following forcemeat:--three ounces of breadcrumbs, an ounce of finely-shred beef suet, the same of chopped parsley, a pinch of savoury herbs, minced chives, and pepper and salt. bind the mixture with a beaten egg. when the fish has been filled, sew the sides together with strong thread, lay it on a baking dish, dredge a little flour over it, and pour over either some melted butter or clarified fat. bake twenty minutes. serve with the same butter to the which some chopped parsley has been added, or with a _sauce piquante_. =mackerel, boiled.=--wash and empty them without splitting them more than can be helped. lay them in _hot_ water with plenty of salt. let the water come to a boil, then draw aside and simmer them till the skin shows signs of breaking. drain, and serve on a clean serviette. garnish with parsley. serve either parsley or fennel sauce with them. =mullet, red.=--these fish are much the best if cooked in buttered paper. they may be roast, baked, or boiled--all ways are excellent if the precaution of wrapping up be observed. a liberal share of butter should be enclosed with them. the gills and fins only are removed; the inside remains untouched, as the liver is much esteemed. cook them about twenty-five minutes, take out of the papers, and serve with plenty of sauce in a tureen. add the liquor which has oozed from the fish to some plain melted butter, with a spoonful of anchovy sauce, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a glassful of some good red wine. =mullet, red= (broiled _à la maître d'hôtel_).--clean the mullet and empty them, score them across in several places, lay them to soak in a marinade of salad oil and minced sweet herbs--garlic also if the taste is liked. let them lie in this for half an hour. drain them, sprinkle with salt and pepper, lay on a gridiron, and broil over a clear fire, turning on both sides. =mullet, grey.=--the grey mullet is but seldom offered for sale. it is generally thought much inferior to the red, and is only seasonable during the heat of summer. it may be cooked in any of the ways given for mackerel or for red mullet. =oysters.=--oysters are never so excellent or so easy of digestion as when they are eaten straight out of the newly-opened shell. if carefully opened, and none of the juice be spilt, they will need no seasoning; but if it be preferred, salt and pepper may be sprinkled over them, also a squeeze of lemon juice. brown bread and butter is the usual accompaniment to them. =oysters, browned in their own gravy.=--this is a very dainty dish. take a dozen or more large oysters, open them carefully, and pour the juice from each one into a cup. take off the beards, dip each oyster into beaten egg thickened with flour. brown them in a little butter, lift them out, add the gravy from the cup to the butter, thicken with flour, and season with pepper and salt. let it simmer for two or three minutes, then stir in the browned oysters; let them heat through again, then pour over a slice of toast. =oysters, au gratin.=--butter a bright tin or silver gratin-dish. stir into a few ounces of breadcrumbs a spoonful of chopped parsley and sweet herbs with seasoning. sprinkle these thickly over the butter, and moisten with white wine. then split open two dozen large oysters, take off the beards, and lay each oyster on the bed in the dish, pouring the juice over as well. cover them with a few more crumbs, place three or four nobs of butter on the top, and bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes. bring to table in the dish. =perch.=--the best way of dressing perch is in _water souchy_. remember always to clean the perch first with a little warm water to take off the slime, then lay them in cold salt water for an hour or so. pick out the smallest of the fish for the _souchy_, empty them, cut into pieces, boil them slowly with some parsley-root, peppercorns, and salt. strain the broth (for the ingredients should boil until a strong broth is obtained) through a muslin. the large perch should be crimped, after being cleaned, then placed in the broth and simmered until just tender. drain them, serve in a deep dish with a ladleful of the broth poured over them, and garnished with green parsley. a little fresh parsley, chopped, may be introduced into the broth if liked. perch may also be laid in a marinade (after being cleansed) then broiled over the fire. it is well if, after lifting them out of the marinade, they are liberally besprinkled with seasoned breadcrumbs and herbs. broil till lightly browned, lay on a hot dish, a nob of butter on each, and garnish. serve a little sharp sauce with them. if economy is not to be studied, they are very nice if stewed in wine--sherry, or equal parts of sherry and clear stock. lay the perch in a deep dish, and just cover them with the above. slice an onion very thinly, lay over them with a few sprigs of parsley, thyme, a bay-leaf, and some peppercorns, sprinkle liberally with salt, and let them simmer gently for about twenty minutes. make a sauce from the liquor by thickening it with butter rolled in flour, and serve poured over the fish. =pike, baked.=--pike must be scaled after washing them. to scale it easily, first pour boiling water over the fish, then plunge immediately into cold water, and scrape briskly with the back of a knife. wipe the fish dry, then empty it, and fill the cavity with a nicely seasoned forcemeat, sew up the sides, and lay in a baking dish. lay several large lumps of butter about it, and pour over a glassful of white wine or clear broth. bake it in a moderate oven for half an hour--a large fish will take even longer. it should be basted frequently, being a dry fish. good beef dripping will answer as well as butter. when done, lift the fish carefully on to a hot dish, and thicken the gravy with flour; add a spoonful of anchovy sauce, the same of mushroom ketchup, cayenne pepper, and salt. let them boil up again, then stir in a spoonful of capers, and pour the sauce into a tureen. the fish may be garnished with horseradish, fresh parsley, or small ripe tomatoes, if available. pike may be boiled, letting it lie in vinegar some time previously, and placing it in very hot water or stock, with an onion and bunch of sweet herbs. bring to a boil, and then simmer until tender. serve it on a clean napkin with cut lemons and parsley; send a sharp sauce to table with it. the remains of cold boiled pike, or slices cut from a fresh fish, may be dipped into egg and breadcrumbs and fried in fat. they will be found very good, especially if accompanied by a dish of green vegetable, as spinach, or a fresh salad. =plaice.=--perhaps the very nicest way of dressing plaice is to cut the fish into fillets, then to dip these into beaten egg and raspings, and fry them. place each fillet on a round of fried bread, and put a tiny pat of anchovy butter on the top of each, giving a sprinkle of pepper and salt as well, and thus they will be found to be very appetising. =plaice, au gratin.=--steep the fish in salt water for an hour or two, cleanse and empty it, leaving the head untouched. dry it thoroughly, and take a dish that will just hold it. first melt a little beef dripping in that, then put a layer of crumbs, a tablespoonful of finely-minced suet, parsley, shallots, and seasoning. on this lay the plaice, white side uppermost, cover with the same order, and squeeze the juice of a lemon over the top. set in the oven, which should be hot enough to brown the surface quickly. twenty minutes is ample for a good-sized fish. serve in the same dish. =plaice, boiled.=--large plaice should be chosen for boiling. cut a slit from the head downwards through the middle of the back, to prevent the white side breaking. lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient _cold_ water to cover it, and a teacupful of vinegar. let it come quickly to boiling point, then simmer for about five minutes longer. serve with shrimp or caper sauce. =prawns.=--prawns much resemble shrimps, but are larger in size and more delicate in flavour. when fresh they are of a bright red colour, and very firm. =prawn soup.=--mince together till quite fine, a carrot, onion, stick of celery, and small turnip. melt a little butter in a stewpan, put in the vegetables and let them simmer for a quarter of an hour, stirring well about. heat a quart of clear stock, take a thick slice of white bread and cut it into dice, leaving out the crust, let it boil in the liquor, then add the vegetables with the butter, and a tablespoonful of salt. boil all together. take fifty prawns, pick out the tails, and stew the bodies in a glass of wine, press them through a colander and mix with the soup. add then a pinch of cayenne pepper, a teaspoonful of anchovy butter, and a dessert-spoonful of lemon juice. allow all to boil five minutes longer, and pour over fried croutons into a tureen. =ray, or maids.=--this fish is the young skate, and, like the latter, it is improved by being hung for a day. it is nicest if cut into fillets and fried. it may be boiled for a few minutes in "court-bouillon," or, after being par-boiled, it may be cut into slices, dipped in oil, dredged with flour, and laid on a gridiron to broil for a few moments longer. minced parsley and shallots simmered in butter, with a tablespoonful of vinegar, and seasoning of pepper and salt, should form a gravy to accompany the fillets. =roach.=--the roach is a small fresh-water fish of a firm compact flesh. it is best fried. wash and empty the fish, dredge flour over them when dry, fry them in hot fat for about five minutes. send anchovy or some very tasty sauce to table with them. =salmon.=--for boiling purposes choose salmon with small heads and thick shoulders, or if buying only a portion of a fish, choose a piece of the middle or the head and shoulders. after cleaning the fish, cut off the fins and gills and scrape the scales carefully. lay it in _nearly_ boiling water with plenty of salt in it; let the water well cover the fish. allow the water to come to boiling point, then boil gently until a silver fork will pass through the thickest part. as a general rule allow eight minutes to the pound if the fish is a thick one, five or six minutes if it be a thin one. experience is the only safe guide. it is well to wrap the fish in a thin linen cloth before putting it in the pan; only be careful in removing the cloth when the fish is done, lest it be broken. lay the fish on a folded napkin, and garnish with tufts of parsley, tomatoes, and a few prawns. =salmon, broiled.=--for broiling purposes slices across the fish about an inch thick are preferable. if nicely cut and rubbed with a little melted butter, sprinkled with pepper and salt, laid on the gridiron and broiled on both sides over a very clear hot fire, turning every two or three minutes till done, then laid on a hot dish with a pat of fresh butter on each cutlet, and garnished with whatever is best obtainable, they are indeed truly admirable. shrimp sauce, or _maître d'hôtel_ butter might accompany them. a dish of green peas, either plainly boiled, or sautéd in butter, is a most delicious accompaniment to salmon cutlets. =salmon, baked.=--take a piece two or three pounds in weight, either from the middle or the tail end. lay it in a deep pie-dish, surround it with a few small shallots and sound red tomatoes, dredge a little flour over it, sprinkle with pepper and salt, lay several small pats of butter on the top, and pour a glassful of white wine into the dish. place the dish in a moderately hot oven and bake for from three-quarters to an hour. when done, lift the fish on to a dish and keep hot while preparing the sauce. press the tomatoes and shallots through a colander or hair sieve, add to the liquor in the dish, with also a teaspoonful each of made mustard, vinegar, flour, and worcestershire sauce; let this boil up once, then pour round the fish. garnish with curled parsley and a few choice tomatoes. serve whipped potatoes with it, and cucumbers sliced in vinegar. =salmon crumbs.=--a dish much liked in the north of ireland. the remains of cold boiled salmon are divided into flakes and mixed with half their quantity of stale breadcrumbs, a tablespoonful of fresh butter, pepper, salt, a spoonful of vinegar, and one or two beaten eggs. butter a shallow pie-dish, strew with crumbs, then press the mixture into it, and bake till brown. any nice sauce, or a freshly-dressed salad, may be served with this dish. =salmon fritters.=--take the remains of cold cooked salmon, remove the skin and bone and break the flesh into flakes. mix with these an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, add pepper and salt and an egg to bind the whole together. make the mixture into small flat cakes or fritters, coat each one with beaten egg, and dredge with flour; melt a little nice dripping in a shallow frying-pan, fry the fritters first on one side, then on the other, till they are a nice brown colour, drain and keep hot while preparing the following:--the heart of a crisp white lettuce, shred, and piled in the centre of a dish, two hard-boiled eggs shelled and minced small, strewn over this; make a dressing with salt and pepper, one spoonful of vinegar and two of oil, the whole of a shallot, some chives and parsley finely minced, all mixed together, then poured over the lettuce. sprinkle a little lobster coral over the surface, place the fritters round the base, and serve at once. this is a nice supper dish. =salmon trout.=--these are rightly esteemed a great delicacy. they may be dressed and served according to the recipes given for salmon, although boiling is the least suitable method. as they seldom exceed two or three pounds in weight, it scarcely repays to fillet them. for broiling they may be treated like mackerel, but, better still, when they have been duly cleansed and scaled, wrap them in buttered paper, and either bake them in the oven or broil them on the gridiron. baking is the best method of cooking salmon trout, but, when small, they are very good if dipped bodily into batter, then plunged into boiling fat, and served with _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. =salmon trout, baked and stuffed.=--a good-sized trout is very nice if baked as follows:--after emptying and scaling the fish, fill the cavity with a stuffing of breadcrumbs, parsley, herbs, and an egg to mix it; sew the sides together if necessary. lay in a baking dish, dredge with flour, place butter on the top, put a tablespoonful of vinegar and one of stock into the dish, and bake in the oven from twenty minutes to half an hour. lift the fish out on to a dish, thicken the liquor with flour, add seasoning, a spoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of anchovy essence, and pour this sauce round the fish. new potatoes, green peas, or baked tomatoes should accompany this dish. =sardines.=--tinned sardines are generally eaten without any further preparation, although very nice sandwiches may be made from them, also they are an indispensable adjunct to a fish salad. fresh sardines should be first cleansed, then dried in a soft cloth, laid on the gridiron and broiled for about two minutes. sprinkle salt and pepper and a dash of vinegar over them, and serve very hot on toasted bread. =shad.=--shad does not enjoy a very high reputation in england; in france it is quite a favourite fish and is thought worthy of being cooked in wine, and served with béchamel sauce. its best season is the early spring-time, march to may. the french way of cooking it is to split it open, after emptying, scaling, and washing it, then to lay it in oil, with pepper and salt. after it has soaked in this marinade for a sufficient time, it is laid on the gridiron, and broiled _very slowly_, on both sides, for upwards of an hour. served with _maître d'hôtel_ butter or caper sauce. shad may be fried after first trimming into convenient-sized pieces and dipping each piece in frying batter. it may also be stuffed and baked according to instructions given for salmon trout. =shrimps.=--there are several varieties of shrimps. the two kinds most commonly met with are the brown and the red shrimps. the brown kind is caught nearest to the shore in the shallower pools, and has the strongest flavour. the red shrimp is generally much smaller in size and more refined in flavour. when freshly boiled, shrimps are excellent as a breakfast relish, but when stale they are far from wholesome. allow a good handful of coarse salt to the quart of water when boiling; as soon as they have attained a nice colour they are done. =shrimps, potted.=--in potting shrimps, after they have been well boiled, take care to pick off both heads and tails and to twist them dexterously out of the shells. as a good quantity of shrimps are required to make a small amount, it is as well to benefit by an opportunity of shrimp sauce being required, and so set aside the heads and tails to be used for the latter purpose. after having thoroughly pounded the bodies of the shrimps in a mortar, put in a small saltspoonful of salt and the same of pepper, and one or two ounces of fresh butter. pound all well together, press into small pots, and pour clarified butter on the surface to exclude the air. shrimp butter is made in the same way, only adding an _equal_ quantity of butter to the paste. neither of these will keep good many days. =shrimp forcemeat=, for stuffing sea or fresh-water fish. shred some shrimps and add to them an equal quantity of fresh breadcrumbs. to a tablespoonful of fresh butter add a saltspoonful of seasoning, and a beaten egg. make the shrimps and crumbs into a stiff paste with this. particularly good as a forcemeat for pike and carp. =shrimp patties.=--(the same mixture is used for shrimp "vol-au-vent"). pick off the heads and tails from freshly-boiled shrimps, and shell them. put the shells into a saucepan, cover them with water, and boil gently for a quarter of an hour. strain the liquor, then thicken it with a teaspoonful of arrowroot, add the yolk of an egg, salt and pepper to taste, a small nob of butter, stir all together over the fire; when it is of the consistency of cream, put in the bodies of the shrimps to heat through and draw the saucepan to one side until required. make some good puff paste, line the patty pans, and put a morsel of soft bread in the middle before putting on the cover. bake the patties to a nice brown, then remove the bread, replacing it with a spoonful of the mixture, put on the cover, brush over the surface and edges with beaten yolk of egg and water, return the patties to the oven to heat them through again, then send to table on a pretty d'oyley. they are very good also for eating cold. if liked, the top crust may be omitted, and a few breadcrumbs be sprinkled over the top of the mixture. garnish the dish with curly parsley and a few large shrimps. =shrimp canapés.=--a nice entrée. cut some small rounds from a stale loaf of bread, fry them in oil or lard to a delicate brown, then cover each with a layer of either potted shrimps or shrimp butter. hard boil two eggs. remove the yolks, and pound them with a small bit of butter and a pinch of pepper and salt. cut the whites into thin strips. lay the strips in a lattice work over the rounds and place a pat of the yellow mixture in the middle of them, and a whole shrimp on that, or the very tiniest sprig of parsley. make a bed of fresh dry parsley on a dish to lay the rounds upon. =skate.=--skate is an unwholesome fish if eaten out of season. its best time is during the winter months, and it is positively improved by being kept for a day or two hung up. however it is dressed it should always be skinned first. the liver is a choice morsel. a method of dressing skate which is much liked by french people, is to do it _à la sainte ménehould_. for this it should be skinned and cut into neat pieces, then simmered in white sauce till tender; the pieces of fish should then be lifted out on to a shallow dish, the sauce to receive the addition of a yolk of egg and pinch of cayenne pepper, then to be poured over the fish, parmesan or cheshire cheese grated over the top. set the dish in the oven to get thoroughly hot again. for boiling, large skate are preferable to small ones, and when possible they should be crimped. (n.b.--crimping can only be done when the fish is perfectly fresh.) it should be plunged into boiling salt water, then gently simmered till tender. let it drain well. boiled skate is very good served with "black butter" sauce. for this last, a quarter pound of butter should be allowed to frizzle in a saucepan until of a light brown colour, then a few washed and dried parsley leaves should be thrown in, a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, ditto of mushroom ketchup, worcestershire sauce, and chopped capers, pepper and salt to taste. let these boil once, then either pour over the fish or send to table in a tureen. skate may also be fried, curried, or stewed, according to directions given for other fish. =smelts.=--smelts should be handled as little as possible; not washed, but wiped with a cloth. the inside should be pulled out with the gills, as they must not be opened. it is most usual to fry smelts. boiling is not to be recommended, unless for an invalid, in which case they should be put into boiling water which contains a few parsley leaves and a lump or two of sugar as well as salt; four minutes cooking is ample time. a little of the liquor in which they were boiled should receive the addition of cream and chopped parsley, and be served with them. for frying, smelts should be first dipped into beaten egg, then into mixed flour and breadcrumbs, afterwards fried in a good depth of boiling fat. lift them out with a slice, drain well, and garnish with cut lemon. smelts are delicious as a breakfast relish if laid on a gridiron and broiled lightly on both sides, then placed on a hot dish, sprinkled with pepper and salt, lemon juice squeezed over, and a pat of butter placed on each. they may also be baked _au gratin_, and served in the same dish. =soles.=--the popular method of cooking this favourite fish is to fry them. some persons declare it to be the best method. if it be so or not, certain it is that the following ways, when fairly tried, will be found to compete very closely in favour. _very_ large soles may be boiled whole, and will be found most agreeable eating, not unlike turbot in flavour. when practicable, soles should be cleansed a couple of hours before they are wanted for cooking, wrapped in a towel and laid in a cool place to stiffen. the fishmonger will generally skin them; if not, it is easy to draw the skin off the back beginning at the head, gut them, and take out the roe, if any. =soles, fried.=--medium sized fish are the best for frying whole, or if large they should be filleted. after cleansing them be careful to wipe _very_ dry, then dip them first into flour, next into beaten egg, and cover with bread raspings. fry quickly in plenty of boiling fat. from five to ten minutes is the time a moderate sized sole will require--but when of a rich colour it is generally cooked sufficiently. lay on a wire sieve or blotting-paper to drain before putting on to a dish. garnish with cut lemons and parsley, either fresh or fried. =sole, boiled.=--let the sole be large, thick, and firm; it should not weigh less than two pounds. wrap it in a clean white cloth (a napkin which is too old for table use is best), plunge it into boiling salted water with a tablespoonful of vinegar, let it boil very gently for about seven or eight minutes, according to size, then drain well, lay carefully on a clean napkin. garnish with sliced tomatoes and lemons, and tufts of parsley. send to table either melted butter, shrimp, or anchovy sauce. =soles, baked au gratin.=--melt an ounce of butter in a gratin-dish, or tin baking dish. chop finely two or three shallots, a small bunch of parsley, and few herbs, grate a slice of stale bread. sprinkle half the quantity of these at the bottom of the dish, lay the sole upon that and cover with the remainder. pour either a glass of white wine or the juice of a lemon over all, lay a few bits of butter at the top, and bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. serve in the same dish, sprinkled with salt and pepper. or soles are very nice if laid in a buttered dish, having rubbed them with flour, more butter placed on the top, and baked till lightly browned. they may be lifted on to another dish, but the butter should be served with them. =sole à la normande.=--this is an epicure's dish. after skinning and cleaning a large sole, dry it thoroughly and rub with flour. take a gratin-dish, or a porcelain one which will stand fire. slice two shallots very thinly, brown them in butter, and lay at the bottom of the dish with more butter. lay the sole in the dish, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and cover with a glass of white wine. bake in a gentle oven until tender through. meanwhile make some rich white sauce with cream; if possible, take a few oysters, beard them, and put them into the sauce with their liquor; let the sauce merely simmer after this. open a small tin of button mushrooms, mince them finely, and strew them over the sole, let them get hot through, then pour the oyster sauce over all. garnish with a few shrimps, and place tiny croutons of fried bread round the edge. cider may be used instead of wine. =soles, filleted.=--fillet a large sole by slitting it down the middle of the back, and with a sharp knife raising the flesh from the bone on each side. divide the meat into convenient sized pieces, say two inches broad and three long, make a marinade of salt, pepper, vinegar, and oil, lay the fillets in this, turning them often, and let them lie an hour or so. prepare a frying batter--a heaped spoonful of flour mixed smooth with a little oil and cold water, a pinch of salt, and the whites of two eggs--it should be fairly thick. well coat each fillet with this, then drop into boiling fat, and fry till a nice brown. garnish prettily, and serve with tomato sauce. the fillets of sole may be dipped into egg and bread raspings, fried, then laid in the following sauce to heat through, before serving altogether: half a pint of clear stock thickened with a tablespoonful of flour, mixed smooth with butter, a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, a teaspoonful of curry powder, the same of tarragon vinegar, and a pinch of salt. let the sauce be well cooked before putting in the fillets. the fillets, or small soles whole, may be gently simmered in butter till tender, then laid on a hot dish, and white sauce seasoned with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, be poured over them. if the soles be _boiled_ for two minutes only before putting them in the butter, and the sauce be made with cream, this will be found a most delicious way of dressing them for invalids. =sprats.=--sprats resemble herrings very closely. they are abundant on the north british coasts, particularly in the firth of forth. in edinburgh and glasgow they are known as "garvies." they may be cooked in any of the ways prescribed for herrings, but are best broiled over the fire, and lemon juice improves the flavour of them. =sturgeon.=--the sturgeon is somewhat of a rarity in english markets, although common enough in russia. it is regarded as a royal fish, and is proportionately costly. its flesh is delicious, and the caviare which the russians prepare from the roe is justly esteemed a great delicacy. the russian method of dressing it is to par-boil it in water with onions, herbs, and baysalt, then to drain it, dredge it with flour, and pour melted butter liberally over it, then to lay it before a bright fire to roast, serving with a rich sauce, either poured over it, or in a tureen. sturgeon is very good if simply roasted before the fire, taking care to baste frequently with butter. of course all the skin and spikes are previously stripped off, and the fish well cleansed. =sturgeon, stewed.=--this is one of the best ways of cooking a portion of this fish. take two or three slices about an inch thick, let them steep in vinegar awhile. dry them, dip in flour, and place in some frothing butter in a covered stewpan. let them brown on both sides, then remove the fish, and in its place put a few shallots, half a small carrot cut into dice, and some button mushrooms. when these have browned, cover them with half a pint of clear veal broth, a good tumblerful of claret, a teaspoonful of salt and pepper mixed, then replace the slices of sturgeon. let all stew together for upwards of an hour, when remove the fish on to a dish, strain the sauce from the vegetables, thicken it with a little flour rolled in butter, and add a spoonful of some sharp sauce. pour over the fish on the dish. =tench.=--river tench are the best for the table. they somewhat resemble carp, but are smaller in size and of a richer flavour. they should lie in salt water for a few hours, then be turned into clear spring water, to rid them of the slight muddy flavour which they are apt to have. the cold winter months are their best season. empty and scale the tench very carefully, always removing the gills, as they are most apt to retain the muddy flavour. after the fish is cleansed it is a good plan to rub it well over with lemon juice. it may then be baked _au gratin_, or boiled in salt water, or broiled over the fire. if the last-named method be chosen, let the fish be steeped in oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper, and wrapped in oiled paper before laying on the gridiron. great care is needed not to let the paper catch fire. remove the paper before bringing to table, lay the fish on a hot dish and serve a _sauce piquante_ over it. the time it takes to cook will depend entirely on the size of the fish. broiling will require about ten minutes to the pound; boiling and baking rather less time. tench is also good if fried. after scaling and cleaning it should be dipped into vinegar and water, dried, and split open; dredge it with flour, and plunge into boiling fat. serve garnished with parsley and lemons. =trout, baked.=--one of the nicest ways of dressing trout is to simply bake them with butter. wash, empty, and dry the trout, sprinkle them with seasoned flour, lay in a baking tin in which a little butter has been melted, place several pats of butter over them, and bake about twenty minutes. lift them out on to a dish, garnish with parsley, thicken the butter slightly, stir in a spoonful of chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice, and pour the sauce round the fish. =trout, boiled.=--fresh trout is excellent if boiled in "court-bouillon" for ten to fifteen minutes, then drained and served with dutch sauce or melted butter. this method is similar to that recommended by the great izaak walton. =turbot.=--the turbot is the king of flat fish, and is justly held in high estimation. it is rather an expensive fish, and is mostly sold by size. at its best from february to august. it will keep good for a day, or even two, if slightly salted. salt should be rubbed all over to help to remove the slime. the fins should not be cut off, but an incision should be made all the way down the middle of the backbone on the _dark_ side to prevent the white side cracking. lemon juice rubbed over it helps to preserve the colour. any unsightly spots on the white side may be removed by rubbing with salt and lemon juice. =turbot, boiled.=--after preparing the turbot according to the directions given above, lay it in the turbot kettle and cover with cold water to the depth of an inch. allow a good handful of salt to a gallon of water. bring it up to boiling point as quickly as possible, and remove the scum as it rises. when it boils draw it aside to simmer gently, watch it carefully, and as soon as it shows signs of the flesh shrinking from the bone, lift it out on the drainer, let it drain a minute, then slide it carefully on to a clean napkin. garnish with parsley, cut lemons, and if a few crayfish are obtainable they add greatly to the beauty of the dish. a sprinkling of lobster coral on the white surface is very pretty. whatever sauce accompanies boiled turbot, it should be brought to table in a tureen. a pretty way of garnishing boiled turbot in summer time is to surround it with a border of nasturtium flowers. =turbot, with anchovy cream.=--boil a medium sized turbot according to the last recipe--by the way, a turbot ought to be thick and of a creamy white colour; if thin and bluish looking it is not a good one. lay the fish on a hot dish without a napkin, cover to keep it hot. then into half a pint of plain melted butter, stir in a good teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, and a quarter of a pint of rich cream; let it nearly boil, then pour over the turbot. chop small a few pickled gherkins and capers, strew them over the surface. before bringing to table, make a border round this of new kidney potatoes, well boiled but not broken; garnish the outer edge with parsley. =turbot à la béchamel.=--this is one of the best ways of dressing cold turbot. make a pint of béchamel sauce by boiling together equal quantities of good white stock and cream in an enamelled saucepan, also a strip of fresh lemon rind and two or three shallots. add a mixed teaspoonful of salt and pepper, thicken with a spoonful of arrowroot, and let it boil well. remove the lemon rind and shallots, and put in the pieces of turbot to heat through, all skin and bone removed. when quite hot, pour all together on to a hot dish; if liked, a few oysters may be added to the sauce just before turning it out. some potato croquettes are a nice addition to this dish. =turbot salad.=--the remains of cold turbot will make an excellent salad. free it from all skin and bone, and divide into pieces about an inch square. sprinkle the pieces with salt and pepper and a little vinegar. take two large fresh lettuces, let them be quite clean and dry. make a dressing for the salad of the beaten yolks of two eggs, a teaspoonful of made mustard, salt and pepper, four spoonsful of oil, and one of tarragon vinegar. arrange the salad in a bowl or dish by making a layer of shred lettuce leaves, then one of fish, and a few spoonsful of the dressing, and continue thus until the material is used up. garnish the top with sliced beetroot, hard-boiled eggs, &c., and let the salad stand in a cold place for half an hour. turbot may be cooked _au gratin_ if of a small size, allowing white wine or cider to it. french cooks generally prefer to par-boil it in "court-bouillon," then to take it out and finish cooking it in white sauce. =whitebait.=--whitebait are genuine cockney fish, being found alone in the thames in perfection. they make their appearance early in the year, but the season _par excellence_ is the month of may. they cannot be had too fresh; if not used instantly they are brought in, they should lie in ice-water until required. it is generally thought that only a "professional" can cook whitebait, but if due care be given there is no reason why they should be beyond the skill of the amateur. the principal thing to observe is the _drying_ of the fish. after well draining them they should be thrown on to a floured cloth--a cloth containing flour an inch in depth. when thus dosed, the fish should be put into a sifter and lightly shaken to remove all superfluous flour. they should next be put into a wire basket, a few at a time, and plunged into a pan containing a good depth of boiling fat. a minute generally suffices to cook them, then they should be laid on a hot dish, garnished with fried parsley, and sent to table instantly. it is absolutely needful to fry the whitebait the moment after it is floured; if allowed to remain on one side for only a few minutes, it becomes flabby and spoilt. thin brown bread and butter and slices of lemon are an indispensable accompaniment to whitebait. for "devilled whitebait" lift out the basket of fish when only half cooked, pepper them with black or cayenne pepper and return to the fat to finish cooking. =whiting.=--whiting are excellent fish when fresh, the flesh being light, tender, and easy of digestion. the firmness of the flesh, and its silvery hue, are the signs by which to judge of its freshness. it is more or less in season all the year, but at its best in the winter months. occasionally they attain to a considerable size, but are mostly from one to two pounds in weight. those about nine inches in length are the best in point of flavour. whiting are best broiled or fried. =whiting, broiled.=--wash in salted water, split them open, and dry thoroughly. dip them in oil, sprinkle with seasoning, dredge with flour, and then lay on a greased gridiron, and broil lightly on both sides. place them on a hot dish, put a pat of butter on each, and serve smoking hot. =whiting, fried.=--empty, and wash the fish, skin it, and then draw the tail through the mouth. dip each one first into flour, then in beaten egg and breadcrumbs, drop into boiling fat, and fry to a golden brown. garnish the dish with fried parsley, and send sauce to table in a tureen. a large whiting may be split open, floured, and then fried in a smaller quantity of fat. when done, lay it on a dish and pour the following sauce over it: a tablespoonful of minced herbs, the same of parsley, a pinch of seasoning, an ounce of fresh butter, and small glass of white wine all boiled together. part iv. _fish sauces_. a few plain directions as to the making of sauces suitable for serving with fish, will, we think, not be unwelcome. first as to that sauce commonly known as-- =melted butter.=--in france this sauce is what its name declares it to be, viz., a tureen half full of pure butter dissolved, in strong contrast to that generally found on english tables, where a mixture of milk and water thickened with flour, is usually dignified with this title. true "butter sauce" belongs to neither of these extremes. as one ladleful will generally suffice for each individual partaking of fish, it is as well to measure into the saucepan the number of ladlefuls that will be required, so that there shall be no waste of good material. having ascertained how much liquid will be in the saucepan when the sauce is finished, pour away the water and proceed to divide the materials you will use. a small lump of butter should be allowed for each ladleful of sauce. take one lump and let it dissolve, then stir in a heaped tablespoonful of dry flour, mix these quite smoothly together, with the addition of cold water, until like a cream; add boiling water to make half the quantity of sauce, then stir in by degrees the remaining lumps of butter. if the sauce shows signs of looking oily, a little cold water will correct it. a pinch of salt should be added, or salt butter may be used. =maître d'hôtel butter.=--for this prepare a little melted butter, by mixing an ounce of butter with the same weight of flour, and cold water to make it smooth. dilute with a quarter of a pint of white stock. let this mixture boil, then stir in a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, one of sweet herbs, half one of minced chives, a teaspoonful of mixed salt and pepper, the juice of a lemon, or a spoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a spoonful of pure oil; when these have been well mixed together, draw aside the saucepan and stir in the beaten yolk of an egg, then pour into a hot tureen. =herb sauce: for broiled fish.=--chop some dry parsley until quite fine, also an equal quantity of mixed herbs--thyme, marjoram, sage, chervil, celery, fennel, &c. put first a small lump of butter to dissolve in the saucepan, and chop finely a shallot and let it frizzle in this, then stir in the parsley and herbs, and add sufficient vinegar to cover them. draw the saucepan aside and let it simmer ten minutes to abstract the flavour. just before it is wanted, add pepper and a pinch of salt, also a good tablespoonful of oil. a yolk of egg, added lastly, will slightly thicken and improve it, but it is very good without, especially for broiled herrings and mackerel. =anchovy sauce.=--anchovy sauce is quickly and easily made according to the recipe given in the previous chapter (see letter a), but if a richer sauce is desired, the anchovies should be boiled gently until they dissolve. then the liquor be strained, added to a little plain melted butter with a glass of port wine. =shrimp sauce.=--for this the foundation is again "melted butter," and to half a pint of that allow half a pint of shrimps. pick off heads, tails, and shells, and let the bodies stew gently in the sauce, but not boil, or they will harden. add a pinch of cayenne pepper, a little lemon-juice, a drop of anchovy essence, and salt to taste. =lobster sauce= can be made in the same way, using a little of the white meat of the lobster torn into flakes, in place of the shrimps, and stirring in a spoonful of lobster butter. it must not boil or the colour will be spoilt. to give this sauce a stronger flavour of lobster, the shell may be boiled in water, and the liquor used instead of water. =fennel sauce.=--pick some fennel from the stalk and boil it for a minute, then chop it fine and add to some "melted butter." stir in the yolk of an egg the last thing. a teaspoonful of spiced vinegar will give piquancy to it. =parsley sauce.=--parsley sauce is merely "melted butter" with chopped parsley stirred in. it is an improvement to let the sauce boil a moment or two after to take off the raw flavour. =horseradish sauce.=--to two tablespoonsful of finely-scraped horseradish and one of stale white breadcrumbs allow half a pint of cream--or new milk and cream--and a pinch of salt. let this stew for fifteen minutes, then stir in a spoonful of vinegar just before serving. =gooseberry sauce, for mackerel.=--stew half a pint of gooseberries in a little water until very soft, press them through a sieve into the same quantity of "melted butter," add an ounce of white sugar, and a spoonful of spinach-juice to give a nice green colour. =egg sauce.=--_first way_: make some good "melted butter," stir into it two or three hard-boiled eggs which have been cut up small, and season it well. just before serving stir in the beaten yolk of a fresh egg. _second way_ (for cold fish): beat the yolks of two fresh eggs, stir in a teaspoonful of made mustard, half a teaspoonful of mixed salt and pepper, and by degrees two tablespoonsful of salad oil and one of tarragon vinegar. it should be of the consistency of cream. this sauce is almost identical with "mayonnaise" sauce, and to make a green mayonnaise add finely-minced chives, parsley, chervil, and cress. =tomato sauce.=--melt an ounce of butter, and slice one or two tomatoes thinly into it, add one or two shallots. let these stew till quite soft, then press through a wire sieve. add a little more butter to this purée, plenty of salt and pepper, and a spoonful of vinegar. make thoroughly hot before serving. regard should always be had to contrast of colour in garnishing all dishes. where the fish is masked in white sauce, the introduction of something red amongst the green garnishing is a relief to the eye. flowers may be used to supply this needful touch of colour, slices of beetroot, or a few strips of boiled carrot, or a few bright prawns, one or two chilies, &c. if a portion of salmon, showing the bright colour of the meat, is the dish which has to be trimmed, a few mounds of scraped horseradish alternating with tufts of curly parsley looks well. for fried fish--soles, fillets, lobster cutlets, &c., it is better to fry the parsley which is used for their garnishing. double-curled parsley, well dried, thrown into a wire basket and plunged into the boiling fat, for one minute only, is the way to obtain this. crisp, fried croutons of bread, tiny potato balls, rice balls, sliced lemons, small bright tomatoes, and slices of hard-boiled egg, are all excellent for garnishing purposes. fish that has been baked in the oven--excepting always that which has been done _au gratin_, and which requires no garnish--will often be made to look very pretty if a few fancy shapes be stamped out of cooked vegetables, say the red of a carrot, the white of a turnip, tiny sprigs of cauliflower, &c., always using green parsley to finish off the outer edge. where there is the will to do it, means will not be lacking whereby the simplest dish may be made to look elegant. the gresham press, unwin brothers woking and london. transcriber note hyphenation was standardized to the most commonly used version. some accents were corrected and one added for consistent usage. the measurement "nob" (small amount) was retained rather than the current "knob". the a b c of cooking the a b c of cooking for men with no experience of cooking on small boats, patrol boats, in camps, on marches, etc. new york moffat, yard and company copyright, , by moffat, yard and company to "fred" for the benefit of the knitting committee of the american defense society, which is knitting for american soldiers and sailors, and it is hoped that both cook-book and knitted garments may help to make more comfortable the men who are only too ready to do their bit. new york, may th, . contents page coffee tea cocoa oatmeal corn meal hominy boiled rice macaroni macaroni and cheese fried potatoes and onions scrambled eggs fried eggs and bacon boiled eggs baking powder biscuit muffins fried cracker or hard bread fried rice rice griddle cakes fried corn meal mush or hominy flap jacks hoe cake creamed cod fish baked canned salmon fried fish meat stew canned corned beef hash how to fry meats beef steak and onions how to broil meat apple sauce prunes to boil fresh potatoes to boil fresh string beans to boil fresh sweet corn to boil fresh peas how to cook canned tomatoes how to cook canned corn rice pudding peach pie pastry fudge the a b c of cooking "_unless the kettle boiling be, filling the tea pot spoils the tea._" how to make coffee tablespoonful of coffee for each person and for the pot cup of boiling water for each person and for the pot put the coffee into the coffee pot, mix with cold water into a wet paste. pour on the boiling water and boil for five minutes slowly. to make coffee with an egg, break an egg and mix it, shell and all, with the paste, and make as above. tea teaspoonful of tea for a person, and for the pot cupful of boiling water, and for the pot let it steep for three minutes. cocoa about cups heat quart of milk teaspoonsful of cocoa mix the cocoa and a little of the warm milk to let it melt, and then mix all together, keeping it on a slow fire. oatmeal for three persons[ ] ½ cup of oatmeal (quaker oats) quart of hot water. a pinch of salt boil fifteen minutes. [ ] many of these recipes are given for three persons. for a smaller or larger number decrease or increase ingredients in proper proportion. corn meal for three persons ½ cup corn meal quart hot water pinch of salt boil fifteen minutes. hominy for three persons ¼ of a cup of hominy, steeped in cold water over night in the morning, boil fifteen or twenty minutes in a quart of hot water, and a pinch of salt. boiled rice for three persons ½ cup of rice in two quarts of boiling water boil for fifteen minutes. wash rice first. macaroni for three persons break into inch pieces a cup full of macaroni, and cover with boiling water in a saucepan. add a little salt, and cook until soft (about an hour). keep covered with water while boiling. macaroni and cheese if you have an oven, take a pan or dish that can be put into the oven. put in a layer of boiled macaroni, some pieces of cheese, a little mustard and salt, and a little butter. then more macaroni and the other things, until your dish is full. fill the dish with milk, and bake in a slow oven for half an hour. put cheese on the top before baking. fried potatoes and onions slice some cooked or uncooked potatoes and slice some onions. put into a hot frying pan with fat, salt pork or bacon, and cook till soft and brown. scrambled eggs eggs to a person put butter, or fat, or bacon or salt pork in the frying pan (about teaspoonful of butter for or eggs, and other frying material in proportion). when hot, stir in the eggs, which have been broken into a bowl and beaten, adding a little milk ( tablespoonful for eggs), salt and pepper. fried eggs and bacon put on the frying pan. when it is hot, put in the bacon. cook for about minutes, and put on a dish. then break one egg at a time in a saucer and put into the hot frying pan, with the grease in it. you can put in as many eggs as there is room for. cook for two or three minutes. boiled eggs boil in boiling water for minutes for soft boiled. boil in boiling water for minutes for hard boiled. baking powder biscuit cups of flour teaspoonsful of baking powder teaspoonful of salt tablespoonful of lard tablespoonful of butter ¾ cup of milk and water in equal parts mix the dry ingredients as well as you can with a spoon, then add the milk and water. roll out and cut into biscuits, and bake about ten minutes in medium hot oven. muffins cups of flour heaping teaspoonsful of baking powder tablespoonful of melted butter ½ cups of milk heaping teaspoonful of salt egg mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt together. beat the egg and add to milk. then add the flour and melted butter. bake in a moderate oven. fried cracker or hard bread dip the hard bread into cold water for a minute or two, not to get too soft. then fry in a hot frying pan in butter or bacon. fried rice for three persons soak a cupful of rice over night. in the morning, put rice in the frying pan with some bacon and cook till soft. rice griddle cakes ½ cup boiled rice / cup of flour egg a pinch of salt ½ teaspoonsful of baking powder enough milk to make a thin batter when the griddle or pan is hot, fry the cakes in salt pork dripping or lard, drop a spoonful at the time. these are good rice cakes. fried corn meal mush or hominy when corn meal or hominy has been boiled and cooled, cut into slices and fry in bacon, salt pork or lard. only one of a kind is needed to fry with. flap jacks tablespoonsful of flour / tablespoonful of baking powder mix this thoroughly add enough water to make a batter that will drop freely from the spoon. add a pinch of salt and two pinches of sugar. cook in hot frying pan, well greased, for five or seven minutes and then turn with a quick toss and cook the other side. hoe cake can be made exactly the same as flap jacks by substituting corn meal for flour. creamed cod fish for three persons soak the fish over night--about a pound. in the morning, boil for ten or fifteen minutes. pour off the water and pick out the bones. put on and stew in some milk, a little butter and a teaspoonful of flour, stirred in milk, and stir in the whole. baked canned salmon put a can of salmon in a dish to bake, a lump of butter the size of a walnut, pepper and salt, and fill up the dish with milk. put some cracker crumbs and a little butter on the top, and bake in the oven for minutes. you can get cracker crumbs by rolling some hard tack with a rolling-pin. or a bottle makes a pretty good roller on a clean board if you have no bread board. fried fish wash and clean the fish (split a whole fish), and cover with a little flour and a little salt and pepper. put into a hot frying-pan, with some fat, salt pork or bacon, and cook one side till brown, and then the other side. meat stew onions can tomatoes can corn dozen potatoes, washed and peeled and cut into pieces. couple of pounds of any meat (either cooked or uncooked) some salt and pepper, and then add quarts of water. let all this stew for an hour, slowly. canned corned beef hash cup of chopped or cut-fine corned beef, to cups of chopped or cut-fine potatoes (either raw or cooked) with a little milk or water to moisten it, and some butter to make it taste good. cook in a hot frying pan, with either bacon, or salt pork to keep from sticking. you can make hash of any kind of cold meat and potatoes and a little butter. if you have any fresh meat, chop or cut it up, add potatoes and some onions, and a can of tomatoes, salt and pepper, and it will be lovely mess. (onions or not, as you like.) how to fry meats put a small amount of grease in the frying pan, or salt pork, and when quite hot put in the steak. if the steak is about half inch thick, fry for about minute before turning. salt and pepper to taste. beef, veal, pork and mutton can be done in the same way. beef steak and onions follow the recipe for steak. slice in some raw onions--about six to a pound of steak--and have enough grease to cook without burning. how to broil meat put the broiler on, and when hot put on the meat for about two or three minutes. then turn and cook on the other side. add a little salt, pepper and butter. apple sauce for three pare and slice one quart of apples tablespoonsful of sugar cover all this with cold water, and boil for twenty minutes to a half hour. you can make nice apple sauce with evaporated apples, but they must be soaked over night. prunes soak prunes over night. cups of prunes ½ tablespoonsful of sugar boil till soft--about thirty minutes. to boil fresh potatoes either peeled or in their jackets put into boiling water, with a little salt, and boil for minutes to half an hour. to boil fresh string-beans pull the strings off, and cut into pieces into a bowl of cold water. drain water off, and cook in boiling water for minutes. pour off the water, and add pepper, salt and a little butter. to boil fresh sweet corn husk and remove the corn silk. cook in boiling water for fifteen minutes. use the corn silk for cigarettes!! to boil fresh peas shell the peas, and put them into boiling water--enough to cover them. then cook for half an hour, or until soft. drain off the water, and put on a little butter, pepper and salt. how to cook canned tomatoes stew for five to ten minutes. put in some cracker crumbs (to thicken), a little butter, salt and pepper. how to cook canned corn stew for five or six minutes, and add a little salt, pepper and butter. rice pudding for four people quart of milk heaping tablespoonsful of rice a little salt tablespoonful of sugar a little nutmeg grated if you have it mix this all together, and put in a slow oven. give one stir after about ten minutes, and then cook in a slow oven ¾ of an hour. peach pie for four people to make peach pie from evaporated peaches, soak one cup of evaporated peaches over night. in the morning, stew with ½ tablespoonsful of sugar about twenty minutes. pastry cups of flour--sifted heaping tablespoonsful of lard (or half butter and half lard) a little salt mix flour, lard and salt well together, and then add enough cold water to make the dough soft enough to roll out. if it sticks to the rolling pin, use a little flour. then grease the pie plate, and take half of the dough, rolled out flat, and cover the pie plate. cut off the edge with a knife. then put in your fruit. take the other half of your dough, rolled out for a top, and cut around the edge with a knife, and then press all around the edge with a fork, to make the edges stick together. then you will have one grand pie. this pie crust recipe will do for any kind of pie. evaporated apples should be cooked the same as peaches. all dry fruit should be soaked over night. if starving for a taste of candy make fudge cake unsweetened baker's chocolate cups of sugar cups of milk, piece of butter about the size of an egg (little generous) boil for half to three-quarters of an hour, then take off the fire and beat till it gets a little thick, and pour into a buttered tin. you can tell if it is done by stirring a little in a saucer. transcriber's notes -obvious print and punctuation errors fixed. -cover image has been produced by transcriber and placed in public domain. the myrtle reed cook book [illustration] g. p. putnam's sons new york london the knickerbocker press copyright, , , by g. p. putnam's sons copyright, by g. p. putnam's sons the knickerbocker press, new york _over one million copies sold_ myrtle reed _miss reed's books are peculiarly adapted for dainty yet inexpensive gifts. they are printed in two colors, on deckle-edge paper, and beautifully bound in four distinct styles: each, cloth, $ . net; red leather, $ . net; antique calf, $ . net; lavender silk, $ . net._ _if sent by mail add per cent. of the retail price for postage_ love letters of a musician later love letters of a musician the spinster book lavender and old lace the master's violin at the sign of the jack-o'-lantern a spinner in the sun love affairs of literary men flower of the dusk old rose and silver master of the vineyard a weaver of dreams the white shield threads of grey and gold happy women illus. the shadow of victory cr. vo. $ . net sonnets to a lover cr. vo. $ . net the myrtle reed year book $ . net the book of clever beasts illustrated by peter newell. $ . pickaback songs words by myrtle reed. music by eva cruzen hart. pictures by ike morgan. to. boards, $ . _send for descriptive circular_ explanation the only excuse the author and publishers have to offer for the appearance of this book is that, so far as they know, there is no other like it. contents page the philosophy of breakfast how to set the table the kitchen rubaiyat fruits cereals salt fish breakfast meats substitutes for meat eggs omelets quick breads raised breakfast breads pancakes coffee cakes, doughnuts, and waffles breakfast beverages simple salads one hundred sandwich fillings luncheon beverages eating and dining thirty-five canapés one hundred simple soups fifty ways to cook shell-fish sixty ways to cook fish one hundred and fifty ways to cook meat and poultry twenty ways to cook potatoes one hundred and fifty ways to cook other vegetables thirty simple sauces one hundred and fifty salads simple desserts index the myrtle reed cook book the philosophy of breakfast the breakfast habit is of antique origin. presumably the primeval man arose from troubled dreams, in the first gray light of dawn, and set forth upon devious forest trails, seeking that which he might devour, while the primeval woman still slumbered in her cave. nowadays, it is the lady herself who rises while the day is yet young, slips into a kimono, and patters out into the kitchen to light the gas flame under the breakfast food. in this matter of breaking the fast, each house is law unto itself. there are some who demand a dinner at seven or eight in the morning, and others who consider breakfast utterly useless. the englishman, who is still mighty on the face of the earth, eats a breakfast which would seriously tax the digestive apparatus of an ostrich or a goat, and goes on his way rejoicing. in an english cook-book only seven years old, menus for "ideal" breakfasts are given, which run as follows: "devilled drum-sticks and eggs on the dish, pigs feet, buttered toast, dry toast, brown and white bread and butter, marmalade and porridge." "bloaters on toast, collared tongue, hot buttered toast, dry toast, marmalade, brown and white bread and butter, bread and milk." "pigeon pie, stewed kidney, milk rolls, dry toast, brown and white bread and butter, mustard and cress, milk porridge." and for a "simple breakfast,"--in august, mind you!--this is especially recommended: "bloaters on toast, corned beef, muffins, brown and white bread and butter, marmalade, and boiled hominy." an american who ate a breakfast like that in august probably would not send his collars to the laundry more than once or twice more, but it takes all kinds of people to make up a world. across the channel from the brawny briton is the frenchman, who, with infinitely more wisdom, begins his day with a cup of coffee and a roll. so far, so good, but his _déjeuner à la fourchette_ at eleven or twelve is not always unobjectionable from a hygienic standpoint. the "uniform breakfast," which is cheerfully advocated by some, may be hygienic but it is not exciting. before the weary mental vision stretches an endless procession of breakfasts, all exactly alike, year in and year out. it is quite possible that the "no-breakfast" theory was first formulated by some one who had been, was, or was about to be a victim of this system. the "no-breakfast" plan has much to recommend it, however. in the first place, it saves a deal of trouble. the family rises, bathes itself, puts on its spotless raiment in leisurely and untroubled fashion, and proceeds to the particular business of the day. there are no burnt toast, soggy waffles, muddy coffee, heavy muffins, or pasty breakfast food to be reckoned with. theoretically, the energy supplied by last night's dinner is "on tap," waiting to be called upon. and, moreover, one is seldom hungry in the morning, and what is the use of feeding a person who is not hungry? it has been often said, and justly, that americans eat too much. considering the english breakfast, however, we may metaphorically pat ourselves upon the back, for there is no one of us, surely, who taxes the department of the interior thus. "what is one man's meat is another man's poison" has been held pointedly to refer to breakfast, for here, as nowhere else, is the individual a law unto himself. fruit is the satisfaction of one and the distress of another; cereal is a life-giving food to one and a soggy mass of indigestibility to some one else; and coffee, which is really most innocent when properly made, has lately taken much blame for sins not its own. quite often the discomfort caused by the ill-advised combination of acid fruit with a starchy cereal has been attributed to the clear, amber beverage which probably was the much-vaunted "nectar of the gods." coffee with cream in it may be wrong for some people who could use boiling milk with impunity. for a woman who spends the early part of the day at home, the omission of breakfast may be salutary. when hunger seizes her, she is within reach of her own kitchen, where proper foods may be properly cooked, but for a business woman or man the plan is little less than suicidal. mr. man may, indeed, go down town in comfort, with no thought of food, but, no later than noon, he is keenly desirous of interior decoration. within his reach there is, usually, but the lunch counter, where, in company with other hapless humans, he sustains himself with leathery pie, coffee which never met the coffee bean, and the durable doughnut of commerce. the result is--to put it mildly--discontent, which seemingly has no adequate cause. it is better, by far, for mr. man to eat a breakfast which shall contain the proteids, carbohydrates, phosphates, and starches that he will require during the day, and omit the noon luncheon entirely, except, perhaps, for a bit of fruit. moreover, a dainty breakfast, daintily served, has a distinct æsthetic value. the temper of the individual escorted to the front door by a devoted spouse has more than a little to do with the temper of the selfsame individual who is let in at night by the aforesaid d. s. many a man is confronted in the morning by an untidy, ill-cooked breakfast, a frowsy woman and a still frowsier baby, and, too often, by querulous whinings and complaints. the ancient britons had a pleasing arrangement which they called "the truce of god." by this, there was no fighting whatever, no matter what the provocation, between sunset on wednesday and sunrise on monday. this gave time for other affairs, and for the exercise of patience, toleration, and other virtues of the same ilk. many a household might take a leaf from this book to good advantage. settle all differences after dinner, since at no time of the day is man in more reasonable mood, and ordain a "truce of god" from dawn until after dinner. no dinner, however beautifully cooked and served, no fine raiment, however costly and becoming, can ever atone, in the memory of a man, for the wild and untamed morning which too often prevails in the american household. his mind, distraught with business cares, harks back to his home--with pleasure? none too often, more's the pity. some one has said that, in order to make a gentleman, one must begin with the grandfather. it is equally true that a good and proper breakfast begins the night before--or, better yet, the morning before. careful, systematic planning in advance lightens immeasurably the burden of housekeeping, and, many a time, makes the actual work nothing but fun. those who have tried the experiment of planning meals for the entire week are enthusiastic in praise of the system. it secures variety, simplifies marketing, arranges for left-overs, and gives many an hour of peace and comfort which could not be had otherwise. even if a woman be her own maid, as, according to statistics, eighty-five per cent. of us are, a dainty, hygienic, satisfying breakfast is hers and her lord's for little more than the asking. by careful preparation in advance, the morning labor is reduced to a minimum; by the intelligent use of lists and memoranda, the weary and reluctant body is saved many an unnecessary step. an alarm clock of the "intermittent" sort insures early rising, a dash of cold water on the face is a physical and mental tonic of the most agreeable kind, and one hour in the morning is worth two at night, as the grandmothers of all of us have often said. fruit, usually, may be prepared for serving the night before, and will be improved by a few hours in the refrigerator. cereals should be soaked over night in the water in which they are to be cooked, and a few hours' cooking in the afternoon will injure very few cereals destined for the breakfast table the next morning. codfish balls and many other things will be none the worse for a night's waiting; the table can be set, and everything made ready for a perfect breakfast, which half an hour of intelligent effort in the morning will readily evolve. a plea is made for the use of the chafing-dish, which is fully as attractive at the breakfast table as in the "wee sma' hours" in which it usually shines; for a white apron instead of a gingham one when "my lady" is also the cook; for a crisp, clean shirt-waist instead of an abominable dressing-sack; for smooth, tidy hair, instead of unkempt locks; for a collar and a belt, and a persistent, if determined, cheerfulness. in the long run, these things pay, and with compound interest at that. they involve a certain amount of labor, a great deal of careful planning, eternal getting-up when it is far more pleasant to abide in dreamland, quite often a despairing weariness, if not a headache, and no small draft upon one's power of self-denial and self-sacrifice. but he who goes in the morning from a quiet, comfortable, well-ordered house, with a pleasant memory of the presiding genius of his hearthstone, is twice the man that his fellow may be, whose wife breakfasts at ten in her bed, or, frowsy and unkempt, whines at him from across a miserable breakfast--twice as well fitted for the ceaseless grind of an exhausting day in the business arena, whence he returns at night, footsore, weary, and depressed, to the four walls wherein he abides. "how far that little candle throws its beams! so shines a good deed in a naughty world." to some, this may seem an undue stress laid upon the material side of existence, but the human animal needs animal comforts even more than his brother of forest and field, and from such humble beginnings great things may come, not the least of which is the fine, spiritual essence of a happy home. how to set the table having said so much, we proceed, not to our mutton, as the french have it, but to our breakfast, in which the table plays no small nor unimportant part. there are rumors that the pretty and sensible fashion of doilies on the bare table is on the wane, but let us hope these are untrue, or, if not, that some of us may have the courage of our convictions and continue to adhere to a custom which has everything in its favor and nothing against it. in the absence of handsome top of oak or mahogany, the breakfast cloths, fringed or not, as one likes, which are about a yard and a quarter square, are the next best thing. asbestos mats, under the cloth, protect the table from the hot dishes. failing these, fairly satisfactory substitutes are made from thin white oil-cloth, between two layers of canton flannel, "fur side outside," and quilted on the machine. grass table-mats are also used, but always under cloth or doily. canton flannel, quilted, three layers to a mat, is easily washed, and furnishes a great deal of protection. breakfast, most assuredly, is not dinner, and there should be a distinct difference in the laying of the table. the small doilies are easily washed, and fresh ones are possible every morning--an assured gain in the way of daintiness. let us suppose that we have a handsome table-top, and an unlimited supply of doilies, tray-cloths and centrepieces. first the centrepiece goes on, exactly in the centre, by the way, and not with a prejudiced leaning to one side or the other. on this belongs the pot of growing fern, the low jar containing a few simple flowers, or a bowl of fruit, decorated with green leaves, if green leaves are to be had. at each place the breakfast doily, nine or twelve inches square, a small doily for the coffee cup, and another for the glass of water. at the right of the plate, the small silver knife, sharp edge toward the plate, the spoons for fruit and cereal; at the left, one fork, or two, as needed, and the coffee spoon. in front of the master of the house the small platter containing the _pièce de résistance_ will eventually be placed; in front of the mistress of the mansion, the silver tray bearing the coffee service--coffee-pot, hot-water pitcher, cream jug, milk pitcher, and sugar bowl. breakfast napkins are smaller than dinner napkins, and the small fringed napkins are not out of place. "costly thy habit as thy purse will buy" might well refer to linen, for it is the one thing in which price is a direct guarantee of quality. satisfactory breakfast cloths and napkins are made of linen sheeting, fringed, hemstitched, or carefully hemmed by hand, and in this way a pretty cloth can be had for less money than in any other. the linen wears well, washes beautifully, and acquires a finer sheen with every tubbing. insertions and borders of torchon or other heavy lace make a breakfast cloth suitable for the most elaborate occasion, and separate doilies may easily be made to match. the heavy white embroidery which has recently come into favor is unusually attractive here. finger-bowls wait on the sideboard, to be placed after the fruit course, or after breakfast. the rose-water, slice of lemon, geranium leaves, and other finger-bowl refinements in favor for dinners are out of place at breakfast. clear, cool water is in better taste. the china used at the breakfast table should be different from that used at dinner. heavier ware is permissible, and more latitude in the way of decoration is given. much of the breakfast china one sees in the shops is distinctly cheerful in tone, and one must take care to select the more quiet patterns. it is not pleasant to go to breakfast with a fickle appetite, and be greeted by a trumpet-toned "good morning" from the china. endless difference is allowed, however, and all the quaint, pretty jugs, pitchers, and plates may properly be used at breakfast. one is wise, however, to have a particular color scheme in mind and to buy all china to blend with it. blue and white is a good combination, and is, perhaps, more suitable for the morning meal than anything else. as a certain philosopher says: "the blue and white look so pretty with the eggs!" the carafe, muffin plate, platter, and all other bowls, platters, plates, and pitchers not on the individual cover have each a separate doily, with the protecting mat always under hot dishes. a well-set table is governed by a simple law--that of precision. dishes arranged in an order little less than military, all angles either right or acute, will, for some occult reason, always look well. informality may be given by the arrangement of the flowers, or by a flower or two laid carelessly on the table. but one must be careful not to trifle too much with this law of precision. knives, forks, and spoons must all be laid straight, but not near enough together to touch, and napkins and dishes must be precisely placed, else confusion and riot will result. the breakfast selected as a type consists of fruit, a cereal, salt fish, or salt meat, or eggs, or omelets, hot bread of some kind, and pancakes or waffles, or coffee cake, one dish from each group, and coffee. six dishes in all, which may be less if desired, but never more. all six form a breakfast sufficiently hearty for a stone mason or a piano mover; one or two give a breakfast light enough to tempt those who eat no breakfast at all. for serving it are required small and medium-sized plates, knives, forks, spoons, egg cups, platters, service plates, cups and saucers, glasses, coffee-pot, pitchers, sugar bowl, and cream jug, syrup pitcher, and fruit bowl. fruit is said to be "gold in the morning," and it is a poor breakfast, indeed, from which it is omitted. even in winter it is not hard to secure variety, if time and thought be taken, for the dried fruits are always in the market and by careful cooking may be made acceptable to the most uncertain appetite. medical authorities recommend a glass of water taken the first thing upon rising, either hot or cold as suits one best. a little lemon-juice takes the "flat" taste from plain hot water, and clear, cool water, not iced, needs nothing at all. this simple observance of a very obvious hygienic rule will temper the tempestuous morning for any one. one washes his face, his hands, his body--then why not his stomach, which has worked hard a large part of the night, and is earnestly desirous of the soothing refreshment of a bath? to those carping critics who cavil at the appearance of the stomach in a chapter entitled "how to set the table," we need only say that the table is set for the stomach, and the stomach should be set for the table, and anyway, it comes very near being a table of contents, _n'est-ce pas_? the kitchen rubaiyat wake, for the alarm clock scatters into flight the variegated nightmares of the night; allures the gas into the kitchen range and pleads for rolls and muffins that are light. before the splendor of the last dream died methought a voice from out my doorway cried: "when all the breakfast is prepared for him why doth my lord within his crib abide?" and, as the cat purred, she who was before within the kitchen shouted: "guard the door! else this new bridget will have flown the coop and, once departed, will return no more!" all maids in sight the wise one gladly hires and one of them she presently acquires, yet toward the bureau does not fail to look because all maids, as well as men, are liars. for mary ann has gone, with all her woes, and dinah, too, has fled--where, no one knows, but still a bridget from the bureau comes and many a tekla of her reference blows. come, fill the cup, and let the kettle sing! the cream and sugar and hot water bring! methinks this fragrant liquid amber here within the pot, is pretty much the thing. each morn a thousand cereals brings, you say? yes, but where leaves the food of yesterday? and this same grocer man that sells us nerve shall take pa's wheat and mother's oats away. for lo, my small back yard is thickly strown with ki-tee-munch, chew-chew, and postman's own where apple-nuts and strength have been forgot-- ah, how these papers by the winds are blown! the tender waffle hearts are set upon is either crisp or soggy, and anon like maple syrup made of corn and cobs lasts but a scant five minutes, and is gone. i often think that never gets so red my flower-like nose as when i've just been fed and after breakfast, in the glass i look, and never fail to wish that i were dead. and this faint sallow place upon my mien-- how came it there? from that fair coffee bean? ah, take the glass away! make haste unless you want to see my whole complexion green. when i was younger, i did oft frequent the married bunch, and heard great argument about the fearful price of eggs, and how to get a dollar's work out of a cent. and when i asked them of their recompense, what did they get for keeping down expense-- oh, many a cup of coffee, steaming hot, must drown the memory of their insolence! if i were married 't would be my desire to get up every morn and build the fire for fear my husband should use kerosene, and, without warning, be transported higher. ah, with the coffee all my years provide! its chemicals may turn me green inside, but all my fears are scattered to the winds when o'er the fragrant pot i can preside. i blame our mother eve, who did mistake her job, and flirted somewhat with the snake, for all the errors of the flaky roll, for all the terrors of the buckwheat cake. a glass of creamy milk just from the cow, or buttermilk, drawn from the goat, i trow, and thou across the festal board from me, a six-room flat were paradise enow! some for a patent bread that will not crumb, and nary bite of cereal for some-- ah, take the coffee! let all else go by nor heed the thick white fur upon the tongue. look to the human wrecks about us: lo, about their indigestion how they blow, and lay the blame on coffee, crystal clear, or say the crisp hot muffin is their foe! and those who chew and chew upon the grain, have got so used to chewing, they are fain to dwell upon their health food in their talk and presently their neighbors go insane. foot-notes . the author began with the intention of adapting the entire rubaiyat to kitchen purposes, but thought better of it just in time to head off the lyric muse, who was coming at full gallop, with her trunk. . those who do not like the kitchen rubaiyat will doubtless be glad there is no more of it. . those who do like it can begin at the beginning and read it again. the rest of it would be about like this installment, anyway. p. s. if the demand is great enough, the rest of it may appear in another book. p. s. . the publisher of this book has an unalterable prejudice against printing poetry, but he allowed the kitchen rubaiyat to slip by without question. p. s. . ? fruits in season apples all the year. apricots july to august . bananas all the year. blackberries july to august . cherries june to july . currants, red and white july to august . figs, dried all the year. figs, bag october and november. gooseberries july. grapes, concord august to november . " malaga november to march. " california december to march. grapefruit october to july. green gage plums august to september . huckleberries july and august. melons, musk, water, cantaloupe july to october . oranges december to may. peaches august and september. pears august and september. pineapples june to september. plums, blue september. quinces september, october, and november. rhubarb april to september. raspberries, black and red july and august. strawberries may and june. tangerines november to february. the above table, of course, is only a rough outline, as seasons and localities vary so much. the tendency, too, is to extend the season of every fruit indefinitely, as transporting and refrigerating methods improve. fruit out of season is always expensive, and often unripe and unsatisfactory. fortunately, when it is at its best it is always abundant and at the lowest price. among the dried fruits may be mentioned prunelles, apricots, apples, blackberries, cherries, nectarines, peaches, peeled and unpeeled, pears, plums, raspberries, prunes, figs, and dates. canned fruits which may be used for breakfast, with proper preparation, are pears, peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, and pineapples. dried fruits may be soaked over night in the water in which they are to be cooked, and simmered slowly, until they are tender, with little sugar or none at all. they may also be steamed, either with or without sugar, omitting the soaking, until tender enough for a straw to pierce. combinations of dried fruits are often agreeable, and a few raisins will sometimes add a pleasant flavor. canned fruits intended for breakfast should be drained and very thoroughly rinsed in cold water, then allowed to stand for some hours in a cool place. many of the fruits, both dried and fresh, combine well with cereals. care must be taken, however, to follow such acid fruits as currants, cherries, oranges, and grapefruit, with meat or egg dishes, omitting the cereal, as the starch and acid are very likely to fight with each other when once inside, to the inconvenience of the non-combatant. a fruit which for any reason tastes "flat" can be instantly improved in flavor and tonic quality by a sprinkle of lemon-juice. below are given different ways of preparing fruit for the breakfast table. apples i. when served whole, apples should be carefully washed and rubbed to a high polish with a crash towel. only perfect fruit should be served in this way, and green leaves in the fruit bowl are especially desirable. fruit-knives are essential. ii. pare, quarter, and core good eating apples, removing all imperfections. serve a few quarters on each plate, with or without sugar. a sprinkle of cinnamon or lemon-juice will improve fruit which has little flavor. a grating of nutmeg may also be used. iii. _À la condé._--pare, quarter, and core good cooking apples. arrange in rows in an earthen baking-dish, sprinkle with powdered sugar and lemon-juice, pour a little water into the baking-dish, and add a heaping tablespoonful of butter. bake slowly, basting frequently with the apple-juice and melted butter. when tender, take out, drain, and cool, saving the juice. serve with boiled rice or other cereal, using the juice instead of milk. iv. _À la cherbourg._--pare and core good cooking apples; halve or quarter if desired. cook slowly in a thin syrup flavored with lemon-peel and a bit of ginger-root. serve separately or with cereal. v. _À la fermière._--pare and core the apples and arrange in a well-buttered baking-dish. sprinkle slightly with sugar and cinnamon; baste often with melted butter, and serve with boiled rice or other cereal, using the juice instead of milk. vi. _À la française._--core and then peel tart apples. put into cold water from half an inch to an inch in depth, sprinkle with sugar, cover tightly, and cook very slowly on the back part of the range till tender. flavorings already noted may be added at pleasure. skim out the apples, reduce the remaining syrup one-half by rapid boiling, pour over the apples, and cool. serve cold, with or without cereal. vii. _À la ninon._--sprinkle baked apples with freshly grated cocoanut on taking from the oven. serve on a mound of boiled rice with the milk of the cocoanut. viii. _À la réligieuse._--core cooking apples; score the skin deeply in a circle all around the fruit. sprinkle a little sugar in the cores, and dissolve a little currant jelly in the water used for the basting. cook slowly, and baste once with melted butter. the peel is supposed to rise all around the apple, like a veil--hence the name. ix. _baked._--peel or not, as preferred. sprinkle with melted butter and sugar, baste now and then with hot water, and serve separately or with cereal. x. _baked, with bananas._--core, draw a peeled and scraped banana through each core, trimming the ends off even, and bake slowly, basting with hot water, melted butter, and lemon-juice. the apples may be peeled if desired. serve separately, or with cereal. xi. _baked, with cereal._--pare or not, as preferred, but core. fill the centres with left-over cooked cereal and bake slowly. butter, lemon-juice, or any flavoring recommended before can be used to advantage. any quartered apples, baked or stewed, can be covered with any preferred cereal, and served with sugar and cream. xii. _baked, with cherries._--core the apples, fill the centres with pitted cherries, either sour or sweet, bake carefully, basting with syrup and melted butter. the apples may be peeled or not. take up carefully, and serve separately, or with cereal. xiii. _baked, with currants._--fill the centres with currants, red or white, and use plenty of sugar. baste with hot water or melted butter. may be served with cereal if enough sugar is used in baking. xiv. _baked, with dates._--wash and stone dates, fill the cores of apples with them, sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake, basting with butter, lemon-juice, and hot water. the apples may be peeled or not. xv. _baked, with figs._--wash the figs carefully, and pack into the cores of apples. bake, basting with lemon syrup and melted butter. serve separately or with cereal. xvi. _baked, with gooseberries._--cap and stem a handful of gooseberries. fill the cores of large, firm apples with them, using plenty of sugar. baste with melted butter and hot water. may be served with cereal if plenty of sugar is used in cooking. xvii. _baked, with prunes._--select tart apples, and peel or not, as preferred. core and fill the centres with stewed prunes, stoned and drained. bake slowly, basting with the prune-juice, or with lemon-juice, melted butter, spiced syrup, or hot water containing grated lemon-peel and a teaspoonful of sherry. two or three cloves may be stuck into each apple, and removed after the apples are cold. serve, very cold, with cream; separately, or with a cereal. xviii. _baked, with quinces._--fill the cores of sweet apples with bits of quince and plenty of sugar. bake slowly, basting with melted butter and syrup. serve separately or with cereal. xix. _baked, with spice._--select very sour apples, and peel or not, as preferred. core, and stuff the cavities with brown sugar, putting two whole cloves into each apple. baste with hot water containing a bit of grated lemon-peel and a teaspoonful of sherry, putting a teaspoonful of butter into the liquor as it forms in the dish. bake slowly, covered, until the apples are very tender. serve separately or with a cereal. cinnamon, or nutmeg, or a blade of mace may be used instead of the cloves. xx. _boiled._--boil slowly in a saucepan with as little water as possible. do not peel. when tender, lift out, add sugar to the water in which they were boiled; reduce half by rapid boiling, pour over the apples, and let cool. currant-juice, lemon-juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, or a suspicion of clove may be added to the syrup if the apples lack flavor. xxi. _coddled._--core, cut in halves, but do not peel. lay in the bottom of an earthen dish, sprinkle lightly with sugar, add a little water, and cook very slowly on the top of the stove until tender. xxii. _crusts._--cut stale bread in circles, lay half of a peeled and cored apple on each piece. bake carefully, basting with melted butter and a little lemon-juice if desired. when the apples are done, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and take from the oven. serve either hot or cold. xxiii. _dried._--soak over night in water to cover, after washing thoroughly; cook slowly until soft, sweeten, and flavor with lemon. raisins, dates, figs, or other dried fruits may be added at pleasure. xxiv. _fried._--core, but do not pare. if very juicy, dredge with flour and fry slowly in hot fat till tender. they are served with pork, or, sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon, with cereals. xxv. _glazed._--core tart apples. fill the centres with cinnamon, sugar, bits of butter, and a raisin or two. bake slowly, basting with lemon-syrup. when nearly done, brush with the beaten white of egg and sprinkle with powdered sugar. serve separately or with cereal. xxvi. _in bloom._--cook pared red apples in any preferred way, and stew the skin separately, in a little water, until the color is extracted. the tiniest bit of red vegetable coloring may be needed. strain this liquid, and pour it over the apples when done. or, add currant jelly to color the water in which the apples are boiled, or to the water for basting pared baked apples. xxvii. _in casserole._--arrange good cooking apples in an earthen casserole. cover with a thin syrup made of brown sugar, add a little spice and a bit of orange- or lemon-peel. bake, very slowly, tightly covered. serve cold from the casserole. xxviii. _in crumbs._--cut strips of stale bread to fit stone custard-cups. dip in milk, and arrange in the moulds. fill the centres with apple sauce, cover with a circle of the bread, and steam thirty minutes. serve cold, with cream. xxix. _in rice-cups._--line buttered custard cups with cold boiled rice. fill the centres with apple sauce or cooked quartered apples, mildly tart rather than sweet. cover with more of the rice. steam half an hour and let cool in the cups. turn out on chilled plates and serve with cream. cream may be used with any cooked apple, if the secretary of the interior files no objections. cereals, other than rice, left over, can be used in the same way. a wreath of cooked apple quarters around the base of each individual mould is a dainty and acceptable garnish. xxx. _jellied._--cut tart apples in halves, core, place in buttered baking-dish, skin side down, measure the water and add enough barely to cover; add twice as much sugar as water, cover and boil slowly till the apples are tender. skim out, drain, boil the syrup rapidly till reduced one half; pour over the apples and let cool. flavorings referred to before can be added to the syrup if desired. xxxi. _mock pineapple._--arrange alternate slices of sweet apples and oranges, peeled, on a chilled plate, one above the other. sprinkle with powdered sugar, pour over the orange-juice and serve immediately. xxxii. _sauce._--peel, quarter, and core quick-cooking apples. sweeten slightly, and when very tender, rub through a sieve and let cool. any flavoring recommended before may be used. xxxiii. _snow._--peel white-fleshed, firm apples, grate quickly on a coarse grater, and serve in roughly piled heaps on small plates immediately. use sugar or not. xxxiv. _southern, fried._--core and cut in thick slices, but do not peel. dip in egg and crumbs and fry in ham or bacon fat and serve with those meats. xxxv. _stewed._--pare, core, and halve large cooking-apples. put into an earthen dish, cover with water, sprinkle with sugar, cover tightly, and cook slowly. if flat in taste, sprinkle with lemon-juice, cinnamon, or nutmeg. xxxvi. _stewed with dates._--add washed and stoned dates to stewed apples when partially cooked, and finish cooking. dried apricots, fresh or dried cherries, rhubarb, figs, plums, dried peaches, pears, or quinces, may be used in the same way. xxxvii. _stewed with rice._--boil rice as usual in boiling water, adding a little salt. when partly done, add pared, cored, and quartered quick-cooking apples. finish cooking. serve very cold with cream and sugar. flavorings noted above may be added at discretion. apricots i. wipe with a dry cloth and serve with fruit-knives. a green leaf on each plate is a dainty fruit doily. ii. _canned._--drain, rinse in cold water, arrange on plates, and let stand several hours before serving. sugar or not, as desired. save the syrup to flavor syrup for pancakes, or to use for puddings, fritters, etc. iii. _dried._--soak over night, cook very slowly in the water in which they were soaked, adding very little sugar. serve with cereal, or separately. iv. _sauce._--cook as above, and rub the fruit through a sieve. the canned, drained, and freshened fruit may be used in the same way. bananas i. serve in the skins with fruit-knives, one to each person. ii. skin and scrape and serve immediately. people who cannot ordinarily eat bananas usually find them harmless when the tough, stringy pulp is scraped off. iii. _baked._--bake without peeling, basting with hot water and melted butter occasionally. let cool in the skins. iv. _baked._--skin, scrape, and bake, basting with lemon-juice and melted butter. sprinkle with sugar if desired. v. _au naturel._--slice into saucers, sprinkle with lemon-juice and sugar. vi. _with sugar and cream._--slice, sprinkle with powdered sugar, pour cream over, and serve at once. vii. _with oranges._--slice, add an equal quantity of sliced oranges, and sprinkle with sugar. viii. _with cereal._--slice fresh bananas into a saucer, sprinkle with sugar, cover with boiled rice or with any preferred cereal. ix. equally good with sliced peaches. blackberries serve with powdered sugar, with or without cream. a tablespoonful of cracked ice in a saucer of berries is appreciated on a hot morning. blue plums see green gages. cherries i. serve very cold, with the stems on. a dainty way is to lay the cherries upon a bed of cracked ice, and serve with powdered sugar in individual dishes. ii. pit the cherries, saving the juice, and serve in saucers with sugar and plenty of cracked ice. iii. _iced._--beat the white of an egg to a foam. dip each cherry into it, then roll in powdered sugar, and set on a platter in the refrigerator. must be prepared overnight. iv. _crusts._--butter rounds of stale bread, spread with pitted cherries and their juice, sprinkle with sugar, and bake. serve very cold. currants serve in cracked ice with plenty of sugar. these are also served iced, and on crusts. see cherries iii and iv. figs may be served from the basket. this, of course, applies only to the more expensive varieties, which are clean. the ordinary dried fig of commerce must be washed many times, and is usually sweet enough without adding more sugar. ii. _steamed._--set a plate of figs in a steamer over boiling water until plump and soft, then set away to cool. iii. _stewed._--clean, soak, and cook slowly till tender in a little water. skim out, drain, sweeten the syrup slightly, reduce one half, pour over the figs, and cool. a bit of vanilla or wine may be added to the syrup. iv. _with cereal._--cover a saucer of steamed or stewed figs with any preferred cereal. serve with cream if desired. v. _in rice-cups._--see apples xxix. vi. _in crumbs._--see apples xxviii. gooseberries these berries must be stewed in order to be acceptable. the fruit, after stewing, may be rubbed through a sieve fine enough to keep back the seeds, or it may be baked on crusts. see cherries iv. grapes this luscious fruit is at its best when served fresh from the vines, with the bloom still on. never wash a bunch of grapes if it can be avoided. serve with grape scissors to cut the bunches apart. people who fear appendicitis may have the grapes squeezed from the skins and the seeds afterwards removed. they are very nice this way, with sugar and pounded ice. grapefruit a good grapefruit will have dark spots, a skin which seems thin, will be firm to the touch, and heavy for its size. to serve, cut crosswise, and remove the white, bitter pulp which is in the core, and separate the sections. fill the core with sugar and serve cold. a little rum or kirsch may be added just before serving, but, as george ade said, "a good girl needs no help," and it is equally true of a good grapefruit. if anybody knows why it is called grapefruit, please write to the author of this book in care of the publishers. green gages serve as they come, with the bloom on, or peel, pit, and serve with cracked ice and powdered sugar. huckleberries look the fruit over carefully. nothing pleases a fly so much as to die and be mistaken for a huckleberry. serve with cracked ice, with sugar or cream, or both. muskmelons keep on ice till the last moment. cut crosswise, take out the seeds with a spoon, and put a cube of ice in each half. green leaves on the plate are a dainty touch. oranges serve with fruit-knives, or in halves with spoons--either the orange-spoon which comes for that purpose, or a very heavy teaspoon. another way is to remove the peel, except a strip an inch wide at the equator, cut at a division line and straighten out the peel, taking care not to break off the sections. or, the fruit may be peeled, sliced, and served on plates with sugar. peaches wipe with a dry cloth and serve with fruit-knives. or, if you think much of your breakfast napkins, peel and cut just before serving, as they discolor quickly. serve with cracked ice, or with cream. hard peaches may be baked, as apples are, and served cold with cream. stewed peaches may be served on crusts. pears serve as they come, with fruit-knives. hard pears may be baked or stewed according to directions previously given. pineapple peel, cut out the eyes, and shred from the core with a silver fork. sprinkle with sugar and keep on ice some hours before serving. pineapple is the only fruit known to have a distinct digestive value, and it works most readily on starches. it combines pleasantly with bananas. prunelles these are soaked, and boiled in the water in in which they are soaked, with the addition of a very little sugar. dried apricots, blackberries, cherries, nectarines, and prunes are cooked in the same way. they may also be steamed and afterwards sprinkled with sugar. prunes these are no longer despised since the price has gone up, and the more expensive kinds are well worth having. a bit of lemon-peel or spice may flavor the syrup acceptably, and they are especially healthful in combination with cereals, according to recipes previously given. quinces peel, stuff the cores with sugar, and bake according to directions given for apples. a little lemon may be used in the syrup for basting. raspberries and strawberries these delicious berries should not be washed unless absolutely necessary, nor should they be insulted with sugar and cream. if very sour, strawberries may be dipped in powdered sugar. large, fine ones are served with the stems and hulls on. raspberries, if ripe, seldom need sugar. cracked ice is a pleasing accompaniment. rhubarb i. peel, cut into inch-lengths, and stew with plenty of sugar. serve cold. ii. cut, but do not peel, boil five minutes, then change the water and cook slowly with plenty of sugar till done. iii. _baked._--do not peel. cut into inch-pieces, put into a buttered baking-dish or stone jar, sprinkle plentifully with sugar, and bake slowly. it will be a rich red in color. iv. cook on crusts. see cherries iv. v. add a handful of seeded raisins to rhubarb cooked in any of the above ways when it is about half done. figs, dates, and other dried fruits, used with rhubarb, make a combination pleasing to some. tangerines see oranges. watermelon like muskmelon, watermelon must be very thoroughly chilled. serve in slices from a platter or on individual plates, removing the rind before serving, if desired; or cut the melon in half, slice off the lower end so that it may stand firmly, and serve the pulp from the shell with a silver spoon. ice pounded to snow is a pleasant addition to any fruit, when the thermometer is ninety-five or six in the shade. cereals so many breakfast foods are upon the market that it would be impossible to enumerate all of them, especially as new ones are appearing continually. full and complete directions for cooking all of them are printed upon the packages in which they are sold. it may not be amiss to add, however, that in almost every instance, twice or three times the time allowed for cooking would improve the cereal in taste and digestibility. the uncooked cereals are many. a wise housekeeper will use the uncooked cereals when she has no maid. "a word to the wise is unnecessary." pleasing variety in the daily menu is secured by getting a different cereal each time. in this way, it takes about a year to get back to the beginning again, and there is no chance to tire of any of them. cereals should always be cooked in a double boiler; and soaking over night in the water in which they are to be cooked, where it is not possible to secure the necessary time for long cooking, will prove a distinct advantage. leftover cereals should be covered with cold water immediately, in the double boiler, and kept in a cool place until the next day. bring slowly to a boil, and cook as usual. in the hot weather, cereals may be cooked the day before using, moulded in custard-cups, and kept in the ice-box over night. they are very acceptable when served ice-cold, and, if moulded with fruit, or served with fruit on the same plate, so much the better. pearled wheat, pearled barley, and coarse hominy require five cupfuls of water to each cup of cereal, and need from four to six hours' cooking. coarse oatmeal and fine hominy must be cooked from four to six hours, but need only four cupfuls of water to each cup of cereal. rolled wheat and rolled barley are cooked two hours in three times as much water as cereal; rice and rolled oats, with three times as much water, will cook in one hour. farina, with six cupfuls of water to each cupful of cereal, also cooks in an hour; cerealine flakes cook in thirty minutes, equal parts of water and cereal being used. salt must be added just before cooking begins. all cereals are richer if a little milk is added to the water in which they are cooked. to cook cereals in a double boiler, put the water into the inner kettle, the outer vessel being from half to two thirds full, and when it is boiling furiously, sprinkle in the cereal, a few grains at a time, and not so rapidly as to stop the boiling. when cereals are eaten cold, they require a little more liquid. boiled barley wash the barley in several waters, cover with cold water; bring to a boil, drain, cover with fresh boiling water, add a little salt, and cook slowly for four hours. barley gruel wash half a cupful of pearled barley in several waters; put it into a double boiler with eight cupfuls of water and half an inch of stick cinnamon. boil for two hours, strain, sweeten, and add two wine glasses of port. keep in a cool place and reheat when required. an invaluable breakfast cereal for a convalescent. steamed barley cooked one cupful of pearled barley in a double boiler four hours, with four cupfuls of water and a little salt. in the morning, add a cupful of boiling water or milk, stir occasionally, reheat thoroughly, and serve. brewis dry bread in the oven so slowly that it is a light brown in color. crush into crumbs with the rolling-pin and sift through the frying-basket. measure the milk, salt it slightly, and bring to a boil. put in half as much of the dried crumbs. boil five or ten minutes, season with butter, pepper, and salt, and serve at once with cream. it must be stirred all the time it is cooking. by omitting the butter, it may be served with sugar. brown, rye, graham, or corn bread may be mixed with the white bread to advantage. the dried and sifted crumbs of brown bread, when served cold with cream, taste surprisingly like a popular cereal which etiquette forbids us to mention. this is a good way to use up accumulated crumbs. corn-meal mush the best meal comes from the south. it is white, moist, and coarse, and is called "water ground." it is a very different proposition from the dry, yellow powder sold in northern groceries. for mush, use four times as much water as meal. salt the water, and sprinkle in the meal very slowly when it is at a galloping boil. boil an hour or more, stirring frequently. a better mush is made by using half milk and half water. serve hot or cold with cream, or milk, and sugar. if wanted for frying, wet a pan in cold water, pour in the hot mush, and let cool. corn and wheat porridge half a cupful of corn-meal and half a cupful of flour. make into a batter with cold water and put into two cupfuls of boiling water. stir often and cook half an hour or more, then add four cupfuls of boiling milk. cook half an hour longer, stirring often. serve hot or cold, with cream and sugar. corn mush or hasty pudding one cupful of corn-meal and one cupful of cold water. mix and stir into two cupfuls of salted boiling water. one half cupful of white flour may be mixed with the meal. when the mush becomes thick, place in a steamer and steam six hours. rinse a pan with cold water, pour in the mush, smooth the top with hand or spoon wet in cold water, and let stand in a cold place twelve hours. this is used for frying. other cereals may be used in the same way. the sliced mush should be dredged in flour and cooked in salt pork, ham, or bacon fat in the spider, or in lard or butter if it is to be served with syrup. hulled corn this can occasionally be found in city markets, and is a delicious cereal, eaten hot or cold with milk or cream or sugar. cold cereal with fruit pack left-over cereal into buttered custard cups, scoop out the inside, fill with any sort of stewed or fresh fruit cut fine and sweetened, cover the top with more cereal, and let stand some hours in a cold place. at serving time turn out and dust with powdered sugar. cream may be used if it harmonizes with the fruit. fried cream bring two cupfuls of milk to the boil, add two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and half a teaspoonful of salt. take from the fire and add one egg, well beaten, then pour into a mould to cool. when cold, cut into slices, dredge with flour, and fry. farina soak over night. in the morning add boiling salted water to cover, and cook half an hour, stirring constantly. serve hot or cold with cream and sugar, or with sugar and fruit. apple farina stir one half cupful of farina into one quart of boiling salted water. as soon as mush forms, stir in four tart apples, peeled, cored, and sliced, and cook until the apples are soft. if the apples lack flavor, a bit of orange- or lemon-peel, or any preferred spice may be added. serve hot or cold with cream or sugar. this will mould well. farina balls half a cupful of farina, two cupfuls of milk, half a teaspoonful of salt, a sprinkle of paprika, six drops of onion-juice, and the yolk of one egg. cook the farina in the salted milk for half an hour in a double boiler. when it is stiff, add the egg and the seasoning. reheat, pour into a dish, and let cool. when cold, make into small flat cakes, dip in egg, then in crumbs, and fry. these can be made ready for frying the day before. fairy farina mix three tablespoonfuls of farina with three quarters of a teaspoonful of salt and half a cupful of milk, taken from two cupfuls. bring the rest of the milk to a boil with two cupfuls of water and stir in the farina mixture. cook slowly half an hour, turn into individual moulds, and serve cold with sugar and cream. jellied farina one cupful of farina, sprinkled into two and a half cupfuls of boiled salted milk. stir till it thickens, then boil half an hour without stirring. serve hot or cold with sugar and cream. this will mould nicely, and may be used with fruit. farina mush boil one quart of salted milk, and, when boiling, add half a cupful of farina, stirring constantly. add a lump of butter and serve with cream and sugar. flummery one and a half cupfuls of pinhead oatmeal, a saltspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of white sugar, two tablespoonfuls of orange-flower water. cover the oatmeal with cold water and let it soak twenty-four hours, then drain off the water, cover again, and let steep twenty-four hours longer. strain through a fine sieve, add the salt, and boil till as thick as mush, stirring constantly. add the sugar and the orange-flower water, pour into saucers, and serve hot or cold with cream and sugar. this recipe dates back to the time of queen elizabeth. grits one cupful of well-washed grits is slowly added to two cupfuls of boiling water, and boiled one hour. soaking over night is an advantage. if the porridge is too thick, it may be thinned with milk. serve hot or cold with cream and sugar. fried grits pack left-over grits into a wet mould. turn out, slice, dredge in flour, and fry. oatmeal gruel mix one tablespoonful of oatmeal in half a cupful of cold water, add three cupfuls of milk, or of water, or of milk and water, and a little salt. cook half an hour in a double boiler, stirring often. strain if desired, and serve hot or cold. may be flavored with a bit of lemon-peel, spice, or orange-flower water. for children and convalescents. oatmeal gruel with egg one cupful of oatmeal and one teaspoonful of salt stirred into four cupfuls of boiling water. boil one hour, strain, and pour on to two eggs well beaten. reheat until it thickens, and serve with cream and sugar. wheat gruel mix one teaspoonful of salt with half a cupful of flour, make into a paste with a little cold water and cook in a double boiler till smooth and thick. thin with milk, if necessary. strain and sweeten; serve either hot or cold. may be flavored with spice, lemon-peel, or wine. boiled hominy stir one cupful of well-washed hominy into two quarts of boiling water. cook one hour. use half milk and half water if preferred. hominy balls to a cupful of cold hominy add one tablespoonful of melted butter, stir well, add enough milk to rub the hominy to a paste, add a teaspoonful of sugar and one egg, unbeaten. shape into small flat balls, dredge with flour, dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry. these may be prepared beforehand and kept in a cool place till ready to fry. fried hominy pack left-over hominy into a mould. when cold, slice, dredge with flour, and fry, or dip in egg and crumbs and fry. hominy with milk soak hominy all night. in the morning cover with boiling salted water and boil until very tender. drain off the water, cover with milk, boil up once more, and serve. steamed hominy soak hominy over night in an equal measure of cold water. in the morning add twice as much boiling salted water and boil fifteen minutes, then put into a steamer and steam six hours. hominy porridge soak a cupful of granulated hominy in four cupfuls of water over night. add a teaspoonful of salt, one cupful of milk, and boil one hour in the morning. cracked wheat mush butter a double boiler inside, put in four cupfuls of water and a little salt. when boiling add one cupful of cracked wheat which has been washed in several waters. boil ten minutes, then simmer three hours. serve with sugar and cream. graham flour mush mix one cupful of graham flour with a teaspoonful of salt, and make it into a paste with cold water. mix gradually with four cupfuls of boiling water. boil half an hour, stirring constantly. serve with cream and sugar. oatmeal mush mix one cupful of coarse oatmeal with a little salt, sprinkle into four cupfuls of boiling water. boil fifteen minutes, stirring constantly, in the double boiler. cover and cook slowly three hours longer. rye mush one quart of boiling water, one teaspoonful of salt, five heaping tablespoonfuls of rye meal. sprinkle the meal into the boiling water, stirring constantly, add the salt, bring to the boil once more, cover, and cook slowly in the double boiler one hour and a half. serve with sugar and cream. fried oatmeal mush wet a pan or mould in cold water and pack into it left-over oatmeal. twelve hours later, turn out, cut into slices, dredge with flour and fry, serving with a simple syrup if desired. any left-over cereal which does not contain fruit may be used in the same way. graham mush with apples slice peeled and cored tart apples into graham mush prepared according to the recipe previously given, as soon as it begins to boil. mush cakes season two cupfuls of left-over cereal with salt and pepper and a few drops of onion-juice. shape into small flat cakes with floured hands and dredge with flour. fry in ham or bacon fat and serve with those meats. mush balls add a tablespoonful of melted butter and two unbeaten eggs to two cupfuls of hot corn-meal mush. cool. shape into small flat cakes, dredge with flour, and fry brown. these may be prepared the day before using. velvet mush melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a double boiler, add two cupfuls of flour, and stir until it leaves the sides of the kettle; add five cupfuls of milk, stirring constantly and bringing to the boil at each cupful. add a teaspoonful of salt, mix thoroughly, and serve with sugar and cream. cold graham mush with fruit stir chopped dates or figs into graham mush made according to previous directions, turn into a mould, and cool. the next morning, slice, and serve with sugar and cream. steamed oatmeal add a quart of cold water and a teaspoonful of salt to a cupful of oatmeal. put in a steamer over a kettle of cold water, bring to the boil gradually, and steam two hours after it begins to cook. oatmeal jelly soak one cupful of oatmeal over night in cold water to cover deeply. add boiling salted water in the morning and boil several hours, adding more water as needed. do not stir any more than necessary. when every grain is transparent and jelly-like, it is done. it is delicious served cold, with fruit and sugar, or with sugar and cream. creamed oatmeal boil oatmeal for an hour and a half according to recipes previously given. rub through a sieve, cover with hot milk, and cook very slowly half an hour longer. serve with sugar and cream. oatmeal blanc mange bring one quart of milk to the boil, add a teaspoonful of salt, and stir in one cupful of oatmeal. boil forty-five minutes, then add two eggs well beaten just before removing from the fire. serve hot or cold with cream and sugar. a bit of grated lemon- or orange-peel, wine, or spice may be added to the milk. light oatmeal cook oatmeal twenty-five minutes according to directions previously given, then set the dish in a moderate oven for half an hour. the grains will swell. baked oatmeal the day before using, stir two cupfuls of oatmeal into two quarts of boiling water, salted, and boil ten minutes. turn into a buttered earthen dish, cover, and bake slowly two hours. in the morning set the dish into a pan of boiling water and put in the oven for forty-five minutes. milk porridge one tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with half a cupful or more of water. add a cupful of boiling milk, a little salt and spice, and cook ten minutes or more in the double boiler. rice porridge one cupful of rice, washed in several waters, and one cupful of oatmeal. cook one hour in plenty of boiling salted water, and add a heaping tablespoonful of butter before serving. wheatlet porridge one cupful of wheatlet, two cupfuls of boiling water, and one teaspoonful of salt. cook slowly for an hour. creamed oat porridge soak two cupfuls of oatmeal in four cupfuls of water over night. in the morning, strain and boil the water thirty minutes. scald a pint and a half of rich milk, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, add to the water, with a teaspoonful of butter and a half teaspoonful of salt. boil up well and serve with cream and sugar. boiled rice (hop sing's recipe) "washee lice in cold water bellee muchee. water boil all ready muchee quick. water shakee lice--no burn. boil till one lice all rub away in fingers. put in pan all holee, pour over cold water bellee muchee, set in hot oven, make dry, eatee all up." boiled rice (american recipe) wash one cupful of rice in several waters. sprinkle it, a little at a time, into eight quarts of slightly salted water at a galloping boil. boil steadily for twenty minutes. drain, toss carefully with a fork, and dry ten minutes in a hot oven. boiled rice with milk cook as above until it has boiled ten minutes, then drain, cover with boiling milk, and cook slowly ten minutes longer in a covered double boiler. uncover, and stand in a hot oven for a few minutes, stirring occasionally with a fork. rice balls one cupful of boiled rice, one half cupful of milk, one egg, one tablespoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a slight grating of nutmeg or a sprinkle of cinnamon. put the milk on to boil, add the rice and seasoning. when it boils, add the egg, cook till thick, take from the fire, and cool. form in to small flat cakes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry. these may be prepared beforehand. steamed rice wash a small cupful of rice and put into a double boiler with three cupfuls of milk and a pinch of salt. cook until creamy, add a teaspoonful of butter and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. fruit may be added. samp cover the samp with boiling water, boil ten minutes, then drain, rinse in cold water, cover with fresh boiling water and a little salt. cook slowly six hours, adding fresh boiling water as needed. serve hot or cold with cream and sugar. cream toast dip slices of toast in boiling water and set into the oven. stir one heaping tablespoonful of corn-meal into four cupfuls of boiling salted milk, and add two tablespoonfuls of butter. when the milk thickens, stir in the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, boil up again, pour over the toast, keep in the oven five minutes longer and serve. milk toast lay slices of toast in cereal bowls, spread with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, pour boiling milk over and serve immediately. soft toast dip crisp slices of toast for a moment in boiling salted water, pour over melted butter, set in the oven a moment and serve with cream. crushed wheat with raisins add a handful of stoned and cleaned raisins to crushed wheat mush made according to recipe previously given, and as soon as it begins to boil. raisins are a healthful and agreeable addition to almost any cereal. cold cracked wheat add half a teaspoonful of salt to three cupfuls of boiling water, stir in half a cupful of cracked wheat. cook uncovered till the water has almost disappeared, then add three cupfuls of hot milk. cover and cook until the wheat is soft, then uncover and cook until the wheat is almost dry. stir carefully now and then while cooking. turn into individual moulds to harden, and serve cold with sugar and cream. salt fish with very, very few exceptions, fish and meats other than salt are not suitable for breakfast. so many delicious preparations of these are possible, however, that no one need lament the restriction which general use has made. the humble and lowly codfish may be made into many a dainty tidbit,--to make no invidious distinction,--and, for some occult reason, the taste craves salt in the morning. broiled bloaters scrape and clean the fish, wipe dry and split, laying flat upon a buttered gridiron. broil about six minutes, turning frequently. when brown, pour over melted butter. serve with lemon quarters and parsley. yarmouth bloaters see potomac herring. codfish balls cut into inch pieces a heaping cupful of salt codfish. remove the bones, skin, and put into an earthen dish. pour boiling water on and keep hot two hours. pour off the water, cool, and shred the fish with the fingers. add a heaping cupful of hot mashed potatoes. mix a teaspoonful of flour with a heaping tablespoonful of butter, add three tablespoonfuls of boiling water, and cook until thick. season with salt and pepper, mix with the fish and potato, and with floured hands form into eight small flat cakes. dredge with flour and set away to be fried the following morning. codfish balls--ii two cupfuls of freshened and shredded fish, two cupfuls of sliced raw potatoes, one tablespoonful of butter, half a cupful of cream or milk, two eggs, and a sprinkle of white pepper. put the potatoes in a pan, spread the fish on top, cover with cold water, and boil until the potatoes are done. drain, mash together, then add the butter, pepper, milk, and beaten egg. beat until very light. shape into round balls the size of small apples, dredge in flour, and fry until brown in deep fat. codfish balls--iii prepare as codfish balls ii, but use twice as much potato as fish. codfish balls À la burns make codfish balls into flat cakes and just before serving, put a poached egg on each. picked-up codfish pour boiling water on a cupful of salt codfish which has been shredded and had the bones removed. when the water cools, pour it off and cover with fresh boiling water. drain again when the second water cools. blend a tablespoonful of butter with a tablespoonful of flour, add a cupful of milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until thick. add the codfish and a teaspoonful of finely minced parsley. serve on toast and garnish with hard-boiled egg cut in slices. sprinkle with black pepper. creamed codfish two cupfuls of shredded codfish, three cupfuls of milk, yolk of one egg, one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, two quarts of water, pepper, and salt. cover the fish with the water and set it over a slow fire. when it boils, drain it and cover with the milk. bring to a boil again. have the butter and flour rubbed smooth with a little cold milk and add to the boiling milk. stir steadily till it thickens, then add the beaten yolk of the egg, and cook five minutes longer. season with pepper. a little minced parsley may be added. half an hour before the fish is shredded it should be put to soak in cold water, unless it is preferred very salt. creamed roast codfish brush the salt from a whole salted cod with a stiff brush. place in a baking-pan and put in a hot oven until brown and crisp. take out, lay on a board, and pound with a potato-masher till thoroughly bruised and broken. place in the baking-pan, cover with boiling water, and soak twenty minutes. drain, place on a platter, dot with butter, and put back into the oven till the butter sizzles. take from the oven, pour over a cupful of cream, garnish with parsley, and serve. codfish À la mode pick up a cupful of salt cod very fine, and freshen it. mix with two cupfuls of mashed potato, two cupfuls of cream or milk, and two well-beaten eggs. add half a cupful of melted butter and a little black pepper. mix thoroughly, pile roughly in an earthen baking-dish or casserole, and bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. if it does not brown readily, brush the top with melted butter for the last five minutes of cooking. new england salt cod cut the fish in squares and soak over night. in the morning drain and rinse, cover with fresh boiling water, and simmer till tender. spread on a platter and put in the oven. make a drawn-butter sauce of one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour cooked till the mixture leaves the pan. add one cupful of cold water, and stir constantly till the sauce is thick and smooth and free from lumps. pour over the cod and serve. minced parsley, a squeeze of lemon-juice, or a hard-boiled egg chopped fine may be added to the sauce. boiled salted cod with egg sauce chop fine a pound of salted cod that has been freshened, boiled, and cooled. mix a heaping teaspoonful of corn-meal with one cupful of milk, and stir over the fire until it thickens, then add one cupful of mashed potatoes, two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, and two well-beaten eggs. let it get very hot. make the drawn-butter sauce with the egg in it, given in the recipe for new england salt cod, and serve with the sauce poured over. salted cod with brown butter freshen the fish for twenty-four hours. place over the fire in cold water and bring slowly to a boil. put a little butter and a few sprigs of parsley in a frying-pan. skim out the fish and put on a platter in the oven. when the butter is brown, pour over the fish and serve with lemon-quarters and fresh parsley. codfish cutlets use the mixture for codfish balls ii. shape into cutlet form,--small tin moulds come for the purpose,--dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. stick a piece of macaroni in the small end of the cutlet, and garnish with a paper frill. serve with lemon and parsley. boiled salt codfish select a piece of cod that has been boned. brush the salt from it with a stiff brush and broil under the gas flame until brown. lay in a baking-pan and pour over boiling water to cover. let stand ten minutes, drain, and repeat the process. drain, put on a hot platter, pour over melted butter, sprinkle with pepper and minced parsley. flaked salt codfish soak two pounds of fish over night. in the morning scrub it well, cover with slices of onion, pour boiling water over, and let it soak till the water is cool. skim out, wipe, and broil. put into a platter, break with a fork, and pour over a drawn-butter sauce seasoned with pepper, parsley, and lemon-juice. keep in a hot oven five minutes before serving. codfish puff make the mixture for codfish balls ii. add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, folding them in lightly. butter a stoneware platter, spread the puff upon it, and bake in a hot oven till well puffed and browned. or, cook in a buttered frying-pan till a brown crust has formed, then fold like an omelet. creamed cod with egg sauce freshen, boil, and drain, according to directions previously given. arrange on a platter and cover with cream sauce, which has minced parsley and chopped hard-boiled eggs mixed with it. escalloped codfish make a codfish puff, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake brown. finnan haddie À la delmonico make a cream sauce, using two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour; cook till they bubble, add a pint of milk, and stir till thick and smooth. add a pound of finnan haddie flaked, and the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, three hard-boiled eggs cut fine, and a tablespoonful of strong cheese, grated. season with black pepper, heat thoroughly, and serve. finnan haddie À la martin make the cream sauce, add the flaked finnan haddie, according to the recipe for finnan haddie à la delmonico, add one half-cupful of shredded green peppers, let boil up once, and serve on toast. finnan haddie fish balls prepare as codfish balls ii. broiled finnan haddie parboil, drain, wipe, then skin. broil, pour over melted butter, sprinkle with pepper and minced parsley. serve with lemon quarters. picked-up finnan haddie cut the fish in convenient pieces for serving. cover with boiling water, boil five minutes, drain, and rinse in fresh boiling water. arrange on a platter, dot with butter, put in the oven, and when the butter sizzles, serve. creamed roast finnan haddie see creamed roast codfish. broiled finnan haddie--ii soak in cold water half an hour, and in boiling water ten minutes. wipe dry, marinade in oil and lemon-juice, and broil as usual. baked smoked haddock put the haddock into a baking-pan, cover with boiling water, drain, dot with butter, sprinkle with black pepper, and bake in a hot oven for ten minutes. serve very hot. broiled smoked haddock rub with butter, dredge with flour, and broil over clear coals, or under a gas flame. fried smoked haddock cover with olive oil and soak over night. skim out and fry brown in the oil. pepper well and serve at once with lemon quarters and a garnish of parsley. herring balls partly boil bloaters or herrings, skin, add an equal bulk of mashed potatoes made from baked potatoes. add a lump of butter and enough cream to soften it. form into balls, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. potomac herring those having roe are preferable. put into a frying-pan with boiling water to cover, boil five minutes, drain, add a lump of butter, and return to the fire. when it melts, and the fish is well covered with it, serve. kippered herring see potomac herring. broiled smoked herring soak over night. pour boiling water over it in the morning; when the water cools, plunge it into ice water for five minutes, wipe dry, and broil under a gas flame. broiled salt mackerel wash in several waters, remove the head and part of the tail. scrape the thin black skin from the inside. put the fish in a pan of cold water, skin side up, over night at least, and, if very salt, by four o'clock in the afternoon. in the morning wash in fresh cold water, wipe dry on a clean cloth, rub with melted butter, sprinkle with pepper, and broil carefully. it must be watched every moment, as it burns easily. when brown, serve on a hot platter, dot the fish with bits of butter, and garnish with parsley and lemon quarters. creamed salt mackerel freshen according to directions previously given. put in cold water, bring to a boil, then drain. pour over it half a cupful of cream. roll a piece of butter the size of an egg in flour and add to the cream. let boil up once and serve. boiled salt mackerel freshen according to directions previously given, rinse thoroughly. tie in a cloth, put into a kettle of cold water, bring slowly to the boil, and cook half an hour. remove the cloth, take out the backbone, and pour over melted butter and half a cupful of cream. sprinkle with black pepper and garnish with parsley. boiled salt mackerel, creamed prepare as above. heat a cupful of milk to the boil. stir into it a teaspoonful of cornstarch made smooth with a little cold milk. when it thickens, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and a little pepper, salt and minced parsley. beat an egg very light, pour the sauce gradually over it, reheat for about a minute. pour over the fish and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. baked salt mackerel freshen according to directions previously given. put into a baking-pan and pour on boiling water to cover. when the water cools, drain. cover the fish with dots of butter, pour over half a cupful of cream or milk, and bake till brown. fried salt mackerel freshen according to directions previously given, soaking a full twenty-four hours and changing the water frequently. in the morning, drain, wipe dry, dredge with flour, and fry brown in butter. garnish with lemon quarters and parsley. boiled salt mackerel--ii freshen, and boil in water made very acid with lemon-juice. serve with melted or drawn butter. broiled salt mackerel--ii freshen, wipe dry, and soak for an hour in french dressing, made of three tablespoonfuls of olive oil, and one of lemon-juice or tarragon vinegar. broil as usual. broiled salt salmon soak the salmon twenty-four hours in cold water, changing the water frequently. drain, wipe dry, rub with butter, and broil over a clear fire. serve with melted butter. garnish with lemon quarters and parsley. broiled smoked salmon rub with butter and broil with the flesh side nearest the fire. serve on a hot platter with lemon quarters, melted butter, and parsley. broiled kippered salmon cut the salmon into strips, rub very lightly with butter, sprinkle with pepper, and broil as usual. fried kippered salmon see fried smoked haddock. broiled smoked salmon wash a piece of smoked salmon in three or four waters, parboil fifteen minutes. skim out, wipe dry, rub with butter, and broil. cover with melted butter, sprinkle with pepper and minced parsley, and garnish with lemon quarters. fried smoked salmon wash and parboil the salmon, drain, wipe, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry. serve with lemon quarters and parsley. * * * * * roughly speaking, the recipes for salt fish are interchangeable. a method of cooking recommended for one will be found equally good for some of the others. salt fish left-overs may be used in hash, scrambles, omelets or ramekin dishes, or reheated, rubbed to a paste, and served on toast, with a poached egg on each slice. breakfast meats beef balls one cupful of cooked chopped beef, one cupful of cold mashed potatoes, half a cupful of milk, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and one egg. put the milk and butter in the frying-pan; when it boils up, add the beef and potatoes. season with salt and pepper, then add the egg, well beaten, and take from the fire. let cool. when stiff, shape into small flat cakes, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and put in a cool place. fry in hot fat for three minutes. these can be prepared beforehand. beef hash without potatoes mince the beef, season with grated onion, salt, and pepper. reheat in the beef gravy, or in hot water, adding a little butter. serve on toast. shredded green pepper may be added. frizzled beef have dried beef cut very thin. cover with cold water to which a small pinch of soda has been added, and bring gradually to the boil. drain, add a lump of butter, and cook till the edges of the beef curl. serve on slices of buttered toast with poached or fried eggs laid over the beef. beef À la newport prepare creamed dried beef according to recipe elsewhere given, using the egg to thicken. add half a cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes and a tablespoonful of grated cheese just before taking from the fire. heat thoroughly and serve at once on toast. corned beef hash equal parts of cooked corn beef and cold potatoes, cut fine, or use more potato than meat if desired. season with grated onion, pepper and salt, and a little butter, and heat thoroughly. a green pepper, shredded, is an invaluable addition to corned beef hash. corned beef hash À la delmonico prepare as above, using the green pepper. spread the hot hash thickly on thin slices of buttered toast, slip a poached egg on to each piece, sprinkle with pepper, salt, and minced parsley. creamed dried beef prepare as directed for frizzled beef, having the beef cut into very small pieces. make a cream sauce of one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, and two cupfuls of milk. season with salt and pepper, and when smooth and thick add the cooked beef. a well-beaten egg added just before taking from the fire is an improvement. serve on toast. bacon and eggs have the bacon cut very thin. the colder it is, the better. remove the rind and cook in a hot frying-pan until crisp. skim out the bacon, break the eggs into the fat one at a time, and cook slowly, dipping the fat over the eggs occasionally with a spoon. eggs must always be cooked at a moderate temperature. serve on a hot platter, the eggs in the centre, the bacon for a garnish. broiled bacon broil on a gridiron, turning constantly. it will cook in three minutes. perfectly cooked bacon is clear and crisp. breaded bacon dip slices of bacon in corn-meal and broil or fry. a southern method. bacon and mush cut slices of cold corn-meal mush, dredge in flour, and fry brown. serve with a strip of fried or broiled bacon on each slice. bacon fraise make a batter of four eggs, half a cupful of milk, and a teaspoonful of flour. fry some thin slices of bacon till transparent. dip them in the batter, spread on a stoneware platter, cover with the remaining batter, and put into a moderate oven till a golden brown. bacon À la crÊme fry thin slices of bacon as usual, place on a platter, and put into the oven to keep warm. make a cream sauce, using the fat in the pan instead of butter. pour over the bacon, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve at once. calf's brains soak in cold water, parboil, remove pipes and membranes, throw into cold water, drain, wipe, and keep cool. they may be rubbed with melted butter and fried or broiled, or dipped in egg and crumbs and fried or broiled. serve with a cream sauce or with a sauce of melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. chicken hash use cold cooked chicken and proceed according to directions previously given. cold turkey or tongue makes delicious hash. a shredded green pepper will usually improve it. any hash may be served on toast with a poached egg on each slice. fried ham freshen a slice of ham a few moments in boiling water. drain, wipe, and fry slowly. eggs may be served with it. see bacon and eggs. frizzled ham prepare as above. when the ham is half done, sprinkle with flour and fry brown. when brown, add a tablespoonful of made mustard to the gravy, and boiling water enough to cover the ham. simmer five minutes and serve on a hot platter. ham and poached eggs prepare as directed above. poach the eggs separately and serve on the slices of ham. broiled ham freshen in cold water, drain, wipe, and broil. may be breaded and broiled on a buttered gridiron. ham balls one cupful of cooked ham, finely chopped, one cupful of bread crumbs, two cupfuls of cooked potatoes, mashed fine, a heaping tablespoonful of butter, two eggs, and a dash of cayenne. melt the butter and beat all together until very light. shape into small flat cakes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry brown. may be prepared beforehand. ham toast half a cupful of cold cooked ham, finely minced, half a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, a bit of cayenne and pounded mace. add half a cupful of milk and an egg, well beaten. stir till thick, take from the fire, and spread thinly on dry buttered toast. a poached egg may be placed on each slice. ham rÉchauffÉ butter individual custard cups, fill three fourths full of minced ham reheated in a cream sauce, break an egg into each cup, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake till the egg is set. tongue, chicken, turkey, or other meats may be used in this same way. ham and eggs À l'aurore mince cooked ham and reheat in a cream sauce, to which the shredded whites of hard-boiled eggs have been added. spread on buttered toast and sprinkle with the sifted yolks of the eggs, rubbed through a sieve. kidney bacon rolls season a cupful of bread crumbs with grated onion, salt and pepper, and minced parsley. moisten with egg well beaten. spread the crumb mixture over thin slices of bacon and wrap each slice of bacon around a small kidney. fasten with toothpicks or skewers. put in a baking-pan and bake in a hot oven until the bacon is crisp. remove the skewers and serve on a hot plate, garnished with parsley. fried kidneys cut in halves, skin, sprinkle with salt and red pepper, and fry one minute in a spider, with no additional fat. serve with dry toast. kidneys en brochette cut the kidneys into small squares after parboiling and skinning. string on small steel skewers with small squares of bacon alternating. broil or fry or cook in the oven, dredging with flour or not, as preferred. if the bacon is not very fat, soak the kidneys in olive oil a few moments before stringing. serve on the skewers. crumbed kidneys parboil, drain, wipe, and split the kidneys, keeping them open with skewers. season with pepper and salt, brush with oil, roll in crumbs, and broil, fry, or cook in a very hot oven. make a sauce of melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley, and pour over them if desired. devilled kidneys parboil, drain, wipe, and slice the kidneys. make a marinade of three tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, one of vinegar,--tarragon vinegar or lemon-juice may be used,--a teaspoonful of mustard, salt, and red pepper. dip the sliced kidneys in this dressing and broil. minced parsley is a pleasant addition to the marinade. after dipping in the dressing, they may be rolled in crumbs and fried. serve plain, or with a sauce of melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley, or with the remaining marinade heated and poured over the kidneys. kidney and bacon parboil and slice mutton or lamb kidneys. fry brown in bacon fat and serve on dry toast with the bacon. stewed beef kidney parboil, drain, wipe, and cut into dice. cook five minutes in boiling water, drain, add a small onion, grated, a pinch of sage, and a cup of water. bring to the boil once more, add a pinch of salt, and two hard-boiled eggs, cut fine. thicken with one tablespoonful of cornstarch, rubbed smooth in a little cold water. serve on toast. kidneys À la terrapin parboil, drain, wipe, and cut into dice. reheat in cream sauce, to which hard-boiled eggs, cut fine, and minced parsley are added. serve on toast. broiled kidneys--maÎtre d'hÔtel use veal or lamb kidneys. plunge for an instant into boiling water, skim out, and wipe dry. split down the middle without cutting through, skin, and run a skewer through each to keep flat. broil as usual. when brown, remove the skewers, lay on a hot platter, pour over melted butter, add a squeeze of lemon-juice, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. kidneys and liver must be cooked very quickly, as long cooking makes them tough. minced lamb with poached eggs chop cold roast lamb very fine. season with salt, pepper, and a bit of mint. reheat in the gravy, or in water, adding a little butter, or in a cream sauce. spread thinly on thin slices of dry buttered toast, slip a poached egg on each slice, and serve at once, sprinkled with pepper and minced parsley. broiled lamb's liver cut the liver in thin slices, cover with olive oil, and soak half an hour. drain, season with salt and pepper, dip in crumbs, and broil. finish as for broiled kidneys. calf's liver and bacon cook the bacon first, skim out, and put the slices of liver, dredged with flour and seasoned with salt, into the hot fat. cook very quickly. liver À la crÊme parboil calf's liver, drain, wipe, and cut into dice or chop coarsely. reheat in a cream sauce, seasoning with salt and pepper. minced parsley, lemon-juice, or finely cut capers may be added to the sauce. serve on toast. cold cooked liver may be used in this way. liver hash equal parts of cold cooked liver and cold potatoes, cut fine. reheat in a frying-pan, adding butter and boiling water as necessary. almost any cold cooked meat may be used in this way. baked hash butter a shallow baking-dish, pile in the hash loosely, smooth the top, dot with butter, and bake until brown and crisp. turn out on a platter or serve in the dish, a fresh napkin or a paper frill being arranged around the dish. liver boulettes chop cold cooked liver fine. reheat in a very thick cream sauce, well seasoned. cool, shape into small flat cakes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry brown. liver and bacon balls cold cooked liver cut fine and half as much cooked bacon, chopped. shape into small flat cakes, using a raw egg to bind if necessary. dip in egg and crumbs and fry brown. meat and rice balls one cupful of cold cooked rice, one cupful of finely chopped cooked meat,--any kind, or several kinds,--a pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, two tablespoonfuls of butter, half a cupful of milk, and one egg. put the milk on to boil, add the rice, meat, and seasoning. when it boils, add the egg, well beaten, and stir one minute. take from the fire, cool, form into small flat cakes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry brown. may be prepared the day before using. fried salt pork cut in thin slices, freshen in cold water gradually brought to the boil. drain, wipe, trim off the rind, roll in flour, and fry. when brown, put on a hot platter and make a cream sauce, using the fat in the pan. fried salt pork with cream sauce poured over it is a venerable new england dish of some three centuries' standing. philadelphia scrapple use the head, heart, and feet of fresh pork. boil until the flesh slips from the bone. cool, take out the bones and gristle, and chop the meat fine. set aside the water in which the meat was cooked, and when cold take the cake of fat from the surface. bring the liquor to the boil once more, add the chopped meat, and when at a galloping boil, sprinkle in, slowly, enough corn-meal to make a thick mush. cook slowly for an hour or more. pour into a pan wet with cold water and let stand in a cold place over night. turn out on a platter, cut in half-inch slices, and fry. sausage prick the skins with a needle or fork to prevent bursting. cover with boiling water, parboil five minutes, drain, wipe, and fry as usual. the sausage meat is made into small flat cakes, dredged with flour and fried. bread crumbs may be used in making the sausage cakes if desired. if the cakes do not hold together readily, add a little beaten egg. baked sausage prick the sausages and lay each one on a strip of buttered bread its own length and width. arrange in a baking-pan and bake in a very hot oven till the sausages are brown and the bread crisp. sausages baked in potatoes prick medium-sized sausages and brown quickly in a spider. take out and keep warm. core large potatoes, draw the sausages through the cores, and bake. a pleasant surprise for the person peeling the potato. broiled sweetbreads parboil, in slightly acidulated water, for five minutes, then throw into cold water. remove pipes and fibres and let cool--the colder the better. split, rub with melted butter, season with pepper and salt, and broil or fry. they may also be dipped in egg and crumbs and fried or broiled. serve on a hot platter. a sauce of melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley is a pleasing accompaniment. fried tripe tripe as it comes from the market is already prepared. wash thoroughly, boil until tender, drain, and cool. cut into strips, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in butter or drippings until brown. it may be prepared for frying the day before and kept in a cool place. breaded tripe may also be broiled on a buttered gridiron. fricasseed tripe cut a pound of tripe in narrow strips, add a cupful of water, a piece of butter the size of an egg, and a tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold water. season with salt and simmer thirty minutes. serve very hot, on toast if desired. tripe À la lyonnaise one pound of cooked tripe cut into inch squares, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of chopped onion, one tablespoonful of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. put the butter and onion in a frying-pan. when the onion turns yellow, add the tripe and seasoning, boil up once more, and serve immediately, on toast. tripe À la poulette fry a chopped onion in three tablespoonfuls of butter. when brown, add a pound of tripe, cut into dice, season with salt and paprika, and fry until the mixture is partially dry. add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and when the butter has absorbed it, add slowly two cupfuls of stock or milk and a slight grating of nutmeg. simmer till the tripe is tender. beat together one tablespoonful of melted butter and one tablespoonful of lemon-juice, stir into the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, take the tripe from the fire, mix thoroughly, and serve at once. minced veal and eggs chop cold cooked veal very fine. add hard-boiled eggs cut fine, one to each two cupfuls of meat. reheat in hot water, adding melted butter, or in a cream sauce. a bit of green pepper, parsley, grated onion, pimento, or capers finely cut may be used for flavoring. other meats may be prepared in the same way. substitutes for meat certain things are well suited to replace meat at the breakfast table. it is a good idea to bar out the potato, unless in hash, for the simple reason that the humble vegetable appears at dinner about three hundred and sixty-five days in the year, and even a good thing may be worked to death. americans have been accused, not altogether unjustly, of being "potato mad." potato left-overs can be used at luncheon, if not in hash for breakfast. fried eggplant slice the eggplant in slices one third of an inch thick, pare, put into a deep dish, and cover with cold water well salted. soak one hour. drain, wipe, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry brown. broiled mushrooms choose large, firm mushrooms. remove the stems, peel, wash, and wipe dry. rub with melted butter and broil. serve with a sauce made of melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. fried mushrooms prepare as above, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. or sauté in butter in the frying-pan. breaded mushrooms may be broiled if dipped in melted butter or oil before broiling. baked mushrooms prepare as above. place in a shallow earthen baking-dish, hollow side up, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place a small piece of butter on each. baste with melted butter and a few drops of lemon-juice. serve very hot, on buttered toast. grilled mushrooms cut off the stalks, peel, and score lightly the under side of large, firm, fresh mushrooms. sprinkle with pepper and salt and soak a few moments in oil. drain and broil. serve with lemon quarters and garnish with parsley. french toast make a batter of two eggs, well beaten, a cupful of milk, a tablespoonful of melted butter, and spice or grated lemon- or orange-peel to flavor. dip the trimmed slices of bread in this batter and fry brown in butter. corn oysters two cupfuls of green corn, grated, half a cupful of milk, one cupful of sifted flour, two eggs, a teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful each of butter and lard. beat the yolks of the eggs, add the milk, then the flour and salt. beat to a smooth batter, add the corn, then beat again, adding the well beaten whites of the eggs last. put the lard and butter into a frying-pan, and when very hot put in the batter by small spoonfuls. brown on one side, then turn. if the batter is too thick, add a little more milk. the thinner the batter, the more delicate and tender the oysters will be. canned corn may be used, if it is chopped very fine, but it is not so good. by scoring deeply with a sharp knife each row of kernels on an ear of corn, the pulp may be pressed out with a knife. the corn may be cut from the cob and chopped, but the better way is to press out the pulp. * * * * * regardless of the allurements of wood and field, it is always safest to buy mushrooms at a reliable market. so many people are now making a business of raising them that they are continually getting cheaper. the silver spoon test is absolutely worthless. in fact, the only sure test is the risky one: "eat it, and if you live it's a mushroom--if you die it's a toadstool." however, when buying mushrooms of a reliable dealer, one takes practically no risk at all, and, even at the highest price, a box of mushrooms is much cheaper than a really nice funeral. eggs various rules have been given for testing the freshness of eggs, but there is only one which is reliable, and it is, perhaps, the most simple of all. it is merely this: open the egg and look at the contents in a strong light. it is better to hold it near the eyes and at the same time take a deep breath inward. strictly fresh eggs come from the country sometimes with the date of their appearance stamped indelibly in purple on the egg. this is done by giving the hens chopped calendars with their meals. care should be taken, however, to furnish this year's calendar. nobody wants an egg with a last-year's date on it and the error is likely to disarrange the digestion of the hen. eggs flavored with onions or tomatoes are secured by turning the hens into a neighbor's vegetable garden. a certain florist feeds his unsold roses to his hens and sells rose-flavored eggs to his customers at a fancy price. the hint is well worth remembering. violet-flavored eggs might be had, doubtless, in the same way. at a formal breakfast, all precautions should be taken to insure the freshness of the eggs. a conscientious hostess would be very much mortified if she served chicken out of its proper course. poached eggs use a skillet, or muffin-rings placed in a pan of water, not too deep. the water should barely cover the eggs. bring the water to the boiling point, drop in the eggs carefully, one at a time, and remove from the fire immediately. cover the pan and let stand until cooked. a teaspoonful of lemon-juice or vinegar in the water will keep the whites firm and preserve the shape of the eggs. poached eggs are usually served on thin slices of buttered toast. take up with a skimmer and let drain thoroughly before placing on the toast. sprinkle with salt and pepper. as every other writer who has given directions for poaching eggs has said that "the beauty of a poached egg is for the yolk to be seen blushing through the veiled white," the author of this book will make no allusion to it. scrambled eggs put two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan. when it sizzles, break into it quickly six fresh eggs and mix thoroughly with a silver spoon for two minutes without stopping. season with salt and pepper and a slight grating of nutmeg if desired. scrambled eggs should be thick and creamy. scrambled eggs--ii beat the eggs thoroughly, add one teaspoonful of cold water or milk for each egg and beat again. cook as above. scrambled eggs with asparagus tips have one cupful of cold cooked asparagus tips ready. in boiling asparagus its color will keep better if the smallest possible pinch of baking soda be added to the water. it should be cooked quickly in an uncovered saucepan. prepare the eggs as for scrambled eggs--ii, and when they begin to thicken, put in the asparagus tips and stir until the eggs are done. one half cupful of the asparagus tips to each three eggs is about the right proportion, but more may be added if desired. in making scrambles, allow one egg for each person and one extra for each three persons. scrambled eggs with dried beef one cupful of minced dried beef, which has been soaked in boiling water for five minutes. put it into melted butter, stir till the butter sizzles, then pour over six or seven-well-beaten eggs. stir till the eggs are smooth and creamy. serve at once. any scramble may be served on toast if desired. fried eggs three tablespoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan. when it sizzles, slip in the broken eggs carefully, one at a time. tip the pan and baste with the melted butter while cooking. if wanted crisp on both sides, turn the eggs over when the under side is done. wet in cold water the saucer on which an egg is broken and the egg will not stick to it, but will slip easily into the pan. olive oil may be used instead of butter, but the pan must be covered during the cooking, as the oil spatters. fried eggs au beurre noir fry eggs as above, using butter or oil. when done, skim out, add more butter or oil to that in the pan, season with salt, pepper, vinegar, or lemon-juice, and let brown. when the butter is brown pour it over the fried eggs and serve. eggs À la crÊme make a cream sauce, using one tablespoonful of butter, two of flour, two cupfuls of milk, and pepper and salt to season. when the sauce is thick and creamy, add hard-boiled eggs coarsely chopped, and serve at once on toast. sprinkle with chopped parsley. eggs À la tripe fry two sliced onions in butter, but do not brown. stir in one cupful of milk or cream and enough flour to thicken, rubbed smooth in a little of the cream or milk. season with salt, white pepper, and a bit of grated nutmeg. stir till thick, then add eight hard-boiled eggs, sliced crosswise. heat thoroughly and serve. eggs au miroir butter a stone platter that will stand the heat of the oven. break into it carefully enough fresh eggs to cover it, taking care not to break the yolks. place in the oven till the eggs are set. sprinkle with salt and pepper and minced parsley and serve at once. eggs with creamed celery make the cream sauce and put into it enough boiled celery, coarsely cut, to serve as a vegetable. spread on buttered toast and lay a poached egg on each slice. the tough, unsightly portions of celery stalks may be used in this way. chicken liver scramble use one cupful of chopped cooked chicken livers and six or seven well-beaten eggs. prepare like other scrambles. cheese scramble one half cupful of grated american cheese and six well-beaten eggs. mix the cheese with the eggs before cooking. eggs À la paysanne put one half cupful of cream into a baking-dish, break into it six fresh eggs, and place in the oven till the eggs are set. sprinkle with salt and pepper, minced parsley, and sweet green pepper. eggs À l'aurore make the cream sauce and add to it the shredded whites of six or eight hard-boiled eggs. spread on buttered toast and rub the yolks through a sieve, sprinkling each slice of toast with the powdered yolk. sometimes called "eggs à la goldenrod." oyster scramble one cupful of oysters, cut fine. pour boiling water over, drain on a fine sieve, and add six or seven well-beaten eggs. prepare as other scrambles. mushroom scramble one cupful of cooked mushrooms, cut fine, six or eight well-beaten eggs. serve on toast. lobster scramble one cupful of cold cooked lobster, six or eight well-beaten eggs. mix before putting into the hot butter. tomato scramble one cupful of stewed and strained tomato, or of fresh tomato peeled and rubbed through a sieve, six or eight well-beaten eggs. mix before putting into the hot butter. green pea scramble one cupful of cold cooked green peas, six or seven well-beaten eggs. mix before beginning to cook. ham scramble one cupful of cold boiled ham, minced, mixed with eight well-beaten eggs. a little grated onion is an improvement. bacon scramble fry one cupful of shredded bacon until partially cooked, drain off part of the fat, add six or seven well-beaten eggs, and finish cooking, stirring constantly. a little grated onion may be added with the eggs. crab scramble one cupful of cooked shredded crab-meat, six or seven well-beaten eggs. shredded green peppers may be added at pleasure. the canned crab-meat is nearly as good as the fresh. shrimp scramble one cupful of finely cut cooked shrimps, six or seven well-beaten eggs. green peppers may be added. canned shrimps may be used. kidney scramble one cupful of cold cooked kidneys, cut fine, six or seven well-beaten eggs. prepare like other scrambles. sausage scramble one cupful of cooked sausage-meat, finely minced, mixed with six or seven well-beaten eggs before cooking. or, use uncooked sausage-meat and prepare like bacon scramble. sardine scramble add the juice of half a lemon to one cupful of finely cut sardines. use the oil from the can instead of butter. beat six or seven eggs thoroughly and mix with the sardines before cooking. tongue scramble one cupful finely minced cooked tongue, six or eight well-beaten eggs. season with grated onion, shredded green pepper, or minced parsley. eggs with fine herbs use a heaping tablespoonful of minced parsley, chives, and tarragon to eight well-beaten eggs, mixing before putting into the hot butter. mexican eggs split three sweet green peppers, lengthwise, and take out the seeds. fry two minutes in very hot butter. fry six very thin slices of ham and place on slices of toast, lay the peppers over the ham, and put a fried or a poached egg on each slice. spanish eggs cook together one cupful of stewed and strained tomato, one bean of garlic, finely minced, one chopped onion, and two sweet green peppers, seeded and chopped. cook gently till reduced one half. spread on thin slices of toast and lay a fried or poached egg on each slice. creamed chicken and poached eggs make a cream sauce, add one cupful of minced cooked chicken, spread on toast, and lay a poached egg on each slice. boiled eggs--i put the eggs into a saucepan of cold water and bring to the boil. boil one minute and serve at once. boiled eggs--ii have a saucepan of water at a galloping boil. drop in the eggs carefully, cover, and let stand till the eggs are cool enough to handle. they will be perfectly cooked and much more easily managed than if the shells were piping hot. eggs in crusts cut stale bread into slices an inch thick. scoop out the centres of each slice and remove the crust. rub with butter, drop an egg into each cavity, and put in a hot oven till the eggs are set. eggs in ramekins butter ramekins or custard cups. drop an egg into each cup and place in a hot oven till the egg is set. this method of cooking eggs may be endlessly varied by filling the cups half full of minced meat, fish, seasoned crumbs, creamed vegetables, or anything else which combines well with eggs. anything used in a scramble or an omelet may be placed in the bottom of the ramekin. if too dry, moisten with cream, milk, or water. the egg may be sprinkled with crumbs and dotted with butter. grated cheese and minced parsley may be added at pleasure. a "left-over" which is otherwise hopeless may often be used advantageously in a ramekin with an egg. the small individual dishes are pleasing, when served on a fresh doily. lacking the individual dishes, or for variety, a stoneware platter, or a baking-dish may be half filled with the mixture and the eggs broken on top. baked eggs with cheese make toast and hollow the slices slightly in the centre. mix grated cheese to a paste with milk and spread over the toast. arrange on a stoneware platter or in a baking-dish, break an egg over each slice, sprinkle with more cheese, and place in a hot oven till the eggs are set. baked eggs with ham make the cream sauce and add to it one cupful of cold cooked ham, finely minced. butter custard cups, break an egg into each, and stand in a pan of hot water in the oven till the eggs are firm. spread the minced ham on a platter or on slices of toast, and turn the eggs on to it. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. coddled eggs allow four tablespoonfuls of milk for each egg. beat together thoroughly, cook in a double boiler till creamy, and serve on toast. eggs and mushrooms (_may irwin's recipe_) one pound of fresh mushrooms cleaned well in several waters, and wiped dry. put into a saucepan with two ounces of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of white pepper. set over the fire till thoroughly hot, then turn into a shallow baking-dish, and break over them six eggs. sprinkle with stale bread crumbs, dot with butter, dust with salt and pepper, and bake in a hot oven till the eggs are set. serve on buttered toast. eggs in ambush scoop out the crumb from stale rolls, first cutting an even slice off the top. toast or fry the shells thus made, or rub freely with butter and set into a piping hot oven until crisp and brown. drop a fresh egg into each shell, add a little minced parsley or a teaspoonful of cream, if desired, or any preferred seasoning of minced fish, or meat, or vegetable. (see eggs in ramekins.) bake in a hot oven till the eggs set, put on the covers, and serve. a pleasant surprise for the person who expects to find only a roll. eggs À la maÎtre d'hÔtel make a sauce of half a cupful of melted butter, the juice of half a lemon, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. cut hard-boiled eggs in slices lengthwise, arrange on buttered toast, and pour the sauce over the eggs, or, pour over poached eggs on toast just before serving. poached eggs on anchovy toast work a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, or more, if desired, into half a cupful of butter. spread on thin slices of crisp toast and lay a poached egg on each slice. eggs sur le plat beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, spread on a buttered platter, and make hollows in the froth with a spoon. in these hollows drop carefully the unbroken yolks. sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in a hot oven until the eggs are set. birds' nests use recipe for eggs sur le plat. arrange in ramekins or on slices of toast. eggs baked in tomatoes cut off a slice from the top (blossom end), of a small, ripe, well-shaped tomato. with a silver spoon scoop out the pulp carefully, sprinkle the inside with salt and drain for a few moments, upside down. put a tablespoonful of seasoned bread crumbs in the bottom of the tomato, break a fresh egg into it, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a hot oven until the egg is set. prepare one tomato for each person. swiss eggs rub a stoneware platter thickly with butter, cover it with very thin slices of fresh gruyère cheese, break fresh eggs upon the cheese, sprinkle with grated nutmeg, pepper, and salt, pour half a cupful of cream over the eggs, sprinkle with the cheese, grated, and bake about a quarter of an hour in a hot oven. serve on the same platter on which the eggs were baked. chicken scramble use one cupful of cold cooked chicken, shredded or chopped, to seven well-beaten eggs, and prepare like other scrambles. a bit of green pepper or of chopped pimento is an agreeable addition. eggs À la bonne femme fry two sliced onions brown in butter, then add a tablespoonful of vinegar. butter a platter, spread the fried onions over it, break upon it six fresh eggs, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven until the eggs are set. eggs À la bourgeoise cut slices of bread half an inch thick and trim off the crust, lay on a buttered platter, and sprinkle with grated cheese. beat eggs enough to cover the bread, season with salt and pepper and grated nutmeg, pour over the bread and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set. eggs À la st. catherine select smooth, shapely potatoes and bake until soft. cut in halves lengthwise and scoop out a part of the pulp. break an egg into each half, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a teaspoonful of cream to each egg and bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set. in the meantime, beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and work gradually into it the potato pulp which has been scooped out. heap roughly over the baked eggs and keep in the oven till well puffed and brown. a little grated cheese or minced parsley may be sprinkled over the top. eggs in peppers cut a thin slice from the stem end of a green pepper and take out the seeds. cut a slice from the smaller end, so that the pepper may stand straight, and put on a slice of buttered toast. make a small hollow in the toast under the pepper and break an egg into each one. bake until the eggs are set. eggs poached in milk butter a frying-pan, add a pint of milk, and bring the milk to a boil. slip in fresh eggs, one at a time, and poach as usual. skim out, season with salt and pepper, and put each egg on a slice of buttered toast. pour the milk over and serve immediately. eggs À la washington lay a slice of fresh fried tomato on each slice of buttered toast. on each slice of tomato arrange some shredded sweet pepper, fried. lay a poached egg on each slice, and sprinkle with parsley and sweet pepper minced together. pimento scramble use the scarlet pimentos which come in cans. chop rather coarsely and use half a cupful to each four eggs. prepare like other scrambles. eggs À la espagnole make a cream sauce and add to it half a cupful of shredded pimentos. spread over buttered toast and put a poached egg on each slice. codfish scramble use one cupful of shredded salt cod which has been freshened, and seven well-beaten eggs. salt mackerel, finnan haddie, smoked salmon, or other salt fish may be used. clams, caviare, herring, sturgeon, and many other left-overs are also acceptable. steamed eggs break fresh eggs into buttered custard cups and steam until set. baked eggs on rashers of bacon have ready some thin slices of bacon fried until transparent, but not crisp. lay two strips of bacon on each slice of toast, arrange in a baking-pan, break an egg over each slice of toast, and bake until the egg is set. scrambled eggs in cups prepare stale rolls as for eggs in ambush, but bake the buttered rolls until crisp and brown. fill with scrambled eggs and serve immediately. rice scramble use a cupful of cold cooked rice and eight well-beaten eggs and proceed as for other scrambles. a little milk or water may be necessary. surprise eggs boil fresh eggs four minutes, skim out, plunge into cold water for an instant, then remove the shells. dip each egg into egg and crumbs, then fry in deep fat. japanese eggs spread hot boiled rice on a platter, season with melted butter, lemon-juice, and minced parsley. poach six eggs and arrange them on the rice. rumbled eggs beat three fresh eggs with two tablespoonfuls of butter, and add a teaspoonful of milk. stir over a moderate fire until it puffs up, then serve at once on buttered toast. eggs À la waldorf beat six eggs with half a cupful of cream, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a sprinkle of pepper. cut two large mushrooms into dice and fry one minute in two tablespoonfuls of butter. pour the egg mixture over the mushrooms and stir rapidly until it begins to thicken, then take from the fire and beat until smooth and creamy. serve at once on buttered toast. whipped eggs beat six eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. mix thoroughly, season with salt and pepper, and pour into two quarts of salted water at a galloping boil. stir one minute, then drain through a fine sieve. serve on buttered toast and garnish with crisp rashers of bacon. escalloped eggs make the cream sauce. have ready eight hard-boiled eggs and some dried bread crumbs. butter ramekins, put in a layer of crumbs, then sliced eggs, then butter in tiny dots, then sauce, and so on, until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. a little grated cheese may be sprinkled over the top. if too dry, moisten with a little milk or cream. bake until brown. poached eggs with creamed salmon make a cream sauce and reheat in it either canned salmon, or a cupful of salt or smoked salmon. spread on buttered toast and lay a poached egg on each slice. sprinkle with minced parsley and garnish with lemon quarters. eggs À la martin boil six eggs four minutes, plunge into cold water, then remove the shells. arrange in a baking-dish, or in ramekins, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with bread crumbs and a little grated cheese, dot with butter, and bake until brown. omelets "_to make an omelet, you must first break eggs._"--_french proverb._ so many different methods for making omelets are given, in works of recognized authority, that it seems as if any one who had an egg and an omelet pan could hardly go amiss. yet failures are frequent, as every omelet-maker knows. french writers say positively that no liquid of any sort must be added to an omelet--that it contains eggs and eggs alone, beaten just enough to break the yolks. american authorities add milk or water, or beat the eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. one of them makes a clear distinction between an omelet and a puffy omelet; the puffy omelet, of course, being made by folding in the stiffly beaten whites before cooking. some say milk makes it tough, and others say water makes it stringy. suffice it to say, however, that a perfect omelet is a matter of experience and a deft hand. all writers agree that small omelets are more easily made than large ones, and it is better to do it twice or even three times than to have too many eggs in one omelet. below are given the various methods, from which the would-be omelet-maker may choose. all of them have the stamp of good authority. omelet--i beat six eggs well, yolks and whites together. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a frying-pan. when it is hot, pour in the beaten eggs, which have been seasoned with salt and pepper. with a fork, draw the cooked egg from the outside of the pan to the centre. as soon as it is all thick, lift half of the omelet on to a plate, and turn the other half over it. it should be turned while the centre is still soft, and the fire should not be too hot. omelet--ii break the eggs into a bowl, add as many tablespoonfuls of cold water as there are eggs. beat the eggs well, then season with salt and pepper, and pour into a thin, smooth frying-pan which contains a tablespoonful of melted butter. with a thin knife lift the cooked portion of the egg and allow the uncooked portion to run down into the butter, meanwhile gently rocking the pan back and forth. when creamy, begin at the side of the pan nearest the handle and roll the omelet, using a little butter if needed. omelet--iii prepare as above, using milk instead of water. omelet--iv separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. beat the yolks till thick and lemon colored and the whites until they stand alone. fold together carefully, seasoning with salt and pepper, and adding a tablespoonful of cold water for each egg. have two tablespoonfuls of butter in the frying-pan. when it is hot, pour in the egg mixture and let stand until the egg is set around the edge and a knife plunged into the centre comes out nearly clean. then set the pan into the oven till the omelet puffs. score slightly across the middle with a sharp knife, fold, and serve at once on a hot platter. omelet aux fines herbes prepare omelet i, and mix a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and chives with the eggs before cooking. pea omelet prepare omelet i. as soon as the eggs are in the frying-pan, add a cupful of cooked and drained peas, arranging carefully in the outermost half so that the other portion will fold over it. finish as usual. omelet with asparagus tips have ready one cupful of cooked and drained asparagus tips. prepare according to directions given for pea omelet. mushroom omelet use fresh mushrooms, if possible. fry, and drain on brown paper. when the eggs are in the frying-pan, spread the mushrooms on the outermost half of the omelet, so that the other portion will fold over it. finish as usual. omelet with tomato sauce spread the outermost half of an omelet with tomato sauce, fold, and finish as usual. omelet au fromage prepare omelet i, adding half a cupful of grated parmesan cheese, or dried and grated american cheese, to the egg mixture. ham omelet have ready one cupful of cooked ham, very finely minced. spread on half of the omelet and fold the other part over it. oyster omelet one cupful of cooked oysters, minced or not, as preferred. lay on half of the omelet and fold. clam omelet see oyster omelet. shrimp omelet one cupful of cooked and shredded shrimps. see oyster omelet. crab omelet one cupful of minced cooked crab meat. see oyster omelet. lobster omelet one cupful of cooked and shredded lobster. see oyster omelet. tomato omelet one half cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, or of fresh tomatoes peeled and rubbed through a sieve. spread on the outermost half of the omelet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and fold. dried beef omelet one cupful of dried beef, shredded or minced. cook five minutes in boiling water, drain in a cloth, spread on the outermost half of the omelet, and fold. kidney omelet cut the kidneys into inch pieces, fry, drain, and finish as for mushroom omelet. chicken liver omelet one cupful of cooked chicken livers, cut in small pieces. see oyster omelet. sausage omelet spread the outer portion of an omelet with cooked sausage meat and fold as usual. sardine omelet rub to a paste with melted butter and lemon-juice enough sardines to make half a cupful. spread thinly on the outer half of an omelet, and fold. cheese omelet ii spread one cupful of grated cheese, swiss, american, or parmesan, on the outer portion of an omelet when the eggs are first put in the pan. cook and fold as usual. blazing omelet make a plain omelet. pour over it rum, kirsch, or brandy, ignite, and send to the table blazing. serve as soon as the fire has gone out. bacon omelet cook a plain omelet in bacon fat instead of in butter and garnish with crisp rashers of bacon. bacon omelet ii fry one cupful of minced bacon until crisp, drain off the fat, spread the bacon on half the omelet, and fold. bread omelet soak half a cupful of bread crumbs in half a cupful of milk and mix with the eggs before cooking. omelet À la crÊme make the cream sauce. mix half a cupful of it with the omelet before cooking. spread the rest of it on the outermost half of the omelet, finish, and fold as usual. jelly omelet spread half of an omelet thinly with jelly--crabapple, currant, gooseberry, or quince, and fold. spanish omelet cook until thick one half can of tomatoes, one grated onion, one very finely minced bean of garlic, and one minced green pepper. season with salt and paprika, spread on half the omelet, and fold. tongue omelet have ready a cupful of cold cooked tongue, minced or shredded. spread on half the omelet, and fold. chicken omelet one cupful of cold cooked chicken, shredded or minced. spread on half of the omelet, and fold. cauliflower omelet one cupful of cold cooked cauliflower, with its sauce. cut fine, spread on half the omelet, and fold. anchovy omelet add a teaspoonful of anchovy paste to half a cupful of melted butter. mix thoroughly, spread on half the omelet, and fold. potato omelet one cupful of cooked potatoes, creamed or fried, cut in dice. spread on half the omelet, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and minced parsley, and fold. * * * * * almost any left-over can be advantageously used in an omelet. fish, especially salt fish, meats, and vegetables, in quantities of half a cupful or more, preserved and fresh fruits, cereals--everything but soups, salads, and puddings. roughly speaking, any omelet mixture can be added to the eggs before cooking, but as a general rule, it is better to spread it on half of the omelet and fold the other half over it, as otherwise the omelet is more likely to be heavy. sweet omelets are delicious. a teaspoonful of powdered sugar should be added to the eggs before cooking, and the fruit, jam, jelly, or preserves should be very thinly spread, as flavor is desired, not a dessert. fresh fruits are cut fine and sprinkled with powdered sugar, spread on half the omelet, and the other half folded over. in the case of juicy fruits, such as oranges, the juice of the fruit is carefully saved and poured over the folded omelet just before serving. among the fresh fruits suitable for omelets are apricots, bananas, blackberries, cherries, gooseberries, grapefruit, plums, huckleberries, oranges, pineapples, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries--all crushed very fine and sweetened; the juice, if any, being poured over the omelet. among the stewed and preserved fruits are apples, apricots, cherries, currants, figs, gooseberries, peaches, pears, plums, quinces, rhubarb, and the various fruit jams. rum or brandy poured over the omelet and set on fire just before serving is a pleasant addition to many of the fruit omelets, fig especially. quick breads people who can eat hot breads for breakfast are always sorry for those who cannot. quite often the internal dissension ascribed to the hot bread is due to something else, or to an undesirable combination of food elements in one and the same meal. besides, hot bread is so good that it is sometimes eaten too quickly. this hint is of medical origin and is worth consideration. almost any hot bread will be found harmless when baked a second time. baking powder biscuit four cupfuls of sifted flour, shortening the size of an egg,--equal parts of butter and lard preferred,--two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. mix thoroughly, rubbing with the finger-tips till the flour is granular, like corn-meal. add cold sweet milk to make a dough as soft as can be handled, roll out an inch thick, cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter, and bake in a hot oven. the dough must be handled as little as possible after putting in the milk. quick biscuit two cupfuls of buttermilk, or of sour milk, a teaspoonful of baking soda, a tablespoonful of melted butter or lard, and flour to make a soft dough. handle as little as possible, roll out, cut into circles with a biscuit cutter, and bake in a quick oven. buttermilk biscuit sift four cupfuls of flour, add a tablespoonful of melted lard, a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of soda, and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. roll thin, handling as little as possible, cut into rounds, and bake in a quick oven. egg biscuit sift three cupfuls of flour, add a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, two eggs well beaten, a tablespoonful of melted lard, and a cupful of sweet milk to which has been added half a teaspoonful each of soda and cream of tartar. work to a smooth dough, roll out half an inch thick, cut into circles with a biscuit cutter, and bake on buttered pans. sour milk biscuit four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of butter or lard, and two cupfuls of sour milk. or, leave out the butter and use sour cream. mix the salt and soda with the flour and sift it. rub in the shortening, mix with the milk, roll the dough half an inch thick, and cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter. bake from twelve to fifteen minutes in a quick oven. new york biscuit two eggs well beaten, one cupful of milk, one tablespoonful of melted lard, a pinch of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and four cupfuls of sifted flour. roll out, cut into circles, and bake in a hot oven. southern batter bread half a cupful of cold boiled rice, two eggs beaten separately, two cupfuls of corn-meal, one tablespoonful of lard or butter, melted, a teaspoonful of salt, and two cupfuls of milk. beat together till thoroughly mixed and bake quickly in buttered muffin-rings or in shallow baking-tins. spoon bread pour one cupful of boiling water over one cupful of white corn-meal. add a pinch of salt, one cupful of cold boiled rice, three eggs, well beaten, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a cupful and a half of milk. mix thoroughly and pour two inches deep into a buttered earthen baking-dish and bake till done. it should be like a baked custard and is served from the dish with a spoon. cereals other than rice may be used, especially cerealine. kentucky batter bread two cupfuls of corn-meal, three eggs well beaten, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of melted butter. mix with enough milk to make a thin batter. pour into shallow buttered tins and bake about forty-five minutes in a quick oven. soft batter bread two cupfuls of sweet milk, two cupfuls of buttermilk, one cupful of white corn-meal, half a teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of salt, three eggs, and one tablespoonful of melted butter. boil the milk and add the meal slowly, making a mush, then add the salt and butter, and cool. add the eggs and a tablespoonful of milk in which the soda has been dissolved. bake in a buttered pan in a moderate oven. colonial breakfast bread one cupful of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, two cupfuls of rich milk, and seven eggs, well beaten. bake in a buttered cake-tin and serve quickly. english buns rub half a cupful of butter into two cupfuls of flour, mix with a teaspoonful of salt and two of baking powder. add three tablespoonfuls of sugar and half a cupful of cleaned currants. mix well, add two eggs, well beaten, and enough milk to make into a dough. roll out, cut into rounds with a biscuit cutter, and bake in a slow oven. the buns should be an inch thick when put into the oven. southern corn pone two cupfuls of yellow corn-meal, one cupful of flour, two cupfuls of milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one tablespoonful each of lard and butter, melted, and two well-beaten eggs. mix thoroughly, spread thinly on a buttered baking-pan, and bake in a moderate oven. southern corn pone--ii four cupfuls of corn-meal, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of melted lard, and enough cold water to make a soft dough. mould into thin oblong cakes and bake quickly in a well-buttered pan. southern corn pone--iii one and three quarter cupfuls of white corn-meal, half a teaspoonful each of salt and soda, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one egg, well beaten, and one cupful of buttermilk. bake in a buttered pan for half an hour. corn muffins sift together three quarters of a cupful of corn-meal and the same of flour, half a teaspoonful each of salt and soda, and a tablespoonful of sugar. mix with one egg, well beaten, and one cupful of thick sour milk. bake from twenty to thirty minutes in well-buttered muffin-tins. corn muffins make as oatmeal gems and bake in muffin-tins. corn muffins--ii mix one cupful of corn-meal with one cupful of boiling water, spread with butter, and let stand over night. in the morning, mix with one tablespoonful of sugar, two eggs, well beaten, three quarters of a cupful of sour milk, and one cupful of flour, sifted in with half a teaspoonful each of salt and soda. bake half an hour in buttered muffin-rings. corn bread two heaping cupfuls of corn-meal, one cupful of flour, three eggs beaten separately, one tablespoonful of melted lard, two of sugar, two and a half cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, and two of baking powder. sift the dry materials into the milk, eggs, and shortening. beat thoroughly, and bake half an hour in a buttered tin. johnny cake one cupful of sweet milk, one cupful of buttermilk, one teaspoonful of salt, one of soda, and one tablespoonful of melted butter. add enough corn-meal to roll into a sheet half an inch thick. lay on a buttered baking-pan and bake till brown and crisp, basting occasionally with melted butter meanwhile. break instead of cutting, and serve hot. corn dodgers pour two cupfuls of boiling water over two cupfuls of corn-meal. add a pinch of salt and drop by spoonfuls in a well-buttered shallow pan. dot with butter and bake till crisp and brown, or bake on a griddle. new england corn dodgers two cupfuls of white corn-meal, two pinches of salt, and a teaspoonful of sugar sifted together. dampen with boiling water and thin with cold milk to a batter which will keep its shape on a griddle. butter the griddle and drop the batter on by spoonfuls. put dots of butter on each dodger, and when crisp and brown on one side turn and brown on the other. keep hot in the oven a few minutes before serving. corn dodgers--iii mix a teaspoonful of salt with two cupfuls of corn-meal. pour over it enough boiling water to moisten and let stand ten minutes. add three eggs, beaten separately, one cupful of milk, and a teaspoonful of baking powder. thin with more milk if necessary and bake on a buttered griddle. ham or bacon fat may be used in place of butter. southern hoecakes add a teaspoonful of salt and a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder to one cupful and a third of corn-meal. beat the yolks of two eggs until light, add a cupful of milk and beat hard for a few moments, then add the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. put a tablespoonful of lard into a spider and drop in the batter by spoonfuls, turning when done on one side. serve very hot. corn bread--ii one cupful of corn-meal, a teaspoonful each of salt and baking powder, a tablespoonful of butter or lard, melted, three eggs and a cupful and a half of milk. mix the salt with the meal, beat the eggs, mix with the milk and pour over the meal, then sift in the baking powder, beat hard, and add the melted butter last. pour into a baking-pan and bake in a hot oven. corn muffins--iii one cupful of corn-meal, two cupfuls of buttermilk, a pinch of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, one egg, and a tablespoonful of melted lard. beat the eggs, add the soda to the milk and lard, then mix with the meal. bake in hot buttered muffin-rings filled half full. corn and rice muffins two cupfuls of buttermilk, one cupful of white corn-meal, one teaspoonful of soda, a pinch of salt, one egg, half a cupful of cream, and half a cupful of boiled rice. mash the rice, add the salt, egg, and cream, then the buttermilk mixed with the soda, then the meal. bake in buttered muffin-pans in a quick oven. breakfast corn bread two cupfuls of corn-meal, two cupfuls of sifted flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, one tablespoonful of lard or butter, one teaspoonful of salt, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, two cupfuls of milk, and three eggs well beaten. sift the dry ingredients and rub in the cold butter. beat the eggs separately, the yolks with the milk, then the dry ingredients, and add the whites of the eggs last. bake about half an hour in buttered shallow pans. apple johnny cake mix two cupfuls of corn-meal with half a cupful of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. dissolve half a teaspoonful of soda in a cupful and a half of milk, stir in, and add three peeled and cored apples sliced very thin. bake in a buttered shallow tin thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. corn muffins--iv beat two eggs very light, add one tablespoonful of melted butter, three tablespoonfuls of corn-meal, one teaspoonful of brown sugar, one heaping tablespoonful of flour, half a teaspoonful of baking powder and one cupful of milk. mix thoroughly, pour into buttered muffin-tins, and bake in a quick oven. corn dodgers--iv two cupfuls of corn-meal, one cupful of sour milk or buttermilk, one pinch of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, one egg well beaten. bake on a hot griddle. corn muffins--v one cupful of yellow corn-meal, one cupful of flour, one heaping tablespoonful of sugar, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, one egg, well beaten, one cupful and a half of sweet milk, and a pinch of salt. beat hard and bake in well buttered muffin-pans. corn puffs sift together one and two thirds cupfuls of flour, one cupful of meal, and two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder. rub two tablespoonfuls of butter to a cream with three tablespoonfuls of sugar, add three well-beaten eggs and two cupfuls of milk. combine mixtures, beat thoroughly, pour into well-buttered muffin-tins and bake. fruit corn muffins two cupfuls of yellow corn-meal, one cupful of flour, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one tablespoonful of melted butter, two eggs, well beaten, one and one half cupfuls of milk, and one cupful of fruit. dates, figs, prunes, or other fruits may be used. stones should be removed and the fruit cut fine. bake in well-buttered muffin-pans for about twenty minutes. corn and hominy muffins mash one cupful of cold boiled hominy with one cupful of corn-meal. add a pinch of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of baking powder, a tablespoonful of melted butter, one egg, well beaten, and one cupful of milk. beat hard for five minutes, pour into buttered gem-pans, and bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a hot oven. soft corn bread one cupful of corn-meal, one cupful of sour milk, a pinch of soda, one cupful of sweet milk, a tablespoonful of melted butter, a pinch of salt, and two well-beaten eggs. mix thoroughly and bake in a deep baking-dish, well buttered. florida corn bread one cupful of buttermilk, one cupful of sweet milk, one half teaspoonful of soda, two eggs, one cupful of corn-meal, and one teaspoonful of salt. mix the buttermilk, sweet milk, and soda together, and when the soda is thoroughly dissolved, pour the milk over the beaten eggs. add the corn-meal and beat thoroughly. spread lard over the bottom and sides of the baking-tin, place in the oven until very hot, then pour in the batter and bake in a quick oven until a delicate brown. charleston breakfast cake beat together one cupful of sugar and one tablespoonful of melted butter. add two eggs, beaten very light, a pinch of salt, a grating of nutmeg, and one cupful of milk. sift in two cupfuls of flour and three level teaspoonfuls of baking powder. bake in hot buttered muffin-tins or in a shallow baking-pan. date gems one cupful of dates, seeded and chopped fine, two cupfuls of milk, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, three cupfuls of flour, and one egg well beaten. mix the egg and milk, sift the dry ingredients together, add the chopped dates, and combine mixtures. beat hard and bake in well-buttered gem-irons for about twenty minutes. figs or prunes may be used instead of dates. graham biscuit three cupfuls of graham flour, one cupful of white flour, three cupfuls of milk, two tablespoonfuls of lard, one heaping tablespoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. mix and bake like baking powder biscuits. graham puffs two cupfuls of graham flour, four cupfuls of boiling milk, and a teaspoonful of salt. the dough should be as soft as it can be handled. roll an inch thick, cut into circles, arrange on a buttered pan and bake in the hottest kind of an oven. if the oven is right, they will be very light. graham muffins prepare like rye muffins, using graham flour or meal instead of rye meal. a teaspoonful of caraway seed is sometimes added to rye muffins. graham drop cakes sift together a cupful and a half of graham meal, half a teaspoonful each of salt and soda, and a quarter of a cupful of brown sugar. add enough sour milk to make a stiff batter. drop by spoonfuls on a buttered baking-tin and bake a quarter of an hour in a quick oven. graham muffins--ii four cupfuls of graham flour, one tablespoonful of brown sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one egg, well beaten, and two cupfuls of milk. sift the dry ingredients together, add the beaten egg and milk, mix thoroughly, fill well-buttered muffin-tins two thirds full and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes. hominy muffins two cupfuls of cold fine hominy, three eggs, three cupfuls of sour milk, half a cupful of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved in hot water, and flour to make a good batter--probably about a cupful and a half. add the milk to the hominy, then the salt, sugar, butter, and eggs, then the soda, and the flour last. bake in a quick oven. hominy drop cakes two cupfuls of cold boiled hominy, one tablespoonful of cold water, two eggs, well beaten, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoonful of baking powder sifted into enough flour to make a good batter. drop by spoonfuls on a buttered baking-sheet and bake brown in a quick oven. muffins--i sift together four cupfuls of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. add a tablespoonful of sugar. stir in two cupfuls of milk, four eggs well beaten, and three tablespoonfuls of melted butter. bake twenty-five or thirty minutes in muffin-tins. half of this recipe is sufficient for a small family. muffins--ii two cupfuls of flour, two eggs, one cupful of milk, one teaspoonful of sugar, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. sift the dry ingredients together, beat the eggs till very light, mix with the milk and melted butter. sift the dry mixture gradually into the milk and eggs, stirring constantly. bake twenty-five minutes in muffin-tins. cream muffins four cupfuls of flour, four cupfuls of rich milk, six eggs, beaten separately, two tablespoonfuls of shortening, melted--equal parts of butter and lard. bake in buttered muffin-rings half full of the batter and serve immediately. buttermilk muffins four cupfuls of buttermilk, or of curdled milk, two eggs, a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little hot water, a teaspoonful of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a good batter. mix thoroughly, adding the soda last. bake in a quick oven. muffins--iii sift together two cupfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of sugar. add one tablespoonful of melted butter or lard, one cupful of milk, and one egg well beaten. mix thoroughly and bake quickly in muffin-rings. muffins--iv make like muffins v, using a quarter cupful each of sugar and melted butter, and two or three eggs, well beaten. blueberry muffins use any muffin mixture, lessening slightly the quantity of milk. add a cupful of blueberries and bake quickly. muffins--v four cupfuls of flour, three eggs, beaten separately, the whites very stiff, three cupfuls of milk, and a pinch of salt. beat hard until thoroughly mixed and bake in a quick oven. muffins--vi six cupfuls of flour, two eggs well beaten separately, two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder, four cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful of salt. sift the dry materials, mix with the eggs and milk, beat hard, and bake in muffin-tins in a quick oven. cerealine muffins three fourths of a cupful of flour, a pinch of salt, one egg, well beaten, one cupful of cerealine, and one cupful of milk. bake in buttered muffin-pans. batter muffins three cupfuls of sour milk and one teaspoonful of soda beaten together. beat the yolks of three eggs and add to the milk, then stir in a pinch of salt and flour enough to make a moderately stiff batter. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and fold in the last thing. bake in buttered muffin-tins. southern muffins two eggs, two cupfuls of milk, two cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoonful of melted butter. beat the eggs separately, then add the milk and butter to the yolks, then the flour, then the stiffly beaten whites. bake in hot buttered muffin-tins. muffins--vii two cupfuls of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one cupful of milk and one egg, well beaten. bake in buttered muffin-tins. muffins--viii four cupfuls of flour, two and one half cupfuls of milk, three eggs, beaten separately, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of sugar, and three teaspoonfuls of baking powder. sift the dry ingredients together, add the melted butter and the beaten yolks to the milk, combine the two mixtures, and add the well-beaten whites of the eggs last. fill buttered muffin-rings two thirds full and bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes. serve immediately. sour milk muffins three cupfuls of sour milk, three cupfuls of flour, two eggs, well beaten, one teaspoonful each of soda, cream tartar, and salt. sift the dry ingredients together, add the milk, then the eggs, and bake in buttered muffin-tins in a hot oven. white muffins one tablespoonful of soft butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, rubbed to a cream. add two eggs, well beaten, a pinch of salt, a cupful of milk, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with two rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder. beat thoroughly and bake in buttered muffin-tins in a moderate oven. entire wheat muffins sift thoroughly, with three cupfuls of entire wheat flour, two tablespoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of sugar. add one and one half cupfuls of sweet milk in which the well-beaten yolk of an egg has been stirred, and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. add the white of the egg, beaten to a stiff froth, mix thoroughly, and bake about twenty minutes in hot buttered muffin-pans in a moderate oven. honey muffins sift together three cupfuls of flour, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a pinch of salt. add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, three eggs well beaten, one cupful of strained honey, and one cupful of milk. bake in well-buttered muffin-tins. georgia muffins one cupful of milk, one egg, well beaten, two cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, and a teaspoonful of baking powder. mix thoroughly, and bake in buttered gem-irons made piping hot before the batter is put in. blueberry muffins--ii one cupful of sugar, two eggs, one cupful of milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, butter the size of an egg, melted, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with the baking powder. add two cupfuls of blueberries, stir thoroughly, and bake in buttered muffin-tins in a quick oven. sweet muffins one half cupful of butter and one half cupful of sugar rubbed to a cream. add two eggs, well beaten, and mix thoroughly. add one cupful of sweet milk and stir and mix thoroughly. sift three and three fourths cupfuls of flour and three rounded teaspoonfuls of baking powder into the muffin mixture, beat again, pour into hot buttered gem-pans, and bake about half an hour. perfection muffins mix together three cupfuls of flour, one cupful of corn-meal, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one tablespoonful of sugar, and one teaspoonful of salt. work in one heaping tablespoonful of butter or lard, add three well-beaten eggs and two cupfuls of milk. beat quickly into a firm batter. bake in well-buttered muffin-tins. new hampshire muffins beat together three eggs and one cupful of milk. add a pinch of salt and one teaspoonful of powdered sugar. sift together two cupfuls of flour and one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. combine mixtures, beat well, and bake in hot buttered gem-irons. the cups should be about half full of the batter and the oven only moderately hot. oatmeal gems pour one cupful of boiling water over one cupful of steam-cooked oatmeal and let it stand over night. mix one cupful of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and a half a teaspoonful of salt. sift, mix with the soaked oatmeal, and add enough flour to make a batter that will drop easily from the spoon. bake in buttered muffin-pans. popovers one cupful of flour, measured after sifting, one egg, unbeaten, one cupful of milk, and a pinch of salt. butter a gem-pan and put it into a hot oven. mix all the ingredients together, stirring hard with a wooden spoon. when the pan is hissing hot, pour in the batter, filling each compartment half or two thirds full. bake in a very hot oven till well puffed and golden brown, cover with a paper and finish baking. this quantity makes a dozen popovers. popovers--ii two eggs, well beaten, one cup of flour, one cupful of milk, one teaspoonful of salt. prepare as above and bake in buttered custard cups. fruit popovers make the batter for popovers i. drop a piece of banana, a few blueberries, or a bit of preserved fruit or jam, or a steamed fig into each small cup of batter, which will rise in the cup and almost cover the fruit. these may be served with a simple syrup in place of pancakes or waffles. puffs boil two cupfuls of milk with half a cupful of butter. stir in one cupful and a half of sifted flour and let cool. beat five eggs separately and add. fill buttered custard cups half full of the batter and bake in a quick oven. serve on a hot plate and sprinkle with sugar if desired. rice muffins one cupful of cold boiled rice, two cupfuls of flour, two eggs, beaten separately, two tablespoonfuls of lard or butter, a teaspoonful of salt, and milk enough to make a thin batter. beat hard and bake in a quick oven. rice muffins--ii one cupful of milk, one and one half cupfuls of flour, half a cupful of cold boiled rice, two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of sugar, a heaping teaspoonful of butter, and one egg well beaten. mix the dry ingredients, then melt the butter and rub it into the rice, add the egg, then the milk. combine the two mixtures, beat well, and bake twenty-five minutes in buttered muffin-tins in a moderate oven. rye muffins sift together one cupful each of rye meal and white flour, add two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of sugar. mix with one egg, well beaten, and one cupful of milk. bake in buttered muffin-rings. rye crisps one cupful of rye meal and one half cupful of white flour. sift into a bowl with one teaspoonful of baking powder and mix thoroughly with one third of a cupful of finely minced beef suet. add half a teaspoonful of salt, and enough milk to make a soft dough that may be easily handled with a spoon. have well-buttered muffin-tins piping hot. fill them two-thirds full and bake quickly in a very hot oven. they should be done in from twelve to fifteen minutes. sally lunn four cupfuls of sifted flour, four eggs, beaten separately, one cupful of milk, one cupful of melted butter and lard, equal parts, one teaspoonful of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. mix, adding the whites the last thing. bake in muffin-rings. scones spread a rich biscuit or muffin dough in a well-buttered pan, mark deeply into squares, brush with the yolk of an egg, and sprinkle with sugar. snow balls make a batter of one cupful of cream--the top of milk will do nicely--two tablespoonfuls of sugar, the yolks of four eggs, a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, and flour enough to mix. add the whites of the eggs last, beaten to a stiff froth. fill buttered cups two thirds full, and bake in a hot oven. scotch scones four cupfuls of sifted flour, one cupful of buttermilk, one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of sugar, one half teaspoonful of baking soda, and one half teaspoonful of salt. rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar and salt, stir the soda into the buttermilk, and mix with the flour. roll into a thin sheet, cut into triangles, and bake about thirty-five minutes on a floured tin. just before they are done, rub a cloth dipped in milk over the tops and put back into the oven to glaze. * * * * * note.--sour milk may be made from fresh by keeping the milk some hours in a warm place, or, more quickly, by adding a little lemon-juice or vinegar to the amount of milk required. raised breakfast breads although many recipes included in this section may seem, at first glance, to be unsuitable for breakfast on account of the length of time taken for rising, there are ways in which the time can be considerably shortened. a competent authority says that any mixture for rolls or muffins can be made ready for its second rising at night, and kept over night in any place where the dough will not freeze, or where the temperature is not so high as to cause too rapid rising and consequent souring of the dough. moreover, rolls or muffins may be baked in the afternoon until done thoroughly, but not brown, wrapped in a cloth, and put away in a cool place. in the morning, they need only to be rubbed with melted butter and set into a hot oven for a very few moments. they will come out crisp and flaky, and free from all objections on the score of indigestibility. bread twice baked is always much more digestible than fresh bread. brioche, the most delicious of all hot breads, needs to stand in the refrigerator over night, and the second process is a quick one when the paste is once made. the paste will keep a week or more in a very cold place, and be the better for it. it is a french dough, for which many complicated recipes are given, but the following will be found satisfactory, and not difficult after one or two trials. brioche paste one cake of compressed yeast, a pinch of salt, one and one fourth cupfuls of butter, four cupfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of warm water, and seven eggs. dissolve the yeast in the water, adding a little more water if necessary, and rubbing the yeast cake with a spoon until thoroughly dissolved. stir in enough sifted flour to make a stiff dough, rolling and patting with the hands until thoroughly mixed. drop this ball of paste into a kettle of warm water and let stand in a moderate temperature until it has a little more than doubled in bulk. (some recipes for brioche say that the ball of paste should be light enough to float.) put the remainder of the four cupfuls of flour into a mixing bowl, add the sugar, salt, and butter, softened but not melted, and four of the eggs, unbeaten. with the hand mix carefully to a paste, beat smooth, and add the rest of the eggs, unbeaten, one at a time. take the ball of paste, when light, out of the warm water with a skimmer, and, still using the hand, incorporate it carefully with the egg mixture, folding the two together as lightly as possible. let rise, in a moderate temperature, until double in bulk. then turn the paste on a floured board and pat and fold with the hands until smooth in texture and inclined to stay in shape. let rise once more until very light, then put into the refrigerator and let stand over night. brioche rolls roll a large lump of brioche dough into a thin sheet on a floured board or pastry slab, working lightly and quickly, spread with softened butter, and fold so that the paste will be in three layers. cut in strips an inch wide and twist, working from the ends, and arrange in circles on a baking-sheet, the ends of the strips pointing inward. the rolls should be very close together in the pan. beat the yolk of an egg, dilute it with as much milk, and brush the rolls with the mixture. let them rise a few minutes, then bake about half an hour in a moderate oven. a little sugar and water may be spread over the tops if desired. brioche buns shape the chilled paste into small balls, and put a bit of citron or a few raisins on the top of each one. let rise a few moments and bake half an hour in a moderate oven. brioche breakfast cake butter a round cake-tin which has a tube in the centre, fill it half full of chilled brioche paste, and let rise till the pan is two thirds full. bake in a moderate oven and turn out. it should be torn apart with the fingers--not cut. bath buns dissolve a cake of yeast in two cupfuls of warm water. add enough flour to make a moderately stiff sponge, let rise about two hours. cream together one half cupful each of butter and sugar, add one cupful of lukewarm milk, a pinch of salt, and two eggs, well beaten. mix with the sponge, let rise an hour longer, then knead, shape into buns, arrange close together in a baking-pan, and let rise till very light. bake in a moderate oven. "_bath bunny, currant bunny, sang a comic song, bath bunny, currant bunny, sang it loud and long; when his friends had told him that he gave them all a pain, bath bunny, currant bunny, sang it twice again._" louis wain. english bath buns dissolve half a cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of milk, and add two cupfuls of flour, or enough to make a sponge. let rise until light, then add two thirds of a cupful of melted butter and four eggs, well beaten. knead and let rise again for about an hour. make into balls the size of a small apple and press into each one some currants and bits of candied peel. let rise ten or fifteen minutes in a warm place, sprinkle with sugar, and bake. hot cross buns rub one half cupful of butter into eight cupfuls of sifted flour, then add half a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in three cupfuls of scalded milk. let rise two hours. work into the sponge one cupful of sugar, one cupful of cleaned currants, and half a nutmeg grated. knead, shape into buns, arrange in pans, score deeply with a cross, brush with butter, and let rise fifteen minutes. bake forty-five minutes in a brisk oven. this is the genuine english recipe, and the buns are good at any time, but the cross is made only on good friday, or for easter. risen mush muffins one cupful of hominy, cerealine, corn-meal mush, oatmeal, rice, or other left-over cooked cereal, one teaspoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of sugar, one pinch of salt, one fourth of a cake of yeast (compressed) dissolved in one cupful of scalded milk, and two cupfuls of sifted flour. mix thoroughly and let rise over night. in the morning, beat well and fill well-buttered muffin-pans half full. let rise until double in bulk, then bake half an hour. finger rolls mix one cupful of scalded milk with one tablespoonful of butter. when cool, add a teaspoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt, and one half cake of yeast dissolved in half a cupful of warm water. add enough flour to make a soft dough--about three cupfuls. mix thoroughly, knead for fifteen minutes, and set to rise in a warm place for three or four hours. when light, knead again, shape into balls, and roll into cylinders on a floured board, pointing the ends. arrange in a shallow pan, and let rise until double in size--about an hour--glaze with beaten egg, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. southern rolls six cupfuls of flour, two eggs, one cake of compressed yeast, one cupful of milk, two tablespoonfuls of lard, melted, and a teaspoonful of salt. mix as other sponges, let rise five hours, knead, shape into rolls, let rise two hours longer, and bake about twenty minutes. french rolls eight cupfuls of flour, four eggs, four teaspoonfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in two cupfuls of milk. mix like other sponges, let rise until light, knead, shape, let rise the second time, and bake in a moderate oven. kentucky rolls four cupfuls of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, two eggs, half a cupful of lard, and half a cake of compressed yeast. mix the lard, sugar, and flour, then stir in the other ingredients, the yeast being dissolved in a little water, and add enough milk or warm water to make a thin batter. let rise in a warm place, then add enough flour to make a stiff dough, and let rise again. when light, knead, shape, and put to rise for a third time. bake in a quick oven. alabama rolls rub two hot baked potatoes through a colander. stir in one cupful of melted butter, two eggs well beaten, half a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved, and mixed with one cupful of sifted flour. work with the hand into a smooth sponge, and let rise three hours. then work into the sponge two cupfuls of sifted flour and let rise five hours longer. knead, make into roll shape, set to rise two hours more, and bake. corn rolls to four cupfuls of well-salted hot corn-meal mush add one cupful of mixed butter and lard and half a cupful of sugar. when cool, add one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a little warm water, and set to rise in a warm place. when light, work in enough sifted flour to make a stiff dough, knead thoroughly, and let rise again. late at night, knead again and set in a cool place over night. in the morning, roll and cut out like biscuit. spread half of each circle with softened butter and roll the other half over it. let rise a few moments and bake. if the weather is very warm, add a teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little warm water, to the sponge. parker house rolls dissolve one cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of lukewarm water, and add enough flour to make a thin batter. put this sponge in a warm place to rise. add one tablespoonful of lard, one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one teaspoonful of salt to two cupfuls of milk, and bring to the boil. take from the fire and let cool. when the sponge is light stir in the milk, and add enough sifted flour to make a dough, usually about eight cupfuls, though the thickening qualities of various brands of flour vary greatly. knead for fifteen or twenty minutes, then set to rise until very light. shape, place in a baking-pan, let rise once more, and when light bake in a quick oven. whole wheat rolls one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, one cake of compressed yeast, one cupful of scalded milk, and three cupfuls of whole wheat flour. add the salt, sugar, and butter to the scalded milk. dissolve the yeast in two tablespoonfuls of warm water and add to the milk when it has cooled. add half of the flour and beat hard for ten minutes, then work in the rest of the flour. set it to rise for two hours. roll out into a sheet an inch thick and cut into small rolls. place close together in a well-buttered baking-pan, and let rise from fifteen to thirty minutes. bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a quick oven. brush with an egg-white beaten with a little milk if a glossy surface is desired. this should be done about ten minutes before taking out of the oven. swedish rolls use any plain roll mixture. when shaping for the last rising, roll the dough very thin, spread with softened butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and add a few cleaned currants, bits of citron, and stoned raisins. roll the dough like jelly cake, cut in half-inch slices from the ends, arrange flat in a well-buttered pan, let rise until double in bulk, and bake as usual. paris rolls four cupfuls of milk, one half cake of compressed yeast, six cupfuls of flour, and the yolks of two eggs, well beaten. mix thoroughly and set the sponge to rise. when it is very light, work into it two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one whole egg, well beaten, one teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved in hot water, one tablespoonful of white sugar, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. let rise five hours. roll out, shape into balls, score each one deeply crosswise with a sharp knife, and arrange close together in a well-buttered baking-pan. let rise for an hour or more and bake about half an hour. this recipe makes a large number of rolls. they may be taken from the oven when beginning to turn brown and wrapped in a cloth. five minutes in a hot oven, if brushed first with melted butter, will render them crisp, flaky, and very digestible. rusk two cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of melted lard, half a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in a little warm water, and three cupfuls of lukewarm water. make into a batter, let rise all day in a warm place. at night work into the sponge six cupfuls of sifted flour and two eggs, well beaten. let rise over night in a moderately cool place. in the morning, shape the dough into rolls, let rise a few minutes in a warm place, and bake. the dough should be soft. these rolls may be sprinkled with sugar and spice. georgia rusk one cupful of milk, scalded and cooled, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter of a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in the milk, and two cupfuls of sifted flour. set the sponge, and, when light, work into it half a cupful of melted butter, half a cupful of sugar, and one well-beaten egg. when very light, shape into small pointed rolls and let rise again. brush with milk and egg and sprinkle with sugar just before baking. southern sally lunn four cupfuls of flour, three eggs, one teaspoonful of butter, one cake of compressed yeast, and two cupfuls of milk. beat the yolks of the eggs until very light. stir in the butter, flour, and milk, the yeast being dissolved in the milk. beat the whites to a stiff froth and add last. set to rise, and when light bake in well-buttered muffin-tins. southern sally lunn--ii four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of sugar, and one cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in the milk. make a batter and let rise in a warm place about three hours. then work into it gradually five eggs, beaten separately, and one half cupful of melted butter. add flour enough to make a stiff batter, fill buttered muffin-tins two thirds full, let rise, and bake. southern sally lunn--iii three cupfuls of flour, three eggs, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of melted butter, and one tablespoonful of sugar. beat well together into a stiff batter and let rise five or six hours. then add a little warm water in which half a teaspoonful of baking soda has been dissolved, and pour the batter into a well-buttered cake-pan having a tube in the centre. bake about three quarters of an hour and serve hot. it should be torn apart, not cut. zwieback one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in one cupful of scalded milk, a pinch of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. let rise until very light, then stir in one fourth of a cupful of melted butter, one fourth of a cupful of sugar, and one unbeaten egg. mix thoroughly, and sift in enough more flour to make a smooth, elastic dough. shape into a loaf and let rise until very light. a russian-iron bread-pan holding one loaf is best for zwieback. let it rise once more until very light, then bake in a quick oven. glaze with sugar dissolved in milk just before taking from the oven. when the loaf is cold, cut in half-inch slices and place in an open oven until golden-brown, dry, and crisp. pancakes the edible varieties of pancakes are readily distinguished from the poisonous growths. the harmless ones are healthful and nutritious and grow in private kitchens. the dark, soggy, leaden varieties are usually to be found in restaurants, but have been known to flourish in private kitchens also. batter for pancakes should be thoroughly beaten. a soapstone griddle is best, but an iron one will do, and many a savory pancake has come from a humble frying-pan. a pancake turner is essential, and no pancake should be turned more than once, as twice turning makes a soggy pancake from the most promising batter. in the following recipes, where exact proportions are given, they are not arbitrary as regards flour. the thickening properties of various brands of flour vary so much that no exact rule can be given. a perfect pancake batter will be smooth, light in texture, seem somewhat elastic to the touch of the mixing spoon, and will keep its shape on a griddle. batter enough for one pancake should be dipped from the bowl with a cup or large spoon, as adding uncooked batter to that on the griddle even an instant after it has begun to cook will work disaster to the pancake--and the hapless mortal who eats it. maple syrup is the syrup _par excellence_ for pancakes and waffles, but alas, it is difficult to procure. much of it is made from corn cobs and molasses, sealed in tin cans bearing gaudy labels, and, sailing under false colors, is sold to the trusting consumer at a high price. even the bricks of maple sugar are not wholly trustworthy, though, as a rule, a better quality of syrup can be obtained by making it at home from the bricks. the ordinary adulterants cannot so readily be added to a crystallized as to a liquid product, though promising maple bricks are often made of brown sugar flavored with a little maple syrup. other syrups can be made easily and may possibly give welcome variety even to those fortunates who can secure the real maple syrup. maraschino, noyeau, kirsch, and other cordials, orange-flower water, grated orange- and lemon-peel, and the fruit juices left from canned and preserved fruits, can all be used to advantage in flavoring a simple syrup made of sugar and water boiled till it hairs from the spoon. always add flavoring to syrup just before taking it from the fire, and do not allow it to boil. southern buckwheat cakes four cupfuls of buckwheat flour, sifted, one half cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a little lukewarm water, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of molasses. mix with enough warm water to make a thin batter and set to rise over night. if the batter is sour in the morning add a bit of baking soda. quick buckwheat cakes three cupfuls of buckwheat flour and one cupful of white flour, one cupful each of milk and water, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of molasses. sift the dry ingredients together, mix, and fry as usual. kentucky buckwheat cakes one cupful of flour, two cupfuls of buckwheat flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in lukewarm water, and one tablespoonful of molasses. beat well together and let stand over night. fry on a soapstone griddle greased with suet, salt pork, or bacon. a bit of suet or salt pork tied in a bit of cloth was the old-fashioned method of greasing a griddle for buckwheat cakes. buckwheat cakes with sour milk take two cupfuls of thick sour milk, add a teaspoonful of salt, and enough buckwheat flour to make a thin batter. let stand over night. in the morning add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of lukewarm water and beat thoroughly. fry at once. crumb buckwheat cakes two cupfuls of buckwheat flour, two and one half cupfuls of warm water, one cupful of dried bread crumbs, one cupful of milk, one tablespoonful of salt and half a cake of compressed yeast. dissolve the yeast in the water and mix with the buckwheat flour. add the salt, beat until well mixed, then cover and let stand over night in a warm place. put the dried crumbs into the milk and let soak over night in a cool place. in the morning, mash the soaked crumbs and toss with a fork until light and dry, then mix with the risen buckwheat batter and fry as usual. blueberry pancakes stir one cupful of blueberries into the batter for strawberry pancakes and fry as other pancakes. corn-meal pancakes one cupful of corn-meal, one cupful of flour, four cupfuls of milk, one tablespoonful of melted butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, and three eggs. add the melted butter to the corn-meal, boil the milk and pour it, scalding hot, over the corn-meal. sift the dry ingredients together, and after the meal and milk have cooled stir the dry mixture into it. add the well-beaten eggs last, beat hard, and bake like other griddle cakes. corn-meal pancakes--ii two cupfuls of corn-meal, one cupful of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, one tablespoonful of melted butter, three eggs, and sour milk to thin the batter. scald the meal with enough boiling water to mix it, then add the sugar and melted butter. sift the flour and salt together and add to the meal. add the eggs, beaten separately, the whites to a stiff froth, and the soda dissolved in a teaspoonful of warm water. thin the batter with enough sour milk to make it of the right consistency and bake like other pancakes. corn-meal flapjacks two cupfuls of corn-meal, one cupful of buttermilk, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of soda, half a cupful of boiling water, and one egg, well beaten. mix the salt with the meal, pour over the boiling water, mix thoroughly and let cool. add the buttermilk, in which the soda is dissolved, and the eggs, well beaten. if too thin add a very little sifted flour. fry in butter or in equal parts of butter and lard. crumb pancakes two cupfuls of bread crumbs soaked in milk until very soft. add a pinch of salt, one cupful each of sweet milk and buttermilk, one teaspoonful of soda and one egg beaten separately, the white to a stiff froth. beat hard and add enough sifted flour to make a good batter--probably about a heaping tablespoonful. fry in butter on a griddle. green corn griddle cakes one cupful of milk, one cupful of grated green corn, a pinch of salt, half a teaspoonful of baking powder, one egg, beaten separately, and enough sifted flour to make a thin batter. butter the cakes while hot and serve at once. danish pancakes one cupful of flour, three eggs beaten separately, one pinch each of salt and soda dissolved in a teaspoonful of vinegar, and enough milk to make a thin batter. flannel cakes beat two eggs thoroughly. add one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of sugar, three cupfuls of milk, and enough flour, sifted in with one teaspoonful of cream tartar and half a teaspoonful of soda, to make a thin batter. bake on a greased griddle, butter, and serve very hot. french pancakes one and one half cupfuls of flour, one and one half cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful each of salt and melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of brandy, and four eggs. beat the yolks of the eggs till light-colored and creamy, add the other ingredients gradually and fold in the stiffly beaten whites last. fry in a very hot frying-pan, using equal parts of lard and butter to fry in. bake in small cakes, and after taking up spread very thinly with marmalade, honey, or jam, and roll up like a jelly roll. sift powdered sugar over the rolls and serve at once, without butter or syrup. feather pancakes scald two cupfuls of milk, dissolve in it one half cake of compressed yeast, and add a teaspoonful of salt. sift in enough flour to make a thin, smooth batter, and set to rise over night. in the morning add to it one cupful of thick sour milk, one tablespoonful of melted butter, two eggs, beaten separately, one teaspoonful of soda sifted in with enough flour to make a smooth, thin batter. let stand twenty or thirty minutes, then bake as usual. fruit pancakes add apple sauce, berries, chopped dates, figs or prunes, orange marmalade, chopped preserved quinces, or any desired fresh fruit or preserves to any good pancake batter, in the proportion of one heaping tablespoonful of fruit to each cupful of batter. the grated pineapple which comes in cans is particularly satisfactory and needs no further preparation. the fruit juice, sweetened, should be used instead of syrup wherever possible. graham griddle cakes one cupful of wheat flour and one cupful of graham flour, sifted with one teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful of sugar. beat two eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. add two cupfuls of thick sour milk in which a teaspoonful of soda has been dissolved, mix with the eggs, and stir the flour into the liquid. when the batter is well mixed, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, melted, beat hard, and fry like other griddle cakes. hominy griddle cakes soak two cupfuls of fine hominy all night and cook it in a double boiler all day or until soft. when wanted for griddle cakes add two cupfuls of white corn-meal, sifted, three tablespoonfuls of butter, melted, a pinch of salt, three eggs, well beaten, and four cupfuls of milk, or less if necessary, to make a thin batter. maryland griddle cakes three cupfuls of flour, three cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and three eggs. beat the eggs thoroughly, stir into the milk, sift the dry materials together, beat hard, and fry at once. potato pancakes peel eight or ten good-sized potatoes and drop into cold water to prevent discoloration. grate rapidly on a coarse grater. to the pulp add four eggs, well beaten, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and half a cupful of flour sifted with half a teaspoonful of baking powder. mix lightly but thoroughly, and bake on a hot griddle. serve with butter, but without syrup. germans add a little grated onion to potato pancakes. raised pancakes four cupfuls of milk, one half cake of compressed yeast, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one teaspoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of soda, two eggs, and enough flour for a batter. scald the milk and cool it, then dissolve the yeast in it and add the salt and sugar. add enough sifted flour to make a smooth, thin batter, cover, and let stand over night in a warm place. in the morning add the melted butter, the soda dissolved in a little warm water, and the eggs, beaten separately. cover and let stand half an hour in a warm place. bake like other griddle cakes and serve immediately. raised pancakes--ii mix one cupful of scalded and cooled milk, in which one quarter of a yeast cake has been dissolved, with one heaping tablespoonful of butter, melted, one teaspoonful of sugar, one pinch of salt, and one cupful of sifted flour. let rise over night. in the morning add one egg beaten separately, the white to a stiff froth. beat to a smooth, thin batter and fry as usual. southern rice pancakes boil one cupful of well-washed rice as directed in the chapter on cereals. add to it one half cupful of cream, two tablespoonfuls of flour sifted with one tablespoonful of baking powder, and two eggs, beaten separately, the whites to a stiff froth. use only enough butter to keep the cakes from sticking to the griddle and serve as soon as done. rice pancakes--ii mix two cupfuls of boiled rice with two cupfuls of milk and let stand over night in a cool place. in the morning, add three cupfuls of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of melted butter and one tablespoonful of sugar. beat until thoroughly mixed, with two cupfuls of milk and a tablespoonful of baking powder, then add three eggs, beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten whites last. a cupful of cream may be used instead of the butter. rice pancakes--iii dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of cold water, and stir it into two cupfuls of thick sour milk. add two cupfuls of sifted flour, a pinch of salt, two eggs, beaten separately, and one cupful of cold boiled rice. fry brown on a well-greased griddle. strawberry pancakes six eggs, beaten separately, two cupfuls of milk, two cupfuls of sifted flour, and one teaspoonful of salt. mix the flour and salt, then add the milk and stir in the well-beaten yolks. beat hard until the mixture is very light. then fold in the whites, beaten to a stiff froth. bake on a well-greased griddle and serve two to each person, with butter and crushed and sweetened strawberries between. sprinkle with powdered sugar. half this recipe is sufficient for a small family. sour milk pancakes two cupfuls of sour milk, two and one half cupfuls of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of soda, one tablespoonful of warm water, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and two eggs. beat the yolks of the eggs till light-colored and creamy, add the sour milk, salt, and sugar, and beat till thoroughly mixed. add the flour gradually, beating constantly, then the soda dissolved in warm water, then the melted butter, then the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. fold together carefully and bake at once. sour milk pancakes--ii to four cupfuls of sour milk add enough flour to make a batter that will pour, sifted in gradually and thoroughly mixed. add two eggs, well beaten, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one teaspoonful of salt, and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water. bake on a very hot griddle, well greased. wheat pancakes three cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one tablespoonful of melted butter, three eggs, and one teaspoonful of salt. sift the dry ingredients together. beat the yolks of the eggs till light-colored and creamy and stir into the milk. mix with the flour, then add the melted butter and beat to a smooth batter. add a little more milk if the batter seems too thick. add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, fold in carefully, and bake as usual. wheat pancakes--ii three cupfuls of milk, two cupfuls of sifted flour, three eggs, one pinch of salt, and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. beat the yolks of the eggs till light-colored and creamy, and mix thoroughly with the milk. put the flour in a bowl and pour on a part of the milk, making a thick batter. beat this thick batter hard until very smooth, dissolve the baking powder in the rest of the milk and add it, beating thoroughly, and add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs last. this batter may be used for waffles. the thinner it is the more delicate the cakes will be. coffee cakes, doughnuts, and waffles baba À la parisienne prepare the yeast as for french coffee cake. beat four tablespoonfuls of sugar to a cream with one cupful of butter and the grated yellow rind of a lemon. add seven unbeaten eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg thoroughly into the mixture before the next is added. make a sponge of the yeast, one cupful of milk, scalded and cooled, and one cupful of sifted flour. let it rise until very light--about half an hour--and mix with the hand into the egg mixture, adding two more cupfuls of sifted flour. butter a tube-pan, put in the dough, sprinkle with chopped almonds, sugar, and spice, let it rise two hours, and bake very slowly. german coffee bread scald and cool to lukewarm one cupful of milk. add one heaping tablespoonful of butter and two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, one quarter of a yeast cake dissolved in one tablespoonful of warm water, a pinch of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a soft dough. let it rise over night. in the morning, roll out and spread in a flat buttered tin. rub with softened butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake about half an hour in a moderate oven. cut into squares and serve hot. german coffee cake one tablespoonful of butter, one cupful of sugar, one egg, one cupful of milk, one and one half cupfuls of flour, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, the juice and grated rind of half a lemon. mix thoroughly, spread the dough in a shallow buttered baking-pan, sprinkle with chopped nuts, sugar, cinnamon, and dots of butter. bake until brown and crisp, cut in squares, and serve piping hot. austrian coffee cake four cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, five eggs, well beaten, with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, two cupfuls of milk, and one tablespoonful of softened butter. mix thoroughly, spread in a buttered baking-pan, dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake in a quick oven. serve hot. hungarian royal coffee cake six cupfuls of flour, two cupfuls of butter, four cupfuls of milk, three eggs, three quarters of a pound of cleaned and seeded raisins, one half cupful of sugar, three cakes of compressed yeast, half a cupful of shredded citron, and eight pulverized cardamon seeds. mix the sugar, butter, flour, and milk thoroughly, the yeast having been dissolved in the milk, previously scalded and cooled. dredge the fruit with flour and add last. let rise four hours, or more, if necessary. when ready for baking, rub with softened butter, sprinkle with cinnamon, granulated sugar, and chopped almonds. bake in a tube-pan or in a ring on a large baking-sheet. french coffee cake dissolve a cake of compressed yeast in two tablespoonfuls of tepid water. add a pinch of salt and a tablespoonful of sugar. cream a cupful of butter with three fourths of a cupful of powdered sugar, and add, gradually, the unbeaten yolks of six eggs, one at a time, and the grated yellow rind of a lemon. sift two cupfuls of flour into a bowl and make into a thin batter with the dissolved yeast and one cupful of scalded and cooled milk. add the egg mixture, and beat with the hand till the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. add a handful of sultanas, half a cupful each of blanched and shredded almonds and shredded citron, and, lastly, the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. put into a tube-pan which has been well buttered, and set in a warm place to rise. bake very slowly. when fully risen and beginning to brown, rub with softened butter, and sprinkle with sugar and spice. vienna coffee cake dissolve a cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of scalded and cooled milk, add a pinch of salt and one tablespoonful of brown sugar. sift one cupful of flour into a bowl, add the milk and yeast, beat to a smooth, light batter, free from lumps, and set away in a warm place till very light. cream three quarters of a cupful each of butter and powdered sugar, add four whole eggs, unbeaten, three unbeaten yolks, and two cupfuls of sifted flour, working with the hand, and adding egg and flour alternately. incorporate gradually into the risen batter, working thoroughly with the hand. dredge half a cupful of blanched and shredded almonds, a tablespoonful of shredded citron, and half a cupful of cleaned and seeded raisins thoroughly with flour, and work into the dough with the hand. put into a buttered tube-pan or mould and let rise in a warm place for three or four hours, then bake an hour in a moderate oven. when beginning to brown, rub with softened butter, sprinkle with granulated sugar and spice, and set back into the oven until done. all risen coffee cakes will keep well if wrapped closely in a cloth, and may be served cold, or reheated in a brisk oven for a few minutes just before serving. berlin coffee cake make a sponge with two cupfuls of milk, scalded and cooled, a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in the milk, a pinch of salt, and one cupful of sifted flour. let rise two hours in a warm place, then add one half cupful of melted butter, one cupful of cleaned and seeded raisins, one fourth cupful of finely shredded citron, one cupful of sugar, and three eggs, well beaten. add enough sifted flour to make a stiff dough, knead thoroughly, roll into a long thin strip, cut in three strips, lengthwise, braid, and twist into a ring. arrange in a circle on a well-buttered baking-sheet and let rise till very light, then bake half an hour. it will be more delicate if the strips are rubbed with softened butter before braiding and will come apart more easily. before taking from the oven glaze with sugar and milk, or rub with butter and sprinkle with sugar and spice. quick coffee cake cream one fourth of a cupful of butter with one cupful of sugar, add one egg, well beaten, one half cupful of milk, a pinch of salt, and one and one half cupfuls of flour sifted, with a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. spread in a pan, sprinkle with seeded and cleaned raisins or currants, a little shredded citron, dot with butter, and sift over sugar and spice, cinnamon preferred. serve hot, cut in small squares. crullers three eggs, a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of flour, three tablespoonfuls of milk, six tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and six tablespoonfuls of sugar. roll out half an inch thick, cut out with a small cake cutter which has a hole in the centre, and fry in very hot lard. drain on brown paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. plain doughnuts sift two teaspoonfuls of baking powder with four cupfuls of flour. dissolve half a cupful of sugar in one cupful of milk. add to the milk one teaspoonful of salt, half a nutmeg, grated, and two well-beaten eggs. combine with the dry mixture, roll out, cut in rings, and fry in deep fat. drain on brown paper. doughnuts--ii half a cupful of butter, one cupful of sugar, three cupfuls of flour, one egg, and one and one half cupfuls of milk, and a slight grating of nutmeg. make into a soft dough, roll out, cut into shapes, and fry in hot fat. sprinkle with powdered sugar. raised doughnuts one cupful of butter, one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, and two eggs, well beaten. work this mixture into two cupfuls of bread dough or roll mixture made ready for its second rising, and let rise an hour or more. when light, roll out, cut into circles or squares, let rise until very light, and fry in smoking-hot fat. let drain on brown paper and sprinkle with granulated sugar. light doughnuts three quarters of a cupful of granulated sugar, two eggs, beaten separately, one cupful of milk, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, three cupfuls of flour, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and half a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs last, then work in enough more sifted flour to make a soft dough, probably about two cupfuls. roll very thin, cut out, fry in smoking-hot fat, and drain on brown paper. this recipe makes about five dozen doughnuts, and half of it will be sufficient for an ordinary family unless they are especially fond of doughnuts. raised fruit doughnuts cream together one heaping tablespoonful of butter and one fourth cupful of sugar. dissolve one half a cake of compressed yeast in one cupful of milk that has been scalded and cooled. add half a teaspoonful of salt to the milk and yeast, combine mixtures, and work in two cupfuls of flour. let rise until double in bulk. mix together one half cupful of sugar, a pinch of cinnamon, a grating of nutmeg, and a pinch of allspice, one half cupful of cleaned currants, cleaned and seeded raisins, and shredded citron, mixed, and a scant two cupfuls of sifted flour. lastly, add one egg, well beaten, knead thoroughly, and let rise until very light. cut or tear off pieces of dough the size of an egg, drop into smoking-hot fat, and fry like other doughnuts. drain on brown paper and sprinkle with granulated sugar. blue grass waffles two cupfuls of thick sour cream, two cupfuls of flour, three eggs, well beaten, and half a teaspoonful of soda sifted with the flour. mix quickly, folding in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs last, and bake until golden brown and crisp on hissing-hot, well-greased waffle-irons. cream waffles sift together one cupful of flour, three tablespoonfuls of corn starch, and a pinch of salt. mix one egg, well beaten, one scant teaspoonful of soda, and two cupfuls of sour milk together and gradually combine mixtures, beating hard meanwhile. bake in hot, well-greased waffle-irons and butter the waffles before serving. feather waffles four cupfuls of milk, three eggs, beaten separately. add the milk to the yolks and a pinch of salt, then add one and one half tablespoonfuls of rich cream or melted butter and sifted flour enough to make the batter a little stiffer than pancake batter. add the whites of the eggs last, beaten to a stiff froth, and stir in quickly two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. georgia waffles two cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of buttermilk, one cupful of melted lard, one scant teaspoonful of soda, and one egg. sift the flour and salt together and beat into a smooth batter with the buttermilk. add the well-beaten egg, then the hot lard, beat thoroughly, add the dry soda, beat hard for a minute or two, and bake in hissing-hot waffle-irons. hominy waffles one cupful of cold cooked hominy, one egg, well beaten, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one pinch of salt, two cupfuls of milk, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder. mix thoroughly and bake in very hot waffle-irons, well buttered. raised hominy waffles to one cupful of cold cooked hominy add two cupfuls of scalded milk in which one half a yeast cake has been dissolved, one tablespoonful of butter, melted, a pinch of salt, one tablespoonful of sugar, and two cupfuls of flour. mix thoroughly and set to rise over night. in the morning add two eggs, beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten whites last. bake in very hot, well-greased irons. indian waffles one cupful each of flour and corn-meal, two cupfuls of thick sour milk, one cupful of sour cream, half a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two eggs, beaten separately, the stiffly beaten whites being folded in last. bake in a very hot, well-greased waffle-iron and serve very hot. kentucky waffles make a smooth paste of two cupfuls of sifted flour and two cupfuls of milk, add one half cupful of softened butter, not melted, then the well-beaten yolks of three eggs, then the stiffly beaten whites, and, just before baking, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. beat very hard for five minutes and bake in a hissing-hot iron. maryland waffles beat four eggs separately, the whites to a stiff froth. to the beaten yolks add a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of milk, and enough sifted flour to make a stiff batter. beat hard until perfectly smooth and free from lumps. thin the batter by adding gradually the beaten whites of the eggs, and a little more milk in which a level teaspoonful of baking powder has been dissolved. add lastly one tablespoonful of melted butter or lard. have the waffle-irons very hot and well greased, and butter each waffle as soon as done. crisp light waffles are delicious when served with cream and sifted maple-sugar. plain waffles two cupfuls of sifted flour, two cupfuls of milk, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one tablespoonful of melted lard, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted with the flour, two eggs well beaten, and half a teaspoonful of salt. beat thoroughly and have the irons hot before mixing. rice waffles one cupful of cold boiled rice beaten light with one cupful of milk. add one tablespoonful of melted butter, half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little of the milk, two eggs well beaten, and enough flour, sifted in with one teaspoonful of cream tartar, to make a thin batter. beat thoroughly and bake in well-greased waffle-irons. cream tartar and spices are practically certain to be pure when bought of a druggist instead of a grocer. (not knocking the groceryman.) rice and corn-meal waffles one cupful of cold boiled rice, one half cupful each of wheat flour and corn-meal, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one half teaspoonful of soda dissolved in hot water, one teaspoonful of salt, two eggs, beaten separately, and enough milk to make a thin batter. the waffle-irons must be very thoroughly greased and the baking must be done with great care, as these waffles are likely to burn. swedish waffles two cupfuls of cream, whipped stiff, one half cupful of sugar, one egg beaten with one fourth cupful of cold water, one half cupful of melted butter, and enough flour, sifted, to make a thin batter. fold the whipped cream in carefully just before baking, and sprinkle with sugar when done. tennessee waffles two cupfuls of sifted flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of melted butter or lard, one egg, beaten separately, and milk enough to make a thin batter. bake until brown in a well-greased waffle-iron. virginia waffles three eggs, well beaten, two cupfuls of milk, one half cupful of melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt, and enough flour to make a thin batter. bake in hissing-hot waffle-irons. breakfast beverages the breakfast beverage _par excellence_ is coffee, at least in american households, but, rather than have coffee poorly made, it is better to have no coffee at all. the french method of coffee making has practically superseded the old-fashioned boiled coffee. cheap coffee, carefully made in the proper kind of a pot, has a better flavor than the more expensive brands can possibly have when improperly made. the best coffee-pot on the market, which publishing ethics forbid us to mention by name, is made of nickel, comes in five or six different sizes, has a close fitting cover, a wooden handle, and has inside a finely woven wire strainer, which does away entirely with the questionable, and often unclean, cloth strainer. a cloth, no matter how carefully kept, will eventually become saturated with the grounds, and add the flavor of reheated coffee to the fresh brew in the pot. the nickel coffee-pots having the wire strainer inside are easily kept clean with boiling water alone, and about once a month may be boiled out with a weak solution of baking soda. various blends of coffee have their champions, and the blended package coffees are, in the main, very good. it is better to buy in small quantities, a pound or two at a time, have the coffee pulverized very finely at the grocery, and keep a watchful eye on the man while he does it, lest he add alien elements to the coffee. pulverized coffee keeps perfectly in ordinary mason jars, tightly sealed, if bought in small quantities, as suggested. the ideal coffee blend is two thirds mandeheling java and one third arabian mocha, but very little genuine mocha ever reaches this country, though trusting consumers often pay high prices for what the man says is sure-enough mocha. pure java is easier to get, and south american, mexican, cuban, and porto rican coffees are beginning to deserve consideration. presuming that we have the pot and a good quality of coffee, finely pulverized, we will proceed to brew the nectar of the gods. the water must be fresh and captured while on its first boil. scald the coffee-pot, and put into it one heaping tablespoonful of pulverized coffee for each person and another for the poor, neglected pot. if the coffee is desired extra strong, put in another tablespoonful, or even two. pour in one cupful of boiling water for each tablespoonful of coffee, keeping the pot over steam, but never over the fire itself. occasionally the grounds may be lifted from the bottom of the strainer with a spoon in order to hasten the process a bit. the strength of samson may be given the brew by pouring out a cupful or two of the coffee after it is made, and compelling it to go over the ground(s) again. put the desired amount of sugar in each cup, and add a liberal quantity of cream. fill three fourths full with coffee and weaken slightly with freshly boiling water. coffee poured into cream and afterward weakened with boiling water is an entirely different beverage from that which results when the process is reversed. anybody knowing why, please write. never, never, never under any circumstances use the same coffee twice, or add fresh coffee to the remnant in the pot, if by chance there should ever be any left. trim over last year's hat, if you must, and buy no books for a year except this one, but do have the daily coffee _right_. our deep feeling on this subject is caused by our own cherished reputation for coffee making, which extends as much as three blocks in every direction of the compass. boiled coffee one cupful of ground coffee, mixed with a raw, unbeaten egg, and part of the shell. add half a cupful of cold water, and put it into the coffee-pot. pour over four cupfuls of boiling water, and as it rises and begins to boil, stir it with a silver spoon. let boil hard for ten or fifteen minutes, then take from the fire. pour out one cupful of the coffee, then put it back, and set the pot on the back of the stove for five minutes to settle. cafÉ glacÉ a welcome variant in summer, even for people who do not like cold coffee. fill iced-tea glasses three fourths full of inch cubes of ice, add a lump or two of sugar, and pour in the coffee, boiling hot. do not stir, but add the cream immediately. for some strange reason, it is better than if the hot coffee is poured over the ice, sugar, and cream. anybody knowing why, please write. chocolate make exactly like cocoa, using milk instead of water. a few drops of vanilla added to chocolate pleasantly accentuates its flavor. cocoa directions are given on the package the cocoa comes in. if not, buy another kind. tea cheap tea contains sawdust, dried and powdered hay, grass-seed, and departed but unlamented insects. moral--buy good tea, or go without. have the kettle boiling, and take the water at the first boil. scald out the tea-pot, which must never be of metal, and put into it one teaspoonful of tea for each person, and one for the pot, or more, if curly hair for the drinker is desired. pour one cupful of boiling water for each person and another for the pot upon the tea, and pour off the tea inside of three minutes. after that the boiling water busies itself in taking tannic acid out of the tea grounds. tannic acid hardens albumen into a leathery substance of which the most courageous stomach is rightfully suspicious, and also puckers the mucous membrane of the stomach into smocking. persistent drinking of boiled tea is quite likely to relieve the stomach altogether of its valued and hard-worked mucous membrane. simple salads a salad with mayonnaise dressing is an ideal _pièce de résistance_ for luncheon. it furnishes the necessary carbon in a light and easily assimilated form, and, if well made, is always palatable. strictly speaking, there are but two salad dressings, french and mayonnaise. the boiled dressing, with all its variations, is, technically, a sauce. a true salad dressing is made almost entirely of oil. to make french dressing, put into a bowl or soup plate a pinch of salt, a dash of red pepper, and three tablespoonfuls of olive-oil. stir with a silver spoon until thoroughly mixed, then add one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and stir until thick. french dressing must not be made until it is to be used, as it very quickly wilts a vegetable salad. four or five tablespoonfuls of oil may be used to one of vinegar or lemon-juice if desired, and french dressing may also be seasoned with tabasco sauce, worcestershire, dry mustard, celery salt, or any preferred condiment. to make mayonnaise, put into an earthen bowl the yolk of a fresh egg and a pinch of salt, a dash of red pepper and half a teaspoonful of dry mustard. place the bowl on ice or in ice water. pour one cupful of olive-oil into a small pitcher from which it will drop easily. when the egg and seasoning are thoroughly mixed, begin to add the oil, using a silver teaspoon, and rubbing rather than stirring. add the oil until a clear spot is formed upon the egg, then mix until smooth. only a few drops can be added at first, but the quantity may be gradually increased. the clear spot upon the egg is an infallible test of the right quantity of oil. if too much oil is added, the dressing will curdle. a few drops of lemon-juice and long beating will usually make it right again. if this fails, set the bowl directly on the ice in the refrigerator, and let stand half an hour. if it is still curdled, begin again with the yolk of another egg and add the curdled mayonnaise by degrees to the new dressing. when the mayonnaise is so thick that it is difficult to stir it, add the juice of half a lemon, or more if desired. if wanted still thinner, add a little cream at serving-time, but a stiff, creamy-yellow mayonnaise is a culinary triumph. with a little experience, mayonnaise is very quickly made. it need not take more than ten or fifteen minutes to make enough abundantly to serve six people. packed in jelly glasses, and covered with wax paper, or the cover of a jelly glass, mayonnaise will keep a week or more in a cool place. a quick mayonnaise can be made by putting into a bowl half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of red pepper, half a teaspoonful of dry mustard, the yolk of an egg, four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, one tablespoonful of lemon-juice or tarragon vinegar, and beating all together with the egg beater. if it fails to thicken, it is because the egg is not strictly fresh, but even if it does not thicken, it is palatable. a small jar of mayonnaise dressing, kept upon the ice, is an ever present help in time of trouble. all vegetables used for salads must be in prime condition. lettuce must be crisp, and only the perfect leaves used. ragged edges may be trimmed off with the scissors. the head lettuce is best for all salads, but the leaf lettuce may be used if the other is not obtainable. it is sometimes shredded into ribbons with a sharp knife or scissors, but lettuce should be torn rather than cut, as cutting breaks and bruises the fibres. salads with mayonnaise dressing are too rich to serve at dinner, and hence are relegated to luncheons, sunday-night suppers, and hot-weather dinners, where no other meat is served. the variety of salads is inexhaustible, and new combinations are invented every day, many of them elaborate and very difficult to make. the following salads, however, will be found simple, convenient, and in every way satisfactory. chicken salad mix cold, cooked, shredded chicken with half the quantity of finely cut celery, mix with mayonnaise dressing, and serve on a bit of lettuce. garnish with parsley and slices of hard-boiled egg. canned chicken may be used, but it is not as good. chicken and mushroom salad equal parts of chicken and cooked mushrooms. mayonnaise. mock chicken salad cold roast pork, shredded with the fingers and mixed with half as much finely cut celery. mayonnaise. chicken and sweetbread salad cold, cooked, shredded chicken, and half the quantity of cooked sweetbreads cut fine. mayonnaise. chicken and nut salad add a few pecans or english walnuts, cut coarsely, to chicken salad. almond salad stone and chop six olives. add half a cupful of blanched and shredded almonds, and half a cupful of tender celery cut fine. serve on lettuce leaves, with mayonnaise. asparagus salad boil, drain, and cool the asparagus. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing, and garnish with slices of hard-boiled egg. apple and cress salad cut sour apples into dice. mix with watercress, carefully picked over, and french dressing. apricot salad chill the fruit, pare, stone, cut in halves, arrange on lettuce leaves, and pour over french dressing made with lemon-juice. asparagus and salmon salad flake cold, boiled salmon, mix with cooked asparagus tips, and add a little finely cut celery. mayonnaise. bean salad lima beans boiled, drained, and cooled, chopped onion and minced parsley. mayonnaise. bordeaux salad celery and olives, coarsely cut. mayonnaise. banana salad chill the fruit, peel, slice thin, pour over french dressing made with lemon-juice, and serve at once on lettuce leaves. banana and cherry salad prepare as above, mixing the bananas with a few maraschino cherries, cut into quarters. banana and pimento salad prepare as above, using shredded scarlet pimentos instead of the cherries. banana and celery salad six bananas, half a cupful of nuts cut fine, and two stalks of celery cut fine. peel the bananas carefully, cut the fruit into dice, mix with the nuts and celery, add mayonnaise, fill the banana skins, chill, and serve on lettuce leaves. bird's-nest salad take the yolks of hard-boiled eggs and rub to a paste with an equal quantity of neufchatel cheese. season with salt and paprika, and make into egg-shaped balls. make a mound of the shredded whites and lay the egg-balls upon it, flecking them with black pepper. surround the dish with the heart-leaves of head lettuce, and serve mayonnaise dressing in a dish apart. celery salad crisp, tender celery cut fine, mixed with a little chopped onion and mayonnaise. serve on lettuce. cauliflower salad boil a large cauliflower in salted water until tender. drain, cool, separate the flowerets, sprinkle with chopped onion and parsley, and set on ice. when thoroughly chilled, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. bohemian salad mix fried oysters or fried scallops, cold, with half the quantity of finely cut celery. serve very cold on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. crab salad use the meat of boiled crabs flaked into pieces of uniform size. the canned crab meat is very good. add half the quantity of finely cut celery, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. cress salad watercress and nasturtium leaves. french dressing. garnish with nasturtium blossoms. calf's-brain salad parboil the brains in acidulated water, blanch, cool, and remove all veins and membranes. break in pieces and proceed as for crab salad. cucumber salad peel, slice, and chill the cucumbers. drain, mix with chopped onion, or small bits of the large white onions. french dressing. cucumber and radish salad prepare as above, and add a few radishes, sliced but not peeled. the onion may be omitted. cottage cheese salad make soft cottage cheese into balls the size of a bird's egg. arrange carefully with cucumber dice and a little chopped onion. french dressing. cream cheese salad prepare cheese as above, coloring the balls with spinach juice or green color paste. sprinkle with chopped parsley, arrange on lettuce leaves, and pour over french dressing. cucumber jelly cut peeled tomatoes and cucumbers into dice, saving the juice. season with grated onion, pepper, and salt. mix with hot water, in which gelatine has been dissolved, let cool, break up and serve in tomato shells with mayonnaise. when gelatine is used in salads, half a package to each two cupfuls of salad material is about the right proportion. cherry salad maraschino or ox-heart cherries stuffed with hazel nuts. serve very cold on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. celery and nut salad celery and pecans, or english walnuts, coarsely cut. mayonnaise. cauliflower and beet salad cooked cauliflower flowerets and dice of cold, boiled beets. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. cheese and tomato salad slices of tomato with small bits of edam cheese. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. celery jelly salad put into a saucepan two cupfuls of strained tomatoes, a tablespoonful of grated onion, a bay leaf, and a pinch of celery seed. bring to a boil, set aside for fifteen minutes, add half a package of gelatine that has been soaked in half a cupful of cold water, half a teaspoonful of salt, and the juice of half a lemon. stand over boiling water until the gelatine is all dissolved. strain, stir in a quantity of finely cut celery, set on ice, stir until it begins to thicken, mould in small cups, and chill. at serving-time, turn out on a bed of lettuce leaves and mask with mayonnaise. chestnut salad shell and blanch the nuts, boil until tender, drain, and peel. add an equal quantity of finely cut celery and some bits of pimento. mayonnaise. chicken aspic salad use strong, clear chicken stock or the chicken juice which comes in cans, and half a package of gelatine to each pint. when the jelly begins to thicken, stir in lightly broken english walnuts, mould, chill, turn out on plates covered with lettuce leaves, and mask with mayonnaise. tomato aspic salad use the juice and strained pulp of fresh or canned tomatoes. season highly with salt, pepper, grated onion, and vinegar. use half a package of gelatine to each two cupfuls of juice and pulp, mould in small cups, chill, turn out on lettuce leaves, and mask with mayonnaise. bellevue salad make the tomato aspic according to directions given above. when it begins to stiffen, stir in lightly flaked shrimps and cucumber dice, mould, chill, turn out on individual serving dishes, surround with the tender heart-leaves of head lettuce, and mask with mayonnaise dressing. chicken salad en bellevue make the tomato aspic and mould in a border mould. at serving-time turn out upon a platter, fill the centre with chicken salad and surround with tomato aspic. garnish with the heart-leaves of head lettuce. cucumber aspic salad chop cucumbers fine, or grate on a coarse grater. season with onion and celery, or a little celery seed. add salt, pepper, and vinegar to taste, and save every drop of the juice. tint with green color paste if desired. use one package of gelatine to each quart of the pulp, and proceed according to directions given for other aspic salads. turn into a border mould and chill on ice. at serving-time cover the platter with lettuce leaves, turn the border out of the mould and fill the centre with a fish salad. celery and radish salad prepare the celery as usual, but do not peel the radishes. slice them thin and leave the little red line around each slice. chill thoroughly, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. garnish with whole radishes. cabbage salad select a small, heavy, shapely head of white cabbage. cut a slice off the top and scoop out the interior carefully, leaving a thin shell. shred the inner portion with an equal quantity of crisp celery, mix with mayonnaise and serve in the cabbage. a few nut meats may be added. sometimes the cabbage bowl is filled with fried oysters, and the celery and cabbage salad served on lettuce leaves. salad À l'espagnole scald, skin, and cool large, smooth tomatoes, cut a slice off the blossom end and scoop out the pulp with a silver spoon. drain the pulp, add an equal quantity of cucumber dice, cut small, and a little grated onion to season, mix with a french dressing and fill the tomato shell with the mixture. put a spoonful of mayonnaise on top of each tomato and serve on individual plates covered with lettuce leaves. grape salad use large, white, california grapes, peel, seed, and cut in halves. mix with sour orange slices, and any preferred nuts. use french dressing made with lemon-juice, and serve on lettuce leaves. grape salad--ii prepare as above, using apples in place of the oranges. grapefruit salad break the pulp of grapefruit into small bits and drain, reserving the juice. arrange on lettuce leaves, sprinkle with cut english walnuts, and pour over a french dressing made of oil and the juice of the fruit. italian salad six cold, cooked potatoes, cut in dice, six flaked sardines, three small cucumber pickles, chopped, and a stalk of celery cut fine. french dressing. lettuce salad use the crisp heart-leaves of head lettuce, and dress with french dressing. serve with cheese and toasted crackers. endive salad use the crisp leaves of endive and prepare as above. marguerite salad make a bed of lettuce leaves on each individual dish. slice hard-boiled eggs lengthwise, and remove the yolks whole. put a yolk in the centre of each plate and arrange the white around it, cut in strips to resemble the petals of a marguerite. french dressing. marquise salad tomatoes sliced and sprinkled with chopped onion, parsley and finely cut celery. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. normandy salad three cucumbers and three hard-boiled eggs, cut in dice, a cupful of olive meat, and half a cupful of pecan or english walnut meat, broken, but not chopped. mayonnaise. the egg may be omitted. nut and sweetbread salad a can of shrimps, a pound and a half of sweetbreads, cooked and cut into dice, a can of french peas, a can of mushrooms, a cupful of english walnuts, half a cupful of blanched almonds, and a cupful of finely cut celery. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves. half, or even a third, of this quantity is sufficient for a small family. orange salad thin slices of very sour oranges, sprinkled with cut english walnuts. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing made with lemon-juice. especially good with game. pimento salad shredded pimentos, sliced olives, finely cut celery, and a tablespoonful of chopped onion to each pint. mayonnaise. this salad should be half celery, one fourth pimentos, and one fourth olives. pimento salad--ii hard-boiled eggs cut into eighths. half the quantity of shredded pimentos, and as much olive meat as pimentos. to each pint of the salad add one tablespoonful of the tiny pearl onions which come in bottles. mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. pepper salad sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, shredded green peppers, chopped onion, and french dressing. parisian salad boil french peas in their own juice, drain, cool, and mix with cut walnut meats. soak for an hour in french dressing, drain, put into lemon cups on lettuce leaves, and serve with a spoonful of mayonnaise on top. portuguese salad celery, english walnuts, and shredded pimentos. mayonnaise. peach salad prepare according to directions given for apricot salad, and stuff the halves with maraschino cherries and chopped nuts. russian salad make tomato aspic in a border mould, turn out on a platter and fill the centre with celery mayonnaise. pineapple salad pineapple, oranges, bananas, and strawberries, cut coarsely. french dressing made with lemon-juice. serve in the pineapple shell, or in orange baskets, or banana skins. scallop salad parboil the scallops, drain, and cool. cut coarsely, and mix with half the quantity of finely cut celery. mayonnaise. oyster salad prepare according to directions given above. mushrooms may be added if desired. stuffed-tomato salad scald, drain, skin, and chill large, well-shaped, ripe tomatoes. cut a slice off the blossom end, scoop out the pulp, drain, mix with an equal quantity of finely cut celery and a little minced onion. mix with mayonnaise, fill the shells, put a spoonful of stiff mayonnaise on top, with a little sprig of parsley upright for a garnish, or an english walnut meat. any salad which combines well with the flavor of tomato may be served in tomato shells, and as a cupful of salad will stuff several tomatoes, the problem of insignificant salad left-overs is often solved in this way. shrimp salad use either canned or fresh shrimps. break into small bits, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. summer salad slice peeled tomatoes, drain, and mix with sliced cucumbers and finely chopped onion. mayonnaise. salmon salad use boiled, fresh salmon. free from skin, fat, and bone, and flake. mix with finely cut celery and a few capers. mayonnaise. salmon salad--ii prepare as above, using cucumber dice and a bit of chopped onion instead of the celery and capers. mayonnaise. sardine salad drain the sardines, sprinkle with lemon-juice, and alternate with hard-boiled egg quarters on a bed of lettuce leaves. french dressing. shad roe salad boil the roe, chill, slice, and add finely cut celery and boiled beet dice. mayonnaise. shad roe salad--ii prepare the roe as above and mix with sliced cucumbers. season with chopped onion and mix with mayonnaise. sweetbread salad prepare according to directions given for calf's-brain salad. salsify salad boil, drain, and cool, cut into dice and combine with an equal quantity of potatoes, lima beans, or cauliflower. french dressing. spinach salad mould cooked and chopped spinach in small cups. turn out on individual dishes, garnish with hard-boiled eggs and beet dice. french dressing. string beans salad string the beans, but do not cut them. boil, drain, and cool. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing and garnish with nasturtium blossoms. shrimp and cucumber salad cut the shrimps coarsely and sprinkle with french dressing. at serving-time, drain, mix with an equal quantity of crisp cucumber dice, and serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. vienna salad finely cut celery, apple dice, and shreds of green pepper. mayonnaise. waldorf salad sour apples, peeled and sliced, english walnuts, and finely cut celery. mayonnaise. mutton salad cut cold roast or boiled mutton into dice, using none of the fat. arrange on lettuce leaves, season with salt and pepper, add a few capers, and mix with mayonnaise dressing. mutton and asparagus salad prepare according to directions given above, using an equal quantity of cold, cooked asparagus instead of the capers. mutton and pea salad prepare according to directions given above, using peas instead of asparagus. chestnut salad--ii prepare according to directions given for chestnut salad--i. mix with an equal quantity of sour apples cut into dice. mayonnaise. cress and walnut salad wash and drain a bunch of watercress, pick off the tender sprigs and place in a salad bowl. add half the quantity of broken english-walnuts which have been soaked in lemon-juice. dress with a french dressing made of twice as much oil as vinegar and no seasoning except salt. shad roe salad--iii cook the roe with a slice of onion in salted, acidulated water for twenty minutes. drain, cool, cut into slices, and sprinkle with french dressing. add cucumber dice and chopped olives. mix with mayonnaise, garnish with peppers, and serve on lettuce leaves. salmon salad--iii open a can of salmon, break into large pieces, remove the bones, skin, and fat, and lay on a plate. slice two tomatoes and mince finely a few small cucumber pickles. mix the tomatoes with the pickle and put around the salmon, with a little on top. cover with a mayonnaise, to which chopped pickles and capers have been added, and garnish with lettuce and parsley. italian sardine salad four sardines, three large potatoes, three eggs, seasoning, four anchovies, half a cupful of lima beans cooked, and plenty of oil and vinegar. bake the potatoes, peel them, and set them aside to cool. boil the eggs hard. slice the potatoes into a bowl and add the beans. skin and bone the sardines and anchovies, break into bits, and mix them with the vegetable. put the yolks of two of the eggs into a bowl, add a pinch each of mustard and salt and enough oil to make a smooth cream. add one third as much vinegar as oil. pour this dressing over the vegetables and add the shredded whites of the eggs. garnish with the whole egg cut in slices and a few stoned olives. egg and cheese salad slice half a dozen hard-boiled eggs. line a salad dish with lettuce leaves, cover with a layer of the eggs, and sprinkle thickly with grated cheese. thin some mayonnaise with a little cream and spread over the cheese. add another layer of eggs and cheese and a sprinkling of chopped cucumber pickle. put in the remainder of the eggs, cover with mayonnaise and sprinkle more cheese over all. celery and pineapple salad use equal parts of shredded pineapple and celery, cut fine. sprinkle with lemon-juice, and chill. add a few blanched and pounded almonds, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. veal salad one cupful of cold roast veal cut into dice. add one cupful of cooked peas. sprinkle with celery salt, chopped capers and pickles, and pour over a french dressing, seasoned with dry mustard and chopped mint. in making the french dressing for this salad, use ordinary cider vinegar instead of tarragon vinegar. tomatoes stuffed with asparagus tips prepare tomato shells according to directions previously given. cut cold, cooked asparagus tips in small bits, mix with mayonnaise, and fill the shells. season with grated onion if desired. tutti-fruitti salad one half pound of figs, cut in small pieces, one quarter pound of stoned dates, four oranges cut into small slices, one cupful of canned strawberries, one cupful of canned pineapple, the juice of one lemon, three or four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one cupful of sherry. while this is not strictly a salad, it is served on lettuce leaves in place of a salad. half or a third of the quantity is sufficient for a small family. spaghetti salad shredded celery, boiled spaghetti broken into inch pieces, and bits of spanish pimento. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves. sweetbread and cucumber salad mix cooked sweetbreads, cut into dice, with half the amount of cucumbers cut the same size, and a little finely cut celery. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves. ham and celery salad cut cold, cooked ham into bits and mix with half as much celery cut fine. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves. garnish with hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. egg and potato salad dress slices of cold, hard-boiled eggs and potatoes with french dressing, arrange on lettuce leaves, and garnish with stoned olives. cheese and parsley salad moisten neufchatel or cream cheese with cream, and shape in tiny balls. roll in very finely minced parsley, and serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. cherry and pineapple salad half of a banana, one orange, one cupful of shredded pineapple, one cupful of stoned cherries, one fourth cupful of blanched almonds, the juice of half a lemon, and one tablespoonful of powdered sugar. use the cherry juice in a french dressing. shrimp and celery salad equal parts of shredded shrimps and finely cut celery. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce leaves. potato and nut salad three cold, boiled potatoes, three hard-boiled eggs, one half cupful of walnuts, and a dozen olives. cut the potatoes and eggs into dice, stone the olives, cut fine, break up the nut meats and mix all together. pour over a small quantity of french dressing and let stand on ice. at serving-time, mix with a little mayonnaise. egg and chicken salad chop cold roast chicken very fine. mix the yolks of hard-boiled eggs with the chicken, adding enough mayonnaise to make the mixture easily into balls. cut the whites of the eggs into rings, and serve the balls and the rings together on lettuce leaves. cabbage and pepper salad shred finely a crisp, raw cabbage. mix with half as much shredded green pepper. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. cheese and celery salad cut crisp, tender celery into small bits, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. celery and cauliflower salad equal parts of finely cut celery and cold, cooked cauliflower broken into bits. either french dressing or mayonnaise. cauliflower and carrot salad cold, cooked cauliflower broken into bits, and one third the quantity of cooked carrots cut into dice. either french or mayonnaise dressing. pea and walnut salad equal quantities of cold, cooked peas and english walnuts broken into small bits. sprinkle with french dressing, let stand half an hour and mix with mayonnaise. serve on lettuce leaves or in lemon cups. russian salad--ii equal quantities of cooked potato dice, peas, carrots, lima beans, shredded celery, sliced tomatoes, chopped onion, cucumber dice and anchovies broken into small bits. french dressing, using more vinegar than usual. german cauliflower salad use cold, cooked cauliflower separated into flowerets. fry shredded bacon until crisp, drain, and mix with the cauliflower. make a french dressing, using the bacon fat instead of oil, and cider vinegar instead of tarragon. pour hot over the salad and set away to cool. spanish salad cut into dice three slices of stale bread. add an equal quantity of cold, cooked potatoes, three tomatoes, sliced, and one onion chopped fine. rub the salad bowl with the cut side of a clove of garlic, put in the salad, and pour over plenty of french dressing. onion salad peel two or three onions, soak in water two hours, chop, put into a salad bowl, add a tablespoonful of minced parsley and pour over french dressing. the large, white spanish onions are best for this salad. one large onion is usually enough. russian salad--iii cut crisp, tender celery into small bits, add one fourth the quantity of russian caviare and the same quantity of anchovies as caviare. add half as much tomato pulp as celery and mix with mayonnaise. serve in tomato shells. strawberry salad arrange tender, white lettuce leaves in cup shapes. fill each cup with strawberries and put a tablespoonful of mayonnaise in each cup. mayonnaise for this salad should have the mustard and tarragon vinegar omitted. banana and peanut salad slice bananas lengthwise, cover with finely ground peanuts, and serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. egg and asparagus salad cut boiled, fresh asparagus into bits. mix with slices of hard-boiled egg and serve on lettuce leaves with a french dressing to which chopped pickles and capers have been added. egg and cucumber salad slice cucumbers and hard-boiled eggs. alternate slices of each in a circle around a bed of watercress, and serve with french dressing. tomato and chive salad peel and chill the tomatoes, and cut into halves. sprinkle with finely chopped chives, and put a spoonful of mayonnaise on each half. serve on lettuce. grapefruit and celery salad mix grapefruit pulp with finely cut celery, using twice as much grapefruit as celery. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. cucumber and pimola salad mix in equal parts, slicing both thin. use french dressing and serve on lettuce. egg and celery salad two heads of celery cut fine, two hard-boiled eggs, and half a cupful of english walnuts. break the nuts into small pieces, slice the eggs and mix all together. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. cabbage salad--ii mix shredded, raw cabbage with mayonnaise, and sprinkle with celery seed. cabbage salad--iii cut off the small ends of green peppers, scoop out the seeds, and fill with cabbage salad prepared as above. egg-ball salad separate the whites and yolks of hard-boiled eggs. cut the whites into shreds with the scissors. rub the yolks through a sieve and mix to a paste with mayonnaise, adding sardines, anchovies, salmon, or any preferred meat or fish which has been cooked and pounded fine. shape the egg mixture into balls the size of marbles. spread lettuce leaves with mayonnaise, sprinkle it with the shredded whites of the eggs, and drop the balls of yolk paste upon it. stuffed-egg salad divide hard-boiled eggs in the middle, take out the yolks, cut a thin slice from the bottom of each to make them stand firm, and drop in a little mayonnaise. mix the yolks to a paste with mayonnaise, using any preferred minced meat, fish, or vegetable for seasoning. fill the shells, spread with mayonnaise, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. celery and apple salad mix equal parts of finely cut celery and shredded sour apple. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. tomato and celery salad peel large, ripe tomatoes and cut into cubes. drain in a colander until dry. mix with half as much finely cut celery, and serve on lettuce leaves, with mayonnaise. shrimp and nut salad break the shrimps into thirds. use one half or one third the quantity of pecan or english walnut meats. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. smoked herring salad skin and bone the herring and flake the meat. use as much hard-boiled egg as herring, and twice as much potato dice as herring. season with grated onion, and mix with french dressing. halibut salad steam halibut steaks until tender, arrange on a bed of lettuce and remove the skin and bone. cover with a layer of shredded sweet pepper, hard-boiled eggs, and olives sliced thin. serve with a french dressing which has been seasoned with grated onion. halibut salad--ii prepare halibut steaks according to directions given above. sprinkle with french dressing, cover with cucumbers sliced thin, and spread with mayonnaise. halibut salad--iii prepare the fish according to directions given above, and flake it. add half the quantity of finely cut celery. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. halibut salad--iv prepare according to directions given for halibut salad--iii, adding as much cucumber dice as celery. smelt salad boil the smelts, drain, cool, and flake the meat. mix with cucumber dice, or finely cut celery, and serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. lobster salad--i pick out the meat of a cold, boiled lobster, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce leaves. lobster salad--ii prepare according to directions given for lobster salad--i, adding half the quantity of finely cut celery to the fish. shrimp and tomato salad break the shrimps into half-inch bits, and mix with twice the quantity of peeled, sliced, and drained tomatoes. serve on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise. the tomatoes may be cut into quarters, instead of slicing. crab and cucumber salad use equal quantities of crab meat, broken into inch pieces, and cucumber dice. season with a little grated onion, and mix with mayonnaise. turkey salad use cold roast turkey and prepare according to directions given for chicken salad. egg and cabbage salad boil six eggs hard. when cold, cut in two lengthwise, and take out the yolks. rub the yolks through a sieve, season with salt, pepper, and grated onion, and mix to a paste with mayonnaise. mould into small balls and set aside. shred the whites with the scissors, and add twice as much shredded cabbage. mix with mayonnaise, arrange on a bed of lettuce leaves, and drop the egg balls on the salad. egg and sardine salad boil three eggs hard. cut in two lengthwise, and take out the yolks. rub the yolks through a sieve with four sardines, season with salt and pepper, and add enough cream or oil to make a paste. shape into balls. shred the whites of the eggs with the scissors, and mix with twice the quantity of finely cut celery. mix the celery and egg together with mayonnaise, arrange on lettuce leaves, and drop the balls of egg paste upon the salad. tongue and potato salad cut cold, cooked, pickled lamb's tongues into dice, mix with twice the quantity of cold, boiled potatoes cut into dice, and add a little hard-boiled egg, finely chopped. pour over a french dressing to which a tablespoonful of chopped cucumber pickle has been added. shredded lettuce salad use the leaf lettuce and cut crosswise into narrow ribbons, using scissors or a very sharp knife. serve with french dressing. sliced hard-boiled eggs may be mixed with this salad. german cabbage salad fry a cupful of finely cut bacon until crisp, and drain off the fat. add the bacon to three times the quantity of shredded, raw cabbage. make a salad dressing of the bacon fat and vinegar, seasoning to taste. pour hot over the cabbage and set away to cool. irwin salad six medium-sized tomatoes, peeled and quartered, two or three cucumbers cut in thin slices, one spanish onion chopped fine, three green peppers, shredded, and two large sour apples cut into dice. rub the salad bowl with the cut side of a clove of garlic and put in the salad. make a dressing with six tablespoonfuls of oil, three of wine vinegar, half a teaspoonful of mustard, a teaspoonful each of worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and salt. sprinkle liberally with red pepper and set the bowl on ice until thoroughly cold. one hundred sandwich fillings . one half pound of roquefort cheese, one fourth as much butter, and half a teaspoonful of paprika. mix to a paste with sherry wine. spread on wafers or toasted rye bread. . remove all the seeds from a pepper, chop fine, and simmer ten minutes in a tablespoonful of butter. add a dash of salt, and set aside to cool. . chopped dates seasoned with grated lemon-peel and clove or cinnamon. . corned beef cut in thin slices and spread with mustard. . tongue cut in thin slices, spread with mustard. . grated horseradish spread on buttered bread. . swiss cheese cut in thin slices. . dutch cheese made into a paste with cream. . same as above with chopped nuts added. . the meat of a liver sausage seasoned with chopped onion and celery. . prunes chopped with half the quantity of english walnut meats, seasoned with lemon-juice and powdered sugar. . equal parts of chicken and cold ham, finely minced and seasoned with curry powder. . drained and boned anchovies pounded to a paste with butter. . thin slices of cucumber dipped in french dressing. . minced tongue and hard-boiled eggs, seasoned with mustard. . thin slices of roast veal covered with chopped pickles. . sardines made to a paste with lemon-juice. . shrimps picked fine, seasoned with lemon-juice. . cold roast turkey cut into thin slices. . minced hard-boiled eggs, one sardine to every three, seasoned with lemon-juice. . thin slices of cold roast chicken. . watercress chopped fine and seasoned with salt and pepper. . same as twenty-two, mix with chopped, hard-boiled eggs. . minced hard-boiled eggs mixed with grated cheese, seasoned with mustard. . cold baked beans mashed to a paste and seasoned with mustard or chopped celery. . thin slices of banana dressed with oil and lemon-juice. . finely cut celery mixed with mayonnaise. . dutch cheese mixed with chopped olives. . large figs cut in halves. . equal parts of minced ham and celery mixed with mayonnaise. . ham mixed with chopped pickle and celery. . petals or leaves of nasturtiums. . equal parts of grated swiss cheese and chopped english walnuts. . olives chopped fine and mixed with mayonnaise. . peanuts mashed to a paste with mayonnaise. . caviare mixed with a little lemon-juice. . cold roast beef cut in thin slices. . minced hard-boiled eggs mixed with mayonnaise. . lobster meat mixed with mayonnaise. . canned salmon mixed with hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. . strawberries mashed with powdered sugar and seasoned with a little lemon-juice. . figs and nuts chopped fine. . nuts and raisins chopped fine. . cold roast chicken and cold, cooked oysters chopped fine. . cold chicken and one fourth the quantity of blanched almonds chopped fine and mixed to a paste with cream. . five heaping teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar, two of cocoa, and two of boiling water. stir over the fire until smooth. add a few drops of vanilla and cool. . minced hard-boiled eggs, grated cheese, and made mustard, mixed to a paste with olive-oil. . equal parts of cold roast beef, boiled tongue, ham, and cold roast turkey. season with chopped pickle and mix with mayonnaise. . one cupful of cold roast chicken, three olives, one pickle, and a tablespoonful of capers. mince fine and mix with mayonnaise. . orange marmalade. . cream cheese, lettuce leaves, and french dressing. . lettuce leaves and mayonnaise. . salmon, capers, chopped chives, and mayonnaise. . cold, cooked veal chopped fine with hard-boiled eggs. season with tomato catsup. . hard-boiled eggs cut into slices, sprinkled with salt and pepper and chopped parsley. . cold roast chicken and finely cut celery mixed with mayonnaise. . lettuce leaves, pimentos, and mayonnaise. . cottage cheese seasoned with mustard and chopped olives, mixed with mayonnaise. . minced ham, olives, and parsley. . cold corned-beef and green peppers, minced. . cold roast lamb, minced, seasoned with minced olives and tomato catsup. . raisins and candied lemon-peel chopped and made into a paste with lemon-juice. . dates chopped fine, with half the quantity of english walnuts or pecans. . chinese preserved ginger chopped fine. . equal parts of grated cheese and english walnuts, chopped fine, and rubbed to a paste with cream. . cold, cooked sweetbreads chopped fine. . cold mutton chopped fine, and seasoned with mint sauce. . hard-boiled eggs and watercress finely minced and mixed with mayonnaise. . pickled lambs' tongues chopped very fine with capers. . olives and pimentos finely chopped, lettuce leaves, and mayonnaise. . dutch cheese and finely minced watercress. . sour apples and celery, minced very fine, and mixed with mayonnaise. . cucumber, grated onion, and mayonnaise. . leaves of endive and french dressing. . grated cheese, seasoned with salt, paprika, mustard, vinegar, and anchovy paste. . same as seventy-five, with chopped olives or pickles added. . cold, fried oysters chopped fine, lettuce leaves, and french dressing. . equal parts of banana pulp and crushed red raspberries, mashed with sugar, and made into a paste with cream. . grated cocoanut, chopped nuts, sugar, and lemon-juice. . orange marmalade and english walnut meats. . preserved ginger and candied orange-peel chopped fine. . maraschino cherries and nut meats chopped fine. . cottage cheese and jam or marmalade. . cream cheese and bar le duc mixed to a paste. . hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, and seasoned with anchovy paste. . chopped figs and chopped peanuts, seasoned with lemon-juice. . chopped english walnuts mixed with quince-jelly. . cabbage, finely chopped, and mixed with salad dressing. . thinly sliced bananas spread with mayonnaise. . the tender tops of celery, minced fine, and mixed with mayonnaise. . figs and raisins chopped together. . boiled ham, sardines, and pickles, minced, seasoned with mustard, catsup, and vinegar. . cottage cheese, lettuce leaves, and french dressing. . cold, cooked chicken and mushrooms mixed with mayonnaise. . cottage cheese and minced hard-boiled eggs, mixed with mayonnaise. . cold roast beef, chopped fine, seasoned with tomato catsup, celery salt, worcestershire, and grated onion. . raisins chopped fine and worked to a paste with sherry. . cream cheese and shredded green peppers. . equal parts of tongue and chicken, minced fine, and mixed with mayonnaise. . cold, boiled shad roe and cucumbers, finely minced, and mixed with french dressing or mayonnaise. . people who are not satisfied with the above fillings are at liberty to invent their own. luncheon beverages inasmuch as coffee usually appears both at breakfast and dinner, it is well to bar it out absolutely from the luncheon table. too much coffee drinking is injurious, as the makers of imitation coffees assure us daily through the medium of expensive advertisements. though nothing else is quite as good as coffee, yet there are many other beverages which will prove acceptable at luncheon. milk serve from an earthen pitcher, either hot or cold as preferred. buttermilk buttermilk is always served ice cold. on a hot day a glass of buttermilk, and a cracker or a bit of salted toast will often prove a sufficient luncheon. tea use the best tea. the cheap tea is dear at any price. scald out the tea-pot, which should never be of metal, and put into it a teaspoonful of tea for each person and one for the pot. add as many cupfuls of hot water as there are teaspoonfuls of tea. cover and let steep for a moment, but never allow it to boil. the water for tea must be freshly boiled and taken at the first vigorous boil. when tea is boiled, tannin is extracted from the grounds, and tannin, even in the most minute quantities, has a very injurious effect upon the lining of the stomach. vienna chocolate three heaping tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate mixed to a paste with cold water. pour it into a double boiler with four cupfuls of milk boiling hot. add sugar to taste, and let cook five minutes. beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth and put into the chocolate pot. put a teaspoonful of vanilla into the chocolate after taking from the fire, and pour the hot chocolate very slowly upon the eggs, stirring constantly with a silver spoon or the wooden stick which comes for the purpose. it makes a delicious, frothy chocolate. the cocoa which comes in packages may be used instead of grated chocolate. cocoa directions are given on the package the cocoa comes in. if not, buy another kind next time. lemonade select perfect lemons and roll until soft. extract the juice, using a glass lemon squeezer, and rejecting the seeds and pulp. rub cut loaf sugar over the peel of the lemon to extract the oil, and add to the lemon-juice. fill a glass pitcher one third full of broken ice, pour the lemon-juice upon the ice, and add granulated sugar and water to taste. iced tea make tea according to directions given above, using two or three extra teaspoonfuls of tea. fill a glass pitcher half full of broken ice, and pour the tea, scalding hot, upon the ice, being careful that the stream strikes the ice, and not the pitcher. serve with cut loaf sugar, and slices of lemon. pineapple cup put into a bowl the juice of three lemons, two oranges, sliced and seeded, one grated pineapple, and one cupful of sugar. let stand an hour to extract the juice, then strain through a fruit press. add to the juice as much cold water as desired, and two slices of pineapple, shredded. pour into glasses half full of cracked ice. raspberry cup mash and strain two cupfuls of currants stripped from the stems. mash also an equal quantity of raspberries. mix the juices, sweeten to taste, and serve in glasses with cracked ice and cold water. pineapple lemonade one cupful of sugar, one cupful of canned pineapple, one cupful of water and the juice of two lemons. boil the sugar and water until it threads. put the pineapple through the fruit press and add to the syrup with the juice of the lemons. when ready to serve, add water and sugar to taste. serve ice cold. grape juice stem ripe concord grapes. do not wash unless necessary. cover with cold water and put into a saucepan over a slow fire. boil until the grapes are in pieces, then strain through coarse cheese-cloth and sweeten to taste. serve in glasses with plenty of cracked ice. blackberry shrub for every cupful of fruit juice take one half cupful of cider vinegar and two cupfuls of sugar. put the fruit, sugar, and vinegar over the fire, stir until the sugar dissolves, and boil until a thick syrup. skim if necessary, strain, and bottle. when served, allow one fourth cupful of syrup to half or three fourths of a cupful of ice water. raspberry shrub use ripe red raspberries, and prepare according to directions given for blackberry shrub. raspberry dash fill the tumbler half full of cracked ice. add one tablespoonful of sweetened raspberry juice and one tablespoonful of cream. fill the glass with soda water. mint sangaree crush two or three sprays of mint with a lump of sugar. put into a glass half full of cracked ice. add four tablespoonfuls of grape juice and fill the glass to the brim with charged water. shake thoroughly and strain into another glass. seltzer lemonade squeeze the juice of a lemon into a tall glass, add two inches of shaved ice, two heaping teaspoonfuls of sugar and fill the glass with seltzer or apollinaris. temperance punch upon a tablespoonful of good tea pour two quarts of boiling water. in the meantime have ready the juice and peelings of three lemons and one orange in a pitcher. when the tea has steeped for five minutes, strain through a fine strainer into the pitcher. add a cupful of sugar and cool slowly. at serving-time put into glasses with plenty of ice. eating and dining there is an old saying to the effect that "all may eat, but ladies and gentlemen dine." the difference lies more in the preparation and manner of serving than in the food itself, and whether her evening meal is a banquet or a repast of the lunch-counter sort rests wholly with the housewife. we pause long enough to pay our disrespects to that barbarous institution known in america as the sunday dinner. on six days in the week, the average business man eats a light luncheon or none at all. on the seventh day, at an unaccustomed hour, he eats a heavy meal, goes to sleep shortly afterward, and wonders why monday is a "blue day." our uncivilized sundays are responsible for our monday morning headaches and for the gloom which, in many a household, does not wear off until tuesday morning. if sunday were a day of fasting instead of a day of feasting, monday might be radiant occasionally instead of riotous or revolutionary. we make sunday a hard day for the women of the household, especially the servants, and the imperial liver appertaining to the head of the establishment balks sometimes at the strain. the american sunday dinner is one cause of the american servant problem--and everybody knows what that is. in more than one household, a twelve or one o'clock breakfast has proved both hygienic and satisfactory. coffee and rolls are served to those who want them at eight or nine o'clock, if they come into the dining-room. at noon the family sits down to a simple breakfast--fruit, broiled chicken, creamed potatoes, hot bread and coffee, for example. the maid has few dishes to wash, is not too tired to enjoy her afternoon off, and gets away two or three hours earlier than her less fortunate sisters. also she remains where she is hired--which has its advantages. only a light lunch is needed in the evening which the mistress may serve, leaving the dishes to be washed in the morning. owing to the aforesaid american servant problem an increasing number of women do their own housework--not from choice, but from stern necessity. this book is intended for the woman in a small house or apartment, who is her own cook, who earnestly desires to do her duty by her family, yet be something more than a wearied and soul-sickened drudge; who has to look after her dimes and nickels, if not her pennies, and who wants more than the weekly "afternoon off" accorded to the stronger women who undertake domestic tasks. simplicity--and, as a general rule, economy--has been the standard by which each recipe has been judged. all are within the capabilities of the most inexperienced cook, who is willing to follow directions, and, in the case of such variable materials as flour and eggs, trust, now and then, to her own judgment. thirty-five canapÉs i cover thin circles of fried or toasted bread with chopped hard-boiled eggs, lay a curled anchovy in the centre of each piece and serve either hot or cold, garnishing with minced parsley or capers. ii cut thin slices of bread into fancy shapes, toast, spread with butter, and lay a curled anchovy in the centre around half a pimola. fill the spaces with the minced whites and sifted yolks of hard-boiled eggs and border with minced capers or parsley. iii serve pitted olives on rounds of fried bread with an anchovy curled around each olive. fill the space to the edge with chopped olives or rings of hard-boiled eggs. garnish with cress. iv fry small rounds of bread in clarified butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, season with salt and cayenne, and put in the oven until the cheese is melted. fillets of anchovies may be laid on these canapés and they may be served hot or cold, garnishing with minced parsley. v pound anchovies to a smooth paste with butter and season with cayenne and lemon-juice. spread on strips of toast or bread and lay strips of anchovy on each piece. fill the spaces between with hard-boiled eggs chopped separately. vi chop watercress and pickles with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs and rub to a smooth paste with butter. spread on strips of fried or toasted bread and lay an anchovy on each one. vii slice large tomatoes, cut circles of bread to fit, and toast or fry the bread. lay a slice of tomato on each piece, put a pimola in the centre, curl an anchovy around it and border with stiff mayonnaise, using the pastry bag and tube. serve ice cold. viii beat together two eggs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, and salt and cayenne to season. add three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese and one tablespoonful of flour wet with cream. spread thickly upon small slices of toast and bake until brown. ix chop two hard-boiled eggs fine, mix to a smooth paste with melted butter, season with anchovy essence, and serve on small circles or squares of buttered toast. x spread strips of toast with caviare rubbed to a smooth paste with butter, sprinkle with chopped watercress, and serve cold. xi heat caviare with enough cream to moisten, spread on rounds of fried or toasted bread, and sprinkle with hard-boiled egg-yolks rubbed through a fine sieve. garnish with cress. xii spread thin rounds of toasted rye-bread with caviare, seasoned with lemon-juice. lay a slice of hard-boiled egg on each one and serve with a garnish of parsley. xiii spread thin squares of toast with caviare seasoned with lemon-juice, sprinkle with minced parsley, and border with chopped hard-boiled eggs. garnish with lemon and parsley. xiv chop fine, olives, pimentos, and cucumber pickles. season caviare with lemon-juice and spread upon circles of fried or toasted bread. cover with a thin layer of the chopped mixture. xv spread butter upon thin round slices of rye-bread or boston brown-bread and lay a thin slice of cucumber, which has been dipped in french dressing, on each piece. remove the yolk from slices of hard-boiled egg, lay the ring of white on the cucumber, and fill the centre with caviare. xvi season caviare with lemon-juice and spread upon rounds of toasted bread. lay an oyster on each piece and serve on a plate with a garnish of cress and lemon. xvii mix caviare to a cream with lemon-juice and spread on buttered toast cut into squares or diamonds. garnish with hard-boiled eggs, chopped finely, and sprinkle with minced onion. skinned and boned anchovies may be used instead of caviare. xviii heat a can of caviare with a little melted butter, season with lemon-juice and cayenne, and serve on small squares of hot buttered toast. xix fry small rounds of bread in butter, drain and cool. chop watercress very fine, rub it to a paste with butter and spread on the toast. sprinkle with salt and paprika, cover with caviare seasoned with lemon-juice, and serve with a garnish of cress. xx spread thick rounds of fresh bread with butter and anchovy paste, cover with crab-meat, sprinkle with minced green pepper, press firmly, and serve with a garnish of cress. xxi rub to a smooth paste the yolks of hard-boiled eggs and an equal quantity of skinned and boned sardines, seasoning with lemon-juice. spread on narrow strips of buttered toast and serve either hot or cold. xxii drain and skin boned sardines. sauté in butter, season with salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice, and serve hot on small strips of buttered toast. xxiii drain, skin, bone, and mash sardines. rub to a smooth paste, moistening with melted butter and lemon-juice. spread on small circles of bread, lay a ring of hard-boiled egg-white in the centre, fill the space with minced olives and surround with the sifted yolk. serve with cress or parsley. xxiv toast small slices of rye-bread and spread with sardines, pounded to a paste and rubbed smooth with butter. arrange alternate rows of chopped hard-boiled egg yolks and whites, garnish with parsley and serve. xxv rub boned and skinned sardines to a paste with butter and the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, seasoning with chopped pickle and parsley, lemon-juice, and mustard. spread the paste on rounds or strips of fried bread, lay a skinned and boned sardine on each piece, heat thoroughly and serve. xxvi spread rounds of fried bread with anchovy paste and cover with mayonnaise to which has been added chopped capers, olives, and onion. garnish with cress and serve cold. xxvii fry small rounds of bread, spread with anchovy paste, lay a slice of tomato on each and serve ice cold, garnishing with cress or parsley. xxviii sprinkle rounds of fried bread with grated cheese, heat until the cheese melts, and serve very hot. xxix spread rounds of fried bread with caviare seasoned with lemon-juice, lay a slice of hard-boiled egg on each one, and sprinkle with chopped cress. xxx rub chopped ham to a smooth paste, moistening with cream, milk, or melted butter. spread on small rounds of fried bread, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and cayenne, and brown in a hot oven. xxxi spread small strips of bread with butter and sprinkle with salt and paprika. cover with grated cheese, bake until the cheese softens, and serve immediately. xxxii butter small rounds of toast, cover with thin slices of swiss cheese or sprinkle with grated swiss cheese, brown in the oven, and serve hot. xxxiii spread grated cheese on small rounds of bread seasoned with salt and cayenne, and bake until the cheese is melted. the bread may be spread with french mustard before the cheese is put on. xxxiv rub two chicken livers to a smooth paste with butter, seasoning with salt and paprika, spread on rounds of fried bread, and serve hot. xxxv mix equal quantities of minced cooked chicken, ham, or tongue with a little very thick cream sauce. season with curry-powder and lemon-juice. spread on small rounds of toast and serve hot, or make sandwiches of toast with the mixture between. one hundred simple soups _beef soups_ barley soup cook one cupful of barley slowly until soft. drain, and add to beef stock made according to any preferred method. serve very hot. black bean soup soak two cupfuls of black beans in cold water over night. in the morning, drain, and cover with fresh boiling water. boil until tender, add four cupfuls of beef stock, and two cupfuls of boiling water. rub through a fine sieve, return to the fire, and bring to the boil. season with salt, pepper, and a wineglassful of sherry. cut into slices one lemon, and two hard-boiled eggs. put into a tureen, pour the hot soup over, and serve. boston summer soup cook together one cupful of peas and one cupful of tomatoes. rub through a sieve, and add to four cupfuls of beef stock. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold stock. simmer fifteen minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and three tablespoonfuls of cooked peas. season with salt and pepper, reheat and serve. creole soup half a can of tomatoes, three tablespoonfuls of rice, one half can of okra, and a red pepper, added to two quarts of beef stock. simmer until the rice is cooked. blend together two tablespoonfuls of flour, mix with a little cold stock, pour into the soup, and stir until it thickens. season with salt and serve at once. english spinach soup cook half a peck of spinach, rub through a fine sieve, add six cupfuls of strong beef stock, season with salt, pepper, sugar, and mace, thicken with butter and flour, bring to the boil, and serve immediately. english tomato soup add one can of tomatoes to four cupfuls of beef stock, and simmer together for an hour, with a small onion cut fine. rub through a sieve, reheat, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and thicken with a tablespoonful of butter, rubbed smooth with a tablespoonful of flour, boiled in the soup, while stirring. when thick, add three tablespoonfuls of cold boiled rice, reheat, and serve with croutons. italian onion soup with cheese slice four large onions very thin, fry brown in butter, and add to four cupfuls of beef stock. put into an earthen pot and arrange slices of toast on top, liberally sprinkled with grated parmesan cheese. serve from the dish with one slice of toast for each person. julienne soup cut into thin, match-like strips carrots, turnips, and celery, having half a cupful of each. cover with boiling water, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft. add to two quarts of boiling beef stock. soup of mixed vegetables one cupful each of chopped onion, carrot, celery, and tomatoes; one-half cupful each of chopped turnip, parsnip, and cabbage. fry the onions and carrot in a little butter, then add four cupfuls of boiling water and four cupfuls of beef stock. simmer until the vegetables are tender. season with salt, pepper, sugar, and minced parsley. noodle and tomato soup add a five-cent can of tomato paste to three pints of boiling beef stock. season to taste, and cook in it noodles made according to directions given elsewhere. serve hot with grated parmesan cheese. quick beef soup cook together in two quarts of water for half an hour, half an onion, three stalks of celery, and a sliced carrot. season with salt, pepper, and mace. strain, and add to the water two tablespoonfuls of extract of beef. stir until dissolved, reheat and serve. rice and curry soup melt in a saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter, add a chopped onion, and a tablespoonful of chopped raw ham. fry for three minutes. add one tablespoonful of curry powder and two tablespoonfuls of flour. mix thoroughly, add three quarts of beef stock, boil for one hour, skim, and press through a fine strainer into another saucepan. add a pint of rice which has been cooked in stock, reheat, skim, and serve. spanish onion soup chop fine five onions and fry brown in butter, adding a teaspoonful of sugar. when brown, pour over eight cupfuls of hot beef stock. add a bay leaf, half a dozen pepper-corns, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. simmer fifteen minutes, strain, and serve with dice of fried or toasted bread. veal soup put a knuckle of veal into three quarts of cold water, with a teaspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of uncooked rice. simmer gently for four hours, take from the fire, and strain through a colander. beat the yolk of one egg with a cupful of milk, add a teaspoonful of butter, and strain the hot soup upon it, stirring constantly. pour into the tureen and serve immediately. wrexham soup one pound of lean beef chopped fine. peel and slice one large carrot, one large turnip, six small onions, a stalk of celery, and two cupfuls of tomatoes. tie up in a muslin cloth a small bunch of parsley, six cloves, six pepper-corns, and a sprig of thyme. put all these ingredients into a bean-pot, with a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of sugar and a pinch of pepper. cover with five pints of cold water, and bake very slowly for five hours. take out the bag of spices, and serve the soup with croutons. _bisques and purÉes_ bisque of clams reheat four cupfuls of veal stock, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of butter, blended with two tablespoonfuls of flour, and rubbed smooth in the stock, while boiling. add a small can of minced clams with their liquor, or twenty-five clams, chopped very fine. season to taste, add two cupfuls of boiling cream, and serve immediately. crab and tomato bisque blend together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour. add one quart of cold milk, and cook slowly until it thickens, stirring constantly. add one cupful of cooked crab meat, two cupfuls of stewed and strained tomatoes, a pinch of soda, and salt and pepper to season. boil up once and serve. purÉe of asparagus cut the tops from two bunches of asparagus, and set aside. boil the stalks in salted water until tender, and rub through a sieve. add the pulp to three pints of boiling beef stock, and season with salt, pepper, and butter. simmer fifteen or twenty minutes. stir in three tablespoonfuls of cream, strain the soup, add the cooked asparagus tips, and serve. this soup may be thickened if desired. purÉe of green peas boil four cupfuls of green peas in salted water with an onion, a small bunch of parsley, and two sprigs of mint. rub through a colander and reheat. add a cupful of veal stock, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and thicken with one tablespoonful of butter blended with one tablespoonful of flour, and rubbed smooth in the soup, while boiling. serve with croutons. purÉe of kidney beans soak over night two cupfuls of red kidney beans. drain, and cook slowly until very soft in enough beef stock to cover. rub through a coarse sieve. add one-half cupful of salt pork, cut into dice and fried until brown and crisp, two onions, one carrot, and a tablespoonful of powdered sweet herbs. add four cupfuls of beef stock, and simmer for an hour. strain, add two tablespoonfuls of sherry or claret, reheat, and serve. purÉe of peas and rice rub through a sieve one cupful of cooked peas, and one cupful of cold boiled rice. mix with six cupfuls of boiling beef stock, thicken with butter and flour, according to directions previously given, and serve very hot. purÉe of tomatoes boil together for half an hour one can of tomatoes, and one large onion, chopped fine. run through a sieve, return to the fire, and season with pepper, salt, and sugar. blend together two tablespoonfuls of butter, and one tablespoonful of flour. add two cupfuls of cold milk, and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. add the tomatoes and a pinch of soda. reheat, add half a cupful of cracker crumbs, and serve immediately. purÉe of tomatoes and macaroni cook together for an hour, one can of tomatoes, a sprig of parsley, a teaspoonful of celery seed, a teaspoonful of sugar, a blade of mace, a bay-leaf, and a small onion chopped fine. rub through a coarse sieve, add two cupfuls of beef stock, season with salt and pepper, and thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, rubbed together and boiled in soup, while stirring. when thickened add one cupful of cooked macaroni, cut into small bits. _chicken soups_ chicken bouillon cut up a chicken, cover with cold water, add a small onion sliced, a stalk of celery cut fine, and a small bunch of parsley. simmer until the meat falls from the bones, strain through cheese-cloth, cool, skim, reheat, season with salt and pepper, and serve in cups. chicken soup select an old fowl and cut it in pieces. put into the soup-kettle, with a sliced carrot, two onions, two cloves, and water to cover. simmer for three or four hours, and strain. reheat the liquor, add one cupful each of washed rice and meat of the chicken, a small turnip chopped, and a blade of mace. simmer for three hours, rub through a sieve, season to taste, and serve. chicken and tomato soup cut up a chicken, fry in butter with an onion, and a slice of ham chopped fine. add two quarts of beef stock, two cupfuls of water, a small bunch of parsley, a tablespoonful of powdered sweet herbs, and salt and pepper to season. add a can of tomatoes and cook until the meat falls from the bones. remove the bones, chop the meat fine, reheat, and serve. cream of chicken melt one tablespoonful of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and, when thoroughly blended, three cupfuls of chicken stock. season to taste, add one cupful of boiling cream, and serve. cream of chicken and asparagus prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, and add one cupful of cooked asparagus, which has been rubbed through a sieve. add the asparagus tops, cooked separately, and serve with unsweetened whipped cream. cream of chicken and barley prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, and add one cupful of barley which has been cooked in chicken stock. add more cream if too thick. cream of chicken and celery chop fine one head of celery, and boil until soft in four cupfuls of chicken stock. rub through a sieve, reheat, thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, boiled in the soup, while stirring, season to taste, add two cupfuls of boiling cream, and serve. cream of chicken and noodles prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, and add one cupful of cooked noodles. season with grated parmesan cheese. cream of chicken and oysters prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, and add one cupful of cooked oysters with their liquor. season with minced parsley and lemon-juice. cream of chicken and sago prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, and add one cupful of sago which has been cooked in chicken stock. dilute with boiling cream if too thick, and serve with whipped cream in each plate. cream of chicken and vermicelli prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, and add one cupful of broken vermicelli, which has been cooked in chicken stock. season with minced parsley, and grated parmesan cheese. cream chicken bouillon prepare cream of chicken according to directions given above, thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of boiling cream, and serve in cups with a tablespoonful of unsweetened whipped cream on each cup. creole chicken gumbo cut up a chicken, and fry brown in ham or bacon fat. cover with three quarts of cold water, and boil until the chicken is tender. add the corn cut from three large ears, or half a can of corn, two sliced tomatoes, two potatoes cut into dice, six pods of okra, and half a cupful of cold boiled ham chopped fine. boil until the chicken falls to pieces, take out the bones, and serve. egg and chicken soup reheat six cupfuls of chicken stock, add half a cupful of cold boiled rice, and two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine. thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, rubbed smooth in the boiling soup, season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley, and serve. german chicken soup reheat six cupfuls of chicken stock, add one cupful of cooked tapioca, and one cupful of milk. season to taste. thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten smooth with one cupful of cream, stir until eggs are cooked, and pour the hot soup over the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. giblet soup reheat four cupfuls of chicken stock. add the finely minced cooked giblets of two chickens, and salt, pepper, and parsley to season. thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and browned flour, rubbed smooth in the boiling soup. add two hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped, and serve. hungarian chicken soup chop fine, two cupfuls of cold roast chicken. fry in butter, dredge with flour, add four cupfuls of chicken stock, one cupful of white wine, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, and a small bunch of parsley. simmer for an hour, rub through a sieve, and reheat. add one-half cupful of chicken cut into dice, a shredded green pepper, which has been fried in butter, and a cupful of barley which has been cooked in chicken stock. season to taste, and serve. jellied chicken bouillon cut up a large chicken and break the bones. cover with cold water, and simmer for four hours. cool, skim, and strain, season to taste, reheat, and add one-half package of gelatine, dissolved in cold water, for each quart of soup. stir until the gelatine is thoroughly mixed with the hot liquid, strain through cheese-cloth, pour into cups, and set on ice. mock chicken gumbo chop fine a quarter of a pound of cold cooked ham, and fry in butter with an onion. add a can of chicken, half a cupful of stewed tomatoes, a can of okra, one cupful of chicken stock, and boiling water to cover. boil for fifteen minutes, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, blended with a little cold stock. season to taste, and serve with boiled rice. _cream soups_ cream of asparagus prepare according to directions given for cream of celery, using two cupfuls of asparagus. add a tablespoonful of whipped cream and a few of the cooked asparagus tops to each plate of soup. cream of barley prepare according to directions given for cream of celery, using one cupful of cooked barley and an extra cupful of milk. season with curry powder, celery salt, and minced parsley. cream of celery melt one-fourth of a cupful of butter, and add one-fourth of a cupful of flour. when thoroughly blended, add two cupfuls of cold milk, cook and stir until thick. cook a large head of celery, cut fine, in boiling water until tender, and rub through a sieve. measure the pulp and add enough of the water in which it was cooked to make two cupfuls. add to the thickened milk, season with salt and pepper, and if too thick, dilute with boiling milk, or stock, to the proper consistency. cream of clams prepare according to directions given above, using two cupfuls of minced clams with their liquor instead of the celery. cream of corn and tomato prepare according to directions given above, using one cupful each of corn and tomato pulp. cream of crabs prepare according to directions given above, using two cupfuls of cooked crab meat. season with lemon-juice and sherry. cream of mushrooms prepare according to directions given above, using either fresh or canned mushrooms. season with celery salt and parsley. cream of oysters prepare according to directions given above, using two cupfuls of minced oysters with their liquor. season with minced parsley. cream of peas prepare according to directions given above, using fresh or canned peas and enough of the water in which they were boiled to make two cupfuls. put a tablespoonful of whipped cream into each plate. cream of tomato prepare according to directions given above, using two cupfuls of stewed tomatoes, and a small pinch of soda. season with minced parsley and grated onion. cream of vermicelli prepare according to directions given above, using one cupful of cooked vermicelli, and an extra cupful of milk. season with celery salt, curry powder, grated onion, and minced parsley. _fish soups_ clam broth scrub the clams in cold water. place over the fire in an iron kettle, and heat until the shells open. strain the broth through two thicknesses of cheese-cloth, season to taste, and serve. clam bouillon prepare according to directions elsewhere given for oyster bouillon, cooking a chopped onion and a bay-leaf with the clams. cream clam bouillon prepare clam bouillon according to directions given above, and add one pint of boiling cream just before serving. serve in cups, with whipped cream. clam soup reheat one quart of clam broth, season with parsley, salt, red pepper, and grated onion. add one cupful and a half of minced clams, and thicken with one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, blended with a little cold broth. stir while cooking. add one pint of boiling cream, and serve. clam and oyster soup chop a pint of oysters. heat with their liquor, add a pint can of minced clams, and one quart of milk. thicken with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, season with salt and pepper, minced parsley, powdered mace, and grated onion. serve with crackers. crab gumbo melt one tablespoonful each of butter and lard, add a minced onion, a clove of garlic, chopped fine, half a pound of minced raw veal or beef, half a cupful of chopped ham, a bay-leaf, and a small red pepper. dredge with flour, add a quart of water, simmer for two hours, and strain. to the strained liquor add the meat of six crabs, one cupful each of rice and okra, and another quart of water. simmer for an hour, adding more water if necessary, and serve without straining. french fish soup thicken three quarts of fish stock with three tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour. stir while cooking. add a tablespoonful of minced parsley, two wineglassfuls of sherry, a pinch of powdered mace, a grating of nutmeg, and white and red pepper to season. add one pint each of cooked oysters and scallops, reheat, and serve immediately with croutons. german fish soup chop fine four onions, and fry brown in olive-oil. add two cupfuls of canned tomatoes, three bay-leaves, a tablespoonful of powdered sweet herbs, a bunch of parsley, pepper and salt to season, and six cupfuls of stock. boil for thirty minutes, rub through a sieve, and reheat. add six small slices of fish, and simmer until the fish is firm. season with curry powder, add a wineglassful of white wine, and thicken with four tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold stock. serve with croutons. oyster bouillon bring to the boil in their own liquor a quart of oysters. skim out the oysters, chop fine, and return to the liquor. add a quart of water, a teaspoonful of celery seed, and a tablespoonful of butter. simmer for half an hour, strain through cheese-cloth, season with salt and pepper, and serve at once. oyster soup scald one quart of oysters in their own liquor. skim out the oysters, and set aside. add one cupful of cream to the liquor, and three cupfuls of milk. thicken with one tablespoonful of butter and one of flour, blended and rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. stir while cooking. add the oysters, season to taste, and pour, boiling hot, over the yolks of four eggs, well-beaten. creole oyster gumbo fry a sliced spanish onion brown in olive-oil, add a tablespoonful of flour, a chopped sweet pepper, and a pint of okra. simmer for fifteen minutes, add one hundred oysters, with their liquor, and a tablespoonful of filè powder. cook until the oysters ruffle, and serve with boiled rice. the gumbo filè powder comes in bottles, and is sold by all first-class grocers. oyster and veal soup reheat two quarts of veal stock, season with salt, pepper, and celery salt, and add one quart of oysters, with their liquor. cook until the edges of the oysters curl, and thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, cooked while stirring with a cupful of milk. season with minced parsley, and serve with crackers. southern oyster soup drain the liquor from fifty oysters, add to it two cupfuls of cold water, and bring to the boil. season with salt, pepper, and butter, and add two cupfuls of milk. thicken with one tablespoonful of cornstarch, rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, stir while cooking, add the oysters, cook until the edges ruffle, and serve immediately. salmon soup simmer for fifteen minutes in boiling water either a pound can of salmon or a pound of the fresh fish. rub through a sieve, and set aside. bring to the boil two cupfuls each of milk and veal stock, thicken with one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, stir while cooking, season with salt and pepper, add the salmon, reheat, and serve. spanish salmon soup cook together a quart of stock, a sliced onion, and half a can of salmon. rub through a sieve, add a quart of boiling milk, season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and celery salt, thicken with butter and flour, and serve with whipped cream. shrimp soup chop fine two carrots and an onion. fry brown in butter, with a tablespoonful of sugar, then add a quart of water, a sprig of thyme, two bay-leaves, four cloves, and two cans of shrimps. simmer until the carrot and onions are soft. rub through a sieve, reheat, add half a glassful of white wine, and serve with croutons. french cream of shrimps chop fine two cans of shrimps, fry in butter, add a slice of stale bread, three anchovies, half a cupful of boiled rice, a sliced onion, and two quarts of veal stock. simmer for two hours, rub through a sieve, season with salt and pepper, add a tablespoonful of sherry and serve hot. scallop stew parboil one quart of scallops. boil one quart of milk, season with butter, pepper, and salt, add the parboiled scallops, and one-half cupful of cracker crumbs. reheat and serve. hoffman house clam chowder chop fine one dozen large clams, one quart of tomatoes, and six large potatoes. add one quart of milk, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and the juice of the clams. cook for forty-five minutes and add six crackers pounded fine. season with pepper and serve. creole corn chowder fry brown in butter four large onions. add five tomatoes, two sweet green peppers shredded, and two cupfuls of corn cut from the cob, or its equivalent of canned corn. add boiling water to cover, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and cook until the vegetables are done. _fruit soups_ cherry soup stone four cupfuls of sour cherries. cover with a quart of cold water and bring to the boil. add half a cupful of sugar, and when the cherries are soft, rub through a colander and return to the fire. thicken with one tablespoonful of arrowroot, rubbed smooth with a little cold water. bring to the boil once more, while stirring and when sufficiently thick take from the fire. add the juice of half a lemon and serve very cold in sherbet cups with cracked ice. currant soup prepare according to directions given for cherry soup using currants instead of cherries. gooseberry soup prepare according to directions for cherry soup, using gooseberries instead of cherries. prune soup soak one-half cupful of sago for an hour in cold water to cover. add one quart of cold water and cook in a double boiler until transparent. cook together, in water sufficient to cover, one cupful of soaked prunes, one-half cupful of soaked raisins, and one-half cupful of sugar. when the sago is clear, add the cooked fruit, and one-half cupful of currant-juice. serve hot with croutons. raisin and sago soup simmer until transparent, in four cupfuls of water, two tablespoonfuls of well-washed pearl sago, adding a pinch of salt, and two inches of stick cinnamon. when the sago is done, take out the cinnamon, add one-half cupful of seeded and chopped raisins, and sugar to taste. just before serving, add one cupful of orange-juice. raspberry and currant soup bring to the boil two cupfuls each of raspberry- and currant-juice. sweeten to taste, thicken with three teaspoonfuls of arrowroot rubbed smooth in a little cold water, add one teaspoonful of sherry, and cool. strawberry soup boil in six cupfuls of water one-half cupful of sago and one-half cupful of currant-juice. when the sago is transparent, add two cupfuls of strawberries and sugar to taste. simmer for fifteen minutes, and serve cold. _mutton soups_ asparagus soup add to six cupfuls of mutton stock one cupful of cooked asparagus tips and half a cupful of parboiled sweet green peppers cut in shreds. thicken with egg yolks and cream, if desired. baked mutton soup arrange in an earthen jar half a dozen cold boiled potatoes, a sliced onion, a sliced turnip, three sliced tomatoes, a grated carrot, a cupful of green peas, and a cupful of cold boiled rice. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, season with salt, pepper, and sweet herbs, and cover with cold mutton broth. cover the jar tightly, and bake for two hours in a slow oven. clear mutton broth cut into bits one pound of lean mutton and break the bones. cover with four cupfuls of cold water, and bring slowly to the boil. add a large onion cut fine, and simmer until the meat is in rags. strain, cool quickly, and when cold remove the fat. return to the fire, season with salt, pepper, and curry powder, and add two tablespoonfuls of well-washed rice. simmer until the rice is done and serve with croutons. lamb soup cut the breast of lamb into small pieces, and fry brown with an onion in butter. dredge with flour and curry powder, add three quarts of boiling mutton broth, and half a cupful of raw ham chopped fine. simmer until the meat falls from the bone. take out the bones, and strain the soup, pressing the meat through a coarse sieve. reheat, and thicken with the yolks of three eggs, beaten smooth with half a cupful of cream. serve with dice of fried or toasted bread. mutton and carrot soup cover the bones of cold roast mutton with two quarts of cold water. add an onion which has been sliced and fried brown in butter, a potato and a turnip, and six medium-sized carrots cut fine. simmer until the vegetables are tender, remove the bones, and strain through a sieve. reheat, season, and thicken with one tablespoonful of flour and one of butter. rub smooth with a little of the soup. just before serving, add a cupful of hot cream. noodle and tomato soup cook a can of tomatoes for an hour in three quarts of mutton stock. strain, reheat, season to taste, and cook a handful of noodles in the soup until tender. serve with grated parmesan cheese. quick mutton soup chop together a pound of lean mutton and a small turnip, a carrot, a stalk of celery, and an onion. cover with six cupfuls of cold water, bring to the boil, skim, and simmer forty-five minutes. season with salt, pepper, and minced parsley, and serve with croutons. _veal soups_ austrian veal soup reheat two quarts of veal stock and add one cupful each of cooked green peas and diced carrots. thicken with butter and flour according to directions previously given. chiffonade soup chop fine two heads of lettuce, and fry brown in butter with a sliced onion. season with salt and pepper, add six cupfuls of veal stock and one and one-half cupfuls each of peas, string beans, and asparagus tips. simmer for forty minutes, and serve with croutons. green-pea soup with rice boil three pints of green peas with a carrot and an onion in two quarts of veal stock. remove the onion and carrot and strain the soup through a fine sieve. reheat, skim, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, add two cupfuls of boiled rice, and two teaspoonfuls of butter. bring to the boil and serve. italian veal soup cover a large knuckle of veal with three quarts of cold water, and simmer for three hours, skimming often. strain, add a bay-leaf, a carrot, an onion, a turnip, a blade of mace, two cloves, a stalk of celery, and a small bunch of parsley. boil for an hour, strain, and cool. when it has jellied, measure the jelly, and reheat with an equal amount of cream. serve with dice of fried bread. quick tomato soup add two cupfuls of stewed tomato to four cupfuls of veal stock. strain, season to taste, and thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour blended and cooked until thick in a little cold stock. soup À la duchesse fry in butter two slices of carrot and two slices of onion. add two blades of mace, and four cupfuls of veal stock. simmer half an hour, strain, and add two cupfuls of boiling milk. thicken with one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour, blended and cooked until thick with a little of the soup, season with salt and pepper, add one-half cupful of grated cheese, reheat, and serve with croutons. spring soup cook in veal stock four young carrots, four young turnips, and two leeks cut fine. add sufficient veal stock to make the desired quantity of soup, and one cupful of fresh green peas. boil for fifteen minutes, season to taste, and serve. veal broth break up three pounds of the neck of veal, cover with three quarts of cold water, add an onion and a turnip cut fine, and a small bunch of parsley. simmer for three hours, take out the bones, and press the rest through a sieve. cool, skim, and reheat. add one cupful of washed rice, and simmer until the rice is done. serve with croutons. vegetable soup put a knuckle of veal into four quarts of water, with a tablespoonful of salt and a pod of red pepper. simmer for three hours, skimming as needed. add one cupful of cabbage cut fine, two cupfuls of diced potatoes, a minced carrot, three large onions, and a head of celery cut fine. simmer until the vegetables are done. _miscellaneous soups_ i cut up three pounds of the shin of beef, and break the bones. cover with three quarts of cold water, add half a pound of lean ham, a turnip, an onion, a carrot, a quarter of a cabbage, and three stalks of celery, all cut fine. simmer until the meat falls from the bones, skimming when necessary. strain, cool, skim, reheat, and serve with dice of fried bread. ii put into a soup-kettle the bones and trimmings of a cold roast turkey, with a quarter of a pound of lean ham. cover with cold water. add a chopped onion, a stalk of celery, a tablespoonful of powdered sweet herbs, and pepper and salt to season. simmer until the meat is in rags, strain, reheat, add half a can of corn, and a little of the turkey stuffing. iii take the bone of a rib roast of beef, the trimmings of beef steak, and the bones and trimmings of a cold turkey or chicken. cover with four quarts of cold water, add two carrots, three turnips, and an onion, all cut fine, six cloves, and pepper and salt to season. simmer for four hours, take out the bones, rub through a coarse sieve, cool, skim, and reheat. thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, blended together and rubbed smooth with a little of the soup, season to taste, and serve with croutons. iv break up a knuckle of veal, add a pound of lean ham cut fine, and a tablespoonful of powdered sweet herbs. cover with cold water, simmer for five hours, cool, skim, reheat, season, and strain. add a pinch of ground mace, and one-quarter of a pound of broken vermicelli, which has been cooked until tender in salted water. serve with grated parmesan cheese. v break up a beef marrow bone, and cover with cold water. add half a carrot, two stalks of celery, and an onion, all chopped fine. simmer until the vegetables are very soft, take out the bone, cool, skim, rub through a sieve, and reheat. add one cupful of cold mashed potato, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, a tablespoonful of butter, a pinch of soda, and one teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a cupful of cold water. cook and stir until it thickens, and serve immediately with croutons. vi chop fine two pounds of lean beef, cover with cold water, simmer until tender, cool, skim, and reheat. add one cupful of sherry, two tablespoonfuls of made mustard, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and a grating of nutmeg. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of butter, blended with one tablespoonful of flour, and rubbed smooth with a little of the soup. stir while cooking. add one cupful of boiling cream, season to taste, and serve. fifty ways to cook shell-fish _clams_ clams À la marquise cook a quart of opened clams with a cupful of white stock, a tablespoonful of butter, and pepper and mace to season. skim out, drain, and slice the clams. in another saucepan blend together a teaspoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of the liquid, cook and stir for five minutes. thicken with the yolks of two eggs, add the clams, and reheat. fill small individual dishes with the mixture, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake until brown. sprinkle with lemon-juice just before serving. clams in the chafing-dish put a tablespoonful of butter in the blazer and when it froths add a green pepper and a very small onion, both chopped fine. cook for five minutes. add one-half cupful of clam-juice and season with red pepper. add one cupful of clams finely chopped or one small can of minced clams, cook five minutes longer, and pour over hot buttered toast. clam cocktail put a dozen small clams into a cold bowl and pour over them a teaspoonful each of worcestershire sauce, vinegar, lemon-juice, tomato catsup, and horseradish. add a little salt, and a few drops of tabasco sauce. serve very cold in small glasses. creamed clams chop fine two dozen hard clams. make smooth in a saucepan two small spoonfuls each of butter and flour. when they cook through, add the clams and one-half cupful of the juice. season with red pepper, simmer for ten minutes, then add the thickening and half a cupful of cream. boil up once and serve. connecticut clam pie fill a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of minced clams and thin slices of boiled potatoes, dredging each layer of clams with flour. season with salt, pepper, grated onion, and minced parsley. when the dish is full, pour in one cupful of clam-juice, add three tablespoonfuls of strained tomato, cover with a pastry crust, and bake brown in a quick oven. devilled clams chop fine two dozen clams, removing the hard parts. mix with half the quantity of bread crumbs, a teaspoonful each of grated onion and parsley, and three tablespoonfuls of melted butter. season highly with salt and pepper, and add a few drops of worcestershire sauce. put into buttered clam-shells, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake until brown. escalloped clams clean the clams, scrub thoroughly, and heat until they open. drain carefully. strain the juice through linen and save a cupful of it. to one pint of clams allow one cupful of clam-juice, one cupful of milk, and two cupfuls of crumbs. arrange the clams and crumbs in alternate layers in a baking-dish, seasoning with pepper and dots of butter, and having crumbs and butter on top. pour over the hot liquid and bake in a brisk oven. _crabs_ baked crabs butter a baking-pan and put a layer of seasoned crab meat in the bottom. add a layer of finely chopped cooked ham, then a layer of crumbs. dot with butter and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. add sufficient stock to moisten, and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. baked soft-shell crabs clean the crabs, season with salt and pepper, dip in melted butter, and sprinkle thickly with dry bread-crumbs. put into a dripping-pan and put into a very hot oven for five minutes. serve with tartar sauce. broiled soft-shell crabs clean carefully, dip into melted butter, season with pepper and salt, and broil. serve on toast with melted butter and lemon-juice. crabs À la crÉole melt one tablespoonful of butter, add a clove of garlic, a sweet pepper, and a small onion chopped fine, one cupful of tomatoes, and salt and pepper to season. cook for ten minutes, add one cupful of cooked crab meat, reheat, and serve on toast. crabs À la st. laurence to one and one-half cupfuls of minced cooked crab meat, add one cupful of white stock, one tablespoonful of sherry, one tablespoonful of grated cheese, and salt and pepper to season. cook for ten minutes, pour over buttered toast, and sprinkle thickly with grated cheese. put into a very hot oven until the cheese melts, and serve at once. crabs baked in shells chop fine two cupfuls of crab meat. season with salt, red pepper, grated onion, mushroom catsup, lemon-juice, and a pinch of ginger. heat with a tablespoonful of butter and half a cupful of stock until the liquid is nearly absorbed. butter the empty shells, fill with the mixture, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. crab croquettes chop fine two cupfuls of boiled crab meat. season with salt, pepper, and melted butter. add half a cupful of cream and enough crumbs to make very stiff. add one egg well-beaten, heat for a moment, and cool. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. devilled crabs melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour, and cook thoroughly. add one cupful of cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, red pepper, and grated onion. add two cupfuls of crab meat and two eggs well-beaten. heat until it begins to thicken, then cool. fill the crab-shells with the mixture, brush with beaten egg, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven, or omit the butter and fry in deep fat. crab farci with tomato sauce mix one cupful of cooked crab meat with half the quantity of bread-crumbs. moisten with well-seasoned beef stock, season with salt, pepper, mustard, and melted butter, and add one-half cupful or more of stewed and strained tomato, to which a little chopped garlic and onion have been added. fill the crab shells, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. crab fricassee prepare according to directions given for creamed crabs. season with lemon-juice and add a pinch of soda dissolved in a little cream. add the yolks of three eggs well-beaten just before serving. fried soft-shell crabs clean carefully, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. drain on brown paper and serve with tartar sauce. stuffed crabs boil large crabs. take out the meat and rub the shells with oil. add to the meat one-third the quantity of grated bread-crumbs and one chopped hard-boiled egg for each crab. season with salt, paprika, grated nutmeg, and lemon-juice, and make to a paste with melted butter or cream. fill the shells, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. _lobster_ broiled lobster split a boiled lobster lengthwise, rub the cut surface with soft butter, and broil with a slow fire. brown lobster curry melt three tablespoonfuls of butter and fry in it two small onions chopped fine. dredge with one tablespoonful of flour and cook until brown. add two cupfuls of stock, salt and pepper to season, the juice of a lemon, and one tablespoonful of curry powder rubbed smooth with a little cold water. cook until thick, add the meat of a boiled lobster, reheat, and serve with boiled rice and ice-cold bananas. devilled lobster pick out the meat from a boiled lobster, reserving the coral, and season with salt, mustard, cayenne, and mushroom catsup. put into a buttered saucepan and heat thoroughly, adding enough hot water to keep the mixture from burning. rub the coral smooth with the liquor, mix with a tablespoonful of melted butter, add to the lobster, keep hot five minutes longer, and serve. escalloped lobster cover the bottom of a baking-dish with fine bread-crumbs. put in a layer of lobster and season with pepper and salt. add another layer of crumbs and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. pour over enough milk to moisten, and bake about twenty minutes. lobster À la newburg put into a saucepan four tablespoonfuls of butter and when it melts add the meat of two boiled lobsters coarsely cut. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add two tablespoonfuls of sherry, and simmer for five minutes. add the yolks of four eggs beaten smooth with one cupful of cream, cook for two minutes, and serve immediately. lobster in casserole fry a chopped onion in a little butter, add one cupful each of chicken stock and strained tomato, season highly with salt and red pepper, and pour over the meat of a boiled lobster arranged in a casserole. set into a hot oven for fifteen or twenty minutes and serve. lobster wiggle melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add two small spoonfuls of flour, cook and stir thoroughly. add one cupful of cream, and salt and pepper to season. cook until thick, add one and one-half cupfuls of boiled lobster meat, and one teaspoonful each of lemon-juice and minced parsley. when hot, add half a can of french peas, bring to the boil, and serve on toast. _oysters_ baked oysters put into a baking-dish one-half cupful of butter and one cupful of cream. heat thoroughly, but do not boil. add three tablespoonfuls of sherry, one teaspoonful of anchovy paste, a dash of red pepper, and a grating of lemon-peel. dip out one-half cupful of the mixture and set aside. put one quart of oysters into the baking-dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper, grated cheese, and dried bread-crumbs. pour over carefully the remaining cream, sprinkle again with crumbs and cheese, and bake in a very hot oven. serve immediately. if preferred, oysters may be baked this way in individual dishes. broiled oysters on toast drain three dozen large oysters, and wipe dry with a cloth. season with salt and pepper, and fry briskly in butter for two minutes. skim out, arrange on a buttered oyster-broiler, and broil brown on both sides. arrange the oysters on thin slices of toast, pour over the hot butter, garnish with lemon and parsley, and serve. creole oyster loaf cut the top from a baker's loaf and scoop out the crumb. toast or fry the shell and lid. fill with fried oysters, season with tomato catsup and sliced pimolas, put on the lid, reheat, and serve very hot. curried oysters put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of chopped onion. fry the onion brown, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour and one teaspoonful of curry powder. cook and stir until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan, add one cupful of cream, and salt and pepper to season. stir constantly until the sauce is thick, add one quart of oysters with their liquor, and cook slowly until the edges of the oysters curl. serve on toast. devilled oysters parboil a pint of oysters, skim out, drain, and cool. chop coarsely. mix with two hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs, salt, red pepper, and lemon-juice to season, and enough cream to make the mixture a smooth paste. fill buttered oyster-shells with this mixture, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a hot oven until brown. escalloped oysters and macaroni break into inch pieces half a pound of macaroni. put into salted boiling water, and boil for twenty minutes. drain in a colander and pour fresh boiling-water through to remove superfluous starch. butter a pudding-dish and put a layer of macaroni in the bottom. cover with a layer of oysters, dot with butter, season with pepper and salt, and repeat until the dish is nearly full. beat together two eggs, and one and one-half cupfuls of milk or cream. pour over the oysters and macaroni, spread one cupful of cracker crumbs over the top, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake about half an hour. fried oysters select large oysters and drain on a cloth. when dry, dip in beaten egg, then in dried bread-crumbs, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set aside for two hours. dip in eggs and crumbs again, fry brown in deep fat, drain on brown paper, and serve immediately. oysters in brown sauce parboil a pint of oysters in their own liquor, skim out, and drain. put into a saucepan one-quarter of a cupful of butter, and cook until brown. add one-quarter of a cupful of flour, cook and stir until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. add one-half cupful of milk, one cupful of oyster liquor, one teaspoonful of anchovy paste, and salt and pepper to season. cook until thick, add the oysters, reheat, and serve. oysters in casserole toast small square slices of bread, butter thickly on one side, and put, butter-side down, into a casserole. cover with oysters, dot with butter, sprinkle with red pepper and salt, cover the dish, and bake in a quick oven until the edges of the oysters curl. serve with lemon quarters. oyster cocktail put into a glass two teaspoonfuls of lemon-juice, two drops of tabasco sauce, half a teaspoonful of worcestershire, two teaspoonfuls of tomato catsup, a pinch of salt, and a saltspoonful of paprika. mix thoroughly, add five or six small fresh oysters, let stand for five minutes, and serve very cold. oysters with dumplings make a light biscuit dough, roll thin, and cut into inch squares. scald a quart can of oysters in their own liquor and when it boils, skim out the oysters and set aside. add to the liquor two cupfuls of boiling water, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to season. cook and stir with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. when boiling hot, put in the dumplings, cover closely, boil for forty minutes, add the oysters, reheat, and serve at once. oysters with green peppers put a tablespoonful of butter into a frying-pan and fry in it a sweet pepper and a small onion both chopped fine. add a pint of oysters with their liquor, season with salt and paprika, and cook for five minutes. serve on hot buttered toast. oyster stew drain one quart of oysters and put the liquor to heat in a saucepan. add one cupful of cream, and salt and red pepper to taste. bring to the boil, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and thicken with one teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. cook and stir until it thickens, add the oysters, simmer until the edges curl, take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon, and pour over thin slices of the buttered toast. oysters À l'indien strain the juice from a quart can of tomatoes, and add enough water to make two cupfuls. heat to the boiling point, add half a cupful of well washed rice, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring as needed. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, two teaspoonfuls of curry powder, salt and pepper to taste, and two dozen large oysters. cook until the oysters ruffle. serve with thin brown bread sandwiches and bananas. oysters À la madrid butter individual baking-dishes. put a layer of drained oysters in the bottom, season with salt and pepper, dot with butter, sprinkle with finely chopped pimentos, cover with crumbs, and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. bake in a quick oven. _scallops_ fried scallops trim off the beards and black parts, rinse well, and drain. sauté in hot lard, drain on brown paper, and serve at once. or, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. pigs in blankets parboil scallops, drain and dry on a cloth. roll a thin slice of bacon around each one and fasten with a wooden tooth-pick. fry until the bacon is crisp and serve on thin slices of buttered toast. _shrimps_ creamed shrimps melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour, and cook thoroughly. add one cupful of milk, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add two cupfuls of shelled shrimps broken into small pieces, season to taste, reheat, and serve. curried shrimps melt one heaping tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour and cook thoroughly. add one cupful of boiling water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a tablespoonful of curry powder and a teaspoonful of grated onion. heat thoroughly and add a can of shrimps well-washed and drained. cook for five minutes longer and serve with boiled rice and ice-cold bananas. jellied shrimps open a large can of shrimps and soak in ice-water for an hour. dissolve half a box of powdered gelatine in cold water to cover, add to it one cupful of boiling water, the juice of two lemons and a pinch of salt. strain into a ring mould and put in half the shrimps. set on ice. when the jelly is firm, loosen from the mould by dipping for an instant in boiling water. turn out on a round platter, and put the rest of the shrimps in the middle with the small hearts of lettuce. serve with mayonnaise. mayonnaise of shrimps prepare two cupfuls of shrimps, and break each one in two pieces. mix with mayonnaise and serve with a border of lettuce leaves. a little finely cut celery may be added if desired. shrimps baked in green peppers cut the stem ends from half a dozen green peppers and carefully remove the seeds and veins. soak the green peppers in cold water for half an hour. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add half a teaspoonful of mixed mustard and salt, pepper, celery salt, and grated nutmeg to season. add one egg well-beaten and mix thoroughly. add two cupfuls of shelled and broken shrimps and enough grated bread-crumbs to make a smooth paste. fill the peppers, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and arrange in a baking-pan with the open side up. bake for twenty minutes. shrimps À la crÉole put into a saucepan two cupfuls of shelled shrimps, one heaping tablespoonful of butter, half a small onion chopped fine, and a bruised bean of garlic. heat thoroughly, add one cupful of canned tomatoes, and salt and cayenne to season. cook for ten minutes and add one-half cupful of french peas just before serving. shrimp wiggle prepare according to directions given for creamed shrimps, using equal quantities of broken shrimps and french peas. tomatoes stuffed with shrimps take half a dozen large tomatoes, cut off the tops, and scoop out the pulp, leaving a thin shell. melt a tablespoonful of butter, add the tomato tops and pulp and cook until thick, seasoning with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and grated onion. add one small can of shrimps cut fine and enough crumbs to make a paste. fill the tomato shells, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in the oven. serve with a border of boiled rice. sixty ways to cook fish court bouillon put into the bottom of the fish-kettle a thick layer of sliced carrots and onions, and a sliced lemon. season with parsley, thyme, a bay-leaf, half a dozen whole peppers, and three or four whole cloves. lay the fish on top of this and cover with equal parts of cold water and white wine, or with water and a little lemon-juice or vinegar. put the kettle over the fire and let it heat slowly. the fish must always be put into it while cold and after boiling allowed to cool in the water. baked bass make a stuffing of one cupful of bread-crumbs, one teaspoonful each of melted butter, worcestershire sauce, tomato catsup, minced parsley, minced onion, minced olives or pickles, and lemon-juice. add salt, black pepper, and paprika to taste, and sufficient cold water to moisten. sew up the fish and bake as usual. serve with tartar sauce. baked bass with shrimp sauce marinate the cleaned fish for an hour in oil and vinegar. put into a baking-pan with slices of salt pork underneath and on top and sufficient boiling water to keep from burning. add a teaspoonful of butter to the water and baste two or three times during the hour of baking. strain the gravy and set aside. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour, and cook until brown. add one cupful of the liquid left in the baking-pan, making up the required quantity with boiling water if necessary. cook until thick, stirring constantly; season with cayenne and lemon-juice, and add half a can of shrimps chopped fine. bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. boiled bass clean the fish, put it into warm salted water, and simmer for twenty minutes. boiled sea-bass with egg sauce boil the fish according to directions previously given. melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour, and cook thoroughly. add two cupfuls of the water in which the fish was boiled, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and lemon-juice, add three hard-boiled eggs coarsely chopped, pour over the fish, and serve. cold bass with tartar sauce boil the fish in court bouillon and drain. chop fine parsley, pickles, olives, and capers. mix with a stiff mayonnaise and spread over the fish. serve with a border of sliced cucumbers. baked bluefish À l'italienne score and scale the bluefish and put it into a buttered pan with three tablespoonfuls each of white wine and mushroom liquor, a tablespoonful of chopped onion, half a dozen chopped mushrooms, and salt and pepper to season. cover with buttered paper and bake for fifteen minutes. take out the fish and add to the sauce half a teaspoonful of beef extract, dissolved in half a cupful of boiling water. add a wineglassful of white wine and thicken with one tablespoonful each of butter and browned flour. pour the sauce over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. baked bluefish clean, scrape, and split the fish and take out the backbone. gash the flesh and insert a thin slice of salt pork under the skin. make a stuffing of one cupful of bread-crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of chopped salt pork, and salt, minced parsley, chopped onion, red pepper, kitchen bouquet, and tomato catsup to season. add one egg well-beaten. fill the fish and sew up. lay on thin slices of salt pork and bake, basting frequently with the fat. garnish with cress and lemon. steamed bluefish season the fish with salt and pepper and pour over it a cupful of vinegar. let stand for an hour, pour off the vinegar, and steam for twenty minutes. serve with any preferred sauce. baked codfish stuff the fish with seasoned crumbs and season with pepper and salt. pour over two cupfuls of sherry and a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup. add two cupfuls of stock, cover with buttered paper, and bake, basting often. when nearly done, sprinkle with bread-crumbs, dot with butter, and bake until brown. take up the fish carefully, add a teaspoonful of beef extract and a little anchovy paste to the liquor in the baking-pan, strain, add two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of half a lemon, bring to the boil, pour over the fish, and serve. codfish À la crÉole flake one pound of cooked codfish, add to it one cupful of boiled rice, half a can of tomatoes strained, a chopped onion, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and salt and pepper to season. cook slowly for half an hour. escalloped codfish and macaroni mix together equal parts of cooked and broken macaroni and flaked boiled cod. mix with cream sauce. fill a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle thickly with grated cheese, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. breaded codfish steaks season the steaks with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. boiled finnan haddie divide into convenient pieces, cover with boiling water, add a teaspoonful of sugar, and boil for fifteen minutes. take up on a hot platter, remove the skin, and dot with butter. broiled finnan haddie cut the haddie into small squares, skin and parboil it. wipe dry, broil on a buttered gridiron and serve with melted butter. creamed finnan haddie parboil, drain, and flake the fish. reheat with shredded fried sweet peppers in a cream sauce. canned pimentos may be used instead of the green peppers. broiled frog legs soak the legs for half an hour in a marinade of oil and lemon-juice, seasoned with salt and pepper. broil on a double-broiler, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. frog legs À la poulette season prepared frog legs with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and fry brown in butter. add two small spoonfuls of flour and two cupfuls of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. add a wineglassful of white wine, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and the yolks of four eggs beaten smooth with the juice of a lemon. bring to the boil and serve. haddock rarebit cut the haddock into slices an inch thick. free from bone and skin. lay in a greased baking-dish, and season with salt and pepper. grate sufficient cheese to cover, and season with salt, red pepper, and mustard. make to a smooth paste with cream or beaten egg. put into a hot oven and cook until the cheese melts and browns, and the fish is firm. take up carefully on a platter, and pour one tablespoonful of sherry over each slice. haddock and oysters clean and fillet a haddock. cover the trimmings with water and add the liquor drained from a pint of oysters. add a slice of onion, a pinch of powdered sweet herbs, and a slice of carrot; simmer to form a stock. put a layer of sliced onion into a saucepan, and arrange upon it the fillets of fish and a pint of oysters; sprinkle with salt and pepper, add the juice of a lemon, cover with sliced onion, strain the stock over, cover and simmer until the fillets are tender. arrange the fillets on a hot dish with the oysters, strain the liquid, thicken it with the yolks of four eggs, pour over, and serve. halibut À la maÎtre d'hÔtel soak two halibut steaks for an hour in lemon-juice, seasoned with salt, pepper, and minced parsley. mix together two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, and two cupfuls of boiling water. cook until thick, stirring constantly. put the slices of halibut into a buttered pan, cover with the sauce, and bake for twenty minutes, basting as required. serve with any preferred sauce. baked halibut soak six pounds of halibut in salt water for two hours. wipe dry and score the outer skin. bake for an hour in a moderately hot oven, basting with melted butter and hot water. add a little boiling water to the gravy, a tablespoonful of walnut catsup, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to season, and the juice of a lemon. cook while stirring with browned flour rubbed smooth with a little cold water. halibut steak À la jardiniÈre soak halibut steaks for an hour in salt and water. wipe dry and rub with melted butter. butter a china baking-dish, sprinkle chopped onion on the bottom, and put in the steaks. on top put a boiled carrot cut into dice, half a dozen sliced tomatoes, a shredded green pepper, and half a cupful of green peas. add enough salted boiling water to keep the fish from scorching, put a tablespoonful of butter on top, cover, and bake until done. drain the liquor carefully from the pan, add three tablespoonfuls of white wine, and thicken with a teaspoonful of butter rolled in browned flour. serve separately as a sauce. fresh boiled mackerel clean the mackerel, sprinkle with vinegar, wrap in a floured cloth, and baste closely. boil for three-quarters of an hour in salted water, drain, and take off the cloth. strain a cupful of the water in which the fish was boiled, and bring to the boil with a tablespoonful of walnut catsup, a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, and the juice of half a lemon. thicken with butter and browned flour. pike baked in sour cream clean a four-pound pike, cut into steaks, and free from skin and bone. put into a buttered baking-dish with two small onions chopped and two bay-leaves. season with salt and cayenne, add one cupful of sour cream, and bake. put on a serving-dish, cover with crumbs and dots of butter, and brown in the oven. add enough stock to the liquid to make the required quantity of sauce, thicken with butter and flour, season, add a dash of lemon-juice, pour around the fish, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. boiled salmon with green sauce boil a small salmon in salted and acidulated water. take up carefully and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to two cupfuls. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add the reduced liquid, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of chopped capers, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, and one tablespoonful of butter. pour over the fish and serve. boiled salmon À la waldorf boil a large piece of salmon in salted and acidulated water, seasoned with herbs and spice. drain and keep warm. add two cupfuls of the liquid in which the fish was cooked, one wineglass full of white wine, and two anchovies rubbed to a paste. boil for fifteen minutes, then add in small bits a tablespoonful of butter. serve the sauce separately. baked salmon rub a small cleaned salmon with olive-oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put into a buttered baking-pan, and add one cupful of boiling water and two tablespoonfuls of butter. baste every ten minutes until done. take up the fish and keep it warm. thicken the gravy with a teaspoonful or more of cornstarch mixed with a little cold water. season with grated onion, lemon-juice, and tomato catsup. stuffed salmon clean, bone, and parboil a small salmon. rub the inside with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. stuff with chopped oysters, minced parsley, and seasoned crumbs. fold together, put into a buttered baking-dish, and bake for half an hour, basting with its own dripping. salmon mayonnaise with cucumbers steam salmon steaks until tender, remove the skin, and cool. cover with thinly sliced cucumbers, mask with mayonnaise, and serve with a border of lettuce leaves and sliced hard-boiled eggs. salmon croquettes cook together one tablespoonful of butter and three tablespoonfuls of flour. add one cupful of cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, red pepper, and minced parsley, take from the fire, add the juice of a lemon and a can of flaked salmon. mix thoroughly and cool. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. salmon loaf mash a can of salmon, add the juice of a lemon, and half a cupful of fresh bread crumbs, three tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and four eggs beaten separately, folding in the stiffly beaten whites last. put into a buttered mould and steam for an hour. add to the oil drained from the salmon one cupful of boiling milk, one small spoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and a tablespoonful of butter. cook until thick, stirring constantly, take from the fire, add one egg well-beaten, a teaspoonful of tomato catsup, and mace and pepper to season. turn the mould out on a platter and pour the sauce around it. fricasseed salmon reheat a can of flaked salmon in a cupful of drawn-butter sauce, adding half a cupful of cream, and salt, red and white pepper to season. take from the fire, add one egg, well-beaten, pour over buttered toast, and sprinkle with parsley. baked creamed salmon cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour, add two cupfuls of milk or cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. add salt, pepper, and minced parsley to season, and a can of flaked salmon. reheat and arrange in a baking-dish with alternate layers of crumbs and butter, having crumbs and butter on top. bake in the oven until brown. salmon en casserole chop a large onion and fry it in butter. add a cupful of bread crumbs and one and one-half cupfuls of milk. bring to the boil, add salt and pepper to season, a can of flaked salmon, and two eggs well-beaten. pour into a buttered casserole, dot with butter, and bake brown. sprinkle with minced parsley and serve. boiled salmon-trout prepare and clean a salmon-trout, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and put on the grate in a fish-kettle. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add a bunch of sweet herbs, a clove of garlic, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. add enough claret to cover and simmer until done. drain the fish, strain the liquid, thicken if desired, and serve the sauce separately. baked sardines marinate drained sardines in lemon-juice, then drain, sprinkle with cracker crumbs, and put into a hot oven for ten minutes. cook together a heaping teaspoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of tomato-juice, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, grated onion, and sugar. arrange the sardines on toasted strips of brown bread, pour the sauce over, and serve. broiled shad prepare and clean the fish, split, and remove the backbone. season with salt and pepper, dip in oil, broil carefully, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. boned fried shad remove the head and tail, then take out the back and side bones. cut into convenient pieces for serving, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. baked shad bake a shad in a buttered baking-pan, adding enough boiling water to keep from burning. baste while baking with melted butter and lemon-juice, seasoning with pepper and salt. cook together a small spoonful each of butter and flour until brown. add slowly a cupful of stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. pour over the fish and serve. baked shad stuffed with oysters rub a large cleaned fish with salt inside and out. stuff with oysters and seasoned crumbs made very rich with melted butter, and bake, basting with melted butter and hot water. thicken the gravy with flour browned in butter, adding a little hot water or stock if necessary, season with lemon-juice and catsup, and serve the sauce separately. fried shad roe parboil the roe for ten minutes in salted and acidulated water. drain, plunge into cold water, and cool. drain, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry brown in deep fat. serve with any preferred sauce. shad roe baked in tomato sauce boil the roe, drain, cool, and skin. cook together for ten minutes one cupful of canned tomatoes, one cupful of stock or water, a slice of onion, and salt and pepper to season. cook together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour, add the tomato, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. rub the sauce through a strainer. put the roe on a buttered baking-dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with the sauce, and bake. serve in the dish in which it was baked. shad roe with brown sauce soak a shad roe in water for half an hour, scald, drain, cool, and cut in slices. sauté in butter and drain. cook a tablespoonful of flour in the butter, add one cupful of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, paprika, worcestershire, and curry powder; pour over the fish and serve. broiled smelts dip prepared smelts in lemon-juice and seasoned melted butter, then in flour; broil in a double broiler, and serve with tartar sauce. baked smelts remove the heads, split, dip in melted butter, then in flour. put into a buttered baking-pan, bake for ten minutes, sprinkle with cayenne and lemon-juice, and serve. smelts au beurre noir roll the cleaned smelts in flour, sauté in butter, and arrange on fingers of buttered toast. brown half a cupful of butter, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, pour over the fish, and serve. broiled sturgeon steaks parboil sturgeon steaks for fifteen minutes, drain, wipe dry, season with salt and pepper, and broil. serve with melted butter or maître d'hôtel sauce. boiled trout tie a large trout in a cloth and boil it in salted and acidulated water to cover, adding an onion, a stalk of celery, and a bunch of parsley. when done, drain and keep warm. stick blanched almonds into the fish, sharp side down, and pour over a cream sauce to which chopped hard-boiled eggs and parsley have been added. baked turbot rub a small cleaned turbot with melted butter, sprinkle with minced parsley, powdered mace, and salt and pepper to season. let stand for an hour and put into a buttered baking-dish. brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, bake, and serve with any preferred sauce. turbot À la crÊme cook together three small spoonfuls each of butter and flour, add a quart of cream, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with pepper, salt, minced parsley, and grated onion. butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of cold cooked turbot flaked fine, cover with sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. sprinkle with chopped eggs and parsley. boiled whitefish boil a large whitefish in salted and acidulated water, adding a bunch of parsley and a sliced onion to the water. drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. fried whitefish clean and trim the fish and cut into convenient pieces for serving. dip in seasoned flour and sauté in hot lard in a frying-pan. baked whitefish clean and split a large fish, remove the bone, and put in a buttered baking-pan skin side down. season with salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake. serve with any preferred sauce. stuffed whitefish with oyster sauce make a stuffing of two cupfuls of bread crumbs, half a cupful of chopped salt pork fried crisp, a chopped hard-boiled egg, half a cupful of vinegar, and salt, pepper, butter, sage, and mustard to season. stuff the fish, place in a pie-tin, put into a steamer and steam until done. pour over a cream sauce to which cooked oysters and a little lemon-juice and minced parsley have been added. planked whitefish butter a fish-plank and tack a large cleaned and split whitefish on it, skin side down. rub with butter, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the oven or under a gas flame. put a border of mashed potato mixed with the beaten white of egg around the fish, using a pastry tube and forcing bag. put into the oven for a few minutes to brown the potato, and serve with a garnish of lemon and parsley. jellied whitefish boil two pounds of whitefish in salted and acidulated water, with four bay-leaves, a tablespoonful of pepper-corns, and half a dozen cloves. take out the fish, strain the liquid, and reduce by rapid boiling to a quantity barely sufficient to cover the fish. add the juice of a lemon and two ounces of dissolved gelatine. flake the fish with a fork, removing all skin, fat, and bone, mix with the liquid, pour into a fish-mould, wet with cold water, and put on ice until firm. serve cold with mayonnaise or tartar sauce. baked fish prepare a cream sauce, seasoning with grated onion, minced parsley, and powdered mace. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs, and salt and pepper to taste. put a layer of cold, cooked, flaked and seasoned fish, into a buttered baking-dish, spread with the sauce, and repeat until the dish is full, having sauce on top. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. this may be baked in individual dishes if desired. bouillabaisse cut into pieces and remove the bones from three pounds of fish, add six shrimps or one lobster or two crabs, cooked, and cut into large pieces; add one-half pint of olive-oil; fry lightly, and add one lemon and two tomatoes, one onion, and one carrot, all sliced, one pinch of saffron--as much as lies on a ten-cent piece,--a bay-leaf, and some parsley. a bean of garlic is used, unless the casserole is rubbed with it before cooking. stir for ten minutes, add one cupful of stock and one wineglassful of white wine or cider. cook for fifteen minutes longer, pour out into a bowl, place slices of toast in the casserole, and cover with the fish and vegetables, allowing the sauce sufficient time to soak into the toast, and adding salt and pepper to taste. fish chops mix cold cooked fish with a little very thick cream sauce, and season with lemon-juice and minced parsley. shape into chops, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. stick a small piece of macaroni in the small end of each chop to represent the bone. serve with tartar sauce. fish À la crÉole chop an onion and a clove of garlic and fry in lard. add three tablespoonfuls of flour, cook and stir until brown, and add one can of strained tomatoes. have the fish cut into convenient pieces for serving, dredge with seasoned flour, and sauté in butter until brown. pour the sauce over, simmer until done, and serve. one hundred and fifty ways to cook meat and poultry _beef_ broiled sirloin steak have the steak cut thick and trim off the tough end. broil carefully on a buttered gridiron, dot with butter, and serve. beefsteak with french-fried onions slice the onions thin, season with salt and pepper, and dredge thoroughly with flour. put into a frying-basket and plunge into deep fat. fry brown and crisp, drain, and serve with broiled steak. steak bordelaise select a thick steak and broil carefully on a buttered gridiron. chop a peeled clove of garlic very fine, or grate it. it cannot be too fine. mix with three times the quantity of parsley finely minced and made to a smooth paste with melted butter. spread over the steak and put in the oven for two minutes before serving. beefsteak with oyster blanquette heat one quart of oysters with their own liquor, skim, and cook until the edges of the oysters curl. thicken with flour cooked in butter, pour over a broiled steak, and serve very hot. beefsteak with fried bananas broil the steak and put on the serving-platter. dot with butter, sprinkle with minced parsley, and surround with bananas cut into quarters lengthwise and fried in butter. the bananas may be baked in the oven, basting with butter and sugar. fried hamburg steak season chopped raw beef with grated onion, salt, minced sweet pepper and minced parsley. mix with raw egg to bind and shape into flat cakes. roll in crumbs, sauté in butter or drippings, and serve with tomato sauce. spanish steak chop two large onions fine and fry brown in butter. fry a flank steak in the same fat, seasoning with pepper only. take up, put into a buttered baking-pan or casserole, sprinkle with salt, spread with onion, pour over a can of tomatoes, and add a green pepper seeded and shredded. cover tightly and cook slowly for an hour or more. thicken the remaining liquid with browned flour to make a gravy. stewed steak with oysters have two pounds of rump steak cut into small squares. fry brown in butter, take up the meat, and cook a tablespoonful of flour in the fat remaining in the pan. add a cupful of water or stock and the liquor drained from one pint of oysters. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, and put the steak into the sauce. cover and cook until the steak is tender, then add a pint of oysters and cook until the edges curl. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and serve. braised flank steak pound a large flank steak flat. make a dressing of seasoned crumbs and chopped salt pork or suet, moistening with melted butter or beaten egg. spread on the steak, roll up, and tie in shape. cut fine a carrot, a turnip, an onion, and a small bunch of parsley. spread the roll of meat thickly with butter, season with pepper and salt and pour over and cook slowly in a very hot oven. rub the vegetables through a sieve, skim off the fat, and make gravy, adding more stock or water if required. stuffed flank steak pound a large flank steak flat. make a stuffing of equal parts of sausage meat and bread crumbs, seasoning with minced onion and thyme. roll up, tie into shape, brown in hot fat, cover with stock or water, and let simmer for two hours. skim and strain the gravy, thicken with flour browned in butter or in a little of the fat, season with mushroom catsup, and pour over the meat or serve separately. stuffed pressed steak pound a large round steak flat and tender. spread with highly seasoned stuffing, roll into shape, and sew tightly in cheese-cloth. boil for three hours, in salted water, take out and press under a heavy weight until cold. take off the cloth, cut in thin slices, and serve with horseradish or made mustard. roast beef have a rib roast of beef cut standing--that is, with the bones left in. put into a hot oven without seasoning and when the outside is seared enough to prevent the escape of the juices, reduce the heat and cook slowly until done, basting frequently with the dripping. during the last half hour of cooking, dredge with salt, pepper, and flour. skim the drippings and thicken for gravy, adding more liquid if required. pot roast put a round of beef into a deep pot, add a small onion sliced, and a cupful of boiling water. cover and cook slowly, allowing ten minutes to the pound. take up the meat, rub with butter, dredge with flour, and brown it in a hot oven. strain the gravy left in the pan, season with salt, pepper, and mushroom catsup, and thicken with flour browned in butter. pour over the meat and serve. rÉchauffÉ of beef À l'espagnole cook together a can of tomatoes, a chopped onion, half a dozen sweet green peppers, seeded and cut into rings, and a tablespoonful of butter. simmer for an hour. reheat in the sauce thin slices of rare roast beef and thicken with one or two beaten eggs. cannelon of beef chop fine two cupfuls of cold roast beef, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and moisten with beaten egg. roll rich pie-crust into an oblong shape, spread with the meat, roll up, fasten the ends by pinching the pastry, rub with butter, and bake brown. serve either hot or cold. macaronied beef break macaroni into short lengths and cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain, mix with tomato sauce and freshly grated parmesan cheese. reheat slices of rare roast beef in a little stock, season to taste, pour the macaroni over, and serve. beef olives cut rare roast beef into thin slices and wrap each one around a thin slice of bacon. fasten with toothpicks, and reheat in beef-gravy or stock. if stock is used, thicken it with browned flour, and season to taste. ragout of beef put into a stewpan a pound of rare roast beef sliced thin, add three onions sliced, and salt and pepper to season. cover with boiling water and simmer until the meat is very tender. add half a cupful of tomatoes, half a cupful of chopped mushrooms, and a few capers. thicken with flour rubbed smooth in a little cold stock or water, season with curry powder, stir and simmer ten minutes longer. serve in a casserole. jellied tongue boil a beef tongue very slowly in water to cover. let cool in the liquid, drain, skin, and cut into thin slices. dissolve a package of gelatine in one cupful of water. heat thoroughly two cupfuls of the cooking liquid, one cupful of stock, and three tablespoonfuls of vinegar. add two teaspoonfuls of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of beef extract, and the dissolved gelatine. if there is not enough liquid to cover the tongue, add boiling water to make the necessary quantity. strain through cheese-cloth. wet a mould in cold water, pour in a layer of the jelly, and when set, add a layer of the tongue. repeat until the mould is full. at serving time turn out and garnish with parsley. stewed tongue with raisins boil a tongue in water to cover until it is so tender that a straw will pierce it. let cool in the water in which it was boiled, drain, and remove the skin. the next day reheat the cooking liquid and let it simmer for three hours with half a cupful of stoned raisins, and the juice and grated peel of a lemon. half an hour before serving thicken the gravy with browned flour and simmer the tongue in it until serving time. pour boiling water over half a cupful of raisins and when they have swelled, drain and add to the gravy. pour the gravy over the tongue and serve. if the sauce is too sour, add a little sugar. this is a german recipe and well worth trying. beef tongue À l'italienne cut a cold boiled tongue into strips. chop fine three onions, fry in butter, dredge with flour, add two teaspoonfuls of lemon-juice and a cupful of mushrooms. pour into a baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve with spinach or spaghetti. spanish stew use a pound and a half of the ribs of beef. put into a saucepan with two quarts of cold water, bring to the boil, and cook for two hours. add a can of tomatoes, three large onions chopped fine, half a dozen cloves, a pinch each of sage and celery seed, one-fourth of the peel of an orange, two bay-leaves, a pod of red pepper, and two cupfuls of boiling water. cook for half an hour, strain, skim, and thicken the gravy, season to taste, pour over the meat, and serve. beef stew with tomatoes use three pounds of the round of beef and cut into small slices. cover with a can of tomatoes, add a chopped onion, and salt, pepper, and powdered cloves to season. cook slowly covered until the meat is done, add a little mushroom catsup, and serve. beef stew with dumplings have three or four pounds of the neck of beef cut into convenient pieces. cover with cold water and add three each of carrots and onions, sliced thin. season with salt and pepper and minced parsley, cover, and cook until the meat is nearly done. sift two cupfuls of flour with two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. add an egg well-beaten in enough milk to make a stiff batter. steam the dumplings in buttered patty pans in a steamer over boiling water. take out the meat and dumplings, thicken the gravy with flour browned in butter, pour over, and serve. tripe in casserole cut a pound and a half of tripe into squares and put into a casserole. slice an onion and a carrot and fry in butter. put into the casserole with a clove, a bay-leaf, a sprig of thyme, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, two cupfuls of stock, and half a wineglassful of white wine. cover and cook slowly until very tender. serve in the casserole. braised beef use a solid piece from the round or shoulder and have it larded with thin strips of salt pork. slice an onion, a turnip, and a carrot. lay the meat upon the vegetables, add four cupfuls of boiling water, cover the pan, and put into a hot oven. allow twenty-five minutes to the pound and when half done season with salt and pepper. baste frequently, and when the meat is done, add enough water or stock to make the required quantity of gravy. thicken with browned flour, season to taste, pour over the meat, and serve. beef ribs may be used. breaded liver have fresh beef liver cut into thin slices, cover with boiling water, and let stand for ten minutes. fry slices of bacon crisp and drain. season the bacon fat with black and red pepper, dip the liver into it, then into bread crumbs, and fry in the bacon fat. garnish the liver with the fried bacon, and sprigs of parsley. add to the fat in the pan one tablespoonful of vinegar and two of tomato catsup. pour over the meat and serve. liver rolls have fresh beef liver cut into thin slices. cover with boiling water, drain, wipe dry, remove the skin, and season with salt and pepper. put a thin slice of salt pork or bacon on each slice of liver, roll up and fasten with a string. brown in hot fat, dredge with flour, cover with boiling water or stock, and cook for half an hour. take off the strings, season to taste, and serve, thickening the gravy more if required. roasted beef heart stuff the heart with highly seasoned crumbs, mixing with a beaten egg to bind. season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and roast covered for an hour and a half, basting frequently with melted butter and water. beef kidney sautÉ chop an onion fine and fry brown in butter. add a kidney which has been soaked for five minutes in boiling salted water and cut into squares. cook for five minutes, sprinkle with flour, add a little stock, cook until the sauce is thick, and serve immediately, sprinkling with minced parsley. stewed beef kidney cut the kidney into thin slices, season highly with pepper and salt, and brown in hot fat. dredge with flour, add a little boiling stock or water, and when the sauce is smooth and thick, heat the kidneys in it. season with minced parsley and serve. beef À la newport cut fine one cupful of dried beef and heat thoroughly with one cupful of canned tomatoes. season with pepper, grated nutmeg, and chopped onion. add half a cupful of grated cheese and three well-beaten eggs. stir constantly until thick and smooth and serve on buttered toast. dutch beef loaf run twice through the meat-chopper a pound and a half of the round of beef and a quarter of a pound of fresh pork. add half a cupful of stale bread crumbs soaked in stock or milk, half a cupful of canned tomatoes, and celery salt, minced parsley, salt, red pepper, and grated onion to season. mix thoroughly, shape into a loaf, brush with beaten egg, sprinkle with crumbs, and bake, basting with melted butter and stock. serve with tomato sauce. spiced beef loaf chop fine three pounds of beef and half a pound of suet. add two eggs well-beaten, four tablespoonfuls of cream, a tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of summer savory, a teaspoonful of salt, and a little red pepper. add enough bread crumbs to make a stiff mixture. shape into a loaf, rub with butter, dredge with flour, and bake, basting frequently. cook for two hours or less and serve either hot or cold. cannelon of beef chop very fine two pounds of the round of beef. season with grated onion, lemon-peel, nutmeg, minced parsley, salt, pepper, melted butter, and a pinch of powdered sweet herbs. mix with a beaten egg and shape into a loaf. dredge with flour, roll in buttered paper, and bake for half an hour, basting with melted butter and the drippings. remove the paper and serve with tomato sauce. fricadelles chop fine a pound of beef and a pound of sausage meat. add a cupful of bread crumbs, two eggs well-beaten, two onions, finely chopped, and salt, pepper, and thyme to season. mix thoroughly, shape into small flat cakes, sauté in hot fat, and serve with tomato sauce. spiced round of beef put into a buttered saucepan six pounds of the round of beef, two cupfuls of canned tomatoes, three sliced onions, half a dozen cloves, a stick of cinnamon, and a pod of red pepper. cover the meat with thin slices of salt pork and pour over half a cupful of vinegar and one cupful of water. cover and cook in a moderate oven for five hours, seasoning with salt when half done. take up the meat, strain and skim the cooking liquid, and thicken with flour browned in a little of the fat. beef À la mode have four pounds of the round of beef thickly larded. brown in butter and season with pepper. add two bay-leaves, two cloves of garlic, two shallots, three onions, and a calf's foot, split and cut into four pieces. cover and cook slowly for two hours. add two or three carrots cut into small pieces, and cook for an hour and a half longer. ten minutes before serving, add two tablespoonfuls of claret. arrange on a platter with the carrots around it and serve the gravy with it. creole hot pot put two pounds of beef ribs into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of drippings or butter. add two chopped onions, a chopped clove of garlic, half a dozen seeded and shredded green peppers, pepper and salt to season, a pinch of thyme, a tablespoonful of vinegar, a dozen raisins, a dozen olives, and a can of tomatoes. cover and cook until the meat falls from the bones. take out the bones, thicken with flour browned in butter, and serve on buttered toast. beef pie cut cold cooked beef into dice and reheat in gravy or in brown sauce. season with grated onion, salt, pepper, and worcestershire and add a few diced carrots. line a buttered baking-dish with biscuit crust, put in the meat, cover with crust, gash, brush with beaten egg, and bake until thoroughly done. serve very hot in the same dish. creamed beef pie reheat cold cooked chopped beef in a cream sauce, seasoning with chopped onion and minced parsley. put into a baking-dish, cover with boiled rice or mashed potato, and bake. serve very hot in the same dish. german beef balls chop very fine cold cooked beef. season with salt, cayenne, minced parsley, and grated onion. add one-fourth the quantity of bread crumbs and enough beaten egg to bind. shape into balls or small flat cakes, dredge with flour, and fry brown. turkish beef stew cut cold cooked beef into dice. brown it in butter, take from the fire, add four tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, a chopped onion, fried, a shredded green pepper, also fried, salt and black pepper to season, and enough stock or gravy to moisten. heat thoroughly and serve in a border of boiled rice. _mutton and lamb_ broiled lamb chops trim the chops, put on a hot gridiron, and broil carefully. serve with a border of green peas, or around a mound of mashed potatoes. lamb chops in casserole chop fine an onion, a small carrot, and a turnip. fry brown in butter and put into a casserole. cover with six or eight chops browned in butter, add a little stock or water, season to taste, cover tightly, and cook until tender. thicken the gravy with browned flour and serve from the casserole. lamb pie arrange tender lamb chops in a deep baking-dish with chopped mushrooms, half a cupful of canned tomatoes, half a dozen small onions fried brown in butter, and a can of peas. thicken a sufficient quantity of stock with browned flour, pour in, cover with a rich crust, gash the top, cover, bake for half an hour or more. broiled mutton cutlets with carrots peel new carrots, cut into small pieces, and boil until tender in salted water. drain and fry brown in butter, sprinkling with pepper and sugar. squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, reheat, and serve with a border of broiled mutton cutlets. roast lamb with garlic trim a leg of lamb and remove the parchment-like skin. separate the beans from a whole clove of garlic, peel and cut each one into four pieces. make incisions in the surface of the meat with a sharp knife, stick the bits of garlic in, season highly with pepper and salt, and put into a hot oven until brown. cover and roast slowly until done. make a gravy of the drippings, skimming off the fat, thickening with browned flour, and adding stock or water if necessary to make the required quantity. braised lamb with celery roast a leg of lamb in a quick oven until brown. put into a saucepan with celery and carrots cut fine, a chopped onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, and enough chicken stock to cover. add a little butter, cover, and cook slowly until done. serve the vegetables with the meat. cucumbers may be used instead of the carrots and celery. braised shoulder of lamb take the bone from a shoulder of lamb, lard it with small strips of bacon, tie in shape, and brown in butter. add a dozen small peeled onions, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and stock to cover. simmer until the onions are tender. take up the meat, remove the skin, thicken the cooking liquor with browned flour, pour over the meat, and serve with the onions as a garnish. the breast of lamb may be used. stewed breast of lamb cut a breast of lamb into convenient pieces for serving. season with pepper and salt, and stew until tender in stock to cover. thicken the sauce with flour browned in butter, add a wineglassful of vinegar. this may be cooked in a casserole. fricassee of lamb cut the breast of lamb into square pieces, sprinkle with salt, dredge with flour, and brown in butter. cover with stock or water, add a sliced onion, and simmer until the bones can easily be removed. take the lamb out, remove the bones, strain the liquid again, reheat, add one quart of shelled green peas, and simmer for fifteen minutes. curried lamb cut the meat from two boiled breasts of lamb and brown in butter with a chopped onion. add a tablespoonful of flour and two teaspoonfuls of curry powder. mix thoroughly and add enough white stock or water to make the required quantity of sauce. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and grated lemon-peel. cover and simmer until done. skim off the fat. fill a well-buttered border mould with plain boiled rice, press firmly into shape, turn out on a hot platter, pour the lamb into the centre, and serve. indian mutton curry fry four chopped onions in butter, add a teaspoonful of curry powder, a teaspoonful of salt, and one cupful of chopped cooked apples. add one cupful of cream or more and a tablespoonful of flour blended smooth with a little cold water. simmer until thick, stirring constantly. add two pounds of the breast of mutton cut in squares and browned in butter. simmer until the meat is done, adding more cream if required. serve very hot. blanquette of mutton divide a breast of mutton between the ribs. put into a saucepan with a head of celery cut fine, a small onion, and a bay-leaf. cover with boiling water or stock, bring to the boiling point, and boil rapidly for five minutes. skim and simmer slowly for an hour. take up the meat and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to a pint. strain, thicken while stirring with flour browned in butter, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs beaten smooth with a little cold water, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the meat. sprinkle with minced parsley and serve with a border of mashed potatoes or boiled rice. ragout of mutton have three pounds of the breast of mutton cut into squares. brown in butter, dredge with flour, and add four cupfuls of water. stir until the liquid thickens, then add a sliced onion and a diced turnip which have been browned in butter, pepper and salt to season, a bay-leaf, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. simmer for an hour and a half, take out the bay-leaf, and serve in a casserole. broiled lamb's kidneys split and skin the kidneys, dip in olive-oil, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, fasten open with skewers, dip in crumbs, broil, and serve with any preferred sauce. mutton kidneys in casserole brown the kidneys in butter and put into the casserole. add a sliced onion fried, a slice of bacon, two potatoes, sliced, and two carrots finely minced. add enough stock or water to cover, put on the lid, and bake slowly for three hours. serve in the casserole. kidney bacon rolls peel and chop fine a small onion. mix it with a cupful of bread crumbs, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the grated rind of half a lemon, and black pepper, paprika, and grated nutmeg to season. make to a smooth paste with beaten egg, spread the mixture on thin slices of bacon, and place a small kidney on each. roll up and fasten with toothpicks or skewers. put the rolls in a hot oven and bake for twenty minutes. garnish with parsley and sliced lemon. devilled kidneys. parboil, skin, and split the kidneys, dip in melted butter, season highly with red pepper, and broil. serve with melted butter and minced parsley. lamb stew with dumplings have the lamb cut up into small squares. cover with cold water, bring gradually to the boil, and cook slowly until it is nearly done. add three slices of salt pork, cut into dice and fried crisp, two sliced onions, and two or three raw potatoes cut into dice. cover and cook until the meat is tender. sift two cupfuls of flour with a spoonful of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. add enough milk to make a very stiff batter. drop the dumplings into buttered patty pans, place in a steamer and steam over boiling water. thicken the gravy with a little flour blended smooth with cold milk. english mutton stew have three pounds of the breast of mutton cut into squares. brown in butter with half a dozen onions chopped fine. dredge with flour, add six cupfuls of stock or water, and cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, add two chopped carrots, two chopped turnips, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a crushed clove of garlic. cook for thirty minutes, add one cupful of lima beans, and cook until the beans are done. skim the liquid, take out the parsley, and serve. this may be cooked in a casserole, after the meat has been browned. irish stew put trimmed loin mutton chops into a deep pot with alternate layers of seasoned and sliced raw potatoes. add enough cold water nearly to cover and four each of turnips and onions, cut into small bits. cover, and simmer slowly until the vegetables are soft, and nearly all the gravy has been absorbed. stewed lambs' tongues boil the tongues for an hour and a half. plunge into cold water and remove the skins. chop fine a large onion, two slices of carrot, and three slices of turnip. fry brown in butter, dredge with flour, add two cupfuls of stock or water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, a bay-leaf, a pinch of celery seed, and add the sliced tongues. simmer for two hours. thicken the gravy with browned flour if required, and remove the bay-leaf. serve with a border of diced, cooked carrots, and turnips. pickled lambs' tongues cook the tongues for two hours in salted and acidulated water to cover. drain, put into an earthen jar, pour over boiling spiced vinegar, and let stand for three or four days before using. fricassee of lambs' tongues boil five tongues for two hours in salted water. cool in the water in which they were boiled, skin, and trim. cut in two lengthwise, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and fry in butter with a little minced parsley. make a sauce of two tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish, one tablespoonful each of mustard, vinegar, and salad oil, and salt and pepper to season. serve the sauce separately. boiled leg of lamb soak the leg for an hour in salted and acidulated water to cover. drain, wipe dry, dredge with flour, wrap in a cloth, tie firmly, and boil for an hour and a half in water to cover, seasoning with pepper and sweet herbs. when cooked, drain, take off the cloth, garnish with parsley and sliced lemon, and serve with caper sauce. lamb pot pie cut three pounds of lean mutton or lamb into squares, removing fat and gristle. cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer for an hour. add a cupful of salt pork cut into dice, and fried crisp, and stew half an hour longer. season with salt, pepper, and kitchen bouquet. sift together two cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, and a heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder. add enough milk to make a soft dough, roll out, cut into small strips, and drop into the stew. cover, cook for ten minutes, and serve very hot. lamb croquettes chop fine a pound and a half of uncooked lamb. peel and chop one large onion and mix it with the meat. season with pepper and salt. shape the mixture into small balls, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer slowly until done. beat the yolks of four eggs with the strained juice of two lemons and a pinch of salt. cook slowly over boiling water until it begins to thicken, then add slowly one cupful of the water in which the meat balls were boiled. cook slowly for ten minutes longer, stirring constantly. strain the sauce over the balls and serve very hot. stuffed shoulder of lamb remove the bone, fill with seasoned crumbs, and sew up. cover the bottom of a deep pan with thin slices of salt pork and sliced onion. sprinkle with chopped sweet herbs, lay the meat in, dredge with salt and pepper, and pour over a quart of stock. cook slowly for two hours. when done, take up the meat, rub the gravy through a coarse sieve, reduce by rapid boiling, thicken with browned flour, pour over the meat, and serve with a border of green peas. mutton birds make a stuffing of bread crumbs seasoned with butter, salt, pepper, sage, and summer savory. mix to a smooth paste with beaten egg. spread thin slices of raw mutton with the mixture, roll up, and fasten with toothpicks. brown in butter, then add a little hot water, and finish cooking in the oven, basting frequently. thicken the gravy with browned flour and serve in a casserole. curried mutton chop a large onion fine and fry it in butter. add one tablespoonful each of curry powder and flour, and a teaspoonful of salt. stir until thoroughly mixed and add gradually two cupfuls of water or stock. have ready two pounds of lean mutton, cut in small pieces. fry brown in butter, add to the curry, and simmer until tender. surround with a border of boiled rice and serve piping hot. stuffed cabbage leaves parboil and chop lean mutton, mix it with an equal quantity of boiled rice, and season with salt, pepper, and butter. use the white leaves of cabbage. lay a large spoonful of the meat and rice on each leaf, fold, and tie securely. tie all the prepared leaves in cheese-cloth and boil slowly for half an hour in the water in which the mutton was boiled. take off the cloth, remove the strings, and serve with melted butter. lamb in mint jelly chop fine a bunch of mint, cover with vinegar, and add sugar to taste. let stand over night. rub through a fine sieve, and add enough white stock to make the required quantity of jelly. tint green with color-paste if desired, and add soaked and dissolved gelatine in the proportion of one package to a quart. add also a tablespoonful of finely chopped mint leaves. pour a thin layer of jelly into a mould, cover with thin slices of lean, rare, cooked mutton, and let harden. repeat until the mould is full. set away to cool, turn out, garnish with fresh mint leaves, and serve with mayonnaise. shepherd's pie chop fine and season to taste cold cooked mutton. put into a buttered baking-dish with enough stock or gravy to moisten. cover with highly seasoned mashed potato to which a beaten egg has been added and bake until the potato is puffed and brown. serve in the same dish. _pork_ sausage rolls prepare a good pie-crust, not too rich. roll out half an inch thick, cut into strips, and roll a small sausage in each strip. put the rolls into a baking-pan, and bake for half or three-quarters of an hour. frankfurters drop the sausages into boiling water and boil slowly until they float. drain, and rub with a mixture of butter, lemon-juice, and made mustard, heated very hot. roasted sausages peel, core, and slice four or five tart apples. make a syrup of one cupful each of sugar and water and cook the apples in it very slowly until tender. prick the sausages with a fork, simmer in boiling water for fifteen minutes, then drain and brown in the oven. put the sausages in the centre of a small deep platter, arrange the apples around in a border, and serve. roast ham with sherry soak a small lean ham in cold water for six hours, wipe dry, put into a saucepan, and cover with cold water. add an onion, four sprigs of parsley, and six each of cloves and pepper-corns. boil slowly for two hours. let cool in the water, take up, skin, and sprinkle thickly with crumbs and sugar. put into a roasting-pan with one pint of sherry. bake for forty minutes, basting every ten minutes. serve the ham hot with the gravy in a separate bowl, or cold if preferred. baked ham with noodles butter an earthen baking-dish and fill with alternate layers of cold cooked chopped ham and cooked and drained noodles. have ham on top. beat two eggs with a cupful of milk, pour over, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. pork chops À la maryland dip the pork chops in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and put into a dripping-pan. cover and cook in a very hot oven, adding a little boiling water if necessary to keep from burning. serve with any preferred sauce. jellied pigs' feet take two pounds of the pickled pigs' feet as they come from the market, and boil in water to cover, seasoning with salt, pepper, celery seed, and a little vinegar. boil until the meat slips from the bones. remove the meat, cut it into small pieces, and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to a cupful. put the meat into a mould, pour the liquid over, and set away to cool. serve with potato salad. broiled pork tenderloin trim off all the fat and the sinew from two tenderloins of pork. dip in seasoned oil and broil slowly. chop fine one tablespoonful each of pickles and parsley and mix to a smooth paste with two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and one teaspoonful of vinegar. pour over the sauce and serve. breaded tenderloins split and trim the tenderloins, and marinate for an hour in lemon-juice and oil, seasoned with salt and pepper. dip in fresh bread crumbs, broil, and serve with piquante sauce. pork tenderloins with sweet potatoes wipe two pork tenderloins, put into a dripping-pan, and brown quickly in a hot oven. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and powdered sage and bake for forty-five minutes, basting from three to four times. have half a dozen sweet potatoes parboiled. peel, cut in half, sprinkle with sugar, and put into the pan with the meat. cook until soft, basting whenever the meat requires it. mock duck split a large pork tenderloin, stuff with highly seasoned poultry stuffing, tie into shape, and roast. baste frequently, take up, remove the string, and serve with gravy made of the drippings. roast spareribs trim off the rough ends, crack the ribs through the middle, rub with salt and pepper, fold over where cracked, stuff, sew or wrap with twine, put into dripping-pan with a pint of water, baste frequently and turn once. should be a rich, even brown. dressing: three tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, a finely chopped onion, same of apple, half a teaspoonful each of powdered sage, salt, and pepper, and two tablespoonfuls of chopped beef suet. cook slowly in a little water. roast leg of pork score a leg of young pork, fill the slits with chopped onion and powdered sage, sprinkle with pepper, salt, and crumbs, and roast as usual, basting frequently. serve with cranberry sauce. german roast pork boil the pork until tender, drain and roast in the oven with three onions and three carrots sliced thin, a little minced parsley, thyme, and two cloves. add one cupful of boiling stock, and baste frequently for the first half hour. then strain and skim the gravy and reduce by rapid boiling until there is just enough to coat the surface of the meat. spread it upon the meat, sprinkle thickly with crumbs, dust with cinnamon and pepper, and bake brown. serve with a cherry sauce made as follows: stone a pound of ripe cherries and simmer the kernels for fifteen minutes in water to cover. strain the water, add to it the cherries, two cupfuls of water, half a dozen cloves, a wineglassful of claret, a slice of bread, and sugar to taste. simmer for half an hour, rub through a sieve, and boil until thick. serve very hot. pork roasted with sweet potatoes and apples season a loin of pork and roast for two hours and a half, basting often with the drippings and hot water. about an hour before it is done, add peeled sweet potatoes cut in halves and sprinkle with sugar. fifteen minutes later, add red cooking apples cored but not peeled. bake until all are done, basting frequently. thicken the drippings with flour for a gravy and serve separately. mock goose parboil a leg of pork and remove the skin. put it in the oven to roast with a little water in the pan. rub with butter, sprinkle with powdered sage, pepper, salt, bread crumbs, and finely minced onion. insert poultry stuffing under the skin of the knuckle. garnish the dish with balls of fried stuffing. serve with gooseberry jam or tart apple sauce. baked chine with sweet potatoes the chine is the backbone with the meat attached. rub with salt, pepper, flour, and sage, and put into a dripping-pan with a pint of water. lay a dozen sweet potatoes peeled and cut into halves around the meat. bake, basting with the dripping. serve with the potatoes around the meats. mock oysters chop fine a pound and a half of fresh pork. season with salt and pepper and minced onion. add half the quantity of bread soaked until soft and squeezed dry, bind with two eggs well-beaten, shape into patties, and sauté in drippings. garnish with sliced lemon and parsley. _veal_ broiled sweetbreads À la maÎtre d'hÔtel soak and parboil the sweetbreads, cut into slices, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and broil, basting with melted butter. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. calf's liver in casserole lard a whole liver with strips of salt pork. brown in butter and drain off the fat. brown a heaping tablespoonful of flour in fresh butter, add one cupful of white wine, and cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly. put the liver into a buttered casserole, pour over the gravy, add pepper to season, a bay-leaf, a small bunch of parsley, a bruised clove of garlic, two shallots, two onions, and a small carrot, sliced. cover and cook slowly for an hour. put the liver on a platter and strain the gravy over it. return to the casserole, reheat, and serve. veal liver pÂtÉ run twice through the meat-chopper one pound of calf's liver and half a pound of fat bacon. season with salt, pepper, mace, and parsley, add two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped lean ham and a chopped onion which has been fried in fat. mix with the yolks of two eggs and then fold in the stiffly beaten whites. line a mould with thin slices of bacon, put in the meat, cover with bacon, and bake slowly in a moderate oven. when it can be pierced easily it is done. let cool in the mould, turn out, and garnish with parsley and lemon. boiled calf's tongue soak for an hour in cold water. cover with fresh cold water, bring quickly to the boil, and skim. add for each tongue a carrot and turnip sliced and a small onion stuck with three cloves. add sweet herbs to season and a little salt and pepper. cook slowly for two hours. drain, skin, and serve with a border of spaghetti or macaroni. if they are to be served cold, let them cool in the water in which they were cooked. veal chops À la provenÇale trim and clean veal chops and sauté in olive-oil with a finely chopped onion. add a little brown stock, half a dozen chopped mushrooms, two minced beans of garlic, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. bring to the boil, thicken the gravy with browned flour cooked in butter, and serve. braised veal cutlets trim and clean convenient pieces of veal cutlet and lard with thin strips of bacon. brown in a little butter, add a little clear stock with chopped onion, carrot, and turnip to season, and simmer until done. drain and serve with string beans. baked veal cutlet butter a baking-pan, pour in a cupful of cold water, and lay in a thick slice of veal cutlet. spread over the cutlet a dressing made of two cupfuls of bread crumbs, a chopped onion, a beaten egg, and salt, pepper and melted butter to season. cover the pan, bake for half an hour, then take off the lid and brown. veal birds cut veal cutlets into convenient pieces and flatten with a potato-masher. mix seasoned crumbs with chopped salt pork or bacon and make a stuffing. roll up and tie into shape with strings. brown in fat with a sliced carrot and a chopped onion. add one cupful of stock, cover, and cook slowly for twenty minutes. this can be served in a casserole. mock fried oysters cut a veal cutlet into small pieces. pound each piece until very tender. dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with tomato sauce and shredded cabbage. stewed breast of veal brown a breast of veal in butter. add two cupfuls of hot water or stock, a bunch of sweet herbs, two onions, half a dozen cloves, the peel of half a lemon, a blade of mace, and salt and pepper to season. cook slowly, take up the veal, remove the larger bones, and strain the cooking liquid. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add the veal stock and one cupful of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well-beaten, the juice of half a lemon, and half a dozen parboiled oysters. pour the sauce over the meat and serve. veal stew with dumplings cut three pounds of veal into strips, cover with cold water, boil, and skim. add pepper, salt, and a little butter and a sufficient quantity of raw potatoes cut into balls with a french cutter. make a batter of two eggs, half a cupful of milk, a pinch of salt, and enough sifted flour to make a batter that will drop from the spoon. drop into the stew a spoonful at a time, cover, and boil for twenty minutes. or steam the dumplings in oiled patty pans. german veal stew sprinkle a breast of veal with salt and ginger. slice an onion and fry it in butter with a little parsley and two or three celery tops. when hot, put in the breast of veal. cover tightly and brown the veal in the same fat. add half a cupful of canned tomatoes and a very little hot water. cover, and cook slowly for two hours, turning the meat frequently. thicken the gravy with flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water, season with minced parsley or carraway seed, boil up once, and serve. roast loin of veal leave the kidney in. unroll the loin and stuff with highly seasoned poultry stuffing, packing well around the kidney. fold, tie firmly into shape, and roast, basting with the drippings and a little hot water. before taking up, dredge with flour, and baste two or three times with melted butter. take off the string and serve with a gravy made from the stuffing and thickened drippings. stuffed breast of veal make a stuffing of stale bread crumbs and mix with a liberal quantity of finely chopped salt pork. season with onion, salt, pepper, minced parsley, and melted butter. fill the cavity under the thick part of the breast with as much stuffing as can be forced in and skewer into shape. roast, basting frequently with melted butter and drippings. roast shoulder of veal have the knuckle removed from a shoulder of veal and roast the fillet, basting frequently with melted butter and the drippings. garnish with quartered lemons and parsley and serve with oyster sauce. roast veal À l'italienne bone a loin of veal, stuff with seasoned crumbs, and tie into shape. season with salt and pepper, rub thickly with butter, and put it into a roasting-pan with half a cupful of water. cover and roast for two hours, basting frequently. drain the meat and brush it with the yolk of an egg, beaten smooth with half a cupful of stock. sprinkle thickly with crumbs, grated cheese, and minced parsley, dot with butter, and brown in a very hot oven. serve with mashed potatoes or potato croquettes. breast of veal baked rub a well-trimmed breast of veal with melted butter, season highly with salt and pepper, and brown quickly in a hot oven. pour over two cupfuls of canned tomatoes and bake until the veal is well done. serve with the tomatoes as a garnish for the meat. veal loaf chop fine three pounds of raw veal. mix with three eggs beaten with three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, four crackers rolled and sifted, and pepper, salt, and sage to season highly. shape into a loaf and bake, covered in a little water, basting frequently with melted butter. serve either hot or cold. braised knuckle of veal have a three-pound knuckle of veal larded and brown it in pork fat, seasoning with salt and pepper. add stock to moisten and one cupful of partially cooked lima beans. cook for forty-five minutes, and serve very hot. veal in casserole have lean veal cut into convenient pieces. put into a buttered casserole and cover with milk. add a teaspoonful or more of finely chopped parsley, cover, and simmer very slowly until done. it must not boil. thicken with a little flour cooked in butter, season to taste, and serve. jellied veal cover a knuckle of veal with cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer for two hours, skimming as needed. add a slice of onion, a blade of mace, a dozen cloves, half a dozen pepper-corns, a pinch of allspice, and half a nutmeg grated. when the meat falls from the bones, take out the bones, shred the meat, and reduce the liquid by rapid boiling until there is barely enough to cover the meat. wet a mould with cold water, put in the meat, add to the liquid the juice of a lemon and salt and pepper to season, and pour over the meat. let stand overnight and serve cold. koenigsberger klops chop together three-quarters of a pound of veal and one-quarter pound of fresh pork. soak three slices of stale bread in cold water, wring dry, and add to the meat. add salt, pepper, and minced parsley to season. shape into small balls, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer gently for half an hour. strain the cooking liquor and reduce by rapid boiling to a pint. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add the cooking liquid, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs well-beaten and two tablespoonfuls of capers with a little of the caper vinegar. pour over the klops and serve. veal and oyster pie cut into small pieces one pound of the neck of veal, cover with cold water, and cook slowly for an hour. add two or three slices of salt pork cut into dice, a chopped onion, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. make a cupful of cream sauce in a separate pan, pour into the veal, and cook for twenty minutes longer. pour into a baking-dish, cover the top with a layer of raw oysters, dredge with salt and pepper, cover with pastry, and bake for half an hour. serve either hot or cold. veal croquettes chop fine cold cooked veal and season with salt, pepper, paprika, celery salt, grated onion, and minced parsley. mix with a little very thick cream sauce and cool. shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with a border of green peas. mock terrapin reheat cold cooked veal, cut into dice, in cream sauce. take from the fire and add an egg beaten with a tablespoonful of sherry. add also two or three hard-boiled eggs coarsely chopped and a little minced parsley. heat, but do not boil. season with salt and red and white pepper, and serve. _chicken_ broiled chicken have young chickens cleaned and split down the back. break the joints, season with salt and pepper, and rub with melted butter. broil for twenty minutes and serve very hot. fried chicken clean and cut up two spring chickens, season with salt and pepper, and fry brown in butter with a chopped onion and a dozen fresh mushrooms. pour over a wineglassful of white wine, and a cupful of stock. add two cupfuls of canned tomatoes which have been rubbed through a sieve, and a tablespoonful of minced parsley. thicken with flour browned in butter, heat thoroughly, season to taste, and serve. fried chicken with green peppers clean and joint two spring chickens, fry brown in butter, and put into the oven to finish cooking. seed and shred six sweet peppers and boil in salted water until soft. drain, and add to the chicken. pour over two cupfuls of cream, bring to the boil, thicken with a little flour cooked in butter, and serve. breaded fried chicken clean and cut up a young chicken, dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned crumbs, and fry brown in fat to cover. serve with cream sauce to which minced parsley has been added. chicken stuffed with oysters fill a chicken with drained oysters which have been seasoned highly with salt, pepper, and melted butter. sew the chicken up in cheese-cloth and boil, allowing twenty-five minutes to the pound. take off the cloth, pour over a maître d'hôtel sauce, and serve. chicken stewed with asparagus clean and cut up a chicken, season with salt and pepper, and brown in butter. dredge with flour and sprinkle with minced parsley. boil two bunches of asparagus in salted water until tender but not broken. put a lump of butter and a tablespoonful of cream into a saucepan and put half of the asparagus on it. sprinkle with pepper, lay the pieces of chicken upon it, cover with the remainder of the asparagus, dot with butter, pour over a cupful of cream, and cook slowly until done. serve with small squares of fried bread or with toast points. spanish chicken stew clean and joint two spring chickens. brown in butter and add five sliced onions, a can of tomatoes, four cloves of garlic, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a pod of red pepper without the seeds, and salt to taste. cook slowly for forty-five minutes, adding stock or water if necessary to keep from burning. take out the pepper and the garlic, add a can of peas, and simmer for fifteen minutes longer. thicken the gravy with two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold water and the yolk of an egg well-beaten. fricassee of chicken clean and cut up the chicken, and brown in butter with a sliced onion and a carrot. season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, add three cupfuls of stock or water, and cook until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. add a cupful of canned tomatoes and simmer until the chicken is done. add a can of mushrooms cut in pieces, and a little minced parsley. heat thoroughly and serve. fricassee of chicken with biscuit sift together four cupfuls of flour, four teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and a pinch of salt. work into it half a cupful of butter, and add enough milk to make a soft dough. roll out, cut into biscuits, and bake. cook two chickens, cleaned and cut up, in water to cover, seasoning with salt and pepper. when very tender, thicken the liquid with flour cooked in butter. stir constantly. split the biscuits and cover a serving platter with them. pour over the chicken and serve. chicken pie clean and cut up a chicken, boil until tender, cool, and remove the bones. line a buttered baking-dish with a rich biscuit dough, and put in half of the chicken, seasoning with butter, pepper, and salt. add a layer of hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, and the rest of the chicken. a few potato balls cut with a french vegetable cutter, and boiled until nearly done may be added. add enough of the water in which the chicken was boiled to fill the dish, cover with a biscuit crust which has a large hole in the centre for the steam to escape, brush with the beaten white of egg, and bake for half an hour or more. chicken potpie clean and cut up the chicken. put a small plate in the bottom of the kettle, put in the chicken, cover with hot water, and season with butter, pepper, and salt. sift together three cupfuls of flour and three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. mix with enough milk or water to make a very thick batter. drop the batter by spoonfuls into buttered patty pans, place in steamer, cover and steam over another pan of boiling water. skim out the chicken, arrange on a platter, and thicken the gravy while stirring with flour blended with a little cold milk. pour over the chicken and dumplings and serve. roast chicken stuff a chicken with highly seasoned crumbs to which a few chopped chestnuts have been added. sew up, and lard the breast with thin strips of bacon. roast and serve with cream sauce to which chopped cooked oysters have been added. curried chicken clean and cut up a chicken and boil it until tender in water to cover. drain the chicken and brown in butter with two small onions sliced. sprinkle with two teaspoonfuls of curry powder, pour over the water in which the chicken was boiled, heat thoroughly, and thicken while stirring with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold water. take from the fire, add the beaten yolk of an egg, and serve with a border of boiled rice. chicken À la crÉole clean and cut up a young chicken, season with salt and pepper, and fry brown in hot fat with two thinly sliced onions. dredge with flour and add one cupful each of white stock and stewed and strained tomatoes. cook until it thickens, stirring constantly, and simmer the chicken in it until tender, adding more stock if needed. add a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, salt and pepper to season, and a cupful of cooked and broken macaroni. serve very hot with a garnish of parsley. chicken À la jean clean and disjoint the chicken. fry brown in an iron kettle, using equal parts of butter and olive-oil for fat. when brown, season with salt and pepper, pour in a cupful of stock, cover, and cook slowly until done, adding more stock if required. dredge with flour and turn the chicken slowly in the gravy until the gravy is thick. take up the chicken, strain the gravy over it, garnish with parsley, and serve. chicken in casserole put a small cleaned chicken into a casserole with a dozen peeled onions, two bay-leaves, a cupful of carrot cut into dice, a small turnip chopped fine, and two stalks of celery cut into small pieces. fill the casserole half full of boiling stock, cover, and cook in a hot oven for an hour and a half, basting frequently. when the chicken is half done, add salt and pepper to season. serve in the casserole. either fresh or canned mushrooms may be added. jellied chicken have a chicken cleaned and cut up. cook in boiling water to cover until the meat falls from the bones. take out the bones, remove the skin, season with salt and pepper, and arrange in a mould. reduce the liquid by rapid boiling and add to it a package of soaked and dissolved gelatine, pepper and salt to season highly, and the juice of a lemon. pour over the chicken and cool on ice. serve with a garnish of hard-boiled eggs and parsley. mayonnaise of chicken clean and disjoint the chicken, and boil until tender in water to cover. cool in the water in which it was boiled and remove the skin and fat and bones. keep the pieces of chicken as large as possible. arrange on a platter, and pour over a stiff mayonnaise dressing. sprinkle with minced parsley, and garnish with lettuce leaves. pressed chicken have two chickens cleaned and cut up. boil until the meat drops from the bones, then drain, and chop it fine. reduce the liquid by rapid boiling to a cupful. add to it a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of pepper, a pinch of allspice, and an egg well-beaten. mix thoroughly with the meat and press into a buttered mould. cool on ice and serve cold, garnished with slices of hard-boiled eggs and parsley. chicken À la waldorf cut cold cooked chicken into dice. reheat in two cupfuls of cream, seasoning with salt and pepper. thicken with the yolks of two eggs beaten with two tablespoonfuls of madeira. mix thoroughly, and heat but do not boil. take from the fire, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and serve. chicken croquettes chop fine cold cooked chicken, and mix with a cupful of cream sauce. add two eggs well-beaten, seasoning to taste, and enough bread crumbs to make the mixture very stiff. cool, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with any preferred sauce. chicken and macaroni shred cold cooked chicken very fine. arrange it on a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of cooked and broken macaroni, seasoning each layer with butter, pepper, and salt. moisten with cream, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with cheese, and bake brown. serve in the baking-dish. _duck_ braised ducks with olives partly roast a pair of ducks and put them into a saucepan with two cupfuls of stock and two dozen pitted olives which have been rinsed in boiling water. cover and cook in the oven for half an hour, basting frequently. take up the ducks, skim off the fat, thicken the gravy with a little flour and butter cooked together, pour the sauce over the ducks, and serve. roast duck rub a prepared and cleaned duck with butter, dredge with flour, season with salt and pepper, and roast, covered, in a hot oven. make a gravy of the drippings, adding stoned olives to it, and surround the duck with a border of green peas. _goose_ roast goose parboil for two hours, drain, and stuff with seasoned mashed potatoes. roast in a covered roaster with two cupfuls of water in the pan. when done pour off the surplus fat, add enough water or stock to make the amount of gravy required, thicken with browned flour and a little butter cooked together, and season to taste. _turkey_ jellied turkey put a tough turkey into cold water to cover, bring to the boil, and cook until the meat slips from the bones. remove the meat, chop it fine, and return the bones to the stock. simmer for two hours, and strain through cheese-cloth. there should be two cupfuls of the liquid. add one package of gelatine that has been soaked and dissolved, and season with salt, pepper, grated onion, lemon-juice, and kitchen bouquet. dip individual moulds in cold water, and put a slice of hard-boiled egg or pickled beet into the bottom of each one. put in a little of the jelly, and let harden. fill the moulds nearly to the brim with the minced and seasoned turkey, cover with the jelly, and set away to cool. serve with mayonnaise. roast turkey stuffed with chestnuts boil a quart of spanish chestnuts, peel, chop, and mash them. mix to a paste with melted butter, seasoning with salt and pepper, and stuff the turkey loosely. roast as usual, in covered roaster and serve with cranberry sauce. roast turkey stuffed with oysters make a stuffing of equal parts of bread and cracker crumbs rolled fine. season highly with salt, pepper, and melted butter, and add a pint of raw oysters with their liquor. add also two eggs well-beaten. stuff the turkey loosely, truss, and roast, in a covered roaster. turn over when brown on top. make a gravy with the drippings, using browned flour to thicken. turkey croquettes chop cold cooked turkey fine, season to taste, and mix with very thick cream sauce. season with salt, pepper, celery salt, and curry powder. when cool and stiff shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. serve with a border of green peas. escalloped turkey reheat cold cooked turkey, cut small, in a cream sauce. arrange in a buttered baking-dish in alternate layers with seasoned crumbs, having crumbs and dots of butter on top. add also any bits of stuffing that may remain. add stock or gravy to moisten, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. escalloped turkey and sausage butter a baking-dish, and fill it with alternate layers of cold cooked minced turkey and sausage. fill the dish with stock or gravy to moisten, cover thickly with crumbs, and pour over half a cupful or more of cream or milk with which a well-beaten egg has been mixed. season with pepper and salt, dot with butter, and bake covered. sprinkle with minced parsley before serving. escalloped turkey and oysters reheat cold cooked turkey, cut fine, in a cream sauce, seasoning with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. put into a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of drained oysters and seasoned crumbs and dots of butter, and brown in the oven. turkey loaf chop fine the meat of a cold turkey, and to each cupful add one-third of a cupful of cracker crumbs and one egg. mix thoroughly and add enough of the stuffing to season. shape into a loaf, roll in cracker crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for half an hour. _pigeon_ pigeon pie clean and cut up the pigeons. cook until tender in boiling water to cover, seasoning with salt, pepper, and chopped onion. drain, and put into each pigeon a hard-boiled egg, with salt, pepper, thyme, and a little butter to season. put into a deep baking-dish and strain over them the liquid in which they were cooked. add one cupful of cream, one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, one tablespoonful of minced parsley, and a pinch each of thyme and salt. cover the pie with a rich crust, bake, and serve either hot or cold. broiled squabs with bacon clean the birds and split without detaching. dip in seasoned oil, broil, and serve on toast. pour over melted butter, seasoned with lemon-juice and minced parsley, and garnish with slices of fried bacon. twenty ways to cook potatoes boiled potatoes peel potatoes of uniform size and soak for half an hour in cold water. cover with boiling salted water and cook until tender but not broken. drain thoroughly and keep hot, uncovered, until dry and mealy. or, without peeling, let them stand in cold salted water for half an hour before cooking. season with salt, pepper, and butter if desired. minced chives or parsley may be added. potato balls season a pint of hot mashed potatoes with salt, pepper, celery salt, minced parsley, and butter. add a little onion-juice if desired or a beaten yolk. moisten with a little milk or cream and add half of a beaten egg if the yolk has not been used. shape into smooth round balls, brush with the remainder of the egg, and bake on a buttered tin until brown. or, dip in egg and crumbs and fry in deep fat. the celery salt may be omitted. baked potatoes scrub potatoes of equal size, wipe dry, and bake for an hour in a hot oven. break the skins that the steam may escape. peel before baking if desired. baked mashed potatoes mix together two cupfuls of hot mashed potatoes, half a cupful of cream or milk, two tablespoonfuls of butter, the yolk of one egg, and the whites of four, and salt and pepper to season. beat very light, folding in the stiffly beaten whites last. turn into a buttered baking-dish, brush with the beaten yolk of egg, and brown quickly. or, arrange mashed potatoes in layers in a buttered baking-dish, alternating with lumps of butter and grated parmesan cheese. have cheese and butter on top. brown in the oven and serve in the same dish. browned potatoes peel and parboil potatoes of equal size. drain and put into a baking-dish or into the pan with a roast and bake until brown, basting with butter or drippings. they may be dredged with flour before baking. creamed potatoes cover the potatoes with cold salted water, bring gradually to the boil, and cook slowly. cool in the refrigerator. when ready to serve, peel and chop very fine, and reheat in hot butter, seasoning with salt, black pepper, and cream. cover and let stand for ten minutes before serving. potato cake mash boiled potatoes, season with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and moisten with a very little milk. butter a frying-pan, and shape into a flat cake to fit it. cover and cook slowly until done, then dot the top with butter, and brown in the oven. the milk may be omitted and the potato shaped like an omelet. fry brown, turning once. potato croquettes mix together two cupfuls of hot mashed potatoes, two teaspoonfuls of butter, one-third cupful of grated cheese, and salt, cayenne, and grated nutmeg to season. add the yolks of two eggs beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream, mix thoroughly, and shape into croquettes. dip in flour, then in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and fry in deep fat. duchess potatoes beat the yolk of an egg and add to it enough well-seasoned hot mashed potatoes to make a stiff mixture. shape into balls, put into a shallow buttered baking-pan, brush with the well-beaten white of the egg, and brown in the oven. potato flakes butter a baking-dish and press hot boiled potatoes into it through a colander or potato ricer, having first sprinkled the potatoes with salt and pepper. put into the oven for a few minutes and serve. or, sprinkle with crumbs, pour over a little melted butter, and brown in the oven. potatoes julienne cut peeled and sliced potatoes into thin match-like shreds. soak for an hour in cold water, drain, dry thoroughly, and fry in deep fat in a frying-basket. sprinkle with salt and serve. these are sometimes called shoestring potatoes. hashed brown potatoes peel and chop fine enough raw potatoes to make a pint. heat two tablespoonfuls of beef drippings in a frying-pan, add the potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add two tablespoonfuls of stock or hot water, cover and cook slowly until soft, then more rapidly until brown. if more liquid is required, add a little stock or water or cream. when a crisp crust is formed, loosen at the edges, and turn like an omelet. hashed creamed potatoes peel raw potatoes, chop fine, and put into a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of well-seasoned cream sauce, sprinkling each layer of potatoes with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and onion-juice. have sauce on top. sprinkle with crumbs, bake for half an hour, and serve in the baking-dish. lyonnaise potatoes slice two small onions and fry in butter. reheat with six or eight boiled potatoes sliced thin or cut into dice. season with salt and pepper, cook until brown, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. a few drops of vinegar or a teaspoonful of lemon-juice may be added. mashed potatoes peel potatoes and soak for an hour in cold water. drain, cover with fresh cold water, adding a teaspoonful of salt. boil, put through a potato ricer, season liberally with butter, moisten slightly with milk or cream, and add pepper and salt to taste. if desired, add a little celery salt. beat thoroughly and serve; or, put into the serving-dish, score the top into squares with a knife, pour over a little melted butter, and brown in the oven. boiled new potatoes scrape off the skins, or rub off with a coarse cloth. soak for an hour in cold water, drain, cover with cold salted water, and bring to the boil. cook for half an hour, drain, sprinkle with salt, and dry for two or three minutes before serving. add a little melted butter if desired. or, pour over a cupful of cream or milk, which has been boiled with a heaping tablespoonful of butter. or season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, melted butter and cream; a sprinkle of carraway seed may be added, or, serve with hollandaise sauce. creamed new potatoes rub the skins from new potatoes with a coarse cloth. cook until done in boiling salted water, pour over a cream sauce, and, if desired, sprinkle with minced parsley. old potatoes, boiled whole, may be served in the same way. potatoes o'brien cut boiled potatoes into dice and reheat in butter with canned red peppers cut into strips or fried green peppers, or both, and season with chopped onion fried in butter if desired. or, prepare according to directions given for french fried potatoes, cutting into dice and frying with them the red or green peppers or both. stuffed potatoes cut the top from each of six baked potatoes, scoop out the pulp, and mash to a smooth paste with three tablespoonfuls each of butter and cream, and salt and pepper to season. add one-fourth cupful of grated cheese and cook to a smooth paste. take from the fire, stir in one well-beaten egg, fill the skins, and bake. potatoes and cheese peel and chop raw potatoes and cook, covered, very slowly in seasoned butter. when they are soft, drain and put into a baking-dish in layers, alternating with grated parmesan cheese. pour over a little melted butter and bake for half an hour in a slow oven. serve in the same dish. potatoes À la provenÇale peel and slice the potatoes, wipe very dry, and sauté in oil. cook slowly, adding a little minced garlic and onion towards the last. finish cooking in the oven. just before serving, drain and season with salt, minced parsley, and lemon-juice. one hundred and fifty ways to cook other vegetables boiled artichokes cut off the tips of the leaves and round off the bottoms, removing the stalk and trimming away the under leaves. soak for half an hour in salted water, washing thoroughly. boil until tender in a large quantity of salted water. drain, and remove the soft inside with a spoon. put into a serving dish, dot with butter, heat until the butter is melted, and serve; or, serve with béchamel or hollandaise sauce. boiled asparagus scrape and clean the asparagus and tie into bundles of five or six stalks each, taking care to have the heads even. cook rapidly in boiling salted water until tender. drain, and serve on toast with melted butter to which a little lemon-juice may be added. drawn-butter, cream, hollandaise, or white sauce may be used instead. the tips may be cooked in the same way. baked asparagus cut the tender parts of the asparagus into inch-lengths, boil until tender in salted water, and drain. put a layer into a buttered baking-dish, season with pepper and salt, dot with butter, sprinkle with crumbs and hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. bake for half an hour and serve in the same dish. a thin cream sauce may be poured over before sprinkling with the crumbs, and the eggs omitted. a little grated cheese may be used instead. creamed asparagus boil the tender parts of asparagus until tender, drain, and chop. reheat in a cream sauce to which a bit of baking-soda has been added. season with salt and pepper and cool. stir into it three eggs well-beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream. pour into a buttered baking-dish and bake covered for twenty minutes. escalloped asparagus wash and cut up a bunch of asparagus, discarding the tough ends. boil in salted water until tender, and drain. boil three eggs hard, throw into cold water, remove the shells and, chop fine. butter a shallow baking-dish, put in a layer of asparagus, cover with chopped eggs, sprinkle with grated cheese, and repeat until the dish is full, having asparagus on top. pour over two cupfuls of drawn-butter or cream sauce, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake until brown. boiled string-beans cut off the ends, remove the strings, and cut into two or three pieces. wash in cold water, drain, and boil until tender in salted water. drain, and serve with melted butter. a bit of bacon or ham, for flavor, may be boiled with the beans. string-beans with cream string the beans and boil until tender in as little water as possible. without draining, add half a cupful of cream, a tablespoonful of butter, and pepper and salt to season. string-beans with sour sauce remove the strings from a quart of beans, cut in pieces, boil with a pinch of soda until tender, and drain. add a tablespoonful of butter blended with a teaspoonful of flour, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. simmer for five minutes, while stirring add in a well-beaten egg, and serve immediately. string-beans en salade prepare according to directions given for boiled string-beans, changing the water once, and add a tablespoonful of butter after changing. drain and pour over a french dressing to which a little chopped onion has been added. serve hot. the onion may be omitted. string-beans À la bretonne prepare according to directions given for boiled string-beans. cut two small onions into thin slices, fry golden brown in butter, dredge with flour, and add a little white stock. cook until thick, stirring constantly, and seasoning with salt and pepper. add the cooked beans to the sauce with a crushed bean of garlic, cook for ten minutes, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve. the garlic and parsley may be omitted and one chopped onion used. string-beans À la provenÇale prepare according to directions given for boiled string-beans and drain. slice an onion, fry golden brown in oil with minced parsley, thyme, chives, and a bay-leaf. remove the bay-leaf, add a little vinegar, pour over the beans, reheat, and serve. the juice of a lemon may be used instead of vinegar. stewed lima beans cover a pint of lima beans with a quart of boiling water and cook for thirty minutes. drain off half the water, add a tablespoonful of chopped salt pork and a little grated onion and minced parsley. add a pinch of salt and a cupful of hot milk and stew until the beans are tender. thicken with flour cooked in butter and rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. lima beans with onions soak a pint of dried beans overnight, drain, and boil until tender in fresh water to cover. drain and keep warm. parboil and chop three small onions, fry in butter, and reheat the beans with the onions. moisten with brown gravy or thickened stock. lima beans À la philadelphia prepare a pint of beans according to directions given for stewed beans and reheat in cream sauce, seasoning with salt, pepper, and a little grated onion. take from the fire and add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little cream. serve very hot. boiled black beans soak the beans in cold water for three hours, rinse thoroughly, and boil for three hours, or more if necessary. fry three thin slices of bacon and add to it a little stock. season with chutney, mushroom catsup, and anchovy essence. reheat the drained beans in the sauce. frijoles mexicana pick over and wash one pound of small red mexican beans, cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and add a pinch of soda. cook for five minutes, drain and rinse, then cover with cold water, and cook slowly until soft. melt two or three tablespoonfuls each of drippings and butter. when sizzling hot drop in two or three cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed. keep stirring until well browned, then add two or three chopped and seeded green peppers and a large onion, sliced. stir until cooked, then add a few tablespoonfuls of the boiled beans, mashing a few of them to form a thickening gravy. add the rest of the beans with a portion of the liquor in which they were cooked, and three or four tomatoes, peeled and cut up. simmer for an hour. when ready to serve, grate one-half pound of mexican or parmesan cheese and stir into the beans. serve very hot. stewed kidney beans soak a cupful of beans overnight in cold water. drain, cover with cold water, add a chopped onion and a carrot, three or four slices of bacon, and a pinch of soda. simmer until the beans are tender, drain, season with butter, salt, and pepper, and serve hot. kidney beans À la crÉole soak overnight a quart of kidney beans and cook until tender in boiling salted water. drain, put a layer into a baking-dish with half a pound of bacon in one piece which has been boiled until tender and skinned, and a chopped onion. cover with beans, season with salt and red pepper, fill the baking-dish with cold water, and bake slowly until the liquid is nearly absorbed. boston baked beans wash and pick over a quart of navy beans. soak overnight in cold water to cover. in the morning drain, cover with fresh water, and heat slowly, keeping the water below the boiling point until the skins will burst when a spoonful is gently breathed upon. drain the beans. scald and scrape the rind of half a pound of fat salt pork, cut off one slice, and put into the bottom of the bean-pot. fill the pot with the beans and bury the rest of the pork in it, scoring the rind deeply. mix one teaspoonful of salt with one tablespoonful of molasses and three tablespoonfuls of sugar, add a cupful of boiling water, pour over the beans, and add more boiling water if necessary to fill the pot. cover the bean-pot and bake in a slow oven for six or eight hours, adding boiling water as needed. during the last hour of cooking, remove the lid so that the top will be brown. a teaspoonful of mustard may be added with the other seasoning. this is the genuine boston recipe. a sliced onion put in with the pork is considered by many to be an improvement. boston baked beans with tomato sauce prepare according to directions given for boston baked beans. chop an onion fine and cook it in a can of tomatoes for half an hour. two hours before the beans are done, strain the tomato into the bean pot, adding a little at a time. bean croquettes boil two cupfuls of soaked beans until soft. drain, press through a colander, season with salt and red pepper, and add one tablespoonful each of molasses, butter, and vinegar. mix thoroughly, cool, shape into croquettes, dip in egg and crumbs, fry in deep fat, and serve with tomato sauce. boiled beets select small smooth beets and clean without cutting or scraping. boil for an hour or two and cool. remove the skins, cut into slices or quarters, and serve either hot or cold. or, reheat in stock and melted butter, seasoning with salt, pepper, and vinegar. the stock may be omitted if desired and chopped onion and parsley added to the seasoning. buttered beets peel young beets, cut into dice, and cook slowly until tender in water to cover. add a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to season, and thicken with a teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold water. stir while boiling. pickled beets wash small beets but do not cut. cover with boiling water and boil until tender. drain, rinse in cold water, peel, cut into slices, sprinkle with sugar, salt, and pepper, cover with vinegar, and let stand for several hours before using. serve cold. boiled brussels sprouts wash and pick over the sprouts and boil until tender in water to which a little salt and baking-soda have been added. drain, and reheat in melted butter with a little salt and pepper, but do not fry. serve on buttered toast. brussels sprouts sautÉ boil the cleaned sprouts for twenty minutes in salted water, drain, fry in butter, season with salt, minced parsley, and pepper, and serve. grated nutmeg may be added. brussels sprouts À la parmesan boil the sprouts until tender in salted water and drain. arrange in a baking-dish with alternate layers of grated parmesan cheese. season with salt, pepper, and melted butter, and serve very hot. boiled cabbage clean and quarter a firm cabbage and cover with boiling salted water to which has been added a pinch of baking-soda. cook for fifteen minutes, drain, rinse and cover with boiling salted water. cook until tender and drain, pressing out all the liquid. chop fine and season with salt, pepper, and tomato catsup. add a cupful of stock, heat thoroughly, add a tablespoonful of butter and a teaspoonful of lemon-juice and serve. fried cabbage chop cold boiled cabbage and drain thoroughly. mix with two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, four tablespoonfuls of cream, and pepper and salt to season. heat in a buttered frying-pan and let stand long enough to brown slightly on the under side. two well-beaten eggs may be added to the cabbage before heating; or, chop fine and fry brown in butter, seasoning with salt, pepper, and vinegar. creamed cabbage chop or shred a cabbage fine and cover with boiling salted water to which a pinch of soda has been added. boil until tender, drain, rinse in hot water, press out the liquid, and reheat in a cream sauce. add a little grated cheese if desired. hot slaw chop half a cabbage fine, pour over a tablespoonful of melted butter, and put into the oven. beat together one tablespoonful each of mustard and olive-oil, add one teaspoonful of sugar and one egg well-beaten with three-fourths cupful of cream. bring to the boil, season with salt and pepper, pour over the hot cabbage, and serve. cold slaw shred a white cabbage fine and soak in ice-water. make a dressing of the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, one egg well-beaten, half a cupful of olive-oil, the juice of a lemon, and mustard, salt, and pepper to taste. drain the cabbage thoroughly, mix with the dressing, and serve very cold. cabbage with oysters cut in two a small cabbage. soak in cold water for an hour, drain, and cover with boiling water to which a teaspoonful of salt and a pinch of soda have been added. boil for five minutes, drain, rinse, cover with fresh boiling water, and boil until tender. drain, arrange on a platter, and moisten thoroughly with cream or melted butter. cover with broiled oysters, season with salt, pepper, and curry powder, and serve. cabbage with sour cream chop fine a small head of cabbage and cook in water enough to keep from burning, seasoning with salt and pepper. beat together two eggs, one-half cupful each of sour cream and vinegar, and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. bring to the boil, pour over the cabbage, and serve. smothered red cabbage shred a red cabbage and cook until tender with a sliced onion and enough butter to keep from burning. when tender season with salt, pepper, and butter, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and half a cupful of white vinegar. stewed red cabbage shred a red cabbage very fine. put into a kettle with five sour apples peeled and quartered, pepper and salt to season highly, one tablespoonful of sugar, and a pinch of powdered cloves. add water to cover and boil until tender, adding more liquid as needed. there should not be over one cupful of water when done. add a tablespoonful of butter, simmer for ten minutes, and serve. red cabbage À la babette slice a red cabbage very fine, sprinkle with salt, and add a peeled and sliced sour apple. stew slowly with a tablespoonful of drippings, a chopped onion, and enough water to keep from burning. when tender, season with vinegar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. this is a jewish recipe. red cabbage À la hollandaise trim and shred a red cabbage and soak it in cold water for an hour. parboil for five minutes, then drain. fry a small chopped onion soft in butter, add the cabbage and four tart apples, peeled, cored, and chopped. season with salt and pepper and cook uncovered for thirty minutes, stirring occasionally. add half a cupful of cream, reheat, and serve. boiled carrots cook peeled and sliced carrots in salted boiling water to cover. drain and serve with melted butter. stewed carrots parboil a bunch of carrots, drain, and cut into dice. put into a saucepan with two small onions chopped, pepper, salt, and minced parsley to season, and enough drawn-butter sauce to moisten. simmer half an hour and serve. fried carrots clean and parboil the carrots, drain, cut into thin slices lengthwise, dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. spring carrots trim and scrape two bunches of spring carrots. parboil for ten minutes in salted water to cover. drain, and rinse in cold water. put into a deep baking-dish with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and sugar and two cupfuls of well-seasoned beef stock. cover and cook slowly until tender. drain, reduce the liquid by rapid boiling, pour over the carrots, and serve. carrots and peas cook separately until tender diced carrots and green peas. drain, mix, and reheat in white, béchamel, or cream sauce, or season with salt, pepper, and melted butter. carrot croquettes cook until very tender enough peeled and sliced carrots to make a pint. mash through a sieve and add the yolk of one egg well-beaten, a tablespoonful of melted butter, and pepper and salt to season highly. cool on ice, shape into croquettes or balls, dip in egg and crumbs, and keep on ice until firm. fry in deep fat, drain, and serve very hot. buttered carrots cook peeled and sliced carrots until tender in boiling salted water. drain and put into a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls each of butter and sugar, for each two cupfuls of carrots. stir constantly until covered with syrup and colored a little. sprinkle with lemon-juice and serve immediately. boiled cauliflower wash and trim a head of cauliflower and soak it for an hour in cold salted water, head down. rinse thoroughly, cover with boiling salted water, and boil until done. drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. baked cauliflower prepare according to directions given for boiled cauliflower. put into a buttered baking-dish, pour over a drawn-butter sauce, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and add a little grated cheese if desired. brown in the oven and serve in the baking-dish. buttered cauliflower boil two cauliflowers in salted water until tender. drain, separate into flowerets, arrange in a serving-dish, and season with salt and pepper. heat a cupful of butter in a frying-pan without browning, skim, and put in enough fresh crumbs to make a smooth thin paste. spread over the cauliflower and serve. creamed cauliflower prepare according to directions given for boiled cauliflower, adding a pinch of soda to the water. cook slowly until done, drain, rinse in hot water, cut into convenient pieces for serving, pour over a cream sauce and serve, or break into flowerets, and reheat in cream sauce. fried cauliflower clean a cauliflower and separate into flowerets. parboil for five minutes, change the water, and cook until tender, adding a tablespoonful of salt to the water. drain, dry, and, if desired, marinate in french dressing, dip in crumbs, then in an egg beaten with three tablespoonfuls of water, then in crumbs or batter. fry in deep fat and serve with tartar or tomato sauce. cauliflower fritters make a batter of a tablespoonful of melted butter, half a cupful of milk, the yolk of an egg well-beaten, salt and pepper to season, and a tablespoonful or more of flour. separate freshly cooked cauliflower into convenient pieces. dip in the batter and fry in deep fat. escalloped cauliflower boil until tender, separate into small pieces, and pack stems downward in a buttered baking-dish, or use the cauliflower unbroken. mix a cupful of bread-crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, enough cream or milk to moisten, pepper and salt to season, and one egg well-beaten. spread over the cauliflower, cover, and bake for six minutes, then uncover and brown. serve in the same dish. cauliflower au gratin boil flowerets of cauliflower in salted water until nearly done and drain. arrange in layers in a buttered baking-dish, with cream sauce between the layers and sprinkling each layer thickly with grated parmesan cheese. when the dish is full, cover with sauce, sprinkle with cheese and crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve in the baking-dish. or use milk, crumbs, and bits of butter between the layers instead of cream sauce. cauliflower À la parisienne boil a large cauliflower until tender, drain, chop, and press hard into a mould. turn out on a platter that will stand the heat of the oven. cook together a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of stewed and strained tomatoes, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and grated onion. add enough cracker crumbs to make the sauce very thick. spread over the cauliflower, put it into a hot oven for ten minutes, and serve. boiled celery cut cleaned and trimmed stalks of celery into short lengths and boil slowly in salted water to cover until tender. drain and serve on slices of toast which have been dipped in the liquid. pour over a little melted butter, season, and serve. braised celery trim bunches of celery, tie in bundles, parboil for ten minutes, drain, and cover with cold water. let stand for ten minutes, drain, cover with white stock, and simmer for an hour. drain, pour over brown sauce, and serve with a garnish of toast points or croutons. fried celery parboil, drain, dry, and cool stalks of celery cut into short lengths. dip into melted butter and fry brown, or dip into fritter batter, or in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. olive-oil or lard may be used for frying. serve with melted butter or brown sauce, or with a sprinkle of grated cheese. stewed celery parboil eight heads of celery, drain, and finish cooking in stock to cover with a small slice of salt pork for each head of celery. drain, skim the cooking liquid, and thicken with flour cooked in butter. arrange the celery and pork alternately on the serving dish, pour over the sauce, and serve. celery in brown sauce clean and trim three heads of celery and cut into four-inch lengths. cover with boiling water, let stand for ten minutes, drain, and rinse in cold water. tie in bundles and put into a saucepan with three cupfuls of hot stock. add one-fourth cupful of butter or drippings, half a carrot, half an onion, a teaspoonful of salt, and a little cayenne pepper. cover and simmer until tender. drain the celery, strain the liquid, skim off the fat, and thicken a cupful or more of the cooking liquid with flour browned in butter. arrange the celery on toast, pour the sauce over, and serve. creamed celery clean, trim, and cut the celery into short pieces. boil until tender in salted water, drain, and reheat in a cream sauce. diced cooked carrots may be added to creamed celery. fricassee of celery clean and cut the celery into inch-lengths. cover with cold water and soak for an hour. drain, and cook until tender in stock to cover, with salt and paprika to season and a teaspoonful of grated onion. when tender, thicken the cooking liquid with flour browned in butter, and serve. celery au gratin cut two bunches of celery into inch-lengths and cook until tender in boiling salted water. drain, mix with cream sauce, cool, and add two well-beaten eggs. pour into a buttered baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for half an hour. celery À l'italienne trim off the tops and roots from four heads of celery. cut the stalks into short lengths, parboil, and drain. reheat with a cupful of white stock, a tablespoonful each of butter and chopped ham, and salt and pepper to season. when tender, strain the sauce and arrange the celery on pieces of toast. add to the sauce a tablespoonful of grated cheese and the beaten yolk of an egg. pour the sauce over the celery and bake until brown. boiled corn strip off all the husks, remove the silk, and boil rapidly in water to cover, adding a tablespoonful of sugar; serve immediately with butter, pepper, and salt. butter may be added to the water instead of sugar; it whitens and enriches the corn; or, boil in salted milk, drain, and serve with melted butter. baked canned corn pour a can of corn into a buttered baking-dish, season with salt and pepper, add one cupful of boiling milk or half a cupful of cream, and dot with two tablespoonfuls of butter broken into small bits. bake for forty-five minutes in a moderate oven, and serve in the same dish. creamed canned corn reheat a can of corn with half a cupful of cream sauce and serve very hot, or reheat with enough cream to moisten and season with butter, pepper, and salt. escalloped corn butter a baking-dish and put in a layer of cracker crumbs, then a layer of canned corn, seasoning with salt, pepper, and bits of butter, cover with cracker crumbs and repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs on top. pour in enough milk to fill the dish and bake for forty-five minutes. indian corn cakes grate from the cob on a coarse grater enough corn to make two cupfuls. add a cupful of milk, half a cupful of sifted flour, one egg well-beaten, and salt and pepper to season. bake on a griddle and serve with fried chicken. creole corn chowder slice three onions and fry brown in butter. add three peeled and sliced tomatoes, three green peppers, seeded and chopped, and the corn cut from seven cobs. cook for an hour, adding water as needed, and season with salt, sugar, and black pepper. kentucky corn patties four large ears of corn grated, two eggs, one cupful of milk, and one and one-half cupfuls of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. mix thoroughly and fry in small flat cakes. corn stewed with cream cut the corn from half a dozen ears with a sharp knife. reheat in a cupful of béchamel sauce, adding a teaspoonful of butter and enough cream to make the stew of the proper consistency. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. serve very hot. corn soufflÉ score each row of kernels deeply and press out the pulp with the back of a knife, using enough corn to make one cupful of pulp. add one cupful of cream or top milk, a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to season, and the yolks of three eggs well-beaten. cook in a double boiler until smooth and creamy, stirring constantly. take from the fire, cool, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs, turn into a buttered baking-dish, and bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven. corn pudding mix three cupfuls of milk with the corn cut from a dozen ears, and chopped fine. add four well-beaten eggs, salt and pepper to season, and bake in a buttered baking-dish for two hours. corn oysters score each row of kernels and press out the pulp from a dozen ears of corn. season highly with salt and pepper and add four eggs beaten very light. drop by spoonfuls on a griddle and fry carefully, turning once. corn fritters mix thoroughly one egg, half a cupful of cream, one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and two cupfuls of grated corn. drop by spoonfuls into deep fat and fry brown. corn succotash boil a pint of shelled lima beans for half an hour, or more, changing the water twice. add an equal quantity of corn cut from the ear and cook until done. season with salt, pepper, and butter, and serve. add a little sugar and cream if desired, or moisten with cream sauce. the beans may be boiled with the corn-cobs, removing them when the corn is added. twice as much corn as beans may be used. escalloped cucumbers peel and cut into dice six large cucumbers. butter a baking-dish and put in a layer of the dice seasoning with grated onion and lemon-juice. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and season with paprika and celery salt. repeat until the dish is full, having crumbs and butter on top. cover and bake for an hour, then remove the cover, and brown. serve with sauce piquante. stuffed cucumbers peel and split large cucumbers lengthwise. scoop out the pulp and fill with a stuffing made of cooked chicken chopped fine and mixed with soft crumbs seasoned nicely and moistened with a beaten egg or a little stock. sprinkle with crumbs and put into a baking-pan with stock half an inch thick. bake until the cucumbers are tender, basting frequently, and adding more stock if required. thicken the gravy with a teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold water and pour around the cucumbers when serving. broiled eggplant peel and cut into thin slices and soak for an hour in cold salted water. drain and dry thoroughly. soak for half an hour in a marinade of olive-oil seasoned with salt and pepper. add a little lemon-juice to the marinade if desired. broil and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. the slices may be dipped in egg and crumbs before broiling. baked eggplant parboil, cut off the top, and scoop out the pulp. mash the pulp and cook it in butter, seasoning with salt and pepper. take from the fire, add the beaten yolk of an egg and enough bread crumbs to make a smooth paste. mix thoroughly, refill the shell, and bake, basting with melted butter. a slice of onion, finely chopped, may be fried with the pulp. the egg may be omitted and the stuffing moistened with stock. baste with stock when baking. baked eggplant with cheese cover two eggplants with boiling water and let stand for ten minutes. drain, peel, slice thin, cut each slice in four, season with salt and pepper, and fry. cook together one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add one cupful of milk and half a cupful of stock, and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and cayenne. put the fried eggplant into a buttered baking-dish in layers, covering each layer with grated cheese and sauce. have cheese on top. sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for twenty minutes. fried eggplant peel and slice an eggplant and soak over night in cold salted water. drain and cover with cold water for half an hour. wipe dry, dip in seasoned flour, or in flour, beaten egg, and crumbs. fry in deep fat. grated cheese may be mixed with the crumbs. serve with white, cream, tomato, or caper sauce. eggplant fritters peel, slice, cover with cold water, boil until soft, and drain; or, put into boiling salted and acidulated water. mash smooth, add salt and pepper to season, two eggs well-beaten, and enough flour to make a thick batter. fry by spoonfuls in deep fat. escalloped eggplant boil a large eggplant until tender, peel and mash. season with butter, pepper, and salt. add two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine and half an onion grated. add two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, put into a buttered baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake brown. stuffed eggplant parboil a large eggplant for ten minutes, then plunge into salted ice-water and let stand for an hour. make a forcemeat of half a cupful of minced boiled ham, a cupful and a half of bread crumbs, one egg well-beaten, and enough cream to make a smooth paste. season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and onion. split the eggplant lengthwise, scrape out the pulp, and mix with the stuffing. fill the shells, tie together, and put into a dripping-pan with a cupful of stock. cover and bake for half an hour, remove the string, and serve. eggplant À la crÉole peel a young eggplant, cut it into dice, and simmer for ten or fifteen minutes in half a cupful of boiling water. drain and press out the liquid. chop fine two onions, fry in butter, add the eggplant, salt and pepper to season, and one tablespoonful each of minced parsley and vinegar. add also two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter. put into a baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for twenty-five minutes. boiled hominy soak a cupful of hominy for three hours in warm water, drain, and cook in fresh boiling water until tender, adding a pinch of salt. drain and reheat for fifteen minutes with a pint of milk, seasoning with salt and pepper. cook for fifteen minutes, add a tablespoonful of butter, and serve. curried lentils chop fine three large onions, two green peppers, and a clove of garlic. brown half a pound of washed lentils in butter, add the chopped mixture and cold salted water to cover. boil until tender. drain, add two sliced onions fried brown, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and a teaspoonful of curry powder. serve with a border of boiled rice. buttered macaroni boil a pound of macaroni until tender, drain, and put into a deep baking-dish. spread over it half a cupful of butter broken into bits, and one-quarter of a pound of cheese, grated. season with salt, and pepper, mix thoroughly, and bake, or serve without baking. macaroni au gratin butter a deep baking-dish and fill with cooked macaroni, sprinkling each layer with grated cheese, and seasoning with pepper and dots of butter. cover the top with cheese (parmesan, which may be mixed with swiss), dot with butter, and bake brown. serve in the same dish. milk or cream to cover may be poured over before baking. macaroni with brown butter reheat cooked and drained macaroni in melted butter, cooking until the butter browns. sprinkle with salt and pepper, season highly with grated parmesan cheese, and serve. macaroni and oysters arrange in alternate layers in a baking-dish cooked, broken, and drained macaroni, and oysters, seasoning with dots of butter and pepper and salt. beat together the liquor drained from the oysters, one and one-half cupfuls of milk, and two eggs. pour over the macaroni, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for half an hour; or, spread over the top a beaten egg mixed to a smooth paste with crumbs. macaroni À la galli rub through a fine sieve a large can of tomatoes and simmer for three hours or until as thick as jelly. chop fine half a pound of salt pork and a large onion and fry brown and crisp. mix with the tomatoes, season with salt and cayenne, and pour over cooked macaroni. serve with grated cheese. broiled mushrooms dip cleaned and peeled mushrooms into melted butter, put on ice for fifteen minutes, and broil. serve with melted butter and lemon-juice; or, broil, basting with bacon fat. if the mushrooms are strongly flavored they may be soaked in cold salted water for a few minutes before broiling. mushrooms baked with cheese parboil two cupfuls of cleaned and trimmed mushrooms in salted water for ten minutes. butter a baking-dish, put in the drained mushrooms, cover with a cupful of cream sauce, and sprinkle thickly with grated parmesan or swiss cheese. cover with buttered crumbs and bake brown. fried mushrooms peel and trim very large fresh mushrooms and fry in oil or butter seasoned with pepper and salt. serve on small thin slices of toast and put a teaspoonful of sherry or white wine on each mushroom, or use minced parsley and lemon-juice instead of wine. noodles beat an egg slightly, with a pinch of salt, and add enough flour to make a very stiff dough. roll out as thin as possible and dry on a cloth. roll up tightly and slice downward into very fine strips. toss lightly with the fingers to separate, and spread out on the board to dry. keep in covered jars for future use. baked noodles reheat boiled and drained noodles in milk to cover. season with melted butter, grated parmesan cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. heat thoroughly, put into a baking-dish, sprinkle with crumbs, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. serve in the same dish; or, arrange boiled and drained noodles in layers in a buttered baking-dish, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, and sprinkling thickly with grated cheese. spread fried crumbs over the top, heat thoroughly, and serve. noodles au gratin boil half a pound of noodles for ten minutes in salted water to cover. drain, and put into a saucepan with two cupfuls of milk or stock, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to season. simmer slowly until the liquid has all been absorbed, then add half a cupful of cream or stock, a tablespoonful of butter, and a quarter of a pound of grated parmesan cheese. cook slowly until the cheese is melted and put into a buttered serving-dish. sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg pressed through a sieve. brown in the oven and serve. boiled okra boil the okra in salted water until tender, drain, season with salt, pepper, and butter, and serve very hot. a little cream may be added. okra sautÉ À la crÉole chop fine an onion and a green pepper and fry soft in butter. add two tomatoes peeled and cut up, three tablespoonfuls of spanish sauce or stock, and pepper and chopped garlic to season. put in the required quantity of sliced okras, cover and cook for fifteen minutes. sprinkle with minced parsley and serve. boiled onions peel the onions under water. boil until tender in salted water to cover, changing the water once. drain, season with butter, pepper, salt, and hot cream, or reheat in white or cream sauce, or a well-buttered velouté sauce. a bunch of parsley may be boiled with the onions, and a little of the cooking liquid may be added to the sauce. baked onions peel and fry a dozen small onions, seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar. when brown, add stock to cover, and bake until soft in a covered pan. fried spanish onions peel and slice two pounds of spanish onions and put into a frying-pan with half a cupful of butter smoking hot, a small spoonful of salt, and a pinch of pepper. dust with cayenne and cook until tender. serve with the gravy they yield in cooking. creamed onions peel small onions and boil until tender, changing the water several times; or, slice large onions. mix with well-seasoned cream sauce and serve. drawn-butter sauce may be used instead. stuffed onions boil fine white onions in salted water for an hour, changing the water three times. drain, scoop out the centre, and fill with bread crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, grated cheese, and catsup. mash a little of the onion with the stuffing and moisten with cream or milk. wrap each onion in buttered paper, twist the ends, put into a buttered pan, and bake for an hour. remove the paper, pour over melted butter, and serve. roasted onions peel the onions and steam for an hour and a half. bake, basting with drippings, and season with salt and pepper. boiled parsnips boil cleaned parsnips until tender in salted water, adding a little butter if desired, drain, rub off the skins with a rough cloth, put into a hot dish, and serve with melted butter and parsley or butter sauce, seasoning with pepper and salt. white or cream sauce may be used instead. buttered parsnips boil the parsnips until tender, scrape off the skin, and cut lengthwise in thin slices. put into a saucepan with three or four tablespoonfuls of butter, and pepper, salt, and minced parsley to season. shake over the fire until the mixture boils and serve with the sauce poured over. a little cream may be added to the sauce. sprinkle the parsnips with minced parsley before serving. creamed parsnips boil parsnips in salted water until tender, drain, peel, cut into dice, and reheat, in a well-seasoned cream sauce. sprinkle with minced parsley if desired, and add a little more butter. escalloped parsnips prepare creamed parsnips according to directions previously given, cutting the parsnips into dice. put into a buttered baking-dish in layers, sprinkling each layer with chopped onion. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for half an hour. boiled peas shell a peck of green peas and cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain, season with salt, pepper, and butter or cream, and serve immediately. a small bunch of green mint or parsley or two or three young onions or a tablespoonful of minced onion may be boiled with them. a little sugar may be added to sweeten them. creamed peas boil peas until soft in water to cover, adding a pinch of salt during the last fifteen minutes. season with salt, pepper, and butter, and reheat in cream or white sauce. a little sugar may be added to the seasoning. canned peas may be used. buttered peas cook a quart of green peas in salted water, using as little as possible and adding a tablespoonful of butter. thicken with flour cooked in butter, then add more butter, a pinch of sugar, and a little grated nutmeg. broiled green peppers cut six green peppers into quarters, remove the seeds, and broil over a very hot fire, until the edges curl. spread with butter, sprinkle with salt, and serve with broiled steak. fried peppers remove the stems and seeds, cut into rings, and soak for half an hour in cold water. drain, dry, dip in flour seasoned with salt, and fry in fat to cover. stuffed peppers make a stuffing of one cupful of bread crumbs and half a cupful of chopped boiled ham or tongue or sausage, seasoning with salt, pepper, and grated onion and moistening with melted butter. stuff green peppers which have been seeded and soaked, and put into a buttered baking-dish. pour over a cupful of stock, cover, and bake for fifteen minutes, then uncover and brown. stuffed peppers À la crÉole make a stuffing of boiled rice and canned tomatoes, seasoning with salt and grated onion. stuff half a dozen sweet peppers, brown in oil, then put into a baking-pan and finish cooking, basting with hot water. boiled sweet potatoes clean thoroughly, cover with boiling water, to which a little salt may be added, boil until soft, drain, peel, and serve. they may be peeled before boiling; or, cover with hot water, boil until done, dry in the oven, and peel just before serving. baked sweet potatoes split lengthwise and steam or boil until nearly done. drain and put into a baking-dish, flat side down, seasoning each one with pepper, salt, and sugar. dot with butter and bake brown, basting with butter, or wash and trim and bake in a moderate oven until soft. they may be parboiled before baking. serve in the skins. browned sweet potatoes boil sweet potatoes until soft in salted water to cover. drain and mash, seasoning with butter, pepper, and salt. put into a serving-dish, dot with butter, and bake until brown. sweet potatoes in casserole put one-fourth of a cupful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of sugar into a casserole. when hissing hot cover with peeled sweet potatoes, cut into thin slices lengthwise. season with salt and pepper and cover with another layer of potatoes. moisten with boiling water, cover, and cook until nearly done then uncover, and brown. serve in the casserole. candied sweet potatoes peel and slice lengthwise four large sweet potatoes. put into a covered saucepan with a tablespoon of butter, salt and pepper to season, and enough water to moisten. steam until tender, drain, and put into a buttered baking-dish. pour over one cupful of new orleans molasses and bake until the molasses candies on the potatoes. serve in the same dish. escalloped sweet potatoes steam them until tender, peel and slice and put into a buttered baking-dish in layers, sprinkling each layer with a tablespoonful of sugar and bits of butter. pour over a cupful of cream or milk and brown in the oven. roasted sweet potatoes peel sweet potatoes of equal size and put into the pan with a roast or fowl an hour before taking up. split if too large. baste with the drippings. they may be parboiled before baking. glazed sweet potatoes cut cold boiled sweet potatoes into slices an inch thick and season with salt and pepper. dip in melted butter, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for twelve or fifteen minutes. moisten with water if necessary. boiled rice wash one cupful of rice in several waters, rubbing well with the hands. drain, dry on a cloth, and boil for ten minutes in two quarts of boiling salted water. drain, nearly cover with hot milk, and cook for ten minutes, covered, in a double boiler. remove the cover and dry, tossing with a fork to allow the steam to escape. buttered rice boil a cupful of well-washed rice, according to directions previously given, adding the juice of a lemon to the water. drain, put into a buttered baking-dish, moisten thoroughly with clarified butter, cover, and put into a moderate oven for twenty minutes; or, sauté boiled rice in butter, keeping the grains separate. a little minced onion may be fried with it. curried rice boil a cupful of rice in salted water, drain, and mix with a chopped onion fried in butter and two teaspoonfuls of curry powder dissolved in a cupful of stock or gravy. casserole of rice boil rice in chicken stock and press firmly into a mould. turn out on a serving-dish, brush with beaten yolk of an egg, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and brown in the oven. serve with tomato sauce. risotto chop fine a small onion and three beans of garlic. fry in butter, add half a cupful of boiling water, a teaspoonful of beef extract, and three or four dried mushrooms, soaked and chopped. simmer for five minutes, pour over boiled rice, and season highly with grated swiss and parmesan cheese. put in the oven until the cheese has softened, and serve. savory rice cook half a cupful of rice in salted water until half done and drain. cover with rich stock and simmer until the stock is absorbed. season with salt and pepper, add three heaping tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, and serve. rice À la crÉole chop together a large onion, two seeded green peppers, and half a cupful of raw ham. sauté in butter, then add a cupful of parboiled rice, three cupfuls of beef stock, one cupful of canned tomatoes, and a teaspoonful of salt. cook very slowly until the rice is tender and the liquid nearly absorbed. boiled salsify scrape a bunch of salsify and throw into cold acidulated water. cut in pieces and boil until tender in salted water to cover. drain, season with pepper, salt, and butter and, if desired, a little cream; or, serve with maître d'hôtel, hollandaise, onion, or italian sauce. baked salsify slice boiled salsify and put in layers in a buttered baking-dish, sprinkling each layer with crumbs and seasoning with salt, pepper, and butter. have crumbs on top. fill the dish with milk and bake until brown. escalloped salsify mash boiled salsify through a sieve, season with salt, cayenne, butter, and celery salt, and moisten with milk. put into a buttered baking-dish, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake in a pan of hot water until brown; or, use sliced boiled salsify alternately with cream or drawn-butter sauce and seasoned and buttered crumbs. have sauce on top. cover with crumbs, wet with cream, and bake brown. fried salsify prepare according to directions given for boiled salsify, drain, marinate in french dressing, and sauté in very hot fat. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce if desired; or, boil, drain, dip in egg and crumbs or seasoned flour, and fry in deep fat. spaghetti À l'amÉricaine cook spaghetti until tender, drain, and add a can of tomato paste. simmer for twenty minutes, season to taste, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and serve with grated cheese. spaghetti À la tomaso fry six pork chops brown with three sliced onions, adding a little butter or oil if the chops are not fat enough to fry. pour over two cans of tomatoes and add three whole cloves of garlic peeled and sliced, and salt and paprika to season. a seeded and chopped green pepper is an improvement. simmer slowly until the meat is in rags, adding boiling water if required. when the sauce is thick and dark, rub through a coarse sieve, pressing through as much of the meat pulp as possible. if it is not thick enough, simmer until it reaches the consistency of thick meat gravy. this sauce will keep for a day or two. have ready a kettle of salted water at a galloping boil. put in a handful of imported spaghetti without breaking, coiling it into the kettle as it softens. cook for twenty minutes, or more if necessary, stirring to keep from burning. drain in a colander, rinse thoroughly with fresh boiling water, and spread on a platter. add olive-oil to moisten if desired. mix with part of the sauce and sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. pass sauce and cheese with it. fried green peppers or fresh mushrooms may be mixed with the spaghetti, or a handful of soaked dried italian mushrooms may be cooked with the sauce. escalloped spaghetti with oysters put into a buttered baking-dish in layers drained oysters and boiled spaghetti cut into small pieces. season each layer with salt, pepper, and dots of butter. pour over enough cream sauce or milk to moisten, cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake until brown. greek spaghetti chop a small onion fine, fry in butter, and mix with a pound and a half of lean beef chopped fine and fried in butter, highly seasoned with black and white pepper. fill a baking-dish with alternate layers of the meat and boiled spaghetti, seasoning each layer with grated parmesan cheese. bake until brown. boiled spinach cook a peck of well-washed spinach, uncovered, with a cupful of boiling water for ten minutes. drain, pressing out all the liquid. chop fine, rub through a sieve, season with salt, pepper, butter and sugar, and moisten with stock, gravy, brown sauce, or cream sauce. garnish with hard-boiled eggs or croutons. it may be reheated without chopping and seasoned with salt, pepper, butter, and vinegar. buttered spinach cook two quarts of spinach according to directions previously given. drain, and serve with melted butter; or, chop fine, press out all the liquid, reheat in cream sauce, season with a little grated nutmeg and at the last add two tablespoonfuls of butter. boiled squash peel, remove the seeds, boil until tender, drain, and serve with melted butter or white sauce; or, peel, seed, and quarter a squash, and cook in stock to cover, seasoning with salt, pepper, butter, and a little sugar. or cook it in milk, seasoning with salt, pepper, and powdered mace. boiled summer squash cut into small pieces and cook for an hour in boiling water, then drain and mash, seasoning with salt, pepper, and butter. moisten with a little cream, and serve. creamed squash steam or boil small pieces of squash, drain, and reheat in cream sauce. fried summer squash cut the squash in slices, dredge with seasoned flour, and sauté in butter or dip in crumbs, then in egg and crumbs, and fry in deep fat. it may be parboiled for five minutes before frying; or, prepare according to directions given for fried eggplant. roasted squash peel and cut into long strips. cook in the pan with a roast, basting with the drippings. broiled tomatoes peel and slice large tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and broil, basting with oil; or, dip in seasoned crumbs or corn-meal before broiling. sprinkle with minced parsley if desired. broiled tomatoes with sauce season cream sauce with a little mace, and salt and pepper to taste. when smooth and thick add a well-beaten egg and pour it over broiled tomatoes; or, serve broiled tomatoes with highly seasoned melted butter mixed with lemon-juice. baked tomatoes peel the tomatoes and put into a baking-dish. sprinkle thickly with sugar and bake until the sugar has become a thick syrup; or, stuff tomato shells with seasoned crumbs, dot with butter, and sprinkle with sugar and bake. baked tomatoes À la crÉole peel and cut in two, three large tomatoes. chop fine a green pepper and an onion and spread over the tomato. sprinkle with salt, dot with butter, and bake, basting with the pan-gravy. add half a cupful of cream or milk to the pan-gravy, thicken it with flour cooked in butter, and pour the sauce over the tomatoes. serve on toast. creamed baked tomatoes make a cream sauce, seasoning with celery salt and onion-juice. put a tablespoonful of the sauce into a ramekin, add a small peeled tomato, and cover with the sauce. spread buttered crumbs over the top and bake in a pan of boiling water for half an hour. serve in the ramekins. curried tomatoes chop fine an onion and an apple and fry in butter, seasoning highly with curry powder. moisten with stock or gravy and spread on fried or baked tomatoes. devilled tomatoes mix together the mashed yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, a teaspoonful each of powdered sugar and made mustard, and a pinch each of salt and cayenne. add three tablespoonfuls of butter and, gradually, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon-juice. bring to the boil, add two eggs well-beaten, and cook in a double boiler until thick. pour over fried or boiled tomatoes and serve; or serve with a maître d'hôtel sauce made hot with mustard and cayenne. escalloped tomatoes put sliced tomatoes in layers in a baking-dish, seasoning with salt, pepper, and dots of butter, and onion-juice if desired, alternating with crumbs. have the top layer of crumbs and butter. a cupful of stock may be poured over. cover and bake until well done then uncover and brown. a little sugar may be added to the seasoning; or, season each layer of tomatoes with minced onion and grated cheese and have crumbs on top. green tomatoes may be used, or drained canned tomatoes. escalloped tomatoes and onions fill a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of sliced tomatoes and fried or parboiled sliced onions, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper, and butter, and sprinkling with crumbs. cover with crumbs, dot with butter, and bake for forty-five minutes. sprinkle with grated cheese if desired. fried tomatoes with cream cut six large tomatoes in half, and sauté the cut side in butter or drippings. take up the tomatoes and cook a tablespoonful of flour in the fat. add half a cupful of hot milk and cook to a thick sauce, seasoning with salt and cayenne. pour over the tomatoes, and serve. fried green tomatoes slice green tomatoes and soak for ten minutes in cold salted water. drain, sprinkle with sugar, dip in corn-meal, and fry in hot fat. season to taste. fried tomatoes with onions slice onions and green tomatoes thin and fry in drippings. fried tomatoes and peppers seed and shred six green peppers and slice three tomatoes. fry in olive-oil with a chopped onion and a bean of garlic and serve on toast. stewed tomatoes with cheese stew fresh tomatoes and add a cupful of grated american cheese and three eggs well-beaten. it will be richer if the tomatoes are cooked in stock. stewed tomatoes and celery stew a can of tomatoes with two or three stalks of celery cut fine. thicken with flour cooked in butter and season with salt, pepper, butter, sugar, and a little cinnamon or nutmeg. stuffed tomatoes mix the scooped-out tomato pulp with bread soaked in milk and season with minced parsley, grated onion, salt, and pepper. add a few chopped mushrooms if desired and a little chopped cooked meat. fill the tomato shells, dot with butter, and bake. spanish tomatoes chop two onions fine and fry in butter, then add a can of tomatoes and a small can of spanish peppers chopped fine. cook for five minutes, season with salt, then pour into a baking-dish, cover with buttered crumbs, and bake for forty-five minutes. green peppers may be used instead of the spanish peppers. boiled turnips peel and quarter young turnips and cook in boiling salted water to cover with four or five slices of bacon, changing the water once and adding a little sugar to the seasoned water. reheat in cream sauce and serve with the bacon as a garnish. baked turnips peel and parboil small turnips, drain and put into a baking-pan with beef stock to reach to half their height. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and sugar, dot with butter, cover, and bake until done basting occasionally with the stock. browned turnips peel, slice, boil until tender, drain, and sauté in butter, sprinkling with salt, pepper, and sugar. creamed turnips cut boiled turnips into dice, reheat in a cream or white sauce, season with salt, pepper, and sugar, and serve on toast. add a little grated nutmeg if desired. brown sauce may be used also. turnips and carrots cook separately diced carrots and turnips, then, mix and season with salt, pepper, butter, and minced parsley; or, mix with cream or white sauce. glazed turnips boil small peeled turnips in rich stock to cover, adding a pinch of sugar. drain, reduce the sauce by rapid boiling, and brown the turnips in the oven, basting with the stock. turnips in brown sauce peel, slice, and boil until tender in salted water, drain, sauté in butter, and pour over a brown sauce. season with salt, pepper, sugar, and mace. baked bananas peel and quarter four bananas and put into a buttered baking-dish with eight tablespoonfuls of water, four of sugar, four teaspoonfuls each of melted butter and lemon-juice, and a sprinkle of salt. bake slowly for half an hour, or less, basting frequently. the lemon-juice may be omitted. fried bananas peel, slice lengthwise, season with salt, dredge with flour, and fry in oil or butter, or dip in egg and crumbs, or cut in two crosswise, dip in egg and seasoned crumbs, put on ice for two hours, and fry in deep fat. sprinkle with lemon-juice if desired. curry of vegetables mix one cupful each of cooked carrots and turnips cut into dice, one-half can of peas, and one cupful of cooked lima or kidney beans. reheat in brown sauce, seasoning with minced onion, curry powder, a pinch of sugar, and a little vinegar. add a cupful and a half of cooked potatoes cut into dice, simmer for twenty minutes, and serve in a border of boiled rice. gnocchi bring to the boil a cupful of water and a tablespoonful of butter. add sifted flour to make a batter and a pinch each of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. add a heaping tablespoonful of grated parmesan cheese and stir constantly until the mixture leaves the sides of the pan. take from the fire and stir in one at a time three unbeaten eggs. drop by spoonfuls into boiling water and simmer until firm. drain, put into a buttered baking-dish, season with grated cheese and melted butter, and pour over a cream or béchamel sauce, thickened with the yolks of three eggs. sprinkle with crumbs and grated cheese, bake until brown, and serve in the same dish. creamed kohlrabi peel, slice, and soak the kohlrabi in cold water for half an hour. drain, cover with cold water, and cook until tender. drain and pour over a cream sauce to which has been added the well-beaten yolk of an egg. polenta boil a quart of white stock with two tablespoonfuls of butter and sprinkle in slowly, enough corn-meal to make a thick mush. take from the fire, add four tablespoonfuls each of butter and grated parmesan cheese and a tablespoonful of beef extract. mould in small cups, turn out, sprinkle with crumbs and cheese, and bake, basting with melted butter. indian pilau wash a cupful of rice thoroughly, throw into fast boiling water, boil for twenty minutes, and drain. a tablespoonful of butter may be added to the water. season with salt and pepper, add a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs and fried onions. vegetables À la jardiniÈre mix half a can of french peas and one cupful each of diced cooked carrots and turnips. reheat in a well-buttered béchamel sauce. season with salt and pepper and add a little sugar if desired. thirty simple sauces allemande sauce put two cupfuls of white stock into a saucepan with half a dozen mushrooms, chopped fine, a two-inch strip of lemon-peel, salt and pepper to season, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. simmer for an hour and strain. thicken with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold stock or water, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of half a lemon. reheat, but do not boil. take from the fire and add a tablespoonful of butter. bÉarnaise sauce bring to the boil two tablespoonfuls each of vinegar and water. simmer in it for ten minutes a slice of onion. take out the onion and add the yolks of three eggs beaten very light. take from the fire, add salt and pepper to season, and four tablespoonfuls of butter beaten to a cream. the butter should be added in small bits. quick bÉarnaise sauce beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoonfuls of oil and four of water. add a cupful of boiling water and cook slowly until thick and smooth. take from the fire, and add minced onion, capers, olives, pickles, and parsley, and a little tarragon vinegar. bÉchamel sauce cook together two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, add two cupfuls of white stock and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. brown sauce brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter. add two cupfuls of milk or cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season to taste. brown butter sauce or beurre noir melt butter in a frying-pan and cook until brown, taking care not to burn. take from the fire and add lemon-juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper to season. serve hot. butter sauce beat the yolks of four eggs with half a cupful of cold water and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon-juice. cook in a double boiler until thick, seasoning with salt, cayenne, and onion-juice. add half a cupful of butter, cut into small pieces, take from the fire, and serve. caper sauce add two or three tablespoonfuls of capers to two cupfuls of drawn-butter sauce. cheese sauce add half a cupful of grated cheese to two cupfuls of cream or drawn-butter sauce. colbert sauce put into a saucepan one cupful of espagnole sauce, two tablespoonfuls of beef extract, the juice of a lemon, red and white pepper and minced parsley to season, and half a cupful of butter in small bits. heat, but do not boil, and serve at once. cream sauce cook together one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour. add two cupfuls of cream or milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper. curry sauce fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in butter and add a tablespoonful of flour mixed with a teaspoonful of curry powder. mix thoroughly, add one cupful of cold water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, season with salt and onion-juice, and serve hot. drawn-butter sauce cook to a smooth paste two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour. add two cupfuls of cold water and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper. dutch sauce cook together one tablespoonful each of flour and butter, add one cupful of white stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, take from the fire, and add the yolks of three eggs beaten with half a cupful of cream. cook in a double boiler for three minutes, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and strain. duxelles sauce cook in butter one cupful of chopped mushrooms and one tablespoonful each of minced onion and parsley. add to one pint of spanish sauce and serve. egg sauce add one-half cupful of sliced or chopped hard-boiled eggs to two cupfuls of drawn-butter sauce or sufficient melted butter. hollandaise sauce beat half a cupful of butter to a cream and add gradually the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and pepper and salt to season. cook over boiling water until it begins to thicken, beating with an egg beater. serve as soon as it is of the proper consistency. add a little boiling water if it is too thick. italian sauce fry a chopped onion in butter with a teaspoonful of minced parsley and two tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms. add one cupful of white stock and boil for ten minutes. thicken with a small spoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, take from the fire, and add a tablespoonful of butter and a little lemon-juice. madeira sauce add four tablespoonfuls of mushroom liquor and a wineglassful of madeira to italian sauce. maÎtre d'hÔtel sauce work into half a cupful of butter all the lemon-juice it will take, and add a teaspoonful or more of minced parsley; or, melt the butter without burning, take from the fire, add the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. mint sauce chop fresh mint, or use dried mint, which is equally good. cover with good cider vinegar and add enough granulated sugar to neutralize part of the acid. let stand for several hours before using. mushroom sauce add the desired quantity of chopped canned mushrooms to white, cream, brown, or drawn-butter sauce, using the can liquor for part of the liquid. parsley sauce boil two large bunches of parsley in water to cover for five minutes. strain the water, and thicken with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together. season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little vinegar, three tablespoonfuls of butter in small bits, and a little minced parsley. piquante sauce brown three small spoonfuls of flour in butter, add two cupfuls of stock, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt and cayenne. chop a small onion fine and cook it until tender in four tablespoonfuls of vinegar with a teaspoonful of sugar. put into the sauce with two tablespoonfuls each of chopped capers and cucumber pickles. heat thoroughly and serve. remoulade sauce mix together the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, the yolk of one raw egg, a pinch each of salt and pepper, and a teaspoonful of mustard. set the bowl into a pan of ice and add gradually a cupful of olive-oil, beating constantly. when smooth and thick, add three tablespoonfuls each of tarragon or cider vinegar and a teaspoonful of minced parsley. tartar sauce chop fine a teaspoonful each of pickles, parsley, olives, and capers. mix with very stiff mayonnaise. a little grated onion may be added if desired. tomato sauce--i fry a chopped onion and half a clove of garlic in butter. add half a cupful of water, a teaspoonful of beef extract, a cupful of canned tomatoes, and three or four dried mushrooms soaked and chopped. simmer until smooth and thick, run through a sieve, and serve. tomato sauce--ii brown a tablespoonful of flour in butter, add a cupful of stewed tomatoes, and salt, pepper, grated onion, powdered cloves, and mace to season. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, rub through a sieve, and serve. tomato sauce--iii chop together capers, pickles, onion, and olives. there should be half a cupful in all. add one-half cupful of stewed and strained tomatoes, a teaspoonful each of made mustard and sugar, and salt and cayenne to season highly. serve very hot. tomato cream sauce cook together for ten minutes one cupful of tomatoes, a slice of onion, two cloves, two pepper-corns, a stalk of celery, and a bit of bay-leaf. rub through a sieve and thicken with three small spoonfuls of flour cooked in butter. season with salt, paprika, and sugar, add one cupful of hot cream, bring to the boil, add a pinch of soda, and serve. veloutÉ sauce cook together three small spoonfuls each of butter and flour, add one cupful of white stock and one quarter cupful of cream. cook until thick, stirring constantly. season with salt, cayenne, grated nutmeg, and minced parsley. simmer for an hour, strain and serve. vinaigrette sauce beat together four tablespoonfuls of olive-oil and one tablespoonful of vinegar with salt and red pepper to season. chop fine a little parsley, onion, and sweet pickle, or capers, and mix with the sauce. serve with cold meat. salads _salads and dressings_ french dressing put a pinch each of salt and paprika into a small bowl. rub the inside of the bowl with cut garlic if desired. put in four tablespoonfuls of the best olive-oil and stir until the salt is dissolved. add one tablespoonful of vinegar and stir and beat until no separate globules of oil are visible. cider vinegar or any of the flavored vinegars may be used. sometimes three tablespoonfuls of oil are used to one of vinegar. seasonings for french dressing to french dressing made according to directions given above may be added at discretion anchovy essence, anchovy paste, celery salt, celery pepper, chilli pepper, curry powder, pounded cardamon seed, minced chervil, minced chives, chutney, capers, grated cheese, caviare, minced garlic, onion, horseradish, mustard, either made or dry, worcestershire sauce, mushroom, walnut, or tomato catsup, mint, parsley, thyme, savory, sage, marjoram, tarragon, minced olives or pickles, shrimp essence, sardine paste, chopped truffles or pimentos. french dressing for fruit salads prepare according to directions given for french dressing, using lemon-juice or wine instead of vinegar and omitting the paprika. fruit-juice, claret, white wine, port, sherry, madeira, rhine wine, and lime-juice are all used in dressing for fruit salads. if additional seasoning is desired, add powdered cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or mace, or chopped candied fruits. for some salads sweet wine may be used in the dressing. mayonnaise put an earthen bowl into a larger one containing cracked ice. break into it the yolks of two fresh eggs, add a pinch each of salt and paprika, and half a teaspoonful or more of dry mustard. mix thoroughly and add oil drop by drop at first. a clear spot forming upon the egg is the test of the proper quantity of oil. use a silver teaspoon for mixing and beat constantly. if the mayonnaise should curdle, put it on the ice for an hour, or add a few drops of lemon-juice. when a cupful or more of oil has been used and the dressing is stiff enough to cut with a knife, add the juice of half a lemon, or more, according to taste. cover with paraffine paper and keep on ice until ready to serve. for fruit salads, omit the mustard and pepper and at the last fold in a little cream whipped solid. veal or chicken jelly may also be mixed with mayonnaise. chopped sweet herbs, pickles, olives, capers, onions, garlic, shrimp paste, horseradish and caviare are used to season mayonnaise. chopped olives, pickles, and capers, with a little onion or garlic, if desired, make tartar sauce when added to mayonnaise. boiled dressing--i bring half a cupful of vinegar to the boil, with two teaspoonfuls of sugar, half a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard, and a dash of pepper. thicken with one-fourth cupful of butter creamed with a teaspoonful of flour, and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, and add the yolk of an egg well-beaten. cool, and if desired add a cupful of sweet or sour cream or buttermilk. boiled dressing--ii beat the yolks of two eggs with a tablespoonful of sugar and a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard. add gradually half a cupful of melted butter or oil, the beaten whites of the eggs, and half a cupful of lemon-juice or vinegar. cook in a double boiler until it thickens, stirring constantly. cream dressing beat two eggs until light, add a teaspoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of butter, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, with salt, mustard, and cayenne to season. cook until thick in a double boiler, stirring constantly, and adding gradually four tablespoonfuls of boiling tarragon vinegar. take from the fire, cool, and add a cupful of whipped cream just before serving. sour-cream dressing mix one cupful of thick sour cream with two tablespoonfuls each of lemon-juice and vinegar, one tablespoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard, and pepper to taste. egg dressing beat three eggs, add gradually two tablespoonfuls of oil, a teaspoonful of sugar, and salt, white pepper, and cayenne to season. add half a cupful of boiling vinegar, mix thoroughly, and cook in a double boiler until thick. german salad dressing mix half a cupful of sour cream with a tablespoonful of sugar, a dash of pepper, a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard, two tablespoonfuls of bacon fat, and half a chopped onion cooked in half a cupful of boiling vinegar. club dressing chop very fine two hard-boiled eggs, two pimentos, half a small onion, a small bunch of chives, and one small root of garlic. it cannot be too fine. rub to a paste with a spoon, add six tablespoonfuls of oil, two of tarragon vinegar, and salt and paprika to season. curry dressing rub the yolk of a hard-boiled egg smooth with four tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a pinch of curry powder. ravigote dressing put into a double boiler the well-beaten yolks of two eggs and a tablespoonful of butter. cook until it begins to thicken, then add another tablespoonful of butter and cook to a cream. season with minced chives, chervil, tarragon, and parsley. _fish salads_ anchovy and egg salad rub a salad bowl with cut garlic and fill with crisp lettuce leaves. put anchovies and sliced hard-boiled eggs on top and serve with french dressing. anchovy and pepper salad skin and bone six anchovies and chop very fine. mix with a spanish onion sliced very thin, two shredded sweet spanish peppers, and a slice of bread cut into dice. mix with french dressing and serve on lettuce or cress, adding more bread if desired. clam and celery salad cut clams into small pieces, season with onion-juice, mix with shredded lettuce or celery, and serve on lettuce with french dressing or mayonnaise. either cooked or raw clams may be used. sardine salad--i arrange on a bed of lettuce, sardines and shrimps, alternately. season with minced onion, chopped pickle, capers, and hard-boiled eggs. pour over french dressing, season with tomato catsup, and serve cold. sardine salad--ii bone and flake drained sardines and put on tissue paper until the oil is absorbed. mix with three times the quantity of finely cut celery and marinate in french dressing. drain and serve on lettuce or cress with mayonnaise. shrimp salad mix cooked flaked shrimps with finely shredded lettuce and french dressing. garnish with spoonfuls of mayonnaise. shrimp and asparagus salad mix two cupfuls of cold cooked asparagus cut into short lengths with one cupful of cooked flaked shrimps. serve with french dressing to which the pounded yolks of three hard-boiled eggs have been added. _vegetable salads_ artichoke salad remove the chokes and inner leaves from boiled artichokes, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve with french dressing. asparagus salad mix cold cooked asparagus tips with diced or sliced cucumbers and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. asparagus À la vinaigrette serve cold boiled asparagus or the bleached canned asparagus on lettuce with french dressing to which have been added chopped olives, pickles, and capers. onion and mustard may be added to the seasoning. bean salad--i season cold cooked beans with tomato catsup and mix with half the quantity of finely cut celery. sprinkle with minced chives and capers and serve very cold on lettuce with french dressing. bean salad--ii mix equal quantities of finely cut celery and cooked wax beans and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. bean salad--iii mix cold cooked lima beans with crisp lettuce, sprinkle with chopped mint and serve with french dressing or mayonnaise. beet salad--i slice six cold boiled beets and one spanish onion. serve on crisp lettuce with french dressing. beet salad--ii fill a salad bowl nearly full of crisp lettuce and cover with sliced boiled beets and hard-boiled eggs. season with grated onion and pour over a french dressing which has been seasoned with minced garlic and tomato catsup. brussels sprouts salad chop separately onion, olives, walnuts, and capers. mix and blend to a smooth paste with lemon-juice. spread over cold cooked brussels sprouts. mix thoroughly and serve with mayonnaise. cabbage salad--i marinate shredded cabbage in french dressing, drain, and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. cabbage salad--ii mix two cupfuls of shredded cabbage with half as much celery and season with minced chives and tomato catsup or tabasco sauce. serve on lettuce with french or mayonnaise dressing. carrot salad--i boil young carrots in water to which a little sugar may be added. drain, cool, cut up, and serve on lettuce with french dressing or mayonnaise. carrot salad--ii mix diced cooked carrots with lettuce and serve with french dressing, sprinkling with minced cress, chervil, chives, or parsley. cauliflower salad--i mix cooked cauliflower flowerets with mayonnaise and serve in red-pepper shells on lettuce with mayonnaise on top. cauliflower salad--ii marinate cooked cauliflower flowerets in french dressing, drain, and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. garnish with diced cooked carrots or beets. celery salad--i shred crisp celery very fine and serve with french dressing or mayonnaise. celery salad--ii mix finely cut celery with sliced sour apple cut into small bits and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. celery salad--iii cut into small bits a large bunch of celery and three-fourths pound of blanched almonds. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. chickory salad fill a salad bowl with well trimmed chickory and serve with french dressing seasoned with onion-juice. chiffonade salad mix one cupful each of shredded lettuce, celery, and chickory, and one teaspoonful each of chopped beets, onion, parsley, tarragon, and sweet red pepper. serve with crisp lettuce and french dressing, garnishing with sliced tomatoes. cress salad--i mix watercress, lettuce, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, and onion with shredded green pepper and celery. serve with french dressing and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs. cress salad--ii cut thin slices of sour apples and hard-boiled eggs into bits and mix with watercress. serve with french dressing. cucumber salad--i slice cucumbers thin, and soak in cold salted water until wilted. drain, rinse, wipe very dry, and serve with french dressing or with thick sour cream seasoned highly with black pepper. cucumber salad--ii mix one cupful of diced cucumbers with two cupfuls of finely cut celery and half a can of drained mushrooms. add three chopped hard-boiled eggs and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. cucumber salad--iii cut three cucumbers into dice. mix with one cupful of finely cut olives, three hard-boiled eggs, and three-fourths cupful of broken pecans or english walnuts. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. pickled nasturtium seeds or french peas may be added. cucumber jelly salad slice two cucumbers and cook until soft in water to cover, with a slice of onion and salt and pepper to season. take from the fire, and add half a package of soaked and dissolved gelatine. line a mould with thin slices of cucumber, fill with the jelly, and chill. serve on lettuce with either french dressing or mayonnaise. endive salad fill a salad bowl with small crisp leaves of endive and serve with french dressing or mayonnaise. sprinkle with minced chives if desired. lettuce salad--i quarter crisp heads of lettuce and serve individually with mayonnaise. lettuce salad--ii cut head lettuce in quarters, sprinkle with minced chives and parsley, and serve with french dressing which may be seasoned with onion or garlic. mushroom salad cut canned mushrooms into small pieces and serve on lettuce with french dressing, sprinkling with minced chives and parsley. onion salad--i slice peeled spanish onions very thin, crisp in ice-water, drain, wipe dry, and serve on lettuce with french dressing, sprinkling with minced parsley if desired. onion salad--ii mix sliced spanish onion with twice the quantity of sliced and broken sour apples. mix with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce. pimento salad mix shredded pimentos with quartered hard-boiled eggs, sliced olives, and pearl onions. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. pea salad--i mix cooked and drained peas with diced cooked carrots and finely cut celery. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. pea salad--ii mix cooked peas with cut walnut meats, marinate in french dressing, drain, and serve in lemon-cups on lettuce with a spoonful of mayonnaise on top. pepper salad--i chop a very small onion fine with twice the quantity of parsley. add two small red peppers and eight sweet green peppers finely minced. pour over a french dressing, seasoning with a pinch of powdered sugar and a teaspoonful of salt. serve ice-cold on lettuce leaves. pepper salad--ii mix sliced spanish onions with seeded and sliced sweet green peppers and serve on lettuce with french dressing. pepper salad--iii slice the tops from green peppers, remove seeds and veins, and soak in boiling water for fifteen minutes. drain, chill, and fill with finely cut celery mixed with mayonnaise. shredded cabbage may be used instead of the celery or mixed with it. potato salad--i mix diced cooked potatoes with one-fourth the quantity of diced boiled beets. serve on lettuce with french dressing or mayonnaise, garnishing with anchovies and small pickles, or in a mould of aspic. potato salad--ii mix two cupfuls of diced boiled potatoes with half a cupful of finely cut celery and an apple. marinate in french dressing and serve mayonnaise separately if desired. potato salad--iii mix sliced cold potatoes with finely cut pickled walnuts and chives or onions. serve with french dressing, seasoned slightly with sage. potato salad--iv slice cold cooked potatoes and season with minced onion and parsley. pour over a french dressing and let stand two hours on ice before serving. serve very cold and pass mayonnaise if desired. potato salad--v mix half a cupful of vinegar, one-fourth cupful of cold water, two eggs well-beaten, one tablespoonful of sugar, and three tablespoonfuls of butter, with salt and pepper to season. cook until thick in a double boiler, stirring constantly; take from the fire, cool, and mix with a little cream. an entire cupful of cream may be used if desired. mix with sliced boiled potatoes, seasoned with chopped onion and parsley. radish salad mix sliced radishes with bits of sour apple, marinate in french dressing, drain, and mix with mayonnaise. serve on lettuce. radish salad--ii slice crisp radishes and mix with minced chives or sliced spring onions and serve with french dressing. salsify salad cook sliced salsify in salted and acidulated water with a bit of onion and a bay-leaf and a sprig of parsley. drain, marinate in french dressing, and serve on cress or lettuce with mayonnaise. garnish with minced parsley and sliced oranges. spinach salad--i mould cold cooked spinach in small cups. turn out on lettuce, garnish with hard-boiled eggs and bits of cooked ham or tongue. serve with mayonnaise or french dressing. spinach salad--ii season cooked chopped spinach with salt, pepper, oil, and lemon-juice, and mould in small moulds. turn out on thin slices of cold boiled tongue and serve with tartar sauce. tomato salad--i peel and quarter large tomatoes and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. marinate first in french dressing if desired. tomato salad--ii fill a salad bowl with alternate layers of sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and serve with french dressing or mayonnaise. crisp lettuce may be added. tomato salad--iii mix sliced tomatoes with lettuce and fresh roquefort cheese broken into small bits. serve with lettuce and french dressing to which minced garlic has been added. stuffed tomato salad--i mix equal quantities of diced cucumber, tomato pulp, and cooked peas with a few capers and a little chopped pickle. add a little cooked chicken, cut in dice, mix with mayonnaise, fill tomato-shells, and serve on lettuce. stuffed tomato salad--ii chop cucumbers and mix with sweet green peppers, seasoning with grated onion. mix with thick mayonnaise, fill tomato-shells, and serve on lettuce with french dressing or mayonnaise. stuffed tomato salad--iii stuff tomato-shells with chopped celery and nuts, which may be mixed with mayonnaise, and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. tomato jelly salad cook eight tomatoes with a slice of onion, six cloves, and salt and pepper to season. rub through a sieve, and add half a package of soaked and dissolved gelatine. mould in small cups, and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. or, place small peeled tomatoes in moulds and fill with any desired aspic. turn out and serve with mayonnaise. yellow tomatoes may be used in the same way. waldorf salad mix finely cut celery and apples with broken english walnuts. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise, or fill bright red apples from which the pulp has been removed. _fruit salads_ alligator pear salad mix sliced alligator pears with sliced or quartered hard-boiled eggs and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. apple salad--i slice the tops from large red apples and scoop out the pulp. mix with finely cut celery, broken english walnuts, and mayonnaise made without mustard. fill the apple shells, put on the lids, and serve on lettuce leaves. apple salad--ii mix sliced boiled chestnuts with finely cut celery and apples. serve on lettuce with french dressing made with lemon-juice. apple salad--iii mix bits of apple with an equal quantity of orange pulp and add a few sliced maraschino cherries. serve in the orange shells with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. shredded pineapple may be added. apple salad--iv mix finely cut apples, celery, and shredded green peppers with broken english walnuts, blanched almonds, or pecans. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard to which whipped cream has been added. apricot salad peel and split apricots. fill the hulls with chopped maraschino cherries and nuts and serve on lettuce with french dressing made with wine. banana salad--i peel one section from the skin of ripe bananas, take out the pulp, mix with french dressing made with lemon-juice, fill the shells and serve on lettuce, sprinkling with chopped nuts if desired. mayonnaise may be used instead of french dressing. banana salad--ii remove one section of the banana peel and scoop out the pulp. mix with shredded orange or grapefruit, seeded and peeled white grapes, and a few broken nuts. stoned cherries may be added if desired. mix with mayonnaise made without mustard and serve on lettuce in the banana skins. cantaloupe salad scoop out the pulp from ripe cantaloupes, drain, and mix with pounded ice. serve in the shells immediately with french dressing made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. cherry salad--i stuff maraschino cherries or white california canned cherries or large sweet cherries with blanched hazel nuts, and serve ice cold on lettuce, with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. cherry salad--ii mix sliced black or maraschino cherries with shredded pineapple and blanched hazel nuts. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. grape salad--i mix peeled and seeded white grapes with finely cut celery and broken walnut meats and serve on lettuce with french dressing made with lemon-juice, or mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. grape salad--ii mix peeled and seeded white grapes with orange pulp, finely cut celery, and broken nuts. or, mix pineapple, celery, and pecans. serve on lettuce with french dressing made with lemon-juice or wine, or with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. grapefruit salad--i mix grapefruit pulp with broken english walnuts, hickory nuts, or pecans. mix with mayonnaise made without mustard, fill the grapefruit shells, and serve on lettuce. grapefruit salad--ii mix the pulp of three grapefruits and one large orange with two sliced bananas and half a cupful of maraschino cherries. serve with french dressing made with lemon-juice or orange-juice, or mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. garnish with white grapes, or add peeled and seeded white grapes to the salad. grapefruit salad--iii mix the pulp of one grapefruit with two cupfuls of diced apples and serve on lettuce with french dressing made with the grapefruit juice. or, mix the drained grapefruit pulp with broken english walnuts and serve in the shell with french dressing made of the juice, or mayonnaise made without mustard. garnish either salad with white grapes and nuts. macedoine salad--i mix peeled and seeded white grapes with equal quantities of strawberries, raspberries, sliced bananas, oranges, and pineapples, any or all. serve with french dressing made with wine, or mayonnaise made without mustard, adding whipped cream if desired. macedoine salad--ii mix sliced bananas with maraschino cherries and season with sherry, or mix pineapple, oranges, white grapes, and plums, and season with white wine. serve on lettuce with french dressing made with lemon-juice, or mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. macedoine salad--iii mix shredded pineapple and apples with finely cut strawberries, bananas, cherries, peeled and seeded white grapes, and bits of orange pulp. add chopped almonds or peanuts and serve with french dressing made with lemon-juice. orange salad--i mix sliced oranges and bananas with broken english walnuts and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. or, use oranges, bananas, pineapple, and peeled and seeded white grapes. orange salad--ii mix shredded pineapple, sliced bananas, orange pulp, and maraschino cherries. season with sherry and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. the cherries and bananas may be omitted. orange salad--iii arrange thinly sliced oranges on cress, sprinkle with chopped nuts and serve with french dressing made with lemon-juice, or with mayonnaise made without mustard. orange salad--iv arrange sliced oranges on lettuce and sprinkle with blanched and broken english walnuts. a little chopped celery may be added. serve with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. peach salad--i peel and split ripe peaches, cover thickly with chopped almonds, and serve on lettuce with french dressing made with orange juice, or mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. peach salad--ii mix finely cut peaches with sliced bananas and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. pear salad mix sliced pears with chopped candied ginger and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and mixed with a little whipped cream. pineapple salad--i cut off the top of a ripe pineapple and scoop out the pulp carefully. cut it fine, mix with sliced bananas and stoned cherries, and with stiff mayonnaise made without mustard. fill the pineapple shell and put on the top. pass with it mayonnaise whitened with whipped cream. pineapple salad--ii mix shredded pineapple with finely cut celery and broken english walnuts. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. pineapple salad--iii mix shredded pineapple with peeled and quartered tomatoes, figs soaked in sherry and cut into dice, and broken english walnut meats. serve ice cold on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. _egg salads_ egg salad--i mix finely cut celery with the shredded whites of hard-boiled eggs. mash the yolks to a smooth paste with sardines, moistening with oil, and shape into balls. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise, using the balls as a garnish. egg salad--ii arrange quartered hard-boiled egg on lettuce and pour over mayonnaise mixed with salmon which has been rubbed to a smooth paste with a little oil. caviare, sardines, or anchovy paste may be used instead of the salmon. egg salad--iii cut fine three hard-boiled eggs and four stalks of celery. serve on lettuce with french dressing or mayonnaise. _cheese and nut salads_ cheese salad--i rub cottage cheese to a smooth paste with cream, butter, and salt. rub a salad bowl with cut garlic and fill with chickory or endive. add the cheese balls and quartered hard-boiled eggs, with onion-juice to season. serve with french dressing. cheese salad--ii mix cottage cheese with chopped olives and make to a smooth paste with oil and lemon-juice, seasoning with salt and paprika. shape into balls and serve on lettuce or endive with french or mayonnaise dressing. garnish with olives. cheese salad--iii mix one cupful of broken american cheese, three neufchatel cheeses cut into small pieces, ten olives or pimolas sliced, and three finely cut pimentos. season with salt and paprika, moisten with cream, and serve on lettuce with french dressing to which grated horseradish has been added. garnish with pimentos cut in fancy shapes. cheese salad--iv mix two cream cheeses to a smooth paste with chopped nuts and minced parsley and roll into small balls. arrange in nests of crisp lettuce and serve with mayonnaise. nut salad mix equal parts of finely cut celery and apple with half the quantity of broken nuts, using almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts, or salted almonds or peanuts. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise made without mustard. almond salad stone and chop six olives. add half a cupful of blanched almonds cut fine and half a cupful of finely cut celery. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise from which the mustard may be omitted, and to which a little whipped cream may be added. chestnut salad--i shell and blanch large chestnuts and cook until soft. cool and serve on lettuce with french dressing made with lemon-juice, or with mayonnaise made without mustard. serve very cold. broken english walnuts may be added if desired. chestnut salad--ii shell, blanch, and boil until tender one pint of chestnuts. drain, cool, and serve on lettuce with french dressing made with lemon-juice. dust with hard-boiled egg yolks rubbed through a sieve, and garnish with shredded whites. chestnut salad--iii mix boiled chestnuts with bananas and oranges, or english walnuts with cheese and celery, or with apples and figs, or with cream cheese and figs, or pecans with apples, celery, and cream cheese. serve with french dressing made with wine or lemon-juice or with mayonnaise made without mustard and whitened with whipped cream. peanut salad chop peanuts fine and mix to a smooth paste with mayonnaise. spread on sliced tomatoes or fill tomato-shells and serve on lettuce. pecan salad mix half a cupful each of broken pecans and chopped olives with one and one-half cupfuls of finely cut celery, and half of a red or green pepper chopped fine. serve on lettuce or in pepper-shells with mayonnaise. walnut salad--i mix equal quantities of finely cut celery and broken english walnuts or pecans and marinate in french dressing. serve in a border of shredded lettuce and pass mayonnaise if desired. walnut salad--ii mix two cupfuls of finely cut celery with the grated rind of an orange and a dozen chopped walnut meats. mix with stiff mayonnaise made without mustard and serve in apple shells, adding some of the apple pulp if desired. serve on lettuce and pass mayonnaise. simple desserts blanc mange thicken a quart of milk with four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little of it. add a teaspoonful of salt, and sugar and flavoring to taste. mould, chill, and serve with a sauce made of a cupful of jam or jelly thoroughly mixed with the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. almond blanc mange thicken a quart of boiling milk with three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt, and a few drops of lemon extract. when smooth and thick, add half a cupful or more of split blanched almonds, mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream, sweetened and flavored to taste. cherry blanc mange stone a quart of cherries and stew, sweetening heavily. thicken with one level tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold water, and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. mould, chill, and serve with sugar and cream. other fruits may be used in the same way. chocolate blanc mange thicken a quart of milk with four level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little of it, add a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of vanilla, sugar to taste, and a square of bitter chocolate grated and cooked to a smooth paste in a little boiling water. cook, while stirring, until smooth and thick, mould, chill, and serve with custard or whipped cream. cream blanc mange thicken one and one-half cupfuls of milk with two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little milk and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. take from the fire, flavor to taste, mould and chill. make a custard of one and one-half cupfuls of milk, the beaten yolks of two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and flavoring to taste. serve with the custard poured around the pudding. coffee blanc mange mix a cupful of very strong coffee with two cupfuls of boiling cream, sweeten to taste and add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. fruit blanc mange heat a quart of milk in a double boiler with half a cupful of cream and flavoring to taste. add a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, and mould in layers, alternating with preserves or jam or crushed and sweetened fresh fruit. chill and serve with a border of the fruit. cover with whipped cream if desired. cherries, peaches, strawberries, bananas, or pineapples may be used. peach blanc mange thicken two cupfuls of boiling milk with one tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold water. add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, boil for five minutes, while stirring, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the yolks of four eggs well-beaten. butter a baking-dish, put in a pint of canned peaches, pour the cornstarch over and bake in a quick oven for half an hour. take from the fire and cover with a meringue made of the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and sweetened to taste. serve cold. apples, apricots, cherries, figs, gooseberries, plums, pears, pineapples, quinces, rhubarb, and berries may be used in the same way. vanilla blanc mange sweeten a quart of boiling cream with a little syrup, add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. blueberry cake cream a tablespoonful of butter with a cupful of sugar, add an unbeaten egg and mix thoroughly. add a cupful of milk, and two and one-half cupfuls of flour sifted with three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. add a pinch of grated nutmeg and stir in lightly three cupfuls of blueberries. turn into buttered pans and bake for thirty-five minutes in a hot oven. blueberry tea-cakes sift two cupfuls of flour with a pinch of salt and two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. work into it a tablespoonful of butter, add the yolk of an egg beaten with half a cupful of sugar, and one cupful of milk. fold in the stiffly beaten white of the egg and add a heaping cupful of blueberries, which have been dredged with flour. bake for half an hour in muffin pans. sour milk may be used with half a teaspoonful of soda instead of the baking-powder. chocolate cake beat the yolks of six eggs, add a cupful of sugar, and the grated rind and juice of half a lemon. sift in half a cake of grated bitter chocolate, a teaspoonful of baking-powder, with a pinch each of cinnamon, and clove, and enough flour to make a thin batter. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and bake in layer-cake pans. put together with currant jelly. ice with frosting made of a beaten egg, a cupful of powdered sugar, and half a teaspoonful of vanilla. chocolate cream cake cream half a cupful of butter with one cupful of sugar, add the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs, and sift in one and one-half cupfuls of flour with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. flavor with vanilla. bake in a square tin. boil one and one-half cupfuls of sugar with half a cupful of milk until the syrup makes a soft ball when dropped in cold water. flavor with vanilla, stir until thick, spread on the cake and pour melted chocolate on top. cocoanut cake cream half a cupful of butter with two cupfuls of sugar, add the beaten yolks of five eggs, a teaspoonful of vanilla, one cupful of milk and four cupfuls of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of soda and two teaspoonfuls of cream tartar. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, add a cupful of shredded cocoanut soaked soft in milk, and bake in a moderate oven. spread with boiled frosting, sprinkling thickly with grated cocoanut. cream cake beat three eggs with one and one-half cupfuls of powdered sugar, add a tablespoonful of lemon-juice and half a cupful of cold water. sift in two cupfuls of flour and two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. bake in layer-cake tins. heat one and one-half cupfuls of milk in a double boiler. beat together one tablespoonful of flour, two-thirds cupful of sugar, two eggs, and a pinch of salt. add gradually to the boiling milk, stir, and cook for fifteen minutes. flavor to taste, cool, and put the cake together with the filling. ice with any preferred frosting. coffee cream cake cream together half a cupful of butter and a cupful of sugar. add half a cupful of milk and sift in half a cupful of cornstarch, one and one-fourth cupfuls of flour, half a teaspoonful of cream tartar and a pinch of soda. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs and bake in buttered layer-cake tins for half an hour. cook in a double-boiler one cupful of milk, one cupful of strong coffee, and a cupful of sugar. thicken with the yolks of three eggs and three tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. stir while cooking. take from the fire, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, and cool. spread between the layers and ice with confectioner's sugar moistened with coffee. cream puffs bring to the boil one cupful of water, half a cupful of lard or butter, and a pinch of salt. add enough sifted flour to make a smooth thick paste, sifting it in gradually and stirring it constantly. take from the fire and add one at a time five unbeaten eggs, beating thoroughly each time. drop by spoonfuls on a buttered tin sheet and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. thicken a pint of milk and two beaten eggs in a double-boiler with half a cupful of sifted flour rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. sweeten and flavor to taste. when the puffs are cold, split with a sharp knife and fill with the cream. sprinkle the puffs with powdered sugar and serve. devil's food cake boil together until thick one-half cupful each of grated chocolate, milk, and sugar, then cool. cream one-half cupful of butter with a cupful of brown sugar, add two eggs well-beaten, two-thirds cupful of milk, and a teaspoonful of vanilla. add the cooked mixture and sift in two cupfuls of flour with a heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder. bake in layers and put together with chocolate frosting or boiled frosting. fig loaf cake cream a cupful of butter with two cupfuls of brown sugar, add four eggs well-beaten, one teaspoonful each of cinnamon and nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of powdered cloves, and a cupful of water. sift in three cupfuls of flour with two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and add half a pound of finely cut figs and two cupfuls of raisins, dredging the fruit with flour. bake for two hours in a moderate oven. fruit cake cream a cupful each of butter and sugar, add the yolks of four eggs well-beaten, a pinch of grated nutmeg, and a cupful of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. fold in the stiffly beaten whites, add half a cupful each of currants and blanched and shredded almonds, and, gradually, half a cupful of sherry. put into a buttered tin in layers, alternating with shredded candied orange-peel and citron. bake in a moderate oven for three hours and ice with boiled frosting. honey tea-cake mix one cupful of honey, half a cupful of sour cream, two eggs well-beaten, half a cupful of butter, melted, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with half a teaspoonful of soda and a teaspoonful of cream tartar. bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. marguerites blanch and chop a pound of almonds and mix to a stiff paste with the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. beat the white of another egg to a stiff froth and add enough powdered sugar to make a thick icing. spread crackers with the icing, then with the chopped nuts, and bake golden brown in a cool oven. nut cake cream a cupful each of butter and sugar, add two eggs well-beaten, a cupful of milk, a teaspoonful of vanilla, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. add a cupful each of blanched and chopped nuts and stoned raisins dredged with flour and bake in a deep buttered pan in a moderate oven. raspberry tea-cake beat together one cupful of sugar and one tablespoonful of butter, melted, add two eggs well-beaten, a pinch of salt, a grating of nutmeg, one cupful of milk, and two cupfuls of flour sifted with three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. bake in two layers and put together with butter and raspberry jam. serve hot. spice cake beat an egg and add to it two-thirds cupful each of sugar, melted butter, and molasses. add a cupful of milk in which a teaspoonful of soda has been dissolved, and sift in two and one-half cupfuls of flour with a teaspoonful of cream tartar. add a tablespoonful each of lemon-juice and mixed spice, turn into a shallow pan, and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. sponge cake mix two beaten eggs with a cupful of sugar, add one-third cupful of water, a teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla, and fold in lightly one cupful of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. bake in a square pan. tea-cake cream a tablespoonful of butter with a cupful of sugar, add one egg well-beaten and three-fourths cupful of milk. add three-fourths cupful of currants or raisins which have been dredged with flour and sift in one and one-half cupfuls of flour and a teaspoonful of baking-powder. bake in a buttered tin or in patty-pans. charlotte russe line charlotte-russe moulds or dessert glasses with lady-fingers, split and trimmed to fit. fill with cream whipped solid and sweetened and flavored to taste. almond charlotte russe arrange six small sponge cakes in a serving-dish and spread thinly with jelly or jam. stick blanched and split almonds into the cake and pour over a custard made of a cupful of milk and two tablespoonfuls of sugar, thickened with one egg well-beaten. flavor with almond. apple charlotte steam a quart of sliced sour apples until soft. put into a baking-dish with alternate layers of bread crumbs, sprinkling the apples with sugar and cinnamon. have crumbs on top. beat the yolk of an egg with two cupfuls of milk, add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a pinch of salt, and two eggs well-beaten. pour over the apples, bake until the milk is absorbed, and serve with sugar and cream. blackberry charlotte make a boiled custard with one quart of milk, the yolks of six eggs, three-fourths cupful of sugar, and grated lemon peel to flavor. line a serving-dish with slices of sponge cake dipped in cream and fill with alternate layers of cakes and blackberries crushed and sweetened. pour the cold custard over, cover with meringue, and decorate with blackberries. cream charlotte line a mould with lady-fingers. whip a pint of cream to a stiff froth, sweetening and flavoring to taste and adding one-half package of soaked and dissolved gelatine. pour into the mould, chill, and serve. coffee charlotte thicken a cupful of milk with the yolks of four eggs beaten with a cupful of sugar and add a cupful of very strong coffee. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, and when cool but not set, fold in two cupfuls of cream whipped solid. turn into a mould lined with lady-fingers, chill, and serve. orange charlotte soak and dissolve half a package of gelatine, using as little water as possible. add the juice of a lemon, one cupful each of sugar and orange-juice, and a little of the grated orange peel. when cool but not set, fold in a pint of cream whipped solid and turn into a mould lined with slices or sections of oranges. peach charlotte rub through a sieve enough canned peaches to make a cupful. add the juice of a lemon, a cupful of sugar and half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved in as little water as possible. when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs, mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. pears or other fruits may be used in the same way. victoria charlotte trim the frosting from a loaf of angel-food and cut it into squares. arrange in a serving-dish, cover with split marshmallows, minced candied fruit, and chopped nuts, and pile high with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste. apple cobbler sift together four cupfuls of flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, one teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of sugar. work into it half a cupful of butter and add enough milk to make a dough that will roll. line a deep buttered baking-dish with the dough rolled thin, fill with peeled, cored, and quartered apples sweetened and sprinkled with spice, cover the pan with the rest of the dough rolled into a crust, and steam for two hours and a half, or bake. serve with a sauce made of syrup thickened with cornstarch, seasoned with lemon-juice, grated peel, butter, and grated nutmeg or other spice. apricots, plums, and peaches or berries may be used in the same way. fruit cobbler fill a deep buttered baking-dish with fresh or stewed fruit--apples, peaches, apricots, rhubarb, plums, or gooseberries being commonly used--and cover with a crust made as follows: sift together two cupfuls of flour and two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. rub into it half a cupful of butter and add one egg beaten with a cupful of milk. spread over the fruit which has been previously sweetened to taste and bake until the crust is done. serve either hot or cold with cream or any preferred sauce. compote of apples peel and core the apples and cook until soft in syrup to cover, flavoring with lemon or spice if desired. drain, fill the cores with jelly, reduce the syrup by rapid boiling, pour around the apples and chill. at serving time cover with whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts. compote of figs soak a pound of figs over night in cold water to cover, and simmer over a slow fire until tender. add half a cupful of sugar and the juice of half a lemon. turn into a serving-dish, cool, and cover with whipped cream slightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla. almond cream soak and dissolve a package of gelatine. make a custard of six cupfuls of milk, four eggs well-beaten, a pinch of salt, and a few drops of almond extract. add two-thirds cupful of sugar, and, when cool, the gelatine. add a few blanched and shredded almonds, mould and chill. apple cream peel, core, and quarter six or eight apples and cook until soft in a thin syrup to cover, flavoring the syrup with lemon-juice and spice. drain, reduce the syrup by rapid boiling, pour over the apples, arrange in a serving-dish, and chill. cover with whipped cream just before serving. banana cream peel five bananas and rub through a sieve with five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved in a little milk, and when cool, but not set, fold in a cupful of cream whipped solid. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. bavarian cream soak half a package of gelatine in a cupful of cream and dissolve by gentle heat. rub through a sieve enough canned or fresh fruit to make a cupful. sweeten heavily and mix with the dissolved gelatine. whip a cupful of cream solid and when the fruit mixture is cool but not set, fold it gradually into the cream. when it begins to stiffen, mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream if desired. observing the same proportions, bavarian creams may be made of apples, apricots, bananas, cherries, chestnuts, cocoanut, figs, preserved ginger, gooseberries, plums, huckleberries, oranges, pears, peaches, pineapple, quinces, raspberries, strawberries, chopped nuts, chocolate syrup, maple syrup, coffee,--indeed almost anything. when almonds are used, a little more cream should be added. there should be one cupful of cream and gelatine, two cupfuls of whipped cream, and one cupful of fruit pulp. half a cupful of chocolate dissolved in a little cold water and cooked to a paste will be sufficient. in using coffee or maple syrup put in only enough to flavor. pineapple bavarian cream should be served as soon as possible after making, as the pineapple contains a ferment which softens the gelatine. chestnut cream peel, boil, drain, and mash thirty large fresh chestnuts. rub through a sieve and cook for ten minutes with half a cupful each of sugar and water. arrange in a circle on a serving-dish and fill the centre with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste. ginger cream add a package of soaked gelatine to a cupful of hot milk and dissolve by gentle heat. whip a cupful of cream solid, sweetening with powdered sugar, add a tablespoonful of ginger syrup, a few drops of essence of ginger, and a little preserved ginger chopped very fine. when the gelatine is cool but not set, fold in the cream carefully and beat until it begins to stiffen. mould and chill. serve with whipped cream flavored with ginger syrup. italian cream mix two cupfuls of cream, two-thirds cupful of sugar, and two wineglassfuls of white wine. add the juice of two lemons, a little of the grated peel, and a package of gelatine which has been soaked in cold water and dissolved in a pint of hot cream. mould and chill. nuts or candied or preserved fruit may be added if desired. macaroon cream thicken a pint of cream with one tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. stir while cooking. cool, flavor with vanilla, and pour over macaroons arranged in a serving-dish. chill and garnish with bits of bright jelly or candied fruit. marshmallow cream cut marshmallows into quarters and mix with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste. serve in dessert glasses and sprinkle with chopped nuts or garnish with marshmallows or candied cherries. orange cream heat in a double boiler the juice of six oranges and the grated rind of two. add to it one cupful of sugar and half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved. take from the fire, add the well-beaten yolks of six eggs, and stir until cool. when cool but not set, fold in two cupfuls of cream whipped solid. mould and chill. peach cream mash through a sieve enough fresh peaches to make a cupful. whip a cupful of cream solid, add two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and the peach pulp. serve immediately in dessert glasses. other fruits may be used in the same way. pineapple cream drain the juice from a pint can of pineapple and add to it the juice of one orange. season with grated lemon-peel and add half a package of soaked gelatine. heat over boiling water until the gelatine is dissolved. take from the fire and when cool, but not set, fold in gradually one cupful of cream whipped solid and the pineapple cut fine. mould and chill. raspberry cream rub a pint of raspberries through a sieve, sweeten to taste, and add a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved in a cupful or more of water. mix in a few drops of vanilla and when cool, but not set, fold in a cupful of cream whipped solid. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. spanish cream soak half a package of gelatine in cold water to cover, and dissolve by gentle heat. beat together the yolks of three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a pinch of salt. pour into a double boiler, add a pint of hot milk and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, add the dissolved gelatine and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. mould, chill, and serve with any preferred sauce. tapioca cream soak half a cupful of tapioca over night in cold water and cook until soft in a double boiler with a quart of milk and a pinch of salt. add the yolks of four eggs beaten with a cupful of sugar, cook for ten minutes, then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, and flavor to taste. turn into a serving-dish, cool, and drop a few teaspoonfuls of currant jelly upon the pudding when serving. three eggs may be used instead of four. apple custard sweeten four cupfuls of stewed and mashed apples with half a cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and the juice and grated rind of a lemon. add half a cupful of water, two eggs well beaten, and two cupfuls of bread crumbs mixed with one tablespoonful of flour. add a cup of milk, heat well, turn into a buttered baking-dish, and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with hard sauce or with sugar and cream. caramel custard brown half a cupful of sugar, add half a cupful of hot water, and simmer for fifteen minutes. add to a pint of milk beaten slightly with four eggs and a pinch of salt; turn into a baking-dish and bake in a slow oven for forty minutes. serve cold. chocolate custard dissolve four heaping tablespoonfuls of grated bitter chocolate in a quart of hot milk. add the yolks of six eggs beaten with a cupful of sugar and a teaspoonful of vanilla, take from the fire, pour into custard cups, set into a baking-dish, with an inch of hot water and bake slowly until set. cover with meringue, return to the oven until puffed and brown, and serve cold. coffee custard thicken six cupfuls of boiling milk with the yolks of eight eggs beaten with eight tablespoonfuls of sugar, and add a cupful of strong black coffee. strain into custard cups, put into a pan of water to reach to half their height, and simmer for twenty minutes. serve cold. cream custard heat a cupful of cream with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, boil for fifteen minutes, and flavor to taste. take from the fire, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs and chill. or, put into a baking-dish, sprinkle with sugar, bake until puffed and brown and serve hot. french custards add to a pint of rich boiled custard half a cupful of blanched chopped almonds and a little shredded citron. serve cold. maple custard beat five eggs with a tablespoonful of flour, a cupful of maple sugar and a pinch each of salt and grated nutmeg. mix with three pints of warm milk, turn into a baking-dish or custard cups, set the dish into a pan of hot water and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. marquise custard thicken four cupfuls of boiling milk with the beaten yolks of eight eggs and the whites of five, adding a pinch of salt, and sugar and flavoring to taste. cool, turn into a serving-dish, and beat the whites of three eggs to a standing froth. beat into the whites four tablespoonfuls of raspberry or strawberry jam and drop by tablespoonfuls upon the custard. serve immediately. nut custard beat the yolks of four eggs with two cupfuls of milk, add half a package of soaked gelatine, dissolve by gentle heat, add sugar to taste, and strain. add half a cupful of chopped nuts, stir until it begins to stiffen, then mould and chill. raspberry custard beat together the yolks of two eggs, two cupfuls of milk, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a tablespoonful of cornstarch, rubbed smooth with a little milk. cook slowly in a double boiler until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. put a pint of red raspberries into a serving-dish, mash lightly with a spoon, sprinkle with powdered sugar, pour over the custard and cool. make a meringue of the beaten whites and a tablespoonful of powdered sugar and tint it pink with berry juice. spread over the custard and serve. other fruits may be used in the same way. rice custard mix a pint of milk with a cupful of cream, a heaping tablespoonful of ground rice, two tablespoonfuls of rose-water, and half a cupful of sugar. bring to the boil, stirring constantly, take from the fire, add the beaten yolks of three eggs, turn into a serving-dish, sprinkle with powdered sugar and grated nutmeg, and chill. doughnuts cream one cupful of butter with two cupfuls of brown sugar, add six eggs well-beaten, half a cupful of milk, and enough flour with baking-powder to make a moderately stiff dough. roll thin, cut out, and fry in deep fat. drain, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. apple dumplings rub a tablespoonful of lard into a pint of flour sifted with a pinch each of salt and soda and a teaspoonful of cream tartar. mix to a stiff dough with milk, roll thin, cut into squares, and put in the centre of each a peeled and cored sour apple. fill the cavity with butter and sugar creamed together and season lightly with spice. wrap the dough around the apple, pinching firmly, and steam or bake. serve hot with sugar and cream or hard sauce. peach dumplings peel and stone peaches, enclose in pastry, brush with beaten egg, and bake. serve either hot or cold with sugar or sweet sauce. pears or almost any other fruit may be used in the same way. fritter batter beat one egg light, add a cupful of milk and one cupful of flour which has been sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. beat hard for three minutes, then dip prepared fruit into the batter and fry brown in deep fat. apple fritters peel, core, and quarter small apples, sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg, dip in fritter batter, fry in deep fat, drain, and serve with any preferred sauce. other fruits may be used in the same way. sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. vienna fritters cut stale sponge cake into thin rounds and fry in butter. drain, spread with jam or jelly, and serve with cream. _frozen dainties_ apricot ice rub through a sieve enough peeled apricots to make a cupful, sweeten with syrup, add two cupfuls of water, and, if desired, the white of one or two unbeaten eggs. freeze. canned apricots may be used. banana ice-cream heat a pint of cream in a double boiler with a cupful of sugar and stir until dissolved. cool, add eight bananas mashed through a sieve, add another pint of cream, and freeze. cafÉ parfait thicken a cupful each of milk and strong coffee with the yolks of eight eggs beaten with ten tablespoonfuls of sugar. cool, strain, and fold in a cupful of cream whipped solid. turn into a mould and bury in ice and salt for four hours. caramel ice-cream cook half a cupful of sugar until dark brown with a tablespoonful of water, stirring constantly. heat a quart of milk with half a cupful of sugar and thicken, while stirring, with three small spoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold water. add a pinch of salt, three eggs well-beaten, and the caramel. bring to the boil, strain, cool, and freeze. chopped nuts may be added if desired. ceylon ice make a quart of strong ceylon tea, sweeten heavily while hot, and add the juice of a lemon. cool, strain, freeze, and serve in glasses. cherry ice stone a pound of black cherries and cut into bits. sweeten the juice heavily with syrup, add the juice of half a lemon and three cupfuls of water, and freeze. if a pink ice is desired, add the unbeaten whites of one or two eggs. chocolate ice-cream scald six cupfuls of cream with sugar to sweeten heavily and add half a cake of chocolate grated. add also a package of soaked and dissolved gelatine, and two teaspoonfuls of vanilla. strain and freeze. coffee ice-cream mix two cupfuls of cream with one cupful of very strong coffee, sweeten heavily, add the unbeaten white of an egg, and freeze. grape ice-cream cook a cupful of grape juice to a thick syrup with a cupful of sugar, mix with two cupfuls of cream, and freeze. the cream will be lavender in color. a little less sugar may be required for some tastes. lemon ice mix two cupfuls of lemon-juice with three cupfuls of water and sweeten heavily with thick syrup. freeze. the unbeaten whites of two eggs may be added if a frothy ice is desired. lemon ice-cream make a syrup of a cupful of sugar, half a cupful of water, and the juice and grated rind of two lemons. strain, add to three pints of cream, and freeze. macaroon ice-cream dry half a pound of macaroons in the oven, cool, roll, and sift. mix with cream, allowing three cupfuls of cream to each cupful of crumbs. sweeten heavily and freeze. maple ice-cream mix a cupful of maple syrup with two cupfuls of cream and freeze. a beaten egg may be added. orange sherbert mix two cupfuls of orange juice, the grated yellow rind of an orange, and the juice of a lemon. add two cupfuls of sugar and four cupfuls of water, let stand for two hours and freeze. peach ice-cream peel and mash through a sieve enough peaches to make two cupfuls. add a cupful and a half of sugar and a few drops of lemon or almond extract. let the fruit stand for an hour, then add a quart of cream, and freeze. raspberry ice mix three cupfuls of raspberry-juice, with one cupful of water sweetened heavily and add if desired the juice of half a lemon. let stand for an hour and freeze. cherries, strawberries, currants, and pineapple may be used in the same way. the unbeaten white of an egg or two may be added. strawberry ice mix two cupfuls of strawberry-juice with three cupfuls of thin syrup and the juice of a lemon. freeze, adding the unbeaten white of one or two eggs, if desired. strawberry ice-cream rub through a fine sieve enough strawberries to make a cupful, add a cupful of sugar, the juice of a lemon, two cupfuls of cream, and freeze. _jellied desserts_ coffee jelly sweeten heavily three cupfuls of strong hot coffee and add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved. mould in a border mould and at serving-time fill the centre with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste. chocolate cream jelly melt half a cake of bitter chocolate in a quart of milk and thicken with yolks of seven eggs beaten with ten tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a teaspoonful of vanilla. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved. strain, mould, and chill. custard jelly heat a pint of milk with a pinch of soda, add a cupful of sugar, the yolks of three eggs well-beaten, and a teaspoonful of vanilla. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, then add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved. when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, mould, and chill. jellied apricots rub a can of apricots through a sieve and cook to a smooth paste with half a cupful of maraschino, the juice of two lemons, and half a cupful of sugar, add a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, mould, chill, and serve. jellied fruit cut fine two oranges and four bananas, sweeten to taste, and add a little wine. pour over one-half package of acidulated gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, and chill. cut into squares and serve with whipped cream or boiled custard. other fruits may be used in the same way. jellied rhubarb cut a pound and a half of rhubarb into inch-lengths and cook slowly until tender, sweetening with brown sugar. add a package of gelatine soaked and dissolved, using as little water as possible. mould and chill. jellied white currants cook a pint of white currants until soft in thin syrup to cover. add the juice of a lemon and a package of gelatine soaked and dissolved in two cupfuls of water. mould, chill, and serve. lemon jelly make a strong hot lemonade, and, if desired, add a little of the grated peel. stiffen with gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, allowing half a package to each scant quart of liquid. wine jelly soak a package of gelatine in a cupful of cold water and dissolve by gentle heat. add to four cupfuls of wine heavily sweetened, mould, and chill. coffee or fruit-juice may be used instead of the wine and the stiffly beaten whites of four or five eggs may be folded in just before the mixture begins to set. strawberry, raspberry, cherry, lemon, orange, maraschino, kirsch, chocolate, pineapple, and numberless other jellies may be made in the same way. fresh or preserved fruit, small sponge cakes, or candied fruit may be moulded in these jellies. vanilla cream jelly thicken a quart of boiling milk with the yolks of eight eggs beaten with ten tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. strain, flavor with vanilla, and add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. _pies_ plain pie crust cut together with a knife one quart of sifted flour, half a cupful each of lard and butter, a teaspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of sugar. add gradually three-fourths cupful of ice-water, turn out on a floured board, roll, chill, and use as desired. apple pie make a rich crust of half a pound of butter, a pound of flour, and a pinch of salt. work with the fingers until it is like meal, and add ice-water to mix. roll out, pat into shape, and line a pie-tin with the crust. peel, core, and cut up good cooking apples, fill the pie, dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar and spice, cover with the other crust and bake. sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. apricot pie cut fine a can of apricots and mix with half a cupful of sugar and the beaten yolk of an egg. bake with one crust, cover with meringue, and return to the oven until puffed and brown. chocolate pie line a deep pie-tin with pastry and bake. heat a cupful of milk with half a cupful of sugar and a teaspoonful of butter. add two tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate, the beaten yolks of two eggs, and thicken with one and one-half small spoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, add half a teaspoonful of vanilla, fill the pastry shell, and cool. serve with whipped cream. cocoanut custard pie soak half a cupful of shredded cocoanut in a cupful of milk, add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one cupful of sugar, and two eggs well-beaten. bake with one crust, and after the pie is done, cover with meringue and return to the oven until puffed and brown. cranberry pie stew cranberries in just enough water to cover until they burst. mash, smooth, sweeten well, turn into a pie-plate lined with pastry, lay strips of pastry across the pie, and bake in a moderate oven. cream pie beat together two cupfuls of milk, half a cupful of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of flour, and the yolks of three eggs. flavor with grated nutmeg, vanilla, or lemon, and boil, while stirring, for twenty minutes. turn into a pie-tin lined with pastry which has been baked, and bake until done. make a meringue of the whites of the eggs and three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. spread on the pie and bake until puffed and brown. currant pie line a buttered pie-tin with pastry, fill with stemmed currants, dredge with sugar, sprinkle with flour, cover with crossbars of pastry, and bake. gooseberry pie line a deep pie-tin with pastry and fill with stewed gooseberries sweetened to taste and flavored with grated nutmeg. cover with crust, bake, and sprinkle with powdered sugar in serving. lemon cream pie--i line a pie-tin with pastry and bake. make a syrup of one cupful of sugar and two-thirds cupful of water. thicken with a teaspoonful of flour beaten with the yolks of two eggs and add the grated rind and juice of a lemon. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, fill the crust, bake for five minutes, then cover with meringue and bake until puffed and brown. lemon cream pie--ii mix the juice of two lemons with the grated rind of one, a cupful each of water and sugar and bring to the boil in a double-boiler. thicken while stirring with one tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold water, take from the fire, add a teaspoonful of butter, and three eggs well-beaten. turn into pie-tins lined with pastry and bake. cover with meringue and return to the oven until puffed and brown. peach pie line a deep pie-tin with rich pastry and fill with peeled and split peaches. sprinkle with two tablespoonfuls of cracker crumbs, and one cupful of sugar, fill with cream and bake for thirty minutes. prune cream pie stew, stone, and rub through a sieve enough prunes to make a cupful of pulp. add one cupful of milk or thin cream, cooked with a teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, the yolks of two eggs well-beaten, and one-third cupful of sugar. line a pie-tin with pastry, fill with the mixture, and bake quickly. cover with meringue and brown. serve either hot or cold. pumpkin pie mix a pint of stewed and strained pumpkin with a pint of milk, two eggs well-beaten, one cupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-half teaspoonful each of ginger and nutmeg, and the grated peel of half a lemon. bake for half an hour with an undercrust only. rhubarb pie line a deep pie-tin with pastry and fill with chopped rhubarb stewed soft in a little water, sweetened to taste and mixed with a well-beaten egg. sprinkle with flour, cover with crust, and bake. strawberry pie line a pie-tin with pastry, fill with fresh strawberries, dot with butter, sprinkle with powdered sugar, cover with crossbars of pastry, and bake. apple pudding peel and grate six sour apples. add the juice and grated rind of a lemon, the well-beaten yolks of four eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of butter creamed with half a cupful of sugar. season with spice, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and bake in a buttered baking-dish. serve cold with cream. apple sago pudding soak four tablespoonfuls of sago over night in a pint of water and cook slowly in a double boiler until transparent, adding more water if necessary, and sugar to taste. fill a baking-dish with peeled and cored apples, pour the sago over them, cover and bake until the apples are tender. cool, and serve with sugar and cream. apricot pudding sweeten hot boiled rice and arrange in a border on a serving-dish. fill the centre with stewed apricots or canned apricots drained, and sprinkle with grated lemon-peel. cover with whipped cream and sprinkle with chopped nuts. almost any other fruit may be used instead of apricots. baltimore pudding butter a baking-dish and line it with stale sponge cake cut in thin slices. fill nearly full with stewed peaches or cherries, cover with cake and spread with a meringue made of the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. bake until puffed and brown and serve cold with cream. bird's nest pudding peel and core eight apples and put into a buttered baking-dish, filling the cores with brown sugar seasoned with grated nutmeg. cover and bake until the apples are done. beat the yolks of four eggs, add two cupfuls of flour sifted with three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of milk and the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour the batter over the apples, bake for an hour in a moderate oven, and serve with any preferred sauce. blackberry pudding stew a quart of blackberries with sugar and pour hot over thin slices of buttered bread, making alternate layers, and having fruit on top. cover with a plate, chill, and serve with sugar and cream. cherries and other fruits may be used in the same way. blueberry pudding--i sift together two cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of cream tartar and a teaspoonful of soda. add a pint of berries and enough milk to mix to a stiff batter. turn into a buttered mould, cover and steam for an hour and a half. serve with a sauce made by creaming half a cupful of butter with a cupful of sugar and two teaspoonfuls of flour and cooking until thick with a cupful of boiling water. flavor with nutmeg or vanilla. blueberry pudding--ii sift together three cupfuls of flour, a pinch of salt, and two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. add one cupful of milk, one egg well-beaten, and two cupfuls of blueberries. turn into a deep buttered mould, leaving room for the pudding to swell. steam for two hours and serve hot with any preferred sauce. apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, currants, figs, preserved ginger, plums, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapples, raspberries, and strawberries may be used in the same way. bread and apple pudding fill a buttered pudding-dish with alternate layers of thin buttered slices of bread and sliced apples which have been peeled and cored, seasoning the apples with sugar and spice. add enough water to moisten, cover and bake slowly for two hours. serve hot or cold with cream or hard sauce. cabinet pudding butter a mould and line it with raisins or currants and bits of citron. fill the mould nearly full with alternate layers of stale sponge cake and candied fruit or raisins and citron. pour over a custard made of three eggs beaten with a pint of milk and sweetened to taste. put the mould in a pan of boiling water to reach to one-third its height and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. california pudding beat three eggs with one and one-half cupfuls of milk and half a wineglassful of claret. add a few drops of almond extract. cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. put small pieces of stale sponge cake into a baking-dish and sprinkle with chopped citron. pour over the custard and let stand for half an hour. cream half a cupful each of butter and sugar, spread over the pudding, bake for an hour, and serve either hot or cold. caramel pudding make a custard of one cupful of milk beaten with the yolks of four eggs and the white of one, and a tablespoonful of sugar. brown half a cupful of sugar in an iron pan, add half a cupful of water and simmer until it is a thick syrup. line a mould with the caramel, turning rapidly from side to side, strain in the uncooked custard, cover and steam for half an hour. cherry pudding soak three cupfuls of stale bread crumbs until soft in milk to cover. add a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, grated nutmeg to flavor, and flour to make a batter sifted with two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. add three eggs well-beaten, and as many stoned cherries as can be incorporated in the batter. fill a buttered tin, leaving room for the pudding to rise one-third, steam for two hours and a half and serve hot with any preferred sauce. chocolate pudding heat two cupfuls of milk and add slowly one-half cake of grated chocolate, one heaping tablespoonful of sugar and one tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, take from the fire, add a few drops of vanilla, mould, chill and serve with cream and sugar. chocolate cream pudding cook to a smooth paste two squares of grated bitter chocolate, four teaspoonfuls of sugar, and four tablespoonfuls of hot water. add half a cupful of cream and one-fourth cupful of milk. bring to a boil, add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a little milk, and cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. fold in the stiffly beaten whites, add a pinch of salt, and vanilla or cinnamon to flavor. cover and let stand in a double boiler until light and spongy. turn into a serving-dish, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve cold with whipped cream. christmas pudding open a pint can of mince meat and add to it the yolks of six eggs well-beaten. add enough sifted flour to make a stiff batter and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour into a buttered mould, leaving room to swell, cover tightly, put into boiling water and boil rapidly for five hours. serve with wine sauce. cracker pudding roll six crackers to crumbs. add a cupful of milk and the grated rind of half a lemon and cook to a smooth paste. add three tablespoonfuls of softened butter, two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, a tablespoonful of sherry, and four eggs well-beaten. pour into a buttered dish, cover and steam for half an hour. serve with hard sauce. cornstarch pudding heat two cupfuls of water and thicken with three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold water. cook for ten minutes, stirring constantly, add the juice and grated rind of a lemon, half a cupful of sugar, the yolks of two eggs well-beaten, half a cupful of milk, and two tablespoonfuls of butter. take from the fire, mix thoroughly, turn into a buttered baking-dish, bake for half an hour, cover with meringue and return to the oven until puffed and brown. serve either hot or cold. cottage pudding cream together one cupful of sugar and two tablespoonfuls of butter. add two eggs beaten separately and a cupful of milk. sift in two cupfuls of flour and three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, beat thoroughly, turn into a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle thickly with powdered sugar, and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. serve hot with lemon sauce. currant pudding fill a small buttered baking-dish with thin slices of baker's bread, buttered, and alternate layers of fresh currants, stewed and sweetened to taste. have fruit on top. cover and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven, cool, and serve with sugar and cream. blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, gooseberries, and strawberries may be used in the same way. custard pudding heat a pint of milk in a double boiler and thicken with a tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. add a pinch of salt, half a cupful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, take from the fire, cool, and add three eggs well-beaten. turn into a buttered baking-dish and bake until a knife thrust into the centre of the pudding comes out clean. serve very cold. any other flavor may be used instead of cinnamon. date pudding chop fine one cupful of suet. add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a cupful of milk, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, a pinch of salt and half a nutmeg grated. sift in three cupfuls of flour and a teaspoonful of baking-powder. add a pound of washed, stoned, and and chopped dates dredged with flour, turn into a buttered mould, and steam for three hours. serve hot with hard sauce. date custard pudding thicken a pint of milk with one tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk, add the yolks of three eggs well-beaten with two tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar, and a teaspoonful of lemon extract. take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, turn into a buttered baking-dish, and bake brown. cover with chopped dates and almonds or english walnuts, then with meringue flavored with lemon, and return to the oven until puffed and brown. serve cold. danish pudding wash a cupful of tapioca and soak it over night in six cupfuls of cold water. in the morning cook for an hour in a double boiler, stirring frequently. add a pinch of salt, half a cupful of sugar, and one cupful of jelly. as soon as the jelly is melted mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. farina pudding cook three tablespoonfuls of farina in a double boiler with a quart of milk and a teaspoonful of salt. at the end of an hour add a cupful of currant jelly and, if desired, a little more sugar. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. fruit pudding mix one cupful of chopped beef suet, one cupful of molasses, one cupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of salt and one-half cupful of raisins or currants. sift in three cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of soda and half a nutmeg grated. turn into a buttered mould and steam for three hours. fruit and rice pudding boil a cupful of washed rice until soft in salted water to cover, and drain. spread upon a buttered pudding cloth and fill the centre with preserved or fresh fruit sweetened to taste. tie up, steam for two hours, and serve hot with any preferred sauce. ginger pudding mix one cupful of stale cake crumbs with a cupful of freshly grated cocoanut. add two cupfuls of hot sweetened cream and let stand until the crumbs are soft. add four eggs well-beaten and turn into a buttered mould lined with thin slices of preserved ginger. steam for two hours and serve with the syrup drained from the ginger. lemon pudding grate half a loaf of bread, pour over a cupful of boiling milk, and cool. add the grated peel of two lemons, half a cupful of butter beaten to a cream, powdered sugar to sweeten, and three eggs well-beaten. fill a buttered baking-dish or small buttered cups and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot with any preferred sauce. lemon custard pudding make a pint of lemon jelly and add to it the beaten yolks of four eggs. when cool, but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, mould, chill, and serve with sugar and cream. new england indian pudding sift a cupful of corn-meal slowly into four cupfuls of boiling milk and cook in a double boiler for half an hour, stirring frequently. take from the fire, add a scant cupful of molasses, four cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and one egg well-beaten. pour into a deep earthen dish, and bake slowly for four hours. serve hot with hard sauce flavored with vanilla. orange pudding peel, seed and quarter six oranges, put into a baking-dish and sprinkle with sugar. thicken a quart of milk with two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little of it, add a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of butter, and the yolks of three eggs beaten with half a cupful of sugar. add a little grated orange peel, and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. pour the custard over the oranges, bake for twenty minutes, then cover with meringue made of the beaten whites of the eggs and two tablespoonfuls of sugar, sprinkle with sugar and bake until puffed and brown. serve cold with cream. peach pudding thicken three cupfuls of boiling milk with two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk. cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly, then take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the yolks of three eggs beaten to a cream with a cupful of sugar. drain a can of peaches, put into a baking-dish, pour the custard over and bake for ten minutes, then cover with meringue and return to the oven until brown. peach blossom pudding blanch and shred a cupful of almonds, add to a cupful of cream and sweeten heavily. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved in as little water as possible, and a few drops of almond extract. tint pink with color paste and when cool but not set, fold in a cupful of cream whipped solid. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. peach and rice pudding wash half a cupful of rice and soak it for two hours in cold water to cover. drain and cook in a double-boiler with two and one-half cupfuls of milk, one cupful of sugar, and a pinch of salt. cook for two hours, then put into a buttered baking-dish in layers with stewed or preserved peaches, having rice on top. dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar and spice, bake brown, and serve hot or cold with any preferred sauce. pineapple pudding soak half a package of gelatine in cold water to cover, add half a cupful of milk and dissolve by gentle heat. heat two cupfuls of milk in a double boiler, add a cupful of sugar, a pinch of salt, and the beaten yolks of six eggs. cook until it thickens, stirring constantly, then add three cupfuls of grated canned pineapple, bring to the boil, take from the fire, and when cool but not set fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. prune pudding stone a cupful of stewed prunes and rub through a sieve. beat the whites of five eggs to a stiff froth, add five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, a pinch of cream tartar, and a few grains of salt. add the prunes gradually, turn into a deep buttered baking-dish, and bake in a slow oven for twenty minutes. serve either hot or cold, with boiled custard. quince pudding peel, core, and quarter five quinces and simmer until softened in water to cover. rub through a sieve, add a cupful of sugar and the yolks of four eggs beaten with a pint of milk. line a deep baking-dish with pastry, turn in the quince, and bake for forty-five minutes. cover with a meringue made from the beaten whites of four eggs and six tablespoonfuls of sugar. return to the oven until puffed and brown and serve cold. raspberry pudding fill a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of raspberries and dry bread crumbs, sweetening each layer of berries with sugar. the top layer should be crumbs. dot with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake for half an hour. serve with cream. red sago pudding wash a cupful of sago and soak over night in four cupfuls of cold water. cook in a double boiler in the water in which it was soaked until the sago is transparent. add a pinch of salt, two cupfuls of raspberry, cherry, strawberry, or currant-juice, and sugar to taste. cook for half an hour, turn into a wet mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. this pudding may be made with jelly instead of fruit juice. grape juice made tart with lemon-juice may also be used. rice pudding--i wash half a cupful of rice thoroughly, soak in cold water for two hours, and drain. add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, a little grated nutmeg, four cupfuls of milk, and half a cupful of raisins. bake for two hours, stirring occasionally, then add a cupful of milk and bake for an hour longer. serve in the baking-dish. rice pudding--ii boil a cupful of rice in milk to cover, add two well-beaten eggs, sugar, and flavoring to taste, with a little cream. bake in buttered cups and serve hot with sauce. rice pudding--iii boil a cupful of rice until tender in milk to cover, adding a pinch each of salt and sugar, and flavoring to taste. take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs well-beaten, turn into a buttered baking-dish and cover with a meringue made of the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a little grated lemon-peel. brown in the oven and serve cold. rice and cherry pudding boil a cupful of well-washed rice with a pint of milk, a tablespoonful each of sugar and butter, and a pinch of salt. put into a buttered baking-dish with alternate layers of canned cherries, pour the juice over, sprinkle with sugar, and bake in a moderate oven. peaches or other fruits may be used. rice and fruit pudding cook a cupful of washed rice until soft in milk to cover, sweetening and flavoring to taste. take from the fire, cool, and mix with a cold boiled custard made of a cupful of milk and the beaten yolks of four eggs. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved and fold in half a cupful of cream whipped solid. mould in a border mould and fill the centre with canned apricots, peaches, cherries, or any other fruit. sago pudding cook slowly for an hour two-thirds cupful of sago in a quart of salted milk. cool, add the yolks of four eggs well-beaten with the whites of two, a tablespoonful of melted butter, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a cupful of milk. add a teaspoonful of vanilla and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. cool, cover with meringue, and return to the oven until puffed and brown. serve cold. snow pudding heat in a double boiler two cupfuls of water, the juice of a lemon and half a cupful of sugar. thicken with three small spoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth with half a cupful of water. cook for ten minutes, take from the fire and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. mould, chill, and serve with a boiled custard made of the yolks of the eggs cooked until thick with a pint of milk, and sweetened and flavored to taste. spice pudding mix half a cupful each of molasses and chopped suet with the juice and grated rind of half a lemon, a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, and a pinch of powdered clove. dissolve half a teaspoonful of soda in half a cupful of milk, mix, and sift in flour to make a stiff batter. add half a cupful of mixed raisins and currants, turn into a buttered mould and steam for five hours. serve with wine sauce or hard sauce. sponge pudding butter a baking-dish and put into it two sponge cakes soaked in sherry. pour over a cupful of milk beaten with two eggs and sweetened to taste. bake in a slow oven, turn out and serve. strawberry batter pudding mash a quart of strawberries slightly with two cupfuls of sugar. make a batter of two beaten eggs, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a pinch of salt, a cupful of milk, and one and one-half cupfuls of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. butter custard cups and fill two-thirds full with alternate layers of berries and batter, having batter on top. steam for half an hour, and serve with hard sauce flavored with lemon or crushed and sweetened strawberries. other fruits may be used in the same way. tapioca pudding soak a cupful of tapioca over night in water to cover. drain and cook until transparent in a quart of milk with a pinch of salt. add the yolks of five eggs well-beaten, sugar and flavoring to taste, take from the fire and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pour into a buttered baking-dish, set it into a pan of boiling water and bake until it thickens, then remove it from the pan of hot water and bake until brown. serve either hot or cold. tapioca cream pudding soak a cupful of tapioca over night in two cupfuls of cold water. cook in a double boiler with a pinch of salt, six cupfuls of milk, and the grated rind of an orange, until the tapioca is soft. add the yolks of three eggs beaten with the juice of the orange and one cupful of sugar. take from the fire, turn into a buttered baking-dish, and cover with a meringue made of the beaten whites of the eggs and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. add also a little grated orange peel. spread over the pudding and bake for half an hour in a very slow oven. serve cold. _pudding sauces_ brown sugar sauce thicken a pint of boiling water with one tablespoonful of butter and one of flour cooked together. add brown sugar, lemon-juice, and grated nutmeg or other flavor to taste, and serve. foaming sauce cream half a cupful of butter with half a cupful of powdered sugar, add the juice and grated rind of a lemon, set the basin into a pan of boiling water, stir until it foams, and serve immediately. fruit sauce mash fresh fruit with sugar to taste, let stand for three hours, and heat thoroughly before serving. hard sauce cream a tablespoonful of butter with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, flavor with wine and grated nutmeg, and chill on ice. fruit juice may be used instead of wine. _shortcakes_ peach shortcake rub half a cupful of butter into one and one-half cupfuls of sifted flour. add a pinch of salt and enough ice-water to make a smooth paste. roll out, shape it into flat round cakes, and put together with butter between. bake brown, tear apart while hot, and fill with fresh peaches crushed with sugar. cover the peaches with the other cake, spread peaches on top and pile high with sweetened whipped cream. strawberry, banana, blackberry, cherry, fig, blueberry, gooseberry, orange, and raspberry shortcakes may be made in the same way. prune shortcake stew a pound of prunes until soft, in water to cover, with half a cupful of sugar. when the prunes are soft, remove the stones and simmer for ten minutes longer. make a biscuit crust, adding a little more shortening, and bake in two cakes with butter between. split, spread with butter, fill with the prunes, cover the top with prunes, and serve hot with whipped cream. strawberry shortcake sift a quart of flour with two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. work into it two tablespoonfuls of butter, add enough milk to make a soft dough, and bake in large pie-tins. cool, split, spread with butter and crushed strawberries heavily sweetened. pour crushed strawberries over the cake and serve. fruit soufflÉs drain any kind of preserved fruit and rub through a sieve enough to make a cupful. add more sugar if required and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eight eggs. turn into a buttered baking-dish, bake for half an hour and serve immediately. apples, apricots, bananas, prunes, cherries, chestnuts, cocoanut, figs, gooseberries, preserved ginger, peaches, pears, pineapples, quinces, raspberries, and strawberries may be used in the same way. _tarts_ apple tart line a deep pie-tin with pastry, fill half full of apple sauce, and cover with quartered apples cooked until soft in lemon syrup. sprinkle with claret and powdered sugar, bake, and serve cold. apple cream tart line a deep baking-dish with pastry and put in three cupfuls of peeled, cored, and quartered apples, the grated rind and juice of a lemon, three-fourths cupful of brown sugar, and a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg. bake until the apples are done, cool, and cover with whipped cream sweetened to taste and flavored with grated lemon peel. apricot tart butter a pastry ring, line with paste and bake. spread with marmalade, cover with apricots, sprinkle with sugar and maraschino, heat for a few minutes, and serve cold with the apricot syrup. other fruits may be used in the same way. cherry tart mix a cupful each of sugar and stoned cherries with one egg well-beaten with a teaspoonful of flour. turn into a pie-tin lined with pastry, cover with narrow strips of crust, and bake. other fruits may be used in the same way. chocolate cream tart grate a square of chocolate into a pint of milk and bring to the boil, sweetening to taste. thicken with one tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold milk, take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter and the yolks of four eggs well-beaten. line patty-pans with pastry, fill with the cream, and bake. take from the oven, cover with meringue, and brown. fruit tart line a deep pie-tin with pastry and bake, take from the oven, fill with fresh or stewed and sweetened fruit, and cover with a meringue made of the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth and three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. bake until brown and serve either hot or cold. peaches, pears, plums, rhubarb, or other fruit may be used. german apple tart line a shallow baking-pan with pastry and fill with peeled, cored, and sliced apples. sprinkle with cinnamon and powdered sugar and bake for forty minutes in a moderate oven. gooseberry tart simmer a pint of gooseberries until soft in a thick syrup. line a pie-tin with pastry and put on a border of the paste about an inch wide. press down lightly, fill with the gooseberries and cross the tart with narrow twisted strips of paste, moistening with cold water at each end to make them adhere. bake for twenty minutes in a hot oven and serve very cold with whipped cream. grape tart--i stem the grapes and cook in syrup until thick and soft, rub through a sieve and cool. line patty-pans with pastry, fill with the grapes, and bake. cover with meringue or whipped cream if desired. grape tart--ii line a deep pie-tin with pastry, brush with thick syrup, and fill with white grapes. sprinkle with six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a wineglassful of white wine. bake and serve either hot or cold. other grapes may be used in the same way. neapolitan tarts roll rich pastry thin, cut into strips, bake in a quick oven and put together with jam or jelly between. cover with frosting and serve cold. peach tart roll rich pastry thin and bake three crusts in pie-tins. cool, put together with crushed and sweetened peaches, chill and serve with whipped cream. other fruits may be used in the same way. peach tart meringue line a border mould with pastry, fill half full with peach jam, bake, cool, cover with meringue, and return to the oven until puffed and brown. fill the centre with whipped cream if desired. other jams may be used in the same way. peach cream tart line a deep pie-tin with good pastry and fill it two-thirds full with canned peaches that have been cooked for two or three minutes in boiling syrup. cover with a rather thick crust and do not pinch down the edges. when cool, remove the top crust and fill with a cream made as follows: boil a cupful of milk, and thicken with a tablespoonful of sugar mixed with a teaspoonful of cornstarch wet in cold milk. when smooth and thick, take from the fire, add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and a few drops of vanilla or almond extract. cool, pour over the peaches, cover with the crust, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve. plum tart--i line a deep tin with pastry, fill with preserved plums, cover with crust, brush with beaten egg, bake, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve cold. plum tart--ii line a deep baking-dish with pastry and bake. fill half full of boiled rice cooked in milk and sweetened to taste and cover with pitted plums which have been cooked soft in thin syrup. sprinkle with powdered sugar, dot with butter, bake, and serve hot. raspberry cream tart line a deep pie-tin with pastry, fill with raspberries, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cover with crust but do not press down the edges. bake in a moderate oven. thicken a cupful of milk with a teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth with a little cold milk, add a tablespoonful of sugar, a few drops of vanilla, and the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs; cook until smooth and thick. lift the top crust from the pie, pour in the custard, cover, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve cold. raspberry and currant tart line a deep pie-tin with pastry and fill with alternate layers of raspberries and currants, sprinkling each layer with sugar. sprinkle with sugar, dot with butter, and bake. cover with meringue and serve cold. rhubarb tarts blanch and split half an ounce of bitter almonds. cut one and one-half pounds of rhubarb into inch-lengths without peeling, add a pound of sugar, the almonds, and one lemon cut into bits. cook together until thick, stirring occasionally. line patty-pans with pastry, fill with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven. apples À la ninon cook rice until soft in milk to cover, sweetening and flavoring to taste. arrange upon the rice peeled and cored apples which have been cooked in syrup, reduce the syrup by rapid boiling, flavor to taste, add a little chopped candied fruit, pour over the rice and apples, and serve either hot or cold. apple brownies peel, core, and quarter five sour apples, put into a baking-dish with three tablespoonfuls of butter, and sugar and cinnamon to taste. bake until tender and serve hot with cream. apple fluff peel good cooking apples, cook until soft, and rub through a sieve. sweeten to taste, adding a little butter and lemon-juice, spice, or wine to season. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of two or three eggs and serve very cold. apple puff sift a cupful of flour with a pinch of salt, add two cupfuls of milk mixed with three well-beaten eggs, and turn into a shallow buttered pan. cover with peeled and sliced apples, dot with butter, sprinkle thickly with sugar, and add a little grated lemon peel or spice if desired. bake for forty-five minutes and serve hot. berries or other fruits may be used in the same way. apple roll rub two tablespoonfuls of butter into three cupfuls of flour which has been sifted with a heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder and a pinch of salt. mix to a soft dough with milk or water, roll into an oblong, spread with finely cut peeled apples, and sprinkle with sugar and spice. roll up and put loosely into a pudding cloth which has been wrung dry in hot water and dredged with flour. steam for two hours and serve with hard sauce. apple snow cook peeled apples soft in a thin syrup to cover, and rub through a sieve enough to make a pint of pulp. cool, add the unbeaten white of an egg, and beat with an egg-beater until very light. serve cold with boiled custard or whipped cream. other fruits may be used in the same way. apple trifle cook peeled, cored, and quartered apples until soft in thin syrup to cover, seasoning with spice. drain, arrange in a serving-dish, and reduce the syrup half by rapid boiling. pour over the apples, cool, and at serving-time cover with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste. other fruits may be used in the same way. baked bananas melt three tablespoonfuls of butter with three of lemon-juice and six of sugar. peel six bananas and lay in a shallow buttered pan, far apart. bake for half an hour, basting with the mixture in the bowl, and serve hot. baked peaches peel large peaches, stick a few blanched almonds into each one, sprinkle with sugar, add a cup of water and bake, basting with the syrup. serve very cold with the syrup poured over. baked pears put a quart of peeled, cored, and quartered pears into an earthen baking-dish with half a cupful of sugar and a cupful of water. cover tightly and bake for several hours in a moderate oven. take up the pears, reduce the syrup by rapid boiling, pour over, chill, and serve with cream. baked quinces peel and core four or five quinces and put a bit of butter into the core of each. sprinkle with sugar, pour in a cupful of water, cover and bake for two hours, basting occasionally. serve cold with sugar and cream. baked rhubarb cut unpeeled rhubarb into inch-lengths and pack closely in a bean-pot with alternate layers of brown sugar. cover, bake for an hour, and serve cold. baked berry roll sift two cupfuls of flour with two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. work into it a tablespoonful of butter and mix to soft dough with a cupful of milk. roll into an oblong, cover with berries, sprinkle with sugar, roll up, fasten the edges and bake or steam, basting with syrup to which a little butter has been added. serve hot with any preferred sauce. bananas and currants crush and sweeten red currants, mix with sliced bananas, and serve cold. white currants may also be used. bananas with whipped cream peel and slice six bananas into a serving-dish, sprinkle with sugar, and with either orange-juice, lemon-juice, or wine. cover with whipped cream and serve immediately with cake. banana float soak half a package of gelatine in cold water and dissolve in three cupfuls of boiling milk. add a heaping cupful of sugar and cook for ten minutes. when cool but not stiff, stir in three bananas broken up with a fork. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. banana trifle peel and mash through a sieve enough bananas to make a cupful of pulp. add a cupful of cream and two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. beat with an egg-beater until very light and serve cold in dessert glasses. blackberry sponge soak half a package of gelatine in half a cupful of cold water, add two cupfuls of boiling water, half a cupful of sugar, and one cupful of blackberry juice. stir until dissolved, then strain. when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. mould, chill, and serve with cream. the juice of other fruits may be used in the same way. boiled frosting boil two cupfuls of sugar for five minutes with one-fourth cupful of water, pour the boiling syrup in a thin stream upon the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, and beat until thick. flavor to taste. chocolate tapioca cook two tablespoonfuls of minute tapioca in milk to cover, using a double-boiler. add the yolks of three eggs well-beaten, sugar to taste, and half a teaspoonful of vanilla. cook until thick, and add half a cake of grated sweet chocolate. when quite smooth mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. chocolate cream frosting beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, add two tablespoonfuls of cream, and enough confectioner's sugar to make it thick enough to spread. melt half a cake of sweet chocolate in a double boiler with a teaspoonful of water, and pour over the cream frosting on the cake. floating island beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth and gradually beat into it a cupful of jelly or jam. fill a serving dish with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste, and drop spoonfuls of the frothed jelly upon it. this may be served in dessert glasses. french pancakes beat together four eggs beaten separately, one cupful of milk, half a cupful of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt, the grated rind of a lemon, and a teaspoonful of butter melted. fry in small pancakes, turning once, spread with jelly, jam, or marmalade, roll up, sprinkle with powdered sugar which may be seasoned with spice, and serve immediately. fruit icing mix confectioner's sugar with enough cream to make it the consistency of thick paste. flavor as desired adding chopped nuts, bananas, shredded pineapple, or other fruits. fruit puffs beat three eggs separately, then add one cupful of milk, a pinch of salt, and enough flour sifted with a heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder to make a thin batter. fill buttered custard cups, alternating with finely cut apples or other fruit sprinkled with sugar, and steam for an hour. jam or preserves may be used in the same way. serve hot with any preferred sauce or with cream and sugar. fruit roll sift together two cupfuls of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a teaspoonful of sugar, and half a teaspoonful of salt. rub into it two tablespoonfuls of butter and add enough milk to make a dough that will roll. roll into an oblong, keeping the dough thin, spread with softened butter, then with chopped fresh or preserved fruit or berries, sweetened to taste. roll up, pinch the ends together, and steam for two hours, or bake until the dough is brown and crisp. serve hot with any preferred sauce. apples, apricots, blackberries, chestnuts, currants, figs, preserved ginger, plums, blueberries, oranges, peaches, pineapples, quinces, raspberries, and cherries may all be used in this way. fruit tapioca soak a cupful of tapioca over night in four cupfuls of cold water. add a pinch of salt, and three-fourths cupful of sugar, and cook slowly in a double boiler until transparent, adding more water if necessary. put into a buttered baking-dish in layers, alternating with fresh or canned fruit sweetened to taste. have tapioca on top. sprinkle with sugar, dot with butter, and bake for an hour. serve either hot or cold with cream or any preferred sauce. apples, apricots, blackberries, cherries, currants, figs, gooseberries, plums, blueberries, oranges, peaches, pears, pineapples, quinces, raspberries, and strawberries are all used in the same way. the less tart fruits require a little lemon-juice sprinkled on them. in making apple tapioca sprinkle each layer of apples with sugar and spice. a delicious pudding is made of strawberries and bananas sliced and combined with the tapioca. gooseberry trifle cook a quart of gooseberries to a pulp in water to cover, sweetening to taste. put into a serving-dish, cool, cover with boiled custard, then with whipped cream. other fruits may be used in the same way. jellied apples peel, core, and quarter enough apples to make four cupfuls. cook slowly until soft in syrup to cover, flavoring with a little lemon or spice. add a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, mould, chill, and serve with boiled custard or whipped cream. jellied peaches peel and split a dozen peaches and cook until soft in thin syrup to cover. add half a package of soaked and dissolved gelatine and a tablespoonful of claret or maraschino. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream or custard. other fruits may be used in the same way. junket warm a quart of milk, add a tablespoonful of rennet, cool, and serve with powdered sugar, grated nutmeg, and cream. lemon sponge boil the chopped peel of one and juice of six lemons in two cupfuls of water, strain and mix with two cupfuls of hot water in which a package of soaked gelatine has been dissolved. sweeten to taste, and beat until it begins to set, then fold in the stiffly beaten whites of twelve eggs. mould and chill. half this recipe is sufficient for a small family. moonshine beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth and add gradually twelve tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. beat for twenty minutes, then add three large peaches peeled and cut into bits. fill dessert glasses three-fourths full, chill, and fill with whipped cream sweetened to taste and flavored with vanilla. other fruits may be used in the same way. orange snow make a pint of orange jelly, adding the juice of a lemon and a little grated peel. when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. mould, chill and serve with boiled custard. lemon snow may be made in the same way. peach trifle make a boiled custard with the yolks of four eggs, one pint of milk, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar, cool, and flavor with a few drops each of almond and vanilla. arrange slices of stale sponge cake in a serving-dish, moisten with custard, cover with crushed and sweetened peaches, pour over the custard, and cover with meringue flavored with almond, or with whipped cream. peach delight peel and split ripe peaches and fill a baking-dish, sprinkling each layer with sugar. dot with butter, add a cupful of water, and sprinkle with flour. make a crust of one and one-half cupfuls of flour sifted with a pinch of salt and a teaspoonful of baking-powder, rubbing into it half a cupful of lard, and adding ice-water to mix. cover the peaches, prick the crust, bake, and serve either hot or cold with cream. peach snow-balls peel ripe peaches, roll in powdered sugar, then dip in boiled frosting, let dry for two minutes, and sprinkle with shredded cocoanut. pineapple fluff mix canned grated pineapple with chopped nuts and quartered marshmallows, and fill dessert glasses half full. cover with whipped cream sweetened and flavored to taste, and garnish with candied cherries or chopped nuts. pineapple dessert select a large pineapple, cut off the top and scrape out the pulp with a large spoon. mix with finely cut strawberries, cherries, and bananas. sweeten to taste, fill the pineapple shell, put on the cover, and serve. pineapple sponge grate a fresh pineapple, add a cupful of sugar, and simmer slowly for ten minutes. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved in as little water as possible, and when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. serve with a custard made of a pint of milk sweetened to taste, flavored with vanilla, and thickened with the beaten yolks of four eggs. a can of grated pineapple may be used instead of the fresh fruit. plum roll sift a quart of flour with a teaspoonful of salt, and three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, rub in two tablespoonfuls of butter, and add enough milk to make a soft dough. roll out, spread with one cupful of chopped raisins and half a cupful of chopped citron. sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, roll up, and steam for half an hour or more. serve hot with hard sauce. prune sponge beat three eggs separately and mix. add half a cupful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and three-fourths cupful of flour sifted with a teaspoonful of baking-powder. soak and pit fifteen prunes, drain, chop fine, add half a cupful of sugar and the juice of half a lemon. put the prunes in a buttered baking-dish, cover with the batter, and bake for twenty or twenty-five minutes. quince fluff cut up four or five quinces and boil until soft in water to cover, then peel, and rub through a sieve. sweeten to taste, add the unbeaten whites of four eggs, and beat to a froth with an egg-beater. serve immediately in dessert dishes. quince trifle stew four quinces until soft, rub through a colander, and sweeten to taste. turn into a glass dish and cover with a boiled custard made of one pint of milk, the yolks of three eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. cover with a meringue and serve. rice balls with custard wash a cupful of rice and soak for an hour in cold water to cover. drain and cook until soft in two and one-half cupfuls of milk, adding a teaspoonful of salt when the rice is nearly soft. add sugar to taste and any preferred flavoring. wet custard cups in cold water, fill with rice and chill. at serving time turn out on a platter, put a bit of red jelly on each ball of rice and surround with boiled custard. raspberry sponge bring to a boil two and one-half cupfuls of raspberry juice, sweetening to taste. add half a package of soaked gelatine, and stir until dissolved. when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs, and beat until stiff. mould, chill, and serve with whipped cream. strawberry or currant juice may be used in the same way. strawberry meringue beat the whites of seven eggs to a stiff froth and add gradually a pinch of salt and seven tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. put into a buttered baking-dish in layers, spreading each layer thinly with melted strawberry jam. bake in a moderate oven for twenty-five minutes and serve very cold with whipped cream. other jams may be used in the same way. strawberry sponge rub a quart of strawberries through a sieve, sweeten heavily, and add the juice of a lemon. add half a package of gelatine which has been soaked and dissolved, and when cool but not set, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. mould, chill, and serve with sugar and cream or with whipped cream. other fruits may be used in the same way. strawberry trifle fill dessert glasses half full of sponge cake and strawberry preserves. cover with a meringue flavored with strawberry juice or with boiled custard or with whipped cream, and serve with a few preserved strawberries on top. other fruits may be served in the same way. snow-balls wet small square cloths in cold water and spread thinly with boiled rice. put an apricot in the centre of each, having removed the stone. draw the cloths together, tie securely, and steam for ten or fifteen minutes. remove the cloths and serve with a sauce made from fruit syrup. almost any other fruit may be used instead of apricots. sweet pancakes mix two tablespoonfuls of flour with a few drops of orange-flower water and a few grains of salt. add the yolks of four eggs, well-beaten, and the whites of two. fry by tablespoonfuls in butter, turning once, and sprinkling with sugar. or, spread with jelly, roll up, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. stewed pears with rice peel, split, and core four large pears and cook until tender with two cupfuls of claret and one cupful of sugar. boil half a cupful of rice until soft in milk to cover, sweetening and flavoring to taste. spread the rice in a serving-dish, arrange the pears upon it, reduce the syrup by rapid boiling, pour over, and serve ice cold. other fruits may be used in the same way. vanities beat two eggs very light, add a pinch of salt, and flour to roll. roll as thin as possible, cut into fancy shapes and fry brown in deep fat. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. virginia puffs cream half a cupful of butter with a cupful of sugar, add the beaten yolks of four eggs, a teaspoonful of vanilla, and sift in a cupful of cornstarch and two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, alternating with the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. bake in buttered gem-pans, hissing hot, in a quick oven. serve with any preferred sauce. index apples, served whole, ; à la condé, ; à la cherbourg, ; à la fermière, ; à la française, ; à la ninon, ; baked, - ; boiled, ; coddled, ; dried, ; fried, ; in casserole, ; in rice-cups, ; jellied, ; sauce, ; stewed, apricots, canned, ; dried, ; sauce, asbestos mats, for protection, asparagus, with eggs, , bacon, with eggs, ; broiled, ; breaded, ; with mush, ; fraise, ; à la crême, ; scrambled, ; omelet, bananas, , ; baked, ; au naturel, ; with sugar and cream, ; with oranges, ; with cereal, barley, gruel, ; boiled, ; steamed, beef, balls, ; hash, ; frizzled, ; à la newport, ; corned, hash, ; creamed, ; with scrambled eggs, ; omelet, beverages, how to serve, café glacé, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, with cream, ; boiled, tea, birds' nests, blackberries, ; how to serve, 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béarnaise, - béchamel, brown, butter, caper, cheese, colbert, cream, curry, dutch, duxelles, egg, hollandaise, italian, madeira, maître d'hôtel, mint, mushroom, parsley, piquante, remoulade, tartar, tomato, _ff._ velouté, vinaigrette, sausage, with eggs, , scones, ; scotch, shell-fish, fifty ways to cook, - clams, _ff._ à la marquise, cocktail, connecticut, creamed, devilled, escalloped, crabs, _ff._ à la créole, à la st. laurence, baked, croquettes, fricassee, stuffed, lobster, _ff._ à la newburg, broiled, casserole, devilled, escalloped, wiggle, oysters, _ff._ à la madrid, baked, broiled, creole, curried, devilled, escalloped, stew, scallops, _ff._ fried, shrimps, _ff._ à la créole, creamed, curried, jellied, mayonnaise of, wiggle, shrimps, scrambled with eggs, ; omelet, snowballs, soups, one hundred varieties, - beef, _ff._ barley, black bean, boston, creole, english spinach, italian, - julienne, noodle, quick, - rice, spanish, veal, wrexham, bisques and purÉes, _ff._ clams, crab, green peas, kidney beans, rice, tomatoes, chicken, _ff._ german, giblet, hungarian, jellied, mock chicken, cream, _ff._ asparagus, barley, celery, clams, corn, crab, mushrooms, oysters, peas, tomato, vermicelli, fish, _ff._ clam, , crab, french, german, oyster, , salmon, scallop, shrimp, fruit, _ff._ currant, gooseberry, prune, raisin, raspberry, strawberry, miscellaneous, _ff._ mutton, _ff._ asparagus, baked, lamb, quick, veal, _ff._ austrian, chiffonade, italian, spring, vegetable, - southern hoecakes, strawberries, ; how to serve, sweetbreads, directions for cooking, table, how to set it, ; for breakfast, tangerines, , tea, directions for making, toast, cream, milk, soft, ; french, ; anchovy with eggs, tomatoes, with eggs, , , tongue, scrambled with eggs, tripe, fried, ; fricasseed, ; à la lyonnaise, ; à la poulette, truce of god, veal, minced with eggs, vegetables, one hundred and fifty ways to cook, - artichokes, asparagus, , beans, - beets, brussels sprouts, cabbage, - carrots, , cauliflower, - celery, - corn, - cucumbers, eggplant, - hominy, lentils, macaroni, , mushrooms, , noodles, , okra, onions, - parsnips, , peppers, rice, , salsify, , spaghetti, - spinach, squash, - sweet potatoes, , tomatoes, - turnips, , waffles, blue grass, - ; cream, ; feather, ; georgia, ; hominy, ; indian, ; kentucky, ; maryland, ; plain, ; rice, ; corn-meal, ; swedish, ; tennessee, ; virginia, water, taken on rising, watermelon, served in slices, wheat, gruel, ; cracked, ; crushed with raisins, ; cold cracked, white oil-cloth, for protection, zwieback, directions for serving, _a selection from the catalogue of_ g. p. putnam's sons complete catalogue sent on application _putnam's homemaker series_ _no more unique or welcome gift for a brain-fagged housewife can be imagined than this little series of handbooks in their quaint plaid gingham covers, comprising any number of tried recipes._ _ volumes. bound in blue apron gingham. deckle edges. gilt tops. japan vellum labels. each $ . net. by mail, $ . . set $ . . carriage cents._ craftsman bookcase free with each set. wood of deep brown shade, artistic in design, gold embossed. useful and ornamental. _ . what to have for breakfast_ the philosophy of breakfast--how to set the table--the kitchen rubaiyat--fruits--cereals--salt fish--breakfast meats--substitutes for meat--eggs--omelets--quick breads--raised breads--pancakes--coffee cakes and waffles--beverages--and different breakfast menus--complete index-- pages. ¶ "whoever follows its laws will bring peace to her household and kindly fame to herself. it is the best book in all the world with which to start the fresh day, and an intelligent application of its rules may set in motion the very springs of heroism, joy, and achievement."--_chicago tribune._ _ . every-day luncheons_ luncheons wise and luncheons foolish--quick soups--dainty dishes of fish--meats suitable for luncheon--one hundred sandwich fillings--simple salads--beverages--easy desserts--and every-day luncheon menus--complete index-- pages. ¶ "a helpful companion for any woman seeking to vary her menus. the recipes are economical, in many cases new, and in all cases practical."--_the congregationalist._ _ . one thousand simple soups_ soups and soup-making; or, the technique of the tureen-- soup-stocks-- garnishes for soups-- beef soups-- mutton soups-- veal soups-- chicken soups-- fish soups-- chowders-- cream soups-- purées and bisques-- wine and fruit soups-- miscellaneous soups--complete index-- pages. ¶ "its information is all practical and every recipe contained within its covers is well worth trying. it will prove a valuable addition to the domestic shelf of any housewife whether she be her own cook or not."--_newark advertiser._ _ . how to cook shell-fish_ fishy observations-- ways to cook clams-- ways to cook crabs-- ways to cook crawfish-- ways to cook mussels-- ways to cook lobsters-- ways to cook oysters-- ways to cook oyster crabs-- ways to cook prawns-- ways to cook scallops-- ways to cook shrimps-- ways to cook snails-- ways to cook terrapin-- ways to cook turtle--complete index-- pages. ¶ "... recipes almost innumerable, varied in character but universally tempting, follow with blank pages for new ones. here is a delightful gift for the chafing-dish expert or the dainty housekeeper."--_chicago record-herald._ _ . how to cook fish_ fish in season-- court bouillons-- fish sauces-- ways to serve anchovies-- ways to cook bass-- for blackfish-- for bluefish-- for codfish-- for frogs' legs-- for halibut-- for herring-- for kingfish-- for mackerel-- for pompano-- for salmon-- for salmon trout-- for sardines-- for shad-- for sheepshead-- for smelts-- for soles-- for trout-- for turbot-- for weakfish-- for whitebait-- for whitefish-- for whiting-- miscellaneous recipes, etc.--complete index-- pages. ¶ "the directions are so full and explicit that they will commend the book to any housekeeper."--_san francisco chronicle._ _ . how to cook meat and poultry_ wanted--a new animal-- sauces for meat and poultry-- ways to cook beef-- for mutton and lamb-- ways for pork-- for veal-- for chicken-- for duck-- for goose-- for turkey-- for pigeon--complete index-- pages. ¶ "miss green, whoever she may be, knows how to write cook books. merely reading over the recipes is enough to make one hungry."--_cleveland plain dealer._ _ . how to cook vegetables_ pleasing table vegetables-- sauces for vegetables-- ways to cook artichokes-- for asparagus-- for beans-- for beets-- for brussels sprouts-- for cabbage-- for carrots-- for cauliflower-- for celery-- for chestnuts-- for corn-- for cucumbers-- for egg plant-- for hominy-- for macaroni-- for mushrooms-- for noodles-- for okra-- for onions-- for parsnips-- for peas-- for peppers-- for potatoes-- for sweet potatoes-- for rice-- for spaghetti-- for spinach-- for squash-- for tomatoes-- for turnips--complete index-- pages. ¶ "miss green is indeed a passed mistress of the art of cooking; her rules may always be relied upon in every way."--_providence journal._ _ . one thousand salads_ proper salads and others--salad dressings and aspics--salads of fish--meat--vegetables--fruit--egg--cheese--nut-cheese dishes--canapés--sandwich fillings--complete index-- pages. ¶ competent authorities agree that this is one of the most important and successful of the homemaker series. "in no phase of the culinary art is genius so necessary as in the compounding of a salad." _ . every-day desserts_ simple desserts and others-- blanc manges-- cakes-- cake fillings and frostings-- charlottes-- cobblers-- cookies-- compotes-- creams-- custards-- doughnuts-- dumplings-- fritters-- frozen desserts-- simple fruit desserts-- gingerbreads-- jellies-- sweet omelets-- pies-- puddings-- pudding sauces-- shortcakes-- soufflés-- tarts--complete index-- pages. ¶ "whoever follows its laws will bring peace to her household and kindly fame to herself."--_chicago tribune._ _ . every-day dinners_ eating and dining-- canapés-- simple soups-- ways to cook shell-fish-- for fish-- for meat and poultry-- for potatoes-- simple sauces-- salads--simple desserts-- dinner menus--complete index-- pages. ¶ "simplicity--and, as a general rule, economy--has been the standard by which each recipe has been judged. all are within the capabilities of the most inexperienced cook, who is willing to follow directions." ¶ "covers the whole subject in a complete and comprehensive fashion."--_albany argus._ _send for illustrated circular of popular books for the household._ transcriber's note variable spelling is preserved as printed, e.g. cardamon, crême. the recipe for braised flank steak, on page , may have some text missing following 'pour over,' as it is unclear as written. since it is impossible to determine what that text might be, it is preserved as printed. there seems to be a heading, _puddings_, missing from page , immediately before the recipe for apple pudding. the omitted heading has not been added. there may be a heading missing from the beginning of page , immediately before the recipe for apples À la ninon. the preceding pages covered tarts. from the index listings, it seems that page is the start of a collection of 'miscellaneous' dessert recipes. the omitted heading has not been added. on page , the index lists simply 'raspberry' for the recipe for raspberry tea-cake on page . this is preserved as printed. minor punctuation errors have been repaired. for ease of searching, hyphenation and accent usage have been made consistent where there was a prevalence of one form over another. otherwise, they are preserved as printed. the following typographic errors have been repaired: page --canteloupe amended to cantaloupe--"melons, musk, water, cantaloupe ... july to october ." page --drip amended to dip--"dip crisp slices of toast for a moment ..." page --acccording amended to according--"prepare according to directions given for apricot salad, ..." page --parsely amended to parsley--"roll in very finely minced parsley, ..." page --choppped amended to chopped--"one cupful each of chopped onion, carrot, celery, ..." page --thoroughy amended to thoroughly--"when thoroughly blended, add two cupfuls of cold milk, ..." page --add amended to a--"... thicken with browned flour and a little butter cooked together, ..." page --minues amended to minutes--"... and bake for twelve or fifteen minutes." page --whites amended to white--"garnish with white grapes, ..." page --woy amended to way--"pears or other fruits may be used in the same way." page --omitted 'a' added--"... with a pint of milk, two eggs well-beaten, ..." page --mintues amended to minutes--"... and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven." page --slowy amended to slowly--"cook slowly for an hour two-thirds cupful of sago ..." page --marmalde amended to marmalade--"... spread with jelly-jam, or marmalade, roll up, ..." page --curraut amended to currant--"strawberry or currant juice may be used in the same way." page --stiffy amended to stiffly--"... fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs." page -- amended to --"desserts ... miscellaneous ... apple charlotte, " page -- amended to --"meat and poultry ... beef ... steaks, various varieties of, - " page -- amended to --"salads ... dressing ... mayonnaise, " transcriber's note obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been maintained. a list of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. domestic french cookery, chiefly translated from sulpice baruÉ. by miss leslie, author of "seventy-five receipts," &c. fourth edition. philadelphia: carey & hart--chestnut street. . entered according to the act of congress, the th day of october, , by e. l. carey & a. hart, in the clerk's office of the district court of the eastern district of pennsylvania. stereotyped by j. howe. preface. the design of the following little book is to furnish receipts for a select variety of french dishes, explained and described in such a manner as to make them intelligible to american cooks, and practicable with american utensils and american fuel. those that (according to the original work) cannot be prepared without an unusual and foreign apparatus have been omitted; and also such as can only be accomplished by the consummate skill and long practice of native french cooks. many dishes have been left out, as useless in a country where provisions are abundant. on this side of the atlantic all persons in respectable life can obtain better articles of food than sheeps' tails, calves' ears, &c. and the preparation of these articles (according to the european receipts) is too tedious and complicated to be of any use to the indigent, or to those who can spare but little time for their cookery. also, the translator has inserted no receipts which contain nothing different from the usual american mode of preparing the same dishes. most of the french cookery books introduced into this country have failed in their object, from the evident deficiency of the translators in a competent knowledge of the technical terms of cookery and from the multitude of french words interspersed through the directions, and which cannot, in general, be comprehended without an incessant and troublesome reference to the glossary. the translator of the following pages has endeavored, according to the best of her ability, to avoid these defects, and has aimed at making a book of practical utility to all those who may have a desire to introduce occasionally at their tables good specimens of the french culinary art. from these receipts she believes that many advantageous hints may be taken for improvements in american cookery; and she hopes that, upon trial, this little work may be found equally useful in private families, hotels, and boarding-houses. _philadelphia, september, ._ contents. soups. beef soup page consommé, or jelly soup pease soup ib. maccaroni soup ib. chestnut soup almond soup ib. lobster soup ib. oyster soup green peas soup ib. gravies, or essences. brown gravy white gravy ib. essence of game ib. to clarify gravies or essences velouté, or velvet essence ib. sauces, &c. bechamel another bechamel ib. drawn butter ib. melted butter, another way cold sauce for fish ib. sauce for vegetables ib. pungent sauce, or sauce piquante anchovy sauce ib. curry sauce ib. tomata sauce ib. cucumber sauce bread sauce ib. sauce robert ib. shalot or onion sauce universal sauce ib. lobster sauce ib. spinach for coloring green garlic butter ib. hazelnut butter larding ib. meats. veal à la mode veal cutlets ib. blanquette, or fricassee of veal godiveau ib. calves' liver baked ib. calves' liver fried veal kidneys ib. grillades ib. liver cake sirloin of beef ib. stewed beef ib. beef steaks beef à la mode ib. roasted ham fried ham with tomatas roasted tongue ib. baked tongue potted tongue ib. leg of mutton with oysters cutlets à la maintenon ib. pork cutlets ib. larded rabbit rabbits in papers ib. pilau ib. veal sweetbreads game and poultry. a salmi cold salmi ib. ragooed livers a fine hash ib. marinade of fowls ib. fricassee of fowls fowls with tarragon ib. a stewed fowl chickens in jelly ib. pulled chickens stewed turkey, or turkey en daube roasted turkey ib. potted goose ducks with turnips a duck with olives ib. a duck with peas ib. turkey puddings baked pigeons, or pigeons à la crapaudine ib. broiled pigeons pigeons pear-fashion (pigeons au poire) ib. pigeons with peas ib. roasted partridges partridges with cabbage ib. a partridge pie ib. roasted pheasants broiled quails roasted plovers ib. fish. stewed salmon roasted salmon ib. broiled salmon salt cod fish ib. broiled fresh mackerel broiled fresh shad ib. hashed fish ib. lobster pie oyster loaves ib. vegetables. stewed lettuce stewed spinach ib. stewed cucumbers stewed beets ib. stewed carrots ib. stewed cabbage ib. stewed peas stewed beans ib. stewed onions onions stewed in wine ib. stewed mushrooms ib. stewed potatoes stewed potatoes with turnips ib. asparagus with cream ib. potatoes stewed whole fried potatoes fried cauliflower ib. fried celery broiled mushrooms ib. stuffed cabbage (choux farcis) stuffed potatoes ib. stuffed cucumbers stuffed tomatas ib. cauliflowers with cheese ragooed cabbage ib. ragooed mushrooms purÉes. purée of turnips purée of celery ib. purée of onions ib. purée of mushrooms purée of beans ib. purée of green peas eggs, &c. boiled eggs fried eggs ib. stewed eggs stuffed eggs ib. egg snow ib. pancakes omelets ib. maccaroni maccaroni pie ib. blancmange in eggs pastry, cakes, &c. french paste puff-paste ib. cream tarts almond tarts ib. rissoles almond custards ib. vanilla custards ib. chocolate custards coffee custards ib. tea custards rice pottage ib. apple fritters ib. bread fritters rice cake ib. potato cake sponge cake, or biscuit ib. croquettes marguerites ib. wafers gingerbread preparations of fruit, sugar, &c. an apple charlotte apple compote ib. compote of pears compote of chestnuts ib. fried apples peach marmalade ib. brandy peaches ib. gooseberry pottage fruit jellies preserved pumpkin preserved raspberries ib. orange jelly clarified sugar ib. fruit in sugar coats burnt almonds ib. peppermint drops chocolate drops ib. nougat orgeat paste liqueurs. noyau raspberry cordial ib. rose cordial quince cordial ib. lemon cordial ib. miscellaneous receipts. french coffee coffee without boiling ib. chocolate fine lemonade punch ib. convenient lemonade ib. french mustard potato flour ib. cold pickles ib. cornichons or cucumber pickles fine cologne water part the first. soups. beef soup. the best soup is made of the lean of fine fresh beef. the proportion is four pounds of meat to a gallon of water. it should boil at least six hours. mutton soup may be made in the same manner. put the meat into cold water, with a little salt; set it over a good fire; let it boil slowly but constantly, and skim it well. when no more fat rises to the top, put in what quantity you please of carrots, turnips, leeks, celery, and parsley, all cut into small pieces; add, if you choose, a laurel-leaf, or two or three peach-leaves, a few cloves, and a large burnt onion, to heighten the color of the soup. grate a large red carrot, and strew it over the top. then continue to let it boil, gently but steadily, till dinner time. next to the quantity and quality of the meat, nothing is more necessary to the excellence of soup than to keep the fire moderate, and to see that it is boiling all the time, but not too fast. have ready in the tureen some toasted bread, cut into small squares; pour the soup over the bread, passing it through a sieve, so as to strain it thoroughly. some, however, prefer serving it up with all the vegetables in it. the soup will be improved by boiling in it the remains of a piece of cold roast beef. soups made of veal, chickens, &c. are only fit for invalids. after you have strained out the vegetables, you may put into the soup some vermicelli (allowing two ounces to each quart), and then boil it ten minutes longer. consommÉ, or jelly soup. into two quarts of cold water, put four pounds of the lean of the best beef-steaks, and a large fowl cut into pieces, four large carrots, four onions, four leeks, a bunch of sweet herbs (parsley, thyme, sweet marjoram, sweet basil, and chives), tied up with a laurel-leaf, or two peach-leaves, and four cloves; add a little salt and pepper. boil it gently for eight hours, skimming it well; then strain it. pease soup. take two quarts of dried split peas, the evening before you intend making the soup, and putting them into lukewarm water, let them soak all night. in the morning, put the peas into a pan or pot with three quarts of cold water, a pound of bacon, and a pound of the lean of fresh beef. cut up two carrots, two onions, and two heads of celery, and put them into the soup, with a bunch of sweet herbs, and three or four cloves. boil it slowly five or six hours, till the peas can no longer be distinguished, having lost all shape and form; then strain it, and serve it up. maccaroni soup. first make some good beef soup (without any vegetables), and when it is sufficiently boiled, strain it through a sieve. take some maccaroni, in the proportion of half a pound to two quarts of soup. boil it in water until it is tender, adding to it a little butter. then lay it on a sieve to drain, and cut it into small pieces. throw it into the soup, and boil all together ten minutes or more. grate some rich cheese over it before you send it to table. chestnut soup. having made some beef soup without vegetables, strain it, and put in a pint of peeled chestnuts for each quart of soup. boil it again till the chestnuts have gone all to pieces, and have become a part of the liquid. a still better way is, to roast or bake the chestnuts first, (having cut a slit in the shell of each,) then peel them, and throw them into the soup ten minutes before you take it from the fire. almond soup. take half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and two ounces of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels. scald them, to make the skins peel off easily, and when they are blanched, throw them into cold water. then drain and wipe them dry. beat them (a few at a time) in a marble mortar, adding as you beat them, a little milk and a little grated lemon-peel. have ready two quarts of rich milk, boiled with two sticks of cinnamon and a quarter of a pound of sugar. stir the almonds gradually into the milk, and let them have one boil up. prepare some slices of toasted bread, take out a little of the soup and soak them in it. then lay them in the bottom of a tureen, and pour the soup over them. grate on some nutmeg. lobster soup. having boiled a large lobster, extract all the meat from the shell. fry in butter some thin slices of bread, put them into a marble mortar, one at a time, alternately with some of the meat of the lobster, and pound the whole to a paste till it is all done. then melt some butter in a stew-pan, and put in the mixed bread and lobster. add a quart of boiling milk, with salt, mace, and nutmeg to your taste. let the whole stew gently for half an hour. oyster soup. take two quarts of oysters; drain them, and cut out the hard part. have ready a dozen eggs, boiled hard; cut them in pieces, and pound them in a mortar alternately with the oysters. boil the liquor of the oysters with a head of celery cut small, two grated nutmegs, a tea-spoonful of mace, and a tea-spoonful of cloves, with two tea-spoonfuls of salt, and a tea-spoonful of whole pepper. when the liquor has boiled, stir in the pounded eggs and oysters, a little at a time. give it one more boil, and then serve it up. salt oysters will not do for soup. green peas soup. make a good beef soup, with the proportion of four pounds of lean beef to a gallon of water. boil it slowly, and skim it well. in another pot boil two quarts of green peas, with a large bunch of mint, a little salt, and three or four lumps of loaf sugar. when they are quite soft, take them out, strain them from the water, and mash them in a cullender till all the pulp drips through. then stir it into the soup after you have taken it up and strained it. prepare some toasted bread cut into small squares, lay it in a tureen, and pour the soup over it. when you toast bread for soups, stews, &c. always cut off the crust. gravies, or essences. brown gravy. (jus.) put into a sauce-pan, or skillet, five or six onions, and as many carrots cut into small pieces, with about two pounds of scraps of beef, in which there must be none of the fat. pour over them a pint of water. cover the pan, and begin with a brisk fire. when the gravy has become brown, add a little boiling water (or broth if you have it), with a tea-spoonful of salt, three or four cloves, and a bunch of sweet herbs. diminish the fire, and let the gravy stew gently for an hour and a half. occasionally prick the meat with a fork, and press it with the back of a spoon to extract its juices. then strain it through a sieve, and let it stand a while before you use it. in addition to the beef, you may put in pieces of cold goose, or cold duck. white gravy. (coulis.) butter the bottom of a sauce-pan, and put in two pounds of scraps of veal, and, if you have it at hand, some cold fowl, or cold turkey; add two white onions, and four or five blades of mace; pour over it a pint of boiling water, or broth; cover the pan, and set it over a slow fire for five or six hours, pricking and pressing the meat with a fork and spoon. strain it through a sieve, and if it is too thin, set it again over the fire, to stew a while longer. essence of game. take scraps of any kind of game (partridges, pheasants, hares, &c.), and also four calves feet, and a few small pieces of ham. put them all into a stew-pan, with half a bottle of white wine, two carrots, two onions, and a bunch of sweet herbs. stew them over a slow fire for four hours, and when they are reduced to a jelly, moisten it with four table-spoonfuls of hot water, or broth, stirred in gently. strain it through a sieve, and then clear it by stirring in the whites of three eggs slightly beaten. to clarify gravies, or essences having strained your gravy through a sieve, beat slightly the whites of three eggs, and stir them into it. place it again on the fire, and stir it till it comes to a boil; then take it from the fire, and put it away to settle. strain it then through a napkin, and you will have a transparent jelly excellent for making fine sauces. veloutÉ, or velvet essence. take half a pound of scraps of veal, the same quantity of pieces of fowls, and twelve or fifteen mushrooms; stew them slowly in butter, and then add two onions, half a carrot, and a bunch of sweet herbs cut small, three table-spoonfuls of flour, three of boiling water or broth, and salt, pepper, and nutmeg to your taste. let it stew an hour and a half, and then strain it. sauces, &c. when sauces are finished with eggs, use only the yolks, and mix them first with but a spoonful or two of the sauce; mix them off the fire. set on the pan again for two or three moments, but do not let it boil after the eggs are in. bechamel. put into a sauce-pan a quarter of a pound of butter sprinkled with flour, three or four onions, and a carrot cut small, a little parsley, and a dozen mushrooms. set it over the fire until the butter is melted, and then add three table-spoonfuls of flour stirred into a pint of cream or rich milk, with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to your taste. stir it till it boils; then reduce the fire, and let the bechamel stew gently for three quarters of an hour. when it is done, strain it, and then stir in the yolks of three eggs. another bechamel. cut into dice, or small square pieces, half a pound of bacon or ham, a carrot, a turnip, and two onions. put them into a sauce-pan, with two large spoonfuls of veal-dripping; add a little butter (about two ounces), and two large spoonfuls of flour. moisten it with boiling water, or broth. add nutmeg, cloves, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper to your taste; also a laurel-leaf. let it stew for an hour. strain it, and before you serve it up, squeeze in a little lemon-juice. drawn butter. put into a small pan a table-spoonful of flour and a tumbler of water, with salt to your taste, and a little pepper. stir it till it boils. then withdraw it from the fire, and add two ounces of butter and a few drops of cold water, with a little lemon-juice, or vinegar. set it on the stove, or near the fire, and keep it warm till it is wanted. you may thicken it while boiling with mushrooms, cut small; or after it is done with hard eggs chopped fine, pickled cucumbers chopped, or capers. melted butter--_another way_. put into a sauce-pan a quarter of a pound of butter. when quite melted over the fire, throw in a large spoonful of flour, and add a half pint of boiling water, and salt to your taste. boil it a few minutes, and then put in a tea-spoonful of cold water. if intended as sauce for a pudding, stir in at the last a glass of white wine, and half a grated nutmeg. cold sauce for fish. cut small, and pound in a mortar, equal proportions of parsley, chervil, tarragon, chives and burnet, with two yolks of hard-boiled eggs. pass these ingredients through a cullender, and then mix them on a plate with four table-spoonfuls of sweet oil, two of vinegar, and two of mustard. use a wooden spoon. sauce for vegetables--such as asparagus, &c. take the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs; mash them on a plate with the back of a wooden spoon, and mix them with three table-spoonfuls of vinegar, a shalot or small onion minced fine, and a little salt and cayenne pepper. add three table-spoonfuls of olive oil, and mix the whole very well. pungent sauce. (sauce piquante.) put into a saucepan a half-pint of vinegar, a branch of thyme, two or three sprigs of sweet marjoram, a leaf of laurel, a clove of garlic, a shalot or a little onion, and cayenne pepper and salt to your taste. add a glass of broth or gravy. stew the whole slowly till it is reduced to two thirds of the original quantity: then strain it. anchovy sauce--for fish. cut the flesh of three anchovies into small shreds, and steep them in vinegar for half an hour or more. then mince them fine, and throw them into a saucepan with a little butter rolled in flour. add pepper and mustard to your taste. pour in sufficient vinegar to cover it, and let it boil gently for a quarter of an hour. strain it, and squeeze in a little lemon-juice before you serve it up. curry sauce. put into a sauce-pan two ounces of butter and a table-spoonful of curry-powder (or of powdered turmeric if more convenient), half a grated nutmeg, half a spoonful of saffron, and two spoonfuls of flour. add sufficient boiling water or broth to cover it, and let it stew a quarter of an hour. strain it, stir in a little more butter, and serve it up. tomata sauce. bake ten tomatas, with pepper and salt, till they become like a marmalade. then add a little flour or grated bread crumbs, and a little broth or hot water. stew it gently ten minutes, and before you send it to table add two ounces of butter and let it melt in the sauce. cucumber sauce. put into a sauce-pan a piece of butter rolled in flour, some salt, pepper, and one or two pickled cucumbers minced fine. moisten it with boiling water. let it stew gently a few minutes, and serve it up. bread sauce. take four ounces of grated stale bread; pour over it sufficient milk to cover it, and let it soak about three quarters of an hour, or till it becomes incorporated with the milk. then add a dozen corns of black pepper, a little salt, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. pour on a little more milk, and give it a boil. serve it up in a sauce-boat, and eat it with roast wild fowl, or roast pig. instead of the pepper, you may boil in it a hand full of dried currants, well picked, washed, and floured. sauce robert. put into a sauce-pan a quarter of a pound of butter, with a spoonful of flour. simmer them till of a fine brown color. mince half a dozen large onions, and a large slice of cold ham. put them into the pan, with another piece of butter, and a very little broth or warm water. skim the sauce well, and let it stew gently for twenty minutes. before you serve it up, stir in a table-spoonful of lemon-juice or vinegar, and a tea-spoonful of mustard. this sauce is used chiefly for fresh pork, or white poultry. shalot or onion sauce. (sauce ravigote.) take a handful of sweet herbs and the same quantity of shalots or little onions, and cut them up small. put them into a sauce-pan, with some vinegar, salt, pepper, and sufficient broth or warm water to cover them. let them boil gently for a quarter of an hour. take the sauce from the fire and set it on the stove, or on the hearth, and stir in (till it melts) a piece of butter rolled in flour, or a spoonful of olive oil. universal sauce. take a pint of good broth, or a pint of drawn butter. stir into it a glass of white wine, and half the peel of a lemon grated. add a laurel leaf, or two or three peach-leaves, and a spoonful of vinegar. let the mixture simmer on a few coals or on hot ashes, for five or six hours or more, and it will be good to pour over either meat, poultry, or fish, and will keep several days in a cool place. lobster sauce. the lobster being boiled, extract the meat from the shell, and beat it in a mortar. rub it through a cullender or sieve, and put it into a sauce-pan with a spoonful of velouté (or velvet essence) if you have it, and one of broth. mix it well, and add a piece of butter, some salt, and some cayenne pepper. stew it ten minutes, and serve it up, to eat with boiled fresh fish. spinach for coloring green. take three handfuls of spinach, and pound it in a mortar to extract the juice. then put it into a sauce-pan and set it over a slow fire. when it is just ready to boil, take it off and strain it. by stirring in a small quantity of spinach-juice, you may give any sauce a green color. garlic butter. take two large cloves of garlic and pound them to a paste in a mortar, adding, by degrees, a piece of butter the size of an egg. you may with a little of this butter give the taste of garlic to sauces. some persons like a piece of garlic butter on the table, to eat with roast meat. hazelnut butter. having scalded and blanched some hazelnuts, pound them to a paste in a mortar, adding gradually a small quantity of butter. this is good to eat with wild fowl, or to flavor the most delicate sauces. larding. larding with slips of fat bacon greatly improves the taste and appearance of meat, poultry, game, &c. and is much used in french cookery. for this purpose, you must have a larding-pin (which may be purchased at the hardware stores); it is a steel instrument about a foot in length, sharp at one end, and cleft at the other into four divisions which are near two inches long, and resembling tweezers. bacon is the proper meat to lard with; the fat only is used. cut it into slips not exceeding two inches in length, half an inch in breadth, and half an inch in thickness, and smaller if intended for poultry; they will diminish in cooking. put these slips of bacon (one at a time) into the cleft or split end of the larding-pin. give each slip a slight twist and press it down hard into the pin, with your fingers. then run the pin through the meat or fowl (avoiding the bones), and when you draw it out on the under side it will have left the slip of bacon sticking in the upper side. take care to arrange the slips in regular rows and at equal distances; have them all of the same size, and let every one stick up about an inch from the surface of the meat. if any are wrong, take them out and do them over again. fowls and birds are generally larded on the breast only. to lard handsomely and neatly, practice and dexterity are requisite. cold poultry may be larded with slips of the fat of cold boiled ham, and when not to be cooked again, it may be made to look very tastefully. the slips for cold poultry should be very small, scarcely thicker than a straw. part the second. meats. veal À la mode. rub a fillet of veal all over with salt, and then lard it. make a seasoning of chopped sweet-herbs, shalots, mushrooms, pepper, salt, and powdered nutmeg, and mace. moisten it with sweet oil, and cover the veal all over with it. put the veal into a tureen, and let it set for several hours or all night. then take it out, covered as it is with the seasoning, and wrap it in two sheets of white paper, well buttered, and roast or bake it. when it is quite done, take off the paper, and scrape off all the seasoning from the veal. put the seasoning into a sauce-pan with the gravy, the juice of half a lemon, a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a little salt. give it a boil, skim it well, and pour it over the veal. veal cutlets. make a seasoning of grated bread, minced ham, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and chopped mushrooms if you have them. mix with it some yolk of egg. cut the veal into small thin slices, rub them all over with lard, and then spread the seasoning over both sides. wrap up each cutlet carefully in white paper, oiled or buttered. bake them slowly for three quarters of an hour, and serve them up in the papers. blanquette or fricassee of veal. take the remains of a cold roast fillet, or loin of veal. cut it into small thin pieces. put them into a stew-pan with a piece of butter rolled in flour, salt, pepper, a few small onions minced, a bunch of sweet-herbs chopped, and one or two laurel or peach-leaves. mix all together. pour in a little warm water, and let it boil gently five minutes or more. when you take it off, stir in some lemon-juice and some yolk of egg slightly beaten. godiveau. take a large piece of fillet of veal, free from fat or skin. mince it small, and then pound it in a mortar till it is a smooth paste. afterwards rub it through a cullender or sieve. soak some slices of bread in warm milk, and rub the bread also through a sieve. there must be an equal quantity of bread and veal. take the same proportion of butter, and beat it in a mortar with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and chopped parsley to your taste. then put all together. beat two or three eggs till very light, and add them gradually to the mixture. make it into round balls or into long rolls, and fry them in butter. or you may put it into a pie (without a lid) and bake it. godiveau is a very fine stuffing for poultry or wild fowl. calves' liver baked. lard the liver with bacon, and let it lie three or four hours in a covered tureen with a seasoning of parsley, shalots, laurel and thyme chopped small, a little pepper and salt, and two table-spoonfuls of sweet oil. turn it several times. then wrap it up in thin slices of bacon or cold ham, and bake or roast it about an hour and a quarter. add to the gravy the yolk of an egg, and some minced onions and chopped sweet-herbs. calves' liver fried. cut the liver into thin slices, and put them into a frying-pan with a piece of butter rolled in flour, some minced onions and a glass of white wine, salt, pepper, and a little mace. let it fry about ten minutes. veal kidneys. cut the kidneys into thin slices; having first soaked them in cold water, rub them with a little salt and pepper. then sprinkle them with flour, and a little parsley and onions minced fine. fry them in butter, adding a glass of champagne or other white wine. mutton kidneys may be done in the same manner. another way of dressing kidneys is to split them in half, season them with salt and pepper, lard them, and broil them. grillades. cut slices from either a fillet of veal, a round of fresh beef, a leg of mutton, or a leg of pork. do not let them exceed the thickness of half an inch. put them into a stew-pan with a sufficient proportion of oil, pepper, salt, and a little parsley and onion chopped fine. stew them in a very little water till half done. then prepare some sheets of white paper rubbed with oil or butter. take out the slices of meat (covered with this seasoning) and grate some bread crumbs over them. fasten up each slice in a piece of paper, and broil them on a gridiron over a slow fire. serve them up in the paper. liver cake. take a pound and a half of grated bread, and two pounds of liver (either calves' or pigs') a few onions, a little sage, some mushrooms, and a laurel leaf, all chopped fine. mince the liver also, and mix it with the other ingredients, adding salt, pepper, and nutmeg. butter a mould or a very deep dish. put the mixture into it, and let it bake an hour and a half in a moderate oven. when done, turn it out. it is eaten cold, cut in slices. sirloin of beef. rub your beef all over with salt, and lard the lean part of it with slips of fat bacon. cover the meat with sheets of oiled or buttered paper. roast it in proportion to its size, between three and four hours. serve it up with its gravy, and have some onion sauce in a boat. stewed beef. take some slices of cold roast beef that has been under-done. put them into a stew-pan with a little gravy or broth, or if you have neither, some warm water. add a piece of butter rolled in flour, some capers, or some pickled cucumbers chopped small, a little lemon-juice or vinegar, and some salt and pepper. let the beef simmer slowly, but do not allow it to boil. have ready some slices of bread (of the same size as the slices of beef) and fry them in butter. put some tomata sauce in the bottom of a dish. lay on it in a pile a few slices of beef and slices of fried bread alternately. pour the gravy over it, and send it to table. any other sort of meat may be done in the same manner. beef steaks. cut slices of beef from the sirloin. trim them neatly, and take off the bone and the skin. to make them tender beat them on both sides with a wooden beetle or with the end of a rolling-pin. rub them with salt and pepper. warm a sufficient quantity of butter, and when it is soft spread it over the steaks. then sprinkle them with onions minced very fine. cover them up in a dish, and let them lie an hour or more in the seasoning. then broil them over a clear fire. slice some cold boiled potatoes, fry them in butter, and lay them round the steaks. beef À la mode. take a round of fresh beef, and beat it well to make it tender. rub it all over with salt and pepper. lard it on both sides with slips of bacon. lay it in a deep pan with some slices of bacon, a calves-foot, a few onions, a carrot cut in pieces, a bunch of sweet herbs cut small, one or two laurel leaves, some cloves, and a beaten nutmeg. pour in a half-pint of red wine, a half-pint of white wine, and a spoonful of brandy. let it stew slowly for at least six hours. then take it out; strain the gravy, pour it over the meat, and serve it up. a fillet of veal may be done in the same manner. roasted ham. let your ham soak all night in cold water, and then trim it handsomely, having first taken out the bone by loosening the meat all round it, with the point of a knife. tie a broad tape round the ham to keep it in shape. then put it into a large pan with some sliced onions, some sprigs of parsley, two or three laurel leaves, and a bottle of white wine. cover it, and let it lie in the seasoning twenty-four hours. then roast it, and baste it with the seasoning. a large ham will require four or five hours to roast. a little before it is done, take off the skin and sprinkle the ham with grated bread crumbs. while the ham is roasting, stew together the bone and the trimmings and scraps till they come to a jelly, which you must strain through a sieve. when you take the ham from the spit (having removed the tape that has been fastened round it) glaze it all over with the jelly, laid on with a brush or a quill feather. serve it up with the seasoning or marinade under it. if the ham is to be eaten cold, you may cover it all over the glazing with cold boiled potatoes grated finely, so that it will look like a large cake covered with icing. ornament it with slices of boiled carrot, beets, &c. scolloped and laid on the potatoes, in handsome forms, so as to look like red and yellow flowering. stick a large bunch of double parsley in the centre. a ham boiled in the usual manner may be ornamented in the same way; first extracting the bone, and making the meat into a circular shape. instead of a mere bunch of double parsley, you may stick in the centre of the ham a nosegay of flowers, formed of different culinary vegetables, and cut into proper shape with a sharp pen-knife. all these vegetables must be raw. the flowers intended to represent red roses must be made of beets, the white roses of turnips, and the marigolds or other deep yellow flowers must be cut out of carrots. the pieces of turnips and beets must first be made with the pen-knife into the form of a ball, on the surface of which the rose-leaves must be cut. the carrots may be cut into flat slices, and then notched to look like marigolds or chrysanthemums. stick each flower on the end of a small wooden skewer, which will answer for the stalk, but which must be concealed by thick bunches of double parsley tied on so as to represent the green leaves. tie all the skewers together at the bottom with a pack-thread, and the whole will have the effect of a handsome nosegay when placed in the middle of the ham. a round of cold à-la-mode beef may be ornamented with a bunch of these flowers. let the beef itself be covered all over with parsley, so as to resemble a green bank. fried ham, with tomatas. fry some slices of cold boiled ham. then fry some tomatas, allowing one tomata to each slice of meat. lay the tomatas on the ham, shake some pepper over them, and send them to table. roasted tongue. having soaked a large smoked tongue all night in cold water, parboil it in a very little warm water with a slice of bacon, a bunch of sweet herbs, and an onion or two stuck with cloves. when it is nearly done, take it out, drain it, and lard it with large slips of bacon on the upper side, and small pieces on the under side. then put it on the spit and roast it half an hour, and serve it up with pungent sauce (sauce piquante.) baked tongue. take a cold boiled tongue and cut it into slices. put in the bottom of a deep dish a little vinegar, with some capers, parsley and shalots minced fine, and some grated bread, all mixed together. lay the slices of tongue upon this, and cover them with some more of the same seasoning. then grate some bread all over the top. moisten the whole by pouring in a little warm water. put the dish into a stove moderately heated, or set it on a slow furnace. bake it till brown. potted tongue. boil two smoked tongues. skin them and cut them into thin slices. put the slices (a few at a time) into a mortar and beat them to a paste, adding gradually a pound of butter. then prepare an equal quantity of the lean of stewed veal, and pound that also in the mortar (a little at a time) with the same proportion of butter. then make the veal and the tongue into lumps, and put them alternately into your stone pots, pressing them together so as to look like red and white marble. have a layer of veal at the top. press the whole down very hard. fill up the pots with butter, boiled and skimmed and poured on warm. tie them up closely with parchment, and keep them in a cold but dry place. when you use it, cut it in slices. leg of mutton with oysters. rub a leg of mutton all over with salt, and put it on the spit to roast with a clear fire, basting it with its own gravy. when it is nearly done, take it up and with a sharp knife make incisions all over it, and stuff an oyster into every hole. then put it again before the fire, to finish roasting. before you serve it up, skim the gravy well, and give it a boil with a glass of red wine. cutlets À la maintenon. cut a neck of mutton into chops, leaving a bone to each, but scraping the end of the bone quite clean. mix together some grated bread, and some marjoram and onion chopped fine. season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg. having melted some butter, dip each chop into it, and then cover them on both sides with the seasoning. butter some half-sheets of white paper, and put the cutlets into them, leaving the end of each bone to stick out of the paper like a handle. lay them on a gridiron, and broil them for about twenty minutes on clear lively coals. serve them up in the papers. make a sauce of four shalots or little onions chopped fine, some gravy, a little pepper and salt, and a spoonful of red wine. boil this sauce for a minute, and send it up in a boat. pork cutlets. mince together some onions, parsley, and a laurel leaf. season it with pepper, salt, and cloves. cut your pork into thin steaks, and lay them in this seasoning for five or six hours. then broil or fry them with the seasoning on them, and serve them up with sauce robert, or with tomata sauce. larded rabbit. lard a fine large rabbit, and put it into a stew-pan with a slice or two of cold ham, a bunch of sweet-herbs, a table-spoonful of sweet oil, and a gill of white wine. stew it slowly, and, when it is quite done, strain the gravy and pour it over the rabbit. rabbits in papers. take two young rabbits; cut off the limbs and put them aside. cut the flesh from the body, and chop it very fine, mixing it with shalots, parsley, and mushrooms chopped also, and, if you choose, a clove of garlic. season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and moisten it with sweet oil. lay the legs of the rabbit in this mixture, for three or four hours. then take out separately each leg covered with the seasoning, lay on it a thin slice of bacon or cold ham, and wrap it in a sheet of white paper well buttered. broil the limbs slowly on the gridiron, and serve them up hot in the papers. fowls may be done in the same manner. ducks also. pilau. take half a dozen slices of the lean of a leg of mutton, or of fillet of veal. put them into a stew-pan with six large onions, a carrot cut in pieces, and some parsley, with pepper, salt, and nutmeg to your taste. add a tea-spoonful of saffron, a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a little boiling water. let it stew for an hour, and skim it well. have ready a pound of rice boiled soft and drained. mix with it a large piece of butter. put some rice in the bottom of a deep dish, and lay on it first the seasoning, and then the slices of meat in a pile. keep the remainder of the rice over it, and set it on the stove or in the oven for ten minutes. veal sweetbreads. take three sweet-breads, and soak them three or four hours in milk. then wipe them dry, and lard them. make a seasoning of sweet-herbs and mushrooms chopped fine, a quarter of a pound of cold ham or bacon scraped or minced, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to your taste, and a table-spoonful of sweet-oil. mix the seasoning very well together, and put it into a stew-pan with the sweet-breads, a piece of butter rolled in flour, a little water or broth, and the same quantity of wine. stew it about ten minutes. then take out the sweet-breads, lay them in a deep dish, pour the seasoning over them, and let them get cold. next prepare some cases of white paper, oil them, and cover the inside with grated bread. put a sweet-bread into each paper-case, with some of the seasoning at bottom and top. close the cases, put them in an oven, and bake them long enough to color the sweet-breads. serve them up in the papers. set the gravy over the fire, and when it simmers take it off, and stir in the yolk of an egg slightly beaten. keep it covered for a few minutes, and then serve it up in a boat. part the third. game and poultry. a salmi. cut off the flesh from the bodies of a pair of cold pheasants, partridges or wild-ducks, or an equal quantity of small birds. beat it in a mortar, moistening it frequently with a little broth or gravy. then pass the whole through a cullender or sieve. put it into a stew-pan with a piece of butter about the size of a walnut, rolled in flour; half a pint of port wine or claret; two whole onions, and a bunch of sweet-herbs. let it boil half an hour, and then stir in two table-spoonfuls of sweet oil, and the juice of a lemon. in another pan stew the legs and wings of the birds, but do not let them boil. stew them in butter rolled in flour, seasoned with pepper and salt. cut some slices of bread into triangular pieces, and fry them in butter. lay them in the bottom of a dish, put the legs and wings upon them, and then the other part of the stew. garnish the edge with slices of lemon, handsomely notched with a knife. if the salmi is made of partridges, use oranges instead of lemons for the juice and garnishing. cold salmi. this is prepared on the table. take the liver of a roast goose, turkey, or ducks. put some of the gravy on a plate, cut up the liver in it, and bruise it with the back of a spoon or a silver fork. add three tea-spoonfuls of olive oil, the juice of a lemon, and cayenne pepper and salt to your taste. mix it well. when the bird is cut up, eat with it some of this sauce. ragooed livers. take the livers of half a dozen fowls or other poultry, a dozen mushrooms, a bunch of sweet herbs, a clove of garlic or a small onion, a table-spoonful of butter rolled in flour. add a glass of white wine, and sufficient warm water to keep the ingredients moist. season it with salt and pepper. stew all together, and skim it well. before you send it to table, stir in the yolks of two or three beaten eggs, and two spoonfuls of cream. a fine hash. take any cold game or poultry that you have. you may mix several kinds together. some sausages, of the best sort, will be an improvement. chop all together, and mix with it bread crumbs, chopped onions and parsley, and the yolks of two or three hard-boiled eggs. put it into a sauce-pan with a proportionate piece of butter rolled in flour. moisten it with broth, gravy, or warm water, and let it stew gently for half an hour. cold veal or fresh pork may be hashed in the same manner. marinade of fowls. take a pair of fowls, skin and cut them up. wash them in lukewarm water. drain them, and put them into a stew-pan with some butter. season them to your taste with salt, pepper, and lemon-juice. add parsley, onions, and a laurel leaf. moisten them with warm water, and let them stew slowly on hot coals for two or three hours. clear them from the seasoning and drain them. then lay them in a dish, and grate bread crumbs over them. whip some white of egg to a stiff froth, and cover with it all the pieces of fowl. fricassee of fowls. skin and cut up your fowls, and soak them two hours in cold water, to make them white. drain them. put into a stew-pan a large piece of butter, and a table-spoonful of flour. stir them together till the butter has melted. add salt, pepper, a grated nutmeg, and a bunch of sweet-herbs. pour in half a pint of cream. put in the fowls, and let them stew three quarters of an hour. before you send them to table, stir in the yolks of three beaten eggs, and the juice of half a lemon. the fricassee will be greatly improved by some mushrooms stewed with the fowl. to keep the fricassee white, cover it (while stewing) with a sheet of buttered paper laid over the fowls. the lid of the stew-pan must be kept on tightly. fowls with tarragon. pick two handfuls of tarragon (the leaves from the stalks) and chop half of it fine with the livers of the fowls. mix it with butter, salt, and whole pepper. stuff your fowls with it. lard them and wrap them in papers buttered or oiled. melt some butter rolled in flour, and stir into it the rest of the tarragon. moisten it with a little water or milk. stir in the yolks of two beaten eggs, and the juice of half a lemon. serve it up as gravy. strew over the fowls some sprigs of fresh tarragon. a stewed fowl. take a large fowl, and put it into a stew-pan with two ounces or more of butter, some thin slices of cold ham, a little parsley and onion chopped fine, and some nutmeg, salt, and pepper. then pour in half a tumbler of white wine. you may add, if you choose, six table-spoonfuls of boiled rice, which you must afterwards serve up under the fowl and ham. let it stew slowly for two hours, with just sufficient water to keep it from burning. before you send it to table, go all over the fowl with a feather or brush dipped in yolk of egg. you may add to the stew a dozen small onions, to be laid round the fowl with the slices of ham. chickens in jelly. cold chickens, pigeons, and game, look very handsome in jelly. to make this jelly, take four calves-feet (with the skin on) and boil them to a strong jelly with an ounce of isinglass and three quarts of water, carefully skimming off the fat. the calves-feet must be boiled the day before the jelly is wanted, and when it is cold scrape off all the sediment that adheres to it. then boil the jelly with the addition of the whites and shells of six eggs, the juice of three lemons, three or four sticks of cinnamon, half a pound of loaf-sugar, and a pint of malaga or other sweet wine. let it boil hard for five or six minutes, but do not stir it. strain it several times through a flannel bag into a deep white pan, but do not on any consideration squeeze or press the bag, as that will entirely spoil the transparency of the jelly. after it has done dripping through the bag, take out all the ingredients (as they are now of no farther use) and wash the bag clean. then pour the jelly into it again, and let it strain. repeat this till it is perfectly clear and bright; washing the bag every time. sometimes (but not often) it will be clear at the first straining. put a little of the jelly into the bottom of a deep dish or bowl, and set it in a cold place. when it has congealed and is firm, lay your chickens on it with the breasts downwards. having kept the remainder of the jelly warm, to prevent its congealing too soon, pour it over the fowls. let it stand all night or till it is perfectly firm. then set your dish or bowl in warm water for a moment, to loosen the jelly. lay over it the dish in which you intend to serve it up, and turn it out carefully. if you fear that you will not be able to turn it out without breaking the jelly, you may prepare it at the beginning in a deep china dish fit to send to table. if you put too much water to the calves-feet, the jelly will never be firm, till it is boiled over again with more isinglass. the generality of cooks are in the habit of putting too much water to every thing, and should be cautioned accordingly. pulled chickens. boil a pair of fowls till they are about half done. then skin them, and pull the flesh from the bones in pieces about a finger in breadth and half a finger in length. take a few table-spoonfuls of the liquor they were boiled in, and mix it with half a pint of boiling cream. put it into a stew-pan with a piece of butter rolled in flour; pepper, salt, and nutmeg; a little chopped parsley; and a table-spoonful of white wine. put in the pieces of chicken, and stew them slowly till quite done. stewed turkey, or turkey en daube. take a large turkey; lard it and stuff it as for roasting. then cover it all over with a seasoning made of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sweet-herbs, parsley and onions, minced fine. put it into a stew-pan, with some slices of bacon, one or two calves-feet, some onions and carrots, one or two laurel leaves, a few cloves, a beaten nutmeg, salt, pepper, and, if you choose, a clove of garlic. pour in a pint of water, and a pint of white wine or brandy. put on the cover of the stew-pan, and lay round its edge on the outside a wet cloth, which must be kept wet. stew it slowly for five or six hours or more, and turn the turkey when about half done. when it is finished, withdraw the fire, and skim and strain the gravy. serve up the turkey with the gravy under it. a goose done this way is very fine. a round of beef may be stewed in the same manner. it will be the better for lying all night in the seasoning, and it should be put in to stew early in the morning. roasted turkey. rub the turkey all over with salt. then lard it. you may stuff it with sausage-meat; or with chestnuts previously boiled, peeled, and mashed. or, you may make a force-meat stuffing of the liver, heart, and gizzard, chopped fine, and mixed with chopped parsley, onions, sweet-herbs, grated bread, butter, lemon-juice, grated lemon-peel, and the yolk of one or two eggs. a turkey of moderate size will require at least two hours to roast. thicken the gravy with yolk of egg stirred in just before you send it to table. a cold roast turkey should be larded and served up with large spoonfuls of stiff currant jelly dropped all over it. you may roast a goose in the same manner. potted goose. take several fine geese; rub them with salt, and put into each a handful of sage leaves. roast them about an hour. do not baste them, but save all the fat in the dripping-pan, emptying it as it is filled. when you have taken the geese from the spit, cut off the legs and wings, and cut the flesh from the breast in slices. set them away to get cold. put the fat that has dripped from the geese into a kettle, with about half as much lard as there is of the dripping. boil it ten minutes. have ready a tall stone jar, or more than one if necessary. lay two legs of the geese side by side in the bottom, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper; placing, if you choose, a laurel leaf on each. then put in two wings, and season them also. next a layer of the slices cut from the breast, seasoned in the same manner. when the pots are almost full of the goose, fill them up to the top with the boiling fat, and set them away till the next day to get cold. the upper layer must be covered at least an inch thick with the fat. tie up the pots with covers of parchment wet with brandy, and keep them in a cold but not in a damp place. in france great numbers of geese are fattened for this purpose. ducks with turnips. stew some turnips with butter, salt, and a little sugar. when soft, take them out and drain them. cut up your ducks, season them, and put them into the same pan that has held the turnips. stew the ducks with a piece of butter rolled in flour, a little water, and a bunch of sweet-herbs tied up. when the ducks are nearly done, put the turnips in again, and let all stew slowly together for ten minutes, skimming it well. withdraw the sweet-herbs before you send the dish to table. a duck with olives. having larded your duck, stew it whole, with butter, pepper, salt, and a little water. take half a pint of olives, cut them in half and take out the seeds or stones. when the duck is nearly done, throw in the olives, and let all stew together about five minutes or more. serve up the duck with the olives round it. a duck with peas. stew the duck whole, with some lard and a little salt, till about half done. then take it out and drain it. put into the stew-pan a large piece of butter rolled in flour. when it has melted, pour in a quart of shelled green peas, and add a bunch of mint, or other sweet herbs, and some pepper and salt. then put in the duck, adding a little warm water. let it stew slowly till quite done, skimming it well. turkey puddings. mince thirty small onions and mix them with an equal quantity of bread crumbs that have been soaked in milk. chop an equal quantity of the flesh of cold turkey. mix all together, and pound it very well in a mortar. pass it through a cullender, and then return it to the mortar and beat it again, adding gradually the yolks of six hard eggs, and a pint of cream or half a pound of butter. season it to your taste with salt, mace and nutmeg. have ready some skins, nicely cleaned as for sausages. fill the skins with the mixture, and tie up the ends. then simmer your puddings, but do not let them boil. take them out, drain them, and put them away to get cold. when you wish to cook them for immediate use prick them with a fork, wrap them in buttered paper, and broil them on a gridiron. similar puddings may be made of cold fowls. baked pigeons, or pigeons À la crapaudine. split the pigeons down the back. take out the livers, which you must mince with bacon and sweet-herbs, adding to them the livers of fowls or other birds, if you have them, and bacon in proportion. or you may substitute sausage-meat. add bread-crumbs soaked in milk, and the yolks of two eggs or more, with salt, pepper, mace and nutmeg to your taste. mix all together, and stuff your pigeons with it, and then glaze them all over with beaten white of egg. place them in a buttered pan, and set them in the oven. bake them half an hour. before you serve them up, squeeze some lemon-juice into the gravy. broiled pigeons. split your pigeons and flatten them. make a seasoning of sweet oil, salt, pepper, chopped shalots, and chopped parsley. rub this seasoning all over the pigeons. then cover them with grated bread crumbs. wrap each in a sheet of white paper, and broil them on a slow fire. serve them up with a sauce made of minced onions, butter rolled in flour, lemon-juice or vinegar, and salt and pepper. pigeons pear-fashion. (pigeons au poire.) first, bone your pigeons. to do this, take a sharp knife, and slipping it under the flesh carefully loosen it from the bone, and do not tear the skin. begin at the upper part of the bird, just above the wings, scrape gradually down, and finish at the legs. then take hold of the neck, and draw out the whole skeleton at once. make a good force-meat or stuffing (as directed for baked pigeons), and fill them with it, making them each into the shape of a large pear. fasten them with skewers. glaze them all over with yolk of egg, and then roll them in grated bread-crumbs. stick in the top of each, the lower end of the leg, to look like the stem of a pear. lay them in a buttered dish (but not so close as to touch each other) and bake them. make a good gravy, thickened with the yolk of an egg, and some butter rolled in flour. pigeons with peas. take two or four pigeons (according to their size), and truss them with the feet inwards. put them into a stew-pan with a piece of butter rolled in flour, and two or three slices of cold ham, or bacon, and a little water. let them stew gently till brown. then add a quart of green peas, and a bunch of mint, with another piece of butter, and a little warm water or milk. let them stew slowly, and when they are quite done, stir in some more butter. serve up the pigeons with the peas under them. roasted partridges. lard the partridges, and put in the inside of each a laurel leaf, and an orange cut in pieces. if you omit the laurel leaf, do not peel the orange, but put in the pieces with the rind on them. these must be taken out before the partridges are sent to table. be careful not to roast them too much. partridges with cabbage. having trussed the partridges, put them into a stew-pan with a large piece of butter rolled in flour; a quarter of a pound of bacon or ham cut into dice; a bunch of sweet-herbs, and a little warm water. put into another stew-pan a fine savoy cabbage, with a pint of the dripping of beef or pork. let it stew slowly till nearly done. then take out the cabbage and drain it, and put it into the stew-pan to cook with the partridges for half an hour. lay the cabbage under the partridges when you send them to table. a partridge pie. take three pair of large partridges and truss them as you do fowls. rub them all over with a mixture of pepper, salt, powdered mace and powdered nutmeg. take a pound of fat bacon and two pounds of lean veal, and cut them into small pieces. put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of butter. add a bunch of sweet-herbs, and a few shalots or small onions, all minced fine. stew them till the meat seems to be quite done, and then put it into a cullender to drain. afterwards put the meat into a mortar, season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace, and pound it to a smooth paste; moistening it at times with some of the liquor in which it was stewed. prepare a rich paste, and spread a sheet of it over the bottom of a large and deep buttered dish. put in the partridges, side by side, pour in a little water, add a piece of butter, and cover them with the pounded meat. lay on the top a few slices of cold ham. roll out a thick piece of paste for the lid, and cover the pie with it; cutting the edges into square notches, and folding over the half of each notch. ornament the lid with leaves and flowers made of paste. bake it three hours, and see that the oven is not so hot as to scorch it. when done, glaze it all over with white of egg. this pie will be greatly improved by the addition of some truffles. if you cannot procure truffles, mushrooms cut in pieces may be substituted. roasted pheasants. make a stuffing of fresh raw oysters, chopped, and seasoned with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and mace. mix with it some sweet oil, some yolk of egg, and fill the pheasants with this stuffing. cover the pheasants with thin slices of bacon or cold ham; wrap them in buttered sheets of white paper, and roast them. serve them up with oyster sauce. broiled quails. split the quails down the back, and flatten them. put them into a stew-pan with sweet-oil, salt, pepper, and a leaf or two of laurel. cover them with thin slices of bacon or ham, and let them stew slowly on hot coals. when nearly done, take them out, strew over them grated breadcrumbs, and broil them on a gridiron. put into the stew-pan a little warm water, and scrape down whatever adheres to the sides; skim it, and let it come to a boil. pour this gravy into the dish in which you serve up the quails, and lay the bacon round it. roasted plovers. scald and pick your plovers, but do not draw them. lard them, and lay slices of toasted bread in the dripping-pan to receive what falls from the birds while roasting. serve them up with the toast under them. woodcocks and snipes are roasted in the same manner. part the fourth fish. stewed salmon. pour a half-pint of white wine into a stew-pan, with some sliced carrots, onions, and mushrooms; pepper, salt, and mace; and a bunch of chopped sweet-herbs. lay in your piece of fresh salmon, and pour over it some more wine. stew it slowly for an hour or more. when done, serve it up with the sauce that is under it, and also with some sauce mayonnaise in a boat. the sauce mayonnaise is made as follows:-- put into a small tureen the yolks of two beaten eggs, a little salt and cayenne pepper, and a very little vinegar. stir and mix it well; then add (a drop at a time) two table-spoonfuls of sweet-oil, stirring all the while. when it is well mixed, stir in gradually some more vinegar. to stir and mix it thoroughly will require a quarter of an hour. it will then be very delicate. you may color it green by adding a little juice of spinach, or some chopped parsley or tarragon at the first, when you put in the eggs. roasted salmon. a large piece of fresh salmon is very fine roasted on a spit, first rubbing it with salt, and then basting it all the time with sweet-oil or butter. for roasted salmon, make a sauce as follows:--put into a sauce-pan a little parsley, a shalot or small onion, a few mushrooms, and a piece of butter rolled in flour, pepper, salt, and a gill or more of white wine. let these ingredients boil for half an hour; then strain them through a sieve, and mix with the sauce a table-spoonful of olive-oil. broiled salmon. cut several slices of fresh salmon; soak them an hour in a mixture of sweet-oil, chopped parsley, and shalots minced fine, with salt and pepper. then take each slice with the seasoning on it, and wrap it in buttered paper. broil the slices on a gridiron. when thoroughly done, take off the paper, and serve up the salmon with melted butter and capers. any other large fish may be dressed like salmon. salt cod-fish. let it soak twenty-four hours in cold water, which must be changed several times, and every time you change it pour in a wine-glass of vinegar, which will greatly improve the fish. boil the cod till thoroughly done; then cut the flesh into very small slips; mix it with parsley, butter, vinegar, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and mace; add to the mixture some boiled onions, mashed potatoes, and the yolks of two or three beaten eggs. put the whole mixture into a deep dish, and make it up into the form of a thick round cake. go all over it with a bunch of feathers, or a small brush, dipped in sweet-oil; and then grate bread crumbs all over it. set it in the oven till brown. serve it up, surrounded with triangular or three-cornered slices of toast, dipped in melted butter. halibut may be dressed in the same manner, putting salt in the water when you boil it, and also in the seasoning. fresh cod may be cooked in the same way. broiled fresh mackerel. split your mackerel down the back; season it with pepper and salt; cover it all over with oil or butter, and let it lay for half an hour or more; then broil it, pouring on it whatever of the seasoning may be left in the dish. serve it up, with sauce in a boat. let the sauce be of melted butter, with parsley, and a little lemon-juice, or vinegar. or you may broil the mackerel whole, having first seasoned it as above, and wrapped it in oiled paper. broiled fresh shad. having split the shad in half, cover it all over with a seasoning of oil, pepper, salt, chopped onions, parsley, and laurel-leaf. let it lie an hour or two in the seasoning. then broil it, covered with the seasoning, and adding a piece of butter. or you may cook the shad whole. make a stuffing of the above ingredients, with the addition of some grated bread; put the stuffing into the shad, and bake it, first pouring over it a glass of white wine. any large fresh fish may be baked in the same manner. hashed fish. take any sort of cold fish, bone it, and then chop it with the remains of a cold omelet, and some mushrooms if you have them. mix with it some chopped parsley, a little butter, a slice of bread soaked in milk, and the yolks of two or three hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. mix all together, and season with pepper and salt. stew it gently with a little water for half an hour. lobster pie. having boiled your lobster, take out the meat from the shell, season it with salt, mustard, cayenne pepper, and vinegar, and beat it well in a mortar. then stir in a quarter of a pound of butter, the yolks of two beaten eggs, and two ounces or more of grated bread crumbs. make some puff-paste, put in the mixture, and cover it with a lid of paste ornamented with leaves or flowers of the same. bake it slowly. oyster loaves. have ready some small loaves or rolls of bread. cut a round piece out of the top of each, and scoop out the crumb or soft part. take the liquor of your oysters, put into it the crumbs, with a little chopped celery, and a large piece of butter. as soon as it boils, pour the liquor over the oysters, and this will cook them sufficiently. fill your loaves with the oysters, putting into each a tea-spoonful of cream. lay on again the piece of crust that was cut out of the top of each loaf or roll, and set them in the oven for a few minutes. part the fifth. vegetables. stewed lettuce. wash a fine lettuce, and tie it up with a string passed several times round it, to keep the leaves together. put it in boiling water, with a little salt. when the lettuce has boiled, take it out and press it to squeeze out the water, but be careful not to break it. having mixed, in a stew-pan, a large spoonful of butter with a spoonful of flour, add half a pint of cream or rich milk; put in the lettuce, with a very little salt, half a nutmeg grated, and two lumps of sugar. let it boil ten minutes. take out the lettuce, stir the yolks of two beaten eggs into the sauce, and serve all up together. stewed spinach. take young spinach, and throw it into boiling water with some salt. when it has boiled, take it out, drain it, and lay it in cold water for a quarter of an hour. then drain it and squeeze it. cut it small, and put it into a stew-pan, with a large piece of butter. after it has stewed slowly for a quarter of an hour, add a spoonful of flour, with a little salt, sugar, and nutmeg. moisten it with cream or milk, and let it simmer again over a slow fire for another quarter of an hour. then serve it up, and lay on it slices of toasted bread dipped in melted butter. stewed cucumbers. lay your cucumbers in cold water for half an hour; then pare them, and cut them into slips about as long as your little finger; take out the seeds; then boil the cucumbers a few minutes, with a little salt. take them out, and drain them well. put into a stew-pan some butter rolled in flour, and a little cream. stew your cucumbers in it for ten minutes. when you take them off, stir in the yolks of two beaten eggs; and if you choose, a tea-spoonful of vinegar. stewed beets. boil some beets. then peel and cut them into slices. stew them for a quarter of an hour with a piece of butter rolled in flour, some onion and parsley chopped fine, a little vinegar, salt and pepper, and a clove of garlic. stewed carrots. scrape and wash your carrots. scald them in boiling water; then drain them, and cut them into long slips. stew them in milk or cream, with a little salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. when done, take them out, stir into the sauce the yolks of one or two eggs, and a lump or two of loaf-sugar, and pour it over the carrots. stewed cabbage. having washed your cabbage, cut it in four, and throw it into boiling water with some salt. when it has boiled till quite tender, take it up, squeeze out the water, and put the cabbage to drain. then lay it in a stew-pan with butter, salt, pepper, nutmeg, a spoonful of flour, and half a pint of cream. stew it a quarter of an hour, and pour the sauce over it when you send it to table. cauliflowers may be stewed in the same manner. stewed peas. take two quarts of green peas; put them into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of butter, a bunch of parsley, and the heart of a fine lettuce cut in pieces, a bunch of mint, three or four lumps of sugar, some salt and pepper, and a very little water. stir all together, set it on coals and let it stew gently for an hour or an hour and a half. having taken out the parsley, add a piece of butter rolled in flour; and stir in the yolks of two eggs just before you send it to table. you may, if you choose, put in the lettuce without cutting it in pieces; tie it up with the bunch of parsley and two onions, and withdraw the whole before you dish the peas. serve up the lettuce in another dish. stewed beans. put into a stew-pan some parsley and some chives or little onions chopped fine, some mushrooms (if you have them) chopped also, and a large piece of butter rolled in flour. add a glass of white wine and a little water. stir all together, and then put in as many beans as will fill a quart measure when strung and cut small; having first soaked them a quarter of an hour in cold water. let them stew gently on hot coals till quite tender. just before you serve them up, stir in the yolks of two eggs. you may substitute for the wine a tumbler of cream, but it must be stirred in at the last. stewed onions. boil some small onions with salt, and then drain them. lay them in a stew-pan with a piece of butter, and sprinkle them with flour, pepper and salt. pour on them some cream, and then turn every onion with a spoon. stew them ten minutes, and serve them up. onions stewed in wine. boil twenty or thirty onions a quarter of an hour with a bunch of sweet herbs, some salt, a few cloves, and a laurel leaf. then take out the onions, and put them into a stew-pan with some salt, a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a pint of red wine. stew them another quarter of an hour, and serve them up garnished with pieces of toast dipped in the sauce. stewed mushrooms. having peeled and washed your mushrooms, drain them, and stew them with butter, pepper, salt, and a little chopped parsley, adding a little flour and warm water. when they are done, stir into the sauce the yolks of two or three eggs, and some cream. toast and butter a slice of bread. lay it on the dish under the mushrooms, and pour the sauce over them. put in a small onion with the mushrooms, that you may know by its turning almost black, whether there is a poisonous one among them. if the onion turns black, throw away all the mushrooms. stewed potatoes. boil eight or nine large potatoes with a little salt, and then peel and cut them in slices. put into a stew-pan a large piece of butter, a spoonful of flour, some salt, and half a grated nutmeg. add a half-pint of cream, and mix all together. when this sauce boils, put in your sliced potatoes, and let them stew a quarter of an hour. stewed potatoes with turnips. pare and boil an equal quantity of turnips and potatoes. when done, drain and mash them. melt some butter in a stew-pan, and add to it a little mustard. stew the mixed potatoes and turnips in it, with a small quantity of hot milk, for about ten minutes. asparagus with cream. wash and boil four or five bundles of asparagus. have ready a pint of cream, or a pint of milk, with the yolks of six eggs stirred into it. take four large rolls of bread, and cut a round piece out of the top of each. scoop out the crumb from the inside of the rolls, and put it into the cream with the heads of the asparagus, of which you must save out a sufficient number (with a small piece of the stalk left on each) to stick the rolls with. make holes in the top-pieces of the rolls. fry the rolls in butter. put the most of the asparagus heads into the cream mixed with the crumb of the rolls, and simmer it awhile over a slow fire. when the rolls are fried, fill their cavities with the mixture. stick the tops with the remainder of the asparagus, and lay them on the rolls. asparagus may be simply boiled with salt, and served up on toasted bread dipped in oil, and eaten with oil sauce. potatoes stewed whole. boil two dozen small new potatoes, with some salt. put into a stew-pan a piece of butter rolled in flour, half the peel of a lemon grated, half a nutmeg grated, some salt, two or three lumps of sugar, and three tea-spoonfuls of sweet oil. lay the potatoes in this mixture, squeeze over them the juice of a lemon, and let them stew gently about ten minutes. fried potatoes. make a batter with the yolks of three eggs, a little salt, a table-spoonful of oil, a table-spoonful of brandy, and sufficient flour or grated bread to thicken it. have ready some large cold potatoes cut in slices. dip each slice in the batter, and fry them in butter. fried cauliflower. wash a fine large cauliflower, and cut it into quarters. having boiled some water with salt, throw the cauliflower into it, and boil it till you can nip it easily with your fingers. take it out and drain it. then put it into a pan with salt, pepper and vinegar, and let it lie half an hour, turning it frequently. make the following batter, which must be prepared half an hour or more before it is wanted, that it may have time to rise. take three table-spoonfuls of flour, three beaten eggs, a table-spoonful of butter melted in a little warm water, a spoonful of sweet oil, and a spoonful of brandy. stir all together; and if you find it too thin, add a little more flour; cover it, and let it set half an hour. then beat to a stiff froth the whites of the eggs, and stir them hard into the batter. dip your quarters of cauliflower into this mixture, and fry them of a fine light brown. when the cauliflower is done, let it remain in the pan a quarter of an hour before you send it to table. lay fried parsley round it. broccoli may be fried in the same manner. fried celery. take ten or twelve fine stalks of celery. cut them into pieces about six inches long, and lay them an hour in salt and water. drain them, spread them on a dish, and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. make a batter of eggs, milk, and grated bread; allowing four eggs to a pint of milk. dip each piece of celery into the batter, and fry them in butter. broiled mushrooms.[ -*] peel, wash, and drain your mushrooms, and then cut them in pieces. make a square case of white paper, and butter it well. fill it with the mushrooms mixed with butter, salt, and pepper. broil them on the gridiron over a clear fire, and serve them up in the paper. if you choose, you may mix with the mushrooms some chopped onion and sweet-herbs. [ -*] in gathering mushrooms, take only those that are of a pale pink color underneath, and a dull white or pearl color on the top. those that are perfectly white above, or whose under side is white, yellow, or any color but pale pink, are unfit to eat, and poisonous. after being gathered awhile, the pink tinge changes to brown, but it always appears on the good ones while in the ground. stuffed cabbage. (choux farcis.) take a large cabbage, with a hard full head; put it into boiling water with some salt, and let it boil from five to ten minutes. then take it out and drain it. cut off the stalk close to the bottom, so that the cabbage may stand upright on the dish, and then carefully take out the inside leaves or heart; leaving the outside leaves whole. chop fine what you have taken out of the inside, and chop also some cold ham and veal, or cold chicken. likewise four eggs boiled hard. mix together the chopped eggs, the ham and veal, the cabbage heart, and some grated bread, adding salt and pepper. fill the cabbage with this stuffing, and tie tape round it to keep the outside leaves together. then put it into a deep stew-pan, with a quarter of a pound of butter rolled in flour, and an onion stuck full of cloves. let it simmer over a slow fire for two hours or more. when it is done, take off the tape, set the cabbage upright in a dish, and pour melted butter over it. lettuce may be done in the same manner. stuffed potatoes. take eight very large potatoes, wash and pare them. make a small slit or incision in each of them, and scoop out carefully with a knife as much of the inside as will leave all round a shell about the thickness of two cents. then make a force-meat of the substance you have taken out of the inside, mixing it with two minced onions, a small piece of minced cold ham or pork, about two ounces of butter, and a little parsley; adding the yolks of two or three beaten eggs. mix the stuffing thoroughly, by pounding it in a mortar. butter the inside of the potatoes, and fill them with this mixture. then having buttered a large dish, lay your potatoes in it separately. bake them half an hour, or till they are of a fine brown. when you mash potatoes, moisten them with milk or cream, adding a little salt. heap them up on the dish in the form of a pyramid. smooth the sides of the pyramid with the back of a spoon, and brown it by holding over it a red-hot shovel. stuffed cucumbers. cut off one end of each of the cucumbers, and scoop out all the seeds with a fork. then pare them. prepare a stuffing made of bread crumbs, cold meat minced, salt, pepper, and sweet-herbs. fill your cucumbers with it, and fasten on with a skewer the pieces you have cut off from their ends. sow up every one separately in a thin cloth. put them into a pan with butter, flour, a bunch of sweet-herbs, and a little warm water. let them stew very slowly for about two hours, and then take them out. remove the cloths, and serve up the cucumbers with the sauce under them. stuffed tomatas. scoop out the inside of a dozen large tomatas, without spoiling their shape. pass the inside through a sieve, and then mix it with grated bread, chopped sweet-herbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. stew it ten minutes, with a laurel leaf, or two peach leaves. remove the leaves, and stuff the tomatas with the mixture, tying a string round each to keep them in shape. sprinkle them all over with rasped bread-crust. set them in a buttered dish, and bake them in an oven. take off the strings, and serve up the tomatas. egg-plants may be cooked in the same manner. cauliflowers with cheese. having washed and boiled your cauliflowers in salt and water, drain them well. make a white sauce in a small pan, with butter rolled in flour, and a little milk. pour some of this sauce into the bottom of a dish that will bear the fire. chop your cauliflower, and spread a layer of it on the sauce. then cover it with a layer of rich cheese, grated and slightly sprinkled with pepper. then spread on the remainder of the cauliflower, and then another layer of peppered cheese, and so on till your dish is nearly full. pour over it the rest of the sauce. prepare two or three handfuls of grated bread, mixed with a little of the grated cheese. spread it all over the surface of the last layer of cauliflower, and smooth it with the back of a spoon. allow a quarter of a pound of cheese to each cauliflower. put the dish in a slow oven about a quarter of an hour before you serve it up, and bake it till a brown crust forms on the outside. clear off the butter from the edges of the dish, and send it to table hot. broccoli may be done in the same manner. ragooed cabbage. wash a fine savoy cabbage, and boil it for half an hour in salt and water. then take it out, drain it, and lay it for ten minutes in cold water. afterwards squeeze and drain it well, and take out the stalk. chop the cabbage slightly, and put it into a stew-pan with a quarter of a pound of butter, and add two table-spoonfuls of flour. season it with salt and pepper, and moisten it with a little water. let it stew slowly for an hour, and then serve it up. cauliflowers or broccoli may be done in the same manner. ragooed mushrooms. take a pint of fresh mushrooms. when they are peeled and the stalks cut off, put the mushrooms into a stew-pan with two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, a sprig or two of parsley, a small onion, a few chives chopped fine, some salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. let it boil gently for a quarter of an hour. before it goes to table, stir in the yolks of two eggs. if the onion has turned blue or black, throw the whole away, as it is evident that some poisonous ones are among the mushrooms. purÉes. the word purée cannot be exactly translated, as there is nothing in the english language that gives precisely the same idea. in french it is generally applied to a certain manner of cooking vegetables that converts them into a substance resembling marmalade, which, when the coarser parts are strained out, leaves a fine smooth jelly. it is served up with meat. purÉe of turnips. wash and pare some of the finest turnips. cut them into small pieces, and let them lie for half an hour in cold water. then take them out and drain them. put them into a stew-pan, with a large piece of butter and some salt and pepper. moisten them with a little broth or boiling water. let them stew over a very slow fire, for five or six hours, stirring them frequently. then rub them through a sieve, and serve up the jelly with roast meat. purÉe of celery. wash your celery, peel it, and stew it slowly for three or four hours, with salt, and a very little water. then pass it through a sieve, and season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg to your taste. purÉe of onions. take thirty onions; cut them in slices and put them into a stew-pan, with a little salt, pepper, and a grated nutmeg. let them stew slowly till they are of a fine brown color, and then add a table-spoonful of broth or warm water. when it has attained the proper consistence, strain it and serve it up. purÉe of mushrooms. peel a pint of mushrooms, cut them in pieces, and put them in a pan with as much cold water as will keep them from burning. throw in with them a small onion to test their goodness; as, if there is a bad or poisonous one among them, the onion will turn of a bluish black while cooking. in that case, throw them all away. stew them slowly till they have lost all shape and have become an undistinguishable mass. then strain them. put into a stew-pan a large piece of butter, or a spoonful of flour, and two lumps of sugar. add your purée, and let it stew again for about five minutes. when you take it off the fire, stir in the yolks of two eggs slightly beaten, and a spoonful of cream or rich milk. put it in the middle of a dish, and lay round it thin slices of fried bread or toast. purÉe of beans. having strung and cut your beans till you have a quart, throw them into boiling water, with a little salt. let them remain a quarter of an hour. then drain them, and throw into cold water to green them. after they have lain half an hour in the cold water, take them out and drain them again. put a large piece of butter into a stew-pan with some pepper, a little salt, and a spoonful of flour. add your beans, and cover them with broth or warm water. put in a bunch of sweet-herbs cut small, and stew the whole very slowly till it has dissolved into a mass. then strain it. put a piece of butter into the purée, and serve it up. purÉe of green peas. take a quart of shelled green peas. wash them, and put them into a stew-pan with water enough to cover them, a little salt and pepper, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, a laurel leaf or a couple of peach-leaves, and a bunch of mint. let them stew very slowly; and if necessary moisten them occasionally with a little warm water or broth. stir them frequently, that they may not stick to the pan. when they become of the consistence of marmalade, strain it. chop an onion fine, fry it in butter, and have it ready to mix with the purée. dried split peas may be made into a purée in the same manner. purées may be made in a similar manner of different sorts of meat, poultry &c. seasoned, stewed slowly to a jelly, then strained through a cullender or sieve, and taken as soups. eggs, &c. in choosing eggs, hold them up against the light, and if you see that the yolk is round, and the white thin and clear, you may suppose them to be good. but if the yolk appears to be broken and mixed with the white, giving it a thick cloudy look, you may be sure that the egg is bad. eggs may be preserved by keeping them in a keg of lime-water, or by greasing each egg all over with dripping, and putting them into a tight vessel filled with wood-ashes, placing them all with their small ends downwards. you may also keep them by burying them in salt. still they are never so good as when quite fresh. when you break eggs for use, do every one separately, in a saucer. if you find the egg good, throw it into the pan in which they are to be beaten. if you meet with a bad one, throw it away and wash the saucer or get a clean one. a single bad egg will make the whole mixture heavy, spungy, and of an unpleasant taste. boiled eggs. when the water boils hard, put in the eggs, and let them boil exactly three minutes. then take them out, and cover them up for about a minute, which will greatly improve them. send them to table wrapped in a napkin, and laid in a deep dish. fried eggs. melt a piece of butter in a frying-pan. when it ceases to hiss, put in the yolks only of your eggs. season them with pepper and salt. when fried, color them by holding over them a red-hot shovel. stewed eggs. melt some butter in a dish that will bear the fire. add to it salt, and nutmeg, and a little milk in the proportion of a table-spoonful to each egg. mix them well together. then lay over it the yolks of your eggs, first ascertaining that they are all good. let it stew over a slow fire for a few minutes; and color it by holding over it a red-hot shovel. the eggs must not be allowed to get hard, but the surface should be soft and perfectly smooth and even. before you put in the eggs, you may stir into the mixture some heads of boiled asparagus. stuffed eggs. boil twelve eggs hard. take off the shell, and cut each egg in half. take out the yolks, and pound them in a mortar with a quarter of a pound of butter; a nutmeg; some grated bread that has been soaked in milk; a little salt; and if you choose, some minced sweet-herbs. fill the whites of the eggs with this stuffing, heaping it up, and smoothing it into a round even shape. butter a dish, and spread over the inside a thin layer of the stuffing. arrange in it all your halves of eggs, the bottoms downwards. put them into an oven, the lid of which must be hot. let them set about five minutes, and then send them to table. egg snow. take a quart of milk, and stir into it two spoonfuls of rose-water, and a quarter of a pound of white sugar, with a powdered nutmeg. add by degrees the yolks of twelve eggs well beaten. boil the whole together, stirring it all the time, so as to make a thick smooth custard. if you keep it too long on the fire, it will be lumpy. set it away to get cold in a deep dish. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth that will stand alone, adding to it twelve drops of essence of lemon. heap it on the dish of custard so as to look like a pile of snow; or you may drop it with a large spoon, so as to form separate balls. on the top of each ball you may lay a tea-spoonful of stiff currant-jelly. pancakes. beat together a quart of sifted flour, six eggs, a table-spoonful of brandy, a grated nutmeg, a little salt, and sufficient water to make a thin batter. melt a piece of butter in a frying-pan, or substitute a little sweet-oil. pour in a ladleful of the batter, and let it spread into a circular form. when it is slightly brown on one side, turn it carefully on the other. serve them up with white sugar grated over each. you may color them pink, by stirring into the mixture some of the juice of a beet-root, which has been boiled and then beaten in a mortar. omelets. _cheese omelet._--grate some rich cheese, and mix it gradually with your eggs while beating them. season with salt and pepper. melt some butter in a frying-pan. put in your omelet, and fry it first on one side, and then on the other. when you dish it up, fold it over in half. _bread omelet._--put two handfuls or more of bread crumbs into half a pint of cream, with a grated nutmeg and a little salt. when the bread has absorbed all the cream, stir it into the eggs as you beat them for the omelet. fry it in butter, and when dished, fold one half over the other. _lobster omelet._--beat in a mortar the flesh of a boiled lobster, adding, at times, a little butter; and season it with pepper and salt. stir it gradually into the eggs while beating them. fry it in butter. _onion omelet._--boil some onions; mince them fine, and moisten them with milk. stir them into the eggs as you beat them. _ham omelet._--is made with grated cold ham, stirred into the eggs while beating. omelets may be seasoned in the same manner with parsley, chopped sweet-herbs, or mushrooms. also with minced oysters. maccaroni. boil half a pound of maccaroni with two ounces of butter, some whole pepper, and a little salt. do not let it boil long enough for the maccaroni to lose its shape. when done, mix with it a quarter of a pound of rich cheese, scraped or grated. butter a deep dish, and put the mixture into it. then set it for a quarter of an hour in the oven. brown the top with a red-hot shovel. maccaroni pie. take half a pound of maccaroni, and put it into a stew-pan with an ounce of butter, a little salt and pepper, and water enough to cover it. stew it till dry. then grate a quarter of a pound of fine cheese, and mix it with the maccaroni, adding another ounce of butter. set it away to get cold. take another pan, which must be very deep, with a flat bottom, and nearly the shape of a drum. butter the inside. make a good paste, and cover with it the whole interior of the pan, sides and bottom. put in the maccaroni. cover the pie with a lid of paste. bake it at least half an hour. when done, loosen it from the pan and turn it out on a dish. it will be in the form of a drum, if the pan was of that shape. blancmange in eggs. take two ounces of shelled sweet almonds, and one ounce of shelled bitter almonds. blanch them by throwing them into scalding water to make the skins peel off easily; then put them in cold water; wipe them dry afterwards, and pound them in a mortar, adding at times a little rose-water. dissolve an ounce of isinglass in warm water, and then stir it into a quart of cream. add a quarter of a pound of broken loaf-sugar, and a wine-glass of rose-water. boil it hard for a quarter of an hour, and stir it all the time. then strain it through a linen bag, and put it into egg-cups, or into the halves of egg-shells nicely and evenly trimmed, and set it away in a cold place to congeal. have ready some calves-feet jelly (made according to the directions given in the article "chickens in jelly"); and when the blancmange is firm, take out a small piece from the middle of each cupful, and replace it with a lump of the jelly, put in so as to look like the yolk of the egg. or if more convenient, you need not put in the jelly till you have taken the blancmange out of the cups or egg-shells, which must be done by wetting the moulds with warm water on the outside. the jelly for this purpose must be very high-colored, by means of brandy, or dark sweet wine. if nicely managed, the blancmange and jelly will look like eggs cut in half. lay them in a circle round a dish that contains something high and ornamental,--for instance, a pyramid of ice-cream. part the sixth. pastry, cakes, &c. french paste. sift a quart of flour, and lay it in a pan. make a hole in the middle, and put into it the white of an egg slightly beaten, a piece of butter the size of an egg, and a very little salt. pour in gradually as much cold water as will moisten it. mix it well with your hands, as rapidly as possible, and see that no lumps are left in it. set it away to cool, and in a quarter of an hour roll it out, and spread over it half a pound of butter which has been kept in ice. then fold up the paste with the four sides laid one over another, so as entirely to inclose the butter, and set it for half an hour in a cool place. then roll it again; fold it, and give it another roll. set it away again; and in half an hour roll it out twice more, and it will be fit for use. puff paste. may be made with a pound of butter, and a pound and a quarter of sifted flour. the butter must be washed in cold water, and then squeezed very hard, and made up into a lump. divide it into eight parts. mix one part of the butter with the flour, adding just enough of water to moisten it. roll it out; spread over it a second portion of the butter; flour it; fold it up, and roll it out again, adding another division of the butter. repeat this till you get in all the butter, a piece at a time, folding and rolling the paste with each separate portion of the butter. then set it away to cool. if it sets several hours, it will be the better for it; and better still if the paste is made the night before it is wanted; always keeping it in a cold place. while buttering and rolling, do every thing as quickly as possible. before you put it into the dishes, roll it out once more. it is difficult in warm weather to make good puff paste without a marble table, or slab, to roll it on. cream tarts. mix together a quart of flour, half a pound of butter, a little salt, and two beaten eggs. add a little cold water; make it into a paste, and set it away to cool. then roll it out again. cut it into round shapes with the edge of a tumbler. lay round each a rim made of an even strip of the paste, and notch it handsomely. bake them for a quarter of an hour, and then take them from the oven. beat together a pint of cream, four eggs, and four table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar. fill the tarts with this mixture, grate nutmeg over each, and bake them again for a quarter of an hour. almond tarts. blanch half a pound of shelled sweet almonds and three ounces of shelled bitter almonds. beat them, a few at a time, in a mortar, mixing them well, and adding at times a little rose-water. when done, mix with them a quarter of a pound of loaf-sugar powdered, and the juice and grated peel of half a lemon. have ready some fine paste. cut it into circular pieces about the size and thickness of a dollar. put into each piece of paste some of the almond mixture, heaping it up in the centre. cover them with lids of the same, and crimp the edges very neatly. bake them about half an hour, and grate sugar over them when done. rissoles. make some fine paste, and cut it out with the edge of a tumbler. have ready some minced veal, seasoned in the best manner, or some chopped oysters, or any sort of force-meat, and lay some of it on one half of each piece of paste. then turn over it the other half, so as to inclose the meat. crimp the edges. put some butter into a frying-pan. lay the rissoles into it, and fry them of a light brown. they should be in the shape of a half-moon. almond custards. blanch and pound in a mortar half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three ounces of peach-kernels, or shelled bitter almonds, adding sufficient rose-water to moisten them. when they are all pounded to a paste, mix with them a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and boil them in a quart of milk or cream. then set it away to cool. when cold, stir eight beaten eggs into it. put the mixture into cups. set them in an iron oven half filled with water, and bake them. vanilla custards. cut a vanilla bean into slips, and boil them in a quart of milk, with a quarter of a pound of white sugar. let it boil slowly for a quarter of an hour, and then set it away to cool. when cold, stir into it eight beaten eggs, having left out the whites of four. put the mixture into cups, set them in water and bake them. color them when done, by holding over them a red-hot shovel. when cold, grate on sugar. * * * * * _lemon custards_ are made in the same manner; substituting for the vanilla bean the grated rind of a large fresh lemon. chocolate custards. cut into pieces half a pound of the best chocolate. pour on it sufficient milk to prevent its burning, and let it boil ten minutes. after you remove it from the fire, have ready a pint of boiling milk or cream, and pour it on the chocolate. beat together the yolks of eight eggs and the whites of two only, and stir them into the chocolate with two ounces, or more, of loaf-sugar. put the mixture into cups, set them in an oven with water in it, and bake them. beat the six remaining whites of eggs to a froth, adding a very little sugar, and heap some of the froth on each custard. you may lay on the top of each heap of froth one of the bonbons or confections called chocolate-nuts. coffee custards. take two ounces of roasted coffee and two ounces of raw coffee. pound them together in a mortar, but do not grind them. boil this coffee in a quart of rich milk. let it get cold, and then strain it. stir into it two ounces of powdered loaf-sugar, and two large spoonfuls of cream. beat eight eggs, omitting the whites of four. stir them gradually into the coffee. put it into cups, and bake the custards in an oven with water. grate white sugar over the tops when cold. tea custards. boil a quart of cream or rich milk, and pour it (while boiling) on three ounces of the best green tea. add two ounces of loaf sugar. cover it and set it away. take eight eggs, and beat them well, leaving out the whites of four; and when the tea is cold, stir in the eggs. then strain the whole mixture; put it into cups, and bake them in an oven with water. grate sugar over the top of each. rice pottage. put six table-spoonfuls of rice into a pint of water, and boil it till quite soft. drain it through a sieve, and put the rice into a quart of milk with a quarter of a pound of sugar, and three or four peach-leaves, or a few peach-kernels. boil it, and before you serve it up, take out the peach-leaves or kernels, and stir in the yolks of two eggs. apple fritters. pare and core some fine large pippins, and cut them into round slices. soak them in brandy for two or three hours. make a batter, in the proportion of four eggs to a table-spoonful of olive-oil, a table spoonful of rose-water, the same quantity of brandy, the same quantity of cold water. thicken the batter with a sufficient quantity of flour stirred in by degrees, and mix it two or three hours before it is wanted, that it may be light by fermentation. put some butter into a frying-pan. dip each slice of apple into the batter, and fry them brown. then drain them, grate white sugar over them, and send them to table. * * * * * _peach fritters_ may be made in the same way, but the peaches must be cut into quarters. bread fritters. boil a quart of milk with cinnamon and sugar to your taste. when done, stir in a table-spoonful of rose-water. cut some slices of bread into a circular shape. soak them in the milk till they have absorbed it. then drain them. have ready some yolks of eggs well beaten. dip the slices of bread into it, and fry them in butter. serve them up strewed with powdered sugar. rice cake. take half a pound of rice and wash it well. put it into a pint of cream or milk, and boil it soft. let it get cold. then stir into it alternately a quarter of a pound of sugar, two ounces of butter, eight eggs well beaten (having left out the whites of four), and a wine-glass of rose-water, or else the grated peel of a lemon. mix all well. butter a mould or a deep pan with straight sides, and spread grated bread crumbs all over its inside. put in the mixture, and bake it three quarters of an hour. ground rice is best for this cake. if any of the cake is left, you may next day cut it in slices and fry them in butter. or, instead of baking the mixture in a large cake, you may put flour on your hands, and roll it into round balls. make a batter of beaten eggs, sugar, and grated bread; dip the balls into it, and fry them in butter. potato cake. roast in the ashes a dozen small or six large potatoes. when done, peel them, and put them into a pan with a little salt, and the rind of a lemon grated. add a quarter of a pound of butter, or half a pint of cream, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. having mashed the potatoes with this mixture, rub it through a cullender, and stir it very hard. then set it away to cool. beat eight eggs, and stir them gradually into the mixture. season it with a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, and half a glass of rose-water. butter a mould or a deep dish, and spread the inside all over with grated bread. put in the mixture, and bake it for three quarters of an hour. sponge cake--called in france biscuit. take ten eggs, and beat them till very thick and smooth. add gradually a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. rub a lump of loaf-sugar all over the rind of a large lemon, to draw the juice to the surface; then grate the peel of the lemon, and stir it into the mixture, together with the lump of sugar. squeeze in the juice of the lemon, and add two table-spoonfuls of rose-water. beat the mixture very hard; then take half a pound of potato flour (which is best), or else of fine wheat flour, and stir it in very lightly and slowly. it must be baked immediately. have ready some small square or oblong cases of thick white paper, with an edge turned up all round, and sewed at the corners. they should be about a finger in length, half a finger in breadth, and an inch and a half in depth. either butter these paper-cases, or sift white sugar all over the inside. put some of the mixture into each case, but do not fill them to the top. grate loaf-sugar over the top of each, and bake them quickly. these cakes are much better when baked in paper cases; tins being generally too thick for them. no cake requires greater care in baking. if the oven is not hot enough, both at top and bottom, they will fall and be heavy, and lose their shape. croquettes. take a pound of powdered sugar, a pound of butter, half a pound of wheat-flour, and half a pound of indian meal; mix all together, and add the juice and grated peel of a large lemon, with spice to your taste. make it into a lump of paste. then put it into a mortar, and beat it hard on all sides. roll it out thin, and cut it into cakes with the edge of a tumbler, or with a tin cutter. flour a shallow tin pan. lay the cakes into it, but not close together. bake them about ten minutes. grate sugar over them when done. marguerites. beat together till very light, a pound of butter and a pound of powdered sugar. sift a pound of flour into a pan. take the yolks only, of twelve eggs, and beat them till very thick and smooth. pour them into the flour, and add the beaten butter and sugar. stir in a grated nutmeg, and a wine-glass of rose-water. mix the whole together, till it becomes a lump of dough. flour your paste-board, and lay the dough upon it; sprinkle it with flour. roll it out about half an inch thick, and cut it into round cakes with the edge of a cup. flour a shallow pan, put in the cakes (so as not to touch), and bake them about five minutes in a quick oven. if the oven is too cool, they will run. when the cakes are cool, lay on each a large lump of currant jelly. take the whites of the eggs, and beat them till they stand alone. then add to them, by degrees, sufficient powdered sugar to make the consistence of icing, and ten drops of strong essence of lemon. heap on each cake, with a spoon, a pile of the icing over the currant-jelly. set them in a cool oven till the icing becomes firm and of a pale brownish tint. these cakes are very fine. wafers. sift half a pound of flour into a pan. make a hole in the middle, and put in three beaten eggs, a table-spoonful of brandy, a table-spoonful of powdered sugar, a table-spoonful of sweet-oil, and a very little salt, not more than will lie on a sixpence. mix all together, adding gradually a little milk, till you have a batter about the thickness of good cream. then stir in a table-spoonful of rose-water. let there be no lumps in the batter. heat your wafer-iron on both sides, in a clear fire, but do not allow it to get red-hot. then grease the inside with a brush dipped in sweet-oil, or a clean rag with some butter tied up in it. then put in the batter, allowing about two table-spoonfuls to each wafer. close the iron, and in baking turn it first on one side and then on the other. when done, sprinkle the wafers with powdered sugar, and roll each one up, pressing the edges together while warm, so as to make them unite. a little practice will soon show you the proper degree of heat, and the time necessary for baking the wafers. they should be but slightly colored, and of an even tint all over. gingerbread. mix together two pounds of flour, one pound of sugar, five beaten eggs, three quarters of a pound of butter, and a tea-cupful of ginger. put the flour to the other ingredients, a little at a time, and stir the whole very hard. melt a tea-spoonful of sal aratus or fine pearl-ash in a little sour milk, and stir it in at the last. roll the dough into sheets, and cut it out with square tins. if not stiff enough for rolling, add a little more flour. lay it in buttered pans, and bake it in a moderate oven. part the seventh. preparations of fruit, sugar, &c. an apple charlotte. pare and core some fine pippins, and cut them into small pieces. melt some butter in the bottom of a pan. then lay your apples in it with a sufficient proportion of sugar, beaten cinnamon or nutmeg, and some rose-water or grated lemon-peel. set the pan in an oven, and let the apples bake till they are quite soft. then take them out of the pan, and mash them to a marmalade with the back of a spoon. cut some thin slices of bread into a triangular or three-cornered shape, and dip them in melted butter. then butter a broad deep dish, and lay the pieces of bread in the bottom of it, making the points meet in the centre. spread a thick layer of apple all over the bread; then more bread, covered with another layer of apple, and so on till the dish is full; having a cover of bread on the top. set it in the oven, and bake it slowly about a quarter of an hour. a very fine charlotte may be made by substituting slices of spunge-cake for the bread, or having square spunge-cakes laid round, leaving a hole in the centre to be filled up with gooseberry jelly. if you use spunge-cake, you need not put it in the oven. apple compote. pare and core some large pippins, but leave them whole. make a syrup by boiling and skimming a pound of loaf-sugar melted in a gill of water, into which the half of the white of an egg has been beaten. when the syrup is quite clear, boil the apples in it till soft and tender. then take them out, lay them in a deep dish, and fill up with small sweet-meats or marmalade the holes from whence you took the cores. boil the syrup again till it becomes a jelly. pour it hot over your apples, and set it in a cool place to congeal. the syrup will be much improved by adding to it the juice of one or two lemons, or a dozen drops of essence of lemon. compote of pears. pare them, but leave on the stems. lay them in a preserving-pan; and to a dozen moderate-sized pears, put half a pound of white sugar, a gill of water, and a few sticks of cinnamon, with some slips of lemon-peel. simmer them till tender; and when half done, pour in a glass of port-wine. when quite done, take out the pears and lay them in a deep dish. strain the syrup; give it another boil, and pour it over them. compote of chestnuts. take some of the largest and finest chestnuts. cut a slit in the shell of each, and roast them in a charcoal furnace, taking care not to burn them. when done, peel them and put them into a pan with some powdered sugar, and a very little water. let them simmer over a slow fire for about a quarter of an hour. when done, take them out, put them into a dish, squeeze over them some lemon-juice, and sprinkle them with powdered sugar. fried apples. pare and core some of the largest and finest pippins, and cut them into thin round slices. mix together in a deep dish some brandy, lemon-juice, and powdered sugar. lay the slices of apple in it, and let them soak for several hours. then drain them, and dip each slice in flour. put some butter into a pan, and fry the apples of a fine brown. dish them, and grate loaf-sugar over them. quinces may be done in the same manner. so also may peaches, but they must be cut in half. peach marmalade. take ripe peaches; pare them and cut them in half, taking out the stones. weigh them, and to each pound of fruit allow half a pound of loaf-sugar. mash them with the sugar, and put them in a preserving-kettle. boil them slowly till they become a shapeless mass, which will generally be in about three quarters of an hour. stir the marmalade frequently, to prevent its sticking to the kettle. blanch half the kernels, and cut them in two; and when the marmalade is about half done, put them into it to give it a fine flavor. take out the kernels when the marmalade is cold, and then tie it up in pots or glasses, laying over it paper dipped in brandy. marmalade of plums or green-gages may be made in the same manner. brandy peaches. take large yellow free-stone peaches; they must not be too ripe. wipe off the down with a flannel, and then prick each peach to the stone with a large pin. put them into a pan, and scald them with boiling water. cover them, and let them rest for a few minutes. this is to make them white. you may repeat the scalding two or three times. then take them out to drain and dry. allow a pound of the best loaf-sugar to a dozen large peaches. put the sugar into a preserving-kettle (lined with enamel or porcelain), and melt it, allowing to each pound a gill of water, and half the white of an egg. boil the sugar, and skim it till perfectly clear. then put in the peaches, and give them a boil. take them off the fire, and let them set in the syrup till next day. the following morning take out the peaches, set the syrup over the fire, and when it has boiled a few minutes put in the peaches, and give them a short boil. then take them out, and let them get cold. boil down the syrup to half its original quantity, but take care that it does not boil long enough to congeal or become thick. put the peaches into a glass jar, and pour the syrup over them. fill up the jar with brandy, and cover it closely. apricots may be done in the same manner. also pears. the stems must be left on the pears. gooseberry pottage. stew two quarts of fine large gooseberries in just sufficient water to cover them. when quite soft and broken, mash them with the back of a spoon, make them very sweet with sugar, and set them away to get cold. take three pints of rich milk; stir into it a pounded nutmeg and the yolks of four eggs. then set it over a bed of hot coals, and let it simmer, stirring it gently all the time. before it comes to a boil, take it off the fire and gradually stir in the gooseberries. it must be quite cold before you serve it up. send it to table in a bowl, and eat spunge-cake with it. it will be still nicer, if you use the pulp only of the gooseberries, pressed through a sieve or cullender. fruit jellies. previous to making your jelly, clarify the sugar, which must be the best loaf. break it up, and to each pound allow a gill of water and an ounce of isinglass. mix the water with the sugar. dissolve the isinglass in as much hot water as will cover it. set the sugar over the fire in a preserving-kettle; and when it is beginning to boil, throw in the melted isinglass. skim the syrup well, and when it is quite clear and no more scum rises, take it from the fire, cover it, and leave it to settle. prepare the fruit of which you intend to make the jelly. if small fruit, such as gooseberries, currants, grapes, raspberries, or strawberries; pick them from the stems, and put them into a jar; set the jar in a vessel of warm water, and let them come to a boil. then take them out, put them into a fine sieve, set a pan under it, and with the back of a large spoon press out all the juice from the fruit. mix the juice, while warm, with the clarified sugar, and boil them together for about a quarter of an hour. then put it into your jars or glasses, and tie it up with brandy-paper. if you want the jelly for immediate use, put it into a mould; set the mould in ice for two or three hours; and when the jelly is congealed, loosen it by setting the mould in warm water, and then turn it out. preserved pumpkin. take a fine ripe pumpkin of a deep rich color. cut from it as many slices as you want; they should be very thin. have ready some lime-water. put into it the slices of pumpkin, and let them soak for twenty-four hours. then take them out, wash them well in cold water, and wipe them dry. having prepared a nicely clarified syrup of sugar, put the slices of pumpkin into it, and let them simmer over a slow fire without stirring, for a day and a night; but first flavor them to your taste with lemon-juice mixed into the syrup. when done, they will be crisp and transparent. put them into broad stone or queensware pots, and tie them up with brandy-paper. preserved raspberries. let your raspberries be gathered on a dry day. measure them, and to a quart of raspberries allow a pound of fine loaf-sugar. spread the fruit on large dishes, but do not heap it; let every raspberry lie singly. pound the sugar to powder, and sift it over the fruit. then have ready the same quantity of ripe currants. squeeze them through a linen bag which has been wrung out of cold water. prepare a pound of loaf-sugar for each pint of currant juice. put the sugar into a preserving-kettle, and pour the currant-juice over it. when it has melted, set it on the fire, and boil and skim it for ten minutes. when no more scum rises, put in the raspberries. as soon as they are all scalded, take off the kettle, cover it, and set it away for two hours. then put it again on the fire for about five minutes. afterward set it again away for two hours, and then return it to the fire as before. this must be done three times in all, but on no account allow the raspberries to boil. if done with care, they will be whole and transparent. when cold, put them up in glasses. * * * * * if you preserve white raspberries, do them in the juice of white currants. * * * * * any other fruit may be done in jelly in the same manner. orange jelly. peel twelve large sweet oranges, and cut them into small pieces. put them into a linen bag, and squeeze out all the juice. measure the juice, and if it does not amount to a pint, squeeze some more pieces of orange through the bag. put a pound of double-refined loaf-sugar into a preserving kettle, and pour the juice over it. when the sugar has melted, put it over the fire. dissolve two ounces of isinglass in a little hot water, and add it to the jelly just as it is beginning to boil. let it boil hard twenty minutes. then put it into glasses, and tie it up with brandy-paper. lemon-jelly may be made in this manner. clarified sugar, for preserves, and other uses. to each pound of sugar allow half a pint of water, and half the white of an egg; thus four pounds of sugar will require a quart of water and the whites of two eggs. mix the white of egg with the water, and beat it to a froth with rods. take two thirds of the water, and pour it over the sugar. when it has melted, set it over the fire. when it rises and boils, pour in a little more of the water, and diminish the fire to abate the boiling and allow the scum to rise. take it off, skim it well, and in five minutes set it on the fire again. when it boils a second time, add a little more water; and afterwards take it off and skim it again. repeat this till it is quite clear, and no more scum rises. then take it from the fire. dip a fine napkin in warm water, wring it out, and then strain the syrup through it. afterwards put your fruit into the syrup, and boil it till tender. you may keep this syrup in bottles, and at any time you can put fruit into it; for instance, strawberries, raspberries plums, apricots &c. if only wanted for immediate use, you need not boil them, but send them to table in the syrup, with the advantage of their natural color and flavor. fruit in sugar coats. prepare some of the best loaf-sugar powdered as fine as possible. have ready some white of egg. take some of the best and largest plums, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, apricots (peeled) or any other suitable fruit. dip the fruit, separately, in the white of egg, and then roll it all over in the powdered sugar, which will thus adhere to it, and form a coat. then lay it on a dish (spreading it out so as not to touch) and set it in a cool oven to harden. burnt almonds. take a pound of shelled sweet almonds, a pound of loaf-sugar, and half a pint of water. melt the sugar in the water, and then set it over the fire. put in the almonds, and stir them about till they are well dispersed through the sugar. let them boil, and when you hear the almonds crack, they are sufficiently done. take them off, and stir them till they are dry, and then put them into a wire sieve, and sift from them the loose sugar. put this sugar again into the pan, with sufficient water to moisten it, and let it come to a boil. then put in two spoonfuls of cochineal powder to color it red; add the almonds, and stir them over the fire till they are quite dry. put them away in glass jars. peppermint drops powder some fine loaf-sugar, add to it a little essence of peppermint (sufficient to give it a strong flavor) and enough of water to make it into a thick paste, which you must mix on a plate with the point of a broad knife. then put the paste into a pan that has a lip or little spout at one side; melt it over the fire, and let it come to a boil. as soon as it boils, take it off and drop it from the lip of the pan into a clean broad tin pan or plate. let the drops be all of the same size and shape. the tin pan that receives them must be very cold. as soon as the drops have hardened, loosen them from the tin, by slipping the point of a knife under each. you may color them red with cochineal. keep them in a glass jar. if the mixture congeals before all the drops are made, melt it again over the fire. chocolate drops. scrape some of the best chocolate, and mix it with powdered white sugar. moisten it with a little water, so as to make a paste. work it on a plate with a knife. then boil it in a pan with a lip, and pour it (a drop at a time) into a cold tin pan. while moist, sprinkle colored sugar-sand or non-pareils over the surface of each chocolate drop, which drop must be of a good shape, and about the size of a sixpence. when they are hardened, take them off the tin, by slipping under them the point of a knife. keep them in glass jars. after the chocolate has boiled, make the drops as fast as possible; for if it gets cold before they are all done, it will injure it much to boil it over again. the confectioners use for these purposes small leaden moulds, greased with oil of almonds. into these moulds they pour the mixture, so that every thing comes out of the same size and shape. nougat. this is a very fine confection. take three quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and one quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds. blanch them by scalding them in boiling water. then throw them into cold water, and take them out and wipe them. cut them into small pieces (but do not pound them,) and mix them well together. take a pound of loaf-sugar broken small, and mix it with half a pint of cold water, and an ounce of isinglass melted in a very little hot water. boil the sugar, and skim it well. when it is quite clear, throw in your almonds, having first squeezed over them the juice of two lemons. stir the almonds well through the sugar; and as soon as they are properly mixed with it, take the kettle off the fire. have ready a mould or a square tin pan well greased with sweet-oil. put your mixture into it, a little at a time; dispersing the almonds equally through the sugar, before it has time to get cold. but if it does chill before the almonds are well mixed in it, set it again over the fire to melt. turn it frequently in the mould, to prevent its sticking. when it has become a hard cake, set the mould for a moment in warm water, and turn out the nougat. in stirring it, you had better use a wooden spoon. orgeat paste. take half a pound of shelled bitter almonds, and a pound and a half of shelled sweet almonds. blanch them, and pound them in a mortar one or two at a time, pouring in frequently a little rose-water, which will preserve their whiteness and prevent them from being oily and heavy. pound them to a fine smooth paste, and then mix them with a pound and a half of loaf-sugar finely powdered. put the mixture again into the mortar, a little at a time, and pound it awhile that the sugar and almonds may be thoroughly incorporated; adding still a little rose-water. when done, put it away in small covered pots or glasses, and it will keep several months in a cool dry place. it makes a very fine drink. when you want to use it, put a small piece into a tumbler of cold water, and stir it till dissolved. liqueurs. to filter cordials, cover the bottom of a sieve with clean blotting paper. pour the liquor into it (having set a vessel underneath to receive it), and let it drip through the paper and through the sieve. renew the paper frequently, and fasten it down with pins. this process is slow, but it makes the liquor beautifully clear. noyau. take six ounces of peach kernels, and one ounce of bitter almonds. break them slightly. put them into a jug with three pints of white french brandy. let them infuse three weeks; shaking the jug every day. then drain the liquor from the kernels, and strain it through a linen bag. melt three quarters of a pound of the best loaf-sugar in a pint of rose-water. mix it with the liquor, and filter it through a sieve, the bottom of which is to be covered on the inside with blotting paper. let the vessel which is placed underneath to receive the liquor be entirely white, that you may be the better enabled to judge of its clearness. if it is not clear the first time, repeat the filtering. then bottle it for use. raspberry cordial. take a quart of raspberry-juice, and half a pint of cherry-juice, the fruit having been squeezed in a linen bag after the cherries have been stoned. mix the juices together, and dissolve in them two pounds of loaf-sugar. then add two quarts of french brandy; put it into a jug, and let it rest five weeks. afterwards strain it, and bottle it for use. rose cordial. take a pound of the leaves of full-blown red roses. put them into a quart of lukewarm water, and let them infuse for two days, in a covered vessel. then squeeze them through a linen bag, to press out all the liquid, and take as much white brandy as you have of the decoction of roses. to a pint of the infusion add half a pound of loaf-sugar, and a very small quantity of coriander and cinnamon. put it into a jug, and let it set for two weeks. then filter it through blotting paper, and put it into bottles. quince cordial. pare your quinces, and scrape them to the core. put all the scrapings into a tureen, and see that there are no seeds among them. let the scrapings remain covered in the tureen for two days. then put them into a linen bag, and squeeze out all the juice. measure it, and mix it with an equal quantity of white brandy. to each pint of the mixture add half a pound of loaf-sugar, and a little cinnamon and cloves. put it into a jug, and let it infuse for two months. then filter it through blotting paper, and bottle it. this cordial improves by age, and is excellent. lemon cordial. pare off very thin the yellow rind of some fine lemons. cut the lemons in half, and squeeze out all the juice. to each pint of the juice, allow half a pound of loaf-sugar. mix the juice, the peel, and the sugar together; cover it, and let it set twenty-four hours. then mix it with an equal quantity of white brandy, put it into a jug, and let it set a month. then strain it through a linen bag; and afterwards filter it through blotting paper, before you bottle it. part the eighth. miscellaneous receipts. french coffee. let the coffee be roasted immediately before you want to use it, as it loses much of its strength by keeping. its color, when done, should be a fine bright brown; but by no means allow it to scorch. a cylindrical coffee-roaster that can be turned by a handle, and sets before the fire, is far preferable to a pot or a pan. grind the coffee while warm. if you intend to make half a dozen cups of coffee for drinking, measure six cups of water of the same size, and put the water into the coffee-pot. set it on hot coals, and when the water boils, put in two or three chips of isinglass, or the white of an egg. then throw in six large tea-spoonfuls of ground coffee. stir it several times while boiling, and set it several times back from the fire to diminish the boiling gradually. when it has boiled sufficiently, remove it entirely from the coals, pour in a cup of cold water, and then put it in a corner and let it settle for half an hour. afterwards pour it off from the grounds into another pot (which must first be scalded), and set it close to the fire, but do not let it boil again. if you intend to serve it up with hot cream, you must make the coffee stronger. while the coffee is clearing, boil your cream or milk, and pour some of it hot into each cup of coffee. coffee without boiling. coffee made without boiling is much stronger, more economical, and less troublesome than the usual way; but it requires a pot of a particular construction. the best sort of pot for this purpose is called in french a grecque (greek). it must be made of the best block-tin, and of a tall cylindrical shape, with the spout very near the bottom. the receptacle for the coffee-powder fits into the upper part of the coffee-pot, and must be taken out when washed. the bottom of this receiver is pierced with very small holes, and there are two other strainers, made of movable plates of tin, also covered with fine holes. these two strainers fit into the receiver. the powdered coffee is to be placed between them, so that it may filter through the lower strainer, and also through the holes at the bottom of the receiver. having scalded the pot, put the coffee into the receiver between the two movable strainers, and pour in some water which must be boiling hard at the time. the coffee will then drain through into the lower part of the pot where the spout is, and will clear itself in passing through the holes. shut down the lid, place the pot near the fire, and the coffee will be ready for use as soon as it has done draining through. allow a large tea-spoonful of the powder for each cup that you intend to have. this mode of preparing coffee is very expeditious, and requires neither isinglass nor white of egg. chocolate. never boil chocolate in milk, as that spoils the flavor; and do not scrape it, but merely cut it into pieces. to an ounce of chocolate allow a cup of boiling water. having first scalded the pot, put in the chocolate, pour the water on it, and boil it till one third has evaporated. then supply that third with cream or milk, and take it immediately from the fire. you need not stir it more than two or three times. fine lemonade. allow a whole lemon and four or five lumps of loaf-sugar to half a pint of cold water. roll the lemons hard on a table to make them more juicy. cut them in half, and squeeze them over the sugar. then pour on the water, and stir till the sugar is dissolved. take out whatever seeds may have fallen in. in warm weather, put a lump of ice into each glass. punch. take three large lemons, and roll them very hard on the table to make them more juicy. then pare them as thin as possible. cut out the pulp, and throw away the seeds and the white part of the rind. put the yellow rind and the pulp into a pint of boiling water; set it on the fire, and let it boil two or three minutes. take it off, and throw in a tea-spoonful of raw green tea of the best sort, and let it infuse about five minutes. then strain it through linen. stir into it three quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar, and a pint of brandy, or any other suitable liquor. set it again over the fire, and when it is just ready to boil, remove it, and pour it into a china bowl or pitcher. convenient lemonade. take four ounces of powdered tartaric acid, and two drachms of essential oil of lemon. mix them together, and keep them in a well-corked phial. a table-spoonful mixed with sugar and water, will make six or eight glasses of lemonade. it will keep about a month, but not longer, as it will then lose its strength. french mustard. put on a plate an ounce of the very best mustard powder, with a salt-spoon of salt, a few leaves of tarragon, and a clove of garlic minced fine. pour on by degrees sufficient vinegar to dilute it to the proper consistence (about a wine-glassful), and mix it well with a wooden spoon. do not use it in less than twenty-four hours after it is mixed. potato flour. potato flour is excellent for sponge-cake, and other things which require extraordinary lightness. it is also good for young children, and for convalescent sick persons. take the best and most mealy potatoes; pare them, and wash them through several waters. then rasp or grate them over a tureen half full of cold water. continue to grate the potatoes till the lower half of the tureen is filled with the pulp, so that the water may rise to the top. the mealy part of the potatoes will sink to the bottom, while the remainder or the useless part will rise to the surface. when nothing more rises, pour off the water carefully, and dry the flour which you find at the bottom. when quite dry, pound it in a mortar to a fine powder, and sift it through a sieve. potato flour is much lighter than that of wheat. cold pickles. season some of the best vinegar with a little garlic, a little tarragon, and a little sweet-oil. put it into a glass jar, and keep it well covered. you may throw into it the green seeds of nasturtians, morella cherries, little onions, small young carrots when but a finger long, radish pods, and various other things. keep the jar well closed, and the pickles will be as good and keep as long as if they had been boiled. nasturtians and cherries will keep in plain vinegar without any seasoning. cornichons, or french cucumber pickles. take ten pounds of very small cucumbers. brush them all over to clean them well, and cut off the stems. put them into an earthen pan with two handfuls of salt. let them rest twenty-four hours, and then drain them. when they are well drained, put them back into the same pan, and pour in a quantity of boiling hot white wine vinegar, sufficient to cover them. then cover the pan carefully with a lid or dish, and let the cucumbers set in the vinegar twenty-four hours. they will then be yellow. pour the vinegar from them, and cover them with vine-leaves. boil the vinegar again, and when it boils throw it over the cucumbers, stirring them well. when the vinegar is cold, pour it from the cucumbers, and boil it again. then pour it over them, and proceed in this manner four or five times, till they become of a fine green. keep them in the interval always covered with a layer of vine-leaves, fresh each time, and also with a cloth kept down by a large dish. this, by keeping in the steam, will assist them in greening. then drain them on a sieve, and put them into glass jars. afterwards, boil some fresh white wine vinegar, first mixing in it the following seasoning. to every quart of vinegar allow half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of sliced ginger, half an ounce of whole black pepper, six cloves, a few sprigs of tarragon, and half a clove of garlic. boil the vinegar with these ingredients for five minutes, and then pour it hot on the pickles. tie them up carefully. they may be used in a week. the generality of french pickles, are made in a manner similar to those of england and america. fine cologne water. procure at an apothecary's the following oils and have them all put into the same phial:--oil of lemon, drams; oil of rosemary, drams; oil of lavender, dram; oil of bergamot, drams; oil of cinnamon, drops; oil of cloves, drops; oil of roses, drops; tincture of musk, drops. put pint of highly rectified spirits of wine into a bottle, and pour the oils into it. shake it hard for a few minutes, having corked it tightly. it will be fit for immediate use, but it improves by keeping. if you wish it stronger, double the quantity of all the oils, but have only a pint of spirits of wine. the end. transcriber's note the following typographical errors were corrected: page error v green peas soup ib changed to green peas soup ib. v garlic butter ib changed to garlic butter ib. vi hazlenut changed to hazelnut viii french cakes changed to french paste ix chocolate drops ib changed to chocolate drops ib. our pounds changed to four pounds marmelade changed to marmalade rolled in flour changed to rolled in flour, en minutes changed to ten minutes sirloin of beef changed to sirloin of beef. hem round changed to them round pen-knife, changed to pen-knife. same manner changed to same manner. of brandy changed to of brandy. warm water changed to warm water. ham omelet changed to ham omelet. over its inside changed to over its inside. sieve or cullender changed to sieve or cullender. through the sieve, changed to through the sieve. the following words were inconsistently spelled or hyphenated. bread-crumbs / breadcrumbs sauce-pan / saucepan sponge-cake / spunge-cake spongy / spungy sweet-herbs / sweet herbs canoe and camp cookery: a practical cook book for canoeists, corinthian sailors and outers. by "seneca." new york: forest and stream publishing co., . copyright, forest and stream publishing co. . contents. part i.--canoe cookery. chapter i. page. outfit for cooking on a cruise.--value of a single receptacle for everything necessary to prepare a meal.--the canoeist's "grub box."--the same as a seat.--water-tight tins.--necessary provisions and utensils.--waterproof bags for surplus provisions.--portable oven.--canoe stoves.--folding stoves a nuisance.--hints for provisioning for a cruise. chapter ii. soups.--canned soups.--the brunswick goods cheap, wholesome and convenient.--huckins' soups.--oyster, clam, onion and tomato soups. chapter iii. fish.--fish caught in muddy streams.--kill your fish as soon as caught.--fish grubs.--fish fried, planked, skewered and boiled.--fish sauce, fish roe, shell fish. chapter iv. meats and game.--salt pork.--ham and eggs.--broiling and boiling meats.--pigeons, squirrels, ducks, grouse, woodcock, rabbits, frogs, etc. chapter v. vegetables.--potatoes and green corn, boiled, fried, roasted and stewed. chapter vi. coffee and tea.--mush, johnnycake and hoe cake.--slapjacks, corn dodgers, ash cakes, biscuits, camp bread.--eggs. part ii.--camp cookery. chapter i. outfit.--go light as possible.--carriage of provisions and utensils.--camp stoves, ice-boxes and hair mattresses.--the bed of "browse."--how to make a cooking range out-of-doors.--building the fire.--a useful tool.--construction of coffee pot and frying pan.--baking in camp.--fuel for camp-fire.--kerosene and alcohol stoves.--camp table.--washing dishes, etc. chapter ii. soups.--general remarks on cooking soups.--soups made of meat, vegetables, deer's heads, small game, rice, fish, and turtle. chapter iii. fish.--fish baked, plain and stuffed.--fish gravy.--fish chowder.--clam chowder.--orthodox clam chowder. chapter iv. meats and game.--hash.--pork and beans.--game stew.--brunswick stew.--roast venison.--baked deer's head.--venison sausages.--stuffed roasts of game.--woodchucks, porcupines, 'possums and pigs. chapter v. preparation of vegetables for cooking.--time table for cooking vegetables.--cabbage, beets, greens, tomatoes, turnips, mushrooms, succotash, etc. chapter vi. boiled rice.--cracked wheat.--hominy grits.--batter cakes.--rice cakes.--puddings.--welsh rarebit.--fried bread for soups.--stewed cranberries. chapter vii. dishes for yachtsmen.--macaroni, boiled and baked.--baked turkey.--pie crust.--brown betty.--apple pudding.--apple dumplings. hints. preface. a book in the writer's possession, entitled "camp cookery," contains the following recipe: "boiled green corn.--boil twenty-five minutes, if very young and tender. as it grows older it requires a longer time. send to the table in a napkin." the writer of the above is a good housewife. she cannot conceive that anybody will attempt to boil green corn who does not know such rudiments of the culinary art as the proper quantity of water to put into the pot and the necessity of its being slightly salted and at a boil when the corn is put in, instead of fresh and cold; and, like the careful cook that she is, she tells the camper to send the ears to the camp "table" in a "napkin." the faults of the above recipe are the faults of all recipes furnished by the majority of books on out-door life. they do not instruct in those rudimentary principles of cooking so important to the outer who has eaten all his life no food except that furnished him ready for instant despatch; and they commend to the camper dishes that require materials and utensils for their preparation which are seldom at hand in the field and forest. the object of this little volume is to give to the corinthian cruiser and the camper some practical recipes for simple but substantial dishes, in such a manner that the veriest novice in the art of the kitchen may prepare palatable food with no more materials and paraphernalia than are consistent with light cruising and comfortable camping. the first part, "canoe cookery," instructs in such dishes as the limited outfit of the canoeist or camper who "packs" his dunnage afoot will admit of, while the second part, "camp cookery," deals with the more elaborate _menu_ that can be prepared when ease of transportation will allow the carriage of a more extensive supply. few of the recipes given are original with the compiler. some have been obtained from trappers and hunters, others from army and navy cooks, and a few from cook books; but all have been practically tested in camp or on a cruise by the writer, whose pleasure in out-door cooking is only equalled by his delight in out-door life. canoe and camp cookery. part i.--canoe cookery. chapter i. outfit for cooking on a cruise.--value of a single receptacle for everything necessary to prepare a meal.--the canoeist's "grub box."--the same as a seat.--water-tight tins.--necessary provisions and utensils.--waterproof bags for surplus provisions.--portable oven.--canoe stoves.--folding stoves a nuisance.--hints for provisioning for a cruise. for canoe cruising a certain amount of food supplies and the necessary utensils for cooking should be carried in a single box or chest, so that when one cooks a meal on board he may have in one receptacle everything necessary for preparing a meal, and when going ashore for his repast he can take in his hands everything requisite at one journey. if on a long cruise the large portion of his food supply may be kept in different parts of the canoe, but the box should contain sufficient for at least three meals, and can be replenished from the larger store when stopping for the night or at a camping place for any length of time. the larger the box that his stowage room will allow the greater will be the comfort of the canoeist. the box may be made of wood, tin or galvanized iron. the former costs but little, can be made by the cruiser himself, and if properly made and properly taken care of, should answer the purpose; but a box of either japanned or painted tin or galvanized iron will stand much knocking about without fracture, and is therefore preferable when its expense is no objection. of course it must be water-tight, and if made of wood the nicest joining and dove-tailing must be done, and it should be varnished inside and out with shellac or boat varnish. arbitrary dimensions cannot be given because of the varying sizes of canoes and the different amounts of provisions carried on cruises, therefore let each canoeist first determine what amount and variety of eatables he will carry, and then construct the box according to his needs and his stowage room in the cockpit. if made of wood quarter inch or / stuff (pine) will do, and if the box is to be used as a seat the top and bottom pieces should be heavier, say / of an inch. the cover should be two inches deep and the handle by which the box is carried should be a thin, wide, flat strap tacked to the cover. if the box is not used as a seat but is stowed under the deck it will be found an advantage to have the flanges of the cover fall over the side pieces of the box and the strap tacked to one end piece, carried over the cover and fastened by a hook to an eye in the other end piece in reach of the hand, so that the cover may be removed and articles obtained from the box without taking it from under the deck. if used as a seat the cover may be hinged on one side and two hooks fastened at the ends on the other, and for the back rest two pieces of three-quarter inch pine are screwed to the sides, running aft horizontally six or eight inches from the aftermost end of the box, holes being bored in them an inch apart "athwartship" and cut opposite each other, through which a quarter-inch brass rod is passed for the back rest to play on. as the lower end of the back rest strikes the end of the box near the floor when in use, it may be "slanted" as inclination demands by changing the brass rod from one set of holes to another. [illustration] to carry the provisions in the box so that they will not mix or spill, several water-tight tins should be used. the consolidated fruit jar company, warren street, new york, makes tin screw-tops for jars and canisters that are perfectly water-tight. send for several of these tops, of assorted sizes, and have a tinsmith make the tin cans of the dimensions you desire, so that they will nest in the box closely. the same company will also furnish you with a pint or quart earthen jar with water-tight screw-top, in which butter may be kept sweet for a long time in hot weather, and which may be enveloped in a net and lowered to the bottom of the river or lake without fear of its leaking. in the tin cans may be carried coffee, tea (or cocoa), sugar, flour (or meal), rice and alcohol. (a special screw-top is made for fluid cans.) pepper and salt are in small spice boxes with two covers, the one underneath being perforated. eggs are safest carried in the tins with the flour, coffee and rice; bread and bacon (or salt pork) are wrapped in macintosh and put near the top of the chest; the vinegar goes in a whisky flask (mark it to avoid mistakes), and canned goods, condensed milk, baking powder, etc., in their own cans. the alcohol stove and utensils necessary to cook a meal should go in the box, such as coffee pot, cup, fork, knife, spoon, frying pan and plates. the coffee pot should be of small size, with handle and lip riveted. if soldered, they are likely to melt off. cups or plates should be of tin or granite ware. the fork and knife have their sheaths of leather inside the box cover. the plates should nest in the frying pan, which should have no handle, and is fastened inside the chest cover by two buttons, so that it may be readily released. next the knife and fork have a sheath for a pair of small blacksmith's pliers. this instrument serves as a handle to the frying pan and a lifter for everything on the fire, and can always be kept cool. a three-quart tin or granite ware pail is necessary for stews, and two smaller ones may be nested in it, of two-quart and three-pint capacity, respectively. put the can of condensed milk in the smallest pail. it will be out of the way, and won't make the rest of the things in the chest sticky. if you carry potatoes, onions or other vegetables, always have enough in the chest for three meals. the surplus supplies of provisions, such as vegetables, extra bread, crackers, flour, meal, pork or bacon, etc., should be carried in waterproof bags, and they can then be stowed wherever necessary to properly trim the canoe. these waterproof bags may be used also for clothing and blankets. they are made of unbleached muslin, sewn in a lap seam, with a double row of stitches. when sewn they are dipped in water and slightly shaken to remove the drops, and then while wet a mixture of equal parts of boiled oil, raw oil and turpentine is applied to the outside with a brush. this takes about a week to become thoroughly dry, and then another coat is put on without dampening the cloth, and if a little liquid drier is added to the mixture, this coat will dry in four or five days. having prepared several bags, the provisions, clothing, blankets, etc., are put in the bag, and its mouth is inserted in that of another bag of the same size, the latter being drawn on like a stocking as far as it will go. if several bags are used instead of one or two large ones, the canoe can be trimmed and packed to better advantage. a canoeist's portable oven is made of two small basins, one of which has "ears" riveted to its rim, so that when it is placed bottom up on the other the ears will spring over the rim of the second basin, thus making an oven that is not air-tight, allowing gases to escape. the basins should be made of sheet-iron, and, as their interiors can easily be kept clean, they answer very well for soup dishes. instructions for baking in them will be given later on. these should not go in the provision chest, as they will smut everything with which they come in contact. butter, i have found, keeps better in its jar outside of the chest than in. outside, too, are kept a small jug of molasses, and a jug of fresh water, if cruising on the "briny." there is no perfect canoe stove. the "flamme forcé" is probably as good as any. it takes up a little more room than the folding "pocket" variety, and it does not give more heat; but it burns for a longer time, and is not top-heavy when a heavy pot or pan is set on it. for cooking in large utensils have three of these flamme forcé alcohol lamps, light them and place them side by side, and you can cook in this way a dozen slapjacks at once on a big griddle, if you like. danforth, the fluid man, makes a small canoe stove that would be preferable to all others if his fluid were obtainable at all the corners of the earth that canoeists frequent; but unfortunately it is not. beware of "folding stoves" to use ashore and burn wood in. they are the greatest possible nuisances--smutty, red-hot and cumbersome. don't carry an oil stove. but if you really must, put the nasty thing in a large bucket, and only remove it from this receptacle when absolutely necessary. now as to eatables in general, besides what i have already mentioned, condensed milk is a good thing, but condensed coffee, condensed eggs and condensed beef are abominations. self-raising or hecker's prepared flour, wheat, rye, indian or graham, is easily made into bread and slapjacks. the directions come with the packages. pilot bread will keep an indefinite time, and is not so unpalatable as hard-tack. indian meal is very nutritious and easily made up, as it requires nothing to lighten it; scald it before using when it is not fresh. canned tomatoes, corn, fruits, beans, soups, salmon, etc., are easy to prepare, and can be stored as ballast in the canoe. mr. hicks, of the toronto canoe club, prepares certain kinds of food in cans for ballast as follows, according to the _american canoeist_: "get a number of flat square tin cans made like oyster cans, of a handy size to lie under your floor boards. then cook a turkey, some chickens, a sirloin of beef, etc. cut the hot meat up into large dice-shaped pieces, and put it in the tins hot, then pour melted fat in till the tins are full, and then solder them tight. get as much meat in as you can before putting in the fat. put up fruit in square flat cans in the same way. there is your ballast, and heavy stuff it is. when the provisions run short let the crew feed on the ballast. the preparation described is far more nutritious than canned corned beef, is more palatable, and will keep indefinitely--that is, throughout a very long cruise." i have not tried this method of preserving provisions, but the theory is excellent, and i do not see why it would not be a feasible scheme. the brunswick canned soups are the cheapest made, are easily prepared and as wholesome as any; but i have known squeamish canoeists who would not use them because they didn't like the looks of the powder to which they are desiccated. dried beef, corned beef, lemons and sardines make good additions to an outfit. potatoes, onions and other vegetables should be procured en route as needed, if possible. as it may puzzle some neophytes to know how much of each article of food to take on a cruise, i give below the exact amount of provisions i carried on a cruise of a week last autumn. i did not run short of anything at the end of the week, but i had not provisions enough left for three square meals: lb. sugar (cut loaf); / lb. tea; lb. flour; - / lbs. crackers; / lb. lard; / lb. rice; / lb. bacon; / lb. coffee; lb. butter; can condensed milk; loaves bread; / peck potatoes; / peck meal; pint molasses; oz. pepper; bottle pickles; bottle yeast powder; qt. salt. chapter ii. soups.--canned soups.--the brunswick goods cheap, wholesome, and convenient.--huckins' soups.--oyster, clam, onion, and tomato soups. canoeists will hardly take the time and trouble to make soups out of meats and vegetables, unless they are in a permanent camping place for some length of time. nearly all soups require several hours to cook properly, as they must be boiled very slowly to retain the aroma of the ingredients used. canned soups, therefore, are the handiest for the canoeist or single-hand cruiser. i can recommend the brunswick variety as cheap, convenient, wholesome and easy to prepare if the directions on the cans are implicitly followed. any variation from these instructions, however, is certain to result in an unpalatable mess. the higher priced soups, huckins' and other varieties, are more like home-made soups than the brunswick kind, and hence a fastidious taste will prefer them. they are bulkier to carry, but are quite as easily prepared, and i would recommend those made by huckins as especially good. the great objection to them is their high price. there are a few good soups that can be prepared from materials readily accessible to the canoeist, and in a comparatively short time. these are: oyster soup. put a quart of milk and a piece of butter as large as an egg into the pot and heat gradually. when hot, stir in the strained liquor of one pint of oysters, very gradually, to prevent the milk from curdling, then one-quarter pound of crushed crackers or bread crumbs. when it has come to a boil put in the oysters (one pint), and let it cook till the edges of the oysters curl up, when it should be seasoned and served. clam soup. exactly the same as oyster soup, using clams instead of oysters. onion soup. put three tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying pan, cut six large onions in slices, and stir them into the butter over the fire till they begin to cook. then cover tight and set them where they will simmer slowly for half an hour. put a quart of milk with a tablespoonful of butter on to boil, and while this is doing stir into the onions a tablespoonful of flour while they are simmering. turn the mixture into the boiling milk and cook quarter of an hour, seasoning with salt and pepper. if an old tin pan is handy that you can use for the purpose, the soup will be improved by knocking small holes in the bottom of the pan, thus making a colander, and straining the soup through it, afterwards adding the well-beaten yolks of four eggs and cooking three minutes longer. tomato soup. mix one tablespoonful of flour and a piece of butter the size of an egg into a smooth paste, and if you have onions, chop up fine one medium-sized one. prepare about one pound of tomatoes by scalding, peeling and slicing them (the same amount of canned tomatoes may be used), and put all the ingredients with a pinch of salt into one pint of cold water. boil gently for an hour, stirring frequently enough to dissolve the tomatoes and prevent burning, then stir in one cup of boiled milk, and let it come again to a boil, constantly stirring. season and serve. the soup will be good if the milk is omitted. chapter iii. fish.--fish caught in muddy streams.--kill your fish as soon as caught.--fish grubs.--fish fried, planked, skewered, and boiled.--fish sauce, fish roe, shell-fish. fish should naturally have a prominent place in the canoeist's larder. few streams that he will navigate are entirely destitute of edible fish, and a few minutes spent in angling will amply repay the cruiser. fish caught out of muddy streams have an unpleasant taste, and their flavor can be improved by soaking them half an hour or more in strong salted water. fish should be killed as soon as caught by a sharp rap on the back just aft of the head with a stick or the handle of your big knife, not only in justice to the fish, but because he tastes better, for the same reason that a butchered steer is preferable to one smothered to death. you may find grubs in fish along the backbone in july and august. you will generally remove them by taking out the backbone and its branches. but if you don't get them all out, never mind; they are good to eat; but if any one of the party is squeamish, tell him you have got them all out anyway: he won't know any better after they are cooked. it is supposed that everybody has known how to clean fish ever since he was a schoolboy, so we will proceed at once to the instructions for cooking. fried fish. small fish may be fried whole, but large ones should be cut up. have enough pork fat or lard bubbling hot in the frying-pan to well cover the fish. smear the fish well with dry corn meal or flour, or, what is better, dip it into well-beaten egg and then into bread or cracker crumbs, and fry both sides to a clear golden brown. sprinkle lightly with pepper and salt just as it is turning brown. planked fish. shad, flounders, sunfish or any other "flat" fish may be "planked." cut off the head and tail, split open the back, but do not cut clear through the belly, leaving the fish so that it may be opened wide like a book and tacked on a plank or piece of bark. tack some thin slices of bacon or pork to the end of the fish that will be uppermost when before the fire, and, if you like, a few slices of raw onion sprinkled with pepper and salt. sharpen one end of the plank and drive it into the ground, before a bed of hot coals. catch the drippings in a tin cup or large spoon and baste the fish continually till it smells so good you can't wait another instant to eat it. it is then done. skewered trout. sharpen a small, straight stick, and on it skewer small trout and thin slices of bacon or pork in alternation. hold over a bed of hot coals and keep constantly turning, so that the juices will not be lost in the fire. a very few minutes will suffice to cook the trout. boiled fish. tie or pin the fish (which should not weigh less than three pounds) in a clean cloth. if the pot is too small for the fish, skewer the tail into the mouth. put into enough boiling water to cover it about an inch, and simmer steadily until done. some fish boil quicker than others; as a general rule those of white flesh requiring less time than those of a darker tinge. if a couple of tablespoonfuls of salt and four ditto of vinegar are put into the water the fish will cook sooner. about twenty-five minutes are necessary for a three-pound fish, and over that six minutes extra to every pound. an underdone fish is not fit to eat, and one boiled too long is insipid. when the meat separates easily from the backbone it is cooked just right. take it up, remove the cloth carefully, and pour over it the following hot fish sauce. put two tablespoonfuls of butter and two ditto of flour into a hot frying pan over the fire and mix them together with a spoon into a smooth paste. pour over very gradually about a pint of the water in which the fish was boiled, stirring it well in. boil up once and season with pepper and salt. if an acid taste is desired, add a few drops of vinegar. boiled fish roe. wash and wipe the roes with a soft cloth. wrap in a cloth and boil the same as fish. or, they may be tied inside the fish with a string and boiled with it. fried fish roe. prepare as above, dredge in meal or flour, and fry exactly as fish. soft crabs. have enough boiling hot grease in a pan over a hot fire to cover the crabs. throw them in as soon as possible after they are taken, with a little salt. let them brown and turn them once. when done cut off the gills or "dead men's fingers," and serve on toast. hard shell crabs. these are best steamed. boil two cups of water in your largest pail. put in two or three large handfuls of grass and then the crabs, as soon as possible after they are caught. over them put more grass, and, covering the pail, let them steam thoroughly over the fire for twenty minutes. when done, eat all except the shell, the gills and the stomach, which last is in an easily distinguished sack. be sure to have sufficient water in the pail to keep up the steam for the requisite time. fried oysters. strain the liquor from the oysters. crush crackers into fine crumbs; or, if you have no crackers, toast some slices of bread and crush them fine. beat up an egg (both white and yolk) in a tin cup with a spoon. dip the oysters into the beaten egg, then roll them in the crumbs, and put over the fire in a pan of boiling fat over half an inch deep. turn when brown on one side, and let the other side brown. if the oysters are small do not prepare them singly, but place them two together (the large portions at opposite ends), then immerse them in the egg and crumbs together. if the crumbs do not readily adhere, pat the oysters gently while rolling them in the crumbs. blanketed oysters. get the largest oysters you can find, cut fat bacon into very thin slices, wrap an oyster in each slice, and skewer with a small stick. heat a frying pan very hot, put in your oysters, and cook long enough to just crisp the bacon--not over two minutes--taking care that they do not burn. serve immediately without removing the skewers. chapter iv. meats and game.--salt pork.--ham and eggs.--broiling and boiling meats.--pigeons, squirrels, ducks, grouse, woodcock, rabbits, frogs, etc. in selecting salt pork pick out that which is smooth and dry. damp, clammy pork is unwholesome. canned corn beef is palatable, and useful in making hash, but is sometimes poisonous from the solder used in sealing the cans. if canned beef is carried, use only the portion that does not touch the metal of the cans, throwing away the remainder. fried salt pork (or bacon). slice thin, put in frying pan with cold water enough to cover, let it come to a boil and boil two or three minutes; then turn off the water and fry brown on both sides; or, soak one hour in cold water, then roll in bread or cracker crumbs and fry with a little butter or lard in the pan. broiled salt pork. slice thin, and broil on the end of a green switch held over the coals, using extra care that the smoke and flame from the drippings do not reach the pork. ham and eggs. fry the ham first, the same as pork or bacon, and fry the eggs in the fat left in the pan. break each egg separately into a cup, and thence transfer it to the pan, by which means the yolks are kept intact and bad eggs are discovered before it is too late. while the eggs are frying dip up some of the fat with a spoon and pour it over the tops of the eggs. broiled steaks. if the steak is tough, beat it on both sides, but not enough to tear the meat and allow the juices to escape. sharpen a green switch at the end, secure the steak on it, and place over a bed of hot coals, turning frequently. do not let the escaping juices set fire to the meat. season, after it is done, with pepper and salt, and if a gravy is desired, put a half teaspoonful of salt, half as much pepper, and a piece of butter or fat as large as a duck's egg into a hot dish, and add two tablespoonfuls of boiling water. pour it over the steak slowly, so that every part of the latter will be moistened. broiling in a frying pan. broiling can be done as well with a frying pan as with a gridiron, and all the juices are preserved. heat the empty pan very hot first, then put in the meat to be broiled, cover over with a tin plate, and turn the meat often in the pan. boiled meat. put the meat into enough boiling water so that the former will be a little more than covered. cover the pot and boil till cooked, which will take about fifteen minutes for every pound of meat. skim constantly while boiling, and turn the meat several times. replenish when necessary with boiling water. one teaspoonful of salt for each five pounds of meat should be put into the pot a short time before the meat is done. if there is a layer of fat on top after the meat is cold, remove it. beef or venison may be used for frying. fried pigeons. dress them, parboil until they are tender, then cut off the legs and wings, slice off the breast pieces, roll in flour or meal and fry in hot pork fat till they are nicely browned. grouse, ducks, quail, snipe and plover may also be fried, but are better cooked as given below. snipe, quail and plover need no parboiling. fried squirrels. skin and clean, cutting off heads, tails and feet. parboil and fry, same as pigeons. roast quail, snipe or plover. dress and impale each on a stick with a piece of fat pork in each bird. set the stick in the ground before a big bed of live coals in a slanting position so that the heat will fall evenly on all portions of the bird, and turn frequently till a sharp sliver will easily pass through the breast. catch the drippings in a tin cup and pour over the birds again and again, and if they are served on toast pour the drippings also on the toast. the blacksmith's pliers mentioned in chapter i. will come in handy for turning the birds before the fire on their sticks and holding the cup to catch the drippings. without this tool the cook's hands are likely to be roasted by the time the birds are done. roast ducks and grouse. parboil till tender, then roast as above. roast woodcock. pick, but do not clean. roast as above without parboiling. remove the entrails after the bird is done. rabbits or hares. these require considerable parboiling unless young. they may be fried like squirrels, cutting them into pieces, or made into stews. stewed rabbit. after skinning and cleaning the rabbit cut it into pieces, and wash again in cold water. mince an onion, cleanse and cut into small pieces one-half pound of fat salt pork, and put with the cut-up rabbit into a pot with about a pint of cold water. season with pepper and salt, cover the pot and let it simmer till the flesh can be easily pierced with a sharp sliver. take it up when done and set where it will keep warm, and make a gravy by adding to the water left in the pot one cup of boiling milk or water, stirring in gradually one well-beaten egg and one or two tablespoonfuls of flour made into a smooth paste with cold water. boil one minute and then pour over the rabbit. this gravy will be nearly or quite as good if the egg is omitted. stewed ducks or pigeons. stew exactly the same as rabbits. the pork may be omitted without detracting from the edible quality of the dish. frogs. use only the hind legs of small frogs, but both the fore and hind legs of large ones. they are best broiled, but may be fried in butter. chapter v. vegetables.--potatoes and green corn, boiled, fried, roasted and stewed. the canoeist, whose stowage room is limited, will not carry with him a variety of vegetables, therefore completer directions for cooking these edibles will be left for part ii. of this book, and instructions will here be given only for the preparation of the potatoes, which he will most certainly carry, and green corn, which, in its season, he can obtain readily, if his cruise leads him through a farming country. these two articles will form the canoeist's mainstay in the vegetable line, and can be prepared in several appetizing ways. boiled potatoes. small or medium-sized potatoes are preferable to large ones. choose those with small eyes, as those with large eyes are generally about to sprout and are of poor quality. do not pare unless they are very old, and in the latter case put them in cold water and allow it to boil. if they are of unequal size cut the large ones, so that they will boil evenly; wash, cut out bad places and eyes, and slice off a piece of skin at each pointed end. put, unless old, into enough boiling salted water to cover them, and simmer steadily till a sliver will easily pierce the largest. strain when done, and set the pot near the fire, shaking them occasionally to dry them. mashed potatoes. after boiling, peel and mash thoroughly with the bottom of a large bottle, working in pepper, salt, butter, and sufficient hot milk or water to make them into the consistency of soft dough. if mashed in an iron pot they will be discolored, but will taste just as good as if mashed in tin or earthenware. roasted potatoes. wash and wipe them dry, and cut off the ends. bury them in the ashes till a sliver will easily pierce them. do not make the common mistake of putting them among the live coals of the fire, or they will be burned, not cooked through. fried cooked potatoes. peel and slice cold cooked potatoes, and put them into enough "screeching hot" lard or pork fat to cover the bottom of the pan. stir frequently and fry slowly, seasoning with pepper and salt. fried raw potatoes. wash, peel, and slice very thin. put few at a time into enough boiling fat to float the slices. if too many are put in at one time they will chill the fat and will not fry evenly. turn and fry a light brown on both sides. when done remove with a fork, leaving as much grease as possible, and shake them up in a covered dish to eliminate the grease still further. stewed potatoes. cut cold boiled potatoes into pieces the size of a hickory nut, put them into enough boiling milk to cover them, and let them simmer slowly till the milk is nearly exhausted, stirring frequently to prevent burning. season with pepper, salt and butter. sweet potatoes. are cooked the same as irish potatoes, but require longer time. see time table in part ii. boiled green corn. the sweetness of corn is better preserved in the boiling if the outer layer of husks only is stripped off. turn back the inner husks and strip off the silk, then replace the inner husks and tie the ends. put the corn into enough boiling salt water to cover it. boil, if young, twenty-five minutes; if old, nearly or quite twice as long. after half an hour's boiling, an ear had best be removed occasionally and the kernels prodded with a sliver, to see if they have cooked tender. overboiling spoils corn. drain off the water as soon as they are done. fried corn. cut cold boiled corn from the cob, mix with mashed potatoes, and fry in butter or pork fat. roasted corn. leave the ear in the husks, cover it well with the hot ashes, and let it remain from forty-five minutes to an hour. stewed corn. cut the corn from the cob, put it into a pot, barely covering it with cold milk. season it with pepper and salt, and if common field corn, with sugar. cover and stew gently till very tender. chapter vi. coffee and tea.--mush, johnnycake and hoecake.--slapjacks, corn dodgers, ash cakes, biscuits, camp bread.--eggs. coffee. the simplest way to make good coffee is to put into the pot two tablespoonfuls of the ground and browned berry to each cupful of the beverage. pour on cold water to the required amount, remove it from the fire when it first boils up, let it stand a few moments in a warm place, and then pour into the pot half a cup of cold water to settle it. coffee, no. . if the ground coffee is running low or the cook wishes to economize and has plenty of time and utensils, i will give him a recipe which requires much less of the berry to produce the required strength, as follows: put the dry coffee into the pot, and heat it, stirring it constantly. then pour over it one quart of boiling water to every two tablespoonfuls of coffee, and set the pot where it will keep hot but not boil. after standing ten or fifteen minutes it is ready to drink. tea. for most teas the right proportion is one tablespoonful of tea for every teacup that is to be drawn and one "for the pot." the simplest method of making it is to put cold water on the tea in the pot, set over the fire and let it almost boil. just as it begins to steam remove it to a place less hot, where it will simmer and not boil for five minutes. if it boils or simmers too long the tannin will be dissolved, and the tea will have a disagreeable astringent taste. when the liquid is all used out of the pot i do not throw away the "grounds," but add one-half the quantity for the next drawing, and so on till the pot is one-third full of grounds, when it is all emptied and the pot thoroughly washed. cornmeal mush. the main difficulties in making good cornmeal mush are the care necessary to prevent the formation of lumps and the long time required to cook it. the surest way to avoid lumps is to mix the meal first with cold water enough to make a thin batter, and then pour this batter into the pot of boiling water (slightly salted) very gradually, so as not to stop the boiling process. sufficient of the batter should be stirred in to make a thin mush, and the latter should then be boiled until it is of such consistency that it will hang well together when taken out with a spoon. the longer it is allowed to boil the better it will be, and if long boiling makes it too thick, add more boiling water. it can be advantageously boiled two hours, but is eatable after twenty minutes' boil. if it is sprinkled into the pot of boiling water dry, do so very gradually and stir it constantly to prevent its lumping. fried cold mush. cut cold cornmeal mush into slices half an inch thick, and fry on both sides in boiling pork fat or butter. or, dip each slice into beaten egg (salted), then into bread or cracker crumbs, and fry. if fried in lard add a little salt. oatmeal mush. is made the same as cornmeal mush, but must always be sprinkled dry into the pot of boiling water. johnnycake. make a thick batter by mixing warm (not scalding) water or milk with one pint of cornmeal, and mix in with this a small teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of melted lard. grease your bake-tins (described in chapter i.) thoroughly with lard or butter, set the johnnycake batter in one, cover over with the other, and bury the oven amongst the hot coals and ashes of the camp-fire, heaping the coals around it so as to have an equal heat on all portions of the oven. in twenty minutes dig out the oven, open it with the pliers and test the johnnycake. it should be thoroughly baked in a good fire in from twenty to thirty minutes. if the meal is mixed with scalding water it will be lumpy and difficult to work into a batter. hoe cakes. johnnycake batter, thinned down with more warm water or milk, may be fried the same as slapjacks. slapjacks. to properly cook slapjacks the frying pan should be perfectly clean and smooth inside. if it is not, too much grease is required in cooking. scrape it after each panful is cooked, and then only occasional greasing will be required, and this is best done with a clean rag containing butter. drop thin batter in with a spoon, so that the cake will be very thin. disturb it as little as possible, and when the cake is cooked firm on one side, turn it and cook on the other. cornmeal slapjacks. one quart of cold water is mixed with meal enough to make a thin batter, one teaspoonful of salt and one or two teaspoonfuls of baking powder having been stirred into the latter. the addition of one or two well-beaten eggs will improve it. cook on a very hot pan, as above. wheat slapjacks. make as above, except using wheat flour, and adding last of all one heaping tablespoonful of melted lard or butter, thoroughly stirred in. hecker's flour slapjacks. mix well one pint of hecker's prepared flour with one-half pint of cold milk or water. cook as above. corn dodgers. mix one pint of corn meal, one small teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful of sugar with warm (not scalding) water enough to make a moderately stiff batter. make into flat cakes about three-quarters of an inch thick, and fry in _boiling_ fat till brown. fried in bacon fat and eaten with the fried bacon they are very palatable. corn pone or ash cakes. if unprovided with the portable oven or bake tin recommended in chapter i., mix up a pint of corn meal with water and a pinch of salt into a stiff dough, make into cakes, and set them on a clean, hot stone close to the coals of a hot fire. when the outside of the cakes has hardened a little cover them completely in hot ashes. in fifteen to twenty-five minutes rake them out, brush off the ashes, and devour quickly. any ashes adhering after the brushing process can be readily removed by cutting out the irregularities in the crust where they have lodged. the writer has known a party of ladies, who could scarcely be induced to taste these cakes at first, become so fond of them after a trial as to insist upon having them three times a day for a week in camp. baking powder biscuits. put one pint of flour into a deep vessel, mix into it two large teaspoonfuls of baking powder[a] and a pinch of salt; then rub in one small teaspoonful of lard or butter, lessening the amount of salt if the latter is used, and add enough cold water or milk to make a soft dough. handle as little as possible, but roll into a sheet about three-quarters of an inch thick, and cut into round cakes with an empty tin cup. lay the biscuits close together in a well-greased tin, and bake a few minutes in the coals, as described above for johnnycake. hecker's flour biscuits. require only the mixing of the flour with water, and are then ready to bake. quick camp bread. make a biscuit dough as above, and roll it to a thickness of half an inch. grease a frying-pan and set it over the hot embers till the grease begins to melt. then put the dough into the pan and set it on the fire, shaking it frequently to prevent the dough from adhering. when the crust has formed on the bottom, take the bread out of the pan and prop it up on edge, close to the fire, turning it occasionally to insure its being baked through. or, turn the bread in the frying pan until it is cooked through. this bread will not keep soft long, and the writer prefers, when depending for any length of time upon his own baking, to make unleavened bread. this is the kind almost wholly used by coasting vessels, and is cooked as above in a frying-pan, even when there is a galley-stove with a good hot oven on board the vessel. the dough is mixed up with a quart of wheat flour, one teaspoonful of lard, a teaspoonful of salt and sufficient water to make it stiff. it is then beaten or hammered lustily on a board or smooth log until it becomes elastic. when cut up into biscuit it can be baked in the portable oven among the coals. it is called "maryland biscuit" along the potomac and chesapeake. fried and boiled eggs are so easy to prepare that no instruction is necessary in these familiar methods of cooking them. poached eggs. into a frying pan nearly full of boiling water containing a teaspoonful of salt slip carefully the eggs one by one, breaking each previously into a cup. keep them on the surface of the water, if possible, and boil gently three or four minutes, dipping up some of the water with a spoon and pouring it over the tops of the eggs. serve on toast. scrambled eggs. break the eggs into a cup to insure their freshness, and throw them into the frying pan with a lump of butter and salt and pepper. stir over a fire of coals until they are almost hard. do not break the yolks at first. part ii.--camp cookery. chapter i. outfit.--go light as possible.--carriage of provisions and utensils.--camp stoves, ice-boxes and hair mattresses.--the bed of "browse."--how to make a cooking range out-of-doors.--building the fire.--a useful tool.--construction of coffee pot and frying pan.--baking in camp.--fuel for camp-fire.--kerosene and alcohol stoves.--camp table.--washing dishes, etc. the remarks given on outfit in chapter i. of part i. are, many of them, as well adapted to camp as to canoe cookery. the utensils carried for cooking in a permanent camp, and for more than one person, will of course exceed in number those used by the canoeist, but there will be few additional articles really necessary, even with the varied and extensive bill-of-fare that the possibilities of a three weeks' camp in one place suggest. even if you have teams and lumber-wagons to carry your outfit into the woods it is better to go light as possible. with few things to find places for the camp can be kept neat and ship-shape, and everything will be handy; while the chances are that a portion of a large and varied outfit will be wasted. two friends and myself go regularly into camp for three weeks with no added utensils to those mentioned in the canoe outfit except an iron pot and a dutch oven, and even these additions are seldom used. a large cooking outfit for a camp can be best packed in a large pack basket, such as is generally used in the adirondacks and maine woods; but these receptacles are not waterproof, therefore i would recommend that the eatables themselves be carried in waterproofed muslin bags, each variety having its own bag. all together may then be packed in basket, chest or knapsack, as desired. butter will keep sweet longer in an earthen jar with water-tight cover, as described on page , than in any other receptacle i know of. it can be enveloped in a net and lowered to the bottom of a lake or river, or set in a cold spring, or tucked away in the coolest corner of a little cellar dug into a side hill and lined with clean birch bark. if i carry a dozen or two of eggs into the woods with me i let them ride in a tin pail along with plenty of corn meal, and seldom find a broken one among them. a good many campers--and especially lady campers--think it necessary to carry a camp stove; some people go into the woods with an ice-box and a ton of ice; and others bring with them bedsteads and hair mattresses. i do not camp with such people, and i think every true woodsman will agree with me that these deluded persons do not enjoy to the full the pleasure and wholesome exhilaration of real camp life. a bed of spruce or hemlock browse, properly "shingled" and of a good depth, is the cleanest, softest, most fragrant and healthful couch in the world. if i never camped for any other reason, i would go once a year for the express purpose of enjoying for a brief season the delicious odor and natural elastic softness of this best of beds. i have never felt the need of ice or ice-box in all my camping experience. a cold spring of water keeps my butter sweet, and i never send to town for butchered meat; if i did perhaps i should find a refrigerator useful. now as to camp stoves. a camp of lumbermen will find a stove of some sort a time-saving utensil, for but little time can be spared from their work in the woods to prepare meals, and a dinner can be unquestionably got quicker on a stove than with an open fire. but to a party of pleasure outers whose time in camp is not of so great importance, a camp stove is a superfluous piece of furniture. it is unwieldy to carry, smutty to handle, and makes a camp look like a summer kitchen in a back-yard. every necessary culinary operation can be performed equally well or even better without it, if the camper knows how to properly make a cooking camp-fire. the fire, in summer, should not be made so close to the tent as to make that sleeping and lounging place too warm, nor should it be made so far away as to tire the cook from running back and forth with the cooking utensils and grub. two green logs, five or six feet long and eight to twelve inches in diameter, of a nearly even thickness throughout, are laid on a level piece of ground side by side, about a foot apart at one end, and touching at the other, thus forming an elongated v. with a hatchet hew them on their upper sides until the surface is level enough to support pots and pans in safety. between these logs build your fire. this should not be done carelessly, but methodically and with patience. begin with only as many dry shavings as you can grasp in your hand. when these are ablaze, add shavings and bits of dry wood of a little larger size, and then those a little larger than the last, and so on, increasing the size of the sticks very gradually and leading the fire by degrees until it covers all the space between the logs. when the fire is well under way and blazing brightly at all points, pile on it plenty of split sticks, short, and as near a uniform size as possible, and let them all burn to coals before cooking is commenced. if some of the sticks are large and some small, they will not burn evenly, and by the time the larger ones have become coals, the coals of the smaller ones will have become ashes. and if the sticks are round instead of split, they will not catch fire so easily, and will nest so close together as to give insufficient draft. driftwood will do to start a fire, but it should never be used after the blaze is well going, because it burns to ashes instead of coals. the best coals result from burning hard wood. never put a cooking utensil on the fire until the smoke and blaze have ceased. when you have a good bed of coals set the coffee pot on near where the logs join, and the frying pan, large pot, etc., where the logs are further apart. if there is much wind, ashes will be blown about to some extent, and it is best to always keep the open end of the "range" to windward, as the frying pan is generally set on this end, while the coffee pot and other pots being covered, can stand a shower of ashes without harm to their contents. as fast as one dish is cooked, set it on one of the logs where it will keep warm, and use the handy blacksmith's pliers to heap up the live coals under other dishes that are not cooking fast enough. these pliers can be made by any blacksmith, and should be from twelve to eighteen inches in length, and quite broad in the gripping part, which may with advantage be curved to a slight angle. i always use a frying pan without handle for compactness, and can lift it from any side of the fire with the pliers, which are always cool. i even grip the coffee pot with them and pour the coffee for the whole party without touching it with my hands, saving many a scorch thereby. it is a handy tool in making repairs to boats, and in various other ways proves its value as a necessary part of the camp outfit. the coffee pot should not have a spout, but a lip, riveted on, near its topmost edge. the handle should also be riveted, and should set as near as possible to the top of the pot. a wire bale may be attached for handiness in lifting. the cooking range above described will suffice for nearly all branches of camp cookery. on it one can fry, broil and boil. when a boil is to be kept up for hours, however, as in cooking beans, greens, and some soups and stews, it will be necessary to set up a forked stake at each end of the fire, hang the kettle on a cross-piece between, and keep up the fire beneath by constant feeding and attention. do not let the blaze mount so high as to burn or char the cross-piece. the fire for baking should be made apart from the range. a hole in the ground a little more than deep enough to contain the bake-kettle or dutch oven should be dug, and of sufficient diameter to allow four or five inches' space on each side of the oven when it is in the hole. build up a good fire in the hole, and when you have a large quantity of hot coals and ashes, dig out all but a thick layer on the bottom, set in your oven, and pack it all around and on top with the coals and ashes. cover the whole with a piece of turf or some earth. when baking without an oven, as fish in clay, a bird in its feathers, or a 'possum in its own hide, dig out nearly all the coals, put some green grass or leaves in the bottom, then the fish, bird or beast, then more grass or leaves, then coals and ashes, then earth, and lastly build a small fire on top and keep it burning steadily. in all the baking recipes recommended in this book a certain time is given for each operation. this time mentioned is only approximate, and it will be found to vary a few minutes, according to the amount of coal used, the kind of firewood, etc. the time necessary to bake a given thing can only be learned exactly by practical experience; but this experience will teach the cook all he needs to know after the first two or three attempts. in closing my remarks on fires i would suggest that the best wood to be obtained for cooking fires is that from hard wood trees that have fallen in the woods or been cut down, and have lain long enough to become well seasoned. if this is used the fire will stand any ordinary rain, and the camper will not be compelled to resort to his alcohol stove under shelter for any thing short of the equinoctial storm. if wood is damp, a few drops of kerosene, gun oil or alcohol sprinkled on it will be a valuable aid in starting a fire. i have no love for kerosene stoves. the alcohol "flamme forcé" is more compact, gives a stronger heat (have two, set side by side), and is perfectly clean. if, however, you must take along a kerosene stove, the wind-protected kind manufactured by adams & westlake ( east fourteenth street, new york, and washington street, boston) will probably be found the most suitable. neither the kerosene nor the alcohol stoves should be used when an outdoor fire can be built. a camp dining-table can be made by driving down four forked stakes in the corners of an imaginary rectangle. connect the end stakes with cross-pieces, and lay planks from one cross-piece to the other. make it just high enough to get the legs and feet under comfortably when sitting upon the ground, and build it away from the fire. a camp chest makes a good table, so does a large log with one side hewed level. each member of a party that i frequently camp with has a tin or wooden box in which fishing tackle, cartridges, tools, etc., are carried. when dinner is prepared a piece of spare canvas is laid upon the grass, the tin dishes and edibles are put upon this, then each man brings his box to the particular corner of the cloth he selects, sits on the grass, crosses his legs, and has each his individual table in his own private box, the cover of which is large enough to hold a tin plate, tin cup, knife and fork, etc. by all means wash the dishes immediately after each meal. you can smoke your post-prandial pipe and do this at the same time. have a pot or kettle of water heating while you are eating, and if the frying pan is dirty, fill it with water and let it boil over the coals awhile. put your dishes into the largest pail, pour hot water over them, tone it down with cold water so you can handle them, and wash the dishes, the least dirty first, with a sponge. sapolio is good to scour them, but sand is better. soap is less often used by male campers in dish-washing than it should be. it makes the work much easier. when washed, rinse the tin-ware in cold water, drain and dry with a towel. wring out the sponge in clean water, and hang it on a bush ready for use again. remove all refuse and leavings to a good distance from camp, and never allow the vicinity of the tent to become littered up with tomato cans, old cartridge shells, bones, feathers, corn-husks, etc. chapter ii. soups.--general remarks on cooking soups.--soups made of meat, vegetables, deer's heads, small game, rice, fish and turtle. soups should be made in camp as often as the materials are at hand. they are wholesome and invigorating, and not difficult to prepare; and so many different kinds can be made that no camper's appetite need be cloyed by lack of variety. most canned soups are excellent, and the directions for cooking which come with them should be closely followed. the time given for cooking soups in the recipes that follow may seem unnecessarily long, but if it is done in a less time, it is at a loss in the flavor. fast boiling drives off considerable of the aroma of the ingredients used, the water evaporates fast and requires constant replenishing with boiling water, which compels the cook to have an additional vessel always on the fire. constant skimming is necessary, and an occasional slight stirring will prevent any of the vegetables from burning on the pot where but little water is used. campers do not commonly have fresh meat in camp, unless in a portion of the country where venison, buffalo or bear meat form a part of the larder. with any one of these, or with beef, we can make what i will call meat soup. use one pound of lean meat (cut into pieces the size of an egg) to a quart of water. put on the fire with the water cold, and let it heat gradually and simmer rather than boil, skimming it constantly and keeping the cover on the pot when this operation is not being performed. if any cooked meat or bones are to be added, this should be done after the soup has cooked three-quarters of an hour. from four and a half to five hours are necessary for the soup to cook. just before it is done, season with salt and pepper. if made in an iron pot it should be transferred as soon as done to a tin or earthen vessel. in cold weather this soup may be kept fresh and sweet for a week and "warmed over" as long as it lasts. vegetable soup. onions, potatoes, carrots, turnips, beets, parsnips, cabbage, cauliflower, pumpkins, squash, etc., should be picked over, washed, pared, and cut into small pieces from a quarter to a half-inch thick, put into a pan of cold water, rinsed and drained. tomatoes should be scalded, peeled and sliced. prepare a meat soup as above, and when it has cooked four hours put in all your vegetables except potatoes, which should be put in only about thirty minutes before the soup is done. stir the soup occasionally to prevent the vegetables from scorching or sticking to the bottom of the pot, and skim frequently. when done take out the vegetables, mash and return them to the soup, boil one minute, season and serve. canned corn or tomatoes may be used in this soup the same as fresh vegetables. deer's head soup. skin the head and split it in pieces, remove the eyes and brains, and wash thoroughly in cold water. then cook same as meat soup. small game soup. squirrels, rabbits, and small game generally can be cleaned and split and made into soup as above. when vegetables are added to soup made of small game, the latter should be removed and strained, and the good meat returned to the pot just before the vegetables are put in, leaving out all the bones, skin, gristle, etc. rice soup. make a meat soup, with the addition of one sliced onion. prepare the rice (one-half pound to a gallon of water) by picking it over, washing and draining, and stir it into the soup half an hour before it is done, stirring frequently to prevent burning. bean soup. pick over two quarts of beans, wash, and soak them over night in cold water. scrape clean one pound of salt pork, and cut into thin slices. drain the beans, put them into six quarts of cold water, with one tablespoonful of soda, and let them boil gently for half an hour, skimming constantly. then drain off all the water and put in the same amount of fresh boiling water. boil slowly for an hour and a half, stirring frequently; then put in the pork. when the beans have become tender enough to crack, take out the pork and mash the beans into a paste with a wooden masher or the bottom of a large bottle. then put all back and boil slowly an hour longer. if no soda is used, longer boiling will be necessary. bean soup will burn if not constantly stirred. not much salt, but plenty of pepper should be used for seasoning. pea soup. treat the peas exactly the same as the beans in the above recipe, except as to the preliminary boiling in water with soda. make the same way as bean soup. pea soup cools and thickens rapidly, therefore if squares of fried bread are thrown upon the surface before serving, it should be done quickly and while the bread is hot. use more salt than with the bean soup for seasoning, and boil gently or it will surely burn. fish soup. cut up large fish, after it has been cooled from a previous cooking, into small pieces, and stew it with a piece of salt pork for two hours. turtle soup. snapping turtles, "mud turtles" and all tortoises can be made into appetizing soup. cut their throats to kill them and then let them bleed. break the shell on the under side, cut out the meat, rejecting the entrails, head and claws, and boil slowly for three hours with some sliced onion. chapter iii. fish.--fish baked, plain and stuffed.--fish gravy.--fish chowder.--clam chowder.--orthodox clam chowder. the subject of fish cookery belongs more to the canoeist than to the general camper, for the reason that the former is so constantly among them in their fluid home that he can readily catch a mess, and easily cook them with his small means after he has caught them. that is why nearly all the practical methods of cooking fish are given in chapter iii. of part i. of this book. there are, however, some ways of preparing fish in camp that the canoeist will hardly attempt, for lack of time or utensils, and these methods will be given here. plain baked fish. dig a hole in the ground eighteen inches deep and large enough to contain the fish; build a fire in it and let it burn to coals. remove the coals, leaving the hot ashes in the bottom, on which place a thick layer of green grass. put the fish on the grass, cover with another layer of grass; then rake back the coals and loose earth and build a small fire on top. in an hour the baking will be complete, the skin will peel off and leave the flesh clean. a fish prepared this way need not be scaled, but only disembowelled, as the scales will come off with the skin after it is cooked. stuffed baked fish. only a large fish should be cooked in this manner, as it is hardly worth the trouble to stuff a small fish. prepare a stuffing of bread or cracker crumbs, with enough butter or lard to make the mixture moist. season with pepper and salt, and chop up with it one onion, and a little summer savory or sage, if desired. clean and wipe the fish dry, put in the stuffing lightly and then sew up the opening. lay the fish in the bake-kettle or dutch oven, rub it all over with butter or lard and dredge it with flour, meal or some of the dry crumbs left over from the stuffing. or, lay thin strips of fat salt pork or bacon on the top. pour a little boiling water into the bottom to prevent the fish adhering, close the bake-kettle and put it into the fire among the hottest coals. in a very hot oven it should be done in forty minutes. remove the bake-kettle several times before it is done to baste it. when cooked, serve with the following fish gravy. put the bake-kettle back on the fire after the fish is removed; stir into the gravy left, gradually, two tablespoonfuls of flour. let it boil up once, season with pepper and salt, and pour over the fish. if there are squeamish people in camp remove the "black specks" from this gravy with a spoon. fish chowder. clean the fish and cut up all except the heads and tails into small pieces, leaving out as many bones as possible. cover the bottom of the pot with slices of fat salt pork; over that a layer of sliced raw potatoes; then a layer of chopped onions; then a layer of fish; on the fish a layer of crackers, first made tender by soaking in water or milk. repeat the layers, except pork, till the pot is nearly full. every layer must be seasoned with pepper and salt. put in enough cold water to moisten the whole mass well, cover the pot closely, set over a gentle fire, and let it simmer an hour or so. cook it till it is rather thick, then stir it gently, and it is ready to serve. tomatoes may be added as a layer after the onions. clam chowder can be made the same as fish chowder, using clams instead of fish, but a large party of sea-beach picnickers will probably prefer the regular orthodox clam chowder. the first thing necessary is an out-door oven made with flat stones. start a rousing fire in this and let it burn until every stone is hot all the way through. then rake out the coals beneath, even to the faintest cinder, so that there will be no smoky taste to the chowder. then put a couple of stout boughs across the open top of the oven, and cover them with fresh seaweed an inch or two thick. spread the shelled clams on the seaweed, over them a layer of onions, then a layer of sweet or irish potatoes, or both, then green corn, then the fish (cleaned and salted and mapped in a cloth, and either a bluefish or a cod, if extra-orthodox), then a lobster, either alive or boiled. now cover the whole arrangement with a large cloth, and pile on seaweed till no steam escapes. when it has cooked half an hour or so let the company attack it _en masse_, uncovering it gradually as it is eaten, so as to retain the heat in it as long as possible. the stones should be extremely and thoroughly heated, or the chowder will be a failure, and the cinders should be cleaned out, the chowder put on, and the whole covered with great haste, so as not to give the stones a chance to cool. chapter iv. meats and game.--hash.--pork and beans.--game stew.--brunswick stew.--roast venison.--baked deer's head.--venison sausages.--stuffed roasts of game.--woodchucks, porcupines, 'possums and pigs. some good recipes for cooking meats and game, which are not given in part i., are the following: frizzled beef. cut dried beef into very thin shavings, and put into a frying pan nearly half full of cold water. set over the fire and let it come to a boil, then stir in a large lump of butter and enough flour to make a good gravy. hash. four pounds of cold boiled meat (not pork) or corned beef, free from bone or gristle, one large parboiled onion, and two pounds of boiled or baked potatoes are chopped and mixed together, seasoned with pepper and salt, and stirred up with about a pint of hot water. put enough lard or butter into a frying pan to well cover the bottom when melted, and when it is "screeching hot," put in the hash. stir it for a few minutes, then let it fry till it is brown on the bottom. corned beef hash requires little salt for seasoning. boiled pork. soak over night in cold water and put into a pot of cold water over the fire when the boiling begins. boil same as other meat (see page ) and save the cake of fat that rises when it is cold for frying purposes. turnips, cabbage, potatoes and greens are good boiled with the pork. see table for boiling vegetables in the next chapter. pork hash. cut salt pork or bacon into small dice, and while it is frying over a slow fire cut raw potatoes and onions into thin slices, put them with the pork, cover the frying pan and cook for ten minutes, occasionally stirring. pork and beans. the right proportions are two quarts of beans to three pounds of pork. pick over the beans at night, wash them, and put them to soak in cold water until the next morning. then if only boiled pork and beans are desired, drain the beans, and put them with the pork in the pot, just cover with cold water, set over the fire (with the cover on the pot), and boil till the beans are tender, skimming the scum off as it rises. if baked beans are wanted parboil the pork and cut it into thin slices, then drain the beans and boil as above. put half the beans into the bake-kettle, then the pork, then the remainder of the beans, and pour over them half a pint of boiling water. bake among the coals till the top is crusted brown. if buried in the ground with a good supply of coals it is best to put them in at night when going to bed, and they will be done in the morning. if the bake-kettle is enveloped in hot coals on the surface of the ground they will bake on the outside quicker, but inside, where the pork is, they will not be baked at all. this latter method, therefore, should only be used when in a hurry, and in this case the pork should be scattered around in different portions of the pot, and the beans left may be re-baked for another meal. game stew. cut up any kind of game, whether furred or feathered, into small pieces, wash it, and put it in a pot with some pork cut into pieces three inches square, and rather more than enough water to cover it all. let it boil for half an hour, skimming off the particles that rise to the top. then add four or five sliced onions, some parsley or summer savory, salt and pepper, and boil slowly for an hour and a half. half an hour before it is done put in a few pared potatoes, cut to a uniform size. brunswick stew.[b] for a stew for five or six persons the following are the ingredients: two-good-sized or three small squirrels, one quart of tomatoes, peeled and sliced, one pint of butter or lima beans, six potatoes, parboiled and sliced, six ears of green corn cut from the cob, one-half pound of butter, one-half a pound of fat salt pork, one teaspoonful of black pepper, one-half a teaspoonful of cayenne, one gallon of water, one tablespoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of white sugar, one onion minced small. cut the squirrels into joints, and lay in cold water to draw out the blood; put on the gallon of water, with the salt in it, and let it boil for five minutes; put in the onion, beans, corn, pork which has been cut into fine strips, potatoes, pepper and the squirrels; cover closely, and stew two and a-half hours very slowly, stirring the mass frequently from the bottom to prevent its burning. then add the tomatoes and sugar, and stew an hour longer. ten minutes before it is to be taken from the fire, add the butter, cut into bits the size of a walnut, and rolled in flour; give a final boil, taste to see that it is seasoned to your liking, and serve at once. flour gravy. after stews have been taken from the pot stir a tablespoonful of flour gradually into a small quantity of cold water, carefully breaking all the lumps. then pour this gradually into the boiling liquor left in the pot from the stew, let it boil well two minutes, and serve. if flour is sprinkled dry into boiling water it will form into lumps at once, no matter how much it is stirred. a tablespoonful of flour will sufficiently thicken nearly a quart of liquor. if what is called "brown gravy" is desired, heat the flour first in a frying pan, stirring it till it is brown. roast venison. the saddle is the best portion for roasting, and after this the shoulder. hang it by a cord over a huge bed of coals, or use the crotched stakes, impaling the venison on the cross-piece. insert thin slices of salt pork or bacon in gashes cut with a knife where the flesh is thick enough to admit of "gashing," or skewer them on with hard wood twigs where it is not. turn frequently. the flesh on the surface will become hard by the time the roast is done, but this can be avoided by covering it with buttered paper fastened on with wooden skewers. from two to three hours are required for roasting. baked deer's head. build a fire in a hole in the ground. when it has burned to a good bed of coals put in the deer's head, neck downward, with the skin on but the eyes and brains removed. cover with green grass or leaves, coals and earth, and build a new fire on top of all. in about six hours exhume the head, remove the skin, and the baking is complete. this method of baking applies as well to the head of any animal. forequarter of venison. this portion is always tough, but may be utilized by stewing it, or making it into venison sausages. chop up pieces of the forequarter, mix with half as much chopped salt pork, season with pepper and salt, make into balls, and fry. stuffed shoulder of venison. if you are very "swell" campers-out, and have some port or madeira wine with you, you may stew the shoulder of venison in the following manner: extract the bones through the under side and make a stuffing as follows: chop up suet very fine, and mix it with bread crumbs, in the proportion of half a pint of suet to a quart of breadcrumbs. moisten this with wine, season with pepper and allspice and fill the holes from which the bones were taken. bind firmly in shape with strips of clean cloth, put in a large saucepan with part of a gravy made by boiling the trimmings of the venison; add to this a glass of port or madeira wine and a little black pepper. cover tightly and stew very slowly three or four hours, according to the size. it should be very tender when done. remove the strips of cotton cloth with care, dish, and, when you have strained the gravy, pour it over the meat. stuffed game roasted. large birds (ducks or turkeys, etc.), rabbits, hares, woodchucks, porcupines, opossums, and the like, may be stuffed with a dressing made of salt pork and bread or crackers. chop the pork very fine, soak the bread or crackers in hot water and mash them smooth, and mix them with the chopped pork. season with pepper, a little salt, sage and chopped onion. sew up the game after stuffing with wire in two or three places, and roast over hot coals. if wrapped in wet brown paper it may be immersed in hot ashes and baked, if small, or may be baked the same as fish. woodchucks and porcupines. when properly cooked, are little inferior to any game. they must be thoroughly parboiled before cooking, and then may be roasted or stewed. a young wood-chuck or porcupine may be baked in the ground with the hide on, after having been drawn, and is very palatable. opossums and young pigs are roasted alike. after cleaning the opossum or pig stuff him with bread crumbs, chopped onion and sage or summer savory for seasoning, boiled irish and sweet potatoes (the latter especially with the 'possum) and whole boiled onions being pushed in among the dressing. wire up the opening in two or three places, fold the legs down on the body and wire them fast. then cut a strong, straight, hard-wood limb, and run it through the animal from stern to snout. this is to be suspended from two crotched stakes over the fire, and, if smooth, the 'possum or pig cannot be turned on it, as the limb will turn inside the animal. therefore, in lopping off the twigs from the limb after it is cut, leave half an inch or so of each twig to act as a barb, insert the limb in the animal butt first, then give it a "yank" backward so that the barbs may hold when it is desired to turn the animal to roast all sides alike. cut gashes in the thickest parts of the meat so that it may roast evenly throughout. a 'possum or pig prepared as above may be coated with clay and baked in the ground with plenty of coals in from two to three hours. when roasted over the fire the drippings should be caught and used to baste it. chapter v. preparation of vegetables for cooking.--time table for cooking vegetables.--cabbage, beets, greens, tomatoes, turnips, mushrooms, succotash, etc. all vegetables must be carefully looked over. remove the unripe or decayed parts, and then wash in cold water. when to be boiled they should be put in boiling salted water, and if necessary to replenish the water before the cooking is complete, boiling water should be always used. keep the vessel covered, and drain the vegetables as soon as done. do not let the water boil long before the vegetables are put in. old and strong vegetables sometimes require boiling in two or three waters. the following time table for cooking vegetables, culled from the writer's scrap-book, is reliable: potatoes, old, boiled, minutes. potatoes, new, baked, minutes. potatoes, new, boiled, minutes. sweet potatoes, boiled, minutes. sweet potatoes, baked, hour. squash, boiled, minutes. squash, baked, minutes. shell beans, boiled, hour. green peas, boiled, to minutes. string beans, boiled, to hours. green corn, minutes to hour. asparagus, to minutes. spinach, to hours. tomatoes, fresh, hour. tomatoes, canned, minutes.[c] cabbage, minutes to hours. cauliflower, to hours. dandelions, to hours. beet greens, hour. onions, to hours. beets, to hours. turnips, white, minutes to hour. turnips, yellow, - / to hours. parsnips, to hours. carrots, to hours. if a piece of lean salt pork is boiled with some of the above, they will be sufficiently seasoned. if not, season with salt, pepper and butter. potatoes and corn. for all methods of cooking these vegetables, see chapter v. of part i. boiled cabbage. remove the outer and all bad leaves, examining carefully for insects, and halve or quarter the cabbage, according to size. wash, soak a short time in cold water, and put in a covered pot of boiling salted water. when it is tender and "smells good" it is done. drain, and press out the water, seasoning with salt, pepper and butter. the latter should be omitted if it is boiled with pork. cabbage aux legumes. cut out the centre of a large cabbage, and fill the hole with small potatoes, onions, parsnips, beets, etc. cover with a cloth and boil till tender. fried cooked cabbage. have enough lard in the pan to just cover the bottom when melted. chop the cabbage, put into the melted lard and stir frequently till the cabbage is piping hot, when it is ready to serve. succotash. cut the corn from the cob and shell the beans. if string beans are used, string and cut into half-inch pieces. the right proportion for succotash is two-thirds corn to one-third beans. put them into enough boiling salt water to cover them. stew gently till tender, stirring frequently; then drain, add a cup of milk and a piece of butter the size of an egg, and stir till it boils up once. season to taste. boiled beets. winter beets must be soaked over night in water. wash them, but do not scrape or cut them, as they lose in color and quality by being cut. put them in boiling water enough to cover them well, cover and boil till tender, which will take from one to three hours. then put them in cold water and rub off the skins quickly. if large, slice them; if young, split lengthwise. greens. when in camp or on a cruise, a most delicious dish can be made of boiled greens, of which a large variety of weeds and plants furnishes the material. dandelion leaves, nettles, milkweed, spinach, young beet tops, turnip tops, mustard, narrow dock, mountain cow-slip, kale, cabbage, poke, sprouts and other "weeds" are good. they should be picked over carefully, washed in three or four waters, and soaked in cold water half an hour; then drain and put in enough boiling salt water to cover them. press them down till the pot is full, as they "boil away" and lose more than half in substance. cover, and boil steadily till tender. then drain and press out the water. season to taste with butter, pepper and salt. greens are good boiled with salt pork, bacon, corned beef or ham. put them in the pot in time to be done with the meat. stewed tomatoes. peel by pouring over them boiling water, when the skin will easily come off. cut up, discarding unripe and hard parts. put into a pot, seasoning with butter, pepper, salt, and if very acid, two tablespoonfuls of sugar. cover, and stew gently. see time table. boiled turnips. wash and peel, and if old, pare off part of the "meat" next the skin. cut into pieces of a uniform size, soak in cold water half an hour, put into enough boiling salt water to cover them, cover, and cook according to time table. season with butter, pepper and salt. omit the butter if they are cooked with meat. mushrooms. edible mushrooms are found in clear, open, sunny fields and elevated ground where the air is pure and fresh; poisonous ones are found in woods, low, damp ground, in shady places and upon putrefying substances. the edible kind are most plentiful in august and september, and spring up after low lying fogs, soaking dews or heavy rains. they first appear very small and of a round form, on a little stalk, the upper part and stalk being then white. they grow very fast, and, as the size increases, the under part gradually opens and shows a fringy fur (called "gills") of a delicate salmon color. after the mushroom is a day old this salmon color changes to a russet or dark brown. the gills of the poisonous variety are red, green, blue, yellow or orange red, and sometimes white, but they never have the delicate salmon color of the edible mushroom. the latter have an agreeable odor, and the poisonous have sometimes a similar odor, but generally smell fetid. the flesh of the edible kind is compact and brittle; that of the poisonous generally soft and watery. the skin of the former is easily peeled from the edges, and the seeds or sprouts are for the most part roundish or oval; the skin of the latter is not easy to peel and the seeds are mostly angular. some poisonous ones assume a bluish tint on being bruised and others exude an acrid, milky juice. the mushroom should have all of the above-named characteristics of the edible variety before it is put in the pot, and it is safest not to select mushrooms gathered by somebody else, as they change color after being picked several hours, and the two kinds are then difficult to distinguish. finally, if a white peeled onion cooked with them turns black, or if a silver spoon with which they are stirred while cooking turns black, don't eat them; and if you don't know a salmon color from a yellow let somebody gather them who does. stewed mushrooms. select mushrooms of uniform size. wipe them clean with a soft cloth; peel, commencing at the edge and finishing at the top; cut off the lower part of the stem; put them into a tin or earthen vessel and half cover them with cold water, and stew gently for fifteen minutes, frequently stirring to prevent burning; season with pepper and salt. when the stew is done stir into it one or more tablespoonfuls of butter, previously cut in small pieces, and rolled in flour; stir three or four minutes. do not let it boil. fried mushrooms. prepare as directed for stewing; heat in a frying pan enough butter to thinly cover the bottom; put in the mushrooms and fry both sides a golden brown. broiled mushrooms. prepare as above, put on a broiler with gills uppermost, sprinkle on a little salt and pepper and a tiny piece of butter, and hold over a bed of coals. fried beans. put enough butter in a frying pan to just cover the bottom when melted. when it is hot put in your beans, already boiled and drained, and fry brown, stirring occasionally. chapter vi. boiled rice.--cracked wheat.--hominy grits.--batter cakes.--rice cakes.--puddings.--welsh rarebit.--fried bread for soups.--stewed cranberries. boiled rice. pick one pound of rice over carefully and wash it clean in one or two cold waters, then drain and put it into a pot containing four quarts of boiling water, and add four teaspoonfuls of salt; cover and boil steadily for fifteen minutes, then drain off the water, empty the rice, wipe out the pot, sprinkle a little salt over the bottom of it and rub it with a dry cloth, finally emptying out the salt, replacing the rice and setting the pot near the fire for fifteen minutes longer to let the rice dry and swell. if a large pot is at hand a better way after the rice has boiled fifteen minutes is to drain it as above, then pouring the boiling water into the large pot, set in the dry rice in the smaller one, which should be put in the larger one and all set over the fire and the rice allowed to steam thoroughly dry, which will take fifteen minutes. the writer followed the above recipe implicitly till he discovered that nothing further is necessary to cook rice to his own particular taste than the boiling fifteen minutes. since making this discovery he has omitted the further portion of the recipe in practice, but gives it here for the benefit of those whose tastes may be more dainty than his own. cracked wheat. to one quart of the wheat add one tablespoonful of salt, and soak over night in cold water enough to cover it. in the morning put the wheat with the water it was soaked in into a pot, cover closely and cook gently until soft--probably from one to one and one-half hours--stirring frequently to prevent scorching. when necessary to replenish the water add boiling water. hominy grits are cooked the same as cracked wheat, and are very wholesome. coarse hominy requires long boiling. batter cakes. put one quart of sifted flour in a deep dish, and mix with it one-half teaspoonful of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one teaspoonful of sugar. add warm water (milk is better) sufficient to make a thick batter. then add two eggs, beaten light, and if they do not thin down the batter sufficiently, add more water (or milk). beat thoroughly and cook immediately the same as slapjacks. rice cakes. into one quart of sifted flour stir enough water (or milk) to make a medium thick batter; add two cups of cold boiled rice, one teaspoonful of salt, and lastly, four eggs, beaten light. beat thoroughly and cook immediately the same as slapjacks. plum pudding. put into a basin one pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of raisins (stoned, if possible), three-quarters of a pound of fat of salt pork (well washed and cut into small dice or chopped), and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. add half a pint of water and mix well together. dip a cloth bag large enough to hold the pudding into boiling water, wring it out, and apply flour well to the inside. put in the pudding and fasten it up, leaving a little room in the bag for the pudding to swell. now place the whole in enough boiling water to cover the bag, and boil two hours, turning the bag several times to prevent its scorching against the bottom or sides of the pot. if necessary to add water to keep the bag covered, add boiling water. when done take the pudding from the pot, plunge it into cold water for an instant, and then turn it out to be eaten. omaha pudding. mix in a deep dish one quart of sifted flour and one tablespoonful of baking powder. dissolve one heaping teaspoonful of salt in one half pint of cold water (or milk), adding enough of the latter to the former to make a very thick batter. mix quickly and boil in a bag as above. batter pudding. one quart of sifted flour in a deep dish worked into a smooth paste with one quart of sweet milk; then mix in the yolks of seven eggs, beaten well, one teaspoonful of salt and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of baking powder dissolved in a little hot water. stir hard and finally work in quickly the whites of the seven eggs, which should previously have been beaten into a stiff froth. boil two hours in bags and leave plenty of room for it to swell. corn starch pudding. dissolve three tablespoonfuls of corn starch in a small quantity of milk, add two eggs, beaten light, and a small pinch of salt. heat three pints of milk nearly to boiling, mix all together and boil four minutes, constantly stirring. dip a cup or basin in cold water to cool it, and turn into it the pudding, which should be eaten with sugar and milk when it is cold. baked rice pudding. pick over and wash well one pint of rice and soak it two hours in enough milk or water to just cover it. then stir it into two quarts of milk, one half pound of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, and a small quantity of nutmeg or cinnamon, if at hand. put into the baking basins, having first well greased them, and bake in the ground two or three hours till it is done brown. creole sauce. the juice of a lemon, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, ditto of tomato catsup, one teaspoonful of mustard. heat all to near the boiling point, and use hot with meats or game. welsh rarebit. cut bread into slices about one inch in thickness, and pare off the crust. toast the slices slightly without hardening or burning and spread with butter; cut slices of cheese not quite as large as the bread, lay it on the bread, and toast all over the fire on a broiler. be careful that the cheese does not burn, and let it be equally melted. spread over the top a little mustard already prepared and seasoning of pepper, and serve very hot. fried bread for soups. cut stale bread into square pieces, and fry in boiling fat for an instant. take care it does not burn, removing it as soon as brown. stewed cranberries. pick the berries carefully; then wash them in cold water; drain. put them into fresh cold water and allow them to remain therein five or ten minutes; drain. then put the fruit into a well-covered pot (not iron) with sufficient boiling water to cover the berries. stew rather quickly, stirring occasionally until soft. they should cook in from twenty to thirty minutes. five minutes before they are done stir in sugar to taste. chapter vii. dishes for yachtsmen.--macaroni, boiled and baked.--baked turkey.--pie crust.--brown betty.--apple pudding.--apple dumplings. for the benefit of corinthian yachtsmen, recipes are here given for some dishes which are rather too elaborate in preparation for camp purposes, but which can be cooked readily in the yacht's galley, if it be provided with a regular yacht's stove, having an oven, etc. boiled macaroni. wipe the macaroni carefully, and break it into lengths, put it into a pot of boiling salt water, say ten times as much water as macaroni. boil fifteen to twenty minutes, or until tender. take care that it does not burst or become a pulp from excessive boiling; drain at once and season with butter. if desired to impart the flavor of onion to macaroni boil with it two onions for each pound of macaroni. the liquor drained from the macaroni may be used for broth or soup. boiled macaroni may be served with a white sauce, made as follows; for one pound of macaroni put into a pot over the fire two ounces of butter and two ounces of flour, stir until it becomes smooth, then gradually stir in one quart of hot milk and water in equal parts, season with pepper and salt, put in the macaroni, and let it remain over the fire for one minute. or, as soon as the butter and flour bubbles, gradually pour in one quart of boiling water, stirring it until it becomes smooth; season with pepper and salt; put in the macaroni and let it remain over the fire for one minute. have ready one or two onions, minced or shredded, fried brown. dish the macaroni and pour the fried onions over it. boiled macaroni may be served with tomato sauce made as follows: for one pound of macaroni put into a pot half a can of tomatoes, or twelve large fresh ones, one half a pint of stock, gravy, or broth of any kind, a little thyme or parsley, six whole cloves, a sliced onion, pepper and salt. cover and boil gently for one hour, stirring frequently; drain and press the mixture through a sieve (an old pan full of nail holes will do); then stir into it about two ounces of butter and one ounce of flour, previously mixed smooth over the fire; stir until it is well incorporated; pour it over the macaroni: sprinkle on top grated cheese, and put it into the oven for five or ten minutes. baked macaroni and cheese. boil and drain the macaroni and with it fill by layers a buttered earthen dish, seasoning each layer with butter, grated cheese, mustard, pepper, and salt; add bread crumbs for the top layer. cover and put it into the oven, and bake with a moderate heat for a half hour. remove the cover, and when the top is browned serve in the baking-dish. minced fat pork may be used instead of butter. baked turkey. tame and wild turkeys are prepared and cooked alike. the time for cooking is from fifteen to twenty minutes to the pound, but this depends much upon the age of the bird; it must be well done to be palatable. success lies in cooking it long enough, and frequent basting. put the turkey into a pan of cold water; rinse it inside and out in three or four waters; in the last water but one dissolve a teaspoonful of soda. fill the body with this water; shake it well; pour it off and rinse with fresh water; wipe it dry inside and out; rub the inside with pepper and salt. prepare a stuffing as follows; mix into enough grated bread crumbs to fill the craw and body of the turkey a half teaspoonful of summer savory, thyme, or sage, four ounces of lard, four ounces of butter, with enough warm water to make the mixture moist. mix all thoroughly and stuff the craw and body with it; tie a string tightly about the neck; sew up the incision; tie down the wings and legs; then lay it on its back in the baking-pan; wet the skin and season it with pepper and salt and dredge it with flour. distribute on the upper side small pieces of butter; put into the pan about a pint of boiling stock or a quarter of a pound of butter; have a brisk fire; put the pan into the oven and bake. baste frequently, at least every ten minutes; bake to a rich brown. if it browns too rapidly lay a sheet of white paper over it until the lower part is done. when the turkey is browned on the breast turn it over in the pan while in the oven. pepper, salt, and dredge the back with flour, and bake until browned, basting as above. when baked remove the strings from the neck and body; put it into a hot dish and serve with a flour gravy, made as described on page . the turkey may also be stuffed with sausage-meat, fresh oysters or roasted chestnuts. pie crust. all pie crust should be made in a cool place and handled as little as possible during the process. the heat from the hand makes the crust tough. the ingredients are: one quart of flour (sifted); one-fourth of a pound butter; one-half teaspoonful salt; enough cold water to make a stiff dough. sift the flour into a deep wooden bowl or tin pan; put into it the salt; mix; then the lard. with a keen chopping-knife cut up the lard into the flour until it is thoroughly incorporated, with no lumps; wet with cold water, stirring it in with a wooden spoon until it becomes a stiff dough. flour the hands and make dough into a lump with as little handling as possible. remove lump to well-floured kneading-board, and roll it out into a sheet a fourth of an inch thick, always rolling from you, and with as little pressure upon the rolling-pin as may be necessary. into the rolled sheet stick small pieces of butter at regular intervals. dredge slightly with flour. roll up the sheet, commencing to roll from the side nearest you. roll out, again buttering and dredging until the butter is exhausted. if time will permit, when the butter has been exhausted and the roll made up, lay it away in a cold place or on the ice for twenty minutes. place it again upon the floured kneading-board, roll out into a sheet as hereinbefore directed. butter the pie-plates; lay the paste lightly within them, fitting it nicely. trim off the paste neatly around the edges of the pie-plates. gather up the cuttings and roll them into a separate sheet. if the pies are to have a top crust, cover the tops with the paste, cutting neatly round the edges, and with a knife, spoon or the fingers join securely the edges of the top and sides to prevent escape of juices. then with a sharp knife make three or four incisions about an inch long in the center of the top crust. if the top crust is lightly brushed with sweet milk, it will brown evenly. bake in a moderate oven until a light brown. be careful to have the heat as great at the bottom as at the top of oven. if this is not looked to, the lower crust will be uncooked and inedible. should a richer crust be desired the proportions of lard and butter can be doubled. brown betty (baked). the ingredients are: cooking-apples, pared, cored, and sliced; dry-bread crumbs, or well-toasted bread rolled into crumbs; sugar, butter, and ground cinnamon. grease well a deep baking-dish. into the bottom of this put a layer of prepared apples; sprinkle them lightly with sugar; scatter small pieces of butter over this, then dust with ground cinnamon; over this place a layer of bread crumbs from one-half to three-quarters of an inch thick; over this apples, butter, and cinnamon, and continue this process until the dish is full, or until sufficient material has been used. the top layer must be crumbs, and on this must be scattered small pieces of butter. if the top layer is moistened with a couple of tablespoonfuls of milk it will brown more evenly. put into a moderate oven and bake from a half to three-quarters of an hour. when a fork will easily penetrate the apples it is cooked. alden dried apples may be substituted for the fresh fruit. it can be eaten hot or cold with butter, sugar, or sauce. baked apple pudding. use the following ingredients: apples pared, cored and sliced; one quart sifted flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder, incorporated with the dry flour; one-half teaspoonful salt; two tablespoonfuls lard (half butter is preferable); one pint milk (cold water will do). have ready sugar, butter, and ground cinnamon. put flour into a deep dish or pan; mix into it the salt and lard; then add the milk, and work the mixture with the hands to a smooth light dough. roll the dough into a sheet about one-quarter of an inch thick. have prepared a well-greased baking-dish. cover the bottom and sides of the dish with rolled dough or paste, press it lightly against the sides and bottom, and cutoff the edges above the dish. put into the bottom of the baking-dish thus prepared a thick layer of sliced apples, sprinkle them with sugar and ground cinnamon, then another layer of apples treated in like manner, and so on successively until the dish is full. the top layer of apples should have the dressing of sugar and cinnamon, and be also sprinkled with small pieces of butter. wet the top layer with three or four teaspoonfuls of water, and then sprinkle it lightly with dry flour. take the remainder of the dough, roll it out thin, and cover the dish with it, pressing the paste down round the edges of the dish to join it with the paste that lines the sides. make three or four incisions in the cover with a sharp knife. then put the dish into a moderate oven and bake from one to one and a half hours. when a fork easily penetrates the pudding, it is cooked. eat hot with sauce. alden dried apples, canned apples, canned peaches, or fresh peaches pared, quartered, and the stones extracted may be used. baked apple dumplings. the apples pared, cored and quartered. prepare paste as directed for baked apple pudding above. when the paste is rolled, cut it into squares, and in the centre of each square place the four parts of an apple; add to each apple a piece of butter the size of a chestnut and a small sprinkle of sugar and ground cinnamon. envelop the apple in the paste, pressing the cut edges together. place the dumplings thus prepared into a well-greased baking-pan, cut edges downwards. bake a half to three-fourths of an hour in a moderate oven. when a fork will penetrate the dumplings they are cooked. apples dried by the alden process may be used. hints. cooking in iron pots.--let nothing stand in an iron pot after it is cooked, or it will become discolored and have an unpleasant taste. rusty knives.--if knives become rusty, rub them with a fresh-cut potato dipped in ashes. emetic.--gunpowder dissolved in water is a good emetic. save the bacon grease.--after frying salt pork, bacon or fat meat, do not discard the grease that is left in the pan. keep a cup or small tin pail, in which pour all residue. it will soon harden, and is just the thing for frying slapjacks or potatoes in. improved river water for drinking.--if you make tea do not throw out the "grounds" after each drawing. in warm weather ordinary lake or river water will taste very refreshing if poured into the pot where tea-grounds have been left, and allowed to stand a few minutes before drinking. salt.--it is always best in cooking to use too little salt rather than too much. further salting can be easily done at any time, but it is difficult or impossible to freshen anything that has been over-salted. baking powder.--in using baking powder it is always best to follow the printed directions on the can as to the amount. the different makes of baking powders have each a different strength. spoons.--on a canoe trip, where storage room is at a premium, one spoon will suffice for all purposes. let it be of iron, of "dessert" size. get a tinsmith to cut off two inches of the handle, and solder strongly to the stump a tin cylinder one-half inch in diameter. there will be no long handle to interfere with packing it in a small space, and if a long handle is desired for skimming soups, stirring mush, etc., a stick of any length can be instantly cut to fit the tin cylinder. frozen fish should be soaked in cold water to thaw them before cooking. fish-eating ducks may be made palatable by parboiling them in water with an onion in it. after parboiling them throw away the onion and lay the ducks in cold water for half an hour, after which they may be roasted, broiled, fried or stewed. soft vs. hard water.--beans, peas and other vegetables are best boiled in soft water. hard water can be made soft (if its hardness depends upon the presence of carbonate of lime) by boiling it an hour and then allowing it to cool, when most of the lime will be precipitated. broiling.--remember that it is better to broil before a fire than over it, as by the former process the juices of the meat can be caught and used as a dressing, while in the latter manner they are lost in the fire and tend to give a smoky flavor by their ignition. in broiling, the article should be turned frequently. frying.--the lard or fat used for frying should always be very hot before the article to be cooked is put in. if little jets of smoke issue from the top of the fat it is hot enough. if the fat is insufficiently hot, anything cooked in it will taste of the grease, while the moment a substance is dropped into fat at a great heat the exterior pores are closed, and no grease penetrates it. mixing ingredients.--preciseness in the preparation of ingredients is an important element of success in cooking. guessing at proportions is the practice of the lazy or indifferent cook. new iron pots.--boil a handful of grass in a new iron pot, then scrub it inside with soap and sand, fill it with clean water and let this boil half an hour. it is then ready to use for cooking. table of approximate weights and measures.--the following table may be of use. it is near enough to accuracy for cooking purposes:-- three teaspoonfuls = one tablespoonful. four tablespoonfuls = one wine glass. two wine glasses = one gill. two gills = one tumbler or cup. two cupfuls = one pint. one quart sifted flour = one pound. one quart powdered sugar = one pound, seven ounces. one quart granulated sugar = one pound, nine ounces. one pint closely packed butter = one pound. three cupfuls sugar = one pound. five cupfuls sifted flour = one pound. one tablespoonful salt = one ounce. seven tablespoonfuls granulated sugar = one half pint. twelve tablespoonfuls flour = one pint. three coffee cupfuls = one quart. ten eggs = one pound. yeast.--a serviceable yeast for leavening bread may be made by mixing flour and cold water into a thin batter. set it away in a bottle until it sours, when it is ready for use. index. apple dumplings (baked), -- pudding (baked), ash cakes, bacon, fried, -- grease should be saved, bags, waterproof, for provisions and clothing, baked apple dumplings, -- apple pudding, -- brown betty, -- deer's head, -- fish, plain, -- -- stuffed, -- macaroni with cheese, -- rice pudding, -- turkey, baking powder, -- -- biscuits, -- time necessary for, -- without a stove, ballast, canned goods for, batter cakes, -- pudding, beans, fried, -- pork and, -- soup, beds, camp, beef, frizzled, betty, brown, biscuits, baking powder, -- hecker's flour, -- maryland, blacksmith's pliers, , blanketed oysters, boiled cabbage, -- eggs, -- fish, boiled fish roe, -- green corn, -- macaroni, -- meat, -- pork, -- potatoes, -- rice, -- turnips, box for provisions, the canoeist's, - box for salt and pepper, bread, fried, for soups, -- pilot, -- quick camp, -- unleavened, broiled mushrooms, -- salt pork, -- steaks, broiling hints, -- in a frying-pan, brown betty (baked), brunswick stew, butter jar, cabbage aux legumes, -- boiled, -- fried cooked, cakes, ash, -- batter, -- hoe, -- rice, camp bed, -- cellar, -- dining-table, -- fire, - -- stove, - canned corn beef, -- food for canoe ballast, canoe stove, -- -- danforth's, cellar, camp, chest, provision, for canoeists, - chowder, clam, -- -- orthodox, -- fish, clam chowder. (_see_ chowder.) -- soup, coffee, -- pot, construction of, condensed provisions, cooking in iron pots, corn, boiled, -- fried, -- roasted, -- stewed, -- dodgers, -- pone, -- starch pudding, corned beef, canned, cornmeal mush, -- -- slapjacks, crabs, hard shell, -- soft, cracked wheat, cranberries, stewed, creole sauce, crust, pie, damp wood, to start a fire with, danforth fluid canoe stove, deer's head soup, dishes, washing, driftwood for fires, drinking river and lake water, dumplings, apple (baked), ducks, fish-eating, -- roast, -- stewed, eggs, boiled, -- fried, -- poached, -- scrambled, -- ham and, -- method of carrying to avoid breakage, , emetic, fish, , fish, baked, plain, -- -- stuffed, -- boiled, -- chowder, -- fried, -- gravy, -- planked, -- sauce, -- soup, -- skewered, -- caught in muddy streams, -- frozen, -- grubs in, -- roe, boiled, -- -- fried, -- should be killed as soon as caught, fish-eating ducks, fire, best fuel for, , -- for camp cooking, - -- how to build, -- how to start with damp wood, -- of driftwood, flamme forcé, , flapjacks. (_see_ slapjacks.) flour gravy, flour, self-raising, folding stoves, forequarter of venison, fried beans, -- cold mush, -- cooked cabbage, -- -- potatoes, -- eggs, -- fish, -- -- roe, -- green corn, -- mushrooms, -- oysters, -- pigeons, -- raw potatoes, -- salt pork (or bacon), -- squirrels, frizzled beef, frogs, frozen fish, frying hints, frying-pan, broiling in, -- handleless, fuel for camp-fire, , game, , -- soup of small, -- stew, -- stuffed and roasted, gravy, flour, -- fish, -- for stews, grease, save the bacon, green corn, boiled, -- -- fried, -- -- roasted, -- -- stewed, greens, grits, hominy, grouse, roast, "grub-box," canoeist's, - grubs in fish, ham and eggs, hash, -- pork, hard-shell crabs, hard vs. soft water, hares or rabbits, hecker's flour biscuits, -- -- slapjacks, -- prepared flour, hints, hominy grits, hoe cakes, ice-box, ingredients, mixing, iron pots, cooking in, -- -- new, johnnycake, kerosene stoves, wind-protected, knives, rusty, macaroni, baked with cheese, -- boiled, -- sauce for, maryland biscuit, mashed potatoes, measures and weights, table of, meat, boiled, -- soup, mixing ingredients, mush, cold, fried, -- corn meal, -- oatmeal, mushrooms vs. poisonous fungi, mushrooms, broiled, -- fried, -- stewed, new iron pots, oatmeal mush, oil-stoves, wind-protected, omaha pudding, onion soup, opossums, oven, portable, oyster soup, oysters, blanketed, -- fried, pack baskets for carrying outfit, pancakes. (_see_ slapjacks.) pea soup, pepper and salt boxes, pie crust, pigeons, fried, -- stewed, pigs, young, pilot bread, planked fish, pliers, blacksmith's, , plover, roast, plum pudding, poached eggs, pone, corn, porcupines, pork and beans, pork, boiled, -- broiled, -- fried, -- hash, -- selection of, portable oven, 'possums, potatoes, boiled, -- fried (raw), -- fried (cooked), -- mashed, -- roasted, -- stewed, -- sweet, pots, iron, cooking in, -- -- new, powder, baking, provisions consumed in a week's cruise, pudding, apple (baked), -- batter, -- corn starch, -- omaha, -- plum, -- rice, quail, roast, quick camp bread, rabbits or hares, rabbit, stewed, range, out-door cooking, - rarebit, welsh, rice cakes, -- boiled, -- pudding, baked, -- soup, river water, improved for drinking, roast ducks and grouse, -- green corn, -- potatoes, -- quail, snipe and plover, -- venison, -- woodcock, rusty knives, salt and pepper boxes, -- in cooking, sauce, creole, sausages, venison, scrambled eggs, self-raising flour, shoulder of venison, stuffed, skewered trout, slapjacks, -- cornmeal, -- hecker's flour, -- wheat, small game soup, snipe, roast, soft crabs, soups, , -- brunswick, -- fried bread for, -- general remarks on making, , -- huckins', soup, bean, -- clam, -- deer's head, -- fish, -- meat, -- onion, -- oyster, -- pea, -- rice, -- small game, -- tomato, -- turtle, -- vegetable, spoon, improved, squirrels, fried, steaks, broiled, stew, brunswick, -- of game, stewed cranberries, -- ducks or pigeons, -- green corn, -- mushrooms, -- potatoes, -- rabbits, -- tomatoes, stews, gravy for, stove, camp, - -- canoe, -- folding, stuffed baked fish, -- game roasted, -- shoulder of venison, succotash, sweet potatoes, table, camp, -- of weights and measures, tea, tins for carrying provisions, tomatoes, stewed, tomato soup, trout, skewered, turkey, baked, turnips, boiled, turtle soup, unleavened bread, utensils for camp cookery, , -- for canoe cookery, - vegetables, remarks on, -- for a canoe cruise, -- time-table for cooking, - vegetable soup, venison, forequarter of, venison, roast, -- sausages, -- stuffed shoulder of, washing dishes, water, hard vs. soft, -- river, improved for drinking, waterproof bags for provisions and clothing, weights and measures, table of, welsh rarebit, wheat, cracked, -- slapjacks, woodchucks, woodcock, roast, yachtsmen, dishes for, yeast, footnotes: [a] see note on baking powder in the chapter of "hints." [b] this is a favorite virginia dish, of which the compiler of this book has eaten, but which he has never cooked. the recipe here given is said by an old virginian to be reliable. [c] if the unopened can is put in boiling water, only about ten minutes are necessary. transcriber's notes: text in italics is surrounded with underscores: _italics_. inconsistencies in spelling, hyphenation, grammar, and punctuation have been standardized. _i go a-marketing_ _by_ henrietta sowle ("henriette") [illustration] _boston_ · little, brown and company · _mdcccc_ _copyright, , by little, brown, and company._ university press · john wilson and son · cambridge, u. s. a. _to_ mr. edward h. clement contents page january february march april may june july august september october november december index _author's note_ before dipping into this book very far, reader (pray note that i cozen you with neither "gentle" nor "dear"), allow me to suggest that you familiarize yourself with the spirit of emerson, who has allowed that the truly consistent person changes his mind whenever occasion offers. then you will be in a frame of mind to acknowledge that i have but exercised my privilege if you chance upon passages that seem to put me in a self-contradictory position. i hold to one opinion till new or increased light shows me i would do well to change, no longer. is it necessary, i wonder, to say that this compilation of _persiflage_ and cookery is not intended to be the whole culinary library of any housekeeper? in case it may be believed that i have any such inflated idea of its value, let me say at once that any housekeeper who secures this book, by buying or by borrowing, will want just as many of the old-line "cook-books" at hand as if she had never heard of it. its mission is a supplementary one. it is for those dark and dreary days when the housekeeper "wants something good," but cannot say what. it suggests. therein is all of beauty and use, for "beauty is truth, truth beauty, that is all ye know and all ye need to know." furthermore, it is for the housekeeper who knows by experience, or intuition, how to lay a fire, and how to broil a steak. with kindergarten methods it does not deal--it rather takes it for granted that it will fall into the hands of those who have been graduated from kindergarten cookery. neither does it attempt to set forth the duties of butlers or of housemaids. it goes on the principle rather that the housekeeper who supports these factotums knows what their duties should be. and is there any necessity for those who cannot attain to such appointments burdening their minds with knowledge never to be used? think on all these things omitted when you are getting inspiration from this slender source, and be thankful that i have shown so much consideration for you. "read my little fable: he that runs may read. most can raise the flowers now, for all have got the seed." _i go a-marketing_ january "_still beauty must be stealing hearts, and knavery stealing purses; still cooks must live by making tarts and wits by making verses._" some fine day, perchance, i shall to market go and find there what all housekeepers are "a-sighin' and a-cryin' for"--namely a new edible; and be it fish, flesh, or fowl, i shall, with all haste, make you acquainted with its nature, and with the name of the marketman who introduces the boon; and methinks that nothing short of canonization should reward the man, or woman, who finds "something new under the sun." but till that blessed day of discovery really arrives i must be content with telling you of ways that may be new and tricks that are worth trying for the serving of viands which have constituted human nature's daily food since the world began. unless, however, i can bring to your minds by my suggestions a state of contentment which will enable you to await that hour of revealment with patience almost amounting to indifference, my duty is but half done. sausages so here goes for a beginning. don't you ever feel quite dissatisfied with the ordinary, yes and the extraordinary, sausages of commerce? of course you do. no need to ask. they are flat, there's no gainsaying it. but it's the easiest thing in the world to have home-made sausages seasoned to a point that will make them things of gastronomical joy. there must be equal quantities of lean and fat fresh pork finely minced; then to a pound of this meat add one-quarter of an ounce of salt, more or less, one-eighth of an ounce of good business-like pepper, more or less, and powdered sage _ad lib._ the use of seasoning, you see, is not bound by any hard and fast rules; in cases of this kind a due regard must be shown the whims and fancies of the palates to be pleased. once you have added the proper amount of seasoning, add enough well beaten egg to allow of the mixture being moulded to any desired shape, and fried to a nice brown. and there you have a dish fit to put before a king. if the simplicity and homeliness of it somewhat upsets your equilibrium, why call it saucisses grillées; they'll taste just as well. they can be served either upon rounds of toasted bread or upon a foundation of cold boiled potatoes which have been diced and heated in cream. if you are having them for luncheon then serve them on toast, but with the addition of a tomato purée. no need to tell how to make that; it's an old story. broiled pork chops; piquant sauce another old story, altogether too old, is the way most housekeepers have of frying pork chops. they should never be fried. the only respectable way is to broil them decently and in order over a hot bed of coals. in that way what little juice they contain will be retained. but even then they will be so dry that you must supplement them with something,--say a sauce made of half a pint of good clear stock, highly seasoned, and having in it a tablespoonful of chopped pickled peppers and some sliced gherkins, with the juice of a lemon added. apple croquettes or, you can serve with them apple croquettes, made by stewing the apples in a little butter, with a tiny bit of sugar; when quite cold, with the aid of a few bread-crumbs, shape the apple into croquettes, roll them in crumbs and beaten egg and fry. arrange the croquettes, which must be not more than an inch in diameter, with the chops upon a platter in any fanciful way that suggests itself to you, and the condition of the platter at the end of the meal will tell you whether or not the experiment was worth the trying. roasted pork with onion sauce these croquettes will win favor for themselves if you will try serving them some time with a loin of fresh pork, roasted. you will want to serve with them only the simplest kind of clear gravy. but you may prefer to serve the roasted loin of pork on steamed rice garnished with button onions, which have been boiled till fairly tender and then fried in butter to a light brown. if this is your preference, make a sauce by frying in two gills of oil, half a pound of minced onion, a pinch of parsley leaves, a crushed clove of garlic and a bay leaf, with salt and pepper; dilute with a pint of good stock, preferably white; strain and finish by adding the juice of a lemon and an ounce of fresh butter. by the way, when fresh pork is to be roasted, it is an excellent plan to rub salt well into it about twenty-four hours before cooking. if you slice and serve it cold you will readily see the wisdom of giving the salt a chance to work its way through and season the whole loin. roasted ham when a ham is to be roasted, and small hams do make excellent roasts, a ham of about five pounds' weight should be skinned and boiled in enough water to cover it; in this water you will want to put, just for variety's sake, a carrot, an onion, three bay-leaves, three cloves, one clove of garlic, and six peppercorns. boil very gently for about one hour; then remove from the fire, drain it well, and coat it with a paste of oil and flour. be sure that it is well covered with the paste to prevent the escape of the juice, put into the oven and roast for about two hours. cider sauce serve it with a sauce made of a sufficient quantity of the stock, to which you have added half its amount of cider, and there you behold what is commonly known as champagne sauce. but, bless you, it's very doubtful if champagne is often used, as after it is heated it would be a sensitive palate indeed that could tell whether champagne or cider were employed. just a hint right here of what may be done with bits of cold ham, for we may never be on this subject again. have some thin slices of toasted white bread, spread well with butter and a trifle of mustard, then equal parts of grated cheese and minced ham, and some cayenne pepper. send to the oven for a few minutes, or until the cheese is dissolved, and serve immediately. say what you will, it is a delectable dish, this ham toast, and whether you allow for it in a prearranged luncheon or whether it is concocted on the impulse of the moment, when the necessity suddenly arises for a dish of the kind, trust me, whoever partakes of it will vow that it "relishes of wit and invention." broiled pigs' feet perhaps this batch of suggestions would be incomplete with no reference in it to the cooking of pigs' feet, and yet there's very little variety in the methods of preparing them. the simplest is the best, it seems to me, and that is dipping them in melted butter, then in bread-crumbs, and broiling over a moderate fire. a piquant sauce is by long odds the sauce par excellence to be served with them. some chefs de cuisine prepare them elaborately with truffles, to my mind, however, there's an incongruity in a combination of pork and truffles. but of course it's only a matter of taste, and it is more than possible that there will be some who read this and deplore my poor taste in devoting so much space to ways and means of cooking pork. well, to such i offer the suggestion that they call it a chapter on porcine potentials, and pass on. * * * * * by all means let us be economical--truly economical. but let us never make the grievous but common mistake of thinking that the buying of cheap, downright cheap food is economy. to commit such an error in judgment is to lay the cornerstone of more than one kind of unhappiness. but you know that, too. and with so many inexpensive viands as there are to be had, susceptible as they are of so many ways of serving, one can, with the exercise of a little judgment in such matters, have the appearance of "living high" when in reality one is laying up money out of the weekly table allowance, if one has such an institution in one's family. for myself, i have a great respect for a housekeeper who keeps within her allowance week in and week out, year after year. but for the one who cuts loose occasionally from all allowance limits when there is a "good thing up" i have the sincerest admiration and sympathy. it is with such a one that i always feel tempted to outstay my welcome if i get the shadow of a chance to be so ill bred. such an ignoring of trammels of the financial sort is an indication of truancy in other matters now and then that rather appeals to me, to be very honest about it. but i don't recommend it to you or to any one. perhaps it hasn't a place here, but since it is written it shall stand, labelled _en parenthèse_. and we will talk of codfish--fresh codfish. this is a species of the gadus family that is eligible for duty in a family of any class--high, low, or middle. it may follow the soup at an unlimited course dinner and not be out of its element or it may form the _pièce de résistance_, or in fact the only piece of any kind at a dinner of another sort and still be quite at home. fresh codfish, delmonico style; broiled fresh codfish now let us get to business. suppose that some day you have a piping hot oven that is as idle as you would like to be and that you have also a fresh codfish in the house split with the backbone removed for broiling. let me suggest that you dry it well, put it in a buttered baking pan, skin side down, coat it with melted butter, sprinkle it with salt, pepper, lemon juice, chopped parsley and chopped onion. then bestrew it with bread crumbs moistened in melted butter and set into the oven to brown. get it out as gracefully as possible when it is done, flip a little melted butter and lemon juice over it and serve. or, if you can't break away from tradition and have sworn to have a broiled fish broiled then i am sure that you do keep within your allowance for the table and will treat the fish this way: you will dry it well with a cloth, then brush it with melted butter, sprinkle salt and a little pepper, put it on the buttered bars of the broiler, and let the fire do the rest. then after it is dished, sprinkle it with perhaps a few capers, surround it with broiled thin slices of bacon, and be on the alert to catch the first expression that flits over the face of the one who furnishes you with the aforesaid table allowance to see if all is well with the fish and consequently with you. am i right? baked fresh codfish but i would be willing to wager the price of a whole "catch" of codfish that i can tell you of a bran new way to bake one. read and see for yourself. have the size that seems to find most favor in your family and fill it with a forcemeat made by mincing to paste a pound of raw codfish. add to it half a pint of cream that has been just boiled, that's all, and thickened with two eggs. season with salt, a chopped onion--chopped so finely that it is of a paste consistency and fill the fish with the mixture. for pepper let me suggest that you use paprika in preference to any other brand. cook till the fish is done and serve with any rich sauce that appeals to you. any or all of the foregoing recipes may be applied to haddock, as you probably suspect--if you know anything at all about fish. * * * * * you don't know, you housekeepers of america what a jolly good reputation you've got to live up to unless you happen to have read g. w. steevens's clever book, "the land of the dollar," in which he says of our national breakfasts: "first you have fruit--wonderful pears that look like green stones and taste like the tree of life. then mush, so they call oatmeal porridge, or wheatmeal porridge or hominy porridge, a noble food with the nectarous american cream. then fishes and meats, sausages, and bacon and eggs. then strange farinaceous foods which you marvel to find yourself swallowing with avid gust--graham bread, soda biscuits, buckwheat or griddle cakes with butter and maple treacle. it is magnificent; but it is indigestion. all the same, i look forward to the day when america shall produce an invention that will let me go across the atlantic every morning for breakfast. i shall take a season ticket." now let my humble pen chip in two or three things that shall help you to live up to this estimate of you. sweet corn croquettes suppose you are having a dish of fried eggs after a manner described later on in this book. go still further, and see fit to have some croquettes also. do you know just what they should be? if in doubt let them be of canned sweet corn. mix with half a can of the corn two-thirds of its quantity of mashed potatoes, salt and a good generous bit of melted butter. then form into croquettes, dip in beaten egg and crumbs and fry to a fine color in hot fat. sublimated hash or, as second choice, you might like hash instead of the eggs fried. now, look here; you know me well enough by this time, i hope, to believe that when i suggest hash it is none of the commonplace minces that you shun at the table of your very best friend. of what i have to say in the line of hash you won't be overdoing the thing if you refer to it for evermore as a "sublimated hash." see for yourself: chop an onion and fry it in a good bit of butter till it is tender and likewise brown. then put into the butter two cupfuls of diced cold mutton, diced not chopped, and one cupful of diced cold boiled potatoes. pepper and salt to your fancy. then put in four tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce and have ready some chopped parsley for sprinkling over the dish when it is served. rice muffins you might for a flyer try rice muffins with this hash. have a cup of flour and sifted through it two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. add to it a tablespoonful of sugar, a saltspoonful of salt, and pass this through a sieve. have three eggs well beaten in a cup of milk with half a cup of melted butter and stir into the flour. when it is perfectly smooth add to it two cupfuls of cold boiled or steamed rice. turn into small pans and bake in a hot oven. by grating in a little nutmeg to these muffins you will have a delicious dish for luncheon. rhode island johnnycake now, our friend steevens spoke of griddle cakes and buckwheat cakes. of these you know all that is necessary for any housekeeper to know. but i'll wager a good sum that rhode island meal is an unknown quantity to you. make its acquaintance then as soon as possible and set about having rhode island johnnycakes often. you will want nothing but the meal, some milk and salt. have them considerably thinner than ordinary flour griddle cakes and fry in a little fat on a hot griddle so that the edges are crisp and toothsome. if you want to bake them have a cup of meal to a cup and one-half of milk with a pinch of salt, and bake in gem pans till brown. instead of having butter with either the fried or baked specimens of this johnnycake try some of our "nectarous cream." is it a go? * * * * * now and then, throughout this book, the directions for making a salad are brought in incidentally to the main topic of discourse. nowhere are they treated as the _pièce de résistance_, so to speak, of a chapter. and here are not many--only a few that go especially well in cold weather, when to have any variety at all in salads incurs a considerable outlay of rumination. just a little inventive faculty and a firm purpose to have your table superior, even in details, to that of your dearest enemy, and you can with materials on hand in january have salads that give the eternal chicken and lobster with mayonnaise the go-by,--though, i fear me, the snubbing in the near future will come from the lobster itself. but that's not to be discussed at just this minute. red cabbage salad before this you have probably made red cabbage salad with a french dressing and with a spread of mayonnaise over it, so that you think you know it all, but have you tried adding to it some celery? this is the way it is done. all the coarse outside leaves of the cabbage are removed and the inside is finely shredded. then the best stalks of a head of celery are cut into inch pieces and put into the salad bowl, a layer of celery, then one of the cabbage, and so on, heaping a bit in the centre. garnish with the fresh green leaves of the celery; pour a dressing, made of a beaten egg, three tablespoonfuls of oil, two of vinegar, a saltspoon of salt, a dash of cayenne, and a suspicion of mustard, over all, and let stand for half an hour in a cool place before serving. for luncheon, when you are having croquettes of left-over ham bits, or of cold tongue scraps, this goes very near to being what would tempt any sane person to ask for a second helping. spanish onion salad then there is a way to make an onion salad, that sets you to wondering why you never heard of it before. have the spanish onions, and soak them four or five hours, after peeling, in cold water, changing the water every hour, or even oftener, if your time isn't too precious. then slice and chop them, but not to the mussy stage. freeze them, not too hard, but so they will be crisp and cold. meanwhile, prepare a dressing of two-thirds oil to one-third vinegar, with salt and pepper to taste, and pour over them. serve immediately. but don't forget the garnish, which naturally suggests itself--parsley, to be sure, and plenty of it. with this salad? well, we will suppose it is making its début in your household at an after-theatre snack. so have with it toasted water crackers, a bit of swiss cheese, a smoked herring or two. and beer, of course. sardine salad now, don't skip what is going down here about a sardine salad--you will miss it if you do. i know you will say you wouldn't fancy the oil in which they are preserved in a salad, and i can see that rather superior curl your lip takes on as you say it. but soak them for an hour in vinegar, then remove the skin from them and arrange in a circle on your salad dish. in the centre heap pitted and quartered olives. make a dressing of the strained juice of a lemon mixed with a tablespoonful of olive oil, a bit of salt and of paprika, and over all a sprinkling of capers. then, take a taste of it when your turn comes, and be sorry you were inclined to pass by it. brussels sprouts salad now and then, you know, we do have a few brussels sprouts left over from the day before's dinner, and at the price usually asked we couldn't throw them away, and yet there weren't enough to pay for reheating. so, in order to be forehanded, and also to have the "makings" of a delicious salad in the house, get double the quantity you usually have the next time you are getting them, and be glad for every one that is left over, for the next day you will sprinkle a few drops of lemon juice over them, coat them with a mayonnaise, sprinkle with capers and sliced olives, and serve very cold. at a simple little dinner, where you are having "left-overs" daintily fixed up, this salad works in beautifully, or if you are giving a dinner that is as elaborate as anything you ever turn out, count on this salad to be one of the features of your dinner. oyster salad a delicious offering to put before your household some night is a salad of oysters. have a quart of them, say, drain and wipe them well from their own liquor. boil a cup of vinegar, and season it while boiling with salt and white pepper. pour it over the oysters, and let them stand for two hours or so. then drain them pretty dry, and lay on a bed of chopped celery in the salad bowl. if the oysters are very large cut in halves or quarters. have a layer of chopped celery on top of the oysters, and coat thickly with mayonnaise. be sure, however, that the oysters are perfectly cold before adding to the celery. garnish with a few oyster crabs, pickled at the same time the oysters were pickled, and some sliced olives. to be very, very extravagant in making this salad, if you so want to be for the purpose of impressing some one, add to it a few sliced truffles that have been soaked in white wine for an hour or two. nut salad for some occasions, at this season of the year, a nut salad just fills the bill as nothing else can. choose almost any kind of nuts, but preferably let them be mainly english walnuts. have them in halves, or in quarters, and squeeze lemon juice over them fifteen minutes before dressing. then add to them half their quantity of quartered olives, some very tender little celery leaves, and a thin mask of mayonnaise. really, when you have turned out this salad, for a party supper, say, you need give yourselves very little uneasiness as to how the other viands will set with your guests. such a salad is calculated to redeem a good many faults in other directions. fruit salad just a word about a sweet salad, and this screed is ended. oranges. it shall be of oranges--big, luscious, juicy, seedless oranges, that are at their height for the next two months or more. these you slice, after peeling, as you would an apple. put a layer of them in a bowl, sprinkle with powdered sugar and a few drops of orange curaçoa. then another layer of oranges, another of sugar, another fall of curaçoa, and so on till the dish is full. then, if there are half a dozen oranges used, pour over them about half a gill of brandy, either the plain brandy or apricot brandy. the latter, i find, is possessed of a mysterious flavor that, when added to an orange salad, just sets people to wondering why it is they have to go away from home to find such delights. february "_to sing the same tune, as the saying is, is in everything cloying and offensive; but men are generally pleased with variety._" once upon a time, one of the resourceless sort of housekeepers said to me that she was never quite so stumped as when she felt the economical burden laid upon her to utilize lamb or mutton "left-overs." now, this has been quite the opposite of my experience. in fact, i wouldn't acknowledge that i found cold lamb a facer, anyway. roast lamb with caper sauce suppose we talk of a leg of lamb roasted in this way: the bone neatly removed, the cavity filled with a mushroom stuffing, then roasted in a hot oven and served with caper sauce and currant jelly. to be sure i know you would as soon have pledged yourself to break one of the commandments, as to serve caper sauce with roasted lamb, if i had not tempted you. but you will do it, now that the suggestion has entered your consciousness of gastronomical beauties. roast lamb with onion purée or, if, in the first blush, it doesn't appeal to you, there's this way of roasting lamb that i dare say is new to you. first, make an onion purée, by mincing one quart of onions and boiling them till tender. drain very dry, put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter; season with salt and pepper; let them simmer for ten or fifteen minutes, but don't let them brown. then add to them half a pint of cream, and press all through a sieve, when serving as sauce. roast lamb with macaroni can you stand another novelty? it's this. put the lamb in the roasting-pan, and just a half hour before you think it is to be done, take it out and cover the bottom of the pan with boiled macaroni. lay the lamb on this, and prick it all over that the juice may run over the macaroni. moisten the macaroni with a little stock, too, if it threatens to get too dry or too brown. when the lamb is roasted take it out, heap the macaroni on a dish, pour a little tomato sauce over it, sprinkle with parmesan and send to table. have a little tomato, or any other sauce that pleases you, with the lamb, if you feel that you must have a sauce. broiled lamb slices now, for the second day--no, the third day, rather. skip a day before dishing a reheating of the lamb. then get some good slices from the joint, even as to size and thickness, and lay them for an hour in a dressing of two tablespoonfuls of oil, one of tarragon vinegar, with salt and pepper. take them out of the dressing, dip in bread crumbs, broil over a hot fire, and serve with a tartar sauce, or, if you like, with some of the onion purée, if any was left. fried lamb with chutney if you like chutney, and of course you do, have some neat slices of cold lamb spread with this palate-tickler, roll each slice up, coat with crumbs, and fry in boiling fat till brown. skewer the rolled slices to keep them in shape. when serving, sprinkle with a few drops of lemon juice. it will be a question with you, probably, which of these two ways of reheating is better. but that's the sort of recipes with which to load your intelligence, so don't complain. lamb slices with onions and mushrooms can you digest another warmed-over dish of lamb? this time have the slices thick rather than thin, and put them in a stewpan with enough sherry wine to cover them. cover closely, and let heat slowly while you are tossing together, in a little butter, some minced boiled onion and button mushrooms. color slightly, and moisten with a little rich stock. take up the slices of lamb, arrange in a circle on a dish, fill the centre with the onions and mushrooms, pour the wine over all, and take the trick. it's yours. in case you don't like as much wine as is required to cover the lamb, use half wine and half water, and the juice of a lemon. lamb slices in chafing dish if you want to try the reheating of the lamb in the chafing dish, have it sliced as neatly as possible, and make ready in the chafing dish a sauce of one wineglass of port wine, half a pint of good stock, thickened, a teaspoonful of walnut ketchup, the same of french mustard, and a pinch of salt. when this is hot put in the lamb, and serve as soon as heated through. if with any of the foregoing recipes you think you would fancy a border of rice, have it, by all means. but have plenty of butter in the water in which the rice is boiled; or if it is steamed, have it moistened well with butter just the same. lamb croquettes you might fancy this rice border with lamb croquettes. these, you know, are made by having the lamb chopped finely, and added to it half its quantity of chopped mushrooms. moisten with a little tomato sauce, shape and fry. lamb salad surely you will not take offence if i assume, at this stage of the game, that you are educated up to a point where you can appreciate the delights that centre in a lamb salad. you dice the lamb, having it free of all fat and sinew. then put a layer of it in the bottom of the salad bowl. have a dressing of oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt, with a bit of french mustard in it, at hand, and with this sprinkle the lamb. bestrew it, too, with a chopped anchovy or two, or more, if you are fond of anchovies. then put in a layer of cold boiled potatoes, diced--more dressing; another stratum of lamb, and so on till the dish is full, having it mound-shaped. garnish with sliced gherkins and capers, and let it go at that. * * * * * i would that fewer nursery rhymers had taken trips to market for their text when their pens took to turning out jingles; for goodness knows that what with "to market, to market to buy a fat pig," and "to market, to market, all on a market day," keeping up a continuous jig-like theme in my mind, to say nothing of the insistent interruptions by the "little pig that went to market" i am well-nigh distracted when i try to get dry-as-dust facts from the marketman anent commonplace eatables. to be sure, if i go in search of frogs' legs, say, and the story of the frog who went a-wooing recurs to my mind three or four times in a minute, it seems quite appropriate and doesn't interfere in the least with my driving a pretty sharp bargain with the fish-dealer. but, so far as i know, no poet or writer of assonance has taken it into his head to sing a song of livers, kidneys, and such like edibles of which i am telling you herein, and no wonder, you may say, if i don't succeed in making my story fairly interesting, as well as appetizing--though from the nature of it if it is one it must be the other. kidneys en brochette everybody knows, i fancy, that when one has cut off the skin of some lambs' kidneys, and then cut the kidneys into quarter-inch-thick slices, seasoned them with salt and pepper, dipped them in oil, and then threaded them on skewers with alternating slices of bacon a brochette of kidneys is well under way. to complete the operation they are dipped into oil, then into bread-crumbs and broiled over a slow fire. in serving there's no reason in the world why one should not indulge one's fancy for any simple sauce that will help the kidneys to tickle one's palate. good as this dish is, i must confess i like it better when chickens' livers are substituted for the kidneys. by the way, do you know that every up-to-date marketman has them all skewered, and all that you have to do is to add the seasoning and see to the broiling? fried kidneys with mushrooms another really delightful way of serving lambs' kidneys is to prepare in a frying-pan a tablespoonful of chopped onions, a small chopped shallot, a clove of garlic and as many fresh mushrooms as you feel like buying, with salt and pepper to taste, and an ounce or so of butter; don't let the vegetables color at all, and perhaps the best way to avoid this is to add a gill or so of any kind of wine and the same of cream. let this sauce mull a while on the back of the range, while you broil the number of kidneys desired, after having skinned and split each one in two lengthwise. dish and pour over them the sauce, removing from it the garlic. if you've never heard of this way for preparing kidneys, it seems to me that you should be very grateful to me for calling your attention to it. minced kidneys; macaroni croquettes and may your gratitude be re-enforced after you have tried cooking veal kidneys in this fashion: mince three very small ones, after removing all the fat and fibrous parts, and fry them in butter over a hot fire. don't let them get wizzled up, but just done to a turn, then take from the frying-pan and add to the butter in which they were fried some tomato sauce highly seasoned, half a can of mushrooms, some lemon juice, and chopped parsley; pour over the kidneys and even if you serve them in just this manner they will prove a great success; but should you wish to make it a dish to linger in one's memory, then garnish it with macaroni croquettes. ever make them? well, boil a pound of macaroni in salted water for fifteen minutes. then drain and cut it into quarter-inch lengths; put back into the saucepan with a little grated cheese, a little salt, cayenne pepper and a gill of cream. let it get perfectly cold, then mould into croquettes, either cylinder-shaped or any other form, only have them very small; dip in egg and bread-crumbs and fry a pretty brown. these macaroni croquettes, by the way, make a suitable garnish for any number of dishes; try them with veal cutlets some time, or with thin, dainty slices of ham broiled for luncheon, and you'll get more than your labor for your pains. fried calf's liver if you are thinking to have liver, then my advice to you is to get if possible only that of a calf. to buy that of an older "beef critter" is so often a waste of time and money that it's just as well to forego buying it altogether--it is so apt to have too much flavor, so to speak, or be tough or stringy, and wholly unsatisfactory. but get a calf's liver, and something of a treat is in store for you, whether you fry it with bacon or prepare it in this way: cut up finely three or four good-sized white onions and fry them in butter till of a golden brown. drain the butter off and cover the onions with white stock; let cook for half an hour, then moisten with more stock and season with pepper, salt, chopped parsley, and just a suspicion of lemon juice. fry the slices of liver, which should not be over half an inch in thickness, in enough butter to keep them from hardening; drain off the butter and add the above sauce; let it boil up once, then serve, and garnish with slices of lemon. perhaps this is a bit heavy for a breakfast dish--to my mind it is decidedly so--while for luncheon, where one is having a salad of watercress, or for an entrée at dinner it seems to be quite in its rightful place. if the liver is to be served for breakfast, then it is a good idea to roll the slices in a little flour, sprinkle melted butter over them and broil over the coals, squeezing just enough lemon juice and sprinkling just enough chopped parsley over them to make them grateful to the taste and eye when served. sauce for calf's liver but why don't you try to invent a sauce for calf's liver? fry it in plenty of butter, then add to the butter, when the liver is removed, anything that your palate suggests or which your common sense approves. for instance, put in a few tiny slices of gherkin, a handful of mushrooms, a soupçon of tomato sauce, a few capers, a little lemon juice, chopped chives or chervil, chopped shallot or any herb or condiment that you may have in the house. of course you don't want to use all of these articles, but try a combination of any two or three or more of them, with the addition of a little stock and--who knows?--you may invent a sauce that will make you as famous as was béchamel, condé or carême. success be with you! * * * * * "do be kind enough some of these times when you are scribbling about the good things at market to bear in mind that not every one is hale and hearty and blessed with digestive organs that could stand a diet of shingle nails. give a thought to the poor unfortunates that are obliged to think twice before gratifying their appetites once." thus wailed one of the said "poor unfortunates" once upon a time, and as a result of the complaint i have since been "holding them in thought" to a considerable extent, with a view to making the material aspect of a period of invalidism and convalescence a bit the brighter. chicken broth with oatmeal of course we all know that the list of eatables allowed an invalid or a convalescent is of necessity a rather short one; but there is an infinite number of ways for varying the list, if one will use a little judgment and good taste in preparing the dishes. we have all had experience in seeing a sick person make a wry face at the mention of gruel or porridge, and precious little we blamed him for it, to tell the truth. but the whole condition of affairs may be changed by preparing it in this way: have a pint of good clear chicken broth, free from fat and not too strong; boil it, and into it shake slowly a cup of oatmeal or wheaten grits; let it cook for half an hour or so, pass it through a wire sieve, and add to it a little more broth if that is necessary to make it fit to be sipped easily from a cup without using a spoon. take it to the sick-room with the remark, "i have brought you a little purée of oatmeal," and my word for it you will not see a drop left in the cup. purée of barley and a purée of barley will be quite as acceptable. soak the barley over night, and the next morning cover it with chicken broth; boil until the barley bursts, adding broth from time to time as it cooks away; when the broth begins to thicken, which will be at the end of about three hours' time, strain it through a very fine sieve. serve it in a cup; and if you dare do such a thing, add a tiny bit of butter to it. it makes it a deal more palatable, and i don't believe it will harm the patient; but it's quite possible the physician in charge may think otherwise. beef tea there are ways and ways for making beef tea; but the best of all ways, it seems to me, is to have round steak about one inch in thickness, broil it for two minutes on each side over a brisk fire, cut it up into inch squares, cover it with cold water, and let it steep, not boil, for two hours. serve it in a cup, and salt when serving. you and the ailing one will find, i think, that the broiling of the steak gives the tea a flavor that makes it "hit the spot"--a consummation devoutly to be wished when one is catering for an invalid. cream soup cream soups make a pleasing change after plain broths or teas. take any white stock that is rich, free from fat and well seasoned. put into a saucepan half a pint of the stock and the same quantity of cream. when it comes to a boil add one tablespoonful of flour thoroughly moistened with cold milk, and let it boil at once. serve with it finger-pieces of thin buttered toast. sabayon of chicken a highly nutritious dish is made by putting four egg-yolks into a double boiler, diluting them with half a pint of clear chicken broth, and beating the mixture with a whip or beater until it becomes thick and frothy. when it is done add two teaspoonfuls of sherry to it, and serve in a cup; have it just as hot as possible. and if the person for whom you concoct this appetizing affair insists upon knowing its name, you may say that it is a sabayon of chicken. chicken custard and, by the way, what an endless amount of dainty edibles may be made from chicken! take a chicken custard, for instance; could anything be daintier? have a cupful of good clear chicken stock, and add to it an equal quantity of cream; cook it for a few minutes, then put it into a double boiler, and add the beaten yolks of three eggs and a little salt. cook until the mixture thickens a little, and then pour it into custard cups to be served cold. it's an ungrateful, whimsical, and grumpy sort of an invalid who doesn't reckon as a red-letter day the time when he first tasted of a chicken custard. but whether or not this is the case, you will have to keep right on shaking up your ideas and producing other dishes. tapioca jelly in all probability you will try your hand at jelly-making; and when you have exhausted your own stock of recipes try making a tapioca jelly. to prepare it, soak one cup of tapioca in three cups of water over night. in the morning put it into a double boiler with a cup of hot water, and let it simmer until perfectly clear, stirring often. sweeten to taste and flavor with the juice of half a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of wine. pour into cups, and set away to get perfectly cold. when serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and heap a little whipped cream on it. or it may be that a blanc-mange made with tapioca will seem to you worth the trying. if so, soak a cupful of tapioca in two cups of water over night. in the morning put it into the double boiler, and stir into it two cups of boiling milk, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a pinch of salt. cook it slowly for fifteen minutes, stirring several times. take it from the fire, and flavor with wine or vanilla. let it harden in small moulds, and serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream. violet jelly and some day when the patient is unusually capricious try surprising him or her with a violet jelly. a woman i know told me not long ago that she had found it more efficacious than a dozen "soft answers." have a pint of clear boiling syrup, and into it throw a heaping handful of fresh violets, after removing the stalks; let this simmer, tightly covered, for half an hour. then strain the liquor, and add to it half an ounce of gelatine dissolved in a very little water, the juice of an orange, and two teaspoonfuls of violet vegetable coloring, which is as harmless as so much cold water. turn it into a mould, and set on ice to harden. steamed rice when boiled or steamed rice is ordered, try preparing it in this way. wash a cupful of it thoroughly and put into the double boiler with just enough water to cover it. when the rice is nearly done, pour off the water, if any remains, and add one cup of milk and a little salt. let the rice cook thoroughly till done. beat an egg well, and the last thing before taking the rice from the fire stir the egg in as lightly as possible, and serve hot with sugar and cream. the egg makes the dish a bit more attractive and considerably more nutritious. invalid's chop i wonder if you have ever tried cooking a lamb chop or cutlet in this way. have three cutlets cut, two of them rather thinner than the third, then tie them together, the thick one in the middle. broil over a hot fire till the outside cutlets are burnt to a crisp, and at that stage you will find the inside one in just the right condition for serving; salt it, and serve piping hot. with it serve a baked potato that has been pressed through a sieve. sprinkle the potato with salt and moisten it with a little cream. to be sure you may think that a somewhat expensive way of cooking a lamb chop, and so it is from some points of view; but it will set any self-respecting convalescent at least two days ahead on his journey to complete recovery, and when you think of it in that way you see it's positively cheap. all these things, yea, and a thousand more, must be taken into consideration when one is in attendance upon a sick person. * * * * * to say that every one should have a chafing-dish in these days were to be trite--everyone should have seven chafing-dishes, or as near that number as possible; not one for every day in the week exactly, but rather that, if you are having a little after-the-opera or after-the-theatre jollification and have a dozen or so hungry ones to feed, there may be enough to go round, and also that you may have a variety of dainties. creamed oysters not all will want creamed oysters, of course, but you can set a pretty girl to preparing this dish for those who do want it. give her about half a pint of rich, thick cream, an ounce or so of butter and a teaspoonful of flour which she will braid together in the most approved cooking-school fashion for thickening the cream when it is hot. then she should put in two dozen or so oysters that have been well drained and freed from any bits of shell. if you can trust her to do so, let her season the dish with a dash of red pepper, and salt, and a shake or two of celery salt. when the edges of the oysters begin to frizzle, have ready for her either little strips of toast or some crackers on hot plates, on which to serve the oysters. if you find that more than three persons will be apt to bid for the creamed oysters, you will want rather more than two dozen, i fancy; still, you will know best about that. flaked cold cod in tomato if you have any cold fish in the house, halibut or cod or haddock that has been boiled or baked, not fried, have it flaked up in good-sized pieces and marinated for three or four hours in a tablespoonful each of oil and vinegar, a dash of cayenne, the juice of an onion and salt to taste. when you are to use it have hot in the chafing-dish three teaspoonfuls each of rich tomato sauce, sherry wine and butter, putting the butter in and melting it first. when these are well blended together, lay in the fish and stir it about in the sauce till quite hot. this, let me tell you, will not go a-begging for admirers. it is a particularly savory tidbit, and on a cold night is its own best recommendation. lobster newberg i wonder if you will say a recipe for lobster _à la_ newberg is altogether too stale if i undertake to tell it to you. i know its age just as well as you do, and i also know that i could weep bitterly, if it would do any good, at some of the concoctions called by that name that i have had put before me, and which, worse than all, i have been expected to eat. so right here i shall put on record my way of preparing that delicious dish, and if you don't care to read it, why skip it, of course. into the chafing dish put two ounces of butter and let it melt; then put in the meat of a two-pound lobster cut into dice-shaped pieces and let them cook till they are really fried a bit. then turn low the flame of the lamp while you pour in a little less than a pint of cream in which has been beaten three eggs, seasoned with salt and red pepper. just as this is hot add a scant wineglass of sherry and let it heat once more, regulating the flame all the time so that it cannot boil. for if it does the jig is up, the eggs will be sure to curdle, and you will wish to goodness you hadn't undertaken it. have little triangles of toasted bread on which to serve the lobster, and if it turns out the success it should, your reputation among your guests will be for all time established as a hostess who knows her business from a to z. chicken livers with olive sauce if you will get some chicken livers you can prepare a very appetizing dish with very little trouble. melt an ounce of butter in the chafing dish and in it put, say, eight or ten livers that have been salted well and rolled in a little flour. let them cook pretty fast for ten minutes, or till you think they are done, then put with them half a pint of hot water and a teaspoonful of any extract of beef, with what salt and pepper your superior judgment deems suitable. when this is hot turn in a gill of sherry, and a dozen olives pitted and quartered. just a dash of lemon juice and the deed is done, provided you have ready some toast for the serving of the livers. if you haven't at the time of night when you will be serving these dishes a fire over which you can toast the bread, you can have one of the guests preparing the bread in a chafing dish. cut the slices of the size you like and fry them delicately in a very little butter and they will go finely in this way. welsh rabbit because you may think i don't know how to make one if i say nothing, i suppose i shall have to offer a word or so about welsh rabbits. melt an ounce of butter in the chafing-dish and then stir in and let melt slowly a pound of cheese cut up into very small pieces. season this as you go along with paprika, a little salt, and mustard as you think you like it. when the cheese is quite melted pour in, very slowly, a little beer or ale, about two gills in all. then when it is well blended with the cheese stir in a couple of eggs well beaten and serve on crackers. did you ever try making your rabbits with ginger ale? really they are good in that way, and it is very palatable to drink when you are eating them. and cider is delicious served with rabbits, also--the champagne cider. try it some time. golden buck for a golden buck, prepare the cheese as for a rabbit, but on each plate when you are serving it place a poached egg. these must be prepared in another dish while the rabbit is under process of construction. so, you see, i wasn't so far off in my calculations, rapid as they seemed to you at the time, when i said my little say about seven chafing dishes. eggs poached in tomato suppose you have on hand a pint of rich tomato sauce. heat this in the chafing-dish and poach in it two eggs. lift them out and lay on a hot dish while you poach two more. continue in this way till you have half-a-dozen eggs poached. serve one or two as you like, on a slice of toast or fried bread, pour some of the tomato sauce round, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over each and send them around the table on their mission. curried eggs if you are fond of curry try some curried eggs. melt in the chafing-dish two ounces of butter, and fry in it two small onions, sliced; take these out and stir in a dessertspoonful of curry powder and a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. when these are well mixed add half a dozen well-beaten eggs. cook quickly and serve. creamed chicken perhaps you have a pet recipe for creamed chicken, and i don't doubt it is all such a recipe should be; but let me suggest that, instead of putting chicken and cream and all the other things into the chafing-dish at the same time, you melt the butter first and then stir in the chicken and let it cook for two or three minutes before you put in the cream, or béchamel, or whatever it is you use. the flavor of the dish will be very much richer and more palatable to most persons. for, between ourselves, i think that creamed chicken is apt to be rather a flat and tasteless affair, and will stand quite a little bracing up. i hope you won't want to spoil the taste of any of these dishes by having sweets after them, in the way of fancy cakes, etc. if you do, you may choose them for yourselves. i'll have none of them. march "_so comes a reckoning when the banquet's o'er,-- the dreadful reckoning, and men smile no more._" there couldn't be a better time than the present in which to have a smoke-talk, mesdames. there, there, now, pray don't be alarmed; i've no notion of passing round any of the popular brands of cigars. neither would i so much as offer you cigarettes, albeit the latest scientific utterance has pronounced them harmless. no, our talk shall be of some of the smoked and salted viands that, while they may not perhaps come under the head of delicacies or indelicacies of the season, are decidedly appetizing, and quite worthy of having considerable attention given to the best ways and means of serving them. salt fish with cream and haven't you been saddened hundreds of times when reflecting upon the disregard of details that makes of a dish of salt-fish and cream nothing but a pasty and altogether horrid mess? but a dish of salted cod becomes delicacy itself if the fish is shredded while raw, all skin and bone removed, washed several times in cold water and cooked in plenty of fresh water; then it should be drained and covered with cream, which has been heated and thickened with an egg or two beaten up well in a tablespoonful or so of cream; add a dash of cayenne, to give it a zest, and you have prepared for breakfast or luncheon a dainty that will quite justify you in fancying yourself for the rest of the day. and that's a wonderfully comfortable state of mind in which to find oneself. salt fish with brown butter perhaps, however, for a luncheon dish you would rather have the codfish served with brown butter. in which case you flake and freshen it as before, and cook in plenty of water. take it up on a hot dish and pour over it a sauce made of butter, in which you have fried minced onion and a handful of chopped parsley till they are brown. and you can vary this sauce infinitely: add a bay leaf or two, or a few capers, or some chopped sweet red peppers, and get a new flavor with each addition. the subject of codfish balls i won't take up here. i fear i might make it too exhaustive. and, besides, every housekeeper seems to have a chosen way for preparing them. fried cods' tongues i wish as much could be said about that too-little-appreciated genuine delicacy--fresh cods' tongues. they are delicious when boiled till tender, and then served with brown butter, as suggested above for codfish. and they are just as good, and some think even better, if they are dipped in milk, then rolled one by one in flour, and fried in plenty of butter for about ten minutes. you can simply pour the butter on them when serving, with a little chopped parsley scattered over all, or you can put into the frying-pan, after taking the tongues out, a gill or two of tomato sauce, and serve this separately in a sauceboat, serving each tongue on a slice of toast. usually it will be found necessary to soak the salted tongues for twenty-four hours or more in water, changing it once or twice, as seems necessary. to be sure there's considerable trouble and no small amount of care involved in having these edibles, or any others, for that matter, quite as one would like, but some old wiseacre has said that life's cares are its comforts, and if one only has a firm belief, rooted and grounded in past experience, in this bit of philosophy it's just as easy to apply it to cooking as to painting. broiled smoked salmon and a little of this care used in the broiling of smoked salmon redeems it from the charred and uninviting dish it too often makes. it is best to cut the salmon into small strips, wrap each strip in a piece of buttered paper, and then broil over a clear fire. when done remove the paper, and serve the fish on a piping hot dish, at once. and if you want a sauce for it make one by cooking a minced onion in a gill of vinegar and twice as much water, adding, as the onion shows signs of tenderness, two ounces of fresh butter, four finely chopped hard-boiled egg yolks, and a little chopped parsley. boiled salt mackerel, with horse-radish sauce of course you know how to cook salt mackerel--you could sue me for libel if i said aught to the contrary. but do you, i wonder, ever try preparing it in my favorite way? this is the manner of it: soak the mackerel for twelve hours, changing the water several times. then boil it in an abundance of water, in which there is a bay leaf, two or three onions, some parsley and the juice of a lemon. the fish should cook very slowly, and not be allowed to come to pieces. when they are done, serve them on a folded napkin, with a sauce made by reducing a pint of cream to one-half, adding to it an ounce of butter, and thickening it with two egg yolks. then add to it half its quantity of grated horse-radish, heating it again, without boiling. in most cases it is necessary to add salt to this sauce, but i prescribe no quantity. i only advise being skittish about the amount when it is to be used for a salt fish. if you are to have smoked mackerel, broil instead of boiling it and serve with it the cream horse-radish sauce. smoked herring fried and then there are smoked and salted herring, that if cooked judiciously make life at least a bit more comfortable. it is best to soak them for five or six hours in water and then for two hours in sweet, fresh milk, after which you can work out some wonderful dishes with them. if they have been salted only, fry in butter and serve them on potatoes mashed with cream. but if the herring are smoked as well as salted, split them down the back and cook in enough milk to cover. cook till thoroughly done, and then serve on a very hot dish with branches of parsley around, and a little sweet rich cream poured over them. finnan haddies with cream but, to my thinking, the best of all the smoked and salted fish are the finnan haddies. and one of the best ways of cooking them is as per that last described for cooking herring. but the haddies are much less salt, and require little, if any, soaking. or, if you prefer, you can put them in a buttered baking-pan, pour cream and bread crumbs over them and brown in a hot oven. give them a little more cream when serving. and again after you and your household have partaken of this dish and pronounced it good, hard to beat, etc., you will have occasion to be pleased with yourself, which, being interpreted, means of course being perfectly satisfied with all the world. * * * * * it is possible, nay, probable, that you, mesdames, with all the calls that the lenten season makes upon your spiritual selves, find little time for ordering or arranging dinners; furthermore--and it's in no way to your discredit--it may be that with so much of each day given over to reflection and concentrated thought you experience a sort of disinclination to give heed to things material. therefore it behooves me to be alive to my duty, which in the premises certainly seems to prescribe that i shall think and plan a bit for you; and i herewith submit, as the result of a goodly amount of cogitation on my part, a menu which i hope will strike you as being a very good sort of "working model," should you not care to follow it to the letter:-- consommé maigre with asparagus points. lake trout with court bouillon. macaroni timbales with tomato sauce. casserole of fillets of sole. oyster soufflés. coffee cream glacée. almond pudding. you see that such a menu provides a dinner perfectly within the rule implied by "_diner maigre_," though it can in no sense be called a fast-day dinner. in fact, the very phrase is a contradiction. if you are fasting, you do not dine; you simply eat to live--a very different thing. and now for particulars. no need to tell you how to make the soup; you have stacks of cookery books that will give you the information necessary for the making of a good clear consommé. as for the asparagus points, it will be quite as well from all points of view to buy the canned asparagus tips, and cook a little in salted water, adding them to the soup about five minutes before it is served. boiled lake trout perhaps your housekeepers' guides may not be sufficiently explicit in regard to cooking the lake trout in the manner suggested, so i will tell you in detail. in the first place, you take equal quantities of white french wine--as inexpensive as you please--and water, one small onion, a bouquet of parsley, thyme, etc., some peppercorns, and a proper amount of salt. let this boil for fifteen minutes, and you have as good a court bouillon as one could wish. into it put the trout, tied into any shape you desire, and boil until tender; remove it, and serve on a fish paper or napkin; garnish with fresh green parsley sprays. for the sauce, you will melt some butter in a part of the court bouillon, and serve separately. you should find good lake trout in the market now, and at a price that doesn't confine them to the list of luxuries. aren't you glad? macaroni timbales have you any idea how many ways are known to expert cooks for preparing macaroni? i haven't. but i should not be surprised to see offered for sale any day a publication setting forth "one thousand ways to cook macaroni," and i hope that macaroni timbales, in case such an event comes to pass, will be given the place of honor. try making them in this way, and you will agree with me. boil the macaroni in plenty of salted water till it is tender, but not "mushy." drain off the water, and add, with all thoughts of economy thrown to the winds, melted butter; stir it in well, and add a goodly sprinkling of grated parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper. line a mould with the very best puff-paste you know how to make, rolled as thinly as possible, and put in the macaroni; cover with a round of the paste, lay a sheet of buttered paper over the top, and bake in a hot oven for about thirty minutes. unmould on a hot dish, and pour round it some tomato sauce made from the best recipe given in any of your gastronomical literature. casserole of fillets of sole then consult the aforesaid literature still further, and select therefrom the most appetizing recipe for making a stuffing of bread-crumbs, when you have it properly prepared spread with it some fillets of sole, and tie them into shape with a little thread. now put into a casserole, or stewpan, three or four ounces of butter, two minced onions, and the fish; let it fry for five or six minutes, then add to it two or three gills of béchamel sauce (see cookery books once more), a cupful of chopped mushrooms, and a claret-glass of claret. cover the pan closely, and cook in the oven for half an hour. when finished, remove the strings from the fillets, and serve in a deep dish with the liquor in which they were cooked poured over them. and there you have a dish fit to tickle the palate of any king, or knave, that ever lived. later in the season, when lobsters are selling at a more reasonable price, try substituting them for the soles, and your delight will be increased several-fold. oyster soufflés very likely you know as much or more than i do about making oyster soufflés, but, be that as it may, i have the floor, and am going to tell you what i do know about them, for i may never get another chance. my way is to blanch two dozen good oysters in their own liquor, then cut them into dice, and while they are cooling prepare a sauce of two ounces each of butter and flour, a dust of cayenne, a little salt, the yolks of three eggs, and half a pint of rich milk; when it is thick enough and smooth enough i put in the oysters and their liquor, pour the mixture into little soufflé cases, sprinkle each with browned bread-crumbs and bits of butter, and bake in a moderate oven for eighteen minutes; then serve at once. how do you think you would like to try that way of making them? coffee cream glacée now, you will admit that i very seldom presume to tell you how to prepare sweets, but to-day my story would be incomplete if i were to omit the directions for making a coffee cream glacée. it is easy as can be; that is, if you can freeze things. beat the yolks of four eggs in a basin with four ounces of powdered sugar, standing the basin in another of hot water, so that they may get quite warm, but not hot; add to them a gill of strong coffee, beat it all together till it is light and creamy and quite cold. then add to it a pint of stiffly whipped cream, pour the mixture into a mould, and bury in ice and salt for two hours. unmould on the prettiest piece of lace paper you have when serving. almond pudding perhaps i run the risk of overdoing the matter by telling you how to make an almond pudding, but it does harmonize so delightfully with coffee glacée that 'twould be actually sinful to leave you in ignorance of how it is made. it's simple, too, simple as a b c. you just beat up the yolks of five and the whites of three eggs with a large tablespoonful of rose-water, and add gradually to it four ounces of powdered sugar and four ounces of freshly ground almonds, mixed with a few small whole ones. beat this thoroughly for ten or fifteen minutes, pour into a well-buttered pie-dish and bake. when half-cooked, garnish with strips of candied orange peel and blanched almonds. and if you have any of the pudding left, which is doubtful, you will find that it makes an excellent five-o'clock tea cake, for it is quite as good cold as hot. now, have i not given you a good ground plan, so to speak, for lenten dinners? it is the easiest thing in the world to leave out a part of it, or add to it, for that matter, for it is composed wholly of neutral tints, you might say, and almost any viand under the sun will dovetail with it, if you wish to elaborate it. * * * * * i really don't know the first thing about the dietetic properties of eggs, for which ignorance i am truly grateful, because i have always noticed that once a man or a woman gets where the healthfulness or the hurtfulness of any edible becomes the first consideration all real pleasure to be found in dining has for that man or woman lost half its charm. neither could i guess, though i had a dozen chances, whether the fact that eggs form the backbone of so many meals during lent has its foundation in history, or some religious rite. and i am also content to remain uninformed on this point. but i do know that at market these days the sign "strictly fresh eggs" is the most noticeable feature on every hand; and i know, too, that there are a good many housekeepers who fairly long to know of some way in which to improve upon the neutral flavor of an egg so that it may become dainty, savory or delicately sweet as the case may seem to require. eggs curdled in cream to begin with the savory list: some fine morning when you are to have for breakfast just an appetizing bit of broiled salted herring, try cooking some eggs in this way--put half a pint of cream into a saucepan and let it boil. stir into it five well-beaten eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper. let this mixture curdle, then turn it out on to a hot dish and brown it quickly with a salamander; and you'll be at a loss to know whether it's the herring that makes the egg taste so well, or if it's the egg that makes the herring so remarkably palatable. eggs, epicurean style another delicious way of serving eggs for breakfast is to have, as a beginning, say one dozen eggs and boil them till hard; take off their shells, cut them in halves and rub the yolks through a fine sieve; put an ounce of butter and one cupful of cream into a saucepan, season it with salt and white pepper and thicken with a very little flour. when it is quite hot but not boiling stir into it half of the whites of the eggs, chopped, and the yolks. arrange the remainder of the whites on a dish, pour the mixture over them, and serve piping hot. you see the eggs can be boiled and prepared the day before, and there's very little to be done to get them ready for breakfast. now, should you want to make this into a more savory dish, you could easily add a little minced ham, the juice of an onion, or some minced olives and a few mushrooms, and have by so doing a delectable luncheon dish that would go admirably with, say, some cold sliced tongue or with pickled lambs' tongues. baked eggs a particularly savory dish of eggs is made by frying two small minced onions in butter till they are brown; then mix with them a dessertspoonful of vinegar, a very little salt, and some pepper. butter a dish, spread the onions over it, break over them half a dozen eggs, and put into a hot oven. when the eggs are cooked sufficiently, cover them with a layer of bread-crumbs that have been fried in butter, and serve. the bread-crumbs must be hot, of course. try this some day at luncheon when you are having broiled pigs' feet and potato croquettes. egg toast with cheese and if it doesn't turn out the success you hoped, the next day you might take some very thin slices of bread, trim off the crusts, lay on a well-buttered dish, and cover with very thin slices of cheese. beat up well enough eggs to cover the bread, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and pour them over the slices. put the dish in a moderate oven and bake until the eggs are set. serve while very hot in the same dish. if you prefer, you may use in place of the sliced cheese some grated parmesan cheese sprinkled over the bread, and sprinkle a little over the eggs too. eggs in tomato purée eggs scrambled in tomato purée make a delectable dish for luncheon, or for dinner as an entrée. have half a pint of rich tomato purée, and cook in it half-a-dozen well beaten eggs; pour the whole into a deep dish, and serve with it some bread croutons. some finely cut up chives will at times be thought an improvement to this dish. scrambled eggs with truffles and there are scrambled eggs with truffles that are good enough for any time or place. cook four sliced truffles in a wineglass of madeira for about two minutes; then put in a tablespoonful of butter, and season with salt and white pepper. break eight eggs and without beating stir them well with a wooden spoon in the wine for three minutes, cooking quickly all the while. serve in a hot dish. caviare omelets if one is fond of caviare (and who isn't nowadays?), an omelet with caviare is most tempting. make an omelet of the desired number of eggs, and just before folding over spread it with a layer of caviare diluted with a little béchamel sauce. after the omelet is dished, garnish with parsley. spanish omelet you will find in your hunts for spanish omelet recipes that they will turn up as thick as bees in a hive, after which you will let the different directions for this savory dish foment in your mind till you get what seems to be the best from each and turn out one that is your very own, and entitled to be known to your friends as "spanish omelet _à la_ madame featherstonaugh"--or whatever name has the honor to belong to you. my recipe you shall have till you get one of your own, however. to begin with, have a rich tomato purée; to this you add chopped pimentos or sweet spanish peppers _con amore_, then a bit of fried chopped onion, a few mushrooms, also cooked, and diced cold cooked tongue or ham, preferably tongue. take any liberties with it that you like, pray. don't think you must follow it to the letter. i rarely do, to be candid with you. i have used cold chicken, cold duck, and also cold goose, when the larder has been bereft of ham or tongue; and not one of my household dared to say anything shady about it. omelet with chicken liver of course, every housekeeper has a chicken liver omelet recipe among her belongings, and made in the most ordinary way they are pretty sure to be worth the eating; but if the livers are cooked in a little butter, and then a little madeira is added to the butter, the omelet is far and away ahead of those made by ordinary recipes, as you will see by trying it. jelly omelet when it comes to an omelet for dessert, nothing can be better than an omelet stuffed with preserves or fresh fruit. if preserves are used, there's a wide range from which to select, and any taste can be satisfied. fill it with currant jelly, or apricot or grapefruit marmalade, or any other fruit that you like. in almost any case a little grated lemon peel and a handful of chopped almonds will be an improvement. after the omelet is dished it should always be sprinkled with finely powdered sugar. strawberry omelet you might in the way of fresh fruits use some of the strawberries that are of respectable flavor and price now. get a box some day of the best-looking ones you can find, and sort them over. save out about half of them, the fairest ones in the lot, cut in halves, and put them in a bowl with two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, a piece of orange peel, and two teaspoonfuls of rum, and set them in a cool place. press the remainder of the strawberries through a fine sieve, and sweeten well. make an omelet of six eggs, and before folding over fill it with the cut-up strawberries, without any of the liquid. dish the omelet, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and pour around it the juice of the strawberries, to which has been added the liquid from the halved strawberries. it's a delicate dish, indeed, and you will find that it will be a favorite at any table. célestine omelet if you have a recipe for célestine omelets, small ones, of which you are very much enamored, this paragraph will not interest you. but if you are at odds with the one you have, glance through this. make as many small omelets as you think will be required, one egg to each, with yolk and white beaten separately. put them on a hot dish, cover with a thin layer of peach marmalade, and on this sprinkle chopped candied fruits with a few chopped almonds, and over all spread whipped cream. work at chain-lightning speed in preparing this after the omelets are dished, and get to the table in even quicker time, if you would know this dish in perfection. though if anything happens to cause you to slacken your pace a bit, it will be worth the having, for it will bear shading down a trifle from the top-notch. or, make the eggs into one large omelet, and before folding it over fill with the jam and fruits, and sprinkle the almonds and whipped cream over it after it is dished. snow eggs then there's a dish called "snow eggs" that's just as inoffensive as it sounds. you beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, and then drop them a spoonful at a time into boiling milk till they poach a bit. take them out, thicken the milk with the yolks, adding sugar and any desired flavoring. pour this over the poached whites, dish, and sprinkle with chopped macaroons before serving. omelette soufflée it wouldn't be fair to omit any mention of an omelette soufflée in a chapter on eggs; so here it shall go, though for myself i don't care for it. it has always seemed to me like a dessert to be served when a dessert wasn't really needed or wanted, but because a dessert of some kind must go down to make the luncheon or dinner complete. separate, then, the yolks and whites of five eggs. beat the yolks and half a cup of sugar together for ten minutes. flavor with a little rose-water. then turn to the whites, and beat them to the stiffest kind of a froth. butter a soufflé dish, and pour the mixture into it. bake for twelve minutes, and send to table. the guests should always be waiting for an omelette soufflée, mind. never force the omelet to do the waiting--it isn't giving it a fair chance. april "_the best doctors in the world are doctor diet, doctor quiet, and doctor merryman._" the very first thing to be done on easter morning is to get up in time to see the sun dance; for, as you probably know, not a bit of good luck will be yours for the year to come if laziness, or anything, in fact, save cloudy skies, prevents your beholding this phenomenon. but it is possible that you don't know that this means nothing less than to be facing the east with eagle eye and steady nerve at a pretty early hour. rather rough, isn't it? how would it do, then, to sit up all night in order to be on hand to witness the fancy steps of the god of day? you could do that and then have a good long nap, after which you might be refreshed by a breakfast of shad roes (they're about as inexpensive now as they will be), broiled to a turn, with a little melted butter and lemon juice, judiciously mixed, poured over them; dainty, crisp lettuce hearts, salted a bit; graham bread, thinly sliced, and toasted to that shade known the world over as "epicurean brown;" and lastly, instead of coffee, a steaming, fragrant, appetizing cup of english breakfast tea. my word for it, you will be tempted to linger over this breakfast, but stern duty permits no such loitering. no, indeed; you must be up and away, or how on earth are you going to make certain comparisons that shall confirm you in your belief that your new bonnet is nothing less than a dream? dear knows, i hope you won't see any headgear that will take the shine off your own, for then you will be sure to go home out of sorts, and the charming little dinner menu that i have compiled for your use and behoof might as well be of corned beef and cabbage for all the appreciation it will get from you. clam cocktails but in case that everything does go smoothly, and nothing happens to nick your peace of mind, could anything be more delectable than a dinner which would unfold itself to your delighted palate in this order? to begin with: clam cocktails, made, of course, with the little-neck variety; they should be put in half-dozen lots into small glasses, and seasoned with lemon juice, tabasco, salt, and the tiniest suspicion of onion juice--just enough, you understand, to cause one to wonder if that delightful flavor is really onion. and then to follow up the good impression left by the clam cocktails, have a soup of consommé of perfect flavor and delicacy--the sort, you know, that doesn't jar with what has gone before or is to come. the "to come" in this case might be, say, of trout, broiled to a nicety and served with tartar sauce. but if for financial reasons you object to the trout, why, then you may get good salmon from the west, or pompano, and bluefish of fairly good flavor. but whatever fish you decide upon, have it broiled, so that you may serve it with some delicious hothouse cucumbers. quite a little fall in the price of cucumbers you will see within the next two or three weeks. lamb steak; béarnaise sauce and the price of spring lamb has dropped perceptibly too by this time. now, please, whichever part of the lamb you select, don't have it roasted. have it sliced for steaks, and broiled to the stage most in favor in your family circle, then salted well, but buttered sparingly, as you must--there is no use in trying to dodge the issue--serve a béarnaise sauce with lamb steak. have lobster salad without the lobster, omit the crabs from devilled crabs, if it pleases you, but never under any circumstances serve a lamb steak without a béarnaise sauce. it would be barbarism--nothing short of it! and to make the sauce? well, put into a saucepan a gill of vinegar and water, equal parts, half a teaspoonful of minced onion, and a few tarragon leaves. let this cook, tightly covered, till reduced one-half; then take it off the fire, and when cold mix with it the well-beaten yolks of four eggs; season with salt and mignonette, and return to the fire; add slowly to it three ounces of melted butter, stirring continually till it thickens to the consistency of mayonnaise. then strain it through a fine sieve, and add to it chopped tarragon, a teaspoonful, and the same quantity of chopped parsley. potatoes soufflées and there's just one way to cook potatoes so that they seem quite good enough to accompany a lamb steak, and that way is called potatoes soufflées. the potatoes should be trimmed to ovals two and a quarter inches long by one and a quarter wide, and then sliced lengthwise, having the slices half an inch in thickness. when they are sliced, put them into ice-water to remain twenty-five minutes. then have ready two pans of frying fat, one just hot and the other piping hot. into the former put the potatoes, in a frying-basket, and let them cook without browning till tender; take them out, place on a sieve to cool and dry somewhat, and then plunge them into the pan containing the piping hot fat; stir them about, and they will begin to souffler; then they must be taken out, salted and served. now, if anything happens to prevent this course from turning out the howling success that i predict for it, i want you to go to my favorite dining place the next time you are in new york and order "the same." you will know then what these two dishes are in perfection. it may be that a salad of new beets would be quite the thing on this occasion; if so, you will have no trouble in finding them in good condition, and as sweet as a new beet should be. here endeth my part of the lesson. set your own pace for a dessert. * * * * * although i am prepared to sit up nights to sympathize with any one who is really deserving of having me share that emotion with her, i don't have a particle of desire to weep with the woman who weeps because visitors have dropped in on her suddenly and caught her with her cupboard bare. in these days of canned things the woman whose larder doesn't boast as a continuous performance at least half a dozen varieties was never meant for a housekeeper. for my part, i should think i was remiss in the duties of a housekeeper if i did not have half a dozen varieties of canned soup alone from which to select in time of need. sardine toast start, then, we will say, an impromptu lunch with a soup canned by any one of the sixteen firms, more or less, that so prepare them. of course, there will be sardines--the stand-by of all housekeepers; but you will have sardine toast--a rarity with almost every one. wipe the skin off the sardines with a dry cloth. the toasted bread is free from all crust, mind, and it is spread with butter mixed with lemon juice and chopped parsley. the sardines are laid on it, and the whole arrangement set in the oven to heat. anchovy toast just as tempting a bouchée is an anchovy toast. chop the anchovies, and add to them bits of parsley, a suspicion of onion juice, a few drops of lemon juice, and some paprika. spread this on toast which has been buttered, and heat quickly in the oven. tunny-fish then, there's tunny-fish always to be depended upon to furnish an impromptu dish that seems like one planned long before. drain it from the oil in which it is preserved. lay it on a dish, sprinkle with lemon juice, chopped parsley, and capers; and keep your eyes open for the admiring glances your guests will be trying to hide from you when they first taste of it. then smoked, boneless herring, you know, are good almost any way; but broiled till they curl up a bit over a hot fire, and sent to table flanked by olives, water crackers, and a bottle or two of lager beer, they are leaders. of course, with two or three kinds of devilled meats in the house the making of sandwiches, even at short notice, is just a pastime; and with all the crackers now to be had it would be foolish to waste tears over the absence of bread. in fact, the world, the market, and the grocery store are filled to the brim with substitutes nowadays--substitutes that make it easy to forget originals. although 'tis by signs of promises soon to be richly fulfilled that a market interests me chiefly at this season, there is no lack even to-day of a good supply of edibles, both substantial and delicate, and do i go a-marketing determined to buy everything on an economical basis i find dame nature and the marketman in league to help me furnish forth my table daintily and inexpensively. or, if in a reckless mood of extravagance i betake myself to the vendor of viands, i find him and the dear old dame quite as helpful in carrying out my plans. naturally, in trips to market, my methodical mind leads me to inquire first what is suitable for breakfast; what is best calculated to minister to an appetite capricious in the fickle springtime. numerous answers are forthcoming to my inquiry, the first of which says shad roes made into delicious croquettes with a garnishing of lettuce hearts. very good, i say, very appropriate, but what else is there?--every one doesn't care for that dish. and then, taking the matter into my own hands, as the marketman is perfectly willing that i should, i peer around to see what is to be had, and make notes mentally for future use. there are mackerel of finest flavor, which, if broiled to a turn and having as an accompaniment crisp, fresh radishes, are fit to put before a king. another breakfast dish, which is also quite good enough for any royal person, is of kidneys broiled on skewers with alternate slices of bacon. a bit of parsley serves not only to decorate this last dish, but forms a piquant relish for it, and relishes for breakfast dishes are more of a necessity now than at any other season. the orange juice which has proved so potent an appetizer when the mercury ranges near to zero, fails to supply the needed zest for a springtime morning meal, and we must have recourse to a fresh green vegetable, in addition. from breakfast fare to luncheon dishes i turn my attention logically, and learn that sweetbreads are particularly fine just now in whatever way they are served, but in my opinion they are never quite so good as when simmered gently in butter and served with cream sauce, to which has been added a few fresh mushrooms. spring chickens, tender and toothsome if broiled as they should be, are worthy of an honored place at any luncheon, and the marketman tells me those lately received are of excellent quality. that dainty of dainties, in the estimation of many people, frogs' legs, if broiled or served with a cream sauce, appeals to the most fastidious palate. and just now they are not only plentiful and in fine condition, but are quite inexpensive. a dish which we cannot always obtain, and which is especially suitable for a midday meal, is of the taunton river alewives smoked; they should be broiled, and there should be served with them, without fail, a potato salad made from the bermuda potatoes, which are exceptionally desirable at this season. in the ordering of a dinner i have always maintained that though it consists of only two courses, there is an opportunity for the exercise of great discretion. a knowledge of the eternal fitness of things is essential above all else in order to arrange a dinner at which the courses shall not be at war with each other. a certain famous lawyer remarked in my hearing not long ago that "he knew women who could play whist and play it as it should be, and he knew women who could order a dinner fit for the gods, but never had he known and never did he expect to know, a woman who could do both." perhaps he was right, but i believe there are women in plenty who are quite capable of doing both to perfection. at this season, with oysters almost out of the running, little-neck clams may be depended upon to whet the appetite, while the soup which follows must be at once delicate and yet so rich that the first spoonful enchants. if the next course is to be of bluefish, or of salmon, or of striped bass, all of which are in first-class condition in this month, potatoes should be served in any desired shape if the fish is to be boiled or braised; should it be broiled or fried, then by all means let its accompaniment be cucumbers, which are plentiful, and are sold at a comparatively low figure, by now. if you follow my advice you will avoid the heavy, clumsy, and unimaginative joint. decide rather upon ducklings to be roasted or broiled, or upon squabs; or, if these are a thought too expensive, choose fowl, which should be good and plentiful. have it parboiled and then fried maryland style, or fricasseed, or boil it till quite tender and serve with a caper sauce. as for vegetables, just now, and for several weeks to come, nothing can be better than asparagus, which improves, and is less expensive every day. frequently i tire of it served on toast, in which case, after boiling it, i moisten it with melted butter, sprinkle grated parmesan over the top and brown it in the oven. or, if i wish to serve it as a salad, i have it ice-cold and pour over it a dressing made of oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt, with a suspicion of french mustard added. for salads, tomatoes, perhaps, have first choice, for they are really very fine, coming in from the hothouses fresh every day. watercress is at its best estate, and whether it be served as a salad or taken simply with a grain of salt, it is a delicacy worthy of honor. it is hardly possible to serve fruit out of place at dinner; before the soup it is appetizing, as a compote for an entrée it is highly delectable, while at dessert its presence is time-honored, and i would that there were more varieties in market just now. however, the strawberries and pineapples due are quite sufficient to console us for the absence of other fruits. with that most delicious vegetable asparagus as good and as plenty as it is bound to be for two months or so longer, it is but a waste of time to search for any other vegetable to take its place. the truth is, it hasn't a rival, and it never had one--even in pliny's day, when it grew wild. but gardeners in those days cultivated it just as they do now, and it was no uncommon thing for them to produce stalks of which it took but three to weigh a pound. if any gardeners do raise such mammoth specimens in these days they keep very quiet about it. but perhaps they don't taste any better than smaller ones. why should they? it will do to have asparagus boiled, just plainly boiled, two out of every three times that you have it. but the third times are those of which i would talk. asparagus tips in cream suppose you cut off the tips into inch lengths, and boil very slowly in salted water till tender. then drain and let get perfectly cold, after which you brown them a bit in butter in a frying pan. at the first threat to become brown cover the asparagus with cream, heat well and serve on toasted bread. asparagus with savory sauce if this doesn't satisfy you for a third try another way. cut the asparagus up just the same and boil with it a few new green peas and some shredded lettuce. season with pepper and salt, and flavor with a few drops of onion juice. add an ounce or two of melted butter to them after draining off the water in which they were boiled, pour over them half a pint of white sauce thickened, and then go ahead with the serving on toast. baked asparagus then you can boil the asparagus tips and heap them mound shape in a baking dish, pour through them a hollandaise or a béarnaise sauce, cover the top with grated parmesan cheese and brown in a hot oven. asparagus salad but for asparagus salad be sure that after the tips are taken from the boiling water they are plunged into ice water. then cover, when serving, with a french dressing in which has been stirred a little french mustard. asparagus salad or take some asparagus tips boiled and cooled and serve them on shaved ice with a dressing of salt, lemon juice, and horse-radish, or tabasco, and with a little bit of your most charming _persiflage_ you will be able to persuade some of your followers that you have produced an excellent substitute for little-neck clams. may "_some said 'john, print it,' others said, 'not so,' some said 'it might do good,' others said 'no.'_" it's the month when, by a logical amount of reasoning, the housekeeper is persuaded that she can easily treat her family to roasted veal, at least once a week, without any member of it entering a complaint. she tries it. the second time serving it threatens to go a-begging, and the third time there is so much left over that it can't be worked up in seven days--when, by her reckoning, another knuckle is due. people do tire of veal in short order, even those who have a liking for it, for some reason or other. i am inclined to think that a good many times the "tired feeling" sets in because of the way it is served--not enough is done to prepare the palate for it. olives with caviare veal, then, more than any other roast, needs to have the way prepared for it, very gingerly and very delicately. let us discuss a way for doing this. first, have pitted olives that you have filled with caviare. rest these olives on little rounds of toast that have been spread with caviare, and sprinkled with lemon juice. purée of peas and spinach now, for a soup. soak over night a pint of green dried peas. drain, and cook in plenty of fresh water till perfectly tender. then press through a sieve. have cooked, at the same time, a peck of spinach, and press through a sieve also. then put the two purées together, season with salt and pepper; heat well, adding half a pint of milk. just before taking up, pour in a pint of cream, and serve with tiny squares of fried bread in the tureen. ever heard of this before? it's a soup that is rich and delicate, but not so hearty that it does more than whet the appetite for what is to follow. mayonnaise with horse-radish shall we say salmon comes next? it's a thought high as yet, perhaps, but you only need a little of it--a pound for four, where a roast is to follow. but, to tell the truth, my insisting on your having it comes almost wholly from a desire i have to tell you of a new sauce for boiled or broiled salmon. it is nothing more than mayonnaise, a half pint, with a heaping tablespoonful of horse-radish stirred through it. oh, you will like it fast enough! and you will like it with cold salmon, just as well. duchesse sauce by the time the fish is a thing of the past, you will all be ready for the roasted veal. on this, of course, you have had tied thin slices of salt pork before it is roasted. with it, will you have a duchesse sauce? i think you will. for this you have a pint of good stock, thickened a bit with butter braided with flour. after it is heated, there is added to it a wineglass of any white wine. onion sauce or, if i have made a mistake, and you will have none of it, do let me suggest an onion sauce. peel and chop three onions, and let simmer in plenty of butter, closely covered, for an hour. let them brown, a trifle, at the last, and add a tablespoonful of flour with pepper and salt. then add to them half a pint each of white stock and cream. pour this into the pan in which the veal was roasted, after it is taken out, set the pan on top of the range and let boil gently for five minutes. it's an improved sauce soubise, you may say, if any of your guests are led to ask the name of it. but, if they ask for directions for making it, don't give them up. advise, instead, buying this book to learn, as you did, how to concoct such a bit of deliciousness. really, i wouldn't have more than one vegetable with the veal, and that asparagus, as it's the season for it. or, have something else, if you prefer, and have an asparagus salad. rhubarb sherbet for the dessert, why not a rhubarb sherbet? cut up two pounds of it, and boil with a few drops of water and plenty of sugar, the rind of a lemon, and a little liquid carmine to color it prettily. let this get cool; strain through a sieve, and add to it a pint of claret and two tablespoonfuls of rum. freeze, and have ready to decorate it, when serving, some strips of candied ginger. you will find it all that you have reason to think it should be, coming from this source. apricot charlotte but, if you prefer an apricot charlotte, it shall be my pleasure to tell you how to make one. line the same charlotte mould you always use with sponge drops, or fingers, carefully trimmed to fit. in fact, you want to give them a regular tailor-made fit. then fill with a pint of preserved apricots, which have been stewed till tender enough to rub through a sieve. stir into it an ounce of gelatine, dissolved in a little water. let it get perfectly cool, and then whip into it a pint of already whipped cream. turn into the mould and set away to harden. and you have the most ungrateful family in the neighborhood if they don't count this dinner as a red-letter event in their lives. * * * * * think you that upon one of these mornings, when the mercury shows a sullen determination to do nothing but climb, climb, climb, you can prepare a more tempting dish for breakfast than one of shrimps, which have been boiled in fresh water, then salted and cooled, and finally sent to table upon chopped ice? you will find them at the market for the rest of this month, at least, in excellent condition, and at a reasonable price. and should you elect to serve them according to the foregoing suggestion, place near them on the table a dish of crisp, fresh watercress, lightly piled, ministering thereby to the eye's pleasure as well as to the appetite's desire. broiled veal cutlets but if, some fine morning, a breath of winter comes o'er the land, _via_ an east wind, then you will, perhaps, crave food served hot, in which case have veal cutlets (veal is in fine shape now); dip them in melted butter and then broil over the coals; you will find this an infinitely better way of cooking them than by frying, which so many housekeepers consider the standard method. or, if you do not care for veal, try thin slices of bacon, broiled, and served on toasted graham bread. as a fruit, for leading up to either of these dishes, i think you will prefer pineapples, for they are of delicious quality now, and sold at a price which also recommends them to your notice. quite as appetizing, however, you might find cherries, but, though they are of fairly good flavor, they are a bit expensive, as they have a right to be, coming from such a distance. herring salad it is with intent and purpose that i do not suggest that everlasting americanism, beefsteak for breakfast; to my mind, it seems far more suitable for the luncheon table, and just now, with mushrooms so plenty, and as inexpensive as they ever are, a well-broiled, tender, juicy sirloin steak, with a mushroom sauce, makes a dish fit for the gods, and yet not a whit too good for human nature's daily food. just as good, in its way, for luncheon, is a herring salad, made of smoked herring. omit the use of caviare, which many cook-books recommend, for you want nothing that will encroach upon the flavor of the herring, but rather something which will act as its complement. for this purpose use one-third cold sliced potatoes to two-thirds herring, a plentiful sprinkling of capers, and the ordinary oil and vinegar dressing, with the salt put in by a miserly hand. another salad, suitable for luncheon, especially if cold tongue is served, is made of the little bermuda onions, which are abundant now; they should be minced finely and served ice-cold to win your highest admiration. baked chicken hash and now, just one more dish before leaving the luncheon table. have you ever prepared a baked-chicken hash? if not, allow me to suggest that you chop quite finely the cold meat of chicken or fowl, season it with salt and white pepper, moisten it with cream or with milk and butter, scatter bread-crumbs over the top and brown in the oven, and behold, you have one of the homeliest dishes in the annals of housekeepers glorified to suit the palate of a veritable epicure. whenever, at this season of the year, i go to market in search of fish for the dinner-table, it is only by the exercise of great will power that i am able to refrain from buying soft-shell crabs. they are so delicious, whether broiled or fried, that it seems positively wicked they should be so expensive. still, the fish dealer assures me that almost any day the price may "break" and, other fish being plentiful, we can afford to wait patiently for the "drop." delicious trout, of either the lake or brook variety, are abundant, and in whatever way they are served are one of the pleasures of the present day. although the month of roses is generally known as the month of salmon, it is in first-class condition now, and obtainable at a fairly low figure. no other fish is so capable of reserving; little scraps left may be warmed in cream and served on toast for breakfast, made into a salad for luncheon, or shaped into croquettes for dinner the following day. in the vernacular of the marketman, "spring lamb is getting down on to the earth." which, being interpreted for ears polite, means that the price is getting lower each week, but that the flavor remains unsurpassed; in fact "none but itself can be its parallel." bits of lamb left from dinner may be prepared in the way suggested for baked-chicken hash, and will, i am sure, merit your favor. when lamb is suggested, there follows, as a natural sequence, the thought of green peas; and if the peas in market to-day were only as good as they look, the thought would be a happy one. as matters stand, however, for those who know not the delight of eating peas in less than three hours from the time they are gathered from the vines, the representatives of this vegetable to be had now will pass muster. for myself, i prefer either cauliflower or egg plant, both of them plenty and in good condition now. the former if boiled and served with a white sauce, or baked with cheese is especially gratifying when served with a roast of lamb, while the egg-plant will be quite as much of a success if broiled, or stuffed and baked. of course asparagus has attained perfection, and is so in evidence on every hand that it is not necessary to mention it here. however, there are many persons of the belief that it is impossible to have too much of a good thing, and most decidedly asparagus is entitled to come under that head. savory tomato soup shall i tell you of three little dinners and how to make them grow? give ear, then, and you may hear. the first shall have a foundation of tomato soup. now please don't make a wry face and begin to say unkind things about tomato soup having a past until you have heard me through; for i want to tell you of an economical and really delicious way of making this soup that is not known to every one. just at this season almost all housekeepers will be sure to have on hand two or three kinds of cooked vegetables, little scraps of each i mean. now, suppose the list to comprise three new potatoes, boiled, half a cupful of string beans and about the same quantity of green peas; to these, or to any others which you may prefer to use, should be added two raw onions finely minced and a handful of chopped parsley. put them into a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a sprinkling of pepper and salt, and, after they have simmered for ten minutes, add a can of tomatoes. season then with a teaspoonful of whole allspice, a tablespoonful of sugar, and more pepper and salt if need be, and cook slowly for half an hour. at the end of that time strain through a fine hair sieve, put back on the stove and thicken with a scant teaspoonful of cornstarch mixed with a teaspoonful of melted butter. have little sippets of fried bread in the soup tureen, pour the soup over them and serve. and there you have a soup possessed of all the flavors that make a tomato soup worth the eating, while it has none of the heaviness of soup made with a rich stock. and the next dish for dinner no. shall be of dainty little lamb chops broiled to a turn. have in the centre of the platter a mound of mashed potato, lean the chops against it, and serve in this way. with the chops serve string beans. boil them till tender in salted water, drain them and put into a saucepan with two ounces of butter and two tablespoonfuls of cream to a quart of beans. cook them for three minutes and send to the table very hot. asparagus salad it would be a sin and a shame to arrange a dinner at this time of year without providing for the serving of asparagus. even though the dinner is to consist of one course only, that course should be of asparagus. but in the dinner which we are now planning it is to make its appearance at the third course as a salad. it must be boiled till quite tender, then chilled for three or four hours on the ice, cut into inch lengths, and served with a dressing of the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs beaten up with three tablespoonfuls of oil, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a saltspoonful of salt and the same quantity of french mustard. the last course shall include strawberries served in some way. have them plain, with sugar and cream, and serve with them narrow strips of delicate puff paste; or make little tartlets, and when they are done lift the covers and put a teaspoonful of whipped cream into each. and the cost of dinner no. ? well, at the price of "comestible wares" at this season, this dinner should not cost over one dollar for four persons. and really it will not require very close figuring to bring it within that sum. bisque of clams but if that seems too small an amount to expend for a dinner intended to give pleasure to four persons, there will be no trouble in planning one to cost rather more. and for the first course let us have a bisque of clams. get a quart of clams and a small piece of veal, about a pound of it. cook the veal in a little more than a pint of water and the liquor drained from the clams. season with one onion, a sprig of parsley, a bay leaf, salt, and white pepper. cook very slowly for one hour, then strain and again place it in the kettle; rub a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter with an equal amount of flour and add to the soup when boiling. chop up the clams very fine, and put them into the soup; let it boil for five minutes and then add half a pint of cream. heat thoroughly, but don't let it boil after adding the cream, and serve. and after you have partaken of this i'll warrant you will be ready to declare that grimod de la reynière had this especial kind of _potage_ in mind when he said: "soup is not only the commencement of a feast, but gives an idea of what is to follow." asparagus tops with cheese and its close follower in this instance should be some delicious little ducklings roasted. with the ducklings have new potatoes, from bermuda or from the south, plainly boiled. and have, too, some asparagus--asparagus tops with cheese. cut the tender part of the asparagus into inch lengths and cook in salted water till fairly tender; then drain and toss it about over the fire in a frying-pan with a little butter. dress it on a vegetable dish, spread the surface smoothly with butter into which has been kneaded an equal quantity of grated parmesan cheese and just a suspicion of cayenne pepper. brown as quickly as you can in a piping hot oven, and serve. lettuce salad with chives and now for the salad. does one of lettuce strike you favorably? if so, prepare it with a french dressing, as you always do, but after it is dressed sprinkle over it all some finely chopped chives. my word for it, you'll find this a great improvement over the ordinary lettuce salad. frozen strawberries a tempting dessert with which to wind up this dinner would be frozen strawberries with whipped cream. let me tell you how to prepare the dish, and see what you think about it. make a syrup of a third of a pint of sugar and a pint of water. into the syrup put a quart of fine ripe strawberries and let boil for five minutes. then freeze the mixture. whip half a pint of cream, work it into the strawberries, and serve in as dainty a fashion as possible. and the amount of money required to furnish forth a table with dinner no. ? not a cent over two dollars for four persons. asparagus soup but, for fear that to many that may seem too small an amount for just the kind of dinner they want to give, i will try again. since we have decided that asparagus must appear in some form at every dinner while its season lasts, we will start dinner no. with asparagus soup. this is made by cooking the tender parts of the asparagus in salted water for a few minutes. before they get quite tender drain till dry and cold. if there are two bunches of asparagus put them into a saucepan with four ounces of butter, two finely chopped onions, a lump of sugar, and a little white pepper. moisten with a pint of white broth and let cook for ten minutes. then rub through a sieve, heat again and serve. green peas with mint after the soup, crabs--soft-shell crabs dipped in beaten egg and crumbs and fried. serve nothing but tartar sauce with them. then have a couple of cunning little spring chickens broiled. have new potatoes chopped and baked in cream served with the chickens, and have also new green peas. try boiling with them a small bunch of mint and a small onion, both of which are to be removed before the peas are served. you will find that the peas have acquired a delightful flavor from their contact with the other vegetables. of course salt and pepper and butter are to be added as when they are cooked in the ordinary way. for a salad have some hothouse tomatoes peeled and sliced; lay them on a flat dish, and on each slice heap a little chopped lettuce mixed with mayonnaise. let us borrow the dessert from dinner no. to put the finishing touch to this last dinner. i don't know a better one, but if you do there's nothing to prevent your using it. and, do your best, if you are to serve dinner no. for four persons you cannot make it cost over three dollars. are you satisfied, now, that i know how to make dinners grow? june "_for her own breakfast she'll project a scheme, nor take her tea without a stratagem._" clams west island style "clams are good and plentiful now," said the fish dealer one day, and as i was in the frame of mind to take him at his word i hastily ran over in my mind the various ways in which this delectable fish may be prepared, the while i ordered from him the quantity i thought i could use. it doesn't take very long to sum up the gastronomical possibilities of the clam that are cherished in the minds of most housekeepers, you will admit. but, with time and opportunity favoring, there is room for expansion of ideas with regard to clams. for instance, this is one way to expand: poach, say, a pint of them in their own liquor, then drain off the liquor, adding to the clams milk thickened with egg yolks and seasoned with pepper and salt; forget economy and put in the butter you know it requires to make the flavor perfect, and on top of all have some tiny rice croquettes. you can't know till you try it just what this dish may reveal served at breakfast. but i will not spoil the story by telling you in advance. if, however, it's for luncheon that you would be thinking of having them cooked in this way, add the juice of an onion to them. clam and lobster in shells if you trust to me so far as to adopt the foregoing way of cooking clams you certainly will try this next way of preparing them at the slightest provocation. have as many as you like and chop them. add to them an equal quantity of chopped boiled lobster. sprinkle in some parsley, also chopped, and butter to the amount above recommended. season with white pepper and salt, and with the mixture fill some of the deepest clam shells, sprinkle bread crumbs over the top and brown in a hot oven. this may be counted on at any time for a luncheon dish when you are planning to go some persons who have entertained you at least one better. stuffed baked cucumbers before i forget it i am going to tell you of a dish that to my sorrow is rather uncommon, even among those who think they dine well. it's nothing less than a stuffed, baked cucumber--that is, those are the essentials of the dish. the potentials are to be classified by you after you have partaken of it. cut the cucumbers in two lengthwise without peeling them, scoop out all the seeds, and fill to heaping each half with a highly seasoned mixture of bread crumbs; moisten with melted butter and brown in a hot oven. vary this stuffing at your own sweet will--add a few chopped olives or some chopped pimientos--spanish sweet peppers you know--but have bread crumbs enough to insure the dish getting browned in shape. fried cucumbers if the idea of cooking cucumbers assimilates itself harmoniously with your ideas of gastronomy you may not hesitate to try a dish of fried cucumbers. and don't let any one infect your mind with the idea that they are especially indigestible. they're not. peel them first, then slice them into quarter-inch slices, say, then dip in beaten egg, then in crumbs, and then fry to a delicate brown in a little butter. try either way of cooking the cucumbers with a tender spring chicken broiled. for if you are not deprived of your rights nowadays you should be finding "broilers" in good condition and not too high in price. you see of game there is little to be said in the eastern markets during this month; so if you are trying to do the handsome thing in the bird line you've not much of a list from which to make a selection. to be sure you have a right to inquire at market for brant just now, come to think of it. you will be apt to find them, and in good condition, too. roasted shall we say? with them new potatoes of course. don't tell me you can't afford them, i know better. and you can also afford to secure some new summer squash to go with the roasted brant. don't ask me where it comes from. i only know that in every up-to-date market it is on sale. so are young, sweet little carrots that appeal to you for a white cream sauce like that you serve with cauliflower. by now you may reasonably be ordering blackberries if you are longing for a change. but my advice is to stick to the strawberry while it will stick to you. by the way, if you are to "do up" strawberries, get the first "natives" that come to town. get them, you know, before they are soft from overripeness, and next winter when set on your table just as they are, or with the syrup of them jellied with a bit of gelatine, you will see the wisdom of being forehanded with them. "give us breakfasts; tell us housekeepers what we can put before our families for the first meal of the day in summer that shall drive away the morning sulks." thus did a matron young neither in years nor in experience beseech me as i set out for market one day. and while i was parleying with the marketman as to the ways and means and the whys and wherefores of things edible that plaintive "give us breakfasts" rang so insistently in my ears that i could pay no attention to viands essentially suitable for later meals, but fell to thinking and planning breakfasts which should be antidotes--antidotes for that ill which more than any other human ailment is strengthened by recognition, the "morning sulks." and my first definite plan took shape in this wise: cherries, for this is the month _par excellence_ for that delicious fruit, cherries with some green leaves piled upon cracked ice in such a manner that the sight of them refreshes, while to taste of them leads one to think "all's well with the world." and then, to follow, there must be croquettes of fish; all kinds are so abundant now that it is only a case of paying one's money and taking one's choice. but whatever fish is chosen, the croquettes should be smaller than those for use at luncheon or dinner, for the eye is repelled at breakfast-time by sight of large portions. with croquettes the daintiest and lightest parsley omelette imaginable should be served, it seems to me, and there you have a simple breakfast, easy of accomplishment, but one sure to be appreciated by king sulks himself. iced watermelon; fried chicken with cream my second plan, when it assumes tangible shape, shall be like this: watermelons, not cut up into ungainly chunks with juice and seeds playing at hide-and-seek in one's plate, but with the pretty pink portion cut into two-inch cubes, say, with all the seeds removed, and sent to table after being well cooled, fancifully piled on shaven ice. if you don't mind a little fuss and bother, you may after it is cut up sprinkle the melon well with powdered sugar, put it into the freezer and frappé but not freeze it, and then send it to table. to the palates of many of this day and generation watermelon well chilled comes as a boon, for the best of men now and then are afflicted with a thirst these warm mornings which nothing save ice-water seems to quench, but the physicians and moralists have held forth at such length on the subject that one feels like a guilty thing upon taking a drink of cold water before breaking fast. now you are going to ask what will be quite good enough to follow watermelon, and for answer i shall recommend chicken, or fowl, boiled the previous day, and cut into neat pieces, then browned well in butter, with hot cream poured over it just before it is sent to the table. if you want a delightful adjunct for the chicken, let it be cold asparagus, with lemon juice and salt sprinkled over it. if you have never partaken of cold asparagus at breakfast, there is a new pleasure in store for you, for good as this vegetable is hot at dinner or luncheon, it seems especially apt when served cold in the morning. quite as attractive, and simpler in preparation, perhaps, you will find my third recipe for an antidote, it goes something like this: to begin with, blackberries, growing better and more abundant every day; to follow the blackberries smoked beef tossed in hot cream which has been seasoned with cayenne pepper, and thickened a trifle with corn starch, and--as a complement for the smoked beef you will desire something sour--try watercress dressed with lemon juice and salt, unless you are so enamored of tomatoes that you prefer them to any other vegetable in the morning, now. my next (really i don't mean this to read like an enigma) idea if you choose to put it into action will cause your breakfast table to answer to this description: raspberries, sweetened a bit, tossed in whipped cream and put into paper cases which come on purpose for the carrying out of dainty table schemes, and then chilled on the ice for at least an hour before serving. trouble? oh, yes, there's some trouble involved, but your reward will be swift and sure, my word for it. something exceptionally dainty and palate-appealing must follow the raspberries so prepared, and how does the thought of veal, minced finely and seasoned perfectly, with poached eggs on top, coincide with your idea of the fitness of things? ham toast very soon we shall have currants in abundance, and it has always seemed to me that when one is to have ham for breakfast they go particularly well for a first course. and the ham is entitled to different treatment in summer from that which it receives in the cold weather. for instance, just now if you have slices of toast and sprinkle lightly over them grated ham mixed with grated cheese, and then put them in a hot oven till the cheese is dissolved, your family will be your debtor to the extent of one new and distinct gastronomical emotion. gooseberry cream you will soon be able to get desirable gooseberries in the market, and while the average housekeeper will be engaged in reckoning their possibilities if "baked in a pie," you will, if you but follow my advice, cook them in sugar till tender, strain through a sieve, cool the purée, then boil it down and cool once more, that it may be in readiness for the next morning's breakfast, served with whipped cream flavored with lemon. you will find that this will pave the way excellently for a fine bluefish, properly broiled, and flanked by a tomato omelet. it is not in my province at present to prescribe the different cakes, muffins, and rolls that should accompany the foregoing dishes, for every cook-book sets forth an array of such recipes from which to select one for every day in the year. neither do i presume to suggest to any woman in what she shall be clothed. no, when i go into the subject of dress for the breakfast table it will be to exploit my ideas upon the way that men should array themselves. * * * * * whatever other faults the out-of-season strawberry may have it cannot be said of it that it induces satiety. and i wonder if the season of "natives" could be long enough to have that effect on the palate. probably. but this isn't the place to go into a discussion of that side of the question. strawberry fritters serving strawberries is or should be an every-day occurrence while the season lasts. i have told you in other places of two or three ways of serving them that i hope you found worthy a place among your collection of recipes for dainty dishes. but i believe i've said nothing about strawberry fritters. and in case you have never tried them let me suggest that you have them soon prepared in this way: get the very largest strawberries you can find. take off the hulls and cover them entirely with any sort of marmalade, preferably apricot, then roll them in macaroon crumbs, dip them one at a time into the lightest frying batter you know how to make and fry them in very hot fat. drain and roll them in powdered sugar before serving. a really delicious dish you will find these fritters, quite good enough to be served at dessert for the very best dinner you know how to arrange. strawberry pudding it comes to pass sometimes, you know, that one will have on hand a pint or so of strawberries that can hardly be called _passée_, still they have lost their pristine freshness and show symptoms of becoming soft. well, the best way to serve them is to heat them through in a little syrup, not letting them lose their shape or their color. then put them into a pudding dish and cover them with a half-inch layer of bread-crumbs. make a custard of four eggs and a quart of milk, seasoning it with a little grated nutmeg, pour into the dish with the berries and bread-crumbs and bake for half an hour. it may be served either hot or cold. and you will have reason to be pleased with yourself for having turned out an appetizing sweet, and one that will help you to foster that pet belief of every housekeeper, namely, that you are past mistress in the art of domestic economy. strawberry jelly another dainty sweet can be made by mashing a quart of strawberries with half a pint or so of sugar, and then letting them stand for half an hour while you are making a syrup of half a pint of sugar and the same quantity of water. when this syrup has boiled twenty minutes mix with it an ounce of gelatine dissolved in half a pint of water. take the syrup from the fire and strain the strawberries through a fine sieve into it. stand the bowl containing the mixture on the ice and whip briskly for five minutes, then add the whipped whites of four eggs and keep right on beating till it has the grace to thicken. then turn it into a number of small moulds or one large one. when it is to be served unmould on the prettiest dish you own, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top and pour a little whipped cream round in a fanciful shape for a border. strawberry salad if you are going to make a strawberry salad, and i think you will after i tell you how, you should have the strawberries as fresh as possible. cut them in halves, and if they are the bouncer variety cut them in quarters. put them into a basin with as much sugar as you think they will need; to one quart of berries add a wineglass of brandy, a tablespoonful of strained lemon juice, and then pack in ice till they are all but frozen. dish up in a pile when serving and put a border of whipped cream round the salad. pear salad a salad of almost any kind of fruit makes an appetizing dish for luncheon or for dinner. one of pears is really delicious if the pears are peeled, cored, and cut in thin slices, laid in a dish, sprinkled ever so lightly with powdered sugar, and have a few drops of brandy or rum poured over them. of course this salad, like all others made of fruit, needs to be thoroughly chilled before it is served, to have its appetizing qualities at their best. pineapple salad if a pineapple salad seems to you a fitting dessert for the particular luncheon you have in mind, it is easily prepared. be sure that the pineapples, two of them we'll say, are perfectly ripe; shred them thoroughly and throw away the core. put the shredded fruit into a deep glass dish, and pour over it a good half-pint of powdered sugar mixed with a tablespoon each of brandy and curaçoa. this salad should stand for about three hours before serving, so that the sugar may become quite dissolved. salad of several fruits and a salad of several kinds of fruits makes an altogether charming dish. try it some time. have half a pound of perfectly ripe cherries, remove the stalks and stones; have the same quantity of currants, but have a part of them red and the other part white, just to make the dish a bit prettier, and have a quarter of a pound each of raspberries and strawberries. sprinkle over the fruit plenty of powdered white sugar and three tablespoons of brandy. shake about lightly that the sugar may dissolve before it is served. crystallized raspberries some day when you have been so fortunate as to get some particularly large and good raspberries, fix them up in this way: hull them, of course, and then dip them one at a time in the beaten white of an egg mixed with a tablespoonful of water. as you take the raspberries from the egg roll them, one at a time, in powdered sugar and put at short distances from each other on a sheet of white paper to become perfectly dry, which will take two or three hours. when dry keep on ice till served for dessert. and a dainty dessert you will find it, my word for it. strawberries and blackberries, also, may be treated in the same way, but i doubt if they will find the favor that will be shown the raspberries. raspberry cream and a raspberry cream is pretty sure to be a favorite dish in almost any company. it is very simple, too. just press the raspberries through a fine sieve to remove the seeds; mix in well half a pint of cream and sufficient sugar to sweeten. beat it well, and as fast as froth rises skim it off and put it on a hair sieve. put the cream that is left in a glass dish, pile the whipped cream on the top, mounting it as high as possible, and serve. banana cream another delicious fruit cream is made by pressing half a dozen bananas through a fine hair sieve into a basin, mixing with the fruit one and one-half pints of cream, flavored with vanilla, and then passing the whole through a fine sieve. freeze the cream a little--till it just thickens--and then add to it a pint of cream, two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a wineglassful of madeira. keep in the freezer for two or three hours before serving. peach cream this you will find is also a tempting way in which to make a peach cream, but if the peaches are not perfectly ripe it will be a good idea to stew them for two or three minutes in a little syrup. the peaches, of course, will need more sugar than the bananas do, but no hard and fast rule can be given for the amount--just sweeten them according to your judgment. have you noticed that with all i've had to say about strawberries herein, not once have i quoted dr. boteler's remark concerning them? and yet i've heard it said that a woman finds it as impossible to refrain from mentioning the famous saying when writing about strawberries, if only half a dozen lines, as does a man to omit all mention of izaak walton when he has anything to say about going a-fishing. july "_unlike my subject now shall be my song; it shall be witty, and it shan't be long._" it was with the thought of hortensia's garden party weighing somewhat heavily on my mind that i made my customary tour "all on a market day," for she had beseeched me with tears in her voice to plan for her a list of appetizing dishes to put before her guests which should not be so elaborate as though meant for a grand dinner, nor yet so simple as if intended for the refreshment of a sunday-school picnic. hortensia would, i felt sure, see to it that the piazzas, grounds, and tent-like buffet were so decorated and adorned that one would at once conclude that flora herself had taken a personal interest in the appointments, and i firmly resolved that, come what would, my part of the programme should be carried out in such a manner that reasonable grounds should be furnished for the supposition that no less a person than epicurus had had a finger in the pie. therefore it was with a full appreciation of the responsibility i had assumed that i opened negotiations with the marketman. roasted doe birds as all the world knows, a garden party wouldn't be much of an affair without game, and fortunately for the hosts and hostesses at such merrymakings, there are in market at this season now fine doe birds, which may be seasoned with a little salt, a suspicion of madeira, roasted in a quick oven, and depended on to furnish delight, when thoroughly cooled, to the most captious of guests. game tarts another delightful manner of serving game is in the form of tarts--squab or pigeon tarts; line the tart moulds with paste, and then fill with the breasts only of the birds, adding a few slices of mushrooms and moistening with a liquor made by boiling the bones of the birds in a little water well seasoned with salt, a bit of pepper, and a spoonful or two of sherry. cover the tarts with the paste, have perfectly cold, and unmould before serving. turkey in aspic just now one may find tender and toothsome young turkeys in the market stalls, waiting to do duty at any event to which they may be called, and for the particular occasion in which we are interested at this instant there can be no better way of serving them than by boiling till tender and then cutting into small pieces, moulding them with the help of aspic jelly into shapes so attractive that one longs to learn if they can be quite as gratifying to the palate as to the eye. and, by the way, what a godsend aspic jelly is in the preparation of dishes to be served cold! beef tongue another cold dish which is looked upon as being a sort of commonplace stand-by is of boiled tongue, but i have found that it is easily raised to a level bordering on the ideal if prepared in this way: boil the beef tongue till tender in water which has been highly seasoned with vegetables, herbs, and spice; remove the skin, brush the tongue with beaten egg, strew it thickly with bread-crumbs, and bake for half an hour in a hot oven, basting frequently with port wine. let it get perfectly cold before slicing and have the slices as thin as possible. near to the tongue, as a relish for it, and indeed for all of the foregoing dishes, one's sense of the fitness of things approves the idea of having crisp, thin slices of toast, sprinkled with the finest little bits of green peppers imaginable, and masked with a thin layer of mayonnaise. in fact, one, if not the best, way to serve salads at an outdoor festivity, is upon thin slices of toast of white or graham bread, as one chooses. for instance, a lettuce and anchovy salad made by shredding the lettuce and cutting the anchovies in two and dressing with lemon juice and a dash of cayenne, with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs finely minced, seems to call for just such a tiny bit of toast as one gets in this way of serving, to carry out one's idea of perfection in little things. french sandwiches and after i had decided that the salads at hortensia's garden party should be so served, it was quite natural that the idea of sandwiches should suggest itself to my mind; but before the idea had time to really assume a definite shape i hastily but conclusively rebelled against the prospect of seeing those time-honored edibles set forth for the delectation of hortensia's guests in the guise of the common or restaurant variety. and this is the way i overcame what bade fair to be a troublesome difficulty: rolls, deliciously fresh french rolls, with a circular piece of the top crust removed and kept whole, while all the soft part of the roll was scooped out to make room for a filling of chicken, lobster, or sardines, after which the little cover was put back into place, and the comfort and joy of the partaker was an assured thing. musk melon jelly after the sandwich scheme was fully arranged, it seemed as though the "substantials" were well looked out for, and that i must be giving a thought to the fruits which were to make glad the senses of those bidden to the feast. not any great amount of deep thinking was required to make a selection, however, for there was an abundance at hand from which to choose; there were plums, juicy and sweet, of richest hues--purple, red, and green, and others of the most tempting golden color imaginable, and certainly no well-furnished table could afford to be without either specimen. grapes, too, there were in an infinite variety, but for hortensia's party i chose only black hamburgs and muscats. of course, i knew she must have peaches, and i spent a weary hour in trying to find some that tasted as well as they looked, but my labor was in vain. as a compensation for this disappointment, however, i found cantaloupes possessing a flavor which can only be expressed by the words "divinely perfect." and i found, too, delicious little musk melons to be prepared in this way: slice the melon, removing both rind and seeds, put in a preserving pan with a little sugar, and stew to a marmalade; rub it through a sieve, dissolve in it a sufficient amount of gelatine, and when quite cool mix with it stiffly whipped cream, flavored with a little essence or liqueur, as one likes. cakes and ices, of course, are as important to the great and unqualified success of a garden party as are the guests, and of the former i decided that the varieties known as "madeleines" and "petits fours" would be most acceptable to all concerned, while of the latter there could be no question as to the desirability of moussé with peaches, chocolat parfait, and milk sherbet. of quite as much importance as either of the articles mentioned in the foregoing paragraph are the bonbons, and the advice which i have bestowed upon hortensia in regard to them i repeat here for the benefit of any who may care to follow it, namely: "costly thy bonbons as thy purse can buy." moss rose for out-of-door feasting plenty of drinks should be provided; "cups," whether of claret, hock, or champagne, should be made on the spot and not prepared beforehand, as the taste of stale soda water is absolutely objectionable. cider, if iced, is really delicious, while a drink which the english find highly refreshing is called "moss rose," and is made of equal quantities of tea, coffee, and "cup," either of the champagne or claret brand. * * * * * i have a story to tell you. it has nothing of mystery in it, neither need it, necessarily, prove harrowing; it is far from being romantic, and there isn't a glimmer of sentiment in it. it hasn't a moral; if it had i shouldn't relate it. no, it is just true; that's the best of it and it's the worst of it, too, as you will admit, because it isn't without a parallel. it--my story--is of a very charming old farmhouse situated "near to nature's heart." at this farmhouse was gathered together a small company of people known to the natives of that section of the country as "summer boarders." to themselves this same company was known as a band of "nature-worshippers." one day they were all seated in the shade on a little knoll, each one trying to outdo the others in the matter of rhapsodizing the "eternal hills," the "books to be found in brooks," etc., when up spake one of their number who had hitherto been silent: "oh, i would give all the delights that this place possesses for one hour in the company of an ice-chest stocked as it could be with the good things in market now." of course this was philistinism of the rankest sort, and it savored of treason, too. but the offender held her head high and parried well, if the truth must be told, the rebukes of her hearers. the mischief was done, however; the seeds of discontent fell upon fertile ground, made receptive by a long diet of corned beef, curd cheese and "plenty of milk." the next morning every conveyance the farmer-landlord could muster was pressed into service to take his guests to the station. every one of them had received a sudden call to boston. but none confided to his or her neighbor the exact nature of this post haste summons to the hub, and when the train pulled into the station they scattered in different directions, hurriedly saying to each other: "see you on the . train this afternoon; good-by." and sure enough they were all aboard the train as agreed, each of them with an armful of bundles. nobody volunteered any information as to what his or her bundles contained, and nobody asked any questions. they simply ignored the existence of them and talked of how good it would seem to get back to peaceful valley once more, with its quietness and vast opportunities for reflection. that night each of them had a private audience with the landlady and the next day at dinner was seen the result of the trip to boston and of the said private audience. first of all was brought in some delicious spanish mackerel, broiled to a turn. these were furnished by professor a., author of the celebrated work "does angling produce insanity?" he said that of all the fish in market these seemed to him just now the most desirable. oyster plant with cream with the fish were served some of the finest oyster plants that ever found their way into the boston market. they were cut in pieces, boiled in salted water till tender, then drained and served with a tablespoonful or so of melted butter and cream enough to cover them, having just a dash of pepper in it. a simple way of preparing them and yet quite good enough for anybody, as you will see upon trying it. my word for it, the peaceful valley boarders thought it a dish fit for the gods. after the mackerel had been discussed and despatched and professor a. had accepted with a great deal of grace the vote of thanks presented to him, the game was brought in. this course was offered for the delectation of his fellow-boarders by professor b., author of "birds i have met." there were delicious chicken grouse that had cost the professor quite a pretty penny, viz.: two dollars and a half the pair; and plover of various kinds that were to be had for four dollars the dozen. grouse pie and this is the way the grouse were cooked: after the feet, necks, and pinions had been removed their bodies were divided into three pieces and put in a stewpan with the pinions and a little chopped bacon; after frying a bit some salt and pepper were introduced. then were added two tablespoonfuls of white wine for each bird; then the birds were taken off and cooled; after which they were arranged with the wine in a pie dish with hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters amongst them, covered with the best pastry crust that the landlady knew how to make, and it was pretty good, really. in fact the dish turned out a great success, as the result of a good many conferences between the donator of the birds and the cook. the professor had bought, the day before, the latest and best thing in the way of a cookery book, and after carefully reading it had come to the conclusion that this recipe for cooking grouse would be more easily mastered by the landlady than any other. the beauty of a grouse pie, too, as everybody knows, lies in its being just as good cold as it is hot. roasted plover the plovers were dressed, and with a pinch of salt and a bit of pepper put inside of them and the thinnest possible slice of fat salt pork tied over their breasts, were roasted for about twelve minutes in a hot oven. and with the game was served some of the choicest stalks of celery that it has ever been the lot of mortal to enjoy at this time of year. as for the fruit that was donated for this special occasion you would consider it a treat to hear the landlady tell of it, and of the sensations she experienced at seeing such a variety when the "apples on the early harvest tree on the south side of the orchard wall were only just beginning to get mellow." there were plums of almost every color under the sun; there were nectarines, the mere sight of which would make one's mouth to water; there were delicious delaware grapes and some little white grapes called the lady de coverley, that come from california. they are just as good, too, as one would expect from the name that has been given them. there was a curiosity in the shape of a banana cantaloupe, and there were all sorts of other melons, but the melon _par excellence_ was what is known as the montreal cantaloupe. they are raised on the banks of the st. lawrence river, and simply refuse to grow in any other locality. gardeners in other places have done everything to induce it to become naturalized, but all to no purpose. the particular specimen that found its way to the peaceful valley weighed just twenty-one pounds, and cost the purchaser $ . . but it wasn't extravagance to buy twenty-one pounds of such deliciousness, even if it had cost twice that sum. and what do you suppose these nature-worshippers did after partaking of all the good things herein described and set forth? well, they went out and sat under the trees and began to talk of what thoreau said about huckleberries! i came away then. * * * * * as a refreshing _entr'acte_ let us dwell on the subject of ices. let us have something more than just the ordinary way of making every-day routine ice creams. we will say "ices"--they mean unutterable, indescribable things that tickle the palate and cool one's very existence simultaneously. though after all it may be well to talk a minute of ice creams--beginning with generalities. the first of these i have found is that the easiest and best ice cream is made by using one-third rich cream to two-thirds milk with sugar as desired. no eggs and no cooking. if it is frozen smoothly it is perfect. this, however, is but the working plan--the flavoring and the moulding are to be arranged to suit yourself. however, if cream is not available, then eggs and milk in the proportion of eight eggs to one quart of milk may be used. this requires cooking like an ordinary custard. sugar to your taste, but flour or cornstarch are to be left out, by all means. if you are using fresh fruits, such as pineapple, peaches, strawberries and the like they should not be cooked but be added to the cream after it is frozen and just before it is packed. candied fruit, fruit used for frozen puddings and the like, is usually soaked in brandy or rum before adding to the cream. at least, that's the sort of treatment it gets from me. coffee ice cream just a word about coffee ice cream. for i don't think you will find this recipe anywhere else. and it's a pity you shouldn't know of it. have then one pint of very strong coffee, a gill of brandy, one quart of cream and three pints of rich milk. then freeze and be thankful whenever a hot day makes it possible for you to serve your coffee at dinner in this way. milk sherbet a great many people have a preference for sherbets and of these i have some charming things to say, for i appreciate a sherbet myself. there's a milk sherbet that suits me down to the ground. it is made of two quarts of milk, four cups of sugar, and the juice of six lemons. also the whites whipped well of two or three or more eggs as you feel inclined to use them. surely the lemons will curdle the milk. but don't let that disturb you. put it in the freezer and go ahead. it will come out as right as right can be. strawberry sherbet for a strawberry sherbet made in this way i have a fondness that i am not ashamed to acknowledge anywhere: sprinkle over one quart of strawberries half a pound of sugar; let it stand three hours, then strain through a coarse cloth, squeezing hard. to this juice add three pints of water, as much sugar as it seems to you to need, the juice of a lemon and freeze. pineapple sherbet a pineapple sherbet is made in the same way, though not as much sugar will be required probably. peach sherbet and for a peach sherbet follow the same directions, adding a wineglassful of brandy before freezing. currant sherbet a currant sherbet is a deliciously refreshing thing to have either in anticipation or in reality on a hot day. boil a quart of water and a pound of sugar to a syrup. skim and stir with it a pint of fresh currant juice which has been heated with a little sugar. let this cool thoroughly, then add the beaten whites of four eggs and freeze. for myself, i am quite through shying when anyone says artificial coloring in food--i have found the vegetable colorings as innocuous as so much water, and worth their weight in gold in cases like the present, namely the coloring of this currant sherbet. the only drawback about which is that of itself it will not be pretty to the eye--therefore hesitate not, but in with a few drops of carmine coloring. champagne sherbet a champagne ice isn't such a high-roller refreshment as it sounds. to begin with it's a rank solecism to freeze any but the most inexpensive of champagnes, and then you don't require many other good things for your ice--the champagne is enough in itself. you just make a very strong and sweet lemonade--a quart of it and half freeze it; then pour in the champagne and wholly freeze the mixture. get the champagne into the freezer as soon as you can after it is opened before its volatile gas escapes. if you prefer a more hilarious refreshment just keep on with your use of intoxicants by adding after the champagne a wineglassful of brandy. also, if you like, you may add the beaten whites of eggs, _ad libitum_. champagne with strawberries while we are on the subject of frozen champagne and the entering wedge has done its work let me speak a good word for champagne with strawberries. freeze together a quart of champagne and a pint of sugar syrup. just at the last add one pint of strawberries which have been halved and quartered and marinaded in a little brandy and sugar for about fifteen minutes. cherries used in this way will make you ready to declare that till you tried it you didn't know how to live. claret sherbet a claret sherbet is even better than it sounds if you make it in this way: rub the peel of two oranges off with plenty of loaf sugar and then make a syrup of this sugar and a pint of water. when cool, stir in the juice of three oranges, a quart of claret, a tablespoonful of brandy and the whites of four eggs whipped to a stiff froth and freeze slowly. sometimes there is used in this recipe the zest of lemon peel instead of oranges and then there is used some orange marmalade, heated and strained of course. or any jelly which you may fancy goes in very harmoniously with this concoction. kirsch sherbet a kirsch sherbet is a delicacy that doesn't put itself in the way of ordinary mortals every day in the week. that's why its welcome is a soulful one when it does appear. you have a pint of chablis and a pint of any preferred fruit syrup, which you freeze. then at the last there is added to it half a pint of kirschenwasser. by the way, before i forget it, you may treat watermelon with the frozen champagne exactly as prescribed hereinbefore for strawberries and champagne. all these are but a few of the ices familiar to expert cooks nowadays. but each one herein given is capable of so many variations that i am leaving that part of it to you. do you know that i am saddened more and more every day as i contemplate the power that lies in suggestion and the stupidity of people who will not avail themselves of it? but this is not perhaps the sort of talk you look for in a book that has to do with the material things of life. very well, we will cut it off. august "_ah, you flavor everything; you are the vanilla of society._" about the only time when i am really anxious to have the right to vote is when some legislation tending toward the preservation of the lobster is on the docket. then, if i had the opportunity, i should not only vote with both hands for a "close season" on that delectable shellfish, but i should lecture as long as i could get any one to listen to me, either on boston common or in faneuil hall, in an endeavor to induce others, men and women, to vote with me. i believe i should even resort to bribery where i thought it would do--and i am a fair judge of individuals who don't require their "inducements" to be too heavily coated with sugar--in order to put it through. as matters are now there are almost as many ways for preparing lobster as there are lobsters in the sea, and in order to try them all you would better be about it before the supply is utterly exhausted, or some one in authority calls "time." devilled lobster for devilling lobsters i have a budget of recipes, but this seems to be about the best one in the lot: split the lobster, after it is boiled, in two lengthwise, and put it into a baking-pan; season with salt and cayenne, and pour over it plenty of melted butter, and bake in a hot oven for five minutes. just before serving spread over it a sauce of melted butter thickened with flour and seasoned with a few drops of lemon juice, a sprinkling of mustard, and a little madeira or sherry wine. lobster toast lest you should get so attached to this devilled lobster of mine, i hasten to put here an alluring sounding recipe, hoping you may be induced to try it before forming the devilled lobster habit. first fry a sliced onion in enough butter so that there will be no browning of it. take out the onion in two or three minutes, as it is only intended to flavor the butter, and then fry in this butter the diced meat of two boiled lobsters for two or three minutes. sprinkle in some chopped parsley and salt and pepper as you like it. pour over the lobster a pint of white wine, and as soon as this gets to the boiling point take out the lobster and put it on slices of toast. into the boiling wine put all the butter from the lobsters, just a few chopped mushrooms, if they are at hand, and pour over the slices of lobster toast. have this just as hot as possible when sending to table, and you will find the alluringness of this dish is not in the telling of it only. lobster tartlet a lobster tartlet is a gastronomical dream, let me tell you, while we are on the subject, and after you try it you will be telling the same story. you should have tartlet moulds made of the very best puff paste, which you fill with diced cold boiled lobster, chopped cooked mushrooms, a caper or two, and a bit of mayonnaise. lobster à la newberg lobster _à la_ newberg is such a staple dish that it seems almost like plagiarizing something or somebody to put it on record here. however, as no list of lobster dishes is correct without it, here it shall go. cut the boiled lobster into two-inch pieces and fry over a tremendously hot fire, either in a chafing dish or on a range, for just two or three seconds; lessen the heat then, or pull the frying-pan into cooler quarters, while you cover the lobster with thick, rich cream. let this come to a threat to boil, then stir in say three egg yolks to a pint of cream, the yolks stirred in a little cream, till it thickens a bit. just a dash of sherry, say two tablespoonfuls, and there you are. stuffed lobster tails for stuffing lobster tails cut the meat of the lobsters up rather finely, and add to it half its quantity of mushrooms. fry in butter a bit, dilute with a little cream, season highly with cayenne and salt and fill the half tails with the mixture. coat with bread crumbs that have been stirred about in melted butter, and brown in a hot oven. lobster croquettes the making of lobster croquettes is a pleasant sort of business, for there is so much anticipation of good to come stirred in with it. cut the meat--don't chop it--rather finely: moisten with a bit of cream and the butter from the lobster. mould and roll in crumbs and fry a golden brown. don't go to seasoning these croquettes very highly or the delicacy will depart from them. but you know that. and do you know that you may add to almost any sauce used for boiled or baked fish some diced cooked lobster to the benefit of everything and everybody concerned? well, you may--my word for it. if i were to tack a sub-title to this screed it might very properly be: "women's luncheons," inasmuch as it was in aid of one of these mild social dissipations that i last perambulated through the markets. very properly also i might characterize the trip as a "peripatetic wandering through the market-place," for all the while i was in quest of edibles suitable to put before a purely feminine company i was talking to myself about the probable origin of this form of hospitality. when, where, and by whom it was invented? my own conjecture as to its inception finally took this course: algernon was in the habit of attending a great many goings-on to which women were never bidden. and araminta frequently discussed with him the calls thus made upon his time. whereupon it came to pass that after one particularly interesting debate on the subject, which debate was brought to an end by the sharp, quick closing of the street door, araminta had an idea. an idea which she called an inspiration, nothing less, and it had for its starting-point a luncheon, a dainty, gay little affair, at which no black coat should be allowed to intrude. and the _pièce de résistance_ of the meal should be a sweet called "revenge." oh, yes indeed, not only would her guests applaud her originality, but the hearts of the absent males would be torn to tatters at her assumption of independence. and doubtless part one of the programme was carried out to the letter, but, between you and me, i don't believe algernon ever lost a wink of sleep over it. in fact, when he settled the bill i have good reasons for mistrusting that he said something about the "game being jolly well worth the candle." but to-day the women's luncheon is an institution, and a very chic and dainty diversion into the bargain. and there are those who make it their business to tell how a woman should be arrayed at such a festivity, but that is out of my province. if, however, you would know how the menu should read at this time of year, allow me:-- cantaloupe. bouillon in cups. lobster patties. lamb cutlets with mushrooms. string beans fried in butter. broiled quails. tomatoes stuffed with celery and mayonnaise. wine ice cream. grapes. coffee. i almost said oysters at the beginning of the menu, but oysters we shall have with us for several months to come, while cantaloupes are beginning to say it's about time they were going. as yet, however, they are just as delicious and no more expensive than they have been at any time through the season. now as for bouillon. i get it canned, and think myself very fortunate in being able to do so. but you may prefer to make your own, and if so you probably have an always reliable recipe. _mes congratulations._ lobster patties but if you have a score of recipes for making lobster patties, i honestly believe you will follow the one i am pleased to give you herein. i take myself very seriously, you see. well, prepare some of the very best puff paste that you know how to make. roll it out on a floured table; with a fluted cutter cut out some rounds, put them on a baking dish, set them on ice for fifteen minutes, then brush them over with beaten egg. with a plain tin cutter of about half the size of the fluted cover cut through a third of each of the rounds, dipping the cutter in warm water every time; this will form the cover when baked. bake in a quick oven. when cooked lift off the cover and scoop out a little of the soft paste inside. for the lobster filling take the meat from a boiled lobster, cut it into very small pieces and fry a little in butter, in a very little butter, till they just threaten to brown. then pour over the lobster bits enough thick cream to barely cover them; heat this, but don't let it boil. thicken it with two or more beaten eggs, according to the quantity of lobster. season delicately with salt and a suspicion of cayenne. have the patties hot and the lobster hot, and arrange them on a hot dish for serving. for dear knows that a cold or a lukewarm patty is an abomination. lamb cutlets with mushrooms after the patties the lamb cutlets. and, mind you, they are to be fried, not broiled. season them well with salt and pepper, and fry in a little butter over a brisk fire till browned on both sides. then drain off the butter and baste them with just a little madeira wine. dress the cutlets in a circle and pour into the centre a madeira sauce with mushrooms. this you make by heating half a pint of any good stock, adding to it a gill of madeira, thickening it with a little flour braided with butter, and adding at the last a dozen mushrooms that have been minced and fried moderately in a little butter. you may use sherry instead of the madeira for basting the cutlets and for the sauce if you like. and also you may use the tinned instead of fresh mushrooms if you prefer to do so. for fresh mushrooms may not be any too plenty just now, and consequently are a thought expensive. still, they're quite worth the price. and now that the "law's off" probably hereabouts on quail, you will find them in pretty good condition. indeed, they are so good that i hope you will just have them broiled after salting a bit, and pin your faith to their own delicious flavor to give delight to your guests. have them served on toast, if you must, that has been slightly buttered, but forget to serve any jelly with them. i've told you elsewhere all about tomatoes stuffed with celery and mayonnaise, so i won't go into particulars this time. but tomatoes will not be with us at the prices for which we can now get them a great while longer, and celery is remarkably good in quality and low in price. so there's a good broad hint for you. wine ice cream that wine ice cream which i have recommended is truly a delightful confection. you have a pint of moderately rich cream, and you add to it the yolks of five eggs and three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and then you heat it just a trifle. next you stir in a gill of white wine, and then you freeze it. when quite frozen stir into it some chopped preserved cherries. then turn the cream into a mould packed in ice to set till time for serving, when it is to be turned out on a cold dish. doesn't that sound as if it would be worth a trial? you see i've simply said grapes in the menu because, as far as that fruit is concerned just now, it is a case of paying your money and taking your choice. and what will the ladies have to drink? suppose we say a sip of sherry with the bouillon and a bottle of pretty good rhine wine to be brought in with the cutlets. and it doesn't seem to me that it would be overdoing the matter to have a cordial finale--say crème yvette, or crème de cacao à la vanille. of course, i will tell you the approximate cost of such a luncheon. with good management it can be served, inclusive of the wines, for twelve dollars for a dozen persons. and that is not bad, now, is it? didn't you just enjoy that cooling little _entr'acte_ we had in july? i did. let's have another. we will not have anything sweet in this, however, we will have it cold and savory. doesn't that hit you favorably? there are plenty of cold and dainty savories that may come to table as your chief dish at luncheon or at dinner or as an entrée only, at the latter meal, according to the degree with which you manage to put on style. cold chicken cream there's chicken cream, for instance, made from a cold boiled or roasted--well, bird. i don't know whether it's chicken or fowl. perhaps you paid for chicken and got fowl. perhaps you paid for fowl and wheedled the provisioner into giving you chicken. but we will say chicken, anyway. pick, then, all the flesh from the chicken, mince and then pound it. now add to it half a pint of cream stiffly whipped and half a pint of just liquid aspic jelly. season with salt and white pepper and any other condiment if you like. then have one large or several small moulds and line them with aspic jelly and fill with the chicken cream. let set till cold and stiff and then unmould on slices of very thin fried bread. chop parsley and sprinkle over the creams when unmoulded. chicken cream with tomato another way would be to line the moulds with liquid aspic and a little tomato sauce. when this sets fill with the chicken cream as before. if you like the cream may be omitted from the chicken and when it is unmoulded it may be covered with a french dressing or with mayonnaise. any remains of cold meat can be chopped finely, mixed with shredded lettuce or watercress or parsley, capers, stoned olives, a truffle or two and mayonnaise, with enough liquid aspic to stiffen it and moulded in any way. these do make delicious presentations of old subjects--just a little labor and a little inventive painstaking and you have accomplished wonders. there are so many garnishes that may be used with these cold things to make them more of a delight that it is impossible to go through the list. sliced tomatoes or cucumbers or some cold cooked vegetable with a french dressing--any quantity of them you see once you begin to cast about for them. no one knows better than i do that to make the conventional aspic jelly is a labor that involves terrible risks as regards the breaking of the commandment concerning profanity. i don't mind telling you that i found it was having such a degenerating effect on my whole moral nature that i hit upon using just the best gelatine i can buy--this is not the place to name it, however--and dissolving it in a clear stock--white or brown as the case demands. try it in making these aspic things. cold cutlets in jelly you know, of course, that cold cutlets are the most impossible left-over thing with which the housekeeper has to deal. but prepare some savory jelly with stock and tomato sauce and coat these left-over cutlets with it some day and have them for luncheon. you will confess that you have learned something worth knowing. then there are numberless kinds of fish, almost any kind in fact that doesn't run to bone, that will flake well; dip the pieces in a jelly of this kind diluted with any kind of sauce--hollandaise, vinaigrette, tomato, and so on to the end of the list. now, mind, when i say coat these viands with this jelly i don't mean for you to give them a regular ulster for a coat--but a little thin diaphanous jacket, suitable for hot weather, you understand. when you can use cream in the jellies, either whipped or straight, the daintiness of them is increased by just so much. there are some kinds of game--dark game especially--that you may slice and coat with this jelly using currant jelly with it also and get some combinations that will drive your friends to despair. bear in mind that these jellied things must be kept on ice till served and the plates on which they are served must also be ice-cold. it does seem too bad for me to have to burden my soul with such instructions for you--they should be needless. but when good fortune takes me to luncheon in a crack hotel and i get my salad on a hot plate, or a hot plate set before me for the serving of it, i am forced to the conclusion that the mental lightweights are still in evidence and there's no knowing but what some of them in a moment of lucidity may become the owner of this book. therefore i go into tiresome details, occasionally. september "_but the fruit that falls without shaking indeed is too mellow for me._" there are persons, as some of us can testify, who appear to be horrified if a manhattan cocktail is mentioned in the most casual manner, and who are warranted to shy if they but get a whiff of a martini, but give them a chance to partake of an oyster cocktail and you have added a substantial item to their sum of worldly pleasure. almost everybody likes an oyster cocktail when it is judiciously mixed, but folk of the ilk above referred to do seem to have a peculiar fondness for it. now, is it because a course of total abstinence has rendered their palates extremely sensitive to highly seasoned impressions, or is it that the name has a witchery that beguiles them into thinking that they are tasting a forbidden thing without sacrificing a principle? i don't know. you tell. oyster cocktail and tell me, too, if this is the way you set about preparing one of these palate-ticklers. half a dozen little oysters dropped into a glass, with their juice, a little lemon juice, four miserly drops of tabasco sauce, half a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, a dessertspoonful of tomato ketchup, and several grains of salt. or do you substitute horse-radish for the tabasco? they tell me it's frequently done, but for myself i prefer the tabasco. it is a vexed question, anyway, this matter of what shall be put on a raw oyster to make it more palatable; the real dyed-in-the-wool epicurean vows that it is nothing short of barbarism to use more than the tiniest pinch of salt, while many a discriminating gourmet declares that the more you do for an oyster the more it does for you. so there you are. baked oysters but epicureans and laymen alike are agreed on one point, and that is the way to bake oysters so that they are worthy of a place on any table. put into a small lined stewpan a quarter of a pound of butter and one teacupful of cream, stirring it well over a quick fire till hot. add a wineglass of sherry, a tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, and a skimpy sprinkling of cayenne and grated lemon peel. stir over the fire till it bubbles once. then pour half of the mixture into a baking dish. lay the oysters on it, besprinkle them with a scanty covering of bread-crumbs and grated parmesan cheese, with salt and pepper. pour the remainder of the cream over all and brown to a good color. once one gets in the way of baking oysters as herein prescribed, one's recipe for scalloped oysters, no matter how true and tried, will be lost sight of. oyster stew with cream and the same fate will likely befall one's rule for making an oyster stew, provided one adopts this suggestion for preparing oysters with cream. in the first place there should be put into a saucepan a pint of cream with a tiny piece of onion and a little mace tied up in a muslin bag. when the cream boils thicken it with a tablespoonful of flour mixed with two tablespoonfuls of cream. heat a quart of oysters, with their liquor and sufficient salt. then drain and put them into a dish which is to be sent to table; pour the cream over them, removing the onion and mace. with the dish serve toasted bread or biscuit. devilled fried oysters undoubtedly all your friends are ready to take oath that you do have at your table the very best fried oysters they ever tasted. but the next time that you regale them with the dish, let the oysters be devilled and then fried. wipe the oysters perfectly dry and lay them on a flat dish. have a goodly supply of butter at just the melting point, mix with it a little salt, a suspicion of cayenne, and a certainty of lemon juice; pour this over the oysters and leave them in it for at least ten minutes. then roll them in a paper of cracker crumbs or sifted bread-crumbs; dip them into beaten egg, then into the crumbs again, and fry in boiling lard. stuffed fried oysters or you can make a dish of fried oysters even more elaborate if you will chop six ounces of the white meat of any fowl with one ounce of fat salt pork, pound it in a mortar till your stock of patience threatens to strike, then chop a few truffles to the size of peas, and add them with a little white pepper to the chopped meat. have four dozen oysters wiped dry, and with a sharp knife make an opening in the side of each one; fill the holes with the mixture. dip the oysters in crumbs, then in egg, again in the crumbs, and fry. oysters, celery roast now see to it that your guests don't exhaust their pet adjectives on either of these dishes. they will need at least a good round dozen of superlatives after an experience with a celery roast of oysters. and this is the way the story goes: have ready some dainty slices of bread, toasted, with the crusts removed. wipe dry and broil some of the smallest oysters you can get; broil till they begin to shrivel all round, then put them on the toast. sprinkle a little salt over them; cover them with some finely chopped celery. salt the celery a bit also. have ready cream heated, but not boiled, and pour it over the whole. serve it as hot as possible, and rejoice in the fact that you have demonstrated how divine a thing an oyster may be made. oyster pie it's a thousand pities that everybody doesn't know how to make good puff paste, for without that knowledge it is impossible to make a good oyster pie; but in case you are an adept at puff paste making, just try concocting one some fine day. line a pie dish with the paste and fill it with uncooked rice; butter the paste that covers the edge of the dish and lay a cover of puff paste over the pie; press the edges together a bit and trim them neatly. meanwhile prepare a quart of oysters by draining them from their liquor and chopping them fine. mix a teaspoonful of cornstarch in a very little cold milk, and pour over slowly half a pint of boiling milk or cream; when it is thick and smooth add to it an ounce of butter. season the oysters with salt and pepper, and stir them into the mixture; simmer for five minutes. when the pie-crust is done remove it from the oven, take off the top crust, turn out all the rice and fill the dish with the oysters; put on the cover again, and set in the oven to get thoroughly hot. they do say the recollection of an oyster pie so made is one of the sweetest echoes to start when memory plays a tune on the heart, even though one lives to be as old as methuselah. pickled oysters and now let me tell you of a way to prepare oysters so that they may come under the head of stand-bys, so dear to every housekeeper. take two quarts of oysters and put them into a porcelain-lined saucepan with their own liquor strained, half a grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt, a little cayenne, and half a pint of strong vinegar. then into a muslin bag put half a teaspoonful of cloves, two blades of mace, a teaspoonful of allspice, and two bay leaves; put this in with the oysters. let them cook very slowly, stirring all the while with a wooden spoon. as soon as they come to a boil pour them into an earthenware jar. when thoroughly cold they are ready to serve; if they are well covered in a cool place they can easily be kept for a week or even longer. * * * * * of late years, when the subject of home-made preserves and pickles has been referred to in my hearing, i have been wont to assume a very superior and quite top-lofty air, and to remark in a know-it-all tone of voice: "oh, life's too short for me to bother with anything like that; give me the fruits and vegetables and all other edibles that one can buy preserved in tin or glass the year round; they're better than home-made nine times out of ten, they cost no more in the end, and there's slight necessity for guesswork when you are to open a can as to the condition of its contents." sometimes, if i had a very tractable audience, this would end all discussion for the time being. at others it would fairly set the advocates of domestic preserving by their ears, and then you may be sure they defended their cause in good earnest. but they never induced me to go in for anything of the sort. still, i now have on hand a very fair array of jars and bottles and tumblers filled with jellies and jams and pickles, and they are home-made, and they are old-fashioned and i am proud of them. and i'll tell you how it happened. out in the country, three weeks or so ago, i was passing a farmhouse where the door opening into the kitchen stood wide open, and through that open door came a fragrant breath that called to mind numberless sweet woodsy smells. there was in it a suggestion of sweet fern, a reminder of bayberry, a hint of sassafras and a distinct likeness of grapevine blossoms. and this divine odor was conjured up, i learned, by the stewing of grapes--wild grapes, of course; the cultivated varieties being quite out of it when it comes to preserving. that settled it. within twenty-four hours from that time there was issuing from my kitchen an odor of wild grapes a-stewing. grape jam to go into particulars, i was making grape jam. i weighed the grapes, and to every pound i allowed three-quarters of a pound of sugar. then i squeezed the pulp out of the skins, putting the pulp in one bowl and the skins in another. the sugar with a quarter of its quantity of water was boiled in a preserving kettle till it was quite clear. then was added to it the pulp of the grapes which were boiled ever so slowly for twenty minutes--when they were rubbed through a hair sieve and put back on the stove, with the skins added to them. then they were boiled until the skins filled and looked good and plump. and when they were quite cooled i put them into jars covered tightly to keep out the air. next winter i shall depend upon this jam to help me out at many a luncheon with hot buttered toast or with waffles. and i've a strong notion that it won't play me false. quince marmalade you know how one word leads to another. well, i find that one preserve leads to another just as surely. after making the grape jam i was determined to try my hand at quinces--at quince marmalade. and it turned out such a success that i offer the recipe for your use if you like to try it. peel and cut into thin slices four pounds of quinces, put them into a preserving kettle, with half their quantity of peeled and sliced sweet apples, two quarts of water and the juice of a lemon. cover the kettle and let the contents boil quickly till softened; then put in three pounds of crushed sugar loaf, and stir over the fire while it boils slowly for twenty minutes. take the kettle from the fire, pour the marmalade into jars, and when it is cool tie brandied papers over the tops. i shall find many uses for this sweet, i fancy, and some day when i am quite put to it to know what to have for dessert, i shall just have the simplest sort of a bread pudding, and for a sauce some of this quince marmalade. quince jelly and having made the marmalade, i find that no reasonable excuse exists for not making quince jelly, because the parings can be used along with more of the fruit. core the whole fruit and put this with the parings into a stewpan with just as much water as will cover them; stew them gently till they are tender, but not red. strain the juice from the quinces without pressing them, measure it, and for each cupful allow an equal quantity of crushed loaf sugar. pour the juice into a preserving pan and boil it for twenty minutes, then add the sugar and boil until reduced to the consistency of jelly, stirring it well all the time. strain through a jelly bag and pour into small jelly tumblers. and this you know is going to be not only a toothsome bit, but if i put it into a pretty and suitable dish and set it in just the right place on my luncheon or dinner table, it will be a thing of beauty. plum jam i'm feeling rather proud, too, of my success with plum jam. it really strikes me as being delicious, and from the favored few who have been allowed to "taste" it, i have heard very flattering things. so you shall receive this recipe also. have ready say twelve pounds of large ripe plums peeled and divided into halves; crack their stones, blanch the kernels and pound them in a mortar. put the parings and cracked stones into a pan with three quarts of water. boil this until it is reduced one-half, and then strain it through a fine wire sieve. put the fruit into a preserving pan with the strained liquor and pounded kernels and twelve pounds of crushed loaf sugar. cook over a slow fire until it is reduced to a stiff jam, then turn it into jars and let it stand till quite cold, sift into each jar a layer of powdered sugar, cover with rounds of paper dipped in brandy, tie securely and put away. some foggy morning spread a little of this jam on some toasted muffins for breakfast, have some english breakfast tea, and play you are in "lunnun." brandied plums really, you know, i shouldn't feel that i had done the right thing by you if, after recommending that jams be covered by brandied papers i should omit to say something of plums preserved in brandy. they make a dainty tidbit, serve them when you will--morning, noon, or night. you don't want to use plums that are any more than ripe; in fact, if they're not much more than half-ripe it will be quite as well. say you have eight pounds of them; prick them all over and put over the fire in cold water. as soon as the water boils and the fruit rises to the surface take out with a skimmer and lay them in a pan of ice water. then make a clear syrup of two pounds of loaf sugar and a pint of water. put in the plums and let them boil up just once; and let them stand in the syrup over night. the next day take them out of the syrup, boil this once, put in the plums and let them boil just once and let them stand over night once more in the syrup. repeat this operation the next day and the following day, then drain the plums and put them into bottles. boil the syrup till it will almost candy, and when quite cold add to it three-fourths of its own quantity of the best brandy you feel that you can afford, mix thoroughly with the syrup, strain it and pour over the plums. cork the bottles securely. brandied peaches but if it's peaches that you want to see in brandy, you go about it in this way: split the peaches in halves and boil them in a syrup such as is used for the plums. boil them two minutes only, then take them out and remove their skins, put them back in the syrup to simmer for five minutes; take the pan off and leave the peaches in it till the next day. then drain and arrange them carefully in jars. boil the syrup down and mix with it an equal quantity of white brandy and when quite cold pour it over the peaches. cover the jars tightly. and it's not for me to tell you when to use them,--because the using of brandied peaches soon becomes a fixed habit, and it's pretty hard to be able to tell when not to use them. * * * * * apples in vanilla syrup why is it that housekeepers, the land over, with excellent reputations as "good managers," see in an apple only three possibilities, to wit: apple pie, apple sauce and baked apples, when by the aid of a vegetable spoon, such as is used for preparing parisienne potatoes, the apples may be scooped out into balls, cooked in a syrup flavored with vanilla, served hot with a sprinkling of finely chopped pistachios over all, and so served be worthy a place on the table of the veriest gourmet? hardly a whit more trouble involved, you see, or expense, for that matter, than in the preparation of "apple sauce," and yet how much more appetizing and wholly satisfactory! again, if you want to idealize baked apples, have them peeled and cored, then boil in a flavored syrup till tender, but firm, and with sugar and burnt almond scattered over them set in oven to acquire a delicate brown. garnish when serving with bits of marmalade or jelly. fried apples the frying of apples successfully is a ticklish matter, it must be admitted, but if the fruit is perfectly sound when peeled, cored, and quartered, the fat piping hot, with only a few pieces dropped in at a time, if, as i say, all these conditions prevail and your fried apples be not a success, then rest assured there is some witchcraft at work and you are in no wise to blame. the pity will be none the less, however, for nothing so complements delicious little pork chops for a luncheon dish as apples so prepared. and pork chops, by the way, are quite to be desired these cool autumn days. apple salad nothing can exceed the joy-giving properties of an apple salad if it be rightly concocted. for myself i prefer that there shall be a judicious mixture of celery with the apple, that the pepper, salt, and oil be added with a sparing hand, and that without fail lemon juice shall be used in place of vinegar. it hardly seems necessary to say, and yet one never knows just what is the proper stopping place in giving advice, that a steel knife must not be allowed to touch the apples, else what might have been and should be a thing of beauty is a damaging blight to an otherwise perfectly appointed table. this kind of salad is in its rightful place when accompanying any variety of black duck, and just now wild ducks are of prime flavor. the marketmen know this, but i find that not many of them know why these birds are to be in their best estate for the next two months, when the reason as explained to me by sportsmen is both sound and plausible, namely, that now the birds are getting their feed where it is the sweetest and best, along the shores of fresh ponds, but later when jack frost shall have done his perfect work they must hie them to the salt marshes for sustenance, and very soon thereafter the fact of their changed diet is made manifest to those who dine from them. pears in vanilla syrup one can hardly talk of ways and means for treating apples and leave unsaid one or two directions for serving pears so that they shall be quite good enough to do duty upon any occasion. have you ever tried peeling them, splitting them in two lengthwise, scooping out the core, cooking till tender in a syrup strongly flavored with vanilla, and then draining them, filling the hollows left by removing the cores with powdered macaroons? if you have, then you know how to complete the pretty task; if not, then i will tell you that after the macaroons have been added the two parts of a pear must be put together, the pears laid on their side alternately with tiny rice croquettes which have been coated with apricot marmalade or any preferred jam. you may take the syrup in which the pears were boiled and adding to it a little whipped cream pour it over the whole. my word for it, if the early part of your feast has consisted of such delicacies as nightingales' tongues and plovers' eggs, pears so prepared will seem a fitting dessert, but if, as is more probable, you have dined from a perfectly broiled chicken (and they were never better and less expensive than now), you will find this dish of pears quite the crowning beauty of your dinner that it deserves to be. stuffed stewed pears and while we are on the subject of cooking pears i will tell you of another way in which i have always seen them find favor. after they are cooked and the core scooped out i fill them with a mixture of several kinds of fruit, finely chopped, laying them on a shallow dish of rice and cream, pouring syrup over them. pears stewed in claret now for another way of cooking pears as they should be, to be "not like other folks'" pears: let me suggest that you get inexpensive, oh very inexpensive claret in which to stew pears the next time you see fit to have them. stew them till tender, then take them out and add to the claret what sugar you think is needed to have it sweet enough when it is boiled down to about one-half the original quantity. pour over the pears and let cool before serving. sublimate this idea, if you see fit, by sprinkling in chopped almonds or chopped pistachios or any other little pleasantry that occurs to your inventive genius,--that is, if you've an inventive genius that is to be trusted. * * * * * fried chicken, italian style suppose you find, on one of your trips to market this month, as you probably will, that poultry is very low in price, won't you give this suggestion a trial? cut a chicken up as for a ragout, and boil it in as little water as will cover it, seasoning the water with a small onion, salt, white pepper, and a gill of sherry wine. when the chicken is almost tender enough, drain it from the liquor and let it get perfectly cold. meanwhile have in a stewpan half a gill of olive oil, with a pinch of minced onion and a little salt and pepper. when this is quite hot and the chicken quite cold, cook the chicken in it to a delicate brown. dish the chicken when it is browned evenly, and pour over it a sauce made by adding a gill of the stock in which it was boiled to the oil in the stewpan, thickening it all with the yolks of two eggs. this makes a most delicious dish and is well worth the trial. the frying in oil gives it its distinctive flavor, and makes it very different from fowl fried in butter, which is in france always called poulet sautée, to mark the difference. with tomatoes and this same dish can be varied a little by using tomatoes with the chicken. after the chicken has been fried in the oil, lay it on fried tomatoes, and then pour the sauce over all. have the tomatoes as large as possible and not too ripe; slice them, dust them with salt and pepper, and fry very, very slowly in a little oil till they are cooked; but don't let the slices get out of shape. roast duck with orange sauce; broiled devilled tomatoes if you think you would prefer a roast of poultry, do try ducks to be had now. roast them in any way that experience has taught you is the best, but when it comes to making the sauce for them, let me have a word to say. mince two or three slices of bacon and a small onion and fry together for five minutes; add to them the juice of an orange and a wineglassful of port wine, the drippings from the pan in which the ducks were roasted, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. it's an ideal september dish, that's what it is. and you might accompany it or follow it with another that is particularly seasonable, namely, broiled devilled tomatoes. first you mash the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, then you mix with them a saltspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful each of powdered sugar and mustard, and as much cayenne as your taste calls for; then stir in three ounces of melted butter, and when all the ingredients are well blended add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar. at this stage put the mixture over the fire to reach the boiling point, and stir in two well-beaten eggs. when it has thickened a bit stand in hot water on the stove to keep warm while you give a little attention to the tomatoes. these must be ripe and firm. cut them in half-inch slices, broil over a clear fire, place on a hot dish, pour the sauce over them, and there you are. this makes a really appetizing breakfast dish as well as a savory dinner course. try it some morning, having with it crisp broiled bacon and some dainty rice muffins, and you will find yourself considerably above par with your household for the rest of that day at least. broiled tomatoes on toast and in a day or so follow up the good impression by having at luncheon tomatoes prepared in this way: cut some round slices of bread and fry them delicately in butter till they are brown. slice firm, ripe tomatoes to match the sizes of the bread slices; broil the tomatoes just a wee bit, and then lay a slice on each piece of the french bread. season them with pepper and salt, scatter grated parmesan cheese over them, spread them with a layer of fine bread-crumbs moistened with melted butter. brown in a hot oven and serve piping hot. and if the man o' the house is the right sort you will get a vote of thanks in the shape of a big bunch of the earliest and brightest chrysanthemums to be found in town. celery and apple salad have you ever made a salad of apples and celery? use sour apples cut into dice-shaped pieces, and cut the celery into half-inch bits. arrange in the salad dish in this way: a layer of the apple, then a sprinkling of capers; next a layer of the celery, and over this three or four olives cut in thin slices, and so on till the dish is full. make a dressing of a saltspoonful of salt, a good dash of cayenne pepper, the juice of a lemon, and six tablespoonfuls of olive oil. pour this over the apples and celery about ten minutes before serving. be sure that you let the youngsters have all of this salad that they want, for it will be hard to concoct a more wholesome and healthful one. apple sauce with orange juice; with whipped cream and i am going to suggest a variation or two of the apple sauce theme for your approval. go ahead and get your apples ready as you always have, and when you put them on the stove to cook add to them the peel of an orange. when the apples are quite cooked press them through a sieve, add brown sugar to them to taste, and the juice of one orange to a pint of apple. put this on the stove to cook for about two minutes, and then put aside to cool before serving. or, stew your apples till they are tender, press them through a sieve, add to them the amount of sugar they require, and when they are quite cold beat up with them lightly some well-whipped cream--a pint of cream after it is whipped to a quart of apple sauce. pear salad now, if it comes to pass that neither or both of these ways of making apple sauce finds favor with you, you will certainly give an attentive ear to a hint on the subject of pears. for one of the daintiest and most seasonable of desserts is a pear salad. know how it is made? have the pears quite ripe, cut them in thin slices, lay them in a glass dish, sprinkle powdered sugar on them, pour over them a glass of brandy which has in it a dozen drops or so of lemon juice, and let stand on ice for about fifteen minutes before serving. it is a good idea also to have the pears on ice for two or three hours before they are sliced. stuffed pears another delectable dessert made from pears is called "stuffed pears." cut them in two and scoop out the core with a vegetable spoon. cook the pears very gently in a little syrup till they are quite tender. drain them, and have ready any kind of marmalade into which you have stirred chopped almonds. stuff the pears with this and put them together in their original shape. have in a dish a thin layer of boiled rice, over which you have spread a little whipped cream. arrange the pears in a circle on the rice, and fill the centre with the same kind of marmalade as that used for stuffing the pears. stuffed peaches and peaches may be prepared in just the same way; but you may add just a few of the kernels of the peaches to the syrup while you are stewing them, which will give them a delightful flavor. indeed, i think it is always an improvement to use some of the kernels when cooking peaches for any way of serving. in tarts the kernels should be chopped as finely as possible. peach cream peach cream makes a dainty and delicious dessert. have a dozen ripe peaches, peel, remove the stones, and then stew them with half a dozen of the kernels in a syrup made of half a pound of sugar and half a pint of water. when the peaches are quite soft press them through a sieve. mix with the pulp one pint of cream, whipped, and one ounce of dissolved gelatine. wet a fancy mould with cold water, pour in the preparation, and leave till firm. unmould when serving. to be sure, there's no way in the world that a peach is so delightful as when eaten from the hand, but it must be the very best sort of a peach to be eaten in this way, and the best sorts just now may be a thought expensive. that is the reason i have suggested ways for cooking them, because one can use an inferior quality and yet get perfectly satisfactory results. and that isn't possible with most of life's commodities. october "_fill up the bowl, then, fill it high-- fill all the glasses there, for why should every creature drink but i; why, man of morals, tell me why?_" when all the world adopts the pythagorean menu as its standard of good living then i will bestir myself and concoct the daintiest dishes possible from those "foods that are freshly chemicalized by the sun's rays," and will gladly give you the benefit of my experiences. but i'm no reformer, and until that day of universal self-denial arrives i will continue the tenor of my way along the old line, and try to idealize commonplace, every-day viands into dishes that pique the appetite, and make of eating a delicate delight. a very material vocation, it is true, but as matters stand a highly useful one. eh? now there are smelts, as plump and inviting a fish as can be found in the market, and at their best, too. but how many housekeepers are there who ever think of serving them in any way but just simply fried? frequently, of course, they do serve them with a tartar sauce, but nine times out of ten it would be better for all concerned if the sauce were neglected or forgotten, or upset, or anything that would keep it away from the table. baked smelts the next time you are to have smelts try cooking them in this way: after they are cleaned have them wiped till perfectly dry, and lay them in a baking dish; over them pour a wineglass of white wine, add a sprinkling of salt and pepper, according to your judgment, half a dozen whole fresh mushrooms, and pour over them one-half a pint of spanish sauce. sprinkle ever so lightly with bread-crumbs and a little warmed butter, and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. this is the way you would prepare a dozen or fifteen of the fish; of course for a larger number the amount of seasoning, etc., would be increased proportionately. garnish the smelts before serving with thinly sliced lemon, each slice sprinkled with chopped parsley. broiled smelts with béarnaise or try broiling them, if you like. split the fish, using only the largest size, down the backs; remove the backbones, wipe well and then rub them with a little oil and season with salt and a bit of white pepper. broil in a double broiler for three minutes on each side, over a hot fire. have spread on the bottom of the dish in which they are to be served a layer of béarnaise sauce; arrange the smelts carefully and daintily on this and sprinkle over them a scanty bit of chopped parsley. you'll find this far and away ahead of the eternal "fried smelts and sauce tartare." fried smelts with parsley but if you really feel that you must fry them, then go about it in this way: first of all, fry some thinly sliced bacon and in its fat fry to a delicate brown the smelts which you have previously dipped in sweet, rich cream, and then dredged with flour to make a thick paste around them. serve garnished with the bacon and with fried parsley. the frying of parsley is as you know, a somewhat ticklish job; it must be perfectly dry, put into a frying basket and then plunged into hot fat for just a few minutes--don't have the fat too hot--this is where you must think and act simultaneously--or the parsley will lose its color, and then you will have to begin all over again. after it is put on the dish squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over it. my word for it you will find this an acceptable dish, whether it is prepared for breakfast, luncheon or dinner. bluefish--newport style i didn't mean you to understand that i considered smelts to be the only fish in the market at present; i simply wanted to call your attention to them as being as good as any other, and a good deal better than they, themselves, are at any other time of year. bluefish are good now, too; they are excellent, really, and a bluefish at its best is hard to beat. have you ever tried cooking them in the oven? have them split, you know, as for broiling, then put them into a well-greased baking pan. have ready half a cupful of melted butter with the juice of an onion in it and likewise the juice of a lemon, with a reasonable amount of salt and of cayenne pepper. before the fish goes into the oven moisten it well with the prepared butter, and baste with the butter every ten minutes while it is in the oven. when it is of a good even brown it is done. now, don't serve with the bluefish cooked in this way potatoes of any sort or kind. have cucumbers, hothouse, of course, and have them fried. cut them into thick slices and remove the seeds; then soak them in equal parts of ice-water and vinegar, well salted, for one hour. take them out, drain and wipe dry and fry in boiling lard until a light brown. they are not only good when served with bluefish cooked in this way, but they are appetizing bits to accompany pork or lamb chops when you are serving them with a brown sauce. so much for to-day's fish story. as for meat, anybody can get good meats at any time of the year if they will go to a man who knows how to cut them, and won't insist on dickering with him about the price. domestic ducks are now in good condition. you might get one of them and try preparing it in some new way to be used, if it's a success, on thanksgiving day. say stuffing it with mushrooms; use one can of mushrooms to three heaping cupfuls of stale bread-crumbs; one-half a cupful of melted butter, with salt and pepper. if the stuffing appears to be too dry moisten it with a bit of milk. split the mushrooms and use all their liquor; if the duck is too small to require the full amount you may add some of the mushrooms to the giblet gravy to be served with it. and there is plenty of material in market for green salads; there are celery and lettuce, the stand-bys; watercress, escarolle, romaine, and chicory. try this latter some time soon, using a plain dressing of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper for it, with bits of roquefort cheese sprinkled over it. if any among you object to eating this cheese because of its odor, rest easy, for you may have at hand a counteracting force in the bar-le-duc currants. they do, as you probably are aware, put the finishing touch to almost any sort of dinner, but when particularly strong cheese has been served they are nothing short of a godsend. * * * * * to the ordinary reader the name of bontoux conveys nothing; to the parisian of a generation or two ago it was synonymous with all that was delightful in the way of food and drink. the shop over which madame bontoux presided remains in the rue de l'Échelle, but madame, herself, has been gathered to her forefathers. originally she had been a cordon bleu, and in the early forties opened a small establishment in the rue montesquieu, which establishment, if i mistake not, is mentioned in sue's "seven cardinal sins." thence she moved to the rue de l'Échelle, where she died. acting on the whim of the moment, she would sell her wares only to those whom she liked, and those whom she did not like might offer her a hundred times their value in vain. the rue de l'Échelle being near the comédie française, rachel, who was a gourmet of the first water, frequently went to the shop after rehearsals. one afternoon she went in while one of the shopmen was busy packing a hamper for nicholas i. among the delicacies there were a dozen magnificent quails on a skewer. "i want those," said rachel in the imperious way she adopted now and then. "you will have to want, my little woman," replied madame, shaking her head in her enormous bonnet, which seemed a fixture; no one had ever seen her without it. then rachel toned down. "i will give you ten francs apiece for them," she said. "not for ten crowns apiece," came the retort, and in a voice which left the great actress no doubt as to its meaning. rachel was disappointed, and rose from her chair to go. just when she had reached the door an idea flashed on her. she turned round and began to recite the famous lines from corneille's "horace." the effect was electrical on the shopman, who dropped the quails. madame bontoux was not so easily impressed. she kept shaking her head just as if to say "you may save yourself the trouble, my girl;" but all of a sudden, when rachel brought out the last line-- "_moi seule en être cause et mourir de plaisir_," she jumped up. "give her the dozen quails and a pheasant besides." wonderful to relate, the enormous bonnet had got pushed on one side. now, there's a very pretty question to be discussed at your dinner table o' sunday night: were those birds _à bon marché_ for rachel, or did madame bontoux, in the language of to-day, "get the best of the bargain?" when you go to market in search of game in these days, and the marketman, leading you in the direction of the ice-box wherein he keeps his choicest wares, says, "look at 'em; ain't they beauties?" you will be quite safe in acquiescing by a plain yea or a nod, but do not go to the extent of ordering a dozen quail, or woodcock, or snipe, or any other game bird, in fact, until you have ascertained if the legs are smooth and the quill feathers soft, which facts prove them to be young birds. furthermore, be sure that the breasts are hard, firm, and well-covered with flesh, for this will show them to be in good condition. once the birds are under your roof-tree see to it that the cook does not draw the trail from the woodcock or snipe, for by all gourmets this is reckoned a great delicacy, and, by the way, though, of course, it is a matter of common knowledge, the heads of these birds are the most delicious morsels of all. another point to be borne in mind is that when preparing game for cooking it should never be washed inside, but merely well wiped with a clean cloth. toast for game partridges, grouse and quail are of so fine a flavor that it is little short of a criminal act to serve them in any way but roasted or broiled. if they are to be broiled and served on toast, then a delicious way of preparing the toast is to have the giblets boiled till they are so tender that they can be pounded to a paste with a little of the water in which they were boiled, and then, when mixed with an equal amount of butter, spread over the toast. this giblet butter may be varied to suit a variety of tastes. a little chopped parsley may be added, or a squeeze of lemon juice, or both, in which case a complementary dash of cayenne must be added. the meat of the partridge is so dry that it is well to serve with it a sauce made of melted butter, slightly seasoned with onion and a dash of white wine, or a tartar sauce is really excellent with broiled partridge. sauce for partridge if these birds--partridges, grouse, and quail--are to be roasted, the garnishing in either case must consist of seasoned watercress. with the partridge is served a bread sauce, but it's a custom as old as the hills, and for that very reason i have tried many experiments to find a sauce more to my liking. i have found it, and this is the way i prepare it: half a pint of clear stock, preferably white, seasoned with onion juice, a bunch of parsley, a bay-leaf, and four cloves, strained through a napkin before using. the birds will be much better if an ounce of butter is placed inside of them before cooking, and if they are occasionally basted with melted butter during the process of roasting. roasted grouse grouse need no sauce, especially if before they are put into the oven they are stuffed with one slice of bread each which has been toasted and dipped in madeira wine. they may be larded, or barded, or basted with melted butter while roasting, if it is thought likely to improve their flavor. roasted quail beware of cooks who assure you that they know how to roast quail until you have seen their skill put to the test. it is a failing common to too many cooks to over-roast these dainty little birds. fourteen to sixteen minutes in a hot oven is quite long enough to cook them to the point favored by epicurean palates. they should be served on bread sliced and fried, and with them, if desired, a very little of the clear sauce above recommended for partridges. any of the pieces left from these birds roasted may be daintily served with a mayonnaise dressing, and you may be willing to assert that the last state of that bird was better than the first. velvet soup. sherry, amontillado. baked halibut with parmesan cheese. roasted duck with olives. burgundy, romanee. cauliflower with bread crumbs. lettuce and cucumber salad. macaroon charlotte. toasted crackers. cream cheese. coffee. it was with the intention of preparing a dinner according to the above menu that i went about my duties "all on a market day," for it seemed to me upon looking it over to be a dainty repast for four people, and one wherein neither parsimony nor extravagance held the trick hand. and a safe middle course in one's daily regimen tends quite as much to health and prosperity in individual and nation as does the same policy in seemingly weightier matters. velvet soup the velvet soup is easy of accomplishment, as one need only to have a quart of some simple white stock on hand, made from veal or poultry remnants, into which is stirred the minced red part of four carrots seasoned with pepper and salt and stewed till tender in butter, two tablespoonfuls of tapioca which has been soaked for four hours in cold water, and then let the whole boil for nearly an hour before straining and serving. it is not only easily prepared, but it is easily digested, as a soup should always be which precedes a rather rich fish course similar to that given above. baked halibut with parmesan about a pound and a half of halibut, at eighteen cents the pound, will be required, and it should be boiled till tender enough to flake lightly; then, if you have a rather deep dish, with a border of mashed potato about the inside, all will go smoothly. into the bottom of the dish put a layer of white sauce made of half a pint of boiling milk, three ounces of butter and a little salt, thickened with flour; sprinkle in flakes of the fish, then a layer of the sauce, adding a little milk if it promises to be too dry, and so on till the dish is full, having a layer of sauce on top. then scatter grated parmesan over all, and brown to a tempting shade. roasted duck with olives with ducklings tender and toothsome, as they should be in this month, it is plainly seen that the next course is capable of being a _pièce de résistance_ at a far more stately affair even than the one which we are considering. but if they are roasted in the ordinary way known to every housekeeper in the land, stuffed with bread crumbs, highly seasoned, and have a giblet sauce, quite an extraordinary flavor will be given them if, just before serving, half a pint of pitted and quartered olives are added to the sauce. it's only a trifling addition to the old way, you see, but the improvement is so great you will wonder that every one doesn't know of the gastronomical harmony existing between duck and olives. now, the flavor of the ducks is so rich and altogether satisfying that it takes only the simplest and mildest-flavored vegetable to complement this course. and nothing will answer the purpose better than cauliflower. if they are cut into pieces of uniform size, they cook in a much more satisfactory manner, and they should boil as gently as possible; do not add the salt to the water till they are nearly tender. when taking them up, drain well, and over all pour melted butter thickened with browned bread-crumbs, and send to table. i fancy you will find them more to your liking served in this way than in the old rutty way of so many cooks, namely, with a white sauce, which varies in different households from a fair quality of flour paste to a very rich and fairly cloying concoction of cream and melted butter. there is nothing like a simple salad to prepare one's palate for the sweets which come at the last, and with hothouse cucumbers now in evidence and lettuce always with us, the making of a salad is a delight in more ways than one. it is not so many years ago that we had to pay from thirty-five to fifty cents each for cucumbers at this season of the year, but the large number of cucumber hothouses near every city is fast bringing this desirable vegetable to a state where it will be known as an all-the-year-round commodity. macaroon charlotte there are a good many people, and the number is increasing, who declare that to them a dinner is finished by a bit of cheese after the salad, and finished quite to their satisfaction, too. but for those whose dinner is incomplete without a bit of sweetness, i would recommend a macaroon charlotte made by lining a dish with broken macaroons and then filling the dish with whipped cream which has been sweetened and flavored to taste; adding to it at last half a pound of crystallized cherries. as to the wines, of course, it's a matter of purse and principle whether or not they shall be served. i have suggested the kinds appropriate to the courses, for the reason that i have heard many a hostess "on hospitable thoughts intent" wonder "what wine goes with what." * * * * * to be sure, i went a-marketing t'other day, and i was able to collect a stock of valuable information which i came home prepared to dish up for the delectation of any who chose to read and profit by it. but by some chance, or mischance, it occurred to me that all-hallows eve is near at hand, and that when it comes you girls will be up to all sorts of pranks. now, years and years ago i was a girl myself, and i can dimly recall that the playing of pranks on the fairies' anniversary night induced a desire for liquid refreshment, either for the purpose of chirking up one's spirits when the omens proved unfavorable or for helping out the general merry-making when the signs foretold bliss. claret tipple and a drink that seemed to me at that time apropos of either event we used to make by slicing half a dozen juicy apples and three lemons as a starting point. then we would lay them alternately in a large bowl, sprinkling each layer plentifully with sugar, and over all would pour a quart of claret. then we would let it stand for fully six hours, pour it through a muslin bag, and it was ready for use. hot spiced claret if you desire a hot drink, and it is likely that you will, if the tricks you have on hand call you out of doors at midnight, you might prepare one in this way: have half-a-dozen lumps of sugar, the juice of half a lemon, four whole allspice, two whole cloves and half a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon in a dish; over it pour half a pint of claret and let it boil for just two minutes, stirring it all the time. strain it into hot glasses and grate just a little nutmeg on top as you serve it. at the first sip the good qualities of this libation will present themselves to you. hot claret egg-nog and for an encore you might vary it a little bit in this way: stir together two tablespoonfuls of sugar, the juice of half a lemon, half a teaspoonful of mixed spices and half a pint of claret. boil this for two minutes and then pour it over the yolks of two eggs that have been beaten well with a teaspoonful of sugar. stir all the while that you are pouring the wine slowly over the eggs. grate a little nutmeg over the top after you have poured the mixture into hot glasses. now mind, don't get confused and pour the eggs into the wine, for that would spoil everything; pour the wine over the eggs. and be thankful that you have lived long enough to concoct such a satisfying drink as this always proves itself to be. hot sherry egg-nog but if you feel that you must find a use for the whites of the eggs dissolve a tablespoonful of powdered sugar in half a pint of hot water, add to it half a pint of sherry wine and let this come to a boil. meanwhile have the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth and pour the hot mixture over them, stirring rapidly. pour into hot glasses, grating a bit of nutmeg over the top of each. see to it that the vessel in which you boil the wine is thoroughly clean. you don't want even the faintest trace of a taste of anything besides the ingredients herein prescribed. orange punch an orange punch isn't just the innocent tipple that its name would seem to indicate. but that doesn't hinder its being a treat for the palate. infuse the peel of three and the juice of six oranges with three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar in two quarts of boiling water for half an hour. strain and add to the juice a half pint of brandy and a liqueur glass of maraschino. and it is quite likely that you will think it needs a little more sugar; if so, add it. now it may be that you will like this hot, or it may be that you will like it cold; in the latter case cool it on the ice for several hours before serving or ice it when serving. this is also an excellent recipe for lemon punch--substituting lemons for the oranges. cider punch if you really long for drinks which seem suitable for days the "saddest of the year," why then see to it that your cider jug is filled with sweet cider as a prerequisite, and go ahead. call your first effort a cider punch. peel a lemon and pour half a pint of sherry on the peeling; to the juice of the lemon add a cupful of sugar, a little grated nutmeg and a quart of cider. mix this together thoroughly and then add to it the rind of the lemon and the sherry. let it get perfectly cold on the ice, or if you are short of time ice it when serving. now if you wish to make this punch a bit more insidious you can easily do so by adding to it a wineglass of brandy. it will be quite as palatable also, i think you will find. cider egg-nog and then cider egg-nog is well worth the making and the drinking. use a large glass; beat up in it an egg and a scant teaspoonful of sugar; put in half a dozen small lumps of ice, fill the glass with cider and grate a little nutmeg on top. this is not only a very pleasant drink, but it is an extremely wholesome one. it will act as a pick-me-up many times when one is tired or not feeling quite up to the mark. quince liqueur another delicious potation that will be found of use at all sorts of occasions is quince liqueur. grate a sufficient number of quinces to make a quart of juice after it is squeezed through a jelly bag. with this juice mix a pound of sugar, six ounces of bitter almonds, bruised, a dozen whole cloves and a gill of brandy. mix these all well together and set away in a demijohn for ten days at least. then strain it through the jelly bag till it is perfectly clear, and bottle for use. besides drinking this as a liqueur, you will find that you can vary and improve a number of your recipes for punch by adding just a suspicion of it to them. various cups at all times cups are alluring decoctions, don't you think? and there are many varieties of them. but they all begin in the same way. a cordial glass each of maraschino, benedictine and brandy put into a quart jug, and then if you fill the jug with champagne you have champagne cup, with rhine wine you have rhine wine cup, and with cider you have cider cup. if you use claret you add a few drops of lemon juice and double the quantity of maraschino. rhine wine seltzer but it may be that you prefer to take your rhine wine with seltzer; if so, just half fill the glass with the wine and pour enough seltzer to fill it. both the wine and the seltzer should be kept on the ice for some little time before using. ginger lemonade if after all this array of non-temperance drinks you feel that you should turn your attention to something milder, and yet can't quite make up your mind to clear cold water, why not try a ginger lemonade? have a teaspoonful of powdered sugar in a tumbler, add to it the juice of half a lemon and fill the tumbler with ginger ale that has been well iced. you will find this a pleasant change from the ordinary lemonade, and for many persons it serves to make ginger ale a deal more palatable. soda cocktail now, if you should feel that you would like to serve a drink that is as innocent and harmless as so much milk, but that when judged by its name alone seems to be intended, oh, my! for very dissipated persons, indeed! let me suggest to you a soda cocktail. fill a glass with lemon soda, put into it a dash of raspberry syrup and on top of it a thin slice of orange. and, your very good health. november "_from our own selves our joys must flow, and that dear hut our home._" once upon a time, a somebody who was famous for his or her wit or wisdom, or for both qualities, remarked that oftentimes the easiest and best way to get over a difficulty was to go round it. to my great regret, i can't give you the name of the author of the very pithy saying, neither can i tell you just what conditions called it forth, but it's safe to say that its context was a suggestion or opinion offered for the settling of some great big question of state. but, what is more to the point, i can be of help in showing you, i hope, how to make a practical application of the epigram to every-day affairs. because, just as sure as we are living, there is always a way to go round if one can't get over the very toughest hands that one gets in life's shuffle. now, there's the servant-girl question in its sunday-night aspect. it exists; it can't be wiped out; and it is impossible to ignore it. she, or they, as the case may be, will have "the evening out," come what may, and guests are pretty sure to come o' sunday nights. of course you can't send them home supperless, and neither can you send your family to bed in a semi-famished condition. no; you must go round the situation. and it's not so hard. indeed, my last trip to market, which included a call at the grocer's, was for the express purpose of picking up points that would make the circuit easy for you. i'm not going to say a word, here, about the chafing-dish. and i will tell you why. it is the custom in a large number of families for the man of the house to preside at the chafing-dish sunday nights, and while my stock of book-learning is very diminutive, i have learned that under no circumstances is it wise to offer suggestions to a man who thinks he can cook. frequently it is easy to have some little dish left ready by the cook which needs only to be heated before it is served, but in nine households out of ten cold viands are the staple commodity. and the singular sameness is surprising and saddening. if one is in the habit of dropping in to "pot luck" at the houses of one's _intimes_, one soon learns to reckon with a fair degree of certainty upon what will be likely to be set before one. now, there are sandwiches. once let a housekeeper acquire a reputation for a particular brand of that edible, and it's like getting her to change her religion to induce her to try making any other sort. but it requires only a very little time, with a fair amount of common sense, to have a sandwich repertoire that will enable one to get through a fairly long season without repetitions. caviare sandwiches the next time you are to have caviare sandwiches, try using brown-bread, sliced as thinly as possible, spread with unsalted butter, and then with a layer of caviare and a sprinkling of lemon juice. and you will find them as good as they are uncommon. oyster sandwiches; fish and game sandwiches then there are oyster sandwiches. cook the oysters a bit, or till they are firm, then when they are cool stir them into good stiff mayonnaise, with a seasoning of red pepper and just a few capers. spread day-old bread with this mixture and finish off, sandwich fashion. you can use cold fish of any sort in this way; having the bits very small, and adding chopped gherkins to the mayonnaise. and, better yet, use in this way any bits of cold game, or poultry, using with them chopped olives and chopped truffles. in either case, you may if you like lay a lettuce leaf on the bread and put the mixture on that. but for myself i have always disliked the addition of lettuce to sandwiches. savory butters it is very easy to have savory butters, "beurres composés," so familiar to the french cuisine, and so give an infinite variety of taste to any kind of sandwiches. take, for instance, unsalted butter and season it well with anchovy essence, some very finely chopped parsley, a bit of paprika, and spread thin slices of bread with it and then use a layer of any kind of cold meat. or you can use shrimp essence, or in fact any essence or sauce that you think would prove to be a favorite. crust sandwiches one of the most palatable ways, it seems to me, in which to make sandwiches is to take paste, not puff paste that is too rich, and roll it out as thinly as possible; cut it into rounds of uniform size spread around with a certain mixture, then cover it with another round of the paste, pinch the edges together and bake them till they are brown. as to the mixtures, they may be made of an endless number of savory viands. say bloater paste softened so that it will spread easily with a little melted butter. and then there are all sorts of potted meats and devilled things that seem almost as if they were made expressly to be used in this way. believe me, you will find these sandwiches ever so dainty if you get them small enough and thin enough, and, by the way, they make a capital appointment for the five-o'clock tea-table. sweet sandwiches now for the sweet sandwiches. they may be made with either white bread, cake, or wafers--preferably the last. have some icing made by your favorite rule and sprinkle into it chopped nuts of any kind and spread the wafers with it. or, use chopped crystallized fruits and cherries preserved in maraschino; and then try, the next time you make this sort of sweets, some brandied fruits with the icing. you might make a chocolate icing and add to that some chopped pistachios or almonds or preserved ginger. but surely you've enough now in the way of a ground plan for the making of any number of dainty and appetizing bouchées. savory jelly just a word about jellied things. you can have a pint of stock, white if possible, season it with an onion, a bay-leaf, a bit of thyme, a clove, and pepper and salt. then put in a good half-ounce of dissolved gelatine; and turn about one quarter of it, after straining, into a mould and set on ice to cool. have the rest of the jelly in a liquid state, but perfectly cold. when that in the mould is set, have any sort of cold meat, chicken, turkey, ham or tongue cut into strips free of skin and bone, and pack it into the mould with alternate layers of the jelly, finishing with the latter. now see how successful you can be in making such a dish a joy to the eye. use sliced olives, gherkins, capers, truffles, fanciful shapes of beet or anything that your artistic eye will permit, and sprinkle these through the dish as you go along. run a thin knife blade in between the jelly and mould and then plunge the mould into boiling water and the jelly will unmould easily. cheese salad then there are salads. to make one of cheese rub the yolk of a hard-boiled egg in a basin with a tablespoonful of salad oil; add one teaspoonful of salt, a bit of cayenne and a little made mustard; when all is well mixed stir in about half a pound of grated parmesan cheese, the juice of an onion, and a tablespoon of vinegar. serve on lettuce leaves. you will find that this will go particularly well with sandwiches of bloater paste. but for a salad to be served with a jellied meat, make one of nuts, one kind or several, broken into bits, mixed with an equal quantity of sliced olives and spread with only a very little mayonnaise. i did want to tell you of ways to make some very appetizing beverages, for the sort of occasions we are discussing, but they will have to wait. and perhaps it's just as well; already my conscience is troubling me for fear that you are going to be so taken up with the goodies i have told you of that you will have no inclination to think on "better things" when it comes sunday. but it can't be helped now. * * * * * last spring a certain boston man with his family moved into the country. not so far out, however, but that he could come to town daily to attend to business, and yet far enough from the gilded dome to be able to buy sufficient land for a small farm without paying all creation for it. the next move was the stocking of the farm. so a jersey cow was bought to keep the family supplied with cream, a flock of prize hens was set at work in a bran new henhouse that there might be fresh eggs on hand, and last but not least, a pair of tiny young pigs were secured to provide the household with sweet, home-made pork when winter should set in. and having secured the stock, the owner proceeded at once to make pets, collectively and individually, of the whole equipment. actually the cow would manage to look half-way intelligent when he stroked her neck and told her she was the sort that deserved to live in clover the year round; the hens really did add a note to their regular cackle when the master was about, to show him that they knew who gave them heaping measures of grain, and the pigs, which he called tim and jim, got in no time to know their names when they were spoken by his voice. well, cold weather came on and with it those crisp, frosty mornings when a toothsomely seasoned sausage with a potato purée makes an ideal breakfast. so tim and jim went the way of all pork, and in due course of time their owner had the satisfaction of seeing on his own breakfast table pork "of his own raising." and what do you think happened then? "susan," said he to his wife, "i can't do it; if you will believe me, i can't eat that pork. give it away--give it all away. never have any more put on this table. why, dash it all, susan, i may be a ninny, but i was actually fond of tim and jim, and don't see what i was thinking of when i had them killed." "samuel," said the wife, a woman who knew how and when to point a moral, "you needn't call yourself a ninny; be thankful for the feeling you have, because it can give you a glimpse, though from afar off, of the mighty power that will make of us a nation of vegetarians, if we ever do become such." and i, when i heard of this little episode, fell to wondering if it would be such terribly hard lines after all to be put on a strictly vegetarian diet. at any rate, i managed to turn out one dinner, sans fish, sans flesh, sans fowl, that didn't appear in the least like a substitute for something better. you shall have the menu: consommé with asparagus points. mushroom cannelons. poached eggs with tomato. macaroni with cheese. string beans with butter. walnut salad. lemon soufflé. coffee. consommé with asparagus as i was determined to be thoroughly conscientious in the preparation of this dinner, using stock for the soup was quite out of the question, so i prepared it in this way: a couple of onions, a carrot and a bunch of herbs fried in plenty of butter till of a good brown. add to them a bunch of celery chopped, with salt and pepper for seasoning, and a tiny bit of sugar. cover with water and boil till the vegetables are quite tender. strain and add to the liquid a dash of sherry, a few drops of lemon juice and some asparagus points that have been cooked by themselves till tender. of course, the asparagus you will buy in tins or glass just now, but for use in this way it is quite as good as though freshly cut. you will be surprised, i fancy, when you see how savory a soup you have turned out. cannelons of mushrooms it isn't often that we feel justified in buying fresh mushrooms at this time of year, but at a dinner of this sort where one is not obliged to pay for a steak or for game, one can afford to be a little bit reckless in the matter of vegetables, especially when they are to be put to such a delicious use as the making of cannelons. coarsely mince a pound or so of well-wiped mushrooms and toss them with a little minced parsley in butter till nicely browned; then season with white pepper and salt, adding a little more butter to moisten the mushrooms till they are quite cooked. then stir in--off the fire--the yolks of three eggs, a squeeze of lemon juice, and set the whole aside to cool. roll out some puff or very short paste thin, cut it out in oblongs, put a good spoonful of the mushroom mixture on each oblong, roll these up like sausages, moistening the edges to make them adhere, brush them over with egg and fry in plenty of oil or in butter. for myself, i prefer the oil, and the using of oil for frying purposes isn't the extravagant act that it seems at the first flush to be, because it wastes very little and can be used repeatedly for different purposes. the cannelons are to be served with the poached eggs and tomato. and the directions for preparing the latter dish are to be found elsewhere in this book. macaroni with cheese the macaroni with cheese you know all about, i dare say. is this your way of doing it? break the macaroni into two-inch lengths and drop into boiling salted water. when it is quite tender pour cold water over it, drain and stir about in plenty of melted butter till each piece is well covered, then put into a baking-dish, strew grated parmesan cheese over it and let brown in a hot oven. just a little bit of cayenne added to the cheese improves the flavor wonderfully, to my thinking. string beans with butter you can find green string beans at the provisioner's yet, or you can get them tinned, as you choose. i shall not presume to advise you as to that, but for the cooking of them i will say a word or two. boil them till perfectly tender, then drain well and place them in a pan with a tablespoonful or more of fine herbs (minced chives or minced shallot and parsley), with pepper, salt and lemon juice and two ounces of butter; toss them over the fire till the butter is melted and serve. perhaps this isn't the place to go into a discussion of the circumstances that have landed us as a nation at a point where we think we must have turkey on thanksgiving day, or be accused of showing a disrespect for the declaration of independence. but some time the matter will be attacked by somebody who will spend a decade or so in the astor library or the boston athenæum to discover who said "turkey" first and where they said it. evidently it was said in one of those voices that are heard around the world and its echoes have not begun to diminish, so far as my ear can detect, even yet. so turkey it is, i suppose. grape fruit with rum but this little talk shall be of the addenda of the dinner. know what addenda means, don't you? well, call them "fixin's," then. nowadays grape fruit is a hard and fast "fixin'" of a thanksgiving day dinner. before the soup it comes on cut in halves with the seeds removed and also all of the white pith in the centre of each half with a pair of sharp scissors. then by the taste of them it is evident that about an hour before they were put on the table they had a lump of sugar and a teaspoonful of rum put into each half, after which little refection they reposed on the ice till wanted. don't go on the principle that if a little rum is good more must be better and try to float the fruit in--that would have been hailed as a rank outrage even by captain shaddock himself--but just be content to see how potent a little bit of rum can be in good company. grape fruit sorbet; fruit salad if you want a grape fruit sorbet, thinking it best to begin your dinner with oysters, you may pick out the pulp with a fork in sizable bits, free from seeds and pith, cover these bits with sherry and with a sprinkling of sugar and freeze. you know the rest--how to serve it and the like. but you may be firm in the conviction that when grape fruit comes to your table it doesn't make its appearance till dessert. if so, you will allow me to put in just a word, won't you? the word is to advise you to get the pulp out as recommended for the sorbet, mix with it an equal quantity of malaga grapes cut in halves with seeds removed, covered with sugar and sherry and iced for three or four hours before serving. i don't know whether it is true or not but it seems to me more than likely that the mushroom hunters for science' sake are doing "us folks" who like good things to eat a kind turn by getting out so many books on the subject of good, bad, and indifferent sorts. at any rate, they are getting to be more plentiful every year and consequently should be lower in price. thanksgiving day seems to be a pretty appropriate time for having them. you must spread yourself on that day, even if you live on bread and cheese for the rest of the month. have them then and by themselves after the table is cleared of the "bird and its fixin's," and have them in croquettes. * * * * * of course, you knew just what to have for dinner on thanksgiving day, and if perchance you didn't there were plenty at hand to tell you how the menu should be composed. so just let me advise you how to prepare two or three dishes, to be called thanksgiving _en réchauffée_, if it will make things seem any more prosperous to you. broiled turkey legs yes, i shall begin with turkey, because in nine families out of ten, or perhaps ninety-and-nine out of a hundred would be a closer estimate, that bird formed the _pièce de résistance_. you know that if there's plenty to "go round" at the first serving of a turkey the legs are generally left untouched; the carver doesn't feel like giving them to any one, and when it comes to waiting on himself he thinks he is entitled to a choicer bit. and so he is. but you can use those legs all in good time. just gash them three or four times with a very sharp knife, sprinkle them over with salt, pepper and a few drops of lemon juice and broil them over a hot fire till browned well; put them on a hot dish, pour a little melted butter over them and send to table. they will go uncommonly well, say for a sunday morning breakfast to help out with a bacon omelet. broiled devilled turkey legs; potato omelet but if they are to do duty at luncheon, devil them before broiling. season them with salt and pepper and then rub lightly with mustard which has been mixed with oil. turn the legs often while they are broiling, basting them once in a while with a little melted butter. when they are dished pour a little rich brown gravy over them. and with them cooked in this way serve a potato omelet. pardon the digression, and i will tell you how this is made. it may not prove a digression, however, as it is quite possible that you had a sufficient quantity of mashed potato left from the thanksgiving day dinner to make it. but if you didn't, boil four large potatoes and when soft mash them; beat four eggs with a cup of milk, mix it with the potatoes and season with salt and white pepper. cut four or five ounces of bacon into tiny squares, fry till crisp and brown, then mix in the potatoes and stir over the fire till they are heated through. let brown well, fold the omelet over and serve. minced turkey with mushrooms if there is a considerable quantity of the white meat of the turkey left over cut it up into dice-shaped bits and add to it half its quantity of canned mushrooms cut in two; moisten well with béchamel sauce, season with pepper and salt and let heat for ten minutes, but don't stir it. dish it on triangular pieces of toasted white bread. or, if you like, you may use in place of the béchamel sauce, cream and butter; but, whatever amount of cream is used, let it heat till it reduces to one-half. minced turkey a more savory hash may be made in this way: use any or all bits of the turkey and chop them rather finely; add a little chopped parsley, a few drops of lemon juice, the juice of an onion or two, and white stock enough to moisten it sufficiently. let it simmer for half an hour very slowly and then add a little white wine just before taking up. if you are in the habit of using wine in cooking you will know all about how much it will require to give just the right flavor; but if you are pledged to abstain from such practices you won't want to know and you won't need to know how much should be used, so i'll not go into particulars. goose pie but perhaps for good and sufficient reasons you didn't have turkey at all but had roasted goose, and if that is so please do use up the tidbits by making a goose pie. cut all the meat from the bones and put the bones with the skin into a saucepan with a little water to boil slowly for two hours. let it cool, and skim off all the fat; into the bottom of a deep dish put a scanty layer of boiled and mashed onions; sprinkle well with salt and pepper, put in a layer of the goose meat, then a layer of the onions, and so on till the dish is filled. pour in the water in which the bones were boiled, cover with a good crust and bake in a moderate oven till the crust is done. stewed goose let me tell you also that stewed goose is by no means a slow sort of dish. in fact, it is reckoned by a good many as being among the joys of earth. take two onions, peel and chop, and put them in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter and fry until soft; dredge them with flour and stir in half a pint or so of the water in which the bones of the goose have been boiled. cut up into dice-shaped pieces any or all of the cold cooked goose and put it into the saucepan with a wineglass of white wine and a tablespoonful of vinegar, and season to taste with salt and pepper. cover closely and stew for half an hour slowly. turn out and serve very hot. baked squash it is more than probable that, whatever else you had for dinner, you saw fit to have in addition squash boiled and mashed. and it is safe to say that some of it was left. so take this remnant and heat it well with plenty of butter over the fire and then put it into a baking dish. scatter parmesan cheese over the top and brown it very quickly in a hot oven. serve this with your stewed goose, and the trick is yours. broiled duck fillets with orange sauce and suppose you had ducks for your dinner, could you find a better way than this to serve up what was left of them? cut as good-sized pieces as you can and dip them in a little melted butter; season with pepper and salt, and broil for a minute or so over a hot fire. arrange the pieces on a hot dish and pour over them a sauce made in this way: fry two or three slices of fat bacon and an onion together for five minutes; add the juice of an orange and a wineglass of port or sherry wine with what salt and pepper is needed. strain it before using. you will find this so delectable, i dare say, that you will be ready to declare that the last days of those ducks were better than the first. duck salad did you ever make a duck salad in this way? rub the bottom of the salad bowl with a peeled onion, and squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice. put the cold bits of duck in the bowl with what you consider a suitable amount of chopped whites of boiled eggs; over this sprinkle a few quartered olives and a handful or so of capers, and then put in a layer of chopped watercresses. cover this with a layer of mayonnaise and serve. now if you want to use a little turkey meat, or a little goose meat, or a little of each, to eke out what you have of cold duck, go right ahead and do so. the salad will be just as good as when duck alone is used and perhaps some will think it even better. fish salad didn't you have a boiled or even a broiled fish of some kind for your dinner, either halibut, striped bass, or fresh cod? if you did, just take what was left of it and flake it up daintily; put a layer of it in a salad bowl that has been rubbed with an onion, sprinkle the fish with salt and lemon juice, put in a layer of shredded lettuce, dressing this also with lemon juice and salt, another layer of the fish and lastly one of lettuce. cover it all with a layer of tartar sauce, and there you have a salad worth the eating. 'twouldn't tempt a dying anchorite, perhaps, but it's quite good enough for human nature's daily food. december "_and we meet, with champagne and chicken, at last._" any one can go to market if she has the wherewithal and secure any kind of game that happens to be on the list and be happy in the purchase and eating of it, i dare say. but the happiest dames in these times are those who have a husband or sweetheart in the field shooting straight to the mark with all thoughts for the recipient of his day's work. so it comes to pass that by express to many a door there come on these fine crisp mornings boxes or hampers of game birds. the next thing, of course, is to get one's neighbors in to partake of them in order that they may be set by the ears with envy. i am with you. i will help you to make this envy business complete while you are about it. there shall be a dinner given--a dinner which by a wise and palatable arrangement of courses shall lead up to the game. now, you know all about scallops, of course--and by "all" you mean fried and served with tartar sauce. bah! to you and your stereotyped dishes. novelty i beg of you, and then put in your way the means to do as i beg. do you appreciate it, i wonder? i doubt it. scallops in shells well, then, scallops after the bouillon. cook them in a little white wine till you know they are done. then drain, cut them in halves or in quarters and add to them half their quantity of minced onion fried till tender, but not brown. moisten with a little white sauce, season with cayenne and salt, heap in scallop shells, cover with bread-crumbs moistened with melted butter and brown in the hottest oven you can arrange. salmi of cold partridge whereas it is agreed that the pleasure of a repast must be continuous--not jerky--let us plan for the next dish at your luncheon salmis of partridge, cold. the birds must be roasted and then cooled. cut them into neat pieces, removing all the skin. boil the skin and all the odd bits in a little red wine and water. season with salt and a bay-leaf and thicken after it has boiled five minutes with a little flour braided with butter. take it off, lift out all the pieces of meat and add enough aspic jelly to stiffen it. set on ice and beat till stiff, then dip into it the neatly trimmed pieces of partridge. dress them on a dish, using chop frills for the legs and set on ice till the time comes for serving. at this sort of a luncheon you know you must have two dishes of game and to let the first one be cold is doing the matter up as not one neighbor in ten of yours would think of doing. chicken liver patties now for the next link in this gastronomical harmony. let it be chicken liver patties. you know how to make the puff paste and how to line the pans with it. then you cook the desired number of chicken livers till tender, drain off the water, cover them with a rich spanish sauce in which are as many sliced truffles as your means will allow. of course this must be hot when the patty pans are filled with it and then the patties must be hot when they go to table. roasted teal now make way for the _pièce de résistance_. what shall it be? he sent you blue-winged teal duck, you say? couldn't be better. his intentions towards you are of the best, you may depend. his blue-winged teal go where his heart is every time, let me tell you. into each bird you will put a slice or two of toasted bread which has been soaked in any red wine. rub the inside of the bird well with salt. roast in a piping hot oven for twenty minutes, basting five times with melted butter. garnish with sliced lemon when serving. tomatoes stuffed with mayonnaise and celery you will want tomato with celery and mayonnaise for this course, you know. have large, firm, fine tomatoes peeled carefully. then cut a round out of the top of each and scoop out all the seeds. keep the round whole, by the way. fill each tomato with celery chopped and mixed with mayonnaise. clap on the top in which you have cut a tiny hole in the centre and in this hole stick a little sprig of tender green celery. macaroon custards only macaroon custards are good enough to be served at this point and these you make by covering half a pound of macaroons with hot cream first. when cool, beat well. then add the yolks and whites beaten separately of six eggs and a tablespoonful of brandy. butter some moulds, fill with the mixture and bake for ten minutes. unmould on lace paper before serving. yes, of course, have them cold. who wants hot custard? for a drink? cider cup. not here, but elsewhere, a page or two away, will you find directions for making this decoction. * * * * * a few pages back i related an account of some of the happenings of my trip to market in search of game birds of the smaller kinds. appended to this recital were given in a more or less appetizing fashion a few directions for preparing the birds which it seemed to me must find favor with epicures and laymen alike; and, assuming that approval was accorded these recipes, of which some were begged, others borrowed and more stolen, i am giving herewith hints for use in the preparation of the larger birds to be had now, with honors easy as to quantity and quality. as to price, you may pay what you will, almost, from seventy-five cents up to three and four and even five dollars per pair. to begin with, there are the toothsome canvas-backs that lead in price and palate-tickling properties. now, i know quite as well as you that not every one who pleases may dine from canvas-back when fancy dictates; in fact, with nine out of ten householders something very like a dispute takes place between the purse and the palate in every instance where canvas-back forms the _pièce de résistance_ at dinner. but the next time the palate wins in the debate go straightway to market and secure its indulgence from a marketman who will give you his oath that the canvas-backs he has on sale have fed on the banks where the wild celery grows, _i. e._, along the gunpowder river, a tributary of the chesapeake bay, and you may feel sure that you have the best the market affords. broiled canvas-back as to the cooking. wasn't it that wholly delightful old colonel carter who laid it down as a law that to smother a canvas-back in jelly of any sort or description was little short of criminal? and that he was right there are scores of persons devoted to the art of good living ready to attest. no; if you are to have the bird broiled, use a double-broiler, leave over the fire ten minutes, eight will be better, and serve with only a little melted butter having in it a soupçon of lemon juice. there is nothing there, you see, to encroach upon the delicate flavor of the duck. about two minutes before removing from the fire sprinkle a little salt over the bird. roasted canvas-back, port wine sauce but if a roast of game seems to you better calculated to round out your dinner scheme, then roast them, but don't have them too well done ('tis said the blood should follow the knife); and for a sauce have some port wine heated in a bain-marie with a few drops of orange juice added thereto. h'm, talk about being able to tempt a dying anchorite! sydney smith may have thought it a great height attained to concoct a salad calculated to make that abstemious old recluse dip his fingers in the salad bowl, but for me, i'd a thousand times rather prepare a dish fit to tickle the palate of a gourmet who is somewhat aweary of good things; and i fancy that canvas-back so roasted and served is quite capable of lending a fillip to the existence of those most experienced in the joys to be found in eating. it's very sad, but it's also very true, that there are instances where a redhead duck is foisted upon an unknowing and consequently unsuspecting purchaser in place of a canvas-back. this is easily done, because of the strong resemblance between them as to plumage and habits, for the two kinds fly and feed in the same flock. but while the flavor of the redhead is of a desirable quality, it in no way approaches that of the canvas-back. in the cooking of the redhead duck, the rules given for preparing canvas-backs may be followed, with the exceptions that in the melted butter used for the broiled bird a little minced parsley will be an improvement, and in the port wine sauce for the roasted duck currant jelly may be melted and impart a flavor that will be generally liked. roasted mallard duck with fried celery a favorite duck with many good diners is the mallard, and when they are in good condition they are quite worthy the favor shown them. it is only a matter of choice whether they shall be roasted or broiled; if the latter way is decided upon, then a garnishing of fried celery makes a tempting dish more tempting still. only the tender, smallest stocks of celery should be used, and then, after being dipped in frying batter, they should be fried quickly in butter. these birds, and, in fact, all others, when being broiled or roasted, should not be salted till about two minutes before removing from the fire. if the salt is put on earlier the meat is apt to be tough and the quality of the flavor somewhat injured. i don't know that cookery books give this direction explicitly, but i have found from experience that it is the case. if you are to have your mallards roasted, then by all means make a sour-apple marmalade, strain it through a sieve and add to it half its quantity of unsweetened whipped cream. if you have never tried this sauce with roasted duck, then, my word for it, there is a gastronomical delight waiting for you, and i wouldn't advise you to keep it waiting long, for you will be the loser. don't you recognize in this sauce an old friend in a new dress? why, of course, roast duck and apple sauce is a dish our great-grandmothers were fond of; but this latter-day manner of preparing the sauce, you see, idealizes it a bit and renders it so much the daintier. another duck of delectable flavor is the ruddy duck, or broadbill, as it is known in some localities. they live in the fresh ponds hereabouts, and as long as the ponds remain unfrozen the ducks will be quite satisfied with this climate. teal ducks, too, especially the blue-winged, are of excellent flavor, and, in addition to this, the meat is said to be highly nutritious and easily digested, making them desirable for convalescents. there is also a green-winged teal, but it is far inferior to the first-mentioned variety. one cannot very well decide upon the particular kind of game and the manner in which it shall be served without giving some thought to the salad that in reality acts as its supplement. and the same rule which forbids the serving of a rich, heavy sauce with game applies to salads. the simpler the salad the more keenly will you relish the game. chopped celery, lettuce, chicory, watercress or cucumbers, with a simple french dressing, are the salads _par excellence_ to be served with game. by the way, not long ago some one wrote to a certain weekly published in new york asking if it was "good form" to serve the game and the salad on the same plate. it doesn't seem to me to be a matter in any way to be governed by what is called "good form." good taste and a very superficial knowledge of epicureanism would enable their possessor to understand that hot game should be hot, not lukewarm, and that the salads should be cold, and the only way to accomplish this is to have a plate for each. * * * * * sardine canapé cut some slices of bread from a not too fresh loaf, trim them to an oblong shape, remove all crust and toast a delicate brown. into a pat of butter mix some finely chopped parsley, pepper and lemon juice, in suitable proportions, and with the mixture coat the slices of toast. remove the skin and bones from the desired number of sardines and lay them on the toast; garnish between the sardines with hard-boiled eggs, chopped very finely, the whites and yolks separately. sprinkle over all some minced parsley and there you have a canapé--a sardine canapé--one of the most delightful appetizers known to good diners of this day and generation. moreover it is a fitting beginning for a christmas dinner of the kind which i am about to submit for your approval. chicken consommé the wisdom of following the canapé with the simplest soup possible will be quite apparent, if i mistake not, some time before the dinner is a thing of the past. why not, therefore, prepare it in this way? take a chicken, cut it in pieces and put it into a saucepan with two quarts of water to simmer gently until the scum begins to rise, skim until every particle is removed, then add salt, a carrot, an onion, two slices of turnip and three celery stalks. boil gently for two hours, strain and serve, and your family and guests will have reason to bless the hour when you set before them a chicken consommé. oysters baked with cheese after the soup? well, suppose you lay in a deep dish fit to be placed in the oven a bed of medium-sized oysters; season them with salt, pepper, and a few small pieces of butter; sift over them some fresh bread-crumbs and pour in a little sherry with some of the oyster liquor; repeat the same operation until the dish is full, then besprinkle the whole with bread-crumbs; scatter small pats of butter here and there, and set the dish in a hot oven for fifteen minutes to color a light brown, then serve, and serving be modestly proud of the fact that you have prepared a dish which sometimes appears upon the menu at delmonico's as "huîtres au gratin à la crane." order it the next time you are lunching or dining at that hostelry and compare your effort with that of the famous chef at delmonico's. for your sake, as well as for my own, i trust that you will find that the success turned out by your own cuisine gains by the comparison. goose stuffed with potato are you still wavering in your opinion as to whether your choice shall fall on turkey, ducks or goose for the christmas dinner? let it be goose then, for if properly cooked and served they go far toward clinching the success of the feast. but "properly cooked and served," there's the rub. and isn't it enough to amaze a contemplative person to note how wide apart are the conditions which different housekeepers define by that phrase? nevertheless i am going to tell you how it seems to me a goose should be prepared to answer the description. if the bird is of medium size then you will want to boil and mash eight or ten large potatoes; to them add half a dozen small onions which have been peeled and chopped as finely as possible; then season with white pepper and salt to taste. add at least half a pint of cream or rich milk, about three ounces of melted butter, and three eggs beaten to a froth. whip the potato till it is light and smooth and fill the inside of the goose with it. when it is sent to the table have it garnished with very small onions which have been boiled till tender without losing their shape, and then fried a light brown in butter. nothing can be better for a sauce than the giblets boiled till tender, then chopped finely and returned to the water in which they were boiled, with a little madeira, and a gill of button mushrooms cut in halves; thicken with a tablespoonful of browned flour braided with an equal quantity of butter. turnips with butter sauce although there may be in market a goodly showing of vegetables from almost every part of the country, not everything is calculated to supplement the flavor of roasted goose so well as is a sweet and well-flavored turnip. particularly is this the case if the turnips are cut into fanciful shapes, such as dice, crescents, etc., with the vegetable cutters, which come expressly for this purpose, boiled till tender and then served with melted butter and chopped parsley poured over them. victoria sorbet perhaps there are some housekeepers who will think i should suggest an entrée to follow the goose, but at this season of the year i am trying to live up to the golden rule, and as at this point i should vastly prefer a punch or a sorbet to anything else, i am going to recommend that you be guided by my preference. you may take one quart of lemon water ice to which has been added the whites of three eggs beaten to a froth, a gill of kirsch and half a pint of champagne, and send to table in some of the pretty punch cups which formed one of your yule-tide gifts. you may also serve cigarettes at the same time, and, my word for it, your guests at table assembled will have a keener appetite for the next course than if you had sandwiched in some rich entrée. with about nine out of every ten suburbanites raising pigeons in these days it is very easy to understand why the squabs in the market are of such good quality and are sold at such a reasonable price. and under these circumstances don't you think they will be excellent for the next course if broiled to a turn and accompanied by a salad of chicory or watercress? after the squabs the sweets. few housekeepers will think a christmas dinner complete without mince pies and plum-pudding, but i cannot suggest a way in which to make them, for truth to tell, i never prepared either, and i'm above offering you any recipes which i've not tried, no matter how true they may be. consult your cookery books if you've not a favorite method of your own for preparing these aids to indigestion, and select those that seem least harmful. of course, there will be upon the table till dessert is served celery, olives stuffed or plain, salted almonds or pecans, etc. i know that you know this, but had i neglected to mention it more than likely you would have accused me of being ignorant of the necessity of having these side dishes at a dinner. after the sweets the biscuit, cheese and coffee, and if the cheese is to be of a particularly rich flavor, such as camembert, roquefort, or brie, then by all means serve with it some of the little bar-le-duc currants, both red and white. are you to have wine? then make it sherry with the soup, champagne with the goose, and the very best burgundy to be had to accompany the squabs. i fancy there is nothing more that i can suggest that will add to your happiness or that of your guests, who will probably feel very grateful to you for spreading for them a feast "delectable to eat and to behold." for yourself, you will probably feel very grateful that christmas comes but once a year. * * * * * you shall not be put off with any side issue in these very last pages, but shall have dished up for your critical examination a list that i promise you shall be a hodge-podge, a mélange, or, if it please your sense of the fitness of things better, a macédoine of the best edibles the market affords. doubtless when you have been in western cities you have dined many a time and oft at those sky-high restaurants overlooking one of the great lakes, and have had the waiter, with an air of honesty made perfect by practice, point out to you the very spot where the whitefish you were at the minute admiring had been pulled in scarcely three hours before. if so, you know the delicious and unapproachable flavor of the fish in their purest and best estate. and yet they reach eastern markets in a remarkable state of freshness and are inexpensive enough to warrant any one in trying them for a change from the kinds that are more common here. baked whitefish broiled over a hot fire and served with a simple sauce made of melted butter, lemon juice and a sprinkling of cayenne they are good enough to serve at any meal for anybody. but you can make a more elaborate dish from them by going to work in this way: scale a rather good-sized fish, split it, remove the backbone, and then season the fish well with salt and pepper, dip it in beaten egg, then in bread-crumbs, again in beaten egg, and lay in a well buttered baking pan. bake in a hot oven till it is colored a good brown. take it up on a hot dish, set the baking pan having in it the hot butter on the top of the range and cook in it for a minute or two half a pint of drained oysters; arrange the oysters round the fish and pour a little melted butter over all, with a garnishing of fried parsley. if you are having this dish for luncheon, have with it some potato croquettes, but if it is intended for dinner and a roast or rich entrée is to follow, then have a dainty salad of crisp radishes with a handful of capers shaken over them. boiled cods' tongues and now is the time if ever that fresh cods' tongues should find favor. they are inexpensive and in perfect condition, and by more than one gourmet are considered an unrivalled delicacy. if this statement persuades you to give them a trial, just a word as to preparing them: have three pints of water boiling in a saucepan, add to it two carrots and half a dozen onions very finely chopped, a few sprigs of parsley and two gills of vinegar. when the vegetables are nearly tender enough put into the saucepan with them two pounds of cods' tongues. let them boil just once, then move back where they will simmer but not boil for twenty minutes or so. take up the tongues, drain, dress them on a hot dish and keep hot while you prepare the sauce. for this drain the vegetables and toss them about in a frying-pan in plenty of butter till they show signs of browning a bit, then add to them some chopped cucumber pickles and a few capers and pour round the tongues. season the sauce, of course, with salt and pepper, and if you are gifted with rare discretion in the matter of spices use ever so little nutmeg in it; just one or two turns of the grater will give you all you should have. i intend to be very particular in my choice of readers and hearers when i suggest the use of nutmeg in savory sauces, because there are so many housekeepers as well as cooks who positively are not to be trusted with a nutmeg in one hand and a grater in the other; they will persist in going on the principle that if a little is good more must be better, and then grate away for dear life. of course you know that smelts are in their prime, but is your sense of smell keen enough to detect in that fish the likeness of its fragrance to that of the violet or of the cucumber? well, the similarity is there if the fish be as fresh as it should, and if you don't discover it you may add another to your list of misfortunes, for they do say, those who know whereof they speak, that inability to perceive this subtle scent indicates a correspondingly unappreciative palate. and so much for my fish story. fried partridge breasts along with the many things for which we have cause for rejoicing about this time of year there should certainly be reckoned the fact that game of almost all kinds is more plentiful and less expensive than at other seasons. and you know that under such favorable circumstances as these i am wont to urge you to make experiments in preparing the viand in question. suppose, for instance, that the next time you are to have partridges you pretend to forget that these birds are ever roasted or broiled, and so set to work to serve them in this way: have four partridges, cut off the breasts, divide them in two and lay them aside; boil the legs and livers of the birds in salted water till they are quite tender--so tender, in fact, that they can be pressed through a rather coarse sieve. put this pulp into a saucepan with a gill of the water used for boiling it, half a gill of sherry wine, a bit of cayenne, an ounce of butter, and salt if it is needed. let this get hot, very hot, without boiling, and keep it hot while you cook the breasts. these fry in butter and range in a circle on a dish with alternate slices of bread also fried in butter, and in the centre pour the sauce made from the legs and livers. to be sure, you can make the sauce somewhat richer by adding to it chopped mushrooms or chopped truffles or both. roasted quails forget, also, for a time, your favorite ways of cooking quails in order that you may pronounce judgment on this manner of preparing them: have half a dozen of them drawn and singed for roasting. chop up the livers, double the quantity of chicken liver and as much minced fat salt pork as liver; add chopped parsley, salt, cayenne, three or four drops of onion juice, a tablespoonful of very fine bread-crumbs, and one beaten egg. mix these ingredients all well together and fill the quails with it; roast them in a rather moderate oven for twenty minutes, basting occasionally with melted butter. dress the quails on a hot dish, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the pan in which they were roasted, adding a little melted butter, and pour this sauce over the birds. roasted duck stuffed with celery or it may be that for yourself you prefer a roasted black duck, but cannot gratify your preference because some members of the family will insist upon calling such a bird "strong," when you know and speak of the flavor only as being "gamey." now, there's a way out of the difficulty for all of you. just stuff the birds as full as you can with celery tops, tie thin slices of fat salt pork over their breasts and roast them till they are quite tender and brown. you will find the strong flavor entirely gone, while the gamey taste will be so aided and abetted by the celery that your palate will receive a new and altogether delightful sensation. surround the ducks when serving with a border prepared as follows: brown some slices of bread in the oven, and when of a good color and very dry, roll and pass through a fine sieve, mix these crumbs with a little butter, season them with salt and pepper and heat well in the oven before using. serve with the ducks also a hot apple sauce; make it as you always do and add to one pint of sauce an ounce of butter. with either of the ways suggested for cooking game you will want to serve a salad, probably, and you can't do better than decide to have one of escarole or of romaine with a simple french dressing. but there is chicory, of course, and there is lettuce, and both of them in fine condition, if you don't feel inclined to take my advice. and there are cucumbers, from hothouses, and there are hothouse tomatoes, that are expensive or the reverse, according to one's position on the financial question. in fact, you can get almost any kind of vegetable or fruit in the large markets to-day, and at all times; and if the particular thing that you desire happens to be absent, just wait a few minutes and your order will be filled by lightning express from some part of the world. _index_ soups page asparagus bisque of clams chicken consommé consommé with asparagus purée of peas and spinach savory tomato soup, velvet fish bluefish, newport style cods' tongues, boiled fresh cod, baked fresh cod, broiled fresh cod, delmonico style fresh cod, flaked, in tomato sauce halibut, baked, with parmesan smelts, baked smelts, broiled, béarnaise sauce smelts, fried, with parsley trout, lake, boiled whitefish, baked smoked or salt fish codfish with brown butter codfish with cream cods' tongues, fried fillets of sole, casserole of finnan haddies with cream herring, fried mackerel, boiled, horse-radish sauce salmon, broiled shell fish clam cocktails clams, west island style clams and lobsters in shells lobster _à la_ newberg , lobster croquettes lobster, devilled lobster patties lobster tartlets lobster toast lobster tails stuffed oysters, baked oysters, baked with cheese oyster cocktails oysters, creamed oysters, celery roast oysters, devilled and fried oysters, pickled oyster pie oyster salad oyster sandwiches oyster soufflée oysters, stewed, with cream oysters, stuffed and fried scallops in shells beef, mutton, lamb, pork, etc. beef tongue cutlets, jellied ham, roasted ham toast kidneys, en brochette kidneys, fried, with mushrooms kidneys, minced lamb croquettes lamb cutlets with mushrooms lamb, roasted, with caper sauce lamb, roasted, with macaroni lamb, roasted, with onion purée lamb steak lamb steak, with béarnaise sauce lamb slices, broiled lamb slices, fried with chutney lamb slices, stewed with onions and mushrooms lamb slices in chafing dish liver, calf's, fried pigs' feet, broiled pork chops, broiled, sauce piquante pork, roasted, onion sauce sausages veal cutlets, broiled poultry, game, etc. chicken cream (cold) , chicken cream with tomato (cold) chicken, fried, italian style chicken, fried with tomatoes chicken, fried, cream sauce chicken hash, baked chicken livers, olive sauce chicken liver patties doe birds, roasted duck, broiled canvas-back duck, canvas-back, roasted, port wine sauce duck, fillets, with orange sauce ducks, roasted, with orange sauce ducks, roasted, with olives duck, stuffed with celery tops, roasted duck, mallard, roasted, with fried celery game tarts goose pie goose, roasted, potato stuffing goose, stewed grouse pie grouse, roasted partridge breasts, fried partridge salmi (cold) plover, roasted quail, roasted , teal (ducks), roasted turkey in aspic turkey legs, broiled turkey legs, devilled and broiled turkey, minced turkey, minced with mushrooms vegetables asparagus, baked asparagus tops with cheese asparagus tops with cream asparagus with savory sauce cucumbers, fried cucumbers, stuffed and baked mushroom cannelons oyster plant with cream peas with mint potato soufflée potato omelet squash, baked string beans with butter tomatoes, broiled, devilled tomatoes, broiled, on toast tomatoes with celery and mayonnaise turnips with butter sauce salads apple and celery asparagus , brussels sprouts cheese duck fish herring lamb lettuce with chives nut oyster red cabbage sardine spanish onion sweet salads fruit--general fruit--summer fruit--winter pear pear salad, no. pineapple strawberry egg dishes baked curdled in cream eggs, curried eggs, snow epicurean style in tomato purée omelet célestine omelet jelly omelet, spanish omelet strawberries omelet with caviare omelet with chicken liver omelette soufflée scrambled with truffles toast with parmesan desserts almond pudding charlotte, apricot charlotte, macaroon cream, banana cream, coffee glacée cream, gooseberry cream, peach cream, raspberry macaroon custard milk sherbet musk melon jelly omelet célestine omelet with jelly omelet with strawberries omelette soufflée raspberries, crystallized strawberries, frozen strawberry fritters strawberry jelly strawberry pudding strawberry sherbet watermelon, iced ice creams and ices champagne sherbet champagne sherbet with strawberries claret sherbet coffee ice cream currant sherbet grape fruit sherbet kirsch sherbet peach sherbet pineapple sherbet rhubarb sherbet victoria sorbet wine ice cream fruits, cooked apple croquettes apple salad apple sauce with orange apple sauce with whipped cream apples, fried apples in vanilla syrup grape jam peach cream pears in vanilla syrup pears stewed in claret pears, stuffed pears, stuffed stewed peaches, brandied peaches, stuffed plums, brandied plum jam quince jelly quince marmalade drinks claret, hot, egg-nog claret, hot, spiced claret tipple cider cup cider egg-nog cider punch ginger lemonade moss rose orange punch quince liqueur rhine wine cup rhine wine seltzer soda cocktail sherry egg-nog, hot various cups miscellaneous butters, savory cider sauce croquettes, macaroni croquettes, sweet corn (canned) golden buck grape fruit with rum hash, sublimated jelly, savory johnny cake, rhode island style macaroni, timbales macaroni with cheese mayonnaise, with horse-radish olives with caviare partridge, sauce for rice muffins sandwiches, caviare sandwiches, crust sandwiches, fish sandwiches, french sandwiches, game sandwiches, sweet sardine canapé sauce duchesse sauce for calf's liver sauce, onion toast, anchovy toast for game toast, sardine tunny fish welsh rabbit invalid cookery barley, purée of beef tea chicken broth with oatmeal chicken custard chicken, sabayon of cream soup invalid's chop rice, steamed tapioca jelly violet jelly _works on cookery_ mrs. lincoln's cook book new edition. the boston cook book. what to do and what not to do in cooking. by mary j. lincoln. with illustrations. revised edition, including additional recipes, mo. $ . . it is the trimmest, best arranged, best illustrated, most intelligible manual of cookery as a high art, and as an economic art, that has appeared.--_independent._ it tells in the most ample and practical and exact way those little things which women ought to know, but have generally to learn by sad experience. _it ought to be in every household._--_philadelphia press._ carving and serving square mo. illuminated board covers. cents. what an advantage it must be to be able to place with the left hand a fork in the breast of a turkey, and, without once removing it, with the right hand to carve and dissect, or disjoint, the entire fowl, ready to be helped to admiring guests! this is done by skilful carvers. the book contains directions for serving, with a list of utensils for carving and serving. boston school kitchen text-book lessons in cooking for the use in classes in public and industrial schools. mo. $ . . twenty lessons in cookery compiled from the boston school kitchen text-book. with index. cards in envelope. cents per set _net_. the peerless cook-book one hundred pages of valuable receipts for cooking, compact and practical. mo. paper covers. cents. miss farmer's cook book. new edition the boston cooking-school cook book. by fannie merritt farmer, principal of the boston cooking-school, author of "chafing dish possibilities." new edition, with one hundred additional receipts. illustrated. mo. $ . . miss farmer's cook book has constantly been growing in favor and is now in the front rank. _the congregationalist_ pronounces it _thoroughly practical and serviceable_, and numerous authorities award it the highest praise. it should be in every household. if one were asked off-hand to name the best cook book on the market it would not be strange if "the boston cooking-school cook book" were named.--_the new york woman's world._ _the recipes are compounded with a knowledge of the science of cooking_, and with due regard to the conservative public, which must be wooed into a knowledge and appreciation of foods, not merely as palate-ticklers, but as the builders and sustainers of the human body.--_the outlook._ chafing dish possibilities by fannie merritt farmer. mo. $ . . contents: i. glimpses of chafing dishes in the past; ii. chafing dish suggestions; iii. toast, griddle cakes, and fritters; iv. eggs; v. oysters; vi. lobsters; vii. some other shell fish; viii. fish réchauffés; ix. beef; x. lamb and mutton; xi. chicken; xii. sweetbreads; xiii. with the epicure; xiv. vegetables; xv. cheese dishes; xvi. relishes and sweets; xvii. candies. it is a book that no one who entertains with the chafing dish will be without.--_st. paul globe._ her recipes have the merit of simplicity and newness.--_los angeles evening express._ there have been many volumes of chafing dish recipes, but none which is more appropriately adapted for the breakfast or lunch table, or for small congenial parties. every feature is distinctly new.--_boston herald._ nearly recipes, all simply and clearly written.--_san francisco chronicle._ salads, sandwiches, and chafing-dish dainties by janet mckenzie hill, editor of "the boston cooking-school magazine." with half-tone illustrations from photographs of original dishes. mo. cloth, extra. $ . . to the housewife who likes new and dainty ways of serving food, this book will simply be a godsend. there must be more than a hundred different varieties of salad among the recipes--salads made of fruit, of fish, of meat, of vegetables, and made to look pretty in scores of different ways. there are also instructions for making different kinds of lemonades and other soft drinks, and for making breads and rolls in the truly artistic cooking-school style.--_washington times._ sensible and practical.--_chicago evening post._ many of the dishes are new to the average housewife.--_philadelphia times._ a most attractive volume. the subjects are presented in a clear and pleasing form, and are beautifully illustrated from photographs of original dishes.--_advance._ her recipes are founded upon scientific principles, her directions are clear and uncomplicated, and are reliable.--_brooklyn times._ the very attractive form of the book fits it to go along with the pretty adjuncts of the chafing dish supper.--_the dial._ it is a thoroughly practical work and will be cordially welcomed in every household where new and dainty ways of preparing food are appreciated.--_boston globe._ wholesome dishes that will please capricious appetites. some of these recipes will also appeal to the taste of invalids.--_vogue._ i go a-marketing by henrietta sowle ("henriette"). mo. cloth. $ . . miss sowle has for some time been a valued writer for the _boston transcript_, and her articles published under the title of "i go a-marketing" have been found helpful and suggestive to those who are interested in dainty and palatable dishes. her book is not a cook-book in the ordinary sense but aims to give novel and delicious ways of serving the many good things which may be found each month in the year by those who "go a-marketing." helen campbell's writings the easiest way in housekeeping and cooking adapted to domestic use or study in classes. new revised edition. mo. $ . . in foreign kitchens with choice recipes from england, france, germany, italy, and the north. mo. cents. the what-to-do club a story for girls. mo. $ . . mrs. herndon's income a novel. mo. $ . . miss melinda's opportunity a story for girls. mo. $ . ; paper, cents. prisoners of poverty women wage-workers, their trades, and their lives. mo. $ . . prisoners of poverty abroad mo. $ . ; paper, cents. she went among the workers and the employers, and her statements are based upon personal knowledge of the facts....--_boston post._ roger berkeley's probation a story. mo. $ . ; paper, cents. some passages in the practice of dr. martha scarborough mo. $ . . this work directs attention to the physical and spiritual value of foods. women wage-earners their past, their present, and their future. mo. $ . . little, brown, and company publishers · washington street, boston transcriber's note the original book used sidenotes to indicate recipe names. in this version of the e-book, the transcriber has rendered the recipe names as sub-headings for ease of reading. the table of contents has been added by the transcriber for the convenience of the reader. minor punctuation errors have been repaired. several terms appear variously with a hyphen or a space--bread-crumbs and bread crumbs, chafing-dish and chafing dish, egg-plant and egg plant, horse-radish and horse radish, etc. these are preserved as printed. hyphenation has otherwise been made consistent. the author uses some variant spelling, for example, curaçoa or bran new. there are also some inconsistencies--omelet and omelette, soufflé and soufflée, piquant and piquante. these are all preserved as printed. there are some small inconsistencies between recipe names in the main body of the book and those in the index. these are all preserved as printed. on page , the word chevril (a type of horse tea) occurred. as it appeared in a paragraph referencing several herbs as seasoning, it has been amended to chervil, on the assumption that that was actually the intended word. on page is the phrase "tender, smallest stocks of celery." this may be an error for "stalks of celery," or it could be that the intention was to refer to a store of celery or the availability of it. as there is no way to sure, it is preserved as printed. [transcriber's note: bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrounded by _underscores_.] french dishes for american tables. by pierre caron (formerly chef d'entremets at delmonico's). translated by mrs. frederic sherman. new york: d. appleton and company, , , and bond street. . copyright, , by d. appleton and company. a few general remarks. the object of this volume is to present to the public a number of attractive receipts in a form so clear and concise as to render their execution practicable and comparatively easy. this is a need which we believe has long been felt; those books of value on the subject of cookery hitherto published generally having been written in french, and those which have appeared in english, while perhaps containing something of merit, usually so abound in the use of technical terms as to harass and puzzle the inexperienced. the general directions also are usually of such vague and incomprehensible a character as to render their meaning quite unintelligible to the reader. in view of these difficulties, we have endeavored to avoid those terms not generally understood, and to condense each receipt as much as possible, compatible with a clear and thorough understanding of the subject. we have also studied simplicity of language, so that our book may come within the comprehension of all classes, and that which we consider of importance, to cooks themselves. we believe that we will not be met with indignant protest in venturing to assert that cooking as an art is greatly neglected in america, this fact being only too frequently and universally deplored. the wealthy who may afford a _chef_, or very experienced cook, are vastly in the minority of those who suffer from the incapability of cooks, and also from the lack of knowledge on their own part, leading to the neglect of one of the most important factors of comfortable living. we think, however, that the number of people of moderate income, desiring to live well, and yet within their means, is very large; and it is to these, as well as to the more affluent, that we hope this book may be of use, for, while economy is not its _sole_ object, the variety of receipts for palatable dishes which may be prepared at small cost is very large. on the other hand, of course, there are a great number of dishes which are obviously expensive; but these may be distinguished at a glance. in conclusion, we would remark that, as we know the furnishings of american kitchens to be very meager, we have forborne the mention of particular utensils for the preparation of certain dishes. there are, however, a few articles which are indispensable if the best results are expected--viz., a dutch oven, for roasting meats, poultry, and game, _before_ the fire, and _not_ in the oven of the range, which bakes instead of roasting, and so dries up the juices of the meats. a mortar and pestle will also be required when "pounding" is mentioned, as for chicken, meats, almonds, etc. a fine sieve is necessary for the straining of sauces; and two flannel bags, kept scrupulously clean, one for the purpose of straining soups and the other for straining jellies. soups and sauces. it must be constantly borne in mind that soups must be always allowed to simmer gently, and _never_ to boil fast, except where express directions are given to that effect. always be particular to remove every particle of scum whenever it rises. when stock is put away on ice to become cold for the next day's use, remove the fat on the top with a spoon, wipe over the top of the jelly with a cloth dipped in hot water, and then, with a dry cloth, wipe the jelly dry. it, however, seems to us a good plan to keep the stock-pot always filled, the stock simmering on the fire, so as to be at hand when needed for the preparation of different soups and sauces. in fact, this seems almost indispensable where a variety of dishes is required. the same rule in regard to slow boiling also applies to sauces. broiling. be careful to always grease the bars of your gridiron before laying on it the object to be broiled. it is better to broil on a gridiron _before_ the fire than on one which is placed on top of the range. season with salt and pepper while broiling, and not after the object is taken from the fire. frying. be careful that your frying-pan is very clean, as anything adhering to the bottom of the pan is apt to burn, and therefore spoil the object to be fried. to fry well, the fat should always be very hot, as its success depends entirely on this. to judge of the proper temperature of the fat, when it becomes quite still, dip the prongs of a fork in cold water, and allow a few drops to fall into the fat, which, if it crackles, is sufficiently hot. or, drop a small piece of bread into the fat, and if it fries instantly a light brown, the desired result is reached. dripping and butter should be clarified before using, the former in the following manner: put the dripping in a saucepan, on the fire, and when boiling pour it into a bowl, into which you have previously put half a pint of cold water. when cold, with a knife cut around the edge and remove the cake of dripping. scrape off all the sediment adhering to the bottom of the cake, which wipe dry with a clean cloth. many persons prefer lard rather than dripping for frying. butter is clarified in the following manner: put some butter in a saucepan on the fire, and when boiling remove the scum from the top, and pour the clear butter gently into the pan which is required for use. it is quite indispensable to good cooking that every dish requiring to be served hot should never be allowed to wait in the kitchen, but should be served with the greatest promptitude possible, as a dish prepared with every imaginable care will be sure to fail of its effect if served lukewarm or cold. the first quality in a cook, therefore, should be punctuality, which should be encouraged and appreciated by the guests. _the receipts as here given are all for eight persons._ french dishes for american tables. chapter i. _soups._ . =consommé, or stock.= put in a stock-pot a roast fowl (or the carcass and remains of a fowl), a knuckle of veal, three pounds of beef, and three quarts of water. when the scum begins to rise, skim carefully until it quite ceases to appear. then add a carrot, a turnip, an onion, a leek, two cloves, a little celery, and a little salt. simmer very gently four hours. remove every particle of grease, and strain through a flannel kept for the purpose. this soup is the foundation of most soups and sauces. to clarify: when necessary that the soup should be very clear, clarify it in the following manner: put in a saucepan a pound of chopped raw beef (off the round is preferable), which mix with an egg and two glasses of water, and pour into your consommé. simmer very gently for an hour, and strain. . =bouillon, or beef broth.= put into a stock-pot three pounds of a shin of beef, one pound of a knuckle of veal, and three quarts of water, and simmer gently. as soon as the scum begins to rise, skim carefully until it quite ceases to appear. then add salt, two carrots, the same of onions, leeks, turnips, and a little celery. simmer gently four hours, strain, and serve. . =bouillon maigre.= take six medium-sized carrots, as many turnips, a bunch of celery, and two leeks. boil them in water for a few moments, drain, put them in cold water for a moment, after which put them into three quarts of water, adding two cloves, and boil gently three hours. add a little salt, put through a sieve, heat again on the fire, and serve. . =bouillon maigre of fish.= put into three quarts of water two pounds of black bass, two pounds of pike, and one pound of eels. add to these two onions, two carrots, one head of celery, two cloves, and a little salt. simmer gently for two hours, and strain. this bouillon is used as a foundation for all soups and sauces composed of fish. . =pot-au-feu.= put into a saucepan three quarts of water, two pounds of beef cut in slices, a fowl partially roasted, a knuckle of veal, and a little salt. simmer gently, and as soon as boiling begins, skim carefully. add two carrots, two turnips, two leeks, a few branches of celery, an onion stuck with two cloves, and boil four hours. drain your vegetables carefully, remove every particle of grease from your soup, strain, pour it over your vegetables, and serve. . =soup à la julienne= (vegetable soup). divide two medium-sized carrots in two, then cut into very thin slices of about an inch long; take the same quantity of turnips, leeks, onions, and a few pieces of celery, all cut into thin slices, and put them into a saucepan, with a piece of good butter, on a gentle fire, stir softly until the vegetables begin to color slightly, add three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ), and boil gently one hour. ten minutes before serving put in three or four leaves of lettuce, the same of sorrel, and a little chervil chopped up, boil a little longer, adding a pinch of sugar, and a tablespoonful of green peas previously boiled. . =soup à la printanière.= this soup is made exactly as the foregoing, except with the addition of asparagus-tops to the other vegetables, which, instead of being in slices, are cut out in fancy shapes with a vegetable-cutter, which may be procured at any hardware-shop. . =soup à la brunoise.= cut into square pieces, as small as possible, a carrot, a turnip, an onion, a leek, and a few pieces of celery. stew gently in a saucepan with a little butter, stir softly until beginning to color lightly, drain, and put into three pints of consommé (see art. ), which boil gently for an hour, skim off the grease carefully, and serve. . =soup à la paysanne.= take two tablespoonfuls of white beans, the same of green peas. cut in slices a carrot, a little celery, a turnip, a leek, a cucumber, and a few string-beans; add a dozen little onions and a pinch of sugar. put these into three pints of consommé (or stock), which boil gently an hour. before serving you may add a few pieces of bread cut in small squares and fried in butter. . =soup with (farcied) lettuce.= boil ten moderate-sized lettuce, then dip them in cold water, drain and press the water from them. separate them in two, season with a little pepper and salt, then lay a tablespoonful of farce on the half of one lettuce, and cover with the other half. wrap up each lettuce with a piece of _very thin_ larding pork, place them carefully in a saucepan containing half a pint of consommé (or stock, art. ), and a few branches of parsley, inclosing a clove of garlic, three pepper-corns, three cloves, and tie all together. after boiling gently an hour, drain the lettuce, remove the larding pork, the parsley, and its seasoning. have boiling three pints of consommé (art. ), into which place your lettuce, and serve. it would be well to tie the larding pork around the lettuce, so that the farce should not escape. . =farce.= place in a saucepan four ounces of very fresh bread-crumbs and a cup of consommé (or stock, art. ). simmer gently for ten minutes, at the end of which time stir constantly with a wooden spoon, and boil for ten minutes longer, so as to form a soft paste. this done, put it on a plate to cool. take four ounces of the breast of a chicken, from which remove the skin and sinews, and pound extremely fine. add to this your bread-crumbs, in quantity about three quarters as much as you have of chicken, and pound together until well mixed; season with a little salt and white pepper, a very little nutmeg, and a piece of butter. then pound again, adding by degrees two eggs, until you have obtained a fine, smooth paste. this mixture is used for all farces of chicken. veal, fish, and game are treated in the same manner. quenelles are also made of this mixture, by forming it into small balls, and poaching them in boiling water for two minutes. . =sorrel soup= (clear). wash a good handful of sorrel, which chop up together with a lettuce and a teaspoonful of chopped chervil, and put in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter. when beginning to color lightly, add three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ), and boil gently twenty minutes. add a pinch of sugar, and skim the grease carefully from your soup. serve with small squares of bread fried in butter a light brown. . =cucumber soup with green peas.= cut two cucumbers in small pieces, and, adding a pinch of sugar, cook in a little stock for about half an hour, then add a pint of green peas, previously boiled, and serve in three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ). . =soup à la pluche de cerfeuil= (chervil soup). fry in butter pieces of bread cut in small squares, after which drain them. pick and clean a handful of chervil, and, taking only the ends of the leaves, serve, together with bread, in three pints of consommé. . =potage aux pointes d'asperges= (asparagus soup). take from two bunches of asparagus only the small green ends, wash them, and then put them in a saucepan in boiling water with a little salt, and a very little soda, so as to make them very green. then, having thoroughly boiled them, put them for a moment in cold water, drain, and serve them in three pints of consommé (art. ), and add small squares of bread fried in butter. . =croûtes au pot.= cut a carrot, a turnip, and a few pieces of celery in small pieces, blanch them in hot water, drain them, and boil with three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ); take four french rolls, which divide in two, taking out all the soft part, and butter the inside. put them in the oven, and, as soon as they become browned, serve them in your consommé, with the addition of a tablespoonful of green peas previously boiled. . =consommé with poached eggs.= put in a saucepan with some boiling water a tablespoonful of vinegar and a pinch of salt, in which poach eight eggs. then take them out and put them in cold water, so as to pare the whites perfectly round, lay them again in hot water for a moment, and serve in three pints consommé (art. ). . =consommé royal.= break into a bowl two eggs, with which mix thoroughly half a glass of milk. butter a little saucepan, into which strain your eggs and milk. then put your saucepan into a flat pan, which you have half filled with boiling water, and place in a moderate oven for about thirty minutes. take it out to cool, and when cold, cut in little squares, and serve in three pints of consommé (see art. ). if desired, add a handful of green peas, a few thin slices of carrots, a few string-beans cut in diamond-shapes, or a few green ends of asparagus, all previously boiled. . =soup à la princesse.= boil a fowl in a little stock for two hours. take it out and let it become cold. boil two tablespoonfuls of barley, which afterward put in cold water for a moment. also boil about a handful of green peas. cut the chicken into small pieces, after having carefully removed all skin, and put into three pints of consommé (see art. ), together with the barley and peas, boil for five minutes and serve. . =beef soup.= boil two ounces of barley with a little salt for ten minutes, then put in cold water for a moment, cut into small squares four ounces of cold beef, which, with the barley, and about an eighth of a can of tomatoes, boil for ten minutes in three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ), and serve. . =vermicelli soup.= take four ounces of vermicelli, which boil in hot water for twenty minutes, then put in cold water for a moment and drain. put three pints of consommé (art. ) in a saucepan, and, as soon as it begins to boil, pour in the vermicelli; boil for ten minutes, and serve. . =vermicelli soup with green peas.= prepare as the foregoing, and just before serving add eight tablespoonfuls of green peas previously boiled. . =farina soup.= add to three pints of boiling consommé (or stock, art. ) two ounces of farina by degrees, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, so as to prevent thickening into lumps, and, after boiling gently twenty minutes, serve. . =arrowroot soup.= put in a saucepan four teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, which moisten with a little cold stock, so as to form a smooth paste; then add to it three pints of hot stock, taking care to stir with a spoon from time to time, so as not to stick to the saucepan, and, after boiling gently twenty minutes, serve. . =soup with italian paste.= take four ounces of italian paste and blanch in boiling water with a little salt for twenty minutes. drain, and put in three pints of consommé (see art. ), boil for ten minutes, and serve. . =sago soup.= take two ounces of sago, which boil gently in three pints of consommé (see art. ) for thirty minutes, taking care to stir constantly with a spoon; serve. . =tapioca soup.= put in three pints of consommé (art. ) four ounces of tapioca, which stir constantly; boil for forty minutes, and serve. . =potage de nouilles= (noodle soup). take four ounces of flour, very little salt, and two yolks of eggs, with which make a tolerably firm paste. roll it out very thin, taking care to sprinkle some flour on the table, so that the paste does not stick. fold it in two; cut it in very thin slices of about an inch long, and blanch them in boiling water ten minutes; after which put in cold water for a moment, drain, and serve in three pints of boiling consommé (see art. ). . =soup with rice.= take four ounces of rice, which wash well, then boil for ten minutes, and put in cold water for a moment. boil the rice in three pints of consommé (see art. ) for forty minutes; skim and serve. . =rice soup à la créole.= take six ounces of rice, which prepare as the foregoing, and ten minutes before serving add about an eighth of a can of tomatoes, and a little cayenne pepper; boil for a moment, and serve. . =chicken consommé.= take a chicken, cut it in pieces and put in a saucepan with two quarts of water, and let it simmer gently until the scum begins to rise, skim until every particle is removed; then add salt, a carrot, an onion, a turnip, and a little celery. boil gently for two hours, strain, and serve. . =chicken giblet.= cut a chicken, an onion, and a little ham, each in small pieces. put all together, in a saucepan, on the fire, and add half an ounce of butter. when beginning to color slightly, add three points of consommé (see art. ), and a pinch of rice; and, after boiling three quarters of an hour, add two tablespoonfuls of tomatoes, boil five minutes longer, and serve. . =chicken gumbo.= cut in very small squares one ounce of raw ham and an onion, which put in a saucepan, with a piece of butter, and the wings of a chicken cut in small pieces. when beginning to color slightly, add three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ) and a pinch of barley. boil an hour. half an hour before serving, put in ten okra-pods cut in slices, five tablespoonfuls of tomatoes, and a little red pepper. . =chicken okra, with oysters.= prepare as the foregoing, without the barley. blanch two dozen oysters, which drain, and add to your soup just before serving. . =english mutton broth.= take half a pound of cold mutton and an onion, cut each in very small pieces, and put in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter. when beginning to color slightly, add three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ), a carrot, and a turnip, cut in small even pieces. boil an hour, skim off the grease, and just before serving add two ounces of barley previously boiled. . =mullagatawny soup.= cut into small pieces an onion, a carrot, a few pieces of celery, and a slice of ham, which put in a saucepan on a moderate fire, with half an ounce of butter, until they begin to color slightly. add one quart of consommé (or stock, art. ) and boil for an hour; add a pinch of curry, a little mullagatawny paste, which moisten with a little cold stock, and, after adding a pint of stock, boil for five minutes, and serve. cold mutton, veal, or chicken, cut in small pieces, may be added to this if desired. . =french ox-tail soup.= cut an ox-tail in small pieces, also an onion, and put in a saucepan with a little butter. when they begin to color slightly, add three pints of consommé (or stock) and boil gently for two hours. skim off the grease, add one ounce of barley which you have previously boiled, and about an eighth of a can of tomatoes; boil ten minutes, and serve. . =english ox-tail soup.= proceed as for the foregoing, except instead of consommé add three pints of spanish sauce (see art. ), with very little thickening. boil for two hours, and add a little barley, a little salt, a carrot, previously boiled and cut in slices, and four tablespoonfuls of tomatoes. twenty minutes before serving add a good glass of sherry, boil for a moment, and serve. . =mock-turtle soup.= take a scalded calf's head, boil it in hot water for twenty minutes, drain, and put it in cold water. then place it in a saucepan with three quarts of water, a carrot, an onion, four cloves, three cloves of garlic, a few branches of parsley, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and a little salt. mix well three tablespoonfuls of flour in a little water, which add to the other ingredients and boil gently for an hour and a half. drain, and when cold cut the calf's head into small pieces. then add three pints spanish sauce (see art. ), boil gently twenty minutes, and, just before serving, also add one good glass of sherry, a little red pepper, and two hard-boiled eggs chopped up, the yolks and whites separately, and the peel of a lemon cut in small pieces. . =calf's-feet soup.= blanch two calf's feet for ten minutes, then put them in cold water for a moment. afterward place them in a saucepan, with an onion, a carrot, a pinch of thyme, a bay-leaf, a clove of garlic, a little parsley, the juice of a lemon, and a little salt. boil about an hour, or until very tender, and let them cool. then cut the calf's feet in small pieces, which put in three pints of boiling consommé (or stock), with the addition of two wineglasses of sherry, and serve. . =american green-turtle soup.= take a turtle, and let it bleed for six hours, taking care that the head hangs downward. then divide the two shells, pressing your knife on the lower one so as not to disturb the intestines, which take entire and throw immediately away. detach the fins and fleshy parts, putting aside any not needed for the soup, and which may be put to use afterward in an entrée, or broiled. after having cleaned them put them in a saucepan, with a sufficient quantity of water to cover them. boil them, taking care to see from time to time that the shells of the fins detach themselves. put them in cold water for a moment, drain, and cut them in small pieces, which place in a saucepan, with three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ). boil gently for three hours, add four glasses of sherry and some spanish sauce (see art. ). boil hard four eggs, pound the yolks, adding a little salt and pepper, and the yolk of a raw egg. form this mixture into little balls, putting a little flour on your hands to roll them. poach them in boiling water, throw them into your soup, and, after boiling an instant, serve. . =green-turtle soup à la londonderry.= proceed as for the foregoing, but instead of spanish sauce add three pints of consommé (or stock, art. ) and a glass of sherry. boil gently half an hour, and serve. . =terrapin soup.= take a live terrapin, and, removing the claws, soak in boiling water for about three minutes. with a cloth remove the shells, and, proceeding as for the green turtle, cut it in small pieces and boil it in consommé (stock, art. ). when the terrapin is cooked, add some spanish sauce (art. ), with two glasses of sherry, boil gently for twenty minutes, make some little balls prepared in the manner described in green-turtle soup (art. ), and serve in your soup. . =soup à la d'orsay.= wash the ends of a bunch of asparagus, which boil with a little salt and a very little soda, drain them and put them into cold water. press them through a sieve, add two yolks of raw eggs and three pints of consommé (stock), and, when boiling, a pinch of sugar and an ounce of butter. take the breasts of two roast pigeons, then add to your soup when serving, and eight small eggs, which boil soft (but sufficiently hard to remove the shells), and serve in your soup. . =soup aux quenelles de volaille.= prepare some quenelles (see art. ) and serve them in three pints of consommé (art. ). . =consommé rachel.= spread on a sheet of tin half a pound of farce (art. ) of chicken (art. ) and put in the oven for three or four minutes. put it aside to cool, and then with a cutter for the purpose form into round flat shapes. place in a saucepan four ounces of flour, which mix in three pints of cold consommé (art. ), boil gently for half an hour, stirring with a spoon from time to time, so that it does not stick to the saucepan. strain, remove from the fire, and add three yolks of eggs which you have mixed in a little water, a tablespoonful of green peas previously boiled, the small rounds of chicken farce, and serve. . =rye soup à l'allemande.= wash well half a pound of rye, and add three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), a few pieces of celery, three leeks, a little salt and pepper, and boil gently three hours. remove the leeks and celery, and cut in very thin slices as for julienne soup. mix two ounces of flour in a little cold consommé, which pour into your soup with your vegetables, taking care to stir well with a spoon. add a pinch of sugar, boil an hour, skim, and serve. . =giblet soup of goose.= take the giblets of a goose, which cut in small pieces. singe and remove the skin from the feet, and cut them in small pieces, as also four ounces of larding pork. put all together in a saucepan, with one ounce of butter, and, when beginning to color brown, add two ounces of flour, and boil for five minutes. then add three pints of consommé (stock), two green onions, a very little thyme, a clove of garlic, two cloves, a bay-leaf, and a little mace, around which put a few branches of parsley, and tie all together. carefully remove all grease from your soup, add a wineglass of sherry, and serve. . =soup à la bohemienne.= cut a carrot in very small pieces, which put in a saucepan with an ounce of butter. when beginning to color lightly, add three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), boil for half an hour, skim, add a pint of peas, a pinch of sugar, pepper, and nutmeg. when your peas are cooked, make a paste with three ounces of flour, two yolks of eggs, one whole egg, a glass of cream, and a little salt and nutmeg. put through a sieve into your soup, which must be boiling on the fire, stir with a spoon, boil for ten minutes, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and serve. . =soup with poached eggs à la styrie.= take three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), which boil, and add thereto, by degrees, two ounces of semolina, stirring constantly with a spoon. poach in boiling water with a little salt, and a tablespoonful of vinegar, six eggs, which put into cold water. blanch a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, which add to your soup, with three quarters of a pint of green peas, and, lastly, your poached eggs, which, just before serving in your soup, place in hot water for an instant. . =english hare soup.= cut a young hare in small pieces, which put in a saucepan with four ounces of lard, cut in small squares, two ounces of butter, and, when beginning to color brown, add one ounce of flour, half a bottle of claret, and a quart of consommé (stock, art. ). season with a little thyme, a bay-leaf, two onions, a dozen mushrooms, two cloves, a little salt, pepper, mace, and a very little cayenne. boil, and then remove your saucepan to the back of the range to simmer gently. take off all grease most carefully, and, when your hare is thoroughly done, strain your consommé and serve with the hare. . =soup of sturgeon à la pierre legrand.= take one pound of pike, one of perch, and the same of eels, which put into a saucepan, with an onion cut in slices, a carrot, a clove of garlic, a very little thyme, and a bay-leaf. cut up your fish, add four wineglasses of sherry, boil until all moisture is absorbed, add three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), boil for one hour, and press through a sieve. take two pounds of sturgeon, and boil gently with a carrot, an onion, a slice of ham, salt, pepper, a small garlic, a pint of consommé, and a glass of sherry. make a farce of quenelles (see art. ), form in small balls, which poach in hot water. add them to the slices of sturgeon, also the ends of a bunch of asparagus, previously boiled, and two tablespoonfuls of chervil, chopped very fine. strain the liquid in which your sturgeon was boiled, add to the essence of fish prepared above, boil for a few moments, and serve. . =clam chowder à la thayer.= put half a pound of fat salt pork in a saucepan, let it fry slowly, and then remove it from the fire and put it aside to cool. chop up fine fifty large hard-clams, also half a can of tomatoes, a handful of celery, the same of parsley, a quart of onions, half a dozen pilot-biscuit, a little thyme, and two quarts of potatoes cut up in pieces about as large as a five-cent piece. put the saucepan in which you have your pork again on the fire, add first the onions, and then the other ingredients, with the juice of the clams, and enough water to cover. add black pepper, a little salt, and an eighth of a pint of worcestershire sauce. stir from the bottom so as to avoid burning, and simmer gently until the potatoes are thoroughly done. when the chowder begins to boil, you may add boiling water if you find it too thick. five minutes before serving, add half a lemon sliced thin. . =olla podrida= (spanish soup). put in a saucepan two pounds of beef, a pint of dwarf or chick peas, which you have previously soaked in water for six hours. then blanch in boiling water for twenty minutes half a pound of bacon and half a pound of raw ham, which add to the other ingredients, with enough water to cover them. skim carefully, and, after boiling gently two hours, add a fowl, a carrot, an onion, a clove of garlic, two cloves, and two bay-leaves, which inclose in some branches of parsley, tying all together. boil again for an hour, adding two smoked sausages (choricos), which may be found at any italian grocery, and a cabbage previously blanched. continue boiling gently for two hours; soak a pinch of saffron in water, strain it into your soup on the fire, and boil thirty minutes longer, until the ingredients become yellow. strain your soup, remove the meats, drain, arrange as neatly as possible on a dish, and serve with the soup. . =bouillabaisse à la marseillaise.= put into a saucepan an onion chopped very fine, with a tablespoonful of oil. when beginning to color slightly, cut in slices half a pound of pike, the same of perch, flounder, eel, and lobster, which wash and clean well. place them in a saucepan with parsley, two chopped cloves of garlic, some pepper and salt, a little nutmeg, and a pinch of saffron, which mix in two tablespoonfuls of water, and strain into your saucepan. moisten with three pints of fish-broth (see art. ), two tablespoonfuls of oil, and a wineglass of sherry. boil on a quick fire for twenty minutes. take some rather thick pieces of bread, over which pour the liquid in which your fish was boiled, and serve the fish on a separate dish. purÉes. . =purée of sorrel.= proceed as for clear sorrel soup (art. ), except with the addition of four yolks of eggs, mixed in a little water, just before serving the soup and when it has entirely ceased boiling. serve with it some square pieces of bread fried in butter. . =cream of sorrel.= boil one quart of sorrel, drain it, put it in cold water, and press it through a sieve. put it in a saucepan with not quite a quart of consommé (stock), and the same of cream; salt, pepper, and an ounce of butter. boil for a few moments, and then remove the saucepan to the back of the range. when it has ceased boiling, take the yolks of four eggs, which mix in a little water; add to your soup, and serve. . =purée of green peas.= take a quart of green peas and put them in a saucepan with boiling water, adding some parsley and a little salt. boil rapidly, until the peas are thoroughly done, then drain them and remove the parsley. pound them, and press them through a sieve, and return them to the fire, in a saucepan, with a pint and a half of consommé and the same of cream. when boiling, add an ounce of butter, a little salt, a pinch of sugar, and serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. . =purée of peas à la princesse.= boil a chicken in a little more than three pints of consommé (stock, art. ). if an ordinary chicken, it will take forty minutes; if an old one, two hours. after it is done, let it become cold, and cut it in pieces to serve in your soup. make the purée of peas like the preceding; add to it the consommé in which the chicken was cooked, and serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. . =split-pea soup.= take a pint of split peas, which, having washed well, place in a saucepan with an onion, a clove, half an ounce of ham, and two quarts of cold water. boil until the peas are very soft, press them through a sieve, put them again on the fire, with the addition of an ounce of butter, three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), and serve with some small pieces of bread fried in butter. . =purée of lentils.= take a quart of lentils, wash them well, and put them in a saucepan with a slice of lean ham, the carcass of a partridge, a carrot, an onion, a few branches of parsley, a few pieces of celery, and add three pints of consommé (stock). boil until the lentils are thoroughly cooked, drain, remove the ham, partridge, and parsley, press through a sieve, place on the fire again, adding one ounce of butter, boil for a moment, and serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. . =purée of white beans.= take one pint of white beans, which wash well, and boil thoroughly in three pints of consommé (stock, art. ). when the beans are done, press them through a sieve, put them again on the fire, adding one ounce of butter, a pinch of sugar, boil for a moment, and serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. this soup can be varied by adding a plateful of string-beans boiled separately with a little salt and a very little soda, after which put in cold water for a moment, and then cut in diamonds. chop a teaspoonful of parsley, and serve with the string-beans in your soup. . =purée of asparagus.= take a bunch of asparagus, separate the heads from the stalks, wash them, and then boil them with a little salt and a very little soda, after which put them in cold water for a moment. put into a saucepan one ounce of butter, two ounces of flour, a little salt, a pinch of sugar, and add the heads of asparagus, a pint and a half of cream, the same of consommé (stock, art. ). stir all together until boiling, strain, put back on the fire for a few moments, and, adding an ounce of butter, serve. . =purée of rice.= take half a pound of rice, which wash well in several waters, boil for a few moments, then put in cold water, drain, and place in a saucepan with one quart of consommé (stock), and boil for about an hour. press through a sieve, and put back on the fire until it begins to boil, then add one pint of cream and an ounce of butter; serve. . =rice soup à la crécy.= take two very red carrots, a turnip, and an onion, which cut in slices, and a clove. boil these in not quite a quart of consommé (stock, art. ) for about an hour. press through a sieve. then boil four ounces of rice, after which drain and put it in cold water for a moment; drain again, and boil for three quarters of an hour in nearly a quart of consommé. add the purée of vegetables, and, when beginning to boil up again, add one ounce of butter, and serve. . =purée of barley.= take half a pound of barley, which boil for about five minutes, then put in cold water. drain, and add it to three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), boil about two hours, press through a sieve and put back on the fire until it begins to boil, adding one ounce of butter and two tablespoonfuls of green peas, previously boiled; serve. . =purée of celery.= take a bunch of celery, and wash it well; cut it in pieces and place it in a saucepan with water, a little salt, and boil thoroughly, drain, and put it in cold water. in another saucepan put an ounce of butter (which melt), one ounce of flour, salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg; mix all together, adding the celery, not quite a quart of consommé (stock), and the same of cream. put it on the fire, taking care to stir until it boils, press through a sieve and again put it on the fire for a moment; serve. . =purée soubise à la princesse.= blanch six onions in boiling water, with a little salt, until they become soft. drain and dry them in a napkin. then put them in a saucepan with an ounce of butter, on a very gentle fire, so that they may only color slightly; add two ounces of flour, a little salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg; moisten with a pint and a half of consommé (stock, art. ), and the same of cream. when beginning to boil, press through a sieve, heat again on the fire, adding half an ounce of butter, and serve. . =purée of potatoes à la jackson.= bake in the oven half a dozen potatoes. take out the inside, which put in a saucepan with an ounce of butter. mix thoroughly together with a spoon, and season with a little salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar, and a very little nutmeg. moisten with a pint and a half of consommé (stock), press through a sieve, put back on the fire, and as soon as beginning to boil add a pint and a half of cream; heat without boiling, then add four yolks of eggs well mixed in a little water, and serve. . =purée of jerusalem artichokes.= clean a dozen jerusalem artichokes, cut them in pieces, and put them in a saucepan with a little butter, salt, and a pinch of sugar. as soon as they begin to color slightly, add a pint and a half of consommé (stock, art. ), boil a little longer, and press through a sieve. put back on the fire until beginning to boil, add an ounce of butter, a pint and a half of cream, and when very hot, without boiling, add the yolks of four eggs, which you have previously mixed well in a little water. you may serve with small squares of bread fried in butter if desired. . =purée of fowl à la reine.= clean a chicken, and put it in a saucepan with a quart of consommé (stock, art. ), a carrot, an onion, and a clove. simmer very gently for three hours; take out the fowl, cut off the white meat, and pound very fine. remove the grease carefully from your soup in which the fowl has been cooked, then add the pounded chicken, and put through a sieve. heat it up again on the fire, add a pint and a half of cream, taking care that it does not boil, add very little nutmeg, pepper, salt, a very little sugar, an ounce of butter, and the yolks of four eggs, well mixed in a little water. serve. . =purée of partridge.= remove the shells of two dozen french chestnuts, which boil five minutes, remove the skins, and put the chestnuts in a saucepan with a little salt and water, and boil for about five minutes. cut off all the meat from a cold partridge, which pound in a mortar, together with the chestnuts, and then press through a sieve. boil the bones of your partridge for about half an hour in three pints of consommé (stock, art. ), adding a wineglass of sherry, strain, and add it to your chestnuts and partridge. put in a saucepan two tablespoonfuls of flour, with an ounce of butter, a little pepper, and salt. mix all well together, and add them to your purée, which should be very hot. when economy is no object, you may add two partridges instead of one, which will give a better flavor to your purée, to which, if you find too thick, you may add a little more consommé. . =purée of rabbit.= remove the fillets from an uncooked rabbit, and place them in a saucepan on a moderate fire, with half an ounce of butter, and simmer very gently. in another saucepan put the remainder of the rabbit with an onion, a clove, and a little nutmeg, and three pints of consommé (stock, art. ). simmer gently three quarters of an hour, remove the meat from the thighs and shoulders, pound it together with two ounces of rice well boiled, moisten with the consommé in which your rabbit was cooked, and put through a sieve. cut your fillets of rabbit, which you cooked in butter, into small pieces, and serve in your soup. . =tomato soup.= cut a carrot and an onion in slices, add a slice of raw ham and a clove, and put into a saucepan with half an ounce of butter. as soon as your vegetables begin to color slightly, mix well with them an ounce of flour, add a quart of tomatoes, and boil for thirty minutes. strain, then season with salt and pepper, put again on the fire, add a pint of consommé (stock), and boil for five minutes, and add an ounce of butter. remove the grease from your soup, and serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. . =purée of vegetables aux croûtons.= clean and cut in slices a medium-sized carrot, a turnip, an onion, a leek, some pieces of celery, and add two cloves. boil them for a few moments, and afterward put them into cold water for a moment. then place your vegetables in a saucepan, with four ounces of dried peas, moisten with three pints consommé (or stock, art. ), boil for two hours, season with a little pepper, salt, and a pinch of sugar. press through a sieve, put again on the fire with an ounce of butter, and serve in your soup, with small squares of bread fried in butter. . =rice soup au lait d'amandes.= wash in cold water four ounces of rice, which boil for ten minutes, afterward put it in cold water, drain, then place it in a saucepan with three pints of milk, and boil very gently for forty-five minutes. take four ounces of bitter-almonds with one of sweet, blanch them and pound them well, adding by degrees, as you pound, a glass of cold milk. put through a sieve, add a pinch of salt and about a coffee-spoonful of sugar, and then with the rice and milk boil for a moment, and serve. . =bisque of crawfish.= wash four dozen crawfish and put them in sufficient water to cover them, cut a carrot, an onion, and three cloves of garlic in slices, add two cloves, a few branches of parsley, a little salt, and a tablespoonful of vinegar, and boil for fifteen minutes. drain them, and then pound them to a paste. melt one ounce of butter in a saucepan, add two ounces of flour, which mix well with the butter. then add the paste of crawfish, not quite a quart of cream, the same of consommé (stock), three quarters of a cupful of tomatoes, salt and pepper, and a little cayenne. boil, and stir with a spoon, press through a sieve, and put back on the fire, with one ounce of butter; as soon as it boils up again, serve. . =bisque of lobster.= take half a pound of boiled lobster from which you have removed the shell, and proceed as for the foregoing, adding half instead of three quarters of a cupful of tomatoes. . =bisque of clams.= boil fifty clams in their juice for about five minutes, drain them, chop them fine, then pound them. put in a saucepan on the fire four ounces of butter, with two ounces of flour, add your clams with their juice, two pinches of salt, one of pepper, one of cayenne, and two and a half pints of milk, stir constantly, and, just before beginning to boil, remove from the fire, strain, heat again over the fire, and serve. bisque of oysters is prepared in the same manner. chapter ii. _sauces._ . =spanish sauce.= melt two ounces of butter in a saucepan, to which add two ounces of flour, and put on a gentle fire, stirring until colored a nice brown; then mix with the flour and butter a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), an ounce and a half of lean raw ham, a carrot, an onion, a piece of celery, two cloves, a pinch of salt and pepper, and stir until beginning to boil. remove the saucepan to the back of the range, so as to simmer gently for an hour; skim off the grease carefully and strain. . =sauce allemande.= melt two ounces of butter and mix thoroughly with it two ounces of flour on a gentle fire. add immediately a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), a little salt and pepper, and stir until boiling. after boiling fifteen minutes, remove from the fire and skim the grease off carefully. when your sauce has ceased boiling, add the yolks of three eggs, well mixed in a little water, and stirred in quickly with an egg-beater, so as to make your sauce light. . =sauce veloutée.= put in a saucepan two pounds of veal, the thighs of a chicken, two carrots, two onions, a few branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic; tie all together, adding a little salt and pepper, and one quart of consommé (stock, art. ). when beginning to boil, skim constantly, so as to clear the sauce well. remove the saucepan to the back of the range and simmer gently two hours. melt two ounces of butter in a saucepan on the fire, with which mix thoroughly an ounce of flour. when beginning to color slightly, add a pint of the liquid in which your meats were boiled, strain half a wineglass of the juice of canned mushrooms, add it to your sauce, which boil forty-five minutes; strain, and serve. . =béchamel sauce.= melt an ounce of butter in a saucepan, add an ounce of flour, and mix well together. then add an onion cut in slices, half an ounce of lean raw ham, and a little salt and pepper. when beginning to color slightly, moisten with a pint of milk, stir well until boiling, after which boil ten minutes longer; strain, and serve. . =white sauce, or butter-sauce.= put in a saucepan on the fire an ounce of butter, which melt, and add to it one tablespoonful of flour, a little salt, white pepper, a little nutmeg, and mix all well together, adding a glass of water; stir until boiling, add an ounce of butter and the juice of a lemon; strain, and serve. . =sauce hollandaise.= put two ounces of butter in a saucepan, with a little salt, nutmeg, a glass and a quarter of water, and mix all together on the fire. put into another saucepan two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, which reduce one half; add it to your other ingredients, with a tablespoonful of béchamel sauce (art. ), and an ounce of butter, mixing all well together. take the yolks of four eggs, which mix in a little water, and, removing your sauce from the fire, when it has ceased boiling, add the eggs, the juice of a lemon, strain, and serve. . =sauce piquante.= chop four shallots very fine, put them in a saucepan with four tablespoonfuls of sweet-oil. when beginning to color slightly, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil slowly for a few minutes, then add two ounces of pickles, and serve. . =bread-sauce.= chop an onion very fine, put it in a saucepan, with four ounces of bread-crumbs, which you have put through a sieve, add a little salt, pepper, and a glass of milk. boil ten minutes, add a glass of cream, and serve. . =sauce béarnaise.= chop up three shallots and put them in a saucepan with a pinch of chervil, a branch of tarragon, a green onion, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. reduce one half, and let cool; then add four ounces of butter, eight yolks of eggs, a sherry-glass of water, salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg. put your saucepan again on a gentle fire, stir well until the sauce thickens; strain, and serve. . =parisian sauce.= put into a saucepan half an ounce of chopped truffles, a wineglass of sherry, some branches of parsley, inclosing a clove, a little thyme, a bay-leaf, and tie all together. reduce one half on the fire, put through a sieve, add half a pint of allemande sauce (art. ); heat again on the fire, and serve. . =tomato sauce.= put in a saucepan an ounce of raw ham, a carrot, an onion, very little thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, a clove of garlic, and half an ounce of butter. simmer for ten minutes, add an ounce of flour well mixed in half a pint of tomatoes and a glass of consommé (stock, art. ). boil for half an hour, season with a little salt, pepper, a very little nutmeg, strain, and serve. . =sauce périgueux.= chop an ounce of truffles, put them in a saucepan on the fire, with a glass of sherry and a glass of white wine. reduce one half, then add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil five minutes, and serve. . =sauce robert.= cut an onion in small pieces, and put it in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter. when it begins to color, drain off the butter, and moisten with half a glass of consommé (stock, art. ). boil gently for thirty minutes, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), a wineglass of sherry, and a tablespoonful of english mustard mixed in a little water. . =italian sauce.= peel and chop two shallots, which, with a little butter, put in a saucepan on the fire. when beginning to color slightly, moisten with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) and a wineglass of sherry. boil for twenty minutes. chop half an ounce of lean, cooked ham, half a dozen mushrooms chopped fine, and a little chopped parsley. after skimming the grease from your sauce, add these ingredients, boil five minutes, and serve. . =sauce soubise.= peel and chop three onions, which put in a saucepan on the fire with an ounce of butter. simmer very gently, so as not to color too much, and, after three quarters of an hour, add a tablespoonful of flour, salt, pepper, a little nutmeg, and mix all together. moisten with a gill of consommé (stock, art. ), the same of cream, boil for five minutes, strain, heat again on the fire, and serve. . =sauce poivrade.= put into a saucepan a chopped onion, three branches of thyme, three bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, three cloves, six pepper-corns, half an ounce of raw ham cut in small pieces, four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a little pepper, a very little cayenne; reduce until almost dry, moisten with a claret-glass of red wine and half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil fifteen minutes, strain, and serve. . =sauce hachée.= peel and chop an onion, a pickle, a shallot, a tablespoonful of capers, and moisten with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. put them in a saucepan on the fire, reduce one half, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), a little cayenne pepper, a pinch of parsley chopped fine, half an ounce of capers, and two tablespoonfuls of wine-vinegar, boil five minutes, and serve. . =hunter sauce.= put the remains of a roast partridge in a saucepan with half an ounce of raw ham, a carrot, an onion, a clove of garlic, a little thyme, three bay-leaves, and three cloves. moisten with a glass of white wine, reduce one half, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil half an hour, strain, and serve. . =sauce colbert.= put an ounce of glaze (art. ) in a saucepan on the fire with a tablespoonful of consommé (stock, art. ). mix well together, and add half a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), half an ounce of butter in small pieces, and by degrees, stirring all the time. when all well mixed together, strain, add the juice of a lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and serve. . =sauce suprême.= cut up the remains of two roast chickens, which put into a saucepan with a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), some branches of parsley, inclosing a clove, a clove of garlic, two bay-leaves, salt, and white pepper, a very little thyme, and tie all together. boil one hour, and strain. put two ounces of butter in another saucepan, a tablespoonful of flour, a teaspoonful of corn-starch, mix thoroughly together, and add the liquid in which the remains of the chicken were broiled. stir with a spoon until boiling, reduce one quarter, pour in two wineglasses of cream and one wineglass of sherry. boil fifteen minutes longer, add the juice of a lemon, strain, and serve. . =sauce venétienne.= put two tablespoonfuls of vinegar in a saucepan on the fire, with some parsley, a little tarragon, two cloves, a very little thyme, half an ounce of raw ham chopped up. reduce one half, and add half a pint sauce veloutée (art. ). boil five minutes and strain. chop fine a tablespoonful of chervil, the same of tarragon, boil them in hot water five minutes, dry with a napkin, and add to your sauce just before serving. . =sauce bordelaise.= peel two cloves of garlic, and put them in a saucepan, with a pinch of chervil, a few tarragon-leaves, two bay-leaves, a lemon, from which you have removed the peel and the seeds, two cloves, two tablespoonfuls of oil, and two claret-glasses of white wine. reduce one half on a very gentle fire, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil half an hour, carefully remove all grease, and pour in another glass of white wine. boil ten minutes, add the juice of a lemon, strain, put back your sauce on the fire, cut a dozen mushrooms in very small pieces, add them to your sauce, and serve. . =another way of making sauce bordelaise.= peel and chop very fine four cloves of garlic, which put into a saucepan with three tablespoonfuls of oil. when beginning to color lightly, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. this sauce should never be made until ready to serve on the instant. . =sauce à la poulette.= put in a saucepan three sherry-glasses of water, three ounces of butter, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt and white pepper. as soon as beginning to boil, take off the fire, and, when boiling ceases, add the yolks of four eggs which you have previously mixed well, in about a sherry-glass of water. stir constantly so that the sauce does not break, strain it, and add to it a little parsley chopped fine. . =sauce fleurette.= proceed as for the foregoing, except, instead of the parsley, add only the ends of some chervil-leaves, not chopped. . =sauce à la marinière.= cut a small eel and a pike in small pieces, put them in a saucepan, with an onion, a carrot, three branches of parsley, half a dozen mushrooms, a little thyme, two bay-leaves, and a pinch of allspice; moisten with half a bottle of red wine, and boil forty minutes. add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), and simmer at the back of the range for half an hour. take out your pieces of fish and strain the liquid in which they were boiled. peel twenty small white onions, which put in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter. when they begin to color slightly, add to them a very little of the sauce until they are cooked, then add to them the whole of the sauce, and serve. . =lobster sauce.= take a boiled lobster, separate it in two, remove the coral, which wash well in cold water; lay it on a table, with half an ounce of butter, mix well together with the blade of a knife, and press through a sieve. pound to a paste quarter of a pound of the meat of the lobster. put half a pint of white sauce (art. ) in a saucepan, and, when boiling, add the above ingredients, which stir well, so as to mix thoroughly; strain, and serve. as there is not always coral in every lobster, it is well to preserve it in a little vinegar, and put it by until needed. . =shrimp sauce.= take half a pint of white sauce (art. ), which should be boiling; add a little lobster-coral and butter, as described in lobster sauce (art. ), or half a tablespoonful of anchovy sauce. remove the shells from four dozen shrimps, and serve in your sauce. . =sauce génevoise.= cut a medium-sized pike in pieces, which put in a saucepan with half an ounce of raw ham cut in small pieces, two cloves, two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, a little thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper, a few mushrooms chopped up, and two claret-glasses of red wine. reduce one half, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil thirty minutes; then add a wineglass of madeira (or sherry); strain, and stir thoroughly into your sauce a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. . =sauce remoulade (cold).= put in a bowl two yolks of eggs, a tablespoonful of mustard, salt, and pepper. mix well with the foregoing two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and then, stirring constantly, eight tablespoonfuls of oil; and, lastly, another tablespoonful of vinegar; then chop a shallot, some chervil, some tarragon-leaves, and mix them with your sauce. . =sauce remoulade (hot).= peel and chop very fine six shallots and a clove of garlic; put them into a saucepan with five tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and reduce on the fire one half. pound the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, which mix well with a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce; add to them half a pint of sauce allemande (art. ) and a quarter of a tablespoonful of sweet-oil, and then the shallots, garlic, and vinegar; heat without boiling, and add a pinch of tarragon, the same of chervil and of parsley all chopped fine, a little salt and pepper, and, just before serving, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. . =sauce ravigote (hot).= put into a saucepan half a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), half a teaspoonful of vinegar, a _very little_ green garlic, and the same of tarragon-leaves and chervil. boil ten minutes, drain your herbs, press all moisture from them with a cloth, and then chop them very fine. put on a table half an ounce of flour, and the same of butter, which mix well together and add them to your consommé and vinegar, which you have put back on the fire; stir well with a spoon until boiling, then skim the sauce, add your chopped herbs, and serve. . =sauce ravigote (cold).= take half a pint of sauce mayonnaise (art. ), to which add a little chervil, parsley, tarragon, all mashed and chopped fine, and mix well with your mayonnaise; also a tablespoonful of mustard, and a tablespoonful of capers. . =sauce mayonnaise.= put the yolks of two eggs in a bowl with salt, pepper, the juice of a lemon, and half a teaspoonful of dry mustard. stir with a wooden spoon, and add by degrees, in _very_ small quantities, and stirring continuously, a tablespoonful of vinegar; then, a few drops at a time, some good oil, stirring rapidly all the time, until your sauce thickens, and half a pint of oil has been absorbed. . =sauce tartare.= proceed as for the foregoing, except that, instead of half a teaspoonful of mustard, add three. chop a pickle and a tablespoonful of capers, which dry in a napkin. also chop a green onion, some chervil, a few tarragon-leaves, and mix with your sauce. chapter iii. _fish._ . =boiled striped bass à la venétienne.= clean a striped bass of about four pounds. cut off the fins with a scissors. then wash your fish well, put it in a fish-kettle with four ounces of salt, and enough water to cover the fish. simmer gently, and when beginning to boil remove it to the back of the range, to simmer for half an hour. then serve with a sauce venétienne (art. ). . =boiled red snapper with butter sauce.= proceed as for the foregoing, and serve with a white sauce (art. ). . =boiled salmon, madeira sauce.= boil four pounds of salmon as in art. , adding half a bottle of white wine, then serve with spanish sauce (art. ), adding a glass of madeira or sherry. salmon may also be served with the following sauces: italian sauce (art. ), sauce hollandaise (art. ), sauce génevoise (art. ), or cold with sauce tartare (art. ), sauce ravigote (art. ), or sauce remoulade (art. ). . =halibut, lobster sauce.= boil four pounds of halibut, and serve with a lobster sauce (art. ). . =boiled codfish, oyster sauce.= boil a codfish. stew two dozen oysters, which drain, and add to a white sauce (art. ). boiled codfish may also be served with caper sauce, sauce hollandaise (art. ), and other white sauces. . =sheep's head, shrimp sauce.= boil a sheep's head, and serve with a shrimp sauce (art. ). . =salmon-trout, sauce hollandaise.= boil a salmon-trout, and serve with sauce hollandaise (art. ). . =pickerel, anchovy sauce.= clean a pickerel of four pounds and put it in a fish-kettle with enough water to cover it; add four ounces of salt, a carrot cut in slices, an onion, six branches of thyme, six cloves, six pepper-corns, some parsley-roots, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. when beginning to boil remove the fish-kettle to the back of the range for about half an hour. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), into which mix two teaspoonfuls of anchovy sauce, and, when boiling, serve with your fish. . =black bass, burgundy sauce.= clean a black bass of four pounds, put it in the fish-kettle to boil, adding half a bottle of claret. then let it simmer for half an hour at the back of the range. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), put it in a saucepan with two wineglasses of red wine, reduce one quarter, and serve with your fish. . =baked blue-fish, tomato sauce.= clean a blue-fish of four pounds and place it in a buttered pan. cover the fish with tomato sauce (art. ), on top of which put some bread-crumbs and a few little pieces of butter. place in the oven for about forty minutes, or until you see that the flesh is detached from the backbone, and serve with tomato sauce around it. . =baked fillet of sole (or flounder).= cut a flounder of four pounds into fillets, that is, in pieces of about five inches long and four in width, tapering to a point at each end. each piece should be not quite an inch thick. put them in a buttered pan, cover with sauce allemande (art. ), on top of which sprinkle some bread-crumbs and a few small pieces of butter. put into the oven until well browned. place half a pint of sauce allemande in a saucepan, with the addition of a wineglass of sherry, boil ten minutes, pour it around your fish, and serve. . =weak-fish, italian sauce.= cut a weak-fish of four pounds in fillets, as described in the foregoing, and place them in a saucepan with a little melted butter, salt, pepper, a little nutmeg, and two tablespoonfuls of madeira (or sherry). simmer gently for twenty minutes, arrange your fish neatly on a dish, one piece overlapping the other, and serve with an italian sauce (art. ). . =chicken halibut aux fines herbes.= chop a little parsley, six mushrooms, and a shallot; add to them a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and place all together in a saucepan on the fire for five minutes, with half a pint of white wine. then put these ingredients on a dish, and place on top of them four pounds of chicken halibut. send to a moderate oven for about thirty minutes, taking care from time to time to pour with a spoon some of the liquid in the dish over your fish. put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) in another saucepan on the fire, reduce your sauce for about seven or eight minutes, adding the juice of a lemon, and serve it around your fish. . =eels à la tartare.= broil your eels on a gridiron. when the skin detaches itself on one side, turn them on the other. when done, with a napkin take off all the skin, cut the eels in pieces three inches long, remove the insides, and put the eels in a saucepan with a little salt, pepper, six cloves, six pepper-corns, two parsley-roots, a little thyme, four bay-leaves, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. add enough water to cover your eels, and, after boiling fifteen minutes, take them off the fire, let them cool in the liquid in which they were cooked, and then wipe them dry with a cloth. break in a bowl two eggs, which mix thoroughly with half an ounce of melted butter; pour this over your fish, and sprinkle lightly with bread-crumbs. broil them on a very gentle fire. when they are a nice brown, serve them with a sauce tartare (art. ). . =king-fish, sherry sauce.= clean four medium-sized king-fish, split them in two, and broil them on a gentle fire. put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) in a saucepan, add a wineglass of sherry, boil fifteen minutes, pour it around your fish, and serve. . =fillet of shad, with purée of sorrel.= after cleaning your shad, cut it in equal pieces, leaving the skin underneath. put them on a plate, and sprinkle a little salt on them, add the juice of a lemon, and a few branches of parsley. a few moments before they are required to be served put them in a saucepan on a gentle fire for fifteen minutes, with a glass of white wine and an ounce of butter. pick and clean a quart of sorrel, which blanch in boiling water, drain, and press it through a sieve. put an ounce of butter in a saucepan with half an ounce of flour, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and, when beginning to color slightly, add your purée of sorrel and half a glass of cream. simmer gently ten minutes, when add the yolks of two eggs which you have mixed in a little milk. boil five minutes longer, pour over your fish, and serve. . =broiled shad à la maître d'hôtel.= clean a shad, without removing the skin, split it in two, and put the roes on a buttered pan, which send to the oven until brown. then broil the shad, and when done put it on a dish together with the roes. melt an ounce of butter, in which put a little salt and pepper, a little chopped parsley, and the juice of a lemon. mix well together, pour over your shad, and serve. porgies, mackerel, and other broiling fish, may be served in the same manner. . =long island brook-trout.= clean and wash a trout of about four pounds, and put it in a fish-kettle with four ounces of salt. when beginning to boil remove your fish-kettle to the back of the range for twenty-five minutes. blanch four roes of shad in a little boiling water and a little salt, drain, and cut them in small pieces, as also a dozen mushrooms. add these, with the juice of a lemon, to a pint of sauce allemande (art. ), and boil ten minutes. serve the fish garnished with sprigs of parsley, and the sauce in a separate dish. . =trout à la génevoise.= clean four little trout, cut off the gills, and put your fish in an earthen pot for four hours, with a little thyme, four bay-leaves, two shallots cut in pieces, five branches of parsley, a little pepper and salt, and the juice of two lemons, after which drain, and place them in a saucepan on the fire, with a chopped onion, a clove of garlic, and a little nutmeg. add enough red wine to cover your fish, and boil gently for twenty minutes. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil for about an hour with one half of the liquid in which the foregoing ingredients were boiled. chop four mushrooms and truffles, a little parsley, and add to your sauce. put your fish on a dish, garnish with parsley, and serve with your sauce on a separate dish. . =scallops of trout.= prepare as the foregoing a medium-sized trout, which cut in round pieces, or in the shape of an egg, and about three inches in length, and put into a saucepan in which you have previously melted two ounces of butter; add a little salt, white pepper, the juice of a lemon; and when they are done on one side, turn them on the other; mash some potatoes, and with them form a border on a plate, which may go to the oven. moisten your potatoes lightly with some melted butter, and send them to the oven to brown. when done, arrange your scallops of fish in the middle of the potatoes, and pour over all a sauce béchamel (art. ). . =halibut, sauce suprême.= take four pounds of halibut, which cut in square pieces; soak them for an hour in four wineglasses of madeira (or sherry); turn them over from time to time, first on one side and then on the other. just before serving, put them into a saucepan, in which you have melted two ounces of butter; add a little salt and pepper, put them on the fire for a few moments, and then send to the oven for twenty minutes. arrange your fish on a dish, and pour over them a sauce suprême (art. ). . =scallops of white-fish à la provençale.= cut a white-fish of four pounds into round pieces, or in the shape of an egg, and about three inches in length; put them in a dish with a clove of garlic, a little thyme, three bay-leaves, two roots of parsley, an onion cut in thin slices, salt and pepper, and moisten them with a sherry-glass of oil: then peel three white onions, which cut in slices, blanch them in boiling water, with a little salt; drain them and put them in a frying-pan on the fire, with a wineglass of oil, which heat thoroughly, and, when beginning to color slightly, drain off the oil, and moisten with half a bottle of white wine. then drain your fish, which put in the saucepan with your onions. simmer gently for thirty minutes, drain, and in the liquor in which your fish was cooked put a tablespoonful of tomato sauce, reduce gently about one third, pour over your fish, and serve. . =eels en matelote.= clean an eel, a pike, and a perch; cut them in slices; place them in a saucepan with a clove of garlic, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, three cloves, a little basil, and a few branches of parsley; add enough red wine to cover your fish. put them on a very gentle fire, and, when beginning to boil, add a wineglass of brandy. shake gently, so as not to break your fish, and, after boiling fifteen minutes, drain off your fish, and keep them hot. put on a table half an ounce of flour and an ounce of butter; mix well together with the blade of a knife, and add to the liquid in which your fish was boiled. peel and press through a sieve twenty small white onions, which put in a frying-pan, with a little butter, on a very gentle fire; add them, with a dozen mushrooms, to your fish, which heat up again. take the ingredients in which your fish was first cooked, and place them in a dish, your fish on top. garnish with some boiled crawfish, and some pieces of bread cut in triangles, and fried in butter. . =red snapper à la chambord.= take a red snapper, about four pounds in weight. remove the scales, and on one side of the fish cut a square in the skin, which take out, and in the flesh insert two dozen pieces of truffles, cut in squares, and pointed at one end. over this tie a thin piece of larding pork. put your fish in a fish-kettle, surround it with a sliced carrot and onion, three cloves of garlic, six bay-leaves, six cloves, six branches of thyme, four parsley-roots, and cover the fish with half a bottle of white wine and a quart of consommé (stock, art. ); put it on the fire until boiling, and then send it to a gentle oven to cook slowly for an hour, basting it often with its own liquor, on the side studded with truffles. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which add two wineglasses of the liquid in which your fish was cooked, put your sauce on the fire to boil, skim off the grease, and strain; then put it back again on the fire for a few moments, adding a dozen mushrooms, a dozen quenelles (art. ), as many truffles cut in quarters, a dozen crawfish, and the same of chicken's kidneys which you have previously blanched in hot water, with a little salt, for ten minutes. lay your fish on a dish, pour your sauce around it, and serve. . =ray, with caper sauce.= cook your fish as the foregoing, with the exception of the truffles, and serve with it a white sauce (art. ), to which add some capers. . =ray, au beurre noir.= cut in moderate-sized pieces four pounds of ray-fish, which put in a saucepan with an onion cut in slices, three parsley-roots, four cloves, six pepper-corns, half an ounce of salt, and four tablespoonfuls of vinegar. when beginning to boil, put your saucepan at the back of the range for thirty minutes, so as not to boil. then take off the skin from both sides of your fish, which put in the saucepan with your other ingredients to keep hot. put in a frying-pan four ounces of butter, and, when colored black, fry a dozen sprigs of parsley for a moment, remove them, and add to your butter two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. strain your fish, which arrange on a dish, garnish with the fried parsley, pour the black butter over the fish, and serve. . =fried smelts.= clean about two dozen smelts, cut off the gills, wash them well in cold water, and dry them thoroughly. put a pinch of salt and pepper in a little milk, into which dip your smelts, and then roll them in flour. put in a frying-pan about a pound and a half of lard, in which, when very hot, fry your smelts a light brown. also fry some parsley, which place around your fish, and serve with a sauce tartare (art. ). . =farcied smelts.= prepare your smelts as the foregoing. split them in two, taking care to make the opening in the under part of the fish, and, beginning at the tail, make the incision the length of the fish, without disturbing the head. then take some chicken farce (art. ), and add to it half a dozen very finely chopped mushrooms, and a very little chopped parsley. lay this on one side of your smelts, and cover with the other half. place them in a buttered pan, cover each one with a very little melted butter, sprinkle some bread-crumbs lightly over them, and send them to the oven for about fifteen minutes. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), add a sherry-glass of white wine, boil for fifteen minutes, add a little chopped parsley to your sauce, which pour over your fish, and serve. . =oysters à la poulette.= take fifty oysters, which blanch in boiling water, then drain them, preserving part of the liquid in which they were boiled. take half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), add a little of the liquid in which your oysters were boiled, a little salt and pepper, a little chopped parsley, and, when your sauce has ceased boiling, the yolks of three eggs well mixed in a little water. serve your oysters hot in the sauce. . =farcied oysters à l'africaine.= take twenty very large oysters, which blanch and then drain. also take some chicken farce (art. ), chopping three truffles very fine, and mix with your farce, with which cover your oysters on both sides, and dip in bread-crumbs. then beat up four eggs, the yolks and whites together, with a little salt, pepper, and very little nutmeg added, and spread over your oysters, which dip again into bread-crumbs. put the oysters in a buttered pan, and send to the oven for about fifteen minutes, a very little melted butter on each oyster. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), add to it a glass of sherry, and, after boiling twenty minutes, chop up two truffles, put them in your sauce, and serve with your oysters. . =fried oysters.= take fifty large oysters, dip them in beaten eggs, in which you have put a little salt and pepper; then roll them in bread-crumbs, and, if your oysters should not be very large, dip them again in beaten eggs, and again roll them in bread-crumbs. fry them in very hot lard, drain off the grease, and serve very hot. garnish with slices of lemon. . =broiled oysters.= take fifty large oysters, which drain and dip in four beaten eggs, to which you have added a little salt and pepper. roll them in bread-crumbs, dip them again in eggs, and again roll them in bread-crumbs. put a few drops of melted butter on each, broil them on a gridiron a light brown, and serve very hot. . =cromesqui of oysters.= boil fifty oysters for about five minutes, drain them, and chop them fine. put in a saucepan on the fire an ounce of butter, the same of flour, a pinch of salt, the same of pepper and nutmeg, and mix all well together. add the juice of your oysters, and half a glass of milk, and stir with a wooden spoon until just before beginning to boil, then remove it from the fire; add two yolks of eggs mixed in about a tablespoonful of water, and then your oysters. put this mixture on ice until cold, form it into balls about the size of a small egg, and wrap up each one in a very thin piece of pork. break three eggs in a bowl, add six ounces of flour, and a little water, so as to make a smooth and very soft paste, but sufficiently solid to adhere to your cromesqui. then mix a teaspoonful of soda with your paste, with which cover each one, and fry in very hot lard. when a bright yellow, drain, and serve hot. . =oysters on toast.= put fifty oysters in a frying-pan with their liquor, toss them on the fire for about ten minutes, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. put the oysters on eight pieces of toast, the juice poured over them. serve very hot. . =oysters a la mosely.= take fifty oysters, the third of which put in a deep dish with a little pepper, salt, a little melted butter, and cover with bread-crumbs. then put half of the remaining oysters on top. proceed as above, add a third layer, pour in enough sherry to reach the top of your oysters, cover with bread-crumbs, and a little melted butter, and send to a moderate oven until colored a light brown. serve very hot. . =oysters au gratin.= take three dozen rather small oysters, blanch them, and drain them. make a rather thick béchamel sauce (art. ), to which add two yolks of eggs well mixed in a little water. when beginning to boil, add your oysters, a little salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. mix all well together, and then put them, with your sauce, in the shells. cover them lightly with bread-crumbs, and a few drops of melted butter on top. send them to the oven, and serve when nicely browned. . =lobster au naturel.= put in a saucepan two sliced onions, a few green onions, some parsley, four cloves, four branches of thyme, one of sage, a pinch of mace, a little piece of green pepper, two ounces of salt, and enough water to cover them. boil them for twenty minutes, and then allow them to cool, after which add four medium-sized lobsters, boil for half an hour; take them off the fire, and let them become cold in their liquor. then drain them, split them in two, break their claws, and serve them garnished with parsley. . =lobster à la havraise.= take three small live lobsters, cut off the claws, break them, and separate your lobsters in two, cutting each lobster in eight pieces. put into a frying-pan three very finely chopped shallots, with a tablespoonful of oil. when beginning to color lightly, add your pieces of lobster, and, after cooking fifteen minutes, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), a glass of sherry, about ten mushrooms, a little chopped parsley, a little salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg. mix well together, boil five minutes longer, and serve. . =croquettes of lobster.= chop fine the meat of two boiled lobsters and add half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), to which you have added the yolks of two eggs well mixed in a little water. then add two tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, a little pepper, salt, and a very little nutmeg, and _put on the ice until perfectly cold_--this is of the utmost importance. when thoroughly cold, form them into croquettes and roll them in bread-crumbs; beat three eggs (the yolks and whites together), into which dip your croquettes and roll them again in bread-crumbs. put about two pounds of lard in a frying-pan, and, when very hot, fry your croquettes, which, when a light brown, drain, and serve. . =broiled lobster.= take four chicken lobsters (uncooked and perfectly fresh), separate them in two, lengthwise, put a little melted butter upon them, salt, pepper, and some bread-crumbs. broil them on a gentle fire, and, just before serving, sprinkle over them some chopped parsley. you may serve with them, if desired, a sauce tartare (art. ) or a sauce remoulade (art. ). . =deviled lobster.= prepare the mixture as described in art. for lobster croquettes, and mix with it a teaspoonful of mustard. clean the shells of your lobsters, fill them with the above mixture, which cover lightly with mustard, on top of which sprinkle some bread-crumbs and a very little melted butter. put them in the oven, and, when colored a light brown, serve. . =lobster à la bordelaise.= take the meat of three boiled lobsters, which cut in medium-sized pieces, and put them in a saucepan on the fire for about five minutes, with half a pint of sauce bordelaise (art. ), and serve. . =crawfish à la bordelaise.= boil four dozen crawfish as directed in art. , drain, and put them in a saucepan on the fire for about five minutes, with half a pint of sauce bordelaise (art. ), and serve. . =farcied lobster.= prepare the mixture as for lobster croquettes (art. ), adding a little chopped parsley, and with it fill the shells of two or three lobsters which you have previously washed. sprinkle some bread-crumbs on top, and a very small quantity of melted butter. send to the oven, and, when colored a light brown, serve. . =lobster à l'indienne.= take two boiled lobsters, divide them in two, and remove the meat from the shells and claws. wash half a pound of rice, boil it five minutes in boiling water, then put it in cold water for a moment. drain, and place it in a saucepan with three pints of water, and boil forty minutes. take half a pint of sauce veloutée (art. ), add your lobsters, place your saucepan at the side of the range so as not to boil, and mix with your sauce a teaspoonful of curry. drain off your rice, form it in a border on a dish, and place your lobster and sauce in the center. . =fried frogs' legs.= put three dozen frogs' legs in an earthen jar, with salt, thyme, six bay-leaves, three branches of parsley, an onion cut in thin slices, the juice of a lemon, and three or four tablespoonfuls of oil; turn them over on one side, then on the other, several times during an hour; then drain them, dip them in milk, in which you have put a little salt and pepper, roll them in flour, and fry them a light brown, in very hot lard. serve them with some fried parsley. . =frogs' legs à la poulette.= put three dozen frogs' legs in a saucepan, with an ounce of butter, a claret-glass of white wine, and half a cupful of consommé (stock, art. ), an onion sliced thin, a little thyme, bay-leaf, parsley, a pinch of salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg. boil for ten minutes, and then drain. put a tablespoonful of flour in a saucepan, with an ounce of butter, and mix well together. strain the liquid in which your frogs' legs were cooked, add to it two yolks of eggs well mixed in about a tablespoonful of water, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; boil three or four minutes, and serve. . =frogs' legs à la marinière.= put three dozen frogs' legs in a saucepan, with a dozen chopped mushrooms, four shallots also chopped, and two ounces of butter, and toss them on the fire for five or six minutes; then add a tablespoonful of flour, a little salt, pepper, a nutmeg, and moisten with a claret-glass of white wine and a glass of consommé (art. ); boil ten minutes. mix the yolks of four eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cream, remove your frogs' legs from the fire, and, when boiling has ceased, add your eggs, stirring continually until thoroughly mixed, and serve. . =frogs' legs à la maître d'hôtel.= boil in water two dozen frogs' legs for about twelve minutes, with a pinch of salt, pepper, and the juice of a lemon. drain them, and pour over them some melted butter to which you have added the juice of a lemon and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; serve very hot. . =soft-shell crabs.= take eight soft-shell crabs, remove the gills and the sand. wash them, then dry them with a cloth, dip them in a little milk, and roll them in flour. put plenty of lard in a frying-pan, in which, when very hot, fry your crabs. five minutes will suffice. serve with them some fried parsley. you may also dip the crabs in beaten eggs, and sprinkle with bread-crumbs before frying. . =farcied crabs.= remove the meat from four dozen boiled hard-shelled crabs and chop up fine. put in a saucepan an onion cut in pieces, and an ounce of butter. when beginning to color slightly, add a dozen chopped mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and four ounces of bread-crumbs, which you have previously soaked in consommé, and then pressed almost dry; a pinch of salt and pepper, a little cayenne, and half a gill of tomato sauce (art. ). mix all well together on the fire, and cook for five minutes. wash your shells and fill them with the foregoing, cover them with bread-crumbs, and a _very little_ melted butter on top; send to the oven and color a light brown. . =deviled crabs.= proceed as for the foregoing, putting a tablespoonful of mustard in the above mixture, and a layer of mustard on top of each crab before covering with bread-crumbs. . =clam fritters.= take fifteen clams, which chop very fine, and put in a bowl with two ounces of flour, two eggs, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a tablespoonful of parsley, which chop fine. mix all thoroughly together. put some lard in a frying-pan, into which, when very hot, throw a tablespoonful of your mixture at a time, until you have used the entire quantity; fry on both sides, and serve. . =oyster fritters.= prepare as the foregoing. . =fish-balls.= wash and peel six potatoes, boil them in a pint of water, with salt, drain them, mash them thoroughly; add an ounce of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and an egg; mix all well together, adding six ounces of boiled codfish from which you have removed the bones; mix your fish well with your other ingredients, form into balls about the size of a very small apple, roll them lightly and evenly in flour; fry them on both sides in about half their height of very hot lard, drain off the grease, and serve them very hot. . =codfish au gratin.= take two pounds of boiled codfish, from which you have removed the bones, put in a dish with half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), in which you have mixed four ounces of american cheese. sprinkle it on top with bread-crumbs and a little melted butter, and send to the oven until colored a bright yellow. serve. you may, instead of the cheese, mix some chopped mushrooms with your fish. other boiled fish may be prepared in the same manner. . =snails à la provençale.= take four ounces of wood-ashes, which put in a cloth, and tie securely. then place in a saucepan with about a quart of water, and boil fifteen minutes. wash well four dozen snails, and put them in your saucepan, and boil them about fifteen minutes. then take one out, and try with a larding-needle if you can remove it easily from its shell, and, if so, drain the snails, and take them out of their shells. put into a saucepan on the fire a tablespoonful of oil, half a dozen mushrooms chopped very fine, some parsley, a clove of garlic, three shallots, all chopped fine, salt, a little red pepper, and a very little nutmeg. add a tablespoonful of flour, and moisten with three sherry-glasses of white wine, and, as soon as your sauce begins to boil, add your snails, and boil gently for thirty minutes. your sauce must be thick. mix the yolks of three eggs in a tablespoonful of milk, and add to your sauce when it has ceased boiling. put a snail in each shell, and enough sauce to fill each one. sprinkle bread-crumbs on top, send to the oven for about ten minutes, and serve. . =clams on toast.= take fifty clams and roast them very slightly, after which take them out of their shells, chop them fine, and, with all their juice, which you have carefully preserved, put them into a saucepan with a little butter, and stew for a few moments. just before serving, season them with a little red pepper and a very little tobasco pepper. first serve to each person a piece of toast, and then the clams to be poured over the toast. . =soft clams steamed.= put some boiling water in a saucepan, in the bottom of which lay a brick. put fifty soft clams in a pan, or in some utensil which may be placed inside your saucepan, and on top of the brick, so that the water shall not touch the clams. boil quickly about five minutes, covering the saucepan with a lid. then, if your clams are done, serve them in their shells, with a sauce separately, composed of a little chopped shallot, a little melted butter, salt, pepper, and a little vinegar or the juice of a lemon. . =clams au gratin.= prepare exactly as for oysters au gratin (art. ). . =mussels à la marinière.= take fifty mussels in their shells, remove the black, stringy species of moss attached to them, put them in a covered saucepan on the fire, with about a quarter of a glass of water; toss them for three or four minutes in the saucepan, or until the shells are opened, then drain them, remove one shell of each, leaving the mussel in the other half, and serve them in the following sauce: chop fine two shallots, which put in a saucepan on the fire, with a tablespoonful of vinegar, reduce one half, and add a teaspoonful of chervil and tarragon chopped fine; boil for a moment, then add half a pint of sauce allemande (art. ), and a sherry-glass of sherry. . =stewed terrapin à la lucie.= drop three live terrapins into boiling water, and, if large, boil them three hours, or, if moderate sized, two hours and a half. then pick them, throwing away all of the intestines, heart, head, and most of the feet; also be very particular to cut out the gall, which will be found in the middle of the liver, and throw it away. scrape out all the fat and meat sticking to the shells, and put into a saucepan with half a pound of _very good_ butter, a good deal of salt, and cayenne pepper. simmer over a slow fire for about two hours. wine may be added, according to taste, after the terrapin is served. . =stewed terrapin à la maryland.= pick and clean, as the foregoing, two terrapins weighing about six to seven pounds. boil them in some water with a little salt for about twenty minutes. drain them, cut them in moderate-sized pieces, and put them in a saucepan with enough cream to cover them, a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and three wineglasses of sherry. simmer gently for three quarters of an hour. mix four yolks of eggs with two tablespoonfuls of cream, add them to your terrapins, and serve very hot. . =stewed terrapin= (another manner). prepare your terrapins as the foregoing, add to them half a pint of brandy, touch it with a lighted match, let it burn, and serve. . =glaze.= put two quarts of consommé (art. ) in a saucepan on the fire. reduce it by _very_ gentle boiling until it becomes the color of chocolate. put it in a bowl on the ice, and keep it until needed. chapter iv. _entrÉes._ beef. . =beef tongue, sauce piquante.= wash carefully a beef's tongue, boil it an hour, put it in cold water, then remove the skin. take some strips of larding pork about two inches long, roll them in some parsley chopped very fine, a little pepper and nutmeg, and lard your tongue, which having done, place in a saucepan with a carrot, two onions, six cloves, six pepper-corns, four bay-leaves, and four branches of thyme. add enough consommé (or stock) to cover the tongue, simmer very gently for four hours, and serve with a sauce piquante (art. ). . =beef's tongue à la jardinière.= proceed exactly as for the foregoing, and serve on a macédoine of vegetables (art. ). . =smoked beef's tongue, wine sauce with mushrooms.= soak a smoked tongue in water the night before it is needed. then put it in about four quarts of cold water, and boil it slowly about five hours; drain, place it in cold water a moment, remove the skin, trim the thicker end of the tongue neatly, and put it again in hot water for a moment, drain, put it on a dish, pour around it half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which you have added, while on the fire, ten chopped mushrooms and a sherry-glass of sherry. . =hashed beef.= take two pounds of cold beef, free from sinew and bone, and chop it up well. peel and cut in pieces two onions, and put them in a frying-pan with two ounces of butter. when beginning to color very lightly, add your beef, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a pinch of thyme. toss all together on the fire ten minutes. just before serving, sprinkle a tablespoonful of chopped parsley over your hash. . =beef's brains au beurre noir.= put into cold water three brains, clean them thoroughly, removing all blood, fibers, and pieces of skin, after which change the water, and let them soak for two hours, being careful to change the water every half-hour. then put them in a saucepan with six parsley-roots, four cloves, four pepper-corns, an onion cut in pieces, also a carrot, four bay-leaves, four branches of thyme, a teaspoonful of salt, and moisten with a pint of consommé (stock, art. i) and a claret-glass of white wine. boil for half an hour, drain, carefully remove all herbs from the brains, and serve with a black-butter sauce. _black-butter sauce._ put in a frying-pan four ounces of butter, and when colored black add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; boil for a moment, add some branches of fried parsley, and serve. . =beef's brains à la poulette.= prepare the brains as the foregoing, and serve with a sauce poulette (art. ). . =palates of beef, sauce robert.= boil four beef's palates in enough water to cover them, and a little salt, for an hour. then put them in cold water, and clean them well. put them in a saucepan with four bay-leaves, four branches of thyme, four cloves, four pepper-corns, four parsley-roots, and half a teaspoonful of salt. moisten with a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), and simmer them gently for two hours. then take them from your saucepan, drain them, cut them in squares, and serve them with a sauce robert (art. ). other sauces, according to your taste, may be served with this dish. . =ox-tails braised.= cut two ox-tails into joints, boil them for half an hour in two quarts of water, and half an ounce of salt; then put them in cold water, drain and place them in a saucepan with a carrot, two onions, six cloves, six pepper-corns, four bay-leaves, four branches of thyme, three branches of parsley, and a little salt; add a quart of consommé (stock, art. ), and simmer gently for five hours; serve with an italian sauce (art. ). . =beef-kidneys, sautés au vin blanc.= cut two beef's kidneys in thin slices; then put in a frying-pan an ounce of butter, into which, when melted, put the kidneys, adding a pinch of salt, the same of pepper, and a very little nutmeg; toss the kidneys in the butter for about five minutes on a good fire; moisten them with one gill of spanish sauce (art. ), and a sherry-glass of white wine; boil five minutes on the fire, and serve. . =sirloin steak broiled, with anchovy sauce.= take two and a half pounds of sirloin steak, and put it on a gridiron on a moderate fire, with salt and pepper. turn the steak often, so that both sides may be equally done; ten minutes should be sufficient to broil it; serve with a white or butter sauce (art. ), to which add a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. . =rump steak broiled à la maître d'hôtel.= broil as the foregoing; then put two ounces of butter on a very hot plate, so as to melt it completely; add to it a teaspoonful of parsley, which you have previously washed and chopped fine, a pinch of salt and pepper, the juice of a lemon; mix all together, and serve your steak on top. . =porter-house steak à la bordelaise.= broil a porter-house steak as the foregoing, on top of which place small pieces of marrow, cut round, about the size of a fifty-cent piece, and previously boiled; pour around your steak half a pint of sauce bordelaise (art. ). steak may also be served with a sauce béarnaise (art. ), sauce hachée (art. ), tomato sauce (art. ), and others. potatoes should also be served in whatever manner appropriate to the sauce. onions cut in slices, rolled in flour and fried in butter a light brown, may also be served on top of a broiled steak. . =tenderloins of beef, with potatoes à la parisienne.= take three and a half pounds of the fillet of beef, and with a knife remove the skin on top; cut some larding pork into strips, with which lard your beef on the surface. then in a frying-pan put an onion sliced thin, a branch of thyme, three cloves, three pepper-corns, three bay-leaves, three parsley-roots, and a pinch of salt; moisten with a sherry-glass of white wine and the same of consommé (stock, art. ), and place your fillet on top, on which put a few little pieces of butter; simmer gently for about forty minutes, strain the liquid in which your fillet was cooked, pour it over the fillet and serve on a separate dish some potatoes à la parisienne (art. ). . =fillet of beef sauté, madeira sauce.= cut eight pieces from a fillet of beef about half an inch thick; put into a saucepan an ounce of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, a very little nutmeg, and place your pieces of beef on top; toss them for about five minutes on a quick fire, and, when done on both sides, serve them (one piece overlying the other) with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which add a wineglass of madeira (or sherry); also serve with this dish some potato croquettes (art. ). . =braised beef, tomato sauce.= take three pounds of rump steak; put in a saucepan four ounces of salt pork, which cut in small pieces, place your beef on top, and simmer gently for half an hour, turning it over from time to time; then add as much consommé (stock, art. ) as will entirely cover your beef, and two sherry-glasses of white wine, a carrot, an onion, three branches of thyme, three bay-leaves, three cloves, three pepper-corns, three parsley-roots, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg; simmer gently for four hours, drain, and serve with a tomato sauce (art. ); or you can serve your beef with the liquid in which it was cooked, after having removed all the grease, and strained carefully. . =beef à la mode.= take a round of beef of about four pounds, cut half a pound of larding pork in strips about two inches long, which roll in a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. make incisions in your beef, and introduce your strips of pork therein. cut a carrot and an onion in slices, and put them in a saucepan with several branches of parsley, inclosing three cloves, six bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, and tie all together, then add your beef, two claret-glasses of white wine, and a quart of consommé (stock). simmer gently for three hours, drain off your beef, and strain the liquid in which it was cooked. then put the beef with its liquid in a saucepan with two carrots and two turnips, which you have previously blanched and cut in slices, and twenty small onions. simmer gently for an hour and a half, skim off the grease from the liquid, and serve. . =boiled marrow-bones.= tie up in a cloth eight marrow-bones, neatly trimmed, and of about four inches in length, boil an hour, remove the cloth, and serve them on toast, a small napkin neatly arranged around each bone. . =beefsteak pie.= take two pounds of cold beef, cut it in small pieces. put two dozen small white onions, with some butter, in a frying-pan on the fire, and cook gently until browned. fry half a pound of bacon cut in small pieces, drain, moisten with a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), add your onions, boil for a few moments, add your beef, and put all together in a deep dish, which you have lined with paste, moistening the edges of your dish so that the paste shall adhere. cut out some paste the size of your dish and lay it on top. dip a small brush in beaten egg, with which brush the entire top of your pie, which send to the oven until well colored, and serve. you may mix in your pie, if desired, about twenty-five oysters. _paste for the pie._ put on a table six ounces of flour, make a hole in the middle, in which place three ounces of butter, and add a claret-glass of water. mix all well together, and roll it out to the proper thickness. . =broiled tripe.= cut some tripe into long pieces, season with pepper and salt. broil them a nice brown, and serve them on the same plate with an ounce of melted butter, the juice of a lemon well mixed with it, and some chopped parsley. honeycomb tripe is more delicate than the ordinary tripe. . =tripe à la lyonnaise.= cut two pounds of tripe in thin strips, as for julienne soup, put a sliced onion, with two ounces of butter, in a frying-pan; when well colored, add your tripe, a pinch of salt and pepper, and very little nutmeg. toss all together until all moisture is absorbed, then add about a quarter of a can of tomatoes, cook for a moment longer, or until very hot, and serve with a little chopped parsley on top. . =fried tripe.= cut some tripe in squares. break two eggs, to which add a little salt and pepper, and beat up your eggs well. then dip your tripe in the eggs, roll them in flour, fry them in very hot lard, and when they are a light brown drain them, and serve with fried parsley on top. . =tripe à la mode de caen.= put in an earthen pot an onion cut in slices, a carrot in quarters, and four slices of bacon; cover these with a layer of tripe, then a calf's foot cut in four, a pinch of salt and pepper, four cloves, four bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, six pepper-corns, and six parsley-roots. on top of these put a layer of bacon, another of tripe, another calf's foot, cut in pieces, and another layer of tripe, with some bacon on top. fill your jar three quarters of its height with white wine. put on the cover, and paste it all around the edge with some flour mixed in a little water, so as to render the jar air-tight. place it in the oven, and cook for five hours. instead of white wine, you may substitute cider if you wish. veal. . =calf's head en tortue.= take a scalded calf's head, put it in a saucepan with enough water to cover it, boil for half an hour, and then plunge it in cold water; mix four tablespoonfuls of flour with a little cold water; cut an onion and a carrot in slices, and put in a saucepan, together with six cloves, six pepper-corns, six parsley-roots, four branches of thyme, six cloves of garlic, six bay-leaves, an ounce of butter, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and lastly your calf's head; add enough water to cover it, and boil for two hours. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), put it on the fire in a saucepan with a wineglass of sherry, about ten mushrooms cut in pieces, and four chickens' livers which you have previously blanched; drain your calf's head and put it on a dish with your sauce; you may also serve with it the brains, from which you have removed all the fibers and loose skin, and also the tongue cut down the middle and the skin taken off. . =calf's head à la vinaigrette.= proceed as for the foregoing, and, just before serving, chop a little parsley, a little chervil, a small onion; add a pinch of salt and pepper, four tablespoonfuls of vinegar and eight tablespoonfuls of oil, and serve with your calf's head. . =baked calf's head à l'italienne.= boil a calf's head as the preceding, cut it in pieces, which put in a pan, and cover with an italian sauce (art. ); sprinkle some bread-crumbs on top, and a very little melted butter; send to the oven, and, when colored a light brown, put it on a dish, and serve with an italian sauce surrounding it. you may also serve with other sauces, according to your taste. . =calves' tongues.= take four calves' tongues, which prepare as beef's tongue (art. ), and, after cooking two hours, take them off the fire, remove all skin, and cut them through the middle of the tongue. put them on a dish, and serve with them an italian sauce (art. ), sauce poivrade (art. ), tomato sauce (art. ), or with a macédoine of vegetables (art. ). . =calves' brains au gratin.= put into cold water four calves' brains, clean them thoroughly, removing all blood, fibers, and pieces of skin, after which change the water and let them soak for two hours, being careful to change the water every half-hour, then drain them; put for a moment in a saucepan on the fire, four ounces of butter and a large sliced onion; add the brains, season with pepper and salt, and let them simmer gently, turning them over so that both sides may be done, and drain off the grease; butter a deep dish, which sprinkle all over with bread-crumbs; add a _very_ thick béchamel sauce (art. ) to the brains, which put in the dish, let them cool, sprinkle bread-crumbs and some melted butter on top; send to a moderate oven for half an hour, and serve. . =calves' brains à la poulette.= proceed as for beef's brain, allowing only half the time to boil; put four brains on a dish, and pour over them a sauce à la poulette (art. ). . =fried calves' brains, tomato sauce.= boil four calves' brains as the preceding, drain them, and cut them into medium-sized pieces; beat up two eggs, to which add a little salt and pepper; dip the brains in the eggs and then sprinkle them with bread-crumbs; put plenty of lard in a frying-pan, and, when very hot, fry the brains, and also some parsley; drain, and serve with a tomato sauce in a separate dish. . =calves' ears farcied.= take four well-scalded calves' ears; put them in two quarts of boiling water on the fire for half an hour, after which put in cold water; then clean the inside of the ears well, and place in a saucepan with a quart of consommé (art. ), a claret-glass of white wine, the juice of a lemon, four cloves, four branches of thyme, three bay-leaves, one clove of garlic, and a dozen branches of parsley tied together; boil gently for two hours, drain them, and fill the inside of the ears with a chicken farce (art. ), to which add a tablespoonful of parsley chopped fine; sprinkle with bread-crumbs and a few drops of melted butter; send them to the oven, and, when a nice light brown, serve with a tomato sauce (art. ) surrounding them, or a sauce piquante (art. ). . =calves' liver sauté, sauce poivrade.= cut two pounds of calf's liver in equal pieces, put two ounces of melted butter in a frying-pan with your calf's liver, fry on both sides, and serve with a sauce poivrade (art. ). . =broiled calf's liver.= cut thin two pounds of calf's liver in equal pieces, roll in flour, and broil on a gridiron; a little melted butter on each piece; broil on both sides and put them on a dish, with a little melted butter, a little chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, salt, and pepper, well mixed together. . =calf's liver with bacon.= fry two pounds of calf's liver, cut in pieces, and serve with very thin slices of bacon, or with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which add a claret-glass of port or claret, and three tablespoonfuls of currant jelly mixed in a tablespoonful of water. boil gently for three or four minutes, and serve. . =braised calf's liver à la bourgignone.= take an entire calf's liver, lard it thickly with larding pork, and put it in a saucepan with an ounce of butter, four bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, three cloves, a sliced onion and carrot; cook for ten minutes, moisten with a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) and a claret-glass of red wine. simmer gently for an hour and a half, and take out your calf's liver, which keep very hot. remove all grease from the liquid in which it was cooked, strain it, pour it over the liver, which should be left whole, and serve. . =calf's heart aux fines herbes.= cut three calves' hearts in round or oval pieces, put them in a frying-pan in which you have melted an ounce and a half of butter, and, adding a little salt and pepper, cook gently, taking care to turn over until they are a good color on both sides, then drain them, leaving the butter in your pan, into which throw three chopped shallots. toss them for half a minute in your butter, which pour over your calf's heart, and, when serving, put a tablespoonful of chopped parsley on top. . =calf's feet à la poulette.= prepare four calf's feet as the foregoing, cooking half an hour longer; drain them, cut them in pieces, and serve with a sauce à la poulette (art. ). . =veal pot-pie.= cut two pounds of a shoulder of veal in medium-sized pieces, which boil in a quart of water ten minutes, then put them for a moment in cold water, drain them, and place them in a saucepan on the fire with a quart of water, some salt, white pepper, a little nutmeg, and several branches of parsley, inclosing three bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, four pepper-corns, tied all together. boil an hour. mix in a bowl three tablespoonfuls of flour with half a glass of water, which add to your veal and boil ten minutes longer. put in a bowl four ounces of flour with a teaspoonful of royal baking powder, and mix well with a little water, so as to form a soft paste, with which make little round balls, poach them in boiling water, add them to your veal in the saucepan, having removed the parsley with its seasoning, and serve. . =sweetbreads aux fines herbes.= take some sweetbreads (in quantity according to their size), put them in a saucepan with some water, and simmer them gently for about ten minutes. drain them, remove from them all skin and fat, shape them in round pieces, and put them in a frying-pan in which you have melted an ounce of butter and added a little salt and pepper. let them simmer gently, turning them over now and then, and when they are a good color take them out. chop three shallots and six mushrooms, put them in the butter in which your sweetbreads were cooked, let them remain on the fire for about two minutes, adding a little chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon, which pour over your sweetbreads, and serve. you can also prepare sweetbreads in the same manner, and serve with a tomato sauce (art. ), spanish sauce (art. ), or stewed with sauce à la poulette (art. ), with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley added, or sauce béarnaise (art. ). . =sweetbreads larded with peas.= blanch some sweetbreads as the foregoing, pare them neatly, and lard them thickly with larding pork. put in a pan very thin slices of ham, a carrot, an onion cut in thin slices, two cloves, two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, two branches of thyme, and place the sweetbreads on top. cover them about three quarters with consommé (stock, art. ), put them in the oven, and baste them from time to time with the liquid in the pan, and, when well colored, take them from the oven and serve them on top of about a quart of peas, previously boiled, a little butter, salt, pepper, and a little sugar added to them. . =sweetbread croquettes.= boil four sweetbreads, and let them become cold; then chop them very fine, add about ten mushrooms and some truffles also chopped fine. take about half a pint of allemande sauce (art. ), mix well with your sweetbreads, which put on the ice to become thoroughly cold; form the mixture into croquettes, dip them in two beaten eggs, roll them in bread-crumbs; fry them a bright yellow in very hot lard, drain them, and serve them with fried parsley or with green peas. . =veal cutlets à l'allemande.= take three pounds of veal cutlets, which cut in round pieces; break two eggs in a bowl, adding some salt and pepper and an ounce of melted butter; beat all well together, and dip into it your veal cutlets, after which sprinkle some bread-crumbs over them. then put them on a moderate fire, in a frying-pan, in which you have melted two ounces of butter, and, when they are fried a light brown on both sides, serve with half a pint of tomato sauce (art. ). . =veal chops à la mayonnaise.= put eight veal chops in a flat saucepan, moisten them with their height of consommé (art. ), add a little salt, pepper, nutmeg, and simmer gently for an hour, after which take them out and put them on the ice until very cold; serve them in a circle with whatever jelly remains, and in the center a sauce mayonnaise (art. ), or a sauce ravigote cold (art. ). . =veal chops piqués.= take eight veal chops, make six incisions in each, in which insert three pieces of truffles cut square at one end and pointed at the other, and three small pieces of boiled ham cut in the same manner; put in a flat saucepan an onion and a carrot cut in slices, a thin slice of ham, three cloves, three pepper-corns, three bay-leaves, three branches of parsley, the same of thyme, two cloves of garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. place your chops on top and moisten them with three quarters of their height of consommé (art. ) and a claret-glass of white wine. send them to the oven for an hour, baste them every ten minutes with their liquor, and serve them with a sauce financière, made in the following manner: put in a saucepan half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which add a wineglass of sherry, a few truffles cut in quarters, also olives from which you have removed the stones, a few pieces of sweet-bread blanched and boiled, and a few chickens' livers blanched, boiled, and cut in quarters. . =braised tendons of veal a la macédoine.= cut your tendons of veal three inches in length and one inch thick, put them in a pan with two slices of ham, a carrot and an onion cut in thin slices, two cloves, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, and a clove of garlic; cover them about three quarters with consommé (stock, art. ), and put them in the oven, basting them from time to time with the liquid in the pan. take half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which add a pinch of sugar, and, when your sauce is boiling, add a quart of macédoine (art. ), which put on a dish, your tendons of veal on top, and serve. . =braised tendons of veal with purée of celery.= braise your tendons as the foregoing; then put them on a dish and cover them with a _very thick_ sauce allemande (art. ); let them become cold, and, when the sauce is firmly set, beat up two eggs, adding a little salt and pepper, in which dip your tendons, and then sprinkle them with bread-crumbs. put in a frying-pan about two pounds of lard, in which, when very hot, fry your tendons. serve them in the form of a circle, one piece overlapping the other, and a purée of celery (art. ) in the center. you may also serve with a sauce suprême (art. ) around the tendons. . =fricandeau of veal.= take three pounds from the tenderest part of the thigh, about two inches in thickness; lard it well on the surface, put it in a saucepan with same ingredients as for braised tendons of veal (art. ), moisten with enough consommé (stock, art. ) to reach the surface of your veal. put on the fire until boiling, then send to the oven, basting it frequently with its liquor. let it remain in the oven three hours, and serve it with either the liquid in which it was cooked, after having strained it and removed all grease, or on a purée of peas (art. ), or a purée of sorrel ( ). . =blanquette of veal.= take three pounds of a shoulder of veal, cut it in pieces, which put in a saucepan with three pints of water, a pinch of salt, several branches of parsley, inclosing three cloves, three pepper-corns, three bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, two cloves of garlic, and tie all together. when commencing to boil, skim thoroughly, and then boil an hour and a half. put half a pint of sauce allemande (art. ) on the fire, but do not allow it to boil; chop a dozen mushrooms, add them to your sauce, drain off your veal, and serve together with your sauce. . =minced veal, with poached eggs on top.= chop fine two pounds of cold veal, from which you have removed the sinews, and add a little more than half a pint of sauce béchamel (art. ), a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and an ounce of butter; put all together in a saucepan on the fire for a few moments, remove it from the fire, and place it on a dish with ten poached eggs on top. minced chicken is prepared in exactly the same manner. . =veal kidneys sautés.= take three veal kidneys, which cut very thin, and proceed as for beef kidneys (art. ). . =deviled veal kidneys.= take three veal kidneys, which separate in two, lengthwise; then from the flat side remove all fibrous particles from the inside; cover them on both sides with mustard, and add a little red pepper; roll them well in bread-crumbs, put a little melted butter on both sides; broil on a gentle fire. mutton, beef, and pork kidneys are treated in the same manner, except that they are cut in quarters instead of in halves. mutton. . =sheep's brains.= prepare and cook the brains as for calf's brains (art. ). . =sheep's kidneys en brochette.= take ten sheep's kidneys, remove all the skin which covers them, split them without cutting the sinew, pass a skewer through them, sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper over them, and broil them on a good fire, taking care to turn them so as to broil on both sides; after which remove the skewer. put two ounces of melted butter on a dish, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, mix all well together, and serve. . =mutton chops à la soubise.= take ten rib chops, season with pepper and salt, dip them in two ounces of melted butter, and cover them thickly with bread-crumbs; broil them, and, when they are well colored, serve them on a dish, with a sauce soubise (art. ). you may also serve them with a sauce robert (art. ), or a tomato sauce (art. ), or with a macédoine (art. ) in the center. . =mutton chops sautés.= take ten mutton chops, which put in a frying-pan in which you have melted two ounces of butter; sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, and cook them on a quick fire; four or five minutes will be sufficient. serve with purée of turnips (art. ). . =mutton chops à la pompadour.= take ten mutton chops, which cook as described in mutton chops sautés (art. ); then let them become cold; peel and chop ten onions, which put in a saucepan with two ounces of butter. when colored lightly, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a very little nutmeg. mix all well together and add about two sherry-glasses of cream. reduce for about fifteen minutes, and then allow your mixture to become cold, then cover each chop with it on both sides; beat up four eggs, into which dip the chops and cover with bread-crumbs; again dip them in egg, and again cover with bread-crumbs and a few drops of melted butter. send them to the oven, and, when a bright yellow color, serve them with a purée of french chestnuts (art. ) in the center. . =mutton chops en crépinette.= put eight mutton chops in a frying-pan in which you have melted an ounce of butter, adding a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg; when the chops are colored on both sides, take them out and let them become cold. chop fine three quarters of a pound of sausage-meat, add eight mushrooms, a little parsley and sage, all chopped fine; mix all together, and cover your chops on both sides with the farce, and wrap up each chop with the caul of pork. send them to a gentle oven on a buttered pan, and, when well colored, serve with a tomato sauce (art. ), sauce piquante (art. ), or sauce ravigote hot (art. ). . =breast of mutton.= take two breasts of mutton, which put in a saucepan with a quart of consommé (stock, art. ) and a quart of water, an onion and a carrot cut in slices, three bay-leaves, four cloves, three branches of thyme, two cloves of garlic, and four parsley-roots, and boil gently for two hours; then drain them and put them between two dishes, with a weight on top to flatten them; when cold, cut them oval, dip them in two beaten eggs to which you have added an ounce of melted butter and a pinch of salt and pepper. sprinkle them thickly with bread-crumbs and a few drops of melted butter, and send to the oven; when well colored, serve with a sauce piquante (art. ). . =sheep's feet à la poulette.= split in halves a dozen scalded sheep's feet, and proceed as for calf's feet à la poulette (art. ); serve very hot. . =roast leg of mutton à la bretonne.= take a leg of mutton of about six or seven pounds; put it to roast, taking care to baste it from time to time; an hour and a quarter is sufficient to roast it. put in the oven six onions without being peeled, and, as soon as they are done, peel them and put them in a saucepan, with a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg; add to them half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), which reduce fifteen minutes, strain, and serve with your mutton. . =boiled leg of mutton.= take a leg of mutton of about six pounds and place in a saucepan with a sliced onion, a carrot, three bay-leaves, three cloves of garlic, three branches of thyme, four cloves, six parsley-roots, an ounce of salt, and enough water to cover them. boil for an hour and a half, and serve with a sauce béchamel (art. ), to which add some chopped parsley or capers. . =roast saddle of mutton.= take a medium-sized saddle of mutton, cut the flaps square and roll them up, tie some twine around the saddle, so as to give it a neat shape, season with salt and pepper, and roast it for three quarters of an hour; remove your twine, and serve with some currant jelly. . =leg of mutton en venaison.= take a medium-sized leg of mutton, from which cut the knuckle-bone at the second joint and put it in an earthen jar with two sliced onions, a carrot, six bay-leaves, six cloves of garlic, ten cloves, ten pepper-corns, six branches of thyme, six parsley-roots, a teaspoonful of pepper, and a pint of vinegar. let your mutton remain in these ingredients three days, and stir every six hours; then take it out of the earthen jar, roast it, and serve with a sauce poivrade (art. ). . =irish stew.= take four pounds from a breast of mutton, take off the skin and the fat, cut it in medium-sized pieces, which put in a saucepan with three pints of water, half an ounce of salt, a pinch of pepper, and a very little nutmeg. when beginning to boil, skim all the grease off carefully, add two carrots and two turnips cut in slices, six medium-sized onions peeled, and some branches of parsley, inclosing three cloves, one clove of garlic, six pepper-corns, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, and tie all together. boil an hour and a half. peel and cut in pieces eight potatoes, boil them, and add them to your stew. mix two ounces of flour in a little water, making a smooth, soft paste, and pour it over your stew, stirring constantly. boil ten minutes, remove the bunch of parsley, and serve. you may put a tablespoonful of chopped parsley over your stew if desired. . =shoulder of mutton farcied.= bone a shoulder of mutton, take out a portion of the meat without breaking the skin, remove the sinews and chop the meat with half of its weight of fat salt pork, and an ounce of ham; when chopped very fine, add a medium-sized onion also chopped fine, and four ounces of bread-crumbs which you have soaked in consommé (art. ) and then pressed almost dry, an egg, and a pinch of salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg. mix all well together, and place this farce in the inside of your shoulder. roll up and sew together with a larding-needle; then put it in a saucepan with a sliced onion and carrot, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, one clove of garlic, three cloves, and three pepper-corns. moisten three quarters of its height with consommé (stock, art. ) and a claret-glass of white wine. put it in the oven for two hours, basting it from time to time with its liquor. drain your shoulder of mutton, reduce its liquor one half, skim off the grease, and serve it on the same dish with the mutton. you may serve with this a purée of turnips (art. ), purée of peas (art. ), or various other vegetables. . =epigramme of lamb.= put a breast of spring lamb in a saucepan with enough consommé (art. ) to cover it. boil gently for an hour and a half; place it between two dishes, with a weight on top; when cold, cut it in the shape of chops and dip in two beaten eggs, to which you have added a little salt and pepper; then roll them in bread-crumbs and send them to the oven in a pan, with a little melted butter on top. put eight lamb chops in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter, a little salt and pepper; color them on both sides. remove your breast of lamb from the oven, and serve together with the chops, in a circle, first a breast of lamb and then a chop, and some asparagus ends or macédoine (art. ) in the center. . =breast of lamb, with asparagus.= prepare two breasts of spring lamb as the foregoing, serve them in a circle on a dish, with a garnish of green asparagus ends in the center; then take the green ends of about two bunches of asparagus, boil them very tender, adding a little salt; drain them, and add them to half a pint of very hot allemande sauce (art. ), a pinch of sugar, and nutmeg, which pour around your breasts of lamb, and serve. pork. . =pig's tongue.= prepare and cook as for calf's tongue (art. ), and serve with a sauce piquante (art. ), or sauce ravigote (art. ), or sauce tartare (art. ). . =fillet of pork à la fermière.= take five small fillets of pork, divide them in two, shaping them alike, and put them in an earthen jar; peel and slice a carrot and an onion, put them in a frying-pan with a claret-glass of white wine, a clove of garlic, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, two cloves, four parsley-roots, a little mace, and a pinch of pepper. boil them for five minutes, let them become cold, pour over your fillets of pork, and allow them to soak twelve hours; then drain off your fillets and put them in a saucepan with three quarters of their height of consommé (stock, art. ) and three tablespoonfuls of the liquid in which your fillets were soaked. boil on a good fire for half an hour, drain them, keep them hot, reduce the liquid one half in which they were cooked, drain it, and serve with your fillets. . =boiled pigs' feet.= take eight pigs' feet, and, if raw, tie them securely in a cloth so as to preserve their shape, put them in a saucepan with half an ounce of salt, three cloves, three pepper-corns, three branches of thyme, three bay-leaves, a little mace, two parsley-roots, a sliced carrot, a wineglass of vinegar, and moisten liberally with water. simmer gently for six hours, let them become cold in their liquor; remove the cloths in which they were tied, dip them in beaten egg, roll them thickly in bread-crumbs, broil them, and, when a deep yellow color, serve very hot. you may serve with them a sauce piquante (art. ). . =pigs' kidneys sautés.= chop two shallots and a small onion very fine, put them in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter, color them very gently, and add four pigs' kidneys cut in thin slices, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg; toss them for a few minutes without stopping, and, when they are almost done, add a teaspoonful of flour, which mix well with the kidneys, a sherry-glass of white wine, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; mix all well together, and serve, without having allowed them to boil. . =sausage of fresh pork.= take a pound of lean pork and the same of fat pork; chop them very fine, adding half an ounce of salt, a pinch of pepper, a little nutmeg, a pinch of sage, a shallot and a teaspoonful of parsley, both chopped fine; mix all well together, and put this farce in the thin skin used for enveloping sausages, by means of a funnel; tie all together securely in several places, and broil them a fine light color, and serve. flat sausages are prepared in the same manner. . =spare-ribs, apple sauce.= take eight ribs of fresh pork, put them in a pan, with a pinch of salt sprinkled on top, and some melted butter; send to the oven for an hour, or until well colored. pare a dozen apples, put them in a saucepan with two ounces of sugar, a little nutmeg, a _very_ little cinnamon, the juice of a lemon, and a little water. put your apples through a sieve, and serve, when very cold, with your roast. . =pork chops, sauce robert.= take eight pork chops, put them in a frying-pan in which you have melted an ounce of butter, sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, a very little nutmeg, a pinch of allspice, and color them on both sides on a quick fire; serve them on a dish with a sauce robert (art. ), italian sauce (art. ), sauce ravigote hot (art. ), sauce piquante (art. ), or tomato sauce (art. ). . =broiled pork chops.= proceed as for broiled mutton chops (art. ), and serve with any of the above sauces. . =pork chops à l'indienne.= fry as for pork chops, sauce robert (art. ), and drain off the grease. in a saucepan put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) and a teaspoonful of curry; add your chops, simmer gently for about ten minutes, and serve them with the sauce around them, and boiled rice in the center. . =pig's head, sauce poivrade.= cut the meat from a pig's head, divide in pieces of about two inches long, put them in an earthen jar with an onion cut in slices, three bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, three cloves, three pepper-corns, a pinch of pepper, two parsley-roots, two claret-glasses of vinegar, and soak twenty-four hours; then put them in a saucepan with enough water to cover them, a carrot and an onion cut in slices. boil gently two hours, drain your pork, and serve with a sauce poivrade (art. ). . =frankfort sausages, with sourcrout.= take ten frankfort sausages, boil them five minutes in boiling water, and serve them with a garnish of sourcrout (art. ). . =roast sucking pig farcied.= take a sucking pig, make an incision in the top of the thighs and shoulders; remove all sinews from the intestines, which chop fine with a pound of bread-crumbs which you have soaked in water and then pressed almost dry. put two sliced onions in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter, for five minutes; then add your mixture, half an ounce of salt, a good pinch of pepper, a little nutmeg, a pinch of allspice, three times as much of sage; mix all well together, and with this mixture stuff the inside of the pig and sew up the paunch. put it on a pan to roast for four hours, with a claret-glass of white wine. baste it several times just before serving, remove the string with which it was sewed, strain, remove all grease from its liquor, and serve with the pig. . =glazed ham.= trim a ham of about five pounds, cut the thigh-bone, and put it in cold water to soak, if old, twenty-four hours, during which time change the water twice; if new, twelve hours will suffice. after soaking, wrap it up in a cloth and put it in a large pot, with enough water to cover it; add a carrot, an onion, three bay-leaves, three cloves, one clove of garlic, six pepper-corns, and simmer very gently five hours; after which remove the pot from the fire, and a moment afterward take out your ham; unfasten the cloth, remove the thigh-bone, leaving the knuckle-bone. drain your ham, put it back again in the cloth in a deep, round bowl, with a weight on top, until the next day, then take off the cloth, trim the ham carefully, and remove the rind within five inches of the knuckle-bone; cut it in points, brush the ham over with glaze (art. ). decorate with aspic jelly (art. or ); garnish the knuckle-bone with a ruffle of paper, and serve. . =glazed ham with champagne sauce.= proceed as for the foregoing, put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) in a saucepan on the fire, add a glass of champagne or champagne cider, boil for a moment, and serve in a sauce-boat with your ham. . =glazed ham with truffles.= proceed as for glazed ham (art. ), except that instead of boiling five hours, boil four hours. then take out a quart of its liquid and substitute a bottle of white wine. simmer slowly for an hour, drain, then remove the napkin, take out the thigh-bone, leaving the knuckle-bone joint. cover the back of the ham with incisions, in which insert large slices of truffles, which you have previously cooked in a little of the ham's liquor, some of which now pour over the ham. wrap it up again very tight in the napkin, and finish as for glazed ham. . =ham à l'américaine.= take a ham of about five pounds, prepare as for glazed ham, put it in a pot with a quart of claret, and enough water to cover it. simmer very gently five hours. then take it out, sprinkle lightly with sugar, send to the oven, and, when well-colored, serve with a garnish of spinach, brussels sprouts, green peas, or other green vegetables, according to taste. . =ham à la zingara.= cut ten slices of raw ham rather thick, put them in a frying-pan, in which you have melted a little lard. color them on both sides, take them out of your frying-pan and keep them hot. mix with your lard two ounces of bread-crumbs, press through a sieve, and put them on the fire five minutes, stirring constantly; moisten with a sherry-glass of white wine; add a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a little chopped parsley. mix all well together, and serve with your slices of ham on top. . =roast ham.= trim and pare a ham, of about five pounds, soak it for two days, changing the water about every eight hours, after which let it soak for about half a day in two bottles of white wine; then put it to roast by a slow fire, for about four hours, covering it underneath with thin pieces of larding pork, and basting it often with hot water, which you have put in your pan. when your ham is nearly done, take off the rind within six inches of the knuckle-bone, cut it in long points; sprinkle the ham on top with bread-crumbs, and serve with a hunter sauce (art. ). . =ham toast.= cut the crust from eight slices of bread of medium thickness, spread some butter thickly on top, and a little mustard, then some grated cheese and ham, very little chopped shallot, and some cayenne pepper. send to the oven for a few moments, or until the cheese is dissolved, and serve immediately. poultry and game, with roasts of same. . =broiled chicken.= take four spring chickens, put some alcohol on a plate, light it, and pass your chickens over the flame, to singe off any hair which may remain. split them in two, clean them, wash them well, and dry with a cloth, flatten them with a cleaver; broil them on a moderate fire, and, when well colored on both sides, serve them on a very hot dish, on which you have put an ounce of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, the juice of a lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and mix all well together. serve some water-cresses around them. . =broiled chickens (deviled).= take three medium-sized spring chickens, prepare them as the foregoing, spread them lightly with a layer of mustard, sprinkle them with bread-crumbs, and broil them on a very gentle fire. to be certain that they are thoroughly done, lift up the thigh, and if not red underneath, they are sufficiently cooked. serve very hot. . =roast spring chickens.= clean three or four spring chickens, truss them, put them to roast, sprinkle them with a pinch of salt, and a very little melted butter, with which baste them from time to time. from thirty to thirty-five minutes should be sufficient to roast them. when they are a fine color, remove your skewers, and take a gill of consommé (art. ), reduce it on the fire one half, mix it with the drippings of your chicken, strain, pour it over them, and serve with water-cresses around them. . =fricassée of chicken.= clean and wash two chickens, cut off the thighs, legs, wings, and breasts, which put in a saucepan with a quart of water, and blanch them ten minutes; then put them in cold water for a moment; after which place them in a saucepan with a pint of consommé (art. ), a pint of water, several branches of parsley, inclosing four cloves, four pepper-corns, three branches of thyme, three bay-leaves, and tie all together, add one half ounce of salt, two pinches of pepper, and a little nutmeg. simmer gently forty minutes. put in another saucepan two ounces of butter, and the same of flour, mix well together, then add little by little three quarters of a pint of the liquid in which your chickens were cooked, and which you have strained. boil gently. take the yolks of four eggs, the juice of a lemon, and a tablespoonful of water. remove your sauce from the fire, and, when it has ceased boiling, add your eggs, stirring until well mixed. put your chickens on a dish, pour the sauce over them, and serve. you may add mushrooms to your sauce, green peas, or the green ends of asparagus. . =chicken à la marengo.= prepare and cut up two chickens as the foregoing, put them in a frying-pan with two tablespoonfuls of oil, color your chickens a light brown, then remove them from the frying-pan and put them in a saucepan with a half pint of spanish sauce (art. ), six tablespoonfuls of tomatoes, a claret-glass of white wine, a pinch of salt and pepper, a little nutmeg, and boil for thirty minutes on a good fire; add a dozen mushrooms, the same of truffles cut in quarters, and serve. you may also serve, around your chicken, eggs fried in oil and small pieces of bread fried in butter. . =chicken sauté à la hongroise.= clean and cut up two chickens as for fricassée, and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter and two onions cut in small pieces. when beginning to color, add two ounces of flour, which mix well with your other ingredients; moisten with a pint of milk, add a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, several branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, two pepper-corns, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, and tie all together. boil very gently, skim off the grease, remove your parsley with its spices, and serve. . =chicken sauté aux fines herbes.= clean and cut in pieces two young chickens, and put them in a saucepan, with four chopped shallots and two ounces of butter. turn your chicken continually, so as not to stick to the pan, add a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ). chop a dozen mushrooms very fine, boil five minutes longer, and, just before serving, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, which mix with your sauce, and serve very hot. . =chicken à la financière.= prepare two young chickens as for a fricassée, put them in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter. when beginning to color, remove them from the frying-pan and place them in a saucepan with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), two wineglasses of sherry, a pinch of pepper, salt, and nutmeg, several branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, a little thyme, and two bay-leaves, and tie all together. boil for about thirty-five minutes. cut in pieces six truffles, six mushrooms, a sweet-bread tossed in a little butter, a dozen chickens' kidneys, let the sauce boil up again, and serve. . =suprême de volaille.= take four very tender chickens, cut the skin which covers the breast, so as to remove the fillets. pass the point of a knife between the breast-bone and the fillet as far as the wish-bone, then remove the fillet entire, without tearing it, and proceed the same with the other fillets. place them on a table, and open them carefully, dividing the large fillets from the small ones (those underneath), but not separating them, and introduce between each fillet a tablespoonful of chicken farce (art. ), with which you have mixed three truffles chopped very fine; make three or four incisions on the top of each fillet, moisten lightly with a little white of egg, decorate the top with thin slices of truffles cut in the form of small cockscombs; again moisten lightly with white of egg, place the fillets in a saucepan, adding a wineglass of sherry, half an ounce of butter, three sherry-glasses of consommé (art. ), put the lid on your saucepan, and boil gently ten minutes. serve them in half a pint of sauce suprême (art. ), to which you have added about eight chopped truffles. . =chicken à la toulouse.= take the eight thighs of the foregoing, and put them in a saucepan with some consommé (art. ), several branches of parsley, inclosing two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, two cloves, two pepper-corns, and tie all together; also, add an onion and a carrot, cut in slices; boil gently for about forty minutes, and, if sufficiently done, drain them, place them in a circle on a dish, and serve them with a sauce allemande (art. ) in the center, to which you have added a dozen chopped mushrooms. . =chicken with rice.= clean and prepare two chickens, put them in a saucepan with enough consommé (art. ) to cover them. after boiling forty minutes, drain them. wash half a pound of rice and boil it for ten minutes, put it in cold water, drain it and moisten with a quarter of the liquid in which the chickens were cooked and which you have strained, add a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. simmer gently for forty minutes, add an ounce of butter to your rice, mix all well together, place on a dish, and serve your chickens cut up in pieces on top. . =chicken sauté au chasseur.= clean and prepare two chickens, cut up in pieces. cut half a pound of bacon in small pieces, and put on the fire, in a saucepan, for about five minutes; add your chicken, and, when colored on one side, turn over on the other. when done, pour off all the grease in your saucepan, moisten your chicken with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) and a claret-glass of white wine. peel two dozen little onions, put them in a frying-pan with a little lard, and, when colored, add them to your chicken a moment before serving, with a pinch of pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a dozen mushrooms cut in quarters. remove all grease from your sauce, and serve. . =boiled fowl, caper sauce.= prepare and clean a fowl, pass a wooden skewer through the thighs, put it in a saucepan with half a pound of salt pork, and enough water to cover the chicken. boil for an hour and a half, drain, put it on a dish, and pour over it half a pint of white sauce (art. ), to which you have added a handful of capers. instead of capers you may add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, or two dozen oysters, blanched and drained. . =aspic de foie gras.= heat three pints of consommé (art. ), to which add three ounces of gelatine, a branch of tarragon, a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, and two wineglasses of madeira (or sherry). simmer gently, and, when your gelatine is dissolved, remove your saucepan to the side of the range. mix the whites of four eggs with a glass of cold water, and add them to your jelly, also the juice of a lemon; stir until thoroughly mixed. simmer gently at the side of the range for half an hour, then strain through a flannel several times, or until perfectly clear. take a round mold with a hole in the middle, place it on the top of some cracked ice, and pour in the bottom a few tablespoonfuls of jelly. when stiff, decorate it with truffles and the whites of hard-boiled eggs, cut in any fancy form which pleases you, then put on top another layer of jelly, let it stiffen, then add a layer of pâté de foie gras cut in pieces, then another layer of jelly, and so on, in the same manner, until your mold is filled, then put it on the ice for an hour. then turn out your jelly on a dish, and put in the middle a sauce remoulade (cold, art. ), or sauce ravigote (cold, art. ), or sauce tartare ( ). instead of pâté de foie gras, slices of cold chicken, turkey, sweetbreads, or lobster may be used. the receipt for this jelly is given as it is generally made in this country, where gelatine is much used. . =aspic= (another manner of making it). cut in slices two onions and a carrot, put them in a saucepan on the fire, with two cloves, two pepper-corns, two bay-leaves, a branch of thyme, a few very thin slices of ham on top, four pounds of a knuckle of veal, two pounds of the lean part of a shin of beef, half a glass of water, and the remains of cold chicken or turkey. when beginning to color, moisten with three quarts of consommé (art. ), add two calf's feet, which you have boiled ten minutes in boiling water. simmer very gently for four hours, remove all grease, and strain it through a flannel. put it back again on the fire, mix the whites of four eggs with a glass of water, add it to your stock, also adding three wineglasses of sherry. simmer gently at the back of the range for half an hour, strain it through a flannel until perfectly clear, and put it on the ice. this receipt is given in the manner in which aspic is made in france. . =boned chicken.= boned chicken is prepared exactly in the same manner as boned turkey (art. ). . =larded chicken.= prepare a chicken as for roasting, lard the breasts with pieces of larding pork, about an eighth of an inch wide and an inch and a half long. put it in a saucepan with a sliced onion and carrot, six parsley-roots, two cloves, a clove of garlic, two pepper-corns, a branch of thyme, a bay-leaf, a pinch of salt, and enough consommé (stock, art. ) to cover three quarters of your chicken. when beginning to boil, send it to the oven for about an hour with all its liquid, with which baste it from time to time. serve with a purée of artichokes (art. ), purée of celery (art. ), purée of french chestnuts (art. ), sauce allemande (art. ), or other sauces preferred. you may also serve the chicken with a clear gravy. grouse, partridges, and quail may be larded in the same manner. . =chicken pie à la christine.= clean two chickens, cut them in pieces, and put them in a saucepan with quarter of a pound of salt pork, an onion, and a little celery, all cut in small pieces, some salt, a pinch of pepper, a very little nutmeg, several branches of parsley, inclosing two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, three cloves, and a clove of garlic, all tied together. boil an hour, and skim off the grease carefully whenever necessary. add two tablespoonfuls of flour with which you have thoroughly mixed half a glass of water, boil ten minutes longer, make a paste as for beefsteak pie (art. ), line a deep dish with it, in which put your chicken, covering it on top with a round of paste the size of your dish, brush over it some beaten egg, and send to the oven, until well colored. instead of celery, you may add some chopped mushrooms and truffles, and, instead of the pork, some small pieces of cooked ham, and hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. . =chicken croquettes.= chop and pound fine in a mortar a pound of chicken from which you have removed all skin and sinews; also chop fine about ten mushrooms, which mix with your chicken, and add half a pint of allemande sauce (art. ) rather thick, to which you have added the yolks of three eggs, mixed in two tablespoonfuls of water or milk. put your mixture on the ice until perfectly cold, then form it into croquettes, which roll in bread-crumbs. beat up three eggs, with which cover your croquettes; again roll in bread-crumbs. put some lard in a frying-pan in which, when very hot, fry your croquettes, and, when a bright yellow color, drain, and serve with fried parsley on top. you may add to your mixture, before forming into croquettes, some chopped truffles or chopped parsley. . =puff paste.= put a pound of flour on a table, make a hole in the center of the flour, in which by degrees pour half a pint of cold water. the water should always be added in very small quantities at a time, and thoroughly worked into the flour until perfectly absorbed before adding more. when all the water has been thoroughly mixed with the flour, work your paste out with the hands until round. take a pound of butter, which has been on the ice, and which you have carefully washed. if very hard, knead it a little with your hands, then place it in the middle of your paste, flatten it, fold your paste over the butter so that it forms a square, and put it on the ice ten minutes. then with a rolling-pin roll out your paste (having previously sprinkled the table with flour) about two feet long, then fold it one third of its length, roll it once with the rolling-pin, then take the remainder of the paste and fold it over the two other layers, and roll the paste two or three times, fold the paste again as before, and put it on the ice fifteen minutes. then proceed as before, and put it again on the ice. repeat the same operation once again. . =pâté brisée.= put a pound of flour on a table, make a hollow in the middle of the flour, in which put eight ounces of butter and not quite half a pint of water. work this paste well, so as to be quite smooth. . =bouchées de salpicon.= take half a pound of puff paste, and, after having given it six turns, roll it out half an inch thick, cut it out in ten rounds, with a muffin-ring or a mold for the purpose. mark lightly in the center of each, with the point of a knife, a very small round. brush them (with a camel's-hair brush) in beaten egg, put them on a pan, send them to a very hot oven, and watch them carefully so that they do not color too much on the outside before the inside is done. this paste should rise at least two inches. when the bouchées are thoroughly done inside, and colored bright yellow on the outside, take them out of the oven, remove the small rounds in the center which you have marked out, and also enough paste from the inside to make space for the following mixture: put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), with a glass of sherry, in a saucepan on the fire, boil it ten minutes, then add eight mushrooms, four chickens' livers, which you have previously blanched in boiling water ten minutes, the breast of a cold chicken, some cold smoked tongue, and two truffles, all cut in small pieces. when hot, fill your bouchées, place the small covers on top of each, and serve. instead of spanish sauce, allemande sauce (art. ) is often preferred. you may also add four ounces of chicken farce (art. ), which form into small balls, and poach in boiling water. instead of chicken, you may substitute sweetbreads; or you may fill the bouchées with oysters, to which you have added an allemande sauce and some mushrooms cut in small pieces. . =croüstades de salpicon.= take some pâté brisée (art. ), roll it out very thin, butter ten little tin molds, which line with your paste, prick a few holes in the bottom and fill the insides, and send them to a hot oven until done, take them out of the molds, brush the outsides with beaten egg, put them back in the oven for five minutes, remove the flour from the insides, using a small, dry brush, so that none shall remain, and fill them with the mixture described in the foregoing article. . =cromesqui of chicken.= make a mixture as for chicken croquettes (art. ), adding a little red pepper. when cold, form it into balls, about the size of a small egg, and wrap up each one in a very thin piece of pork. break three eggs in a bowl, add six ounces of flour, mix well together, and then add a little water, so as to make a smooth and very soft paste, but sufficiently solid to adhere to your cromesqui. then mix thoroughly a teaspoonful of soda with your paste, with which cover each cromesqui, and fry in very hot lard. when a bright yellow, drain, and serve plain, or with a tomato sauce (art. ). . =timbale of chicken.= chop fine, and then pound in a mortar half a pound of the white meat of chicken, from which you have removed the skin and sinews; add to the chicken, little by little, while pounding, three sherry-glasses of _very_ cold cream, a little salt, white pepper, and the whites of five eggs. when you have obtained a very fine, smooth paste, press it through a sieve, and then fill with it ten little tin molds, which you have buttered. place them in a saucepan, in which you have put the depth of an inch of water, cover your saucepan, and send to the oven for about ten minutes, or until the mixture is firm enough to turn out of the molds. then serve with a sauce périgueux (art. ), or a sauce suprême (art. ), or a sauce allemande (art. ). . =roast turkey stuffed.= clean and prepare a medium-sized turkey for roasting. cut two onions in pieces, and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of lard, and color them lightly. soak a pound of bread in water, from which press the water, add the bread to your onions, with the turkey's liver and heart chopped very fine, a little salt, two pinches of pepper, the same of sage, a pinch of thyme, and mix all well together. stuff the inside of the turkey with this mixture, sew up the opening through which you have introduced the stuffing, and put it to roast, with a little butter on top, and a wineglass of water. roast for three quarters of an hour, strain the liquid in your pan, pour it over your turkey, and serve. . =turkey with truffles.= clean and prepare a young medium-sized turkey as the foregoing. melt four ounces of the fat of your turkey in a frying pan with a shallot and a few truffles chopped fine, a pinch of thyme, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, a pound of sausage-meat, and a can of truffles cut in quarters. mix all well together, and with this mixture stuff your turkey; sew up the opening through which you have put your farce. roast the turkey for three quarters of an hour, putting a little butter on the breast and a glass of white wine in the pan, and baste it often. serve your turkey on a dish, and pour over it the liquid in your pan, which you have strained. proceed in the same manner for chickens, capons, partridges, etc.--the quantity of each ingredient in proportion to the size of the piece roasted. . =boned turkey.= take a hen-turkey of seven pounds, singe off the hair, by passing it over some lighted alcohol, cut off the head and neck, make an incision through the back its entire length, cut off the wings, and remove all the bones of the turkey. take three pounds of chopped sausage-meat, the half of which place in the interior of your turkey, cover the farce with alternate strips of larding pork, half an inch wide, strips of cold ham, tongue, and some truffles cut in pieces intermixed. season with pepper. place on top of these the other half of your sausage-meat, which cover with another layer of larding pork, ham, and truffles. then draw the meat at the sides to the center of the back of your turkey, and sew them together with a larding-needle threaded with fine twine. place on top several slices of lemon, from which you have removed the peel and seeds, and wrap up your turkey very tight in a cloth, which tie firmly with a string, and put in a saucepan, in which you have put the bones of your turkey, a carrot, an onion, a little thyme, two bay-leaves, two cloves, one clove of garlic, and enough consommé (stock, art. ) to cover the turkey. simmer gently for three hours, then remove the cloth, which wash clean, and again wrap the turkey in it, tying it as tight as possible. place it in a pan, put another pan on top, in which put a weight, so as to render the top of the turkey perfectly flat, and put on ice for a day. skim off the grease from the liquid in which your turkey was cooked, strain, take of it three pints, which put on the fire with three ounces of gelatine and the juice of two lemons. mix four whites of eggs with a glass of water, pour into your saucepan with the stock and gelatine, stir all well together, and when beginning to boil remove to the back of the range to simmer gently for half an hour, strain through a flannel until perfectly clear, add a wineglass of sherry, put on the ice until cold, cut in pieces, which place on top and around your turkey. . =tame ducks roasted.= clean and prepare two ducks for roasting. put them in a pan with a little salt, a little butter, a wineglass of water, and roast them by a good fire for about twenty-five or thirty minutes. when well colored, serve them, surrounded with water-cresses. strain the liquor in your pan, and serve in a sauce-boat with your ducks. . =ducks with olives.= prepare and cook your ducks as the foregoing. put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) in a saucepan, let it boil, and add three dozen olives from which you have removed the stones, and a glass of sherry; boil gently ten minutes, pour your sauce around your ducks, and serve. . =duck with turnips.= prepare two ducks as the foregoing. put in a saucepan a sliced onion and carrot, two pieces of larding pork, three bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, two cloves of garlic, four parsley-roots, three cloves, three pepper-corns, and a pinch of salt. place your ducks on top, moisten them with sufficient consommé (art. ) to barely cover them, and a claret-glass of white wine. boil very gently for an hour. pare some turnips, cut them round and small, in sufficient quantity for eight people. put them in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of lard; when equally colored, drain them, and place them in a saucepan with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), a pinch of sugar, a pinch of pepper; boil until the turnips are done. place your ducks on a dish, and your sauce, with the turnips, around them. . =ducks with purée of peas.= clean, prepare, and cook two ducks as the foregoing. boil a quart of peas, put them through a sieve, then heat them in a saucepan with a little butter, salt, and a pinch of sugar, and serve, with your ducks, on a separate dish. . =roast goose.= clean and prepare a young goose for roasting. put a little butter on top, a little salt, and a claret-glass of water in your pan, and roast for an hour. put half a pint of spanish sauce in a saucepan on the fire, mix with it a tablespoonful of mustard, a teaspoonful of vinegar, a pinch of pepper, and nutmeg. let it boil a moment, and serve, with your goose, in a sauce-boat. . =braised goose, celery sauce.= prepare a goose as for duck with turnips (art. ). cut a bunch of celery in small pieces, wash them well, and boil in water, with a little salt; when done, drain them. put in a saucepan half a pint of white sauce (art. ), add your celery, boil five minutes, drain off your goose, pour your celery sauce on a dish, place your goose on top, and serve. . =roast squabs.= clean and wash eight squabs, put a little butter and salt on top, and roast them thirty minutes. reduce half a pint of consommé (art. ) on the fire, one half pour over your squabs, and serve some water-cresses around them. . =broiled squabs.= clean and wash eight squabs, split them in two, flatten them with a cleaver, beat up two eggs, add an ounce of melted butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, mix all well together, spread over your squabs, and sprinkle them with bread-crumbs. broil them on a gentle fire, and, when well colored, serve. . =squabs en compote.= clean eight squabs, split them in two, put them in a saucepan with four ounces of butter, in small pieces. color them slightly on the fire, and, when a good color, drain off the grease. moisten your squabs with half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), add a pinch of pepper, nutmeg, and thyme, a glass of sherry, and boil thirty minutes. peel two dozen little onions, toss them in a frying-pan with half an ounce of lard, and, when well colored, add them to your squabs. cut a dozen mushrooms in quarters, boil ten minutes, and serve very hot. . =broiled squabs (deviled).= prepare exactly as for deviled chicken (art. ). . =squabs with green peas.= clean eight squabs, separate them in two, put them in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter. when a nice color, add half a glass of water, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, two cloves, two pepper-corns, a clove of garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper. cook thirty minutes, drain and strain the liquid in which your squabs were cooked, add to it a quart of boiled peas, and serve with your squabs. . =broiled partridge.= clean and divide in two, for broiling, three partridges, break the thigh-bone, and broil them on a gentle fire. when well colored on both sides, serve them on a dish on which you have put two ounces of melted butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a pinch of pepper and salt, and the juice of a lemon, all well mixed together. garnish with water-cresses or slices of lemon. . =deviled partridge.= broil three partridges as the foregoing, and proceed as for deviled chicken (art. ). . =partridge aux choux.= clean three partridges, and put them in a saucepan with half a pound of bacon, two smoked sausages, a carrot cut in two, and a whole onion, several branches of parsley, inclosing four cloves, three branches of thyme, and a clove of garlic. tie all well together, and cover your partridges with pieces of larding pork. blanch a cabbage in boiling water on the fire for fifteen minutes, then put it for a moment in cold water, drain it, and press from it all moisture. lay it on top of your partridges, and cover with strips of larding pork. moisten with sufficient consommé (art. ) to cover them. simmer gently for two hours. drain off your partridges, bacon, sausages, and cabbage, from which again press the moisture. remove your carrot, onion, and herbs, boil, and serve your partridges on a dish, with your cabbage underneath, and your bacon and sausage, cut in pieces, around them. . =roast partridge.= clean three partridges, pass a wooden skewer through the thighs, tie on top of each a thin slice of pork, and roast them forty minutes. put a claret-glass of white wine in the pan, and baste them from time to time. remove your skewers, and the strings with which you have tied on your pork, and put your partridges on a dish. add two wineglasses of consommé (art. ) to the liquid in the pan, boil for a moment, strain and pour in the dish with your partridges, which serve, garnished with water-cresses, or with bread sauce (art. ). . =salmi of partridge.= cut up in pieces three cold roast partridges, which put in a saucepan with an onion cut in slices, two cloves, a bay-leaf, a branch of thyme, a clove of garlic, two parsley-roots, and six chopped mushrooms. moisten with a claret-glass of white wine, and half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ). boil very gently for half an hour, carefully removing all grease, and strain. then put your sauce again in the saucepan with your partridges, add two dozen mushrooms, and keep them hot. fry a bright yellow, in butter, eight pieces of bread, cut round at one end and pointed at the other; drain them. serve your partridges, the sauce poured over them, and garnish with your fried pieces of bread. . =truffled partridge.= prepare three partridges as for roasting, make an incision in the skin of the neck. pound together two chickens' livers and the same in quantity of fresh fat pork, adding a pinch of salt and pepper and a little nutmeg. mix all together, with half a pound of truffles, cut in quarters, and put the third of your farce in each partridge. sew up the opening through which you have inserted the farce, and also the skin of the neck. then put a little butter on them, and roast them for thirty-five to forty minutes, according to the size of your partridges. serve around them a sauce périgueux (art. ). grouse are prepared in each manner described for partridges. . =broiled quail.= prepare and broil eight quails as for broiled partridge. you may also devil them, as described in deviled chicken (art. ). . =roast quail.= prepare eight quails for roasting, with a piece of thin pork on top and a claret-glass of consommé (art. ) in the pan. fifteen minutes on a good fire will be sufficient to roast them. boil the liquid in your pan for a moment, strain it, put it in a dish with your quails, under each of which you have placed a piece of toast, and serve garnished with water-cresses. . =quail en caisse.= split eight quails through the back, without injuring the fillets, and remove the bones. take half a dozen chickens' livers with as much fat pork, and pound together to a paste, then mix with this four truffles chopped very fine, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and fill the inside of your quail with this mixture, then wrap them up in thin strips of pork, and tie a string around each, so as to preserve their shape. put them in a pan and send them to the oven for fifteen minutes. then take eight paper cases, as wide and as high as your quail, put a little oil on the inside of the cases, and half fill them with a farce of sausage, with which you have mixed four chopped truffles, as many mushrooms, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. put your quail on top, and send them to the oven for twenty minutes. put a tablespoonful of spanish sauce (art. ) on top of each quail. . =quail with truffles.= clean eight quails, split them through the back and remove the bones. put in a saucepan on the fire for a moment the livers of your quails, five chickens' livers, and the same quantity of fresh fat pork. take them out of your saucepan and pound them together, adding two truffles chopped fine, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, fill your quails with the mixture and sew up the opening. tie on top of each a thin piece of pork, place them in a saucepan with slices of ham, and moisten half their height with an equal quantity of consommé (art. ) and white wine. send them to the oven for about thirty minutes, remove the strings used for tying on the pork, and place your quails on a dish. skim off all grease from their liquid, strain it, put it in a saucepan on the fire for a moment, add to it a dozen truffles cut in slices, pour it over your quails, and serve. . =pigeons poêlés.= clean eight pigeons, and put them in a saucepan with a clove of garlic, two cloves, two pepper-corns, two bay-leaves, a branch of thyme, an onion cut in slices, a little salt and pepper, and moisten with quarter of a pint of consommé and the same of white wine. simmer gently, and, when they are cooked, drain off the liquid, remove all the grease, strain it, reduce it on the fire one half, add a dozen mushrooms, and serve with the pigeons. . =pigeons en compote.= prepare and cook eight pigeons in the same manner as described for squabs en compote (art. ), with the exception of cooking them an hour longer. . =fillets of hare sautés.= take the fillets of two hares, and cut them in medium-sized pieces. put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, an onion cut in slices, a clove of garlic chopped, two bay-leaves, two cloves, and two branches of thyme. after having been on a good fire ten minutes, add a tablespoonful of flour and your fillets; moisten with quarter of a pint of consommé (art. ), and the same of red wine, a pinch of salt and pepper, and boil on a good fire forty minutes. remove your fillets, strain the liquid, put it back on the fire with your fillets, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, boil five minutes, and serve. . =roast hare.= clean and uncase a hare, then take off the skin on top of the thighs and fillet, lard them, and put them in a pan with a little salt and pepper on top and a little melted butter. baste them from time to time, and roast them an hour. serve with a sauce poivrade (art. ). . =hare à la bourgeoise.= when your hare is uncased and cleaned, cut it in pieces and put it in a saucepan, with a quarter of a pound of bacon cut in small pieces, several branches of parsley, inclosing three cloves, three pepper-corns, two branches of thyme, two cloves of garlic, and tie all well together. moisten with half a pint of consommé (art. ), the same of white wine, and about thirty pieces of turnips cut in small quarters; reduce on the fire until nearly all the liquid has evaporated, and serve. . =ragoût of hare.= skin and clean a hare, cut it in pieces and prepare it in the same manner as for ragoût of venison (art. ). . =rabbit sauté à la minute.= cut in pieces two rabbits, which you have skinned and cleaned, put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, salt, pepper, a little allspice, and nutmeg. put on the fire for about twenty minutes, then add four chopped shallots, a wineglass of white wine, boil ten minutes, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and serve. . =ragoût of rabbit.= after having cleaned and skinned two rabbits, cut them in pieces and cook exactly as for ragoût of venison (art. ). . =roast rabbit.= take two rabbits and proceed exactly as for roast hare, except that instead of cooking an hour, cook them three quarters of an hour, and serve with a sauce ravigote hot (art. ). . =hash of rabbit.= take the remains of two rabbits, or one whole rabbit, and the same quantity of a cold leg of mutton, and chop very fine. break the bones of your rabbit and put them in a saucepan, with two chopped cloves of garlic, two cloves, two bay-leaves, a branch of thyme, a little mace, and a pinch of sage. put them on the fire ten minutes, moisten with two claret-glasses of red wine and one of consommé (art. ). boil three quarters of an hour, strain, then add them to your hash in a frying-pan, with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. heat without boiling, and serve very hot; garnish with pieces of bread fried in butter. . =rabbit à l'espagnole.= after having skinned and cleaned two rabbits, cut them in pieces and put them in a saucepan on the fire for fifteen minutes with some butter. moisten them with a claret-glass of consommé (art. ), a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a little thyme. reduce on the fire until almost all moisture is evaporated, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), and three tablespoonfuls of tomatoes. boil ten minutes, and just before serving sprinkle a little chopped parsley on top. . =suprême of partridge.= take the breasts of four partridges and separate the upper from the lower fillet, so as to make an opening for stuffing; chop up the white and dark meat fine, which put in a saucepan with a little butter, and toss on the fire until done; then mix thoroughly with quarter of a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), and a few truffles and mushrooms chopped fine. when this mixture is cold, stuff with it the under fillet of partridge and cover with the upper. put them in a pan, cover with buttered paper, and send to a moderate oven for about half an hour, or a little more. dust over with hashed truffles, and serve with purée of celery (art. ). . =timbale of partridge.= proceed exactly as for timbale of chicken (art. ). timbale of grouse may be made in the same manner. . =venison chops, with currant jelly sauce.= broil eight venison chops for about six to seven minutes. put in a saucepan nearly half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) and the eighth of a pint of currant jelly; let them boil a moment, or until the currant jelly is dissolved; then serve your chops with the sauce around them. . =saddle of venison.= take seven pounds of a saddle of venison, roast it about thirty-five minutes, and serve with currant jelly. . =leg of venison.= take seven pounds of a leg of venison, which roast forty-five minutes, and serve with currant jelly. . =venison chops.= put eight venison chops in an earthen jar with four bay-leaves, three branches of thyme, six cloves, six pepper-corns, four branches of parsley, a clove of garlic, a sliced onion and carrot, and a pint of vinegar; let them soak twenty-four hours; drain them, and put them in a frying-pan with an ounce of butter; shake them in the pan until done. put four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, with a pinch of pepper, in a saucepan on the fire, reduce two thirds, add half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), boil five minutes, and serve with your chops on a very hot dish. . =ragoût of venison.= cut into pieces three pounds of a breast of venison, which put on the fire in a saucepan, with half a pound of bacon cut in small pieces, and a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, for fifteen minutes; mix well with your ingredients two tablespoonfuls of flour, add half a pint of consommé (stock), and the same of red wine; also several branches of parsley, inclosing three cloves, three pepper-corns, two branches of thyme, two bay-leaves, a clove of garlic, and tie all together. boil three quarters of an hour. peel two dozen white onions, color them in a frying-pan on the fire, with a little butter, and then add them to your stew; boil fifteen minutes longer, add a dozen mushrooms cut in quarters, and serve. . =braised fillets of venison.= put four fillets of venison in an earthen jar, with half a pint of oil, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, for four hours; drain them and put them in a saucepan on the fire, with two cloves, two pepper-corns, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a sliced onion. moisten with an equal quantity of consommé (stock, art. ) and white wine, so as to almost cover your fillets. simmer gently for an hour and a half; drain them, and serve with a sauce piquante (art. ). . =broiled plover.= clean eight plovers, split them down the back without separating the two parts; chop the livers very fine, add half of their quantity of butter, as much bread-crumbs which you have pressed through a sieve, a little salt, pepper, nutmeg, a pinch of thyme, either powdered or chopped very fine, the white of an egg, and a tablespoonful of parsley chopped very fine. mix all thoroughly together, toast eight pieces of bread without the crust, spread your mixture upon them; broil the plovers, place them on top of your toast, and serve garnished with water-cresses. . =roast plover.= prepare and clean eight plovers for roasting; tie on top of each a thin piece of pork; and roast them twenty minutes. remove the strings and place the plovers on a dish; take the liquid from the pan in which the birds were roasted, add a wineglass of consommé (art. ), boil for a moment, strain, and pour it on the dish with the plovers; serve garnished with water-cresses. . =broiled woodcock.= prepare eight woodcocks for broiling; preserve the insides, except the gizzard, chop them, finish as for the toast described in broiled plover (art. ), and serve garnished with slices of lemon. . =roast woodcock.= prepare as for roast plover. roast them twelve to fifteen minutes. . =snipe.= snipe are prepared as woodcocks, robins, and other small birds. . =reed-birds.= take two dozen reed-birds and put them in a saucepan, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, toss them in the pan, on a quick fire, for about three minutes. put them on a dish on which you have placed pieces of toast; add a wineglass of consommé (art. ) to the butter in your saucepan. boil a moment, strain, add the juice of a lemon, and pour over the reed-birds. reed-birds are also roasted, served on toast, with sometimes a silver skewer passed through them. four to five minutes, on a good fire, will be sufficient to roast them. . =roast canvas-back ducks.= prepare and clean four canvas-back ducks, pass them over some lighted alcohol to singe the hair; wash them well, and do not cut off the heads. pass a skewer through the thighs and under the wings, and put them before the fire for fifteen minutes to roast. take out the skewers, garnish with water-cresses, and serve some currant jelly separately. . =red-head ducks.= prepare and cook as the foregoing. . =broiled red-head ducks.= after having cleaned and washed three red-head ducks, split them in two for broiling, and, when well-colored on both sides, serve them with a sauce poivrade (art. ), sauce piquante (art. ), or other sharp, highly-seasoned sauces. . =salmi of red-head ducks.= take the remains of three red-head ducks, or two whole red-head, cold, cut up in pieces, and finish as for salmi of partridge (art. ). mallard, teal, and other wild ducks are prepared as described in the foregoing articles on ducks; the time necessary to roast them depending on their size. chapter v. _vegetables._ . =green peas à l'anglaise.= put a quart of water in a saucepan with a pinch of salt; when boiling, add three pints of green peas, and boil them for twenty-five minutes; take one out and see if thoroughly done, if so, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and sugar, and serve them very hot. . =green peas à la française.= put three pints of green peas in a saucepan, with ten branches of parsley tied together, a whole onion peeled, a pinch of salt and sugar, and a pint of water. boil for twenty-five minutes, and, if sufficiently done, take out the onion and parsley. mix on a table an ounce of butter with a teaspoonful of flour, which add to your peas on the fire, stir gently with a spoon, and, when thoroughly mixed and the butter dissolved, serve very hot. . =green peas with bacon.= cut the rind from a quarter of a pound of bacon, which cut in small pieces and place in a saucepan on the fire, when beginning to color add a tablespoonful of flour, a little pepper and nutmeg, and ten branches of parsley tied together; moisten with a glass of water; add three pints of green peas, and boil about thirty minutes; if sufficiently done, remove the bunch of parsley, and serve. peas cooked in this way are often used as a garnish for different kinds of meat. . =green peas à la paysanne.= put three pints of green peas in a saucepan, with an ounce of butter, ten branches of parsley tied together, a whole onion peeled, a pinch of sugar, a little salt, half a glass of water, a lettuce cut in pieces (as for julienne soup). simmer very gently, and, when the peas are sufficiently done, mix three yolks of eggs with three tablespoonfuls of cream, and, having removed your parsley and onion, add the eggs to your peas; mix all well together, and serve. . =string-beans à l'anglaise.= take three pints of string-beans, string them, and put them in nearly two quarts of boiling water, in which you have put a little salt; when the beans are sufficiently cooked, drain them and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, a very little chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, and serve them very hot. . =string-beans sautés.= prepare and cook your beans as the foregoing. put in a saucepan three ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, the juice of a lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and six tablespoonfuls of sauce allemande (art. ); mix all well together, pour over your beans, and serve hot. . =beans panachés.= prepare a pint and a half of string-beans, as the preceding; put in a saucepan two quarts of water, a good pinch of salt, and boil them until tender. take the same of white beans, which boil; drain them both and put them in a saucepan together, adding a pinch of salt, three ounces of butter, the juice of a lemon, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; when very hot, serve. . =white beans sautés.= boil three pints of beans as the foregoing, and, when they are thoroughly done, drain them and put them in a saucepan with three ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and the juice of half a lemon; serve very hot. you may also add, after removing your saucepan from the fire, the yolks of two eggs well mixed in two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream. . =dried beans.= soak, the night before they are required to use, three pints of dried beans, and proceed as for the preceding. the time required to cook them depends on the quality of your beans. . =purée of dried beans.= soak in water for twelve hours a quart of dried beans, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with boiling water and a little salt. when thoroughly cooked, press them through a sieve, and then put them in a saucepan with three ounces of butter; when very hot, serve. . =red beans.= soak in water for twelve hours three pints of red beans; then boil them in two quarts of water, with an onion, a carrot, a pinch of sugar and pepper, several branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, two branches of thyme, tied all together, half a pound of bacon, and half a pint of red wine; when your beans have absorbed all moisture, remove your carrot, onion, and branch of parsley, add two ounces of butter, and serve, with the bacon cut in slices, around your beans. . =windsor beans.= put three pints of very small windsor beans in two quarts of boiling water, a good pinch of salt, and a branch of savory herb. when your beans are thoroughly cooked, drain them and put them in a saucepan, with a pinch of salt, pepper, sugar, nutmeg, and a tablespoonful of savory herb chopped very fine. mix two eggs in two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, and add them to your beans, after having taken them off the fire. if, instead of small beans, you have large ones, the skin or peel must be removed. . =windsor beans à l'anglaise.= prepare and cook your beans as the foregoing, and, just before serving, add a tablespoonful of mint chopped very fine. . =purée of windsor beans.= boil three quarts of windsor beans in consommé (art. ), with a bunch of savory herb, and a little salt; when thoroughly done, press them through a sieve, and then put them in a saucepan on the fire with three ounces of butter, a pinch of sugar, and two wineglasses of good cream. serve very hot, garnished with pieces of bread fried in butter. . =asparagus with french rolls.= cut off the tops of eight oval, soft, french rolls, remove the inside, in which put a little butter, and send to the oven for three or four minutes to color lightly. fill them with the green ends of about three bunches of asparagus, which you have previously boiled, and about half a pint of sauce allemande (art. ), well mixed with the asparagus ends. serve very hot. . =asparagus with butter sauce.= scrape and wash two bunches of asparagus, cut them in equal lengths, and put them in two quarts of boiling water, with a little salt. boil them until perfectly tender, drain and serve them very hot, with a white sauce (art. ), or with melted butter. . =pointes d'asperges au veloutée.= cut the green ends, about an inch in length, of three bunches of asparagus, and put them in three pints of boiling water, with two pinches of salt. boil rapidly for about ten minutes, and, when thoroughly done, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg, two pinches of sugar, and about six tablespoonfuls of sauce veloutée (art. ). mix all well together, and serve very hot. . =asperges en petits pois.= cut off in pieces about the size of a pea the green ends of four bunches of asparagus, which put in two quarts of boiling water, and half an ounce of salt. boil them rapidly, and, when thoroughly cooked, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a little nutmeg, two pinches of sugar, and six tablespoonfuls of béchamel sauce (art. ). mix all well together, and serve garnished with pieces of bread fried in butter. . =lentils.= clean and wash two quarts of lentils, and boil them in two quarts of boiling water, and a little salt. when thoroughly cooked, drain them, and finish as for white beans (art. ). . =cauliflower with butter sauce.= take some cauliflowers, in quantity according to size, wash them, trim off the leaves, and put them in two quarts of boiling water on the fire, adding half an ounce of salt, half an ounce of butter, and the juice of a lemon. boil rapidly until quite tender, drain, and serve them with a white sauce (art. ). . =cauliflower au gratin.= boil your cauliflowers as the foregoing, then put them in a deep dish, add half a pint of sauce allemande (art. ), in which you have mixed four ounces of grated cheese. sprinkle thickly with bread-crumbs, and a little melted butter, and send to the oven until colored a light brown. . =cauliflower au veloutée.= prepare as for cauliflowers with butter sauce (art. ), and serve with a sauce veloutée (art. ). . =artichokes with butter sauce.= take eight artichokes, cut off the stalks, and also about half an inch off the leaves; then place them in three quarts of boiling water and half an ounce of salt, and boil about half an hour; pass the point of a knife through the bottom of one, and, if soft, the artichoke is sufficiently done. drain, and serve with a white or butter sauce (art. ). . =fonds d'artichauts à l'italienne.= cut off the stalks, remove the leaves and the furze in the inside of eight artichokes, boil them as the foregoing, and serve with an italian sauce (art. ). . =fonds d'artichauts à la macédoine.= cut off the stalks, remove all the leaves from eight artichokes, and also the furze which adheres to the bottom. trim them perfectly round, and put them in three pints of boiling water, with a little salt, and, when thoroughly done, drain them, fill them with a macédoine of vegetables (art. ), and serve them very hot. . =fried artichokes.= take eight artichokes, cut off the stalks and the ends of the leaves, and put them in a bowl for an hour, with half a glass of vinegar, and a little salt and pepper. break three eggs in a bowl, to which add two ounces of flour, a pinch of pepper and salt; drain off your artichokes, dip them in your eggs and flour, and fry them one by one in hot lard; drain them, and serve very hot. . =artichokes à la barrigoule.= prepare and boil eight artichokes; when done, drain them and remove the leaves in the middle, also the furze which adheres to the bottom of the artichokes; let them dry thoroughly; cover a frying-pan about half an inch deep with oil; when very hot, add your artichokes, the tips of the leaves touching the oil; when a fine color, drain them. chop fine four ounces of fat fresh pork, two shallots, a tablespoonful of parsley, and a dozen mushrooms; add a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a wineglass of sherry; mix all well together, and with this mixture fill the center of your artichokes. tie a strip of thin pork on each and put them in a saucepan, on top of an onion and a carrot sliced extremely fine; moisten with a glass of consommé (art. ) and a claret-glass of white wine, heat them for a moment on the fire, send them to the oven for three quarters of an hour, remove the strips of pork, and fill the artichokes up to the top with italian sauce (art. ). . =raw artichokes à la vinaigrette.= cut eight artichokes in thin slices; mix well together eight tablespoonfuls of oil, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper, and serve with your artichokes. artichokes to be eaten raw must be very fresh. . =jerusalem artichokes.= peel two dozen jerusalem artichokes, boil them in two or three quarts of boiling water, with a pinch of salt; when thoroughly done, pour over them a sauce béchamel (art. ). . =spinach à l'anglaise.= pick three quarts of spinach, wash it very carefully, changing the water several times; then put it in four quarts of boiling water, adding half an ounce of salt. boil your spinach on a very hot fire, taking care to press it down into the saucepan from time to time; boil it for about ten minutes, then put it in cold water for a moment, and press the water from it; chop it rather fine and put it in a saucepan with six ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, a nutmeg, and serve very hot. . =spinach à l'espagnole.= boil your spinach as the foregoing, and, after chopping it extremely fine, put it in a saucepan with four ounces of butter, a little salt and nutmeg, and an eighth of a pint of spanish sauce (art. ); serve it very hot, garnished with pieces of bread fried in butter. . =spinach with cream.= boil your spinach as the foregoing, chop it extremely fine. put in a saucepan on the fire four ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, a little salt, nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of sugar, and half a pint of cream. stir all well together until boiling, add your spinach, and, when hot, serve, garnished with pieces of bread fried in butter. . =salsify with butter sauce.= scrape three bunches of salsify, dip them in three quarts of water and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, to prevent their turning black, then cut them three inches in length. put two tablespoonfuls of flour in a saucepan, add, by degrees, some water, stirring constantly, until two quarts have been added, then a tablespoonful of vinegar, a little salt, and your salsify. boil about an hour, or until it is perfectly tender; drain, and serve with a white or butter sauce (art. ). instead of butter sauce, you may serve with them a spanish sauce (art. ), veloutée (art. ), or béchamel sauce (art. ). . =fried salsify.= prepare and boil your salsify as above, cut them two inches in length, and when very tender drain them. put in a bowl half a pound of flour, two eggs, and some water. mix well together until you have a soft, smooth paste, thin enough to pour from a spoon. cover each piece of salsify with the paste, and fry one by one in very hot lard, drain them, and serve them on a dish, piled one on top of the other. . =stewed tomatoes.= put a can of tomatoes in a saucepan, with four ounces of butter, a little salt and pepper, a pinch of sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of bread-crumbs. boil five minutes, and serve. . =broiled tomatoes.= slice eight tomatoes, sprinkle them thickly with bread-crumbs and a little butter, broil them on a moderate fire, and, when a bright yellow color on top, serve them on a dish in a circle, one on top of the other. . =farcied tomatoes.= take eight medium-sized, firm tomatoes, cut a hole on top of each, and scoop out the inside of the tomato, chop an onion, put it in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter, to simmer gently. when slightly colored, add six ounces of bread-crumbs, which you have soaked in water, and then pressed out nearly all the moisture, a dozen chopped mushrooms, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, pepper, and thyme chopped fine, a little red pepper, and four tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce (art. ); mix all well together, and then fill the inside of your tomatoes. sprinkle the tops of each with bread-crumbs and a little melted butter. send them to the oven, and, when colored a light brown on top, serve, with a tomato sauce around them. . =boiled onions.= peel a dozen medium-sized white onions, boil them in a quart of water with a little salt. when very tender, drain them, and serve with a butter sauce (art. ), or a sauce béchamel (art. ). . =fried onions.= peel eight medium-sized onions, cut them in slices across the top, roll them in flour, fry them in hot lard, drain, and serve. . =onions glacés.= peel a dozen small onions, color them lightly in a frying-pan on the fire with a little lard. then put them in a saucepan with half a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. simmer very gently until the consommé is reduced three quarters, then pour it on a dish, your onions placed on top, and serve. . =fried egg-plant.= peel an egg-plant, cut it in slices about a third of an inch thick, dip them in three beaten eggs, to which you have added a pinch of salt and pepper. sprinkle them with bread-crumbs, and fry them in very hot lard, drain, and serve them. . =egg-plant farcied.= take four small egg-plants, peel them and separate them in two, scoop out the inside, which fill with a chicken farce (art. ), and sprinkle a few bread-crumbs on top. cut an onion and a carrot in slices, and put them in a saucepan, with a branch of thyme, a bay-leaf, two cloves, and a clove of garlic. place your egg-plants on top. moisten within three quarters of their height with consommé (stock, art. ), and a claret-glass of white wine. put them in the oven for an hour, pouring over them, from time to time, some of the liquid in the pan. pour over them half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), to which you have added a wineglass of sherry, and serve. . =cucumbers farcied.= divide four medium-sized cucumbers in two, after having pared them. scoop out the inside and fill with a chicken farce (art. ). put a sliced onion in a saucepan on the fire, with three slices of ham cut thin, place your cucumbers on top, moisten with a claret-glass of white wine, and the same of spanish sauce (art. ). then send them to the oven, pouring over them, from time to time, the liquid in the pan, which, when the cucumbers are sufficiently done, strain, pour over your cucumbers on a dish, and serve. . =cucumbers with cream.= peel half a dozen cucumbers, cut them in medium-sized square pieces, soak them for two hours in some vinegar, and a pinch of salt. turn them over from time to time, drain them, and dry them on a cloth, pressing the moisture from them. put them in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter, half a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), several branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, two branches of thyme, a clove of garlic, and tie all together, add a pinch of salt. when they are cooked, drain them, add them to half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), the juice of half a lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and serve very hot. . =lentils à la maître d'hôtel.= wash three pints of lentils, put them in a saucepan with two quarts of water and a pinch of salt. boil them very slowly for an hour, or until perfectly tender, then drain them, put them in a saucepan on the fire for a moment, with four ounces of butter, a little salt, a pinch of pepper, nutmeg, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. remove your saucepan from the fire, mix the yolks of two eggs in two tablespoonfuls of water, add them to your lentils, mixing all well together, and serve. . =purée of lentils.= prepare and boil as the foregoing, press them through a sieve, add about three ounces of butter, salt, pepper, and a very little nutmeg. heat them on the fire for a few moments, and serve. . =celery with marrow.= remove the green leaves from a bunch of celery, scrape the roots, cut the celery in pieces of about five inches long, wash them well, and put them in a saucepan, with plenty of water, and a little salt, and boil them ten minutes. then put them in cold water for a moment. cover the bottom of a saucepan with thin pieces of pork, a sliced onion and carrot, and several branches of parsley, inclosing three cloves, three pepper-corns, two bay-leaves, two branches of thyme, a clove of garlic, and tie all together, and then put your celery on top, nearly cover with consommé (stock, art. ), add the juice of a lemon, and place a buttered paper on top. simmer gently for an hour and a half. heat half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ), with a glass of sherry, pour over your celery, and place on top some beef marrow, which you have previously soaked in water for four hours, then boiled ten minutes, and cut in round pieces the size of a fifty-cent piece. . =celery with white sauce.= clean and wash a bunch of celery, which boil until tender, in plenty of water and a little salt, drain, and serve with a white or butter sauce (art. ), or a sauce allemande (art. ). . =fried celery, tomato sauce.= prepare and boil a bunch of celery as the foregoing; then drain it. put in a bowl half a pound of flour, two eggs, and a little water. mix well together until you have a soft, smooth paste, thin enough to pour from a spoon. cut your celery into pieces about five inches long, cover them with your paste, fry them in hot lard until a light brown; drain, and serve with a tomato sauce (art. ). . =purée of celery.= wash and clean two bunches of celery, cut them in pieces, and boil them in three quarts of water, with a little salt; when boiled thoroughly tender, drain, and add them to half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. boil ten minutes, press through a sieve, put back in the saucepan to heat again, and serve. . =horse-radish sauce (cold).= grate four ounces of horse-radish, to which add four ounces of bread-crumbs, and press through a sieve; add a glass of cream, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of vinegar; mix all well together, and serve. . =horse-radish sauce (hot).= prepare the same as the above, adding two ounces of bread-crumbs, instead of four; heat all together in a saucepan, and serve. . =braised lettuce, madeira sauce.= wash eight lettuce, blanch them ten minutes in boiling water, then put them for a moment in cold water, and press out all the moisture. spread thin pieces of pork on the bottom of a saucepan, a sliced carrot and onion, several branches of parsley, a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and the lettuce on top. moisten three quarters of their height with consommé (stock, art. ), cover with a buttered paper, simmer gently two hours, drain them well, and serve them with half a pint of very hot spanish sauce (art. ), to which you have added a wineglass of sherry or madeira. . =farcied lettuce.= boil eight lettuce as the foregoing, and, after you have put them in cold water for a moment, dry them with a cloth and press out all the moisture; divide them partly in two, without allowing them to fall apart; place in each lettuce about two ounces of chicken farce (art. ), which cover with the leaves of your lettuce; shape them neatly, wrap them and tie them up in thin pieces of pork, and finish cooking as the foregoing; remove the pieces of pork, and serve with a spanish sauce (art. ). . =turnips with cream.= peel and boil in plenty of water and a little salt, ten white turnips; when very tender, drain them and pour over them half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), to which you have added two tablespoonfuls of cream. . =purée of turnips.= peel and wash about fifteen white turnips, boil them in plenty of water and a little salt until perfectly tender; drain them, put them through a sieve, add two ounces of butter, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and serve very hot. . =turnips glacés au jus.= peel and wash about ten white turnips, cut them perfectly round, boil them ten minutes, put them in cold water for a moment, then place them in a saucepan with a pinch of pepper, nutmeg, and sugar, and half a pint of consommé (stock, art. ). simmer gently until perfectly tender; mix with the blade of a knife, on a table, half an ounce of butter and a teaspoonful of flour, which add to your turnips; boil for a few minutes, so as to mix thoroughly with your sauce, and serve. . =beets with butter.= peel and wash a dozen small beets, boil them in three quarts of water, and, when perfectly tender, put them in cold water for a moment, cut them in thin slices, put them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter and a pinch of salt; serve very hot. you may also boil them and serve them with a sauce béchamel (art. ), to which you have added two tablespoonfuls of cream. . =pickled beets.= boil ten medium-sized beets, cut them in slices, and put them in a bowl with six cloves, six pepper-corns, six bay-leaves, three cloves of garlic peeled, and half an ounce of salt; almost cover them with vinegar and water in equal quantity; serve very cold. . =broiled mushrooms.= take some mushrooms, in quantity according to their size, peel them, wash, and then dry them on a cloth. broil them on a gentle fire, a little butter on top, and, when colored on both sides, put an ounce of melted butter on a dish, the juice of lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, mix all well together, and serve your mushrooms on top; or serve the mushrooms singly on very hot toast, on which you have put a little butter. . =stewed mushrooms, spanish sauce.= put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) in a saucepan, with a sherry-glass of sherry, add your mushrooms, stew about five minutes, and serve. . =stewed mushrooms à la princesse.= put into a saucepan a gill of sauce allemande (art. ), a glass of cream, a pinch of pepper, nutmeg, an ounce of butter, and the juice of a lemon, add some mushrooms, which you have peeled and washed, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. boil for a few moments, and serve very hot. . =mushrooms au gratin.= reduce on the fire ten minutes a cup of allemande sauce (art. ), pour it over some mushrooms, in a deep dish, sprinkle with bread-crumbs, and pour a little melted butter on top, send to the oven, and, when colored a light brown, serve. . =mushrooms au gratin= (another way). wash and cut off the stalks of about a dozen as large mushrooms as possible. peel and chop fine an onion, which put in a saucepan on the fire, with an ounce of butter. simmer very gently, and, when the onion is colored slightly, add the stalks of your mushrooms, which you have chopped fine, six ounces of bread-crumbs, which you have soaked in consommé (art. ) and then pressed until nearly dry, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and four tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce. mix all well together, and boil ten minutes. then fill your mushrooms with the above mixture, sprinkle some bread-crumbs, and put a little melted butter on top. send them to a gentle oven, until colored a light brown, and serve on toast, or with a spanish sauce (art. ), to which add a glass of sherry, or with an italian sauce (art. ), or a tomato sauce (art. ). . =squash.= peel and wash a squash, open it and take out the seeds, put it in a saucepan, with two quarts of water and a pinch of salt. when boiled tender, allow it to drain fifteen minutes, press it through a sieve, put it in a saucepan with four ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, and a little nutmeg, and serve very hot. . =carrots sautés au beurre.= scrape and wash some very young carrots, and boil them with a little salt, either whole or cut in pieces. when very tender, drain them, and put them in a saucepan, with some butter, a pinch of salt, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. serve very hot. you may also serve them boiled, with a sauce béchamel (art. ). . =chiccory with cream.= wash some chiccory, and boil for thirty minutes in three quarts of water, with a little salt. then put in cold water for a moment, drain, and press the moisture from it. chop it very fine. put in a saucepan two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg; mix all well together, and add a glass of cream, and the same of consommé (art. ). stir with a spoon on the fire until beginning to boil, then add your chiccory, and boil ten minutes. mix with the yolks of three eggs a tablespoonful of cream, remove your saucepan from the fire, stir in your eggs, and serve. place on top of the chiccory two hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters. . =cabbage sauté au beurre.= wash a cabbage, of about two pounds, boil it in two quarts of water, with a little salt, for about an hour. put it for a moment in cold water, drain it, press out all the moisture, chop it, not too fine, and put it in a saucepan, with four ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and serve very hot. . =cabbage au gratin.= wash a cabbage, of about three pounds, boil it in boiling water about twenty minutes, then put it in cold water for a moment. drain it, carefully press out all moisture, and place it in a saucepan, with half a pint of consommé (stock, art. ), four ounces of butter, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. boil two hours. place it in a deep dish, cover it with a sauce allemande (art. ). sprinkle bread-crumbs and grated cheese on top, and send to the oven until colored a nice brown. . =cabbage farcied.= wash a cabbage, of about three pounds, put it in boiling water and boil for half an hour, then plunge it in cold water for a moment. chop fine a pound and a half of fresh pork, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a little thyme. remove the leaves from the center of your cabbage, and fill it with the above ingredients. tie a buttered paper around the cabbage, and place a slice of thin pork on top. then put your cabbage in a saucepan, filling it half the height of the cabbage with consommé (stock, art. ). send it to the oven for about two hours, basting frequently with the consommé. remove this buttered paper and pork, and serve around it a spanish sauce (art. ), to which you have added the juice of a lemon. . =brussels sprouts.= scrape and wash well two quarts of brussels sprouts, put them in three quarts of boiling water, with half an ounce of salt. boil rapidly until perfectly tender, drain them, and put them in a saucepan, with four ounces of butter. mix well together, and, when very hot, serve instantly. . =stewed corn with cream.= boil ten ears of corn, then cut the corn from the cob, and put it in a saucepan, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, and two glasses of cream. boil gently ten minutes, and serve. . =new orleans corn pudding.= grate six ears of raw corn, which mix with a pint of milk and four eggs well beaten, add a little salt and white pepper, and send to the oven until colored a light brown on top. . =macédoine of vegetables.= cut two ounces of carrots (with a vegetable-cutter or with a knife) in small pieces, and two ounces of turnips cut in the same manner, boil them until tender, and drain them. also boil the same quantity of string-beans, cut in small pieces, and an equal portion of asparagus ends, and the tops of cauliflowers and green peas, which, when boiled very tender, drain. take half a pint of spanish sauce, boil it a few minutes, with a pinch of sugar and nutmeg, add your vegetables, boil five minutes, and serve. instead of spanish sauce, you may also add your vegetables to a sauce allemande (art. ), with a pinch of sugar and nutmeg. heat your sauce until very hot, but do not allow it to boil. the vegetables for the above must all be boiled separately, as, in the same length of time, all will not be equally cooked. if you desire to avoid the trouble of preparing these vegetables yourself, they may be procured at any grocer's, canned or in bottles. . =sourcrout.= wash a quart of sourcrout, which drain, and put in a saucepan, with half a pound of bacon, a good pinch of pepper, and moisten with sufficient stock (from which the grease has not been removed) to cover it. boil gently an hour and a half, add eight small sausages, which place in the middle of your sourcrout, boil thirty minutes, remove your bacon and sausages, drain the sourcrout, which arrange on a dish, placing the sausages around it, and also the bacon, cut in small pieces. you may serve with this dish, if desired, a dish of mashed potatoes. . =lima beans.= boil three pints of lima beans in plenty of water, and a little salt, until quite tender. drain them and put them in a saucepan on the fire, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. mix two yolks of eggs in a tablespoonful of water and the juice of a lemon, add them to your beans, with a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and serve. . =succotash.= take a pint and a half of boiled lima beans, and the same of boiled corn, cut from the cob. mix them together in a saucepan on the fire, with six ounces of butter, half a glass of milk, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and serve very hot. . =dried lima beans.= soak three pints of lima beans in water for twelve hours, and proceed as for fresh lima beans (art. ). . =mashed potatoes.= peel and wash eight medium-sized potatoes, cut them in pieces, and put them in a saucepan with a quart of cold water and a little salt. boil until perfectly tender, drain, press through a sieve, and put them in a saucepan, with a pinch of salt and a glass of milk, and serve hot. . =baked mashed potatoes.= prepare your potatoes as the above, with the exception of the milk, place them in a pan in the oven, with some melted butter on top, and, when well browned, serve. . =potato croquettes.= boil four potatoes, drain them, press them through a sieve, and then put them in a saucepan with an ounce of butter, a pinch of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and sugar. heat them well, and add an egg. let your mixture become very cold, form it into croquettes. beat up three eggs, into which dip each croquette, and cover entirely with egg, then roll them in bread-crumbs, and fry in hot lard. when colored a light brown, drain them, and serve very hot. . =mashed potatoes with bacon.= cut a quarter of a pound of bacon in small pieces, also an onion, put them in a saucepan on the fire, and, when the onion begins to color, add a pint of water, several branches of parsley, inclosing two cloves, a branch of thyme, two bay-leaves, and tie all together; add eight potatoes, which you have washed, peeled, and cut in quarters, a pinch of pepper and nutmeg. when the potatoes are thoroughly cooked, remove your parsley with its seasoning, mash the potatoes well in the saucepan, and serve. . =potatoes à l'anglaise.= wash eight potatoes, and boil them in cold water, with a pinch of salt. when thoroughly done, peel them, cut them in thin round slices, put them, with three ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, in a saucepan on the fire, and, when very hot, serve. . =potatoes à la maître d'hôtel.= prepare your potatoes as the above. just before serving add the juice of a lemon and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. another manner of preparing them: proceed as for the foregoing, with the addition of half a glass of cream. . =potatoes sautés.= prepare as the foregoing; then put them in a saucepan on the fire, with four ounces of melted butter and a pinch of salt; toss them in the pan until they are a good color, and serve them with a little chopped parsley on top. . =potatoes à la lyonnaise.= boil your potatoes, and, when cold, cut them in round slices of medium thickness; cut two onions in slices, and put them with four ounces of butter in a frying-pan; when your onions are colored very slightly, add your potatoes, toss them in the pan until they are a good color, drain them, and serve them with chopped parsley sprinkled over them. . =potatoes à la provençale.= boil your potatoes, and, when cold, cut them in quarters; put in a saucepan on the fire for five minutes four tablespoonfuls of oil, a pinch of green onion, and quarter of the rind of a lemon chopped fine; then mix with your ingredients a tablespoonful of flour; add your potatoes, a little salt, pepper, nutmeg, and two ounces of butter; serve very hot, with some chopped parsley sprinkled on top. . =hashed potatoes with cream.= boil your potatoes, and, when cold, hash them fine, and put them in a saucepan with half a pint of cream, salt, pepper, a little nutmeg, and four ounces of butter; serve when very hot. . =baked hashed potatoes.= prepare as the foregoing; then put them in a dish about an inch and a half deep, level the potatoes on top with the blade of a knife, put a little melted butter on top, and send to the oven until nicely browned. . =potatoes à l'anna.= cut up some raw potatoes very fine, put them in cold water for six hours, then drain them, season with salt and plenty of pepper; put them in a well-buttered pan, sprinkle bread-crumbs on top, and enough melted butter to cover them; send them to a very hot oven for about thirty-five minutes, or until they are well browned. just before serving, drain off the butter, and put them on a dish. . =fried potatoes.= peel eight medium-sized potatoes, cut them in slices, not too thick; wash them, then dry them on a napkin, fry them in plenty of hot lard on a quick fire, and, when a light brown, drain them, sprinkle them with salt, and serve. . =fried potatoes en julienne.= prepare and cook them as the above, and cut them in long, thin strips. . =saratoga potatoes.= peel a pint of rather small potatoes, wash them in cold water, dry them on a napkin, and cut them in as thin slices as possible; then put half of your potatoes in a liberal quantity of very hot lard, taking care that they do not stick to each other. fry them on a very quick fire, and, when a light brown and very crisp, drain them, and fry the remaining half. sprinkle a little salt on top, and serve them on a very hot dish. . =potatoes à la hollandaise.= peel and wash fifteen medium-sized long potatoes, put them in cold water with a little salt, boil them, and, when well done, put them in a saucepan on the fire with two ounces of melted butter, remove them to the back of the range so as not to boil, shake them in the saucepan from time to time, and, when they have absorbed the butter, serve them in a very hot dish, and pour over them a sauce hollandaise (art. ). . =potatoes farcied.= wash ten medium-sized potatoes--long potatoes, if you have them. bake them, and cut the tops off with a sharp knife, and with a teaspoon scoop out the inside of each potato, which put in a bowl with two ounces of butter and the yolks of two eggs, a pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar. fill the skins of your potatoes with this mixture, cover them with their tops, heat them well in the oven, and serve them very hot on a napkin. you may also prepare them with half potato and the other half chopped meat; finish the same, taking care to serve very hot. . =potatoes à la parisienne.= peel and wash ten potatoes, scoop them out in little round balls with a potato-cutter for the purpose, which may be procured at any hardware-shop. boil them five minutes, then put them in a frying-pan on the fire, with four ounces of melted butter, stir them in the pan, so that every potato shall be covered with butter, and send them to the oven to color. sprinkle some salt and a little chopped parsley over them, and serve. . =potatoes à la duchesse.= peel eight potatoes, cut them in pieces, wash them, and put them in a saucepan, with a quart of water and a pinch of salt. when they are thoroughly boiled, drain them, and put the saucepan at the side of the fire for ten minutes. then add to them two ounces of butter, two eggs, a pinch of salt, the same of sugar, and press through a sieve. form this mixture into little oval loaves, flat on top, on which, with the point of a knife, make designs, according to your taste. put a little melted butter on top, send to the oven, and, when colored a nice brown, serve. . =potatoes à la parmentière.= peel some potatoes, and cut them in form of a cork about three inches long, put them in a saucepan on the fire, with enough spanish sauce (art. ) to cover them, a pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar, and a glass of sherry. simmer gently until the potatoes are perfectly tender, strain your sauce, pour it over your potatoes, and serve. . =ragoût of potatoes à la paysanne.= cut a bunch of chiccory in two through the middle, which boil fifteen minutes, put in cold water for a moment, drain, and press out all moisture. peel ten potatoes, place them in a saucepan, with enough consommé (stock, art. ) to cover them, add your chiccory, three leeks cut in slices, a little salt, and season highly with pepper. boil gently until your potatoes are nearly done, then add a little chopped chervil, and boil ten minutes longer. your potatoes should be soft, without breaking. serve very hot. . =purée of french chestnuts.= remove the shells from two pounds of french chestnuts, put them in a frying-pan on the fire, with an ounce and a half of lard. turn them over in the pan every now and then, and when you see that the species of skin which covers them is softened, and may be removed without difficulty, take them off the fire, for the purpose of doing so. then put them in a saucepan, with a quart of consommé (stock, art. ), and, when the chestnuts are perfectly soft, drain them, press them through a sieve, heat them again with four ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and sugar, and serve. . =purée of artichokes.= take the under part of ten artichokes, from which all leaves have been removed. boil them in water and a little salt, drain them, and put them in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a glass and a half of consommé (stock, art. ). boil twenty minutes, press through a sieve. heat again on the fire, and serve as a vegetable, or garnish to meat or poultry. . =purée of jerusalem artichokes.= scrape and wash fifteen jerusalem artichokes, boil them until tender in a pint of consommé (stock, art. ). drain them, press them through a sieve, put them in a saucepan, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper, and, when hot, serve. . =jerusalem artichokes au gratin.= prepare and cook some artichokes exactly as for cauliflower au gratin (art. ). . =purée of green peas.= wash a quart of green peas, which put in a saucepan on the fire, with three pints of water, very little salt and pepper, half an ounce of ham, an onion cut in slices, and boil until soft. then press them through a sieve, heat them again on the fire, adding four ounces of butter, a pinch of sugar, and serve. chapter vi. _eggs, macaroni, salads, etc._ eggs. . =poached eggs.= put in a flat saucepan three pints of water, a tablespoonful of vinegar, and two pinches of salt. when the water boils, break your eggs into it, and let them poach two or three minutes; lift them out with a skimmer, and serve each egg on toast. . =fried eggs.= heat an ounce of butter in a frying-pan, break into it eight eggs, fry three or four minutes, lift them out with a skimmer; serve plain, or with broiled ham or bacon cut in very thin slices. . =eggs sur le plat.= butter well the bottom of a dish, in which break eight eggs; put them in a hot oven for four or five minutes, and serve. . =scrambled eggs.= break a dozen eggs into a moderate-sized flat saucepan into which you have put two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and white pepper, and half a glass of milk, stirring all together with a wooden spoon. when the eggs are thickened to a proper consistency, serve very hot. . =scrambled eggs with peas.= same as foregoing, adding half a pint of boiled peas. . =scrambled eggs with asparagus.= proceed as for the foregoing, and, instead of peas, add the green ends of a bunch of asparagus. . =scrambled eggs with tomatoes.= proceed as for scrambled eggs (art. ), adding a quarter of a can of tomatoes, from which you have drained the liquid. . =scrambled eggs with truffles.= proceed as for scrambled eggs, adding a small box of chopped truffles. . =scrambled eggs with ham.= proceed as for scrambled eggs, adding an ounce of lean cooked ham chopped fine. . =eggs à la tripe.= peel and chop six onions, put them in a saucepan on the fire, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg; simmer them gently about an hour, and then add to them a tablespoonful of flour, which mix well with your onions; moisten with half a pint of milk; simmer gently, stirring every now and then to prevent your sauce sticking to the saucepan; then put it through a sieve and heat again on the fire, adding a dozen hard-boiled eggs cut in round slices. . =eggs au beurre noir.= fry eight eggs; then in a frying-pan put two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and pepper; heat on the fire until it becomes black, then add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; let it boil up again, and pour it over your eggs. . =eggs à l'aurore.= take a dozen hard-boiled eggs, to which add half a pint of béchamel sauce (art. ), and put them on a dish; sprinkle them on top with three yolks of hard-boiled eggs which you have previously pounded fine, and mixed with an equal quantity of bread-crumbs. add a little melted butter on top, garnish with pieces of bread dipped in melted butter, and send to the oven; when colored a light brown, serve. . =eggs with cream.= boil three sherry-glasses of cream, which put in a large dish, break into it a dozen eggs, send to a moderate oven for about twelve minutes, and serve. . =eggs with cucumbers.= pare and cut in slices six cucumbers; put them in a frying-pan with two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped shallots, the same of chopped parsley, six tablespoonfuls of consommé (stock, art. ), and mix all well together with a tablespoonful of flour, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg; when the cucumbers are thoroughly done, add a dozen hard-boiled eggs and a glass of cream; boil five minutes, and serve very hot. . =poached eggs au jus.= put a pint of consommé (stock, art. ) in a saucepan and reduce it one half; poach eight eggs, put them on a dish, pour your consommé over them, and serve. . =poached eggs with asparagus.= cut off the green ends, about half an inch in length, of two bunches of asparagus; wash them, then boil them about fifteen minutes in two quarts of boiling water and a pinch of salt; if perfectly tender, drain them and mix them with a gill of sauce allemande (art. ) and a pinch of sugar. poach eight eggs, place them on top of your asparagus, and serve. . =poached eggs with wine sauce.= poach ten eggs, which place on toast and cover with a sauce allemande (art. ) to which you have added a wineglass of sherry. . =eggs à la marseillaise.= chop fine a clove of garlic, to which add eight tablespoonfuls of sweet oil, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and a tablespoonful of anchovy sauce; season highly with salt and pepper, mix all well together, add a tablespoonful of capers, and place on top a dozen cold hard-boiled eggs cut in two. . =eggs with sauce mayonnaise.= cut a dozen cold hard-boiled eggs in two, which place on slices of toast, and cover with a sauce mayonnaise (art. ). . =eggs à la huguenot.= put a glass of consommé (stock, art. ) in a saucepan on the fire; reduce three quarters, pour it on a dish, into which break a dozen eggs, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, send them to a moderate oven for about six or seven minutes, and serve; your eggs must be soft. . =eggs en timbale.= break a dozen eggs in a bowl, add a little salt, pepper, and a glass of cream; beat them well, strain them, and put them in eight little tin molds which you have buttered; then place these in a pan containing water; send to the oven, and, when the eggs are sufficiently consistent to turn out of the molds, serve very hot. you may serve with this dish, if desired, a sauce béchamel (art. ). . =eggs à la jardinière.= peel and cut in small pieces two onions, which put in a saucepan on a gentle fire, with two ounces of butter, a little salt and pepper; when beginning to color, mix well with them a glass of cream, which boil for a few moments and allow to become half cold; then beat up well with the foregoing ingredient six eggs. pour all together on a dish, and send to a moderate oven for about six or seven minutes, and, when well colored on top, serve. . =poached eggs with purée of sorrel.= clean and wash well two quarts of sorrel, put it in a saucepan with a pint of water and a pinch of salt; after boiling a few moments, drain it and press through a sieve; then put it again in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg; when beginning to color slightly, mix well with your sorrel two sherry-glasses of consommé (stock, art. ) and a glass of cream. boil ten minutes, remove your saucepan from the fire, and, when boiling ceases, add the yolks of two eggs well mixed in two tablespoonfuls of water or milk; poach eight eggs, place them on top of your purée of sorrel, and serve. . =aspic with eggs.= prepare some aspic (art. ), pour a small quantity in a mold, let it become perfectly cold, then cover entirely with thin slices of cold ham; put another layer of jelly on top, and allow it to become cold, as the first, then place on top of this cold poached eggs, which cover with a layer of jelly, and, when cold, continue with alternate slices of ham, jelly, and eggs, until your mold is filled, which, if hollow in the center, fill with either some of the jelly cut in small pieces, or a cold sauce remoulade (art. ). . =eggs au gratin.= take two ounces of bread-crumbs, the same of grated parmesan cheese, an ounce of butter, a pinch of pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and the yolks of three eggs; mix all well together and send to the oven; when beginning to color, break on top of this mixture eight eggs, sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top, and, when the eggs are done, serve immediately. . =eggs à la lyonnaise.= cut two onions in small pieces, put them in a saucepan on a very gentle fire, with two ounces of butter, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg; when colored, add to them a gill of béchamel sauce (art. ) and twelve hard-boiled eggs cut in round slices; pour all together in a dish, cover with bread-crumbs and a very little melted butter; send to the oven, and, when colored a light brown, serve. . =eggs à la portugaise.= divide five hard-boiled eggs in two, cutting them through their length; pound the yolks in a mortar, with an equal quantity of butter, and fresh bread-crumbs which you have soaked in milk, and then press from them nearly all moisture; add a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg, pound all well together, and then thoroughly mix with these ingredients a raw egg; fill each half of your white of egg with the foregoing paste, giving to it the form of a whole egg; dip each egg in beaten eggs, cover with bread-crumbs, fry in hot lard, and serve plain or with a tomato sauce (art. ). . =eggs en turban.= cut ten hard-boiled eggs in two around the middle; make a farce as in the preceding article; take the end, about five inches in length, of a round loaf, which place in a buttered pan, with half of your farce arranged in a circle around it; place your eggs on top of this, one quite close to the other, cover them all but the ends with your farce; butter a paper, which should be the height of your eggs, tie it around them, put a little melted butter on top of the eggs, and send to the oven for about thirty-five minutes. see if your farce is firm, remove the round of bread in the middle, also the buttered paper; pour in the middle a sauce béchamel (art. ), to which you have added a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and serve. . =poached eggs with anchovy sauce.= take half a pint of white or butter sauce (art. ), to which add a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce and the juice of a lemon; poach eight eggs, pour the sauce over them, and serve. . =poached eggs with anchovy toast.= spread eight pieces of toast with anchovy paste, on which put a little glaze (art. ); poach eight eggs, place each egg on a piece of toast, and serve very hot. . =curried eggs with rice.= cut in two, lengthwise, ten hard-boiled eggs, add them to half a pint of very hot allemande sauce (art. ), to which add a teaspoonful of curry paste; serve them with a border of boiled rice, or the rice in the center and the eggs and sauce around it. . =omelette (plain).= take twelve eggs, beat them up with a fork for a moment only, so as to mix the yolks and the whites well together, adding a little pepper and salt. put in an omelette-pan or frying-pan two ounces of butter, to which, when melted, add your eggs, stir them with a fork, and, when beginning to thicken, fold in two, and serve immediately. . =omelette aux fines herbes.= prepare as the foregoing, mixing with the eggs, before putting them in the pan, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. . =omelette with cheese.= prepare as for plain omelette (art. ), adding to the eggs, before putting them in the pan, two ounces of grated american cheese, or equal parts of american and parmesan cheese. . =omelette with onions.= peel and cut in small pieces two medium-sized onions, and put them in a frying-pan on a gentle fire with two ounces of butter. when very slightly colored, add to them twelve eggs, which you have beaten for a moment with a fork, and seasoned with a little pepper and salt. finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with peas.= beat up twelve eggs with a fork, add a pinch of salt, pepper, and sugar, a gill of boiled green peas, from which you have drained all moisture, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with asparagus tops.= cut off the green ends, about an inch in length, of a bunch of asparagus, boil them in a quart of water, with a little salt, drain off all moisture from them. mix them with a dozen beaten eggs, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with sorrel.= clean and wash well two handfuls of sorrel, press out all the moisture, chop it very fine, and put it in a frying-pan on the fire, with two ounces of butter, for about five minutes. beat up twelve eggs with a little salt and pepper, add them to your sorrel in the pan, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with tomatoes.= beat up twelve eggs for a moment, with a little pepper and salt, add to them about four ounces of tomatoes--if canned tomatoes, _drain off the liquid from them_. put two ounces of butter in an omelette-pan (or frying-pan), add your eggs, and finish as for plain omelette. you may pour a little tomato sauce (art. ) around your omelette. . =omelette with mushrooms.= put half a pint of spanish sauce (art. ) and a wineglass of sherry in a saucepan on the fire. reduce one half, and add half a box of mushrooms cut in quarters. beat up twelve eggs (for a moment only, so as to mix the whites and yolks) with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. put two ounces of butter in an omelette-pan (or frying-pan), and, when melted, add your eggs. when beginning to thicken, take out the mushrooms with a spoon from your sauce and place them on your omelette, which fold in two, and serve, with your sauce poured around it. . =omelette with kidneys.= cut in pieces six sheep's kidneys, from which you have removed the skin, and put them in a frying-pan on the fire, with half an ounce of butter, a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg. toss them in the pan until they are quite firm, then add a teaspoonful of flour, a wineglass of sherry, and three times as much consommé (stock). boil ten minutes, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with chickens' livers.= cook six chickens' livers, as the kidneys in the foregoing, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with smoked beef.= chop fine four ounces of smoked beef, to which add twelve beaten eggs, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =omelette with ham.= chop fine four ounces of lean ham, to which add twelve beaten eggs, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ). . =spanish omelette.= peel and chop fine two cloves of garlic, which put in a frying-pan on the fire with two tablespoonfuls of oil, let them color slightly. break in a bowl a dozen eggs, which beat up with a fork, add four ounces of canned tomatoes (from which you have _drained as much moisture as possible_), a pinch of salt and pepper, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; add an ounce of butter to your garlics and oil, beat all together, and add your eggs with the above ingredients. allow them to remain a few seconds in the pan, fold the omelette in two, and serve plain, or with a tomato sauce (art. ) around it. you may also add to the omelette a little green pepper and a few mushrooms cut in slices. macaroni. . =macaroni with cream.= put a pound of macaroni in a saucepan on the fire, with three quarts of boiling water and half an ounce of salt. boil it about twelve minutes, or until very tender, then drain it. put four ounces of butter in a saucepan, with a tablespoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg. mix all well together, then add two ounces of grated parmesan cheese and four ounces of gruyère cheese. moisten with a glass of milk and a glass of cream; stir all together, boil for a moment, add your macaroni, and serve. . =macaroni à l'italienne.= boil a pound of macaroni as the foregoing, and drain it. peel and cut an onion in small pieces, which put into a saucepan, with four ounces of butter. when very slightly colored, add a teaspoonful of flour, a little salt, pepper, nutmeg, and about four wineglasses of the juice of tomatoes; boil gently; add two ounces of grated parmesan cheese and the same of gruyère cheese. mix all thoroughly together, add your macaroni, and, when very hot, serve. . =macaroni à la milanaise=. boil a pound of macaroni as the foregoing. put it in a saucepan, with a pint of tomato sauce (art. ), two ounces of gruyère cheese, and the same of parmesan, an ounce of smoked tongue cut in thin strips, and the same of ham also cut in strips, and the same of truffles and mushrooms chopped fine. mix all well together, and serve very hot. . =macaroni à la napolitaine.= put two pounds of a leg of veal, with an ounce of butter, in a saucepan on the fire. when well colored on both sides, moisten with a quart of consommé (art. i), and boil gently about three hours, or until your consommé is reduced two thirds, then strain it, and put it in a saucepan, with a pint of tomato sauce, two ounces of parmesan and four ounces of gruyère cheese, grated, a pinch of salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and boil gently. boil a pound of macaroni in water, with a little salt, add it to your sauce, simmer at the side of the range for half an hour, and serve. the veal is sometimes served on a dish, the macaroni on top. . =baked macaroni.= prepare the macaroni as for macaroni with cream (art. ), put it on a dish and sprinkle some bread-crumbs on top, to which add a few pieces of butter. send to a moderate oven, and, when colored a light brown, serve. . =spaghetti.= boil a pound of spaghetti in three quarts of water and a little salt. boil gently until quite tender. peel and chop fine two cloves of garlic, put them in a saucepan with four tablespoonfuls of oil; when very lightly colored, moisten with a quart of tomato sauce (art. ), two pinches of salt, the same of pepper, and a little nutmeg; then add your spaghetti. put it at the side of the range to simmer gently for half an hour, and serve very hot. . =risotto napolitaine.= cut a medium-sized onion in small pieces, which put in a saucepan, with an ounce of butter, on a moderate fire, for about fifteen minutes, or until colored lightly. wash a pound of rice, blanch it for ten minutes in boiling water, then put it in cold water for a moment, drain, put it in a saucepan at the side of the range, with your onions, and a quart of consommé (stock, art. ), simmer gently about fifty minutes, add three ounces of butter, the same of parmesan cheese, a pinch of pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a little cayenne. stir all well together, boil for a few moments, and serve very hot. . =risotto hongroise.= (hungarian dish.) cut half a pound of lean bacon into slices, which put in a deep saucepan, and let them fry slowly to a golden yellow, then remove the pan from the fire, and place on top of the bacon two large sliced onions, two large sliced knobs of german celery, a small sliced carrot, the tops of a small head of cauliflower, half a pound of blanched, well-drained rice, a can of drained french peas, and four ounces of truffles. sprinkle some salt and a little red pepper over them, and on top of all put two small spring chickens, which you have cut in quarters and seasoned with salt. put the cover on the saucepan, and stew very slowly for an hour. do not stir with a spoon, but shake the pan from time to time. serve with this dish some grated parmesan cheese. . =risotto à la finne.= fry half a pound of bacon as above, to which add a sliced carrot, two sliced onions, a bay-leaf, half a pound of blanched rice, and a quart of clams with their juice. season with pepper. cover the saucepan, and stew very slowly three quarters of an hour. do not stir with a spoon, but shake the saucepan at intervals. serve with grated parmesan cheese. salads. . =salad of beans.= put in a bowl three pints of cold boiled string-beans (which cut in pieces about an inch long) and an onion cut in very thin slices; add two tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, six tablespoonfuls of oil, two of vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. mix all well together, and serve. you may also make a salad of white beans in the same manner, except that the onion must be cut in very small squares. white beans and green beans may also be mixed together in a salad. . =salad of lentils.= proceed exactly as for the foregoing. . =salad of cauliflower.= prepare exactly as for salad of beans (art. ). . =salad of celery-roots.= boil about a dozen celery-roots in water, and a little salt; when tender, drain, and let them become cold. cut them in pieces, mix well together six tablespoonfuls of oil, two of vinegar, some pepper and salt, which add to your celery, stirring all well together, and serve. you may also make a salad of equal proportions of celery, cold boiled potatoes, cut in slices, and cold beets, also cut in slices. . =potato salad.= chop fine a dozen cold boiled potatoes, also a medium-sized onion, and a teaspoonful of chervil. put in a bowl ten tablespoonfuls of oil and two of vinegar; season with pepper and salt, mix all well together, add your potatoes, chervil, and onion, stirring all thoroughly together, and serve. . =salad à la macédoine.= cut two carrots with a vegetable-cutter, or in small pieces with a knife, the same quantity of potato, cut in the same manner, an equal proportion of green peas, string-beans, a beet cut in pieces, and small ends of cauliflowers. boil each separately in water, with a little salt added. when perfectly cold, add an equal proportion of celery cut in small pieces. make a dressing composed of six tablespoonfuls of oil, two of vinegar, pepper and salt, and serve with your vegetables, all well mixed together. you may, instead of the above, serve the vegetables with a sauce mayonnaise. . =salad of herring à l'allemande.= take four cold boiled potatoes, two cold beets, two raw apples, three pickles, all cut in very small pieces of equal size, also three herrings, which you have previously soaked in water for twelve hours, changing the water several times, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and mix all together, with eight tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of vinegar, season with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg, and serve. . =parisian salad.= cut in small pieces six cold boiled potatoes, the same quantity of beets, and also of boiled celery, both cold, and cut in small pieces. mix the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs with two tablespoonfuls of anchovy sauce, press through a sieve, add, little by little, four tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of mustard, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a few tarragon leaves chopped fine, two pinches of salt, two of pepper, and the whites of your eggs cut in pieces. stir all well together, and serve. . =italian salad.= take four cold boiled potatoes, the same of cold beets, six pickles, four anchovies, and the cold boiled fillets of two flounders, all cut in small pieces; add a little salt to your vegetables. mix together three tablespoonfuls of oil, one and a half of vinegar, season with pepper, add them to the foregoing ingredients, with an ounce of capers. put a charlotte-russe mold in a bowl surrounded by cracked ice, fill the bottom of your mold with the whites of hard-boiled eggs cut in pieces, some capers, or truffles, dipping them in some meat jelly (art. ) before it has quite stiffened. then pour into your mold some liquid jelly, about half an inch in depth; add to your vegetables about half a pint of liquid jelly, and, when beginning to stiffen, put them in your mold, which put on the ice for an hour. dip your mold in a little warm water, turn out your salad, and serve, garnished with hard-boiled eggs cut in two. . =russian salad of truffles.= chop four dozen truffles, which put in a saucepan on the fire, with a wineglass of sherry, for five minutes. when cold, put them in a bowl, with a tablespoonful of oil, a pinch of pepper and salt, a teaspoonful of chopped tarragon, and the same of parsley. mix all well together, and cover them with a sauce mayonnaise (art. ). . =salad à la toulouse.= chop ten truffles very fine, and the bottoms of four cold boiled artichokes, from which you have removed the furze attached to them, also the leaves, and chop them rather fine. mix with two teaspoonfuls of mustard, eight tablespoonfuls of oil, two of vinegar, and the yolks of ten hard-boiled eggs. arrange your chopped truffles and artichokes in layers in a salad bowl, mixing with each layer some of the hard-boiled eggs with their dressing. then stir all thoroughly together, and serve. . =chicken salad.= cut in small pieces a pound of the white meat of chicken, from which you have removed the skin and sinews. put it in a bowl. mix with it thoroughly two tablespoonfuls of oil, with one of vinegar, and season with pepper and salt. take four heads of lettuce, wash them, remove some of the leaves around the heart of the lettuce, chop them fine, and mix them with your chicken, which put on a dish, and cover entirely with a sauce mayonnaise (art. ), spreading it over smoothly with the blade of a knife. cut three hard-boiled eggs in quarters, place them with the hearts of the lettuce around your salad. decorate the top with thin long strips of cold boiled beets, and a few capers, or olives, from which you have removed the pits. . =lobster salad.= take about a pound of the meat of cold boiled lobster, chop it fine, and finish as for chicken salad (art. ). if there is coral in your lobster, wash it, dry it on a cloth, chop it rather fine, and with it sprinkle the top of your salad. . =cold slaw.= cut two pounds of raw cabbage in long thin strips, and serve with a sauce mayonnaise (art. ). cheese. . =cheese biscuits.= take a quarter of a pound of flour, the same of butter, and also of grated parmesan cheese, add a little cayenne pepper and salt. work all well together with the hand, roll the paste thin, cut it into biscuits, and bake in the oven. . =ramequins.= put in a saucepan on the fire two ounces and a half of butter, with half a glass of water. when boiling, add three ounces of flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the paste becomes firm; remove it from the fire, and, when it has ceased boiling, stir into it, as rapidly as possible, three eggs, one by one, then add an ounce of grated parmesan cheese, mixing it well with your other ingredients. lift out some of your mixture with a spoon, drop it on a pan, forming it into small balls about the size of a nut, and brush them with beaten egg. cut an ounce of gruyère cheese into as small pieces as possible, sprinkle them on top of your balls, which send to a gentle oven, and, when firm and well colored, serve. . =cheese straws.= take half a pound of flour and make a hollow in the center, in which put four ounces of butter, two ounces of parmesan cheese, an egg, a pinch of red pepper, and a gill of milk, which you have added little by little. mix all well together, roll the paste out about an eighth of an inch thick, cut it in strips a quarter of an inch wide and six inches long, and send to a moderate oven until colored a light brown. divide them in bundles of ten pieces each, around which tie very narrow ribbons of different colors. serve very hot. . =cheese soufflés.= put in a bowl two ounces of grated american and the same of gruyère cheese. mix well with them the yolks of five eggs. beat the whites of your eggs until very stiff, mix an ounce of butter with your eggs and cheese, then stir in lightly the whites of your eggs. pour your mixture into small paper cases, send them to a gentle oven for about ten minutes, and serve instantly. chapter vii. _desserts and cakes._ . =sweet omelette.= beat up twelve eggs with an ounce of sugar, and finish as for plain omelette (art. ), sprinkle some sugar on top, and serve. . =omelette with rum.= make a plain omelette (art. ), sprinkle some sugar on top, pour over it six wineglasses of rum, to which touch a lighted match, and serve while burning. . =omelette with jam.= make a plain omelette, and, just before folding it in two, place upon it some strawberry, raspberry, or any other sort of jam, according to your taste. fold your omelette in two, and serve. . =omelette à la celéstine.= boil a glass of milk, with which mix thoroughly two tablespoonfuls of rice flour, add four ounces of powdered sugar, and a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla. simmer gently for ten minutes, stirring constantly, add the yolks of three eggs, mixed in a little water or milk, and half an ounce of butter; stir all together until quite smooth, and keep hot. beat up ten eggs, with which make ten little omelettes of about four inches in length. fill each one with a tablespoonful of the above mixture. heat three quarters of a pound of peach marmalade, to which add a little water. place your omelette in a circle on a dish, pouring your marmalade in the center, and serve very hot. . =omelette soufflé.= separate the yolks of twelve eggs from the whites. put the yolks of five in a deep dish, with half a pound of sugar, a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla, and beat all together for ten minutes with a wooden spoon. put the whites of your eggs in a large bowl, and with an egg-beater beat them very stiff, then mix them with your yolks and sugar. butter a dish, into which pour the above, send to a moderate oven for about twelve minutes, sprinkle some sugar on top, and serve instantly. . =fried bananas.= cut eight bananas in two, through their length, dip them in a paste composed of three eggs, six ounces of flour, well mixed together, and a little water, so as to make a smooth, soft, and rather liquid paste, but sufficiently solid to adhere to your bananas. add a teaspoonful of soda, and mix thoroughly with your paste, then fry your bananas in hot lard, and, when colored a bright yellow, drain them, sprinkle them with powdered sugar, and serve. . =rice croquettes.= wash four ounces of rice in cold water, which put in a saucepan on the fire, with a pint of water, and boil ten minutes, then put in cold water for a moment. put your rice back again on the fire, with a pint of milk, a little grated orange and lemon peel, and two ounces of sugar. boil gently forty minutes. let it become perfectly cold, then form it into croquettes, beat up two eggs, in which dip your croquettes. roll them in bread-crumbs, fry them in very hot lard, and, when your croquettes are a bright yellow, drain them, sprinkle them with sugar, and serve. you may also serve them with an apricot sauce made in the following manner: put four ounces of sugar and two wineglasses of water in a saucepan on the fire; when the sugar is melted, add half a pound of apricots, boil for a moment, press through a sieve, heat again on the fire, and serve. you may flavor with vanilla, maraschino, kirsch, or any liqueur you wish. . =french pancakes.= put in a bowl six ounces of flour, with three eggs, and a pinch of salt. stir well together with a wooden spoon until your paste is smooth, adding a gill of milk. put a small piece of butter in a frying-pan, and, when melted, put into it about two tablespoonfuls of your paste; when colored on one side, turn it on the other, and continue in the same manner until your paste is all used. put them on a dish, fill them with currant jelly, or jam, roll them up, and powder them with sugar. heat a poker or slender piece of iron red hot, lay it lightly for a second on each pancake, making several stripes across the pancake, and serve hot. . =cabinet pudding.= soak in milk half a pound of baba (art. ), brioche (art. ), or sponge cake (art. ). remove the stems and the seeds of two ounces of raisins, chop half an ounce of citron, blanch and chop two ounces of almonds, and add six ounces of sugar. mix all together and place in a buttered mold. stir ten eggs into half a pint of milk, which pour into your mold. put into a saucepan on the fire some water, about two inches deep, place in it your mold, which cover, and send to the oven for about an hour, or until firm enough to turn out of the mold. serve with the following sauce: put in a saucepan on the fire half a pint of milk, the yolks of six eggs, four ounces of sugar, and a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla. stir it well until it begins to thicken. pour it over your pudding, and serve. . =bread pudding.= soak a pound of bread-crumbs in cold milk, divide it in small pieces, so as not to form a solid lump, and add three ounces of currants, and the same of raisins, from which you have removed the seeds, the grated peel of an orange, an ounce of citron cut in very small pieces, six ounces of powdered sugar, eight well-beaten eggs, and half a pint of milk. mix all well together. pour into a buttered mold, which place in a saucepan, which you have filled with water the height of your mold. boil about two hours, or until thoroughly done, of which you may judge by slipping the point of a knife in your pudding, and, if it comes out dry, the pudding is sufficiently cooked. turn it out of the mold, and serve with the following sauce: put a spoonful of corn starch in a saucepan on the fire, mix with it half a glass of water, four ounces of sugar, and the thin outside peel of a lemon, stir until boiling, then add three wineglasses of sherry, brandy, or rum. . =english plum-pudding.= remove the skin and the sinews from half a pound of beef suet; chop it very fine, adding half a pound of flour, and continue to chop until the flour is thoroughly mixed with the suet; then add eight ounces of raisins from which you have removed the seeds, and the same of currants, two ounces of citron cut in small pieces, a little nutmeg, two apples which you have pared and chopped fine, a wineglass of rum, and six eggs. mix all well together, and then put into a buttered mold, which place in a saucepan which you have filled with water the height of your mold, and simmer gently six hours, then turn your pudding out of the mold, and serve. instead of boiling your pudding in a mold, you may tie it securely in a buttered cloth, place it in a saucepan with some boiling water, and boil it six hours; remove the cloth, and serve with a sauce, with rum, of the preceding articles, or sprinkle powdered sugar on top; pour some rum over the pudding, light it, and serve burning. . =pudding au marasquin.= take an ounce of raisins, from which you have removed the seeds, and two ounces of currants; soak them in a wineglass of sherry; then beat up slightly the yolks of six eggs, with half a pound of powdered sugar; add your raisins and currants, a pint of milk, half an ounce of gelatine, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, and put all together in a saucepan on the fire; stir until the gelatine is dissolved, but do not allow your milk to boil; then strain. put a mold on ice, pour into it, about the depth of two inches, a part of your mixture; when it has stiffened, cover entirely with savoy cake an inch thick and soaked in maraschino; then pour on top some more of your mixture, about the depth of an inch high, and continue with alternate layers of cake and your mixture until the mold is filled. put it on the ice until needed, then turn it out of the mold, and serve. . =rice pudding.= wash well, rubbing it between the hands, half a pound of rice; change the water several times. boil it ten minutes in boiling water; then put it in cold water for a moment, drain it, and put it in a saucepan on the fire with three pints of milk, half a pound of sugar, and the peel of a lemon cut extremely thin and grated; simmer gently for an hour, take it off the fire, add four eggs, stirring until well mixed, two ounces of raisins from which you have removed the seeds, two ounces of currants, and half an ounce of citron cut in small pieces. butter a tin mold, sprinkle a few bread-crumbs on the bottom and the sides, pour in your rice, and send it to a gentle oven for an hour and a half; turn it out of your mold, and serve with the following sauce: put in a saucepan on the fire a tablespoonful of corn starch, four yolks of eggs, half a pint of milk, four ounces of sugar, the grated rind of an orange (or a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla); stir until beginning to boil, strain, and serve. . =rice pudding= (another way). wash six ounces of rice, changing the water several times; boil it in boiling water for ten minutes, then put it in cold water for a moment, drain it, and put it in a saucepan on the fire with three pints of milk, six ounces of sugar, a little grated lemon-peel, a pinch of allspice, and very little nutmeg. simmer gently for an hour, add, one by one, four eggs, and stir until well mixed; pour your rice into a deep dish which you have buttered, send it to the oven until well colored, then remove it from the oven, put it on ice, and serve it extremely cold. . =apple charlotte.= pare three dozen apples, put them in a saucepan on the fire with half a glass of water and half of the peel of a lemon; when your apples are soft, remove the lemon-peel, add six ounces of sugar, four ounces of peach marmalade, and reduce one half, stirring constantly, so that the apples do not stick to the saucepan. butter a tin mold, cut a piece of bread a quarter of an inch thick, the size and shape of the bottom of your mold, dip it in melted butter, and place it in your mold; then cut some pieces of bread, the same thickness as above, the height of your mold and about two and a half inches wide. place them around the sides (having dipped them in melted butter), one piece slightly overlapping the other. pour the apples in the center, cover with a piece of bread dipped in melted butter, and send to the oven for about an hour; drain off the butter, turn your charlotte out of the mold, and serve with the following sauce: put in a saucepan half a pound of peach marmalade with half a glass of water, two ounces of sugar, and stir all well together until boiling, press through a sieve, heat again on the fire, adding two liqueur-glasses of rum. . =apples à la condé.= pare eight apples, in which cut a hole in the center; put them in a saucepan on the fire with four ounces of sugar, enough water to cover them, and half of the peel of a lemon. when the apples are soft, remove the lemon-peel, drain them, and strain the juice, which reduce on the fire two thirds. boil half a pound of rice (which you have previously washed) in boiling water ten minutes; then put it in cold water for a moment, drain, and put it in a saucepan on the fire with a pint and a half of milk, six ounces of sugar, and a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla; boil gently three quarters of an hour; put your rice, about an inch in depth, on a dish, arrange your apples on top, fill the center with currant jelly, or any jam you wish; pour over them the juice which you have reduced, decorate them with blanched almonds cut in small pieces, citron, or angelica cut in small pieces, and then put them on the ice, and, when very cold, serve. . =compote of apples.= pare ten apples, in which cut a hole in the center, put them in a saucepan with enough water to cover them, six ounces of sugar, and the rind of a lemon; simmer very gently until quite soft, without breaking; drain them, and reduce the juice three quarters on the fire, strain, pour it over your apples, which you have placed on a dish, and serve. . =pommes meringues.= pare and cut in quarters two dozen apples, removing the core and pips. put them in a saucepan on the fire with half a glass of water, six ounces of sugar, and the peel of an orange, grated. reduce one half, stirring constantly; then put them on the ice; beat six whites of eggs very stiff, add to them four ounces of sugar, stir them lightly together, cover your apples with the meringue, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and send to a gentle oven until lightly colored, then remove them, put them again on ice, and serve very cold. . =beignets of apples.= pare, cut in round quarters, and remove the core and pips of ten apples. put half a pound of flour in a bowl, in which break three eggs; mix them well with the flour, and add a little water, so as to make rather a liquid paste, but sufficiently solid to adhere to the apples, which dip into the paste, covering them entirely. put some lard in a frying-pan, in which, when very hot, fry your apples. when a bright yellow, drain them, sprinkle them with sugar, and serve hot. beignets of peaches are prepared in the same manner. . =beignets de crême à la vanille.= put in a saucepan four eggs, two ounces of corn starch, four ounces of sugar, and stir all well together; add a pint of milk, a teaspoonful of vanilla, place on the fire, stirring with a wooden spoon until boiling, and pour into a pan which you have buttered. let it become cold, then cut it into pieces an inch wide and three inches long. make a paste as for the foregoing article, in which dip your mixture (which you have cut in pieces), and fry in very hot lard. when colored a bright yellow, drain them, sprinkle them with sugar, and serve. . =beignets soufflés.= make a paste as for éclairs (art. ), adding a teaspoonful of extract of vanilla. put some lard in a frying-pan, which, when melted, should be about two and a half inches high in your pan, and, when very hot, take with a spoon some pieces of your paste about the size of a nut, drop them in your lard, and fry them a bright yellow; drain them, roll them in powdered sugar, and serve. . =almond puddings.= blanch and chop fine a quarter of a pound of almonds, which mix thoroughly together with two ounces of flour, four ounces of powdered sugar, and two ounces of corn starch. separate the whites and yolks of eight eggs. beat the yolks well, flavor them with vanilla, and mix together with the above ingredients. then beat the whites very stiff, and stir them in thoroughly with the rest. butter some little tin timbale-molds, which nearly fill with the mixture, cover with buttered paper, and place them in a pan in which you have put enough water to reach about three quarters of the height of the timbale-molds, and send to a moderate oven for about three quarters of an hour, or until done, of which you may judge by inserting a straw in the cake, and, if it comes out clean, it is sufficiently done. remove the cake from the molds. serve with the following sauce: with a small coffee-cup full of currant jelly, to which add about the same quantity of claret, add a little sugar, a very little stick cinnamon, and a little nutmeg. strain, and serve hot. obs.--this pudding, instead of the almonds, may be made with macaroons (about twelve), which should be well browned in the oven, and then crushed fine with a rolling-pin, and mixed with the flour, etc., in the same order as described for the almonds. . =baked custard.= break eight eggs in a bowl, to which add half a pound of sugar, a quart of milk, two tablespoonfuls of vanilla, and a sherry-glass of brandy. mix all well together, strain, put in a deep dish, and send to a gentle oven for about forty minutes, or until well colored on top. serve very cold. . =boiled custard.= put in a saucepan twelve eggs, to which mix gradually a pint and a half of milk; add half a pound of sugar, a tablespoonful of vanilla, and a sherry-glass of rum. put on the fire, stirring with an egg-beater until beginning to thicken, then remove the custard from the fire, not having allowed it to boil. strain, and stir until nearly cold. serve very cold. . =trifles.= soak some sponge cake in sherry, put it on a dish, place a layer of raspberry jam on top, which cover entirely with whipped cream, to which add some powdered sugar, and flavor with vanilla. . =brioche.= take a quarter of a pound of flour, make a hollow in the center, in which put half of a cake of yeast, and moisten with a little tepid water (about two ounces) until the paste is soft, then put it in a saucepan, and leave it in rather a warm place. then put three quarters of a pound of flour on a table, make a hollow in the center of the flour, in which put a pinch of sugar, seven eggs, one by one, mixing each thoroughly with the flour before adding another, and three quarters of a pound of butter, little by little, mixing it thoroughly with the flour and eggs. then see if your yeast has risen twice its height; and if so, add it to your paste, which put in a warm place eight hours; after which sprinkle a little flour on a table, form your paste into balls of about two ounces each, brush them over with beaten egg, send them to a hot oven, and, when well colored, remove from the oven. . =pâté à brioche panachée.= take half the quantity of the foregoing paste, roll it out half an inch thick, on top of which place a layer of peach marmalade, and send to the oven for about ten minutes; then sprinkle on top of the marmalade an ounce of currants, previously washed and dried, about twenty blanched almonds cut in small pieces, and a little citron, also cut in small pieces. then divide your brioche in pieces three inches long and an inch wide. serve cold. . =baba.= put four ounces of flour on a table, make a hollow in the center, in which put half a cake of yeast, and moisten with a little milk, so as to form a soft paste, which put in a saucepan, and leave in a warm place. then put six ounces of flour on a table, make a hollow in the center, in which put ten ounces of flour, two ounces of sugar, six ounces of butter, and three eggs. mix all well together, working it with the hands, and adding, one by one, three eggs and a wineglass of rum. then mix together an ounce of currants, with three ounces of raisins, from which you have removed the seeds, and half an ounce of citron, cut in small pieces, and add them to your paste, also the rest of your paste, with the yeast. fill a buttered mold a third of its height with your paste, and send to a moderate oven for about three quarters of an hour. pass the point of a knife into the baba, and if sufficiently done it will come out dry. then turn it out of your mold, pour over it two liqueur-glasses of rum, sprinkle a little sugar on top, and serve. instead of putting the baba in a large mold, you may put it in several very small ones if preferred. . =Éclairs.= put an ounce of butter in a saucepan on the fire, with about six tablespoonfuls of water. when beginning to boil, add about two and a half ounces of flour, stirring with a wooden spoon about five minutes, then remove from the fire, and add, one by one, four eggs, stirring rapidly, until each is well mixed. then put your mixture in a cornucopia of stiff paper, with a hole in the point, through which press it on a pan, forming little shapes similar to lady fingers. send them to a gentle oven for about twenty minutes, or until firm; let them become cold, then make an incision in them, the length of each, through the middle, in which place some whipped cream, to which you have added sugar and a little essence of coffee. then put in a copper saucepan, or one which is well enameled and thoroughly clean, half a pound of sugar, with a glass of water. after remaining on the fire a few moments, lift out a little of the sugar with a wooden spoon, and drop it in a cup of cold water. take the sugar between the thumb and third finger, separate them, and, if you may draw the sugar out in a fine thread without breaking, you have reached the desired result. put it in a bowl, and add a tablespoonful of the extract of coffee, stir until beginning to thicken, cover with it the top of each éclair, and, when cold, serve. . =chocolate Éclairs.= make a paste as for the foregoing, which form into éclairs, and bake as the above. put in a saucepan two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, two ounces of sugar, a glass of milk, a teaspoonful of vanilla, and stir all together on the fire. just before beginning to boil, remove from the fire and let it become cold. then fill the inside of your éclairs with your cream. melt an ounce of chocolate in a tablespoonful of water, boil half a pound of sugar as the foregoing, mix thoroughly with your chocolate, with which cover your éclairs. . =duchess cakes with peach marmalade.= make a paste as for éclairs (art. ), of which take about half a tablespoonful at a time, and place on a pan in oval form, as for meringues, only smaller, and about three inches apart. brush them with beaten egg, send them to a gentle oven, and, when they are done, make an incision in each one through the middle, and fill the inside with peach marmalade, or any other preferred. then put in a copper saucepan, or one which is well enameled and thoroughly clean, half a pound of sugar, with a glass of water. after remaining on the fire a few moments, lift out a little of the sugar with a wooden spoon, and drop it in a cup of cold water. take the sugar between the thumb and third finger, separate them, and, if you may draw the sugar out in a fine thread without breaking, you have reached the desired result. then cover the top of each cake with the sugar, and, when cold, serve. . =gâteau st. honoré.= take some pâté brisée (art. ), roll it out thin, and with it line a round tin pie-dish, which you have buttered. then take some paste, as for éclairs (art. ), and form a border of about an inch thick on top of your other paste in the pan, brush it over with beaten eggs, and send it to a moderate oven until thoroughly done, then remove it. make a cornucopia of stiff paper, with a hole cut in the end, fill it with éclair paste, press it out through the hole on a pan, forming the paste into about a dozen and a half small balls the size of a french chestnut, prick a hole in the bottom of each, and send them to the oven until done. when cold, dip them in melted sugar, as described in the foregoing article, place them all around the top of your paste in the pie-dish. whip a pint of cream, let it remain fifteen minutes on the ice, drain off all the moisture, mix well with your cream three ounces of sugar and half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and fill the inside of your pastry. you may, instead of vanilla, flavor your cream with rum, chocolate, or raspberry, and decorate the pastry with candied oranges, cherries, and other candied fruits. . =apple tart.= peel two dozen apples, which put in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of water and a little grated lemon-peel; stew them until soft, then add three ounces of sugar, and stir with a wooden spoon five minutes; then let them become cold. take some pâté brisée (art. ), roll it out thin, and with it line a pie-dish large enough to contain your apples, which place in the dish. roll out some more paste very thin, sprinkle it with flour, double it, cut it in strips a quarter of an inch wide, moisten the edges of your tart, and place the strips on top of your apples, a small space between each, fasten the ends to the edge of your dish, and brush the strips lightly with water; place an equal quantity of strips across and on top of the others, making a sort of lattice-work; brush them over with beaten egg, and send the tart to a hot oven; when three quarters done, remove it, brush it over with a little melted currant jelly; return it to the oven until thoroughly done both underneath and on top. . =apple tart à la portugaise.= line a pie-dish with some pâté brisée (art. ), then place on top a layer, about half an inch thick, of peach marmalade, and send to the oven until the paste is done. peel eight apples, cut them in two, remove the core and the pips, put them in a saucepan with a pint of water, six ounces of sugar, and the rind of a lemon; stew them until soft, without breaking; then drain them and place them on top of the peach marmalade in your tart, strain the juice of your apples, reduce it two thirds on the fire, and, just before serving, pour it over your tart. . =apricot tart.= line a pie-dish with some pâté brisée (art. ) rolled thin, sprinkle the bottom with powdered sugar, fill the dish with canned apricots, send it to a hot oven, and, when thoroughly done, sprinkle the top with powdered sugar, and serve. proceed in the same manner for tart of peaches, and currants (to which add more sugar), and cherries (first removing the stones). . =gâteau d'artois.= peel a dozen apples, remove the core and pips, and stew them with a tablespoonful of water in a saucepan. when soft, add two ounces of sugar and a little cinnamon, and stew ten minutes longer. take some puff paste (art. ), roll it out thin, divide it in two equal parts, spread your apples on one part, covering them with the other; moisten the edges of your paste, which fasten together by pressing upon the top layer with the thumb. then mark out lightly, with a knife, ten equal pieces, about four inches long and an inch and a half wide. brush the top with beaten egg, and send to a hot oven until well colored and thoroughly done underneath. cut the pieces through, which you have marked out, and serve. . =mince pie.= chop very fine half a pound of beef suet, three quarters of a pound of cold beef, three apples which you have peeled, two ounces of citron, and a little lemon-peel; add a pound of powdered sugar, half a pound of currants, the same of raisins, a teaspoonful of ginger, the same of nutmeg, half a pint of sherry, and a quarter of a pint of brandy. mix all well together in a jar, which cover, and let it remain for eight days. take some puff paste (art. ), roll it out thin, and with it line a flat pie-dish, into which place your mince meat, and cover with another layer of paste, which moisten and press all around the edge so as to fasten it securely. brush the top with beaten egg, and send to a moderate oven for about forty minutes, and, if sufficiently done, serve very hot. . =pastries à la condé.= put four ounces of almonds in boiling water, remove the skins, wash the almonds, dry them, and chop them fine. mix with them thoroughly two ounces of powdered sugar and half the white of an egg; roll out some puff paste (art. ) half an inch thick, five inches wide, and fourteen inches long. spread the almonds entirely over your paste, sprinkle lightly with sugar, and cut the paste in ten equal strips across the length. send them to rather a hot oven, and, when well colored, serve. . =gâteau fourré aux amandes.= put four ounces of almonds in boiling water, and remove the skins. pound the almonds to a paste, with which mix thoroughly four ounces of sugar, an ounce of butter, the yolks of two eggs, and half a sherry-glass of rum. take half a pound of puff paste (art. ), roll it a quarter of an inch thick, and, with a sufficient quantity, line a shallow pie-dish. moisten the edge of your paste, fill the pie-dish with your mixture of almonds, make a border with the rest of your paste around the edge of your dish, then, with the point of a knife, trace some fanciful design on the top, brush it over with beaten egg, send to a hot oven for about forty-five minutes, and, if well done underneath, sprinkle some powdered sugar on top, and, when melted, remove from the oven and serve. you may also serve this cold. . =gâteau fourré aux pommes.= peel and cut in quarters a dozen apples, from which remove the core and pips. put them in a saucepan on the fire with a sherry-glass of water, the peel of half a lemon, and four ounces of sugar. stew them for about seven or eight minutes, stir them for a few moments with a wooden spoon, let them become cold, and finish as described in the preceding article. . =gâteau fourré à la crême.= mix thoroughly together in a saucepan two ounces of flour with two eggs, add a glass of milk, stirring well, so as to make a smooth paste, then a glass of cream and half an ounce of butter. continue to stir with a wooden spoon until boiling, then let it simmer gently at the side of the range for fifteen minutes, stirring it from time to time. let it become cold, and add to it three ounces of sugar, two pounded macaroons, a teaspoonful of vanilla, and mix all well together. take some puff paste (art. ), and finish as for gâteau fourré aux amandes (art. ). . =mars.= take some brioche paste (art. ), roll it out a quarter of an inch thick, six inches wide, and sixteen inches long. cover it with apple marmalade, and send it to a very gentle oven for about ten minutes. then let it become cold, and cut it into strips an inch wide, across the length of the paste. beat six whites of eggs very stiff, mix with them half a pound of powdered sugar, with which cover each strip of pastry on top, about three quarters of an inch thick. blanch twenty almonds, cut them in long, thin strips, place them two by two on top of your pastries, the two points meeting in the center (six or eight pieces of almonds on each will be sufficient), sprinkle them with powdered sugar, and send them to the oven about twelve minutes, or until colored lightly. . =fanchonettes.= roll out thin some pâté brisée (art. ), with which line some little molds. fill them two thirds with apple, peach, or any other marmalade preferred, and send them to a hot oven twelve minutes. then let them become cold. beat six whites of eggs very stiff, and mix well with them half a pound of powdered sugar; cover your little tarts with it half an inch thick, and smooth it on top with the blade of a knife. make a cornucopia of stiff paper, cut a hole in the end of it, put in it some of the white of egg and sugar, and press it through the hole, forming on top of each tart, in a circle, six very small balls, and one in the center. sprinkle over them some powdered sugar, and send them to a very gentle oven. they should not be allowed to color. when they are firm, remove them from the oven, place on top of each little ball a very small piece of currant jelly, and serve. . =cream pastries with almonds.= take some puff paste (art. ), roll it out very thin, and cut it in ten pieces, each about three inches wide and four inches long. send them to the oven, and, when done, take them out; then cut ten other pieces of the same size as the above, and brush them with beaten egg; blanch two ounces of almonds, chop them fine, mix with them a very little powdered sugar, a _very_ little white of egg, and sprinkle them on top of your ten pieces of paste, which send to the oven until well colored, and let them become cold. beat up half a pint of cream, put it on the ice about fifteen minutes, drain it on a sieve, mix with it, in a bowl, an ounce of sugar and a little extract of vanilla. place your cream on the plain pieces of pastry, and cover with those on which you have sprinkled the almonds. . =gâteau madeleine à l'orange.= put in a bowl half a pound of powdered sugar, the same of flour, four eggs, the grated peel of an orange, and mix all well together. put half a pound of butter near the fire, so as to make it soft without melting it quite liquid, and add it to your other ingredients. butter ten little tin molds, which fill three quarters with your mixture, and send them to a gentle oven for about twenty minutes, or until thoroughly done, of which you may judge by passing the point of a knife through one, and, if it comes out dry, your cake is sufficiently baked. instead of the orange-peel, you may flavor, if you wish, with vanilla, adding some currants and citron cut in very small pieces. . =gâteau genoise.= put in a bowl half a pound of sugar with half a pound of butter, heated, so as to be a little soft. beat up both together quickly with a wooden spoon for three or four minutes, then add three eggs, one by one, mixing each thoroughly before adding another. then add the yolks of three eggs, the grated peel of half a lemon; stir all well together, adding half a pound of flour; beat the three whites of your eggs, and add them to the foregoing. butter a pan, into which pour your mixture about three quarters of an inch thick; send it to a gentle oven for about thirty minutes, cut it in small pieces, and ice it as for coffee éclairs (art. ). . =gâteau savarin.= put three ounces of flour in a bowl, with half a cake of yeast, adding about two sherry-glasses of lukewarm milk, so as to form a soft paste, to which, when risen double its height, add twelve ounces of flour, seven ounces of butter (a little warm), a pinch of salt, an ounce of sugar, and seven eggs. beat up your mixture well with a wooden spoon, and, while beating, add, one by one, four eggs. when the mixture no longer sticks to the bowl, you have beaten it enough; then add to it half an ounce of citron cut in very small pieces, and put it in rather a warm place for about two hours. butter a tin mold, which sprinkle with a few chopped almonds, fill the mold one half with your mixture, and let it rise half as much again; then send to a moderate oven, slip the point of a knife into the cake, and, if it comes out dry, it is sufficiently done. turn it out of your mold; put four ounces of sugar, with a glass of water, in a saucepan on the fire, boil five minutes, add a tablespoonful of anisette, two tablespoonfuls of rum, and one of curaçoa, which pour gradually over your cake until absorbed, and serve. . =manquet.= put the yolks of eight eggs in a bowl with half a pound of sugar, and stir with a wooden spoon three or four minutes; then add the grated peel of a lemon. whip the three whites of your eggs until very stiff, add them gradually to the above ingredients, also an ounce of melted butter, and stir all together lightly. butter a tin mold, dust it with flour, pour into it your mixture, and send it to a gentle oven for about half an hour. slip the point of a knife into your cake, and, if it comes out dry, it is sufficiently done. . =sponge cake.= put in a bowl a pound of flour, three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar, two eggs, two glasses of milk, and the grated rind of a lemon. mix all well together, and then add six ounces of melted butter, and a teaspoonful of royal baking powder. butter a tin mold, in which pour your mixture; send it to a gentle oven, and, when sufficiently colored, slip the point of a knife into it, and, if it comes out dry, your cake is done. turn it out of the mold, and serve. . =lady fingers.= put four ounces of powdered sugar in a bowl, with the yolks of four eggs, and stir them well together with a wooden spoon, until they become white and slightly consistent; then add three ounces of flour and a little grated lemon-peel. beat up the whites of your eggs until very stiff, then mix them lightly, in small quantities at a time, with your other ingredients. pour your mixture into a cornucopia made of stiff paper, with a hole in the end, through which press it on a pan (on which you have spread a sheet of white paper), forming it into lady fingers, about five inches long and not quite an inch wide, sprinkle each with powdered sugar, and send them to a very gentle oven, watching them, so that they do not color too much. when they are firm, slip the blade of a knife underneath them, so as to remove them from the pan, and serve. . =savoy cake.= put the yolks of three eggs in a bowl, with four ounces of powdered sugar, beat them well until slightly consistent, and add to them an ounce and a half of flour, an ounce of corn starch, a few drops of extract of vanilla, and mix all well together. beat up the whites of your eggs very stiff, and stir them lightly with your other ingredients. butter a mold, which sprinkle with sugar, and into which pour your mixture. send it to a gentle oven, and, when it is done (of which you may judge by slipping the point of a knife into it, and, if it comes out dry, your cake is sufficiently baked), turn it out of the mold, let it become cold, and serve. . =macaroons.= put half a pound of almonds in boiling water, remove the skins, then put the almonds in cold water, which drain off, and put them in the oven to dry. pound them to a paste, adding, by degrees, the white of an egg; then add a pound and a half of powdered sugar, again pound well, adding, little by little, the whites of two eggs. spread on a pan a sheet of white paper, form your mixture in little rounds, somewhat smaller than a twenty-five cent piece, place them on top of the paper in your pan, each about an inch and a half apart from the other. send them to a gentle oven for about twelve minutes, the door of the oven shut, and, at the end of that time, if they are well colored, remove them from the oven, let them become cold, turn the paper upside down, moisten it with a little water underneath, and remove the macaroons. . =tea cakes.= put on a table a pound of flour, which you have previously sifted, make a hole in the middle, in which place half a pound of butter, six ounces of powdered sugar, a pinch of ginger, and four eggs. mix all well together, and roll out your paste extremely thin, cut it out in rounds or squares, which put on a pan, which you have buttered lightly, brush your cakes with beaten egg, sprinkle them on top with half a pound of currants. send them to the oven, and, when colored a bright yellow, remove them, and serve when needed. . =chocolate cakes.= make the same mixture as for savoy cake (art. ), put it in a cornucopia made of stiff paper, with a hole in the end, through which press it on a pan (on which you have spread a sheet of white paper), and form it into small rounds about the size of a fifty-cent piece. send them to a gentle oven until they are quite firm, then let them become cold, and cut them all the same size with a small round cutter. spread a layer of peach or other marmalade on the half of your cakes, which cover with the other half. melt about two ounces of chocolate in about two tablespoonfuls of water. put in a saucepan on the fire half a pound of sugar, with half a glass of water, boil for about eight to ten minutes, lift out some of the sugar with a spoon, drop it into cold water, place it between the thumb and third finger, and, if you may draw the sugar out into a long fine thread without breaking, you have reached the desired result. then put your chocolate in a bowl, add your sugar, stirring until beginning to thicken. take as many little wooden skewers as you have cakes, sharpen them to a fine point, stick one into each cake, which dip into your chocolate and sugar, covering it entirely. put a colander upside down on a table, and in the holes place the ends of your sticks, thereby allowing the cakes on the opposite end to dry, after which remove your cakes from the sticks, and serve when needed. . =angel cake.= beat the whites of eleven eggs very stiff. mix with half a pound of sifted flour, half a pound of sugar, and a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. flavor with extract of almond or extract of pineapple. then mix all together with the whites of eggs, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty minutes, or until thoroughly done, of which you may judge by passing the point of a knife into your cake, and, if it comes out dry, it is sufficiently done. do not butter the pan for this cake. . =pound cake.= put in a bowl half a pound of butter, which you have put in rather a warm place, so as to be a little soft. add two eggs, which beat well together with the butter for four or five minutes. add another egg, which also beat five minutes, and then another, and beat all together the same length of time, and mix with the foregoing half a pound of flour, four ounces of currants, and the same of raisins, which you have stoned. butter a mold, put a piece of paper in the bottom, and also around the sides, pour your mixture into the mold, and send it to a moderate oven for about an hour. pass the point of a knife into your cake, and, if it comes out dry, it is sufficiently done. . =charlotte-russe.= butter a tin mold, the bottom and sides of which line with lady fingers. whip a pint of cream until quite firm, and put it on the ice. dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in about a sherry-glass of hot water, then add four ounces of sugar. boil a sherry-glass of milk, remove it from the fire, and mix with it four eggs, stirring rapidly. strain your gelatine and sugar, and add them, with a teaspoonful of vanilla, to your other ingredients, and mix all well together. when beginning to stiffen, add your whipped cream, which remove from the bowl with a skimmer, so as to drain off all moisture. fill your mold with the cream, put it on ice for an hour, take it out of the mold, and serve. . =bavarian strawberry cream.= dissolve a quarter of an ounce of gelatine in three or four tablespoonfuls of hot water, then add to it four ounces of powdered sugar, and put it through a sieve. whip a pint of cream, and, when firm, put it on ice for a quarter of an hour. press four ounces of strawberries through a sieve, which put in a bowl with your gelatine and sugar. when beginning to stiffen slightly, add your whipped cream, which remove from the bowl with a skimmer, so as to drain off all moisture. mix all well together, and pour into a mold, which put on ice for about an hour. then turn your cream out of the mold, and serve. . =bavarian chocolate cream.= prepare exactly as for the foregoing, adding two ounces of chocolate which you have previously melted. . =bavarian vanilla cream.= proceed as for bavarian strawberry cream (art. ), except that instead of adding strawberries, flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla. . =bavarian coffee cream.= proceed as for bavarian strawberry cream (art. ), but, instead of strawberries, flavor with a tablespoonful of essence of coffee. . =jelly of rum.= dissolve two ounces of gelatine in a pint and a half of very hot water on the fire, and, when melted, add ten ounces of sugar. beat three whites of eggs with half a glass of water, which mix with your gelatine, stirring quickly with an egg-beater. then put all on the fire until boiling, then remove to the back of the range to simmer gently for half an hour. strain your jelly through a flannel until perfectly clear, and add three sherry-glasses of rum. pour it into a mold, which put on the ice until sufficiently stiff to turn out. . =wine jelly.= proceed as for the foregoing, adding a pint and a quarter of water (instead of a pint and a half), the juice of a lemon, a very small piece of cinnamon stick, a gill of sherry, and a sherry-glass of brandy. finish as the preceding. . =meringues.= beat the whites of eight eggs as stiff as possible, then mix with them lightly three quarters of a pound of sugar; but do not beat them after adding the sugar. fill a tablespoon with your beaten eggs, which place in oval form on a board slightly moistened and covered with a sheet of white paper; continue until your eggs are all used, and place each spoonful about an inch apart from the other. send to a very gentle oven, with the door shut, for about ten minutes, and, if sufficiently firm, remove them, turn them over on a pan, which put in a _very_ gentle oven for about three quarters of an hour; take them out, press them in the middle with your thumb, so as to render them hollow, and, when cold, fill them with whipped cream to which you have added two ounces of sugar and a teaspoonful of vanilla. when the weather is very hot, and it is sometimes difficult to whip cream, put it in a bowl, which place in a larger one, and surround the smaller with cracked ice, mixed with a little rock salt. . =jelly of mixed fruits.= dissolve on the fire two ounces of gelatine in three or four tablespoonfuls of water, add ten ounces of sugar, and, when melted, remove from the fire. mix the whites of three eggs in half a glass of water, add to your gelatine, stirring quickly with an egg-beater. then put all on the fire until boiling, then remove to the back of the range to simmer gently for half an hour. strain your jelly through a flannel until perfectly clear; pour a little of it into a mold, and, when the jelly is sufficiently stiff, place on top of it two dozen very red cherries from which you have removed the stones, an ounce of white currants, the same of red, two ounces of pineapple, and the same of raspberries, or strawberries if in season. pour the rest of your jelly into the mold, which put on the ice until sufficiently stiff to turn out of the mold. . =french chestnuts with coffee sauce.= remove the shells from three dozen french chestnuts, boil the chestnuts five minutes in water, then peel off the skin which covers them, put them in a saucepan on the fire, with enough water to cover them, and two ounces of sugar; boil them until soft, without breaking, and drain them. put in a saucepan on the fire four yolks of eggs, three ounces of sugar, a teacupful of black coffee, and half a glass of cream. stir until just before boiling, then strain it, allow it to become cold, pour it over your marrons, and serve. . =nougat.= put half a pound of almonds in boiling water for two or three minutes, remove the skins, wash the almonds, and cut them each in seven or eight long strips, then put them in the oven to dry. put in a copper or well-enameled saucepan, on the fire, five ounces of powdered sugar, which be careful to stir very gently until colored brown, then add your almonds, which should be slightly browned and very hot. mix all together, rub a little oil lightly over a pan, into which pour your nougat, cut it immediately into pieces about four inches long and an inch and a half wide, and let them become cold. . =vanilla ice cream.= put in a saucepan on the fire a quart of milk, three quarters of a pound of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of extract of vanilla, and eight yolks of eggs. stir well with an egg-beater, and, when beginning to thicken without boiling, strain your mixture and allow it to become cold. place the tin freezer into the pail belonging to it, surround it with chopped ice mixed with about half a pound of rock salt, pour your cream into the tin can, which cover, and then turn the handle at the side of the pail rapidly around for a few moments, take off the cover from the can, and with a spoon detach any of the cream which may have frozen to the sides. again put on the cover, continue to turn the handle, repeating from time to time the operation just described, and pressing the cream down with the spoon, so as to make it smooth. when the cream is thoroughly frozen, put it into a mold, place a piece of thick paper on top, over which shut down the cover securely. place your mold in a bowl, surround it with chopped ice, with which mix two handfuls of rock salt. just before serving, turn your ice cream out of the mold by dipping it for a few seconds in warm water. instead of extract of vanilla, the vanilla-bean will give a much better flavor. . =coffee ice cream.= put in a saucepan on the fire a pint and a half of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, fourteen ounces of sugar, and half a pint of very strong black coffee. stir well with an egg-beater, and, when beginning to thicken without boiling, strain your mixture, allow it to become cold, and freeze as the foregoing. . =chocolate ice cream.= prepare a mixture as for vanilla ice cream (art. ). melt four ounces of chocolate in half a glass of water, on the fire, add it to your mixture, strain it through a sieve, and freeze as described in art. . . =strawberry ice cream.= press through a sieve a sufficient quantity of strawberries to obtain half a pint of juice, which put into a tin freezing-can with three quarters of a pound of sugar and a quart of cream, and freeze as vanilla ice cream (art. ). . =strawberry mousse.= proceed as for strawberry ice cream, and, when half frozen, stir into it quickly a pint of whipped cream, put it in a mold for two hours, surrounded by cracked ice and a little rock salt, then turn it out, and serve. whipped cream may be added to all kinds of plain ice creams. . =neapolitan ice cream.= prepare a mixture as for vanilla ice cream (art. ). let it become cold, put it in the freezer, and, when not quite frozen, take out one third of it, stirring into it rapidly about an ounce and a half of chocolate, which you have previously melted. put it into a mold, which place in a large bowl, and surround the mold with cracked ice, and about two handfuls of rock salt. when the ice cream is sufficiently stiff to support another layer on top, take out the half of that which is in the freezer, place it in your mold on top of the chocolate ice cream. then mix with the remaining portion of ice cream not quite a gill of strawberry juice, and place in your mold, which leave two hours in the ice, turn the ice cream out, and serve. . =nesselrode pudding.= remove the shells from two dozen french chestnuts, which put in a saucepan, with a little water, then peel off the skin which covers them, and put the chestnuts in a saucepan on the fire, with a pint of water and a pound of sugar. boil them until very soft, then press them through a sieve, and put them again in a saucepan with a pint of cream, in which you mixed the yolks of four eggs. just before beginning to boil, put your mixture through a sieve, add an ounce of raisins, which you have stoned, an ounce of currants, two sherry-glasses of yellow chartreuse, and freeze it, as described in art. . when frozen, cut four candied apricots, also four candied green gages, and half an ounce of citron all in small pieces, add three ounces of candied cherries; mix them thoroughly in your ice cream, which put in a mold, a thick piece of paper on top, and the cover securely shut down upon it. put some cracked ice, mixed with two handfuls of rock salt, in a bowl, in the middle of which place your mold, covering it entirely with the ice and salt, where let it remain two hours, then turn the ice cream out of the mold, first dipping it for a few seconds in warm water. . =frozen apple pudding à la marie héloise.= cut four ounces of almonds, and the same of citron, into long thin strips, and boil them in a thick sugar sirup, with four ounces of large raisins, and the same of candied cherries; when boiled, let them become cold. pare twenty-four large apples, which cut in quarters, remove the core, and stew them in a little water, then press them through a sieve, add half a pound of powdered sugar and a glass of orange marmalade or quince jelly. when cold, add the almonds, citron, cherries, and raisins, a sherry-glass of brandy, the same of maraschino, and put the whole into a freezer and freeze from ten to fifteen minutes. then stir into it rapidly a pint of stiff whipped cream, and put into a mold, which place in a large bowl, and surround the mold with cracked ice mixed with about two handfuls of rock salt. leave it for two hours, then turn it out of the mold on a dish, surround it with whipped cream, to which you have added about two ounces of sugar, and flavored with vanilla. . =orange ice.= put a quart of water in a saucepan on the fire, with three quarters of a pound of sugar, which boil ten minutes, remove from the fire and allow it to become cold. take the juice of a dozen oranges and four lemons, strain, rasp a lump of sugar with the rind of an orange, which add to the juice, mix all together with the water and sugar, and freeze, as described in art. . strawberry and raspberry ice are prepared in the same manner, except that they are pressed through a sieve. . =pineapple ice.= for this, take a pint and a half of water, four lemons, three quarters of a pound of sugar, a pound and a half of pineapple, which chop fine and pound in a mortar, press through a sieve, and finish as the above. . =orange baskets.= take ten oranges, as large as possible; with a penknife, or the point of a small, sharp knife, form the handle of the basket, by beginning at the side of the orange and cutting a line across the top, stopping just opposite where you have begun. cut another line exactly as the first, half an inch apart from it, then cut around the orange in the middle, stopping at where the handle is marked out. remove the two quarters of peel, pass the knife under the handle, so as to loosen the orange, which remove as carefully as possible, and proceed in the same manner, so as to remove most of the orange from the basket, and the remainder scoop out with a teaspoon. dry the baskets with a cloth, tie the handles with bows of narrow ribbons of all colors, fill them with orange ice as the foregoing, and serve. . =roman punch.= put in a saucepan on the fire three quarters of a pound of sugar, with three pints of water, boil ten minutes, then put aside to become cold. then put in a freezer, and, when nearly frozen, stir into it rapidly a gill of rum and the juice of four lemons. appendix. _a few american receipts for buckwheat cakes, waffles, etc._ . =buckwheat cakes.= mix a cupful of buckwheat meal in a bowl with enough water to make the consistency of cream; add a pinch of salt and a wineglass of yeast, and allow it to remain over night; then bake on a very dry griddle till the cakes are of a light brown. . =wheat flannel cakes.= mix together eight tablespoonfuls of wheat flour with a gill of yeast, the same of fresh milk, and a little salt; put in a covered bowl over night to rise, and in the morning bake on a griddle, and turn the cakes on one side and then on the other, until both are browned. if the above mixture should become acid, add half a teaspoonful of soda well mixed in a little water. . =indian meal griddle cakes.= mix well together with a pint of indian meal a quart of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, a little salt, and two eggs; beat all well together and bake on a griddle. . =corn bread.= with two teacupfuls of hot hominy mix a liberal tablespoonful of butter; beat four eggs very light, and stir them into the hominy and butter; then add gradually a pint of milk, stirring constantly, and, when thoroughly mixed, half a pint of indian meal. if thicker than the consistency of rich boiled custard, add a little more milk. bake in a deep pan (so as to allow the mixture to rise), in an oven which is quite hot at the bottom and not too much so at the top. . =fairies.= with a pint of flour mix a scant tablespoonful of butter, some salt, and enough water to make a dough which may be kneaded. when kneaded sufficiently, roll the dough out as thin as a sheet of paper; cut it in rounds with a muffin-ring, prick them with a fork, and bake them for an instant in a moderately hot oven. . =waffles.= dissolve half a pound of fresh butter in a quart of new milk; then thoroughly mix with the above a quart of flour; add six fresh eggs which you have previously beaten very light, and a little salt. bake in waffle-irons, which should be greased with good butter after the baking of each waffle. butter the waffles while very hot, before serving, and serve with them one and a half tablespoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, well mixed with six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. when very rich cream may be procured, three or four tablespoonfuls may be added to the milk in the above receipt. . =gingerbread.= mix well with a pint of molasses half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, and three eggs. dissolve an ounce of baking soda in a pint of water, which add to the above ingredients, with also an ounce of ground ginger; then add two pounds of flour; mix all well together, and bake in a moderately hot oven. . =ginger snaps.= sift half an ounce of baking soda through a pound and three quarters of flour; also sift half a pound of sugar through the flour, which then mix well with half a pound of butter; add half an ounce of ginger, the same of ground allspice; mix together a pint of molasses with half a gill of water, which add to the other ingredients, mixing all thoroughly together; roll out very thin and bake until very crisp. when ginger snaps are liked very hot, sometimes red pepper is added. . =cookies.= take four ounces of butter, three ounces of pulverized sugar, and six ounces of flour; rub all together until in crumbs; add two yolks of eggs, which mix thoroughly together with the above ingredients until quite smooth. put this mixture on a plate, which cover with another plate, and let it rest in a cool place for half an hour; roll it out an eighth of an inch thick, cut it out in small rounds a little larger than a silver dollar, and bake in a moderate oven until colored a _very_ light brown; spread some raspberry jam on half of the rounds, and cover with the other half. . =boiled potatoes.= take about twelve potatoes, which wash well in cold water; peel them, cutting out the eyes or any black specks which the potatoes may have; then put them in a saucepan in which there is enough cold water to cover them, sprinkle them over with about a teaspoonful of salt, and put them on the fire for about half an hour, then pierce them with a fork, to see if they are thoroughly done; if so, drain them, place a cloth on top of them, cover the saucepan with its lid, and put it at the side of the range, to steam the potatoes until quite dry, and serve them very hot. some persons prefer them boiled and served with the skins on, or boiled in their skins and peeled before serving. . =boiled rice.= take three quarters of a pound of rice, which wash well in cold water, drain and rub the rice with your hands; pick out the yellow grains and specks of black; then wash the rice again three or four times, changing the water, and rubbing it with the hands. after the last time, pour some cold water over it, and put it in a saucepan on the fire in which there are about five quarts of _boiling_ water. stir with a wooden spoon, and add half a teaspoonful of salt. boil the rice rapidly for about twenty minutes, skimming off at intervals the scum which rises. when the rice is soft, drain it, and then pour a little cold water over it, which also drain instantly. put the rice, without any water, into a saucepan, which half cover, and put at the side of the range. stir every now and then, and, when the rice is perfectly dry, serve. index. chapter i. soups. art. page . american green-turtle soup . arrowroot soup . bouillon, or beef broth . bouillon maigre . bouillon maigre of fish . beef soup . bouillabaisse à la marseillaise . consommé, or stock . consommé with poached eggs . consommé royal . consommé rachel . chicken consommé . chicken giblet . chicken gumbo . chicken okra, with oysters . calf's-feet soup . clam chowder à la thayer . english mutton broth . english ox-tail soup . english hare soup . farina soup . french ox-tail soup . farce . green-turtle soup à la londonderry . giblet soup of goose . mullagatawny soup . mock-turtle soup . olla podrida . pot-au-feu . potage aux pointes d'asperges . potage de nouilles . rice soup à la créole . rye soup à l'allemande . sorrel soup . sago soup . soup à la brunoise . soup à la bohemienne . soup à la d'orsay . soup à la julienne . soup à la paysanne . soup à la pluche de cerfeuil . soup à la princesse . soup aux quenelles de volaille . soup of sturgeon à la pierre legrand . soup with italian paste . soup with poached eggs à la styrie . soup with rice . tapioca soup . terrapin soup . vermicelli soup . vermicelli soup with green peas purÉes. . bisque of clams . bisque of crawfish . bisque of lobster . cream of sorrel . purée of asparagus . purée of barley . purée of celery . purée of fowl à la reine . purée of green peas . purée of jerusalem artichokes . purée of lentils . purée of peas à la princesse . purée of potatoes à la jackson . purée of partridge . purée of rice . purée of rabbit . purée of sorrel . purée soubise à la princesse . purée of vegetables aux croûtons . purée of white beans . rice soup à la crécy . rice soup au lait d'amandes . split-pea soup . tomato soup chapter ii. sauces. . sauce allemande . sauce à la poulette . sauce à la marinière . sauce béarnaise . sauce bordelaise . another way of making sauce bordelaise . sauce colbert . sauce fleurette . sauce génevoise . sauce hollandaise . sauce hachée . sauce mayonnaise . sauce périgueux . sauce piquante . sauce poivrade . sauce ravigote (hot) . sauce ravigote (cold) . sauce remoulade (cold) . sauce remoulade (hot) . sauce robert . sauce soubise . sauce suprême . sauce tartare . sauce veloutée . sauce venétienne . béchamel sauce . bread sauce . hunter sauce . italian sauce . lobster sauce . parisian sauce . shrimp sauce . spanish sauce . tomato sauce . white sauce or butter sauce chapter iii. fish. . boiled striped bass à la venétienne . black bass, burgundy sauce . baked blue-fish, tomato sauce . boiled codfish, oyster sauce . codfish au gratin . eels en matelote . eels à la tartare . baked fillet of sole (or flounder) . fish-balls . halibut, lobster sauce . halibut, sauce suprême . chicken halibut aux fines herbes . king-fish, sherry sauce . pickerel, anchovy sauce . boiled red snapper with butter sauce . red snapper à la chambord . ray, with caper sauce . ray, au beurre noir . boiled salmon, madeira sauce . scallops of white-fish à la provençale . sheep's head, shrimp sauce . fillet of shad with purée of sorrel . broiled shad à la maître d'hôtel . fried smelts . farcied smelts . trout à la génevoise . long island brook trout . salmon trout, sauce hollandaise . scallops of trout . weak-fish, italian sauce clams, oysters, lobsters, etc. . clam fritters . clams on toast . clams au gratin . soft clams steamed . crawfish à la bordelaise . soft-shell crabs . farcied crabs . deviled crabs . fried frogs' legs . frogs' legs à la poulette . frogs' legs à la marinière . frogs' legs à la maître d'hôtel . lobster au naturel . lobsters à la havraise . broiled lobster . lobster à la bordelaise . lobster à l'indienne . deviled lobster . farcied lobster . croquettes of lobster . mussels à la marinière . oysters à la poulette . oysters à la mosely . oysters au gratin . oysters on toast . farcied oysters à l'africaine . fried oysters . broiled oysters . cromesqui of oysters . oyster fritters . stewed terrapin à la lucie . stewed terrapin à la maryland . stewed terrapin (another manner) chapter iv. _entrÉes._ beef. . beef à la mode . beef's brains au beurre noir . beef's brains à la poulette . beef-kidneys, sautés au vin blanc . hashed beef . braised beef, tomato sauce . fillet of beef sauté, madeira sauce . tenderloins of beef, with potatoes à la parisienne . beef tongue, sauce piquante . beef's tongue à la jardinière . smoked beef's tongue, wine sauce with mushrooms . porter-house steak à la bordelaise . rump steak broiled à la maître d'hôtel . sirloin steak broiled, with anchovy sauce . beefsteak pie . glaze . boiled marrow-bones . ox-tails braised . tripe à la lyonnaise . tripe à la mode de caen . broiled tripe . fried tripe veal. . blanquette of veal . calves' brains au gratin . calves' brains à la poulette . fried calves' brains, tomato sauce . calves' ears farcied . calf's feet à la poulette . calf's heart aux fines herbes . calf's head à la vinaigrette . baked calf's head à l'italienne . calf's head en tortue . braised calf's liver à la bourgignone . broiled calf's liver . calves' liver sauté, sauce poivrade . calf's liver with bacon . calves' tongues . fricandeau of veal . sweetbreads aux fines herbes . sweetbreads larded with peas . sweetbread croquettes . veal chops à la mayonnaise . veal chops piqués . veal cutlets à l'allemande . braised tendons of veal à la macédoine . braised tendons of veal with purée of celery . minced veal, with poached eggs on top . veal pot-pie . veal kidneys sautés . deviled veal kidneys mutton. . breast of lamb, with asparagus . epigramme of lamb . irish stew . mutton chops à la pompadour . mutton chops à la soubise . mutton chops en crépinette . mutton chops sautés . breast of mutton . roast leg of mutton à la bretonne . boiled leg of mutton . leg of mutton en venaison . roast saddle of mutton . shoulder of mutton farcied . sheep's feet à la poulette . sheep's brains . sheep's kidneys en brochette pork. . glazed ham . glazed ham with champagne sauce . glazed ham with truffles . ham à l'américaine . ham à la zingara . ham toast . roast ham . broiled pig's feet . pig's head, sauce poivrade . pig's kidneys sautés . pig's tongue . broiled pork chops . pork chops à l'indienne . pork chops, sauce robert . fillet of pork à la fermière . sausage of fresh pork . frankfort sausages, with sourcrout . spare-ribs, apple sauce . roast sucking pig farcied poultry and game, with roasts of same. . puff paste . pâté brisée . aspic de foie gras . aspic (another manner of making it) . boiled fowl, caper sauce . bouchées de salpicon . croüstades de salpicon . chicken à la financière . chicken à la marengo . chicken à la toulouse . chicken sauté aux fines herbes . chicken sauté à la hongroise . chicken sauté au chasseur . boned chicken . broiled chicken . broiled chickens (deviled) . chicken croquettes . cromesqui of chicken . fricassée of chicken . larded chicken . chicken pie à la christine . roast spring chicken . chicken with rice . timbale of chicken . suprême de volaille . ducks with olives . ducks with purée of peas . duck with turnip . tame duck roasted . braised goose, celery sauce . roast goose . pigeons en compote . pigeons poêlés . boned turkey . roast turkey stuffed . turkey with truffles . roast canvas-back ducks . red-head ducks . broiled red-head ducks . salmi of red-head ducks . hare à la bourgeoise . ragoût of hare . fillets of hare sautés . roast hare . partridge aux choux . broiled partridge . deviled partridge . roast partridge . salmi of partridge . suprême of partridge . timbale of partridge . truffled partridge . broiled plover . broiled quail . quail en caisse . roast quail . quail with truffles . rabbit à l'espagnole . hash of rabbit . roast rabbit . ragoût of rabbit . rabbit sauté à la minute . reed birds . snipe . broiled squabs . broiled squabs (deviled) . squabs en compote . roast squab . squabs with green peas . braised fillets of venison . venison chops . venison chops, with currant jelly sauce . leg of venison . ragoût of venison . saddle of venison . broiled woodcock . roast woodcock chapter v. vegetables. . artichokes à la barrigoule . fried artichokes . fonds d'artichauts a l'italienne . fonds d'artichauts à la macédoine . purée of artichokes . raw artichokes à la vinaigrette . artichokes with butter sauce . jerusalem artichokes . purée of jerusalem artichokes . jerusalem artichokes au gratin . asparagus with butter sauce . asparagus with french rolls . pointes d'asperges au veloutée . asperges en petits pois . dried beans . dried lima beans . lima beans . beans panachés . purée of dried beans . red beans . white beans sautés . windsor beans . windsor beans à l'anglaise . purée of windsor beans . string-beans à l'anglaise . string-beans sautés . pickled beets . beets with butter . cabbage au gratin . cabbage farcied . cabbage sauté au beurre . carrots sautés au beurre . cauliflower au gratin . cauliflower au veloutée . cauliflower with butter sauce . fried celery, tomato sauce . purée of celery . celery with marrow . celery with white sauce . purée of french chestnuts . chiccory with cream . stewed corn with cream . new orleans corn pudding . cucumbers farcied . cucumbers with cream . egg-plant farcied . egg-plant fried . horse-radish sauce (cold) . horse-radish sauce (hot) . lentils . lentils à la maître d'hôtel . purée of lentils . braised lettuce, madeira sauce . farcied lettuce . macédoine of vegetables . stewed mushrooms à la princesse . mushrooms au gratin . mushrooms au gratin (another way) . broiled mushrooms . stewed mushrooms, spanish sauce . boiled onions . fried onions . onions glacés . green peas à l'anglaise . green peas à la française . green peas à la paysanne . purée of green peas . green peas with bacon . potatoes à l'anglaise . potatoes à l'anna . potatoes à la duchesse . potatoes à la hollandaise . potatoes à la lyonnaise . potatoes à la maître d'hôtel . potatoes à la parisienne . potatoes à la parmentière . potatoes à la provençale . baked hashed potatoes . baked mashed potatoes . boiled potatoes . potato croquettes . fried potatoes en julienne . potatoes farcied . fried potatoes . hashed potatoes with cream . mashed potatoes . mashed potatoes with bacon . ragoût of potatoes à la paysanne . saratoga potatoes . potatoes sautés . fried salsify . salsify with butter sauce . sourcrout . spinach à l'anglaise . spinach à l'espagnole . spinach with cream . brussels sprouts . squash . succotash . broiled tomatoes . farcied tomatoes . stewed tomatoes . turnips glacés au jus . purée of turnips . turnips with cream chapter vi. _eggs, macaroni, salads, etc._ eggs. . aspic with eggs . eggs à l'aurore . eggs à la huguenot . eggs à la jardinière . eggs à la lyonnaise . eggs à la marseillaise . eggs à la portugaise . eggs à la tripe . eggs au beurre noir . eggs au gratin . curried eggs with rice . eggs en timbale . eggs en turban . fried eggs . eggs sur le plat . eggs with cream . eggs with cucumbers . eggs with sauce mayonnaise . poached eggs au jus . poached eggs with anchovy toast . poached eggs with anchovy sauce . poached eggs with asparagus . poached eggs with purée of sorrel . poached eggs with wine sauce . scrambled eggs . scrambled eggs with asparagus . scrambled eggs with ham . scrambled eggs with peas . scrambled eggs with tomatoes . scrambled eggs with truffles . omelette aux fines herbes . omelette (plain) . omelette with asparagus tops . omelette with cheese . omelette with chickens' livers . omelette with ham . omelette with kidneys . omelette with mushrooms . omelette with onions . omelette with peas . omelette with smoked beef . spanish omelette . omelette with sorrel . omelette with tomatoes macaroni. . baked macaroni . macaroni à l'italienne . macaroni à la milanaise . macaroni à la napolitaine . macaroni with cream . risotto à la finne . risotto hongroise . risotto napolitaine . spaghetti salads. . salad à la macédoine . salad à la toulouse . salad of beans . salad of cauliflower . salad of celery-roots . chicken salad . salad of herring à l'allemande . italian salad . salad of lentils . lobster salad . parisian salad . potato salad . russian salad of truffles . cold slaw cheese. . cheese biscuits . cheese soufflés . cheese straws . ramequins chapter vii. desserts and cakes. . apple charlottes . apples à la condé . beignets of apples . compote of apples . pommes meringues . apple tart . apple tart à la portugaise . apricot tart . baba . fried bananas . bavarian chocolate cream . bavarian coffee cream . bavarian strawberry cream . bavarian vanilla cream . beignets de crême à la vanille . beignets soufflés . brioche . pâté à brioche panachée . charlotte-russe . french chestnuts with coffee sauce . cream pastries with almonds . rice croquettes . baked custard . boiled custard . duchess cakes with peach marmalade . chocolate éclairs . Éclairs . fanchonettes . french pancakes . gâteau d'artois . gâteau fourré à la crême . gâteau fourré aux amandes . gâteau fourré aux pommes . gâteau st. honoré . jelly of mixed fruits . jelly of rum . wine jelly . mars . meringues . mince pie . nougat . omelette à la celéstine . omelette soufflé . sweet omelette . omelette with jam . omelette with rum . pastries à la condé . almond puddings . pudding au marasquin . bread pudding . cabinet pudding . english plum pudding . rice pudding . rice pudding (another way) . trifles . angel cake . chocolate cakes . pound cake . savoy cake . sponge cake . tea cakes . gâteau genoise . gâteau madeleine à l'orange . gâteau savarin . lady fingers . macaroons . manquet . chocolate ice cream . coffee ice cream . neapolitan ice cream . strawberry ice cream . strawberry mousse . vanilla ice cream . orange ice . pineapple ice . orange baskets . frozen apple pudding à la marie héloise . nesselrode pudding . roman punch appendix. a few american receipts for buckwheat cakes, corn bread, waffles, gingerbread, etc. . buckwheat cakes . indian meal griddle cakes . wheat flannel cakes . corn bread . fairies . cookies . gingerbread . ginger snaps . waffles . boiled potatoes . boiled rice the end. * * * * * transcriber's notes: items in the index are only in a vague alphabetical order. obvious punctuation errors repaired. page , "kirch" changed to "kirsch" (maraschino, kirsch, or any) page , "pâte" to "pâté" ( . =pâté à brioche panachée.=) page , "pâte" changed to "pâté" (take some pâté) page , "pâte" changed to "pâté" (take some pâté) page , "pâte" changed to "pâté" (with some pâté) page , "pâte" changed to "pâté" (with some pâté) page , "pâte" changed to "pâté" (thin some pâté) page , heading "iv.", "entrees" changed to "entrÉes". page , "l'americaine" changed to "l'américaine" ( . ham à l'américaine) page , "pâte" changed to "pâté" ( . pâté brisée) page , "financere" changed to "financière" ( . chicken à la financière) page , "vension" changed to "venison" ( . saddle of venison) page , "madédoine" changed to "macédoine" (macédoine of vegetables) page , "célestine" changed to "celéstine" ( . omelette à la celéstine) page , "pâté" to "pâté" ( . pâté à brioche) page , word "à" added to text (pastries à la condé) page , "g noise" changed to "genoise" ( . gâteau genoise) and pg distributed proofreaders woman's institute library of cookery salads and sandwiches cold and frozen desserts cakes, cookies, and puddings pastries and pies woman's institute of domestic arts and sciences, inc. preface this volume, the fourth of the woman's institute library of cookery, deals with salads, sandwiches, cold desserts, cakes, both large and small, puddings, pastry, and pies. such foods constitute some of the niceties of the diet, but skill in their preparation signifies at once a housewife's mastery of the science of cookery. in _salads and sandwiches_ are presented so simply the secrets of appetizing salads that they can be grasped by even a novice, and sandwiches of numerous varieties, from those appropriate for afternoon teas to those suitable for the main dish in the meal, are so treated that they appear to rise above the ordinary place usually accorded them. one need never hesitate to prepare a menu for an afternoon or evening social affair or the salad course in a luncheon or dinner after a study of this part of the volume. a glance through _cold and frozen desserts_ will convince one very quickly that a large number of the desserts that complete our meals are served cold. the mere mention of custards, gelatine desserts, and such frozen mixtures as ice creams, ices, frappés, sherbets, mousses, parfaits, and biscuits, all of which are explained here, is sufficient to indicate that this is an extremely delightful part of the subject of cookery. entertaining takes on a new and simplified meaning when one knows how to make and serve such dishes. to be able to make cakes and puddings well is one of the ambitions of the modern housewife, and she has an opportunity to realize it in a study of _cakes, cookies, and puddings_, parts and . sweet food in excess is undesirable, but in a moderate quantity it is required in each person's diet and may be obtained in this form without harm if it is properly prepared. the two classes of cakes--butter and sponge--are treated in detail both as to the methods of making and the required ingredients, and numerous recipes are given which will enable the housewife to provide both plain and fancy cakes for ordinary and special occasions. puddings that are prepared by boiling, steaming, and baking, and the sauces that make them appetizing, receive a goodly share of attention. _pastries and pies_ completes this volume, rounding out, as it were, the housewife's understanding of dessert making. to many persons, pastry making is an intricate matter, but with the principles thoroughly explained and each step clearly illustrated, delicious pies of every variety, as well as puff-paste dainties, may be had with very little effort. upon the completion of a study of this volume, the housewife will find herself equipped with a knowledge of the way to prepare many delicacies for her meals. while these are probably not so important in the diet as the more fundamental foods, they have a definite place and should receive the attention they deserve. contents salads and sandwiches salads in the diet, composition of salads, ingredients of salads, relation of salads to meals, principles of salad making, serving salads, salad dressings and their preparation, vegetable salads, combination fruit-and-vegetable salads, fruit salads, high-protein salads, general principles of sandwich making, bread-and-butter sandwiches, vegetable sandwiches, fruit sandwiches, high-protein sandwiches, hot sandwiches, open sandwiches, canapes, cold and frozen desserts the dessert in the meal, composition and food value of desserts, principles of dessert making, sauces and whipped cream, principles of custard making, recipes for custards and related desserts, principles of gelatine making, recipes for gelatine desserts, principles of frozen-dessert making, procedure in freezing desserts, ice creams, frozen custards, ices, frappés, sherbets, mousses, parfaits, and biscuits, molding frozen desserts, serving frozen desserts, cakes, cookies, and puddings cake and pudding mixtures in the diet, ingredients used in cakes, general classes of cakes, general equipment for cake making, procedure in cake making, sponge cakes and their preparation, recipes for sponge cake and its variations, butter cakes and their preparation, recipes for butter cakes, cake icings and fillings, varieties of small cakes, cup and drop cakes, cookies, kisses and macaroons, ladyfingers and sponge drops, cakes made with yeast, cream puffs and Éclairs, doughnuts and crullers, pudding sauces, preparation of puddings, recipes for puddings, pastries and pies nature of pastries and pies, ingredients used for pastry, utensils for pastry making, methods of mixing pastry, making and baking pastry for pies, utilizing left-over pastry, recipes for pastry, double-crust pies, one-crust pies, puff paste, serving pastry, salads and sandwiches * * * * * salads salads in the diet . so much variety exists among salads that it is somewhat difficult to give a comprehensive definition of this class of foods. in general, however, salads may be considered as a dish of green herbs or vegetables, sometimes cooked, and usually chopped or sliced, sometimes mixed with fruit or with cooked and chopped cold meat, fish, etc., and generally served with a dressing. for the most part, salads take their name from their chief ingredient, as, for instance, chicken salad, tomato salad, pineapple salad, etc. just what place salads have in the meal depends on the salad itself. a high-protein salad, such as lobster salad, should take the place of the meat course, whereas, a light salad of vegetables or fruits may be used as an additional course. . importance of salads. salads are often considered to be a dish of little importance; that is, something that may be left out or added to a meal without affecting it to any great extent. while this may be the case in a meal that is composed of a sufficient variety of foods, salads have a definite place in meals as they are planned in the majority of households. often there is a tendency to limit green vegetables or fresh fruits in the diet, but if the members of a family are to be fed an ideal diet it is extremely important that some of these foods enter into each day's meals, a fact that is often overlooked. there is no more effective nor appetizing way in which to include them in a meal than in the serving of salads. in addition, salads make a strong appeal to the appetite and at the same time are beneficial so far as the health of the family is concerned. . purposes of salads.--because of the wide variety of salads and the large number of ingredients from which a selection may be made in their preparation, salads can be used for various purposes. the housewife who gives much attention to the artistic side of the serving of food in her home will often use a salad to carry out a color scheme in her meal. this is, of course, the least valuable use that salads have, but it is a point that should not be overlooked. the chief purpose of salads in a meal is to provide something that the rest of the foods served in the meal lack. even though it is not desired to use the salad to carry out a color scheme, it should always be made an attractive dish. as is well known, nothing is so unappetizing as a salad in which the ingredients have not been properly prepared, the garnish is not fresh and crisp, or the dressing and salad ingredients have been combined in such a way as to appear messy or stale looking. there is no excuse for such conditions, and they need not exist if proper attention is given to the preparation of the salad. . selection of salads.--although salads, through their variety, offer the housewife an opportunity to vary her meals, they require a little attention as to their selection if a properly balanced meal is to be the result. salads that are high in food value or contain ingredients similar to those found in the other dishes served in the meal, should be avoided with dinners or with other heavy meals. for instance, a fish or a meat salad should not be served with a dinner, for it would supply a quantity of protein to a meal that is already sufficiently high in this food substance because of the fact that meat also is included. such a salad, however, has a place in a very light luncheon or a supper, for it helps to balance such a meal. the correct salad to serve with a dinner that contains a number of heavy dishes is a vegetable salad, if enough vegetables are not already included, or a fruit salad, if the dessert does not consist of fruit. in case a fruit salad is selected, it is often made to serve for both the salad and the dessert course. . salad accompaniments.--in addition to the ingredients used in the preparation of salads, dressings usually form an important part. these vary greatly as to ingredients and consequently as to composition, but most of them contain considerable fat and therefore increase the food value of the salad. then, too, an accompaniment of some kind is generally served with salads to make them more attractive and more pleasing to the taste. this may be a wafer or a cracker of some description or a small sandwich made of bread cut into thin slices and merely buttered or buttered and then spread with a filling of some sort. such accompaniments, of course, are not a necessity, but they add enough to the salad to warrant their use. composition of salads . the composition, as well as the total food value, of salads depends entirely on the ingredients of which they are composed. with an understanding of the composition of the ingredients used in salads, the housewife will be able to judge fairly accurately whether the salad is low, medium, or high in food value, and whether it is high in protein, fat, or carbohydrate. this matter is important, and should receive consideration from all who prepare this class of food. . protein in salads.--as may be expected, salads that are high in protein have for their basis, or contain, such ingredients as meat, fish, fowl, cheese, eggs, nuts, or dried beans. the amount of protein that such a salad contains naturally varies with the quantity of high-protein food that is used. for instance, a salad that has hard-cooked eggs for its foundation contains considerable protein, but one in which a slice or two of hard-cooked egg is used for a garnish cannot be said to be a high-protein salad. . fat in salads.--the fat in salads is more often included as a part of the dressing than in any other way, but the quantity introduced may be very large. a french dressing or a mayonnaise dressing, as a rule, contains a sufficient proportion of some kind of oil to make the salad in which it is used somewhat high in fat. in fact, salads are often used as a means of introducing fat into a meal, and whenever this is done they should be considered as one of the dishes that supply energy-producing food material to the meals in which they are served. . carbohydrate in salads.--for the most part, salads do not contain carbohydrate in any quantity. if fruits are used, the salad will, of course, contain a certain amount of sugar. salads in which potatoes, peas, beets, and other vegetables are used also contain starch or sugar in varying quantities. however, with the exception of potato salad, salads are probably never taken as a source of carbohydrate. . mineral salts in salads.--in the majority of salads, mineral salts are an important ingredient. meat and fish salads are the only ones in which the mineral salts are not especially desirable, but they can be improved in this respect if a certain amount of vegetables are mixed with them. green-vegetable salads are the most valuable sources of mineral salts, and fruit salads come next. in addition, these two varieties of salads contain vitamines, which are substances necessary to maintain health. cheese and egg salads, which are high-protein salads, are also valuable for the vitamines they supply. . cellulose in salads.--vegetable and fruit salads serve to supply cellulose in the diet. unless the meals contain sufficient cellulose in some other form, the use of such salads is an excellent way in which to introduce this material. of course, the salads composed of foods high in cellulose are lower in food value than others, but the salad dressing usually helps to make up for this deficiency. ingredients of salads . variety in salad ingredients.--one of the advantages of salads is that the ingredients from which they can be made are large in number. in fact, almost any cooked or raw fruit or vegetable, or any meat, fowl, or fish, whether cooked expressly for this purpose or left over from a previous meal, may be utilized in the making of salads. canned foods of these varieties may also be used to advantage for salads during the winter when fresh foods are expensive and difficult to procure. the idea that such foods cannot be used is wrong. . as far as meats are concerned, they are not used so extensively in salads as are fruits and vegetables. often, however, veal or pork may be used to increase the quantity of material needed to make certain salads, such as chicken salad. canned fish or fish freshly cooked makes appetizing salads, and if there is not a sufficient quantity of one kind on hand, another may be added without impairing the quality of the salad. . as has already been stated, almost any vegetable, raw, canned, or freshly cooked, can be used in the making of salads. in addition, these vegetables may be combined in almost any way. small amounts of two, three, four, or more vegetables may be combined with an appetizing salad dressing and served as a luncheon or dinner salad. if no definite recipe is followed but whatever material that happens to be on hand is utilized, the result is not only an appetizing salad, but a saving of vegetables that might otherwise be wasted. [illustration: fig. ] . fruits, both canned and raw, are largely used in the making of salads. as with vegetables, almost any combination of them makes a delicious salad when served with the proper dressing. thus, a slice of pineapple, a canned peach or two, or a few spoonfuls of cherries may be added to grapefruit, oranges, bananas, or whatever fruit may happen to be most convenient or easy to procure and served with the salad dressing that is preferred. vegetables are seldom used with fruits, celery being the only one that is ever employed in this way. on the other hand, nuts are much used with fruits, vegetables, meats, and fish in the making of salads and any variety may be utilized. . salad garnishes.--the garnishing of salads, while it may seem to be an unimportant part of the preparation of this food, is really a matter that demands considerable attention. lettuce is used oftenest for this purpose, but almost any edible green, such as endive, watercress, etc., makes an excellent garnish. generally when lettuce is the garnish, the leaves are used whole, but if they are not in good condition for garnishing or if use is to be made of the coarse outside leaves of the stalks, they may be arranged in a pile, rolled tight, and then, as shown in fig. , cut with a sharp knife into narrow strips. lettuce prepared in this way is said to be _shredded_, and a bed of it makes a very attractive garnish for many kinds of salad. among the other foods used as a garnish are certain vegetables that give a contrast in color, such as pimiento, green peppers, radishes, and olives. slices of hard-cooked eggs or the yolks of eggs forced through a ricer likewise offer a touch of attractive color. . nature of salad dressings.--when a salad is properly made, a salad dressing of some kind is usually added to the ingredients that are selected for the salad. this dressing generally has for its chief ingredient a salad oil of some kind, many satisfactory varieties of which are to be found on the market. olive oil has always been the most popular oil used for this purpose, and in many respects it is the most desirable. it can be obtained in several grades, the price varying with the excellence of the quality. the best grades have a yellowish color, the poorest ones are somewhat green, and those of medium quality shade between these two colors. the best grades are also clear, while the poorer ones are usually cloudy, the better the quality the less cloudy the oil. besides olive oil, however, there are oils made of cottonseed, corn, and nuts. many of these products are cheaper than olive oil and are almost, if not quite, as satisfactory. in combination with the oil that is used for salad dressing, there is always an acid of some kind, such as vinegar or lemon juice. to these ingredients are added spices and flavoring. such a dressing is prepared without cooking, the ingredients being combined by proper mixing or beating. . another kind of dressing that is much used is known as boiled salad dressing. its ingredients are similar to those used in the uncooked salad dressing, but usually less fat is employed and eggs alone or eggs and some starchy material are used for thickening. then, again, entirely different kinds of dressing may be made for fruit salads. sometimes these dressings contain no fat, and other times they have for their basis sweet or sour cream, but usually they are made so that they are somewhat acid to the taste. relation of salads to meals . because of the large variety of ingredients that may be used in the making of salads, it is usually possible to make the salad correspond properly with the other dishes in the meal. this is a little more difficult to accomplish when left-over materials are used in salads, but, even in this event, the addition of ingredients that will make the salad more nearly approach what must be supplied is usually possible. if the meal is to be a light one and the salad is to serve as the principal dish, it should be sufficiently heavy and contain enough food value to serve the purpose for which it is intended. it should be decided on first, and then the rest of the dishes should be planned to correspond with the salad. on the other hand, when the meal is a heavy one and the salad is to be one of the lighter dishes, the main dishes should be decided on first and the salad planned so that it will correspond properly with the other dishes. for instance, with meat or fish as the main course of the meal, a fish, egg, or cheese salad would obviously be the wrong thing to serve. instead, a light salad of vegetables or fruits should be selected for such a meal. it should be remembered, also, that if the other dishes of a meal contain sufficient food value to make the meal properly nourishing, a salad containing a rich dressing will provide more than a sufficient supply of calories and consequently should be avoided. . another point that should not be neglected in selecting a salad is that it should be a contrast to the rest of the meal as far as flavor is concerned. while several foods acid in flavor do not necessarily unbalance a meal so far as food substances and food value are concerned, they provide too much of the same flavor to be agreeable to most persons. for instance, if the meal contains an acid soup, such as tomato, and a vegetable with a sour dressing, such as beets, then a salad that is also acid will be likely to add more of a sour flavor than the majority of persons desire. then, too, it is not a good plan to serve in the salad the same vegetable that is served in the soup or the dinner course. thus, creamed celery and a salad containing celery, and tomato soup and tomato salad are bad combinations and should, like others similar to them, be carefully avoided. even though such vegetables may be on hand in quantity, they can usually be kept for another meal. principles of salad making . condition of salad ingredients.--when the kind of salad to be served is decided on, the selection and preparation of the materials are the next matters to receive attention. very often materials that are on hand are utilized in this way, but if it is possible to select the ingredients expressly for the salad, they should be very carefully chosen. any kind of salad, but particularly a vegetable or a fruit salad, becomes much more attractive if it is made with ingredients that are in good condition and that are attractive in appearance. they should therefore be fresh and crisp and never mushy, wilted, nor limp. of course, this does not mean that material that is slightly unattractive must be discarded, for it can usually be prepared so that it can be utilized in some way. however, much of the deterioration of salad ingredients before they are used can be avoided if proper attention is given to them after they come into the home. without doubt, the best way in which to keep radishes, celery, parsley, watercress, and other greens that are much used in salads is to wrap them loosely in a moist cloth as soon as they are received in the home and then put them in a cool place. small muslin or linen bags having a draw-string in the top are very good for this purpose, but they are not a necessity, for old napkins or small pieces of worn cloth will do very well. . cleaning and freshening salad ingredients.--in the making of a salad, the cleaning of the ingredients used is a very important part of the work. while nothing should be wasted in the process of preparation, decayed or discolored leaves, stems, or parts of fruits and vegetables should, of course, be removed. every lettuce leaf and every part of other salad vegetables should be looked over carefully and washed separately in cold water. to accomplish this, the stalks or leaves must be taken apart after the root is cut off. then, before they are used, they should be examined carefully again in order to make sure that no small bugs nor worms and no dirt remain on them. such vegetables will become crisp if they are allowed to remain in cold water long enough to bring back their natural freshness. a little ice added to the water helps to accomplish this more quickly. it should be remembered, however that lettuce leaves bruise and break easily and so must be handled carefully if the best appearance is desired. . when cucumbers are to be used for salad, they should be peeled and put immediately into cold water to become crisp, or they may first be sliced or diced and then put into the cold water. they should never be allowed to stand for any length of time in salt water. if it is desired to season them with salt, a little may be added to the water in which they are made crisp, but it will also be necessary to add ice to make the water as cold as possible. the old idea that soaking cucumbers in salted water removes something injurious has been proved to be untrue, and they are just as satisfactory, so far as their flavor and condition are concerned, when they are not subjected to this treatment. radishes, celery, and cabbage may be made crisp in the same way as are cucumbers and lettuce. in the event that any of these vegetables are allowed to stand in water, they must be properly drained before they are used in a salad, for any water that remains on them will dilute the dressing. if they must be dried very quickly, they may be patted carefully between folds of cloth, preferably linen or cheesecloth, or they may be allowed to stand for a few minutes in a wire basket or a colander. care should be taken, however, not to allow them to stand until the good that has been accomplished by making them crisp in cold water is undone. . preparing fruits for salads.--after fruits have been carefully cleaned, they are ready to be peeled and cut into pieces of the size desired for the salad. an effort should always be made to have the pieces equal in size, similar in shape, and not too small. they should be peeled in an economical way, but at the same time should be prepared as attractively as possible. . in the preparation of oranges for a salad, the fruit is peeled as if it were an apple, the peeling being cut deeply enough to remove the skin that covers the sections. after the entire orange is peeled, the contents of each section should be removed by passing a sharp knife as closely as possible to the skin between the sections and then taking out the pulp without any of this skin. the sections may then be used whole or cut into pieces. grapefruit may be prepared in the same way as oranges. upon the removal of the whole sections, they may be left whole or they may be cut once or twice, depending on the kind of salad and the appearance desired. when grapefruit or oranges are prepared in this manner, they make a much more agreeable ingredient for fruit salad than when they are simply cut into chunks and the tough skin is allowed to remain on the pieces. no waste need be permitted in this process, for the juice may be extracted from what remains after the sections have been removed by pressing it in a fruit press or by any other means and then utilized in the making of the salad dressing or kept for some other purpose. bananas, which are often used in salads, should be peeled, any bruised or decayed portions should be removed, and the surface should then be scraped slightly with a paring knife in order to remove the pithy surface, which, when eaten, has a puckery, disagreeable effect. . when fruits of any kind have been prepared for salad and cannot be used at once, they may be kept from wilting and discoloring if they are put where they will keep cool and are sprinkled with a little lemon juice that is slightly diluted with water. before the salad materials are mixed with the salad dressing, however, all juices or liquid of any kind should be carefully drained from them, for these will dilute the dressing and produce a salad that is less appetizing in both appearance and flavor. . preparing nuts for salads.--when nuts are to be used in a salad, they should never be ground in a grinder; rather, they should be chopped or cut into small pieces with a knife. after being so prepared, they should be added to the salad just before it is put on the table. this is a matter that should not be overlooked, for if the salad is allowed to stand very long after the nuts are added they will discolor the dressing and cause the salad to become dark and gray looking. . marinating salad ingredients.--to improve the flavor of such salads as chicken, veal, lobster, or crab, the ingredients are usually marinated with a sour dressing of some description before the salad dressing is added. as is explained in essentials of cookery, part , marinating involves the seasoning of meat or fish by means of vinegar or french dressing. the preparation used to marinate salad ingredients may be plain vinegar to which salt and pepper are added, or it may be a french dressing, which is prepared by mixing vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper in the proper proportions. whichever preparation is used should be poured over the materials after they are cut or prepared for the salad, and only enough to moisten each piece slightly should be used. the ingredients should then be carefully mixed with the dressing to avoid breaking or crushing them and should be allowed to stand in a cold place for a few minutes. then they should be drained so that none of the material used to marinate them remains on the salad when the other dressing is added. with this done, the salad is ready for whatever salad dressing is to be used. . potato salad and salads containing such vegetables as carrots, peas, string beans, etc. are also improved by being marinated in the same way as salads made of meat, fowl, and fish. this sort of preparation involves a little more work, it is true, but it usually produces such gratifying results that it justifies the expenditure of the extra effort. in the first place, a slightly smaller amount of salad dressing will be required when the ingredients are marinated and, in addition, a better looking dish can be made, for the dressing need not be mixed with the salad but merely placed on top. . in case the housewife prefers not to take the time nor the trouble to marinate a salad, she should at least mix thoroughly with salt and pepper the ingredients that require seasoning. the fact that a salad should be a well and highly seasoned dish must never be overlooked. as can be readily understood, a bland salad without character is never so appetizing as one that is crisp, fresh, well made, and properly seasoned. serving salads . several different ways of serving salads are in practice. perhaps the most convenient method of serving this dish is to prepare individual portions of it on salad plates in the kitchen and then set these on the table at each person's place. if a simple table service is followed, the salad may be put on the table at the same time as the rest of the meal. the correct position for the salad plate is at the left-hand side of the dinner plate and just a little nearer to the edge of the table than the bread-and-butter plate. the plates on which salad is served should be large enough to prevent the difficulty in eating that would be experienced if the plate were a trifle small. it should therefore be remembered that the salad plate is the next larger in size to the bread-and-butter plate. . in case individual salads are to be prepared, the plate should first be garnished with whatever vegetable green is selected for this purpose. if lettuce is to be used, a single leaf, several very small center leaves, or a small quantity of shredded lettuce will be sufficient, for a great deal of garnish is never desirable. in case the leaves are very large, one may be divided in half and each part utilized. then the salad ingredients, which have already been combined, should be piled in a neat heap on top of the garnish either with or without the salad dressing. if the salad dressing is not mixed with the materials, a spoonful or two of it should be placed on top of them. sometimes, for the effect of color, additional garnish of some kind is used. for a vegetable or a meat salad, this may be egg yolk put through a sieve, slices of hard-cooked eggs, olives or radishes cut in fancy shapes, or strips of pimiento; and for fruit salad, it may be cherries or colored fruits cut into various fancy shapes. . another method of serving this dish is to place the entire salad on a rather large, deep plate, such as a chop plate or a regular salad dish, and then serve it at the table whenever it is desired. when this is done, the dish that is used should be well garnished with a bed of vegetable green in the same way that a small individual plate is garnished. then the salad ingredients should be nicely arranged on this bed, and the dressing, if it has not already been mixed with them, should be poured over the whole. in serving salad in this way, there is much more chance of arranging the ingredients symmetrically and garnishing the salad attractively than when it is served on small plates. the large plate containing the salad, together with the small salad plates, should be placed before the hostess or whoever is to serve the salad. when it is served, a leaf of the lettuce or other green used for garnishing should first be put on each salad plate and the salad should be served on this. a large fork and a large spoon are needed when salad is served in this manner. . still another, way of serving salad, and perhaps a more attractive one than either of those already described, consists in arranging the ingredients in a salad bowl, placing this on the table, and serving from the bowl to the salad plates. in this method, a french dressing is generally used, and this is often mixed at the table and added to the salad just before it is put on the small plates. such a salad can be made very attractive, and it should be remembered above all things that the appearance of a salad is its great asset until it is eaten and that an artistically made salad always helps to make the meal more satisfactory. . in a dinner, the salad is generally served as a separate course, but in such a meal as luncheon it may be used as the main dish. if it is used as a separate course, it should be served immediately after the dinner course has been removed from the table. the salad plate should be placed directly before the person served. forks especially designed with a wide prong on one side and known as _salad forks_ are the right type of fork to serve with this dish, but if none are available ordinary table forks of a small size may be used. it should be remembered that the salad should not be cut with the knife at the table, but should be eaten entirely with the fork. salad dressings and their preparation . as has been implied, various salad dressings may be made to serve with salads. the kind of dressing to select depends both on the variety of salad served and on the personal preference of those to whom it is served. some of these contain only a few ingredients and are comparatively simple to make, while others are complex and involve considerable work in their making. whether simple or elaborate, however, the salad dressing should be carefully chosen, so that it will blend well with the ingredients of the salad with which it is used. a number of recipes for salad dressings are here given. they are taken up before the recipes for salads so that the beginner will be familiar with the different varieties when they are mentioned in connection with the salads. as many of the recipes as possible should be tried, not only for the knowledge that will be gained, but also for the practical experience. . french dressing.--a dressing that is very simply made and that can probably be used with a greater variety of salads than any other is french dressing. for instance, it may be used with any vegetable salad, with salads containing almost any combination of fruit, and with meat, fish, and egg salads. it is true, of course, that fruit-salad dressing blends very well with fruit salad and is considered by most persons to be more delicious than french dressing, but if one is pressed for time and does not have the necessary ingredients for making any other kind, this one may nearly always be utilized. in addition to these uses, french dressing, as has been previously explained, may also be used to marinate salads before mayonnaise or other dressing is mixed with them. a point that should always be remembered in the making of this dressing or any other dressing containing oil is that the flavor of the oil has much to do with the desirability of the finished dressing. french dressing / tsp. salt / tsp. mustard / tsp. pepper tb. vinegar / tsp. paprika / c. oil measure the dry ingredients and place them in a bowl. measure the vinegar and oil and add them to the dry ingredients. if possible, place a piece of ice the size of a walnut in the bowl. beat with a fork until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the oil and vinegar form an emulsion that will remain for a short time. the ingredients will separate if the dressing is allowed to stand, but the colder they are, the more easily will the emulsion form and the longer will it remain. if ice cannot be used, have the ingredients as cold as possible before mixing them. . sometimes a more highly seasoned french dressing is desired. in such an event, there should be beaten into the dressing just described the following ingredients: tb. finely chopped onion or tb. onion juice tb. chopped pimiento large green pepper, chopped tb. chopped parsley . mayonnaise dressing.--although mayonnaise dressing is prepared without the application of heat, it is not one of the simplest dressings to prepare. it meets with much favor, being used almost as extensively as french dressing, but it is perhaps less desirable with fruit salads than with others. it is also much used as a basis for numerous other dressings. since it requires considerable time for its preparation, a wise plan is to make more than enough for one meal. however, it should not be made in large quantities, for the oil separates from the remainder of the ingredients if it is allowed to stand too long. if it is thoroughly beaten and kept extremely cold, it may perhaps keep for a week, but keeping it longer than that is not advisable. before serving, it may be thinned by beating either sweet or sour cream into it. it may be made fluffy and light and its quantity may be increased by beating whipped cream into it. mayonnaise dressing / tsp. salt egg yolks / tsp. pepper - / c. oil / tsp. mustard tb. vinegar or lemon juice mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. separate the eggs and add the yolks to the dry ingredients. beat these with a rotary egg beater until they are well mixed. to this mixture, add a few drops of oil and continue to beat. add a drop of the vinegar or lemon juice, a few more drops of oil, and beat constantly. gradually increase the quantity of oil added each time, but do not do this rapidly. as the oil is added and the beating is continued, it will be noted that the mixture grows thicker, but when vinegar is added the mixture is thinned. the quantity of vinegar is so much less than that of oil that the oil may be added in small amounts two or three times in succession before vinegar is added. this process is rather long and slow, but if the mixing is done correctly, the result will be a thick, smooth mixture that will not separate for possibly or days. mayonnaise mixers, which may be procured for making this dressing, make the work easier, but they are not at all necessary. mayonnaise may be made as successfully with a bowl and a rotary beater, if it will just be remembered that the liquid ingredients must be added slowly and that they must be as cold as possible. . cooked mayonnaise.--a dressing that is very similar both in texture and taste to the mayonnaise just explained and perhaps a little easier to make is known as cooked mayonnaise. this dressing, as will be noted from the accompanying recipe, may be made in larger quantities than the uncooked mayonnaise. cooked mayonnaise tb. oil / tsp. mustard tb. flour / tsp. paprika / c. vinegar eggs c. boiling water c. oil tb. salt mix the tablespoonfuls of oil and the flour and pour in the vinegar. add the boiling water and stir the mixture until it is perfectly smooth and well mixed. place over the fire and cook for about minutes. remove from the fire and cool. when completely cooled, add the salt, mustard, and paprika. separate the eggs and beat the yolks and whites separately. add the egg yolks to the mixture. add the cupfuls of oil a little at a time, beating thoroughly with a rotary beater each time oil is added. when all of this is completely mixed and thoroughly beaten, fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. . thousand island dressing.--by using the cooked or the uncooked mayonnaise dressing as a basis and adding to it the ingredients listed here, a very delightful salad dressing, called thousand island dressing, is the result. all the ingredients need not be added if it is inconvenient to do so, still the dressing is better when they are all used. this dressing is particularly good when served with plain lettuce salad, with lettuce and tomatoes, with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers, or with any other plain-vegetable salad. thousand island dressing c. mayonnaise dressing tb. chopped green pepper / c. chilli sauce tb. chopped onion tb. chopped pimento hard-cooked egg into the mayonnaise stir the chilli sauce, pimiento, pepper, and onion, and lastly, add the hard-cooked egg chopped into fine pieces. chill and serve. . boiled salad dressing.--although boiled salad dressing is not so great a favorite as the uncooked mayonnaise dressing, it has the advantage of being less expensive. then, too, it is one of the dressings that may be made without oil, and so finds favor with those to whom oil is not agreeable. however, oil may be substituted for the butter that is given in the recipe. it will be noted that the preparation of this dressing is similar to that of a custard with the addition of flour. since the flour requires longer cooking than the eggs, they are added last so that there will be no danger of overcooking them. if the dressing curdles, it may be known that the eggs have cooked too long, but this condition may be remedied by placing the pan containing the dressing in a pan of cold water as soon as the curdling is observed and then beating vigorously with a rotary beater. boiled salad dressing tb. butter tsp. mustard tb. flour c. milk tsp. salt eggs tsp. sugar / c. vinegar melt the butter in the inner pan of a double boiler, add the flour, salt, sugar, mustard, and milk. cook over the flame until the mixture is thickened. beat the eggs, stir them into the mixture, and add the vinegar, beating rapidly. place in the large pan of the double boiler and allow this to cook until the eggs have thickened. cool and serve. . sour-cream dressing.--sour-cream dressing is not a very economical one to make unless there happens to be sour cream on hand. it is, however, a very good dressing for both fruit and vegetable salad. sour-cream dressing tb. butter / c. vinegar tb. flour c. sour cream tb. sugar eggs tsp. salt c. whipped cream melt the butter in the upper part of a double boiler, add the flour, sugar, salt, vinegar, and sour cream. cook together over the flame until the mixture thickens. beat the egg yolks and add them to this. place in the lower part of the double boiler and cook until the egg yolks thicken. beat the egg whites and fold them with the whipped cream into the salad dressing. cool and serve. . cream dressing.--a simple dressing that requires very little time or skill in preparation and that affords a means of using up cream that has soured is the one given in the accompanying recipe. sweet cream may also be used in the same way if desired, and this makes an excellent dressing for cabbage salad, plain cucumber salad with lettuce, or fruit salad. if the dressing is to be used for fruit salad, lemon juice may be used in the place of vinegar. cream dressing c. sour cream / tsp. salt tb. sugar / c. vinegar whip the cream with a rotary beater until it is stiff. then add the sugar, salt, and vinegar, and continue beating until the mixture is well blended. cool and serve. varieties of salads and their preparation * * * * * vegetable salads . with the knowledge already obtained of the food value of the vegetables that are generally used as ingredients in vegetable salads, the housewife ought to have no difficulty in determining whether she is giving her family a salad that is high or low in food value. for instance, she should know that the food value of a plain lettuce or cucumber salad is lower than that of one made from potatoes because of the different values in the vegetables used.. in addition, she ought to be familiar with the fact that the dressing added to salads has, in most cases, greater food value than the other ingredients of the salad. equipped with such knowledge, she will observe that the vegetable salads here given are comparatively low in food value. consequently, nearly every one of them will lend itself nicely for use with a dinner or a comparatively heavy meal. . in these recipes, as well as in those for the other kinds of salad, the proportion of ingredients may be varied according to the quantity of the particular food in supply. for instance, if a recipe for a salad of peas and celery calls for cupful of each of these vegetables and only / cupful of celery can be obtained, there is no reason why the difference cannot be made up by using / cupfuls of peas. but if such a change is to be made, the ingredients should be increased or decreased in the correct proportion. then the quantity of salad that the recipe is intended to produce will not be altered and the housewife will know just how many the salad will serve. in the various recipes, about / cupful of salad is the quantity allowed for each person. this may be enlarged or made smaller in order to suit the quantity of other foods served at the same meal. . asparagus salad--salad in which asparagus is the chief ingredient is one that may be served during the entire year, for either freshly cooked or canned asparagus may be used; in fact, the canned asparagus is considered by many persons to be better than that which is freshly cooked. it may be cut into inch lengths or the tips may be cut down about inches from the top or even farther. asparagus salad (sufficient to serve five) lettuce pimiento can asparagus salad dressing garnish salad plates with the lettuce. place the asparagus tips in an orderly pile on the lettuce leaf. cut a thin strip of the pimiento, and place this across the tips in the center. just before serving, pour a spoonful or two of any desired salad dressing over this or place the salad on the table and serve the dressing, allowing each person to take what is desired. . beet-and-bean salad.--an excellent winter salad and one that may be made from canned or left-over vegetables is beet-and-bean salad. if string beans happen to be left over or only part of a can remains, they may be combined with beets that are canned or freshly cooked for the purpose. this salad should be carefully combined just before serving, since the beets will discolor the rest of the ingredients if it is allowed to stand any length of time. beet-and-bean salad (sufficient to serve four) c. string beans lettuce c. beets salad dressing cut the string beans into half-inch lengths and cut the beets into half-inch dice. season each well with salt and pepper. just before serving, garnish salad plates with lettuce, combine the two vegetables, and place in a heap on a lettuce leaf. pour french dressing or any other salad dressing desired over them, but do not mix the salad dressing with the vegetables. [illustration: fig. ] . cabbage salad.--a salad that always finds favor is made by combining cabbage with a boiled salad dressing or with an uncooked sour-cream dressing. salad of this kind may be served in any desired way, but a rather novel way to serve it is illustrated in fig. . the contents of a head of cabbage is removed, leaving four or five of the outside leaves intact. the shell thus formed is cut into points around the top and then filled with shredded cabbage and the dressing that is to be used. when this is placed on a bed of lettuce, an attractive dish is the result. to make cabbage salad, select a firm head of cabbage, pull off the outside leaves, and wash. cut the head in half down through the heart and root and cut each half into quarters. then, as shown in fig. , place each quarter on a cutting board and with a sharp knife shave off the cabbage. if desired, however, the cabbage may be shredded with a cabbage cutter. if the cabbage, upon being cut, is found to be wilted, place it in cold water and let it stand until it becomes crisp. drain off the water carefully and allow the cabbage to drip in a colander or dry it between pieces of old linen. with the cabbage thus prepared, season it with salt and mix it with the desired dressing. serve on lettuce in a salad dish, on individual salad plates, or in the manner shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] . cabbage-and-celery salad.--cabbage and celery combine very well, for they are similar in color and crispness. they can be procured at the same time of the year, and while celery is not cheap, cabbage is a comparatively inexpensive food and the two combined make an inexpensive salad. because the color of both is very much the same, pimiento is added to give a contrasting color. cabbage-and-celery salad (sufficient to serve four) c. cabbage c. celery pimiento or green pepper / tsp. salt tb. vinegar lettuce salad dressing cut the cabbage in the manner just explained, cut the celery into thin pieces across the stem, and dice the green pepper or pimiento or both into very small dice. measure each of these, combine them, season with the salt and vinegar, and just before serving drain carefully. serve on lettuce with any desired salad dressing. . winter salad.--a salad made entirely of winter vegetables may be prepared when there are no fresh vegetables in supply. if any of the vegetables are left over, the others may be prepared to use with the left-over ones. a good plan to follow when carrots, turnips, or potatoes are being prepared for a meal is to cook more than is necessary for the one meal and then set aside part of them for a salad to be served at another meal. winter salad (sufficient to serve six) c. turnips, diced c. carrots, diced c. potatoes, diced tb. chopped onion french dressing lettuce salad dressing cook turnips, carrots, and potatoes whole in boiling water until tender enough to be pierced with a fork. if they have not been peeled before cooking, peel and cut into small dice. mix, add the onion, marinate with french dressing, and allow to stand for a short time. garnish salad plates with lettuce leaves, pile the salad on the lettuce, and serve with any desired salad dressing. . cauliflower salad.--cauliflower makes a rather unusual salad, and for a change it will be found to be delightful. it does not combine with other vegetables very readily, but a cooked floweret or two may often be used to garnish another vegetable salad. cauliflower salad (sufficient to serve six) cauliflower lettuce salad dressing prepare a head of cauliflower for cooking according to the directions given in _vegetables_, part . cook in boiling salted water until tender, but quite firm. drain and cool. arrange the flowerets on a salad plate garnished with lettuce and serve with french dressing or any other desired salad dressing. . cauliflower-and-tomato salad.--a salad in which cauliflower and tomatoes are combined is attractive in appearance if it is nicely made. it also has the advantage of being simple to prepare. when cauliflower is cooked for salad, care must be taken not to cook it so long as to discolor it or cause it to fall to pieces. cauliflower-and-tomato salad (sufficient to serve six) tomatoes lettuce cauliflower flowerets dressing select firm, ripe, medium-sized tomatoes. place them in boiling water to scald them, and then dip them quickly into cold water and remove the skins. cut out the stem ends and slice each tomato half way between the stem and blossom ends. place each half tomato on a salad plate garnished with a lettuce leaf, stick a stem of the cauliflower into the center, and serve with boiled salad dressing or mayonnaise. . celery salad.--one means of using stalks of celery that are just a little too coarse to serve nicely on the table is to combine them with radishes and make a salad. the more tender celery, of course, makes a better salad. if the radishes selected for the salad are of the red variety and they are used without peeling, they add a touch of color to the dish. celery salad (sufficient to serve five) - / c. diced celery / c. diced radishes tb. chopped onion salad dressing lettuce cut the celery into fine dice, and dice the radishes more finely than the celery. mix the two together, add the onion, and just before serving mix with any desired salad dressing. serve on salad plates garnished with lettuce. . sliced cucumber-and-onion salad.--an attractive way in which to serve sliced cucumbers and onions is shown in fig. . a single large cucumber should be selected for this salad, and bermuda onions with a mild flavor will be found to be best. [illustration: fig. ] with a sharp knife, peel the skin from the cucumber in narrow strips back to the stem end, but do not cut the strips loose from the end. after the peeling has all been removed, place the cucumber on a board and cut it into thin slices. place on a small platter, as shown, arrange slices of onion around the edge, and pour french dressing over the whole. dust with paprika and serve. a number of slices of cucumber and one or two slices of onion should be served to each person. [illustration: fig. ] . cucumber salad.--besides serving plain slices of cucumber on a lettuce leaf, as may be done at any time, cucumbers may be used as an ingredient in the making of many salads. a rather attractive way in which to use cucumbers is shown in fig. and is explained in the accompanying recipe. cucumber salad (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized cucumbers c. diced tomato / c. diced celery salad dressing lettuce pimiento peel the cucumbers, cut them into halves, and with a small spoon scoop out the cucumbers in chunks, so that a boat-shaped piece of cucumber that is about / inch thick remains. dice the pieces of cucumber which have been scooped from the center, and place the cucumber shells in ice water so as to make them crisp. mix the diced tomato, celery, and cucumber together, and just before serving drain them carefully so that no liquid remains. mix with salad dressing, wipe the cucumber shells dry, fill them with the salad mixture, and place on salad plates garnished with lettuce leaves. cut the pimiento into thin strips, and place three or four strips diagonally across the cucumber, as shown in the illustration. . cucumber-and-tomato salad.--a salad made of cucumbers and tomatoes is very attractive because of the contrasting colors of the vegetables, and it is at the same time extremely palatable. when such a salad is to be made, small, firm tomatoes and rather large cucumbers that do not contain very large seeds should be selected. peel the cucumbers and tomatoes and cut them into slices of any desired thickness. garnish salad plates with lettuce, and on this place a ring of the slices, alternating the tomatoes with the cucumbers. in the center, put a slice of cucumber or tomato and serve with any desired salad dressing. . onion salad.--to persons who are fond of the flavor of onions, the salad given in the accompanying recipe is very agreeable, but it is a wise plan not to serve onions or salads containing onions unless every one who is served is certain to enjoy them. when a salad is made from onions, a mild onion, such as the bermuda or spanish onion, should be selected. onion salad (sufficient to serve six) onions french dressing parsley lettuce peel the onions and slice them into thin slices. chop the parsley and add it to or tablespoonfuls of french dressing. use comparatively coarse leaves of lettuce and shred them. arrange the slices of onion on a bed of the shredded lettuce, pour the french dressing with the parsley over all, and serve. . peas-and-celery salad.--peas may be freshly cooked for peas-and-celery salad, but canned peas will do just as well. left-over peas not prepared with cream sauce may also be utilized nicely in this way, or if a portion of a can of peas is needed for the meal, the remainder may be used for a smaller quantity of salad than here stated. boiled salad dressing will be found to be best for this combination of vegetables. peas-and-celery salad (sufficient to serve four) c. peas boiled salad dressing c. diced celery lettuce drain canned peas as dry as possible and mix with the diced celery. just before serving, add the salad dressing and mix thoroughly. serve on salad plates garnished with lettuce. . tomato salad.--fresh tomatoes make a delightful salad because of their appetizing appearance and color. in fact, when they are placed on a bed of green garnish, nothing can be more delightful. tomatoes may be served whole on a lettuce leaf or they may be sliced. then, again, as shown in fig. , they may be cut from the center into sections that are allowed to fall part way open. in any of these forms, they may be served with french dressing, mayonnaise, or any cooked salad dressing. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . stuffed-tomato salad.--an attractive salad in which vegetables of almost any kind, fresh or canned, may be used to advantage is the stuffed-tomato salad shown in fig. . medium-sized, well-ripened tomatoes are best to select. the vegetables that may be used for the stuffing are celery, radishes, onions, cucumbers, cooked asparagus, green peas, and string beans. any one or any desirable combination of these vegetables will make a satisfactory filling. stuffed-tomato salad (sufficient to serve six) medium-sized tomatoes french dressing / c. diced vegetables mayonnaise dressing cut out the stem and blossom ends of the tomatoes and hollow out the center so as to leave a shell. dice the contents of the tomatoes and mix with the other diced vegetables. marinate the diced vegetables with french dressing and put into the tomato shells, heaping each one as shown. place on lettuce leaves and serve with mayonnaise. . combination salad.--a combination salad may be made of almost any combination of vegetables. the one given here contains only fresh vegetables, but, if desired, others may be added or some of those mentioned may be omitted. this will be found to be a very attractive way in which to make a large salad to be served from a bowl or a deep plate. combination salad lettuce radishes cut in rose shape sliced tomatoes celery sliced onions salad dressing sliced peppers garnish a bowl or a plate with lettuce, arrange on it slices of tomato, spanish or bermuda onions, and peppers. garnish these with radishes cut into rose shape and stems of celery cut in any desired way. be sure that the vegetables, which should all be crisp and fresh, are thoroughly cleaned and drained before being put on the plate. add the salad dressing in the preferred way. it may be poured over the vegetables in the large dish, passed to each individual, or put on the salad plates by the person who serves. french dressing is without doubt the most suitable for combination salad, but mayonnaise or cooked salad dressing may be served with it if desired. . potato salad no. l.--potato salad is usually considered to be an economical salad. it may be made with left-over potatoes or potatoes cooked especially for this purpose. if there are in supply a large number of small potatoes, which are difficult to use in ordinary ways, they may be cooked with the skins on and peeled to be used for salad when they have cooled. a boiled salad dressing is perhaps the most desirable for such a salad. potato salad no. (sufficient to serve four) c. diced potatoes salt medium-sized onion boiled salad dressing / tsp. celery seed lettuce tb. parsley, chopped hard-cooked egg dice the potatoes into / -inch dice, chop the onion fine, and mix the two. add the celery seed and parsley and season the whole with salt. just before serving, mix well with boiled dressing. garnish a salad bowl or salad plates with lettuce, place the salad on the lettuce, and then garnish with slices of hard-cooked egg. . potato salad no. .--the salad given in the accompanying recipe is perhaps more of a combination of vegetables than it is a potato salad. however, if there is in supply a small amount of celery, or perhaps a cucumber, or both, this is an excellent way in which to make use of them. in addition to the ingredients given in the recipe, others may be added to this salad, such as a few diced radishes, a diced green pepper or two, or a pimiento. potato salad no. (sufficient to serve six) / c. diced potatoes salt / c. diced cucumber boiled salad dressing / c. diced celery lettuce medium-sized onion prepare the vegetables in the usual way, dicing them carefully, and just before serving mix them together, season well with salt, and add the salad dressing. boiled dressing is preferable. place in a salad bowl or on salad plates garnished with lettuce. . old-fashioned potato salad.--the potato salad given in this recipe is agreeable to persons who like the flavor of smoked meat. it is an excellent salad to serve for a lunch or a supper with cold ham, frankfurters, or any cold sliced meat. old-fashioned potato salad (sufficient to serve four) c. sliced boiled potatoes / c. water thin slices bacon salt tb. flour pepper / c. vinegar tb. parsley, chopped slice cold boiled potatoes into medium thick slices. cut the strips of bacon into small cubes and fry until crisp in a frying pan. stir the flour into the hot fat, and to this add the vinegar and water. season this dressing well with salt and pepper and pour it hot over the potatoes, mixing carefully so as not to break the slices. add the chopped parsley last. serve warm if desired, or allow it to cool before serving. . tomato-and-string bean salad.--besides being appetizing in flavor and appearance, tomato-and-string-bean salad, which is illustrated in fig. , has the advantage over some salads in that it can be made of either fresh or canned vegetables. for the salad here shown, tomatoes and beans canned by the cold-pack method were used. if it is desired to duplicate this salad, place a canned tomato or a peeled fresh tomato in the center of a plate garnished with lettuce and around it place several piles of three or four canned or freshly cooked beans. serve with french dressing or any other desired salad dressing. [illustration: fig. ] . string-bean salad.--either string or wax beans may be used for string-bean salad, which is shown in fig. , and they may be cooked freshly for the purpose or be home canned or commercially canned beans. to make this salad, place a neat pile of beans on a lettuce leaf resting on a plate and moisten with a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice. serve with mayonnaise or cooked salad dressing. if desired, the beans may be cut into inch lengths and mixed with the dressing, but this does not make so attractive a salad. . green-vegetable salad.--there are a number of green vegetables that are much used for salad either alone or with other vegetables. all of them are used in practically the same way, but a point that should not be overlooked if an appetizing salad is desired is that they should always be fresh and crisp when served. any salad dressing that is preferred may be served with them. chief among these green vegetables come lettuce, including the ordinary leaf lettuce, head lettuce, and romaine lettuce, which is not so common as the other varieties. several kinds of endive as well as watercress may also be used for salad. [illustration: fig. ] combination fruit-and-vegetable salads . sometimes it is desired to make a salad that contains both fruits and vegetables. various fruits can be used for this purpose, but celery, as has been stated, is about the only vegetable that combines well with fruit, unless, of course, the garnish, which is nearly always a vegetable, is considered a part of the salad. recipes for several very appetizing salads containing both vegetables and fruits follow. . apple-and-celery salad.--if an excellent winter salad is desired, apple-and-celery salad should be selected, for both celery and apples are best during the winter months. as they are very similar in color, they are not especially appetizing in appearance when combined for a salad, but they make a very popular combination with most persons. apple-and-celery salad (sufficient to serve four) c. diced apples boiled salad dressing c. diced celery lettuce prepare the apples and celery as short a time before serving as possible, but if it is necessary that the apples stand for any length of time, sprinkle them with a little lemon juice and water to keep them from turning brown. just before serving, mix them with the salad dressing. place on salad plates garnished with lettuce and serve. . waldorf salad.--if to the apple-and-celery salad just explained / cupful of chopped english walnut meats is added, what is known as waldorf salad will result. the nuts, which should be added to the mixture just before placing it on the table, may be mixed with the other ingredients or they may be placed on top. nuts that are to be used for such a purpose should not be run through a grinder, but should be cut with a knife or chopped with a chopping knife and bowl. . grapefruit-and-celery salad.--celery is sometimes used with grapefruit to make a salad. this combination is most often served with french dressing, but any other desirable dressing may be used as well. prepare the grapefruit in the same way as oranges are prepared for salad, and cut each section into three or four pieces. add to this an equal amount of diced celery and serve on a lettuce leaf with any desired dressing. fruit salads . salads made of fruit are undoubtedly the most delicious that can be prepared. in addition to being delightful in both appearance and flavor, they afford another means of introducing fruit into the diet. as fruit is decidedly beneficial for all persons with a normal digestion, every opportunity to include it in the diet should be grasped. some fruit salads are comparatively bland in flavor while others are much more acid, but the mild ones are neither so appetizing nor so beneficial as those which are somewhat tart. advantage should be taken of the various kinds of fresh fruits during the seasons when they can be obtained, for usually very appetizing salads can be made of them. however, the family need not be deprived of fruit salads during the winter when fresh fruits cannot be secured, for delicious salads can be made from canned and dried fruits, as well as from bananas and citrus fruits, which are usually found in all markets. . fruit-salad dressing.--various dressings may be served with fruit salad, and usually the one selected depends on the preference of those to whom it is served. however, an excellent dressing for salad of this kind and one that most persons find delicious is made from fruit juices thickened by means of eggs. whenever a recipe in this section calls for a fruit-salad dressing, this is the one that is intended. fruit-salad dressing / c. pineapple, peach, or pear juice / c. orange juice / c. lemon juice / c. sugar eggs mix the fruit juices, add the sugar, beat the eggs slightly, and add them. put the whole into a double boiler and cook until the mixture begins to thicken. remove from the fire and beat for a few seconds with a rotary egg beater. cool and serve. . combination fruit salad.--the combination of fruits given in the accompanying recipe makes a very good salad, but it need not be adhered to strictly. if one or more of the fruits is not in supply, it may be omitted and some other used. in case canned pineapple is used for the salad, the juice from the fruit may be utilized in making a fruit-salad dressing. combination fruit salad (sufficient to serve six) grapefruit oranges banana apples slices pineapple salad dressing lettuce prepare the grapefruit and oranges according to the directions previously given. slice the banana crosswise into / -inch slices and cut each slice into four sections. dice the apples and cut the pineapple in narrow wedge-shaped pieces. mix the fruit just before serving. add the salad dressing, which may be fruit-salad dressing, french dressing, or some other desirable salad dressing, by mixing it with the fruit or merely pouring it over the top. serve on salad plates garnished with lettuce leaves. place a maraschino cherry on top. . summer combination salad.--any agreeable combination of fruits which may be obtained during the same season will be suitable for summer combination salad. the combination given in the accompanying recipe includes strawberries, pineapple, and cherries. however, pineapple and cherries may be used alone, or strawberries and pineapple may be used without the cherries, or red raspberries may be used to garnish such a salad. summer combination salad (sufficient to serve six) / c. strawberries, cut into halves / c. pineapple, cut into dice / c. sweet cherries, seeded lettuce fruit-salad dressing prepare the fruits just before serving. put them together, place on salad plates garnished with lettuce, and serve with the fruit-salad dressing. . filbert-and-cherry salad.--if something different in the way of salad is desired, cherries that have been seeded and then filled with filberts will prove a delightful change. with this salad, which is shown in fig. , any salad dressing may be served, but fruit-salad dressing makes it especially delicious. [illustration: fig. ] . date-and-english-walnut salad.--persons who are fond of dates will find a salad made of dates and walnuts very palatable. in addition, such a salad is high in food value. select firm whole dates, wash, and dry between clean towels. cut a slit in the side of each date and remove the seed. place half an english walnut meat inside and press the date together. garnish salad plates with lettuce and serve five or six of the dates in a star shape for each serving. in the center, pour a spoonful or two of cream salad dressing, boiled salad dressing, or any other dressing that may be desired. . apple-date-and-orange salad.--the combination of fruits required by the accompanying recipe is an easy one to procure in the winter time. apple-and-date salad is a combination much liked, but unless it is served with a rather sour dressing, it is found to be too bland and sweet for most persons. the addition of the orange gives just the acid touch that is necessary to relieve this monotonous sweetness. apple-date-and-orange salad (sufficient to serve six) c. diced apples lettuce / c. dates, seeded salad dressing oranges lettuce salad dressing peel the apples and dice them into fine pieces. wash the dates, remove the seeds, and cut each date into six or eight pieces. prepare the oranges as directed for preparing oranges for salad, and cut each section into two or three pieces. just before serving, mix the fruits carefully so as not to make the salad look mushy, pile in a neat heap on garnished salad plates, and serve with any desired dressing. . california salad.--during the months in which california grapes can be found in the market, a very delicious salad can be made by combining them with grapefruit and oranges. either malaga or tokay grapes may be used. california salad (sufficient to serve six) - / c. grapes oranges salad grapefruit lettuce salad dressing prepare the grapes by washing them in cold water, cutting them into halves, and removing the seeds. remove the sections from the oranges and grapefruit in the way previously directed, and cut each section into three or four pieces. mix the fruits and drain carefully so that they contain no juice or liquid. pile in a heap on salad plates garnished with lettuce and serve with any desired dressing. . banana-and-peanut salad.--a very good fruit-and-nut combination for a salad consists of bananas and ground peanuts. the bananas, after being cut in half lengthwise, are rolled in the peanuts, placed on a lettuce leaf, and served with dressing. if it is desired to improve the flavor, the bananas may be dipped into the salad dressing before being rolled in the peanuts. peel the required number of bananas, scrape the pithy material from their surface, and cut in half lengthwise. grind the peanuts rather fine and roll each half of banana in them. place on a garnished salad plate and serve with boiled dressing. . fruit in cantaloupe shells.--during cantaloupe season, a delightful fruit salad can be made by combining several different kinds of fruit with the meat of cantaloupe and serving the mixture in the cantaloupe shells. such a salad is an excellent one to serve when dainty refreshments are desired or when something unusual is wanted for a nice luncheon. cut cantaloupes in half crosswise, and, using the french cutter, cut some of the meat into round balls. dice the remainder and mix with any combination of fruit desired. place this in the cantaloupe shells after cutting points in the top edge. garnish with the balls cut from the cantaloupe and serve with any desired dressing. . pineapple-and-nut salad.--because of its refreshing flavor, pineapple makes a delicious salad. it may be combined with various foods, but is very good when merely nuts and salad dressing are used, as in the accompanying recipe. place slices of canned pineapple on salad plates garnished with lettuce leaves. mix whipped cream with salad dressing until the dressing becomes stiff, and place a spoonful or two of this in the center of each slice of pineapple. sprinkle generously with chopped nuts, english walnuts or pecans being preferable. high-protein salads . salads that are made with cheese, eggs, fish, or meat may be classed as high-protein salads, for, as has already been learned, these foods are characterized by the protein they contain. of course, those made almost entirely of meat or fish are higher in this food substance than the others. however, the salads that contain a combination of cheese and fruit are comparatively high in protein, and at the same time they supply to the diet what is desirable in the way of a fruit salad. [illustration: fig. ] . poinsettia salad--cream cheese, such as neufchâtel or philadelphia cream cheese, combines very well with some fruits and vegetables. it is used with pineapple and cherries in the preparation of poinsettia salad, which is illustrated in fig. . as can be imagined, this makes a pretty decoration for a christmas table or a salad to be served around holiday time. poinsettia salad (sufficient to serve six) pkg. cream cheese lettuce tb. cream maraschino cherries / tsp. salt salad dressing rounds pineapple mix the cream cheese with the cream and salt, and form this into small round balls with the fingers. place the rounds of pineapple on salad plates garnished with lettuce, and put the cheese ball in the center of the pineapple. cut the maraschino cherries in half, and then cut each half into narrow strips that resemble petals of a flower. place five or six of these over the top of the cream cheese with the points meeting in the center, as shown in the illustration. serve with any desired dressing, but instead of adding the dressing to the salad put it in a mayonnaise bowl and allow each person at the table to add it. [illustration: fig. ] salads and sandwiches . peach-and-cream-cheese salad--an excellent way of using canned peaches is to combine them with cream cheese for a salad, as shown in fig. . if a smaller salad is desired, half a peach may be used and the cheese placed on top of it. firm yellow peaches are the best ones to use for this dish. peach-and-cream-cheese salad (sufficient to serve four) lettuce salad dressing halves of pecans or walnuts tb. cream / tsp. salt pkg. cream cheese halves canned peaches mix the cream and salt with the cheese and shape into balls. place a ball between two peach halves, and press them together tightly. place on garnished salad plates, pour salad dressing over the top, and garnish with two halves of the nuts. if desired, the nuts may be chopped and sprinkled over the top. [illustration: fig. ] . pear-and-cheese salad--if other fruits are not in supply for use in salad and pears can be obtained, they may be utilized with cream cheese in a pleasing way, as fig. shows. pear-and-cheese salad (sufficient to serve four) tb. cream lettuce / tsp. salt halves english walnuts pkg. cream cheese salad dressing halves canned pears mix the cream and salt with the cheese and shape into balls. place one-half of a pear with the hollow side up on a salad plate garnished with a lettuce leaf and the other half with the hollow side down beside it. put a ball of the cheese in the hollow of the upturned half and press half an english walnut on top of that. add the dressing and serve. french dressing is recommended for this salad, but some other salad dressing will answer. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . green-pepper-and-cheese salad.-in fig. is shown a vegetable-and-cheese combination in the form of a salad made of green pepper and cheese. to make this kind of salad, select firm green peppers, one being sufficient if a large one can be obtained. season cream cheese well with paprika and a little additional salt if necessary. cut the top from the pepper, clean out the inside, and pack tight with the cheese. cut the filled pepper into thin slices, place two or three of these slices on a salad plate garnished with lettuce leaves, and serve with french dressing. . daisy salad.--if an effective, somewhat ornamental salad is desired, daisy salad, which is illustrated in fig. , will prove satisfactory. as will be observed, this salad resembles a daisy. to make it, cut celery into strips about inches long and trim one end of each round. these strips will serve to represent the daisy petals. place them on salad plates garnished with lettuce, laying them so that they radiate from the center and their round ends are toward the outside of the plate. then, for the center of the daisy effect, cut the yolks of hard-cooked eggs into halves and place one half, with the rounded side up, on the ends of the celery. serve with french dressing. [illustration: fig. ] . humpty dumpty salad.--in fig. is shown an attractive-appearing and extremely appetizing salad known as humpty dumpty salad. it consists of tomatoes and hard-cooked eggs garnished with pieces of stuffed olives, the manner in which the egg is placed in each portion accounting for its name. for this salad, select rather small, firm, ripe tomatoes. peel them in the usual way, and when cutting out the stem remove a sufficient portion of the tomato to accommodate the end of an egg. place each tomato with this part uppermost on a salad plate garnished with lettuce. cut the hard-cooked eggs into halves, crosswise, remove the yolk and mash and season it with salt, pepper, and a little vinegar. replace the yolk in the white and force this into the depression in the tomato. place a stuffed olive in the egg yolk and serve with french or other desired salad dressing. . water-lily salad.--a means of using eggs in salad without the addition of other foods is found in water-lily salad, which is illustrated in fig. . if eggs are to be served for a luncheon or some other light meal, this method may add a little variety to the usual ways of serving them. [illustration: fig. ] hard-cook one egg for each person to be served, remove the shells, and cut the eggs into halves, lengthwise. remove the yolks, mash them, and season with salt, pepper, and vinegar. cut the halves of egg whites into three or four pointed pieces, cutting from end to end of the half. place these in a star shape on salad plates garnished with lettuce. form the seasoned egg yolk into a ball and place it in the center over the ends of the egg whites. serve with any desired salad dressing. . easter salad.--cream cheese makes an attractive salad when formed into egg-shaped balls and served in a nest of shredded lettuce. to prepare this salad, which is known as easter salad, shred lettuce finely and place it in the shape of a nest on salad plates. make tiny egg-shaped balls of cream cheese moistened with sufficient cream to handle. place three or four of these in the inside of the lettuce. dust with paprika and serve with any desired dressing. . salmon salad.--persons who are fond of salmon will find salmon salad a very agreeable dish. in addition to affording a means of varying the diet, this salad makes a comparatively cheap high-protein dish that is suitable for either supper or luncheon. salmon salad (sufficient to serve six) c. salmon c. diced celery / c. diced spanish onion or sweet pickles, chopped fine french dressing salad dressing lettuce look the salmon over carefully, removing any skin and bones. break into medium-sized pieces and mix carefully with the celery, onion, and chopped pickles. marinate this with the french dressing, taking care not to break up the salmon. drain and serve with any desired salad dressing on salad plates garnished with lettuce. . tuna-fish salad.--a salad that is both attractive and appetizing can be made by using tuna fish as a foundation. this fish, which is grayish-white in color, can be obtained in cans like salmon. as it is not high in price, it gives the housewife another opportunity to provide her family with an inexpensive protein dish. tuna-fish salad (sufficient to serve six) c. tuna fish / c. diced celery c. diced cucumber salt and pepper vinegar lettuce mayonnaise open a can of tuna fish, measure cupful, and place in a bowl. dice the celery and cucumber, mix with the fish, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. dilute some vinegar with water, using half as much water as vinegar, and sprinkle enough of this over the mixture to flavor it slightly. allow the mixture to stand for about / hour in a refrigerator or some other cold place and just before serving pour off this liquid. heap the salad on lettuce leaves, pour a spoonful of mayonnaise over each portion, and serve. . lobster or crab salad.--lobster salad and crab salad are made in practically the same way, so that a recipe for one may be used for the other. the meat may be either fresh or canned, but, of course, fresh lobster or crab meat is more desirable if it can be obtained. lobster or crab salad (sufficient to serve six) c. lobster or crab meat c. diced celery french dressing lettuce mayonnaise hard-cooked egg chill lobster or crab meat and add the diced celery. marinate with french dressing, and allow this mixture to stand for / hour or so before serving. keep as cold as possible. drain off the french dressing and heap the salad mixture on garnished salad plates or in a salad bowl garnished with lettuce. pour mayonnaise dressing over the top, garnish with slices of hard-cooked egg, and serve. [illustration: fig. ] . shrimp salad.--shrimps may be used in an attractive salad in the manner shown in fig. . persons who care for sea food find this a most appetizing dish. like lobster and crab, shrimp may be purchased in cans, and so it is possible to have this salad at any season. first marinate the shrimps with french dressing and then heap them on a plate garnished with lettuce leaves. add thin slices of hard-cooked egg whites, and place a tender heart of celery in the center of the plate. if desired, some thin slices of celery may be marinated with the shrimp. serve with mayonnaise dressing. . chicken salad.--a favored means of using left-over chicken is to make chicken salad of it. it is well, however, if the chicken can be prepared especially for the salad and the nicer pieces of meat used. this is usually done when chicken salad is to be served at a party or special dinner. if the chicken is scarce, veal or pork may be substituted for one-third or one-fourth of the meat. chicken salad (sufficient to serve six) c. chicken c. diced celery green pepper french dressing lettuce mayonnaise pimiento cut the meat from the bones of a chicken and dice it. dice the celery, clean the green pepper, and cut it into small pieces. mix the pepper and the celery with the chicken. marinate with french dressing, chill, and allow to stand for about / hour. drain the dressing from the salad mixture, serve in a garnished salad bowl or on garnished salad plates, pour mayonnaise over the top, and garnish with strips of pimiento. [illustration: fig. ] . stuffed celery.--an appetizing relish may be prepared by stuffing celery in the manner shown in fig. . stuffed celery is not exactly a salad, but it may be used to take the place of a salad in a meal. it is often served with soup as an appetizer, but since it is high in food value it deserves a place of greater prominence in the meal. any desirable cheese may be used to make the stuffing. roquefort cheese is probably the most popular one, but many persons do not care for it. cream cheese, ordinary american cheese, or even cottage cheese finely mashed may be used for this purpose. put into a bowl the quantity of cheese needed to fill the number of stalks of celery desired, mash it finely with a fork, and mix it with cream or salad dressing until it is of a thick, creamy consistency. season highly with a dash of red pepper and salt and, if desired, mix with very finely chopped nuts. fill the hollows of the stems of celery with the mixture, sprinkle with paprika, and serve on a plate garnished with lettuce. * * * * * sandwiches nature of sandwiches . when salads are mentioned, sandwiches naturally come to the mind, for while they have many other uses, they are often served as an accompaniment to a salad. sandwiches are generally thought of as two thin slices of bread put together with a filling, such as meat, cheese, fruit, etc. however, there are as many varieties of sandwiches as of salads and they serve a large number of purposes. for instance, they may be merely two pieces of buttered bread put together or they may be elaborate both as to shape and contents. in reality, many different things are considered as sandwiches. sometimes one piece of bread spread with a filling and usually decorated in some way is served with afternoon tea or a very light luncheon. then, again, sandwiches often consist of three layers of bread instead of two, and for other kinds the bread is toasted instead of being used plain. as in the case of salads, the housewife must determine from their composition, the place that sandwiches should take in the meal, for their food value depends on what is used with the bread. a sandwich that is high in food value may be used as the main dish in a light meal, while one that is comparatively low in this respect generally accompanies another dish, as, for instance, a salad, or is used to take the place of plain bread. general principles of sandwich making . bread for sandwiches.--although sandwiches vary greatly in both form and contents, bread or something that may be substituted for it always forms the foundation of this class of food. white bread is much employed for this purpose, but rye, graham, brown, or whole-wheat bread, or in fact any other desirable kind, may be used, depending on the nature of the sandwich or the kind preferred. several matters concerning the bread that is used, however, should receive attention if successful sandwiches are to be the result. . in the first place, the bread used should be at least hours old, as difficulty will be experienced in cutting bread that is any fresher. another requirement is that the bread should be firm and of a comparatively fine texture. the shape of the loaf must also be taken into consideration. as is easily understood, there will be a considerable waste of bread if a round sandwich is made from a square loaf or a square sandwich is cut from a round loaf. when round sandwiches are desired, it is advisable to bake the bread in round loaves, unless some good use can be made of the bread that is trimmed off in cutting the sandwiches. [illustration: fig. ] . for sandwich making, bakers often sell special sandwich bread. some persons prefer sandwiches made of such bread, but, as a rule, it will be found easier to use the ordinary bread baked by the baker or bread that is baked in the home for this purpose. when bread is being made for sandwiches, a good plan is to give the dough a little additional kneading and, toward the end of the kneading, to work in a small amount of flour, perhaps a little extra sugar, and, if desired, an egg. then, if it is not allowed to rise as much as usual, it will make a bread that is finer in texture and easier to handle. . utensils for sandwich making.--very few utensils are required for the making of sandwiches, but those which are used must be of the right kind if well-made sandwiches are desired. to cut the bread, a large sharp knife must be used, for, generally, the bread is required to be cut thin and this cannot be done successfully unless the knife is sufficiently sharp. in addition, a case knife or a small spatula is needed for the spreading of the bread. if sandwiches in any quantity are to be spread with a filling besides butter, two case knives or a case knife and a spatula should be provided. . making sandwiches.--the point that should be remembered about sandwiches is that they should be as dainty as possible. therefore, the [illustration: fig ] bread should usually be cut thin and the crust should be removed. if a large number of sandwiches are to be made, it is often a good idea to remove the crust from the loaf, as shown in fig. , before slicing the bread. more frequently, however, the cutting is done first, as in fig. . then after the bread is spread, the crust is removed from a pile of slices at a time. a little difficulty will be experienced in making sandwiches unless care is taken in matching the slices. after being cut, they should be laid out in pairs with corresponding sides together, so that when they are spread two pieces that do not fit will not have to be put together. [illustration: fig. ] the plan of spreading the end of the loaf and then slicing off the piece that is spread is sometimes advocated, but it is not recommended, for it has no special advantage and then, too, the bread is difficult to handle after it has been spread. . no matter what kind of filling is to be used for sandwiches, the slices are usually buttered before the filling is applied. to make the butter soft enough to spread easily, it should be creamed with a spoon, as shown in fig. , but it should never be melted. with the bread sliced and the butter creamed, one of a pair of slices should be spread with butter, as in fig. , and the other with filling, and then the two slices should be put together. after a number of sandwiches have been made, they should be placed on top of one another and, as shown in fig. , the crusts should be cut from a small pile at one time. [illustration: fig. ] sometimes, if sandwiches are being made in quantity, the butter is worked into the filling instead of being spread on the bread. as this plan saves time and does not detract from the food value of the sandwich, it may be followed whenever it seems advisable. . variety can be obtained from time to time in the shapes of sandwiches by cutting the bread in different ways. for instance, one time it may be cut into strips lengthwise, another time into halves crosswise, and again, diagonally, so as to form triangular pieces. to vary the sandwich filling, a lettuce leaf may be placed on the buttered slice of the bread and the slice containing the filling put on top of this. lettuce used in this way makes a delightful addition to cheese, meat, egg, or vegetable sandwiches. [illustration: fig. ] . it is often necessary to make sandwiches some time before they are to be served. in such an event, they should be kept moistened so that they will be fresh when they are served. to accomplish this, they may be wrapped first in oiled paper and then in a damp towel, or if oiled paper is not in supply, the towel alone will answer the purpose, provided it is not made too damp and a dry towel is wrapped on the outside. * * * * * preparation of sandwiches bread-and-butter sandwiches . often it is desired to serve bread and butter with a certain dish and yet something more is wanted than just two pieces of bread spread with butter and put together. while bread-and-butter sandwiches are probably the simplest kind that can be made, variety can be obtained in them if the housewife will exercise a little ingenuity. fig. shows what can be done in the way of bread-and-butter sandwiches with very little effort, for the two plates on the left contain sandwiches made merely of bread and butter. [illustration: fig. ] . round sandwiches.--the round sandwiches on the rear left plate in fig. can be made of brown bread or of white bread, or both varieties may be served in the event that some one does not care for brown bread. to make these, cut slices of bread from a loaf and, by means of a round cutter, cut them round in shape. out of the top slice of each sandwich, cut a round hole with a small round cutter or a thimble. after spreading both slices with butter and placing them together, cut a thick slice from a stuffed olive and insert this in the hole in the top slice. . ribbon sandwiches.--the sandwiches on the plate in front in fig. are known as ribbon sandwiches. to make these, cut white bread and graham bread in very thin slices, butter them, and then alternate a slice of white with a slice of graham until there are three or four layers. place the pile under a weight until the butter becomes hard and then cut down in thin slices. the attractive sandwiches here shown will be the result. . checkerboard sandwiches.--another way of serving bread and butter is in the form of checkerboard sandwiches. these are no more difficult to make than the ribbon sandwiches, but the slices of the bread must be cut evenly and all must be of the same thickness. in addition, the bread should be firm and close-grained and the butter should be put on thickly enough to make the slices of bread stick together. cut three slices each of graham bread and white bread / inch in thickness. spread one side of each slice thickly with butter. place a slice of graham between two slices of white bread and a slice of white between two slices of graham. trim these piles evenly and cut them into / -inch slices. butter these slices and put them together so that brown bread will alternate with white and white with brown. place the slices under a weight in a cool place until the butter becomes perfectly hard. then cut them into thin slices for serving and they will be found to resemble a checkerboard. vegetable sandwiches . certain vegetables may be used with bread and butter to make very appetizing sandwiches. the vegetables most often used for this purpose are lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and onions. generally, when vegetables are to be used for sandwich filling, the sandwiches should be made immediately before they are to be served, as they are apt to become moist if they are allowed to stand very long. an exception to this is celery sandwiches, which are made in the form of rolls and which must stand piled close together for some time in order for the butter to become hard enough to stick them together. . lettuce sandwiches.--cut white bread into slices about / inch thick and spread these thinly with butter. place a leaf or two of tender lettuce between each two slices and spread with thick salad dressing. put the slices of bread together, trim off the edges of the lettuce and the crusts if desired, and serve. . tomato sandwiches.--slice bread about / inch thick and spread the slices with butter. peel firm red tomatoes and cut them into thin slices. cover one slice of bread with a slice of tomato, spread this with thick salad dressing, and, if desired, place a lettuce leaf over this. cover with a second slice of bread, trim the edges, and serve. . cucumber sandwiches.--peel and slice into thin slices a medium-sized cucumber that does not contain large seeds. place the slices in very cold water to make them crisp. slice bread about / inch thick and spread the slices with butter. place thin slices of cucumber on one piece, spread with thick salad dressing, and put a lettuce leaf on top of this, if desired. cover with the second slice of bread, trim the edges, and serve. [illustration: fig. ] . rolled celery sandwiches.--cut / -inch slices from a comparatively fresh loaf of bread. trim the crusts and spread with butter. cut the stems of tender celery into pieces that are as long as the bread is wide. place the celery on one edge of the bread, fill the center of the stem with salad dressing, and roll the celery into the bread like a jelly roll. place a moist napkin in the bottom of a bread pan and stack the rolls in rows, with the loose edge down, so that they will stay rolled. when all have been placed in the pan, fold the edges of the napkin across the top and allow them to stand for a few hours before serving. this cannot be done with bread that is dry. if the sandwiches are to be served at once, the edges will have to be tied or fastened with toothpicks. in case it is desired not to use celery in rolled sandwiches, a filling of cream cheese or jam may be added after the bread is buttered and each piece then rolled in the manner explained. an idea of how attractive rolled sandwiches are may be obtained from fig. . when served in a decorated sandwich basket, as shown, these sandwiches give a very dainty touch to a luncheon or a tea. . onion-and-pepper sandwiches.--cut bread into slices about / inch thick and spread these with butter. slice spanish or bermuda onions into thin slices and cut a green pepper into thin rings. place a slice of the onion on one piece of buttered bread and on top of this put two or three rings of green pepper. if desired, spread with salad dressing, or merely season the onion with salt and pepper. place the second slice of bread on top, trim the edges, and serve. fruit sandwiches . sandwiches that have fruit for their filling appeal to many persons. for the most part, dried fruits are used for this purpose and they usually require cooking. another type of fruit sandwich is that which has jelly or marmalade for its filling. as fruit sandwiches are sweet and not very hearty, they are much served for afternoon tea or to provide variety when another kind of sandwich is being served. . date sandwiches.--to any one who desires a sweet sandwich, the date sandwich in the accompanying recipe will be found to be very agreeable. not all sandwich fillings seem to be satisfactory with other bread than white, but the filling here given can be utilized with white, graham, or whole-wheat bread. date filling / c. dates / c. nut meats / lemon wash the dates and remove the seeds. steam them over hot water or in a double boiler until they are soft, and then mash them thoroughly. squeeze the juice from the lemon, grate the yellow part of the rind and mix with the juice, and add both to the steamed dates. then add the nut meats chopped very fine. to make the sandwiches, cut thin slices of bread and spread one slice with butter and the corresponding slice with the date filling. place the two together, trim the crusts if desired, and serve. . fruit sandwiches.--the three fruits mentioned in the accompanying recipe may be used in equal proportions as here given, only two of them may be utilized, or the proportions may be changed to suit the supply on hand. this sandwich may be made with white bread, brown bread, graham bread, or whole-wheat bread. fruit filling / c. dates / c. raisins / c. figs orange wash the dates, figs, and raisins, and remove the stones from the dates. steam all together until they are soft, mash thoroughly, and add the juice and the grated rind of the orange. cut thin slices of bread, spread one slice with butter, and spread the opposite slice with this filling. place the two together, trim the edges if desired, and serve. . apricot sandwiches.--to people who are fond of apricots, sandwiches containing apricot filling are very delicious. if jelly or marmalade is plentiful, it may be used in place of the apricots to make the sandwich. apricot filling / c. dried apricots / tsp. cinnamon / c. sugar tb. lemon juice wash and soak the apricots, and when they are thoroughly softened cook them until tender in just enough water to keep them from burning. put them through a sieve or a colander and add the sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice to the pulp. place over the fire and cook until the mixture becomes thick, stirring constantly to keep it from scorching. set aside to cool. cut bread into thin slices, butter one slice, and spread the other of each pair of slices with the apricot filling. put each two slices together and trim the edges if desired. serve. . jelly and marmalade sandwiches.--jelly and marmalade always make acceptable filling for sandwiches, and as these foods are usually in supply sandwiches containing them require less trouble to prepare than do most sandwiches. then, too, if two kinds of sandwiches are to be served for a tea or a little lunch, sandwiches of this kind are very nice for the second one. they are made in the usual way, but if the jelly or marmalade is very thin, it is an excellent plan to spread each slice of bread used for the sandwich thinly with butter so that the filling will not soak into the bread. slices of boston brown bread steamed in small round cans, such as baking-powder cans, and a filling of jelly or marmalade make dainty little sandwiches for afternoon tea. high-protein sandwiches . when sandwiches of a substantial nature are desired, those in which high-protein foods are used as fillings will be found very acceptable. here considerable variety may be had, for there are a number of these foods that make excellent fillings. some sandwiches of this kind are suitable for serving with salads while others, such as those containing meat or chicken, are very satisfactory for picnics or light lunches. . jelly-and-cream-cheese sandwiches.--a sandwich that is very dainty as well as unusually good is made by using both jelly and cream cheese for filling. sandwiches of this kind are shown on the plate to the right in fig. . if a red jelly, such as currant jelly, is used, the appearance of the sandwich will be better than if a light jelly or a very dark jelly is used. cut the bread very thin and match three slices for the sandwich instead of two. spread the first piece thinly with butter and spread the opposite side of the second piece with jelly. place this on the buttered bread and spread the other side with cream cheese. spread another piece with butter and place this on top of the cream cheese. trim the edges if desired, and cut into narrow strips. serve. . rye-bread-and-cheese sandwiches.--rye bread and cheese make a favored combination with many persons. swiss cheese is an excellent kind to serve with rye bread, but the american-made cheddar cheese does very nicely if the other cannot be procured. cut rye bread into slices about / inch thick. spread them very thinly with butter, and between each two slices place a thin slice of the cheese. serve mustard with sandwiches of this kind for any one who may desire it. . cheese sandwiches.--cheese combined with pimiento, sweet pickles, olives, and nuts makes a filling that has an excellent flavor. sandwiches containing this filling will be found to be very good for picnics or lunches. their food value, which, of course, is high, depends somewhat on the amount of filling used. cheese filling / lb. cheese / c. english walnut meats pimiento / doz. olives, cut from stones sweet pickles put the cheese through a grinder unless it is soft enough to mash. chop the pimiento, pickles, nuts, and olives quite fine and add the cheese. work together with a spoon. cut bread into thin slices, spread one piece with butter, the other one with the cheese filling, place the two together, trim if desired, and serve. . cheese-and-nut sandwiches.--cream cheese is used in the accompanying recipe, but other cheese may be substituted for it if desired. sandwiches containing this filling are high in both protein and fat, and may be served very nicely with a vegetable salad. cheese-and-nut filling pkg. cream cheese / c. english walnut meats tb. salad dressing mash the cheese with a spoon and add the salad dressing. just before making the sandwiches, add the nut meats, which have been chopped very fine. if this mixture is put together and allowed to stand for any length of time before serving, the filling will grow dark. cut bread thinly, butter one slice, place filling on the opposite slice, put together, trim if desired, and serve. . peanut-butter sandwiches.--peanut butter alone makes a rather dry sandwich, as it has a peculiar consistency that makes it difficult to swallow without moistening. this condition can be overcome by adding a little salad dressing to the peanut butter. place a few tablespoonfuls of peanut butter in a bowl and pour a sufficient amount of salad dressing into it to moisten it enough to spread. season with salt. cut slices of bread thin, spread one piece with butter, the opposite piece with peanut butter, place together, trim if desired, and serve. . hard-cooked-egg sandwiches.--an excellent sandwich filling can be made by seasoning hard-cooked eggs and combining them with vinegar. to make this filling, cook the desired number of eggs until they are hard. remove them from the shells and put them through a sieve. season well with salt and pepper and then add sufficient vinegar to make them of a good consistency to spread. cut bread thin, spread one piece with butter, and the opposite piece with the egg mixture. put them together, trim the edges if desired, and serve. . meat sandwiches.--cold cooked meat may be used in sandwiches in the usual way by putting thin slices between buttered bread, or it may be put through the grinder or chopped finely and then mixed with salad dressing until thin enough to spread. with the meat may also be chopped pickles, olives, a small amount of onion, green pepper, pimiento, or anything desired for flavoring. left-over roast meat that will not slice very well and trimmings from ham may be utilized in this way. when a filling of chopped meat is to be used, slice bread thin, spread one slice with butter and the opposite slice with the meat filling. put together, trim if desired, and serve. . chicken sandwiches.--cold chicken sliced thinly, put between pieces of crisp toast, and spread with salad dressing, makes a sandwich that is most delicious and offers a pleasant change from the usual plain-bread sandwich. cut bread / inch thick and toast it a delicate brown on both sides. spread thinly with butter when it comes from the toaster. between each two pieces place thin slices of chicken. spread the chicken with a small amount of salad dressing, place a lettuce leaf on top of this, and cover with a second piece of toast. serve. . chicken-salad sandwiches.--when there is on hand only a small amount of chicken that is perhaps not in the right condition for slicing, it is a good plan to make a salad of it and use this for sandwich filling. if necessary, a little veal or pork may be used with the chicken. chicken-salad filling c. cold meat hard-cooked egg / c. chopped celery salad dressing small onion chop all the ingredients very fine, mix together, and season well with salt and pepper. add sufficient salad dressing to moisten well. cut bread thin and spread a slice with butter and another slice with the sandwich mixture. place a lettuce leaf over this, put the two pieces of bread together, trim and serve. hot sandwiches . all the sandwiches thus far discussed are served cold, but various hot sandwiches can also be made. as these generally have meat or a high-protein food for their filling, they may be used as the main dish in the meal in which they are served. sandwiches of this kind are excellent for a light luncheon or for supper. . hot-meat sandwiches.--if both meat and gravy remain from a roast, a very excellent luncheon dish may be made by slicing the meat thin, placing it on slices of bread, and pouring the gravy, which has been heated, over both the bread and meat. there may be a second layer of bread on top of the meat if desired. . hot fried-egg sandwiches.--a very good way in which to serve eggs is to sauté them and then make sandwiches of them. spread slices of bread thinly with butter. break the desired number of eggs into a frying pan with melted butter or other fat, season with salt and pepper, and fry on one side. then turn and fry on the other side until the yolk becomes quite hard. place an egg on one slice of the buttered bread, place a second slice over this, and serve while hot. . ham-and-egg sandwiches.--the combination of ham and eggs is always a good one, but it becomes especially palatable when used in a sandwich, as here explained. slice boiled ham into thin slices and sauté in hot fat for a few minutes. then break into a bowl as many eggs as will be required, beat slightly, and pour over the slices of ham in the frying pan. when the mass has cooked well on one side, turn and cook on the opposite side. there should not be sufficient egg to make this very thick. season well with salt and pepper and when the mixture is thoroughly cooked, cut it into pieces of a size to fit the bread used for the sandwiches. cut the bread, butter it slightly, place a piece of the ham-and-egg mixture between each two slices of bread, and serve hot. if desired, toast may be used in place of bread and a more delicious sandwich will be the result. . club sandwiches.--nothing in the way of sandwiches is more delicious than club sandwiches if they are properly made. they involve a little more work than most sandwiches, but no difficulty will be experienced in making them if the directions here given are carefully followed. the ingredients necessary for sandwiches of this kind are bread, lettuce, salad dressing, bacon, and chicken. the quantity of each required will depend on whether a two- or a three-layer sandwich is made and the number of sandwiches to be served. cut the bread into slices about / inch thick and cut each slice diagonally across to form two triangular pieces. trim the crust and toast the bread on a toaster until it is a light brown on both sides and then butter slightly if desired. slice chicken into thin slices. broil strips of bacon until they are crisp. on a slice of toast, place a lettuce leaf and then a layer of sliced chicken, and spread over this a small quantity of salad dressing, preferably mayonnaise. on top of this, place strips of the broiled bacon and then a second slice of toast. if desired, repeat the first layer and place on top of it a third slice of toast. this should be served while the bacon is still hot. thin slices of tomato may also be used in each layer of this sandwich if desired. . cheese dreams.--with persons who are fond of melted cheese, a favorite kind of sandwich is that known as cheese dreams. these make a good dish for a sunday evening supper or for an evening lunch. cut bread about / inch thick. cut slices of cheese about half as thick, and between each two slices of bread place a slice of the cheese. place these on a broiler, broil first on one side and then on the other until the cheese is thoroughly melted, or sauté the sandwiches in a frying pan with melted butter, first on one side and then on the other. serve while hot. open sandwiches . if sandwiches that are entirely different and at the same time attractive are desired for an afternoon tea or to serve with a salad, open sandwiches will undoubtedly find favor. fig. illustrates several varieties of such sandwiches and shows how artistically they can be made. these are merely submitted as suggestions, but with a little ingenuity, the housewife may work out in designs any ideas she may have. to make such sandwiches attractive, fancy cutters of various shapes will be found helpful. as here shown, round, diamond-shaped, crescent-shaped, triangular, and star-shaped cutters have been used. . the most suitable materials for open sandwiches include cream cheese, jam, stuffed olives, chopped parsley, hard-cooked eggs with the yolks or whites forced through a ricer, pimiento cut into attractive shapes, and any other material that will add either flavor or color. either white or brown bread may be used. after cutting the bread in the preferred shapes, spread first with butter, if desired, and then with cream cheese, jam, or jelly. with this done, decorate the sandwiches in any desired way. slices of stuffed olives are placed in the center of several here shown and strips or small pieces of pimiento are used for much of the decoration. on those that have jam or jelly for their foundation, cream cheese put through a pastry tube forms the decoration. [illustration: fig. , plate of decorative open-faced sandwiches.] . if an accompaniment for a salad is desired and time will not permit the making of open sandwiches, small crisp crackers, decorated with cream cheese, as shown in fig. , will be a very good substitute. these are excellent with a vegetable or a fruit salad; also, when served after the dessert they make a good final course to a meal. [illustration: fig. , plate of crackers decorated with cream cheese.] to prepare them, add cream to cream cheese until it is thin enough to be forced through a pastry bag. using the rosette tube in the bag, make a single rosette in the center of each wafer. dust with paprika and serve. . canapes.--although differing somewhat from the open sandwiches that have been described, canapes are usually placed under this head. _canapes_ are small pieces of bread toasted or sautéd in butter and then spread with some highly seasoned material, such as caviar, anchovy paste, well-seasoned smoked or canned salmon, or a vegetable mixture. they are served either hot or cold as an appetizer or as a first course for lunch or dinner. to make canapes, toast or sauté slices of bread and cut them into any shape desired. cover each piece with a thin layer of the material to be used and then decorate in any of the ways shown in fig. or in any other manner. sometimes a thin layer of tomato is used, but often just a border of some material of contrasting color, such as the yolk of egg forced through a ricer, finely chopped parsley, a thin strip of pimiento, etc., is placed around the edge. * * * * * salads and sandwiches examination questions ( ) discuss the importance of salads and their value in the diet. ( ) in planning meals to include salads, what rules should be observed in order to make the meals balance properly? ( ) of what value to the salads are the accompaniments often served with them? ( ) what ingredients used in salads make them satisfactory as high-protein salads? ( ) how is fat usually supplied in making salads? ( ) what salad ingredients are of the most value for supplying mineral salts? ( ) to what extent are vegetables and fruits combined in making salads? ( ) of what value are salads in the use of leftovers? ( ) (a) what is meant by garnishing salads? (b) how may coarse lettuce be used to advantage for garnish? ( ) (a) describe the best quality of olive oil. (b) what other kinds of oils may be used as salad oils? ( ) (a) what ingredients beside oil are included in the making of the various kinds of salad dressings? (b) what is the value of each? ( ) describe the ideal condition of ingredients used for salads. ( ) how may salad ingredients be freshened if they have become wilted? ( ) describe the cleaning of lettuce for salad. ( ) (a) when may a salad serve as a dessert? (b) in making a salad that contains nuts, when should they be added? ( ) (a) tell how and why marinating is done. (b) what kind of salads should always be marinated? ( ) at what time during a meal is the salad served when it is used as a separate course? ( ) (a) give several points that must be observed if mayonnaise dressing is to be successfully made. (b) what utensil is best for the cooking of boiled salad dressing? tell why. ( ) (a) describe the bread that may be used to best advantage for sandwiches. (b) into what shapes may sandwiches be cut so that there will be no waste of bread? ( ) (a) how should butter be prepared for spreading sandwiches? (b) how may sandwiches be kept moist when they are prepared some time before they are to be served? additional work give a recipe for an original salad in which at least one ingredient is a left-over. cold and frozen desserts * * * * * the dessert in the meal general discussion . a dessert always consists of sweet food of some kind, and in the usual meal it is served as the last course. sometimes, especially in more elaborate meals, another course, such as cheese and coffee, may follow, but ordinarily the dessert is the last food that is served. the eating of something sweet after the heavy course of a meal has undoubtedly become a habit with almost every person. at any rate, a dinner in which a dessert is not included generally leaves one unsatisfied and gives the feeling that the meal has not been properly completed. some housewives, however, make the mistake of serving a heavy dessert after a large meal, with the result that those served leave the table feeling they have had too much to eat. if this occurs, the same combination of food should be avoided another time and a simple dessert used to follow a dinner that is already sufficiently heavy. . there is nothing fixed about the dessert course of a meal. it may be very simple or it may be as complicated and elaborate as desired. to make an elaborate dessert usually requires a good deal of time, and unless time and care can be devoted to such a dessert it should not be attempted. however, whether a dessert is simple or elaborate, it should always be made sufficiently attractive to appeal to an appetite that is already almost satisfied. besides providing a chance to end a meal in an attractive and appetizing way, it offers a splendid opportunity to carry out a color scheme that may be adopted for a meal. of course, this is seldom done, except for a party or a company meal, for a color scheme has no particular value other than to appeal to the esthetic sense. . the cost of desserts is also a matter that may be varied. for instance, it may be low, as in plain rice pudding, which contains merely rice and milk, or it may be high, as in such concoctions as mousse or parfait, which may contain cream, eggs, gelatine, and fruit. it is possible then, with correct planning, to make the price of the dessert equalize the cost of the meal. for example, if the previous courses have contained expensive foods, the dessert should be an economical one, whereas an expensive one is permissible either when an elaborate meal is desired or when the cheapness of the food served before the dessert warrants greater expense in the final dish. . the fact that desserts are often a means of economically utilizing left-over foods should not be overlooked. a famous cooking expert is responsible for the statement that any edible left-over may be utilized in the making of soup, salad, or dessert. this is an important truth to keep in mind, for, with the exception of a knowledge of the correct purchase and cooking of foods, nothing makes so much for economy in cookery as the economical use of leftovers. . desserts are really of two kinds: those which are heavy, such as hot puddings and pastry, and those which are light or of a less substantial nature, such as gelatine, custards, ices, etc. in general, light desserts are either frozen or allowed to cool before they are used and consequently may be made some time before the serving of the meal. it is with desserts of this kind that this section deals, the heavier desserts being discussed elsewhere. composition and food value of desserts . attention should be paid to the composition and food value of desserts in order that the meals in which they are served may be properly balanced. for instance, when a housewife understands the value of the ingredients used in the preparation of a dessert, she will be able to determine the kind of dessert necessary to supply what is lacking in the meal. of course, if she first decides on a particular dessert that she wants to serve, it will be necessary for her to plan the other dishes accordingly. this, however, is not the logical way in which to plan meals. it is much more reasonable to have the dessert supply anything that the meal may lack in the way of food constituents. in considering the food value of desserts, it should be remembered that they are just as valuable as the ingredients they contain. the ingredients in which this class of foods is highest are carbohydrate in the form of starch or sugar or both, protein, especially when eggs in any quantity are used, and fat. . carbohydrate in desserts.--as a rule, the carbohydrate in desserts is obtained from two sources. it is furnished by the sugar, honey, or other sweetening that is added to the mixture, or it is in the form of starch added to thicken, as in the case of corn starch, or material actually used as the basis of the dessert itself, such as rice, tapioca, bread, etc. these ingredients are, of course, easily digested if they are properly cooked. on the whole, desserts can therefore be regarded as high-carbohydrate foods. . protein in desserts.--protein is usually supplied in desserts by means of eggs and milk. custard made almost exclusively of these two foods is sufficiently high in protein to be taken into account in the planning of the main dish for the meal. because of the presence of this food substance in many desserts, proper cooking is a matter to which attention must be given, for it makes for digestibility as well as consistency. cream added to desserts also supplies a little protein. if wheat flour is used, it adds a small amount of protein in the form of gluten. most of the starchy preparations, such as tapioca, rice, corn starch, etc., however, are almost entirely devoid of protein material. gelatine desserts are sometimes thought to be high-protein foods, but, as is explained elsewhere, gelatine is not regarded as true protein. if such desserts are to contain protein, it must come from some other source. . fat in desserts.--fat is usually added to desserts in the form of cream. sometimes, a little butter is used in the making of a dessert, but for the most part the chief source of fat in desserts is the plain or whipped cream that is added to them or served with them. principles of dessert making . attractiveness of desserts.--attractiveness, as has been mentioned, is essential in a dessert if it is to appeal to an appetite that may be nearly satisfied by the time the dessert course is reached. to render dessert attractive, it should be carefully made and artistically garnished and served. it may be made to appeal through a sense of beautiful proportion, an attractive color combination, or an attractive or artistic preparation. because sweets are liked by most persons, it is seldom difficult to prepare attractive desserts. indeed, the housewife who fails in this respect may be said to be unsuccessful in the easiest part of cookery. . economical use of ingredients.--the ingredients required for dessert making are usually expensive ones, although there are some marked exceptions to this rule. in view of this fact, the housewife should strive to use economically the various ingredients she purchases. for instance, the first strawberries, which, because of their scarcity, are much more expensive than the later ones, may be made to go much further if they are used in shortcake than if they are served as plain fruit. in making a fruit gelatine, apples and bananas, while they may not be so attractive as canned pineapple and maraschino cherries, are much cheaper and may be used for a considerable portion of the fruit that is put into the gelatine. then, too, it is well to remember that cream goes much further with desserts when it is whipped than when it is served plain. . applying cookery rules to desserts.--if the best results in dessert making are to be obtained, the rules that govern the cooking of various ingredients in other dishes should be observed. for instance, eggs should not be cooked at a higher temperature in making desserts than when they are being poached. then, again, starchy materials that are used to thicken desserts or that form a basis for these dishes must be thoroughly cooked in order to be agreeable and digestible. therefore, to put both starchy materials and eggs into a dessert at the same time and give them the same amount of cooking at the same temperature, is, as the woman who understands cookery knows, not only a very poor plan, but a possible means of ruining good material. another waste of good material results when a custard is so prepared that it is half water or when a rice or a bread pudding floats in liquid that was never intended to be served with it. again, nothing is less tasty than a corn-starch pudding or a blanc mange in which the starch has not been thoroughly cooked or a tapioca pudding in which the centers of the tapioca are hard and uncooked. such mistakes as these, however, can be avoided if the housewife will apply to desserts the principles she has learned in other parts of cookery, for knowledge coupled with care in preparation is the keynote of successful dessert making. the cookery methods usually applied in the preparation of desserts are boiling, steaming, dry steaming, and baking. as these methods are explained in _essentials of cookery_, part , and are used constantly in the preparation of the majority of dishes served in a meal, they should by this time be so well understood that practically no difficulty will be experienced in applying them to desserts. * * * * * cold desserts and their preparation sauces and whipped cream . sauces.--many cold desserts may be served without any accompaniments, but very often they are much improved by the addition of a sauce of some kind. for instance, when a custard or a blanc mange is very thick and heavy, it can be made more agreeable to the taste if it is served with a sauce of some description. several recipes for sauces that may be used with any cold dessert in need of an accompaniment are here given, so that the housewife will not be at a loss when she desires to serve a sauce with a dessert she has made. . the sauce to use depends on the dessert that it is to accompany. the custard sauce here given could be used, for example, with plain corn-starch mixtures that do not contain eggs or with other desserts of this nature. it is also very satisfactory with chocolate or rather highly flavored desserts. on the other hand, the chocolate sauce may be served with custard mixtures or desserts that require additional flavor. the fruit sauce, in which may be utilized any left-over juice from canned or stewed fruit, may be served with any dessert with which it seems to blend well. custard sauce c. milk tb. sugar / tb. corn starch few grains of salt egg / tsp. vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. add this to the hot milk. stir until thick and cook for about minutes. beat the egg, add this to the mixture, and continue cooking until the egg has thickened. add the vanilla, cool, and serve. chocolate sauce sq. chocolate c. milk tb. sugar few grains of salt / tb. corn starch / tsp. vanilla melt the chocolate over the fire, add half the milk, and cook together for a minute or two. add the sugar and salt to the corn starch, and moisten with the remainder of the milk. pour this into the chocolate and milk and cook until thickened. place in a double boiler and cook for or minutes. add the vanilla and serve. fruit sauce tb. corn starch sugar few grains of salt c. fruit juice moisten the corn starch, sugar, and salt with the fruit juice, and cook together until the corn starch has thickened the mixture. place in a double boiler and cook for or minutes. the amount of sugar must be gauged by the kind of fruit juice used. if it is very sour, a greater quantity of sugar will be needed. cool and serve. butterscotch sauce - / c. brown sugar / c. corn sirup tb. butter / c. cream boil sugar, sirup, and butter until the mixture reaches degrees f. or until it will form a very soft ball when tested in cold water. remove from the fire and allow it to cool a little; then beat the cream into it. fudge sauce c. sugar / c. water sq. chocolate tb. butter / tsp. vanilla mix together the sugar, water, and melted chocolate. boil the mixture for minutes. cool it slightly, then add the butter and vanilla. . whipped cream.--whipped cream is frequently served with cold desserts in place of a sauce or as a garnish. if cream is too thin to whip, it will have to be served plain, but it is an economy to whip it, for whipped cream goes much further. to make whipping possible, the cream must have a comparatively high percentage of fat. the higher the percentage of fat, however, the more expensive will be the cream. . one of the requirements of successfully whipped cream, especially in summer, is that it be as cold as possible. warm cream does not whip nearly so readily as cold. if it is necessary to whip cream in warm weather or in a warm place, the bowl containing the cream may be packed in a larger one containing ice and salt and allowed to stand for some time before the whipping is begun. . a bowl-shaped utensil with a round bottom is the best to use for whipping cream. either an egg whip or a rotary beater may be used to do the beating, which should be done rapidly. if the cream does not show signs of whipping within a reasonable time, the result is likely to be the formation of little globules of butter. cream that whips properly will become stiff and light in a short time. after cream has been whipped till stiff, it should be sweetened slightly with sugar and flavored with vanilla or any other desirable flavoring. * * * * * custard desserts principles of custard making . many of the desserts that are served cold come under the head of custards. these are dishes high in protein and consist of two varieties: those thickened entirely by eggs and known as _true custards_ and those in which a starchy material is used for part of the thickening. they may be cooked by steaming, dry steaming, or baking. . in true custards there must be a sufficient number of eggs to thicken the desired amount of milk, for nothing else produces thickening. to these two ingredients may be added sweetening in the form of sugar, sirup, honey, etc. and flavoring of any desirable kind. the plain custard thus produced makes an excellent dessert and one that is easily digested. in fact, it can be digested with such ease that it is used perhaps more frequently in the diets of children and invalids than any other single dessert. for instance, when it is necessary that eggs and milk be taken in the diet, they usually become monotonous after a time, but a little variety may be added to the diet by serving them in the form of custard. while this is an expensive dessert when eggs are high in price, its value is such that it should be prepared frequently for children in spite of its cost. . although custards are considered to decrease in quality as fewer eggs are used and starch in some form is added for thickening, many excellent custard desserts are made in this way. then, too, plain custard is often utilized in the making of desserts, such as tapioca, rice, and bread puddings. in such an event, fewer eggs are used and the starchy material is depended on for a certain amount of the thickening. because the starchy foods used are generally cheaper than eggs, custard desserts that rely partly on starch for their thickening are more economical than those thickened entirely by eggs. they are also different in composition and texture, being lower in protein because of a smaller proportion of eggs and higher in carbohydrate because of additional starch; nevertheless, they are delicious desserts and find much favor. . for its thickness, or solidity, a custard depends largely on the thickening property of the protein material in the eggs. here, again, as in the preparation of other foods, only a certain proportion of milk and eggs will thicken, or solidify, upon being cooked. in general, the correct proportion for a plain custard is _ egg to cupful of milk_. so important is this proportion that it should be memorized. before the eggs are added to the milk, they are, of course, beaten, but their beating is a matter of little consequence, for they are used merely to supply thickening and give richness and not to produce lightness. therefore, they need only be mixed well and beaten slightly, as any increase in the amount of the beating adds nothing. the sweetening and flavoring used in custards should be in sufficient quantity to suit the tastes of those who are to eat the dessert. however, the usual proportion of sugar is _ tablespoonful to egg and cupful of milk_. a tiny pinch of salt added to a mixture of this kind always improves its flavor and should never be omitted. because of the various ways of making custards, they differ somewhat when they are done. they may be thin enough to pour or they may be set and so thick that they can be cut. the consistency of the finished product depends, of course, on the proportion of the ingredients used and the method of cookery adopted. recipes for custards and related desserts . baked custard.--practically no skill is required in the preparation of baked custard, but care must be taken during the baking in order that the right temperature be applied for the proper length of time. custard of this kind is quickly made and finds favor with most persons. it may be baked in individual baking dishes and then served in these or it may be cooked in a large baking dish and served either before or after it is placed on the table. individual baking dishes are perhaps more satisfactory, for, as there is a smaller amount of material, the heat can penetrate more quickly and evenly to the center. whatever kind of dish is used, however, should be placed in a pan of warm water, so that the custard will bake evenly. the water in the pan should not boil, as this tends to make the custard whey, or separate. [illustration: fig. , testing doneness of custard with knife.] . several tests can be applied to custard to determine whether it is sufficiently baked. as the heat penetrates to the center last, this part is the last to cook and it is therefore the place where the testing should be done. one test consists in touching the center with the tip of the finger to find out whether it is firm or not. a more common test, however, is shown in fig. . to perform this test, the blade of a silver knife is inserted in the center, as illustrated. if the blade comes out clean, it may be known that the custard is sufficiently baked, but if the mixture sticks to the knife, the custard requires more baking. before the knife blade is inserted, however, the skin that covers the custard must be broken; if this is not done, the skin is sure to cling to the knife. . the chief requirement of a successful custard is that its texture be right, and the temperature at which the baking is done is largely responsible for this point. too high a temperature or too long cooking will cause the custard to curdle and leave the edges full of holes. a smoother texture may be obtained if egg yolks alone instead of the yolks and whites are used to thicken the custard. the proportions given in the accompanying recipe make a custard of very good texture, but if a greater proportion of eggs is used, the result will be a firmer, harder custard. baked custard (sufficient to serve four) eggs tb. sugar pinch of salt c. milk / tsp. vanilla beat the eggs slightly, add the sugar and salt, and continue beating while adding the milk. add the vanilla. pour into a buttered baking dish or individual baking dishes, place in a moderately hot oven in a pan of warm water, and bake until the custard is set, testing with the finger or a silver knife. remove from the heat, cool at once, and serve cold. . caramel custard.--caramel is nothing more nor less than browned sugar, but if the process of caramelizing the sugar is performed carefully, the result will be a delicious flavoring material that may be used for desserts of any kind or for making sauces to serve with desserts. when the sugar is browned to make caramel, a certain amount of sweetness is lost, so that more sugar must be used than would ordinarily be needed to sweeten the same amount of custard. to make the caramel required in the accompanying recipe, place / cupful of sugar in a small saucepan over the fire. allow the sugar to melt slowly, stirring it as little as possible. when it has completely melted and no more of it remains white, add / cupful of boiling water. allow this to cook until a heavy sirup is formed. care must be taken not to burn the sugar black, for if this is done, the custard, or whatever is flavored with the caramel, will have a burnt taste. the color should be a clear reddish-brown. maple sirup may be used in the same way as caramel by cooking it until it becomes thick. caramel custard (sufficient to serve six) - / c. milk caramel eggs pinch of salt few drops of vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, add the caramel to the milk, and then cool the mixture. beat the eggs and add them to the caramel and milk. add the salt and vanilla. pour the custard into buttered baking dishes, set in a pan of warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until firm. cool and serve. . soft custard.--the custard given in the accompanying recipe is commonly known as _boiled custard_, but this is in no sense a correct name, for the custard at no time reaches the boiling point. the common method of preparation is dry steaming, for which the double boiler is an essential utensil. if one is not in supply, however, a saucepan placed in a larger pan of water will serve the purpose. the custard should be stirred continuously during its cooking. then it will not set nor thicken as does baked custard, even though the proportion of eggs and milk may be higher. [illustration: fig. , testing doneness of soft custard with spoon.] the test for soft custard, which is exactly opposite from that for baked custard, is shown in fig. . as soon as the custard mixture lightly coats a spoon it is done. then it should be removed from the fire and the inner part of the double boiler removed from the outer part to avoid the application of any more heat. if too much heat has been applied or the custard has been cooked too long, the result will be a curdled mass. as soon as this is observed, the custard should be removed from the hot water, placed at once into a pan of cold water, and beaten vigorously with a rotary egg beater. to improve it further, it may be poured through a fine wire sieve or strainer. unless the curding has gone too far or the egg has been cooked a great deal too long, this treatment will produce a very decided improvement in the custard and possibly bring it to a normal condition. soft custard (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk eggs / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla / tsp. lemon extract heat the milk in the inner pan of a double boiler. separate the eggs. beat the yolks slightly, and to them add the sugar and salt. dilute with a little of the hot milk. blend well together and pour into the hot milk. stir constantly until the mixture coats a spoon, and then remove from the fire. beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry, and fold them into the mixture. flavor with the vanilla and lemon extract, cool, and serve. to obtain variety in soft custards, chocolate, caramel, maple, and other flavors may be used in their preparation in the same way as for baked custards. . french cream.--a custard dessert that is easily made and that most persons are fond of is french cream. as will be noted in the accompanying recipe, only one egg is used and corn starch is supplied for the remainder of the thickening. it is always necessary to salt mixtures containing starch, as any starchy food has a raw taste when it is prepared without salt. french cream (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. salt egg / tsp. vanilla / tsp. lemon extract heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving a sufficient amount to moisten the corn starch. mix the corn starch with the sugar and salt, moisten with the cold milk, and add to the milk in the double boiler when it has heated. stir until the mixture has thickened very slightly. cook in the double boiler for or minutes. beat the egg, add a small amount of the hot mixture to the beaten egg, and then pour this into the thickened milk, stirring rapidly to keep the egg from curding. cook for a minute or two, remove from the fire, add the flavoring, cool, and serve. . floating island.--the dessert known as floating island does not differ very much from soft custard. it is slightly thicker and contains whipped cream, which is used for the island. if whipped cream cannot be obtained, however, the white of egg may be substituted for it. in such an event, the white of the egg included in the recipe may be retained when the custard is made and used on top by sweetening it with sugar or perhaps by beating into it a small amount of pink jelly. floating island (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk - / tb. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. salt egg / tsp. vanilla whipped cream heat the milk in a double boiler, retaining enough to moisten the corn starch. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. add this to the heated milk in the double boiler, stir until the mixture has thickened, and then cook for to minutes. beat the egg, add to it a spoonful of the hot mixture, and then pour this into the double boiler, stirring to prevent the curding of the egg. cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has had time to thicken, remove from the heat, and add the vanilla. when cold, serve in individual dishes or glasses with a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each portion. . corn-starch custard.--a dessert that is a little heavier than either french cream or floating island but not heavy enough to be molded is the corn-starch custard given in the accompanying recipe. if desired, it may be served with sauce, plain cream, or whipped cream, or it may be eaten without any of these. corn-starch custard (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. salt egg / tsp. vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt, and moisten with the cold milk. add this to the hot milk, and stir until the mixture has thickened. cook for or minutes. beat the egg, add a spoonful of the hot mixture to the egg, pour this into the double boiler, and cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has thickened. remove from the fire, add the vanilla, cool, and serve. . coconut-corn-starch custard.--the flavor of coconut in custard is agreeable, but the toughness of this ingredient with a soft custard is not always acceptable. in the preparation of the custard given in the accompanying recipe, the idea is to obtain the flavor without the use of the coconut in the custard. coconut-corn-starch custard (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. corn starch / c. coconut / c. sugar / tsp. salt egg vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, retaining enough of it to moisten the corn starch. put the coconut into the milk while it is hot, and allow it to remain for or minutes after the milk has become heated. then strain through a ricer or a strainer to remove all the liquid possible, and return the milk to the double boiler. mix the sugar and salt with the corn starch and moisten with the cold milk. add this to the hot milk and cook for or minutes after it has thickened. beat the egg and add a little of the hot material to it; then pour it into the double boiler and cook for a minute or two, or until the egg has thickened. flavor with a few drops of vanilla, remove from the fire, cool, and serve. . snow pudding.--an excellent custard dessert called snow pudding can be made by following the directions here given. this pudding is especially attractive when served with chocolate sauce, as the sauce makes an agreeable contrast in color as well as in flavor. other sauces, however, may be used with this dessert if desired. the yolks of the eggs may be made into a custard sauce and served with it, or a fruit sauce may be used. snow pudding (sufficient to serve four) pt. milk tb. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. salt egg whites / tsp. vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving a sufficient amount to moisten the corn starch. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and moisten with the cold milk. add this to the hot milk and stir continuously until the corn starch thickens the milk. cook for to minutes and remove from the fire. beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them into this mixture. add the vanilla, pour into a serving dish or individual dishes, cool, and serve with chocolate or any desired sauce. . plain blanc mange.--a blanc mange is usually a mixture thickened to such an extent with starchy material that it may be turned out of a mold or cut into cubes. the plain blanc mange given here requires a well-flavored sauce to relieve its bland taste. plain blanc mange (sufficient to serve four) c. milk / c. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, reserving enough to moisten the corn starch. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and moisten with the cold milk. pour into the hot milk and stir until the corn starch has thickened. allow this to cook for to minutes, beat to keep smooth, and then remove from the fire and add the vanilla. moisten cups or molds with cold water and fill with the blanc mange. cool, turn out of the molds, and serve with any desired sauce. [illustration: fig. , chocolate blanc mange.] . chocolate blanc mange.--chocolate added to blanc mange gives it an excellent flavor. if a sauce is desired with this blanc mange, custard sauce is the best one to use. an attractive way in which to serve chocolate blanc mange is shown in fig. . the entire recipe is made into one mold, which, when cold, is turned out on a dish, surrounded with slices of banana, and garnished with whipped cream. chocolate blanc mange (sufficient to serve four) / c. sugar / c. cocoa / tsp. salt c. milk / c. corn starch / tsp. vanilla mix the sugar, cocoa, and salt and moisten with some of the milk. place over the fire in the inner pan of a double boiler and allow it to come to a boil. moisten the corn starch with some of the milk and add the rest to the cocoa mixture in the double boiler. heat together in the boiler and stir the corn starch into this. continue stirring until the corn starch has thickened the mixture, and then cook for to minutes. remove from the fire, add the vanilla, pour into a mold moistened with cold water, cool, and serve with sweetened cream, custard sauce, or as shown in fig. . . rice custard.--a very good way in which to use left-over rice is to make a rice custard of it. if no cooked rice is on hand and rice is to be cooked for some other dish, it is not a bad plan to increase the amount slightly and use what remains for rice custard. the best method of preparing rice for this dessert it to steam it, but boiled or japanese rice may also be used. rice custard (sufficient to serve six) eggs / c. sugar - / c. hot milk / tsp. salt / tsp. grated nutmeg c. steamed rice beat the eggs and to them add the sugar, hot milk, salt, and nutmeg. pour this mixture over the rice. place in a buttered baking dish, set the dish in a pan of warm water, and bake in a moderate oven until the custard is set. this will probably require about minutes. cool and serve. . poor man's pudding.--if a very economical dessert is desired, poor man's pudding should be tried. however, this requires considerable fuel and some care in its preparation, for it needs long, slow cooking in order to make it a good pudding, but when it is properly made it is a very delicious dessert. if a coal stove is used, it is a good plan to make such a dessert as this on a day when the stove is heated for ironing or for some other purpose that requires the use of fuel covering a long period of time. poor man's pudding (sufficient to serve six) c. rice / c. sugar tsp. salt nutmeg lemon rind qt. milk / c. raisins wash the rice in the usual way and place it in a baking dish. add the sugar, salt, a grating of nutmeg, and a few thin slices of lemon rind. pour in the milk, place in a slow oven, and bake for several hours. stir frequently to prevent the top surface from browning, and if there is any possibility of this occurring, cover the baking dish with a cover. one hour before the pudding has finished baking, clean the raisins and add them. when done, remove from the oven, cool, and serve. when the pudding is served, the grains of rice should be whole and the liquid should be of a creamy consistency. if the pudding is too dry when cool, add a little more milk and return to the oven for a few minutes. . tapioca cream.--in the dessert here given, as well as in several that follow, tapioca is used as the thickening material. tapioca is practically a true starch and is taken from the roots of the cassava plant, which grows in tropical and subtropical regions. in the process of its manufacture, most of the starch cells are ruptured. it may be purchased in two forms: one that is large in size and called _pearl tapioca_ and the other, very small and known as _minute tapioca_. pearl tapioca does not require as long cooking if it is first soaked in cold water for a number of hours. minute tapioca cooks in much less time than pearl tapioca. tapioca cream is a soft custard that should be thin enough to pour when it is cold. it may be served with whipped cream if desired or may merely be poured into dessert dishes or sherbet glasses and served plain. a spoonful of pink jelly on top of each serving makes a very attractive garnish. tapioca cream (sufficient to serve six) / c. tapioca pt. milk / c. sugar / tsp. salt eggs / tsp. vanilla soak the tapioca in cold water for or hours before making the dessert, and then drain off all the water. heat the milk in a double boiler, stir the tapioca into the hot milk, and cook until it is thick and transparent, being sure that none of the centers are uncooked. add the sugar and salt. separate the whites and yolks of the eggs. beat the yolks, mix a small amount of the hot tapioca with them, and stir into the tapioca in the double boiler. stir until the eggs have thickened and then remove from the fire. beat the whites until they are stiff and fold, with the vanilla, into the tapioca. cool and serve. . tapioca custard.--if something different in the way of a tapioca dessert is desired, tapioca custard will no doubt be very acceptable. this dessert has the consistency of a baked custard containing tapioca, and in preparation and proportion that is really what it is. tapioca custard (sufficient to serve six) / c. tapioca c. milk eggs / c. sugar tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla soak the tapioca for or hours and drain off the water. cook the tapioca and the milk in a double boiler until it is transparent and remove from the fire. beat the eggs and to them add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, and stir this into the tapioca. turn into a buttered baking dish and bake until the custard mixture is set. cool and serve. . minute-tapioca custard.--minute tapioca does not require soaking nor as long cooking as pearl tapioca, for the pieces of tapioca being much smaller may be more quickly penetrated by both heat and moisture. then, too, a smaller proportion of it is required to thicken the same amount of milk. minute-tapioca custard (sufficient to serve six) c. milk tb. minute tapioca egg / c. sugar / tsp. salt vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler, add the tapioca, and cook for or minutes. beat the egg, add to it the sugar and salt, and pour the hot tapioca gradually into this. flavor with vanilla, turn into a buttered baking dish, place in the oven in a pan of water, and bake for to minutes. cool and serve. . apple tapioca.--the combination of fruit and tapioca is agreeable to most persons. peaches and apples, either fresh or canned, are used oftenest for this purpose. for the apple tapioca here given, the apples should be somewhat sour, as there will then be more character to the dessert. canned or fresh peaches or canned pineapple may be used in exactly the same way as apples. if canned fruit is used, not so much sugar nor baking in the oven will be necessary. apple tapioca (sufficient to serve six) / c. pearl tapioca or / c. minute tapioca c. boiling water / tsp. salt apples / c. brown sugar tsp. cinnamon tb. butter if pearl tapioca is used, soak it for or hours and then drain off all the water. minute tapioca will need no soaking. add the tapioca to the boiling water and salt. cook in a double boiler until the tapioca is entirely transparent. pare and core the apples, place them in a buttered baking dish, fill each cavity with sugar and cinnamon, and place a piece of butter on top. pour the hot tapioca over these, place in a hot oven, and bake until the apples are soft. serve either hot or cold with sugar and cream. . caramel tapioca.--persons who care for caramel as a flavoring will find caramel tapioca a delicious dessert. the caramel for it should be made according to the directions given in art. . caramel tapioca (sufficient to serve six) c. pearl tapioca c. water c. sugar / c. boiling water lemon put the tapioca to soak overnight in the water. when ready to prepare, place in a baking dish with the water used to soak the tapioca and set in a very slow oven. caramelize half the sugar and add to it the / cupful of boiling water. pour this with the remaining cup of sugar over the tapioca and continue to cook in the oven until the tapioca is perfectly clear and the liquid has evaporated sufficiently to make a dessert of the proper consistency to serve. upon removing from the oven, squeeze the juice of the lemon over the tapioca and stir slowly so that this may penetrate throughout the dessert. cool and serve with whipped cream. . farina custard.--a means of using left-over breakfast cereals is given in the accompanying recipe. farina is the cereal used, but vitos, cream of wheat, etc. may be used in the same way. cereal may be cooked especially for the purpose if there is none on hand and the dessert is desired. in this event, it should be cooked in the usual way and may be used either warm or cold. farina custard (sufficient to serve six) - / c. cooked farina - / c. milk egg / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. lemon / tsp. vanilla mix the farina with the milk. beat the egg and to it add the sugar and salt. add this to the farina and milk, stir in the flavoring, and pour in a buttered baking dish. bake until the mixture is set. this will require about minutes in a moderate oven. * * * * * gelatine desserts principles of gelatine making . gelatine desserts are those in which gelatine forms the basis. gelatine is an odorless, tasteless substance extracted from the bones and various tissues of animals. it is used in a variety of forms, such as glue and isinglass, but is also purified and prepared commercially for use in desserts. when it is to be used as a thickening agent in dessert making, it is ground and sold in this form, or it is mixed with sugar, flavoring, and acid, when all that is necessary to make it an appetizing dessert is that it be dissolved in hot water. in both of these forms, it is sold under different trade names. the gelatine itself does not provide any appreciable food value, but it is a means of conveying various foods, such as eggs, milk, sugar, and many kinds of fruit and fruit juices, all of which are more or less valuable for their constituents. in addition, it produces desserts that are appetizing and that may be garnished and served in many attractive ways. . to be most satisfactory, gelatine desserts should usually be made just heavy enough with gelatine to retain the desired shape. the heavier they become, the more rubbery they are in consistency and the less dainty and agreeable. their consistency can be regulated by the proportion of liquid to gelatine that is used. the general method of preparation followed when plain gelatine is used in desserts consists in first soaking the gelatine in sufficient cold water to moisten it, then dissolving it in hot liquid as near the boiling point as possible, and finally cooling it in order to allow it to solidify. as cold is absolutely essential for the mixture to solidify, it is often difficult to prepare a gelatine dessert in the summer time. therefore, when a dessert of this kind is desired in the warm weather, it should always be begun long enough before it is to be served to allow it to become thoroughly solid. as it is usually difficult to tell how much time this requires on a warm day, even with a refrigerator or other cold place, it is much safer to overestimate the time required than to underestimate it. . boiling does not, as was formerly thought, destroy the power of coagulation in gelatine for at least some time. therefore, when necessary, it may be boiled for or minutes without causing any change. one fruit that will prevent gelatine from solidifying, however, is raw pineapple. this is an important point to remember in connection with gelatine desserts. if it is desired to use fresh pineapple with gelatine, it will first be necessary to bring the pineapple to the boiling point in order to destroy the property that prevents the gelatine from solidifying. . the proportion of liquid to gelatine is another factor to be reckoned with in the successful making of gelatine desserts. this differs in the various kinds of gelatine, but the proper proportion is usually stated on the package in which the gelatine comes or on a folder inside the package. the amount mentioned is usually what is considered to be ideal for the preparation of gelatine dishes and may generally be relied on. in hot weather, however, it is advisable to use just a little less liquid than the directions require. in using the different brands of unsweetened and unflavored gelatines, the proportion of liquid to gelatine is usually similar. / ounce of this granulated gelatine, which is / of the amount usually put up in a package, will solidify quart of liquid. if this proportion is kept in mind, little difficulty will be experienced in using this form of gelatine. for convenience in measuring small amounts of the granulated gelatine, it will be well to remember that ounce of this material equals - / tablespoonfuls. thus, if a recipe calls for / ounce of gelatine, it is simply necessary to measure - / tablespoonfuls to get the required amount to solidify quart of liquid. recipes for gelatine desserts . plain gelatine.--a very good dessert can be made of fruit juice solidified by means of gelatine. any canned fruit juice or any mixture of juices that will blend well and produce a jelly of agreeable flavor may be used for this purpose. these are usually brought to the boiling point before being added, but in case juices that may be injured by heating are used, they may be added cold and the gelatine dissolved in boiling water. when this is done, a little additional lemon will be necessary in order to increase the flavor. plain jelly made according to the accompanying recipe may be served in various attractive ways. one method of serving it is shown in fig. . to prepare it in this manner, pour the gelatine mixture into stemmed glasses and allow it to solidify. when partly solid, decorate the top with wedge-shaped pieces of pineapple and place a cherry in the center, as illustrated. when entirely solid, place the glass on a small plate and serve. the fruit may be omitted if desired and whipped cream served on the gelatine. [illustration: fig. , a dish of plain gelatine.] plain jelly is also attractive when poured into a large mold, allowed to solidify, and then turned out on a plate. if the mold is moistened with cold water before the gelatine is poured into it, no difficulty will be experienced in removing the jelly when it becomes solid. the center of the mold may be filled with whipped cream before it is put on the table or the jelly may be served plain and the whipped cream then added to each serving from another dish. plain gelatine (sufficient to serve six) / oz. or - / tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water c. fruit juice juice of lemon sugar soak the gelatine in the cold water until it is well moistened. strain the fruit juices, heat to boiling point, and pour over the gelatine. add the lemon juice and a sufficient amount of sugar to sweeten. allow to solidify and serve in any desired manner. . orange jelly.--an excellent dessert is the result when orange juice is used for flavoring and gelatine for thickening. this jelly may be poured into molds that have been moistened with cold water, or, as shown in fig. , it may be poured into orange skins made to resemble baskets and then garnished with whipped cream. orange jelly (sufficient to serve six) / oz. or - / tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water c. boiling water c. sugar / c. lemon juice - / c. orange juice soak the gelatine in the cold water until it is well moistened, and dissolve with the boiling water. add the sugar and the lemon and orange juice strained. pour into a large mold or individual molds and set aside to solidify. serve in any desired way. [illustration: fig. , orange jelly in orange-skin basket.] . coffee jelly.--if fruit juices are difficult to obtain, coffee jelly, which will be found to be very pleasing, may be used occasionally. however, it is necessary that whipped cream be served with coffee jelly in order to make it a really delightful dessert. coffee jelly (sufficient to serve six) c. clear, strong coffee / oz. or - / tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water c. boiling water three-quarters c. sugar prepare the coffee freshly and make it stronger than that which would ordinarily be used for the table. be sure that it contains no grounds. soak the gelatine in the cold water, and dissolve in the boiling water. add the sugar and coffee. pour into moistened molds and allow to cool. serve with sweetened whipped cream. . fruit gelatine.--almost any combination of fruit juices, as well as any single fruit juice, may be used with gelatine in the making of fruit gelatine. the accompanying recipe contains fruits that may be used, but other fruits than those given may perhaps be found to be even more agreeable. fruit gelatine (sufficient to serve six) / oz. or - / tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water / c. boiling water / c. sugar / c. pineapple juice / c. orange juice / c. lemon juice slices pineapple oranges banana english walnuts moisten the gelatine in the cold water and dissolve in the boiling water. add the sugar and the orange, pineapple, and lemon juice, and allow this to cool. dice the pineapple. prepare the oranges by peeling them, removing the pulp from the sections, and cutting it into small pieces. slice or dice the banana and break each nut into six or eight pieces. mix the fruits and nuts, place in a mold that has been moistened with cold water, and pour the cold jelly over them. allow this to solidify, turn from the mold, and serve with whipped cream. . lemon snow.--if a light, spongy dessert to serve with a heavy dinner is desired, lemon snow should be tried. it may be made with other sour-fruit juice and is particularly agreeable if the color of the fruit juice used is a pretty one. fruit coloring may be used in the preparation of dishes of this sort if desired. lemon snow (sufficient to serve six) / oz. or - / tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water - / c. boiling water c. sugar / c. lemon juice whites of two eggs soak the gelatine in the cold water, dissolve it in the boiling water, and add the sugar. when cold, add the strained lemon juice. when the gelatine mixture is just beginning to solidify, add the egg whites, beating with a rotary beater until the mixture begins to hold its shape. if desired, a fruit of some kind may be placed in a mold that has been moistened with cold water and the mixture poured over it, or the plain mixture may be poured into the mold without the fruit. whipped cream or custard sauce improves this dessert to a large extent. . spanish cream.--a gelatine dish containing eggs is usually a delightful dessert, and spanish cream is no exception to this rule. if it is properly made, a part of the mold will have the consistency of a custard, above this will be a layer of jelly, and on top will be a layer of fluffy material. this dessert is more attractive if a little pink coloring is used in its preparation. spanish cream (sufficient to serve six) tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water pt. milk eggs / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla soak the gelatine in the cold water. heat the milk in a double boiler, add the gelatine, and cook until it is completely dissolved. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the sugar and salt. stir into the mixture in the double boiler, and cook until the eggs have thickened. remove from the fire, beat the egg whites until they are stiff, and fold them into the mixture. add the vanilla. pour into a mold that has been moistened with cold water, cool, and serve. if coloring is added, it may be put in upon removing the dessert from the stove. [illustration: fig. , strawberry cream fluff with ladyfingers.] . strawberry cream puff.--one of the most attractive desserts that can be made of gelatine is strawberry cream fluff. it is especially delicious in warm weather, but plenty of time must be allowed for it to solidify. any desired way of serving it may be followed out, but a method that is always pleasing is illustrated in fig. . the gelatine mixture is piled into stemmed glasses and then surrounded by thin pieces of sponge cake or ladyfingers, as here shown. a few fresh strawberries or strawberries that have been canned in thick sirup make an attractive garnish. if a deeper shade of pink is desired than the strawberry juice gives, pink coloring may be added before the whipped cream is beaten into the gelatine. strawberry cream fluff (sufficient to serve six) tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water - / c. strawberry juice juice of one lemon / c. sugar - / c. whipped cream soak the gelatine in the cold water. heat the strawberry juice to the boiling point, and add it to the soaked gelatine. add the lemon juice and sugar and place the gelatine where it will cool. when it has started to solidify, beat into it the whipped cream and continue beating until the mixture stands up well when dropped from a spoon. place in a mold and cool. serve in any desired way. . pineapple cream fluff.--if pineapple is preferred to strawberries, pineapple cream fluff may be made according to the accompanying directions. canned pineapple may be utilized nicely in the preparation of this dessert. if it is in rings, it should be chopped into small pieces, but grated pineapple needs no further preparation. fresh pineapple used for the purpose must be cooked before it can be used in this dessert. pineapple cream fluff (sufficient to serve six) tb. unflavored gelatine / c. cold water - / c. pineapple juice / c. sugar - / c. whipped cream c. grated or chopped pineapple soak the gelatine in the cold water. heat the pineapple juice to the boiling point and add it to the soaked gelatine. add the sugar and set aside to cool. after the gelatine has started to solidify, beat the whipped cream and the grated pineapple into it. when solidified and ready to use, turn out on a plate and serve with whipped cream. if desired, the pineapple may be left out of the dessert and, instead, a spoonful placed on the top of each serving. . marshmallow whip.--something rather unusual in the way of a gelatine dessert can be had by making marshmallow whip according to the accompanying recipe. marshmallow whip (sufficient to serve six) / oz. or - / tb. unflavored gelatine pt. water c. sugar egg whites pink coloring strawberry flavoring / sq. chocolate vanilla soak the gelatine in / cupful of water. bring cupful of water to the boiling point, dissolve the gelatine in it, and place in ice water to cool. put the sugar to cook with / cupful of water, and cook until the sirup will spin a thread or until it will form a firm ball when tried in cold water. beat the egg whites, pour the hot sirup gradually over them, and continue beating. add the gelatine, which by this time should be commencing to solidify. divide the mixture into three equal parts. to one add a little pink coloring and some strawberry flavoring and pour into a mold that has been wet with cold water. to one of the remaining parts, add the chocolate, which has been melted, mixed with a tablespoonful or two of sugar and tablespoonfuls of water, and cooked to a smooth paste. continue beating this until it is stiff, and then pour it in the mold on top of the strawberry flavored whip. to the remaining third, add the vanilla, beat until it is stiff, and pour on top of the chocolate whip. these colors may be arranged in any desirable way, others may be used, or the whip may be made up simply in one color or in two. after it has become set and hardened, turn from the mold, and serve, using whipped cream if desired. * * * * * frozen desserts principles of frozen-dessert making . nature of frozen desserts.--frozen desserts were formerly confined almost entirely to warm weather, but they are now used during the entire year and served on almost any occasion. they are without doubt the daintiest dessert that can be served and are popular with almost every one. a very ordinary meal becomes much more attractive when a frozen dessert is served with it, and a dainty luncheon or an elaborate dinner seems incomplete without a dessert of this nature. in reality, it is quite impossible to serve, in either hot or cold weather, any dessert that is as pleasing as an ice or an ice cream of some kind. . in addition to being delicious and finding favor with most persons, frozen desserts occur in unlimited variety. they include ice creams of various kinds, frozen custards and punches, sherbets, ices, frappés, mousses, parfaits, and biscuits. recipes for several varieties of each of these kinds are given in this section, and it will therefore not be a difficult matter to select a frozen dessert that will be suitable for any meal in which it may be served. the preparation of frozen desserts, however, need not be confined to a certain limited number of recipes, as a recipe may be devised to suit almost any occasion or condition. for instance, if there are certain fruits or fruit juices in supply that should be used, an excellent way in which to utilize them is in a frozen dessert of some kind. after a little experience, the housewife will find that she can produce excellent results by merely combining the ingredients she has on hand or those corresponding with the meal in which the frozen dessert is to be served. . the food value of frozen desserts varies with the ingredients used in their preparation, it being extremely high in some and very low in others. therefore, the particular one to select depends somewhat on the other dishes in the meal. on the whole, they contain very healthful ingredients, so that, if they are properly made, they may have a place in the diets of both children and grown ups, sick persons and well ones. whether or not certain individuals should eat frozen desserts is sometimes a troublesome question. there may be conditions under which desserts of this kind should not be included in the diet, but these need not give the housewife any particular concern. . frozen desserts may be purchased ready made, but those made in the home cost less, are usually more delicious, and can be prepared in greater variety. as they are not difficult to make and are not necessarily an expensive dessert, the housewife should often include them in her meals. therefore, an ice-cream freezer of a size that will accommodate the requirements of the members of the family is a good thing to add to the cookery equipment. ices and ice creams can be made in a pail that has a cover and a bail, such as a lard pail, but this is not a very convenient equipment and does not produce such satisfactory results as those obtained with a good freezer. some desserts of this kind may be frozen without the use of a freezer, but, as a rule, they contain materials that make them rather expensive. . theory of freezing.--so that the best results may be secured in the making of frozen desserts, it is well that the theory of freezing be thoroughly understood. the two things necessary for the freezing of such desserts are ice and salt. when these are brought together and the ice melts, a salt solution is formed, since salt has a tendency to combine with moisture whenever they come in contact with each other. in order to obtain this result in the freezing of desserts, it is necessary, of course, that the ice be melted. the warmth required to make this melting possible comes from the contents of the can inside the ice-cream freezer. when this warmth is absorbed by the ice, the cold temperature released by the melting of the ice passes into the ice-cream mixture. the result is that the ice tends to become liquid and the contents of the can solid by the exchange of temperatures. to make the mixture of uniform consistency, it is usually agitated by means of a dasher during the freezing process. this incorporates air into the mixture and consequently makes it light and increases its volume. . proportion of ice to salt.--the ingredients used in the mixture have much to do with the texture of the ice cream when it is frozen. for instance, a mixture that is thin and composed largely of water will not have so smooth a consistency when frozen as a heavier mixture in which cream or eggs or both are present and a smaller proportion of water is used. another important factor in the texture of the finished product is the proportion of ice to salt, for this has much to do with the length of time required for freezing the mixture. the smaller the proportion of salt, the slower will be the freezing process, for the melting of the ice takes place more slowly; but the result of this slow freezing is a finer, smoother texture. granular, coarse-grained frozen desserts, such as some sherbets and frappés, are frozen with a large proportion of salt, which permits the freezing to take place more quickly. . on this rapidity in freezing also depends to a large extent the increase in quantity that takes place in the frozen mixture. any one who has had experience in making ice cream knows that the can of the freezer cannot be filled before the freezing is begun or it will overflow during the freezing process. even if it is only two-thirds or three-fourths full, it will be entirely full when the freezing is completed. this increase depends somewhat on the kind of mixture, as has been stated, as well as on the way in which the crank of the freezer is turned, but it is more largely determined by the proportion of ice and salt and consequently by the length of time required for the freezing. as can be readily understood, the more turning that is done, the greater will be the quantity of air incorporated into the mixture and naturally the more increase in volume. . table showing details of freezing.--as an aid to the housewife in the making of frozen desserts, table i is presented. in it are given the names of the various kinds of frozen desserts, together with the usual texture of each, the proportion of ice and salt required to freeze each, the way in which it freezes, and the increase in volume that can be expected in each. in trying out the recipes that follow, it will be well for the housewife to refer to this table for the particular dessert that she is making, for then she will be able to carry out the freezing more successfully and will understand what to expect in the finished product. table i frozen desserts proportion manner increase kind of dessert texture of ice and of in volume salt freezing per cent philadelphia ice cream fine to slow to custard ice cream fine to slow to frozen custard fine to slow to sherbet slightly granular to rapid to ice slightly granular to rapid to frappé granular to very rapid to frozen punch granular to very rapid to mousse fine to very slow none parfait fine to very slow none biscuit fine to very slow none procedure in freezing desserts . the preparation of frozen desserts is comparatively simple in nature, for it usually involves nothing except the cooking of the raw ingredients and the proper combining of the materials required in the recipe. sometimes a custard mixture containing starch is prepared, and other times a real custard is made. the same rules that apply to the preparation of these dishes under other conditions should be followed here. as the housewife is already familiar with these principles, she will find that there is very little to master about the preparation of frozen desserts up to the time of freezing. a point that should always be remembered, however, is that the mixture should be prepared long enough before the freezing to be entirely cold when it is put into the freezer, and that, if possible, it should be cooled in a refrigerator. no trouble will be experienced in preparing enough frozen dessert for the number that are to be served if it is remembered that quart of unfrozen mixture will serve six to eight persons when it is frozen. . freezing the mixture.--with the preparation of the mixture well understood, the housewife should turn her attention to the principles that are involved in its freezing. as has been explained, a can that has a cover and a bail may sometimes be used, especially if the dessert does not need turning, but a freezer is necessary for good results in the preparation of a frozen dessert that requires turning. in the case of those that need no turning, such as mousses, parfaits, etc., a mold of some kind or a vacuum freezer is required. the usual type of freezer consists of a pail, generally wooden, and a can of smaller size that sets inside of the pail. the space between the can and the pail is where the ice and salt that freeze the mixture are packed. the can, which is the container for the mixture, contains a removable dasher that is turned during the freezing and thus beats air into the mixture. it is covered with a top that has an opening in the center through which one end of the dasher extends, and a ring of cogs surrounding this opening. for the entire freezer there is a top piece that fastens to both sides of the wooden bucket. it contains a set of cogs that fit into the cogs on the cover of the can. to one side of this piece is attached a crank, which, upon being turned, moves both the can containing the mixture and the dasher inside the can. . the first thing to be done in the freezing of any dessert is to get the ice ready for use. this may be done in numerous ways, but perhaps the most convenient one is shown in fig. . a bag made of a heavy material, such as canvas or ticking, and wooden mallet are used for this purpose. place the ice in the bag and, as here shown, hold the bag shut with one hand and pound it with the mallet held in the other. continue the pounding until the ice is broken into small pieces, and then empty it into a dishpan or some other large pan. after the proportion of salt to ice has been decided upon, mix the salt with the ice in the manner shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . before the freezer is used, scald the can and the dasher thoroughly with boiling water as shown in fig. , and then set them aside to cool. when entirely cold, fit the can into the freezer, and then, as shown in fig. , pour the mixture into the can. remember that the mixture should come to within only one-third or one-fourth of the top of the can. with the cover placed securely on the can and the top of the freezer attached, proceed to pack the ice and salt into the freezer. as shown in fig. , fill the space between the can and the container with these materials, using a large spoon for this purpose. work them down around the can with the small end of a potato masher or similar implement, as in fig. , packing the freezer as tightly as possible and making sure that the ice comes higher than the surface of the mixture inside of the can. when the packing has been finished, see that the top is securely attached and that the hole in the side of the freezer is well stopped up. then proceed to freeze the cream. turn the crank slowly, for nothing is gained by turning the mixture rapidly at the temperature at which it is put into the freezer. after the temperature has been reduced considerably, and just as the mixture begins to thicken a trifle, start turning the crank more rapidly. the air incorporated just at this time by the turning of the dasher increases the volume considerably, for it will remain held in the mixture. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . packing the mixture.--if the frozen dessert is to be served at once, turn the crank until it is difficult to turn any longer. however, in case the dessert is not to be used as soon as it is made, it should be frozen only moderately hard and then packed and allowed to freeze more. during this second freezing process, a condition occurs that is known as _ripening_ and that improves the quality as well as the flavor of the dessert. after the freezing has been carried on to the desired degree, unfasten the top of the freezer, wipe the can thoroughly around the top with a cloth to make sure that all salt and ice are removed, and then remove the cover. proceed at once to lift out the dasher and to scrape it clean with a knife or a spoon, as shown in fig. . push down the frozen dessert in the can carefully and tightly with the aid of a spoon. to prepare it for packing, stretch a piece of waxed paper over the top of the can, replace the cover, and fit a cork into the hole in the cover through which the top of the dasher extends, as fig. shows. with this done, remove the stopper from the hole in the side of the freezer and, as fig. shows, run off the brine that has formed by the melting of the ice. then repack the freezer with a mixture of ice and salt in the proportion of to and set aside until needed. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . using a vacuum freezer.--there are some frozen desserts that do not necessarily require the incorporation of air by means of a dasher to be satisfactory. for desserts of this kind, a vacuum freezer, that is, one that requires no turning, may be used. in such a freezer a container extends down through the center of the can and is surrounded by an air space. the mixture to be frozen is poured into this container from the top and the ice-and-salt mixture that does the freezing is put in from the bottom and takes up the air space. covers fasten securely both the top and the bottom. a handle attached to one side makes the handling of such a freezer an easy matter. by many, a freezer of this kind is considered a decided advantage over the usual variety of freezer, for it requires no turning, but there are certain disadvantages about its use that should be understood before one is secured. in the first place, the expansion that is produced in the mixture by the incorporation of air when an ordinary freezer is used does not occur in a vacuum freezer. also, the texture of the finished product is not, as a rule, equal to that of the dessert made in a freezer turned with a dasher. in addition, it is necessary to crack the ice somewhat finer for a vacuum freezer and to mix it thoroughly with the correct proportion of salt required for the particular kind of mixture frozen. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . when a vacuum freezer is to be used, turn it upside down and insert the ice-and-salt mixture through the opening in the bottom. then close it tight, turn it right side up, and with the top open, pour in the mixture as shown in fig, . screw the top on tightly in the manner shown in fig. , just as the bottom is screwed on, and set the freezer aside. after the mixture has stood for about minutes, open the freezer from the top and stir the contents down from the sides with a knife or a spoon, as in fig. . then replace the cover and allow the freezing to continue for minutes more. at the end of this time, open the freezer again, repeat the stirring, refasten the cover, and continue the freezing for another minutes. the mixture should then be ready to serve. * * * * * recipes for frozen desserts ice creams . philadelphia ice cream.--perhaps the simplest of frozen desserts to make is philadelphia ice cream, but it requires cream in order that its texture be good. for this reason, it is not so economical as some of those which are a trifle more complicated to prepare. it consists of cream sweetened, flavored, and then frozen. this is a particularly attractive way in which to make ice cream when strawberries, red raspberries, or peaches are in season, as these fresh fruits may be crushed and added to the cream, instead of plain flavoring. the recipe here given for the preparation of philadelphia ice cream contains vanilla as the flavoring, but fresh fruit of any desirable kind may be added, this recipe being used merely as a basis. usually / cupfuls of crushed fruit is required for a quart of cream. it is necessary, however, to vary the quantity of sugar with the nature of the fruit used. for instance, if fresh strawberries are used, more sugar will be required than if canned ones are used, because sugar has already been added to these. the best plan is to test the mixture before freezing it, remembering always that more sugar is required for a frozen dessert than would be necessary if the mixture were not to be frozen. philadelphia ice cream (sufficient to serve six) qt. cream tb. vanilla c. sugar scald the cream in a double boiler, add the sugar and the vanilla, and cool. if desired, add / cupfuls of crushed fruit. if pineapple is used, it may be grated or shredded instead of being crushed. place in a freezer and freeze according to the directions previously given. . vanilla ice cream.--plain ice cream is usually made from ingredients that are somewhat cheaper than those used to make philadelphia ice cream. it consists usually of a custard foundation, to which are added flavoring, sometimes fruit, and usually thin cream. the custard foundation is often made with corn starch and a small amount of raw egg. the same rules must be observed in the preparation of this foundation for ice cream as have been learned in the making of custards. frequently some starchy material, such as flour or corn starch, is used for thickening in the preparation of this dessert. some persons prefer flour, as they believe that the presence of flour cannot be detected so easily as that of corn starch; however, a recipe using each is given. the mixtures used for this ice cream should not be boiled, but cooked in a double boiler. if desired, fruits, either cooked or raw, or nuts may be added to the ice cream for variety. vanilla ice cream no. (sufficient to serve six) tb. flour c. sugar / tsp. salt c. milk c. thin cream eggs tb. vanilla mix the flour, sugar, and salt with sufficient cold liquid to moisten well. add this to the remainder of the milk and the cream heated in a double boiler. stir until thickened, and cook for about minutes. beat the eggs and add slowly to the mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent curding. cook until the egg has thickened, strain, add the vanilla, cool, and freeze. vanilla ice cream no. (sufficient to serve six) qt. milk tb. corn starch - / c. sugar eggs pt. cream tb. vanilla scald the milk and stir into it the corn starch mixed with half the sugar. stir constantly until thickened, and cook for to minutes. beat the eggs, add the remaining sugar, mix with a little of the hot mixture, and stir into the double boiler. remove from the heat, add the cream, strain, cool, add the flavoring, and freeze. . chocolate ice cream.--next to vanilla ice cream, chocolate seems to be the most desired. some persons think this variety is difficult to make, but if the accompanying directions are carefully followed, no difficulty will be experienced and a delicious dessert will be the result. chocolate ice cream (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar / tsp. salt / c. water tb. flour sq. melted chocolate eggs c. milk tsp. vanilla c. thin cream mix the sugar and water and cook until a sirup forms. add this to the melted chocolate and cook together until the two are well blended. add this mixture to the heated milk and cream, which have been seasoned with the salt and thickened with the flour. beat the eggs and add to the hot mixture, stirring rapidly to prevent curding. remove from the heat, cool, add the vanilla, strain, and freeze. . mocha ice cream.--as the flavor of coffee is usually well liked, mocha ice cream, which has coffee for its flavoring, is a dessert that often finds a place in the meal. it is especially nice to serve in the hot weather when hot coffee is omitted from the meal. mocha ice cream (sufficient to serve six) c. water - / c. sugar / c. ground coffee / tsp. salt - / c. milk qt. cream eggs tsp. vanilla heat the water and add it to the coffee. allow this to stand on the back of the stove for about / hour, and then strain through cheesecloth. heat the milk in a double boiler, and to it add the strained coffee. beat the eggs and add the sugar and salt to them. stir into this a spoonful of the hot milk and coffee and then add to the mixture in the double boiler. cook until the eggs have thickened, stirring constantly to prevent curding. remove from the heat, cool, add the cream and vanilla, strain through a fine sieve, and freeze. . caramel ice cream.--no more delicious ice cream can be made than that flavored with caramel. it is usually very fine in texture and rich in flavor. caramel ice cream (sufficient to serve six) - / c. sugar egg / c. water / tsp. salt c. milk qt. thin cream tb. flour tb. vanilla caramelize / of the sugar and add the water. cook to a sirup. prepare a custard with the milk, remaining sugar, flour, egg, and salt. remove from the heat, add the caramel and the cream, strain, add the vanilla, cool, and freeze. . junket ice cream with peaches.--an attractive frozen dessert can be made by freezing junket and serving it with canned peaches and peach sirup. this may be made into a mold and the mold garnished with the peaches, or it may be served on individual plates and a half of a peach put on each plate. junket ice cream with peaches (sufficient to serve six) c. cream tb. cold water - / qt. milk tb. vanilla - / c. sugar tsp. almond extract / tsp. salt green coloring junket tablets canned peaches mix the cream and milk, add the sugar and salt, and heat in a double boiler until lukewarm. dissolve the junket tablets in the cold water and add to the lukewarm milk. add the flavoring and the green coloring, making the junket a pale green, and stand in a warm place until set. turn into a freezer and freeze. if desired, mold and garnish the mold with the peaches. add sugar to the peach juice and cook until a thick sirup is formed. pour this over the whole and serve. if it is desired not to mold the ice cream, serve it with a peach on individual serving plates and pour a spoonful of peach sirup over each portion. . french ice cream.--no more delicious ice cream can be made than that given in the accompanying recipe and known as french ice cream. it is especially nice for serving when something very attractive is desired, as at a dainty luncheon or an afternoon or evening party. french ice cream (sufficient to serve six) pt. milk qt. cream c. sugar tb. vanilla yolks of eggs tsp. lemon heat the milk and add the sugar and beaten yolks of the eggs. cook until the mixture thickens, remove from the fire, add the cream, vanilla, and lemon. cool and freeze. frozen custards . frozen custard makes a very desirable kind of frozen dessert. if properly made, the result is a delightfully rich dessert of smooth texture. it may be frozen without turning or in the usual way. a similar mixture is used in some of the recipes of the more complicated frozen desserts given later. fruits and nuts may be used in the preparation of frozen custard to procure variety. during the season when eggs are expensive, this dessert is a rather extravagant one, so that from the standpoint of economy it should be made in the spring and summer. . plain frozen custard.--if a frozen dessert that is easily made is desired, plain frozen custard should be tried. the accompanying recipe gives directions for custard of this kind. plain frozen custard (sufficient to serve six) - / qt. milk / tsp. salt eggs tb. vanilla - / c. sugar tsp. lemon extract heat the milk in a double boiler. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and add the sugar and salt to them. add this to the hot milk, stirring rapidly until the mixture thickens. remove from the heat, beat the egg whites, and fold them into the mixture. add the vanilla and lemon extract, cool, and freeze. . frozen custard with nuts.--plain frozen custard can be greatly improved by the addition of nuts. the nuts used may be blanched almonds roasted in the oven until they are brown, hickory nuts, english walnuts, pecans, black walnuts, or a mixture of any of these. they should not be put through a grinder, but should be put into a chopping bowl and chopped fine with a chopping knife. prepare the mixture and freeze to a mush, then open the freezer, add a cupful of chopped nuts, close the freezer, and complete the freezing. . frozen custard with raisins.--frozen custard is also delicious when maple sirup is used in its preparation and raisins are added before the freezing is complete. frozen custard with raisins (sufficient to serve six) c. sultana raisins - / c. maple sirup qt. milk pt. thin cream eggs tb. vanilla steam the raisins until they are soft. heat the milk in a double boiler. beat the eggs, add the maple sirup, and add this to the milk. cook until the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat, and stir in the cream and vanilla. cool and freeze to a mush; then add the raisins and continue freezing until stiff. serve. . tutti-frutti frozen custard.--a very rich dessert can be made by adding chopped nuts and several kinds of fruit to custard and then freezing it to make tutti-frutti custard. such a dessert is high in food value and is suitable for a meal in which other rich food is not served. tutti-frutti frozen custard (sufficient to serve six) qt. milk egg yolks c. sugar / tsp. salt tb. vanilla / c. chopped citron tb. maraschino juice / c. chopped maraschino cherries / c. chopped nuts / c. chopped candied pineapple / c. shredded coconut heat the milk in a double boiler. beat the egg yolks and add the sugar and salt. add this to the hot milk and stir until the custard has thickened. cool, add the vanilla, chopped citron, maraschino juice, cherries, nuts, pineapple, and coconut. place in a freezer and freeze until stiff. pack and let stand until time to serve. ices . ices are simple mixtures of fruit juice and sugar diluted with water and then frozen. they are expected to be somewhat sour, and, as a rule, lemon juice is relied on to assist in obtaining this flavor. in addition, lemon juice also helps to bring out the flavor of the fruit used as the basis of the ice. as a rule, a very smooth texture is not desired in this dessert; consequently, ice is frozen quite rapidly and, as will be noted in table i, with a high proportion of salt. unless the fruit used in an ice is expensive, this is probably the cheapest frozen dessert that can be made, for it seldom contains any other ingredients than those mentioned. it is usually clear, but occasionally the fruit pulp is used in addition to the fruit juice. when this is done, the mixture should not be frozen too hard, as the fruit is apt to become icy. fresh, canned, or preserved fruit may be used. the sugar used for ices is usually cooked with the water to form a sirup. otherwise, the sugar often fails to dissolve and remains granular, preventing the ice from being as sweet as it should be for the amount of sugar used. . lemon ice.--the ice most frequently made is that flavored with lemon. it is very refreshing when served plain, but it can be improved by the addition of fruit. a very delightful way in which to serve it is to place a large spoonful in a sherbet glass, pour over this a spoonful or two of the sirup from maraschino cherries, and then garnish with diced bananas. lemon ice (sufficient to serve six) c. water - / c. sugar / c. lemon juice mix the water and sugar, bring to a boil, and cool. add the lemon juice, turn into a freezer, and freeze. serve in any desired way. . orange ice.--persons fond of oranges generally welcome orange ice as a dessert. as orange ice is somewhat bland in flavor, it is improved by the addition of a little lemon juice. orange ice (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar c. water c. orange juice / c. lemon juice cook the sugar and water until a thin sirup is formed, add the lemon and orange juice, and freeze. . fruit ice.--no more refreshing dessert for warm weather can be made than fruit ice. orange and lemon juice are used as the foundation, and grated pineapple and crushed strawberries are added for flavoring. fruit ice (sufficient to serve six) - / c. sugar c. water oranges lemons c. grated pineapple c. crushed strawberries cook the sugar and water until a thin sirup is formed, and then cool. add the juice of the oranges and lemons, the grated pineapple, fresh if possible, and the crushed strawberries. freeze and serve. . frozen spiced punch.--something entirely different in the way of a frozen dessert can be made by making frozen spiced punch according to the accompanying directions. a dessert of this kind is a fitting conclusion to a meal that is somewhat hearty and varied in its nature. frozen spiced punch (sufficient to serve six) cloves -in. stick cinnamon qt. water c. sugar / c. pineapple juice / c. orange juice / c. lemon juice drops wintergreen oil put the cloves and cinnamon into the water, place over the fire, bring to the boiling point, and then add the sugar. cook together for a few minutes, remove from the fire, and cool. add the pineapple, orange, and lemon juice, strain, add the wintergreen oil, and freeze. . mint punch.--when meals containing rich meats and other rich foods are served, it will be found that mint punch adds just what is needed to balance them. it is an easy dessert to make, as will be seen from the accompanying recipe. mint punch (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar qt. water lemons bunch fresh mint drops peppermint oil green coloring cook the sugar and water until a thin sirup is formed. cool and add the juice of the lemons. wash and chop the leaves of the mint into small pieces, and add these to the liquid. add the peppermint oil and sufficient coloring to make it a pale green. freeze. the fresh mint leaves may be omitted if desired. frappÉs . frappÉs, in composition, are very similar to ices, consisting usually of crushed fruit or fruit juice, water, and sugar. they are granular when frozen, and, as they are never frozen as hard as ice cream and ices, they are of a mushy consistency. they are more often used for serving with a heavy course in a dinner or between two courses than as a dessert. the freezing of frappés is accomplished rapidly, for, as will be observed from table i, the proportion of ice and salt used is to . this, together with the fact that the mixture contains a large proportion of water, accounts for the granular nature of frappés. any desirable fruit may be used in the preparation of this dessert. if it is a rather bland fruit, such as peaches, raspberries, etc., lemon juice should be added in order to give a sour taste and the mixture will need to be sweetened accordingly. . cranberry frappÉ.--to the dinner course of a meal in which chicken, turkey, duck, or other fowl is served, cranberry frappé is often added. it may be used in place of the cranberry jelly and will be found to be a delightful change. cranberry frappÉ (sufficient to serve six) qt. cranberries c. water c. sugar lemons put the cranberries to cook with the water. when all the berries have become soft, force them through a colander, add the sugar, and put over the fire to cook until the sugar is completely dissolved. remove from the fire and cool, add the juice of the lemons, and freeze. . cider frappÉ.--a delightful addition to a thanksgiving dinner is cider frappé. it should be served with the dinner course rather than as a dessert. cider frappÉ (sufficient to serve six) / c. water / c. sugar qt. cider lemons place the water and sugar over the fire and cook until the sugar is dissolved. cool and then add the sirup to the cider and the juice of the lemons. freeze. . cherry frappÉ.--no more attractive frappé can be served than that flavored with cherries and colored with a pink coloring. it is very refreshing and adds much to the meal in which it is served. cherry frappÉ (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar c. water lemons c. cherries, chopped - / c. juice from canned sour cherries pink coloring add the sugar to the water and cook until the sugar is dissolved. cool, add the juice of the lemons, the chopped cherries, cherry juice, and sufficient pink coloring to make the mixture a pale pink. freeze. sherbets . sherbets, according to definition, are flavored water ices, but as they are now commonly understood, they have come to have a different meaning. desserts now regarded as sherbets are ices to which are added egg whites, gelatine, milk, or any combination of these things. the addition of such ingredients improves the texture very much, for sherbets are less likely to be granular than ices. sherbets may be made from fruits or fruit juices of any kind, and these may be either canned or fresh. some mixtures of fruits are more agreeable than others, and an effort should be made to combine the fruits that make the best mixtures. when a bland fruit is used as the basis for a sherbet, a more acid one should be added to improve the flavor. . milk sherbet.--the accompanying recipe for milk sherbet may be made as here given, or any desired kind of crushed fruit and fruit juice may be added to it to give a distinctive fruit flavor. the quantity of lemon used may be decreased slightly, especially if the fruit added is sour. if a large amount of unsweetened fruit is added, it may be necessary to increase the quantity of sugar. this point should be looked after carefully before freezing. milk sherbet (sufficient to serve six) - / c. sugar qt. milk lemons mix the sugar, milk, and juice of the lemons. stir until the sugar is dissolved. the milk, of course, will curd, but when it is frozen the curd will have disappeared entirely. place in a freezer and freeze until firm. . raspberry sherbet.--if a delightful dessert is desired, raspberry sherbet should be made. fresh raspberries are preferred in a dessert of this kind, but canned raspberries may be used if it is made out of the raspberry season. raspberry sherbet (sufficient to serve six) c. milk c. crushed red raspberries lemon c. sugar mix the milk, raspberries, juice of the lemon, and sugar. stir until the sugar is dissolved. freeze. . pear sherbet.--pear juice is, of course, rather bland in flavor, but it makes a very appetizing sherbet if it is combined with lemon juice. pear sherbet (sufficient to serve six) c. pear juice juice of lemons c. water c. sugar tb. gelatine egg white mix the fruit juices and water and add the sugar. soak the gelatine in a little cold water and add sufficient boiling water to dissolve it. pour this into the mixture. freeze until of a mushy consistency. add the beaten egg white and continue to freeze until stiff. . strawberry sherbet.--as nearly every one is fond of strawberries, a sherbet in which this fruit is used will always be appreciated. fresh strawberries are required in the accompanying recipe, and so this dessert must be made during strawberry season. strawberry sherbet (sufficient to serve six) c. fresh crushed strawberries lemon c. sugar qt. milk egg whites crush the strawberries, add them with the juice of the lemon and sugar to the milk. stir until the sugar is dissolved. freeze to a mush, add the beaten egg whites, and continue to freeze until the sherbet is solid. . grape sherbet.--sherbet in which grape juice is used for flavoring makes a change from the usual kind of frozen desserts. a little lemon juice is used with the grape juice to make it more tart. grape sherbet (sufficient to serve six) c. grape juice c. water c. milk tb. gelatine c. sugar lemon mix the grape juice, water, and milk. soak the gelatine in a little cold water and add sufficient boiling water to dissolve. pour this into the liquid and add the sugar and the juice of the lemon. stir until the sugar is dissolved. place in a freezer and freeze. mousses, parfaits, and biscuits . nature of mousses, parfaits, and biscuits. mousses, parfaits, and biscuits differ from other frozen desserts in that they are frozen in molds rather than in a freezer. mousses and parfaits are similar in nature, and still there is a slight distinction between them. mousses nearly always contain gelatine and are frequently made without eggs, while parfaits are composed largely of sirup, eggs, and cream. biscuits are usually made of a mixture similar to mousses and parfaits, but are molded in individual molds. since the desserts are frozen without being turned, they must be of a heavy, smooth texture, so that they will not be granular when they are frozen, as would be the case if a fine mixture were packed in a mold and frozen without turning. in many of them, whipped cream and beaten eggs are folded in to give lightness. in the ordinary manner of freezing, this lightness would be lost, but it is retained in this method because the mixture is undisturbed during the freezing process. considerable time is required to freeze these heavy mixtures; in fact, if a mousse contains too large a proportion of gelatine, there is difficulty in freezing it at all. . molding: mousses, parfaits, and biscuits.--the molding of mousses, parfaits, and biscuits, while different from the freezing of other frozen desserts, is not a difficult matter. they are usually put in a mold of some kind and the mold is then covered with a mixture of ice and salt. after the mixture is prepared, crack the ice as previously explained, and mix it with salt in the proportion of to . as a rule, a very large dish pan or other utensil that will hold a sufficient quantity of ice to cover the mold well is used for freezing the packed mold. set the mold in the pan of ice and salt until it is thoroughly cooled, and then fill it with the mixture to be frozen. often, to improve the appearance, the mold is first lined with a frappé or an ice and then filled with the heavier mixture. such an arrangement provides an opportunity for a color scheme and at the same time facilitates the removal of the dessert from the mold. with the mold filled in the desired way, wrap several layers of oiled paper in a band around the edge and press the cover down tightly to prevent the entrance of any salt water. then pack the closed mold in the pan of ice and salt, being careful to have it completely covered. it may be necessary to pour off the water and repack with ice and salt once during the freezing. care should be taken not to freeze the mixture too long, for, at best, it is hard to remove these desserts from the mold and this difficulty is increased if they are frozen too hard. . caramel mousse.--a melon mold makes a very attractive dessert when used for the molding of caramel mousse. after being turned out of the mold on a platter and garnished with peaches, this dessert will appear as in fig. . in addition to being attractive, caramel mousse is so delicious that it appeals to practically every one. [illustration: fig. ] caramel mousse (sufficient to serve six) / c. sugar / c. water c. evaporated milk tsp. gelatine / c. water egg white tsp. vanilla / tsp. salt make / cupful of the sugar and the / cupful of water into caramel. place the can of evaporated milk into a pan of warm water, allow it to come to a boil over the flame, and then cool the can in the refrigerator. soften the gelatine with the / cupful of water and then dissolve in the caramel while it is boiling hot. pour the cold milk into a bowl, add the egg white, and beat together vigorously. when the gelatine and caramel have become cool and have started to set, gradually add the mixture to the milk and egg white, beating constantly. if it is desired to hasten the thickening process, set the bowl in which the mixture is being made into a pan of ice. add the rest of the sugar, the vanilla, and the salt, and continue beating until the whole begins to thicken. place in a mold and freeze in a pan of ice and salt. when frozen, turn from the mold onto a platter and garnish with canned peaches in the manner shown. over each serving, pour some of the peach juice, which has been boiled down into a thick sirup. . chocolate mousse.--if persons to be served are fond of chocolate desserts, chocolate mousse should be prepared. this may be packed in a mold of any desired kind. chocolate mousse (sufficient to serve six) sq. unsweetened chocolate - / c. sugar c. water tsp. granulated gelatine c. thin cream tsp. vanilla c. whipping cream melt the chocolate in a double boiler. add the sugar and half of the water. cook over the flame until the mixture is thick and smooth. soften the gelatine in / cupful of water, bring the remaining / cupful of water to the boiling point, and dissolve the gelatine in it. add this to the cooked chocolate and sugar, heat the thin cream in a double boiler, and mix the two. add the vanilla, strain, and cool in a pan of ice water. when the mixture begins to thicken, whip the heavy cream and fold it in. mold, pack in ice and salt, and freeze. . banana-and-apricot mousse.--mousses are sometimes made of fruits, but when this is done, the proper combination should be secured. bananas and apricots combine very well. an excellent dessert will therefore result if the directions given in the accompanying recipe are carefully followed. banana-and-apricot mousse (sufficient to serve six) c. banana purée c. apricot purée juice of lemon c. water c. sugar tsp. gelatine pt. heavy cream force ripe bananas through a sieve to make the banana purée. soak and stew dried apricots and force these through a sieve to make apricot purée. mix the two and add the lemon juice. add / cupful of the water to the sugar and cook until a thick sirup is formed. add this to the fruit purée. soften the gelatine in / cupful of cold water, heat the remaining / cupful to the boiling point, and dissolve the gelatine. add the gelatine to the fruit mixture and place in a pan of ice water to cool. whip the cream until it is stiff and fold this into the fruit mixture when it begins to thicken. mold, pack in ice, and freeze. . maple parfait.--maple sirup may be combined with eggs and whipped cream to make maple parfait. as may be judged from the ingredients used, this is a very rich dessert; therefore, it should not be used in a meal in which the other dishes are hearty. maple parfait makes an excellent dish to serve with cake that is not very rich as refreshments for a party. maple parfait (sufficient to serve six) eggs c. maple sirup pt. heavy cream beat the eggs. cook the maple sirup for a few minutes only and pour this slowly over them. stir constantly to prevent the curding of the eggs. place in a double boiler and cook until the mixture thickens. cool in a pan of ice water. whip the cream until it is stiff and fold this into the mixture. mold, pack in ice and salt, and freeze. . cafÉ parfait.--coffee used to flavor parfait makes a dessert that appeals to many. when hot coffee is not included in the meal on a warm day, this beverage need not be omitted altogether, for it may be used to flavor the dessert. cafÉ parfait (sufficient to serve six) / c. ground coffee c. milk c. sugar c. thin cream eggs c. heavy cream scald the coffee and milk together for about minutes, strain, and add the sugar and thin cream. stir until the sugar dissolves. beat the eggs and add them to the warm mixture. cook together until the eggs have thickened and then cool. whip the heavy cream, fold this into the custard, and freeze. serve with sweetened whipped cream. . strawberry angel parfait.--as the name implies, strawberry angel parfait is a very dainty dessert. nothing more delightful can be made during the season when fresh strawberries can be obtained. it is suitable for serving at the conclusion of a meal, but it is especially satisfactory for a party or other social affair. strawberry angel parfait (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar c. boiling water whites of eggs pt. whipping cream c. crushed strawberries tsp. vanilla boil the sugar and water until the sirup threads. beat the egg whites and pour the hot sirup over them, beating rapidly. cool. whip the cream and fold it in, add the crushed strawberries and vanilla, and freeze in a mold. . canton parfait.--preserved canton ginger is used for the flavoring of canton parfait. the sirup that comes with the ginger is also used in the preparation of this dessert. canton parfait is somewhat of a departure from the ordinary dessert, but is favored by many persons. canton parfait (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar / c. water eggs c. thin cream / c. preserved canton ginger / c. sirup from ginger tsp. vanilla tb. lemon juice c. whipping cream cook the sugar and water together until they form a thin sirup. beat the eggs, pour the hot sirup over them, and add the thin cream. cook in a double boiler until the eggs have thickened. cool, add the ginger chopped into small pieces, the ginger sirup, vanilla, and lemon juice. fold into this the heavy cream whipped until it is stiff. freeze in a mold. . biscuit tortoni.--something entirely different in the nature of a frozen dessert can be had by preparing biscuit tortoni. this is frozen in a mold as are parfaits and mousses, but instead of the entire mold being served, it is packed in paper cases, and one of these served to each person. macaroons are used to flavor this dessert, and a layer of the crumbs is sprinkled over the top of each serving. biscuit tortoni (sufficient to serve six) c. sugar / c. boiling water eggs pt. thin cream c. heavy cream c. macaroon crumbs tsp. vanilla cook the sugar and water until it threads. beat the eggs and add the sirup to the beaten eggs. then add the thin cream, return to the fire, and cook until the mixture thickens. set aside to cool. beat the heavy cream until it is stiff, and fold this into the custard. make macaroon crumbs by drying macaroons and beating them until they are quite fine. add cupful of these crumbs and the vanilla to the parfait mixture, place in a mold and freeze. when frozen, remove from the mold, pack in paper cases, cover with a layer of macaroon crumbs, and serve. molding frozen desserts . after desserts have been frozen in the various ways that have been explained, they are often molded and then allowed to stand in ice and salt until they are well set. in this way, many attractive desserts can be made and numerous color schemes carried out. some of the molds that are used for this purpose are shown in fig. . the one in the center is known as a _melon mold_, and it is the one used in the preparation of the caramel mousse shown in fig. . it may also be used for the molding of desserts that are already frozen. the mold to the left is known as a _brick mold_, and is much used for neapolitan ice cream, while the small one to the right is an individual mold used for individual serving. both the top and the bottom of the brick mold are in the form of covers that are removable. directions for the molding of several desserts of this kind are here given and other frozen mixtures may be molded in a similar way. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . neapolitan ice cream.--a combination of an ice and two kinds of ice cream, usually of different colors, makes what is known as neapolitan ice cream. various ways of combining these are in practice; for instance, chocolate ice cream and strawberry ice cream may be combined with lemon ice, or strawberry and vanilla ice cream and orange ice may be used together. the ice creams and ices must, of course, be thoroughly frozen before they are packed in the mold. prepare the mold by placing a piece of oiled paper over the bottom cover and setting the mold in this. then put a layer of ice cream of one color into the mold, as shown in fig. , pack on top of this the second color of ice cream, and put the ice on top, or pack the ice between the two kinds of ice cream. pack each layer tight and push the frozen mixtures well into the corners so that there will be no holes. cover the top well with another piece of oiled paper, as shown in fig. , place the cover on, and pack the mold into ice and salt, using a proportion of to . allow this to stand until it is well set. to serve, remove from the mold, cut slices from the brick, and place on plates, preferably those covered with paper doilies. [illustration: fig. ] . bombe glacÉ.--a combination of an ice and a mousse or parfait mixture makes a delightful dessert known as bombe glacé. contrasting colors should be used if possible in order to make a beautiful dessert. this is usually made in a melon-shaped mold, but it may be made in a round mold, such as a tin can, if the can is perfectly water-tight. line the mold with an ice and fill the center with a mousse or a parfait. place in a mixture of ice and salt and freeze. when it has become solid, turn out the entire mold on a suitable dish and serve it at the table. serving frozen desserts . frozen desserts offer an opportunity for variety in serving, because they occur in so many different forms. the method of serving depends, of course, on the nature of the frozen dessert, but any one of them that may be served from a large plate or dish is always attractive. this may be done, as has been explained, if the frozen mixtures are molded either as a single kind or as a combination of two or more kinds. . to remove a molded dessert from the mold before serving, first clean the mold thoroughly of ice and salt and wipe it dry with a cloth. then remove the cover and allow it to stand for a few minutes in a warm place. this treatment will cause the outside of the frozen mixture to melt slightly and permit it to slip easily from the mold. a warm cloth or warm water is sometimes used to melt the surface, and it accomplishes the work more quickly; but when the mold is so treated it is likely not to look so well. as soon as the surface is a trifle soft, turn the mold out on a dish and serve it immediately. . receptacles of numerous kinds are in use for individual servings of frozen desserts. slices of ice cream cut from a brick mold and individual molds are usually served on a small plate about the size of a bread-and-butter plate. it may be placed directly on the plate, or a paper doily of the proper size may be put on the plate and the frozen dessert set on this. sherbet glasses are much used for individual portions and are very attractive for this purpose, especially when they have long stems. paper cases, such as those shown in fig. , also make excellent receptacles for individual servings. they may be plain or fancy and are generally used to carry out a color scheme or a decorative idea. meringues having the bottom removed and the center scooped out are sometimes used as cases in which to serve ice cream. these are made of egg white and sugar and baked in the oven. they are not difficult to prepare, as the recipes for them in _cakes, cookies, and puddings_, part , explain, and they are often garnished with whipped cream. all such receptacles are placed on a small plate either with or without a paper doily of the right size. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . it is a little more difficult to serve desserts frozen in a freezer than those which an molded. however, there are numerous ways of garnishing and serving such desserts to add to their attractiveness. candied fruits, such as cherries and pineapple, candied violet, mint, and rose leaves, maraschino and crème-de-menthe cherries, fresh strawberries, preserved cherries, strawberries, and other fruits, sliced peaches or bananas, whipped cream, toasted coconut, chopped nuts of different kinds, and various kinds of fruit sirups may all be used to advantage with these desserts. fig. shows ice cream served in a stemmed sherbet glass with grape juice and garnished with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. then, too, a chocolate sirup made by cooking sugar, water, and chocolate or sugar, milk, and chocolate may be served hot or cold over ice cream and similar desserts. another excellent dip is made of any kind of fruit juice thickened with sugar. the marshmallow whip explained in art. may be made in any desirable color and then used alone or with a dip as a garnish for ice cream. * * * * * cold and frozen desserts examination questions ( ) discuss briefly the value of desserts with meals. ( ) what points should be considered in the selection of desserts? ( ) what is the value of an attractive appearance in a dessert? ( ) (_a_) how do the general rules of cookery apply in the preparation of desserts? (_b_) give an example. ( ) of what value to desserts is: (_a_) a bland sauce? (_b_) a highly seasoned sauce? ( ) (_a_) mention the proportion of eggs and milk for a custard. (_b_) describe the method of making and baking plain custard. ( ) (_a_) give a common test for determining when baked custard is done. (_b_) give the test for soft custard. ( ) (_a_) how should pearl tapioca be prepared for cooking? (_b_) what should be its appearance when it has been cooked? ( ) how is gelatine prepared when it is to be used for desserts? ( ) give the theory for the freezing of desserts. ( ) give the proportion of ice to salt for: (_a_) ice cream; (_b_) sherbets; (_c_) ices; (_d_) frappés; (_e_) frozen punch; (_f_) frozen desserts that are packed and not turned to freeze. ( ) describe the procedure in getting a mixture ready to freeze. ( ) to what is the increase in quantity during the freezing of a mixture due? ( ) how does the rate of speed in turning the dasher affect the freezing of a dessert? ( ) how can you determine when the mixture in a freezer is sufficiently frozen? ( ) what should be done in making a frozen dessert when the freezing has been completed? ( ) state the advantages and disadvantages of a vacuum freezer. ( ) what are: (_a_) ices? (_b_) sherbets? ( ) how is a mold of ice cream packed? ( ) describe an original way of serving ice cream. cakes, cookies, and puddings (part ) * * * * * cake and pudding mixtures in the diet . cake is a mixture of flour, eggs, sugar, butter, and liquid that is baked in the oven in a variety of forms and distinguished by a tender texture and a sweet flavor. closely allied to cake mixtures proper are many others, including cookies, small cakes, puddings, etc. while these differ from cakes in some respects, they are similar in use, ingredients, or methods of preparation. because of this similarity, a number of these related mixtures are taken up in connection with cakes. . foods of this class, which are usually served as dessert, are for the most part considered as luxuries and, of course, are not used so extensively in the diet as other classes of foods. however, sweet food is required to a certain extent in each person's diet, and it may be obtained in this agreeable form without overbalancing the food account if a little economy is practiced elsewhere. thus, a small quantity of cake or pudding that is light, not too rich, and properly made may be served without injury to most persons as a dessert or as an accompaniment to a dessert. for children, the less rich and sweet mixtures, such as cookies, are preferable to rich cake and very sweet confections and may be fed to them occasionally. . because of the almost unlimited variation in the proportion of ingredients, considerable variety exists in desserts of this kind. cakes range from those made with only eggs for leavening to those containing very few eggs and having the standard proportion of other leavening agents. for instance, there is sponge cake; which contains no shortening and no leavening except eggs, in contrast with butter cake, which has much shortening or little, as the case may be, and requires proportionate quantities of flour and leavening other than eggs. then there are soft, rich cookies containing shortening and sugar and the harder, less rich ones containing a greater proportion of flour. . in addition to cakes and puddings proper, there are many mixtures that can scarcely be classed as cakes at all. a few of them, such as meringues, are so sweet and delicate that they could be considered as confections, but they are discussed in connection with cakes because they take the place of cake in the meal. the peculiar pastes used for the making of cream puffs and éclairs are not in reality cakes, nor are they real pastry, but because they are served as desserts and belong somewhere in this class, they are included here. doughnuts and crullers are perhaps more often thought of as quick breads than as cakes. however, the mixtures used for them are sweet. they differ from the mixtures for cakes only in being less rich, but by the peculiar method of their preparation in deep fat these foods become richer than the majority of cakes. then there are a few varieties of cakes made with yeast which are related to cake in some respects and can well be taken up in this connection. . the proportions of liquid to flour for the various kinds of cake mixtures do not differ materially from those of the batters and doughs given in _hot breads_. still, the increased amount of sugar, eggs, and shortening must always be considered, for these ingredients make considerable variation in the general proportions. all that is said in _hot breads_ concerning leavening agents and the proportions in which they are used applies with equal force to the making of cakes. . to be able to make foods of this nature well is one of the triumphs of the modern housewife. but this accomplishment is not beyond the limitations of any woman who masters the principles of cookery and diligently applies them to this part of the subject. in addition to making desserts that are merely palatable, she can, with a little practice, learn to decorate these foods, particularly cakes, both attractively and artistically. when she is equipped with such knowledge, she will be able to present her family with many varieties of this pleasing dessert. * * * * * cakes ingredients used in cakes necessary ingredients . quality of ingredients.--the materials used in the making of cakes should be of as good quality as possible, and when put into the cake they should be in the best condition. in this phase of cookery, as in all others, better results are obtained when good materials are used. besides possessing this general characteristic, certain of the ingredients require special attention. . fat for cakes.--the fat used for cakes must necessarily be of an agreeable flavor, and for this reason butter is the kind in general use. there are, of course, other fats that may be used to advantage either as part or all of the fat required. however, when another fat is to take the place of butter, one that is practically flavorless should be chosen. oleomargarine of various kinds, crisco, and even some of the liquid fats are very satisfactory, especially in the making of cookies. . sweetening for cakes.--numerous varieties of sugar may be employed in the making of cakes. probably granulated sugar is used more frequently than any other, but brown sugar, soft sugar, and confectioner's sugar all have a place in cake making. any of these may be used in the preparation of icing as well as for an ingredient of the cake itself. . leavening for cakes.--an important source of leavening in cakes is eggs. for cakes to be most satisfactory, the eggs employed should be strictly fresh. during the season when they are scarce and consequently high in price, recipes that require only a few eggs should be prepared. baking powder, which is also an important leavening in cakes, should be of an approved brand that can be relied on to do the work expected of it. soda and cream of tartar are sometimes used together, and, again, soda is used alone with molasses or sour milk. for every eggs in a cake mixture, teaspoonful of the baking powder called for in the recipe may be omitted. altitude affects the amount of baking powder required in cakes. the quantity given in the recipes is correct for altitudes varying from sea level to / mile high, but it should be reduced one-fifth at an elevation of mile, and three-tenths at an elevation of , feet. . liquid for cakes.--milk, as a rule, is the liquid used in cake making. it may be skim milk or whole milk, it may consist of part water and part milk, or it may be entirely water, depending on the kind of cake. when a large number of eggs are used in a cake, very little liquid is employed. sometimes the liquid consists of molasses and sour milk used together, separately, or with some other liquid. . flour for cakes.--the flour used in the preparation of cakes may be bread, pastry, or blend flour, depending on the kind of cake desired. while a blend, or an all-purpose, flour makes a satisfactory cake, pastry flour, which is milled from soft winter wheat, or better still, cake flour, is more nearly ideal as the excess gluten is removed, and it is much finer milled; hence it produces a lighter, finer, more delicate cake. wheat flour is the kind that is generally used, but other flours, such as white corn meal, rice flour, and potato flour, though producing a drying effect, are sometimes combined with wheat. a tablespoonful of corn starch sifted with the bread or hard wheat flour is an improvement over straight bread flour, but as it has a drying effect, it is not to be recommended. miscellaneous ingredients . in addition to the ingredients that have just been mentioned, there are numerous other ingredients that are often used in cakes. some of them are used for the purpose of adding flavor and variety to otherwise plain cakes, while many of them are used entirely for the purpose of flavoring. these ingredients, like the necessary ones, should be of excellent quality. it is essential that their use and value be understood, for by means of them pleasing variety may often be secured with just a plain-cake recipe. for instance, a plain cake as a foundation may be varied by using with it raisins, nuts, spices, coconut, preserved fruits of various kinds, or flavoring of some sort. to be able to use these ingredients properly, it is well for the housewife to be familiar with their nature and the treatment that must be given to them before they can be used. . currants and raisins.--as has already been learned, currants and raisins are varieties of dried grapes. currants do not contain seeds, but raisins come in both seeded and seedless varieties, and either of these are satisfactory for cake making. currants are often dry and hard, and as they are usually very dirty they require considerable cleaning to prevent them from being gritty when the cake is eaten. because of these facts, currants are not very satisfactory and consequently are usually replaced by raisins, which may be used, either chopped or whole, for any of the purposes currants are used. if small raisins are desired, sultanas, which are a small, light-colored, and mild-flavored variety, are the best to purchase. these two fruits increase the food value of the mixtures to which they are added. raisins, being extremely high in carbohydrate, are especially valuable as an ingredient. before currants and raisins are used in cake mixtures, they should be thoroughly cleaned. to clean them, place them in a colander, and then turn a stream of cold water over them and rub them between the fingers until all dirt or other foreign material is removed. when clean, allow them to dry as thoroughly as possible before using them. . miscellaneous fruits.--fruits other than currants and raisins are often used in the preparation of cakes and puddings. these, which may be dried, canned, or preserved, include dates, figs, citron, apricots, prunes, cherries, plums, pears, peaches, and pineapple. candied orange and lemon peel are generally used in the preparation of fruit cake. all of these fruits add food value and flavor. a certain amount of preparation must be given to fruits before they can be used in cakes. all of them except the canned fruits must be thoroughly washed, and some of them, such as dates, must have the stones removed. those which are very hard, as, for instance, figs and citron, may be steamed to make them soft. the steaming may be done by placing the fruit in a colander over a vessel of boiling water and covering the colander to retain the steam. when treated in this manner, these fruits will cut more easily and will be softer and more moist in the finished cake. . nuts.--in the making of cakes, nuts of almost any variety may be utilized. not only do they add a large amount of food value in the form of fat, but they increase the richness of the cake and provide a very delightful flavor. the nut meats are generally too large in size to be used whole, and so they must be made smaller before they are added to the mixture. they may be put through a chopper, but usually it is preferable to chop them with a chopping knife in a bowl or cut them into pieces with a paring knife. it should be remembered, however, that the use of nuts in a cake adds greatly to the cost, for, with the exception of peanuts, they are rather expensive, particularly when they are bought shelled. as can readily be understood, both the nuts themselves and the labor involved in removing the shells must be paid for. the cost, of course, may be reduced by buying the nuts in the shells and shelling them at home. . coconut.--the flesh of the coconut when shredded is much used in the preparation of cakes, being put in the cake mixture or used in connection with icing between the layers and over the top layer. coconut may be purchased already shredded in boxes or cans, or it may be obtained in the shells and then shredded at home. that which is prepared commercially either is dried, when it will be found to be somewhat hard, or is mixed with the milk of the coconut or with glycerine, which keeps it soft. much more satisfactory coconut can be secured by procuring a coconut, cracking open the shell, removing the flesh, and then grating or grinding it. coconut of this kind will be found to be very delicious and will make excellent cake. in case coconut becomes dry and hard before it is used, it can be softened by steaming it in the manner in which dried fruits are steamed. . chocolate and cocoa.--materials that are much used for flavoring cake mixtures and icings are chocolate and cocoa. chocolate is sold in pound and half-pound cakes in both the bitter and the sweetened form, while cocoa is sold in packages or bottles in powder form. the bitter chocolate gives the greatest amount of food value and flavor and is therefore used the most. cocoa is neither so strong in flavor nor so high in food value as chocolate, but it can be substituted for chocolate when this is not in supply. . spices.--in many kinds of cake, spices are needed to give the desired flavor. when they are to be used for this purpose, they should be obtained in the ground form and then mixed with the dry ingredients. the principal varieties used in cakes are cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. sometimes a combination of all these is added to the mixture, but very often just a little cinnamon or a mild flavoring of nutmeg is all that is required. when spices are purchased, the best possible brands should be selected, because these things are very easily adulterated with other materials and adulterated spices have not so much strength as the better kinds. . flavoring extracts.--in cake preparation, almost more than in any other part of cookery, flavoring extracts have a place. they are used in plain cakes that do not contain any of the other miscellaneous ingredients, and some of them are also added to many cake mixtures and icings that contain fruits, nuts, spices, chocolate, etc. vanilla, which is an alcoholic extract of the vanilla bean, is probably used more frequently than any other flavoring. the alcoholic extracts of orange, lemon, almond, pistachio, and various other flavors are also valuable in cake making. when any of these flavorings are used in cakes, it should be remembered that much of their strength is lost through the baking. therefore, in order that the cake may be well flavored after it is baked, a comparatively large quantity of flavoring must be used. general classes of cakes . although many varieties of cake can be made, they may all be put into two general classes: _sponge cake_ and _butter cake_. these classes may also be regarded as cake made without butter and cake made with butter, for it is the presence or absence of fat in a cake mixture that makes the difference in the method of mixing the ingredients and determines the texture after baking. while there are many true examples of each of these classes, it must be remembered that there are also numerous variations of the two which must be placed in either one or the other of these classes. for instance, a true sponge cake does not contain baking powder, but some recipes for sponge cake are given in which baking powder is included. such recipes must be regarded as variations of sponge cake, for they are more similar to that than to butter cake. the ingredients are not, however, the only source of difference between these two general classes of cakes. they also differ as to the method used to combine the ingredients, the correct oven temperature for baking, and the length of time required for the baking. all these differences must be thoroughly understood if successful cake making is to be the result. general equipment for cake making . the different forms of cake require, of course, different utensils, and these are taken up in connection with the preparation of each class. however, it is well for the housewife to be familiar at the outset with the general equipment used in the making of cakes and similar foods. . the utensils required for the mixing of the ingredients are somewhat similar to those used in the preparation of hot breads. an earthen bowl is preferable for the mixing of the batter. if this kind is not available, an enamel one rather than an aluminum one should be used. when cake dough is stirred in an aluminum dish, the sides usually become darkened and are liable to discolor the mixture. spoons for the mixing of the ingredients are also important. enameled spoons are not very satisfactory, because the enamel is likely to chip off the edges. aluminum spoons may be used. in fact, they have lightness in weight which recommends their use, but if much stirring is done, a slight discoloration is apt to occur from the spoon. wooden spoons or spatulas are found to be the most satisfactory for this purpose. they are light in weight, cause no discoloration, and do not chip nor wear off. . two measuring cups, one for the dry ingredients and one for the wet materials, should be provided, as they will prove a convenience. a tablespoon, a teaspoon, and a case knife are also necessary for measuring. to remove any foreign material from the flour and at the same time make it light, a flour sifter is required. . certain utensils are required for the beating of the eggs used in cakes. if they are to be beaten separately before being put into the mixture, a bowl and a rotary egg beater should be provided. in case the eggs are to be separated and the whites beaten alone, a flat dish, such as a platter or a soup plate, and an egg whip are the most satisfactory. . the kind of pan required for the baking of cakes depends entirely on the kind of cake that is to be prepared. fig. shows the types of pans for which the housewife will have the most use. the square pan at the left is suitable for any kind of cake that is to be baked in the form of a loaf. in front of this is a layer-cake pan with a removable bottom. this type of layer-cake pan is the most satisfactory, for the cake may be lifted right out of the pan rim on the cake-pan bottom and the bottom then easily removed from the cake after it has been placed on the cooler. of course, pans without false bottoms may also be used successfully with a little care. the large flat pan at the right is a pan for the baking of all kinds of cookies. on this is shown a round pan having a removable bottom, to the center of which is attached a tube. sponge cakes, although they may be baked in loaf-cake pans, are generally baked in a pan of this kind. pans for individual cakes range in size from large muffin pans, like the one shown at the right front, to pans that produce cakes very small in size. [illustration: fig. : cake pans.] * * * * * procedure in cake making preparation of ingredients . in cake making, as in the preparation of other dishes, a systematic plan must be followed if good results are desired. a housewife cannot expect to have a successful cake if she has to stop during the mixing to get some of the ingredients or some of the utensils ready. before the mixing is begun, all the utensils and ingredients should be collected and any of the ingredients that require special preparation should be prepared. then, if the recipe is correct, if the ingredients are measured accurately and combined correctly, and if the baking is done properly, success in cake making is assured. . the first thing to be done, when a cake is to be made, is to read the recipe to determine just what is required and to find out whether all the ingredients called for are in supply. with this done, all the utensils should be placed conveniently on the table and the ingredients collected and measured. some authorities advise the weighing of the ingredients in cake because weight is always regarded as more accurate than measure. if a recipe calls for weights, it will be found easier to use them than to try to change them to measure; but when a recipe requires measures, and does not state weights, it would be unwise to attempt to use scales for measuring. . the measuring of the fat often requires a little attention. for instance, if only / cupful of butter or some other fat is required, it may perhaps be more convenient to measure it with a tablespoon than with a cup. otherwise, unless the recipe calls for melted fat, the fat should be measured by pressing it down tight into the cup until it reaches the mark indicating the required amount. if the fat is hard and cold, as is usually the case when it is first taken from the refrigerator or other cold place, it will be difficult to cream. a good plan is to let the fat stand until it is degrees fahrenheit, or ordinary room temperature, before the mixing is begun. . the dry ingredients used in cakes include the sugar, flour, baking powder, spices, etc. granulated sugar seldom requires any preparation except measuring. however, sugar other than granulated, particularly brown sugar and pulverized sugar, should be rolled with a rolling pin and then sifted in order to free it from any lumps it might contain. flour should be sifted once before measuring and again with the baking powder, or soda and cream of tartar, and salt in order to mix them. other dry ingredients, such as spices and occasionally pulverized sugar, may also be sifted with the flour and other dry ingredients. if the dry leavening agent appears to be lumpy when the cover is removed from the can, it should be worked smooth with a spoon and sifted before it is measured. a very small mesh wire sieve may be used for this purpose. . the liquid should be measured by pouring it into the measuring cup with the cup stationary and level. the eggs, which are, of course, one of the liquid ingredients, should be neither broken until just before they are to be used, nor beaten until the mixture is brought to the point where the eggs are to be added. if the whites are to be used for the preparation of icing after the cake is baked, they should be kept in a cool place until they are beaten. . fruits, nuts, and other miscellaneous ingredients should be prepared before the mixing of the cake is begun; that is, they should be cleansed, cut, ground, or chopped, as the case may be, so that it will not be necessary to stop the mixing of the cake to do any of this work. if they are to be dredged with flour, this may be done at the time they are prepared. preparation of pans . the pan or pans in which the cake is to be baked should also be prepared before the mixing is begun. the treatment to be given to the pans depends to a large extent on the cake that is to be put into them. butter cake or any of its variations requires greased pans, whereas sponge cake should be put in pans that are not greased. . butter-cake pans.--the fat used to grease pans of any kind should be a clean, tasteless fat. less will be required to cover the surface of the pan if an oil rather than a solid fat is used. in case butter is selected for this purpose, it should first be melted and then allowed to stand until the clear fat that rises to the top can be gathered. however, fats that are less expensive than butter are perfectly satisfactory for greasing pans, and so butter should not be used unless other fats are not available. . muffin pans or individual pans of any kind should first be greased with a brush or a small piece of clean paper dipped into the fat that is to be used, and then dusted with flour. the flour should cover the surface of the pan, but should be shaken out so that no more than just a film remains over the grease. a brush may also be used for the greasing of other pans, but it is not recommended, as the fat is apt to become rancid in the brush, and if it is cleansed as often as is necessary to keep it in good condition, a great deal of fat, which clings to the brush, will be wasted. a small piece of paper dipped in fat will be found much more economical and quite as satisfactory for this work. . loaf-cake pans, that is, pans that make cake in the form of a loaf, should first be greased and then, as shown in fig. , have the bottom covered with a piece of oiled paper or light wrapping paper that may be oiled after being put into the pan. this paper should be the exact width of the bottom of the pan and should be long enough to cover the bottom and extend up to the top of each end. the sides of the pan need not be covered, as it is a simple matter to loosen the cake from them with a knife. when the cake is turned out of the pan, the paper will stick to the cake, but it may be easily removed by merely pulling it off. [illustration: fig. : loaf pan.] . layer-cake pans, whether they have false bottoms or not, should be greased and then covered with a light layer of flour, just as is done with individual pans. if such a pan does not have a false bottom and the cake seems to stick to it, the best plan is to turn the pan upside down and place a cold damp towel on it for a few minutes. this will moisten the surface of the bottom sufficiently to permit the pan to be removed without difficulty. . sponge-cake pans.--the preparation of sponge-cake pans differs from that for butter-cake pans because of the nature of the cake. no grease of any sort should be applied to the surface of sponge-cake pans. if desired, they may be dusted with flour, but even this is not necessary, as very satisfactory results are obtained by putting the cake mixture into the bare pan. * * * * * sponge cakes and their preparation method of procedure . with the ingredients and utensils gathered and prepared, the mixing of the cake may be begun at once. the method of mixing depends entirely on the kind of cake that is being made, sponge cake involving a different procedure from butter cake. these methods should be thoroughly mastered, so that there will be no danger of confusing them and so that the recipe will not need to be referred to constantly during the mixing of the cake. when an ingredient that is not usually included in the ordinary butter or sponge cake is found in the recipe, the way in which this ingredient is added to the mixture should be carefully noted, so that no mistake will be made. . nature of sponge cake.--a true sponge cake contains nothing besides eggs, sugar, flour, and flavoring material. the eggs, sugar, and flour are used in equal amounts, the eggs and sugar being about the same by weight or measure and the flour half as much by weight. for instance, a successful sponge cake can be made with a cupful each of eggs, sugar, and flour. to these ingredients the juice of / lemon is usually added, and sometimes the grated rind of the lemon is used also. the simple variation in sponge-cake mixtures is the addition of liquid, which is usually water, sometimes cold and sometimes hot. in the true sponge cake, eggs supply all the leavening, but it is possible to economize in the number of eggs by using leavening of some other kind, such as soda and cream of tartar or baking powder. the texture of a sponge cake in which leavening other than eggs is used is not so good as that of the true sponge cake, but if this leavening is used discreetly, it is possible to decrease the number of eggs somewhat without sacrificing too much in texture. however, it is useless to try to make a good sponge cake with fewer than three eggs, for the other ingredients--flour, sugar, leavening, and liquid--are not sufficient to produce a delicious cake. [illustration: fig. ] . combining the ingredients.--the ingredients required for a true sponge cake and the utensils used in making such a cake are shown in fig. . as will be observed, both the utensils and the materials are so placed on the table in front of the one who is to make the cake that the work may be performed with the least amount of effort. [illustration: fig. , using the rotary egg beater.] if the whole eggs are to be used, break them into the mixing bowl and beat them with a rotary egg beater, as shown in fig. , until they are thick and lemon-colored. in case only the whites are to be used, beat them with an egg whip on a flat dish or in a large bowl until they are stiff. to the beaten egg, add the sugar a little at a time, as shown in fig. , beating it into the egg with the rotary beater. [illustration: fig. , beating in the sugar.] either granulated or pulverized sugar may be used, but pulverized is the better of the two, because it is lighter. when the sugar is added at this time, sift the flour several times, and, as in fig. , add it last, folding it into the mixture with a wire egg whip. however, if it is desired to do so, the sugar and flour may be sifted together and added at the same time, or both the sugar and flour may be sifted separately and then added to the eggs alternately. then add the flavoring and, if liquid is to be used, put it in at this time. in case leavening is supplied, sift it in with the flour. the mixture is then ready for the pan. place the ungreased pan conveniently on the table and then, as shown in fig. , pour the mixture from the bowl into it. scrape the sides of the bowl well, so that there will be no more waste than is necessary. [illustration: fig. ] . baking sponge cake.--as soon as the mixture has been poured into the pan, set it in a moderate oven to bake. the temperature should be about degrees fahrenheit when the cake is put into the oven, but it may be gradually increased to or degrees. if the temperature cannot be determined, the paper test may be applied. this consists in placing a piece of white paper in the oven. to be right for sponge cake, the heat should turn this paper a moderate brown in minutes. the time for baking depends, of course, on the size of the cake, but usually more time is required than for butter cake. [illustration: fig. ] in putting the cake into the oven, set it on the lower rack, as here the mixture will be in a position to come up with the heat of the oven, which, as is known, has a general tendency to rise. if it is placed on the top rack where the heated air is necessarily passing down toward the outside walls because of the circulation that is established, there will be a certain amount of pressure on top of the cake which will prevent it from rising. allow the cake to remain on the lower rack until it has risen to its fullest extent, and then, if necessary, remove it to the top rack for browning. [illustration: fig. ] . several tests to determine whether sponge cake is ready to remove from the oven can be applied. one of these consists in observing the cake in the pan. after it has risen as much as it will rise, a small amount of shrinkage will, as shown in fig. , loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. another test, which is known as the finger test, consists in making a depression in the center of the cake. if the cake is baked sufficiently, it will spring back to fill the depression, but if it is not done, the depression will remain. [illustration: fig. ] . removing sponge cake from pan.--when sponge cake is taken from the oven, it requires different treatment from that of butter cake. instead of removing it from the pan immediately, turn it upside down on a cooler to sweat, as shown in fig. . allow it to remain in this way until it has shrunken sufficiently from the pan, and then lift off the pan. if necessary, the cake may become completely cold before the pan is taken from it. close adherence to these directions will prevent any trouble that may arise in removing sponge cake from the pan. recipes for sponge cake and its variations . plain sponge cake.--the ideal proportions for a sponge cake are given in the accompanying recipe and upon these proportions the other recipes are based. plain sponge cake eggs c. sugar c. flour juice and rind of / lemon beat the eggs until they are thick and lemon-colored. add the sugar gradually and continue to beat. sift the flour several times and fold into the mixture. when the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add the grated rind and the juice of the lemon, pour into a sponge-cake pan, and bake. . cold-water sponge cake.--the accompanying recipe is a slight variation from the true sponge cake, for it contains leavening other than eggs and a small amount of cold water. no difficulty will be experienced in making a cake according to this recipe if the directions are carefully followed. cold-water sponge cake eggs - / c. sugar rind and juice of lemon / c. cold water tsp. baking powder - / c. flour beat the eggs until they are thick and lemon-colored. add the sugar gradually and continue beating. grate the yellow part from the lemon rind and add it with the juice. pour in the cold water, continuing to beat. sift in the baking powder with the flour and add to the egg mixture. pour into a sponge-cake pan and bake. . hot-water sponge cake.--hot water and leavening in the form of soda and cream of tartar are used in the accompanying recipe for sponge cake. the texture is not just the same as that of a plain sponge cake, but if the recipe is carefully followed an excellent cake will be the result. hot-water sponge cake eggs c. flour - / c. powdered sugar / tsp. soda - / tsp. cream of tartar / c. hot water tsp. vanilla beat the eggs with a rotary beater until they are thick and lemon-colored. sift the flour, powdered sugar, soda, and cream of tartar together several times. sift these into the eggs and continue beating. when all of the dry ingredients have been added, pour in the boiling water, flavor with the vanilla, and pour into a sponge-cake pan and bake. . orange sponge cake.--sponge cake is delicious when it is flavored with orange. no leavening except the eggs is used in the recipe for cake of this kind. lemon may be used in place of orange and / cupful of finely chopped nuts may be added. orange sponge cake eggs c. granulated sugar / c. flour tb. orange juice / tsp. orange extract beat the eggs with a rotary beater until they are light and lemon-colored. add the granulated sugar gradually. sift into this the flour, and continue the beating until all are mixed. add the orange juice and extract, pour into a sponge-cake pan, and bake. . sunshine cake.--nothing more delicious in the way of cake can be made than sunshine cake. it is especially nice to serve with a frozen dessert of some kind, for it is not too rich and it is attractive in color. sunshine cake eggs / tsp. cream of tartar c. sugar / c. flour tsp. lemon juice tsp. vanilla separate the eggs. beat the yolks with a rotary beater until they are thick and lemon-colored. beat the egg whites until they are foamy, add the cream of tartar, and continue beating until they are dry. fold the sugar into the egg whites and then fold the yolks into this mixture. sift the flour several times and add it. add the lemon juice and vanilla, pour into a sponge-cake pan, and bake. . angel cake no. .--a variety of sponge cake in which only the egg whites are used is known as angel cake. some persons hesitate to make cake of this kind because of the number of eggs it takes, but usually the yolks that remain can be put to very good use and so the cake is no more expensive than most others. angel cake no. c. flour c. powdered sugar egg whites / tsp. cream of tartar tsp. vanilla sift the flour and powdered sugar together four or five times in order to make them very light. beat the egg whites with a whip until they are foamy. add the cream of tartar, and continue beating until they are stiff enough to heap up in a mound and stay this way. sift the mixture of flour and sugar a little at a time into the egg whites and continue beating until all is added. flavor with the vanilla, place in a sponge-cake pan with a tube in the center, and bake in a very moderate oven. . angel cake no. .--if a slightly larger cake than the first angel-cake recipe will make is desired, the accompanying recipe should be followed. its texture is practically the same as that of the other cake. angel cake no. - / c. flour - / c. powdered sugar egg whites tsp. cream of tartar sift the flour and sugar separately four or five times. beat the egg whites until they are foamy and add the cream of tartar, continuing to beat until they are stiff. add the powdered sugar gradually, continuing the beating. when all this has been added, sift in the flour, and fold it in with as light a motion as possible. pour into a sponge-cake pan with a tube in the center, and bake in a very moderate oven, raising the temperature slightly at the end. . potato-flour sponge cake.--when a substitute for wheat flour must be used and the supply of eggs is not large, the family need not be deprived of excellent cake, for potato sponge cake can be made. this resembles angel food to a certain extent, as it is white in color and tender in texture. it is a splendid cake to serve with rich frozen desserts. potato-flour sponge cake egg whites - / c. sugar / c. water / c. potato flour / c. wheat flour / tsp. cream of tartar tsp. lemon extract beat the egg whites until stiff. cook the sugar and water until the sirup threads. add this sirup to the egg whites and beat well. sift the potato flour, wheat flour, and cream of tartar three times, and then fold into the mixture. add the flavoring, turn into a pan, and bake for about minutes. . sponge cake with potato flour.--the accompanying recipe for sponge cake contains honey for part of the sweetening, both the yolks and the whites of the eggs, and potato flour. when sugar and wheat flour are scarce, this is a very good cake to make. sponge cake with potato flour / c. honey / c. granulated sugar / c. water eggs grated rind and juice of / lemon / c. potato flour boil the honey, sugar, and water to the soft-ball stage. separate the eggs, beat the yolks until thick and lemon-colored, and then beat the sirup into them. add the grated lemon rind and juice, stir in the potato flour, and finally fold in the whites of the eggs, beaten very light. bake in a tube pan for about minutes. butter cakes and their preparation method of procedure . nature of butter cake.--the ingredients for a simple butter cake consist of butter or other fat, sugar, flour, eggs, leavening, and liquid. the proportion of flour and liquid in cake of this kind is similar to that of a thick, or muffin, batter, that is, measures of flour and measure of liquid; but it should be remembered that the addition of other ingredients, such as butter, sugar, and eggs, alter this proportion to a certain extent. however, it is possible to make up a cake recipe from a muffin recipe by using / as much sugar as flour and / as much butter as sugar. with a knowledge of these proportions, the housewife will be able to judge how near a new recipe comes to being a reasonable one and what the possibilities of its success are. [illustration: fig. ] . combining the ingredients.--the method of mixing all cakes that include butter as an ingredient is similar. it is explained and illustrated in detail, so that the housewife may become thoroughly familiar with it and thus be prepared to apply it in the preparation of any variety of butter cake. in case a recipe contains additional ingredients, the way in which these are combined should be noted carefully and then carried out. [illustration: fig. ] . in the making of any kind of butter cake, the ingredients and utensils should be collected and conveniently placed if the best results are desired. fig. shows these assembled ready to begin the mixing. as will be observed, layer-cake pans are included in the equipment, but these may be replaced by pans of other kinds if it is not desired to make a layer cake. before the mixing begins, grease whatever pans are to be used and then dust them lightly with flour so that they will be ready when the mixture is prepared. [illustration. fig. ] [illustration. fig. ] . as the first step in the making of butter cake, cream the butter in the mixing bowl, as shown in fig. ; that is, work it with a wooden spoon until it is soft and creamy. then add the sugar from the measuring cup very slowly, as in fig. , stirring continually so that the mixture will remain creamy. the eggs are the next ingredient to be added. these are put in whole and unbeaten, whole and beaten, or they are separated and the yolks and whites beaten separately. if the whole eggs or the yolks are to be beaten, break them into a bowl and beat them with a rotary egg beater as fig. shows. as has already been learned, the whites, when added alone, should be beaten with an egg whip. when the eggs have been added to the mixture, beat it well so as to make it as light as possible and then stir in the liquid. the mixture will then appear as in fig. . next add all the dry ingredients to the flour, and, as illustrated in fig. , carefully sift all into the mixture. if desired, the liquid and flour may be added alternately, a little at a time. with all the ingredients combined, beat the mixture vigorously for a short time to make sure that everything is thoroughly mixed, and then, as shown in fig. , pour it into the pans that have been greased and floured. if a two-layer or a three-layer cake is to be made, it may be divided evenly to fill two pans or three pans, but if a loaf cake is desired, all of it should be poured into one pan. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . baking the mixture.--place the pans containing the cake mixture on the bottom rack of the oven in order that it may have an opportunity to rise properly. the form in which the cake is made determines the correct temperature for the oven. loaf cake requires more time for baking than small cakes or layer cake; consequently, the oven should not be so hot for cake of this kind as for the other types. a temperature of to degrees fahrenheit is suitable for loaf cake, while small cakes or layer cake should have a temperature of at least to degrees. be careful not to move the cake in the oven until it has risen sufficiently and has set; otherwise, it may fall when it is moved. if this precaution is observed and the cake falls, it may be known that the falling is due to a wrong proportion of ingredients and not to a draft nor the slamming of the oven door, as many housewives think. a cake that rises in the center and cracks open contains either an insufficient quantity of liquid or too much flour. if, upon being baked, a layer is higher on one side than on the other, it was probably spread unevenly in the pan before it was put in the oven or the oven rack itself was not level. this condition may be caused by uneven heat in the oven. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . to determine whether a butter cake is baked sufficiently or not, several tests may be made. cake of this kind does not shrink from the sides of the pan as does sponge cake, but the finger test mentioned may be applied, just as in the case of sponge cake. if, upon making a depression in the center of the butter cake, the surface springs back to fill the depression, it may be known that the cake is done. another test consists in inserting a toothpick in the center of the cake. if it comes out clean, the cake has finished baking, but if some of the mixture sticks to the toothpick, more baking is required. . care of butter cake after baking.--as soon as a butter cake is sufficiently baked, take it from the oven and remove it from the pan at once. see that the cake is loosened from the bottom and sides of the pan before attempting to turn it out. it can be loosened around the sides by means of a knife, and usually a slight shaking of the pan up and down or the inserting of the knife a little under the cake will be sufficient to loosen it from the bottom. here the advantage of pans having removable bottoms is evident. when such pans are used, lift the cake out of the pan on the removable bottom and, as shown in fig. , run a long thin knife under the cake until it is entirely loosened from the pan. then slip the bottom out from under the cake and allow the cake to cool. a cake cooler, such as the one here shown, is the most convenient thing to use for the cooling of cakes. if one of these is not available, clean towels spread on a flat surface make a very good substitute. allow the cake to become entirely cool before attempting to ice it. recipes for butter cakes . one-egg cake.--one of the most economical cakes that can be made is the one-egg cake given in the accompanying recipe. however, when only one egg is used, a comparatively small quantity of cake mixture is the result. if it is desired to make a layer cake of this mixture, it will be necessary to double the quantities of the ingredients. one-egg cake / c. butter / c. sugar egg - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / c. milk tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, beat the egg, and add it. mix and sift the flour and baking powder. add the milk and the flour alternately until all the flour and liquid are added. add the vanilla. bake in a shallow loaf pan, making a single layer. ice with any desirable icing. . plain layer cake.--as a layer cake is usually iced over the top and contains an icing or a filling of some kind between the layers, a plain-cake mixture, such as that given in the accompanying recipe, is the most suitable kind. plain layer cake / c. butter - / c. sugar eggs c. flour tsp. baking powder c. milk tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, beat the eggs well, and add to the mixture. sift the flour and baking powder together and add alternately with the milk, adding milk first. add the vanilla, pour into layer-cake pans and bake. ice with any kind of icing. . nut layer cake.--a delicious cake can be made by adding nuts to the cake mixture given in the following recipe. this is baked in layers and then iced in any desired way. nut layer cake / c. butter - / c. sugar eggs c. flour tsp. baking powder - / c. milk / c. chopped nuts tsp. vanilla cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour and baking powder together, and add the milk and the dry ingredients alternately. fold in the chopped nuts, add the vanilla, pour into layer-cake pans, and bake. . chocolate nut cake.--another delightful layer cake is the chocolate nut layer cake given in the accompanying recipe. the layers are put together with a thick layer of white boiled icing, and the top one is covered with a covering of the same. chocolate nut cake / c. butter c. sugar egg c. milk c. flour tsp. baking powder sq. chocolate / c. chopped nuts tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, beat the egg, and add it to the mixture. stir in alternately the milk and the flour and baking powder. melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir this into the dough. fold in the chopped nuts, add the vanilla, and bake in a loaf or two rather thin layers. if baked in layers, remove them from the pans and cool. ice the first layer with a very thick covering of white boiled icing almost as thick as the layer itself. place the second layer of cake on top of this and cover with another thick layer of icing. . sour-milk chocolate cake.--a very good chocolate cake can be made by using sour milk instead of sweet milk. in such cake, soda takes the place of baking powder, for, as has already been learned, the leavening is produced by the action of the soda on the acid in the milk. sour-milk chocolate cake / c. butter - / c. sugar egg sq. chocolate - / c. flour / tsp. soda c. sour milk tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar, and cream well together. beat the egg and add to the butter and sugar. melt the chocolate. sift the flour and soda together, and add to the mixture alternately with the sour milk. beat well together and add the vanilla and melted chocolate. pour into a loaf-cake pan and bake. . devil's food.--sometimes an entirely dark cake is desired. in such an event, devil's food, in which both chocolate and spices are used for flavoring, should be prepared. such a cake is baked in a thick layer and is covered with chocolate icing. devil's food / c. butter - / c. sugar eggs c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves / tsp. ginger / tsp. nutmeg / c. milk sq. bitter chocolate tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg together, and add the milk alternately with these dry ingredients. melt the chocolate in a double boiler and stir into the cake mixture. add the vanilla. bake in a flat pan in a thick layer. ice with chocolate icing and cut into -inch squares. . raisin spice cake.--most persons are very fond of cake containing raisins and spices. a good combination of spices used for such cake is cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg, cloves being used in the smallest quantity. raisin spice cake / c. butter / c. sugar eggs - / c. flour tsp. baking powder - / tsp. spices c. milk / c. raisins cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour, baking powder, and spices together, and add these alternately with the milk, adding milk first. fold in the raisins, pour the mixture into a loaf-cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven. this cake may be served with or without icing. . nut spice cake.--nuts and spices combine very well in cake, as shown in the accompanying recipe. this cake is usually baked in a loaf pan, and may be served with or without icing. nut spice cake / c. butter c. sugar eggs c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves / tsp. ginger / c. milk / c. chopped nuts cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour, baking powder, and spices together. add the milk and dry ingredients alternately, fold in the nuts, pour into a loaf-cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven. . war cake.--cakes of almost every description contain eggs, but very good cake can be made without eggs, as in the accompanying recipe. this cake, which is known as war cake, contains only a small quantity of butter. raisins increase its food value and spices are used for flavoring. war cake c. sugar tb. butter c. water lb. raisins - / c. flour tsp. salt tsp. cinnamon tsp. allspice tsp. mace tsp. nutmeg / tsp. cloves tsp. soda boil the sugar, butter, water, and raisins together, and cool. then to the flour add the salt, spices, and soda, and sift these into the boiled mixture. pour into a loaf-cake pan and bake. . white cake.--an ideal white cake can be made by using the whites of five eggs with the proper proportions of butter, sugar, flour, liquid, and leavening. such a cake is usually baked in a large flat pan and then cut into squares. white cake / c. butter - / c. sugar egg whites - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / c. milk powdered sugar shredded coconut cream the butter and add gradually the sugar and the beaten whites of eggs. sift the flour and baking powder together and add alternately with the milk. beat this mixture well. pour into a sheet-cake pan, inches by inches, and cover with powdered sugar and a rather thin layer of shredded coconut. bake for about minutes in a moderate oven. remove from the pan, cool, and serve without icing. . feather cake.--a cake that is easily made and that is a general favorite is known as feather cake. as may be inferred from the name, such cake is very light in weight and tender in texture. feather cake / c. butter c. sugar eggs c. flour - / tsp. baking powder / c. milk tsp. flavoring cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour and baking powder together, and add alternately with the milk to the mixture. add the flavoring. beat rapidly for a few minutes, pour into a loaf-cake pan, and bake. ice with simple white icing. . gold cake.--the cake given in the accompanying recipe and known as gold cake is very attractive in color, as well as appetizing in taste. to produce the gold color, only the yolks of the eggs are used. orange extract is used for the flavoring. gold cake / c. butter / c. sugar egg yolks - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / c. milk tsp. orange extract cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, beat the yolks of the eggs until they are thick and lemon-colored, and add them. sift the flour and baking powder together, and add alternately with the milk. add the orange extract and bake in a loaf-cake pan. cover with white icing and serve. . ice-cream cake.--because of the nature of the cake here given, it is called ice-cream cake. only the whites of the eggs are used, and so the cake is white in color. it is baked in layers and is frosted with white icing. ice-cream cake / c. butter c. sugar c. milk c. flour tsp. baking powder egg whites tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and pour in the milk. sift the flour and baking powder together and add them. beat the egg whites until they are stiff, fold these in, and add the vanilla. bake in layers, and put marshmallow filling between the layers and on top. chopped hickory nuts may also be put between the layers and spread on top if a more delicious ice-cream cake is desired. . corn-starch cake.--an excellent cake will result when the following recipe is carefully worked out. it gets its name from the fact that corn starch is used for a part of the thickening. this cake is usually baked in a loaf-cake pan and then covered with icing. corn-starch cake / c. butter c. sugar / c. corn starch tsp. baking powder - / c. wheat flour / c. milk egg whites / tsp. vanilla / tsp. lemon extract cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. sift the corn starch, baking powder, and flour together. add the milk and then the dry ingredients. beat the egg whites until they are stiff and fold them in. add the vanilla and lemon extract. bake in a loaf-cake pan. ice with chocolate or caramel icing. . cinnamon cake.--a cake that is inexpensive and not very rich but at the same time favored by many persons is the cinnamon cake here given. it is slightly dark in color, due to the cinnamon that is used in it. caramel icing seems to be the most suitable for cake of this kind, but if desired white icing may be used. cinnamon cake / c. butter c. sugar eggs / c. milk - / c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. cinnamon cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and add them to the mixture. stir in the milk. sift the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon together and add these. beat the egg whites until they are stiff, and fold them into the cake dough. bake in layers or in a loaf and ice with white or caramel icing. . pound cake.--often a cake that will keep for some time is desired. in such an event, pound cake should be made, for it will remain fresh for a long period of time if it is stored in a closely covered receptacle. it is usually served without any icing and is cut into small, thin slices. the recipe here given makes enough cake for two loaf-cake pans. pound cake / c. finely cut citron eggs / c. butter c. flour - / c. sugar / tsp. mace steam the citron until it is soft, cut into thin strips, and then into small pieces. cream the butter until it is white, sift the sugar in slowly, and beat the two until the sugar is dissolved. add the eggs one at a time without previously beating them, and beat each egg in thoroughly before the other is added. stir in the flour and mace and bake in a very slow oven, in one large or two small loaf-cake pans. . caramel cake.--cake flavored with caramel affords a change from the usual varieties of cake. the caramel used for this cake should be prepared in the manner explained in _cold and frozen desserts_. caramel cake / c. butter - / c. flour - / c. sugar tsp. baking powder tb. caramel tsp. vanilla / c. water egg whites egg yolks cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. add the caramel, water, and beaten egg yolks. stir in the flour and baking powder sifted together. add the vanilla and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. bake in layers. ice with any kind of white icing. . jelly roll.--many housewives do not attempt to make jelly roll, because they consider it a difficult matter. however, no trouble will be experienced in making excellent jelly roll if the following recipe is carried out explicitly. jelly roll eggs tsp. baking powder c. sugar / tsp. salt / tb. milk tb. butter c. flour beat the eggs until light, add the sugar gradually, and continue beating. stir in the milk, and then add the flour, which has been sifted with the baking powder and salt. melt the butter and beat into the cake mixture. line the bottom of a flat pan with paper, and grease the paper and the sides of the pan. cover the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of the mixture spread evenly. bake until done in a moderate oven. remove from the pan at once, and turn out on paper sprinkled thickly with powdered sugar. remove the paper from the bottom of the cake, and cut off a thin strip as far as the crust extends in on the sides and ends of the cake. spread with a thick layer of jelly and roll. after the cake has been rolled, place a piece of paper around it, wrap in a slightly dampened napkin or towel, and allow it to stand until it cools. unless the rolling is done as soon as the paper has been removed from it, the cake is likely to crack. . lady baltimore cake.--if an excellent cake for a special occasion is desired, lady baltimore cake should be served. it is made in layers, between which a filling containing fruit and nuts is spread. a white icing of any desirable kind is used to cover the cake. lady baltimore cake / c. butter tsp. baking powder c. sugar egg whites / c. milk tsp. vanilla c. flour cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and continue creaming. stir in the milk. sift the flour and baking powder together and add them. fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites and add the vanilla. bake in square layer pans or in two thick layers in loaf-cake pans. when cold, fill with the following filling and ice with any desirable white icing. filling for lady baltimore cake c. sugar / c. figs or dates, chopped / c. milk c. chopped nuts c. raisins, chopped cook the sugar and milk until it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold water. remove from the fire and cool. beat until it begins to look creamy, and then add the raisins, figs or dates, and nuts. when stiff enough, spread a thick layer on one layer of the cake, place the other layer of cake on top, and cover with a thin layer of white icing. . brides cake.--when a bride's cake is mentioned, one naturally thinks of a large, round cake entirely covered with thick, white icing. the cake here given is one of this kind, and in addition may be ornamented in any desired way. besides being very attractive in appearance, this cake is delicious in taste. bride's cake / c. butter tsp. baking powder - / c. sugar egg whites / c. milk / tsp. cream of tartar and / c. flour tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and stir in the milk. sift the flour and baking powder together and add to the mixture. beat the egg whites until they are foamy. add the cream of tartar to them and beat until stiff. fold in the egg whites, add the vanilla, and bake in a deep, round pan. cover with plain white frosting and ornament with icing in any desired way. . fruit cake.--in the preparations for christmas festivities, fruit cake usually has an important place. but besides being very appropriate cake for the holiday season, fruit cake is a splendid cake to make because of its keeping qualities. it may be kept for a long time if it is properly cared for. the best plan is to wrap it in oiled paper and then put it away in a closely covered receptacle, such as a tin box. in fact, fruit cake is much better if it is baked a month before it is to be eaten and is moistened several times during that time by pouring over it and allowing to soak in a few teaspoonfuls of orange juice or diluted grape juice. fruit cake / c. raisins / c. milk / c. currants c. flour / c. finely cut citron / tsp. soda / c. butter tsp. cinnamon / c. sugar / tsp. allspice eggs / tsp. nutmeg / c. molasses / tsp. cloves first prepare the fruits for the cake. cream the butter, stir in the sugar gradually, add the eggs unbeaten, and continue beating. add the molasses, milk, and flour with which the soda and spices have been sifted, and then fold the fruits, which have been prepared, into this mixture. another way of adding the fruit is to pour a layer of the cake mixture into the cake pan, sprinkle this generously with the fruit, then another layer of dough and another layer of fruit, and finally a layer of dough with just a little fruit sprinkled on top. whichever plan is followed, prepare the pan by covering the bottom with / inch of flour and then placing a piece of greased paper over this. this heavy layer of flour prevents the cake from burning. put the cake in a very moderate oven and bake for about hours. if a fruit cake without a heavy crust is desired, the mixture may be steamed for hours in an ordinary steamer and then placed in the oven just long enough to dry the surface. . white fruit cake.--while dark fruit cake is popular with the majority of persons, white fruit cake has been coming into favor for some time and is now made extensively. it contains a larger variety of fruit than the dark cake and nuts are also used. cake of this kind may be baked in the oven or steamed. white fruit cake / lb. citron, cut into thin slices / lb. apricots, dried, steamed, and chopped / lb. raisins, chopped / lb. candied cherries, cut into pieces / lb. dates, chopped / lb. almonds, blanched and cut into thin strips c. butter c. brown sugar egg / c. milk tb. baking powder / tsp. cloves tsp. cinnamon / tsp. nutmeg c. flour steam the citron and apricots until they are soft, and then cut them in the required manner. prepare the other fruits and the almonds. cream the butter, add the sugar, egg, and milk, and beat thoroughly. sift the baking powder and spices with the flour and add these. dredge the fruits and nuts with flour and fold them into the mixture. bake for hours in a slow oven in small loaf pans lined with paper and containing about a / inch layer of flour in the bottom, or steam for hours and then bake for a short time in a moderate oven. . wedding cake.--fruit cake has been used so much for wedding cake that it has come to be the established cake for this purpose. however, when fruit cake is to be used for weddings, a richer variety is generally made, as will be observed from the ingredients listed in the accompanying recipe. wedding cake is usually cut into small pieces and presented to the guests in dainty white boxes. wedding cake lb. sultana raisins lb. dates, chopped lb. citron, cut into thin strips lb. figs, chopped lb. butter lb. sugar eggs lb. flour / tsp. soda tsp. cinnamon / tsp. nutmeg / tsp. allspice / tsp. cloves / c. grape juice prepare the fruits and dredge with one-third cupful of the flour. cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and beat together thoroughly. separate the eggs, beat the yolks until they are thick and lemon-colored, and add to the sugar and butter. sift the flour, soda, and spices together, and add to the mixture. fold in the egg whites beaten stiff, add the grape juice, and fold in the fruits. bake in the same way as fruit cake. * * * * * cake icings and fillings nature, purpose, and application . certain varieties of cakes are served plain, but the majority of cakes are usually covered with a sugar mixture of some description known as _icing_. in addition, if a cake is baked in layers, a _filling_, which may be either the same as the icing used for the covering or a mixture resembling a custard, is put between the layers to hold them together. these icings and fillings are used for the purpose of improving both the taste and the appearance of the cake, as well as for the purpose of retaining the moisture in it. some of them are very simple, consisting merely of powdered sugar mixed with a liquid, while others are more elaborate and involve a number of ingredients. they may be spread over the cake, put on thick in a level manner, or arranged in fancy designs on a plain background of simple icing with the use of a pastry tube or a paper cornucopia. these decorations may be made in white or in various colors to suit the design selected for decoration. . it is well to understand just what cakes may be served without icings and fillings and what ones are improved by these accompaniments. sponge cakes, as a rule, are not iced elaborately, for a heavy icing does not harmonize with the light texture of this kind of cake. if anything is desired, a simple sugar icing is used or the surface of the cake is moistened with the white of egg and then sprinkled with sugar. butter cakes, especially when baked in layers, although they are often much richer than sponge cakes, are usually iced. when they are baked in the form of loaf cakes, they may or may not be iced, as desired. very rich cakes made in loaf-cake form are usually served without icing, unless they are served whole and it is desired to make them attractive for a special occasion. [illustration: fig. , plain iced cake.] [illustration: fig. , decorated cake.] . for the most part, icings are put on plain, as in fig. , but there are some occasions for which an attractively decorated cake is desired. for instance, birthday cakes, wedding cakes, or cakes for parties and dinners are often served whole from the table, and when this is done, the cake should be made as attractive as possible. the work of decorating such cakes may prove somewhat difficult at first, but just a little practice in this direction will produce surprising results. figs. and show what can be done in the way of decoration with very little effort. the cake shown in fig. is suitable for a special occasion, such as a party, while the one in fig. is a birthday cake. [illustration: fig. , birthday cake with candles.] these cakes are first covered with a plain white icing and then decorated in any colors desired. the candle holders on the birthday cake, which may be purchased in various colors, correspond in color with the decoration on the cake. original ideas and designs may thus be worked out in an attractive way to match a color scheme or carry out a decorative idea. a pastry tube is the most satisfactory utensil for this purpose, but a tiny paper cornucopia made of stiff white paper may be used to advantage for the decoration of small cakes and even for certain designs on large ones. . the cake that comes out of the pan with a smooth surface is the one to which an icing or a filling may be applied most satisfactorily. unless absolutely necessary, the cake should not be cut nor broken in any way before it is iced, as a cut surface is apt to crumble and produce a rough appearance. if the cake must be cut, as is the case when small fancy shapes are made out of baked cake, the pieces should be glazed with a coating of egg white mixed with a very small quantity of sugar and beaten just enough to incorporate the sugar. then, if they are allowed to dry for or hours before being iced, no crumbs will mix with the icing. cake icings and their preparation . varieties of icings.--icings are of two varieties: those which require cooking and those whose ingredients are not cooked. in uncooked icings, which are easily made, sugar, such as confectioner's, is moistened with a liquid of some kind and then flavored in various ways. the more common of the cooked varieties are made by beating a hot sugar sirup into well-beaten egg whites. after being flavored, icings of this kind may be used without the addition of other ingredients or they may be combined with fruits, nuts, coconut, etc. . uncooked icings.--confectioner's sugar is the most satisfactory for uncooked icings, and it is the kind most commonly used for this purpose. the finer this sugar can be secured, the better will the icing be, xxxx being the most desirable. as such sugar forms very hard lumps when it is allowed to stand, it should be rolled and sifted before it is mixed with the other ingredients. the material used to moisten the sugar may be lemon juice or some other fruit juice, water, milk, cream, egg white, butter, or a combination of these. enough liquid should be used to make the icing thin enough to spread easily. . the ingredients used in uncooked icings determine to a certain extent the utensils required to make the icings. a fine-mesh wire sifter should be used to sift the sugar. a bowl of the proper size to mix the materials should be selected, and a wooden spoon should also be secured for this purpose, although a silver spoon will answer if a wooden one is not in supply. to spread the mixture on the cake, a silver knife produces the best results. if the icing is to be put on in ornamental way, the equipment already mentioned, that is, a pastry bag or a paper cornucopia, should be provided. cold-water icing c. confectioner's sugar tb. cold water tsp. lemon juice add the sugar to the water and lemon juice, beat together thoroughly, and spread on any desired cake. plain icing egg white - / c. confectioner's sugar tsp. cold water / tsp. vanilla beat the white of the egg until it is stiff. sift in the sugar and add a little of the water occasionally until all the water and sugar are added. beat together thoroughly, add the flavoring, and spread on the cake. orange icing - / c. confectioner's sugar tb. orange juice few drops orange extract orange coloring for tinting sift the sugar into the orange juice and beat thoroughly. add the orange extract and just a little of the orange coloring for an even tint. spread on the cake. chocolate water icing sq. chocolate tb. boiling water - / c. pulverized sugar / tsp. vanilla melt the chocolate in a double boiler, add the boiling water and the sugar, and stir together until smooth. add the vanilla. spread on the cake. white icing egg whites - / c. confectioner's sugar tsp. vanilla beat the egg whites until they are stiff, sift in the powdered sugar, add the vanilla, and beat together until the icing is of a consistency to spread. butter icing tb. butter - / c. powdered sugar tb. cream / tsp. vanilla egg white cream the butter, add the sugar, diluting it with the cream, and add the vanilla. beat the egg white and add to the mixture, continuing the beating until the mixture is dry and ready to spread. chocolate butter icing tb. butter - / c. powdered sugar tb. milk / egg oz. chocolate vanilla cream the butter and add the sugar gradually, moistening with the milk and egg to make the mixture thin enough to spread. melt the chocolate in a saucepan over hot water and pour into the icing mixture. add the vanilla. beat thoroughly and if more sugar or liquid is needed to make the icing thicker or thinner, add until it is of the right consistency to spread. ornamental icing egg whites c. confectioner's sugar tsp. lemon juice put the egg whites into a bowl, add a little of the sugar, and beat. continue adding sugar until the mixture becomes too thick to beat well, and then add the lemon juice. add the remainder of the sugar, and continue beating until the icing is thick enough to spread. spread a thin layer over the cake and allow it to harden. when this is dry, cover it with another layer to make a smooth surface, and add more sugar to the remaining icing until it is of a very stiff consistency. color and flavor as desired, place in a pastry bag, and force through pastry tubes to make any desired designs. . cooked icings.--a few cooked icings are made without egg whites, but for the most part icings of this kind consist of a sugar sirup beaten into egg whites that have been whipped until they are stiff. success in making icing of this kind depends largely on boiling the sirup to just the right degree, for when this is done the icing will remain for a short time in a condition to be handled. if the sirup is not cooked long enough, the icing will not stiffen and it will have to be mixed with powdered sugar to make it dry. in the event of its being boiled too long, the icing will have to be applied quickly, for it is likely to become sugary. a thermometer is a convenient utensil to use in making icings of this kind, for with it the housewife can determine just when the sirup is boiled to the right point. however, after the housewife has had a little experience, excellent results can be achieved in the way of icings without a thermometer if the mixture is tested carefully. the beating of cooked icings also has much to do with the nature of the finished product. they should be beaten until they are of just the proper consistency to spread and still will not run off the surface of the cake. . because of the nature of cooked icings, it is necessary that the work of applying them to cakes be completed as quickly as possible. a case knife or a spatula is the best utensil for this purpose. to ice a layer cake, pour some of the icing on the layer that is desired for the bottom and then spread it over the layer quickly until it is smooth and as thick as desired. if coconut or any other ingredient, such as chopped nuts or fruit, is to be used, sprinkle it on the icing as in fig. . then take up the second layer carefully, as shown, and place it on the iced first layer. pour the remainder of the icing on this layer and spread it evenly over the top and down the sides, as shown in fig. . the cake will then be covered with a plain white icing that will be sufficient in itself or that may serve as a basis for any desired ornament. if coconut, fruit, or nuts have been used between the layers, sprinkle the same over the top, as shown in fig. , while the icing is still soft. [illustration: fig. , assembling layer cake.] [illustration: fig. , icing layer cake.] sometimes, after the icing has been spread, it may be found that the surface is not so smooth as it should be. any roughness that may occur, however, may be removed as soon as the icing has become entirely cold by dipping a clean silver knife into hot water and, as shown in fig. , running it gently over the entire surface. this treatment takes only a little time and greatly improves the appearance of the cake. caramel icing / c. brown sugar / c. milk / tb. butter boil the ingredients together until a soft ball is formed when the mixture is tried in cold water. cool and beat until of the right consistency to spread. spread this icing rather thin. if desired chopped nuts may be added to it while it is being beaten. maple icing maple icing may be made by following the recipe given for caramel icing, with the exception of using maple sugar in place of the brown sugar. [illustration: fig. , sprinkling iced cake with garnish.] boiled icing c. sugar / c. water egg white pinch of cream of tartar put the sugar and water to cook in a saucepan. boil until a fairly hard ball is formed when the sirup is tried in cold water or until it threads when dropped from a spoon, as shown in fig. . if a thermometer is used to test the sirup, it should register to degrees fahrenheit when the sirup is taken from the stove. beat the egg white, add the cream of tartar, and continue beating until the egg white is stiff. then, as in fig. , pour the hot sirup over the beaten egg white very slowly, so as not to cook the egg, beating rapidly until all the sirup has been added. [illustration: fig. , smoothing surface of icing with knife.] continue to beat with a spoon or egg whip until the icing is light and almost stiff enough to spread on the cake, as in fig. . then place the bowl over a vessel containing boiling water, as in fig. , and beat for or minutes while the water boils rapidly underneath. with this treatment, the icing will not change in consistency, but will become easier to handle and will permit of being used for a longer period of time without becoming hard. in fact, it may be kept until the next day if desired by placing a moist cloth over the top of the bowl so as to prevent a crust from forming. [illustration: fig. , testing hard ball stage of sirup.] chocolate icing if chocolate icing is desired, a square of melted chocolate may be added to the icing given in the preceding recipe after the sirup has been added to the egg white. brown-sugar boiled icing - / c. brown sugar / c. white sugar / c. water egg whites pinch of cream of tartar boil the sugar and the water until it threads or forms a fairly hard ball when tried in cold water. [illustration: fig. , pouring hot sirup over beaten egg whites.] beat the egg whites until stiff, adding a pinch of cream of tartar while beating. pour the hot sirup over the egg whites and continue beating. flavor with vanilla if desired. beat until stiff enough to spread and, if desired, cook over boiling water as described for boiled white icing. time-saving icing / c. granulated sugar tb. water egg white put the sugar, water, and egg white into the upper part of a small double boiler. have the water in the lower part boiling rapidly. set the part containing the ingredients in place and beat constantly for minutes with a rotary egg beater, when a cooked frosting that will remain in place will be ready for use. the water in the lower receptacle must be boiling rapidly throughout the minutes. [illustration: fig. , beating icing until light.] [illustration: fig. , beating over rapidly boiling water.] cake fillings . as already explained, any icing used for the top of the cake may also be used for the filling that is put between the layers, but often, to obtain variety, an entirely different mixture is used for this purpose. a number of recipes for cake fillings are here given, and from these the housewife can select the one that seems best suited to the cake with which it is to be used. as will be noted, many of them are similar to custard mixtures, and these, in addition to being used for cakes, may be used for filling cream puffs and éclairs. others contain fruit, or nuts, or both, while still others resemble icing, with the exception of being softer. no difficulty will be experienced in making any of these fillings if the directions are carefully followed. they should be applied to the cake in the same way as icings. french filling c. milk c. sugar / c. flour / tsp. salt eggs tsp. vanilla / tsp. lemon extract heat the milk to scalding in a double boiler. mix the sugar, flour, and salt. pour the hot milk over this, and stir rapidly to prevent the formation of lumps. return to the double boiler and cook for to minutes. beat the eggs slightly and add them to the mixture. cook for minutes longer. add the flavoring, cool, and place between layers of cake or use for filling cream puffs or éclairs. half of the recipe will be sufficient for cake filling. chocolate filling if chocolate filling is desired, melt - / squares of chocolate and add to the french filling while it is hot. coffee filling a very good coffee filling may be made by scalding tablespoonfuls of coffee with the milk, straining to remove the grounds, and then adding to french filling for flavoring. fruit cream filling / c. heavy cream / c. sugar / c. crushed raspberries, strawberries, peaches, or any desirable fresh fruit whip the cream until stiff, add the sugar, and fold in the crushed fruit. place between layers of cake. raisin-and-nut filling / c. sugar / c. water / c. raisins / c. chopped nuts boil the sugar and water until they form a firm ball when tried in cold water. chop the raisins and nuts and add them to the sirup. cook until stiff enough not to run, and place between layers of cake. coconut filling c. milk / c. shredded coconut / c. sugar tb. corn starch egg heat the milk to scalding with the coconut. mix the sugar and corn starch, pour the hot milk into it, and stir rapidly so as to prevent lumps from forming. cook for or minutes. beat the egg slightly, add to the mixture, and cook for minutes more. cool and spread between layers of cake. lemon filling tb. corn starch / c. sugar / c. boiling water tb. butter lemon egg mix the corn starch and sugar, and add to this the boiling water. put to cook in a double boiler, add the butter, the grated rind of the lemon, and cook for or minutes. beat the egg slowly, add to the mixture, and cook for minutes more. remove from the heat and add the juice of the lemon. cool and spread between layers of cake. orange filling orange filling may be made by using grated orange rind in place of the lemon in the recipe for lemon filling and tablespoonful of lemon juice and tablespoonfuls of orange juice. marshmallow filling - / c. sugar / c. hot water / tsp. cream of tartar egg white boil the sugar, water, and cream of tartar until the sirup threads. beat the egg white until stiff, add the sirup slowly so as not to cook the egg, and beat constantly until thick enough to spread on the cake without running. this may be used for icing, as well as filling. * * * * * cakes, cookies, and puddings (part ) examination questions ( ) discuss briefly the use of cake in the diet. ( ) what leavening materials are used in cake making? ( ) (_a_) what are the two general classes of cakes? (_b_) in what way do they differ? ( ) of what value in cake making are pans with removable bottoms? ( ) give the various steps up to mixing in making a cake. ( ) how should pans be prepared for: (_a_) butter cakes? (_b_) sponge cakes? ( ) give the general proportion of ingredients for sponge cake. ( ) give the order necessary for combining the ingredients in sponge cake. ( ) (_a_) describe the baking of sponge cake. (_b_) how can you tell when sponge cake is ready to be taken out of the oven? ( ) when and how is sponge cake taken from the pan in which it is baked? ( ) (_a_) give the general proportion of liquid and flour used for butter cake. (_b_) what makes this proportion vary? ( ) give the steps necessary for mixing the ingredients of butter cake. ( ) describe the baking of butter cake. ( ) (_a_) how can you tell when butter cake is sufficiently baked? (_b_) how is it removed from the pan and cooled? ( ) what is the value of cake icing? ( ) (_a_) what ingredients are used to make the simplest icings? (_b_) what kind of sugar is best for uncooked icings? ( ) what kind of icing should be used for sponge cake? tell why. ( ) how is the surface of a cake that is to be decorated with an ornamental design prepared? ( ) (_a_) describe the icing of a layer cake. (_b_) how may a rough surface of icing be made smooth? ( ) (_a_) tell how boiled icing is made. (_b_) what is the test for determining when the sirup is boiled sufficiently? cakes, cookies, and puddings (part ) * * * * * small cakes varieties of small cakes . under the heading small cakes are included numerous varieties of cakes made of many different kinds of materials and baked in various shapes and sizes. some of them, such as meringues and kisses, contain nothing except eggs and sugar and consequently are almost confections. on the other hand, many of them, including cookies of all kinds, drop cakes, ladyfingers, etc., are merely the usual sponge and butter-cake mixtures altered in such ways as may be desired. in addition, there are cream puffs and éclairs, the various kinds of cakes made with yeast, and doughnuts and crullers, all of which, while not exactly cake mixtures, are similar enough to small cakes in preparation and use to be discussed in connection with them. . nature of mixtures for small cakes.--the mixtures used for small cakes are made into batters and doughs of various thicknesses. for instance, the batter used for cup cakes is as thin as that for layer cake; that for drop cakes must be stiff enough to hold its shape when it is dropped on a flat sheet; while cookies require a dough that is stiff enough to be rolled out in a thin layer and then cut into various shapes with cutters. the mixing of cakes of this kind differs in no way from that of large cakes, the greater thickness being obtained merely by the addition of flour. . baking small cakes.--small cakes bake more quickly than large ones; consequently, a hotter oven is required for them. cookies will bake in to minutes. they should rise and start to brown in / of this time, and should finish browning and shrink slightly in the remaining half. drop cakes require a little more time than cookies. they should rise during the first third of the time, brown slightly during the second, and finish browning and shrink during the last third. cup cakes being larger require from to minutes to bake, depending on their size. they should rise and brown in the same way as drop cakes. the baking of most of the other varieties demands special attention and is discussed in connection with the cakes themselves. when the majority of small cakes, including cookies, are put into the oven to bake, they should be set on the lower rack. then, when the browning has started, they should be changed to the upper rack, where they will brown more quickly. this transfer may also be necessary in the case of the larger sized cup cakes. small cakes baked in muffin pans should be allowed to stand for several minutes after being removed from the oven in order to cool. then a knife or a spatula should be run around the edge to loosen each cake from the pan. if the pan is then turned upside down and tapped lightly once or twice, the cakes will, as a rule, come out in good condition. cookies and drop cakes should be taken from their pans or sheets while warm and then allowed to cool on a cake cooler or on clean towels spread on a table. * * * * * preparation of small cakes cup and drop cakes . nature of cup and drop cakes.--cup cakes are a variety of small cakes baked in muffin pans. many of the mixtures used for large cakes may be made into cup cakes by baking them in pans of this kind. instead of pouring the mixture into the pans from the bowl, as is done in the case of large cakes, it is put into them by means of a spoon, as shown in fig. . the pans should be filled only about half full in order to give the mixture an opportunity to rise. when the cakes are baked, they usually reach the top of the pans. [illustration: fig. ] . cup cakes may be served plain or they may be iced in any desired way. fig. shows a group of cakes of this kind, the three on the right being cup cakes without any icing or decoration and the rest, cup cakes iced and then decorated in a variety of ways. as will be observed, cup cakes lend themselves well to decoration. the materials used here for the decorating are chiefly citron and maraschino cherries, both of which may be cut into a variety of shapes. the cakes are first covered with a white icing for a foundation, and the decorative materials are applied before it becomes dry. other materials may, of course, be used for decorating cup cakes, and original designs may be worked out in a number of attractive ways. [illustration: fig. ] . drop cakes differ from cup cakes in that a stiffer batter is used and the mixture is then dropped from a spoon on a greased and floured cooky sheet. as shown in fig. , which illustrates a plate of drop cakes ready to serve, cakes of this kind are not generally iced. however, the mixture used for them often contains fruits and nuts. . recipes for cup and drop cakes.--several recipes for cup cakes and drop cakes are here given. no difficulty will be experienced in carrying out any of them if the suggestions already given are applied. with each recipe is mentioned the approximate number of cakes the recipe will make. the exact number it will produce will depend, of course, on the size of the cakes; the smaller they are the greater will be their number. [illustration: fig. ] cup cakes (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) / c. butter c. sugar eggs - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. mace c. milk tsp. vanilla cream the butter and add the sugar. beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour, baking powder, and mace together, and add alternately with the milk. flavor with the vanilla, put into greased and floured muffin pans, and bake. cover with chocolate icing and serve. brownies (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. butter / c. sugar / c. molasses egg - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. soda / c. chopped nut meats cream the butter, add the sugar and molasses, beat the egg and add it. mix the flour, baking powder, and soda together, and sift into the mixture. fold in the chopped nut meats, put in thin layers into muffin pans, and bake in a hot oven until done. remove from the pans, cool, and serve. cinnamon cup cakes (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. butter c. sugar eggs tsp. baking powder c. flour tb. cinnamon / c. milk cream the butter and add the sugar. beat the eggs and add them. sift the baking powder, flour, and cinnamon together, and add alternately with the milk. put into greased and floured muffin pans and bake. cocoa cup cakes (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) / c. shortening - / c. sugar eggs c. flour / c. cocoa / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder / c. milk tsp. vanilla cream the shortening and add the sugar. beat the eggs and add them. sift the flour, cocoa, soda, and baking powder together and add alternately with the milk. flavor with the vanilla, put into greased and floured muffin pans, and bake in a hot oven. remove from the pans, cool, and serve. if desired, these cakes may be iced with white icing and sprinkled with coconut. roxbury cakes (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. butter / c. sugar eggs / c. molasses / c. milk - / c. flour / tsp. nutmeg / tsp. cinnamon / tsp. ground cloves - / tsp. baking powder / tsp. soda / c. raisins / c. english walnut meats cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. beat the eggs and add them. add the molasses and milk. mix and sift the dry ingredients and stir these into the first mixture. fold in the finely chopped raisins and nuts. bake in a moderate oven and ice with white icing. apple-sauce cakes (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) / c. butter c. sugar c. flour / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder - / tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves tsp. nutmeg c. apple sauce c. raisins cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. sift the dry ingredients together and add alternately with the apple sauce made according to the following directions. stir in the raisins dredged with a little of the flour. bake in muffin pans in a moderate oven for about minutes. apple sauce qt. apples / c. sugar c. water peel and quarter the apples. put them to cook in the water. when soft, force through a sieve, add the sugar, and return to the fire until the sugar is dissolved. cool and use for the cakes. sour-milk drop cakes (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. butter c. sugar egg / c. sour milk - / c. flour / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder / c. nut meats / c. raisins cream the butter and add the sugar, the beaten egg, and the milk. sift the flour, soda, and baking powder together and add them. fold in the nuts and raisins. drop by spoonfuls on a greased and floured cake sheet. bake rather slowly, remove from the sheet, cool, and serve. fruit drop cakes (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. shortening / c. sugar egg / c. milk - / c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves / tsp. nutmeg / c. raisins cream the shortening and add the sugar, egg, and milk. sift the flour, baking powder, and spices together. sift these dry ingredients into the mixture and add the raisins. drop by spoonfuls on a greased and floured cake sheet and bake in a hot oven until light brown. oat-flake drop cakes (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. shortening c. sugar egg c. oat flakes tsp. vanilla c. flour / tsp. salt tsp. baking powder tsp. cinnamon / c. milk cream the shortening and add the sugar. beat the egg and add to the mixture. add the oat flakes and vanilla. sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon together and add alternately with the milk. drop on greased pans to bake. ginger drop cakes (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. shortening / c. brown sugar egg - / c. flour / tsp. soda / tsp. salt / tb. ginger / c. sour milk / c. molasses cream the shortening, add the sugar, and mix well. beat the egg and add it. sift the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk and molasses. drop on greased sheets and bake in a moderate oven for about or minutes. . applying ornamental icing to cup cakes.--sometimes it is desired to put icing on cup cakes in an ornamental way. in such an event, an uncooked icing is used and it is usually applied by means of a pastry tube, although certain simple designs can be made with a small paper cornucopia. when icing is to be used for this purpose, it should be of the consistency shown in fig. ; that is, it should be so heavy that a large quantity of it will cling to the spoon, and when it drops it will fall in a mass rather than run off. [illustration: fig. ] have the pastry bag clean and dry, and make it ready for use by slipping the pastry tube inside of the bag, as shown in fig. . the point of the tube should protrude from the narrow end of the bag, which is too small to allow the top of the tube to be pushed through. the cakes to be decorated with the aid of a pastry tube are usually prepared, as the cake in the illustration shows, by covering it with a perfectly smooth coating of uncooked icing of some kind. with the tube inserted and the cake coated, the work of decorating may be taken up. roll the top of the bag down, as shown in fig. , and into it put as much of the icing as is desired. see that the icing is pushed as far down into the end of the bag as possible. then, as in fig. , hold the top of the bag shut with one hand and with the other grasp it at the place where the contents end. when the hands have been so placed, press down on the bag so that the icing will be forced from the point of the tube. to make the decorations most satisfactorily, have the point of the tube pressed tightly against the surface of the cake and raise it very slowly as the icing comes out. otherwise the shape of the design will not be good, as a little experimenting will prove. the rosette tube is used to make the decorations here shown, but if a different form of decoration is desired, one of the other tubes may be selected. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . with cakes of this kind, it is often desired to have a simple decoration without first applying the foundation icing. this can be done, as shown in fig. , by pressing icing through a pastry bag containing the rosette tube and placing the decoration merely on the center of each cake. this is suggested as an economical use of icing and a decoration a little out of the ordinary. the points of the pastry tube should be bent toward the center in order to produce the rosettes in the manner here shown. in fact, the shape of a rosette can often be changed to some extent by opening or closing these points a trifle. [illustration: fig. ] cookies . classes of cookies.--cookies are of two general classes: those which are made thick and are expected to be soft when they are served and those which are made thin and are intended to be crisp and brittle when eaten. thin, crisp cookies are usually known as _wafers_ or _snaps_. soft cookies are made from a dough that contains a little more liquid than that used for brittle cookies. the dough of which both varieties are made should be thick enough to remove from the mixing bowl in a lump and roll out on a board. after being rolled until it is the desired thickness, it is cut into pieces of any desired size and shape and baked in the oven on large flat pans. [illustration: fig. ] . ingredients in cookies.--the ingredients used in the making of cookies are similar to those used for drop cakes, with the exception of the amount of flour. in fact, any cooky mixture that is made a little more moist by omitting some of the flour may be used for drop cakes. more flour is needed in cooky mixtures because they must be of a certain thickness in order to be rolled out successfully. the amount of flour needed varies with the kind that is used, more of some varieties of this ingredient being required than of others. it is usually advisable to add the last cup of flour with caution. if the mixture seems to be getting stiff before all the flour is added, what is not needed should be omitted; but if it does not become stiff enough to handle, more should be added. . considerable variety exists in the shortening that may be used in cooky mixtures. if desired, butter may be used, but for most cookies it is not at all necessary that the shortening consist entirely of butter, and for some no butter at all is required. other fats and oils, such as lard, crisco, lard compound, mazola, cottoline, butterine, and any other tasteless shortening, may be substituted for all or part of the butter. any of the following cooky recipes that contain butter do so because that particular cooky or cake is better when made with butter, but, if desired, some other fat may be used for a part or all of it. in case merely shortening is mentioned, any fat or mixture of fats preferred may be used. . procedure in making cookies.--the combining of the ingredients in cooky mixtures need give the housewife very little concern, for it is accomplished in much the same way as for cup and drop cakes. when all of them have been combined, a dough that is stiff enough to handle and still not so stiff that it is tough should be formed. the chief precaution to be taken in the making of all kinds of cookies is to avoid getting too much flour into the mixture. to produce the best results, the mixture should be so soft that it is difficult to handle. a good plan is to allow it to become very cold, for then it will be much stiffer and may be handled more easily. therefore, after the dough has been mixed, it is well to set it in a refrigerator or some other cool place and let it stand for several hours before attempting to roll it. in fact, a cooky mixture may be made in the evening and allowed to stand until the next morning before being rolled out and baked. as can readily be understood, such procedure is possible with a stiff mixture like that for cookies, while it would not be practicable with a thin mixture, such as cake batter, because the gas that is formed by the leavening agent would escape from a mixture that is not thick and the cake, after being baked, would have no lightness. . with the dough ready to be rolled, divide it into amounts of a size that can be handled conveniently at one time. take one of these from the mixing bowl and place it on a well-floured board. work it with the fingers into a flat, round piece, using a little flour on the fingers during this process. dust the top lightly with flour and, by means of a rolling pin, roll the dough into a flat piece that is as nearly round as possible. continue rolling with a short, light stroke until the dough is as thin as desired. remember that light, careful handling is always necessary when any kind of dough mixture is rolled on the board, and that as little handling as possible is advisable. skill in this respect will come with practice, so the housewife need not be discouraged if she has difficulty at first. for cookies, / inch is the usual thickness of the dough after it is rolled; but for snaps or wafers the dough should be rolled as thin as possible. if the dough is as moist as it should be, it may be necessary, from time to time, to dust the top with flour as the rolling continues. however, no more flour should be used than is needed to keep the rolling pin from sticking; otherwise, the dough will become too thick and the cookies will be tough and dry. [illustration: fig. ] . when the dough has been rolled until it is of the right thickness, cut it in the manner shown in fig. , using cooky cutters of any desired size and shape. the four cutters shown, which are heart, round, diamond, and star shapes, are the ones that are most commonly used. they are merely strips of tin bent into a particular shape and attached to a handle for convenience in using. in cutting the dough, try to cut it to the best possible advantage, leaving as little space between the cookies as possible. very often, as, for instance, when diamond-shaped cookies are being cut, the line of one may be the exact line of the one next to it and thus no dough need be left between the cookies. . however, as fig. shows, a certain amount of dough necessarily remains after all the cookies that can be made out of a piece of rolled dough have been cut. put these scraps together and set them aside until all the fresh dough has been rolled. then put them together carefully, roll them out again, and cut the piece thus formed into cookies just as the others were cut. some persons are in the habit of working these scraps in with the next piece of dough that is rolled out, but this is not good practice, for by the time they are rolled on the board a second time, more flour will be worked into them than into the dough with which they were put and the texture will not be the same. [illustration: fig. ] . baking cookies.--have a cooky sheet or other large shallow pan greased and floured, and as soon as all the cookies are cut from a piece of dough, pick them up with the aid of a spatula, as in fig. , and arrange them on the pan. do not place them too close together, or upon baking they will stick to one another and lose their shape. as soon as a pan is filled, set it in the oven, either directly on the bottom or on a low rack. if the temperature of the oven is correct, the cookies should begin to rise within or minutes after they are put into the oven. after they have baked on the bottom and have risen as much as they will, they will appear as shown in fig. . at this point, set them on a higher rack to brown on top. in this browning, they will shrink to some extent, so that the finished cookies will not have so smooth an appearance as when they are placed on the top rack. when done, they should be slightly brown, and if it is found that they are too brown on top, it may be known that the oven temperature was a little too high or perhaps that they should have had a little less time on this rack. molasses cookies require special care to prevent them from burning, for, as is explained in _hot breads_, any food containing molasses burns readily. a comparatively short time is necessary for the baking of cookies, but they should be left in the oven long enough to be thoroughly baked when removed. when ready to serve, properly baked cookies should appear as in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] . recipes for cookies.--with the principles of cooky making well understood, the housewife is fully qualified to try any of the recipes that follow. as will be noted, a number of recipes are here given and so a pleasing variety may be had. some of them are suitable for certain occasions and some for others. for instance, barley-molasses cookies are very good with coffee for breakfast, while filled cookies make an excellent cake for picnic lunches. cream cookies or vanilla wafers could be served at an afternoon tea, while sand tarts make a very good accompaniment for ice cream or some other dainty dessert. the nature of the cooky will enable the housewife to determine when it should be served. ginger snaps (sufficient for dozen snaps) c. molasses / c. lard or other shortening / c. butter - / c. flour / tsp. soda tb. ginger tsp. salt heat the molasses to boiling and pour over the shortening. sift the dry ingredients together and add these. cool the mixture until it is stiff and cold, roll as thin as possible, cut with a small round cutter, and bake in a quick oven, being careful not to burn. cream cookies (sufficient for dozen cookies) / c. butter c. sugar eggs / c. thin cream tsp. vanilla tsp. baking powder tsp. salt / tsp. mace c. flour cream the butter, add the sugar, eggs, the cream, and vanilla. sift the baking powder, salt, mace, and flour together and add these to the mixture. roll about / inch thick and cut. bake in a hot oven. vanilla wafers (sufficient for dozen wafers) / c. shortening c. sugar egg / c. milk tsp. vanilla c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt cream the shortening, add the sugar and egg, and continue beating. pour in the milk and add the vanilla. sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the mixture. roll out as thin as possible, cut with a small round cutter, and bake in a hot oven. these wafers should be crisp and thin when finished. barley-molasses cookies (sufficient for dozen cookies) c. molasses / c. shortening / c. milk c. wheat flour c. barley flour tsp. ginger tsp. soda / tsp. salt heat the molasses, pour it over the shortening, and add the milk. sift the dry ingredients together, and add to the mixture. cool, roll about / inch thick, cut, and bake in a quick oven, being careful not to burn. oatmeal cookies (sufficient for - / dozen cookies) egg / c. sugar / c. thin cream / c. milk / c. oatmeal c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. salt tb. melted butter beat the egg and add the sugar, cream, and milk. run the oatmeal through a food chopper, and mix with the flour, baking powder, and salt. stir all into the mixture, add the melted butter, and mix thoroughly. roll thin, cut, and bake in a quick oven. sand tarts (sufficient for dozen tarts) / c. shortening c. sugar egg - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. cinnamon egg white blanched almonds cream the shortening and add the sugar and the egg. sift together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon, and add these to the mixture. fold in the beaten egg white. roll as thin as possible and cut. split blanched almonds, and after putting the cookies on the cooky sheet, place several halves of almonds in any desirable position on the cookies. bake in a quick oven until light brown. highland dainties (sufficient for dozen cookies) c. flour / c. brown sugar / c. butter egg yolk mix and sift the flour and sugar and work in the butter with the fingers. roll out about / inch thick and cut into any desirable shape with small cutters. brush with the egg yolk to which has been added teaspoonful of water. bake in a slow oven until light brown. filled cookies (sufficient for - / dozen cookies) c. shortening c. sugar egg / c. milk c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt tsp. vanilla cream the shortening and add the sugar gradually. next add the beaten egg and the milk. sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and add to the mixture. add the vanilla. roll very thin and cut into small round, square, or diamond shapes. spread one cooky with the following filling, cover with a second, press the edges together, and bake in a quick oven. filling for cookies c. sugar tb. flour / c. boiling water - / c. chopped raisins / c. nut meats mix the sugar and flour and stir them into the boiling water. add the raisins and let cook until thick enough to spread on the cookies. remove from the fire and add the nut meats. cool slightly and spread. figs or dates may be used in place of the raisins. if it is not desired to prepare a filling for the cookies, jam makes a very good substitute. sour-cream cookies (sufficient for dozen cookies) / c. butter c. sugar eggs / pt. thick sour cream / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder - / c. flour / tsp. lemon extract cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, and beat thoroughly. add the cream. sift the soda, baking powder, and flour and add to the first mixture. add the lemon extract, roll out thick, and sprinkle with sugar. cut with a round cutter, place on greased and floured tins, and bake. kisses and macaroons . nature of kisses and macaroons.--the varieties of small cakes known as kisses and macaroons are undoubtedly the daintiest ones that are made. composed almost entirely of sugar, egg whites, and flavoring, they are very delicate in texture and are practically confections. kisses do not contain any flour, but macaroons need a small amount of this ingredient and some varieties of them contain the yolks, as well as the whites, of eggs. chopped or ground nuts, coconut, and various kinds of dried or candied fruits are added to these cakes to give them variety. . the mixtures of which these cakes are made are either dropped by spoonfuls or forced through a pastry bag into little mounds or rosettes on an inverted pan or a cooky sheet and then baked in a very slow oven. an oven of this kind is necessary, for the mixtures must be practically dried out in the baking. _meringues_, although made of a mixture similar to that used for kisses, are usually made in rather large, round, flat shapes, whereas kisses are smaller and are for the most part made in the shape of rosettes. fig. shows a plate of kisses ready to serve. . _marguerites_, while not exactly the same as either kisses or macaroons, are given in this connection because the mixture used for them is similar to that for kisses. these, as shown in fig. , are in reality saltines covered with a mixture of egg and sugar to which nuts, coconut, flavoring, etc. may be added for variety. after the sugar covering has been applied, the saltines are set in the oven and baked until slightly brown on top. this variety of small cakes, as well as kisses and meringues, is excellent for serving with afternoon tea, or with ice cream at a party that is to be very dainty. [illustration: fig. ] . recipes for kisses and macaroons.--one recipe for kisses, several recipes for macaroons, and directions for the preparation of marguerites follow. if meringues are desired, the recipe for kisses may be followed and the mixture then dropped by spoonfuls, instead of being forced through a pastry tube. [illustration: fig. ] kisses or meringues (sufficient for to dozen cakes) / c. fine granulated sugar, or / c. and tb. powdered sugar egg whites / tsp. vanilla fine granulated or powdered sugar may be used for these cakes. if powdered sugar is selected, a little more will be required than of granulated. only fresh eggs should be employed. separate them and beat the whites with an egg whip, beating slowly at first and more rapidly as the eggs grow stiff. when they have become very stiff, add a tablespoonful of the sugar and continue the beating. when this has been beaten thoroughly, add another tablespoonful, and continue to add sugar in small amounts and to beat until all has been worked in. add the vanilla. moisten with cold water a board that is about inch thick, place over it some heavy white paper, and force the mixture through a pastry bag or drop by spoonfuls on the paper. place the board containing the kisses in a very slow oven, one so slow that instead of baking the kisses it will really dry them. if the oven is too warm, open the oven door slightly to prevent the temperature from rising too high. bake until the kisses are dry and then remove them from the oven. if desired, the inside of the meringues, which is soft, may be removed and the shell filled with a filling of some kind. plain whipped cream or whipped cream to which fresh strawberries and sugar are added makes an excellent filling for this purpose. in fact, meringues filled and garnished with whipped cream make a very delightful dessert. pecan macaroons (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) egg white c. brown sugar c. pecan meats / tsp. salt beat the egg white until stiff and add the sugar gradually, beating constantly. fold in the nut meats, add the salt, and then drop from the tip of a spoon or inches apart on a cooky sheet covered with buttered paper. bake in a moderate oven until delicately browned. almond macaroons (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) / lb. almonds c. powdered sugar egg whites blanch the almonds and force them through a food chopper. mix the ground almonds and powdered sugar, and gradually add the beaten egg whites until a mixture of the consistency of a stiff dough is formed. force through a pastry bag or drop with a spoon on a cooky sheet covered with buttered paper. the macaroon mixture spreads during the baking, so space will have to be left between the cakes. bake in a very slow oven. after removing from the oven, cover for a few minutes with a moist cloth in order to loosen the macaroons. coconut macaroons (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) c. powdered sugar c. shredded coconut egg whites mix the sugar and coconut. beat the egg whites and fold into the coconut and sugar. drop by spoonfuls on a cooky sheet covered with waxed paper and bake in a slow oven. oatmeal-fruit macaroons (sufficient for dozen cakes) eggs / c. sugar / c. corn sirup tb. melted shortening / c. raisins, cut in small pieces - / c. rolled oats / tsp. salt beat the eggs, add the sugar, sirup, and shortening. fold in the fruit, rolled oats, and salt. drop by spoonfuls on a greased cooky sheet and bake in a moderate oven. marguerites (sufficient for dozen cakes) / c. sugar / c. water egg white / c. shredded coconut / c. chopped nuts cook the sugar and water until it forms a hard ball when tested in cold water or threads from a spoon. beat the egg white until stiff, pour the hot sirup into it, and continue beating until the mixture is stiff enough not to run. add the coconut and chopped nuts and spread a thick layer on saltines. place in a moderate oven and bake until slightly browned. ladyfingers and sponge drops . the mixture used for ladyfingers is in reality a sponge-cake mixture, but it is baked in a certain oblong shape known as a ladyfinger shape. shallow pans that will bake the mixture in the required shape can be purchased, but these need not be secured, for much more satisfactory results can be obtained with a pastry bag and tube after a little practice. the same mixture may be dropped by spoonfuls and baked in small round cakes known as sponge drops. both ladyfingers and sponge drops, after being baked, are put together in twos by means of a simple sugar icing. care should be exercised in their baking to prevent them from burning. small cakes of these varieties are very satisfactory to serve with a rich gelatine or cream dessert. then, again, such cakes, especially ladyfingers, are sometimes molded into a frozen dessert or placed in a mold in which a gelatine dessert is solidified. often they are served with sweetened and flavored whipped cream; in fact, no matter how stale or fresh they may be, they help to make very delicious desserts. ladyfingers no. (sufficient for - / dozen cakes) egg whites / c. powdered sugar egg yolks / tsp. vanilla / c. flour / tsp. salt [illustration: fig. ] beat the egg whites until they are stiff and dry. add the sugar gradually and continue beating. beat the two egg yolks until they are thick and lemon-colored and add them. add the flavoring and fold in the flour mixed and sifted with the salt. cover a cooky sheet with light wrapping paper that is perfectly smooth and marked into spaces - / in. long by - / in. wide, as shown in fig. . with the aid of a spoon, as illustrated, fill the ladyfinger mixture into a pastry bag containing a plain pastry tube. then, from the pastry tube, squeeze the cake mixture onto the marked spaces, as shown in fig. , making the mass slightly narrower in the center than at the ends. when all the spaces have been filled, set the pan containing the sheet in a slow oven and bake until dry. remove from the oven and take from the paper by slipping a sharp knife under each ladyfinger. if the ladyfingers are to be used for cake, they must be put together in pairs with the following simple filling, and they will then appear as in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] filling for ladyfingers juice of orange sufficient sugar to spread beat the orange juice and sugar together until smooth. place a layer of the mixture between each two ladyfingers. ladyfingers no. (sufficient for dozen cakes) eggs - / c. powdered sugar c. flour juice of half a lemon separate the eggs and beat the whites with an egg whip until stiff. sift the sugar and flour together several times, add a little to the eggs, and continue beating. continue to add the sugar and flour, a little at a time, until all has been added. beat the egg yolks until they are light and lemon-colored and then beat them into the mixture. add the lemon juice and force the mixture through a pastry tube in the same way as described in the preceding recipe. bake in a slow oven. when cool, put together with the orange filling. cakes made with yeast . a few varieties of cake are made light by means of yeast instead of being leavened with eggs or chemical leavening agents. these cakes are, of course, similar to bread in many respects, but they are sweeter and richer than bread and contain eggs. for this reason they are not economical mixtures and should not be made if economy must be practiced. because of the sugar, butter, and eggs used in them, the action of the yeast is slow; consequently, the processes involved in making these mixtures are neither short nor simple. often, after they have been baked in a mold, the center is removed and the shells are then filled with different mixtures to make a variety of desserts. brioche c. milk - / yeast cakes / c. sugar / c. butter - / c. flour egg yolks whole eggs / tsp. lemon extract scald the milk, cool until lukewarm, and then add the yeast cakes. when they are thoroughly dissolved, add the sugar, the butter, which has been softened but not melted, and half of the flour. add the egg yolks and beat with the hands. add the eggs one at a time and when all have been beaten in thoroughly, continue to add more flour. after all of the flour and also the lemon extract have been added and the mixture is of a consistency to knead, allow it to rise for hours. punch down and place in the ice box or some other cool place overnight. in the morning, the mixture will be ready to bake in whatever shape is desirable. the four recipes that follow show various ways in which the brioche may be used to make attractive as well as appetizing desserts. coffee cakes roll the brioche mixture into a long rectangular piece about / inch thick. spread with softened butter, fold one-third of the side over the center and the opposite side on top of that, making three layers. cut this into strips about / inch wide, cover, and let rise. when light, twist the ends of each piece in the opposite direction, coil, and bring the ends together on the top of the cake. let rise in pans for minutes, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. upon removing from the oven, brush with confectioner's sugar moistened with enough water to allow it to spread. brioche buns work / cupful of raisins and / cupful of chopped nut meats into half of the brioche mixture. shape into balls about the size of a walnut, and then place close together in a buttered pan. brush over the top with tablespoonful of sugar dissolved in tablespoonfuls of milk. bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. brush a second time with the sugar-and-milk mixture and allow the buns to remain in the oven until they are well browned. brioche dessert fill muffin pans about / full with the brioche mixture. allow it to rise nearly to the top, bake in a slow oven, remove when sufficiently baked, and cool. remove the center from each mold, leaving a shell. the centers may be toasted and served separately. put a teaspoonful or two of any desirable preserves or marmalade into the shells, fill with sweetened and flavored whipped cream, and over the top sprinkle chopped nuts. this dessert should be prepared just before serving. brioche pudding take enough of the brioche sponge to fill a good-sized mold two-thirds full. work into this / cupful of raisins cut into small pieces, / cupful of candied cherries, / cupful of chopped nuts, and / cupful of coconut. place in a mold and allow it to rise until the mold is nearly full. bake from minutes to hour, turn out of the mold, and allow to become cold. cut into thick slices with a knife that has been heated in the flame, and serve with apricot or pineapple sauce. apple cake (sufficient for three good-sized cakes) c. milk yeast cake tsp. salt / c. sugar / c. butter - / c. flour eggs apples scald the milk and cool it to lukewarm. add the yeast, salt, sugar, and butter, which has been softened but not melted. add half of the flour and beat in the eggs. when all has been mixed thoroughly, add sufficient flour to make a stiff dough. knead for a short time and place in a bowl to rise. when risen until double in bulk, roll a piece of the dough / inch thick to fit a rectangular pan. allow this to rise until it is light. peel apples, cut into halves and then into thick slices, and rub them with lemon so they will not discolor. when the bread mixture is light, place the apples on the top in rows. sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake in a quick oven. serve with butter or sugar and cream. swedish tea ring roll a large piece of the mixture used for apple cake into a rectangular shape from / to / inch thick, brush with butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and, if desired, with raisins or chopped nuts. roll like a jelly roll, and place the two ends together on a cooky sheet so as to form a ring. try, if possible, to conceal the joining by fastening the ends together carefully. the best way to do this is to cut a slice from each end before joining. then, with a scissors, cut through the edge of the ring nearly to the center and slightly at a slant, as in fig. . make the cuts about inch apart and turn the cut slices over so as to show the layers of dough. brush with milk, dredge with sugar, and bake for about / hour. when baked, this cake should appear as shown in fig. . [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] cream puffs and Éclairs . a delicious form of dessert that is usually classed with small cakes includes cream puffs and éclairs. they are made of a special kind of paste that, when baked, becomes hollow in the center, very much as popovers do. the inside is then filled with a mixture similar to a custard mixture or with sweetened and flavored whipped cream. many persons have an idea that these mixtures are very difficult to make, but the fact is that they may be easily made if the directions for preparing them are carefully followed. [illustration: fig. ] . after the paste has been mixed, the way it is to be treated will depend on whether cream puffs or éclairs are to be made. for cream puffs, which are shown in fig. , it is dropped by spoonfuls on a cooky sheet or a large pan, while in the case of éclairs, several of which are shown in fig. , it is forced through a large round pastry tube so as to form long strips. the shapes are then baked in a hot oven, and during this process they puff up and become hollow in the center. if, upon attempting to fill the shells thus made, the centers are found to contain a little moist, doughy material, this may be removed. the filling may then be introduced either by cutting a slit in the side and putting it in with a spoon or by inserting the end of a pastry tube into the shell and forcing it in with a pastry bag and tube. in addition to being filled with a filling of some kind, éclairs are covered, as here shown, with an icing that usually corresponds in flavor with the filling. for instance, chocolate éclairs are filled with a chocolate filling and covered with a chocolate icing, while coffee éclairs have a coffee filling and a coffee icing. [illustration: fig. ] very small cream puffs are attractive and are often served with small cakes for an afternoon tea or a buffet luncheon. these may be made by dropping the paste with a teaspoon on a cooky sheet, baking it until done, and then filling the shells with any desired paste. cream puffs (sufficient for dozen cream puffs) / c. butter c. boiling water c. flour eggs boil the butter and water together until the butter is melted. add the flour by pouring it all in at one time. stir rapidly and cook until the mass does not stick to the sides of the pan. continue the stirring so that it does not burn. remove from the fire and cool, so as not to cook the eggs when they are added. add one egg at a time and mix thoroughly with the mixture before adding another. drop by spoonfuls on a greased cooky sheet, place close to the floor of the oven, and bake in a hot oven for about minutes or until the puffs are dry and can be lifted from the sheet. allow them to cool and then fill with whipped cream or a custard filling. before serving, sprinkle powdered sugar over the top of each. Éclairs when éclairs are desired, make the paste as for cream puffs. then through a large, round pastry tube, one having a diameter of at least / inch, force this paste in strips - / or inches long, putting the paste on a cooky sheet or some other large pan. bake in a hot oven in the same way as cream puffs. when cool, fill with a custard mixture of any desired flavoring and cover with an icing of the same flavor. royal Éclairs royal éclairs are especially delicious and make a very agreeable change from the usual variety. to make these, bake éclairs in the usual shape and set aside to cool. cut canned peaches into pieces, add sugar to them, and cook down until the sirup becomes thick. fill each éclair with several spoonfuls of this mixture and, if desired, serve with whipped cream over the top. cream filling for cream puffs / c. flour c. milk egg / c. sugar / tsp. salt tsp. butter tsp. vanilla moisten the flour with a little cold milk. heat the remainder of the milk and add the moistened flour. cook in a double boiler for or minutes. beat the egg, add the sugar and salt, and pour this into the hot mixture, stirring rapidly. cook until the egg is thickened, and then add the butter and vanilla. remove from the fire, cool, and fill into the cream puffs. chocolate filling for Éclairs sq. chocolate / c. sugar c. water / c. flour c. milk tb. butter tsp. vanilla cook the chocolate, sugar, and water over the flame until they are well blended. mix the flour and milk and add to the hot mixture. cook until the flour has thickened. add the butter and vanilla. cool and fill into the éclairs. cover the tops with a plain chocolate icing. coffee filling for Éclairs / c. ground coffee c. milk / c. flour / c. sugar tb. butter tsp. vanilla steep the coffee in the milk for minutes. strain and add the flour and sugar, which have been thoroughly mixed. cook until the mixture is thickened, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. add the butter and vanilla, cool, and fill into the éclairs. cover the top of the éclairs with icing made by thickening a little strong coffee with pulverized sugar. caramel filling for Éclairs c. sugar - / c. boiling water / c. flour c. milk tb. butter tsp. vanilla caramelize / cupful of the sugar, add the water, and cook until the caramel has dissolved. mix the remainder of the sugar with the flour and moisten with the milk. add this to the caramel and cook until the flour thickens completely, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of lumps. add the butter and vanilla. cool and fill into the éclairs. cover the tops with a plain caramel icing. doughnuts and crullers . nature of doughnuts and crullers.--some kinds of doughnuts and crullers are made of bread dough, and for this reason really belong to breakfast breads instead of to cakes. however, most of the recipes for these two foods include sugar, shortening, milk, eggs, and leavening, making doughnuts and crullers so similar to cake in their composition that they are usually regarded as cake mixtures. the shortening, which is in smaller amounts than is required for most cakes, is supplied largely by the method of preparation peculiar to these cakes; that is, by their being fried in deep fat. consequently, some of the same conditions apply in their preparation as in the making of other foods that are cooked in this way. as has already been learned, such foods must either contain a sufficient amount of protein material, such as egg, for instance, or be coated with enough material of this kind to prevent the absorption of fat. in the case of doughnuts, this material is supplied as an ingredient. . shaping doughnuts and crullers.--the ingredients used in the making of doughnuts are combined in much the same way as those used in other cake mixtures. a point to remember is that the mixture, like that for cookies, must be stiff enough to handle and roll out, but care should be taken not to use too much flour, for then the doughnuts are likely to be tough. divide the dough into amounts of a convenient size, place one of these on a well-floured board, and roll out with a rolling pin until about / inch thick. then, with a doughnut cutter, as shown in fig. , cut as many doughnuts as possible from the rolled dough. if a regular doughnut cutter is not in supply, a round cookie cutter may be used and then a thimble or some other small round cutter applied to remove the center of the pieces thus cut. as here shown, a plate or some other small dish containing flour should be kept handy and the cutter dipped into this occasionally during the cutting to prevent it from sticking to the dough and marring the appearance of the doughnuts. collect the centers and scraps that remain after the doughnuts have been cut from a piece and set these aside until all the fresh dough has been used. these may then be rolled out again and cut into doughnuts. if desired, however, the centers may be fried. [illustration: fig. ] . while doughnuts are usually round and have a hole in the center, they may, for variety, be made in other shapes. for instance, after the dough is rolled out, it is sometimes cut with a sharp knife into rectangular pieces about inches long and - / inches wide and each one of these pieces then cut lengthwise into three strips attached at one end. when cut in this way, the strips are braided and then pinched together at the loose end. or, the pieces may be made inches long and inches wide, cut into two strips attached at one end, and the strips then twisted around each other and pinched together at the loose end. [illustration: fig. ] . frying doughnuts and crullers.--after the doughnuts have been cut in the desired shape, the next step is to fry them. the equipment required for this process consists of a pan or a kettle into which the fat is put, a long-handled frying basket into which the doughnuts are placed, and a receptacle containing hot water into which the doughnuts can be dipped after being fried. put into the kettle a sufficient amount of fat, which may be any vegetable fat or oil, to cover the doughnuts well, allow it to become hot enough to brown an inch cube of bread in seconds, place several doughnuts in the bottom of the basket, as shown in fig. , and then lower the basket into the hot fat, when it will be found that the doughnuts will rise quickly to the top of the fat. allow them to brown on one side and then turn them over with a fork and let them brown on the other side. be careful not to let the fat become too hot during the frying, or the doughnuts will become darker than is desirable before the inside is cooked. if it is found that the fat is getting too hot, turn off some of the heat or remove the deep-fat kettle from the excessive heat. [illustration: fig. ] . as soon as the doughnuts have become an even brown on both sides and have fried through thoroughly, lift the basket out of the fat and rest it on the edge of the frying kettle. then, as shown in fig. , remove the doughnuts one at a time from the basket with a fork and dip quickly into the pan of boiling water and remove again at once. dipping the doughnuts into boiling water removes any excessive fat that may remain on the surface. upon taking them from the water, place them, as in fig. , on a piece of paper that will absorb as much of the remaining fat as possible. when these precautions are taken, the doughnuts will be found to be less greasy and not so likely to disagree with the persons who eat them. after the surface has become dried, the doughnuts may be improved by sprinkling them with pulverized or granulated sugar. [illustration: fig. ] . if a large number of doughnuts are made and the hot-water method of drying them is adopted, it will be found that considerable fat will remain in the water. it will therefore pay to allow the fat to become cool and remove it from the surface of the water. fat in which doughnuts and crullers are fried, after being poured from the dregs that collect in the bottom and reheated, may be clarified by adding several slices of raw potato to it and allowing these to become brown in it. this treatment will remove any foreign taste that the fat may have and make it possible to use the fat again for frying purposes. fat in which croquettes have been fried may be treated in the same way and used the second time. . recipes for doughnuts.--a variety of doughnuts that are made light by means of chemical leavening can be prepared, as the following recipes indicate. sometimes yeast doughnuts are preferred, so a recipe for doughnuts of this kind is also given. if the directions previously given are carefully applied in carrying out any of these recipes, excellent results may be expected. some persons are prejudiced against the use of doughnuts, claiming that they are indigestible. while this may be true of doughnuts improperly made, those made of good materials and by correct methods are always a favorite and justly so. doughnuts (sufficient for dozen doughnuts) tb. butter c. sugar eggs c. milk - / c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. salt / tsp. nutmeg / tsp. cinnamon cream the butter, add the sugar and then the eggs, and beat thoroughly. pour in the milk and sift the dry ingredients into this mixture. divide into amounts that can be handled conveniently, roll out, cut, and fry in deep fat. potato-and-barley doughnuts (sufficient for dozen doughnuts) eggs / c. sugar / c. mashed potatoes tb. fat / c. sour milk / c. barley flour - / c. wheat flour / tsp. salt / tsp. mace / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder beat the eggs and add the sugar and mashed potatoes. if solid shortening is used, melt it and add to the other ingredients. pour in the sour milk, mix and sift the barley and wheat flour, salt, mace, soda, and baking powder, and add these to the mixture. turn the dough out on a board in a quantity that can be handled at one time and knead for a little before rolling it for cutting. cut and fry in deep fat. sour-milk doughnuts (sufficient for dozen doughnuts) c. flour - / tsp. salt / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder / tsp. grated nutmeg c. sugar tb. butter egg - / c. sour milk mix and sift the dry ingredients and chop in the butter. beat the egg, add the milk, and stir these into the dry ingredients. after mixing thoroughly, roll about / inch thick on a board, cut in the desired shape, and fry in deep fat. drop doughnuts (sufficient for dozen doughnuts) c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt / tsp. nutmeg / tsp. cinnamon / c. sugar egg / c. milk tb. melted fat mix and sift the dry ingredients. beat the egg, add the milk to it, and pour the liquid into the dry ingredients. add the melted fat. drop by teaspoonfuls into hot fat and fry the same as for doughnuts. yeast doughnuts (sufficient for dozen doughnuts) c. milk yeast cake c. flour eggs / c. sugar / c. melted butter / tsp. salt / tsp. mace scald the milk and cool to lukewarm. dissolve the yeast cake and add it to the milk and a sufficient amount of the flour to make a sponge. allow this to rise until double in bulk. then add the eggs, sugar, melted butter, salt, and mace. beat thoroughly and add enough flour to make a dough. knead this until it is smooth and elastic and let it rise until double in bulk. roll out on a board into a sheet about / inch thick. cut into long strips about / inch wide, twist, stretch, and shape like a figure . let these stand on the board or in a pan until they are light and then fry in deep fat. * * * * * puddings and pudding sauces nature of puddings . many kinds of puddings are used for desserts. some of them closely resemble cake mixtures, while others are similar to custards, but are thickened with a cooked or a raw starchy material. formerly, puddings were always boiled in a bag, but now desserts of this kind are prepared by boiling, steaming, or baking. to improve the flavor of puddings, sauces of a contrasting flavor are usually served with them. . puddings are often considered to be rather indigestible foods and in many cases this is true. for this reason, it is not wise to include them to any great extent in the diet of children. because of the ingredients used in them, they are a heavy food and are usually high in food value. consequently, some thought should be given to their selection so that they may be suitable for the rest of the meal in which they are served. it seems to be the custom to serve a rich dessert with a heavy meal, but, as is well known, it is less proper with such a meal than with a light meal. a little attention given to this matter will enable the housewife to prepare menus that will provide the family with a properly balanced meal. . the time of day and the season of the year for the serving of puddings are also matters that should receive consideration. it is much better to serve desserts of this kind with a noon meal than with an evening meal. then, too, warm puddings with sauce will be found much more appetizing in the cool season of the year than in warm weather. on the other hand, cool desserts or fruits served as desserts are very much more acceptable in warm weather than during the cold seasons. pudding sauces . the sauces served with puddings deserve just as much attention as to selection and preparation as the puddings themselves. for instance, a sour sauce that is not rich, such as lemon sauce, should be served with a rich, sweet pudding, while a rich, hard sauce or perhaps a chocolate sauce is the proper kind to serve with a bland, flavorless pudding. so that the housewife may be perfectly familiar with a variety of sauces and thus know the nature of the sauces mentioned in connection with the puddings themselves, a number of recipes for pudding sauces are given. some of these are intended to be served hot and others cold, while a few may be served either hot or cold, as preferred. selection may be made from these for any pudding that is accompanied by a sauce when served. care should be taken to have the sauce appropriate for the pudding and to follow explicitly the directions given for making it. lemon sauce no. / c. sugar tb. corn starch few grains of salt c. boiling water tb. butter tb. lemon juice mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and add the water gradually, stirring constantly. boil minutes, remove from the fire, add the butter and lemon juice, and serve. lemon sauce no. / c. c. sugar egg yolks / c. boiling water tb. lemon juice few gratings of lemon rind cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and stir in the yolks of the eggs slightly beaten. then add the water and cook over boiling water until the mixture thickens. add the lemon juice and rind and serve at once. vanilla sauce / c. butter c. sugar egg yolks / c. boiling water few gratings of nutmeg tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and stir in the egg yolks beaten slightly. add the water and cook over boiling water until the mixture thickens. add the nutmeg and vanilla and serve at once. hard sauce / c. butter c. powdered sugar / tsp. lemon extract / tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and then add the flavoring. beat until the sauce is light and creamy. sterling sauce / c. butter c. brown sugar tb. cream or milk tsp. vanilla cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. add the milk and flavoring, drop by drop, to prevent separation. beat until fluffy and smooth. chill and serve. chocolate sauce c. milk / sq. chocolate / c. sugar tb. flour tb. butter / tsp. vanilla heat the milk and in it melt the chocolate. mix the sugar and flour and stir into the mixture rapidly to prevent the formation of lumps. cook until the sauce thickens, add the butter, and cook for a few minutes longer. add the vanilla and serve either hot or cold, as desired. fruit sauce c. fruit juice / c. sugar - / tb. corn starch tb. lemon juice heat the fruit juice, which may be any left-over fruit juice. mix the sugar and corn starch, add to the hot fruit juice, and cook until the corn starch thickens, stirring constantly to prevent the formation of lumps. add the lemon juice. remove from the heat and, if the sauce is desired to be more acid, add lemon juice to suit the taste. apricot sauce / c. apricot pulp / c. whipping cream pulverized sugar prepare apricot pulp by forcing cooked apricots through a sieve. whip the cream and fold the apricot pulp into it. add pulverized sugar to suit the taste. pineapple sauce half c. sugar - / c. water c. grated pineapple tb. corn starch add the sugar to the water and bring to the boiling point. add the pineapple and cook until it is tender. if canned pineapple is used, omit / cupful of the water. moisten the corn starch with a little water and add it. cook until it thickens, stirring to prevent lumps. orange sauce / c. orange juice tb. lemon juice powdered sugar into the fruit juices, beat the powdered sugar until the sauce is as sweet as desired. maraschino sauce / c. maraschino juice tb. lemon juice cherries, chopped powdered sugar mix the fruit juices and chopped cherries, add the sugar, beat well, and serve. custard sauce c. milk tb. corn starch / c. sugar / tsp. vanilla / tsp. lemon extract pinch of salt heat the milk in a double boiler. mix the corn starch and sugar and add to the milk, stirring so as to prevent the formation of lumps. continue stirring until the corn starch has thickened and then cook for about minutes longer. beat the egg, add it to the mixture, and cook for a few minutes longer. add the vanilla, lemon, and salt. serve hot or cold. coconut sauce c. milk / c. shredded coconut / c. sugar - / tb. corn starch pinch of salt egg white / tsp. vanilla heat the milk in a double boiler with the coconut. mix the sugar and corn starch and add to the hot milk and coconut. stir until the corn starch has thickened and cook for minutes. add the salt to the egg white and beat until it is stiff. pour the hot mixture over the egg white and continue beating until thoroughly blended. add the vanilla and serve either hot or cold. jelly sauce tsp. corn starch or arrowroot c. boiling water / c. jelly or jam juice of / lemon cook the corn starch or arrowroot diluted with cold water, in the boiling water for minutes. add the jelly or jam, beaten smooth, and let simmer for or minutes. add sugar, if needed, and the lemon juice. strain and serve. * * * * * puddings preparation of puddings . as has already been learned, puddings are cooked by being boiled, steamed, or baked. no different utensils from those used in the making of custards and cakes need be provided for the making of puddings except, perhaps, a steamer. a utensil of this kind, which is required for steamed puddings, consists of a large pan, which sets directly over the flame and into which the water is poured; a second pan, which fits closely into the first one and into which the pudding is put; and a spout, into which the water may be poured. the steamer must be very closely covered in order that all the steam, which does the cooking, may be retained. an apparatus that will answer the purpose of a steamer may be improvised, however, if there are in the supply of household utensils a pan, a colander, and a cover that will fit tight enough to retain the steam; or, instead of putting the pudding directly in the second pan of the steamer, it may be put into individual molds or a pan that will hold a sufficient quantity to serve just the desired number of persons and these then set in the second pan to cook. [illustration: fig. ] . steamed puddings ready to serve are shown in figs. and . the pudding in fig. shows how a pudding that has been steamed in one large mold will appear. the mold used may be just large enough for the number of persons to be served or it may be larger and what remains used for another meal. fig. shows a pudding that has been steamed in individual molds. whichever one of these two methods of preparing steamed puddings is preferred may be adopted. when puddings are cooked by steaming, it should be remembered that the steaming process must be continuous. therefore, if water must be added during the cooking, boiling water should be used so as not to lower the temperature and stop the formation of steam. after being steamed sufficiently, puddings of this kind are often placed in the oven for a short time in order to dry the surface. [illustration: fig. ] . the baking of puddings is so similar to the baking of cakes and custards that the same directions apply. a few points, however, should be kept well in mind if good puddings would be the result. the utensil in which a pudding that is to be baked is put may be of any desired shape, but it should always be greased. this also holds true in the case of puddings that are to be steamed. puddings that contain an egg-and-milk mixture, as, for instance, bread pudding, must necessarily, as with custards, be baked at a temperature low enough to prevent them from curding. recipes for puddings . in the preparation of many puddings here considered, left-over materials, such as bread, rolls, stale cake, cookies, etc., may be utilized to advantage. consequently, when the housewife is making desserts, she should endeavor to make good use of all such things in case they cannot be used by themselves. . indian pudding.--as corn meal is the chief ingredient in the pudding given in the accompanying recipe, it is called indian pudding, corn meal being a product of indian corn. for persons who like food containing corn meal, this pudding will prove satisfactory. it has the advantage over other puddings in that it is inexpensive. indian pudding (sufficient to serve eight) / c. corn meal c. milk / c. molasses / tsp. salt tsp. cinnamon mix the corn meal with some of the milk, scald the remainder in a double boiler, and add the moistened corn meal to it. pour in the molasses, salt, and cinnamon, cook for or minutes in a double boiler, and then pour into a buttered baking dish. bake in a very slow oven for about hours. serve with cream or custard sauce. . brown betty.--a baked pudding that always meets with favor among both old and young is brown betty. the flavor imparted by the apples and other ingredients to the bread crumbs is delightful, especially when the pudding is prepared according to the accompanying directions. brown betty (sufficient to serve eight) qt. stale bread crumbs qt. sliced apples / c. brown sugar / c. sugar / tsp. nutmeg tsp. cinnamon / c. butter / to c. water juice and rind of / lemon butter a baking dish. make coarse crumbs of the stale bread and place a layer on the bottom of the baking dish. place on top of this a layer of half the sliced apples and sprinkle with / of the sugar, to which have been added the nutmeg and cinnamon. dot with butter, sprinkle with another layer of crumbs, add the remaining apples, sugar, and spices, and dot again with butter. cover with the remaining crumbs and dot this with the remaining butter. pour over this the water, lemon juice, and the grated lemon rind. bake in a moderate oven for about minutes, covering the dish for the first half of the time and removing the cover for the latter part of the baking. serve with cream, lemon sauce, or hard sauce. the quantity of water necessary depends on the dryness of the crumbs and the juiciness of the apples. . bread pudding.--for utilizing bits of bread that might otherwise be wasted, there is no better plan than to make a bread pudding. this dessert may be used with any dinner or luncheon, as jams, jellies, and practically all kinds of sauce may be served with it to impart a suitable flavor. bread pudding (sufficient to serve eight) qt. milk c. stale bread crumbs eggs / c. sugar tsp. vanilla heat the milk and pour it over the bread crumbs. allow them to soak until they are soft. beat the eggs, add the sugar and vanilla to them, and stir this into the mixture of crumbs and milk. mix thoroughly, pour into a buttered baking dish, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. if desired, jelly or jam may be served with the bread pudding or any desirable sauce, such as lemon, vanilla, or custard, may be used and the pudding may be served either hot or cold. . maize pudding.--a pudding that has both corn starch and corn meal as its basis provides variety. this pudding, called maize pudding, is prepared in a double boiler and then turned into a mold to cool. either raisins or dates may be added to it to increase its palatability. maize pudding (sufficient to serve eight) - / c. milk tb. corn starch / c. white corn meal / tsp. salt / c. sugar / tsp. cinnamon / c. raisins or dates scald the milk in a double boiler, mix the corn starch, corn meal, salt, sugar, and cinnamon, and add this to the hot milk, stirring rapidly to prevent the formation of lumps. continue to stir and cook directly over the fire until the mixture thickens. then return to the double boiler and cook for about hours. fifteen minutes before removing from the fire, add the raisins or chopped dates, turn into a mold, and serve either hot or cold with custard sauce. . pierrot pudding.--a steamed pudding made of simple ingredients is often desired for serving with an elaborate meal. in such a case, pierrot pudding will answer very well. pierrot pudding (sufficient to serve six) / c. butter c. sugar / c. milk - / c. flour tsp. baking powder egg whites tsp. vanilla cream the butter and add the sugar gradually. then add the milk alternately with the flour, to which has been added the baking powder. beat the whites of the eggs until they are stiff and fold them into the mixture. add the vanilla. butter baking-powder cans or other molds, fill them half full with the mixture, adjust the covers, which should also be buttered, and place in a kettle of boiling water. raise them from the bottom of the kettle by means of a rack, have the water come half way up around the molds, and cover closely. if small molds are used, steam them only hour. if a large mold is used, steam from - / to hours, never allowing the water to get below the boiling point. remove from the molds and serve with hot chocolate sauce. . steamed ginger pudding.--a steamed pudding in which the flavor of ginger predominates is given in the accompanying recipe. this kind of pudding is very popular among persons who like such flavor. steamed ginger pudding (sufficient to serve eight) / c. shortening / c. sugar eggs - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt tsp. ginger c. milk cream the shortening and add the sugar and the beaten eggs. sift the dry ingredients with the flour and add alternately with the milk. turn into a buttered mold and steam for about hours. remove from the mold and serve with sweetened whipped cream or any desired sauce. . raisin puff.--raisins always increase the food value of a meal, and they are especially good when combined with the ingredients required for the dessert known as raisin puff. this steamed pudding is rather rich and should not, of course, be served with a meal in which the other foods are rich. raisin puff (sufficient to serve eight) / c. shortening / c. sugar egg - / c. flour tsp. baking powder tsp. cinnamon / tsp. salt c. milk c. raisins cream the shortening and add the sugar gradually and the beaten egg. sift the dry ingredients with the flour and add alternately with the milk. chop the raisins and fold them into the mixture. turn into a buttered mold, cover, and steam for - / or hours. remove from the mold and serve hot with whipped cream or any desired sauce. . suet-fruit pudding.--steamed puddings in which suet and fruit form two of the ingredients are excellent cold-weather desserts. such puddings are usually made around the holidays, and under proper conditions will keep for a long time. the accompanying recipe gives directions for making an excellent pudding of this kind. suet-fruit pudding (sufficient to serve eight) / c. suet - / stale bread crumbs egg yolks / c. milk c. brown sugar grated rind of lemon tb. lemon juice - / c. raisins / c. molasses / tsp. salt tsp. cinnamon / tsp. grated nutmeg / tsp. cloves / tsp. soda / c. flour egg whites force the suet through a food chopper or chop very fine. then work it with the hands until it is creamy and to it add the bread crumbs. beat the egg yolks until they are light and add them to the suet and bread crumbs. add the milk. add the sugar, grated lemon rind, lemon juice, the raisins, cut into pieces, the molasses, and milk. sift together the salt, spices, soda, and flour, and sift these into the mixture. mix thoroughly, fold in the whites of the eggs beaten until they are stiff, turn into a buttered mold, adjust the cover, and steam for about hours. serve with any desired sauce. . christmas pudding.--a pudding much used during the holiday season is christmas pudding. the ingredients for this dessert are similar to those for suet-fruit pudding. in fact, both may be used for the same purpose. christmas pudding is especially good when served with hard sauce, although other sauce may be used with it. christmas pudding (sufficient to serve twelve) - / c. stale bread crumbs / c. milk c. beef suet / c. sugar / c. molasses eggs c. chopped raisins / c. chopped citron / c. chopped nuts c. flour / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder tsp. salt / c. fruit juice soak the bread crumbs in the milk. work the suet with the hands until it is creamy, and to it add the sugar, molasses, and well-beaten eggs. mix with the milk and bread crumbs, and add the fruit and nuts. mix the dry ingredients and sift them into the mixture. add the fruit juice, turn into a buttered mold, and steam for hours. serve hot with hard sauce or any other desired sauce. . pocono pudding.--directions for still another steamed pudding in which suet is used are given in the accompanying recipe for pocono pudding. this dessert does not require so many ingredients as suet-fruit or christmas pudding, and in many cases will answer the same purpose. pocono pudding (sufficient to serve eight) / c. suet c. apples c. stale bread crumbs eggs / c. brown sugar / c. milk tsp. salt rind and juice of lemon / c. raisins put the suet, apples, peeled and cored, and the bread crumbs through the food chopper. beat the yolks of the eggs and add these with the sugar, milk, salt, and grated rind and juice of the lemon. chop the raisins and add to the mixture. beat the egg whites and fold these into the mixture. pour the mixture into buttered molds and steam for to hours. serve with any desired sauce. . steamed fig pudding.--a steamed pudding made according to the recipe here given never fails to please. as the name, steamed fig pudding, indicates, it is supposed to have chopped figs added to it, although raisins will answer if figs cannot be obtained. steamed fig pudding (sufficient to serve twelve) / c. butter / c. sugar c. molasses c. milk - / c. flour / tsp. cinnamon / tsp. nutmeg / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder / c. chopped figs or raisins cream the butter and add the sugar, molasses, and milk. mix and sift the dry ingredients and stir these into the mixture. fold in the chopped figs or raisins and steam in buttered molds for to hours, depending on the size of the molds. serve hot with any desired sauce. . fresh fruit pudding.--during berry or cherry season fresh-fruit pudding is an excellent one to make. this pudding is prepared in much the same way as a cake mixture, is combined with the fruit selected, and is then either steamed or baked. fresh-fruit pudding (sufficient to serve six) / c. butter / c. sugar c. flour / tsp. salt tsp. baking powder - / c. milk egg whites c. berries or stoned cherries cream the butter and add the sugar. sift together the dry ingredients and add these alternately with the milk. beat the egg whites and fold these in. place a layer of dough in the bottom of a buttered baking dish, put a layer of fruit on top of this, add dough next and then fruit, and have a final layer of dough on top. cover tight and steam for - / or hours or bake without the cover in a moderate oven for about minutes. serve with a fruit or a hard sauce. . coconut puff.--a light pudding to which shredded coconut is added to give flavor is a satisfactory dessert for a heavy meal. as it is baked in muffin pans, it may be served in a dainty manner. coconut puff (sufficient to serve eight) / c. butter c. sugar eggs c. flour / tsp. soda tsp. baking powder c. sour milk / c. shredded coconut cream the butter and add the sugar. beat the yolks of the eggs and add them. sift the dry ingredients with the flour and add alternately with the milk. fold in the coconut. beat the egg whites until stiff and fold them in. bake in buttered muffin pans in a quick oven for minutes. serve with coconut or any desired sauce. . cottage pudding.--when a simple baked pudding is desired, the housewife almost instinctively turns to cottage pudding. this pudding has been a favorite in the household for years and may be eaten by young or old. it is not very rich, and so should be served with an appetizing sauce. cottage pudding (sufficient to serve eight) / c. butter / c. sugar egg, well beaten / c. flour tsp. baking powder / c. milk tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar, and beat the egg and add it. sift the flour and baking powder together and add alternately with the milk. add the vanilla. bake in a loaf-cake pan and serve hot with lemon, fruit, or chocolate sauce. [illustration: fig. ] . chocolate bread pudding.--to the majority of persons the flavor of chocolate is always pleasing. in chocolate bread pudding, this flavor is well blended with the ingredients. this pudding, when baked, may be cut into slices, as shown in fig. , and then daintily served with either hard or custard sauce. chocolate bread pudding (sufficient to serve eight) c. stale bread crumbs c. milk sq. unsweetened chocolate / c. sugar eggs / tsp. salt tsp. vanilla soak the bread crumbs in cupfuls of the milk. melt the chocolate in a saucepan and add the sugar and the remaining cup of milk. cook until the mixture is smooth and add this to the bread and milk. beat the eggs and add them. add the salt and vanilla. pour into a buttered baking dish and bake for about minutes in a moderate oven. cut into slices and serve with hard or custard sauce. . chocolate pudding.--baked chocolate pudding provides another way in which to serve a dessert in which chocolate flavor predominates. this pudding, because of its food value and the pleasing way in which it may be served, is sure to answer for any meal in which a pudding dessert is desired. chocolate pudding (sufficient to serve eight) / c. butter / c. sugar eggs - / c. milk - / c. flour tsp. baking powder / tsp. soda - / sq. unsweetened chocolate - / tsp. vanilla cream the butter, add the sugar, and beat the yolks of the eggs and add them. add the milk alternately with the flour, which has been mixed and sifted with the baking powder and soda. melt the chocolate in a saucepan and add. beat the whites of the eggs until stiff and fold them into the mixture. flavor with the vanilla. bake in a pan that will leave a space in the center. it will require about minutes to hour for the baking. remove from the pan, fill the center with whipped cream, and serve with chocolate sauce. . boston cream pie.--boston cream pie is a dessert that can be made up with some of the recipes already given. it is a favorite dessert with many people and is very high in food value. to make boston cream pie, first bake two layers, each about inch thick, in round pans, using the plain-cake or cottage-pudding recipe. then, between these layers, put a filling about / inch thick. this filling should preferably be the one used for cream puffs, although any similar filling stiff enough to stand up well may be used instead. cover the top layer with / to inch of slightly sweetened and flavored whipped cream. the cake should not be put together until both the layers and the filling have cooled. examination questions ( ) in what general way does the thickness of the dough mixture for large cakes differ from that for small cakes other than cup cakes? ( ) (a) in baking small cakes, how does the oven temperature required compare with that required for large cakes? (b) how does the length of time required for baking large and small cakes differ? ( ) if the time for baking small cakes is divided into halves, what should occur in the second half? ( ) where should the pans for the baking of small cakes be placed in the oven? ( ) describe an original way of decorating cup cakes. ( ) describe two classes of cookies. ( ) what precaution must be taken with regard to the flour used in the mixing of cakes? ( ) how thick should the dough be rolled for: (a) cookies? (b) ginger snaps? ( ) describe the baking of cookies. ( ) describe the frying of doughnuts and crullers. ( ) describe a method of removing the excess fat from the surface of doughnuts after they are fried. ( ) by what methods may puddings be cooked? ( ) with what kind of meal and during what kind of weather should heavy, rich pudding be served? (j ) of what value are pudding sauces? ( ) (a) describe the method of steaming pudding. (b) how may the surface of steamed puddings be made dry? pastries and pies * * * * * requirements for pastry and pie making nature of pastries and pies . pastry is a shortened dough that is made of flour, water, salt, and fat and used in the preparation of desserts. chief among these deserts are pies. these are made by baking foods between two crusts of pastry or with a single crust, which may be an upper or a lower one. originally pies were not intended for desserts. rather, they were used as the main dish of the meal, as they contained a filling of meat or fish and vegetables. such pies are still made, but they are not usually the ones intended when pastry for pies is mentioned. it should therefore be understood that the pastry considered in this section is that which is used with sweet fillings and employed particularly in the making of pies and similar foods that are used for desserts. some cooks, especially the french ones, regard as pastry such foods as certain small cakes, the paste used for cream puffs and éclairs, and the sweetened breads made with yeast, such as brioche. in reality, such desserts resemble cakes in use more than they do pastry, and for this reason are discussed in connection with them. . pastry desserts may be made in various fancy shapes for individual servings or in pies that will serve five or six persons. pies having one crust usually contain a filling that consists of a custard mixture, a mixture thickened with corn starch or flour, or occasionally a fruit mixture. some pies also have a top crust covering the filling, and when this is the case a fruit filling, either fresh or cooked, is the kind that is generally used. . because of the nature of the materials used in the preparation of pastry desserts, the finished product is necessarily high in food value. for instance, starchy material is provided by the flour, fat by the shortening, and sugar in comparatively large amounts by the filling, whether it be fruit of some kind or a material resembling custard. this fact, rather than the taste or the appetite, should aid in determining whether or not pastry desserts should be included in a meal. while the popularity of such desserts causes them to be used somewhat indiscriminately, their use should always be governed by the nature of the rest of the meal. thus, if the other dishes served provide enough food value, then a dessert lighter than pie should be chosen; but if the rest of the meal is not sufficiently high in this respect, a wholesome pastry dessert will generally prove to be a wise selection. . it is true, of course, that every person must determine for himself whether or not pastry desserts are wholesome enough to be eaten by him. indigestion is almost sure to result from heavy, soggy, imperfectly baked pastry, because the quantities of fat it contains may be slow to digest and much of the starchy material may be imperfectly cooked. consequently, it is often not the pie itself but the way in which it is made that is responsible for the bad reputation that this very attractive dessert has acquired. if the correct method of making pastry and pies is followed and the ingredients are handled properly in the making, the digestibility of the finished product need give the housewife very little concern. as a rule, a little experience is needed in order that good results in the making of pastry dishes may be attained, but one who becomes efficient in the other phases of cookery should have no difficulty with foods of this kind. . detailed instructions regarding the making of pastry desserts are given throughout this section, but if the greatest degree of success is to be attained, it will be well from the very beginning to understand a few general rules that apply to this work. in the first place, the ingredients must be of the right sort and as cold as possible; then they must be handled and combined with dexterity; and, finally, a hot oven must be provided in order that these foods may be properly baked. ingredients used for pastry . the ingredients used in pastry making are neither numerous nor complicated, usually including only flour, salt, shortening, and liquid. if these are correctly combined, they will be all that is required to make a pastry that is light, flaky, and crisp. occasionally a recipe requiring baking powder will be found and sometimes eggs are called for in mixtures of this kind, but neither of these ingredients is required for successful pastry making. baking powder may be an advantage when it is used by one who is not experienced in the handling of pastry mixtures, for it helps to make pastry lighter. however, only a small quantity of this ingredient should be used, as a very little will bring about the desired result. . flour for pastry.--pastry flour is the most desirable for pastry making. it is made from winter wheat, which, as has already been explained, contains less gluten and therefore lacks the gummy consistency of bread flour. for puff paste, which is prepared so as to hold air between thin layers of pastry, bread flour is often used because it retains air better. flours made of other cereals may also be used. pastry made of such flours is more difficult to handle, but good results may be obtained if patience and care are exercised. when corn flour, rice flour, and barley flour are used as part of the flour for pastry, it will be found that less shortening is needed than when wheat flour alone is used. the dark flours, such as barley, produce a pastry that is dark in color, but this is no particular disadvantage so long as the quality is not impaired. no matter what kind of flour is used for the pastry, it should be as dry as possible. at times, putting the flour in a warm oven and allowing it to dry will prove to be advantageous. however, flour so treated should be cooled before it is used, since the cooler the ingredients are the better will be the pastry. cereal products of different kinds, such as corn meal, for instance, may be moistened, spread into pans in thin layers, and then baked. the shells thus produced may be filled with various kinds of filling and used very successfully. such shells, however, can scarcely be considered as real pastry. . shortening for pastry.--a solid fat, that is, one that will remain solid at ordinary room temperature, is the best shortening for pastry making. oils of various kinds may be used, but in most cases the results are not so successful. if pastry is to have the desired flakiness, the shortening must not be broken into such minute particles and the flour must not be saturated with fat, as is more likely to be the case if oil is used in place of solid fat. in addition to being solid, the fat should be just as cold as possible. butter is the fat that is used for puff paste, but for other varieties of pastry almost any desirable fat may be utilized. lard has always been a particular favorite for pastry making; still, for ordinary pastry making, there are various combinations of fat of both animal and vegetable origin which serve the purpose. certain fats left over from various cooking processes in the home can be utilized to advantage in the making of pastry. chicken fat is a very satisfactory one. a mixture of lard and tried-out beef suet also makes an ideal fat for pastry, the hard flakiness of the suet being particularly desirable. in fact, almost any fat without a disagreeable odor or flavor may be used as all or part of the fat required. as has already been learned, fats may be clarified and freed of their odor by first heating them and then allowing a few slices of raw potato to become hot in them. . liquid for pastry.--water is the only liquid used in pastry making. water in which small pieces of ice are allowed to melt is especially desirable for this purpose, but if ice cannot be obtained, the water used should be as cold as possible. . proportion of ingredients.--the proportion of ingredients for the making of pastry varies with the kinds of flour used and the kinds of pastry desired. some varieties can be made with a comparatively small amount of fat, while others require a large amount. the use to which the paste is to be put will determine the proportion of fat to be used. it varies from the minimum amount of one-sixth as much fat as flour, by measure, or one-third, by weight, which is the proportion for economy paste, to one-half, by measure, or an equal amount by weight, which is the proportion used in the making of puff paste. for the ordinary preparation of pies, an amount midway between the two extremes is usually sufficient, while oftentimes less may be used to advantage. it should be remembered that fat is the most expensive ingredient in pastry making and should be used with discretion. . the amount of liquid in proportion to the amount of flour is about one-fourth, by measure, for, as is explained in _hot breads_, pie crust is an example of a stiff dough, and such dough requires four times as much flour as liquid. however, liquid should be added to the other ingredients until the correct consistency is obtained, regardless of the quantity used. the consistency is not right until the flour and the fat cling together in such a way that the mixture may be rolled out to form the crust for a pie. the less liquid used to accomplish this condition, the flakier will be the crust when it is baked. more skill is required in the handling of pastry when the smallest amount of water that can possibly be used is added, but the results achieved usually justify the care that is taken. utensils for pastry making . the utensils needed for pastry making are few in number and simple in use. they consist of a mixing bowl, two case knives, a spatula, a rolling pin, a flour sieve, two measuring cups, two measuring spoons, and pie tins. fig. shows the way in which these necessary utensils as well as the required ingredients for pastry should be placed so as to be handy for the person who is to use them. it will be well to observe the placing of these, for much depends on their convenient arrangement. the kind of utensils to use requires consideration, also. [illustration: fig. ] . a bowl of any description may be used for the mixing, the usual cake-making bowl being very satisfactory. as the illustration shows, this utensil should have a round bottom, as the ingredients may be kept together better in such a bowl than in a pan of another kind. the two case knives are needed for mixing the ingredients in the bowl, and the spatula is used in handling the paste. the rolling pin, which is used for rolling out the dough to the required thickness, may be made of any material, but it should be one that will revolve while the handles remain stationary. with such a utensil it is possible to procure a lighter touch than with one that has fixed handles. the flour sieve is an absolute necessity, because the flour for pastry must be made as light as possible by sifting. one of the measuring cups is needed for the flour, or dry ingredient, and the other for the water, or wet ingredient. the two measuring spoons, which should be of different sizes, are used for measuring the salt and the shortening. the kind of pans to use for pies depends largely on the opinion of the person making the pies. ordinary tin pans will answer the purpose, but aluminum, baking-glass, or earthenware pans will prove to be more satisfactory because they retain the heat longer than do pans made of other materials. if desired, enamelware pans may be used, but this material chips easily and consequently is not very satisfactory. the enamel top of a pastry table or the zinc-covered or vitrolite top of a kitchen cabinet will be satisfactory for the rolling out of the pastry, as will also a hardwood molding board. whichever one of these is used should, of course, be perfectly clean and dry. * * * * * pastry and pie making methods of mixing pastry . several methods of mixing the ingredients used in pastry are followed, each one producing a different effect in the finished product. the method employed in the making of plain pastry, such as is commonly used for pies, consists in first mixing the shortening and the flour and then adding the liquid. another method is adopted for pastries that are intended to be somewhat flakier and of a little better quality than plain pastry. in this method, half of the fat is mixed with the flour and the water is then added to the mixture. with this done, the dough that is formed is rolled out, the remaining fat placed on it, and the pastry then folded and rolled repeatedly in such a way as to incorporate all the fat. still another method is followed when puff paste or fancy pastry dishes are desired. only a very small quantity of fat is mixed with the flour or flour alone is prepared. water is then added and the mixture is kneaded until it becomes smooth and elastic. when the kneading is done, the dough is rolled out in a certain shape, the fat is placed on it, and, after it is folded over the fat, it is put through a series of foldings and rollings until all the fat is incorporated. the first and the third of these methods are explained and illustrated here in detail, so that the housewife ought not have any difficulty in producing splendid results. as the second method is practically a combination of the other two, familiarity with them will insure success with it. pastry ingredients may be mixed by methods that differ from the three just mentioned. one of these is illustrated in the method given later for the making of easy pastry. this seems to be a complete reversal of the rules observed in making pastry in the usual ways. the water is hot and the fat is melted in it. the flour is added to the liquid and the fat instead of the liquid being added to the flour and the fat. in spite of the fact that all this appears to be contrary, the results obtained by this method are satisfactory. * * * * * pastry for pies making and baking . procedure in making plain pastry.--the first step in the making of plain pastry consists in sifting the flour with the salt into the mixing bowl. after this has been done, the fat should be worked into the flour, an operation that may be accomplished in three ways. the method most commonly adopted is to work in the fat with the fingers; but this plan has its disadvantages in that it is not a very agreeable way and the fat becomes so warmed by the higher temperature of the fingers that it is liable to impair the finished product. again, some persons mix the fat with the flour by means of a fork, using this utensil to crush the lumps of fat against the sides of the bowl. [illustration: fig. ] by far the most satisfactory method and the one that produces the best results is that shown in fig. . put the required amount of fat into the bowl containing the flour and the salt, and then, with two knives, as shown, cut the fat into the flour until the particles of fat are about the size of a small pea. as can readily be seen, this method, which is perhaps as speedy as any method that may be adopted, has the advantage of being entirely sanitary. . the next step is that of adding the liquid to the mixture of flour and fat. heap the particles up in the center of the bowl, make a depression in the mixture, and, as shown in fig. , pour the water into this in a thin stream, stirring the mixture all the time with a knife or a spatula. be careful to add just enough water to make the mass of fat and flour barely cling together. as soon as the water has been added, gather the mixture into a mass preparatory to rolling it out on the board. . at this point, flour the molding board or other surface slightly, shape enough of the dough mixture to cover a pie pan into a rounded mass, and place it on the floured space. then, as shown in fig. , roll it out with the rolling pin until it is about / inch in thickness, using a light, careful motion and keeping the piece of dough as nearly round as possible, so that it will fit the pan it is intended to cover. [illustration: fig. ] when the rolling has been completed, roll the edge of the pastry over the rolling pin, hold it carefully over the pie pan, and, as shown in fig. , unroll it gradually so that it will fall in the right place and cover the pan properly. with the paste in the pan, press it lightly with the fingers in order to make it cling closely to the bottom and the sides. then, as shown in fig. , trim the paste evenly by running a knife around the edge of the pan. when this is done, the pan is properly covered with paste for a one-crust pie or with the bottom crust for a pie that is to have two crusts. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . in case a one-crust pie is to be made, the kind of filling to be used determines whether the crust should be baked first or not. for pies that require comparatively long baking, such as pumpkin pie, for instance, the raw crust is filled with the mixture and the two, crust and mixture, are then baked in the oven together. however, if the filling is one that does not require baking for any length of time, that is, time sufficient to bake the pastry, or if the filling requires a temperature that would be too low to bake the pastry, the crust should be baked first. in such an event, it is necessary to prick very thoroughly the bottom and the sides of the crust with a fork, as shown in fig. , so that the air that is confined in the pastry will not make bubbles by pushing the pastry up as it expands in baking. a perforated pie tin is an advantage in the baking of shells or single-crust pies, for it prevents the air from becoming confined between the pan and the crust and producing air spaces that would cause blisters to form as the pie is baked. if desired, the crust may be placed over the back of the pan and baked, thus forming a shell that may be filled with a cooked filling and served. [illustration: fig. ] . when a double-crust pie is to be made, place the filling, which is usually fruit, on the bottom crust, but do not prick the crust in the manner just described. with this done, roll out the top crust and, as shown in fig. , mark it with a knife in any design. the design serves as an outlet for the steam that generally forms inside of the pie as the filling cooks; if no provision is made for the steam to pass out, it will push up the crust and thus spoil the appearance of the pie. next moisten the edge of the lower crust with a little water, putting it on with the finger, as shown in fig. . then carefully pick up the marked crust, place it over the filling, and press it down so that the edges of the bottom and the top crust cling together well. in applying the top crust, be careful not to stretch it. if it is put on loosely and pressed down on the edge of the lower crust without being pulled, the contents will not be so apt to cook out of the pie. trim off the uneven edge with a knife and finish the edges of the top and bottom crusts in any desired way. this may be done by fluting the edge with the fingers or, as shown in fig. , making marks with the tines of a fork. when this has been completed, the pie is ready to bake. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . baking the plain-pastry mixture.--as soon as the pie or other pastry dessert has been prepared, the next step is to bake it. to produce the best results, the pastry should be baked as quickly as possible; consequently, a hot oven is necessary. the baking can be accomplished most successfully in the case of a single crust baked without the filling or a pie containing a mixture that does not require long cooking. otherwise, the temperature must be sufficiently low to cook the filling so that it will be palatable, and for this reason the pastry is not baked under entirely ideal conditions. the correct temperature for most pastry is from to degrees; that is, the oven should be just about as hot as it can be made. the length of time required for the baking depends entirely on the heat of the oven and the contents of the pie. it should be remembered, however, that to be properly baked, the crust should be neither burned nor pale looking when taken from the oven, but should be a golden brown. fig. shows a two-crust pie that has had just the right amount of baking. [illustration: fig. ] . when the filling of the pie does not require so much baking as the crust, it is well to bake the crust partly before putting the filling in. this is particularly advisable in the case of custard pie, for the custard is put in as an uncooked mixture and requires the low temperature necessary for solidifying eggs without causing them to curd. on the other hand, pies containing certain kinds of filling must be baked slowly. when this condition exists, it is advisable to start the baking in a very hot oven, so that the crusts will have the benefit of the high temperature. then the heat should be gradually reduced until the filling will cook and the crust will not burn. [illustration: fig. ] [illustration: fig. ] . often, especially in the baking of fresh berry or cherry pie, the juice that forms inside the pie cooks out. this is a condition that must be overcome if satisfactory pies are to be the result. various means of preventing it have been suggested, but one of the successful ones consists in rolling a small piece of paper into a funnel shape, leaving both ends open, and inserting the small end in one of the openings in the top crust. this arrangement provides a vent for the steam, and so the juice is less likely to cook out of the crust while the pie is baking. utilizing left-over pastry . in making pies, it is well to mix only the quantity of paste that is desired for the number of pies to be made. usually, - / cupfuls of flour will make sufficient paste for one double-crust pie, provided the pan in which it is made is not too large. in case it is necessary to make fresh pie on two consecutive days, a good plan is to make at one time enough paste for both days, for what remains after the first pie is made may be allowed to stand in the refrigerator or some other cool place. then it may be rolled out on the second day and used in exactly the same way as on the first. however, it is a rather difficult matter to make the exact amount of paste for the pies needed. if nothing more remains, there are usually small scraps left over from the trimming of the edge. these should by all means be put to some good use, for the material is equally as good as that which has been used in the pie and there is no reason why it should be wasted. . tarts.-a very good way in which to utilize these scraps is to make tarts of various kinds and shapes out of them. there are a number of attractive ways in which jam, jelly, marmalade, fruit butter, fresh fruits, apple sauce, stewed prunes, or other cooked or canned fruit may be utilized for the making of tarts. these little pastry desserts are the delight of children, most of whom may be permitted occasionally to eat such a satisfactory delicacy. . before attempting to use the pastry scraps, work them together with the hands. then roll the piece out with the rolling pin until it is the required thickness and cut it out in the shape desired. to make a simple variety of tart, cut two rounds of the paste with a cooky cutter. in one of these, whichever is to be used for the top, make three or four small holes, using a thimble or some other small cutter. bake these shapes in the oven separately, and after baking spread the whole one with jelly or jam and over this place the one containing the holes. [illustration: fig. ] . another attractive way in which to make tarts is to cut rounds of the paste, as shown in fig. , cover small pans with these rounds, and then bake them. upon taking them from the oven, remove them from the pans and fill them with any desired filling in the form of stewed fruit, jam, custards, etc. if canned or stewed fruit is used, cook it down until it is somewhat thick. these little tarts are delicious when they have had a spoonful of meringue baked on the fruit or are served with a spoonful of whipped cream. . still another variety of tart may be made with very little trouble. cut the rolled paste into pieces about inches square, and, on a triangular half of the square, place several spoonfuls of fruit with additional sugar, if necessary, and add a little flour to thicken the juice that forms. fold the other triangular half over the fruit to cover it, turn the edges of the bottom half over the edges of the top, and press them down to keep the fruit from running out. set in the oven and bake until the paste is brown and the filling of the tart is cooked. . small pies.--sometimes there may be enough paste remaining to make one crust for a small pie. in such an event, cover the pan with the paste, add a fruit filling of some kind, such as cranberries, apple sauce, marmalade, or fruit butter, and then, out of the scraps that remain, cut several narrow strips and place them over the filling. such an arrangement makes an agreeable change in the appearance of this dessert. . cheese straws.--small pieces of pastry that are left over may also be used to make cheese straws, which are one of the accompaniments often served with salads. to make them, roll grated cheese into the mixture until it is well blended. then roll out the paste until it is about / inch thick, cut into narrow strips of the desired length, and bake in a hot oven. * * * * * recipes for pastry and pies pastry . several recipes for pastry that may be used in pie making are here given. these recipes differ as regards the ingredients used and will serve to offer variety in the making of pie crust. with the exception of the recipe for easy pastry, the principles of pastry making already set forth apply to all these recipes alike. . plain pastry.--pastry made according to the accompanying directions is the kind that is most frequently used. it requires only a medium amount of shortening, and wheat flour is used in its preparation. it is very satisfactory for any kind of pie desired. plain pastry - / c. flour tsp. salt / c. shortening / to / c. water sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. chop the shortening into the flour with knives. when the fat has been chopped into pieces the size of a small pea, add sufficient cold water to make all the particles adhere, mixing them together with a case knife. there should not be enough water added to make the paste stick to either the bowl or the knife. divide the mass into halves and press each into a round piece with the fingers. flour the board slightly and roll out about / inch thick for the pie crust. . economy paste.--when both wheat flour and fat must be saved, economy paste should be tried. barley flour is substituted for part of the wheat flour, and this with the wheat makes an excellent combination. economy paste c. wheat flour / c. barley flour / tsp. salt / c. shortening / to / c. water sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. chop in the shortening until it is in particles about the size of a small pea. add water until the mass will cling together. roll into sheets about / inch thick for pie crust. . quality paste.--the accompanying recipe gives directions for a very good quality of paste. as will be noted, the lard, which is used for part of the shortening, is added to the flour, and the butter, which forms the other part, is worked into the dough. if the directions here given are carefully followed, excellent results can be expected. quality paste c. flour / tsp. salt / c. lard / to / c. water / c. butter sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. add the lard and chop very fine. add enough water to make a stiff dough. this will require just a little more water than the pastes previously given. roll the paste in a rectangular form, spread the butter evenly over the paste, and fold so as to make three layers. turn half way round and roll out so as to make a rectangle in the opposite direction. fold, turn, and roll in this way four times, handling the rolling pin and paste as lightly as possible. use to cover the pan and bake in a quick oven. . sour-cream pastry.--a slightly different kind of pastry can be made by using sour cream for the liquid and adding a small quantity of soda to neutralize the acid in the cream. besides providing a means of using up cream that has become sour, this recipe makes a pastry that appeals to most persons. sour-cream pastry / c. flour / tsp. salt / tsp. soda tb. shortening / to / c. thick sour cream sift the flour, salt, and soda together in a mixing bowl. chop in the shortening and add the cream. knead the paste slightly and after taking it out on the board, divide it into halves. proceed in the usual manner for making pastry. . easy pastry.--a departure from the usual kind of pastry is easy pastry, directions for which are given in the accompanying recipe. it is more moist and a little more difficult to handle than pastry made in the usual way; consequently, it is more ideal for single-crust pies than for double-crust ones. besides being easy to make, pastry of this kind will stand a great deal more handling without injury than any other kind. it may be placed on the pan and patted out where it seems too thick or patched where it pulls apart. the amounts given here will make one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies of medium size. easy pastry / c. fat / c. boiling water / c. flour / tsp. baking powder / tsp. salt measure the fat into a mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over it, and stir until all the fat is softened and melted. sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, and stir into the water and fat. divide into two portions and roll for crusts. if the crusts are to be baked before they are filled, prick them well with a fork to prevent the formation of bubbles. double-crust pies . as has already been learned, double-crust pies are pies that have both a bottom and a top crust and contain a filling of some kind. the amounts given in the recipes for pastry are sufficient to make the two crusts required for pies of this kind. any of these recipes may be followed, depending on the variety of pastry desired. . apple pie no. .--to make the best possible apple pie, tart apples should be used, for besides giving a good flavor they cook soft inside the pie much more readily than do apples that are more nearly sweet. if sour apples cannot be obtained, lemon juice sprinkled over the apples after they are placed in the crust will help to make them tender. the amount of lemon juice depends, of course, on the sourness of the apples. any desirable spices may be used for flavoring, cinnamon and nutmeg being the most popular ones. if the apples are very juicy, a little flour mixed with the sugar and sprinkled over them will help to thicken the juice, but usually this is not necessary. a little butter dotted over the apples before the top crust is put on also helps to improve the flavor. for pie, the apples may be cut in as large or as small pieces as desired. however, it is best to cut them into thick slices or about sixteenths, that is, to cut each quarter into four pieces. apple pie no. qt. apples / to / c. sugar salt / tsp. cinnamon or / tsp. nutmeg lemon juice after the pan has been covered with the paste, peel the apples, cut them into pieces of the desired size, and place them into the paste in sufficient quantity to heap the pan. in the process of cooking, there will be a certain amount of shrinkage caused by the apple juice filling in the spaces as the apples cook and soften; therefore, in order to have a pie thick enough when it is baked, the apples must be heaped in the pan before baking. sprinkle the apples with the sugar, to which has been added the nutmeg or the cinnamon. sprinkle lightly with salt, add teaspoonful of lemon juice, and, if the apples seem dry, a few tablespoonfuls of water. dot with butter, wet the edges of the under crust, and place the top crust in position. bake for about minutes in a moderate oven. . apple pie no. .--another variety of apple pie is made by cooking the apples, putting them between crusts, and then baking the whole. this pie does not require so much time in the oven, but it needs a hot oven. it has a somewhat richer flavor than the preceding pie, due to the brown sugar used in making it. apple pie no. apples / c. water / c. brown sugar cinnamon prepare the required number of apples for one pie, place in a baking dish with the water and brown sugar, and bake in the oven until the apples are tender and the water has sufficiently evaporated. this should be done in a slow oven, so as not to burn the apples and to give them rather long cooking. remove from the oven, place on the lower crust, sprinkle with cinnamon, and cover with the upper crust. bake in a hot oven until the crusts are sufficiently baked and brown. . berry pie.--blackberries, blueberries or huckleberries, and red and black raspberries may be used for pie in the same way by merely varying the amount of sugar with the sourness of the berries. for instance, blackberries will probably require a little more sugar than raspberries, while blueberries will require the least. berry pie to c. berries / to / c. sugar tb. flour pinch of salt look the berries over carefully and remove any spoiled ones, leaves, and stems. wash thoroughly and fill the lower crust. add the sugar mixed with the flour and salt. cover with the top crust and bake for about minutes in a moderately hot oven. . cherry pie.--both sweet and sour cherries may be used for making pie, but sour cherries are by far the more desirable. their only disadvantage is that they require a rather large amount of sugar. cherries used for pies should always be seeded. canned cherries may be used for this purpose as well as fresh ones, but they are not so delicious. the proportion of sugar used for making cherry pie will, of course, need to be varied according to the sourness of the cherries used. cherry pie c. seeded cherries / c. sugar tb. flour pinch of salt fill the lower crust of the pie with the cherries. mix the sugar, flour, and salt and sprinkle over the top. moisten the edge of the lower crust, place the top crust in position, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about or minutes. . peach pie.--fresh peaches make a very delicious pie. canned peaches may be used as well, but they do not make so good a pie. less sugar will be needed if canned peaches are used instead of fresh ones because they are usually canned with sugar. clingstone peaches may be used rather advantageously for making pie because the fact that they cannot be cut from the stones in uniform pieces makes less difference for pie than for serving in almost any other way. peach pie qt. sliced peaches / c. sugar pinch of salt tb. flour fill the lower crust with the sliced peaches and sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and flour, which have been previously mixed. moisten the edge of the lower crust, cover with the top crust, and bake in a moderately hot oven for to minutes. peach pie served hot with whipped cream makes a very delicious dessert. . thickening juicy fruits for pies.--when particularly juicy fruit, such as berries, cherries, peaches, etc., is used for pie, flour or other starchy material must necessarily be used to thicken the juice and thus prevent it from running out when the pie is served. if the fruit is very sour, a proportionately larger quantity of flour will be necessary. this is due to the fact that the acid of the fruit reduces the starch in the flour to dextrine, and this form of carbohydrate does not have so much thickening power as the starch in its original form had. the same thing takes place when browned flour is used in making sauce or gravy. as experience will prove, browned flour must be used in greater quantity than white flour or a thinner sauce will be the result. the browned flour and the flour cooked with the acid of fruits are similar so far as their thickening power is concerned, for the one is reduced to dextrine by the application of dry heat or hot fat and the other by moist heat and the presence of acid. . rhubarb pie.--rhubarb is practically the first fresh material for pie that can be purchased in the spring and is therefore very much appreciated. the most popular form in which it is served is probably in pie. it requires considerable sugar in order to make it palatable and should be thickened with starchy material so that it will not be too juicy when it is served. rhubarb pie qt. rhubarb - / c. sugar tb. corn starch pinch of salt cut the rhubarb into inch lengths without removing the skin and place in the lower crust. mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and sprinkle over the top. cover with a top crust and bake in a moderately hot oven for about minutes. if desired, some lemon rind may be grated into the pie to give additional flavor. . mince pie.--mince meat, which is much used for pies during the fall and winter season, is a concoction that finds favor with most people. it may be comparatively simple or it may contain a large variety of ingredients, and in accordance with this variation it may be cheap or expensive. however, the ingredients generally used in this mixture are apples, dried fruits, sugar, molasses, cider, and chopped beef and suet. other fruits, such as quinces, oranges, and citron, and various spices are also often used for flavoring. the cheaper cuts of meat, such as the neck, shoulder, brisket, etc., are suitable for this purpose, because the meat is ground so fine in making the mince meat that the fact that it was at all tough can be very readily concealed. such expensive material as citron can be omitted altogether if desired and greater quantities of apples, which are the cheapest ingredient, used. a slight variation in the ingredients does not make any material difference in this mixture and the recipes given are submitted merely as a basis from which to work. if used just as they are given, they will be found to be excellent; but if it is necessary to practice greater economy or if it is not possible to secure all the ingredients called for, they may be varied to suit conditions. the juice from pickled fruits, jelly, or the juice from preserves or canned cherries may be used in any desired proportion in the making of mince meat to replace some of the cider. . mince pie is most palatable when served warm, but it is entirely permissible to make several pies at a time and then warm them in the oven before serving. in this way they may be kept over for several days. pie of this kind made with the usual ingredients is a heavy dessert, for it contains a certain amount of protein material and is high in fat and carbohydrate. this fact should be taken into consideration in meal planning, so that the dessert may balance properly with the other food. mince pie lb. beef medium-size apples quinces, chopped / lb. citron lb. raisins, seeded oranges c. suet lb. sugar c. vinegar c. cider - / c. molasses tb. cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. nutmeg let the beef simmer in sufficient water to cover it well until it is tender, and then allow it to cool in the water in which it was cooked. this broth may be used as part of the liquid in the mince meat if desired. chop the meat very fine with a chopping knife and bowl or put it through a food chopper. chop the apples and quinces, cut the citron, and wash the raisins. squeeze the juice from the oranges and grate the rinds. force the suet through a food chopper or chop it with a chopping knife. mix all these ingredients, add the sugar, liquids, and spices, and place in a large vessel. simmer slowly for hour. stir frequently to prevent scorching. if the mince meat is cooked in the oven, it is less likely to scorch. seal in fruit jars the same as for canned fruit and store for future use. to bake mince pie, fill the lower crust with the mince-meat mixture, place the upper crust in position, and put the pie into a hot oven. gradually reduce the heat, baking the pie for about minutes. . mock mince pie.--if a slightly more economical mince pie than the preceding one is desired, the recipe here given for mock mince pie may be followed. the various ingredients in the quantities mentioned will make enough for four or five pies of regular size. to make up more than this is not advisable because the material will not keep so well, nor is it intended to be stored for future use. mock mince pie c. suet apples crackers c. sugar c. molasses - / c. corn sirup c. cider / c. vinegar lb. raisins tb. cinnamon tsp. cloves tsp. nutmeg tsp. salt force the suet and apples through a food chopper or chop them in a chopping bowl. crush the crackers with a rolling pin and add them. add the sugar, molasses, corn sirup, cider, vinegar, raisins, spices, and salt. cook together very slowly for about hour, stirring to prevent burning. if more liquid is required, add cider or some other fruit juice, or, if these are not available, add plain water. fill the lower crust of the pie with this mixture, cover with the top crust, and start baking in a hot oven, gradually lowering the temperature and continuing to bake for to minutes. . mock cherry pie.--a pie that closely resembles cherry pie in both flavor and appearance may be had by combining cranberries and raisins. this is an excellent substitute for cherry pie and may be made at times when fresh cherries cannot be obtained and canned cherries are not in supply. mock cherry pie c. cranberries / c. sultana raisins / c. water c. sugar tb. flour tb. butter wash the cranberries and cut them in half. wash the raisins and mix them with the cranberries. add the water and cook until the fruit is soft. mix the sugar, flour, and butter and add to the mixture. cook until the flour thickens, place the mixture in the lower crust, cover with a top crust, and bake in a hot oven until nicely browned. . dried-fruit pies.--dried fruits may be used very successfully for pies if they are properly prepared. at any time that it is impossible to obtain fresh fruits and no fruits have been canned for pie making, dried fruits will prove to be very satisfactory. dried apples, apricots, peaches, prunes, and raisins make delicious pies. with the exception of raisins, for which a special recipe is given, the same directions may be used for any of the pies made with dried fruits. look the fruit over carefully, wash, and put in sufficient warm water to cover. soak overnight. put to cook in the water in which the fruit has been soaked and simmer slowly until tender. sweeten to taste. the filling is then ready for a pie. fill the lower crust with the stewed fruit, add about tablespoonfuls of flour, unless a large quantity of juice is used, when more flour will be necessary, cover with a top crust, and bake in a hot oven. . raisin pie.--pie in which raisins are used for the filling is one that may be made at any season of the year and that finds favor with most persons. in pie of this kind, spices are used to add flavor. raisin pie - / c. raisins c. water / c. sugar tb. flour / tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves / tsp. salt clean the raisins and soak them overnight in the water. put to cook in the same water and simmer gently until tender. mix the sugar, flour, spices, and salt and add to the raisins. cook until the mixture is thick, fill the lower crust of a pie, cover with the top crust, and bake in a hot oven. one-crust pies . many varieties of pies are made with only one crust, and these usually prove more attractive than those having two crusts. as a rule, the filling is a custard or a corn-starch mixture, but often fruits of various kinds, as well as pumpkin and squash, are used in the making of pies of this kind. frequently, meringue is used as a covering for one-crust pies; or, if an especially delicious dessert is desired, a thick layer of stiffly beaten and sweetened whipped cream is often added to the pie just before serving. again, a partly open pie is sometimes made, this being done by putting strips or pieces of paste over the filling before the pie is baked. individual pies of this kind are attractive for special occasions and may be made to advantage if small pie pans are in supply. the crust for one-crust pies is often placed over the back of the pan and baked. it is then removed, filled with the desired filling, and returned to the oven to complete the baking. whether the lower crust should not be baked or should be partly or entirely baked before the filling is put into it depends on the character of the filling and the degree of temperature required to cook it. . meringue for one-crust pies.--since meringue is often used as a garnish for one-crust pies, the housewife should understand its nature and the proper procedure in its making. when it is correctly made and properly baked, it is very attractive and improves the appearance of the dessert, but failure in these respects is likely to result in a tough, shrunken meringue, which had better be omitted, as it detracts from the appearance of the pie and is not agreeable to the taste. if an attractive, appetizing meringue is to be the result, the eggs that are used must be in good condition and very cold; also, they must be properly beaten so that there will be no loss of air in manipulating the whites when they are placed on top of the pie mixture. the baking is important, too, both the length of time the meringue remains in the oven and the temperature to which it is subjected having a direct bearing on the finished meringue. . to make meringue, first separate the whites from the yolks and chill them thoroughly. beat them with a fork or an egg whip until they are almost stiff, that is, until they will hold their shape fairly well but will drop from the fork or whip when it is raised. at this point, begin to add the sugar, which, if possible, should be either confectioner's or pulverized, although granulated sugar may be used if the others cannot be obtained. add the sugar slowly and continue the beating until all of it has been incorporated. the meringue is then ready to place on the filling. it should be remembered that the filling must be partly or entirely cooked before the meringue is applied, so that when the pie is returned to the oven nothing but the meringue will require cooking. [illustration: fig. ] . the manner in which meringue is placed on pie has much to do with the appearance of the pie. if it is spread on the filling in an even layer, the pie will invariably look stiff and unattractive. by far the better way is to drop it by spoonfuls roughly over the top of the filling, or first to spread a thin layer over the top in order to cover the entire surface and then to drop the remainder of the meringue over this by spoonfuls. or, it may be forced through a pastry tube into rosettes or frills of any preferred design. the advantage of applying it unevenly rather than in a thin layer is that the rough surface will brown where the spots are high and the depressions will be a lighter brown or white. when the pie has been covered with meringue, set it in a moderate oven and let it bake for to minutes, or until it is properly browned, when it will appear as in fig. . by no means allow the meringue to remain in the oven longer than this, for as soon as the baking is completed, it will immediately begin to shrink and toughen. meringue for pies egg whites tb. pulverized or granulated sugar vanilla or lemon juice beat the egg whites according to the directions given, add the sugar slowly, and continue the beating. then add the flavoring. cover the filling, place in a moderate oven, and bake for to minutes. . butterscotch pie.--a sweet dessert that is usually a favorite may be had by making butterscotch pie. the necessary ingredients for this kind of pie are few and simple. when served with whipped cream in place of meringue, it makes a very rich and delicious dessert. butterscotch pie c. brown sugar / c. corn starch / tsp. salt c. water, boiling - / c. milk tb. butter / tsp. vanilla mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, and add the boiling water to them. cook until the mixture has thickened and in the meantime heat the milk. stir in the butter, add the milk, and cook the entire mixture in a double boiler for minutes. add the vanilla. pour into the baked pie crust, cover with meringue, and bake in a moderate oven, or cook without the meringue, then cool and cover with whipped cream before serving. . chocolate pie.--chocolate corn-starch pudding or chocolate blanc mange thickened with any starchy material and poured into a baked crust makes chocolate pie. this may be made as strong with chocolate as desired, but care should be taken not to make it too stiff or it will be pasty. chocolate pie - / c. milk c. sugar / c. flour / tsp. salt - / sq. bitter chocolate egg / tsp. vanilla heat the milk to scalding in a double boiler. mix the sugar, flour, and salt and add to the milk. cook over the flame until the flour has thickened. return to the double boiler and cook for or minutes longer. melt the chocolate over hot water and add to the mixture. beat the egg and add slowly to the mixture, remove from the fire, and add the vanilla. pour into a baked pie crust, cover with meringue, if desired, and bake in a moderate oven for to minutes. if the meringue is omitted, cool and cover with whipped cream just before serving. . coconut pie.--the flavor of coconut added to an already delicious corn-starch custard makes a pie that never fails to tempt the appetite of every one. the crust for a pie of this kind should always be baked in a deep pan. coconut pie c. milk c. coconut / c. sugar / c. corn starch / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla put the milk in a double boiler and steep the coconut in it until the milk is hot. mix the sugar, corn starch, and salt, add to the milk, and cook directly over the flame until the mixture has thickened. return to the double boiler and cook for or minutes longer. remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and pour into a baked pie crust. cover with meringue, if desired. . cranberry pie.--persons who are fond of cranberries are always pleased when cranberry pie is served. as these berries are somewhat tart in flavor, more sugar than is generally used for pie is needed. before the berries are put on to cook, they should be cleaned according to the directions given in _fruit and fruit desserts_. cranberry pie qt. cranberries - / c. water c. sugar cook the cranberries and water in a closed vessel until the skins have cracked and then add the sugar. cook for a few minutes longer to allow the sugar to dissolve. pour into an unbaked pie crust and cover with half-inch strips of paste placed over the top to form a lattice effect. place in a moderate oven and bake until the crust is nicely browned. . cream pie.--the plain corn-starch custard mixture used for cream pie may be flavored as desired. the combination of lemon and vanilla is suggested here to give something a little unusual. if the pie is to be eaten at once upon being made, a layer of sliced bananas or other fresh fruit may be placed on the crust and the custard poured over it after being cooked sufficiently not to affect the fruit. in such an event, the meringue must be baked very quickly, or whipped cream may be used in place of it. this pie may be made with one egg if desired. cream pie - / c. milk c. sugar / c. flour / tsp. salt eggs / tsp. vanilla / tsp. lemon extract scald the milk in a double boiler. mix the sugar, flour, and salt and stir into the hot milk. cook over the fire until the flour has thickened. place in a double boiler and cook for or minutes longer. beat the yolks of the eggs and add them to the mixture. remove from the heat, add the flavoring, and pour into the baked crust of a pie. make meringue of the whites of the eggs, cover the mixture, place in a moderate oven, and bake for to minutes. . custard pie.--custard pie is made with the usual proportion of milk and eggs necessary for thickening. a dash of nutmeg is considered to improve the flavor and it also makes the surface of the pie a little more attractive. custard pie eggs c. milk / c. sugar / tsp. salt tsp. vanilla beat the eggs slightly and add the milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla. partly bake the crust for the custard, but remove it from the oven before it has begun to get crisp. pour in the custard, place in a moderate oven, and bake until a knife will come out clean when inserted. the custard should by no means be overbaked, as the result will be the same curding that occurs in an ordinary baked custard. . date cream pie.--using dates for pie is a rather unusual means of adding them to the diet, but it is a very good one and produces an excellent dessert. if desired, more of the date purée may be added to the mixture that is given in the recipe. the result will be a filling that has more of the date flavor. date cream pie - / c. stoned dates / c. water eggs c. milk / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. cinnamon steam the dates in the water in a double boiler until they are soft. rub through a sieve. beat the eggs slightly and add them with the milk to the dates. add the sugar, salt, and cinnamon. pour into a partly baked pie crust, place in a moderate oven, and continue the baking as for custard pie. . lemon pie no. .--a plain lemon pie that is comparatively inexpensive may be made by following the directions given here. more eggs, of course, will make a better pie and they may be added if desired. grating the rind of the lemon adds flavor to the filling, but too much will give a bitter taste. lemon juice should never be cooked with the corn starch, as the filling will gradually become thinner and the starch will lose its value as a thickening agent. lemon pie no. c. water c. sugar / tsp. salt / c. corn starch eggs / c. lemon juice grated rind of lemon bring the water to the boiling point. mix the sugar, salt, and corn starch and add to the water. cook directly over the flame until the mixture is thickened and then place in a double boiler. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the lemon juice and the grated rind of the lemon. beat all well and add to the corn-starch mixture. remove from the fire and pour into the baked crust of a pie. make meringue of the egg whites and place on top of the filling. brown in the oven, cool, and serve. . lemon pie no. .--the accompanying recipe is similar to lemon pie no. , except that it contains some butter and in quantity is a larger recipe. if more than one pie is desired at a time, it is easy to multiply the quantities given. lemon pie no. - / c. sugar / tsp. salt / c. corn starch c. water eggs grated rind of lemon / c. lemon juice tb. butter mix the sugar, salt, and corn starch and add to the boiling water. cook directly over the flame until the mixture becomes thick. then place in a double boiler. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and add to them the grated rind of lemon and the lemon juice. stir all into the corn-starch mixture. add the butter, and when it has melted remove from the heat. pour the mixture into the baked crust of a pie. make meringue of the egg whites, cover the filling with the meringue, and bake in a moderate oven until a delicate brown. . orange pie.--an orange pie is similar to a lemon pie, except that orange juice, together with grated orange rind, is used to give flavor and a little lemon juice is added for acidity. pie of this kind makes a pleasing change from the desserts usually served. orange pie c. water / c. corn starch c. sugar / tsp. salt eggs grated rind of orange / c. orange juice tb. lemon juice bring the water to the boiling point. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and add to the water. cook directly over the flame until the corn starch has thickened. place in a double boiler. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the grated rind of the orange and the orange and lemon juice. beat well and add to the corn-starch mixture. remove from the heat and pour into a baked crust of a pie. make meringue of the egg whites, cover the filling, and bake until a delicate brown in a moderate oven. . pineapple pie.--nothing more delicious in the way of a one-crust pie can be made than pineapple pie. it is similar to lemon pie, but differs in that a certain amount of the fruit is used in the filling. therefore, unless the fruit is cut very fine, the pie will be difficult to cut. pineapple pie - / c. water / c. corn starch c. sugar / tsp. salt egg / c. pineapple juice tb. lemon juice c. shredded or finely chopped pineapple bring the water to the boiling point. mix the corn starch, sugar, and salt and add to the boiling water. cook directly over the flame until the mixture has thickened. separate the egg, beat the yolk, and add to the pineapple and lemon juice. stir this into the corn-starch mixture, remove from the heat, and add the pineapple. fill a baked crust of a pie, make meringue of the egg white, cover the filling, and bake in a moderate oven until delicately browned. . pumpkin pie no. .--there are very few persons with whom pumpkin pie is not a favorite. while it is especially popular in the autumn, it may be made at any time of the year. sometimes pumpkin is dried or canned in the household or commercially for this purpose. then, too, pumpkins may be kept all winter if they are stored in a cool, dry place and are not bruised when put away. pumpkin pie no. - / c. pumpkin c. milk egg / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. ginger tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves tb. corn starch the preparation of the pumpkin is the first step in the making of pumpkin pie. first chop the pumpkin into - or -inch pieces, remove the seeds, and peel off the skin. cut the peeled pulp into cubes about inch square and cook with just enough water to start the cooking or steam until the pumpkin is soft. when it has become soft, mash thoroughly or force through a sieve, and then cook again, stirring frequently to prevent the pumpkin from burning. cook until as much water as possible has been evaporated and the mass of pumpkin seems quite dry. with the pumpkin prepared, mix the milk with it and add the beaten egg. stir in the sugar, salt, spices, and corn starch. fill partly baked pie crust with this mixture and bake in a moderate oven until the filling is cooked thoroughly and the crust is baked. . pumpkin pie no. .--pumpkin pie is in reality a form of custard to which spice is added, but much of the original flavor of the pumpkin is lost if too much spice is used. the finished product should not be dark in color, but a golden brown. this dessert becomes much more delicious by adding a layer of whipped cream to it just before serving. pumpkin pie no. c. pumpkin - / c. milk eggs / c. sugar / tsp. salt tsp. cinnamon / tsp. cloves / tsp. nutmeg prepare the pumpkin as directed in art. and add the milk to it. beat the eggs and add to them the sugar, salt, and spices. stir this into the mixture. fill partly baked pie crust and bake in a moderate oven until the mixture is set and the crust is baked. serve plain or spread a layer of whipped cream over the pie when it has cooled. . squash pie.--pie that is similar to pumpkin pie may be made by using winter squash instead of pumpkin. it is somewhat finer in texture than pumpkin, and most persons consider it to be superior in flavor. when squash is desired for pies, it should be prepared in the same way as pumpkin. squash pie c. squash c. milk egg / c. sugar / tsp. salt tsp. cinnamon / tsp. nutmeg mix the squash and milk and add the beaten egg, sugar, salt, and spices. fill an unbaked pie crust, place in a moderate oven, and bake until the mixture is set and the crust is brown. . strawberry pie.--the season for strawberries being short, it is usually desired to use them in as many ways as possible. strawberry pie is offered as one of the more unusual ways. made into individual pies or tarts and served with whipped cream, this furnishes a very attractive dessert. strawberry pie qt. strawberries - / c. sugar tb. flour spread the strawberries on a single unbaked crust of a pie. mix the sugar and flour and sprinkle over the berries. put half-inch strips of paste across the top in the form of a lattice. place in the oven and bake until the crust is brown, the strawberries are well cooked, and the juice is thick. . sweet-potato pie.--the amount of milk needed for making sweet-potato pie varies according to the dryness of the potatoes. before they can be used for pie, the sweet potatoes must be cooked until they are tender and then mashed. the quantities given in the accompanying recipe will make enough filling for two pies. sweet-potato pie c. sweet potato / c. sugar tsp. salt / tsp. nutmeg / tsp. cloves tsp. cinnamon / tsp. ginger eggs c. milk to the sweet potatoes add the dry ingredients and the unbeaten eggs, and then beat the mixture thoroughly. pour in the milk and stir well. turn into a partly baked pie crust, place in a moderate oven, and bake until the filling is set. . open peach pie.--pare sufficient peaches to cover a single-crust pie. cut them into halves, remove the seeds, and place in a single layer over an unbaked pie crust. cover with cupful of sugar to which have been added tablespoonfuls of flour. dot well with butter, add / cupful of water, and place in the oven. bake until the crust is brown and the peaches are well cooked. apples used in the same way make a delicious dessert. puff paste . procedure in making puff paste.--the making of puff paste differs somewhat from the making of plain pastry. if puff paste is to be successful, it must be made carefully and with close attention to every detail. even then the first attempt may not prove to be entirely successful, for often considerable experience is required before one becomes expert in the making of this delicate pastry. [illustration: fig. ] the best time to make puff paste is in the cold weather, as the butter, which is the fat used, can be handled more easily and rolled into the paste with greater success if it, as well as the other ingredients, are cold. if puff paste is desired in weather that is not cold, the mixture will have to be placed on ice at various intervals, for it positively must be kept as cold as possible. however, it is always preferable to make puff paste without the assistance of ice. further essentials in the making of successful puff paste are a light touch and as little handling as possible. heavy pressure with the rolling pin and rolling in the wrong direction are mistakes that result in an inferior product. the desirable light, tender qualities of puff paste can be obtained only by giving attention to these details. . before beginning the mixing of puff paste, wash the bowl, spoon, and hands first in hot water to insure perfect cleanliness and then in cold water to make them as cold as possible. measure the ingredients very carefully, or, better, weigh them if possible. [illustration: fig. ] put the butter in a mass in the bowl and, as shown in fig. , wash out the salt by running cold water over the piece and working it with a wooden spoon or a butter paddle. when it becomes hard and waxy and may be handled with the hands, take it from the bowl and remove the water by patting it vigorously, first on one side and then on the other. finally, form it into a flat, oblong piece and set it into the refrigerator to harden. . with the butter ready, break off a tablespoonful or two and mix it with all of the flour except tablespoonfuls, which must be retained for flouring the board, in the same way as for plain pastry. then add the water, and, when a mass is formed, remove it to a well-floured board and knead it as shown in fig. . when the mixture has become somewhat elastic, cover it with a towel, as shown in fig. , and allow it to remain covered for to minutes. [illustration: fig ] then roll it into an oblong piece, and, as in fig. , place the butter on one end of it. bring the opposite end down over the butter and press the edges together with the tips of the fingers, as shown in fig. . then, with the rolling pin, make several dents in the dough mixture and the butter, as shown in fig. , and begin to roll, being careful to roll in one direction and not to allow the butter to come through the paste. if it should come through, it will have to be treated until it becomes perfectly cold and hard again before the making can go on. [illustration: fig. ] the quickest and most satisfactory way in which to accomplish this is to wrap it in a piece of linen, set it on a plate in a pan of crushed ice, and place another pan of crushed ice over the top of it. in case this is done once, it will have to be done each time the paste is rolled. continue to roll until a rectangular piece is formed, always being careful to move the rolling pin in the same direction and never to roll backwards and forwards. with a long, narrow piece of dough formed, fold about one-third under and one-third over, as shown in fig. , turn the open end toward you, and roll lightly and carefully in one direction until another long, narrow piece of dough is formed. fold this in the same way, turn it half way around, and roll again. continue in this manner until the piece has been rolled about six times and, during the entire process, try, if possible, to keep the butter from coming through. as may be readily understood, this can be accomplished only with light, careful handling. [illustration: fig. ] as soon as the rolling has been completed in the manner described, cut the puff paste into the desired shapes and place them on the ice for about / hour or until they are thoroughly chilled. they are then ready to be baked. if time is too limited to keep the paste on ice for / hour, chill it as long as possible before baking. . baking puff paste.--a very hot oven is required for successful puff paste. in fact, the colder the pastry and the hotter the oven, the better will be the chances for light pastry. the air incorporated between the layers of the paste by the folding and rolling expands in the heat of the oven, causing the paste to rise and producing the characteristic lightness. [illustration: fig. ] for instance, if the pieces of paste are about / inch thick before baking, they should be inches thick when baked. set the pan containing the pieces on the floor of the oven in order to give the paste every opportunity to rise. if it seems to rise unevenly, turn it around so that it will get the same heat on all sides. should there be any danger of the paste burning on the bottom, put pieces of heavy paper or asbestos under the pan and should it appear to burn on top, put pieces of paper directly over the paste on the rack above. bake until light and nicely browned and then remove from the oven. . recipe for puff paste.--either bread or pastry flour may be used in the preparation of puff paste, but if pastry flour is used a tablespoonful or two more will be required. [illustration: fig. ] the amount of cold water needed varies with the absorbing power of the flour. however, only enough should be used to make it possible to knead the mass of dough that forms so that it may become elastic. kneading develops the gluten in the flour and helps to hold in the fat thus making the paste easier to handle. puff paste c. flour c. butter cold water put the flour into a mixing bowl and chop a tablespoonful of the butter into it. add cold water until a mass that may be removed to a baking board is formed. then proceed in the manner explained for the making of puff paste. . uses of puff paste.--puff paste is seldom used in the making of single- or double-crust pies; instead, it is usually employed for daintier desserts commonly known as _french pastry_. however, there are really innumerable uses to which it may be put in addition to those for which ordinary pastry can be used. in fact, after the art of making this kind of pastry is mastered, it will prove to be invaluable for serving on special occasions. . with puff paste may be made tarts of any kind or shape. particularly attractive tarts can be made by covering small tins in the manner shown in fig. and then, after the shapes have been baked, filling each one with half of a peach or half of an apricot and juice that has boiled thick and piling sweetened whipped cream over it. puff paste made into the same shapes as those just mentioned for tarts may have placed in it a layer of cake, on top of which may be spread a layer of jam; and, to add a dainty touch, either whipped cream or chopped nuts may be put over the jam. the cake used for such a dessert should preferably be simple butter cake or sponge cake, such as might be baked in a loaf. puff paste in the form of tubes and shells may be used for serving foods daintily. thus, a hollow tube may be made by rolling the paste very thin, cutting it into rectangular pieces, placing each piece over a round stick about - / inches in diameter, and then baking. after the baked tube is slipped off the stick, it may be filled with sweetened and flavored whipped cream, to which may be added chopped nuts, chopped fruit, or jam. small baked shells of puff paste answer very well as timbale cases, which may be filled with creamed mushrooms, creamed sweetbreads, or other delicate creamed food. if shells are not desired, small triangular or round pieces may be cut and baked and creamed food served over them as it would be served over toast. an attractive dessert may be prepared by baking several rectangular pieces of puff paste in the oven and then arranging them in two or three layers with custard between. simple sugar icings into which some butter is beaten may also be utilized to advantage in making french pastry of this kind. puff paste may also be used as the covering for small individual pies. serving pastry . to be most palatable, pastry should be served as soon as possible after it is baked. when it is allowed to stand for any length of time, the lower crust becomes soaked with moisture from the filling used, and in this state the pie is not only unpalatable, but to a certain extent indigestible. consequently, whenever it is possible, only enough for one meal should be baked at a time. after a pie is taken from the oven, it should not be removed from the pan in which it is baked until it is served. in fact, pie with a tender crust cannot be handled easily and so should be cut while it is still in the pan. often it is best to serve a pie warm. when this is to be done, it can be served immediately upon being taken from the oven, or if it has been baked for some time and is cold, it may be set in the oven and reheated before serving. such treatment will freshen any pie that has become more or less stale and, as is well known, pie is much more palatable when it is warm and fresh than when it is cold or stale. in case pies must be kept before being served, they should be stored in a place that is both cold and dry. a refrigerator is too damp and for this reason should not be used; but any other cool place that is sufficiently dry will be satisfactory. . several ways of serving pie are in practice. this dessert may be baked in attractive dishes especially designed for this purpose and then served from them at the table, or it may be baked in an ordinary pie pan and then placed on a plate larger than the pan for serving. pie of the usual size is generally divided into five or six pieces, a sharp knife being used to cut it. if possible, a pie knife, which is narrow at the end of the blade and gradually grows broader until the handle is reached, where it is very broad, should be provided for the serving of this dessert, for it helps very much in handling the triangular pieces that are cut from a large pie. the plates on which pie is served should be at least as large as salad plates. very often, instead of serving it from the pan at the table, it is put on plates in the kitchen and passed at the table. pie is always eaten with a fork, one that is smaller than a dinner fork being used. . with most pies containing fruit filling, a small piece of cheese, preferably highly flavored cheese, may be served. this makes a very good accompaniment so far as flavor is concerned, but is omitted in some meals because it may supply too much food value or too much protein. however, if the fact that a high-protein food is to be served at the end of the meal is taken into account when the remainder of the meal is planned, there need be no hesitancy in serving cheese with pie. of course, when cheese is to be included in the meal in this way, the portions of the protein foods served with the main course should be smaller. . a very attractive as well as appetizing way in which to serve pie is known as _pie à la mode_. this method of serving, which is often resorted to when something extra is desired, consists in placing a spoonful or two of ice cream of any flavor on each serving of apple or other fruit pie. pie served in this way is high in food value and is a general favorite with persons who are fond of both ice cream and pie. * * * * * pastries and pies examination questions ( ) (_a_) what is pastry? (_b_) what is the principal use of pastry? ( ) how should the use of pastry with meals be governed? ( ) what may be said of the flour used for pastry? ( ) discuss the shortenings that may be used for pastry. ( ) give the proportions of fat and flour that may be used for pastry. ( ) what may be said of the handling of pastry in its preparation for baking? ( ) describe a method of mixing fat and flour for pastry. ( ) how is the liquid added to the fat and flour for pastry? ( ) describe the rolling of pie crust. ( ) how is a pan covered with paste for pies? ( ) how may a single crust that is to be baked before it is filled be kept from blistering? ( ) describe the making of a top crust and the covering of a pie with it. ( ) what oven temperature is best for baking pastry? tell why. ( ) on what does the length of time for baking pastry depend? ( ) describe briefly the making of puff paste. ( ) what may be done with bits of paste not utilized in making pies? ( ) if more than sufficient paste for use at one time is mixed, what may be done with that which remains? ( ) how should pastry be cared for after baking? ( ) describe the serving of pastry. ( ) why should starchy material used for thickening not be cooked with acid fruit juice for any length of time if this can be avoided? index a almond macaroons, angel cake, apple-and-celery salad, cakes, -date-and-orange salad, pie, sauce, -sauce cakes, tapioca, apricot mousse, banana-and-, sandwiches, sauce, asparagus salad, b baked custard, baking butter cake, cookies, plain pastry, puff paste, small cakes, sponge cake, banana-and-apricot mousse, -and-peanut salad, barley-molasses cookies, beet-and-bean salad, berry pie, biscuit tortoni, biscuits, definition of, molding, blanc mange, chocolate, mange, plain, boiled icing, icing, brown-sugar, salad dressing, bomebe glacé, boston cream pie, bread-and-butter sandwiches, -and-cheese sandwiches, rye-, for sandwiches, bread pudding, pudding, chocolate, bride's cake, brioche, buns, dessert, pudding, brown betty, -sugar boiled icing, brownies, butter cake, cake after baking, care of, cake, baking, -cake ingredients, combining the, cake, nature of, -cake pans, cakes and their preparation, cakes, procedure in making, icing, icing, chocolate, butterscotch pie, c cabbage-and-celery salad, salad, café parfait, cake after baking, care of butter, after baking, care of sponge, and pudding mixtures in the diet, angel, apple, baking butter, baking sponge, bride's, butter, caramel, chocolate nut, cinnamon, cocoa and chocolate in, coconut in, cold-water sponge, cake, corn-starch, devil's food, feather, fillings, flavoring extracts in, from pan, removing sponge, fruit, gold, hot-water sponge, ice-cream, icings and fillings, icings, preparation of, ingredients, combining butter-, ingredients, combining sponge-, ingredients, preparation of, ingredients, quality of, lady baltimore, making, equipment for, making, procedure in, miscellaneous fruits in, mixture, baking the butter-, mixture, baking the sponge-, nature of butter, nature of sponge, nut layer, nut spice, nuts in, one-egg, orange sponge, pans, preparation of, pans, sponge-, plain layer, plain sponge, potato-flour sponge, pound, raisin spice, raisins and currants in, sour-milk chocolate, sponge, sunshine, war, wedding, white, white fruit, with potato flour, sponge, cakes, apple-sauce, baking small, cinnamon cup, cocoa cup, coffee, cookies, and puddings, cup, cup and drop, drop, fat for, flour for, fruit drop, general classes of, ginger drop, ingredients used in, cakes, leavening for, liquid for, made with yeast, nature of mixture for small, oat-flake drop, ornamental icing for cup, preparation of small, procedure in making butter, procedure in making sponge, roxbury, small, sour-milk drop, spices in, sweetening for, varieties of small, california salad, canapes, cantaloupe shells, fruit in, canton parfait, caramel cake, custard, filling for éclairs, ice cream, icing, mousse, tapioca, carbohydrate in desserts, in salads, care of butter cake after baking, of salad greens, of sandwiches after making, of sponge cake after baking, cauliflower-and-tomato salad, salad, celery salad, salad, apple-and-, salad, grapefruit-and-, sandwiches, rolled, stuffed, cellulose in salads, checkerboard sandwiches, cheese-and-nut sandwiches, dreams, filling for sandwiches, salad, green-pepper-and-, salad, peach-and-cream-, salad, pear-and-, sandwiches, sandwiches, jelly-and-cream-, sandwiches, rye-bread-and-, straws, cherry frappé, pie, pie, mock, salad, filbert-and-, chicken salad, -salad filling for sandwiches, -salad sandwiches, sandwiches, chocolate and cocoa in cake, chocolate blanc mange, bread pudding, butter icing, cake, sour-milk, filling, filling for éclairs, ice cream, icing, mousse, nut cake, pie, pudding, sauce, water icing, christmas pudding, cider frappé, cinnamon cake, cup cakes, classes of cookies, cleaning and freshening salad ingredients, club sandwiches, cocoa and chocolate in cake, cup cakes, coconut-corn-starch custard, filling, in cake, macaroons, pie, puff, sauce, coffee cakes, filling, filling for éclairs, jelly, cold and frozen desserts, desserts and their preparation, -water icing, -water sponge cake, combination fruit-and-vegetable salads, fruit salad, salad, salad, summer, combining butter-cake ingredients, sponge-cake ingredients, composition and food value of desserts, of salads, cooked icings, mayonnaise, cookery rules to desserts, applying, cookies, and puddings, cakes, baking, barley-molasses, classes of, cream, filled, filling for, cookies, ingredients in, oatmeal, procedure in making, sour-cream, cooky recipes, corn oil, -starch cake, -starch custard, cottage pudding, cottonseed oil, crab salad, lobster or, cranberry frappé, pie, cream, caramel ice, -cheese salad, peach-and-, -cheese sandwiches, jelly-and-, chocolate ice, cookies, dessert sauces and whipped, dressing, filling for cream puffs, filling, fruit, fluff, pineapple, fluff, strawberry, french, mocha ice, neapolitan ice, philadelphia ice, pie, pie, boston, pie, date, puffs, puffs and éclairs, puffs, cream filling for, spanish, tapioca, vanilla ice, whipped, crullers, frying doughnuts and, nature of doughnuts and, shaping doughnuts and, cucumber-and-onion salad, sliced, -and-tomato salad, salad, sandwiches, cup and drop cakes, cakes, cakes, cinnamon, cakes, cocoa, cakes, ornamental icing for, currants and raisins in cake, custard, baked, caramel, corn-starch, desserts, farina, frozen, minute-tapioca, pie, plain frozen, custard, rice, sauce, soft, tapioca, tutti-frutti frozen, with nuts, frozen, with raisins, frozen, custards, true, d daisy salad, date-and-english-walnut salad, -and-orange salad, apple-, cream pie, sandwiches, dessert in the meal, ingredients, economical use of, making, principles of, making, principles of frozen-, packing a frozen, sauces and whipped cream, desserts and their preparation, cold, applying cookery rules to, attractiveness of, carbohydrate in, cold and frozen, composition and food value of, custard, fat in, frozen, gelatine, general discussion of, method of freezing, molding frozen, principles of making gelatine, procedure in freezing, proportion of ice to salt in frozen, protein in, recipes for frozen, recipes for gelatine, serving frozen, devil's food cake, diet, cake and pudding mixtures in the, purposes of salads in the, salads in the, double-crust pies, doughnuts, and crullers, frying, and crullers, nature of, and crullers, shaping, drop, potato-and-barley, sour-milk, yeast, dreams, cheese, dressing, boiled salad, cream, dressing, french, fruit-salad, mayonnaise, sour-cream, thousand island, dressings and their preparation, salad, nature of salad, dried-fruit pies, drop cakes, cakes, cup and, cakes, fruit, cakes, ginger, cakes, oat-flake, cakes, sour-milk, doughnuts, e easter salad, easy pastry, Éclairs, and cream puffs, caramel filling for, chocolate filling for, coffee filling for, royal, economical use of dessert ingredients, economy paste, egg sandwiches, ham-and-, sandwiches, hard-cooked-, sandwiches, hot fried-, english-walnut salad, date-and-, equipment for cake making, extracts in cake, flavoring, f farina custard, fat for cakes, in desserts, in salads, feather cake, fig pudding, steamed, filbert-and-cherry salad, filled cookies, filling, chocolate, coconut, coffee, for cookies, for cream puffs, cream, for éclairs, caramel, for éclairs, chocolate, for éclairs, coffee, for ladyfingers, for sandwiches, cheese, for sandwiches, chicken-salad, for sandwiches, fruit, fruit cream, lemon, marshmallow, filling, orange raisin-and-nut fillings and icings, cake cake french flavoring extracts in cake floating island flour for cakes for pastry fluff, pineapple cream strawberry cream food value of desserts, composition and forks, salad frappé, cherry cider cranberry freezer, using a vacuum freezing desserts, method of desserts, procedure in table showing details of theory of french cream dressing fillings ice cream fresh-fruit pudding freshening salad ingredients, cleaning and fried-egg sandwiches frozen custard, plain custard, tutti-frutti custard with nuts custard with raisins custards --dessert making, principles of dessert, packing a desserts desserts, cold and desserts, molding desserts, proportion of ice to salt in desserts, recipes for desserts, serving spiced punch fruit-and-vegetable salads, combination of cake cake, white cream filling drop cakes filling for sandwiches gelatine ice in cantaloupe shells salad, combination --salad dressing salads sandwiches sauce fruits in cake, miscellaneous frying doughnuts and crullers g garnishes, salad gelatine desserts desserts, principles of making desserts, recipes for fruit plain ginger drop cakes pudding, steamed snaps glacé, bomebe gold cake grape sherbet grapefruit-and-celery salad green-pepper-and-cheese salad -vegetable salad h ham-and-egg sandwiches hard-cooked-egg sandwiches sauce high-protein salads -protein sandwiches highland dainties hot fried-egg sandwiches -meat sandwiches sandwiches -water sponge cake humpty dumpty salad i ice-cream cake cream, caramel cream, chocolate cream, french cream, mocha cream, neapolitan cream, philadelphia cream, vanilla cream with peaches, junket fruit lemon orange ices icing, boiled butter caramel chocolate chocolate butter chocolate water cold-water for cup cakes, ornamental maple orange ornamental plain time-saving icing, white icings and fillings, cake cooked kinds of preparation of cake uncooked indian pudding ingredients, condition of salad in cookies marinating salad of salads quality of cake variety in salad j jelly-and-cream-cheese sandwiches and marmalade sandwiches coffee orange roll sauce junket ice cream with peaches k kisses and macaroons or meringues l lady baltimore cake lady fingers and sponge drops filling for layer cake, nut -cake pans cake, plain leavening for cakes left-over pastry, utilizing lemon filling ice pie sauce snow lettuce sandwiches shredded liquid for cakes for pastry loaf-cake pans lobster or crab salad m macaroons, almond coconut oatmeal-fruit pecan maize pudding maple icing parfait maraschino sauce marguerites marinating salad ingredients marmalade sandwiches, jelly and marshmallow filling whip mayonnaise, cooked dressing meal, dessert in the meals, relation of salads to meat sandwiches sandwiches, hot- used for pastry used in cakes meringue for one-crust pies meringues or kisses milk sherbet mince pie pie, mock mineral salts and salads mint punch minute tapioca -tapioca custard miscellaneous fruits in cake mixtures for small cakes, nature of mocha ice cream mock cherry pie mince pie molding frozen deserts mousses, parfaits, and biscuits mousse, banana-and-apricot caramel chocolate mousses, definition of molding parfaits, and biscuits n nature of butter cake of doughnuts and crullers of mixtures for small cakes of salad dressings of sandwiches of sponge cake neapolitan ice cream nut cake, chocolate filling, raisin-and- layer cake salad, pineapple-and- sandwiches, cheese-and- spice cake nuts in cake o oat-flake drop cakes oatmeal cookies -fruit macaroons old-fashioned potato salad olive oil, characteristics of one-crust pies, -egg cake, onion-and-pepper sandwiches, salad, open peach pie, sandwiches, orange filling, ice, icing, jelly, pie, salad, apple-date-and-, sauce, sponge cake, ornamental icing, icing for cup cakes, p packing a frozen dessert, pans, layer-cake, loaf-cake, preparation of cake, parfait, café, canton, maple, strawberry angel, parfaits, definition of, molding, paste, baking puff, economy, procedure in making puff, puff, quality, pastries and pies, and pies, requirements for, pastry, baking plain, definition of, easy, flour for, for pies, ingredients, proportion of, ingredients used for, liquid for, making, utensils for, methods of mixing, plain, procedure in making plain, serving, shortening for, sour-cream, utilizing left-over, peach-and-cream-cheese salad, pie, pie, open, peaches, junket ice cream with, peanut-butter sandwiches, salad, banana-and-, pear-and-cheese salad, sherbet, pearl tapioca, peas-and-celery salad, pecan macaroons, philadelphia ice cream, pie a la mode, apple, berry, boston cream, butterscotch, cherry, chocolate, coconut, cranberry, cream, custard, date cream, lemon, mince, mock cherry, mock mince, open peach, orange, peach, pineapple, pumpkin, raisin, rhubarb, squash, strawberry, sweet-potato, pierrot pudding, pies and pastries, and pastries, requirements for, double-crust, dried-fruit, meringue for one-crust, one-crust, pastry for, pineapple-and-nut salad, cream fluff, pie, sauce, plain blanc mange, frozen custard, gelatine, icing, layer cake, pastry, pastry, baking, pastry, procedure in making, sponge cake, pocono pudding, poinsettia salad, poor man's pudding, potato-and-barley doughnuts, -flour sponge cake, flour, sponge cake with, salad, salad, old-fashioned, pound cake, preparation of butter cake, of cake icings, of cake ingredients, of cake pans, of sandwiches, of small cakes, of sponge cakes, salad dressings and their, varieties of salads and their, preparing fruits for salads nuts for salads, principles of dessert making, of frozen-dessert making, of making gelatine desserts, of salad making, of sandwich making, procedure in cake making, in freezing desserts, in making butter cakes, in making cookies, in making puff paste, in making sponge cake, proportion of pastry ingredients, protein in desserts, in salads, pudding, bread, chocolate, chocolate bread, christmas, cottage, fresh-fruit, indian, maize, mixtures in the diet, cake and, pierrot, pocono, poor man's, sauces, snow, steamed fig, steamed ginger, suet-fruit, puddings and pudding sauces, cakes, cookies, and, nature of, preparation of, puff paste, paste, baking, paste, procedure in making, paste, recipe for, paste, uses of, raisin, pumpkin pie, punch, frozen spice, mint, purposes of salads in the diet, q quality of cake ingredients, paste, r raisin-and-nut filling, pie, puff, spice cake, raisins and currants in cake, raspberry sherbet, relation of salads to meals, removing sponge cake from pans, rhubarb pie, ribbon sandwiches, rice custard, ring, swedish tea, ripening the frozen mixture, roll, jelly, rolled celery sandwiches, round sandwiches, roxbury cakes, royal éclairs, rye-bread-and-cheese sandwiches, s salad accompaniments, apple-and-celery, asparagus, banana-and-peanut, beet-and-bean, cabbage, cabbage and celery, california, cauliflower, cauliflower-and-tomato, celery, chicken, combination, combination fruit, crab, cucumber, cucumber-and-tomato, daisy, date-and-english-walnut, dressing, boiled, dressings and their preparation, dressings, nature of, easter, filbert-and-cherry, filling for sandwiches, chicken-, forks, garnishes, grapefruit-and-celery, green-pepper-and-cheese, green-vegetable, greens, care of, humpty dumpty, ingredients, cleaning and freshening, ingredients, condition of, ingredients, marinating, ingredients, variety in, lobster or crab, salad making, principles of, onion, peach-and-cream-cheese, pear-and-cheese, peas-and-celery, pineapple-and-nut, poinsettia, potato, salmon, sandwiches, chicken-, shrimp, sliced cucumber-and-onion, string-bean, stuffed-tomato, summer combination, tomato, tomato-and-string-bean, tuna-fish, waldorf, water-lily, winter, salads and sandwiches, and their preparation, varieties of, carbohydrates in, cellulose in, definition of, fat in, fruit, high-protein, in the diet, in the diet, purposes of, ingredients, mineral salts in, preparing nuts for, protein in, selection of, serving, to meals, relation of, vegetable, salmon salad, salts in salads, mineral, sand tarts, sandwich making, principles of, making, utensils for, sandwiches, after making, care of, apricot, bread-and-butter, bread for, checkerboard, cheese, cheese-and-nut, cheese filling for, chicken, chicken-salad, chicken-salad filling for, club, cucumber, date, sandwiches, fruit, fruit filling for, jelly-and-cream-cheese, jelly and marmalade, ham-and-egg, hard-cooked-egg, hot, hot fried-egg, hot-meat, lettuce, making, meat, nature of, onion-and-pepper, open, peanut-butter, ribbon, rolled celery, round, salads and, tomato, variety in, sauce, apricot, chocolate, coconut, custard, fruit, jelly, hard, lemon, maraschino, orange, pineapple, sterling, vanilla, sauces and whipped cream, dessert, pudding, selection of salads, serving frozen desserts, pastry, salads, sherbet, grape, milk, pear, raspberry, strawberry, sherbets, shortening for pastry, shredded lettuce, shrimp salad, sliced cucumber-and-onion salad, small cakes, pies, snow pudding, soft custard, sour-cream cookies, -cream dressing, -cream pastry, -milk chocolate cake, -milk doughnuts, sour-milk drop cakes, spanish cream, spice cake, nut, cake, raisin, spices in cake, sponge cake, cake, baking, cake, cold-water, cake from pans, removing, cake, hot-water, -cake ingredients, combining the, cake, nature of, cake, orange, -cake pans, cake, plain, cake, potato-flour, cake, procedure in making, cake with potato flour, cakes, preparation of, drops, ladyfingers and, squash pie, steamed fig pudding, ginger pudding, sterling sauce, strawberry angel parfait, cream fluff, pie, sherbet, straws, cheese, string-bean salad, bean salad, tomato-and-, stuffed celery, -tomato salad, suet-fruit pudding, summer combination salad, sunshine cake, swedish tea ring, sweet-potato pie, sweetening for cakes, t table showing details of freezing, tapioca, apple, caramel, cream, custard, minute, pearl, tarts, tea ring, swedish, theory of freezing, thickened juicy fruit for pies, thousand island dressing, time-saving icing, tomato-and-string-bean salad, salad, salad, stuffed-, sandwiches, tortoni, biscuit, true custard, tuna-fish salad, tutti-frutti frozen custard, u uncooked icings, use of dessert ingredients, economical, using a vacuum freezer, utensils for pastry making, for sandwich making, utilizing left-over pastry, v vacuum freezer, using a, value of desserts, composition and food, vanilla cream, sauce, wafers, varieties of salads and their preparation, of small cakes, variety in salad ingredients, in sandwiches, vegetable salad, green-, salads, salads, combination fruit-and-, sandwiches, w wafers, vanilla waldorf salad, war cake, water icing, chocolate, -lily salad, wedding cake, whip, marshmallow, whipped cream, cream, dessert sauces and, white cake, fruit cake, icing, winter salad, transcriber's note certain statements given in this cookbook about distinguishing between toxic and non-toxic mushrooms, and the use of certain herbs, in particular pennyroyal, do not conform to modern knowledge and may be dangerous to follow. please consult reliable modern resources for these products. obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of the changes is found at the end of the text. inconsistency in spelling and hyphenation has been maintained. a list of these inconsistencies is found at the end of the text. vaughan's vegetable cook book [illustration] how to cook and use rarer vegetables and herbs a boon to housewives fourth edition --published by-- vaughan's seed store new york barclay street chicago - w. randolph street greenhouses, nurseries and trial grounds, western springs, illinois. - m french endive or witloof chicory a wholesome and useful winter vegetable [illustration] =how to grow.= sow the seed in spring on well prepared land ft. apart in rows, and thin out same as parsnips. lift the roots in fall. these roots produce during winter months, the beautiful young crisp leaves, which make one of the most delicious winter salads. here's how it's done. =forcing the roots.= prepare a convenient sized bed of good rich soil about a foot deep, in the basement and board up the sides. place the roots in it until the crowns are just covered, and about inches apart, in rows to inches apart then place on top about inches of any kind of light covering such as leaf mold or other light compost. this =must be light= or otherwise the heads which will grow from the crown will open out instead of keeping firmly closed and conically shaped. on the top of the light soil, manure (if it can be procured fresh, all the better) should be placed to a thickness of about inches, or even more. this will cause the soil to warm slightly and hasten the making of the head. horse manure is better than cattle manure for the purpose. the heads will be ready to cut in from to weeks. by putting in a batch at day intervals, a succession of cuttings may be made from the bed. store the roots in dry sand until they are to be put in the bed. roots may also be forced in a greenhouse or conservatory by planting under the benches or in a specially prepared place, but not too high a temperature; say anywhere from to degrees f. to give more is running the risk of getting spindly, weak heads. they may also be grown in pots of say inch drain. place from five to six roots in a pot, leaving the crown of the root exposed and place another pot inverted closely over it, covering up the top hole, so as to keep the roots as dark as possible. water about once a day and in a temperature of from to degrees. it will take about one month, or even less before the heads may be cut. after cutting they must be kept dark, else they turn green quickly. the roots after being forced, indoors or outdoors, become useless. =use.= the leaves can be used in every way that lettuce can, and are delicious either alone, or in combination salads. it is beautifully crisp, tender and has a delightful appetizing flavor of its own. large quantities are imported into this country from europe every year and it is found on the bill of fare of all first class restaurants during the winter months. grown at home (and so easily grown at that) and served fresh and crisp from the bed, its true qualities are doubly appreciated. preface third edition [illustration] the suggestions and recipes of this cook book have been gathering through the years from sources far and wide. friends and neighbors have contributed, personal experience has offered its lessons, thrifty housekeepers in home departments of newspapers, reports of lectures, and recipes given to the newspaper world, from teachers in the science of cookery, have all added color or substance to what is herein written. the recipes of the chicago record-herald, rich in material, have been drawn on to a limited extent, credit is given to an owner of a recipe if known, if not it is given to the paper. compound recipes have been made up from the study of several cook books. "the cook's own book," "the household," "practical housekeeping." french and german recipes have all in some degree been a source of supply to this compilation. we offer the result to you, hoping it will fill a need, and though a wee thing among its grown up sisters, that it will find a place, all its own, in your esteem and good will. the demand which has made a third edition now necessary is the best proof that the volume has found favor, and the ever increasing love of gardening finds its definite expression in this direction as in many other new ones. chicago, january th, chinese cabbage--pe tsai [illustration] a few years ago this delicious vegetable was introduced into this country, though it has been well known and extensively cultivated in china for a long time. we have grown it at our trial grounds two seasons and have found it a novel, easily grown delicious vegetable. in shape it resembles a giant cos lettuce forming a head some fifteen inches long. when nearing maturity the outer leaves should be tied up to blanch the heart and when cut two weeks later and the outer leaves removed, appears as a grand oblong solid white head, of crisp tender leaves. we have noticed that late sowing i. e. july gives the largest and best heads. sown earlier it runs to seed. =plant= in rows ft. apart, with - / or ft. between the rows. water and cultivate freely. for winter use store same as cabbage, keep from freezing. =uses.= the heads may be cut into convenient sizes and served like lettuce, but is we think, more delicious, when cooked like cabbage and served up in any of the many ways that cabbage is. sea kale an easily grown vegetable, especially valuable when forced during the winter months. to raise from seed sow in april, lift the roots in fall and plant out the following spring in rows ft. apart. sea kale needs well dug, well manured soil and plenty of water. we recommend planting roots ( year old preferably). cover the bed with light blanching material, or ins. deep and cut same as asparagus (coal ashes is what is usually used for seakale). it should be ready to cut in or weeks. to get it early, plant roots in hills ft. apart. place an old bucket or box over the hill and cover all over with fresh stable manure. the heat from the manure will make cutting possible in or weeks; or buckets or boxes may be used and transferred to other hills when first hills are through. (roots can be procured in the fall.) =forcing inside.= plant to roots in an in. pot and invert a similar pot over it and cover the hole in the top. place under bench in conservatory or greenhouse, or in a warm basement where or degrees may be maintained. water every day. cutting should be made in from to days, according to heat maintained. =use.= seakale is considered a great delicacy, the young shoots when cooked are more tender than the youngest asparagus. they are usually cooked whole and served with white (cream) sauce as asparagus, or may be chopped up and cooked like celery and served in the same manner. it has a nice buttery flavor of its own, that has to be tasted to be appreciated, a flavor that will take with the household. we do not hesitate to say that if once grown the demand will soon exceed the supply. vegetables are at their best in their own season, just as nature develops them, not as man forces them. gathered not quite full grown with the dew of the morning upon them, they are solid, tender, juicy, sweet and full of flavor, fit for a feast of the gods. but the crispness, sweetness and fresh flavors are fleeting, and few but owners of, and neighbors to gardens know the prime flavors of the fruits and vegetables upon their tables. therefore in selecting vegetables for your table choose first the freshest possible, select medium sized and not overgrown ones, though small sized turnips and large rutabagas are best, egg-plants should be full grown, but not ripe. if vegetables are not fresh refresh them by plunging them into cold salt water an hour before cooking. old potatoes should be pared as thin as possible and be thrown at once into cold salt water for several hours, changing the water once or twice. wipe plunged vegetables before cooking. old potatoes are improved by paring before baking. irish or sweet potatoes, if frozen, must be put into bake without thawing. onions should be soaked in warm salt water an hour before cooking to modify their rank flavor. lettuce, greens, and celery are sometimes best cleaned by using warm water, though they must be thrown at once, when cleaned, into cold water. to steam vegetables is better than to boil them, their flavors are held better, they are less liable to be water-soaked and their odors are confined instead of escaping through the house. if they are to be boiled always draw fresh water. mrs. rorer says, "soft water should be used for dry vegetables, such as split peas, lentils and beans, and hard water for green ones. water is made soft by using a half teaspoonful of bi-carbonate of soda to a gallon of water, and hard by using one teaspoonful of salt to a gallon of water." as soon as the water boils, before it parts with its gases, put in the vegetables. use open vessels except for spinach. the quicker they boil the better. as soon as tender, take them out of the water, drain and dress for the table. never let them remain in the water after they are once done. fresh vegetables boil in about / of the time of old ones. a little bi-carbonate of soda added to the boiling water before greens are put in will serve to keep their color. a pinch of pearl ash put into boiling peas will render old yellow ones, quite tender and green. a little sugar improves beets, turnips, peas, corn, squash, tomatoes and pumpkins, especially if they are not in prime condition. a little lime boiled in water improves very watery potatoes. a piece of red pepper the size of a finger nail, a small piece of charcoal or even a small piece of bread crust, dropped in with boiling vegetables will modify unpleasant odors. vegetables served with salt meats must be boiled in the liquor of the meat after it has been boiled and removed. egg-plant and old potatoes are often put on to cook in cold salt water. it is claimed that onions, carrots, and turnips cook quicker if cut in rings across the fiber. clean all vegetables thoroughly to remove all dirt and insects. to free leaves from insects, throw vegetables, stalk ends uppermost, into a strong brine made by putting one and one half pounds of salt into a gallon of water. leave them in the brine for two or three hours, and the insects will fall off and sink to the bottom. boiled artichokes. the edible part of a french artichoke is the base of the scales and the bottom of the artichoke. the jerusalem artichoke is a genuine tuber something like a potato. they are differently treated in preparation for cooking, but are cooked similarly. to prepare a french artichoke for boiling, pull off the outer leaves, cut the stalks close to the bottom, wash well and throw into cold salt water for two hours. to boil, plunge them into boiling salted water, stalk end up with an inverted plate over them to keep them down. boil until very tender, season well, drain and arrange on a dish with tops up. pour over any good vegetable sauce. (see sauces.) to prepare jerusalem artichokes for boiling pare and slice thin into cold water to prevent turning dark, boil in salted water, season and serve with drawn butter or a good sauce. creamed artichokes. slice six artichokes, boil in salted water and when tender, drain. brown slightly in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter and a dessert spoonful of flour, add a cup of rich milk, season with a half teaspoonful of salt, the same amount of sugar and a dash of pepper; boil two minutes, then stir in two eggs well beaten in two tablespoonfuls of milk, add the artichokes and the juice of half a lemon and let simmer three minutes longer; when dished up sprinkle one-third of a salt spoon of pepper over them and serve hot. fried artichokes. boil and drain six artichokes, season with a sprinkling of vinegar, a little salt and pepper and stand them aside for an hour; beat an egg, add to it a tablespoonful of warm water, dip each slice in this, then in flour and fry in hot fat. serve with sauce tartare. (see sauces.) mrs. s. t. rorer. artichokes a la lyonnaise. boil, drain, put into a saucepan with melted butter and sweet oil and brown on both sides, season with salt. add a half cupful of meat stock, thicken with a little flour and butter, and boil three minutes, squeeze a little lemon juice into it, add a sprinkling of parsley and a dash of pepper, pour over the artichokes and serve. french recipe. pickled artichokes. parboil artichokes, and pour over good strong vinegar. they make excellent pickles. artichoke soup. slice into cold water to keep the color, boil an hour or more in two quarts of water, season highly with butter, pepper and salt, and just before taking up, add a cup of cream. artichokes a la vinaigrette. pare and throw into cold water at once. when ready for use cut into thin slices, arrange them on lettuce leaves and serve with a french dressing. (see salad dressing.) ambushed asparagus. [illustration] use one quart of the tender tops of asparagus, and be rid of the white part, which will not cook tender, boil and drain. cut off with care the tops from rolls or biscuits a day old, scoop out the inside, and set the shells and tops into the oven to crisp. boil a pint of milk, and when boiled stir in four eggs well whipped. as it thickens season with a tablespoonful of butter; salt and pepper to taste. into this mixture put the asparagus cut up into small pieces. fill the shells, replace the tops, put into the oven for three minutes and serve very hot. baked asparagus. choose the freshest asparagus possible, trim the tops, scrape or peel the stalks, cut them into equal lengths and tie into small bunches; boil in salted water, drain, cut into inch pieces and put into a buttered baking dish; pour over a white sauce, (see sauces) cover the top with grated cheese and bread crumbs, and bake until a golden brown. boiled asparagus. prepare as for baked asparagus, and when boiled tender in salted water, pour over a drawn butter sauce; or prepare a sauce from the water drained from the asparagus by thickening with one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour and the beaten yolk of an egg, to which add seasoning and lemon or nutmeg to suit taste. escalloped asparagus. make alternate layers of boiled asparagus, a sprinkling of chopped hard boiled eggs and a sprinkling of grated cheese until the baking pan is full, having asparagus the top layer. make a well seasoned milk gravy and pour gradually into the pan that it may soak through to the bottom, cover the top with bread crumbs and a light sprinkle of cheese; bake until a light brown. fried asparagus. parboil the asparagus, dip in egg, then in bread crumbs, or use a batter and fry in hot fat. sprinkle with salt and serve. asparagus with eggs. put boiled asparagus into a heated baking dish, season well, break eggs over it and put into the oven until the eggs are set, or beat the yolks and whites of four eggs separately; mix with the yolks two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, a heaping teaspoonful of butter, salt and pepper, and lastly the beaten whites of the eggs; pour all over the asparagus and bake until the eggs are set. asparagus omelet. make a plain omelet and when the eggs are firming, lay over one half of it hot seasoned tops of asparagus, and fold over the other half. asparagus salad. drain boiled asparagus and set on ice until used. make a bed of crisp tender lettuce leaves, lay on these slices of fresh solid tomatoes, and over these a layer of asparagus: pour over all a french or mayonnaise dressing. (see salad dressing.) asparagus soup. boil tips and stalks separately, when the stalks are soft, mash and rub them through a sieve. boil a pint of rich milk, thicken it with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour and add the water in which the asparagus was boiled and the pulp. season with salt, pepper, a very little sugar, and lastly a gill of cream, add the tips, boil all together a minute and serve with toast or crackers. string beans and apples. [illustration] take three parts of string beans to one part apples. break the beans into small pieces, pare and quarter the apples. boil the beans in salted water until soft, and drain. mix a tablespoonful each of butter and flour in a saucepan, and add to this, three tablespoonfuls each of vinegar and water and season with salt. pour over the beans and let cook until they are well seasoned. boil the apples and add thin slices of lemon. when all is ready add the apples to the beans without too much juice. serve either hot or cold. german recipe. favre beans. beans and oysters form this dish. cook the beans until tender and they must not be dry either. put an inch thick layer of beans in a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper and bits of butter, cover with a layer of raw oysters, then beans, seasoning and oysters again, and so continue until the dish is full. sprinkle cracker dust or bread crumbs thickly over the top, strew over bits of butter and bake in a well heated oven three-quarters of an hour. do not let the top get too deep a brown. fricassee of beans. steep one pint of haricot beans for a night in cold water, then remove them, drain and put on the fire with two quarts of soft water. when boiling allow the beans to simmer for another two hours. while they are cooking thus, put on in another saucepan two ounces of butter, an ounce of parsley (chopped) and the juice of one lemon, and when the butter has quite melted throw in the beans and stir them round for a few minutes. to be served with rice. haricot beans. soak a pint of beans over night, cook the next morning until perfectly soft, strain through a sieve and season with one teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. from this point this mass is capable of many treatments. it is made into a plain loaf sprinkled with bread crumbs, dotted with butter and baked, or it is mixed with a cream sauce and treated the same way, or it is made into a plain croquet, dipped into batter and fried, or it is seasoned with a tablespoonful of molasses, vinegar and butter and made into croquets, or it is mixed with a french dressing and eaten while it is warm as a warm salad. lima beans. after shelling a quart of lima beans, cook in boiling salted water until tender, then stir in a lump of butter the size of an egg and pepper and salt to taste; or season with milk or cream, butter, salt and pepper, or melt a piece of butter the size of an egg, mix with it an even teaspoonful of flour, and a little meat broth to make a smooth sauce. put the beans in the sauce and let them simmer very slowly for fifteen minutes. just before serving add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and salt and pepper to taste. string beans boiled. take the pods as fresh and young as possible and shred them as finely as a small knife will go through them, cutting them lengthwise. put into salted water and boil until tender. then drain and serve with plenty of sweet butter, and they will be as delicate as peas. if one likes vinegar, a little of it will improve the dish. string beans pickled. boil beans until tender, and then put into strong vinegar; add green peppers to taste. string bean salad. cook the beans in salted water, drain and season while warm with salt, pepper, oil and vinegar. a little onion juice is an improvement. (see french salad dressing.) string bean soup. boil one pint of string beans cut in inch lengths, in one pint of veal or celery stock and one pint of water, add a few slices of potatoes, a stalk of tender celery chopped, half a small onion, two or three leaves of summer savory and a clove. when soft rub through a sieve. put in a saucepan and cook together a tablespoonful of butter, a heaping tablespoonful of flour and a pint of rich milk. add this to the stock and pulp, season with pepper and salt and serve. white navy beans curried. if the fresh kidney beans are not obtainable soak a pint of the dried over night. boil in two quarts of water for two hours or until tender. drain, when soft, and put into a saucepan with an ounce of butter, one small onion chopped fine, one saltspoonful of salt and a half-teaspoonful of curry powder. toss the beans in this mixture for a few moments over the fire; then mix smoothly a tablespoonful of flour with a large cup of milk and season highly with a tablespoonful each of chopped parsley, chopped bacon, tomato catchup and chutney, adding also a saltspoonful of salt, and add to the beans; set the saucepan on the back of the range and let the contents simmer three-quarters of an hour, adding more milk if the curry becomes too thick. serve with plain boiled rice. chicago record. baked beets. [illustration] bake two large beets, take off the hard outside, and the inner part will be surprisingly sweet. slice and pour over a sauce made with two tablespoonfuls of butter, juice of half a lemon, a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. beets and butter sauce. boil three or four beets until tender in fast boiling water, slightly salted, which must entirely cover them. then scrape off the skin, cut the beets into slices, and the slices into strips. melt an ounce of butter, add to it a little salt, pepper, sugar and a teaspoonful of vinegar. pour over the beets and serve. a small minced onion added to the sauce is sometimes considered an improvement. beet salad. slice cold boiled beets; cut into neat strips, and serve with white crisp lettuce; pour over a mayonnaise dressing; or slice the beets and put in layers with slices of hard boiled eggs, or, with new potatoes and serve on lettuce with french dressing garnished with water cress. sweet pickled beets. boil beets in a porcelain kettle till they can be pierced with a silver fork; when cold cut lengthwise to size of a medium cucumber; boil equal parts of vinegar and sugar, with a half tablespoonful of ground cloves to a gallon of vinegar; pour boiling hot over the beets. sugar beet pudding. the following recipe of juliet corson's was traveling the round of the newspapers a few years ago:--boil the beets just tender, peel and cut into small dice. take a pint of milk to a pint of beets, two or three eggs well beaten, a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper and the least grating of nutmeg; put these ingredients into an earthen dish that can be sent to the table; bake the pudding until the custard is set, and serve it hot as a vegetable. a favorite carolina dish. boiled borecole or kale. [illustration] use a half peck of kale. strip the leaves from the stems and choose the crisp and curly ones for use, wash through two waters and drain. boil in salted water twenty minutes, then pour into a colander and let cold water run over it, drain and chop fine. brown a small onion in a tablespoonful of butter, and add the kale, seasoning with salt and pepper, add a half teacupful of the water in which the kale was boiled, and let all simmer together for twenty minutes. just before taking from the stove add a half cup of milk or cream, thickening with a little flour. let boil a moment and serve. kale greens. these make excellent greens for winter and spring use. boil hard one half hour with salt pork or corned beef, then drain and serve in a hot dish. garnish with slices of hard boiled eggs, or the yolks of eggs quirled by pressing through a patent potato masher. it is also palatable served with a french dressing. kale on toast. boil kale, mix with a good cream sauce and serve on small squares of toast. broccoli. broccoli if not fresh is apt to be bitter in spite of good cooking. strip off all the side shoots, leaving only the top; cut the stalk close to the bottom of the bunch, throw into cold water for half an hour, drain, tie in a piece of cheese cloth to keep it from breaking and boil twenty minutes in salted water. take out carefully, place upon a hot dish, pour over it a cream sauce and serve very hot; or it may be served on toast. brussels sprouts. wash in cold water, pick off the dead leaves, put them in two quarts of boiling water, with a tablespoonful of salt, and a quarter teaspoonful of bi-carbonate of soda. boil rapidly for twenty minutes with the saucepan uncovered, then drain in a colander, and serve with drawn butter or a cream sauce. boiled cabbage. [illustration] slice a cabbage fine and boil in half water and half milk, when tender add cream and butter. this is delicious. a cabbage center piece. take a head of cabbage, one that has been picked too late is best, for the leaves open better then, and are apt to be slightly curled. lay the cabbage on a flat plate or salver and press the leaves down and open with your hand, firmly but gently, so as not to break them off. when they all lie out flat, stab the firm, yellow heart through several times with a sharp knife, until its outlines are lost and then place flowers at random all over the cabbage. roses are prettiest, but any flower which has a firm, stiff stem, capable of holding the blossom upright will do. press the stems down through the leaves and put in sufficient green to vary prettily. the outer leaves of the cabbage, the only ones to be seen when the flowers are in, form a charming background, far prettier than any basket. roses are best for all seasons, but autumn offers some charming variations. the brilliant scarlet berries of the mountain ash or red thorn mingled with the deep, rich green of feathery asparagus, make a delicious color symphony most appropriate to the season. g. l. colbron. cream slaw. chop a crisp head of cabbage fine, place in the individual dishes in which it is to be served; fill a cup with white sugar, moisten it with vinegar, add a cup of sour cream beaten until smooth, mix thoroughly, pour over the cabbage and serve at once. cabbage a la holland. the following is a favorite dish in holland:--put together in a saucepan, either porcelain or a perfect granite one, a small head of red cabbage shredded, four tart apples peeled and sliced, one large tablespoonful of butter or of drippings, a teaspoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful of pepper, and a little sprinkling of cheese or nutmeg; stew over a slow fire at least three hours. mix together one tablespoonful of vinegar, a little flour and one tablespoonful of currant jelly, just before taking from the fire add this mixture to the cabbage, boil up once or twice and serve. red cabbage pickle. this is an improvement on saur kraut. slice a large red cabbage in fine shreds, place on a large platter and sprinkle well with salt; allow it to stand three days and then drain. heat enough vinegar to cover it nicely, and put in one ounce of whole spices, pepper, cloves, allspice and mace. put the cabbage into a stone jar, pour the boiling vinegar upon it, cover and let stand three days. cabbage pudding. chop up small, enough white cabbage to fill a large baking pan when done. put it in a pot of boiling water that has been salted, let it boil until tender, then drain thoroughly in a colander. in two quarts of the cabbage stir half a pound of butter, salt and pepper to taste, one pint of sweet cream and four eggs beaten separately. add also, a pinch of cayenne pepper; put in a pan and bake for half an hour. puritan cabbage. take half of a small very solid head of white cabbage, cut into eighths, from top to stem, without cutting quite through the stem so that it does not fall into pieces; cover with cold water for one hour; then immerse it in a porcelain kettle of rapidly boiling water, into which has been dropped a teaspoonful of salt and soda the size of a pea. cover the vessel well and continue boiling for five minutes; drain, cover again with fresh boiling water and let boil for eight or ten minutes longer. take out of water, draining, flat side down, on a hot platter for a moment. then turn right side up, allowing the slices to spread apart a little, and drop slowly over it the following sauce: one tablespoon butter and two tablespoons sweet cream, melted together. select and have ready to use at once, eighteen or twenty plump, good sized oysters, dried on a towel. take a double-wire gridiron and butter it well; spread the oysters carefully on one side of the gridiron and fold the other side down over them. have a clear fire and broil them quickly, first one side, then the other, turning iron but once. dot them over the hot cabbage, giving all a faint dust of curry powder and two or three dashes of white pepper. this is a most dainty and delicious dish. chicago record. cabbage salad. this salad requires about a pint and a half of chopped cabbage. the cabbage should have the loose leaves removed, the stem cut out, and then be laid in cold water twelve hours. chop rather fine, pour over and mix with it a boiled dressing. heat three-quarters of a cup of milk and beat two egg yolks with a fork. mix with the egg a half-teaspoonful of mustard, one half-teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of granulated gelatine that has been softened in a little cold water, a teaspoonful of sugar and a few grains of cayenne. cook a tablespoonful of butter and flour together and add half a cup of vinegar. now cook the milk and egg mixture together like a soft custard and combine with the other part. this dressing, if sealed tight, will keep a long time. when the cabbage and dressing are mixed, fill little individual molds and set away to cool. after-dinner coffee cups, wet in cold water, make good molds. bits of red beet or half an olive put in the bottom of the mold before the cabbage is put in will make a pretty garnish when the salad is turned out. chicago record. sour cabbage. beat one half-cupful of sour cream until smooth, add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and one beaten egg, pour over chopped cabbage raw or boiled, and mix thoroughly. serve on lettuce. stuffed cabbage. use a savoy cabbage, open up the leaves and wash thoroughly in cold water, put in salted boiling water and boil five minutes, then take out without breaking, and put in cold water. make a stuffing of sausage meat, and bread crumbs which have been moistened and squeezed. to a half pound of sausage allow one egg, two tablespoonfuls of minced onion browned in butter, a pinch of parsley and four tablespoonfuls of minced cooked ham. drain, and open up the cabbage to the center, between the leaves put in a half teaspoonful of the stuffing, fold over two or three leaves, put in again and so continue until the cabbage is filled. when finished press it as firmly as the case will allow, tie up in a piece of cheese cloth and put into boiling water; boil two hours. serve the cabbage in a deep dish and pour over a cream sauce. turkish cabbage. prepare the cabbage as above for stuffing, then cut out the stalk carefully. cut each leaf in pieces about three inches square and fold into it a forcemeat of some sort, or a highly seasoned vegetable dressing. these little rolls are arranged in layers in a saucepan and are held in place by the weight of a heavy plate; a broth is then turned over them and they are boiled half an hour over a moderate fire. serve in a hot deep dish and pour over a good sauce made from the broth in which they were cooked. carrots a la creme. [illustration] take a large bunch of very small new carrots, scrape them, tie them loosely in a piece of coarse muslin and put into a saucepan almost full of boiling water, to which has been added a small lump of beef drippings and two ounces of salt. in about twenty minutes they will be tender, when remove from the hot water and plunge for a moment in cold. next melt an ounce of butter in a saucepan and stir into this a dessert spoonful of flour, a small quantity each of pepper, salt and cayenne, also a little nutmeg and half a teacupful of cream. remove the carrots from the muslin, put them into the saucepan with the other ingredients and let them simmer in them for a few minutes; then serve very quickly while hot. green peas and carrots mixed and dressed in this way make an excellent variation. carrots a la flamande. when par-boiled and drained, put the carrots into a saucepan with a piece of butter, a small lump of sugar and as much water as may be necessary for sauce; add some finely minced parsley and pepper and salt to the taste. let the carrots simmer until done (about fifteen minutes) shaking them occasionally. beat together the yolks of two eggs and two tablespoonfuls of cream; stir this into the carrots off the fire and serve. carrot croquettes. wash six small, fine-grained carrots and boil until tender. drain and mash them. to each cupful add one-half spoonful of salt and one-fourth as much pepper, the yolks of two raw eggs, a grate of nutmeg and one level teaspoonful of butter. mix thoroughly and set away until cold. shape into tiny croquettes, dip in slightly beaten egg, roll in fine bread crumbs and fry in smoking-hot fat. chicago record. fried carrots. when the carrots are boiled tender, slice them lengthwise. into a frying pan put one tablespoonful of butter, and when very hot put in the carrots; brown them lightly on both sides, sprinkle them with salt, pepper and a little sugar and garnish with parsley. escalloped carrots. take six small fine-grained carrots and two small white onions, boil in water until tender, from forty-five to sixty minutes, just enough water to keep from burning. do not scrape them, and the flavor will be retained; do not cover them and the color will be preserved. when the onions are tender remove them. when the carrots are done peel them and slice thin. put in baking dish a layer of carrots, sprinkle with salt and pepper and dots of butter. proceed in this way until you have used all the carrots. moisten with a cup of new milk, into which a beaten egg has been carefully stirred, and a good pinch of salt. spread over the top a layer of bread crumbs and bake until a nice brown. chicago record. preserved carrots. scrape carrots clean, cut into small pieces and boil with sufficient cold water to cover them. boil until tender, and put through the colander, weigh the carrots, add white sugar pound for pound and boil five minutes. take off and cool. when cool add the juice of two lemons and the grated rind of one, two tablespoonfuls of brandy and eight or ten bitter almonds chopped fine to one pound of carrot. stir all in well and put in jars. carrot soup. boil a pint of carrots with a piece of butter about as large as a walnut and a lump of sugar until they are tender. press through a colander and put into a pint of boiling milk, thickened with a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, dilute this with soup stock or chicken broth, and just before taking up add the yolks of two eggs well beaten and two tablespoonfuls of cream. baked cauliflower. [illustration] boil cauliflower in salt water, separate into small pieces, and put in a baking dish, make a cream sauce and pour over it. cover the mixture with bread crumbs, dot with butter and bake a light brown. boiled cauliflower with white sauce. cut off the stem close to the bottom of the flower and pick off the outer leaves. wash well in cold water and let it lie in salt and water top downward for an hour to remove any insects which may be in the leaves. then tie in a cheese cloth or salt bag to prevent its going to pieces, and put, stem downward, in a kettle of boiling water with a teaspoonful of salt. cover and boil till tender, about half an hour. lift it out carefully, remove the cloth and arrange, stem downward, in a round, shallow dish. pour over it a cream sauce. fried cauliflower. take cauliflower cooked the day before, divide into small tufts, dip in egg and roll in cracker or bread crumbs, or make a batter in the proportion of one egg, two tablespoonfuls of milk and one tablespoonful of flour. beat the eggs very light before adding to the milk and flour, and into this dip the cauliflower. have the butter boiling hot in the frying pan, put in the cauliflower and fry a light brown, garnish with parsley. pickled cauliflower. boil the cauliflower not too soft and break up into small tufts. drain and put into bottles with horse-radish, tarragon, bay leaves and grains of black pepper. pour over good cider vinegar and cork the bottle tightly. cauliflower salad. this salad is what mrs. rorer terms delicious served with her favorite french dressing. take a head of cauliflower and boil in a piece of fine cheesecloth. remove from the cloth, drain and sprinkle over it two tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar and stand aside to cool. at serving time break the head apart into flowerets, arrange them neatly on a dish; sprinkle over a little chopped parsley or the wild sorrel; cover with french dressing made as follows; put a half-teaspoon of salt and as much white pepper into a bowl; add gradually six tablespoons of olive oil. rub until the salt is dissolved, and then add one tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice. beat well for a moment and it is ready to use. it is much better if used at once. cauliflower soup. boil a head of cauliflower in water, or if convenient in soup stock or chicken broth. if water is used add an onion. lift out the cauliflower, lay aside one half-pint of tufts. mash the rest through a sieve using the water in which it was boiled to press it through. put one large tablespoonful of butter over the fire in a saucepan and when melted stir in a large tablespoon of flour. stir this into the puree until of a creamy consistency, add a pint of hot milk, a beaten egg, salt and pepper to taste and a little grated nutmeg if liked. add the reserved tufts, simmer five minutes and serve. cauliflower and tomato souffle. boil cauliflower in salted water until tender, then drain and separate into tufts. put in a buttered baking dish a layer of tufts, then a layer of tomatoes, salt and pepper the tomatoes. continue these alternate layers until the dish is full. make a boiled sauce of two tablespoonfuls of butter, one and one half-tablespoonfuls of flour, one cup of milk, and the yolks of two eggs, lastly add three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese and the beaten whites of the two eggs. pour into the baking dish and cover all with a layer of bread crumbs dotted with bits of butter. bake one half hour. to crisp celery. [illustration] let it lie in ice water two hours before serving. to fringe the stalk, stick several coarse needles into a cork and draw the stalk half way from the top several times, and lay in the refrigerator to curl and crisp. celery a la versailles. cleanse two or three heads of well-blanched celery and trim them nicely, leaving on just as much of the stalk as is tender; parboil the vegetable in well-salted water, then rinse in cold water and drain on a sieve. have about a pint of boiling white stock ready in a saucepan, lay in the celery, with a large onion cut in quarters and a good seasoning of salt and pepper, and cook very gently until the celery is quite tender, then drain the vegetable carefully on a napkin so as to absorb the moisture, and cut each head into quarters lengthwise. fold the pieces into as neat a shape as possible and make them even in size; mask them entirely over with thick bechamel sauce and allow this latter to stiffen; then dip the pieces in beaten egg, roll thickly in fine white bread crumbs, and fry in boiling fat. when sufficiently browned, drain on blotting-paper, and pile up high in the center of a hot dish covered with a napkin. garnish with sprigs of fried parsley and serve. celery-potato croquettes. to a pint of mashed potatoes add half a teacup of cooked celery, season with a tablespoon of butter, half a teaspoon of salt, a dash of white pepper; add the yolk of one egg. roll in shape of a small cylinder three inches long and one and a fourth inches thick. dip them in the beaten white of egg, roll in cracker or bread crumbs and fry. chicago record. celery au gratin. wash and trim four heads of celery; set in a stewpan with a teaspoonful of vinegar, salt and cold water; boil until tender and drain dry. make some sauce with a tablespoonful of butter, the same quantity of flour and half a pint of milk. cook while stirring till it thickens; add the yolk of one egg and a tablespoonful of grated cheese; stir the sauce, but do not let it boil. arrange the celery in a pie dish, sprinkle bread crumbs over and little bits of butter; cover with sauce and brown in the oven. serve in the dish in which it is cooked. chicago record. celery salad. take the inner and tenderest heads of three stalks of celery, cut them into strips an inch long and about the thickness of young french beans. rub the salad bowl lightly with shallot. mix the yolks of two hard boiled eggs with three tablespoonfuls of salad oil, one of tarragon vinegar, a little mustard and pepper and salt to taste. add the celery to this sauce, toss well with two silver forks, garnish with slices of hard boiled eggs. if you have any cold chicken or turkey, chop it up, and mix with some of above in equal proportions; or a few oysters will be a great addition. stewed celery. after celery is cut up and soaked in cold water for fifteen minutes, then cooked until tender, it must be drained in the colander, thrown into cold water to blanch and become firm, and then thoroughly heated in a white sauce. if the cold bath is neglected the result will be flat and discolored instead of white and crisp. celery soup. the ingredients are two heads of celery, one quart of water, one quart of milk, two tablespoonfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of butter and a dash of pepper. wash and scrape celery and cut in half inch pieces, put in boiling water and cook until soft. mash the celery in the water in which it is boiled and add salt and pepper. let the milk come to a boil; cream together the butter and flour and stir the boiling milk into it slowly; then add celery and strain through a sieve mashing and pressing with the back of a spoon until all but the tough fibres of the celery are squeezed through. return the soup to the fire and heat until it is steaming when it is ready to serve. boiled celeriac. pare the roots and throw them into cold water for one half hour. cut into squares, boil in salted water until tender and serve with a butter or cream sauce. celeriac salad. boil the roots in salted water, throw into cold water and peel; slice, serve on lettuce leaves and pour over a french or mayonnaise dressing. (see salad dressing.) chervil salad. clean the leaves thoroughly in cold water and shake to drain. serve with french salad dressing. the leaves are aromatic and are used for seasoning dressings, salads, sauces and soups and also for garnishes. cream chicory. clean well and boil several heads of chicory, drain and cool; squeeze out the water from the chicory and mince it; melt some butter in a saucepan and cook until the moisture has evaporated; sprinkle with flour and add hot milk; boil up stirring all the time; season, and cook on back of the stove fifteen minutes; serve with croutons or bits of toast. french recipe. chicory salad. wash and shake well; select the white leaves and cut in one or two inch lengths. in the salad bowl mix the oil, salt and vinegar then add the chicory and mix vigorously with a wooden fork and spoon; add the vinegar sparingly-- - / tablespoons of vinegar to of oil. a crust of bread rubbed with garlic is usually added, but the bowl itself may be slightly rubbed with a cut clove. french recipe. citron preserves. select sound fruit, pare and divide them into quarters, and cut each quarter into small pieces, take the seeds out carefully; the slices may be left plain or may be cut in fancy shapes, notching the edges nicely, weigh the citron, and to every pound of fruit allow a pound of sugar. boil in water with a small piece of alum until clear and tender; then rinse in cold water. boil the weighed sugar in water and skim until the syrup is clear. add the fruit, a little ginger root or a few slices of lemon, boil five minutes and fill hot jars. seal tightly. citron pudding. cream together half a cup of butter and one cup of sugar; add the well beaten yolks of five eggs, the juice and grated peel of one lemon, and whip until very light, then add the whites beaten to a froth alternately with two full cups of flour, through which must be sifted two even teaspoonfuls of baking powder. butter a mold lavishly, line it with strips of preserved citron, using a quarter of a pound for a pudding of this size, put in the batter, cover and set in a pan with boiling water in a good oven. keep the pan nearly full of boiling water and bake steadily one and one half hours. dip the mold in cold water, turn out upon a hot dish, and eat at once with any kind of sweet pudding sauce. the mold must not be filled more than two thirds full, in order to give the pudding a chance to swell. sweet pickled citron. one pound of sugar and one quart of vinegar (if too strong dilute with water) to every two pounds of citron. boil the vinegar, sugar and spices together and skim well. then add the citron and cook until about half done. use spices to suit taste. corn chowder. chop fine one-quarter pound of salt pork, put in a kettle, and when well tried out add two white onions sliced thin. brown lightly, then add one pint of raw diced potatoes, one can of corn, chopped fine, and sufficient boiling water to cover. when the potatoes are tender stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour, blended with one of butter, one teaspoonful of salt and saltspoonful of white pepper and one quart of boiling milk. simmer five minutes longer, add one cupful of hard crackers, broken into bits, and serve. miss bedford. chicken with corn oysters. clean and joint a chicken, one weighing about three pounds, as for fricassee. wipe each piece with a damp cloth, dip in slightly beaten egg; then roll in seasoned fine bread crumbs. arrange in a deep dish, and bake in a very hot oven for forty-five minutes, basting every ten minutes with melted butter. while the chicken is baking chop one cup full of cold boiled corn fine, add to it one beaten egg, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, one tablespoonful of milk, two tablespoonfuls of flour and one-quarter of a teaspoonful of baking powder. heat one tablespoonful of drippings in a pan, drop the batter in in spoonfuls, and brown quickly on both sides. prepare a sauce with one tablespoonful of butter, blended with one of flour and one cupful of chicken stock (made from the neck and wing tips), one-half of a cupful of cream, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, a saltspoon of salt, one-quarter as much pepper and the yolks of two eggs. do not add the eggs and cream until just before it is taken from the fire. arrange on a warm, deep platter. garnish with the corn oysters and sprigs of parsley. serve the sauce in a boat. chicago record. cream of corn. use one can of corn for one quart of soup. crush it thoroughly with pestle or potato-masher to free the pulp from the tough outside coating; rub through a fine colander, then through a sieve. add one teacupful of cream to the strained pulp and enough milk to make a quart altogether. put in a dash of cayenne pepper, a piece of butter the size of a filbert, and salt to taste--it requires a surprising amount of salt to bring out the flavor. use a double boiler as it burns easily. serve very hot stirring well before taking up. mrs. thompson. green corn fritters. cut the corn from three good sized ears and chop it slightly. add one well beaten egg, one-half cup of milk, one tablespoonful of sugar, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one-quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and flour enough to make a thin batter. put one teaspoonful of baking powder in the flour, fry to a golden brown in boiling fat. corn omelet. take cold boiled corn and after cutting the grains through the middle, scrape it from the cob. make a plain omelet, and have the corn with very little milk heating in a saucepan, seasoning to taste. when the omelet is ready to turn, put the corn by spoonfuls over half the top, and fold the omelet over. serve at once. green corn pudding. take one dozen ears of tender corn; grate them; then add one quart of sweet milk thickened with three tablespoonfuls of flour made free from lumps, a full tablespoonful of butter, four eggs, and pepper and salt to taste. butter an earthen baking dish and pour into it this mixture. bake one and one-half hours. this is to be served as a vegetable, though with the addition of sugar and a rich sauce it can be used as a dessert. corn soup. take three ears of corn, remove the corn from the cob and boil the cobs in three pints of soup stock or water very slowly one half hour. remove the cobs, put in the corn and boil twenty minutes, then rub the corn through a sieve and add salt and pepper to taste. boil up again and stir into the soup a tablespoonful of flour and butter mixed. when it thickens add one cupful of boiling milk. let this new mixture come to a boil, add one well beaten egg and serve. corn vinegar. add to one gallon of rain water one pint of brown sugar or molasses and one pint of corn off the cob. put into a jar, cover with a cloth, set in the sun, and in three weeks you will have good vinegar. most people prefer it to cider vinegar. corn salad. corn salad makes a most refreshing salad in winter and spring as a substitute for lettuce. serve with french dressing. it is also used as greens and is cooked like spinach. cress. [illustration] water cress has a pleasant and highly pungent flavor that makes it valuable as a salad or garniture. tear water cress apart with the fingers and put them loosely in a bowl to clean; use cold water; break off the roots, do not use a knife; dress with salt, vinegar, and a little powdered sugar. some send them to the table without any dressing and eat them with a little salt. cucumber and cress salad. pare two cucumbers and cut them into quarters, lengthwise, then into half-inch pieces. pick over, wash and drain a pint of fresh cress, and dry in a cloth. add the cucumbers; mix and turn into the salad-bowl and pour over a french dressing, made by mixing together four tablespoonfuls of olive oil, one-quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, and the same of white pepper, then dropping in, while stirring quickly, one tablespoonful of tarragon or plain vinegar, or lemon juice. chicago record. water cress soup. look over carefully one large bunch of water cress and chop it fine. melt one large tablespoonful of butter in a granite stew-pan, add the cress and one teaspoonful of lemon juice. cook about ten minutes, until the cress is tender. do not let it burn. add one egg, well beaten, with one heaping teaspoonful of flour, also one saltspoonful of salt and two dashes of pepper. then pour in three pints of well-flavored soup stock. let boil five minutes longer and serve with croutons. chicago record. watercress and walnut salad. crack fifty walnuts and remove the meats as nearly as possible in unbroken halves. squeeze over them the juice of two large lemons, or three small ones, and leave them for several hours, or a day if convenient. just before dinner pick over in a cool place one quart of watercress, wash it carefully and drain on a napkin. at the last moment drench the cress with french dressing, spread the nuts over it, give them a generous sprinkling of the dressing and serve. chicago record. boiled cucumbers. peel the cucumbers unless very young and tender, put into boiling salted water, and when boiled throw them into cold water to firm them. when ready for use, heat them in butter quickly without frying them, season with salt and pepper, pour over any good sauce and serve. ripe cucumbers can be treated quite similarly unless the seeds are tough, if they are, mash the cucumbers through a sieve and serve with butter, pepper and salt. cucumber catsup. take twelve large, full-grown cucumbers and four onions. peel the cucumbers and take the skin off the onions; grate them, and let the pulp drain through a sieve for several hours, then season highly with salt and pepper, and add good cider vinegar until the pickle tastes strongly of it, and it rises a little to the top. put it in jars or wide-mouthed bottles, and cork or seal them so as to be airtight. the pickle tastes more like the fresh cucumber than anything else, and will pay for the making. fried cucumber. boil a good-sized cucumber till nearly soft in milk and water flavored slightly with onion. remove and drain dry, cut it up into slices when cold and brush each slice, which should be about a third of an inch thick, with egg, and dip in bread crumbs or make a batter and dip each slice in this, after which fry in butter till amber brown. to be served in the center of a hot dish with mashed potatoes round. cucumber mangoes. (see mangoes.) cucumber a la poulette. pare and cut in slices three good-sized cucumbers; cover with water and let soak for half an hour, then drain and dry on a cloth. put in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of butter and fry over a moderate fire without browning for five minutes. add one scant tablespoonful of flour, and, when well mixed, one and one-half cupfuls of chicken or veal broth. simmer gently for twenty minutes, season with a small teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper and half a teaspoonful of sugar; draw the pan to one side, add the beaten yolks of two eggs and one tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley. take from the fire as soon as thickened, being careful not to allow the sauce to boil again. marion c. wilson. cucumber salad. peel the cucumbers, slice as thin as possible, cover with salt, let stand one hour covered, then put in colander and let cold water run over them until all the salt is off. make a bed of cress or lettuce leaves and pour over french dressing; or prepare as above, pour over vinegar, give a little dash of cayenne pepper and add sour cream. cucumbers sliced very thin with a mayonnaise dressing make a very excellent sandwich filling. cucumber salad cups. choose medium sized cucumbers, pare carefully and cut off the two ends, cut them in halves lengthwise, take out the seeds and put the cucumbers into ice water for two hours. when ready for use wipe the cucumbers dry, set them on a bed of lettuce leaves, asparagus leaves, cress, parsley or any other pretty garniture, and fill the shells with lobster, salmon or shrimp salad, asparagus, potato or vegetable salad, mix with mayonnaise before stuffing and put a little more on top afterwards. stuffed cucumbers. choose medium sized cucumbers, pare, cut off one or both ends, extract the seeds, boil from three to five minutes, drain and throw into cold water to firm, drain again and fill the insides with chicken or veal forcemeat; line a pan with thin slices of pork, on which set the cucumbers, season with salt and pepper and a pinch of marjoram and summer savory, baste with melted butter, or gravy, chicken gravy is the best, cover with a buttered paper and let bake. or stuff with a sausage forcemeat, make a bed for the cucumbers of chopped vegetables and moisten with stock or water; or fill with a tomato stuffing as for stuffed tomatoes, baste often with butter, or a nice gravy, put over a buttered paper and bake until done, in about fifteen or twenty minutes. the chicago record gave the following recipe for cucumbers stuffed with rice:--pare thinly five five-inch cucumbers. cut off one end and remove the pulp, leaving a thick solid case, with one thick end. season one cup of hot boiled rice, salted in cooking, with a tablespoonful of butter, a "pinch" each of marjoram and summer savory, saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, four shakes of cayenne and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. fill the cucumbers with this mixture; replace the end, fastening it with small skewers; place in a pan of boiling water, salted, in which are two bay leaves and a clove of garlic, and boil for ten minutes or until tender. drain and serve covered with a cream sauce. dandelions. use the dandelions in the early spring when they are young and tender. they take the place of spinach and are treated the same. (see spinach.) dandelions may be used as a salad with a french dressing. egg plant croquettes. [illustration] peel, slice and boil until tender, mash and season with pepper and salt; roll crackers or dry bread, and stir into it until very thick. make into croquettes or patties; fry in hot lard or with a piece of salt pork. escalloped egg plant. egg plant, tablespoonfuls butter, one teaspoonful salt, / teaspoonful pepper, egg, tablespoonfuls grated cheese, tablespoonful worcestershire sauce, tablespoonfuls bread crumbs. one good sized perfect egg plant. let stand in cold water one hour. do not remove skin, but put the egg plant whole in a deep kettle of boiling water, cover, and cook thirty minutes, or until tender. be careful not to break the skin while cooking. drain on large platter and cool. cut in half and turn cut surfaces to platter while removing skin with knife and fork. egg plant discolors readily, also stains easily; so, keep covered from the air when not preparing it. use silver knife and fork for chopping; porcelain frying pan for seasoning process and an earthen dish for baking if you desire best results. chop the plant moderately fine, season with salt and pepper and simmer in two tablespoonfuls of butter over a slow fire for ten minutes, keeping it closely covered. add one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce after taking from the fire, and divide the mixture into two equal portions. put the first half into a hot buttered baking dish; sprinkle over it one half of the grated cheese and one tablespoonful of bread crumbs. stir one well beaten egg into the second portion; add to the first, cover with remainder of cheese and finish with two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. bake in moderately hot oven for twenty minutes. cover the dish for first five minutes, or until the bread crumbs shall have lightly browned. serve hot as an entree, with or without tomato sauce, according to taste. alice carey waterman. fried egg plant. select a plant not too large or old. cut in slices one fourth of an inch thick, and lay in weak salt water over night. in the morning remove the purple rind and wipe dry, dip in beaten egg, then in fine bread crumbs or cracker dust; fry on the griddle or in a spider in hot butter and drippings until a nice brown. it must cook rather slowly until thoroughly soft, otherwise it is unpalatable. mrs. mallory. they can be more daintily fried if they are steamed first, in which case the slices should be cut one inch thick and should lie in salt and water two hours before frying. crumbs sifted through a coarse sieve are an improvement. stuffed egg plant choose four rather small egg plants and cut in halves; with a spoon scoop out a part of the flesh from each half, leaving a thin layer adhering to the skin. salt the shells and drain; chop the flesh. mince two or three onions, brown with a little butter, mix with the flesh of the egg plant, and cook away the moisture; add some chopped mushrooms, parsley and lastly an equal quantity of bread crumbs. season with salt and pepper, remove from the fire and thicken with yolks of eggs. now fill the shells, dust with bread crumbs, put in a baking-pan and sprinkle with olive oil, or bits of butter and bake. french recipe. endive salad. endive is wholesome and delicate. if the curled endive be prepared, use only the yellow leaves, removing the thick stalks and cutting the small ones into thin pieces; the smooth endive stalk as well must be cut fine. it may be mixed with oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and a potato mashed fine, or with sour cream mixed with oil, vinegar and salt. when mixed with the last dressing it is usually served with hot potatoes. endive may also be used as spinach. (see spinach recipes.) a flower salad. the most beautiful salad ever imagined is rarely seen upon our tables, although the principal material for its concoction may be grown in the tiniest yard. any one who has tried growing nasturtiums must admit that they almost take care of themselves, and if the ground is enriched but a little their growth and yield of blossom is astonishingly abundant. it is these same beautiful blossoms that are used in salad, and, as if nature had surmised that their beauty should serve the very practical end of supplying the salad bowl, the more one plucks these growing flowers, the greater number will a small plant yield. the pleasant, pungent flavor of these blossoms would recommend them, aside from their beauty, and when they are shaken out of ice-cold water with some bits of heart lettuce, they, too, become crisp in their way. one of the prettiest ways of arranging a nasturtium salad is to partly fill the bowl with the center of a head of lettuce pulled apart and the blossoms plentifully scattered throughout. prof. blot, that prince of saladmakers, recommends the use of the blossoms and petals (not the leaves) of roses, pinks, sage, lady's slipper, marshmallow and periwinkle, as well as the nasturtium, for decorating the ordinary lettuce salad, and reminds his readers that roses and pinks may be had at all seasons of the year. in summer the lovely pink marshmallow is to be found wild in the country places near salt water; so abundant are these flowers in the marshes (hence the name) and so large are the petals that there need be no fear of robbing the flower vases to fill the salad bowl. these salads should be dressed at the table by the mistress, as, of course, a little wilting is sure to follow if the seasoning has been applied for any length of time. a french dressing is the best, although a mayonnaise may be used if preferred. opinions differ greatly as regards the proportions of the former, but to quote blot again, the proper ones are two of oil to one of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. if the eye is not trained to measure pepper and salt and the hostess is timid about dressing a salad, let her have measured in a pretty cut-glass sprinkler a teaspoon of salt and half of pepper mixed, for every two of oil. for a small salad the two of oil and one of vinegar will be sufficient; measure the saltspoon even full of oil, sprinkle this over the salad, then half the salt and pepper; toss all lightly with the spoon and fork, then add the other spoonful of oil, the vinegar and the remainder of the salt and pepper; toss well and serve. how simple, and yet there are women who never have done the graceful thing of dressing lettuce at the table. rebecca underwood. potatoes and tomatoes in alternate layers may take the place of lettuce. just before serving toss all together. flower sandwiches. make a filling of two-thirds nasturtium blossoms, one third leaves, lay on buttered bread, with buttered bread on top, sandwich style. chicago record. preserved rose leaves. put a layer of rose leaves in a jar and sprinkle sugar over them, add layers sprinkled with sugar as the leaves are gathered until the jar is full. they will turn dark brown and will keep for two or three years. used in small quantities they add a delightful flavor to fruit cake and mince pies. mrs. rollins. sachet powders. in making sachet powders one general direction must be borne in mind--each ingredient must be powdered before mixing. potpourri should be made before the season of outdoor flowers passes. pluck the most fragrant flowers in your garden, passing by all withered blossoms. pick the flowers apart, placing the petals on plates and setting them where the sun can shine upon them. let the petals thus continue to dry in the sun for several days. each flower may be made into potpourri by itself, or the different flowers may be mixed in any variety and proportion that pleases the maker. flowers which have little or no scent should be left out. when the leaves are well dried sprinkle them with table salt. do not omit this, as it is important. the right proportion is about two ounces of the salt to each pound of leaves. if also two ounces of powdered orris root is added and well mixed in with the dried petals the fragrance and permanence are improved. now the potpourri is ready to put in the jars that are sold for that purpose. h. j. hancock. violet marmalade. crush three pounds of violets to a pulp; in the meantime boil four pounds of sugar, take out some, blow through it, and if little flakes of sugar fly from it, it is done. add the flowers, stir them together; add two pounds of apple marmalade, and when it has boiled up a few times, put the marmalade into jars. the cook's own book. garlic butter sauce. bruise half a dozen cloves of garlic, rub them through a fine sieve with a wooden spoon; mix this pulp with butter and beat thoroughly, put in a wide mouthed bottle and keep for further use. ground cherry pudding. half fill a pudding dish with ripe ground cherries or husk tomatoes, dot with bits of butter and cover with a soft batter made of one cup milk, one egg, one tablespoonful butter, two teaspoonfuls baking powder and a half-saltspoonful of salt. bake quickly and serve with lemon sauce. this fruit is so easily raised, so prolific and so delicious, used in various ways, that i wonder it is not more widely known and used. for pies, preserves, puddings and dried, to put in cake, it is inferior to none. it will keep a long time in the husks in a dry place. it will flourish in the fence corners or any out-of-the-way place, and seems to prefer a poor soil and neglect. harriet i. mann. herbs. whether food is palatable or not largely depends upon its seasoning. good, rich material may be stale and unprofitable because of its lack, while with it simple, inexpensive foods become delicious and take on the appearance of luxuries. a garden of herbs with its varying flavors is a full storehouse for the housekeeper, it gives great variety to a few materials and without much expense of money, time or space as any little waste corner of the garden or even a window box, will afford a fine supply. besides use as flowers the young sprouts of most of the herbs are available as greens or salads, and are excellent with any plain salad dressing; among them might be mentioned mustard, cress, chervil, parsley, mint, purslane, chives, sorrel, dandelions, nasturtiums, tarragon and fennel. many of these herbs are ornamental and make beautiful garnishes, or are medicinal and add to the home pharmacy. though not equally good as the fresh herbs, yet dried ones hold their flavors and do excellent service. just before flowering they should be gathered on a sunshiny day and dried by artificial heat, as less flavor escapes in quick drying. when dry, powder them and put up in tin cans, or glass bottles, tightly sealed and properly labeled. parsley, mint and tarragon should be dried in june or july, thyme, marjoram and savory in july and august, basil and sage in august and september. =anise.=--anise leaves are used for garnishing, and the seeds for seasoning, also are used medicinally. =balm.=--balm leaves and stems are used medicinally and make a beverage called balm wine. a variety of cat-mint called moldavian balm is used in germany for flavoring food. =basil.=--sweet basil an aromatic herb is classed among the sweet herbs. it is used as seasoning in soups, sauces, salads and in fish dressings. basil vinegar takes the place in winter of the fresh herb. =basil vinegar.=--in august or september gather the fresh basil leaves. clean them thoroughly, put them in a wide mouthed bottle and cover with cider vinegar, or wine for fourteen days. if extra strength is wanted draw off the vinegar after a week or ten days and pour over fresh leaves; strain after fourteen days and bottle tightly. =borage.=--its pretty blue flowers are used for garnishing salads. the young leaves and tender tops are pickled in vinegar and are occasionally boiled for the table. its leaves are mucilaginous and are said to impart a coolness to beverages in which they are steeped. borage, wine, water, lemon and sugar make an english drink called cool tankard. =caraway.=--caraway seeds are used in cakes, breads, meats, pastry and candies and are very nice on mutton or lamb when roasting. caraway and dill are a great addition to bean soup. the root though strong flavored is sometimes used like parsnips and carrots. =catnip or catmint.=--its leaves are used medicinally and its young leaves and shoots are used for seasoning. =chives.=--the young leaves of chives are used for seasoning, they are like the onion but more delicate, and are used to flavor sauces, salads, dressings and soups. they are chopped very fine when added to salads--sometimes the salad bowl is only rubbed with them. chopped very fine and sprinkled over dutch cheese they make a very acceptable side dish or sandwich filling. =coriander.=--coriander seed is used in breads, cakes and candies. =dill.=--the leaves are used in pickles, sauces and gravies, and the seeds, in soups, curries and medicines. =fennel.=--the leaves of the common fennel have somewhat the taste of cucumber, though they are sweet and have a more delicate odor. they are boiled and served chiefly with mackerel and salmon though sometimes with other fish, or enter into the compound of their sauces. the young sprouts from the roots of sweet fennel when blanched are a very agreeable salad and condiment. the seed is medicinal. =henbane.=--henbane is poisonous and is only used medicinally. =hops.=--the young shoots of hops are used as vegetables in the early spring, prepared in the same way as asparagus and salsify. the leaves are narcotic and are therefore often made up into pillows. =horehound.=--the leaves are used for seasoning and are a popular remedy for a cough. it is much used in flavoring candies. =hyssop.=--the young leaves and shoots are used for flavoring food, but their principal use is medicinal. a syrup made from it is a popular remedy for a cold. =lavender.=--the leaves are used for seasoning, but the chief use of the plant is the distillation of perfumery from its flowers which are full of a sweet odor. =marjoram sweet.=--sweet marjoram belongs to the sweet herbs, the leaves and ends of the shoots are used for seasoning, and are also used medicinally. =pennyroyal.=--the leaves are used for seasoning puddings and other dishes, and also have a medicinal use. =pot marigold.=--marigold has a bitter taste, but was formerly much used in seasoning soups and is still in some parts of england. the flowers are dried and are used medicinally and for coloring butter and cheese. =pimpinella, or salad-burnet.=--the young tender leaves are used as a salad; they have a flavor resembling that of cucumbers. =rosemary.=--a distillation of the leaves makes a pleasant perfume and is also used medicinally. it is one of the sweet herbs for seasoning. =rue.=--this is one of the bitter herbs yet is sometimes used for seasoning. =saffron.=--the dried pistils are used for flavoring and dyeing. some people use it with rice. it is often used in fancy cooking as a coloring material. =sage.=--the leaves both fresh and dried are used for seasoning, meats and dressings especially. =summer savory.=--summer savory is used for flavoring, and especially for flavoring beans. =tarragon or esdragon.=--esdragon with its fine aromatic flavor is a valuable adjunct to salads and sauces. =tarragon or esdragon vinegar.=--strip the leaves from the fresh cut stalks of tarragon. put a cupful of them in a wide mouthed bottle and cover with a quart of cider or wine vinegar, after fourteen days, strain, bottle and cork tightly. =tagetis lucida.=--its leaves have almost the exact flavor of tarragon and can be used as its substitute. =thyme.=--thyme is one of the sweet herbs and its leaves are favorites for seasoning in cooking. =winter savory.=--the leaves and young shoots, like summer savory are used for flavoring foods. =wormwood.=--wormwood is used medicinally as its name implies. horseradish cream apple sauce. stew six sour apples and sift; let cool, and add two heaping tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish; when cold and ready to serve add double the amount of whipped cream, slightly sweetened. chicago record. kale. (see borecole.) kohl rabi. [illustration] strip the leaves from the stem, put on in salted water and boil. peel the tubers, slice thin and boil until tender; drain and chop very fine both leaves and tubers separately, then mix thoroughly; brown a tablespoonful of butter and a little flour in a saucepan, add the kohl rabi and cook for a moment, then add a cup of meat broth and boil thoroughly; serve very hot. leaves for culinary purposes. in addition to sweet and bitter herbs, we have many leaves available for seasoning. the best known and most used are bay leaves, a leaf or two in custards, rice, puddings and soups adds a delicate flavor and aroma. a laurel leaf answers the same purpose. bitter almond flavoring has a substitute in fresh peach leaves which have a smell and taste of bitter almond. brew the leaves, fresh or dry, and use a teaspoonful or two of the liquid. use all these leaves stintedly as they are strongly aromatic, and it is easy to get too much. the flowering currant gives a flavor that is a compound of the red and black currant; gooseberry leaves in the bottled fruit emphasize the flavor, and it is said keep the fruit greener. a fresh geranium or lemon verbena leaf gives a delightful odor and taste to jelly. a geranium leaf or two in the bottom of a cake dish while the cake is baking will flavor the cake. nasturtium leaves and flowers find a place in sandwiches and salads. the common syringa has an exact cucumber flavor and can be a substitute for cucumber in salads or wherever that flavor is desired. lemon and orange leaves answer for the juice of their fruits. horseradish and grape leaves have use in pickles. carrot, cucumber and celery leaves give the respective flavors of their vegetables. tender celery leaves can be thoroughly dried and bottled for winter use. the use of leaves is an economy for a household, and a source of great variety. leeks. leeks are generally used to flavor soups, sauces and salads and are seldom brought to the table as a separate dish. however, they are semi-occasionally served as follows:--boiled and dressed with a cream sauce; or when two-thirds done are put to soak in vinegar seasoned with salt, pepper and cloves, then are drained, stuffed, dipped in batter and fried. boiled lettuce. [illustration] take the coarser part of lettuce not delicate enough for a salad, boil in salted water until soft, then drain thoroughly. slightly brown a tablespoonful of butter and a dessertspoonful of flour in a saucepan, put in the lettuce, let it cook up once or twice, then add a half-cup of stock and boil thoroughly, just before serving add a gill of cream and give a sprinkle of nutmeg if the flavor is liked. lettuce salad. lettuce leaves whole or shredded are served with vinegar, salt, pepper, mustard and a little sugar, or with a french or mayonnaise dressing; or it is shredded and mixed with veal and egg, sweetbreads, shrimps, cress, cucumber, tomatoes or other salad material and is treated with the various salad dressings, mentioned above. stewed green peas with lettuce. shell a half peck of peas, and shred two heads of lettuce; boil together with as little water as possible to keep it from burning, and stir often for the same purpose. stew one hour, set back on the stove, and add one tablespoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of sugar, salt, and a dash of cayenne pepper and just as it is taken up, one well beaten egg, which must not be allowed to boil. serve at once. stuffed lettuce. use five clean heads of lettuce, wash thoroughly, open up the leaves and fill between with any highly seasoned meat--sweetbreads, chicken or veal preferred--or make a forcemeat stuffing. tie up the heads, put into a saucepan with any good gravy, stock or sauce and cook until thoroughly heated through; serve in the gravy. lettuce soup. use three small lettuce heads, clean, drain, chop and put into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, cover and let steam for a few minutes, then add two quarts of good soup stock or one quart each of stock and milk, add a half-cup of rice and boil until the rice is soft. strain through a sieve, or not, as one fancies, season with salt, pepper, return to the fire, add a pint of cream, let it come just to the boiling point and serve. mangoes. mangoes are made from cucumbers, melons, peppers, tomatoes and peaches. the following recipe applies to all but the peaches. select green or half grown melons and large green cucumbers, tomatoes, or peppers. remove a narrow piece the length of the fruit, and attach it at one end by a needle and white thread, after the seeds of the mango have been carefully taken out. throw the mangoes into a brine of salt and cold water strong enough to bear up an egg, and let them remain in it three days and nights, then throw them into fresh cold water for twenty-four hours. if grape leaves are at hand, alternate grape leaves and mangoes in a porcelain kettle (never a copper one) until all are in, with grape leaves at the bottom and top. add a piece of alum the size of a walnut, cover with cider vinegar and boil fifteen minutes. remove the grape leaves and stuff the mangoes. prepare a cabbage, six tomatoes, a few small cucumbers and white onions, by chopping the cabbage and tomatoes and putting all separately into brine for twenty-four hours and draining thoroughly. after draining chop the cucumbers and onions. drain the mangoes, put into each a teaspoonful of sugar, and two whole cloves. add to the vegetable filling, one-fourth ounce each of ground ginger, black pepper, mace, allspice, nasturtium seed, ground cinnamon, black and white mustard, one-fourth cup of horseradish and one-fourth cup sweet oil. bruise all the spices and mix with the oil, then mix all the ingredients thoroughly and stuff the mangoes, fit the piece taken out and sew in with white thread or tie it in with a string around the mango. put them into a stone jar and pour over them hot cider vinegar sweetened with a pound or more of sugar to the gallon to suit the taste. if they are not keeping properly pour over again fresh hot vinegar. martynias. gather the pods when young and tender enough to thrust a needle through them easily, later they become hard and useless for pickles. leave half an inch of stem on each, and lay them in salt water a couple of days, then cook in weak vinegar until tender, but not so long as to break them. drain well from this, place them in jars and prepare vinegar for them in the proportion of an ounce each of cloves, allspice and black pepper to a gallon of vinegar; scald all these together with half a teaspoonful of prepared mustard. pour hot over the martynias, cover closely and keep in a cool place. they will soon be ready for use. mrs. hood. melon, musk. [illustration] it is said a muskmelon can be chosen by its odor. if it has none, it is not good, if sweet and musky it is quite sure to be ripe. another indication of ripeness is when the smooth skin between the rough sections is yellowish green. to serve, cut the melons crosswise and fill with chopped ice an hour before using. try pouring a little strained honey into the melon when eating. cantaloupe frappe. select two large cantaloupes that are ripe and of fine flavor; cut into halves and scrape the pulp from same after removing the seeds (not using any of the rind); put the pulp through a potato ricer, which will keep out all the stringy parts; add to the pulp a pinch of salt, four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a gill of cherry juice (sweetened with a spoonful of sugar), or use some other nice tart juice. soak a tablespoonful of gelatine in a quarter-cupful of water; then set cup in pan of boiling water until it is dissolved; add this to the prepared cantaloupe and when cold turn into a freezer and freeze slowly. serve in sherbet glasses. mrs. sadette harrington. cooked muskmelon. miss corson, in one of her lectures, gives the following directions for making a very nice dessert from muskmelons:--make a rich syrup from a pound of white sugar to half a pint of water. pare and slice the melon and boil it gently in the syrup five to ten minutes flavoring with vanilla or lemon. then take it up in the dish in which it is to be served, cool the syrup and pour it on the melon. to be eaten cold. melon mangoes. (see mangoes.) muskmelon pickle. use ripe muskmelons, pare, remove seeds, and cut in pieces and put into a stone jar. cover with scalded vinegar and let them stand until the next day, when the vinegar must be reheated and poured over them again; repeat this until the fourth day, then weigh the melons and to every five pounds of the fruit allow three pounds of sugar and one quart of vinegar with spices to suit. let all simmer together until the fruit is tender. the second day pour off this syrup, and boil down until it shall only just cover the melons. the result justifies the pains taken. melon, water. the following is said to be an infallible sign of a ripe watermelon, it takes close inspection to find sometimes, but the sign is there if the condition for it exists. when the flesh of the melon changes color and its seeds begin to turn black a small scale or blister appears on the rind. they increase in number and size as the melon ripens, until a ripe one shows them thickly strewn over the surface. a small crop of blisters indicates unripe fruit. a melon must be served ice cold. cut it through the middle, scoop out the flesh with a tablespoon in a circle as much as possible that the pieces may be conical or egg shaped. cover the platter with grape leaves and pile the fruit upon them, allowing the tendrils of the grapes to wander in and out among the melon cones. watermelon ice. cut a watermelon in halves, scoop out the entire center, taking out the seeds; chop in tray; add a cup of sugar. pack the freezer, turn a few minutes. it will be like soft snow and delicious. watermelon pickles. eat the flesh and save the rind. cut the rind into finger lengths and about an inch in width, pare and cut out all the red flesh, throw into a strong salt brine and let stand over night. in the morning drain, boil in water until the pickles are clear, drain again and put into a stone jar. to one gallon of fruit, allow one quart of sugar and one pint of vinegar. do up cinnamon and cloves in little bags, in ratio of two of cinnamon to one of cloves and boil them in the syrup. pour the boiling syrup over the pickles, tie up close and in a few days they are ready for use. mint sauce. four dessert spoons of chopped mint, two of sugar, one quarter pint of vinegar. stir all together; make two or three hours before needed. mint vinegar. fill a bottle loosely with fresh, clean mint, pour over good vinegar, cork tightly and let stand two or three weeks. then pour off and keep well corked. use this vinegar as a condiment, or put a small quantity into drawn butter sauce for mutton. mushrooms. [illustration] the highest authorities say an edible mushroom can easily be distinguished from a poisonous one by certain characteristics;--a true mushroom grows only in pastures, never in wet, boggy places, never in woods, never about stumps of trees, they are of small size, dry, and if the flesh is broken it remains white or nearly so and has a pleasant odor. most poisonous varieties change to yellow or dark brown and have a disagreeable odor, though there is a white variety which grows in woods or on the borders of woods, that is very poisonous. the cap of a true mushroom has a frill, the gills are free from the stem, they never grow down against it, but usually there is a small channel all around the top of the stem, the spores are brown-black, or deep purple black and the stem is solid or slightly pithy. it is said if salt is sprinkled on the gills and they become yellow the mushroom is poisonous, if black, they are wholesome. sweet oil is its antidote. baked mushrooms. hold the mushrooms by the stems, dip them in boiling hot water a moment to help loosen the skin, cut off their stems. boil the parings and stems and strain. pour this water over the mushrooms chopped fine, add parsley and stew about forty minutes. then add six eggs well beaten. pour this mixture into buttered cups and bake quickly. serve with cream sauce. mushroom catsup. boil one peck of mushrooms fifteen minutes in half a pint of water, strain, or not, through a sieve to get all the pulp; add a pint of vinegar to the juice, two tablespoonfuls of salt, one half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, two tablespoonfuls of mustard, one of cinnamon and one of cloves. let the mixture boil twenty minutes; bottle and seal tightly. fried mushrooms. pare the mushrooms, cut off their stems, lay them on their heads in a frying pan in which a tablespoonful of butter has been melted, put a bit of butter into each cap, let them cook in their own liquor and the butter until thoroughly done. season with salt and butter and serve hot. mushrooms with macaroni. boil half a pound of macaroni. put a pint of water, one small onion, a sprig of parsley, the juice of half a lemon, a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter as much pepper into a saucepan. when boiling add a quart of mushrooms and cook five minutes. beat three eggs, stir in and take from the fire. drain the macaroni, put a layer in the bottom of a baking dish, then a layer of the mushroom mixture, and thus alternately until the dish is full. have mushrooms on top, and set in a hot oven for five minutes. mrs. eliza parker. marrow with mushrooms. procure a shinbone and have the butcher split it; remove the marrow and cut it into inch-thick slices; then boil it one and one-half minutes in a quart of salted water, using a teaspoonful of salt. into a frying-pan put a tablespoonful of butter; when hot add five tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms and toss for five minutes, sprinkling them with three shakes of salt and a speck of cayenne. drain the marrow; squeeze over it ten drops of lemon juice; then mix with it the mushrooms; spread on slices of hot, crisp toast and serve immediately. chicago record. mushroom omelet. cook a dozen small, even sized mushrooms in a saucepan with half an ounce of butter and half a saltspoonful of salt sprinkled over them. make ready a plain omelet, as it cooks at the edges place the mushrooms over one half of it, fold over the other half, slip from the pan on to a hot dish and serve immediately. mushrooms on toast. prepare enough mushrooms to measure one half-pint when chopped, and enough of raw ham to fill a tablespoon heaping full. mix these and add a teaspoonful of parsley, a trifle of chopped onion if liked, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, pepper and salt. fry in two tablespoonfuls of butter, add a half-cupful of milk or cream, boil up again, and add an egg thoroughly beaten. serve on small squares of toast. this with the addition of bread crumbs before the milk is added and with the use of some of the relishing herbs makes an excellent stuffing. mushroom soup. get your butcher to crack for you a shank of beef. put over it four quarts of water. let it boil hard for a few moments until all the scum has risen and has been removed. set it back on the stove now to simmer five hours. at the end of the fourth hour add one carrot, one turnip, one small onion, one bunch of parsley, two stalks of celery, twelve cloves and two bay leaves. let all these boil together one hour, then strain and set away until the next day, when all the grease must be skimmed off. to every quart of the stock add a quart of milk thickened with two tablespoonfuls of flour and two tablespoonfuls of butter, one saltspoonful of salt and a dust of pepper, add to this a half-pint of canned mushrooms or small mushrooms stewed thoroughly in the liquor obtained from boiling and straining the stems and parings. mustard. in early spring the young leaves are used as a garnish, or, finely cut, as a seasoning to salads. the cabbage leaved mustard makes an excellent green, and is treated like spinach. aromatic mustard. upon one tablespoonful of grated horseradish, an ounce of bruised ginger root, and five long red peppers pour half a pint of boiling vinegar. allow to stand, closely covered, for two days; then take five teaspoonfuls of ground mustard, one teaspoonful of curry powder, and a dessertspoonful of salt, and mix well together. strain the vinegar upon this, adding a dash of cayenne if wanted very pungent. mix very smoothly and keep in a corked bottle or jar. nasturtium. [illustration] the flowers are used to garnish salads, the young leaves and flowers make a lovely salad (see flower salad). the young buds and leaves when tender are made into pickles and are used like capers in sauces, salads and pickles. nasturtium pickles. gather the seeds as soon as the blossoms fall, throw them into cold salt water for two days, at the end of that time cover them with cold vinegar, and when all the seed is gathered and so prepared, turn over them fresh boiling hot vinegar plain or spiced with cloves, cinnamon, mace, pepper, broken nutmeg, bay leaves and horseradish. cork tightly. boiled okra or gumbo. [illustration] the long seed pod is the edible part of this plant, it can be canned or dried for winter use. if dried let it soak an hour or so before using. to cook, cut the pods in rings, boil them in salted water until tender which will be in about twenty minutes. add butter, salt, pepper and cream. thin muslin bags are sometimes made to hold the whole pods without breaking. after boiling tender, pour them out, season with butter, salt and pepper and bake for five minutes. fried okra. cut it lengthwise, salt and pepper it, roll it in flour and fry in butter, lard or drippings. okra fritters. boil the okra, cut in slices, make a batter as for batter cakes, dip the okra in and fry in plenty of hot lard. mrs. e. c. dubb. okra gumbo soup. use two quarts of tomatoes to one quart of okra cut in rings; put them over the fire with about three quarts of water and let the mixture come to a boil; take one chicken; cut it up and fry brown with plenty of gravy; put it in with the okra and tomatoes; add several small onions chopped fine, a little corn and lima beans, if they are at hand, and salt and pepper. let all simmer gently for several hours. to be served with a tablespoonful of rice and a green garden pepper cut fine to each soup plate. onions. peel and slice onions under water to keep the volatile oil from the eyes. a cup of vinegar boiling on the stove modifies the disagreeable odor of onions cooking. boil a frying pan in water with wood ashes, potash, or soda in it to remove the odor and taste of onions. to rub silver with lemon removes the onion taste from it. leaves of parsley eaten like cress with vinegar hide the odor of onions in the breath. onions to be eaten raw or cooked will lose their rank flavor if they are pulled and thrown into salt water an hour before use. two waters in boiling accomplish the same purpose. onion flavoring. to prepare onion flavoring for a vegetable soup, peel a large onion, stick several cloves into it and bake until it is brown. this gives a peculiar and excellent flavor. fried apples and onions. take one part onion to two parts apple. slice the apples without paring, and slice the onions very thin. fry together in butter, keeping the frying pan covered, to hold the steam which prevents burning. a very slight sprinkling of sugar seems to give an added flavor. add just as it is to be taken up or else it will burn. onion omelet. put a lump of butter or dripping in a frying pan, then put in sliced onions, salt and pepper, cook slowly until done, but not brown. beat the eggs, allowing two for each person, pour in the frying pan, add a little salt and stir until set. serve hot. onion pickles. choose small uniform onions; make a brine that will hold up an egg, and pour over the onions boiling hot. let them lie in this twenty-four hours, then drain and wipe dry and put into bottles. pour over them cold cider vinegar, seasoned with sliced horseradish, whole pepper and mace. put in bottles and seal. baked onions. boil in milk and water until just done, then drain and put them in a buttered frying pan. put a bit of butter, salt, and pepper on each one, and add a little of the water in which the onions have boiled. brown them quickly and serve at once. cream onions. boil onions in two waters and drain; pour over them a little boiling milk and set over the fire, add butter, cream, salt and pepper and serve hot. escalloped onions. boil onions in salted water with a little milk until they are tender. put a layer of onions in a baking dish, scatter bread crumbs over them, dot with butter, season with pepper and salt and a dash of powdered sage, repeat this until the dish is full, pour over a half-cup of cream or milk. cover the top with bread crumbs dotted with butter. bake a light brown and serve. stuffed onions. boil onions one hour in slightly salted water, and remove the centers. make a stuffing of minced liver or chicken in these proportions; to one pound of meat one third of a cupful of gravy milk or cream, one half-cupful of fine bread crumbs, one egg, pepper and salt and some of the onion taken from the centers, mix well and fill the onion shells, dust over a few bread crumbs, dot with butter and bake until brown. put the remaining onion into a stew pan, with a tablespoonful of butter, a half-tablespoonful of flour, and after it boils up once, add a half-cup of milk, a teaspoonful of parsley, salt and pepper, boil up again, pour over onions and serve. this is a good second course after soup served with apple sauce. parsley. parsley is the prime favorite of the garnishes. its pretty curled leaves are used to decorate fish flesh and fowl and many a vegetable. either natural, minced or fried, it is an appetizing addition to many sauces, soups, dressings and salads. fried parsley. wash the parsley very clean, chop fine and fry in butter in the proportion of one tablespoonful of butter to one pint of minced parsley. when soft, sprinkle with bread crumbs, moisten with a little water, and cook ten or fifteen minutes longer. garnish it with sliced boiled egg. to be eaten with pigeon. parsley vinegar. fill a preserving bottle with parsley leaves, freshly gathered and washed, and cover with vinegar. screw down the top and set aside for two or three weeks. then strain off the vinegar, add salt and cayenne pepper to taste, bottle and cork. use on cold meats, cabbage, etc. parsley sauce. (see sauces.) boiled parsnips. wash, scrape and cut them into slices about an inch thick, put them in a saucepan with salted water and cook until tender, drain, cover with good rich milk, season with butter, pepper and salt to taste, bring to a boil and serve. broiled parsnips. after parsnips are boiled, slice and broil brown. make a gravy as for beefsteak. browned parsnips. put two or three thin slices of salt pork in the bottom of a kettle and let them brown, scrape and slice the parsnips and pare about the same amount of potatoes, leaving them whole if they are small. place in alternate layers in the kettle, and add sufficient water to cook them, leaving them to brown slightly. they must be closely watched as they burn very easily. requires about one and a half hours to cook and brown nicely. remove the vegetables and thicken the gravy with a little flour; add pepper and salt, and a small lump of butter. serve pork and vegetables on a large, deep platter and pour over the gravy. fried parsnips. scrape and wash parsnips, cut off the small end and cut the thick part into half-inch-thick slices. put them in boiling water with a tablespoonful each of salt and sugar. boil an hour or until nearly done and drain; beat two eggs, four tablespoonfuls of flour and half a pint of milk together, season with salt and pepper. dip the slices of parsnip into the batter, then in bread crumbs and fry in boiling lard or drippings until a golden brown. pile them in a heap on a napkin and serve very hot. parsnip fritters. scrape and halve the parsnips, boil tender in salted water, mash smooth, picking out the woody bits; then add a beaten egg to every four parsnips, a tablespoonful of flour, pepper and salt to taste, and enough milk to make into a thin batter; drop by the tablespoonful into hot lard, and fry brown. drain into a hot colander and dish. mashed parsnips. boil parsnips tender in salted water, drain and mash them through a colander. put the pulp into a saucepan with two or three tablespoonfuls of cream and a small lump of butter rubbed in flour, stir them over the fire until the butter is melted and serve. mock oysters. use three grated parsnips, three eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, one teacupful of sweet cream, butter half the size of an egg, three tablespoonfuls of flour. fry as pancakes. parsnip puffs. take one egg, well beaten, and add (without stirring until the ingredients are in) one teacupful each of cold water and flour, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, one teacupful of well-mashed, boiled parsnips; stir very lightly and only enough to mix. do not let it stand long. drop by the tablespoonful into hot, melted fat in a frying pan, and cook until a delicate brown. chicago record. ambushed peas. [illustration] cut the tops off of biscuits or buns twenty-four hours old. scoop out the inside and put both shells and tops into the oven to crust. pour into them peas after they have been boiled and mixed with a cream sauce to which an egg has been added, also minced parsley or mint if liked. cover carefully with the tops and serve hot. boiled peas. do not shell peas until ready to cook. salt, and slightly sweeten if needed boiling water, drop the peas so slowly into the water it will not stop boiling. boil the peas until tender without covering and they will keep their color. they will generally cook in about twenty minutes, take them up with a little of the liquor in which they were boiled, butter and pepper them, and they are much better to add a little sweet cream, but will do without. if they are cooked immediately upon gathering, they will need no sugar; if allowed to remain twelve hours or more, a tablespoonful of sugar will be found an addition. a sprig of mint or a little parsley may be added. pea-pods are sometimes boiled in a small quantity of water, then are skimmed out and the peas are boiled in this liquor. peas and buttered eggs. stew a pint of young peas with a tablespoonful of butter, a little salt, pepper and chopped parsley, until they are tender; beat up two eggs and pour over them the boiling peas. serve at once on toast before the eggs harden. canapes of peas. these form a dainty entree. to prepare the canapes take some slices of stale bread about two inches thick and cut into neat rounds with a large biscuit cutter. with a smaller cutter mark a circle in the center of each round and scoop out the crumbs from it to the depth of one inch. this must be carefully done, so there will be a firm bottom and sides. lay these around in a shallow dish and pour over them a half-pint of milk in which one egg has been thoroughly beaten. this proportion of egg and milk is sufficient for six canapes. let them lie in this for a few minutes; then take up very carefully and slip into very hot lard. when of a pale golden brown remove with a skimmer and drain on blotting paper. boil a pint of freshly cleaned peas in unsalted water until tender; drain well. put into a saucepan with two spoons of butter, dredge in a dessertspoonful of flour and add a saltspoon of salt and a quarter of a pint of milk. let it come to a boil; then fill the canapes with this, give a dusting of pepper on the top of each, arrange on a platter and garnish with parsley and slices of lemon. chicago record. peas and lettuce. use a pint of peas and two young lettuces cut small. put in as little water as possible to use and not burn, let them boil until tender, then add a square of sugar, the yolks of two eggs well beaten and two tablespoonfuls of cream. stir together a short time but do not boil. peas au parmesan. grate one and one-half ounces of cheese, add to it two tablespoonfuls of cream, a gill of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, saltspoonful of salt and four shakes of pepper. place in an enameled pan and stir over the fire until the butter and cheese are dissolved. then put in a pint and a half of fresh young peas, previously boiled until tender, drained and seasoned with a half-teaspoonful of salt. stir the mixture a few moments. serve as hot as possible. chicago record. green-pea salad. shred some lettuce and add to it the peas--they should be boiled with a little mint, and be quite cold. add the salad dressing just before serving. pea and nut salad. use one cupful of chopped pecan nuts to three cupfuls of french peas. serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. pea soup. use chicken, mutton, or beef broth, or water for a liquor in which to boil two cups of green peas, add to them one minced onion, one carrot cut fine, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a stalk of celery cut fine, a bay leaf and two cloves. when the peas are tender, rub all through a sieve. return the soup to the pot and add two tablespoonfuls of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, two well beaten yolks and half a cupful of cream. let come to a boil and serve with croutons. croutons are little squares of bread hard baked in the oven, or fried in oil or butter. deviled peppers. [illustration] use green bell peppers, cut off the stem end and remove the inside. chop cooked cold ham, and with it as many eggs as one wishes, or chop tongue, veal or chicken, and use the following salad dressing:--to a pint of meat use the yolk of a hard boiled egg, rubbed smooth in a scant tablespoonful of melted butter, a half teaspoonful of made mustard, half a teaspoonful of sugar, add enough vinegar to make it thin and stir in the meat. fill the pepper shells with this mixture rounding it up high. it is an excellent lunch dish. pepper mangoes. (see mangoes.) pickled peppers. remove the seeds from large green peppers, slice them and lay them in a jar alternating each layer of peppers with a layer of cabbage, then cover them with salt and let stand over night. in the morning drain off the water. for the pickle use enough vinegar to cover the peppers, an ounce each of black and white mustard seed, juniper berries, whole cloves and allspice, one half-ounce of celery seed and one large onion chopped fine or one head of garlic if that flavor is liked. let this come to a boil and pour over the peppers. pack tightly in a jar, cover with horseradish leaves, and close up tightly. pepper salad. shave as fine as possible one head of cabbage, use an ounce of mustard seed, or an ounce of celery seed as one prefers either flavor; cut one or two yellow peppers into thin shavings if mustard seed is used, or four if celery seed is used. pour cold cider vinegar over all, add a little salt and sugar and let stand a day or two to really pickle the cabbage and peppers. pack in jars or cans and it will keep all winter. serve with oysters and cold meats. stuffed peppers. cut off the stem end of green bell peppers. mince cooked chicken or use a can of shrimps, and mix with it almost an equal weight of bread crumbs, a large lump of butter, two or three tablespoonfuls of cream, salt and a sprinkle of parsley. fill the pepper shells with the mixture, sprinkle bread crumbs over the tops, dot with butter, and brown in the oven. oakland stuffed peppers. cut off the tops and scoop out the seeds of six peppers, chop an extra pepper without seeds, mix with it a small onion chopped, a cupful of chopped tomato, two tablespoonfuls of butter or salad oil, a teaspoonful of salt, and an equal measure of bread crumbs. stuff the peppers, replace the stem ends, and bake the peppers for half an hour, basting them with butter or salad oil two or three times. serve them hot as a vegetable. browned mashed potatoes. whip up mashed potatoes with an egg-beater, add a few tablespoonfuls of cream, the yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, pepper and salt. cover with the whipped whites of the two eggs, bake until browned and with a pancake knife transfer them to a hot dish and serve at once. potatoes with cheese sauce. use twelve good sized potatoes, mash, add pepper, salt, milk and butter. make a cup of drawn butter, (milk, butter and a very little corn starch as thickening, with pepper and salt) into it stir two beaten eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese. put a layer of potatoes on a pie tin, cover with a thin layer of the drawn butter sauce, cover this in turn with more potato and repeat until there is a mound, cover with the sauce, strew thickly with cheese and brown in a quick oven. lyonnaise potatoes. put a large lump of butter in a saucepan and let it melt; then add one small onion chopped fine or sliced thin, when it is nicely browned but not scorched, put in slices of cold boiled potatoes, salt and pepper and cook until well browned. just before taking up add a teaspoonful of parsley. potato pancakes. grate eight large pared potatoes, add to them one and one half-teacupfuls of milk, the beaten yolks of two or three eggs, a lump of butter the size of a walnut, pepper, salt, enough flour to make a batter, and lastly add the whites of two or three eggs beaten stiff. add a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder if only one egg is used. fry in butter or drippings to a rich brown. ringed potatoes. peel large potatoes, cut them round and round as one pares an apple, fry in clean, sweet, very hot lard until brown; drain on a sieve, sprinkle salt over them and serve. potato turnovers. use ten tablespoonfuls of whipped mashed potatoes with a little salt added gradually, six tablespoonfuls of flour and three tablespoonfuls of butter. when thoroughly mixed lay the mass upon a floured board and roll out about an inch thick, cut in circles with a small bowl, lay upon each circle minced meat, poultry or fish. season the meat, wet the edges of the circle with beaten egg and close each one like a turnover, pinch them around the edges and fry to a light brown, or brush them with egg and brown them in the oven. potato souffle. choose large, smooth, handsome, uniform potatoes, allow an extra potato for any waste. bake and with a very sharp knife cut them in two lengthwise. remove the inside, season with butter, cream, pepper and salt and fill the potato skins with the mixture; glaze them with the beaten whites of eggs and over the top spread the whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. brown in the oven. potato soup. use the water in which the potatoes were boiled, add three tablespoonfuls of mashed potato to a pint of water, and as much rich milk as there is water used, season with salt and a dust of cayenne pepper, a little juice of lemon or a little minced parsley or tarragon. serve with crackers or croutons. stuffed potatoes. bake handsome, uniform potatoes, cut off the tops with a sharp knife, take out the inside. add to the scraped potato, butter, milk, pepper, salt and a little grated cheese, fill the empty shells and heap above the top. grate a little cheese over this and set in the oven to brown. serve hot. potatoes used to cleanse. small pieces of raw potato in a little water shaken vigorously inside bottles and lamp chimneys will clean them admirably. to clean a burned porcelain kettle boil peeled potatoes in it. cold boiled potatoes not over-boiled, used as soap will clean the hands and keep them soft and healthy. to cleanse and stiffen silk, woolen and cotton fabrics use the following recipe:--grate two good sized potatoes into a pint of clear, clean, soft water. strain through a coarse sieve into a gallon of water and let the liquid settle. pour the starchy fluid from the sediment, rub the articles gently in the liquid, rinse them thoroughly in clear water and then dry and press. water in which potatoes are boiled is said to be very effective in keeping silver bright. baked pumpkin. [illustration] slice the pumpkin a quarter of an inch thick, peel and put a layer in the bottom of a baking dish, then a layer of sugar with a sprinkle of cinnamon and dot with butter, repeat this until the pan is full. let the top be well covered with sugar. bake in a moderate oven until the sugar becomes like a thick syrup. or cut the pumpkin in squares and do not peel, bake, and when soft enough, scrape it from the shells, season with butter and salt and serve like squash. canned pumpkin. stew pumpkin as for pies, put while hot in cans and seal. pumpkin loaf. take one quart of stewed pumpkin mashed fine, one teaspoonful each of salt and baking soda, one tablespoonful sugar, three pints of meal. stir all together while boiling hot; steam four hours, or steam three hours and bake one. to be eaten hot with cream, or butter and sugar. pumpkin marmalade. take ripe yellow pumpkins, pare and cut them into large pieces, scrape out the seed, weigh and to every pound take a pound of sugar and an orange or lemon. grate the pieces of pumpkin on a coarse grater and put in the preserving kettle with sugar, the orange rind grated and the juice strained. let it boil slowly, stirring frequently and skimming it well until it forms a smooth, thick marmalade. put it warm into small glass jars or tumblers and when cold cover with a paper dipped in alcohol and another heavy paper pasted over the top of the glass. pumpkin pie. to one quart of rich milk take three eggs, three big tablespoonfuls of sugar, a little salt, and a tablespoonful of ginger, a teaspoonful of cinnamon and a grated nutmeg if one likes it highly spiced, add enough finely stewed pumpkin to make a thin mixture. this will make three pies. a good pumpkin pie will puff up lightly when done. preserving pumpkins for winter use. a good way to prepare pumpkin for winter use is to cook and sift it as fine as for pies, then add nearly as much sugar as there is pumpkin; stir well and pack in crocks. better than dried pumpkin for winter use. pumpkin soup. for six persons use three pounds of pumpkin; take off the rind, cut in pieces and put in a saucepan with a little salt and cover with water; let it boil until it is soft (about twenty minutes) and pass through a colander; it must have no water in it; put about three pints of milk in a saucepan, add the strained pumpkin, and let come to a boil; add a very little white sugar, some salt and pepper, but no butter. serve hot. how to serve radishes. [illustration] let every housekeeper try serving radishes in this dainty way. cut off the root close to the radish and remove the leaves, leaving about an inch of the stem. then cut the skin of the radish from the root toward the stem, in sections, as is done in removing the skin of an orange in eighths. the skin can then be peeled carefully back to the stem by slipping the point of a knife under it, and pulling it gently away from the heart of the radish. the pure white heart, with the soft pink of the peeling and the green stem makes a beautiful contrast. if they are thrown into cold water as fast as they are prepared and allowed to remain there until the time for serving, they will be much improved, becoming very crisp and tender. the skin of the young radish should never be discarded, as it contains properties of the vegetable that should always be eaten with the heart; and, unless the radish is tough, it will agree with a delicate stomach much better when eaten with the peel on. they look very dainty when served in this way, lying on fresh lettuce leaves, or are beautiful to use with parsley as a garnish for cold meats. radish, cucumber and tomato salad. slice a bunch of radishes, and a cucumber very thin, make a bed of cress or lettuce, over this slice three solid tomatoes, and cover with the cucumbers and radish. pour over all a french or mayonnaise dressing. baked rhubarb. peel rhubarb stalks, cut into inch lengths, put into a small stone crock with at least one part sugar to two parts fruit, or a larger part if liked, but not one particle of water, bake until the pieces are clear; flavor with lemon or it is good without. it is a prettier sauce and takes less sugar than when stewed, and can be used for a pie filling if the crust is made first. to prevent burning, the crock may be set in a pan of boiling water. when done and while yet hot, beat up the whites of two eggs and whip into the sauce. it makes it very light and very nice. bottled rhubarb. use perfectly fresh, crisp rhubarb, peel and cut in small pieces as for pies, fill a mason jar with the fruit and pour over it freshly drawn water. screw on the top and by the next morning the water will have settled in the jar. fill the jars full with fresh water, seal again and the fruit is ready for winter's use. in making pies it takes less sugar than the fresh fruit. or, boil the rhubarb a few moments, as for sauce, with or without sugar and put into jars while it is very hot just as other fruit is canned. rhubarb cobbler. two cups of flour sifted with two teaspoons of baking powder and one-half teaspoon of salt. rub in two tablespoons of butter. beat one egg very light and add it to three-fourths of a cup of milk. mix with the other ingredients, line the sides of a baking dish with this crust. take one quart of chopped rhubarb sweetened with three cups of sugar, fill the pudding dish with the rhubarb; roll out the remaining crust, cover the top of dish and bake one-half hour. mrs. laura whitehead. cream rhubarb pie. one cup of rhubarb which has been peeled and chopped fine; add one cup of sugar and the grated rind of a lemon. in a teacup place one tablespoonful of cornstarch and moisten it with as much cold water; fill up the cup with boiling water and add it to the rhubarb. add the yolks of three eggs well beaten. bake with an under crust. when cold cover with a meringue made of the whites of the eggs and one-half cup of sugar. place in the oven to become a delicate brown. very fine. mrs. byron backus. rhubarb jam. use equal parts of rhubarb and sugar, heat the sugar with as little water as will keep it from burning, pour over the rhubarb and let stand several hours; pour off and boil until it thickens, then add the fruit and boil gently for fifteen minutes. put up in jelly glasses. apples and oranges may be put up with rhubarb allowing two apples or three oranges to a pint of cut up rhubarb. rhubarb tapioca. soak over night two-thirds of a cupful of tapioca. in the morning drain; add one cupful of water and cook the tapioca until it is clear; add a little more water if necessary. then add a cup and a half of finely sliced rhubarb, a pinch of salt and a large half-cup of sugar. bake in moderate oven an hour. serve warm or cold and eat with sugar if liked very sweet. very nice. shirley de forest. rutabagas boiled. [illustration] pare, slice and boil in as little salted water as possible, a little sugar added is an improvement. when dry and tender serve plain, each slice buttered and peppered as it is piled on the plate. rutabagas and potatoes. use three-fourths potatoes and one-fourth rutabagas; boil in salted water until tender, add a lump of butter, a dust of pepper and more salt if necessary, mash and stir until fine and light. any good recipe for white turnips is equally good for rutabagas. salad dressings. =cream dressing.=--where oil is disliked in salads, the following dressing will be found excellent. rub the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs very fine with a spoon, incorporate with them a dessertspoonful of mixed mustard, then stir in a tablespoonful of melted butter, half a teacupful of thick cream, a saltspoonful of salt, and cayenne pepper enough to take up on the point of a very small pen-knife blade, and a few drops of anchovy or worcestershire sauce; add very carefully sufficient vinegar to reduce the mixture to a smooth, creamy consistency. =french dressing.=--use one tablespoonful of vinegar to three of salad oil (melted butter will do) one teaspoonful of salt to half the quantity of pepper and a teaspoonful of made mustard. mix the salt, pepper, mustard and oil together, then add the vinegar a few drops at a time, stirring fast. a teaspoonful of scraped onion may be added for those who like the flavor. =mayonnaise dressing.=--put in the bottom of a quart bowl the yolk of a raw egg, a level teaspoonful of salt, and three-fourths of a teaspoonful of pepper; have ready about half a cupful of vinegar, and a bottle of salad oil; use a wooden spoon and fork for mixing the mayonnaise--first the egg and seasoning together, then begin to add the oil, two or three drops at a time, stirring the mayonnaise constantly until a thick paste is formed; to this add two or three drops at a time, still stirring, enough vinegar to reduce the paste to the consistency of thick cream; then stir in more oil, until the mayonnaise is again stiff, when a little more vinegar should be added; proceed in this way until the oil is all used, being careful toward the last to use the vinegar cautiously, so that when the mayonnaise is finished it will be stiff enough to remain on the top of the salad. some like the addition of a level teaspoonful of dry mustard to a pint of mayonnaise. =plain salad dressing.=--set a bowl over a boiling teakettle, into it put a tablespoonful each of melted butter and mustard, rub them well together, then add a tablespoonful of sugar, one half-cup of vinegar and lastly three well-beaten eggs. stir constantly while cooking, to make the mixture smooth, when done, strain and bottle for use. if too thick upon serving, thin with cream. boiled salsify. scrape off the outer skin of the roots, cut in small pieces and throw into water with a little vinegar to prevent turning brown. boil at least an hour, as they should be quite soft to be good. when done put in a little salt codfish picked very fine. season with butter, salt, and cream, thickened with a little flour or cornstarch and serve with bits of toast. the fish helps to give it a sea-flavor. instead of fish the juice of half a lemon may be used or it is good without any added flavor. escalloped salsify. cook salsify in salted water until tender, alternate it in a baking dish with bread crumbs seasoned with pepper and salt, and dot with butter. moisten it with cream or milk and a little melted butter, cover the top with bread crumbs dotted with butter, and bake a light brown. salsify fritters. scrape some oyster plant and drop quickly into cold water with a few drops of vinegar to prevent its turning dark. boil until soft in salted water, mash fine, and for every half pint of the pulp add one well beaten egg, a teaspoonful of melted butter, a tablespoonful of cream, a heaping tablespoonful of flour, salt and pepper. drop into boiling lard or drippings and fry brown. or, instead of mashing the salsify after boiling, some prefer to drain it, and to dip each piece in batter and fry it in hot lard. season with salt and pepper after frying, drain in a napkin and serve hot. fried salsify. scrape, cut into finger lengths and boil in salted water, drain and cover with a dressing of oil and vinegar, salt and pepper. let stand until well seasoned, then drain again, sprinkle with parsley and fry in hot fat. put in but few pieces at a time as each needs attention. dry in a hot colander and serve. salsify soup. use a pint of salsify cut fine, boil until soft in a pint of water, mash and put through a sieve. have ready three pints of boiling milk, into this put the salsify, liquor and pulp, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour, and season with butter, pepper and salt. roll crackers and stir in three tablespoonfuls of cracker dust. sauces. =asparagus sauce.=--use the tender part of the stalks for the main dish, boil the tougher part until it is as soft as it will be, then rub through a coarse sieve. put the pulp into a mixture of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour and let it simmer for a few moments, add a half-cup of water in which the asparagus was boiled, season with salt and pepper and boil thoroughly; just before taking from the fire add a half-cup of hot cream or one-half cup of milk and water, and a teaspoonful of butter; a little grating of nutmeg improves the flavor. =bechamel sauce.=--bechamel sauce is a white one and needs a white stock; if there is none at hand make it in the following manner: cut up lean veal, free from fat into three-inch cubes and put them into a stewpan. add one small onion, one small carrot cut into pieces, and six ounces of butter. fry the vegetables in the butter ten minutes, without coloring, then stir in three ounces of flour, and continue stirring five minutes longer. add three pints of stock, one pint of cream, five ounces of mushrooms, a small sprinkling of dried herbs, one half teaspoonful of salt and a pinch of white pepper. stir until it comes to a boil, skim occasionally to remove the fat, and simmer for two hours. strain through a cloth or fine sieve into a porcelain stewpan with a gill of cream. simmer over the fire till it coats the spoon, strain again through a cloth or fine sieve into a basin, and set till the sauce is cold. this sauce requires the cook's utmost attention. =butter sauce or drawn butter sauce.=--mix one tablespoonful each of butter and flour to a smooth paste, put in a saucepan to melt, not to brown, and add one cupful of water, broth, or milk. season with one teaspoonful of salt and one saltspoonful of pepper. stir constantly while boiling. this is a good sauce in itself and is the foundation of many other sauces; it is varied with different vegetable flavors, catsups, vinegars, spices, lemon juice, leaves and the different sweet herbs. =brown sauce or spanish sauce.=--brown a tablespoonful of butter, add the same amount of flour and brown again, add a cup of boiling water, stock or milk, and stir while it is cooking, strain if necessary; a clove, a bay leaf, and a tablespoonful of minced onion or carrot browned in the butter varies the flavor. =caper sauce.=--stir into some good melted butter from three to four dessertspoonfuls of capers; add a little of the vinegar and dish the sauce as soon as it boils. =celery sauce.=--cut half a dozen heads, or so, of celery into small pieces; cook in a little slightly salted water until tender, and then rub through a colander. put a pint of white stock into a stewpan with two blades of mace, and a small bunch of savory herbs; simmer half an hour to extract their flavor, then strain them out, add the celery and a thickening of flour or corn-starch; scald well, and just before serving, pour in a teacupful of cream, or if one has not the cream, use the same amount of scalded milk and a tablespoonful of butter, season to taste with salt and white pepper, squeeze in a little lemon juice, if one has it, and serve. if brown gravy is preferred thicken with browned flour, and it is improved by a little worcestershire sauce or mushroom catsup. =cream sauce.=--rub to a smooth paste one tablespoonful of butter and the same of flour, put into a saucepan and melt, do not brown; have ready a cup of hot cream, or the same amount of milk enriched by a tablespoonful of butter and add to the butter and flour. stir constantly until it thickens. a dusting of grated nutmeg, grated cheese or a saltspoonful of chopped onion lightly browned in the butter is an agreeable addition. =cucumber sauce.=--use two tablespoonfuls of olive oil, a scant tablespoonful of vinegar or lemon juice, a half-teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and a saltspoonful of mustard with a teaspoonful of cucumber; rub the oil and mustard together before adding the other ingredients, stir well and serve very soon as it spoils by standing. =egg sauce.=--boil the eggs hard, cut them into small squares, and mix them with good butter sauce. make hot and add a little lemon juice before serving. =hollandaise sauce.=--one half a teacupful of butter, the juice of half a lemon, the yolks of two eggs, a speck of cayenne, one-half cupful of boiling water, one-half teaspoonful of salt; beat the butter to a cream, add the yolks one by one, the lemon juice, pepper and salt; place the bowl in which these are mixed in a saucepan of boiling water; beat with an egg-beater until the sauce begins to thicken, and add boiling water, beating all the time; when like a soft custard, it is done; the bowl, if thin, must be kept over the fire not more than five minutes, as if boiled too much it spoils. =horseradish sauce.=--two teaspoonfuls of made mustard, two of white sugar, one-half teaspoonful of salt and a gill of vinegar; mix and pour over sufficient grated horseradish to moisten thoroughly. =lyonnaise sauce.=--brown a small onion minced in a tablespoonful of butter and the same of flour, add a half-cupful of meat broth, a teaspoonful of parsley, salt and pepper and cook long enough to season well. =mint sauce.=--four dessertspoonfuls of mint, two of sugar, one gill of vinegar; stir all together; make two or three hours before wanted. =mushroom sauce.=--mix one tablespoonful each of flour and butter, melt in a stewpan, add a cupful of rich white stock or cream and stir until it thickens; put in a half-cupful of freshly boiled or of canned mushrooms, let all come to a boil again, season with a saltspoonful of salt and a dash of cayenne pepper; serve hot. =mustard sauce, french.=--slice an onion in a bowl; cover with good vinegar. after two days pour off the vinegar; add to it a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, and mustard enough to thicken; mix, set upon the stove and stir until it boils. when cold it is ready for use. =mustard sauce, german.=--four tablespoonfuls of ground mustard, one tablespoonful of flour, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, one of salt, two of cinnamon, one of cloves, one of cayenne pepper, three of melted butter; mix with one pint of boiling vinegar. =onion sauce.=--mince an onion; fry it in butter in a stewpan. pour over it a gill of vinegar; let it remain on the stove until it is simmered one-third away. add a pint of gravy, a bunch of parsley, two or three cloves, pepper and salt. thicken with a little flour and butter, strain, and remove any particles of fat. =parsley sauce.=--parsley sauce is the usual "cream sauce," to which is added a tablespoonful of minced parsley and one hard boiled egg finely chopped. =tartare sauce.=--tartare sauce is a french salad dressing to which is added a tablespoonful each of chopped olives, parsley, and capers or nasturtiums; instead of capers or nasturtiums chopped cucumbers or gherkins can be used. set on ice until used. =tomato sauce.=--boil together for one hour, a pint of tomatoes, one gill of broth of any kind, one sprig of thyme, three whole cloves, three pepper corns, and half an ounce of sliced onions; rub through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and set the sauce to keep hot; mix together over the fire one ounce of butter and half an ounce of flour, and when smooth add to the tomato sauce. =vinaigrette sauce.=--a vinaigrette sauce is a brown sauce flavored with vinegar just before serving; it must be cider vinegar, or one of the fancy vinegars, as tarragon, parsley, martynia and the like; or, rub a teaspoonful of mustard into a tablespoonful of olive oil, to which add a teaspoonful of salt and one-half teaspoonful of pepper. lastly add very slowly a half-cup of vinegar stirring vigorously. =white sauce.=--put one tablespoon each of flour and butter in a saucepan and stir together until they bubble; then gradually stir in a pint of boiling water or white stock; season with salt and pepper and let boil a moment longer. to vary it, the beaten whites of two eggs may be stirred in just before serving. scorzonera. the roots are eaten boiled like those of salsify--or like the jerusalem artichoke. the recipes of either are applicable to scorzonera. the leaves of scorzonera are used in salad with a plain or french dressing. shallots. the bulbs are more delicate than onions, and are used to flavor soups, salads, dressings and sauces. the leaves when young help in forming salads. sorrel and swiss chard. sorrel and swiss chard are often used together as the chard modifies the acidity of the sorrel. they make acceptable greens when used together and are treated like spinach. sorrel soup. pick off the stems and wash the leaves of a quart of sorrel, boil in salted water, drain and chop fine, mix butter and flour in a saucepan and when the butter is melted turn in the sorrel and let cook for a couple of minutes. add three pints of beef or veal stock well seasoned and stir until it boils. just before serving beat up two eggs and turn over them the boiling soup, which will cook them sufficiently. a sliced onion, or a few blades of chives boiled with the sorrel is a welcome flavor occasionally, also the stock may be half meat stock and half cream or milk. sorrel and spinach soup. to one quart of sorrel add a handful of spinach and a few lettuce leaves. put them in a frying pan with a large piece of butter and cook until done. add two quarts of boiling water, season with salt and pepper and just before serving add two eggs well beaten into a gill of cream. this is an excellent soup for an invalid. baked spinach. [illustration] use one-half peck of spinach. pick over the leaves carefully, remove all wilted ones and roots, wash thoroughly and put in boiling water to which a pinch of soda has been added to keep the color. when very tender, drain, chop fine, and put into a baking dish. put into a saucepan with a cup of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, one small teaspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne pepper and a very little grated nutmeg. let this come to a boil, stir into the spinach, add two well beaten eggs and bake ten minutes in a hot oven. boiled spinach, french. prepare as above, after it is thoroughly tender, throw into a colander and drench with cold water. this gives a firmness and delicacy attained in no other way. shake it free from water, chop fine, put into a saucepan, stir with a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste and two tablespoonfuls of cream until hot, when it is ready to be heaped in the dish with poached or boiled eggs or quirled yolks on top. to quirl the yolks run them through the sieve of a patent potato masher. "victory" spinach carefully wash the spinach, scald it in boiling salted water, then pour cold water over it, drain and chop fine. stew an onion in butter until it is soft, add the spinach, sprinkle flour over it and cook for ten minutes stirring constantly, add salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg, and cover with meat stock or gravy. boil a few minutes and when done, add a little sour cream. fried spinach. take cold spinach left from dinner, premising that it was boiled tender in properly salted water, and that there were three or four poached eggs left also. chop the eggs thoroughly into the spinach and sprinkle with pepper. put into a frying-pan a large tablespoonful of butter, and when it is sufficiently hot put in the spinach and eggs, and fry nicely. ravioli of spinach. prepare a potato paste as for potato turnovers, or a good puff paste, and with a saucer or tin cutter of that size cut out a circle. place a tablespoonful of spinach prepared french style upon one side, wet the edges, fold over the other side and press it around with the fingers and thumb, brush with egg and bake until a light brown. when served pour around it cream or a cream sauce in which is a hard boiled egg chopped fine, or peas. spinach salad. take two dozen heads of spinach, season with salt and pepper, put in salad dish and set away on ice. take the yolks of three hard boiled eggs, mash fine, add mustard, salt, pepper, a tablespoonful of melted butter. mix thoroughly, add vinegar and pour over the spinach. garnish with hard boiled eggs sliced. cooking summer squash. quarter, seed, pare and lay them in cold water. steam over boiling soft water if possible, or boil in salted water and drain thoroughly, mash them smooth and season with butter, pepper and salt. if the seeds are very young and tender they can be retained. escalloped summer squash. the squash is pared and sliced and laid in a baking dish alternating with cracker crumbs, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, until the dish is full, the upper layer being cracker crumbs dotted with butter. bake three quarters of an hour. fried summer squash. cut the squash in thin slices and sprinkle with salt. let it stand a few minutes, then beat an egg, in which dip the slices. fry in butter and season with sugar or salt and pepper to taste. summer squash fritters. use three medium sized squashes; pare, cut up and boil tender, drain thoroughly and mash, season with pepper and salt; add one cupful of milk (cream is better), the yolks of two eggs and sufficient sifted flour to make a very stiff batter, or they will be hard to turn; lastly, stir in the beaten whites of the eggs. fry brown in hot fat. baked winter squash. cut in small pieces to serve individually, bake with the rind on, scoop out the squash, season it with butter, pepper, salt, a little sugar and cream and replace in shells; an allowance of two or three extra pieces should be made to give filling enough to heap the shells, dust a few bread or cracker crumbs over the top, dot with a bit of butter, bake a nice brown and serve. boiled winter squash. peel and cut into pieces a large squash that will, when cooked fill a half gallon. steam over hot salted water if possible, if not put it on to boil in as little water as possible. keep it closely covered and stir frequently. when perfectly soft, drain in colander, press out all of the water, rub the squash through a sieve and return it to the saucepan. add to it a quarter of a pound of nice butter, one gill of sweet cream and salt and pepper to taste. stew slowly, stirring frequently until it is as dry as possible. in cold weather serve all vegetables on warmed dishes. squash biscuit. one and one-half cupfuls of sifted squash, half a cupful of sugar, half a cake of compressed yeast, one cupful of milk, half a teaspoonful of salt, four tablespoonfuls of butter, five cupfuls of flour. dissolve the yeast in a scant half-cupful of cold water, mix it and the milk, butter, salt, sugar and squash together, and stir into the flour. knead well and let it rise over night. in the morning shape into biscuit. let them rise one hour and a half and bake one hour. chicago record. squash custard. use a cupful of mashed squash, stir into it a pint of hot milk, then add four well beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, and season with salt and pepper. put into a hot greased baking pan and bake in a quick oven. squash pie. (see pumpkin pie.) squash soup. to one quart of thoroughly cooked pumpkin or squash allow two quarts of milk, plenty of butter, pepper and salt. serve with toasted bread. pumpkin and squash soups are french dishes. sweet potato biscuit. one quart of flour, one quart of sweet potatoes--after they are boiled and grated--one-half cupful of lard, one cup of yeast--mix with either milk or water; let them rise twice. bake like tea biscuits. escalloped sweet potatoes. boil the potatoes the day before. peel and slice them rather thick. in the bottom of a baking-dish put bits of butter, sprinkle sugar and put a layer of potato. then more butter, sugar and potato, until the pan is full. let the top be strewn with sugar and bits of butter and pour over it a teacupful of water. put it in the oven, and after it begins to cook, once or twice moisten the top with a little butter and water to dissolve the sugar and prevent its merely drying on top of the potato. use a teacupful of sugar and half a pound of butter to a half gallon pan of potato. bake slowly. sweet potato loaf. boil and mash sweet potatoes, season with butter, pepper and salt, put into a buttered baking dish, cover with bread crumbs dotted with butter, and bake until brown. ornament with cress or a few sprigs of parsley. sweet potatoes roasted. sweet potatoes roasted under beef or lamb are very nice. take the skin off carefully to leave the surface smooth, wash and put them under the meat, allowing half an hour for a medium sized potato. they will brown over nicely and receive an agreeable flavor. sweet potato salad. boil three large sweet potatoes. cut into half-inch squares. cut into very small pieces two stalks of celery. season with salt and pepper and pour over a french dressing as follows:--three tablespoonfuls salad oil, two of vinegar, one tablespoonful onion juice, one saltspoon each of salt and pepper. let salad stand in refrigerator two hours. garnish with pickles, pitted olives and parsley. chicago record. swiss chard or silver leaf beet. the leaves of swiss chard are boiled and used like spinach. the stalks and midrib are very broad and tender and when young are used like asparagus. the leaves of sorrel and spinach are often used together as greens. (see asparagus and spinach receipts). baked tomatoes. tomatoes may be simply baked without stuffing. peel them first, lay stem end down in a dripping pan, cut a greek cross on the top of each, season with salt, pepper and sugar, dot with bits of butter and sprinkle thickly with fine stale crumbs, adding a generous bit of butter on top of each. pour in at the side of the pan two tablespoonfuls of water. broiled tomatoes. turn hot boiling water on to the tomatoes to peel them, cut slices at least three-quarters of an inch thick, and small tomatoes in halves, rub a piece of fat pork on the gridiron, put on the tomatoes, and broil on both sides, or dip in sweet oil and broil, or cover both sides with cheese and broil, or slice the tomatoes with their skins on and broil, and pour melted butter over them. in all cases season nicely with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley or cress and serve hot on a hot dish. escalloped tomatoes. arrange in a baking pan layers of tomatoes covered with bread crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, a little sugar, and dotted with butter. let the upper layer be of bread crumbs dotted with butter. bake covered, half an hour. a few minutes before serving take off the cover and brown. tomato catsup. use ripe tomatoes, boil and strain. to every gallon of tomatoes use tablespoonfuls of salt, of mustard, - / black pepper, / of cayenne, cup of brown sugar and pint of cider vinegar. boil four hours and watch carefully or it will burn. set on back of stove and add tablespoonful of cinnamon, / tablespoonful of cloves, and if liked, pint currant jelly. mix thoroughly, can while hot and seal. tomato figs. scald and peel the tomatoes, then weigh them, place them in a stone jar with an equal amount of sugar and let them stand two days, then pour off the syrup and boil and skim until no scum rises. pour it over the tomatoes and let them stand two days as before, pour off, boil and skim a second time and a third time. after the third time they are fit to dry if the weather is good, if not let them stand in syrup until drying weather. place on earthen dishes and dry in the sun which will take about a week, after which pack them in wooden boxes with fine white paper between the layers; so prepared they will keep for years. fried tomatoes. do not pare the tomatoes, cut in slices, roll in flour and fry in butter until both sides are brown, season with salt, pepper and a little sugar sprinkled over while cooking; or after the tomatoes are browned, stir into the gravy in the spider, one cupful of cream thickened with flour. let it boil up, and turn it over the tomatoes. macaroni with tomatoes. remove from each tomato the pips and watery substance it contains; put the tomatoes in a saucepan with a small piece of butter, pepper, salt, thyme and a bay leaf, and a few tablespoonfuls of gravy or stock, keep stirring until they are reduced to a pulp, then strain through a sieve, and pour over macaroni already boiled soft and cover with grated cheese; bake until a light brown. tomato mangoes. (see mangoes.) tomato mustard. to one peck of ripe tomatoes add a teaspoonful of salt; let it stew a half hour, and strain through a sieve. add two dessertspoonfuls of onions chopped fine, a dessertspoonful of whole pepper, one of allspice, one of cloves, and half a spoonful of cayenne pepper. let it simmer down one-third, adding a teaspoonful of curry, and a teacupful of mustard. then simmer half an hour longer. frozen tomato salad. peel and chop fine a half dozen solid tomatoes, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. freeze the pulp solid in an ice cream freezer, when frozen mold it into fancy shapes and serve on lettuce with a tablespoonful of mayonnaise over each mold. tomato soup. boil a quart of tomatoes in a pint of water for twenty minutes and strain; put in a small teaspoonful of soda, and a quart of milk as it foams. add a tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed together, plenty of salt and a sprinkling of pepper. put a tablespoonful of whipped cream in each soup plate. stuffed tomatoes. cut off a transverse slice from the stem end of the tomato; scrape out the inside pulp and stuff it with mashed potatoes, bread crumbs, parsley and onions, or with any force meat, fish, or poultry well seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, moistened with a little stock or cream and the yolk of an egg added to bind it, bake. or, scoop out the seeds, place the tomatoes in a saucepan containing a gill of salad oil; next chop about half a bottle of mushrooms, a handful of parsley and four shallots, put them into a stewpan with two ounces of scraped bacon or ham, season with pepper, salt, a little chopped thyme and fry five minutes, when add the yolks of three eggs. fill the tomatoes with this mixture, sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake until brown. tomato wine. take fresh ripe tomatoes, mash very fine, strain through a thin cloth. to every gallon of the pure juice add one and one-quarter pounds of sugar and set away in an earthen jar about nine days or until it has fermented; a little salt will improve its taste; strain again, bottle, cork tightly and tie down cork. to use it as a drink, to every gallon of fresh sweetened water add half a tumbler of the wine with a few drops of lemon essence and one has a good substitute for lemonade. kizzie beckly. baked turnips. peel and boil some turnips in salted water to which a half teaspoonful of sugar has been added. slice them half an inch thick and put them in a stew-pan with two tablespoonfuls of butter to six or seven good sized turnips, shake them until they are lightly browned. season with salt, pepper, a trifle of mace and sugar. pour over a pint of good brown gravy and serve. boiled turnips. put three tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan and as soon as it is melted put in one small onion, minced fine and one quart of turnips cut in dice; stir until they are brown, when add one teaspoonful of salt, the same of sugar, one tablespoonful of flour and half a saltspoonful of pepper, stirring for two minutes. then add a cupful of milk or stock and simmer for twenty minutes, keeping the saucepan covered. serve immediately. turnip salad. slice very thin three or four turnips; put them to soak over night, change the water the next morning, then cut up very fine, put on salt, pepper, celery salt, or celery seed and vinegar. vegetable aspic molds. in the bottom of some very small molds lay alternately small pieces of chili, chervil and hard-boiled white of egg. cover these well with liquid aspic, then add a further layer of chopped parsley and finely chopped yolk of hard-boiled egg. having covered this also with aspic, put in another layer of small squares of cheese and a few capers, and so continue the operation till the molds are quite full. when set on ice turn out of the molds and serve on lettuce leaves with mustard, cress and chopped aspic jelly. the aspic is made by using a meat or vegetable stock to which is added enough soaked gelatine to make a jelly when cold. vegetable soup. put a half-cup of drippings into a saucepan, thicken it with two tablespoonfuls of flour, cut into it and brown two small onions. have ready two quarts of boiling water, into this empty the contents of the saucepan, slice into it six tomatoes, two potatoes, one carrot and one turnip; add two cupfuls of green peas, one cupful of lima beans and a half-dozen cloves. let all simmer slowly for two hours, then put all through a colander, return it to the pot, heat to boiling, thicken with a tablespoonful of butter rolled in cornstarch, season with pepper and salt to taste and serve hot. [illustration] vaughan's seed store chicago new york transcriber's note the following typographical errors have been corrected: nd un-numbered page delicous changed to delicious (two times) th un-numbered page i.c. changed to i.e. th un-numbered page what is usually, changed to what is usually oders changed to odors condidion changed to condition sprigs of parsley changed to sprigs of parsley. have lightly browned changed to have lightly browned. the first few letters were missing from the first line on this page. by context, they have been reconstructed as: [a l]eaf of great variety changed to of great variety. cayene changed to cayenne the following words had inconsistent spelling: catchup / catsup dessertspoonful / dessert spoonful forcemeat / force meat seakale / sea kale the following words had inconsistent hyphenation: corn-starch / cornstarch horse-radish / horseradish par-boil / parboil stew-pan / stewpan [illustration: ready to pour the jelly] cookery for little girls by olive hyde foster [illustration] new york duffield & company mcmx copyright, , by duffield & co. the premier press new york _dedicated_ _to two of the dearest little girls that ever learned to cook._ preface this book has been prepared with the special purpose of assisting mothers throughout the country to train their small daughters in the art of cookery. scarcely any child can be trusted to take a recipe and work alone, as the clearest directions need the watchful supervision of an experienced woman, who can detect the coming mistake and explain the reason for doing things in a certain way. all children like to experiment in the kitchen, and instead of allowing them to become an annoyance, they should be so directed that their efforts will result in immediate help to the mother and prove invaluable life lessons to the little ones themselves. nothing is really more pitiable than the helpless woman who, when occasion demands, finds herself unable to do ordinary cooking. and that young wife is blessed indeed who has been prepared for her duties in the home by a conscientious mother. therefore let no woman think it too much trouble to teach her child the preparation of various kinds of food, impressing on her at the same time the dignity and importance of the work. the following articles, though considerably lengthened and rearranged, were written at the request of the editor, and ran for a year in _pictorial review_; and the encouraging letters they elicited from women and children everywhere, prompted this publication in book form. the intention has been not to make a complete manual of cookery, but instead to create interest in enough branches to enable an otherwise inexperienced person to successfully put together any good recipe. thanks are also due for the use of material appearing in _the circle_ and _harper's bazar_. olive hyde foster. contents chapter page i. good things for breakfast ii. using odds and ends iii. some easy soups iv. fish, fresh and dried v. simple meat dishes vi. the interesting potato vii. different kinds of vegetables viii. for the unexpected guest ix. rice and macaroni x. baking cake and bread xi. desserts good in summer xii. the thanksgiving dinner xiii. the christmas dinner party xiv. delicious home-made candies xv. preserving xvi. sandwiches and drinks xvii. a few more desserts illustrations ready to pour the jelly _frontispiece_ page preparing to make biscuit creamed eggs table set for valentine luncheon fresh vegetable salad heart salad green pepper salad tossing up a salad creamed codfish and coffee for father's breakfast veal cutlet as reed birds a standing roast of beef cleaning up cucumber jelly table set for an easter luncheon creamed oysters in baskets tray arranged for welsh rarebit compote of rice icing the cake tea cakes baked in heart shape afternoon tea for two fruit jelly with whipped cream cornstarch pudding, small moulds dinner table with fruit centerpiece. nuts and raisins in individual baskets making pies delicious home-made candies marking the preserves marshmallow cream charlotte russe cookery for little girls chapter i good things for breakfast (for these recipes, unless otherwise specified, make all measurements level. the use of measuring cups, divided into halves and thirds, is strongly urged, as well as the tea and table measuring spoons.) every mother should begin to instruct her little daughter at an early age in the different branches of housekeeping, and if taught in the right way, none will prove more attractive than cooking. when quite young the child will be eager to experiment, and generally will be careful; and with many of the simple recipes she can scarcely make a mistake, and they will prove invaluable to her later on. cooking is of great educational value. aside from giving a girl that knowledge necessary to the proper conduct of a home, in the dextrous handling of utensils and food products, the concentration required, and the practice of doing certain work for certain results, it also gives excellent mental training and brings all-round development. every girl should become a good practical cook; and in the majority of cases the mother, for many reasons, is the best teacher. equipment the small cook should be provided with her own apron, sleeves and cap. also attach to her belt a tea-towel and a small holder for lifting hot pans. this will make her feel more important and too, impress upon her the need of having everything clean and orderly. then emphasize the necessity of always following directions, and taking the pains to make each cupful an _even_ cupful--each spoonful an _even_ spoonful. the pan for baking should be thoroughly greased and set aside ready for use, after the fire has first been put in good condition, so that the oven will be right, and then all the cooking utensils and materials placed conveniently at hand. for the first lesson suppose the choice be baking-powder biscuit. when properly made they are delicious, but from the number of times that otherwise good cooks fail on this point, i have come to the conclusion that the secret lies in the mixing and handling. [illustration: preparing to make biscuit] baking-powder biscuit have the child place two even cupfuls of flour in the sifter, with two level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, and then sift. to this add one rounded tablespoonful of lard. the little maid's hands and nails should be specially cleaned so she can work this thoroughly into the flour, and it may take her five minutes to do it properly. next, dusting her hands, have her take a table fork and stir all the time as she adds the milk. generally three-quarters of a cupful of milk is enough, but if the flour was packed in solid it may take a whole cupful. mix up well with the fork into a soft dough, and turn out on a floured bread-board. she must not handle it, even now, but sprinkle over just enough flour to keep the rolling-pin from sticking while she rolls it out until three-fourths of an inch thick. next she should be shown how to cut into small rounds without any waste, for the dough that is left to be molded over will take up more flour and consequently be thicker and not so light. as each biscuit is cut it should be carefully placed in the pan, close to its neighbor, but not crowding, and when all are ready, popped into a hot oven for fifteen minutes' baking. this lesson should be repeated in a few days, before the child has forgotten any of the details, and thereafter it is advisable to let her make the same dough, for different purposes, at least once a week for a while. for meat pies, dumplings, or shortcake, one-half the recipe will be plenty for a family of four, and she will feel that she has learned each time how to make a new dish. provide a small blank book and have her write down every recipe, with the full directions for mixing. this will be her very own, and as it grows will come to be a valued treasure. baked apples as cooked fruits are such nourishing food, let the child prepare some kind while the biscuits are baking--apples, for instance. the oven being hot, it is best to bake them, so show her how to wash, core and then fill each opening with sugar, cinnamon and a little butter. it will take only a few moments to prepare them, and while the baking is in progress the dishes that have been used should be washed and set in the closet, the materials left be put away. all must be in order before the lesson is pronounced over and the dish-pan wiped and put up. where it is desired to serve the apples and biscuits at the same meal, the apples should be prepared first, as they take longer to bake. corn bread corn bread, too, is easy for any child to make. have her mix one and one-half cups of sifted flour, one-half cup of yellow corn meal, three tablespoons of granulated sugar, one teaspoon of salt and two teaspoons of baking powder. add two well-beaten eggs, one cup milk, and one tablespoon of melted butter. pour in buttered tin or gem pans, and bake in hot oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. muffins then next try muffins. have her sift two cups of flour, one teaspoon of salt, and two teaspoons of baking powder. add one cup of milk, two tablespoons of melted butter, and two eggs, with the stiff whites last. bake in buttered muffin tins fifteen or twenty minutes in a hot oven. griddle cakes if successful with these things, she will be quite sure with a little care to make good griddle cakes. have her sift two cups of flour with two teaspoons of baking powder, half a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of sugar, and stir in the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, and a cup and a half of milk. when perfectly smooth, and just before baking, fold in the stiff whites. grease a hot griddle with a piece of suet, put down a spoonful of batter at a time, and turn as soon as it bubbles well over the top. watch carefully to keep from burning, but never turn a pancake the second time. after a girl has learned how to make biscuit and other light breads, she should be shown at once how to prepare eggs in different ways so that she will be able at any time to serve a dainty breakfast. [illustration: creamed eggs on toast] boiled eggs to boil an egg would seem to be the easiest matter possible, but it requires care just the same. scarcely any two people in a family like eggs cooked the same length of time, and so, after ascertaining the way each one prefers, have the water boiling hard, and then check by adding a little cold water so that the shells will not crack from the heat. put in the eggs carefully with a tablespoon, to prevent striking each other, boil the required number of minutes and remove each when its time is up, sending to the table at once. hard boiled eggs, to be digestible, should be kept just at the boiling point for thirty minutes. the yolks will then be mealy. poached eggs poached eggs should be dropped in buttered gem pans and then set in a deep dripping-pan and covered with boiling water. when boiled as long as desired, lift gently on to rounds of buttered toast, sprinkle with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley or small celery leaves and serve on a hot platter. plain omelet for an omelet for four people, separate yolks and whites of five eggs. beat yolks very light, add one-quarter teaspoonful salt, pepper, five tablespoonfuls milk, and lastly the whites, beaten very stiff. mix lightly, but thoroughly, and pour in well-buttered hot frying-pan, place on stove about two minutes until well puffed up, then put in oven for a moment until firm on top. on removing, fold omelet over with a cake-turner, place on a hot plate and garnish with parsley. fancy omelets after the little daughter has mastered this popular dish, show her how to make it into a fancy one by adding various things. a small quantity (half a cupful) of chopped ham stirred in before cooking, converts it into a ham omelet, a cupful of cold boiled rice mixed thoroughly through the uncooked eggs, a rice omelet, while a cupful of chopped meat--or better, chopped chicken--will make a meat or chicken omelet. a delicious green corn omelet has the pulp from two ears of green corn, grated from the cob, added just before cooking. this should be given a slower fire and more time. for a cheese omelet, sprinkle half a cupful of grated cheese over the eggs after they are cooked before folding over. omelet garnishing the wise mother will suggest to the young cook that instead of always using one recipe she try to think of some way of improving or varying it. a few green peas left from dinner can be made hot and sprinkled over an omelet the same way as the cheese, or the cup of stewed tomatoes left from the day before be strained, thickened with a teaspoonful of flour, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, and served as a sauce, this making a delicious accompaniment to a plain omelet. creamed eggs take the desired number of hot hard-boiled eggs, cut in quarters, lay on pieces of hot buttered toast, and cover with white sauce. this makes a most appetizing dish for breakfast or luncheon. garnish with parsley. devilled eggs put on in hot water, simmer for half an hour, then place in cold water to loosen shells. when cold, cut in half, remove yolks, mash, and season with salt, pepper, a dash of prepared mustard, and a teaspoonful of vinegar, with a half teaspoonful of soft butter for each egg. rub to a smooth paste, and pack back in the whites. for picnics, fasten two halves together with a wooden toothpick. scrambled eggs beat the desired number enough to break the yolks, season with salt and pepper, and add a tablespoonful of milk for each egg. put in a hot pan half a teaspoonful of butter for each egg, and when melted, pour in the beaten eggs. stir constantly, scraping from the bottom of the pan until cooked enough to suit individual taste, but watch closely, for the longer they cook the drier they become. garnish with parsley or with dried beef, frizzled in a hot skillet with a small quantity of butter. bacon and eggs place thin slices of bacon in a hot skillet, turn frequently to keep from curling, and remove to a hot plate when cooked as much as desired. break eggs in a saucer, one at a time, to see that they are fresh, then drop gently into the hot fat. when done to suit individual taste, lift carefully to the center of a hot platter, and garnish with the bacon. * * * * * the secret of an attractive table, which should be made clear to every girl, is clean linen, with dishes and silver carefully arranged. each article of food, however simple, should be carefully placed in the center of its dish, and vegetables, meats and salads garnished with parsley, celery leaves, or occasionally rings of hard-boiled eggs. the eggs are especially nice on salads and on such a vegetable as spinach. * * * * * a kitchen lesson would be incomplete without a few words regarding the care of the all-important dish-towels and dish-cloth. however many may be on hand, it is a wise plan to teach the little cook to take warm water and plenty of soap and wash them out each time, being careful to rinse them thoroughly after she is through. then hang out in the air to dry. chapter ii using odds and ends every mother, in teaching her little daughter to cook, should impress upon her two essential points--economy and neatness. a cook cannot be too careful to have her materials, her utensils, and herself as clean as possible. so, before beginning work, the child should carefully wash her hands, clean her nails, smooth up any stray locks of hair, and put on the cap, sleeves and apron that are to protect her from spots and flying flour. then all fruits or vegetables which are to be used should be well washed before being peeled, and the cooking utensils wiped off. sometimes the pans or the stewing kettle have not been used for days, and there is sure to be a certain amount of dust on these that is almost imperceptible, but nevertheless unwholesome and often dangerous. following the instructions regarding cleanliness, and of equal importance, is the lesson in the economical use of materials on hand. anyone can take a recipe calling for all fresh materials and, with a little care, turn out a successful dish; but it takes a culinary artist to successfully work up the odds and ends found in the ice-box and pantry. in small families these bits can be made into attractive dishes for luncheon, or, in case of an unexpected guest, converted into an additional course. in the line of vegetables, for instance, there may be left a few leaves of lettuce, a couple of tomatoes, the remains of a roast, a small quantity of chicken, and a bottle of sour milk. not very promising, certainly, in the ice-box, but full of possibilities. the little cook is going to be a magician, and by a wave of her wand (the cook-book,) make a grand transformation. cottage cheese first the sour milk! not attractive as sour milk, but most delicious as cream cheese. set one quart of sour milk on the stove where it will warm slowly, and let stand until the curd and whey separate. spread a piece of cheese-cloth or an old napkin over a colander, pour in the curds and let drain until quite dry. this may take a couple of hours, and it is a good plan to warm the milk while getting the supper and then let stand all night. next put the curds in a bowl and rub to a paste with one teaspoonful of butter, a saltspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of cream. when smooth, mold into little balls if to be served with a salad. [illustration: a table set for a valentine luncheon] nut cheese crackers nut cheese crackers are most appetizing, too, made by spreading this cheese on small saltine crackers, and sprinkling chopped nuts over the top. any child will delight to make these, and while easy and cheap, they are attractive enough to serve any company. or, the cheese can be served, french fashion, with a little heavy cream and a small quantity of richly preserved currants or cherries, (bar-le-duc,) for dessert. [illustration: fresh vegetable salad] stuffed peppers if there is too little of the roast to serve sliced cold, it can be chopped fine, seasoned well with salt and pepper and moistened with the cold gravy. if the quantity is still too small, it can be increased by adding a beaten egg and half a cupful of dried bread-crumbs. this works into a nice dish by taking sweet green peppers, splitting in half, washing and removing the seeds, and then packing with the minced meat. bake until peppers are tender, about half an hour, then remove from oven, lay on squares of hot toast, and cover with white sauce or warmed-over gravy. white sauce good white sauce is needed for so many different kinds of vegetable, fish and meat dishes, that a child should be taught it at the beginning of her work. have her melt one tablespoon of butter and stir in one tablespoon of flour. when smooth, add slowly one cup of milk, stirring all the time to keep from getting lumpy. if lumps do form, however, before the child has learned the secret of mixing, she can strain after it has cooked five minutes. season with quarter-teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper. for brown sauce, simply brown the flour and butter before adding the milk. creamed chicken a small quantity of chicken is often left from dinner, yet not enough to serve cold. let the mother show the child how to cut off every bit of meat from the bones--and she will get more than she expects from wings and necks. but all pieces of fat and skin must be discarded. then for a hot dish, making a white sauce first, she can stir in the minced chicken, let it cook a few moments, and serve on rounds of buttered toast. chicken croquettes still another way, if the quantity is small, is to add to one cupful of chopped chicken one-half cupful of rolled bread-crumbs, a half cupful of hot milk, two well-beaten eggs, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. this is to be shaped into croquettes, dipped in rolled bread-crumbs, beaten egg, crumbs again, and browned in hot fat. white sauce served on the side will make it doubly attractive; and if the quantity is still small for the number to be served, it will go farther and be made more savory if garnished with curls of crisp bacon. chicken salad if a cold dish is desired, let her add an equal amount of finely cut celery, season with salt and pepper, moisten with cooked salad dressing, and she will have a delicious chicken salad. to be particularly nice, however, she should use only the white meat. our little cook should be taught the first thing how to make a good salad dressing, for into a salad it is almost always possible to turn the left-overs that otherwise might be thrown out. only one other thing (soup) will use up as many scraps in making nourishing as well as appetizing dishes. boiled salad dressing as many people do not care for the flavor of oil, a nice easy dressing is made by taking two tablespoonfuls butter, rubbed to a cream, to which is added one teaspoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful mustard, a dash of red pepper, and one cupful hot milk. stirring well, this should immediately be poured on the beaten yolks of three eggs, and then cooked in a double boiler until thick. remove from the fire, add one-quarter of a cup of vinegar, and stir until cool. when to be used in fruit salads, add half a cup of thick cream just before serving. but eggs and milk curdle if boiled. french dressing easily made is the french dressing, and often prepared at the table. to one-quarter teaspoonful of finely minced onion, add one-half teaspoonful salt, a little black pepper, a few grains of cayenne and six teaspoonfuls olive oil. stir well, add two teaspoonfuls vinegar, and mix thoroughly. fresh vegetable salad to make the best of the few vegetables we have found on hand, wash the lettuce carefully (looking out for the tiny green bugs found on some kinds,) and arrange on a plate. peel and slice the two tomatoes, and lay lightly on the lettuce, with a few bits of celery, several radishes or some thin slices of cucumber if available, and cover with salad dressing. [illustration: heart salad] for the heart salad illustrated, cut cold boiled beets into heart-shaped sections, and serve on lettuce hearts, with french dressing. cooked vegetable salad small quantities of cooked vegetables, such as beets, string beans, asparagus, peas and boiled potatoes, make a nice salad cut into small pieces, laid on lettuce leaves and covered with french dressing. but they must be thoroughly chilled. cabbage salad cabbage salad is possible at all seasons of the year, and should be one of the first that the child should learn to make. insist on getting small, perfect heads, and have the leaves removed one at a time, examined closely and washed as carefully as lettuce, for fear of worms. after chopping finely, the desired quantity is to be seasoned with salt and pepper and served on the small, tender white leaves, with the following dressing: sour cream dressing to half a cup of thick sour cream, add half a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of sugar, a dash of black pepper, and two teaspoonsful of strong vinegar. fresh fruit salad almost all kinds of fruit are used in salads. bananas and oranges, alone or together, are served on lettuce with the cream salad dressing, as are also the skinned and seeded white grapes. pineapple and grapefruit are delicious with head lettuce, served with the french dressing containing but a few drops of the onion juice. then again, all may be combined, served with either dressing preferred, and improved by the addition of a few nuts. waldorf salad for four people have the little cook take four pretty red apples, cut a slice off the top, and after removing the core, carefully cut out with a teaspoon the inside of each without breaking the skin. taking half the scooped-out apple, she must add an equal amount of celery (cut in small pieces) and chopped english walnuts, one teaspoonful salt and boiled dressing enough to cover. after tossing up lightly with a fork pack in the apple shells, and when possible serve in nests made of lettuce cut in strings. green pepper salad take sweet green peppers, cut a slice from the top, remove seeds, and fill with either the mixed vegetables or diced cucumbers, covered with french dressing. serve on lettuce. chapter iii some easy soups every little cook should early be taught how to make a variety of soups, as many small quantities of food can be utilized in this way that otherwise might be wasted. stock take, for instance, the bones and small trimmings from steaks, chops or a roast, and the remnant of a chicken. these, with a five-cent soup bone, will make the stock, which is the foundation for a great many kinds of soup. if part of the scraps have been fried or roasted, so much the better, as then the stock will be a delicate brown and have even a richer taste. the meat, cut in small cubes, with the bones well cracked, should be covered with twice the quantity of cold water and allowed to stand for several hours. clear vegetable soup any kind of vegetables on hand can be put in at the same time, a small onion cut in slices, a little chopped carrot, turnip, a few string beans cut in inch lengths, half a cupful of peas, a couple of stalks of celery, a few sprigs of parsley, together with three or four cloves and salt and pepper to taste. if these vegetables with the meat fill the kettle one-third full, then it can be filled to the top with cold water. after standing several hours it should be placed where it will heat slowly and allowed to simmer for two hours, then strained and set aside to cool and let the grease come to the top. when it is cold the cake of fat can easily be lifted off. [illustration: green-pepper salad] consommÃ� and bouillon then to make the finest kind of perfectly clear soup, stir into each two quarts of cold stock the beaten white and crushed shell of one egg, place on the fire and keep stirring until it boils. allow to cook without stirring for twenty minutes, after which set aside for ten minutes; skim and strain through a cheese-cloth bag. this may seem like a good deal of work, but if the soup is first boiled in the morning while cleaning up the kitchen and then clarified while getting dinner, it will not require much time nor trouble, and the result will be a delicious consommé or bouillon. it is called bouillon if made principally of beef with vegetables, and brown in color; it is consommé if made of uncooked meat and bones, including veal and chicken, and consequently light in color. pleasing variations stock made thus can be simply reheated or changed to any desired kind of soup by the addition of a particular garnishing. for rice soup, either a few teaspoonfuls of uncooked rice or half a teacupful of cold boiled rice can be added; for vegetable soup a cupful of mixed vegetables cut in small pieces can be put in and boiled until tender. macaroni, broken in inch lengths, washed and then cooked in the stock until it is done makes a nice change, called italian consommé, while a cupful of tomatoes will convert it into a tomato soup. if the additions suggested are to be made, however, it is not necessary to clarify the stock. it takes common sense to make good soup, as well as time and patience, and one must learn to be guided by the taste if trying to use up left-overs instead of following a regular recipe. cream soups, however, do not require any stock, and so are easily and quickly made. they are delicious, too, and something any bright girl could make while her mother got up the rest of the dinner. they take the name of the kind of vegetable used, but all are put together in about the same way. cream of celery for cream of celery take two cupfuls of diced celery, using the leaves, ends and coarse pieces not good enough to send to the table uncooked. cover with two cupfuls of cold water, season with salt and allow to cook until tender--about twenty minutes. while this is boiling the little maid mixes in another pan two tablespoonfuls of melted butter with two tablespoonfuls of flour. placing it over the fire, she adds three cupfuls of milk and stirs for five minutes while it boils. after seasoning with salt and pepper and a dash of red pepper, pour in the strained water from the cooked celery and boil all gently on the back of the stove for five minutes before serving. pea and asparagus for cream of pea soup, simply substitute two cupfuls of cooked peas that have been pressed through a colander. for cream of asparagus boil up first two cupfuls of the tough ends of the asparagus that would not do for the table, or take two cupfuls of the water used in cooking the asparagus for dinner and put with the thickened milk. but in order to avoid giving the family the same vegetable twice at a meal, it is best to save the asparagus water or the celery ends until another time, putting in the ice-box to keep fresh. we all like variety, and in this way it can be had without extra expense. cream of potato cream of potato soup is made by adding two scant cupfuls of mashed potato to the milk foundation given. some people like the addition of a half-teaspoonful of onion juice to flavor or a tablespoonful of chopped bacon. if too thick it can be thinned with some of the boiling potato water. it is advisable for the mother to have the child make a certain cream soup twice in close succession to be sure that she thoroughly understands the process, and then make each of the other kinds soon after, so that she will get used to using up whatever left-overs she finds on hand. black bean soup black beans make a particularly nice soup for a company dinner. to two cupfuls of the dried beans use four cupfuls of cold water and let stand over night. next day add two cupfuls of boiling water and cook until the beans are perfectly tender, with one small chopped onion, three cloves, salt, pepper and a dash of cayenne. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour, add a cupful of cold water; cook the same as the milk foundation and add to the beans after they have been put through a colander. boil up well together, stirring to blend well. put a couple of thin slices of hard-boiled egg and lemon in each plate and pour the hot soup in. if desired, the soup can be additionally flavored with a small wineglassful of sour wine. cream of tomato before leaving the soup question, let me say that the cream of tomato is made by heating two cupfuls of canned tomatoes to the boiling point, then straining, and after adding a good-sized pinch of soda, which must be stirred in well, poured slowly on to the milk foundation, prepared in another vessel. this must be served immediately, as it is not so good when allowed to stand. [illustration: tossing up a salad] delectable garnishes instead of always serving the ordinary crackers, teach the child how to prepare some simple little extras for nice soups. plain square crackers spread with butter, salted and then browned in the oven will taste quite different; another time let her grate the least bit of cheese over before the toasting. or she can take stale bread, cut in long narrow strips, spread with butter, season with salt and pepper and bake a light brown in a slow oven. croûtons, too, are a welcomed variety, made by cutting bread in half-inch cubes, dipping in melted butter and frying crisp. a few of these are scattered on top of each plate of soup just before sending to the table. such extras require but little time, yet they mark the experienced cook; and if our small maid has been paying due attention to her directions (and consequently getting good results in her work,) she ought now to be so interested that she will be eager to try every new dish suggested and desirous of making the greatest possible number of dishes out of each particular kind of food. now let us review and see what we have out of the odds and ends that we found that we had on hand to start with, and what a luncheon it would make. we should have either a soup or the stuffed peppers for a first course, salad for a second, and the cheese crackers served with a small quantity of jam or preserves for a finish! quite a nice meal, and one we need not hesitate to set before an unexpected guest. besides, from any reasonable quantity of left-overs there would probably be enough for four people. chapter iv fish, fresh and dried fresh fish, in the first place, must be absolutely fresh. they will have little odor, the eyes will be full and clear, and the flesh firm. they are usually delivered from the market cleaned and scaled, but they should be washed with cold water, and sprinkled with salt if not used immediately. smelts, trout and perch smelts, trout, perch and other small fish, are fried whole, while the larger kinds are cut in pieces called fillets. after washing, drying and seasoning with pepper and salt, each piece should be dipped in finely rolled, dried bread or corn meal, and laid on the bread-board. when all through, beginning with the first, dip each one in well-beaten, seasoned egg, and then in the crumbs again, taking pains to have them covered completely. lay back on the board to dry before cooking. heat a half cupful of lard in a skillet until smoking hot, then put in the fish and fry on one side until brown. turn carefully to avoid breaking, and brown on the other side, but do not turn more than once, and watch to keep from burning. many cooks use flour or rolled crackers for covering the fish, but the bread crumbs do not hold as much grease, and the fish always seem to fry better than when dipped in anything else. when cooked a deep, rich brown, lift out on to brown paper to drain, and then slip on to a hot platter and send to the table at once, garnished with slices of lemon, parsley or water cress. halibut a halibut steak is fine when, after washing thoroughly, it is put in a dripping pan, seasoned with salt and pepper, covered with boiling water and cooked in the oven until done,--from twenty minutes to half an hour. while it is cooking, our little maid can prepare her favorite white sauce, only now she must add a cupful of strained tomatoes and season with red pepper. when the fish is ready, she must serve it on a hot platter, covered with the hot sauce. a steak of this kind usually weighs about two pounds, and is ample for four or five people. white, weak and blue fish white fish, weak fish, blue fish and similar kinds i like best when large enough to have the bones first removed and the fish then spread, skin down, on a wire broiler, or an oak plank. spread with a little butter and seasoned with pepper and salt, it may be cooked in a gas stove or before a hot fire. this will take from twenty to thirty minutes. when thoroughly done and browned on top, garnish with roses of mashed potato, lemon or parsley, and serve immediately,--right on the plank if desired. any left over can be picked into small pieces, and worked up with an equal amount of cold mashed potato, into cakes, to be fried for breakfast. there are many kinds of smoked and canned fish that make specially appetizing dishes for breakfast or luncheon. they should always be kept in the house, with other shelf supplies, and will prove "a friend in need." finnan haddie finnan haddie can be served in several ways. after washing and wiping off with a cloth, it can be buttered, seasoned with salt and pepper and either broiled or fried. or it is even better if boiled first for five minutes (put on it cold water), then picked into small flakes and stirred into our little maid's standby, white sauce. after cooking five minutes longer, it should be served on rounds of hot buttered toast, garnished with parsley. smoked fish smoked halibut, salmon and sturgeon can all be bought in small pieces (even as little as half a pound), and are most inviting when cut into thin slices and made hot in a skillet with just enough butter to keep them from burning. salt cod but in talking of dried fish, we must not forget our old favorite, creamed codfish. as the boxed codfish is always so salty, it is necessary, after picking it carefully apart and removing the bones, to let it soak in cold water for half an hour, then drain. put half a cupful of fish on in a stewpan, cover with cold water and let come to a boil. pour this off immediately, cover with fresh boiling water, and let gently simmer for ten minutes. while it is cooking, our small maid should rub to a smooth paste one tablespoon of flour and one tablespoon of butter. then adding one cup of milk and one well-beaten egg to the codfish, she next puts in the paste, and continues to stir for five minutes more while it is cooking. it should then be served on rounds of hot toast. [illustration: creamed codfish and coffee for father's breakfast] salt mackerel salt mackerel should be covered with cold water and left skin side up to soak over night. for breakfast, dry in a cloth and broil, with the flesh side toward the fire, or else brown in a hot pan with a little butter, and serve on a hot platter garnished with slices of lemon. i have purposely avoided giving recipes calling for frying in deep fat, as there is always more or less danger of an inexperienced child meeting with an accident in handling any quantity of melted lard, but mothers who wish to use it will find that fritters, fish and other things when cooked that way get a nice color and really take up less fat than when fried (sautéd) in the more common style. chapter v simple meat dishes here let me put in a few words about some easy ways of cooking meat. the recipes are simple, but everything depends on your getting in plenty of seasoning, cooking as directed, and--not burning. be sure to have veal, lamb and pork well done, as no one likes these rare or even pink, but study the family taste about the length of time to cook beef. i have purposely omitted the ordinary dinner meats (i couldn't tell you everything in one little book!), but if you learn to make what i _do_ tell you about, you will certainly become a good cook. pan-broiled lamb chops lamb chops are particularly nice pan-broiled. first scrape off any fine particles of bone, trim off superfluous fat, and then place in a hissing hot skillet. turn often until well seared, to prevent escape of juices, and cook until brown, about ten minutes. serve on a hot platter, season with salt and pepper, dot with butter, and garnish with parsley, peas, or a ring of mashed potatoes. pork chops pork chops need to be thoroughly cooked, and after washing, i always parboil ten minutes first in a covered frying pan, then season with salt and pepper and brown in fat. they are often served with tomato sauce. [illustration: veal cutlet as reed birds] veal cutlets the veal for this purpose, sometimes called mock reed birds, should be sliced thin, then cut in four-inch squares. spread lightly with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and scatter with finely minced parsley and celery, or either one alone. roll each piece up tightly and tie with a piece of white string. place "birds" in a hot skillet with a little water and melted butter, cover and simmer for twenty minutes, then brown in butter or fat as preferred. serve on rounds of hot buttered toast, with brown gravy. beef stew (brown) take one pound of round steak, cut in small pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. put a little suet in a hot kettle, or melt two tablespoons of butter, and add a couple of slices of dry onion, turning frequently until brown, then put in the meat. stir to keep from scorching until well seared on all sides, cover with boiling water, and set on the back of the stove to simmer for at least three hours. as it boils down, allow to brown before filling up again, and have the meat covered with the broth when done. thicken with two tablespoons of flour stirred to a smooth paste in half a cup of cold water. add more salt then if necessary. send to the table in a covered dish, and serve with mashed potatoes. southern baked ham when there is going to be company, baked ham is one of the nicest kinds of meat that can be had. take either a small end or half a ham, as needed, and soak several hours in cold water. wash well and put on in a kettle with cold water to cover and boil slowly, allowing at least twenty minutes to the pound. after boiling half an hour, remove one-third the water, and fill up with fresh boiling water, and keep covered until done. then set aside and allow to cool in the liquor. when cold, lift out, trim off the brown skin, cover the fat with brown sugar, stick with whole cloves, and bake brown--about twenty or thirty minutes. this is delicious either hot or cold. beefsteak different kinds of steak need to be cooked in different ways. tenderloin, porterhouse, and sirloin are best broiled over a hot fire, or pan broiled by being turned frequently on a very hot skillet, with only the fat that comes from the steak itself. serve on a hot platter, with butter, pepper and salt. round steak is nice cut in small pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper, rolled in flour, and cooked quickly in some of the suet, first put in the pan until tried out. lift browned pieces of the steak (for this needs more cooking than tenderer meat), on to a hot platter, add a little butter to the fat in the pan, stir in a scant tablespoon of flour, stir well until smooth and brown, then pour in quickly a cupful of cold water, and continue to stir until well thickened. this gravy will be smooth and of nice flavor, and can be poured over the meat. season, of course, with salt and pepper to taste. hash hash, though a dish often laughed at, is always appetizing when well made. corn beef hash indeed has quite a reputation, and is made by chopping cold corn beef rather fine, adding an equal quantity of cold boiled potatoes, chopped, wetting with enough boiling water to keep from burning, seasoning with salt, pepper and a little butter, and then allowing to cook gently for at least twenty minutes. all kinds of hash need to simmer for quite a while, in order to blend the flavor of the meat and the potatoes, and give the delicate taste that marks a carefully prepared dish. beef, particularly browned scraps, finely minced, and mixed with an equal quantity of minced cold boiled potatoes, seasoned and prepared as just directed, is very good for breakfast served on rounds of buttered toast. and either kind can be allowed to brown down in the pan and then turned out on a hot plate, rolled over with a nice thick crust. any kind of meat can be used, however. lamb pie a lamb pie is an attractive way of using up small pieces of cold lamb. cut off all scraps and gristle, and add enough cold gravy to cover. season well with salt and pepper, and simmer twenty minutes. take a pudding dish, invert a small cup in the bottom, pour in the hot meat, add half a can of peas, cover with a crust of light biscuit dough, and bake until brown. before sending to the table lift crust and remove cup, which has drawn up the gravy. serve with either mashed or baked potatoes. dried beef dried beef dressed in cream is always an appetizing dish and very quickly made ready. the child should first take a half-pound of chipped beef and tear it into small pieces, removing all strings and fat. then put in a stew-pan, cover with cold water and let come to a boil. while it is heating, however, she should stir smooth one tablespoonful butter and one tablespoonful flour. when the water boils on the beef she must pour off half (or it will be too salty), and add an equal amount of milk. into this stir slowly the mixed butter and flour, season with pepper and let boil until thick. some people like the addition of two well-beaten eggs, but i prefer the beef plain, with the gravy rather thick, served on rounds of hot buttered toast. the toast could be made first and set where it will keep warm, and thus save the time of making afterwards, for a dish of this kind cools very quickly, and should be sent to the table as soon as ready. [illustration: a standing roast of beef] roast beef a roast of beef, after being scraped and wiped free from all particles of sawed bone, should be seasoned well with salt and pepper, and dredged with flour. put it in a hot oven, and when it has seared on top, to keep in the juice, turn over and allow to sear on the bottom. then pour in the pan enough boiling water to keep from burning, and baste frequently. allow about one hour for a five pound roast rare, and an hour and a half to cook well done. serve a rib roast, left on the bone, standing as shown in the illustration, garnished with parsley. chapter vi the interesting potato every girl should know how to cook potatoes properly; yet really there is scarcely any other one vegetable that can be prepared in so many ways and still is often so poorly cooked as to be practically unfit to eat. it would seem an easy thing to make a light, appetizing dish of mashed potatoes--and what is more inviting?--but how often are they served wet and soggy! to understand the right way to cook and serve potatoes is as much an art as to make a salad or bake a cake. boiled potatoes plain boiled potatoes, with the skin on, are delicious when cooked as they should be. the requisite number should be selected, perfect in form and uniform in size, and scrubbed with the vegetable brush, but the skins not broken. if they are old they will be better for soaking half an hour in cold water. a half hour before dinner-time, if they are of medium size, they should be covered with boiling salted water and placed on the stove, where they will boil gently, not hard, until the skins begin to crack open. test with a fork, and as soon as they are tender, drain off all the water and set on the back of the stove to steam dry. serve in a hot, open vegetable dish; and if there is company or you are very particular, remove the skins (without breaking the potatoes) just before sending to the table. in case there is to be fish or a meat dish without gravy, serve the potatoes with the white sauce our little cook was taught to make in one of her first lessons. mashed potatoes for mashed potatoes the mother should tell the child to pick out the imperfect ones, or those too large to bake, to be peeled and cut up. have her put them on in boiling salted water half an hour before dinner-time, cook until perfectly tender, then drain and let steam dry. after standing a few moments (in a hot place), have her mash them thoroughly, first with an old-fashioned wooden masher until all the lumps are removed, and then with a wire one. to each cupful of potato add a teaspoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of hot milk. they should be beaten up creamy with the wire beater, then turned out into a hot covered dish, with a lump of butter in the center and a sprinkling of pepper over the top, and served at once. if dinner is delayed, however, and there is danger of their getting cold, have her put them in a baking-dish or tin, smooth them nicely over the top and set where they will keep warm. then when needed, if she will grate a little cheese over the top and put in the oven for a few minutes to brown, she will find that they are even nicer than when first made. the mashed potatoes left from dinner can be worked up with a little cream and molded into small round cakes, to be fried brown next morning. creamed potatoes often in buying potatoes one finds a quantity of little ones usually considered "too small to be bothered with." they seem hardly worth peeling, but if scrubbed clean and boiled as directed the skins can be removed quickly when they are tender. then if a white sauce is made, these little potato balls can be dropped in and served garnished with finely chopped parsley on top. this is a favorite way of preparing new potatoes and most appetizing. lyonnaise potatoes if the mother prefers, she can have the child take these little balls (peeled after they are cooked), cut them up fine, and fry them as follows: in a hot pan melt two tablespoonfuls of butter and add a teaspoonful of finely chopped onion, which should be cooked until a delicate brown before the seasoned potatoes are added. cheese potatoes parboil sliced potatoes, or slice cold boiled ones, line the bottom of a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, pepper, a little flour, grated cheese, and dots of butter. repeat until the pan is nearly full, cover with milk, sprinkle the top with the grated cheese, and bake until brown, or about half an hour. cheese potatoes are particularly good served with cold meat. baked potatoes potatoes for baking should be of uniform, medium size and perfect. after being well scrubbed they should be wiped dry and put in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour before meal-time. if the meal is delayed for any reason they should be pricked with a fork in several places to let out the steam, and then set where they will keep hot, but not in a covered dish, or they will get wet and soggy. stuffed potatoes if it is necessary to keep them any length of time, cut off the end of each potato, scrape out the inside, season with salt, pepper, a little butter, a small quantity of cream and to every three potatoes one egg, the white beaten stiff. after whipping up light put back in the shells, where they will keep warm. just before sending to the table, put in the oven for a few moments, until they puff up and brown at the ends. fried potatoes cold boiled potatoes can be used in so many different ways that where there is no servant in the house it often is a saving of time and labor to boil a quantity at one time and then heat up as needed. they are nice simply sliced thin and fried brown in butter. hashed cream potatoes if this is considered too rich, half the amount of butter will be sufficient to flavor and keep from scorching, and then when they brown as they are hashed in the pan pour in a few spoonfuls of cream. season well, allow to brown down again, then fold like an omelet and serve on a hot platter garnished with parsley. scalloped potatoes scalloped potatoes are very nice for a supper dish, as they can be prepared early in the day and set away until needed. the little cook, after washing and peeling her potatoes, next cuts them in thin slices, enough to fill the dish needed and parboils in salted water for ten minutes. then drain. arrange a layer of these, with a sprinkling of flour, pepper and salt and a few small pieces of butter, repeating in layers until the pan is full. pour over enough milk to cover. when ready to cook, allow half an hour for the baking, and from time to time add a little extra hot milk. it is well to set a large pan containing water under the baking-dish to catch any milk that might boil over and burn on the bottom of the oven. candied sweet potatoes sweet potatoes that have been boiled are particularly nice when cut in half, buttered, seasoned with very little salt and pepper and then sprinkled over the top with granulated sugar and browned in the oven. "candied sweet potatoes" they are called when served in hotels as something extra. [illustration: cleaning up] chapter vii different kinds of vegetables a mother can make the cooking of potatoes and the plainer vegetables interesting if she will use a little tact and stimulate the child's desire to make, first, as many different dishes from each article as possible, and second, to make them as appetizing as she can. doubtless many a girl who will not eat plain food now could be taught to like things by getting her interested in cooking, for then she has to taste and make sure she has seasoned properly. turnips, carrots such winter vegetables as turnips, carrots and parsnips should be well washed, peeled, cut in small pieces and cooked in boiling salted water for sixty minutes, more or less, depending on the age of the vegetables, as the older they are the longer they will take to get tender. when sufficiently cooked they should be drained and may then be mashed, seasoned with pepper and salt and butter and served in a hot covered dish. or if preferred they can be left in the cubes and served with our little cook's favorite white sauce poured over. if mashed they are to be served on the dinner plate, but if in cream sauce they will have to be put in individual sauce-dishes. parsnips plain boiled parsnips are delicious if cut in slices and fried in butter, as they acquire a sweetness not brought out in any other way of cooking. if the left-over quantity is mashed, it can be made into little flat cakes and browned in butter. the child should be encouraged to think of as many different ways as possible and then allowed to experiment and see the result. winter squash winter squash is good prepared in the same way as the mashed parsnips--that is, plain boiled and then mashed, but i prefer the hubbard variety, cut in large squares and baked in the shell--without being peeled. season before putting on the oven shelf, spread with a little butter and add a slight sprinkling of granulated sugar. this will take about three-quarters of an hour to bake, and should be a light brown over the top. the child may have some difficulty in cutting a hubbard squash, as it is so hard, but she can prepare it after it has been cut for her. dried lima beans put to soak half a pound of dried lima beans in a small quantity of cold water. next morning set where they will simmer slowly for two hours in salted water enough to cover. at dinner-time drain, and serve on the dinner plates simply seasoned with butter, pepper and salt. or, if preferred, they can be served in sauce dishes, with white sauce. boiled cabbage a nice way to serve cabbage hot is to chop fine after it has soaked half an hour in cold water, put on in boiling salted water, and cook in an open kettle with a pinch of soda, about forty minutes or until tender. then drain and serve immediately with butter, pepper and salt, or with white sauce. some people prefer to add simply a little vinegar, so find out the family taste. baked beans for a small family, soak one pint of the small navy beans over night, and next morning boil gently until nearly tender. drain, throw away that water, and add a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoon of molasses and a cupful of boiling water. cut a quarter of a pound of salt pork in small pieces, put half of the beans in a baking dish, add a layer of half the pork, fill up with the rest of the beans and lay the rest of the pork around over the top. cover the beans with boiling water, put a tin over the dish, and bake a number of hours,--the longer the better. as the water boils away, add enough more to keep from burning, and half an hour before serving, uncover and allow to brown over the top. if a slow fire is going in the range, the beans will be the better for cooking most of the day, but they must be watched to keep from burning. however, they will taste very fine if boiled longer at first,--until perfectly tender, and then baked only an hour. creamed onions peel off the outside skin, cover with boiling water, cook five minutes, drain, and cover with fresh boiling water, well salted. cook until tender, the length of time depending on the size, then drain and serve in a hot covered vegetable dish with white sauce, made while the onions were cooking. baked onions first boil as above directed, then lift into a piepan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, place a small lump of butter in a little hole on top of each, and bake until brown. asparagus with the coming of the spring vegetables will be opened a new field for the child to explore. asparagus, one of the first in the market, is considered one of the choicest, and it is also one of the most easily prepared. to retain all the delicate flavor many people think it should be served plain. for this, tie the asparagus in bunches, after washing carefully and snapping off the tough ends. set upright in a deep kettle and pour over boiling salted water enough to reach nearly to the tips, but do not cover. the tender ends will cook enough at first, for ten minutes, in the steam, and then the bunches should be turned down sideways for thirty minutes more. lift carefully with a skimmer, allowing the water to run off, lay on a hot platter, remove the strings and serve immediately with tiny lumps of butter and a dash of pepper over the top. or the asparagus can be first cut in small lengths, boiled until tender in salted water, then drained, laid on hot toast and covered with cream sauce. as mentioned before, the water in which it has been cooked can be set away to be used for soup, with a few tips added if desired. cucumber jelly take one pint of well-seasoned bouillon, and while still warm, add the quantity of gelatine stated on the package necessary to make one pint of jelly, and when thoroughly dissolved, set away until it begins to stiffen. then slice one cucumber, after peeling and ridging the sides, season with salt and pepper, and lay in vinegar for a moment. rinse out the mould in cold water, lay around the cucumber in any pattern desired, and fill up the mould with the thickening jelly. leave on ice after set, until ready to serve. [illustration: cucumber jelly] string beans wax or string beans should be snapped in small pieces and all strings removed, then washed and put on to boil in hot salted water. cook until tender (generally this requires about forty minutes), drain and serve in a hot dish with butter, pepper and salt, or, if preferred, the cream sauce. our young cook will have many opportunities to use her recipe for white sauce with the spring vegetables, for almost all kinds are improved when it is added. peas and lima beans peas and lima beans, after being shelled and covered with salted boiling water, are cooked until tender (forty to sixty minutes) and then served either plain, as directed for the beans, or with the cream sauce, which, by the way, is better for such vegetables if thinned with more milk than when used in other ways. cauliflower cauliflower, after being carefully washed, should be tied up in a piece of cheese-cloth to keep the shape, and after soaking for an hour in cold water, cooked in boiling salted water at least half an hour. when tender, it should be carefully lifted to the vegetable dish and the cream sauce poured around the base. a little chopped parsley scattered on top the sauce improves the appearance. beets young beets have to be washed carefully to avoid breaking the skin, and have roots and half an inch of the tops left on while cooking. they should be kept covered with salted boiling water, and cooked until tender, allowing at least an hour for new beets, and possibly even three for old. when perfectly tender (on being tried by the prong of a kitchen fork), remove from the fire, drop into cold water for a moment to cool enough to slip off the skins, and then slice in a hot dish. they can be served plain, with butter, pepper and salt, although our grandmothers preferred the addition of a few spoonfuls of warm, thick cream. many, however, like a little vinegar instead. tomatoes baked tomatoes are made by taking the fresh tomatoes, scooping out the centers and mixing with bread crumbs, seasoning with butter, pepper and salt, and then refilling the shell, sprinkling a few crumbs on top. they require about twenty minutes to bake, and can be served on rounds of toast, with cream sauce. in winter, however, canned tomatoes, alternated with layers of buttered bread, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, are nice baked in a dish, with crumbs browned over the top. green corn green corn "on the cob" must first have the husks and silk carefully removed and then be dropped into boiling salted water and kept boiling (under a cover) for from ten to twenty minutes, according to the age of the corn. if very fresh and tender, it will cook quickly, but it should be served as soon as removed from the water. corn oysters any corn left from a meal can be grated off the cob and used for corn oysters. to one cupful of corn, add half a cup of milk, one beaten egg, half a teaspoon of salt, and one tablespoon of melted butter. into this stir one-half cup of sifted flour, and bake like pancakes on a hot, well greased skillet. be careful to avoid too hot a fire or they will scorch on the bottom before cooking through, and they must not be raw in the middle. it may be necessary to put a little extra butter in the pan when they are turned, but they have to be watched carefully all the time. chapter viii for the unexpected guest entertaining can be made easy by some forethought, and a little girl should be made to realize that hospitality, of all things, should be genuine. in the case of expected company it is well to get whatever is needed in plenty of time, but the unexpected guest should receive none the less cordial greeting while the housekeeper hurriedly reviews her resources in the way of material available. one of the most important lessons to teach the little girl is that of making simple dishes so attractive that no hesitation need be felt in asking friends to share the family fare. this is particularly true in the case of dishes for supper. they should not require much extra work, but be quickly prepared and preferably of what one happens to have in the house. for a light supper it is desirable to have one hot dish, beside a warm bread, cold meat, fruit, cake and tea. [illustration: table set for an easter luncheon] if the child has become proficient, she should be allowed as a special favor to make the baking-powder biscuits by herself. have her use a small cutter not more than two inches in diameter, as small biscuits are more appetizing; and be sure to have them baked to a light brown. potato salad potato salad makes a good chief dish for the unexpected guest and is easily prepared. the child should be told to select medium-sized potatoes, at least one for each person and after scrubbing with a brush to get perfectly clean, put on with boiling water enough to cover and boil gently until tender, then drain and set aside to cool. this can be done at dinner time, when the fire is hot, and save extra trouble. when the potatoes are cold the skins can be easily removed, and the potatoes then cut in thin slices. next she should peel and cut in very thin slices one small onion (unless the family taste prefers more) and arrange the alternate layers of sliced potatoes and onions, well seasoned with salt and pepper, in a pretty salad bowl. it looks attractive, too, tossed lightly on lettuce leaves arranged on a small platter. over the whole then pour the boiled salad dressing, or the french, as the family prefer, and when the potato salad is ready to serve it should be garnished with sprigs of parsley and slices of hard-boiled egg. scalloped oysters scalloped oysters make a fine supper dish on a cold night, and there are several ways they can be prepared. the one i like best i will give first. the child should butter a number of thin slices of bread and spread on the bottom of a dripping-pan, laying on next a layer of oysters, with pepper and salt; then another layer of the thin buttered bread, another layer of oysters, and the top finished with a layer of bread, well seasoned. over the whole pour the oyster juice and one-half cupful of milk. this will require from twenty to twenty-five minutes in a hot oven, when the bread on top will be toasted crisp. many people like scalloped oysters prepared with crackers, and in that case the rolled cracker-crumbs are used instead of the bread, but the taste of the two dishes is different. creamed oysters cook one pint of oysters in their own liquor or in a few spoonsful of salted water until they curl at the edges. have ready a thick cream sauce, stir in the oysters, and cook a few moments longer. serve in baskets made by removing the inside of the light rolls, brushing with melted butter and browning in the oven. make handles from crust, and insert after filling. [illustration: creamed oysters in baskets] fried oysters to fry oysters, select large, choice ones, and dry in a napkin. taking one at a time, roll in cracker crumbs, season with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg, and cover thoroughly again with the rolled cracker. spread out on a bread board and allow to stand a little while for this covering to set, then cook either in a skillet with a small amount of butter, or in deep fat, until lightly browned. lift on to a piece of wrapping paper to drain, but keep hot, and serve garnished with parsley and sliced lemon. welsh rarebit this is another good dish for an evening supper. crumble half a pound of grated cheese, and put in a chafing-dish or a double boiler. season with half a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of prepared mustard and a dash of red pepper. when it begins to melt, stir constantly, and as soon as it begins to look the least bit "stringy," pour in slowly a quarter of a cup of cream and one beaten egg. as this blends, add a teaspoonful of butter, cook until smooth, and serve immediately on rounds of hot toast or square soda crackers. fritters, apple and banana fritters help out nicely, too, for company, and can be fried in a small quantity of very hot fat instead of in the deep fat if mother prefers. sift one cup of flour, add one-quarter teaspoon salt, a tablespoon sugar, two-thirds of a cup of milk, one tablespoonful melted butter, and the yolk of one egg, beaten light. stir to a smooth batter, add the stiffly beaten white, and lastly several sour apples, cut in thin slices, or three bananas, cut a little thicker. drop by the spoonful in the smoking hot fat, set where they will not scorch, and if in a frying pan, turn over as soon as brown around the edges. serve with powdered sugar. [illustration: tray arranged for welsh rarebit] milk toast put on in a double boiler two cups of milk, one tablespoonful of butter, salt to your own taste, and allow to come to a boil. have ready four squares of nicely browned toast, put in a hot vegetable dish, pour over the milk, clap on the cover, and serve at once. some people like the milk thickened with a teaspoonful of flour that has first been moistened with a little cold milk, but i prefer it without. * * * * * every housekeeper should impress on her young daughter the importance of keeping on hand a small quantity of canned goods to provide for the unexpected guest, and this should include sardines, salmon, shrimps, lobster, french peas, olives and orange marmalade. these things will all keep for months in a cool place, yet are indispensable in an emergency. the can of shrimps, opened and placed in cold water for a little while, will taste as good as the fresh, and the salmon, with the skin and bones removed, will be ready on short notice to be served in a number of ways. canned fish salads for salad, take either shrimps, lobster or salmon, and after breaking in small pieces, add an equal amount of celery, season with salt and moisten with salad dressing. serve on lettuce. creamed canned fish if our small cook wishes to serve a hot dish, however, in a hurry for company, she can make to use with her canned fish, the favorite white sauce. for this she must first melt one tablespoonful of butter and add to it one tablespoonful of flour, a quarter teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and lastly, after mixing well, one cupful of milk, stirring all the time until thick. after boiling two minutes put in the can of lobster, shrimps or salmon, broken in small pieces, and allow to boil gently for three minutes more. then serve on rounds of buttered toast, garnished with parsley. sardine canapes if only sardines happen to be left in the reserve stock and yet something hot is needed, let the mother show the child how to make that rather unusual dish, sardine canapés. after removing the bones and tails, the sardines should be rubbed to a paste and mixed with an equal quantity of chopped hard-boiled eggs, seasoned with salt and pepper, a teaspoonful of lemon juice and half a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. then she must cut circles of bread, toast or fry them brown in butter, and spread on the sardine paste. send to the table immediately, garnished with circles of the hard-boiled white of egg. chapter ix rice and macaroni boiled rice rice is one of our most nutritious foods, and it can be served in such a variety of ways it is one of the first things a child should be shown how to prepare. the very easiest (and cheapest) way is to wash and drain a cup of rice and then sprinkle it slowly into two quarts of boiling salted water. without stirring, set it where it will simmer slowly, and by the time it has boiled down thick it should be tender enough to crush with the tongue. if not, add a little more boiling water and allow to cook a while longer, but if it is not stirred the grains will be whole and the rice will not stick to the pan as long as there is water enough to keep from burning. if it is to be served plain, with only cream and sugar, add a teaspoonful of butter and stir through lightly just before turning out in the dish for the table and sprinkle a little ground cinnamon over the top. this makes an easy and generally very acceptable dessert. it is particularly nice if turned first into cups to mold, and then served on a small dish with a spoonful of jelly or some preserve over the top. casserole of rice rice cups are made by lining small well-greased baking-cups with the rice half an inch thick and filling with any kind of cold meat, chopped fine and seasoned. a thin layer of the rice is then spread over the top and the cups baked in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. by running a knife around the edge when done they can be turned out when cooked, and may be served on hot toast with either warmed-over gravy or tomato sauce. rice cups, (dessert) the rice cups will be delicious for dessert, if instead of using cold meat they are filled with mince meat or raisins that have lain in cold water until they have swelled. when baked they are to be turned out on sauce dishes and served with a sauce made by creaming one-third cupful of butter with one cupful of brown sugar, flavoring with half-teaspoonful vanilla and heating in a double boiler until hot and creamy. [illustration: compote of rice] compote of rice take plain boiled rice, pack lightly in small cups, and put in a warm place for an hour to set. turn out molded, and send to the table garnished with any kind of rich preserves,--preferably such large fruits as peaches, pears or plums. rice nicely cooked is often served in place of a vegetable and eaten with a fork from the dinner plate like mashed potatoes. it is a good thing for the little cook to learn all the different ways of cooking it, as often a small quantity left from one meal would prove most acceptable for another, if prepared differently. fried rice the plain boiled rice intended to be served like a vegetable or for a simple dessert might not all be used. if a cupful were left it could be cut in thin slices and browned in butter for breakfast, or it could be stirred into the soup made from the left-overs, as described in one of our former lessons. the little maid must learn to use all her odds and ends, and a good way to teach her would be to ask her what she thought could be prepared from the small quantity of food left from a meal. while often there might not be enough for the whole family, there might be plenty for the few that happened to be home for the noon luncheon, or perhaps only enough for the school lunch that after a while gets to be such a hard thing for mother to fix up "in a different way." rice pudding rice pudding is one of the first desserts a child should learn to make, as it is so little trouble and always a favorite. she should first beat up thoroughly two eggs; add half a cupful of sugar, two cupfuls of milk, a little nutmeg, and stir through two cupfuls of cooked rice. if the rice has been standing long enough to stiffen, then, after washing her hands, she will have to work the rice through the custard with her fingers in order to remove any lumps. a half cupful of raisins or dried currants stirred in after the pudding is in the baking-dish will make it just that much nicer. in baking, leave in the oven until the pudding is firm, which will show when a silver knife stuck in the middle comes out clean. a custard is never baked enough that sticks to the knife and leaves it milky. boiled macaroni as there are many days, especially in summer, when macaroni can well take the place of meat, it is desirable that the small maid be taught how to prepare it attractively. the macaroni is first broken in small pieces, washed and then boiled in salted water until tender--about twenty minutes. it can be tested with a fork. it is very good if simply drained when cooked, sprinkled with salt and pepper, dotted with lumps of butter and sent to the table piping hot. macaroni with cheese or it can be taken from the boiling water, put in a colander, rinsed with cold water, then arranged in a baking dish in alternate layers with grated cheese. over the top pour one cup of hot milk in which has been stirred a teaspoon of butter and a beaten egg. this must be baked a light brown as quickly as possible, and served at once. it is not so good after it has stood. if preferred, a cupful of white sauce can be used instead of the milk and egg. macaroni with tomato for baked macaroni with tomato, have the little cook put in her baking dish first a layer of the cooked and rinsed macaroni, then a layer of tomatoes, either fresh or canned, but well seasoned, then another layer of macaroni, then one of tomatoes, and on the top sprinkle rolled bread crumbs. scatter tiny lumps of butter all around, season again, and bake a light brown in a quick oven. macaroni pie but if she finds that she has a small quantity of cold meat on hand, beef, veal or chicken, she can put one layer of that through the middle of the macaroni, and she will have a surprise for her family--delicious, too. this is quite nice for wash-day dinner when it can be served with baked potatoes, at little cost of time or trouble. in a series of cooking lessons of this kind, it is manifestly impossible to include directions for preparing all kinds of food, but i have outlined the work with the idea of teaching the children a great variety of dishes, believing that their success with these will stimulate them to try by themselves recipes found elsewhere. chapter x baking cake and bread the child who has been assisted in preparing the various dishes given in our previous cooking lessons, and who has learned to follow directions, will now be eager to undertake different kinds of baking. the mother should impress on the little student that the first essential to success is correct measurements, and the second, careful mixing. for cake baking a graduated tin cup, marked in quarters and thirds, is almost a necessity, as different people's ideas vary so as to what constitutes a quarter or a third. if the cup is at hand, however, and is used in taking all the measurements, there can be no mistake. and a cupful means a level cupful, not heaping; a teaspoonful a level spoonful, not a rounded one, unless so specified. baking preparations before beginning the work, the child should read over her recipe and lay out all ingredients needed. she should have the mixing bowl on the table with the mixing spoon, the teaspoon and tablespoon for measurements, and the measuring cup. the cake pan, wiped off, warmed and greased lightly with lard, is next set aside, ready for use. then the fire must be in good condition. if a gas stove is used it will take only a few moments to heat the oven properly, but if wood or coal is the fuel, the mother must show the child how to prepare the fire, so as to have the oven the right temperature and on time. the old way of having it as hot as one can stand the hand while counting twenty, is a fair test. as small cakes bake more evenly and quickly for the inexperienced cook, it is a good idea to let the child put her cake dough in muffin tins. a mixture that might fall and seem a failure if put in a loaf and not properly baked, will often come up very nicely in gem pans; and, besides, the small cakes appeal more to the childish fancy. a nice one-egg cake is made as follows: [illustration: icing the cake] tea cakes one-third of a cup of butter, one cup of sugar, one egg, one cup of milk, two cups of sifted flour, two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and half a cup of currants. directions for mixing first the child should measure her flour while her cup is dry, and adding the baking-powder, sift it on to a paper or in an extra bowl, and set it aside, ready for use. next she can measure the even cupful of sugar into the mixing bowl, add an even one-third cupful of butter, and rub together to a creamy mass. if the butter has been standing a while in the kitchen, it will be warm enough to work up nicely. then she must separate the egg, beating the white stiff and the yolk until it is foaming. adding the beaten yolk to the butter and sugar, she again stirs thoroughly, and then begins adding--a little at a time--first the milk and then the sifted flour, stirring evenly all the while. put in the vanilla, the stiffly beaten white of egg, with the currants, mixing as little as possible, and pour out into the greased gem pans. if the oven is right, the baking will take from fifteen to twenty minutes, but if the oven seems too hot, leave the door slightly open for about five minutes. an old-fashioned way of finding out when the cakes are well baked is to try with a new wooden toothpick. if it comes out clean and dry the cakes are done. on removing from the oven, loosen around the bottom edge (the cakes should have shrunk from the sides), and turn on to a bread board. when cold, they can be iced with the following simple icing: [illustration: tea cakes baked in heart shape] white icing uncooked two tablespoonfuls milk or cream, enough confectioner's sugar to make a thick paste and half dozen drops of vanilla. in spreading, if the icing does not go on as smoothly as desired the silver knife used for spreading can occasionally be dipped in a glass of cold water. cocoa icing when the child has followed this recipe several times successfully, she can then try baking it in two cake tins. when done and cool, she can put the layers together with the same icing, to which, by adding two teaspoonfuls of cocoa, she will have a nice chocolate filling. when the cocoa is used, she will need a trifle more milk or cream. ginger cookies after the child has fully mastered this recipe, let her next try some ginger cookies. to a half a cupful of molasses, one teaspoonful of soda, half a cupful sour milk, half a cupful of sugar, and one-third cupful of melted butter add one well-beaten egg, three cupfuls of flour, with one tablespoonful of ginger. this will make a thick mass which is to be turned out as soft as can be handled, half at a time, on a well-floured bread board. the child must then flour her rolling-pin to keep it from sticking, and roll as thin as desired. she should thoroughly grease the dripping pan and then cut out her cookies and lift carefully into place, one just touching another. the oven should be quite hot for these as they ought to bake quickly; and on removing from the oven, they should stand a moment in the pan before being lifted on to a plate. spice cake for an inexpensive spice cake, take one-half cup of butter, one cup of sugar, one egg, (white beaten separately), one and one-half cups of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, half a cup of milk, one-quarter teaspoonful ground cloves, one-quarter teaspoonful nutmeg, one teaspoonful cinnamon, half a teaspoonful vanilla. cream the butter and sugar, add yolk of egg and beat very light. sift flour and baking powder, and stir in alternately with the milk. add spice and flavoring next, then the stiff white, and bake either in gem pans or in a loaf. half a cupful of seeded raisins or currants will be an improvement. warm gingerbread stir together half a cup of molasses, half a cup of brown sugar, one teaspoonful of soda, one beaten egg, two tablespoons melted butter, half a cup of milk, two cups of flour, one tablespoonful of ginger, teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-quarter teaspoonful cloves, and a little nutmeg. mix in the order given, pour in greased shallow pan, and bake from fifteen to twenty minutes. * * * * * when the little cook has learned to follow the foregoing recipes so that she understands all the details of mixing and is able to make nice light cakes, let her some time try the following, which by using the whites for a delicate cake and the yolks for a gold cake, will give her two choice cakes without extra expense. after bringing to the table, when ready to begin, the sugar can, the butter jar, the egg dish, the milk, the vanilla and the baking powder, so that everything will be convenient, and having well greased a pan for the gold cake (which will be baked in a loaf) and the two jelly tins for the white cake, she can then separate three eggs, and to the three yolks add one whole egg. on account of the baking it is best to make the white cake first, and then it can be iced and the dishes cleaned away while the loaf cake bakes. white cake one even half cupful of butter and an even cupful of sugar, creamed until it is light and foamy. to one and one-half cupfuls of flour add two level teaspoonfuls baking-powder, and sift several times. then into the creamed butter and sugar pour one-half cupful milk, alternately, a little at a time, with the flour. before putting in the last of the flour, stir extra well, then put in one teaspoonful vanilla and the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, mix as little as possible, to stir through, and then add the last of the flour. bake either in a loaf or in two layer tins. the layers can be put together when cold with either the icing already given or this chocolate frosting: chocolate icing to one cup of granulated sugar add one-third cup of boiling water, and stir to dissolve until it begins to boil, but no longer. cook until it hairs from a spoon, then pour slowly on the stiff white of an egg, beating steadily. when the candy is well mixed through the egg, add two squares of chocolate, grated, and continue beating until cool and thick enough to spread. if the candy happens to be taken off too soon, the icing will not get thick, and in that event it can be made the right consistency by the addition of a little confectioner's sugar. boiled icing for the plain white boiled icing, simply omit the chocolate from the foregoing recipe, and flavor as desired. after the two white layers have been put into the oven, if she will be very careful not to forget them, our little maid can go at her loaf cake. gold cake to one cupful of sugar, and a rounded tablespoonful of butter rubbed creamy, she can stir in the four yolks and one whole egg beaten together as light as the proverbial feather. then after sifting one and one-half cupfuls of flour with two level teaspoonfuls baking-powder in a separate bowl, she can add, a little at a time, one-half cupful of milk and the flour in the same way that she did in mixing her white cake. flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla, or lemon, if preferred. citron cake if citron is liked, a quarter-cupful, cut very thin, and lightly floured, can be stirred through the batter made for the gold cake, the last thing. this cake will bake better if put in a pan having a funnel opening in the center. the oven should be a little cooler for a loaf cake, and it should bake from forty to forty-five minutes. when done, it will shrink slightly from the sides of the pan and should be a delicate brown. the best way to avoid the possibility of sticking, is to first cut a piece of paper to fit the bottom of the pan and grease it thoroughly. on removing from the oven, the loaf cake should stand a few moments and then be turned out on the bread board. nut cake if desired, when the loaf is cool, it can be iced also, with a white icing, and it will look attractive if a few nut meats are scattered over the top before the icing hardens. if nuts are liked, a few can be stirred through the cake instead of the citron and thus by using either (or neither) our small cook can make three different cakes with the same recipe. devil's food cake a delicious chocolate cake, sometimes called devil's food, is made as follows: cream three-quarters of a cup of butter with one cup of sugar, and add the beaten yolks of two eggs. sift several times one and one-half cups of flour with two scant teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and stir in, alternating with half a cup of milk. flavor with three tablespoonfuls of cocoa (or two squares of unsweetened chocolate, grated), and half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and lastly add the two whites, beaten stiff. bake in two layers, and put together with white icing. [illustration: afternoon tea for two] any child with care and a little practice should be able to bake successfully any of the recipes given. they are not expensive, and yet if properly put together will make cake light and nice enough to offer any guest. the first, of course, is a trifle cheaper, but the others will give a good variety for any company, and when she has learned to make them so they turn out well every time, she will have made a great advance in her cooking lessons. then by simply changing her icing she can have as many different kinds as the family desire. bread home-made bread is one thing that everybody likes, and while it takes time and patience, it is not really hard to make. one little girl i knew took pride in making all the bread for a family of four, and it was fine, too. the recipe here given will make three large loaves, so if you prefer, you can use only half at first, until sure that you have learned to do it properly. take three quarts of sifted flour, one even iron kitchen spoonful of salt, a rounded one of sugar, and one, also rounded, of lard melted in one cup of warm water--not hot. dissolve one fresh compressed yeast cake in one cup of warm water, and add that, with two more cups of warm water. mix this all well together, using your big spoon. when as smooth as you can get it that way, turn out on a floured board, and knead for fifteen or twenty minutes. then set it away where it will not get chilled, and leave it to rise for from four to six hours, when it will be about double its original size. then turn out on your bread board again, cut it in three parts, roll into nice smooth loaves, without more kneading, put in buttered bread tins, leave again in a warm place for about two hours, then bake in a moderate oven until a pretty brown. when done, go lightly over the hard crust with a small white cloth dipped in cold water, roll in a fresh tea towel and allow to cool before cutting. if you wish, you can start your bread and give the first kneading at night, then cover and leave until morning. light biscuit for light biscuit, take one of the three parts cut for the bread, twist off little pieces the size of an egg, roll smooth without working, wet over the top with melted butter or milk, let rise to double their size, and bake in a hot oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. chapter xi desserts good in summer for the hot days of summer, i know the mothers and little cooks will be deeply interested in cold desserts of all kinds--dishes that can be made early in the morning and set away, as well as various frozen dainties. it is well to enjoy the delicious fruits and melons in their season (and really nothing finishes off a dinner better after a close, warm day), but still we all want to know how to make light puddings and jellies for a change. floating island floating island is a nice dessert, easily made by any child, with reasonable care. for six persons, have her take three even cupfuls of milk and one-fourth teaspoonful salt, and put on to heat in a double kettle. then beat up the yolks of three eggs, add one-half cupful sugar, one-half teaspoonful vanilla, and pour in them slowly the hot milk, stirring all the time. return to the double boiler and continue to stir until it thickens and gets creamy, coating the spoon. do not allow to boil, or it will curdle. cover and set aside to cool. next the whites should be beaten up very stiff, and sweetened with two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. have a pan filled with boiling hot water--but not bubbling--and into this drop the whites in heaping big spoonfuls. after standing a few moments they will puff up very light. while they are cooking, pour the custard in a glass dish, then lift the whites with a skimmer, allow to drain and dot them over the top. made in this way, the meringue tastes much better than when served uncooked. a half-teaspoonful of currant jelly on top of each "island" makes the dessert even more inviting, and it looks particularly nice when served in individual glass dishes or sherbet cups. * * * * * gelatin forms the basis for many delicious, inexpensive puddings. it is well for the housewife to examine the recipes coming with the different brands, for while some boxes will make only one quart of jelly, others at the same price will make two, and therefore cost only half as much. lemon jelly for plain lemon jelly, the mother will instruct the child to soak two rounded tablespoonfuls of granulated gelatin in one-third cupful of cold water for fifteen minutes. then add two cupfuls of boiling water, one cupful sugar, and the strained juice of two lemons. pour in a shallow mold to set and when ready to send to the table turn onto a small platter and garnish with whipped cream, or serve with the custard used for floating island. [illustration: fruit jelly with whipped cream] fruit jelly for a fruit jelly in winter, line the bottom of the mold or individual cups with pieces of banana, orange, or preserved cherries, fill up with the liquid lemon jelly and set away to harden. in berry season, however, flavor the gelatin with half a cupful of the pure berry juice strained (instead of using lemon), and pour into cups half filled with fine, whole berries. this is best served with whipped cream, one large berry decorating the top of each cup. these jellies have to be set in a very cold place to make them firm, and it is often advisable in warm weather, if they cannot be put on ice, to make them, the night before they are needed, then put them in the coolest place possible. whipped cream whipped cream is called for with so many dishes, that every little girl should learn how to prepare it. in the first place the cream must be very thick and very cold. in the cities a special cream is usually delivered if ordered for whipping; and i believe it is a day older than the other kind. but if thick enough and cold, there is no trick at all about making it stiff in a very few moments. have the child take a deep bowl or small stone butter jar, rinse it in cold water until chilled, then wipe and pour in one-half pint of cream. taking a dover egg-beater, also thoroughly cold, let her whip steadily and not too fast until thick as the stiff white of an egg. taking out the beater, next add half a cupful of confectioners' sugar, half a teaspoonful of vanilla, stir thoroughly and set away on the ice until needed. it is best when freshly made. nuts nuts are used so much nowadays, in all kinds of cookery, that we find them in the most unexpected places. when chopped, they are mixed with cottage cheese for sandwiches, stirred into all kinds of salads, put into cake batter, and all kinds of icings; and when left in unbroken halves, used to garnish many gelatine puddings and whipped-cream desserts. * * * * * but when the very hottest days come, we all like the good things that come from the ice-cream freezer. the best up-to-date freezers do their work very quickly, the great secret being to have the ice broken up in very fine pieces or crushed in a strong bag. a good rule to follow for mixing with salt is as follows: for ice-creams, three parts ice to one part salt. for frappés, two parts ice to one part salt. for mousses, etc., equal parts ice and salt. then be sure to get the top on your can tightly, and when you are ready to remove it be careful to first brush aside all ice and salt, so not one particle can possibly get into the freezer. nothing marks the amateur more than salt in the ice-cream. french ice-cream a delicious french ice-cream has for its foundation a custard made by beating up first the yolks of three eggs very light, adding a pinch of salt, one cupful sugar and two cupfuls of milk. cook this in a double boiler until it coats the spoon, but do not allow to boil or it will curdle. cool, flavor with a teaspoonful of rich vanilla, add one pint of cream and freeze. chocolate ice-cream for a rich chocolate ice-cream, make like the foregoing, only add to the custard before it cools two ounces of grated, unsweetened chocolate which has been set in a pan of hot water long enough to allow it to melt. this takes but a few moments, however. fruit ice for a refreshing fruit ice, have our little maid prepare the juice of three oranges, three lemons, and one pint of either strawberries or red raspberries. after straining through a coarse strainer, she must add three cupfuls of sugar, three cupfuls of cold water and the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. this does not need to be frozen quite so hard as the ice-cream. strawberry mousse in strawberry season, particularly on a farm where there is an abundance of rich cream and luscious fruit, the finest kind of a frozen dessert is made by adding to a pint of thick unflavored cream, whipped as directed, two cupfuls of crushed berries and two cupfuls of sugar. the berries and sugar, well mixed, should be folded carefully into the cream and pressed in a mold. the cracks must be filled with butter or lard to prevent the salt water leaking in, and the mold packed closely in salt and ice and left for four hours. remember it is not frozen in the freezer by turning. when ready to unmold, wring a cloth out of boiling water and lay around the can for a moment, after loosening where possible with a thin-bladed knife. turn on to a platter and send to the table to be cut in slices. lemon ice for a plain lemon ice, take the grated rind of one lemon, and the juice of three, a cupful and a half of sugar, four cupfuls of water, and the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. freeze, but not too hard. citron custard citron custard is good summer or winter, served hot or cold. the child should first beat up very light two eggs, then add a pinch of salt, one-third cupful of sugar, two cupfuls of milk, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. next she must line a baking-dish or individual cups with thin slices of citron, then pour in the custard and bake, after setting her dish or cups in a pan of boiling water. if a few small nails are scattered over the bottom of the water-pan, so the pudding cups do not touch, but are surrounded by water, the custard will cook more evenly. leave in the oven about twenty minutes, but test before taking out by inserting in the middle the blade of a silver knife. when thoroughly done the blade will come out clean instead of coated. [illustration: cornstarch pudding, individual moulds] cornstarch pudding cornstarch pudding is an old favorite, too, either hot or cold. first mix four level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch with three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and beat up light one egg. then scald two cupfuls of milk, after pouring a few spoonfuls on the cornstarch in order to thoroughly wet it. when the milk is hot, add the moistened cornstarch and sugar, the beaten egg, and flavoring to taste, stirring constantly until thick. then allow to cook gently for ten minutes at least. a double boiler is best for all such puddings, as it prevents all possibility of scorching, but it takes longer. one delicious way of serving this otherwise ordinary dish is to cut a few thin peelings from a lemon (just the yellow part), cook with the milk till a delicate flavor is imparted, and then remove. when the pudding is done, pour in a mold and let set. then serve with whipped cream flavored with vanilla. the combination of the two flavorings is very agreeable. raisin tapioca tapioca is a thing every child should learn to use, as it is capable of so many variations. for the simplest pudding, have her first cover three-quarters of a cup of tapioca, (or sago, either), with one cupful of cold water and allow to soak at least an hour. then add three cupfuls of boiling water, one-half teaspoonful salt, the flavoring and sugar to taste, and boil until transparent. if the family like lemon, let her add the strained juice and grated rind of one lemon and one-half cupful of sugar. or, she can use a level cupful of raisins, the juice and grated rind of half a lemon and cupful of sugar. (the raisins should be seeded, of course.) apple tapioca or still another way is to boil the tapioca, sweetened but not flavored, for about fifteen minutes, then pour into a baking-dish half filled with sliced apples and flavored with nutmeg. this must be baked until the apples are tender. tapioca custard probably the most common way, though, of making tapioca pudding is by taking half the recipe given and after boiling fifteen minutes, (without flavoring or sugar), adding to it two cupfuls of milk, two well-beaten eggs, one-half teaspoonful vanilla, and half a cupful of sugar, then baking until the custard begins to brown on top. all these desserts are to be served with cream, plain or whipped, which adds to the appearance as well as taste. there are several brands of granulated tapioca on the market, and they are convenient if one is in a hurry, but they are more expensive than the ordinary kind, and i have found that the directions on the box seldom allow sufficient time to boil, and also that the pouring on of boiling water suggested is apt to result in the powdered tapioca forming lumps which require an extra amount of cooking. hot chocolate sauce a favorite hot sauce for puddings, or to be served separately with vanilla ice-cream, is made by melting one square of unsweetened chocolate, adding a teaspoonful of butter, one-third of a cup of water, one cup of sugar, and a few drops of vanilla. cook for five minutes, and keep hot until needed. two tablespoonfuls of cocoa can be used if preferred. my little cooks should now have become experienced enough that if they saw a recipe they thought they would like in some newspaper or magazine they could go ahead and try it by themselves. it might be well for mother to glance it over first and see if it looks all right, and then if she said "yes," proceed with it. but whatever they try, they should remember to be sure they put in every ingredient according to directions, and then cook to the queen's taste! chapter xii the thanksgiving dinner all children are deeply interested in preparations for company, and in the getting ready for the thanksgiving dinner every mother will find good opportunity to teach her little daughter many valuable lessons. there is so much to be thought of at this time and so much to be done that the wise woman will take the child into consultation, and by freely discussing plans get help and at the same time train her into the right way to prepare for guests. thanksgiving menu in the first place, talk over with her and decide about the number to be entertained, and then settle on the menu. get her to express her opinions, and if they are good let her see that you approve them by following her suggestions. if they are not good point out wherein they are at fault, and after deciding what dishes are to be served, show her how to write out the bill of fare in proper form. this should then be hung up in the kitchen for reference, as otherwise it would be an easy matter to overlook something or make a mistake. if, for instance, a simple dinner of the usual good things is desired, it should be written out in this way--and the child herself can do the writing: dinner _consommé_ _roast turkey, with dressing_ _cranberry sauce_ _pickles_ _celery_ _mashed potatoes_ _creamed onions_ _mince pie_ _cream cheese_ _coffee_ _nuts_ _raisins_ marketing the day before let the child help in the marketing. as she has already been shown how to make consommé, she can now be allowed to do it by herself, and set it away to be heated up when needed. when you go to buy the turkey, vegetables and fruits, show her the right kind to select. explain that the celery should be crisp and white, not wilted and discolored; the cranberries hard and red, not soft and brown in spots; the oranges solid and heavy, not pithy and light. have her consult the list made before starting out, to be sure she gets everything needed before beginning her cooking. [illustration: a dinner table, with fruit centerpiece, and nuts in individual baskets] dressing the turkey returning home, as soon as the turkey is delivered show her how to dress it. this is always an interesting process, and while few mothers like to see their girls really do this work, they ought to explain it fully. after taking out the pinfeathers and singeing, the skin should be carefully washed with warm water, soap and a small clean cloth, for so much dust adheres to the flesh of poultry that in no other way can it be removed. as fowls are usually drawn at the market, now take out the giblets, tear away the lights, rinse thoroughly the inside and then sprinkle with salt. moist stuffing the little cook herself can be allowed to make the stuffing. to each loaf of stale bread, broken in small pieces, add salt and pepper to taste, two tablespoonfuls of butter, half-teaspoonful of ground sage and boiling water enough to slightly moisten. dry stuffing for dry dressing, crumble the bread, omit the water, but use four tablespoonfuls of melted butter. pack in the turkey very loosely. some people like this seasoned with thyme, while others prefer onion. oyster stuffing or if oyster dressing is preferred, omit sage and add instead one pint of oysters, using the liquor to dampen the bread. pack lightly in the turkey, sew up the opening with white thread and set away in a cool place. cranberry sauce taking the cranberries next, the child can sort them over, wash and put in a granite kettle, allowing half a cupful of water and two cupfuls of sugar to each quart of berries. place over a slow fire, and after boiling fifteen or twenty minutes, stirring only enough to keep from burning, remove and set away until cool enough to pour in a glass dish. berries cooked this way will keep their shape, be transparent and a bright, pretty red. mince meat the mince-meat takes some time to prepare, and is much better if made a week or two beforehand and allowed to stand in a tightly covered jar. our small cook can help get ready the raisins, currants, citron, orange peel, and apples while the beef is boiling, and then will be delighted to do the chopping. to half a pound of lean beef, cooked until well done and chopped fine, add half a pound of chopped suet and one pound of chopped tart apples, prepared separately. to this put half a pound of currants, cleaned and dried, half a pound of seeded raisins, half a pound of citron, cut in small pieces, two cupfuls of light-brown sugar, an even teaspoonful salt, half a teaspoonful each of ground cloves and allspice, one teaspoonful cinnamon, one-fourth teaspoonful grated nutmeg, one tablespoonful of finely broken dried orange peel, juice of one lemon, one pint of boiled cider. boil slowly for an hour, add, if desired, one-half cupful of brandy, and then pack away in a crock in a cool place. this recipe, with full directions for mixing, should then be written out in the small cook-book, for although it may not be needed again for a long time, it will be ready for reference at any moment, ready for use without any doubt or trouble--and "the kind that mother used to make." mince-meat is so fascinating, too, on account of all the good things that go into it, that scarcely anyone that ever made it right once can fail thereafter. every girl should know how to make good pie crust, and as it is principally a matter of having the ingredients chilled from the ice-box, almost anyone can be successful by taking a little care. [illustration: making pies] plain pastry sift one and one-half cupfuls of flour with one-half teaspoonful salt. chop through this until like meal a half-cupful of chilled lard. add just enough ice-water to make a stiff dough, and turn out with as little handling as possible on a floured bread-board. sprinkle on flour enough to keep from sticking to rolling-pin, and dividing into sections, roll to fit the size of the pie-pan. (perforated tins are preferable.) add filling, put on thinly-rolled top crust, with a few openings in center to emit steam, and bake about half an hour, after pressing the edges thoroughly together to keep in all juice. if desired shorter, three-quarters of a cupful of lard can be used, but the dough must be kept thoroughly chilled, and it is best made in a cold room. setting the table then, on thursday morning begin the dinner in plenty of time, so there will be no hurry or confusion at the last moment. the table can be set early, the little maid being shown the silver required. at the right of each plate put the knife, soup spoon and necessary teaspoons; at the left the forks, three if a salad is served. the glass for water is placed to the right of the center, in line with the knife, and the napkin either directly in the center on the service-plate or to the left of the forks. if no flowers are available for table decorations, pile the fruit up attractively for a centerpiece, using the small dishes of nuts and raisins at each end to balance. the vegetables next should be prepared. trim off the long green ends of the celery and the discolored outside stalks, (which will make a nice cream of celery soup next day), and then instead of separating the remaining stalks, cut through the whole bunches into quarter sections or smaller. in this way each person gets part of the inside tender heart, and the celery is more attractive. when dinner is all ready, if there is no maid to help, the easiest way is to have the soup served and placed on the table just before calling out the guests. then, when ready for the next course, our little cook can remove the soup plates, taking from the right side of each person, and bring on the dinner. when that is over, she must remove all the dishes before each one, clear the table of everything but the water glasses and the decorations, brush the cloth with a folded napkin and a plate to catch the crumbs, and lastly bring in the dessert. every family has its own way as regards details, but a mother can very quickly get a child into the habit of being neat, careful and quiet about handling dishes. and she must always remember to proffer food on a tray, at the left. chapter xiii the christmas dinner party our little cook, after her experience at thanksgiving, will probably be most eager to take part in the preparations for the christmas dinner. consult her now, as before; tell her all your ideas, get her suggestions, and then make all plans at least a week beforehand. holidays should be holidays for the hostess as well as the guest, and can be made so by the choice of a dinner that is good and at the same time easily prepared. the suggested menu following will be found attractive enough for any party, and at the same time it is neither expensive nor very difficult to get ready. let the little girl again make out the bill of fare and hang up in the kitchen for reference, make out her list for market and grocery, and help in the selection of the goose, the vegetables and the fruits. thus she will learn the best kinds to buy and what they cost, and incidentally mother and daughter can have a regular little lark out of the expedition and become better chums than in almost any other way. christmas menu menu for christmas dinner _raw oysters_, _horseradish_ _roast goose_ _apple sauce_ _celery_ _mashed potatoes_ _lima beans_ _tomato jelly salad_ _plum pudding_ _fruit_ _nuts_ _raisins_ _coffee_ the first dish to make, strange to say, is the last one on the list, and the plum pudding is better if made several weeks before it is needed, and then simply steamed up again for a couple of hours just before serving. a fine old recipe that had been in a friend's family for years, was once given me, but as it filled six molds i reduced it to the following proportions, which is ample for a mold large enough for eight people: plum pudding one-half cupful butter, three-quarters cupful sugar, one-quarter pound suet, two and one-half cupfuls flour, one-half pound seeded raisins, one-half pound currants, one ounce citron, three eggs yolks and whites (beaten separately), one-half cupful milk, one-quarter cupful almonds (blanched and chopped fine), one-quarter cupful brandy (or boiled cider if preferred), one-half teaspoonful cloves, one-quarter teaspoonful nutmeg, one teaspoonful cinnamon. after getting all her ingredients out on the table and ready, the little cook should cream her butter and sugar, beat in yolks, add milk, and then stir in the flour alternately with the stiff whites. then put in the brandy and spice, and last of all the fruit and nuts, dredged with a little flour. this should be well stirred, and then packed in a thoroughly greased covered mold and steamed for four hours. hard sauce two kinds of sauce are nice for this pudding, served together. a hard sauce is made by creaming one-half cupful of butter in one cupful of fine sugar, adding half teaspoonful of brandy or vanilla and one teaspoonful cream and stirring until light and creamy. it can be set in a bowl of hot water at first to help make the butter cream, but after being beaten light should be set in the cold to harden. a teaspoonful of this hard sauce is served on each portion of the pudding. hot sauce the following hot sauce is poured around: one-quarter cupful butter, one cupful sugar, one teaspoonful flour. mix flour and sugar, add butter and one cupful cold water, and stir until it boils and thickens. flavor with nutmeg. the day before christmas repeat the lesson in dressing a fowl, and let her make the stuffing from the recipe used before, only this time she should omit the sage or oysters and season with a small onion chopped fine. apple sauce for the accompanying apple sauce, let her peel and quarter half a dozen tart apples, put on to cook in a cup of cold water, and when tender press through a colander, sweeten to taste, and then put in a pretty glass dish and grate nutmeg over the top. this should then be covered and set away until ready to be carried to the table. oysters on the half shell as we intended to have as little work as possible about this particular dinner, i have suggested raw oysters for the first course instead of a soup. serve on the half-shell if you can get them that way, putting a little chopped ice on each plate to hold the shells in place, giving four or five oysters to each person, and putting one empty shell in the center to hold the horseradish or slice of lemon. if the oysters are opened at the market all you have to do is to see that they are kept on ice until served. tomato jelly salad for the tomato jelly salad, first boil together until very tender one quart can of tomatoes, one small sliced onion, six cloves, one-half cupful chopped celery. strain through a jelly bag, season with salt and pepper, and add gelatin which has been dissolving in a few spoonfuls of cold water. as different brands vary, however, study the directions on the box in order to get the right amount to stiffen one quart of jelly. if the gelatin does not thoroughly melt with the warm tomato juice, set over the fire for a few moments, and then pour into small molds (wine glasses or after-dinner coffee cups will serve nicely), and set away to harden over night. next morning fix the required number of salad dishes with lettuce leaves or tender cabbage cut in strings, and turn out carefully the molded tomato jelly. over the top of each drop a large spoonful of thick boiled dressing. christmas decorations a pretty idea for a christmas table is to carry out as fully as possible a color scheme of red and green. the centerpiece, of course, should be of holly, and a novel one it will be if large beautiful pieces are put in the upper part of a double boiler and set out to freeze. i did this once by accident, and when i went for my holly there it was--imbedded in a solid block of ice. the shape of the oat-meal kettle, like a flowerpot, allowed the ice to turn out easily, and it could then be set on a plate and trimmed around the bottom with the holly leaves. a couple of bolts of red baby ribbon will be enough for streamers from the chandelier to each plate, at which should be a pretty piece of the holly--or better still, if you can get them, three or four red carnations for each lady, and one for the buttonhole of each gentleman. color scheme to carry out this color plan, the oysters should be served with catsup and garnished with parsley, the tomato jelly be turned out on lettuce, the plum pudding (ablaze with a spoonful of alcohol) decorated with holly, and the candy--red and white peppermint wafers--tied with green baby ribbon. if the details of preparing the dinner have been followed out as i have suggested, and everything possible done the day before, on christmas morning there will be little to do: the goose to put into the oven and roast, the potatoes to mash and the beans to dress, the plum pudding to heat up, the sauce to prepare, with the gravy and the coffee to make at the last moment. our small cook of course has the celery cleaned preparatory to cutting up, and the nuts all cracked, and she can tie up the candy and assist with the decorations. having helped set the table for the thanksgiving party, she will feel perfectly competent to undertake the arrangement now, alone, and you, mother, can say, "you have gotten along with everything so nicely, and remembered so well, i will let you put on the dishes and silver all by yourself." then when she reports that all is ready, look over the work yourself and see that it is all right. possibly she will have misplaced some pieces, forgotten others, but if you point out the errors and have her remedy the mistakes herself, she will likely remember next time and make her table a well-appointed one. chapter xiv delicious home-made candies all children love to make candy, and the home-made kinds are much purer and better--besides being much cheaper--than those usually sold at the small confectionery stores. every mother will do well to help her little daughter master this branch of cookery, for it will not only enable her to make wholesome sweets for the family when desired, but also to prepare a dainty box when she wishes to make an inexpensive present. nut candy for fine nut candy, have the child first pick out half a cupful of nut meats. put on in a small saucepan two level cupfuls of light-brown sugar, one-half cupful of water, a level teaspoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of vinegar, and boil without stirring until the candy crackles when dropped in cold water. pour into a well-buttered pie-pan that has been sprinkled with the nuts, and as soon as cool, mark into squares. [illustration: home-made chocolate creams and fudge] maple fudge for delicious maple fudge, take one and one-half cupfuls of light-brown sugar, one cupful of maple sirup, half a cupful of milk, and a level teaspoonful of butter. boil slowly until it makes a soft ball when rolled between the fingers in cold water, then set aside until cool. then beat with a fork until a creamy, sugary mass, turn quickly on to a buttered plate and mark into squares. if the little cook finds it is soft from having been taken off a moment too soon, she will have to let it stand longer to turn to sugar, but the fudge that stands overnight will be particularly smooth. cream candy cream candy is made by boiling two cupfuls of granulated sugar, _without stirring_, with three-fourths cupful water, two tablespoonfuls vinegar and a teaspoonful of butter until brittle when dropped in cold water. pour on to a buttered pan, but do not scrape the sugared edge of the kettle, and pull as soon as cool. if a little care is exercised in handling at first, it will not stick to the fingers. the butter or flour sometimes put on the hands to prevent this only spoils the candy. when pulled perfectly white, cut with scissors into small cubes. the longer this stands, the more delicious it becomes, and if flavored with a few drops of essence of peppermint when first put on (so it can be well stirred through) and then put away when done in a glass jar for a couple of weeks, it will make delicate "after-dinner mint." chocolate creams easy chocolate creams require two cupfuls of confectioner's sugar, with a few teaspoonfuls of milk to moisten enough to work like dough, and a quarter teaspoonful of vanilla. knead well, and work out into small balls. melt one square of unsweetened chocolate by first grating and then setting in a pan of hot water, and drop in the creams, one at a time. roll around quickly with a fork, and lift on to a sheet of buttered paper. put in a cool place to harden. different flavorings can be used instead of all vanilla, and half an english walnut stuck on the top of each cream before the chocolate hardens will add to the attractiveness. or, instead of dipping all the creams in the chocolate, they can be cut in half and wrapped around with figs or seeded dates. they will grow more creamy if allowed to stand a day or two. fudge particularly smooth fudge is made in a way that seems strange until you try it. take two cups of sugar, half a cup of milk, one tablespoonful of butter, a few drops of vanilla, and four tablespoonfuls of cocoa. mix, and boil without stirring until it makes a soft ball when dropped in cold water. remove from the fire, set aside until cool, then pour on to a buttered platter and beat with a silver fork until creamy. when you see it beginning to harden, quickly smooth out and mark in squares. molasses taffy all little children like this, and it is easily made. to two cups of molasses, add one cup of sugar, two tablespoons of butter, and boil until brittle when dropped in cold water. add then one-fourth teaspoonful of soda, stir through and pour on buttered tins. when cool enough to handle pull to a light color, cut in sticks, and lay on oiled paper to harden. this is good flavored with a few drops of peppermint, but do not get in too much. stuffed dates stuffed dates are a most wholesome sweet, and quickly made, too. the dates must first be picked apart, washed in warm water and dried in an old napkin. remove the seed from each with a sharp knife, slip a nut in its place, press together, and sift over with granulated sugar. leave standing a while on oiled paper to become firm. they are nice served at the end of a dinner, with the dessert and coffee. salted nuts salted nuts, used so much, are usually placed on the table when it is set, and passed during the meal. they are very expensive if bought ready for use, but quite inexpensive made at home. either almonds or peanuts can be used, but the almonds must first be dropped in boiling water long enough to loosen the skins, which will slip off easily in a cloth. melt half a teaspoonful of butter in a pie-pan, pour in a cup of nut meats, stir enough to cover with the oil, and brown in the oven. remove, and rub dry with a soft cloth, and sprinkle with fine salt. chapter xv preserving i should not feel the series of lessons complete without a word to the mothers about how to interest their girls in this important part of cooking. it is so easily done, and my own little daughters took such pleasure in the work, that i hope every woman will let her child try putting up at least one kind of fruit. the first step, however, is to get the fruit jars and glasses all conveniently at hand, clean and dry, with fresh rubbers for the tops. [illustration: marking the preserves] canned pears and peaches peaches and pears should be thinly peeled and halved, then dropped into a thick sirup made by boiling four parts granulated sugar to one part water. the fruit juice will thin this considerably, but the fruit should be boiled gently until thoroughly cooked and transparent. then lift it carefully into the jars, set in a pan of boiling water, out of a draft, to avoid breaking, pack to the top, and fill to overflowing with the sirup. screw tops on immediately as tight as possible. this is the great secret of successful canning. preserved plums damson plums make a rich, old-fashioned preserve if washed, pricked, and allowed to stand a few hours, mixed with an equal quantity of sugar--pound for pound--then put on the stove where they will gently simmer until cooked down quite thick. they must be watched carefully, however, to prevent scorching. such rich fruit is best put up in pint jars, as usually only a small quantity is needed at a time. canned cherries seed the cherries after washing them, watching carefully to see that none are wormy, and measure. take half the quantity of sugar, moisten with just enough water to melt, boil to a thick syrup, and then add the cherries. cook fifteen minutes, and seal. raspberry jam pick over the berries, measure, wash and then crush. put on to boil, and cook ten minutes, stirring to keep from sticking to the pan. then add three-quarters the amount of heated sugar, cook twenty minutes longer and pour into small jars, or in glasses that can be covered with paraffin as soon as the jam is cold. bar-le-duc currants wash, stem, and measure the currants. take three-quarters the amount of sugar, moisten with barely enough water to melt, boil to a thick syrup, turn in the currants, and cook twenty minutes. pour into small glasses, and as soon as cool cut rounds of white paper to fit tops, wet in brandy, and lay over the fruit. cut larger circles of the paper, wet thoroughly on one side with white of egg, and paste over the glass carefully, to make air-tight. this sounds like going back to the days of our grandmothers, but these currants are too rich to be put up in larger quantities, and jelly tumblers do not have tight tops. apple jelly first peel and core sound sour apples, and put on to stew with just enough water to cover. cook until the apples are almost a mush, put in a jelly-bag, and let hang overnight. do not squeeze. next day measure the juice and let boil twenty minutes, skimming whenever necessary. while it is cooking, heat an equal quantity of granulated sugar in the oven and stir it in. cook five minutes longer, or until the jelly forms when dropped on a cold saucer. stand jelly glasses in a dripping-pan, surround with boiling water, pour in the jelly, and set aside until firm. when solid, if covered with one-quarter inch of melted paraffin, it will not mould, nor will tin covers be necessary. crab apple jelly crab apple jelly is made in the same way as the apple jelly, but the fruit is simply wiped off and quartered,--not peeled. grape jelly pick grapes from the stem, wash, crush, and boil twenty minutes. then put in jelly-bag to drip overnight, but do not squeeze. next day measure juice, boil ten minutes, add an equal amount of sugar that has been warming, boil three minutes, or until a drop jellies on a cold dish, then turn into glasses. about half as much juice as drips will be left in the bag, and it can afterward be squeezed out and boiled separately, (for it will be cloudy), or the entire contents of the jelly-bag can be put through the colander, sweetened and spiced to taste, and cooked until of the desired thickness. this makes a nice marmalade. fruit combination at a time when other fruits are very high, the plain apple jelly, so delicate in flavor itself, can be mixed when ready to pour with any kind of preserved fruit, ready to be put up, even in the proportion of one-fourth, and it will not be noticeable. since the pure food law went into effect and manufacturers have had to print their formulas on the bottles, we have been able to gather a few trade secrets; and one of our best-known firms has this admission on its jam labels: "these goods are compounded from forty per cent, each fresh fruit and granulated sugar, with addition of ten per cent. each fresh apple juice and corn sirup, to prevent crystallization." their jams are very good, but why pay twenty cents a pound for a mixture of apple juice and corn sirup? and only forty per cent. fresh fruit! really, though, this fine apple jelly is quite a valuable addition to such strong fruits as quinces, or such watery ones as strawberries. chapter xvi sandwiches and drinks sandwiches of chicken or meat for picnics, school luncheons, and her evening parties my little maid will want sandwiches, and there are many kinds easily made. and generally she will want the bread cut very thin and spread with soft butter. for ordinary occasions she may use any kind of meat she happens to find in the house, slicing it if she can, then seasoning with mustard, or else putting it through the grinder and seasoning with mustard, a small minced pickle, or finely chopped sweet green pepper. in using the ground meat, however, rub it to a paste with the butter intended for the bread, and it will spread more easily. ham sandwiches to be particularly nice, mince the ham, cream with the butter, season with mustard, spread on one slice of bread, cover with a crisp lettuce leaf, add the top slice of bread, then cut in triangles. lettuce sandwiches on thin slices of buttered bread lay a fresh leaf of lettuce, and spread with salad dressing, before adding top slice. olive and cheese sandwiches these are especially good for afternoon tea or parties. butter the bread each time before slicing, so it can be cut very thin without breaking. spread with cream cheese that has been rubbed to a paste with cream, and sprinkle with chopped olives. cut in fancy shapes. raisin sandwiches spread thinly sliced brown bread with butter first, then with raisins, seeded and chopped. cracker sandwiches butter graham crackers, and spread with chopped and mixed nuts and raisins. or, take square soda crackers, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and toast a light brown. the latter, served hot, are also very nice for afternoon tea. * * * * * though children should not be allowed to drink tea and coffee, (and young people are better off without them,) every little maid should be taught how to prepare these drinks for the grown-ups, most of whom are apt to be critical. tea first, find out the kind your friends like if you possibly can, and do not give ceylon to a lover of uncolored japan! then have fresh boiling water, and scald out your teapot, which should be earthenware or china. while it is still hot, put in the tea, a teaspoonful for each cup if you use the ordinary kinds, but only half a teaspoonful of some of the strong black varieties. pour on immediately the required amount of boiling water, and set in a warm place, or cover with a cozy for five minutes. if desired cold, then pour off the grounds, and when cool enough, put in the ice box or serve at once with chopped ice. never boil tea, nor allow to stand on the leaves very long, as it draws out the injurious tannin, besides impairing the flavor. a thin slice of lemon in each glass improves the taste as well as the looks. coffee people have different ways of making coffee, but a very easy one is to measure out a tablespoonful of ground coffee for each cup desired, tie up in a square cheesecloth, and cover with an equal number of cups of boiling water. set on the stove where it will keep just below the boiling point, for three minutes, then pour and serve with cream and sugar. but to make this way, grind very fine. if your friends prefer boiled coffee, however, measure out a tablespoonful for each person, moisten well with part of the white of an egg, cover with one cup of cold water, and when that boils, add rest of the required amount from your boiling teakettle. cook for five minutes, then settle with a third of a cup of cold water, and place where it will not boil up again. this will make one cupful apiece. cocoa cool drinks are most welcomed in hot weather, and several kinds are quite nice for little girls to make. iced cocoa requires for each person half a glass of milk and half a glass of water, heated to the boiling point. mix in a cup a round teaspoonful of cocoa with one round spoonful of sugar, and dissolve with the hot milk. then put together in the kettle, boil gently several minutes, and flavor with a drop or two of vanilla before taking from the fire. after cooling, place on ice, and when ready to serve, pour in glasses over ice, and cover the top with sweetened whipped cream. delicious hot, however. grape juice grape-juice is the most nourishing kind of a fruit drink, and every family ought to put up enough in the fall when grapes are plentiful and cheap to last all winter. first pick the fruit from the stem, wash and put on in water enough to cover. cook until the grapes lose their form, put in a jelly-bag, and let them hang overnight. next day measure, and put on to boil with half as much sugar. cook for five minutes and put at once into air-tight bottles. when ready to serve, either dilute with a small quantity of water or pour on chopped ice. lemonade a most refreshing beverage on a very warm day is a lemonade made from the juice of two lemons, a half cupful of sugar and eight glasses of water, to which is added the pulp of a small grapefruit that has been removed with a sharp-edged teaspoon. fill up glasses with shaved ice. fruit syrups during the canning season often a small quantity of rich juice will be left. if this is strained through a cloth and bottled boiling hot, it will make a splendid drink, diluted with water and served iced. chapter xvii a few more desserts [illustration: marshmallow cream] before closing, let us consider some simple every day desserts that every little cook should know how to make. and first comes bread pudding for a small family, take a quart baking dish, cover the bottom with broken bread, sprinkle with raisins or currants, dot with tiny lumps of butter, and then repeat the process. over this second layer pour a custard made by beating very light two eggs, adding two cups of milk, a pinch of salt, half a cupful of sugar, and a little grated nutmeg. bake until a light brown on top, and serve with cream and sugar. brown betty butter thin slices of bread, line the bottom of the pudding dish, add a layer of sliced apples, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and repeat these layers until the dish is full. cover with a tin lid and bake twenty minutes, then remove lid and leave until brown on top. the cover is necessary to keep in the moisture, as the juice of the apples is the only liquid. serve with cream and sugar, or hot sauce. cottage pudding cream one-third of a cup of butter with three-fourths of a cup of sugar, add one egg, beaten very light, one cup of milk, and two cups of flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. stir thoroughly and bake in a shallow pan. cut in squares and serve hot, with hot chocolate or lemon sauce. lemon sauce make a syrup by boiling for five minutes one cup of sugar with one-quarter cup of water and a teaspoonful of butter. removing from the fire, add the strained juice of half a lemon. fruit batter pudding take one cup of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, and one-half teaspoonful baking-powder, sifted well, half a cupful of sugar, and stir to a smooth batter with half cup of milk. add one tablespoonful of melted butter, and two eggs, beaten light, then pour into a buttered pudding dish over two cupfuls of fresh fruit, either berries, sliced apples, bananas or peaches, and bake slowly half an hour. serve immediately with hot pudding sauce, flavored with nutmeg. sponge cake beat very light the yolks of three eggs, add one cup of sugar, half a cup of cold water, one and one-half cups of flour sifted several times with two scant teaspoonfuls of baking powder, flavor with half a teaspoonful of lemon extract, and lastly fold in the stiff whites. bake in a sheet from thirty to forty minutes. [illustration: charlotte russe] charlotte russe cut sponge cake into narrow strips, or use lady fingers, to line a glass bowl or individual glass cups as preferred. fill center with whipped cream, for which directions are given elsewhere, and garnish top with maraschino cherries. prepare at the last moment before dinner, as the cake is apt to become soaked if left standing long. marshmallow cream whip thick half a pint of cream, add two tablespoonfuls of confectioner's sugar, one white of egg, beaten stiff, one-quarter of a pound of marsh-mallows cut in small pieces, two tablespoonfuls of chopped nuts, and half a teaspoonful of vanilla. mix up lightly, and pile on the split halves of little cakes baked in heart-shaped pans. place a maraschino cherry in the center of each, pierce with a candy arrow, and pour a thickened cherry syrup around for a sauce. this dessert might also be called bleeding hearts. apple dumplings sift two cups of flour with two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and half a teaspoonful of salt, work into it two tablespoonfuls of lard until "mealy," add one cup of milk, and stir with a fork as little as possible to make a smooth dough. turn out on a floured board, roll out thin, cut in squares, place in the center of each half of a sour apple, sprinkle with a little sugar and ground cinnamon, cover with the dough, place in a pie pan and bake slowly half an hour. serve with cream and sugar or hot sauce as preferred. strawberry shortcake individual make crust as directed for apple dumplings, turn on to a floured board, cut out with a biscuit cutter and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. on removing, break each biscuit in half, butter, place the lower piece in a saucer, cover with sweetened crushed berries, put on the top half, and pour the crushed berries over all. or, if preferred for a nice company dessert, drop a big spoonful of whipped cream on top of each biscuit, and stick a fine whole berry in the center. prune whip soak half a pound of prunes over night, then stew half an hour and sweeten with half a cupful of sugar. when cool, cut in small pieces or put through the colander, and stir in to the stiffly beaten whites of five eggs, with half a cupful of granulated sugar. pour into a buttered pudding dish, bake half an hour in a slow oven, and serve at once, before it begins to go down, with thick cream. lemon pie make paste as directed before, line a deep pie pan, prick the bottom to keep from blistering, and bake in a hot oven about ten minutes. remove and fill immediately with the following preparations: mix three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch with one cup of sugar, add two-thirds of a cup of boiling water, and one teaspoonful of butter, and cook five minutes, stirring all the time. then pour on to the beaten yolks of two eggs, flavor with the strained juice and grated rind of one lemon, and fill the shell. bake until the crust is brown, then cover with the meringue, and set back long enough to color lightly. meringue beat two whites very stiff, stir in slowly half a cupful of powdered sugar, and spread on with a knife or apply through a pastry tube. it will take some time to stir in the sugar slowly enough, but it must be well mixed, then baked until a delicate brown. apple pie line a pie tin with the crust, fill with sliced sour apples, sprinkle thickly with sugar, flavor with nutmeg, cover with the crust, making an opening in the center to emit the steam, press closely together and trim around the edge, and bake in a moderate oven about three-quarters of an hour. index page apple dumplings, fritters, jelly, pie, sauce, pie, tapioca, baked, apples, baked, asparagus, soup, bacon and eggs, baked beans, baked ham, baking preparations, banana fritters, bar-le-duc, , beans, baked, dried lima, fresh lima, string, wax, beef, dried, hash, roast, steak, stew, brown, beets, beverages, cocoa, coffee, fruit syrup, grape juice, lemonade, tea, biscuit, baking powder, light, blue fish, bread, pudding, brown beef stew, brown betty, cabbage, boiled, salad, cake, chocolate, citron, devil's food, directions for making, ginger bread, ginger cookies, gold, nut, spice, sponge, tea, white, candies, chocolate creams, cream taffy, fudge (chocolate), fudge (maple), molasses taffy, nut candy, stuffed dates, canned fruit, berries, cherries, currants, peaches, pears, plums, carrots, casserole of rice, cauliflower, charlotte russe, chicken, creamed, croquettes, salad, chocolate, cake, creams, ice cream, sauce (hot), french, chops, lamb, pork, christmas decorations, menu, citron cake, custard, cocoa, codfish, creamed, coffee, compote of rice (with fruit), cookies, ginger, corn bread, on the cob, oysters (or fritters), cornstarch pudding, cottage cheese, pudding, crab apple jelly, cranberry sauce, cream sauce (see white sauce) cream taffy, croquettes, chicken, cucumber jelly, currant bar-le-duc, custard, baked citron, desserts, apple dumplings, baked custard (citron), bar-le-duc, and bread pudding, brown betty, charlotte russe, chocolate ice cream, citron custard, cornstarch pudding, cottage pudding, lemon sauce, floating island, french ice cream, fruit batter pudding, fruit ice, fruit jelly, lemon ice, jelly, pie, marshmallow cream, mince pie, nuts, plum pudding, prune whip, raisin tapioca, rice pudding, strawberry mousse, strawberry shortcake, tapioca custard, raisin, whipped cream, devil's food, dressing the turkey, dried beef, dumplings, apple, eggs, boiled, creamed, devilled, omelets, poached, scrambled, entrees, apple fritters, banana fritters, chicken croquettes, compote of rice, macaroni, pie, with cheese, with tomatoes, rice casserole, stuffed peppers, finnan, haddie, fish, blue, cakes, codfish, halibut steak, mackerel (salt), perch, salmon, creamed, sardines, smelts, smoked, trout, weak, white, sturgeon, floating island, french dressing, french ice cream, fritters, apple, banana, frosting, (see icing.) fruit batter pudding, combinations, ice, jelly, syrups, fudge (chocolate), maple, garnishes, (soup), ginger bread, cookies, gold cake, grape jelly, juice, green pepper salad, griddle cakes, ham, baked, southern style, halibut, smoked, steak, hard sauce, hash, hot sauce, ice, lemon, fruit, ice cream, chocolate, strawberry mousse, icing, chocolate, cocoa, white boiled, white uncooked, jelly, apple, crab apple, grape, lamb chops, pie, lemonade, lemon ice, jelly, pie, sauce, lettuce sandwiches, lima beans, dried, fresh, lobster, creamed, salad, macaroni, with cheese, with tomatoes, pie, mackerel, salt, maple fudge, marketing, marmalade, marshmallow cream, meat sandwiches, menu for christmas, thanksgiving, meringue, milk toast, mince meat, molasses taffy, muffins, nuts, cake, candy, cheese crackers, salted, onions. creamed, baked, omelet. cheese, chicken, green corn, garnishing, ham, plain, rice, oysters, creamed, fried, half shell, scalloped, parsnips, pastry, plain, peaches, canned, pears, canned, peas, perch, pies, apple, lemon, mince, pie crust, plain pastry, plums, plum pudding, pork and beans, pork chops, potatoes, baked, boiled, cheese, creamed, fried, hashed, lyonnaise, mashed, salad, scalloped, stuffed, preserving (fruit), puddings, bread, brown betty, citron custard, cornstarch, cottage, custard baked, fruit batter, plum, prune whip, rice, tapioca. apple, raisin, custard, raspberry jam, rice casserole of, compote, cups, fried, plain boiled, pudding, roast beef, salads, cabbage, cooked vegetable, chicken, fruit, fresh vegetable, green pepper, lobster, potato, salmon, shrimp, tomato jelly, vegetable, waldorf, salad dressing. boiled, french, sour cream, salmon, creamed, salad, smoked, salted nuts, sandwiches, brown bread, chicken, cracker, ham, lettuce, meat, olive and cheese, sardine, canapé, sauce, meat, brown, white, pudding. hard, hot, hot chocolate, lemon, setting a christmas table, shell fish, lobster, creamed, salad, oysters, fried, half shell, scalloped, shrimps, creamed, salad, smelts, smoked fish, soups, asparagus, black bean, bouillon, celery, consommé, plain, italian, rice, macaroni, pea, potato, pleasing varieties, stock, tomato, cream, vegetable, sour cream dressing, spice cake, sponge cake, squash, steak, beef, veal, with parsley, stew, brown beef, strawberries, shortcake, strawberry mousse, string beans, stuffed dates, peppers, stuffing, dry, moist, oyster, sage, sturgeon, smoked, sweet potatoes, candied, tapioca, apple, custard, raisin, tea, tea cakes, thanksgiving menu, tomatoes, baked, jelly salad, trout, turkey, dressing a, turnips, veal cutlets, steak, with parsley, weak fish, welsh rarebit, whipped cream, white cake, fish, white sauce, (cream sauce.), * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. varied hyphentation was retain, such as baking powder and baking-powder; even within the same recipe marshmallow and marsh-mallow. page , the note on the bottom of the page directing how to measure ingredients was moved to be right under the chapter title of the same page. page , "consomme" changed to "consommÃ�" (consommÃ� and boullion) page , word "on" removed from text original read (and put on in a granite) page , "consomme" changed to "consommé" (consommé, plain) food _for the_ traveler what to eat and why over menus for three meals per day price cents food for the traveler what to eat and why _by_ dora c. c. l. roper, d.o. r. s. kitchener, printer, oakland, cal. copyrighted by dora c. c. l. roper all rights reserved man is composed of what he has assimilated from his spiritual, mental and physical food introduction these pages are dedicated to those who are seeking light on the question of rational living and to all who are suffering from the effects of wrong living. thought along this line expresses growth and progress, and with it comes knowledge. common sense and judgment, following a natural instinct, will go a long way toward attaining better health. but those who, through the constant use of cooked, or highly spiced and fermented food, have lost their natural instincts and intuitions, will find the study of the science of dietetical chemistry of inestimable value toward a better understanding of natural laws, and be enabled to make the selections and combinations of foods more suitable to their temperament. before the question as to meat eating and vegetarianism can be solved, we must consider the first principle of nature, which is the law of self preservation. thereafter we may be able to think and strive to save the lives of animals, now cruelly sacrificed largely for the sense gratification of man. the artificial preparation of food is a fine art, and no doubt has helped much toward the development of our central nervous system. the ordinary mixed diet with the addition of meat two or three times per week is the safest method for most people who are compelled to work eight, ten, or twelve hours out of every twenty-four and have to deprive themselves of the proper amount of fresh air, sunshine and physical exercise, which brings all the muscles and organs of the body into proper action. inharmony, disease, and misfortune are largely caused by living a life contrary to the laws of nature. the fulfillment of high ideals must be accompanied by common sense and judgment, so it becomes an evolution instead of revolution. the evolving of man from the stage of a jelly fish to a being possessed of a bony framework in an upright position by the eating of animals has developed a higher self. after having reached this stage of evolution the nature of some people has become so highly sensitized that meat, as a food, becomes repugnant to them. what they need is a stepping stone. the very food which has produced this state of over refinement or destruction must be used for construction and minimized by degrees. in examining the claims of the disciples of vegetarianism it is well to consider those nations whose constitution and customs of work and education resemble our own. and in doing so we find that while nearly all european nations, as well as many of the orient, practice moderation in meat eating, still they are for the most part only "near vegetarians," and therefore should not be used as examples in an argument for vegetarianism. it is possible for normal individuals under fairly normal conditions of life to nourish perfectly their bodies on a vegetarian diet, provided they are willing to live mainly on sun-kissed foods instead of on a mass of sloppily-cooked, devitalized, starchy vegetables, and soft nitrogenous foods that burden the digestive organs and produce obesity and slow consumption. i hope that the menus on the following pages will be a help to all who seek simplicity from a standpoint of health as well as economy. note: for preparation of foods, consult scientific feeding. some people think that we become like the food we eat. this is true when the vibrations of what we eat are stronger than the vibrations in our bodies. all food consumed has a vibration of its own and unless the vital force within can change the rate of vibration of the food eaten and tune it to the vibration of the body itself, one cannot become nourished, or in other words "he becomes like the food he eats." there is but one force or energy in the body, which is life or "spirit." under normal conditions this force has in itself all the power to harmonize with the vibrations of the foods taken into the body. provided there is a demand for food in the form of true hunger. natural diet, deep rhythmic breathing with corresponding exercises awaken latent talents within us and rapid mental and spiritual unfoldment takes place. inharmony, disease and pain are caused by living a life contrary to the laws of god and nature. how to become a vegetarian. adopting a vegetarian diet should be done with great care, and not in a hurry, especially when the person is not in perfect health. the best time to begin is the spring. people who have lived on excessive meat should cut it down to two and three times per week, substituting cured meat and fish part of the time. it may take months, or even years to educate the cells of the stomach to act upon nuts, legumes, and other heavy protein foods, so as to be properly nourished. an individual with great adaptability may make this change without much discomfort, but many people who desire to leave off meat, do so because they are already sick from wrong eating. if they feel benefited by the change for a while it is generally because their system is eliminating the toxins which are the result of excessive meat eating. after this has taken place, the body requires food, properly combined and proportioned, or else nerve starvation and obesity are the result. to those who for various reasons desire to adopt a vegetarian diet i would say, do not substitute bread and vegetables for meat. do not spend your energy making new and complex dishes as advocated in fashionable vegetarian cook books. compounds containing several soft proteins such as beans, nuts, eggs and cream, besides starches, are a burden to the liver and alimentary canal and lay the foundation for new diseases. if cooked foods are required, study carefully the preparation of nutritious soups, well boiled cereals, salads, and add as many raw foods as possible. exercise more in the open air, live and work in sunny well ventilated rooms, retire early and live as close to nature as you can. i hope that the following pages may serve as a stepping stone for all who desire to eat less meat, as well as for those who wish to become vegetarians. in adopting a raw food diet, or in reducing heat-giving elements, such as artificial sugars and hot drinks, it is important to apply more external heat to the body for a while, or else have the morning meal served in a sunny room. plenty of outdoor exercise is necessary to properly utilize a vegetarian diet. food requirements. it is important that the diet should contain the proper amount of protein, starches and fats, suitable to the individual needs. age, weight, height, occupation, season and climate must all be considered. numerous and careful researches regarding food requirements made during the last fifty years have led to the realization that the majority of civilized men and women consume from two to three times the amount of food necessary. food for the aged. many people at the ages of sixty and seventy still lead an active life, while others retire from activity at forty-five or fifty. therefore, the food should conform to the person's mental and physical requirements. if the teeth are poor and the digestive powers weak, the food should be light, consisting mainly of well cooked cereals, baked potatoes, rice, cooked greens, a small amount of meat, raw fruits and raw greens in combination with fatty foods, as salads, milk and buttermilk, toasted breads and soups. the total fuel requirement depends upon whether the individual leads a quiet or active existence. for a person who lives mainly indoors, and makes little use of the muscles of the arms, shoulders and trunk, to calories is sufficient for twenty-four hours. if more food is eaten than the body requires, the excess will manifest itself by the development of chronic ailments and obesity, or feeble-mindedness. the morning and evening meals should consist of fluid and semi-fluid foods, or of toasted breads and salads. meats, eggs (except the yolks), cheese, beans, peas and nuts should be eaten only during the middle of the day in small quantities. one can cut down his amount of food greatly by thoroughly chewing each morsel. the demand for protein at this period is small, while the amount of fat should be increased. what shall we drink with our meals? this question is often asked. it depends entirely on the quality and combination of food which is eaten. a diet consisting of a variety of solids and vegetables with excessive fluids gives the stomach nothing to do; the contents pass at once into the intestines. such mixtures are ingested instead of being digested; they cannot be fully utilized because stimulation upon the drainage of the body is lacking. if dry foods are eaten, such as sandwiches, rice, macaroni, potatoes or dry cereals, without the addition of fruits, vegetables or soups, a small amount of liquid should be taken. such simple foods do not form a perfect meal, therefore milk or broths are preferable to water. water is best taken from five to fifteen minutes before the meal or from one to two hours after meals. note: these pages are not a perfected plan of right eating to be slavishly followed. each man is a law unto himself, and with a little self-study and practical application this book may be worth its weight in gold to the true student of natural laws. right and wrong food mixtures. do not mix fat pork and cucumbers. pork and sweet fruits. pork and fancy fruits. pork, corn, cucumbers. meat and fish and legumes. milk and meat. cooked vegetables and nuts. boiled eggs and fresh pork. bananas and pork. boiled eggs and cheese. cherries and raw milk. fancy fruits and onions. fancy fruits and cucumbers. nuts, excess of starchy foods. potatoes, tomatoes or acid fruits. potatoes, fresh yeast bread. potatoes and white bread. potatoes, underground vegetables. cooked and raw greens. cucumber, sago and pork. strawberries and tomatoes. strawberries and beans. bananas and corn. raw fruits, cooked vegetables. milk and cooked vegetables. raw fruits and cooked cereals. cheese (except cottage) and nuts. boiled eggs and nuts. boiled eggs and canned corn. boiled eggs and bananas. boiled eggs and cheese. bananas and cucumbers. skim-milk and fruit. cheese and bananas. beans and bananas. good combinations raw greens and meat or eggs. boiled greens and meat or eggs. meats and acids. eggs and salted meats. raw fruits and raw cereals. raw fruits, raw cereals and nuts. raw fruits, raw greens and nuts. raw cereals and nuts. raw cereals and raw milk. raw cereals, raw vegetables. boiled cereals and boiled milk. boiled cereals and boiled cream. raw greens, eggs and acid fruits. boiled greens, eggs, acid fruits. fats and acids. rye and butter and honey. rye and cream and honey. cream, sweet or acid fruits. eggs or nuts, apples, green leaves. popcorn, tomatoes and lettuce. cucumbers, milk, cereal food. cheese, apples and green leaves. cheese and rye and apples. eggs and pickled vegetables. eggs, acid fruits, leaf vegetables. eggs and greens and rye. nuts, apples, sweet or acid fruits. nuts, bananas, sweet or acid fruits. almonds, rice and green leaves. nuts, raisins and green leaves. boiled cereals and raw nuts. the harmony and inharmony between the different foods as mentioned above are only stated in a general way. certain combinations are absolutely harmful to every individual, others are either harmful to certain temperaments, or, to mix them means a waste in the animal economy of the body. menus for breakfast. people who feel the need of laxative foods during the spring season will find here a number of suitable breakfast menus to choose from: . cooked spinach or mustard greens, with rye or biscuit. . finely mashed boiled beets or turnips or carrots with parsley and bacon. . mushroom salad, lettuce, french dressing, bread and butter. . bacon with string beans, bread and butter, stewed prunes. . lettuce with dressing, baked potatoes, creamed beef. . celery with french dressing, fried sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce. . corned beef hash with eggs and buttered triscuits. . lettuce with syrup dressing and buckwheat cakes. . grated carrots with lettuce, unfired bread with nut-cream. . buttered toast with apple or apricot sauce, cheese. . cooked cereals with hot cream and dried sweet fruits. . baked apples with cream, toast and cream cheese. . rice with prunes, bacon, black crusts. . cooked cereal with hot cream or butter, cucumbers cut in halves. . sliced bananas and grapefruit with nut or mayonnaise dressing. . cabbage salad, hard boiled eggs, bread and butter. . strained canned tomato juice and bananas with lettuce. . fish cakes, steamed potatoes, parsley and butter, black crusts. . baked or plain boiled cauliflower with chipped beef. . boiled cauliflower with tomato sauce, bread, butter and cheese. . tomato puree with fried parsnips, black toast with butter. . radishes, green onions, whole wheat bread and butter. . asparagus salad with ham hash, bread and butter. . salted mackerel with creamed potatoes, milk. . pineapple with grapefruit, fish, apple salad, lettuce. . cherries with water eggnog, triscuit with chipped beef. . cherries with pineapple, cream cheese, egg food or fish. . bananas with tomato, cranberry or rhubarb compote. . apple or apricot sauce with imperial sticks or fruit toast. people who have difficulty in digesting eggs will find it more agreeable to eat the yolks and whites at different times of the day; the former prepared in salad dressing or boiled custards; the latter in the form of baked eggs with lemon and green vegetables. learn by experience to select the kinds of food which yield nourishment and avoid those which disagree. menus for dinner. . apple salad, lettuce, broiled steak, shredded wheat with butter. . cream of pea soup, beef or roast pork, potatoes, stewed prunes. . broiled chops, young peas, creamed potatoes, oranges. . tomato salad, lettuce, veal with mushrooms and rice. . cream of tomato soup, veal chops with peas, stewed prunes. . sweet potatoes with roast beef, tomato puree, celery, nuts. . lettuce salad, mashed carrots, baked beans with lemon, bacon. . beefsteak with eggs and potatoes, celery, prunes. . pea soup with crackers, fish with apple salad, celery. . sour roast with potato dumplings, lettuce salad, prunes. . broth with egg, apple salad and lettuce, pork chops. . pea soup with toast, fish with apple rice, coffee and crusts. . game or pork with sauerkraut and potato dumplings. . tongue with mushroom sauce and potatoes, crusts and coffee. . boiled beef with string beans, potatoes with white sauce. . baked oatmeal with cranberry sauce and celery, nuts. . fish with potato salad and lettuce, grapes or pie. . roast mutton with peas and baked potatoes, celery. . bean soup with raw carrots, bread and butter. . barley soup with crackers, swiss cheese and apple salad. . lettuce salad with omelet, stewed prunes or cranberries. . tomato and lettuce salad with pork tenderloin, oranges. . mashed carrots or beets with fat or lean meat, green grapes. . pea soup with fried bread, calves' liver with apple salad. . lentil soup, fried bread, codfish balls with apple sauce. . roast beef, greens, apples or potatoes, gelatine. . chicken soup, asparagus or peas, potatoes, meat. . spinach or lettuce, macaroni, cheese, pea or tomato puree. . tomato soup or salad, baked beans, lettuce, prunes. drink sufficient pure natural water between your meals. there is danger in over-drinking as well as in under-drinking. all who are in the habit of eating more than their systems require and especially those who indulge in large amounts of bread at dinner, would do well to begin their meal with a soup. legume and cream soups will furnish a satisfactory meal by themselves. take toast or sun-dried bread at the end of the meal, with black coffee or postum. light lunches for children, students at college and people who have to toil indoors. . corn and tomato soup with crusts or raw greens. . cream of tomato soup with zwieback or raw greens. . green pea soup with zwieback and celery, pie or pudding. . broth with egg, sandwiches with bologna or cold meat. . buttermilk with graham toast, stewed prunes with cream. . fresh milk with tomato toast, stewed prunes with cream. . fruit gruel with white of eggs, and buttered toast. . strained tomato juice with whole wheat toast and butter, celery. . orange juice, cooked leaf vegetable with fried bacon and eggs, toast. . pineapple salad with whipped cream and toast or triscuit. . apple or banana salad, lettuce, orange juice, nuts. . potato salad with lettuce and soft boiled eggs, ham or bacon. . strawberries or raspberries with rich milk and zwieback. . cherries and egg food, fish or nut foods, lettuce. . cream cheese with apples and sandwiches, lettuce salad. . fig or date butter with ryenuts and rich fresh milk. . raw huckleberries ( / cupful) with bread and butter or zwieback. . lettuce, bananas, one glass of cranberry or tomato juice. . apple salad with lettuce and almond cream or almonds. . apples, raisins, six to twelve nuts, lettuce, celery. . gelatine of fruit, or bread and bran with cream and toast. . clam broth or cream soup with toast and raw celery. . muskmelon with lemon and berries or cherries. . baked apples in gelatine with fish salad, lettuce. . ambrosia or apple sauce with whites of eggs and toast, malted milk. menus for supper. . rice with milk, black toast with fig butter or honey. . pea broth, tripe with tomato sauce and toast with butter. . melon, berries, codfish cakes with bread and butter. . cream of corn soup, tomato toast with milk. . rice flour with hot cream or milk, toast with eggs. . milk rice, soda crackers or toast or cake, coffee. . apple salad, puffed wheat with butter and fried bacon. . broth with egg, cracker, sprouts, lamb, toast, butter, oranges. . apple and celery salad, fruit cake with coffee or milk. . raspberries or strawberries, shredded wheat or cake, rich milk. . tomato or blackberry toast, one or two glasses of rich milk. . fruit gelatine with cream, sandwiches or cake, coffee or milk. . sterilized blackberry juice with zwieback, omelet, fruit sauce. . clabber milk with cream and dry toast, nuts if desired. . lemon pie with fresh milk, or sand tart with fruit salad. . raw huckleberries and zwieback with sweet butter, nuts. for those who require a liberal amount of food, add cream cheese, cottage cheese, swiss cheese, fish, lamb chops, meat cakes, eggs, egg-toast, legume soups, etc. apples, tomatoes and prunes combine well with many of the above mentioned foods. menus for dinner (without meat). . asparagus or celery root salad with lettuce, pea loaf. . young peas, mashed potatoes, fried egg-plant. . mushroom salad with lettuce, imperial sticks, rice, nuts. . legume cheese or croquettes, carrot puree, celery, olives. . radishes, water cress salad, stuffed peppers and tomato puree. . apple pie or black bread, grated swiss cheese, grapes or oranges. . spinach, eggs or omelet with tomato puree, olives. . raw soaked oats or wheat with dried soaked fruit and cream, nuts. . tomato cream soup or tomato salad, eggs, shredded wheat. . vegetable pudding or legume roast, string beans, carrots. . polenta with apricot or cranberry sauce and cheese. . boiled wheat with butter or hot cream and fruit, nuts. . baked rolled oats with cranberry sauce, celery, nuts. . string beans, lima beans or cow beans with green salad. . asparagus salad, pea cheese with tomato sauce, prunes. . cherry soup, german pancakes with lettuce and syrup dressing. . blackberry soup, cereal or bread omelet, lettuce, honey dressing. . milk soup with sago, german pancakes, gooseberry compote. . cabbage, salad or stewed, steamed or plain bread pudding. . bread soup with apples, rice pudding with dried fruit. . bran or bread soup, apple salad with grated cheese, lettuce. . milk or huckleberry soup, unleavened apple pancakes. . clabber milk with cream and grapenuts or stale bread, nuts. . corn bread with apple salad and lettuce, nuts. . plain milk rice with currants, nuts or cheese. . bread dumplings with stewed prunes or pears, celery, nuts. . buttermilk soup with dried fruit, nuts or eggs. . peas with mashed carrots and lettuce salad. . rice and tomato soup, cabbage, plum pudding. for people of a bilious temperament eggs should not be mixed with milk or sweet foods at the same meal. tomatoes, tart apples or green leaves, raw or cooked, are anti-bilious foods. if certain foods do not agree, or produce indigestion, study their combination and preparation carefully, also the proportion and time of the day when most suitable. if this does not prove satisfactory leave them alone. menus suitable for any meal. (without meat) . cereal salad of rye with bananas or carrots, milk, green leaves. . raw or cooked lima beans with tomatoes or carrots, leaf salad. . apple and lettuce salad, fruit cake or fruit pie, swiss cheese. . plain cake, gelatine, cream or green salad, milk or lemonade. . bananas with strained tomato juice and raw green peas. . plum salad, lettuce, mayonnaise dressing, walnuts. . strawberries, lettuce and oil or mayonnaise dressing, almonds. . apple or tomato salad, cheese and raw bread. . clabber milk, triscuits or zwieback, dried fruits, nuts. . raw blackberries or lemonade, zwieback, or raw bread. . raspberries or strawberries, rich milk, raw bread or nuts. . banana salad, lettuce, cherries or sweet fruits, almonds. . fruit pie or fruit toast, a glass of milk, pecans. . green grapes, black bread, swiss or cream cheese. . cereal or fruit salad and lettuce, nuts. . fruit butter with cream or toast and almonds. . cherries with eggs or omelet or corn bread. . melon with lemon, banana salad, pecans or almonds. . bean salad with lettuce and raw carrots. . potato or carrot salad, lettuce, walnuts. . fruit soup (warm or cold) eggs or nuts. . pear salad with cranberries and celery, raw bread. . buttermilk or sweet milk with toast or raw bread. . raw rolled oats, plain or with fruit and cream. . mixed rylax and wheat with cream and fruit. . cabbage salad with hard boiled eggs, bread and butter. . peach or apricot salad, wheat or rye and nuts. . soaked whole wheat with cream, prunes or dates. . raw corn or bananas and strained tomato juice. . cooked pea or string bean salad and raw carrots. . baked apples with cream, toast with cheese. . carrot or tomato salad, olives, lettuce, legumes any style. . sweet potatoes, baked or boiled, buttermilk. . raw huckleberries, zwieback or raw wheat, butter, cream, nuts. . green pea soup, celery, bananas or sweet potatoes, cranberries. . bananas with berries and lettuce. laxative foods: fruit juices, plums, tomatoes, apples, pears, grapes, figs, fruit-soups, fruit-gruels, raisins, gelatines, corn, oats, spinach, oranges, carrots, parsnips, bran, oil, butter, cream, olives, yolks of eggs, pecans, walnuts, brazil nuts, cucumbers, onions, greens, butter sauces. constipating foods: skim-milk, liquid foods, fine flour bread, potatoes, tapioca, white of eggs, gluten, mush, cheese made from skim-milk. diet and hygiene for brain workers. proper growth and activity of the brain and nervous system are promoted by a healthy flow of blood. pure air and sufficient food properly combined and proportioned are essential. choose more of the lighter forms of protein and starchy foods, as fish, eggs, almonds, green peas, bacon, a moderate amount of lamb and beef, rice, sago, wheat, and vegetable gelatines. foods rich in minerals are celery, apples, tomatoes, greens, oranges, and practically all the fresh fruits and vegetables, especially the small berries. melons and starchy vegetables in large quantities are suitable for muscular workers. use as little as possible of so-called pure chemical substances, such as refined sugar and flour. avoid poisonous beverages, tobacco and all forms of drugs. sleep at least nine hours in a well ventilated room, facing east or south. avoid constipation. combine mental work with moderate amounts of useful and enjoyable exercise and physical work. protect the eyes from strong artificial light. keep the feet warm. relax before and after meals. a certain amount of manual labor is absolutely necessary for the brain-worker. it favors deep breathing and creates a demand for more air and water, and thus improves digestion, oxidation and nutrition. the body poisons are carried off quicker and nervous headaches and despondency are avoided. short walks out of doors before retiring are very beneficial for people who suffer with cold hands and feet. dress by an open fire or in a sunny room. a chill before breakfast produces indigestion and a desire for unnecessary hot foods. never sleep by night lamps or any other artificial light. they are injurious to the eyes and absorb oxygen. avoid fresh breads, inferior cakes and pastry. do not eat unless you are hungry. do not over-indulge in athletic or any other kind of exercise. remember that natural feeding, pure air and sufficient sleep call for natural breathing and natural exercise. unnatural feeding and late hours create disease or nervousness. "the immigrant." all who leave the land of their birth should make themselves acquainted with the art of living and the peculiarities of the new country in which they intend to live. to depart entirely from their old customs and habits is as dangerous as to neglect the study of the new environment or the failure to adopt necessary changes. in some portions of the united states the climatic conditions are very changeable; we have extreme heat and cold, an excess of rain with wind storms and dryness alternating within a short time. west of the rocky mountains we have a mild sea air. in the southern states and near the pacific coast we have low districts where malaria and catarrhal conditions are easily acquired. tropical fruits and vegetables which are looked upon as luxuries in northern europe are necessary articles of food in the country where they grow, therefore the stranger should make himself acquainted with such foods, and by degrees learn to eat them. training children in correct habits of eating. a child should have his face and hands washed before and after each meal. he should not be allowed to carry foodstuffs and candy about the house, or touch carpets and furniture with sticky and greasy fingers. if he requires food between meals, give him four or five meals per day, but have him eat his food in the proper place. the breeding of flies, mosquitoes and other disease carriers is greatly favored by allowing children to eat at any and all times without napkins, or special preservation of their dress, or without cleaning their hands before and after eating, or before and after playing with animals and pets. the american child is given too much consideration at the table. there is a great difference between the saying "i don't like a certain food" and "i don't want it," because there are things which taste better. to leave one's plate half full of foodstuffs and ask for, or accept, other food is customary, but before the law of our creator it is unclean and disrespectful, wasteful and dangerous. the physiological laws of our bodies are based on very economical plans: nature utilizes everything and wastes nothing. cooked foodstuffs, whether they are wasted within our bodies by over-indulgence, or in the garbage can, create decomposition and germs. menus for dinner for young children. . one-half orange, one ounce boiled fish, one-half of an apple, toast. . one-half of an apple, one or two eggs, one to two tablespoons raw rylax. . cereal salad with carrots and fish. . legume soup, butter and bread, raw carrots. . well boiled macaroni, two tablespoons of cold grated cheese. . light rice with cold grated swiss cheese. . cereal salad with apple and eggs. . lettuce, baked potatoes, beachnut bacon and one egg. . mashed carrots, two tablespoons of young peas, bacon. . string beans with stale bread and butter, bacon and egg. . finely chopped spinach, bacon, egg, stale bread, butter. . three to five cherries, light omelet, lettuce. . cereal salad with apples, two to three tablespoons of cottage cheese. . baked oats with prunes or cranberry sauce and bacon. . whole wheat with sterilized cream and celery. . peach and cereal salad, beachnut bacon and one egg. . baked potato greens, meat, egg or fish. . legume puree or soup, carrots, bacon. legumes are a very important food for young children, and their use should begin during the second year. they are easily digested if prepared in the form of soups and purees, and combined as directed in the different menus. they should not be given at night. mothers of girls should think it more important to furnish healthful exercise, wholesome food and restful sleep during the years of budding womanhood, than to worry about lessons in music and art, or a business education. all these can be taken up with much greater benefit after maturity. arrested development of the organs of reproduction will lay the foundation for many years of unhappiness and suffering. many parents are impressed with the idea that their children require a large amount of sweets, in order to make them grow. we cannot force nature without paying the penalty. at maturity, we reap what has been sown for us, or what we have sown for ourselves. memorandum prevention of disease, insanity and crime contents: wet or dry? the alcohol we take, the alcohol we make. treatment of chronic alcoholism. preventative treatment. mineral starvation. price cents the epicure of medicine the key to successful treatment of chronic, so-called incurable diseases. pages. cloth, $ . ; postpaid, $ . . paper, $ . ; postpaid, $ . extracts from reviews and letters your book, "the epicure of medicine," is worth its weight in gold. dr. f. schurmann, honolulu, t. h. (the schurmann institute). a knowledge based on such experience is worthy of the profoundest consideration. this accounts for the sincerity of the mode of writing. dr. axel emil gibson, los angeles, cal. the book is interesting and has value. the author's account of her own struggles with disease leads one to wonder how she could be alive and able to write a book. few such struggles have ever been recorded. it is interesting to follow the author in her account of the combats she has had with the disease. there are many new and strange teachings in the book of which we shall express no opinion. the therapeutic record, louisville, ky. the study of the book shows that the author, like many american physicians, is not a staunch believer in "drug cures," but considers that spiritual, mental and physical healing applied in the natural way are the only means to produce chemical changes within our bodies. practical medicine, delhi, india. after a careful reading and understanding of dr. roper's new work, i can heartily endorse her efforts to bring the right style of living before the people. such a work as this seems a blessing to humanity. mrs. lottie hall, pres. of lincoln school mothers' club, berkeley. the only cook book which i have seen, which gives the proper chemical combinations for each meal of the day. mrs. esther talbott, oakland, cal. your book deserves to be circulated by the millions. our club would consider it a favor if you could give us a lecture and demonstration on nutritious soups. mrs. ida houghtaling, berkeley, cal. "scientific feeding" is an open door to health. after being under the care and supervision of dr. roper for two months i feel confident that she has knowledge which leads to health through right living. miss elisabeth jewett, kindergarten director, cleveland, o. your book is a regular gold mine. i particularly like the chapter, "study of food." a copy should be in every school library. eleanor merrow (public school teacher for ten years). dr. dora c. c. l. roper dietetic expert nervous and mental diseases obesity a specialty dietetic instructions by mail accommodations for patients for terms, state case and enclose addressed stamped envelope. r. f. d. , box , oakland, cal. courses in dietetic chemistry given to nurses; in classes and by correspondence. [ transcriber's note: every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible; changes (corrections of spelling and punctuation) made to the original text are listed at the end of this file. ] new vegetarian dishes by mrs. bowdich author of "confidential chats with mothers" with preface by ernest bell, m.a. treasurer of the london vegetarian society london george bell & sons, york st., covent garden and new york chiswick press:--c. whittingham and co., tooks court, chancery lane. preface. there are already a good many vegetarian cookery books, ranging in price from one penny to half-a-crown, but yet, when i am asked, as not unfrequently happens, to recommend such a book, i know of only one which at all fulfils the requirements, and even that one is, i find, rather severely criticised by ladies who know anything about the matter. to have to live by some of them would almost make a vegetarian turn meat-eater. most are compilations from other books with the meat dishes left out, and a little porridge and a few beans and peas thrown in. all of them, i believe, contain a lot of puddings and sweets, which certainly are vegetarian, but which can be found in any ordinary cookery book. what is required is a book that will enable us to provide something to take the place of meat, which, while nourishing, shall at the same time be palatable. this the present book aims at doing. of the recipes given, upwards of are absolutely original, having been carefully thought out and tested by the author herself, and not hitherto published anywhere. many of them are as nourishing, weight for weight, as ordinary dishes made with meat, those containing beans, peas, eggs, and the various sorts of grain, being the most nourishing. if they are not all found to be palatable, the fault must be in the individual cook, who cannot have put in the important ingredient of _feeling_, without which no work can be wholly good. the thorough-going vegetarian, to whom abstinence from meat is part of his ethical code and his religion,--who would as soon think of taking his neighbour's purse as helping himself to a slice of beef,--is by nature a man of frugal habits and simple tastes. he _prefers_ a plain diet, and knows that the purest enjoyment is to be found in fruits of all kinds as nature supplies them. he needs but little cookery, and that of the simplest. to him this book will be of little use, except when he wishes to entertain his friends. but there are others who, while not feeling that any moral principle is immediately involved in the matter of diet, yet would like to be relieved from the necessity of eating flesh, possibly on æsthetic grounds, or it may be from hygienic reasons, or in some cases, i hope, because they would willingly diminish the sufferings involved in the transport and slaughter of animals, inevitable as long as they are used for food. to these it is hoped that this little book may act as an encouragement and help. nor need our carnivorous friends be afraid of it. a good deal of nonsense is talked (by meat-eaters i mean, of course) about the properties of food, and they would have us believe that they eat a beef-steak mainly because it contains . per cent. of nitrogen. but we know better. they have eaten steaks for many years, but it was only last week, in working up for a debate, that they found out about the nitrogen. it is not the chemical ingredients which determine the diet, but the _flavour_; and it is quite remarkable, when some tasty vegetarian dishes are on the table, how soon the percentages of nitrogen are forgotten, and how far a small piece of meat will go. if this little book shall succeed in thus weaning away a few from a custom which is bad--bad for the suffering creatures that are butchered--bad for the class set apart to be the slaughterers--bad for the consumers physically, in that it produces disease, and morally, in that it tends to feed the lower and more ferocious qualities of mind, and also for ever prevents our treating the animal creation with that _courtesy_ (as sir arthur helps put it) which is their due--then i know that it will not have wholly failed in carrying out the author's benevolent intention. ernest bell. new vegetarian dishes. general hints. haricot beans. among the pulses there is none more nourishing, more generally liked, nor more useful to the vegetarian cook than the haricot bean. whether on account of its refined flavour, its delicate colour, its size, or last, but not least, its cheapness, i do not hesitate to place it first. like the potato, however, its very simplicity lays it open to careless treatment, and many who would be the first to appreciate its good qualities if it were placed before them well cooked and served, now recoil from the idea of habitually feeding off what they know only under the guise of a stodgy, insipid, or watery mass. a few hints, therefore, respecting the best manner of preparing this vegetable may be useful. firstly, the beans should invariably be washed and placed in a basin of cold water the night before they are required for use, and should remain in soak about ten or twelve hours. if left longer than this during hot weather they are apt to turn sour. they should not be cooked in the same water that they have been soaked in. soft water must be used to cook them. if this be not obtainable, maignen's ante-calcaire will be found to render the water soft. salt should not be added until they are at least half cooked, as its tendency is to harden them. this applies also to peas, lentils, etc. they take about two hours to cook, or three if required very soft. they must not be allowed to boil very fast, for, like potatoes, they are then liable to break before becoming tender. about two pints of water, one ounce of butter, and one teaspoon of salt to half-pint of soaked beans, may be taken as a fair average. during soaking they swell to nearly double their original size, and in boiling they double again. never throw away the liquor in which they are boiled but reserve it as "stock." when they are to be plainly served as a vegetable, it is best to remove the lid of the saucepan a few minutes before dishing up, and so reduce the liquor to the desired strength. when required for frying they should be strained as soon as tender, and spread over a plate to dry. they may then be fried in butter or oil. always make a point of tasting them before sending to table, for if not sufficiently salted they are very insipid. all spices, herbs, etc., boiled with the beans for flavouring purposes, should be tied in a small piece of muslin, which may at any moment be easily removed. haricot bean pulp, which will be found frequently mentioned in the following recipes, is made by boiling the beans until tender and rather dry, and then rubbing them through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon. lentils. next in usefulness to the haricot bean comes the german lentil. this must not be confounded with the egyptian lentil, which closely resembles the split pea; for not only is the former double the price of the latter, but i may add double its worth also, at least from a culinary point of view. in vegetarian cookery the lentil takes the place of the dark meats of the flesh-eaters' dietary, such as beef and mutton, the haricot bean supplying a substitute for the white, such as veal, chicken, etc. the liquor in which lentils have been boiled forms a rich foundation for dark sauces, also a delicious and nourishing beverage, in flavour resembling beef-tea, can be obtained from them (see recipe no.  ). besides being darker in colour, the flavour of lentils is much more pronounced than that of haricots. throughout the following recipes the word "lentil" means german lentil, without exception. split peas, etc. most of the advice given above respecting haricots and lentils applies to the treatment of split peas, dried green peas, and egyptian lentils. thickenings for soups and sauce. pearl barley is invaluable for thickening soups, sauces, etc. it should be strained away when the required consistency is obtained, for if left in too long the flavour is apt to be found a little too strong for some tastes. sago, tapioca, rice, and semolina are all useful for thickening, and it is generally advisable to strain the sauces in which they are used, before sending to table. if paste of flour and butter be used for thickening, there will be no necessity to use a strainer, unless the sauce becomes lumpy. this can generally be remedied, however, by prolonged stirring over the fire. the paste is made by placing equal quantities of flour and butter on a plate, and working them together with a knife until the flour is thoroughly incorporated. use about one ounce each of flour and butter to one pint of sauce, or to two pints of soup. for thickening dark sauces, stews, etc., flour which has been baked in the oven until it has turned a very light brown will be found better than white flour. if allowed to become too brown it will acquire a disagreeable flavour. frying in oil. a medium-sized iron saucepan and a wire basket to fit it easily should be kept for this purpose. fill about a third of the saucepan with oil (be quite sure that the quality is good), put in the wire basket, and place the saucepan over the fire or gas, and after a few minutes watch it carefully to see when it begins to boil. this will be notified by the oil becoming quite still, and emitting a thin blue vapour. directly this is observed, drop the articles to be fried gently into the basket, taking care not to overcrowd them, or their shape will be quite spoiled. when they have become a golden brown, lift out the basket, suspend it for one moment over the saucepan to allow the oil to run back, then carefully turn the fritters on to some soft paper, and serve piled on a hot dish, not forgetting to use a fish paper. when cold, the oil should be strained through a fine strainer, lined with a piece of muslin. it is then ready for use again with a little more added. should the oil become burnt, it must of course be thrown away. bread crumbs. to procure _fine_ bread crumbs, rub stale bread through a wire sieve. for this the hands should be scrupulously clean. should the crumbs be required _coarse_, rubbing the bread on a grater will answer the purpose. recipes. soups. no.  .--artichoke soup.  pounds jerusalem artichokes after peeling.  pints water.  pint milk.  ounces butter.  teaspoons salt.  shalots.  teaspoons chopped celery.  tablespoon sago.  dozen peppercorns, with a suspicion of mace and cinnamon tied in muslin. peel the artichokes and throw them into cold water. dissolve the butter in a large enamelled saucepan, slice the artichokes and fry for five minutes in the butter, then add the water, shalots and celery chopped, and the seasonings. boil for three-quarters of an hour, removing the scum as it rises. add milk and sago, and stir frequently for twenty minutes. rub through a hair sieve into a tureen. note.--cream is often recommended for this soup, but when sago and milk are used as above, the result will be found extremely satisfactory, and the expense considerably lessened. no.  .--asparagus soup.  heads of asparagus.  cabbage lettuce.  quarts of water.  ounce of butter.  medium-sized onions. a sprig of mint.  tablespoon of sago.  teaspoons of salt. ½ teaspoon of pepper.  or drops of spinach extract. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan, place in the lettuce finely shredded, the salt, pepper, mint, onions sliced, water, and the green portion of the asparagus, but reserving thirty tops. boil one hour. stir in the sago and boil again, stirring frequently for half an hour without the lid. boil the thirty tops separately in a little salted water until tender. strain the soup through a hair sieve (rubbing the pulp through with a wooden spoon) into a hot tureen, add the tops and the colouring, and serve. note.--if the soup be made some time before required, do not cook the tops until it is being re-heated. no.  .--brown soup.  cold boiled potatoes.  onions stuck with cloves.  tomato. ½ pints stock.  ounces butter.  strip of lemon peel.  whole allspice.  dozen peppercorns.  teaspoon worcester sauce. pepper and salt to taste.  dozen forcemeat balls, no.  slice the potatoes and fry them very carefully in the butter, so as to thoroughly brown without burning them. place them in a saucepan with the stock and simmer five minutes; by this time the brown colour will have boiled off the potatoes into the soup. strain away the potatoes, return the soup to the saucepan, add onions (each stuck with three cloves), lemon peel, sauce, spices, pepper and salt, and the tomato sliced and fried. simmer one hour, strain into a hot tureen, place in the forcemeat balls, which have been previously fried, and serve quickly. no.  .--carrot soup.  pint haricot beans.  pints water.  ounces butter.  ounce salt.  large carrots.  large onions.  small head of celery.  teaspoon peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan. slice the vegetables, and place them in the saucepan together with the water and peppercorns, and simmer for one hour. add salt, and simmer for another hour and a half. strain. no.  .--celery soup.  large heads of celery.  large onion.  potato.  pints water.  dozen peppercorns.  ounces butter. ¾ ounce flour. ½ teaspoons salt. ½ pint milk.  pinch of mace. dissolve one ounce of butter in a good-sized saucepan, then add the vegetables sliced, and all the other ingredients, except flour, milk, and the other ounce of butter. simmer for one and a half hours. strain, thicken with flour and butter. add milk, and serve very hot. no.  .--chestnut soup.  pound chestnuts. ½ pints water. yolk of one egg, or teaspoon cream.  onion.  small turnip.  ounce butter. ½ teaspoon salt.  peppercorns, and a very small pinch of mixed herbs. boil the chestnuts for half an hour. in the meantime dissolve the butter in a stewpan; then fry in it the onion and turnip sliced, add the water flavourings, and chestnuts after removing the shells and skins. boil one hour. place the cream or yolk in a basin, strain the soup on to it and stir, then strain it back into the saucepan; re-warm, but do not allow to boil. pour into the tureen and serve. no.  .--french bean soup.  pints water.  pint soaked haricot beans.  potatoes.  ounce butter.  onion.  pound french beans.  teaspoon salt.  dozen peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a saucepan and fry in it the potatoes and onion sliced for five minutes, then add the haricot beans and water and boil for two hours. add the salt, rub through a wire sieve, replace in the pan, add the french beans cut fine, and simmer until tender. tinned beans do equally well, and only require to be made thoroughly hot. no.  .--green kale soup.  pounds green kale.  onion.  spanish ditto.  potatoes.  ounce butter.  teaspoons sago.  quart water.  teaspoon salt.  dozen peppercorns, and a suspicion each of mace and sweet herbs. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, and place in it the onions and potatoes sliced; then add water, salt and flavourings, and boil for one hour. in the meantime prepare the kale by picking off all but the tender middle shoots, trim the stalks and throw the kale into salt and water; rinse well and see that it is all quite free from insects, and boil separately in salted water for ten minutes. when the soup has boiled an hour, thicken with the sago and continue stirring ten minutes, strain, return to the saucepan. strain also the kale, place it on a chopping board and cut small; add it to the soup, boil up and serve. note.--any kind of greens may be treated in the above manner. no.  .--haricot bean soup.  pint soaked haricot beans.  good-sized carrot.  good-sized turnip.  onions.  small head of celery.  ounces butter.  teaspoon salt.  quarts water. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, place in the onions sliced and fry five minutes; then add the other vegetables sliced, the beans, and water. boil one and a half hours, add salt, and simmer half an hour longer. strain before serving. no.  .--lentil soup.  pint lentils.  quarts water. ½ ounces butter.  carrot.  onion.  turnip.  potato.  teaspoon salt.  tablespoon minced parsley. slice the vegetables and fry in the butter for five minutes, place them in a saucepan with the lentils and water and boil one and a half hours; add salt and a little pepper if liked. strain, replace in the saucepan, add the parsley, boil for three minutes, and serve. note.--the solid part which is strained away should on no account be wasted, but will be found excellent for making lentil puddings, pies, stews, etc. no.  .--lentil broth. ½ pint soaked lentils.  tablespoon pearl barley.  quart water.  ounce butter.  shalot sliced.  flat teaspoon salt. {   peppercorns. {   allspice, and a small strip of lemon peel, tied in muslin. place altogether in a saucepan with the exception of the salt, which should be added later, and boil gently for two hours, removing the scum as it rises. strain and serve with sippets of freshly-made toast. note.--the above will be found a very excellent substitute for mutton broth, being very nourishing, and tasty; when liked a turnip maybe added, and will give additional flavour. the lentils and barley, which have been strained, may be used in many ways. no.  .--lentil tea. (a substitute for beef tea.)  pint soaked lentils.  pint water.  ounces butter. ½ teaspoon salt.  cloves.  peppercorns. a very small piece of mace. a little pepper if liked. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, place in all the ingredients except salt and pepper. boil half an hour, removing the scum as it rises. add salt, boil another half hour. strain carefully and serve with toast or bread. note.--the lentils should be re-boiled, and will make a very useful stock. no.  .--mulligatawny soup. ½ pints soaked haricot beans.  quarts water.  large carrots.  large turnips.  large onion.  leek.  ounces butter.  teaspoons salt.  dozen peppercorns. ½ ounce curry powder. ½ ounce flour. place the beans, water, onion and leek in a large saucepan and place on the fire. slice the carrots and turnips and fry in one ounce of butter until slightly brown. add them to the beans and boil altogether for one hour, then add salt and peppercorns. boil for another hour, strain, return to the saucepan and thicken with the flour, curry powder, and one ounce of butter made into a paste. stir until it has boiled for three minutes. strain again if necessary before serving. serve boiled rice in another dish. no.  .--oatmeal soup.  carrots.  turnips.  onions.  tablespoons coarse oatmeal.  stick of celery.  pints water. ½ ounces butter.  teaspoons salt.  dozen peppercorns.  tablespoon chopped parsley. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan, slice the vegetables and fry them for a few minutes in the butter, but do not allow them to brown. add water, peppercorns and salt, and boil two hours; then add oatmeal (which should have been previously soaked for a few hours), and boil three-quarters of an hour longer. strain, return to the saucepan, add the parsley, simmer three minutes, and serve. no.  .--onion soup.  onions.  spanish ditto.  potatoes.  quart water.  teaspoons salt.  teaspoons sago. ½ ounces butter.  dozen peppercorns, and a suspicion of mace and mixed herbs in muslin. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, then place in the onions sliced, and stand the pan over a gentle heat, shaking frequently. in the meantime peel and slice the potatoes and add them to the onions, together with the water, salt and flavourings. boil for one and a half hours, lift out the muslin bag, stir in the sago, and continue stirring for ten minutes, then strain. no.  .--parsnip soup.  good-sized parsnips.  potatoes.  large onion. ½ ounces butter.  quart water.  teaspoon salt.  dozen peppercorns.  teaspoons sago. dissolve the butter in the saucepan, then place in the vegetables sliced, with the water, salt and peppercorns, and boil for one and a half hours; add sago, stir until it thickens, then rub through a sieve into a tureen and serve hot. no.  .--pea soup.  pint soaked peas.  ounce butter. ½ pints water.  stick of celery. ½ teaspoons salt.  large carrot.  large turnip.  large onion.  dozen peppercorns. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, place in it the peas and one pint of water, and boil gently for half-an-hour. in the meantime prepare and slice the vegetables and add them to the peas, together with the seasonings, boil for one and a half hours, and pass through a sieve, rubbing the vegetables through with a wooden spoon. no.  .--dried green pea soup. ½ pints soaked green peas.  large onion.  large carrot.  large turnip.  quarts water.  ounce butter.  teaspoon salt.  dozen peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan, place in the peas (which must have been carefully picked over), the vegetables sliced, and the peppercorns. boil gently three hours, add salt, and rub through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon. serve with sippets of toast. no.  .--fresh green pea soup.  pints of shelled green peas.  ounce butter. a handful of mint.  cabbage lettuce.  pints of water. ½ teaspoons of salt.  onion.  lump of sugar. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan and place in the peas, the onion sliced, the lettuce and mint thoroughly washed, the water, salt, and sugar. boil for one and a half hours, strain through a wire sieve, rubbing the peas through with a wooden spoon. no.  .--potato soup. (very suitable for children.) ½ pounds potatoes.  onions.  tablespoon sago.  pints water. ½ pint milk. ½ ounces butter.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. peel and slice the potatoes and onions, and fry them for ten minutes in the butter, but without browning them. place them in a saucepan with the water, salt and pepper (the latter should be omitted if for young children), and boil for an hour; add sago and milk, boil for about ten minutes, stirring all the time, then rub through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon, and serve. no.  .--rice soup. (very suitable for children.) ¼ pint rice.  pints water.  pint milk. ½ ounces butter.  large turnip.  large onion.  large potato.  teaspoon salt. place the butter in a large saucepan, and let it melt so as to grease the whole of the bottom of the pan; wash the rice and place it with the vegetables sliced in the saucepan, and boil for about three-quarters of an hour, stirring frequently; add milk and salt, and simmer carefully for about a quarter of an hour, taking care that it does not burn. no.  .--sea kale soup.  nice heads of kale.  potato.  onion. ½ pints water. ½ pint milk. ½ ounces butter.  lump of sugar.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoons sago. dissolve the butter in an enamelled saucepan, then add the kale, after thoroughly washing and cutting it into two-inch pieces; place the saucepan over a gentle heat, shaking it frequently. peel and slice the potato and onion, and place them, together with the salt, water and sugar, with the kale. boil one hour, strain, return to the saucepan, add milk and sago, replace over the fire and stir for ten minutes. strain again into a tureen, and serve with sippets of toast. no.  .--semolina soup.  pints water.  carrot.  turnip.  onion.  potatoes.  tablespoon raw semolina. ¾ teaspoon salt. a little pepper. slice the vegetables and boil them in the water for about an hour, rub through a wire sieve, replace in the saucepan, add seasoning and shake in the semolina gradually. boil for ten minutes, stirring all the time. no.  .--brown stock.  pint soaked lentils.  pints water.  carrot.  turnip.  ounce butter.  teaspoon of salt.  onion.  peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan, place in the lentils, water, and vegetables sliced. boil one hour, add salt, re-boil until quite done. strain. no.  .--white stock.  pint soaked haricot beans.  pints water.  large carrot.  large onion.  large turnip. a little celery.  ounce butter.  teaspoon salt. a very small quantity each of mixed herbs, mace and peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, add the beans, vegetables sliced, the seasonings, and water; boil all together for two and a half hours. strain. no.  .--tomato soup. ½ pounds tomatoes.  large carrot.  large turnip.  large onion. ½ pints water.  ounces butter.  tablespoon sago.  teaspoons salt.  dozen peppercorns. slice the carrot, turnip and onion, and place them with two ounces of butter in a good-sized saucepan and fry for a few minutes; add water, peppercorns, and one teaspoon of salt, and boil gently. cook the tomatoes in another stewpan, according to recipe no.  , adding to them the other teaspoon of salt and one ounce of butter. when quite tender, pour them into the saucepan containing the vegetables and simmer altogether for about an hour, or until the vegetables are thoroughly tender. strain, return to the saucepan, and when boiling stir in the sago; simmer gently for half an hour, and the soup may, if liked, be again strained before serving. no.  .--turnip soup.  turnips.  onions.  potatoes.  small stick of celery.  pint milk.  pints water.  ounces butter.  teaspoons salt.  teaspoon peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a large saucepan, place in the vegetables sliced, salt, peppercorns, and water, and boil gently for two hours. strain, return to the saucepan, which must be perfectly clean, add milk, simmer a few minutes and serve. note.--a tablespoon of cream placed in the tureen, and stirred into the soup as it is poured in, is a great improvement, or it may be thickened with one tablespoon sago. no.  .--vegetable soup.  potato.  onions.  carrots.  turnips.  sticks of celery.  pints water.  or thick slices of beetroot.  dozen small sprigs of watercress.  dozen small sprigs of parsley. ½ teaspoons salt.  tablespoons pearl barley.  ounce butter. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, place in the onions sliced, and fry five minutes; then add all the other ingredients and boil for one and a half hours. strain before serving. if liked, a carrot and turnip, neatly cut into little strips, may be boiled separately, strained, and added to the soup before serving. no.  .--vegetable marrow soup.  large vegetable marrow.  quart water.  ounces butter.  gill of milk.  onion.  teaspoon salt.  tablespoons semolina. peel the vegetable marrow, and cut it into rather thin slices, cut the onion in quarters, and put all into a good-sized saucepan in which the butter has been dissolved; add the salt and water, and simmer for one hour. strain through a sieve, rubbing as much of the pulp through as possible; return the soup to the saucepan, shake in the semolina, stir for ten minutes after it boils, and add the milk just before serving. no.  .--vermicelli soup.  carrots.  turnips.  head of celery.  onions.  handful of parsley. ½ pint tomato juice.  quarts of water.  teaspoons of peppercorns.  ounces butter.  ounce of salt.  ounces vermicelli. white of egg. clean and slice the vegetables, dissolve the butter in a large saucepan, place in it the vegetables, including the parsley, add water and salt and peppercorns, and boil for one and a half hours, removing the scum as it rises. strain; return the soup to the saucepan, which should first be rinsed, allow it to simmer, pour in the white of egg, re-strain through a very fine sieve (or a piece of muslin placed in an ordinary sieve will answer the purpose). return again to the saucepan, which must be thoroughly clean, add the vermicelli, and simmer for half an hour. add the tomato juice just before serving. stews. no.  .--brighton stew. ½ pound cooked haricot beans. ½ pint fresh green peas.  small cauliflower.  small onions.  pint haricot bean stock.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. the juice of half a lemon. salt and pepper to taste. dissolve the butter in a stewpan, peel and halve the onions and fry them for about ten minutes, but do not allow to brown, stir in the flour, add the peas and stock, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, stirring frequently, then add the beans, lemon juice, and seasonings. boil the cauliflower separately, break up the white part into neat pieces, add them to the stew, and simmer altogether for a few minutes. pour into an entrée dish and serve very hot. note.--good tinned peas will answer the purpose when fresh ones are not obtainable. no.  .--carrot stew.  carrots.  large onion.  ounce butter. ½ pints water.  ounces cooked rice.  teaspoon salt. slice the carrots and onion, and fry them in the butter for ten minutes, but do not let them brown; add salt and water, and boil for one and a half hours; then stir in the rice, simmer for another half hour, stirring frequently, and serve. no.  .--stewed cucumber.  cucumber.  shalot. ½ ounce butter. ¼ pint water. a little pepper and salt. peel and slice the cucumber, place it in an enamelled stewpan with the shalot finely minced, the butter, pepper, salt and water. simmer very gently for about half an hour, or until quite tender. note.--may be served plain, or with tomato sauce no.  . no.  .--stewed cucumber and beetroot.  small cucumber.  slices of beetroot.  shalot.  ounce butter. ¼ pint water. a little pepper and salt. slice the cucumber and beetroot, and fry them separately in half an ounce of butter for about five minutes. place them together in a stewpan with the shalot finely minced, the pepper, salt and water, and stew gently for half an hour. no.  .--stewed cucumber with sauce piquante.  cucumbers.  ounces butter. pepper to taste.  gill of water. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ pint sauce piquante. peel and slice the cucumbers, place them in a stewpan with the other ingredients, and simmer for, half or three-quarters of an hour, leaving the lid off the last few minutes in order that none of the liquor may remain. serve with piquante sauce no.  poured over, and sippets of toast. no.  .--braized cucumber with tomato sauce.  cucumber.  shalot. ½ pound tomatoes.  gill of water.  ounces butter. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  teaspoons semolina. dissolve the butter in a small stewpan, peel and slice the cucumber in slices about a quarter of an inch thick, remove the seeds with a pointed knife, dry the slices in a clean cloth and braize them in the butter until tender (about a quarter of an hour), adding a little salt and pepper. when done (they must on no account be allowed to break), remove them carefully with a fork one by one on to a suitable sized dish, and place on one side. to make the sauce, cut up the tomatoes and shalot, and place them with the seeds and any rough pieces of the cucumber in the butter which has just cooked the cucumber, adding water and salt if needed; simmer for half an hour, strain, and thicken with semolina, or flour if preferred. re-warm the cucumber by placing it in the oven, pour the sauce over, and serve. no.  .--stewed mushrooms. for mushroom patties, etc.  ounces mushrooms. ¾ pint of milk. pepper and salt to taste.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. place the butter and flour in a small stewpan, and stir over a gentle heat until thoroughly mixed, add the milk and seasonings, and stir until it boils. then place in the mushrooms, which have been cleaned and prepared, and boil gently until perfectly tender, stirring all the time. they are then ready for use. no.  .--potato stew.  or small potatoes.  gill water. ½ pint milk.  small shalot.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ dozen peppercorns.  strip of lemon peel. dissolve half an ounce of butter in a stewpan, place in the potatoes peeled, the shalot finely sliced, milk, water and seasonings (the peppercorns and lemon peel tied in muslin), and stew until tender. when done, lift the potatoes carefully out and place in a hot vegetable dish, remove the seasoning, thicken the liquor with the half ounce each of flour and butter, stirring until it boils; then pour over the potatoes, and serve. no.  .--baked potato stew. potatoes according to size. ½ pint good stock or sauce. peel sufficient potatoes to cover the bottom of a large and deep pie-dish (a cook's comfort is the best shape for this purpose), pour over them the sauce or stock, which must be highly seasoned and flavoured with herbs and spices. bake in a moderate oven for one or one and a half hours, according to the size of the potatoes. note.--light dumplings and boiled cabbage should accompany this dish. no.  .--stewed green peas.  pint shelled peas.  lettuce.  gill of water.  onion sliced. a sprig of mint. ½ ounce of butter. salt to taste. wash the lettuce and cut it up rather fine, place it with the other ingredients in a stewpan, and simmer without the lid about half an hour, or until the peas are quite tender. no.  .--green pea and lettuce stew. ½ pints shelled peas.  cabbage lettuces sliced.  small onion sliced.  tablespoon water.  ounce butter. the yolks of eggs.  tablespoon cream. ¼ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon white sugar. stew the peas, lettuces and onion very gently with the butter and water for half an hour (three-quarters of an hour if the peas are not very young). add the sugar and salt, then stir in the yolks of eggs and cream; continue stirring for a minute until it all thickens (but on no account allow it to boil, or the eggs will curdle), and serve with sippets of toasted bread. no.  .--green pea and potato stew.  pint shelled green peas.  new potatoes.  onions. a sprig of mint. ½ pints water. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ ounce butter rolled in flour. slice the potatoes and onions, and place them in a stewpan with the peas, mint and water. simmer gently for one hour, remove the mint, add salt and butter, and stir for a few minutes over the fire. no.  .--haricot bean stew.  pint soaked haricot beans.  potatoes.  large onions. ½ ounce butter  quart water.  teaspoon salt. prepare and slice the vegetables, place them with the butter, beans, and water, in a stewpan, and simmer gently for two hours and a half; add salt. no.  .--haricot bean stew.  pint soaked haricot beans.  quart water.  teaspoon salt. ½ ounce butter.  good-sized onion.  tablespoon semolina. ½ pint stewed tomatoes. dissolve the butter in a stewpan, place in the beans, the onion cut up, and the water, and boil for two hours; add salt. simmer for half an hour longer, then shake in the semolina, and continue stirring for about ten minutes. cooked semolina will do equally well, and need only be added five minutes before serving (about a quarter of a pound will be required). lastly, add tomatoes, which should have been previously stewed (see no.  ), and serve. no.  .--haricot bean stew. ½ pint soaked haricot beans.  carrots.  turnips.  onions. ½ ounce butter.  pint water. ½ pint ½ teaspoon salt.  dozen peppercorns tied in muslin.  tablespoon soaked or crushed tapioca. boil the beans in the water with the butter, vegetables sliced, and the peppercorns, for two hours; remove the peppercorns, add salt and tapioca, and stir until it thickens. no.  .--haricot bean ragoût.  pint soaked haricots.  quart water.  carrots.  turnips.  onions.  teaspoon salt.  ounces butter.  tablespoon flour. boil the haricot beans until tender, adding salt a short time previously. strain and spread the beans on a dish that they may dry. slice the carrots and turnips very fine, and boil for half an hour in the liquor; strain also. slice the onions, and fry ten minutes in the butter, but do not allow them to brown; add haricots and flour, and simmer altogether another five minutes, stirring all the time. chop the vegetables very fine, add to the beans and onions, pour in the liquor, stir until it boils and thickens, and serve. no.  .--haricot bean and green pea stew. ½ pint soaked haricot beans. ½ pint shelled green peas. ½ pints of water.  onion.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. ½ teaspoons of salt. a sprig of mint. boil the haricot beans in the usual way with one pint of the water, one teaspoon of salt, and the onion sliced. when cooked, thicken with a paste of the flour and butter. boil the green peas with the remainder of the water, salt, and mint. when tender, mix with the haricot beans, and serve with sippets of toast. no.  .--irish stew. ½ pint soaked lentils.  potatoes.  large onions. ½ ounce butter.  pint water.  teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. place the lentils and butter with the vegetables, which must be sliced, in a saucepan with the water, and stew gently for one hour. add seasonings a quarter of an hour before serving. no.  .--lentil stew with forcemeat cutlets.  quart soaked lentils.  carrot.  turnip.  onion.  teaspoon worcester sauce.  teaspoons salt.  ounce butter. forcemeat. simmer the lentils gently in three pints of water for one and a half hours. strain. put a quarter of a pound of the lentils on one side to cool. rub the rest through the wire sieve with a wooden spoon until nothing but the skins remain. in the meantime, boil the vegetables with sufficient water to cover, until quite tender. when thoroughly cooked pour into the lentil purée, add the sauce and salt, and re-warm. prepare forcemeat no.  , adding the quarter of a pound of lentils chopped fine; shape into little cutlets (about twelve), brown in a frying-pan with the butter, place on a hot dish, pour the gravy over, and serve at once. no.  .--rice stew. ½ pound cooked rice.  pint water.  carrot.  turnip. ½ ounce each flour and butter.  potato.  onion. ½ teaspoon salt. a little curry powder or worcester sauce, if liked. slice the vegetables, place them in a saucepan with the salt and water, and boil for one hour, or until tender. when done, stand the saucepan on one side for a few minutes to get thoroughly off the boil. mix the flour and butter well together, add them to the stew; re-boil and stir until it thickens; add rice, and boil for one or two minutes. if curry powder is liked, it should be mixed with the flour and butter, but the worcester sauce may be added at the last moment. no.  .--spanish onion stew.  spanish onions.  carrot.  turnip. ½ pints water.  ounce butter.  teaspoon salt. ½ dozen peppercorns tied in muslin. a few sticks of celery. slice the carrot and turnip and fry a few minutes in the butter, place them in a saucepan together with the onions cut in quarters, the water, salt, celery and peppercorns. boil gently until quite tender, remove the peppercorns, reduce the gravy, and serve with sippets of toast. no.  .--tennis stew. ½ pound mashed potato. ½ pound cold greens of any kind.  medium-sized carrots. ½ pint rich brown sauce.  egg. a few bread crumbs. pepper and salt. mix well together the potatoes, greens (which must be finely chopped), egg, and seasoning to taste, adding as many bread crumbs as are needful to render the mixture firm enough to roll into balls. fry the balls in a little butter, or they may be rolled in egg and bread crumbs and dropped into boiling oil. (the latter way is specially recommended when only half the above quantity of vegetables is being used, and consequently only half an egg is needed; the other half should then be reserved for this purpose.) arrange a circle of balls on a hot dish, have ready the carrots boiled, slice them rather thickly and shape them into the form of tennis bats; place them in the centre, and pour the sauce over them. if curried sauce be used, rice may either be served separately, or a border of it placed round the balls. no.  .--tomato ragoût.  tomatoes.  large onion.  large turnip.  large carrot.  small stick of celery. ½ pints water.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  ounces butter.  ounce brown flour. slice the onion, turnip and carrot, and cut the two latter into very neat or ornamental pieces, cut the celery very small, place altogether in a stewpan with the water and salt, and simmer gently for two and a half hours. stew the tomatoes according to no.  in a separate stewpan, using one ounce of butter. when the vegetables are quite tender, the tomato juice, which has been previously strained, should be added to them, and the whole thickened with the flour and remaining ounce of butter thoroughly mixed to a paste. the stew must be allowed to boil gently for a few minutes after it has been thickened, to cook the flour. note.--a small teaspoonful of worcester sauce may be used instead of the pepper. no.  .--rich baked vegetable stew.  large young carrots.  fresh tomatoes.  or new potatoes.  shalot. a pinch of sweet herbs.  eggs. pepper and salt.  ounces butter.  ounces bread crumbs. melt the butter in a stewpan and fry in it the carrots and potatoes, sliced very thin, for about ten minutes, or until they begin to brown. scald the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, remove the skins, slice them, and place in the stewpan with a sprinkle each of salt, pepper, sweet herbs, and the shalot, very finely minced. stew altogether gently for about half an hour (the juice from the tomatoes with the butter makes sufficient liquor), and when thoroughly cooked, pour into a shallow pie-dish. break the eggs and separate yolks from whites, beat the former and stir in the bread crumbs, with which have been mixed a pinch of salt and pepper; then beat the whites to a stiff froth, mix in with the yolks, stir well altogether and place over the stew in the form of crust, and bake a quarter of an hour in a very brisk oven. serve hot or cold. no.  .--vegetable ragoût.  carrots.  turnips.  onions.  potatoes.  tomatoes.  quart water.  teaspoon salt. ½ ounces butter.  ounce flour. prepare the vegetables, cutting the onions and turnips in quarters, and slicing the potatoes and carrots, place them together with the water, salt and half an ounce of butter in a saucepan, and boil for one hour. scald the tomatoes, remove the skins, quarter and add to the ragoût; simmer for a quarter of an hour longer, then carefully strain away the vegetables and place them in a deep dish; return the liquor to the saucepan, and thicken with the flour and butter made into a paste; stir until the sauce boils and is free from lumps, then pour over the vegetables, and serve hot. sippets of toast may be added with advantage. note.--should the sauce remain lumpy it should be poured over the vegetables through a strainer. no.  .--stewed vegetable marrow.  middling-sized vegetable marrow.  pint water.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. ½ teaspoon salt. peel and slice the marrow and remove the seeds; place these in a saucepan with the water and salt, and simmer for a quarter of an hour. dissolve half an ounce of butter in a stewpan, put in the slices of marrow, and strain the liquor from the seeds over them; stew gently for half or one hour, according to the age of the marrow. when quite done, lift the pieces out carefully. mix the other half ounce butter and flour into a paste, thicken the gravy with this, pour it over the marrow, and serve. a sprig of mint may be boiled with the seeds if liked. note.--this method of boiling vegetable marrows will be found greatly superior to that generally adopted, as in this case there is no waste nor loss of flavour. fritters, etc. no.  .--savoury almond fritters. yolk of hard-boiled egg.  brazil nuts.  baked potato.  raw yolks of eggs. the whites of ditto.  shalot.  pinch of mixed sweet herbs.  teaspoon ground almonds.  tablespoon bread crumbs. ½ teaspoon salt. a little pepper. a little grated lemon rind.  teaspoon minced parsley. egg and bread crumbs. remove the nuts from the shells and scrape off the brown skin, pound them to a paste in a mortar with the hard-boiled yolk and sweet herbs. when quite smooth, add the shalot and parsley minced, the salt, pepper, lemon rind, baked potato, and bread crumbs. mix all well together, then add the two raw yolks; stir well again, and, lastly, add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. pour the mixture into a buttered soup-plate, turn another over the top, and bake in a moderate oven until it has quite set (about one hour). let it cool, and then cut into squares or stamp out with a fancy cutter; roll each piece in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil. no.  .--savoury batter fritters. proceed according to no.  , when done turn out and allow to get cold, then cut in neat little squares or stamp out with pastry cutters. fry in a little butter or roll in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil. no.  .--brazil rissoles.  ounces brazil nuts without shells. ½ tablespoons cream.  whole egg.  yolks ditto.  teaspoon tarragon vinegar. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon white pepper.  teaspoon minced parsley. egg and bread crumbs. after scraping off the brown skin pound the nuts to a paste in a mortar, add the other ingredients, and stir well altogether. well butter six (or eight) little tin moulds, fill them with the mixture, stand the moulds in a baking tin which contains a little boiling water, and bake in a moderate oven for twelve or fifteen minutes. when cold, take them out of the moulds, brush over with egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until a nice golden colour (about three minutes). garnish with parsley. no.  .--egg and tomato fritters.  hard-boiled eggs.  teaspoons bread crumbs.  teaspoons minced parsley.  teaspoons minced tomato. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  egg. mince the eggs, parsley and tomato, and mix altogether with the pepper and salt, bread crumbs, and half a beaten egg; form into little cutlets, roll in the other half of the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil. no.  .--golden marbles. ¼ pound haricot bean pulp.  ounces bread crumbs. ¼ pound mashed potatoes.  shalot.  egg. ½ teaspoon salt. bread crumbs. rub well-cooked haricots through a wire sieve until the requisite quantity of pulp is obtained, add the bread crumbs, potato, salt and shalot, which must be very finely minced, stir in half a beaten egg, shape into little balls the size of marbles, roll them in the other half of egg and the bread crumbs, and fry in boiling fat until a golden brown. no.  .--haricot bean croquettes. ½ pint soaked haricot beans. ¼ pint water. ¼ pint milk.  ounce butter.  ounces bread crumbs.  or shalots. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon white sugar. ¼ teaspoon white pepper.  egg. place the beans in a stewpan with the water and butter, and boil for two hours; then add milk, salt and pepper, and stew for half an hour longer. mince the shalot and fry for one minute, but without browning. strain the haricot beans and chop them very fine, add the shalot and yolk of egg and liquor that was strained off, and put the mixture aside for a little while. when cool, stir in two ounces of the bread crumbs, form into little balls, roll in the white of the egg and the remainder of the bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil. no.  .--kromskies. any nice mixture. kromsky batter. frying oil. shape the mixture (to which may be added a few bread crumbs if not sufficiently firm) into little sausages, dip them into the batter, lift out with a spoon and drop into boiling oil. when they have turned a golden brown lift them out on to soft paper to drain. the batter is made as follows:--  ounces flour.  gill of milk.  ounce butter. a pinch of salt.  egg. place the flour and salt in a basin, in another basin beat up the egg, add the milk, then pour on to the flour, stirring well all the time, and lastly add the butter, which should have been previously dissolved. no.  .--mushroom croquettes.  ounces button mushrooms.  ounces cooked haricot beans.  cold potato.  tablespoon german sauce no.  .  teaspoons chopped parsley. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. egg and bread crumbs. mince the beans, which should be cold and quite dry, very finely, also the mushrooms, cut the potato into small dice, chop the parsley, then mix all well together with the seasonings, and moisten with the german sauce. when perfectly cold, roll into small balls, dip them in the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling fat. note.--tomato sauce should be served with this dish. no.  .--potato fritters.  ounces mashed potato.  ounce bread crumbs. a little pepper and salt.  egg.  teaspoon minced parsley. mix all well together, roll into little balls or sausages, and fry either in butter or boiling oil. no.  .--savoury fritters. a breakfast dish.  ounces mashed potato.  ounces bread crumbs.  ounce vermicelli or semolina.  onion. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs. ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind.  teaspoon cream or little milk.  egg.  teaspoons minced parsley. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. ½ ounce butter.  ounce butter for frying. peel the onion and boil it half an hour in salted water. chop it very fine and mix with the other ingredients. beat the egg, white and yolk separately, add to the mixture, stir well altogether, form into little balls, sausages, or flat cakes, and fry until nicely browned. they may be rolled in egg and bread crumbs and fried in oil if preferred. no.  .--savoury queen fritters. an excellent breakfast dish.  ounces bread crumbs. the yolks of three eggs. ¾ pint milk.  shalot.  ounces butter. ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind.  teaspoon mixed herbs.  flat teaspoon salt. a little pepper. place the bread crumbs, which must be fine, in a basin, and add the lemon-rind, herbs, salt, pepper, and chopped shalot, mix well together, then pour in the milk, which should be at boiling point, and stand it on one side for a few minutes, then stir in the yolks, and pour the mixture into a well-greased tin, cover with another tin, and bake in a moderate oven for about an hour, or until set. when cold, stamp out with a pastry cutter, or cut into little squares, and fry in the remainder of the butter. serve quickly. note.--this dish may be prepared the previous day, and fried when required. no.  .--semolina fritters (sweet).  pound cooked semolina.  teaspoons sugar.  eggs.  ounce butter. a little flavouring according to taste. mix thoroughly all the ingredients, except the butter, and pour into a tin, in which the ounce of butter has been dissolved, and bake until firm. when quite cold, remove from the tin on to a flat board, and stamp out or cut into squares, rounds, or fancy shapes, fry in butter or boiling oil, roll in powdered sugar, and serve piled up. no.  .--vermicelli and cheese fritters.  ounces cooked vermicelli. ½ ounces bread crumbs.  ounces grated cheese.  egg. ½ teaspoon curry powder. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  ounce butter for frying. mix the ingredients thoroughly together, adding the yolk of egg; beat the white to a stiff froth, and stir in last thing. place in a greased pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven until set. allow to cool, then cut into square pieces or stamp out into fancy shapes, and fry until brown. serve hot or cold. no.  .--vermicelli and cheese fritters. another way.  ounces vermicelli.  ounces grated cheese.  pint milk. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. egg and bread crumbs. break up the vermicelli, and place it with three ounces of the cheese well mixed together in a pie-dish; add seasoning and milk, and bake for about half an hour, stirring once or twice at the beginning. when cold and firm, cut into squares or fancy shapes, roll in egg and bread crumbs (with which one ounce of cheese should be mixed), and fry in boiling oil until crisp and brown. savouries. no.  .--asparagus and egg on toast.  large heads of asparagus.  gill tomato sauce nos.  , .  eggs.  ounce of butter. pepper and salt to taste.  rounds of toasted bread. dissolve one ounce of butter in a small stewpan, add the eggs beaten, and a little pepper and salt. stir over a gentle heat until the eggs thicken, but do not allow to boil. in the meanwhile, boil the asparagus, drain it well, cut the very tender portion into small pieces, and stir them in with the eggs. have ready the rounds of toast nicely buttered, and spread the mixture very thickly on them. pour a little of the tomato juice over each round just before serving. no.  .--rolled batter stuffed with forcemeat. batter. forcemeat. make a batter (see no.  ), bake twenty minutes, shape the forcemeat (no.  ) into the form of a large sausage, lay it on the batter, and roll up. bake three quarters of an hour longer. a brown sauce should be served with this dish. note.--when cold, it may be cut in slices and fried. no.  .--boiled savoury batter.  eggs.  tablespoons flour. ½ ounce butter. ¾ pint milk.  teaspoon mixed herbs. ¼ teaspoon salt. well grease a pudding basin with the butter, and sprinkle in half a teaspoon of herbs finely crushed. mix the batter in the ordinary way (see no.  ), adding the rest of the herbs, and steam one and three quarter hours. no.  .--cheese mixture.  ounces grated cheddar.  ounces mashed potato.  eggs. ½ ounce butter.  teaspoons cream. ¼ teaspoon salt. a good shake of pepper. melt the butter in a small enamelled saucepan, add the cheese, beaten eggs, pepper and salt, and stir over a moderate heat until the cheese is thoroughly dissolved, but on no account allow to boil, stir in the potato, and it is then ready for use as follows: st. well grease a flat tin, pour in the mixture, bake until quite set, and leave to get cold. cut in squares or stamp out into fancy shapes, and fry in butter. nd. make a nice paste, roll out very thin, spread the mixture over, roll up, and bake. no.  .--chestnuts with maitre d'hotel sauce.  pound chestnuts. a pinch of salt.  teaspoons parsley.  teaspoon flour. ½ ounces butter. ½ pint milk. yolk of one egg. cut the tips of the chestnuts (noticing carefully if any are worm-eaten), and boil for half an hour in sufficient water to cover; remove the shells and skins and fry a few minutes in the butter, stir in the flour and salt and fry again, then pour in the milk and parsley and stir five minutes, add the yolk of an egg and stir until it thickens, but do not allow it to boil. no.  .--savoury eggs on toast.  eggs.  tablespoon very fine bread crumbs.  teaspoon minced parsley. a little butter. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs. buttered toast. have ready four well-greased saucers, break the eggs carefully, allowing the white of each egg to drop into a saucer, place the yolks together in a basin and beat them, then stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, herbs, salt and pepper. well butter four egg cups, fill them with the mixture and stand them in a flat saucepan containing sufficient hot water to reach within a quarter of an inch of the brims, (care must be taken that it does not enter them), and keep the water just below simmering point for about half an hour, or until the mixture has just set. prepare four rounds of hot buttered toast, place on these the whites, which should have been placed in the oven just long enough to set, turn out the contents of the egg cups on the top, and serve at once. no.  .--forcemeat.  teaspoons chopped parsley.  teaspoons mixed sweet herbs.  teaspoons grated lemon rind.  teaspoons pepper.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon powdered mace.  ounces bread crumbs.  eggs.  ounces butter. mix all the dry ingredients thoroughly, then add the butter (which has been previously warmed) and the beaten eggs, and stir all well together. no.  .--forcemeat balls.  ounces bread crumbs.  teaspoons chopped parsley. ½ teaspoons mixed sweet herbs. ½ teaspoons grated lemon rind. ½ teaspoon pepper. ½ teaspoon salt.  egg.  ounce butter. ¼ teaspoon powdered mace.  ounce butter for frying. mix the dry ingredients thoroughly, then add the butter, and lastly the egg beaten. stir all well together, form into balls about the size of a large cherry, and fry in the butter until nicely brown. the above quantity will make sufficient balls for the brown soup no.  . no.  .--haricots on bread. ½ pint soaked haricot beans.  pint water.  tablespoons mashed potato.  dozen brussels sprouts.  onions. the yolks of eggs.  gill of rich sauce.  teaspoon salt.  small rounds of bread without crust. slice the onions and boil them with the beans in the water for one and a quarter hours, then add the salt and boil again without the saucepan lid, until the beans are dry. when quite dry rub them through a wire sieve, place the pulp in a small stewpan, add the yolks of eggs and the sauce, and stir over a gentle heat until the eggs thicken, but not boil, or they will curdle; then stir in the potato. butter the rounds of bread (which should be about two and a half inches in diameter) on both sides, lay in a baking tin, and spread the mixture very thickly on them. bake in a moderate oven for about ten minutes. then place a cooked sprout in the centre of each round, and replace in the oven for a few minutes to re-heat before serving. no.  .--savoury haricots on toast.  pint water. ½ pint soaked haricot beans.  tablespoon cream or milk.  teaspoon lemon juice. ¼ teaspoon salt. a very little grated nutmeg. a very little pepper. a little cooked spinach.  eggs.  rounds hot buttered toast. stew the haricot beans gently for three hours, rub through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon, add cream, salt, lemon juice, pepper and nutmeg, have ready four poached or baked eggs, four small rounds of buttered toast, and a little cooked and seasoned spinach. place a layer of the haricot cream on the toast (about a quarter of an inch thick), then a layer of spinach, stamp out the yolks of the eggs with a pastry cutter leaving a quarter of an inch border of white, and place one on the top of each round. this is a very pretty and tasty dish. no.  .--haricot beans with eggs.  tablespoons cooked haricot beans.  tablespoons liquor from ditto.  tablespoon mashed potatoes.  or eggs. salt and pepper to taste.  teaspoons worcester sauce.  teaspoon fine mixed herbs.  teaspoons browned bread crumbs. mix the beans (which should have been cooked according to no.  , omitting the potatoes), the liquor, potatoes and seasonings, except the herbs, well together, pour into a flat pie dish, break on the top as many eggs as are needed to cover the mixture, sprinkle over them the bread crumbs and herbs mixed, and bake until the eggs are set. no.  .--haricot beans garnished. ½ pint soaked haricot beans.  pint water.  flat teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour.  carrot.  turnip.  onion. a sprig of parsley. a strip of lemon peel. a pinch of sweet herbs. a pinch of powdered mace. the juice of half a lemon. boil the beans as in no.  , and leave them to dry off as directed, but in a warm place and with a cloth over them. place the liquor which has been strained from them in a small stewpan, with the vegetables sliced very thin, the parsley, lemon peel, herbs, and pepper, and boil for half an hour. strain and thicken with the flour and half an ounce of the butter. toss the beans gently in the other half ounce of butter, to which has been added the mace and lemon juice. pile the beans in the centre of a hot dish, pour round them the gravy, garnish with cut lemon, parsley, and sippets of toast, and serve. no.  .--haricot mould (hot).  tablespoons sago.  tablespoons cooked haricot beans.  pint stock. ½ ounce butter. seasoning to taste. place the butter and stock in a stewpan, and if the stock be not already very highly flavoured, add seasonings, such as a slice of lemon, half a dozen peppercorns, a good teaspoon of curry powder, and a shalot, or if curry powder be not liked, half a teaspoonful of mixed herbs, or half a tablespoonful of worcester sauce may be substituted. boil altogether for fifteen minutes, then strain, return to the stewpan, add sago and beans and stir briskly until it becomes quite thick, turn into a greased mould, stand the mould in a tin or plate containing a little water, and bake for half an hour with a cover on. when set, allow it to cool slightly before turning out, then serve with a border of spinach or tasty greens (see no.  ); or it may be allowed to get quite cold, then cut in slices, and fried. no.  .--lentil cakes. a savoury. ¼ pound flour.  ounces butter. a pinch of salt. ¼ pound cooked lentils and vegetables mixed. frying oil. ½ teaspoon baking powder. mix the flour, butter, salt and baking powder well together, then work in the lentils and vegetables, which should have been previously minced. mix all thoroughly, and roll out about half an inch thick, stamp into rounds with a pastry cutter or any fancy shape, and fry in boiling oil until quite brown. this is a very good way of using up lentils and vegetables which have been used for making gravy. note.--these cakes are specially recommended to travellers. no.  .--savoury mixture.  ounce bread crumbs. ½ ounce parsley. ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind.  small shalot. the yolk of one egg. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. ½ teaspoon curry powder. chop the shalot and parsley until very fine, mix well with the other dry ingredients, and then stir in the yolk of egg. no.  .--savoury mixture. another way.  tablespoons of bread crumbs.  tablespoons of chopped parsley.  shalots.  egg. ½ teaspoon pepper.  teaspoon salt. chop the shalots and mix with the other ingredients, adding the egg last, and stir all well together. no.  .--mushrooms à la française. ½ pound mushrooms.  shalots.  gill tomato sauce.  gill of good brown stock.  teaspoon chopped parsley.  tablespoon vinegar.  small lump of sugar. pepper and salt to taste.  potatoes.  jerusalem artichokes. a few drops of lemon juice.  ounce butter. chop the shalots very fine, and place them in a small stewpan with the vinegar and a shake of pepper, and simmer until the vinegar is reduced to half the quantity, then add tomato sauce (see no.  ), stock, sugar, and one or two chopped mushrooms. simmer for twenty minutes, add the parsley and lemon juice, and simmer again for five minutes without the lid. in the meantime, bake the mushrooms in the butter, and prepare the potatoes and artichokes as follows:--peel and cut them into straws about one inch long, and fry in boiling oil for about ten minutes, or until they turn a golden brown colour. place the mushrooms on a very hot dish, pour the sauce over them, scatter the fried straws on the top, and serve very quickly. no.  .--savoury pancakes.  eggs.  ounces flour. ½ pint milk. ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon mixed sweet herbs.  shalot, or small onion. a shake of pepper. butter for frying. place the flour, herbs, salt, lemon rind, pepper and shalot very finely minced together in a basin; in another basin have ready the eggs beaten and milk, pour this on to the flour, etc., stirring well with a wooden spoon, and continue stirring until thoroughly mixed and free from lumps. take a perfectly clean small frying-pan (one should be kept for this purpose), dissolve in it a small piece of butter, enough to grease the pan, pour in just sufficient batter to cover the bottom, shake the pan over a somewhat fierce heat, running a knife round the edges to loosen them. when brown on the under side, toss or turn over the pancake and brown on the other side, fold and lay on a hot dish. note.--this quantity of batter should make six pancakes. no.  .--green peas and carrots on toast.  or button carrots. ½ pint fresh green peas. a little more than a gill of white stock.  ounce butter.  ounce flour.  rounds of toasted bread. scrape and slice the carrots very thin and stew them in the butter until quite tender, stir in the flour, then add the peas (cooked); pour in the stock, and stir over the fire for ten or fifteen minutes. butter the toast, then spread the mixture on very thickly and serve hot. salt and pepper should be added to taste, and a sprig of mint may be used for flavouring if liked. no.  .--baked potatoes with sage and onion.  large potatoes.  onions.  teaspoons sage.  ounce bread crumbs.  ounces butter. ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. peel the potatoes and cut them lengthways into slices about half an inch thick, place six of these slices in a baking tin or dish which has been well greased with one and a half ounces of the butter. in the meantime peel and boil the onions for a quarter of an hour in a little salted water, and the sage (tied in a piece of muslin) with them for the last five minutes. chop the onions and sage and mix with the bread crumbs, salt, pepper and half an ounce of butter, and spread the mixture thickly over the slices of potato, and bake for one and a half or two hours. apple sauce should be served with this dish and a rich gravy. no.  .--casserole of potatoes.  pound mashed potatoes.  tablespoons soaked lentils.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. ½ pint water.  shalot, or small onion.  egg.  hard-boiled ditto.  strip of lemon peel.  small lump of sugar.  teaspoons tomato sauce. ½ teaspoon salt. pepper to taste. boil the lentils, water, lemon-peel and half the butter gently for one hour. remove the lemon-peel and add the sugar, salt and shalot chopped, and boil for fifteen minutes. make a paste of the flour and the other half ounce of butter, place this in the stew and stir briskly while it boils for five minutes. then add the tomato sauce and the hard-boiled egg cut into the shape of dice. have ready the mashed potato prepared as follows:--place it on a small dish and shape into a ring or wall about two and a half inches high and half an inch thick, ornament the outside with a fork, brush over with egg, and brown in the oven. pour the stew into the hollow centre, and serve quickly. no.  .--potato and celery balls.  pound mashed potatoes.  middling-sized head of celery.  ounce butter or frying oil. ½ teaspoon salt. a little pepper. wash the celery well, cut into pieces and stew in just sufficient water to cover for half an hour, strain (the liquor may be used for flavouring soups or sauces), chop very fine, mix well with the potatoes, adding pepper and salt, roll into balls or cakes, and fry in butter or plunge into boiling oil until nicely brown. they should be rolled in egg and bread crumbs before frying in oil. no.  .--potatoes and eggs with celery sauce.  eggs.  potatoes.  peppercorns.  ounce butter.  ounce flour.  pinch of mace.  small head of celery.  small onion. ½ teaspoon salt.  pint water.  gill of milk. peel the potatoes, and let them simmer gently in a pint of water with the celery and onions sliced, the peppercorns, mace and salt, until the potatoes are quite tender, but not broken. boil the eggs until hard. slice the potatoes, taking care to obtain three nice even slices from each potato, lay these on a hot dish, shell the eggs, cut them in half, remove the ends so that they will stand, and place half an egg on each slice of potato; strain the sauce, add milk, thicken with butter and flour, and pour over the eggs. a little vinegar or ketchup may be poured over the slices of potato before placing the eggs, if liked, or chopped parsley may be added to the sauce. no.  .--fried potato with eggs. a nice breakfast dish.  thick slices of cold potato.  hard-boiled eggs.  ounce butter for frying.  gill of good sauce. a little parsley. fry the slices of potato until a nice brown, lay them on a hot dish, remove the ends of the hard-boiled eggs, and cut each egg into three slices, placing one on each piece of potato; sprinkle over them the chopped parsley and the sauce, which should be rather thick. serve quickly. note.--scald the parsley (before chopping) by throwing it into boiling salted water for a few minutes. no.  .--potato olives. potatoes. forcemeat no.  . frying oil. take some large, evenly-shaped potatoes, peel and wipe dry, slice them lengthways in pieces about one-eighth of an inch thick and lay in a clean cloth to thoroughly dry. place them in a frying basket, and fry in boiling oil until they begin to change colour, then place them on a piece of paper and put on one side to cool; place a thick layer of forcemeat between two slices of potato in the form of a sandwich, tie with white thread, and re-fry until the potato becomes a golden brown. remove the thread, and serve with sauces nos.  or . no.  .--potato pyramids.  parsnips. mashed potato.  gill of sauce no.  .  ounce butter. pepper and salt to taste. boil the parsnips whole until tender, but do not allow them to break, place on one side to cool, then cut three thick slices from the big end of each parsnip, and if not a good shape remove the edges with a round pastry cutter. fry in the butter until brown both sides, sprinkling over them a little salt and pepper; place in a very hot dish, and pile a little mountain of hot mashed potato on each round. the potato must be rather stiff so as to keep its shape, and should stand about three inches high, tapering towards the tops; pour over each a little of the sauce, and serve quickly. carrot, turnip, toast or fried bread may be used for the bases in place of parsnips. no.  .--stuffed potatoes.  good-sized potatoes.  button mushrooms.  hard-boiled eggs.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoon sweet herbs.  ounces butter.  tablespoon minced parsley.  tablespoon milk or cream.  tablespoons bread crumbs. ½ teaspoon pepper.  egg. wash the potatoes well and boil them gently in their skins for fifteen minutes, lift them carefully out and place on one side to cool. mix together all the ingredients for the stuffing, cut the potatoes carefully in half, scoop out the centres with a sharp pointed knife and fill the hollow places with the mixture. remove the skins, and brush over the divided parts of the potatoes with egg, join again and bind with thread if necessary, place in a baking tin with the butter, which has been previously melted, and bake in a hot oven twenty or thirty minutes. serve with white sauce nos.  or . no.  .--stuffed potatoes. another way.  medium-sized potatoes.  tablespoons fine bread crumbs.  teaspoons sage. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  onions.  tablespoon cooked rice.  egg.  ounce butter. proceed as in previous recipe, substituting this stuffing. take care to well brown the potatoes on both sides by turning them in the tin, and serve apple sauce as an accompaniment, also brown sauce no.  . no.  .--savoury rice balls. ½ pound cooked rice. ¼ pound mashed potatoes.  teaspoons parsley.  shalots. ¼ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs. a little pepper. ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind. egg and bread crumbs. chop the parsley and shalots, and mix well with the other ingredients, shape into small balls, roll in the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until they become a golden brown colour, which will be in about half a minute. no.  .--savoury rissoles.  ounces mashed potatoes.  ounces cooked greens of any kind.  ounces cooked semolina.  onion.  egg.  tablespoons of sauce superbe no.  .  tablespoon of worcester sauce. pepper and salt to taste. ½ ounce of butter. a little short pastry. mix the potatoes, greens, semolina, sauces, pepper and salt together, slice and fry the onion in the butter, and add to the mixture with half the beaten egg, and stir well again. a few fine bread crumbs may be added to give consistency if required. roll the pastry out rather thin, cut into four-inch squares. place about half a tablespoon of the mixture in the centre of each square, moisten the edges, and fold neatly over. brush over the tops with the remainder of the egg, and fry in boiling oil until they turn a light brown. no.  .--sage and onion patties. sage and onion stuffing. mashed potato. butter. well butter some small patty pans, nearly fill them with the stuffing, then pile up with very rich mashed potato. bake until nicely brown, turn out and serve quickly. these are very suitable for a supper dish. the addition of apple sauce and gravy will be found an improvement. no.  .--sausages. ½ pint soaked lentils. ½ pints water.  teaspoons sage.  teaspoon mixed herbs.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoon pepper. ½ teaspoon grated lemon rind. a little grated nutmeg. ½ ounce butter.  egg. ½ pound bread crumbs.  onions. egg and bread crumbs. frying oil. boil the lentils in the water for one and a half hours, then add the onions sliced and salt, and boil for half an hour longer; stir in the butter, herbs, pepper and lemon rind, and leave the lid of the saucepan off for a little while so that the lentils may dry. turn the mixture out on to a chopping board, chop it, add beaten egg and bread crumbs, form into nicely-shaped sausages, roll in the other egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until a rich brown. serve them standing up round mashed potatoes. note.--mustard should be served with the above. no.  .--sausages in batter. batter no.  . sausage mixture no.  . well butter a baking tin, lay in as many sausages as are required (they should not be too close together), pour the batter round them, and bake about three quarters of an hour. note.--the sausages should not be fried before being cooked in the batter. forcemeat sausages will do equally well. no.  .--brussels sprouts sausages.  ounces cooked sprouts.  ounces mashed potatoes.  ounces bread crumbs.  ounce butter.  teaspoon sage. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  egg and bread crumbs. mix the vegetables, bread crumbs and flavouring well together, moisten with half the egg, form into sausages, roll in the other half of egg and bread crumbs, and fry in the one ounce of butter or boiling oil. no.  .--sausages with curry flavour.  dozen button mushrooms.  hard-boiled eggs.  tablespoons bread crumbs. ½ teaspoon curry powder. ¼ teaspoon salt. a little pepper.  beaten egg. mince finely the eggs and mushrooms, add curry powder, salt, pepper, and one tablespoonful of the bread crumbs (which should be very fine); bind altogether with half the beaten egg and shape into little sausages, roll them in the remainder of the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until brown (about half a minute). sufficient for two persons. no.  .--lentil and tomato sausages with piquante sauce.  pound soaked lentils.  tin tomatoes.  onion.  egg. ½ teaspoons salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. ¼ pound bread crumbs.  ounce each butter and flour. boil the lentils and onion sliced in the tomato juice (having previously strained away the pulp) for one and a half hours; add one teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of pepper; strain. when cool, take a quarter of a pound of the lentils, add the remainder of the seasoning and the tomato pulp, which must have been squeezed quite dry, chop all fine, add three ounces of bread crumbs and half a beaten egg. shape into little sausages, roll in the remainder of the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil. thicken the liquor which was strained off with the butter and flour, and serve separately. note.--the remaining lentils can be used in a variety of ways. no.  .--savoury sausages. ¼ pound cooked cabbage. ¼ pound mashed potatoes.  hard-boiled egg.  slices of beetroot.  teaspoons mint sauce.  ounce fine bread crumbs. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  egg and bread crumbs. mince the cabbage, boiled egg and beetroot very fine, mix with them the potatoes, bread crumbs, mint sauce, salt and pepper; stir well together, adding a teaspoonful of the beaten egg. shape into twelve sausages, roll in the remainder of the egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until a golden brown. serve piled on a hot dish, and garnish with parsley. peas, new potatoes, mint sauce and brown gravy should, when in season, be served with this dish. no.  .--semolina sausages.  ounces mashed potatoes.  ounces sprouts or cabbage.  ounces cooked semolina.  ounces bread crumbs.  teaspoons mixed herbs.  egg.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. egg and bread crumbs. mix all thoroughly together, form into sausages, roll them in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in butter or boiling oil until a golden brown. serve piled on a dish with parsley as a garnish. no.  .--savoury semolina.  ounces semolina. ½ pint water.  small onion.  eggs. ½ teaspoon of salt. ½ teaspoon sweet herbs. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  ounce butter. place the semolina, water, chopped onion, pepper, herbs, salt, and half the butter in a small saucepan, and simmer for twenty minutes, stirring frequently. then stand the saucepan on one side for a few minutes to cool slightly. beat the eggs, add them to the mixture, stir well together, and pour into a baking dish or tin which has been greased with the remainder of the butter. bake half to three-quarters of an hour. may be eaten hot or cold, or is very nice cut into small pieces and fried in butter. no.  .--savoury semolina and cheese.  tablespoons semolina. ½ pint water.  eggs.  ounces grated cheese.  ounce butter.  small onion. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs. boil the semolina in the water for twenty minutes, stirring very frequently, then place on one side to cool. grate the cheese, mince the onion very fine, and add them, with the yolks of the eggs, pepper, salt, and herbs, to the semolina, and mix all well together. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add them the last thing, taking care that all is well mixed, and pour into a pie dish in which one ounce of butter has been dissolved. bake in a moderate oven for about three quarters of an hour. no.  .--spanish onions stuffed.  large spanish onions.  ounce cooked vermicelli. ½ ounce bread crumbs. ¼ ounce oiled butter.  egg.  teaspoon cream or milk.  teaspoon chopped parsley.  teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon grated lemon rind. ¼ teaspoon mixed herbs. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  ounce butter for baking. boil the onions in salted water for half an hour, then remove the skins and scoop out the centres, chop these very fine and add to the other ingredients, including the egg, and stir well. fill the onions with this mixture, place them in a baking dish containing the ounce of butter, and bake three hours covered over. baste them occasionally. serve with the gravy. note.--rice, semolina, etc., may be used in place of the vermicelli. no.  .--spinach with peas and tomatoes.  pounds spinach. ½ pound shelled green peas.  onion. ½ pint tomato juice. a little pepper.  teaspoons salt.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. a little water. place the peas, the onion sliced, one teaspoonful of salt, and half a pint of water in a stewpan, and boil with the lid off until the peas are tender. have ready the tomato juice thickened with half ounce each of flour and butter, add to the peas and stir well. in the meantime, cook the spinach (which must have been well washed and picked) in a little water and the remainder of the salt. when tender, strain through a colander, well press out the water, turn the spinach on to a chopping-board, chop very fine, then place it into a stewpan containing half an ounce of butter and stir over a brisk fire for a few minutes, adding pepper to taste. turn the spinach on to a hot dish, pour over the peas, and serve with sippets of toast. no.  .--surprise balls.  ounces cooked greens of any kind.  ounces mashed potatoes.  egg.  or forcemeat balls. egg and bread crumbs. chop the greens thoroughly, and mix them with the mashed potatoes and egg; envelop each forcemeat ball with a thick layer of this mixture, roll in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until a nice brown. no.  .--toad-in-the-hole. ¼ pound cooked lentils. ¼ pound mashed potatoes.  teaspoon mixed herbs. half an egg. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. ½ ounce butter. batter. chop the lentils, add potatoes, herbs, salt, pepper and egg, shape into six sausages, and fry in the butter until brown. make a batter, no.  , well grease a good-sized pie-dish, place the sausages in, pour the batter over, and bake in a moderate oven about thirty minutes. no.  .--tomatoes in batter. (plain.)  fresh tomatoes.  eggs.  teaspoons flour. ½ pint milk.  ounce butter.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. scald and peel the tomatoes, and cut them in half (as one would split open a tea cake), and lay them cut side upwards in a baking tin which has been well greased with half an ounce of butter, sprinkle over them the pepper and salt, and place a small knob of butter on each half, pour in the batter, and bake in a hot oven for half an hour. no.  .--tomatoes in batter. (seasoned.)  large tomatoes. batter. forcemeat. proceed as in no.  , but in addition place on each half tomato a thick layer of forcemeat, or any kind of savoury mixture, of which various recipes will be found in these pages. no.  .--tomato and egg on toast.  eggs.  ounces tomato pulp.  ounce butter.  shalot. ½ teaspoon flour. ¾ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. buttered toast. chop the tomato and shalot, then place them in a small stewpan with the butter, pepper and salt; simmer gently for about five minutes, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon; add the flour by degrees, and stir again until it thickens (about two minutes). have ready six baked or poached eggs, and six rounds of hot buttered toast; spread the tomato mixture on the toast, cover with the eggs, and serve quickly. no.  .--turnips with poached eggs.  bunch turnips.  quarts water.  tablespoon salt.  teaspoons chopped watercress. some browned breadcrumbs.  eggs. ½ ounces butter.  teaspoon white pepper. peel and quarter the turnips, and boil them in the salt and water until tender; strain and press the water well out, return them to the saucepan (which should be first rinsed and wiped), add butter, and beat them well with a strong fork over a gentle heat; add pepper, then turn into a flat pie dish, but do not quite fill it. break four eggs on the top, sprinkle over them the watercress and a little salt, also the bread crumbs and half ounce butter broken in small pieces, and bake until the eggs are set, but not hard. note.--an ornamental pie dish should be used, as it must go to table. no.  .--vegetable marrow with potato balls.  vegetable marrow.  or floury potatoes.  egg. ½ ounces butter. pepper and salt. peel the potatoes, boil until tender, strain, and dry them well. mash with a large fork, add pepper and salt to taste, half an ounce of butter and the yolk of egg, beat the white to a stiff froth and add last. form the potatoes into nice-shaped balls about the size of a small orange, and place them in a baking tin in which one ounce of butter has been dissolved, brush them over with a little of the butter, and brown in the oven. in the meantime, boil the vegetable marrow whole until tender (from half to three-quarters of an hour), when done, peel it, cut it into slices about one and a half inches thick, remove the seeds, lay the pieces in a dish, and place in the oven for a few minutes to dry off; then sprinkle a little pepper and salt over, and place a ball of potato in the centre of each piece of marrow. pour tomato or other sauce over, and serve. no.  .--vegetable marrow rings with tomato batter.  medium-sized vegetable marrow.  ounces tomato pulp.  egg.  tablespoon flour.  ounces butter.  gill milk. a little pepper and salt. peel the vegetable marrow, cut it into even rings about three-quarters of an inch thick, and remove the seeds neatly (this is best done by the aid of a pastry cutter). dissolve the butter in a baking tin, place the rings in, sprinkle a little salt on them, and bake in a hot oven for half an hour, then turn them over and bake another half hour. meanwhile prepare the batter as follows:--take half a pound of cooked tomato pulp, as dry as possible, and chop it well; add pepper and salt if not already seasoned. make a batter with the egg, flour and milk, add the tomato pulp, and stir all well together. when the rings of marrow have been cooking one hour, remove from the oven, fill up the centres with the batter, replace in the oven, and bake another half hour. tomato sauce no.  should be served with this dish, which can be specially recommended. no.  .--vegetable marrow stuffed.  medium-sized vegetable marrow.  ounces semolina.  pint water.  eggs.  onion.  teaspoon sweet herbs.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoon pepper.  ounces butter. after washing the marrow, cut off one end and scoop out all the seeds. place in a saucepan the butter, semolina, onion chopped fine, sweet herbs, salt, pepper, and water; boil for fifteen minutes, then stand on one side to cool slightly; add the eggs beaten up, stuff the marrow with the mixture, and tie on the end. grease a baking dish or tin with the remainder of the butter, and place in it the marrow. bake for two hours, or until quite tender, basting frequently and turning it occasionally. note.--a suitable sauce for this dish may be made by boiling the seeds in half a pint of water with a little salt, then strain and thicken with half ounce each of flour and butter. a sprig of mint may be used for flavouring. after dishing up the marrow, turn the sauce into the tin to brown, and pour through a strainer over the marrow. no.  .--vegetable marrow stuffed. another way.  medium-sized vegetable marrow.  ounces bread crumbs.  onions.  ounce butter. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. a little sage. slice and fry the onions in the butter until they are a nice brown, then chop them very fine, mix with the other ingredients, and proceed as already described in no.  . no.  .--vermicelli and cheese.  ounces vermicelli.  ounces grated cheese.  pint milk. ½ teaspoon salt.  egg. ½ ounce butter. stew the vermicelli in the milk for five minutes, stir in the grated cheese, and allow to cook for another five minutes; add salt, then take the stewpan off the fire. when slightly cooled, break the egg, drop the white into a basin, and the yolk into the stewpan. whip the white to a stiff froth, add to the mixture, and stir; pour into a buttered pie dish, and bake for about twenty minutes. soufflÉs no.  .--bread soufflé. as a sweet or a savoury.  eggs.  tablespoons bread crumbs. ½ ounce butter for dish.  teaspoons white sugar, or ½ teaspoon salt.  teaspoon mixed herbs. beat the eggs, yolks and whites separately, add the sugar or salt and herbs to the bread crumbs, and stir them well in, first with the yolks and then the whites, which should be beaten to a stiff froth. pour the mixture into a flat pie dish, well greased, and bake in a moderate oven from twenty to thirty minutes. turn out, and serve with white sauce sweetened or salted to taste. no.  .--cauliflower soufflé.  eggs.  ounces cooked cauliflower. ½ ounce butter for pie dish. ½ teaspoon salt. beat the eggs, the yolks and whites separately, the latter to a stiff froth. chop the cauliflower very fine, add salt, mix all together thoroughly, turn into a well greased flat pie dish, and bake in a quick oven for about twenty minutes. when done, remove from pie dish, and serve very quickly. no.  .--cauliflower and potato soufflé.  ounces mashed potatoes.  ounces of the white part of cauliflower. ½ ounce butter.  eggs. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. ½ ounce butter. beat the eggs well, whites and yolks separately, then add the potatoes, the cauliflower chopped very fine, and the seasonings. stir all well together, then fill small patty pans (which have been well greased), and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. a small knob of butter placed on the top will help to brown them, and any flavouring, such as chopped onion, parsley, or herbs, may be added if liked. no.  .--soufflé garnie. ½ pint white sauce.  tablespoons mashed potatoes.  ounces bread crumbs.  eggs. ½ ounce butter for dish.  teaspoon mixed herbs.  medium-sized onion.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  small carrot for garnish. mix together the sauce, potatoes, bread crumbs, herbs, onion chopped very fine, salt and pepper; add the yolks of eggs, and lastly the whites beaten to a stiff froth. have ready a flat pie dish well greased and ornamented with carrot, which has been boiled and cut in fancy shapes; pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. when done, turn out garnished side up, sprinkle over a few browned bread crumbs, and serve very quickly. no.  .--soufflés moulded.  ounces cooked brussels sprouts.  ounces mashed potato.  ounce boiled rice. ½ teaspoon pepper.  eggs.  teaspoon salt.  ounce butter. take the sprouts, potatoes, and rice, and chop them well, then place in a mortar together with the seasonings and pound thoroughly; beat up the eggs, yolks and whites separately, add them to the mixture; stir well, then half fill six dariole moulds, which have been greased with the ounce of butter. bake for three-quarters of an hour, turn out and serve. or they may be allowed to cool, then rolled in egg and bread crumbs, and fried in boiling oil a golden brown. serve sauce no.  with them. no.  .--haricot bean soufflé. ½ pound cooked haricot beans.  large onion.  teaspoon mixed herbs.  teaspoon salt. ½ ounce butter for dish.  tomato.  eggs.  ditto hard boiled. mince the haricot beans (which should be cold and thoroughly dry) very fine. boil the onion whole until tender, chop and mix with the beans, adding salt and herbs. prepare a flat pie dish by greasing it well with the butter, and decorate it with the tomato scalded, peeled, and cut in slices, and the hard boiled egg also cut in slices; sprinkle over these a little salt. then beat up the other three eggs, whites and yolks separately, the former to a stiff froth, thoroughly incorporate the haricot bean mixture with the beaten eggs, pour carefully into the pie dish so as not to disarrange the decorations, and bake in a moderate oven from half to three-quarters of an hour. turn out and serve quickly. note.--this makes a pretty dish if cooked in little moulds. no.  .--haricot soufflé with béchamel sauce. ½ pound soaked haricot beans.  tablespoon cream or milk. whites of eggs.  teaspoons of chopped parsley. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  pint water. sauce no.  . boil the beans for about two hours, or until they have absorbed all the water; rub them through a wire sieve, add the parsley, salt, pepper, cream and whites of eggs. mix together, place in a very well buttered pie dish, and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. when cooked, turn the soufflé out on to a hot dish; pour the sauce over, and serve quickly. no.  .--haricot and spinach soufflé.  tablespoons finely-minced haricot beans.  tablespoons minced spinach.  eggs. pepper and salt. mix the haricot beans and spinach (which must have been previously cooked, seasoned, and minced) in a basin, add pepper and salt to taste. break the eggs, separating the yolks from the whites, beat first the yolks and add them to the mixture, then the whites, which must be beaten till a stiff froth; stir altogether, pour into a well-buttered pie dish, and bake from half to three-quarters of an hour. remove from pie dish before serving. tomato sauce no.  may be served with this dish. no.  .--lentil soufflé.  tablespoon cooked lentils.  shalot.  eggs. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. mince very finely the lentils and shalot, add pepper and salt, beat the eggs and mix altogether; place in a well-buttered pie-dish, and bake about half an hour. turn out on to a very hot dish, and serve at once with lentil sauce nos.  or . no.  .--fresh green pea soufflé. ½ pint young peas shelled.  eggs. ¼ teaspoon salt. ½ pint water.  ounce butter. a sprig of mint. boil the peas in the water with half an ounce of butter, mint, and salt for about half an hour, leaving the saucepan uncovered; when done, remove the mint, and stand the saucepan on one side to cool a little. well grease a pie dish with the remainder of the butter, stir the yolks of eggs into the peas, beat the whites to a stiff froth, mix altogether, pour into the dish, and bake for about twenty minutes. no.  .--petites soufflé. ½ pound cooked sprouts. ½ pound mashed potatoes.  eggs.  tablespoon flour. ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. ½ ounce butter. mix thoroughly the sprouts, potatoes, flour and seasonings, add the yolks of the eggs, beat the whites to a stiff froth, then add to the other ingredients, and stir all well together. grease some patty pans, fill with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. no.  .--tomato soufflé. ¾ pint tomato juice.  eggs.  shalot. ½ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. ½ ounce butter for dish. beat the yolks, and add to them the tomato juice (tinned will do), the shalot finely minced, and the seasonings; have ready a pie dish which has been well greased with the half ounce of butter, then beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add them to the mixture and stir thoroughly; pour into the pie dish, and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. turn out and serve quickly. curries. no.  .--curried beetroot and cucumber.  cucumber.  beetroot.  shalots. ½ pint water.  teaspoon curry powder.  tablespoons cooked haricot beans.  ounces butter.  teaspoon flour.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper. slice the cucumber, beetroot and shalots, and fry for ten minutes in the butter; add pepper, salt, curry powder and flour, mix well and add water. simmer for half an hour, stirring frequently. no.  .--curried eggs. hard-boiled eggs. curry sauce. boil as many eggs as are required, remove the shells, then with a very sharp knife cut them in half and remove a small portion of the white at each end, so that they will stand yolk upwards; pour over them a curry sauce, and serve hot. note.--this dish may be varied by placing a small round of fried bread, or a slice of fried potato, under each half of egg. no.  .--curried haricot beans. ½ pint soaked haricots.  onion.  carrot.  turnip.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoons curry powder.  quart water. juice of ½ lemon.  teaspoon worcester sauce. ½ ounces butter. ½ ounces flour. simmer the beans and vegetables sliced for two hours, add seasoning, thicken with the butter and flour, and serve with boiled rice. no.  .--curried haricot beans. another way.  pint sauce superbe.  onion sliced and fried.  teaspoons curry powder. the juice of half a lemon.  pound cooked haricot beans. cooked rice. place the sauce, curry powder, and lemon juice in a stewpan, and stir over the fire for ten minutes, then add the fried onion and beans, simmer another ten minutes, and serve with boiled rice. note.--this is a delicious curry. cooked lentils may be used in place of haricot beans. no.  .--curried lentils. ¼ pint soaked lentils.  pint water. ½ ounces butter.  small apple.  onion. a pinch of powdered mace.  teaspoon flour.  teaspoon salt.  peppercorns. ½ teaspoon white sugar.  teaspoon curry powder.  teaspoons vinegar. simmer the lentils with the peppercorns (tied up in a piece of muslin) and mace for one hour, add the salt, remove the peppercorns and strain. in the meantime slice the onion, mince the apple, and fry them together in the butter for ten minutes, place in a stewpan together with two tablespoons of the lentils, the sugar, flour and curry powder, mix well together, add the liquor of the lentils, and simmer for half an hour, stirring frequently; add the vinegar before serving. serve rice in a separate dish. no.  .--curried tomatoes.  tomatoes.  ounce of butter. ½ pint curry sauce. pepper and salt. slice the tomatoes without peeling them, and lay in a tin greased with half the butter; divide the rest of the butter into small pieces, and place a piece in the centre of each slice; sprinkle with pepper and salt, and bake for fifteen to twenty minutes. when done, place in a hot dish, pour over them the sauce, which should be rather thick, and serve. no.  .--curried turnips. turnips. butter. curry sauce. boiled rice peel and slice the turnips, and stamp or trim the slices so as to have them as even as possible; fry them a golden brown in a little butter, lay in a hot dish, pour over them the sauce (hot), make a border of the rice, and serve. note.--the rice may be omitted. vegetables. no.  .--artichokes with sauce royale.  pounds artichokes. ½ pint water. ¾ teaspoon salt.  pint sauce no.  . wash and peel the artichokes, and boil for twenty minutes in the salt and water. should any of the water then remain, leave lid off for a few minutes to allow it to evaporate. turn the artichokes into a hot vegetable dish and pour over them the sauce, which must have been thoroughly heated previously. no.  .--fried beetroot. (a breakfast dish.)  medium-sized beet.  ounces butter for frying.  teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon pepper.  teaspoons flour.  tablespoons vinegar.  tablespoon water. peel the beetroot, and cut into slices about a quarter of an inch thick. dissolve the butter in a frying pan, place in the beetroot and fry for twenty minutes, sprinkling each slice on both sides with the pepper and salt. when done, arrange the slices on a hot dish. reset the frying pan on the fire, stir in the flour, thoroughly mixing it with the butter, and fry for a couple of minutes, stirring all the time, then pour in the water and vinegar, stir until quite smooth; pour over the beetroot and serve quickly. no.  .--brussels sprouts. sprouts. salted water. clean the sprouts _very thoroughly_, removing all the decayed and outside leaves, and when perfectly free from dirt and insects, place them in plenty of fast-boiling salted water, and boil for about twenty minutes, or until quite tender but not broken. keep the lid off all the time they are cooking, remove the scum as it rises, and be sure and use _no_ soda. when they are tender, have ready a colander with a cloth laid in it, lift the sprouts out with an egg slice, and lay them carefully on the cloth to drain, place about a dozen of the best shaped ones on a hot plate or dish, slide the remainder gently off the cloth on to a hot drainer in a vegetable dish, and arrange the reserved ones on the top. sprouts are often spoiled in the dishing up, but no vegetable looks and tastes nicer if properly cooked and served. no.  .--french beans.  pint tomato juice.  shalot.  pound cooked french beans. ½ teaspoon salt. a little pepper. thickening of flour and butter. slice the shalot, and stew it in the tomato juice for about half an hour. strain, add pepper and salt, and thicken the juice with the flour and butter. lay the french beans in, and thoroughly re-heat. note.--tinned beans may be used, when fresh ones are not obtainable. no.  .--a nice way of serving greens.  pounds greens. salted water.  ounce butter. boil the greens (scotch kale, broccoli tops, etc.) in the usual way. when quite tender, strain and press well, place on a board and chop very finely; dissolve the butter in a stewpan, place in the greens, add a little pepper and more salt if required, and stir briskly over the fire for two or three minutes. serve in a hot vegetable dish. no.  .--tasty greens.  eggs.  ounce butter. ½ pound cooked greens of any kind. salt and pepper to taste. dissolve the butter in a small stewpan, beat up the eggs, add them to the butter, and stir over the fire until the sauce thickens, but on no account allow it to boil; add the greens, which should be finely chopped (see no.  ), also seasoning if required, and continue stirring over a gentle heat for two or three minutes. no.  .--haricot beans.  pint soaked haricot beans.  pint water.  teaspoon salt.  ounce butter. boil the beans in the water for half an hour, add salt, and boil again gently for another half or three-quarters of an hour; strain away the liquor, and leave the beans in the colander to dry off. dissolve the butter in a stewpan, gently toss the beans in it, taking care not to break them, and serve. either chopped parsley, grated nutmeg, or lemon juice may be added to the butter, but the beans are extremely good quite plain. note.--they may also be served in the liquor. see general hints, page  . no.  .--mushrooms baked.  dozen mushrooms.  ounce butter.  tablespoonsful water. pepper and salt. peel the mushrooms, removing part of the stalks, and lay them (stalks upwards) in a flat baking tin or dish containing the water; place a small piece of the butter in the centre of each mushroom, pepper and salt them to taste; cover them, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty or thirty minutes. serve very hot. note.--great care must be taken that the mushrooms are quite free from insects before cooking. no.  .--green peas boiled.  pint shelled peas.  pint water. a sprig of mint.  ounce butter. ¼ teaspoon salt. wash the peas, and place them in a stewpan with the other ingredients, simmer with the lid off until they are quite tender, remove the mint and serve. the small quantity of liquor which remains will be found useful for flavouring sauces, stews, etc. note.--this way of cooking peas is greatly superior to that of putting them into a large quantity of water, as there is no waste and the entire flavour and nutriment of the vegetable are retained. no.  .--mashed potatoes. ½ dozen large potatoes.  ounce fresh butter.  tablespoons milk. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. wash and scrub the potatoes until perfectly free from dirt and mould, bake them, and when done prick with a fork to allow the steam to escape, then wipe with a cloth to remove any charred skin, etc. have ready a good-sized saucepan (enamelled for preference) in which the milk and butter have been heated, halve the potatoes and squeeze them into it, add salt and pepper (the latter should be omitted when being prepared for children), then with a cook's fork beat backwards and forwards, then round and round, until the whole mass is perfectly smooth and quite free from lumps. turn into a very hot vegetable dish, arrange in a pile and mark prettily with a fork or knife, then place in the oven for two or three minutes to re-heat. note.--potatoes prepared in this way constitute an ideal diet. all the valuable salts are retained instead of being thrown away in the water, as when peeled before cooking, whilst the butter and milk supply the fatty elements in which the potato is lacking. the colour also is good, which is not the case when they are _boiled_ in their skins, and the taste is delicious. no.  .--new potatoes fried.  very small new potatoes.  egg.  ounces bread crumbs. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. a pinch each of powdered mace and sweet herbs. boil the potatoes twenty minutes, then drain and remove the skins. mix well together the salt, pepper, mace, sweet herbs, and bread crumbs. roll the potatoes first in the egg, then in the savoury bread crumbs, and fry in boiling oil until a golden brown. serve with sauce piquante no.  . no.  .--salsify.  dozen roots of salsify.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour.  slice of lemon. ½ pint water.  gill of milk. ½ teaspoon salt. scrape the salsify, and throw it into cold water, cut into pieces about two inches long, and place in an enamelled stewpan with the water, milk, lemon, salt, and half an ounce of butter. boil one hour or until quite tender, remove the lemon, lift out the salsify and place in a warm vegetable dish, thicken the liquor with the other half ounce of butter and the flour, pour over the salsify and serve. no.  .--tomatoes.  dozen tomatoes. ½ ounces butter. ½ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper. scald the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, then place in cold water for half a minute. remove the skins, which will now come off quite easily, slice the tomatoes into about four pieces with a very sharp knife. have ready a stewpan in which the butter has been dissolved, place the tomatoes in it, add the seasoning, and stew gently for about twenty minutes, stirring frequently. note.--when strained, this constitutes a very choice sauce, and it may be slightly thickened. sauces. no.  .--sauce à la bonne femme.  tomatoes.  green apple.  leek.  ounces butter.  teaspoon lemon juice. ½ pint lentil or haricot bean stock. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs. salt and pepper to taste. dissolve the butter in a small stewpan, then place in the vegetables sliced, and fry for twenty minutes, but do not allow to burn; add stock, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and simmer for half an hour. strain before using. may be thickened if required. note.--this is a very suitable sauce for pouring over fried beans, lentils, potatoes, etc. no.  .--sauce à la petite cuisinière.  pint haricot beans.  quart water.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoons lemon juice. ½ ounce brown flour.  ounce butter.  sprig parsley. boil the beans and parsley for two hours, add salt, strain, thicken with the flour and butter well mixed, stir until it boils, add lemon juice. no.  .--apple sauce.  apples.  lumps of sugar.  pint water.  ounce fresh butter.  or cloves, according to taste. peel, core, and slice the apples; dissolve the sugar in the water, using an enamelled stewpan; place in the apples and cloves. simmer gently until the apples are quite tender. rub through a hair sieve with a wooden spoon, return to the stewpan, stir in the butter, and continue stirring until thoroughly incorporated, when it is ready for serving. no.  .--asparagus sauce.  heads of asparagus. ½ pint white sauce. pepper and salt to taste. spinach colouring. cut away the white portion of the asparagus, and tie the green into a bundle; boil in salted water for about thirty minutes or until tender, but not broken; then lift out, and place on a board and cut off the tips, rub the remainder through a hair sieve into the white sauce; then stir in the tips, also a few drops of spinach colouring, and it is ready for use. note.--when rubbing the asparagus through the sieve, it will be found that it adheres to the outer side, whence it must be removed with a spoon. no.  .--béchamel sauce.  shalot or small onion.  sprigs of parsley.  peppercorns.  pint milk.  ounce butter.  ounce flour.  bay leaf.  teaspoon sweet herbs. a very little mace. ½ teaspoon salt.  yolks of eggs. simmer the seasonings in the milk for three-quarters of an hour, strain, add the butter and flour, which have been previously mixed, stir until the sauce thickens, add the beaten yolks of eggs, and it is ready for use. care must be taken not to allow the sauce to boil after the eggs have been added. no.  .--curry sauce. ½ pint soaked lentils.  shalot or small onion.  small turnip.  teaspoon curry powder.  small carrot.  pint water. ½ teaspoon salt.  ounce each flour and butter. slice the vegetables and boil them with the lentils for one hour, add salt and strain; mix the flour, butter, and curry powder well on a plate, place in an enamelled saucepan, pour in the liquor, and stir until it boils. note.--this sauce is suitable for curried eggs, savoury rice balls, etc. no.  .--curry sauce. another way.  large onion.  ounces of butter. ½ ounce of flour. ½ pint water.  teaspoons of curry powder. salt to taste. slice and fry the onion in butter until nicely brown, then stir in the flour and curry powder, and mix all well together; add water and salt, and boil for ten or fifteen minutes, stirring very frequently. strain before serving. no.  .--curry sauce à brazil.  ounces brazil nuts.  ounces butter. ½ ounce brown flour.  ounces tomatoes.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoons curry powder. ½ pint brown stock.  onions sliced. shell the nuts and pound them in a mortar. fry the onions in one and a half ounces of butter until slightly brown; add the nuts, salt, curry powder, stock, and tomatoes sliced; simmer for one hour. strain and thicken with half an ounce each of butter and brown flour mixed. no.  .--german sauce. ½ pint sauce tournée no.  . the yolks of eggs. strain the yolks and add them to the sauce; stir carefully over a moderate heat until it simmers, but on no account must it boil or the eggs will curdle. when it thickens (about one minute) it is done. this is a very rich sauce. no.  .--haricot bean sauce.  pint soaked haricot beans. ½ pints water.  onion. ½ ounce each flour and butter. ¾ teaspoon salt. ½ teaspoon mixed herbs.  inch cinnamon.  dozen peppercorns. boil altogether for two hours (excepting salt, which must be added later), the seasonings being tied up in a little piece of muslin so as to be easily removed; strain and thicken with the paste of flour and butter, stirring over the fire until it boils. no.  .--lentil sauce. ½ pint soaked lentils. ½ pint water. ½ pint tomato juice.  onion.  teaspoon salt.  peppercorns. a pinch of mixed herbs. ½ ounce flour. ½ ounce butter. simmer the lentils with the peppercorns, herbs, and onion sliced, for about twenty minutes; add the tomato juice and salt; simmer for another twenty minutes. strain, and thicken with the flour and butter. no.  .--lentil sauce.  pint soaked lentils. ½ pints water.  small onion. ½ ounce flour. ¾ ounce butter. ½ teaspoon salt.  dozen peppercorns.  small blade of mace. place the lentils in a stewpan with the water and the onion (cut in four), peppercorns, and mace, tied up in a small piece of muslin. boil three-quarters of an hour, remove the flavourings, add salt, and simmer for another quarter of an hour. strain, rinse the stewpan, pour back the sauce, and thicken with the butter and flour. note.--the lentils should not be thrown away, but are just ready for converting into sausages, etc. no.  .--lentil sauce. ½ pints water. ½ pint soaked lentils.  carrots.  turnip.  onions.  tomatoes. ½ teaspoon salt.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. slice the vegetables, and boil with the lentils for two hours. strain and thicken with the flour and butter. no.  .--mint sauce.  tablespoons of chopped mint.  tablespoons of sugar (or a little less).  gill vinegar. wash and pick over the mint, which must be quite fresh, and chop it rather fine; then place in a mortar, add the sugar, and pound well together until thoroughly incorporated; stir in the vinegar, and pour into the sauce-boat or jar. note.--a covered receptacle should be used, and the sauce is improved by being made some hours before required. no.  .--parsley sauce.  tablespoon of parsley after chopping. ½ pint white sauce. take a handful of parsley; and after washing it tie in a bunch and throw into boiling salted water for two or three minutes, then well drain and chop very fine. have ready the sauce, stir in the parsley, and pour into a hot tureen. no.  .--sauce piquante.  ounce butter.  ounce flour.  gill water. pepper and salt to taste. melt the butter in a small saucepan, and when dissolved shake in the flour, stirring all the time until the paste is quite smooth; add a little salt and pepper, and then pour in gradually the water and vinegar; stir well until the sauce has boiled for a few minutes. it will then be quite ready. no.  .--sauce royale.  turnip.  carrot.  onion.  tomato. ½ ounce flour.  ounces butter.  pint water. ½ teaspoon salt. prepare the vegetables, slice them, and fry in an ounce of butter for five minutes; add water and salt, and simmer gently for one and a half hours. strain and thicken with one ounce of butter and the flour. no.  .--salad sauce. ½ pint soaked haricot beans.  onion.  ounce butter. ½ teaspoon salt.  tablespoon vinegar.  strip lemon peel. a tiny piece of mace.  pint water. ½ dozen peppercorns. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, then place in it the haricot beans, onion sliced, mace, lemon peel, peppercorns and water. boil two hours, rub through a sieve and allow to cool; then strain again to remove scum, add vinegar, and pour over salad. no.  .--salad sauce.  small onion.  slices of beetroot.  tablespoons of vinegar. ½ pint haricot bean stock.  ounce butter. ½ teaspoon worcester sauce. ¼ teaspoon mustard.  teaspoon lemon juice.  teaspoons browned flour. pepper and salt to taste. dissolve the butter in a small stewpan, place in the onion sliced and fry ten minutes; then add stock and beetroot, and simmer for twenty minutes; add the mustard, sauce, lemon juice, and flour, and simmer five minutes, stirring all the time; rub through a sieve, and when cold stir in the vinegar. this quantity is only sufficient for a small salad. no.  .--salad sauce.  pint tomato juice.  carrot.  turnip.  onion. a very small piece each of mace and cinnamon.  tablespoons cooked haricot beans.  tablespoons vinegar.  teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  ounce butter. slice the vegetables and fry in the butter for ten minutes; then place in a stewpan with the tomato juice (tinned will answer the purpose), mace, cinnamon, salt and pepper. boil for half an hour, then place in the beans and simmer for twenty minutes; rub through a sieve, and when cold stir in the vinegar. it is then ready for use. no.  .--salad sauce. the yolks of two eggs.  gill of milk. ½ gill of vinegar. a large pinch of salt. the same of pepper. drop the yolks into a small enamelled stewpan, add the pepper and salt, and stir well with a wooden spoon; pour in the milk, which should be just at boiling point, then stir briskly over a gentle heat for about ten minutes, or until the sauce thickens, but it must on no account be allowed to boil, or it will curdle. when sufficiently thick, remove from the fire, stir in the vinegar, and stand on one side to get thoroughly cold. it is then ready for use. no.  .--sauce superbe.  large turnip.  large carrot.  large onion.  large tomato.  small stick of celery.  teaspoon salt.  tablespoons pearl barley.  ounces butter. ½ pints water. {   peppercorns. {   cloves. { a very little each of mace and cinnamon, tied in muslin. slice the vegetables, except the tomato, and fry in the butter until a nice brown; place in a stewpan together with the water, barley, salt and flavourings, and boil three-quarters of an hour. add tomato sliced, simmer half an hour, stirring frequently, and strain. if required for masking, thicken with one ounce each of brown flour and butter. note.--the vegetables and barley may be served as a stew, or used in various ways. no.  .--tomato sauce.  pound tomatoes.  carrot.  turnip.  onion. a few peppercorns. ¼ pint water. ½ teaspoon salt.  ounces butter.  ounce flour. scald and peel the tomatoes, and slice them (or half a pint of tinned tomato juice may be used); also slice the carrot, turnip and onion, and fry altogether in one and a half ounces of butter for ten minutes. add water, peppercorns and salt, and stew gently for half an hour. strain into a small enamelled saucepan, put in the flour and half an ounce of butter mixed together, and stir over a moderate heat until it boils. no.  .--tomato sauce. another way. ½ pint tomato juice.  small onion. ½ teaspoon salt.  peppercorns.  ounce flour.  ounce butter. slice the onion, and boil it in the tomato juice with the peppercorns and salt for one hour; strain. mix the flour and butter on a plate with a knife; when thoroughly incorporated, place in the tomato juice and stir until it boils. no.  .--tomato and haricot bean sauce.  pint soaked haricot beans.  onion. tomato liquor. the seeds of vegetable marrow, if handy, or any odd pieces of vegetable.  ounce flour.  ounce butter. ½ pints water. ¾ teaspoon salt. boil altogether for about two hours; strain, rubbing the beans through a sieve with a wooden spoon. add to this an equal quantity of cooked tomato liquor, which is already seasoned with butter, pepper and salt. thicken with the paste of flour and butter, stirring over the fire until it boils. be sure that the sauce is sufficiently seasoned before sending to table. no.  .--tomato sauce piquante. ½ pounds tomatoes.  middling-sized apples.  small onions. ½ gill vinegar.  gill water. pepper and salt to taste. slice the tomatoes, onions, and apples into a small stewpan, add water and vinegar and a little pepper and salt, simmer gently until tender, rub through a hair sieve, re-warm and serve. note.--should the liquor boil away too soon, a little more water may be added as required. no.  .--sauce tournée.  pint white stock. a large sprig of parsley.  button mushrooms chopped.  large onion. simmer altogether for half an hour, then strain very carefully. if desired very rich, a dessertspoonful of cream may be placed in the tureen and the sauce poured over gradually, stirring all the time. no.  .--vegetable sauce.  carrot.  onion.  turnip. a little celery.  ounce flour.  ounce butter. ½ pints water. ½ teaspoon salt. {   dozen peppercorns. {   inch stick of cinnamon. {   teaspoon mixed herbs. prepare the vegetables, cut them up in small pieces, place in a saucepan with the water, salt and flavourings, simmer for one hour; strain, replace in the saucepan, which should have been rinsed, and thicken with flour and butter, or if a little cold boiled rice is handy it may be substituted for the flour, and should be added with one ounce of butter to the sauce five minutes before it is strained. a teaspoonful of lemon juice added the last thing will give additional piquancy to the sauce. note.--this quantity will make about three-quarters of a pint of sauce. no.  .--white sauce.  ounce butter. ½ ounce flour. ¼ pint each milk and water. a pinch of salt. mix the flour and butter well together on a plate with a knife, place this paste in a small enamelled saucepan, add salt and milk, and stir over the fire until it is perfectly smooth and has boiled for one minute. it is then ready for use. no.  .--rich white sauce. ½ ounces butter. ½ ounce flour. yolk of one egg. ¼ pint each milk and water. a pinch of salt. prepare sauce same as no.  , and stand the saucepan on one side for ten minutes, then drop into it the yolk of an egg, and stir over a gentle heat for a few minutes, but on no account allow it to boil again, or the sauce will curdle. salads. no.  .--beetroot salad.  medium-sized beets. hard-boiled yolk of egg. tablespoon chopped watercress. pepper and salt to taste. sauce no.  . peel and slice the beets (about a quarter of an inch thick), and pile the slices in a glass dish or bowl, sprinkle with the watercress and yolk of egg rubbed through a wire sieve, and pour the sauce round the base. no.  .--cabbage salad.  nice cabbage, or sufficient young greens to make a dish. boil the cabbage in the usual way. when cooked, after thoroughly extracting all the water, stand on one side to get quite cold. place in a salad bowl or glass dish, and pour over it half a pint of salad sauce no.  . no.  .--carrot salad.  dozen young carrots. water.  teaspoon salt.  strip lemon peel. scrape the carrots and throw them into cold water; then place them in a saucepan with sufficient water to cover, with salt and lemon peel. boil half an hour or until tender, place them on a board, cut into thick slices, which place in salad sauce no.  ; gently toss them in this till each piece is covered with the sauce, then turn them into a dish or bowl, and garnish with sprigs of watercress. no.  .--cucumber salad.  medium-sized cucumber.  ounce butter. ¼ teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  tablespoons water. a little grated nutmeg. sauce no.  . peel and slice the cucumber (about quarter inch thick), and if not very young remove the seeds, place the slices in a stewpan together with the water, butter, salt and nutmeg. simmer until tender, leaving the lid off so as to reduce the liquor. arrange the slices in a dish, taking care not to break them, sprinkle with the pepper, pour over the sauce, and do not serve until perfectly cold. no.  .--haricot bean salad. ½ pint soaked haricot beans.  pint of water.  ounce butter. ½ teaspoon salt. a little grated nutmeg. ½ pint sauce no.  . dissolve half an ounce of butter in a saucepan, place in the beans and water, and boil one and a half hours; add salt and boil another half hour. when done, strain (saving the liquor), and turn the beans into a basin containing half an ounce of oiled butter and the nutmeg. stir the beans about carefully, and then place them in a dish or salad bowl; pour the sauce over, and stand on one side to get thoroughly cold. no.  .--onion salad.  large spanish onions.  strip of lemon peel. ½ dozen peppercorns. sauce no.  . peel and quarter the onions, and boil them in salted water with the peppercorns and lemon peel. when quite tender, lift them out and place on one side to drain and get cold. when quite cold, place them in a dish or bowl, pour half the sauce over, and reserve the remainder to pour over just before sending to table. no.  .--potato salad.  good-sized cold potatoes.  tablespoon of chopped watercress. ½ pint sauce no.  . the potatoes may either be boiled in their skins or peeled; in the first way they will be the better flavoured and more nourishing, in the latter a better colour. they must be taken up carefully directly they are tender, and not allowed to break up at all. cut into slices about half an inch thick, stamp out into fancy shapes and arrange prettily in a small bowl or dish; sprinkle them with the watercress, which should have been thoroughly washed in salted and rinsed in fresh water; then pour over the sauce. this salad, which is generally much appreciated, will be found a very useful way of using up cold potatoes. no.  .--sea kale salad.  or heads of kale. sauce no.  . boil the kale until tender in salted water. when quite done, strain, and stand on one side to get cold. cut into pieces about one inch long, place in a dish or bowl, pour over half the sauce, and the remainder just before sending to table. no.  .--vegetable salad.  young carrots.  young potatoes.  shalot. ½ teaspoon salt.  tomatoes.  teaspoon minced watercress ½ pint water.  tablespoon vinegar. scrape the carrots and potatoes very clean, and stew them gently until tender in the vinegar, salt and water, but on no account must they be allowed to break. when done, take up carefully and place on a board to cool. scald the tomatoes by plunging them first into boiling water and then into cold; remove the skins and seeds and cut into small slices. when the vegetables are quite cold, cut them up into ornamental shapes, and arrange them with the tomatoes and shalot very finely minced in a salad bowl, pour over a mayonnaise sauce or salad sauce no.  , and sprinkle the watercress on the top. hard-boiled eggs may be added if liked. pies, puddings, etc. no.  .--alexandra pie.  pint soaked haricot beans.  carrot.  turnip.  onions. ½ pint liquor.  ounce butter. ½ pound mashed potatoes.  ounces bread crumbs.  egg.  teaspoon salt.  quart water. slice the carrot, turnip and onions, boil them with the beans one and a half hours, add salt and boil half an hour, strain, turn the beans and vegetables on to a large plate and place on one side to cool. dissolve the butter in a frying pan, and fry the beans and vegetables until slightly browned; turn into a pie dish, pour over the liquor which was strained off, place in the mashed potatoes, and lastly cover with the egg and bread crumbs well mixed. the white and yolk should be beaten separately. bake in a rather hot oven until a nice brown. no.  .--asparagus pudding.  heads of asparagus. ½ ounces flour.  ounces butter.  eggs.  tablespoon milk. ½ teaspoon salt. a little pepper. place the flour and butter in a basin and beat them thoroughly, then add the salt, pepper, milk, the eggs well beaten, and the tender green part of the asparagus cut very small; stir all well together, then pour into a well-buttered mould or basin, and steam for one and a half hours. turn out, and serve with asparagus sauce poured over. no.  .--baked batter.  ounces flour.  eggs. ½ pint milk.  ounce butter. a pinch of salt. place the flour and salt in a basin, beat up the eggs in another basin; add half the butter to the milk, and place in the oven for a few minutes to allow the butter to dissolve, then add the milk to the eggs and pour on to the flour, stir briskly with a wooden spoon, grease a baking tin or dish with the remainder of the butter, pour in the batter, and bake in a rather hot oven for half an hour. no.  .--whole meal biscuits.  ounces whole meal flour.  ounces white flour.  egg. ½ teaspoon baking powder. ½ ounces butter. ½ ounces sugar. ½ tablespoon golden syrup. mix the two flours, the butter, baking powder, and sugar well together on the paste-board; make a hole in the centre into which break the egg, and pour in the syrup, then mix with the hand until all be thoroughly incorporated. roll the paste very thin, stamp out the required size, prick over with a fork, and bake in a brisk oven until crisp. no.  .--cherry tartlets.  pound cherries. ¼ pound white sugar. ½ pint water. short paste. place the sugar and water in an enamelled stewpan over a gentle heat; remove the stalks, and place the cherries in this syrup; boil gently until tender, removing the scum as it rises. have ready one dozen little tartlet tins, line them with the paste, bake for ten minutes, then fill them with cherries and a little syrup, and finish baking. no.  .--chestnut cakes.  pound chestnuts.  eggs.  teaspoons castor sugar. ½ ounces butter. boil the chestnuts half an hour, strain, and after removing shells and skins, rub them through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon. mix the sugar and two ounces of the butter to a cream, add the chestnuts, flour and eggs well beaten, and stir all well together. take a tin greased with the remaining half ounce of butter, place the mixture in it in the shape of little hills, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty to thirty minutes; or the mixture may be spread over the tin in a thin layer, and when done stamped out into fancy shapes. no.  .--french plum pasties.  ounces whole meal flour.  ounces white flour.  ounces butter. a little water. stewed french plums.  egg. make a paste of the flour, butter, water, and half the egg; roll out rather thin; cut into four-inch squares, place a french plum, having removed the stone, in the centre of each square, moisten the edges with a little water, fold them over, brush over with the remainder of the beaten egg, and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. note.--they may be eaten either hot or cold, and will be found particularly suitable for travelling, etc. no.  .--potted haricot beans. (see potted lentils.) no.  .--lentil pudding.  tablespoon soaked lentils. ¼ pint water.  tablespoons soaked sago. ½ ounce butter.  turnip.  carrot.  shalot. ½ teaspoon salt. paste for crust no.  . slice the carrot and turnip, mince the shalot, and place them in a stewpan with the lentils, butter, and water; boil for about half an hour, add salt and sago, and stir for three minutes. line a small pudding basin with paste, pour in the mixture, cover with more paste, tie a floured cloth over, and boil for three hours. no.  .--potted lentils.  quart soaked lentils.  quart water.  ounces butter.  teaspoon salt. a pinch of sweet herbs.  cloves.  allspice.  peppercorns.  inch cinnamon stick. a piece of mace size of a shilling. dissolve the butter in a saucepan, then place in all the ingredients except the salt. remove the scum as it rises. boil one hour, add salt, boil again half an hour, then remove the lid and stir constantly for another half hour, or until the lentils are reduced to a thick pulp. rub through a wire sieve with a wooden spoon until only the husks remain. when quite cold, place in a dish or jar, and pour oiled butter over the top to exclude the air. it will keep good for some days. note.--the thick remaining in the sieve may be re-boiled for stock. no.  .--baked mushroom pudding. ½ pound haricot bean pulp.  or button mushrooms.  shalot.  teaspoons of worcester or other sauce.  eggs.  ounce butter. pepper and salt to taste. to obtain the pulp, rub about three-quarters of a pound of well-cooked beans through a wire sieve, add the mushrooms and shalot very finely minced, stir in the yolks of the eggs reserving the whites, add seasoning if required; grease a deep tin or pie dish with the butter, pour in the mixture, and bake for about half an hour, or until set. in the meantime beat the whites to a stiff froth, and after beating add the sauce, turn the pudding on to a hot dish, arrange the froth prettily over it, and return to the oven to set the egg. serve quickly. this pudding may be steamed instead of baked, but the whites of eggs will not then be required. no.  .--boiled mushroom pudding. mushrooms. pudding crust. butter a pudding basin, line it with paste, fill with mushrooms, add pepper and salt to taste (about one teaspoonful of salt and half of pepper to one dozen good sized mushrooms), adding gravy made by stewing the peel and stalks of the mushrooms for half an hour in sufficient water to cover them, and strained before using. cover with paste, flour a cloth and tie firmly over, and boil for three hours. no.  .--plain paste for puddings. ¾ pound flour.  ounces butter. rather less than ½ pint water. a pinch of salt.  teaspoon baking powder. pass the flour through a sieve on to a board, mix with it the salt and baking powder, and thoroughly rub in the butter. make a hole in the centre of the paste, pour in the water, stirring it into the paste at the same time with the other hand. when sufficiently moist to adhere in the shape of a ball, roll out to the required thickness. if cooked in a basin the pudding will require to boil for at least three hours; if in a cloth, less time will be found sufficient. no.  .--puff paste. ½ pound vienna flour.  ounces butter.  egg. ½ tea-cup cold water.  teaspoon lemon juice. place the flour in the middle of a paste-board, and lightly roll the butter in it, then divide the butter into two equal parts, and place one half on one side. chop the other half in the flour, then make a hole in the centre, in which place the lemon juice, the egg (whole), and the water; mix well together, and put in a cool place for about fifteen minutes. then roll it out half an inch thick. place the other half of the butter in the centre, fold over two sides of the paste, and roll out again; this latter counts as the first roll, and the paste must be rolled out five times in all, allowing an interval of ten minutes between each roll. the paste should then be left for at least two hours in a cool place with a damp cloth over it before being used. note.--in warm weather, the butter, egg, and water should be kept in a basin with ice for at least half an hour before using. no.  .--potato pie.  or potatoes, according to size. cooked haricot beans.  onion. about one tablespoon of chopped mint or parsley. puff or short paste. parboil the potatoes, slice and lay them in a pie-dish with the onion sliced, as many beans as are liked, and a few tablespoons of the liquor. sprinkle over the parsley or mint, cover with paste, and bake. no.  .--potato pudding.  or potatoes, according to size.  onion or shalot.  gill of milk.  hard boiled eggs.  teaspoon salt.  teaspoon mixed sweet herbs. paste for crust no.  . boil the potatoes, onion and egg separately for fifteen minutes, then slice and mix well together, sprinkling in the salt and herbs. line a middling sized pudding basin with paste, fill with the mixture, pour in the milk, cover with paste, wetting round the edges so that they join well, tie a cloth over, plunge it into a large saucepan half full of boiling water, and boil rather fast for three and a half hours. note.--a vegetable sauce should be served with the pudding. no.  .--boiled rice. for curries, etc. about ounces of rice. a pinch of salt. water. place the rice in a saucepan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil, then strain away the water and return the rice to the saucepan, add fresh cold water and the salt, and boil for fifteen minutes, then strain it through a colander again. stand the colander containing the rice on a plate, cover it with a cloth and place in a warm (not hot) oven for two hours. stir the rice occasionally with a fork. no.  .--summer pie. ½ peck green peas.  cabbage lettuce.  onion.  egg.  tablespoon chopped mint. ½ teaspoon salt. puff or short paste. shell the peas, and boil them in a little water with the salt and onion sliced. well wash the lettuce, shred it, place in a pie-dish, and when the peas are done, add them, including the liquor in which they have been boiled (if there be more liquor than the pie-dish will conveniently hold, it should be added after the pie is cooked). sprinkle the mint over the top, cover with paste in the usual way, brush over with the beaten egg, and bake in a rather hot oven for about three-quarters of an hour. no.  .--vermicelli and tomato pudding.  ounces cooked vermicelli.  ounces mashed potato.  shalots, or a small onion.  eggs.  teaspoon salt. ¼ teaspoon pepper.  tablespoons tomato juice.  ounce butter. boil the shalot or onion ten minutes, then mince finely and mix well with the vermicelli, potatoes, salt, pepper, tomato and yolks of eggs, beat the whites and add them last, then pour the mixture into a well-buttered pudding basin, and steam one and a half hours, or it may be baked. fruits. no.  .--purée of apples. very suitable for young children. ½ pint water.  lumps sugar.  apples. a little cinnamon or cloves. dissolve the sugar in the water, then add the cloves and apples (which should not be peeled). simmer for twenty or thirty minutes. then rub through a sieve with a wooden spoon. no.  .--stewed apples.  or apples, according to size.  pint water.  lumps sugar. a few cloves. dissolve the sugar in the water, peel and core the apples (but do not cut them), and place them with the cloves in the syrup, stew very gently for about ten minutes, then turn the apples and simmer for another ten minutes, or until they are tender, but not broken. when done, place them in a pretty dish, and fill the hollow part with jam or custard. reduce the syrup by boiling it over the fire for a few minutes with the lid off, strain over the apples, and allow to cool before serving. no.  .--apples stewed à la gloire.  or stewing apples. ½ pints of water. ½ pound loaf sugar.  dozen crystallized cherries.  bananas. {   strip of lemon peel. {   cloves. {   small stick of cinnamon tied in muslin. place the water, sugar, and flavourings in a large enamelled stewpan, and stand over a gentle heat until the sugar is dissolved. peel the apples, carefully remove the cores, leaving the apples whole; place them in the syrup, and simmer until perfectly tender, but not broken. when done, lift them out into a glass dish (which should have been previously warmed to prevent cracking), press them slightly with a spoon so as to make a smooth surface slightly raised in the centre, and stand them on one side to get cold. when the apples are cold, strain the syrup into a small stewpan, and reduce over a moderate heat for fifteen or twenty minutes. cut the bananas into quarter-inch slices, stamp out the seeds, and arrange the rings on the apple, placing a cherry in the middle of each ring. pour the syrup over the top, when, if it be sufficiently reduced, it will immediately set, and form a very ornamental as well as delicious dish. no.  .--stewed french plums.  pound french plums.  or lumps of sugar. water. wash the plums by placing them in a sieve or strainer and pouring hot water over them; then place them in a stewpan, cover with water, and boil very gently for half an hour; drop in the sugar and simmer for another half hour. when done, remove the lid and stand the stewpan on one side for the plums to cool. pile them in a glass dish, and pour the syrup over. no.  .--masked pears.  stewing pears. ¾ pint water.  egg.  tablespoons bread crumbs.  lumps sugar.  inch cinnamon stick. jam. ½ ounce butter. make a syrup of the sugar and water, peel and hollow the pears (which must remain whole), place them in the syrup, and stew gently one hour or until tender; lift them out very carefully on to a plate and allow to cool. fill them with jam, roll in egg and bread crumbs, place in a buttered dish, and bake for about twenty minutes. in the meantime, place the cinnamon in the syrup and boil until it is reduced, place the pears in a pretty dish, pour the syrup over them through a strainer, and allow to cool. no.  .--stewed pears.  dozen stewing pears.  quart water. ½ pound loaf sugar.  inches cinnamon stick. peel the pears carefully and remove the cores, but leave them whole. dissolve the sugar in the water, using an enamelled stewpan, place the pears in this and allow to simmer for two hours, keeping the lid on. remove the stewpan from the fire, and stand it on one side _without_ the lid until the pears are perfectly cold, then carefully lift them out (they should be a beautiful red colour) into a glass dish. strain the syrup into a small stewpan, boil over a good heat for about fifteen minutes (watching it carefully the latter portion), reduce to three tablespoons, pour over the pears, and allow to thoroughly cool before serving. no.  .--early rhubarb stewed.  or large sticks of rhubarb.  lumps sugar. ½ ounce butter.  gill milk. dissolve the sugar in the milk, then add the butter and rhubarb cut up. stew gently over a moderate heat until tender. no.  .--strawberries in syrup.  pound strawberries.  pound cherries. ½ pound loaf sugar.  pint water. pound the cherries in a mortar, crushing as many of the stones as possible. place them with the water and sugar in a stewpan, and boil one hour without the lid. strain the syrup into a small stewpan, and reduce until it commences to thicken, then place in the strawberries (first removing the stalks), and shake them so that they become coated with the syrup. lift them out into a glass dish, reduce the syrup again until it becomes quite thick, pour over the strawberries, and allow to get quite cold. index. (the numbers given refer to the recipes.) soups. artichoke. . asparagus. . brown. . carrot. . celery. . chestnut. . french bean. . green kale. . haricot bean. . lentil. . broth. . tea. . mulligatawny. . oatmeal. . onion. . parsnip. . pea. . dried green. . fresh. . potato. . rice. . sea kale. . semolina. . stock, brown. . white. . tomato. . turnip. . vegetable. . marrow. . vermicelli. . stews. brighton. . carrot. . cucumber. . cucumber and beetroot. . with sauce piquante. . braized, with tomato sauce. . mushrooms. . potato. . baked. . pea, fresh green. . and lettuce. . and potato. . haricot bean. , , . ragoût. . and green pea. . irish. . lentil, with forcemeat cutlets. . rice. . spanish onion. . tennis. . tomato ragoût. . vegetable, rich baked. . ragoût. . marrow. . fritters, etc. almond, savoury. . batter. . brazil rissoles. . egg and tomato. . golden marbles. . haricot bean croquettes. . kromskies. . mushroom croquettes. . potato. . savoury. . queen. . semolina, sweet. . vermicelli and cheese. , . savouries. asparagus and egg on toast. . batter, rolled, stuffed with forcemeat. . boiled. . cheese mixture. . chestnuts, with maitre d'hotel sauce. . eggs on toast. . forcemeat. . balls. . haricot beans on bread. . on toast. . with eggs. . garnished. . mould. . lentil cakes. . mixture. , . mushrooms à la française. . pancakes. . peas, green, and carrots on toast. . potato, baked, with sage and onion. . casserole of. . and celery balls. . and eggs with celery sauce. . fried with eggs. . olives. . pyramids. . stuffed. , . rice balls. . rissoles. . sage and onion patties. . sausages. . in batter. . brussels sprout. . curry flavour. . lentil and tomato. . savoury. . semolina. . semolina. . and cheese. . spanish onions stuffed. . spinach with peas and tomatoes. . surprise balls. . toad-in-the-hole. . tomatoes in batter, plain. . in batter, seasoned. . and eggs on toast. . turnips with poached eggs. . vegetable marrow with potato balls. . marrow rings with tomato batter. . marrow stuffed. , . vermicelli and cheese. . soufflés. bread. . cauliflower. . cauliflower and potato. . garnie. . moulded. . haricot bean. . with béchamel sauce. . and spinach. . lentil. . pea, fresh green. . petites. . tomato. . curries. beetroot and cucumber. . eggs. . haricot beans. , . lentils. . tomatoes. . turnips. . vegetables. artichokes with sauce royale. . beetroot, fried. . brussels sprouts. . french beans. . greens, a nice way. . tasty. . haricot beans. . mushrooms, baked. . peas, green. . potatoes, mashed. . new, fried. . salsify. . tomatoes. . sauces. À la bonne femme. . À la petite cuisinière. . apple. . asparagus. . béchamel. . curry. , . à brazil. . german. . haricot bean. . lentil. , , . mint. . parsley. . piquante. . royale. . salad. , , , . superbe. . tomato. , . and haricot bean. . piquante. . tournée. . vegetable. . white. . rich. . salads. beetroot. . cabbage. . carrot. . cucumber. . haricot bean. . onion. . potato. . sea kale. . vegetable. . pies, puddings, etc. alexandra pie. . asparagus pudding. . batter, baked. . biscuits, whole meal. . cherry tartlets. . chestnut cakes. . french plum pasties. . haricot beans, potted. . lentil pudding. . lentils, potted. . mushroom pudding, baked. . boiled. . paste, plain. . puff. . potato pie. . pudding. . rice, boiled, plain. . summer pie. . vermicelli and tomato pudding. . fruits. apples, purée of. . stewed. . stewed à la gloire. . french plums. . pears, masked. . stewed. . rhubarb, early, stewed. . strawberries in syrup. . chiswick press:--c. whittingham and co., tooks court, chancery lane. [ transcriber's note: the following is a list of corrections made to the original. the first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. no.  --green pea and lettuce stew. no.  .--green pea and lettuce stew. together all the ingredients for the stuffing, cut the pototoes together all the ingredients for the stuffing, cut the potatoes  teapoons sage. [in no.  ]  teaspoons sage. note.--rice, semolina. etc., may be used in place of the vermicelli. note.--rice, semolina, etc., may be used in place of the vermicelli.  tablespoons minced spinach  tablespoons minced spinach. no.  --curried haricot beans. no.  .--curried haricot beans. note--the rice may be omitted. note.--the rice may be omitted. hour, strain, add pepper and salt, and thicken the juice with the flour hour. strain, add pepper and salt, and thicken the juice with the flour no  .--curry sauce. no.  .--curry sauce. hard-boiled yoke of egg. hard-boiled yolk of egg. ] the khaki kook book a collection of a hundred cheap and practical recipes mostly from hindustan. _by_ mary kennedy core bareilly, india. printed for the author by the abingdon press copyright, , by mary kennedy core. preface. why this little book. about ten years ago the idea of writing a little cook book had its birth. we were in almora that summer. almora is a station far up in the himalayas, a clean little bazaar nestles at the foot of enclosing mountains. dotting the deodar-covered slopes of these mountains are the picturesque bungalows of the european residents, while towering above and over all are the glistening peaks of the eternal snows. [illustration] we love to think of this particular summer, for lilavate singh was with us. the thought of her always brings help and inspiration. one day she prepared for the crowd of us a tiffin of delicious hindustani food. that afternoon while we were sitting under the shade and fragrance of the deodar trees, we praised the tiffin. before we knew it we were planning a cook book. it was to be a joint affair of hindustani and english dishes, and miss singh was to be responsible for the hindustani part of it. our enthusiasm grew. for three or four days we talked of nothing else. we experimented, we planned; we dreamed, we wrote. but alas! other things soon thrust themselves upon us, and our unfinished cook book was pigeon-holed for years and years. and it is not now what it would have been if finished then. many of the recipes, however, are those that miss singh gave us then. some of them she might not recognize, for they have become quite americanized, but they are hers nevertheless, and i hope that you will not only try them and enjoy them, but that they will help you to solve some of the problems of living and giving which are confronting us all these days. i have told this story before, but it fits in well here. a lady in india once had an ayah, who from morning until night sang the same sad song as she would wheel the baby in its little go-cart up and down the mandal or driveway; as she would energetically jump it up and down; as she would lazily pat it to sleep, always and ever she could be heard chanting plaintively, "ky a ke waste, ky a ke waste, pet ke waste, pet ke waste." the lady's curiosity was aroused. the words were simple enough, but they had no sense: "for why? for why? for why? for stomach! for stomach! for stomach!" wailed the ayah. desiring to know what was for why, and what was for stomach one day, the lady called the ayah to her and sought the interpretation thereof. "this is the meaning, oh mem sahiba," said the ayah: "why do we live? what is the meaning of our existence? to fill our stomachs, to fill our stomachs." you may smile at this and feel sorry for the poor benighted hindu, who has such a low ideal of the meaning of life, but after all we cannot ignore the fact that we must eat, and that much as we dislike to acknowledge it, we are compelled to think a great deal about filling our stomachs. this is especially true these days, when prices have soared and soared and taken along with them, far out of the reach of many of us, certain articles of food which we heretofore have always felt were quite necessary to us. the missionary on furlough is naturally regarded as a bureau of information regarding the land where he has lived and worked. many are the questions asked. these questions are inclusive of life and experience in general, but in particular they are regarding the food. "what do you eat there? do you get meat there? what kind of vegetables grow there? what about the fruit of india? why don't missionaries do their own cooking? do the cooks there cook well? aren't you always glad to get back to the food in america?" these and similar questions are sure to be asked the missionary and others who have lived in foreign countries. feeling sure that everybody wants to know these very things about india, it might be well just here to answer some of these questions. in regard to the meat in india: the hindus are vegetarians, but the mohammedans are great meat eaters. so are the english. meat can be had almost every place. the kind of meat differs much in locality. chickens can be obtained anywhere. the indian cock is small of head and long of leg, shrill of voice and bold in spirit. the indian hen is shy and wild, but gives plenty of small, delicately-flavored eggs. on the whole, aside from a few idiosyncrasies, the indian fowl is very satisfactory. in large cities like bombay, calcutta, lucknow, madras, etc., where there is a large english population, any kind of meat may be obtained. in other places only goat meat can be obtained. this is especially true in many hill stations. even in small places, if there happens to be a large mohammedan population, good beef and mutton can be obtained in the cold weather, and in many larger places where there are few mohammedans no meat of any kind is to be found excepting chicken, and one usually has to raise them himself. meat is cheap in india. indeed, in some places beef can be bought for two cents a pound. however, it is not so good as is the beef in america. in the hot weather, as it has to be eaten almost as soon as it is killed, it is tough and tasteless. vegetables differ, too, according to the locality. if mrs. a, returned missionary from india, pathetically states that year in and year out she never gets _any_ home vegetables, and thereby causes everybody to pity her, and if mrs. b, returned missionary from india, boasts that she gets plenty of home vegetables, even better than she could get in america, and thereby causes everybody to envy her, don't think that either mrs. a or mrs. b have fibbed. mrs. b lives up north and mrs. a lives south, and both speak truthfully. the same is true in regard to fruits. certain fruits, such as the citrus fruits, the unexcelled mango, bananas, etc., are found all over india; but in certain sections there are not only these, but all the home fruits. this section is to the north and northwest. pears, apples, peaches, plums--in fact, any fruit that can be grown any place in the world can be grown successfully in this favored section of india. "why don't missionary ladies do their own cooking?" the idea seems to be abroad that the reason that missionaries in india do not do more manual labor is because they have a certain dignity that they must maintain; that they would lose caste and influence should they do menial work of any kind. this is quite a mistaken idea. one of the things that a missionary stands for is serving, serving by hands and feet as well as by brain and spirit. the simple reason is that missionaries are employed by the missionary society to do other things. it isn't a question of giving eight hours a day to mission work, but it's a question of giving all the time. but suppose she hadn't her hands so full of mission work, even then she could not do her own cooking. perhaps she might do some of it if she had an up-to-date little kitchen, with linoleum on the floor, if there were a sink and a gas range, and all sorts of lovely pots and pans, but alas! in india there is not even a kitchen. it is a cook-house, and is quite detached from the rest of the house. if she cooked there, the missionary lady would have to keep running back and forth in the hot sun or in the pouring rain of the monsoon. there is no linoleum--only a damp, uneven stone floor, and there is no sink--all the work requiring water is done on the floor by a drain-pipe, and sometimes if the screen gets broken over the mouth of the drain-pipe, toads come hopping in, and sometimes even cobras come squirming through. the indian cook-house is always dark and smoky. there is no little gas range; just a primitive cooking place made of bricks plastered together. this contains a number of holes in which are inserted grates. charcoal fires are burning in these little grates. charcoal has to be fanned and fanned with a black and grimy fan to get it into the glowing stage. of course a clean fan would do as well, but one never sees a clean fan in an indian cook-house. however, do not suppose for a minute that the missionary lady has no responsibility regarding the cooking. she has. she cooks with her nerves and brains. she has to train up the cook in the way he should go, and after he has gotten into the way, she has to walk along by his side, for she must be brains for him for ever and ever. she has to see that he walks in paths of truth and uprightness. she has to keep everything under lock and key, and is apt to lose her keys when she is in the biggest hurry. she is also apt to lose her temper, and feels worse over this than she does when she loses her keys. she has to argue over prices; to fuss over the quality of charcoal consumed. she has to keep her poise when, after ordering something especially nice for dinner, the cook proudly passes around something quite different and not at all nice. she dare not even visit her own cook-house without coughing and making a noise, for fear that she will have a case of discipline on hands that may leave her without a cook. verily, she is not deceived by the fact that when she enters the cook-house the cook and half a dozen other men who have been playing cards and smoking are respectively standing around like little tin soldiers. she _sees_ the hooka or big water pipe standing behind the door, and she _knows_ that the bearer has a deck of cards up his sleeves. but even knowing this, all she can do is to meekly transact her business with the cook and go out without saying a word. however, in spite of all this, the indian cook is a great comfort. he grows on one. it is surprising how equal he is to emergencies and what really fine things he can make with very few conveniences and often a very stinted allowance of material. there are very few of them who do not take pride in their cooking, and they are never happier than when there are guests in the home and they are having a chance to show off. nor are they uncleanly, as is often supposed, but they keep their kitchen in such mild disorder that things really appear much worse than they really are. and now for the last question. often and often we are asked, "aren't you glad to get back to the food in america?" my answer is, "rather," and it is to be spoken with a rising inflection. we love the american people, and we enjoy the american food, but we think that when it comes to making nice tasty somethings out of almost nothing, america is not in it at all. nearly every nation in the world can do better. i hope these recipes will help. contents. page chapter i. curry . curry powder. . beef curry. . chicken curry. . curry with curds. . meat curry with pastry. . meat curry with cabbage. . meat and split pea curry. . massala fry. . hamburg steak curry. . cold meat curry. . buffath, or curry with vegetables. . buffath of cold meat and vegetables. . fish curry. . curry from tinned salmon, sardines, or tuna. . salt fish curry. . massala fry of fish. . egg curry. . poached egg curry. . eggplant curry. . curried stuffed eggplant. . stuffed curried mango peppers. . mixed vegetable curry. . split pea curry. . edible leaves curry. chapter ii. savory dishes from other countries . mulligatawney soup. . tamales (mexican). . koorma (arabian). . spiced beef. . irish stew (old english). . mesopotamia stew. . french stew. . turkish stew. . all blaze. . country captain. . toad in hole. . minced meat patties. . hamburg cutlets. . potato patties with fish or meat. . beef olives. . bird nests. . eggplant patties. . spanish steak. . spanish welsh rarebit. . kabobs. . char-chiz. . spanish eggs. chapter iii. split peas or dal . split pea soup. . dal soup with milk. . kidgeri. . armenian kidgeri. . dal bhat. chapter iv. rice . plain boiled rice. . pesh-pash. . pullao. . beef or mutton pullao. . spanish rice. . pea pullao. . cocoanut rice. . meat and rice hash. . rice cutlets. . fried rice (parsi). chapter v. bujeas . potato bujea. . banana bujea. . summer squash bujea. . cabbage bujea. . radish bujea. . tomato bujea. chapter vi. breads . chupatties. . chupatties (americanized). . prahatas. . potato puris. . white flour puris. . sweet potato puris. chapter vii. pickles and chutneys . kausaundi pickle (americanized). chapter viii. chutney . lemon chutney. . apple chutney. . rhubarb chutney. . carrot pickle. . mixed vegetable pickle. chapter ix. most everything . puff paste. . cheese cakes. . banana stew with cocoanut. . roselle jelly. . roselle sauce. . tipparee jam. . orange marmalade. . orange jelly. . candied grapefruit peel. . banana cheese. . carrot cheese. . fruit cheese. . fools. . jellabies. . gulab jamans. . malpuas. . crow's nest fritters. . hulwa. . bombay hulwa. . turkish delight. . frosted bananas. . sujee puffs. . breadcrumb balls. . sujee biscuits. the khaki kook book. i. curry. many regard curry as one of the new things in cookery. this is a mistake. curry is an old, old method of preparing meats and vegetables. nor is it an east indian method exclusively. in all oriental and tropical countries foods are highly seasoned, and although the spices may differ, and although the methods of preparation may not be the same, nevertheless, generally speaking, the people of all oriental countries freely indulge in curried food. [illustration: making chupatties] however, in india curry reaches its perfection. the people of india since vedic times have eaten curry and always will. they eat it very, very hot, and europeans who live in india soon find themselves falling into the habit of eating very hot and spicy foods. whether it is good for one to eat as much hot stuff as one is expected to eat in india is a disputed point. in moderation, however, curry is not harmful, and is a very satisfactory and appetizing way of preparing scrappy and inexpensive meats. if carefully prepared, everybody is sure to like it. do not introduce it, however, to your family as a mustard-colored stew of curry powder, onions, and cold meat served in the center of a platter with a wall of gummy rice enclosing it. most of the family would hate it, and it would be difficult to get them to the point of even tasting it again. curry, as usually made in india, is not made with curry powder at all. every indian cook-house is provided with a smooth black stone about a foot and a half long and a foot wide. there is also a small stone roller. on this large stone, by means of the small stone, daily are crushed or ground the spices used in making curry. the usual ingredients are coriander seeds and leaves, dried hot chilies or peppers, caraway seeds, turmeric, onions, garlic, green ginger, and black pepper grains. all these are first crushed a little and then ground to a paste, with the addition from time to time of a little water. now of course no american housewife would want to squat on the floor and grind up curry stuff on a stone, as do the women of india. so i hasten to say that very good curry may be made from curry powder. curry powder may be obtained from almost any grocer. the best in the market is cross & blackwell's. a good plan, however, would be to make your own curry powder. it is better, much cheaper, and is very little trouble to make. the following formula is excellent: . curry powder. ounces of coriander seed; teaspoon of caraway seed; teaspoon of black pepper; teaspoon of red pepper; teaspoons of turmeric; tablespoons of flour; teaspoon of cloves; teaspoons of cinnamon; seeds of six cardamons. the coriander and turmeric may have to be purchased at a drug store. buy as many of the spices ground as you can, and grind the others in a small hand-mill or coffee-mill. sift together three or four times and dry thoroughly in an expiring oven. put in air-tight bottles. a pound of meat will require about two teaspoons of this mixture. if not hot enough add more red pepper. _coriander._--you will note that coriander is the chief ingredient of curry powder. coriander is used extensively in flavoring throughout the east. it can be grown any place, however. the seed can be obtained from any large florist. it grows rank like a weed. the leaves are delicious as a flavoring for meats and vegetables. a patch of this in your vegetable garden will repay you, as many a bit of left-over can be made very tasty by using a little of the finely minced leaf. the seeds are useful in many ways. _fresh cocoanut_ is another ingredient frequently used in making curries. this gives a delicious flavor and also adds greatly to the nutritive value. a cocoanut paste is prepared by a very elaborate process in the indian cook-house, but in this country we are not only confronted by the problem of living on our so many dollars a month, but also by the equally great one of living on twenty-four hours a day. so we will pass the method of preparing cocoanut by with the suggestion that you buy your prepared cocoanut. baker puts up an excellent preparation of fresh cocoanut with the milk. this comes in small tins at ten cents a tin. making curry is a very elastic method. much depends upon the taste of the individual. some think a teaspoonful of prepared mustard or worcestershire sauce a great improvement. _always get cheap cuts of meat for curry._ the hock or heel of beef makes perhaps as fine curry as any other cut. there are many different kinds of curries. some are so hot that the consumer thereof may feel that he is the possessor of an internal fiery furnace. some are mustard-colored, some are almost black, some are thin and watery, some are thick, some are greasy, and some would be quite impossible for america. onions are always used in making curry, but do not let this discourage any one who does not like onions. one reason that onions are so unpopular is that so often they are improperly cooked. in making curry onions should be cooked until they are perfectly soft. indeed they should be reduced to a pulp. this pulp helps thicken the curry gravy, and many people who claim that they cannot eat onions really enjoy them without realizing what they are eating. the recipes which follow are all practical, inexpensive, delicious, and thoroughly reliable. . beef curry. cut a pound of fresh beef into bits. any cheap cut does well for this. slice an onion very thinly, and fry together in a dessert-spoonful of fat of any kind, the meat, onion, and two teaspoonfuls of curry powder. when they are nicely browned add several cups of water and simmer gently until the meat is very tender and the onion has become a pulp, thereby thickening the curry gravy. this requires long, slow cooking. more water may be added from time to time. if one has a fireless cooker, it should always be used in curry making. serve with rice prepared according to taste. in india, curry and rice are always served in separate dishes. the rice is served first and the curry taken out and put over it. usually chutney (chapter viii) is eaten with curry and rice. . chicken curry. cut a chicken up any way you like and fry it with one thinly-sliced onion and the curry powder. the amount of curry powder will of course depend on the size of the chicken. fry together until the chicken is nicely browned, then add water and simmer until chicken is tender. remember always to reduce the gravy by slow cooking until it is somewhat thickened by the onion pulp. a couple of sliced tomatoes fried with the chicken, onion, and curry powder is much liked by some--not only in chicken curry, but in all curries. . curry with curds. this curry is prepared a little differently. place in a deep dish one pound of beef or mutton or any kind of meat. cover with thick curds of milk. these curds should not be too sour. also add a green mango pepper thinly sliced, and if desired a clove of garlic, finely minced. let stand in the curds for a couple of hours. in the meantime fry an onion and two teaspoonfuls of curry powder together. when nicely browned add the curd mixture. cook over a slow fire until meat is tender. cold sliced meat is very good prepared this way. in this case cook the onions thoroughly before adding the curd mixture. the meat should be cut in small pieces. . meat curry with pastry. prepare the curry as in no. , adding the dumplings after the meat is tender. for the dumplings, mix half a cup of flour into a stiff dough with water. add a little salt, and roll out very thin. cut in two-inch squares. some like a little fresh cocoanut and cocoanut milk added to this curry. . meat curry with cabbage. half a pound of meat is plenty for this very hearty and inexpensive dish. fry the onion, curry powder, and meat together in the usual way. when nicely browned, add several cups of thinly-shredded or sliced cabbage. cover with water and simmer slowly until all are tender. just before serving acidulate. in india, tamarind juice is always used for this purpose, but lemon or lime does very nicely. carrots or turnips may be used the same way and are excellent. eat with or without rice. usually this curry is eaten with chupatties (no. ). . meat and split pea curry. cut a half pound of beef or mutton into small bits and fry as usual with onions and curry powder. when nicely browned add a cup of split peas which have been soaking for several hours. simmer all together in plenty of water until the meat and peas are tender. serve with rice. . massala fry. this is not really a curry, but is an excellent way of preparing tough round steak. mix two teaspoonfuls of curry powder into a half cup of flour, and pound by means of a saucer into a pound of round steak. fry the steak with a sliced onion until quite brown. then add a little water and simmer until the meat is tender. the gravy should be little and rich. do not cut the meat. this is a fine casserole dish. . hamburg steak curry. fry together a pound of hamburg steak, a cup of minced onions, and two teaspoonfuls of curry powder. when these are quite brown simmer with a little water until onions are soft. this can either be served rather dry or with plenty of gravy. in the latter case, serve with rice or kidgeri (no. ). a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce is a help to this curry. this curry is very nice and is quickly made. made dry, a little jar of it taken to a picnic or on a trip will be found very useful, as it keeps for days. indeed, all curried meats keep longer than meats prepared in other ways. hamburg steak curry makes fine sandwiches. . cold meat curry. any kind of cold meat may be made into curry. fry onions and curry powder together until nicely browned. then add enough flour to thicken, as in making gravy. then add water or cocoanut milk. when gravy has thickened, add cold meat. simmer slowly for a while. this curry is not so tasty as those made from fresh meat, and it is well to add a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. . buffath, or curry with vegetables. fry one-half pound of meat, finely diced, with onion and curry powder. add a little water from time to time, so that the meat will be tender and the onions soft. then add two teacupfuls of water. as soon as water boils add a cupful of sliced radishes, potatoes, carrots, or any vegetables that will not mash. cook slowly together until vegetables are soft. in india this curry is always acidulated, but that is not necessary. it is a good plan, however, to always serve sliced lemon with all curries, as some prefer them sour. . buffath of cold meat and vegetables. prepare a sauce or gravy, as in no. . add cold meat and any left-over cold vegetable. simmer gently together for a little while. do not have too much sauce. . fish curry. fish curry is usually made with cocoanut milk instead of water, but this is not necessary. it should always be acidulated. prepare a sauce, as in no. , using, if preferred, cocoanut milk instead of water. also add a little finely-minced garlic and green peppers. put the raw fish in this and simmer together until the fish is cooked. serve with rice. spanish rice is excellent with fish curry. (no. .) . curry from tinned salmon, sardines, or tuna. prepare a sauce as in no. , using cocoanut milk and a little grated cocoanut. also add a tiny bit of thinly-sliced green ginger, garlic, and chili pepper. pour over the fish, and serve with rice and sliced lemon. . salt fish curry. cut the salt fish into rather small pieces, and soak until no longer very salty. while it is soaking, fry in plenty of oil or crisco one bunch of green onions, cut up tops and all, a teaspoonful of curry powder, and three half-ripe tomatoes. the tomatoes may be dipped in batter or crumbs. when these are fried add the salt fish. simmer together for a while. serve with rice. eggplant is excellent in this curry instead of tomatoes. . massala fry of fish. make a paste of flour and water and two teaspoons of curry powder and a little salt. dip the fish in this curried paste, and then dip again in bread or cracker crumbs. fry in the usual way. this is a delicious way of preparing any kind of cutlets or chops. in fact, any kind of meat may be fried in the same way. . egg curry. fry a sliced onion with a teaspoonful of curry powder; then add a little flour for the gravy. when this is mixed quite smooth, add a teacup of water or milk or cocoanut milk. cook until it thickens, then add six hard-boiled eggs. cut in halves lengthwise. serve with rice. . poached egg curry. prepare the curry as for no. . when gravy begins to simmer, poach the eggs in it. . eggplant curry. cut round slices of eggplant. remove the outer rind, dip each slice in batter and fry. make the curry sauce in the usual way. when it thickens, carefully put in the eggplant; simmer gently together until the vegetables are well cooked. this is excellent made with half-ripe tomatoes. in each case it is a fine meat substitute. always serve with rice. . curried stuffed eggplant. make a curry mince as for no. . see that when the meat is cooked there is plenty of liquid. thicken this mince and gravy with bread crumbs and let stand. cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and steam or bake in a very slow oven. when about half cooked, scoop out the center of about each half. be careful to save the vegetable that you scoop out and mix it with the curry and breadcrumb mixture. stuff the eggplant shell with this mixture, cover the top with crumbs, and bake. excellent either hot or cold. a half pound of meat is enough to nicely stuff one eggplant. . stuffed curried mango peppers. to prepare the mango peppers for stuffing, cut off the tops and remove the seeds. let stand in salt water until required. then prepare plenty of rice according to no. . keep in a warm place until required. fry hamburg steak with onion and curry powder according to no. . a pound of steak will be plenty for a nice big dish of peppers. use no water in this mince, but when the meat and onions are partially fried add a cupful of the boiled rice, and mix all together. stuff the peppers with this mixture of rice and meat. put in a roaster and cover with tomato sauce. this sauce may be made from any tinned tomato soup, diluted and more highly seasoned, or it may be made from stewed tomatoes from which the seeds and skins have been removed. make sauce a little thick. bake very slowly or steam. serve with the remainder of the rice. this is such a hearty dish that one needs prepare nothing else to be served with it. . mixed vegetable curry. all vegetables such as peas, beans, potatoes, carrots, etc., make excellent curry. they may be either freshly prepared or left-overs. fry them all together with plenty of onions in a little crisco; add as much curry powder as is desired. if tomatoes are not used, acidulate a combination of tomatoes, eggplant, and peppers. makes a fine curry. these vegetable curries are usually eaten with chupatties (no. ). . split pea curry. soak the peas for two or three hours. fry in the usual way the onion and curry powder. a teaspoonful of curry powder is enough for a cupful of soaked peas. mix the peas with the fried mixture. add plenty of water and cook until the peas are soft enough to mash up into a pulp. serve with rice. an acid is desired with this curry. . edible leaves curry. this may not sound especially inviting, but in a pinch one might want to try it. the hindus make curries from many things that we would throw away. turnip tops, beet tops, radish tops, the young and tender leaves of many jungle plants, also the leaves of many trees; all these are used in making excellent curries. dandelion greens, spinach, swiss chard, may all be used in the same way. prepare the onion and curry powder in the usual way; then add the greens. it is a good plan to add a few potatoes to give body to the curry. use very little water in cooking. serve with puris or chupatties. (nos. , ). [illustration: taj mahal agra] ii. savory dishes from other countries. one of the economies in cooking is in the proper seasoning of foods. this is the secret of many an attractive dish made from left-overs, or cheap meats. every garden should contain a little patch of mint, parsley, sage, coriander, while those who have no garden could easily grow these in window boxes or pots. it is not an extravagance to have on hand plenty of pepper sauce, worcestershire sauce, kitchen bouquet, and condiments of various kinds. a little of these goes a long way in seasoning, and many a dish which would be very flat and unattractive, by their judicious use is made savory and satisfying. garlic is also another seasoning which we use but little, but which is used most extensively throughout the orient. if properly used it gives a delightful flavor to food. very little is required. indeed, often one needs to just rub the sides and bottom of the cooking vessel with the garlic before putting it on the fire. the salad dish may be treated the same way. however, very few would object to a little finely-minced garlic in almost any meat dish, and much in flavor is often gained thereby. most of the recipes which follow are quite new to americans. . mulligatawney soup. this is a very famous soup which has been associated with india since the beginning of the english regime. in india it is usually made with chicken, but beef or mutton do very nicely. stew a pound of mutton. scrappy mutton, such as neck or ribs, does very nicely. when meat is tender remove from soup. fry an onion with a teaspoonful of curry powder. when nicely browned stir into it a tablespoonful of peanut butter; also about a half cup of fresh cocoanut. mix these up together to a smooth paste and add to the mutton broth. also pick the mutton from the bones and add to the soup. if the peanut butter does not thicken it sufficiently, thicken with a little flour. serve with rice. sometimes the rice is boiled with the mutton, but usually it is boiled separately (no. ). lemon juice is usually served with this soup. . tamales (mexican). take a pound of meat. mutton, chicken, or beef may be used. it must be cut in bits. if the meat has not sufficient fat, add crisco or butter, or whatever one uses. stew until meat is very tender. into this soup add a cup of tomato sauce or a cup of boiled and strained tomatoes highly seasoned. then stir in enough cornmeal to thicken it as for mush. cook for a few minutes and then turn all into a rice boiler or steamer, and cook until the cornmeal loses its raw taste. when a little cool, add a few raisins, ripe olives, almonds, or peanuts, the latter cut up fine. make pretty hot with cayenne, and also add a little pimento. mold into little rolls, and wrap each roll up in corn husks, tying each end, so that the mixture will not escape. just before eating, steam up again, and serve hot. if one is in a hurry, a dish can be lined with corn husks, the mixture piled in, and corn husks placed over the top of the dish. this is called "tamale pie." if corn husks are not available, it is very good without them. the mixture can either be steamed in a bowl and turned out or it can be sliced cold and fried like mush. it is not necessary to add the raisins, olives, and nuts unless one wants to be rather luxurious. at the table open up the rolls, remove the husks, and eat with tomato sauce. a good sauce for tamales is made by stewing tomatoes with a little onion and green pepper, straining and highly seasoning. worcestershire sauce is always good in tamale sauce. this tamale mixture is fine for stuffing green mango peppers. indeed, it makes a fine forcemeat for most anything. . koorma (arabian). koorma is usually made from mutton or veal. mince an onion, a little green ginger, and a tiny bit of garlic and add to a cup of buttermilk. cover a pound of mutton with this and allow to stand for a while. the mutton may either be fresh or left-over. while the mixture is standing, fry a minced onion; add to it a little turmeric. turn the buttermilk mixture into this. if the meat is uncooked, also add a little water, so that it may become tender; but this is unnecessary if cold mutton is used. simmer slowly together until the meat gets tender and the curds dry. at the last a little cocoanut may be added, but this is not necessary. the gravy must be very little and very rich. . spiced beef. this is a very nice way of keeping beef if the weather is hot and one has no ice. cut the meat up, salt a little, turn it into a bowl, and just cover with vinegar. sprinkle well with mixed spices. when ready to use, fry with tomatoes and onions. this may be kept for several days without ice, even in the hottest weather. . irish stew (old english). equal parts of meat and potatoes. half a pound of meat and half a pound of potatoes makes quite a good-sized dish. cook the meat with a sliced onion in plenty of water until it is almost tender. then add the potatoes; also a little mint or parsley, a tiny bit of green ginger, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, salt and plenty of pepper. cook together until all are sufficiently cooked. at the last, if mutton has been used, add half a cup of milk. thicken a little if desired, only perhaps it is best to cook it until potatoes begin to break, thickening it in that way. . mesopotamia stew. equal parts of meat and string beans. fry together with or without an onion. when quite brown but not hard, season well in any way liked. in mesopotamia, of course it is made very hot. cover with water and cook slowly until beans are soft and meat is tender. less meat may be used. beans and meat should both be cut up fine for this stew. . french stew. take a pound of beef cut in small pieces and fry it until brown. remove and fry in the same pan the following vegetables: three small radishes, three small carrots, three small onions, half a dozen potatoes, a little green ginger, a green chili or two, and three or four mint leaves. the ginger, chili, and mint leaves should be finely minced, but slice the other vegetables. when the vegetables are nicely browned, remove, make a little gravy in the pan; pour this gravy over the meat, add the vegetables, and cook very slowly together until the meat is tender. if liked, it may be made with only potatoes and onions and meat. . turkish stew. fry a pound of meat cut in small pieces. remove from the pan. in the same pan fry eggplant, thinly sliced and rolled in batter and crumbs. season as desired. put a layer of the fried eggplant and a layer of the fried meat in a cooking vessel. add a little water, and cook very slowly until meat is tender. . all blaze. this is an old english dish, and is fine for the fireless cooker. mutton is best for this dish. one pound of mutton, cut in bits, one-half pound of potatoes (quartered), peas, beans, onions, carrots, or any vegetables one may have on hand. put a layer of potatoes at bottom of the pan, then a layer of meat, then a layer of mixed vegetables. repeat this, sprinkling salt and pepper over each layer and a little drippings. put in a vessel with a very tight-fitting lid, so that no steam will escape, and steam or bake slowly for three or four hours. . country captain. this is another english dish, and is a great favorite with the indian cooks. chicken is always used in india, but veal or mutton will do nicely. cut up the meat, slice four or five onions in rings, and set aside. fry the chicken quickly over a hot fire, then fry the onions. with the onions fry some green chilies and a little green ginger; add a cup or two of water and stew until chicken is tender. do not thicken the gravy to this. sprinkle fried onions over the platter when it is ready to serve. . toad in hole. make a batter just as you would for pancakes. melt some butter or crisco in a baking dish and pour in half the batter. on this place a mixture of meat, potatoes, and onions prepared as for no. . pour over this the remainder of the batter and bake or steam. . minced meat patties. prepare the mince according to no. . make a piecrust, not too rich. roll out paste, cut out in circles about three inches in diameter. put in each of these circles a tablespoonful of the curried mince, and turn over, pressing the edges closely together. fry or bake. . hamburg cutlets. take a pound of hamburg steak, a minced onion, a minced mango pepper, a leaf or two of mint or coriander, a little salt and pepper, and very few bread or cracker crumbs. mix all together, mold in little oblong cakes, dip in a thin batter made of flour and water, and then in crumbs. fry in fat or oil. . potato patties with fish or meat. take equal parts of cold mashed potatoes and flour. work together into a paste and roll out in circles about four inches in diameter. place in each of circles a spoonful of salmon or tuna; season rather highly, press edges together, and fry. fine way to use cold mashed potatoes. curried mincemeat may also be used for the filling. . beef olives. have the butcher cut a very thin round steak either of beef or veal. cut this in pieces about three inches square, and pound with a saucer about a dessert-spoonful of flour into each of these pieces. make a highly-seasoned forcemeat of breadcrumbs and onions and a little minced bacon. place a spoonful of the stuffing on each square of meat, and roll in the form of a sausage. wrap each roll with cord and tie. fry the rolls, then remove and make a gravy in the pan. when gravy is made, add the rolls and stew gently until the rolls are tender. . bird nests. stew a pound of boiling meat with two sliced onions until the meat is tender. remove the meat and onions, and when cold pass through the meat grinder. season rather highly, add egg and breadcrumbs, and work all together as though for cutlets. if flour is worked well into it, no egg or crumbs will be required. boil six eggs until quite hard. when cold, remove the shells. enclose each egg in the meat mixture. roll in a thin batter, then in crumbs, and fry. when nicely browned, cut with a sharp knife through the center of each egg. place on a platter, and pour over all a gravy made from the broth in which the meat was boiled. this makes twelve birds' nests. a very attractive and delicious salad can be made by using veal or chicken instead of beef. the yolks of the eggs may be removed and deviled or highly seasoned. serve with mayonnaise dressing instead of gravy. . eggplant patties. take two medium-sized eggplants, steam or bake until tender; then cut lengthwise into halves. scoop out the pulp, cut the pulp in small bits and set aside. keep the skins for the patties. mince an onion, brown it in oil or crisco. when nicely browned, add a quarter of a pound of either cold or raw minced meat, a little green mango pepper, and the pulp which was removed from the eggplant. a little worcestershire sauce or piccalilli improves this considerably. fill the empty shells with this mixture. cover with crumbs and bake. large ripe cucumbers are good prepared the same way. only they should be peeled before steaming, and the seeds should be carefully removed. if a gravy could be made of stock and poured over the patties it would be liked by many. . spanish steak. pound thoroughly by means of a saucer a half cup of flour with a pound of round steak. then over a hot fire quickly fry the steak and remove. in the same pan fry two good-sized onions, thinly sliced, and half a dozen good-sized tomatoes and one large mango pepper. if the pepper is mild, add cayenne pepper. when the onions begin to get soft and the tomatoes to dry, add the meat. cook very slowly until meat is tender. one can use canned tomatoes very nicely for this. cook onions and tomatoes and peppers together, with plenty of oil or crisco until they begin to thicken. then add the meat. this is also a very satisfactory way of reserving cold steak or any kind of cold meat. after the tomato and onion mixture is well cooked, add the cold meat and heat up all together. . spanish welsh rarebit. fry in plenty of oil or butter or crisco a large sliced onion. when onion is partly done, add a tin of tomato soup or a cupful of stewed strained tomatoes. cook for a little while together, then add half a pound of sharp cheese, three or four pimentos, and a small tin of mushrooms; also add a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce. cook all together slowly for a while, then pour over toast or crackers. this is also called "rinktum ditty." . kabobs. this is a very popular dish among the mohammedans. kabobs are usually cooked by the roadside and served piping hot to pedestrians. they are also cooked on the platform of railway stations and handed out to passengers on the train. season a pound of minced meat with pepper and salt or any desired spices. mix with a little flour to hold together. make in the form of sausages by pressing around iron pins. roast over a hot fire. these are delicious cooked at picnics. one can easily purchase the iron pins or have them made. they are usually about a foot long and a quarter of an inch thick. if the meat is fat they easily slip from the pins; if it is lean, it is best to grease the pins first. . char-chiz. fry together a cup of hamburg steak, a cup of sliced tomatoes, a cup of minced onions, and a cup of minced peppers. after they have fried until dry, add a cup of water and simmer all together for a while. make quite hot and serve with boiled rice. . spanish eggs. fry the desired number of eggs very lightly in bacon fat. just before removing from the pan pour over them a sauce made by adding a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce to any good catsup. heat hastily together and serve. this is a fine meat substitute. [illustration: straining starch] [illustration: bullock cart--delhi] iii. split peas or dal. split peas, or "dal," as they are called in india, belong to the lentil family. there are three kinds--the green, which very much resembles an ordinary dried pea; the yellow, and the red. in this country we only see two kinds--the green and the yellow. the red are more frequently seen in india, and have a more delicate flavor. lentils are an old, old food. we read of esau selling his birthright for a mess of red pottage, or a mess of red dal. then later we read of the hebrew children refusing to eat the king's meat, and growing rosy and fat on their daily portion of lentils. lentils are rich in protein. about twenty-five per cent of their food value is protein. they are richer in protein than beans, and are more digestible. during lent in the early days of the roman church, lentils were the chief article of food, because of meat being forbidden. because of this the name lentil was given to them. split peas are used universally throughout india. several recipes have already been given (nos. and ), but a few others will be noted. . split pea soup. soak a cup of peas over night and boil in three cups of water. cook until peas are soft, then mash them quite smoothly. then dilute with stock. this stock may be made from bones and cold meat or fresh meat. fry an onion and add to the soup, and when ready to serve add minced mint leaves and little squares of toast, fried very crisp. . dal soup with milk. prepare the dal as above, except instead of diluting with stock dilute with milk. . kidgeri. first soak a cup of split peas for about three hours. then put them on to stew with two whole onions. when about half done add a cup of rice. the water must be about two inches above the split peas and rice. cook until rice and peas are soft and the water is absorbed. pour over all some melted butter or crisco. usually kidgeri is served with poached eggs. sometimes eggs are hard-boiled and sliced over the kidgeri after it is dished. . armenian kidgeri. soak a cup of split peas for several hours, then fry with two thinly-sliced onions and a cup of rice. when slightly brown, cover with water and boil. the water should be three inches above the peas and rice; also add a little bag of mixed spices. fry some meat in a separate pan. it may be either beefsteak, hamburg, or mutton. when rice and peas are soft, place a layer of meat in a dish and cover with a layer of the rice and peas. repeat until all are used, being careful to have the rice and peas on top. steam together and serve with cocoanut and fried onions sprinkled over the top. . dal bhat. dal bhat is the universal breakfast dish all over india. prepare as for split pea curry (no. ), but omit the curry powder, if desired. often it is prepared by frying minced meat with the onions before the peas are added. no food known gives as much real value for the cost as do lentils. the green and yellow ones can be obtained very easily at any large grocery, and we urge all to give them a trial. iv. rice. as a rule rice is badly cooked in the average american home. for this reason last winter when there was a good deal of talk of rice as a substitute for potatoes, very little enthusiasm was felt on the subject, and indeed when one thinks of the tasteless, gummy mess which is so often put before the family, this lack of enthusiasm is not strange. however, rice properly prepared proves quite a formidable rival of the beloved potato, and there are endless ways of preparing it if one only knows how. [illustration: pounding rice] in the first place, very few know how to cook just plain boiled rice. many know that there is a way of preparing it so that when done it will be a fluffy mass of separate grains, but they have no idea how to go about making it look like this. the process is very simple. always use the unpolished rice. rice with a creamy tinge is better than rice with a pearly white tinge, and the long grain is better than the short. . plain boiled rice. for every cup of rice have about eight cups of water. do not add the rice until the water is boiling briskly. then throw in the rice, and give it an occasional stir until the water begins to boil again. after that it need not be stirred. cook until a grain feels soft when rubbed between the thumb and finger, then turn into a colander. drain off the water and pour over the rice several cups of cold water. drain that off, too, and place the rice where it can have moist heat for a while before serving. a good plan is just to leave it in the colander and place it over a pan of boiling water; or a steamer may be used for keeping it warm, or a double-boiler. by this method every grain is separate. rice served with curry is always prepared in this way. it may be served in place of potatoes with meat, and may also be used as a basis for many inexpensive and attractive dishes, just as macaroni and spaghetti are. there is one objection, however, to rice prepared in this way. a good deal of the nutritive value is lost down the sink-drain. in india this is not the case, for every ounce of rice water is there carefully saved. it is used in various ways. usually it is fed to the babies and weaker children. often it is given to ducks and fowl to fatten them, and sometimes it is put into the curry pot. there is another method of preparing rice which is almost as satisfactory, and by which all the nutrition is retained. that is by cooking it in a regular rice boiler. put just enough water over the rice to well cover it. after the water in the lower vessel has boiled a while, if the rice seems a little dry, add more water. cook until the rice is soft, then turn the fire very low, so that the water in the lower vessel does not boil but retains its heat. let stand for a while before serving, and the rice will be almost as fluffy and white as though blanched by the cold water process. . baby's pesh-pash. this is the first solid food that babies of english or american parents in india are allowed. take about a quarter of a pound of lean mutton and cook until it is perfectly soft. shred it finely and return to the broth. cook a tablespoonful of rice in this broth and shredded mutton. cook slowly and let every grain swell to its utmost. "babies cry for it, and the doctors pronounce it harmless." it is also very good for the convalescent. . pullao. pullao is the most festive dish in india. it stands for all that roast turkey does in this country. at weddings, feasts, and holidays it is the chief dish. among the hindustani christians it is the christmas dinner. sometimes it is served with rivers of hot curry flowing over it, but often it is eaten without the curry. in india it is usually made with chicken, but any kind of meat does nicely. for chicken pullao, take a good fat hen, not too old, cut up and stew until almost tender. put a little bag of "mixed spices," such as are used in making pickles, on to cook with the fowl. while the fowl is cooking take about a pound of rice and fry it with a few sliced onions and a little butter or crisco. when the chicken is nearly done, add the fried rice and onions to the chicken and chicken broth. put all in a rice boiler if you have it and cook slowly until the rice is done. retain the spices. if rice boiler is used there should be at least two inches of broth above the mixture. if you have no rice boiler, but must boil it on the stove, more broth will be required. in the latter case do not cook until it becomes soggy. cook until the broth is absorbed, then steam. while the rice is cooking fry a few more onions with a handful of almonds and raisins. when the pullao is ready to be served, pile on a platter, then strew thickly over the pullao the fried onions, almonds, and raisins. last of all, sprinkle generously with cocoanut. . beef or mutton pullao. very delicious pullao may be made from the cheapest cuts of beef and mutton. get about two pounds of beef or mutton, cut in bits. cook until it is very tender. boil with this a little bag of mixed spices and two onions. unless the meat has a good deal of fat, use crisco, or oil. two cups of rice will be the right amount to use with two pounds of meat. use the same method that is used in making chicken pullao. fresh cocoanut is always delicious strewn over pullao, and if curry is used with it, have cocoanut in the curry. . spanish rice. fry onions, tomatoes, peppers or pimentos together. they must all be cut into small bits. in another pan fry a cup of rice in a very little oil or crisco. after the rice has browned a little, add the two together, turn into a rice boiler or steamer and cook until rice is tender. a half cupful of grated or diced cheese is an improvement to this dish. in case tomatoes are not in season, a can of tomatoes, or, better, a large-sized can of tomato soup will do nicely. in that case fry the onions and peppers and rice together. then add the cheese and tomatoes. . pea pullao. take two cups of cold boiled rice, add to it two cups of freshly shelled peas. pour over the mixture a half cupful of milk or cream; add a tablespoonful of butter or crisco, and cook in a rice boiler or steamer until the peas are nicely done. a few bay leaves and black pepper grains are an improvement to this dish. . cocoanut rice. take a cup of rice, mix it into half a grated cocoanut. a ten-cent tin of baker's cocoanut does very nicely if one doesn't care to prepare the fresh cocoanut. boil the rice and cocoanut together, being sure to add to the water the cocoanut milk. there should be about three inches of liquid above the rice. color the liquid yellow with a little turmeric; add salt, six cloves, two cardamon seeds, and twelve pepper berries. cook in a rice boiler or steamer until done. . meat and rice hash. a very nice way of making hash is to use rice instead of potatoes. take cold meat and gravy and stew together with onion. when the onion is nearly done, add to the broth the rice. a quarter as much uncooked rice as there is meat is a good proportion. cook all together until rice is thoroughly done. be sure and have plenty of liquid to start with. this is much better than meat and potato hash. . rice cutlets. left-over pullao or kidgeri or meat and rice hash make fine cutlets. mold, roll in crumbs, and fry in the usual way. . fried rice (parsi). (a fine dish for a missionary tea.) fry a cup of uncooked rice and a cup of brown sugar in a tablespoonful of butter or crisco. cook until the sugar melts and begins to bubble; then quickly add two cups of boiling water. simmer over a slow fire, or, better still, in a rice boiler until rice is thoroughly cooked. it can hardly be cooked too much. remove from the fire, pour over all a half ounce of rose water and stir well. press in plates and sprinkle well with minced almonds, or any kind of nuts will do. also add a few cardamon seeds. when cold, cut into squares and serve like fudge. this is a very satisfactory little sweetmeat when one wants a foreign dish. it is easily prepared and very inexpensive. [illustration] v. bujeas. bujeas are always made from vegetables. they are usually eaten with the native bread instead of rice. here again the everlasting onion is in evidence, for bujeas are always fried with onions. they are made from any kind of vegetables or green tops of vegetables. potato bujea is one of the most popular. [illustration: an indian prince] . potato bujea. to a pound of potatoes take two medium sized onions and one green mango pepper. if the pepper cannot be had, use the tops of onions and a little cayenne. fry the onions, and when nicely browned add the potatoes and peppers. if potatoes are medium-sized, cut each potato in four pieces. add four tablespoonfuls of water and if hot food is liked, a good sprinkle of cayenne. if more water is needed, add a couple of tablespoonfuls more. cook very slowly. use plenty of oil or crisco in frying the onions. this is good with old potatoes, but is best with new ones. tiny new potatoes are fine cooked in this way. they do not need to be scraped. just washed thoroughly and cooked whole. . banana bujea. take half a dozen not too ripe bananas, cut them in pieces, and allow them to lie in weak salt water for a while. slice two green mango peppers and half an inch of green ginger; also cut in tiny bits a clove of garlic. brown a sliced onion in butter or crisco. then add the bananas, peppers, etc. when the fruit softens stir in half a cup of cocoanut; any unsweetened kind will do. cook a few minutes longer. . summer squash bujea. first peel the summer squash. then cut in very thin slices. fry an onion and sliced green pepper together; then add the summer squash. add very little water. simmer until done. . cabbage bujea. cabbage bujea is made just as other bujeas are, excepting it is usually acidulated. sometimes fresh cocoanut is cooked with the cabbage and sometimes a little shredded salt fish is added. . radish bujea. in india radishes are cooked just as other vegetables, and radish bujea is very popular. peppers are not used in making this, but the young tender leaves of the radish plant are used instead. while the onion is frying, parboil the leaves, drain them, and add them to the sliced radishes and onions. . tomato bujea. this is a fine bujea. one never cares for meat when this is served. fry a large sliced onion and a mango pepper together until nicely browned. remove from the pan and fry in the same pan six sliced not too ripe tomatoes. these should be dipped in batter and then breadcrumbs before frying. when tomatoes are nicely browned add onions and peppers. do not add any water to this bujea. heat very slowly until well blended. eggplant, okra, pumpkin, string beans, cauliflower, in fact most any vegetable may be cooked in this way. one general rule will suffice: fry the onions first in plenty of crisco or oil. if desired, fry also top of onions. then add prepared vegetables and a little water. in most bujeas, peppers or pimentos are used. cook slowly. vegetables like eggplant had better be soaked in weak salt water before cooking. [illustration: grinding wheat] vi. breads. bujeas are always eaten with native bread. for these breads the flour is always ground in the home. the mill used is exceedingly primitive. it consists of two large circular stones, one fitting into the socket of the other. by revolving the upper stone over the lower the grain which is poured between the stones is crushed. it is the women of india who do the grinding, and "two women grinding at a mill" is a familiar sight everywhere throughout the land. the bread made from this home-made flour differs very much from the bread we know. it is not made into loaves, but into little flat cakes, which are baked over coals on a griddle. no yeast is used. although india is one of the greatest wheat countries in all the world, the great majority of people in india do not eat wheat bread. they are too poor for that. they eat bread made from the flour of coarser grains. some of these grains, such as millet and rye, we are familiar with; others are quite unknown to us. corn and oats are but little used in india. the bread made from these coarse grains is hard to digest. it is made by simply mixing the flour with water. the dough is then patted into little cakes. the bread made from wheat, however, is much finer, and europeans living in india soon grow to be very fond of it. some of the varieties would not be practical in this country. however, a few forms of hindustani bread are quite easily managed here, and will well be worth a trial. . chupatties. take a pound of whole wheat and mix it with water until a soft dough is formed. knead this well. put a damp cloth over it, and let it stand an hour or so. then knead again. make out into balls, each ball about as big as a walnut. then roll each ball into a flat cake about as big around as a saucer. bake these cakes one at a time over a very thick iron griddle that has been well heated. keep turning them over and over while they are baking. fold them up in a napkin as they are baked and keep in a warm place. the inside pan of a double boiler is a good place for them. to be properly made these cakes should be patted into shape instead of rolled, and the hindustani women always do it that way. these chupatties are eaten with bujeas and curries. . chupatties (americanized). make a dough from a pound of whole wheat flour, a half teaspoonful of baking powder, and a little salt. knead well and let stand. when ready to bake them, divide into balls as big as a walnut. roll each out, spread a little oil or crisco over it; fold up and roll again. grease an iron griddle and bake, turning from side to side. these are not actually fried, but the crisco in them and the greased griddle prevents them from getting hard, as they are apt to do if made according to no. . . prahatas. this is a very rich and satisfying form of native bread. take a pound of whole wheat and make a dough according to no. . divide the dough into eight equal parts and make each part into a ball. flatten each ball a little and spread with crisco. double it up and repeat this three or four times; then roll thin and fry. use as little grease in frying as is possible. puris. puris are similar in appearance to chupatties, except they are fried instead of baked. . potato puris. equal parts of mashed potatoes and flour, mixed to a paste and rolled very thin. make each puri about as large as a saucer. fry as you would fritters. these sound rather expensive, and they do take a good deal of fat; but they are to be eaten without butter. eat with curry. nothing else will be needed at a meal where these puris and curry are served, for they are very satisfying. . white flour puris. knead for ten minutes a dough made from a pound of fine white flour and water. let stand four or five hours. divide into little balls and roll until they are as thin as paper. fry as you would fritters. . sweet potato puris. take equal parts of mashed sweet potatoes and whole wheat. work together into a soft dough. roll out into cakes, but not too thin. fry in as little grease as possible. vii. pickles and chutneys. . kausaundi pickle (americanized). this is a very sour pickle. in india it is always made with sliced green mango, but in this country very sour green apples and lemons do very nicely. [illustration: the snake charmer] slice thinly four lemons. sprinkle well with salt. cover with vinegar, and let stand for about a month. slice thinly four very tart apples, two onions, six large sour cucumber pickles, and three large red peppers. after they are sliced mix intimately, then add two tablespoonfuls of ground mustard seed, a little salt, and, if the peppers are mild, a little cayenne pepper; also add two tablespoonfuls of thinly-sliced green ginger and one tablespoonful of finely-minced garlic. drain the salt and vinegar from the lemons and add them to the rest of the mixture. roast two tablespoonfuls of turmeric until the raw taste is taken away, then mix with it two tablespoonfuls of ground mustard; add to this a cup of salad and a cup of vinegar. mix well together and pour over the pickles. if there is not enough oil and vinegar to cover it, add equal parts of each until the pickle is well covered. this pickle is not to be cooked, but it is best to let it stand in the sun for a number of days. if there is no sun, the warming oven would do. it keeps indefinitely, and is very appetizing. it is fine for sandwiches. a little in spanish steak or curry adds much to the flavor. [illustration: carrying timber in rangoon] viii. chutney. chutney is a sort of a combination pickle and preserve. it is usually made rather sweetly and very hot, and is eaten with curry and rice. it is, however, a fine relish with all kinds of meats. in india it is usually made of the sliced green mango; but of course we haven't mangoes here, so we have to use what we can get. any tart fruit makes good chutney. . lemon chutney. cut a pound of lemons in twelve bits each, and cook in vinegar and a very little salt until the rinds are perfectly tender. drain. dissolve a pound of sugar in a quart of vinegar; put in the lemons and cook until the mixture becomes thick like jam. then add a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper (or less), two tablespoonfuls of minced ginger, two tablespoonfuls of mustard seed, and a pound of raisins. mix all together and boil ten minutes longer. . apple chutney. boil together three pounds of sliced apples, two pounds of sugar, and a quart of strong vinegar. when this begins to get like jam, add half a pound of raisins, four teaspoonfuls of finely-minced garlic, two tablespoonfuls of thinly-sliced green ginger, one teaspoonful of red pepper, and one ounce of mustard seed. let simmer a while, then bottle and expose to the sun. apricot chutney is delicious made the same way, with the addition of several ounces of apricot pits, blanched and minced. . rhubarb chutney. make just like apple chutney, only use less vinegar. in addition to the raisins and other ingredients, add a teacupful of finely-minced and blanched almonds. this is worth trying. less red pepper might be used. . carrot pickle. cut the carrots any way that is desired. if they are very small they need not be cut at all. sprinkle them well with salt and dry them in the sun for three days, being careful not to forget to bring them in at night. for a pound of carrots take a tablespoonful of mustard seed, half a dozen peppers (sliced), two tablespoonfuls of green ginger (sliced), and two garlics (finely-minced). cover with vinegar. these are excellent. . mixed vegetable pickle. eggplant, radishes, onions, carrots, peppers, all are largely used in making pickles in india. they are chopped, sprinkled with salt, and dried for several days in the hot sunshine. mustard seed, turmeric, and minced garlic are usually added. after several days of sunning they are bottled, covered with vinegar which has been boiled, but which has been cooled. ix. most everything. many of the cooks in india make a very simple puff paste. [illustration: a fakir of bombay] . puff paste. make a dough out of a pound of flour and sufficient water. knead for fifteen minutes. roll in a damp cloth and set aside. after an hour or so knead again. then add a spoonful of shortening at a time until the dough begins to crack and looks rough. roll out in a sheet, cut in four pieces, place one upon the other, roll again, cut in four pieces again. repeat this four times, then roll it into a sheet, spread it with shortening of some kind, cut in four pieces, and place one over the other. then roll for the last time. the advantage of this method is that it takes comparatively little shortening and is always light and flaky. it makes a delicious pastry for cheese cakes. . cheese cakes. place two cups of pure milk over the fire and when the milk begins to boil squeeze the juice of a lemon into it. the milk will at once curdle. drain off the curds. to these curds add the yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, a small cup of sugar, and a small cup of ground almonds. walnuts, pecans, or any other nuts would do all right. mix all together smoothly. line little patty pans with the paste (no. ), and fill with the curds. dust powdered sugar over the top and decorate with crossbars of pastry. bake very slowly. these cheese cakes are always much in evidence at afternoon teas, garden parties, and all social functions in india. . banana stew with cocoanut. boil six bananas. to boil bananas do not remove the skins. just pour enough boiling water over them to cover them. add a little salt to the water. as soon as the skins crack they are done. remove and cool. when cool, take off the skins, scrape the bananas a little and split them. make a syrup of one cup of sugar and half a cup of fresh cocoanut and half a cup of water. pour this over the boiled bananas and serve. this dish is much appreciated by the children. roselles. roselles are a fruit belonging to the sorrel family. the seed is sown in the vegetable garden every year when other seeds are sown. the plants have a vigorous growth. they grow as tall or a little taller than currant bushes. long before the season is over the bushes are vivid with wine-red flowers. from the waxen petals of these flowers very delicious sauces, jams, chutneys, and jellies are made. roselles can be grown any place as easily as tomatoes or cabbage or any vegetable. it would certainly pay any one to make the experiment. the fruit is very rich in pectin, and not only gives a beautiful color when combined with any other fruit, but also adds much to the flavor. combined with peaches or strawberries, cherries or guavas, or any other fruit that is deficient in pectin, the roselle has very satisfactory results. when used by themselves a fine jelly is made which is far superior to currant jelly. i am sure any one will feel repaid who gives it a trial. the seeds can be purchased from any large dealer. . roselle jelly. remove the petals of the flower from the seed; then mince finely by running through the meat grinder. to every cup of minced petals add three cups of water. boil quickly as the color is much better if it does not stand around. after boiling about five minutes it will be ready to strain. strain and make as any other jelly. in flavor and appearance this jelly can not be surpassed. . roselle sauce. remove petals from the seed, and for every cup of petals take two cups of water. stew gently for a few minutes, then add a cup of sugar for every cup of fruit. these two things must be remembered if one wishes to get the best results from the fruit. it must be well diluted and it must be cooked quickly, as it is apt to lose its bright color if it stands around. tipparees. tipparees, or cape gooseberries, are also another fruit which is much neglected in this country. to many they are familiarly known as ground cherries. these are much prized in india, and they really are a fine fruit, which can be grown any place and will more than repay the little time spent in their cultivation. in india the seeds are sown annually. i think in this country it seeds itself for a few years at least, but i am sure better results would be brought about if the seeds were planted every spring. this berry is unequaled for making jam. if any doubt it, buy ten cents' worth of seed next spring, plant it in your garden. let the plants grow and spread and in the early fall make jam according to the following: . tipparee jam. husk the fruit and prick each berry. do not add too much water, as the fruit is very juicy. cook until fruit is tender, but not broken. for every cup of fruit allow a cup of sugar. cook rapidly and not too much at a time. it finishes up very quickly. a good plan is to cook only partially, turn onto platters, and expose to the sun as one does any other sun preserve. tipparees are fine for making pies and tarts. . orange marmalade. this marmalade can be made from oranges or lemons or grapefruit, or by combining the three, or by combining any two of them. either slice the fruit very thinly or run it through a meat grinder. for every cup of fruit take three cups of water. let it stand for twenty-four hours. then boil it in the same water until the rinds are soft. let stand another twenty-four hours in the same water. then measure again and for every cup of mixture take a cup of sugar. the best results are obtained if not over four cupfuls are boiled at a time. boil rapidly. if citrus fruits are boiled slowly they are apt to grow dark and strong. if oranges are used alone for this marmalade they must be sour. a good combination is four oranges, two lemons, and half a grapefruit. . orange jelly. mince the oranges, rind and all. for every cup of oranges take three of water. let stand in water for twenty-four hours. boil until fruit is soft and let stand again for another twenty-four hours. up to this point the process is exactly like no. . now drain the juice from the fruit. acidulate with lemon juice. if six oranges have been used, add the juice of two lemons. to each cup of juice take a cup of sugar. boil about four cupfuls at a time and boil quickly. it will soon become jelly. a cup of roselle juice diluted is better to acidulate with than the lemon juice. a beautiful ruby jelly is the result. . candied grapefruit peel. cut the grapefruit peel in sections. about eight pieces to a grapefruit is a good size. prick each piece and soak for three days. if the weather is very hot, better scald the fruit instead of soaking it. change water every morning and evening. on the morning of the fourth day boil the skins until they can be easily pierced. remove them and squeeze them as dry as possible. place them on a tray and sun them for several hours, or else dry them in an expiring oven. weigh the peels, and take once and a half their weight in sugar. make this sugar with water into a thick syrup; then add the peels and boil until they look clear. take them out and boil the syrup until it is quite thick. return the peels and stir around and around until the sugar candies over them. put them to dry in the sun for a day. orange and lemon peel, watermelon rind, green muskmelons, and almost any kind of fruit can be preserved in the same way. . banana cheese. take a dozen ripe bananas, skin them, and mash them up with a cup of cream of wheat and a cup of sugar; also add a tablespoonful of butter and a little cinnamon. cook slowly for about three hours in a double boiler. when cold cut as you would cheese. fine for missionary functions. . carrot cheese. boil a pound of carrots until very tender. then mash them perfectly smooth. mix with them a pound of sugar, a tablespoonful of butter, and the juice of a large lemon. also add a few cardamon seeds. cook over a slow fire until the mixture hardens into a paste. add a little more butter just before removing from the fire. press into shallow pans and cut in neat squares or diamonds like fudge. . fruit cheese. any fruit may be made into a confection which, in india, is called "cheese." the fruit part first wants to be reduced to a pulp. then take equal parts of fruit pulp and sugar, with as much butter as you feel you dare use. if you feel that you dare not use any, use crisco with salt. cook down until it becomes a paste that can be cut with a knife. it must cook very slowly. sometimes when nearly finished nuts are added. in apricot cheese the kernels are used. they must be blanched and minced. guava cheese is perhaps the finest, as the flavor improves much with cooking. . "fools." a fool is a drink made of fruit pulp and milk. mango fool is perhaps the most popular. fools are always best made of tart unripe fruits. pare, slice, and stew the fruit until it is quite soft. strain through a fine sieve or coarse muslin. add to the pulp as much sugar as is desired and enough water to make it pour easily. boil for a few minutes and turn into a jug. when ready to drink it, fill the glass about half full of the fruit mixture and then fill with rich milk. add ice. these "fools" are very nutritious and refreshing. often in the hot weather one cares for little else. hindustani sweets. hindustani sweets are very sweet, very sticky, very greasy, and very dear to the heart of india's children, both old and young. we do not advise a steady diet of these, but it is well to know how some of them are made, as such knowledge always comes in handy when arranging for missionary programs, oriental booths in bazaars, and at frequent other times. . jellabies (best beloved). make a batter of one pound of flour and water. make it just about as thick as you would for pancakes. cover the vessel tightly and let stand for three days. then stir in about a half a cup of thick sour milk. pour a little of this batter into a vessel with a hole in the bottom. in india a cup made from half a cocoanut shell is made for this purpose, one of the eyes in the monkey face at the end being perforated. fill this cup with batter and let the batter run through a little at a time into a pan of boiling fat. while the batter is running out through the hole keep the hand moving in a circle, so that the jellabies will take the form of pretzels. fry as you would doughnuts. in the meantime have a dish of syrup ready. make this syrup from a pound of brown sugar and water. cook it until it is about as thick as maple syrup. keep this syrup in a warm place and as the jellabies fry place each one for a few minutes in the syrup. remove and pile them on oiled paper until needed. these are sure to make a hit. be sure and fry them until they are quite brown. if one doesn't want to bother with the batter standing around for three days, they can be made up at once by adding a teaspoonful of baking powder to the mixture and beating it well. the milk must not be too sour in that case. . gulab jamans. take a pound of rice flour. if one cannot obtain rice flour use common flour. put it in a bowl. crack into it two eggs, add a little salt, and enough cocoanut and cocoanut milk to make a soft dough. use a ten-cent tin of baker's fresh cocoanut for this. knead well and cover for a little while with a damp cloth. after a while mold this dough into little balls about the size and shape of pecans. you will have to keep your fingers oiled while doing this. fry them as you would doughnuts. let stand until perfectly cold. weigh them, and for every pound take a quarter of a pound of white sugar. make this sugar into a syrup. when thick put in the gulab jamans and stir them for a few minutes. when they are well frosted, remove. spread out on oiled paper. these are really very nice. any kind of little cakes and nuts can be frosted the same way. the syrup should be allowed to cool a little before the cakes are put in it. . malpuas. make a batter of one pound of cream of wheat and water. this batter should be very thick. let stand two days. then add a cup of grated cocoanut, a cup of small raisins, two eggs, a cup of sugar, half a cup of curds, and a little flour. fry as you would pancakes. these are to be eaten cold. these are also very nice to serve at functions. if each one of these little cakes is made the size of a dollar, a large number could be prepared. a heavy aluminum griddle is very nice for frying these, as they would then require but little fat. . crow's nest fritters. pare and cut in very small strips a pound of sweet potatoes. steam until a little soft, but not entirely so. make a batter of flour, two eggs, and water. put a tablespoonful of batter on a well-greased griddle, then a tablespoonful of the potatoes. cover these with another tablespoonful of batter. when done on one side, turn. eat with melted brown sugar and butter or with syrup. . hulwa. fry a cupful of cream of wheat in half a cup of butter or crisco. when it begins to have a nutty flavor and to be slightly brown, add three cups of water and one cup of sugar and a few of the small inside seeds of the cardamon. boil slowly until it forms a thick rich paste. press into square cake pans and sprinkle over the top minced nuts and also raisins, if desired. cut in squares like fudge. very good and wholesome. . bombay hulwa. bombay hulwa is noted all over india. soak a pound of cream of wheat in enough water to cover it. let it stand three or four hours. then rub it through a coarse strong cloth until you get all the starch out. to do this you must keep dipping the cloth in water again and again. let this water stand until the starch has settled, then pour off the water. make two pounds of white sugar into a syrup. boil until it reaches the fondant stage, then add the cream of wheat starch, and keep boiling and stirring until it forms into a lump. then add about half a pound of butter. crisco will do as well if salt is used with it. go on cooking the hulwa until it begins to get so hard that you can hardly manage it. then add a wineglass of rose water, some blanched and shredded almonds and the little inside seeds of half a dozen cardamons. delicious and nourishing, but rather expensive. . turkish delight. this popular confection is made by a similar method to no. , excepting gum arabic is used instead of cream of wheat starch. the right proportion is about an ounce of powdered gum arabic to two pounds of sugar. the butter also is omitted at the last, but the almond, rose water, and cardamon seed are usually added. press into plates, cut in squares, and roll each square in powdered sugar. there is an easier way, however, to make it. melt gum-drops. this is easily done by adding a little water and boiling, or by keeping hot in a double boiler or fireless cooker for a while. add the almonds and cardamons and lemon or orange juice if desired. dust powdered sugar in a square pan. press in the paste, dust powdered sugar over the top. cut in squares. . frosted bananas. use rather green bananas for this. peel, slice crosswise, sprinkle lightly with salt and fry. be careful to keep them whole and not to burn them. allow them to get thoroughly cold, then frost as directed for gulab jamans (no. ). . sujee puffs. make the paste according to no. . to make the mince heat a cupful of cream of wheat in a little butter. do not fry this brown, but heat all through. stir into this half a cup of dessicated cocoanut, two tablespoonfuls of small seedless raisins, two tablespoonfuls of almonds (blanched and sliced), and the seed of six cardamons. cook this mixture for a few minutes, then add a cup of sugar and cook for a few minutes longer. this will not be a paste, for no water has been added; so don't think it is not right if it is very crumbly; that is the way it ought to be. roll the paste out not too thin, cut in circles with a pound-baking-powder tin. put as much of the sweetmeat as you think you can enclose, fold over, make as fancy as you like, and either fry or bake. this is a favorite sweet at native weddings. . breadcrumb balls. mix dry breadcrumbs and grated cocoanut together, and a few raisins, too, if liked. take a cup of sugar and half a cup of water, and boil. when syrup has reached the stage that it forms a hard ball in water, pour over the breadcrumb mixture. mold as if making popcorn balls. if one likes, these may be rolled in powdered sugar afterward. these are also a very fine sweet for social and missionary functions of all kinds. . sujee biscuits. one pound of cream of wheat and one pound of sugar mixed intimately; then add half a cup of lard or crisco and knead awhile. form into little balls and shape the balls as desired. usually they are simply flattened out into squares. bake a light brown. be careful that they are not crowded in the pan. [illustration: salaams] transcriber's note: hyphenation has been standardised. minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. transcribed by david starner, kevin handy, and the online distributed proofreader team the country housewife and lady's director in the management of a house, and the delights and profits of a farm. containing _instructions for managing the brew-house, and malt-liquors in the cellar; the making of wines of all sorts_ _directions for the dairy, in the improvement of butter and cheese upon the worst of soils; the feeding and making of brawn; the ordering of fish, fowl, herbs, roots, and all other useful branches belonging to a country seat, in the most elegant manner for the table._ _practical observations concerning distilling; with the best method of making ketchup, and many other curious and durable sauces._ _the whole distributed in their proper months, from the beginning to the end of the year._ _with particular remarks relating to the drying or kilning of saffron._ by r. bradley, professor of botany in the university of _cambridge;_ and f.r.s. _the sixth edition_ _with additions._ * * * * * to the lady _wager_, consort to the right honourable sir _charles wager_, one of the lords commissioners of the admiralty, and one of his majesty's most honourable privy-council; _this book is most humbly dedicated, by_ _her ladyship's most obedient,_ _and most humble servant,_ r. bradley. * * * * * an index to the first part. a. asparagus, preserv'd. ditto drest the _dutch_ way. ditto with cream. artichoakes, to dry. ditto preserv'd. ditto pickled. ditto fryed. ditto in suckers, to eat raw. apricot wine. alamode beef. b. brandy, laurel. birch-wine. brewing. beef cake-soup. ditto to pot like venison. beef, to collar. brocoli, to boil. butter, good in _suffolk._ _buckingham_-cheese, to make. butter, why good or bad. ditto in general. butter, what milk is good. ditto made over the fire. ditto wash'd. ditto churn'd in summer. ditto churn'd in winter. beans, preserv'd, the winter. berberries, to pickle. beet-roots, red, to pickle. ditto fryed. boar's-head imitated. brawn, to collar. boar, when to be put up for brawn. c. capon, to dress. carps, to stew. cellars, which are best. cowslip-wine. cheese, spoiled. ditto what concerns its goodness. ditto why bad in _suffolk._ ditto good from one sort of cattle. ditto preserv'd in oil. ditto marygold. ditto sage. ditto sage in figures. ditto _cheshire._ ditto _cheshire_ with sack. ditto _gloucestershire._ cheese, cream. ditto why the aversion to it. churns, the sorts. clove-gilly-flower syrup. cucumbers, to pickle. codlings, to pickle, green. ditto to pickle mango. cherry-brandy. cherry-beer. cherry-cordial. cherries distill'd. cherry, cornelian, in brandy. calf's feet jelly. cockles, pickled. capons, to set upon eggs. d. dairy, how to build. different sorts of goosberries. different sorts of currans. ducks, wild, to roast. ducks, wild, hash'd. e. eels, their time of breeding. ditto in plenty. eggs, to prepare six ways. eels, to clear from mud. ditto to roast. ditto to pitchcot. ditto to collar. elder-flowers, to dry. elder vinegar. elder-wine, red. ditto white. _english_-wine. f. fowls and birds, the difference. fowl, to dress. ditto to farce. fricassee of chickens, brown. ditto white. fish gravey for soups. flounders, pickled. _frontiniac_-wine imitated. fruits preserv'd for tarts. _florence_-wine imitated. _frontiniac_-wine to make. fowls, the sorts. fish, to boil firm. fish boiled, the sauce. g. geese, when to buy. ditto to fat. ditto to roast. ditto how to kill. grapes, ripe early. grape-wine. h. herb-soup, the foundation. hops. hare, to pot. herbs, to dry. hare coursed, how to keep. ditto hunted, to dress. ditto the pudding for it. ditto to roast. hare, to stew. hung-beef. herbs infused in spirits. l. larks, to dress. m. malt, which is good. ditto liquor, to bottle. mountain-wine, to imitate. milk, to be examin'd. mace in rennet. mead, small, to make. metheglin or strong mead. mushrooms. mushroom-gravey. ditto ketchup. mushrooms, stew'd. ditto broiled. ditto fry'd. mushrooms, a foundation for sauce. mushrooms, to powder. ditto to pickle. melons, green, to pickle, like mango. mussels, scallop'd. ditto fryed. ditto pickled. morillas, to dress. morillas, to dry. ditto in ragoust. ditto to fry. o. orange-flower cordial. onions, pickled. oysters, from _colchester._ oysters, to stew. orange-wine. oysters, in scallop shells. oysters, roasted. oysters, pickled. onion-soup. p. pidgeon, wild. ditto tame, the sorts. ditto carrier, its use. ditto broiled. ditto in paste or dumplings. ditto stew'd. portmanteau pottage. pike, to roast. ditto to bake. pease, preserved all the year. pickled walnuts. ditto cucumbers. ditto for mangoes. ditto kidney-beans. ditto _nasturtium_-seeds. partridges stew'd with sallery. ditto roasted. pheasants, their sauces. ditto to dress. potatoes. perch, with mushrooms. q. quince-wine. r. rennet, how made in _essex._ ditto another way. rennet-bags, which are good. rennet-bags, how to make them good. rennet with spice. red surfeit-water. _rosa solis,_ to distil. raspberry-wine. red goosberry-wine. rabbit, roasted with a pudding. s. sausages of fish. sausages, of pork. soup of herbs. shrub, to make. sauce royal, or travelling-sauce. spinach, stew'd. sallads, to dress. sage-wine. skerrets, to dress. salsify, to dress. _scorzonera,_ to dress. saffron, to cure. snipes, to roast. soup, _a l'hyvrogne._ t. tokay-wine, to imitate. travelling-sauce. tench, which is best. trout in season. trouts, to pot. tragopogon, to dress. truffles, to broil. truffles, to stew. truffles, ragou'd. turkey, to dress. u. veal-glue. visney. venison, and its sauces. w. water-soochy. wines, boiled. wines, fermented. wines, to help, by sugar. wines, of _st. helena,_ reform'd. woodcocks, to roast. * * * * * to the ladies of _great britain, &c._ _the reason which induces me to address the following piece to the fair sex, is, because the principal matters contained in it are within the liberty of their province. the art of oeconomy is divided, as xenophon tells us, between the men and the women; the men have the most dangerous and laborious share of it in the fields, and without doors, and the women have the care and management of every business within doors, and to see after the good ordering of whatever is belonging to the house. and this, i conceive, is no less the practice of these days, than it was in the time of that great philosopher; therefore it may seem necessary that i make some apology for the work i now publish, which, for the most part, falls within the ladies jurisdiction: but i hope i am the more excusable, as my design is rather to assist, than to direct. i may call myself rather their amanuensis, than their instructor; for the receipts which i imagine will give the greatest lustre or ornament to the following treatise, are such as are practised by some of the most ingenious ladies, who had good-nature enough to admit of a transcription of them for publick benefit; and to do them justice, i must acknowledge that every one who has try'd them, allow them to excel in their way. the other receipts are such as i have collected in my travels, as well through_ england, _as in foreign countries, and are such as i was prompted to enter into my list, as well for their curiosity as for their extraordinary goodness._ _i could have launched much further in this attempt, but that i confined myself to publish only such as were necessary for the use of a farm; or, in other terms, for the good ordering of every thing which is the produce of a farm and garden: and especially i am induced to publish a tract of this nature for two reasons, which i think carry some sway with them._ _the first is, that i find many useful things about farms, and in gardens, whose goodness is so little known, or understood, that they are seldom reckon'd of any account, and in most places are looked upon as incumbrances; such as mushrooms, lupines, brocoly, morilles, truffles skirrets, scorzonera, salsifie, colerape, charddones, boorencole, and many other such like things, which are excellent in their kind, when they are well dress'd, and admired by the greatest epicures._ _the other reason which has induced me to publish this piece, is, the difficulties i have undergone in my travels, when i have met with good provisions, in many places in england, which have been murder'd in the dressing._ _i could mention many instances as bad as the common story of bacon and eggs strewed with brown sugar: but as this was done through ignorance, as the story relates, i hope i need make no further apology, or have occasion to give any other reason for making this treatise publick, but that it may improve the ignorant, and remind the learned how and when to make the best of every thing: which may be a means of providing every one with a tolerable entertainment founded upon practice and fashion; which can never fail of followers, and of making us fare much better upon the roads in the country than we were used to do._ * * * * * the country lady's director * * * * * january i shall in this month take particular notice of the pigeon, whose characteristicks are chiefly to have short legs, and their feet of a reddish colour, to have long wings, and to be quick of flight; in which the spreading of their tail-feathers greatly contribute, as well as to guide them in the air. they by for the most part two eggs for one sitting, and so more; but breed often in the year. when pigeons are once paired, it is observed they are very constant to one another, and assist each other in the incubation or sitting on the eggs, as well as in bringing up and feeding the young ones; and moreover it is remarkable, that a pigeon has no gall-bladder. the sorts are, first, the blue wild pigeon, which is the most frequent in dove-cotes, but is not very large, nor disposed to breed so early in the spring as some others: they are, however, a hardy kind, and will thrive any where, if there is plenty of water; for tho' they are not of a watery race, yet it is observable, that they covet to be where it is, and that they feed frequently upon the banks of rivers and ponds. i have known that where there were two dove-cotes, that stood within a mile of one another, and one of them was near a river, and the other remote from it, the pigeons of the house distant from the water, left their habitation to reside in that next the river, even tho' they had an allowance of good feed at home. among the tame pigeons, those which the _italians_ call'd _tronfo_, and we runts, are the largest; but these may be again distinguish'd under the characters of greater and smaller: those which are commonly call'd the _spanish_ runts, are very much esteem'd, being the largest sort of pigeon, and are sluggish, and more slow of flight, than the smaller sort of runts; but the smaller runts are better breeders, and quick of flight, which is to be esteem'd; because if they were to seek their food far, they can range much more ground, or return home much quicker on occasion of stormy or wet weather. as for the colours of their feathers, they are uncertain, so that one cannot judge of the sort by them. the next, which makes the largest figure, but is not in reality the largest bird, is the cropper; it is so named, because they usually do, by attracting the air, blow up their crops to an extraordinary bigness, even so sometimes as to be as large as their bodies. this sort is esteemed the better, as it can swell its crop to the largest size. the bodies of this sort are about the bigness of the smaller runt, but somewhat more slender. this sort, like the former, is of various colours in the feathers. the next are those pigeons call'd shakers, and are said to be of two sorts, _viz._ the broad-tail'd shaker, and the narrow-tail'd shaker: the reason which is assign'd for calling them shakers, is, because they are almost constant in wagging their heads and necks up and down; and the distinction made between the broad and narrow-tail'd shaker, is, because the broad tail'd sort abounds with tail-feathers, about twenty-six in number, as mr. _ray_ observes, and the narrow-tail'd shakers have fewer in number. these, when they walk, carry their tail-feathers erect, and spread abroad like a turkey-cock. they likewise have diversity of feathers. the next i shall take notice of, are the jacobines, or cappers: these are called cappers from certain feathers which turn up about the back part of the head. there are of these that are rough-footed: these are short-bill'd, the iris of their eye of a pearl colour, and the head is commonly white. the next is the _turbit_, commonly so call'd, but what is the occasion of the name, is not known, unless _turbit_, or _turbeck_, is a corruption of the word _cortbeck_, or _cortbeke_, which is the name the _hollanders_ give them, and seems to be derived from the _french_, where _court-bec_ would signify a short bill, which this pigeon is remarkable for; the head is flat, and the feathers on the breast spread both ways. these are about the bigness of the jacobines. the carrier pigeon is the next i shall take notice of; it is so call'd from the use which is sometimes made of them in carrying of letters to and fro: it is very sure that they are nimble messengers, for by experience it is found, that one of these pigeons will fly three miles in a minute, or from _st. albans_ to _london_ in seven minutes, which has been try'd; and i am inform'd, that they have been sent of a much longer message: however, they might certainly be made very useful in dispatches, which required speed, if we were to train them regularly between one house and another. we have an account of them passing and repassing with advices between _hirtius_ and _brutus_, at the siege of _modena_, who had, by laying meat for them in some high places, instructed their pigeons to fly from place to place for their meat, having before kept them hungry, and shut up in a dark place. these are about the size of common pigeons, and of a dark blue or blackish colour, which is one way of distinguishing them from other sorts: they are also remarkable for having their eyes compass'd about with a broad circle of naked spungy skin, and for having the upper chap of their beak cover'd more than half from the head with a double crust of the like naked fungous body. the bill, or beak, is moderately long, and black. these birds are of that nature, that tho' they are carried many miles from the place where they were bred, or brought up, or have themselves hatch'd, or bred up any young ones, they will immediately return home as soon as we let them fly. perhaps this may, in some measure, depend upon the affection the male or female bear to one another. when they are to be used as carriers, two friends must agree to keep them, one in _london_, and the other at _guilford_, or elsewhere; the person that lives at _guilford_ must take two or three cocks or hens that were bred at his friend's at _london_, and the other two or three that were bred at _guilford_; when the person at _london_ has occasion to send an express, he must roll up a little piece of paper, and tie it gently with a small string pass'd thro'it about the pigeon's neck. but it must be observ'd before, that the pigeons you design to send with a message, be kept pretty much in the dark, and without meat, for eight or ten hours before you turn them out, and they will then rise and turn round till they have found their way, and continue their flight till they have got home. with two or three of these pigeon's on each side, a correspondence might be carried on in a very expeditious manner, especially in matters of curiosity, or those things which tend to publick good. i know a gentleman that has set out on a journey early in the morning, where it was judged to be dangerous travelling, that has taken one of this sort of pigeons in his pocket, and at his journey's end, which he tells me was near thirty miles distant from his house, has turn'd off the pigeon, and it has been at its feeding place in nine or ten minutes, with an account of his safety. in _turkey_ it is very customary for these pigeons to be taken on board a ship that sails, by the captain, and if any thing extraordinary happens within the distance of six or eight leagues, the pigeon is sent back with advice, which sometimes may be a means of saving a ship from being taken by the pyrates, or other enemies, and expedite trade. the _barbary_ pigeon, or _barb_, is another sort, whose bill is like that of the _turbit_, i.e. short and thick, and a broad and naked circle of a spungy white substance round about the eye, like that in the carrier pigeon. the iris of the eye is white, if the feathers of the pigeon are inclining to a darkish colour; but is red, if the feathers are white, as we find in other white birds. smiters are another sort of pigeon, suppos'd to be the same that the _hollanders_ call _draijers._ this sort shake their wings as they fly, and rise commonly in a circular manner in their flight; the males for the most part rising higher than the females, and frequently falling and flapping them with their wings, which produces a noise that one may hear a great way; from whence it happens that their quill-feathers are commonly broken or shatter'd. these are almost like the pigeon call'd the tumbler; the difference chiefly is, that the tumbler is something smaller, and in its flight will turn itself backward over its head. the diversity of colours in the feathers makes no difference. the helmet is another kind of pigeon distinguish'd from the others, because it has the head, the quill-feathers, and the tail-feathers always of one colour: sometimes black, sometimes white, or red, or blue, or yellow; but the other feathers of the body are of a different colour. the next pigeon i shall take notice of, is that which is call'd the light horseman; this is supposed to be a cross strain between a cock cropper and a hen of the carrier breed, because they seem to partake of both, as appears from the exerescent flesh on their bills, and the swelling of their crops; but i am not determin'd concerning that point, nor can give any good judgment about it, till i have seen whether the cropper be the male or female, upon which depends a debate in natural philosophy, which has not been yet decided; this sort however is reckon'd the best breeder, and are not inclin'd to leave the place of their birth, or the house where they have been accustom'd. the _bastard-bill pigeon_ is another sort, which is somewhat bigger than the _barbary_ pigeon; they have short bills, and are generally said to have red eyes, but i suppose those colour'd eyes are belonging only to those which have white feathers. there is also a pigeon call'd the _turner_, which is said to have a tuft of feathers hanging backward on the head, which parts, as mr. _ray_ says, like a horse's main. there is a smaller sort than the former call'd the _finikin_, but in other respects like the former. there is a sort of pigeon call'd the _spot_, suppos'd, and with good judgment, to take its name from the spot on its forehead just above its bill, and the feathers of its tail always of the same colour with the spots, and all the other feathers are white. lastly, i shall take notice of the pigeon call'd the _mawmet_, or _mahomet_, supposed to be brought from _turkey_; however, it is singular for its large black eyes; the other parts are like those of the _barbary_ pigeon. these are the sorts of pigeons generally known, for the large _italian_ pigeons are only the larger runts; and i am of opinion, that the diversity of colours in pigeons only proceeds from the diversity of kinds of pigeons, that couple with one another; for i have known swine that have been whole-footed, that have coupled with those that were clovenfooted, and the pigs that were produced, were partaking of whole and cloven hoofs, some one, some two cloven hoofs, and the rest whole hoofs. concerning the life of a pigeon, _aristotle_ says, that a pigeon will live forty years, but _albertus_ finishes the life of a pigeon at twenty years; however, _aldrovandus_ tells us of a pigeon, which continued alive two and twenty years, and bred all that time except the last six months, during which space it had lost its mate, and lived in widowhood. there is a remarkable particular mention'd by _aldrovandus_ relating to the pigeon, which is, that the young pigeons always bill the hens as often as they tread them, but the elder pigeons only bill the hens the first time before coupling. _pliny_ and _athenaeus_, from _aristotle_, tell us, that it is peculiar to pigeons not to hold up their heads when they drink as other birds and fowls do, but to drink like cattle by sucking without intermission; it is easily observed, and worth observation. to distinguish which are the males and females among pigeons, it is chiefly known by the voice and cooing; the female has a small weak voice, and the male a loud and deep voice. the flesh of pigeons is hard of digestion, and therefore is not judged a proper supper-meat; it is said to yield a melancholy juice, but if boil'd are very tender, or roasted while they are called squabs, _viz._ pigeons about four days old, they are much better for the stomach, and then commonly yield, among the curious in eating, about eighteen pence, or two shillings a piece. the food which is generally given to pigeons is tares; but if we were to mix spurry-seeds with it, or buckwheat, those grains would forward their breeding, as has been try'd: however, if pigeons are fed only with tares, and are of a good kind, we may expect them to breed nine or ten times in a year; but sometimes, perhaps, not hatch above one at a time, tho' if they were in full vigour, they would breed up a pair at one sitting. in the feeding of pigeons, it is adviseable not to let them have more meat at one time than they can eat, for they are apt to toss it about, and lose a great deal of it; so that the contrivance of filling a stone bottle with their meat, and putting the mouth downwards, so that it may come within an inch of a plain or table, and will give a supply as they feed, is much the best way. and their drinking-water should be dispensed to them in the same way out of a bottle revers'd with the mouth into a narrow shallow cistern; but at the same time they should not want the conveniency of a pan of water, if there can be no better had, to wash themselves in, for they are of themselves a bird subject to contract dirt and fleas. this is what i shall say of the breeding of tame pigeons at present. as to the preparing of pigeons for the table, they are commonly either roasted, boiled, baked, or broiled; these are so generally understood, that i need not mention them, nor that parsley is almost become necessary with them either to be roasted or boiled in the body of the pigeon, or put in the sauces for them: this every one knows, but that the liver of the pigeon should be always left in the body of it, is not known every where, otherwise it would not be so generally taken out and lost, as it is in many places remote from _london_; but this may be, perhaps, because every one does not know that a pigeon has no gall. as to particular ways of dressing of pigeons, there are two or three which i think are excellent. the first i had from a lady in _essex_, whom i have had occasion to mention in this and other works, and that is in respect to broiling of pigeons whole. when the pigeon is prepared for the kitchen, tye the skin of the neck very tight with packthread, and put into the body a little pepper, salt, butter, and a little water at the vent, and tie it up close at the neck, broil this upon a gentle fire, flowring it very well, and basting it with butter. when this is brought to table, it brings its sauce in itself. to those who are not lovers of spice or salt, the butter and water will be sufficient to draw the gravy in the pigeon: but a pigeon that is split and broiled is of a very different taste from this, and not worthy, in my opinion, to be reckon'd with it. another way of ordering pigeons, which i met with by accident, and pleased me as well as several gentlemen in my company, was the boiling of pigeons in paste: the receipt the people gave me for it, was, to fill the belly of the pigeon with butter, a little water, some pepper and salt, and cover it with a thin light paste, and then to put it in a fine linen cloth, and boil it for a time in proportion to its bigness, and serve it up. when this is cut open, it will yield sauce enough of a very agreeable relish. stewing of pigeons, from mons. _la fountaine,_ an excellent cook in _paris._ pick and wash half a dozen pigeons, and lay them into a stew-pan, with a pint or more of good gravy, an onion cut small, or three or four large shalots, a little bunch of sweet herbs, some pepper and salt, a pint of mushrooms that have been well clean'd, and cut into small pieces, and a little mace; let these stew gently till they are tender, and add to them about half a pint of white-wine just before you take them off the fire; then lay your pigeons in your dish, and brown your sauce after 'tis discharged of the bunch of sweet herbs and the spice, which should be tied in a little linen cloth; pour then your sauce with the mushrooms over the pigeons, and strew the whole over with grated bread, giving it a browning with a red-hot iron; or the grated bread may be omitted. another way of dressing pigeons, from the same. take young pigeons and par-boil them, then chop some raw bacon very small, with a little parsley, a little sweet marjoram, or sweet basil, and a small onion; season this with salt, and pepper, and fill the bodys of the pigeons with it. when this is done, stew the pigeons in gravy, or strong broth, with an onion stuck with cloves, a little verjuice and salt; when they are enough, take them out of the liquor, and dip them in eggs that have been well beaten, and after that roll them in grated bread, that they may be cover'd with it. then make some lard very hot, and fry them in it till they are brown, and serve them up with some of the liquor they were stew'd in, and fry'd parsley. in the beginning of this month, as well as in _december_, the eel is commonly laid up in the mud, and we find them there in clusters folded one over another, which i suppose is the manner of coupling; for in the beginning of _march_, or end of _february_, we see young ones as small as threads on the edges of the waters. i think it is no longer to be doubted, but that the eel is viviparous; that is, it brings its young ones perfectly framed, and does not lay spawn like other fish: and the resemblance the eel bears to that fish, which is call'd by the fishermen the coney-fish, and is found at this time about the _buoy in the nore_ full of young ones, makes me the rather conclude the eel brings forth its young perfectly form'd. this fish is not accounted wholesome at this time of the year, nor fit for eating till they begin to run in _march_, therefore what i have to say relating to preparing eels for the table, will be set down in the month of _march_. * * * * * february. as our poultry will begin to lay plentifully in this month, it may not be improper to say something of them before we proceed to give the receipts for dressing and preparing their eggs for the table. it is necessary to be known first, the difference between fowls and birds; a fowl always leads its young ones to the meat, and a bird carries the meat to the young: for this reason, we find that fowls always make their nests upon the ground, while birds, for the most part, build their nests aloft; so then our common poultry are fowls, the pheasant, partridge, peacock, turkey, bustard, quail, lapwing, duck, and such like are all fowls: but a pigeon is a bird, and a stork, or crane, and a heron, are birds, they build their nests aloft, and carry meat to their young ones. the characteristick marks of the poultry kind are, besides what i have said above, to have short, strong, and somewhat crooked bills, which are best adapted to pick up grains of corn, pulse, and other seeds, which is chiefly what these fowls feed upon; and we may observe, that as neither birds nor fowls have teeth to macerate their food with, so nature has provided them not only with a crop to soften their meat, but a stomach furnish'd with thick strong mucles, whose use is to grind the grains of corn, or any hard meat swallow'd whole, which they perform by the help of little stones, which birds and fowls swallow now and then, and which supply the defect of teeth. it is observable, that fowls, for the most part, lay a greater number of eggs than birds, even many more than they can sit upon at one time. i have known about thirty eggs lay'd by one common poultry-hen, but it is seldom that any bird lays more than five or six, except the wren, and the tom-tit, and the pigeon not more than two. again, the poultry, contrary to others of the winged race, are armed with spurs; and it is observable, that the cocks of the common poultry distinguish themselves from diurnal fowls, by crowing or singing in the night, as the nightingale distinguishes itself from the rest of the bird-kind. as for the length of life in common poultry, _aldrovandus_ makes it to be about ten years, but that the cock becomes unfit for the hens when he is four years old; and we find by experience the same, as well as that a cock should not have more than six or seven hens, if we expect healthful and strong broods of chickens. about the laying-time of these fowls, spurry-seed and buckwheat is an excellent strengthening food for them. there is another thing relating to fowls of this kind well worthy observation; and that is, of capons being made to bring up a brood of chickens like a hen, clucking of'em, brooding them, and leading them to their meat, with as much care and tenderness as their dams would do. to bring this about, _jo. baptista porta_, in _lib. . mag. nat._ prescribes to make a capon very tame and familiar, so as to take meat out of one's hand; then about evening-time pluck the feathers off his breast, and rub the bare skin with nettles, and then put the chickens to him, which will presently run under his breast and belly; the chickens then rubbing his breast gently with their heads, perhaps allay the slinging and itching occasioned by the nettles, or perhaps they may contribute to warm that part where the feathers are away: however, the bare part must be rubb'd with nettles three or four nights successively, till he begins to love and delight in the chickens. when a capon is once accustomed to this service, he will not casuly leave it off; but as soon as he has brought up one brood of chickens, we may put another to him, and when they are fit to shift for themselves, we may give him the care of a third. the sorts of the house pullen, or common poultry, are many; but as the use of them for the table is the same, i shall only take notice of such as are of the large dunghill kind, or of the _hamburgh_ sort, of the game kind, and of the small _dutch_ kind; which last is admired by some for the fineness of their flesh, and for being great layers, especially in the winter: but it is certain that the larger sort sell the best at market, and lay the largest eggs, and therefore should be the most cultivated about a farm. as for the game breed, some fancy that their flesh is more white and tender than the other sorts; but they are always quarrelling, which contributes to make themselves and their brood weak. where we propose to raise a large stock of poultry, we should be careful to secure our hen-house from vermin of all sorts, and keep it dry and clean, allowing also as much air as possible; for if it is not often clean'd, the scent of the dung will give your fowls the roop: so likewise there must be easy convenience for perching of the fowls, disposed in such a manner, that the perches be not placed over any of the hen's nests, which must always lie dry and clean, bedded with straw, for hay is apt to make the sitting hens faint and weak. when we design to set a hen, we should save her eggs in dry bran, and when she clucks, put no more in her nest than she can well cover; for as to certain numbers to be more lucky in hatching, there is nothing in that: and if we fat fowls, then use the method prescribed in my _country gentleman and farmer's monthly director_, in the month of _january_, which is much the best way of any that has yet been discovered. in the choice of fowls for eating, those which are white feather'd and white legg'd, are much tenderer and finer in their flesh than those of other colours, and are much weaker; for which reason, those who understand cocking, do not approve of such as happen to be white feather'd: and those which are black feather'd, are accounted the hottest and most fiery, and their flesh is coarser than in other fowls. but let us now come to the use of the flesh of these fowls, which is either eaten roasted, boiled, fricasseed, baked, or broiled either slit or whole. it is to be noted, that the flesh of these fowls or chickens boiled is more easily digested than the flesh of those that are roasted, and the flesh of the legs is more easy of digestion than that of the breast. mr. _ray_ takes notice, that those parts of fowls, which are continually in action, are esteem'd the best, for which reason he prefers the legs of tame fowls, and what we call the wings in wild fowl, that is, the fleshy part on the breast. _gefner_ and _aldrovandus_ have both largely treated of the use of the flesh and eggs of these fowls, but i believe some of the following receipts for dressing them, will not be unacceptable, they being more adapted to the taste of our times. i shall begin with some curious ways of dressing of eggs, which i had from a gentleman of _brussels_, who had collected them from most parts of _europe_. first way of dressing of eggs. boil your eggs till they are hard, and cut the whites only into rings or large pieces; then cut some parsley and onions small, and stew them with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg in half a pint of water, till the onion and parsley is tender; when this is done, put in your eggs well flower'd, and as soon as they are hot, put half a pint of cream to them, and thicken them for serving at the table. the yolks may be fry'd to garnish the dish. second way of preparing of eggs. boil your eggs hard as before, and cut the whites likewise as directed in the above receipt, and then prepare some gravy, a bunch of sweet herbs, a little salt, some lemon peel, some _jamaica_ pepper beaten small, an onion shred small, and let these stew together till it is sufficiently season'd; after which, strain it off, and put in the eggs to heat them thoroughly, and then thicken the whole with burnt butter. third way of preparing of eggs. break some eggs, beat them well, and season them with salt and some _jamaica_ pepper finely powder'd, then make some butter very hot in a pan, and pour in the mixture to fry, till it is hard enough to hold together; then it must be taken out, and cut into several pieces, and served with the same sauce directed in the foregoing receipt. fourth way of dressing of eggs. take the hearts of two or three cabbage-lettuces, a little sorrel, parsley, cherville, and a large mushroom, put them in water over the fire till they are tender, then chop them together very small with some yolks of hard eggs, and season the whole with salt, pepper, or nutmeg; and when the mass is well mixt together, put them in paste, making them into small flat puffs, and fry them. this may be diversify'd, by adding some sweet herbs chop'd small to the mixture, before it is put into paste. fifth way of dressing of eggs. beat as many eggs as you think convenient, and at the same time squeeze the juice of an orange among them; being well beaten, season them with a little salt, then take a stew-pan, and if it is a fast-day, put some butter into it and pour in your eggs, keeping them stirring continually over the fire till they are enough, then pour them into a plate upon sippets. but on flesh-days, instead of butter use strong gravy, or on fish-days some mushroom-gravy may be used instead of butter, or with it. sixth way of ordering of eggs. boil eggs till they are hard, peel them, and cut them lengthways, then quarter each half, and dip the several quarters in batter, made of flower, eggs and milk; fry them then in butter very hot, over a quick fire, and lay them a while before the fire to drain. in the mean while prepare for them the following sauce of burnt or brown butter, seasoned with sweet-herbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and a little elder-vinegar, with some mushrooms stew'd and hash'd; and garnish your dish, or plate, with fry'd bread, parsley, and fry'd mushrooms. these are a few out of many receipts, which the above gentleman gave me, and may serve as directions for many others; for by what i can find, all the others depend upon the same principles. the variation of these depends upon the variety of tastes: some like amletts, or frazes of eggs, with bacon, or with clary, or other high-tasted herbs, which every good housewife knows how to direct. the same gentleman observes, that amletts with boiled artichoke bottoms sliced, amletts with the tops of boil'd asparagus, green pease boiled, mushrooms stew'd and sliced, or truffles, these he tells me are extraordinary. as to the particulars relating to the dressing of farced fowls, the methods which most agree with my palate, and have been admired by the best judges of my acquaintance, are the following, which i had from _france_. to dress a capon, or other fowl. when your fowl is truss'd for roasting, cover the breast with a thin slice of fat bacon, and put an onion stuck with cloves into the belly, with some salt and pepper; when it is roasted enough, take off the bacon, and strew it with grated bread, till it is brown. this is eaten, either with orange-juice and salt, or if oysters are at hand, as they are about many farms in _england_, they may be stew'd gently with a little white wine, spice, and a little butter, which will make an agreeable sauce for it. or else it may be eaten with a very good sauce, which i have often met with, and have lik'd as well; which is made with small beer and water, equal quantities, an onion slic'd, some pepper and salt, and about an ounce of flesh, either of mutton or beef, to boil till it comes to about half, supposing at first 'tis not above half a pint; and at some places, instead of mutton, _&c._ this sauce has been only made of the neck of a fowl. this sauce, in my opinion, has a very rich taste, and has been well approv'd of by some curious travellers: where we could have this, we rather chose it than wine-sauce. capons, pullets, or others of this sort of fowl, may be also larded with bacon, if they are roasted; but the gentleman aforesaid, who gave me this receipt, told me that no water-fowl must be larded with bacon. to farce or stuff a fowl. from mr. _agneau._ when your fowl is made ready for roasting, take the liver boil'd, a shallot, a little fat of bacon, some grated bread, the bottom of a boil'd artichoke, and some mushrooms, chop these very small, and make a forc'd meat of them, season'd with salt and spices at pleasure; fill the belly of the fowl with this, and then truss it, covering the breast with a thin slice of fat bacon, and over that put a piece of writing paper. roast this, and serve it up with the following sauce: make a hash of mushrooms, an anchovy, a few capers and some gravy, boiled together with such seasoning as you approve; the sauce should be thicken'd or brown'd, and it is fit for the table. to farce fowls another way. from the same. take pullets and roast them, then take the flesh of the breast, and mince it small, with some fat of bacon boil'd, a few mushrooms, a little onion and parsley, and some crumb of bread soak'd in cream over a gentle fire; when all these are well minc'd, add the yolks of two or three eggs, and mix all together; then with this forced meat fill the breast of the fowls in their proper shape, and beat some whites of eggs to go over them, and then cover them thick with crumbs of bread, having first laid your fowls commodiously in a dish, and then put them in the oven till they have taken a fine brown colour. if you have more of this farced meat than you use in making good the fowls, either make it into balls and fry them, or else make a batter of eggs, milk, and wheat-flower, and dip small parcels of the farce into it to fry for garnishing. you may make a sauce to these farced fowls with stew'd mushrooms toss'd up with cream; the same may be done with turkeys, pheasants, _&c_. to make a brown or white fricassee of chickens. from the same. strip the chickens of their skins as soon as they are kill'd, and when they are drawn, cut their wings, legs, and most fleshy parts in pieces, then fry them a little in hog's-lard; after which, put them to stew with a little butter and gravy, for a brown fricassee, or butter and water for a white fricassee; to either of these add a glass of white wine, with a seasoning of salt, pepper, nutmeg, cherville cut small, and three or four young onions whole, that they may be withdrawn when the fricassee is enough: then brown the sauce with some of the same lard the chickens were fry'd in, and thicken it with burnt flower; to this you may add fry'd or stew'd mushrooms. but for a white fricassee, instead of the browning with the lard and burnt flower, thicken the sauces with three or four yolks of eggs, and a little verjuice; or else when the fricassee is stew'd enough, take off the fat as much as possible, and toss it up with cream; this will serve to fricassee rabbits. in lent, and on fast-days, i have eaten very good soups abroad, that were made without any flesh. and as that is not very common in _england_, i thought it convenient to bring over the receipts with me, that we may know how to make the best of every thing about a farm. to make fish-gravy for soups. to make this fish-gravy, which may serve for a foundation of all fish soups, take tench or eels, or both, well scour'd from mud, and their outsides scour'd well with salt; then pull out their gills, and put them in a kettle with water, salt, a bunch of sweet herbs, and an onion stuck with cloves; boil these an hour and a half, and then strain off the liquor thro' a cloth: add to this the peelings of mushrooms well wash'd, or mushrooms themselves cut small; boil these together, and strain the liquor thro' a sieve into a stew-pan, upon some burnt or fry'd flower, and a little lemon, which will soon render it of a good colour, and delicate flavour, fit for soups, which may be varied according to the palate, by putting in pot-herbs and spices to every one's liking; this will keep good some time. when you make any of this into soup, remember to put a glass of white wine into your soup a little before you serve it. a foundation for herb soups. take a quantity of good herbs, such as cherville, spinage, sallery, leeks, beet-cards, and such like, with two or three large crusts of bread, some butter, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a little salt; put these, with a moderate quantity of water, into a kettle, and boil them an hour and half, and strain off the liquor thro' a sieve, and it will be a good foundation for soups, either of asparagus buds, lettuce, or any other kind, fit for lent or fast-days. these herb soups are sometimes strengthened with two or three yolks of eggs, a little before they are serv'd to the table. as in this month there is plenty of oranges, so it is a proper season to make orange-wine, which is a most pleasant and refreshing liquor in the summer season. the following receipt is an approved one for it. to make orange wine. from mrs. _e. b._ take twenty gallons of water, and forty pounds of fine sugar, mix these together, boil and clarify it with the whites of eggs: against this is done, have two hundred middling oranges, pared so thin that no white appear upon the rinds; and as soon as the syrup is taken off the fire, put the peels of five and twenty oranges into it; and when the liquor is quite cold, put in the juice of the oranges, with some fresh ale-yeast spread upon a warm toast of white bread; let this work two days, and then put it into the vessel or cask, adding at the same time, two gallons of white _port_ wine; and then to every gallon of liquor, add an ounce of syrup of citron, or syrup of lemon, and in two months time it be fit to bottle. in this month it may not be unneccessary to observe that oranges are declining, and waste apaces; but they are commonly very cheap, and therefore such as have a great call for orange-peel, as confectioners, _&c._ now buy them in quantities; but a little carriage by land will contribute to their quicker decay. the orange, tho' it is not found in every garden, yet i esteem it as a necessary fruit in many cases, and what a family can hardly be without; and truly considering how good oranges we might have in our gardens, and how easily they may be cultivated against garden-walls, i much wonder that they are not more generally planted with us. there is a very good instance of their prospering well against a wall, and thriving in the natural ground, at mr. _heather_'s, a curious gentleman at _tiwittenham_, which trees bear very well, and bring very large fruit. but as i have observ'd above, that this is the season when foreign oranges are generally in the greatest plenty about _london_, it is a good time to preserve their juice; especially it may prove useful to such as have opportunities of vending _punch_ in large quantitles, or for such who find that liquor agreeable to them: for tho' i have known several who have express'd the juice of oranges and lemons, and bottled it up against a dear time, yet such juice has turn'd to be of a very disageeable sourness in a short season. the method which i have taken to preserve this juice to be used in punch, was to express the juice, and pass it thro' a jelly-bag, with about two ounces of double-refined loaf-sugar to each pint of juice, and a pint of brandy, or arrack; bottle this up, and cork it well with sound corks, and you may keep it a year. before you pass this liquor thro' the bag, you may put about the rind of two oranges to steep for two hours, into each quart of liquor, which will give it a rich flavour. when you have occasion to use it for punch, it is at the discretion of the maker to add what quantity of brandy, or arrack, he thinks proper, only remembring that there is already a pint in each bottle. this may be of good advantage to inn-keepers, _&c._ who live remote from _london_; and by this way they need not run the hazard of losing this sort of fruit, by bruising or rotting, which they will be subject to, if they are not well pack'd, and have bad roads. and besides, considering the vast difference that there is in the price of oranges, so much, that at some seasons you must pay as much for one, as will at another time purchase near a dozen, it is the best to consider of this when they are at the cheapest price. we may likewise use the same method with lemons; but it is not convenient to steep any of the peels in the liquor, for they will give it a disagreeable flavour. but it is to be understood also, that lemons are to be met with in perfection all the year; only this season they are at the cheapest price. the peel of an orange or two may be put to each quart of juice, to steep as above directed, bruising every piece of peel as you put it into the juice. note, that the lemon and orange juice must not be mix'd together in the same bottles. * * * * * march. this month all sorts of pond-fish are in season; _viz._ the jack, the carp, the tench, the perch, and the eel; but it must be noted, that both the males and females of every kind of fish are in their greatest perfection before the spawning-time, and they are sick and unwholesome for three weeks after spawning. the eel, indeed, has not yet been known to lay any spawn, but is likely to be viviparous, as i have mention'd in the month of _january_. the jack, or pike, this month runs, as the sportsmen call it; that is, they retire into the ditches, if there are any in their way, and feed upon frogs; or else, in warm days, lie upon the top of the waters, and are easily taken by snares: however, they are this month full row'd, and are then in their greatest strength, and in the best condition for the table. we judge those are the best which are broad-back'd, and deep fish; for those that are long and slender, have not their flesh firm, which is reckon'd the perfection of a fish. the way of preparing this fish in the best manner, in my opinion, if it is large, is to roast it according to the following receipt, which i had from mr. _john hughs_, an excellent cook in _london_. when a jack or pike is discharged of its scales and entrails, and well clean'd, prepare a mixture in the following manner, to be sew'd up in the belly of the fish: take of grated bread about one third part, the rivet, or liver of the fish cut small, with oysters chopped, or the flesh of eels cut small; mix these with three or four eggs butter'd in a sauce-pan, to which add pepper and salt with some dry'd sweet marjoram well pouder'd, or such other sweet-herbs as are most grateful to the palate, an anchovy shred small, and fill the belly of the fish with the preparation, and sew it up. when this is done, cut two small laths of willow, or any other wood, except deal, or such as has a turpentine juice in it, of the length of the fish, and lay the fish upon the spit, with the two laths upon the fish, and bind them together with a fillet of linnen, about an inch wide, which must be wrapp'd round them in a screw-like manner, and then laid down to the fire, and basted very well with butter, and drudged with crumbs of bread, and the same sort of sweet-herbs that were used in the mixture abovemention'd. where you have not the conveniency of oysters, or eels, to compose the aforemention'd mixture, you may add a larger quantity of butter'd eggs. where there is the conveniency of an oven, we may bake such a fish with less trouble than roasting it; and in that case rub the outside with the yolk of an egg, and roll it in some of the mixture abovemention'd, the anchovy and butter'd eggs excepted, putting some vinegar and butter in the pan. the sauce to this fish is butter melted, a little white-wine, and mix'd with a third part of season'd beef gravy, with a spoonful or two of mushroom ketchup, and an anchovy or two dissolved. the smaller sort of these fish, _i.e._ such as are about a foot long, are most commonly boiled, but they will do well baked, as above directed. the same sauce may be used with the boil'd fish; or instead of beef gravy, may be used the mushroom gravy, as directed in this work, which will have a much finer relish than the beef gravy. in this month likewise, the carp is fit for the table, and is commonly much admir'd, if it be well stew'd; otherwise i think it makes but an indifferent dish, being a fish full of cross-bones. the head is accounted much the best part of the fish, and is therefore presented as a compliment to the greatest stranger at the table. the carp, as it is a fish which thrives best in black, deep, standing waters, is therefore commonly given to taste of the mud; but to cure this, those carps you intend for the table should be put into a clear water for a week before you use them, that they may purge themselves. you may keep two brace of large carps well enough in a two-dozen hamper, plung'd into any part of a river where there is a clear stream, or trench that is fed by a spring, and they will become of an extraordinary sweet taste. and so we may do with tench and eels, when we catch them in foul feeding waters. when your fish are thus purify'd, dress your carps after the following manner: to stew carps or tench. take a brace of live carp, scale them, gut and wash them, and bleed them in the tails, so that the blood be not lost; for according to all the receipts for stewing this kind of fish, the blood, however small the quantity is of it, must make part of the sauce: lay these in a stew-pan with the blood, a pint of beef-gravy, a pint of claret, a large onion stuck with cloves, three large anchovies, a stick of horse-radish sliced, the peel of half a large lemon, pepper and salt at pleasure, a bunch of sweet-herbs, two or three spoonfuls of vinegar. this liquor should nearly cover the carps; so that if the gravy and claret, mention'd above, be not sufficient, add equal quantities of each till you have enough; cover this close, and set the stew-pan over a gentle fire, till the lower-side of the fish are stew'd enough; then turn them, and keep them stewing as before, close cover'd, till they are enough; after which, lay them in a dish upon sippets of fry'd bread, and strain off the sauce to be thicken'd and brown'd with burnt butter. this must be poured over the fish, and the dish garnish'd with the row or milt, barberries, and lemons sliced. the same method is also used for stewing of large roach, dace, and chubb; but a tench stew'd this way, is much better than a carp, the back of this fish, and the head, are the pieces which are most in esteem. it is worth our remark, that when we find our tench cover'd with black scales, they will always taste muddy, which is the fault of the river-tench about _cambridge_; but where we find tench of a golden colour, we are sure of good fish, that will eat sweet without the trouble of putting 'em into clear water to purify. as there is some trouble in the dressing of this fish, they may be stew'd the night before they are to be eaten, and will keep very well; and half an hour before they are to be serv'd up, set them over the fire to be thoroughly hot, and then brown their sauce as before directed. it is to be observ'd, that to bake these fish with the above ingredients is as good a way as the stewing them. it is likewise necessary to observe, that all fish which will keep a long time alive out of water, will sicken, and their flesh become unfirm by lying in the air; therefore, if fish are to be sent a day's journey, or kept a day before they are used, kill them as soon as they are taken out of the water, and the flesh will be firm. i shall add one thing more concerning the boiling of fish, which was communicated to me by a very ingenious gentleman, who has made fishing his study for many years: he says, that the goodness of boil'd fish consists chiefly in the firmness of the flesh; and in the next place, that the flesh parts easily from the bone; to do which, he directs to kill the fish immediately after they are taken out of the water; and when you design to boil 'em, put a large handful of salt into about two or three quarts of water, and so in proportion: put in the fish while the water is cold; then set them over the fire, and make them boil as quick as possible, without any cover over the pan. this is approved to do very well. this receipt is particularly good for boiling of flounders. his receipt for sauce for boil'd fish, is the following. sauce for boil'd fish. take beef-gravy, an onion, a little white-wine, some horse-radish sliced, lemon-peel, an anchovy, a bunch of sweet-herbs, boil them well together, and strain off the liquor, then put a spoonful of mushroom ketchup to it, and thicken it with butter mix'd with flower: or for fast-days the gravy may be omitted, and in the place of it put mushroom-gravy, or a larger quantity of mushroom-ketchup, or some of the fish-gravy mention'd in _february_, which is good to put in sauce for any sort of fish. as this is the month when eels begin to be good, i shall give two or three receipts for the dressing of them in the best manner: the first for roasting of eels, or pitchcotting them, i had from the crown at _basingstoke_ some years ago; and that for collaring of eels, from mr. _john hughs_, a celebrated cook in _london_. but i shall first observe, that the silver eel is counted the best; and that all such as lie and feed in clear streams, may be used without purging them, as i have directed above; but all pond eels must be put into clear waters for a week, at least, before they are used, if you would have them in perfection. and now to the receipts. to roast or broil an eel, from the _crown_ at _basingstoke, an. ._ take a large eel, rub the skin well with salt, then gut it and wash it well; cut off the head and skin it, laying by the skin in water and salt; then lay your eel in a clean dish, and pour out about a pint of vinegar upon it, letting it remain in the vinegar near an hour; then withdraw your eel from the vinegar, and make several incisions at proper distances in the flesh of the back and sides, which spaces must be fill'd with the following mixture: take grated bread, the yolks of two or three hard eggs, one anchovy minced small, some sweet-marjoram dry'd and pouder'd; or for want of that, some green marjoram shred small: to this add pepper, salt, a little pouder of cloves, or _jamaica_ pepper, and a little fresh butter, to be beat all together in a stone mortar, till it becomes like a paste; with which mixture fill all the incisions that you cut in the eel, and draw the skin over it: then tie the end of the skin next the head, and prick it with a fork in several places; then tie it to a spit to roast, or lay it upon a grid-iron to broil, without basting. the sauce for this is butter, anchovy, a little pepper, and lemon-juice. to pitchcot eels. take a large eel, clean well with salt and water both the skin and the inside, then pull off the skin, and prepare the following mixture of bread grated, sweet-herbs pouder'd, or minced small, such as sweet-marjoram, sage, and some pepper and salt; then rub your eel with yolks of eggs, and after that, roll it in the mixture, then draw the skin over it, and cut your eel in several pieces about three inches in length, dipping them again in yolks of eggs, and after that, in the above mixture: then lay them on the gridiron, and when they are enough, serve them to the table, with the sauce prescribed for the roasted eels, abovemention'd. to collar eels, from mr. _john hughs,_ a famous cook in _london._ take a large eel, and scour the skin and the inside very well with salt, cut off the head, and split it down the back, then lay it abroad upon your dresser, and season it well with spice, salt, and a good quantity of red sage minced small: mix these well, and sprinkle the mixture thick upon your eel, then roll it up, and tye it close in a thin cloth at each end, and in the middle; boil it then in a strong pickle of vinegar, water, salt, some spice, and a bay-leaf or two; and when it is boiled enough, take out the eel, and let it stand till it is quite cold, and when the pickle is cold likewise, pour the pickle into a glazed earthen-pan, and put your eel into it to keep for use; this will remain good several weeks, if it is kept close cover'd. when the eel is quite cold, take off the cloth. the eel is also good in pyes, fry'd and boil'd, which every one knows how to prepare. about the end of this month, the trout begins to come in season; for before this time, its body is cover'd with little insects, which is a demonstration of its being sick and unwholesome. the best way of eating this fish is to boil it, and serve it with butter and an anchovy for sauce; as is commonly practis'd about _hungerford, spenham-land_, and other noted places for trout. if the season is now mild, about the end of the month the sap in the birch-tree will begin to be very fluent. and so in the choice of fish to be seasonable, we must have regard to the temper of the air; for if the air be mild and gentle, sooner or later all parts of the creation are govern'd by it: but when i direct for this month or another any thing to be done, i suppose the temper of the air to be what it is for the generality; but the birch-tree sap we will suppose begins now to flow, and then we are to take the opportunity of making wine of it. the best receipt i have met with for making this wine, is the following. to make birch-wine. from lady _w._ when the sap of the birch-tree will run, cut a large notch in the bark of the trunk of the tree, in such a place as one may conveniently place a vessel to receive the sap; which will flow at the incision very plentifully, without doing any harm to the tree. if the trees are pretty large, you may expect about a gallon of liquor from each of them, which must be order'd in the following manner. take five gallons of the liquor, to which put five pounds of powder-sugar, and two pounds of raisins of the sun stoned; to this, put the peel of one large lemon, and about forty large fresh cloves: boil all these together, taking off the scum carefully as it rises; then pour it off into some vessel to cool, and as soon as it is cool enough to put yeast to it, work it as you would do ale for two days, and then tunn it, taking care not to stop the vessel till it has done working, and in a month's time it will be ready to bottle. this is not only a very pleasant, but a very wholesome wine. this month is esteemed one of the principal seasons for brewing of malt liquors for long keeping; the reason is, because the air at this time of the year is temperate, and contributes to the good working or fermenting the drink, which chiefly promotes its preservation and good keeping: for very cold weather prevents the free fermentation or working of liquors, as well as very hot weather; so that if we brew in very cold weather, unless we use some means to warm the cellar while new drink is working, it will never clear itself as it ought to do; and the same misfortune will it lie under, if in very hot weather the cellar is not put in a temperate state, the consequence of which will be, that such drink will be muddy and sour, and, perhaps, never recover; or if it does, perhaps not under two or three years. again, such misfortunes are often owing to the badness of the cellars; for where they are dug in springy ground, or are subject to wet in the winter, then the drink will chill, and grow flat and dead. but where cellars are of this sort, it is adviseable to make your great brewings in this month rather than in _october_; for you may keep such cellars temperate in summer, but cannot warm them in winter, and so your drink brew'd in _march_ will have due time to settle and adjust itself before the cold can do it any great harm. it is adviseable likewise to build your cellars for keeping of drink, after such a manner, that none of the external air may come into them; for the variation of the air abroad, was there free admission of it into the cellars, would cause as many alterations in the liquors, and so would keep them perpetually disturb'd and unfit for drinking. i know some curious gentlemen in these things, that keep double doors to their cellars, on purpose that none of the outward air may get into them, and they have good reason to boast of their malt-liquors. the meaning of the double doors, is to keep one shut while the other is open, that the outward air may be excluded; such cellars, if they lie dry, as they ought to do, are said to be cool in summer, and warm in winter, tho' in reality, they are constantly the same in point of temper: they seem indeed cool in hot weather, but that is because we come into them from an hotter abroad; and so they seem to us warm in winter, because we come out of a colder air to them; so that they are only cold or warm comparatively, as the air we come out of is hotter or colder. this is the cafe, and a cellar should be thus dispos'd if we expect to have good drink. as for the brewing part itself, i shall leave that to the brewers in the several counties in _england_, who have most of them different manners even of brewing honestly. what i shall chiefly touch upon, besides what i shall speak of cellaring, will relate to water, malt, hops, and the keeping liquors. the best water, to speak in general, is river water, such as is soft, and has partook of the air and sun; for this easily insinuates itself into the malt, and extracts its virtue; whereas the hard waters astringe and bind the parts of the malt, so that its virtue is not freely communicated to the liquor. it is a rule with a friend of mine, that all water which will mix with soap is fit for brewing, and he will by no means allow of any other; and i have more than once experienc'd, that where the same quantity of malt has been used to a barrel of river water, and the same to a barrel of spring water, the river water brewing has excell'd the other in strength above five degrees in twelve months, as i prov'd by a small glass-tube with a seal, and was much preferable to the taste, i must observe too, that the malt was not only in quantity the same for one barrel as for another, but was the same in quality, having been all measur'd from the same heap; so also the hops were the same both in quality and quantity, and the time of boiling, and both work'd in the same manner, and tunn'd and kept in the same cellar. here it was plain that there was no difference but the water, and yet one barrel was worth two of the other. there is one thing which has long puzzled the best brewers, which i shall here endeavour to explain; and that is, where several gentlemen in the same town have employ'd the same brewer, have had the same malt, the same hops, and the same water too, and brew'd all in the same month, and broach'd their drink at the same time; and yet one has had beer which has been extremely fine, strong, and well tasted, while the others have hardly had any worth drinking. i conjecture there may be three reasons for this difference: one may be the different weather which might happen at the different brewings in this month, which might make an alteration in the working of the liquors: or, secondly, that the yeast or barm might be of different sorts, or in different states, wherewith these liquors were work'd: and, thirdly, that the cellars were not equally good: for i am very sensible, the goodness of such drink, as is brew'd for keeping, depends upon the goodness of the cellars where it is kept; for at a gentleman's of my acquaintance, who for many years has used the same brewer, and the same method, his beer is always of the same taste, his cellars, or vaults, are very dry, and have two or three doors to them. the _dorchester_ beer, which is esteem'd preferable to most of the malt-liquor in _england,_ is for the most part brew'd of chalky water, which is almost every where in that county; and as the soil is generally chalk there, i am of opinion, that the cellars being dug in that dry soil contributes to the good keeping of their drink, it being of a close texture, and of a drying quality, so as to dissipate damps; for damp cellars, we find by experience, are injurious to keeping liquors, as well as destructive to the casks. the malt of this country is of a pale colour; and the best drink of this county that i have met with to be sold, is at a small house against the church at _blackwater,_ four miles beyond _dorchester_, in the road to _bridport_, in _dorsetshire_; they broach no beer till it is a year old, and has had time to mellow. but there must be such cellars as i speak of, which inclose a temperate air, to ripen drink in; the constant temperate air digests and softens these malt liquors, so that they drink smooth as oil; but in the cellars which are unequal, by letting in heats and colds, the drink is subject to grow stale and sharp: for this reason it is, that drink, which is brew'd for a long voyage at sea, should be perfectly ripe and fine before it is exported, for when it has had sufficient time to digest in the cask, and is rack'd from the bottom or lee, it will bear carriage without injury. it is farther to be noted, that in proportion to the quantity of liquor, which is enclosed in one cask, so will it be a longer or a shorter time in ripening. a vessel which will contain two hogsheads of beer, will require twice as much time to perfect itself as one of a hogshead; and from my experience i find there should be no vessel used for strong beer, which we design to keep, less than a hogshead: for one of that quantity, if it be fit to draw in a year, has body enough to support it two, or three, or four years, if it has strength of malt and hops in it, as the _dorseshire_ beer has; and this will bear the sea very well, as we find every day. there is one thing more to be consider'd in the preservation of beer; and that is, when once the vessel is broach'd, we ought to have regard to the time in which it will be expended: for if there happens to be a quick draught for it, then it will last good to the very bottom; but if there is likely to be a slow draught, then do not draw off quite half, before you bottle it, or else your beer will grow flat, dead, or sour. this is observed very much among the curious. one great piece of oeconomy is the good management of small beer; for if that is not good, the drinkers of it will be feeble in summer-time, and incapable of strong work, and will be very subject to distempers; and besides, when drink is not good, a great deal will be thrown away. the use of drink, as well as meat, is to nourish the body; and the more labour there is upon any one, the more substantial should be the dyet. in the time of harvest i have often seen the bad effects of bad small beer among the workmen; and in great families, where that article has not been taken care of, the apothecaries bills have amounted to twice as much more as the malt would have come to, that would have kept the servants in strength and good health; besides one thing more, which i observed above, good wholesome drink is seldom flung away by servants, so that the sparing of a little malt ends in loss to the master. where there is good cellaring, therefore, it is adviseable to brew a flock of small beer, either in this month or _october_, or in both months, and to be kept in hogsheads, if possible: the beer brew'd in _march_ to begin drawing in _october_, and that brew'd in _october_ to begin in _march_, for summer drinking; having this regard to the quantity, that a family of the same number of working persons, will drink a third more in summer than in winter, if water happens to be of a hard nature, it may be softened by setting it exposed to the air and sun, and putting into it some pieces of soft chalk to infuse; or else when the water is set on to boil, for pouring upon the malt, put into it a quantity of bran, which will help a little to soften it. i shall now mention two or three particulars relating to malt, which may help those who are unacquainted with brewing: in the first place, the general distinctions, between one malt and another, is only that one is high dried, the other low dried; that which we call high dried, will, by brewing, produce a liquor of a brown, deep colour; and the other, which is the low dried, will give us a liquor of a pale colour. the first is dried in such a manner, as may be said rather to be scorch'd than dried, and will promote the gravel and stone, and is much less nourishing than the low dried, or pale malt, as they call it; for all corn in the most simple way is the most feeding to the body. i have experienc'd too, that the brown malt, even tho' it be well brewed, will sooner turn sharp than the pale malt, if that be fairly brewed. i am told, that a gentleman in _northamptonshire_ has dried malt upon the leads of a house, and has made very good drink of it: and the method of drying malt by hot air, which was once proposed to the publick, will do very well for a small quantity, but 'tis much too tedious to be ever rendered profitable; however, any means that can be used to dry malt without parching of it, will certainly contribute to the goodness of the malt. at the _greyhound_ at _marlborough_ i have drank of the palest-colour'd ale i ever saw, and the best tasted, and the strongest that i have met with. in that place they dry their malt very tenderly, and brew with chalky water, and their cellars are dug in chalk: so at the _crown_ at _hockrell_ near _bishop-starford_ in _hertfordshire_, is excellent beer of a pale colour, strong, and well tasted; there the malt is tenderly dried and the soil chalky: likewise at _nottingham_ and _derby_ they brew with pale malt, chalky water, and their cellars are dug in chalk. these places are noted for the goodness of their ale all over _england_, insomuch that it has been computed, that there has been above two hundred thousand pounds worth of ale sold in and about _london,_ under the denomination of _nottingham, derby, dorchester,_ _&c._ in one year's time: but it is not in _london_ that we must expect to taste these liquors in perfection; for it is rare to find any of them there without being adulterated, or else such liquors are sold for them as are unskilful imitations of them; and i may add, are unwholesome into the bargain. while i am writing this, a gentleman of good judgment in this affair informs me, that the brown malt he finds makes the best drink, when it is brew'd with a coarse river water, such as that of the river _thames_ about _london_; and that likewise being brew'd with such water, it makes very good ale: but that it will not keep above six months, without turning stale, and a little sharp, even tho' he allows fourteen bushels to the hogshead. he adds, that he has try'd the high-dry'd malt to brew beer with for keeping, and hopp'd it accordingly; and yet he could never brew it so as to drink soft and mellow, like that brew'd with pale malt. there is an acid quality in the high-dry'd malt, which occasions that distemper commonly called the heart-burn, in those that drink of the ale or beer made of it. when i mention malt, in what i have already said above, i mean only malt made of barley; for wheat-malt, pea-malt, or these mix'd with barley-malt, tho' they produce a high-colour'd liquor, will keep many years, and drink soft and smooth; but then they have the mum-flavour. i have known some people, who used brewing with high dry'd barley-malt, to put a bag, containing about three pints of wheat, into every hogshead of drink, and that has fined it, and made it to drink mellow: others i have seen put about three pints of wheat-malt into a hogshead, which has produced the same effect. but all malt-liquors, however they may be well-brew'd, may be spoiled by bad cellaring, and be now and then subject to ferment in the cask, and consequently turn thick and sour. the best way to help this, and bring the drink to it self is to open the bung of the cask for two or three days, and if that does not stop the fermentation, then put about two or three pounds of oyster-shells wash'd and dry'd well in an oven, and then beaten to fine pouder, and stirring it a little, it will presently settle the drink, make it fine, and take off the sharp taste of it; and as soon as that is done, draw it off into another vessel, and put a small bag of wheat or wheat-malt into it, as above directed, or in proportion, as the vessel is larger or smaller. sometimes such fermentations will happen in drink, by change of weather, if it is in a bad cellar, and it will in a few months fall fine of it self, and grow mellow. it is remarkable, that high-dry'd malt should not be used in brewing till it has been ground ten days, or a fortnight, it yields much stronger drink than the same quantity of malt fresh ground; but if you design to keep malt some time ground before you use it, you must take care to keep it very dry, and the air at that time should likewise be dry. and as for pale malt, which has not partaken so much of the fire, it must not remain ground above a week before you use it. as for hops, the newest are much the best, tho' they will remain very good two years; but after that, they begin to decay, and lose their good flavour unless great quantities have been kept together; for in that case they will keep much longer good than in small quantities. these, for their better preservation, should be kept in a very dry place, tho' the dealers in them rather chuse such places as are moderately between moist and dry, that they may not lose of their weight. i cannot help taking notice here of a method which was used to some stale and decay'd hops the last year , to make them recover their bitterness; which was to unbag them, and sprinkle them with aloes and water, which, together with the badness of the malt of the same year's growth, spoil'd great quantities of drink about _london_; for even where the water, the malt, and the brewer, and cellars are good, a bad hop will spoil all: so that every one of these particulars should be well-chosen before the brewing is set about, or else we must expect but a bad account of our labour. and so likewise the yeast or barm that you work your drink with, must be well consider'd, or a good brewing may be spoil'd by that alone; and be sure that be always provided before you begin brewing, for your wort will not stay for it. in some remote places from towns it is practised to dip whisks into yeast, and beat it well, and so hang up the whisks with the yeast in them to dry; and if there is no brewing till two months afterwards, the beating and stirring one of these whisks in new wort, will raise a working or fermentation in it. it is a rule that all drink should be work'd well in the tun, or keel, before it be put in the vessel, for else it will not easily grow fine. some follow the rule of beating down the yeast pretty often while it is in the tun, and keep it there working for two or three days, observing to put it in the vessel just when the yeast begins to fall. this drink is commonly very fine; whereas that, which is put into the vessel quickly after 'tis brew'd, will not be fine in many months. we may yet observe, that with relation to the season for brewing of drink for keeping, if the cellars are subject to the heat of the sun, or warm summer air, it is best to brew in _october_, that the drink may have time to digest before the warm season comes on: and if cellars are inclinable to damps, and to receive water, the best time is to brew in _march_, and i know some experienced brewers, who always chuse the brewing of pale malt in _march_, and the brown in _october_; for they guess that the pale malt, being made with a lesser degree of fire than the other, wants the summer season to ripen in; and so on the contrary, the brown having had a larger share of the fire to dry it, is more capable of defending itself against the cold of the winter-season. but how far these reasons may be just, i shall not pretend to determine; but in such a work as this, nothing should be omitted that may contribute to give the least hint towards meliorating so valuable a manufacture; the artists in the brewing way are at liberty to judge as they please. but when we have been careful in all the above particulars, if the casks are not in good order, still the brewing may be spoil'd. new casks are apt to give drink an ill taste, if they are not well scalded and season'd several days successively, before they are put in use; and for old casks, if they stand any time out of use, they are apt to grow musty: unslack'd lime, about a gallon to a hogshead, with about six gallons of water put in with it, and the hogshead presently stopp'd up, will clear it of its taint, if the same be repeated four or five times; or burning of linnen dipp'd in brimstone, to be close stopped in a cask, three or four times repeated, will do the same: or else put water in your vessels, and throw in some burning coals, and stop them close, will do the like, if it be often repeated. i have now but little more to say about the management of drink, and that is concerning the bottling of it. the bottles first must be well clean'd and dry'd; for wet bottles will make the drink turn mouldy, or motherry, as they call it; and by wet bottles, many vessels of good drink are spoiled: but if the bottles are clean and dry, yet if the corks are not new and found, the drink is still liable to be damaged; for if the air can get into the bottles, the drink will grow flat, and will never rise. i have known many who have flatter'd themselves that they knew how to be saving, and have used old corks on this occasion, that have spoiled as much liquor as has stood them in four or five pounds, only for want of laying out three or four shillings. if bottles are cork'd as they should be, it is hard to pull out the corks without a screw, and to be sure to draw the cork without breaking, the screw ought to go through the cork, and then the air must necessarily find a passage where the screw has pass'd, and therefore the cork is good for nothing; or if a cork has once been in a bottle, and has been drawn without a screw, yet that cork will turn musty as soon as it is exposed to the air, and will communicate its ill flavour to the bottle where it is next put, and spoil the drink that way. in the choice of corks, chuse those that are soft, and clear from specks, and lay them in water a day or two before you use them; but let them dry again before you put them in the bottles, lest they should happen to turn mouldy: with this care you may make good drink, and preserve it to answer your expectation. in the bottling of drink, you may also observe, that the top and middle of the hogshead is the strongest, and will sooner rise in the bottles than the bottom: and when once you begin to bottle a vessel of any liquor, be sure not to leave it till all is complcated, for else you will have some of one taste, and some of another. if you find that a vessel of drink begins to grow flat, whilst it is in common draught, bottle it, and into every bottle put a piece of loaf-sugar, about the quantity of a walnut, which will make the drink rise and come to itself: and to forward its ripening, you may set some bottles in hay in a warm place; but straw will not assist its ripening. where there are not good cellars, i have known holes sunk in the ground, and large oil jars put into them, and the earth filled close about the sides: one of these jars may hold about a dozen quart bottles, and will keep the drink very well; but the tops of the jars must be kept close cover'd up. and in winter time, when the weather is frosty, shut up all the lights or windows into such cellars, and cover them close with fresh horse-dung, or horse-litter; but 'tis much better to have no lights or windows at all to any cellar, for the reasons i have given above. if there has been opportunity of brewing a good stock of small beer in _march_ and _october_, some of it may be bottled at six months end, putting into every bottle a lump of loaf-sugar as big as a walnut; this especially will be very refreshing drink in the summer: or if you happen to brew in summer, and are desirous of brisk small beer, bottle it, as above, as soon as it has done working. * * * * * april. from the beginning of this month the perch is in great perfection, and holds good till winter. one of the ways of dressing this fish, according to the _hollanders_, and which is much admired by travellers, is after the following manner, and is called _water-soochy_. to make a water-soochy. take perch about five inches long, scale and clean them well; then lay them in a dish, and pour vinegar upon them, and let them lie an hour in it; after which put them into a skillet with water and salt, some parsley leaves and parsley-roots well wash'd and scraped: let these boil over a quick fire till they are enough, and then pour the fish, roots, and water into a soop-dish, and serve them up hot with a garnish about the dish of lemon, sliced. these fish and roots are commonly eaten with bread and butter in _holland_, or there may be melted butter in a little bason for those who chuse it. it is to be noted, that the parsley-roots must be taken before they run to seed; and if they happen to be very large, they should be boiled by themselves, for they will require more boiling than the fish, this i had from mr. _rozelli_ at the _hague_. the following receipt for dressing of perch, i had likewise from the same person, and is an excellent dish. to prepare perch with mushrooms. pick, and clean, and cut your mushrooms into small pieces, and put them in a saucepan to stew tender without any liquor, but what will come from them; then pour off their liquor, and put a little cream to them; having ready at the same time a brace of large perch well scaled, wash'd, and cut in fillets or thick slices, and parboil'd: put your perch thus prepared to your mushrooms, and with them the yolks of three eggs beaten, some parsley boil'd and cut small, some nutmeg grated, a little salt, and a little lemon-juice: keep all these stirring gently over a slow fire, taking care not to break your fish; and when they are enough, garnish them with slices of lemon and pickled barberries. the following general sauce i had from the same person; it is always ready to be used with every kind of flesh, fowl, or fish that require rich sauces, and will keep good twelve months. a travelling sauce. take two quarts of claret, a quarter of a pint of vinegar, and as much verjuice; put these together in a new stone-jar that will admit of being stopp'd close: put to this a quarter of a pound of salt that has been well dry'd over the fire, an ounce of black-pepper, a drachm of nutmeg beaten fine, and as much cloves, a scruple of ginger, two or three little bits of dry'd orange-peel, half an ounce of mustard-seed bruised, half a dozen shallots bruised a little, five or six bay-leaves, a little sprig of sweet basil, or sweet marjoram, a sprig of thyme, and a little cinnamon; then stop your jar close, and let the mixture infuse for twenty-four hours upon hot embers: when this is done, strain your composition through a linnen cloth, till you have express'd as much liquor as possible, and put it in a dry stone bottle or jar, and stop it close as soon as 'tis cold. you must keep this in a dry place, and it will remain good twelve months. this is a good companion for travellers, who more frequently find good meat than good cooks. my author adds, that those who are admirers of the taste of garlick, may add it to this sauce, or diminish, or leave cut any particular ingredient that they do not approve of. it may also be made of water only, or of verjuice, or of wine, or of orange or lemon-juice; but if it is made of water, it will keep but a month good: if it be made of verjuice, it will last good three months; if we make it of vinegar, it will last a year; or of wine, it will last as long. use a little of this at a time, stirring it well when you use it. in this month i likewise judge it will be a good season to make the following curious preparation for the use of gentlemen that travel; the use of which i esteem to be of extraordinary service to such as travel in wild and open countries, where few or no provisions are to be met with; and it will be of no less benefit to such families as have not immediate recourse to markets, for the readiness of it for making of soups, or its use where gravey is required: and particularly to those that travel, the lightness of its carriage, the small room it takes up, and the easy way of putting it in use, renders it extremely serviceable. this is what one may call veal-glue. to make veal-glue, or cake-soup, to be carried in the pocket. take a leg of veal, strip it of the skin and the fat, then take all the muscular or fleshy parts from the bones; boil this flesh gently in such a quantity of water, and so long a time, till the liquor will make a strong jelly when 'tis cold: this you may try by taking out a small spoonful now and then, and letting it cool. here it is to be supposed, that tho' it will jelly presently in small quantities, yet all the juice of the meat may not be extracted, however, when you find it very strong, strain the liquor thro' a sieve, and let it settle; then provide a large stew-pan with water, and some china-cups, or glazed earthen-ware; fill these cups with the jelly taken clear from the settling, and set them in the stew-pan of water, and let the water boil gently till the jelly becomes thick as glue: after which, let them stand to cool, and then turn out the glue upon a piece of new flannel, which will draw out the moisture; turn them in six or eight hours, and put them upon a fresh flannel, and so continue to do till they are quite dry, and keep it in a dry warm place: this will harden so much, that it will be stiff and hard as glue in a little time, and may be carry'd in the pocket without inconvenience. we are to use this by boiling about a pint of water, and pouring it upon a piece of the glue or cake, of the bigness of a small walnut, and stirring it with a spoon till the cake dissolves, which will make very strong good broth. as for the seasoning part, every one may add pepper and salt as they please, for there must be nothing of that kind put among the veal when we make the glue, for any thing of that sort would make it mouldy. some of this sort of cake-gravey has lately been sold, as i am inform'd, at some of the taverns near _temple-bar_, where, i suppose, it may now be had. as i have observ'd above, that there is nothing of seasoning in this soup, so there may be always added what we desire, either of spices or herbs, to make it savoury to the palate; but it must be noted, that all the herbs that are used on this occasion, must be boiled tender in plain water, and that water must be used to pour upon the cake gravey instead of simple water: so may a dish of good soup be made without trouble, only allowing the proportion of cake-gravey answering to the abovesaid direction. or if gravey be wanted for sauce, double the quantity may be used that is prescribed for broth or soup. i am inform'd by a person of honour, that upon this foundation, there has been made a cake-gravey of beef, which for high sauces and strong stomachs, is still of good use; and therefore i shall here give the method of it. to make cake-soup of beef, &c. take a leg, or what they call in some places a shin of beef, prepare it as prescribed above for the leg of veal, and use the muscular parts only, as directed in the foregoing receipt; do every thing as abovemention'd, and you will have a beef-glue, which, for sauces, may be more desirable in a country-house, as beef is of the strongest nature of any flesh. some prescribe to add to the flesh of the leg of beef, the flesh of two old hares, and of old cocks to strengthen it the more; this may be done at pleasure, but the foundation of all these cake graveys or glues is the first. these indeed are good for soups and sauces, and may be enrich'd by cellary, cherville, beat chards, leeks, or other soup-herbs. a little of this is also good to put into sauces, either of flesh, fish, or fowl, and will make a fine mixture with the travelling sauce. so that whenever there is mentioned the use of gravey in any of the receipts contained in this treatise, this may be used on feast-days, and the mushroom gravey, or travelling sauce on fast-days. this is also a time of the year when potted meats begin to come in fashion; to do which, the following receipt may be an example. to pot a leg of beef to imitate potted venison, from col. _bradbury_ of _wicken-hall._ provide a leg of beef, and take off the skin as whole as you can, then cut off all the flesh, and season it with pepper, salt, and allspice; then break the bones and take out what marrow you can to mix among your slices of beef, which must be put in a deep earthen pot; cover then the whole with the skin, and lay the bones over that, covering all with paper, and tying it down close; after which, bake it with great bread, and let it stand in the oven all night. when this is done, take off the bones and the skin, and clear it from the liquor as well as you can, then put the meat into a wooden bowl, and beat it as small as possible with a wooden pestle, often putting in some butter, and some of the fat of the marrow, which will swim upon the gravey, but suffer none of the gravey to go in with it: when this is beat enough, while it is warm, butter the bottom and sides of the pan which you design to keep it in, and press down your meat in it as hard as possible; when that is done, cover it with melted butter. if you would have your meat look red, rub it with a little salt-peter before you season it. by the same method you may pot venison, mutton, or what flesh else you please, observing that 'tis only the fleshy or muscular parts that are used in that way; and that they must be season'd and baked till they are tender, and then beat into a sort of paste, with a little butter added now and then while the meat is beating. keep these meats in a cool dry place, and you may preserve them good several weeks. if you desire to pot a hare, take the following receipt. to pot a hare, from the same. take a hare and bone it, then mince the flesh very small, with a pound of the fat of bacon; after which, beat these in a mortar, and then season your meat with pepper, salt, cloves and mace, adding to it an ounce of salt peter: mix all these well, and let the meat lie twenty-four hours, then put it in an earthen glazed pot, and bake it three hours; after which, take it out, and dry it from the gravey, then return it to the pot again, and then cover it with clarified butter. this receipt might have been put in some of the former months, as the hare is then in season; but as it depends upon the foregoing receipt, i thought convenient to insert it in this place: however, a jack-hare may now be dress'd in this fashion, but the doe-hares are now either with young or have young ones, so that they are out of season. these potted meats are useful in housekeeping, being always ready for the table: so likewise the following receipt for collar'd beef is of the same service. to collar beef. get the rand or flank of beef cut about a foot in length; bone it, and then mix two ounces of salt peter, with a good handful of common salt: after which, carbonade the outward skin of the beef, and rub the whole well with the salts, letting it lie for twenty-four hours in salt before you collar it; but observing to turn it twice a day, at least, whilst it is in salt. when it has lain thus to season, get some sweet-marjoram, a little winter-savoury, some red sage-leaves, and a little thyme, and shred them small; among which put an ounce of pepper ground small, half an ounce of cloves and mace beat, and a handful of salt; mix these together, and stew the mixture thick over the inside of your meat, that when it is roll'd up, it may be equally bound in with the turnings of the beef: then provide some thin slices of the same beef to lay before the first turn, that the collar may not be hollow in the middle. this must be roll'd as hard as possible, so that every part is equally press'd to each other; then get some tape about an inch wide, and bind it hard about your collar of beef, in a screw-like manner, till you have closed your collar from top to bottom as tight as can be; observing to bind the top and bottom in an extraordinary manner with strong packthread. put this in a glazed earthen pan, with as much claret as will cover it, putting over the whole some coarse paste, and send it to the oven to stand five or six hours. when it is baked enough, take out your collar, and set it upright till it be cold, and then take off the fillets, or the tape that braced it together, and keep it for use. this is cut in thin slices, and eaten with vinegar, as are most of the collar'd meats and potted meats. this example is enough for any one either to collar other meats by, only observing that such flesh as is tender, as pig and a breast of veal, must not be salted before they are collar'd, and the spice or herbs to be roll'd up with them, may be at discretion; but for the boiling or baking, the time must be in proportion to their size, or natural tenderness. it must nevertheless be observed, that they must be baked or boiled till all the gravey is out of them; for the gravey being in them, will contribute to their spoiling by growing musty, or otherways foetid. we have now flounders in good perfection, and besides the common way of dressing them, either by boiling them, as mention'd in the former months, they are also sometimes fried, and sometimes broil'd; but the following is after such a manner, as is extremely agreeable, and will preserve them good a long time. these, or other fish fry'd, are kept after the same manner: the receipt i had from a worthy gentleman, where i eat some in great perfection. pickled fish. from _aaron harrington,_ esq. let the fish be fry'd after the common manner, and when they are cold lay them in a dish, and pour on the following pickle: water and vinegar equal quantities, _jamaica_ pepper, pepper and salt, a little mace, a few bay-leaves, and some white-wine: when these have boiled together, pour the pickle on the fish while it is not too hot; these eat extremely well. trouts are now in good perfection in the south parts of our country; that is, where the weather has been favourable in the former month; and then besides the common way of boiling them we may have them potted, which will make them as valuable as potted charrs, which are a sort of trout. to pott trouts. from mrs. _r. s._ of _preston_ in _lancashire._ scale and clean your trouts very well, wash them in vinegar, and slit them down the back, after which put pepper and salt into the incision, and on their outsides, and let them lie upon a dish three hours; then lay them in an earthen glaz'd pan, with pieces of butter upon them, and put them in an oven two hours, if they are trouts fourteen inches long, or less in proportion, taking care to tie some paper close over the pan. when this is done, take away from them all the liquor, and put them in a pot, and as soon as they are quite cold, pour some clarified butter upon them to cover them: these will eat as well as potted charrs. some will take out the bone upon slitting the back, and these have been often taken for charrs; tho' i don't know above two places where the charrs are, one is a pool where a river or brook runs thro' in _lancashire,_ and the other is in a pool at _naant,_ within four miles of _caernarvon._ but the charr is of the trout kind, and it must be a good judge in fish to distinguish one from another; however, there is some small difference, which the criticks in fishing take notice of. fish may also be kept in pickle several weeks, as the jack and trout especially are agreeable varieties. this time is a proper season for making a pleasant and strong wine of _malaga_ raisins, which will keep good many years, and among the best judges of wine is much admired; it is not unlike a strong mountain wine: at this time also the raisins are very cheap. to make raisin wine. take half a hundred weight of _malaga_ raisins, pick them clean from the stalks, and chop the raisins small, then put them into a large tub, and boil ten gallons of river water, or such water as is soft, and pour it hot upon them; let this be stirr'd twice or thrice every day for twelve days successively, and then pour the liquor into a cask and make a toast of bread, and while it is hot, spread it on both sides with yeast or barm, and put it into the vessel to the wine, and it will make it ferment gently, which you may know by its making a hissing noise; during the time of working, the bung of the vessel must be left open, and as soon as that is over, stop it up close. this will be fine and fit for drinking in about four months time; but if you make twice the quantity, it should stand five or six months before you broach it: observe that you set it in a good cellar, such as i have mentioned in the month of _march_, under the article of brewing. to make fronteniac wine. the foregoing receipt must be followed in every particular, only when you put it into the vessel, add to it some of the syrup of the white fronteniac grape, which we may make in _england_, tho' the season is not favourable enough to ripen that sort of grape; for in a bad year, when the white fronteniac, or the muscadella grapes are hard and unripe, and without flavour, yet if you bake them they will take the rich flavour, which a good share of sun would have given them. you may either bake the fronteniac grapes with sugar, or boil them to make a syrup of their juice, about a quart of which syrup will be enough to put to five quarts of the raisin wine. when these have work'd together, and stood a time, as directed in the foregoing receipt, you will have a fronteniac wine of as rich a flavour as the _french_ sort, besides the pleasure of knowing that all the ingredients are wholesome. this month is the principal time for asparagus, which every one knows how to prepare in the common way; but there are some particulars relating to the fitting them for the table, which i had from a curious gentleman at _antwerp,_ which i shall here set down. to preserve asparagus. cut away all the hard part of your asparagus, and just boil them up with butter and salt, then fling them into cold water, and presently take them out again and let them drain; when they are cold, put them in a gallipot, large enough for them to lie without bending, putting to them some whole cloves; some salt, and as much vinegar and water, in equal quantities, as will cover them half an inch; then take a single linnen cloth, and let it into the pot upon the water, and pour melted butter over it, and keep them in a temperate place: when you use them, lay them to steep in warm water, and dress them as you would do fresh asparagus. it is to be noted, that in _holland,_ and most places abroad, the asparagus is always white, which is done according to a method that i have inserted in my other works; the method of bringing them to table the foreign way, is to serve them with melted butter, salt, vinegar, and nutmeg grated. the tops or heads of asparagus being broken in small pieces and boil'd, are used in soups like green pease. asparagus in cream. from the same. break the tops of your asparagus in small pieces, then blanch them a little in boiling water, or parboil them, after which put them in a stew-pan or frying-pan with butter or hog's-lard, and let them remain a little while over a brisk fire, taking care that they are not too greasy, but well drain'd; then put them in a clean stew-pan with some milk and cream, a gentle seasoning of salt and spice, with a small bunch of sweet herbs; and just when they are enough, add to them the yolks of two or three eggs beaten, with a little cream to bind your sauce. the greens, which are now fit for boiling, are sprouts of cabbages, and young cabbage-plants, which every one knows how to prepare. there is also spinage, which is best stew'd without any water, its own juice being sufficient; and we have still plenty of lupines, that is, the flowring stalks of turnips, which eat very agreeably; they should be gather'd about the length of asparagus, when the tops are knotted for flowering, and the strings in the outside of the stalks stripp'd from them; then tie them in bunches, as you do asparagus, and put them in boiling water with some salt, and let them boil three or four minutes, then lay them to drain, without pressing, and serve them to table as you would do asparagus. the same way is used in the management of brocoli. the middle of this month the cowslip is in flower, or as some call it the peigle; and now is the season to make a most pleasant wine of the flowers. this receipt is the best i have met with. to make peigle, or cowslip wine, from mrs. _e. b._ to three gallons of wine, put six pounds of fine sugar, boil these together half an hour, and as the scum rises, take it off; then set the liquor to cool, and when it is quite cold, take a spoonful of the best ale-yeast, and beat it well with three ounces of syrup of citron, or syrup of lemon; mix these very well together with the liquor; and then put into it a pound and three quarters of the yellow part of the cowflip, or peigle flowers, which must be cut from the stalks a little beforehand, but no other part must be used: let these infuse and work three days in an earthen vessel, cover'd with a cloth; then strain them, and put your liquor into a clean dry cask, and let it stand to settle three weeks or a month before you bottle it. * * * * * may. as this is the busy month in the dairy, i shall here insert the remarks i have by me concerning the making of cheeses; and in this work it is first necessary to know how to manage the rennet. the rennet is made of the calves bag, which is taken as soon as the calf is kill'd, and scour'd inside and outside with salt, after having first discharg'd it of the curd, which is always found in it; this curd must likewise be well wash'd in a cullender with water, and the hairs pick'd out of it till it becomes very white, then return the curd again into the bag, and add to it two good handfuls of salt, and shut the mouth of the bag close with a skewer, then lay the bag in an earthen-pan, and cover it close, and keep it in a dry place; this will remain fit for use twelve months. when you would use it, boil a quart of water, after you have salted it, so as to bear an egg, and letting it stand to be quite cold, pour it into the bag, and prick the bag full of very small holes, and lay it in a clean pan for use. while this rennet is fresh, a spoonful of the liquor will turn or set about sixteen or twenty gallons of milk; but as it is longer kept, it grows weaker, and must be used in greater quantity: this rennet will last good about a month. this is the _essex_ and _hertfordshire_ way. another way of preparing of rennet bags, is to take the calves bag, and wash and scour it with salt, and the curd likewise, as directed above; and then salting it very well, hang it up in the corner of a kitchen chimney, and dry it; and as soon as you want to use it, boil water and salt, as before, and fill the bag with it, making small holes in the bag, as before directed, and keeping it in a clean pan. it is to be noted, that the bag of the calf, which is the part that receives the milk, is so disposed, as to change the milk into curd, as soon as it is received into it; and the curd, which is found in it, partaking of that quality of the bag, which disposes it to harden the milk; these are therefore to be preserv'd for the same use, when we employ common milk to be made into curd: but as the calves bag is warm, when it naturally receives the milk from the cow, and it then curdles in it; so, when we want to set or turn milk, for cheese or other use, we must have the milk warm as one may guess the body of the calf was, and the milk was likewise, when the calf receiv'd it from the cow. there is great danger if the milk be too hot when the rennet is put to it, for then it sets or turns to curd very quick, and the cheese will be hard; but it is good to let the milk be of such a warmth as not to come too soon, as it is called in the dairies, but to have it of such a warmth, as to let the curd set easily, and come moderately, for the quicker the curd comes, the harder it is, and the harder the curd is, the harder is the cheese. again, we must have some regard to the pasture where our cows feed; those that feed in rank grass have more watery parts in their milk than those cows which feed on short grass: and sometimes, as i have observed before, in my other works, the cows feed upon crow garlick, or the alliaria, or sauce alone, or jack in the hedge, or goose-grass, or clivers, or rennet wort, and their milk will either be ill tasted, or else turn or curd of itself, altho' the cow has had a due time after calving; and if the goose-grass or clivers happen to be the occasion of the turning of the milk, then a less quantity of rennet should be used: for the only use of rennet is to fix the milk, and turn it to curd, and if already there is near an equivalent for rennet in the milk, by the cow's eating such herbs, then a little of it will do. but as i have observ'd above, where cattle feed upon long rank grass, the milk is watery, and does not contain two thirds of the cream, or richness that there is in the same quantity of milk from cows fed upon short fine grass: so that if one was to make cheese, one would chuse the milk of cows that fed upon the purest fine grass. here the milk would be rich, and if the rennet is good and well proportion'd, the cheese will be so too. it is to be observ'd likewise, that when cows feed upon such weeds as i have mention'd, i mean the clivers, which turn their milk, the curd is always hard and scatter'd, and never comes into a body, as the pure milk will do that is set with rennet, and consequently the cheese will be hard. there is one thing likewise to be taken notice of, with regard to the rennet, that as the bag, of which it is made, happens to be good, so is the rennet good in proportion. i mean the bag is good when the milk of the cow, that suckled the calf, is good; for the goodness of the feed of the cow does not only dispose the body of the calf to produce a gentleness or softness in the acid, which promotes the curdling of the milk, when it is received into the body of the calf, but makes the rennet more tender to the setting of the cheese-curd, and so the cheese will consequently be the better for it: and i judge that one reason why the _suffolk_ cheese is so much noted for its hardness, is on account of the badness of the rennet, tho' it is certain, that the worst cheeses of that country are made of skim-milk; however, the nature of the milk is such, according to my observation, that it makes very rich butter, but the cream rises on it so quickly, and so substantially, that it leaves no fatness or richness in the other part, which we call the skim-milk, but that remains little better than water: so that 'tis no wonder in this case, and thro' the rank feed of the cows, that the cheeses of those parts are not good. i think however the cheese of _suffolk_ might be help'd in a good measure, if the farmers there were to have their rennet bags from places where the grass was short and fine; for i guess then, from the above reasoning, that the curd would be of a more tender nature, or not of so binding a quality as it now is, and the cheese consequently would be the better. but besides the goodness of the milk and the rennet, if a cheese is over press'd, it will be hard and unpleasant; but it is to be remark'd, that all cheeses that are hard press'd will keep longer than those that are gently press'd, and bear transporting thro' the hottest climates, which the more tender-made cheeses will not without corrupting, unless they are put into oil. there is one thing which i may observe particularly, relating to the rennet bag; which is, that the calf should suck it full about an hour before it is kill'd, that there may be more and fresher curd in it; tho' in the killing of calves it is a rule to let the calf fast some time before killing, which we are told contributes to the whiteness of the flesh. again, it would be an advantage in the making of cheese to have your cattle all of one sort, and to feed all upon the same sort of pasture; for when it happens to be otherwise, the cheeses are apt to decay, from the different tempers of the milk; but let our milk be what it will, be careful of the former method prescribed, _i.e._ to break the curd by gentle degrees, and as equally as possible every where: the little pains extraordinary will be paid in the goodness of the cheese, for then it will not be full of eyes or hollows, and will sell the better. but besides the way of preparing the rennet, as i have here set down, it is practised to make an artificial rennet, which will do very well for making of cheese; and that is, to boil the cliver, or as some call it goose-grass, or others rennet-wort, in water, and you may add some tops of sweet bryar; about a spoonful of which decoction, or boiled liquor, will turn a pail-full of milk, of about five gallons, without any other help; but in the preparation of this, as well as the other, for the improvement of the cheeses, in giving them rich flavours, it is adviseable to insert, while we are boiling the waters for them, either some of such sweet herbs as we like, or such spices as we most covet the taste of. as for the famous _stilton_ cheese, which i have already published the receipt of, we are to make the rennet strong of mace, by boiling the mace in the salt and water, for without that is done, the cheese will not have the true relish that the first famous _stilton_ cheeses had; and without the people of _stilton_ keep up the antient way of making it, agreeable to the old receipt, they must of necessity lose the reputation they have gain'd by their cheeses. i shall not pretend to affirm why the cheeses now in that town are not generally so good as they were formerly; but perhaps it is because some of the cheese-sellers there depend upon the reputation of the first cheeses, and now buy cheeses from other parts, where nothing of the true receipt is known but the figure. however, it would be injustice in me if i did not take notice, that the master of the _blue-bell inn_ in _stilton_ provided me with one that was excellent in its way, and yearly furnishes as many customers with them as give him timely notice: but as these cheeses require time in the dairy, before they are fit for eating, and the season of making them is in the bloom of the year, so it is necessary to speak for them betimes, to have them to one's mind. i shall not give the receipt of it at this time, as it has already fallen into a good number of hands with my former pieces, and has been thought good enough to have been copied from me, with many other articles, and published by mr. _lawrence._ i shall proceed therefore to give the receipts for making of some other kinds of cheeses, which yet have not appear'd in the world, which i have collected from some of the best dairies in _england._ the following is the famous _buckingham_ cheese, which i had from mr. _foord,_ a very curious gentleman of that place. to make _buckingham_ cheese. from mr. _foord_ of that place. prepare a cheese vat or cheese mote of a square figure, six inches over, and nine inches deep, full of small holes for the convenience of letting out the whey when the curd is put into it: then take the night's cream, and mix it with the morning's milk, and put the rennet to it to cool. when the curd is come, take it gently from the whey, and fill the cheese vat with it, and lay a board up on the curd, and as that sinks, fill up the cheese vat with fresh curds; this should be done once every hour till night. the next day turn your cheese upside down, and continue turning it every night and morning till it shrinks from the vat or cheese mote, and is stiff enough to take out without breaking, and then lay it upon the shelf to be turn'd, and shift it night and morning till 'tis dry for use. this mr. _foord_ tells me is the best sort of cheese he has met with in _england._ the following i have experienced to be an extraordinary cheese; in some places 'tis call'd the golden cheese, and in others the marygold cheese, which it is properly. the juice of the marygolds adds a very great richness to the milk, and contributes almost as much to it as cream would do. the following is the receipt to make it. to make marygold cheese. gather your marygold flowers in a dry day, and pick the golden-colour'd leaves from them, (these we call the petals of the flowers:) as soon as you have pick'd a sufficient quantity of these leaves for your use, bruise them in a mortar, or grind them, if you have conveniency, and strain out the juice; this juice, when you put the rennet to the milk, must be put into the milk, and stirr'd into it. the milk must then be set, and as soon as the curd is come, break it gently, and as equally as possible, and put it into the cheese vat, and press it with a gentle weight, letting the bottom part of the vat have such a number of holes in it, as will let out the whey easily, or else a spout to carry off the whey; but the holes are much better than the spout. this cheese, which is made in a cloth, must be used like other cheeses made after that manner. as for the making of sage-cheese, the following is the best way that i have met with, and therefore i think the receipt may be useful to the publick. to make a plain sage-cheese. gather the young tops of red sage, and bruise them in a mortar till you can press the juice from them; then take leaves of spinach or spinage, and bruise them likewise, and press out the juice to mix with the sage juice; for the sage juice of it self is not of a pleasant green colour, and the spinach juice is added to it to render it more bright to the sight; it also serves to take off the bitterness of the sage. when this juice is prepared, put your rennet to the milk, and, at the same time, mix as much of your sage and spinach juice with it, as will give the milk the green colour you desire. if you would have it strong of the sage, you must have the greater share of sage juice; or weaker of the sage, the greater share of spinach juice. when the curd is come, break the curd gently, and when it is all equally broken, put it into the vat or cheese mote, and press it gently: remember that the equal and due breaking of the curd will keep your cheese from having hollows or eyes in it, and the gentle pressing of cheese will make it eat tender and mellow. this, as well as the marygold cheese, must be salted, when it has been press'd about eight hours. to make sage-cheese in figures. those that are willing to have figur'd cheeses, such cheeses as are partly green and partly otherwise, must take the following method. provide two cheese vats of the same bigness, and set your milk in two different vessels; one part with plain rennet only, and the other with rennet and sage juice, as directed in the above receipt; make these as you would do two distinct cheeses, and put them into the presses at the same time. when each of these cheeses has been prest half an hour, take them out and cut some square pieces, or long slips, quite out of the plain cheese, and lay them by upon a plate; then cut as many pieces out of the sage cheese, of the same size and figure of those that were cut out of the plain cheese, and presently put the pieces of the sage cheese into the holes that were cut in the plain cheese, and the pieces cutout of the plain cheese into the holes of the sage cheese, contriving to make them fit exactly: for this use some have tin plate, made into figures of several shapes, with which they cut out the pieces of their cheeses so exactly, that they fit without trouble. when this is done, return them to the presses, and treat them like common cheeses, so will you have one cheese sage, with white or plain figures in it, and the other a white cheese, with green figures in it. in the making of these cheeses you must particularly observe to break your curd very equally, and press both your cheeses as equally as possible before you cut out the figures; for else when they come to be press'd for the last time, your figures will press unequally and lose their shapes. when these cheeses are made, they must be frequently turn'd and shifted on the shelf, and often rubb'd with a coarse cloath. these cheeses may be made about two inches thick, for if they are thicker, it will be more difficult to make the figures regular; these will be fit to eat in about eight months. to make cheese in imitation of _cheshire_ cheese. when your milk is set, and the curd is come, it must not be broken with a dish, as is usual in the making of other cheeses, but drawn together by the hands to one side of the vessel, gently and regularly broken; for if it is roughly press'd, a great deal of the richness of the milk will go into the whey. as you thus gather your curd, put it into the vat or cheese mote till it is full, then press it and turn it often, salting it at several times. it is to be noted, that the cheeses should be six or eight inches thick, and will be fit to eat in a year; they must be frequently turn'd and shifted upon the shelf, and rubb'd often with a dry coarse cloath, and at the year's end may have a hole bored in the middle, so as to contain a quarter pint of sack, which must be pour'd into it, and then the hole stopp'd close with some of the same cheese, and the cheese set in a wine cellar for six months to mellow; at the end of which time, the sack will be all lost, and the hole will be in a manner clos'd up. to make cheese in imitation of those made in _gloucestershire._ these cheeses are to be about two inches thick, and the vats or cheese motes must be provided accordingly; set your milk as directed in the former receipts, and breaking it as equally and tenderly as possible, put it in a cloth into the vat, and set it in the press for an hour; then take it out of the press, and cut it in small pieces, as big as nutmegs, into a pan of scalding water, taking them again soon out of the water, and sprinkle them with salt at your pleasure, and return them again to the vat or cheese mote, and keep them in the press till the next morning, and after that turn them and wipe them often, till they come to be very dry; or else when you have let one of these cheeses press about two hours, salt it on the upper side, and turn it at night, and salt the side that lies uppermost, to lie in the press till morning; but the first way of cutting and salting it is much the best. these cheeses will be fit to cut when they have been made eight months; it is to be observ'd, that if we salt them in the manner first mention'd, that is, by cutting the cheese, such cheeses will be smooth-coated. to make slip-coat cheese, which is the thin summer cheese, call'd in _london_ cream cheese. from the farm call'd the _vaises_ in _essex._ take six quarts of new milk, and a pint of cream, put it together with a spoonful of rennet just warm, and let it stand till the curd is come; then lay a cloath in your cheese vat, and with a skimming-dish cut out the curd, and lay it in the vat till it is full, turning your cheese-cloath over it; and as the curd settles, lay more on, till you have laid on all. when the whey is drain'd out, turn the cheese into a dry cloath, and then lay a weight of a pound upon it; at night turn it into another dry cloath, and the next morning salt it a little, then make a bed of nettles or ash-leaves to lay it on, and cover it with the same, shifting them twice a day, till the cheese is fit to eat, which will be in about ten days. this cheese is approved to be the best of the kind in the whole country, and may be made all the summer. it is to be observ'd, that if in any sort of cheese, which is here mentioned, there is not a strength or briskness of taste agreeable to every palate, it may be strengthned, by putting either spice into the rennet bag, as pepper, or mace, or cloves, which will make the rennet very strong, and the cheese of consequence more sharp to the palate; or else add the juices of strong sweet herbs to the milk, when the rennet is put in: the juice of marygolds especially helps the richness of the milk, or cheese. the mace in good quantity put into the rennet will give the cheese a most agreeable warmth. as for the antipathy which some people bear to cheese, i judge that it must proceed from the first impression made from the nurse that suckles children, or from the first cow's milk that is given them: for as the stomach is the first part which the nourishment is received into; so, as that nourishment is at first favourably receiv'd into the stomach, so the tone of the stomach will ever remain afterwards, unless it could be so clear'd from the first impression by such a tryal as human nature can hardly bear. i guess too, that from this prejudice in the stomach proceeds the aversion which some people have to the smell of cheese; and if i may go a little farther this way, i suppose that the dislike to cats, and the antipathy some people bear to them, is from frights which the mothers have receiv'd from them during their pregnancy: concerning which last particular, i have offer'd my sentiments in the article of the longing of women, in my _philosophical account of the works of nature_. but as for the other things, which some people bear an aversion to, as the mutton of black sheep, or a breast of mutton, _&c._ they depend upon the loathing of the stomach, from the first impression. what i have remark'd here, concerning the preparing and softning of the quality of the rennet bag, is in part a reason for the first good or bad impression that may be made upon mankind with regard to cheese; and i think the following relation, which i had from a noble peer, from whom i have learnt many curious and useful things, tending to the good of my country, will be acceptable to the world. some gentlemen that had been hunting, and were led by their sport to a retir'd part of the country, where they found only a cottage to refresh themselves in, were forc'd to take up with bread and cheese; there was nothing else to be had, and they had craving stomachs: but one of the company was so unfortunate as to have an aversion to cheese, and could never bear either the taste or smell of it; however, at this time feeing how heartily it was eaten by his companions, and being very hungry, he resolved to venture upon it, and eat heartily of it; but about an hour after was taken so very ill with purging and vomiting, that in a short time his life was despair'd of. he had the advice of the best physicians, but no medicine took place, and he was given over, after he had lain in that condition a week; however, at length the distemper went off, and by degrees he get strength enough to go homeward, and in his way happening to stop at an inn, where there stood a waggon load of _cheshire_ cheeses, he found that he had a strong appetite to eat some of that sort, and had one cut on purpose, and eat heartily of it, without suffering the least inconvenience, and has ever since been a great lover of cheese. so that there is an example of getting over this aversion; but considering the difficulty he went thro', it shews the danger of such an attempt: nothing less than the violent scouring he underwent could have chang'd the first impression made in his stomach. but thus far of cheese. it is necessary, in the next place, to say something of butter, and how far that may be mended in many parts of _england_, as well for private as for more general use. in the first place it is to be remark'd, that some grounds will never produce good butter, and others will not produce good cheese, tho' there is the best management in the dairy. again, there is one sort of cattle, which tho' we feed them in the finest grass, and best pasture, will never yield a rich milk; while on the other hand, there are some sorts of cattle which will yield a rich milk for butter in any pasture: tho', as i have observ'd before, the milk and butter will be ill tasted if the cows fed upon crow-garlick, alliaria, or saxifrage. what i have said of this, with regard to the making of cheese, must here be consider'd; that is, if the cows feed upon short fine grass, there will be more cream in the milk than if they feed upon long rank grass. indeed the long rank grass will give more milk than the short, but less butter, and worse into the bargain. again, the milk of one cow shall give richer and better butter than the milk of others, tho' they all feed on the same pasture, even so that the milk of one cow will cover or enrich the butter made from nine or ten other cows; her milk will make butter of a rich yellow colour, full of fatness, and the others will only produce a pale, lean butter, but all together will be good: i know several instances of this, and every one who is skilful in a dairy may observe it. i have already treated largely concerning this particular, in my works of husbandry, and i shall therefore proceed to speak of the management of milk in the dairy for making butter; for i am very sensible, that many farmers might have twice the benefit from their dairies, if the articles of butter and cheese were consider'd in a rational way, and the old custom could be broke through; and moreover, if the best rules for managing of the dairy were known, and put in practice, the whole country would be the better for it, every one might enjoy the benefit of good things: whereas for want of knowledge among some farmers, their goods are of small value, and the people are also disatisfied. in many parts of _england_, it is common to set milk in brass pans, and that gives an ill taste to the milk; and again, there is a custom of setting the cream in brass-kettles over the fire, and as it warms to stroak the butter as it rises to the edge of the kettle: this way is very bad for butter, for the warm brass assuredly will spoil the taste of the cream, and it is often smoak'd. the surest way is to set the milk in glaz'd earthen pans or in leaden pans, but the earthen pans are preferable. it should be particularly observ'd, that the dairy be kept cool, for that in hot weather contributes greatly to the advantage of the butter: i have known some that have had streams of water running thro' them, and at the same places, instead of glass windows, there have been no lights at all to them but thro' wyer, and shutters to them, to open or close as the sun chang'd its course. the thatching of the dairy is much cooler also than tyling; and whatever will contribute to keep off the sun, should be practis'd. there are yet in some places in _england_ some farmers that do not know the use of the churn; however, it is certain, that there is no better way of making butter than by that means, or something equivalent to it; that is, by beating the cream, so that the oily, or fat parts separate from the watery parts, in the most constant and gentle way that is possible, for to use this beating of the cream too violently, will make the butter like grease; whereas a gentle beating of the cream will render it more firm or stiff: and besides, when the cream is beat with too much hurry, the butter will ferment, and presently change to be of a bad taste; but if it be gently beat or churn'd, it will be firm, and will be fit for keeping. again, it must be observ'd, that as the beating or churning of cream, to bring it to butter, is only to separate the oily from the watery parts of the cream, so when once you begin to churn, or beat the cream, you must continue to churn or beat it in the most constant manner you can, till the butter is made: for if you had perhaps beat the cream within three or four minutes of its becoming butter, if you leave off the work but a minute, the oily and watery parts will return to one another, and will require as much labour as before to separate them: it is like oil and vinegar that have been mix'd by labour, and then let alone for a minute or two, they will divide and separate from one another, as much as if they had never been mix'd; but the beating of it too violently, will make the butter oily, as observ'd before. as for the figure of our common churn, i shall not give a draught of it, because such as are unacquainted with it may understand it much better by seeing a model of it, which may be had at any toy-shop in _london_; nay, the very beating of cream with a spoon, in a small bowl, will bring it to butter; but it must be beat regularly. in the great dairies in _holland_, where one farmer keeps four or five hundred cows, the cream is put into a large well, lined with lead, and a large beam set with cross bars is turn'd in the cream by a horse; but the violence of the motion makes the butter rather like oil than butter; and the consequence is, that it will not keep long, and as i have heard say, will not melt well, like the butter that is made by more gentle means. where a gentle way is used in making butter, it will cut like wax, and it should especially be well wrought with the hands, when it is fresh, taken from the churn and salted for common use; for if the milk be not well work'd out of it, the butter will not keep. however, if butter begins to decay in goodness, or change to an ill taste, let it be work'd well, and wash'd with water, and it will come to itself, and will bear salting and potting as well as fresh butter; but always observe not to put up butters of several sorts into the same pot or vessel, but chuse that of the same dairy, and of the same making, if possible. one of the most curious women i have met with in this way, is mrs. _cowen,_ a shopkeeper at _newport pond_ in _essex,_ who pots great quantities every year; there are undoubtedly many others who are very good in this way, but as i do not know them, therefore i may be excus'd if i mention her in particular. again, butter that was good originally, and well potted, may be wash'd and beaten in the winter, so as to be made more sweet and palatable than fresh butter, made in many places, at that time of the year; and this is frequently practiced about _london,_ where the workers of it get more than twice the first price of the butter, by their care and labour. before i conclude this article, it may be necessary to observe, that the best managers of the dairy frequently fill up their churns with cold water, before they put in the cream to churn, in the heat of the summer, for fear of over-heating the butter in the making, and in the winter heat their churns with warm water before they use them, but the over-heating of the churns spoils the butter; she best way is to set the bottom of the churn in warm water, when you churn in cold weather, to save trouble. i shall now proceed to say something of preparing cordial waters; for this month gives us a vast variety of herbs in full perfection, and in the most proper condition for the use of the shops, whether for drying, infusing, distilling, _&c._ in the first place, all herbs design'd to be dried, must be gather'd in dry weather, and laid in some room, or cover'd place, to dry in the shade, to be afterwards used for infusion or distillation, for which business the dried herbs are as useful as the green herbs, if they be such as are aromatick, _viz._ thyme, sweet marjoram, savory, hysop, sage, mint, rosemary, the leaves of the bay-tree, the tops of juniper, gill, or ground ivy, and such like: the infusions, or spirits, drawn from dried herbs are more free from the earthy and watery parts, than the infusions, or spirits drawn from green herbs. i observe, that in making such infusions as teas of dried herbs, the best way is to pour boiling water upon them, and in half a minute, at most, pour out the water again from the herbs, if we have them in small quantities, as we do sage tea, or other tea; such tea will then be of a fine green colour, and full of spirit: but if the herbs stand longer with water upon them, the water will change of a brownish colour, will lose the fine flavour of the herb, and become ill-tasted; so that in the making of sage tea, for example, pour on your boiling water, and when it has been half a minute upon the sage-leaves, pour it off and fling away the leaves; for if you pour more water upon them, you must expect your tea of a dark colour and ill tasted: therefore have fresh sage to every fresh quantity of water. and the same method should be used in the making of all kinds of teas, to make them palatable and more wholesome. but when i speak of teas having good qualities in them, i must not be understood to mean any of the foreign teas, such as green, and bohea teas, _&c._ for i have had experience enough in them to know that they are injurious to the body, of which i shall say more in a treatise by it self. what i mention here, is only with regard to the infusing of herbs in the tea manner; but there are infusions of herbs in spirits: here the spirit that the herbs are put into, must be cold, or used without any fire at all, and the herbs in this case may be used either green or dry; here they may stand several days before the spirit that they are infus'd in be drawn off, as the following cordial, call'd surfeit water, may serve to instance. to make red surfeit-water. from mrs. _b._ to three gallons of brandy, put the flower leaves of a bushel of red poppies, one pound of raisins of the sun stoned, a large stick of liquorice sliced, a quarter pound of caraway-seeds bruised, a large handful of angelica, sweet marjoram, red sage, dragon's mint, and baulm, of each a handful; let all these be cover'd close in a glass, or glaz'd earthen vessel, and stand to infuse or steep in the brandy for nine days, keeping it, during that time, in a cellar; then strain it off upon a pound and half of loaf-sugar, and put it into bottles. this is a good cordial, if used only when occasion requires. in this month, orange-flowers are in the greatest plenty; about half a pound of them put into a gallon of brandy, with a quarter pound of orange-peel, and half a pound of double refin'd loaf-sugar, makes a very agreeable cordial: we may let these ingredients infuse in the brandy nine or ten days before we pour the brandy from them. some chuse rather to put the sugar to the brandy after it is pour'd from the orange-flowers. as for the distilling part, we have already several books which treat largely of that business, both with respect to the management of what is call'd the cold still, and the alembick, to which i shall refer: but in this place i shall only take notice, that whereas several kinds of distill'd waters are drawn from many herbs, which do not appear all the year about; so if one has not an opportunity of collecting all our herbs together, just when we want them, we may yet distil those we can get at one time, and make another distillation of those we collect at another time, and so mix both spirits or waters together: for example, in those cordial waters where the ros solis, or rosa solis is used, which is an herb not always to be found, and will not keep above a day or two after 'tis gather'd, this i say may be distill'd by itself, and kept to use with other waters at pleasure; putting of this such a proportion as would have been produced from the quantity directed, of the plant, in the receipt, if it had been distill'd with the other herbs: and so of any other herb that is hard to come by. this herb, however, i may inform my reader, grows in bogs, and when we find it we may preserve it artificially, by either planting it immediately in other boggy places, or else in artificial bogs, made of earth and water in tubs, or earthen pots, made without holes at the bottom. this season affords us great variety of necessaries for food, in the farm and garden; the pond fish, as pike or jack, carp, tench, and perch, as well as eels are in season, and may be prepared for the table, as directed in _march;_ there are likewise green geese, young ducks, chickens, pigeons, and rabbits in the artificial warren; and in the garden, spinage and cabbage-lettuce to boil, some forward pease and beans, asparagus, artichokes, the first cabbages, and caulyflowers, cucumbers for stewing and in raw sallads: however, in this season all raw sallads should yet partake of some warm herbs, as i have directed in my _new improvement of planting and gardening._ the method which i most approve of for dressing a sallad, is, after we have duly proportion'd the herbs, to take two thirds oil olive, one third true vinegar, some hard eggs cut small, both the whites and yolks, a little salt and some mustard, all which must be well mix'd and pour'd over the sallad, having first cut the large herbs, such as sallery, endive, or cabbage-lettuce, but none of the small ones: then mix all these well together, that it may be ready just when you want to use it, for the oil will make it presently soften, and lose its briskness. onions should always be kept in reserve, because it is not every one that like their relish, nor is oil agreeable to every one; but where oil is not liked, the yolks of hard eggs, bruis'd and mix'd with the vinegar, may be used as above. the difficulty of getting good oil in _england,_ is, i suppose, the reason why every one does not admire it; for i was once of opinion i could never like it: but when i was once persuaded to taste such as was of the best sort, i could never after like a sallad without it. the best oil that i have met with in _england,_ is at _mr. crosse's,_ a _genouese_ merchant, at the _genouese arms_ in _katherine-street,_ in the _strand, london._ as for the ordering of the above animals and vegetables for the table, we may find directions in this work. in this month gather elder-flowers when they are dry, and pick them from the stalks; let them dry in the shade, and then put an ounce to each quart of white-wine vinegar, to stand in the vinegar for two months, then pour the vinegar from them for use. about the end of this month is a proper time to make sage-wine, which is a very pleasant one, and i think worthy a place among the best receipts. to make sage-wine. from mrs. _e. b._ to three gallons of water put six pounds of sugar, boil these together, and as the scum rises take it off, and when it is well boiled put it in a tub boiling hot, in which there is already a gallon of red sage leaves clean pick'd and wash'd; when the liquor is near cold, put in the juice of four large lemons, beaten well with a little ale yeast, mix these all well together, and cover it very close from the air, and let it stand forty eight hours; then strain all thro' a fine hair-sieve, and put it into a vessel that will but just hold it, and when it has done working, slop it down close, and let it stand three weeks or a month before you bottle it, putting a lump of loaf-sugar into every bottle. this wine is best when it is three months old. after this manner you may make wine of any other herb or flower. * * * * * june. this month is a proper season for making several sorts of wine, whether it be that of goosberries, currants, cherries, apricots, or rasberries, all which are very agreeable and worth the trouble; the expence, where these fruits are growing, being very inconsiderable. the following receipts are approved to be very excellent. preliminaries to the making of goosberry-wine. goosberry-wine is one of the richest and strongest wines made in _england_, it will keep many years, and improve by keeping, if it be well made; and is not, in my opinion, inferior to mountain _malaga_. to make this wine, we must have regard to the sort of goosberry we design to use, for there is a great deal of difference in the time of one sort's ripening and another: the earliest ripe are the champaign, the green, the black, and red hairy goosberries, every one of which has a flavour distinct from the other sorts, and so will yield each of them a wine of as different a relish from the rest, as one may expect to find among the several varieties of the _french_ growth. the most forward of these kinds about _london_ ripen early in this month, if the season be good; but the later forts are not generally ripe till the end of the month, or in _july._ the later sorts are commonly the white dutch, the amber, and the walnut-goosberries, each of which has likewise a different fort of taste: of the amber especially i have known an excellent wine to be made. again, we must consider, that as to the time of their ripening, the diversity of situations will forward or retard them a fortnight or three weeks; and beside, as we have observed above, every season is not alike, and we must have regard also to the difference of climate, one part of _britain_ is three weeks sooner or later than another: and when i say in any one of my kalendars, or monthly directories, that any particular fruit is ripe, or any particular thing is to be done in such a month, it must be understood that it is generally so, but will vary now and then, as the season is more or less forward. there is likewise another thing to be consder'd relating to the ripeness of fruits, and that is, the different opinions or tastes of mankind; some call them ripe when they just begin to turn: but what i mean by ripeness, is, when a fruit is as tender as it can be, and possessing its highest flavour: and by those fruits which i call half ripe, i mean such as have their inward juices sweet, and their outward parts a little hard and sour. in this state should the goosberry be gather'd for making of wine, see the following receipt. to make goosberry-wine. gather your goosberries in dry weather, when they are half ripe, as i have explained in the above preliminaries, pick them and bruise them in a tub, with a wooden mallet, or other such like instrument, for no metal is proper; then take about the quantity of a peck of the bruised goosberries, put them into a bag made of horse-hair, and press them as much as possible, without breaking the kernels: repeat this work till all your goosberries are press'd, and adding to this press'd juice, the other which you will find in the tub, add to every gallon three pounds of powder sugar, for _lisbon_ sugar will give the wine a taste which may be disagreeable to some people, and besides it will sweeten much more than the dry powder sugar; stir this together till the sugar is dissolved, and then put it in a vessel or cask, which must be quite fill'd with it. if the vessel holds about ten or twelve gallons, it must stand a fortnight or three weeks; or if about twenty gallons, then about four or five weeks, to settle, in a cool place: then draw off the wine from the lee, and after you have discharg'd the vessel from the lees, return the clear liquor again into the vessel, and let it stand three months, if the cask is about ten gallons; or between four and five months, if it be twenty gallons, and then bottle it off. we must note, that a small cask of any liquor is always sooner ripe and fit for drinking than the liquor of a larger cask will be; but a small body of liquor will sooner change sour, than that which is in a larger cask. the wine, if it is truly prepared, according to the above directions, will improve every year, and last several years. preliminaries to the making of currant wine. it is to be noted, that tho' there are two sorts of currants, which may be used for making of wine, that is, the red and the white; yet the taste and goodness will be the same, whether 'tis made of the white or the red, for they have both the same qualities, except in the colour. observe also, that the fruit be gather'd in a dry time, and that if you make a large quantity, it must stand longer in the vessel, before bottling, than a small quantity. to make currant wine. when your currants are full ripe, gather them, and pick them from the stalks and weigh them, in order to proportion your water and sugar to them. when this is done, bruise them to pieces with your hands, and add to every three pounds of currants a quart of water, stirring all together, and letting it stand three hours, at the end of which time, strain it off gently thro' a sieve, and put your sugar into your liquor, after the rate of a pound to every three pounds of currants. this sugar should be powder sugar, for _lisbon_ sugar would give the wine an ill taste. stir this well together, and boil it till you have taken off all the scum, which will rise plentifully; set it then to cool, at least sixteen hours, before you put it into the vessel. if you make the quantity of twenty gallons, it may stand in the vessel three weeks before it will be fit for bottling; and if you make thirty gallons, then it must stand a month before it be bottled off, observing then to put a small lump of sugar into every bottle; it must be kept in a cool place, to prevent its fretting. by this method it will keep good many years, and be a very strong and pleasant wine, at a very cheap rate. it is necessary to observe, that the same sort of currant is not always of the same sweetness when it is ripe, those growing in the shade will be less sweet than those that are more exposed to the sun. and when the summer happens to be wet and cold, they will not be so sweet as in a dry warm season; therefore tho' the standard of the above receipt be one pound of sugar to three pounds of pick'd currants, yet the palate of the person who makes the wine should be the regulator, when the sugar is put to the juice, considering at the same time, that it is a wine they are making, and not a syrup. the sugar is only put to soften and preserve the juice, and too much will make the wine ropey. this season is proper for making cherry wine, the _kentish_ and _flemish_ cherries being now full ripe, which are much the best for this purposes: this is a very pleasant strong wine. to make cherry wine. gather your cherries in dry weather, when they are full ripe, pick them from the stalks, and bruise them well with your hands till they are all broken; then put them into a hair bag, and press them till you have as much liquor from them as will run without breaking the stones. to every gallon of this juice, put one pound of powder sugar, and having stirr'd it well together, boil it and scum it as long as any scum will rise; then set it in a cool place till it is quite cold, and put it into your vessel, when it will presently begin to work. when the working is over, slop the vessel close, and let it stand four months; if it holds the quantity of twenty gallons, or more or less, as the quantity happens to be, then bottle it off, putting a lump of loaf-sugar into each bottle. it will keep two or three years, if it be set in a cool place. i have now done with the wines that are to be made in this month: i shall in the next place set down the method of keeping or preserving fruits for tarts all the year about, as i had it from a very curious person, in whose house i have seen it practised with extraordinary success. the fruits which are chiefly to be put up this month, are goosberries, currants and cherries. to preserve fruits for tarts all the year. the goosberries must be full grown, but not ripe, they must be gather'd in dry weather, and pick'd clean of their stalks and tops; then put them into quart bottles, that are made on purpose, with large wide necks, and cork them gently with new sound corks, and put them into an oven after the bread is drawn, letting them stand there till they have shrunk about a fourth part; observing to change them now and then, because those which you set at the further part of the oven, will be soonest done. when you find them enough, according to the above direction, take them out, and immediately beat the corks in as tight as you can, and cut the tops off even with the bottles, and pitch them over; you must then set your bottles by, in a dry place. i have tasted of fruits done this way, that have made as good tarts at the year's end, as those that were fresh gather'd: the only difference between the preserving goosberries and currants, is, that the currants must be full ripe when we put them into the bottles, and so likewise the cherries. there is another way of putting up fruits for this use, which is, by half preserving them with sugar, _i.e._ half a pound of sugar to every pound of fruit. apricots especially, when they are near ripe, make excellent tarts; being split and pared from the skin, and boiled in a syrup, they will keep the year round, as an ingenious lady has told me. it is also to be remark'd, that ripe goosberries make very fine tarts. the beginning of this month, when the goosberries are full grown, but not ripe, is the right season for preserving of them in sweet-meat: the white _dutch_ goosberry is the best for this use. so likewise if you have plenty of _kentish_ cherries, pick some of them from the stalks, and lay the cherries upon a fine wire sieve, and dry them in an oven; when they are dried enough, and quite cold, put them in an earthen glazed jar, and stop them up close: these must be kept in a dry place. upon the foot of the above receipt, for preserving of fruits, i have a notion that we may preserve green pease, after the same manner, in bottles, that i have mention'd for the preserving of goosberries, currants, _&c._ so that they will eat tender and well tasted at _christmas:_ it is well worth the tryal, seeing that a bottle or two cannot be any great expence, and that pease are acceptable almost to every one. this i have persuaded some of my acquaintance to try, but particularly a very curious person in such matters, who tells me, that provided this method answers what we aim at, he supposes they will be the most agreeable, either to be boiled with cream, or stew'd in gravey, after the _french_ manner, for it is a dispute with him, whether they will hold their green colour; but, as i observ'd before, it may be try'd at an easy expence. the beginning of this month is the time to pickle walnuts, for then the walnuts have not began to shell, and moreover are not so bitter nor hollow as they will be afterwards; they will now be full flesh'd, and you will have no loss. the following method i learnt from mr. _foord,_ a curious gentleman of _buckingham,_ and has been experienced to be the best way. there is one thing indeed which must be regarded in this pickle, which is, that every one does not love the taste of onion or garlick; but that may be omitted as we please, only supplying the place with ginger. to pickle walnuts. the walnuts being fit for pickling, wash them, and put them into a kettle to scald; then with a piece of flannel rub off the outer skin, and let them lie till they are quite cold, after which put them into a vessel of salt and water, and let them stand hours; then take them out, and put them again into fresh salt and water for hours more; then shift them as before, and continue this practice for fourteen days, at the end of which time wipe them dry, and lay them in a glazed earthen pot, _stratum super stratum,_ with spice, whole mustard-seed, horse-radish slic'd, and garlick, or eschalots: that is to say, make a layer of walnuts, and strew over it whole pepper, ginger slic'd, horse-radish slic'd, some whole mustard-seed, and three or four cloves of garlick; or if garlick be too strong, as many cloves of shalots. then lay upon these another layer of walnuts, and upon them the roots and spices as before, and so continue till your pot is full; then pour over the whole, as much boiling vinegar as will cover them, and immediately cover the pot close, and let it stand till the next day, when we may again pour off the vinegar from them, without disturbing them; and making it again boiling hot, pour it upon them, and stop them close, as before, to be set by for use. but these will not be fit for eating under three weeks or a month, and will be much better by keeping a few months. this month is a proper time to make syrup of clove-julyflowers, and likewise to make julyflower wine, which is a very rich liquor, and may be made in the best manner, by the following receipt from mrs. b. b. to make julyflower wine. take nine gallons of water, and twenty four pounds of sugar, boil these on a gentle fire till one gallon is lost, or evaporated, taking off the scum as it rises. then having prepared a bushel of clove julyflowers, the red flower leaves only, pour the liquor scalding hot upon them, and cover them close till the next day, then pressing them with a screw-press. when this is done, bake a piece of bread hard, without scorching, before the fire, and while it is warm, spread some ale-yeast upon it, and put it into the liquor, in an open tub, till it begins to worker ferment; the next day after which, add two quarts of sack, and one of _rhenish_ wine, and barrel it for three weeks or a month; let it then be bottled, and kept in a cool place. in this month such carp and tench are good as have not lately spawn'd; the dressing of them, and of pikes, or jacks, see in _march_. perch are now very good, the large ones for stewing, as recommended for carp, or boiled or fry'd, or else in the _dutch_ manner, call'd water soochy; which is to boil the perches with salt in the water, and parsley-roots and parsley leaves, to be brought to table in the water they are boiled in, and eaten with bread and butter. 'tis an odd way to the _english_, but is much admir'd by many genlemen who have travell'd. the garden is now very rich in eatables, as may be seen in my _gardener's kalendar_, printed for mr. _mears_. the trasopogon, or goatsbeard, is now, as well as in the former month, fit for boiling; it is in much request in some of the western parts of _england_, especially about _bristol_, as i am inform'd, where the country people call it trangompoop, or crangompoop, a corruption, as i suppose, from the true name above written: this is eaten like asparagus, and dress'd the same way, the part which is eaten is the blossomy bud a little before it would flower, with about six inches of the stalk to it. there are now chickens, pigeons, ducks, and some young wild ducks, and rabbets, which may not only make great variety at a table, to be drest after the common plain way, but may also be made into elgant dishes, after the several manners mention'd in this work, if there is an occasion to entertain particular people of fine taste. the ronceval and mooretto pease, and _windsor_ beans, are also good helps to a table: i need say nothing of their dressing; but that i am of opinion, that the _windsor_ beans, when they are blanch'd, that is, boiled long enough till we can take off their skins, and then put into large-neck'd bottles, and order'd as i have prescrib'd for the preserving of pease; by this means i suppose they may be preserv'd many months: but we may defer this experiment till the end of _september_, to be try'd upon the latter crops. near the sea we have mackrel in the height of perfection, and mullet, turbut, herrings, scate, and soles, as also lobsters and crabs; and in the rivers, salmon and trout are still good, and some cray-fish. 'tis now a proper season to put up rasp-berries, either in sweetmeat, or to infuse in brandy; but they must be gather'd dry. there are certain people who know how to mix these with _port_ wine, and imitate the richest _florence_ wine. about _midsummer_ is a proper time to put up a boar for brawn against _christmas_, or against the beginning of _december_, for then is the season it sells best, and is chiefly in request, selling at that time for twelve pence _per_ pound. for this end we should chuse an old boar, for the older he is, the more horny will the brawn be: we must provide for this use a frank, as the farmers call it, which must be built very strong to keep the boar in. the figure of the frank should be somewhat like a dog-kennel, a little longer than the boar, which we put up so close on the sides that the boar cannot turn about in it; the back of this frank must have a sliding board, to open and shut at pleasure, for the conveniency of taking away the dung, which should be done every day. when all this is very secure, and made as directed, put up your boar, and take care that he is so placed, as never to see or even hear any hogs; for if he does, he will pine away, and lose more good flesh in one day than he gets in a fortnight: he must then be fed with as many pease as he will eat, and as much skim'd milk, or flet milk, as is necessary for him. this method must be used with him till he declines his meat, or will eat very little of it, and then the pease must be left off, and he must be fed with paste made of barley meal, made into balls as big as large hen-eggs, and still the skim-milk continued, till you find him decline that likewise, at which time he will be fit to kill for brawn; the directions for making of which, with the pickle for it, see in the month of _december_. during the time he is thus feeding, great care must be taken that he has always meat before him, for neglect in this will spoil the whole design. this is the way of feeding a boar for brawn, but i cannot help thinking 'tis a little barbarous, and especially as the creature is by some people put in so close a pen, that as i hear, it cannot lie down all the while 'tis feeding; and at last, considering the expence of food, brawn is but an insipid kind of meat: however, as some are lovers of it, it is necessary to prescribe the method which should be used in the preparing it. in this month we have plenty of artichokes and it is a good season to put them up for winter use, to be used simply, or to be put in sauces, or in compound dishes; they are easily dried or pickled, to be kept, and if they are not gather'd as soon as they are in their perfection, they will lose the goodness of their hearts, or the bottoms, as some call them. in a plentiful year of them i have had a great number dried for winter use, in the following manner. concerning the gathering, and ordering artichokes for drying. in the gathering of artichokes, observe, that the leaves of what is call'd the artichoke be pointing inwards, and lie close at the top, for then the bottom will be large and full; but if you find many of the leaves of the artichoke spread from the top, then the choke, or bristly part is shot so much, that it has drawn out much of the heart of the artichoke; and as the flower comes forward, the more that grows, the thinner will be the bottom, which is the best part of it. when you cut the artichoke, cut it with a long stalk, that when you use it you may clear it well of its strings, which will else spoil the goodness of the bottom, wherein the strings will remain; to do this, lay the artichoke upon a table, and hold it down hard with one hand, while with the other hand you pull the stalk hard up and down, till it quits the artichoke, and will then pull away the strings along with it; this being done, lay the artichokes in water for an hour, and then put them into a kettle of cold water to boil, till they are tender enough to separate the leaves and the chokes from them. when this is done, lay the hearts, or bottoms upon a cullender, or some other thing, to drain conveniently; then dry them upon a wire sieve, or gridiron, in a gentle oven, by degrees, till they are as hard as wood. these will keep good twelve months if they are laid by in a dry place. when we want to use these for boiling, frying, or to accompany other meats, we must put them into warm water, often repeating it to them for eight and forty hours, by which means they will come to themselves, and be as good when they come to be scalded as if they were fresh gather'd. but they may also be preserv'd after the following manner. second way to preserve artichokes. having chosen your artichokes according to the above directions, cut the bottoms, with a sharp knife, clear of their leaves and their chokes, flinging them immediately into cold water, to prevent their turning black. when they have lain in the water for seven or eight minutes, wash them and drain them a little, and then fling them into wheat or barley flower, so that they be all over cover'd with it; after which, lay them upon wire sieves, or pieces of wicker-work to dry in an oven gently, till they are quite dry and hard: these must be kept in a dry place, and when they are to be used, steep them in water four and twenty hours, and boil them till they are tender, they will eat as well as if they were fresh cut. the artichoke may likewise be pickled in the following manner. to preserve artichokes by pickling. gather and prepare your artichokes as before, and put them into cold water to boil, with a moderate quantity of salt; then take them off the fire, and let the water stand in the kettle for a quarter of an hour, till the salt is settled to the bottom; then pour off your water clear into an earthen glazed vesel where you design to put your artichokes, and clearing them from the leaves and choaks, wash them well in two or three waters, and put them in the brine or pickle they were boiled in, when both are quite cold; upon which pour as much oil as will cover it half an inch thick, or where oil is wanting, melted butter will serve: be sure you put so much as will keep the air from the artichokes. some will add some vinegar to the water, but that is at pleasure; when this is done, cover the top of the earthen pot close with paper, and lay a board over it to keep it from any air, or else cover the pot with a wet bladder, and tie it down close. they will keep good a year, and when we want to use them, lay them to steep in cold water to take out the salt; you may shift the water three or four times, they will be the better for it, and then use them in pyes, or other compound dishes. in _holland_ i have often eaten the small suckers of artichokes fry'd, which have made an agreeable dish. the receipt for preparing them is the following. to fry small suckers of artichokes, or small artichokes. gather the young heads of artichokes, and boil them with salt and water till they are tender; these artichokes should be no bigger than middling apples; split these in four or six parts each, flower them well, and fry them crisp in hogs-lard, and eat them with butter, pepper, and a little verjuice or orange-juice. it is a common practice in _france_ to eat the small heads of artichokes raw, with vinegar, pepper, and salt; the method is to pull off the single leaves, and dip the fleshy part of the leaves into it and eat that. they are agreeably bitter, and create an appetite. this month rasberries are ripe; and as they make a most pleasant wine, i shall here give the receipt for making it. to make rasberry wine. to every quart of the juice of rasberries, put a pint of water, and to every quart of liquor a pound of fine sugar; then set it on the fire to boil half an hour, taking off the scum as it rises: then set it to cool, and when it is quite cold, put it in a vessel and let it stand ten weeks or something more if the weather prove cold; when it is settled, bottle it, and it will keep two years. altho' i have set down in this month a good experienced way of making goosberry wine, which will keep twenty years, and grow better by age; yet i cannot pass by a receipt which is highly commended for making wine of red goosberries, which i had from an acquaintance who frequently makes it. to make red goosberry wine. when the red goosberries are well colour'd and not over-ripe, but grateful to the taste, gather them in a dry day; take a peck of these, and slit them a little more than half thro' the middle, putting them into a large glazed earthen pan, with eight pounds of fine powder'd sugar strew'd over them; then boil four gallons of cyder, and pour it boiling hot upon the sugar and goosberries: this must stand eight or ten days, stirring it once each day, and at length strain it thro' a flannel in a press, and put the liquor into the vessel with a warm toast of wheat-bread, spread on both sides with ale-yeast; this must stand two or three months till it is fine, and then bottle it. this is a very strong wine, and of a bright red colour. * * * * * july. this month is the principal season for pickling of cucumbers, for that fruit is now in the greatest perfection, as well for pickling them in imitation of mango's, or as girkins. they are now to be had in great plenty, and are free from spots. the following is an extraordinary receipt for pickling of cucumbers to imitate mango's. gather large cucumbers of as green a colour as may be, wash them well in common water, and then either cut off their tops, and scoop out all the seedy part, or else cut a slice out of the side of each of them, and scrape out the seedy part with a small spoon, taking care not to mismatch the slices or tops of the cucumbers, that they may tie up the better when we come to fill them with spices, _&c_. when we have thus prepared enough to fill the jar or earthen vessel which we design for them, peel some garlick or shalots, which you like best, and put either two cloves of shalot into each cucumber, or one middling clove of garlick; and also into every one put a thin slice or two of horse-radish, a slice of ginger, and, according to custom, a tea spoonful of whole mustard-seed; but, in my opinion, that may be left out. then putting on the tops of the cucumbers, or the slices that were cut out of them, tie them close with strong thread, and place them in your jar. then prepare your pickle of vinegar, which we suppose to be about five quarts to two dozen of large cucumbers, to which put about a pound of bay-salt, half an ounce of whole pepper, about an ounce of ginger sliced, and a large root of horse-radish sliced; boil these in a brass sauce-pan for about fifteen minutes, taking off the scum as it rises, and then pour it upon your cucumbers, and cover the top of the vessel with a coarse linnen cloth four or five times double, and set the vessel near the fire to keep warm; the day following you will find them changed to a yellow colour, but that will alter in a day or two to be much greener than they were at first, if you use the following method: pour all your pickle into a brass skellet, and add to it a piece of allum as big as a walnut, and set it over the fire till it boils, then pour it on your cucumbers as before, and repeat the same every day till the cucumbers are of the greenness you desire. when you have pour'd on your pickle for the last time, the jar must be cover'd as before, but remain without corking till it is quite cold, then stop it close and set it by, in a dry place. the corks for the stopping of these jars should be cover'd with soft glove-leather, for the naked corks will make the pickles musty. see the mango's made of green melons in the month of _september_. to preserve green cucumbers for slicing in the winter, by mr. _foord_ of _buckingham._ gather cucumbers half grown, that is, before they incline to be seedy, put them in salt and water for five or six days, shifting it every day; then wipe them dry, and put them in vinegar with a little allum to green over the fire; then take out the cucumbers, and boil the pickle to pour hot upon them, covering the mouth of the jar with a coarse cloath four or five times doubled, and let the jar stand near the fire. when this pickle is quite cold, stop the jar close with a leather'd cork, as mention'd in the foregoing receipt for mango cucumbers. these cucumbers may be used in the winter to be pared and sliced like those gather'd fresh from the garden; you may cut an onion with them, and eat them with pepper, vinegar and oil. to pickle cucumbers, from mr. _foord_ of _buckingham._ gather the smallest cucumbers you can find, for it is the smallest size, which is most commonly brought to table among people of the first rank; tho' a cucumber of two inches long will do very well, or even one of three inches. these must be put in salt and water, to be shifted every day till they change to a yellow colour: wipe them dry, and prepare pickle of vinegar, a piece of allum as big as a wallnut to a gallon, or in proportion, ginger diced, mace, whole pepper, a few bay-leaves, and some dill-seed, which will do better than the herb it self. tye the seeds in a piece of muslin, that when the pickle by boiling is strong enough of the dill, you may take it out. this pickle, when it is of a right flavour, must be pour'd boiling hot upon the cucumbers, which must be laid in a stone jar or gallypot proper for them, and then cover'd with a coarse linnen cloth folded in several doubles, and let them stand near the fire: repeat the boiling of the pickle every day, pouring it hot upon the cucumbers, and covering them as before, till they become of the green colour you desire. when they are quite cold, stop them up close with a leather'd cork, as directed in the former receipt, if you use a jar, or else if you make use of a gallypot, tye them down with leather or a wet bladder. it is to be understood, that allum and boiling vinegar will strike a green colour to any unripe fruit; but care must be taken that too much allum be not used, left the stomach be offended by it. it is a custom in some places to pickle the green pods of _capsicum indicum_ with their cucumbers, which will contribute to make them much hotter or warmer to the stomach, and promote digestion in cold constitutions. but the _capsicums_ should be boiled in water gently, and wiped dry, before you put them among the cucumbers, where they must be placed before the pickle is poured upon them. kidney-beans are pickled the same way as the cucumbers, only leaving out the dill; and the dill also may be left out of the cucumber-pickle, if it is not agreeable to the palate; and so likewise in other pickles, garlick or onions, or any particular spice may be left out which is disagreeable, for it is not the business here to pin down the palate of any one to a certain relish that i may like my self, but to put it in the power of every one to preserve or order such things as a farm or garden affords, so that they may be pleased with them. the receipts which i have here given, are what i have generally found to be the most approved. we have some who pickle the green fruit of the passion-tree, the berougella, and fig: but for my part i can find nothing to recommend them, but the relish of the pickle, neither are they by any means wholesome. the flowers of the _nasturtium indicum_ make an excellent sallad in this month, and the seeds of the plant, while they are green, may be pickled to our satisfaction: the receipt for pickling them is as follows. to pickle nasturtium seeds. gather the seeds when they are full grown and green, in a dry day, and lay them in salt and water for two or three days; then boil vinegar, with some mace, ginger sliced, and a few bay-leaves, for fifteen minutes, and pour it boiling hot upon them, covering them with a cloth, as prescribed in this month for the other pickles, and repeat the boiling of the pickle, and scalding them with it for three days successively; and when the last is poured on, let it be cold before you cork it up. the folded cloth which should be put over the mouth of the jar, will suffer some of the steam of the pickle to pass thro' it, and by that means the pickles will not turn mouldy, so soon as they might otherwise do, and besides will be much greener than if they were to be close stopped. all these pickles should be kept in a dry place, and look'd into every month, lest by chance they turn mouldy; which if you find they incline to, boil the pickle afresh, and pour it on them as before. there is now the skerret fit to be eaten; it is a very nourishing and pleasant root, and is prepared in the following manner for the table: the culture of it is set forth at large in my new _improvements of planting and gardening_, printed for mr. _mears_, near _temple-bar_, the skerret, tho' it is none of the largest roots, yet is certainly one of the best products of the garden, if it be rightly dress'd; the way of doing which, is to wash the roots very well, and boil them till they are tender, which need not be very long. then the skin of the roots must be taken off, and a sauce of melted butter and sack pour'd over them. in this manner are they serv'd at the table, and eaten with the juice of orange, and some likewise use sugar with them, but the root is very sweet of itself. some, after the root is boil'd, and the skin is taken off, fry them, and use the sauce as above: so likewise the roots of salsify and scorzoncra are to be prepared for the table. the apple call'd the codlin is in good perfection for scalding, the manner of doing which, that they may be brought to table, of a fine green colour, is as follows. gather your codlins half grown, and without spots, for if they are spotted, they are commonly worm-eaten; scald them in water till the skin will come off easily, then put them again into cold water, and a small piece of allum to green in a brass pan over the fire; which they will soon do if they are kept close cover'd. the following receipt is sent me by a curious person for pickling of codlins, in imitation of mango. gather codlins green and near full grown, blanch them, that is, scald them in soft water till the skin will peel off, then prepare your pickle of vinegar and bay salt, about a large spoonful of salt to a quart of vinegar, three or four cloves of garlick, a quarter of an ounce of ginger sliced, and as much whole pepper; boil this in a brass pan, with a piece of allum as big as a horse-bean, for half a quarter of an hour, and pour it hot upon your codlins, covering the mouth of the jar with a cloth, and let it stand by the fire-side; boil the pickle again the day following, and apply it as before, and repeat the same till your codlins are as green as you desire, and when they are quite cold, cork them close, and set them by in a dry place. there is one thing must however be observed in all these picklings, which is, that if the pickles do not come to their fine green colour presently, by boiling often of the pickle at first, yet by standing three or four weeks, and then boiling the pickle afresh, they will come to a good colour; and then your pickles will eat the firmer and keep the longer, when they are not too soon brought to colour. in this month we have the morello and black cherry ripe, which both are pleasant in brandy; to those who would have drams by them, the way of making black-cherry brandy, is only to pick the cherries from the stalks, and put them whole into the brandy, about a pound of cherries to a quart; this may remain for about a month before it is fit to drink, and then the brandy may be pour'd from the cherries, and the cherries put then into a vessel of ale will make it extremely strong, only about the proportion of a pound of cherries to a gallon of ale; but some will put fresh brandy to them, and the cherries will turn the brandy of a deep colour, and give it a strong taste of ratafia; others will distill these cherries in a cold still, with as much water as will cover them, and draw a fine cordial from them. to make visney. this visney is made of pure brandy, and as many morello cherries as will fill the bottles or casks, with one ounce of loaf-sugar to each full quart; these vessels or bottles must be gently stopp'd, when the cherries are put in, and stand in a cool cellar for two months before the liquor is poured from them, and then the liquor may be put in small bottles for use: it is not very strong, but very pleasant. the cherries, when they are taken out, may be distill'd, and will yield a fine spirit. in some places, where there are laurels grow wild, without cutting or pruning, i mean, the _lauro-cerasus_, as we find in many old gardens, that plant is apt to bear berries, which in reality are cherries, from whence it has its name; these berries, or cherries, are ripe about this time, and make a fine cordial, if we infuse them in brandy for two or three months with a little sugar; this will have a flavour of abricot kernels, and be of a rich red colour. while i am speaking of this, i cannot help taking notice of a particular dram which i tasted at a curious gentleman's house at _putney_ in _surrey_, _w. curtis _esq; which he made by infusing of the cornelian cherry in brandy; that gentleman is the only one who i think has yet tried it, and to my palate it seems to be so like _tockay_ wine, that it must be a very good judge who can discover the difference. i have drank that wine in perfection, and this preparation has both the colour, taste, and proportion of strength equal to it; for the great strength of the brandy is lost in the cornelian cherry, and tho' the cornelian cherry is of a bright red colour, yet this liquor is of the colour of _tockay_ wine. those who live near _london_, may, about this season, buy geese out of the flocks, which are now drove up to that city, at about five and twenty, or thirty shillings a score; and till the season we are to turn them into the stubble, we may feed them chiefly with the offals of the garden, lettuce especially, which will fatten them, if you have enough: but as for their particular feed for fatting, i shall speak of that in another place. about this season abricots are ripe, and where there are plenty of them, we may make a pleasant wine with them. the following receipt is a very good one. to make apricot wine. from mrs. _j. l._ to every quart of water put a pound and half of apricots, that are not over-ripe, let them be wiped clean, and cut in pieces; boil these till the liquor is strong of the apricot flavour; then strain the liquor thro' a sieve, and put to every quart four or five ounces of white sugar, boil it again, and scum it as it rises, and when the scum rises no more, pour it into an earthen pot; the day following bottle it, putting into every bottle a lump of loaf-sugar, as big as a nutmeg. this will presently be fit for drinking, is a very pleasant liquor; but will not keep long. * * * * * august. in this month there are many delicacies about a country seat; all kinds of pond-fish are good, there is plenty of poultry of all kinds, wild and tame, except the water-fowl, which should yet remain untouch'd. turkey poults, pheasant poults, partridges, and some sort of pigeons, are good; but for the most part the dove-cote pigeons are distemper'd, and are now full of knots in their skins, and unwholesome. the eggs of fowls likewise at this season, as well as in the former month, are unhealthful. towards the end, pork comes again in season, and young pigs also are pretty plentiful; 'tis a good time likewise to save young pigs to grow up for now you may turn them with their dams into the stubbles, and soon after into the woods. about the end of this month, you have rabbets full grown in common warrens, and young wild ducks; and those who live near the sea, have plenty of oysters, and in great perfection, much better, in my opinion, than in the winter. hares are also now good, and buck venison is still good. turnips, carrots, cabbages, caulyflowers, artichokes, melons, cucumbers, and such like, are in prime; sallary and endive, _nasturtium indicum_ flowers, cabbage lettice, and blanch'd sweet fennel is now good for sallads. peas and beans, and kidney-beans, are likewise to be met with, so that a country gentleman and farmer may have every thing at home, and let out a table fit for a prince, without being beholden to the markets; and the great variety of fruits which this season produces, renders it still more delightful and profitable. now elder-berries are ripe and fit for making of wine, as well the white as the red sort: these are both very good, if they are rightly managed. the following drinks very much like the _french_ wine call'd _hermitage_, and is full as strong. to make red elder wine. take twenty pounds of _malaga_ raisins pick'd and rubb'd clean, but not wash'd; shred them small, and steep them in five gallons of spring water, putting the water cold to them, and stirring them every day; then pass the liquor thro' a hair sieve, pressing the raisins with your hands, and have in readiness six pints of the juice of elder-berries that have been first pick'd from the stalks, and then drawn by boiling the berries in a glaz'd earthen pot, set in a pan of water over the fire. put this juice cold into the liquor, stirring it well together, and then tunning it in a vessel that will just hold it, and let it stand six weeks or two months in a warm place; then bottle it, and it will keep a year if the bottles are well stopp'd. note, that the elder-berries must be full ripe, and gather'd in a dry day; and when you have tunn'd your wine, let the place where you set it be warm and dry, where no external air is admitted, that it may ferment or work duly, for that is a material point. if it be otherwise disposed, so that it stands in a place which is subject to heats and cold, the ferment will stop upon cold, or be too violent upon heats; but in cold weather put some straw about it. see more of the working of liquors in _march_, in the article of brewing, and likewise take care that your bottles are dry when you bottle your wine, and that you have good corks; take care likewise that your wine be clear before you bottle it, or it will be good for nothing. if this wine be rightly managed according to the above directions, it will be fit for drinking after it has been bottled a month. in the making of white elder-wine, there is no difference if you make it with raisins; but it is much the best, in my opinion, if you make it with sugar after the following manner: only it is to be consider'd, that white elder-berries are yet very scarce, and there must be more of them used in the sugar wine than in the raisin wine. to make white elder-wine, or red elder-wine, with sugar. gather the elder-berries ripe and dry, pick them, bruise them with your hands, and strain them; then set the liquor by in glaz'd earthen vessels for twelve hours to settle, then put to every pint of juice a pint and half of water, and to every gallon of this liquor put three pounds of _lisbon_ sugar: set this in a kettle over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, clarify it with the whites of four or five eggs; let it boil an hour, and when it is almost cold, work it with some strong ale-yeast, and then tun it, filling up the vessel from time to time with the same liquor saved on purpose, as it sinks by working. in a month's time, if the vessel holds about eight gallons, it will be fine and fit to bottle, and after bottling, will be fit to drink in two months: but remember, that all liquors must be fine before they are bottled, or else they will grow sharp and ferment in the bottles, and never be good for any thing. _n.b._ add to every gallon of this liquor a pint of strong mountain wine, but not such as has the borachio or hogskin flavour. this wine will be very strong and pleasant, and will keep several years. we must prepare our red elder-wine in the same manner that we make with sugar, and if our vessel hold about eight or ten gallons, it will be fit for bottling in about a month; but if the vessel be larger, it must stand longer in proportion, three or four months at least for a hogshead. this month barberries are ripe and fit for pickling; they make a pretty garnish, and are prepared as follows. to pickle barberries, or pipperages, as call'd in some places. gather your barberries in dry weather, and lay them in their bunches into an earthen glazed pot, then boil a quantity of water made strong with salt, scumming it as it rises, and let it stand to be quite cold; then pour it upon the barberries, so as to cover them an inch, and cover it close. some use half vinegar and half water for this pickle, but it is at every one's pleasure, i think one is as good as the other. partridges are now in season, and are prepared after several manners; some of the principal are the following. boil'd partridges with stew'd sallary, from lady w------. the partridges being clean'd and trussed, boil them tender, and make the following sauce for them. take half a score large sallary plants that are well whiten'd or blanched, boil them first in water and salt, and then stew them tender with gravey, salt, some pepper, and a spoonful or two of white wine; and when they are enough, thicken and brown the sauce they are stew'd in with burnt butter, lay your sallary at the bottom of the dish, and your partridges upon that, then pour your sauce over all, and garnish with lemmon or orange slic'd. this is the method of stewing sallary, which is an agreeable plate of itself. from the same lady i had the following directions for roasted partridges: partridges which are designed for roasting may be larded with fine bacon fat on the breast, or roasted without larding; but in a dish of these fowls, there should be some of one and some of the other. the sauce for them should be of two sorts, one of gravey in the dish with them, and the other of bread in saucers on the sides of the dish. the gravey is made of beef, an onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, some salt and pepper, stew'd half an hour together, in a little more water than will cover them, then strain off the liquor into the dish. the pap-sauce, or bread-sauce, is made of grated crumb of bread, boiled with as much water as will cover it, a little butter, an onion, and some whole pepper; this must be kept stirring often, and when it is very thick, withdraw the onion, and serve it in a saucer with your partridges. these sauces may likewise be served with pheasants, or quails. these may also be stew'd, farced, baked, or put in soups, or used in fricassees. thus far the lady. hares begin now to be in season, and are well dress'd by the following receipt, which i purchased a few years ago, at a noted tavern in _london_. a hare and its sauces. if you kill a hare by coursing, you may keep it if the weather be cool three days before you roast it; or if it has been run hard by the hounds, then it will not keep so long. when the skin is taken off, it is the fashion to leave the ears on, but that is at pleasure; then truss it for roasting, and take the liver and boil it, and mince it very small; add to this grated bread, a little all-spice, but fine, some butter'd eggs, a little dry'd sweet marjoram, with a seasoning of pepper and salt at discretion, and some parsley shred small: mix this well together, and add the yolk of an egg to it to bind it; then fill the body of the hare moderately with this farce, and sew up the belly. when the hare is first laid down to the fire, put about three pints of water with an onion, some salt and whole pepper, in the dripping-pan, and baste the hare with this till it is near roasted enough, and baste it with a piece of fat burning bacon, or in the place of that, common butter; but the bacon is best, if the person knows how to use it. when it is enough, pour the following sauce into the dish with it: take the liquor, with the onion and pepper in the dripping-pan, out before you baste the hare with butter or bacon, and boil it with a glass of claret; it will be very rich when it comes to be mixt with the farce out of the belly of the hare, and is little trouble. you may thicken this with a little butter and flower, if you please. the following is also a very good one: take a pound of lean beef, boil it in about three pints of water with an onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, some all-spice, pepper and salt, till the beef is boil'd half enough; then cut the beef in several places to let out the gravey, and continue to boil all those till the liquor has lost a third part; then add a little claret to it, and strain the liquor through a sieve, pouring the gravey hot into the dish before you put the hare in it; and when you lay in the hare, cut away the part that was sew'd up, or take away the thread that sew'd it. some chuse to skewer up the belly of the hare, rather than sew it. you may serve this with lemmon sliced, and in a plate by it have the following sauce. sweet venison sauce. take half a pint of claret, a little stick of cinnamon, and boil them together till the flavour of the cinnamon is in the claret; then sweeten it to your mind with double-refined loaf-sugar. or else, grate some crumb of bread, and put to it as much claret as will make it like thin pap; add to this a small piece of cinnamon, and boil it well, then sweeten it with double-refined loaf-sugar grated small. these are the sweet sauces used for hare, and all other venison. to dress a hare with white or brown sauce, from the late curious mr. _harrison_ of _henley_ upon _thames._ cut your hare in four or eight pieces, and slit the head; fry it a little in hog's lard, and then put it to stew in an earthen glazed vessel, with gravey, half a pint of white-wine, pepper, nutmeg, salt, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a slice or two of lemmon-peel; keep this close covered, and stew it gently till 'tis tender, then strain off the sauce, and brown it with fry'd flower, or burnt butter: pour the sauce hot over the hare, and serve it with a garnish of lemmon in slices; but if you would have your sauce of brighter colour, instead of the burnt butter, or fry'd flower, thicken it with the yolks of three or four eggs. this is an excellent way of dressing a hare, and more generally admired than any other. this being the season for taking honey, i shall here set down the method of making of mead, after two ways, which are both extraordinary. to make mead, from lady _g._ take eight gallons of water, and as much honey as will make it bear an egg; add to this the rind of six lemmons, and boil it well, scumming it carefully as it rises. when 'tis off the fire, put to it the juice of the six lemmons, and pour it into a clean tub, or open earthen vessel, if you have one large enough, to work three days; then scum it well, and pour off the clear into the cask, and let it stand open till it has done making a hissing noise; after which, stop it up close, and in three months time it will be fine, and fit for bottling. to make hydromel, or mead. take eight gallons of water, and as much honey as will make the water bear an egg; put to this a quarter of a pound of cloves tied in three or four pieces of muslin or linnen cloth, and set it to boil till the scum has done rising, scumming it as it rises; then take it off the fire, and take out the cloves, which may be wash'd and dry'd for other uses, and pour your mead into an open tub to ferment for about three days, till the violence of the working is over; after which, scum it very well, and pour the clear into a vessel, leaving the bung open till it has done hissing, which you may know by holding your ear close to it, for at a distance you can hardly discover it. when this hissing is over, stop it close, and let it stand three months till it is fine, before you bottle it; remember in bottling this, as well as all other liquors, that the bottles must be clean, and perfectly dry, and that every bottle be well cork'd. this will keep good several years. besides this way of making mead, there is another which i have approved to be very good, which, in all particulars, except the water, is the same with this; and instead of the water, put the like quantity of small ale-wort, brew'd with pale malt: but this will require less honey than the former, and will require more time in the vessel before it is fine and fit to bottle; but it will last many years good, and will drink like _cyprus_ wine when it is a year old. in this liquor, take particular care that your cloves are fresh and sound, for else you must add a quantity in proportion. _n.b._ we may make these meads in the spring of the year, as well as at this season; only the advantage of making it now, is, that you have an opportunity of washing the honey-combs after the honey is run off, and thereby will save expence in honey. the potatoe now begins to be gather'd, and is a very useful root, being either boil'd or roasted in hot embers; and after it is boiled, to be broiled, or after boiling it tender, and beaten in a mortar, it is used to thicken sauces, and for making of rich puddings, as i am inform'd by a skilful person in this way. the roots of red beets now begin to come in season, and are very good boiled, and sliced, to be put in a pickle of vinegar only: thus you may keep them to garnish sallads of small herbs, and in some intervals put horse-radish scraped. these roots will hold all the winter. the root of the red beet makes an excellent dish, prepared after the following manner, which i got abroad. to fry the roots of red beets. wash your beet-roots, and lay them in an earthen glazed pan, bake them in an oven, and then peel the skin off them: after this is done, slit them from the top to the tail, and cut them in the shape of the fish call'd a sole, about the thickness of the third part of an inch; dip these in a thick batter, made of white-wine, fine flower, sweet cream, the whites and yolks of eggs, rather more yolks than whites, some pepper, salt, and cloves beaten fine, all well mix'd. as you dip every piece of beet-root in this batter, strew them over thick with fine flower mix'd with grated bread, and parsley shred small, and then fry them in lard: when they are enough, let them dry, and serve them with a garnish of lemmon. these likewise may be put about stew'd carps, tench, or roasted jacks, by way of garnish, with scraped horse-radish, and pickled barberries. in the heats of this month, the following jelly is used by a curious gentleman abroad, who gave me the receipt of it, under the name of _the jelly of health:_ it is of great use to weak people, and extremely pleasant. to make the jelly of health. take some calves feet, according to the jelly you design to make, and also get a cock of the common poultry kind; wash these well, and put them in a kettle to boil, with a proportionable quantity of water, particularly taking off the scum as it rises. when these meats are boiled almost to pieces, it is a sign that your jelly is boiled enough; but take care that it is not too stiff, which you may try by taking a little out with a spoon, and then setting it to cool. then pour the liquor thro' a sieve into a stew-pan, and take off all the fat; after which, put to the liquor a proportionable quantity of double-refined loaf-sugar, a small stick or two of cinnamon, three or four cloves, and the rinds of two or three lemmons: boil all these together gently for about a quarter of an hour, till it is well-tasted, and then beat up the whites of four or five eggs, with the juice of the six lemmons, and pour them into the jelly, stirring the whole a little time over the fire; then let this mixture stand still upon the fire till it rises ready to boil over; at which time, you must take it off, and pour it into the jelly-bag, and as it runs thro' into a pan set to receive it, pour it again into the jelly-bag for three or four times till it comes clear, and then let it drop into jelly-glasses. sometimes, the above gentleman told me, he has put a little white-wine into the liquor while the meats were boiling in it, which he thinks helps it. * * * * * september. as this month produces great numbers of mushrooms in the fields, it is now chiefly that we ought to provide ourselves with them for making of ketchup, and mushroom gravey: and it is also a proper season for pickling them. indeed, where we have mushroom-beds, we may do these works at any time of the year. it is to be remark'd, that the best mushrooms have their gills of a flesh colour, even while the mushrooms are in button; and as they tend to spread in their head, or to open their cap, the gills turn redder, till at length, when their heads are fully spread open, they will become quite black. these large-flap mushrooms are still good for stewing or broiling, so long as they have no worms in them, and the gills are then in the best state for making ketchup, or mushroom-gravey; altho' the red gills will do, but the smaller buttons are what most people covet for pickling. in the gathering of mushrooms, we are sure to meet with some of all sizes; the very small for pickling, the large buttons for stewing or making mushroom-loaves, and mushroom-gravey, and the large flaps for broiling or making of ragous, or stewing, and ketchup: therefore to follow the common way, we should make two or three parcels of them. the cleaning of mushrooms, or preparing them for any of the above uses, will afford us nothing but what is useful; the parings should be saved by themselves, to be wash'd, towards the making of what is called mushroom gravey; the gills must be saved by themselves for making either ketchup, or mushroom-gravey; and the parts towards the roots, and the roots themselves, must be kept to dry in the sun, or a warm room, to raise mushrooms from, especially if they are of a large good sort that has red gills, for those which have white gills, prove oftentimes unwholesome, and are apt to turn yellow when they are cut and put in water: however, some people eat of this sort, and i have eaten of such a sort myself; but as there are some with white gills that are deadly, it is dangerous for unskilful persons to meddle with any of that fort: and therefore i thought it convenient when i was in _france_, to learn the method of raising them in beds, that we might be sure of our sort, and have them all the year about: the method of doing which, is in my _appendix_ to my _new improvements of planting and gardening_, printed for mr. _mears_, at _temple-bar_. the following receipts for making of mushroom-ketchup, and mushroom-gravey, i had from a gentleman named _garneau_, whom i met at _brussels_, and by experience find them to be very good. to make mushroom ketchup. take the gills of large mushrooms, such as are spread quite open, put them into a skellet of bell-metal, or a vessel of earthen-ware glazed, and set them over a gentle fire till they begin to change into water; and then frequently stirring them till there is as much liquor come out of them as can be expected, pressing them often with a spoon against the side of the vessel; then strain off the liquor, and put to every quart of it about eighty cloves, if they are fresh and good, or half as many more, if they are dry, or have been kept a long time, and about a drachm of mace: add to this about a pint of strong red _port_ wine that has not been adulterated, and boil them all together till you judge that every quart has lost about a fourth part or half a pint; then pass it thro' a sieve, and let it stand to cool, and when it is quite cold, bottle it up in dry bottles of pints or half-pints, and cork them close, for it is the surest way to keep these kind of liquors in such small quantities as may be used quickly, when they come to be exposed to the air, for fear of growing mouldy: _but i have had a bottle of this sort of ketchup, that has been open'd and set by for above a, year, that has not received the least damage_; and some acquaintance of mine have made of the same sort, and have kept it in quart-botles to use as occasion required, and have kept it good much longer than i have done. a little of it is very rich in any sauce, and especially when gravey is wanting: therefore it may be of service to travellers, who too frequently meet with good fish, and other meats, in britain, as well as in several other parts of europe, that are spoiled in the dressing; but it must be consider'd, that there is no salt in this, so that whenever it is used, salt, anchovies, or other such like relishing things, may be used with it, if they are agreeable to the palate, and so likewise with the mushroom gravey in the following receipt. of mushroom gravey. when you clean your mushrooms, save the parings, and wash them well from the dirt, and then put to them the gills that have been scraped from the large buttons, and with a very little water put them in a saucepan, and stir them frequently till you have got all the juice from them; then strain the liquor from them, and set it by to cool, or else till you have stew'd the mushrooms that they were taken from, and then add the liquor of the stew'd mushrooms to the aforesaid liquor, and boil them both together, with about cloves, about a drachm of mace, and two drachms of whole pepper to each quart of liquor, which will be lit to take off the fire when it has lost about a third part by boiling; then pass it thro' a dry sieve, into a dry earthen pan, and let it stand till it be quite cold before you bottle it, observing then that the bottles be very dry, for if they happen to be wet, it will soon turn mouldy. when the bottles are fill'd, cork them well with sound new corks, and tye a piece of bladder, that has been softened in warm water, over every cork as tight as possible, and set the bottles in a dry place; with this management it will keep a long time. what i learn'd else from the above mention'd gentleman, concerning the preparing of mushrooms for eating, was, that they should be always used when they are fresh gather'd, and then only such as are without worms, which may be easily perceived by cutting their stems cross-wise; and also that as soon as the peel is pared off, and the gills, let the large mushrooms be cut into pieces, of the bigness of nutmegs, and thrown into water, as well the stems as the caps, for they are both good; then wash them well, and stew them a sauce-pan, without putting any liquor to them, or spice, or salt, till they have discharged a great deal of their own liquor, and, begin to grow tender; you will then find them shrink into a very narrow compass, and must have the greatest part of the liquor poured from them, with which you may make the mushroom-gravey abovemention'd. the mushrooms being thus prepared, put to them a seasoning of pepper, salt, mace, and such other ingredients as will not rob the mushrooms too much of their own natural flavour, and stir them frequently till they are enough; then put a little white-wine and butter to them, and they will make an excellent good dish: or else they may be made brown with some burned butter, or be made into a ragout. as for the broiling of the caps of the large mushrooms, the same person's receipt directs to rub the caps with butter on both sides, and strew pepper and salt on them, and broil them till they are quite hot through, turning them two or three times on the fire, they will make their own sauce when they come to be cut. another way which he directs, is to make a pretty thick batter of flower, water, or milk and eggs beaten together with some salt and pepper, to dip them in, and then fry them like tripe; and for their sauce, he recommends butter, a little white-wine, and some of the mushroom-gravey, to be well mix'd together. some of my acquaintance, who have try'd these directions, approve of them; and, for my own part, i think them as agreeable as any that i have eaten: but as the taste is not alike in every one, i shall add an observation or two more of monsieur _garneau's_, concerning the mushroom, which i think not unworthy our notice. the mushroom, says that gentleman, is not only a good groundwork for all high sauces, but itself a good meat to be dress'd after any manner, either to compose a white or brown fricassee, or fry'd or broil'd, or baked in pyes with common seasoning, and stands in the room of flesh better than any thing that has yet been found out. this month is likewise a good time, if it is not over-wet, to gather mushroooms for drying; but they should chiefly be such as are newly open'd in their caps, before the gills turn black. for this end, take off the gills very clean, and wipe the caps with wet flannel, and as soon as they are a little dry, run a string through them, and hang them at some distance from the fire, turning them now and then till they are dry enough to be reduced to powder. when they are thus dry'd, keep them in dry bottles with wide necks, close stopp'd, till you have occasion to use them in sauces. keep this in a dry place. some dry them in ovens after the bread is drawn, but an oven in its full heat will be too strong for them. to pickle mushrooms white. take a quart of small buttons of mushrooms, cut off their roots, and wash them well with a flannel dipt in water, and then fling them into clean water, to remain there about two hours. in the next place, get ready some fresh water in a well-tinn'd vessel, or glaz'd vessel, to which put your mushrooms, and let them boil a little to soften; which being done, take out your mushrooms, and presently put them into cold water, and let them remain there till they are quite cold; after this, free them from the water, and dry them well in a linnen cloth, then put them either into a wide-neck'd bottle, or glaz'd earthen-vessel, disposing here and there among them three or four bay-leaves to a quart, two nutmegs cut in quarters, about a quarter of an ounce of mace, and boil as much white-wine and vinegar, in equal quantities, as will serve to cover the mushrooms. this pickle must be put to them cold, and the bottle, or earthen-vessel, close stopt and ty'd down with a wet bladder. the reason why the spice should not be boiled with the pickle, is, because the mushrooms would change black by means of the boil'd spices; and if this plain pickle was to be pour'd upon the mushrooms hot, it would immediately draw a colour from the spices, which would darken the colour of the mushrooms: therefore to fill up the glasses in the manner here related, is the best way to have your mushrooms look clean and white. this month is the proper time to pickle onions, which make an agreeable pickle if they are prepared after the following manner. to pickle onions, from mrs. _a. w._ when your onions are dry enough to be laid up in the house, take the smallest of them, such as are about the bigness of a small walnut, and of that sort which we call the _spanish_ onion, for these are not so strong flavour'd as the _strasburgh_ onions; take off only the outward dry coat, and boil them in one water without shifting, till they begin to grow tender; then take them off the fire, lay them in a sieve or cullendar to drain and cool; and as soon as they are quite cold, take off two other coats or skins from each, and rub them gently in a linnen cloth to dry. when this is done, put them into wide-mouth'd glasses, with about six or eight fresh bay-leaves to a quart, a quarter of an ounce of mace, two large rases of ginger sliced. all these ingredients must be interspersed here and there in the glasses among the onions, and then boil your vinegar with about two ounces of bay-salt to each quart, taking off the scum as it rises, and letting it stand to be cold; pour it into the glasses, and cover them close with wet bladders, and tie them down; they will eat well, and look very white. about the end of this month, if the season has been tolerable, the grapes in our _english_ vineyards will be ripe, and then we must be careful to gather them in dry weather, that the wine may keep the better. i have already mention'd, in my other works, the curious vineyard near _bath_, and that belonging to mr. _john warner_ at _rotherhith_, where good wines are made every year; and also that at _darking_ in _surrey_, belonging to mr. _howard_, which is a very good one: but as some years are less favourable than others to the grape, as well with us as abroad, it will not be unnecessary to take notice of a few particulars, which i have observ'd this year , concerning the management of vines, which i have only communicated to a few. i shall also set down a few directions for the making of wine, which have not been hitherto mention'd in any of my works, or by mr. _evelyn_, or mr. _mortimer_. as to the first, we are to observe, that the situation of our island occasions our seasons to be more uncertain than on the continent, or between the tropics. the cold and wet summer, , prevented the ripening of our later kind of grapes; and indeed i did not meet anywhere with a grape that had its perfect flavour, unless the vines were forced; but yet there were abundance. however, this year, , on the contrary, there are very few grapes, and those are likely to be very good, some being already ripe against common walls, without art; such as the white muscadine the th of _july_, and black cluster-grape. and at sir _nicholas garrard_'s garden in _essex_, i eat some of the black _frontiniack_ full in perfection, at the same time; and then the grisly and white _frontiniack_ grapes, which are the latest kinds, were transparent, and within a little of being fit to gather: which is a novelty so great, that has not been observ'd in _england_ in my time; for the _frontiniack_ grapes seldom ripen till the end of _september_, and then in a bad year we cannot expect them without art. however, the vines in this worthy gentleman's garden are of long standing, and have been, by his own directions, order'd and manag'd in a very artful manner for several years. and tho' this year generally we find so small a quantity in other gardens, yet at this place there are as many as i judge are in the whole county besides. in most other places that i have observ'd this year, the common way of management has been rather regarded than the rational part; and even the best gardeners have fail'd in their pruning the last year, for the production of this year's fruit. i much wonder, that after the demonstrations i have given from facts, ever since the year , that vines would grow and prosper well to be planted in old dry walls; and the instances i publish'd in the same year, in my new improvements, of vines bearing best in dry rubbish, or the most dry soil: i say, it is surprizing, that some of those to whom i gave that satisfaction, should not guard against excess of wet, especially when every one, who has judgment in the affair of vegetation, must know, that over-abundant moisture will destroy the bearing quality of any plant, and more especially of such a kind of plant as delights in dry mountainous countries, as the vine is known to do; but a common method of management has so possess'd some people, that they will not give themselves leave to think that an alteration of a season from a dry to a wet, will occasion an alteration in a plant. there is one instance particularly, which i cannot help mentioning, relating to vines, and the neccessity of keeping their roots from wet, which i observ'd this year at _twittenham_, at _john robarts_'s esq. this gentleman has several vines laid up against the side of his house, as full of grapes as i have ever seen any; but at the bottom where they grow, the ground is paved with bricks for about ten or twelve foot from the wall they are nail'd to. this pavement, in the last wet summer, kept the roots from imbibing, or receiving too much moisture, and therefore the juices of the vines were digested, and capable of producing fruit this year; whereas such vines as were not growing in dry places naturally, or had their roots defended from the violent wet by accident, have few or no grapes at all. my observations this year, in some places where there are pavements, still confirms me in my opinion; and where there was any tolerable skill in pruning, i am persuaded every one will find that there have been grapes this year, or now are on those vines that have stood in paved places, where the pavement defended the roots from the wet of the last year. and as i have already mention'd in this, and other works, the neccessity of planting vines in dry places, for regular seasons; and these instances showing us the advantage of doing the same in wet seasons; i think one may reasonably judge, that pavements made over such places where vines are planted, as well as rubbish and dry ground to plant them in, is the best way we can take for them. this way, particularly in a wet year, will keep our vines from running into long joints, and the juices consequently in digesting, as we find by experience; for no long-jointed shoots of vines are fruitful as they ought to be, and rarely bear any fruit at all. 'tis the short-jointed shoots that will bear fruit plentifully; and where there is much wet at the root, you must expect very few short joints, and also very little fruit: therefore, in this case, the roots ought always to be defended from wet. this year, , was, at the beginning, a gentle and moist spring, but _april_ and _may_ were hot; which brought every thing so forward, that our harvest was about five or six weeks forwarder than it has been for several years past. the case i have mention'd of the grapes ripening naturally, was in proportion to the forwardness of the harvest; every thing that i have observed in the same way was alike. the last year was as extraordinary in the lateness of crops, for then everything was as backward through the perpetual rain we had in the summer. sometime or other this memorandum may be of use, if my papers last so long; however, for the present, consider how these two different years have affected the vine; the last wet year made the vines shoot strong and vigorous, and there was no fruit this year: nor was this only with us in _britain_; but every where in _europe_. the last year produced such floods, from the continued rains at unexpected seasons, as was never known in the memory of man, the vines shot vigorously; and this year there were very few grapes of the first crop: but this summer was so good and favourable, by its warm months at the beginning of the summer, that the vines abroad shot out fresh crops, or second crops or grapes, which made up for the other deficiency. i expect the next year from hence, that the vines will produce a full crop of grapes abroad, because this year has settled the juices, and digested them; but what season there may be for ripening, is still uncertain, especially when we have the two last years in view. but in our gardens, i fear, we shall have worse success; for what this year has done, will give the gardeners generally a hard piece of work; for, as i imagine, there was little care taken in the beginning of the year to lay up the vines, especially because there was but a small, or no appearance of grapes then; and the neglect of that season in managing of vines, will be the occasion of losing the crop the next year. what i say here about the management of vines in the early part of the year, i have already treated of in my other works. i shall now proceed to give some particulars relating to the making of wines of grapes, which i believe may help those who make wines in our _english_ vineyards, and make them stronger and richer than they hare usually been. considering the uncertainty of seasons, and that every sort of grape will not always ripen without art, it will be necessary to contrive how that defect may be amended. the richness of wine depends upon the ripeness of the grapes; and therefore when grapes have not had the advantage of a favourable season to ripen, the liquor press'd from the grapes, may be amended by boiling; for this extraordinary heat will correct the juice, by evaporating the two great quantity of watery parts. this method, however ripe the grapes were among the ancient _greeks_ and _romans,_ was frequently, if not always practised; and is practised in those more southern climes, why is it not as reasonable in ours? but that this is not now practised any where in _europe,_ is no reason why wines may not be the better for it. i suppose the only reason why it is not now practised, is, because it would be an expence and trouble, more than the masters of vineyards have usually been at; and so long as they can sell their wines at a constant price, they do not care to go out of the way; but in a bad season there is no doubt but even the wines in _france_ might be meliorated by boiling: as in the instance of the _frontiniack_ grapes, that are sour and unripe, and without flavour, yet, by boiling or baking, they will gain the high flavour that is found in them when they are well-ripen'd, by the sun; but in baking or boiling unripe grapes in the skins, one must expect that the sourness of the skins will communicate a sourness to the juices enclosed; but the juices being press'd and boil'd, will ripen and become pleasant. in my _new improvements of planting and gardening,_ i have given large directions for making of wine of grapes, and in this, have also given variety of receipts for making of wines of fruits of our own growth; from whence we may learn the use of boiling juices of fruits, and what will require fermenting by yeast, and what do not. you will find that such wines as are boiled with sugar, are to be fermented with yeast; and such as have raisins for their foundation, will ferment in some measure of themselves. and especially observe, that while any liquor is fermenting, the vessel it is enclosed in must be kept open till it has quite done working; for if we should stop it up before that action is over, it will certainly burst the vessel; or if it has room enough, will turn sour, and be always thick and troubled. again, all wines, and other liquors, must be stopt close as soon as they have done working, or else the liquors will grow flat and dead. some wines will ferment six weeks or two months after they are in the vessel, as one may know by the hissing noise which they make; but when that is done, then the ferment is over, and they should be closed up. but some wines will ferment much longer than two months, and then it is a sign that they stand too hot; then they must be put in a cooler place, or the outside of the vessel frequently cool'd or refresh'd with water, which will stop the ferment. again, some will not ferment as they ought to do, and then they must be set in warmer places, which will raise the ferment. in very bad years we may help our wines with a small quantity of sugar, perhaps a pound to a gallon of juice, to boil together; but whether we add sugar or no, we must be sure to take the scum off the wines as it rises when they are boiling. in the colder climates, we ought not to press the grapes so close as they do in the hot countries, because in the colder parts of the world, and in places the most remote from the sun, the skins of the grapes are much thicker, and carry a sourness in them which should not be too much press'd to mix with the richer part of the grape; but in the hotter climes, the skins of the grapes are thin, and the sourness rectify'd by the sun, and will bear pressing without injuring the finer juices. there is one thing which i shall mention with regard to the endeavours that have been used to make wine in the island of _st. helena_; a place so situate, that it lies as a resting-place between these northern parts, and the _east-indies_, and so remote from other places, that could there be good wine made there, it would be of great help and assistance to the ships that sail that way: but i am informed by a curious gentleman, who has had many good accounts of that place, that the vines which have been planted there, are of such sorts, as bring the grapes ripe and rotten on one side of the bunch, and green on the other at the same time, which surely can never make good wine. but upon enquiry, they are only such sorts of grapes as grow in close clusters, and therefore the side next the sun must be ripe much sooner than the other; for the climate there is so violent hot, that there are no walls used behind them to reflect the heat to ripen the backs of the bunches. therefore, i suppose that the best way to have good wine made in those parts, is to furnish that place with vines which may bring their grapes in open or loose bunches, such as the raisin-grape, and some others, which do not cluster; for then the sun would have an equal effect upon all the grapes, and good wine might be made of them: but the worthy gentleman who told me of this, has, i hear, sent to _st. helena_ a collection of such grapes as will answer the desired end. this is likewise the month when saffron appears above ground; sometimes sooner, sometimes later, according as the season is earlier or later. this year, , i was in the saffron country, and in the beginning of _august_ the saffron-heads or roots had shut up so long in the flowering part, that the planters were forced to put them into the ground: i mean, such as were design'd for new plantations, which is sooner by near a month than they used to sprout, though they lay dry in heaps, the weather had so great an effect upon them. about _littlebury_, _chesterford_, _linton_, and some other places thereabouts, is certainly now the greatest quantity of saffron of any part of the kingdom; the famous place noted formerly for it, call'd _saffron walden_, being at this time without it. however, the people of the places which i have named, do not forbear bringing it to _walden_ market, or driving bargains there for large quantities of it, tho' the market at _linton_ is look'd upon to be much the best. what i have said in my _country gentleman and farmer's monthly director_, gives ample inductions for the management of saffron, but i may here add a word or two more concerning it; which is, that considering how many accidents the saffron is subject to, that is dry'd upon the common kilns, by the scorching of it by too hot a fire, and the unskilfulness of the dryers; i do not wonder that there is so much saffron spoiled. where there are unskilful hands employ'd in the drying part, one ought to provide such kilns for them as are large enough to distribute the heat moderately, and as constant as possible; which may partly be help'd by providing such a fire as may be constant, and not give more heat at one time than another; for there is a great deal of judgment in that. i find, that by the common way, some saffron is scorch'd, and some unequally dry'd, for which reason i have contriv'd such a kiln as must necessarily answer the end which is proposed in the drying of saffron; that is, to put it into a state of keeping with its virtue in it, and to put it out of the danger of being scorch'd in the drying. this i shall publish in my _natural history of_ cambridgeshire _and_ essex, which will soon appear in the world. as for the way which is now commonly practised in the drying of saffron, it is, when you have provided a kiln, such as i have described in my _farmer's monthly director_, with a cloth made of horse-hair on the top, strain the hair-cloth tight, and lay on two sheets of saffron-paper, that is, a sort of paper made on purpose for that use, which is very large; and prepare a little vessel with some small beer, and as many chives of saffron as will make it of a deep colour to stand by you; sprinkle over the paper with a brush or feather dipt in this liquor, and spread your saffron upon it, either in a square or a round figure, about three inches thick, and cover the saffron with two sheets more of the same kind of paper, and lay a woollen cloth upon them, and over that a board, which will cover the top of the kiln: view this now and then, till you see that the steam of the saffron comes through the upper papers. then take off the board and woollen-cloth, and taking the papers on each side with your hands, turn the saffron in the papers, so that the under-side be uppermost; taking off presently after the papers which were first the undermost, and then smooth down the side of the saffron that was first next the fire with a knife, so that it lie all equal. then cover it as it was at first, and after a little time turn the saffron as you did before, and spread then the upper-side even with a knife, as you did at first; then sprinkle your saffron with the brush dipt in the prepared liquor upon the dry part's of the cake, and cover it as before; let it lie then a little, and turn it as occasion requires, which may be sooner or later, as the fire in the kiln is quick or slow, minding every time, as you turn it, to sprinkle the dry parts with the liquor; the more it shrinks, the oftner you must turn your cake of saffron, minding still to sprinkle the dry parts; and when it has shrunk about three fourths of the first thickness, lay a stone or weight upon the board at the top of the kiln, of about seven or eight pound weight, the board already being about ten or a dozen pounds; when it is dry enough, take it off the kiln, and the paper it was dried in will be of good use; remember to keep your fire gentle and clear. we may note, that a gatherer of saffron has this year about ten pence _per_ drain, and that about six pounds, or six pounds and a half of raw saffron will dry to a pound; but generally they allow only six pounds of wet saffron to a pound of dry saffron: but that depends upon the dryers, who sometimes out of a willingness to get money, do not dry it so much as they ought to do. it is a rule among the saffron-planters in _cambridgeshire,_ that sixteen quarters of saffron-roots, or heads, will plant an acre; and that a full acre this year produces about seventeen or eighteen pounds of dry saffron, tho' the common rate is about sixteen pounds. about this time you have many green melons upon the vines which will not ripen; and besides, if they would, that fruit would now be too cold for the stomach: therefore it is advisable to pickle them, to make them imitate mango's, which some prefer before mango cucumbers. the following is the receipt to pickle them. to pickle green melons, in imitation of mango. the mango is a fruit brought to us from the _east indies,_ about the shape and bigness of a small melon; it has a large stone in it, and comes to us in a pickle, which is strong tasted of garlick, but approved by most people. when we gather melons for this use, we must wash them and cut them, as directed for the mango cucumbers, then lay them in salt and water, shifting the salt and water every four and twenty hours, for nine days successively; after which, take them out and wipe them dry, and put into the inside of each, which has been already scraped, the same ingredients directed for your mango cucumbers, and tie them up: then boil your pickle of vinegar, bay-salt, and spices, with these mangoes in it; scumming it as it rises, and with it a piece of allum as directed in the receipt for mango cucumbers, and afterwards follow that receipt till your melons are fit to use. now we have wild-ducks fit for the table, and it is to be noted, that these should not be larded as land-fowls, in the roasting of them. it must be observed, that they be sent to table with the gravey in them; but before they are laid down to the fire, it is practis'd in many places, to chop onions, the leaves of red sage, and mix these with pepper and salt, to be put in the belly of the ducks; and when they are brought to table, pour a glass of claret warm'd through the body of the ducks, which with some gravey, that must be sent in the dish, under the ducks, will make a proper sauce for them. another agreeable way of eating ducks, is roasting them, and eating them with boil'd onions; they are sometimes used in soups, and baked, and they likewise eat very well when they are half roasted, and then cut to pieces and stew'd with their own gravey and claret. now stubble geese will be in season, after they have been taken up and fed for a fortnight or thereabouts, in a close place, with barley and water; but during their confinement, they must never want victuals. note, the barley must have no more water with it than will just cover it, and they must never have their corn dry. if during the time of their feeding, you happen to let them out to ramble for a few hours, they will lose more good flesh in that time, than they can regain in three days; therefore when you have once put them up, keep them up till they are fit to kill: but if you would have them very fat, put them in a coop for a week or ten days before you kill them, and feed them with barley-meal and water, made almost as thick as paste; and always let there be several of them together, for a single one will pine, and lose flesh, instead of increasing it by eating. as to the dressing of this fowl while it is young, in the spring, under the character of a green-goose, it is fatted in a coop with barley-meal and water, and being kill'd and scalded when 'tis fat, 'tis roasted and eaten with green sauce, or scalded goosberries: but being full grown as at this time of the year, is roasted, being first salted and pepper'd within side, and salted without side. some put an onion, and some sage-leaves into the body of the goose, when it is laid down to the fire, and when it is brought to table, it is serv'd with apples stew'd and mash'd in a plate by the side; but for the sauce in the dish, there need be none but some claret heated, and pour'd thro' the body of the goose, to mix with its own gravey. some also salt geese, and boil them with greens, as with other salt meat; a goose may also be bak'd in a pye to be eaten cold. a goose is to be kill'd, by pulling first the feathers at the back of the head, and cutting pretty deep with a sharp penknife, between the back of the head and the neck, taking care that it does not struggle, so as to make the feathers bloody, for that will spoil them: and 'tis to be noted, the feathers of a full grown goose are worth four pence to be sold in the country; this i had from a gentlewoman in _surrey._ in _holland_ they slit geese down the back, and salt them with salt-petre, and other salt, and then dry them like bacon; they eat very well, if they are boiled tender. * * * * * october. this month is a noted month for brewing of malt liquors especially. brown, or high-dried malt is to be used, as i have mentioned at large in the month of _march_, under the article of brewing; to which i refer my reader, to be fully satisfied of such particulars relating to it, as seem to be the least consider'd, altho' they are the most contributing to the perfection of malt liquors. at this season, cyders, mussels, cockles, and such kind of shell-fish are good and in season; as for the oyster, it is not only to be eaten raw, but makes an agreeable dish stew'd, or in scallop-shells; and besides, being useful in many sauces, are extremely good when they are well pickled. altho' the oyster may seem foreign to a farm, or some part of the country, yet considering that we live in a part of the world surounded with a sea that produces the best oysters, and that they are a sort of shell-fish which we can keep a long time, and feed them, i think it necessary to take notice of them. about _colchester_ the oyster-pits are only small holes about twelve foot square, by the side of the river, where the salt water comes up, and has a passage into them at the height of the tides; in these places the oysters are laid, and there grow fat, and become green, by a sort of weed which is called crow-silk: and this may be done any where, if there is a river with salt water, as well as by _colchester_, and be kept two or three months; so that i wonder 'tis not practised in other places. but if we have not this conveniency, yet if we lay them in salt and water after the shells are well wash'd, just when they come from the sea, they will keep a fortnight in pretty good order, if the weather be cool, and they can have the open air; but then the salt and water should be changed every four and twenty hours. the following receipts are very good for preparing them for the table. to stew oysters. from _exeter._ take large oysters, open them, and save their liquor; then when the liquor is settled, pour off the clear, and put it in a stew-pan, with some blades of mace, a little grated nutmeg, and some whole pepper, to boil gently, till it is strong enough of the spices: then take out the spices, and put in the oysters to stew gently, that they be not hard; and when they are near enough, add a piece of butter, and as much grated bread as will thicken the liquor of the oysters; and just before you take them from the fire, stir in a glass of white-wine. roasted oysters in scallop shells. from _exeter._ provide some large scallop shells, such as are the deepest and hollowest you can get, which shells are sold at the fishmongers at _london_; then open such a number of oysters as will near fill the shells you design, and save the liquor to settle; then pour a moderate quantity of the liquor into each shell, and put a blade of mace, and some whole pepper with it; after which, put into your shells a small piece of butter, and cover the whole with grated bread: then let these on a grid-iron over the fire, and when they are enough, give the grated bread at the tops of the shells a browning with a red-hot iron, and serve them. the same person who sent the foregoing receipts, concerning oysters, advises another way of roasting oysters, which i think is a very good one, and not much known. it is, to take large oysters, open them, and hang them by the finny part on a small spit, after having first dipt them in the yolk of an egg, and roll'd them in crumbs of bread; turn them three or four times before the fire, and baste them gently with butter, till the crumbs of bread are crisp upon them, and serve them hot. as for their use in sauces, they are proper with fish, and are sometimes used with fowls; their own liquor is always put in such sauces where they are used. for pickling of oysters, the following is an excellent receipt. to pickle oysters. open a quantity of large oysters, saving their liquor, and letting it settle; then pour the liquor clear off into a stew-pan, and wash the oysters in water and salt: after which, boil them gently in their own liquor, so that they are not too hard. when they are enough, take them out, and add to the liquor some mace, a few cloves, some whole pepper, a little ginger, and a bay-leaf or two, and let the liquor boil, putting to it about a fourth part of white-wine vinegar, letting it continue to boil a little more; then take it off, and let it stand to be quite cold. when the oysters are cold, put them into jars or gally-pots, and pour the liquor with the spice cold upon them; then tie them down with leather. the mussel and cockle may be pickled after the same manner, only allowing this difference; _i.e._ that cockles and mussels are taken out of their shells by setting them over the fire, and opening them by the heat; but before-hand the shells must be wash'd very clean, and then must be put in the sauce-pan without water, they of themselves will soon produce liquor enough: then as the shells open, take out the fish, and wash every one well in salt and water; but as for the mussels, they must every one be carefully look'd into, and discharg'd from that part which is call'd the beard, and also particular care must be taken to examine whether there are any crabs in them, for they are very poisonous, and as they lie in the mouth of the mussel, may easily be discover'd; they are commonly as large as a pea, and of the shape of a sea-crab, but are properly sea-spiders: the mussels however where you find them, are not unwholesome, and it is only the eating of this little animal, which has been the occasion of people's swelling after they had eaten mussels, but the goodness of the fish is well enough worth the care of looking after that. when your mussels or cockles are all clean pick'd and wash'd, lay them to cool; and when their liquor is well fettled, pour off the clear, and boil it up with the same sort of spices mentioned above for the pickled oysters, with the same proportion of vinegar; and letting it stand till it is quite cold, put your fish into proper pots, or little barrels, and pour the liquor upon them till they are cover'd with it, and stop them up close: they will keep good two or three months, if the liquor is now and then boiled up, but it must be always cold before it be put upon the fish. in the management of cockles for pickling, or for eating any other way, let the shells be very well wash'd, and then lay the cockles in a pan of salt and water for two or three days, to scour themselves from the sand that is in them at their first taking; but observe to shift the salt and water every day. the largest cockles that i have observ'd on the _english_ coasts are those found about _torbay,_ which are sometimes brought to _exeter_ market; the fish is as large as a good oyster, and the shells of some are above two inches and a half diameter. mussels and cockles may likewise be stew'd and grill'd in scallop shells, as directed for oysters. the mussels after they are well pick'd are flower'd and fryed in some places, and eaten with butter and mustard, and the _french_ make rich soups of them. as this is a season when we have plenty of quinces, i shall insert the following receipt for making wine of them, which is very pleasant. to make quince wine. from mrs. _e. b._ gather your quinces when they are dry, and wipe them very clean with a coarse cloth, then grate them with a coarse grater or a rasp, as near the core as you can; but grate in none of the core, nor the hard part about it: then strain your grated quinces into an earthen pot, and to each gallon of liquor put two pounds of fine loaf-sugar, and stir it till your sugar is dissolved; then cover it close, and let it stand twenty four hours, by which time it will be fit enough to bottle, taking care in the bottling of it that none of the settlement go into the bottles. this will keep good about a year; observe that your quinces must be very ripe when you gather them for this use. rabbits still continue in season this month, and besides the common way of dressing them, they may be larded, and drest in the following manner; which i had from a gentleman in _suffolk._ make a farce for them, like that mentioned for the belly of a hare in the preceding month, and order its management and sauce as for a hare. a young rabbit, or hare, is known by the tenderness of the jaw-bones, which will easily break by pressing with the finger and thumb. woodcocks are now in season, and it is to be advertised of them, that they are to be only pull'd of their feathers, and not drawn like other fowls, but the guts left in them; when they are roasted, they must be serv'd upon toasts of bread, upon which the guts are spread and eaten, when they are brought to table. the inward of this bird eats like marrow; this is generally eaten with juice of orange, a little salt and pepper, without other sauce. the legs of this bird are esteem'd the most, and are therefore presented to the greatest strangers at table; but the wings and breast of a partridge are the principal parts of that fowl, for the legs are full of strings, like the legs of turkeys and pheasants. the snipe is of the same nature with the woodcock, and is ordered in every respect like it. these may be larded with bacon upon the breast, or else strew'd with salt and crumbs of bread, while they are roasting. besides the sauce used for woodcocks and snipes, the aforesaid _suffolk_ gentleman has the following which is gravey with a little minced anchovy, a rocambole, some lemon-juice, and a little white-wine boiled together; and when it is strain'd, pour it in a saucer, and serve it with the fowls. these birds are in plenty among the woody parts of _england,_ from _september_ till the end of _march,_ and then they all leave us at one time, except only such as have been lamed by the sportsmen, and disabled for flight; and then they will breed in _england,_ as there are instances enough. about _tunbridge,_ it is frequent to find them in summer; and i have known the same in _leicestershire._ i think if one could take woodcocks here in hay-nets, as they do in _france,_ and pinion them or disable a wing, and then turn them loose again, we might raise a breed of them that would stay with us; but i have experienced that they will not feed if they are confined in cages or aviaries, for they must have liberty to run in search of their food, which they find for the most part in moist places, near springs; for i have often taken both the woodcock and the snipe with such snares as are made for larks, by laying them in the night on the bank of rivulets, or watery trenches near woods. * * * * * november. pheasants are still in season, and are now chiefly roasted, for they are not so frequently boiled, till about _april,_ and then only the hens when they are full of eggs; but that, i think, is too destroying a way. the boiled pheasants are generally dressed with oyster-sauce, or egg-sauce, but the roasted are either larded on the breast with fine bacon fat, or else roasted and strew'd with crumbs of bread: these, says the _suffolk_ gentleman, who sent me the foregoing method of ordering the woodcock and snipe, should be served with the same sauces that are used for partridges. the sauces in his directions are within a trifle the same as those i have already set down in _september_ for partridges or quails, so that i shall not repeat them here. the truffle, which i have treated of at large as to its manner of growth and season of maturity, in my _gentleman and farmer's monthly director,_ affords such variety of agreeable dishes, that i have taken care to send to a curious gentleman abroad for the receipt how to dress it: they are very plenty in our woods in _england,_ as i understand by several who have found them this summer by my directions, and i believe will be much more so, since several curious gentlemen have followed my advice in propagating them. it is now, as well as in the two preceding months, that we may find them of a fine flavour; but they being something more in perfection in this month than in the others, i think it the properest to give the methods of ordering them for the table in this place: the first manner is to broil them. to broil truffles. the truffle being brought in fresh, wash it well, and cut off the rough coat on the outside: some of these will be as large as one's fist, and they are the best for this purpose; but let them be of any size, as soon as the coat is off, cut them through a little more than half-way, and put pepper and salt into the opening, and close it again; then wrap up each truffle in wet paper close, and broil them over a gentle fire of wood-embers till you judge they are enough, which will be as soon as they are very hot quite through; let them be turn'd as occasion requires, that they may be all equally done, and then serve them to the table in a folded napkin. this is a very good way of eating them, but the other i have more frequently eaten. to stew truffles in wine. the truffles must be peel'd from the rough coat on the outside, and well-wash'd; then cut your truffles into slices, and stew them in white wine, or claret, which you please, with salt, pepper, and a bay-leaf; or in the lieu of that, some _jamaica_ pepper, and serve them. white-wine for this use is generally preferred. to stew truffles after another manner. gather truffles, peel them and wash them, and then cut them in slices, after which fry them a little in a stew-pan, with either butter or hog's-lard, and a little wheat-flower; then take them out and drain them, and put them again in a stew-pan with gravey, a bunch of sweet-herbs, some salt, pepper, and nutmeg grated; and when they have stewed a little in this, strain the liquor, and dish them for the table, garnished with slices of lemmon. besides this way, they may be used in the same manner as fowls are stewed or fricasseed, with brown or white sauces, after they have been soften'd a little by boiling. while i am speaking of the truffle, i may well enough mention the receipts for the management of the morille. altho' the morille grows in _april_, which is the only time when it may be gather'd fresh, yet one may dress the dry'd ones now, by first softening them in warm water and salt for three or four minutes; but, as observ'd before, they are best fresh gather'd. and again, i chuse to put the receipts for their management in this place, because they are so near a-kin to the truffle. in the first place, i shall speak of drying them, which i have done in _england,_ after the following manner: gather, and wash them, and when they are well drain'd, then lay them in a dish, and dry them by degrees in a gentle oven; and when they are throughly dry, keep them in a dry place, and in a cover'd earthen glazed pot; but when they are fresh, order them according to the following receipts. and i am the more ready to give these to the publick, because all such who know the nicest way of eating, may nor be disappointed in their travels thro' _england,_ and denied at the inns such things as perhaps are as agreeable in that way, as any in the country. particularly i remember at _newberry,_ or _spinhamland,_ in the publick road to _bath,_ i was at the most publick and noted inn in that road, and had got some very good mushrooms, and the people there were of opinion that they were poisonous, or else did not know how to dress them, and by no means they would send them to the table. i say, if such mistakes can be made in a place where so many people of fashion travel continually, it is not likely that morilles or truffles will be received with more favour than my mushrooms; and i believe that some of the greatest niceties of our country may ever remain unknown, without a work of this nature, which i have pick'd up inch by inch, _viz._ in my travels. and besides, considering the strange disagreeable compositions which one meets with in some of our travels, as sugar with a pickled trout, and many more as ridiculous; i think this little piece of work not unworthy my time. again, there are many families in _england_ which have plenty about them, and do not know what to do with it; and therefore i think this the more necessary. but to come to my point, the morille may be dress'd when it is either fresh or blanch'd in warm water, according to the following receipts, which i had from _france._ to make a ragout of morilles. the morilles being fresh gather'd, take off the roots, and wash them in many waters, for the wrinkles in their tops harbour a great deal of dirt and sand; then slit them lengthways, and fry them a little in a stew-pan, with butter or hogs-lard, letting either be very hot when you put in the morilles; then let them drain, and put them in a fresh stew-pan with gravey, in which shred some parsley and cherville very small, with a young onion, some salt, and a little nutmeg: let these stew gently, and send them to the table garnish'd with slices of lemmon, or they may be sent to the table in cream, as we have already mentioned concerning other things in the same manner. to fry the morilles. prepare your morilles as directed in the former receipt, and boil them in a little gravey gently; when they begin to be tender, take them out of the liquor, and flower them very well, then fry them in hog's-lard: when they are thus prepared, make a sauce for them of the liquor or gravey the morilles were stew'd in, season'd with salt, nutmeg and a little juice of lemmon. the following directions i had from a gentleman in _suffolk._ the turkey is now in good season, and may be either boiled or roasted; when it is boiled, it is most commonly served with oyster-sauce, and when it is designed for roasting, it may be larded with fine fat of bacon on the breast, or else well strew'd with crumbs of bread, having first made a farce to fill the hollow of the neck, where the crop lay; this farce may be made of grated bread, spice, salt, butter'd eggs, and some sweet herbs powder'd, the whole well mix'd and bound with the yolk of a raw egg; or the liver of a fowl may be boiled and chop'd small and put into it. the receipt as i receiv'd it directs beef-suet chop'd small instead of butter'd eggs; but mr. _john hughs,_ a noted cook in _london,_ tells me that suet should be avoided in these farces, because it is apt to cool too soon, and offend the roof of the mouth, and therefore directs butter'd eggs in their stead. as for the sauce for the roasted turkey, it must be made with gravey, a bunch of sweet herbs, some lemmon-peel, a shallot or two, and some whole pepper and all-spice boiled together and strained. concerning the lark, which is now in season, the abovemention'd gentleman gives the following directions: let the larks be pick'd only and not gutted, truss the legs, with a leaf of red sage to every lark between the joints of the legs; then with a feather, dip'd in the yolk of an egg beaten, wash the body of every lark, and cover it well with crumbs of bread; after which, cut some thin slices of fat bacon, about three inches long, and an inch broad, and lay the larks in a row, side to side, with a piece of this bacon between every two larks; then have small spits about ten inches long, and pass the spits thro' the sides of the larks and the bacon, so that you have half a dozen larks upon each spit, observing to have a piece of bacon on both the outsides of the half dozen larks; baste these well while they are roasting, and for the sauce for them, fry some grated bread crisp in butter, and set them to drain before the fire, that they may harden; serve these under the larks when you send them to table, and garnish with slices of lemmon. some have their lark-spits made of silver, and serve their larks upon the spits to the table, by which means they keep hot the longer: you may eat them with juice of lemmon with the fry'd crumbs, but some like such gravey-sauce with them as is directed for the roasted turkey. tho' the guts are left in the larks, yet they are not to be eaten. in my travels i observed a kind of soup, which was very frequently used abroad, and quickly ready, that was very taking to most travellers who delighted in savoury dishes, which the people abroad call soup _a l'yvrogne_. it is made as follows. take half a score onions, peel them, and cut them in small pieces into a stewpan, and fry them brown with butter, and a little pepper and salt; and when they are enough, pour such a quantity of water upon them as you think proper to make a soup of them; then let these boil together, and thicken it with as many eggs as are neccessary, keeping it stirring to prevent the eggs from curdling. some add to this a large glass of white-wine, which i think makes it better tasted than 'tis without it: this is served with a _french_ role in the middle. at the same time i met with the following receipt for beef _a-la-mode,_ which is as good as any i have eaten. to make beef _a-la-mode._ take a fleshy piece of beef, without fat, and beat it well with a rolling pin, then lard it with pretty large pieces of bacon-fat, and if you please put over the fire a little to fry till the outside is brown, and then put it to stew in a deep stew-pan, or glaz'd earthen-vessel, with salt, pepper, bay-leaves or _jamaica_ pepper, some lemmon-peel, half a dozen large mushrooms, two gloves of garlick, or four or five cloves of shallot, half a pint of wine, and a pint of water; cover it close, and let it stew gently till it is tender: when it is enough, fry some flower in hogs-lard, and add to it, with some lemmon-juice, or a little verjuice. this is very good hot, but is for the most part eaten cold, cut in slices of about half an inch thick. * * * * * december. now is the principal season for killing of hogs, as well for pork as for bacon, and likewise for brawn. i have already in my other works given directions for making of pickled pork and bacon; so that i shall say little of it in this place, but give the receipts for ordering some particular parts of hogs. the following receipt i received from _france,_ concerning the preparing of the jole of a wild boar, and have had it try'd in _england_ with the head of a common hog; and i find little difference, especially if the hog has been fed with acorns. to dress a hog's head, in imitation of the jole of a wild boar. take a hog's head and burn it well all over upon a clear fire, till all the hair is burnt to the skin; then take a piece of brick, and rub the head all over as hard as possible, to grind off the stumps of the bristles, and finish the whole with your knife, and then clean the head very well; when this is done, you must take out all the bones, opening the head in the under part, and beginning with the under jaw-bones and the muzzle; then cleave the head, leaving only the skin over the skull to hold it together: take out the tongue and the brains. when thus you have taken away all the bones, stab the flesh with the point of your knife in many places on the inside, without wounding the skin, and put salt into every incision, then join the head together, and tie it well together with packthread, and then wrapping it up in a napkin, put it in a kettle, with a large quantity of water, a large bunch of all kinds of sweet herbs, a little coriander and anise-seeds, two or three bay leaves, some cloves, and two or three nutmegs cut in pieces, and some salt, if you think there is any wanting; add likewise two or three large onions and a sprig or two of rosemary. when this has boiled half enough, pour in a bottle of wine, and let it boil three or four hours longer till 'tis tender; for it will not be so under seven or eight hours boiling, if the hog be large; and if it is a boar's head, that has been put up for brawn, it will take more time to boil. being boiled enough, let it cool in the liquor, and then take it out and untie it, and lay it in a dish to be carry'd cold to the table, either whole or in slices. if you will, you may salt it three or four days before you boil it. to make sausages, from lady _m._ take the flesh of a leg of pork, and mince it small, and to every pound of the flesh minced, mince about a quarter of a pound of the hard fat of the hog; then beat some _jamaica_ pepper very fine, and mix with it some pepper and salt, with a little sweet-marjoram powder'd, and some leaves of red sage minced very small; mix all these very well, and if you fill them into guts, either of hogs or sheep, beat two or three yolks of eggs and mix with them, taking care not to fill the guts too full, lest they burst when you broil or fry them: but if you design them to be eaten without putting them in guts, then put no eggs to them, but beat the flesh and the fat in a stone mortar, and work the spice and herbs well into it with your hands, so that it be well mix'd, and keep it in a mass to use at your pleasure, breaking off pieces, and rolling them in your hands, and then flowering them well before you fry them. if you use them in guts, take special care that the guts are well clean'd, and lie some time in a little warm white-wine and spice before you use them; if any herb happens to be disagreeable in this mixture, it may be left out, or others added at pleasure. the following receipt to make sausages of fish for fast-days, i had at _bruxelles_, which i have experienced to be very good. to make sausages of fish. take the flesh of eels, or of tench, and to either of these put some of the flesh of fresh cod, or of pike or jack, chop these well together with parsley, and a few small onions; season these with a little salt, pepper, cloves in powder, a little grated nutmeg, and, if you will, a little powder'd ginger, with some thyme, sweet-marjoram, a little bay-leaf, all dry'd and powder'd; and mix all these well together with a little butter. then beat the bones of the fish in a mortar, pouring in among them while they are beating, a glass or two of claret, which must afterwards be poured upon the above mixture; then take the guts of a calf well wash'd and clear'd of the fat, for in that condition i find there is no scruple to use them abroad: being well discharged of the fat, fill these skins with your mixture of fish, _&c._ tying them at both ends, and lay them for twenty four hours in a pickle of wine and salt, and taking them out from thence, hang them in a chimney where they may be well smoak'd with a wood-fire, or burning saw-dust for twenty-four hours, or longer if you please, provided you have allow'd salt and spices enough. when you would use them, boil them gently in white-wine, with a bunch of sweet herbs; or in water, with one third part white-wine, and sweet-herbs. these are served cold at the table, and eat very well. the boars that were put up for brawn, are now fit to kill. it is to be observ'd, that what is used for brawn, is the flitches only, without the legs, and they must have the bones taken out, and then sprinkled with salt, and lay'd in a tray, or some other thing, to drain off the blood; when this is done, salt it a little, and roll it up as hard as possible, so that the length of the collar of brawn be as much as one side of the boar will bear, and to be, when it is rolled up, about nine or ten inches diameter. when you have rolled up your collar as close as you can, tye it with linnen tape, as tight as possible, and then prepare a cauldron with a large quantity of water to boil it: in this boil your brawn till it is tender enough for a straw to pass into it, and then let it cool; and when it is quite cold, put it in the following pickle. put to every gallon of water a handful or two of salt, and as much wheat-bran; boil them well together, and then strain the liquor as clear as you can from the brawn, and let it stand till it is quite cold, at which time put your brawn in it; but this pickle must be renewed every three weeks. some put half small beer and half water; but then the small beer should be brewed with pale malt: but i think the first pickle is the best. _note,_ the same boar's head being well cleaned, may be boiled and pickled like the brawn, and is as much esteem'd. this is a good season to make what they call hung-beef: the way of doing it, is, to take the thin pieces of the beef, and salting them with salt-petre about two ounces to a pound of common salt, and rubbing it well into the meat, dry it in a chimney with wood smoke. when this is throughly cured, it will be red quite through, which one may try by cutting; for if there is any of the flesh green, it is not smoked enough. it is, in my opinion, better than any bacon to be boiled and eaten hot. this is what i shall say, concerning the use of such things as are generally found about a gentleman's country-seat, or about a farm, which i think will be very useful, tho' a little out of the common road; and so i shall make no apology for publishing such receipts as i am sure are good. if i do not use proper terms in some of my receipts in cookery, i have at least put my receipts into such a method, as i suppose will make them intelligible, and what any one may understand: but i must take notice before i conclude, that the meaning of publishing this, is to instruct those who may not have had opportunity of observing or collecting so much as i have done, and not any way pretending to inform those who are full enough of knowledge already. however, i hope my readers will be contented with what i have here given them, and meet with something that is new and useful. finis. * * * * * the country housewife and lady's director, in the management of a house, and the delights and profits of a farm. part ii. including a great variety of the most curious receipts for dressing all the sorts of flesh, fish, fowl, fruit and herbs, which are the productions of a farm, or from any foreign parts. contained in letters, and taken from the performances of the most polite proficients in most parts of _europe_. now publish'd for the good of the publick, by r. bradley, _professor of botany in the university of_ cambridge, _and f. r. s._ to which is added, from a poulterer in _st. james's_-market, the manner of trussing all sorts of poultry. adorn'd with cuts: shewing, how every fowl, wild or tame, ought to be prepared for the spit; and likewise any kind of game. * * * * * to sir _hans sloane,_ bart. president of the royal-society. this piece of oeconomy, or management of the houshold, is most humbly presented, by his _most humble and most obedient servant,_ r. bradley * * * * * the introduction. there is nothing induces me so much, to publish this second part of directions to prepare the things about a farm or family, as the encouragement my first volume, in this way, has met with in the world; which being now in the sixth edition, has brought me many receipts, from the curious, which would be detrimental to the publick if i did not offer them to the world. i must acknowledge my gratitude, in this piece, to several persons of distinction, and good oeconomy, who have favoured me with their assistance; and, as far as their leave would suffer me, i have given their names or signatures. most of the receipts i have been witness to, at some meal or other with them, or else in publick places have purchas'd; for i always thought that there was more satisfaction in eating clean and well, if one had good provisions in a place, than to have such provisions good, and spoiled in their management. with the many noblemen i am conversant with, and in the large tract of ground i have passed over, it may not be surprizing, that i have collected so great a variety of things in this way; and there is no greater happiness i enjoy, than to communicate to the world, what i love myself: but as the proverb says, _there is no disputing about tastes_, so that every one has still the liberty of choosing or rectifying any thing as their palate directs, when they have a good foundation to go upon. i think, if these receipts had lain still in my cabinet, they might after my death have been distributed to the world in a wrong sense; but as i have particularly been present amongst many of them, i have taken the meaning of them in writing; or if i had left them behind me, they might have been lost, which, i think, are much too good to be bury'd in oblivion. * * * * * the country lady's director. part ii. since i have publish'd the receipts i gathered together, with regard to the several preparations of the products of a farm, for the table; entitled, _the lady's monthly director_, _&c._ (now in its sixth edition:) i have received a great number of letters relating to many improvements that may be made to it, and am desired to publish them, in order to render my first volume more compleat. and, as i find they will be of public use, i shall begin with one concerning the preservation of flesh, fowls and fish from putrefaction, or stinking; which is too often the case, in summer-time, when it is rare to find any sweet morsels, although they have undergone the discipline of salting. as for the common notion, that women cannot lay meat in salt, equally with success, at all times, it is false; it is the manner of doing it, and not the state of the women who handle it, that makes it right; there must be a right way of management to preserve it, and render it fit for the palate, as the following letter informs us. to mr. _bradley._ sir, i have not only read your book call'd, _the lady's monthly director_, but have tasted many elegant dishes of meat, ordered by the receipts in it; but i think, as you are a philosophical gentleman, you should have taken a little more notice of the preservation of flesh from putrefaction: for in many places i have set down to a dinner which has sent me out of the room by the very smell of it; even, though i am so much of the _french_ taste, that i can bear the _fumette_. the husband, in this case, has blamed his wife; and the wife has taken the opportunity of whispering to her husband, that the maid was not in right sorts when she salted the meat: but i am sure, i shall set you to rights in that point. i have taken pains in my family, which consists of thirty persons, to have my wife order the experiment to be made, and i am satisfied from her arguments, that there is nothing in the notion above. but now to the purpose. let your flesh-meat be fresh, and take all the bleeding arteries from it; then sprinkle it with common salt, and let it lie in the air for twelve hours; but salt the places, where the arteries were, more particularly: then wipe your meat dry, and make some salt very hot, over the fire, then rub in the salt very well, and lay the pieces of salted meat one upon another, and it will keep for several months. or with common salt, rub the several pieces of meat briskly with it, after the blood is out, and especially in the hollow places lay salt enough. so will you be sure to have your meat sweet, either beef or pork. to send _venison_ sweet in hot weather. give it a little salt, and have the haunches parted, taking out the marrow and all the veins, as they are called, that bleed; and then wipe all of it quite dry after you have wash'd it with vinegar, and then powder it with pepper, and in an open basket send it up to _london._ sometimes venison (meaning a buck) comes up to _london,_ not fit for the table; to prevent which, order the keeper, when he has killed it, to strew three or four pounds of pepper, beaten fine, upon it; and especially upon the neck parts of the sides, after he has wash'd them with vinegar and dried them well. but if it stinks, when you receive it, wash it with vinegar, and dry it, then pepper it and wrap it in a dry cloth, bury it in the ground, three foot deep at least, and in sixteen hours it will be sweet, fit for eating; then wash off the pepper with vinegar, and dry it with a cloth, and hang it where the cool air may pass, and the blue flies cannot come at it. _query._ is it not strange, that we see daily the limbs of horses hung up in trees, and they do not stink, but remain good a long while fit for dogs meat? if any one will say, that dogs all delight to eat carrion, i must deny that; but that every sort of dog will roll himself in carrion, when he can find it, is certain. to send _partridges_ a long way in hot weather. when you have killed your partridges, take out the crop, and the artery which bleeds in the neck, then fill the place with pepper; and the mouths of the fowls should be fill'd with the same, for these parts take a taint sooner than the rest; the vent too, ought to be taken care of, and open'd, and filled with pepper, beaten grossly. _n.b._ this pepper may be always wash'd away without leaving any season or flavour behind it, and is a certain antidote against corruption. so the same may be done with pheasants, and you should likewise leave on their feathers. to keep an _hare_ a long time. as soon as 'tis kill'd and discharged of its entrails, take care that all the blood be dried away with cloths about the liver, for there it is apt to settle, then dust the liver well with pepper; and fill the body with nettles, or dry moss, for these will not raise a ferment as hay and straw will do, when they come to be wet; then fill the mouth with pepper, and it will keep a long time. to keep _wild-ducks_ fresh. draw them, and fill the body with red sage, after the inside is well pepper'd; and likewise pepper the inside of the mouth, leave on the feathers. a goose may be serv'd the same way. but if they be too long kept, or through want of care, they should receive a taint; then, when they are pull'd, wash the inside very well, with vinegar and water, and dry it well with a cloth; and scrape away, if need be, what are call'd the kidneys; then strew the inside afresh with pepper, and hang them up for an hour or two, where the air may pass through them. some in such a case will put an onion into the body, which does very well towards restoring it to a freshness; then wash out all, and prepare it for the spit. helps towards the preservation of _fish._ if you would keep fish long, kill them as soon as they are out of the water, and take out their gills; then fill their heads as much as may be, with pepper, and wipe them very dry, and pack them in dry wheat-straw. _t. r._ to make _wine_ of _white elder-berries,_ like _cyprus_ wine from mrs. _warburton_ of _cheshire._ to nine gallons of water, put nine quarts of the juice of white elder berries, which has been pressed gently from the berries, with the hand, and passed thro' a sieve, without bruising the kernels of the berries; add to every gallon of liquor three pounds of _lisbon_ sugar, and to the whole quantity put an ounce and a half of ginger, sliced, and three quarters of an ounce of cloves; then boil this near an hour, taking off the scum, as it rises, and pour the whole to cool, in an open tub, and work it with ale-yeast, spread upon a toast of white bread, for three days, and then tun it into a vessel that will just hold it; adding about a pound and a half of raisins of the sun split, to lie in the liquor till we draw it off, which should not be till the wine is fine, which you will find about _january_. this wine is so like the fine rich wine brought from _cyprus_, in its colour and flavour, that it has deceiv'd the best judges, these berries are ripe in _august_, and may be had at the ivy-house at _hoxton_. to make _wine_ of _black elder-berries,_ which is equal to the best _hermitage_ claret; from _henry marsh,_ esq. _of hammersmith._ take nine gallons of spring water, and half a bushel of elder-berries, pick'd clean from the stalks; boil these till the berries begin to dimple, then gently strain off the liquor, and to every gallon of it put two pounds of good _lisbon_ sugar, and boil it an hour; then let it stand to cool, in an open tub, for if it was to cool in the copper, or brass kettle, it was boil'd in, the liquor would be ill-tasted. when it is almost cool, spread some ale-yeast upon a toast of white bread, and put it into the liquor, to work three days in the open tub, stirring the liquor once or twice a day, and then tun it in a vessel of a right size, to hold it: at the same time add to every gallon one pound of raisins of the sun whole, and let them lie in the cask till the wine is drawn off. such a small quantity of wine, as is here directed, will be fit to bottle the _january_ next after it is made, but larger casks should not be drawn off till _march_ or _april_. a receipt from _barbadoes,_ to make _rum;_ which proves very good. in _barbadoes_ the rum is made of the scum and offal of the sugar, of which they put one ninth part, or eighth part, to common water, about eighteen gallons, all together, in a wooden open vessel or tub; cover this with dry leaves of palm, or for want of them, with the leaves of _platanus_ or the leaves of fern in _england_, or the parts or leaves which flagg-brooms are made of. let this remain for nine days, till it changes of a clean yellow colour, and it will be then fit to distil; then put it into an alembic, and you will have what we call the low-wines. a day or two after distil it again, and in the cap of the still, hang a small muslin bag of sweet fennel-seeds, and the spirit will be of a fine flavour. some will use anniseed in the bag, and some use a little musk with the sweet fennel seeds, or else distil the spirit twice, _viz._, once with the sweet fennel-seeds, and the next with a little musk. _n.b._ the wooden vessels, or open tubs, must not be made of any wood that is unwholesome, or sweet-scented; such as deal, firr, or manchineel. in _england_, treacle may be used with equal success, and is cheap enough to get a good livelihood; as appears by the several ways mention'd above, that have been privately experienced. to make _citron-water,_ from _barbadoes._ take citron, or lemon flowers, for the word citron in _french_ signifies lemon; though we generally in _england_ esteem the large lemons to be citrons, and the middle-siz'd we call lemons, and the smallest of that race is call'd the lime. in these, however, there are as many varieties as we have in apples, one is finer flavour'd than the other. the oranges too are of as many different sorts, the rind of one pleasanter than the other, and the juice likewise, and so are the flowers various in their smells, some more odorous than others; yet all these are used indifferently, according to the kinds that happen to grow upon the several estates, where the citron-water is made, and this is the reason why one sort is better than another; and therefore, those who have the most pleasant sorts, make the best waters of this kind. we must take, either of citron, lemon, or orange-flowers, four ounces to a gallon of clean spirit, or _french_-brandy; put these in the spirits, with two pounds of white sugar-candy, beaten fine: then take of the best citron-peels, or lemon-peels, six ounces, and let them steep in the spirits till the liquor is strong enough of every ingredient; and when that is done, pour it off, through a sieve. and in some places they put about half a drachm of musk to six gallons of liquor; and this has been sold for sixteen shillings the quart in _london_. to make fine _vinegar._ there is no doubt but the making of vinegar will be a considerable article, seeing that few of our fine preparations for the table can be made without it. a gentleman of great note has given me the following receipt for it, _viz._ to nine gallons of water, put eighteen pounds of _malaga_ raisins, chopt a little, stalks and all; put this into a cask, bound with iron hoops, and place it in the warmest exposure you can find in the open air: then take a _florence_ flask, divested of its straw, and put the neck of it into the bung-hole, fixing it as close as may be, with some linnen-cloth, and a little pitch and rosin melted together. by this means, if the weather prove fair and warm, your vinegar will be fit for use in three weeks time. the use of the glass, is, that in the heat of the day it will fill itself with the liquor, and when the cool of the evening comes on, that liquor will again be return'd into the cask; by which means the liquor will become sour much sooner than it will otherwise do. as soon as it is clear, draw it off. to make _irish usquebaugh;_ from lord _capell's_ receipt, when he was lord lieutenant of _ireland._ to every gallon of _french_-brandy, put one ounce of liquorice sliced, one ounce of sweet fennel-seeds, one ounce of anniseeds, one pound of raisins of the sun split and stoned, a quarter of a pound of figs split, two drachms of coriander-seeds, let these infuse about eight or nine days, and pour the liquor clear off, then add half an ounce of saffron, in a bag, for a day or two, and when that is out, put in a drachm of musk. if when this composition is made, it seems to be too high a cordial for the stomach, put to it more brandy, till you reduce it to the temper you like. this is the same receipt king _william_ had when he was in _ireland_. to make green _usquebaugh._ to every gallon of _french_-brandy put one ounce of anniseeds, and another of sweet fennel-seeds, two drachms of coriander-seeds. let these infuse nine days, then take of the spirit of saffron one drachm, distil'd from spirit of wine, mix with the rest; infuse during this time some liquorice sliced in spirits, one pound of raisins of the sun, and filter it; put then a quart of pure white-wine to a gallon of the liquor, and when all is mix'd together, take the juice of spinach boil'd, enough to colour it; but do not put the spinach juice into the liquor till it is cold. to this put one pound of white sugar candied, finely powder'd, to a gallon of liquor. to make a _cabbage-pudding;_ from a gentlewoman in _suffolk,_ as it was written by herself. sir, you will excuse me, if i send you a receipt for a pudding, which is accounted so agreeable by my acquaintance, that they think it worth a place in your book, call'd, _the lady's monthly director_, in the management of the several products of a farm. it may as well be made by people of the lower as of the higher rank. take a piece of boil'd beef, which is not always done enough; the parts of it which are the least done, and chop them small: take as much boil'd cabbage as you have meat, and chop that as small as the beef, season this with pepper and salt, and two or three eggs beaten, to mix it up in the manner of farced meat. whatever else of seasoning you like, put it to it; and when it is made into a thin paste, put the mixture into a linnen-cloth, and boil it till it is enough, then serve it to the table. but this pudding is much better made with raw salt beef and boil'd cabbage, for is makes an extraordinary paste, and is much softer and fuller of gravey than the first. _n.b._ if it is of the first sort, the quantity of half a quartern loaf of fine bread, may boil an hour, and the latter sort may boil an hour and a half. _i am yours,_ c. b. serve it with butter and gravey, with lemon-juice. of the _gourmandine-pea,_ and its several ways of dressing. _p.s._ you have mention'd in one of your books a sort of pea, which is call'd the gourmandine, or gourmand; which i suppose one may call, in _english_, the glutton's pea, because we eat all of it. for the pods of it are very sweet and have no film, or skin in them, so that the cods may be as well eaten as the peas themselves; for which reason, when we have drawn the strings from them, as we do from kidney beans, you may broil them upon a gridiron, and serving them with gravey sauce, they are very good; or to cut them into pieces, and fry them with mutton steaks; or else you may fry them with beef, and they are still better. but the best way, is to cut them cross, as you do _french_-beans, and stew them in gravey with a little pepper and salt, there is not any thing in my opinion can eat better, and to be put in a gravey soop, are incomparable; especially, if they have been parboil'd, and rubb'd dry, and then fry'd in burnt butter. the smallest dwarf crooked sugar-pea, that you recommend, is of the same quality, but rather better, for all these uses, being somewhat sweeter than the former, and the pod fuller of pulp. c. b. to make _verjuice_ of grapes, unripe, or of crab-apples; from _j. s._ esq. take grapes full grown, just before they begin to ripen, and bruise them, without the trouble of picking them from the bunches; then put them in a bag, made of horse-hair, and press them till the juice is discharged; put this liquor into a stone jar, leaving it uncover'd for some days, then close it and keep it for use. this verjuice is much richer than that of the crab-apple, and has a much greater influence in the way of callico-printing; but is harder to come at, few people being willing to gather their grapes unripe; but where there is a large quantity, it is well worth while. _n.b._ it will do well, if the liquor is put into common casks, but is nicer to the palate if it is kept in glazed jars of about eight or nine gallons, and the berries might then be pick'd from the stalks. keep this in a good vault, and it will remain good for three or four years as verjuice; but a little more time will make it lose its sourness, and it will become like wine. the verjuice of crab-apples should be made of the wild crab, which produces thorns on its branches, and brings a small round apple, such as are common to be planted for fences. i am the more particular in this, because some apples, which are call'd wildings, are supposed to have a sharp juice, but such will soften by keeping a year or two. take the crabs, i speak of, in _october_, and grind them in a mill, such as they use for making cyder; then press the liquor, and put it into vessels like the former. besides the agreeable taste this has, as an _agresta_ at the table, it is good for the callico printers. a dry travelling powder, for sauce, or pocket-sauce. from _mynheer vanderport_ of _antwerp._ take pickled mango, and let it dry three or four days in the room; then reduce it to powder by means of a grater. take of this powder six ounces, to which add three ounces of mushrooms, dry'd in a gentle oven, and reduced to powder, by beating in a mortar; add to this, a dram of mace powder'd, half as much cloves powder'd; or in their room, a large nutmeg grated, and a dram of black pepper, beat fine: mix these ingredients well together, and sift them through an open hairsieve: and half a tea spoonful, or less, of the powder will relish any sauce you have a mind to make, though it be a quart or more, putting it into the sauce, when it is warm. to this, one may add about nine grains of sweet basil, dry'd and powder'd; or of summer sweet marjoram powder'd. if we use this sauce for fish, it is extremely good, adding only a little anchovy liquor and white wine. to preserve _grapes_ all the winter. take an earthen jar, well glaz'd, that will hold about six gallons, or more; then dry some oats, a little, in the sun, upon leads if you can, so that they have lost some part of their moisture; lay them then two inches thick, at the bottom of the jar, and upon them, your bunches of grapes, gathered full ripe and dry; and if in any bunch there is a rotted grape, cut it off, and see that your bunches are quite clean in their berries; and besides, that all the parts you have cut the grapes from, are quite dry. lay these on the oats, and upon them put two inches thick of oats, dry'd as before; and on them again, a layer of grapes, and so the oats upon them, continuing this practice till the vessel is full. then take a cork, well soak'd in oil, and stop it close in the jar, and seal it up with pitch, bees-wax, and a little rosin, melted together, and keep it in a cool place; but to bury it three foot under ground, is better. a collar of _mutton_ roasted. from _st. edmund's-bury_ in _suffolk._ take a coast of mutton, which is the neck and breast together, skin it in the whole piece; then parboil it, and prepare a mixture of crumbs of bread; lemon-peel grated, a little pepper, salt, nutmeg, or sweet marjoram powder'd, which answers the end of most spices, or else a little dry'd sweet basil, which we call _bush-basil_, in the gardens. to this, add the yolks of six hard eggs, beat in a mortar, with six ounces of butter; mix this with the other ingredients; then take the inside of the mutton, and cover it with this mixture, and roll it up as close as can be, and secure it in the roll; so that it may be close for the spit. it must be spitted through the middle length-ways, and basted with butter, salting it every now and then, and the gratings of crusts of bred should be sprinkled upon it, with the seasoning above. just before it is enough, when it is taken off the spit, serve it with strong gravey and lemon or orange juice, and garnish with lemon or orange sliced; or when oysters are in season, add fry'd oysters: _viz._ to fry _oysters_ for a plate, or the garnish of the foregoing dish. make a batter of eggs and flower, crumbs of bread, and a little mace, beaten fine. stew some large oysters in their own liquor gently, and wipe them dry, and flower them: dip them, after this, in the batter, and fry them in very hot butter, or lard, or seam of an hog; and they will be incrustated, or cover'd, with a sort of paste, which will be very agreeable, either for a plate, or to garnish a dish. if we have them alone, serve them with some of the liquor, a little butter, some white wine, boiling first some spices in the liquor. of a _sturgeon,_ how it ought to be cured, for cold meat, or dressed hot for the table. the sturgeon is a fish commonly found in the northern seas; but now and then, we find them in our great rivers; the _thames_, the _severn_ and the _tyne_. this fish is of a very large size; even sometimes to measure eighteen foot in length. they are in great esteem when they are fresh taken, to be cut in pieces, of eight or ten pounds, and roasted or baked; besides, to be pickled and preserv'd for cold treats: and moreover, the caviar, which is esteem'd a dainty, is the spawn of this fish. to cure, or pickle, _sturgeon;_ from _hamborough._ take a sturgeon, gut it and clean it very well, within side, with salt and water; and in the same manner clean the outside, wiping both very dry with coarse cloths, without taking any of the great scales from it: then take off the head, the fins and tail; and if there is any spawn in it, save it to be cured for caviar. when this is done, cut your fish into small pieces, of about four pounds each, and take out the bones, as clean as possible, and lay them in salt and water for twenty-four hours; then dry them well with coarse cloths; and such pieces as want to be rolled up, tie them close with bass-strings, that is, the strings of bark which compose the bass mats, such as the gardeners use: for that being flat, like tape, will keep the fish close in the boiling, which would otherwise break, if it was tied with pack-thread. strew some salt over the pieces, and let them lie three days; then provide a piece of wicker, made flat, aid wide as the copper or cauldron you will boil your fish in, with two or three strings, fasten'd to the edges, the ends of which should hang over the edges of the copper. the pans we generally boil our fish in, are shallow and very broad; then make the following pickle, _viz._ one gallon of vinegar to four gallons of water, and to that quantity put four pounds of salt. when this boils, put in your fish; and when it is boil'd enough, take it out, and lay it in single pieces, upon hurdles, to drain, or upon such boards as will not give any extraordinary taste to the fish. some will boil in this pickle a quarter of a pound of whole black pepper. when your fish is quite cold, lay it in clean tubs, which are call'd kits, and cover it with the liquor it was boil'd in, and close it up, to be kept for use. if at any time you perceive the liquor to grow mouldy, or begin to mother, pass it through a sieve; add some fresh vinegar to it, and boil it: and when it is quite cold, wash your fish in some of it, and lay your pieces a-fresh in the tub, covering them with liquor as before, and it will keep good several months. this is generally eaten with oil and vinegar. to prepare the _caviar,_ or _spawn,_ of the _sturgeon._ wash it well in vinegar and water, and then lay it in salt and water two or three days; then boil it in fresh water and salt; and when it is cold, put it up for use. this is eaten upon toasts of white bread with a little oil. to roast a piece of fresh _sturgeon;_ from mr. _ralph titchbourn,_ cook. take a piece of fresh sturgeon, of about eight or ten pounds; let it lie in water and salt, six or eight hours, with its great scales on: then fasten it on the spit, and baste it well with butter for a quarter of an hour; and after that, drudge it with grated bread, flour, some nutmeg, a little mace powder'd, pepper and salt, and some sweet herbs dry'd and powder'd, continuing basting and drudging of it till it is enough. then serve it up with the following sauce, _viz._ one pint of thin gravey and oyster liquor, with some horse-radish, lemon-peel, a bunch of sweet herbs, some whole pepper, and a few blades of mace, with a whole onion, an anchovy, a spoonfull or two of liquid katchep, or some liquor of pickled walnuts, with half a pint of white wine: strain it off, and put in as much butter as will thicken it. to this put oysters parboil'd, shrimps or prawns pickt, or the inside of a crab, which will make the same sauce very rich; then garnish with fry'd oysters, lemon sliced, butter'd crabs and fry'd bread, cut in handsome figures, and pickled mushrooms. _n.b._ if you have no katchep, you may use mushroom gravey, mention'd in the first part of your treatise, or some of the travelling sauce in the same book, or else a small tea spoonful of the dry pocket-sauce. to roast a collar, or fillet, of _sturgeon;_ from the same. take a piece of fresh sturgeon; take out the bones, and cut the fleshy part into lengths, about seven or eight inches; then provide some shrimps, chopt small with oysters; some crumbs of bread, and such seasoning of spice as you like, with a little lemon-peel grated. when this is done, butter one side of your fish, and strew some of your mixture upon it; then begin to roll it up, as close as possible, and when the first piece is rolled up, then roll upon that another, prepared as before, and bind it round with a narrow fillet, leaving as much of the fish apparent as may be. but you must remark, that the roll should not be above four inches and a half thick; for, else one part would be done enough before the inside was hardly warm'd: therefore, i have sometimes parboil'd the inside roll before i began to roll it. when it is at the fire, baste it well with butter, and drudge it with sifted raspings of bread. serve it with the same sauce as directed for the former. a piece of fresh _sturgeon_ boiled; from the same. when your sturgeon is clean, prepare as much liquor to boil it in, as will cover it; that is, take a pint of vinegar to about two quarts of water, a stick of horse-radish, two or three bits of lemon-peel, some whole pepper, a bay-leaf or two, and a small handful of salt; boil your fish in this, till it is enough, and serve it with the following sauce. melt a pound of butter; then add some anchovy liquor; oyster liquor; some white wine; some katchep boil'd together with whole pepper and mace strain'd; put to this the body of a crab, and serve it with a little lemon-juice. you may likewise put in some shrimps, the tails of lobsters, cut to pieces, stew'd oysters, or cray-fish cut into small bits: garnish with pickled mushrooms and roasted or fry'd oysters, lemon sliced, and horse-radish scraped. to make a _sturgeon-_pye; from the same. put to a quartern of flour, two pounds of butter, and rub a third part in; then make it into a paste with water, and roll the rest in at three times; then roll out your bottom, and when it is in the dish, lay some butter, in pieces, upon it; and strew on that, a little pepper and salt. then cut your sturgeon in slices cross-ways, about three quarters of an inch thick, seasoning them with pepper, salt, nutmeg and lemon-peel grated, till your pye is full, and on the top lay on pieces of butter; then close it, and put in, just before it goes to the oven, some white wine and water; and when it is bak'd, serve it: garnish it with sliced lemon, or orange. to butter _crabs,_ from the same, for garnish for the foregoing dishes, or to be served by themselves. take middle-siz'd sea-crabs; break the claws, and pick them; then take out the body, free from all the films and boney parts; mix these together with some pepper and salt, to your mind; and when you have heated some white wine over the fire, put your mixture into it, and stir it well together, and keep it warm in a gentle oven, till you want it for use: and just before you use it, pour into your mixture a little melted butter, and stir it well in; then clean your shells, as well as possible, in hot water, and put in your mixture, and serve it to the table hot. or this mixture may be serv'd on a plate, upon sippets, with slices of lemon or orange. you should fry the sippets. the manner of pickling and drying of _sheeps_ tongues, or _hogs_ tongues, which they call _stags_ tongues; from a celebrated practitioner of forty years standing in _london._ the sheeps tongues, which are commonly bought in the _london_ markets, are the best, if they are the tongues of wethers, fed in low lands; being the largest, as they are taken from the largest sort of sheep: but the tongues of all sorts of sheep are good enough to be worth pickling. but there is this difference in the value, that one large tongue, well cured, will sell for three pence, while the smallest sort, cured in the same manner, will only sell for three half-pence, or a penny. these tongues are bought in quantities of the carcass butchers, about _whitechappel_, and other butchers about town, who kill from one hundred to six hundred sheep in a day, each butcher; and they know very well how to cut out the tongues, with all their parts to advantage: but they are afterwards trimm'd, when we receive them, into a more regular shape; by those who cure them. when we are about this work, there is one thing necessary to be observ'd, especially in hot weather, but always it is best to be done; which is, cut the fleshy part of the bottom of the tongue length-ways, and you will find, towards the root, an artery, which as soon as 'tis cut will bleed, and joining to that is a kind of sweet-bread; take these out, as clean as you can, without disfiguring the tongue; otherwise the tongues will have an ungrateful smell, and putrify: so, that if you deal by wholesale, they will be return'd upon your hands, or be a trouble to the family where they are made. wash these well, after trimming, in salt and water, and then salt them with common salt, well dry'd, in an iron kettle; one pound to half an ounce of salt-petre, or nitre, powder'd and well mix'd. rub them well with the mixture, and lay them close together in a tub, or glaz'd earthen vessel; and, after a few days, when they are salt enough, take them from the pickle, and when they are a little dry, tie them by the tips, half a dozen together; and hang them up in a chimney, where deal saw-dust is burnt, till they are smoked enough, to be cured for boiling; then boil them in their bunches, and let them dry for sale. but to come a quicker way to cure these tongues, in the pickle, as we do generally, is to make a brine or pickle in the following manner; that is, take a quantity of water, and make a pickle of it with common salt, boil'd till it will bear an egg; and then put in to every pound of salt, half an ounce of nitre, or salt-petre; and when the pickle is cold, throw in your tongues: which is the quickest way. but for drying of them, the smoking-closets will do perfectly well, only we have not always those conveniencies. the _smoking-closets,_ it is to be observ'd, from your own writings, that the smoking-closets are of great use in curing of hams; and they are no less useful in drying of tongues. i have, in a place, in the country, one of them in a garret, where we enclose a room of ten foot square, where is a chimney, into which, by a register, we let in the smoke from the fire, which is made on a hearth, on the ground floor; so that the smoke then does not come too hot on the tongues, and so preserves them from turning rusty. this is much the best way of curing them, and one may cure, in such a room, fourscore dozen at a time. this place, likewise, we cure our hung-beef in. we have try'd some sheeps tongues, salted only in a brine of common salt, and dry'd in such a room; and they are very red, and well tasted, though there is no salt-petre used in the pickle. a _carp_ pye. from mrs. _mary gordon._ put to a quartern of flour a pound and a half of butter, rubbing a third part in; and make it into a paste with water: then roll in the rest of the butter, at two or three times, and lay your paste in the dish, putting some bits of butter, on the bottom paste, with some salt and pepper, at discretion. then scale and gut your carp, and wash it with vinegar, and dry it well; and make the following pudding for the belly of the carp: _viz._ take the flesh of an eel, and mince it very small; add some grated bread, some dry'd sweet marjoram powder'd, two butter'd eggs, a small anchovy minced, a little nutmeg grated, and some salt and pepper; mix this well, and fill the belly of the carp with it; and for the remaining part, make it into balls. then cut off the tail and fins of the carp, and lay it in the crust, with the balls about it; some mushroom buttons, oysters with their fins taken off, and some shrimps, a few slices of lemon, and some thin slices of fat bacon, a little mace and some bits of butter: then close it, and before you put it into the oven, pour in half a pint of claret. serve this pye hot. to make biscuits of _potatoes._ from the same. boil the roots of potatoes, till they are tender; then peel them, and take their weight of fine sugar, finely sifted; grate some lemon-peel on the sugar; and then beat the potatoes and sugar together, in a stone mortar, with some butter, a little mace, or cloves, finely sifted, and a little gum dragon, steeped in orange-flower-water, or rose-water, till it becomes a paste; then make it into cakes with sugar, finely powder'd, and dry them in a gentle oven. to make _biscuits_ of red _beet-roots;_ from the same; call'd the _crimson biscuit._ take the roots of red-beets, and boil them tender; clean them, and beat them in a mortar with as much sugar, finely sifted; some butter; the yolks of hard eggs, a little flower; some spice, finely beaten, and some orange-flower-water, and a little lemon-juice. when they are well mix'd, and reduced to a paste, make them into cakes, and dry them in a slow oven. to boil _onions,_ that they shall lose their strong scent, and become as sweet as sugar in their taste. from the same. take the largest onions, and when you have cut off the strings of the roots, and the green tops, without taking off any of the skins, fling them into salt and water, and let them lie an hour; then wash them in it, and put them into a kettle, where they may have plenty of water, and boil them, till they are tender. then take them off, and take off as many skins, as you think fit, till you come to the white part, and then bruise them, if you will, and toss them up with cream or butter, if you use them with boil'd rabbits, or under a roasted turkey; but in the last case, this sauce should be serv'd in basons, or on plates. you may also bruise them, and strain them through a cullendar, and then put cream to them; which is esteem'd the nicest way for a turkey; or if you keep them whole, you may warm them in strong gravey, well drawn, with spice and sweet herbs; and when that is done, thicken the gravey with burnt butter, adding a little claret, or white wine; or, for want of that, a little ale. this is a sauce for a turkey roasted, or roast mutton, or lamb. _hungary-water._ from mrs. _du pont,_ of _lyons;_ which is the same, which has been famous, about _montpelier._ take to every gallon of brandy, or clean spirits, one handful of rosemary, one handful of lavender. i suppose the handfuls to be about a foot long a-piece; and these herbs must be cut in pieces, about an inch long. put these to infuse in the spirits, and with them, about an handful of myrtle, cut as before. when this has stood three days, distil it, and you will have the finest hungary-water that can be. it has been said, that rosemary flowers are better than the stalks; but they give a faintness to the water, and should not be used, because they have a quite different smell from the rosemary; nor should the flowers of myrtle be used in lieu of the myrtle, for they have a scent ungrateful, and not at all like the myrtle. the manner of making the famous _barcelona snuff,_ as it was perform'd at the _lyon_ at _barcelona;_ from the same. this is also call'd _myrtle snuff._ take _seville_ snuff, and prepare a dry barrel, that has not had any wine in it, or of any scent; then cut the fresh tops of myrtle, and lay a layer of them at the bottom of the cask, an inch or two thick; then lay snuff on that as thick, and lay on more myrtle, two inches; then again, put on snuff, and so fill the barrel in the same manner, _stratum super stratum_. then press it down with a board, that will fit, and set three weights upon it of a quarter of an hundred a-piece, and let it stand four and twenty hours; then turn it out, and sift it, flinging the myrtle away; then put it into the cask, as before, with fresh myrtle, and serve it so three times, and sift it off. when this is done, add to every ten pounds of snuff, one pound of orangery snuff, and mix the whole very well, and after three days, put it into glaz'd pots, well pressed into them, and stopt close; or else into leaden pots: which last is rather the best. to make _orangery snuff._ from the same. take _seville_ snuff and orange-flowers, fresh gather'd early in the morning. and in a glaz'd earthen vessel, lay a layer of the flowers, then a layer of snuff, then a layer of flowers; and so on, till the pot is full. press it down very gently, and let the mouth of the pot be open for twenty-four hours; then turn all out, and sift your snuff, and lay in fresh flowers, with snuff, in the same manner as before; and at the end of four and twenty hours sift it off again, and repeat the same the third time: being sure that the flowers do not remain longer than twenty-four hours, else they will sour the snuff. in making this snuff, you ought to allow at least a pound for waste, for the flowers will gather a great deal of it. to make _orange-butter._ from the same. take hogs-lard (or as in some places, call'd hogs-seame) wash this well in spring-water, beating it all the while with a piece of wood; then take orange-flowers, fresh gather'd, and melt the lard gently, and put about a quarter of a pound of the flowers into a pound of lard; let them remain ten minutes, gently keeping them warm over the fire; then strain it off, and when the lard is again cold, beat it, and wash it with orange-flower-water. then melt it gently a second time, and put in fresh flowers, in the same manner as before, and it will become of a yellow colour; and, when it is cool, beat it again with a wooden paddle and orange-flower-water, and then put it into pots for use. i should remark, that the lard should be melted by putting it in a glazed vessel, and melting it by putting the vessel into boiling water. to make flour of _mustard._ those who live in the country, or go to sea, have frequent occasion to use mustard, when there is no opportunity of getting it without extraordinary trouble. it is a sauce seldom thought on till the minute we want it; and then, according to the old way of making it, if we are lucky enough to have mustard-seed in the house, we must spend an hour in the ceremony of grinding it in a wooden bowl, and an iron cannon-bullet, according to the old custom; or, if we have mustard by us, ready made, if it has stood a week, it is then of no value, if it is in small quantity. but to obviate this difficulty, the invention of grinding mustard-seed in a mill, and thereby reducing of it to flour, to be made fit for the table in an instant, has been very well received: for by that contrivance we have it always fresh, and full of brisk spirits, and may only make just what we want without any spoil, as long as we keep a stock of this flour by us. there are two sorts of mustard: _viz._ the white sort, which is a large grain, and not so strong; and the black sort, which is a small grain. that which i account the best, is from the wild mustard, commonly found growing in _essex_, which sells the best in the markets. but from whatever place we have it, regard should be chiefly had to its being free from mustiness, which happens from the gathering the seed wet, or in the dew, and laying it close together before it is thresh'd. when this seed is dry and sweet, grind it in a mill, such as a coffee-mill; but the mill must be fresh, and free from any flavour or taint: it should not indeed be used with any other thing. when you have ground a sufficient quantity, pass it through a pretty open sieve, and the next day put it into vials with open mouths, pressing it down close; stop them well, and keep it for use. when you want good mustard for the table, take a spoonful or two of this flour, and as much boiling liquor from the pot, where beef or pork is boiled, as will make it of the consistence you desire, stirring it well till it is mixt for your purpose; or for want of such liquor, boil a little salt and water together, and mix your mustard-flour with that; but in either of these ways you must observe, that while your mustard is warm, it will last better. some who do not love their mustard overstrong, put equal quantities of the white and black mustard-seed into the mill, and then the flour will not be so poignant to the palate, and will have a brighter look. if your mill be set very sharp, the flour will be so fine, that it need hardly be sifted. to keep _anchovys_ good for a long time. from mrs. _m. n._ as the people in the country have not always the conveniency of a market near them, and the anchovy is often required for fish-sauce; so should every family keep a quantity by them. they should be large, and fresh brought over when we buy them, and feel firm to the finger; neither should they have their heads on, for they are then more apt to turn rancid and stink; and if we buy them in large quantities, the frequent opening the pot we keep them in will subject them to change. but to prevent this, as the liquor falls or shrinks, add vinegar to them, which will continue them firm and free from rotting for two years. to roast a shoulder of _mutton_ like _venison._ from the same. take a shoulder of mutton, and skin it; then lay it in the fresh blood of a sheep, well stirr'd with a little salt, as it is bleeding, for six or eight hours. when you have done this, wash it in water and salt, and at last with vinegar; or else you may steep it in an infusion of warm water, a gallon, and half a quarter of an ounce of _brazil_-wood rasp'd. you may steep it in this liquor for four hours, or else you may let it pass half an hour in a gentle oven with water and salt, and a small piece of _brazil_-wood in it; either of which will give it a colour: but i think the two last are better than the blood. roast it then for its time, basting it well with water and salt, till it is near enough, and then give it a little sprinkling of salt and raspings of bread, with some flour well mixt. the sauce for this is claret boil'd with cinnamon, sweetned with a little sugar and crumbs of bread grated: but some will use the claret, sugar and cinnamon without the crumbs, in saucers; as it is now the most common way in noblemens families to do venison. but in the dish with the artificial shoulder of venison, put a strong gravey of beef; or made of some of the beef-glue which you have recommended in your book. to make a _hare-pye,_ for a cold treat. from the same. take the flesh of an hare, and beat it in a marble mortar; then add as many butter'd eggs as will almost equal the quantity of the hare's-flesh. mix these together with a little fat bacon cut small, some pepper and salt, and a little powder of cloves and mace, or sweet marjoram, to your pleasure, and mix them very well; then lay in your paste, and butter it well at the bottom with some seasoning, strew'd upon it, and lay in your preparation, and cover it with butter; then close it, and serve it when it is cold. to preserve _ginger,_ and reduce the common _ginger_ for that purpose. from the same. take the large roots of ginger, and pour scalding water upon them; and when that is cool, pour on some more scalding water: and so repeat the same till the seventh or eighth time, or till you find the ginger soft, and very much swell'd. then warm some white wine, and put it in that, for a few hours, stirring it frequently while it is in any of the liquors. boil the last liquor with fine sugar to a syrup; then put in your ginger, and boil it for some time; then set it by till the next day, and repeat the boiling of the ginger, adding every now and then a little white wine, till the ginger begins to look a little clear; and when it is cold, put it into glasses, or glazed jars, stopping it close. _marmalade_ of _oranges_ and _lemons._ from the same. it is necessary to boil the rinds of each in several waters, till the bitterness is lost, and that they are reduced to a tenderness, such as you like; then beat them in a marble mortar with as much of the pulp of golden-pippins, or golden-rennets, as you think proper. then take their weight of sugar well powder'd, and a pint of water to every pound of sugar; boil your sugar and water, and when you have made a syrup, put in your pulp, and boil them all together till they are clear. then put in the juice of oranges and lemons, so much as will give you the taste you desire; then boil it over again till it jellies, and put it into glasses, keep this in a dry place. to make _syrup_ of _mulberries._ from the same. press out the juice of mulberries with your hands, and pass it through a sieve; and when it has stood to settle, pour off the clear, and put to it, its weight of fine sugar; put this into a gallypot, and set that pot into a kettle of hot water, which should be kept simmering near two hours: stir the syrup every now and then with a silver spoon, and take off what scum may rise at times, upon it; when it is enough, let it stand till it is quite cold, and then put it into clear dry bottles with large mouths, and stop them close. keep this in a dry place. it is to be remark'd, that besides this syrup is very cooling; its use is to colour stew'd apples, or puddings, or any sweet preparation made with flour or fruit: for in itself it carries no flavour that will be predominant over that of another fruit. of _syrup_ of _raspberries, currans,_ or other fruits. from the same. these syrups are made like the former, by pressing out the juice with the hands; because if the seeds are broken, they would have an ill taste. treat these in the making just in the same way as the former, and use them in the same manner, to colour any sweet preparation; but remember, where you put any of the raspberry syrup, the flavour of the raspberry will prevail. to make a _raspberry-_pudding. from the same. take a pint of cream, and grate into it four penny _naples_ biscuits; then take the yolks of eight hard eggs chopt and broken small; then beat four eggs and put in two spoonfuls of flour, and as much powder of double-refined sugar; then put in as much syrup of raspberries as you think proper to give it a flavour and a colour. if you find that your composition is not thick enough, you may grate in more _naples_ biscuit. mix all this well together, and, if you will, make a fine crust roll'd thin and laid in a dish, and bake it in a gentle oven. _parsnip-cakes._ from the same. scrape some parsnip-roots, and slice them thin, dry them in an oven and beat them to powder; mix them then with an equal quantity of flour, and make them up with cream and spices powder'd; then mould them into cakes, and bake them in a gentle oven. _n.b._ the sweetness of the parsnip powder answers the want of sugar. to make _raspberry_ bak'd cakes. from the same. take potatoes and boil them, and when they are peel'd, beat them in a marble mortar with half the quantity of fine sugar powder'd; then put in some of your raspberry syrup, till it is coloured with it, and make up your cakes in fine sugar powder'd. then dry them, or bake them, in a gentle oven, _note_, these cakes should be made thin. of _ortolans._ from mr. _renaud._ the _ortolan_ is a bird brought from _france_, and is fed in large cages with canary-seeds till they become a lump of fat; and when they are fully fatted, they must be killed, or else they will feed upon their own flesh. when we kill them, you must take them by the beak, and holding it close between your finger and thumb, the bird will be stifled in about a minute; then pick off the feathers even those of the head, and pass a fine skewer through them, just under the wings, and roast them quick; setting small toasts under them to drip upon. serve them with strong gravey, and as much white wine hot, and garnish with slices of lemon and raspings of bread sifted and toasted before the fire. to make _sugar comfits_ of any sort. from mrs. _anne shepherd_ of _norwich._ the seeds which we generally make comfitts of, are carraways, coriander and anise-seeds; these, when they are cover'd with sugar, are call'd comfits, (_confects_). the instruments to be employ'd for this use, are first a deep-bottom'd bason of bell-metal, or brass, well tinn'd, to be hung over some hot coals. secondly, you must have a broad pan to put hot coals in. thirdly, provide a brass ladle to pour the sugar upon the seeds. fourthly, you must have a brass slice to scrape off the sugar that may chance to hang upon the side of the hanging bason. then take care that your seeds are dry, or dry them well in your hanging pan. to every quarter of a pound of seeds use two pounds of fine sugar beaten; unless to anise-seeds, use two pounds of sugar to half a pound of seeds. to begin the work, put three pounds of fine sugar into the bason with one pint of water, to be stirr'd well together till the sugar is wet; and boil it gently, till the sugar will rope from the ladle like turpentine, and it is enough. keep this however warm, upon warm embers, that it may run. freely in a ropy way from the ladle upon the seeds. when this is ready, move the seeds briskly in the bason, and fling on them half a ladle-full at a time of the hot sugar, keeping the seeds moving for some time; which will make them take the sugar the better, and be sure to dry them well after every covering, by moving the bason, and stirring the comfits. in an hour, you may make three pounds of comfits: you will know when they are coated enough with sugar, by their becoming as large as you would have them. there is no certain rule, but our own fancies, for the size of them. _note_, till they are as you would have them, cast on more melted sugar, as at first, and keep them stirring and shaking in the pan, drying them well after every coat of sugar. if you would have ragged or rough comfits, make your sugar so liquid, that it will run from the ladle; and let it fall upon the seeds about a foot and a half high. let it be very hot, for the hotter it is, the rougher will be your comfits; and for all that, the comfits will not take so much sugar as one may imagine from their appearance. put on at each time only one ladle-full, and in ten times repeating it your comfits will be perfectly well coated. for plain comfits; let not your melted sugar be too hot at first, nor too thick; neither pour it on the seeds too high: but the last two or three coverings may be thicker and hotter. as for coriander-seeds, which are large, three pounds of sugar will only cover a quarter of a pound of them. while your are at work, you should keep your melted sugar in good temper, that it may not gather into lumps, or burn to the bottom of the pan; and to prevent its growing too thick at any time, put to it a spoonful or two of water, gently stirring it now and then with your ladle, keeping your fire very clear under your pan. when your comfits are made, put them upon papers in dishes, and set them before the fire, or in a declining oven, which will make them look of a snow white; when they are cool, put them in boxes, or in crystal bottles. to make _comfits_ of various colours. from the same. if you would have your comfits of a red colour, infuse some red saunders in the water till it is deep colour'd enough; or else take some cochineel, and infuse it till the liquor is red enough; or put some syrup of mulberries with water to the sugar. if of a yellow colour; use saffron in water, which you are to mix with the sugar. if green; take the juice of spinach, and boil it with the sugar: so will your comfits be of the several colours above-mention'd. to preserve _orange_ and _lemons-peels_ in jelly. from the same. cut some of the fairest oranges and lemons in halves; then scoop out all the pulp and inside, and boil them in several waters till they are so tender, that you may pass a straw through them; then wash them in cold water. boil then the following preparation: _viz._ the quantity of a quart of water to every pound of peel; and in it some thin slices of golden-pippins, or golden rennets, till the water becomes slippery. then to this water, add as much sugar as will boil it to a strong syrup; then put in your peels and scald them, and set them by till the day following, and boil them again till the syrup will jelly. then put your peels into your glasses, and put into your syrup the juice of three large oranges, and one lemon strain'd, and boil it till it will make a stiff jelly, and pour it upon your peels. when this is quite cold, then put papers over the glasses, and keep them in a dry place. you may also pare the rinds, in rings or slices, and boil them as before; and in every respect treat them as you are directed to preserve the halves of oranges. to preserve _orange-flowers_ in jelly. gather your orange-flowers, in the morning early, when they are just open, and take the leaves of them. boil these gently in two or three waters, passing them every time through a sieve: shift the waters often, to take out the too great bitterness, but don't boil them too soft, nor to lose their whiteness. when this is done, make a strong jelly'd syrup with water and fine sugar, and add some juice of lemon or orange to it; then pour it on the leaves of the orange-flowers; and when it is cold, cover your glasses with paper. _n.b._ you may thicken your syrup with the pulp of pippins. _lemon-_cakes. from mrs. _anne shepperd_ of _norwich._ take out the pulp of lemons, as little bruis'd as possible; then boil some sugar to a candied height, and put to it the pulp and juice, and stir it quickly; then put it into a stove or into hot sand. when you observe that it begins to candy on one side, then turn them out of the glasses with a wet knife on the other side, and let that candy too, in the same manner; when all is done, put them in a box between papers, and keep them in a dry place. _tripe_ of _eggs._ from mr. _fontaine._ take the whites of eggs, and beat them very well in a porringer; prepare then some hot water and vinegar with a little salt, and then put in the eggs, till they are hard; then cut them in pieces about an inch square, and then take some white wine, and as much water and some salt. put this in a pan, and heat it over the fire with a little parsley, an onion and some spice; when it is hot, serve it up with butter and mustard, and it will eat like tripe: or else you may serve it like a ragoust, with the following sauce; _viz._ sauce for the artificial _tripe_ in _ragoust._ from the same. take strong gravey made of beef, and the ingredients which are mention'd in the drawing of gravey. warm it with a little white wine, and thicken the sauce with burnt butter: then, when the eggs are warm'd, pour the sauce over them. _bacon froize,_ or _fraise._ from mrs. _bradbury._ cut fat bacon in small pieces, about an inch long, and then prepare ten or a dozen eggs well beat; put in a little milk, some spice, at pleasure, and some flour; then put some lard or seam of an hog into a pan, and make it very hot; and when it is so, pour in the mixture, and clap a dish over it, after you have thrown some of the seam upon it. when the froize is done enough on one side, turn it with the dish, and fry it till it is quite enough. then serve it with a garnish of sliced lemons and a little butter, first letting it drain. _clary_ and _eggs,_ from the same. take eight or ten eggs; beat them well in a porringer; then take some clary leaves, and chop them small; add a little pepper and salt, and some onion chopt small. this mixture must be fry'd in hot lard or hog-seam, and serve it with slices of lemon. to stew a _pig._ from the same. roast a pig till it is hot; then take off the skin and cut it in pieces; then take some white wine and good gravey, and stew it with an onion, some pepper, salt, some nutmeg, a little sweet marjoram, and some elder vinegar, with some butter; and when it is enough, lay it upon sippits, and garnish with sliced lemon. to stew a _pig_ another way. from the same. roast a pig till you can take off the skin; cut it then in small pieces, and stew it in white wine, with a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion, some pepper and salt, a few cloves, or a little sweet marjoram powder'd. when it is enough, strain off the liquor it was boil'd in, and in some of that put some mushrooms, and thicken it with cream, and it will make an excellent dish. you may garnish it with sliced lemon and pickled barberries. to make a _fricassee_ of sheeps trotters. clean them very well from the hair; then wash them in vinegar and water; then take out the bones, and boil them in salt and water with a little lemon-peel. when they are hot, give them either of the following sauces. for a white sauce, take the following: _viz._ take some water, with some salt, a few sweet herbs, some whole pepper, some lemon-peel and a bit of horse-radish, a shallot, and a little white wine. when it is strong enough relish'd, then strain it off, and take a little of it, and mix it with butter to thicken it, or cream would do better, about half a pint: pour this over the sheeps trotters with a few capers, and serve it up with slices of lemons. a brown _fricassee_ of sheeps trotters. dress them as before, and when they are fit for sauce, then take some hogs lard, and make it very hot in a pan, then put in your trotters, when they are well covered with flour, and when they are done enough, pour over them a sauce made of gravey, some claret and some mushrooms thickned with burnt butter. this will make a good brown fricassee; and serve it up with a garnish of lemon sliced, barberries pickled, some raspings of bread lifted, and toasted before the fire. to make a _lumber-pye._ from _exeter._ take a pound of lean veal, free from strings, shred it very small, season it with cloves and mace powder'd, some powder of dry'd sweet herbs, some lemon-peel grated, some pepper and salt, three large spoonfulls of grated bread, a little juice of lemon, and five or six butter'd eggs. mix these ingredients well together into a paste or as a farced meat for balls about the bigness of small wallnuts; then take two or three large veal sweat breads, and cut them in pieces; then provide a pint of mushroom buttons well clean'd, and the yolks of eight hard eggs cut in halves, a dozen coxcombs well scalded and clean'd: lay these with a seasoning of pepper and salt in a good paste that covers the bottom of your dish; first laying bits of butter on the paste at the bottom. some will put about half a pound of currans into this pye; but every one to their fancy. when your ingredients are disposed in your dish, lay on about four ounces of marrow, and the quantity of six ounces of butter, and then close it. just before you set it in the oven, pour into your pye half a pint of water; and as soon as you take it out, pour in half a pint of white wine warm'd, and serve it hot. to make _orange_ or _lemon_ tarts. from mrs. _j. s._ take the rinds of half a score oranges or lemons, and salt them four hours; then boil them in four or five waters till they are tender, and beat them in a marble mortar till they are reduced to a pulp; then squeeze in the juice of as many of the oranges or lemons as you think fit, and sweeten the whole very well with fine sugar, and boil it till it is thick, stirring it while it boils, that it may not burn; then let it stand till it is cold, and put it into your paste. when you serve it, strew fine sugar over it. serve it cold. to make _lemon_ cheesecakes. from mrs. _m.n._ grate the rind of a large lemon, into the yolks of eight raw eggs, being first very well beat; then add a quarter of a pound of fine sugar well beaten and sifted, and four ounces of fresh butter; warm these gently over a fire, keeping it stirring all the while till it begins to thicken; then take it off, and put it in the coffins made of puff crust, and bake your cheesecakes in a gentle oven. to make _orange_ or _lemon_ cheesecakes, another way. from the same. take the rind of a large lemon or orange, and boil it in four or five waters till it is quite tender, and free from its bitterness; then either shred it or beat it very fine in a marble mortar with the yolks of eight hard eggs, six ounces of loaf-sugar finely powder'd, and a spoonfull of orange-flower-water: mix this then with as much cream, and two eggs beat, as will render it of the consistence of cheesecake-meat before it is baked; then put it into your coffins, and bake them in a gentle oven. you may put in currans if you please, but they are generally omitted: however, if you like to have them, let them be first plump'd a little over the fire in sugar and water. the best way for these cheesecakes is to make the coffins in patty-pans, and fill them with the meat near an inch thick. the proportions mention'd above will serve to direct for a large quantity. to make _cheesecakes._ from lady g. take a quart of tender curd, and drain it from the whey; then break it small; then take a quarter of an ounce of mace finely powder'd, and eight ounces of fine sugar sifted, eight yolks of eggs well beaten, four ounces of blanched almonds beat fine in a marble mortar with rose-water, or orange-flower-water, and grate four penny _naples_ biscuits into a pint of cream, and boil them together over a gentle fire, stirring it all the while till it is as thick as an hasty pudding; then mix with it eight ounces of butter, and put it to the curd, but not too hot: mix then all well together, and put it in your paste. a _sorrel_ tart. from the same. wash some spinach and sorrel leaves in two or three waters, for they are apt to gather dirt; then either shred them, and squeeze the juice out through a cloth, or else beat them in a mortar of marble, and strain off the juice; about half a pint of juice will be enough: then shred into it about a quart measure of the same herbs, and add six ounces of fine sugar beaten, and some spice, with the yolks of six hard eggs bruised, and well mix'd with it, and two eggs raw well beaten; then put in half a pint of cream, stirring it well, and put it in a paste, then bake it in a very gentle oven. when it is done, sift on some fine sugar, and garnish with orange and lemon sliced; you may put in some orange-flower-water, if you think convenient. to make _umble pye._ from _mr. thomas fletcher_ of _norwich._ take the umbles of a deer and boil them tenderly, and when they are cold, chop them as small as meat for minc'd pyes, and shred to them as much beef-suet, six large apples, half a pound of sugar, a pound of currans, a little salt, and as much cloves, nutmeg and pepper powder'd as you see convenient; then mix them well together, and when they are put into the paste, pour in half a pint of sack, the juice of two lemons and an orange: and when this is done, close the pye, and when it is baked, serve it hot to the table. to stew peaches. from the same. take peaches when they are so ripe that they begin to smell; then pare them and slit them, and the sorts i recommend will leave the stones. put these in a silver plate, or on such a one as will not communicate any ill taste to them, and pour over them a syrup made of pippins, water and sugar boil'd till it is a jelly, and add a little white wine; then stew them gently over a clear fire till they are tender; and serve them with fine sugar sifted upon them. in some cafes they pour cream upon them. red _peach tarts._ from the same. take your peaches, as before directed, and order them as you did before in paring them and slitting them; then lay them into the coffins, and when you have sifted on them some fine powder'd loaf-sugar, pour over them some syrup of raspberries or mulberries, and bake them gently: they will be tender and very highly flavoured, if you put raspberries to them, and finely colour'd; but to have them more of their own taste, put syrup of mulberries to them, and they will be finely colour'd. the coffins or crust ought to be made of melting paste, with fine sugar in it. _bitters_ to be drank with wine. take a quart of clean spirit, or good brandy, and put into it an ounce of gentian root sliced, one ounce and a half of dry'd orange-peel, and one drachm of _virginia_ snake-root; add to this half a drachm of cochineel, and half a drachm of loaf-sugar; which last will heighten the bitter to admiration. a little of this bitter in a glass of white wine creates an appetite. to stew _wild-ducks._ from _amsterdam._ when your ducks are ready prepar'd for the fire, rub their inside with pepper, salt, and a little powder of cloves, a shallot or two, with a lump of butter in the belly of each of them; then lay them in an earthen glazed pan, that will just hold them, and put three quarters of a pound of butter under and over your ducks: then pour in a pint of vinegar, and as much water with some salt, pepper, some lemon-peel, some cloves whole, a bunch of sweet herbs, and covering the pan close, let them stew three or four hours. then pass the liquor through a sieve, and pour it over your ducks; and serve them hot with garnish of lemon sliced and raspings of bread sifted. this method serves likewise for easterlings, widgeons, teal and such like. to stew a salted brisket of _beef._ from mr. _la fontaine._ to a pound of common salt, put one ounce of salt-petre, and rub your beef well with it, and let it lie a week; then lard the skin of it with bacon-fat, and lay it in a stew-pan that will shut close. cut a lemon in half with its rind, and lay a-part on each side the beef; then put in a bunch of sweet herbs, some whole cloves, half a nutmeg sliced, some pepper, an onion, or three or four shallots, half a pound of butter, a pint of claret, and a quart of water; shut your pan close, and let it stew gently five or six hours till it is very tender. then having some boil'd turnip cut in dice, flour them and fry them brown; then pour off the liquor the beef was stew'd in, and having passed it through a sieve, thicken it with burnt butter, and mix your fry'd turnips with it, and pour all together over your beef; garnish with lemon sliced, and raspings of bread sifted, and serve it hot, it is an excellent dish. neck of _mutton_ ragou'd. from the same. take a neck of mutton clean from bones, and strip it from the skin; salt it a little, and let it lie till the next day. in the mean while, bake the bones with a slice or two of fat bacon, a faggot of sweet herbs, some spice, a little salt and some lemon-peel, with half a pint of water, and half a pint of claret, to cover them; then lay your mutton in a pan, and when your baked gravey is passed through a sieve, pour it into the pan to the mutton; but first lard the fat part of the mutton with lemon-peel, and the leaner part with fat of bacon; then strew some grated bread and spice over the mutton, which will not be cover'd with the baked gravey; and when you have closed your pan, stew it gently four hours. then lay it in the dish, and when you have thickned the sauce with burnt butter, put a pint of mushroom buttons, either fresh and parboil'd, or pickled, into it, and toss them up till they are hot; then pour them all over your meat, and serve it hot, garnish'd with lemon sliced, red beet-roots pickled and sliced, capers, and horse-radish scrap'd. stew'd _beef_ in _soup._ from the same. take four pounds of beef, indifferently lean, and cut it in eight or ten pieces. put these into a pan that may be close cover'd, and then about three quarts of water, and a pint of white wine, some pepper and salt, some powder of dry'd sweet marjoram, a few cloves powder'd, half a dozen small turnips cut in dice, a carrot or two cut in the same manner, the white part of a large leek shred small, some leaves of white beet, two heads of sallery shred, and a piece of bread-crust burnt; cover close, and stew this for six hours, and serve it hot. you may garnish with lemon sliced. to dress the _liver_ and _crow_ of an _hog._ from mrs. _johnson_ in _devereux-court._ however this dish may seem dispiseable, yet if it is well dresed, few of the savoury dishes exceed it. the liver and crow of an hog, with the sweet-breads, should be used presently after the hog is kill'd, and the liver cut in lumps, twice as big as a walnut, and not in thin pieces as most do; for then they will become hard in the dressing. the crow must likewise be cut in slips about the breadth of two fingers, and so must the sweet-breads; then parboil the pieces of liver, and make a thick batter of flour, water and eggs, mixing a little salt with it, and prepare some red sage shred very fine; some grated bread, and some pepper beaten: mix these together, and when you have some butter, or lard, very hot in your frying-pan, dip the crow and sweet-bread in the batter, and immediately dip your pieces in the mixture of bread, sage, _&c._ and throw them into the pan. when these are enough, lay them to drain before the fire, and then dip the bits of liver into the batter; and after that, into the crumb'd bread, and give them a turn or two in the pan, over a quick fire: then drain them like the others, and serve them hot with butter and mustard. _sea-larks_ or _oysters,_ roasted on spits or skewers. from the same. take large oysters, and wash them from dirt; then dip them in batter made with milk, flour, powder of mace, some eggs and a little pepper; then dip them again in crumbs of bread grated, and some mace powder'd, and put them on a fine skewer, broad-side to broad-side, or upon silver lark spits; and when they are at the fire, flour them well, and baste them with butter till they are enough. prepare for them, while they are roasting, the following sauce: take crumbs of bread, a little pepper and salt, and a blade or two of mace with a little nutmeg, and boil them in some of the oyster-liquor till the bread is tender and like a pulp, and tastes well of the spice; then put in a glass of white wine, and mix it well, and serve it hot, in a plate, with the roasted oysters over the sauce. a shoulder of _mutton_ or _lamb,_ roasted with a farce of _oysters._ from mr. _norman,_ late cook in _norfolk._ take a shoulder of mutton or lamb, of the smallest size, and slip up the skin almost to the leg-joint; then cut the flesh from the bone, on the upper side, and mince it very small, take part of that, and as many oysters parboil'd without their fins, and chopt a little; then have some mace powder'd, and a little salt and pepper, with some grated lemon-peel, and some grated bread, with the yolk of an egg, or two; and make this into a paste, and lay it into the places where the flesh was taken out; and you may add to this paste a little fat of bacon cut small, or a little butter. then skewer the skin on all sides, over the farced meat, and lard the skin and the fleshy parts below with lemon-peel, and some will lard in lemon thyme likewise. then fix it on a spit with skewers, and roast it, well basted with butter and well floured. the sauce for this should be stew'd oysters, some mace, stew'd mushrooms, a little gravey, and some white-wine, with crumbs of bread; then serve it hot, garnish'd with sliced lemon, and red beet-root pickled and sliced. stew'd veal, with white sauce; from the same. take some lean of a leg of veal, and cut it in thick slices, then stew them in water and a little salt, with some mace, and a little nutmeg, and a bunch of sweet herbs. when they are almost stew'd enough with the gravey in them, put to the liquor they were stew'd in, a glass or two of white wine, and a little lemon juice, or orange juice, with a little mushroom gravey, or liquor of stew'd mushrooms. when this is done, have some mushroom buttons, that have been stew'd white in their own liquor, and spice, with a bay-leaf; then strain the liquor, and put some in the sauce: and when it is hot, put some thick cream to it, with the mushrooms; and then serve it hot with a garnish of sliced lemon. hard _pease-soup._ from the same. there are many ways of making pease-soup. in great families it is sometimes made of beef, but a leg of pork is much preferable; and in smaller families the bones of pork, as they are called. and the shin and hock of a leg of pork, after they have made sausages, may be had at the sausage-houses: these boil'd for a long time, will afford a strong jelly broth, but they are hard to be met with. however, when they are to be had, you have the directions for a broth. then pass the broth, hot, through a sieve, and put into it half a pint of slit pease to a quart of liquor; or a quart of whole pease to three quarts of liquor. the difference between one and the other, is, the slit pease will open in the liquor, when we boil it, and the other ought to be broken through a cullender, when they are boil'd: but the slit pease are the best; and when you put them into the liquor to boil, add to every quart of liquor as much sallery as you think proper, cut small; some powder of dry'd mint, some powder of dry'd sweet marjoram, some pepper, and some salt, to your mind, and let these boil till the sallery is tender. this is to be done, if we boil a leg of pork, after the pork is out of the pot; but if we make the soup from the bones, boil these ingredients afterwards in the liquor. when you serve it, put a _french_ role in the middle of the dish, and garnish the border of the dish with rasp'd bread sifted. some put in all-spice powder'd, which is very agreeable: and one might add the leaves of white beets, and in serving, put in toasted bread, cut in dice; but the last is out of fashion. to make green _pease-_pottage, with _milk._ from the same. take a quart of green pease shell'd, and boil three quarts or two quarts of milk, as you please to have them thick with pease; and add some pepper largely beaten, a little salt, some dry'd mint, and sweet marjoram in powder, and a little whole spice beaten. boil these together till the cream rises, and then stir it, and serve it hot. _n.b._ the pease should be boil'd first, if there is any opportunity; and for that reason, if when we have a dish of pease, we leave any, they may be put into the milk, and boil'd the morning following; and indeed it is the best to have the pease boil'd first. to make an artificial _crab_ or _lobster._ from mr. _f._ of _buckingham._ i suppose you have by you the large shells of sea-crabs clean'd; then take part of a calf's liver, boil it and mince it very small, and a little anchovy liquor, and but very little, to give it the fish-taste. mix it well with a little lemon juice, some pepper, and some salt, with a little oil, if you like it, and fill the shells with it; and then the outside parts of the liver, being a little hard, will feel to the mouth like the claws of the crab broken and pick'd, and the inner parts will be soft and tender, like the body of a crab. one may serve this cold, and it will deceive a good judge, if you do not put too much of the anchovy liquor into it. it is very good cold; but if you would have it hot, take the following receipt. to make artificial hot butter'd _sea-crabs._ have the great shells of crabs clean, and prepare some liver, as before; or it you cannot get calf's liver, get a lamb's liver, or a young sheep's liver will do tolerably well. boil these, and shred them as directed before, and put a little anchovy liquor to them; then add a little white wine, some pepper and salt at pleasure, and some other spice at discretion, with butter necessary to make it mellow, over a gentle fire, or a little sallet oil, if you like oil. then add a little lemon juice in the shells, stirring the mixture together. then serve them up hot with lemon sliced. to make artificial _crabs._ from m. _de la port_ of _lyons_ in _france._ take some of the white of a roasted or boil'd chicken's breast, and shred it very small; then add some roots of potatoes boil'd and beat into pulp. mix these together, and grate a little lemon-peel upon it, and add a little anchovy liquor to it, with some oil; and put a little lemon-juice to it, or vinegar, with some pepper and salt, serve it upon sippits, garnish'd with sliced lemon. these may be butter'd in shells as the former, but the first is rather the best. to make artificial _lobsters._ from the same. practise the same method with either of the former; and to imitate the tail of the lobster, put in the tails of shrimps, buntings, prawns or cray-fish; the last cut in pieces, and serve them either upon sippets in a plate, or in the large shell of the lobster. _n.b._ this is a sort of salmy, or salmy-gundy, as they call it in _england;_ but is very much like the thing we want: and i think, if the shrimps, or others, were put into the first, it would make it better than putting in the anchovy liquor; but if they are to imitate a crab, they must, (_i.e._ the shrimps or prawns) be chopt very small. to imitate _cherry-brandy,_ without _cherries,_ very good. take a clean spirit, or some good _french_ brandy, one gallon, and infuse in it the tops of laurel, one good handfull till it tastes like the kernels of cherries; then put in a quantity of mulberry syrup, enough to colour it, and make it pleasant to the taste. a good judge will not find the difference between the right and the wrong. _n.b._ when the brandy is strong enough of the laurel-buds, pour it off. to make _cherry brandy._ from mr. _cent-livre._ take black cherries, when they are at the cheapest, and pulling them from the stalks, put them into a cask of brandy, a pound to each quart of brandy, and one pound of fine sugar to each gallon. let it stand for some time, and draw it off. it will be very rich. to make _ratafia._ from the same. take the kernels of apricots, to do it in the highest way, about one hundred and fifty, and bruise them a little; then put them into three or four quarts of brandy, and let them steep four or five days: then strain them off, and add as much fine sugar powder'd, as will make it sweet to your taste. if you find that the brandy is too strong of the kernels, put some more brandy to it before you sweeten it. _memorandum,_ if you cannot get apricot or peach-stones, enough for your use, you may use the kernels of plum-stones, cherry-stones, or prunes, and they will make little difference, in great quantities. break the shells, and put in shells and all. _to make artificial_ ratafia. to a gallon of spirits or brandy, put in two handfuls of the buds of young laurel-branches; infuse this till the liquor is of a taste as you would have it: then pour off the liquor, and sweeten it to your fancy with fine sugar powder'd. this is a way that a distiller, who is dead, practised a long while, as well as the making of gin, or geneva brandy, with infusing the tops of the juniper plant in common spirits. these i told him of, and it is now at my own disposal, and therefore give it to the world. the ratafia tastes exactly as if the kernels of apricot or plum-stones had been used. to make _salmy,_ or with us _salmy-gundy._ from lady _m._ take the breast of a turkey, a chicken, or the lean of some veal that has been roasted rather than boil'd; but if that happens, it will still do. but however it is, take none of the skin, nor any fat. mince this very small about half a pound, and then take off the skin of a pickled herring, and mince the flesh of it very small, or for want of that, cut the flesh of some anchovys very small; then cut a large onion small, an apple or two as small as the rest. mix these meats together and laying them in little heaps, three on a plate, let some whole anchovys curl'd or upright, in the middle, and garnish with sliced lemon, capers and other pickles, with red beet-roots pickled and sliced. this to be served cold; and when you eat it, use oil, vinegar, and a little mustard. to serve up pickled _herrings._ from the same. take large pickled herrings, take off the skin; then take the flesh from the bones, on each side, all in one piece, crossing them every half-inch. then lay the parts next the head, in the middle of the plate, spreading their bodies to the outside, like a star, garnishing them with the roots of red beets sliced, lemon sliced, and berberries pickled. this is commonly eaten with vinegar, and bread and butter, but onion and pepper is sometimes used. _marmalade_ of _peaches._ from the same. take peaches, well grown and almost ripe; pare them, and take their flesh clean from the stones. lay them with a little water into a stew-pan, and add three quarters of their weight of fine sugar powder'd. let this stew till the peaches are tender, and then mash them with a spoon, letting them boil gently all the while, till the whole becomes thick, almost like a paste; then take it out, and cool it in a _china_ dish, or earthen glazed pan; and when it is cold, put it into glasses, and cover them over with white paper. white _peach-_tarts. from the same. make some coffins of sweet paste, and when they are gently baked, and cold, fill them with the above-mention'd marmalade of peaches, and serve them. _apricots_ preserv'd for tarts. from the same. take apricots of the largest kind, when they begin to turn to ripeness, pare them and discharge them from the stones. cut them in halves, and stew them with a little water, and their weight of fine sugar powder'd. boil these gently over a clear charcoal fire, till the liquor becomes of the consistence of a jelly, and the apricots are clear. then when they are cool, put them up in glazed gallypots, or in glasses. if you use them for tarts, put them in coffins of sweet paste, and cover them, and put them in the oven, till they are hot through. then serve them with double-refined sugar grated over them. these may be either serv'd hot or cold. the jelly of this kind, in the glasses, may be serv'd as a sweetmeat in a desert. _memorandum,_ if, when these fruits are ripe, you can have any apples near ripe, pare them, and slice them free from the core, and stew them in as much water as will cover them, and their weight in fine sugar, till by boiling and stirring, the whole becomes of a jelly; then in this, when it is clear, stew your apricots, or peaches, till they are what you desire. _n.b._ you may always colour these with syrup of mulberries, which gives no additional taste. plums to make _marmalade _of. from the same. there are several sorts of plums, which are fit for this use. and though they differ in colour, that is, some red and some white, yet the marmalade made of any of them will be white, for the colour is only in the skin; and that if it was to be used, could give no tincture; but in our case, we do not want it. the sorts are either the _bonum magnum_, as it is call'd, which is a large, long, red plum, with a pulp very tender, but sour, when it is raw from the tree. another is a large plum, rather yellowish than white, when it is ripe, and of the former shape, like an egg, which is called by some the egg-plum; but more particularly the white _holland_ plum, and is so called by the gardeners. these two have a flesh and juice much like one another, and make a fine shew in a dish by way of desert; but are in my opinion only fit for stewing. however, the skins will part easily from 'em, when they are ripe, and they both quit the stone freely. take these and peel them, and divide them; then put them in a little water and their weight of fine sugar, made into a syrup, over a gentle fire: put them in when the liquor is only warm, and when they are cover'd with the syrup, stew them gently, if you would preserve them in their shape; and put them, with the syrup, into glasses as soon as they are clear, or else mash them into the syrup, and let them boil till they become like a paste; keeping all stirring while they are over the fire, or else they will burn to the pan. this marmalade is good to be serv'd in glasses as a sweet-meat in a desert, or to be put into coffins for tarts, or to be brought upon the table in saucers among the other sweet-meats in a desert. to stew _cucumbers._ from the _devil-_tavern, _fleet-street._ take a dozen large green cucumbers, that are not too full of seed; pare them, and slice them; then take two large onions, and shred them indifferently small. put these in a sauce-pan, and set them over the fire to stew, with as much salt as you think convenient; stir them now and then, till they are tender, and then pour them into a cullender to drain from the water, and are as dry as possible you can make them; then flour them, and put some pepper to them. after this, burn some butter in a frying-pan; and when it is very hot, put in your cucumbers, and stir them continually till they are brown; then put to them about a gill of claret; and when that is well mix'd with them, serve them hot, under roast mutton or lamb; or else, serve them on a plate, upon sippits fry'd and dip'd in mutton or beef gravey. to farce _cucumbers._ from the same. take large cucumbers and pare them, then scoop out all the seeds, first cutting off one end, then prepare the following farce for them. take the hearts of some cabbage-lettuce stew'd tender in salt and water, drain them well, and chop them small, and cut some onion very fine, shred a little parsley that has been boil'd tender, and a mushroom pickled; and add a little all-spice finely powder'd, and some pepper, a little salt, and some fat of bacon chopt small. mix these well together, with the yolk of an egg or two, according to your quantity, and stuff the cucumbers full of it. then tie the ends, that were cut off close, with packthread, and stew them in water and salt till they are tender; then drain them and flour them, and fry them brown in hogs-lard very hot, and let them drain; then take off the threads that hold them together, and lay them in your dish, and pour the following sauce over them: _viz._ take gravey well season'd, and as much claret; boil these together, with some lemon-peel, and all-spice; and thicken this sauce with burnt butter. these are good to be serv'd with mutton cutlets, as well as alone. to make a _shropshire_ pye. take a couple of rabbits, and cut them in pieces; season them well with pepper and salt; then cut some pieces of fat pork, and season them in like manner. lay these into your crust, with some pieces of butter, upon the bottom crust, and close your pye. then pour in half a pint of water, and red wine mixt, and bake it. some will grate the best part of a nutmeg upon the meat, before they close the pye, which is a very good way. this must be serv'd hot. to make a _shropshire_ pye, another way. from lady _h._ take rabbits and pork, cut and season'd as above; then make a farce of the rabbits livers parboil'd, and shred small; some fat bacon shred small, some sweet marjoram powder'd, some pepper and salt, and made into a paste, with the yolks of eggs beaten; and then make this into balls, and lay them in your pye, amongst the meat, at proper distances. then take the bottoms of three or four artichokes boil'd tender, and cut in dice; and lay these likewise amongst the meat. put in also some coxcombs blanch'd; then close your pye, and pour in as much wine and water as you think convenient. bake it, and serve it hot. to make artificial _coxcombs._ from mr. _renaud._ take tripe, without any fat, and with a sharp knife pare away the fleshy part, leaving only the brawny or horny part about the thickness of a cock's comb. then, with a jagging-iron, cut pieces out of it, in the shape of cocks combs, and the remaining parts between, may be cut to pieces, and used in pyes, and serve every whit as well as cocks combs: but those cut in form, please the eye best; and, as mr. _renaud_ observes, the eye must be pleased, before we can taste any thing with pleasure. and therefore, in fricassees we should put those which are cut according to art. _calf's_ liver stuffed and roasted. from the same. take a calf's liver, the morning it is kill'd, and make a hole in it, with a large knife, to run length-ways, but not quite through it; then make a farced meat, or stuffing for it, of some of the liver parboil'd, and some fat of bacon cut very fine, some fresh lemon-peel grated, some sweet herbs powder'd, and some butter'd eggs, as much as may be necessary, to mix with the other ingredients; then add some grated bread, and some spices finely beat, with some pepper and salt: then fill that part that you cut in the liver with this farced meat; and cut other places if you will, and fill them likewise. you may then lard the liver, if you will, with bacon fat, and roast it, flouring it very well, and basting it with butter, till it is enough. but it is reckon'd rather better by some, when the liver is stuffed, to brush it over with the yolk of an egg, and strew upon it raspings of bread sifted, some flour, some dry'd sweet herbs powder'd, and some spice; and then enclose the whole with the caul of veal; so roast it, and it will make an excellent dish. to be served hot, either with venison sauce, made of claret boil'd with cinnamon, and sweeten'd with sugar, or with gravey sauce, with a little wine in it. to roast a _calf's_ liver, another way. from mrs. _m. n._ take a calf's liver, as before, and stuff it as above, only with this alteration in the stuffing. shred some veal-suet very small, and add to that some grated bread, spice, and dry'd sweet herbs finely powder'd, with some currans plump'd, and a little salt; then make this into a paste, with some eggs beaten; and when you have stuffed what parts you please, with the mixture, roast it, basting it well with butter, and strewing on, now and then, some of the above mixture, as far as it can be in powder, or admit of strewing. then serve it hot, with melted butter and lemon-juice, or verjuice, and garnish with lemon sliced, and pickled berberries. cream custard. from lady _h._ boil a quart of cream, with some grated nutmeg, and a little mace finely powder'd; then beat the yolks of twelve eggs, with half as many whites, with a little salt: then add a spoonfull of sack, and one of orange-flower water, or rose-water: then put about six ounces of fine loaf-sugar beaten fine, and well sifted; and mix all together, when the cream is not too hot; then pass it through a fine sieve, and bake it in _china_ cups. to imitate the fat livers of _capons_ roasted. from the same. take a calf's liver fresh, and cut it in pieces, in the shape of large capons livers. dip every one in flour, and spit them on lark-spits, the flat sides against each other, but minding to put between them a slice of fat bacon. roast them, and baste them well with butter, and drudging them often with rasped bread sifted, and flour with a little salt. when they are enough, serve them with the following sauce. take two or three necks of fowls, if you have them, or else, a little clean beef gravey, a little water, a little ale, or small beer; an onion and some pepper and salt: then strain off the sauce, and pour it into the dish before you lay in your livers, and garnish with slices of lemon, sliced beet-roots pickled, and sifted raspings of bread. these do well likewise to be laid about a roasted chicken. to make _pound cakes._ from the same. take a pound of double refined loaf-sugar beaten and sifted; then beat eight eggs and stir the sugar in them; then melt a pound of butter, and stir that in with the rest, and then stir in a pound of flour, some mace finely beat, with some nutmeg grated, and some sack, and orange-flower water; beat these all together for an hour and a half till all is well mix'd; then stir in some currans plump'd a little. to make good the name of the cake, there should be a pound of a sort. some put about a quarter of a pound of caraway comfits; but every way is good. bake these in little pans, in, a gentle oven, and when they are quite cold, turn them out, and keep them in oaken boxes, with papers between them, in a dry place. to make a six hour pudding. from the same. take a pound of beef suet, pick'd clean from the skins and bloody parts, and chop it pretty small; then take a pound of raisins of the sun, and stone them; then shred them, and mix them together: add to them a large spoonfull of flour, and six eggs beaten, a little _lisbon_ sugar, some salt, and some cloves, and mace, beaten. then mix these well together, and make two puddings of them, tied up in cloths well flour'd; boil them six hours, and serve them with sugar and butter in cups. this will cut very firm, and not taste at all greasy. and if you save one cold, cut it in slices, and lay it upon a grid-iron, under beef while it is roasting, and it eats very well with beef gravey hot. to make a _venison_ pasty. from the same. take six pounds of cambridge potted butter, and rub it into a peck of flour, but do not rub in your butter too small; and then make it into a paste, with water: then butter your pan well, and when your paste is roll'd out thick, lay it in the pan, preserving only enough for the lid. the _cambridge_ butter is mention'd, because it is a little salt; or else, if you use fresh butter, there should be some salt put into the crust. when that is prepar'd, take a side of venison, and take off the skin, as close as can be, and take the bones out quite free from the flesh; then cut this through length-ways, and cut it cross again, to make four pieces of it; then strew these pieces with pepper and salt, well mix'd, at discretion: and after having laid a little of the pepper and salt at the bottom of the pasty, with some pieces of butter; then lay in your pieces of venison, so that at each corner the fat may be placed; then lay some butter over it, in pieces, and close your pasty. when it is ready for the oven, pour in about a quart of water, and let it bake from five a clock in the morning till one in the afternoon, in a hot oven. and at the same time put the skin and the bones broken, with water enough to cover them, and some pepper and salt into a glaz'd earthen pan, into the same oven; and when you draw the pasty, pour off as much as you think proper, of the clear liquor, into your pasty. serve it hot, but it is properly a side-board dish, and the carver ought always to take the services, of the pasty, from the corners where the fat is, to do honour to the master and his park. to roast a _hog's_ harslet. from the same. take a hog's harslet, as soon as the hog is kill'd, lay aside the lights, and cut the liver in thick slices, and the heart in thinner pieces; then take some of the crow of an hog, and cut that in pieces equal with the rest. then take the sweetbreads, with some of the sticking-pieces, as they are called, and some slices of fat bacon. dip these into eggs beaten, and then dip them again into grated bread, some red sage chopt small, and some pepper and salt, with a little sweet marjoram, or sweet basil powder'd; then put the pieces, broad-side one to another, upon a small spit, always observing to put the bacon next the heart, and the crow next the liver; then wrap them up in a cawl of veal, and roast it. put these pieces as close as you can together, and when it is done, serve it with some melted butter and mustard, with a little lemon-juice. to make cream of _raspberries._ from mrs. _heron._ take thick cream, a quart, and put to that, either some raspberry syrup, or some jamm of raspberries; but the syrup will mix much easier with it: however, the jamm of raspberries is accounted the best by some, because that has the seeds in it. but i think, that syrup of raspberries is better, because all is smooth, and the cream tastes sufficiently of the raspberries. one must serve this with the desert. but if you use the jamm of raspberries, you must beat it with some of the cream a good while before it will mix; and then put it to the other cream, and stir it a little, and it will mix. artificial cream, to be mix'd with any preserves of fruit. from mrs. _m. s._ of _salisbury._ take a quart of milk, and when it is boil'd, put in the yolks of eight eggs well beaten with the whites of six. put not in the eggs while the milk is too hot, lest they curdle. then, when they are well mix'd, set them over a gentle fire, and stir them all the while; and when you perceive them to be thick enough, put into them what quantity you please of syrup, or jamms of apricots, peaches, or plums, or cherries, or oranges, lemons, or other fruits, stirring them well till they partake enough of the preserv'd fruit's taste, and then serve them up, in _china_ basons, cold, in a desert, without any ornament of flowers. to make sweet-meat _cream._ from the same. take either clean cream from the dairy, or else make the foregoing artificial cream, and slice preserv'd apricots, or preserv'd peaches or plums, into it, having first sweeten'd the cream well, with fine loaf sugar, or with the same syrup they were preserv'd in. mix these well, and serve them separately, cold, in _china_ basons. to embalm _pidgeons._ from a lady in _suffolk._ this receipt was communicated in this manner: _viz._ sir, i have seen the method you propose to embalm partridges, in your _farmer's monthly director,_ and have tried it so far, that i have kept them, done that way, a month. i had then a mind to try what i could do with pidgeons; and as soon as they were kill'd, i was diligent to take out all the blood, and wash them, and dry them, as is directed, with warm cloths, both inside and outside. i then laid them in pans of earthen ware, and cover'd them with melted butter, which kept them very well, for a long time. i wash'd the necks of the pidgeons, when the crops were taken out, with vinegar, and dry'd them. then i used them as you direct for partridges, and they kept sweet a month, fit for roasting; and they eat the same as if they were fresh kill'd. this i send you word of, because you may know how far your embalming of partridges has taken effect, and to tell you, the lady who told you of it, understood very well what she did. as for my part, i used fresh butter; but you did not say whether it should be salt or fresh, and i try'd pidgeons, because they are fowls which decay sooner than any. if you think this worth your notice, _i am, your humble servant._ s. f. to preserve _pidgeons_ another way. from the same. take pidgeons fresh kill'd; wash them from the blood, and take off the flesh, as clean as you can from the bones, and discharge all the inside: then season them well with pepper and salt, with a little mace and nutmeg grated, and boil them in equal quantities of vinegar and water, till they are very tender with cloves, or other spice, as you like, and if you add a bay-leaf or two it will be better. when your pidgeons are boil'd tender enough, take them from the fire, and when the liquor is cold, lay your pidgeons in a large gally-pot, and pour the liquor upon them, and cover them up close with leather, and they will keep a long time. an attempt to preserve _cucumbers,_ for stewing, in the winter. from the same. sir, you have often told me, that you was a lover of cucumbers, and more especially stew'd, than any other way; which i find many others of my friends come into. i propose, that you should pare and slice cucumbers as usual for stewing; and then with a little salt and pepper, with their own liquor stew them in a sauce-pan till they are a little tender; then pour them into a cullendar, and when they are drain'd well from the liquor, boil some white wine, with water, half one, and half the other, with whole pepper; and when the liquor is cold, put the cucumbers into a gally-pot, and pour the liquor over them: and, if you put a little oil upon the liquor, i am persuaded they will keep several months. i wish it may be try'd, for i have thought of it; and according to my judgment it may be fit to use, any time in the winter, for stewing. when you use these, pour away all the liquor, and let them pass through a saucepan with a little salt and water, till they are tender, as you would have them; then drain them again in a cullendar, and fry them brown, with burnt butter, first flouring them, and a little pepper; and when they are enough, put in a glass of claret, or a glass of white wine. _i am, your humble servant._ s. f. _pippin_ tart. from the same. cut some golden pippins in halves, pare them, and take out the cores; then stew them with half their weight of sugar, and some lemon-peel, cut in thin long slices, and water enough to cover them. when they are clear, they are enough; then set them by to cool, and strain off the liquor, or syrup, and put that in a pan to stew gently, with some candy'd lemon and orange-peel, in slices; then have a sweet paste prepared in a dish, and lay in your pippins, and pour the syrup, and sweetmeats, over them, and bake them in a gentle oven; and when it is hot, pour some cream either pure or artificial over them, and serve them to the table. to pickle _marygold-flowers._ from mr. _t._ of _buckingham._ though the marygold flower is of old date in pottage; yet it continues still its stand among the useful things of the kitchen, and cannot more easily be worn out, according to the custom of the country, when the country folks make broth. mint with pease, fennel with mackarel, and such like, cannot be forgot. and as the marygold-flowers are used in porridge, i send the receipt how to pickle them. strip the flower-leaves off, when you have gather'd the flowers, at noon, or in the heat of the day, and boil some salt and water; and when that is cold, put your marygold-flower leaves in a gallypot, and pour the salt and water upon them; then shut them up close till you use them, and they will be of a fine colour, and much fitter for porridge than those that are dry'd. seed-cake. from the same. make some paste of fine flour, such as you would make for light bread, with yeast. take five pounds of this dough, without salt in it, and cover it before a fire for half an hour, to make it rise; then take two pounds and a half of fresh butter melted, and five eggs beaten well with half a pound of fine _lisbon_ sugar. mix these well with your paste, and work it till it is as light as possible; and when your oven is very hot and clean, strew into your cake a pound of smooth caraway comfits; then put some butter on the sides and bottom of your pan, and put in your cake, and one hour and a quarter will bake it. when it comes out of the oven, cover it with cloths of linnen till it is cold; then put it, the next day, a little while into an oven. _n.b._ you must be sure to put in the sugar after the butter. one may put on an iceing if one will. to make orange-chips. from the same. take some fresh oranges about _february,_ and pare them very thin; they are then very cheap. boil them in several waters till they are tender, and have lost their bitterness; then put them into cold water for twelve hours or more. then make a syrup for them in the following manner. take about their weight of fine sugar powder'd, and mix it with as much water as it will take in, or a little more. boil this, and scum it well; then drain the orange-peels from the water they were steep'd in, and put them in a glaz'd earthen vessel, and then pour the boiling hot syrup upon them, letting them remain so till the day following; then pour the syrup from them, and boil it afresh, and pour it on a second time, and repeat the same work till your peels are very clear, and the syrup very thick; and then dry them in a stove, and they will be fit for use, in the condition we buy them. one may candy lemon-chips after the same manner. to make _hartshorn-jelly._ from the same. take six ounces of harts-horn shavings; put them into two quarts of water, and two or three bits of lemon-peel, and set this in a sand-heat, for six or eight hours, or let them infuse about ten hours upon hot embers. then boil it briskly, and when you find it will jelly, as you may do, by taking out a little of the liquor in a spoon, and cooling it; then strain it off, and add to it about half a pound of double-refined sugar powder'd very fine; about a gill of sack, or two or three spoonfuls of mountain wine, the juice of two lemons; then set this on a slow fire, and as it heats, beat the whites of two eggs to a froth, and put it into the pan, where the jelly is, at times as it rises; and then, when it just boils up, take it from the fire, and it will be clarified. then pour it by small quantities into the jelly-bag, and let it drop or run into some receiver; but it will be apt to run thick at first: then take that which is first run, if it be thick, and pour again into the jelly-bag, and you will find it come clear. then place your glasses to receive it, and change the full one for another, which you must carefully watch, that your glasses be not soil'd in the least, for the beauty of this, in one particular, is its transparency; and again, it should not be too stiff. some only take the harts-horn shavings, six ounces to two quarts of water, and boil it gently till the liquor will jelly, without the expence of a sand-heat, or setting it on hot embers. the boiling it is the best way, but requires more patience. to make a tart of the _ananas,_ or _pine-apple._ from barbadoes. take a pine-apple, and twist off its crown: then pare it free from the knots, and cut it in slices about half an inch thick; then stew it with a little canary wine, or madera wine, and some sugar, till it is thoroughly hot, and it will distribute its flavour to the wine much better than any thing we can add to it. when it is as one would have it, take it from the fire; and when it is cool, put it into a sweet paste, with its liquor, and bake it gently, a little while, and when it comes from the oven, pour cream over it, (if you have it) and serve it either hot or cold. _marmalade_ of _pine-apples,_ or _ananas._ when you have small pine-apples in fruit, which are not noble enough to be brought to the table, twist off their crowns, and pare them; then slice them, and put them into a syrup of water, sugar, and pippins; and boil them with half their quantity of sugar added to them, with a little white wine, breaking them with a spoon, as they boil, till they come to a mash, or are a little tender. then take them from the fire, and put the marmalade into glasses to keep, and cover every glass with white paper, preserving them in a dry place. to dress the giblets of a _tortoise,_ or _sea-turtle._ from a _barbadoes_ lady. take the head, the feet, and the tail, of either of these, and taking off their scales, stew them three or four hours, in salt and water, till they are almost tender; then broil them a little with pepper and salt on them, and then put them into a stew-pan with a shallot, and some spice and sweet herbs, according to your taste; some strong gravey, and some wine, and thicken the sauce, taking out the bunch of sweet herbs. you may put then some juice of limes to them, or chadocks or lemons, to make them fine. _n.b._ this is a dainty dish, if they are broil'd, after the first stewing, because as they are sinewey, the sinews ought to be a little scorched by broiling, or else they will not be so tender as one would have them. there are two sorts of tortoises, the land, and the sea-tortoise; but the sea-tortoise or turtle, is what i mean, which is that which we have about the _west-indies_. this is a fine animal, partaking of the land and water. its flesh between that of veal, and that of a lobster, and is extremely pleasant, either roasted or baked. there are some of these creatures that weigh near two hundred weight. they are frequently brought to _england_ in tubs of sea water, and will keep alive a long time. to roast a piece of _turtle,_ or _tortoise._ from the same. take a piece of the flesh of about five or six pounds, and lay it in salt and water two hours; then stick a few cloves in it, and fasten it to the spit, baste it at first with wine and lemon-juice; and when it is near enough, drudge some flour over it, with the raspings of bread sifted; and then baste it well, either with oil, or butter, strewing on, from time to time, more flour and raspings till it is enough; then take the liquor in the pan, and pouring off the fat, boil it with some lemon-peel, and a little sugar and salt, and pour it over the turtle. so serve it hot. to make a _turtle,_ or _tortoise-_pye. from the same. cut the flesh of turtle, or tortoise, into slices, about an inch thick; then take cloves beaten fine, with some pepper and salt, and a little sweet herbs, and season your pieces with them; then lay them in your crust, with some lemons sliced, and a quarter of a pint of oil-olive pour'd over them, or else some butter laid in bits upon them. in the cutting your pieces, distribute your fat and lean, equally as may be; and though the fat is of a greenish colour, it is yet very delicious: then close your pye, and just before you put it in the oven, pour in some white wine, and bake it in a gentle oven till it is tender. then serve it hot. to preserve _ginger-roots._ from the same. take roots of ginger, as we have them dry in _england_; wash them well, and lay one pound of them to steep, ten or twelve days, in white wine and water, stirring them every day. then take two quarts of white wine, and about half a pint of lemon-juice, and boil them together a quarter of an hour; then add two pounds and a half of fine sugar, and boil it to a syrup, taking off the scum as it rises; then put in your ginger, and boil it a quarter of an hour; then let it cool in a glazed pan till the next day, and then boil it again in the syrup for half an hour, and let it cool, as before, till the day following, and repeat the boiling and cooling till your ginger is clear, and put it into your glasses, and cover them with papers. it makes a fine sweet-meat for the winter. to preserve _ginger-roots,_ fresh taken out of the ground. from the same. as ginger is very common in the _west-indies_, so the roots are either preserved or pickled, when they are fresh taken out of the ground, and we have now ginger, growing in pots, almost in every garden where there is a stove; and in a year's time a single root will almost fill a pot; so that one might easily have enough of our own, to preserve every year. we must take them up, when they have no leaves upon them; and then scald them in water, and rub them with a coarse cloth till they are dry; then put them into white wine and water, and boil them half an. hour; then let them cool, and boil them again half an hour. then make a syrup with white wine two quarts, half a pint of lime or lemon-juice, and two pounds and a half of fine sugar, with two ounces of the leaves of orange-flowers. when these boil together, put in your ginger, and boil it gently half an hour; then let it cool in an earthen glaz'd vessel, and continue to boil it every day, and cooling it till the roots of your ginger are clear. then put it up in gallypots, or in glasses, and cover them with papers, to keep for use. to make paste of _pippins,_ or other fine apples. from the same. take large golden-pippins, or golden-rennets, and scald them, with their skins on; then pare them, and take out the cores, and beat them in a marble mortar very well, with a little lemon-peel grated. take then their weight of fine sugar, and a little water, and boil that in a skillet to a candy height; then put in your apples, and boil them thick in the syrup till they will leave the skillet, and when it is almost cold, work it up with fine loaf-sugar powder'd, and mould it into cakes, then dry them. to preserve _cornelian-cherries._ from the same. take cornelian-cherries, when they are full ripe, and take their weight in fine sugar powder'd; then put these into your preserving pan, and lay a layer of sugar, and another of fruit; and so on till you have laid all in, covering them with sugar; then pour upon them half a pint of white wine, and set it on the fire, and as soon as the sugar is all melted, boil them up quick, and take off the scum as it rises, stirring them every now and then: and when the fruit is clear, they are enough. then put them into glasses, and cover them with papers. to make _marmalade_ of _cornelian-cherries._ from the same. when your cornelian-cherries are full ripe, take out the stones, and to every pound of fruit, take its weight of fine sugar powder'd. wet it with white wine, and boil it to a candy'd height; then put in your fruit, with the juice that comes from them; then boil them very quick, and stir it often, scumming it clean; and when you see it very clear, and of a good consistence, put it into a glaz'd earthen pan; and when it is almost cold, put it into glasses, and cover them with white paper, and keep it in a dry room. _note_, if you let any of these sharp fruits stand to cool in your sweet-meat-pans, they will take an ill taste from them. to make _jamm_ of _damsons._ from the same. take damsons, full ripe, a gallon; pick them from the stalks, that may happen to be about them, and the leaves that are sometimes gather'd with them: then take near their weight of sugar, and about a quart of water, and boil them well together, and put in your damsons, and boil them till they are tender, breaking them with a spoon, all the while, till the whole is thicken'd. then put it in gallypots, and set it to cool; then close the pots down with leather. to preserve _currans_ in _jelly._ from the same. take some of the large _dutch_ red or white currans, when they are ripe, and pick them from the stalks; then, with a pin, pick out the stones; or, you may, if you will, leave them on the stalks, if they are large bunches, but still pick out the kernels. then take their weight in sugar, and wet it with a little water, and add a little syrup of raspberries to it; then boil it to a syrup, scumming it as it rises: then put in your currans, and boil them up quick, shaking them often, still taking off the scum as it rises. they will be enough done to put up, when the syrup will jelly, as you may try by putting some in a spoon, and letting it cool. when you find this, pour out all into glasses, when it has cool'd a little. if your currans are pick'd from the stalks, or if they are in bunches, then let the syrup be half cold, and pour it into the glasses; and then put in your bunches, placing them as you would have them situated, and as it cools, they will fix in their several stations; cover the glasses then with white paper. _note_, the red currans ought to be done by themselves, and the white by themselves, for both together will make a disagreeable mixture. to dry _apricots._ from mrs. _walsingham_ of _suffolk._ chuse for this use, the large turkey or roman-apricot, almost ripe; stone them, and pare them; then throw them into cold water, with the parings; weigh the pared apricots, and prepare an equal weight of fine sugar powder'd; then put some of the water the apricots were steep'd in, to the sugar, and boil them to a candy'd height: you may then put in your apricots, and boil them till they are clear, and when they have lain a few days, in the syrup, lay them upon a fine wyre-sieve, and dry them in a warm place. then, when they are done, put them in oaken boxes, with papers between them. to stew a rump of _beef._ from mrs. _l----_ take a small rump of beef, lay it in a long pan, deep enough to allow your beef to be cover'd; then put to it a pint of ale, a quart of claret, half a pint of verjuice, or the juice of two large lemons; and as much water added, as will make liquor enough to cover it, a crust of bread burnt, an anchovy, some bits of lemon-peel, a bunch of sweet herbs, two large _hertfordshire_ turnips cut in dice, two large onions cut in halves, some pepper and salt, a nutmeg sliced, a few cloves, and a little mace. stop this close, and let it stew, at least, five hours; then lay your beef in the dish, and pass the liquor through a sieve, and fill the dish with it; garnishing with turnips, cut in dice, boil'd tender, and then fry'd in hog's-lard, and sliced lemon, or you may bake your rump of beef, if you will, for it is much the same. and this way you may likewise bake or stew a leg of beef, or an ox-cheek, only break the bones of the leg of beef, and take out all the bones of the ox-cheek, and take especially care to clean it, for it requires some nicety to do it well. _pepper-mint water,_ from the same. take pepper-mint six handfuls, cut it a little, and infuse it two days in six quarts of clean spirit; then draw it off in a cold still, marking every bottle, as it fills, with a number, for the first bottle will be far the strongest, the second less strong, and the third weaker than the second; and so as we draw off more, they will be still weaker, till at last it becomes almost insipid, and somewhat sourish, but take none of that; then cover the mouth of your bottles with papers prick'd full of holes, and let them stand a day or two; then pour your first bottle into a large earthen glaz'd pan; and to that the second, and then the third, and the fourth, and so on, till by mixing they all become of a sufficient strength; then put them in bottles, with a knob or two of double-refin'd loaf-sugar, and cork them close. this is an incomparable pleasant dram, tasting like ice, or snow, in the mouth, but creates a fine warmth in the stomach, and yields a most refreshing flavour. this sort of mint is hard to be met with; but is lately cultivated in some physick gardens at _mitcham_. it must be kept well weeded, and the top of the bed, where it grows, must, when we cut it, be pricked up, a little, with a small fork, or the earth made fine with a trowel; because the runners, of this sort of mint, shoot along upon the surface of the ground, and so at the joints strike root, which is contrary to other sorts of mint, which shoot their runners under ground. _damson-wine_ to imitate _claret._ from the same. take nine gallons of water, make it scalding hot, and pour it upon six and thirty pounds of _malaga_ raisins well pick'd from the stalks. the raisins should be sound, or they will spoil your wine. while the water is yet hot, put into the liquor half a peck of damsons full ripe, and pick'd clean of the stalks and leaves, to each gallon of liquor; then stir them all together in the open tub we make this infusion in, and continue stirring them twice a day for six days. keep this tub cover'd with a cloth all that time: then let it stand five or six days longer, without stiring, and then draw it off: and if it is not deep-colour'd enough, put a little syrup of mulberries to it, and work it with a piece of white-bread toasted, and spread with yeast or barm, in an open vessel; and then tun it, keeping the bung of the vessel open till the wine has done singing in the cask. then slop it close, and let it stand till it is clear, which will be in two or three months; then draw it off. some will just give their damsons a scald in the water before they pour it on the raisins, which is a good way. to cure a _lap-dog,_ when he continues drowsy some days, and cannot eat. from the same. if you find a lap-dog to be sleepy, and will not take his victuals for two or three days; or if he eats, and as often discharges it soon after; take a large tea-spoon-full of rum or brandy, and as much water, and holding his head up, and his mouth open with one hand, pour it down his throat. this is quantity enough for one of the smallest dogs, and will cure him in less than half an hour; but as the dogs are larger, you may give to the biggest a large spoonful of rum or brandy equally mix'd with water, and so in proportion to the size of the dog. it is a sure remedy. _dog-grass,_ or _couch-grass,_ or _twitch-grass,_ necessary to be had, growing in pots in _london,_ to cure _lap-dogs,_ that are sick, in the summer. from the same. couch-grass is one of the gardener's plagues, and is in every garden too much. take a clump of this, and set it in a large garden-pot, and letting it stand as airy as possible, water it gently every other morning. there is one sort of it, which is finely variegated, the leaves appearing like striped ribbons. this fine sort is at the ivy-house at _hoxton_, where it may be put in pots at any time. this, or the other, should be put to a dog, at any time, when he is sick, and he will eat it greedily, and cure himself; but for want of this help, which favourite lap-dogs in _london_ want, they lose their briskness. i believe it would be worth some poor woman's while to sell this grass, in _london_, where so many fine lap-dogs are kept, and indulged so much, that they cannot be taken abroad to search their physick; while those of the larger kind take their way abroad, in the mornings, at their pleasure. this, sir, i send you with some other receipts, because dogs are not a little useful about a farm, and the little ones are no less agreeable to their keepers. and i am sure, if you publish these, they will prove very acceptable to many ladies, and gentlemen, who are admirers of these faithful creatures. _i am, &c._ j. l. _lisbon_ or _portugal-cakes._ from the same_,_ take a pound of double-refin'd loaf-sugar beaten fine, and past through a fine sieve. mix this with a pound of fine flour; then rub into these a pound of fresh or new butter, till your sugar and flour looks like bread-crumbs; then add, two or three spoonfulls of orange-flower-water, and about ten spoonfuls of canary-wine: then beat ten eggs, till their whites are whipt to snow, and mix the eggs, with the rest, with a quarter of a pound of blanched almonds beaten in a marble mortar, with some orange-flower water; and when you have butter'd your pans well, fill them half full with this mixture, and bake them, if you make them without currans, or else fill the pans fuller, first plumping the currans, which should be in proportion, as you please. _imperial florentine._ from _mr. byecorf_ at _augsburgh._ cut the leanest part of a leg of veal, in thin slices, and beat them with the back of a knife, as you would do _scots_ collups; then season the cutlets with cloves, pepper beaten fine to powder, some pepper and salt, with some nutmeg grated, a little dry'd sweet marjoram powder'd, or some sweet basil. lay this mixture pretty thick upon them, and roll them up with a little piece of fat bacon, in the middle; then lay in your paste to the dish, and over the bottom strew a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg, with some balls of farced meat, with bits of butter, placed here and there. put in then your rolls of veal, with some cocks-combs blanched, a quarter of a pint of mushroom buttons pickled, some slices of lemon, with half a pint of white wine, and about a pint of water; then close your pye, and when it is baked, serve it hot. _n.b._ before you close it, put some bits of butter on the top of your rolls of meat. to make farced meat, for the foregoing _florentine._ from the same. take the lean of a leg of veal, chop it small, and beat it well in a marble mortar, with as much fat of the kidney of veal; and then put some pepper, salt, cloves, nutmeg, powder of dry'd sweet marjoram, and some mushrooms, chopt as you please; then add as many eggs, beaten as you think proper, with some grated bread, to make it into a paste, and roll this mixture into balls. some instead of the kidney-fat of veal, will chop the same quantity of fat bacon. to make a tart of white _beet-cards._ from the same. take some white beet-cards, (or leaves) as much spinach-leaves, and the same quantity of _french_ sorrel, which has a round leaf. chop these small, or if you beat them all together in a marble mortar, it is better; then strain out the juice, and put it amongst the same proportion, or quantity, of the same herbs, fresh cut, that is, put the liquor to as many herbs as you cut before, and shred them; then add to them about five ounces of good sugar, and you may put as much currans. mix these well, and bake them; then pour over it, while it is hot, some cream that has been boil'd thick, and serve it hot: but if you use raw cream, from the dairy, you must mix it with the ingredients, and then strew fine powder'd sugar over it, but serve it hot, let it be which way you will. to make a preserve of _quinces,_ white in _jelly._ from the same. make a syrup of golden-pippins, or golden-rennets; and to make that, pare your apples, and core them, but never use two sorts together, for one will be soft before the other is half done. always take this for a rule in apples, onions, and turnips; they should be all of one kind, and all from the same place, or else you will be disappointed. boil your apples with their weight in sugar, and as much water as will mix with it: boil this to a jelly, and in the mean time, pare your quinces, and cut them in quarters, taking them clear off the core; then boil them, first in fair water, till they are a little tender, and then put them into the boiling syrup, and keep them gently boiling half an hour, or what one might more properly call stewing. if the quinces are not then clear, boil them again, the next day, in the same liquor; and when the quinces are as clear as they can be, which is never very much like other fruits, but we should rather say tender, put them into gallypots, or glasses, and pour the syrup, or jelly, over them, to keep; and as soon as they are cold, then put papers over them. to candy whole _orange,_ or _lemon-peels._ take some of the fairest oranges, or lemons, and cut a small hole in the top of them; then scoop out all the pulp, as clean as possible; lay these in water to steep eight or ten days, shifting them to fresh waters twice a day; then boil them in several waters, till they are tender enough to run a straw through them. then take one pound of double-refin'd loaf-sugar to each pound of peel, and a quart of water: then make your syrup, and boil your peels in it eight or ten minutes, and let them stand in your syrup five or six days, in an earthen glaz'd vessel, for it would spoil in a brass or copper pan: then to every pound put one pound more of sugar into your syrup, and boil your peels in it, till they are clear; then put them into gallypots, and boil your syrup till it is almost of a candy height, and pour it upon your peels; and when it is cold, cover it. the same manner they preserve the peels of green oranges, lemons, and limes, in _barbadoes_. to stew _soles._ from _yarmouth._ take the largest soles you can get, gut them, and skin them; lay them then into a stew-pan, and pour in about a pint of good beef gravey, and as much claret; some bits of lemon-peel, an anchovy or two, a stick of horse-radish, a bunch of sweet herbs, a large onion, half a large nutmeg, some cloves and mace, whole pepper, and salt, with a little bit of butter. then stew these till the fish is enough, and pour off the liquor, through a sieve, and thicken it with burnt butter, having first put to it the juice of a lemon. then pour the sauce over the fish, and garnish with lemon sliced, and the roots of red beets pickled and sliced, with horse-radish scraped, and fry'd bread. a hash of raw _beef._ from mr. _moring_ at the blue-posts _temple-bar._ cut some thin slices of tender beef, and put them in a stew-pan, with a little water, a bunch of sweet herbs, some lemon-peel, an onion, with some pepper, salt, and some nutmeg. cover these close, and let them stew till they are tender; then pour in a glass or two of claret; and when it is warm, clear your sauce of the onion, herbs, _&c_. and thicken it with burnt butter. it is an excellent dish. serve it hot, and garnish with lemon diced, and red beet-roots, capers, and such like. thin _beef-collups_ stew'd. from _oxford._ cut raw beef in thin slices, as you would do veal, for _scots_ collups; lay them in a dish, with a little water, a glass of wine, a shallot, some pepper and salt, and a little sweet marjoram powdered; then clap another dish over that, having first put a thin slice or two of fat bacon among your collups: then set your mess, so as to rest upon the backs of two chairs, and take six sheets of whited-brown paper, and tear it in long pieces; and then lighting one of them, hold it under the dish, till it burns out, then light another, and so another till all your paper is burnt; and then your stew will be enough, and full of gravey. some will put in a little mushroom gravey, with the water, and the other ingredients, which is yet a very good way. stew'd _beef-steaks._ from the _spring-gardens_ at _vaux-hall, surrey._ take good rump-beef steaks, and season them with pepper and salt; then lay them into the pan, and pour in a little water; then add a bunch of sweet herbs a few cloves, an anchovy, a little verjuice, an onion, and a little lemon-peel, with a little bit of butter, or fat bacon, and a glass of white wine. cover these close, and stew them gently, and when they are tender, pour away the sauce, and strain it; then take out the steaks, and flour them, and fry them; and when you put them in the dish, thicken the sauce, and pour it over them. this way was much approved. to make _cologn's-geneva._ from _cologn._ take good brandy, one gallon; then take two pounds of juniper-berries fresh gather'd, and full ripe. press these till you perceive a greenish liquor come from them; then put them into the brandy, and let them remain about ten days: then pour them through a cloth of coarse linnen, and squeeze it, and when you have the liquor, if you find it too strong, you may add to it some more brandy, and half a pound of fine sugar to a gallon. then put it in flasks, or bottles. then take the pressings, and infuse them again in brandy, for six or seven days, and distil them. this they call double _cologn's_ gin, and the best is sold in _holland_, at three shillings and six-pence _per_ quart. to make _scots-snuff,_ or pure _tobacco-snuff._ from mr. _hyslop._ take the leaves of good tobacco, and spread them open; then dry them gently in the sun, or before the fire, and strip them from the stalks; when the leafy part will crumble, between the fingers; then put it into a mill, and with a pestle rolling about it, the tobacco will presently be ground, as fine as snuff; or else, if you have never a mill, when your tobacco will break between the fingers, lay it on an oaken table, and pass the flat side of a knife over it, backwards and forwards, as if you was whetting it, pressing it hard, and you will make fine snuff. this i mention here, because, sometimes, the snuff-takers are without snuff, and remote from any place where it may be had, and would give any money for it; which was my case, when i learn'd this receipt, and by the last means was presently supplied: we may make it likewise of cut tobacco dry'd before the fire. or if we raise tobacco in our gardens, pick the leaves from the stalks, towards the root, when they are full grown, tie six in a bunch together, and hang them up to dry in the shade; then dip them in water, or some beer or ale, and hang them up again to dry, and then press the leaves one upon another, in their bunches, in a box or tub, as hard as possible; and in a few months time, they will make very good snuff, being order'd as above directed. _butter_ turned to _oil_ recovered. from mrs. _m. n._ there are some lands, as well as some treatments of butter in the dairy, that makes the butter so very fat and greasy, that it is hard to melt, without running to oil; while, on the other hand, there is a sort of butter, which cuts as firm as wax; and even this will sometimes turn to oil in the melting, but very seldom. however, when it so happens, pour your oil'd butter into a porringer, and letting it stand a little, melt a little fresh, and as soon as it is liquid, pour into it, by gentle degrees, at times, some of the butter that was oil'd before, keeping your sauce-pan shaking all the while; and if you find it any way difficult to be recovered, pour in a little milk, and shake them together, and it will recover. _memorandum_, a sauce-pan that is very thin at the bottom is apt to oil butter, let it be ever so good. _orange_ or _lemon-cakes._ from the same. take some preserv'd orange or lemon-peels, wash'd from their syrup; then beat them, in a marble mortar, to a pulp, adding a little orange-flower water to them, and a very little gum-arabic to it powder'd, this will become a paste; then mould it into cakes, with double-refined sugar beaten fine, and dry them; they must then be laid in boxes, between sheets of white paper, and kept in a dry place. to dry _plums,_ of any sort, without _sugar._ from the same. take a wyre sieve, and gather your plums, not too ripe, nor in the heat of the day; run a needle through the skin of each of them, and lay them on the sieve, so as not to touch one another. put your sieve then into a declining oven, and let it stand twelve hours; then set it by, and repeat the same the second and third time, and if the plums are large, then it may be they will require the fourth or fifth time; but turn them every time, when you are going to put them in the oven. they will dry by this means so well, that you may keep them all the winter, for use, in boxes, in a dry place. _memorandum_, some of them will candy on the outsides. the mussel-plum is a very good one for this use. the _shropshire_ and _worcestershire-dish._ from the same. sir, if you would please all people, by the several receipts you publish, you ought to have the particular dish that is the favourite of every county. in _worcestershire_ and _shropshire_, the following is in esteem, and i believe you will oblige several gentlemen and ladies of these parts, if you would insert it in some of your works. take some good middling bacon, and fry it; then put in some calf's liver, and cut it in thick pieces, pepper it, and salt it; and when it is enough, for it must not be fry'd hard, have ready prepared some cabbage-lettuce, some white beet-cards, or beet-leaves, and some spinach-leaves, and chop them together, with some parsley, but not too small; then chop some onion, and mix with the rest; then throw them into your frying pan, with a piece of butter, when the bacon and liver is out, and fry them till they are tender, and as brown as may be; putting in a spoonful of verjuice, or the juice of a lemon, a little before they are enough. and having kept the liver and bacon hot all the while, pour these herbs over them, which ought to be in good quantity. fine _cakes_ to keep. from the same. take a pound of fine sugar powder'd, and somewhat less than a quart of flour. rub these with a pound of fresh butter, and mix it with three or four yolks of eggs, with some orange-flower-water, and a little ale-yeast: set this paste before the fire to rise, and roll out your cakes thin, while the paste is hot; then cut them into what shapes you please, and prick them on the top, and bake them in a gentle oven. they will keep a long time and are very good. to make _penzance-cakes._ from the same. take the yolks of eggs well beaten, put to them some mace finely powder'd, with a few spoonfuls of wine, a little salt, and as much sugar as you please; then add as much flour as is necessary, and a small quantity of ale-yeast, and work your dough pretty stiff; then add some fresh butter, broken in little bits, and work it in till all the paste has partaken of it, and the dough becomes as stiff as at first. make your cakes then, and bake them. they will keep some time. to make crystal candy'd _sweet-meats._ from the same. when we propose to make these candy'd sweet-meats, we must first know what fruits, flowers, _&c_. are proper for them, and how those ought to be gathered and prepared. first of all, to begin with the flowers. take orange-flowers, or lemon, or citron-flowers; gather them, when the dew is upon them, in the morning, because the leaves of them will be then full, and then they are best to use, when the leaves are pick'd off, and then the dew will be gone; but if they lie a day, they will shrink, turn bitter, and of a yellowish brown colour. take these leaves fresh pick'd, and pour the following composition upon them. you may take also some orange, or lemon, or citron, preserved, and dry'd, and cut them in small pieces. or apricots dry'd and cut into small pieces, or such sorts as are a little hard in themselves will do. if one was to cut some pine-apple, or ananas, simply or preserv'd, and cut that in pieces, it would be entomb'd in a rock of sugar; or currans preserv'd upon their stalks may do, if you think it worth while; but orange-flower-leaves do very well. it is a fine candy to carry in the pocket. then to begin your business. take one pound of double-refined loaf-sugar beat small, and finely sifted; mix this with four or five spoonfuls of orange-flower-water, and about half a drachm of gum-arabic finely beaten; then put three spoonfuls of white wine, and mix all together, and boil them in a glazed earthen vessel till the liquor will hardly run, or at least run in ropes; then have small jars of earthen ware glazed, and put into each of them the several sorts of fruits, and flowers, you would inclose in candy'd sugar, making those jars very hot, and immediately pour the liquor upon them, and stop them close; then put the jars into a stove, for a fortnight or more, and you may then break the jars, and your several fruits and flowers will be inclosed in a crystal like candy, such as white sugar candy. and then with a slight blow of an hammer, break these candies into pieces of about a finger's length, and keep them in glasses stopt close, in a dry place, and they will remain good several years. the little pots must be broken of course. to make a _hackin._ from a gentleman in _cumberland._ sir, there are some counties in _england_, whose customs are never to be set aside; and our friends in _cumberland_, as well as some of our neighbours in _lancashire_, and else-where, keep them up. it is a custom with us every _christmas_-day in the morning, to have, what we call an hackin, for the breakfast of the young men who work about our house; and if this dish is not dressed by that time it is day-light, the maid is led through the town, between two men, as fast as they can run with her, up hill and down hill, which she accounts a great shame. but as for the receipt to make this hackin, which is admired so much by us, it is as follows. take the bag or paunch of a calf, and wash it, and clean it well with water and salt; then take some beef-suet, and shred it small, and shred some apples, after they are pared and cored, very small. then put in some sugar, and some spice beaten small, a little lemon-peel cut very fine, and a little salt, and a good quantity of grots, or whole oat-meal, steep'd a night in milk; then mix these all together, and add as many currans pick'd clean from the stalks, and rubb'd in a coarse cloth; but let them not be wash'd. and when you have all ready, mix them together, and put them into the calf's-bag, and tye them up, and boil them till they are enough. you may, if you will, mix up with the whole, some eggs beaten, which will help to bind it. this is our custom to have ready, at the opening of the doors, on _christmas_-day in the morning. it is esteem'd here; but all that i can say to you of it, is, that it eats somewhat like a _christmas_-pye, or is somewhat like that boil'd. i had forgot to say, that with the rest of the ingredients, there should be some lean of tender beef minced small. the _northampton-cake._ take a peck of flour, and a pound of fine sugar beaten well into powder, and sifted; then add a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of cinnamon, and a large nutmeg, and beat them to powder; put to this some orange-flower-water, or rose-water; then take five or six pounds of currans well pick'd, and rub'd dry with a coarse cloth, but not wash'd. put these with your fruit, and a little salt into the flour; then take as much cream as you think proper: then melt two pounds of butter, to mix with it, and add a pint of canary-wine, and kneed it with some fresh ale-yeast, till it rises under your hand. have your oven hot before you put it in the hoop for baking. of the baking of fruit. from mr. _l. m._ it is to be observed, that all fruits that are ripe require little baking, and those which are of the hardest, or most unripe sorts, ought to have a long and gentle baking. in pears, for example, when we have some of those, which ripen in the autumn, they will bake with a tart; for as they are ripe of themselves, they require very little baking, for ripeness is one degree tending to rottenness; and as that is done by heat gently, so the oven brings that to a certain height, suddenly, with its safeguard of sugar; that the fruit comes to its full flavour, with the additional beauty, from the sugar. it would have done a great deal by nature itself, if the tree had stood in a place agreeable; but much more would it be for those baking pears, as we call them, if they had the advantage of a good climate; one may guess then how much difference there is between one and the other. in the tough and hard pears, one ought to bake them twice, that is, once with a little water and sugar, in as hot an oven as they bake bread in; and then put them in pyes, and bake them over again, so will they become tender, well tasted, and of a fine colour. but be it as it will, as soon as either of these come out of the oven, pour some cream over them, and mix it with them, if they are to be served hot, mashing the fruit all the while; but if they are to be served cold, then only pour some cream over them, when they just come from the oven, and let it remain till you serve it cold. there is one way which is practised by some, and that is, to break the hard pears, just when they are taken out of the oven, in the pye; for else the outsides, though the rind is off, will be hard, and tough: then pour on the cream. it is to be noted, that all ripe apples require less baking, and less sugar, than the hard apples, which do not become ripe till some months afterwards. when an apple, or pear, for example, is as ripe as it can be in our climate, it will have some softness, and some sweetness in it, and therefore will require less baking, as baking is only a sort of ripening; and so on the other hand: but we are providentially provided with both apples and pears, which are, some ripe sooner, and some ripe later; even that by the end of _july,_ we have some ripe, and some remain hard and sour till _june._ we ought be apprised of the sorts, to take them in their several seasons, and not to take the winter fruits, for baking, when we have ripe fruits by us. many thousand bushels of fruit are lost for want of this caution. so at any time, when you use apples, or pears, for tarts, puddings, or sauces, let them be all of one sort, and ripe; for, if they are ripe, or towards it, they will soon soften; and if you put two sorts together, one will be in pulp very soon, and the other will be hard for an hour or two, and at length will not be soft. _memorandum,_ this is not to be disregarded. to make paste. from mrs. _peasly._ there are many sorts of paste made, and among them, are some which are made with eggs, according to the old fashion; but these are always hard, when they are baked, though they will fly and crackle in the mouth, but they taste like sticks: while, on the other side, leave out your eggs, and use butter and water only, as in the following receipts, and your paste will melt in the mouth, and be agreeable to the taste. if you would have a sweet paste; then take half a pound of butter, and rub it into about a pound of flour, with two or three ounces of double-refined sugar powder'd, and make it a paste, with cold milk, some sack and brandy. this is a very good one. you may also make an hot paste, for minced pyes, or such like, by taking a quantity of flour as you like, and break a pound or two of butter into a large sauce-pan of water; and when the butter is melted, make an hollow in the midst of the flour, and scumming off the butter, throw it, at times, into the flour, with some of the boiling hot water along with it; then, when you have enough for your use, work it into a stiff paste, and lay it before the fire, cover'd with a cloth, and cut off such bits as you want, just when you are going to use them. this paste does very well for raised pyes. some will make this paste by breaking in a pound of butter into a quarter of a peck of flour, and then pouring on it some scalding hot water, enough to work it to a stiff paste. as for tarts, one may make the following puff-paste. rub in some butter into your flour, and make it into a paste with water, and when it is moulded, roll it out till it is about half an inch thick; then put bits of butter upon it, about half an inch asunder, and fold your paste together, and then fold it again: then roll it again till it becomes of the thickness it was before; and then lay bits of butter on it, as before directed, and fold it as mention'd above, and roll it again to the thickness of half an inch; then put on the rest of your butter, and fold it up, and roll it for the last time, doubling it, and rolling it twice, before you use it. this is very good for puffs, puddings, or petty-patees. as for meat-pyes, or pasties, they require another sort of paste, which is made thus. rub seven pounds of butter into a peck of flour, but not too small; then make it into a paste with water. it is good for venison-pasties, and such like great pyes. to dress a dish of fish in the best manner. from the same. to make one of these grand dishes, you ought always to have some capital sort of fish, for the middle of the dish; such as a turbut, a jowl of fresh salmon, a cod's head, or a pike boiled; and this must be adorn'd either with flounders, whitings, soles, perch, smelts, or gudgeons, or bourn trouts, which are the small river trouts, or young salmon-fry, according as you can meet with them. this kind of dish is call'd a bisque of fish. to boil fresh _salmon._ if you have fresh salmon, you wash it with salt and water, and according to the fashion, leave all the scales on, though some take them off, to prevent that trouble at the table; for the skin of the salmon. is the fattest part of the fish, and is liked by most people. lay your fish thus prepared, into the pan, where you boil it, and pour in water, with a sixth part of vinegar, a little salt, and a stick of horse-radish; this should be boiled pretty quick: thus far for boiling fresh salmon. the grand sauce for it you will see at the end of these receipts, for preparing the several sorts of fish for the bisque but if it is served alone, then let the sauce be as follows. take a pint of shrimps, a pint of oysters and their liquor, and half a pint of pickled mushrooms; or else take shrimps, and the bodies of two middling sea-crabs, or of a couple of lobsters, the tail of the lobsters to be cut in dice, but use which you have by you. if you have oysters, stew them a little, in their own liquor, with some mace, and whole pepper, then lay by the oysters, and put mushroom pickle to the liquor, and dissolve two anchovies in it; then melt what quantity of butter you think fit, and mix your prepared liquor with it, adding a little white wine, or that may be left out. i should take notice, that just before you melt your butter, put your oysters, shrimps, and mushrooms, _&c._ into your prepared liquor to boil up, and then mix all together. _note,_ the bodies of the crabs being well stirred in the liquor, will thicken it, and render the whole very agreeable. to boil _turbut, flounders,_ or _plaise, pike,_ or a _cod's-head,_ or _whitings._ when your fish are gutted and well wash'd: put them upon your fish-plate; the jacks or pikes, whether small or great, must have their tails skewer'd into their mouths, so that they make a round figure, which is the fashion. then put your fish into the kettle, into as much water as will cover them. put into this water, an onion, with some cloves stuck in it, some mace, some whole pepper, a little bunch of sweet herbs, a stick of horse-radish, and half a lemon. when your liquor boils, add a little vinegar, or verjuice; and when your fish are boiled enough, let them drain before the fire. the sauce for these, if they are served singly, is that directed for the salmon, or else some melted butter, anchovies dissolved in water, over the fire, and some shrimps; or for want of them, if you can get any of the small crabs, such as they sell in _london,_ about eight or ten a penny, and no bigger in their bodies than to contain the quantity of a golden-pippin. take the inside of the bodies of these, and thicken your sauce with them. or if you have cray-fish, take the bodies of them, and mix them well with your sauce, and cut the tails in small bits, as big as pease. the foregoing way of boiling fish gives them a relish. to fry _soles, flounders, plaise, whitings, smelts,_ and _gudgeons,_ or such like. take a large quantity of hog's-seam, or lard, and melt it in a pan, till it is very hot; then put in your fish, prepared as follows; but first you may fry some bread, in lengths, as big as one's finger, to drain for a garnish. as for soles, skin them, and gut them, then flour them well, and toss them into the pan, turning them once, when you see the upper side of a yellow colour. when they are enough, put them into a cullendar to drain before the fire. flounders are only to be gutted, and the skins wash'd with water and salt, and being well dry'd with a cloth, flour them, and fling them into the pan, and use them as you did the soles. the plaise are to be done in the same manner as the flounders. whitings must be treated in the same manner as the former. smelts must be only rub'd with a coarse cloth, and then flour'd, and thrown into the pan. gudgeons must be scaled and gutted, well dry'd and flour'd, and thrown into the hot lard: but take care in all these that you have a quick fire under them, and not too many in the pan at one time. you have now all your furniture for your bisque of fish; but to fry them still crisper, and better, use sallad-oil instead of hogs-lard; or if you have neither of these, you may use good dripping of beef, or mutton, but there must be enough of it, and it should be as hot as possible, in the pan, when you throw your fish in. serve these with melted butter, and anchovy liquor, with shrimps, or oysters, if they are single. to broil _whitings._ clean your whitings, with water and salt, after they are gutted, and drying them thoroughly, flour them well, then lay them on the grid-iron, first rubbing it with a little chalk. as you find them enough on one side, turn them, and serve them, if they go to the table alone, with butter melted, some anchovy liquor, and oyster sauce; these may make one of your grand dishes of fish, but fry'd and boiled is enough, because there is never a dish of this kind, but there are many more at the same treat, which will give the cook a great deal of difficulty, and besides you must still in this dish have some spitchcot-eels. _n.b._ i forbear to mention here the manner of dresing spitchcot-eels, as they are already set down in the first part of this book. when you fry whitings, skewer their tails in their mouths; and some take off their skins. the grand dish of fish, and its sauce. when we have prepared these things, with regard to the grand dish we design, then make the following sauce: _viz._ sauce for a bisque of fish. take a pint of gravey, two or three spoonfuls of mushroom katchep, and a spoonful or two of mushroom pickle; then add about a gill of white wine, half an onion, a slice of lemon with the peel, two anchovies shred, some cloves, and mace. when these have boiled half a quarter of an hour, take out the onion, and lemon, and thicken your liquor, with about three pounds of butter, rub'd in a little flour; then put in the body of a crab, or lobster, shrimps, oysters, and mushrooms, and it is ready to pour over your fish: but some rather chuse to serve this sauce in basons, lest it be too high for every palate. however, when you have disposed your fish well in the dish, garnish with fry'd bread, horse-radish scraped, fry'd parsley, lemon sliced and pickled, red beet-root sliced, and serve it up hot. if your sauce is serv'd in basons; then take care to have one bason of plain butter: but if all your company happens to like the rich sauce, your dish of fish will make a much better appearance to have some of the sauce pour'd over it, before you lay on your garnish. remember to lay your spitchcot eels near the edge of the dish. to broil _herrings,_ so as to prevent their rising in the stomach. from the same. take fresh herrings, scale them, gut them, and wash them; and when they are well dry'd with a cloth, strew them with flour of ginger, as you would any fish with flour, then broil them; and when they are enough, the taste of the ginger is quite lost: then serve them with claret, butter, salt, and mustard, made into a sauce, and they will not at all disturb the stomach. a white _fricassee_ of _rabbits._ from the same. take three or four young rabbits and cut them to pieces, then put them in a stew-pan, with four ounces of butter; then season them with some lemon-peel grated, a little thyme, a little sweet marjoram, pepper, salt, and a little _jamaica_, pepper beaten fine. let these be close cover'd, and stew them gently, till they are tender; then take about half a pint of veal-broth, an onion, some lemon, a sprig of sweet marjoram, and some spice, to your mind, and put to it half a gill of white wine. boil these together six or seven minutes, then pour away the butter, in the stew-pan, and strain your veal gravey through a sieve; then beat the yolks of four eggs, with half a pint of cream. then put some of the broth, by degrees, to the eggs and cream, keeping them stirring, lest they curdle, and you may put to it some parsley boil'd tender, and shred small; then put it to the rabbits, and toss them up thick with butter, adding some pickled mushrooms, and serve them hot with a garnish of sliced lemon, and red beet-root pickled. a _neat's-tongue_ roasted. from the same. take a large neat's-tongue, that has lain three weeks in salts mixed in the following manner. take a quarter of a pound of salt-petre, half a pound of bay-salt, and three pints of common salt. this is enough to salt four tongues: let them be rubb'd well with this mixture, and kept in a cool place. take, i say, one of these tongues, and boil it till the skin will come off; and when it is stript of its skin, stick it with cloves, about an inch asunder, then put it on a spit, and wrap a veal-cawl over it, till it is enough; then take off the cawl, and just froth it up, and serve it in a dish with gravey. _note_, the cawl will keep the outside tender, which otherwise would be hard. one must serve with it, in saucers, of the following: grate a penny-loaf into about a pint of water, and half as much claret; then boil it thick, with two or three chips of cinnamon, then sweeten it to your mind, as you please: strew some sifted raspings of bread about the dish, and garnish with lemon sliced. to dress a _cow-heel._ from the same. take out the bones, and clean it, cut it to pieces, and wash it; then flour it, and strew over it a little pepper and salt, then fry it brown in hog's-lard, made very hot in the pan. prepare at the same time some small onions boiled whole, till they are tender, and pull off as many of the coats or skins, till you see them pure white; then make a sauce of gravey, some white-wine, nutmeg, and a little whole spice, with a little salt and pepper, and thicken it with burnt butter. let your onions, when they are skin'd, be made hot in milk, and lay them whole in the dish, with the cow-heel, and pour the sauce over the whole. some who have strong stomachs will slice onions, and flouring them well, fry them with with the cow-heel, but this must be fry'd in butter. to make _marmalade_ of _quinces._ from the same. take the large _portugal_ quinces, pare them, and take out the cores; then cut each quince in eight parts, and throw them in water; then boil the parings, and such of the quinces as are of the worse sort, in two quarts of water, till the liquor is reduced to half the quantity: when this is strain'd, put the liquor into your preserving-pan, with a pound of fine sugar powder'd, with two pounds of quinces: boil these gently, till they are tender. then if you design your marmalade for mixing with apples in pyes or tarts, put to them a pound more of sugar to each two pounds; break them with a spoon, and boil them briskly, keeping them stirring all the while: then put them hot into the gally-pot, when they are thick, and of a reddish colour. to heighten their redness, and keep them from burning to the bottom, put into the pan four or five pieces of pure tin, as big as half-crowns. but if you would have your marmalade fine for glasses, then, when they are boil'd tender, take them out of the liquor, and beat them well in a marble mortar, and rub them through a sieve; then put to them a pound of fine sugar, and stir them well in the liquor; boil them quick, stirring them all the while, till they grow thick. _memorandum_, while they are boiling the second time, put in some pieces of tin, as before, and when they are enough, pour them hot into your glasses or cups, first taking out the pieces of tin; and when your marmalade is cool, cover your glasses and cups with white paper. boil'd _tench._ from the same. take tench, fresh from the pond, gut them, and clear them from their scales; then put them into a stew-pan, with as much water as will cover them, some salt, some whole pepper, some lemon-peel, a stick of horse radish, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a few cloves; then boil them till they are tender, and when they are enough, take some of the liquor, and put to it a glass of white wine, and a little lemon-juice, or verjuice, and an anchovy shred. then boil it a few minutes, and thicken it with butter rubb'd in flour, tossing up a pint of shrimps with the sauce, and pour it over the fish. serve it with garnish of fry'd bread, cut the length of one's finger, some slices of lemon and horse-radish scraped, with some pickled mushrooms, if you will, or you may toss up some of them in the sauce. to bake _tench._ from lady g. take your tench, fresh from the pond, gut them, and clean them from the scales; then kill them, by giving them an hard stroke on the back of the head, or else they will live for many hours, and even jump out of the pan in the oven, when they are half enough. then lay them in a pan, with some mushroom katchep, some strong gravey, half a pint of pickled mushrooms, as much white-wine as gravey, three or four large shallots, an anchovy or two, two or three slices of fat bacon, some pepper, cloves, and nutmeg, at pleasure, a little salt, some lemon-peel, and a bunch of sweet herbs; then break some bits of butter, and lay them on your fish, then cover all as close as you can, and give them an hour's baking. when they are enough, lay them in a hot dish, and pour off the liquor, and strain it, only preserving the mushrooms; then add to it a spoonful of lemon-juice, and thicken your sauce with the yolks of four eggs, beaten with cream, and mix'd, by degrees, with the sauce. pour this over your fish, and serve it hot with a garnish of beetroots sliced, some slices of lemon-peel, and some horse-radish scraped. to roast a _westphalia-ham._ from the same. boil a westphalia-ham, as tender as it will be, with the gravey in it; then strip off the skin, put it on a spit, and having done it over with the yolk of an egg, strew it all over with raspings or chippings of bread finely sifted, and mixt with a little lemon-peel grated. baste it well when it is before the fire, and drudge it frequently with the above mixture till it is enough. some, instead of roasting it, will prepare it, with a good covering of the aforesaid mixture, and set it an hour in the oven, which answers full as well. then serve it, with boiled pidgeons, _russia_ cabbages, if you can get them, or sprouts of cabbages, curll'd, as big as tennis-balls, or collyflowers, or brocoli. this is an excellent dish, especially, if the cabbages, or collyflowers, are toss'd up with butter and cream, but the brocoli must only have the butter pour'd over them. a neck of _mutton_ and _broth._ from _l. p._ esq. the method of this broth was first from a mistake, where instead of boiling a neck of mutton, as directed, the cook roasted it. the gentleman was in a hurry for it, and call'd in half an hour for his neck of mutton and broth; but the cook had only that neck in the house; which she was roasting, and was then above half done: however, she takes it from the spit, and cut it in pieces, which she presently set over the fire, with the gravey that came from it, with a small quantity of water, and serv'd it up with some turnips, as soon as possible. the relish which the meat had gain'd by roasting, gave the broth so good a flavour, that it is recommended since that time, by the gentlemen who eat of it, where-ever they go; but with this addition, that they take four or five _hertfordshire_ turnips, pare them, and cut them in dice; then boil them in the liquor with the half roasted mutton; and when they are enough, take them out of the liquor, and draining them a little, flour them, and adding a little salt, fry them either in butter very hot, or in hog's-lard, and then serve them with pottage. boil'd _venison,_ with its furniture. from mr. _l. l._ take an haunch of venison, salt it well, and let it remain a week, then boil it, and serve it with a furniture of collyflowers, _russia_ cabbages, some of the _hertfordshire_ turnips cut in dice, and boiled in a net, and toss'd up with butter and cream, or else have some of the yellow _french_ turnips, cut in dice, and boil'd like the former; or we might add some red beet-roots boiled in dice, and butter'd in the same manner. place these regularly, and they will afford a pleasant variety both to the eye and the taste. _frogs,_ a white _fricassee_ of them. from mr. _ganeau._ take large frogs, and cut off the hinder legs, strip them of the skin, and cut off the feet, and boil them tender in a little veal-broth, with whole pepper, and a little salt, with a bunch of sweet herbs, and some lemon peel. stew these with a shallot, till the flesh is a little tender; then strain off the liquor, and thicken it with cream and butter; then serve them hot with the cream, and some mushrooms pickled, toss'd up with the sauce, they make a very good dish, and their bones being of a very fine texture, are better to be eaten than those of larks. but we have in many places an aversion to them, as, in some others, some people have to mushrooms. _frogs,_ in a brown _fricassee._ from the same. prepare the frogs as before, and flour them well; then put them into a pan of hot lard, and fry them brown. then take them and drain them from the liquor they were fry'd in, and make a sauce for them of good gravey, some lemon-peel, a shallot or two, some spice beaten, a bunch of sweet herbs, an anchovy, some pickled mushrooms and their liquor, and some pepper and salt. toss up these, thick with butter, and pour the sauce over them, putting first a little claret to it, and some lemon-juice. garnish with broiled mushroom-flaps, and lemon sliced. _snails,_ to be dressed with white sauce. from the same. take the large _german_ snail, early in the morning; put them, shells and all, into salt and water, for a few hours, till they purge themselves: then put them into fresh salt and water, for a few hours more, and repeat that a third time, then give them a gentle boil in water and. salt, in their shells, and you may then pick them out, with a pin, as you do perwinkles, then stew them in veal-broth, with some cloves, a little sack, some mace, and a little salt. stew these a little while, and then pour over them this sauce thicken'd with cream and butter, and grate some nutmeg upon the sauce, and serve them hot. _snails,_ to be drest with brown sauce. from the same. take the same sort of snail, as above mention'd, and clean it as before; then give them one turn, when they are flour'd, in some hot butter, or lard, and drain them. then pour into the pan, when, the liquor is out, some strong gravey, a glass of claret, some nutmeg, some spices, and a little salt, with a little lemon-peel grated; and when the sauce is strong enough, then strain the sauce, and thicken it with burnt butter. then serve them up hot, with a garnish of sliced lemon, and some sippits fry'd in lard. a _gammon_ of a _badger_ roasted. from mr. _r. t._ of _leicestershire._ the badger is one of the cleanest creatures, in its food, of any in the world, and one may suppose that the flesh of this creature is not unwholesome. it eats like the finest pork, and is much sweeter than pork. then, just when a badger is killed, cut off the gammons, and strip them; then lay them in a brine of salt and water, that will bear an egg, for a week or ten days; then boil it for four or five hours, and then roast it, strewing it with flour and rasped bread sifted. then put it upon a spit, as you did before with the _westphalia_ ham. serve it hot with a garnish of bacon fry'd in cutlets, and some lemon in slices. to make minc'd pyes, or _christmas-_pyes. from mrs. _m. c._ take an ox-heart, and parboil it, or a neat's-tongue, boil'd without drying or salting, or the inside of a surloin of beef; chop this small, and put to each pound two pounds of clean beef-suet, cleaned of the skins and blood, and chop that as small as the former; then pare, and take the cores out of eight large apples, and chop them small, grate then a two-penny-loaf; and then add two or three nutmegs grated, half an ounce of fresh cloves, as much mace, a little pepper and salt, and a pound and a half of sugar; then grate in some lemon and orange-peel, and squeeze the juice of six oranges, and two lemons, with half a pint of sack, and pour this into the mixture. take care to put in two pounds of currans to every pound of meat, and mix it well; then try a little of it over the fire, in a sauce-pan, and as it tastes, so add what you think proper to it: put this in an earthen glaz'd pan, and press it down, and you may keep it till _candlemas,_ if you make it at _christmas._ _memorandum,_ when you put this into your pyes, press it down, and it will be like a paste. when you take these pyes out of the oven, put in a glass of brandy, or a glass of sack or white wine, into them, and stir it in them. _plum-pottage,_ or _christmas-pottage._ from the same. take a leg of beef, and boil it till it is tender in a sufficient quantity of water, add two quarts of red wine, and two quarts of old strong beer; put to these some cloves, mace, and nutmegs, enough to season it, and boil some apples, pared and freed from the cores into it, and boil them tender, and break them; and to every quart of liquor, put half a pound of currans pick'd clean, and rubb'd with a coarse cloth, without washing. then add a pound of raisins of the sun, to a gallon of liquor, and half a pound of prunes. take out the beef, and the broth or pottage will be fit for use. _amber-rum,_ from _barbadoes;_ an extra-ordinary way of making it, from that country. take the preparation of the scum and dregs of the sugar-canes. let them ferment, and distil them with the leaves of the _platanus_, or plain-tree; then put them into a still again, and hang some amber powder'd, in a muslin bag, in the cap of the still, and let all the steam pass through that, and it will be incomparable good rum. a boiled _goose_ with its garniture. from the same. take a young fat goose, and salt it, and pepper it, for four days or a week; then boil it as you would do other victuals, till it is tender; then take it from the pot, and put about it some _hertfordshire_ turnips boiled, being first cut in dice, some carrots boiled, and cut in dice, some small cabbage-sprouts, some red beet-roots cut in dice, some _french_ yellow turnips cut in dice, or such other roots, or herbs, as you like best. collyflowers, if they are in season, will do well; but they must all be toss'd up with cream and butter, except the _hertfordshire_ turnips, which should, after they are boiled, be dry'd in a cloth, and well flour'd; then fry them in hot lard, or hot butter, drain them well, and serve them with the same sauce. _memorandum_, if you have any of the yellow _french_ turnips, cut them in dice to boil, and when they are enough, treat them in the same manner as you are directed, for the _hertfordshire_ turnips. take care in the buying of the _hertfordshire_ turnips, for they are all white; but they require a longer boiling than the red-ringed turnips: the red-rings are soft presently, when they are good, and the others are near an hour in boiling, and, even then, feel hard to the spoon. _viper-soup._ from mr. _ganeau._ take vipers, alive, and skin them, and cut off their heads; then cut them in pieces, about two inches in length, and boil them, with their hearts, in about a gallon of water to eight vipers, if they are pretty large. put into the liquor a little pepper and salt, and a quart of white wine to a gallon of liquor; then put in some spice, to your mind, and chop the following herbs, and put into it: take some chervill, some white beet-cards or leaves, some hearts of cabbage-lettuce, a shallot, some spinach-leaves, and some succory. boil these, and let them be tender; then serve it up hot, with a _french_ roll in the middle, and garnish with the raspings of bread sifted, and slices of lemon. _ketchup,_ in paste. from _bencoulin_ in the _east-indies._ there is a kidney-bean, we have here, which has a fine relish in it, as the _indians_ say, but in fact there is none but what they give it by art. this bean, when it is full ripe, is taken out of the shells, and boiled to a pulp, and that pulp strain'd till it becomes like butter; then they put some of all the spices into it, in powder, as, nutmeg, cloves, mace, and pepper, garlick, and orange-juice, or some mango pickle. this being well mix'd together, makes an agreeable sauce, when it is put in any warm liquor. to dry plums with sugar. from mr. _girarde._ take large white or red plums, such as the white _holland's_-plum, the _bonum magnum_, the royal dolphin or imperial plum. cut these, and take out the stones, and to every pound of plums, put three quarters of a pound of sugar: boil your sugar with a little water, to a candy height; then put in your plums, and boil them gently on a slow fire; then set them by to cool, and then boil them afresh, taking care that they do not break; then let them lie in their syrup, three or four days, and then lay them upon sieves, to dry, in a warm oven, turning them upon clean sieves, twice a day, till they are dry. then wash them off the clamminess of the sugar with warm water, and dry them again in the oven; and when they are cold, put them up in boxes, with papers between them, and keep them in a dry place. to make small _almond-cakes._ from the same. take some orange-flower-water, or rose-water, with about two grains of amber-gris, and beat these with a pound of blanched almonds, in a marble mortar; then take a pound of fine sugar powder'd, and finely sifted, and put most of it to the almonds, when they are well beaten, and mix it well. then make your cakes, and lay them on wafers, and set them in a gentle oven, on tin plates; and when they are half baked, boil what sugar you have left, with some rose-water, to a candy height, and, with a feather, wash the cakes over with this liquor, and close your oven, and let them stand a few minutes longer. to preserve _bullace._ from the same. take your bullace before the frost has taken them; let them be fresh gather'd, and clear fruit, scald them in water: then take their weight in fine sugar, with a little water, and boil it to a syrup; then put in your bullace, and boil them till the syrup is very thick, and your fruit very clear. to preserve green _peaches._ from the same. in some gardens, where the trees are pruned and ordered, by a skilful hand, it is often that a tree will be so full of fruit, that it is necessary to take away some, when they are green, that the others may swell the better. as this sometimes happens with peaches, so i shall here direct how to preserve them. scald your green peaches in water, then, with a cloth, rub the down from them; then put them, in more water, over a slow fire, and let them stew till they are green, keeping them cover'd. then take their weight in fine sugar, and with some water, boil it to a syrup, taking off the scum as it rises; then put in your peaches, and boil them till they are clear, and put them up, with the syrup, in glasses, or gally-pots; and when they are cold, cover them with paper. note, you must gather your peaches before the stone is hard in them, which you may know by putting a pin through them. to preserve _goosberries._ from the same. the best goosberries, for this work, are the white _dutch_ goosberry, and the walnut-goosberry. take these, just when they are beginning to turn ripe, pick off the flower-tuft at the ends, and stone them; then take to every pound of fruit, one pound and a quarter of fine sugar beaten and sifted. boil the sugar with a little water to a syrup, taking off the scum as it rises; then put in your fruit, and boil them quick till they are clear, and put them in glasses, boiling the syrup a little more; then pour it upon them, and when it is cold, cover your glasses close with paper. to candy _eringo-roots._ from mr. _lufkin_ of _colchester._ take the fairest roots of eringo, fresh taken out of the ground, wash them clean, and boil them in several waters till they are very tender: wash them again, and rub them with a cloth, to dry as much as they will bear, without breaking, or bruising; slit them, and take out the pith, and twist two together, like a screw. then take to every pound of root two pounds of fine sugar powder'd, of which sugar take one pound at first, and boil it with some rose-water, to a syrup; and then put in your roots, and boil them till they are clear; then wet the rest of your sugar with rose-water, and boil it to a candy height; then put in the roots, and let them boil, shaking them often over the fire, and when you think they are enough, take them from the fire, and shake them till they are cold, and almost dry; then lay them upon dishes to dry thoroughly, and when they are done, put them up in boxes with white paper, under and over them, then keep them in a dry place. to preserve _grapes_ in _syrup._ from the same. the best grapes for this use, are those of the fronteniac kind, of which there are the white and the blue, and the red, which seldom come to ripen in _england_, with their pure flavour. but as heat is the occasion of ripening; so, though they want it with us, from the sun, we may make good that deficiency by fire, which will answer the end fully, and bring them to the highest perfection of taste, therefore the sweet-meat made of these is excellent; besides these grapes for preserving, the _st. peter_ and the warner grapes are very good, and i may mention the grizled fronteniac, which is a noble grape, when it is ripe, as well as the others. and for the other sorts of grapes, they are not fit for preserving, unless i take in the raisin grapes, red and white, and the _lombardy_ grape; all which are full of pulp, and seldom ripen. these are your sorts, and now to proceed. take your grapes, gather'd in a dry day, though they are not ripe. you may guess when we come to the end of _september_, and they are not so, they never will be ripe: pick them then from the stalks, and stone them carefully, without breaking much of the skin, save the juice; then take the weight of them in fine sugar powder'd, and boil your sugar with some water, wherein pippins have been boiled before, first straining your water, and boil them to syrup, taking off the scum as it rises. and when the scum rises no more, put in your grapes, and boil them quick till they are as clear as crystal, i mean the white grapes; but the red sorts, let them boil till they are clear, and that the syrup will jelly; then put them into glasses, and when they are cold, cover them close with white paper; but mark your papers, which are of the fronteniac kinds, for they will have a very different flavour from the other sorts, an high richness that is much admired. however, though the other kinds of grapes, mention'd in this receipt, may want a flavour by themselves, you may add some orange-flower water to the syrup, you make for them, which will give them a fine taste. _n.b._ take care that when you make this preserve, you use only one sort at one time. to dress a _calf's-head_ in a grand dish. from mrs. _e. sympson._ take a large calf's-head, and divide it, cut off the muzzle, and wash it well; then take the brains, and wash them, and dry them, and flour them, and put them in a cloth, and tye them up. boil these till they are half done; then take them from the kettle, and cut the flesh off one side of the head, in slices, like harsh'd meat, and the other side of the head must remain whole, and mark'd only with a sharp knife, cross-ways. the brains must lie till the rest are prepared. take then the harsh'd part, and with some of the liquor it was boil'd in, put a glass of white wine, a little mushroom ketchup, a little nutmeg grated, and a little mace beat fine, some pepper and salt, some grated lemon-peel, and stew them together with a bunch of sweet herbs, and some butter. when it is enough, put in a little juice of lemon, and thicken it with cream and butter, in some of the same liquor, with the liquor of oysters parboil'd, a pint of oysters, and as many pickled mushrooms, which must be toss'd up with your sauce, when you thicken it, remembring to cut the eye in pieces, amongst the harsh. then for the other side of the head, when you have cut the flesh cross ways, in diamonds, about an inch over, beat the yolks of two or three eggs, and with a feather past over it, cover it with the yolks of eggs, and then drudge upon it the following mixture. take some raspings of bread sifted, put to them some flour, a little pepper and salt, with some mace and nutmeg, in powder, and a little sweet marjoram powder'd, or shred small. mix these well together; then set it in an oven, with some bits of butter upon it, till it is enough, or before a brisk fire, till the drudging is brown: this must be laid in the middle of the dish, and the harsh round it. the brains must be cut in pieces, and strew'd with a little red sage cut very small, and a little spice and salt; and then every piece, dip'd in a thick batter, made of eggs, flour, and milk. fry these well in hot hog's-lard, or for want of that, in hot melted beef-suet; then take oysters, a little stew'd in their own liquor, with mace, and a little whole pepper; take off their fins, and dip them in the same batter, and fry them as directed above for the brains. there must be likewise some pieces of bread cut the length of one's finger, and fry'd crisp; all these are by way of garnish. one may likewise boil some skirret-roots, and peel them, and then dip them in the batter, and fry them crisp. as for the other part of the garnish, it must be red beets pickled and sliced, and lemon sliced. _calf's-head-_pye. from the same. take a large calf's-head, divide it, and when it is well cleaned, boil it half enough; then cut it in large slices, and slit the eyes, season it with nutmeg, pepper, salt, and some powder of dry'd sweet herbs; then lay it in your paste, with some pepper and salt, at the bottom, with some bits of butter; then put in the yolks of twelve hard eggs, and a farced meat made in the following manner. take some lean of veal, shred it very small, then take some eggs butter'd, and a little pepper and salt, with other spice beaten, and some sweet herbs in powder. mix this with the yolk or two of raw eggs beaten, and make it into a paste. then roll it into balls, and lay a good number of them into the pye, amongst the meat; and, if you will, put in half a pound of currans well pick'd, and only rubb'd in a cloth, without washing. then close your pye, and just before it goes to the oven, pour in a gill of white wine, and half a pint of water; bake it and serve it hot, and you may add, if you will, the following liquor, _viz._ take half a pint of white wine, and as much water, with the juice of a lemon. boil these together a minute or two, then take the yolks of four eggs, and beat them well, a quarter of a pound of butter, and as much sugar as you like to make it palatable. then mix them well together, taking care that it does not curdle, and pour it into your pye just before you serve it. _note_, one may put into this pye, cock's-combs blanched, and some citron or lemon-peel candy'd, if you design it for a sweet pye; but it is very good, whether we make it a sweet pye or not. to bake a _calf's-head._ from the same. take a calfs-head, wash it clean, and divide it; then beat the yolks of four or five eggs, and beat them well, and with a feather, trace that liquor over the out-side of the head, and strew over it some raspings of bread sifted, some flour, some pepper and salt, some mace and nutmeg powder'd, with some sweet herbs powder'd, with a little sage shred small, and the brains cut in pieces, and dip'd in thick batter; then cover the head with some bits of butter, and pour in the pan some white-wine and water, with as much gravey, and cover it close. then bake it in a quick oven, and when you serve it, pour on some strong gravey, and garnish with lemon sliced, red beet-root pickled and sliced, and some fry'd oysters, and fry'd bread. to make spirit of _lilley_ of the _valley._ from _norway._ n.b. this serves in the room of _orange-flower-water,_ in 'puddings, and to perfume _cakes;_ though it is drank as a dram in _norway._ gather your lilley-of-the-valley flowers, when they are dry, and pick them from the stalks; then put a quarter of a pint of them into a quart of brandy, and so in proportion, to infuse six or eight days; then distil it in a cold still, marking the bottles, as they are drawn off, which is first, second and third, _&c_. when you have distill'd them, take the first, and so on to the third or fourth, and mix them together, till you have as strong as you desire; and then bottle them, and cork them well, putting a lump of loaf-sugar into each bottle. things to be provided, when any great family is going into the country, for a summer. from mr. _r. s._ nutmegs. mace. cinnamon. cloves. pepper. ginger. _jamaica_-pepper. raisins. currans. sugar _lisbon._ sugar-loaf lump. sugar double-refin'd. prunes. oranges. lemons. anchovies. olives. capers. oil for salads. vinegar. verjuice. tea. coffee. chocolate. almonds. chesnuts. _french_ pears. sir, i send you this as a _memorandum_, because when some people go into the country, many of these things may be forgot, and it is sometimes the case, that one must send a mile or two for what is wanted of them. _i am yours,_ r. s. to salt a _ham_ in imitation of _westphalia,_ &c. take an ham of young pork, and sprinkle it with salt for one day, that the blood may come out; then wipe it dry, and rub it with the following mixture. take a pound of brown sugar, a quarter of a pound of salt-petre, half a pint of bay-salt, and three pints of common salt. mix all these together, and stir them in an iron pan, over the fire, till they are pretty hot, and then rub your ham with it. turn your ham often, and let it lie three weeks; then dry it in a chimney with deal saw-dust. to make artificial _anchovies._ from mr. _james randolph_ of _richmond._ about _february_ you will find, in the river of _thames_, a large quantity of bleak, or in _august_ a much larger parcel in shoals. these fish are soft, tender, and oily, and much better than sprats to make any imitation of anchovies from. take these, and clean them, and cut off their heads, and lay them in an earthen glazed pan, with a layer of bay-salt under them, and another over, a single row of them; then lay a fresh row of fish, and bay-salt over that; and so continue the same _stratum super stratum_, till the vessel is full, and in a month you may use them, and afterwards put vinegar to them. but they will be like anchovies without vinegar, only the vinegar will keep them. turn them often the first fortnight. _apple-dumplings_ in an extraordinary way. from mrs. _johnson._ take golden-rennets ripe, pare them, and take out their cores; then cut the apples into small pieces, and with a large grater, grate in a quince, when it has been pared and cored: for if you was to slice in a quince, to your apples, in large pieces, the quince would not be boil'd equally with the apples; for the quince is of a tough nature, and will not boil under twice the time that the apples will: therefore to grate them, will be enough to give their flavour to the apple, and make all enough at one time. put what sugar you think proper into each dumpling, when you take it up, and the necessary quantity of butter. it will then cat like a marmalade of quince. _note_, the crust, or paste, for these dumplings, must be of a puff-paste made with butter, rubb'd into flour, and for some other parts of the butter, break them into the paste, and roll them three times, and put in the apples to the crust, tying them into a cloth well flour'd, and boiling them. it may be understood before, that when they are taken up hot, the ceremony of sugaring and buttering is necessary. _apple-dumplings_ made with sweet-meats. from the same. take fair apples ripe, pare them, and take out the cores; then slice them thin, and with a large grater, grate in some candy'd orange or lemon-peels, and you may put in also some powder'd clove or cinnamon, and a little grated quince, or quince marmalade. put these together, the apples being first cut in small pieces, into a puff-paste, and tye it up in a cloth. these must be sweeten'd with _lisbon_-sugar, when they are taken up, and melted butter pour'd in: for if you use loaf-sugar, though it is powder'd, some of it will be harsh in the mouth; and the _lisbon_-sugar, which is the fattest sort of sugar, will not, but will give a good flavour to your fruit. an _hog_ barbecued, or broil'd whole. from _vaux-hall, surrey._ take an hog of five or six months old, kill it, and take out the inwards, so that the hog is clear of the harslet; then turn the hog upon its back, and from three inches below the place where it was stuck, to kill it, cut the belly in a strait line down to the bottom, near the joining of the gammons; but not so far, but that the whole body of the hog may hold any liquor we would put into it. then stretch out the ribs, and open the belly, as wide as may be; then strew into it what pepper and salt you please. after this, take a large grid-iron, with two or three ribs in it, and set it upon a stand of iron, about three foot and a half high, and upon that, lay your hog, open'd as above, with the belly-side downwards, and with a good clear fire of charcoal under it. broil that side till it is enough, flouring the back at the same time often. _memorandum_, this should be done in a yard, or garden, with a covering like a a tent over it. when the belly-part of the hog is enough, and turn'd upwards, and well fix'd, to be steady upon the grid-iron, or barbacue, pour into the belly of the hog, three or four quarts of water, and half as much white-wine, and as much salt as you will, with some sage cut small; adding the peels of six or eight lemons, and an ounce of fresh cloves whole. then let it broil till it is enough, which will be, from the beginning to the end, about seven or eight hours; and when you serve it, pour out the sauce, and lay it in a dish, with the back upwards. _memorandum_, the skin must not be cut before you lay it on the gridiron, to keep in the gravey; neither should any of the skin be cut, when you have any pork roasted for the same reason. _beef,_ or _pork,_ to be salted for boiling immediately, from the _shambles._ from mr. _j. p._ chymist. take any piece of beef you desire to boil, or pork for the same, dressing it fresh from the shambles, or market, and salt it very well, just before you put it into the pot; then as soon as your meat is salted, take a coarse linnen cloth, and flour it very well, and then put the meat into it, and tye it up close. put this into a kettle of boiling water, and boil it as long as you would any salt piece of beef of the same bigness, and it will come out as salt as a piece of meat, that had been salted four or five days: but by this way of salting, one ought not to have pieces of above five or six pounds weight. _n.b._ if to half a pound of common salt you put an ounce of nitre, or salt-petre, it will strike a redness into the beef; but the salt-petre must be beat fine, and well mix'd with the common salt. _potatoe-_puddings, made with sweet-meats. from mr. _moring, temple-bar._ take some clean potatoes, boil them tender, and when they are so, and clean from their skins, break them in a marble mortar, till they become a pulp; then put to them, or you might beat with them some slices of candy'd lemons and oranges, and beat these together with some spices, and lemon-peel candy'd. put to these some marrow, and as much sugar, with orange-flower water, as you think fit. mix all together, and then take some whole candy'd orange-peels, and stuff them full of the meat, and set them upon a dish, in a gentle oven; and when they have stood half an hour, serve them hot, with a sauce of sack and butter, and fine sugar grated over them. _potatoe-_pudding baked. from _mr. shepherd_ of _windmill-street._ boil some fair potatoes till they are tender; then, when they are made clean, bruise them in a marble mortar, till they become a paste, with some mace powder'd, some sugar, and the pulp of oranges, with a _naples_ biscuit or two grated in, and a large carrot grated. add to these some orange-flower water; and when all these are well mix'd, put to them some butter'd eggs, with some slices of butter laid upon your pudding, when it is put into the dish, or pan. a little baking will serve for it; and when it is enough, serve it hot, with a garnish of sliced lemon or orange. some will put this into a paste, but not cover it. to make _whipt syllabubs._ from mrs. _cater_ of _salisbury._ to a pint of cream put a gill of canary-wine, and two ounces of loaf-sugar finely beat, and a slice or two of lemon; then with a clean whisk, whip it together, adding a little milk, as it grows thick: then have your glasses clean, and put into each of them three or four spoonfuls of any sorts of wine, red in some, and white in others, sweeten'd with fine sugar powder'd; then fill your glasses with the froth of your cream, as it is whipt up. of the fashionable tables, for persons of rank, or figure, where five dishes are serv'd at a course. from _s.g._ esq. the tables i shall speak of, are so order'd, as to save a great deal of trouble to the mistress of the family, as well as to the guests; for with this table every one helps himself, by turning any dish he likes before him, without interrupting any body. you must have first, a large table with an hole in the middle, of an inch diameter, wherein should be fix'd a socket of brass well turn'd, to admit of a spindle of brass, that will turn easily in it. the table i speak of, may be, i suppose, five or six foot diameter; and then have another table-board made just so large, that as it is to act on the centre of the first table, there may be near a foot vacancy for plates, _&c._ on every side. then fix the spindle of brass in the centre of the smaller table, which spindle must be so long, as, that when one puts it in the socket of the great table-board, the smaller turning table may be about four inches above the lower board; so, that in its turning about, no salt, or bread, or any thing on the places, may be disturb'd. these tables have cloths made to each of them; the upper, or smaller table, to have an whole cloth to cover it tight, and fasten'd close, so that none of the borders hang down; and the cloth for the under table, or great table, must have an hole cut in the middle of it for the spindle of the upper table to pass thro' into the brass socket: and when this is rightly order'd, and every necessary furniture of the great, or lower table, set by every plate; then the upper table, which will turn, may be furnish'd with meats. it remains only then, in some places, for the lady of the house, to offer the soup; but after that, every one is at liberty to help themselves, by turning the upper table about, to bring what they like, before them. _i am yours,_ s. g. the manner of killing and salting _oxen,_ in the hottest months, for the sea, that the _beef_ may keep good. from a contractor with the commissioners of the _royal-navy._ sir, i have often read your books, and particularly your _lady's monthly director,_ relating to the management of the several products of a farm, but you have not taken notice of the preservation of flesh, as i expected. i send this therefore, to inform you, that upon the setting out of a fleet in _june_, it was thought difficult to salt the beef; but it was done, to full satisfaction, by the following method. we killed an hundred oxen, in _june,_ towards the close of the evening, and let them hang up whole, till the next evening: then, when the cool comes on, cut out the messes, and by every stand have a punchin of brine, and throw them into it as soon as they are cut, and in about three minutes after that, take them out, and salt them well. _note_, these pieces will by these means lose their bloody parts, in great measure, and be capacitated to receive the salt much better than otherways, and then put them up. _memorandum,_ we had not, out of all this quantity, above three pieces fail'd, though the weather was extreme hot. _cheshire-_pye with _pork._ from mr. _r. j._ take some salt loin of pork, or leg of pork, and cut it into pieces, like dice, or as you would do for an harsh. if it be boiled or roasted, it is no matter; then take an equal quantity of potatoes, and pare them, and cut them into dice, or in slices. make your pye-crust, and lay some butter, in pieces, at the bottom, with some pepper and salt; then put in your meat and potatoes, with such seasoning as you like, but pepper and salt commonly, and on the top some pieces of butter. then close your pye, and bake it in a gentle oven, putting in about a pint of water, just before it is going into the oven; for if you put in your water over night, it will spoil your pye. to bake _herrings_ in an extraordinary manner. from mrs. _m. n._ of _shrewsbury._ take fresh herrings, and when they are scaled and cleaned, put them in a glazed earthen vessel, where they can lie straight; then put in as much of the following liquor as will cover them, _viz._ an equal quantity of fine pale and old strong beer, with vinegar, which is the best, or else all vinegar, or as some do, put two parts of vinegar and one of water; any of these will do well. then put in some bay-salt, such a quantity as you think will season it to your mind, and to that a tenth part of salt-petre, which will not make it salt, but give it a fine relish: to these put two or three bay-leaves, a bunch of sweet herbs, some cloves, or _jamaica_ pepper, and some whole pepper; then cover your pan, and bake it in a quick oven, with bread. these must be eaten cold; they are excellent for a country breakfast, especially, if they are warm of the spice, and if they are well done, the very bones will dissolve. to draw _gravey_ for a private _family._ from the same. take some fleshy part of beef, without fat, and cut it in pieces about the bigness of pidgeons eggs; then flour it well, and put it in a sauce-pan, with a little fresh lard, or a little butter, a little onion sliced, some powder of sweet marjoram, and a little pepper. cover all close, and stir it now and then till the gravey is come out enough, and then pour on it some water, when the gravey is brown, and stir all together, and let them boil some time; then strain it off, adding a little lemon-juice. another _gravey,_ for a private family, where there is not an opportunity of getting _beef_ to make it of. take some butter, and some onion, cut small, put it in a sauce-pan, and set it over the fire till the butter melts; then drudge in some flour, and stir it well, till the froth sinks down, and then it will be brown; you must then have ready prepared the following mixture to throw in, _viz._ some good old beer, and as much water, an onion cut small, some pepper and salt, a small anchovy shred, a little lemon-peel grated, a clove or two, and, if you have it, a little mushroom liquor, or liquor of pickled walnuts; then let them all simmer together a little while, and it will produce a thick good gravey. the manner of trussing a _rabbit_ for boiling. [illustration: fig. ] cut the two haunches of the rabbit close by the back-bone, two inches, and turn up the haunches, by the sides of the rabbit; skewer the haunches through the lower part of the back, as at a; then put a skewer through the utmost joint of the leg at b, and so through the body, and through the other leg, so that the end of the leg reaches the shoulder-blade. then truss up the shoulders high, and let the pinnions be carried back, to take the legs at b, and lie between them and the body; and under the height of the pinnions, put a skewer, and bend the neck backwards, and pass the skewer through all, at c, so that it supports the blade-bone, and holds the head up. the manner of trussing a single _rabbit_ for roasting. from mr. _w. n._ poulterer. [illustration: fig, ] you case the rabbit all, excepting the lower joints of the four legs, and those you chop off: then pass a skewer through the middle of the haunches, after you have laid them flat, as at a; and the fore-legs, which are called the wings, must be turn'd, as at b; so that the smaller joint may be push'd into the body, through the ribs. this, as a single rabbit, has the spit pass'd through the body and head, but the skewer takes hold of the spit to preserve the haunches. but to truss a couple of rabbits, there are seven skewers, and then the spit passes only between the skewers, without touching the rabbits. to make a _pheasant_ of a _rabbit,_ truss'd in such a manner, that it will appear like a _pheasant,_ and eat like one, with its sauce. this is called, by the topping _poulterers,_ a _poland-chicken,_ or a _portugal-chicken._ but it is most like a _pheasant,_ if it is larded. from mrs. _johnson,_ at the famous eating-house in _devereux-court_ near the _temple._ [illustration: fig. ] take a young rabbit full grown; case it all, excepting the fore-feet, chop off them, and the head, as close as may be, but strip the skin from the hind legs, even to leave the claws on them. these claws are not unlike the claws of a pheasant, and some good judges may be deceiv'd by their first look, for they are little different from the legs of the fowls we design to imitate. then turn the neck-part of the rabbit, the breast inwards, to the scut or the rump, leaving the rump somewhat short, but to appear; then will the rabbit appear in the shape above, _viz._ b is the scut, or rump, of the rabbit, and c is where the neck comes; then will the part mark'd f, appear like the breast of a fowl: but you must put up the stript legs of the rabbit, over each side of the neck of it, and tie all together, with a string, as mark'd h h. so will the hind-legs of the rabbit appear like the legs of a fowl, and where you see the letter g mark'd, the back of the rabbit is broken. d, is what represents the back-side of the fowl, and e is the appearance of the wings, which are supposed to be stuck into the back, where two large orifices are made, but the bones of the wings, of the rabbit, must be taken out. a, shews the legs as they ought to be tied, and o o directs to the points of the skewers which are to run through it. [illustration: fig. ] fig. . will shew you the back of the same, when it is truss'd, with the appearance of the skewers, o, o, o, o, with the orifices, wherein are the supposed bones of the wings. if this is larded on the breast, i think it best, and it should be served with the following sauce, if it is roasted. when this is thus prepared, you may stick a pheasant's tail-feather at the scut, and roast it as you would do a pheasant, basting it well with butter, after it is drudg'd well with flour; then make the following sauce for it. take some strong gravey, and put a little lemon-peel into it, with some spice, and a little wine; then take a few buttons of mushrooms pickled, and thicken it with burnt butter, so that the sauce becomes like one fit for a ragout, or _ragoo_, as the _english_ pronounce it. pour this over the fowl or rabbit, which you please to call it, and serve it hot, with a garnish of lemon sliced, and pickled red beet-roots sliced. of trussing a _pidgeon._ from the same. [illustration: fig. ] draw it, but leave in the liver, for that has no gall; then push up the breast from the vent, and holding up the legs, put a skewer just between the bent of the thigh and the brown of the leg, first having turn'd the pinnions under the back: and see the lower joint of the biggest pinnions, are so pass'd with the skewer, that the legs are between them and the body, as at a. a _goose_ to truss. from the same. [illustration: fig. ] a goose has no more than the thick joints of the legs and wings left to the body; the feet, and the pinnions being cut off, to accompany the other giblets, which consist of the head and neck, with the liver and gizzard. then at the bottom of the apron of the goose a, cut an hole, and draw the rump through it; then pass a skewer through the small part of the leg, through the body, near the back, as at b; and another skewer through the thinnest part of the wings, and through the body, near the back, as at c, and it will be right. the trussing of an _easterling._ from mr. _w. n._ poulterer of st. _james's-_market_, london._ [illustration: fig. ] a duck, an easterling, a teal, and a widgeon, are all trussed in the same manner. draw it, and lay aside the liver and gizzard, and take out the neck, leaving the skin of the neck full enough to spread over the place where the neck was cut off. then cut off the pinnions at a, and raise up the whole legs, till they are upright in the middle of the fowl b, and press them between the stump of the wings, and the body of the fowl: then twist the feet towards the body, and bring them forwards, with the bottom of the feet towards the body of the fowl, as at c. then take a skewer, and pass it through the fowl, between the lower joint, next the foot, and the thigh, taking hold, at the same time, of the ends of the stumps of the wings a. then will the legs, as we have placed them, stand upright. d is the point of the skewer. the manner of trussing a _chicken_ like a _turkey-poult,_ or of trussing a _turkey-poult._ from. mr. _w. n._ poulterer of st. _james's-_market. [illustration: fig. ] take a chicken and cut a long slit down the neck, on the fore-part; then take out the crop and the merry-thought, as it is call'd; then twist the neck, and bring it down under the back, till the head is placed on the side of the left-leg; bind the legs in, with their claws on, and turn them upon the back. then between the bending of the leg and the thigh, on the right side pass a skewer through the body of the fowl; and when it is through, run the point through the head, by the same place of the leg, as you did before, as at a: you must likewise pull the rump b through the apron of the fowl. _note,_ the neck is twisted like a cord, and the boney part of it must be quite taken out, and the under-jaw of the fowl taken away; neither should the liver and gizzard be served with it, though, the pinnions are left on. then turn the pinnions behind the back, and pass a skewer through the extreme joint, between the pinnion and the lower joint of the wing, through the body, near the back, as at c, and it will be fit to roast in the fashionable manner. _n.b._ always mind to beat down the breast-bone, and pick the head and neck clean from the feathers before you begin to truss your fowl. a turkey-poult has no merry-thought, as it is called; and therefore, to imitate a turkey the better, we take it out of a chicken through the neck. [illustration: fig ] fig. . shews the manner how the legs and pinnions will appear when they are turn'd to the back; as also, the position of the head and neck of the chicken, or turkey-poult. the manner of trussing an _hare_ in the most fashionable way. from mr. _w. n._ [illustration: fig. ] case an hare, and in casing it, just when you come to the ears, pass a skewer just between the skin and the head, and by degrees raise it up till the skin leaves both the ears stript, and then take take off the rest as usual. then give the head a twist over the back, that it may stand, as at a, putting two skewers in the ears, partly to make them stand upright, and to secure the head in a right disposition; then push the joint of the shoulder-blade, up as high as may be, towards the back, and pass a skewer between the joints, as at b, through the bottom jaw of the hare, which will keep it steady; then pass another skewer through the lower branch of the leg at c, through the ribs, passing close by the blade-bone, to keep that up tight, and another through the point of the same branch, as at d, which finishes the upper-part. then bend in both legs between the haunches, so that their points meet under the scut, and skewer them fast, with two skewers, as at o o. a fowl trussed for boiling. from mr. _w. n._ poulterer, &c. [illustration: fig. ] when it is drawn, twist the wings till you bring the pinnion under the back; and you may, if you will, enclose the liver and gizzard, one in each wing, as at a, but they are commonly left out. then beat down the breast bone, that it does not rise above the fleshy part; then cut off the claws of the feet, and twist the legs, and bring them on the out-side of the thigh, towards the wing, as at b, and cut an hole on each side the apron, just above the sides-man, and put the joints of the legs into the body of the fowl, as at c: so this is trussed without a skewer. to truss a _pheasant_ or _partridge._ from the same. [illustration: fig. ] both the pheasant and partridge are trussed the same way, only the neck of the partridge is cut off, and the neck and head of the pheasant is left on: the plate above shews the pheasant trussed. when it is drawn, cut off the pinnions, leaving only the stump-bone next the breast, and pass a skewer through its point, and through the body near the back, and then give the neck a turn; and passing it by the back, bring the head on the outside of the other wing-bone, as at a, and run the skewer through both, with the head landing towards the neck, or the rump, which you please: b is where the neck runs. then take the legs, with their claws on, and press them by the joints together, so as to press the lower part of the breast, then press them down between the sides-men, and pass a skewer through all, as at c. remember a partridge must have its neck cut off, or else in every thing is trussed like a pheasant. to boil an artificial _pheasant,_ with _sellary._ from mrs. _johnson, devereux-court_ near _temple-bar._ prepare a rabbit in the same manner as above directed, only it must not be larded; then boil it, and give it the following sauce. take six or seven roots of sellary, and boil them, when they are well clean'd from dirt, till they are tender, then cut them into pieces of about two inches long, and toss them up with strong gravey thicken'd with burnt butter. pour this over the artificial pheasant, and serve it hot, well impregnated with spice. then garnish it with lemon sliced, or sliced orange, and some fry'd bread, and some slices of pickled red beet-roots; or round the edges of the dish, strew some sifted raspings of bread. _the end._ * * * * * index to part ii. a. anchovies, how to keep a long time. artificial lobster. artificial ratefia. abricots, preserved in jelly. ditto, for tarts. artificial creams. abricots, dry'd. almond-cakes, small. apple-dumplings, in an extraordinary way. ditto, another way. anchovies, artificial, made. b. broil'd whitings. beef, to salt, immediately. beef, hash'd raw. biscuit, of potatoes. butter'd crabs. _barcelona_-snuff, to make. bacon-froize. brown fricassee of sheep's-trotters. bitters for wine. brisket of beef, to stew. beef, to stew, in soup. beef, a rump, to stew. beet-card tart. beef-collups, from _oxford._ beet-steaks, stew'd. butter, recover'd from oil. bisque of fish. badger, its gammon roasted. bullace, preserv'd. c. _cyprus_-wine, imitated. citron-water, from _barbadoes._ cabbage-pudding. collar of mutton, roasted. cakes, sweet, made of parsnips. ditto, made of red beet-roots. comfits, to make. ditto, to make in colours. caviar, to pickle or preserve. collar of sturgeon roasted. carp-pye. currans in syrup. cakes, baked, of raspberries. cakes, of lemon. clary and eggs. cheese-cakes, of lemon. ditto, orange. ditto, good. crab, artificially made. ditto, another way. crabs, butter'd. ditto, artificial, butter'd. cherry-brandy, artificial. ditto, right. cucumbers, to stew. ditto, to farce. cocks-combs, artificial. calf's-liver, stuffed and roasted. ditto, another way. cream-custards. capons livers imitated. creams of raspberries. cornelian cherries, preserves ditto, in marmalade. currans in jelly. cakes, from _lisbon._ cakes, of orange. cakes, fine, ditto, from _penzance._ ditto, from _northampton._ cow-heel dress'd. calf's-head, dress'd in a grand manner. calf's-head-pye, ditto, baked. creams, artificial. cream, with sweet-meats. cucumbers, to preserve in the winter. _cologn_'s gin, to make. candy'd orange-peel. ditto, lemon-peel. claret, hermitage, to imitate. _cheshire_-pye. chicken, to truss. d. damsons in jamm. damson-wine. dog-grass. e. eringo-roots, to candy. easterling, to truss. extraordinary tables. f. fish, to keep, a long time. fruit, baked. flounders, dressed. frogs, white fricassee. ditto, brown fricassee. _florentine,_ imperial. farced-meat. g. gravey, drawn quick for a private family. gravey, rich, made without flesh. ginger-roots, preserv'd, green. goose, to truss. grapes, preserved in syrup. geneva, from _cologn,_ to make. gourmandine-pease, dress'd several ways. ditto, broil'd. grape, to keep the winter. ginger, to preserve. green-pease pottage. gudgeons, to dress. grand sauce for fish. goose, boiled. green-peaches preserved. goosberries, preserved. h. hermitage-wine, to imitate. hare-pye. _hungary_-water, to make. hare, to keep. hard pease-soup. herrings, pickled, to serve. hog's-harslet roasted. hartshorn jelly. hash of raw beef. hackin, from _cumberland._ ham, westphalia, roasted. hams, westphalia, artificially made. hog barbacued. herrings, broiled, not to make sick. hare to truss. herrings, baked in an extraordinary way. k. katchep, in paste, to make. l. lemons in marmalade. lemon-peels, preserv'd in jelly. lemon-cakes. lumber-pye. lap-dog, to keep in health. liver and crow. m. mustard, of several sorts. mustard-seed-flour. marmalade of peaches. ditto, of plums. marygold-flowers, preserved. marmalade of pine-apples. marmalade of quince. mutton, the neck in broth, an extraordinary way mutton, the neck ragou'd. n. neats-tongues, roasted o. oysters, fry'd. oranges in marmalade. orangery snuff. orange-butter. onions, boil'd. ortolans, to dress. orange-peels, preserved in jelly. orange-flowers, preserved in jelly. orange-tarts. orange-chips. oxen, to kill and salt in hot weather. p. peach-tarts, white. pepper mint-water. pidgeon, to truss. potatoe-puddings. provisions, to take into the country. plums, dry'd with sugar. plum-porridge. pyes, minced, or _christmas_-pyes. paste, to make, of all sorts. plums, dry'd. pippin paste. pine-apples, in marmalade. pine-apple-tarts. peach-tarts, red. pheasant, to keep sweet. powder'd, sauce. pig, to stew. ditto, to stew another way. preservation of flesh from tainting, plum, marmalade. pound-cakes. pudding, six hours. pidgeons, embalm'd. pidgeons, preserved. pippin-tart. pickled marygold-flowers. partridges, to keep, a long time in hot weather pheasant, to truss. q. quinces, preserved. quince, marmalade, red. ditto, white. r. rum, to make. rum, with amber. rabbit trussed for roasting. ditto, for boiling. ditto, truss'd like a pheasant. ditto, to roast with mushrooms. ditto, to boil. raspberry-pudding. ragout of tripe. ratafia, to make. ditto, artificial, to make. rabbits, white fricassee. s. sturgeon, cured. sturgeon, pickled. ditto, fresh, to roast. ditto, fresh, to boil. ditto, fresh, in a pye. sheeps-tongues, pickled. smoaking-closets, for hams. sorts of mustard. shoulder of mutton roasted like venison. syrup of mulberries. syrup of raspberries. sheeps-trotters, fricasseed. sorrel-tarts. stew'd peaches. stinking, of flesh, prevented. stew'd wild-ducks. sea-larks, or oysters, roasted on spits. shoulder, of mutton, farced. salmi, or salmi-gundy. _shropshire_-pye. ditto, another way. seed-cake. sick lap-dog, to cure. soles, to stew. scots snuff, to make. _shropshire_-dish. salmon-boiled. soles, fry'd. snails, fry'd. snails, with white sauce. ditto, with brown sauce. sweet-meats, candy'd, syllabubs, whipt. spirit of lilly-of-the-valley. stew'd veal. sauce for a bisque of fish. t. turkey-poult, to truss. teal, to truss. tripe, made of eggs. tortoise, or turtle, the gibblets dress'd. tortoise, or turtle-flesh, to roast. ditto, in a pye. turbut, to dress. tongue, to roast. tench, boiled. turnips, from _hertfordshire,_ to dress. turnips, yellow, from _france,_ to dress. tables, extraordinary, for treats. u. vinegar, to make. usquebaugh, the yellow sort. usquebaugh, the green sort. verjuice. umble-pye. venison, to keep. venison-pasty. venison, boiled. viper-soup. w. wild-ducks, to keep. wild-ducks, to recover from stinking. wild-duck, to truss. widgeon, to truss. proofreading team bob brown the complete book of cheese _illustrations by_ eric blegvad [illustration] _gramercy publishing company new york_ _author of_ the wine cook book america cooks , snacks salads and herbs the south american cook book soups, sauces and gravies the vegetable cook book look before you cook! the european cook book the wining and dining quiz most for your money outdoor cooking fish and seafood cook book the country cook book _co-author of food and drink books by_ the browns let there be beer! homemade hilarity [illustration: to] to phil alpert _turophile extraordinary_ [illustration: contents] i remember cheese the big cheese foreign greats native americans sixty-five sizzling rabbits the fondue soufflés, puffs and ramekins pizzas, blintzes, pastes and cheese cake au gratin, soups, salads and sauces appetizers, crackers, sandwiches, savories, snacks, spreads and toasts "fit for drink" lazy lou appendix--the a-b-z of cheese index of recipes [illustration] _chapter one_ i remember cheese cheese market day in a town in the north of holland. all the cheese-fanciers are out, thumping the cannon-ball edams and the millstone goudas with their bare red knuckles, plugging in with a hollow steel tool for samples. in holland the business of judging a crumb of cheese has been taken with great seriousness for centuries. the abracadabra is comparable to that of the wine-taster or tea-taster. these edamers have the trained ear of music-masters and, merely by knuckle-rapping, can tell down to an air pocket left by a gas bubble just how mature the interior is. the connoisseurs use gingerbread as a mouth-freshener; and i, too, that sunny day among the edams, kept my gingerbread handy and made my way from one fine cheese to another, trying out generous plugs from the heaped cannon balls that looked like the ammunition dump at antietam. i remember another market day, this time in lucerne. all morning i stocked up on good schweizerkäse and better gruyère. for lunch i had cheese salad. all around me the farmers were rolling two-hundred-pound emmentalers, bigger than oxcart wheels. i sat in a little café, absorbing cheese and cheese lore in equal quantities. i learned that a prize cheese must be chock-full of equal-sized eyes, the gas holes produced during fermentation. they must glisten like polished bar glass. the cheese itself must be of a light, lemonish yellow. its flavor must be nutlike. (nuts and swiss cheese complement each other as subtly as gorgonzola and a ripe banana.) there are, i learned, "blind" swiss cheeses as well, but the million-eyed ones are better. but i don't have to hark back to switzerland and holland for cheese memories. here at home we have increasingly taken over the cheeses of all nations, first importing them, then imitating them, from swiss engadine to what we call genuine sprinz. we've naturalized scandinavian blues and smoked browns and baptized our own saaland pfarr in native whiskey. of fifty popular italian types we duplicate more than half, some fairly well, others badly. we have our own legitimate offspring too, beginning with the pineapple, supposed to have been first made about in litchfield county, connecticut. we have our own creamy neufchâtel, new york coon, vermont sage, the delicious liederkranz, california jack, nuworld, and dozens of others, not all quite so original. and, true to the american way, we've organized cheese-eating. there's an annual cheese week, and a cheese month (october). we even boast a mail-order cheese-of-the-month club. we haven't yet reached the point of sophistication, however, attained by a paris cheese club that meets regularly. to qualify for membership you have to identify two hundred basic cheeses, and you have to do it blindfolded. this is a test i'd prefer not to submit to, but in my amateur way i have during the past year or two been sharpening my cheese perception with whatever varieties i could encounter around new york. i've run into briny caucasian cossack, corsican gricotta, and exotics like rarush durmar, travnik, and karaghi la-la. cheese-hunting is one of the greatest--and least competitively crowded--of sports. i hope this book may lead others to give it a try. [illustration] _chapter two_ the big cheese one of the world's first outsize cheeses officially weighed in at four tons in a fair at toronto, canada, seventy years ago. another monstrous cheddar tipped the scales at six tons in the new york state fair at syracuse in . before this, a one-thousand-pounder was fetched all the way from new zealand to london to star in the wembley exposition of . but, compared to the outsize syracusan, it looked like a baby gouda. as a matter of fact, neither england nor any of her great dairying colonies have gone in for mammoth jobs, except canada, with that four-tonner shown at toronto. we should mention two historic king-size chesters. you can find out all about them in _cheddar gorge,_ edited by sir john squire. the first of them weighed pounds, and was the largest made, up to the year . it was proudly presented to h.r.h. the duke of york. (its heft almost tied the -pound green county wheel of wisconsin swiss presented by the makers to president coolidge in in appreciation of his raising the protective tariff against genuine swiss to percent.) while the cheese itself weighed a mite under , his royal highness, ruff, belly, knee breeches, doffed high hat and all, was a hundred-weight heavier, and thus almost dwarfed it. it was almost a century later that the second record-breaking chester weighed in, at only pounds. yet it won a gold medal and a challenge cup and was presented to the king, who graciously accepted it. this was more than queen victoria had done with a bridal gift cheese that tipped the scales at , pounds. it took a whole day's yield from contented cows, and stood a foot and eight inches high, measuring nine feet, four inches around the middle. the assembled donors of the cheese were so proud of it that they asked royal permission to exhibit it on a round of country fairs. the queen assented to this ambitious request, perhaps prompted by the exhibition-minded albert. the publicity-seeking cheesemongers assured her majesty that the gift would be returned to her just as soon as it had been exhibited. but the queen didn't want it back after it was show-worn. the donors began to quarrel among themselves about what to do with the remains, until finally it got into chancery where so many lost causes end their days. the cheese was never heard of again. while it is generally true that the bigger the cheese the better, (much the same as a magnum bottle of champagne is better than a pint), there is a limit to the obesity of a block, ball or brick of almost any kinds of cheese. when they pass a certain limit, they lack homogeneity and are not nearly so good as the smaller ones. today a good magnum size for an exhibition cheddar is pounds; for a prize provolone, pounds; while a swiss wheel of only will draw crowds to any food-shop window. yet by and large it's the monsters that get into the cheese hall of fame and come down to us in song and story. for example, that four-ton toronto affair inspired a cheese poet, james mcintyre, who doubled as the local undertaker. we have thee, mammoth cheese, lying quietly at your ease; gently fanned by evening breeze, thy fair form no flies dare seize. all gaily dressed soon you'll go to the greatest provincial show, to be admired by many a beau in the city of toronto. may you not receive a scar as we have heard that mr. harris intends to send you off as far as the great world's show at paris. of the youth beware of these, for some of them might rudely squeeze and bite your cheek; then song or glees we could not sing, oh, queen of cheese. an ode to a one hundred percent american mammoth was inspired by "the ultra-democratic, anti-federalist cheese of cheshire." this was in the summer of when the patriotic people of cheshire, massachusetts, turned out en masse to concoct a mammoth cheese on the village green for presentation to their beloved president jefferson. the unique demonstration occurred spontaneously in jubilant commemoration of the greatest political triumph of a new country in a new century--the victory of the democrats over the federalists. its collective making was heralded in boston's _mercury and new england palladium_, september , : _the mammoth cheese_ an epico-lyrico ballad from meadows rich, with clover red, a thousand heifers come; the tinkling bells the tidings spread, the milkmaid muffles up her head, and wakes the village hum. in shining pans the snowy flood through whitened canvas pours; the dyeing pots of otter good and rennet tinged with madder blood are sought among their stores. the quivering curd, in panniers stowed, is loaded on the jade, the stumbling beast supports the load, while trickling whey bedews the road along the dusty glade. as cairo's slaves, to bondage bred, the arid deserts roam, through trackless sands undaunted tread, with skins of water on their head to cheer their masters home, so here full many a sturdy swain his precious baggage bore; old misers e'en forgot their gain, and bed-rid cripples, free from pain, now took the road before. the widow, with her dripping mite upon her saddle horn, rode up in haste to see the sight and aid a charity so right, a pauper so forlorn. the circling throng an opening drew upon the verdant-grass to let the vast procession through to spread their rich repast in view, and elder j. l. pass. then elder j. with lifted eyes in musing posture stood, invoked a blessing from the skies to save from vermin, mites and flies, and keep the bounty good. now mellow strokes the yielding pile from polished steel receives, and shining nymphs stand still a while, or mix the mass with salt and oil, with sage and savory leaves. then sextonlike, the patriot troop, with naked arms and crown, embraced, with hardy hands, the scoop, and filled the vast expanded hoop, while beetles smacked it down. next girding screws the ponderous beam, with heft immense, drew down; the gushing whey from every seam flowed through the streets a rapid stream, and shad came up to town. this spirited achievement of early democracy is commemorated today by a sign set up at the ancient and honorable town of cheshire, located between pittsfield and north adams, on route . jefferson's speech of thanks to the democratic people of cheshire rings out in history: "i look upon this cheese as a token of fidelity from the very heart of the people of this land to the great cause of equal rights to all men." this popular presentation started a tradition. when van buren succeeded to the presidency, he received a similar mammoth cheese in token of the high esteem in which he was held. a monstrous one, bigger than the jeffersonian, was made by new englanders to show their loyalty to president jackson. for weeks this stood in state in the hall of the white house. at last the floor was a foot deep in the fragments remaining after the enthusiastic democrats had eaten their fill. [illustration] _chapter three_ foreign greats _ode to cheese_ god of the country, bless today thy cheese, for which we give thee thanks on bended knees. let them be fat or light, with onions blent, shallots, brine, pepper, honey; whether scent of sheep or fields is in them, in the yard let them, good lord, at dawn be beaten hard. and let their edges take on silvery shades under the moist red hands of dairymaids; and, round and greenish, let them go to town weighing the shepherd's folding mantle down; whether from parma or from jura heights, kneaded by august hands of carmelites, stamped with the mitre of a proud abbess. flowered with the perfumes of the grass of bresse, from hollow holland, from the vosges, from brie, from roquefort, gorgonzola, italy! bless them, good lord! bless stilton's royal fare, red cheshire, and the tearful cream gruyère. from jethro bithell's translation of a poem by m. thomas braun _symphonie des fromages_ a giant cantal, seeming to have been chopped open with an ax, stood aside of a golden-hued chester and a swiss gruyère resembling the wheel of a roman chariot there were dutch edams, round and blood-red, and port-saluts lined up like soldiers on parade. three bries, side by side, suggested phases of the moon; two of them, very dry, were amber-colored and "full," and the third, in its second quarter, was runny and creamy, with a "milky way" which no human barrier seemed able to restrain. and all the while majestic roqueforts looked down with princely contempt upon the other, through the glass of their crystal covers. emile zola in the united states department of agriculture published handbook no. , entitled _cheese varieties and descriptions,_ with this comment: "there probably are only about eighteen distinct types or kinds of natural cheese." all the rest (more than names) are of local origin, usually named after towns or communities. a list of the best-known names applied to each of these distinct varieties or groups is given: brick gouda romano camembert hand roquefort cheddar limburger sapsago cottage neufchâtel swiss cream parmesan trappist edam provolone whey cheeses (mysost and ricotta) may we nominate another dozen to form our own cheese hall of fame? we begin our list with a partial roll call of the big blues family and end it with members of the monastic order of port-salut trappist that includes canadian oka and our own kentucky thoroughbred. the blues that are green stilton, roquefort and gorgonzola form the triumvirate that rules a world of lesser blues. they are actually green, as green as the mythical cheese the moon is made of. in almost every, land where cheese is made you can sample a handful of lesser blues and imitations of the invincible three and try to classify them, until you're blue in the face. the best we can do in this slight summary is to mention a few of the most notable, aside from our own blues of minnesota, wisconsin, oregon and other states that major in cheese. danish blues are popular and splendidly made, such as "flower of denmark." the argentine competes with a pampas-grass blue all its own. but france and england are the leaders in this line, france first with a sort of triple triumvirate within a triumvirate--septmoncel, gex, and sassenage, all three made with three milks mixed together: cow, goat and sheep. septmoncel is the leader of these, made in the jura mountains and considered by many french caseophiles to outrank roquefort. this class of blue or marbled cheese is called fromage persillé, as well as fromage bleu and pate bleue. similar mountain cheeses are made in auvergne and aubrac and have distinct qualities that have brought them fame, such as cantal, bleu d'auvergne guiole or laguiole, bleu de salers, and st. flour. olivet and queville come within the color scheme, and sundry others such as champoléon, journiac, queyras and sarraz. of english blues there are several celebrities beside stilton and cheshire stilton. wensleydale was one in the early days, and still is, together with blue dorset, the deepest green of them all, and esoteric blue vinny, a choosey cheese not liked by everybody, the favorite of thomas hardy. brie sheila hibben once wrote in _the new yorker:_ i can't imagine any difference of opinion about brie's being the queen of all cheeses, and if there is any such difference, i shall certainly ignore it. the very shape of brie--so uncheese-like and so charmingly fragile--is exciting. nine times out of ten a brie will let you down--will be all caked into layers, which shows it is too young, or at the over-runny stage, which means it is too old--but when you come on the tenth brie, _coulant_ to just the right, delicate creaminess, and the color of fresh, sweet butter, no other cheese can compare with it. the season of brie, like that of oysters, is simple to remember: only months with an "r," beginning with september, which is the best, bar none. caciocavallo from bulgaria to turkey the italian "horse cheese," as caciocavallo translates, is as universally popular as it is at home and in all the little italics throughout the rest of the world. flattering imitations are made and named after it, as follows: bulgaria: kascaval greece: kashcavallo and caskcaval hungary: parenica rumania: pentele and kascaval serbia: katschkawalj syria: cashkavallo transylvania: kascaval (as in rumania) turkey: cascaval penir yugoslavia: kackavalj a horse's head printed on the cheese gave rise to its popular name and to the myth that it is made of mare's milk. it is, however, curded from cow's milk, whole or partly skimmed, and sometimes from water buffalo; hard, yellow and so buttery that the best of it, which comes from sorrento, is called _cacio burro,_ butter cheese. slightly salty, with a spicy tang, it is eaten sliced when young and mild and used for grating and seasoning when old, not only on the usual italian pastes but on sweets. different from the many grating cheeses made from little balls of curd called _grana_, caciocavallo is a _pasta fileta_, or drawn-curd product. because of this it is sometimes drawn out in long thick threads and braided. it is a cheese for skilled artists to make sculptures with, sometimes horses' heads, again bunches of grapes and other fruits, even as provolone is shaped like apples and pears and often worked into elaborate bas-relief designs. but ordinarily the horse's head is a plain tenpin in shape or a squat bottle with a knob on the side by which it has been tied up, two cheeses at a time, on opposite sides of a rafter, while being smoked lightly golden and rubbed with olive oil and butter to make it all the more buttery. in calabria and sicily it is very popular, and although the best comes from sorrento, there is keen competition from abruzzi, apulian province and molise. it keeps well and doesn't spoil when shipped overseas. in his _little book of cheese_ osbert burdett recommends the high, horsy strength of this smoked cacio over tobacco smoke after dinner: only monsters smoke at meals, but a monster assured me that gorgonzola best survives this malpractice. clearly, some pungency is necessary, and confidence suggests rather cacio which would survive anything, the monster said. camembert camembert is called "mold-matured" and all that is genuine is labeled _syndicat du vrai camembert_. the name in full is _syndicat des fabricants du veritable camembert de normandie_ and we agree that this is "a most useful association for the defense of one of the best cheeses of france." its extremely delicate piquance cannot be matched, except perhaps by brie. napoleon is said to have named it and to have kissed the waitress who first served it to him in the tiny town of camembert. and there a statue stands today in the market place to honor marie harel who made the first camembert. camembert is equally good on thin slices of apple, pineapple, pear, french "flute" or pumpernickel. as-with brie and with oysters, camembert should be eaten only in the "r" months, and of these september is the best. since camembert rhymes with beware, if you can't get the _véritable_ don't fall for a domestic imitation or any west german abomination such as one dressed like a valentine in a heart-shaped box and labeled "camembert--cheese exquisite." they are equally tasteless, chalky with youth, or choking with ammoniacal gas when old and decrepit. cheddar the english _encyclopedia of practical cookery_ says: cheddar cheese is one of the kings of cheese; it is pale coloured, mellow, salvy, and, when good, resembling a hazelnut in flavour. the cheddar principle pervades the whole cheesemaking districts of america, canada and new zealand, but no cheese imported into england can equal the cheddars of somerset and the west of scotland. named for a village near bristol where farmer joseph harding first manufactured it, the best is still called farmhouse cheddar, but in america we have practically none of this. farmhouse cheddar must be ripened at least nine months to a mellowness, and little of our american cheese gets as much as that. back in john houghton wrote that it "contended in goodness (if kept from two to five years, according to magnitude) with any cheese in england." today it is called "england's second-best cheese," second after stilton, of course. in early days a large cheese sufficed for a year or two of family feeding, according to this old note: "a big cheddar can be kept for two years in excellent condition if kept in a cool room and turned over every other day." but in old england some were harder to preserve: "in bath... i asked one lady of the larder how she kept cheddar cheese. her eyes twinkled: 'we don't keep cheese; we eats it.'" cheshire a cheshireman sailed into spain to trade for merchandise; when he arrived from the main a spaniard him espies. who said, "you english rogue, look here! what fruits and spices fine our land produces twice a year. thou has not such in thine." the cheshireman ran to his hold and fetched a cheshire cheese, and said, "look here, you dog, behold! we have such fruits as these. your fruits are ripe but twice a year, as you yourself do say, but such as i present you here our land brings twice a day." anonymous let us pass on to cheese. we have some glorious cheeses, and far too few people glorying in them. the cheddar of the inn, of the chophouse, of the average english home, is a libel on a thing which, when authentic, is worthy of great honor. cheshire, divinely commanded into existence as to three parts to precede and as to one part to accompany certain tawny ports and some late-bottled ports, can be a thing for which the british navy ought to fire a salute on the principle on which colonel brisson made his regiment salute when passing the great burgundian vineyard. t. earle welby, in "the dinner knell" cheshire is not only the most literary cheese in england, but the oldest. it was already manufactured when caesar conquered britain, and tradition is that the romans built the walled city of chester to control the district where the precious cheese was made. chester on the river dee was a stronghold against the roman invasion. it came to fame with the old cheshire cheese in elizabethan times and waxed great with samuel johnson presiding at the fleet street inn where white cheshire was served "with radishes or watercress or celery when in season," and red cheshire was served toasted or stewed in a sort of welsh rabbit. (_see_ chapter .) the blue variety is called cheshire-stilton, and vyvyan holland, in _cheddar gorge_ suggests that "it was no doubt a cheese of this sort, discovered and filched from the larder of the queen of hearts, that accounted for the contented grin on the face of the cheshire cat in alice in wonderland." all very english, as recorded in victor meusy's couplet: _dans le chester sec et rose a longues dents, l'anglais mord._ in the chester dry and pink the long teeth of the english sink. edam and gouda _edam in peace and war_ there also coming into the river two dutchmen, we sent a couple of men on board and brought three holland cheeses, cost d. a piece, excellent cheeses. pepys' _diary_, march , commodore coe, of the montevidian navy, defeated admiral brown of the buenos ayrean navy, in a naval battle, when he used holland cheese for cannon balls. _the harbinger_ (vermont), december , the crimson cannon balls of holland have been heard around the world. known as "red balls" in england and _katzenkopf,_ "cat's head," in germany, they differ from gouda chiefly in the shape, gouda being round but flattish and now chiefly imported as one-pound baby goudas. edam when it is good is very, very good, but when it is bad it is horrid. sophisticated ones are sent over already scalloped for the ultimate consumer to add port, and there are crocks of holland cheese potted with sauterne. both edam and gouda should be well aged to develop full-bodied quality, two years being the accepted standard for edam. the best edams result from a perfect combination of breed (black-and-white dutch friesian) and feed (the rich pasturage of friesland and noord holland). the goudas, shaped like english derby and belgian delft and leyden, come from south holland. some are specially made for the jewish trade and called kosher gouda. both edam and gouda are eaten at mealtimes thrice daily in holland. a dutch breakfast without one or the other on black bread with butter and black coffee would be unthinkable. they're also boon companions to plum bread and dutch cocoa. "eclair edams" are those with soft insides. emmentaler, gruyère and swiss when the working woman takes her midday lunch, it is a piece of gruyère which for her takes the place of roast. victor meusy whether an emmentaler is eminently schweizerkäse, grand gruyère from france, or lesser swiss of the united states, the shape, size and glisten of the eyes indicate the stage of ripeness, skill of making and quality of flavor. they must be uniform, roundish, about the size of a big cherry and, most important of all, must glisten like the eye of a lass in love, dry but with the suggestion of a tear. gruyère does not see eye to eye with the big-holed swiss saanen cartwheel or american imitation. it has tiny holes, and many of them; let us say it is freckled with pinholes, rather than pock-marked. this variety is technically called a _niszler_, while one without any holes at all is "blind." eyes or holes are also called vesicles. gruyère trauben (grape gruyère) is aged in neuchâtel wine in switzerland, although most gruyère has been made in france since its introduction there in . the most famous is made in the jura, and another is called comté from its origin in franche-comté. a blind emmentaler was made in switzerland for export to italy where it was hardened in caves to become a grating cheese called raper, and now it is largely imitated there. emmentaler, in fact, because of its piquant pecan-nut flavor and inimitable quality, is simulated everywhere, even in switzerland. besides phonies from argentina and countries as far off as finland, we get a flood of imported and domestic swisses of all sad sorts, with all possible faults--from too many holes, that make a flabby, wobbly cheese, to too few--cracked, dried-up, collapsed or utterly ruined by molding inside. so it will pay you to buy only the kind already marked genuine in switzerland. for there cheese such as saanen takes six years to ripen, improves with age, and keeps forever. cartwheels well over a hundred years old are still kept in cheese cellars (as common in switzerland as wine cellars are in france), and it is said that the rank of a family is determined by the age and quality of the cheese in its larder. feta and casere the greeks have a name for it--feta. their neighbors call it greek cheese. feta is to cheese what hymettus is to honey. the two together make ambrosial manna. feta is soft and as blinding white as a plate of fresh ricotta smothered with sour cream. the whiteness is preserved by shipping the cheese all the way from greece in kegs sloshing full of milk, the milk being renewed from time to time. having been cured in brine, this great sheep-milk curd is slightly salty and somewhat sharp, but superbly spicy. when first we tasted it fresh from the keg with salty milk dripping through our fingers, we gave it full marks. this was at the staikos brothers greek-import store on west rd street in manhattan. we then compared feta with thin wisps of its grown-up brother, casere. this gray and greasy, hard and brittle palate-tickler of sheep's milk made us bleat for more feta. gorgonzola gorgonzola, least pretentious of the blues triumvirate (including roquefort and stilton) is nonetheless by common consent monarch of all other blues from argentina to denmark. in england, indeed, many epicures consider gorgonzola greater than stilton, which is the highest praise any cheese can get there. like all great cheeses it has been widely imitated, but never equaled. imported gorgonzola, when fruity ripe, is still firm but creamy and golden inside with rich green veins running through. very pungent and highly flavored, it is eaten sliced or crumbled to flavor salad dressings, like roquefort. hablé crème chantilly the name hablé crème chantilly sounds french, but the cheese is swedish and actually lives up to the blurb in the imported package: "the overall characteristic is indescribable and delightful freshness." this exclusive product of the walk gärd creamery was hailed by sheila hibben in _the new yorker_ of may , , as enthusiastically as brillat-savarin would have greeted a new dish, or the planetarium a new star: endeavoring to be as restrained as i can, i shall merely suggest that the arrival of crème chantilly is a historic event and that in reporting on it i feel something of the responsibility that the contemporaries of madame harel, the famous cheese-making lady of normandy, must have felt when they were passing judgment on the first camembert. miss hibben goes on to say that only a fromage à la crème made in quebec had come anywhere near her impression of the new swedish triumph. she quotes the last word from the makers themselves: "this is a very special product that has never been made on this earth before," and speaks of "the elusive flavor of mushrooms" before summing up, "the exquisitely textured curd and the unexpectedly fresh flavor combine to make it one of the most subtly enjoyable foods that have come my way in a long time." and so say we--all of us. hand cheese hand cheese has this niche in our cheese hall of fame not because we consider it great, but because it is usually included among the eighteen varieties on which the hundreds of others are based. it is named from having been molded into its final shape by hand. universally popular with germanic races, it is too strong for the others. to our mind, hand cheese never had anything that allgäuer or limburger hasn't improved upon. it is the only cheese that is commonly melted into steins of beer and drunk instead of eaten. it is usually studded with caraway seeds, the most natural spice for curds. limburger limburger has always been popular in america, ever since it was brought over by german-american immigrants; but england never took to it. this is eloquently expressed in the following entry in the english _encyclopedia of practical cookery_: limburger cheese is chiefly famous for its pungently offensive odor. it is made from skimmed milk, and allowed to partially decompose before pressing. it is very little known in this country, and might be less so with advantage to consumers. but this is libel. butter-soft and sapid, limburger has brought gustatory pleasure to millions of hardy gastronomes since it came to light in the province of lüttich in belgium. it has been americanized for almost a century and is by now one of the very few cheeses successfully imitated here, chiefly in new york and wisconsin. early wisconsiners will never forget the limburger rebellion in green county, when the people rose in protest against the limburger caravan that was accustomed to park in the little town of monroe where it was marketed. they threatened to stage a modern boston tea party and dump the odoriferous bricks in the river, when five or six wagonloads were left ripening in the sun in front of the town bank. the limburger was finally stored safely underground. livarot livarot has been described as decadent, "the very verlaine of them all," and victor meusy personifies it in a poem dedicated to all the great french cheeses, of which we give a free translation: in the dog days in its overflowing dish livarot gesticulates or weeps like a child. münster at the diplomatic banquet one must choose his piece. all is politics, a cheese and a flag. you annoy the russians if you take chester; you irritate the prussians in choosing münster. victor meusy like limburger, this male cheese, often caraway-flavored, does not fare well in england. although over here we consider münster far milder than limburger, the english writer eric weir in _when madame cooks_ will have none of it: i cannot think why this cheese was not thrown from the aeroplanes during the war to spread panic amongst enemy troops. it would have proved far more efficacious than those nasty deadly gases that kill people permanently. neufchâtel if the cream cheese be white far fairer the hands that made them. arthur hugh clough although originally from normandy, neufchâtel, like limburger, was so long ago welcomed to america and made so splendidly at home here that we may consider it our very own. all we have against it is that it has served as the model for too many processed abominations. parmesan, romano, pecorino, pecorino romano parmesan when young, soft and slightly crumbly is eaten on bread. but when well aged, let us say up to a century, it becomes rock of gibraltar of cheeses and really suited for grating. it is easy to believe that the so-called "spanish cheese" used as a barricade by americans in nicaragua almost a century ago was none other than the almost indestructible grana, as parmesan is called in italy. the association between cheese and battling began in b.c. days with the jews and romans, who fed cheese to their soldiers not only for its energy value but as a convenient form of rations, since every army travels on its stomach and can't go faster than its impedimenta. the last notable mention of cheese in war was the name of the _monitor_: "a cheese box on a raft." romano is not as expensive as parmesan, although it is as friable, sharp and tangy for flavoring, especially for soups such as onion and minestrone. it is brittle and just off-white when well aged. although made of sheep's milk, pecorino is classed with both parmesan and romano. all three are excellently imitated in argentina. romano and pecorino romano are interchangeable names for the strong, medium-sharp and piquant parmesan types that sell for considerably less. most of it is now shipped from sardinia. there are several different kinds: pecorino dolce (sweet), sardo tuscano, and pecorino romano cacio, which relates it to caciocavallo. kibitzers complain that some of the cheaper types of pecorino are soapy, but fans give it high praise. gillian f., in her "letter from italy" in osbert burdett's delectable _little book of cheese_, writes: out in the orchard, my companion, i don't remember how, had provided the miracle: a flask of wine, a loaf of bread and a slab of fresh pecorino cheese (there wasn't any "thou" for either) ... but that cheese was paradise; and the flask was emptied, and a wood dove cooing made you think that the flask's contents were in a crystal goblet instead of an enamel cup ... one only ... and the cheese broken with the fingers ... a cheese of cheeses. pont l'evêque this semisoft, medium-strong, golden-tinted french classic made since the thirteenth century, is definitely a dessert cheese whose excellence is brought out best by a sound claret or tawny port. port-salut (_see_ trappist) provolone within recent years provolone has taken america by storm, as camembert, roquefort, swiss, limburger, neufchâtel and such great ones did long before. but it has not been successfully imitated here because the original is made of rich water-buffalo milk unattainable in the americas. with caciocavallo, this mellow, smoky flavorsome delight is put up in all sorts of artistic forms, red-cellophaned apples, pears, bells, a regular zoo of animals, and in all sorts of sizes, up to a monumental hundred-pound bas-relief imported for exhibition purposes by phil alpert. roquefort homage to this _fromage!_ long hailed as _le roi_ roquefort, it has filled books and booklets beyond count. by the miracle of _penicillium roqueforti_ a new cheese was made. it is placed historically back around the eighth century when charlemagne was found picking out the green spots of persillé with the point of his knife, thinking them decay. but the monks of saint-gall, who were his hosts, recorded in their annals that when they regaled him with roquefort (because it was friday and they had no fish) they also made bold to tell him he was wasting the best part of the cheese. so he tasted again, found the advice excellent and liked it so well he ordered two _caisses_ of it sent every year to his palace at aix-la-chapelle. he also suggested that it be cut in half first, to make sure it was well veined with blue, and then bound up with a wooden fastening. perhaps he hoped the wood would protect the cheeses from mice and rats, for the good monks of saint-gall couldn't be expected to send an escort of cats from their chalky caves to guard them--even for charlemagne. there is no telling how many cats were mustered out in the caves, in those early days, but a recent census put the number at five hundred. we can readily imagine the head handler in the caves leading a night inspection with a candle, followed by his chief taster and a regiment of cats. while the dutch and other makers of cheese also employ cats to patrol their storage caves, roquefort holds the record for number. an interesting point in this connection is that as rats and mice pick only the prime cheeses, a gnawed one is not thrown away but greatly prized. sapsago, schabziger or swiss green cheese the name sapsago is a corruption of schabziger, german for whey cheese. it's a hay cheese, flavored heavily with melilot, a kind of clover that's also grown for hay. it comes from switzerland in a hard, truncated cone wrapped in a piece of paper that says: to be used grated only genuine swiss green cheese made of skimmed milk and herbs to the housewives! do you want a change in your meals? try the contents of this wrapper! delicious as spreading mixed with butter, excellent for flavoring eggs, macaroni, spaghetti, potatoes, soup, etc. can be used in place of any other cheese. _do not take too much, you might spoil the flavor_. we put this wrapper among our papers, sealed it tight in an envelope, and to this day, six months later, the scent of sapsago clings 'round it still. stilton _honor for cheeses_ literary and munching circles in london are putting quite a lot of thought into a proposed memorial to stilton cheese. there is a stilton memorial committee, with sir john squire at the head, and already the boys are fighting. one side, led by sir john, is all for a monument. this, presumably, would not be a replica of stilton itself, although mr. epstein could probably hack out a pretty effective cheese-shaped figure and call it "dolorosa." the monument-boosters plan a figure of mrs. paulet, who first introduced stilton to england. (possibly a group showing mrs. paulet holding a young stilton by the hand and introducing it, while the stilton curtsies.) t.s. eliot does not think that anyone would look at a monument, but wants to establish a foundation for the preservation of ancient cheeses. the practicability of this plan would depend largely on the site selected for the treasure house and the cost of obtaining a curator who could, or would, give his whole time to the work. mr. j.a. symonds, who is secretary of the committee, agrees with mr. eliot that a simple statue is not the best form. "i should like," he says, "something irrelevant--gargoyles, perhaps." i think that mr. symonds has hit on something there. i would suggest, if we americans can pitch into this great movement, some gargoyles designed by mr. rube goldberg. if the memorial could be devised so as to take on an international scope, an exchange fellowship might be established between england and america, although the exchange, in the case of stilton, would have to be all on england's side. we might be allowed to furnish the money, however, while england furnishes the cheese. there is a very good precedent for such a bargain between the two countries. robert benchley, in _after --what?_ when all seems lost in england there is still stilton, an endless after-dinner conversation piece to which england points with pride. for a sound appreciation of this cheese see clifton fadiman's introduction to this book. taleggio and bel paese when the great italian cheese-maker, galbini, first exported bel paese some years ago, it was an eloquent ambassador to america. but as the years went on and imitations were made in many lands, galbini deemed it wise to set up his own factory in _our_ beautiful country. however, the domestic bel paese and a minute one-pounder called bel paesino just didn't have that old alpine zest. they were no better than the german copy called schönland, after the original, or the french fleur des alpes. mel fino was a blend of bel paese and gorgonzola. it perked up the market for a full, fruity cheese with snap. then galbini hit the jackpot with his taleggio that fills the need for the sharpest, most sophisticated pungence of them all. trappist, port-salut, or port du salut, and oka in spite of its name trappist is no rat-trap commoner. always of the elect, and better known as port-salut or port du salut from the original home of the trappist monks in their chief french abbey, it is also set apart from the ordinary canadians under the name of oka, from the trappist monastery there. it is made by trappist monks all over the world, according to the original secret formula, and by trappist cistercian monks at the abbey of gethsemani trappist in kentucky. this is a soft cheese, creamy and of superb flavor. you can't go wrong if you look for the monastery name stamped on, such as harzé in belgium, mont-des-cats in flanders, sainte anne d'auray in brittany, and so forth. last but not least, a commercial port-salut entirely without benefit of clergy or monastery is made in milwaukee under the lion brand. it is one of the finest american cheeses in which we have ever sunk a fang. [illustration] _chapter four_ native americans american cheddars the first american cheddar was made soon after around plymouth by pilgrim fathers who brought along not only cheese from the homeland but a live cow to continue the supply. proof of our ability to manufacture cheddar of our own lies in the fact that by we were exporting it back to england. it was called cheddar after the english original named for the village of cheddar near bristol. more than a century ago it made a new name for itself, herkimer county cheese, from the section of new york state where it was first made best. herkimer still equals its several distinguished competitors, coon, colorado blackie, california jack, pineapple, sage, vermont colby and wisconsin longhorn. the english called our imitation yankee, or american, cheddar, while here at home it was popularly known as yellow or store cheese from its prominent position in every country store; also apple-pie cheese because of its affinity for the all-american dessert. the first cheddar factory was founded by jesse williams in rome, new york, just over a century ago and, with herkimer county cheddar already widely known, this established "new york" as the preferred "store-boughten" cheese. an account of new york's cheese business in the pioneer wooden nutmeg era is found in ernest elmo calkins' interesting book, _they broke the prairies_. a yankee named silvanus ferris, "the most successful dairyman of herkimer county," in the first decades of the 's teamed up with robert nesbit, "the old quaker cheese buyer." they bought from farmers in the region and sold in new york city. and "according to the business ethics of the times," nesbit went ahead to cheapen the cheese offered by deprecating its quality, hinting at a bad market and departing without buying. later when ferris arrived in a more optimistic mood, offering a slightly better price, the seller, unaware they were partners, and ignorant of the market price, snapped up the offer. similar sharp-trade tactics put too much green cheese on the market, so those honestly aged from a minimum of eight months up to two years fetched higher prices. they were called "old," such as old herkimer, old wisconsin longhorn, and old california jack. although the established cheddar ages are three, fresh, medium-cured, and cured or aged, commercially they are divided into two and described as mild and sharp. the most popular are named for their states: colorado, illinois, kentucky, new york, ohio, vermont and wisconsin. two new york staters are called and named separately, coon and herkimer county. tillamook goes by its own name with no mention of oregon. pineapple, monterey jack and sage are seldom listed as cheddars at all, although they are basically that. brick brick is the one and only cheese for which the whole world gives america credit. runners-up are liederkranz, which rivals say is too close to limburger, and pineapple, which is only a cheddar under its crisscrossed, painted and flavored rind. yet brick is no more distinguished than either of the hundred percent americans, and in our opinion is less worth bragging about. it is a medium-firm, mild-to-strong slicing cheese for sandwiches and melting in hot dishes. its texture is elastic but not rubbery, its taste sweetish, and it is full of little round holes or eyes. all this has inspired enthusiasts to liken it to emmentaler. the most appropriate name for it has long been "married man's limburger." to make up for the mildness caraway seed is sometimes added. about civil war time, john jossi, a dairyman of dodge county, wisconsin, came up with this novelty, a rennet cheese made of whole cow's milk. the curd is cut like cheddar, heated, stirred and cooked firm to put in a brick-shaped box without a bottom and with slits in the sides to drain. when this is set on the draining table a couple of bricks are also laid on the cooked curd for pressure. it is this double use of bricks, for shaping and for pressing, that has led to the confusion about which came first in originating the name. the formed "bricks" of cheese are rubbed with salt for three days and they ripen slowly, taking up to two months. we eat several million pounds a year and percent of that comes from wisconsin, with a trickle from new york. colorado blackie cheese a subtly different american cheddar is putting colorado on our cheese map. it is called blackie from the black-waxed rind and it resembles vermont state cheese, although it is flatter. this is a proud new american product, proving that although papa cheddar was born in england his american kinfolk have developed independent and valuable characters all on their own. coon cheese coon cheese is full of flavor from being aged on shelves at a higher temperature than cold storage. its rind is darker from the growth of mold and this shade is sometimes painted on more ordinary cheddars to make them look like coon, which always brings a percent premium above the general run. made at lowville, new york, it has received high praise from a host of admirers, among them the french cook, clementine, in phineas beck's _kitchen_, who raised it to the par of french immortals by calling it fromage de coon. clementine used it "with scintillating success in countless french recipes which ended with the words _gratiner au four et servir tres chaud_. she made _baguettes_ of it by soaking sticks three-eights-inch square and one and a half inches long in lukewarm milk, rolling them in flour, beaten egg and bread crumbs and browning them instantaneously in boiling oil." herkimer county cheese the standard method for making american cheddar was established in herkimer county, new york, in and has been rigidly maintained down to this day. made with rennet and a bacterial "starter," the curd is cut and pressed to squeeze out all of the whey and then aged in cylindrical forms for a year or more. herkimer leads the whole breed by being flaky, brittle, sharp and nutty, with a crumb that will crumble, and a soft, mouth-watering pale orange color when it is properly aged. isigny isigny is a native american cheese that came a cropper. it seems to be extinct now, and perhaps that is all to the good, for it never meant to be anything more than another camembert, of which we have plenty of imitation. not long after the civil war the attempt was made to perfect isigny. the curd was carefully prepared according to an original formula, washed and rubbed and set aside to come of age. but when it did, alas, it was more like limburger than camembert, and since good domestic limburger was then a dime a pound, obviously it wouldn't pay off. yet in shape the newborn resembled camembert, although it was much larger. so they cut it down and named it after the delicate french creme d'lsigny. jack, california jack and monterey jack jack was first known as monterey cheese from the california county where it originated. then it was called jack for short, and only now takes its full name after sixty years of popularity on the west coast. because it is little known in the east and has to be shipped so far, it commands the top cheddar price. monterey jack is a stirred curd cheddar without any annatto coloring. it is sweeter than most and milder when young, but it gets sharper with age and more expensive because of storage costs. liederkranz no native american cheese has been so widely ballyhooed, and so deservedly, as liederkranz, which translates "wreath of song." back in the gay, inventive nineties, emil frey, a young delicatessen keeper in new york, tried to please some bereft customers by making an imitation of bismarck schlosskäse. this was imperative because the imported german cheese didn't stand up during the long sea trip and emil's customers, mostly members of the famous liederkranz singing society, didn't feel like singing without it. but emil's attempts at imitation only added indigestion to their dejection, until one day--_fabelhaft!_ one of those cheese dream castles in spain came true. he turned out a tawny, altogether golden, tangy and mellow little marvel that actually was an improvement on bismarck's old schlosskäse. better than brick, it was a deodorized limburger, both a man's cheese and one that cheese-conscious women adored. emil named it "wreath of song" for the liederkranz customers. it soon became as internationally known as tabasco from texas or parisian camembert which it slightly resembles. borden's bought out frey in and they enjoy telling the story of a g.i. who, to celebrate v-e day in paris, sent to his family in indiana, only a few miles from the factory at van wert, ohio, a whole case of what he had learned was "the finest cheese france could make." and when the family opened it, there was liederkranz. another deserved distinction is that of being sandwiched in between two foreign immortals in the following recipe: schnitzelbank pot ripe camembert cheese liederkranz / pound imported roquefort / pound butter tablespoon flour cup cream / cup finely chopped olives / cup canned pimiento a sprinkling of cayenne depending on whether or not you like the edible rind of camembert and liederkranz, you can leave it on, scrape any thick part off, or remove it all. mash the soft creams together with the roquefort, butter and flour, using a silver fork. put the mix into an enameled pan, for anything with a metal surface will turn the cheese black in cooking. stir in the cream and keep stirring until you have a smooth, creamy sauce. strain through sieve or cheesecloth, and mix in the olives and pimiento thoroughly. sprinkle well with cayenne and put into a pot to mellow for a few days, or much longer. the name _schnitzelbank_ comes from "school bench," a game. this snappy-sweet pot is specially suited to a beer party and stein songs. it is also the affinity-spread with rye and pumpernickel, and may be served in small sandwiches or on crackers, celery and such, to make appetizing tidbits for cocktails, tea, or cider. like the trinity of cheeses that make it, the mixture is eaten best at room temperature, when its flavor is fullest. if kept in the refrigerator, it should be taken out a couple of hours before serving. since it is a natural cheese mixture, which has gone through no process or doping with preservative, it will not keep more than two weeks. this mellow-sharp mix is the sort of ideal the factory processors shoot at with their olive-pimiento abominations. once you've potted your own, you'll find it gives the same thrill as garnishing your own liptauer. minnesota blue the discovery of sandstone caves in the bluffs along the mississippi, in and near the twin cities of minnesota, has established a distinctive type of blue cheese named for the state. although the roquefort process of france is followed and the cheese is inoculated in the same way by mold from bread, it can never equal the genuine imported, marked with its red-sheep brand, because the milk used in minnesota blue is cow's milk, and the caves are sandstone instead of limestone. yet this is an excellent, blue cheese in its own right. pineapple pineapple cheese is named after its shape rather than its flavor, although there are rumors that some pineapple flavor is noticeable near the oiled rind. this flavor does not penetrate through to the cheddar center. many makers of processed cheese have tampered with the original, so today you can't be sure of anything except getting a smaller size every year or two, at a higher price. originally six pounds, the pineapple has shrunk to nearly six ounces. the proper bright-orange, oiled and shellacked surface is more apt to be a sickly lemon. always an ornamental cheese, it once stood in state on the side-board under a silver bell also made to represent a pineapple. you cut a top slice off the cheese, just as you would off the fruit, and there was a rose-colored, fine-tasting, mellow-hard cheese to spoon out with a special silver cheese spoon or scoop. between meals the silver top was put on the silver holder and the oiled and shellacked rind kept the cheese moist. even when the pineapple was eaten down to the rind the shell served as a dunking bowl to fill with some salubrious cold fondue or salad. made in the same manner as cheddar with the curd cooked harder, pineapple's distinction lies in being hung in a net that makes diamond-shaped corrugations on the surface, simulating the sections of the fruit. it is a pioneer american product with almost a century and a half of service since lewis m. norton conceived it in in litchfield county, connecticut. there in he built a factory and made a deserved fortune out of his decorative ingenuity with what before had been plain, unromantic yellow or store cheese. perhaps his inspiration came from cone-shaped cheshire in old england, also called pineapple cheese, combined with the hanging up of provolones in italy that leaves the looser pattern of the four sustaining strings. sage, vermont sage and vermont state the story of sage cheese, or green cheese as it was called originally, shows the several phases most cheeses have gone through, from their simple, honest beginnings to commercialization, and sometimes back to the real thing. the english _encyclopedia of practical cookery_ has an early sage recipe: this is a species of cream cheese made by adding sage leaves and greening to the milk. a very good receipt for it is given thus: bruise the tops of fresh young red sage leaves with an equal quantity of spinach leaves and squeeze out the juice. add this to the extract of rennet and stir into the milk as much as your taste may deem sufficient. break the curd when it comes, salt it, fill the vat high with it, press for a few hours, and then turn the cheese every day. _fancy cheese in america, lay_ charles a. publow, records the commercialization of the cheese mentioned above, a century or two later, in : sage cheese is another modified form of the cheddar variety. its distinguishing features are a mottled green color and a sage flavor. the usual method of manufacture is as follows: one-third of the total amount of milk is placed in a vat by itself and colored green by the addition of eight to twelve ounces of commercial sage color to each , pounds of milk. if green corn leaves (unavailable in england) or other substances are used for coloring, the amounts will vary accordingly. the milk is then made up by the regular cheddar method, as is also the remaining two-thirds, in a separate vat. at the time of removing the whey the green and white curds are mixed. some prefer, however, to mix the curds at the time of milling, as a more distinct color is secured. after milling, the sage extract flavoring is sprayed over the curd with an atomizer. the curd is then salted and pressed into the regular cheddar shapes and sizes. a very satisfactory sage cheese is made at the new york state college of agriculture by simply dropping green coloring, made from the leaves of corn and spinach, upon the curd, after milling. an even green mottling is thus easily secured without additional labor. sage flavoring extract is sprayed over the curd by an atomizer. one-half ounce of flavoring is usually sufficient for a hundred pounds of curd and can be secured from dairy supply houses. a modern cheese authority reported on the current ( ) method: instead of sage leaves, or tea prepared from them, at present the cheese is flavored with oil of dalmatian wild sage because it has the sharpest flavor. this piny oil, thujone, is diluted with water, parts to one, and either added to the milk or sprayed over the curds, one-eighth ounce for quarts of milk. in scouting around for a possible maker of the real thing today, we wrote to vrest orton of vermont, and got this reply: sage cheese is one of the really indigenous and best native vermont products. so far as i know, there is only one factory making it and that is my friend, george crowley's. he makes a limited amount for my vermont country store. it is the fine old-time full cream cheese, flavored with real sage. on this hangs a tale. some years ago i couldn't get enough sage cheese (we never can) so i asked a wisconsin cheesemaker if he would make some. said he would but couldn't at that time--because the alfalfa wasn't ripe. i said, "what in hell has alfalfa got to do with sage cheese?" he said, "well, we flavor the sage cheese with a synthetic sage flavor and then throw in some pieces of chopped-up alfalfa to make it look green." so i said to hell with that and the next time i saw george crowley i told him the story and george said, "we don't use synthetic flavor, alfalfa or anything like that." "then what do you use, george?" i inquired. "we use real sage." "why?" "well, because it's cheaper than that synthetic stuff." the genuine vermont sage arrived. here are our notes on it: oh, wilderness were paradise enow! my taste buds come to full flower with the sage. there's a slight burned savor recalling smoked cheese, although not related in any way. mildly resinous like that near east one packed in pine, suggesting the well-saged dressing of a turkey. a round mouthful of luscious mellowness, with a bouquet--a snapping reminder to the nose. and there's just a soupçon of new-mown hay above the green freckles of herb to delight the eye and set the fancy free. so this is the _véritable vert_, green cheese--the moon is made of it! _vert véritable._ a general favorite with everybody who ever tasted it, for generations of lusty crumblers. old-fashioned vermont state store cheese we received from savant vrest orton another letter, together with some vermont store cheese and some crackers. this cheese is our regular old-fashioned store cheese--it's been in old country stores for generations and we have been pioneers in spreading the word about it. it is, of course, a natural aged cheese, no processing, no fussing, no fooling with it. it's made the same way it was back in , by the old-time colby method which makes a cheese which is not so dry as cheddar and also has holes in it, something like swiss. also, it ages faster. did you know that during the last part of the nineteenth century and part of the twentieth, vermont was the leading cheesemaking state in the union? when i was a lad, every town in vermont had one or more cheese factories. now there are only two left--not counting any that make process. process isn't cheese! the crackers are the old-time store cracker--every vermonter used to buy a big barrel once a year to set in the buttery and eat. a classic dish is crackers, broken up in a bowl of cold milk, with a hunk of vermont cheese like this on the side. grand snack, grand midnight supper, grand anything. these crackers are not sweet, not salt, and as such make a good base for anything--swell with clam chowder, also with toasted cheese.... tillamook it takes two pocket-sized, but thick, yellow volumes to record the story of oregon's great tillamook. _the cheddar box_, by dean collins, comes neatly boxed and bound in golden cloth stamped with a purple title, like the rind of a real tillamook. volume i is entitled _cheese cheddar_, and volume ii is a two-pound cheddar cheese labeled tillamook and molded to fit inside its book jacket. we borrowed volume i from a noted _littérateur_, and never could get him to come across with volume ii. we guessed its fate, however, from a note on the flyleaf of the only tome available: "this is an excellent cheese, full cream and medium sharp, and a unique set of books in which volume ii suggests bacon's: 'some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.'" wisconsin longhorn since we began this chapter with all-american cheddars, it is only fitting to end with wisconsin longhorn, a sort of national standard, even though it's not nearly so fancy or high-priced as some of the regional natives that can't approach its enormous output. it's one of those all-purpose round cheeses that even taste round in your mouth. we are specially partial to it. most cheddars are named after their states. yet, putting all of these thirty-seven states together, they produce only about half as much as wisconsin alone. besides longhorn, in wisconsin there are a dozen regional competitors ranging from white twin cheddar, to which no annatto coloring has been added, through green bay cheese to wisconsin redskin and martha washington aged, proudly set forth by p.h. kasper of bear creek, who is said to have "won more prizes in forty years than any ten cheesemakers put together." to help guarantee a market for all this excellent apple-pie cheese, the wisconsin state legislature made a law about it, recognizing the truth of eugene field's jingle: apple pie without cheese is like a kiss without a squeeze. small matter in the badger state when the affinity is made legal and the couple lawfully wedded in statute no. , . it's still in force: _butter and cheese to be served._ every person, firm or corporation duly licensed to operate a hotel or restaurant shall serve with each meal for which a charge of twenty-five cents or more is made, at least two-thirds of an ounce of wisconsin butter and two-thirds of an ounce of wisconsin cheese. besides longhorn, wisconsin leads in limburger. it produces so much swiss that the state is sometimes called swissconsin. [illustration] _chapter five_ sixty-five sizzling rabbits that nice little smoky room at the "salutation," which is even now continually presenting itself to my recollection, with all its associated train of pipes, egg-hot, welsh-rabbits, metaphysics and poetry. charles lamb, in a letter to coleridge unlike the beginning of the classical jugged hare recipe: "first catch your hare!" we modern rabbit-hunters start off with "first catch your cheddar!" and some of us go so far as to smuggle in formerly forbidden _fromages_ such as gruyère, neufchâtel, parmesan, and mixtures thereof. we run the gamut of personal preferences in selecting the rabbit cheese itself, from old-time american, yellow or store cheese, to coon and canadian-smoked, though all of it is still cheddar, no matter how you slice it. then, too, guests are made to run the gauntlet of all-american trimmings from pin-money pickles to peanut butter, succotash and maybe marshmallows; we add mustard, chill, curry, tabasco and sundry bottled red devils from the grocery store, to add pep and piquance to the traditional cayenne and black pepper. this results in rabbits that are out of focus, out of order and out of this world. among modern sins of omission, the worcestershire sauce is left out by braggarts who aver that they can take it or leave it. and, in these degenerate days, when it comes to substitutions for the original beer or stale pale ale, we find the gratings of great cheddars wet down with mere california sherry or even ginger ale--yet so far, thank goodness, no cokes. and there's tomato juice out of a can into the rum turn tiddy, and sometimes celery soup in place of milk or cream. in view of all this, we can only look to the standard cookbooks for salvation. these are mostly compiled by women, our thoughtful mothers, wives and sweethearts who have saved the twin basic rabbits for us. if it weren't for these fanny farmers, the making of a real aboriginal welsh rabbit would be a lost art--lost in sporting male attempts to improve upon the original. the girls are still polite about the whole thing and protectively pervert the original spelling of "rabbit" to "rarebit" in their culinary guides. we have heard that once a club of ladies in high society tried to high-pressure the publishers of mr. webster's dictionary to change the old spelling in their favor. yet there is a lot to be said for this more genteel and appetizing rendering of the word, for the welsh masterpiece is, after all, a very rare bit of cheesemongery, male or female. yet in dealing with "rarebits" the distaff side seldom sets down more than the basic adam and eve in a whole paradise of rabbits: no. , the wild male type made with beer, and no. , the mild female made with milk. yet now that the chafing dish has come back to stay, there's a flurry in the rabbit warren and the new cooking encyclopedias give up to a dozen variants. actually there are easily half a gross of valid ones in current esteem. the two basic recipes are differentiated by the liquid ingredient, but both the beer and the milk are used only one way--warm, or anyway at room temperature. and again for the two, there is but one traditional cheese--cheddar, ripe, old or merely aged from six months onward. this is also called american, store, sharp, rabbit, yellow, beer, wisconsin longhorn, mouse, and even rat. the seasoned, sapid cheddar-type, so indispensable, includes dozens of varieties under different names, regional or commercial. these are easily identified as sisters-under-the-rinds by all five senses: sight: golden yellow and mellow to the eye. it's one of those round cheeses that also tastes round in the mouth. hearing: by thumping, a cheese-fancier, like a melon-picker, can tell if a cheddar is rich, ripe and ready for the rabbit. when you hear your dealer say, "it's six months old or more," enough said. smell: a scent as fresh as that of the daisies and herbs the mother milk cow munched "will hang round it still." also a slight beery savor. touch: crumbly--a caress to the fingers. taste: the quintessence of this fivefold test. just cuddle a crumb with your tongue and if it tickles the taste buds it's prime. when it melts in your mouth, that's proof it will melt in the pan. beyond all this (and in spite of the school that plumps for the no. temperance alternative) we must point out that beer has a special affinity for cheddar. the french have clearly established this in their names for welsh rabbit, _fromage fondue à la bière_ and _fondue à l'anglaise_. to prepare such a cheese for the pan, each rabbit hound may have a preference all his own, for here the question comes up of how it melts best. do you shave, slice, dice, shred, mince, chop, cut, scrape or crumble it in the fingers? this will vary according to one's temperament and the condition of the cheese. generally, for best results it is coarsely grated. when it comes to making all this into a rare bit of rabbit there is: the one and only method use a double boiler, or preferably a chafing dish, avoiding aluminum and other soft metals. heat the upper pan by simmering water in the lower one, but don't let the water boil up or touch the top pan. most, but not all, rabbits are begun by heating a bit of butter or margarine in the pan in which one cup of roughly grated cheese, usually sharp cheddar, is melted and mixed with one-half cup of liquid, added gradually. (the butter isn't necessary for a cheese that should melt by itself.) the two principal ingredients are melted smoothly together and kept from curdling by stirring steadily in one direction only, over an even heat. the spoon used should be of hard wood, sterling silver or porcelain. never use tin, aluminum or soft metal--the taste may come off to taint the job. be sure the liquid is at room temperature, or warmer, and add it gradually, without interrupting the stirring. do not let it come to the bubbling point, and never let it boil. add seasonings only when the cheese is melted, which will take two or three minutes. then continue to stir in the same direction without an instant's letup, for maybe ten minutes or more, until the rabbit is smooth. the consistency and velvety smoothness depend a good deal on whether or not an egg, or a beaten yolk, is added. the hotter the rabbit is served, the better. you can sizzle the top with a salamander or other branding iron, but in any case set it forth as nearly sizzling as possible, on toast hellishly hot, whether it's browned or buttered on one side or both. give a thought to the sad case of the "little dog whose name was rover, and when he was dead he was dead all over." something very similar happens with a rabbit that's allowed to cool down--when it's cold it's cold all over, and you can't resuscitate it by heating. basic welsh rabbit no. (with beer) tablespoons butter cups grated old cheddar / teaspoon english dry mustard / teaspoon salt a dash of cayenne teaspoon worcestershire sauce egg yolks, lightly beaten with / cup light beer or ale slices hot buttered toast over boiling water melt butter and cheese together, stirring steadily with a wooden (or other tasteless) spoon in one direction only. add seasonings and do not interrupt your rhythmic stirring, as you pour in a bit at a time of the beer-and-egg mixture until it's all used up. it may take many minutes of constant stirring to achieve the essential creamy thickness and then some more to slick it out as smooth as velvet. keep it piping hot but don't let it bubble, for a boiled rabbit is a spoiled rabbit. only unremitting stirring (and the best of cheese) will keep it from curdling, getting stringy or rubbery. pour the rabbit generously over crisp, freshly buttered toast and serve instantly on hot plates. usually crusts are cut off the bread before toasting, and some aesthetes toast one side only, spreading the toasted side with cold butter for taste contrast. lay the toast on the hot plate, buttered side down, and pour the rabbit over the porous untoasted side so it can soak in. (this is recommended in lady llanover's recipe, which appears on page of this book.) although the original bread for rabbit toast was white, there is now no limit in choice among whole wheat, graham, rolls, muffins, buns, croutons and crackers, to infinity. no. (with milk) for a rich milk rabbit use / cup thin cream, evaporated milk, whole milk or buttermilk, instead of beer as in no. . then, to keep everything bland, cut down the mustard by half or leave it out, and use paprika in place of cayenne. as in no. , the use of worcestershire sauce is optional, although our feeling is that any spirited rabbit would resent its being left out. either of these basic recipes can be made without eggs, and more cheaply, although the beaten egg is a guarantee against stringiness. when the egg is missing, we are sad to record that a teaspoon or so of cornstarch generally takes its place. rabbiteers are of two minds about fast and slow heating and stirring, so you'll have to adjust that to your own experience and rhythm. as a rule, the heat is reduced when the cheese is almost melted, and speed of stirring slows when the eggs and last ingredients go in. many moderns who have found that monosodium glutamate steps up the flavor of natural cheese, put it in at the start, using one-half teaspoon for each cup of grated cheddar. when it comes to pepper you are fancy-free. as both black and white pepper are now held in almost equal esteem, you might equip your hutch with twin hand-mills to do the grinding fresh, for this is always worth the trouble. tabasco sauce is little used and needs a cautious hand, but some addicts can't leave it out any more than they can swear off the worcestershire. the school that plumps for malty rabbits and the other that goes for milky ones are equally emphatic in their choice. so let us consider the compromise of our old friend frederick philip stieff, the baltimore _homme de bouche_, as he set it forth for us years ago in _ , snacks_: "the idea of cooking a rabbit with beer is an exploded and dangerous theory. tap your keg or open your case of ale or beer and serve _with_, not in your rabbit." the stieff recipe basic milk rabbit (_completely surrounded by a lake of malt beverages_) cups grated sharp cheese heaping tablespoons butter - / cups milk eggs heaping tablespoon mustard teaspoons worcestershire sauce pepper, salt and paprika to taste--then add more of each. grease well with butter the interior of your double boiler so that no hard particles of cheese will form in the mixture later and contribute undesirable lumps. put cheese, well-grated, into the double boiler and add butter and milk. from this point vigorous stirring should be indulged in until rabbit is ready for serving. prepare a mixture of worcestershire sauce, mustard, pepper, salt and paprika. these should be beaten until light and then slowly poured into the double boiler. nothing now remains to be done except to stir and cook down to proper consistency over a fairly slow flame. the finale has not arrived until you can drip the rabbit from the spoon and spell the word _finis_ on the surface. pour over two pieces of toast per plate and send anyone home who does not attack it at once. this is sufficient for six gourmets or four gourmands. _nota bene_: a welsh rabbit, to be a success, should never be of the consistency whereby it may be used to tie up bundles, nor yet should it bounce if inadvertently dropped on the kitchen floor. lady llanover's toasted welsh rabbit cut a slice of the real welsh cheese made of sheep's and cow's milk; toast it at the fire on both sides, but not so much as to drop (melt). toast on one side a piece of bread less than / inch thick, to be quite crisp, and spread it very thinly with fresh, cold butter on the toasted side. (it must not be saturated.) lay the toasted cheese upon the untoasted bread side and serve immediately on a very hot plate. the butter on the toast can, of course, be omitted. (it is more frequently eaten without butter.) from this original toasting of the cheese many englishmen still call welsh rabbit "toasted cheese," but lady llanover goes on to point out that the toasted rabbit of her wales and the melted or stewed buck rabbit of england (which has become our american standard) are as different in the making as the regional cheeses used in them, and she says that while doctors prescribed the toasted welsh as salubrious for invalids, the stewed cheese of olde england was "only adapted to strong digestions." english literature rings with praise for the toasted cheese of wales and england. there is christopher north's eloquent "threads of unbeaten gold, shining like gossamer filaments (that may be pulled from its tough and tenacious substance)." yet not all of the references are complimentary. thus shakespeare in _king lear_: look, look a mouse! peace, peace;--this piece of toasted cheese will do it. and sydney smith's: old friendships are destroyed by toasted cheese, and hard salted meat has led to suicide. but rhys davis in _my wales_ makes up for such rudenesses: _the welsh enter heaven_ the lord had been complaining to st. peter of the dearth of good singers in heaven. "yet," he said testily, "i hear excellent singing outside the walls. why are not those singers here with me?" st. peter said, "they are the welsh. they refuse to come in; they say they are happy enough outside, playing with a ball and boxing and singing such songs as '_suspan fach_'" the lord said, "i wish them to come in here to sing bach and mendelssohn. see that they are in before sundown." st. peter went to the welsh and gave them the commands of the lord. but still they shook their heads. harassed, st. peter went to consult with st. david, who, with a smile, was reading the works of caradoc evans. st. david said, "try toasted cheese. build a fire just inside the gates and get a few angels to toast cheese in front of it" this st. peter did. the heavenly aroma of the sizzling, browning cheese was wafted over the walls and, with loud shouts, a great concourse of the welsh came sprinting in. when sufficient were inside to make up a male voice choir of a hundred, st peter slammed the gates. however, it is said that these are the only welsh in heaven. and, lest we forget, the wonderful drink that made alice grow and grow to the ceiling of wonderland contained not only strawberry jam but toasted cheese. then there's the frightening nursery rhyme: the irishman loved usquebaugh, the scot loved ale called bluecap. the welshman, he loved toasted cheese, and made his mouth like a mousetrap. the irishman was drowned in usquebaugh, the scot was drowned in ale, the welshman he near swallowed a mouse but he pulled it out by the tail. and, perhaps worst of all, shakespeare, no cheese-lover, this tune in _merry wives of windsor_: 'tis time i were choked by a bit of toasted cheese. an elaboration of the simple welsh original went english with dr. william maginn, the london journalist whose facile pen enlivened the _blackwoods magazine_ era with _ten tales_: [illustration] dr. maginn's rabbit much is to be said in favor of toasted cheese for supper. it is the cant to say that welsh rabbit is heavy eating. i like it best in the genuine welsh way, however--that is, the toasted bread buttered on both sides profusely, then a layer of cold roast beef with mustard and horseradish, and then, on the top of all, the superstratum, of cheshire _thoroughly_ saturated, while, in the process of toasting, with genuine porter, black pepper, and shallot vinegar. i peril myself upon the assertion that this is not a heavy supper for a man who has been busy all day till dinner in reading, writing, walking or riding--who has occupied himself between dinner and supper in the discussion of a bottle or two of sound wine, or any equivalent--and who proposes to swallow at least three tumblers of something hot ere he resigns himself to the embrace of somnus. with these provisos, i recommend toasted cheese for supper. the popularity of this has come down to us in the succinct summing-up, "toasted cheese hath no master." the welsh original became simple after dr. maginn's supper sandwich was served, a century and a half ago; for it was served as a savory to sum up and help digest a dinner, in this form: after-dinner rabbit remove all crusts from bread slices, toast on both sides and soak to saturation in hot beer. melt thin slices of sharp old cheese in butter in an iron skillet, with an added spot of beer and dry english mustard. stir steadily with a wooden spoon and, when velvety, serve a-sizzle on piping hot beer-soaked toast. while toasted cheese undoubtedly was the number one dairy dish of anglo-saxons, stewed cheese came along to rival it in elizabethan london. this sophisticated, big-city dish, also called a buck rabbit, was the making of ye olde cheshire cheese on fleet street, where dr. johnson later presided. and it must have been the pick of the town back in the days when barrooms still had sawdust on the floor, for the learned doctor endorsed old omar khayyam's love of the pub with: "there is nothing which has been contrived by man by which so much happiness is produced as by a good tavern." yet he was no gourmet, as may be judged by his likening of a succulent, golden-fried oyster to "a baby's ear dropped in sawdust." perhaps it is just as well that no description of the world's first golden buck has come down from him. but we don't have to look far for on-the-spot pen pictures by other men of letters at "the cheese," as it was affectionately called. to a man they sang praises for that piping hot dish of preserved and beatified milk. inspired by stewed cheese, mark lemon, the leading rhymester of _punch_, wrote the following poem and dedicated it to the memory of lovelace: champagne will not a dinner make, nor caviar a meal men gluttonous and rich may take those till they make them ill if i've potatoes to my chop, and after chop have cheese, angels in pond and spiers's shop know no such luxuries. all that's necessary is an old-time "cheese stewer" or a reasonable substitute. the base of this is what was once quaintly called a "hot-water bath." this was a sort of miniature wash boiler just big enough to fit in snugly half a dozen individual tins, made squarish and standing high enough above the bath water to keep any of it from getting into the stew. in these tins the cheese is melted. but since such a tinsmith's contraption is hard to come by in these days of fireproof cooking glass, we suggest muffin tins, ramekins or even small cups to crowd into the bottom of your double boiler or chafing dish. but beyond this we plump for a revival of the "cheese stewer" in stainless steel, silver or glass. in the ritual at "the cheese," these dishes, brimming over, "bubbling and blistering with the stew," followed a pudding that's still famous. although down the centuries the recipe has been kept secret, the identifiable ingredients have been itemized as follows: "tender steak, savory oyster, seductive kidney, fascinating lark, rich gravy, ardent pepper and delicate paste"--not to mention mushrooms. and after the second or third helping of pudding, with a pint of stout, bitter, or the mildest and mellowest brown october ale in a dented pewter pot, "the stewed cheshire cheese." cheese was the one and only other course prescribed by tradition and appetite from the time when charles ii aled and regaled nell gwyn at "the cheese," where shakespeare is said to have sampled this "kind of a glorified welsh rarebit, served piping hot in the square shallow tins in which it is cooked and garnished with sippets of delicately colored toast." among early records is this report of addison's in _the spectator_ of september , : they yawn for a cheshire cheese, and begin about midnight, when the whole company is disposed to be drowsy. he that yawns widest, and at the same time so naturally as to produce the most yawns amongst his spectators, carries home the cheese. only a short time later, in , the proprietor of simpson's in the strand inaugurated a daily guessing contest that drew crowds to his fashionable eating and drinking place. he would set forth a huge portion of cheese and wager champagne and cigars for the house that no one present could correctly estimate the weight, height and girth of it. as late as , when boswell was accompanying dr. johnson to "the cheese," records of st. dunstan's club, which also met there, showed that the current price of a buck rabbit was tuppence, and that this was also the amount of the usual tip. ye original recipe - / ounces butter cup cream - / cups grated cheshire cheese (more pungent, snappier, richer, and more brightly colored than its first cousin, cheddar) heat butter and cream together, then stir in the cheese and let it stew. you dunk fingers of toast directly into your individual tin, or pour the stewed rabbit over toast and brown the top under a blistering salamander. the salamander is worth modernizing, too, so you can brand your own rabbits with your monogram or the design of your own rabbitry. such a branding iron might be square, like the stew tin, and about the size of a piece of toast it is notable that there is no beer or ale in this recipe, but not lamentable, since all aboriginal cheese toasts were washed down in tossing seas of ale, beer, porter, stout, and 'arf and 'arf. this creamy stewed buck, on which the literary greats of johnson's time supped while they smoked their church wardens, received its highest praise from an american newspaper woman who rhapsodized in : "then came stewed cheese, on the thin shaving of crisp, golden toast in hot silver saucers--so hot that the cheese was the substance of thick cream, the flavor of purple pansies and red raspberries commingled." this may seem a bit flowery, but in truth many fine cheeses hold a trace of the bouquet of the flowers that have enriched the milk. alpine blooms and herbs haunt the gruyère, parmesan wafts the scent of parma violets, the flower cheese of england is perfumed with the petals of rose, violet, marigold and jasmine. oven rabbit (from an old recipe) chop small / pound of cooking cheese. put it, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut, in a little saucepan, and as the butter melts and the cheese gets warm, mash them together, when softened add yolks of eggs, / teacupful of ale, a little cayenne pepper and salt. stir with a wooden spoon one way only, until it is creamy, but do not let it boil, for that would spoil it. place some slices of buttered toast on a dish, pour the rarebit upon them, and set inside-the oven about minutes before serving. yorkshire rabbit _(originally called gherkin buck, from a pioneer recipe_) put into a saucepan / pound of cheese, sprinkle with pepper (black, of course) to taste, pour over / teacup of ale, and convert the whole into a smooth, creamy mass, over the fire, stirring continually, for about minutes. in more minutes it should be done. ( minutes altogether is the minimum.) pour it over slices of hot toast, place a piece of broiled bacon on the top of each and serve as hot as possible. golden buck a golden buck is simply the basic welsh rabbit with beer (no. ) plus a poached egg on top. the egg, sunny side up, gave it its shining name a couple of centuries ago. nowadays some chafing dish show-offs try to gild the golden buck with dashes of ginger and spice. golden buck ii this is only a golden buck with the addition of bacon strips. the venerable yorkshire buck spread / -inch slices of bread with mustard and brown in hot oven. then moisten each slice with / glass of ale, lay on top a slice of cheese / -inch thick, and slices of bacon on top of that. put back in oven, cook till cheese is melted and the bacon crisp, and serve piping hot, with tankards of cold ale. bacon is the thing that identifies any yorkshire rabbit. yale college welsh rabbit (moriarty's) jigger of beer / teaspoon salt / teaspoon black pepper / teaspoon mustard - / cups grated or shaved cheese more beer pour the jigger of beer into "a low saucepan," dash on the seasonings, add the cheese and stir unremittingly, moistening from time to time with more beer, a pony or two at a time. when creamy, pour over buttered toast ( slices for this amount) and serve with still more beer. there are two schools of postgraduate rabbit-hunters: yale, as above, with beer both in the rabbit and with it; and the other featured in the stieff recipe, which prefers leaving it out of the rabbit, but taps a keg to drink with it. the ancient age of moriarty's campus classic is registered by the use of pioneer black pepper in place of white, which is often used today and is thought more sophisticated by some than the red cayenne of rector's naughty nineties chafing dish rabbit, which is precisely the same as our basic recipe no. . border-hopping bunny, or frijole rabbit - / tablespoons butter - / tablespoons chopped onion tablespoons chopped pepper, green or red, or both - / teaspoon chili powder small can kidney beans, drained - / tablespoons catsup / teaspoon worcestershire salt cups grated cheese cook onion and pepper lightly in butter with chili powder; add kidney beans and seasonings and stir in the cheese until melted. serve this beany bunny peppery hot on tortillas or crackers, toasted and buttered. in the whole hutch of kitchen rabbitry the most popular modern ones are made with tomato, a little or lots. they hop in from everywhere, from mexico to south africa, and call for all kinds of quirks, down to mixing in some dried beef, and there is even a skimpy tomato rabbit for reducers, made with farmer cheese and skimmed milk. although the quaintly named rum tum tiddy was doubtless the great-grandpappy of all tomato rabbits, a richer, more buttery and more eggy one has taken its place as the standard today. the following is a typical recipe for this, tried and true, since it has had a successful run through a score of the best modern cookbooks, with only slight personal changes to keep its juice a-flowing blood-red. tomato rabbit tablespoons butter tablespoons flour / cup thin cream or evaporated milk / cup canned tomato pulp, rubbed through a sieve to remove seeds a pinch of soda cups grated cheese pinches of dry mustard, salt and cayenne eggs, lightly beaten blend flour in melted butter, add cream slowly, and when this white sauce is a little thick, stir in tomato sprinkled with soda. keep stirring steadily while adding cheese and seasonings, and when cooked enough, stir in the eggs to make a creamy texture, smooth as silk. serve on buttered whole wheat or graham bread for a change. instead of soda, some antiquated recipes call for "a tablespoon of bicarbonate of potash." south african tomato rabbit this is the same as above, except that / teaspoon of sugar is used in place of the soda and the rabbit is poured over baked pastry cut into squares and sprinkled with parsley, chopped fine, put in the oven and served immediately. rum tum tiddy, rink tum ditty, etc. (old boston style) tablespoon butter onion, minced teaspoon salt big pinch of pepper cups cooked tomatoes tablespoon sugar cups grated store cheese egg, lightly beaten slowly fry onion bright golden in butter, season and add tomatoes with sugar. heat just under the bubbling point. don't let it boil, but keep adding cheese and shaking the pan until it melts. then stir in egg gently and serve very hot tomato soup rabbit can condensed tomato soup cups grated cheese / teaspoon english mustard egg, lightly beaten salt and pepper heat soup, stir in cheese until melted, add mustard and egg slowly, season and serve hot. this is a quickie rum tum tiddy, without any onion, a poor, housebroken version of the original. it can be called a celery rabbit if you use a can of celery soup in place of the tomato. onion rum tum tiddy prepare as in rum tum tiddy, but use only - / cups cooked tomatoes and add / cup of mashed boiled onions. sherry rum tum tiddy tablespoon butter small onion, minced small green pepper, minced can tomato soup / cup milk cups grated cheese / teaspoon worcestershire sauce salt and pepper egg, lightly beaten jigger sherry crackers prepare as in rum tum tiddy. stir in sherry last to retain its flavor. crumble crackers into a hot tureen until it's about / full and pour the hot rum tum tiddy over them. blushing bunny this is a sister-under-the-skin to the old-fashioned rum tum tiddy, except that her complexion is made a little rosier with a lot of paprika in place of plain pepper, and the paprika cooked in from the start, of course. blushing bunny is one of those playful english names for dishes, like pink poodle, scotch woodcock (given below), bubble and squeak _(bubblum squeakum_), and toad in the hole. scotch woodcock another variant of rum tum tiddy. make your rum tum tiddy, but before finishing up with the beaten egg, stir in heaping tablespoons of anchovy paste and prepare the buttered toast by laying on slices of hard-cooked eggs. american woodchuck - / cups tomato purée cups grated cheese egg, lightly beaten cayenne tablespoon brown sugar salt and pepper heat the tomato and stir in the cheese. when partly melted stir in the egg and, when almost cooked, add seasonings without ever interrupting the stirring. pour over hot toasted crackers or bread. no doubt this all-american tomato rabbit with brown sugar was named after the native woodchuck, in playful imitation of the scotch woodcock above. it's the only rabbit we know that's sweetened with brown sugar. running rabbit (_as served at the waldorf-astoria, first annual cheeselers field day, november , _) cut finest old american cheese in very small pieces and melt in saucepan with a little good beer. season and add worcestershire sauce. serve instantly with freshly made toast. this running cony can be poured over toast like any other rabbit, or over crushed crackers in a hot tureen, as in sherry rum tum tiddy, or served like fondue, in the original cooking bowl or pan, with the spoon kept moving in it in one direction only and the rabbit following the spoon, like a greyhound following the stuffed rabbit at the dog races. mexican chilaly tablespoon butter tablespoons chopped green pepper - / tablespoons chopped onion cup chopped and drained canned tomatoes, without seeds - / cups grated cheese / teaspoon salt dash of cayenne egg, lightly beaten tablespoons canned tomato juice water cress cook pepper and onion lightly in butter, add tomato pulp and cook minutes before putting over boiling water and stirring steadily as you add cheese and seasonings. moisten the egg with the tomato juice and stir in until the rabbit is thick and velvety. serve on toast and dress with water cress. this popular modern rabbit seems to be a twin to rum tum tiddy in spite of the centuries' difference in age. fluffy, eggy rabbit stir up a chilaly as above, but use well-beaten eggs to make it more fluffy, and leave out the watercress. serve it hot over cold slices of hard-cooked eggs crowded flat on hot buttered toast, to make it extra eggy. grilled tomato rabbit slice big, red, juicy tomatoes / -inch thick, season with salt, pepper and plenty of brown sugar. dot both sides with all the butter that won't slip off. heat in moderate oven, and when almost cooked, remove and broil on both sides. put on hot plates in place of the usual toast and pour the rabbit over them. (the rabbit is made according to either basic recipe no. or no. .) slices of crisp bacon on top of the tomato slices and a touch of horseradish help. grilled tomato and onion rabbit slice / -inch thick an equal number of tomato and onion rings. season with salt, pepper, brown sugar and dots of butter. heat in moderate oven, and when almost cooked remove and broil lightly. on hot plates lay first the onion rings, top with the tomato ones and pour the rabbit over, as in the plain grilled tomato recipe above. for another onion-flavored rabbit see celery and onion rabbit. the devil's own (_a fresh tomato variant_) tablespoons butter large peeled tomato in thick slices - / cups grated cheese / teaspoon english mustard a pinch of cayenne a dash of tabasco sauce tablespoons chili sauce / cup ale or beer egg, lightly beaten sauté tomato slices lightly on both sides in tablespoon butter. keep warm on hot platter while you make the toast and a basic rabbit, pepped up by the extra-hot seasonings listed above. put hot tomato slices on hot toast on hot plates; pour the hot mixture over. dried beef or chipped beef rabbit tablespoon butter cup canned tomato, drained, chopped and de-seeded / pound dried beef, shredded eggs, lightly beaten / teaspoon pepper cups grated cheese heat tomato in butter, add beef and eggs, stir until mixed well, then sprinkle with pepper, stir in the grated cheese until smooth and creamy. serve on toast. no salt is needed on this jerked steer meat that is called both dried beef and chipped beef on this side of the border, _tasajo_ on the other side, and _xarque_ when you get all the way down to brazil. kansas jack rabbit cup milk tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cups grated cheese cup cream-style corn salt and pepper make a white sauce of milk, butter and flour and stir in cheese steadily and gradually until melted. add corn and season to taste. serve on hot buttered toast. kansas has plenty of the makings for this, yet the dish must have been easier to make on baron münchhausen's "island of cheese," where the cornstalks produced loaves of bread, ready-made, instead of ears, and were no doubt crossed with long-eared jacks to produce corn rabbits quite as miraculous. after tomatoes, in popularity, come onions and then green peppers or canned pimientos as vegetable ingredients in modern, americanized rabbits. and after that, corn, as in the following recipe which appeals to all latin-americans from mexico to chile because it has everything. latin-american corn rabbit tablespoons butter green pepper, chopped large onion, chopped / cup condensed tomato soup cups grated cheese teaspoon salt / teaspoon black pepper / teaspoon worcestershire sauce cup canned corn egg, lightly beaten fry pepper and onion minutes in butter; add soup, cover and cook minutes more. put over boiling water; add cheese with seasonings and stir steadily, slowly adding the corn, and when thoroughly blended and creamy, moisten the egg with a little of the liquid, stir in until thickened and then pour over hot toast or crackers. mushroom-tomato rabbit in one pan commence frying in butter cup of sliced fresh mushrooms, and in another make a rabbit by melting over boiling water cups of grated cheese with / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon paprika. stir steadily and, when partially melted, stir in a can of condensed tomato soup, previously heated. then add the fried mushrooms slowly, stir until creamy and pour over hot toast or crackers. celery and onion rabbit / cup chopped hearts of celery small onion, chopped tablespoon butter - / cups grated sharp cheese salt and pepper in a separate pan boil celery and onion until tender. meanwhile, melt cheese with butter and seasonings and stir steadily. when nearly done stir the celery and onion in gradually, until smooth and creamy. pour over buttered toast and brown with a salamander or under the grill. asparagus rabbit make as above, substituting a cupful of tender sliced asparagus tops for the celery and onion. oyster rabbit dozen oysters and their liquor teaspoon butter eggs, lightly beaten large pinch of salt small pinch of cayenne cups grated cheese heat oysters until edges curl and put aside to keep warm while you proceed to stir up a rabbit. when cheese is melted add the eggs with some of the oyster liquor and keep stirring. when the rabbit has thickened to a smooth cream, drop in the warm oysters to heat a little more, and serve on hot buttered toast. sea-food rabbits _(crab, lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, abalone, squid, octopi; anything that swims in the sea or crawls on the bottom of the ocean)_ shred, flake or mince a cupful of any freshly cooked or canned sea food and save some of the liquor, if any. make according to oyster rabbit recipe above. instead of using only one kind of sea food, try several, mixed according to taste. spike this succulent sea rabbit with horseradish or a dollop of sherry, for a change. "bouquet of the sea" rabbit the seafaring portuguese set the style for this lush bouquet of as many different kinds of cooked fish (tuna, cod, salmon, etc.) as can be sardined together in the whirlpool of melted cheese in the chafing dish. they also accent it with tidbits of sea food as above. other fish rabbit, fresh or dried any cooked fresh fish, flaked or shredded, from the alewife to the whale, or cooked dried herring, finnan haddie, mackerel, cod, and so on, can be stirred in to make a basic rabbit more tasty. happy combinations are hit upon in mixing leftovers of several kinds by the cupful. so the odd old cookbook direction, "add a cup of fish," takes on new meaning. grilled sardine rabbit make a basic rabbit and pour it over sardines, skinned, boned, halved and grilled, on buttered toast. similarly cooked fillets of any small fish will make as succulent a grilled rabbit. roe rabbits slice cooked roe of shad or toothsome eggs of other fish, grill on toast, butter well and pour a basic rabbit over. although shad roe is esteemed the finest, there are many other sapid ones of salmon, herring, flounder, cod, etc. plain sardine rabbit make basic rabbit with only cups of cheese, and in place of the egg yolks and beer, stir in a large tin of sardines, skinned, boned and flaked. anchovy rabbit make basic rabbit, add tablespoon of imported east indian chutney with the egg yolks and beer at the finish, spread toast thickly with anchovy paste and butter, and pour the rabbit over. smoked sturgeon, whiting, eel, smoked salmon, and the like lay cold slices or flakes of any fine smoked fish (and all of them are fine) on hot buttered toast and pour a basic rabbit over the fish. the best combination we ever tasted is made by laying a thin slice of smoked salmon over a thick one of smoked sturgeon. smoked cheddar rabbit with or without smoked fish, rabbit-hunters whose palates crave the savor of a wisp of smoke go for a basic rabbit made with smoked cheddar in place of the usual aged, but unsmoked, cheddar. we use a two-year-old that phil alpert, mr. cheese himself, brings down from canada and has specially smoked in the same savory room where sturgeon is getting the works. so his cheddar absorbs the de luxe flavor of six-dollar-per-pound sturgeon and is sold for a fraction of that. and just in case you are fishing around for something extra special, serve this smoky rabbit on oven-browned bombay ducks, those crunchy flat toasts of east indian fish. or go oriental by accompanying this with cups of smoky lapsang soochong china tea. crumby rabbit tablespoon butter cups grated cheese cup stale bread crumbs soaked with cup milk egg, lightly beaten salt cayenne toasted crackers melt cheese in butter, stir in the soaked crumbs and seasonings. when cooked smooth and creamy, stir in the egg to thicken the mixture and serve on toasted crackers, dry or buttered, for contrast with the bread. some rabbiteers monkey with this, lacing it with half a cup of catsup, making a sort of pink baboon out of what should be a white monkey. there is a cult for crumby rabbits variations on which extend all the way to a deep casserole dish called baked rabbit and consisting of alternate layers of stale bread crumbs and grated-cheese crumbs. this illegitimate three-layer rabbit is moistened with eggs beaten up with milk, and seasoned with salt and paprika. crumby tomato rabbit teaspoons butter cups grated cheese / cup soft bread crumbs cup tomato soup salt and pepper egg, lightly beaten melt cheese in butter, moisten bread crumbs with the tomato soup and stir in; season, add egg and keep stirring until velvety. serve on toasted crackers, as a contrast to the bread crumbs. gherkin or irish rabbit tablespoons butter cups grated cheese / cup milk (or beer) a dash of vinegar / teaspoon mustard salt and pepper / cup chopped gherkin pickles melt cheese in butter, steadily stir in liquid and seasonings. keep stirring until smooth, then add the pickles and serve. this may have been called irish after the green of the pickle. dutch rabbit melt thin slices of any good cooking cheese in a heavy skillet with a little butter, prepared mustard, and a splash of beer. have ready some slices of toast soaked in hot beer or ale and pour the rabbit over them. the temperance version of this substitutes milk for beer and delicately soaks the toast in hot water instead. proof that there is no anglo-saxon influence here lies in the use of prepared mustard. the english, who still do a lot of things the hard way, mix their biting dry mustard fresh with water before every meal, while the germans and french bottle theirs, as we do. pumpernickel rabbit this german deviation is made exactly the same as the dutch rabbit above, but its ingredients are the opposite in color. black bread (pumpernickel) slices are soaked in heated dark beer (porter or stout) and the yellow cheese melted in the skillet is also stirred up with brunette beer. since beer is a kind of liquid bread, it is natural for the two to commingle in rabbits whether they are blond dutch or black pumpernickel. and since cheese is only solid milk, and the cheddar is noted for its beery smell, there is further affinity here. an old english proverb sums it up neatly: "bread and cheese are the two targets against death." by the way, the word pumpernickel is said to have been coined when napoleon tasted his first black bread in germany. contemptuously he spat it out with: "this would be good for my horse, nicole." "_bon pour nicole_" in french. gruyère welsh rabbit _au gratin_ cut crusts from a half-dozen slices of bread. toast them lightly, lay in a roasting pan and top each with a matching slice of imported gruyère / -inch thick. pepper to taste and cover with bread crumbs. put in oven minutes and rush to the ultimate consumer. to our american ears anything _au gratin_ suggests "with cheese," so this rabbit _au gratin_ may sound redundant. to a frenchman, however, it means a dish covered with bread crumbs. swiss cheese rabbit / cup white wine, preferably neufchâtel / cup grated gruyère teaspoon worcestershire sauce / saltspoon paprika egg yolks stir wine and seasonings together with the cheese until it melts, then thicken with the egg yolks, stirring at least more minutes until smooth. sherry rabbit cups grated cheese / cup cream or evaporated milk / cup sherry / teaspoon english mustard / teaspoon worcestershire sauce a dash of paprika heat cheese over hot water, with or without a bit of butter, and when it begins to melt, stir in the cream. keep stirring until almost all of the cheese is melted, then add sherry. when smooth and creamy, stir in the mustard and worcestershire sauce, and after pouring over buttered toast dash with paprika for color. spanish sherry rabbit tablespoons butter tablespoons flour bouillon cube, mashed / teaspoon salt / teaspoon dry mustard - / cups milk - / cups grated cheese jigger sherry make a smooth paste of butter, flour, bouillon cube and seasonings, and add milk slowly. when well-heated stir in the cheese gradually. continue stirring at least minutes, and when well-blended stir in the sherry and serve on hot, buttered toast. pink poodle tablespoons butter tablespoon chopped onion tablespoon flour jigger california claret cup cream of tomato soup a pinch of soda / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon salt teaspoon paprika a dash of powdered cloves cups grated cheese egg, lightly beaten cook onion in butter until light golden, then blend in flour, wine and soup with the soda and all seasonings. stir in cheese slowly until melted and finish off by thickening with the egg and stirring until smooth and velvety. serve on crisp, buttered toast with a dry red wine. although wine rabbits, red or white, are as unusual as swiss ones with gruyère in place of cheddar, wine is commonly drunk with anything from a golden buck to a blushing bunny. but for most of us, a deep draught of beer or ale goes best with an even deeper draught of the mellow scent of a cheddar golden-yellow. savory eggy dry rabbit / pound butter cups grated gruyère eggs, well-beaten salt pepper mustard melt butter and cheese together with the beaten eggs, stirring steadily with wooden spoon until soft and smooth. season and pour over dry toast. this "dry" rabbit, in which the volume of the eggs makes up for any lacking liquid, is still served as a savory after the sweets to finish a fine meal in some old-fashioned english homes and hostelries. cream cheese rabbit this rabbit, made with a package of cream cheese, is more scrambled hen fruit than rabbit food, for you simply scramble a half-dozen eggs with butter, milk, salt, pepper and cayenne, and just before the finish work in the cheese until smooth and serve on crackers--water crackers for a change. reducing rarebit (tomato rarebit)[a] yield: servings. calories per serving. / pound farmer cheese eggs level tablespoon powdered milk level teaspoon baking powder teaspoon gelatin or agar powder egg tomatoes, quartered, or tomatoes, quartered teaspoon caraway seeds / teaspoon garlic powder teaspoon parsley flakes / head lettuce and/or cucumber / cup wine vinegar salt and pepper to taste [footnote a: (from _the low-calory cookbook_ by bernard koten, published by random house)] fill bottom of double boiler with water to / mark. sprinkle salt in upper part of double boiler. boil over medium flame. when upper part is hot, put in cheese, powdered milk, baking powder, gelatin, caraway seeds and pepper and garlic powder to taste. mix. break eggs into this mixture, cook over low flame, continually stirring. add tomatoes when mixture bubbles and continue cooking and stirring until tomatoes have been cooked soft. remove to lettuce and/or cucumber (sliced thin) which has been slightly marinated in wine vinegar and sprinkle the parsley flakes over the top of the mixture. curry rabbit tablespoon cornstarch cups milk - / cups grated cheese tablespoon minced chives green onions, minced shallots, minced / teaspoon imported curry powder tablespoon chutney sauce dissolve cornstarch in a little of the milk and scald the rest over hot water. thicken with cornstarch mixture and stir in the cheese, chives, onions, shallots, curry and chutney while wooden-spooning steadily until smooth and sizzling enough to pour over buttered toast. people who can't let well enough alone put cornstarch in rabbits, just as they add soda to spoil the cooking of vegetables. ginger ale rabbit simply substitute ginger ale for the real thing in the no. rabbit of all time. buttermilk rabbit substitute buttermilk for plain milk in the no. rabbit. to be consistent, use fresh-cured buttermilk cheese, instead of the usual cheddar of fresh cow's milk. this is milder. eggnog rabbit tablespoons sweet butter cups grated mellow cheddar - / cups eggnog dashes of spice to taste. after melting the cheese in butter, stir in the eggnog and keep stirring until smooth and thickened. season or not, depending on taste and the quality of eggnog employed. ever since the innovation of bottled eggnogs fresh from the milkman in holiday season, such supremely creamy and flavorful rabbits have been multiplying as fast as guinea pigs. all-american succotash rabbit cup milk tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cups grated cheese cup creamed succotash, strained salt and pepper make a white sauce of milk, butter and flour and stir in the cheese steadily and gradually until melted. add the creamed succotash and season to taste. serve on toasted, buttered corn bread. danish rabbit quart warm milk cups grated cheese stir together to boiling point and pour over piping-hot toast in heated bowl. this is an esteemed breakfast dish in north denmark. as in all rabbits, more or less cheese may be used, to taste. easy english rabbit soak bread slices in hot beer. melt thin slices of cheese with butter in iron frying pan, stir in a few spoonfuls of beer and a bit of prepared mustard. when smoothly melted, pour over the piping-hot, beer-soaked toast. [illustration] _chapter six_ the fondue there is a conspiracy among the dictionary makers to take the heart out of the fondue. webster makes it seem no better than a collapsed soufflé, with his definition: fondue. also, erroneously, _fondu_. a dish made of melted cheese, butter, eggs, and, often, milk and bread crumbs. thorndike-barnhart further demotes this dish, that for centuries has been one of the world's greatest, to "a combination of melted cheese, eggs and butter" and explains that the name comes from the french _fondre_, meaning melt. the latest snub is delivered by the up-to-date _cook's quiz_ compiled by tv culinary experts: a baked dish with eggs, cheese, butter, milk and bread crumbs. a baked dish, indeed! yet the fondue has added to the gaiety and inebriety of nations, if not of dictionaries. it has commanded the respect of the culinary great. savarin, boulestin, andré simon, all have hailed its heavenly consistency, all have been regaled with its creamy, nay velvety, smoothness. a touch of garlic, a dash of kirsch, fresh ground black pepper, nutmeg, black pearl truffles of bugey, red cayenne pepper, the luscious gravy of roast turkey--such little matters help to make an authentic dunking fondue, not a baked fondue, mind you. jean-anthelme brillat-savarin a century and a half ago brought the original "receipt" with him and spread it around with characteristic generosity during the two years of his exile in new york after the french revolution. in his monumental _physiologie du goût_ he records an incident that occurred in : whilst passing through boston ... i taught the restaurant-keeper julien to make a _fondue_, or eggs cooked with cheese. this dish, a novelty to the americans, became so much the rage, that he (julien) felt himself obliged, by way of thanks, to send me to new york the rump of one of those pretty little roebucks that are brought from canada in winter, and which was declared exquisite by the chosen committee whom i convoked for the occasion. as the great french gourmet, savarin was born on the swiss border (at belley, in the fertile province of bugey, where gertrude stein later had a summer home), he no doubt ate gruyère three times a day, as is the custom in switzerland and adjacent parts. he sets down the recipe just as he got it from its swiss source, the papers of monsieur trolliet, in the neighboring canton of berne: take as many eggs as you wish to use, according to the number of your guests. then take a lump of good gruyère cheese, weighing about a third of the eggs, and a nut of butter about half the weight of the cheese. (since today's eggs in america weigh about - / ounces apiece, if you start the fondue with . your lump of good gruyère would come to / pound and your butter to / pound.) break and beat the eggs well in a flat pan, then add the butter and the cheese, grated or cut in small pieces. place the pan on a good fire and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is fairly thick and soft; put in a little or no salt, according to the age of the cheese, and a good deal of pepper, for this is one of the special attributes of this ancient dish. let it be placed on the table in a hot dish, and if some of the best wines be produced, and the bottle passed quite freely, a marvelous effect will be beheld. this has long been quoted as the proper way to make the national dish of switzerland. savarin tells of hearing oldsters in his district laugh over the bishop of belley eating his fondue with a spoon instead of the traditional fork, in the first decade of the 's. he tells, too, of a fondue party he threw for a couple of his septuagenarian cousins in paris "about the year ." the party was the result of much friendly taunting of the master: "by jove, jean, you have been bragging for such a long time about your fondues, you have continually made our mouths water. it is high time to put a stop to all this. we will come and breakfast with you some day and see what sort of thing this dish is." savarin invited them for ten o'clock next day, started them off with the table laid on a "snow white cloth, and in each one's place two dozen oysters with a bright golden lemon. at each end of the table stood a bottle of sauterne, carefully wiped, excepting the cork, which showed distinctly that it had been in the cellar for a long while.... after the oysters, which were quite fresh, came some broiled kidneys, a _terrine_ of _foie gras_, a pie with truffles, and finally the fondue. the different ingredients had all been assembled in a stewpan, which was placed on the table over a chafing dish, heated with spirits of wine. "then," savarin is quoted, "i commenced operations on the field of battle, and my cousins did not lose a single one of my movements. they were loud in the praise of this preparation, and asked me to let them have the receipt, which i promised them...." this fondue breakfast party that gave the nineteenth century such a good start was polished off with "fruits in season and sweets, a cup of genuine mocha, ... and finally two sorts of liqueurs, one a spirit for cleansing, and the other an oil for softening." this primitive swiss cheese fondue is now prepared more elaborately in what is called: neufchâtel style - / cups grated imported swiss - / tablespoons flour clove of garlic cup dry white wine crusty french "flute" or hard rolls cut into big mouthfuls, handy for dunking jigger kirsch salt pepper nutmeg the cheese should be shredded or grated coarsely and mixed well with the flour. use a chafing dish for cooking and a small heated casserole for serving. hub the bottom and sides of the blazer well with garlic, pour in the wine and heat to bubbling, just under boiling. add cheese slowly, half a cup at a time, and stir steadily in one direction only, as in making welsh rabbit. use a silver fork. season with very little salt, always depending on how salty the cheese is, but use plenty of black pepper, freshly ground, and a touch of nutmeg. then pour in the kirsch, stir steadily and invite guests to dunk their forked bread in the dish or in a smaller preheated casserole over a low electric or alcohol burner on the dining table. the trick is to keep the bubbling melted cheese in rhythmic motion with the fork, both up and down and around and around. the dunkers stab the hunks of crusty french bread through the soft part to secure a firm hold in the crust, for if your bread comes off in dunking you pay a forfeit, often a bottle of wine. the dunking is done as rhythmically as the stirring, guests taking regular turns at twirling the fork to keep the cheese swirling. when this "chafing dish cheese custard," as it has been called in england, is ready for eating, each in turn thrusts in his fork, sops up a mouthful with the bread for a sponge and gives the fondue a final stir, to keep it always moving in the same direction. all the while the heat beneath the dish keeps it gently bubbling. such a neufchâtel party was a favorite of king edward vii, especially when he was stepping out as the prince of wales. he was as fond of fondue as most of the great gourmets of his day and preferred it to welsh rabbit, perhaps because of the wine and kirsch that went into it. at such a party a little heated wine is added if the fondue gets too thick. when finally it has cooked down to a crust in the bottom of the dish, this is forked out by the host and divided among the guests as a very special dividend. any dry white wine will serve in a pinch, and the switzerland cheese association, in broadcasting this classical recipe, points out that any dry rum, slivovitz, or brandy, including applejack, will be a valid substitute for the kirsch. to us, applejack seems specially suited, when we stop to consider our native taste that has married apple pie to cheese since pioneer times. in culinary usage fondue means "melting to an edible consistency" and this, of course, doesn't refer to cheese alone, although we use it chiefly for that. in france fondue is also the common name for a simple dish of eggs scrambled with grated cheese and butter and served very hot on toasted bread, or filled into fancy paper cases, quickly browned on top and served at once. the reason for this is that all baked fondues fall as easily and as far as soufflés, although the latter are more noted for this failing. there is a similarity in the soft fluffiness of both, although the fondues are always more moist. for there is a stiff, stuffed-shirt buildup around any soufflé, suggesting a dressy dinner, while fondue started as a self-service dunking bowl. our modern tendency is to try to make over the original french fondue on the welsh rabbit model--to turn it into a sort of french rabbit. although we know that both gruyère and emmentaler are what we call swiss and that it is impossible in america to duplicate the rich alpine flavor given by the mountain herbs, we are inclined to try all sorts of domestic cheeses and mixtures thereof. but it's best to stick to savarin's "lump of gruyère" just as the neighboring french and italians do. it is interesting to note that this swiss alpine cooking has become so international that it is credited to italy in the following description we reprint from _when madame cooks_, by an englishman, eric weir: fondue à l'italienne this is one of those egg dishes that makes one feel really grateful to hens. from its name it originated probably in italy, but it has crossed the alps. i have often met it in france, but only once in italy. first of all, make a very stiff white sauce with butter, flour and milk. the sauce should be stiff enough to allow the wooden spoon to stand upright or almost. off the fire, add yolks of eggs and ounces of grated gruyère cheese. mix this in well with the white sauce and season with salt, pepper and some grated nutmeg. beat whites of egg firm. add the whites to the preparation, stir in, and pour into a pudding basin. take a large saucepan and fill half full of water. bring to a boil, and then place the pudding basin so that the top of the basin is well out of the water. allow to boil gently for - / to hours. renew the boiling water from time to time, as it evaporates, and take care that the water, in boiling, does not bubble over the mixture. test with a knife, as for a cake, to see if it is cooked. when the knife comes out clean, take the basin out of the water and turn the fondue out on a dish. it should be fairly firm and keep the shape of the basin. sprinkle with some finely chopped ham and serve hot. the imported swiss sometimes is cubed instead of grated, then marinated for four or five hours in dry white wine, before being melted and liquored with the schnapps. this can be pleasantly adopted here in: all-american fondue pound imported swiss cheese, cubed / cup scuppernong or other american white wine - / jiggers applejack after marinating the swiss cubes in the wine, simply melt together over hot water, stir until soft and creamy, add the applejack and dunk with fingers of toast or your own to a chorus of "all bound round with a woolen string." of course, this can be treated as a mere vinous welsh rabbit and poured over toast, to be accompanied by beer. but wine is the thing, for the french fondue is to dry wine what the rabbit is to stale ale or fresh beer. we say french instead of swiss because the french took over the dish so eagerly, together with the great gruyère that makes it distinctive. they internationalized it, sent it around the world with bouillabaisse and onion soup, that celestial _soupe à l'oignon_ on which snowy showers of grated gruyère descend. to put the welsh rabbit in its place they called it fondue à l'anglaise, which also points up the twinlike relationship of the world's two favorite dishes of melted cheese. but to differentiate and show they are not identical twins, the no. dish remained fromage fondue while the second was baptized fromage fondue à la bière. beginning with savarin the french whisked up more rapturous, rhapsodic writing about gruyère and its offspring, the fondue, together with the puffed soufflé, than about any other imported cheese except parmesan. parmesan and gruyère were praised as the two greatest culinary cheeses. a variant fondue was made of the italian cheese. parmesan fondue tablespoons butter cup grated parmesan cheese eggs, lightly beaten salt pepper over boiling water melt butter and cheese slowly, stir in the eggs, season to taste and stir steadily in one direction only, until smooth. pour over fingers of buttered toast. or spoon it up, as the ancients did, before there were any forks. it's beaten with a fork but eaten catch-as-catch-can, like chicken-in-the-rough. sapsago swiss fondue tablespoons butter tablespoons flour / teaspoon salt - / cups milk - / cups shredded swiss cheese - / tablespoons grated sapsago / cup dry white wine pepper, black and red, freshly ground fingers of toast over boiling water stir the first four ingredients into a smooth, fairly thick cream sauce. then stir in swiss cheese until well melted. after that add the sapsago, finely grated, and wine in small splashes. stir steadily, in one direction only, until velvety. season sharply with the contrasting peppers and serve over fingers of toast. this is also nice when served bubbling in individual, preheated pastry shells, casseroles or ramekins, although this way most of the fun of the dunking party is left out. to make up for it, however, cooked slices of mushrooms are sometimes added. at the cheese cellar in the new york world's fair swiss pavilion, where a continual dunking party was in progress, thousands of amateurs learned such basic things as not to overcook the fondue lest it become stringy, and the protocol of dunking in turn and keeping the mass in continual motion until the next on the fondue line dips in his cube of bread. the success of the dish depends on making it quickly, keeping it gently a-bubble and never letting it stand still for a split second. the swiss, who consume three or four times as much cheese per capita as we, and almost twice as much as the french, are willing to share fondue honors with the french alpine province of savoy, a natural cheese cellar with almost two dozen distinctive types of its very own, such as fat cheese, also called death's head; la grande bornand, a luscious half-dried sheep's milker; chevrotins, small, dry goat milk cheeses; and le vacherin. the latter, made in both savoy and switzerland, boasts two interesting variants: . _vacherin fondue or spiced fondue:_ made about the same as emmentaler, ripened to sharp age, and then melted, spices added and the cheese re-formed. it is also called spiced fondue and sells for about two dollars a pound. named fondue from being melted, though it's really recooked, . _vacherin à la main:_ this is a curiosity in cheeses, resembling a cold, uncooked fondue. made of cow's milk, it is round, a foot in diameter and half a foot high. it is salted and aged until the rind is hard and the inside more runny than the ripest camembert, so it can be eaten with a spoon (like the cooked fondue) as well as spread on bread. the local name for it is _tome de montagne_. here is a good assortment of fondues: vacherin-fribourg fondue tablespoons butter clove garlic, crushed cups shredded vacherin cheese tablespoons hot water this authentic quickie is started by cooking the garlic in butter until the butter is melted. then remove garlic and reduce heat. add the soft cheese and stir with silver fork until smooth and velvety. add the water in little splashes, stirring constantly in one direction. dunk! (in this melted swiss a little water takes the place of a lot of wine.) la fondue comtois this regional specialty of franche-comté is made with white wine. sauterne, chablis, riesling or any rhenish type will serve splendidly. also use butter, grated gruyère, beaten eggs and that touch of garlic. chives fondue cups grated swiss cheese tablespoons flour tablespoons butter garlic clove, crushed tablespoons finely chopped chives cup dry white wine salt freshly ground pepper a pinch of nutmeg / cup kirsch mix cheese and flour. melt butter in chafing-dish blazer rubbed with garlic. cook chives in butter minute. add wine and heat just under boiling. keep simmering as you add cheese-and-flour mix gradually, stirring always in one direction. salt according to age and sharpness of cheese; add plenty of freshly ground pepper and the pinch of nutmeg. when everything is stirred smooth and bubbling, toss in the kirsch without missing a stroke of the fork and get to dunking. large, crisp, hot potato chips make a pleasant change for dunking purposes. or try assorted crackers alternating with the absorbent bread, or hard rolls. tomato fondue tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped / teaspoon dried sweet basil clove garlic tablespoons butter / cup dry white wine cups grated cheddar cheese paprika mix basil with chopped tomatoes. rub chafing dish with garlic, melt butter, add tomatoes and much paprika. cook to minutes, add wine, stir steadily to boiling point. then add cheese, half a cup at a time, and keep stirring until everything is smooth. serve on hot toast, like welsh rabbit. here the two most popular melted-cheese dishes tangle, but they're held together with the common ingredient, tomato. fondue also appears as a sauce to pour over baked tomatoes. stale bread crumbs are soaked in tomato juice to make: tomato baked fondue cup tomato juice cup stale bread crumbs cup grated sharp american cheese tablespoon melted butter salt eggs, separated and well beaten soak crumbs in tomato juice, stir cheese in butter until melted, season with a little or no salt, depending on saltiness of the cheese. mix in the beaten yolks, fold in the white and bake about minutes in moderate oven. baked fondues although savarin's dunking fondue was first to make a sensation on these shores and is still in highest esteem among epicures, the fondue america took to its bosom was baked. the original recipe came from the super-caseous province of savoy under the explicit title, _la fondue au fromage_. la fondue au fromage make the usual creamy mixture of butter, flour, milk, yolks of eggs and gruyère, in thin slices for a change. use red pepper instead of black, splash in a jigger of kirsch but no white wine. finally fold in the egg whites and bake in a mold for minutes. we adapted this to our national taste which had already based the whole business of melted cheese on the welsh rabbit with stale ale or milk instead of white wine and worcestershire, mustard and hot peppers. today we have come up with this: % american fondue cups scalded milk cups stale bread crumbs / teaspoon dry english mustard salt dash of nutmeg dash of pepper cups american cheese (cheddar) egg yolks, well beaten egg whites, beaten stiff soak crumbs in milk, season and stir in the cheese until melted. add the beaten egg yolks and stir until you have a smooth mixture. let this cool while beating the whites stiff, leaving them slightly moist. fold the whites into the cool, custardy mix and bake in a buttered dish until firm. (about minutes in a moderate oven.) this is more of a baked cheese job than a true fondue, to our way of thinking, and the scalded milk doesn't exactly take the place of the wine or kirsch. it is characteristic of our bland cookery. other fondues plain and fancy, baked and not quickie catsup tummy fondiddy / pound sharp cheese, diced can condensed tomato soup / cup catsup / teaspoon mustard egg, lightly beaten in double boiler melt cheese in soup. blend thoroughly by constant stirring. remove from heat, lightly whip or fold in the catsup and mustard mixed with egg. serve on melba toast or rusks. this might be suggested as a novel midnight snack, with a cup of cocoa, for a change. cheese and rice fondue cup cooked rice cups milk eggs, separated and well beaten / cup grated cheese / teaspoon salt cayenne, worcestershire sauce or tabasco sauce, or all three heat rice (instead of bread crumbs) in milk, stir in cheese until melted, add egg yolks beaten lemon-yellow, season, fold in stiff egg whites. serve hot on toast. corn and cheese fondue cup bread crumbs large can creamed corn small onion, chopped / green pepper, chopped cups cottage cheese / teaspoon salt / cup milk eggs, well beaten mix all ingredients together and bake in buttered casserole set in pan of hot water. bake about hour in moderate oven, or until set. cheese fondue cup grated cheddar / cup crumbled roquefort cup pimento cheese tablespoons cream tablespoons butter teaspoon worcestershire stir everything together over hot water until smooth and creamy. then whisk until fluffy, moistening with more cream or mayonnaise if too stiff. serve on melba toast, or assorted thin toasted crackers. brick fondue / cup butter cups grated brick cheese / cup warm milk / teaspoon salt eggs melt butter and cheese together, use wire whisk to whip in the warm milk. season. take from fire and beat in the eggs, one at a time. please note that fondue protocol calls for each egg to be beaten separately in cases like this. serve over hot toast or crackers. cheddar dunk bowl / pound sharp cheddar cheese tablespoons cream / teaspoon dry mustard - / teaspoons worcestershire grate the cheese powdery fine and mash it together with the cream until fluffy. season and serve in a beautiful bowl for dunking in the original style of savarin, although this is a static imitation of the real thing. all kinds of crackers and colorful dips can be used, from celery stalks and potato chips to thin paddles cut from bombay duck. [illustration] _chapter seven_ soufflés, puffs and ramekins there isn't much difference between cheese soufflés, puffs and ramekins. the _english encyclopedia of practical cookery_, the oldest, biggest and best of such works in english, lumps cheese puffs and ramekins together, giving the same recipes for both, although it treats each extensively under its own name when not made with cheese. cheese was the basis of the original french ramequin, cheese and bread crumbs or puff paste, baked in a mold, (with puff again the principal factor in soufflé, from the french _souffler_, puff up). basic soufflé tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoons flour - / cups hot milk, scalded teaspoon salt a dash of cayenne / cup grated cheddar cheese, sharp egg yolks, beaten lemon-yellow egg whites, beaten stiff melt butter, stir in flour and milk gradually until thick and smooth. season and add the cheese, continuing the cooking and slow stirring until velvety. remove from heat and let cool somewhat; then stir in the egg yolks with a light hand and an upward motion. fold in the stiff whites and when evenly mixed pour into a big, round baking dish. (some butter it and some don't.) to make sure the top will be even when baked, run a spoon or knife around the surface, about inch from the edge of the dish, before baking slowly in a moderate oven until puffed high and beautifully browned. serve instantly for fear the soufflé may fall. the baking takes up to an hour and the egg whites shouldn't be beaten so stiff they are hard to fold in and contain no air to expand and puff up the dish. to perk up the seasonings, mustard, worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, nutmeg and even garlic are often used to taste, especially in england. while cheddar is the preferred cheese, parmesan runs it a close second. then comes swiss. you may use any two or all three of these together. sometimes roquefort is added, as in the ramekin recipes below. parmesan soufflé make the same as basic soufflé, with these small modifications in the ingredients: full cup of grated parmesan extra egg in place of the / cup of cheddar cheese a little more butter black pepper, not cayenne swiss soufflé make the same as basic soufflé, with these slight changes: - / cups grated swiss cheese instead of the cheddar cheese nutmeg in place of the cayenne parmesan-swiss soufflé make the same as basic soufflé, with these little differences: / cup grated swiss cheese, and / cup grated parmesan in place of the cheddar cheese / teaspoon each of sugar and black pepper for seasoning. any of these makes a light, lovely luncheon or a proper climax to a grand dinner. cheese-corn soufflé make as basic soufflé, substituting for the scalded milk cup of sieved and strained juice from cream-style canned corn. cheese-spinach soufflé sauté - / cups of finely chopped, drained spinach in butter with teaspoon finely grated onion, and then whip it until light and fluffy. mix well into the white sauce of the basic soufflé before adding the cheese and following the rest of the recipe. cheese-tomato soufflé substitute hot tomato juice for the scalded milk. cheese-sea-food soufflé add - / cups finely chopped or ground lobster, crab, shrimp, other sea food or mixture thereof, with any preferred seasoning added. cheese-mushroom soufflé - / cups grated sharp cheddar cup cream of mushroom soup paprika, to taste salt egg yolks, well beaten egg whites, beaten stiff tablespoons chopped, cooked bacon tablespoons sliced, blanched almonds heat cheese with soup and paprika, adding the cheese gradually and stirring until smooth. add salt and thicken the sauce with egg yolks, still stirring steadily, and finally fold in the whites. sprinkle with bacon and almonds and bake until golden brown and puffed high (about hour). cheese-potato soufflé (potato puff) potatoes onions tablespoon butter or margarine cup hot milk / cup grated cheddar cheese teaspoon salt a dash of pepper egg yolks, well beaten egg whites, beaten stiff / cup grated cheddar cheese cook potatoes and onions together until tender and put through a ricer. mix with all the other ingredients except the egg whites and the cheddar. fold in the egg whites, mix thoroughly and pour into a buttered baking dish. sprinkle the / cup of cheddar on top and bake in moderate oven about / hour, until golden-brown and well puffed. serve instantly. variations of this popular soufflé leave out the onion and simplify matters by using cups of mashed potatoes. sometimes tablespoon of catsup and another of minced parsley is added to the mixture. or onion juice alone, to take the place of the cooked onions--about a tablespoon, full or scant. the english, in concocting such a potato puff or soufflé, are inclined to make it extra peppery, as they do most of their cheese soufflés, with not only "a dust of black pepper" but "as much cayenne as may be stood on the face of a sixpence." cheese fritter soufflés these combine ham with parmesan cheese and are even more delicately handled in the making than crêpes suzette. puffs three-in-one puffs cup grated swiss cup grated parmesan cup cream cheese eggs, lightly beaten salt and pepper mix the cheeses into one mass moistened with the beaten eggs, splashed on at intervals. when thoroughly incorporated, put in ramekins, tiny tins, cups, or any sort of little mold of any shape. bake in hot oven about minutes, until richly browned. such miniature soufflés serve as liaison officers for this entire section, since they are baked in ramekins, or ramequins, from the french word for the small baking dish that holds only one portion. these may be paper boxes, usually round, earthenware, china, pyrex, of any attractive shape in which to bake or serve the puffs. more commonly, in america at least, puffs are made without ramekin dishes, as follows: fried puffs egg whites, beaten stiff / cup grated cheese tablespoon flour salt paprika into the stiff egg whites fold the cheese, flour and seasonings. when thoroughly mixed pat into shape desired, roll in crumbs and fry. roquefort puffs / pound genuine french roquefort egg white, beaten stiff crackers or -inch bread rounds cream the roquefort, fold in the egg white, pile on crackers and bake minutes in slow oven. the constant repetition of "beaten stiff" in these recipes may give the impression that the whites are badly beaten up, but such is not the case. they are simply whipped to peaks and left moist and glistening as a teardrop, with a slight sad droop to them that shows there is still room for the air to expand and puff things up in cooking. parmesan puffs make a spread of mayonnaise or other salad dressing with equal parts of imported parmesan, grated fine. spread on a score or more of crackers in a roomy pan and broil a couple of minutes till they puff up golden-brown. use only the best parmesan, imported from italy; or, second best, from argentina where the rich pampas grass and italian settlers get together on excellent parmesan and romano. never buy parmesan already grated; it quickly loses its flavor. breakfast puffs cup flour cup milk / cup finely grated cheese egg, lightly beaten / teaspoon salt mix all together to a smooth, light batter and fill ramekins or cups half full; then bake in quick oven until they are puffing over the top and golden-brown. danish fondue puffs stale roll / cup boiling hot milk salt pepper cups freshly grated cheddar cheese egg yolks, beaten lemon-yellow egg whites, beaten stiff soak roll in boiling milk and beat to a paste. mix with cheese and egg yolks. when smooth and thickened fold in the egg whites and fill ramekins, tins, cups or paper forms and slowly bake until puffed up and golden-brown. new england cheese puffs cup sifted flour teaspoon baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon hungarian paprika / teaspoon dry mustard egg yolks, beaten lemon-yellow / cup milk cup freshly grated cheddar cheese egg whites, beaten stiff but not dry sift dry ingredients together, mix yolks with milk and stir in. add cheese and when thoroughly incorporated fold in the egg whites to make a smooth batter. drop from a big spoon into hot deep fat and cook until well browned. caraway seeds are sometimes added. poppy seeds are also used, and either of these makes a snappier puff, especially tasty when served with soup. a few drops of tabasco give this an extra tang. cream cheese puffs / pound cream cheese cup milk eggs, lightly beaten / teaspoon salt / teaspoon dry mustard soften cheese by heating over hot water. remove from heat and add milk, eggs and seasoning. beat until well blended, then pour into custard cups, ramekins or any other individual baking dishes that are attractive enough to serve the puffs in. ramekins or ramequins some ramekin dishes are made so exquisitely that they may be collected like snuff bottles. ramekins are utterly french, both the cooked puffs and the individual dishes in which they are baked. essentially a cheese puff, this is also _au gratin_ when topped with both cheese and browned bread crumbs. by a sort of poetic cook's license the name is also applied to any kind of cake containing cheese and cooked in the identifying one-portion ramekin. it is used chiefly in the plural, however, together with the name of the chief ingredient, such as "chicken ramekins" and: cheese ramekins i eggs tablespoons flour / pound butter, melted / pound grated cheese mix well and bake in individual molds for minutes. cheese ramekins ii tablespoons melted butter / teaspoon each, salt and pepper / cup bread crumbs / cup grated cheese eggs, lightly beaten - / cups milk mix the first four dry ingredients together, stir eggs into the milk and add. stir to a smooth batter and bake in buttered ramekins, standing in water, in moderate oven. serve piping hot, for like soufflés and all associated puffs, the hot air will puff out of them quickly; then they will sink and be inedible. two ancient english recipes, still going strong cheese ramekins iii grate / pound of any dry, rich cheese. butter a dozen small paper cases, or little boxes of stiff writing paper like soufflé cases. put a saucepan containing / pint of water over the fire, add tablespoons of butter, and when the water boils, stir in heaping tablespoonful of flour. beat the mixture until it shrinks away from the sides of the saucepan; then stir in the grated cheese. remove the paste thus made from the fire, and let it partly cool. in the meantime separate the yolks from the whites of three eggs, and beat them until the yolks foam and the whites make a stiff froth. put the mixture at once into the buttered paper cases, only half-filling them (since they rise very high while being baked) with small slices of cheese, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. as soon as the puffs are done, put the cases on a hot dish covered with a folded napkin, and serve very hot. the most popular cheese for ramekins has always been, and still is, gruyère. but because the early english also adopted italian parmesan, that followed as a close second, and remains there today. sharp cheddar makes tangy ramekins, as will be seen in this second oldster; for though it prescribes gloucester and cheshire "'arf-and-'arf," both are essentially cheddars. gloucester has been called "a glorified cheshire" and the latter has long been known as a peculiarly rich and colorful elder brother of cheddar, described in kenelme digby's _closet open'd_ as a "quick, fat, rich, well-tasted cheese." cheese ramekins iv scrape fine / pound of gloucester cheese and / pound of cheshire cheese. beat this scraped cheese in a mortar with the yolks of eggs, / pound of fresh butter, and the crumbs of a french roll boiled in cream until soft. when all this is well mixed and pounded to a paste, add the beaten whites of eggs. should the paste seem too stiff, or tablespoons of sherry may be added. put the paste into paper cases, and bake in a dutch oven till nicely browned. the ramekins should be served very hot. since both gloucester cheese and cheshire cheese are not easily come by even in london today, it would be hard to reproduce this in the states. so the best we can suggest is to use half-and-half of two of our own great cheddars, say half-coon and half-wisconsin longhorn, or half-tillamook and half-herkimer county. for there's no doubt about it, contrasting cheeses tickle the taste buds, and as many as three different kinds put together make puffs all the more perfect. ramequins à la parisienne cups milk cup cream ounce salt butter tablespoon flour / cup grated gruyère coarsely ground pepper an atom of nutmeg a _soupçon_ of garlic a light touch of powdered sugar eggs, separated boil milk and cream together. melt butter, mix in the flour and stir over heat minutes, adding the milk and cream mixture a little at a time. when thoroughly cooked, remove from heat and stir in cheese, seasonings and the yolks of all eggs, well beaten, and the whites of even better beaten. when well mixed, fold in the remaining egg whites, stiffly beaten, until you have a batter as smooth and thick as cream. pour this into ramekins of paper, porcelain or earthenware, filling each about / full to allow for them to puff up as they bake in a very slow oven until golden-brown (or a little less than minutes). le ramequin morézien this celebrated specialty of franche-comté is described as "a porridge of water, butter, seasoning, chopped garlic and toast; thickened with minced gruyère and served very hot." several french provinces are known for distinctive individual puffs usually served in the dainty fluted forms they are cooked in. in jeanne d'arc's lorraine, for instance, there are the simply named _les ramequins_, made of flour, gruyère and eggs. swiss-roquefort ramekins / pound swiss cheese / pound roquefort cheese / pound butter eggs, separated breakfast rolls, crusts removed / cup cream the batter is made in the usual way, with the soft insides of the rolls simmered in the cream and stirred in. the egg whites are folded in last, as always, the batter poured into ramekins part full and baked to a golden-brown. then they are served instantaneously, lest they fall. puff paste ramekins puff or other pastry is rolled out fiat and sprinkled with fine tasty cheese or any cheese mixture, such as parmesan with gruyère and/or swiss sapsago for a piquant change, but in lesser quantity than the other cheeses used. parmesan cheese has long been the favorite for these. fold paste into layers, roll out again and dust with more cheese. fold once more and roll this out and cut in small fancy shapes to bake to minutes in a hot oven. brushing with egg yolk before baking makes these ramekins shine. frying pan ramekins melt ounces of butter, let it cool a little and then mix with / pound of cheese. fold in the whites of eggs, beaten stiff but not dry. cover frying pan with buttered papers, put slices of bread on this and cover with the cheese mixture. cook about minutes, take it off and brown it with a salamander. there are two schools of salamandering among turophiles. one holds that it toughens the cheese and makes it less digestible; the other that it's simply swell. some of the latter addicts have special cheese-branding irons made with their monograms, to identify their creations, whether they be burned on the skins of welsh rabbits or frying pan ramekins. salamandering with an iron that has a gay, carnivalesque design can make a sort of harlequin ramekin. casserole ramekin here is the americanization of a french original: in a deep casserole lay alternate slices of white bread and swiss cheese, with the cheese slices a bit bigger all around. beat eggs with cups of milk, season with salt and--of all things--nutmeg! proceed to bake like individual ramekins. [illustration] _chapter eight_ pizzas, blintzes, pastes, cheese cakes, etc. no matter how big or hungry your family, you can always appease them with pizza. pizza--the tomato pie of sicily dough package yeast, dissolved in warm water cups sifted flour teaspoon salt tablespoons olive oil make dough of this. knead to minutes. pat into a ball, cover it tight and let stand hours in warm place until twice the size. tomato paste tablespoons olive oil large onions, sliced thin can italian tomato paste to anchovy filets, cut small / teaspoon oregano salt crushed chili pepper - / cups water in the oil fry onion tender but not too brown, stir in tomato paste and keep stirring or minutes. season, pour water over and simmer slowly to minutes. add anchovies when sauce is done. cheese / cup grated italian, parmesan, romano or pecorino, depending on your pocketbook procure a low, wide and handsome tin pizza pan, or reasonable substitute, and grease well before spreading the well-raised dough / to / inch thick. poke your finger tips haphazardly into the dough to make marks that will catch the sauce when you pour it on generously. shake on parmesan or parmesan-type cheese and bake in hot oven / hour, then / hour more at lower heat until the pizza is golden-brown. cut in wedges like any other pie and serve. the proper pans come all tin and a yard wide, down to regular apple-pie size, but twelve-inch pans are the most popular. miniature pizzas miniature pizzas are split english muffins rubbed with garlic or onion and brushed with olive oil. cover with tomato sauce and a slice of mozzarella cheese, anchovy, oregano and grated parmesan, and heat minutes. italian-swiss scallopini pound paper-thin veal cutlets / cup flour / cup grated swiss and parmesan, mixed egg yolk, lightly beaten with water butter salt paprika moisten veal with egg and roll in flour mixed with cheese, quickly brown, lower flame and cook to minutes till tender. dust with paprika and salt. neapolitan baked lasagne, or stuffed noodles pound lasagne, or other wide noodles - / cups cooked thick tomato sauce with meat / pound ricotta or cottage cheese pound mozzarella or american cheddar / pound grated parmesan, romano or pecorino salt pepper, preferably crushed red pods a shaker filled with grated parmesan, or reasonable substitute cook wide or broad noodles to minutes in rapidly boiling salted water until tender, but not soft, and drain. pour / cup of tomato sauce in baking dish or pan, cover with about / of the noodles, sprinkle with grated parmesan, a layer of sauce, a layer of mozzarella and dabs of ricotta. continue in this fashion, alternating layers and seasoning each, ending with a final spread of sauce, parmesan and red pepper. bake firm in moderate oven, about minutes, and served in wedges like pizza, with canisters of grated parmesan, crushed red pepper pods and more of the sauce to taste. little hats, cappelletti freshly made and still moist cappelletti, little hats, contrived out of tasty paste, may be had in any little italy macaroni shop. these may be stuffed sensationally in four different flavors with only two cheeses. brown slices of chicken and ham separately, in butter. mince each very fine and divide in half, to make four mixtures in equal amounts. season these with salt, pepper and nutmeg and a binding of parts egg yolk to i part egg white. with these meat mixtures you can make four different-flavored fillings: ham and mozzarella chicken and mozzarella ham and ricotta chicken and ricotta fill the little hats alternately, so you'll have the same number of each different kind. pinch edges tight together to keep the stuffings in while boiling fast for minutes in chicken broth (or salted water, if you must). since these cappelletti are only a pleasing form and shape of ravioli, they are served in the same way on hot plates, with plain tomato sauce and parmesan or reasonable substitute. if we count this final seasoning as an ingredient, this makes three cheeses, so that each of half a dozen taste buds can be getting individual sensations without letting the others know what it's doing. dauphiny ravioli this french variant of the famous italian pockets of pastry follows the cappelletti pattern, with any fresh goat cheese and gruyère melted with butter and minced parsley and boiled in chicken broth. italian fritters / cup flour tablespoons sugar / pound fresh ricotta eggs, beaten / cup shredded mozzarella rind of / lemon, grated tablespoons brandy salt stir and mix well together in the order given and let stand hour or more to thicken the batter so it will hold its shape while cooking. shape batter like walnuts and hold one at a time in the bowl of a long-handled spoon dipped for seconds in boiling hot oil. fritter the "walnuts" so, and serve at once with powdered sugar. to make fascinating cheese croquettes, mix several contrasting cheeses in this batter. italian asparagus and cheese this gives great scope for contrasting cheeses in one and the same dish. in a shallow baking pan put a foundation layer of grated cheddar and a little butter. cover with a layer of tender parts of asparagus, lightly salted; next a layer of grated gruyère with a bit of butter, and another of asparagus. from here you can go as far as you like with varied layers of melting cheeses alternating with asparagus, until you come to the top, where you add two more kinds of cheese, a mixture of powdered parmesan with sapsago to give the new-mown hay scent. garlic on cheese for one sandwich prepare or garlic cloves by removing skins and frying out the fierce pungence in smoking olive oil. they skip in the hot pan like mexican jumping beans. toast one side of a thickish slice of bread, put this side down on a grilling pan, cover it with a slice of imported swiss emmentaler or gruyère, of about the same size, shape and thickness. stick the cooked garlic cloves, while still blistering hot, in a close pattern into the cheese and brown for a minute under the grill. salt lightly and dash with paprika for the color. (recipe by bob brown in merle armitage's collection _fit for a king_.) spaniards call garlic cloves teeth, englishmen call them toes. it was cheese and garlic together that inspired shakespeare to hotspur's declaration in _king henry iv_: i had rather live with cheese and garlic in a windmill, far, than feed on cates and have him talk to me in any summer-house in christendom. some people can take a mere _soupçon_ of the stuff, while others can down it by the soup spoon, so we feel it necessary in reprinting our recipe to point to the warning of another early english writer: "garlic is very dangerous to young children, fine women and hot young men." blintzes this snow white member of the crêpes suzette sorority is the most popular deb in new york's fancy cheese dishes set. almost unknown here a decade or two ago, it has joined blinis, kreplach and cheeseburgers as a quick and sustaining lunch for office workers. eggs cup water cup sifted flour salt cooking oil / pound cottage cheese tablespoons butter cups sour cream beat egg light and make a batter with the water, flour and salt to taste. heat a well-greased small frying pan and make little pancakes with tablespoons of batter each. cook the cakes over low heat and on one side only. slide each cake off on a white cloth, with the cooked side down. while these are cooling make the blintz-filling by beating together the second egg, cottage cheese and butter. spread each pancake thickly with the mixture and roll or make into little pockets or envelopes with the end tucked in to hold the filling. cook in foil till golden-brown and serve at once with sufficient sour cream to smother them. vatroushki russia seems to have been the cradle of all sorts of blinis and blintzes, and perhaps the first, of them to be made was vatroushki, a variant of the blintzes above. the chief difference is that rounds of puff paste dough are used instead of the hot cakes, teaspoon of sugar is added to the cottage cheese filling, and the sour cream, / cup, is mixed into this instead of being served with it. little cups filled with this mix are made by pinching the edges of the dough together. the tops are brushed with egg yolk and baked in a brisk oven. cottage cheese pancakes cup prepared pancake tablespoons top milk or light cream teaspoon salt eggs, well beaten tablespoon sugar cups cottage cheese, put through ricer mix batter and stir in cheese last until smooth. cheese waffles cups prepared waffle flour egg yolks, lightly beaten / cup melted butter / cup grated sharp cheddar egg whites, beaten stiff stir up a smooth waffle batter of the first ingredients and fold in egg whites last. today you can get imported canned holland cheese waffles to heat quickly and serve. napkin dumpling pound cottage cheese / pound butter, softened eggs, beaten / cup farina / teaspoon salt cinnamon and brown sugar mix together all ingredients (except the cinnamon and sugar) to form a ball. moisten a linen napkin with cold water and tie the ball of dough in it. simmer to minutes in salted boiling water, remove from napkin, sprinkle well with cinnamon and brown sugar, and serve. this is on the style of hungarian potato and other succulent dumplings and may be served with goulash or as a meal in itself. butter and cheese where fish is scant and fruit of trees, supply that want with butter and cheese. thomas tusser in _the last remedy_ butter and cheese are mixed together in equal parts for cheese butter. serbia has a cheese called butter that more or less matches turkey's durak, of which butter is an indispensable ingredient, and french cancoillote is based on sour milk simmered with butter. the english have a cheese called margarine, made with the butter substitute. in westphalia there are no two schools of thought about whether 'tis better to eat butter with cheese or not, for in westphalia sour-milk cheese, butter is mixed in as part of the process of making. the arabs press curds and butter together to store in vats, and the scots have crowdie or cruddy butter. buttermilk cheese the value of buttermilk is stressed in an extravagant old hindu proverb: "a man may live without bread, but without buttermilk he dies." cheese was made before butter, being the earliest form of dairy manufacturing, so buttermilk cheese came well after plain milk cheese, even after whey cheese. it is very tasty, and a natural with potato salad. the curd is salted after draining and sold in small parchment packages. german "leather" cheese has buttermilk mixed with the plain. the danes make their appetitost with sour buttermilk. ricotta romano, for a novelty, is made of sheep buttermilk. cottage cheese in america cottage cheese is also called pot, dutch and smearcase. it is the easiest and quickest to make of all cheeses, by simply letting milk sour, or adding buttermilk to curdle it, then stand a while on the back of the kitchen stove, since it is homemade as a rule. it is drained in a bag of cheesecloth and may be eaten the same day, usually salted. the pilgrims brought along the following two tried and true recipes from olde england, and both are still in use and good repute: _cottage cheese no. _ let milk sour until clotted. pour boiling water over and it will immediately curd. stir well and pour into a colander. pour a little cold water on the curd, salt it and break it up attractively for serving. _cottage cheese no. _ a very rich and tasty variety is made of equal parts whole milk and buttermilk heated together to just under the boiling point. pour into a linen bag and let drain until next day. then remove, salt to taste and add a bit of butter or cream to make a smooth, creamy consistency, and pat into balls the size of a seville orange. cream cheese in england there are three distinct manners of making cream cheese: . fresh milk strained and lightly drained. . scalded cream dried and drained dry, like devonshire. . rennet curd ripened, with thin, edible rind, or none, packaged in small blocks or miniature bricks by dairy companies, as in the u.s. philadelphia cream cheese. american cream cheeses follow the english pattern, being named from then: region or established brands owned by breakstone, borden, kraft, shefford, etc. cream cheese such as the first listed above is easier to make than cottage cheese or any other. technically, in fact, it is not a cheese but the dried curd of milk and is often called virginal. fresh milk is simply strained through muslin in a perforated box through which the whey and extra moisture drains away for three or four days, leaving a residue as firm as fresh butter. in america, where we mix cream cheese with everything, a popular assortment of twelve sold in new york bears these ingredients and names: chives, cherry, garden, caviar, lachs, pimiento, olive and pimiento, pineapple, relish, scallion, strawberry, and triple decker of relish, pimiento and cream in layers. in italy there is stracchino cream, in sweden chantilly. finally, to come to france, la foncée or fromage de pau, a cream also known around the world as crême d'isigny, double crême, fromage à la crême de gien, pots de crême st. gervais, etc. etc. the french go even farther by eating thick fresh cream with chevretons du beaujolais and fromage blanc in the style that adds _à la crême_ to their already glorified names. the english came along with snow cream cheese that is more of a dessert, similar to italian cream cheese. we'd like to have a cheese ice cream to contrast with too sweet ones. attempts at this have been made, both here and in england; scottish caledonian cream came closest. we have frozen cheese with fruit, to be sure, but no true cheese ice cream as yet, though some cream cheeses seem especially suitable. the farmer's daughter hath soft brown hair (butter and eggs and a pound of cheese) and i met with a ballad i can't say where, that wholly consisted of lines like these, (butter and eggs and a pound of cheese.) in this parody by calverly, "the farmer's daughter," the ingredients suggest cheese cake, dating back to in england. from that year kettner in his _book of the table_ quotes this recipe: take cream of almonds or of cow milk and beat them well together; and make small coffins (that is, cases of pastry), and do it (put it) therein; and do (put) thereto sugar and good powders. or take good fat cheese and eggs and make them of divers colours, green, red or yellow, and bake them or serve them forth. this primitive "receipt" grew up into richmond maids of honor that caused kettner to wax poetic with: at richmond we are permitted to touch with our lips a countless number of these maids--light and airy as the "airy, fairy lilian." what more can the finest poetry achieve in quickening the things of earth into tokens and foretastes of heaven, with glimpses of higher life and ethereal worlds. cheesecakes _coronation cheese cake_ the _oxford dictionary_ defines cheese cake as a "tartlet filled with sweet curds, etc." this shows that the cheese is the main thing, and the and-so-forth just a matter of taste. we are delighted to record that the lord mayor of london picked traditional cheese tarts, the maids of honor mentioned earlier in this section, as the coronation dessert with which to regale the second queen elizabeth at the city luncheon in guildhall this is most fitting, since these tarts were named after the maids of honor at the court of the first queen elizabeth. the original recipe is said to have sold for a thousand pounds. these richmond maids of honor had the usual cheese cake ingredients: butter and eggs and pounds of cheese, but what made the subtle flavor: nutmeg, brandy, lemon, orange-flower water, or all four? more than , years before this land of coronation cheese cake, the greeks had a word for it--several in fact: apician cheese cake, aristoxenean, and philoxenean among them. then the romans took it over and we read from an epistle of the period: thirty times in this one year, charinus, while you have been arranging to make your will, have i sent you cheese cakes dripping with hyblaean thyme. (celestial honey, such as that of mount hymettus we still get from greece.) plato mentioned cheese cake, and a town near thebes was named for it before christ was born, at a time when cheese cakes were widely known as "dainty food for mortal man." today cheese cakes come in a half dozen popular styles, of which the ones flavored with fresh pineapple are the most popular in new york. but buyers delight in every sort, including the one hundred percent american type called cheese pies. indeed, there seems to be no dividing line between cheese cakes and cheese pies. while most of them are sweet, some are made piquant with pimientos and olives. we offer a favorite of ours made from popcorn-style pot cheese put through a sieve: pineapple cheese cake - / pounds sieved pot cheese -inch piece vanilla bean / pound sweet butter, melted / small box graham crackers, crushed fine eggs cups sugar small can crushed pineapple, drained cups milk / cup flour in a big bowl mix everything except the graham crackers and pineapple in the order given above. butter a square pyrex pan and put in the graham-cracker dust to make a crust. cover this evenly with the pineapple and pour in the cheese-custard mixture. bake i hour in a "quiet" oven, as the english used to say for a moderate one, and when done set aside for hours before eating. because of the time and labor involved maybe you had better buy your cheese cakes, even though some of the truly fine ones cost a dime a bite, especially the pedigreed jewish-american ones in manhattan. reuben's and lindy's are two leaders at about five dollars a cake. some are fruited with cherries or strawberries. cheese custard eggs, slightly beaten / teaspoon salt cup milk a dash of pepper or paprika tablespoons melted butter a few drops of onion juice, if desired tablespoons grated swiss (imported) mix all together, set in molds in pan of hot water, and bake until brown. open-faced cheese pie eggs cup sugar pounds soft smearcase whip everything together and fill two pie crusts. bake without any upper crust. the apple-pie affinity hot apple pie was always accompanied with cheese in new england, even as every slice of apple pie in wisconsin has cheese for a sidekick, according to law. pioneer hot pies were baked in brick ovens and flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon and rose geranium. the cheese was cheddar, but today all sorts of pie and cheese combinations are common, such as banana pie and gorgonzola, mince with danish blue, pumpkin with cream cheese, peach pie with hablé, and even a green dusting of sapsago over raisin pie. apple pie _au gratin_, thickly grated over with parmesan, caciocavallo or sapsago, is something special when served with black coffee. cider, too, or applejack, is a natural accompaniment to any dessert of apple with its cheese. apple pie adorned apple pie is adorned with cream and cheese by pressing cream cheese through a ricer and folding in plenty of double cream beaten thick and salted a little. put the mixture in a pastry tube and decorate top of pie in fanciful fashion. apple pie á la cheese lay a slice of melting cheese on top of apple (or any fruit or berry) pie, and melt under broiler to minutes. cheese-crusty apple pie in making an apple pie, roll out the top crust and sprinkle with sharp cheddar, grated, dot with butter and bake golden-brown. flan au fromage to make this franche-comté tart of crisp paste, simply mix coarsely grated gruyère with beaten egg, fill the tart cases and bake. for any cheese pastry or fruit and custard pie crusts, work in tasty shredded sharp cheddar in the ratio of to parts of flour. christmas cake sandwiches a traditional christmas carol begs for: a little bit of spice cake a little bit of cheese, a glass of cold water, a penny, if you please. for a festive handout cut the spice cake or fruit cake in slices and sandwich them with slices of tasty cheese between. to maintain traditional christmas cheer for the elders, serve apple pie with cheese and applejack. angelic camembert ripe camembert, imported cup anjou dry white wine / pound sweet butter, softened tablespoons finely grated toast crumbs lightly scrape all crusty skin from the camembert and when its creamy interior stands revealed put it in a small, round covered dish, pour in the wine, cover tightly so no bouquet or aroma can possibly escape, and let stand overnight. when ready to serve drain off and discard any wine left, dry the cheese and mash with the sweet butter into an angelic paste. reshape in original camembert form, dust thickly with the crumbs and there you are. such a delicate dessert is a favorite with the ladies, since some of them find a prime camembert a bit too strong if taken straight. although a. w. fulton's observation in _for men only_ is going out of date, it is none the less amusing: in the course of a somewhat varied career i have only met one woman who appreciated cheese. this quality in her seemed to me so deserving of reward that i did not hesitate to acquire her hand in marriage. another writer has said that "only gourmets among women seem to like cheese, except farm women and foreigners." the association between gourmets and farm women is borne out by the following urgent plea from early italian landowners: _ai contadini non far sapere quanta è buono it cacio con le pere_. don't let the peasants know how good are cheese and pears. having found out for ourselves, we suggest a golden slice of taleggio, stracchino, or pale gold bel paese to polish off a good dinner, with a juicy lombardy pear or its american equivalent, a bartlett, let us say. this celestial association of cheese and pears is further accented by the french: _entre la poire et le fromage_ between the pear and the cheese. this places the cheese after the fruit, as the last course, in accordance with early english usage set down by john clarke in his _paroemiologia_: after cheese comes nothing. but in his _epigrams_ ben jonson serves them together. digestive cheese, and fruit there sure will be. that brings us back to cheese and pippins: i will make an end of my dinner; there's pippins and cheese to come. shakespeare's _merry wives of windsor_ when should the cheese be served? in england it is served before or after the fruit, with or without the port. following _the book of keruynge_ in modern spelling we note when it was published in the proper thing "after meat" was "pears, nuts, strawberries, whortleberries (american huckleberries) and hard cheese." in modern practice we serve some suitable cheese like camembert directly on slices of apple and pears, gorgonzola on sliced banana, hablé spread on pineapple and a cheese dessert tray to match the lazy lou, with everything crunchy down to crackerjacks. good, too, are figs, both fresh and preserved, stuffed with cream cheese, kumquats, avocados, fruity dunking mixtures of pineapple cheese, served in the scooped-out casque of the cheese itself, and apple or pear and provolone creamed and put back in the rind it came in. pots of liquored and wined cheeses, no end, those of your own making being the best. champagned roquefort or gorgonzola / pound mellow roquefort / pound sweet butter, softened a dash cayenne / cup champagne with a silver fork mix cheese and butter to a smooth paste, moistening with champagne as you go along, using a little more or less champagne according to consistency desired. serve with the demitasse and cognac, offering, besides crackers, gilt gingerbread in the style of holland dutch cheese tasters, or just plain bread. after dinner cheeses suggested by phil alpert are: from france: port-salut, roblochon, coulommiers, camembert, brie, roquefort, calvados (try it with a spot of calvados, apple brandy) from the u.s.: liederkranz, blue, cheddar from sweden: hablé crême chantilly from italy: taleggio, gorgonzola, provolone, bel paese from hungary: kascaval from switzerland: swiss gruyère from germany: kümmelkäse from norway: gjetost, bondost from holland: edam, gouda from england: stilton from poland: warshawski syr [illustration] _chapter nine_ au gratin, soups, salads and sauces he who says _au gratin_ says parmesan. thomas gray, the english poet, saluted it two centuries ago with: parma, the happy country where huge cheeses grow. on september , , pepys recorded the burying of his pet parmesan, "as well as my wine and some other things," in a pit in sir w. batten's garden. and on the selfsame fourth of september, more than a century later, in , woodforde in his _diary of a country parson_ wrote: i sent mr. custance about doz. more of apricots, and he sent me back another large piece of fine parmesan cheese. it was very kind of him. the second most popular cheese for _au gratin_ is italian romano, and, for an entirely different flavor, swiss sapsago. the french, who gave us this cookery term, use it in its original meaning for any dish with a browned topping, usually of bread crumbs, or crumbs and cheese. in america we think of _au gratin_ as grated cheese only, although webster says, "with a browned covering, often mixed with butter or cheese; as, potatoes _au gratin_." so let us begin with that. potatoes au gratin cups diced cooked potatoes tablespoons grated onion / cup grated american cheddar cheese tablespoons butter / cup milk egg salt pepper more grated cheese for covering in a buttered baking dish put a layer of diced potatoes, sprinkle with onion and bits of butter. next, scatter on a thin layer of cheese and alternate with potatoes, onions and butter. stir milk, egg, salt and pepper together and pour it on the mixture. top everything with plenty of grated cheese to make it authentically american _au gratin_. bake until firm in moderate oven, about / hour. eggs au gratin make a white sauce flavored with minced onion to pour over any desired number of eggs broken into a buttered baking dish. begin by using half of the sauce and sprinkling on a lot of grated cheese. after the eggs are in, pour on the rest of the sauce, cover it with grated cheese and bread crumbs, drop in bits of butter, and cook until brown in oven (or about minutes). tomatoes au gratin cover bottom of shallow baking pan with slices of tomato and sprinkle liberally with bread crumbs and grated cheese, season with salt, pepper and dots of butter, add another layer of tomato slices, season as before and continue this, alternating with cheese, until pan is full. add a generous topping of crumbs, cheese and butter. bake minutes in moderate oven. onion soup au gratin or onions, sliced or tablespoons butter quart stock or canned consommé quart bouillon made from dissolving or cubes rounds of toasted french bread - / cups grated parmesan cheese sauté onions in butter in a roomy saucepan until light golden, and pour the stock over. when heated put in a larger casserole, add the bouillon, season to taste and heat to boiling point. let simmer minutes and serve in deep well-heated soup plates, the bottoms covered with rounds of toasted french bread which have been heaped with freshly grated parmesan and browned under the broiler. more cheese is served for guests to sprinkle on as desired. at gala parties, where wine flows, a couple of glasses of champagne are often added to the bouillon. in the famed onion soup _au gratin_ at les halles in paris, grated gruyère is used in place of parmesan. they are interchangeable in this recipe. american cheese soups in this era of fine canned soups a quick cheese soup is made by heating cream of tomato soup, ready made, and adding finely grated swiss or parmesan to taste. french bread toasted and topped with more cheese and broiled golden makes the best base to pour this over, as is done with the french onion soup above. the same cheese toasts are the basis of a simple milk-cheese soup, with heated milk poured over and a seasoning of salt, pepper, chopped chives, or a dash of nutmeg. chicken cheese soup heat together cup milk, cup water in which chicken bouillon cubes have been dissolved, and can of condensed cream of chicken soup. stir in / cup grated american cheddar cheese and season with salt, pepper, and plenty of paprika until cheese melts. other popular american recipes simply add grated cheese to lima bean or split bean soup, peanut butter soup, or plain cheese soup with rice. imported french _marmites_ are _de rigueur_ for a real onion soup _au gratin_, and an imported parmesan grinder might be used for freshly ground cheese. in preparing, it is well to remember that they are basically only melted cheese, melted from the top down. cheese salads when a frenchman reaches the salad he is resting and in no hurry. he eats the salad to prepare himself for the cheese. henri charpentier, _life & la henri_, green cheese salad julienne take endive, water cress and as many different kinds of crisp lettuce as you can find and mix well with provolone cheese cut in thin julienne strips and marinated to hours in french dressing. crumble over the salad some blue cheese and toss everything thoroughly, with plenty of french dressing. american cheese salad slice a sweet ripe pineapple thin and sprinkle with shredded american cheddar. serve on lettuce dipped in french dressing. cheese and nut salad mix american cheddar with an equal amount of nut meats and enough mayonnaise to make a paste. roll these in little balls and serve with fruit salads, dusting lightly with finely grated sapsago. brie or camembert salad fill ripe pear-or peach-halves with creamy imported brie or camembert, sprinkle with honey, serve on lettuce drenched with french dressing and scatter shredded almonds over. (cream cheese will do in a pinch. if the camembert isn't creamy enough, mash it with some sweet cream.) three-in-one mold / cup cream cheese / cup grated american cheddar cheese / cup roquefort cheese, crumbled tablespoons gelatin, dissolved and stirred into / cup boiling water juice of lemon salt pepper cups cream, beaten stiff / cup minced chives mash the cheeses together, season gelatin liquid with lemon, salt and pepper and stir into cheese with the whipped cream. add chives last put in ring mold or any mold you fancy, chill well and slice at table to serve on lettuce with a little mayonnaise, or plain. swiss cheese salad dice / pound of cheese into / -inch cubes. slice one onion very thin. mix well in a soup plate. dash with german mustard, olive oil, wine vinegar, worcestershire sauce. salt lightly and grind in plenty of black pepper. then stir, preferably with a wooden spoon so you won't mash the cheese, until every hole is drenched with the dressing. rosie's swiss breakfast cheese salad often emmentaler is cubed in a salad for breakfast, relished specially by males on the morning after. we quote the original recipe brought over by rosie from the swiss tyrol to thrill the writers' and artists' colony of ridgefield, new jersey, in her brother emil's white house inn: first rosie cut a thick slice of prime imported emmentaler into half-inch cubes. then she mixed imported french olive oil, german mustard and swiss white wine vinegar with salt and freshly ground pepper in a deep soup plate, sprinkled on a few drops of pepper sauce scattered in the chunks of schweizer and stirred the cubes with a light hand, using a wooden fork and spoon to prevent bruising. the salad was ready to eat only when each and every tiny, shiny cell of the swiss from the homeland had been washed, oiled and polished with the soothing mixture. "drink down the juice, too, when you have finished mine breakfast cheese salad," rosie advised the customers. "it is the best cure in the world for the worst hangover." gorgonzola and banana salad slice bananas lengthwise, as for a banana split. sprinkle with lemon juice and spread with creamy gorgonzola. sluice with french dressing made with lemon juice in place of vinegar, to help bring out the natural banana flavor of ripe gorgonzola. cheese and pea salad cube / pound of american cheddar and mix with a can of peas, cup of diced celery, cup of mayonnaise, / cup of sour cream, and tablespoons each of minced pimientos and sweet pickles. serve in lettuce cups with a sprinkling of parsley and chopped radishes. apple and cheese salad / cup cream cheese cup chopped pecans salt and pepper apples, sliced / -inch thick lettuce leaves creamy salad dressing make tiny seasoned cheese balls, center on the apple slices standing on lettuce leaves, and sluice with creamy salad dressing. roquefort cheese salad dressing no cheese sauce is easier to make than the american favorite of roquefort cheese mashed with a fork and mixed with french dressing. it is often made in a pint mason jar and kept in the refrigerator to shake up on occasion and toss over lettuce or other salads. unfortunately, even when the roquefort is the french import, complete with the picture of the sheep in red, and _garanti véritable_, the dressing is often ruined by bad vinegar and cottonseed oil (of all things). when bottled to sell in stores, all sorts of extraneous spice, oils and mustard flour are used where nothing more is necessary than the manipulation of a fork, fine olive oil and good vinegar--white wine, tarragon or malt. some ardent amateurs must have their splash of worcestershire sauce or lemon juice with salt and pepper. this roquefort dressing is good on all green salads, but on endive it's something special. sauce mornay sauce mornay has been hailed internationally as "the greatest culinary achievement in cheese." nothing is simpler to make. all you do is prepare a white sauce (the french sauce béchamel) and add grated parmesan to your liking, stirring it in until melted and the sauce is creamy. this can be snapped up with cayenne or minced parsley, and when used with fish a little of the cooking broth is added. plain cheese sauce part of any grated cheese to parts of white sauce this is a mild sauce that is nice with creamed or hard-cooked eggs. when the cheese content is doubled, parts of cheese to of white sauce, it is delicious on boiled cauliflower, baked potatoes, macaroni and crackers soaked in milk. the sauce may be made richer by mixing melted butter with the flour in making the white sauce, or by beating egg yolk in with the cheese. from thin to medium to thick it serves divers purposes: _thin_: it may be used instead of milk to make a tasty milk toast, sometimes spiced with curry. _medium_: for baking by pouring over crackers soaked in milk. _thick_: serves as a sort of welsh rabbit when poured generously over bread toasted on one side only, with the untoasted side up, to let the sauce sink in. parsleyed cheese sauce this makes a mild, pleasantly pungent sauce, to enliven the cabbage family--hot cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage and brussels sprouts. croutons help when sprinkled over. cornucopia of cheese recipes since this is the complete book of cheese we will fill a bounteous cornucopia here with more or less essential, if not indispensable, recipes and dishes not so easy to classify, or overlooked or crowded out of the main sections devoted to the classic fondues, rabbits, soufflés, etc. _stuffed celery, endive, anise and other suitable stalks_ use any soft cheese you like, or firm cheese softened by pressing through a sieve; at room temperature, of course, with any seasoning or relish. suggestions: cream cheese and chopped chives, pimientos, olives, or all three, with or without a touch of worcestershire. cottage cheese and piccalilli or chili sauce. sharp cheddar mixed with mayonnaise, mustard, cream, minced capers, pickles, or minced ham. roquefort and other blues are excellent fillings for your favorite vegetable stalk, or scooped-out dill pickle. this last is specially nice when filled with snappy cheese creamed with sweet butter. all canapé butters are ideally suited to stuffing stalks. pineapple cheese, especially that part close to the pineapple-flavored rind, is perfect when creamed. a masterpiece in the line of filled stalks: cut the leafy tops off an entire head of celery, endive, anise or anything similarly suitable. wash and separate stalks, but keep them in order, to reassemble in the head after each is stuffed with a different mixture, using any of the above, or a tangy mix of your own concoction. after all stalks are filled, beginning with the baby center ones, press them together in the form of the original head, tie tight, and chill. when ready, slice in rolls about -inch thick and arrange as a salad on a bed of water cress or lettuce, moistened with french dressing. cold dunking besides hot dunking in swiss fondue, cold dunking may be had by moistening plenty of cream cheese with cream or lemon in a dunking bowl. when the cheese is sufficiently liquefied, it is liberally seasoned with chopped parsley, chives, onions, pimiento and/or other relish. then a couple of tins of anchovies are macerated and stirred in, oil and all. cheese charlotte line a baking dish from bottom to top with decrusted slices of bread dipped in milk. cream tablespoon of sweet butter with eggs and season before stirring in cups of grated cheese. bake until golden brown in slow oven. straws roll pastry dough thin and cover with grated cheddar, fold and roll at least twice more, sprinkling with cheese each time. chill dough in refrigerator and cut in straw-size strips. stiffly salt a beaten egg yolk and glaze with that to give a salty taste. bake for several minutes until crisp. supa shetgia[b] [footnote b: (from _cheese cookery_, by helmut ripperger)] _this is the famous cheese soup of the engadine and little known in this country. one of its seasonings is nutmeg and until one has used it in cheese dishes, it is hard to describe how perfectly it gives that extra something. the recipe, as given, is for each plate, but there is no reason why the old-fashioned tureen could not be used and the quantities simply increased_. put a slice of stale french bread, toasted or not, into a soup plate and cover it with tablespoons of grated or shredded swiss cheese. place another slice of bread on top of this and pour over it some boiling milk. cover the plate and let it stand for several minutes. season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. serve topped with browned, hot butter. use whole nutmeg and grate it freshly. with a cheese shaker on the table italians are so dependent on cheese to enrich all their dishes, from soups to spaghetti--and indeed any vegetable--that a shaker of grated parmesan, romano or reasonable substitute stands ready at every table, or is served freshly grated on a side dish. thus any italian soup might be called a cheese soup, but we know of only one, the great minestrone, in which cheese is listed as an indispensable ingredient along with the pasta, peas, onion, tomatoes, kidney beans, celery, olive oil, garlic, oregano, potatoes, carrots, and so forth. likewise, a chunk of melting or toasting cheese is essential in the fritto misto, the finest mixed grill we know, and it's served up as a separate tidbit with the meats. italians grate on more cheese for seasoning than any other people, as the french are wont to use more wine in cooking. pfeffernüsse and caraway the gingery little "pepper nuts," _pfeffernüsse_, imported from germany in barrels at christmastime, make one of the best accompaniments to almost any kind of cheese. for contrast try a dish of caraway. diablotins small rounds of buttered bread or toast heaped with a mound of grated cheese and browned in the oven is a french contribution. cheese omelets cheddar omelet make a plain omelet your own way. when the mixture has just begun to cook, dust over it evenly / cup grated cheddar. (a) use young cheddar if you want a mild, bland omelet (b) use sharp, aged cheddar for a full-flavored one. (c) sprinkle (b) with worcestershire sauce to make what might be called a wild omelet. cook as usual. fold and serve. parmesan omelet (mild) cook as above, but use / cup only of parmesan, grated fine, in place of the / cup cheddar. parmesan omelet (full flavored) as above, but use / cup parmesan, finely grated, as follows: sift / cup of the parmesan into your egg mixture at the beginning and dust on the second / cup evenly, just as the omelet begins to set. a meal-in-one omelet fry / dozen bacon slices crisp and keep hot while frying a cup of diced, boiled potatoes in the bacon fat, to equal crispness. meanwhile make your omelet mixture of eggs, beaten, and - / tablespoons of shredded emmentaler (or domestic swiss) with tablespoon of chopped chives and salt and pepper to taste. tomato and make plain omelet, cover with thin rounds of fresh tomato and dust well with any grated cheese you like. put under broiler until cheese melts to a golden brown. omelet with cheese sauce make a plain french, fluffy or puffy omelet and when finished, cover with a hot, seasoned, reinforced white sauce in which / pound of shredded cheese has been melted, and mixed well with / cup cooked, diced celery and tablespoon of pimiento, minced. the french use grated gruyère for this with all sorts of sauces, such as the _savoyar de savoie_, with potatoes, chervil, tarragon and cream. a delicious appearance and added flavor can be had by browning with a salamander. spanish flan--quesillo for the caramel: / cup sugar tablespoons water for the flan: eggs, beaten separately cups hot milk / cup sugar salt brown sugar and mix with water to make the caramel. pour it into a baking mold. make flan by mixing together all the ingredients. add to carameled mold and bake in pan of water in moderate oven about / hour. italian fritto misto the distinctive italian mixed fry, fritto misto, is made with whatever fish, sweetbreads, brains, kidneys, or tidbits of meat are at hand, say a half dozen different cubes of meat and giblets, with as many hearts of artichokes, _finocchi_, tomato, and different vegetables as you can find, but always with a hunk of melting cheese, to fork out in golden threads with each mouthful of the mixture. polish piroghs (a pocketful of cheese) make noodle dough with eggs and cups of flour, roll out very thin and cut in -inch squares. cream a cupful of cottage cheese with a tablespoon of melted butter, flavor with cinnamon and toss in a handful of seedless currents. fill pastry squares with this and pinch edges tight together to make little pockets. drop into a lot of fast-boiling water, lightly salted, and boil steadily minutes, lowering the heat so the pockets won't burst open. drain and serve on a piping hot platter with melted butter and a sprinkling of bread crumbs. this is a cross between ravioli and blintzes. cheesed mashed potatoes whip into a steaming hot dish of creamily mashed potatoes some old cheddar with melted butter and a crumbling of crisp, cooked bacon. if there's a chafing dish handy, a first-rate nightcap can be made via a sautéed swiss sandwich tuck a slice of swiss cheese between two pieces of thickly buttered bread, trim crusts, cut sandwich in two, surround it with one well-beaten egg, slide it into sizzling butter and fry on both sides. a chef at the new york athletic club once improved on this by first sandwiching the swiss between a slice of ham and a slice of chicken breast, then beating up a brace of eggs with a jigger of heavy sweet cream and soaking his sandwich in this until it sopped up every drop. a final frying in sweet butter made strong men cry for it. [illustration] _chapter ten_ appetizers, crackers, sandwiches, savories, snacks, spreads and toasts in america cheese got its start in country stores in our cracker-barrel days when every man felt free to saunter in, pick up the cheese knife and cut himself a wedge from the big-bellied rattrap cheese standing under its glass bell or wire mesh hood that kept the flies off but not the free-lunchers. cheese by itself being none too palatable, the taster would saunter over to the cracker barrel, shoo the cat off and help himself to the old-time crackers that can't be beat today. at that time wisconsin still belonged to the indians and vermont was our leading cheese state, with its sage and cheddar and vermont country store crackers, as vrest orton of weston vermont, calls them. when orton heard we were writing this book, he sent samples from the store his father started in which is still going strong. together with the vermont good old-fashioned natural cheese and the sage came a handy handmade cracker basket, all wicker, ten crackers long and just one double cracker wide. a snug little casket for those puffy, old-time, two-in-one soda biscuits that have no salt to spoil the taste of the accompanying cheese. each does double duty because it's made to split in the middle, so you can try one kind of cheese on one half and another on t'other, or sandwich them between. some pied piper took the country cheese and crackers to the corner saloon and led a free-lunch procession that never faltered till prohibition came. the same old store cheese was soon pepped up as saloon cheese with a saucer of caraway seeds, bowls of pickles, peppers, pickled peppers and rye bread with plenty of mustard, pretzels or cheese straws, smearcase and schwarzbrot. beer and cheese forever together, as in the free-lunch ditty of that great day: i am an irish hunter; i am, i ain't. i do not hunt for deer but beer. oh, otto, wring the bar rag. i do not hunt for fleas but cheese. oh, adolph, bring the free lunch. it was there and then that cheese came of age from coast to coast. in every bar there was a choice of swiss, cottage, limburger--manly cheeses, walkie-talkie oldsters that could sit up and beg, golden yellow, tangy mellow, always cut in cubes. cheese takes the cube form as naturally as eggs take the oval and honeycombs the hexagon. on the more elegant handout buffets, besides the shapely cubes, free welsh rabbit started at four every afternoon, to lead the tired businessman in by the nose; or a smear of canadian snappy out of a pure white porcelain pot in the classy places, on a bent's water biscuit. sandwiches and savory snacks next to nibbling cheese with crackers and appetizers, of which there is no end in sight, cheese sandwiches help us consume most of our country's enormous output of brick, cheddar and swiss. to attempt to classify and describe all of these would be impossible, so we will content ourselves by picking a few of the cold and hot, the plain and the fancy, the familiar and the exotic. let's use the alphabet to sum up the situation. a alpine club sandwich spread toasts with mayonnaise and fill with a thick slice of imported emmentaler, well-mustarded and seasoned, and the usual club-sandwich toppings of thin slices of chicken or turkey, tomato, bacon and a lettuce leaf. b boston beany, open-face lightly butter a slice of boston brown bread, cover it generously with hot baked beans and a thick layer of shredded cheddar. top with bacon and put under a slow broiler until cheese melts and the bacon crisps. c cheeseburgers pat out some small seasoned hamburgers exceedingly thin and, using them instead of slices of bread, sandwich in a nice slice of american cheddar well covered with mustard. crimp edges of the hamburgers all around to hold in the cheese when it melts and begins to run. toast under a brisk boiler and serve on soft, toasted sandwich buns. d deviled rye butter flat swedish rye bread and heat quickly in hot oven. cool until crisp again. then spread thickly with cream cheese, bedeviled with catsup, paprika or pimiento. e egg, open-faced sauté minced small onion and small green pepper in tablespoons of butter and make a sauce by cooking with a cup of canned tomatoes. season and reduce to about half. fry eggs and put one in the center of each of pieces of hot toast spread with the red sauce. sprinkle each generously with grated cheddar, broil until melted and serve with crisp bacon. f french-fried swiss simply make a sandwich with a noble slice of imported gruyère, soak it in beaten egg and milk and fry slowly till cheese melts and the sandwich is nicely browned. this is a specialty of franche-comté. g grilled chicken-ham-cheddar cut crusts from slices of white bread and butter them on both sides. make a sandwich of these with slice cooked chicken, / slice sharp cheddar cheese, and a sprinkling of minced ham. fasten tight with toothpicks, cut in half and dip thoroughly in a mixture of egg and milk. grill golden on both sides and serve with lengthwise slices of dill pickle. h he-man sandwich, open-faced butter a thick slice of dark rye bread, cover with a layer of mashed cold baked beans and a slice of ham, then one of swiss cheese and a wheel of bermuda onion topped with mustard and a sowing of capers. i international sandwich split english muffins and toast on the hard outsides, cover soft, untoasted insides with swiss cheese, spread lightly with mustard, top that with a wheel of bermuda onion and or slices of italian-type tomato. season with cayenne and salt, dot with butter, cover with brazil nuts and brown under the broiler. j jurassiennes, or croûtes comtoises soak slices of stale buns in milk, cover with a mixture of onion browned in chopped lean bacon and mixed with grated gruyère. simmer until cheese melts, and serve. k kümmelkäse if you like caraway flavor this is your sandwich: on well-buttered but lightly mustarded rye, lay a thickish slab of milwaukee kümmelkäse, which translates caraway cheese. for good measure sprinkle caraway seeds on top, or serve them in a saucer on the side. then dash on a splash of kümmel, the caraway liqueur that's best when imported. l limburger onion or limburger catsup marinate slices of bermuda onion in a peppery french dressing for / hour. then butter slices of rye, spread well with soft limburger, top with onion and you will have something super-duper--if you like limburger. when catsup is substituted for marinated onion the sandwich has quite another character and flavor, so true limburger addicts make one of each and take alternate bites for the thrill of contrast. m meringue, open-faced (from the browns' _ , snacks_) allow egg and tablespoons of grated cheese to slice of bread. toast bread on one side only, spread butter on untoasted side, put tablespoons grated cheese over butter, and the yolk of an egg in the center. beat egg white stiff with a few grains of salt and pile lightly on top. sprinkle the other tablespoons of grated cheese over that and bake in moderate oven until the egg white is firm and the cheese has melted to a golden-brown. n neufchâtel and honey we know no sandwich more ethereal than one made with thin, decrusted, white bread, spread with sweet butter, then with neufchâtel topped with some fine honey--mount hymettus, if possible. any creamy petit suisse will do as well as the neufchâtel, but nothing will take the place of the honey to make this heavenly sandwich that must have been the original ambrosia. o oskar's ham-cam oskar davidsen of copenhagen, whose five-foot menu lists superb sandwiches and snacks, each with a character all its own, perfected the ham-cam base for a flock of fancy ham sandwiches, open-faced on rye or white, soft or crisp, sweet or sour, almost any one-way slice you desire. he uses as many contrasting kinds of bread as possible, and his butter varies from salt to fresh and whipped. the ham-cam base involves "a juicy, tender slice of freshly boiled, mild-cured ham" with imported camembert spread on the ham as thick as velvet. the ham-cam is built up with such splendors as "goose liver paste and madeira wine jelly," "fried calves' kidney and _rémoulade_," "bombay curry salad," "bird's liver and fried egg," "a slice of red roast beef" and more of that red madeira jelly, with anything else you say, just so long as it does credit to camembert on ham. p pickled camembert butter a thin slice of rye or pumpernickel and spread with ripe imported camembert, when in season (which isn't summer). make a mixture of sweet, sour and dill pickles, finely chopped, and spread it on. top this with a thin slice of white bread for pleasing contrast with the black. q queijo da serra sandwich on generous rounds of french "flute" or other crunchy, crusty white bread place thick portions of any good portuguese cheese made of sheep's milk "in the mountains." this last translates back into queijo da serra, the fattest, finest cheese in the world--on a par with fine greek feta. bead the open-faced creamy cheese lightly with imported capers, and you'll say it's scrumptious. r roquefort nut butter hot toast and cover with a thickish slice of genuine roquefort cheese. sprinkle thickly with genuine hungarian paprika. put in moderate oven for about minutes. finish it off with chopped pine nuts, almonds, or a mixture thereof. s smoky sandwich and sturgeon-smoked sandwich skin some juicy little, jolly little sprats, lay on thin rye, or a slice of miniature-loaf rye studded with caraway, spread with sweet butter and cover with a slice of smoked cheese. hickory is preferred for most of the smoking in america. in new york the best smoked cheese, whether from canada or nearer home, is usually cured in the same room with sturgeon. since this king of smoked fish imparts some of its regal savor to the cheddar, there is a natural affinity peculiarly suited to sandwiching as above. smoked salmon, eel, whitefish or any other, is also good with cheese smoked with hickory or anything with a salubrious savor, while a sandwich of smoked turkey with smoked cheese is out of this world. we accompany it with a cup of smoky lapsang soochong china tea. t tangy sandwich on buttered rye spread cream cheese, and on this bed lay thinly sliced dried beef. in place of mustard dot the beef with horseradish and pearl onions or those reliable old chopped chives. and by the way, if you must use mustard on every cheese sandwich, try different kinds for a change: sharp english freshly mixed by your own hand out of the tin of powder, or dijon for a french touch. u unusual sandwich--of flowers, hay and clover on a sweet-buttered slice of french white bread lay a layer of equally sweet english flower cheese (made with petals of rose, marigold, violet, etc.) and top that with french fromage de foin. this french hay cheese gets its name from being ripened on hay and holds its new-mown scent. sprinkle on a few imported capers (the smaller they are, the better), with a little of the luscious juice, and dust lightly with sapsago. v vegetarian sandwich roll your own of alternate leaves of lettuce, slices of store cheese, avocados, cream cheese sprinkled heavily with chopped chives, and anything else in the vegetable or caseous kingdoms that suits your fancy. w witch's sandwich butter slices of sandwich bread, cover one with a thin slice of imported emmentaler, dash with cayenne and a drop or two of tabasco. slap on a sizzling hot slice of grilled ham and press it together with the cheese between the two bread slices, put in a hot oven and serve piping hot with a handful of "moonstones"--those outsize pearl onions. x xochomilco sandwich in spite of the "milco" in xochomilco, there isn't a drop to be had that's native to the festive, floating gardens near mexico city. for there, instead of the cow, a sort of century plant gives milky white _pulque_, the fermented juice of this cactuslike desert plant. with this goes a vegetable cheese curded by its own vegetable rennet. it's called tuna cheese, made from the milky juice of the prickly pear that grows on yet another cactuslike plant of the dry lands. this tuna cheese sometimes teams up in arid lands with the juicy thick cactus leaf sliced into a tortilla sandwich. the milky _pulque_ of xochomilco goes as well with it as beer with a swiss cheese sandwich. y yolk picnic sandwich hard-cooked egg yolk worked into a yellow paste with cream cheese, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, celery salt and a touch of tabasco, spread on thick slices of whole wheat bread. z zebra take a tip from oskar over in copenhagen and design your own zebra sandwich as decoratively as one of those oft-photoed skins in el morocco. just alternate stripes of black bread with various white cheeses in between, to follow, the black and white zebra pattern. for good measure we will toss in a couple of toasted cheese sandwiches. toasted cheese sandwich butter both sides of thick slices of white bread and sandwich between them a seasoned mixture of shredded sharp cheese, egg yolk, mustard and chopped chives, together with stiffly beaten egg white folded in last to make a light filling. fry the buttered sandwich in more butter until well melted and nicely gilded. this toasted cheeser is so good it's positively sinful. the french, who outdo us in both cooking and sin, make one of their own in the form of fried fingers of stale bread doused in an 'arf and 'arf welsh rabbit and fondue melting of gruyère, that serves as a liaison to further sandwich the two. garlic is often used in place of chopped chives, and in contrast to this wild one there's a mild one made of dutch cream cheese by the equally dutch pennsylvanians. england, of course, together with wales, holds all-time honors with such celebrated regional "toasting cheeses" as devonshire and dunlop. even british newfoundland is known for its simple version, that's quite as pleasing as its rich prince edward island oyster stew. newfoundland toasted cheese sandwich pound grated cheddar egg, well beaten / cup milk tablespoon butter heat together and pour over well-buttered toast. [illustration] _chapter eleven_ "fit for drink" a country without a fit drink for cheese has no cheese fit for drink. greece was the first country to prove its epicurean fitness, according to the old saying above, for it had wine to tipple and sheep's milk cheese to nibble. the classical greek cheese has always been feta, and no doubt this was the kind that circe combined most suitably with wine to make a farewell drink for her lovers. she put further sweetness and body into the stirrup cup by stirring honey and barley meal into it. today we might whip this up in an electric mixer to toast her memory. while a land flowing with milk and honey is the ideal of many, france, italy, spain or portugal, flowing with wine and honey, suit a lot of gourmets better. indeed, in such vinous-caseous places cheese is on the house at all wine sales for prospective customers to snack upon and thus bring out the full flavor of the cellared vintages. but professional wine tasters are forbidden any cheese between sips. they may clear their palates with plain bread, but nary a crumb of roquefort or cube of gruyère in working hours, lest it give the wine a spurious nobility. and, speaking of roquefort, romanée has the closest affinity for it. such affinities are also found in pont l'evêque and beaujolais, brie and red champagne, coulommiers and any good _vin rosé_. heavenly marriages are made in burgundy between red and white wines of both côtes, de nuits and de baune, and burgundian cheeses such as epoisses, soumaintarin and saint-florentin. pommard and port-salut seem to be made for each other, as do château margaux and camembert. a great cheese for a great wine is the rule that brings together in the neighboring provinces such notables as sainte maure, valençay, vendôme and the loire wines--vouvray, saumur and anjou. gruyère mates with chablis, camembert with st. emilion; and any dry red wine, most commonly claret, is a fit drink for the hundreds of other fine french cheeses. every country has such happy marriages, an italian standard being provolone and chianti. then there is a most unusual pair, french neufchâtel cheese and swiss neuchâtel wine from just across the border. switzerland also has another cheese favorite at home--trauben (grape cheese), named from the neuchâtel wine in which it is aged. one kind of french neufchâtel cheese, bondon, is also uniquely suited to the company of any good wine because it is made in the exact shape and size of a wine barrel bung. a similar relation is found in brinzas (or brindzas) that are packed in miniature wine barrels, strongly suggesting what should be drunk with such excellent cheeses: hungarian tokay. other foreign cheeses go to market wrapped in vine leaves. the affinity has clearly been laid down in heaven. only the english seem to have a _fortissimo_ taste in the go-with wines, according to these matches registered by andré simon in _the art of good living:_ red cheshire with light tawny port white cheshire with oloroso sherry blue leicester with old vintage port green roquefort with new vintage port to these we might add brittle chips of greek casere with nips of amontillado, for an eloquent appetizer. the english also pour port into stilton, and sundry other wines and liquors into cheddars and such. this doctoring leads to fraudulent imitation, however, for either port or stout is put into counterfeit cheshire cheese to make up for the richness it lacks. while some combinations of cheeses and wines may turn out palatable, we prefer taking ours straight. when something more fiery is needed we can twirl the flecks of pure gold in a chalice of eau de vie de danzig and nibble on legitimate danzig cheese unadulterated. _goldwasser_, or eau de vie, was a favorite liqueur of cheese-loving franklin roosevelt, and we can be sure he took the two separately. another perfect combination, if you can take it, is imported kümmel with any caraway-seeded cheese, or cream cheese with a handy saucer of caraway seeds. in the section of france devoted to gin, the juniper berries that flavor the drink also go into a local cheese, fromage fort. this is further fortified with brandy, white wine and pepper. one regional tipple with such brutally strong cheese is black coffee laced with gin. french la jonchée is another potted thriller with not only coffee and rum mixed in during the making, but orange flower water, too. then there is la petafina, made with brandy and absinthe; hazebrook with brandy alone; and la cachat with white wine and brandy. in italy white gorgonzola is also put up in crocks with brandy. in oporto the sharp cheese of that name is enlivened by port, cider and the greatest of applejacks, calvados, seem made to go the regional calvados cheese. this is also true of our native jersey lightning and hard cider with their accompanying new york state cheese. in the auge valley of france, farmers also drink homemade cider with their own augelot, a piquant kind of pont l'evêque. the english sip pear cider (perry) with almost any british cheese. milk would seem to be redundant, but sage cheese and buttermilk do go well together. wine and cheese have other things in common. some wines and some cheeses are aged in caves, and there are vintage cheeses no less than vintage wines, as is the case with stilton. [illustration] _chapter twelve_ lazy lou once, so goes the sad story, there was a cheesemonger unworthy of his heritage. he exported a shipload of inferior "swiss" made somewhere in the u.s.a. bad to begin with, it had worsened on the voyage. rejected by the health authorities on the other side, it was shipped back, reaching home in the unhappy condition known as "cracked." to cut his losses the rascally cheesemonger had his cargo ground up and its flavor disguised with hot peppers and chili sauce. thus there came into being the abortion known as the "cheese spread." the cheese spread or "food" and its cousin, the processed cheese, are handy, cheap and nasty. they are available everywhere and some people even like them. so any cheese book is bound to take formal notice of their existence. i have done so--and now, an unfond farewell to them. my academic cheese education began at the university of wisconsin in . i grew up with our great midwest industry; i have read with profit hundreds of pamphlets put out by the learned aggies of my alma mater. mostly they treat of honest, natural cheeses: the making, keeping and enjoying of authentic longhorn cheddars, short bricks and naturalized limburgers. at the school of agriculture the students still, i am told, keep their hand in by studying the classical layout on a cheese board. one booklet recommends the following for freshman contemplation: caraway brick select brick edam wisconsin swiss longhorn american shefford these six sturdy samples of wisconsin's best will stimulate any amount of classroom discussion. does the edam go better with german-american black bread or with swedish ry-krisp? to butter or not to butter? and if to butter, with which cheese? salt or sweet? how close do we come to the excellence of the genuine alpine swiss? primary school stuff, but not unworthy of thought. pass on down the years. you are now ready to graduate. your cheese board can stand a more sophisticated setup. try two boards; play the teams against each other. the all-american champs new york coon philadelphia cream ohio liederkranz vermont sage kentucky trappist wisconsin limburger california jack pineapple minnesota blue brick tillamook vs. the european giants portuguese traz- dutch gouda italian parmesan os-montes french roquefort swiss emmentaler yugoslavian kackavalj english stilton danish blue german mÜnster greek feta hablÉ the postgraduate may play the game using as counters the great and distinctive cheeses of more than fifty countries. your scandinavian board alone, just to give an idea of the riches available, will shine with blues, yellows, whites, smoky browns, and chocolates representing sweden, norway, denmark, finland, iceland and lapland. for the britisher only blue-veined stilton is worthy to crown the banquet. the frenchman defends roquefort, the dane his own regal blue; the swiss sticks to emmentaler before, during and after all three meals. you may prefer to finish with a delicate brie, a smoky slice of provolone, a bit of baby gouda, or some liptauer garniert, about which more later. we load them all on lazy lou, lazy susan's big twin brother, a giant roulette wheel of cheese, every number a winner. a second lazy lou will bear the savories and go-withs. for these tidbits the english have a divine genius; think of the deviled shrimps, smoked oysters, herring roe on toast, snips of broiled sausage ... but we will make do with some olives and radishes, a few pickles, nuts, capers. with our two trusty lazy lous on hand plus wine or beer, we can easily dispense with the mere dinner itself. perhaps it is an italian night. then lazy lou is happily burdened with imported latticini; incanestrato, still bearing the imprint of its wicker basket; pepato, which is but incanestrato peppered; mel fina; deep-yellow, buttery scanno with its slightly burned flavor; tangy asiago; caciocavallo, so called because the the cheeses, tied in pairs and hung over a pole, look as though they were sitting in a saddle--cheese on horseback, or "_cacio a cavallo_." then we ring in lazy lou's first assistant, an old, silver-plated, revolving florentine magnum-holder. it's designed to spin a gigantic flask of chianti. the flick of a finger and the bottle is before you. gently pull it down and hold your glass to the spout. true, imported wines and cheeses are expensive. but native american products and reasonably edible imitations of the real thing are available as substitutes. anyway, protein for protein, a cheese party will cost less than a steak barbecue. and it can be more fun. encourage your guests to contribute their own latest discoveries. one may bring along as his ticket of admission a primavera from brazil; another some cubes of an andean specialty just flown in from colombia's mountain city, mérida, and still wrapped in its aromatic leaves of _frailejón lanudo_; another a few wedges of savory sweet english flower cheese, some flavored with rose petals, others with marigolds; another a tube of south american kräuterkäse. provide your own assortment of breads and try to include some of those fat, flaky old-fashioned crackers that country stores in new england can still supply. mustard? sure, if _.you_ like it. if you want to be fancy, use a tricky little gadget put out by the maille condiment-makers in france and available here in the food specialty shops. it's a miniature painter's palate holding five mustards of different shades and flavors and two mustard paddles. the mustards, in proper chromatic order, are: jonquil yellow "strong dijon"; "green herbs"; brownish "tarragon"; golden "ora"; crimson "tomato-flavored." and, just to keep things moving, we have restored an antique whirling cruet-holder to deliver worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, a- , tap sauce and major grey's chutney. salt shakers and pepper mills are handy, with a big-holed tin canister filled with crushed red-pepper pods, chili powder, hungarian-paprika and such small matters. butter, both sweet and salt, is on hand, together with, saucers or bowls of curry, capers, chives (sliced, not chopped), minced onion, fresh mint leaves, chopped pimientos, caraway, quartered lemons, parsley, fresh tarragon, tomato slices, red and white radishes, green and black olives, pearl onions and assorted nutmeats. some years ago, when i was collaborating with my mother, cora, and my wife, rose, in writing _ , snacks_ (which, by the way, devotes nearly forty pages to cheeses), we staged a rather elaborate tasting party just for the three of us. it took a two-tiered lazy lou to twirl the load. the eight wedges on the top round were english and french samples and the lower one carried the rest, as follows: english cheddar cheshire english stilton canadian cheddar (rum flavored) french mÜnster french brie french french camembert roquefort swiss sapsago swiss gruyere swiss edam dutch gouda italian czech italian norwegian provolone ostiepki gorgonzola gjetost hungarian liptauer the tasting began with familiar english cheddars, cheshires and stiltons from the top row. we had cheese knives, scoops, graters, scrapers and a regulation wire saw, but for this line of crumbly britishers fingers were best. the cheddar was a light, lemony-yellow, almost white, like our best domestic "bar cheese" of old. the cheshire was moldy and milky, with a slightly fermented flavor that brought up the musty dining room of fleet street's cheshire cheese and called for draughts of beer. the stilton was strong but mellow, as high in flavor as in price. only the rum-flavored canadian cheddar from montreal (by courtesy english) let us down. it was done up as fancy as a bridegroom in waxed white paper and looked as smooth and glossy as a gardenia. but there its beauty ended. either the rum that flavored it wasn't up to much or the mixture hadn't been allowed to ripen naturally. the french münster, however, was hearty, cheery, and better made than most german münster, which at that time wasn't being exported much by the nazis. the brie was melting prime, the camembert was so perfectly matured we ate every scrap of the crust, which can't be done with many american "camemberts" or, indeed, with the dead, dry french ones sold out of season. then came the roquefort, a regal cheese we voted the best buy of the lot, even though it was the most expensive. a plump piece, pleasantly unctuous but not greasy, sharp in scent, stimulatingly bittersweet in taste--unbeatable. there is no american pretender to the roquefort throne. ours is invariably chalky and tasteless. that doesn't mean we have no good blues. we have. but they are not roquefort. the sapsago or kräuterkäse from switzerland (it has been made in the canton of glarus for over five hundred years) was the least expensive of the lot. well-cured and dry, it lent itself to grating and tasted fine on an old-fashioned buttered soda cracker. sapsago has its own seduction, derived from the clover-leaf powder with which the curd is mixed and which gives it its haunting flavor and spring-like sage-green color. next came some truly great swiss gruyère, delicately rich, and nutty enough to make us think of the sharp white wines to be drunk with it at the source. as for the provolone, notable for the water-buffalo milk that makes it, there's an example of really grown-up milk. perfumed as spring flowers drenched with a shower of anjou, having a bouquet all its own and a trace of a winelike kick, it made us vow never to taste another american imitation. only a smooth-cheeked, thick slab cut from a pedigreed italian provolone of medium girth, all in one piece and with no sign of a crack, satisfy the gourmet. the second italian classic was gorgonzola, gorgeous gorgonzola, as fruity as apples, peaches and pears sliced together. it smells so much like a ripe banana we often eat them together, plain or with the crumbly _formaggio_ lightly forked into the fruit, split lengthwise. after that the edam tasted too lipsticky, like the red-paint job on its rind, and the gouda seemed only half-hearted. both too obviously ready-made for commerce with nothing individual or custom-made about them, rolled or bounced over from holland by the boat load. the ostiepki from czechoslovakia might have been a link of smoked ostrich sausage put up in the skin of its own red neck. in spite of its pleasing lemon-yellow interior, we couldn't think of any use for it except maybe crumbling thirty or forty cents' worth into a ten-cent bowl of bean soup. but that seemed like a waste of money, so we set it aside to try in tiny chunks on crackers as an appetizer some other day, when it might be more appetizing. we felt much the same about the chocolate-brown norwegian gjetost that looked like a slab of boarding-school fudge and which had the same cloying cling to the tongue. we were told by a native that our piece was entirely too young. that's what made it so insipid, undeveloped in texture and flavor. but the next piece we got turned out to be too old and decrepit, and so strong it would have taken a paul bunyan to stand up under it. when we complained to our expert about the shock to our palates, he only laughed, pointing to the nail on his little finger. "you should take just a little bit, like that. a pill no bigger than a couple of aspirins or an alka-seltzer. it's only in the morning you take it when it's old and strong like this, for a pick-me-up, a cure for a hangover, you know, like a prairie oyster well soused in worcestershire." that made us think we might use it up to flavor a welsh rabbit, _instead_ of the worcestershire sauce, but we couldn't melt it with anything less than a blowtorch. to bring the party to a happy end, we went to town on the hungarian liptauer, garnishing that fine, granulating buttery base after mixing it well with some cream cheese. we mixed the mixed cheese with sardine and tuna mashed together in a little of the oil from the can. we juiced it with lemon, sluiced it with bottled sauces, worked in the leftovers, some tarragon, mint, spicy seeds, parsley, capers and chives. we peppered and paprikaed it, salted and spiced it, then spread it thicker than butter on pumpernickel and went to it. _that's_ liptauer garniert. [illustration: no. cheese inc.] _appendix_ the a-b-z of cheese _each cheese is listed by its name and country of origin, with any further information available. unless otherwise indicated, the cheese is made of cow's milk._ a aberdeen _scotland_ soft; creamy mellow. abertam _bohemia_ _(made near carlsbad_) hard; sheep; distinctive, with a savory smack all its own. absinthe _see_ petafina. acidophilus _see_ saint-ivel. aettekees _belgium_ november to may--winter-made and eaten. affiné, carré _see_ ancien impérial. affumicata, mozzarella _see_ mozzarella. after-dinner cheeses _see_ chapter . agricultural school cheeses _see_ college-educated. aiguilles, fromage d' _alpine france_ named "cheese of the needles" from the sharp alpine peaks of the district where it is made. aizy, cendrée d' _see_ cendrée. ajacilo, ajaccio _corsica_ semihard; piquant; nut-flavor. named after the chief city of french corsica where a cheese-lover, napoleon, was born. à la crème _see_ fromage, fromage blanc, chevretons. à la main _see_ vacherin. à la pie _see_ fromage. à la rachette _see_ bagnes. albini _northern italy_ semihard; made of both goat and cow milk; white, mellow, pleasant-tasting table cheese. albula _switzerland_ rich with the flavor of cuds of green herbs chewed into creamy milk that makes tasty curds. made in the fertile swiss valley of albula whose proud name it bears. alderney _channel islands_ the french, who are fond of this special product of the very special breed of cattle named after the channel island of alderney, translate it phonetically--fromage d'aurigny. alemtejo _portugal_ called in full queijo de alemtejo, cheese of alemtejo, in the same way that so many french cheeses carry along the _fromage_ title. soft; sheep and sometimes goat or cow; in cylinders of three sizes, weighing respectively about two ounces, one pound, and four pounds. the smaller sizes are the ones most often made with mixed goat and sheep milk. the method of curdling without the usual animal rennet is interesting and unusual. the milk is warmed and curdled with vegetable rennet made from the flowers of a local thistle, or cardoon, which is used in two other portuguese cheeses--queijo da cardiga and queijo da serra da estrella--and probably in many others not known beyond their locale. in france la caillebotte is distinguished for being clabbered with _chardonnette_, wild artichoke seed. in portugal, where there isn't so much separating of the sheep from the goats, it takes several weeks for alemtejos to ripen, depending on the lactic content and difference in sizes. alfalfa _see_ sage. alise saint-reine _france_ soft; summer-made. allgäuer bergkäse, allgäuer rundkäse, or allgäuer emmentaler _bavaria_ hard; emmentaler type. the small district of allgäu names a mountain of cheeses almost as fabulous as our "rock-candy mountain." there are two principal kinds, vintage allgäuer bergkäse and soft allgäuer rahmkäse, described below. this celebrated cheese section runs through rich pasture lands right down and into the swiss valley of the emme that gives the name emmentaler to one of the world's greatest. so it is no wonder that allgäuer bergkäse can compete with the best swiss. before the russian revolution, in fact, all vintage cheeses of allgäu were bought up by wealthy russian noblemen and kept in their home caves in separate compartments for each year, as far back as the early 's. as with fine vintage wines, the price of the great years went up steadily. such cheeses were shipped to their russian owners only when the chief cheese-pluggers of allgäu found they had reached their prime. allgäuer rahmkäse _bavaria_ full cream, similar to romadur and limburger, but milder than both. this sets a high grade for similar cheeses made in the bavarian mountains, in monasteries such as andechs. it goes exquisitely with the rich dark bavarian beer. some of it is as slippery as the stronger, smellier bierkäse, or the old-time slipcote of england. like so many north europeans, it is often flavored with caraway. although entirely different from its big brother, vintage bergkäse, rahmkäse can stand proudly at its side as one of the finest cheeses in germany. alpe _see_ fiore di alpe. al pepe _italy_ hard and peppery, like its name. similar to pepato (_see_). alpes _france_ similar to bel paese. alpestra _austria_ a smoked cheese that tastes, smells and inhales like whatever fish it was smoked with. the french alps has a different alpestre; italy spells hers alpestro. alpestre, alpin, or fromage de briançon _france_ hard; goat; dry; small; lightly salted. made at briançon and gap. alpestro _italy_ semisoft; goat; dry; lightly salted. alpin or clérimbert _alpine france_ the milk is coagulated with rennet at ° f. in two hours. the curd is dipped into molds three to four inches in diameter and two and a half inches in height, allowed to drain, turned several times for one day only, then salted and ripened one to two weeks. altenburg, or altenburger ziegenkäse _germany_ soft; goat; small and flat--one to two inches thick, eight inches in diameter, weight two pounds. alt kuhkäse old cow cheese _germany_ hard; well-aged, as its simple name suggests. altsohl _see_ brinza. ambert, or fourme d'ambert _limagne, auvergne, france_ a kind of cheddar made from november to may and belonging to the cantal--fourme-la tome tribe. american, american cheddar _u.s.a._ described under their home states and distinctive names are a dozen fine american cheddars, such as coon, wisconsin, herkimer county and tillamook, to name only a few. they come in as many different shapes, with traditional names such as daisies, flats, longhorns, midgets, picnics, prints and twins. the ones simply called cheddars weigh about sixty pounds. all are made and pressed and ripened in about the same way, although they differ greatly in flavor and quality. they are ripened anywhere from two months to two years and become sharper, richer and more flavorsome, as well as more expensive, with the passing of time. _see_ cheddar states and cheddar types in chapter . americano romano _u.s.a._ hard; brittle; sharp. amou _béarn, france_ winter cheese, october to may. anatolian _turkey_ hard; sharp. anchovy links _u.s.a._ american processed cheese that can be mixed up with anchovies or any fish from whitebait to whale, made like a sausage and sold in handy links. ancien impérial _normandy, france_ soft; fresh cream; white, mellow and creamy like neufchâtel and made in the same way. tiny bricks packaged in tin foil, two inches square, one-half inch thick, weighing three ounces. eaten both fresh and when ripe. it is also called carré and has separate names for the new and the old: (a) petit carré when newly made; (b) carré affiné, when it has reached a ripe old age, which doesn't take long--about the same time as neufchâtel. ancona _see_ pecorino. andean _venezuela_ a cow's-milker made in the andes near mérida. it is formed into rough cubes and wrapped in the pungent, aromatic leaves of _frailejón lanudo_ (_espeletia schultzii_) which imparts to it a characteristic flavor. (description given in _buen provecho!_ by dorothy kamen-kaye.) andechs _bavaria_ a lusty allgäuer type. monk-made on the monastery hill at andechs on ammersee. a superb snack with equally monkish dark beer, black bread and blacker radishes, served by the brothers in dark brown robes. antwerp _belgium_ semihard; nut-flavored; named after its place of origin. appenzeller _switzerland, bavaria and baden_ semisoft emmentaler type made in a small twenty-pound wheel--a pony-cart wheel in comparison to the big swiss. there are two qualities: (a) common, made of skim milk and cured in brine for a year; (b) festive, full milk, steeped in brine with wine, plus white wine lees and pepper. the only cheese we know of that is ripened with lees of wine. appetitost _denmark_ semisoft; sour milk; nutlike flavor. it's an appetizer that lives up to its name, eaten fresh on the spot, from the loose bottom pans in which it is made. appetost _denmark_ sour buttermilk, similar to primula, with caraway seeds added for snap. imitated in u.s.a. apple _u.s.a._ a small new york state cheddar put up in the form of a red-cheeked apple for new york city trade. inspired by the pear-shaped provolone and baby gouda, no doubt. arber _bohemia_ semihard; sour milk; yellow; mellow and creamy. made in mountains between bohemia and silesia. argentine _argentina_ argentina is specially noted for fine reproductions of classical italian hard-grating cheeses such as parmesan and romano, rich and fruity because of the lush pampas-grass feeding. armavir _western caucasus_ soft; whole sour sheep milk; a hand cheese made by stirring cold, sour buttermilk or whey into heated milk, pressing in forms and ripening in a warm place. similar to hand cheese. arnauten _see_ travnik. arovature _italy_ water-buffalo milk. arras, coeurs d' _see_ coeurs. arrigny _champagne, france_ made only in winter, november to may. since gourmet products of the same province often have a special affinity, arrigny and champagne are specially well suited to one another. artichoke, cardoon or thistle for rennet _see_ caillebotte. artificial dessert cheese in the lavish days of olde england artificial dessert cheese was made by mixing one quart of cream with two of milk and spiking it with powdered cinnamon, nutmeg and mace. four beaten eggs were then stirred in with one-half cup of white vinegar and the mixture boiled to a curd. it was then poured into a cheesecloth and hung up to drain six to eight hours. when taken out of the cloth it was further flavored with rose water, sweetened with castor sugar, left to ripen for an hour or two and finally served up with more cream. asadero, or oaxaca _jalisco and oaxaca, mexico_ white; whole-milk. curd is heated, and hot curd is cut and braided or kneaded into loaves from eight ounces to eleven pounds in weight asadero means "suitable for roasting." asco _corsica, france_ made only in the winter season, october to may. asiago i, ii and iii _vicenza, italy_ sometimes classed as medium and mild, depending mostly on age. loaves weigh about eighteen pounds each and look like american cheddar but have a taste all their own. i. mild, nutty and sharp, used for table slicing and eating. ii. medium, semihard and tangy, also used for slicing until nine months old. iii. hard, old, dry, sharp, brittle. when over nine months old, it's fine for grating. asin, or water cheese _northern italy_ sour-milk; washed-curd; whitish; soft; buttery. made mostly in spring and eaten in summer and autumn. dessert cheese, frequently eaten with honey and fruit. au cumin _see_ münster. au fenouil _see_ tome de savoie. au foin and de foin a style of ripening "on the hay." _see_ pithiviers au foin and fromage de foin. augelot _valée d'auge, normandy, france_ soft; tangy; piquant pont l'evêque type. d'auray _see_ sainte-anne. aurigny, fromage d' _see_ alderney. aurillac _see_ bleu d'auvergne. aurore and triple aurore _normandy, france_ made and eaten all year. australian and new zealand _australia and new zealand_ enough cheese is produced for local consumption, chiefly cheddar; some gruyère, but unfortunately mostly processed. autun _nivernais, france_ produced and eaten all year. fromage de vache is another name for it and this is of special interest in a province where the chief competitors are made of goat's milk. auvergne, bleu d' _see_ bleu. au vin blanc, confits _see_ epoisses. avesnes, boulette d' _see_ boulette. aydes, les _orléanais, france_ not eaten during july, august or september. season, october to june. azeitão, queijo do _portugal_ soft, sheep, sapid and extremely oily as the superlative _ão_ implies. there are no finer, fatter cheeses in the world than those made of rich sheep milk in the mountains of portugal and named for them. azeitoso _portugal_ soft; mellow, zestful and as oily as it is named. azuldoch mountain _turkey_ mild and mellow mountain product. b backsteiner _bavaria_ resembles limburger, but smaller, and translates brick, from the shape. it is aromatic and piquant and not very much like the u.s. brick. bagnes, or fromage à la raclette _switzerland_ not only hard but very hard, named from _racler_, french for "scrape." a thick, one-half-inch slice is cut across the whole cheese and toasted until runny. it is then scraped off the pan it's toasted in with a flexible knife, spread on bread and eaten like an open-faced welsh rabbit sandwich. bagozzo, grana bagozzo, bresciano _italy_ hard; yellow; sharp. surface often colored red. parmesan type. bakers' cheese skim milk, similar to cottage cheese, but softer and finer grained. used in making bakery products such as cheese cake, pie, and pastries, but may also be eaten like creamed cottage cheese. ball _u.s.a._ made from thick sour milk in pennsylvania in the style of the original pennsylvania dutch settlers. ballakäse or womelsdorf similar to ball. balls, dutch red english name for edam. banbury _england_ soft, rich cylinder about one inch thick made in the town of banbury, famous for its spicy, citrus-peel buns and its equestrienne. banbury cheese with banbury buns made a sensational snack in the early nineteenth century, but both are getting scarce today. banick _armenia_ white and sweet. banjaluka _bosnia_ port-salut type from its trappist monastery. banon, or les petits banons _provence, france,_ small, dried, sheep-milker, made in the foothills of the alps and exported through marseilles in season, may to november. this sprightly summer cheese is generously sprinkled with the local brandy and festively wrapped in fresh green leaves. bar cheese _u.s.a._ any saloon cheddar, formerly served on every free-lunch counter in the u.s. before prohibition, free-lunch cheese was the backbone of america's cheese industry. barbacena _minas geraes, brazil_ hard, white, sometimes chalky. named from its home city in the leading cheese state of brazil. barberey, or fromage de troyes _champagne, france_ soft, creamy and smooth, resembling camembert, five to six inches in diameter and - / inches thick. named from its home town, barberey, near troyes, whose name it also bears. fresh, warm milk is coagulated by rennet in four hours. uncut curd then goes into a wooden mold with a perforated bottom, to drain three hours, before being finished off in an earthenware mold. the cheeses are salted, dried and ripened three weeks in a cave. the season is from november to may and when made in summer they are often sold fresh. barboux _france_ soft. baronet _u.s.a._ a natural product, mild and mellow. barron _france_ soft. bassillac _see_ bleu. bath _england_ gently made, lightly salted, drained on a straw mat in the historic resort town of bath. ripened in two weeks and eaten only when covered with a refined fuzzy mold that's also eminently edible. it is the most delicate of english-speaking cheeses. battelmatt _switzerland, st. gothard alps, northern italy, and western austria_ an emmentaler made small where milk is not plentiful. the "wheel" is only sixteen inches in diameter and four inches high, weighing forty to eighty pounds. the cooking of the curd is done at a little lower temperature than emmentaler, it ripens more rapidly--in four months --and is somewhat softer, but has the same holes and creamy though sharp, full nutty flavor. bauden (_see also_ koppen) _germany, austria, bohemia and silesia_ semisoft, sour milk, hand type, made in herders' mountain huts in about the same way as harzkäse, though it is bigger. in two forms, one cup shape (called koppen), the other a cylinder. strong and aromatic, whether made with or without caraway. bavarian beer cheese _see_ bayrischer bierkäse. bavarian cream _german_ very soft; smooth and creamy. made in the bavarian mountains. especially good with sweet wines and sweet sauces. bavarois à la vanille _see_ fromage bavarois. bayonne _see_ fromage de bayonne. bayrischer bierkäse _bavaria_ bavarian beer cheese from the tyrol is made not only to eat with beer, but to dunk in it. beads of cheese _tibet_ beads of hard cheese, two inches in diameter, are strung like a necklace of cowrie shells or a rosary, fifty to a hundred on a string. _also see_ money made of cheese. beagues _see_ tome de savoie. bean cake, tao-foo, or tofu _china, japan, the orient_ soy bean cheese imported from shanghai and other oriental ports, and also imitated in every chinatown around the world. made from the milk of beans and curdled with its own vegetable rennet. beaujolais _see_ chevretons. beaumont, or tome de beaumont _savoy, france_ a more or less successful imitation of trappist tamie, a trade-secret triumph of savoy. at its best from october to june. beaupré de roybon _dauphiné, france_ a winter specialty made from november to april. beckenried _switzerland_ a good mountain cheese from goat milk. beer cheese _u.s.a._ while our beer cheese came from germany and the word is merely a translation of bierkäse, we use it chiefly for a type of strong limburger made mostly in milwaukee. this fine, aromatic cheese is considered by many as the very best to eat while drinking beer. but in germany bierkäse is more apt to be dissolved in a glass or stein of beer, much as we mix malted powder in milk, and drunk with it, rather than eaten. beer-regis _dorsetshire, england_ this sounds like another beer cheese, but it's only a mild cheddar named after its hometown in dorsetshire. beist-cheese _scotland_ a curiosity of the old days. "the first milk after a calving, boiled or baked to a thick consistency, the result somewhat resembling new-made cheese, though this is clearly not a true cheese." (macneill) belarno _italy_ hard; goat; creamy dessert cheese. belgian cooked _belgium_ the milk, which has been allowed to curdle spontaneously, is skimmed and allowed to drain. when dry it is thoroughly kneaded by hand and is allowed to undergo fermentation, which takes ordinarily from ten to fourteen days in winter and six to eight days in summer. when the fermentation is complete, cream and salt are added and the mixture is heated slowly and stirred until homogeneous, when it is put into molds and allowed to ripen for eight days longer. a cheese ordinarily weighs about three-and-a-half pounds. it is not essentially different from other forms of cooked cheese. beli sir _see_ domaci. bellelay, tête de moine, or monk's head _switzerland_ soft, buttery, semisharp spread. sweet milk is coagulated with rennet in twenty to thirty minutes, the curd cut fairly fine and cooked not so firm as emmentaler, but firmer than limburger. after being pressed, the cheeses are wrapped in bark for a couple of weeks until they can stand alone. since no eyes are desired in the cheeses, they are ripened in a moist cellar at a lowish temperature. they take a year to ripen and will keep three or four years. the diameter is seven inches, the weight nine to fifteen pounds. the monk's head after cutting is kept wrapped in a napkin soaked in white wine and the soft, creamy spread is scraped out to "butter" bread and snacks that go with more white wine. such combinations of old wine and old cheese suggest monkish influence, which began here in the fifteenth century with the jolly friars of the canton of bern. there it is still made exclusively and not exported, for there's never quite enough to go around. bel paese _italy_ _see under_ foreign greats, chapter . _also see_ mel fino, a blend, and bel paese types--french boudanne and german saint stefano. the american imitation is not nearly so good as the italian original. bel paesino _u.s.a._ a play on the bel paese name and fame. weight one pound and diminutive in every other way. bergkäse _see_ allgäuer. bergquara _sweden_ semihard, fat, resembles dutch gouda. tangy, pleasant taste. gets sharper with age, as they all do. molded in cylinders of fifteen to forty pounds. popular in sweden since the eighteenth century. berkeley _england_ named after its home town in gloucester, england. berliner kuhkäse _berlin, germany_ cow cheese, pet-named turkey cock cheese by berlin students. typical german hand cheese, soft; aromatic with caraway seeds, and that's about the only difference between it and alt kuhkäse, without caraway. bernarde, formagelle bernarde _italy_ cow's whole milk, to which about % of goat's milk is added for flavor. cured for two months. berques _france_ made of skim milk. berry rennet _see_ withania. bessay, le _bourbonnais, france_ soft, mild, and creamy. bexhill _england_ cream cheeses, small, flat, round. excellent munching. bierkäse _germany_ there are several of these unique beer cheeses that are actually dissolved in a stein of beer and drunk down with it in the bierstubes, notably bayrischer, dresdener, and olmützer. semisoft; aromatic; sharp. well imitated in _echt deutsche_ american spots such as milwaukee and hoboken. bifrost _norway_ goat; white; mildly salt. imitated in a process spread in - / -ounce package. binn _wallis, switzerland_ exceptionally fine swiss from the great cheese canton of wallis. bitto _northern italy_ hard emmentaler type made in the valtellina. it is really two cheeses in one. when eaten fresh, it is smooth, sapid, big-eyed swiss. when eaten after two years of ripening, it is very hard and sharp and has small eyes. blanc à la crème _see_ fromage blanc. blanc _see_ fromage blanc i and ii. bleu _france_ brittle; blue-veined; smooth; biting. bleu d'auvergne or fromage bleu _auvergne, france_ hard; sheep or mixed sheep, goat or cow; from pontgibaud and laqueuille ripening caves. similar to better-known cantal of the same province. akin to roquefort and stilton, and to bleu de laqueuille. bleu de bassillac _limousin, france_ blue mold of roquefort type that's prime from november to may. bleu de laqueuille _france_ similar to bleu d'auvergne, but with a different savor. named for its originator, antoine roussel-laqueuille, who first made it a century ago, in . bleu de limousin, fromage _lower limousin_ practically the same as bleu de bassillac, from lower limousin. bleu de salers _france_ a variety of bleu d'auvergne from the same province distinguished for its blues that are green. with the majority, this is at its best only in the winter months, from november to may. bleu, fromage _see_ bleu d'auvergne. bleu-olivet _see_ olivet. blind the name for cheeses lacking the usual holes of the type they belong to, such as blind swiss. block edam _u.s.a._ u.s. imitation of the classical dutch cheese named after the town of edam. block, smoked _austria_ the name is self-explanatory and suggests a well-colored meerschaum. bloder, or schlicker milch _switzerland_ sour-milker. blue cheddar _see_ cheshire-stilton. blue, danish _see_ danish blue. blue dorset _see_ dorset. blue, jura _see_ jura bleu and septmoncel. blue, and blue with port links _u.s.a._ one of the modern american process sausages. blue, minnesota _see_ minnesota. blue moon _u.s.a._ a process product. blue vinny, blue vinid, blue-veined dorset, or double dorset _dorsetshire, england_ a unique blue that actually isn't green-veined. farmers make it for private consumption, because it dries up too easily to market. an epicurean esoteric match for truckles no. of wiltshire. it comes in a flat form, chalk-white, crumbly and sharply flavored, with a "royal blue" vein running right through horizontally. the vinny mold, from which it was named, is different from all other cheese molds and has a different action. bocconi geganti _italy_ sharp and smoky specialty. bocconi provoloni _see_ provolone. boîte _see_ fromage de boîte. bombay _india_ hard; goat; dry; sharp. good to crunch with a bombay duck in place of a cracker. bondes _see_ bondon de neufchâtel. bondon de neufchâtel, or bondes _normandy, france_ nicknamed _bonde à tout bien_, from resemblance to the bung in a barrel of neuchâtel wine. soft, small loaf rolls, fresh and mild. similar to gournay, but sweeter because of % added sugar. bondon de rouen _france_ a fresh neufchâtel, similar to petit suisse, but slightly salted, to last up to ten days. bondost _sweden_ when caraway seed is added this is called kommenost, spelled kuminost in norway. bond ost _u.s.a._ imitation of scandinavian cheese, with small production in wisconsin. bon larron _france_ romantically named "the penitent thief." borden's _u.s.a._ a full line of processed and naturals, of which liederkranz is the leader. borelli _italy_ a small water-buffalo cheese. bossons maceres _provence, france_ a winter product, december, january, february and march only. boudanne _france_ whole or skimmed cow's milk, ripens in two to three months. boudes, boudon _normandy, france_ soft, fresh, smooth, creamy, mild child of the neufchâtel family. bougon lamothe _see_ lamothe. bouillé, la _normandy france_ one of this most prolific province's thirty different notables. in season october to may. boule de lille _france_ name given to belgian oude kaas by the french who enjoy it. boulette d'avesnes, or boulette de cambrai _flanders, france_ made from november to may, eaten all year. bourgain _france_ type of fresh neufchâtel made in france. perishable and consumed locally. bourgognes _see_ petits bourgognes. box _württemberg, germany_ similar to u.s. brick. it comes in two styles; firm, and soft: i. also known as schachtelkäse, boxed cheese; and hohenheim, where it is made. a rather unimportant variety. made in a copper kettle, with partially skim milk, colored with saffron and spiked with caraway, a handful to every two hundred pounds. salted and ripened for three months and shipped in wooden boxes. ii. also known by names of localities where made: hohenburg, mondess and weihenstephan. made of whole milk. mild but piquant. bra no. i _piedmont, italy_ hard, round form, twelve inches in diameter, three inches high, weight twelve pounds. a somewhat romantic cheese, made by nomads who wander with their herds from pasture to pasture in the region of bra. bra no. ii _turin and cuneo, italy_ soft, creamy, small, round and mild although cured in brine. brand or brandkäse _germany_ soft, sour-milk hand cheese, weighing one-third of a pound. the curd is cooked at a high temperature, then salted and set to ferment for a day. butter is then mixed into it before pressing into small bricks. after drying it is put in used beer kegs to ripen and is frequently moistened with beer while curing. brandy _see_ caledonian, cream. branja de brailia _rumania_ hard; sheep; extra salty because always kept in brine. branja de cosulet _rumania_ described by richard wyndham in _wine and food_ (winter, ): a creamy sheep's cheese which is encased in pine bark. my only criticism of this most excellent cheese is that the center must always remain a gastronomical second best. it is no more interesting than a good english cheddar, while the outer crust has a scented, resinous flavor which must be unique among cheeses. bratkäse _switzerland_ strong; specially made to roast in slices over coal. fine, grilled on toast. breakfast, frühstück, lunch, delikat, and other names _germany_ soft and delicate, but with a strong tang. small round, for spreading. lauterbach is a well-known breakfast cheese in germany, while in switzerland emmentaler is eaten at all three meals. breakstone _u.s.a._ like borden and other leading american cheesemongers and manufacturers, breakstone offer a full line, of which their cream cheese is an american product to be proud of. brésegaut _savoy, france_ soft, white. breslau _germany_ a proud prussian dessert cheese. bressans _see_ les petits. bresse _france_ lightly cooked. bretagne _see_ montauban. brevine _switzerland_ emmentaler type. briançon _see_ alpin. brick _see_ chapter . brickbat _wiltshire, england_ a traditional wiltshire product since early in the eighteenth century. made with fresh milk and some cream, to ripen for one year before "it's fit to eat." the french call it briqueton. bricotta _corsica_ semisoft, sour sheep, sometimes mixed with sugar and rum and made into small luscious cakes. brie _see_ chapter ; _also see_ cendré and coulommiers. brie façon _france_ the name of imitation brie or brie type made in all parts of france. often it is dry, chalky, and far inferior to the finest brie _véritable_ that is still made best in its original home, formerly called la brie, now seine et marne, or ile-de-france. _see_ nivernais decize, le mont d'or, and ile-de-france. brie de meaux _france_ this genuine brie from the meaux region has an excellent reputation for high quality. it is made only from november to may. brie de melun _france_ this brie _véritable_ is made not only in the seasonal months, from november to may, but practically all the year around. it is not always prime. summer brie, called maigre, is notably poor and thin. spring brie is merely migras, half-fat, as against the fat autumn gras that ripens until may. brillat-savarin _normandy, france_ soft, and available all year. although the author of _physiologie du goût_ was not noted as a caseophile and wrote little on the subject beyond _le fondue_ (_see_ chapter ), this savory normandy produce is named in his everlasting praise. brina dubreala _rumania_ semisoft, sheep, done in brine. brindza _u.s.a._ our imitation of this creamy sort of fresh, white roquefort is as popular in foreign colonies in america as back in its hungarian and greek homelands. on new york's east side several stores advertise "brindza fresh daily," with an extra "d" crowded into the original brinza. brine _see_ italian bra, caucasian ekiwani, brina dubreala, briney. briney, or brined _syria_ semisoft, salty, sharp. so-called from being processed in brine. turkish tullum penney is of the same salt-soaked type. brinza, or brinsen _hungary, rumania, carpathian mountains_ goes by many local names: altsohl, klencz, landoch, liptauer, neusohl, siebenburgen and zips. soft, sheep milk or sheep and goat; crumbly, sharp and biting, but creamy. made in small lots and cured in a tub with beech shavings. ftinoporino is its opposite number in macedonia. brioler _see_ westphalia. briquebec _see_ providence briqueton _england_ the french name for english wiltshire brickbat, one of the very few cheeses imported into france. known in france in the eighteenth century, it may have influenced the making of trappist port-salut at the bricquebec monastery in manche. brittle _see_ greek cashera, italian ricotta, turkish rarush durmar, and u.s. hopi. brizecon _savoy, france_ imitation reblochon made in the same savoy province. broccio, or le brocconis _corsica, france_ soft, sour sheep milk or goat, like bricotta and a first cousin to italian chiavari. cream white, slightly salty; eaten fresh in paris, where it is as popular as on its home island. sometimes salted and half-dried, or made into little cakes with rum and sugar. made and eaten all year. broodkaas _holland_ hard, flat, nutty. brousses de la vézubie, les _nice, france_ small; sheep; long narrow bar shape, served either with powdered sugar or salt, pepper and chopped chives. made in vézubie. brussels or bruxelles _belgium_ soft, washed skim milk, fermented, semisharp, from louvain and hal districts. budapest _hungary_ soft, fresh, creamy and mellow, a favorite at home in budapest and abroad in vienna. buderich _germany_ a specialty in dusseldorf. bulle _switzerland_ a swiss-gruyère. bundost _sweden_ semihard; mellow; tangy. burgundy _france_ named after the province, not the wine, but they go wonderfully together. bushman _australia_ semihard; yellow; tangy. butter and cheese _see_ chapter . "butter," serbian _see_ kajmar. buttermilk _u.s. & europe_ resembles cottage cheese, but of finer grain. c cabeçou, le _auvergne, france_ small; goat; from maurs. cabrillon _auvergne, france_ so much like the cabreçon they might be called sister nannies under the rind. cachet d'entrechaux, le, or fromage fort du ventoux _provence mountains, france_ semihard; sheep; mixed with brandy, dry white wine and sundry seasonings. well marinated and extremely strong. season may to november. caciocavallo _italy_ "horse cheese." the ubiquitous cheese of classical greats, imitated all around the world and back to italy again. _see_ chapter . caciocavallo siciliano _sicily, also in u.s.a._ essentially a pressed provolone. usually from cow's whole milk, but sometimes from goat's milk or a mixture of the two. weight between - / and pounds. used for both table cheese and grating. cacio fiore, or caciotta _italy_ soft as butter; sheep; in four-pound square frames; sweetish; eaten fresh. cacio pecorino romano _see_ pecorino. cacio romano _see_ chiavari. caerphilly _wales and england--devon, dorset, somerset & wilshire_ semihard; whole fresh milk; takes three weeks to ripen. also sold "green," young and innocent, at the age of ten to eleven days when weighing about that many pounds. since it has little keeping qualities it should be eaten quickly. welsh miners eat a lot of it, think it specially suited to their needs, because it is easily digested and does not produce so much heat in the body as long-keeping cheeses. caillebottes (curds) _france--anjou, poitou, saintonge & vendée_ soft, creamy, sweetened fresh or sour milk clabbered with chardonnette, wild artichoke seed, over slow fire. cut in lozenges and served cold not two hours after cooking. smooth, mellow and aromatic. a high type of this unusual cheese is jonchée (_see_). other cheeses are made with vegetable rennet, some from similar thistle or cardoon juice, especially in portugal. caille de poitiers _see_ petits pots. caille de habas _gascony, france_ clabbered or clotted sheep milk. cajassou _périgord, france_ a notable goat cheese made in cubjac. calabrian _italy_ the calabrians make good sheep cheese, such as this and caciocavallo. calcagno _sicily_ hard; ewe's milk. suitable for grating. caledonian cream _scotland_ more of a dessert than a true cheese. we read in _scotland's inner man_: "a sort of fresh cream cheese, flavored with chopped orange marmalade, sugar brandy and lemon juice. it is whisked for about half an hour. otherwise, if put into a freezer, it would be good ice-pudding." calvados _france_ medium-hard; tangy. perfect with calvados applejack from the same province. calvenzano _italy_ similar to gorgonzola, made in bergamo. cambrai _see_ boulette. cambridge, or york _england_ soft; fresh; creamy; tangy. the curd is quickly made in one hour and dipped into molds without cutting to ripen for eating in thirty hours. camembert _see_ chapter . "camembert" _germany, u.s. & elsewhere_ a west german imitation that comes in a cute little heart-shaped box which nevertheless doesn't make it any more like the camembert _véritable_ of normandy. camosun _u.s.a._ semisoft; open-textured, resembling monterey. drained curd is pressed in hoops, cheese is salted in brine for thirty hours, then coated with paraffin and cured for one to three months in humid room at ° to ° f. canadian club _see_ cheddar club. cancoillotte, cancaillotte, canquoillotte, quincoillotte, cancoiade, fromagère, tempête and "purée" de fromage tres fort _franche-comté, france_ soft; sour milk; sharp and aromatic; with added eggs and butter and sometimes brandy or dry white wine. sold in attractive small molds and pots. other sharp seasonings besides the brandy or wine make this one of the strongest of french strong cheeses, similar to fromage fort. canestrato _sicily, italy_ hard; mixed goat and sheep; yellow and strong. takes one year to mature and is very popular both in sicily where it is made to perfection and in southern colorado where it is imitated by and for italian settlers. cantal, fromage de cantal, auvergne or auvergne bleu; also fourme and la tome. _auvergne, france_ semihard; smooth; mellow; a kind of cheddar, lightly colored lemon; yellow; strong, sharp taste but hardly any smell. forty to a hundred-twenty pound cylinders. the rich milk from highland pastures is more or less skimmed and, being a very old variety, it is still made most primitively. cured six weeks or six months, and when very old it's very hard and very sharp. a cantal type is laguiole or guiole. capitanata _italy_ sheep. caprian _capri, italy_ made from milk of goats that still overrun the original goat island, and tangy as a buck. caprino (little goat) _argentina_ semihard; goat; sharp; table cheese. caraway loaf _u.s.a._ this is just one imitation of dozens of german caraway-seeded cheeses that roam the world. in germany there is not only kümmel loaf cheese but a loaf of caraway-seeded bread to go with it. milwaukee has long made a good kümmelkäse or hand cheese and it would take more than the fingers on both hands to enumerate all of the european originals, from dutch komynkaas through danish king christian ix and norwegian kuminost, italian freisa, pomeranian rinnen and belgian leyden, to pennsylvania pot. cardiga, queijo da _portugal_ hard; sheep; oily; mild flavor. named from cardo, cardoon in english, a kind of thistle used as a vegetable rennet in making several other cheeses, such as french caillebottes curdled with chardonnette, wild artichoke seed. only classical greek sheep cheeses like casera can compare with the superb ones from the portuguese mountain districts. they are lusciously oily, but never rancidly so. carlsbad _bohemia_ semihard; sheep; white; slightly salted; expensive. carré affiné _france_ soft, delicate, in small square forms; similar to petit carré and ancien impérial (_see_). carré de l'est _france_ similar to camembert, and imitated in the u.s.a. cascaval penir _turkey_ cacciocavallo imitation consumed at home. caseralla _greece_ semisoft; sheep; mellow; creamy. casere _greece_ hard; sheep; brittle; gray and greasy. but wonderful! sour-sweet tongue tickle. this classical though greasy grecian is imitated with goat milk instead of sheep in southern california. cashera _armenia and greece_ hard; goat or cow's milk; brittle; sharp; nutty. similar to casere and high in quality. cashera _turkey_ semihard; sheep. casher penner _see_ kasher. cashkavallo _syria_ mellow but sharp imitation of the ubiquitous italian cacciocavallo. casigiolu, panedda, pera di vacca _sardinia_ plastic-curd cheese, made by the caciocavallo method. caskcaval or kaschcavallo _see_ feta. caspian _caucasus_ semihard. sheep or cow, milked directly into cone-shaped cloth bag to speed the making. tastes tangy, sharp and biting. cassaro _italy_ locally consumed, seldom exported. castelmagno _italy_ blue-mold, gorgonzola type. castelo branco, white castle _portugal_ semisoft; goat or goat and sheep; fermented. similar to serra da estrella (_see_). castillon, or fromage de gascony _france_ fresh cream cheese. castle, schlosskäse _north austria_ limburger type. catanzaro _italy_ consumed locally, seldom exported. cat's head _see_ katzenkopf. celery _norway_ flavored mildly with celery seeds, instead of the usual caraway. cendrée, la _france--orléanais, blois & aube_ hard; sheep; round and flat. other cendrées are champenois or ricey, brie, d'aizy and olivet cendré d'aizy _burgundy, france_ available all year. _see_ la cendrée. cendré de la brie _ile-de-france, france_ fall and winter brie cured under the ashes, season september to may. cendré champenois or cendré des riceys _aube & marne, france_ made and eaten from september to june, and ripened under the ashes. cendré olivet _see_ olivet. cenis _see_ mont cenis. certoso stracchino _italy, near milan_ a variety of stracchino named after the carthusian friars who have made it for donkey's years. it is milder and softer and creamier than the taleggio because it's made of cow instead of goat milk, but it has less distinction for the same reason. ceva _italy_ soft veteran of roman times named from its town near turin. chabichou _poitou, france_ soft; goat; fresh; sweet and tasty. a vintage cheese of the months from april to december, since such cheeses don't last long enough to be vintaged like wine by the year. chaingy _orléans, france_ season september to june. cham _switzerland_ one of those eminent emmentalers from cham, the home town of mister pfister (_see_ pfister). chamois milk aristotle said that the most savorous cheese came from the chamois. this small goatlike antelope feeds on wild mountain herbs not available to lumbering cows, less agile sheep or domesticated mountain goats, so it gives, in small quantity but high quality, the richest, most flavorsome of milk. champenois or fromage des riceys _aube & marne, france_ season from september to june. the same as cendré champenois and des riceys. champoléon de queyras _hautes-alpes, france_. hard; skim-milker. chantelle _u.s.a._ natural port du salut type described as "zesty" by some of the best purveyors of domestic cheeses. it has a sharp taste and little odor, perhaps to fill the demand for a "married man's limburger." chantilly _see_ hablé. chaource _champagne, france_ soft, nice to nibble with the bottled product of this same high-living champagne province. a kind of camembert. chapelle _france_ soft. charmey fine _switzerland_ gruyère type. chaschol, or chaschosis _canton of grisons, switzerland_ hard; skim; small wheels, eighteen to twenty-two inches in diameter by three to four inches high, weight twenty-two to forty pounds. chasteaux _see_ petits fromages. chateauroux _see_ fromage de chèvre. chaumont _champagne, france_ season november to may. chavignol _see_ crottin. chechaluk _armenia_ soft; pot; flaky; creamy. cheddar _see_ chapter . cheese bread _russia and u.s.a._ for centuries russia has excelled in making a salubrious cheese bread called notruschki and the cheese that flavors it is tworog. (_see both_.) only recently schrafft's in new york put out a yellow, soft and toothsome cheese bread that has become very popular for toasting. it takes heat to bring out its full cheesy savor. good when overlaid with cheese butter of contrasting piquance, say one mixed with sapsago. cheese butter equal parts of creamed butter and finely grated or soft cheese and mixtures thereof. the imported but still cheap green sapsago is not to be forgotten when mixing your own cheese butter. cheese food _u.s.a._ "any mixtures of various lots of cheese and other solids derived from milk with emulsifying agents, coloring matter, seasonings, condiments, relishes and water, heated or not, into a homogeneous mass." (a long and kind word for a homely, tasteless, heterogeneous mess.) from an advertisement cheese hoppers _see_ hoppers. cheese mites _see_ mites. cheshire and cheshire imitations _see_ with cheddar in chapter . cheshire-stilton _england_ in making this combination of cheshire and stilton, the blue mold peculiar to stilton is introduced in the usual cheshire process by keeping out each day a little of the curd and mixing it with that in which the mold is growing well. the result is the cheshire in size and shape and general characteristics but with the blue veins of stilton, making it really a blue cheddar. another combination is yorkshire-stilton, and quite as distinguished. chester _england_ another name for cheshire, used in france where formerly some was imported to make the visiting britishers feel at home. chevalier _france_ curds sweetened with sugar. chevèlle _u.s.a._ a processed wisconsin. chèvre _see_ fromages. chèvre de chateauroux _see_ fromages. chèvre petit _see_ petìts fromages. chèvre, tome de _see_ tome. chevretin _savoy, france_ goat; small and square. named after the mammy nanny, as so many are. chevrets, ponta & st. rémy _bresse & franche-comté, france_ dry and semi-dry; crumbly; goat; small squares; lightly salted. season december to april. such small goat cheeses are named in the plural in france. chevretons du beaujolais à la crème, les _lyonnais, france_ small goat-milkers served with cream. this is a fair sample of the railroad names some french cheeses stagger under. chevrotins _savoy, france_ soft, dried goat milk; white; small; tangy and semi-tangy. made and eaten from march to december. chhana _asia_ all we know is that this is made of the whole milk of cows, soured, and it is not as unusual as the double "h" in its name. chiavari _italy_ there are two different kinds named for the chiavari region, and both are hard: i. sour cow's milk, also known as cacio romano. ii. sweet whole milker, similar to corsican broccio. chiavari, the historic little port between genoa and pisa, is more noted as the birthplace of the barbaric "chivaree" razzing of newlyweds with its raucous serenade of dishpans, sour-note bugling and such. chives cream cheese of the world's many fine fresh cheeses further freshened with chives, there's belgian hervé and french claqueret (with onion added). (_see both_.) for our taste it's best when the chives are added at home, as it's done in germany, in person at the table or just before. christalinna _canton graubünden, switzerland_ hard; smooth; sharp; tangy. christian ix _denmark_ a distinguished spiced cheese. ciclo _italy_ soft, small cream cheese. cierp de luchon _france_ made from november to may in the comté de foix, where it has the distinction of being the only local product worth listing with france's three hundred notables. citeaux _burgundy, france_ trappist port-salut. clabber cheese _england_ simply cottage cheese left in a cool place until it grows soft and automatically changes its name from cottage to clabber. clairvaux _france_ formerly made in a benedictine monastery of that name. claqueret, le _lyonnais, france_ fresh cream whipped with chives, chopped fine with onions. _see_ chives. clérimbert _see_ alpin. cleves _france_ french imitation of the german imitation of a holland-dutch original. cloves _see_ nagelkäse. club, potted club, snappy, cold-pack and comminuted cheese _u.s.a. and canada_ probably mclaren's imperial club in pots was first to be called club, but others credit club to the u.s. in any case mclaren's was bought by an american company and is now all-american. today there are many clubs that may sound swanky but taste very ordinary, if at all. they are made of finely ground aged, sharp cheddar mixed with condiments, liquors, olives, pimientos, etc., and mostly carry come-on names to make the customers think they are getting something from olde england or some aristocratic private club. all are described as "tangy." originally butter went into the better clubs which were sold in small porcelain jars, but in these process days they are wrapped in smaller tin foil and wax-paper packets and called "snappy." cocktail cheeses recommended from stock by phil alpert's "cheeses of all nations" stores: argentine aged gruyère canadian d'oka french bleu brie camembert fontainebleu pont l'evêque port du salut roblochon roquefort grecian feta hungarian brinza polish warshawski syr rumanian kaskaval swiss schweizerkäse american cheddar in brandy hopi indian coeur à la crème _burgundy, france_ this becomes fromage à la crème ii (_see_) when served with sugar, and it is also called a heart of cream after being molded into that romantic shape in a wicker or willow-twig basket. coeurs d'arras _artois, france_ these hearts of arras are soft, smooth, mellow, caressingly rich with the cream of arras. coffee-flavored cheese just as the dutch captivated coffee lovers all over the world with their coffee-flavored candies, haagische hopjes, so the french with jonchée cheese and italians with ricotta satisfy the universal craving by putting coffee in for flavor. coimbra _portugal_ goat or cow; semihard; firm; round; salty; sharp. not only one of those college-educated cheeses but a postgraduate one, bearing the honored name of portugal's ancient academic center. colby _u.s.a._ similar to cheddar, but of softer body and more open texture. contains more moisture, and doesn't keep as well as cheddar. college-educated besides coimbra several countries have cheeses brought out by their colleges. even brazil has one in minas geraes and transylvania another called kolos-monostor, while our agricultural colleges in every big cheese state from california through ames in iowa, madison in wisconsin, all across the continent to cornell in new york, vie with one another in turning out diploma-ed american cheddars and such of high degree. it is largely to the agricultural colleges that we owe the steady improvement in both quality and number of foreign imitations since the university of wisconsin broke the curds early in this century by importing swiss professors to teach the high art of emmentaler. colwick _see_ slipcote. combe-air _france_ small; similar to italian stracchino in everything but size. commission _holland_ hard; ball-shaped like edam and resembling it except being darker in color and packed in a ball weighing about twice as much, around eight pounds. it is made in the province of north holland and in friesland. it is often preferred to edam for size and nutty flavor. compiègne _france_ soft comté _see_ gruyère. conches _france_ emmentaler type. condrieu, rigotte de la _rhone valley below lyons, france_ semihard; goat; small; smooth; creamy; mellow; tasty. a cheese of cheeses for epicures, only made from may to november when pasturage is rich. confits au marc de bourgogne _see_ epoisses. confits au vin blanc _see_ epoisses. cooked, or pennsylvania pot _u.s.a._ named from cooking sour clabbered curd to the melting point. when cool it is allowed to stand three or four days until it is colored through. then it is cooked again with salt, milk, and usually caraway. it is stirred until it's as thick as molasses and strings from a spoon. it is then put into pots or molds, whose shape it retains when turned out. all cooked cheese is apt to be tasteless unless some of the milk flavor cooked out is put back in, as wheat germ is now returned to white bread. almost every country has a cooked cheese all its own, with or without caraway, such as the following: belgium--kochtounkäse germany--kochkäse, topfen luxembourg--kochenkäse france--fromage ouit & le p'teux sardinia--pannedas, freisa coon _see_ chapter . cornhusker _u.s.a._ a nebraska product similar to cheddar and colby, but with softer body and more moisture. cornimont _vosges, france_ a splendid french version of alsatian münster spiked with caraway, in flattish cylinders with mahogany-red coating. it is similar to géromé and the harvest cheese of gérardmer in the same lush vosges valley. corse, roquefort de _corsica, france_ corsican imitation of the real roquefort, and not nearly so good, of course. cossack _caucasus_ cow or sheep. there are two varieties: i. soft, cured in brine and still soft and mild after two months in the salt bath. ii. semihard and very sharp after aging in brine for a year or more. cotherstone _yorkshire, england_ also known as yorkshire-stilton, and wensleydale no. i. (_see both_.) cotrone, cotronese _see_ pecorino. cotta _see_ pasta. cottage cheese made in all countries where any sort of milk is obtainable. in america it's also called pot, dutch, and smearcase. the english, who like playful names for homely dishes, call cottage cheese smearcase from the german schmierkäse. it is also called glumse in deutschland, and, together with cream, formed the basis of all of our fine pennsylvania dutch cuisine. cottenham or double cottenham _english midlands_ semihard; double cream; blue mold. similar to stilton but creamier and richer, and made in flatter and broader forms. cottslowe _cotswold, england_ a brand of cream cheese named for its home in cotswold, gloucester. although soft, it tastes like hard cheddar. coulommiers frais, or petit-moule _ile-de-france, france_ fresh cream similar to petit suisse. (_see_.) coulommiers, le, or brie de coulommiers _france_ also called petit-moule, from its small form. this genuine brie is a pocket edition, no larger than a camembert, standing only one inch high and measuring five or six inches across. it is made near paris and is a great favorite from the autumn and winter months, when it is made, on until may. the making starts in october, a month earlier than most brie, and it is off the market by july, so it's seldom tasted by the avalanche of american summer tourists. cow cheese sounds redundant, and is used mostly in germany, where an identifying word is added, such as berliner kuhkäse and alt kuhkäse: old cow cheese. cream cheese _international_ england, france and america go for it heavily. english cream begins with devonshire, the world-famous, thick fresh cream that is sold cool in earthenware pots and makes fresh berries--especially the small wild strawberries of rural england--taste out of this world. it is also drained on straw mats and formed into fresh hardened cheeses in small molds. (_see_ devonshire cream.) among regional specialties are the following, named from their place of origin or commercial brands: cambridge cottslowe cornwall farm vale guilford homer's "italian" lincoln new forest rush (from being made on rush or straw mats--_see_ rush) st. ivel (distinguished for being made with acidophilus bacteria) scotch caledonian slipcote (famous in the eighteenth century) victoria york crème chantilly _see_ hablé. crème de gien _see_ fromage. crème de gruyère _franche-comté france_ soft gruyère cream cheese, arrives in america in perfect condition in tin foil packets. expensive but worth it. crème des vosges _alsace, france_ soft cream. season october to april. crème double _see_ double-crème. crème, fromage à la _see_ fromage. crème, fromage blanc à la _see_ fromage blanc. crème st gervais _see_ pots de crème st gervais. crèmet nantais _lower loire, france_ soft fresh cream of nantes. crèmets, les _anjou, france_ a fresh cream equal to english devonshire, served more as a dessert than a dessert cheese. the cream is whipped stiff with egg whites, drained and eaten with more fresh cream, sprinkled with vanilla and sugar. cremini _italy_ soft, small cream cheese from cremona, the violin town. and by the way, art-loving italians make ornamental cheeses in the form of musical instruments, statues, still life groups and everything. creole _louisiana, u.s.a._ soft, rich, unripened cottage cheese type, made by mixing cottage-type curd and rich cream. crescenza, carsenza, stracchino crescenza, crescenza lombardi _lombardy, italy_ uncooked; soft; creamy; mildly sweet; fast-ripening; yellowish; whole milk. made from september to april. creuse _creuse, france_ a two-in-one farm cheese of skimmed milk, resulting from two different ways of ripening, after the cheese has been removed from perforated earthen molds seven inches in diameter and five or six inches high, where it has drained for several days: i. it is salted and turned frequently until very dry and hard. ii. it is ripened by placing in tightly closed mold, lined with straw. this softens, flavors, and turns it golden-yellow. (_see_ hay or fromage de foin.) creusois, or guéret _limousin, france_ season, october to june. croissant demi-sel _france_ soft, double cream, semisalty. all year. crottin de chavignol _berry, france_ semihard; goat's milk; small; lightly salted; mellow. in season april to december. the name is not exactly complimentary. crowdie, or cruddy butter _scotland_ named from the combination of fresh sweet milk curds pressed together with fresh butter. a popular breakfast food in inverness and the ross shires. when kept for months it develops a high flavor. a similar curd and butter is made by arabs and stored in vats, the same as in india, the land of ghee, where there's no refrigeration. crying kebbuck f. marion macneill, in _the scots kitchen_ says that this was the name of a cheese that used to be part of the kimmers feast at a lying-in. cuajada _see_ venezuela. cubjac _see_ cajassou. cuit _see_ fromage cuit. cumin, münster au _see_ münster. cup _see_ koppen. curd _see_ granular curd, sweet curd and york curd. curds and butter _arabia_ fresh sweet milk curd and fresh butter are pressed together as in making crowdie or cruddy butter in scotland. the arabs put this strong mixture away in vats to get it even stronger than east indian ghee. curé, fromage de _see_ nantais. d daisies, fresh a popular type and packaging of mild cheddar, originally english. known as an "all-around cheese," to eat raw, cook, let ripen, and use for seasoning. dalmatian _austria_ hard ewe's-milker. dambo _denmark_ semihard and nutty. damen, or glory of the mountains (gloires des montagnes) _hungary_ soft, uncured, mild ladies' cheese, as its name asserts. popular alpine snack in viennese cafés with coffee gossip in the afternoon. danish blue _denmark_ semihard, rich, blue-veined, piquant, delicate, excellent imitation of roquefort. sometimes called "danish roquefort," and because it is exported around the world it is denmark's best-known cheese. although it sells for % to % less than the international triumvirate of blues, roquefort, stilton and gorgonzola, it rivals them and definitely leads lesser blues. danish export _denmark_ skim milk and buttermilk. round and flat, mild and mellow. a fine cheese, as many danish exports are. dansk schweizerost _denmark_ danish swiss cheese, imitation emmentaler, but with small holes. nutty, sweet dessert or "picnic cheese," as swiss is often called. danzig _poland_ a pleasant cheese to accompany a glass of the great liqueur, goldwasser, eau de vie de danzig, from the same celebrated city. darling _u.s.a._ one of the finest vermont cheddars, handled for years by one of america's finest fancy food suppliers, s.s. pierce of boston. dauphin _flanders, france_ season, november to may. d'aurigny, fromage _see_ alderney. daventry _england_ a stilton type, white, small, round, flat and very rich, with "blue" veins of a darker green. decize _nivernaise, france_ in season all year. soft, creamy, mellow, resembles brie. de foin, fromage _see_ hay. de fontine _spain_ crumbly, sharp, nutty. de gascony, fromage _see_ castillon. de gérardmer _see_ récollet. delft _holland_ about the same as leyden. (_see_.) délicieux the brand name of a truly delicious brie. delikat _u.s.a._ a mellow breakfast spread, on the style of the german frühstück original. (_see_.) de lile, boule french name for belgian oude kaas. demi-Étuve half-size Étuve. (_see_.) demi petit suisse the name for an extra small petit suisse to distinguish it from the gros. demi-sel _normandy, france_ soft, whole, creamy, lightly salted, resembles gournay but slightly saltier; also like u.s. cream cheese, but softer and creamier. demi-sel, croissant _see_ croissant demi-sel. derby, or derbyshire _england_ hard; shape like austrian nagelkassa and the size of cheshire though sometimes smaller. dry, large, flat, round, flaky, sharp and tangy. a factory cheese said to be identical with double gloucester and similar to warwickshire, wiltshire and leicester. the experts pronounce it "a somewhat inferior cheshire, but deficient in its quality and the flavor of cheddar." so it's unlikely to win in any cheese derby in spite of its name. devonshire cream and cheese _england_ devonshire cream is world famous for its thickness and richness. superb with wild strawberries; almost a cream cheese by itself. devonshire cream is made into a luscious cheese ripened on straw, which gives it a special flavor, such as that of french foin or hay cheese. dolce verde _italy_ this creamy blue-vein variety is named sweet green, because cheesemongers are color-blind when it comes to the blue-greens and the green-blues. domaci beli sir _yugoslavia_ "sir" is not a title but the word for cheese. this is a typical ewe's-milker cured in a fresh sheep skin. domestic gruyère _u.s.a._ an imitation of a cheese impossible to imitate. domestic swiss _u.s.a_ same as domestic gruyère, maybe more so, since it is made in ponderous -to -pound wheels, chiefly in wisconsin and ohio. the trouble is there is no alpine pasturage and emmentaler valley in our country. domiati _egypt_ whole or partly skimmed cow's or buffalo's milk. soft; white; no openings; mild and salty when fresh and cleanly acid when cured. it's called "a pickled cheese" and is very popular in the near east. dorset, double dorset, blue dorset, or blue vinny _england_ blue mold type from dorsetshire; crumbly, sharp; made in flat forms. "its manufacture has been traced back years in the family of f.e. dare, who says that in all probability it was made longer ago than that." (_see_ blue vinny.) dotter _nürnberg, germany_ an entirely original cheese perfected by g. leuchs in nürnberg. he enriched skim milk with yolk of eggs and made the cheese in the usual way. when well ripened it is splendid. doubles the english name cheese made of whole milk "double," such as double cottenham, double dorset, double gloucester. "singles" are cheeses from which some of the cream has been removed. double-cream _england_ similar to wensleydale. double-crème _france_ there are several of this name, made in the summer when milk is richest in cream. the full name is fromage à la double-crème, and pommel is one well known. they are made throughout france in season and are much in demand. dresdener bierkäse _germany_ a celebrated hand cheese made in dresden. the typical soft, skim milker, strong with caraway and drunk dissolved in beer, as well as merely eaten. drinking cheeses not only dresdener, but dozens of regional hand cheeses in germanic countries are melted in steins of beer or glasses of wine to make distinctive cheesed drinks for strong stomachs and noses. this peps up the drinks in somewhat the same way as ale and beer are laced with pepper sauce in some parts. dry _germany_ from the drinking cheese just above to dry cheese is quite a leap. "this cheese, known as sperrkäse and trockenkäse, is made in the small dairies of the eastern part of the bavarian alps and in the tyrol. it is an extremely simple product, made for home consumption and only in the winter season, when the milk cannot be profitably used for other purposes. as soon as the milk is skimmed it is put into a large kettle which can be swung over a fire, where it is kept warm until it is thoroughly thickened from souring. it is then broken up and cooked quite firm. a small quantity of salt and sometimes some caraway seed are added, and the curd is put into forms of various sizes. it is then placed in a drying room, where it becomes very hard, when it is ready for eating." (from u.s. department of agriculture _bulletin_ no. .) dubreala _see_ brina. duel _austria_ soft; skim milk; hand type; two by two by one-inch cube. dunlop _scotland_ one of the national cheeses of scotland, but now far behind cheddar, which it resembles, although it is closer in texture and moister. semihard; white; sharp; buttery; tangy and rich in flavor. it is one of the "toasting cheeses" resembling lancashire, too, in form and weight. made in ayr, lanark and renfrew and sold in the markets of kilmarnock, kirkcudbright and wigtown. durak _turkey_ mixed with butter; mellow and smoky. costs three dollars a pound. duralag, or bgug-panir _armenia_ sheep; semisoft to brittle hard; square; sharp but mellow and tangy with herbs. sometimes salty from lying in a brine bath from two days to two months. durmar, rarush _see_ rarush. dutch _holland_ cream cheese of skim milk, very perishable spread. dutch cheese american vernacular for cottage or pot cheese. dutch cream cheese _england_ made in england although called dutch. contains eggs, and is therefore richer than dutch cream cheese in holland itself. in america we call the original holland-kind dutch, cottage, pot, and farmer. dutch mill _u.s.a._ a specialty of oakland, california. dutch red balls english name for edam. e echourgnac, trappe d' _périgord, france_ trappist monastery port-salut made in limousin. edam _see_ chapter . egg _finland_ semihard. one of the few cheeses made by adding eggs to the curds. others are dutch cream cheese of england; german dotter; french fromage cuit (cooked cheese), and westphalian. authorities agree that these should be labeled "egg cheese" so the buyers won't be fooled by their richness. the finns age their eggs even as the chinese ripen their hundred-year-old eggs, by burying them in grain, as all scandinavians do, and the scotch as well, in the oat bin. but none of them is left a century to ripen, as eggs are said to be in china. elbinger, or elbing _west prussia_ hard; crumbly; sharp. made of whole milk except in winter when it is skimmed. also known as werderkäse and niederungskäse. ekiwani _caucasus_ hard; sheep; white; sharp; salty with some of the brine it's bathed in. elisavetpolen, or eriwani _caucasus_ hard; sheep; sweetish-sharp and slightly salty when fresh from the brine bath. also called kasach (cossack), tali, kurini and karab in different locales. elmo table _italy_ soft, mellow, tasty. emiliano _italy_ hard; flavor varies from mild to sharp. parmesan type. emmentaler _switzerland_ there are so many, many types of this celebrated swiss all around the world that we're not surprised to find lapland reindeer milk cheese listed as similar to emmentaler of the hardest variety. (_see_ chapter , _also_ vacherin fondu.) "en enveloppe" french phrase of packaged cheese, "in the envelope." similar to english packet and our process. raw natural cheese the french refer to frankly as _nu_, "in the nude." engadine _graubünden, switzerland_ semihard; mild; tangy-sweet. english dairy _england and u.s.a._ extra-hard, crumbly and sharp. resembles cheddar and has long been imitated in the states, chiefly as a cooking cheese. entrechaux, le cachat d' _see_ cachat. epoisses, fromage d' _côte d'or, upper burgundy, france_ soft, small cylinder with flattened end, about five inches across. the season is from november to july. equally proud of their wine and cheese, the burgundians marry white wine or _marc_ to d'epoisses in making _confits_ with that name. erbo _italy_ similar to gorgonzola. the galvani cheesemakers of italy who put out both bel paese and taleggio also export erbo to our shores. erce _languedoc, france_ soft, smooth and sharp. a winter cheese in season only from november to may. eriwani _see_ elisavetpolen. ervy _champagne, france_ soft; yellow rind; smooth; tangy; piquant; seven by two-and-a-half inches, weight four pounds. resembles camembert. a washed cheese, also known as fromage de troyes. in season november to may. essex _u.s.a._ imitation of an extinct or at least dormant english type. estrella _see_ serra da estrella. Étuve and demi-Étuve _holland_ semihard; smooth; mellow. in full size and demi (half) size. in season all year. evarglice _yugoslavia_ sharp, nutty flavor. excelsior _normandy, france_ season all year. f factory cheddar _u.s.a._ very old factory cheddar is the trade name for well-aged sharp cheddar. new factory is just that--mild, young and tractable--too tractable, in fact. farm _france_ known as ferme; maigre (thin); fromage à la pie (nothing to do with apple pie); and mou (weak). about the same as our cottage cheese. farmer _u.s.a._ this is curd only and is nowadays mixed with pepper, lachs, nuts, fruits, almost anything. a very good base for your own fancy spread, or season a slab to fancy and bake it like a hoe cake, but in the oven. farmhouse _see_ herrgårdsost. farm vale _england_ cream cheese of somerset wrapped in tin foil and boxed in wedges, eight to a box. fat cheese _see_ frontage gras and maile pener. fenouil _see_ tome de savoie. ferme _see_ farm. feta _see_ chapter . feuille de dreux _béarn, france_ november to may. "filled cheese" _england_ before our processed and food cheese era some scoundrels in the cheese business over there added animal fats and margarine to skimmed milk to make it pass as whole milk in making cheese. such adulteration killed the flavor and quality, and no doubt some of the customers. luckily in america we put down this vicious counterfeiting with pure food laws. but such foreign fats are still stuffed into the skimmed milk of many foreign cheeses. to take the place of the natural butterfat the phony fats are whipped in violently and extra rennet is added to speed up coagulation. fin de siècle _normandy, france_ although this is an "all year" cheese its name dates it back to the years at the close of the nineteenth century. fiore di alpe _italy_ hard; sharp; tangy. romantically named "flowers of the alps." fiore sardo _italy_ ewe's milk. hard. table cheese when immature; a condiment when fully cured. flandre, tuile de _france_ a kind of marolles. fleur de deauville _france_ a type of brie, in season december to may. fleur des alpes _see_ bel paese and millefiori. floedeost _norway_ like gjedeost, but not so rich because it's made of cow's milk. fløtost _norway_ although the name translates cream cheese it is made of boiled whey. similar to mysost, but fatter. flower _england_ soft and fragrant with petals of roses, violets, marigolds and such, delicately mixed in. since the english are so fond of oriental teas scented with jasmine and other flowers, perhaps they imported the idea of mixing petals with their cheese, since there is no oriental cheese for them to import except bean curd. fodder cheese a term for cheese made from fodder in seasons when there is no grass. good fresh grass is the essence of all fine cheese, so silo or barn-fed cows can't give the kind of milk it takes. foggiano _apulia, italy_ a member of the big pecorino family because it's made of sheep's milk. foin, fromage de _see_ hay. fondu, vacherin _see_ vacherin fondu. fontainebleau _france_ named after its own royal commune. soft; fresh cream; smooth; mellow; summer variety. fontina _val d'acosta, italy_ soft; goat; creamy; with a nutty flavor and delightful aroma. fontine, de _franche-comté, france_ a favorite all-year product. fontinelli _italy_ semidry; flaky; nutty; sharp. fontini _parma, italy_ hard; goat; similar to swiss, but harder and sharper. from the same region as parmesan. food cheese _u.s.a._ an unattractive type of processed mixes, presumably with some cheese content to flavor it. forez, also called d'ambert _france_ the process of making this is said to be very crude, and the ripening unusual. the cheeses are cylindrical, ten inches in diameter and six inches high. they are ripened by placing them on the floor of the cellar, covering with dirt, and allowing water to trickle over them. many are spoiled by the unusual growths of mold and bacteria. the flavor of the best of these is said to resemble roquefort. (from _bulletin_ no. of the u.s. department of agriculture, to which we are indebted for descriptions of hundreds of varieties in this alphabet.) formagelle _northwest italy_ soft, ripened specialty put up in half-pound packages. formaggi di pasta filata _italy_ a group of italian cheeses made by curdling milk with rennet, warming and fermenting the curd, heating it until it is plastic, drawing it into ropes and then kneading and shaping while hot. provolone, caciocavallo and mozzarella are in this group. formaggini, and formaggini di lecco _italy_ several small cheeses answer to this name, of which lecco is typical. a lombardy dessert cheese measuring - / by two inches, weighing two ounces. it is eaten from the time it is fresh and sweet until it ripens to piquance. sometimes made of cow and goat milk mixed, with the addition of oil and vinegar, as well as salt, pepper, sugar and cinnamon. formaggio d'oro _northwest italy_ hard, sharp, mountain-made. formaggio duro (dry) and formaggio tenero _see_ nostrale. fort _see_ fromage fort. fourme, cantal, and la tome _auvergne, france_ this is a big family in the rich cheese province of auvergne, where many mountain varieties are baptized after their districts, such as aubrac, aurilla, grand murol, rôche and salers. (_see_ fourme d'ambert and cantal.) fourme de montebrison _auvergne, france_ this belongs to the fourme clan and is in season from november to may. fourme de salers _see_ cantal, which it resembles so closely it is sometimes sold under that name. fresa, or pannedas _sardinia, italy_ a soft, mild and sweet cooked cheese. fribourg _italy and switzerland_ hard; cooked-curd, swiss type very similar to spalen. (_see_) frissche kaas, fresh cheese _holland_ dutch generic name for any soft, fresh spring cheese, although some is made in winter, beginning in november. friesian _see_ west friesian. fromage à la creme _france_ i. sour milk drained and mixed with cream. eaten with sugar. that of gien is a noted produce, and so is d'isigny. ii. franche-comté--fresh sheep milk melted with fresh thick cream, whipped egg whites and sugar. iii. morvan--homemade cottage cheese. when milk has soured solid it is hung in cheesecloth in a cool place to drain, then mixed with a little fresh milk and served with cream. iv. when morvan or other type is put into a heart-shaped wicker basket for a mold, and marketed in that, it becomes coeur à la crème, heart of cream, to be eaten with sugar. fromage à la pie _see_ fromage blanc just below, and farm fromage bavarois à la vanille _france_ dessert cheese sweetened and flavored with vanilla and named after bavaria where it probably originated. fromage blanc _france_ soft cream or cottage cheese, called à la pie, too, suggesting pie à la mode; also farm from the place it's made. usually eaten with salt and pepper, in summer only. it is the ascetic version of fromage à la crème, usually eaten with salt and pepper and without cream or sugar, except in the province of bresse where it is served with cream and called fromage blanc à la crème. every milky province has its own blanc. in champagne it's made of fresh ewe milk. in upper brittany it is named after nantes and also called fromage de curé. other districts devoted to it are alsace-lorraine, auvergne, languedoc, and ile-de-france. fromage bleu _see_ bleu d'auvergne. fromage cuit (cooked cheese) _thionville, lorraine, france_ although a specialty of lorraine, this cooked cheese is produced in many places. first it is made with fresh whole cow milk, then pressed and potted. after maturing a while it is de-potted, mixed with milk and egg yolk, re-cooked and re-potted. fromage d'aurigny _see_ alderney. fromage de bayonne _bayonne, france_ made with ewe's milk. fromage de bôite _doubs, france_ soft, mountain-made, in the fall only. resembles pont l'evêque. fromage de bourgogne _see_ burgundy. fromage de chèvre de chateauroux _berry, france_ a seasonal goat cheese. fromage de curé _see_ nantais. fromage de fontenay-le comté _poitou, france_ half goat and half cow milk. fromage de gascony _see_ castillon. fromage de pau _see_ la foncée. fromage de st. rémy _see_ chevrets. fromage de serac _savoy, france_ half and half, cow and goat, from serac des allues. fromage de troyes _france_ two cheeses have this name. (_see_ barberry and ervy.) fromage de vache another name for autun. fromage de monsieur fromage _normandy, france_ this cheese of mr. cheese is as exceptional as its name. its season runs from november to june. it comes wrapped in a green leaf, maybe from a grape vine, suggesting what to drink with it. it is semidry, mildly snappy with a piquant pungence all its own. the playful name suggests the celebrated dish, poulette de madame poulet, chick of mrs. chicken. fromage fort _france_ several cooked cheeses are named fort (strong) chiefly in the department of aisne. well-drained curd is melted, poured into a cloth and pressed, then buried in dry ashes to remove any whey left. after being fermented eight to ten days it is grated, mixed with butter, salt, pepper, wine, juniper berries, butter and other things, before fermenting some more. similar extra-strong cheeses are the one in lorraine called fondue and fromagère of eastern france, classed as the strongest cheeses in all france. _fort no. i_: that of flanders, potted with juniper berries, as the gin of this section is flavored, plus pepper, salt and white wine. _fort no. ii_: that from franche-comté small dry goat cheeses pounded and potted with thyme, tarragon, leeks, pepper and brandy. (_see_ hazebrook.) _fort no. iii_: from provence, also called cachat d'entrechaux. in production from may to november. semihard, sheep milk, mixed with brandy, white wine, strong herbs and seasonings and well marinated. fromage gras (fat cheese) _savoy, france_ soft, round, fat ball called _tête de mort_, "death's head." winter brie is also called gras but there is no relation. this macabre name incited victor meusy to these lines: _les gens à l'humeur morose prennent la tête-de-mort._ people of a morose disposition take the death's head. fromage mou any soft cheese. fromage piquant _see_ remoudon. fromagère _see_ canquillote. fromages de chèvre _orléanais, france_ small, dried goat-milkers. frühstück also known as breakfast and lunch cheese. small rounds two-and-a-half to three inches in diameter. limburger type. cheeses on which many germans and americans break their fast. ftinoporino _macedonia, greece_ sheep's-milker similar to brinza. g gaiskäsli _germany and switzerland_ a general name for goat's milk cheese. usually a small cylinder three inches in diameter and an inch-and-a-half thick, weighing up to a half pound. in making, the curds are set on a straw mat in molds, for the whey to run away. they are salted and turned after two days to salt the other side. they ripen in three weeks with a very pleasing flavor. gammelost _norway_ hard, golden-brown, sour-milker. after being pressed it is turned daily for fourteen days and then packed in a chest with wet straw. so far as we are concerned it can stay there. the color all the way through is tobacco-brown and the taste, too. it has been compared to medicine, chewing tobacco, petrified limburger, and worse. in his _encyclopedia of food_ artemas ward says that in gammelost the ferments absorb so much of the curd that "in consequence, instead of eating cheese flavored by fungi, one is practically eating fungi flavored with cheese." garda _italy_ soft, creamy, fermented. a truly fine product made in the resort town on gardasee where d'annunzio retired. it is one of those luscious little ones exported in tin foil to america, and edible, including the moldy crust that could hardly be called a rind. garden _u.s.a._ cream cheese with some greens or vegetables mixed in. garlic _u.s.a._ a processed cheddar type flavored with garlic. garlic-onion link _u.s.a._ a strong processed cheddar put up to look like links of sausage, nobody knows why. gascony, fromage de _see castillon._ gautrias _mayenne, france_ soft, cylinder weighing about five pounds and resembling port-salut. gavot _hautes-alpes, france_ a good alpine cheese whether made of sheep, goat or cow milk. geheimrath _netherlands_ a factory cheese turned out in small quantities. the color is deep yellow and it resembles a baby gouda in every way, down to the weight gérardmer, de _see_ récollet german-american adopted types bierkäse delikat grinnen hand harzkäse kümmelkäse koppen lager liederkranz mein kaese münster old heidelberg schafkäse (sheep) silesian stein tilsit weisslack (piquant like bavarian allgäuer) géromé, la _vosges, france_ semihard: cylinders up to eleven pounds; brick-red rind; like münster, but larger. strong, fragrant and flavorsome, sometimes with aniseed. it stands high at home, where it is in season from october to april. gervais _ile-de-france, france_ cream cheese like neufchâtel, long made by maison gervais, near paris. sold in tiny tin-foil squares not much larger than old-time yeast. like petit suisse, it makes a perfect luncheon dessert with honey. gesundheitkäse, holsteiner _see_ holstein health. getmesost _sweden_ soft; goat; whey; sweet. gex _pays de gex, france_ semihard; skim milk; blue-veined. a "little" roquefort in season from november to may. gex marbré _france_ a very special type marbled with rich milks of cow, goat and sheep, mixed. a full-flavored ambassador of the big international blues family, that are green in spite of their name. gien _see_ fromage à la crème. gislev _scandinavia_ hard; mild, made from skimmed cow's milk. gjetost _norway_ a traditional chocolate-colored companion piece to gammelost, but made with goat's milk. glavis _switzerland_ the brand name of a cone of sapsago. (_see_.) glattkäse, or gelbkäse _germany_ smooth cheese or yellow cheese. a classification of sour-milkers that includes olmützer quargel. cloire des montagnes _see_ damen. gloucester _gloucestershire, england_ there are two types: i. double, the better of the two gloucesters, is eaten only after six months of ripening. "it has a pronounced, but mellow, delicacy of flavor...the tiniest morsel being pregnant with savour. to measure its refinement, it can undergo the same comparison as that we apply to vintage wines. begin with a small piece of red cheshire. if you then pass to a morsel of double gloucester, you will find that the praises accorded to the latter have been no whit exaggerated." _a concise encyclopedia of gastronomy,_ by andré l. simon. ii. single. by way of comparison, the spring and summer single gloucester ripens in two months and is not as big as its "large grindstone" brother. and neither is it "glorified cheshire." it is mild and "as different in qualify of flavour as a young and crisp wine is from an old vintage." glumse _west prussia, germany_ a common, undistinguished cottage cheese. glux _nivernais, france_ season, all year. goat _france_ a frank and fair name for a semihard, brittle mouthful of flavor. every country has its goat specialties. in norway the milk is boiled dry, then fresh milk or cream added. in czechoslovakia the peasants smoke the cheese up the kitchen chimney. no matter how you slice it, goat cheese is always notable or noble. gold-n-rich _u.s.a._ golden in color and rich in taste. bland, as american taste demands. like bel paese but not so full-flavored and a bit sweet. a good and deservedly popular cheese none the less, easily recognized by its red rind. gomost _norway_ usually made from cow's milk, but sometimes from goat's. milk is curdled with rennet and condensed by heating until it has a butter-like consistency. (_see_ mysost.) gorgonzola _italy_ besides the standard type exported to us (_see_ chapter .) there is white gorgonzola, little known outside italy where it is enjoyed by local caseophiles, who like it put up in crocks with brandy, too. gouda _see_ chapter . gouda, kosher _holland_ the same semihard good gouda, but made with kosher rennet. it is a bit more mellow than most and, like all kosher products, is stamped by the jewish authorities who prepare it. goya _corrientes, argentine_ hard, dry, italian type for grating. like all fine argentine cheeses the milk of pedigreed herds fed on prime pampas grass distinguishes goya from lesser parmesan types, even back in italy. it is interesting that the nitrate in chilean soil makes their wines the best in america, and the richness of argentine milk does the same for their cheeses, most of which are italian imitations and some of which excel the originals. gournay _seine, france_ soft, similar to demi-sel, comes in round and flat forms about / pound in weight. those shaped like bondons resemble corks about / of an inch thick and four inches long. grana _italy_ another name for parmesan. from "grains", the size of big shot, that the curd is cut into. grana lombardo _lombardy_ the same hard type for grating, named after its origin in lombardy. grana reggiano _reggio, italy_ a brand of parmesan type made near reggio and widely imitated, not only in lombardy and mantua, but also in the argentine where it goes by a pet name of its own--regianito. grande bornand, la _switzerland_ a luscious half-dried sheep's milker. granular curd _see_ stirred curd. gras, or velvet kaas _holland_ named from its butterfat content and called "moors head", _tête de maure_, in france, from its shape and size. the same is true of fromage de gras in france, called _tête de mort_, "death's head". gras is also the popular name for brie that's made in the autumn in france and sold from november to may. (_see_ brie.) gratairon _france_ goat milk named, as so many are, from the place it is made. graubünden _switzerland_ a luscious half-dried sheep's milker. green bay _u.s.a._ medium-sharp, splendid white cheddar from green bay, wisconsin, the limburger county. grey _germany and austrian tyrol_ semisoft; sour skim milk with salty flavor from curing in brine bath. named from the gray color that pervades the entire cheese when ripe. it has a very pleasant taste. gruyère _see_ chapter . güssing, or land-l-kas _austria_ similar to brick. skim milk. weight between four and eight pounds. h habas _see_ caille. hablé crème chantilly _Ösmo, sweden_ soft ripened dessert cheese made from pasteurized cream by the old walla creamery. put up in five-ounce wedge-shaped boxes for export and sold for a high price, well over two dollars a pound, in fancy big city groceries. truly an aristocrat of cheeses to compare with the finest french brie or camembert. _see_ chapter . hand _see_ chapter . hard _puerto rico_ dry; tangy. harzkäse, harz _harz mountains, germany_ tiny hand cheese. probably the world's smallest soft cheese, varying from - / inches by - / down to / by - / . packed in little boxes, a dozen together, rubbing rinds, as close as sardines. and like harz canaries, they thrive on seeds, chiefly caraway. harzé _belgium_ port-salut type from the trappist monastery at harzé. hasandach _turkey_ bland; sweet. hauskäse. _germany_ limburger type. disk-shaped. haute marne _france_ soft; square. hay, or fromage au foin _seine, france_ a skim-milker resembling "a poor grade of livarot." nothing to write home about, except that it is ripened on new-mown hay. hazebrook there are two kinds: i. flemish; a fromage fort type with white wine, juniper, salt and pepper. excessively strong for bland american tasters. ii. franche-comté, france; small dry goat's milker, pounded, potted and marinated in a mixture of thyme, tarragon, leeks, pepper and brandy. head four cheeses are called head: the french death's head. swiss monk's head. dutch cat's head. moor's head. there's headcheese besides but that's made of a pig's head and is only a cheese by discourtesy. health _see_ holstein. herbesthal _germany_ named from a valley full of rich _herbes_ for grazing. herkimer _u.s.a._ cheddar type; nearly white. _see_ chapter . herrgårdsost, farm house or manor house _west gothland and jamtland, sweden_ hard emmentaler type in two qualities: full cream and half cream. weighs to pounds. it is the most popular cheese in all sweden and the best is from west gothland and jutland. herrgårdstyp _see_ hushållsost. hervé _belgium_ soft; made in cubes and peppered with _herbes_ such as tarragon, parsley and chives. it flourishes from november to may and comes in three qualities: extra cream, cream, and part skim milk. hickory smoked _u.s.a._ good smoke is often wasted on bad cheese. hohenburg _see_ box no. ii. hohenheim _germany_ soft; part skimmed milk; half-pound cylinders. (see box no. i.) hoi poi _china_ soybean cheese, developed by vegetable rennet. exported in jars. hoja _see_ queso de. hollander _north germany_ imitation dutch goudas and edams, chiefly from neukirchen in holstein. holstein dairy _see_ leather. holsteiner, or old holsteiner _germany_ eaten best when old, with butter, or in the north, with dripping. holstein health, or holsteiner gesundheitkäse _germany_ sour-milk curd pressed hard and then cooked in a tin kettle with a little cream and salt. when mixed and melted it is poured into half-pound molds and cooled. holstein skim milk or holstein magerkäse _germany_ skim-milker colored with saffron. its name, "thin cheese," tells all. hop, hopfen _germany_ small, one inch by - / inches, packed in hops to ripen. an ideal beer cheese, loaded with lupulin. hopi _u.s.a._ hard; goat; brittle; sharp; supposed to have been made first by the hopi indians out west where it's still at home. horner's _england_ an old cream cheese brand in redditch where worcestershire sauce originated. horse cheese not made of mare's milk, but the nickname for caciocavallo because of the horse's head used to trademark the first edition of it. hum _holland_ brand name of one of those mild little red baby goudas that make you say "ho-hum." hushållsost, household cheese _sweden_ popular in three types: herrgårdstyp--farmhouse västgötatyp--westgotland sveciatyp--swedish hvid gjetost _norway_ a strong variety of gjetost, little known and less liked outside of scandinavia. i icelandic in _letters from iceland_, w.h. auden says: "the ordinary cheese is like a strong dutch and good. there is also a brown sweet cheese, like the norwegian." doubtless the latter is gjetost. ihlefield _mecklenburg, germany_ a hand cheese. ilha, queijo de _azores_ semihard "cheese of the isle," largely exported to mother portugal, measuring about a foot across and four inches high. the one word, _ilha_, isle, covers the several azorian islands whose names, such as _pico_, peak, and _terceiro_, third, are sometimes added to their cheeses. impérial, ancien _see_ ancien. imperial club _canada_ potted cheddar; snappy; perhaps named after the famous french ancien impérial. incanestrato _sicily, italy_ very sharp; white; cooked; spiced; formed into large round "heads" from fifteen to twenty pounds. _see_ majocchino, a kind made with the three milks, goat, sheep and cow, and enriched with olive oil besides. irish cheeses irish cheddar and irish stilton are fairly ordinary imitations named after their native places of manufacture: ardagh, galtee, whitehorn, three counties, etc. isigny _france_ full name fromage à la crème d'isigny. _(see.)_ cream cheese. the american cheese of this name never amounted to much. it was an attempt to imitate camembert in the gay nineties, but it turned out to be closer to limburger. (_see_ chapter .) in france there is also crème d'isigny, thick fresh cream that's as famous as england's devonshire and comes as close to being cheese as any cream can. island of orléans _canada_ this soft, full-flavored cheese was doubtless brought from france by early emigrés, for it has been made since on the orléans island in the st. lawrence river near quebec. it is known by its french name, le fromage raffiné de l'ile d'orléans, and lives up to the name "refined." j jack _see_ monterey. jochberg _tyrol, germany_ cow and goat milk mixed in a fine tyrolean product, as all mountain cheese are. twenty inches in diameter and four inches high, it weighs in at forty-five pounds with the rind on. jonchée _santonge, france_ a superior caillebotte, flavored with rum, orange-flower water or, uniquely, black coffee. josephine _silesia, germany_ soft and ladylike as its name suggests. put up in small cylindrical packages. journiac _see_ chapter . julost _sweden_. semihard; tangy. jura bleu, or septmoncel _france_ hard: blue-veined; sharp; tangy. k kaas, oude _belgium_ flemish name for the french boule de lille. kackavalj _yugoslavia_ same as italian caciocavallo. kaiser-käse _germany_ this was an imperial cheese in the days of the kaisers and is still made under that once awesome name. now it's just a jolly old mellow, yellow container of tang. kajmar, or serbian butter _serbia and turkey_ cream cheese, soft and bland when young but ages to a tang between that of any goat's-milker and roquefort. kamembert _yugoslavia_ imitation camembert. karaghi la-la _turkey_ nutty and tangy. kareish _egypt_ a pickled cheese, similar to domiati. karut _india_ semihard; mellow; for grating and seasoning. karvi _norway_ soft; caraway-seeded; comes in smallish packages. kash _rumania_ soft, white, somewhat stringy cheese named cheese. kashcavallo, caskcaval _greece_ a good imitation of italian caciocavallo. kasher, or caher, penner _turkey_ hard; white; sharp. kash kwan _bulgaria and the balkans_ an all-purpose goat's milk, parmesan type, eaten sliced when young, grated when old. an attempt to imitate it in chicago failed. it is sold in near east quarters in new york, washington and all big american cities. kaskaval _rumania_ identical with italian caciocavallo, widely imitated, and well, in greece, yugoslavia, bulgaria, transylvania and neighboring lands. as popular as cheddar in england, canada and u.s.a. kasseri _greece_ hard; ewe's milk, usually. katschkawalj _serbia_ just another version of the international caciocavallo. katzenkopf, cat's head _holland_ another name for edam. (_see_ chapter .) kaukauna club _u.s.a._ widely advertised processed cheese food. kauna _lithuania_ a hearty cheese that's in season all the year around. kefalotir, kefalotyi _yugoslavia, greece and syria_ both of these hard, grating cheeses are made from either goat's or ewe's milk and named after their shape, resembling a greek hat, or kefalo. keg-ripened _see_ brand. king christian ix _denmark_ sharp with caraway. popular with everybody. kingdom farm _u.s.a, near ithaca, n.y._ the rutherfordites or jehovah's witnesses make brick, limburger and münster that are said to be most delectable by those mortals lucky enough to get into the kingdom farm. unfortunately their cheese is not available elsewhere. kirgischerkäse _see_ krutt. kjarsgaard _denmark_ hard; skim; sharp; tangy. klatschkäse, gossip cheese _germany_ a rich "ladies' cheese" corresponding to damen; both designed to promote the flow of gossip in afternoon _kaffee-klatsches_ in the _konditories_. kloster, kloster käse _bavaria_ soft; ripe; finger-shaped, one by one by four inches. in munich this was, and perhaps still is, carried by brew masters on their tasting tours "to bring out the excellence of a freshly broached tun." named from being made by monks in early cloisters, down to this day. kochenkäse _luxembourg_ cooked white dessert cheese. since it is salt-free it is recommended for diets. koch käse _germany_ this translates "cooked cheese." kochtounkäse _belgium_ semisoft, cooked and smoked. bland flavor. kolos-monostor _rumania_ sheep; rectangular four-pounder, - / by five by three inches. one of those college-educated cheeses turned out by the students and professors at the agricultural school of transylvania. kolosvarer _rumania_ a trappist port-salut imitation made with water-buffalo milk, as are so many of the world's fine cheeses. komijnekaas, komynekass _north holland_ spiked with caraway seeds and named after them. konigskäse _germany_ a regal name for a german imitation of bel paese. kopanisti _greece_ blue-mold cheese with sharp, peppery flavor. koppen, cup, or bauden _germany_ semihard; goat; made in a cup-shaped mold that gives both its shape and name. small, three to four ounces; sharp; pungent; somewhat smoky. imitated in u.s.a. in half-pound packages. korestin _russia_ semisoft; mellow; cured in brine. kosher this cheese appears in many countries under several names. similar to limburger, but eaten fresh. it is stamped genuine by jewish authorities, for the use of religious persons. (_see_ gouda, kosher.) krauterkäse _brazil_ soft-paste herb cheese put up in a tube by german brazilians near the argentine border. a rich, full-flavored adaptation of swiss krauterkäse even though it is processed. kreuterkäse, herb cheese _switzerland_ hard, grating cheese flavored with herbs; like sapsago or grunkäse. krutt, or kirgischerkäse _asian steppes_ a cheese turned out en route by nomadic tribes in the asiatic steppes, from sour skim milk of goat, sheep, cow or camel. the salted and pressed curd is made into small balls and dried in the sun. kühbacher _bavaria_ soft, ripe, and chiefly interesting because of its name, cow creek, where it is made. kuminost _norway_ semihard; caraway-seeded. kumminost _sweden_ this is bondost with caraway added. kummin ost _wisconsin, u.s.a._ imitation of the scandinavian, with small production in wisconsin where so many swedes and norwegians make their home and their _ost_. kümmel, leyden, or leidsche kaas _holland_ caraway-seeded and named. kümmelkäse _germany and u.s.a._ semihard; sharp with caraway. milwaukee kümmelkäse has made a name for itself as a nibble most suitable with most drinks, from beer to imported kümmel liqueur. l labneh _syria_ sour-milk. la foncée, or fromage de pau _france_ cream cheese. lager käse _u.s.a._ semidry and mellow. while _lager_ means merely "to store," there is more than a subtle suggestion of lager beer here. laguiole, fromage de, and guiole _aveyron, france_ an ancient cantal type said to have flourished since the roman occupation. many consider laguiole superior to cantal. it is in full season from november to may. lamothe-bougon, la mothe st. heray _poitou_ goat cheese made from may to november. lancashire, or lancaster _north england_ white; crumbly; sharp; a good welsh rabbit cheese if you can get it. it is more like cheshire than cheddar. this most popular variety in the north of england is turned out best at fylde, near the irish sea. it is a curiosity in manufacture, for often the curds used are of different ages, and this is accountable for a loose, friable texture. deep orange in color. land-l-kas, or güssing _austria_ skim-milker, similar to u.s. brick. square loaves, four to eight pounds. langlois blue _u.s.a._ a colorado blue with an excellent reputation, though it can hardly compete with roquefort. langres _haute-marne, france_ semihard; fermented whole milk; farm-made; full-flavored, high-smelling limburger type, similar to maroilles. ancient of days, said to have been made since the time of the merovingian kings. cylindrical, five by eight inches, they weigh one and a half to two pounds. consumed mostly at home. lapland _lapland_ reindeer milk. resembles hard swiss. of unusual shape, both round and flat, so a cross-section looks like a dumbbell with angular ends. laredo _mexico_ soft; creamy; mellow, made and named after the north mexico city. larron _france_ a kind of maroilles. latticini _italy_ trade name for a soft, water-buffalo product as creamy as camembert. laumes, les _burgundy, france_ made from november to july. lauterbach _germany_ breakfast cheese leaf _see_ tschil. leather, leder, or holstein dairy _germany_ a skim-milker with five to ten percent buttermilk, all from the great _milch_ cows up near denmark in schleswig-holstein. a technical point in its making is that it's "broken up with a harp or a stirring stick and stirred with a danish stirrer." lebanie _syria_ dessert cottage cheese often served with yogurt. lecco, formaggini di _italy_ soft; cow or goat; round dessert variety; representative of a cheese family as big as the human family of most italians. lees _see_ appenzeller, festive, no. ii. leguéyin _lorraine, france_ half-dried; small; salted; peppered and sharp. the salt _and_ pepper make it unusual, though not as peppery as italian pepato. leicester _england_ hard; shallow; flat millstone of cheddar-like cheese weighing forty pounds. dark orange and mild to red and strong, according to age. with wiltshire and warwickshire it belongs to the derbyshire type. an ancient saying is: "leicester cheese and water cress were just made for each other." leidsche kaas _see_ leyden. leonessa a kind of pecorino. leroy _u.s.a._ notable because it's a natural cheese in a mob of modern processed. lerroux _france_ goat; in season from february to september and not eaten in fall or winter months. lescin _caucasus_ curious because the sheep's milk that makes it is milked directly into a sack of skin. it is made in the usual way, rennet added, curd broken up, whey drained off, curd put into forms and pressed lightly. but after that it is wrapped in leaves and ropes of grass. after curing two weeks in the leaves, they are discarded, the cheese salted and wrapped up in leaves again for another ripening period. the use of a skin sack again points the association of cheese and wine in a region where wine is still drunk from skin bags with nozzles, as in many wild and mountainous parts. les petits bressans _bresse, france_ small goat cheeses named from food-famous bresse, of the plump pullets, and often stimulated with brandy before being wrapped in fresh vine leaves, like les petits banons. les petits fromages _see_ petits fromages and thiviers. le vacherin name given to two entirely different varieties: i. vacherin à la main ii. vacherin fondu. (_see_ vacherin.) levroux _berry, france_ a goat cheese in season from may to december. leyden, komijne kaas, caraway cheese _holland_ semihard, tangy with caraway. similar delft. there are two kinds of leyden that might be called farm fat and factory thin, for those made on the farms contain to % fat, against % in the factory product. liederkranz _see_ chapter . limburger _see_ chapter . lincoln _england_ cream cheese that keeps two to three weeks. this is in england, where there is much less refrigeration than in the u.s.a., and that's a big break for most natural cheeses. lindenhof _belgium_ semisoft; aromatic; sharp. lipta, liptauer, liptoiu _hungary_ a classic mixture with condiments, especially the great peppers from which the world's best paprika is made. liptauer is the regional name for brinza, as well, and it's made in the same manner, of sheep milk and sometimes cow. salty and spready, somewhat oily, as most sheep-milkers are. a fairly sharp taste with a suggestion of sour milk. it is sold in various containers and known as "pickled cheese." (_see_ chapter .) lipto _hungary_ soft; sheep; white; mild and milky taste. a close relative of both liptauer and brinza. little nippy _u.s.a._ processed cheese with a cute name, wrapped up both plain and smoky, to "slice and serve for cheese trays, mash or whip for spreading," but no matter how you slice, mash and whip it, it's still processed. livarot _calvados, france_ soft paste, colored with annatto-brown or deep red (also, uncommonly, fresh and white). it has the advantage over camembert, made in the same region, in that it may be manufactured during the summer months when skim milk is plentiful and cheap. it is formed in cylinders, six by two inches, and ripened several months in the even temperature of caves, to be eaten at its best only in january, february and march. by june and afterward it should be avoided. similar to mignot ii. early in the process of making, after ripening ten to twelve days, the cheeses are wrapped in fresh _laiche_ leaves, both to give flavor and help hold in the ammonia and other essentials for making a strong, piquant livarot. livlander _russia_ a popular hand cheese. a most unusual variety because the cheese itself is red, not the rind. locatelli _italy_ a brand of pecorino differing slightly from bomano pecorino. lodigiano, or lombardo _lodi, italy_ sharp; fragrant; sometimes slightly bitter; yellow. cylindrical; surface colored dark and oiled. used for grating. similar to parmesan but not as fine in quality. longhorn _wisconsin, u.s.a._ this fine american cheddar was named from its resemblance to the long horn of a popular milking breed of cattle, or just from the longhorn breed of cow that furnished the makings. lorraine _lorraine, germany_ hard; small; delicate; unique because it's seasoned with pistachio nuts besides salt and pepper. eaten while quite young, in two-ounce portions that bring a very high price. lumburger _belgium_ semisoft and tangy dessert cheese. the opposite of limburger because it has no odor. lunch _germany and u.s.a._ the same as breakfast and frühstück. a limburger type of eye-opener. lüneberg _west austria_ swiss type; saffron-colored; made in a copper kettle; not as strong as limburger, or as mild as emmentaler, yet piquant and aromatic, with a character of its own. luxembourg _u.s.a._ tiny tin-foiled type of liederkranz. a mild, bland, would-be camembert. m maconnais _france_ soft; goat's milk; two inches square by one and a half inches thick. macqueline _oise, france_ soft camembert type, made in the same region, but sold at a cheaper price. madridejos _spain_ named for madrid where it is made. magdeburger-kuhkäse _germany_ "cow cheese" made in magdeburg. magerkäse _see_ holstein skim milk maggenga, sorte _italy_ a term for parmesan types made between april and september. maguis _belgium_ also called fromage mou. soft; white; sharp; spread. maigre _france_ a name for brie made in summer and inferior to both the winter gras and spring migras. maile _crimea_ sheep; cooked; drained; salted; made into forms and put into a brine bath where it stays sometimes a year. maile pener (fat cheese) _crimea_ sheep; crumbly; open texture and pleasing flavor when ripened. mainauer _german_ semihard; full cream; round; red outside, yellow within. weight three pounds. mainzer hand _german_ typical hand cheese, kneaded by hand thoroughly, which makes for quality, pressed into flat cakes by hand, dried for a week, packed in kegs or jars and ripened in the cellar six to eight weeks. as in making bread, the skill in kneading mainzer makes a worthy craft. majocchino _sicily, italy_ an exceptional variety of the three usual milks mixed together: goat, sheep and cow, flavored with spices and olive oil. a kind of incanestrato. malakoff _france_ a form of neufchâtel about a half inch by two inches, eaten fresh or ripe. manicamp _french flanders_ in season from october to july. mano, queso de _venezuela_ a kind of venezuelan hand cheese, as its spanish name translates. (_see_ venezuelan.) manor house _see_ herrgårdsost. manteca, butter _italy_ cheese and butter combined in a small brick of butter with a covering of mozzarella. this is for slicing--not for cooking--which is unusual for any italian cheese. manur, or manuri _yugoslavia_ sheep or cow's milk heated to boiling, then cooled "until the fingers can be held in it". a mixture of fresh whey and buttermilk is added with the rennet. "the curd is lifted from the whey in a cloth and allowed to drain, when it is kneaded like bread, lightly salted, and dried." maqueé _belgium_ another name for fromage mou, soft cheese. marches _tuscany, italy_ ewe's milk; hard. margarine _england_ an oily cheese made with oleomargarine. margherita _italy_ soft; cream; small. marienhofer _austria_ limburger type. about - / inches square and - / inches thick; weight about a pound. wrapped in tin foil. märkisch, or märkisch hand _germany_ soft; smelly; hand type. maroilles, marolles, marole _flanders, france_ semisoft and semihard, half way between pont l'evêque and limburger. full flavor, high smell, reddish brown rind, yellow within. five inches square and - / inches thick; some larger. martha washington aged cheese _u.s.a._ made by kasper of bear creek, wisconsin. (_see under_ wisconsin in chapter .) mascarpone, or macherone _italy_ soft; white; delicate fresh cream from lombardy. usually packed in muslin or gauze bags, a quarter to a half pound. mcintosh _alaska_ an early klondike cheddar named by its maker, peter mcintosh, and described as being as yellow as that "alaskan gold, which brought at times about ounce for ounce over mining-camp counters." _the cheddar box_ by dean collins. mclaren's _u.s.a._ pioneer club type of snappy cheddar in a pot, originally made in canada, now by kraft in the u.s.a. meadowbloom _u.s.a._ made by the iowa state college at ames. mecklenburg skim _germany_ no more distinguished than most skim-milkers. meilbou _france_ made in the champagne district. mein käse _u.s.a._ sharp; aromatic; trade-marked package. melfa _u.s.a._ excellent for a processed cheese. white; flavorsome. packed in half moons. melun _france_ brown-red rind, yellow inside; high-smelling. there is also a brie de melun. mentelto _italy_ sharp; goat; from the mentelto mountains merignac _france_ goat. merovingian _northeast france_ semisoft; white; creamy; sharp; historic since the time of the merovingian kings. mersem _france_ lightly cooked. mesitra _crimea_ eaten when fresh and unsalted; also when ripened. soft, ewe's milk. mesost _sweden_ whey; sweetish. metton _franche-comté, france_ season october to june. meuse _france_ soft; piquant; aromatic. midget salami provolone _u.s.a._ this goes baby goudas and edams one better by being a sort of sausage, too. mignot _calvados, france_ _white, no. i:_ soft; fresh; in small cubes or cylinders; in season only in summer, april to september. _passe, no. ii:_ soft but ripened, and in the same forms, but only seasonal in winter, october to march. similar to pont l'evêque and popular for more than a century. it goes specially well with calvados cider, fresh, hard or distilled. migras name given to spring brie--midway between fat winter gras and thin summer maigre. milano, stracchino di milano, fresco, quardo _italy_ similar to bel paese. yellow, with thin rind. - / to - / inches thick, to - / pounds. milk mud _see_ schlickermilch. millefiori _milan, italy_ a thousand flowers--as highly scented as its sentimental name. yet no cheeses are so freshly fragrant as these flowery alpine ones. milltown bar _u.s.a._ robust texture and flavor reminiscent of free-lunch and old-time bars. milk cheeses milks that make cheese around the world: ass buffalo camel chamois elephant goat human (_see_ mother's milk) llama mare reindeer sea cow (amazonian legend) sheep whale (legendary; see whale cheese) yak zebra zebu u.s. pure food laws prohibit cheeses made of unusual or strange animal's milk, such as camel, llama and zebra. milwaukee kümmelkäse and hand käse _u.s.a._ aromatic with caraway, brought from germany by early emigrants and successfully imitated. minas _brazil_ name for the brazilian state of minas geraes, where it is made. semihard; white; round two-pounder; often chalky. the two best brands are one called primavera, spring, and another put out by the swiss professors who teach the art at the agricultural university in the state capital, bello horizonte. minnesota blue _u.s.a._ a good national product known from coast to coast. besides blue, minnesota makes good all-american brick and cheddar, natural nationals to be proud of. mintzitra _in macedonia; and_ mitzithra _in greece_ sheep; soft; succulent; and as pleasantly greasy as other sheep cheeses from greece. it's a by-product of the fabulous feta. modena, monte _u.s.a._ made in u.s.a. during world war ii. parmesan-type. mohawk limburger spread _u.s.a._ a brand that comes in one-pound jars. moliterno _italy_ similar to caciocavallo. _(see.)_ monceau _champagne, france_ semihard, similar to maroilles. moncenisio _italy_ similar to gorgonzola. mondseer, mondseer schachtelkäse, mondseer schlosskäse _austria_ this little family with a lot of long names is closely related to the münster tribe, with very distant connections with the mildest branch of the limburgers. the schachtelkäse is named from the wooden boxes in which it is shipped, while the schlosskäse shows its class by being called castle cheese, probably because it is richer than the others, being made of whole milk. money made of cheese _china_ in the chase national bank collection of moneys of the world there is a specimen of "cheese money" about which the curator, farran zerbee, writes: "a specimen of the so-called 'cheese money' of northern china, - , now in the chase bank collection, came to me personally some thirty years ago from a woman missionary, who had been located in the field where she said a cake form of condensed milk, and referred to as 'cheese,' was a medium of exchange among the natives. it, like other commodities, particularly compressed tea, was prized as a trading medium in china, in that it had value as nutriment and was sufficiently appreciated by the population as to be exchangeable for other articles of service." monk's head _see_ tête de moine. monostorer _transylvania, rumania_ ewe's milk. monsieur _france_ soft; salted; rich in flavor. monsieur fromage _see_ fromage de monsieur fromage. montana _catalonia_ a mountain cheese. montasio _austria and italy_ usually skimmed goat and cow milk mixed. when finished, the rind is often rubbed with olive oil or blackened with soot. it is eaten both fresh, white and sweet, and aged, when it is yellow, granular and sharp, with a characteristic flavor. mostly used when three to twelve months old, but kept much longer and grated for seasoning. widely imitated in america. montauban de bretagne, fromage de _brittany, france_ a celebrated cheese of brittany. montavoner _austria_ sour and sometimes sweet milk, made tasty with dried herbs of the _achittea_ family. mont blanc _france_ an alpine cheese. mont cenis _southeastern france_ usually made of all three available milks, cow, goat and sheep; it is semihard and blue-veined like the other roquefort imitations, gex and septmoncel. primitive methods are still used in the making and sometimes the ripening is done by _penicillium_ introduced in moldy bread. large rounds, eighteen by six to eight inches, weighing twenty-five pounds. mont-des-cats _french flanders_ trappist monk-made port-salut. montdidier _france_ a fresh cream. mont d'or, le, or mont dore _lyonnais, france_ soft; whole milk; originally goat, now cow; made throughout the rhone valley. fat, golden-yellow and "relished by financiers" according to victor meusy. between brie and pont l'evêque but more delicate than either, though not effeminate. alpin and riola are similar. the best is still turned out at mont d'or, with runners-up in st. cyr and st. didier. montavoner _austria_ a sour-milker made fragrant with herbs added to the curd. monterey _mexico_ hard; sharp; perhaps inspired by montery jack that's made in california and along the mexican border. monterey jack _see_ chapter . monthéry _seine-et-oise, france_ whole or partly skimmed milk; soft in quality and large in size, weighing up to - / pounds. notable only for its patriotic tri-color in ripening, with whitish mold that turns blue and has red spots. montpellier _france_ sheep. moravian _czechoslovakia_ semihard and sharp. morbier _bresse, france_ in season from november to july. mostoffait _france_ a little-known product of champagne. mother's milk in his book about french varieties, _les fromages_, maurice des ombiaux sums up the many exotic milks made into cheese and recounts the story of paul bert, who served a cheese "white as snow" that was so delicately appetizing it was partaken of in "religious silence." all the guests guessed, but none was right. so the host announced it was made of _"lait de femme"_ and an astounded turophile exclaimed, "then all of us are cannibals." mountain _bavaria_ soft; yellow; sharp. mountain, azuldoch _see_ azuldoch. mount hope _u.s.a._ yellow; mellow; mild and porous california cheddar. mouse or mouse trap _u.s.a._ common name for young, green, cracked, leathery or rubbery low-grade store cheese fit only to bait traps. when it's aged and sharp, however, the same cheese can be bait for caseophiles. mozzarella _italy_ soft; water-buffalo milk; moistly fresh and unripened; bland, white cooking cheese put up in balls or big bowl-like cups weighing about a half pound and protected with wax paper. the genuine is made at cardito, aversa, salernitano and in the mazzoni di capua. like ricotta, this is such a popular cheese all over america that it is imitated widely, and often badly, with a bitter taste. mozzarella-affumicata, also called scamozza _italy_ semisoft; smooth; white; bland; un-salted. put up in pear shapes of about one pound, with tan rind, from smoking. eaten chiefly sliced, but prized, both fresh and smoked, in true italian one-dish meals such as lasagne and pizza. mozzarinelli _italy_ a pet name for a diminutive edition of mozzarella. mrsav _see_ sir posny. münster _germany_ german originally, now made from colmar, strassburg and copenhagen to milwaukee in all sorts of imitations, both good and bad. semihard; whole milk; yellow inside, brick-red outside; flavor from mild to strong, depending on age and amount of caraway or anise seed added. best in winter season, from november to april. münster is a world-wide classic that doubles for both german and french. géromé is a standard french type of it, with a little longer season, beginning in april, and a somewhat different flavor from anise seed. often, instead of putting the seeds inside, a dish of caraway is served with the cheese for those who like to flavor to taste. in alsace, münster is made plain and also under the name of münster au cumin because of the caraway. american imitations are much milder and marketed much younger. they are supposed to blend the taste of brick and limburger; maybe they do. mustard _u.s.a._ a processed domestic, gruyère type. myjithra imitated with goat's milk in southern colorado. mysost, mytost _scandinavia_ made in all scandinavian countries and imitated in the u.s.a. a whey cheese, buttery, mild and sweetish with a caramel color all through, instead of the heavy chocolate or dark tobacco shade of gjetost. frimost is a local name for it. the american imitations are cylindrical and wrapped in tin foil. n nagelkassa (fresh), fresh clove cheese, called nageles in holland _austria_ skim milk; curd mixed with caraway and cloves called nails, _nagel_, in germany and austria. the large flat rounds resemble english derby. nantais, or fromage du curé, cheese of the curate _brittany, france_ a special variety dedicated to some curate of nantes. nessel _england_ soft; whole milk; round and very thin. neufchâtel, or petit suisse _normandy, france_ soft; whole milk; small loaf. see ancien impérial, bondon, and chapter . new forest _england_ cream cheese from the new forest district. nieheimer _westphalia, germany_ sour milk; with salt and caraway seed added, sometimes beer or milk. covered lightly with straw and packed in kegs with hops to ripen. both beer and hops in one cheese is unique. niolo _corsica_ in season from october to may. noekkelost or nögelost _norway_ similar to spiced leyden or edam with caraway, and shaped like a gouda. nordlands-ost "kalas" _u.s.a._ trade name for an american imitation of a scandinavian variety, perhaps suggested by swedish nordost. nordost _sweden_ semisoft; white; baked; salty and smoky. north wilts _wiltshire, england_ cheddar type; smooth; hard rind; rich but delicate in flavor. small size, ten to twelve pounds; named for its locale. nostrale _northwest italy_ an ancient-of-days variety of which there are two kinds: i. _formaggio duro:_ hard, as its name says, made in the spring when the cows are in the valley. ii. _formaggio tenero:_ soft and richer, summer-made with milk from lush mountain-grazing. notruschki (cheese bread) _russia_ made with tworog cheese and widely popular. nova scotia smoked _u.s.a._ the name must mean that the cheese was smoked in the nova scotia manner, for it is smoked mostly in new york city, like sturgeon, to give the luxurious flavor. nuworld _u.s.a._ this semisoft newcomer arrived about and is advertised as a brand-new variety. it is made in the midwest and packed in small, heavily waxed portions to preserve all of its fine, full aroma and flavor. a cheese all america can be proud of, whether it is an entirely new species or not. o oaxaca _see_ asadero. oka, or la trappe _canada_ medium soft; aromatic; the port-salut made by trappist monks in canada after the secret method of the order that originated in france. _see_ trappe. old english club _u.s.a._ not old, not english, and representing no club we know of. old heidelberg _u.s.a._ soft, piquant rival of liederkranz. oléron isle, fromage d'ile _france_ a celebrated sheep cheese from this island of oléron. olive cream _u.s.a._ ground olives mixed to taste with cream cheese. olives rival pimientos for such mildly piquant blends that just suit the bland american taste. a more exciting olive cream may be made with greek calatma olives and feta sheep cheese. olivet _orléans, france_ soft sheep cheese sold in three forms: i. fresh; summer, white; cream cheese. ii. olivet-bleu--mold inoculated; half-ripened. iii. olivet-cendré, ripened in the ashes. season, october to june. olmützer quargel, also olmützer bierkäse _austria_ soft; skim milk-soured; salty. the smallest of hand cheeses, only / of an inch thick by - / inches in diameter. packed in kegs to ripen into beer cheese and keep the liquid contents of other kegs company. a dozen of these little ones are packed together in a box ready to drop into wine or beer drinks at home or at the bar. oloron, or fromage de la vallee d'ossour _béarn, france_ in season from october to may. onion with garlic links _u.s.a_ processed and put up like frankfurters, in links. oporto _portugal_ hard; sharp; tangy. from the home town of port wine. orkney _scotland_ a country cheese of the orkney islands where it is buried in the oat bin to ripen, and kept there between meals as well. oatmeal and scotch country cheese are natural affinities. southey, johnson and boswell have all remarked the fine savor of such cheese with oatcakes. orléans _france_ named after the orléans district soft; creamy; tangy. ossetin, tuschninsk, or kasach _caucasus_ comes in two forms: i. soft and mild sheep or cow cheese ripened in brine for two months. ii. hard, after ripening a year and more in brine. the type made of sheep milk is the better. ostiepek, oschtjepek, oschtjpeka _czechoslovakia_ sheep in the carpathian mountains supply the herb-rich milk for this type, similar to italian caciocavallo. oswego _u.s.a._ new york state cheddar of distinction. oude kaas _belgium_ popular in france as boule de lille. oust, fromage de _roussillon, france_ of the camembert family. ovár _hungarian_ semisoft to semihard, reddish-brown rind, reddish-yellow inside. mild but pleasantly piquant it has been called hungarian tilsit. oveji sir _yugoslavian alpine_ hard, mountain-sheep cheese of quality cellar-ripened three months. weight six to ten pounds. oxfordshire _england_ an obsolescent type, now only of literary interest because of jonathan swift's little story around it, in the eighteenth century: "an odd land of fellow, who when the cheese came upon the table, pretended to faint; so somebody said, pray take away the cheese.' "'no,' said i, 'pray take away the fool. said i well?' "to this colonel arwit rejoins: 'faith, my lord, you served the coxcomb right enough; and therefore i wish we had a bit of your lordship's oxfordshire cheese.'" p pabstett _u.s.a_ the pabst beer people got this out during prohibition, and although beer and cheese are brothers under their ferment, and prohibition has long since been done away with, the relation of the processed paste to a natural cheese is still as distant as near beer from regular beer. packet cheese _england_ this corresponds to our process cheese and is named from the package or packet it comes in. paglia _switzerland_ italian-influenced canton of ticino. soft. a copy of gorgonzola. a blue with a pleasant, aromatic flavor, and of further interest because in switzerland, the motherland of cheese, it is an imitation of a foreign type. pago _dalmatia, yugoslavia_ a sheep-milk specialty made on the island of pago in dalmatia, in weights from / to eight pounds. paladru _savoy, france_ in season from november to may. palpuszta _hungary_ fairly strong limburger type. pannarone _italy_ gorgonzola type with white curd but without blue veining. parenica _hungary_ sheep. caciocavallo type. parmesan, parmigiano _italy_ the grand mogul of all graters. called "the hardest cheese in the world." it enlivens every course from onion soup to cheese straws with the demitasse, and puts spirit into the sparse lenten menu as _pasta al pesto_, powdered parmesan, garlic, olive oil and basil, pounded in a mortar with a pestle. passauer rahmkäse, crème de passau _german_ noted bavarian cream cheese, known in france as crème de passau. pasta cotta _italy_ the ball or _grana_ of curd used in making parmesan. pasta filata _italy_ a "drawn" curd, the opposite of the little balls or grains into which grana is chopped.(_see_ formaggi di pasta filata.) pasteurized process cheese food _u.s.a._ this is the ultimate desecration of natural fermented cheese. had pasteur but known what eventual harm his discovery would do to a world of cheese, he might have stayed his hand. pastorella _italy_ soft, rich table cheese. patagras _cuba_ similar to gouda. pecorino _italy_ italian cheese made from ewe's milk. salted in brine. granular. pelardon de rioms _languedoc, france_ a goat cheese in season from may to november. peneteleu _rumania_ one of the international caciocavallo family. penicillium glaucum and penicillium album tiny mushroom spores of _penicillium glaucum_ sprinkled in the curd destined to become roquefort, sprout and grow into "blue" veins that impart the characteristic flavor. in twelve to fifteen days a second spore develops on the surface, snow-white _penicillium album_. pennich _turkey_ mellow sheep cheese packed in the skin of sheep or lamb. pennsylvania hand cheese _u.s.a._ this german original has been made by the pennsylvania dutch ever since they arrived from the old country. also pennsylvania pot, or cooked. penroque _pennsylvania, u.s.a_ cow milk imitation roquefort, inoculated with _penicillium roqueforti_ and ripened in "caverns where nature has duplicated the ideal condition of the cheese-curing caverns of france." so any failure of penroque to rival real roquefort is more likely to be the fault of mother cow than mother nature. pepato _italy_ hard; stinging, with whole black peppers that make the lips burn. fine for fire-eaters. an american imitation is made in northern michigan. persillé de savoie _savoie, france_ in season from may to january, flavored with parsley in a manner similar to that of sage in vermont cheddar. petafina, la _dauphiné, france_ goat or cow milk mixed together, with yeast of dried cheese added, plus salt and pepper, olive oil, brandy and absinthe. petit carré _france_ fresh, unripened ancien impérial. petit gruyère _denmark_ imitation gruyère, pasteurized, processed and made almost unrecognizable and inedible. six tin-foil wedges to a box; also packaged with a couple of crackers for bars, one wedge for fifteen cents, where free lunch is forbidden. this is a fair sample of one of several foreign imitations that are actually worse than we can do at home. petit moule _ile-de-france, france_ a pet name for coulommiers. petit suisse _france_ fresh, unsalted cream cheese. the same as neufchâtel and similar to coulommiers. it comes in two sizes: gros--a largest cylinder demi--a small one keats called this "the creamy curd," and another writer has praised its "la fontaine-like simplicity." whether made in normandy, switzerland, or petropolis, brazil, by early swiss settlers, it is ideal with honey. petit vacher _france_ "little cowboy," an appropriate name for a small cow's-milk cheese. petits bourgognes _lower burgundy, france_ soft; sheep; white, small, tangy. other notable petits also beginning with b are banons and bressans. petits fromages de chasteaux, les _france_ small, sheep cream cheeses from lower limousin. petits fromages de chèvre _france_ little cheeses from little goats grazing on the little mountains of provence. petits pots de caillé de poitiers _poitou, france_ clotted milk in small pots. pfister _cham, switzerland_ emmentaler type, although differing in its method of making with fresh skim milk. it is named for pfister huber who was the first to manufacture it, in chain. philadelphia cream _u.s.a._ an excellent cream cheese that has been standard for seventy years. made in new york state in spite of its name. picnic _u.s.a._ handy-size picnic packing of mild american cheddar. swiss has long been called picnic cheese in america, its home away from home. picodon de dieule fit _dauphiné, france_ in season from may to december. pie, fromage à la _france_ another name for fromage blanc or farm; soft, creamy cottage-cheese type. pie cheese _u.s.a_ an apt american name for any round store cheese that can be cut in wedges like a pie. perfect with apple or mince or any other pie. and by the way, in these days when natural cheese is getting harder to find, any piece of american cheddar cut in pie wedges before being wrapped in cellophane is apt to be the real thing--if it has the rind on. the wedge shape is used, however, _without any rind_, to make processed pastes pass for "natural" even without that identifying word, and with misleading labels such as old, sharp cheddar and "aged nine months." that's long enough to make a baby, but not a "natural" out of a processed "cheddar." pimiento _u.s.a._ because pimiento is the blandest of peppers, it just suits our bland national taste, especially when mixed with neufchâtel, cream, club or cottage. the best is homemade, of course, with honest, snappy old cheddar mashed and mixed to taste, with the mild spanish pepper that equals the spanish olive as a partner in such spreads. pimp _see_ mainzer hand cheese. pineapple _see_ chapter . piora _tessin, switzerland_ whole milk, either cow's or a mixture of goat's and cow's. pippen _u.s.a._ borden brand of cheddar. also pippen roll pithiviers au foin _france_ orléans variety ripened on hay from october to may. poitiers _france_ goat's milker named from its poitou district. pommel _france_ all year. double cream; unsalted. ponta delgada _azores_ semifirm; delicate; piquant pontgibaud _france_ similar to roquefort ripened at a very low temperature. pont l'evêque characterized as a classic french _fromage_ "with huge-like romanticism." (_see_ chapter .) an imported brand is called "the inquisitive cow." poona _u.s.a._ semisoft; mellow; new york stater of distinctive flavor. sold in two-pound packs, to be kept four or five hours at room temperature before serving. port-salut, port du salut _see_ chapter . port, blue links _u.s.a._ "blue" flavored with red port and put up in pseudo-sausage links. pot cheese _u.s.a._ cottage cheese with a dry curd, not creamed. an old english favorite for fruited cheese cakes with perfumed plums, lemons, almonds and macaroons. in ireland it was used in connection with the sheep-shearing ceremonies, although itself a common cow curd. pennsylvania pot cheese is cooked. potato _germany and u.s.a._ made in thuringia from sour cow milk with sheep or goat sometimes added. "the potatoes are boiled and grated or mashed. one part of the potato is thoroughly mixed or kneaded with two or three parts of die curd. in the better cheese three parts of potatoes are mixed with two of curd. during the mixing, salt and sometimes caraway seed are added. the cheese is allowed to stand for from two to four days while a fermentation takes place. after this the curd is sometimes covered with beer or cream and is finally placed in tubs and allowed to ripen for fourteen days. a variety of this cheese is made in the u.s. it is probable, however, that it is not allowed to ripen for quite so long a period as the potato cheese of europe. in all other essentials it appears to be the same." from u.s. department of agriculture _bulletin_ no. . potato pepper _italy_ italian potato cheese is enlivened with black pepper, like pepato, only not so stony hard. pots de crème st. gervais _st. gervais-sur-mer, france_ the celebrated cream that rivals english devonshire and is eaten both as a sweet and as a fresh cheese. pouligny-st. pierre _touraine, france_ a celebrated cylindrical cheese made in indre. season from may to december. poustagnax, le _france_ a fresh cow-milk cheese of gascony. prato _brazil_ semihard, very yellow imitation of the argentine imitation of holland dutch. standard brazilian dessert with guava or quince paste. named not from "dish" but the river plate district of the argentine from whence it was borrowed long ago. prattigau _switzerland_ aromatic and sharp, limburger type, from skim milk. named for its home valley. prestost or saaland flarr _sweden_ similar to gouda, but unique--the curd being mixed with whiskey, packed in a basket, salted and cellared, wrapped in a cloth changed daily; and on the third day finally washed with whiskey. primavera, spring _minas geraes, brazil_ semihard white brand of minas cheese high quality, with a spring-like fragrance. primost _norway_ soft; whey; unripened; light brown; mild flavor. primula _norway_ a blend of french brie and petit gruyère, mild table cheese imitate in norway, sold in small packages. danish appetitost is similar, but with caraway added. processed _u.s.a._ from here around the world. natural cheese melted and modified by emulsification with a harmless agent and thus changed into a plastic mass. promessi _italy_ small soft-cream cheese. provatura _italy_ a water-buffalo variety. this type of milk makes a good beginning for a fine cheese, no matter how it is made. providence _france_ port-salut from the trappist monastery at briquebec. provole, provolone, provolocine, provoloncinni, provoletti, and provolino _italy_ all are types, shapes and sizes of italy's most widely known and appreciated cheese. it is almost as widely but badly imitated in the u.s.a., where the final "e" and "i" are interchangeable. cured in string nets that stay on permanently to hang decoratively in the home kitchen or dining room. like straw chianti bottles, provolones weigh from _bocconi_ (mouthful), about one pound, to two to four pounds. there are three-to five-pound provoletti, and upward with huge salamis and giants. small ones come ball, pear, apple, and all sorts of decorative shapes, big ones become monumental sculptures that are works of art to compare with butter and soap modeling. p'teux, le, or fromage cuit _lorraine, france_ cooked cheese worked with white wine instead of milk, and potted. puant macere _flanders_ "the most candidly named cheese in existence." in season from november to june. pultost or knaost _norway_ sour milk with some buttermilk, farm made in mountains. pusztador _hungary_ semihard, limburger-romadur type. full flavor, high scent. pyrenees, fromage des _france_ a fine mountain variety. q quartiolo _italy_ term used to distinguish parmesan-type cheese made between september and november. quacheq _macedonia, greece_ sheep, eaten both fresh and ripened. quargel _see_ olmützer. quartirolo _italy_ soft, cow's milk. queijos--cheeses of the azores, brazil and portugal _see_ under their local or regional names: alemtejo, azeitão, cardiga, ilha, prato and serra da estrella. queso anejo _mexico_ white, dry, skim milk. queso de bola _mexico_ whole milk, similar to edam. queso de cavallo _venezuela_ pear-shaped cheese. quesos cheeses: blanco, cartera and palma metida _see_ venezuela. queso de cincho _venezuela_ hard, round orange balls weighing four pounds and wrapped in palm leaves. queso de crema _costa rica_ similar to soft brick. queso de hoja, leaf cheese _puerto rico_ named from its appearance when cut, like leaves piled on top of each other. queso de mano _venezuela_ aromatic, sharp, in four-ounce packages. queso del fais, queso de la tierra _puerto rico_ white; pressed; semisoft consumed locally, queso de prensa _puerto rico_ the name means pressed cheese. it is eaten either fresh or after ripening two or three months. queso de puna _puerto rico_ like u.s. cottage or dutch cheese, eaten fresh. queso de tapara _venezuela_ made in carora, near barqisimeto, called _tapara_ from the shape and tough skin of that local gourd. "it is very good fresh, but by the time it arrives in carora it is often bad and dry." d.k.k. in _bueno provecho._ queso fresco _el salvador_ cottage-cheese type. queville _see_ chapter . queyras _see_ champoléon. r rabaçal _coimbra, portugal_ semisoft; sheep or goat; thick, round, four to five inches in diameter. pleasantly oily, if made from sheep milk. rabbit cheese _u.s.a._ a playful name for cheddar two to three years old. radener _germany_ hard; skim, similar to emmentaler; made in mecklenburg. sixteen by four inches, weight pounds. radolfzeller cream _germany, switzerland, austria_ similar to münster. ragnit _see_ tilsit. rahmkäse, allgäuer _german_ cream. rainbow _mexico_ mild; mellow. ramadoux _belgium_ soft; sweet cream; formed in cubes. similar to hervé rammil or rammel _england_ andré simon calls this "the best cheese made in dorsetshire." also called rammilk, because made from whole or "raw milk." practically unobtainable today. rangiport _france_ a good imitation of port-salut made in seine-et-oise. rarush durmar _turkey_ brittle; mellow; nutty. rächerkäse the name for all smoked cheese in germanic countries, where it is very popular. raviggiolo _tuscany, italy_ ewe's milk. uncooked; soft; sweet; creamy. rayon or raper _switzerland_ a blind emmentaler called rayon is shipped young to italy, where it is hardened by aging and then sold as raper, for grating and seasoning. reblochon or roblochon _savoy_ sheep; soft; whole milk; in season from october to june. weight one to two pounds. a cooked cheese imitated as brizecon in the same section. récollet de gérardmer _vosges, france_ a harvest variety similar to géromé, made from october to april red _russia_ _see_ livlander. red balls _dutch_ _see_ edam. reggiano _see_ grana. regianito _argentine_ italian reggiano type with a name of its own, for it is not a mere imitation in this land of rich milk and extra fine cheeses. reichkäse _german_ patriotically hailed as cheese of the empire, when germany had one. reindeer _lapland, iceland, sweden, norway_ in all far northern lands a type of swiss is made from reindeer milk it is lightly salted, very hard; and the lapland production is curiously formed, like a dumbbell with angular instead of round ends. relish cream cheese _u.s.a._ mixed with any piquant relish and eaten fresh. remoudon, or fromage piquant _belgium_ the two names combine in re-ground piquant cheese, and that's what it is. the season is winter, from november to june. requeijão _portugal and brazil_ recooked. resurrection _see_ welsh. rhubarbe _france_ a type of roquefort which, in spite of its name, is no relation to our pie plant. riceys _see_ champenois. ricotta romano _italy_ soft and fresh. the best is made from sheep buttermilk. creamy, piquant, with subtle fragrance. eaten with sugar and cinnamon, sometimes with a dusting of powdered coffee. ricotta _italy and u.s.a._ fresh, moist, unsalted cottage cheese for sandwiches, salads, lasagne, blintzes and many italian dishes. it is also mixed with marsala and rum and relished for dessert ricotta may be had in every little italy, some of it very well made and, unfortunately, some of it a poor substitute whey cheese. ricotta salata hard; grayish white. although its flavor is milk it is too hard and too salty for eating as is, and is mostly used for grating. riesengebirge _bohemia_ semisoft; goat or cow; delicate flavor, lightly smoked in bohemia's northern mountains. rinnen _germany_ this traditional pomeranian sour-milk, caraway-seeded variety is named from the wooden trough in which it is laid to drain. riola _normandy, france_ soft; sheep or goat; sharp; resembles mont d'or but takes longer to ripen, two to three months. robbiole robbiola robbiolini _ lombardy_ _ italian_ very similar to crescenza (_see_.) alpine winter cheese of fine quality. the form is circular and flat, weighing from eight ounces to two pounds, while robbiolini, the baby of the family tips the scale at just under four ounces. roblochon, le same as reblochon. a delicious form of it is made of half-dried sheep's milk in le grand bornand. rocamadur _limousin, france_ tiny sheep milk cheese weighing two ounces. in season november to may. rocroi _france_ from the champagne district. rokadur _yugoslavia_ imitation roquefort. roll _england_ hard cylinder, eight by nine inches, weighing twenty pounds. rollot or rigolot _picardy and montdidier, france_ soft; fermented; mold-inoculated; resembles brie and camembert, but much smaller. in season october to may. this is picardy's one and only cheese. roma _italy_ soft cream. romadour, romadura, and other national spellings _germany, austria, hungary, switzerland_ a great linburger. the eating season is from november to april. it is not a summer cheese, especially in lands where refrigeration is scarce. fine brands are exported to america from several countries. romano, romano vacchino _italy_ strong: flavoring cheese like parmesan and pecorino. romanello _u.s.a._ similar to romano vacchino and old monterey jack. small grating cheese, cured one year. roquefort _france_ king of cheeses, with its "tingling rabelaisian pungency." _see_ chapter . roquefort cheese dressing, bottled _u.s.a._ made with genuine imported roquefort, but with cottonseed oil instead of olive, plain instead of wine vinegar, sugar, salt, paprika, mustard, flour and spice oil. roquefort de corse _corsica, france_ this corsican imitation is blue-colored and correctly made of sheep milk, but lacks the chalk caves of auvergne for ripening. roquefort de tournemire _france_ another blue cheese of sheep milk from languedoc, using the royal roquefort name. rougerets, les _lyonnais, france_ a typical small goat cheese from forez, in a section where practically every variety is made with goat milk. rouennais _france_ this specialty, named after its city, rouen, is a winter cheese, eaten from october to may. round dutch _holland_ an early name for edam. rouy, le _normandy, france_ from the greatest of the cheese provinces, normandy. royal brabant _belgium_ whole milk. small, limburger type. royal sentry _denmark_ processed swiss made in denmark and shipped to americans who haven't yet learned that a european imitation can be as bad as an american one. this particular pasteurized process-cheese spread puts its ingredients in finer type than any accident insurance policy: samsoe (danish swiss) cheese, cream, water, non-fat dry milk solids, cheese whey solids and disodium phosphate. ruffec, fromage de _saintonge, france_ fresh; goat. runesten _denmark and u.s.a._ similar to herrgårdsost. small eyes. "wheel" weighs about three pounds. wrapped in red transparent film. rush cream cheese _england and france_ not named from the rush in which many of our cheeses are made, but from the rush mats and nets some fresh cream cheeses are wrapped and sewed up in to ripen. according to an old english recipe the curds are collected with an ordinary fish-slice and placed in a rush shape, covered with a cloth when filled. lay a half-pound weight in a saucer and set this on top of the strained curd for a few hours, and then increase the weight by about a half pound. change the cloths daily until the cheese looks mellow, then put into the rush shape with the fish slice. the formula in use in france, where willow heart-shape baskets are sold for making this cheese, is as follows: add one cup new warm milk to two cups freshly-skimmed cream. dissolve in this one teaspoon of fine sugar and one tablespoon common rennet or thirty drops of hauser's extract of rennet. let it remain in a warm place until curd sets. rush and straw mats are easily made by cutting the straw into lengths and stringing them with a needle and thread. the mats or baskets should not be used a second time. s saaland pfarr, or prestost _sweden_ firm; sharp; biting; unique of its kind because it is made with whiskey as an ingredient and the finished product is also washed with whiskey. saanen _switzerland_ semihard and as mellow as all good swiss cheese. this is the finest cheese in the greatest cheese land; an emmentaler also known as hartkäse, reibkäse and walliskäse, it came to fame in the sixteenth century and has always fetched an extra price for its quality and age. it is cooked much dryer in the making, so it takes longer to ripen and then keeps longer than any other. it weighs only ten to twenty pounds and the eyes are small and scarce. the average period needed for ripening is six years, but some take nine. sage, or green cheese _england_ this is more of a cream cheese, than a cheddar, as sage is in the u.s.a. it is made by adding sage leaves and a greening to milk by the method described in chapter . saint-affrique _guyenne, france_ this gourmetic center, hard by the celebrated town of roquefort, lives up to its reputation by turning out a toothsome goat cheese of local renown. we will not attempt to describe it further, since like most of the host of cheeses honored with the names of saints, it is seldom shipped abroad. saint-agathon _brittany, france_ season, october to july. saint-amand-montrond _berry, france_ made from goat's milk. saint-benoit _loiret, france_ soft olivet type distinguished by charcoal being added to the salt rubbed on the outside of the finished cheese. it ripens in twelve to fifteen days in summer, and eighteen to twenty in winter. it is about six inches in diameter. saint-claude _franche-comté, france_ semihard; blue; goat; mellow; small; square; a quarter to a half pound. the curd is kept five to six hours only before salting and is then eaten fresh or put away to ripen. saint-cyr _see_ mont d'or. saint-didier au mont d'or _see_ mont d'or. saint-florentin _burgundy, france_ a lusty cheese, soft but salty, in season from november to july. saint-flour _auvergne, france_ another seasonal specialty from this province of many cheeses. saint-gelay _poitou, france_ made from goat's milk. saint-gervais, pots de creme, or le saint gervais _see_ pots de crème. saint-heray _see_ la mothe. saint-honoré _nivernais, france_ a small goat cheese. saint-hubert _france_ similar to brie. saint-ivel _england_ fresh dairy cream cheese containing _lactobacillus acidophilus_. similar to the yogurt cheese of the u.s.a., which is made with _bacillus bulgaricus._ saint-laurent _roussillon, france_ mountain sheep cheese. saint-lizier _béarn, france_ a white, curd cheese. saint-loup, fromage de _poitou and vendée, france_ half-goat, half-cow milk, in season february to september saint-marcellin _dauphiné, france_ one of the very best of all goat cheeses. three by / inches, weighing a quarter of a pound. in season from march to december. sometimes sheep milk may be added, even cow's, but this is essentially a goat cheese. saint-moritz _switzerland_ soft and tangy. saint-nectaire, or senecterre _auvergne, france_ noted as one of the greatest of all french goat cheeses. saint-olivet _see_ chapter . saint-pierre-pouligny _see_ pouligny-saint-pierre. saint-reine _see_ alise. saint-rémy, fromage de _haute-saône, france_ soft pont l'evêque type. saint-stefano _german_ bel paese type. saint-winx _flanders, france_ the fromage of saint-winx is a traditional leader in this belgian border province noted for its strong, spiced dairy products. sainte-anne d'auray _brittany, france_ a notable port-salut made by trappist monks. sainte-marie _franche-comté, france_ a creamy concoction worthy of its saintly name. sainte-maure, le, or fromage de sainte-maure-de-touraine _france_ made in touraine from may to november. similar to valençay. salamana _southern europe_ soft sheep's milk cheese stuffed into bladderlike sausage, to ripen. it has authority and flavor when ready to spread on bread, or to mix with cornmeal and cook into a highly cheese-flavored porridge. salame _france_ soft cream cheese stuffed into skins like salami sausages. salami-sausage style of packing cheese has always been common in italy, from provolone down, and now--both as salami and links--it has became extremely popular for processed and cheese foods throughout america. salers, bleu de _france_ one of the very good french blues. saligny _champagne, france_ white cheese made from sheep's milk. saloio _lisbon, portugal_ an aromatic farm-made hand cheese of skim milk. short cylinder, - / to two inches in diameter, weighing a quarter of a pound. made near the capital, lisbon, on many small farms. salonite _italy_ favorite of emperor augustus a couple of thousand years ago. saltee _ireland_ firm; highly colored; tangy; boxed in half-pound slabs. the same as whitethorn except for the added color. whitethorn is as white as its name implies. salt-free cheese, for diets u.s. cottage; french fresh goat cheese; and luxembourg kochenkäse. samsö _denmark_ hard; white; sharp; slightly powdery and sweetish. this is the pet cheese of erik blegvad who illustrated this book. sandwich nut an american mixture of chopped nuts with cream cheese or neufchâtel. sapsago _see_ chapter . sardegna _sardinia_ a romano type made in sardinia. sardinian _sardinia, italy_ the typical hard grating cheese of this section of italy. sardo _sardinia, italy_ hard; sharp; for table and for seasoning. imitated in the argentine. there is also a pecorino named sardo. sarraz or sarrazin _vaud, switzerland_ roquefort type. sassenage _dauphiny, france_ semihard; bluer and stronger than stilton. this makes a french trio of blues with septmoncel and gex, all three of which are made with the three usual milks mixed: cow, goat and sheep. a succulent fermented variety for which both grenoble and sassenage are celebrated. satz _germany_ hard cheese made in saxony. savoy, savoie _france_ semisoft; mellow; tangy port-salut made by trappist monks in savoy. sbrinz _argentine_ hard; dry; nutty; parmesan grating type. scanno _abruzzi, italy_ soft as butter; sheep; burnt taste, delicious with fruits. blackened rind, deep yellow interior. scarmorze or scamorze _italy_ hard; buffalo milk; mild provolone type. also called pear from being made in that shape, oddly enough also in pairs, tied together to hang from rafters on strings in ripening rooms or in the home kitchen. fine when sliced thick and fried in olive oil. a specialty around naples. light-tan oiled rind, about - / by five inches in size. imitated in wisconsin and sold as pear cheese. schabziger _see_ chapter . schafkäse (sheep cheese) _germany_ soft; part sheep milk; smooth and delightful. schamser, or rheinwald _canton graubiinden, switzerland_ large skim-milker eighteen by five inches, weighing forty to forty-six pounds. schlickermilch this might be translated "milk mud." it's another name for bloder, sour milk "waddle" cheese. schlesische sauermilchkäse _silesia, poland_ hard; sour-milker; made like hand cheese. laid on straw-covered shelves, dried by a stove in winter and in open latticed sheds in summer. when very dry and hard, it is put to ripen in a cellar three to eight weeks and washed with warm water two or three times a week. schlesischer weichquarg _silesia, poland_ soft, fresh skim, sour curd, broken up and cooked at ° for a short time. lightly pressed in a cloth sack twenty-four hours, then kneaded and shaped by hand, as all hand cheeses are. sometimes sharply flavored with onions or caraway. eaten fresh, before the strong hand cheese odor develops. schloss, schlosskäse, or bismarck _german_ this castle cheese, also named for bismarck and probably a favorite of his, together with bismarck jelly doughnuts, is an aristocratic limburger that served as a model for liederkranz. schmierkäse german cottage cheese that becomes smearcase in america. schnitzelbank pot _see_ liederkranz, chapter . schönland _german_ imitation of italian bel paese, also translated "beautiful land." schützenkäse _austria_ romadur-type. small rectangular blocks weighing less than four ounces and wrapped in tin foil. shottengsied _alpine_ a whey cheese made and consumed locally in the alps. schwarzenberger _hungary and bohemia_ one part skim to two parts fresh milk. it takes two to three months to ripen. schweizerkäse _switzerland_ german for swiss cheese. (_see_ emmentaler.) schweizerost dansk, danish swiss cheese _denmark_ a popular danish imitation of swiss swiss cheese that is nothing wonderful. select brick _see_ chapter . selles-sur cher _berry, france_ a goat cheese, eaten from february to september. sénecterre _puy-de-dôme, france_ soft, whole-milk; cylindrical, weighing about - / pounds. septmoncel _france_ semihard; skim; blue-veined; made of all three milks: cow, goat and sheep. an excellent "blue" ranked above roquefort by some, and next to stilton. also called jura bleu, and a member of the triple milk triplets with gex and sassenage. serbian _serbia_ made most primitively by dropping heated stones into a kettle of milk over an open fire. after the rennet is added, the curd stands for an hour and is separated from the whey by being lifted in a cheesecloth and strained. it is finally put in a wooden vessel to ripen. first it is salted, then covered each day with whey for eight days and finally with fresh milk for six. syria also makes a cheese called serbian from goat's milk. it is semisoft. serbian butter _see_ kajmar. serra da estrella, queijo da (cheese of the star mountain range) _portugal_ the finest of several superb mountain-sheep cheeses in portugal. other milk is sometimes added, but sheep is standard. the milk is coagulated by an extract of thistle or cardoon flowers in two to six hours. it is ripened in circular forms for several weeks and marketed in rounds averaging five pounds, about ten by two inches. the soft paste inside is pleasantly oily and delightfully acid. sharp-flavored cheese u.s. aged cheddars, including monterey jack; italian romano fecorino, old asiago, gorgonzola, incanestrato and caciocavallo; spanish de fontine; aged roumanian kaskaval. shefford _see_ chapter . silesian _poland and germany_ white; mellow; caraway-seeded. imitated in the u.s.a. (see schlesischer.) sir cheeses in yugoslavia, montenegro and adjacent lands sir or cyr means cheese. mostly this type is made of skimmed sheep milk and has small eyes or holes, a sharp taste and resemblance to both american brick and limburger. they are much fewer than the saint cheeses in france. sir iz mjesine _dalmatia, yugoslavia_ primitively made by heating skim sheep milk in a bottle over an open fire, coagulating it quickly with pig or calf rennet, breaking up the curd with a wooden spoon and stirring it by hand over the fire. pressed into forms eight inches square and two inches thick, it is dried for a day and either eaten fresh or cut into cubes, salted, packed in green sheep or goat hides, and put away to ripen. sir mastny _montenegro_ fresh sheep milk. sir posny _montenegro_ hard; skim sheep milk; white, with many small holes. also answers to the names of tord and mrsav. sir, twdr _see_ twdr sir. sir, warshawski _see_ warshawski syr. siraz _serbia_ semisoft; whole milk. mellow. skyr _iceland_ the one standard cheese of the country. a cross between devonshire cream and cream cheese, eaten with sugar and cream. it is very well liked and filling, so people are apt to take too much. a writer on the subject gives this bit of useful information for travelers: "it is not advisable, however, to take coffee and skyr together just before riding, as it gives you diarrhea." slipcote, or colwick _england_ soft; unripened; small; white; rich as butter. the curd is put in forms six by two inches for the whey to drain away. when firm it is placed between cabbage leaves to ripen for a week or two, and when it is taken from the leaves the skin or coat becomes loose and easily slips off--hence the name. in the middle of the eighteenth century it was considered the best cream cheese in england and was made then, as today, in wissenden, rutlandshire. smältost _sweden_ soft and melting. smearcase old english corruption of german schmierkäse, long used in america for cottage cheese. smoked block _austria_ a well-smoked cheese in block form. smoked mozzarella _see_ mozzarella affumicata. smoked szekely _hungary_ soft; sheep; packed like sausage in skins or bladders and smoked. smokelet _norway_. a small smoked cheese. soaked-curd cheese _see_ washed-curd cheese. sorbais _champagne, france_ semihard; whole milk; fermented; yellow, with reddish brown rind. full flavor, high smell. similar to maroilles in taste and square shape, but smaller. sorte maggenga and sorte vermenga two "sorts" of italian parmesan. soumaintrain, fromage de _france_ soft; fine; strong variety from upper burgundy. soybean _china_ because this cheese is made of vegetable milk and often developed with a vegetable rennet, it is rated by many as a regular cheese. but our occidental kind with animal milk and rennet is never eaten by chinese and the mere mention of it has been known to make them shiver. spalen or stringer _switzerland_ a small emmentaler of fine reputation made in the canton of unterwalden from whole and partly skimmed milk and named from the vessel in which five or six are packed and transported together. sperrkäse _see_ dry. spiced _international_ many a bland cheese is saved from oblivion by the addition of spice, to give it zest. one or more spices are added in the making and thoroughly mixed with the finished product, so the cheese often takes the name of the spice: kuminost or kommenost for cumin; caraway in english and several other languages, among them kümmel, nokkelost and leyden; friesan clove and nagelkass; sage; thyme, cloverleaf sapsago; whole black pepper pepato, etc. spiced and spiced spreads _u.s.a._ government standards for spiced cheeses and spreads specify not less than - / ounces of spice to pounds of cheese. spiced fondue _see_ vacherin fondu. _france_ spitz spitzkase _germany_ small cylinder, four by one and a half inches. caraway spiced, limburger-like. _see_ backsteiner. sposi _italy_ soft; small; cream. spra _greek_ sharp and pleasantly salty, packed fresh from the brine bath in one-pound jars. as tasty as all greek cheeses because they are made principally from sheep milk. stängenkase _germany_ limburger type. stein käse _u.s.a._ aromatic, piquant "stone." a beer stein accompaniment well made after the old german original. steinbuscher-käse _german_ semihard; firm; full cream; mildly sour and pungent. brick forms, reddish and buttery. originated in frankfurt. highly thought of at home but little known abroad. steppe _russia, germany, austria, denmark_ german colonists made and named this in russia. rich and mellow, it tastes like tilsiter and is now made in denmark for export, as well as in germany and austria for home consumption. stilton _see_ chapter . stirred curd cheese _u.s.a._ similar to cheddar, but more granular, softer in texture and marketed younger. stracchino _italy_ soft; goat; fresh cream; winter; light yellow; very sharp, rich and pungent. made in many parts of italy and eaten sliced, never grated. a fine cheese of which taleggio is the leading variety. see in chapter . also see certoso stracchino. stracchino crescenza is an extremely soft and highly colored member of this distinguished family. stravecchio _italy_ well-aged, according to the name. creamy and mellow. stringer _see_ spalen. styria _austria_ whole milk. cylindrical form. suffolk _england_ an old-timer, seldom seen today. stony-hard, horny "flet milk" cartwheels locally nicknamed "bang." never popular anywhere, it has stood more abuse than limburger, not for its smell but for its flinty hardness. "hunger will break through stone walls and anything except a suffolk cheese." "those that made me were uncivil for they made me harder than the devil. knives won't cut me; fire won't sweat me; dogs bark at me, but can't eat me." surati, panir _india_ buffalo milk. uncolored. suraz _serbia_ semihard and semisoft. sveciaost _sweden_ a national pride, named for its country, swedish cheese, to match swiss cheese and dutch cheese. it comes in three qualities: full cream, / cream, and half cream. soft; rich; ready to eat at six weeks and won't keep past six months. a whole-hearted, whole-milk, wholesome cheese named after the country rather than a part of it as most _osts_ are. sweet-curd _u.s.a._ hard cheddar, differing in that the milk is set sweet and the curd cooked firmer and faster, salted and pressed at once. when ripe, however, it is hardly distinguishable from the usual cheddar made by the granular process. swiss _u.s.a._ in emigrants from galrus, switzerland, founded new galrus, wisconsin and, after failing at farming due to cinch bugs gobbling their crops, they turned to cheesemaking and have been at it ever since. american swiss, known long ago as picnic cheese, has been their standby, and only in recent years these wisconsin schweizers have had competition from ohio and other states who turn out the typical cartwheels, which still look like the genuine imported emmentaler. szekely _transylvania, hungary_ soft; sheep; packed in links of bladders and sometimes smoked. this is the type of foreign cheese that set the popular style for american processed links, with wine flavors and everything. t taffel, table, taffelost _denmark_ a danish brand name for an ordinary slicing cheese. tafi _argentina_ made in the rich province of tucuman. taiviers, les petits fromages de _périgord, france_ very small and tasty goat cheese. taleggio _lombardy, italy_ soft, whole-milk, stracchino type. tallance _france_ goat. tamie _france_ port-salut made by trappist monks at savoy from their method that is more or less a trade secret. tome de beaumont is an imitation produced not far away. tanzenberger _carinthia, austria_ limburger type. tao-foo or tofu _china, japan, the orient_ soybean curd or cheese made from the "milk" of soybeans. the beans are ground and steeped, made into a paste that's boiled so the starch dissolves with the casein. after being strained off, the "milk" is coagulated with a solution of gypsum. this is then handled in the same way as animal milk in making ordinary cow-milk cheeses. after being salted and pressed in molds it is ready to be warmed up and added to soups and cooked dishes, as well as being eaten as is. teleme _rumania_ similar to brinza and sometimes called branza de bralia. made of sheep's milk and rapidly ripened, so it is ready to eat in ten days. terzolo _italy_ term used to designate parmesan-type cheese made in winter. tête à tête, tête de maure, moor's head _france_ round in shape. french name for dutch edam. tête de moine, monk's head _france_ a soft "head" weighing ten to twenty pounds. creamy, tasty, summer swiss, imitated in jura, france, and also called bellelay. tête de mort _see_ fromage gras for this death's head. "the tempting cheese of fyvie" _scotland_ something on the order of eve's apple, according to the scottish rhyme that exposes it: the first love token ye gae me was the tempting cheese of fyvie. o wae be to the tempting cheese, the tempting cheese of fyvie, gat me forsake my ain gude man and follow a fottman laddie. texel sheep's milk cheese of three or four pounds made on the island of texel, off the coast of the netherlands. thenay _vendôme, france_ resembles camembert and vendôme. thion _switzerland_ a fine emmentaler. three counties _ireland_ an undistinguished cheddar named for the three counties that make most of the irish cheese. thuringia caraway _germany_ a hand cheese spiked with caraway. thyme _syria_ soft and mellow, with the contrasting pungence of thyme. two other herbal cheeses are flavored with thyme--both french: fromage fort ii, hazebrook ii. tibet _tibet_ the small, hard, grating cheeses named after the country tibet, are of sheep's milk, in cubes about two inches on all sides, with holes to string them through the middle, fifty to a hundred on each string. they suggest chinese strings of cash and doubtless served as currency, in the same way as chinese cheese money. (_see under_ money.) tignard _savoy, france_ hard; sheep or goat; blue-veined; sharp; tangy; from tigne valley in savoy. similar to gex, sassenage and septmoncel. tijuana _mexico_ hard; sharp; biting; named from the border race-track town. tillamook _see_ chapter . tilsit, or tilsiter käse, also called ragnit _germany_ this classical variety of east prussia is similar to american brick. made of whole milk, with many small holes that give it an open texture, as in port-salut, which it also resembles, although it is stronger and coarser. old tilsiter is something special in aromatic tang, and attempts to imitate it are made around the world. one of them, ovár, is such a good copy it is called hungarian tilsit. there are american, danish, and canadian--even swiss--imitations. the genuine tilsit has been well described as "forthright in flavor; a good snack cheese, but not suitable for elegant post-prandial dallying." tilziski _yugoslavia_ a montenegrin imitation tilsiter. tome de beaumont _france_ whole cow's milk. tome, la _auvergne, france_ also called fourme, cantal, or fromage de cantal. a kind of cheddar that comes from ambert, aubrac, aurillac, grand-murol, rôche, salers, etc. tome de chèvre _savoy, france_ soft goat cheese. tome de savoie _france_ soft paste; goat or cow. others in the same category are: tome des beagues, tome au fenouil, tome doudane. tomelitan gruyère _norway_ imitation of french gruyère in - / ounce packages. topf or topfkäse _germany_ a cooked cheese to which pennsylvania pot is similar. sour skim milk cheese, eaten fresh and sold in packages of one ounce. when cured it is flaky. toscano, or pecorino toscano _tuscany, italy_ sheep's milk cheese like romano but softer, and therefore used as a table cheese. toscanello _tuscany, italy_ a smaller edition of toscano. touareg _berber, africa_ skim milk often curdled with korourou leaves. the soft curd is then dipped out onto mats like pancake batter and sun dried for ten days or placed by a fire for six, with frequent turning. very hard and dry and never salted. made from lake tchad to the barbary states by berber tribes. tour eiffel _berry, france_ besides naming this berry cheese, tour eiffel serves as a picturesque label and trademark for a brand of camembert. touloumisio _greece_ similar to feta. tournette _france_ small goat cheese. tourne de chèvre _dauphiné, france_ goat cheese. trappe, la, or oka _canada_ truly fine port-salut named for the trappist order and its canadian monastery. trappist _see_ chapter . trappist _yugoslavia_ trappist port-salut imitation. trauben (grape) _switzerland_ swiss or gruyère aged in swiss neuchâtel wine and so named for the grape. travnik, travnicki _albania, russia, yugoslavia_ soft, sheep whole milk with a little goat sometimes and occasionally skim milk. more than a century of success in europe, turkey and adjacent lands where it is also known as arnauten, arnautski sir and vlasic. when fresh it is almost white and has a mild, pleasing taste. it ripens to a stronger flavor in from two weeks to several months, and is not so good if holes should develop in it. the pure sheep-milk type when aged is characteristically oily and sharp. traz os montes _portugal_ soft; sheep; oily; rich; sapid. for city turophiles nostalgically named "from the mountains." all sheep cheese is oily, some of it a bit muttony, but none of it at all tallowy. trecce _italy_ small, braided cheese, eaten fresh. triple aurore _france_ normandy cheese in season all the year around. troo _france_ made and consumed in touraine from may to january. trouville _france_ soft, fresh, whole milk. pont l'evêque type of superior quality. troyes, fromage de _see_ barberey and ervy. truckles _england_ no. i: wiltshire, england. skimmed milk; blue-veined variety like blue vinny. the quaint word is the same as used in truckle or trundle bed. on shrove monday wiltshire kids went from door to door singing for a handout: pray, dame, something, an apple or a dumpling, or a piece of truckle cheese of your own making. no. ii: local name in the west of england for a full cream cheddar put up in loaves. tschil _armenia_ also known as leaf, telpanir and zwirn. skim milk of either sheep or cows. made into cakes and packed in skins in a land where wine is drunk from skin canteens, often with tschil. tuile de flandre _france_ a type of marolles. tullum penney _turkey_ salty from being soaked in brine. tuna, prickly pear _mexico_ not an animal milk cheese, but a vegetable one, made by boiling and straining the pulp of the cactuslike prickly pear fruit to cheeselike consistency. it is chocolate-color and sharp, piquantly pleasant when hard and dry. it is sometimes enriched with nuts, spices and/or flowers. it will keep for a very long time and has been a dessert or confection in mexico for centuries. tuscano _italy_ semihard; cream color; a sort of tuscany parmesan. twdr sir _serbia_ semisoft sheep skim-milk cheese with small holes and a sharp taste. pressed in forms two by ten to twelve inches in diameter. similar to brick or limburger. twin cheese _u.s.a._ outstanding american cheddar marketed by joannes brothers, green bay, wisconsin. tworog _russia_ semihard sour milk farm (not factory) made. it is used in the cheese bread called notruschki. tybo _denmark_ made in copenhagen from pasteurized skim milk. tyrol sour _german_ a typical tyrolean hand cheese. tzgone _dalmatia_ the opposite number of tzigen, just below. tzigenkäse _austria_ semisoft; skimmed sheep, goat or cow milk. white; sharp and salty; originated in dalmatia. u urda _rumania_ creamy; sweet; mild. uri _switzerland_ hard; brittle; white; tangy. made in the canton of uri. eight by eight to twelve inches, weight twenty to forty pounds. urseren _switzerland_ mild flavored. cooked curd. urt, fromage d' soft port-salut type of the basque country. v vacherin _france and switzerland_ i. vacherin à la main. savoy, france. firm, leathery rind, soft interior like brie or camembert; round, five to six by twelve inches in diameter. made in summer to eat in winter. when fully ripe it is almost a cold version of the great dish called fondue. inside the hard-rind container is a velvety, spicy, aromatic cream, more runny than brie, so it can be eaten with a spoon, dunked in, or spread on bread. the local name is tome de montague. ii. vacherin fondu, or spiced fondu. switzerland. although called fondu from being melted, the no. i vacherin comes much closer to our conception of the dish fondue, which we spell with an "e." vacherin no. ii might be called a re-cooked and spiced emmentaler, for the original cheese is made, and ripened about the same as the swiss classic and is afterward melted, spiced and reformed into vacherin. val-d'andorre, fromage du _andorra, france_ sheep milk. valdeblore, le _nice, france_ hard, dried, small alpine goat cheese. valençay, or fromage de valençay _touraine, france_ soft; cream; goat milk; similar to saint-maure. in season from may to december. this was a favorite with francis i. valio _finland_ one-ounce wedges, six to a box, labeled pasteurized process swiss cheese, made by the cooperative butter export association, helsinki, finland, to sell to north americans to help them forget what real cheese is. valsic _albania_ crumbly and sharp. varalpenland _germany_ alpine. piquant, strong in flavor and smell. varennes, fromage de _france_ soft, fine, strong variety from upper burgundy. västerbottenost _west bothnia_ slow-maturing. one to one-and-a-half years in ripening to a pungent, almost bitter taste. västgötaost _west gothland, sweden_ semihard; sweet and nutty. takes a half year to mature. weight twenty to thirty pounds. vendôme, fromage de _france_ hard; sheep; round and flat; like la cendrée in being ripened under ashes. there is also a soft vendôme sold mostly in paris. veneto, venezza _italy_ parmesan type, similar to asiago. usually sharp. vic-en-bigorre _france_ winter cheese of béarn in season october to may. victoria _england_ the brand name of a cream cheese made in guilford. ville saint-jacques _france_ ile-de-france winter specialty in season from november to may. villiers _france_ soft, one-pound squares made in haute-marne. viry-vory, or vary _france_ fresh cream cheese. viterbo _italy_ sheep milk usually curdled with wild artichoke, _cynara scolymus_. strong grating and seasoning type of the parmesan-romano-pecorino family. vize _greece_ ewe's milk; suitable for grating. void _meuse, france_ soft associate of pont l'evêque and limburger. volvet kaas _holland_ the name means "full cream" cheese and that--according to law--has % fat in the dry product (_see_ gras.) vorarlberg sour-milk _greasy_ hard; greasy; semicircular form of different sizes, with extra-strong flavor and odor. the name indicates that it is made of sour milk. vory, le _france_ fresh cream variety like neufchâtel and petit suisse. w warshawski syr _poland_ semihard; fine nutty flavor; named for the capital city of poland. warwickshire _england_ derbyshire type. washed-curd cheese _u.s.a._ similar to cheddar. the curd is washed to remove acidity and any abnormal flavors. wedesslborg _denmark_ a mild, full cream loaf of danish blue that can be very good if fully ripened. weisschmiere _bavaria, germany_ similar to weisslacker, a slow-ripening variety that takes four months. weisslacker, white lacquer _bavaria_ soft; piquant; semisharp; allgäuer-type put up in cylinders and rectangles, - / by by - / , weighing - / pounds. one of germany's finest soft cheeses. welsh cheeses the words welsh and cheese have become synonyms down the ages. welsh "cheeses can be attractive: the pale, mild caerphilly was famous at one time, and nowadays has usually a factory flavor. a soft cream cheese can be obtained at some farms, and sometimes holds the same delicate melting sensuousness that is found in the poems of john keats. "the 'resurrection cheese' of llanfihangel abercowyn is no longer available, at least under that name. this cheese was so called because it was pressed by gravestones taken from an old church that had fallen into ruins. often enough the cheeses would be inscribed with such wording as 'here lies blodwen evans, aged .'" (from _my wales_ by rhys davies.) wensleydale _england_ i. england, yorkshire. hard; blue-veined; double cream; similar to stilton. this production of the medieval town of wensleydale in the ure valley is also called yorkshire-stilton and is in season from june to september. it is put up in the same cylindrical form as stilton, but smaller. the rind is corrugated from the way the wrapping is put on. ii. white; flat-shaped; eaten fresh; made mostly from january through the spring, skipping the season when the greater no. i is made (throughout the summer) and beginning to be made again in the fall and winter. werder, elbinger and niederungskäse _west prussia_ semisoft cow's-milker, mildly acid, shaped like gouda. west friesian _netherlands_ skim-milk cheese eaten when only a week old. the honored antiquity of it is preserved in the anonymous english couplet: good bread, good butter and good cheese is good english and good friese. westphalia sour milk, or brioler _germany_ sour-milk hand cheese, kneaded by hand. butter and/or egg yolk is mixed in with salt, and either pepper or caraway seeds. then the richly colored curd is shaped by hand into small balls or rolls of about one pound. it is dried for a couple of hours before being put down cellar to ripen. the peculiar flavor is due partly to the seasonings and partly to the curd being allowed to putrify a little, like limburger, before pressing. this sour-milker is as celebrated as westphalian raw ham. it is so soft and fat it makes a sumptuous spread, similar to tilsit and brinza. it was named brioler from the "gute brioler" inn where it was perfected by the owner, frau westphal, well over a century ago. the english sometimes miscall it bristol from a hobson-jobson of the name briol. whale cheese _u.s.a._ in _the cheddar box, _dean collins tells of an ancient legend in which the whales came into tillamook bay to be milked; and he poses the possible origin of some waxy fossilized deposits along the shore as petrified whale-milk cheese made by the aboriginal indians after milking the whales. white, fromage blanc _france_ skim-milk summer cheese made in many parts of the country and eaten fresh, with or without salt. white cheddar _u.s.a._ any cheddar that isn't colored with anatto is known as white cheddar. green bay brand is a fine example of it. white gorgonzola this type without the distinguishing blue veins is little known outside of italy where it is highly esteemed. (_see_ gorgonzola.) white stilton _england_ this white form of england's royal blue cheese lacks the aristocratic veins that are really as green as ireland's flag. whitethorn _ireland_ firm; white; tangy; half-pound slabs boxed. saltee is the same, except that it is colored. wilstermarsch-käse holsteiner marsch _schleswig-holstein, germany_ semihard; full cream; rapidly cured; tilsit type; very fine; made at itzehoe. wiltshire or wilts _england_ a derbyshire type of sharp cheddar popular in wiltshire. (_see_ north wilts.) wisconsin factory cheeses _u.s.a._ have the date of manufacture stamped on the rind, indicating by the age whether the flavor is "mild, mellow, nippy, or sharp." american cheddar requires from eight months to a year to ripen properly, but most of it is sold green when far too young. notable wisconsiners are loaf, limburger, redskin and swiss. withania _india_ cow taboos affect the cheesemaking in india, and in place of rennet from calves a vegetable rennet is made from withania berries. this names a cheese of agreeable flavor when ripened, but, unfortunately, it becomes acrid with age. y yoghurt, or yogurt _u.s.a._ made with _bacillus bulgaricus_, that develops the acidity of the milk. it is similar to the english saint ivel. york, york curd and cambridge york _england_ a high-grade cream cheese similar to slipcote, both of which are becoming almost extinct since world war ii. also, this type is too rich to keep any length of time and is sold on the straw mat on which it is cured, for local consumption. yorkshire-stilton _cotherstone, england_ this stilton, made chiefly at cotherstone, develops with age a fine internal fat which makes it so extra-juicy that it's a general favorite with english epicures who like their game well hung. york state _u.s.a._ short for new york state, the most venerable of our cheddars. young america _u.s.a._ a mild, young, yellow cheddar. yo-yo _u.s.a._ copying pear-and apple-shaped balls of italian provolone hanging on strings, a new york cheesemonger put out a cheddar on a string, shaped like a yo-yo. z ziegel _austria_ whole milk, or whole milk with cream added. aged only two months. ziegenkäse _germany_ a general name in germanic lands for cheeses made of goat's milk. altenburger is a leader among ziegenkäse. ziger i. this whey product is not a true cheese, but a cheap form of food made in all countries of central europe and called albumin cheese, recuit, ricotta, broccio, brocotte, serac, ceracee, etc. some are flavored with cider and others with vinegar. there is also a whey bread. ii. similar to corsican broccio and made of sour sheep milk instead of whey. sometimes mixed with sugar into small cakes. zips _see_ brinza. zomma _turkey_ similar to caciocavallo. zwirn _see_ tschil. [illustration] index of recipes american cheese salad, angelic camembert, apple and cheese salad, apple pie à la cheese, apple pie adorned, apple pie, cheese-crusty, asparagus and cheese, italian, au gratin eggs, potatoes, tomatoes, blintzes, brie or camembert salad, camembert, angelic, champagned roquefort or gorgonzola, cheddar omelet, cheese and nut salad, cheese and pea salad, cheese cake, pineapple, cheese charlotte, cheese-crusty apple pie, cheese custard, cheese pie, open-faced, cheese sauce, plain, cheese waffles, cheesed mashed potatoes, chicken cheese soup, cottage cheese pancakes, christmas cake sandwiches, cold dunking, custard, cheese, dauphiny ravioli, diablotins, dumpling, napkin, dunking, cold, eggs au gratin, flan au fromage, fondue à l'italienne, all-american, au fromage, baked tomato, brick, catsup tummy fondiddy, quickie, cheddar dunk bowl, cheese, cheese, and corn, cheese and rice, chives, comtois, corn and cheese, neufchâtel style, % american, parmesan, quickie catsup tummy fondiddy, rice, and cheese, sapsago swiss, tomato, tomato baked, vacherin-fribourg, fritters, italian, fritto misto, italian, garlic on cheese, gorgonzola and banana salad, green cheese salad julienne, italian asparagus and cheese, italian fritters, italian fritto misto, italian-swiss scallopini, little hats, cappelletti, meal-in-one omelet, a, miniature pizzas, napkin dumpling, neapolitan baked lasagne, omelet cheddar, meal-in-one, parmesan, tomato, with cheese sauce, onion soup, onion soup au gratin, open-faced cheese pie, pancakes, cottage cheese, parmesan omelet, parsleyed cheese sauce, pfeffernüsse and caraway, pineapple cheese cake, piroghs, polish, pizza, cheese, dough, miniature, tomato paste, polish piroghs, potatoes au gratin, potatoes, mashed, cheesed, puffs breakfast, cheese, new england, cream cheese, danish fondue, fried, new england cheese, parmesan, roquefort, three-in-one, rabbit after-dinner, all-american succotash, american woodchuck, anchovy, asparagus, basic no. (with beer), no. (with milk), blushing bunny, border-hopping bunny, "bouquet of the sea," buttermilk, celery and onion, chipped beef, cream cheese, crumby, crumby tomato, curry, danish, devil's own, the, dr. maginn's, dried beef, dutch, easy english, eggnog, fish, fresh or dried, fluffy, eggy, frijole, gherkin, ginger ale, golden buck, golden buck ii, grilled sardine, grilled tomato, grilled tomato and onion, gruyère, kansas jack, lady llanover's toasted, latin-american corn, mexican chilaly, mushroom-tomato, onion rum tum tiddy, original recipe, ye, oven, oyster, pink poodle, pumpernickel, reducing, roe, rum tum tiddy, rum tum tiddy, onion, rum tum tiddy, sherry, running, sardine, grilled, sardine, plain, savory eggy dry, scotch woodcock, sea-food, sherry, sherry rum tum tiddy, smoked cheddar, smoked fish, south african tomato, spanish sherry, stieff recipe, the, swiss cheese, tomato, tomato and onion, grilled, tomato, crumby, tomato, grilled, tomato soup, tomato, south american, venerable yorkshire buck, the, yale college, yorkshire, ramekins à la parisienne, casserole, cheese i, cheese ii, cheese iii, cheese iv, frying pan, morézien, puff paste, roquefort-swiss, swiss-roquefort, ravioli, dauphiny, roquefort, champagned, roquefort cheese salad dressing, rosie's swiss breakfast cheese salad, salad american cheese, apple and cheese, brie, camembert, cheese and nut, cheese and pea, gorgonzola and banana, green cheese salad julienne, rosie's swiss breakfast cheese, swiss cheese, three-in-one mold, sandwiches alpine club, boston beany, open-face, cheeseburgers, deviled rye, egg, open-faced, french-fried swiss, grilled chicken-ham-cheddar, he-man, open-faced, international, jurassiennes, or croûtes comtoises, kümmelkäse, limburger onion, or catsup, meringue, open-faced, neufchâtel and honey, newfoundland toasted cheese, oskar's ham-cam, pickled camembert, queijo da serra, roquefort nut, smoky, sturgeon-smoked, tangy, toasted cheese, unusual--of flowers, hay and clover, vegetarian, witch's, xochomilco, yolk picnic, sauce cheese, mornay, parsleyed cheese, sauce mornay, scallopini, italian-swiss, schnitzelbank pot, soufflé basic, cheese-corn, cheese fritter, cheese-mushroom, cheese-potato, cheese-sea-food, cheese-spinach, cheese-tomato, corn-cheese, mushroom-cheese, parmesan, parmesan-swiss, potato-cheese, sea-food-cheese, spinach-cheese, swiss, tomato-cheese, soup chicken cheese, onion, onion, au gratin, supa shetgia, spanish flan--quesillo, straws, stuffed celery, supa shetgia, swiss cheese salad, three-in-one mold, tomato omelet, tomatoes au gratin, vatroushki, waffles, cheese, about the author * * * * * bob brown, after living thirty years in as many foreign lands and enjoying countless national cheeses at the source, returned to new york and summed them all up in this book. born in chicago, he was graduated from oak park high school and entered the university of wisconsin at the exact moment when a number of imported swiss professors in this great dairy state began teaching their students how to hole an emmentaler. after majoring in beer and free lunch from milwaukee to munich, bob celebrated the end of prohibition with a book called _let there be beer!_ and then decided to write another about beer's best friend, cheese. but first he collaborated with his mother cora and wife rose on _the wine cookbook_, still in print after nearly twenty-five years. this first manual on the subject in america paced a baker's dozen food-and-drink books, including: _america cooks, , snacks, fish and seafood_ and _the south american cookbook_. for ten years he published his own weekly magazines in rio de janeiro, mexico city and london. in the decade before that, from to , he wrote more than a thousand short stories and serials under his full name, robert carlton brown. one of his first books, _what happened to mary_, became a best seller and was the first five-reel movie. this put him in _who's who_ in his early twenties. in he retired to write and travel. after a couple of years spent in collecting books and bibelots throughout the orient, he settled down in paris with the expatriate group of americans and invented the reading machine for their delectation. nancy cunard published his _words_ and harry crosby printed _ - _ at the black sun press, while in cagnes-sur-mer bob had his own imprint roving eye press, that turned out _demonics; gems, a censored anthology; globe-gliding_ and _readies for bob brown's machine_ with contributions by gertrude stein, ezra pound, kay boyle, james t. farrell _et al._ the depression drove him back to new york, but a decade later he returned to brazil that had long been his home away from home. there he wrote _the amazing amazon_, with his wife rose, making a total of thirty books bearing his name. after the death of his wife and mother, bob brown closed their mountain home in petropolis, brazil, and returned to new york where he remarried and now lives, in the greenwich village of his free-lancing youth. with him came the family's working library in a score of trunks and boxes, that formed the basis of a mail-order book business in which he specializes today in food, drink and other out-of-the-way items. [compiler's notes: moved what was page of project past title page, removed publisher's copyright information from page . removed references to introduction, as it was omitted from the book project.] proofreading team. made-over dishes by mrs. s. t. rorer author of mrs. rorer's new cook book, philadelphia cook book, bread and bread-making, and other valuable works on cookery. revised and enlarged edition contents preface stock cooked fish meat beef--uncooked beef--cooked mutton--uncooked mutton--cooked chicken--uncooked chicken--cooked game bread eggs potatoes cold boiled cheese sauces salads cereals vegetables fruits sour milk and cream preface wise forethought, which means economy, stands as the first of domestic duties. poverty in no way affects skill in the preparation of food. the object of cooking is to draw out the proper flavor of each individual ingredient used in the preparation of a dish, and render it more easy of digestion. admirable flavorings are given by the little leftovers of vegetables that too often find their way into the garbage bucket. economical marketing does not mean the purchase of inferior articles at a cheap price, but of a small quantity of the best materials found in the market; these materials to be wisely and economically used. small quantity and no waste, just enough and not a piece too much, is a good rule to remember. in roasts and steaks, however, there will be, in spite of careful buying, bits left over, that, if economically used, may be converted into palatable, sightly and wholesome dishes for the next day's lunch or supper. never purchase the so-called tender meat for stews, hamburg steaks or soups; nor should you purchase a round or shoulder steak for broiling, nor an old chicken for roasting. select a fowl for a fricassee, a chicken for roasting, and a so-called spring chicken for broiling. each has its own individual price and place. save for stock, every bone, whether beef, mutton, poultry or game, as well as all the juices that are left in the meat carving dishes on the table, and the water in which meats are boiled and in which certain vegetables are boiled. into this storehouse--for such a stock pot is--will go also the tough ends from the rib roasts, which would become tasteless and dry if roasted; the bits that are taken from the french chops; the bone that is left on the plate from the sirloin steak; and every piece of the carcass left on the general carving plate of all sorts of game and poultry. after the meat has been taken from the roast, these bones will also be used. stock in all good cooking there is a constant demand for a half pint or a pint of stock. brown sauce and tomato sauce, in fact, all meat sauces, are decidedly better made from stock than water, and as it comes to every household without the additional cost of a penny, there is no excuse whatever for being without it. save the bones collected on saturday, sunday and monday. chicken and veal bones may be kept together; beef, mutton and ham in another lot; one makes a white stock, the other brown. if the quantity is small, put them all together. crack the bones, put them in the bottom of a large soup kettle, cover with cold water, bring slowly to boiling point and skim. push the kettle to the back part of the stove, where the stock may simmer for at least three hours, then add an onion into which you have stuck twelve cloves, a bay leaf, a few celery tops, or a little celery seed, and a carrot cut into slices; simmer gently for another hour and strain. tuesdays and saturdays are the best days for making stock, as they are the days on which you have long, continuous fires; tuesdays for ironing purposes; saturdays for bread baking; in this way you will economize in coal, heat and time. in making tomato soup, to each pint of tomatoes add a pint of this stock instead of water; or the stock may be simply heated, nicely seasoned and used as clear soup. by adding a little cooked rice or macaroni, you will have a rice or a macaroni soup. in cream soups, where stock takes the place of water, less milk gives equal, perhaps better, results. for instance, in cream of celery soup, cover the celery with cold stock instead of water, using a quart instead of a pint of water, and then use only a pint of milk, having in the end the same quantity of a much more tasty soup at a less cost. one soon learns that all made-over dishes are more savory where stock is used in place of water. if peas, beans or cabbage are being cooked, this water may be added to that in which beef or mutton has been boiled, the whole reduced carefully by rapid boiling, strained and put aside for use. cooked fish canapés cold boiled fish makes excellent canapés. to each half pint of fish allow six squares of toasted bread. if you have any cold boiled potatoes left over, add milk to them, make them hot and put them into a pastry bag. decorate the edge of the toast with these mashed potatoes, using a small star tube; put them back in the oven until light brown. make the fish into a creamed fish. rub the butter and flour together, add a half pint of milk, add the fish and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper. dish the centers on top of the toast with this creamed fish and send at once to the table. a very little fish here makes a good showing, and is one of the nicest of the hot canapés. baked sardines after sardines have once been opened it is best to remove them from the can and make them into some dish for the next meal. they may be broiled and served on toast, or made with bread crumbs into sardine balls and fried, or baked. to bake them, stir the oil from the can into a half cupful of water, add a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. put the fish into a baking pan, run them into the oven until very hot, then dish them, baste them with the sauce and send them at once to the table. fish croquettes any cold boiled fish that is left over may be made into croquettes. to each cupful of the cold fish allow one level tablespoonful of butter, two level tablespoonfuls of flour and a half cupful of milk. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk; when boiling take from the fire. add to the fish a level teaspoonful of salt, a dash of black pepper, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and a few drops of onion juice; mix this carefully with the paste and turn out to cool. when cold, form into small cylinders, dip in beaten egg and fry in deep hot fat. fish à la crême one pint of cold boiled fish, mixed with a half pint of white sauce. turn this into a baking dish and brown. or when the two are carefully heated together, serve in either ramekin dishes or in a border of browned mashed potatoes. meat as meat is the most costly and extravagant of all articles of food, it behooves the housewife to save all left-overs and work them over into other dishes. the so-called inferior pieces--not inferior because they contain less nourishment, but inferior because the demand for such meat is less--should be used for all dishes that are chopped before cooking, as hamburg steaks, curry balls, kibbee, or for stews, ragouts, pot roasts and various dishes where a sauce is used to hide the inferiority and ugliness of the dish. we have no occasion here to spend money on good looks. if one purchases meat for soup, the leg and shin are the better parts. this, however, is not necessary in the ordinary family, as there are always sufficient bones left over for daily stock. all meat left over from beef tea, tasteless as it is, may be nicely seasoned and made into curries or into pressed meat, giving again a nice dish for lunch or supper. remember, that where the flavoring of the beef has been drawn out into the water, as in making beef tea, another decided flavor must be added to make the made-over dish palatable. for this reason, curries, pressed meats, served with either worcestershire or tomato sauce, are chosen. cold mutton may be made into pilau, hashed on toast with tomato sauce, hashed with caper sauce, made into escalloped mutton, barbecued mutton, casserole, or macaroni timbale; all sightly dishes, quite handsome enough to place before the choicest guest. spiced meats, as beef _à la mode_, may be served cold with cream horseradish sauce and aspic jelly. if warm, they will be made into ragouts, or some form of dish with a brown or tomato sauce. it is well to bear in mind that white meats will be served with white or yellow sauces; dark meats with brown or tomato sauces. the coarse tops of the sirloin steak, the tough end of the rump steak, if broiled, cannot possibly be eaten, as the dry heat renders them difficult of mastication. cut them off before the steak is broiled, and put them aside to use for hamburg steaks, curry balls, timbale or cannelon, making a new and sightly dish from that which would otherwise have been thrown away. if you use ham, and have had a piece boiled, after the even slices are taken off, chip the remaining tender pieces for frizzled ham, making it as frizzled beef is made. the bits around the bone that cannot possibly be sliced, will be chopped and made into potted or deviled ham. throw the bone into the stock pot. a meat chopper or grinder, which costs but a dollar and a half or two dollars, will save its price in the utility of these scraps in less than a month. the water in which you boil a leg of mutton, chicken, turkey or a fresh beef's tongue, or such vegetables as string beans, peas, rice, macaroni or barley, put aside and use in place of plain water to cover the bones for stock-making. the water in which cabbage is boiled should be saved alone and used the next day for a soup crécy; the flavor of the cabbage, with a carrot that has been slightly browned in butter, makes a delightful soup without the addition of meat. beef--uncooked the uncooked tough bits or pieces of beef may be made into any of the following dishes: kibbee chop uncooked tough meat very fine; put it twice through a grinder. to each pound, allow a tablespoonful of grated onion, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of salt, just a dash of pepper, and a half cup of toasted piñon nuts. form into balls about the size of an egg, stand in a baking pan, add a half pint of strained tomatoes, a tablespoonful of butter, and bake slowly thirty minutes, basting three or four times. if more than one pound of meat is used, all the ingredients must be increased accordingly. hamburg steaks the genuine hamburg steaks are rich in onion and very rich in fatty matter, too much so to be wholesome; so we will modify them, that they may be eaten even by dyspeptics or persons with weak digestion. put twice through a meat chopper the tough ends of steaks or bits of the round. to each pound of this meat allow a half teaspoonful of celery seed, a teaspoonful of grated onion. form into thick even cakes, being sure that the center and sides are the same thickness. these may now be broiled over a clear fire, or under the gas lights in your gas broiler, or they may be dropped into a thoroughly heated iron pan. as soon as browned on one side, turn and brown the other. if the steaks are an inch thick, it will take eight minutes for perfect cooking. an exceedingly satisfactory way is to brown them quickly over a hot fire, then put the pan in the oven and allow them to cook for five minutes. dust with salt, season with a little butter and pepper, and send to the table on a very hot dish; or serve with brown or tomato sauce. if they have been cooked over the fire, or in the oven, put a tablespoonful of butter into the pan in which they were cooked, add a tablespoonful of flour, a half cup of stock, and a half cup of strained tomatoes. when boiling, add a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and pour over the steaks. cannelon put twice through the meat chopper one pound of tough meat, season with a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and, if you like, a little celery seed or chopped celery top; take this chopped meat into your hands, and form it into a roll about four inches in diameter and six inches long. roll this in a piece of oiled paper, put it in a baking pan, bake in a quick oven thirty minutes, basting the paper with melted butter three or four times. when done, remove the paper, dish the cannelon, and pour around plain tomato sauce. brown stew cut any left-over pieces of uncooked tough meat into cubes of one inch. put a couple of tablespoonfuls of suet into a saucepan; when rendered out, remove the cracklings. dust the bits of meat with a tablespoonful of flour, throw them into the hot suet, and shake until brown. draw the meat to one side, and add to the fat in the pan a second tablespoonful of flour; mix, add one pint of water or stock, stir until boiling, add a teaspoonful of salt, a bay leaf, slice of onion, a teaspoonful of browning or kitchen bouquet; cover and simmer gently until the meat is tender, about an hour and a half. the proportions given here are for one pound of beef. this may be served plain, or in a border of rice, or with dumplings. if dumplings, put a pint of flour into a bowl, add a teaspoonful of salt and one of baking powder; mix thoroughly and add sufficient milk to just moisten; drop by spoonfuls over the top of the stew, cover the saucepan and cook for ten minutes. do not lift cover during the ten minutes or the dumplings will fall. beef timbale chop fine any left-over tough bits of lean beef. cook together for a moment a gill of strained tomatoes and one cup of bread crumbs; add to the meat, rub to a smooth paste, season with a quarter of a teaspoonful of celery seed, a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper; mix, and then stir in carefully the well-beaten whites of two eggs; fill into custard cups, stand in a pan of boiling water, and cook in a moderate oven twenty minutes. serve with tomato sauce. this recipe is for one pound of beef. beef--cooked ragout cut pieces of cold boiled or roasted beef into cubes of one inch; to each quart of this allow two tablespoonfuls of butter, two of flour and a pint of stock. rub the butter and flour together, add the stock, stir until boiling; add a tablespoonful of onion juice, a teaspoonful of browning or kitchen bouquet, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; add the meat; stand over the back part of the stove until thoroughly hot; serve on a heated platter garnished with triangular pieces of toasted bread. a few left-over olives, mushrooms, or even a chopped truffle, may be added. bresleau chop sufficient cold cooked meat to make one pint, season it with a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper. put a half cup of stock or water, two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs and a tablespoonful of butter over the fire; when hot, add to it the meat; take from the fire and stir in carefully two well-beaten eggs. put this in greased custard cups, stand them in a baking pan half filled with boiling water, and bake in a moderate oven fifteen or twenty minutes; serve with tomato sauce or sauce béchamel. beef croquettes chop sufficient cold cooked beef to make one pint; add to it a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of onion juice, a dash of cayenne, a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, and a grating of nutmeg. put a half pint of milk over the fire. rub together one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, add them to the hot milk, stir until you have a smooth thick paste; take from the fire; mix with it the meat, and turn out to cool. when cold, form into croquettes. beat one egg, add to it a tablespoonful of warm water, and beat again. dip the croquettes first into this, then roll them in bread crumbs, and fry them in smoking hot fat. they may be served plain or with tomato sauce. beef steak pudding cut cold cooked steak into cubes of a half inch. to each pint of these allow a half pint of milk, six tablespoonfuls of flour, two eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of chopped suet. put the flour into a bowl; beat the eggs, add to them the milk, then add gradually to the flour; make perfectly smooth. cover the bottom of a baking dish with a layer of the batter, put in the bits of steak, sprinkle over the chopped suet, then a dusting of salt and pepper, and, if you like, a few drops of onion juice; now put over the remaining quantity of the batter, and bake in a moderately quick oven an hour and a half. potato dumplings take any pieces of cold cooked meat, chop them fine, season carefully with salt, pepper, chopped parsley or celery. to each pint allow two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. for the crust you may use left-over cold mashed potatoes; if so, add a little milk and stir them over the fire until smooth and hot. if potatoes are boiled for the purpose, add salt, butter and milk, and beat them until light. line to the depth of one inch, a baking dish, put the meat in the center, cover the top with mashed potatoes, smooth, brush with milk and bake in a moderate oven a half hour. gobbits scrape and cut into fancy pieces one good-sized carrot and one turnip. put these into a saucepan, cover with a pint of stock, and cook slowly until the vegetables are tender. have ready, cut into cubes of one inch, sufficient cold cooked beef to make a quart; add it to the vegetables, simmer a few minutes until the meat is hot; have ready also one cup of rice that has been boiled thirty minutes in clear water, drained and dried. arrange this in a border around the meat dish. put two tablespoonfuls of butter and flour into a saucepan; mix. drain the liquor from the meat and vegetables, which should now measure one pint; if not, add sufficient stock to make a pint; add this to the butter and flour, and stir until boiling. dish the meat and vegetables in the centre of the rice border. take the sauce from the fire, add a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and the yolks of two eggs. reheat for just an instant, strain over the meat mixture, dust with chopped parsley, and serve at once. beef fritters chop sufficient cold cooked beef to make one pint; add to it a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper. beat two eggs until light, add to them a half pint of water or stock; stir into this one and a half cups of flour, beat until smooth, add a teaspoonful of baking powder and the meat. drop this by spoonfuls into smoking hot fat; cook about three minutes, drain on brown paper, and serve either on a folded napkin, or in a dish with tomato sauce. minced beef on toast take the meat from between the bones of a rib roast, or any little bits that would not be serviceable in other dishes, chop them fine, and to each pint, allow one tablespoonful of butter, one of flour and a half pint of tomatoes or stock. mix the butter and flour together, then add the tomatoes strained or stock; when boiling add the meat, and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper. stand the mixture over hot water until smoking hot, and serve on squares of toasted bread. barbecue of cold beef cut cold-roasted or boiled beef into thin slices. put into your saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter, two tablespoonfuls of catsup and two tablespoonfuls of sherry; stir until hot; drop the slices of beef into this, cover the saucepan, shake occasionally for a minute, until the beef is smoking hot, and send at once to the table. this is exceedingly nice made and served from a chafing dish. this dish may be made by omitting the sherry and using a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, a teaspoonful of mushroom catsup and two tablespoonfuls of stock. salt beef hash no. cold cooked corned beef is best made into hash. chop sufficient to make one pint. chop the same quantity of cold boiled potatoes; mix the two together, put them into a saucepan, add a half pint of stock, a tablespoonful of butter, teaspoonful of onion juice and a quarter of a teaspoonful of black or white pepper. stir carefully and constantly until the mixture reaches the boiling point. serve at once on buttered toast. salt beef hash no. chop enough cold cooked corned beef to make a pint; chop the same quantity of cold boiled potatoes; mix the two together. put them into a stewing pan, add one pint of stock; simmer for just a moment; take from the fire, add two eggs well beaten, a dash of pepper; turn the mixture into a baking dish and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes. rechauffee of beef cut any left-over cold beef into thin slices. cut into slices three cold boiled potatoes. peel two tomatoes, cut them into halves, squeeze out the seeds, and then cut the tomatoes into small bits. chop one good sized onion. put a layer of tomato in the bottom of a baking dish, then beef, then a seasoning of onion, salt and pepper, and if you have it, a little chopped celery, then potatoes, then again tomatoes, beef, and so continue until you have used the materials, having the last layer tomatoes. dust the top with bread crumbs, put over a few bits of butter and bake a half hour in a moderately quick oven. steak pudding cut any cold left-over steak into thin slices, and cut these slices into bits one inch long. put one quart of flour in a bowl, and add to it one cupful of chopped uncooked suet. chop the suet and flour together for a minute, add a level teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of black pepper, and sufficient cold water to just moisten. take the dough on the board and roll it out into a sheet; make it a little larger than an ordinary pie dish. season the bits of meat, put them on one-half the sheet, lay over the top twelve good fat oysters, brush the under half of the dough with the white of egg or water; fold over the other half and make two or three holes in the top. put it in a cheese cloth and steam for two hours. remove the cloth, brush the pudding with the yolk of the egg and bake in a quick oven a half hour. panada of beef chop sufficient cold cooked beef to make one pint; season it with a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley and a dash of pepper. put this in the bottom of a baking dish. crush six uneeda biscuits, pour over them a half pint of milk, let them stand a minute or two, add one egg, well beaten, a half teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. pour this over the beef and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes to a half hour. other meats may be substituted for beef. mutton--uncooked tough pieces of uncooked mutton may be put twice through the meat chopper and used for curry balls or for stuffing for tomatoes or egg plant; in fact, in almost any way that one would serve uncooked beef. having fewer pieces of uncooked scrap mutton than of beef, we are less accustomed to seeing them used. curry balls put any pieces of tough uncooked mutton twice through the meat chopper; season the meat with salt, pepper and onion juice. form into little balls the size of an english walnut. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan; when hot, throw the balls into the butter, and shake until carefully browned. lift them from the saucepan, and to the butter in the pan add a teaspoonful of curry, a tablespoonful of flour, mix and add a half pint of stock; stir carefully until boiling; pour this over the balls, cook, slowly for twenty minutes, add two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and serve in a border of rice. cocoanut milk may be used instead of stock. mutton--cooked while mutton belongs to the red meats, when carefully cooked it may be used in many ways in which you would use chicken or veal. capers and tomato, with a slight flavoring of mint, are more agreeable with mutton than with almost any other meats. bobotee chop sufficient cold boiled mutton to make a pint. put two tablespoonfuls of butter and one onion sliced into a saucepan; stir until the onion is slightly brown; then add a half pint of stock or milk and four tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. stand this on the back of the stove for about five minutes while you blanch and chop fine a dozen almonds. add these to the meat, then add a teaspoonful of curry powder, and a teaspoonful of salt. beat three eggs until light, stir them into the meat, then turn the whole into the saucepan. rub the bottom of the baking dish first with a clove of garlic, then sprinkle over a tablespoonful of lemon juice and put here and there a few bits of butter; put on this the mixture, and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes. serve in the dish in which it is baked, and pass with it plain boiled rice. boudins chop sufficient cold cooked mutton to make a pint. put a half cup of stock, two tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs and a tablespoonful of butter over the fire. when hot, take from the fire, add the meat and three eggs well beaten; add a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. put the mixture into greased custard cups, stand in a baking pan half filled with boiling water, and cook in a moderate oven fifteen to twenty minutes. serve with sauce béchamel. the bottom of the cups may be garnished with chopped mushrooms, capers, or chopped truffles, or dusted thickly with chopped parsley. klopps chop sufficient cold boiled mutton to make a pint; add to it a half pint of bread crumbs and sufficient white of egg to bind the whole together; add a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of white pepper. form into balls the size of english walnuts; drop into a kettle of boiling water; pull the kettle to one side of the fire where it cannot possibly boil, and cook the klopps slowly for five or six minutes. when done they will float on the surface. lift, drain carefully, put on to a heated dish, pour over cream celery or cream oyster sauce, and serve with them peas and boiled rice. curry of mutton put two tablespoonfuls of butter and one sliced onion into a pan; cook slowly until the onion is perfectly tender; add one clove of garlic mashed, a teaspoonful of curry powder and a teaspoonful of turmeric; mix thoroughly, add a half pint of stock, or, better, cocoanut milk; stir until boiling, add one quart of cold cooked mutton chopped fine; heat thoroughly, add a tablespoonful of lemon juice, and pour at once into a platter that has been garnished with boiled rice. mutton with anchovy chop sufficient cold boiled mutton to make one pint; mash fine three anchovies. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan, add one sliced onion, cook until the onion is soft and yellow, add a clove of garlic mashed, add to this the anchovies and a half pint of stock; simmer gently for fifteen minutes, and press through a sieve. add a tablespoonful of capers, two or three leaves of mint that have been bruised, and the mutton chopped fine. heat over boiling water for fifteen minutes, and serve on squares of toasted bread. this may be served plain or the top of each piece may be capped with a carefully poached egg. pilau cut into bits any pieces of cold cooked mutton; put them into a saucepan, cover with water, add a grated onion, a bay leaf and two or three cardamom seeds. sprinkle over a half cup of rice that has been carefully washed; cover the kettle and simmer slowly until the rice is tender. dish the mutton, putting the rice over the top, cover the whole with a nicely made tomato sauce, and send at once to the table. mutton salad any pieces of cold-roasted or boiled mutton may be cut into dice and used for an ordinary mutton salad. at serving time arrange this neatly on lettuce leaves, or any accessible green; season with salt and pepper, and cover with mayonnaise dressing to which has been added a tablespoonful of capers. where celery, lettuce or other fresh greens cannot be procured, canned asparagus may be mixed with the mutton or may be served with it as a garnish; giving an exceedingly agreeable accompaniment. where asparagus cannot be obtained, a can of peas may be drained, washed, drained again, and added to the mutton before it is mixed with the mayonnaise dressing, or the mutton may be mixed with mayonnaise and filled into tomatoes that have been peeled and the centers scooped out. stand each on a little nest of lettuce leaves or on a bunch of cress, and garnish the top with capers. french lamb stew quart of bits of cold left-over lamb or mutton pint of green peas quart of water stalks of mint teaspoonful of onion juice teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper put the lamb, water and all the seasoning into a saucepan. shell and wash the peas, put them over the top, cover the pan and bring quickly to a boil, lift the lid, and boil rapidly twenty minutes until the peas are tender. rub together the butter and flour, stir them carefully into the stew, bring again to boiling point and serve. lamb stew with tomatoes follow the preceding recipe, using a quart of strained tomatoes in place of a quart of water. chicken--uncooked in purchasing a chicken for timbale, select a large one, but not an old fowl. after the chicken has been drawn, remove the white meat, which is used uncooked for timbales. the dark meat may be cooked at once and utilized for boudins, croquettes, salad, cecils, creamed hash, or served on toast with sauce bordelaise, or used in chafing dish next day. or if you prefer to use it raw, devil the legs and use the bones for soup. timbale chop fine the uncooked white meat of a chicken; this should weigh a half pound. then rub it with the back of a wooden spoon against the side of a bowl until perfectly smooth. put one cup of white bread crumbs and a half cup of milk over the fire; stir until boiling; when cold, rub this thoroughly with the meat, and press it through an ordinary flour sieve. stir into it carefully the well-beaten whites of five eggs, add a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of white pepper; fill into greased timbale cups, stand in a baking pan of boiling water, cover with oiled paper, and bake in a moderate oven fifteen to twenty minutes. the bottoms of the cups may be garnished with chopped truffle, chopped mushrooms, chopped parsley, or nicely cooked green peas. serve with the timbales either a plain cream sauce or a cream mushroom sauce. peas are the usual accompaniment. or the timbale molds may be lined with this mixture, and the centers filled with creamed mushrooms; put enough of the timbale mixture over the top to hold in the stuffing; they will then be cooked and served in the usual manner. deviled chicken legs carefully remove the bones from the legs of an uncooked chicken. to a half cup of bread crumbs add twelve chopped almonds, two tablespoonfuls of toasted piñon nuts, a tablespoonful of parsley, a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of cayenne; moisten with two tablespoonfuls of butter. stuff this into the spaces from which you have taken the bones, tie the legs top and bottom to keep in the stuffing. place the bones from the carcass of the chicken in the soup kettle, cover with cold water, and when the water reaches boiling point place the legs on top of the bones and cook continuously for two hours. they may be served hot with sauce, or cold, cut into thin slices garnished with aspic. english chicken balls chop fine the dark meat left over from timbales, add a half can of finely chopped mushrooms, a teaspoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a dozen blanched and finely chopped almonds and one raw egg; mix thoroughly and form into balls the size of an english walnut. arrange these over the bottom of a saucepan, cover with stock, add a bay leaf, a slice of onion and of carrot; cook slowly a half to three-quarters of an hour; drain, saving the stock. dish the balls in the center of a platter, put around the edge a row of potato bullets, outside of that small triangles of toast. put a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour into a saucepan; mix, add a half pint of stock in which the balls were cooked, stir until boiling, take from the fire, add the yolk of one egg beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream; add a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper; strain this over the balls and serve. chicken--cooked the remains of cold chicken or turkey may be used in precisely the same manner, or made into croquettes, using the same rule as for beef croquettes. with an accompaniment of mayonnaise of celery, or mayonnaise of tomato, they make an extremely good luncheon dish. for an evening entertainment they may be simply garnished with cooked peas. meat croquettes are usually made into pyramid forms; they may, however, be made into cylinders. boudins of chicken or turkey are also exceedingly nice. creamed hash on toast this is one of the tastiest of all the warmed-over chicken dishes. chop the chicken fine, and to each pint allow one tablespoonful of butter, one of flour and a half pint of milk. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir over the fire until boiling, season the meat with a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper, add to the milk sauce, and stir over hot water for fifteen minutes. the flavoring may be changed by adding three or four chopped mushrooms, or, if you have it, a chopped truffle; but it is exceedingly good plain. heap this on squares of nicely toasted bread, serve at once, or you may garnish the tops with carefully poached eggs. casserole wash a half cup of rice; throw it into boiling water, boil for twenty minutes, drain, add a half cup of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, a level teaspoonful of salt and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper; stir until you have a rather smooth thick paste. brush custard cups, line them to the depth of a half inch with this rice mixture; make a plain milk sauce, as in preceding recipe, and add a pint of seasoned chicken. fill the space in the rice cups with this cream mixture, put over a covering of rice, stand the cups in a pan of boiling water, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty to twenty-five minutes. turn these carefully on a heated dish, pour around cream sauce and serve. they may be garnished with green peas, mushrooms or truffles. while this is an exceedingly economical dish it is at the same time an elegant one. indian hash chop fine sufficient cold-roasted duck, chicken, or turkey to make one pint. cut a good-sized onion into very thin slices. pare, core, and chop fine one apple. put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan, add the apple and the onion; toss until brown, then add not more than an eighth of a teaspoonful of powdered mace, a half teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of curry powder, a tablespoonful of flour, a teaspoonful of sugar; mix and add a half pint of stock or water; now add the meat, stir constantly until smoking hot, then stand over hot water, covering closely for twenty minutes. add two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and serve in a border of rice. mock terrapin or à la newburg pieces of cold-roasted chicken, turkey or duck may be used for making terrapin or à la newburg. cut the meat into pieces of fairly good size; measure, and to each pint of this allow a half pint of sauce; rub together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour. rub to a smooth paste the hard boiled yolks of three eggs; add to the butter and flour a gill and a half (three-quarters of a cup) of milk; stir until smoking hot. do not let the mixture boil; then add this a little at a time to the yolks of the eggs, rubbing until you have a perfectly smooth golden sauce; press this through a sieve. before beginning the sauce, sprinkle the chicken with four tablespoonfuls of sherry or madeira, the latter preferable. add the chicken to the sauce, stir until each piece is thoroughly covered; add a half teaspoonful of salt, just a drop of extract of nutmeg or a grating of nutmeg, an eighth of a spoon of white pepper (black pepper, of course, may be used); cover and stand over hot water, stirring occasionally until the mixture is smoking hot. chicken supréme this may be made from either chicken or turkey cut into dice; add an equal quantity of canned mushrooms; for instance, to one pint of cold chicken, add one can of mushrooms. put two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour in a saucepan; mix without browning, then add two cups (one pint) of chicken stock; stir constantly until boiling, add two tablespoonfuls of thick cream, and the yolks of four eggs; strain, add the chicken and mushrooms, a level teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of a teaspoonful of white pepper, ten drops of celery extract or just a little celery seed. stand this mixture over hot water, watching carefully until it is thoroughly heated; remember that any boiling will curdle the egg. serve this on a heated dish either in a border of rice or garnished with squares of toasted bread. this mixture is also served in bread patês, or it may be served in chicken muffin cases. chicken cutlets chop cold cooked chicken or turkey very fine; to each pint allow a half can of mushrooms chopped fine. put one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour into a saucepan, mix, and add a half pint of chicken stock. when smooth and thick take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs, the chicken and mushrooms, a teaspoonful of salt, quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of onion juice, a grating of nutmeg and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; stir over the fire for a moment; turn out to cool; when cold form into cutlet-shaped croquettes, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in smoking hot fat. these may be served plain, with a garnish of peas, or they may be served with sauce béchamel. duck bordelaise portions of cold duck may be cut into convenient pieces, sprinkled with wine, about four tablespoonfuls to the pint, and allowed to stand while you make sauce bordelaise. put one tablespoonful of butter and one of flour into a saucepan; mix, add a teaspoonful of browning or kitchen bouquet and a half pint of stock; stir until boiling, add a tablespoonful of grated onion, a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and, if you have it, a tablespoonful of finely-chopped ham; cook for five minutes and strain; add three or four fresh mushrooms or a half dozen canned mushrooms and the duck. stand over boiling water until the mixture is thoroughly heated. send to the table garnished with triangles of toasted bread. a few stoned olives or sliced olives may be added in the place of the mushrooms, and you would then have salmi of duck. game bits of cold broiled or roasted game may be chopped very fine, rubbed to a smooth paste either in a bowl or mortar. to each half pint of this mixture allow two tablespoonfuls of brown sauce thoroughly rubbed with the game, and the unbeaten white of one egg; press the whole mixture through an ordinary flour sieve; then stir in the well-beaten whites of two eggs, four mushrooms chopped almost to a powder, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. fill this into little greased molds or cups; the cups may be garnished with chopped truffle or mushrooms, or served plain. fill in the mixture, stand the cups in a baking pan half filled with boiling water; cook in a moderate oven twenty minutes. the little bomb-shaped molds are the better sort to use for these. serve with brown sauce either plain or flavored with mushrooms. bread the better way is to cut just sufficient bread for each meal so that there will be really no left-overs. if, however, a few slices are accidentally left, put them aside in a can or jar, never in the regular bread box with the bread; one or two slices will invariably be missed until sufficiently old to mold and contaminate the remaining quantity of bread in the box, and then, too, they are more apt to accumulate in this way than in a separate box. the neater pieces may be used for toast for breakfast or lunch or supper. the next best pieces use for bread and butter custard; the crusts dry, roll and put aside to be ready for breading articles to be fried, or for escalloped dishes. in this way every piece, no matter what its condition, will be utilized. bread and butter custard beat two eggs, without separating, until light, add four tablespoonfuls of sugar and a pint of milk, mix and add a grating of nutmeg; turn into an ordinary baking dish, cover the top with buttered bread, butter side up; bake in a moderate oven just as you would a cup custard, until you can put a spoon handle down in the center of the custard and it will come out free from milk. little puddings à la grand belle roll slices of stale bread into fine crumbs. brush small custard cups, or a border mold with melted butter, sprinkle over a few currants or raisins, or any fruit that you may have left over. fill the cups with crumbs. beat three eggs, without separating, until light; add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, a teaspoonful of vanilla and a pint of milk. pour this carefully over the bread crumbs, let them stand for about five minutes until the mixture has been soaked up and the bread crumbs soft; then stand in a pan of boiling water, cover with oiled paper and cook in the oven a half hour. turn out and serve hot with egg sauce. bread croquettes rub sufficient stale bread to make one quart of crumbs; add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, a half cup of cleaned currants, or any fruit that you have left over, and a grating of nutmeg; sprinkle over a teaspoonful of vanilla, and add sufficient beaten eggs (about three) to moisten the crumbs. form into small cylinder-shaped croquettes, dip in egg and roll in bread crumbs and fry in smoking hot fat. serve hot with sugar sauce. bread muffins cover a quart of bits of bread that have been broken apart, with one pint of milk; soak for fifteen minutes, then with a spoon beat until you have a smooth paste; add the yolks of three eggs, a tablespoonful of melted butter and one cup of flour that has been sifted with a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. fold in carefully the well-beaten whites of the eggs, and bake in muffin pans in a quick oven about twenty minutes. muffins left from breakfast may be pulled apart and toasted for lunch or supper. pieces of stale sponge cake, in fact, any stale cake may be used for cabinet puddings, for cream puddings, or for croquettes. eggs the soft boiled eggs that are left from breakfast will be at once hard boiled, put into the refrigerator, and when four have accumulated, use them for beauregard eggs, à la newburg dishes or garnishes. poached eggs that are left over may be dropped at once into boiling water, cooked slowly until perfectly hard, and put aside for chopping, to use as a garnish for a curry or some vegetable dish with which they will nicely blend. the tablespoonful or two of stewed tomatoes left in the dish from dinner will be put aside to use for tomato omelet, or they may be added to the roasted beef gravy for dinner, converting a plain homely gravy into one of better flavor. the half cup of peas may be added to to-morrow's consommé, or used as a garnish for the breakfast omelet. the green portions of celery will be put aside for stewing; the tender white part for serving raw; while the leaves and roots will be used for flavoring soups and sauces. the yolk of egg left over, if put into a cup or saucer will, in less than two hours, become hard, dry and useless. this same yolk dropped into a cup half filled with cold water will keep for several days, and may be used for mayonnaise or added to a sauce. when needed, it may be carefully lifted with a spoon and used the same as a fresh yolk. whites of eggs the yolks of eggs are quite easily disposed of, as sauces frequently call for the yolk of one or two eggs; then they may be used for mayonnaise dressing, or added to various dishes. the whites of eggs, however, accumulate. one of the ways of getting hard-boiled yolks, without wasting the whites, is to separate the white and the yolk before the egg is cooked; drop the yolk down into a kettle of boiling water; then stand on the back part of the stove for fifteen or twenty minutes until it is hard. the yolk will cook in this way just as well as with the white in the shell. now, you have the uncooked whites, which may be used for a simple white cake, apple float, soufflés, plain or with fruit. beauregard eggs separate the whites and yolks of five hard-boiled eggs, press through an ordinary fruit press, or chop very fine. make a half pint of cream sauce; when boiling, add the whites of the eggs. have ready on a heated platter five squares of toasted bread; heap the white sauce over these squares, dust the top with the yolks of the eggs, then with a little salt and pepper, and send at once to the table. egg croquettes put five hard-boiled eggs through a vegetable press, or chopper. put one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour into a saucepan, add a half pint of milk, stir until boiling, add a half cup of stale, unbrowned bread crumbs, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a dash of pepper and a half teaspoonful of onion juice; add the eggs, mix and turn out to cool. when cold form into cutlets, dip in egg and then in bread crumbs and fry in smoking hot fat. serve with plain cream sauce. these with peas make an exceedingly nice luncheon dish. gold cake one frequently has four or five yolks left after having used the whites for some light dish, as mock charlotte. beat a half cupful of butter to a cream, add gradually one cupful of sugar. when very, very light, add the yolks of the eggs and beat for ten or fifteen minutes; then add one cupful of water, and two and a half cupfuls of flour, sifted with three level teaspoonfuls of baking powder. beat thoroughly, and bake in a small round or square pan. german slaw this will use the yolks of two eggs and any little sour cream that may be left over. shred the cabbage and soak it in cold water, changing the water once or twice. when crisp, wring it perfectly dry in a towel. beat the yolks of two eggs, add a half cupful of sour cream, four tablespoonfuls of vinegar; stir this over the fire until it thickens. take from the fire, add a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper; mix it with the cabbage and turn it into the serving dish. this quantity of dressing will be quite sufficient for about one quart of cabbage. apple snow in making sauce hollandaise or mayonnaise one always has quite a quantity of the left-over whites. these may be made into various sponges, or used for fruit snow. beat the whites of four or five eggs until light, then add two level tablespoonfuls of sifted powdered sugar to the white of each egg and beat until dry and glossy. grate into this one tart apple, fold it quickly, float it on a little dish of good milk or cream, and send it at once to the table. if you have one or two little stale cakes, or a bit of sponge cake, stale, grate it, dust the top, and if you have just a little jelly, you may dot it here and there with the jelly. this must be made just before the dinner hour, or the apple will lose its color. grated pear, or two or three peaches pressed through a sieve, or one or two soft bananas may be beaten and used in the place of the apple. potatoes cold baked potatoes will be converted at once into stuffed potatoes, and put aside for rewarming. two cold boiled potatoes will make a comfortable dish of hashed browned potatoes, or may be served with cream sauce or au gratin. stuffed potatoes baked potatoes that are left over must be made into stuffed potatoes before they are heavy and cold. at the close of the meal at which they were first served, cut the potatoes directly into halves, scoop out the inside portion, put it through an ordinary vegetable press, or mash it fine; add a little butter, salt, pepper and sufficient milk to make a light mixture; stand this over hot water and beat until light and smooth. put it back into the shells, and stand them aside in a cold place. when ready to serve, brush the top with beaten egg, run them into a quick oven until hot and golden brown. potato croquettes cold mashed potatoes may be made into croquettes by adding to each pint four tablespoonfuls of heated milk, the yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of grated onion, a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper; stir over the fire until the mixture is thoroughly heated; form into cylinder-shaped croquettes, dip in egg and rolled bread crumbs and fry in smoking hot fat. potato croquettes are more difficult to fry than meat croquettes; the fat must be at least degrees (fahr.) and the rolling carefully done. potato puff the above mixture may have the whites of the eggs beaten and stirred in, and baked in the oven; serve in the same dish in which it was baked. potato roses for garnishing cold boiled potatoes may have added sufficient milk to make a soft paste; stir it over the fire until smooth; put it into your pastry bag, using a star tube; hold the bag firmly, pressing out on greased papers these little potato roses; brown in the oven and use them for garnishing fish dishes. potato custards stir two cups of cold mashed potatoes, with four tablespoonfuls of milk, over the fire until they are warm and light; take from the fire and add three eggs beaten light with four tablespoonfuls of sugar. add a teaspoonful of vanilla, stir in carefully a pint and a half of milk. put this mixture into greased custard cups; stand in a baking pan of boiling water and bake in a moderate oven until set, about twenty or thirty minutes. where a little cooked meat and, at the same time, mashed potatoes, are left over, the meat may be seasoned with a savory sauce, turned into a baking dish, the mashed potatoes slightly thinned with hot milk and then slightly thickened with flour, and used as a crust. this makes what we call a potato pie. four tablespoonfuls of milk and four of flour would be a good allowance to each cupful of mashed potatoes. potatoes--cold boiled hashed brown potatoes chop two cold boiled potatoes rather fine, season with salt and pepper. put a tablespoonful of butter in an ordinary sauté pan; when hot, put in the potatoes, smoothing and patting them down; stand over a moderate fire and allow them to cook undisturbed for at least eight minutes; then with a limber knife fold over one half as you would an omelet; stand again over the fire for about three minutes and turn at once on to a heated dish. these are exceedingly difficult to make. directions must be carefully followed; the butter must be hot when you put in the potatoes; the whole must be packed firmly down so that it will not break when turning out. o'brien potatoes chop one green pepper rather fine. chop sufficient red pepper to make two tablespoonfuls. put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying pan, add the peppers, which must be sweet; shake until the peppers are soft, cover over four cold boiled potatoes, chopped rather fine, that have been seasoned with a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. press them down as you do hashed brown potatoes, let them stand for a moment, stir them up, mix well, without breaking, and press down again. let these stand until brown, fold over as you would an omelet and turn out on a heated platter. potatoes au gratin to each four good-sized cold potatoes chopped fine allow a pint of cream sauce, to which you have added four tablespoonfuls of grated cheese; mix the potatoes with the sauce, turn them into a baking dish, dust with cheese, and brown in a quick oven. scalloped potatoes cut cold boiled potatoes into dice; to each pint allow a half pint of cream sauce. put a layer of the sauce in the bottom of a baking dish, put in the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, cover with another layer of cream sauce, dust the top with bread crumbs, dot here and there little bits of butter, and bake in a moderate oven until a golden brown. potatoes in milk cold boiled potatoes may be cut into slices and cooked in milk in a double boiler until the whole is thoroughly heated; season with salt and pepper and serve. sweet potatoes cold boiled or roasted sweet potatoes may be mashed while warm, seasoned with salt, pepper and butter and formed at once into croquettes; dip and fry the same as white potato croquettes. lyonnaise potatoes cut cold boiled potatoes into small dice; to each pint allow a tablespoonful of butter; put the butter in an ordinary sauté pan, melt it, add a tablespoonful of chopped onion, shake until the onion is golden brown; throw in the potatoes, shake or toss over a hot fire until each piece is slightly browned; sprinkle lightly with a half teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of parsley, and a dash of pepper; dish and serve. broiled potatoes cut cold boiled potatoes into thin slices lengthwise; dip each slice in a little melted butter, dust it with salt and pepper, and broil it over a clear fire until a golden brown. for dyspeptics it is better to broil the potato first and add the butter after, as the heating of the butter renders it indigestible. sweet potatoes may be broiled after this same rule, and would be less greasy than when fried. vegetable browned hash chop two or three cold boiled potatoes rather fine, add an equal quantity of chopped carrot, and either string beans or peas, which ever you happen to have left over. you can add to this a cupful of stewed cabbage. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a shallow frying pan, mix the vegetables, put them into the butter, let them stand over a slow fire until they are browned thoroughly and crusted in the bottom. fold one half carefully over the other, and press the two halves together; cook just a moment longer, and turn out on to a heated platter. this is a nice dish to serve with omelet and tomato sauce for luncheon or supper. cheese the shells of edam, or pine-apple cheese, after all the available cheese has been scooped out, will be used as a baking dish for stewed spaghetti or macaroni or rice. if care is taken, one shell may be used for three or four bakings. boil the macaroni in plain water until tender; then drain, cut it into small pieces and add it to cream sauce. pour this into the cheese shell, stand the shell on a piece of oiled paper in a baking pan and run into a moderate oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. lift the shell carefully, put it on to a heated dish, and send at once to the table. after the macaroni has been taken out, the shell will be cleaned and put aside in a cold place for the next baking. there is just enough cheese imparted by the toasting of this shell to give ah agreeable flavor to the macaroni. plain boiled rice may be heaped into the shells and steamed, or baked in the oven for a few moments. any scraps or bits of common cheese, when too hard and dry to serve on the table should be grated, put into a jar and put aside for cheese balls to serve with lettuce, cheese soufflé, for baked macaroni, or spaghetti, or for croquettes, cheese sauce, or duchess soup. cheese soufflé put one cup of stale bread crumbs with a gill of milk over the fire for just a moment; take from the fire, add the yolks of three eggs, six tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of red pepper; stir in the well-beaten whites of the eggs; put into individual baking dishes; bake in a quick oven about eight minutes and send at once to the table. cheese balls grate or chop sufficient common cheese to make a half pint; add to it one pint of stale bread crumbs, a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of red pepper and the whites of two eggs slightly beaten. form these into small balls the size of an english walnut; dip in egg and then in bread crumbs and fry in smoking hot fat. these may also be made into small cylinder-shaped croquettes, and served with cream sauce. duchess soup put two tablespoonfuls of butter and a sliced onion in a saucepan; cook until the onion is soft and yellow; add to this two tablespoonfuls of flour, mix, and then add one quart of milk, a level teaspoonful of salt and a palatable seasoning of red pepper. add six tablespoonfuls of grated cheese; stir in a double boiler until it is smoking hot; press through a fine sieve; reheat and send at once to the table. cheese pudding toast slices of stale bread until a golden brown and crisp to the center. this is best done in the oven. put a layer of this toasted bread in the bottom of a baking dish; put over a quarter of a cup of grated or chopped cheese, sprinkle with salt and red pepper; then another layer of bread, another of cheese and the last of bread. pour over sufficient milk to moisten the bread; bake in a quick oven fifteen minutes, and serve at once. sauces all meat sauces are made after the same rule, changing the liquids to give varieties; for instance, one tablespoonful of butter (which means an ounce), and one tablespoonful of flour (a half ounce) are always allowed to each half pint of liquid. the butter and flour are rubbed together (better without heating), then the liquid added, cold or warm, the whole stirred over the fire until boiling. a half teaspoonful of salt and an eighth of a teaspoonful of pepper is the proper amount of seasoning. white sauce if you wish to make a white sauce, use one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour and a half pint of milk. called also milk or cream sauce. tomato sauce tomato sauce will have the same proportions of butter and flour and a half pint of strained tomatoes. sauce bechamel for sauce bechamel, fill the cup half full of stock, then the remaining half with milk, giving again the half pint of liquid and usual quantity of butter and flour. sauce supréme this is one of the nicest of all sauces to use with warmed-over chicken, duck or turkey. rub together a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour, then add gradually a half pint of chicken stock; stir constantly until boiling, take from the fire, add the yolks of two eggs, strain through a fine sieve, add the seasoning, and serve immediately. sauces containing the yolks of uncooked eggs cannot be reboiled after the eggs are added. english drawn butter for english drawn butter, use a tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, and a half pint of water. we usually have the water boiling, and add it gradually to the butter and flour, stirring rapidly. as soon as it reaches boiling point, take from the fire and add carefully another tablespoonful of butter. this may be converted into a plain sauce hollandaise by adding with the last tablespoonful of butter, the yolks of two eggs, the juice of half a lemon, a teaspoonful of onion juice and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. brown sauce this is made by rubbing butter and flour together in the above proportions, then adding a half pint of stock; stir until boiling, add a teaspoonful of browning or kitchen bouquet and the usual seasoning of salt and pepper. to change the character of this sauce add garlic, onion, worcestershire sauce, mushroom catsup, etc. brown tomato sauce an exceedingly nice sauce for hamburg steaks. after you have taken the steaks from the pan, add a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; mix. fill your measuring cup half full of strained tomatoes, the remaining half with stock, making a half pint; add this to the butter and flour, stir until boiling, add a seasoning of salt and pepper and pour over the steaks. roasted beef gravy roasted beef gravy, which really should be a sauce, is improved by adding a little tomato to the stock before adding it to the fat and flour. in roasting meats, we do not use butter for the sauce; there is always sufficient fat in the bottom of the pan. pour from the pan all but one or two tablespoonfuls of fat (the amount required) and add to that the flour. a rounding tablespoonful of butter to which we refer weighs an ounce; of liquid fat, as in the pan, you must allow two even tablespoonfuls to the ounce; so, if you are going to make a half pint of sauce take out all but two tablespoonfuls of fat; add one tablespoonful of flour and then the half pint of water or stock. browning plain burned sugar (caramel) may be used to color soups and sauces, thus saving the trouble of browning the flour or butter. it is also used as a flavoring for sweets. put one cup of sugar, dry, into an iron saucepan. stand it over a hot fire, and stir continually until it is reduced to a dark brown liquid. when it begins to burn and smoke, add hastily a cup of boiling water, stir and cook until a thin syrup-like mixture is formed. it must not be too thick. bottle, and it is ready for use, and will keep any length of time. kitchen bouquet add one chopped onion and a teaspoonful of celery seed to one cup of dry sugar, and then proceed as for ordinary browning. strain and bottle. a very good mixture under this name can be purchased at the grocers. mushroom sauce where just a few mushrooms are left over, either fresh or canned, they may be chopped fine and added to a brown sauce and served with steak or beef; or they may be chopped fine and added to a cream sauce and served with chicken or sweetbreads. cold meat sauces it is the fashion when one is serving cold meat to pass with it some condiment like worcestershire sauce, mushroom, walnut or tomato catsup. of course, these used in any great quantity are more or less injurious. a number of little left-overs in the house may be used to take their place, adding zest to the meat, and are more economical and more wholesome. chopped tomato sauce peel a good-sized tomato, cut it into halves and press out the seeds; chop the flesh of the tomato fine, add a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, or, if you have it, a little sweet pepper chopped fine; you may add also a little celery chopped very fine, or celery seed, and a teaspoonful of onion juice; rub your spoon with a clove of garlic, and mix the ingredients thoroughly; add a teaspoonful of lemon juice and dish. pass and use as ordinary catsup. grated cucumber sauce grate three or four large cucumbers; drain them on a sieve; to this drained pulp add a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of red pepper, a teaspoonful of onion juice, a tablespoonful of lemon juice, and their stir in carefully two or three tablespoonfuls of very thick cream; if you can whip the cream a little first, so much the better. cream may also be added to the tomato. chopped celery sauce chop fine sufficient celery to make a half pint; season it with a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of onion juice, a dash of pepper. rub the spoon with garlic, mix thoroughly, stir into it the yolk of an egg that has been beaten light with two tablespoonfuls of cream; add a few drops of lemon juice or tarragon vinegar and serve. cream horseradish sauce this is one of the most delightful sauces to serve with left-over meats, especially beef. press from the vinegar four tablespoonfuls of horseradish, add a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, and work in the yolk of an egg. whip six tablespoonfuls of cream to a stiff froth, stir it gradually into the horseradish and dish at once. pudding sauces the simple method of making a pudding sauce is to add to a half cup of sugar, a tablespoonful of flour; mix thoroughly, and then add hastily a half pint of boiling water; boil for a moment and pour while hot into one well-beaten egg, beating all the while. this may now be seasoned with any flavoring, as orange, lemon or vanilla. to change the character of this sauce, a tablespoonful of butter may be added. where butter enters largely into the composition of a pudding sauce, it is better that it should be beaten to a cream, the sugar added gradually, then the egg and last the liquor. heat it over a double boiler just at serving time, or the froth will float on the surface and the liquid be rather dense at the bottom. melted sugar with lemon juice and a little water is called sugar sauce. salads there comes a time during the week, even in careful housekeeping, when there is an accumulation of little things, a few olives, a slice or two of beet, perhaps two or three pieces of cooked carrot, a cold potato, a tiny little bit of cold fish, or cold meats, and not more than a tablespoonful or two of aspic jelly; these may all be utilized in a russian salad chop or cut carefully the vegetables; mix together, add two or three tablespoonfuls of toasted piñon nuts, and the meat and fish; dish on lettuce leaves, or, if you have tomatoes, peel and take out the centers, and fill the salad into the tomatoes. serve with french or mayonnaise dressing; garnish with blocks of aspic jelly. cereals cold boiled rice left over may be mixed with a small quantity of meat, and used for stuffing tomatoes or egg plant; or it may be re-heated or made into pudding, or added to the muffins for lunch, or added to the corn bread. a cup of oat meal or cracked wheat or wheatlet may also be added to the muffins or ordinary yeast or corn breads. these little additions increase the food value, make the mixture lighter, and save waste. southern rice bread separate two eggs, beat the yolks until light, and add one cup (a half pint) of milk; add a tablespoonful of melted butter, a half teaspoonful of salt, and one and a half cups of corn meal; beat thoroughly, and stir in one cup of cold boiled rice; add a teaspoonful of baking powder; beat for two or three minutes; stir in the well-beaten whites of the eggs, and bake in a thin sheet in an ordinary baking pan. rice muffins separate two eggs; add to the yolks one cup of milk and a cup and a half of white flour; beat thoroughly, add a half teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of baking powder and one cup of cold boiled rice; stir in the well-beaten whites, and bake in gem pans in a quick oven twenty minutes. rice croquettes to make cold boiled rice into croquettes, the rice must be re-heated in a double boiler with a gill of milk and the yolk of an egg to each cup; you may season with sugar and lemon or salt and pepper, and serve as a vegetable. form into cylinder-shaped croquettes; dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in smoking hot fat. simple rice pudding put into a double boiler one quart of milk; allow it to cook for thirty minutes; then add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a grating of nutmeg, and one cup of cold boiled rice; turn this into a baking pan, and bake in a quick oven thirty minutes. serve cold. raisins may be added when it is put into the baking pan. lemon rice into one cup of cold boiled rice stir one pint of milk; beat the yolks of three eggs with a half cup of sugar together until light; add to them the rice and milk; add the grated yellow rind and the juice of one lemon. turn this into a baking pan; bake in a moderately quick oven twenty to thirty minutes. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and beat again. heap these over the pudding, dust thickly with powdered sugar; return to the oven to slowly brown; serve cold. paradise pudding pare, core and grate three apples. separate three eggs; add to the yolks four tablespoonfuls of sugar; beat until light; add a grating of nutmeg and a teaspoonful of lemon juice; stir in a half cup of cold boiled rice; mix with this quickly the apples, and beat well; add a half cup of milk; turn into a baking dish, and bake for thirty minutes. make a meringue as in preceding recipe, from the whites of the eggs; heap it over the top, and brown. this pudding may be served warm or cold. compote of pineapple throw a pint of boiling water over one cup of cold boiled rice; stir for a moment; drain, and stand at the oven door. have ready, picked apart, one small pineapple; add to it a half cup of sugar; heat quickly, stirring constantly. arrange the rice in the center of a round dish, making it into a mound, flat on top; heap the pineapple neatly on this; pour over the syrup, and send at once to the table. small quantities or different kinds of fruits that have been left over may be blended and used in this way. monday pudding cut bits of whole wheat bread into dice. use a half cup of any fruit that may have been left over, prunes, raisins, chopped dates or candied fruit. grease an ordinary melon mold; put a layer of the bread in the bottom, then a layer of the fruit, and so continue until you have the mold filled. beat three eggs, without separating, with four tablespoonfuls of sugar; add a pint of milk; pour this carefully over the bread; let it stand for ten minutes; then put the lid on the mold, and steam or boil continuously for one hour. serve with lemon or orange sauce. apple farina pudding pour the left-over breakfast porridge into a square mold and stand it aside. at luncheon or dinner time cut this into thin slices, cover the bottom of a baking dish with these slices, and cover these with sliced apples, and so continue until you have the ingredients used, having the last layer apples. beat an egg, without separating, until light, add a half cupful of milk and a saltspoonful of salt, then stir in a half cupful of flour. when smooth pour this over the apples and bake in a quick oven a half hour. serve with milk or with hard sauce. cranberry farina pudding cupfuls of cold left-over farina porridge / cupful of cranberries / cupful of sugar it is wise to pour the porridge into a mold as soon as you finish breakfast. at serving time turn this out in a glass dish, pour over the cranberry that has been pressed through a sieve; dust thickly with the sugar. stir the remaining sugar into a half pint of milk or cream and serve as a sauce with the pudding. plain farina pudding cupfuls of milk / cupful of sugar eggs cupful of left-over farina or cream of wheat teaspoonful of vanilla put the milk in a double boiler, add the sugar and cold farina porridge. stir until thoroughly hot, then add the eggs, well beaten, and the vanilla. turn into a baking dish and run in the oven until brown. serve cold, with milk or cream. farina gems eggs cupful of milk cupful of cold boiled farina cupful of flour level teaspoonfuls of baking powder / teaspoonful of salt separate the eggs, add the milk and stir this gradually into the cold farina. when smooth add the salt, baking powder and flour, mixed. beat, and then fold in the well-beaten whites of eggs. bake in gem pans in a quick oven a half hour. hominy pone cupful of boiled hominy cupful of white corn meal cupfuls of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter eggs / teaspoonful of salt if the hominy is cold left-over hominy, add to it the milk, and when thoroughly smooth add the eggs, well beaten, then the butter, melted, and the corn meal. pour into a greased pan and bake in a very hot oven about twenty to twenty-five minutes. oat meal muffins the ordinary muffin recipes, which are always about alike, no matter what flour is used, may have added to them a cup of well-cooked oat meal; for instance, separate two eggs as for rice muffins; add to the yolks a cup of milk; then add one and a half cups of whole wheat flour; beat thoroughly; add a teaspoonful of baking powder; beat again; add one cup of well-cooked oat meal, or you may substitute wheatlet or any of the breakfast cereals; fold in the whites of the eggs, and bake in gem pans in a quick oven twenty to thirty minutes. sandwiches little bits of fruit, crisp pieces of celery, cold meats of all kinds, may be chopped, properly seasoned, and used for making fruit, vegetable and meat sandwiches. vegetables string beans, cauliflower, carrots, beets, peas and even a cold boiled potato may all be cut into neat pieces, mixed together, and served on lettuce leaves, dressed with french dressing as a salad. one cold boiled beet may be used as a garnish for a potato salad. string beans, if you have sufficient quantity, may be served alone as a salad. stuffed egg plant throw a good-sized egg plant into a kettle of boiling water; boil ten minutes; when cold cut into halves and with a blunt knife scoop out the center. chop this scooped-out portion fine, mix with it an equal quantity of finely-chopped uncooked meat, add a grated onion, a clove of garlic mashed, a teaspoonful of salt, a little chopped parsley, if you have it, and a dash of pepper. fill this into the egg plant shells, stand them in a baking pan, add a cup of stock and a tablespoonful of butter, bake slowly one hour, basting every ten minutes. cucumbers raw cucumbers are easily wilted, and are then unfit for serving. soak them in pure cold, unsalted water until serving time. pass french dressing in a separate dish. in this way the "left-overs" may be placed in the refrigerator and used next day as an addition to the dinner salad. left-over tomatoes a half cup of stewed tomatoes may be used with stock for brown tomato sauce, or for making a small dish of scalloped tomatoes, helping out at lunch when perhaps the family is less in number. the italians boil down this half cup of tomatoes until it has the consistency of dough; then press through a sieve, add a little salt, pack down into a jelly tumbler and stand in the refrigerator to use as flavoring. a tablespoonful in a soup, or in an ordinary sauce, or mixed with the water for baked beans, or added to the stock sauce for spaghetti or macaroni, adds greatly to the flavor as well as appearance. corn oysters ears of cold boiled corn eggs cupful of milk / cupful of flour / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper score the corn, press it out, add the eggs, well beaten, and the oil or butter; then stir in the milk, salt and pepper. sift the flour, stir it in, and drop by spoonfuls into shallow hot fat. chicken corn pie ears of cold cooked corn eggs level tablespoonful of butter, melted cupful of milk teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper young chicken score the corn and with a dull knife press it out. carefully beat the eggs, without separating, until light, add the milk, melted butter, salt and pepper. pour this into a casserole mold or pudding dish. have the chicken drawn and disjointed; make two pieces of the breast, cut it into four pieces, dust with salt and pepper, brush with melted butter. lay the chicken on top of this mixture and stand the baking dish in a moderately quick oven about one hour. serve in the dish in which it was cooked. some prefer to broil the chicken on the bone side before they put it into the pudding, the pudding may be baked, and then put it in the pudding and brown it with the pudding. this is a good way to use cold left-over corn, and cold bits of chicken may be used in the place of the fresh chicken. green corn cakes ears of left-over cooked corn egg tablespoonfuls of milk tablespoonful of melted butter / cupful of flour / teaspoonful of salt score the corn, press out the cooked pulp, add to it the beaten egg, milk, melted butter and salt. stir in the flour, and drop by tablespoonfuls into a little thoroughly heated fat. fruits small quantities of fruit that are not sufficiently sightly to put again on the table may be put aside and made into fruit pot-pie. all sorts of fruits may be blended. put them into a saucepan, and to each pint of this fruit allow one quart of water and a palatable seasoning of sugar, and you may flavor it with a little grated lemon or orange rind; bring to boiling point. during this time put one pint of flour into a bowl, add a half teaspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of baking powder. beat one egg until light, add to it a half cup of milk, then add this to the flour; there should be just enough to moisten and make a dough. take this out on the board, knead lightly, roll out and cut into biscuits. put these biscuits over the top of the fruit; cover the kettle and cook slowly for fifteen minutes; do not lift the lid during the cooking. serve hot with plain milk or cream, or with a hard sauce made from sugar and butter. fruit soufflé beat the whites of six eggs until light, but not dry; add three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; mix quickly; line the bottom of the baking dish with any sort of fruit, such as chopped dates or figs, or left-over candied fruits or preserves. heap over the whites of the eggs, dust thickly with powdered sugar, and bake in a hot oven for five minutes. serve immediately. to give variety, where stale biscuits or bread, or sponge cake are left over, line the bottom of the dish with the stale bits; pour over enough milk to moisten, put in a layer of fruit and the whites of the eggs as above. fruit jambolaya put one cupful of cold boiled rice in a little sieve or colander and stand it over the tea kettle where the steam will pass through it. chop fine any left-over fruit at hand, an apple, pear, plum, banana, and the pulp of an orange; they may be all mixed together and slightly sweetened. put a little of the rice into four serving dishes, put in the center of each a tablespoonful of the chopped fruit and send to the table. this is rather nice for children, and is a good way to use up both the rice and the fruit, as it makes a good combination. plain white cake beat a quarter of a cup of butter to a cream; add gradually one and a half cups of sugar. sift two cups of flour with a teaspoonful of baking powder; measure a half pint of water; add a little water and a little flour, and so continue until the ingredients are used; beat thoroughly, then stir in the well-beaten whites of five eggs. bake in a loaf or layers. put layers together with chopped fruit, soft custard, or a soft icing. chicken muffin cases boil together a half pint of water and two tablespoonfuls of butter, add hastily a half pint of sifted flour, stir over fire until a smooth dough is formed. take from the fire and when cool, add one unbeaten whole egg; beat, add another and so continue until four eggs have been added. bake in gem pans until light and hollow, about a half hour. this quantity will make twelve. cut a round from the top and fill the muffin with any creamed mixture. to make cocoanut milk cover one quart of grated cocoanut with one pint of boiling water. stir and mash; strain and press. the milk thus produced may be used for curries. throw away the pulp. sour milk and cream corn cake eggs cupful of thick sour milk level teaspoonful of baking soda cupfuls of corn meal / cupful of white flour cupfuls of sweet milk level teaspoonfuls of baking powder beat the eggs until very light, without separating. moisten the soda in two tablespoonfuls of cold water, stir it into the cupful of sour milk; add this to the eggs, then add the meal and beat thoroughly. sift the baking powder and flour; stir these into the other mixture, and then add the two cupfuls of sweet milk. pour into a shallow greased pan and bake in a moderately quick oven about three-quarters of an hour. this should have a custard on top. sponge corn cake cupful of corn meal / cupful of flour cupful of thick sour milk eggs level tablespoonful of butter, melted / teaspoonful of salt / teaspoonful of baking soda moisten the soda in a tablespoonful of water and stir into the thick sour milk. separate the eggs; beat the yolks, add the sour milk, with the butter, melted, corn meal and flour. beat thoroughly, then fold in the well-beaten whites, add salt and bake in a shallow greased pan in a quick oven a half hour. old virginia batter cakes eggs cupful of sour milk cupful of water cupfuls of white corn meal cupful of flour / teaspoonful of salt level teaspoonful of baking soda teaspoonful of baking powder beat the eggs, without separating, until very, very light. dissolve the soda in a little water, add it to the sour milk; stir until this is well mixed, add it to the egg; add the water, the corn meal, salt and flour sifted with the baking powder. mix thoroughly and bake on a very lightly greased griddle. plain corn dodgers egg / teaspoonful of salt cupful of thick sour milk level teaspoonful of baking soda cupful of corn meal / cupful of flour beat the egg, without separating. dissolve the soda and add it to the sour milk; add this to the egg; add the salt, then the corn meal and flour. beat until well mixed, and drop by spoonfuls in a shallow pan in which you have a little bacon or ham fat. when cooked on one side, turn quickly and cook on the other. index anchovy, mutton with apple farina pudding snow baked sardines balls, cheese curry english chicken barbecue of cold beef batter cakes, old virginia beauregard eggs bechamel sauce beef, cold, barbecue of beef--cooked barbecue of cold bresleau croquettes fritters gobbits minced on toast panada potato dumplings ragout rechauffee salt hash no. no. steak pudding beef croquettes fritters gravy, roasted on toast, minced panada of rechauffee of salt hash no. no. steak pudding timbale beef--uncooked brown stew cannelon hamburg steaks kibbee timbale bobotee bordelaise duck boudins bouquet, kitchen bread and butter custard croquettes muffins southern rice bresleau broiled potatoes browned hash, vegetable browning brown sauce stew tomato sauce butter, english drawn cake, corn gold plain white sponge corn cakes, green corn old virginia batter canapés cannelon cases, chicken muffin casserole celery sauce, chopped cereals cheese balls pudding soufflé chicken balls, english chicken--cooked casserole creamed hash on toast cutlets indian hash mock terrapin supréme chicken corn pie cutlets legs, deviled muffin cases supréme chicken--uncooked, deviled legs, english balls, timbale, chopped celery sauce, tomato sauce, cocoanut milk, to make, cold beef, barbecue of, boiled potatoes, meat sauces, compote of pineapple, cooked beef, chicken, fish, mutton, corn cake, sponge, cakes, green, dodgers, plain, oysters, pie, chicken, cranberry farina pudding, cream horseradish sauce, creamed hash on toast, croquettes, beef, bread, egg, fish, potato, rice, cucumber sauce, grated, cucumbers, curry balls, of mutton, custard, bread and butter, custards, potato, cutlets, chicken, deviled chicken legs, dodgers, plain corn, drawn butter, english, duchess soup, duck bordelaise, dumplings, potato, egg croquettes, plant, stuffed, eggs, beauregard whites of, english chicken balls, drawn butter, farina gems, pudding, apple, cranberry, plain, fish à la crême, fish--cooked, à la crême, baked sardines, canapés, croquettes, french lamb stew, fritters, beef, fruit jambolaya, soufflé, fruits, game, garnishing, potato roses for, gems, farina, german slaw, gobbits, gold cake, grated cucumber sauce, gravy, roasted beef, green corn cakes, hamburg steaks, hash, creamed, on toast, indian, salt beef no. , no. , vegetable browned, hashed brown potatoes, hollandaise sauce, hominy pone, horseradish sauce, cream, indian hash, jambolaya, fruit, kibbee, kitchen bouquet, klopps, lamb stew, french with tomatoes left-over tomatoes lemon rice little puddings à la grand belle lyonnaise potatoes meat sauces, cold milk, cocoanut, to make potatoes in minced beef on toast mock terrapin or à la newburg monday pudding muffin cases, chicken muffins, bread oat meal rice mushroom sauce mutton--cooked bobotee boudins curry of french stew klopps pilau salad stew with tomatoes with anchovy mutton, curry of salad mutton--uncooked curry balls mutton with anchovy oat meal muffins o'brien potatoes old virginia batter cakes oysters, corn panada of beef paradise pudding pie, chicken corn pilau pineapple, compote of plain corn dodgers farina pudding white cake pone, hominy potato croquettes custards dumplings puff roses, for garnishing potatoes au gratin broiled --cold boiled hashed brown in milk lyonnaise o'brien scalloped stuffed sweet pudding, apple farina beef steak cheese cranberry farina monday paradise plain farina sauces simple rice steak puddings, little à la grand belle puff, potato ragout rechauffee of beef rice bread, southern croquettes lemon muffins pudding, simple roasted beef gravy roses, potato, for garnishing russian salad salad, mutton russian salads salt beef hash, no. no. sandwiches sardines, baked sauce, bechamel brown tomato chopped celery tomato cream horseradish, grated cucumber hollandaise mushroom supréme tomato white sauces, cold meat pudding scalloped potatoes simple rice pudding slaw, german snow, apple soufflé, cheese fruit soup, duchess sour milk and cream corn cake old virginia batter cakes plain corn dodgers sponge corn cake southern rice bread sponge corn cake steak pudding, beef steaks, hamburg stew, brown french lamb lamb, with tomatoes stock stuffed egg plant potatoes supréme chicken sauce sweet potatoes terrapin, mock timbale beef to make cocoanut milk tomato sauce, brown chopped tomatoes, lamb stew with left-over uncooked beef chicken mutton vegetable browned hash vegetables white cake, plain sauce whites of eggs transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). corrections and alterations from the original can be found at the end of the book. the original indexes have been retained, and a new index added which combines the two and corrects the alphabetical order. scans of the original book can be found at https://archive.org/details/misslesliescompcol lesl miss leslie's complete cookery. directions for cookery, in its various branches. by miss leslie. forty-ninth edition. thoroughly revised, with additions. philadelphia: henry carey baird, (successor to e. l. carey,) no. hart's building, sixth st. above chestnut. . entered according to act of congress, in the year , by e. l. carey & a. hart, in the clerk's office of the district court of the united states, in and for the eastern district of pennsylvania. entered according to act of congress, in the year , by henry carey baird, in the clerk's office of the district court of the united states, in and for the eastern district of pennsylvania. stereotyped by l. johnson and co. philadelphia. printed by t. k. and p. g. collins. preface. in preparing a new and carefully revised edition of this, my first work on general cookery, i have introduced improvements, corrected errors, and added new receipts, that i trust will, on trial, be found satisfactory. the success of the book (proved by its immense and increasing circulation,) affords conclusive evidence that it has obtained the approbation of a large number of my countrywomen; many of whom have informed me that it has made practical housewives of young ladies who have entered into married life with no other acquirements than a few showy accomplishments. gentlemen, also, have told me of great improvements in the family-table, after presenting their wives with this manual of domestic cookery; and that, after a morning devoted to the fatigues of business, they no longer find themselves subjected to the annoyance of an ill-dressed dinner. no man (or woman either) ought to be incapable of distinguishing bad eatables from good ones. yet, i have heard some few ladies boast of that incapacity, as something meritorious, and declare that they considered the quality, the preparation, and even the taste of food, as things entirely beneath the attention of a rational being; their own minds being always occupied with objects of far greater importance. let no man marry such a woman.[a] if indifferent to her own food, he will find her still more indifferent to his. a wife who cares not, or knows not what a table ought to be, always has bad cooks; for she cannot distinguish a bad one from a good one, dislikes change, and wonders how her husband can attach any importance to so trifling a circumstance as his dinner. yet, though, for the sake of "preserving the peace," he may bring himself to pass over, as "trifling circumstances," the defects of his daily repasts, he will find himself not a little mortified, when, on inviting a friend to dinner, he finds his table disgraced by washy soup, poultry half raw, gravy unskimmed, and vegetables undrained; to say nothing of sour bread, ponderous puddings, curdled custards tasting of nothing, and tough pastry. let all housekeepers remember that there is no possibility of producing nice dishes without a liberal allowance of good ingredients. "out of nothing, nothing can come," is a homely proverb, but a true one. and so is the ancient caution against being "penny-wise and pound-foolish." by judicious management, and by taking due care that nothing is wasted or thrown away which might be used to advantage, one family will live "excellently well," at no greater cost in the end than another family is expending on a table that never has a good thing upon it. a sufficiency of wholesome and well-prepared food is absolutely necessary to the preservation of health and strength, both of body and mind. ill-fed children rarely grow up with vigorous constitutions; and dyspepsia, in adults, is as frequently produced by eating food that is unpalatable or disagreeable to their taste, as by indulging too much in things they peculiarly relish. for those who possess the means of living well, it is a false (and sometimes fatal) economy to live badly; particularly when there is a lavish expenditure in fine clothes, fine furniture, and other ostentations, only excusable when _not_ purchased at the expense of health and comfort. eliza leslie. _philadelphia, jan. , ._ footnotes: [a] my instructress, the late mrs. goodfellow, remarked, in allusion to the dullness or silliness of some of her pupils, "it requires a head even to make cakes." introductory hints. weights and measures. we recommend to all families that they should keep in the house a pair of scales, (one of the scales deep enough to hold flour, sugar, &c., conveniently,) and a set of tin measures; as accuracy in proportioning the ingredients is indispensable to success in cookery. it is best to have the scales permanently fixed to a small beam projecting (for instance) from one of the shelves of the store-room. this will preclude the frequent inconvenience of their getting twisted, unlinked, and otherwise out of order; a common consequence of putting them in and out of their box, and carrying them from place to place. the weights (of which there should be a set from two pounds to a quarter of an ounce) ought carefully to be kept in the box, that none of them may be lost or mislaid. a set of tin measures (with small spouts or lips) from a gallon down to half a jill, will be found very convenient in every kitchen; though common pitchers, bowls, glasses, &c. may be substituted. it is also well to have a set of wooden measures from a bushel to a quarter of a peck. let it be remembered, that of liquid measure-- two jills are half a pint. two pints--one quart. four quarts--one gallon. of dry measure-- half a gallon is a quarter of a peck. one gallon--half a peck. two gallons--one peck. four gallons--half a bushel. eight gallons--one bushel. about twenty-five drops of any thin liquid will fill a common sized tea-spoon. four table-spoonfuls or half a jill, will fill a common wine glass. four wine glasses will fill a half-pint or common tumbler, or a large coffee-cup. a quart black bottle holds in reality about a pint and a half. of flour, butter, sugar, and most articles used in cakes and pastry, a quart is generally about equal in quantity to a pound avoirdupois, (sixteen ounces.) avoirdupois is the weight designated throughout this book. ten eggs generally weigh one pound before they are broken. a table-spoonful of salt is generally about one ounce. general contents. page soups; including those of fish fish; various ways of dressing shell fish; oysters, lobsters, crabs, &c. beef; including pickling and smoking it veal mutton and lamb pork; including bacon, sausages, &c. venison; hares, rabbits, &c. poultry and game gravy and sauces store fish sauces; catchups, &c. flavoured vinegars vegetables; including indian corn, tomatas, mushrooms, &c. eggs; usual ways of dressing, including omelets pickling sweetmeats; including preserves and jellies pastry and puddings; also pancakes, dumplings, custards, &c. syllabubs; also ice creams and blancmange cakes; including various sweet cakes and gingerbread warm cakes for breakfast and tea; also, bread, yeast, butter, cheese, tea, coffee, &c. domestic liquors; including home-made beer, wines, shrub, cordials, &c. preparations for the sick perfumery miscellaneous receipts additional receipts * * * * * animals used as butchers' meat index miss leslie's cookery soups. general remarks. always use soft water for making soup, and be careful to proportion the quantity of water to that of the meat. somewhat less than a quart of water to a pound of meat, is a good rule for common soups. rich soups, intended for company, may have a still smaller allowance of water. soup should always be made entirely of fresh meat that has not been previously cooked. an exception to this rule may sometimes be made in favour of the remains of a piece of roast beef that has been _very much_ under-done in roasting. this may be _added_ to a good piece of raw meat. cold ham, also, may be occasionally put into white soups. soup made of cold meat has always a vapid, disagreeable taste, very perceptible through all the seasoning, and which nothing indeed can disguise. also, it will be of a bad, dingy colour. the juices of the meat having been exhausted by the first cooking, the undue proportion of watery liquid renders it, for soup, indigestible and unwholesome, as well as unpalatable. as there is little or no nutriment to be derived from soup made with cold meat, it is better to refrain from using it for this purpose, and to devote the leavings of the table to some other object. no person accustomed to really good soup, made from fresh meat, can ever be deceived in the taste, even when flavoured with wine and spices. it is not true that french cooks have the art of producing _excellent_ soups from cold scraps. there is much _bad_ soup to be found in france, at inferior houses; but _good_ french cooks are not, as is generally supposed, really in the practice of concocting any dishes out of the refuse of the table. and we repeat, that cold meat, even when perfectly good, and used in a large quantity, has not sufficient substance to flavour soup, or to render it wholesome. soup, however, that has been originally made of raw meat entirely, is frequently better the second day than the first; provided that it is re-boiled only for a very short time, and that no additional water is added to it. unless it has been allowed to boil too hard, so as to exhaust the water, the soup-pot will not require replenishing. when it is found absolutely necessary to do so, the additional water must be boiling hot when poured in; if lukewarm or cold, it will entirely spoil the soup. every particle of fat should be carefully skimmed from the surface. greasy soup is disgusting and unwholesome. the lean of meat is much better for soup than the fat. long and slow boiling is necessary to extract the strength from the meat. if boiled fast over a large fire, the meat becomes hard and tough, and will not give out its juices. potatoes, if boiled in the soup, are thought by some to render it unwholesome, from the opinion that the water in which potatoes have been cooked is almost a poison. as potatoes are a part of every dinner, it is very easy to take a few out of the pot in which they have been boiled by themselves, and to cut them up and add them to the soup just before it goes to table. remove all shreds of meat and bone. the cook should season the soup but very slightly with salt and pepper. if she puts in too much, it may spoil it for the taste of most of those that are to eat it; but if too little, it is easy to add more to your own plate. the practice of thickening soup by stirring flour into it is not a good one, as it spoils both the appearance and the taste. if made with a sufficient quantity of good fresh meat, and not too much water, and if boiled long and slowly, it will have substance enough without flour. family soup. take a shin or leg of beef that has been newly killed; the fore leg is best, as there is the most meat on it. have it cut into three pieces, and wash it well. to each pound allow somewhat less than a quart of water; for instance, to ten pounds of leg of beef, nine quarts of water is a good proportion. put it into a large pot, and add half a table-spoonful of salt. hang it over a good fire, as early as six o'clock in the morning, if you dine at two. when it has come to a hard boil, and the scum has risen, (which it will do as soon as it has boiled,) skim it well. do not remove the lid more frequently than is absolutely necessary, as uncovering the pot causes the flavour to evaporate. then set it on hot coals in the corner, and keep it simmering steadily, adding fresh coals so as to continue a regular heat. about nine o'clock, put in four carrots, one parsnip, and a large onion cut into slices, and four small turnips, and eight tomatas, also cut up; add a head of celery cut small. put in a very small head of cabbage, cut into little pieces. if you have any objection to cabbage, substitute a larger proportion of the other vegetables. put in also a bunch of sweet marjoram, tied up in a thin muslin rag to prevent its floating on the top. let the soup simmer unceasingly till two o'clock, skimming it well: then take it up, and put it into a tureen. if your dinner hour is later, you may of course begin the soup later; but it will require at least eight hours' cooking; remembering to put in the vegetables three hours after the meat. if you wish to send the meat to table, take the best part of it out of the soup, about two hours before dinner. have ready another pot with a dozen tomatas and a few cloves. moisten them with a little of the soup, just sufficient to keep them from burning. when the tomatas have stewed down soft, put the meat upon them, and let it brown till dinner time over a few coals, keeping the pot closely covered: then send it to table on a dish by itself. let the remainder of the meat be left in the large pot till you send up the soup, as by that time it will be boiled to rags and have transferred all its flavour to the liquid, which should be served up free from shreds. this soup will be greatly improved by the addition of a few dozen ochras cut into very thin slices, and put in with the other vegetables. you may put lima beans into it, green peas, or indeed any vegetables you like: or you may thicken it with ochras and tomatas only. next day, take what is left of the soup, put it into a pot, and simmer it over hot coals for half an hour: a longer time will weaken the taste. if it has been well made and kept in a cool place, it will be found better the second day than the first. if your family is very small, and the leg of beef large and the season winter, it may furnish soup for four successive days. cut the beef in half; make soup of the first half, in the manner above directed, and have the remainder warmed next day: then on the third day make fresh soup of the second half. we have been minute in these directions; for if strictly followed, the soup, though plain, will be found excellent. if you do not intend to serve up the meat separately, break to pieces all the bones with a mallet or kitchen cleaver. this, by causing them to give out their marrow, &c., will greatly enrich the liquid. do this, of course, when you first begin the soup. it is a slovenly and vulgar practice to send soup to table with shreds of meat and bits of bone in it. fine beef soup. begin this soup the day before it is wanted. take a good piece of fresh beef that has been newly killed: any substantial part will do that has not too much fat about it: a fore leg is very good for this purpose. wash it well. cut off all the meat, and break up the bones. put the meat and the bones into a large pot, very early in the day, so as to allow eight or nine hours for its boiling. proportion the water to the quantity of meat--about a pint and a half to each pound. sprinkle the meat with a small quantity of pepper and salt. pour on the water, hang it over a moderate fire, and boil it slowly: carefully skimming off all the fat that rises to the top, and keeping it closely covered, except when you raise the lid to skim it. do not, on any account, put in additional water to this soup while it is boiling; and take care that the boiling goes steadily on, as, if it stops, the soup will be much injured. but if the fire is too great, and the soup boils too fast, the meat will become hard and tough, and will not give out its juices. after the meat is reduced to rags, and the soup sufficiently boiled, remove the pot from the fire, and let it stand in the corner for a quarter of an hour to settle. then take it up, strain it into a large earthen pan, cover it, and set it away in a cool dry place till next day. straining it makes it clear and bright, and frees it from the shreds of meat and bone. if you find that it jellies in the pan, (which it will if properly made,) do not disturb it till you are ready to put it into the pot for the second boiling, as breaking the jelly may prevent it from keeping well. on the following morning, boil separately, carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and whatever other vegetables you intend to thicken the soup with. tomatas will greatly improve it. prepare them by taking off the skin, cutting them into small pieces, and stewing them in their own juice till they are entirely dissolved. put on the carrots before any of the other vegetables, as they require the longest time to boil. or you may slice and put into the soup a portion of the vegetables you are boiling for dinner; but they must be nearly done before you put them in, as the second boiling of the soup should not exceed half an hour, or indeed, just sufficient time to heat it thoroughly. scrape off carefully from the cake of jellied soup whatever fat or sediment may still be remaining on it; divide the jelly into pieces, and about half an hour before it is to go to table, put it into a pot, add the various vegetables, (having first sliced them,) in sufficient quantities to make the soup very thick; hang it over the fire and let it boil slowly, or simmer steadily till dinner time. boiling it much on the second day will destroy the flavour, and render it flat and insipid. for this reason, in making fine, clear beef soup, the vegetables are to be cooked separately. they need not be put in the first day, as the soup is to be strained; and on the second day, if put in raw, the length of time required to cook them would spoil the soup by doing it too much. we repeat, that when soup has been sufficiently boiled on the first day, and all the juices and flavour of the meat thoroughly extracted, half an hour is the utmost it requires on the second. carefully avoid seasoning it too highly. soup, otherwise excellent, is frequently spoiled by too much pepper and salt. these condiments can be added at table, according to the taste of those that are eating it; but if too large a proportion of them is put in by the cook, there is then no remedy, and the soup may by some be found uneatable. many persons prefer boiling all the vegetables in the soup on the first day, thinking that they improve its flavour. this may be done in common soup that is not to be strained, but is inadmissible if you wish it to be very bright and clear. also, unless you have a garden and a profusion of vegetables of your own, it is somewhat extravagant, as when strained out they are of no further use, and are therefore wasted. mutton soup. cut off the shoulder part of a fore quarter of mutton, and having cut all the meat from the bone, put it into a soup pot with two quarts of water. as soon as it boils, skim it well, and then slacken the fire and simmer the meat for an hour and a half. then take the remainder of the mutton, and put it whole into the soup-pot with sufficient boiling water to cover it well, and salt it to your taste. skim it the moment the fresh piece of meat begins to boil, and about every quarter of an hour afterwards. it should boil slowly five hours. prepare half a dozen turnips, four carrots,[b] and three onions, (all cut up, but not small,) and put them in about an hour and a half before dinner. you may also put in some small dumplings. add some chopped parsley. cut the meat off the scrag into small pieces, and send it to table in the tureen with the soup. the other half of the mutton should be served on a separate dish, with whole turnips boiled and laid round it. many persons are fond of mutton that has been boiled in soup. you may thicken this soup with rice or barley that has first been soaked in cold water; or with green peas; or with young corn, cut down from the cob; or with tomatas scalded, peeled, and cut into pieces. _cabbage soup_ may be made in the same manner, of neck of mutton. omit all the other vegetables, and put in a large head of white cabbage, stripped of the outside leaves, and cut small. _noodle soup_ can be made in this manner also. noodles are a mixture of flour and beaten egg, made into a stiff paste, kneaded, rolled out very thin, and cut into long narrow slips, not thicker than straws, and then dried three or four hours in the sun, on tin or pewter plates. they must be put in the soup shortly before dinner, as, if boiled too long they will go to pieces. with the mutton that is taken from the soup you may send to table some suet dumplings, boiled in another pot, and served on a separate dish. make them in the proportion of half a pound of beef suet to a pound and a quarter of flour. chop the suet as fine as possible, rub it into the flour, and mix it into a dough with a little cold water. roll it out thick, and cut it into dumplings about as large as the top of a tumbler, and boil them an hour. footnotes: [b] the carrots should be put in early, as they require a long time to boil; if full grown, at least three hours. veal soup. the knuckle or leg of veal is the best for soup. wash it and break up the bones. put it into a pot with a pound of ham or bacon cut into pieces, and water enough to cover the meat. a set of calf's feet, cut in half, will greatly improve it. after it has stewed slowly, till all the meat drops to pieces, strain it, return it to the pot, and put in a head of celery cut small, three onions, a bunch of sweet marjoram, a carrot and a turnip cut into pieces, and two dozen black pepper-corns, but not any salt. add some small dumplings made of flour and butter. simmer it another hour, or till all the vegetables are sufficiently done, and thus send it to table. you may thicken it with noodles, that is paste made of flour and beaten egg, and cut into long thin slips. or with vermicelli, rice, or barley; or with green peas, or asparagus tops. rich veal soup. take three pounds of the scrag of a neck of veal, cut it into pieces, and put it with the bones (which must be broken up) into a pot with two quarts of water. stew it till the meat is done to rags, and skim it well. then strain it and return it to the pot. blanch and pound in a mortar to a smooth paste, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, and mix them with the yolks of six hard boiled eggs grated, and a pint of cream, which must first have been boiled or it will curdle in the soup. season it with nutmeg and mace. stir the mixture into the soup, and let it boil afterward about three minutes, stirring all the time. lay in the bottom of the tureen some slices of bread without the crust. pour the soup upon it, and send it to table. clear gravy soup. having well buttered the inside of a nicely tinned stew-pot, cut half a pound of ham into slices, and lay them at the bottom, with three pounds of the lean of fresh beef, and as much veal, cut from the bones, which you must afterward break to pieces, and lay on the meat. cover the pan closely, and set it over a quick fire. when the meat begins to stick to the pan, turn it; and when there is a nice brown glaze at the bottom, cover the meat with cold water. watch it well, and when it is just coming to a boil, put in a pint of water. this will cause the scum to rise. skim it well, and then pour in another pint of water; skim it again; pour in water as before, a pint at a time, and repeat this till no more scum rises. in skimming, carefully avoid stirring the soup, as that will injure its clearness. in the mean time prepare your vegetables. peel off the outer skin of three large white onions and slice them. pare three large turnips, and slice them also. wash clean and cut into small pieces three carrots, and three large heads of celery. if you cannot obtain fresh celery, substitute a large table-spoonful of celery seed, tied up in a bit of clear muslin. put the vegetables into the soup, and then place the pot on one side of the fire, where the heat is not so great as in the middle. let it boil gently for four hours. then strain the soup through a fine towel or linen bag into a large stone pan, but do not squeeze the bag, or the soap will be cloudy, and look dull instead of clear. in pouring it into the straining cloth, be careful not to disturb the ingredients at the bottom of the soup-pot. this soup should be of a fine clear amber colour. if not perfectly bright after straining, you may clarify it in this manner. put it into the stew-pan. break the whites of two eggs into a basin, carefully avoiding the smallest particle of the yolk. beat the white of egg to a stiff froth, and then mix it gradually with the soup. set it over the fire, and stir it till it boils briskly. then take it off, and set it beside the fire to settle for ten minutes. strain it then through a clean napkin, and it will be fit for use. but it is better to have the soup clear by making it carefully, than to depend on clarifying it afterward, as the white of egg weakens the taste. in making this (which is quite a show-soup) it is customary to reverse the general rule, and pour in cold water. soupe Ã� la julienne. make a gravy soup as in the preceding receipt, and strain it before you put in the vegetables. cut some turnips and carrots into ribands, and some onions and celery into lozenges or long diamond-shaped pieces. boil them separately. when the vegetables are thoroughly boiled, put them with the soup into the tureen, and then lay gently on the top some small squares of toasted bread without crust; taking care that they do not crumble down and disturb the brightness of the soup, which should be of a clear amber colour. maccaroni soup. this also is made of clear gravy soup. cut up and boil the maccaroni by itself in a very little water, allowing a quarter of a pound to a quart of soup. the pieces should be about an inch long. put a small piece of butter with it. it must boil till tender, but not till it breaks. throw it into the soup shortly before it goes to table, and give it one boil up. send to table with it a plate or glass of rasped parmesan or other rich cheese, with a dessert spoon in it, that those who like it may put it into their soup on the plate. while the maccaroni is boiling, take care that it does not get into lumps. rich maccaroni soup. take a quart of clear gravy soup, and boil in it a pound of the best maccaroni cut into pieces. when it is tender, take out half of the maccaroni, and add to the remainder two quarts more of the soup. boil it till the maccaroni is entirely dissolved and incorporated with the liquid. strain it: then return it to the soup-pan, and add to it the remainder of the maccaroni, (that was taken out before the pieces broke,) and put in a quarter of a pound of grated parmesan cheese. let it simmer awhile, but take it up before it comes to a boil. it may be made with milk instead of gravy soup. vermicelli soup. cut a knuckle of veal, or a neck of mutton into small pieces, and put them, with the bones broken up, into a large stew-pan. add the meat sliced from a hock or shank of ham, a quarter of a pound of butter, two large onions sliced, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a head of celery cut small. cover the pan closely, and set it without any water over a slow fire for an hour or more, to extract the essence from the meat. then skim it well, and pour in four quarts of boiling water, and let it boil gently till all the meat is reduced to rags. strain it, set it again on the fire, and add a quarter of a pound of vermicelli, which has first been scalded in boiling water. season it to your taste with a little cayenne pepper, and let it boil five minutes. lay a large slice of bread in the bottom of your tureen, and pour the soup upon it. for the veal or mutton you may substitute a pair of large fowls cut into pieces; always adding the ham or a few slices of bacon, without which it will be insipid. old fowls that are fit for no other purpose will do very well for soup. milk soup. boil two quarts of milk with a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, and two ounces of bitter ones, blanched and broken to pieces, and a large stick of cinnamon broken up. stir in sugar enough to make it very sweet. when it has boiled, strain it. cut some thin slices of bread, and (having pared off the crust) toast them. lay them in the bottom of a tureen, pour a little of the hot milk over them, and cover them close, that they may soak. beat the yolks of five eggs very light. set the milk on hot coals, and add the eggs to it by degrees; stirring it all the time till it thickens. then take it off instantly, lest it curdle, and pour it into the tureen, boiling not, over the bread. this will be still better if you cover the bottom with slices of baked apple. rich brown soup. take six pounds of the lean of fresh beef, cut from the bone. stick it over with four dozen cloves. season it with a tea-spoonful of salt, a tea-spoonful of pepper, a tea-spoonful of mace, and a beaten nutmeg. slice half a dozen onions; fry them in butter; chop them, and spread them over the meat after you have put it into the soup-pot. pour in five quarts of water, and stew it slowly for five or six hours; skimming it well. when the meat has dissolved into shreds, strain it, and return the liquid to the pot. then add a tumbler and a half, or six wine glasses of claret or port wine. simmer it again slowly till dinner time. when the soup is reduced to three quarts, it is done enough. put it into a tureen, and send it to table. rich white soup. take a pair of large fat fowls. cut them up. butter the inside of the soup-pot, and put in the pieces of fowl with two pounds of the lean of veal, cut into pieces, or with four calf's feet cut in half. season them with a tea-spoonful of salt, a half tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, and a dozen blades of mace. cover them with water, and stew it slowly for an hour, skimming it well. then take out the breasts and wings of the fowls, and having cut off the flesh, chop it fine. keep the pot covered, and the veal and the remainder of the fowls still stewing. mix the chopped chicken with the grated crumb of about one quarter of a loaf of stale bread, (a six cent loaf,) having soaked the crumbs in a little warm milk. have ready the yolks of four hard boiled eggs, a dozen sweet almonds, and half a dozen bitter ones blanched and broken small. mix the egg and almonds with the chopped chicken and grated bread, and pound all in a mortar till it is well incorporated. strain the soup from the meat and fowl, and stir this mixture into the liquid, after it has stewed till reduced to two quarts. having boiled separately a quart of cream or rich milk, add it hot to the soup, a little at a time. cover it, and let it simmer a few minutes longer. then send it to table. these two soups (the brown and the white) are suited to dinner parties. meg merrilies' soup. take four pounds of venison, or if you cannot procure venison you may substitute the lean of fresh beef or mutton. season it with pepper and salt, put it into a large pot, (break the bones and lay them on the meat,) pour in four quarts of water, and boil it three hours, skimming it well. then strain it, and put it into another pot. cut up a hare or a rabbit, a pair of partridges, and a pair of grouse; or one of each, with a pheasant, a woodcock, or any other game that you can most easily obtain. season them and put them into the soup. add a dozen small onions, a couple of heads of celery cut small, and half a dozen sliced potatoes. let the soup simmer till the game is sufficiently done, and all the vegetables tender. this is the soup with which the gipsy, meg merrilies, regaled dominie sampson. when game is used for soup, it must be newly killed, and quite fresh. venison soup. take four pounds of freshly killed venison cut off from the bones, and one pound of ham in small slices. add an onion minced, and black pepper to your taste. put only as much water as will cover it, and stew it gently for an hour, keeping the pot closely covered. then skim it well, and pour in a quart of boiling water. add a head of celery cut into small pieces, and half a dozen blades of mace. boil it gently two hours and a half. then put in a quarter of a pound of butter, divided into small pieces and rolled in flour, and half a pint of port or madeira wine. let it boil a quarter of an hour longer, and then send it to table with the meat in it. hare or rabbit soup. take a large newly killed hare, or two rabbits; cut them up and wash the pieces. save all the blood, (which adds much to the flavour of the hare,) and strain it through a sieve. put the pieces into a soup-pot with four whole onions stuck with a few cloves, four or five blades of mace, a head of celery cut small, and a bunch of parsley with a large bunch of sweet marjoram and one of sweet basil, all tied together. salt and cayenne to your taste. pour in three quarts of water, and stew it gently an hour and a half. then put in the strained blood and simmer it for another hour, at least. do not let it actually boil, as that will cause the blood to curdle. then strain it, and pound half the meat in a mortar, and stir it into the soup to thicken it, and cut the remainder of the meat into small mouthfuls. stir in, at the last, a jill or two glasses of red wine, and a large table-spoonful of currant jelly. boil it slowly a few minutes longer, and then put it into your tureen. it will be much improved by the addition of two or three dozen small force-meat balls, about the size of a nutmeg. this soup will require cooking at least four hours. partridge, pheasant, or grouse soup may be made in a similar manner. if you have any clear gravy soup, you may cut up the hare, season it as above, and put it into a jug or jar well covered and set in boiling water till the meat is tender. then put it into the gravy soup, add the wine, and let it come to a boil. send it to table with the pieces of the hare in the soup. when hare soup is made in this last manner, omit using the blood. mullagatawny soup, as made in india. take a quarter of an ounce of china turmeric, the third of an ounce of cassia, three drachms of black pepper, two drachms of cayenne pepper, and an ounce of coriander seeds. these must all be pounded fine in a mortar, and well mixed and sifted. they will make sufficient curry powder for the following quantity of soup: take two large fowls, or three pounds of the lean of veal. cut the flesh entirely from the bones in small pieces, and put it into a stew-pan with two quarts of water. let it boil slowly for half an hour, skimming it well. prepare four large onions, minced, and fried in two ounces of butter. add to them the curry powder, and moisten the whole with broth from the stew-pan, mixed with a little rice flour. when thoroughly mixed, stir the seasoning into the soup, and simmer it till it is as smooth and thick as cream, and till the chicken or veal is perfectly tender. then stir into it the juice of a lemon; and five minutes after take up the soup, with the meat in it, and serve it in the tureen. send to table separately, boiled rice on a hot water dish to keep it warm. the rice is to be put into the plates of soup by those who eat it. to boil rice for this soup in the east india fashion:--pick and wash half a pound in warm water. put it into a saucepan. pour two quarts of boiling water over it, and cover the pan closely. set it in a warm place by the fire, to cook gradually in the hot water. in an hour pour off all the water, and setting the pan on hot coals, stir up and toss the rice with a fork, so as to separate the grains, and to dry without hardening it. do not use a spoon, as that will not loosen the grains sufficiently. you may toss it with two forks. mock turtle or calf's head soup. this soup will require eight hours to prepare. take a large calf's head, and having cleaned, washed, and soaked it, put it into a pot with a knuckle of veal, and the hock of a ham, or a few slices of bacon; but previously cut off and reserve enough of the veal to make two dozen small force-meat balls. put the head and the other meat into as much water as will cover it very well, so that it may not be necessary to replenish it: this soup being always made very rich. let it boil slowly four hours, skimming it carefully. as soon as no more scum rises, put in six potatoes, and three turnips, all sliced thin; with equal proportions of parsley, sweet marjoram, and sweet basil, chopped fine; and cayenne pepper to your taste. the ham will salt it sufficiently. an hour before you send the meat to table, make about two dozen small force-meat balls of minced veal and beef-suet in equal quantities, seasoned with pepper and salt; sweet herbs, grated lemon-peel, and powdered nutmeg and mace. add some beaten yolk of egg to make all these ingredients stick together. flour the balls very well, and fry them in butter. before you put them into the soup, take out the head, and the other meat. cut the meat from the head in small pieces, and return it to the soup. when the soup is nearly done, stir in half a pint of madeira. have ready at least a dozen egg-balls made of the yolks of hard boiled eggs, grated or pounded in a mortar, and mixed with a little flour and sufficient raw yolk of egg to bind them. make them up into the form and size of boy's marbles. throw them into the soup at the last, and also squeeze in the juice of a lemon. let it get another slow boil, and then put it into the tureen. * * * * * we omit a receipt for _real_ turtle soup, as when that very expensive, complicated, and difficult dish is prepared in a private family, it is advisable to hire a first-rate cook for the express purpose. an easy way is to get it ready made, in any quantity you please, from a turtle-soup house. ox tail soup. three ox tails will make a large tureen full of soup. desire the butcher to divide them at the joints. rub them with salt, and put them to soak in warm water, while you prepare the vegetables. put into a large pot or stew-pan four onions peeled and quartered, a bunch of parsley, two sliced carrots, two sliced turnips, and two dozen pepper corns. then put in the tails, and pour on three quarts of water. cover the pot, and set it on hot coals by the side of the fire. keep it gently simmering for about three hours, supplying it well with fresh hot coals. skim it carefully. when the meat is quite tender, and falls from the bones, strain the soup into another pot, and add to it a spoonful of mushroom catchup, and two spoonfuls of butter rubbed in flour. you may thicken it also with the pulp of a dozen onions first fried soft, and then rubbed through a cullender. after it is thickened, let it just boil up, and then send it to table, with small squares of toasted bread in the tureen. ochra soup. take a large slice of ham (cold boiled ham is best) and two pounds of the lean of fresh beef; cut all the meat into small pieces. add a quarter of a pound of butter slightly melted: twelve large tomatas pared and cut small; five dozen ochras cut into slices not thicker than a cent; and a little cayenne pepper to your taste. put all these ingredients into a pot; cover them with boiling water, and let them stew slowly for an hour. then add three quarts of _hot_ water, and increase the heat so as to make the soup boil. skim it well, and stir it frequently with a wooden or silver spoon. boil it till the tomatas are all to pieces, and the ochras entirely dissolved. strain it, and then serve it up with toasted bread cut into dice, put in after it comes out of the pot. this soup will be improved by a pint of shelled lima beans, boiled by themselves, and put into the tureen just before you send it to table. bean soup. put two quarts of dried white beans into soak the night before you make the soup, which should be put on as early in the day as possible. take five pounds of the lean of fresh beef--the coarse pieces will do. cut them up, and put them into your soup-pot with the bones belonging to them, (which should be broken to pieces,) and a pound of bacon cut very small. if you have the remains of a piece of beef that has been roasted the day before, and so much under-done that the juices remain in it, you may put it into the pot, and its bones along with it. season the meat with pepper only, and pour on it six quarts of water. as soon as it boils take off the scum, and put in the beans (having first drained them) and a head of celery cut small, or a table-spoonful of pounded celery-seed. boil it slowly till the meat is done to shreds, and the beans all dissolved. then strain it through a cullender into the tureen, and put into it small squares of toasted bread with the crust cut off. some prefer it with the beans boiled soft, but not quite dissolved. in this case, do not strain it; but take out the meat and bones with a fork before you send it to table. peas soup. soak two quarts of dried or split peas over-night. in the morning take three pounds of the lean of fresh beef, and a pound of bacon or pickled pork. cut them into pieces, and put them into a large soup-pot with the peas, (which must first be well drained,) and a table-spoonful of dried mint rubbed to powder. add five quarts of water, and boil the soup gently for three hours, skimming it well, and then put in four heads of celery cut small, or two table-spoonfuls of pounded celery seed. it must be boiled till the peas are entirely dissolved, so as to be no longer distinguishable, and the celery quite soft. then strain it into a tureen, and serve it up with toasted bread cut in dice. omit the crust of the bread. stir it up immediately before it goes to table, as it is apt to settle, and be thick at the bottom and thin at the top. green peas soup. take four pounds of knuckle of veal, and a pound of bacon. cut them to pieces, and put them into a soup kettle with a sprig of mint and five quarts of water. boil it moderately fast, and skim it well. when the meat is boiled to rags, strain it out, and put to the liquor a quart of young green peas. boil them till they are entirely dissolved, and till they have thickened the soup, and given it a green colour.[c] have ready two quarts of green peas that have been boiled in another pot with a sprig of mint, and two or three lumps of loaf sugar, (which will greatly improve the taste.) after they have boiled in this pot twenty minutes, take out the mint, put the whole peas into the pot of soup, and boil all together about ten minutes. then put it into a tureen, and send it to table. never use hard old green peas for this soup, or for any other purpose. when they begin to turn yellow, it is time to leave them off for the season. lima bean soup may be made in the same manner. footnotes: [c] you may greatly improve the colour by pounding a handful of spinach in a mortar, straining the juice, and adding it to the soup about a quarter of an hour before it has done boiling. asparagus soup. asparagus soup may be made in a similar manner to that of green peas. you must have four or five bunches of asparagus. cut off the green tops, and put half of them into the soup, after the meat has been boiled to pieces and strained out. the asparagus must be boiled till quite dissolved, and till it has given a green colour to the soup. then take the remainder of the asparagus tops (which must all this time have been lying in cold water) and put them into the soup, and let them boil about twenty minutes. serve it up with small squares of toast in the tureen. * * * * * you may heighten the green of this soup by adding the juice of a handful of spinach, pounded in a mortar and strained. or you may colour it with the juice of boiled spinach squeezed through a cloth. the spinach juice should be put in fifteen or ten minutes before you take up the soup, as a short boiling in it will take off the peculiar taste. friar's chicken. cut up four pounds of knuckle of veal; season it with white pepper and salt: put it into a soup-pan and let it boil slowly till the meat drops from the bone. then strain it off. have ready a pair of young fowls skinned, and cut up as you carve them at table. season them with white pepper, salt, and mace. put them into the soup, add a handful of chopped parsley, and let them boil. when the pieces of chicken are all quite tender, have ready four or five eggs well beaten. stir the egg into the soup, and take it immediately off the fire lest it curdle. serve up the chicken in the soup. rabbits may be substituted for fowls. cat-fish soup. cat-fish that have been caught near the middle of the river are much nicer than those that are taken near the shore where they have access to impure food. the small white ones are the best. having cut off their heads, skin the fish, and clean them, and cut them in three. to twelve small cat-fish allow a pound and a half of ham. cut the ham into small pieces, or mouthfuls, and scald it two or three times in boiling water, lest it be too salt. chop together a bunch of parsley and some sweet marjoram stripped from the stalks. put these ingredients into a soup kettle and season them with pepper: the ham will make it salt enough. add a head of celery cut small, or a large table-spoonful of celery seed tied up in a bit of clear muslin to prevent its dispersing. put in two quarts of water, cover the kettle, and let it boil slowly till every thing is sufficiently done, and the fish and ham quite tender. skim it frequently. boil in another vessel a quart of rich milk, in which you have melted a quarter of a pound of butter divided into small bits and rolled in flour. pour it hot to the soup, and stir in at the last the beaten yolks of four eggs. give it another boil, just to take off the rawness of the eggs, and then put it into a tureen, taking out the bag of celery seed before you send the soup to table, and adding some toasted bread cut into small squares. in making toast for soup, cut the bread thick, and pare off all the crust. before you send it to table, remove the back-bones of the cat-fish. eel soup may be made in the same manner: chicken soup also. lobster soup. have ready a good broth made of a knuckle of veal boiled slowly in as much water as will cover it, till the meat is reduced to rags. it must then be well strained. having boiled three fine middle-sized lobsters, extract all the meat from the body and claws. bruise part of the coral in a mortar, and also an equal quantity of the meat. mix them well together. add mace, nutmeg, cayenne, and a little grated lemon-peel; and make them up into force-meat balls, binding the mixture with the yolk of an egg slightly beaten. take three quarts of the veal broth, and put into it the meat of the lobsters cut into mouthfuls. boil it together about twenty minutes. then thicken it with the remaining coral, (which you must first rub through a sieve,) and add the force-meat balls, and a little butter rolled in flour. simmer it gently for ten minutes, but do not let it come to a boil, as that will injure the colour. pour it into a tureen, and send it to table immediately. oyster soup. season two quarts of oysters with a little cayenne. then take them out of the liquor. grate and roll fine a dozen crackers. put them into the liquor with a large lump of fresh butter. when the grated biscuit has quite dissolved, add a quart of milk with a grated nutmeg, and a dozen blades of mace; and, if in season, a head of celery split fine and cut into small pieces. season it to your taste with pepper. mix the whole together, and set it in a closely covered vessel over a slow fire. when it comes to a boil, put in the oysters; and when it comes to a boil again, they will be sufficiently done. before you send it to table put into the tureen some toasted bread cut into small squares, omitting the crust. another oyster soup. take two quarts of large oysters. strain their liquor into a soup pan; season it with a tea-spoonful of whole pepper, a tea-spoonful of grated nutmeg, the same quantity of whole cloves, and seven or eight blades of mace. if the oysters are fresh, add a large tea-spoonful of salt; if they are salt oysters, none is requisite. set the pan on hot coals, and boil it slowly (skimming it when necessary) till you find that it is sufficiently flavoured with the taste of the spice. in the mean time (having cut out the hard part) chop the oysters fine, with some hard-boiled yolk of egg. take the liquor from the fire, and strain out the spice from it. then return it to the soup pan, and put the chopped oysters into it, with whatever liquid may have continued about them. add a quarter of a pound of butter, divided into little bits and rolled in flour. cover the pan, and let it boil hard about five minutes. if oysters are cooked too much they become tough and tasteless. clam soup. having put your clams into a pot of boiling water to make them open easily, take them from the shells, carefully saving the liquor. to the liquor of fifty opened clams, allow three quarts of water. mix the water with the liquor of the clams and put it into a large pot with a knuckle of veal, the bone of which should be chopped in four places. when it has simmered slowly three hours, put in a large bunch of sweet herbs, a beaten nutmeg, a tea-spoonful of mace, and a table-spoonful of whole pepper, but no salt, as the salt of the clam liquor will be sufficient. stew it slowly an hour longer, and then strain it. when you have returned the liquor to the pot, add a quarter of a pound of butter divided into four and each bit rolled in flour. then put in the clams, (having cut them in pieces,) and let it boil fifteen minutes. send it to table with toasted bread in it cut into dice. this soup will be greatly improved by the addition of small force-meat balls. make them of cold minced veal or chicken, mixed with equal quantities of chopped suet and sweet marjoram, and a smaller proportion of hard-boiled egg, grated lemon-peel, and powdered nutmeg. pound all the ingredients together in a mortar, adding a little pepper and salt. break in a raw egg or two (in proportion to the quantity) to bind the whole together and prevent it from crumbling to pieces. when thoroughly mixed, make the force-meat into small balls, and let them boil ten minutes in the soup, shortly before you send it to table. if you are obliged to make them of raw veal or raw chicken they must boil longer. it will be a great improvement first to pound the clams in a mortar. oyster soup may be made in this manner. plain clam soup. take a hundred clams, well washed, and put them into a large pot of boiling water. this will cause the shells to open. as they open take them out, and extract the clams, taking care to save the liquor. mix with the liquor a quart of water, (or what will be much better, a quart of milk,) and thicken it with butter rolled in flour. add a small bunch of sweet marjoram, and a large table-spoonful of whole pepper. put the liquid into a pot over a moderate fire. make some little round dumplings (about the size of a hickory nut) of flour and butter, and put them into the soup. when it comes to a boil, put in the clams, and keep them boiling an hour. take them out before you send the soup to table. when the soup is done, take out the sweet marjoram. have ready some toasted bread cut into small squares or dice. put it into the soup before you send it to table. you may make oyster soup in a similar manner. water souchy. cut up four flounders, or half a dozen perch, two onions, and a bunch of parsley. put them into three quarts of water, and boil them till the fish go entirely to pieces, and dissolve in the water. then strain the liquor through a sieve and put it into a kettle or stew-pan. have ready a few more fish with the heads, tails, and fins removed, and the brown skin taken off. cut little notches in them, and lay them for a short time in very cold water. then put them into the stew-pan with the liquor or soup-stock of the first fish. season with pepper, salt, and mace, and add half a pint of white wine or two table-spoonfuls of vinegar. boil it gently for a quarter of an hour, and skim it well. provide some parsley roots, cut into slices and boiled till very tender; and also a quantity of parsley leaves boiled nice and green. after the fish-pan has boiled moderately fifteen minutes, take it off the fire, and put in the parsley roots; also a little mushroom catchup. take out the fish and lay them in a broad deep dish, or in a tureen, and then pour on the soup very gently for fear of breaking them. strew the green parsley leaves over the top. have ready plates of bread and butter, which it is customary to eat with water souchy. you may omit the wine or vinegar, and flavour the soup just before you take it from the fire with essence of anchovy, or with any other of the essences and compound fish-sauces that are in general use. water souchy (commonly pronounced _sookey_) is a dutch soup. it may be made of any sort of small fish; but flounders and perch are generally used for it. it is very good made of carp. fish. remarks. in choosing fresh fish, select only those that are thick and firm, with bright scales and stiff fins; the gills a very lively red, and the eyes full and prominent. in the summer, as soon as they are brought home, clean them, and put them in ice till you are ready to cook them; and even then do not attempt to keep a fresh fish till next day. mackerel cannot be cooked too soon, as they spoil more readily than any other fish. oysters in the shell may be kept from a week to a fortnight, by the following process. cover them with water, and wash them clean with a birch broom. then lay them with the deep or concave part of the shell undermost, and sprinkle each of them well with salt and indian meal. fill up the tub with cold water. repeat this every day; first pouring off the liquid of the day before. the tub must stand all the time in a cool cellar, and be covered well with an old blanket, carpeting, or something of the sort. if carefully attended to, oysters kept in this manner will not only live but fatten. it is customary to eat fish only at the commencement of the dinner. fish and soup are generally served up alone, before any of the other dishes appear, and with no vegetable but potatoes; it being considered a solecism in good taste to accompany them with any of the other productions of the garden except a little horse-radish, parsley, &c. as garnishing. in england and at the most fashionable tables in america, bread only is eaten with fish. to this rule salt cod is an exception. to boil fresh salmon. scale and clean the fish, handling it as little as possible, and cutting it open no more than is absolutely necessary. place it on the strainer of a large fish-kettle and fill it up with cold water. throw in a handful of salt. let it boil slowly. the length of time depends on the size and weight of the fish. you may allow a quarter of an hour to each pound; but experience alone can determine the exact time. it must however be thoroughly done, as nothing is more disgusting than fish that is under-cooked. you may try it with a fork. skim it well or the colour will be bad. the minute it is completely boiled, lift up the strainer and rest it across the top of the kettle, that the fish may drain, and then, if you cannot send it to table immediately, cover it with a soft napkin or flannel several folds double, to keep it firm by absorbing the moisture. send it to table on a hot dish. garnish with scraped horseradish and curled parsley. have ready a small tureen of lobster sauce to accompany the salmon. take what is left of it after dinner, and put it into a deep dish with a close cover. having saved some of the water in which the fish was boiled, take a quart of it, and season it with half an ounce of whole pepper, and half an ounce of whole cloves, half a pint of the best vinegar, and a tea-spoonful of salt. boil it; and when cold, pour it over the fish, and cover it closely again. in a cold place, and set on ice, it will keep a day or two, and may be eaten at breakfast or supper. if much of the salmon has been left, you must proportion a larger quantity of the pickle. boil salmon trout in a similar manner. to bake fresh salmon whole. having cleaned a small or moderate sized salmon, season it with salt, pepper, and powdered mace rubbed on it both outside and in. skewer it with the tail turned round and put to the mouth. lay it on a stand or trivet in a deep dish or pan, and stick it over with bits of butter rolled in flour. put it into the oven, and baste it occasionally, while baking, with its own drippings. garnish it with horseradish and sprigs of curled parsley, laid alternately round the edge of the dish; and send to table with it a small tureen of lobster sauce. salmon trout may be drest in the same manner. salmon baked in slices. take out the bone and cut the flesh into slices. season them with cayenne and salt. melt two ounces of butter that has been rolled in flour, in a half pint of water, and mix with it two large glasses of port wine, two table-spoonfuls of catchup, and two of soy. this allowance is for a small quantity of salmon. for a large dish you must proportion the ingredients accordingly. you may add the juice of a large lemon. mix all well. then strain it and pour it over the slices of salmon. tie a sheet of buttered paper over the dish, and put it into the oven. you may bake trout or carp in the same manner. salmon steaks. split the salmon and take out the bone as nicely as possible, without mangling the flesh. then cut it into fillets or steaks about an inch thick. dry them lightly in a cloth, and dredge them with flour. take care not to squeeze or press them. have ready some clear bright coals, such as are fit for beef-steaks. let the gridiron be clean and bright, and rub the bars with chalk to prevent the fish from sticking. broil the slices thoroughly, turning them with steak tongs. send them to table hot, wrapped in the folds of a napkin that has been heated. serve up with them anchovy, or prawn, or lobster sauce. many epicures consider this the best way of cooking salmon. another way, perhaps still nicer, is to take some pieces of white paper and butter them well. wrap in each a slice of salmon, securing the paper around them with a string or pins. lay them on a gridiron, and broil them over a clear but moderate fire, till thoroughly done. take off the paper, and send the cutlets to table hot, garnished with fried parsley. serve up with them prawn or lobster sauce in a boat. pickled salmon. take a fine fresh salmon, and having cleaned it, cut it into large pieces, and boil it in salted water as if for eating. then drain it, wrap it in a dry cloth, and set it in a cold place till next day. then make the pickle, which must be in proportion to the quantity of fish. to one quart of the water in which the salmon was boiled, allow two quarts of the best vinegar, one ounce of whole black pepper, one nutmeg grated, and a dozen blades of mace. boil all these together in a kettle closely covered to prevent the flavour from evaporating. when the vinegar thus prepared is quite cold, pour it over the salmon, and put on the top a table-spoonful of sweet oil, which will make it keep the longer. cover it closely, put it in a dry cool place, and it will be good for many months. this is the nicest way of preserving salmon, and is approved by all who have tried it. garnish with fennel. smoked salmon. cut the fish up the back; clean, and scale it, and take out the roe, but do not wash it. take the bone neatly out. rub it well inside and out with a mixture of salt and fine havanna sugar, in equal quantities, and a small portion of saltpetre. cover the fish with a board on which weights are placed to press it down, and let it lie thus for two days and two nights. drain it from the salt, wipe it dry, stretch it open, and fasten it so with pieces of stick. then hang it up and smoke it over a wood fire. it will be smoked sufficiently in five or six days. when you wish to eat it, cut off slices, soak them awhile in lukewarm water, and broil them for breakfast. to boil halibut. halibut is seldom cooked whole; a piece weighing from four to six pounds being generally thought sufficient. score deeply the skin of the back, and when you put it into the kettle lay it on the strainer with the back undermost. cover it with cold water, and throw in a handful of salt. do not let it come to a boil too fast. skim it carefully, and when it has boiled hard a few minutes, hang the kettle higher, or diminish the fire under it, so as to let it simmer for about thirty or thirty-five minutes. then drain it, and send it to table, garnished with alternate heaps of grated horse-radish and curled parsley, and accompanied by a boat of egg-sauce. what is left of the halibut, you may prepare for the supper-table by mincing it when cold, and seasoning it with a dressing of salt, cayenne, sweet oil, hard-boiled yolk of egg, and a large proportion of vinegar. halibut cutlets. cut your halibut into steaks or cutlets about an inch thick. wipe them with a dry cloth, and season them with salt and cayenne pepper. have ready a pan of yolk of egg well beaten, and a large flat dish of grated bread crumbs. put some fresh lard or clarified beef dripping into a frying pan, and hold it over a clear fire till it boils. dip your cutlets into the beaten egg, and then into the bread crumbs. fry them of a light brown. serve them up hot, with the gravy in the bottom of the dish. salmon or any large fish may be fried in the same manner. halibut cutlets are very fine cut quite thin and fried in the best sweet oil, omitting the egg and bread crumbs. to broil mackerel. mackerel cannot be eaten in perfection except at the sea side, where it can be had immediately out of the water. it loses its flavour in a very few hours, and spoils sooner than any other fish. broiling is the best way of cooking it. clean two fine fresh mackerel, and wipe them dry with a cloth. split them open and rub them with salt. spread some very bright coals on the hearth, and set the gridiron over them well greased. lay on the mackerel, and broil them very nicely, taking care not to let them burn. when one side is quite done, turn them on the other. lay them on a hot dish, and butter and pepper them before they go to table. garnish them with lumps or pats of minced parsley mixed with butter, pepper and salt. boiled mackerel. clean the mackerel well, and let them lie a short time in vinegar and water. then put them into the fish-kettle with cold water and a handful of salt. boil them slowly. if small, they will be sufficiently cooked in twenty minutes. when the eye starts and the tail splits they are done. take them up immediately on finding them boiled enough. if they stand any time in the water they will break. serve them up with parsley sauce, and garnish the dish with lumps of minced parsley. they are eaten with mustard. for boiling, choose those that have soft roes. another way is to put them in cold salt and water, and let them warm gradually for an hour. then give them one hard boil, and they will be done. to boil salt codfish. the day previous to that on which it is to be eaten, take the fish about four o'clock in the afternoon, and put it into a kettle of cold water. then place it within the kitchen fire-place, so as to keep it blood-warm. next morning at ten, take out the fish, scrub it clean with a hard brush, and put it into a kettle of fresh cold water, into which a jill of molasses has been stirred. the molasses will be found an improvement. place the kettle again near the fire, until about twenty minutes before dinner. then hang it over the fire, and boil it hard a quarter of an hour, or a little more. when done, drain it, and cut it into large pieces. wrap them closely in a fine napkin and send them to table on a large dish, garnished round the edge with hard-boiled eggs, either cut in half, or in circular slices, yolks and whites together. have ready in a small tureen, egg-sauce made with drawn butter, thickened with hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. place on one side of the fish a dish of mashed potatoes, on the other a dish of boiled parsnips. the most usual way of preparing salt cod for eating when it comes to table, is (after picking out all the bones) to mince it fine on your plate, and mix it with mashed potato, parsnip, and egg-sauce; seasoning it to your taste with cayenne and mustard. what is left may be prepared for breakfast next morning. it should be put into a skillet or spider, which must be well buttered inside, and set over hot coals to warm and brown. or it may be made up into small cakes and fried. you may add to the mixture onions boiled and chopped. to boil fresh cod. having washed and cleaned the fish, leave out the roe and liver; rub some salt on the inside, and if the weather is very cold you may keep it till next day. put sufficient water in the fish-kettle to cover the fish very well, and add to the water a large handful of salt. as soon as the salt is entirely melted put in the fish. a very small codfish will be done in about twenty minutes, (after the water has boiled;) a large one will take half an hour, or more. garnish with the roe and liver fried, or with scraped horseradish. send it to table with oyster-sauce in a boat. or you may make a sauce by flavouring your melted butter with a glass of port wine, and a table-spoonful or more, of soy. another way of boiling fresh cod. put the fish into cold water with a handful of salt, and let it slowly and gradually warm for three hours if the cod is large, and two hours if it is small. then increase the fire, and boil it hard for a few minutes only. baked shad. keep on the head and fins. make a force-meat or stuffing of grated bread crumbs, cold boiled ham or bacon minced fine, sweet marjoram, red pepper, and a little powdered mace or cloves. moisten it with beaten yolk of egg. stuff the inside of the fish with it, reserving a little to rub over the outside, having first rubbed the fish all over with yolk of egg. lay the fish in a deep pan, patting its tail to its mouth. pour into the bottom of the pan a little water, and add a jill of port wine, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. bake it well, and when it is done, send it to table with the gravy poured round it. garnish with slices of lemon. any fish may be baked in the same manner. a large fish of ten or twelve pounds weight, will require about two hours baking. to broil a shad. split and wash the shad, and afterwards dry it in a cloth. season it with salt and pepper. have ready a bed of clear bright coals. grease your gridiron well, and as soon as it is hot lay the shad upon it, and broil it for about a quarter of an hour or more, according to the thickness. butter it well, and send it to table. you may serve with it melted butter in a sauce-boat. or you may cut it into three pieces and broil it without splitting. it will then, of course, require a longer time. if done in this manner, send it to table with melted butter poured over it. boiled rock-fish. having cleaned the rock-fish, put it into a fish-kettle with water enough to cover it well, having first dissolved a handful of salt in the water. set it over a moderate fire, and do not let it boil too fast. skim it well. when done, drain it, and put it on a large dish. have ready a few eggs boiled hard. cut them in half, and lay them closely on the back of the fish in a straight line from the head to the tail. send with it in a boat, celery sauce flavoured with a little cayenne. sea bass or black fish. may be boiled and served up in the above manner. pickled rock-fish. have ready a large rock-fish. put on your fish-kettle with a sufficiency of water to cover the fish amply; spring or pump water is best. as soon as the water boils, throw in a tea-cup full of salt, and put in the fish. boil it gently for about half an hour, skimming it well. then take it out, and drain it, laying it slantingly. reserve a part of the water in which the fish has been boiled, and season it to your taste with whole cloves, pepper, and mace. boil it up to extract the strength from the spice, and after it has boiled add to it an equal quantity of the best vinegar. you must have enough of this liquid to cover the fish again. when the fish is quite cold, cut off the head and tail, and cut the body into large pieces, extracting the back-bone. put it into a stone jar, and when the spiced liquor is cold, pour it on the fish, cover the jar closely, and set it in a cool place. it will be fit for use in a day or two, and if well secured from the air, and put into a cold place will keep a fortnight. fried perch. having cleaned the fish and dried them with a cloth, lay them, side by side, on a board or large dish; sprinkle them with salt, and dredge them with flour. after a while turn them, and salt and dredge the other side. put some lard or fresh beef-dripping into a frying-pan, and hold it over the fire. when the lard boils, put in the fish and fry them of a yellowish brown. send to table with them in a boat, melted butter flavoured with soy or catchup. flounders or other small fish may be fried in the same manner. also tutaug or porgies. you may know when the lard or dripping is hot enough, by dipping in the tail of one of the fish. if it becomes crisp immediately, the lard is in a proper state for frying. or you may try it with a piece of stale bread, which will become brown directly, if the lard is in order. there should always be enough of lard to cover the fish entirely. after they have fried five minutes on one side, turn them and fry them five minutes on the other. skim the lard or dripping always before you put in the fish. to fry trout. having cleaned the fish, and cut off the fins, dredge them with flour. have ready some beaten yolk of egg, and in a separate dish some grated bread crumbs. dip each fish into the egg, and then strew them with bread crumbs. put some butter or fresh beef-dripping into a frying-pan, and hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot; then, (having skimmed it,) put in the fish and fry them. prepare some melted butter with a spoonful of mushroom-catchup and a spoonful of lemon-pickle stirred into it. send it to table in a sauce-boat to eat with the fish. you may fry carp and flounders in the same manner. to boil trout. put a handful of salt into the water. when it boils put in the trout. boil them fast about twenty minutes, according to their size. for sauce, send with them melted butter, and put some soy into it; or flavour it with catchup. fried sea bass. score the fish on the back with a knife, and season them with salt and cayenne pepper. cut some small onions in round slices, and chop fine a bunch of parsley. put some butter into a frying-pan over the fire, and when it is boiling hot lay in the fish. when they are about half done put the onions and parsley into the pan. keep turning the fish that the onions and parsley may adhere to both sides. when quite done, put them into the dish in which they are to go to table, and garnish the edge of the dish with hard boiled eggs cut in round slices. make in the pan in which they have been fried, a gravy, by adding some butter rolled in flour, and a small quantity of vinegar. pour it into the dish with the fish. sturgeon cutlets or steaks. this is the most approved way of dressing sturgeon. carefully take off the skin, as its oiliness will give the fish a strong and disagreeable taste when cooked. cut from the tail-piece slices about half an inch thick, rub them with salt, and broil them over a clear fire of bright coals. butter them, sprinkle them with cayenne pepper, and send them to table hot, garnished with sliced lemon, as lemon-juice is generally squeezed over them when eaten. another way is to make a seasoning of bread crumbs, sweet herbs, pepper and salt. first dip the slices of sturgeon in beaten yolk of egg, then cover them with seasoning, wrap them up closely in sheets of white paper well buttered, broil them over a clear fire, and send them to table either with or without the papers. stewed carp. having cut off the head, tail, and fins, season the carp with salt, pepper, and powdered mace, both inside and out. rub the seasoning on very well, and let them lay in it an hour. then put them into a stew-pan with a little parsley shred fine, a whole onion, a little sweet marjoram, a tea-cup of thick cream or very rich milk, and a lump of butter rolled in flour. pour in sufficient water to cover the carp, and let it stew half an hour. some port wine will improve it. perch may be done in the same way. you may dress a piece of sturgeon in this manner, but you must first boil it for twenty minutes to extract the oil. take off the skin before you proceed to stew the fish. chowder. take half a pound of salt pork, and having half boiled it, cut it into slips, and with some of them cover the bottom of a pot. then strew on some sliced onion. have ready a large fresh cod, or an equal quantity of haddock, tutaug, or any other firm fish. cut the fish into large pieces, and lay part of it on the pork and onions. season it with pepper. then cover it with a layer of biscuit, or crackers that have been previously soaked in milk or water. you may add also a layer of sliced potatoes. next proceed with a second layer of pork, onions, fish, &c. and continue as before till the pot is nearly full; finishing with soaked crackers. pour in about a pint and a half of cold water. cover it close, set it on hot coals, and let it simmer about an hour. then skim it, and turn it out into a deep dish. leave the gravy in the pot till you have thickened it with a bit of butter rolled in flour, and some chopped parsley. then give it one boil up, and pour it hot into the dish. chowder may be made of clams, first cutting off the hard part. to keep fresh shad. having cleaned the fish, split it down the back, and lay it (with the skin side downward) upon a large dish. mix together a large table-spoonful of brown sugar, a small tea-spoonful of salt, and a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper. cover the shad with this mixture, spread on evenly, and let it rest in it till next day, (unless you want it the same evening,) keeping it in a cold place. immediately before cooking, wipe the seasoning _entirely off_, and dry the shad in a clean cloth. then broil it in the usual manner. this way of keeping shad a day or two is much better than to salt or corn it. prepared as above it will look and taste as if perfectly fresh. any other fish may be kept in this manner. shell fish. pickled oysters. take a hundred and fifty fine large oysters, and pick off carefully the bits of shell that may be sticking to them. lay the oysters in a deep dish, and then strain the liquor over them. put them into an iron skillet that is lined with porcelain, and add salt to your taste. without salt they will not be firm enough. set the skillet on hot coals, and allow the oysters to simmer till they are heated all through, but not till they boil. then take out the oysters and put them into a stone jar, leaving the liquor in the skillet. add to it a pint of clear cider vinegar, a large tea-spoonful of blades of mace, three dozen whole cloves, and three dozen whole pepper corns. let it come to a boil, and when the oysters are quite cold in the jar, pour the liquor on them. they are fit for use immediately, but are better the next day. in cold weather they will keep a week. if you intend sending them a considerable distance you must allow the oysters to boil, and double the proportions of the pickle and spice. fried oysters. get the largest and finest oysters. after they are taken from the shell wipe each of them quite dry with a cloth. then beat up in a pan yolk of egg and milk, (in the proportion of two yolks to half a jill or a wine glass of milk,) and have some stale bread grated very fine in a large flat dish. cut up at least half a pound of fresh butter in the frying-pan, and hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot. dip the oysters all over lightly in the mixture of egg and milk, and then roll them up and down in the grated bread, making as many crumbs stick to them as you can. put them into the frying-pan of hot butter, and keep it over a hot fire. fry them brown, turning them that they may be equally browned on both sides. if properly done they will be crisp, and not greasy. serve them dry in a hot dish, and do not pour over them the butter that may be left in the pan when they are fried. instead of grated bread you may use crackers finely powdered. scolloped oysters. having grated a sufficiency of stale bread, butter a deep dish, and line the sides and bottom thickly with bread crumbs. then put in a layer of seasoned oysters, with a few very small bits of butter on them. cover them thickly with crumbs, and put in another layer of oysters and butter, till the dish is filled up, having a thick layer of crumbs on the top. put the dish into an oven, and bake them a very short time, or they will shrivel. serve them up hot. you may bake them in large clam shells, or in the tin scollop shells made for the purpose. butter the bottom of each shell; sprinkle it with bread crumbs; lay on the oysters seasoned with cayenne and nutmeg, and put a morsel of butter on each. fill up the shells with a little of the oyster liquor thickened with bread crumbs, and set them on a gridiron over coals, browning them afterwards with a red-hot shovel. oysters are very nice taken whole out of the shells, and broiled. stewed oysters. put the oysters into a sieve, and set it on a pan to drain the liquor from them. then cut off the hard part, and put the oysters into a stew-pan with some whole pepper, a few blades of mace, and some grated nutmeg. add a small piece of butter rolled in flour. then pour over them about half of the liquor, or a little more. set the pan on hot coals, and simmer them gently about five minutes. try one, and if it tastes raw cook them a little longer. make some thin slices of toast, having cut off all the crust. butter the toast and lay it in the bottom of a deep dish. put the oysters upon it with the liquor in which they were stewed. the liquor of oysters should never be thickened by stirring in flour. it spoils the taste, and gives them a sodden and disagreeable appearance, and is no longer practised by good cooks. a little cream is a fine improvement to stewed oysters. oyster fritters. have ready some of the finest and largest oysters; drain them from the liquor and wipe them dry. beat six eggs very light, and stir into them gradually six table-spoonfuls of fine sifted flour. add by degrees a pint and a half of rich milk and some grated nutmeg, and beat it to a smooth batter. make your frying-pan very hot, and put into it a piece of butter or lard. when it has melted and begins to froth, put in a small ladle-full of the batter, drop an oyster in the middle of it, and fry it of a light brown. send them to table hot. if you find your batter too thin, so that it spreads too much in the frying-pan, add a little more flour beaten well into it. if it is too thick, thin it with some additional milk. oyster pie. make a puff-paste, in the proportion of a pound and a half of fresh butter to two pounds of sifted flour. roll it out rather thick, into two sheets. butter a deep dish, and line the bottom and sides of it with paste. fill it up with crusts of bread for the purpose of supporting the lid while it is baking, as the oysters will be too much done if they are cooked in the pie. cover it with the other sheet of paste, having first buttered the flat rim of the dish. notch the edges of the pie handsomely, or ornament them with leaves of paste which you may form with tin cutters made for the purpose. make a little slit in the middle of the lid, and stick firmly into it a paste tulip or other flower. put the dish into a moderate oven, and while the paste is baking prepare the oysters, which should be large and fresh. put them into a stew-pan with half their liquor thickened with yolk of egg boiled hard and grated, enriched with pieces of butter rolled in bread crumbs, and seasoned with mace and nutmeg. stew the oysters five minutes. when the paste is baked, carefully take off the lid, remove the pieces of bread, and put in the oysters and gravy. replace the lid, and send the pie to table warm. to boil a lobster. put a handful of salt into a large kettle or pot of boiling water. when the water boils very hard put in the lobster, having first brushed it, and tied the claws together with a bit of twine. keep it boiling from half an hour to an hour in proportion to its size. if boiled too long the meat will be hard and stringy. when it is done, take it out, lay it on its claws to drain, and then wipe it dry. send it to table cold, with the body and tail split open, and the claws taken off. lay the large claws next to the body, and the small ones outside. garnish with double parsley. it is scarcely necessary to mention that the head of a lobster, and what are called the lady-fingers are not to be eaten. to dress lobster cold put a table-spoonful of cold water on a clean plate, and with the back of a wooden spoon mash into it the coral or scarlet meat of the lobster, adding a salt-spoonful of salt, and about the same quantity of cayenne. on another part of the plate mix well together with the back of the spoon two table-spoonfuls of sweet oil, and a tea-spoonful of made mustard. then mix the whole till they are well incorporated and perfectly smooth, adding, at the last, one table-spoonful of vinegar, and two more of oil. this quantity of seasoning is for a small lobster. for a large one, more of course will be required. many persons add a tea-spoonful of powdered white sugar, thinking that it gives a mellowness to the whole. the meat of the body and claws of the lobster must be carefully extracted from the shell and minced very small. when the dressing is smoothly and thoroughly amalgamated mix the meat with it, and let it be handed round to the company. the vinegar from a jar of indian pickle is by some preferred for lobster dressing. you may dress the lobster _immediately before_ you send it to table. when the dressing and meat are mixed together, pile it in a deep dish, and smooth it with the back of a spoon. stick a bunch of the small claws in the top, and garnish with curled parsley. very large lobsters are not the best, the meat being coarse and tough. stewed lobster. having boiled the lobster, extract the meat from the shell, and cut it into very small pieces. season it with a powdered nutmeg, a few blades of mace, and cayenne and salt to your taste. mix with it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter cut small, and two glasses of white wine or of vinegar. put it into a stew-pan, and set it on hot coals. stew it about twenty minutes, keeping the pan closely covered lest the flavour should evaporate. serve it up hot. if you choose, you can send it to table in the shell, which must first be nicely cleaned. strew the meat over with sifted bread-crumbs, and brown the top with a salamander, or a red hot shovel held over it. fricasseed lobster. put the lobster into boiling salt and water, and let it boil according to its size from a quarter of an hour to half an hour. the intention is to have it parboiled only, as it is afterwards to be fricasseed. extract the meat from the shell, and cut it into small pieces. season it with red pepper, salt, and nutmeg; and put it into a stew-pan with as much cream as will cover it. keep the lid close; set the pan on hot coals, and stew it slowly for about as long a time as it was previously boiled. just before you take it from the fire, stir in the beaten yolk of an egg. send it to table in a small dish placed on a larger one, and arrange the small claws nicely round it on the large dish. potted lobster. parboil the lobster in boiling water well salted. then pick out all the meat from the body and claws, and beat it in a mortar with nutmeg, mace, cayenne, and salt, to your taste. beat the coral separately. then put the pounded meat into a large potting can of block tin with a cover. press it down hard, having arranged it in alternate layers of white meat and coral to give it a marbled or variegated appearance. cover it with fresh butter, and put it into a slow oven for half an hour. when cold, take off the butter and clarify it, by putting it into a jar, which must be set in a pan of boiling water. watch it well, and when it melts, carefully skim off the buttermilk which will rise to the top. when no more scum rises, take it off and let it stand for a few minutes to settle, and then strain it through a sieve. put the lobster into small potting-cans, pressing it down very hard. pour the clarified butter over it, and secure the covers tightly. potted lobster is used to lay between thin slices of bread as sandwiches. the clarified butter that accompanies it is excellent for fish sauce. prawns and crabs may be potted in a similar manner. lobster pie. put two middle-sized lobsters into boiling salt and water. when they are half boiled, take the meat from the shell, cut it into very small pieces, and put it into a pie dish. break up the shells, and stew them in a very little water with half a dozen blades of mace and a grated nutmeg. then strain off the liquid. beat the coral in a mortar, and thicken the liquid with it. pour this into the dish of lobster to make the gravy. season it with cayenne, salt, and mushroom catchup, and add bits of butter. cover it with a lid of paste, made in the proportion of ten ounces of butter to a pound of flour, notched handsomely, and ornamented with paste leaves. do not send it to table till it has cooled. to boil prawns. throw a handful of salt into a pot of boiling water. when it boils very hard, put in the prawns. let them boil a quarter of an hour, and when you take them out lay them on a sieve to drain, and then wipe them on a dry cloth, and put them aside till quite cold. lay a handful of curled parsley in the middle of a dish. put one prawn on the top of it, and lay the others all round, as close as you can, with the tails outside. garnish with parsley. eat them with salt, cayenne, sweet oil, mustard and vinegar, mixed together as for lobsters. crabs. crabs are boiled in the same manner, and in serving up may be arranged like prawns. hot crabs. having boiled the crabs, extract all the meat from the shell, cut it fine, and season it to your taste with nutmeg, salt, and cayenne pepper. add a bit of butter, some grated bread crumbs, and sufficient vinegar to moisten it. fill the back-shells of the crab with the mixture; set it before the fire, and brown it by holding a red-hot shovel or a salamander a little above it. cover a large dish with small slices of dry toast with the crust cut off. lay on each slice a shell filled with the crab. the shell of one crab will contain the meat of two. cold crabs. having taken all the meat out of the shells, make a dressing with sweet oil, salt, cayenne pepper, mustard and vinegar, as for lobster. you may add to it some hard-boiled yolk of egg, mashed in the oil. put the mixture into the back-shells of the crabs, and serve it up. garnish with the small claws laid nicely round. soft crabs. these crabs must be cooked directly, as they will not keep till next day. remove the spongy substance from each side of the crab, and also the little sand-bag. put some lard into a pan, and when it is boiling hot, fry the crabs in it. after you take them out, throw in a handful of parsley, and let it crisp; but withdraw it before it loses its colour. strew it over the crabs when you dish them. make the gravy by adding cream or rich milk to the lard, with some chopped parsley, pepper and salt. let them all boil together for a few minutes, and then serve it up in a sauce-boat. terrapins. have ready a pot of boiling water. when it is boiling very hard put in the terrapins, and let them remain in it till quite dead. then take them out, pull off the outer skin and the toe-nails, wash the terrapins in warm water and boil them again, allowing a tea-spoonful of salt to two terrapins. when the flesh becomes quite tender so that you can pinch it off, take them out off the shell, remove the sand-bag, and the gall, which you must be careful not to break, as it will make the terrapin so bitter as to be uneatable. cut up all the other parts of the inside with the meat, and season it to your taste with cayenne pepper, nutmeg, and mace. put all into a stew-pan with the juice or liquor that it has given out in cutting up, but not any water. to every two terrapins allow a quarter of a pound of butter divided into pieces and rolled in flour, one glass of madeira, and the yolks of two eggs. the eggs must be beaten, and not stirred in till a moment before it goes to table. keep it closely covered. stew it gently till every thing is tender, and serve it up hot in a deep dish. the entrails are no longer cooked with terrapins. terrapins, after being boiled by the cook, may be brought to table plain, with all the condiments separate, that the company may dress them according to taste. for this purpose heaters or chafing-dishes must be provided for each plate. pickled lobster. take half a dozen fine lobsters. put them into boiling salt and water, and when they are all done, take them out and extract all the meat from the shells, leaving that of the claws as whole as possible, and cutting the flesh of the body into large pieces nearly of the same size. season a sufficient quantity of vinegar very highly with whole pepper-corns, whole cloves, and whole blades of mace. put the pieces of lobster into a stew-pan, and pour on just sufficient vinegar to keep them well covered. set it over a moderate fire; and when it has boiled hard about five minutes, take out the lobster, and let the pickle boil by itself for a quarter of an hour. when the pickle and lobster are both cold, put them together into a broad flat stone jar. cover it closely, and set it away in a cool place. eat the pickled lobster with oil, mustard, and vinegar, and have bread and butter with it. directions for cooking meat. beef. general remarks. when beef is good, it will have a fine smooth open grain, and it will feel tender when squeezed or pinched in your fingers. the lean should be of a bright carnation red, and the fat white rather than yellow--the suet should be perfectly white. if the lean looks dark or purplish, and the fat very yellow, do not buy the meat. see that the butcher has properly jointed the meat before it goes home. for good tables, the pieces generally roasted are the sirloin and the fore and middle ribs. in genteel houses other parts are seldom served up as _roast-beef_. in small families the ribs are the most convenient pieces. a whole sirloin is too large, except for a numerous company, but it is the piece most esteemed. the best beef-steaks are those cut from the ribs, or from the inner part of the sirloin. all other pieces are, for this purpose, comparatively hard and tough. the round is generally corned or salted, and boiled. it is also used for the dish called beef à-la-mode. the legs make excellent soup; the head and tail are also used for that purpose. the tongue when fresh is never cooked except for mince-pies. corned or salted it is seldom liked, as in that state it has a faint sickly taste that few persons can relish. but when pickled and afterwards smoked (the only good way of preparing a tongue) it is highly and deservedly esteemed. the other pieces of the animal are generally salted and boiled. or when fresh they may be used for soup or stews, if not too fat. if the state of the weather will allow you to keep fresh beef two or three days, rub it with salt, and wrap it in a cloth. in summer do not attempt to keep it more than twenty-four hours; and not then unless you can conveniently lay it in ice, or in a spring-house. in winter if the beef is brought from market frozen, do not cook it that day unless you dine very late, as it will be impossible to get it sufficiently done--meat that has been frozen requiring double the usual time. to thaw it, lay it in cold water, which is the only way to extract the frost without injuring the meat. it should remain in the water three hours or more. to roast beef. the fire should be prepared at least half an hour before the beef is put down, and it should be large, steady, clear, and bright, with plenty of fine hot coals at the bottom. the best apparatus for the purpose is the well-known roaster frequently called a tin-kitchen. wash the meat in cold water, and then wipe it dry, and rub it with salt. take care not to run the spit through the best parts of it. it is customary with some cooks to tie blank paper over the fat, to prevent it from melting and wasting too fast. put it evenly into the roaster, and do not set it too near the fire, lest the outside of the meat should be burned before the inside is heated. put some nice beef-dripping or some lard into the pan or bottom of the roaster, and as soon as it melts begin to baste the beef with it; taking up the liquid with a long spoon, and pouring it over the meat so as to let it trickle down again into the pan. repeat this frequently while it is roasting; after a while you can baste it with its own fat. turn the spit often, so that the meat may be equally done on all sides. once or twice draw back the roaster, and improve the fire by clearing away the ashes, bringing forward the hot coals, and putting on fresh fuel at the back. should a coal fall into the dripping-pan take it out immediately. an allowance of about half an hour to each pound of meat is the time commonly given for roasting; but this rule, like most others, admits of exceptions according to circumstances. also, some persons like their meat very much done; others prefer it rare, as it is called. in summer, meat will roast in a shorter time than in winter. when the beef is nearly done, and the steam draws towards the fire, remove the paper that has covered the fat part, sprinkle on a little salt, and having basted the meat well with the dripping, pour off nicely (through the spout of the roaster) all the liquid fat from the top of the gravy. lastly, dredge the meat very lightly with a little flour, and baste it with fresh butter. this will give it a delicate froth. to the gravy that is now running from the meat add nothing but a tea-cup of boiling water. skim it, and send it to table in a boat. serve up with the beef in a small deep plate, scraped horseradish moistened with vinegar. fat meat requires more roasting than lean, and meat that has been frozen will take nearly double the usual time. basting the meat continually with flour and water is a bad practice, as it gives it a coddled par-boiled appearance, and diminishes the flavour. these directions for roasting beef will apply equally to mutton. pickles are generally eaten with roast beef. french mustard is an excellent condiment for it. in carving begin by cutting a slice from the side. to save beef-dripping. pour off through the spout of the roaster or tin-kitchen, all the fat from the top of the gravy, after you have done basting the meat with it. hold a little sieve under the spout, and strain the dripping through it into a pan. set it away in a cool place; and next day when it is cold and congealed, turn the cake of fat, and scrape with a knife the sediment from the bottom. put the dripping into a jar; cover it tightly, and set it away in the refrigerator, or in the coldest place you have. it will be found useful for frying, and for many other purposes. mutton-dripping cannot be used for any sort of cooking, as it communicates to every thing the taste of tallow. baked beef. this is a plain family dish, and is never provided for company. take a nice but not a fat piece of fresh beef. wash it, rub it with salt, and place it on a trivet in a deep block tin or iron pan. pour a little water into the bottom, and put under and round the trivet a sufficiency of pared potatoes, either white or sweet ones. put it into a hot oven, and let it bake till thoroughly done, basting it frequently with its own gravy. then transfer it to a hot dish, and serve up the potatoes in another. skim the gravy, and send it to table in a boat. or you may boil the potatoes, mash them with milk, and put them into the bottom of the pan about half an hour before the meat is done baking. press down the mashed potatoes hard with the back of a spoon, score them in cross lines over the top, and let them brown under the meat, serving them up laid round it. instead of potatoes, you may put in the bottom of the pan what is called a yorkshire pudding, to be baked under the meat. to make this pudding,--stir gradually four table-spoonfuls of flour into a pint of milk, adding a salt-spoon of salt. beat four eggs very light, and mix them gradually with the milk and flour. see that the batter is not lumpy. do not put the pudding under the meat at first, as if baked too long it will be hard and solid. after the meat has baked till the pan is quite hot and well greased with the drippings, you may put in the batter; having continued stirring it till the last moment. if the pudding is so spread over the pan as to be but an inch thick, it will require about two hours baking, and need not be turned. if it is thicker than an inch, you must (after it is brown on the top) loosen it in the pan, by inserting a knife beneath it, and having cut it across into four pieces, turn them all nicely that the other side may be equally done. but this pudding is lighter and better if laid so thin as not to require turning. when you serve up the beef lay the pieces of pudding round it, to be eaten with the meat. veal may be baked in this manner with potatoes or a pudding. also fresh pork. to boil corned or salted beef. the best piece is the round. you may either boil it whole, or divide it into two, or even three pieces if it is large, taking care that each piece shall have a portion of the fat. wash it well; and, if very salt, soak it in two waters. skewer it up tightly and in a good compact shape, wrapping the flap piece firmly round it. tie it round with broad strong tape, or with a strip of coarse linen. put it into a large pot, and cover it well with water. it will be found a convenience to lay it on a fish drainer. hang it over a moderate fire that it may heat gradually all through. carefully take off the scum as it rises, and when no more appears, keep the pot closely covered, and let it boil slowly and regularly, with the fire at an equal temperature. allow at least four hours to a piece weighing about twelve pounds, and from that to five or six hours in proportion to the size. turn the meat twice in the pot while it is boiling. put in some carrots and turnips about two hours after the meat. many persons boil cabbage in the same pot with the beef, but it is a much nicer way to do the greens in a separate vessel, lest they become saturated with the liquid fat. cauliflower or brocoli (which are frequent accompaniments to corned beef) should never be boiled with it. wash the cabbage in cold water, removing the outside leaves, and cutting the stalk close. examine all the leaves carefully, lest insects should be lodged among them. if the cabbage is large, divide it into quarters. put it into a pot of boiling water with a handful of salt, and boil it till the stalk is quite tender. half an hour will generally be sufficient for a small young cabbage; an hour for a large full-grown one drain it well before you dish it. if boiled separately from the meat, have ready some melted butter to eat with it. should you find the beef under-done, you may reboil it next day; putting it into boiling water and letting it simmer for half an hour or more, according to its size. cold corned beef will keep very well for some days wrapped in several folds of a thick linen cloth, and set away in a cool dry place. in carving a round of beef, slice it horizontally and very thin. do not help any one to the outside pieces, as they are generally too hard and salt. french mustard is very nice with corned beef.[d] this receipt will apply equally to any piece of corned beef, except that being less solid than the round, they will, in proportion to their weight, require rather less time to boil. in dishing the meat, remove the wooden skewers and substitute plated or silver ones. many persons think it best (and they are most probably right) to stew corned beef rather than to boil it. if you intend to stew it, put no more water in the pot than will barely cover the meat, and keep it gently simmering over a slow fire for four, five, or six hours, according to the size of the piece. footnotes: [d] french mustard is made of the very best mustard powder, diluted with tarragon vinegar mixed with an equal portion of sweet oil, adding a few drops of garlic vinegar. use a wooden spoon. to broil beef-steaks. the best beef steaks are those cut from the ribs or from the inside of the sirloin. all other parts are for this purpose comparatively hard and tough. they should be cut about three quarters of an inch thick, and, unless the beef is remarkably fine and tender, the steaks will be much improved by beating them on both sides with a steak mallet, or with a rolling-pin. do not season them till you take them from the fire. have ready on your hearth a fine bed of clear bright coals, entirely free from smoke and ashes. set the gridiron over the coals in a slanting direction, that the meat may not be smoked by the fat dropping into the fire directly under it. when the gridiron is quite hot, rub the bars with suet, sprinkle a little salt over the coals, and lay on the steaks. turn them frequently with a pair of steak-tongs, or with a knife and fork. a quarter of an hour is generally sufficient time to broil a beef-steak. for those who like them underdone or rare, ten or twelve minutes will be enough. when the fat blazes and smokes very much as it drips into the fire, quickly remove the gridiron for a moment, till the blaze has subsided. after they are browned, cover the upper side of the steaks with an inverted plate or dish to prevent the flavour from evaporating. rub a dish with a shalot, or small onion, and place it near the gridiron and close to the fire, that it may be well heated. in turning the steak drop the gravy that may be standing on it into this dish, to save it from being lost. when the steaks are done, sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper, and lay them in a hot dish, putting on each a piece of fresh butter. then, if it is liked, season them with a very little raw shalot, minced as finely as possible, and moistened with a spoonful of water; and stir a tea-spoonful of catchup into the gravy. send the steaks to table very hot, in a covered dish. you may serve up with them onion sauce in a small tureen. pickles are frequently eaten with beef-steaks. mutton chops may be broiled in the same manner. to fry beef-steaks. beef-steaks for frying should be cut thinner than for broiling. take them from the ribs or sirloin, and remove the bone. beat them to make them tender. season them with salt and pepper. put some fresh butter, or nice beef-dripping into a frying-pan, and hold it over a clear bright fire till it boils and has done hissing. then put in the steaks, and (if you like them) some sliced onions. fry them about a quarter of an hour, turning them frequently. steaks, when fried, should be thoroughly done. after they are browned, cover them with a large plate to keep in the juices. have ready a hot dish, and when they are done, take out the steaks and onions and lay them in it with another dish on the top, to keep them hot while you give the gravy in the pan another boil up over the fire. you may add to it a spoonful of mushroom catchup. pour the gravy over the steaks, and send them to table as hot as possible. mutton chops may be fried in this manner. beef-steak pudding. for a small pudding take a pound of fresh beef suet. clear it from the skin and the stringy fibres, and mince it as finely as possible. sift into a large pan two pounds of fine flour, and add the suet gradually, rubbing it fine with your hands and mixing it thoroughly. then pour in, by degrees, enough of cold water to make a stiff dough. roll it out into a large even sheet. have ready about a pound and a half of the best beef-steak, omitting the bone and fat which should be all cut off. divide the steak into small thin pieces, and beat them well to make them tender. season them with pepper and salt, and, if convenient, add some mushrooms. lay the beef in the middle of the sheet of paste, and put on the top a bit of butter rolled in flour. close the paste nicely over the meat as if you were making a large dumpling. dredge with flour a thick square cloth, and tie the pudding up in it, leaving space for it to swell. fasten the string very firmly, and stop up with flour the little gap at the tying-place so that no water can get in. have ready a large pot of boiling water. put the pudding into it, and let it boil fast three hours or more. keep up a good fire under it, as if it stops boiling a minute the crust will be heavy. have a kettle of boiling water at the fire to replenish the pot if it wastes too much. do not take up the pudding till the moment before it goes to table. mix some catchup with the gravy on your plate. for a large pudding you must have two pounds of suet, three pounds of flour, and two pounds and a half of meat. it must boil at least five hours. all the fat must be removed from the meat before it goes into the pudding, as the gravy cannot be skimmed when enclosed in the crust. you may boil in the pudding some potatoes cut into slices. a pudding of the lean of mutton chops may be made in the same manner; also of venison steaks. a beef-steak pie. make a good paste in the proportion of a pound of butter to two pounds of sifted flour. divide it in half, and line with one sheet of it the bottom and sides of a deep dish, which must first be well buttered. have ready two pounds of the best beef-steak, cut thin, and well beaten; the bone and fat being omitted. season it with pepper and salt. spread a layer of the steak at the bottom of the pie, and on it a layer of sliced potato, and a few small bits of butter rolled in flour. then another layer of meat, potato, &c., till the dish is full. you may greatly improve the flavour by adding mushrooms, or chopped clams or oysters, leaving out the hard parts. if you use clams or oysters, moisten the other ingredients with a little of their liquor. if not, pour in, at the last, half a pint of cold water, or less if the pie is small. cover the pie with the other sheet of paste as a lid, and notch the edges handsomely, having reserved a little of the paste to make a flower or tulip to stick in the slit at the top. bake it in a quick oven an hour and a quarter, or longer, in proportion to its size. send it to table hot. you may make a similar pie of mutton chops, or veal cutlets, or venison steaks, always leaving out the bone and fat. many persons in making pies stew the meat slowly in a little water till about half done, and they then put it with its gravy into the paste and finish by baking. in this case add no water to the pie, as there will be already sufficient liquid. if you half-stew the meat, do the potatoes with it. a-la-mode beef. take the bone out of a round of fresh beef, and beat the meat well all over to make it tender. chop and mix together equal quantities of sweet marjoram and sweet basil, the leaves picked from the stalks and rubbed fine. chop also some small onions or shalots, and some parsley; the marrow from the bone of the beef; and a quarter of a pound, or more of suet. add two penny rolls of stale bread grated; and pepper, mace, and nutmeg to your taste. mix all these ingredients well, and bind them together with the beaten yolks of four eggs. fill with this seasoning the place from whence you took out the bone; and rub what is left of it all over the outside of the meat. you must, of course, proportion the quantity of stuffing to the size of the round of beef. fasten it well with skewers, and tie it round firmly with a piece of tape, so as to keep it compact and in good shape. it is best to prepare the meat the day before it is to be cooked. cover the bottom of a stew-pan with slices of ham. lay the beef upon them, and cover the top of the meat with more slices of ham. place round it four large onions, four carrots, and four turnips, all cut in thick slices. pour in from half a pint to a pint of water, and if convenient, add two calves' feet cut in half. cover the pan closely, set it in an oven and let it bake for at least six hours; or seven or eight, according to the size. when it is thoroughly done, take out the beef and lay it on a dish with the vegetables round it. remove the bacon and calves' feet, and (having skimmed the fat from the gravy carefully) strain it into a small sauce-pan; set it on hot coals, and stir into it a teacup-full of port wine, and the same quantity of pickled mushrooms. let it just come to a boil, and then send it to table in a sauce-tureen. if the beef is to be eaten cold, you may ornament it as follows:--glaze it all over with beaten white of egg. then cover it with a coat of boiled potato grated finely. have ready some slices of cold boiled carrot, and also of beet-root. cut them into the form of stars or flowers, and arrange them handsomely over the top of the meat by sticking them on the grated potato. in the centre place a large bunch of double parsley, interspersed with flowers cut out of raw turnips, beets, and carrots, somewhat in imitation of white and red roses, and marygolds. fix the flowers on wooden skewers concealed with parsley. cold à-la-mode beef prepared in this manner will at a little distance look like a large iced cake decorated with sugar flowers. you may dress a fillet of veal according to this receipt. of course it will require less time to stew. to stew beef. take a good piece of fresh beef. it must not be too fat. wash it, rub it with salt, and put it into a pot with barely sufficient water to cover it. set it over a slow fire, and after it has stewed an hour, put in some potatoes pared and cut in half, and some parsnips, scraped and split. let them stew with the beef till quite tender. turn the meat several times in the pot. when all is done, serve up the meat and vegetables together, and the gravy in a boat, having first skimmed it. this is a good family dish. you may add turnips (pared and sliced) to the other vegetables. fresh pork may be stewed in this manner, or with sweet potatoes. to stew a round of beef. trim off some pieces from a round of fresh beef--take out the bone and break it. put the bone and the trimmings into a pan with some cold water, and add an onion, a carrot, and a turnip all cut in pieces, and a bunch of sweet herbs. simmer them for an hour, and having skimmed it well, strain off the liquid. season the meat highly with what is called kitchen pepper, that is, a mixture, in equal quantities, of black pepper, or of cayenne, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and nutmeg, all finely powdered. fasten it with skewers, and tie it firmly round with tape. lay skewers in the bottom of the stew-pan; place the beef upon them, and then pour over it the gravy you have prepared from the bone and trimmings. simmer it about an hour and a half, and then turn the meat over, and add to it three carrots, three turnips, and two onions all sliced, and a dozen tomatas sliced. keep the lid close, except when you are skimming off the fat. let the meat stew till it is thoroughly done and tender throughout. the time will depend on the size of the round. it may require from five or six to eight hours. just before you take it up, stir into the gravy a table-spoonful or two of mushroom catchup, a little made mustard, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. send it to table hot, with the gravy poured round it. another way to stew a round of beef. take a round of fresh beef (or the half of one if it is very large) and remove the bone. the day before you cook it, lay it in a pickle made of equal proportions of water and vinegar with salt to your taste. next morning take it out of the pickle, put it into a large pot or stew-pan, and just cover it with water. put in with it two or three large onions, a few cloves, a little whole black pepper, and a large glass of port or claret. if it is a whole round of beef allow two glasses of wine. stew it slowly for at least four hours or more, in proportion to its size. it must be thoroughly done, and tender all through. an hour before you send it to table take the meat out of the pot, and pour the gravy into a pan. put a large lump of butter into the pot, dredge the beef with flour, and return it to the pot to brown, turning it often to prevent its burning. or it will be better to put it into a dutch oven. cover the lid with hot coals, renewing them as they go out. take the gravy that you poured from the meat, and skim off all the fat. put it into a sauce-pan, and mix with it a little butter rolled in flour, and add some more cloves and wine. give it a boil up. if it is not well browned, burn some sugar on a hot shovel, and stir it in. if you like it stuffed, have ready when you take the meat out of the pickle, a force-meat of grated bread crumbs, sweet herbs, butter, spice, pepper and salt, and minced parsley, mixed with beaten yolk of egg. fill with this the opening from whence you took the bone, and bind a tape firmly round the meat. beef bouilli. take part of a round of fresh beef (or if you prefer it a piece of the flank or brisket) and rub it with salt. place skewers in the bottom of the stew-pot, and lay the meat upon them with barely water enough to cover it. to enrich the gravy you may add the necks and other trimmings of whatever poultry you may happen to have; also the root of tongue, if convenient. cover the pot, and set it over a quick fire. when it boils and the scum has risen, skim it well, and then diminish the fire so that the meat shall only simmer; or you may set the pot on hot coals. then put in four or five carrots sliced thin, a head of celery cut up, and four or five sliced turnips. add a bunch of sweet herbs, and a small table-spoonful of black peppercorns tied in a thin muslin rag. let it stew slowly for four or five hours, and then add a dozen very small onions roasted and peeled, and a large table-spoonful of capers or nasturtians. you may, if you choose, stick a clove in each onion. simmer it half an hour longer, then take up the meat, and place it in a dish, laying the vegetables round it. skim and strain the gravy; season it with catchup, and made mustard, and serve it up in a boat. mutton may be cooked in this manner. hashed beef. take some roast beef that has been rather under-done, and having cut off the fat and skin, put the trimmings with the bones broken up into a stew-pan with two large onions sliced, a few sliced potatoes, and a bunch of sweet herbs. add about a pint of warm water, or broth if you have it. this is to make the gravy. cover it closely, and let it simmer for about an hour. then skim and strain it, carefully removing every particle of fat. take another stew-pot, and melt in it a piece of butter, about the size of a large walnut. when it has melted, shake in a spoonful of flour. stir it a few minutes, and then add to it the strained gravy. let it come to a boil, and then put to it a table-spoonful of catchup, and the beef cut either in thin small slices or in mouthfuls. let it simmer from five to ten minutes, but do not allow it to boil, lest (having been cooked already) it should become tasteless and insipid. serve it up in a deep dish with thin slices of toast cut into triangular or pointed pieces, the crust omitted. dip the toast in the gravy, and lay the pieces in regular order round the sides of the dish. you may hash mutton or veal in the same manner, adding sliced carrots, turnips, potatoes, or any vegetables you please. tomatas are an improvement. to hash cold meat is an economical way of using it; but there is little or no nutriment in it after being twice cooked, and the natural flavour is much impaired by the process. hashed meat would always be much better if the slices were cut from the joint or large piece as soon as it leaves the table, and soaked in the gravy till next day. beef cakes. take some cold roast beef that has been under-done, and mince it very fine. mix with it grated bread crumbs, and a little chopped onion and parsley. season it with pepper and salt, and moisten it with some beef-dripping and a little walnut or onion pickle. some scraped cold tongue or ham will be found an improvement. make it into broad flat cakes, and spread a coat of mashed potato thinly on the top and bottom of each. lay a small bit of butter on the top of every cake, and set them in an oven to warm and brown. beef cakes are frequently a breakfast dish. any other cold fresh meat may be prepared in the same manner. cold roast beef may be cut into slices, seasoned with salt and pepper, broiled a few minutes over a clear fire, and served up hot with a little butter spread on them. to roast a beef's heart. cut open the heart, and (having removed the ventricles) soak it in cold water to free it from the blood. parboil it about ten minutes. prepare a force-meat of grated bread crumbs, butter or minced suet, sweet marjoram and parsley chopped fine, a little grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper, and salt to your taste, and some yolk of egg to bind the ingredients. stuff the heart with the force-meat, and secure the opening by tying a string around it. put it on a spit, and roast it till it is tender throughout. add to the gravy a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a glass of red wine. serve up the heart very hot in a covered dish. it chills immediately. eat currant jelly with it. boiled beef's heart is frequently used in mince pies. to stew a beef's heart. clean the heart, and cut it lengthways into large pieces. put them into a pot with a little salt and pepper, and cover them with cold water. parboil them for a quarter of an hour, carefully skimming off the blood that rises to the top. then take them out, cut them into mouthfuls, and having strained the liquid, return them to it, adding a head or two of chopped celery, a few sliced onions, a dozen potatoes pared and quartered, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. season with whole pepper, and a few cloves if you like. let it stew slowly till all the pieces of heart and the vegetables are quite tender. you may stew a beef's kidney in the same manner. the heart and liver of a calf make a good dish cooked as above. to dress beef kidney. having soaked a fresh kidney in cold water and dried it in a cloth, cut it into mouthfuls, and then mince it fine. dust it with flour. put some butter into a stew-pan over a moderate fire, and when it boils put in the minced kidney. when you have browned it in the butter, sprinkle on a little salt and cayenne pepper, and pour in a very little boiling water. add a glass of champagne or other wine, or a large tea-spoonful of mushroom catchup, or of walnut pickle. cover the pan closely, and let it stew till the kidney is tender. send it to table hot in a covered dish. it is eaten generally at breakfast. to boil tripe. wash it well in warm water, and trim it nicely, taking off all the fat. cut it into small pieces, and put it on to boil five hours before dinner, in water enough to cover it very well. after it has boiled four hours, pour off the water, season the tripe with pepper and salt, and put it into a pot with milk and water mixed in equal quantities. boil it an hour in the milk and water. boil in a sauce-pan ten or a dozen onions. when they are quite soft, drain them in a cullender, and mash them. wipe out your sauce-pan and put them on again, with a bit of butter rolled in flour, and a wine-glass of cream or milk. let them boil up, and add them to the tripe just before you send it to table. eat it with pepper, vinegar, and mustard. it is best to give tripe its first and longest boiling the day before it is wanted. tripe and oysters. having boiled the tripe in milk and water, for four or five hours till it is quite tender, cut it up into small pieces. put it into a stew-pan with just milk enough to cover it, and a few blades of mace. let it stew about five minutes, and then put in the oysters, adding a large piece of butter rolled in flour, and salt and cayenne pepper to your taste. let it stew five minutes longer, and then send it to table in a tureen; first skimming off whatever fat may float on the surface. to fry tripe. boil the tripe the day before, till it is quite tender, which it will not be in less than four or five hours. then cover it and set it away. next day cut it into long slips, and dip each piece into beaten yolk of egg, and afterwards roll them in grated bread crumbs. have ready in a frying-pan over the fire, some good beef-dripping. when it is boiling hot put in the tripe, and fry it about ten minutes, till of a light brown. you may serve it up with onion sauce. boiled tripe that has been left from the dinner of the preceding day may be fried in this manner. pepper pot. take four pounds of tripe, and four ox feet. put them into a large pot with as much water as will cover them, some whole pepper, and a little salt. hang them over the fire early in the morning. let them boil slowly, keeping thy pot closely covered. when the tripe is quite tender, and the ox feet boiled to pieces, take them out, and skim the liquid and strain it. then cut the tripe into small pieces; put it back into the pot, and pour the soup or liquor over it. have ready some sweet herbs chopped fine, some sliced onions, and some sliced potatoes. make some small dumplings with flour and butter. season the vegetables well with pepper and salt, and put them into the pot. have ready a kettle of boiling water, and pour on as much as will keep the ingredients covered while boiling, but take care not to weaken the taste by putting too much water. add a large piece of butter rolled in flour, and lastly put in the dumplings. let it boil till all the things are thoroughly done, and then serve it up in the tureen. to boil a smoked tongue. in buying dried tongues, choose those that are thick and plump, and that have the smoothest skins. they are the most likely to be young and tender. a smoked tongue should soak in cold water at least all night. one that is very hard and dry will require twenty-four hours' soaking. when you boil it put it into a pot full of cold water. set it over a slow fire that it may heat gradually for an hour before it comes to a boil. then keep it simmering from three and a half to four hours, according to its size and age. probe it with a fork, and do not take it up till it is tender throughout. send it to table with mashed potato laid round it, and garnish with parsley. do not split it in half when you dish it, as is the practice with some cooks. cutting it lengthways spoils the flavour, and renders it comparatively insipid. if you wish to serve up the tongue very handsomely, rub it with yolk of egg after you take it from the pot, and strew over it grated bread crumbs; baste it with butter, and set it before the fire till it becomes of a light brown. cover the root (which is always an unsightly object) with thick sprigs of double parsley; and (instead of mashed potato) lay slices of currant jelly all round the tongue. to boil a salted or pickled tongue. put it into boiling water, and let it boil three hours or more, according to its size. when you take it out peel and trim it, and send it to table surrounded with mashed potato, and garnished with sliced carrot. to corn beef. wash the beef well, after it has lain awhile in cold water. then drain and examine it, take out all the kernels, and rub it plentifully with salt. it will imbibe the salt more readily after being washed. in cold weather warm the salt by placing it before the fire. this will cause it to penetrate the meat more thoroughly. in summer do not attempt to corn any beef that has not been fresh killed, and even then it will not keep more than a day and a half or two days. wash and dry it, and rub a great deal of salt well into it. cover it carefully, and keep it in a cold dry cellar. pork is corned in the same manner. to pickle beef or tongues. the beef must be fresh killed, and of the best kind. you must wipe every piece well, to dry it from the blood and moisture. to fifty pounds of meat allow two pounds and a quarter of coarse salt, two pounds and a quarter of fine salt, one ounce and a half of saltpetre, two pounds of good brown sugar, and two quarts of molasses. mix all these ingredients well together, boil and skim it for about twenty minutes, and when no more scum rises, take it from the fire. have ready the beef in a large tub, or in a barrel; pour the brine gradually upon it with a ladle, and as it cools rub it well into every part of the meat. a molasses hogshead sawed in two is a good receptacle for pickled meat. cover it well with a thick cloth, and look at it frequently, skimming off whatever may float on the top, and basting the meat with the brine. in about a fortnight the beef will be fit for use. tongues may be put into the same cask with the beef, one or two at a time, as you procure them from the butcher. none of them will be ready for smoking in less than six weeks; but they had best remain in pickle seven or eight months. they should not be sent to the smoke-house later than march. if you do them at home, they will require three weeks' smoking over a wood fire. hang them with the root or large end upwards. when done, sew up each tongue tightly in coarse linen, and hang them up in a dark dry cellar. pickled tongues without smoking are seldom liked. the last of october is a good time for putting meat into pickle. if the weather is too warm or too cold, it will not take the salt well. in the course of the winter the pickle may probably require a second boiling with additional ingredients. half an ounce of pearl-ash added to the other articles will make the meat more tender, but many persons thinks it injures the taste. the meat must always be kept completely immersed in the brine. to effect this a heavy board should be laid upon it. dried or smoked beef. the best part for this purpose is the round, which you must desire the butcher to cut into four pieces. wash the meat and dry it well in a cloth. grind or beat to powder an equal quantity of cloves and mace, and having mixed them together, rub them well into the beef with your hand. the spice will be found a great improvement both to the taste and smell of the meat. have ready a pickle made precisely as that in the preceding article. boil and skim it, and (the meat having been thoroughly rubbed all over with the spice) pour on the pickle as before directed. keep the beef in the pickle at least six weeks, and then smoke it about three weeks. corn cobs make a good fire for smoking meat. smoked beef is brought on the tea-table either shaved into thin chips without cooking, or chipped and fried in a skillet with some butter and beaten egg. this receipt for dried or smoked beef will answer equally well for venison ham, which is also used as a relish at the tea-table. mutton hams may be prepared in the same way. potted beef. take a good piece of a round of beef, and cut off all the fat. rub the lean well with salt, and let it lie two days. then put it into a jar, and add to it a little water in the proportion of half a pint to three pounds of meat. cover the jar as closely as possible, (the best cover will be a coarse paste or dough) and set it in a slow oven, or in a vessel of boiling water for about four hours. then drain off all the gravy and set the meat before the fire that all the moisture may be drawn out. pull or cut it to pieces and pound it for a long time in a mortar with black pepper, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and oiled fresh butter, adding these ingredients gradually, and moistening it with a little of the gravy. you must pound it to a fine paste, or till it becomes of the consistence of cream cheese. put it into potting cans, and cover it an inch thick with fresh butter that has been melted, skimmed, and strained. tie a leather over each pot, and keep them closely covered. set them in a dry place. game and poultry may be potted in this manner. veal. general remarks. the fore-quarter of a calf comprises the neck, breast, and shoulder: the hind-quarter consists of the loin, fillet, and knuckle. separate dishes are made of the head, heart, liver, and sweetbread. the flesh of good veal is firm and dry, and the joints stiff. the lean is of a very light delicate red, and the fat quite white. in buying the head see that the eyes look full, plump, and lively; if they are dull and sunk the calf has been killed too long. in buying calves' feet for jelly or soup, endeavour to get those that have been singed only, and not skinned; as a great deal of gelatinous substance is contained in the skin. veal should always be thoroughly cooked, and never brought to table rare or under-done, like beef or mutton. the least redness in the meat or gravy is disgusting. veal suet may be used as a substitute for that of beef; also veal-dripping. to roast a loin of veal. the loin is the best part of the calf. it is always roasted. see that your fire is clear and hot, and broad enough to brown both ends. cover the fat of the kidney and the back with paper to prevent it from scorching. a large loin of veal will require _at least_ four hours and a half to roast it sufficiently. at first set the roaster at a tolerable distance from the fire that the meat may heat gradually in the beginning; afterwards place it nearer. put a little salt and water into the dripping-pan and baste the meat with it till the gravy begins to drop. then baste with the gravy. when the meat is nearly done, move it close to the fire, dredge it with a very little flour, and baste it with butter. skim the fat from the gravy, which should be thickened by shaking in a very small quantity of flour. put it into a small sauce-pan, and set it on hot coals. let it just come to a boil, and then send it to table in a boat. if the gravy is not in sufficient quantity, add to it about half a jill or a large wine-glass of boiling water. in carving a loin of veal help every one to a piece of the kidney as far as it will go. to roast a breast of veal. a breast of veal will require about three hours and a half to roast. in preparing it for the spit, cover it with the caul, and skewer the sweetbread to the back. take off the caul when the meat is nearly done. the breast, being comparatively tough and coarse, is less esteemed than the loin and the fillet. to roast a fillet of veal. take out the bone, and secure with skewers the fat flap to the outside of the meat. prepare a stuffing of fresh butter or suet minced fine, and an equal quantity of grated bread-crumbs, a large table-spoonful of grated lemon-peel, a table-spoonful of sweet marjoram chopped or rubbed to powder, a nutmeg grated, and a little pepper and salt, with a sprig of chopped parsley. mix all these ingredients with beaten yolk of egg, and stuff the place from whence the bone was taken. make deep cuts or incisions all over the top of the veal, and fill them with some of the stuffing. you may stick into each hole an inch of fat ham or bacon, cut very thin. having papered the fat, spit the veal and put it into the roaster, keeping it at first not too near the fire. put a little salt and water into the dripping-pan, and for awhile baste the meat with it. then baste it with its own gravy. a fillet of veal will require four hours roasting. as it proceeds, place it nearer to the fire. half an hour before it is done, remove the paper, and baste the meat with butter, having first dredged it very lightly with flour. having skimmed the gravy, mix some thin melted butter with it. if convenient, you may in making the stuffing, use a large proportion of chopped mushrooms that have been preserved in sweet oil, or of chopped pickled oysters. cold ham shred fine will improve it. you may stuff a fillet of veal entirely with sausage meat. to accompany a fillet of veal, the usual dish is boiled ham or bacon. a shoulder of veal may be stuffed and roasted in a similar manner. to stew a breast of veal. divide the breast into pieces according to the position of the bones. put them into a stew-pan with a few slices of ham, some whole pepper, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a sliced onion. add sufficient water to keep it from burning, and let it stew slowly till the meat is quite tender. then put to it a quart or more of green peas that have boiled twenty minutes in another pot, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. let all stew together a quarter of an hour longer. serve it up, with the veal in the middle, the peas round it, and the ham laid on the peas. you may stew a breast of veal with tomatas. to stew a fillet of veal. take a fillet of veal, wipe it well, and then with a sharp knife make deep incisions all over the surface, the bottom as well as the top and sides. make a stuffing of grated stale bread, butter, chopped sweet marjoram, grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper and salt, mixed up with beaten yolk of egg to bind and give it consistency. fill the holes or incisions with the stuffing, pressing it down well with your fingers. reserve some of the stuffing to rub all over the outside of the meat. have ready some very thin slices of cold boiled ham, the fatter the better. cover the veal with them, fastening them on with skewers. put it into a pot, and stew it slowly in a very little water, just enough to cover it. it will take at least five hours to stew; or more, in proportion to its size. when done, take off the ham, and lay it round the veal in a dish. you may stew with it a quart or three pints of young green peas, put in about an hour before dinner; add to them a little butter and pepper while they are stewing. serve them up in the dish with the veal, laying the slices of ham upon them. if you omit the ham, stew the veal entirely in lard. to stew a knuckle of veal. lay four wooden skewers across the bottom of your stew-pan, and place the meat upon them; having first carefully washed it, and rubbed it with salt. add a table-spoonful of whole pepper, the leaves from a bunch of sweet marjoram, a sprig of parsley leaves chopped, two onions peeled and sliced, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. pour in two quarts of water. cover it closely, and after it has come to a boil, lessen the fire, and let the meat only simmer for two hours or more. before you serve it up, pour the liquid over it. this dish will be greatly improved by stewing with it a few slices of ham, or the remains of a cold ham. veal when simply boiled is too insipid. to stew it is much better. veal cutlets. the best cutlets are those taken from the leg or fillet. cut them about half an inch thick, and as large as the palm of your hand. season them with pepper and salt. grate some stale bread, and rub it through a cullender, adding to it chopped sweet marjoram, grated lemon-peel, and some powdered mace or nutmeg. spread the mixture on a large flat dish. have ready in a pan some beaten egg. first dip each cutlet into the egg, and then into the seasoning on the dish, seeing that a sufficient quantity adheres to both sides of the meat. melt in your frying-pan, over a quick fire, some beef-dripping, lard, or fresh butter, and when it boils lay your cutlets in it, and fry them thoroughly; turning them on both sides, and taking care that they do not burn. place them in a covered dish near the fire, while you finish the gravy in the pan, by first skimming it, and then shaking in a little flour and stirring it round. pour the gravy hot round the cutlets, and garnish with little bunches of curled parsley. you may mix with the bread crumbs a little saffron. veal steaks. cut a neck of veal into thin steaks, and beat them to make them tender. for seasoning, mix together some finely chopped onion sprinkled with pepper and salt, and a little chopped parsley. add some butter, and put it with the parsley and onion into a small sauce-pan, and set it on hot coals to stew till brown. in the mean time, put the steaks on a hot gridiron (the bars of which have been rubbed with suet) and broil them well, over a bed of bright clear coals. when sufficiently done on one side turn them on the other. after the last turning, cover each steak with some of the seasoning from the sauce-pan, and let all broil together till thoroughly done. instead of the onions and parsley, you may season the veal steaks with chopped mushrooms, or with chopped oysters, browned in butter. have ready a gravy made of the scraps and trimmings of the veal, seasoned with pepper and salt, and boiled in a little hot water in the same sauce-pan in which the parsley and onions have been previously stewed. strain the gravy when it has boiled long enough, and flavour it with catchup. minced veal. take some cold veal, cut it into slices, and mince it very finely with a chopping-knife. season it to your taste with pepper, salt, sweet marjoram rubbed fine, grated lemon-peel and nutmeg. put the bones and trimmings into a sauce-pan with a little water, and simmer them over hot coals to extract the gravy from them. then put the minced veal into a stew-pan, strain the gravy over it, add a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a little milk or cream. let it all simmer together till thoroughly warmed, but do not allow it to boil lest the meat having been once cooked already, should become tasteless. when you serve it up, have ready some three-cornered pieces of bread toasted and buttered; place them all round the inside of the dish. or you may cover the mince with a thick layer of grated bread, moistened with a little butter, and browned on the top with a salamander, or a red hot shovel. veal patties. mince very fine a pound of the lean of cold roast veal, and half a pound of cold boiled ham, (fat and lean equally mixed.) put it into a stew-pan with three ounces of butter divided into bits and rolled in flour, a jill of cream, and a jill of veal gravy. season it to your taste with cayenne pepper and nutmeg, grated lemon-peel, and lemon-juice. set the pan on hot coals, and let the ingredients simmer till well warmed, stirring them well to prevent their burning. have, ready baked, some small shells of puff-paste. fill them with the mixture, and eat the patties either warm or cold. veal pie. take two pounds of veal cut from the loin, fillet, or the best end of the neck. remove the bone, fat, and skin, and put them into a sauce-pan with half a pint of water to stew for the gravy. make a good paste, allowing a pound of butter to two pounds of flour. divide it into two pieces, roll it out rather thick, and cover with one piece the sides and bottom of a deep dish. put in a layer of veal, seasoned with black pepper, then a layer of cold ham sliced thin, then more veal, more ham, and so on till the dish is full; interspersing the meat with yolks of eggs boiled hard. if you can procure some small button mushrooms they will be found an improvement. pour in, at the last, the gravy you have drawn from the trimmings, and put on the lid of the pie, notching the edge handsomely, and ornamenting the centre with a flower made of paste. bake the pie at least two hours and a half. you may make a very plain veal pie simply of veal chops, sliced onions, and potatoes pared and quartered. season with pepper and salt, and fill up the dish with water. calf's head drest plain. wash the head in warm water. then lay it in clean hot water and let it soak awhile. this will blanch it. take out the brains and the black part of the eyes. tie the head in a cloth, and put it into a large fish-kettle, with plenty of cold water, and add some salt to throw up the scum, which must be taken off as it rises. let the head boil gently about three hours. put eight or ten sage leaves, and as much parsley, into a small sauce-pan with a little water, and boil them half an hour. then chop them fine, and set them ready on a plate. wash the brains well in two warm waters, and then soak them for an hour in a basin of cold water with a little salt in it. remove the skin and strings, and then put the brains into a stew-pan with plenty of cold water, and let them boil gently for a quarter of an hour, skimming them well. take them out, chop them, and mix them with the sage and parsley leaves, two table-spoonfuls of melted butter, and the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, and pepper and salt to your taste. then put the mixture into a sauce-pan and set it on coals to warm. take up the head when it is sufficiently boiled, score it in diamonds, brush it all over with beaten egg, and strew it with a mixture of grated bread-crumbs, and chopped sage and parsley. stick a few bits of butter over it, and set it in a dutch oven to brown. serve it up with the brains laid round it. or you may send to table the brains and the tongue in a small separate dish, having first trimmed the tongue and cut off the roots. have also parsley-sauce in a boat. you may garnish with very thin small slices of broiled ham, curled up. if you get a calf's head with the hair on, sprinkle it all over with pounded rosin, and dip it into boiling water. this will make the hairs scrape off easily. calf's head hashed. take a calf's head and a set of feet, and boil them until tender, having first removed the brains. then cut the flesh off the head and feet in slices from the bone, and put both meat and bones into a stew-pan with a bunch of sweet herbs, some sliced onions, and pepper and salt to your taste; also a large piece of butter rolled in flour, and a little water. after it has stewed awhile slowly till the flavour is well extracted from the herbs and onions, take out the meat, season it a little with cayenne pepper, and lay it in a dish. strain the gravy in which it was stewed, and stir into it two glasses of madeira, and the juice and grated peel of a lemon. having poured some of the gravy over the meat, lay a piece of butter on the top, set it in an oven and bake it brown. in the mean time, having cleaned and washed the brains (skinning them and removing the strings) parboil them in a sauce-pan, and then make them into balls with chopped sweet herbs, grated bread-crumbs, grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, and beaten yolk of egg. fry them in lard and butter mixed; and send them to table laid round the meat (which should have the tongue placed on the top) and garnish with sliced lemon. warm the remaining gravy in a small sauce-pan on hot coals, and stir into it the beaten yolk of an egg a minute before you take it from the fire. send it to table in a boat. chitterlings or calf's tripe. see that the chitterlings are very nice and white. wash them, cut them into pieces, and put them into a stew-pan with pepper and salt to your taste, and about two quarts of water. boil them two hours or more. in the mean time, peel eight or ten white onions, and throw them whole into a sauce-pan with plenty of water. boil them slowly till quite soft; then drain them in a cullender, and mash them. wipe out your sauce-pan, and put in the mashed onions with a piece of butter, two table-spoonfuls of cream or rich milk, some nutmeg, and a very little salt. sprinkle in a little flour, set the pan on hot coals (keeping it well covered) and give it one boil up. when the chitterlings are quite tender all through, take them up and drain them. place in the bottom of a dish a slice or two of buttered toast with all the crust cut off. lay the chitterlings on the toast, and send them to table with the stewed onions in a sauce-boat. when you take the chitterlings on your plate season them with pepper and vinegar. this, if properly prepared, is a very nice dish. to fry calf's feet. having first boiled them till tender, cut them in two, and (having taken out the large bones) season the feet with pepper and salt, and dredge them well with flour. strew some chopped parsley or sweet marjoram over them, and fry them of a light brown in lard or butter. serve them up with parsley-sauce. to fry calf's liver. cut the liver into thin slices. season it with pepper, salt, chopped sweet herbs, and parsley. dredge it with flour, and fry it brown in lard or dripping. see that it is thoroughly done before you send it to table. serve it up with its own gravy. some slices of cold boiled ham fried with it will be found an improvement. if you use ham, add no salt. you may dress a calf's heart in the same manner. larded calf's liver. take a calf's liver and wash it well. cut into long slips the fat of some bacon or old ham, and insert it all through the surface of the liver by means of a larding-pin. put the liver into a pot with a table-spoonful of lard, a few sliced tomatas, or some tomata catchup; adding one large or two small onions minced fine, and some sweet marjoram leaves rubbed very fine. the sweet marjoram will crumble more easily if you first dry it before the fire on a plate. having put in all these ingredients, set the pot on hot coals in the corner of the fire-place, and keep it stewing, regularly and slowly, for four hours. send the liver to table with the gravy round it. to roast sweet-breads. take four fine sweet-breads, and having trimmed them nicely, parboil them, and then lay them in a pan of cold water till they become cool. afterwards dry them in a cloth. put some butter into a sauce-pan, set it on hot coals, and melt and skim it. when it is quite clear, take it off. have ready some beaten egg in one dish, and some grated bread-crumbs in another. skewer each sweet-bread, and fasten them on a spit. then glaze them all over with egg, and sprinkle them with bread-crumbs. spread on some of the clarified butter, and then another coat of crumbs. roast them before a clear fire, at least a quarter of an hour. have ready some nice veal gravy flavoured with lemon-juice, and pour it round the sweet-breads before you send them to table. larded sweet-breads. parboil four or five of the largest sweet-breads you can get. this should be done as soon as they are brought in, as few things spoil more rapidly if not cooked at once. when half boiled, lay them in cold water. prepare a force-meat of grated bread, lemon-peel, butter, cayenne, and nutmeg mixed with beaten yolk of egg. cut open the sweet-breads and stuff them with it, fastening them afterwards with a skewer, or tying them round with packthread. have ready some slips of bacon-fat, and some slips of lemon-peel cut about the thickness of very small straws. lard the sweet-breads with them in alternate rows of bacon and lemon-peel, drawing them through with a larding-needle. do it regularly and handsomely. then put the sweet-breads into a dutch oven, and bake them brown. serve them up with veal gravy flavoured with a glass of madeira, and enriched with beaten yolk of egg stirred in at the last. marbled veal. having boiled and skinned two fine smoked tongues, cut them to pieces and pound them to a paste in a mortar, moistening them with plenty of butter as you proceed. have ready an equal quantity of the lean of veal stewed and cut into very small pieces. pound the veal also in a mortar, adding butter to it by degrees. the tongue and veal must be kept separate till both have been pounded. then fill your potting cans with lumps of the veal and tongue, pressed down hard, and so placed, that when cut, the mixture will look variegated or marbled. close the cans with veal; again press it down very hard, and finish by pouring on clarified butter. cover the cans closely, and keep them in a dry place. it may be eaten at tea or supper. send it to table cut in slices. you may use it for sandwiches. to clarify butter, cut it up, melt it in a sauce-pan over the fire, and skim it well. mutton and lamb. general remarks. the fore-quarter of a sheep contains the neck, breast, and shoulder; and the hind-quarter the loin and leg. the two loins together are called the chine or saddle. the flesh of good mutton is of a bright red, and a close grain, and the fat firm and quite white. the meat will feel tender and springy when you squeeze it with your fingers. the vein in the neck of the fore-quarter should be of a fine blue. lamb is always roasted; generally a whole quarter at once. in carving lamb, the first thing done is to separate the shoulder from the breast, or the leg from the loin. if the weather is cold enough to allow it, mutton is more tender after being kept a few days. to roast mutton. mutton should be roasted with a quick brisk fire. every part should be trimmed off that cannot be eaten. wash the meat well. the skin should be taken off and skewered on again before the meat is put on the spit; this will make it more juicy. otherwise tie paper over the fat, having soaked the twine in water to prevent the string from burning. put a little salt and water into the dripping-pan, to baste the meat at first, then use its own gravy for that purpose. a quarter of an hour before you think it will be done, take off the skin or paper, dredge the meat very lightly with flour, and baste it with butter. skim the gravy and send it to table in a boat. a leg of mutton will require from two hours roasting to two hours and a half in proportion to its size. a chine or saddle, from two hours and a half, to three hours. a shoulder, from an hour and a half, to two hours. a loin, from an hour and three quarters, to two hours. a haunch (that is a leg with part of the loin) cannot be well roasted in less than four hours. always have some currant jelly on the table to eat with roast mutton. it should also be accompanied by mashed turnips. slices cut from a cold leg of mutton that has been under-done, are very nice broiled or warmed on a gridiron, and sent to the breakfast table covered with currant jelly. pickles are always eaten with mutton. in preparing a leg of mutton for roasting, you may make deep incisions in it, and stuff them with chopped oysters, or with a force-meat made in the usual manner; or with chestnuts parboiled and peeled. the gravy will be improved by stirring into it a glass of port wine. to boil mutton. to prepare a leg of mutton for boiling, wash it clean, cut a small piece off the shank bone, and trim the knuckle. put it into a pot with water enough to cover it, and boil it gently for three hours, skimming it well. then take it from the fire, and keeping the pot well covered, let it finish by remaining in the steam for ten or fifteen minutes. serve it up with a sauce-boat of melted butter into which a tea-cup full of capers or nasturtians have been stirred. have mashed turnips to eat with it. a few small onions boiled in the water with the mutton are thought by some to improve the flavour of the meat. it is much better when sufficient time is allowed to boil or simmer it slowly; for instance, four hours. a neck or a loin of mutton will require also about three hours slow boiling. these pieces should on no account be sent to table the least under-done. serve up with them carrots and whole turnips. you may add a dish of suet dumplings to eat with the meat, made of finely chopped suet mixed with double its quantity of flour, and a little cold water. mutton chops. take chops or steaks from a loin of mutton, cut off the bone close to the meat, and trim off the skin, and part of the fat. beat them to make them tender, and season them with pepper and salt. make your gridiron hot over a bed of clear bright coals; rub the bars with suet, and lay on the chops. turn them frequently; and if the fat that falls from them causes a blaze and smoke, remove the gridiron for a moment till it is over. when they are thoroughly done, put them into a warm dish and butter them. keep them covered till a moment before they are to be eaten. when the chops have been turned for the last time, you may strew over them some finely minced onion moistened with boiling water, and seasoned with pepper. some like them flavoured with mushroom catchup. another way of dressing mutton chops is, after trimming them nicely and seasoning them with pepper and salt, to lay them for awhile in melted butter. when they have imbibed a sufficient quantity, take them out, and cover them all over with grated bread-crumbs. broil them over a clear fire, and see that the bread does not burn. cutlets Ã� la maintenon. cut a neck of mutton into steaks with a bone in each; trim them nicely, and scrape clean the end of the bone. flatten them with a rolling pin, or a meat beetle, and lay them in oiled butter. make a seasoning of hard-boiled yolk of egg and sweet-herbs minced small, grated bread, pepper, salt, and nutmeg; and, if you choose, a little minced onion. take the chops out of the butter, and cover them with the seasoning. butter some half sheets of white paper, and put the cutlets into them, so as to be entirely covered, securing the paper with pins or strings; and twisting them nicely round the bone. heat your gridiron over some bright lively coals. lay the cutlets on it, and broil them about twenty minutes. the custom of sending them to table in the papers had best be omitted, as (unless managed by a french cook) these envelopes, after being on the gridiron, make a very bad appearance. serve them up hot, with mushroom sauce in a boat, or with a brown gravy, flavoured with red wine. you may make the gravy of the bones and trimmings, stewed in a little water, skimmed well, and strained when sufficiently stewed. thicken it with flour browned in a dutch oven, and add a glass of red wine. you may bake these cutlets in a dutch oven without the papers. moisten them frequently with a little oiled butter. stewed mutton chops. cut a loin or neck of mutton into chops, and trim away the fat and bones. beat and flatten them. season them with pepper and salt, and put them into a stew-pan with barely sufficient water to cover them, and some sliced carrots, turnips, onions, potatoes, and a bunch of sweet herbs, or a few tomatas. let the whole stew slowly about three hours, or till every thing is tender. keep the pan closely covered, except when you are skimming it. send it to table with sippets or three-cornered pieces of toasted bread, laid all round the dish. hashed mutton. cut into small pieces the lean of some cold mutton that has been underdone, and season it with pepper and salt. take the bones and other trimmings, put them into a sauce-pan with as much water as will cover them, and some sliced onions, and let them stew till you have drawn from them a good gravy. having skimmed it well, strain the gravy into a stew-pan, and put the mutton into it. have ready-boiled some carrots, turnips, potatoes and onions. slice them, and add them to the meat and gravy. set the pan on hot coals, and let it simmer till the meat is warmed through, but do not allow it to boil, as it has been once cooked already. cover the bottom of a dish with slices of buttered toast. lay the meat and vegetables upon it, and pour over them the gravy. tomatas will be found an improvement. if green peas, or lima beans are in season, you may boil them, and put them to the hashed mutton; leaving out the other vegetables, or serving them up separately. a casserole of mutton. butter a deep dish or mould, and line it with potatoes mashed with milk or butter, and seasoned with pepper and salt. fill it with slices of the lean of cold mutton, or lamb, seasoned also. cover the whole with more mashed potatoes. put it into an oven, and bake it till the meat is thoroughly warmed, and the potatoes brown. then carefully turn it out on a large dish; or you may, if more convenient, send it to table in the dish it was baked in. mutton harico. take a neck of mutton, cut it into chops, and fry them brown. then put them into a stew-pan with a bunch of sweet herbs, two or three cloves, a little mace, and pepper and salt to your taste. cover them with boiling water, and let them stew slowly for about an hour. then cut some carrots and turnips into dice; slice some onions, and cut up a head of celery; put them all into the stew-pan, and keep it closely covered except when you are skimming off the fat. let the whole stew gently for an hour longer, and then send it to table in a deep dish, with the gravy about it. you may make a similar harico of veal steaks, or of beef cut very thin. stewed leg of mutton take a leg of mutton and trim it nicely. put it into a pot with three pints of water; or with two pints of water and one quart of gravy drawn from bones, trimmings, and coarse pieces of meat. add some slices of carrots, and a little salt. stew it slowly three hours. then put in small onions, small turnips, tomatas or tomata catchup, and shred or powdered sweet marjoram to your taste, and let it stew three hours longer. a large leg will require from first to last from six hours and a half to seven hours stewing. but though it must be tender and well done all through, do not allow it to stew to rags. serve it up with the vegetables and gravy round it. have mashed potatoes in another dish. to roast lamb. the best way of cooking lamb is to roast it; when drest otherwise it is insipid, and not so good as mutton. a hind-quarter of eight pounds will be done in about two hours; a fore-quarter of ten pounds, in two hours and a half; a leg of five pounds will take from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half; a loin about an hour and a half. lamb, like veal and pork, is not eatable unless thoroughly done; no one preferring it rare, as is frequently the case with beef and mutton. wash the meat, wipe it dry, spit it, and cover the fat with paper. place it before a clear brisk fire. baste it at first with a little salt and water, and then with its own drippings. remove the paper when the meat is nearly done, and dredge the lamb with a little flour. afterwards baste it with butter. do not take it off the spit till you see it drop white gravy. prepare some mint-sauce by stripping from the stalks the leaves of young green mint, mincing them very fine, and mixing them with vinegar and sugar. there must be just sufficient vinegar to moisten the mint, but not enough to make the sauce liquid. send it to table in a boat, and the gravy in another boat. garnish with sliced lemon. in carving a quarter of lamb, separate the shoulder from the breast, or the leg from the ribs, sprinkle a little salt and pepper, and squeeze on some lemon juice. it should be accompanied by asparagus, green peas, and lettuce. mutton hams. take large fine legs of mutton freshly killed, and wipe them dry with a clean towel. allow to each ham half a pound of salt, and an ounce of saltpetre, and half a pound of brown sugar, all mixed together, slightly heated over the fire, and then well rubbed into the meat. put the hams into a salting-tub, and keep them there two or three days, turning and rubbing them frequently. then make a mixture, (allowing to each ham half a pound more of brown sugar, the same of salt, and an ounce of saltpetre, pounded fine, with an ounce of black pepper, and an ounce of cloves,) and heat this mixture a few minutes. take the hams out of the tub, wipe them dry, and then rub into them this second mixture. clean the salting-tub, and return the hams to it. cover them, and let them lie for a fortnight, turning them several times, and basting them with the liquid. then smoke them a fortnight, using for the fire green birch, oak, hickory, or corn-cobs. sow them up in new cloths and white-wash the outside of the covers. pork, ham, &c. general remarks. in cutting up pork, you have the spare-rib, shoulder, griskin or chine, the loin, middlings and leg; the head, feet, heart and liver. on the spare-rib and chine there is but little meat, and the pieces called middlings consist almost entirely of fat. the best parts are the loin, and the leg or hind quarter. hogs make the best pork when from two and a half to four years old. they should be kept up and fed with corn at least six weeks before they are killed, or their flesh will acquire a disagreeable taste from the trash and offal which they eat when running at large. the portuguese pork, which is fed on chestnuts, is perhaps the finest in the world. if the meat is young, the lean will break on being pinched, and the skin will dent by nipping it with the fingers; the fat will be white, soft, and pulpy. if the skin or rind is rough, and cannot be nipped, it is old. hams that have short shank-bones, are generally preferred. if you put a knife under the bone of a ham, and it comes out clean, the meat is good; but quite the contrary if the knife appears smeared and slimy. in good bacon the fat is white, and the lean sticks close to the bone; if it is streaked with yellow, the meat is rusty, and unfit to eat. pork in every form should be thoroughly cooked. if the least under-done, it is distrusting and unwholesome. to roast a pig. begin your preparations by making the stuffing. take a sufficient quantity of grated stale bread, and mix it with sage and sweet marjoram rubbed fine or powdered; also some grated lemon-peel. season it with pepper, salt, powdered nutmeg and mace; mix in butter enough to moisten it, and some beaten yolk of egg to bind it. let the whole be very well incorporated. the pig should be newly killed, (that morning if possible,) nicely cleaned, fat, and not too large. wash it well in cold water, and cut off the feet close to the joints, leaving some skin all round to fold over the ends. take out the liver and heart, and reserve them, with the feet, to make the gravy. truss back the legs. fill the body with the stuffing (it must be quite full) and then sew it up, or tie it round with a buttered twine. put the pig on the spit, and place it before a clear brisk fire, but not too near lest it scorch. the fire should be largest at the ends, that the middle of the pig may not be done before the extremities. if you find the heat too great in the centre, you may diminish it by placing a flat-iron before the fire. when you first put it down, wash the pig all over with salt and water; afterwards rub it frequently with a feather dipped in sweet oil, or with fresh butter tied in a rag. if you baste it with any thing else, or with its own dripping, the skin will not be crisp. take care not to blister or burn the outside by keeping it too near the fire. a good sized pig will require at least three hours' roasting. unless a pig is very small it is seldom sent to table whole. take the spit from the fire, and place it across a large dish: then, having cut off the head with a sharp knife, and cut down the back, slip the spit out. lay the two halves of the body close together in the dish, and place half the head on each side. garnish with sliced lemon. for the gravy,--take that from the dripping-pan and skim it well. having boiled the heart, liver, and feet, with some minced sage in a very little water, cut the meat from the feet, and chop it. chop also the liver and heart. put all into a small sauce-pan, adding a little of the water that they were boiled in, and some bits of butter rolled in flour. flavour it with a glass of madeira, and some grated nutmeg. give it a boil up, and send it to table in a gravy-boat. you may serve up with the pig, apple-sauce, cranberry-sauce, or bread-sauce in a small tureen; or currant jelly. if you bake the pig instead of roasting it, rub it from time to time with fresh butter tied in a rag. to roast a leg of pork. take a sharp knife and score the skin across in narrow stripes (you may cross it again so as to form diamonds) and rub in some powdered sage. raise the skin at the knuckle, and put in a stuffing of minced onion and sage, bread-crumbs, pepper, salt, and beaten yolk of egg. fasten it down with a buttered string, or with skewers. you may make deep incisions in the meat of the large end of the leg, and stuff them also; pressing in the filling very hard. rub a little sweet oil all over the skin with a brush or a goose-feather, to make it crisp and of a handsome brown. do not place the spit too near the fire, lest the skin should burn and blister. a leg of pork will require from three to four hours to roast. moisten it all the time by brushing it with sweet oil, or with fresh butter tied in a rag. to baste it with its own dripping will make the skin tough and hard. skim the fat carefully from the gravy, which should be thickened with a little flour. a roast leg of pork should always be accompanied by apple-sauce, and by mashed potato and mashed turnips. to roast a loin of pork. score the skin in narrow strips, and rub it all over with a mixture of powdered sage-leaves, pepper and salt. have ready a force-meat or stuffing of sage and marjoram, mixed with a little grated bread and beaten yolk of egg, and seasoned with pepper and salt. make deep incisions between the ribs and fill them with this stuffing. put it on the spit before a clear fire and moisten it with butter or sweet oil, rubbed lightly over it. it will require three hours to roast. having skimmed the gravy well, thicken it with a little flour, and serve it up in a boat. have ready some apple-sauce to eat with the pork. also mashed turnips and mashed potatoes. you may roast in the same manner, a shoulder, spare-rib, or chine of pork; seasoning it with sage and marjoram. to roast a middling or spring piece of pork. make a force-meat of grated bread, and minced onion and sage, pepper, salt, and beaten yolk of egg; mix it well, and spread it all over the inside of the pork. then roll up the meat, and with a sharp knife score it round in circles, rubbing powdered sage into the cuts. tie a buttered twine round the roll of meat so as to keep it together in every direction. put a hook through one end, and roast the pork before a clear brisk fire, moistening the skin occasionally with butter. or you may bake it in a dutch oven. it is a good side dish. thicken the gravy with a little flour, and flavour it with a glass of wine. have currant jelly to eat with it. it should be delicate young pork. to stew pork. take a nice piece of the fillet or leg of fresh pork; rub it with a little salt, and score the skin. put it into a pot with sufficient water to cover it, and stew it gently for two hours or more, in proportion to its size. then put into the same pot a dozen or more sweet potatoes, scraped, split, and cut in pieces. let the whole stew gently together for an hour and a half, or till all is thoroughly done, skimming it frequently. serve up all together in a large dish. this stew will be found very good. for sweet potatoes you may substitute white ones mixed with sliced turnips, or parsnips scraped and split. to boil corned pork. take a nice piece of fresh pork, (the leg is the best,) rub it with salt, and let it lie in the salt two days. boil it slowly in plenty of water, skimming it well. when the meat is about half done, you may put into the same pot a fine cabbage, washed clean and quartered. the pork and the cabbage should be thoroughly done, and tender throughout. send them to table in separate dishes, having drained and squeezed all the water out of the cabbage. take off the skin of the pork, and touch the outside at intervals with spots of cayenne pepper. eat mustard with it. pork is never boiled unless corned or salted. pickled pork and pease pudding. soak the pork all night in cold water, and wash and scrape it clean. put it on early in the day, as it will take a long time to boil, and must boil slowly. skim it frequently. boil in a separate pot greens or cabbage to eat with it; also parsnips and potatoes. pease pudding is a frequent accompaniment to pickled pork, and is very generally liked. to make a small pudding, you must have ready a quart of dried split pease, which have been soaked all night in cold water. tie them in a cloth, (leaving room for them to swell,) and boil them slowly till they are tender. drain them, and rub them through a cullender or a sieve into a deep dish; season them with pepper and salt, and mix with them an ounce of butter, and two beaten eggs. beat all well together till thoroughly mixed. dip a clean cloth in hot water, sprinkle it with flour, and put the pudding into it. tie it up very tightly, leaving a small space between the mixture and the tying, (as the pudding will still swell a little,) and boil it an hour longer. send it to table and eat it with the pork. you may make a pease pudding in a plain and less delicate way, by simply seasoning the pease with black pepper, (having first soaked them well,) tying them in a cloth, and putting them to boil in the same pot with the pork, taking care to make the string very tight, so that the water may not get in. when all is done, and you turn out the pudding, cut it into thick slices and lay it round the pork. pickled pork is frequently accompanied by dried beans and hominy. pork and beans. allow two pounds of pickled pork to two quarts of dried beans. soak the meat all night in a pan of cold water. put the beans into a pot with cold water, and let them hang all night over the embers of the fire, or set them in the chimney corner, that they may warm as well as soak. early in the morning rinse them through a cullender. having scored the rind of the pork, (which should not be a very fat piece,) put it into a pot with cold water, and boil it till tender, carefully skimming off the liquid fat. _in another pot_ boil the beans till they have all bursted. when soft, take them up; lay the pork in a tin pan; and cover it with the beans, adding a very little water. then bake them in an oven till brown, but not longer. this is a homely dish, but is by many persons much liked. it is customary to bring it to table in the pan in which it is baked. the chine is the proper piece for this purpose. pork steaks. pork steaks or chops should be taken from the neck, or the loin. cut them about half an inch thick, remove the skin, trim them neatly, and beat them. season them with pepper, salt, and powdered sage-leaves or sweet marjoram, and broil them over a clear fire till quite done all through, turning them once. they require much longer broiling than beef-steaks or mutton chops. when you think they are nearly done, take up one on a plate and try it. if it is the least red inside, return it to the gridiron. have ready a gravy made of the trimmings, or any coarse pieces of pork stewed in a little water with chopped onions and sage, and skimmed carefully. when all the essence is extracted, take out the bits of meat, &c. and serve up the gravy in a boat to eat with the steaks. they should be accompanied with apple-sauce. pork cutlets. cut them from the leg, and remove the skin; trim them and beat them, and sprinkle on salt and pepper. prepare some beaten egg in a pan; and on a flat dish a mixture of bread-crumbs, minced onion, and sage. put some lard or drippings into a frying-pan over the fire; and when it boils, put in the cutlets; having dipped every one first in the egg, and then in the seasoning. fry them twenty or thirty minutes, turning them often. after you have taken them out of the frying-pan, skim the gravy, dredge in a little flour, give it one boil, and then pour it on the dish round the cutlets. have apple-sauce to eat with them. pork cutlets prepared in this manner may be stewed instead of being fried. add to them a little water, and stew them slowly till thoroughly done, keeping them closely covered, except when you remove the lid to skim them. pork pie. take the lean of a leg or loin of fresh pork, and season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg. cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with a good paste, made with a pound of butter to two pounds of flour, and rolled out thick. put in a layer of pork, and then a layer of pippin apples, pared, cored, and cut small. strew over the apples sufficient sugar to make them very sweet. then place another layer of pork, and so on till the dish is full. pour in half a pint or more of sweet cider. cover the pie with a thick lid of paste, and notch and ornament it according to your taste. set it in a brisk oven, and bake it well. ham pie. cover the sides and bottom of a dish with a good paste rolled out thick. have ready some slices of cold boiled ham, about half an inch thick, some eggs boiled hard and sliced, and a large young fowl cleaned and cut up. put a layer of ham at the bottom, then the fowl, then the eggs, and then another layer of ham. shake on some pepper, and pour in some water, or what will be much better, some veal gravy. cover the pie with a crust, notch and ornament it, and bake it well. some mushrooms will greatly improve it. small button mushrooms will keep very well in a bottle of sweet oil--first peeling the skin, and cutting off the stalks. ham sandwiches. cut some thin slices of bread very neatly, having slightly buttered them; and, if you choose, spread on a very little mustard. have ready some very thin slices of cold boiled ham, and lay one between two slices of bread. you may either roll them up, or lay them flat on the plates. they are used at supper, or at luncheon. you may substitute for the ham, cold smoked tongue, shred or grated. broiled ham. cut the ham into very thin slices, (the thinner the better.) soak them in hot water at least half an hour, (a whole hour is better,) to draw out some of the salt; changing the water several times, and always pouring it on scalding hot. this process will not only extract the superfluous salt (which would otherwise ooze out in broiling and remain sticking about the surface of the meat) but it makes the ham more tender and mellow. after soaking, dry the slices in a cloth, and then heat your gridiron, and broil them over a clear fire. if you have cold boiled ham, it is better for broiling than that which is raw; and being boiled, will require no soaking before you put it on the gridiron. if you wish to serve up eggs with the ham, put some lard into a very clean frying-pan, and make it boiling hot. break the eggs separately into a saucer, that in case a bad one should be among them it may not mix with the rest. slip each egg gently into the frying-pan. do not turn them while they are frying, but keep pouring some of the hot lard over them with an iron spoon; this will do them sufficiently on the upper side. they will be done enough in about three minutes; the white must retain its transparency so that the yolk will be seen through it. when done, take them up with a tin slice, drain off the lard, and if any part of the white is discoloured or ragged, trim it off. lay a fried egg upon each slice of the broiled ham, and send them to table hot. this is a much nicer way than the common practice of frying the ham or bacon with the eggs. some persons broil or fry the ham without eggs, and send it to table cut into little slips or mouthfuls. to curl small pieces of ham for garnishing, slice as thin as possible some that has been boiled or parboiled. the pieces should be about two inches square. roll it up round little wooden skewers, and put it into a cheese toaster, or into a tin oven, and set it before the fire for eight or ten minutes. when it is done, slip out the skewers. to boil a ham. hams should always be soaked in water previous to boiling, to draw out a portion of the salt, and to make them tender. they will soften more easily if soaked in lukewarm water. if it is a new ham, and not very salt or hard, you need not put it in water till the evening before you intend to cook it. an older one will require twenty-four hours' soaking; and one that is very old and hard should be kept in soak two or three days, frequently changing the water, which must be soft. soak it in a tub, and keep it well covered. when you take it out of the water to prepare it for boiling, scrape and trim it nicely, and pare off all the rough-looking parts. early in the morning put it into a large pot or kettle with plenty of cold water. place it over a slow fire that it may heat gradually; it should not come to a boil in less than an hour and a half, or two hours. when it boils, quicken the fire, and skim the pot carefully. then simmer it gently four or five hours or more, according to its size. a ham weighing fifteen pounds should simmer five hours after it has come to a boil. keep the pot well skimmed. when it is done, take it up, carefully strip off the skin, and reserve it to cover the ham when it is put away cold. rub the ham all over with some beaten egg, and strew on it fine bread-raspings shaken through the lid of a dredging box. then place it in an oven to brown and crisp, or on a hot dish set over the pot before the fire. cut some writing paper into a handsome fringe, and twist it round the shank-bone before you send the ham to table. garnish the edge of the dish with little piles or spots of rasped crust of bread. in carving a ham, begin not quite in the centre, but a little nearer to the hock. cut the slices very thin. it is not only a most ungenteel practice to cut ham in thick slices, but it much impairs the flavour. when you put it away after dinner, skewer on again the skin. this will make it keep the better. ham should always be accompanied by green vegetables, such as asparagus, peas, beans, spinach, cauliflower, brocoli, &c. bacon also should be well soaked before it is cooked; and it should be boiled very slowly, and for a long time. the greens may be boiled with the meat. take care to skim the pot carefully, and to drain and squeeze the greens very well before you send them to table. if there are yellow streaks in the lean of the bacon, it is rusty, and unfit to eat. to roast a ham. take a very fine ham (a westphalia one if you can procure it) and soak it in lukewarm water for a day or two, changing the water frequently. the day before you intend cooking it, take the ham out of the water, and (having removed the skin) trim it nicely, and pour over it a bottle of madeira or sherry. let it steep till next morning; frequently during the day washing the wine over it. put it on the spit in time to allow at least six hours for slowly roasting it. baste it continually with hot water. when it is done, dredge it all over with fine bread-raspings shaken on through the top of the dredging box; and set it before the fire to brown. for gravy, take the wine in which the ham was steeped, and add to it the essence or juice which flowed from the meat when taken from the spit. squeeze in the juice of two lemons. put it into a sauce-pan, and boil and skim it. send it to table in a boat. cover the shank of the ham (which should have been sawed short) with bunches of double parsley, and ornament it with a cluster of flowers cut out with a penknife from raw carrots, beets, and turnips; and made to imitate marygolds, and red and white roses. directions for curing ham or bacon. ham or bacon, however well cured, will never be good unless the pork of which it is made has been properly fed. the hogs should for well fattened on corn, and fed with it about eight weeks, allowing ten bushels to each hog. they are best for curing when from two to four years old, and should not weigh more than one hundred and fifty or one hundred and sixty pounds. the first four weeks they may be fed on mush, or on indian meal moistened with water; the remaining four on corn unground; giving them always as much as they will eat. soap-suds may be given to them three or four times a week; or oftener if convenient. when killed and cut up, begin immediately to salt them. rub the outside of each ham with a tea-spoonful of powdered saltpetre, and the inside with a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper. having mixed together two pounds brown sugar and fine salt, in the proportion of a pound and a half of brown sugar to a pint of salt, rub the pork well with it. this quantity of sugar and salt will be sufficient for fifty pounds of meat. have ready some large tubs, the bottoms sprinkled with salt, and lay the meat in the tubs with the skin downward. put plenty of salt between each layer of meat. after it has lain eight days, take it out and wipe off all the salt, and wash the tubs. make a pickle of soft water, equal quantities of salt and molasses, and a little saltpetre; allowing four ounces of saltpetre to two quarts of molasses and two quarts of salt, which is the proportion for fifty pounds of meat. the pickle must be strong enough to bear up an egg. boil and skim it; and when it is cold, pour it over the meat, which must be turned every day and basted with the pickle. the hams should remain in the pickle at least four weeks; the shoulders and middlings of the bacon three weeks; and the jowls two weeks. they should then be taken out and smoked. having washed off the pickle, before you smoke the meat, bury it, while wet, in a tub of bran. this will form a crust over it, and prevent evaporation of the juices. let the smoke-house be ready to receive the meat immediately. take it out of the tub after it has lain half an hour, and rub the bran evenly over it. then hang it up to smoke with the small end downwards. the smoke-house should be dark and cool, and should stand alone, for the heat occasioned by an adjoining building may spoil the meat, or produce insects. keep up a good smoke all day, but have no blaze. hickory is the best wood for a smoke-house fire. in three or four weeks the meat will be sufficiently smoked, and fit for use. during the process it should be occasionally taken down, examined, and hung up again. the best way of keeping hams is to sew them in coarse cloths, which should be white-washed. if they are to go to sea, pack them in pounded charcoal. an old ham will require longer to soak, and longer to boil than a new one. tongues may be cured in the above manner. liver puddings. boil some pigs' livers. when cold, mince them, and season them with pepper, salt, and some sage and sweet marjoram rubbed fine. you may add some powdered cloves. have ready some large skins nicely cleaned, and fill them with the mixture, tying up the ends securely. prick them with a fork to prevent their bursting; put them into hot water, and boil them slowly for about an hour. they will require no farther cooking before you eat them. keep them in stone jars closely covered. they are eaten cold at breakfast or supper, cut into slices an inch thick or more; or they may be cut into large pieces, and broiled or fried. the best liver puddings are made of boiled pigs-feet and livers, mixed together in equal portions. common sausage-meat. having cleared it from the skin, sinews, and gristle, take six pounds of the lean of young fresh pork, and three pounds of the fat, and mince it all as fine as possible. take some dried sage, pick off the leaves and rub them to powder, allowing three tea-spoonfuls to each pound of meat. having mixed the fat and lean well together, and seasoned it with six tea-spoonfuls of pepper, and the same quantity of salt, strew on the powdered sage, and mix the whole very well with your hands. put it away in a stone jar, packing it down hard; and keep it closely covered. set the jar in a cool dry place. when you wish to use the sausage-meat, make it into flat cakes about an inch thick and the size of a dollar; dredge them with flour, and fry them in nothing, over rather a slow fire, till they are well browned on both sides, and thoroughly done. their own fat will cook them. sausages are seldom eaten except at breakfast. fine sausages. take some fresh pork, (the leg is best,) and clear it from the skin, sinews, and gristle. allow two pounds of fat to three pounds of lean. mince it all very fine, and season it with two ounces and a half of salt, half an ounce of pepper, twelve cloves, and a dozen blades of mace powdered, three grated nutmegs, six table-spoonfuls of powdered sage, and two tea-spoonfuls of powdered rosemary. mix all well together. put it into a stone jar, and press it down very hard. cover it closely, and keep it in a dry cool place. when you use this sausage-meat, mix with it some beaten yolk of egg, and make it into balls or cakes. dredge them with flour, and fry them in butter. bologna sausages. take ten pounds of beef, and four pounds of pork; two-thirds of the meat should be lean, and only one third fat. chop it very fine, and mix it well together. then season it with six ounces of fine salt, one ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of cayenne, one table-spoonful of powdered cloves; and one clove of garlic minced very fine. have ready some large skins nicely cleaned and prepared, (they should be beef-skins,) and wash them in salt and vinegar. fill them with the above mixture, and secure the ends by tying them with packthread or fine twine. make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear up an egg. put the sausages into it, and let them lie for three weeks, turning them daily. then take them out, wipe them dry, hang them up and smoke them. before you put them away rub them all over with sweet oil. keep them in ashes. that of vine-twigs is best for them. you may fry them or not before you eat them. pork cheese. take the heads, tongues, and feet of young fresh pork, or any other pieces that are convenient. having removed the skin, boil them till all the meat is quite tender, and can be easily stripped from the bones. then chop it small, and season it with salt and black pepper to your taste, and if you choose, some beaten cloves. add sage-leaves and sweet marjoram, minced fine, or rubbed to powder. mix the whole very well together, with your hands. put it into deep pans, with straight sides, (the shape of a cheese,) press it down hard and closely with a plate that will fit the pan; putting the under side of the plate next to the meat, and placing a heavy weight on it. in two or three days it will be fit for use, and you may turn it out of the pan. send it to table cut in slices, and use mustard and vinegar with it. it is generally eaten at supper or breakfast. pig's feet and ears soused. having cleaned them properly, and removed the skin, boil them slowly till they are quite tender, and then split the feet and put them with the ears into salt and vinegar, flavoured with a little mace. cover the jar closely, and set it away. when you use them, dry each piece well with a cloth; dip them first in beaten yolk of egg, and then in bread-crumbs, and fry them nicely in butter or lard. or you may eat them cold, just out of the vinegar. if you intend keeping them some time, you must make a fresh pickle for them every other day. to imitate westphalia ham. the very finest pork must be used for these hams. mix together an equal quantity of powdered saltpetre and brown sugar, and rub it well into the hams. next day make a pickle in sufficient quantity to cover them very well. the proportions of the ingredients are a pound of fine salt, mixed with a pound of brown sugar, an ounce of black pepper and an ounce of cloves pounded to powder, a small bit of sal prunella, and a quart of stale strong beer or porter. boil them all together, so as to make a pickle that will bear up an egg. pour it boiling hot over the meat, and let it lie in the pickle two weeks, turning it two or three times every day, and basting or washing it with the liquid. then take out the hams, rub them with bran and smoke them for a fortnight. when done, keep them in a barrel of fine charcoal. in cooking these hams simmer them slowly for seven or eight hours. to imitate the shape of the real westphalia hams, cut some of the meat off the under side of the thick part, so as to give them a flat appearance. do this before you begin to cure them, first loosening the skin and afterwards sewing it on again. the ashes in which you keep them must be changed frequently, wiping the hams when you take them out. to glaze a cold ham. with a brush or quill feather go all over the ham with beaten yolk of egg. then cover it thickly with pounded cracker, made as fine as flour, or with grated crumbs of stale bread. lastly go over it with thick cream. put it to brown in the oven of a stove, or brown it on the spit of a tin roaster, set before the fire and turned frequently. this glazing will be found delicious. it should be put on half an inch thick, so as to form a crust. venison, &c. to roast a saddle or haunch of venison. wipe it all over with a sponge dipped in warm water. then rub the skin with lard or nice dripping. cover the fat with sheets of paper two double, buttered, and tied on with packthread that has been soaked to keep it from burning. or, what is still better, you may cover the first sheets of paper with a coarse paste of flour and water rolled out half an inch thick, and then cover the paste with the second sheets of paper, securing the whole well with the string to prevent its falling off. place the venison on the spit before a strong clear fire, such as you would have for a sirloin of beef, and let the fire be well kept up all the time. put some claret and butter into the dripping-pan and baste the meat with it frequently. if wrapped in paste, it will not be done in less than five hours. half an hour before you take it up, remove the coverings carefully, place the meat nearer to the fire, baste it with fresh butter and dredge it very lightly with flour. send it to table with fringed white paper wrapped round the bone, and its own gravy well skimmed. have currant jelly to eat with it. as venison chills immediately, the plates should be kept on heaters. you may make another gravy with a pound and a half of scraps and trimmings or inferior pieces of venison, put into a sauce-pan with three pints of water, a few cloves, a few blades of mace, half a nutmeg; and salt and cayenne to your taste. boil it down slowly to a pint. then skim off the fat, and strain the gravy into a clean sauce-pan. add to it half a pint of currant jelly, half a pint of claret, and near a quarter of a pound of butter divided into bits and rolled in flour. send it to table in two small tureens or sauce-boats. this gravy will be found very fine. venison should never be roasted unless very fat. the shoulder is a roasting piece, and may be done without the paper or paste. venison is best when quite fresh; but if it is expedient to keep it a week before you cook it, wash it well with milk and water, and then dry it perfectly with cloths till there is not the least damp remaining on it. then mix together powdered ginger and pepper, and rub it well over every part of the meat. do not, however, attempt to keep it unless the weather is quite cold. to hash cold venison. cut the meat in nice small slices, and put the trimmings and bones into a sauce-pan with barely water enough to cover them. let them stew for an hour. then strain the liquid into a stew-pan; add to it some bits of butter rolled in flour, and whatever gravy was left of the venison the day before. stir in some currant jelly, and give it a boil up. then put in the meat, and keep it over the fire just long enough to warm it through; but do not allow it to boil, as it has been once cooked already. venison steaks. cut them from the neck or haunch. season them with pepper and salt. when the gridiron has been well heated over a bed of bright coals, grease the bars, and lay the steaks upon it. broil them well, turning them once, and taking care to save as much of the gravy as possible. serve them up with some currant jelly laid on each steak. have your plates set on heaters. venison pasty. the neck, breast, and shoulder are the parts used for a venison pie or pasty. cut the meat into pieces (fat and lean together) and put the bones and trimmings into a stew-pan with pepper and salt, and water or veal broth enough to cover it. simmer it till you have drawn out a good gravy. then strain it. in the mean time make a good rich paste, and roll it rather thick. cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with one sheet of it, and put in your meat, having seasoned it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and mace. pour in the gravy which you have prepared from the trimmings, and two glasses of port or claret, and lay on the top some bits of butter rolled in flour. cover the pie with a thick lid of paste, and ornament it handsomely with leaves and flowers formed with a tin cutter. bake it two hours or more, according to its size. venison hams. venison for hams must be newly killed, and in every respect as good as possible. mix together equal quantities of salt and brown sugar, and rub it well into the hams. put them into a tub, and let them lie seven days; turning them and rubbing them daily with the mixture of salt and sugar. next mix together equal quantities of west india molasses and fine salt. rub it over your hams, and let them lie in it a week longer. then wipe them, rub them with bran, and smoke them a fortnight over hickory wood. pack them in wood ashes; or in charcoal, if to go to sea. venison ham must not be cooked before it is eaten. it is used for the tea-table, chipped or shred like dried beef, to which it is considered very superior. it will not keep as long as other smoked meat. to roast a kid. a kid should be cooked the day it is killed, or the day after at farthest. they are best from three to four months old, and are only eaten while they live on milk. wash the kid well, wipe it dry, and truss it. stuff the body with a force-meat of grated bread, butter or suet, sweet herbs, pepper, salt, nutmeg, grated lemon-peel, and beaten egg; and sew it up to keep the stuffing in its place. put it on the spit and rub it over with lard, or sweet oil. put a little salt and water into the dripping-pan, and baste the kid first with that, and afterwards with its own gravy. or you may make it very nice by basting it with cream. it should roast about three hours. at the last, transfer the gravy to a small sauce-pan; thicken it with a little butter rolled in flour, give it a boil up, and send it to table in a boat. garnish the kid with lumps of currant jelly laid round the edge of the dish. a fawn (which should never be kept more than one day) may be roasted in the same manner; also, a hare, or a couple of rabbits. you may send to table, to eat with the kid, a dish of chestnuts boiled or roasted, and divested of the shells. to roast a hare. if a hare is old do not roast it, but make soup of it. wash and soak it in water for an hour, and change the water several times, having made a little slit in the neck to let out the blood. take out the heart and liver, and scald them. drain, dry, and truss the hare. make a force-meat richer and more moist than usual, and add to it the heart and liver minced fine. soak the bread-crumbs in a little claret before you mix them with the other ingredients. stuff the body of the hare with this force-meat, and sew it up. put it on the spit, rub it with butter, and roast it before a brisk fire. for the first half hour baste it with butter; and afterwards with cream, or with milk thickened with beaten yolk of egg. at the last, dredge it lightly with flour. the hare will require about two hours roasting. for sauce, take the drippings of the hare mixed with cream or with claret, and a little lemon-juice, a bit of butter, and some bread-crumbs. give it a boil up, and send it to table in a boat. garnish the hare with slices of currant jelly laid round it in the dish. fricasseed rabbits. the best way of cooking rabbits is to fricassee them. take a couple of fine ones, and cut them up, or disjoint them. put them into a stew-pan; season them with cayenne pepper and salt, some chopped parsley, and some powdered mace. pour in a pint of warm water (or of veal broth, if you have it) and stew it over a slow fire till the rabbits are quite tender; adding (when they are about half done) some bits of butter rolled in flour. just before you take it from the fire, enrich the gravy with a jill or more of thick cream with some nutmeg grated into it. stir the gravy well, but take care not to let it boil after the cream is in, lest it curdle. put the pieces of rabbit on a hot dish, and pour the gravy over them. to stew rabbits. having trussed the rabbits, lay them in a pan of warm water for about fifteen minutes. then put them into a pot with plenty of water and a little salt, and stew them slowly for about an hour, or till they are quite tender. in the mean time, peel and boil in a sauce-pan a dozen onions. when they are quite tender all through, take them out, and drain and slice them. have ready some drawn butter, prepared by taking six ounces of butter, (cut into bits and rolled in about three tea-spoonfuls of flour,) and melting it in a jill of milk. after shaking it round over hot coals till it simmers, add to it the onions, and give it one boil up. when the rabbits are done stewing lay them on a large dish (having first cut off their heads, which should not be sent to table) and cover them all over with the onion-sauce, to which you may add some grated nutmeg. to fry rabbits. having washed the rabbits well, put them into a pan of cold water, and let them lie in it two or three hours. then cut them into joints, dry them in a cloth, dredge them with flour, strew them with chopped parsley, and fry them in butter. after you take them out of the frying-pan, stir a wine-glass of cream into the gravy, or the beaten yolk of an egg. do not let it boil, but pour it at once into the dish with the rabbits. rabbits are very good baked in a pie. a boiled or pot-pie may be made of them. they may be stuffed with force-meat and roasted, basting them with butter. cut off their heads before you send them to table. venison sausages. to six pounds of fresh-killed venison, allow two pounds of fresh fat pork. chop the meat and mince it very fine. add six tea-spoonfuls of sage leaves, dried and powdered, the same quantity of salt, and the same of ground black pepper. having mixed the whole thoroughly, pack it down hard in stone jars, and keep it well covered in a cool dry place. when wanted for use, make it into small flat cakes, and fry them. poultry, game, &c. general remarks. in buying poultry choose those that are fresh and fat. half-grown poultry is comparatively insipid; it is best when full-grown but not old. old poultry is tough and hard. an old goose is so tough as to be frequently uneatable. when poultry is young the skin is thin and tender, and can be easily ripped by trying it with a pin; the legs are smooth; the feet moist and limber; and the eyes full and bright. the body should be thick and the breast fat. the bill and feet of a young goose are yellow, and have but few hairs on them; when old they are red and hairy. poultry is best when killed over night, as if cooked too soon after killing, it is hard and does not taste well. it is not the custom in america, as in some parts of europe, to keep game, or indeed any sort of eatable, till it begins to taint; all food when inclining to decomposition being regarded by us with disgust. when poultry or game is frozen, it should be brought into the kitchen early in the morning of the day on which it is to be cooked. it may be thawed by laying it several hours in cold water. if it is not thawed it will require double the time to cook, and will be tough and tasteless when done. in drawing poultry be very careful not to break the gall, lest its disagreeable bitterness should be communicated to the liver. poultry should be always scalded in hot water to make the feathers come out easily. before they are cooked they should be held for a moment over the blaze of the fire to singe off the hairs that are about the skin. the head, neck, and feet should be cut off, and the ends of the legs skewered in the bodies. a string should be tied tightly round. to boil a pair of fowls. make a force-meat in the usual manner, of grated bread-crumbs, chopped sweet herbs, butter, pepper, salt, and yolk of egg. fill the bodies of the fowls with the stuffing, and tie a string firmly round them. skewer the livers and gizzards to the sides, under the wings. dredge them with flour, and put them into a pot with just enough of water to cook them; cover it closely, and put it over a moderate fire. as soon as the scum rises, take off the pot and skim it. then cover it again, and boil it slowly half an hour. afterwards diminish the fire, and let them stew slowly till quite tender. an hour altogether is generally sufficient to boil a pair of fowls, unless they are quite old. by doing them slowly (rather stewing than boiling) the skin will not break, and they will be whiter and more tender than if boiled fast. serve them up with egg-sauce in a boat. young chickens are better for being soaked two hours in skim milk, previous to boiling. you need not stuff them. boil or stew them slowly in the same manner as large fowls. three quarters of an hour will cook them. serve them up with egg-sauce, and garnish with parsley. boiled fowls should be accompanied by ham or smoked tongue. to roast a pair of fowls. leave out the livers, gizzards and hearts, to be chopped and put into the gravy. fill the crops and bodies of the fowls with a force-meat, put them before a clear fire and roast them an hour, basting them with butter or with clarified dripping. having stewed the necks, gizzards, livers, and hearts in a very little water, strain it and mix it hot with the gravy that has dripped from the fowls, and which must be first skimmed. thicken it with a little browned flour, add to it the livers, hearts, and gizzards chopped small. send the fowls to table with the gravy in a boat, and have cranberry-sauce to eat with them. broiled chickens. split a pair of chickens down the back, and beat them flat. wipe the inside, season them with pepper and salt, and let them lie while you prepare some beaten yolk of egg and grated bread-crumbs. wash the outside of the chickens all over with the egg, and then strew on the bread-crumbs. have ready a hot gridiron over a bed of bright coals. lay the chickens on it with the inside downwards, or next the fire. broil them about three quarters of an hour, keeping them covered with a plate. just before you take them up, lay some small pieces of butter on them. in preparing chickens for broiling, you may parboil them about ten minutes, to ensure their being sufficiently cooked; as it is difficult to broil the thick parts thoroughly without burning the rest. none but fine plump chickens are worth broiling. fricasseed chickens. having cut up your chickens, lay them in cold water till all the blood is drawn out. then wipe the pieces, season them with pepper and salt, and dredge them with flour. fry them in lard or butter; they should be of a fine brown on both sides. when they are quite done, take them out of the frying-pan, cover them up, and set them by the fire to keep warm. skim the gravy in the frying-pan and pour into it half a pint of cream; season it with nutmeg, mace, and cayenne, and thicken it with a small bit of butter rolled in flour. give it a boil, and then pour it round the chickens, which must be kept hot. put some lard into the pan, and fry some parsley in it to lay on the pieces of chicken; it must be done green and crisp. to make a white fricassee of chickens, skin them, cut them in pieces, and having soaked out the blood, season them with salt, pepper, nutmeg and mace, and strew over them some sweet marjoram shred fine. put them into a stew-pan, and pour over them half a pint of cream, or rich unskimmed milk. add some butter rolled in flour, and (if you choose) some small force-meat balls. set the stew-pan over hot coals. keep it closely covered, and stew or simmer it gently till the chicken is quite tender, but do not allow it to boil. you may improve it by a few small slices of cold ham. chicken croquets and rissoles. take some cold chicken, and having cut the flesh from the bones, mince it small with a little suet and parsley; adding sweet marjoram and grated lemon-peel. season it with pepper, salt and nutmeg, and having mixed the whole very well, pound it to a paste in a marble mortar, putting in a little at a time, and moistening it frequently with yolk of egg that has been previously beaten. then divide it into equal portions, and having floured your hands, make it up in the shape of pears, sticking the head of a clove into the bottom of each to represent the blossom end, and the stalk of a clove into the top to look like the stem. dip them into beaten yolk of egg, and then into bread-crumbs grated finely and sifted. fry them in butter, and when you take them out of the pan, fry some parsley in it. having drained the parsley, cover the bottom of a dish with it, and lay the croquets upon it. send it to table as a side dish. croquets may be made of cold sweet-breads, or of cold veal mixed with ham or tongue. rissoles are made of the same ingredients, well mixed, and beaten smooth in a mortar. make a fine paste, roll it out, and cut it into round cakes. then lay some of the mixture on one half of the cake, and fold over the other upon it, in the shape of a half-moon. close and crimp the edges nicely, and fry the rissoles in butter. they should be of a light brown on both sides. drain them and send them to table dry. baked chicken pie. cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with a thick paste. having cut up your chickens, and seasoned them to your taste with salt, pepper, mace and nutmeg, put them in, and lay on the top several pieces of butter rolled in flour. fill up the dish about two-thirds with cold water. then lay on the top crust, notching it handsomely. cut a slit in the top, and stick into it an ornament of paste made in the form of a tulip. bake it in a moderate oven. it will be much improved by the addition of a quarter of a hundred oysters; or by interspersing the pieces of chicken with slices of cold boiled ham, in which case use no other salt. you may add also some yolks of eggs boiled hard. a duck pie may be made in the same manner. a rabbit pie also. a pot pie. take a pair of large fine fowls. cut them up, wash the pieces, and season them with pepper only. make a good paste in the proportion of a pound and a half of minced suet to three pounds of flour. let there be plenty of paste, as it is always much liked by the eaters of pot pie. roll out the paste not very thin, and cut most of it into long squares. butter the sides of a pot, and line them with paste nearly to the top. lay slices of cold ham at the bottom of the pot, and then the pieces of fowl, interspersed all through with squares of paste, and potatoes pared and quartered. pour in a quart of water. cover the whole with a lid of paste, having a slit in the centre, through which the gravy will bubble up. boil it steadily for two hours. half an hour before you take it up, put in through the hole in the centre of the crust, some bits of butter rolled in flour, to thicken the gravy. when done, put the pie on a large dish, and pour the gravy over it. you may intersperse it all through with cold ham. a pot-pie may be made of ducks, rabbits, squirrels, or venison. also of beef-steaks. a beef-steak, or some pork-steaks (the lean only) greatly improve a chicken pot-pie. if you use no ham, season with salt. chicken curry. take a pair of fine fowls, and having cut them in pieces lay them in salt and water till the seasoning is ready. take two table-spoonfuls of powdered ginger, one table-spoonful of fresh turmeric, a tea-spoonful of ground black pepper; some mace, a few cloves, some cardamom seeds, and a little cayenne pepper with a small portion of salt. these last articles according to your taste. put all into a mortar, and add to them eight large onions, chopped or cut small. mix and beat all together, till the onions, spices, &c. form a paste. put the chickens into a pan with sufficient butter rolled in flour, and fry them till they are brown, but not till quite done. while this is proceeding, set over the fire a sauce-pan three parts full of water, or sufficient to cover the chickens when they are ready. as soon as the water boils, throw in the curry-paste. when the paste has all dissolved, and is thoroughly mixed with the water, put in the pieces of chicken to boil, or rather to simmer. when the chicken is quite done, put it into a large dish, and eat it with boiled rice. the rice may either be laid round on the same dish, or served up separately. this is a genuine east india receipt for curry. lamb, veal, or rabbits may be curried in the same manner. _to boil rice for the curry._ pick the rice carefully, to clear it from husks and motes. then soak it in cold water for a quarter of an hour, or more. when you are ready to boil it, pour off the water in which it has soaked. have ready a pot or sauce-pan of boiling water, into which you have put a little salt. allow two quarts of water to a pound of rice. sprinkle the rice gradually into the water. boil it hard for twenty minutes, then take it off the fire, and pour off all the water that remains. set the pot in the chimney corner with the lid off, while dinner is dishing, that it may have time to dry. you may toss it up lightly with two forks, to separate the grains while it is drying, but do not stir it with a spoon. a pilau. take a large fine fowl, and cover the breast with slices of fat bacon or ham, secured by skewers. put it into a stew-pan with two sliced onions. season it to your taste with white pepper and mace. have ready a pint of rice that has been well picked, washed, and soaked. cover the fowl with it. put in as much water as will well cover the whole. stew it about half an hour, or till the fowl and rice are thoroughly done; keeping the stew-pan closely covered. dish it all together, either with the rice covering the fowl, or laid round it in little heaps. you may make a pilau of beef or mutton with a larger quantity of rice; which must not be put in at first, or it will be done too much, the meat requiring a longer time to stew. chicken salad. the fowls for this purpose should be young and fine. you may either boil or roast them. they must be quite cold. having removed all the skin and fat, and disjointed the fowls cut the meat from the bones into very small pieces, not exceeding an inch. wash and split two large fine heads of celery, and cut the white part into pieces also about an inch long; and having mixed the chicken and celery together, put them into a deep china dish, cover it and set it away. it is best not to prepare the dressing till just before the salad is to be eaten, that it may be as fresh as possible. have ready the yolks of eight hard-boiled eggs. put them into a flat dish, and mash them to a paste with the back of a wooden spoon. add to the egg a small tea-spoonful of fine salt, the same quantity of cayenne pepper, half a jill of made mustard, a jill or a wine-glass and a half of vinegar, and rather more than two wine-glasses of sweet oil. mix all these ingredients thoroughly; stirring them a long time till they are quite smooth. the dressing should not be put on till a few minutes before the salad is sent in; as by lying in it the chicken and celery will become tough and hard. after you pour it on, mix the whole well together with a silver fork. chicken salad should be accompanied with plates of bread and butter, and a plate of biscuits. it is a supper dish, and is brought in with terrapin, oysters, &c. cold turkey is excellent prepared as above. an inferior salad may be made with cold fillet of veal, instead of chickens. cold boiled lobster is very fine cut up and drest in this manner, only substituting for celery, lettuce cut up and mixed with the lobster. to roast a pair of ducks. after the ducks are drawn, wipe out the inside with a clean cloth, and prepare your stuffing. mince very fine some green sage leaves, and twice their quantity of onion, (which should first be parboiled,) and add a little butter, and a seasoning of pepper and salt. mix the whole very well, and fill the crops and bodies of the ducks with it, leaving a little space for the stuffing to swell. reserve the livers, gizzards, and hearts to put in the gravy. tie the bodies of the ducks firmly round with strings, (which should be wetted or buttered to keep them from burning,) and put them on the spit before a clear brisk fire. baste them first with a little salt and water, and then with their own gravy, dredging them lightly with flour at the last. they will be done in about an hour. after boiling the livers, gizzards and hearts, chop them, and put them into the gravy; having first skimmed it, and thickened it with a little browned flour. send to table with the ducks a small tureen of onion-sauce with chopped sage leaves in it. accompany them also with stewed cranberries and green peas, if in season. canvas-back ducks are roasted in the same manner, omitting the stuffing. they will generally be done enough in three quarters of an hour. send currant jelly to table with them, and have heaters to place under the plates. add to the gravy a little cayenne, and a large wine-glass of claret or port. other wild ducks and teal may be roasted in about half an hour. before roasting, parboil them with a large carrot inside their bodies. this will draw all the fishy or sedgy taste that may be about the ducks. then throw away the carrot, and lay them in fresh water. you may serve up with wild ducks, &c. orange-sauce, which is made by boiling in a little water two large sweet oranges cut into slices, having first removed the rind. when the pulp is all dissolved, strain and press it through a sieve, and add to it the juice of two more oranges, and a little sugar. send it to table either warm or cold. stewed duck. half roast a large duck. cut it up, and put it into a stew-pan with a pint of beef-gravy, or dripping of roast-beef. have ready two boiled onions, half a handful of sage leaves, and two leaves of mint, all chopped very fine and seasoned with pepper and salt. lay these ingredients over the duck. stew it slowly for a quarter of an hour. then put in a quart of young green peas. cover it closely, and simmer it half an hour longer, till the peas are quite soft. then add a piece of butter rolled in flour; quicken the fire, and give it one boil. serve up all together. a cold duck that has been under-done may be stewed in this manner. to hash a duck. cut up the duck and season it with pepper and mixed spices. have ready some thin slices of cold ham or bacon. place a layer of them in a stew-pan; then put in the duck and cover it with ham. add just water enough to moisten it, and pour over all a large glass of red wine. cover the pan closely and let it stew for an hour. have ready a quart or more of green peas, boiled tender, drained, and mixed with butter and pepper. lay them round the hashed duck. if you hash a cold duck in this manner, a quarter of an hour will be sufficient for stewing it; it having been cooked already. to roast a goose. having drawn and singed the goose, wipe out the inside with a cloth, and sprinkle in some pepper and salt. make a stuffing of four good sized onions minced fine, and half their quantity of green sage leaves minced also, a large tea-cupful of grated bread-crumbs, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and the beaten yolks of two eggs, with a little pepper and salt. mix the whole together, and incorporate them well. put the stuffing into the goose, and press it in hard; but do not entirely fill up the cavity, as the mixture will swell in cooking. tie the goose securely round with a greased or wetted string; and paper the breast to prevent it from scorching. fasten the goose on the spit at both ends. the fire must be brisk and well kept up. it will require from two hours to two and a half to roast. baste it at first with a little salt and water, and then with its own gravy. take off the paper when the goose is about half done, and dredge it with a little flour towards the last. having parboiled the liver and heart, chop them and put them into the gravy, which must be skimmed well and thickened with a little browned flour. send apple-sauce to table with the goose; also mashed potatoes. a goose may be stuffed entirely with potatoes, boiled and mashed with milk, butter, pepper and salt. you may make a gravy of the giblets, that is the neck, pinions, liver, heart and gizzard, stewed in a little water, thickened with butter rolled in flour, and seasoned with pepper and salt. add a glass of red wine. before you send it to table, take out all but the liver and heart; mince them and leave them in the gravy. this gravy is by many preferred to that which comes from the goose in roasting. it is well to have both. if a goose is old it is useless to cook it, as when hard and tough it cannot be eaten. a goose pie. cut a fine large young goose into eight pieces, and season it with pepper. reserve the giblets for gravy. take a smoked tongue that has been all night in soak, parboil it, peel it, and cut it into thick slices, omitting the root, which you must divide into small pieces, and put into a sauce-pan with the giblets and sufficient water to stew them slowly. make a nice paste, allowing a pound and a half of butter to three pounds of flour. roll it out thick, and line with it the bottom and sides of a deep dish. fill it with the pieces of goose, and the slices of tongue. skim the gravy you have drawn from the giblets, thicken it with a little browned flour, and pour it into the pie dish. then put on the lid or upper crust. notch and ornament it handsomely with leaves and flowers of paste. bake the pie about three hours in a brisk oven. in making a large goose pie you may add a fowl, or a pair of pigeons, or partridges,--all cut up. a duck pie may be made in the same manner. small pies are sometimes made of goose giblets only. a christmas goose pie. these pies are always made with a standing crust. put into a sauce-pan one pound of butter cut up, and a pint and a half of water; stir it while it is melting, and let it come to a boil. then skim off whatever milk or impurity may rise to the top. have ready four pounds of flour sifted into a pan. make a hole in the middle of it, and pour in the melted butter while hot. mix it with a spoon to a stiff paste, (adding the beaten yolks of three or four eggs,) and then knead it very well with your hands, on the pasteboard, keeping it dredged with flour till it ceases to be sticky. then set it away to cool. split a large goose, and a fowl down the back, loosen the flesh all over with a sharp knife, and take out all the bones. parboil a smoked tongue; peel it and cut off the root. mix together a powdered nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of powdered mace, a tea-spoonful of pepper, and a tea-spoonful of salt, and season with them the fowl and the goose. roll out the paste near an inch thick, and divide it into three pieces. cut out two of them of an oval form for the top and bottom; and the other into a long straight piece for the sides or walls of the pie. brush the paste all over with beaten white of egg, and set on the bottom the piece that is to form the wall, pinching the edges together, and cementing them with white of egg. the bottom piece must be large enough to turn up a little round the lower edge of the wall piece, to which it must be firmly joined all round. when you have the crust properly fixed, so as to be baked standing alone without a dish, put in first the goose, then the fowl, and then the tongue. fill up what space is left with pieces of the flesh of pigeons, or of partridges, quails, or any game that is convenient. there must be no bones in the pie. you may add also some bits of ham, or some force-meat balls. lastly, cover the other ingredients with half a pound of butter, and put on the top crust, which, of course, must be also of an oval form to correspond with the bottom. the lid must be placed not quite on the top edge of the wall, but an inch and a half below it. close it very well, and ornament the sides and top with festoons and leaves cut out of paste. notch the edges handsomely, and put a paste flower in the centre. glaze the whole with beaten yolk of egg, and bind the pie all round with a double fold of white paper. set it in a regular oven, and bake it four hours. this is one way of making the celebrated goose pies that it is customary in england to send as presents at christmas. they are eaten at luncheon, and if the weather is cold, and they are kept carefully covered up from the air, they will be good for two or three weeks; the standing crust assisting to preserve them. to roast a turkey. make a force-meat of grated bread-crumbs, minced suet, sweet marjoram, grated lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and beaten yolk of egg. you may add some grated cold ham. light some writing paper, and singe the hairs from the skin of the turkey. reserve the neck, liver, and gizzard for the gravy. stuff the craw of the turkey with the force-meat, of which there should be enough made to form into balls for frying, laying them round the turkey when it is dished. dredge it with flour, and roast it before a clear brisk fire, basting it with cold lard. towards the last, set the turkey nearer to the fire, dredge it again very lightly with flour, and baste it with butter. it will require, according to its size, from two to three hours roasting. make the gravy of the giblets cut in pieces, seasoned, and stewed for two hours in a very little water; thicken it with a spoonful of browned flour, and stir into it the gravy from the dripping-pan, having first skimmed off the fat. a turkey should be accompanied by ham or tongue. serve up with it mushroom-sauce. have stewed cranberries on the table to eat with it. do not help any one to the legs, or drum-sticks as they are called. turkeys are sometimes stuffed entirely with sausage-meat. small cakes of this meat should then be fried, and laid round it. to bone a turkey, you must begin with a very sharp knife at the top of the wings, and scrape the flesh loose from the bone without dividing or cutting it to pieces. if done carefully and dexterously, the whole mass of flesh may be separated from the bone, so that you can take hold of the head and draw out the entire skeleton at once. a large quantity of force-meat having been prepared, stuff it hard into the turkey, restoring it by doing so to its natural form, filling out the body, breast, wings and legs, so as to resemble their original shape when the bones were in. roast or bake it; pouring a glass of port wine into the gravy. a boned turkey is frequently served up cold, covered with lumps of currant jelly; slices of which are laid round the dish. any sort of poultry or game may be boned and stuffed in the same manner. a cold turkey that has not been boned is sometimes sent to table larded all over the breast with slips of fat bacon, drawn through the flesh with a larding needle, and arranged in regular form. to boil a turkey. take twenty-five large fine oysters, and chop them. mix with them half a pint of grated bread-crumbs, a little sweet marjoram, a quarter of a pound of butter, two table-spoonfuls of cream or rich milk, and the beaten yolks of three eggs. when it is thoroughly mixed, stuff the craw of the turkey with it, and sew up the skin. then dredge it with flour, put it into a large pot or kettle, and cover it well with cold water. place it over the fire, and let it boil slowly for half an hour, taking off the scum as it rises. then remove the pot from over the fire, and set it on hot coals to stew slowly for two hours, or two hours and a half, according to its size. just before you send it to table, place it again over the fire to get well heated. when you boil a turkey, skewer the liver and gizzard to the sides, under the wings. send it to table with oyster-sauce in a small tureen. in making the stuffing, you may substitute for the grated bread, chestnuts boiled, peeled, and minced or mashed. serve up chestnut-sauce, made by peeling some boiled chestnuts and putting them whole into melted butter. some persons, to make them white, boil their turkeys tied up in a large cloth sprinkled with flour. with a turkey, there should be on the table a ham, or a smoked tongue. to roast pigeons. draw and pick four pigeons immediately after they are killed, and let them be cooked soon, as they do not keep well. wash the inside very clean, and wipe it dry. stuff them with a mixture of parsley parboiled and chopped, grated bread-crumbs, and butter; seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg. dredge them with flour, and roast them before a good fire, basting them with butter. they will be done in about twenty-five or thirty minutes. serve them up with parsley-sauce. lay the pigeons on the dish in a row. if asparagus is in season, it will be much better than parsley both for the stuffing and sauce. it must first be boiled. chop the green heads for the stuffing, and cut them in two for the melted butter. have cranberry-sauce on the table. pigeons may be split and broiled, like chickens; also stewed or fricasseed. they are very good stewed with slices of cold ham and green peas, serving up all in the same dish. pigeon pie. take four pigeons, and pick and clean them very nicely. season them with pepper and salt, and put inside of every one a large piece of butter and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. have ready a good paste, allowing a pound of butter to two pounds of sifted flour. roll it out rather thick, and line with it the bottom and sides of a large deep dish. put in the pigeons, and lay on the top some bits of butter rolled in flour. pour in nearly enough of water to fill the dish. cover the pie with a lid of paste rolled out thick, and nicely notched, and ornamented with paste leaves and flowers. you may make a similar pie of pheasants, partridges, or grouse. in preparing pigeons, &c. for pies, loosen the joints with a knife, as in carving. to roast pheasants, partridges, quails or grouse. pick and draw the birds immediately after they are brought in. before you roast them, fill the inside with pieces of a fine ripe orange, leaving out the rind and seeds. or stuff them with grated cold ham, mixed with bread-crumbs, butter, and a little yolk of egg. lard them with small slips of the fat of bacon drawn through the flesh with a larding needle. roast them before a clear fire. make a fine rich gravy of the trimmings of meat or poultry, stewed in a little water, and thickened with a spoonful of browned flour. strain it, and set it on the fire again, having added half a pint of claret, and the juice of two large oranges. simmer it for a few minutes, pour some of it into the dish with the game, and serve the remainder in a boat. if you stuff them with force-meat, you may, instead of larding, brush them all over with beaten yolk of egg, and then cover them with bread-crumbs grated finely and sifted. another way to roast pheasants, partridges, &c. chop some fine raw oysters, omitting the hard part; mix them with salt, and nutmeg, and add some beaten yolk of egg to bind the other ingredients. cut some very thin slices of cold ham or bacon, and cover the birds with them; then wrap them closely in sheets of white paper well buttered, put them on the spit, and roast them before a clear fire. send them to table with oyster-sauce in a boat. pies may be made of any of these birds in the same manner as a pigeon pie. to roast snipes, woodcocks, or plovers. pick them immediately; wipe them, and season them slightly with pepper and salt. cut as many slices of bread as you have birds. toast them brown, butter them, and lay them in the dripping-pan. dredge the birds with flour, and put them on a small spit before a clear brisk fire. baste them with lard, or fresh butter. they will be done in twenty or thirty minutes. serve them up laid on the toast, and garnished with sliced orange, or with orange jelly. have brown gravy in a boat. to roast reed-birds, or ortolans. put into every bird, an oyster, or a little butter mixed with some finely sifted bread-crumbs. dredge them with flour. run a small skewer through them, and tie them on the spit. baste them with lard or with fresh butter. they will be done in about ten minutes. a very nice way of cooking these birds is, (having greased them all over with lard or with fresh butter, and wrapped them in vine leaves secured closely with a string,) to lay them in a heated iron pan, and bury them in ashes hot enough to roast or bake them. remove the vine leaves before you send the birds to table. reed birds are very fine made into little dumplings with a thin crust of flour and butter, and boiled about twenty minutes. each must be tied in a separate cloth. or you may cook a dozen in one paste, like an apple pudding. larding. to lard meat or poultry is to introduce into the surface of the flesh, slips of the fat only of bacon, by means of a larding-pin or larding-needle, it being called by both names. it is a steel instrument about a foot long, sharp at one end, and cleft at the other into four divisions, which are near two inches in length, and resemble tweezers. it can be obtained at the hardware stores. cut the bacon into slips about two inches in length, half an inch in breadth, and half an inch in thickness. if intended for poultry, the slips of bacon should not be thicker than a straw. put them, one at a time, into the cleft or split end of the larding-needle. give each slip a slight twist, and press it down hard into the needle with your fingers. then push the needle through the flesh, (avoiding the places where the bones are,) and when you draw it out it will have left behind it the slip of bacon sticking in the surface. take care to have all the slips of the same size, and arranged in regular rows at equal distances. every slip should stand up about an inch. if any are wrong, take them out and do them over again. to lard handsomely and neatly requires practice and dexterity. fowls and game are generally larded on the breast only. if cold, they can be done with the fat of cold boiled ham. larding may be made to look very tastefully on any thing that is not to be cooked afterwards. force-meat balls. to a pound of the lean of a leg of veal, allow a pound of beef suet. mince them together very fine. then season it to your taste with pepper, salt, mace, nutmeg, and chopped sage or sweet marjoram. then chop a half-pint of oysters, and beat six eggs very well. mix the whole together, and pound it to a paste in a marble mortar. if you do not want it immediately, put it away in a stone pot, strew a little flour on the top, and cover it closely. when you wish to use the force-meat, divide into equal parts as much of it as you want; and having floured your hands, roll it into round balls, all of the same size. either fry them in butter, or boil them. this force-meat will be found a very good stuffing for meat or poultry. fine partridge pie. having trussed your partridges, loosen all the joints with a knife, but do not cut them apart. scald, peel, and chop some fresh mushrooms, mix them with grated bread crumbs, moistened with cream and beaten yolk of egg, and with this stuff the partridges. cover the sides and bottom of a deep dish with a rich paste, adding a layer of cold boiled ham sliced very thin. add some whole button mushrooms, and some hard boiled yolks of eggs. season with pepper only. put in the partridges, laying on each a bit of butter rolled in flour. cover the whole with a thick lid of paste handsomely notched, and ornamented with paste leaves. before you put on the cover, pour a little water into the pie. gravy and sauces. drawn or made gravy. for this purpose you may use coarse pieces of the lean of beef or veal, or the giblets and trimmings of poultry or game. it must be stewed for a long time, skimmed, strained, thickened, and flavoured with whatever condiments are supposed most suited to the dish it is to accompany. in preparing meat to stew for gravy, beat it with a mallet or meat-beetle, score it, and cut it into small pieces; this makes it give out the juices. season it with pepper and salt, and put it into a stew-pan with butter only. heat it gradually, till it becomes brown. shake the pan frequently, and see that it does not burn or stick to the bottom. it will generally be browned sufficiently in half an hour. then put in some boiling water, allowing one pint to each pound of meat. simmer it on coals by the side of the fire for near three hours, skimming it well, and keeping it closely covered. when done, remove it from the heat, let it stand awhile to settle, and then strain it. if you wish to keep it two or three days, (which you may in winter,) put it into a stone vessel, cover it closely, and set it in a cool place. do not thicken this gravy till you go to use it. mutton is unfit for made gravy. melted butter, sometimes called drawn butter. melted butter is the foundation of most of the common sauces. have a covered sauce-pan for this purpose. one lined with porcelain will be best. take a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, cut it up, and mix with it about two tea-spoonfuls of flour. when it is thoroughly mixed, put it into the sauce-pan, and add to it four table-spoonfuls of cold water. cover the sauce-pan, and set it in a large tin pan of boiling water. shake it round continually (always moving it the same way) till it is entirely melted and begins to simmer. then let it rest till it boils up. if you set it on hot coals, or over the fire, it will be oily. if the butter and flour is not well mixed it will be lumpy. if you put too much water, it will be thin and poor. all these defects are to be carefully avoided. in melting butter for sweet or pudding sauce, you may use milk instead of water. to brown flour.--spread some fine flour on a plate, and set it in the oven, turning it up and stirring it frequently that it may brown equally all through. put it into a jar, cover it well, and keep it to stir into gravies to thicken and colour them. to brown butter.--put a lump of butter into a frying-pan, and toss it round over the fire till it becomes brown. then dredge some browned flour over it, and stir it round with a spoon till it boils. it must be made quite smooth. you may make this into a plain sauce for fish by adding cayenne and some flavoured vinegar. plain sauces. lobster sauce.--boil a dozen blades of mace and half a dozen pepper-corns in about a jill and a half (or three wine-glasses) of water, till all the strength of the spice is extracted. then strain it, and having cut three quarters of a pound of butter into little bits, melt it in this water, dredging in a little flour as you hold it over the fire to boil. toss it round, and let it just boil up and no more. take a cold boiled lobster,--pound the coral in a mortar, adding a little sweet oil. then stir it into the melted butter. chop the meat of the body into very small pieces, and rub it through a cullender into the butter. cut up the flesh of the claws and tail into dice, and stir it in. give it another boil up, and it will be ready for table. serve it up with fresh salmon, or any boiled fish of the best kind. crab sauce is made in a similar manner; also prawn and shrimp sauce. anchovy sauce.--soak eight anchovies for three or four hours, changing the water every hour. then put them into a sauce-pan with a quart of cold water. set them on hot coals and simmer them till they are entirely dissolved, and till the liquid is diminished two-thirds. then strain it, stir two glasses of red wine, and add to it about half a pint of melted butter. heat it over again, and send it to table with salmon or fresh cod. celery sauce.--take a large bunch of young celery. wash and pare it very clean. cut it into pieces, and boil it gently in a small quantity of water, till it is quite tender. then add a little powdered mace and nutmeg, and a very little pepper and salt. take a tolerably large piece of butter, roll it well in flour, and stir it into the sauce. boil it up again, and it is ready to send to table. you may make it with cream, thus:--prepare and boil your celery as above, adding some mace, nutmeg, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, rolled in flour; and half a pint of cream. boil all together. celery sauce is eaten with boiled poultry. when celery is out of season, you may use celery seed, boiled in the water which you afterwards use for the melted butter, but strained out after boiling. nasturtian sauce.--this is by many considered superior to caper sauce and is eaten with boiled mutton. it is made with the green seeds of nasturtians, pickled simply in cold vinegar. cut about six ounces of butter into small bits, and put them into a small sauce-pan. mix with a wine-glass of water, sufficient flour to make a thick batter, pour it on the butter, and hold the sauce-pan over hot coals, shaking it quickly round, till the butter is melted. let it just boil up, and then take it from the fire. thicken it with the pickled nasturtians and send it to table in a boat. never pour melted butter over any thing, but always send it to table in a sauce-tureen or boat. white onion sauce.--peel a dozen onions, and throw them into salt and water to keep them white. then boil them tender. when done, squeeze the water from them, and chop them. have ready some butter that has been melted rich and smooth with milk or cream instead of water. put the onions into the melted butter, and boil them up at once. if you wish to have them very mild, put in a turnip with them at the first boiling. young white onions, if very small, need not be chopped, but may be put whole into the butter. use this sauce for rabbits, tripe, boiled poultry, or any boiled fresh meat. brown onion sauce.--slice some large mild spanish onions. cover them with butter, and set them over a slow fire to brown. then add salt and cayenne pepper to your taste, and some good brown gravy of roast meat, poultry or game, thickened with a bit of butter rolled in flour that has first been browned by holding it in a hot pan or shovel over the fire. give it a boil, skim it well, and just before you take it off, stir in a half glass of port or claret, and the same quantity of mushroom catchup. use this sauce for roasted poultry, game, or meat. mushroom sauce.--wash a pint of small button mushrooms,--remove the stems and the outside skin. stew them slowly in veal gravy or in milk or cream, seasoning them with pepper and salt, and adding a piece of butter rolled in a large proportion of flour. stew them till quite tender, now and then shaking the pan round. the flavour will be heightened by having salted a few the night before in a covered dish, to extract the juice, and then stirring it into the sauce while stewing. this sauce may be served up with poultry, game, or beef-steaks. in gathering mushrooms take only those that are of a dull pearl colour on the outside, and that have the under part tinged with pale pink. boil an onion with them. if there is a poisonous one among them the onion will turn black. then throw away the whole. egg sauce.--boil four eggs ten minutes. dip them into cold water to prevent their looking blue. peel off the shell. chop the yolks of all, and the whites of two, and stir them into melted butter. serve this sauce with boiled poultry or fish. bread sauce.--put some grated crumbs of stale bread into a sauce-pan, and pour over them some of the liquor in which poultry or fresh meat has been boiled. add some plums or dried currants that have been picked and washed. having simmered them till the bread is quite soft, and the currants well plumped, add melted butter or cream. this sauce is for a roast pig. mint sauce.--take a large bunch of young green mint; if old the taste will be unpleasant. wash it very clean. pick all the leaves from the stalks. chop the leaves very fine, and mix them with cold vinegar, and a large proportion of powdered sugar. there must be merely sufficient vinegar to moisten the mint well, but by no means enough to make the sauce liquid. it should be very sweet. it is only eaten in the spring with roast lamb. send it to table in a sauce-tureen. caper sauce.--take two large table-spoonfuls of capers and a little vinegar. stir them for some time into half a pint of thick melted butter. this sauce is for boiled mutton. if you happen to have no capers, pickled cucumber chopped fine, or the pickled pods of radish seeds, may be stirred into the butter as a tolerable substitute, or nasturtians. parsley sauce.--wash a bunch of parsley in cold water. then boil it about six or seven minutes in salt and water. drain it, cut the leaves from the stalks, and chop them fine. have ready some melted butter, and stir in the parsley. allow two small table-spoonfuls of leaves to half a pint of butter. serve it up with boiled fowls, rock-fish, sea-bass, and other boiled fresh fish. also with knuckle of veal, and with calf's head boiled plain. apple sauce.--pare, core, and slice some fine apples. put them into a sauce-pan with just sufficient water to keep them from burning, and some grated lemon-peel. stew them till quite soft and tender. then mash them to a paste, and make them very sweet with brown sugar, adding a small piece of butter and some nutmeg. apple sauce is eaten with roast pork, roast goose and roast ducks. be careful not to have it thin and watery. cranberry sauce.--wash a quart of ripe cranberries, and put them into a pan with about a wine-glass of water. stew them slowly, and stir them frequently, particularly after they begin to burst. they require a great deal of stewing, and should be like a marmalade when done. after you take them from the fire, stir in a pound of brown sugar. when they are thoroughly done, put them into a deep dish, and set them away to get cold. you may strain the pulp through a cullender or sieve into a mould, and when it is in a firm shape send it to table on a glass dish. taste it when it is cold, and if not sweet enough, add more sugar. cranberries require more sugar than any other fruit, except plums. cranberry sauce is eaten with roast turkey, roast fowls, and roast ducks. peach sauce.--take a quart of dried peaches, (those are richest and best that are dried with the skins on,) and soak them in cold water till they are tender. then drain them, and put them into a covered pan with a very little water. set them on coals, and simmer them till they are entirely dissolved. then mash them with brown sugar, and send them to table cold to eat with roast meat, game or poultry. wine sauce.--have ready some rich thick melted or drawn butter, and the moment you take it from the fire, stir in two large glasses of white wine, two table-spoonfuls of powdered white sugar, and a powdered nutmeg. serve it up with plum pudding, or any sort of boiled pudding that is made of a batter. cold sweet sauce.--stir together, as for a pound-cake, equal quantities of fresh butter and powdered white sugar. when quite light and creamy, add some powdered cinnamon or nutmeg, and the juice of a lemon. send it to table in a small deep plate with a tea-spoon in it. eat it with batter pudding, bread pudding, indian pudding, &c. whether baked or boiled. also with boiled apple pudding or dumplings, and with fritters and pancakes. cream sauce.--boil a pint and a half of rich cream with four table-spoonfuls of powdered sugar, some powdered nutmeg, and a dozen bitter almonds or peach kernels slightly broken up, or a dozen fresh peach leaves. as soon as it has boiled up, take it off the fire and strain it. if it is to be eaten with boiled pudding or with dumplings send it to table hot, but let it get quite cold if you intend it as an accompaniment to fruit pies or tarts. oyster sauce.--take a pint of oysters, and save out a little of their liquor. put them with their remaining liquor, and some mace and nutmeg, into a covered saucepan, and simmer them on hot coals about ten minutes. then drain them. oysters for sauce should be large. having prepared in another saucepan some drawn or melted butter, (mixed with oyster liquor instead of water,) pour it into a sauce-boat, add the oysters to it, and serve it up with boiled poultry, or with boiled fresh fish. celery, first boiled and then chopped, is an improvement to oyster sauce. store fish sauces. general remarks. store fish sauces if properly made will keep for many months. they may be brought to table in fish castors, but a customary mode is to send them round in the small black bottles in which they have been originally deposited. they are in great variety, and may be purchased of the grocers that sell oil, pickles, anchovies, &c. in making them at home, the few following receipts may be found useful. the usual way of eating these sauces is to pour a little on your plate, and mix it with the melted butter. they give flavour to fish that would otherwise be insipid, and are in general use at genteel tables. two table-spoonfuls of any of these sauces may be added to the melted butter a minute before you take it from the fire. but if brought to table in bottles, the company can use it or omit it as they please. scotch sauce.--take fifteen anchovies, chop them fine, and steep them in vinegar for a week, keeping the vessel closely covered. then put them into a pint of claret or port wine. scrape fine a large stick of horseradish, and chop two onions, a handful of parsley, a tea-spoonful of the leaves of lemon-thyme, and two large peach leaves. add a nutmeg, six or eight blades of mace, nine cloves, and a tea-spoonful of black pepper, all slightly pounded in a mortar. put all these ingredients into a silver or block tin sauce-pan, or into an earthen pipkin, and add a few grains of cochineal to colour it. pour in a large half pint of the best vinegar, and simmer it slowly till the bones of the anchovies are entirely dissolved. strain the liquor through a sieve, and when quite cold put it away for use in small bottles; the corks dipped in melted rosin, and well secured by pieces of leather tied closely over them. fill each bottle quite full, as it will keep the better for leaving no vacancy. this sauce will give a fine flavour to melted butter. quin's sauce.--pound in a mortar six large anchovies, moistening them with their own pickle. then chop and pound six small onions. mix them with a little black pepper and a little cayenne, half a glass of soy, four glasses of mushroom catchup, two glasses of claret, and two of black walnut pickle. put the mixture into a small sauce-pan or earthen pipkin, and let it simmer slowly till all the bones of the anchovies are dissolved. strain it, and when cold, bottle it for use; dipping the cork in melted rosin, and tying leather over it. fill the bottles quite full. kitchiner's fish sauce.--mix together a pint of claret, a pint of mushroom catchup, and half a pint of walnut pickle, four ounces of pounded anchovy, an ounce of fresh lemon-peel pared thin, and the same quantity of shalot or small onion. also an ounce of scraped horseradish, half an ounce of black pepper, and half an ounce of allspice mixed, and the same quantity of cayenne and celery-seed. infuse these ingredients in a wide-mouthed bottle (closely stopped) for a fortnight, shaking the mixture every day. then strain and bottle it for use. put it up in small bottles, filling them quite full. harvey's sauce.--dissolve six anchovies in a pint of strong vinegar and then add to them three table-spoonfuls of india soy, and three table-spoonfuls of mushroom catchup, two heads of garlic bruised small, and a quarter of an ounce of cayenne. add sufficient cochineal powder to colour the mixture red. let all these ingredients infuse in the vinegar for a fortnight, shaking it every day, and then strain and bottle it for use. let the bottles be small, and cover the corks with leather. general sauce.--chop six shalots or small onions, a clove of garlic, two peach leaves, a few sprigs of lemon-thyme and of sweet basil, and a few bits of fresh orange-peel. bruise in a mortar a quarter of an ounce of cloves, a quarter of an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of long pepper. mix two ounces of salt, a jill of claret, the juice of two lemons, and a pint of madeira. put the whole of these ingredients together in a stone jar, very closely covered. let it stand all night over embers by the side of the fire. in the morning pour off the liquid quickly and carefully from the lees or settlings, strain it and put it into small bottles, dipping the corks in melted rosin. this sauce is intended to flavour melted butter or gravy, for every sort of fish and meat. pink sauce.--mix together half a pint of port wine, half a pint of strong vinegar, the juice and grated peel of two large lemons, a quarter of an ounce of cayenne, a dozen blades of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of powdered cochineal. let it infuse a fortnight, stirring it several times a day. then boil it ten minutes, strain it, and bottle it for use. eat it with any sort of fish or game. it will give a fine pink tinge to melted butter. catchups. lobster catchup.--this catchup, warmed in melted butter, is an excellent substitute for fresh lobster sauce at seasons when the fish cannot be procured, as, if properly made, it will keep a year. take a fine lobster that weighs about three pounds. put it into boiling water, and cook it thoroughly. when it is cold break it up, and extract all the flesh from the shell. pound the red part or coral in a marble mortar, and when it is well bruised, add the white meat by degrees, and pound that also; seasoning it with a tea-spoonful of cayenne, and moistening it gradually with sherry wine. when it is beaten to a smooth paste, mix it well with the remainder of the bottle of sherry. put it into wide-mouthed bottles, and on the top of each put a table-spoonful of sweet oil. dip the corks in melted rosin, and secure them well by tying leather over them. in using this catchup, allow four table-spoonfuls to a common-sized sauce-boat of melted butter. put in the catchup at the last, and hold it over the fire just long enough to be thoroughly heated. anchovy catchup.--bone two dozen anchovies, and then chop them. put to them ten shalots, or very small onions, cut fine, and a handful of scraped horseradish, with a quarter of an ounce of mace. add a lemon, cut into slices, twelve cloves, and twelve pepper-corns. then mix together a pint of port, a pint of madeira, and a pint of anchovy liquor. put the other ingredients into the liquid, and boil it slowly till reduced one-half. then strain it, and when cold put it into small bottles, securing the corks with leather. oyster catchup.--take large salt oysters that have just been opened. wash them in their own liquor, and pound them in a mortar, omitting the hard parts. to every pint of the pounded oysters, add a half pint of white wine or vinegar, in which you must give them a boil up, removing the scum as it rises. then to each quart of the boiled oysters allow a tea-spoonful of beaten white pepper, a tea-spoonful of pounded mace, and cayenne pepper to your taste. let it boil up for a few minutes, and then pass it through a sieve into an earthen pan. when cold, put it into small bottles, filling them quite full, as it will not keep so well if there is a vacancy at the top. dip the corks in melted rosin, and tie leather over each. walnut catchup.--take green walnuts that are young enough to be easily pierced through with a large needle. having pricked them all in several places, throw them into an earthen pan with a large handful of salt, and barely sufficient water to cover them. break up and mash them with a potato-beetle, or a rolling-pin. keep them four days in the salt and water, stirring and mashing them every day. the rinds will now be quite soft. then scald them with boiling-hot salt and water, and raising the pan on the edge, let the walnut liquor flow away from the shells into another pan. put the shells into a mortar, and pound them with vinegar, which will extract from them all the remaining juice. put all the walnut liquor together, and boil and skim it; then to every quart allow an ounce of bruised ginger, an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of cloves, and half an ounce of nutmeg, all slightly beaten. boil the spice and walnut liquor in a closely covered vessel for three quarters of an hour. when cold, bottle it for use, putting equal proportions of the spice into each bottle. secure the corks with leather. mushroom catchup.--take mushrooms that have been freshly gathered, and examine them carefully to ascertain that they are of the right sort. pick them nicely, and wipe them clean, but do not wash them. spread a layer of them at the bottom of a deep earthen pan, and then sprinkle them well with salt; then another layer of mushrooms, and another layer of salt, and so on alternately. throw a folded cloth over the jar, and set it by the fire or in a very cool oven. let it remain thus for twenty-four hours, and then mash them well with your hands. next squeeze and strain them through a bag. to every quart of strained liquor add an ounce and a half of whole black pepper, and boil it slowly in a covered vessel for half an hour. then add a quarter of an ounce of allspice, half an ounce of sliced ginger, a few cloves, and three or four blades of mace. boil it with the spice fifteen minutes longer. when it is done, take it off, and let it stand awhile to settle. pour it carefully off from the sediment, and put it into small bottles, filling them to the top. secure them well with corks dipped in melted rosin, and leather caps tied over them. the longer catchup is boiled, the better it will keep. you may add cayenne and nutmeg to the spices. the bottles should be quite small, as it soon spoils after being opened. tomata catchup.--take a peck of large ripe tomatas. having cut a slit in each, put them into a large preserving-kettle, and boil them half an hour. then take them out, and press and strain the pulp through a hair sieve. put it back into the kettle, and add an ounce of salt, an ounce of powdered mace, half an ounce of powdered cloves, a small tea-spoonful of ground black pepper, the same of cayenne pepper, and eight table-spoonfuls of ground mustard. mix the seasoning with the tomata pulp; let it boil slowly during four hours. then take it out of the kettle, and let it stand till next day, in an uncovered tureen. when cold, stir into it one pint of the best cider vinegar. put it into clean bottles, and seal the corks. it will be found excellent for flavouring stews, hashes, fish-sauce, &c. lemon catchup.--grate the peel of a dozen large fresh lemons. prepare, by pounding them in a mortar, two ounces of mustard seed, half an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves. slice thin two ounces of horseradish. put all these ingredients together. strew over them one ounce of fine salt. add the juice of the lemons. boil the whole twenty minutes. then put it warm into a jar, and let it stand three weeks closely covered. stir it up daily. then strain it through a sieve, and put it up in small bottles to flavour fish and other sauces. this is sometimes called lemon pickle. sea catchup.--take a gallon of stale strong beer, a pound of anchovies washed from the pickle, a pound of peeled shalots or small onions, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, a quarter of an ounce of whole pepper, three or four large pieces of ginger, and two quarts of large mushroom-flaps rubbed to pieces. put the whole into a kettle closely covered, and let it simmer slowly till reduced to one half. then strain it through a flannel bag, and let it stand till quite cold before you bottle it. have small bottles and fill them quite full of the catchup. dip the corks in melted rosin. this catchup keeps well at sea, and may be carried into any part of the world. a spoonful of it mixed in melted butter will make a fine fish sauce. it may also be used to flavour gravy. flavoured vinegars. these vinegars will be found very useful, at times when the articles with which they are flavoured cannot be conveniently procured. care should be taken to have the bottles that contain them accurately labelled, very tightly corked, and kept in a dry place. the vinegar used for these purposes should be of the very best sort. tarragon vinegar.--tarragon should be gathered on a dry day, just before the plant flowers. pick the green leaves from the stalks, and dry them a little before the fire. then put them into a wide-mouthed stone jar, and cover them with the best vinegar, filling up the jar. let it steep fourteen days, and then strain it into wide-mouthed bottles, in each of which put a large quantity of fresh tarragon leaves, and let them remain in the vinegar. sweet basil vinegar.--is made precisely in the same manner; also those of green mint, and sweet marjoram. celery vinegar.--pound two ounces of celery seed in a mortar, and steep it for a fortnight in a quart of vinegar. then strain and bottle it. burnet vinegar.--nearly fill a wide-mouthed bottle with the fresh green leaves of burnet, cover them with vinegar, and let them steep two weeks. then strain off the vinegar, wash the bottle, put in a fresh supply of burnet leaves, pour the same vinegar over them, and let it infuse a fortnight longer. then strain it again and it will be fit for use. the flavour will exactly resemble that of cucumbers. horseradish vinegar.--make a quart of the best vinegar boiling hot, and pour it on four ounces of scraped horseradish. let it stand a week, then strain it off, renew the horseradish, adding the same vinegar cold, and let it infuse a week longer, straining it again at the last. shalot vinegar.--peel and chop fine four ounces of shalots, or small button onions. pour on them a quart of the best vinegar, and let them steep a fortnight; then strain and bottle it. make garlic vinegar in the same manner; using but one ounce of garlic to a quart of vinegar. two or three drops will be sufficient to impart a garlic taste to a pint of gravy or sauce. more will be offensive. the cook should be cautioned to use it very sparingly, as to many persons it is extremely disagreeable. chilli vinegar.--take a hundred red chillies or capsicums, fresh gathered; cut them into small pieces and infuse them for a fortnight in a quart of the best vinegar shaking the bottle every day. then strain it. raspberry vinegar.--put two quarts of ripe fresh-gathered raspberries into a stone or china vessel, and pour on them a quart of vinegar. let it stand twenty-four hours, and then strain it through a sieve. pour the liquid over two quarts of fresh raspberries, and let it again infuse for a day and a night. then strain it a second time. allow a pound of loaf sugar to every pint of juice. break up the sugar, and let it melt in the liquor. then put the whole into a stone jar, cover it closely, and set it in a kettle of boiling water, which must be kept on a quick boil for an hour. take off all the scum, and when cold, bottle the vinegar for use. raspberry vinegar mixed with water is a pleasant and cooling beverage in warm weather; also in fevers. mustard and pepper. common mustard--is best when fresh made. take good flour of mustard; put it in a plate, add to it a little salt, and mix it by degrees with boiling water to the usual consistence, rubbing it for a long time with a broad-bladed knife or a wooden spoon. it should be perfectly smooth. the less that is made at a time the better it will be. if you wish it very mild, use sugar instead of salt, and boiling milk instead of water. keeping mustard.--dissolve three ounces of salt in a quart of boiling vinegar, and pour it hot upon two ounces of scraped horseradish. cover the jar closely and let it stand twenty-four hours. strain it and then mix it by degrees with the best flour of mustard. make it of the usual thickness, and beat it till quite smooth. then put it into wide-mouthed bottles and stop it closely. french mustard.--mix together four ounces of the very best mustard powder, four salt-spoons of salt, a large table-spoonful of minced tarragon leaves, and two cloves of garlic chopped fine. dilute it to the proper consistence by adding alternately equal portions of vinegar and salad oil. it will probably require about four wine-glassfuls or half a pint. mix it well, using for the purpose a wooden spoon. when done, put it into a wide-mouthed bottle or into little white jars. cork it very closely, and keep it in a dry place. it will not be fit for use in less than two days. this (used as the common mustard) is a very agreeable condiment for beef or mutton. if you cannot procure tarragon leaves, buy at a grocer's a bottle of tarragon vinegar. mix it with an equal portion of sweet oil, adding a few drops of garlic vinegar. then stir in mustard powder till sufficiently thick. to make cayenne pepper.--take ripe chillies and dry them a whole day before the fire, turning them frequently. when quite dry, trim off the stalks and pound the pods in a mortar till they become a fine powder, mixing in about one sixth of their weight in salt. or you may grind them in a very fine mill. while pounding the chillies, wear glasses to save your eyes from being incommoded by them. put the powder into small bottles, and secure the corks closely. kitchen pepper.--mix together two ounces of the best white ginger, an ounce of black pepper, an ounce of white pepper, an ounce of cinnamon, an ounce of nutmeg, and two dozen cloves. they must all be ground or pounded to a fine powder, and thoroughly mixed. keep the mixture in a bottle, labelled, and well corked. it will be found useful in seasoning many dishes; and being ready prepared will save much trouble. vegetables. general remarks. all vegetables should be well picked and washed. a very little salt should always be thrown into the water in which they are boiled. a steady regular fire should be kept up, and they should never for a moment be allowed to stop boiling or simmering till they are thoroughly done. every sort of vegetable should be cooked till tender, as if the least hard or under-done they are both unpalatable and unwholesome. the practice of putting pearl-ash in the pot to improve the colour of green vegetables should be strictly forbidden, as it destroys the flavour, and either renders them flat and insipid, or communicates a very disagreeable taste of its own. every sort of culinary vegetable is infinitely best when fresh from the garden, and gathered as short a time as possible before it is cooked. they should all be laid in a pan of cold water for a while previous to boiling. when done, they should be carefully drained before they go to table, or they will be washy all through, and leave puddles of discoloured water in the bottoms of the dishes, to the disgust of the company and the discredit of the cook. to boil potatoes. potatoes that are boiled together, should be as nearly as possible of the same size. wash, but do not pare them. put them into a pot with water enough to cover them about an inch, and do not put on the pot-lid. when the water is very near boiling, pour it off, and replace it with the same quantity of cold water, into which throw a good portion of salt. the cold water sends the heat from the surface to the heart, and makes the potatoes mealy. potatoes of a moderate size will require about half an hour boiling; large ones an hour. try them with a fork. when done, pour off the water, cover the pot with a folded napkin, or flannel, and let them stand by the fire about a quarter of an hour to dry. peel them and send them to table. potatoes are often served up with the skins on. it has a coarse, slovenly look, and disfigures the appearance of the dinner; besides the trouble and inconvenience of peeling them at table. but many prefer them thus. when the skins crack in boiling, it is no proof that they are done, as too much fire under the pot will cause the skins of some potatoes to break while the inside is hard. after march, when potatoes are old, it is best to pare them before boiling and to cut out all the blemishes. it is then better to mash them always before they are sent to table. mash them when quite hot, using a potato-beetle for the purpose; add to them a piece of fresh butter, and a little salt, and, if convenient, some milk, which will greatly improve them. you may score and brown them on the top. a very nice way of serving up potatoes is, after they are peeled, to pour over them some hot cream in which a very little butter has been melted, and sprinkle them with pepper. this is frequently done in country houses where cream is plenty. new potatoes (as they are called when quite young) require no peeling, but should be well washed and brushed before they are boiled. fried potatoes.--take cold potatoes that have been boiled, grate them, make them into flat cakes, and fry them in butter. they are nice at breakfast. you may mix some beaten yolk of egg with them. cold potatoes may be fried in slices or quarters, or broiled on a gridiron. raw potatoes, when fried, are generally hard, tough, and strong. potato snow.--for this purpose use potatoes that are very white, mealy, and smooth. boil them very carefully, and when they are done, peel them, pour off the water, and set them on a trivet before the fire till they are quite dry and powdery. then rub them through a coarse wire sieve into the dish on which they are to go to table. do not disturb the heap of potatoes before it is served up, or the flakes will fall and it will flatten. this preparation looks well; but many think that it renders the potato insipid. roasted potatoes.--take large fine potatoes; wash and dry them, and either lay them on the hearth and keep them buried in hot wood ashes, or bake them slowly in a dutch oven. they will not be done in less than two hours. it will save time to half-boil them before they are roasted. send them to table with the skins on, and eat them with cold butter and salt. they are introduced with cold meat at supper. potatoes keep best buried in sand or earth. they should never be wetted till they are washed for cooking. if you have them in the cellar, see that they are well covered with matting or old carpet, as the frost injures them greatly. sweet potatoes boiled. if among your sweet potatoes there should be any that are very large and thick, split them, and cut them in four, that they may not require longer time to cook than the others. boil them with the skins on in plenty of water, but without any salt. you may set the pot on coals in the corner. try them with a fork, and see that they are done all through; they will take at least an hour. then drain off the water, and set them for a few minutes in a tin pan before the fire, or in the stove, that they may be well dried. peel them before they are sent to table. when very large, and all of a size, you may roast them. fried sweet potatoes.--choose them of the largest size. half boil them, and then having taken off the skins, cut the potatoes in slices, and fry them in butter, or in nice dripping. sweet potatoes are very good stewed with fresh pork, veal, or beef. the best way to keep them through the cold weather, is to bury them in earth or sand; otherwise they will be scarcely eatable after october. cabbage. all vegetables of the cabbage kind should be carefully washed, and examined in case of insects lurking among the leaves. to prepare a cabbage for boiling, remove the outer leaves, and pare and trim the stalk, cutting it close and short. if the cabbage is large, quarter it; if small, cut it in half; and let it stand for a while in a deep pan of cold water with the large end downwards. put it into a pot with plenty of water, (having first tied it together to keep it whole while boiling,) and, taking off the scum, boil it two hours, or till the stalk is quite tender. when done, drain and squeeze it well. before you send it to table introduce a little fresh butter between the leaves; or have melted butter in a boat. if it has been boiled with meat add no butter to it. a young cabbage will boil in an hour or an hour and a half. cale-cannon.--boil separately some potatoes and cabbage. when done, drain and squeeze the cabbage, and chop or mince it very small. mash the potatoes, and mix them gradually but thoroughly with the chopped cabbage, adding butter, pepper and salt. there should be twice as much potato as cabbage. cale-cannon is eaten with corned beef, boiled pork, or bacon. cabbages may be kept good all winter by burying them in a hole dug in the ground. cauliflower. remove the green leaves that surround the head or white part, and peel off the outside skin of the small piece of stalk that is left on. cut the cauliflower in four, and lay it for an hour in a pan of cold water. then tie it together before it goes into the pot. put it into boiling water and simmer it till the stalk is thoroughly tender, keeping it well covered with water, and carefully removing the scum. it will take about two hours. take it up as soon as it is done; remaining in the water will discolour it. drain it well, and send it to table with melted butter. it will be much whiter if put on in boiling milk and water. brocoli.--prepare brocoli for boiling in the same manner as cauliflower, leaving the stalks rather longer, and splitting the head in half only. tie it together again, before it goes into the pot. put it on in hot water, and let it simmer till the stalk is perfectly tender. as soon as it is done take it out of the water and drain it. send melted butter to table with it. spinach. spinach requires close examination and picking, as insects are frequently found among it, and it is often gritty. wash it through three or four waters. then drain it, and put it on in boiling water. ten minutes is generally sufficient time to boil spinach. be careful to remove the scum. when it is quite tender, take it up, and drain and squeeze it well. chop it fine, and put it into a sauce-pan with a piece of butter and a little pepper and salt. set it on hot coals, and let it stew five minutes, stirring it all the time. spinach and eggs.--boil the spinach as above, and drain and press it, but do not chop it. have ready some eggs poached as follows. boil in a sauce-pan, and skim some clear spring water, adding to it a table-spoonful of vinegar. break the eggs separately, and having taken the sauce-pan off the fire, slip the eggs one at a time into it with as much dexterity as you can. let the sauce-pan stand by the side of the fire till the white is set, and then put it over the fire for two minutes. the yolk should be thinly covered by the white. take them up with an egg slice, and having trimmed the edges of the whites, lay the eggs on the top of the spinach, which should first be seasoned with pepper and salt and a little butter, and must be sent to table hot. turnips. take off a thick paring from the outside, and boil the turnips gently for an hour and a half. try them with a fork, and when quite tender, take them up, drain them on a sieve, and either send them to table whole with melted butter, or mash them in a cullender, (pressing and squeezing them well;) season with a little pepper and salt, and mix with them a very small quantity of butter. setting in the sun after they are cooked, or on a part of the table upon which the sun may happen to shine, will give to turnips a singularly unpleasant taste, and should therefore be avoided. when turnips are very young, it is customary to serve them up with about two inches of the green top left on them. if stewed with meat, they should be sliced or quartered. mutton, either boiled or roasted, should always be accompanied by turnips. carrots. wash and scrape them well. if large cut them into two, three, or four pieces. put them into boiling water with a little salt in it. full grown carrots will require three hours' boiling; smaller ones two hours, and young ones an hour. try them with a fork, and when they are tender throughout, take them up and dry them in a cloth. divide them in pieces and split them, or cut them into slices. eat them with melted butter. they should accompany boiled beef or mutton. parsnips. wash, scrape and split them. put them into a pot of boiling water; add a little salt, and boil them till quite tender, which will be in from two to three hours, according to their size. dry them in a cloth when done, and pour melted butter over them in the dish. serve them up with any sort of boiled meat, or with salt cod. parsnips are very good baked or stewed with meat. russian or swedish turnips. this turnip (the ruta baga) is very large and of a reddish yellow colour; they are generally much liked. take off a thick paring, cut the turnips into large pieces, or thick slices, and lay them awhile in cold water. then boil them gently about two hours, or till they are quite soft. when done, drain, squeeze and mash them, and season them with pepper and salt, and a very little butter. take care not to set them in a part of the table where the sun comes, as it will spoil the taste. russian turnips should always be mashed. squashes or cymlings. the green or summer squash is best when the outside is beginning to turn yellow, as it is then less watery and insipid than when younger. wash them, cut them into pieces, and take out the seeds. boil them about three quarters of an hour, or till quite tender. when done, drain and squeeze them well till you have pressed out all the water; mash them with a little butter, pepper and salt. then put the squash thus prepared into a stew-pan, set it on hot coals, and stir it very frequently till it becomes dry. take care not to let it burn. winter squash, or cashaw. this is much finer than the summer squash. it is fit to eat in august, and, in a dry warm place, can be kept well all winter. the colour is a very bright yellow. pare it, take out the seeds, cut it in pieces, and stew it slowly till quite soft, in a very little water. afterwards drain, squeeze, and press it well, and mash it with a very little butter, pepper and salt. pumpkin. deep coloured pumpkins are generally the best. in a dry warm place they can be kept perfectly good all winter. when you prepare to stew a pumpkin, cut it in half and take out all the seeds. then cut it in thick slices, and pare them. put it into a pot with a very little water, and stew it gently for an hour, or till soft enough to mash. then take it out, drain, and squeeze it till it is as dry as you can get it. afterwards mash it, adding a little pepper and salt, and a very little butter. pumpkin is frequently stewed with fresh beef or fresh pork. the water in which pumpkin has been boiled, is said to be very good to mix bread with, it having a tendency to improve it in sweetness and to keep it moist. hominy. wash the hominy very clean through three or four waters. then put it into a pot (allowing two quarts of water to one quart of hominy) and boil it slowly five hours. when done, take it up, and drain the liquid from it through a cullender. put the hominy into a deep dish, and stir into it a small piece of fresh butter. the small grained hominy is boiled in rather less water, and generally eaten with butter and sugar. indian corn. corn for boiling should be full grown but young and tender. when the grains become yellow it is too old. strip it of the outside leaves and the silk, but let the inner leaves remain, as they will keep in the sweetness. put it into a large pot with plenty of water, and boil it rather fast for half an hour. when done, drain off the water, and remove the leaves. you may either lay the ears on a large flat dish and send them to table whole, or broken in half; or you may cut all the corn off the cob, and serve it up in a deep dish, mixed with butter, pepper and salt. mock oysters of corn. take a dozen and a half ears of large young corn, and grate all the grains off the cob as fine as possible. mix with the grated corn three large table-spoonfuls of sifted flour, the yolks of six eggs well beaten. let all be well incorporated by hard beating. have ready in a frying-pan an equal proportion of lard and fresh butter. hold it over the fire till it is boiling hot, and then put in portions of the mixture as nearly as possible in shape and size like fried oysters. fry them brown, and send them to table hot. they should be near an inch thick. this is an excellent relish at breakfast, and may be introduced as a side dish at dinner. in taste it has a singular resemblance to fried oysters. the corn _must_ be young. stewed egg plant. the purple egg plants are better than the white ones. put them whole into a pot with plenty of water, and simmer them till quite tender. then take them out, drain them, and (having peeled off the skins) cut them up, and mash them smooth in a deep dish. mix with them some grated bread, some powdered sweet marjoram, and a large piece of butter, adding a pounded nutmeg. grate a layer of bread over the top, and put the dish into the oven and brown it. you must send it to table in the same dish. egg plant is sometimes eaten at dinner, but generally at breakfast. to fry egg plant.--do not pare your egg plants if they are to be fried, but slice them about half an inch thick and lay them an hour or two in salt and water to remove their strong taste, which to most persons is very unpleasant. then take them out, wipe them, and season them with pepper only. beat some yolk of egg; and in another dish grate a sufficiency of bread-crumbs. have ready in a frying-pan some lard and butter mixed, and make it boil. then dip each slice of egg plant first in the egg, and then in the crumbs, till both sides are well covered; and fry them brown, taking care to have them done all through, as the least rawness renders them very unpalatable. stuffed egg plants.--parboil them to take off their bitterness. then slit each one down the side, and extract the seeds. have ready a stuffing made of grated bread-crumbs, butter, minced sweet herbs, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and beaten yolk of egg. fill with it the cavity from whence you took the seeds, and bake the egg plants in a dutch oven. serve them up with a made gravy poured into the dish. fried cucumbers. having pared your cucumbers, cut them lengthways into pieces about as thick as a dollar. then dry them in a cloth. season them with pepper and salt, and sprinkle them thick with flour. melt some butter in a frying-pan, and when it boils, put in the slices of cucumber, and fry them of a light brown. send them to table hot. they make a breakfast dish. to dress cucumbers raw.--they should be as fresh from the vine as possible, few vegetables being more unwholesome when long gathered. as soon as they are brought in lay them in cold water. just before they are to go to table take them out, pare them and slice them into a pan of fresh cold water. when they are all sliced, transfer them to a deep dish, season them with a little salt and black pepper, and pour over them some of the best vinegar, to which you may add a little salad oil. you may mix with them a small quantity of sliced onion; not to be eaten, but to communicate a slight flavour of onion to the vinegar. salsify. having scraped the salsify roots, and washed them in cold water, parboil them. then take them out, drain them, cut them into large pieces and fry them in butter. salsify is frequently stewed slowly till quite tender, and then served up with melted butter. or it may be first boiled, then grated, and made into cakes to be fried in butter. salsify must not be left exposed to the air, or it will turn blackish. artichokes. strip off the coarse outer leaves, and cut off the stalks close to the bottom. wash the artichokes well, and let them lie two or three hours in cold water. put them with their heads downward into a pot of boiling water, keeping them down by a plate floated over them. they must boil steadily from two to three hours; take care to replenish the pot with additional boiling water as it is wanted. when they are tender all through, drain them, and serve them up with melted butter. beets. wash the beets, but do not scrape or cut them while they are raw; for if a knife enters them before they are boiled they will lose their colour. boil them from two to three hours, according to their size. when they are tender all through, take them up, and scrape off all the outside. if they are young beets they are best split down and cut into long pieces, seasoned with pepper, and sent to table with melted butter. otherwise you may slice them thin, after they are quite cold, and pour vinegar over them. to stew beets.--boil them first, and then scrape and slice them. put them into a stew-pan with a piece of butter rolled in flour, some boiled onion and parsley chopped fine, and a little vinegar, salt and pepper. set the pan on hot coals, and let the beets stew for a quarter of an hour. to boil green or french beans. these beans should be young, tender, and fresh gathered. remove the strings with a knife, and take off both ends of the bean. then cut them in two or three pieces only; for if split or cut very small, they become watery and lose much of their taste; and cannot be well drained. as you cut them, throw them into a pan of cold water, and let them lay awhile. boil them an hour and a half. they must be perfectly tender before you take them up. then drain and press them well, season them with pepper, and mix into them a piece of butter. scarlet beans.--it is not generally known that the pod of the scarlet bean, if green and young, is extremely nice when cut into three or four pieces and boiled. they will require near two hours, and must be drained well, and mixed as before mentioned with butter and pepper. if gathered at the proper time, when the seed is just perceptible, they are superior to any of the common beans. lima beans. these are generally considered the finest of all beans, and should be gathered young. shell them, lay them in a pan of cold water, and then boil them about two hours, or till they are quite soft. drain them well, and add to them some butter and a little pepper. they are destroyed by the first frost, but can be kept during the winter, by gathering them on a dry day when full grown but not the least hard, and putting them in their pods into a keg. throw some salt into the bottom of the keg, and cover it with a layer of the bean-pods; then add more salt, and then another layer of beans, till the keg is full. press them down with a heavy weight, cover the keg closely, and keep it in a cool dry place. before you use them, soak the pods all night in cold water; the next day shell them, and soak the beans till you are ready to boil them. dried beans. wash them and lay them in soak over night. early in the morning put them into a pot with plenty of water, and boil them slowly till dinner time. they will require seven or eight hours to be sufficiently done. then take them off, put them into a sieve, and strain off the liquid. send the beans to table in a deep dish, seasoned with pepper, and having a piece of butter mixed with them. green peas. green peas are unfit for eating after they become hard and yellowish; but they are better when nearly full grown than when very small and young. they should be gathered as short a time as possible before they are cooked, and laid in cold water as soon as they are shelled. they will require about an hour to boil soft. when quite done, drain them, mix with them a piece of butter, and add a little pepper. peas may be greatly improved by boiling with them two or three lumps of loaf-sugar, and a sprig of mint to be taken out before they are dished. this is an english way of cooking green peas, and is to most tastes a very good one. to boil onions. take off the tops and tails, and the thin outer skin; but no more lest the onions should go to pieces. lay them on the bottom of a pan which is broad enough to contain them without piling one on another; just cover them with water, and let them simmer slowly till they are tender all through, but not till they break. serve them up with melted butter. to roast onions.--onions are best when parboiled before roasting. take large onions, place them on a hot hearth and roast them before the fire in their skins, turning them as they require it. then peel them, send them to table whole, and eat them with butter and salt. to fry onions.--peel, slice them, and fry them brown in butter or nice dripping. onions should be kept in a very dry place, as dampness injures them. to boil asparagus. large or full grown asparagus is the best. before you begin to prepare it for cooking, set on the fire a pot with plenty of water, and sprinkle into it a handful of salt. your asparagus should be all of the same size. scrape the stalks till they are perfectly nice and white; cut them all of equal length, and short, so as to leave them but two or three inches below the green part. to serve up asparagus with long stalks is now becoming obsolete. as you scrape them, throw them into a pan of cold water. then tie them up in small bundles with bass or tape, as twine will cut them to pieces. when the water is boiling fast, put in the asparagus, and boil it an hour; if old it will require an hour and a quarter. when it is nearly done boiling, toast a large slice of bread sufficient to cover the dish (first cutting off the crust) and dip it into the asparagus water in the pot. lay it in a dish, and, having drained the asparagus, place it on the toast with all the heads pointed inwards towards the centre, and the stalks spreading outwards. serve up melted butter with it. sea kale.--sea kale is prepared, boiled, and served up in the same manner as asparagus. poke.--the young stalks and leaves of the poke-berry plant when quite small and first beginning to sprout up from the ground in the spring, are by most persons considered very nice, and are frequently brought to market. if the least too old they acquire a strong taste, and should not be eaten, as they then become unwholesome. they are in a proper state when the part of the stalk nearest to the ground is not thicker than small asparagus. scrape the stalks, (letting the leaves remain on them,) and throw them into cold water. then tie up the poke in bundles, put it into a pot that has plenty of boiling water, and let it boil fast an hour at least. serve it up with or without toast, and send melted butter with it in a boat. stewed tomatas. peel your tomatas, cut them in half and squeeze out the seeds. then put them into a stew-pan without any water, and add to them cayenne and salt to your taste, some grated bread, a little minced onion, and some powdered mace. stew them slowly till they are first dissolved and then dry. baked tomatas.--peel some large fine tomatas, cut them up, and take out the seeds. then put them into a deep dish in alternate layers with grated bread-crumbs, and a very little butter in small bits. there must be a large proportion of bread-crumbs. season the whole with a little salt, and cayenne pepper. set it in an oven, and bake it. in cooking tomatas, take care not to have them too liquid. they will not lose their raw taste in less than three hours' cooking. mushrooms. good mushrooms are only found in clear open fields where the air is pure and unconfined. those that grow in low damp ground, or in shady places, are always poisonous. mushrooms of the proper sort generally appear in august and september, after a heavy dew or a misty night. they may be known by their being of a pale pink or salmon colour on the gills or under side, while the top is of a dull pearl-coloured white; and by their growing only in open places. when they are a day old, or a few hours after they are gathered, the reddish colour changes to brown. the poisonous or false mushrooms are of various colours, sometimes of a bright yellow or scarlet all over; sometimes entirely of a chalky white, stalk, top, and gills. it is easy to detect a bad mushroom if all are quite fresh; but after being gathered a few hours the colours change, so that unpractised persons frequently mistake them. it is said that if you boil an onion among mushrooms the onion will turn of a bluish black when there is a bad one among them. of course, the whole should then be thrown into the fire. if in stirring mushrooms, the colour of the silver spoon is changed, it is also most prudent to destroy them all. to stew mushrooms.--for this purpose the small button mushrooms are best. wash them clean, peel off the skin, and cut off the stalks. put the trimmings into a small sauce-pan with just enough water to keep them from burning, and covering them closely, let them stew a quarter of an hour. then strain the liquor, and having put the mushrooms into a clean sauce-pan, (a silver one, or one lined with porcelain,) add the liquid to them with a little nutmeg, pepper and salt, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. stew them fifteen minutes, and just before you take them up, stir in a very little cream or rich milk and some beaten yolk of egg. serve them hot. while they are cooking, keep the pan as closely covered as possible; shaking it round frequently. if you wish to have the full taste of the mushroom only, after washing, trimming, and peeling them, put them into a stew-pan with a little salt and no water. set them on coals, and stew them slowly till tender, adding nothing to them but a little butter rolled in flour, or else a little cream. be sure to keep the pan well covered. broiled mushrooms.--for this purpose take large mushrooms, and be careful to have them freshly gathered. peel them, score the under side, and cut off the stems. lay them one by one in an earthen pan, brushing them over with sweet oil or oiled butter, and sprinkling each with a little pepper and salt. cover them closely, and let them set for about an hour and a half. then place them on a gridiron over clear hot coals, and broil them on both sides. make a gravy for them of their trimmings stewed in a very little milk, strained and thickened with a beaten egg stirred in just before it goes to table. boiled rice. pick your rice clean, and wash it in two cold waters, not draining off the last water till you are ready to put the rice on the fire. prepare a sauce-pan of water with a little salt in it, and when it boils, sprinkle in the rice. boil it hard twenty minutes, keeping it covered. then take it from the fire, and pour off the water. afterwards set the sauce-pan in the chimney corner with the lid off, while you are dishing your dinner, to allow the rice to dry, and the grains to separate. rice, if properly boiled, should be soft and white, and every grain ought to stand alone. if badly managed, it will, when brought to table, be a grayish watery mass. in most southern families, rice is boiled every day for the dinner table, and eaten with the meat and poultry. the above is a carolina receipt. to dress lettuce as salad. strip off the outer leaves, wash the lettuce, split it in half, and lay it in cold water till dinner time. then drain it and put it into a salad dish. have ready two eggs boiled hard, (which they will be in ten minutes,) and laid in a basin of cold water for five minutes to prevent the whites from turning blue. cut them in half and lay them on the lettuce. put the yolks of the eggs on a large plate, and with a wooden spoon mash them smooth, mixing with them a table-spoonful of water, and two table-spoonfuls of sweet oil. then add, by degrees, a salt-spoonful of salt, a tea-spoonful of mustard, and a tea-spoonful of powdered loaf-sugar. when these are all smoothly united, add very gradually three table-spoonfuls of vinegar. the lettuce having been cut up fine on another plate, put it to the dressing, and mix it well. if you have the dressing for salad made before dinner, put it into the bottom of the salad dish; then (having cut it up) lay the salad upon it, and let it rest till it is to be eaten, as stirring it will injure it. you may decorate the top of the salad with slices of red beet, and with the hard white of the eggs cut into rings. celery.--scrape and wash it well, and let it lie in cold water till shortly before it goes to table; then dry it in a cloth, trim it, and split down the stalks almost to the bottom, leaving on a few green leaves. send it to table in a celery glass, and eat it with salt only; or chop it fine, and make a salad dressing for it. radishes.--to prepare radishes for eating, wash them and lay them in clean cold water as soon as they are brought in. shortly before they go to table, scrape off the thin outside skin, trim the sharp end, cut off the leaves at the top, leaving the stalks about an inch long, and put them on a small dish. eat them with salt. radishes should not be eaten the day after they are pulled, as they are extremely unwholesome if not quite fresh. the thick white radishes, after being scraped and trimmed, should be split or cleft in four, half way down from the top. to roast chestnuts. the large spanish chestnuts are the best for roasting. cut a slit in the shell of every one to prevent their bursting when hot. put them into a pan, and set them over a charcoal furnace till they are thoroughly roasted; stirring them up frequently and taking care not to let them burn. when they are done, peel off the shells, and send the chestnuts to table wrapped up in a napkin to keep them warm. chestnuts should always be roasted or boiled before they are eaten. ground-nuts.--these nuts are never eaten raw. put them, with their shells on, into an iron pan, and set them in an oven; or you may do them in a skillet on hot coals. a large quantity may be roasted in an iron pot over the fire. stir them frequently, taking one out from time to time, and breaking it to try if they are done. corn and beans with pork. take a good piece of pork, either salt or fresh. boil it by itself till quite tender. boil also the corn and beans separately. either dried or green beans will do. if string-beans, they must be cut in three. when the corn is well boiled, cut it from the cob, and mix it with the boiled beans. put it into a pot with the boiled pork, and barely sufficient water to cover it. season with pepper, and stew the whole together till nearly dry. to keep ochras and tomatos.--take ochras when they first come in season; slice them thin; with a large needle run a strong thread through the slices, and hang them up in your store-room in festoons. in winter, use them for soup; boiling them till quite dissolved. having filled a jar two-thirds with whole tomatos, fill it quite up with good lard; covering it closely. when wanted for use, take them out from under the lard, and wash them in hot water. eggs, &c. to keep eggs. there is no infallible mode of ascertaining the freshness of an egg before you break it, but unless an egg is perfectly good, it is unfit for any purpose whatever, and will spoil whatever it is mixed with. you may judge with tolerable accuracy of the state of an egg by holding it against the sun or the candle, and if the yolk, as you see it through the shell, appears round, and the white thin and clear, it is most probably a good one; but if the yolk looks broken, and the white thick and cloudy, the egg is certainly bad. you may try the freshness of eggs by putting them into a pan of cold water. those that sink the soonest are the freshest; those that are stale or addled will float on the surface. there are various ways of preserving eggs. to keep them merely for plain boiling, you may parboil them for one minute, and then bury them in powdered charcoal with their small ends downward. they will keep a few days in a jar of salt; but do not afterwards use the salt in which they have been immersed. they are frequently preserved for two or three months by greasing them all over, when quite fresh, with melted mutton suet, and then wedging them close together (the small end downwards) in a box of bran, layer above layer; the box must be closely covered. charcoal is better than bran. another way (and a very good one) is to put some lime in a large vessel, and slack it with boiling water, till it is of the consistence of thin cream; you may allow a gallon of water to a pound of lime. when it is cold, pour it off into a large stone jar, put in the eggs, and cover the jar closely. see that the eggs are always well covered with the lime-water, and lest they should break, avoid moving the jar. if you have hens of your own, keep a jar of lime-water always ready, and put in the eggs as they are brought in from the nests. jars that hold about six quarts are the most convenient. it will be well to renew the lime-water occasionally. to boil eggs for breakfast. the fresher they are the longer time they will require for boiling. if you wish them quite soft, put them into a saucepan of water that is boiling hard at the moment, and let them remain in it five minutes. the longer they boil the harder they will be. in ten minutes' fast boiling they will be hard enough for salad. if you use one of the tin egg-boilers that are placed on the table, see that the water is boiling hard at the time you put in the eggs. when they have been in about four or five minutes, take them out, pour off the water, and replace it by some more that is boiling hard; as, from the coldness of the eggs having chilled the first water, they will not otherwise be done enough. the boiler may then be placed on the table, (keeping the lid closed,) and in a few minutes more they will be sufficiently cooked to be wholesome. to poach eggs. pour some boiling water out of a tea-kettle through a clean cloth spread over the top of a broad stew-pan; for by observing this process the eggs will be nicer and more easily done than when its impurities remain in the water. set the pan with the strained water on hot coals, and when it boils, break each egg separately into a saucer. remove the pan from the fire, and slip the eggs one by one into the surface of the water. let the pan stand till the white of the eggs is set; then place it again on the coals, and as soon as the water boils again, the eggs will be sufficiently done. take them out carefully with an egg-slice, and trim off all the ragged edges from the white, which should thinly cover the yolk. have ready some thin slices of buttered toast with the crust cut off. lay them in the bottom of the dish, with a poached egg on each slice of toast, and send them to the breakfast table. fricasseed eggs. take a dozen eggs, and boil them six or seven minutes, or till they are just hard enough to peel and slice without breaking. then put them into a pan of cold water while you prepare some grated bread-crumbs, (seasoned with pepper, salt and nutmeg,) and beat the yolks of two or three raw eggs very light. take the boiled eggs out of the water, and having peeled off the shells, slice the eggs, dust a little flour over them, and dip them first into the beaten egg, and then into the bread-crumbs so as to cover them well on both sides. have ready in a frying-pan some boiling lard; put the sliced eggs into it, and fry them on both sides. serve them up at the breakfast table, garnished with small sprigs of parsley that has been fried in the same lard after the eggs were taken out. plain omelet. take six eggs, leaving out the whites of two. beat them very light, and strain them through a sieve. add pepper and salt to your taste. divide two ounces of fresh butter into little bits, and put it into the egg. have ready a quarter of a pound of butter in a frying-pan, or a flat stew-pan. place it on hot coals, and have the butter boiling when you put in the beaten egg. fry it gently till of a light brown on the under side. do not turn it while cooking as it will do better without. you may brown the top by holding a hot shovel over it. when done, lay it in the dish, double it in half, and stick sprigs of curled parsley over it. you may flavour the omelet by mixing with the beaten egg some parsley or sweet herbs minced fine, some chopped celery, or chopped onion, allowing two moderate sized onions to an omelet of six eggs. or what is still better, it may be seasoned with veal kidney or sweet-bread minced; with cold ham shred as fine as possible; or with minced oysters, (the hard part omitted,) with tops of asparagus (that has been previously boiled) cut into small pieces. you should have one of the pans that are made purposely for omelets. an omelette souffl�. break eight eggs, separate the whites from the yolks, and strain them. put the whites into one pan, and the yolks into another, and beat them separately with rods till the yolks are very thick and smooth, and the whites a stiff froth that will stand alone. then add gradually to the yolks, three quarters of a pound of the finest powdered loaf-sugar, and orange-flower water or lemon-juice to your taste. next stir the whites lightly into the yolks. butter a deep pan or dish (that has been previously heated) and pour the mixture rapidly into it. set it in a dutch oven with coals under it, and on the top, and bake it five minutes. if properly beaten and mixed, and carefully baked, it will rise very high. send it immediately to table, or it will fall and flatten. do not begin to make an omelette soufflé till the company at table have commenced their dinner, that it may be ready to serve up just in time, immediately on the removal of the meats. the whole must be accomplished as quickly as possible. send it round with a spoon. if you live in a large town, the safest way of avoiding a failure in an omelette soufflé is to hire a french cook to come to your kitchen with his own utensils and ingredients, and make and bake it himself, while the first part of the dinner is progressing in the dining-room. an omelette soufflé is a very nice and delicate thing when properly managed; but if flat and heavy, it should not be brought to table. if well made, you may turn it out on a dish. to dress maccaroni. have ready a pot of boiling water. throw a little salt into it, and then by slow degrees put in a pound of the maccaroni, a little at a time. keep stirring it gently, and continue to do so very often while boiling. take care to keep it well covered with water. have ready a kettle of boiling water to replenish the maccaroni pot if it should be in danger of getting too dry. in about twenty minutes it will be done. it must be quite soft, but it must not boil long enough to break. when the maccaroni has boiled sufficiently, pour in immediately a little cold water, and let it stand a few minutes, keeping it covered. grate half a pound of parmesan cheese into a deep dish and scatter over it a few small bits of butter. then with a skimmer that is perforated with holes, commence taking up the maccaroni, (draining it well,) and spread a layer of it over the cheese and butter. spread over it another layer of grated cheese and butter, and then a layer of maccaroni, and so on till your dish is full; having a layer of maccaroni on the top, over which spread some butter without cheese. cover the dish, and set it in an oven for half an hour. it will then be ready to send to table. you may grate some nutmeg over each layer of maccaroni. allow half a pound of butter to a pound of maccaroni and half a pound of cheese. another way. first put on the maccaroni in a very little water. let it come to a hard boil, and then drain off the water. put it on again with milk instead of water, and a large lump of butter. boil it till quite tender all through. then, while hot, mix in a little cream, and add some sugar and nutmeg, or powdered cinnamon. pickling. general remarks. never on any consideration use brass, copper, or bell-metal kettles for pickling; the verdigris produced in them by the vinegar being of a most poisonous nature. kettles lined with porcelain are the best, but if you cannot procure them, block tin may be substituted. iron is apt to discolour any acid that is boiled in it. vinegar for pickles should always be of the best cider kind. in putting away pickles, use stone or glass jars. the lead which is an ingredient in the glazing of common earthenware, is rendered very pernicious by the action of the vinegar. have a large wooden spoon and a fork, for the express purpose of taking pickles out of the jar when you want them for the table. see that, while in the jar, they are always completely covered with vinegar. if you discern in them any symptoms of not keeping well, do them over again in fresh vinegar and spice. vinegar for pickles should only boil five or six minutes. the jars should be stopped with large flat corks, fitting closely, and having a leather or a round piece of oil-cloth tied over the cork. it is a good rule to have two-thirds of the jar filled with pickles, and one-third with vinegar. alum is very useful in extracting the salt taste from pickles, and in making them firm and crisp. a very small quantity is sufficient. too much will spoil them. in greening pickles keep them very closely covered, so that none of the steam may escape; as its retention promotes their greenness and prevents the flavour from evaporating. vinegar and spice for pickles should be boiled but a few minutes. too much boiling takes away the strength. to pickle cucumbers. cucumbers for pickling should be very small, and as free from spots as possible. make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear an egg. pour it over your cucumbers, cover them with fresh cabbage leaves, and let them stand for a week, or till they are quite yellow, stirring them at least twice a day. when they are perfectly yellow, pour off the water. take a porcelain kettle, and cover the bottom and sides with fresh vine leaves. put in the cucumbers (with a small piece of alum) and cover them closely with vine leaves all over the top, and then with a dish or cloth to keep in the steam. fill up the kettle with clear water, and hang it over the fire when dinner is done, but not where there is a blaze. the fire under the kettle must be kept very moderate. the water must not boil, or be too hot to bear your hand in. keep them over the fire in a slow heat till next morning. if they are not then of a fine green, repeat the process. when they are well greened, take them out of the kettle, drain them on a sieve, and put them into a clean stone jar. boil for five or six minutes sufficient of the best vinegar to cover the cucumbers well; putting into the kettle a thin muslin bag filled with cloves, mace, and mustard seed. pour the vinegar scalding hot into the jar of pickles, which should be secured with a large flat cork, and an oil-cloth or leather cover tied over it. another way to green pickles is to cover them with vine leaves or cabbage leaves, and to keep them on a warm hearth, pouring boiling water on them five or six times a day; renewing the water as soon as it becomes cold. in proportioning the spice to the vinegar, allow to every two quarts, an ounce of mace, two dozen cloves, and two ounces of mustard seed. you may leave the muslin bag, with the spice, for about a week in the pickle jar to heighten the flavour, if you think it necessary. green peppers--may be done in the same manner as cucumbers, only extracting the seeds before you put the pickles into the salt and water. do not put peppers into the same jar with cucumbers, as the former will destroy the latter. gherkins.--the gherkin is a small thick oval-shaped species of cucumber with a hairy or prickly surface, and is cultivated solely for pickling. it is customary to let the stems remain on them. wipe them dry, put them into a broad stone jar, and scald them five or six times in the course of the day with salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and let them set all night. this will make them yellow. next day, having drained them from the salt and water, throw it out, wipe them dry, put them into a clean vessel (with a little piece of alum,) and scald them with boiling vinegar and water, (half and half of each,) repeating it frequently during the day till they are green. keep them as closely covered as possible. then put them away in stone jars, mixing among them whole mace and sliced ginger to your taste. fill up with cold vinegar, and add a little alum, allowing to every hundred gherkins a piece about the size of a shelled almond. the alum will make them firm and crisp. radish pods.--gather sprigs or bunches of radish pods while they are young and tender, but let the pods remain on the sprigs; it not being the custom to pick them off. put them into strong salt and water, and let them stand two days. then drain and wipe them and put them into a clean stone jar. boil an equal quantity of vinegar and water. pour it over the radish pods while hot, and cover them closely to keep in the steam. repeat this frequently through the day till they are very green. then pour off the vinegar and water, and boil for five minutes some very good vinegar, with a little bit of alum, and pour it over them. put them into a stone jar, (and having added some whole mace, whole pepper, a little tumeric and a little sweet oil,) cork it closely, and tie over it a leather or oil-cloth. green beans.--take young green or french beans; string them, but do not cut them in pieces. put them in salt and water for two days, stirring them frequently. then put them into a kettle with vine or cabbage leaves under, over, and all round them, (adding a little piece of alum.) cover them closely to keep in the steam, and let them hang over a slow fire till they are a fine green. having drained them in a sieve, make for them a pickle of cider vinegar, and boil in it for five minutes, some mace, whole pepper, and sliced ginger tied up in a thin muslin bag. pour it hot upon the beans, put them into a stone jar, and tie them up. parsley.--make a brine of salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and throw into it a large quantity of curled parsley tied up in little bunches with a thread. after it has stood three days (stirring it frequently) take it out drain it well, and lay it for three days in cold spring or pump-water, changing the water daily. then scald it in hard water, and hang it, well covered, over a slow fire till it becomes green. afterwards take it out, and drain and press it till quite dry. boil for five minutes a quart of cider vinegar with a small bit of alum, a few blades of mace, a sliced nutmeg, and a few slips of horseradish. pour it on the parsley, and put it away in a stone jar. mangoes. take very young oval shaped musk-melons. cut a round piece out of the top or side of each, (saving the piece to put on again,) and extract the seeds. then (having tied on the pieces with packthread) put them into strong salt and water for two days. afterwards drain and wipe them, put them into a kettle with vine leaves or cabbage leaves under and over them, and a little piece of alum, and hang them on a slow fire to green; keeping them closely covered to retain the steam, which will greatly accelerate the greening. when they are quite green, have ready the stuffing, which must be a mixture of scraped horseradish, white mustard seed, mace and nutmeg pounded, race ginger cut small, pepper, tumeric and sweet oil. fill your mangoes with this mixture, putting a small clove of garlic into each, and replacing the pieces at the openings; tie them with a packthread crossing backwards and forwards round the mango. put them into stone jars, pour boiling vinegar over them, and cover them well. before you put them on the table remove the packthread. nasturtians.--have ready a stone or glass jar of the best cold vinegar. take the green seeds of the nasturtian after the flower has gone off. they should be full-grown but not old. pick off the stems, and put the seeds into the vinegar. no other preparation is necessary, and they will keep a year with nothing more than sufficient cold vinegar to cover them. with boiled mutton they are an excellent substitute for capers. morella cherries.--see that all your cherries are perfect. remove the stems, and put the cherries into a jar or glass with sufficient vinegar to cover them well. they will keep perfectly in a cool dry place. they are very good, always retaining the taste of the cherry. if you cannot procure morellas, the large red pie-cherries may be substituted. peaches.--take fine large peaches (either cling or free stones) that are not too ripe. wipe off the down with a clean flannel, and put the peaches whole into a stone jar. cover them with cold vinegar of the best kind, in which you have dissolved a little of salt, allowing a tea-spoonful to a quart of vinegar. put a cork in the jar and tie leather or oil-cloth over it. plums and grapes may be pickled thus in cold vinegar, but without salt. barberries.--have ready a jar of cold vinegar, and put into it ripe barberries in bunches. they make a pretty garnish for the edges of dishes. to pickle green peppers. the bell pepper is the best for pickling, and should be gathered when quite young. slit one side, and carefully take out the core, so as not to injure the shell of the pepper. then put them into boiling salt and water, changing the water every day for one week, and keeping them closely covered in a warm place near the fire. stir them several times a day. they will first become yellow, and then green. when they are a fine green put them into a jar, and pour cold vinegar over them, adding a small piece of alum. they require no spice. you may stuff the peppers as you do mangoes. to pickle butternuts. these nuts are in the best state for pickling when the shell is soft, and when they are so young that the outer skin can be penetrated by the head of a pin. they should be gathered when the sun is hot upon them. if you have a large quantity, the easiest way to prepare them for pickling is to put them into a tub with sufficient lye to cover them, and to stir and rub them about with a hickory broom till they are clean and smooth on the outside. this is much less trouble than scraping them, and is not so likely to injure the nuts. another method is to scald them, and then to rub off the outer skin. put the nuts into strong salt and water for one week; changing the water every other day, and keeping them closely covered from the air. then drain and wipe them, (piercing each nut through in several places with a large needle,) and prepare the pickle as follows:--for a hundred large nuts, take of black pepper and ginger root of each an ounce; and of cloves, mace and nutmeg of each a half ounce. pound all the spices to powder, and mix them well together, adding two large spoonfuls of mustard seed. put the nuts into jars, (having first stuck each of them through in several places with a large needle,) strewing the powdered seasoning between every layer of nuts. boil for five minutes a gallon of the very best cider vinegar, and pour it boiling hot upon the nuts. secure the jars closely with corks and leathers. you may begin to eat the nuts in a fortnight. walnuts may be pickled in the same manner. to pickle walnuts black. the walnuts should be gathered while young and soft, (so that you can easily run a pin through them,) and when the sun is upon them. rub them with a coarse flannel or tow cloth to get off the fur of the outside. mix salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, and let them lie in it a week, (changing it every two days,) and stirring them frequently. then take them out, drain them, spread them on large dishes, and expose them to the air about ten minutes, which will cause them to blacken the sooner. scald them in boiling water, (but do not let them lie in it,) and then rub them with a coarse woollen cloth, and pierce every one through in several places with a large needle, (that the pickle may penetrate them thoroughly.) put them into stone jars, and prepare the spice and vinegar. to a hundred walnuts allow a gallon of vinegar, an ounce of cloves, an ounce of allspice, an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of nutmeg. boil the spice in the vinegar for fifteen minutes, then strain the vinegar, and pour it boiling hot over the walnuts. tie up in a thin muslin rag, a tea-cupful of mustard seed, and a large table-spoonful of scraped horse-radish, and put it into the jars with the walnuts. cover them closely with corks and leathers. another way of pickling walnuts black, is (after preparing them as above) to put them into jars with the spices pounded and strewed among them, and then to pour over them strong cold vinegar. walnuts pickled white.--take large young walnuts while their shells are quite soft so that you can stick the head of a pin into them. pare them very thin till the white appears; and as you do them, throw them into spring or pump water in which some salt has been dissolved. let them stand in that water six hours, with a thin board upon them to keep them down under the water. fill a porcelain kettle with fresh spring water, and set it over a clear fire, or on a charcoal furnace. put the walnuts into the kettle, cover it, and let them simmer (but not boil) for about ten minutes. then have ready a vessel with cold spring water and salt, and put your nuts into it, taking them out of the kettle with a wooden ladle. let them stand in the cold salt and water for a quarter of an hour, with the board keeping them down as before; for if they rise above the liquor, or are exposed to the air, they will be discoloured. then take them out, and lay them on a cloth covered with another, till they are quite dry. afterwards rub them carefully with a soft flannel, and put them into a stone jar; laying among them blades of mace, and sliced nutmeg, but no dark-coloured spice. pour over them the very best vinegar, and put on the top a table-spoonful of sweet oil. walnuts pickled green.--gather them while the shells are very soft, and rub them all with a flannel. then wrap them singly in vine leaves, lay a few vine leaves on the bottom of a large stone jar, put in the walnuts, (seeing that each of them is well wrapped up so as not to touch one another,) and cover them with a thick layer of leaves. fill up the jar with strong vinegar, cover it closely, and let it stand three weeks. then pour off the vinegar, take out the walnuts, renew all the vine leaves, fill up with fresh vinegar, and let them stand three weeks longer. then again pour off the vinegar, and renew the vine leaves. this time take the best cider vinegar; put salt in it till it will bear an egg and add to it mace, sliced nutmeg, and scraped horse-radish, in the proportion of an ounce of each and a gallon of vinegar to a hundred walnuts. boil the spice and vinegar about ten minutes, and then pour it, hot on the walnuts. cover the jar closely with a cork and leather, and set it away, leaving the vine leaves with the walnuts. when you take any out for use, disturb the others as little as possible, and do not put back again any that may be left. you may pickle butternuts green in the same manner. to pickle onions. take very small onions, and with a sharp knife cut off the stems as close as possible, and peel off the outer skin. then put them into salt and water, and let them stand in the brine for six days; stirring them daily, and changing the salt and water every two days. see that they are closely covered. then put the onions into jars, and give them a scald in boiling salt and water. let them stand till they are cold: then drain them on a sieve, wipe them, stick a clove in the top of each, and put them into wide-mouthed bottles; dispersing among them some blades of mace and slices of ginger or nutmeg. fill up the bottles with the best cider vinegar, and put at the top a large spoonful of salad oil. cork the bottles well. onions pickled white.--peel some very small white onions, and lay them for three days in salt and water, changing the water every day. then wipe them, and put them into a porcelain kettle with equal quantities of milk and water, sufficient to cover them well. simmer them over a slow fire, but when just ready to boil take them off, and drain and dry them, and put them into wide-mouthed glass bottles; interspersing them with blades of mace. boil a sufficient quantity of the best cider vinegar to cover them and fill up the bottles, adding to it a little salt; and when it is cold, pour it into the bottles of onions. at the top of each bottle put a spoonful of sweet oil. set them away closely corked. to pickle mushrooms white. take small fresh-gathered button mushrooms, peel them carefully with a penknife, and cut off the stems; throwing the mushrooms into salt and water as you do them. then put them into a porcelain skillet of fresh water, cover it closely, and set it over a quick fire. boil it as fast as possible for seven or eight minutes, not more. take out the mushrooms, drain them, and spread them on a clean board, with the bottom or hollow side of each mushroom turned downwards. do this as quickly as possible, and immediately, while they are hot, sprinkle them over with salt. when they are cold, put them into a glass jar with slight layers of mace and sliced ginger. fill up the jar with cold cider vinegar. put a spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each jar, and cork it closely. mushrooms pickled brown.--take a quart of large mushrooms and (having trimmed off the stalks) rub them with a flannel cloth dipped in salt. then lay them in a pan of allegar or ale vinegar, for a quarter of an hour, and wash them about in it. then put them into a sauce-pan with a quart of allegar, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of allspice and whole pepper, and a tea-spoonful of salt. set the pan over coals, and let the mushrooms stew slowly for ten minutes, keeping the pan well covered. then take them off, let them get cold by degrees, and put them into small bottles with the allegar strained from the spice and poured upon them. it will be prudent to boil an onion with the mushrooms, and if it turns black or blueish, you may infer that there is a poisonous one among them; and they should therefore be thrown away. stir them for the same reason, with a silver spoon. to pickle tomatas. take a peck of tomatas, (the small round ones are best for pickling,) and prick every one with a fork. put them into a broad stone or earthen vessel, and sprinkle salt between every layer of tomatas. cover them, and let them remain two days in the salt. then put them into vinegar and water mixed in equal quantities, half and half, and keep them in it twenty-four hours to draw out the saltness. there must be sufficient of the liquid to cover the tomatas well. to a peck of tomatas allow a bottle of mustard, half an ounce of cloves, and half an ounce of pepper, with a dozen onions sliced thin. pack the tomatas in a stone jar, placing the spices and onions alternately with the layers of tomatas. put them in till the jar is two-thirds full. then fill it up with strong cold vinegar, and stop it closely. the pickles will be fit to eat in a fortnight. if you do not like onions, substitute for them a larger quantity of spice. tomata soy.--for this purpose you must have the best and ripest tomatas, and they must be gathered on a dry day. do not peel them, but merely cut them into slices. having strewed some salt over the bottom of a tub, put in the tomatas in layers; sprinkling between each layer (which should be about two inches in thickness) a handful of salt. repeat this till you have put in eight quarts or one peck of tomatas. cover the tub and let it set for three days. then early in the morning, put the tomatas into a large porcelain kettle, and boil it slowly and steadily till ten at night, frequently mashing and stirring the tomatas. then put it out to cool. next morning strain and press it through a sieve, and when no more liquid will pass through, put it into a clean kettle with two ounces of cloves, one ounce of mace, two ounces of black pepper, and two table-spoonfuls of cayenne, all powdered. again let it boil slowly and steadily all day, and put it to cool in the evening in a large pan. cover it, and let it set all night. next day put it into small bottles, securing the corks by dipping them in melted rosin, and tying leathers over them. if made exactly according to these directions, and slowly and thoroughly boiled, it will keep for years in a cool dry place, and may be used for many purposes when fresh tomatas are not to be had. to pickle cauliflowers. take the whitest and closest full-grown cauliflowers; cut off the thick stalk, and split the blossom or flower part into eight or ten pieces. spread them on a large dish, sprinkle them with salt, and let them stand twenty-four hours. then wash off the salt, drain them, put them into a broad flat jar or pan, scald them with salt and water, (allowing a quarter of a pound of salt to a quart of water,) cover them closely and let them stand in the brine till next day. afterwards drain them in a hair sieve, and spread them on a cloth in a warm place to dry for a day and a night. then put them carefully, piece by piece, into clean broad jars and pour over them a pickle which has been prepared as follows:--mix together three ounces of coriander seed, three ounces of turmeric, one ounce of mustard seed, and one ounce of ginger. pound the whole in a mortar to a fine powder. put it into three quarts of the very best cider vinegar, set it by the side of the fire in a stone jar, and let it infuse three days. these are the proportions, but the quantity of the whole pickle must depend on the quantity of cauliflower, which must be kept well covered by the liquid. pour it over the cauliflower, and secure the jars closely from the air. you may pickle brocoli in the same manner. also the green tops of asparagus. to pickle red cabbage. take a fine firm cabbage of a deep red or purple colour. strip off the outer leaves, and cut out the stalk. quarter the cabbage lengthways, and then slice it crossways. lay it in a deep dish, sprinkle a handful of salt over it, cover it with another dish, and let it lie twenty-four hours. then drain it in a cullender from the salt, and wipe it dry. make a pickle of sufficient cider vinegar to cover the cabbage well, adding to it equal quantities of cloves and allspice, with some mace. the spices must be put in whole, with a little cochineal to give it a good red colour. boil the vinegar and spices hard for five minutes, and having put the cabbage into a stone jar, pour the vinegar over it boiling hot. cover the jar with a cloth till it gets cold; and then put in a large cork, and tie a leather over it. excellent cold slaw. take a nice fresh white cabbage, wash, and drain it, and cut off the stalk. shave down the head evenly and nicely into very small shreds, with a cabbage-cutter, or a sharp knife. put it into a deep china dish, and prepare for it the following dressing. take a large half-pint of the best cider vinegar, and mix with it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into four bits, and rolled in flour; a small salt-spoon of salt, and the same quantity of cayenne. stir all this well together, and boil it in a small saucepan. have ready the yolks of four eggs well beaten. as soon as the mixture has come to a hard boil, take it off the fire, and stir in the beaten egg. then pour it boiling hot over the shred cabbage, and mix it well, all through, with a spoon. set it to cool on ice or snow, or in the open air. it must be quite cold before it goes to table. warm slaw.--take a red cabbage; wash, drain, and shred it finely. put it into a deep dish. cover it closely, and set it on the top of a stove, or in a bake oven, till it is warm all through. then make a dressing as in the receipt for cold slaw. pour it hot over the cabbage. cover the dish, and send it to table as warm as possible. east india pickle. this is a mixture of various things pickled together, and put into the same jar. have ready a small white cabbage, sliced, and the stalk removed; a cauliflower cut into neat branches, leaving out the large stalk; sliced cucumbers; sliced carrots; sliced beets, (all nicked round the edges;) button-onions; string-beans; radish pods; barberries; cherries; green grapes; nasturtians; capsicums; bell-peppers, &c. sprinkle all these things with salt, put them promiscuously into a large earthen pan, and pour scalding salt and water over them. let them lie in the brine for four days, turning them all over every day. then take them out, wash each thing separately in vinegar, and wipe them carefully in a cloth. afterwards lay them on sieves before the fire, and dry them thoroughly. for the pickle liquor.--to every two quarts of the best vinegar, put an ounce and a half of white ginger root, scraped and sliced; the same of long pepper; two ounces of peeled shalots, or little button-onions, cut in pieces; half an ounce of peeled garlic; an ounce of turmeric; and two ounces of mustard seed bruised, or of mustard powder. let all these ingredients, mixed with the vinegar, infuse in a close jar for a week, setting in a warm place, or by the fire. then (after the vegetables have been properly prepared, and dried from the brine) put them all into one large stone jar, or into smaller jars, and strain the pickle over them. the liquid must be in a large quantity, so as to keep the vegetables well covered with it, or they will spoil. put a table-spoonful of sweet oil on the top of each jar, and secure them well with a large cork and a leather. if you find that after awhile the vegetables have absorbed the liquor, so that there is danger of their not having a sufficiency, prepare some more seasoned vinegar and pour it over them. east india pickle is very convenient, and will keep two years. as different vegetables come into season, you can prepare them with the salt and water process, and add them to the things already in the jar. you may put small mangoes into this pickle; also plums, peaches and apricots. to pickle oysters for keeping. for this purpose take none but the finest and largest oysters. after they are opened, separate them from their liquor, and put them into a bucket or a large pan, and pour boiling water upon them to take out the slime. stir them about in it, and then take them out, and rinse them well in cold water. then put them into a large kettle with fresh water, barely enough to cover them, (mixing with it a table-spoonful of salt to every hundred oysters,) and give them a boil up, just sufficient to plump them. take them out, spread them on large dishes or on a clean table, and cover them with a cloth. take the liquor of the oysters, and with every pint of it mix a quart of the best vinegar, a table-spoonful of salt, a table-spoonful of whole cloves, the same of whole black pepper, and a tea-spoonful of whole mace. put the liquid over the fire in a kettle, and when it boils throw in the oysters, and let them remain in it five minutes. then take the whole off the fire, stir it up well, and let it stand to get quite cold. afterwards (if you have a large quantity) put it into a keg, which must first be well scalded, (a new keg is best,) and fill it as full as it can hold. do not put a weight on the oysters to keep them down in the liquor, as it will crush them to pieces if the keg should be moved or conveyed to a distance. if you have not enough to fill a keg, put them into stone jars when they are perfectly cold, and cover them securely. for pickling oysters and all other purposes use only the best cider vinegar. the sharp pungent vinegar made entirely of chemical substances will destroy the oysters, and is too unwholesome for any culinary purpose. no one should purchase it. it may be known by its excessive sharpness; being violently pungent without any pleasant flavour. sweetmeats. general remarks. the introduction of iron ware lined with porcelain has fortunately almost superseded the use of brass or bell-metal kettles for boiling sweetmeats; a practice by which the articles prepared in those pernicious utensils were always more or less imbued with the deleterious qualities of the verdigris that is produced in them by the action of acids. charcoal furnaces will be found very convenient for preserving; the kettles being set on the top. they can be used in the open air. sweetmeats should be boiled rather quickly, that the watery particles may exhale at once, without being subjected to so long a process as to spoil the colour and diminish the flavour of the fruit. but on the other hand, if boiled too short a time they will not keep so well. if you wish your sweetmeats to look bright and clear, use only the very best loaf-sugar. fruit may be preserved for family use and for common purposes, in sugar of inferior quality, but it will never have a good appearance, and it is also more liable to spoil. if too small a proportion of sugar is allowed to the fruit, it will _certainly_ not keep well. when this experiment is tried it is generally found to be false economy; as sweetmeats, when they begin to spoil, can only be recovered and made eatable by boiling them over again with additional sugar; and even then, they are never so good as if done properly at first. if jellies have not sufficient sugar, they do not congeal, but will remain liquid. jelly bags should be made of white flannel. it is well to have a wooden stand or frame like a towel horse, to which the bag can be tied while it is dripping. the bag should first be dipped in hot water, for if dry it will absorb too much of the juice. after the liquor is all in, close the top of the bag, that none of the flavour may evaporate. in putting away sweetmeats, it is best to place them in small jars, as the more frequently they are exposed to the air by opening, the more danger there is of their spoiling. the best vessels for this purpose are white queen's-ware pots, or glass jars. for jellies, jams, and for small fruit, common glass tumblers are very convenient, and may be covered simply with double tissue-paper, cut exactly to fit the inside of the top of the glass, laid lightly on the sweetmeat, and pressed down all round with the finger. this covering, if closely and nicely fitted, will be found to keep them perfectly well, and as it adheres so closely as to form a complete coat over the top, it is better for jellies or jams than writing-paper dipped in brandy, which is always somewhat shrivelled by the liquor with which it has been saturated. if you find that your sweetmeats have become dry and candied, you may liquefy them again by setting the jars in water and making it boil round them. in preserving fruit whole, it is best to put it first in a thin syrup. if boiled in a thick syrup at the beginning, the juice will be drawn out so as to shrink the fruit. it is better to boil it but a short time at once, and then to take it out and let it get cold, afterwards returning it to the syrup, than to keep it boiling too long at a time, which will cause it to break and lose its shape. preserving kettles should be rather broad than deep, for the fruit cannot be done equally if it is too much heaped. they should all have covers belonging to them, to put on after the scum has done rising, that the flavour of the fruit may be kept in with the steam. a perforated skimmer pierced all through with holes is a very necessary utensil in making sweetmeats. the water used for melting the sugar should be very clear; spring or pump water is best. but if you are obliged to use river water, let it first be filtered. any turbidness or impurity in the water will injure the clearness of the sweetmeats. if sweetmeats ferment in the jars, boil them over again with additional sugar. clarified sugar syrup. take eight pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar and break it up or powder it. then beat the whites of four eggs to a strong froth. stir the white of egg gradually into two quarts of very clear spring or pump water. put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, and mix with it the water and white of egg. while the sugar is melting, stir it frequently; and when it is entirely dissolved, put the kettle over a moderate fire, and let it boil, carefully taking off the scum as it comes to the top, and pouring in a little cold water when you find the syrup rising so as to run over the edge of the kettle. it will be well when it first boils hard to pour in half a pint of cold water to keep down the bubbles so that the scum may appear, and be easily removed. you must not however boil it to candy height, so that the bubbles will look like hard pearls, and the syrup will harden in the spoon and hang from it in strings; for though very thick and clear it must continue liquid. when it is done, let it stand till it gets quite cold; and if you do not want it for immediate use, put it into bottles and seal the corks. when you wish to use this syrup for preserving, you have only to put the fruit into it, and boil it till tender and clear, but not till it breaks. large fruit that is done whole, should first be boiled tender in a very thin syrup that it may not shrink. small fruit, such as raspberries, strawberries, grapes, currants, gooseberries, &c. may, if perfectly ripe, be put raw into strong cold sugar syrup; they will thus retain their form and colour, and their freshness and natural taste. they must be put into small glass jars, and kept well covered with the syrup. this, however, is an experiment which sometimes fails, and had best be tried on a small scale, or only for immediate use. to preserve ginger. take root of green ginger, and pare it neatly with a sharp knife, throwing it into a pan of cold water as you pare it. then boil it till tender all through, changing the water three times. each time put on the ginger in quite cold water to take out the excessive heat. when it is perfectly tender, throw it again into a pan of cold water, and let it lie an hour or more; this will make it crisp. in the mean time prepare the syrup. for every six pounds of ginger root, clarify eight pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. break up the sugar, put it into a preserving kettle, and melt it in spring or pump water, (into which you have stirred gradually the beaten whites of four eggs,) and half a pint of water to each pound of sugar. boil and skim it well. then let the syrup stand till it is cold; and having drained the ginger, pour the syrup over it, cover it, and do not disturb it for two days. then, having poured it from the ginger, boil the syrup over again. as soon as it is cold, pour it again on the ginger, and let it stand at least three days. afterwards boil the syrup again, and pour it _hot_ over the ginger. proceed in this manner till you find that the syrup has thoroughly penetrated the ginger, (which you may ascertain by its taste and appearance when you cut a piece off,) and till the syrup becomes very thick and rich. then put it all into jars, and cover it closely. if you put the syrup hot to the ginger at first, it will shrink and shrivel. after the first time, you have only to boil and reboil the syrup; as it is not probable that it will require any further clarifying if carefully skimmed. it will be greatly improved by adding some lemon-juice at the close of the last boiling. to preserve citrons. pare off the outer skin of some fine citrons, and cut them into quarters. take out the middle. you may divide each quarter into several pieces. lay them for four or five hours in salt and water. take them out, and then soak them in spring or pump water (changing it frequently) till all the saltness is extracted, and till the last water tastes perfectly fresh. boil a small lump of alum, and scald them in the alum-water. it must be very weak, or it will communicate an unpleasant taste to the citrons; a lump the size of a hickory nut will suffice for six pounds. afterwards simmer them two hours with layers of green vine leaves. then make a syrup, with half a pint of water to each pound of loaf-sugar; boil and skim it well. when it is quite clear, put in the citrons, and boil them slowly, till they are so soft that a straw will pierce through them without breaking. afterwards put them into a large dish, and set them in the sun to harden. prepare some lemons, by paring off the yellow rind very thin, and cutting it into slips of uniform size and shape. lay the lemon-rind in scalding water, to extract the bitterness. then take the pared lemons, cut them into quarters, measure a half pint of water to each lemon, and boil them to a mash. strain the boiled lemon through a sieve, and to each pint of liquid allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, for the second syrup. melt the sugar in the liquid, and stir into it gradually some beaten white of egg; allowing one white to four pounds of sugar. then set it over the fire; put the lemon-peel into the syrup, and let it boil in it till quite soft. put the citrons cold into a glass jar, and pour the hot syrup over them. let the lemon remain with the citrons, as it will improve their flavour. if you wish the citrons to be candied, boil down the second syrup to candy height, (that is, till it hangs in strings from the spoon,) and pour it over the citrons. keep them well covered. you may, if you choose, after you take the citrons from the alum-water, give them a boil in very weak ginger tea, made of the roots of green ginger if you can procure it; if not, of race ginger. powdered ginger will not do at all. this ginger tea will completely eradicate any remaining taste of the salt or the alum. afterwards cover the sides and bottom of the pan with vine leaves, put a layer of leaves between each layer of citron, and cover the top with leaves. simmer the citrons in this two hours to green them. in the same manner you may preserve water-melon rind, or the rind of cantelopes. cut these rinds into stars, diamonds, crescents, circles, or into any fanciful shape you choose. be sure to pare off the outside skin before you put the rinds into the salt and water. pumpkin cut into slips, may be preserved according to the above receipt. cantelopes or musk-melons.--take very small cantelopes before they are ripe. shave a thin paring off the whole outside. cut out a small piece or plug about an inch square, and through it extract all the seeds, &c. from the middle. then return the plugs to the hole from whence you took them, and secure them with a needle and thread, or by tying a small string round the cantelope. lay the cantelopes for four or five hours in salt and water. then put them into spring water to extract the salt, changing the water till you find it salt no longer. scald them in weak alum-water. make a syrup in the proportion of a pint of water to a pound of loaf-sugar, and boil the cantelopes in it till a straw will go through them. then take them out, and set them in the sun to harden. prepare some fine ripe oranges, paring off the yellow rind very thin, and cutting it into slips, and then laying it in scalding water to extract the bitterness. cut the oranges into pieces; allow a pint of water to each orange, and boil them to a pulp. afterwards strain them, and allow to each pint of the liquid, a pound of the best loaf-sugar, and stir in a little beaten white of egg; one white to two pounds of sugar. this is for the second syrup. boil the peel in it, skimming it well. when the peel is soft, take it all out; for if left among the cantelopes, it will communicate to it too strong a taste of the orange. put the cantelopes into your jars, and pour over them the hot syrup. cover them closely, and keep them in a dry cool place. large cantelopes may be prepared for preserving (after you have taken off the outer rind) by cutting them into pieces according to the natural divisions with which they are fluted. this receipt for preserving cantelopes whole, will do very well for green lemons or limes, substituting lemon-peel and lemon-juice for that of oranges in the second syrup. you may use some of the first syrup to boil up the pulp of the orange or lemons that has been left. it will make a sort of marmalade, that is very good for colds. preserved water-melon rind.--having pared off the green skin, cut the rind of a water-melon into pieces of any shape you please; stars, diamonds, circles, crescents or leaves, using for the purpose a sharp penknife. weigh the pieces, and allow to each pound a pound and a half of loaf sugar. set the sugar aside, and put the pieces of melon-rind into a preserving kettle, the bottom and sides of which you have lined with green vine leaves. put a layer of vine leaves between each layer of melon-rind, and cover the top with leaves. disperse among the pieces some very small bits of alum, each about the bigness of a grain of corn, and allowing one bit to every pound of the melon-rind. pour in just water enough to cover the whole, and place a thick double cloth (or some other covering) over the top of the kettle to keep in the steam, which will improve the greening. let it simmer (but not boil) for two hours. then take out the pieces of melon-rind and spread them on dishes to cool. afterwards if you find that they taste of the alum, simmer them in very weak ginger tea for about three hours. then proceed to make your syrup. melt the sugar in clear spring or pump water, allowing a pint of water to a pound and a half of sugar, and mixing in with it some white of egg beaten to a stiff froth. the white of one egg will be enough for two pounds of sugar. boil and skim it; and when the scum ceases to rise, put in the melon-rind, and let it simmer an hour. take it out and spread it to cool on dishes, return it to the syrup, and simmer it another hour. after this take it out, and put it into a tureen. boil up the syrup again, and pour it over the melon-rind. cover it, and let it stand all night. next morning give the syrup another boil; adding to it some lemon-juice, allowing the juice of one lemon to a quart of the syrup. when you find it so thick as to hang in a drop on the point of the spoon, it is sufficiently done. then put the rind into glass jars, pour in the syrup, and secure the sweetmeats closely from the air with paper dipped in brandy, and a leather outer cover. this, if carefully done and well greened, is a very nice sweetmeat, and may be used to ornament the top of creams, jellies, jams. &c. laying it round in rings or wreaths. citrons may be preserved green in the same manner, first paring off the outer skin and cutting them into quarters. also green limes. preserved peppers.--for this purpose take the small round peppers while they are green. with a sharp penknife extract the seeds and cores; and then put the outsides into a kettle with vine leaves, and a little alum to give them firmness, and assist in keeping them green. proceed precisely as directed for the water-melon rind, in the above receipt. pumpkin chips.--it is best to defer making this sweetmeat (which will be found very fine) till late in the season when lemons are ripe and are to be had in plenty. pumpkins (as they keep well) can generally be procured at any time through the winter. take a fine pumpkin of a rich deep colour, pare off the outer rind; remove the seeds; and having sliced the best part, cut it into chips of equal size, and as thin as you can do them. they should be in long narrow pieces, two inches in breadth, and four in length. it is best to prepare the pumpkin the day before; and having weighed the chips, allow to each pound of them a pound of the best loaf-sugar. you must have several dozen of fine ripe lemons, sufficient to furnish a jill of lemon-juice to each pound of pumpkin. having rolled them under your hand on a table, to make them yield as much juice as possible, pare off the yellow rind and put it away for some other purpose. then having cut the lemons, squeeze out all the juice into a pitcher. lay the pumpkin chips in a large pan or tureen, strewing the sugar among them. then having measured the lemon-juice in a wine-glass, (two common wine-glasses making one jill,) pour it over the pumpkin and sugar, cover the vessel, and let it stand all night. next day transfer the pumpkin, sugar, and lemon-juice to a preserving kettle, and boil it slowly for an hour or more, or till the pumpkin becomes all through tender, crisp, and transparent; but it must not be over the fire long enough to break and lose its form. you must skim it thoroughly. some very small pieces of the lemon-paring may be boiled with it. when you think it is done, take up the pumpkin chips in a perforated skimmer that the syrup may drain through the holes back into the kettle. spread the chips to cool on large dishes, and pass the syrup through a flannel bag that has been first dipped in hot water. when the chips are cold, put them into glass jars or tumblers, pour in the syrup, and lay on the top white paper dipped in brandy. then tie up the jars with leather, or with covers of thick white paper. if you find that when cold the chips are not perfectly clear, crisp, and tender, give them another boil in the syrup before you put them up. this, if well made, is a handsome and excellent sweetmeat. it need not be eaten with cream, the syrup being so delicious as to require nothing to improve it. shells of puff-paste first baked empty, and then filled with pumpkin chips, will be found very nice. musk-melon chips may be done in the same manner. to preserve pine-apples.--take fine large pine-apples; pare them, and cut off a small round piece from the bottom of each; let the freshest and best of the top leaves remain on. have ready on a slow fire, a large preserving kettle with a thin syrup barely sufficient to cover the fruit. in making this syrup allow a pound of fine loaf-sugar to every quart of water, and half the white of a beaten egg; all to be mixed before it goes on the fire. then boil and skim it, and when the scum ceases to rise, put in the pine-apples, and simmer them slowly an hour. then take them out to cool, cover them carefully and put them away till next day; saving the syrup in another vessel. next day, put them into the same syrup, and simmer them again an hour. on the third day, repeat the process. the fourth day, make a strong fresh syrup, allowing but a pint of water to each pound of sugar, and to every two pounds the beaten white of one egg. when this syrup has boiled, and is completely skimmed, put in the pine-apples, and simmer them half an hour. then take them out to cool, and set them aside till next morning. boil them again half an hour in the same syrup, and repeat this for seven or eight days, or till you can pierce through the pine-apple with a straw from a corn-broom. at the last of these boilings enrich the syrup by allowing to each pound of sugar a quarter of a pound more; and, having boiled and skimmed it, put in the pine apples for half an hour. then take them out, and when quite cold put each into a separate glass jar, and fill up with the syrup. pine apples may be preserved in slices by a very simple process. pare them, and cut them into round pieces near an inch thick, and take out the core from the centre of each slice. allow a pound of loaf-sugar to every pound of the sliced pine-apple. powder the sugar, and strew it in layers between the slices of pine-apple. cover it and let it set all night. next morning measure some clear spring or pump water, allowing half a pint to each pound of sugar. beat some white of egg, (one white to two pounds of sugar,) and when it is a very stiff froth, stir it gradually into the water. then mix with it the pine-apple and sugar, and put the whole into a preserving kettle. boil and skim it well, till the pine-apple is tender and bright all through. then take it out, and when cold, put it up in wide-mouthed glass jars, or in large tumblers. to prepare fresh pine-apples.--cut off the top and bottom and pare off the rind. then cut the pine-apples in round slices half an inch thick, and put them into a deep dish, sprinkling every slice with powdered loaf-sugar. cover them, and let them lie in the sugar for an hour or two, before they are to be eaten. preserved lemons.--take large fine ripe lemons, that have no blemishes. choose those with thin, smooth rinds. with a sharp knife scoop a hole in the stalk end of each, large enough to admit the handle of a tea-spoon. this hole is to enable the syrup to penetrate the inside of the lemons. put them into a preserving kettle with clear water, and boil them gently till you find them tender, keeping the kettle uncovered. then take them out, drain, and cool them, and put them into a small tub. prepare a thin syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar to a quart of water. when you have boiled and skimmed it, pour it over the lemons and cover them. let them stand in the syrup till next day. then pour the syrup from the lemons, and spread them on a large dish. boil it a quarter of an hour, and pour it over them again, having first returned them to the tub. cover them, and let them again stand till next day, when you must again boil the syrup and pour it over them. repeat this process every day till you find that the lemons are quite clear, and that the syrup has penetrated them thoroughly. if you find the syrup becoming too weak, add a little more sugar to it. finally, make a strong syrup in the proportion of half a pint of water to a pound of sugar, adding a jill of raw lemon-juice squeezed from fresh lemons, and allowing to every two pounds of sugar the beaten white of an egg. mix all well together in the kettle. boil and skim it, and when the scum ceases to rise, pour the syrup boiling hot over the lemons; and covering them closely, let them stand undisturbed for four days. then look at them, and if you find that they have not sucked in enough of the syrup to make the inside very sweet, boil them gently in the syrup for a quarter of an hour. when they are cold, put them up in glass jars. you may green lemons by burying them in a kettle of vine leaves when you give them the first boiling in the clear water. limes may be preserved by this receipt; also oranges. to prepare fresh oranges for eating, peel and cut them in round slices and remove the seeds. strew powdered loaf-sugar over them. cover them and let them stand an hour before they are eaten. orange marmalade.--take fine large ripe oranges, with thin deep-coloured skins. weigh them, and allow to each pound of oranges a pound of loaf-sugar. pare off the yellow outside of the rind from half the oranges, as thin as possible; and putting it into a pan with plenty of cold water, cover it closely (placing a double cloth beneath the tin cover) to keep in the steam, and boil it slowly till it is so soft that the head of a pin will pierce it. in the mean time grate the rind from the remaining oranges, and put it aside; quarter the oranges, and take out all the pulp and the juice; removing the seeds and core. put the sugar into a preserving kettle, with a half pint of clear water to each pound, and mix it with some beaten white of egg, allowing one white of egg, to every two pounds of sugar. when the sugar is all dissolved, put it on the fire, and boil and skim it till it is quite clear and thick. next take the boiled parings, and pound them to a paste in a mortar; put this paste into the sugar, and boil and stir it ten minutes. then put it in the pulp and juice of the oranges, and the grated rind, (which will much improve the colour,) and boil all together for about half an hour, till it is a transparent mass. when cold, put it up in glass jars, laying brandy paper on the top. lemon marmalade may be made in a similar manner, but you must allow a pound and a half of sugar to each pound of lemons. orange jelly.--take twenty large ripe oranges, and grate the yellow rind from seven of them. dissolve an ounce of isinglass in as much warm water as will cover it. mix the juice with a pound of loaf-sugar broken up, and add the grated rind and the isinglass. put it into a porcelain pan over hot coals, and stir it till it boils. then skim it well. boil it ten minutes, and strain it (but do not squeeze it) through a jelly-bag till it is quite clear. put it into a mould to congeal, and when you want to turn it out dip the mould into luke-warm water. or you may put it into glasses at once. you must have a pint of juice to a pound of sugar. a few grains of saffron boiled with the jelly will improve the colour without affecting the taste. preserved peaches. take large juicy ripe peaches; free-stones are the best, as they have a finer flavour than the cling-stones, and are much more manageable both to preserve, and to eat. pare them, and cut them in half, or in quarters, leaving out the stones, the half of which you must save. to every pound of the peaches allow a pound of loaf-sugar. powder the sugar, and strew it among your peaches. cover them and let them stand all night. crack half the peach-stones, break them up, put them into a small sauce-pan and boil them slowly in as much water as will cover them. then when the water is well flavoured with the peach-kernels, strain them out, and set the water aside. take care not to use too much of the kernel-water; a very little will suffice. put the peaches into a preserving kettle, and boil them in their juice over a quick fire, (adding the kernel-water,) and skimming them all the time. when they are quite clear, which should be in half an hour, take them off, and put them into a tureen. boil the syrup five minutes longer, and pour it hot over the peaches. when they are cool, put them into glass jars, and tie them up with paper dipped in brandy laid next to them. apricots, nectarines, and large plums may be preserved in the same manner. peaches for common use.--take ripe free-stone peaches; pare, stone, and quarter them. to six pounds of the cut peaches allow three pounds of the best brown sugar. strew the sugar among the peaches, and set them away. next morning add a handful of the kernels, put the whole into a preserving kettle, and boil it slowly about an hour and three quarters, or two hours, skimming it well. when cold, put it up in jars, and keep it for pies, or for any common purpose. brandy peaches.--take large white or yellow free-stone peaches, the finest you can procure. they must not be too ripe. rub off the down with a flannel, score them down the seam with a large needle, and prick every peach to the stone in several places. scald them with boiling water, and let them remain in the water till it becomes cold, keeping them well covered. repeat the scalding three times: it is to make them white. then wipe them, and spread them on a soft table-cloth, covering them over with several folds. let them remain in the cloth to dry. afterwards put them into a tureen, or a large jar, and pour on as much white french brandy as will cover them well. carefully keep the air from them, and let them remain in the brandy for a week. then make a syrup in the usual manner, allowing to each pound of peaches a pound of loaf-sugar and half a pint of water mixed with a very little beaten white of egg; one white to every two pounds of sugar. when the syrup has boiled, and been well skimmed, put in the peaches and boil them slowly till they look clear: but do not keep them boiling more than half an hour. then take them out, drain them, and put them into large glass jars. mix the syrup, when it is cold, with the brandy in which you had the peaches, and pour it over them. instead of scalding the peaches to whiten them, you may lay them for an hour in sufficient cold weak lye to cover them well. turn them frequently while in the lye, and wipe them dry afterwards. pears and apricots may be preserved in brandy, according to the above receipt. the skin of the pears should be taken off, but the stems left on. large egg plums may be preserved in the same manner. another way of preparing brandy peaches is, after rubbing off the down and pricking them, to put them into a preserving kettle with cold water, and simmer them slowly till they become hot all through; but they must not be allowed to boil. then dry them in a cloth, and let them lie till they are cold, covering them closely from the air. dissolve loaf-sugar in the best white brandy, (a pound of sugar to a quart of brandy.) and having put the peaches into large glass jars, pour the brandy and sugar over them (without boiling) and cover the jars well with leather. pears, apricots, and egg plums may also be done in this manner. peach marmalade.--take ripe yellow free-stone peaches; pare, stone, and quarter them. to each pound of peaches, allow three quarters of a pound of powdered loaf sugar, and half an ounce of bitter almonds, or peach-kernels blanched in scalding water, and pounded smooth in a mortar. scald the peaches in a very little water, mash them to a pulp, mix them with the sugar and pounded almonds, and put the whole into a preserving kettle. let it boil to a smooth thick jam, skimming and stirring it well, and keeping the pan covered as much as possible. fifteen minutes will generally suffice for boiling it. when cold, put it up in glass jars. plum marmalade may be made in this manner, flavouring it with pounded plum-kernels. peach jelly.--take fine juicy free-stone peaches, and pare and quarter them. scald them in a very little water, drain and mash them, and squeeze the juice through a jelly-bag. to every pint of juice allow a pound of loaf-sugar, and a few of the peach-kernels. having broken up the kernels and boiled them by themselves for a quarter of an hour in just as much water as will cover them, strain off the kernel-water, and add it to the juice. mix the juice with the sugar, and when it is melted, boil them together fifteen minutes, till it becomes a thick jelly. skim it well when it boils. try the jelly by taking a little in a spoon and holding it in the open air to see if it congeals. if you find, that after sufficient boiling, it still continues thin, you can make it congeal by stirring in an ounce or more of isinglass, dissolved and strained. when the jelly is done, put it into tumblers, and lay on the top double tissue paper cut exactly to fit the inside of the glass; pressing it down with your fingers. you may make plum jelly in the same manner, allowing a pound and a half of sugar to a pint of juice. to preserve apricots.--take ripe apricots; scald them, peel them, cut them in half, and extract the stones. then weigh the apricots, and to each pound allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put them into a tureen or large pan, in alternate layers of apricots and sugar; cover them, and let them stand all night. next morning put all together into a preserving kettle, and boil them moderately a quarter of an hour. then take them out, spread them on dishes, and let them stand till next day. then boil them again in the same syrup another quarter of an hour. afterwards, spread them out to cool, put them into glass jars, and pour the syrup over them. peaches may be preserved in the same manner. also large plums or green gages; but to the plums you must allow additional sugar. to dry peaches.--the best peaches for drying are juicy free-stones. they must be quite ripe. cut them in half, and take out the stones. it is best not to pare them; as dried peaches are much richer with the skin on, and it dissolves and becomes imperceptible when they are cooked. spread them out in a sunny balcony or on a scaffold, and let them dry gradually till they become somewhat like leather; always bringing them in at sunset, and not putting them out if the weather is damp or cloudy. they may also be dried in kilns or large ovens. apples are dried in the same manner, except that they must be pared and quartered. cherries also may be dried in the sun, first taking out all the stones. none but the largest and best cherries should be used for drying. to preserve quinces. take large, yellow, ripe quinces, and having washed and wiped them, pare them, and extract the cores. quarter the quinces, or cut them into slices half an inch thick, and lay them in scalding water (closely covered) and boil them till tender--lest they harden in the sugar. put the parings, cores, and seeds into a preserving kettle, cover them with the water in which you coddled the quinces, and boil them an hour, keeping them closely covered all the time. to every pint of this liquor allow a pound of loaf-sugar; and having dissolved the sugar in it, put it over the fire in the preserving kettle. boil it up and skim it, and when the scum has ceased rising, put in the quinces, and boil them till they are red, tender, and clear all through, but not till they break. keep the kettle closely covered while the quinces are in it, if you wish to have them bright coloured. you may improve the colour by boiling with them a little cochineal sifted through a muslin rag. when they are done, take them out, spread them on large dishes to cool, and then put them into glasses. give the syrup another boil up, and it will be like a fine jelly. pour it hot over the quinces, and when cold, cover the jars, pasting paper round the covers. to preserve quinces whole.--take those that are large, smooth, and yellow; pare them and extract the cores, carefully removing all the blemishes. boil the quinces in a close kettle with the cores and parings, in sufficient water to cover them. in half an hour take them out, spread them to cool, and add to the cores and parings some small inferior quinces cut in quarters, but not pared or cored; and pour in some more water, just enough to boil them. cover the pan, and let them simmer for an hour. then take it off, strain the liquid, measure it, and to each quart allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put the sugar to melt in the liquid, and let it set all night. next day boil the quinces in it for a quarter of an hour, and then take them out and cool them, saving the syrup. on the following day repeat the same; and the fourth day add a quarter of a pound more sugar to each pint of the syrup, and boil the quinces in it twelve minutes. if by this time they are not tender, bright, and transparent all through, repeat the boiling. when they are quite done, put quince jelly or marmalade into the holes from whence you took the cores; put the quinces into glass jars and pour the syrup over them. if convenient, it is a very nice way to put up each quince in a separate tumbler. quince jelly.--take fine ripe yellow quinces, wash them and remove all the blemishes. cut them in pieces, but do not pare or core them. put them into a preserving-pan with clear spring water. if you are obliged to use river water, filter it first; allowing one pint to twelve large quinces. boil them gently till they are all soft and broken. then put them into a jelly-bag, and do not squeeze it till after the clear liquid has ceased running. of this you must make the best jelly, allowing to each pint a pound of loaf-sugar. having dissolved the sugar in the liquid, boil them together about twenty minutes, or till you have a thick jelly. in the mean time squeeze out all that is left in the bag. it will not be clear, but you can make of it a very good jelly for common purposes. quince marmalade.--take ten pounds of ripe yellow quinces; and having washed them clean, pare and core them, and cut them into small pieces. to each pound of the cut quinces allow half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. put the parings and cores into a kettle with water enough to cover them, and boil them slowly till they are all to pieces, and quite soft. then having put the quinces with the sugar into a porcelain preserving kettle, strain over them, through a cloth, the liquid from the parings and cores. add a little cochineal powdered, and sifted through thin muslin. boil the whole over a quick fire till it becomes a thick smooth mass, keeping it covered except when you are skimming it; and always after skimming, stir it up well from the bottom. when cold, put it up in glass jars. if you wish to use it soon, put it warm into moulds, and when it is cold, set the moulds in luke-warm water, and the marmalade will turn out easily. quince cheese.--have fine ripe quinces, and pare and core them. cut them into pieces, and weigh them; and to each pound of the cut quinces, allow half a pound of the best brown sugar. put the cores and parings into a kettle with water enough to cover them, keeping the lid of the kettle closed. when you find that they are all boiled to pieces and quite soft, strain off the water over the sugar, and when it is entirely dissolved, put it over the fire and boil it to a thick syrup, skimming it well. when no more scum rises, put in the quinces, cover them closely, and boil them all day over a slow fire, stirring them and mashing them down with a spoon till they are a thick smooth paste. then take it out, and put it into buttered tin pans or deep dishes. let it set to get cold. it will then turn out so firm that you may cut it into slices like cheese. keep it in a dry place in broad stone pots. it is intended for the tea-table. preserved apples. take fine ripe pippin or bell-flower apples. pare and core them, and either leave them whole, or cut them into quarters. weigh them, and to each pound of apples allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put the apples into a stew-pan with just water enough to cover them, and let them boil slowly for about half an hour. they must be only parboiled. then strain the apple water over the sugar into a preserving kettle, and when the sugar is melted put it on the fire with the yellow rind of some lemons pared thin, allowing two lemons to a dozen apples. boil the syrup till clear and thick, skimming it carefully; then put in the apples, and after they have boiled slowly a quarter of an hour, add the juice of the lemons. let it boil about fifteen minutes longer, or till the apples are tender and clear, but not till they break. when they are cold, put them into jars, and covering them closely, let them set a week. at the end of that time give them another boil in the same syrup; apples being more difficult to keep than any other fruit. you may colour them red by adding, when you boil them in the syrup, a little cochineal. baked apples.--take a dozen fine large juicy apples, and pare and core them, but do not cut them in pieces. put them side by side into a large baking-pan, and fill up with white sugar the holes from whence you have extracted the cores. pour into each a little lemon-juice, or a few drops of essence of lemon, and stick in every one a long piece of lemon-peel evenly cut. into the bottom of the pan put a very little water, just enough to prevent the apples from burning. bake them about an hour, or till they are tender all through, but not till they break. when done, set them away to get cold. if closely covered they will keep two days. they may be eaten at tea with cream. or at dinner with a boiled custard poured over them. or you may cover them with sweetened cream flavoured with a little essence of lemon, and whipped to a froth. heap the froth over every apple so as to conceal them entirely. apple jelly.--take twenty large ripe juicy pippins. pare, core, and chop them to pieces. put them into a jar with the yellow rind of four lemons, pared thin and cut into little bits. cover the jar closely, and set it into a pot of hot water. keep the water boiling hard all round it till the apples are dissolved. then strain them through a jelly-bag, and mix with the liquid the juice of the lemons. to each pint of the mixed juice allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put them into a porcelain kettle, and when the sugar is melted, set it on the fire, and boil and skim it for about twenty minutes, or till it becomes a thick jelly. put it into tumblers, and cover it with double tissue paper nicely fitted to the inside of the top. the red or siberian crab apple makes a delicious jelly, prepared in the above manner. apple butter.--this is a compound of apples and cider boiled together till of the consistence of soft butter. it is a very good article on the tea-table, or at luncheon. it can only be made of sweet new cider fresh from the press, and not yet fermented. fill a very large kettle with cider, and boil it till reduced to one half the original quantity. then have ready some fine juicy apples, pared, cored, and quartered; and put as many into the kettle as can be kept moist by the cider. stir it frequently, and when the apples are stewed quite soft, take them out with a skimmer that has holes in it, and put them into a tub. then add more apples to the cider, and stew them soft in the same manner, stirring them nearly all the time with a stick. have at hand some more cider ready boiled, to thin the apple butter in case you should find it too thick in the kettle. if you make a large quantity, (and it is not worth while to prepare apple butter on a small scale,) it will take a day to stew the apples. at night leave them to cool in the tubs, (which must be covered with cloths,) and finish next day by boiling the apple and cider again till the consistence is that of soft marmalade, and the colour a very dark brown. twenty minutes or half an hour before you finally take it from the fire, add powdered cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg to your taste. if the spice is boiled too long, it will lose its flavour. when it is cold, put it into stone jars, and cover it closely. if it has been well made, and sufficiently boiled, it will keep a year or more. it must not be boiled in a brass or bell-metal kettle, on account of the verdigris which the acid will collect in it, and which will render the apple butter extremely unwholesome, not to say poisonous. to preserve green crab apples.--having washed your crab apples, (which should be full grown,) cover the bottom and sides of your preserving kettle with vine leaves, and put them in; spreading a thick layer of vine leaves over them. fill up the kettle with cold water, and hang it over a slow fire early in the morning; simmer them slowly, but do not allow them to boil. when they are quite yellow, take them out, peel off the skin with a penknife, and extract the cores very neatly. put them again into the kettle with fresh vine leaves and fresh water, and hang them again over a slow fire to simmer, but not to boil. when they have remained long enough in the second vine leaves to become green, take them out, weigh them, and allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar to each pound of crab apples. then after the kettle has been well washed and wiped, put them into it with a thick layer of sugar between each layer of apples, and about half a pint of water, for each pound and a half of sugar. you may add the juice and yellow peel of some lemons. boil them gently till they are quite clear and tender throughout. skim them well, and keep the kettle covered when you are not skimming. when done, spread them on large dishes to cool, and then tie them up in glass jars with brandy papers. to preserve red crab apples.--take red or siberian crab apples when they are quite ripe and the seeds are black. wash and wipe them, and put them into a kettle with sufficient water to cover them. simmer them very slowly till you find that the skin will come off easily. then take them out and peel and core them; extract the cores carefully with a small knife, so as not to break the apples. then weigh them, and to every pound of crab apples allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar and a half pint of water. put the sugar and water into a preserving kettle, and when they are melted together, set it over the fire and let it boil. after skimming it once, put in the crab apples, adding a little cochineal powder rubbed with a knife into a very small quantity of white brandy till it has dissolved. this will greatly improve the colour of the apples. cover them and let them boil till clear and tender, skimming the syrup when necessary. then spread them out on dishes, and when they are cold, put them into glass jars and pour the syrup over them. the flavour will be greatly improved by boiling with them in the syrup, a due proportion of lemon-juice and the peel of the lemons pared thin so as to have the yellow part only. if you use lemon-juice put a smaller quantity of water to the sugar. allow one large lemon or two smaller ones to two pounds of crab apples. if you find that after they have been kept awhile, the syrup inclines to become dry or candied, give it another boil with the crab apples in it, adding a tea-cup full of water to about three or four pounds of the sweetmeat. to preserve green gages. take large fine green gages that are all perfectly ripe. weigh them, and to each pound of fruit allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar. put a layer of fresh vine leaves at the bottom of a porcelain preserving kettle, place on it a layer of gages, then cover them with a layer of vine leaves, and so on alternately, finishing with a layer of leaves at the top. fill up the kettle with hard water, and set it over a slow fire. when the gages rise to the top, take them out and peel them, putting them on a sieve as you do so. then replace them in the kettle with fresh vine leaves and water; cover them very closely, so that no steam can escape, and hang them up at some distance above the fire to green slowly for six hours. they should be warm all the time, but must not boil. when they are a fine green, take them carefully out, spread them on a hair sieve to drain, and make a syrup of the sugar, allowing a half pint of water to each pound and a half of sugar. when it has boiled and been skimmed, put in the green gages and boil them gently for a quarter of an hour. then take them out and spread them to cool. next day boil them in the same syrup for another quarter of an hour. when cold, put them into glass jars with the syrup, and tie them up with brandy paper. you may green these, or any other sweetmeats, by substituting for the vine-leaves, layers of the fresh green husks that inclose the ears of young indian corn. to preserve plums.--take fine ripe plums: weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar. put them into a pan, and scald them in boiling water to make the skins come off easily. peel them, and throw them as you do so into a large china pitcher. let them set for an hour or two, and then take them out, saving all the juice that has exuded from them while in the pitcher. spread the plums out on large dishes, and cover them with half the sugar you have allotted to them, (it must be previously powdered,) and let them lie in it all night. next morning pour the juice out of the pitcher into a porcelain preserving kettle, add the last half of the sugar to it, and let it melt over the fire. when it has boiled skim it, and then put in the plums. boil them over a moderate fire, for about half an hour. then take them out one by one with a spoon, and spread them on large dishes to cool. if the syrup is not sufficiently thick and clear, boil and skim it a little longer till it is. put the plums into glass jars and pour the syrup warm over them. the flavour will be much improved by boiling in the syrup with the fruit a handful or more of the kernels of plums, blanched in scalding water and broken in half. take the kernels out of the syrup before you pour it into the jars. you may preserve plums whole, without peeling, by pricking them deeply at each end with a large needle. green gages and damsons may be preserved according to this receipt. plums for common use.--take fine ripe plums, and cut them in half. extract all the stones, and spread out the plums on large dishes. set the dishes on the sunny roof of a porch or shed, and let the plums have the full benefit of the sun for three or four days, taking them in as soon as it is off, or if the sky becomes cloudy. this will half dry them. then pack them closely in stone jars with a thick layer of the best brown sugar between every layer of plums; putting plenty of sugar at the bottom and top of the jars. cover them closely, and set them away in a dry place. if they have been properly managed, they will keep a year; and are very good for pies and other purposes, in the winter and spring. peaches may be prepared for keeping in the same manner. egg plums whole.--take large egg plums that are all quite ripe, and prick them all over with a small silver fork. leave on the stems. to four pounds of plums allow four pounds and a half of loaf-sugar, broken small or powdered. put the plums and sugar into a preserving kettle, and pour in one quart of clear hard water. hang the kettle over a moderate fire, and boil and skim it. as soon as the skin begins to crack or shrivel, take out the plums one at a time, (leaving the syrup on the fire,) and spread them on large dishes to cool. place them in the open air, and as soon as they are cool enough to be touched with your fingers, smooth the skin down where it is broken or ruffled. when quite cold, return them to the syrup, (which in the mean time must have been kept slowly simmering,) and boil the plums again till they are quite clear, but not till they break. put them warm into large glass or queen's-ware jars, and pour the syrup over them. to preserve pears. take large fine juicy pears that are all perfectly ripe, and pare them smoothly and thin; leaving on the stems, but cutting out the black top at the blossom end of the fruit. as you pare them, lay them in a pan of cold water. make a thin syrup, allowing a quart of water to a pound of loaf-sugar. simmer the pears in it for about half an hour. then put them into a tureen, and let them lie in the syrup for two days. there must be syrup enough to cover them well. after two days, drain the syrup from the pears, and add to it more sugar, in the proportion of a pound to each pint of the thin syrup. stir in a very little beaten white of egg, (not more than one white to three or four pounds of sugar,) add some fresh lemon-peel pared thin, and set the syrup over a brisk fire. boil it for ten minutes, and skim it well. then add sufficient lemon-juice to flavour it; and put in the pears. simmer them in the strong syrup till they are quite transparent. then take them out, spread them to cool, and stick a clove in the blossom end of each. put them into glass jars; and having kept the syrup warm over the fire while the pears were cooling, pour it over them. if you wish to have them red, add a little powdered cochineal to the strong syrup when you put in your pears. baked pears.--the best for baking are the large late ones, commonly called pound pears. pare them, cut them in half, and take out the cores. lay them in a deep white dish, with a thin slip of fresh lemon-peel in the place from which each core was taken. sprinkle them with sugar, and strew some whole cloves or some powdered cinnamon among them. pour into the dish some port wine. to a dozen large pears you may allow one pound of sugar, and a pint of wine. cover the dish with a large sheet of brown paper tied on; set it in a moderate oven, and let them bake till tender all through, which you may ascertain by sticking a broom twig through them. they will be done in about an hour, or they may probably require more time; but you must not let them remain long enough in the oven to break or fall to pieces. when cool, put them up in a stone jar. in cold weather they will keep a week. to bake smaller pears, pare them, but leave on the stems, and do not core them. put them into a deep dish with fresh lemon or orange-peel; throw on them some brown sugar or molasses; pour in at the bottom a little water to keep them from burning; and bake them till tender throughout. to preserve gooseberries. the best way of preserving gooseberries is with jelly. they should be full grown but green. take six quarts of gooseberries, and select three quarts of the largest and finest to preserve whole, reserving the others for the jelly. put the whole ones into a pan with sufficient water to cover them, and simmer them slowly till they begin to be tender; but do not keep them on the fire till they are likely to burst. take them out carefully with a perforated skimmer to drain the warm water from them, and lay them directly in a pan of cold water. put those that you intend for the jelly into a stew-pan, allowing to each quart of gooseberries half a pint of water. boil them fast till they go all to pieces, and stir and mash them with a spoon. then put them into a jelly-bag that has been first dipped in hot water, and squeeze through it all the juice. measure the juice, and to each pint allow a pound and a half of loaf-sugar. break up the sugar, and put it into a preserving kettle; pour the juice over it, and let it stand to melt, stirring it frequently. when it has all dissolved, set it over the fire, put the gooseberries into it, and let them boil twenty minutes, or till they are quite clear, and till the jelly is thick and congeals in the spoon when you hold it in the air. if the gooseberries seem likely to break, take them out carefully, and let the jelly boil by itself till it is finished. when all is done, put up the gooseberries and the jelly together in glass jars. strawberries, raspberries, grapes, currants or any small fruit may in a similar manner be preserved in jelly. to stew gooseberries.--top and tail them. pour some boiling water on the gooseberries, cover them up, and let them set about half an hour, or till the skin is quite tender, but not till it bursts, as that will make the juice run out into the water. then pour off the water, and mix with the gooseberries an equal quantity of sugar. put them into a porcelain stew-pan or skillet, and set it on hot coals, or on a charcoal furnace. in a few minutes you may begin to mash them against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. let them stew about half an hour, stirring them frequently. they must be quite cold before they are used for any thing. gooseberry fool.--having stewed two quarts of gooseberries in the above manner, stir them as soon as they are cold into a quart of rich boiling milk. grate in a nutmeg, and covering the pan, let the gooseberries simmer in the milk for five minutes. then stir in the beaten yolks of two or three eggs, and immediately remove it from the fire. keep on the cover a few minutes longer; then turn out the mixture into a deep dish or a glass bowl, and set it away to get cold, before it goes to table. eat it with sponge-cake. it will probably require additional sugar, stirred in at the last. gooseberries prepared in this manner make a very good pudding, with the addition of a little grated bread. use both whites and yolks of the eggs. stir the mixture well, and bake it in a deep dish. eat it cold, with sugar grated over it. to bottle gooseberries.--for this purpose the gooseberries must be large and full grown, but quite green. top and tail them, and put them into wide-mouthed bottles as far up as the beginning of the neck. cover the bottom of a large boiler or kettle with saw-dust or straw. stand the bottles of gooseberries (slightly corked) upright in the boiler, and pour round them cold water to each, as far up as the fruit. put a brisk fire under the boiler, and when the water boils up, instantly take out the bottles and fill them up to the mouth with boiling water, which you must have ready in a tea-kettle. cork them again slightly, and when quite cold put in the corks very tight and seal them. lay the bottles on their sides in a box of dry sand, and turn them every day for four or five weeks. if properly managed, the gooseberries will keep a year, and may be used at any time, by stewing them with sugar. you may bottle damsons in the same manner; also grapes. preserved raspberries. take a quantity of ripe raspberries, and set aside the half, selecting for that purpose the largest and firmest. then put the remainder into your preserving pan, mash them, and set them over the fire. as soon as they have come to a boil, take them out, let them cool, and then squeeze them through a bag. while they are cooling, prepare your sugar, which must be fine loaf. allow a pound of sugar to every quart of whole raspberries. having washed the kettle clean, put the sugar into it, allowing half a pint of cold water to two pounds of sugar. when it has melted in the water, put it on the fire, and boil it till the scum ceases to rise, and it is a thick syrup; taking care to skim it well. then put in the whole raspberries, and boil them rapidly a few minutes, but not long enough to cause them to burst. take them out with a skimmer full of holes, and spread them on a large dish to cool. then mix with the syrup the juice of those you boiled first, and let it boil about ten or fifteen minutes. lastly, put in the whole fruit, and give it one more boil, seeing that it does not break. put it warm into glass jars or tumblers, and when quite cold cover it closely with paper dipped in brandy, tying another paper tightly over it. strawberries may be done in the same manner; blackberries also. raspberry jam.--take fine raspberries that are perfectly ripe. weigh them, and to each pound of fruit allow three quarters of a pound of fine loaf-sugar. mash the raspberries, and break up the sugar. then mix them together, and put them into a preserving kettle over a good fire. stir them frequently and skim them. the jam will be done in half an hour. put it warm into glasses, and lay on the top a white paper cut exactly to fit the inside, and dipped in brandy. then tie on another cover of very thick white paper. make blackberry jam in the same manner. to preserve cranberries.--the cranberries must be large and ripe. wash them, and to six quarts of cranberries allow nine pounds of the best loaf sugar. take three quarts of the cranberries, and put them into a stew-pan with a pint and a half of water. cover the pan, and boil or stew them till they are all to pieces. then squeeze the juice through a jelly-bag. put the sugar into a preserving kettle, pour the cranberry juice over it and let it stand till it is all melted, stirring it up frequently. then place the kettle over the fire, and put in the remaining three quarts of whole cranberries. let them boil till they are tender, clear, and of a bright colour, skimming them frequently. when done, put them warm into jars with the syrup, which should be like a thick jelly. red currant jelly.--the currants should be perfectly ripe and gathered on a dry day. strip them from the stalks, and put them into a stone jar. cover the jar, and set it up to the neck in a kettle of boiling water. keep the water boiling round the jar till the currants are all broken, stirring them up occasionally. then put them into a jelly-bag, and squeeze out all the juice. to each pint of juice allow a pound and a quarter of the best loaf-sugar. put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, pour the juice over it, and stir it frequently till it is all melted. then set the kettle over a moderate fire, and let it boil twenty minutes, or till you find that the jelly congeals in the spoon when you hold it in the air; skim it carefully all the time. when the jelly is done, pour it warm into tumblers, and cover each with two rounds of white tissue paper, cut to fit exactly the inside of the glass. jelly of gooseberries, plums, raspberries, strawberries, barberries, blackberries, grapes, and other small fruit may all be made in this manner. white currant jelly.--the currants should be quite ripe, and gathered on a dry day. having stripped them from the stalks, put them into a close stone jar, and set it in a kettle of boiling water. when all the currants are broken, take them out and strain them through a linen cloth. to each pint of juice allow a pound and a quarter of the best double refined loaf-sugar; break it small, and put it into a porcelain preserving pan with barely sufficient water to melt it; not quite half a pint to a pound and a quarter of sugar; it must be either clear spring water or river water filtered. stir up the sugar while it is dissolving, and when all is melted, put it over a brisk fire, and boil and skim it till clear and thick. when the scum ceases to rise, put in the white currant juice and boil it fast for ten minutes. then put it warm into tumblers, and when it is cold, cover it with double white tissue paper. in making this jelly, use only a silver spoon, and carefully observe all the above precautions, that it may be transparent and delicate. if it is not quite clear and bright when done boiling, you may run it again through a jelly-bag. white raspberry jelly may be prepared in the same manner. a very nice sweetmeat is made of white raspberries preserved whole, by putting them in white currant jelly during the ten minutes that you are boiling the juice with the syrup. you may also preserve red raspberries whole, by boiling them in red currant jelly. black currant jelly.--take large ripe black currants; strip them from the stalks, and mash them with the back of a ladle. then put them into a preserving kettle with a tumbler of water to each quart of currants; cover it closely, set it over a moderate fire, and when the currants have come to a boil, take them out, and squeeze them through a jelly-bag. to each pint of juice you may allow about a pound of loaf-sugar, and (having washed the preserving kettle perfectly clean) put in the sugar with the juice; stir them together till well mixed and dissolved, and then boil it not longer than ten minutes; as the juice of black currants being very thick will come to a jelly very soon, and if boiled too long will be tough and ropy. black currant jelly is excellent for sore throats; and if eaten freely on the first symptoms of the disease, will frequently check it without any other remedy. it would be well for all families to keep it in the house. grape jelly.--take ripe juicy grapes, pick them from the stems; put them into a large earthen pan, and mash them with the back of a wooden ladle, or with a potato beetle. put them into a kettle, (without any water,) cover them closely, and let them boil for a quarter of an hour; stirring them up occasionally from the bottom. then squeeze them through a jelly-bag, and to each pint of juice allow a pound of loaf-sugar. dissolve the sugar in the grape juice; then put it over a quick fire in a preserving kettle, and boil and skim it twenty minutes. when it is a clear thick jelly, take it off, put it warm into tumblers, and cover them with double tissue paper cut to fit the inside. in the same manner you may make an excellent jelly for common use, of ripe fox grapes and the best brown sugar; mixing with the sugar before it goes on the fire, a little beaten white of egg; allowing two whites to two pounds of sugar. brandy grapes.--take some large close bunches of fine grapes, (they must be quite ripe,) and allow to each bunch a quarter of a pound of bruised sugar candy. put the grapes and the sugar candy into large jars, (about two-thirds full,) and fill them up with french brandy. tie them up closely, and keep them in a dry place. morella cherries may be done in the same manner. foreign grapes are kept in bunches, laid lightly in earthen jars of dry saw-dust. to keep wild grapes.--gather the small black wild grapes late in the season, after they have been ripened by a frost. pick them from the stems, and put them into stone jars, (two-thirds full,) with layers of brown sugar, and fill them up with cold molasses. they will keep all winter; and they make good common pies. if they incline to ferment in the jars, give them a boil with additional sugar. to preserve strawberries. strawberries for preserving should be large and ripe. they will keep best if gathered in dry weather, when there has been no rain for at least two days. having hulled, or picked off the green, select the largest and firmest, and spread them out separately on flat dishes; having first weighed them, and allowed to each pound of strawberries a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. sift half the sugar over them. then take the inferior strawberries that were left, and those that are over-ripe; mix with them an equal quantity of powdered sugar, and mash them. put them into a basin covered with a plate, and set them over the fire in a pan of boiling water, till they become a thick juice; then strain it through a bag, and mix with it the other half of the sugar that you have allotted to the strawberries, which are to be done whole. put it into a porcelain kettle, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise; then put in the whole strawberries with the sugar in which they have been lying, and all the juice that may have exuded from them. set them over the fire in the syrup, just long enough to heat them a little; and in a few minutes take them out, one by one, with a tea-spoon, and spread them on dishes to cool; not allowing them to touch each other. then take off what scum may arise from the additional sugar. repeat this several times, taking out the strawberries and cooling them till they become quite clear. they must not be allowed to boil; and if they seem likely to break, they should be instantly and finally taken from the fire. when quite cold, put them with the syrup into tumblers, or into white queen's-ware pots. if intended to keep a long time it will be well to put at the top a layer of apple jelly. to preserve cherries. take large ripe morella cherries; weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of loaf-sugar. stone the cherries, (opening them with a sharp quill,) and save the juice that comes from them in the process. as you stone them, throw them into a large pan or tureen, and strew about half the sugar over them, and let them lie in it an hour or two after they are all stoned. then put them into a preserving kettle with the remainder of the sugar, and boil and skim them till the fruit is clear and the syrup thick. citron melon slices.--take some fine citron melons; pare, core, and cut them into long broad slices. weigh them, and to every six pounds of melon allow six pounds of fine loaf-sugar; and the juice and yellow rind (pared off very thin) of four lemons; also, half a pound of race (root) ginger. put the slices of melon into a preserving-kettle; cover them with strong alum water, and boil them half an hour, or longer, till they are quite clear and tender. then drain them, lay them in a broad vessel of cold water, cover them and let them stand all night. next morning, tie up the race ginger in a piece of thin muslin, and boil it in three pints of clear spring or pump water, till the water is highly flavoured. having broken up the sugar, put it into a clean preserving-kettle, and pour the ginger water over it. when the sugar is all melted, set it over the fire, add the lemon parings, and boil and skim it, till no more scum rises. then take out the lemon peel, stir in the juice, and put in the citron slices. boil them in the syrup till they are transparent and soft, but not till they break. when done, put the citron slices and syrup into a large tureen, set it in a dry, cool, dark place, and leave it uncovered for two or three days. then put the slices carefully into wide-mouthed glass jars, and gently pour in the syrup. lay inside the top of each jar a double white tissue paper cut exactly to fit, and close the jars carefully with corks and cement. this will be found a delicious sweetmeat. cherry jelly.--take fine juicy red cherries, and stone them. save half the stones, crack them, and extract the kernels. put the cherries and the kernels into a preserving kettle over a slow fire, and let them boil gently in their juice for half an hour. then transfer them to a jelly-bag, and squeeze out the juice. measure it, and to each pint allow a pound of fine loaf-sugar. dissolve the sugar in the juice, and then boil and skim it for twenty or thirty minutes. put it up in tumblers covered with tissue paper. cherry jam.--to each pound of cherries allow three quarters of a pound of the best white sugar. stone them, and as you do so throw the sugar gradually into the pan with them. cover them and let them set all night. next day, boil them slowly till the cherries and sugar form a thick smooth mass. put it up in queen's-ware jars. to dry cherries.--choose the finest and largest red cherries for this purpose. stone them, and spread them on large dishes in the sun, till they become quite dry, taking them in as soon as the sun is off, or if the sky becomes cloudy. put them up in stone jars, strewing among them some of the best brown sugar. the common practice of drying cherries with the stones in, (to save trouble,) renders them so inconvenient to eat, that they are of little use, when done in that manner. with the stones extracted, dried cherries will be found very good for common pies. barberry jelly.--take ripe barberries, and having stripped them from the stalks, mash them, and boil them in their juice for a quarter of an hour. then squeeze them through a bag; allow to each pint of juice, a pound of loaf-sugar; and having melted the sugar in the juice, boil them together twenty or twenty-five minutes, skimming carefully. put it up in tumblers with tissue paper. frosted fruit.--take large ripe cherries, plums, apricots, or grapes, and cut off half the stalk. have ready in one dish some beaten white of egg, and in another some fine loaf-sugar, powdered and sifted. dip the fruit first into the white of egg, and then roll it one by one in the powdered sugar. lay a sheet of white paper on the bottom of a reversed sieve, set it on a stove or in some other warm place, and spread the fruit on the paper till the icing is hardened. peach leather.--to six pounds of ripe peaches, (pared and quartered,) allow three pounds of the best brown sugar. mix them together, and put them into a preserving kettle, with barely water enough to keep them from burning. pound and mash them a while with a wooden beetle. then boil and skim them for three hours or more, stirring them nearly all the time. when done, spread them thinly on large dishes, and set them in the sun for three or four days. finish the drying by loosening the peach leather on the dishes, and setting them in the oven after the bread is taken out, letting them remain till the oven is cold. roll up the peach leather and put it away in a box. apple leather may be made in the same manner. rhubarb jam,--peel the rhubarb stalks and cut them into small square pieces. then weigh them, and to each pound allow three quarters of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. put the sugar and the rhubarb into a large, deep, white pan, in alternate layers, the top layer to be of sugar--cover it, and let it stand all night. in the morning, put it into a preserving kettle, and boil it slowly till the whole is dissolved into a thick mass, stirring it frequently, and skimming it before every stirring. put it warm into glass jars, and tie it up with brandy paper. pastry, puddings, etc. the best plain paste. all paste should be made in a very cool place, as heat renders it heavy. it is far more difficult to get it light in summer than in winter. a marble slab is much better to roll it on than a paste-board. it will be improved in lightness by washing the butter in very cold water, and squeezing and pressing out all the salt, as salt is injurious to paste. in new york and in the eastern states, it is customary, in the dairies, to put more salt in what is called fresh butter, than in new jersey, pennsylvania, and delaware. this butter, therefore, should always undergo the process of washing and squeezing before it is used for pastry or cakes. none but the very best butter should be taken for those purposes; as any unpleasant taste is always increased by baking. potted butter never makes good paste. as pastry is by no means an article of absolute necessity, it is better not to have it at all, than to make it badly, and of inferior ingredients; few things being more unwholesome than hard, heavy dough. the flour for paste should always be superfine. you may bake paste in deep dishes or in soup plates. for shells that are to be baked empty, and afterwards filled with stewed fruit or sweetmeats, deep plates of block tin with broad edges are best. if you use patty-pans, the more flat they are the better. paste always rises higher and is more perfectly light and flaky, when unconfined at the sides while baking. that it may be easily taken out, the dishes or tins should be well buttered. to make a nice plain paste,--sift three pints of superfine flour, by rubbing it through a sieve into a deep pan. divide a pound of fresh butter into four quarters. cut up one quarter into the flour, and rub it fine with your hands. mix in, gradually, as much cold water as will make a tolerably stiff dough, and then knead it slightly. use as little water as possible or the paste will be tough. sprinkle a little flour on your paste-board, lay the lump of dough upon it, and knead it a very short time. flour it, and roll it out into a very thin sheet, always rolling from you. flour your rolling-pin to prevent its sticking. take a second quarter of the butter, and with your thumb, spread it all over the sheet of paste. if your hand is warm, use a knife instead of your thumb; for if the butter oils, the paste will be heavy. when you have put on the layer of butter, sprinkle it with a very little flour, and with your hands roll up the paste as you would a sheet of paper. then flatten it with a rolling-pin, and roll it out a second time into a thin sheet. cover it with another layer of butter, as before, and again roll it up into a scroll. flatten it again, put on the last layer of butter, flour it slightly, and again roll up the sheet. then cut the scroll into as many pieces as you want sheets for your dishes or patty-pans. roll out each piece almost an inch thick. flour your dishes, lay the paste lightly on them, notch the edges, and bake it a light brown. the oven must be moderate. if it is too hot, the paste will bake before it has risen sufficiently. if too cold, it will scarcely rise at all, and will be white and clammy. when you begin to make paste in this manner, do not quit it till it is ready for the oven. it must always be baked in a close oven where no air can reach it. the best rolling-pins, are those that are straight, and as thick at the ends as in the middle. they should be held by the handles, and the longer the handles the more convenient. the common rolling-pins that decrease in size towards the ends, are much less effective, and more tedious, as they can roll so little at a time; the extremities not pressing on the dough at all. all pastry is best when fresh. after the first day it loses much of its lightness, and is therefore more unwholesome. common pie crust.--sift two quarts of superfine flour into a pan. divide one pound of fresh butter into two equal parts, and cut up one half in the flour, rubbing it fine. mix it with a very little cold water, and make it into a round lump. knead it a little. then flour your paste-board, and roll the dough out into a large thin sheet. spread it all over with the remainder of the butter. flour it, fold it up, and roll it out again. then fold it again, or roll it into a scroll. cut it into as many pieces as you want sheets of paste, and roll each not quite an inch thick. butter your pie-dish. this paste will do for family use, when covered pies are wanted. also for apple dumplings, pot-pies, &c.; though all boiled paste is best when made of suet instead of butter. short cakes may be made of this, cut out with the edge of a tumbler. it should always be eaten fresh. suet paste.--having removed the skin and stringy fibres from a pound of beef suet, chop it as fine as possible. sift two quarts of flour into a deep pan, and rub into it one half of the suet. make it into a round lump of dough, with cold water, and then knead it a little. lay the dough on your paste-board, roll it out very thin, and cover it with the remaining half of the suet. flour it, roll it out thin again, and then roll it into a scroll. cut it into as many pieces as you want sheets of paste, and roll them out half an inch thick. suet paste should always be boiled. it is good for plain puddings that are made of apples, gooseberries, blackberries or other fruit; and for dumplings. if you use it for pot-pie, roll it the last time rather thicker than if wanted for any other purpose. if properly made, it will be light and flaky, and the suet imperceptible. if the suet is minced very fine, and thoroughly incorporated with the flour, not the slightest lump will appear when the paste comes to table. the suet must not be melted before it is used; but merely minced as fine as possible and mixed cold with the flour. if for dumplings to eat with boiled mutton, the dough must be rolled out thick, and cut out of the size you want them, with a tin, or with the edge of a cup or tumbler. dripping paste.--to a pound of fresh beef-dripping, that has been nicely clarified, allow two pounds and a quarter of flour. put the flour into a large pan, and mix the dripping with it, rubbing it into the flour with your hands till it is thoroughly incorporated. then make it into a stiff dough with a little cold water, and roll it out twice. this may be used for common meat pies. lard paste.--lard for paste should never be used without an equal quantity of butter. take half a pound of nice lard, and half a pound of fresh butter; rub them together into two pounds and a quarter of flour, and mix it with a little cold water to a stiff dough. roll it out twice. use it for common pies. lard should always be kept in tin. potato paste.--to a pint and a half of flour, allow fourteen large potatoes. boil the potatoes till they are thoroughly done throughout. then peel, and mash them very fine. rub them through a cullender. having sifted the flour into a pan, add the potatoes gradually; rubbing them well into the flour with your hands. mix in sufficient cold water to make a stiff dough. roll it out evenly, and you may use it for apple dumplings, boiled apple pudding, beef-steak pudding, &c. potato paste must be sent to table quite hot; as soon as it cools it becomes tough and heavy. it is unfit for baking; and even when boiled is less light than suet paste. fine puff paste.--to every pound of the best fresh butter allow a pound or a quart of superfine flour. sift the flour into a deep pan, and then sift on a plate some additional flour to use for sprinkling and rolling. wash the butter through two cold waters; squeezing out all the salt, and whatever milk may remain in it; and then make it up with your hands into a round lump, and put it in ice till you are ready to use it. then divide the butter into four equal parts. cut up one of the quarters into the pan of flour; and divide the remaining three quarters into six pieces,[e] cutting each quarter in half. mix with a knife the flour and butter that is in the pan, adding by degrees a very little cold water till you have made it into a lump of stiff dough. then sprinkle some flour on the paste-board, (you should have a marble slab,) take the dough from the pan by lifting it out with the knife, lay it on the board, and flouring your rolling-pin, roll out the paste into a large thin sheet. then with the knife, put all over it, at equal distances, one of the six pieces of butter divided into small bits. fold up the sheet of paste, flour it, roll it out again, and add in the same manner another of the portions of butter. repeat this process till the butter is all in. then fold it once more, lay it on a plate, and set it in a cool place till you are ready to use it. then divide it into as many pieces as you want sheets of paste; roll out each sheet, and put them into buttered plates or patty-pans. in using the rolling-pin, observe always to roll from you. bake the paste in a moderate oven, but rather quick than slow. no air must be admitted to it while baking. the edges of paste should always be notched before it goes into the oven. for this purpose, use a sharp penknife, dipping it frequently in flour as it becomes sticky. the notches should be even and regular. if you do them imperfectly at first, they cannot be mended by sticking on additional bits of paste; as, when baked, every patch will be doubly conspicuous. there are various ways of notching; one of the neatest is to fold over one corner of each notch; or you may arrange the notches to stand upright and lie flat, alternately, all round the edge. they should be made small and regular. you may form the edge into leaves with the little tin cutters made for the purpose. if the above directions for puff paste are carefully followed, and if it is not spoiled in baking, it will rise to a great thickness and appear in flakes or leaves according to the number of times you have put in the butter. it should be eaten the day it is baked. footnotes: [e] or into nine; and roll it in that number of times. sweet paste.--sift a pound and a quarter of the finest flour, and three ounces of powdered loaf-sugar into a deep dish. cut up in it one pound of the best fresh butter, and rub it fine with your hands. make a hole in the middle, pour in the yolks of two beaten eggs, and mix them with the flour, &c. then wet the whole to a stiff paste with half a pint of rich milk. knead it well, and roll it out. this paste is intended for tarts of the finest sweetmeats. if used as shells, they should be baked empty, and filled when cool. if made into covered tarts, they may be iced all over, in the manner of cakes, with beaten white of egg and powdered loaf-sugar. to make puffs of it, roll it out and cut it into round pieces with the edge of a large tumbler, or with a tin cutter. lay the sweetmeat on one half of the paste, fold the other over it in the form of a half-moon, and unite the edges by notching them together. bake them in a brisk oven, and when cool, send them to table handsomely arranged, several on a dish. sweet paste is rarely used except for very handsome entertainments. you may add some rose water in mixing it. shells.--shells of paste are made of one sheet each, rolled out in a circular form, and spread over the bottom, sides, and edges of buttered dishes or patty-pans, and baked empty; to be filled, when cool, with stewed fruit, (which for this purpose should be always cold,) or with sweetmeats. they should be made either of fine puff paste, or of the best plain paste, or of sweet paste. they are generally rolled out rather thick, and will require about half an hour to bake. the oven should be rather quick, and of equal heat throughout; if hotter in one part than in another, the paste will draw to one side, and be warped and disfigured. the shells should be baked of a light brown. when cool, they mast be taken out of the dishes on which they were baked, and transferred to plates, and filled with the fruit. shells of puff paste will rise best if baked on flat patty-pans, or tin plates. when they are cool, pile the sweetmeats on them in a heap. the thicker and higher the paste rises, and the more it flakes in layers or leaves, the finer it is considered. baking paste as empty shells, prevents it from being moist or clammy at the bottom. tarts are small shells with fruit in them. pies.--pies may be made with any sort of paste. it is a fault to roll it out too thin; for if it has not sufficient substance, it will, when baked, be dry and tasteless. for a pie, divide the paste into two sheets; spread one of them over the bottom and sides of a deep dish well buttered. next put in the fruit or other ingredients, (heaping it higher in the centre,) and then place the other sheet of paste on the top as a lid or cover; pressing the edges closely down, and afterwards crimping or notching them with a sharp small knife. in making pies of juicy fruit, it is well to put on the centre of the under crust a common tea-cup, laying the fruit round it and over it. the juice will collect under the cup, and not be liable to run out from between the edges. there should be plenty of sugar strewed among the fruit as you put it into the pie. preserves should never be put into covered pies. the proper way is to lay them in baked shells. all pies are best the day they are baked. if kept twenty-four hours the paste falls and becomes comparatively hard, heavy, and unwholesome. if the fruit is not ripe, it should be stewed, sweetened, and allowed to get cold before it is put into the pie. if put in warm it will make the paste heavy. with fruit pies always have a sugar dish on the table in case they should not be found sweet enough. standing pies.--cut up half a pound of butter, and put it into a sauce-pan with three quarters of a pint of water; cover it, and set it on hot coals. have ready in a pan two pounds of sifted flour; make a hole in the middle of it, pour in the melted butter as soon as it boils, and then with a spoon gradually mix in the flour. when it is well mixed, knead it with your hands into a stiff dough. sprinkle your paste-board with flour, lay the dough upon it, and continue to knead it with your hands till it no longer sticks to them, and is quite light. then let it stand an hour to cool. cut off pieces for the bottom and top; roll them out thick, and roll out a long piece for the sides or walls of the pie, which you must fix on the bottom so as to stand up all round; cement them together with white of egg, pinching and closing them firmly. then put in the ingredients of your pie, (which should be venison, game, or poultry,) and lay on the lid or top crust, pinching the edges closely together. you may ornament the sides and top with leaves or flowers of paste, shaped with a tin cutter, and notch or scollop the edges handsomely. before you set it in the oven glaze it all over with white of egg. bake it four hours. these pies are always eaten cold, and in winter will keep two or three weeks, if the air is carefully excluded from them; and they may be carried to a considerable distance. a pyramid of tarts.--roll out a sufficient quantity of the best puff paste, or sugar paste; and with oval or circular cutters, cut it out into seven or eight pieces of different sizes; stamping the middle of each with the cutter you intend using for the next. bake them all separately, and when they are cool, place them on a dish in a pyramid, (gradually diminishing in size,) the largest piece at the bottom, and the smallest at the top. take various preserved fruits, and lay some of the largest on the lower piece of paste; on the next place fruit that is rather smaller; and so on till you finish at the top with the smallest sweetmeats you have. the upper one may be not so large as a half-dollar, containing only a single raspberry or strawberry. notch all the edges handsomely. you may ornament the top or pinnacle of the pyramid with a sprig of orange blossom or myrtle. apple and other pies. take fine juicy acid apples; pare, core, and cut them into small pieces. have ready a deep dish that has been lined with paste. fill it with the apples; strewing among them layers of brown sugar, and adding the rind of a lemon pared thin, and also the juice squeezed in, or some essence of lemon. put on another sheet of paste as a lid; close the edges well, and notch them. bake the pie in a moderate oven, about three quarters of an hour. eat it with cream and sugar, or with cold boiled custard. if the pie is made of early green apples, they should first be stewed with a very little water, and then plenty of sugar stirred in while they are hot. what are called sweet apples are entirely unfit for cooking, as they become tough and tasteless; and it is almost impossible to get them sufficiently done. when you put stewed apples into baked shells, grate nutmeg over the top. you may cover them with cream whipped to a stiff froth, and heaped on them. cranberries and gooseberries should be stewed, and sweetened before they are put into paste; peaches cut in half or quartered, and the stones removed. the stones of cherries and plums should also be extracted. raspberries or strawberries, mixed with cream and white sugar, may be put raw into baked shells. rhubarb tarts.--take the young green stalks of the rhubarb plant, or spring fruit as it is called in england; and having peeled off the thin skin, cut the stalks into small pieces about an inch long, and put them into a sauce-pan with plenty of brown sugar, and its own juice. cover it, and let it stew slowly till it is soft enough to mash to a marmalade. then set it away to cool. have ready some fresh baked shells; fill them with the stewed rhubarb, and grate white sugar over the top. for covered pies, cut the rhubarb very small; mix a great deal of sugar with it, and put it in raw. bake the pies about three quarters of an hour. mince pies. these pies are always made with covers, and should be eaten warm. if baked the day before, heat them on the stove or before the fire. mince-meat made early in the winter, and packed closely in stone jars, will keep till spring, if it has a sufficiency of spice and liquor. whenever you take out any for use, pour some additional brandy into the jar before you cover it again, and add some more sugar. no mince-meat, however, will keep well unless all the ingredients are of the best quality. the meat should always be boiled the day before you want to chop it. good mince-meat.--take a bullock's heart and boil it, or two pounds of the lean of fresh beef. when it is quite cold, chop it very fine. chop three pounds of beef suet (first removing the skin and strings) and six pounds of large juicy apples that have been pared and cored. then stone six pounds of the best raisins, (or take sultana raisins that are without stones,) and chop them also. wash and dry three pounds of currants. mix all together; adding to them the grated peel and the juice of two or three large oranges, two table-spoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, two powdered nutmegs, and three dozen powdered cloves, a tea-spoonful of beaten mace, one pound of fine brown sugar, one quart of madeira wine, one pint of french brandy, and half a pound of citron cut into large slips. having thoroughly mixed the whole, put it into a stone jar, and tie it up with brandy paper. the best mince-meat.--take a large fresh tongue, rub it with a mixture, in equal proportions, of salt, brown sugar, and powdered cloves. cover it, and let it lie two days, or at least twenty-four hours. then boil it two hours, and when it is cold, skin it, and mince it very fine. chop also three pounds of beef suet, six pounds of sultana raisins, and six pounds of the best pippin apples that have been previously pared and cored. add three pounds of currants, picked, washed and dried; two large table-spoonfuls of powdered cinnamon; the juice and grated rinds of four large lemons; one pound of sweet almonds, one ounce of bitter almonds, blanched and pounded in a mortar with half a pint of rose water; also four powdered nutmegs; two dozen beaten cloves; and a dozen blades of mace powdered. add a pound of powdered white sugar, and a pound of citron cut into slips. mix all together, and moisten it with a quart of madeira, and a pint of brandy. put it up closely in a stone jar with brandy paper; and when you take any out, add some more sugar and brandy; and chop some fresh apples. bake this mince-meat in puff paste. you may reserve the citron to put in when you make the pies. do not cut the slips too small, or the taste will be almost imperceptible. very plain mince-meat.--take a piece of fresh beef, consisting of about two pounds of lean, and one pound of fat. boil it, and when it is quite cold, chop it fine. or you may substitute cold roast beef. pare and core some fine juicy apples, cut them in pieces, weigh three pounds, and chop them. stone four pounds of raisins, and chop them also. add a large table-spoonful of powdered cloves, and the same quantity of powdered cinnamon. also a pound of brown sugar. mix all thoroughly, moistening it with a quart of bottled or sweet cider. you may add the grated peel and the juice of an orange. bake it in good common paste. this mince-meat will do very well for children or for family use, but is too plain to be set before a guest. neither will it keep so long as that which is richer and more highly seasoned. it is best to make no more of it at once than you have immediate occasion for. mince-meat for lent.--boil a dozen eggs quite hard, and chop the yolks very fine. chop also a dozen pippins, and two pounds of sultana raisins. add two pounds of currants, a pound of sugar, a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a tea-spoonful of beaten mace, three powdered nutmegs, the juice and grated peel of three large lemons, and half a pound of citron cut in large strips. mix these ingredients thoroughly, and moisten the whole with a pint of white wine, half a pint of rose-water, and half a pint of brandy. bake it in very nice paste. these mince pies may be eaten by persons who refrain from meat in lent. orange pudding. grate the yellow part of the rind, and squeeze the juice of two large, smooth, deep-coloured oranges. stir together to a cream, half a pound of butter, and half a pound of powdered white sugar, and add a wine-glass of mixed wine and brandy. beat very light six eggs, and stir then gradually into the mixture. put it into a buttered dish with a broad edge, round which lay a border of puff-paste neatly notched. bake it half an hour, and when cool grate white sugar over it. send it to table quite cold. lemon pudding.--may be made precisely in the same manner as the above; substituting lemons for oranges. quince pudding.--take six large ripe quinces; pare them, and cut out all the blemishes. then scrape them to a pulp, and mix the pulp with half a pint of cream, and half a pound of powdered sugar, stirring them together very hard. beat the yolks of seven eggs, (omitting all the whites except two,) and stir them gradually into the mixture, adding two wine glasses of rose water. stir the whole well together, and bake it in a buttered dish three quarters of an hour. grate sugar over it when cold. if you cannot obtain cream, you may substitute a quarter of a pound of fresh butter stirred with the sugar and quince. a baked apple pudding may be made in the same manner. almond pudding.--take half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three ounces of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels. scald and peel them; throwing them, as they are peeled, into cold water. then pound them one at a time in a marble mortar, adding to each a few drops of rose water; otherwise they will be heavy and oily. mix the sweet and bitter almonds together by pounding them alternately; and as you do them, take them out and lay them on a plate. they must each be beaten to a fine smooth paste, free from the smallest lumps. it is best to prepare them the day before you make the pudding. stir to a cream half a pound of fresh butter and half a pound of powdered white sugar; and by degrees pour into it a glass of mixed wine and brandy. beat to a stiff froth, the whites only, of twelve eggs, (you may reserve the yolks for custards or other purposes,) and stir alternately into the butter and sugar the pounded almonds and the beaten white of egg. when the whole is well mixed, put it into a buttered dish and lay puff paste round the edge. bake it about half an hour, and when cold grate sugar over it. another almond pudding.--blanch three quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three ounces of shelled bitter almonds, and beat them in a mortar to a fine paste; mixing them well, and adding by degrees a tea-cup full, or more, of rose water. boil in a pint of rich milk, a few sticks of cinnamon broken up, and a few blades of mace. when the milk has come to a boil, take it off the fire, strain it into a pan, and soak in it two stale rusks cut into slices. they must soak till quite dissolved. stir to a cream three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, mixed with the same quantity of powdered loaf-sugar. beat ten eggs very light, yolks and whites together, and then stir alternately into the butter and sugar, the rusk, eggs, and almonds. set it on a stove or a chafing dish, and stir the whole together till very smooth and thick. put it into a buttered dish and bake it three quarters of an hour. it must be eaten quite cold. cocoa-nut pudding.--having opened a cocoa-nut, pare off the brown skin from the pieces, and wash them all in cold water. then weigh three quarters of a pound, and grate it into a dish. cut up half a pound of butter into half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and stir them together to a cream; add to them a glass of wine and rose water mixed. beat the whites only, of twelve eggs, till they stand alone on the rods; and then stir the grated cocoa-nut and the beaten white of egg alternately into the butter and sugar; giving the whole a hard stirring at the last. put the mixture into a buttered dish, lay puff paste round the flat edge, and bake it half an hour in a moderate oven. when cold, grate powdered sugar over it. another cocoa-nut pudding.--peel and cut up the cocoa-nut, and wash and wipe the pieces. weigh one pound, and grate it fine. then mix with it two stale rusks or small sponge-cakes, grated also. stir together till very light half a pound of butter and half a pound of powdered white sugar, and add a glass of white wine. beat six whole eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the butter and sugar in turn with the grated cocoa-nut. having stirred the whole very hard at the last, put it into a buttered dish and bake it half an hour. send it to table cold. pumpkin pudding.--take a pint of pumpkin that has been stewed soft, and pressed through a cullender. melt in half a pint of warm milk, a quarter of a pound of butter, and the same quantity of sugar, stirring them well together. if you can conveniently procure a pint of rich cream it will be better than the milk and butter. beat eight eggs very light, and add them gradually to the other ingredients, alternately with the pumpkin. then stir in a wine glass of rose water and a glass of wine mixed together; a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon mixed, and a grated nutmeg. having stirred the whole very hard, put it into a buttered dish and bake it three quarters of an hour. eat it cold. a squash pudding.--pare, cut in pieces, and stew in a very little water, a yellow winter squash. when it is quite soft, drain it dry, and mash it in a cullender. then put it into a pan, and mix with it a quarter of a pound of butter. prepare two pounded crackers, or an equal quantity of grated stale bread. stir gradually a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar into a quart of rich milk, and add by degrees, the squash, and the powdered biscuit. beat nine eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture. add a glass of white wine, a glass of brandy, a glass of rose water, and a table-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon powdered. stir the whole very hard, till all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. bake it three quarters of an hour in a buttered dish; and when cold, grate white sugar over it. yam pudding.--take one pound of roasted yam, and rub it through a cullender. mix with it half a pound of white sugar, a pint of cream or half a pound of butter, a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, and a wine glass of rose water, and one of wine. set it away to get cold. then beat eight eggs very light, and add them by degrees to the mixture, alternately with half a pound of the mashed potato. bake it three-quarters of an hour in a buttered dish. chestnut pudding--may be made in the above manner. potato pudding.--boil a pound of fine potatoes, peel them, mash them, and rub them through a cullender. stir together to a cream, three quarters of a pound of sugar, and the same quantity of butter. add to them gradually, a wine glass of rose water, a glass of wine, and a glass of brandy; a tea-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, and the juice and grated peel of a large lemon. then beat six eggs very light, and add them by degrees to the mixture, alternately with the potato. bake it three quarters of an hour in a buttered dish. sweet potato pudding.--take half a pound of sweet potatoes, wash them, and put them into a pot with a very little water, barely enough to keep them from burning. let them simmer slowly for about half an hour; they must be only parboiled, otherwise they will be soft, and may make the pudding heavy. when they are half done, take them out, peel them, and when cold, grate them. stir together to a cream, half a pound of butter and a quarter of a pound and two ounces of powdered sugar, add a grated nutmeg, a large tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and half a tea-spoonful of beaten mace. also the juice and grated peel of a lemon, a wine glass of rose water, a glass of wine, and a glass of brandy. stir these ingredients well together. beat eight eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture in turn with the sweet potato, a little at a time of each. having stirred the whole very hard at the last, put it into a buttered dish and bake it three quarters of an hour. eat it cold. carrot pudding--may be made in the above manner. green corn pudding.--take twelve ears of green corn, as it is called, (that is, indian corn when full grown, but before it begins to harden and turn yellow,) and grate it. have ready a quart of rich milk, and stir into it by degrees a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. beat four eggs till quite light; and then stir them into the milk, &c. alternately with grated corn, a little of each at a time. put the mixture into a large buttered dish and bake it four hours. it should be eaten quite warm. for sauce, beat together butter and white sugar in equal proportions, mixed with grated nutmeg. to make this pudding,--you may, if more convenient, boil the corn and cut it from the cob; but let it get quite cold before you stir it into the milk. if the corn has been previously boiled, the pudding will require but two hours to bake. sago pudding.--pick, wash, and dry half a pound of currants; and prepare a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon; a half tea-spoonful of powdered mace; and a grated nutmeg. have ready six table-spoonfuls of sago, picked clean, and soaked for two hours in cold water. boil the sago in a quart of milk till quite soft. then stir alternately into the milk, a quarter of a pound of butter, and six ounces of powdered sugar, and set it away to cool. beat eight eggs, and when they are quite light, stir them gradually into the milk, sago, &c. add the spice, and lastly the currants; having dredged them well with flour to prevent their sinking. stir the whole very hard, put it into a buttered dish, and bake it three quarters of an hour. eat it cold. arrow root pudding.--take a large tea-cup of arrow root, and melt it in half a pint of rich milk. then boil another half pint of milk with some cinnamon, and a few bitter almonds or peach-leaves. strain the milk hot over the dissolved arrow root; stir it to a thick, smooth batter, and set it away to cool. next, beat three eggs very light, and stir them into the batter, alternately with four large table-spoonsful of powdered sugar. add some nutmeg, and some fresh lemon-peel, grated. put the mixture into a buttered dish, and bake it half an hour. when cold, ornament the top handsomely, with slices of preserved quince or peach, or with whole strawberries or raspberries. ground rice pudding.--mix a quarter of a pound of ground rice with a pint of cold milk, till it is a smooth batter and free from lumps. boil one pint of milk; and when it has boiled, stir in gradually the rice batter, alternately with a quarter of a pound of butter. keep it over the fire, stirring all the time, till the whole is well mixed, and has boiled hard. then take it off, add a quarter of a pound of white sugar; stir it well, and set it away to cool. beat eight eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture when it is quite cold. then strain it through a sieve, (this will make it more light and delicate,) add a grated nutmeg, and a small tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. stir in the juice and the grated peel of a lemon, or a small tea-spoonful of essence of lemon. put it into a deep dish or dishes, and bake it an hour. as soon as it comes out of the oven, lay slips of citron over the top; and when cold, strew powdered sugar on it. a rice plum pudding.--take three jills of whole rice; wash it, and boil it in a pint of milk. when it is soft, mix in a quarter of a pound of butter, and set it aside to cool; and when it is quite cold, stir it into another pint of milk. prepare a pound and a half of raisins or currants; if currants, wash and dry them; if raisins, seed them and cut them in half. dredge them well with flour, to prevent their sinking; and prepare also a powdered nutmeg; a table-spoonful of mixed mace and cinnamon powdered; a wine glass of rose water; and a wine glass of brandy or white wine. beat six eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture, alternately with a quarter of a pound of sugar. then add by degrees the spice and the liquor, and lastly, stir in, a few at a time, the raisins or currants. put the pudding into a buttered dish and bake it an hour and a half. send it to table cool. you may make this pudding of ground rice, using but half a pint instead of three jills. a plain rice pudding.--pick, wash, and boil half a pint of rice. then drain off the water, and let the rice dry, and get cold. afterwards mix with it two ounces of butter, and four ounces of sugar, and stir it into a quart of rich milk. beat four or five eggs very light, and add them gradually to the mixture. stir in at the last a table-spoonful of grated nutmeg and cinnamon. bake it an hour in a deep dish. eat it cold. a farmer's rice pudding.--this pudding is made without eggs. wash a common-sized tea-cup of rice through cold water. stir it raw into a quart of rich milk, or of cream and milk mixed; adding a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. put it into a deep pan, and bake it two hours or more. when done, the rice will be perfectly soft, which you may ascertain by dipping a tea-spoon into the edge of the pudding and taking out a little to try. eat it cold. rice milk.--pick and wash half a pint of rice, and boil it in a quart of water till it is quite soft. then drain it, and mix it with a quart of rich milk. you may add half a pound of whole raisins. set it over hot coals, and stir it frequently till it boils. when it boils hard, stir in alternately two beaten eggs, and four large table-spoonfuls of brown sugar. let it continue boiling five minutes longer; then take it off, and send it to table hot. if you put in raisins you must let it boil till they are quite soft. a boiled rice pudding.--mix a quarter of a pound of ground rice with a pint of milk, and simmer it over hot coals; stirring it all the time to prevent its being lumpy, or burning at the bottom. when it is thick and smooth, take it off, and pour it into an earthen pan. mix a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of butter with half a pint of cream or very rich milk, and stir it into the rice; adding a powdered nutmeg, and the grated rind of two lemons; also squeeze in their juice. beat the yolks of six eggs with the whites of two only. when the eggs are quite light, mix them gradually with the other ingredients, and stir the whole very hard. butter a large bowl, or a pudding mould. put in the mixture; tying a cloth tightly over the top, (so that no water can get in,) and boil it two hours. when done, turn it out into a dish. send it to table warm, and eat it with sweetened cream, flavoured with a glass of brandy or white wine and a grated nutmeg. a marlborough pudding.--pare, core and quarter six large ripe pippin apples. stew them in about a jill of water. when they are soft but not broken, take them out, drain them through a sieve, and mash them to a paste with the back of a spoon. mix with them six large table-spoonfuls of sugar and a quarter of a pound of butter, and set them away to get cold. grate two milk biscuits or small sponge cakes, or an equal quantity of stale bread, and grate also the yellow peel, and squeeze the juice of a large lemon. beat six eggs light, and when the apple is cold stir them gradually into it, adding the grated biscuit and the lemon. stir in a wine glass of rose water and a grated nutmeg. put the mixture into a buttered dish or dishes; lay round the edge a border of puff paste, and bake it three quarters of an hour. when cold, grate white sugar over the top, and ornament it with slips of citron handsomely arranged. almond cheese cake. this though usually called a cheese cake, is in fact a pudding. cut a piece of rennet about two inches square, wash off the salt in cold water, and wipe it dry. put it into a tea-cup, pour on it sufficient luke-warm water to cover it, and let it soak all night, or at least several hours. take a quart of milk, which must be made warm, but not boiling. stir the rennet-water into it. cover it, and set it in a warm place. when the curd has become quite firm, and the whey looks greenish, drain off the whey, and set the curd in a cool place. while the milk is turning, prepare the other ingredients. wash and dry half a pound of currants, and dredge them well with flour. blanch three ounces of sweet and one ounce of bitter almonds, by scalding and peeling them. then cool them in cold water, wiping them dry before you put them into the mortar. if you cannot procure bitter almonds, peach kernels may be substituted. beat them, one at a time, in the mortar to a smooth paste, pouring in with every one a few drops of rose water to prevent their being oily, dull-coloured, and heavy. if you put a sufficiency of rose water, the pounded almond paste will be light, creamy, and perfectly white. mix, as you do them, the sweet and bitter almonds together. then beat the yolks of eight eggs, and when light, mix them gradually with the curd. add five table-spoonfuls of cream, and a tea-spoonful of mixed spice. lastly, stir in, by degrees, the pounded almonds, and the currants alternately. stir the whole mixture very hard. bake it in buttered dishes, laying puff paste round the edges. if accurately made, it will be found delicious. it must be put in the oven immediately. common cheese cake.--boil a quart of rich milk. beat eight eggs, put them to the milk, and let the milk and eggs boil together till they become a curd. then drain it through a very clean sieve, till all the whey is out. put the curd into a deep dish, and mix with it half a pound of butter, working them well together. when it is cold, add to it the beaten yolks of four eggs, and four large table-spoonfuls of powdered white sugar; also a grated nutmeg. lastly, stir in, by degrees, half a pound of currants that have been previously picked, washed, dried, and dredged with flour. lay puff paste round the rim of the dish, and bake the cheese cake half an hour. send it to table cold, dredged with sugar. prune pudding.--scald a pound of prunes; cover them, and let them swell in the hot water till they are soft. then drain them, and extract the stones; spread the prunes on a large dish, and dredge them with flour. take one jill or eight large table-spoonfuls from a quart of rich milk, and stir into it, gradually, eight spoonfuls of sifted flour. mix it to a smooth batter, pressing out all the lumps with the back of the spoon. beat eight eggs light, and stir them, by degrees, into the remainder of the milk, alternately with the batter that you have just mixed. then add the prunes one at a time, stirring the whole very hard. tie the pudding in a cloth that has been previously dipped in boiling water and then dredged with flour. leave room for it to swell, but secure it firmly, so that no water can get in. put it into a pot of boiling water, and boil it two hours. send it to table hot, (not taking it out of the pot till a moment before it is wanted,) and eat it with cream sauce; or with butter, sugar, and nutmeg beaten together, and served up in a little tureen. a similar pudding may be made with whole raisins. eve's pudding.--pare, core, and quarter six large pippins, and chop them very fine. grate stale bread till you have six ounces of crumbs, and roll fine six ounces of white sugar. pick, wash, and dry six ounces of currants, and sprinkle them with flour. mix all these ingredients together in a large pan, adding six ounces of butter cut small, and two table-spoonfuls of flour. beat six eggs very light, and moisten the mixture with them. add a grated nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. stir the whole very well together. have ready a pot of boiling water. dip your pudding cloth into it, shake it out, and dredge it with flour. then put in the mixture, and tie it very firmly; leaving space for the pudding to swell, and stopping up the tying place with a paste of wetted flour. boil it three hours; keeping at the fire a kettle of boiling water, to replenish the pot, that the pudding may be always well covered. send it to table hot, and eat it with sweetened cream flavoured with wine and nutmeg. cinderellas or german puffs.--sift half a pound of the finest flour. cut up in a quart of rich milk, half a pound of fresh butter, and set it on the stove, or near the fire, till it has melted. beat eight eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the milk and butter, alternately with the flour. add a powdered nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. mix the whole very well to a fine smooth batter, in which there must be no lumps. butter some large common tea-cups, and divide the mixture among them till they are half full or a little more. set them immediately in a quick oven, and bake them about a quarter of an hour. when done, turn them out into a dish, and grate white sugar over them. serve them up hot, with a sauce of sweetened cream flavoured with wine and nutmeg; or you may eat them with molasses and butter; or with sugar and wine. send them round whole, for they will fall almost as soon as cut. a boiled bread pudding.--boil a quart of rich milk. while it is boiling, take a small loaf of baker's bread, such as is sold for five or six cents. it may be either fresh or stale. pare off all the crust, and cut up the crumb into very small pieces. you should have baker's bread if you can procure it, as home-made bread may not make the pudding light enough. put the bread into a pan; and when the milk boils, pour it scalding hot over the bread. cover the pan closely, and let it steep in the hot steam for about three quarters of an hour. then remove the cover, and allow the bread and milk to cool. in the mean time, beat four eggs till they are thick and smooth. then beat into them a table-spoonful and a half of fine wheat flour. next beat the egg and flour into the bread and milk, and continue to beat hard till the mixture is as light as possible; for on this the success of the pudding chiefly depends. have ready over the fire a pot of boiling water. dip your pudding-cloth into it, and shake it out. spread out the cloth in a deep dish or pan, and dredge it well with flour. pour in the mixture, and tie up the cloth, leaving room for it to swell. tie the string firmly and plaster up the opening (if there is any) with flour moistened with water. if any water gets into it the pudding will be spoiled. see that the water boils when you put in the pudding, and keep it boiling hard. if the pot wants replenishing, do it with boiling water from a kettle. should you put in cold water to supply the place of that which has boiled away, the pudding will chill, and become hard and heavy. boil it an hour and a half. turn it out of the bag the minute before you send it to table. eat it with wine sauce, or with sugar and butter, or molasses. it will be much improved by adding to the mixture half a pound of whole raisins, well floured to prevent their sinking. sultana raisins are best, as they have no seeds. if these directions are exactly followed, this will be found a remarkably good and wholesome plain pudding. for all boiled puddings, a square pudding-cloth which can be opened out, is much better than a bag. it should be very thick. a baked bread pudding.--take a stale five cent loaf of bread; cut off all the crust, and grate or rub the crumb as fine as possible. boil a quart of rich milk, and pour it hot over the bread; then stir in a quarter of a pound of butter, and the same quantity of sugar, a glass of wine and brandy mixed, or a glass of rose water. or you may omit the liquor and substitute the grated peel of a large lemon. add a table-spoonful of mixed cinnamon and nutmeg powdered. stir the whole very well, cover it, and set it away for half an hour. then let it cool. beat seven or eight eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture after it is cold. then butter a deep dish, and bake the pudding an hour. send it to table cool. a bread and butter pudding.--cut some slices of bread and butter moderately thick, omitting the crust; stale bread is best. butter a deep dish, and cover the bottom with slices of the buttered bread. have ready a pound of currants, picked, washed and dried. spread one third of them thickly over the bread and butter, and strew on some brown sugar. then put another layer of bread and butter, and cover it also with currants and sugar. finish with a third layer of each, and pour over the whole four eggs, beaten very light and mixed with a pint of milk, and a wine glass of rose water. bake the pudding an hour, and grate nutmeg over it when done. eat it warm, but not hot. you may substitute for the currants, raisins seeded, and cut in half. this pudding may be made also with layers of stewed gooseberries instead of the currants, or with pippin apples, pared, cored and minced fine. a suet pudding.--mince very finely as much beef suet as will make two large table-spoonfuls. grate two handfuls of bread-crumbs; boil a quart of milk and pour it hot on the bread. cover it, and set it aside to steep for half an hour; then put it to cool. beat eight eggs very light; stir the suet, and six table-spoonfuls of flour alternately into the bread and milk, and add, by degrees, the eggs. lastly, stir in a table-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and cinnamon mixed, and a glass of mixed wine and brandy. pour it into a square cloth dipped in hot water, and floured; tie it firmly, put it into a pot of boiling water, and boil it two hours. do not take it up till immediately before it is wanted, and send it to table hot. eat it with wine sauce, or with molasses. a custard pudding.--take five table-spoonfuls out of a quart of cream or rich milk, and mix them with two large spoonfuls of fine flour. set the rest of the milk to boil, flavouring it with half a dozen peach leaves, or with bitter almonds broken up. when it has boiled hard, take it off, strain it, and stir it in the cold milk and flour. set it away to cool, and beat well eight yolks and four whites of eggs; add them to the milk, and stir in, at the last, a glass of brandy or white wine, a powdered nutmeg, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. butter a large bowl or mould; pour in the mixture; tie a cloth tightly over it; put it into a pot of boiling water, and boil it two hours, replenishing the pot with hot water from a tea-kettle. when the pudding is done, let it get cool before you turn it out. eat it with butter and sugar stirred together to a cream, and flavoured with lemon juice or orange. flour hasty pudding.--tie together half a dozen peach-leaves, put them into a quart of milk, and set it on the fire to boil. when it has come to a hard boil, take out the leaves, but let the pot remain boiling on the fire. then with a large wooden spoon in one hand, and some wheat flour in the other, thicken and stir it till it is about the consistence of a boiled custard. afterwards throw in, one at a time, a dozen small bits of butter rolled in a thick coat of flour. you may enrich it by stirring in a beaten egg or two, a few minutes before you take it from the fire. when done, pour it into a deep dish, and strew brown sugar thickly over the top. eat it warm. indian mush.--have ready on the fire a pot of boiling water. stir into it by degrees (a handful at a time) sufficient indian meal to make it very thick, and then add a very small portion of salt. you must keep the pot boiling on the fire all the time you are throwing in the meal; and between every handful, stir very hard with the mush-stick, (a round stick flattened at one end,) that the mush may not be lumpy. after it is sufficiently thick, keep it boiling for an hour longer, stirring it occasionally. then cover the pot, and hang it higher up the chimney, so as to simmer slowly or keep hot for another hour. the goodness of mush depends greatly on its being long and thoroughly boiled. if sufficiently cooked, it is wholesome and nutritious, but exactly the reverse, if made in haste. it is not too long to have it altogether three or four hours over the fire; on the contrary it will be much the better for it. eat it warm; either with milk, or cover your plate with mush, make a hole in the middle, put some butter in the hole and fill it up with molasses. cold mush that has been left, may be cut into slices and fried in butter. burgoo is made precisely in the same manner as mush, but with oatmeal instead of indian. a baked indian pudding.--cut up a quarter of a pound of butter in a pint of molasses, and warm them together till the butter is melted. boil a quart of milk; and while scalding hot, pour it slowly over a pint of sifted indian meal, and stir in the molasses and butter. cover it, and let it steep for an hour. then take off the cover, and set the mixture to cool. when it is cold, beat six eggs, and stir them gradually into it; add a table-spoonful of mixed cinnamon and nutmeg; and the grated peel of a lemon. stir the whole very hard; put it into a buttered dish, and bake it two hours. serve it up hot, and eat it with wine sauce, or with butter and molasses. a boiled indian pudding.--chop very fine a quarter of a pound of beef suet. mix it with a quart of sifted indian meal. boil a quart of milk with some pieces of cinnamon broken up; strain it, and while it is hot, stir in gradually the meal and suet; add half a pint of molasses. cover the mixture and set it away for an hour; then put it to cool. beat six eggs, and stir them gradually into the mixture when it is cold; add a grated nutmeg, and the grated peel of a lemon. tie the pudding in a cloth that has been dipped in hot water and floured; and leave plenty of room for it to swell. secure it well at the tying place lest the water should get in, which will infallibly spoil it. put it into a pot of boiling water, (which must be replenished as it boils away,) and boil it four hours at least; but five or six will be better. to have an indian pudding _very good_, it should be mixed the night before, (all except the eggs,) and put on to boil early in the morning. do not take it out of the pot till immediately before it is wanted. eat it with wine sauce, or with molasses and butter. what is left may be boiled again next day. indian pudding without eggs.--boil some cinnamon in a quart of milk, and then strain it. while the milk is hot, stir into it a pint of molasses, and then add by degrees a quart or more of indian meal so as to make a thick batter. it will be much improved by the grated peel and juice of a large lemon or orange. tie it very securely in a thick cloth, leaving room for it to swell, and pasting up the tying-place with a lump of flour and water. put it into a pot of boiling water, (having ready a kettle to fill it up as it boils away,) hang it over a good fire, and keep it boiling hard for four or five hours. eat it warm with molasses and butter. this is a very economical, and not an unpalatable pudding; and may be found convenient when it is difficult to obtain eggs. the molasses should be west india. a baked plum pudding.--grate all the crumb of a stale six cent loaf; boil a quart of rich milk, and pour it boiling hot over the grated bread; cover it, and let it steep for an hour; then set it out to cool. in the mean time prepare half a pound of currants, picked, washed, and dried; half a pound of raisins, stoned and cut in half; and a quarter of a pound of citron cut in large slips; also, two nutmegs beaten to a powder; and a table-spoonful of mace and cinnamon powdered and mixed together. crush with a rolling-pin half a pound of sugar, and cut up half a pound of butter. when the bread and milk is uncovered to cool, mix with it the butter, sugar, spice and citron; adding a glass of brandy, and a glass of white wine. beat eight eggs very light, and when the milk is quite cold, stir them gradually into the mixture. then add, by degrees, the raisins and currants, (which must be previously dredged with flour,) and stir the whole very hard. put it into a buttered dish, and bake it two hours. send it to table warm, and eat it with wine sauce, or with wine and sugar only. in making this pudding, you may substitute for the butter, half a pound of beef suet minced as fine as possible. it will be found best to prepare the ingredients the day before, covering them closely and putting them away. a boiled plum pudding.--grate the crumb of a twelve cent loaf of bread, and boil a quart of rich milk with a small bunch of peach leaves in it, then strain it and set it out to cool. pick, wash and dry a pound of currants, and stone and cut in half a pound of raisins; strew over them three large table-spoonfuls of flour. roll fine a pound of brown sugar, and mince as fine as possible three quarters of a pound of beef suet. prepare two beaten nutmegs, and a large table-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon; also the grated peel and the juice of two large lemons or oranges. beat ten eggs very light, and (when it is cold) stir them gradually into the milk, alternately with the suet and grated bread. add, by degrees, the sugar, fruit, and spice, with a large glass of brandy, and one of white wine. mix the whole very well, and stir it hard. then put it into a thick cloth that has been scalded and floured; leave room for it to swell, and tie it very firmly, pasting the tying-place with a small lump of moistened flour. put the pudding into a large pot of boiling water, and boil it steadily six hours, replenishing the pot occasionally from a boiling kettle. turn the pudding frequently in the pot. prepare half a pound of citron cut in slips, and half a pound of almonds blanched and split in half lengthways. stick the almonds and the citron all over the outside of the pudding as soon as you take it out of the cloth. send it to table hot, and eat it with wine sauce, or with cold wine and sugar. if there is much of the pudding left, tie it in a cloth and boil it again next day. all the ingredients of this plum pudding (except the eggs) should be prepared the day before, otherwise it cannot be made in time to allow of its being sufficiently boiled. we have known of a very rich plum pudding being mixed in england and sent to america in a covered bowl; it arrived perfectly good after a month's voyage, the season being winter. a baked apple pudding.--take nine large pippin apples; pare and core them whole. set them in the bottom of a large deep dish, and pour round them a very little water, just enough to keep them from burning. put them into an oven, and let them bake about half an hour. in the mean time, mix three table-spoonfuls of flour with a quart of milk, a quarter of a pound of white sugar, and a tea-spoonful of mixed spice. beat seven eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the milk. then take out the dish of apples, (which by this time should be half baked,) and fill up the holes from whence you extracted the cores, with white sugar; pressing down into each a slice of fresh lemon. pour the batter round the apples; put the dish again into the oven, and let it bake another half hour; but not long enough for the apples to fall to pieces; as they should, when done, be soft throughout, but quite whole. send it to table warm. this is sometimes called a _bird's nest pudding_. it will be much improved by previously boiling in the milk a small handful of peach-leaves. let it get cold before you stir in the eggs. boiled apple pudding.--pare, core, and quarter as many fine juicy apples as will weigh two pounds when done. strew among them a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, and add a grated nutmeg, and the juice and yellow peel of a large lemon. prepare a paste of suet and flour, in the proportion of a pound of chopped suet to two pounds of flour. roll it out of moderate thickness; lay the apples in the centre, and close the paste nicely over them in the form of a large dumpling; tie it in a cloth and boil it three hours. send it to table hot, and eat with it cream sauce, or with butter and sugar. the water must boil before the pudding goes in. any fruit pudding may be made in a similar manner. an eastern pudding.--make a paste of a pound of flour and half a pound of minced suet; and roll it out thin into a square or oblong sheet; trim off the edges so as to make it an even shape. spread thickly over it some marmalade, or cold stewed fruit, (which must be made very sweet,) either apple, peach, plum, gooseberry or cranberry. roll up the paste, with the fruit spread on it, into a scroll. secure each end by putting on nicely a thin round piece rolled out from the trimmings that you cut off the edges of the sheet. put the pudding into a cloth, and boil it at least three hours. serve it up hot, and eat it with cream sauce, or with butter and sugar. the pudding must be put on in boiling water. apple dumplings. take large fine juicy apples. pare them, and extract the cores without dividing the apple. fill each hole with brown sugar, and some chips of lemon-peel. also squeeze in some lemon juice. or you may fill the cavities with raspberry jam, or with any sort of marmalade. have ready a paste, made in the proportion of a pound of suet, chopped as fine as possible, to two pounds and a half of sifted flour, well mixed, and wetted with as little water as possible. roll out the paste to a moderate thickness, and cut it into circular pieces, allowing two pieces to each dumpling. lay your apple on one piece, and put another piece on the top, closing the paste round the sides with your fingers, so as to cover the apple entirely. this is a better way than gathering up the paste at one end, as the dumpling is less liable to burst. boil each dumpling in a small coarse cloth, which has first been dipped in hot water. there should always be a set of cloths kept for the purpose. tie them tightly, leaving a small space for the dumpling to swell. plaster a little flour on the inside of each tying place to prevent the water from getting in. have ready a pot of boiling water. put in the dumplings and boil them steadily for an hour. send them to table hot in a covered dish. do not take them up till a moment before they are wanted. eat them with cream and sugar, or with butter and sugar. you may make the paste with butter instead of suet, allowing a pound of butter to two pounds and a quarter of flour. but when paste is to be boiled, suet will make it much lighter and finer than butter. apple dumplings may be made in a very plain manner with potato paste, and boiled without cloths, dredging the outside of each dumpling with flour. they should boil about three quarters of an hour when without cloths. the apples for dumplings should always be whole, (except the cores;) for if quartered, the pieces will separate in boiling and break through the crust. the apples should never be sweet ones. rice dumplings.--pick and wash a pound of rice, and boil it gently in two quarts of water till it becomes dry; keeping the pot well covered, and not stirring it. then take it off the fire, and spread it out to cool on the bottom of an inverted sieve: loosening the grains lightly with a fork, that all the moisture may evaporate. pare a dozen pippins or other large juicy apples, and scoop out the core. then fill up the cavity with marmalade, or with lemon and sugar. cover every apple all over with a thick coating of the boiled rice. tie up each in a separate cloth,[f] and put them into a pot of cold water. they will require about an hour and a quarter after they begin to boil; perhaps longer. turn them out on a large dish, and be careful in doing so not to break the dumplings. eat them with cream sauce, or with wine sauce, or with butter, sugar, and nutmeg beaten together. footnotes: [f] your pudding and dumpling cloths should be squares of coarse thick linen, hemmed, and with tape strings sewed to them. after using, they should be washed, dried, and ironed; and kept in one of the kitchen drawers, that they may be always ready when wanted. pigeon dumplings or puddings.--take six pigeons and stuff them with chopped oysters, seasoned with pepper, salt, mace, and nutmeg. score the breasts, and loosen all the joints with a sharp knife, as if you were going to carve them for eating; but do not cut them quite apart. make a sufficient quantity of nice suet paste, allowing a pound of suet to two pounds of flour; roll it out thick, and divide it into six. lay one pigeon on each sheet of the paste with the back downwards, and put in the lower part of the breast a piece of butter rolled in flour. close the paste over the pigeon in the form of a dumpling or small pudding; pouring in at the last a very little cold water to add to the gravy. tie each dumpling in a cloth, put them into a pot of hot water, and boil them two hours. send them to table with made gravy in a boat. partridges or quails may be cooked in this manner; also chickens, which must be accompanied by egg sauce. these dumplings or puddings will be found very good. fine suet dumplings.--grate the crumb of a stale six cent loaf, and mix it with half as much beef suet, chopped as fine as possible. add a grated nutmeg, and two large table-spoonfuls of sugar. beat four eggs with four table-spoonfuls of white wine or brandy. mix all well together to a stiff paste. flour your hands, and make up the mixture into balls or dumplings about the size of turkey eggs. have ready a pot of boiling water. put the dumplings into cloths, and let them boil about half an hour. serve them hot, and eat them with wine sauce. plain suet dumplings.--sift two pounds of flour into a pan, and add a salt-spoon of salt. mince very fine one pound of beef suet, and rub it into the flour. make it into a stiff dough with a little cold water. then roll it out an inch thick or rather more. cut it into dumplings with the edge of a tumbler. put them into a pot of boiling water, and let them boil an hour and a half. send them to table hot, to eat with boiled loin of mutton, or with molasses after the meat is removed. indian dumplings.--take a pint of milk, and four eggs well beaten. stir them together, and add a salt-spoon of salt. then mix in as much sifted indian meal as will make a stiff dough. flour your hands; divide the dough into equal portions, and make it into balls about the size of a goose egg. flatten each with the rolling-pin, tie them in cloths, and put them into a pot of boiling water. they will boil in a short time. take care not to let them go to pieces by keeping them too long in the pot. serve them up hot, and eat them with corned pork, or with bacon. or you may eat them with molasses and butter after the meat is removed. if to be eaten without meat, you may mix in the dough a quarter of a pound of finely chopped suet. liver dumplings.--take a calf's liver, and chop it very fine. mix with it half a pound of beef suet chopped fine also; half a pound of flour; one minced onion; a handful of bread crumbs; a table-spoonful of chopped parsley and sweet marjoram mixed; a few blades of mace and some grated nutmeg; and a little pepper and salt. mix all well together. wet the mixture with six eggs well beaten, and make it up into dumplings, with your hands well floured. have ready a large pot of boiling water. drop the dumplings into it with a ladle, and let them boil an hour. have ready bread-crumbs browned in butter to pour over them before they go to table. ham dumplings.--chop some cold ham, the fat and lean in equal proportions. season it with pepper and minced sage. make a crust, allowing half a pound of chopped suet, or half a pound of butter to a pound of flour. roll it out thick, and divide it into equal portions. put some minced ham into each, and close up the crust. have ready a pot of boiling water, and put in the dumplings. boil them about three quarters of an hour. you may use potatoe paste. light dumplings.--mix together as much grated bread, butter and beaten egg (seasoned with powdered cinnamon) as will make a stiff paste. stir it well. make the mixture into round dumplings, with your hands well floured. tie up each in a separate cloth, and boil them a short time,--about fifteen minutes. eat them with wine sauce, or with molasses and butter. plain fritters. beat seven eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of milk; add, by degrees, three quarters of a pound, or a pint and a half of sifted flour. beat the whole very hard. have ready in a frying-pan over the fire, a large quantity of lard. when the lard has come to a hard boil, begin to put in the fritters; allowing for each about a jill of batter, or half a large tea-cup full. they do not require turning, and will be done in a few minutes. fry as many at a time as the pan will hold. send them to table hot, and eat them with powdered cinnamon, sugar, and white wine. let fresh hot ones be sent in as they are wanted; they chill and become heavy immediately. begin to fry the fritters as soon as the batter is mixed, as it will fall by setting. near a pound and a half of lard will be required for the above quantity of fritters. apple fritters.--pare, core, and parboil (in a very little water) some large juicy pippins. when half done, take them out, drain them, and mince them very fine. make a batter according to the preceding receipt; adding some lemon juice and grated lemon-peel. stir into the batter a sufficient quantity of the minced apple to make it very thick. then fry the fritters in hot lard as before directed. eat them with nutmeg and sugar. plain pancakes.--sift half a pound or a pint of flour. beat seven eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of rich milk. then add by degrees the flour, so as to make a thin batter. mix it very smooth, pressing out all the lumps with the back of a spoon. set the frying-pan over the fire, and when it is hot, grease it with a spoonful of lard. then put in a ladle full of the batter, and fry it of a light brown, turning it with care to prevent its breaking. make each pancake large enough to cover the bottom of a dessert plate; greasing the pan every time. send them to table hot, accompanied by powdered sugar and nutmeg mixed in a small glass bowl. have wine with them also. sweetmeat pancakes.--take a large red beet-root that has been boiled tender; cut it up and pound it in a mortar till you have sufficient juice for colouring the pancakes. then make a batter as in the preceding receipt, and stir into it at the last enough of the beet juice to give it a fine pink colour. or instead of the beet juice, you may use a little cochineal dissolved in a very small quantity of brandy. fry the pancakes in a pan greased with lard or fresh butter; and as fast as they are done, spread thickly over them raspberry jam or any sort of marmalade. then roll them up nicely, and trim off the ends. lay them, side by side, on a large dish, and strew powdered sugar over them. send them to table hot, and eat them with sweetened cream. plain custards. tie together six or eight peach leaves, and boil them in a quart of milk with a large stick of cinnamon broken up. if you cannot procure peach leaves, substitute a handful of peach-kernels or bitter almonds, or a vanilla bean split in pieces. when it has boiled hard, strain the milk and set it away to cool. beat very light eight eggs, and stir them by degrees into the milk when it is quite cold, (if warm, the eggs will curdle it, and cause whey at the bottom,) and add gradually a quarter of a pound of sugar. fill your cups with it; set them in a dutch oven, and pour round them boiling water sufficient to reach nearly to the tops of the cups. put hot coals under the oven and on the lid, (which must be previously heated by standing it up before a hot fire,) and bake the custards about fifteen minutes. send them to table cold, with nutmeg grated over each. or you may bake the whole in one large dish. soft custards--are made in the above manner, except that to a quart of milk you must have twelve yolks of eggs, and no whites. you may devote to this purpose the yolks that are left when you have used the whites for cocoa-nut or almond puddings, or for lady cake or maccaroons. boiled custards.--beat eight eggs very light, omitting the whites of four. mix them gradually with a quart of cold milk and a quarter of a pound of sugar. put the mixture into a saucepan with a bunch of peach leaves, or a handful of broken up peach-kernels or bitter almonds; the yellow peel of a lemon, and a handful of broken cinnamon; or you may boil in it a vanilla bean. set it on hot coals, and simmer it slowly, stirring it all the time. as soon as it comes to a boil, take it immediately off the fire, or it will curdle and be lumpy. then strain it: add a table-spoonful of rose-water, and put it into glass cups. you may lay in the bottom of each cup a maccaroon soaked in wine. grate nutmeg over the top, and send it to table cold. eat it with tarts or sweetmeats. rice custard.--boil some rice in milk till it is quite dry; then put it into small tea-cups, (pressing it down hard,) and when it is cold and has taken the shape of the cups, turn it out into a deep dish, and pour a boiled custard round it. lay on the top of each lump of rice a piece of preserved quince or peach, or a piece of fruit jelly. in boiling the rice, you may mix with it raisins or currants; if so, omit the sweetmeats on the top. ground rice is best. another way of boiling custard is to put the mixture into a pitcher, set it in a vessel of boiling water, place it on hot coals or in a stove, and let it boil slowly, stirring it all the time. snowball custard.--make a boiled custard as in the preceding receipts; and when it is done and quite cold, put it into a deep glass dish. beat to a stiff froth the four whites of eggs that have been omitted in the custard, adding eight or ten drops of oil of lemon. drop the froth in balls on the top of the dish of custard, heaping and forming them with a spoon into a regular size and shape. do not let them touch each other. you may lay a fresh rose leaf on the top of every one. apple custard.--pare, core, and quarter a dozen large juicy pippins. strew among them the yellow peel of a large lemon grated very fine; and stew them till tender, in a very small portion of water. when done, mash them smooth with the back of a spoon; (you must have a pint and a half of the stewed apple;) mix a quarter of a pound of sugar with them, and set them away till cold. beat six eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of rich milk, alternately with the stewed apple. put the mixture into cups, or into a deep dish, and bake it about twenty minutes. send it to table cold, with nutmeg grated over the top. lemon custard.--take four large ripe lemons, and roll them under your hand on the table to increase the juice. then squeeze them into a bowl, and mix with the juice a very small tea-cup full of cold water. use none of the peel. add gradually sufficient sugar to make it _very sweet_. beat twelve eggs till quite light, and then stir the lemon juice gradually into them, beating very hard at the last. put the mixture into cups, and bake it ten minutes. when done, grate nutmeg over the top of each, and set them among ice, or in a very cold place. these custards being made without milk, can be prepared at a short notice; they will be found very fine. orange custards may be made in the same manner. gooseberry custard.--top and tail two quarts of green gooseberries. stew them in a very little water; stirring and mashing them frequently. when they have stewed till entirely to pieces, take them out, and with a wooden spoon press the pulp through a cullender. stir in (while the pulp is hot) a table-spoonful of butter, and sufficient sugar to make it very sweet. beat six eggs very light. simmer the gooseberry pulp over a gentle fire, and gradually stir the beaten eggs into it. when it comes to a boil, take it off immediately, stir it very hard, and set it out to cool. serve it up cold in glasses or custard cups, grating some nutmeg over each. almond custard.--scald and blanch half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and three ounces of shelled bitter almonds; throwing them as you do them into a large bowl of cold water. then pound them one at a time in a mortar; pouring in frequently a little rose water to prevent their oiling, and becoming dark-coloured and heavy. melt a quarter of a pound of loaf-sugar in a quart of cream or rich milk, and stir in by degrees the pounded almonds. beat ten eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture; adding a powdered nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon mixed. then put the whole into a pitcher, and place it in a kettle or pan of boiling water, the water coming up to the lower part of the neck of the pitcher. set it over hot coals, and let it boil (stirring it all the time) till it is quite thick, but not till it curdles. then take the pitcher out of the water; pour the custard into a large bowl, and stir it till it cools. put it into glass cups, and send it to table cold. sweeten some cream or white of egg. beat it to stiff froth and pile it on the top of the custards. boiled cocoa-nut custard.--to a pound of grated cocoa-nut allow a pint of unskimmed milk, and six ounces of white sugar. beat very light the yolks of six eggs. stir them gradually into the milk, alternately with the cocoa-nut and sugar. put the mixture into a pitcher; set it in a vessel of boiling water; place it on hot coals, and simmer it till it is very smooth and thick; stirring it all the time. as soon as it comes to a hard boil, take it off the fire; pour it into a large bowl, and set it out to cool. when cold, put it into glass cups. beat to a stiff froth the white of egg that was left, and pile it on the custards. baked cocoa-nut custard.--grate as much cocoa-nut as will weigh a pound. mix half a pound of powdered white sugar with the milk of the cocoa-nut, or with a pint of cream; adding two table-spoonfuls of rose water. then stir in gradually a pint of rich milk. beat to a stiff froth the whites of eight eggs, and stir them into the milk and sugar, a little at a time, alternately with the grated cocoa-nut: add a tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and cinnamon. then put the mixture into cups, and bake them twenty minutes in a dutch oven half filled with boiling water. when cold, grate loaf-sugar over them. chocolate custard.--scrape fine a quarter of a pound of chocolate, and pour on it a pint of boiling water. cover it, and let it stand by the fire till it has dissolved, stirring it twice. beat eight eggs very light, omitting the whites of two. stir them by degrees into a quart of cream or rich milk, alternately with the melted chocolate, and three table-spoonfuls of powdered white sugar. put the mixture into cups, and bake it about ten minutes. send them to table cold, with sweetened cream, or white of egg beaten to a stiff froth, and heaped on the top of each custard. no chocolate is so good as baker's prepared cocoa. maccaroon custards.--these must be made in china custard cups. put four maccaroons into each cup, and pour on them three spoonfuls of white wine. mix together a pint of cream, and a pint of milk; and boil them with a large stick of cinnamon broken up, and a small bunch of peach leaves or a handful of broken bitter almonds. then strain the milk; stir in a quarter of a pound of white sugar, and set it away to cool. beat very light eight eggs, (omitting the whites of four,) and stir them gradually into the cream and milk when quite cold. fill your cups with the mixture, (leaving the maccaroons at the bottom,) and set them in a dutch oven or iron baking pan, which must be half full of boiling water. heat the oven-lid first, by standing it up before a hot fire; then put it on, spreading coals over the top. place sufficient coals under the oven, and bake the custards about ten minutes. when cold, heap beaten white of egg on the top of each. these custards are very fine. syllabub, or whipt cream. pare off very thin the yellow rind of four large lemons, and lay it in the bottom of a deep dish. squeeze the juice of the lemons into a large bowl containing a pint of white wine, and sweeten it with half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. then, by degrees, mix in a quart of cream. pour the whole into the dish in which you have laid the lemon-peel, and let the mixture stand untouched for three hours. then beat it with rods to a stiff froth, (first taking out the lemon-peel,) and having put into each of your glasses a table-spoonful or more of fruit jelly, heap the syllabub upon it so as to stand up high at the top. this syllabub, if it can be kept in a cold place, may be made the day before you want to use it. country syllabub.--mix half a pound of white sugar with a pint of fine sweet cider, or of white wine; and grate in a nutmeg. prepare them in a large bowl, just before milking time. then let it be taken to the cow, and have about three pints milked into it; stirring it occasionally with a spoon. let it be eaten before the froth subsides. if you use cider, a little brandy will improve it. a trifle.--place half a pound of maccaroons or naples biscuits at the bottom of a large glass bowl. pour on them as much white wine as will cover and dissolve them. make a rich custard, flavoured with bitter almonds or peach leaves: and pour it when cold on the maccaroons; the custard may be either baked or boiled. then add a layer of marmalade or jam. take a quart of cream, mix with it a quarter of a pound of sugar, and half a pint of white wine, and whip it with rods to a stiff froth; laying the froth (as you proceed) on an inverted sieve, with a dish under it to catch the cream that drips through; which must be saved and whipped over again. instead of rods you may use a little tin churn. pile the frothed cream upon the marmalade in a high pyramid. to ornament it,--take preserved water-melon rind that has been cut into leaves or flowers; split them nicely to make them thinner and lighter; place a circle or wreath of them round the heap of frothed cream, interspersing them with spots of stiff red currant jelly. stick on the top of the pyramid a sprig of real flowers. floating island.--take a quart of rich cream, and divide it in half. sweeten one pint of it with loaf-sugar, and stir into it sufficient currant jelly to colour it of a fine pink. put it into a glass bowl, and place in the centre a pile of sliced almond-sponge cake, or of lady cake; every slice spread thickly with raspberry jam or marmalade, and laid evenly one on another. have ready the other pint of cream, flavoured with the juice of two lemons, and beaten with rods to a stiff froth. heap it all over the pile of cake, so as entirely to cover it. both creams must be made very sweet. a raspberry charlotte.--take a dozen of the square or oblong sponge-cakes that are commonly called naples biscuits. they should be quite fresh. spread over each a thick layer of raspberry jam, and place them in the bottom and round the sides of a glass bowl. take the whites of six eggs, and mix with them six table-spoonfuls of raspberry or currant jelly. beat the egg and jelly with rods till very light, and then fill up the bowl with it. for this purpose, cream (if you can conveniently procure it) is still better than white of egg. you may make a charlotte with any sort of jam, marmalade, or fruit jelly. it can be prepared at a short notice, and is very generally liked. you may use ripe strawberries, washed and sweetened. a plum charlotte.--stone a quart of ripe plums; first stew, and then sweeten them. cut slices of bread and butter, and lay them in the bottom and round the sides of a large bowl or deep dish. pour in the plums boiling hot, cover the bowl, and set it away to cool gradually. when quite cold, send it to table, and eat it with cream. clotted cream.--mix together a jill of rich milk, a large wine glass of rose water, and four ounces of white sugar. add to it the beaten yolks of two eggs. stir the mixture into a quart of the best cream; set it over hot coals, and let it just come to a boil, stirring it all the time. then take it off, pour it into a glass bowl, and set it away to get cold. eat it with fresh strawberries, raspberries, or with any sort of sweetmeats. lemon cream.--beat well together a quart of thick cream and the yolks of eight eggs. then gradually beat in half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and the grated rind of three large lemons. put the mixture into a porcelain skillet, and set it on hot coals till it comes to a boil; then take it off, and stir it till nearly cold. squeeze the juice of the lemons into a bowl; pour the cream upon it, and continue to stir it till quite cold. you may serve it up in a glass bowl, in glass cups, or in jelly glasses. eat it with tarts or sweetmeats. orange cream.--beat very light six eggs, omitting the whites of two. have ready a pint of orange juice, and stir it gradually into the beaten egg, alternately with a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. put into a porcelain skillet the yellow rind of one orange, pared very thin; pour the mixture upon it, and set it over a slow fire. simmer it steadily, stirring it all the time; but when nearly ready to boil, take it off, remove the orange-peel, and put the mixture into glasses to get cold. curds and whey.--take a piece of rennet about three inches square, and wash it in two or three cold waters to get off the salt; wipe it dry, and fasten a string to one corner of it. have ready in a deep dish or pan, a quart of unskimmed milk that has been warmed but not boiled. put the rennet into it, leaving the string hanging out over the side, that you may know where to find it. cover the pan, and set it by the fire-side or in some other warm place. when the milk becomes a firm mass of curd, and the whey looks clear and greenish, remove the rennet as gently as possible, pulling it out by the string; and set the pan in ice, or in a very cold place. send to table with it a small pitcher of white wine, sugar and nutmeg mixed together; or a bowl of sweetened cream, with nutmeg grated over it. you may keep rennet in white wine; cutting it in small pieces, and putting it into a glass jar with wine enough to cover it well. either the wine or the rennet will be found good for turning milk; but do not put in both together, or the curd will become so hard and tough as to be uneatable. rennets properly prepared and dried, are sold constantly in the philadelphia markets. the cost is trifling; and it is well to have one always in the house, in case of being wanted to make whey for sick persons. they will keep a year or more. lemon ice cream have ready two quarts of very rich thick cream, and take out a pint. stir gradually into the pint, a pound of the best loaf-sugar powdered fine; and the grated rind and the juice of four ripe lemons of the largest size, or of five or six smaller ones. if you cannot procure the fruit, you may flavour the cream with essence or oil of lemon; a tea-spoonful or more, according to its strength. the strongest and best essence of lemon is the white or whitish; when tinged with green, it is comparatively weak, having been diluted with water; if quite green, a large tea-spoonful will not communicate as much flavour as five or six drops of the white. after you have mixed the pint of cream with the sugar and lemon, beat it gradually and hard into the remaining cream, that is, the three pints. cover it, and let it stand to infuse from half an hour to an hour. then taste it, and if you think it necessary, stir in a little more lemon juice or a little more sugar. strain it into the freezer through a fine strainer, (a tin one with small close holes is best,) to get rid of the grated lemon-peel, which if left in would prevent the cream from being smooth. cover the freezer, and stand it in the ice cream tub, which should be filled with a mixture, in equal quantities, of coarse salt, and ice broken up as small as possible, that it may lie close and compact round the freezer, and thus add to its coldness. snow, when it can be procured, is still better than ice to mix with the salt. it should be packed closely into the tub, and pressed down hard. while the cream is freezing, keep it always in motion, whirling the freezer round by the handle, and opening the lid frequently to stir and beat the cream, and to scrape it down from the sides with a long-handled tin spoon. take care that no salt gets in, or the cream will be spoiled. when it is entirely frozen, take it out of the freezer and put it into your mould; set it again in the tub, (which must be filled with fresh ice and salt,) and leave it undisturbed till you want it for immediate use. this second freezing, however, should not continue longer than an hour, or the cream will become inconveniently and unpleasantly hard, and have much of the flavour frozen out of it. place the mould in the ice tub, with the head downwards, and cover the tub with pieces of old carpet while the second freezing is going on. when it has arrived at the proper consistence, and it is time to serve it up, dip a cloth in cold water, and wash it round the mould for a few moments, to loosen the cream and make it come out easily; setting the mould on a glass or china dish. if a pyramid or obelisk mould, lift it carefully off the top. if the mould or form represents doves, dolphins, lap-dogs, fruit baskets, &c. it will open down the middle, and must be taken off in that manner. serve it up immediately lest it begin to melt. send round sponge-cake with it, and wine or cordials immediately after. if you have no moulds, but intend serving it up in a large bowl or in glasses, it must still be frozen twice over; otherwise it can have no smoothness, delicacy, or consistence, but will be rough and coarse, and feel in the mouth like broken icicles. the second freezing (if you have no mould) must be done in the freezer, which should be washed out, and set again in the tub with fresh ice and salt. cover it closely and let the cream stand in it untouched, but not less than two hours. when you put it into glasses, heap it high on the top. begin to make ice cream about four or five hours before it is wanted for use. if you commence it too early, it may probably be injured by having to remain too long in the second freezing, as it must not be turned out till a few moments before it is served up. in damp weather it requires a longer time to freeze. if cream is scarce, mix with it an equal quantity of rich milk, and then add, for each quart, two table-spoonfuls of powdered arrow-root rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. orange ice cream is made in the same manner as lemon. strawberry ice cream.--take two quarts of ripe strawberries; hull them, and put them into a deep dish, strewing among them half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. cover them, and let them stand an hour or two. then mash them through a sieve till you have pressed out all the juice, and stir into it half a pound more of powdered sugar, or enough to make it very sweet, and like a thick syrup. then mix it by degrees with two quarts of rich cream, beating it in very hard. put it into a freezer, and proceed as in the foregoing receipt. in two hours, remove it to a mould, or take it out and return it again to the freezer with fresh salt and ice, that it may be frozen a second time. in one hour more, it should be ready to turn out. raspberry ice cream--is made according to the preceding receipt. pine-apple ice cream.--to each quart of cream allow a large ripe pine-apple, and a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. pare the pine-apple, slice it very thin, and mince it small. lay it in a deep dish and strew the sugar among it. cover the dish, and let the pine-apple lie in the sugar for two or three hours. then strain it through a sieve, mashing and pressing out all the juice. stir the juice gradually into the cream, beating it hard. put it into the freezer, and let it be twice frozen before it is served up. vanilla ice cream.--take a large vanilla bean, and boil it slowly in half a pint of milk till all the flavour is drawn out, which you may know by tasting it. then mix into the milk half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and stir it very hard into a quart of rich cream. put it into the freezer, and proceed as directed in the receipt for lemon ice cream; freezing it twice. almond ice cream.--take six ounces of bitter almonds, (sweet ones will not do,) blanch them, and pound them in a mortar, adding by degrees a little rose water. then boil them gently in a pint of cream till you find that it is highly flavoured with them. then pour the cream into a bowl, stir in a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, cover it, and set it away to cool gradually; when it is cold, strain it, and then stir it gradually and hard into three pints of cream. put it into the freezer, and proceed as directed in the first ice cream receipt. freeze it twice. it will be found very fine. send round always with ice cream, sponge cake or savoy biscuits. afterwards wine, and cordials, or liqueurs as they are now generally called. ice orangeade.--take a pint and a half of orange juice, and mix it with half a pint of clear or filtered water. stir in half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. pare very thin the yellow rind of six deep-coloured oranges, cut in pieces, and lay it at the bottom of a bowl or tureen. pour the orange juice and sugar upon it; cover it, and let it infuse an hour. then strain the liquid into a freezer, and proceed as for ice cream. when it is frozen, put it into a mould, (it will look best in the form of a pine-apple,) and freeze it a second time. serve it in glass cups, with any sort of very nice sweet cakes. ice lemonade--may be made in the above manner, but with a larger proportion of sugar. the juice of pine-apples, strawberries, raspberries, currants and cherries, may be prepared and frozen according to the above receipts. they will freeze in a shorter time than if mixed with cream, but are very inferior in richness. blanc-mange. put into a pan an ounce of isinglass; (in warm weather you must take an ounce and a quarter;) pour on as much rose water as will cover the isinglass, and set it on hot coals to dissolve.[g] blanch a quarter of a pound of shelled almonds, (half sweet and half bitter,) and beat them to a paste in a mortar, (one at a time,) moistening them all the while with a little rose water. stir the almonds by degrees into a quart of cream, alternately with half a pound of powdered white sugar; add a large tea-spoonful of beaten mace. put in the melted isinglass, and stir the whole very hard. then put it into a porcelain skillet, and let it boil fast for a quarter of an hour. then strain it into a pitcher, and pour it into your moulds, which must first be wetted with cold water. let it stand in a cool place undisturbed, till it has entirely congealed, which will be in about five hours. then wrap a cloth dipped in hot water round the moulds, loosen the blanc-mange round the edges with a knife, and turn it out into glass dishes. it is best to make it the day before it is wanted. instead of using a figure-mould, you may set it to congeal in tea-cups or wine glasses. blanc-mange may be coloured green by mixing with the cream a little juice of spinage; cochineal which has been infused in a little brandy for half an hour, will colour it red; and saffron will give it a bright yellow tinge. footnotes: [g] you may make the stock for blanc-mange without isinglass, by boiling four calves' feet in two quarts of water till reduced one half, and till the meat is entirely to rags. strain it, and set it away till next day. then clear it from the fat and sediment; cut it into pieces, and boil it with the cream and the other ingredients. when you take it from the fire, and strain it into the pitcher, keep stirring it till it gets cold. carrageen blanc-mange.--this is made of a sea-weed resembling moss, that is found in large quantities on some parts of our coast, and is to be purchased in the cities at most of the druggists. carrageen costs but little, and is considered extremely salutary for persons of delicate constitutions. its glutinous nature when boiled, renders it very suitable for blanc-mange. from a quart of rich unskimmed milk take half a pint. add to the half pint two ounces of bitter almonds, blanched and pounded; half a nutmeg; and a large stick of cinnamon, broken up; also eight or nine blades of mace. set it in a closed pan over hot coals, and boil it half an hour. in the mean time, wash through two or three _cold_ waters half a handful of carrageen, (if you put in too much it will communicate an unpleasant taste to the blanc-mange,) and add it to the pint and a half of cold milk. then when it is sufficiently flavoured, stir in the boiled milk, adding gradually half a pound of powdered sugar, and mix the whole very well. set it over the fire, and keep it boiling hard five minutes from the time it has come to a boil. then strain it into a pitcher; wet your moulds or cups with cold water, put the blanc-mange into them, and leave it undisturbed till it congeals. after washing the sea-weed, you must drain it well, and shake the water from the sprigs. you may flavour the mixture (_after_ it is boiled and strained) with rose-water or peach-water, stirred in at the last. arrow root blanc-mange.--take a tea-cup full of arrow root, put it into a large bowl, and dissolve it in a little cold water. when it is melted, pour off the water, and let the arrow root remain undisturbed. boil in half a pint of unskimmed milk, (made very sweet with white sugar,) a beaten nutmeg, and eight or nine blades of mace, mixed with the juice and grated peel of a lemon. when it has boiled long enough to be highly flavoured, strain it into a pint and a half of very rich milk or cream, and add a quarter of a pound of sugar. boil the whole for ten minutes; then strain it, boiling hot, over the arrow root. stir it well and frequently till cold; then put it into moulds and let it set to congeal. jaune-mange.--put two ounces of isinglass into a pint of water, and boil it till it has dissolved. then strain it into a porcelain skillet, and add to it half a pint of white wine; the grated peel and juice of two large deep-coloured oranges; half a pound of loaf-sugar; and the yolks only of eight eggs that have been well beaten. mix the whole thoroughly; place it on hot coals and simmer it, stirring it all the time till it boils hard. then take it off directly, strain it, and put it into moulds to congeal. calves' foot jelly. the best calves' feet for jelly are those that have had the hair removed by scalding, but are not skinned; the skin containing a great deal of glutinous matter. in philadelphia, unskinned calves' feet are generally to be met with in the lower or jersey market. boil a set of feet in four quarts of cold water; (if the feet have been skinned allow but three quarts;) they should boil slowly till the liquid is reduced to two quarts or one half the original quantity, and the meat has dropped in rags from the bone. then strain the liquid; measure and set it away in a large earthen pan to get cold; and let it rest till next morning. then if you do not find it a firm cake of jelly, boil it over again with an ounce of isinglass, and again set it away till cold and congealed. remove the sediment from the bottom of the cake of jelly, and carefully scrape off all the fat. the smallest bit of fat will eventually render it dull and cloudy. press some clean blotting paper all over it to absorb what little grease may yet remain. then cut the cake of jelly into pieces, and put it into a porcelain kettle to melt over the fire. to each quart allow a pound of broken up loaf-sugar, a pint of madeira wine, and a large glass of brandy; three large sticks of the best ceylon cinnamon broken up, (if common cinnamon, use four sticks,) the grated peel and juice of four large lemons; and lastly, the whites of four eggs strained, but not beaten. in breaking the eggs, take care to separate them so nicely that none of the yellow gets into the white; as the smallest portion of yolk of egg will prevent the jelly from being perfectly clear. mix all the ingredients well together, and put them to the jelly in the kettle. set it on the fire, and boil it hard for twenty minutes, but do not stir it. then throw in a tea-cup of cold water, and boil it five minutes longer; then take the kettle off the fire, and set it aside, keeping it closely covered for half an hour; this will improve its clearness. take a large white flannel jelly-bag; suspend it by the strings to a wooden frame made for such purposes, or to the legs of a table. pour in the mixture boiling hot, and when it is all in, close up the mouth of the bag that none of the flavour may evaporate. hang it over a deep white dish or bowl, and let it drip slowly, but on no account squeeze the bag, as that will certainly make the jelly dull and cloudy. if it is not clear the first time, empty the bag, wash it, put in the jelly that has dripped into the dish, and pass it through again. repeat this till it is clear. you may put it into moulds to congeal, setting them in a cold place. when it is quite firm, wrap a cloth that has been dipped in hot water, round the moulds to make the jelly turn out easily. but it will look much better, and the taste will be more lively, if you break it up after it has congealed, and put it into a glass bowl, or heap it in jelly glasses. unless it is broken, its sparkling clearness shows to little advantage. after the clear jelly has done dripping, you may return the ingredients to the kettle, and warm them over again for about five minutes. then put them into the bag (which you may now squeeze hard) till all the liquid is pressed out of it into a second dish or bowl. this last jelly cannot, of course, be clear, but it will taste very well, and may be eaten in the family. a pound of the best raisins picked and washed, and boiled with the other ingredients, is thought by many persons greatly to improve the richness and flavour of calves' feet jelly. they must be put in whole, and can be afterwards used for a pudding. similar jelly may be made of pigs' or sheep's feet: but it is not so nice and delicate as that of calves. by boiling two sets, or eight calves' feet in five quarts of water, you may be sure of having the jelly very firm. in damp weather it is sometimes very difficult to get it to congeal if you use but one set of feet; there is the same risk if the weather is hot. in winter it may be made several days before it is to be eaten. in summer it will keep in ice for two days; perhaps longer. to preserve cream.--take four quarts of new cream; it must be of the richest quality, and have no milk mixed with it. put it into a preserving kettle, and simmer it gently over the fire; carefully taking off whatever scum may rise to the top, till nothing more appears. then stir, gradually, into it four pounds of double-refined loaf-sugar that has been finely powdered and sifted. let the cream and sugar boil briskly together half an hour; skimming it, if necessary, and afterwards stirring it as long as it continues on the fire. put it into small bottles; and when it is cold, cork it, and secure the corks with melted rosin. this cream, if properly prepared, will keep perfectly good during a long sea voyage. italian cream.--put two pints of cream into two bowls. with one bowl mix six ounces of powdered loaf-sugar, the juice of two large lemons, and two glasses of white wine. then add the other pint of cream, and stir the whole very hard. boil two ounces of isinglass with four small tea-cups full of water, till it is reduced to one half. then stir the isinglass lukewarm into the other ingredients, and put them into a glass dish to congeal. chocolate cream.--melt six ounces of scraped chocolate and four ounces of white sugar in one pint of boiling milk. stir in an ounce of dissolved isinglass. when the whole has boiled, pour it into a mould. colouring for confectionary. red.--take twenty grains of cochineal, and fifteen grains of cream of tartar finely powdered; add to them a piece of alum the size of a cherry stone, and boil them with a jill of soft water, in an earthen vessel, slowly, for half an hour. then strain it through muslin, and keep it tightly corked in a phial. cochineal for present use.--take two cents' worth of cochineal. lay it on a flat plate, and bruise it with the blade of a knife. put it into half a tea-cup of alcohol. let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then filter it through fine muslin. yellow colouring.--take a little saffron, put it into an earthen vessel with a very small quantity of cold soft water, and let it steep till the colour of the infusion is a bright yellow. then strain it. the yellow seeds of lilies will answer nearly the same purpose. green.--take fresh spinach or beet leaves, and pound them in a marble mortar. if you want it for immediate use, take off the green froth as it rises, and mix it with the article you intend to colour. if you wish to keep it a few days, take the juice when you have pressed out a tea-cup full, and adding to it a piece of alum the size of a pea, give it a boil in a saucepan. white.--blanch some almonds, soak them in cold water, and then pound them to a smooth paste in a marble mortar; adding at intervals a little rose water. thick cream will communicate a white colour. these preparations may be used for jellies, ice creams, blanc-mange, syllabubs, icing for cakes; and for various articles of confectionary. cakes, etc. general observations. unless you are provided with proper and convenient utensils and materials, the difficulty of preparing cakes will be great, and in most instances a failure; involving disappointment, waste of time, and useless expense. accuracy in proportioning the ingredients is indispensable; and therefore scales and weights, and a set of tin measures (at least from a quart down to a jill) are of the utmost importance. a large sieve for flour is also necessary; and smaller ones for sugar and spice. there should be a marble mortar, or one of lignum vitæ, (the hardest of all wood;) those of iron (however well tinned) are apt to discolour the articles pounded in them. spice may be ground in a mill kept exclusively for that purpose. every kitchen should be provided with spice-boxes. you should have a large grater for lemon, cocoa-nut, &c., and a small one for nutmeg. butter and sugar cannot be stirred together conveniently without a spaddle or spattle, which is a round stick flattened at one end; and a deep earthen pan with sides nearly straight. for beating eggs, you should have hickory rods or a wire whip, and broad shallow earthen pans. neither the eggs, nor the butter and sugar should be beaten in tin, as the coldness of the metal will prevent them from becoming light. for baking large cakes, the pans (whether of block tin or earthen) should have straight sides; if the sides slope inward, there will be much difficulty in icing the cake. pans with a hollow tube going up from the centre, are supposed to diffuse the heat more equally through the middle of the cake. buns and some other cakes should be baked in square shallow pans of block tin or iron. little tins for queen cakes, &c. are most convenient when of a round or oval shape. all baking pans, whether large or small, should be well greased with fresh butter before the mixture is put into them, and should be filled but little more than half. you should have at least two dozen little tins, that a second supply may be ready for the oven the moment the first is taken out. you will also want tin cutters for cakes that are rolled out in dough. all the utensils should be cleaned and put away as soon as they are done with. they should be all kept together, and, if possible, not used for any other purposes.[h] as it is always desirable that cake-making should be commenced at an early hour, it is well on the day previous to ascertain if all the materials are in the house; that there may be no unnecessary delay from sending or waiting for them in the morning. wastefulness is to be avoided in every thing; but it is utterly impossible that cakes can be good (or indeed any thing else) without a liberal allowance of good materials. cakes are frequently rendered hard, heavy, and uneatable by a misplaced economy in eggs and butter; or tasteless and insipid for want of their due seasoning of spice, lemon, &c. use no flour but the best superfine; if the flour is of inferior quality, the cakes will be heavy, ill-coloured, and unfit to eat. even the best flour should always be sifted. no butter that is not fresh and good, should ever be put into cakes; for it will give them a disagreeable taste which can never be disguised by the other ingredients. even when of excellent quality, the butter will be improved by washing it in cold water, and squeezing and pressing it. except for gingerbread, use only white sugar, (for the finest cakes the best loaf,) and have it pulverized by pounding it in a mortar, or crushing it on the pasteboard with the rolling-pin. it should then be sifted. in mixing butter and sugar, sift the sugar into a deep pan, cut up the butter in it, set it in a warm place to soften, and then stir it very hard with the spaddle, till it becomes quite light, and of the consistence of cream. in preparing eggs, break them one at a time, into a saucer, that, in case there should be a bad one among them, it may not spoil the others. put them into a broad shallow pan, and beat them with rods or with a wire whisk, not merely till they froth, but long afterwards, till the froth subsides, and they become thick and smooth like boiled custard. white of egg by itself may be beaten with small rods, or with a three-pronged fork, or a broad knife. it is a very easy process, and should be continued till the liquid is all converted into a stiff froth so firm that it will not drop from the rods when held up. in damp weather it is sometimes difficult to get the froth stiff. the first thing to be done in making cake, is to weigh or measure all the ingredients. next sift the flour, powder the sugar, pound or grind the spice, and prepare the fruit; afterwards mix and stir the butter and sugar, and lastly beat the eggs; as, if allowed to stand any time, they will fall and become heavy. when all the ingredients are mixed together, they should be stirred very hard at the last; and (unless there is yeast in the cake) the sooner it is put into the oven the better. while baking, no air should be admitted to it, except for a moment, now and then, when it is necessary to examine if it is baking properly. for baking cakes, the best guide is practice and experience; so much depending on the state of the fire, that it is impossible to lay down any infallible rules. if you bake in a dutch oven, let the lid be first heated by standing it up before the fire; and cover the inside of the bottom with sand or ashes, to temper the heat. for the same purpose, when you bake in a stove, place bricks under the pans. sheets of iron without sides will be found very useful for baking small flat cakes. for cakes of this description, the fire should be brisk; if baked slowly, they will spread, lose their shape, and run into each other. for all cakes, the heat should be regular and even; if one part of the oven is cooler than another, the cake will bake imperfectly, and have heavy streaks through it. gingerbread (on account of the molasses) is more apt to scorch and burn than any other cake; therefore it should be baked with a moderate fire. it is safest, when practicable, to send all large cakes to a professional baker's; provided they can be put immediately into the oven, as standing will spoil them. if you bake them at home, you will find that they are generally done when they cease to make a simmering noise; and when on probing them to the bottom with a twig from a broom, or with the blade of the knife, it comes out quite clean. the fire should then be withdrawn, and the cake allowed to get cold in the oven. small cakes should be laid to cool on an inverted sieve. it may be recommended to novices in the art of baking, to do every thing in little tins or in very shallow pans; there being then less risk than with a large thick cake. in mixing batter that is to be baked in small cakes, use a less proportion of flour. small cakes should be kept closely covered in stone jars. for large ones, you should have broad stone pans with close lids, or else tin boxes. all cakes that are made with yeast, should be eaten quite fresh; so also should sponge cake. some sorts may be kept a week; black cake much longer. footnotes: [h] hickory rods, spaddles, etc. can be obtained by bespeaking them at a turner's. apple-corers are sold by tinners. black cake. prepare two pounds of currants by picking them clean, washing and draining them through a cullender, and then spreading them out on a large dish to dry before the fire or in the sun, placing the dish in a slanting position. pick and stone two pounds of the best raisins, and cut them in half. dredge the currants (when they are dry) and the raisins thickly with flour to prevent them from sinking in the cake. grind or powder as much cinnamon as will make a large gravy-spoonful when done; also a table-spoonful of mace and four nutmegs; sift these spices, and mix them all together in a cup. mix together two large glasses of white wine, one of brandy and one of rose water, and cut a pound of citron into large slips. sift a pound of flour into one pan, and a pound of powdered loaf-sugar into another. cut up among the sugar a pound of the best fresh butter, and stir them to a cream. beat twelve eggs till perfectly thick and smooth, and stir them gradually into the butter and sugar, alternately with the flour. then add by degrees, the fruit, spice and liquor, and stir the whole very hard at the last. then put the mixture into a well-buttered tin pan with straight or perpendicular sides. put it immediately into a moderate oven, and bake it at least six hours. when done, take it out and set it on an inverted sieve to cool gradually. ice it next morning; first dredging the outside all over with flour, and then wiping it with a towel. this will make the icing stick. icing.--a quarter of a pound of finely-powdered loaf-sugar, of the whitest and best quality, is the usual allowance to one white of egg. for the cake in the preceding receipt, three quarters of a pound of sugar and the whites of three eggs will be about the proper quantity. beat the white of egg by itself till it stands alone. have ready the powdered sugar, and then beat it hard into the white of egg, till it becomes thick and smooth; flavouring it as you proceed with the juice of a lemon, or a little extract of roses. spread it evenly over the cake with a broad knife or a feather; if you find it too thin, beat in a little more powdered sugar. cover with it thickly the top and sides of the cake, taking care not to have it rough and streaky. when dry, put on a second coat; and when that is nearly dry, lay on the ornaments. you may flower it with coloured sugar-sand or nonparels; but a newer and more elegant mode is to decorate it with devices and borders in white sugar. these are put on with a syringe, moving it skilfully, so as to form the pattern. a little gum tragacanth should be mixed with this icing. you may colour icing of a pale or deep yellow, by rubbing the lumps of loaf-sugar (before they are powdered) upon the outside of a large lemon or orange. this will also flavour it finely. almond icing, for a very fine cake, is made by mixing gradually with the white of egg and sugar, some almonds, half bitter and half sweet, that have been pounded in a mortar with rose water to a smooth paste. the whole must be well incorporated, and spread over the cake near half an inch thick. it must be set in a cool oven to dry, and then taken out and covered with a smooth plain icing of sugar and white of egg. whatever icing is left, may be used to make maccaroons or kisses. pound cake.--prepare a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a tea-spoonful of powdered mace, and two nutmegs grated or powdered. mix together in a tumbler, a glass of white wine, a glass of brandy, and a glass of rose water. sift a pound of the finest flour into a broad pan, and powder a pound of loaf-sugar. put the sugar into a deep pan, and cut up in it a pound of fresh butter. warm them by the fire till soft; and then stir them to a cream. when they are perfectly light, add gradually the spice and liquor, a little at a time. beat ten eggs as light as possible, and stir them by degrees into the mixture alternately with the flour. then add the juice of two lemons or three large oranges. stir the whole very hard; put it into a deep tin pan with straight or upright sides, and bake it in a moderate oven from two to three hours. if baked in a dutch oven, take off the lid when you have ascertained that the cake is quite done, and let it remain in the oven to cool gradually. if any part is burnt, scrape it off as soon as cold. it may be iced either warm or cool; first dredging the cake with flour and then wiping it off. it will be best to put on two coats of icing; the second coat not till the first is entirely dry. flavour the icing with essence of lemon, or with extract of roses. this cake will be very delicate if made with a pound of rice flour instead of wheat. indian pound cake.--sift a pint of fine yellow indian meal, and half a pint of wheat flour, and mix them well together. prepare a nutmeg beaten, and mixed with a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. stir together till very light, half a pound of powdered white sugar; and half a pound of fresh butter; adding the spice, with a glass of white wine, and a glass of brandy. having beaten eight eggs as light as possible, stir them into the butter and sugar, a little at a time, in turn with the meal. give the whole a hard stirring at the last; put it into a well-buttered tin pan, and bake it about two hours. this cake (like every thing else in which indian meal is an ingredient) should be eaten quite fresh; it is then very nice. when stale, (even a day old,) it becomes dry and rough as if made with saw-dust. queen cake.--sift fourteen ounces of the finest flour, being two ounces less than a pound. cakes baked in little tins, should have a smaller proportion of flour than those that are done in large loaves. prepare a table-spoonful of beaten cinnamon, a tea-spoonful of mace, and two beaten nutmegs; and mix them all together when powdered. mix in a tumbler, half a glass of white wine, half a glass of brandy, and half a glass of rose water. powder a pound of loaf-sugar, and sift it into a deep pan; cut up in it a pound of fresh butter; warm them by the fire, and stir them to a cream. add gradually the spice and the liquor. beat ten eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture in turn with the flour. stir in the juice of two lemons, and beat the whole very hard. butter some little tins; half fill them with the mixture; set them into a brisk oven, and bake them about a quarter of an hour. when done, they will shrink from the sides of the tins. after you turn them out, spread them on an inverted sieve to cool. if you have occasion to fill your tins a second time, scrape and wipe them well before they are used again. make an icing, flavoured with lemon juice or with extract of roses; and spread two coats of it on the queen cakes. set them to dry in a warm place, but not near enough the fire to discolour the icing and cause it to crack. queen cakes are best the day they are baked. fruit queen cakes.--make them in the above manner, with the addition of a pound of currants, (picked, washed, dried, and floured,) and the juice and grated peel of two large lemons, stirred in gradually at the last. instead of currants, you may put in sultana or seedless raisins, cut in half and floured. you may substitute oranges for lemons. you may make a fruit pound cake in this manner. lady cake.--take a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels. put them into a bowl of boiling water, (renewing the water as it cools,) and let them lie in it till the skin peels off easily; then throw them, as they are blanched, into a bowl of cold water, which will much improve their whiteness. pound them, one at a time, in a mortar; pouring in frequently a few drops of rose water to prevent them from oiling and being heavy. cut up three quarters of a pound of fresh butter into a whole pound of powdered loaf-sugar. having warmed it, stir it to a light cream, and then add very gradually the pounded almonds, beating them in very hard. sift into a separate pan half a pound and two ounces of flour, and beat in another pan to a stiff froth, the whites only of seventeen eggs. stir the flour and the white of egg alternately into the pan of butter, sugar and almonds, a very little at a time of each. having beaten the whole as hard as possible, put it into a buttered tin pan, (a square one is best,) and set it immediately into a moderate oven. bake it about an hour, more or less, according to its thickness. when cool, ice it, flavouring the icing with lemon juice. it is best the day it is baked, and should be eaten fresh. when you put it away wrap it in a thick cloth. if you bake it in little tins, use two ounces less of flour. spanish buns.--cut up three quarters of a pound of butter into a jill and a half or three wine glasses of rich unskimmed milk, (cream will be still better,) and set the pan on a stove or near the fire, till the butter becomes soft enough to stir all through the milk with a knife; but do not let it get so hot as to oil of itself. then set it away in a cold place. sift into separate pans, a half pound and a quarter of a pound of the finest flour; and having beaten four eggs as light as possible, mix them with the milk and butter, and then pour the whole into the pan that contains the half pound of flour. having previously prepared two grated nutmegs, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and mace, stir them into the mixture; adding six drops of extract of roses, or a large table-spoonful of rose water. add a wine glass and a half of the best fresh yeast from a brewery. if you cannot procure yeast of the very best quality, an attempt to make these buns will most probably prove a failure, as the variety of other ingredients will prevent them from rising unless the yeast is as strong as possible. before you put it in, skim off the thin liquid or beer from the top, and then stir up the bottom. after you have put in the yeast, add the sugar; stirring it well in, a very little at a time. if too much sugar is put in at once, the buns will be heavy. lastly, sprinkle in the quarter of a pound of flour that was sifted separately; and stir the whole very hard. put the mixture into a square pan well buttered, and (having covered it with a cloth) place it in a corner of the hearth to rise, which will require, perhaps, about five hours; therefore these buns should always be made early in the day. do not bake it till the batter has risen to twice its original quantity, and is covered on the top with bubbles; then set the pan into a moderate oven, and bake it half an hour. let it get cool in the pan; then cut it into squares, and either ice them, (flavouring the icing with essence of lemon or extract of roses,) or sift grated loaf-sugar thickly over them. these buns (like all other cakes made with yeast) should be eaten the day they are baked: as when stale, they fall and become hard. in mixing them, you may stir in at the last half a pound of raisins, stoned, chopped and floured; or half a pound of currants. if you use fruit, put in half a wine glass more of the yeast. bath buns.--boil a little saffron in sufficient water to cover it, till the liquid is of a bright yellow; then strain it, and set it to cool. rub half a pound of fresh butter into a pound of sifted flour, and make it into a paste with four eggs that have been well beaten, and a large wine glass of the best and strongest yeast; adding the infusion of saffron to colour it yellow. put the dough into a pan, cover it with a cloth, and set it before the fire to rise. when it is quite light, mix into it a quarter of a pound of powdered and sifted loaf-sugar; a grated nutmeg; and, if you choose, two or three spoonfuls of carraway seeds. roll out the dough into a thick sheet, and divide it into round cakes with a cutter. strew the top of each bun with carraway comfits, and bake them on flat tins buttered well. they should be eaten the day they are baked, as they are not good unless quite fresh. jelly cake.--sift three quarters of a pound of flour. stir to a cream a pound of butter and a pound of powdered white sugar, and mix in half a tea-cup of rose water, and a grated nutmeg, with a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. beat ten eggs very light, and add them gradually to the mixture, alternately with the flour; stirring the whole very hard. put your griddle into the oven of a stove; and when it is quite hot, grease it with fresh butter tied in a clean rag, and set on it a tin cake-ring, (about the size of a large dinner plate,) greased also. dip out two large table-spoonfuls and a half of the cake batter; put it within the tin ring, and bake it about five minutes (or a little longer) without turning it. when it is done, take it carefully off; place it on a large dish to cool; wipe the griddle, grease it afresh, and put on another cake. proceed thus till all the batter is baked. when the cakes are cool, spread every one thickly over with grape jelly, peach marmalade, or any other sweetmeat that is smooth and thick; currant jelly will be found too thin, and is liable to run off. lay the cakes smoothly one on another, (each having a layer of jelly or marmalade between,) and either grate loaf-sugar over the top one, or ice it smoothly; marking the icing with cross lines of coloured sugar-sand, all the lines meeting at the centre so as to divide the cake, when cut, into triangular or wedge-shaped slices. if you ice it, add the juice of a lemon to the icing. jelly cake should be eaten fresh. it is best the day it is baked. you may bake small jelly cakes in muffin rings. sponge cake.--sift half a pound of flour,[i] and powder a pound of the best loaf-sugar. grate the yellow rind and squeeze into a saucer the juice of three lemons. beat twelve eggs; and when they are as light as possible, beat into them gradually and very hard the sugar, adding the lemon, and beating the whole for a long time. then by degrees, stir in the flour slowly and lightly; for if the flour is stirred hard and fast into sponge cake, it will make it porous and tough. have ready buttered, a sufficient number of little square tins, (the thinner they are the better,) half fill them with the mixture; grate loaf-sugar over the top of each; put them immediately into a quick oven, and bake them about ten minutes; taking out one to try when you think they are done. spread them on an inverted sieve to cool. when baked in small square cakes, they are generally called naples biscuits. if you are willing to take the trouble, they will bake much nicer in little square paper cases, which you must make of thick letter paper, turning up the sides all round, and pasting together or sewing up the corners. if you bake the mixture in one large cake, (which is not advisable unless you have had much practice in baking,) put it into a buttered tin pan or mould, and set it directly into a hot dutch oven, as it will fall and become heavy if allowed to stand. keep plenty of live coals on the top, and under the bottom till the cake has risen very high, and is of a fine colour; then diminish the fire, and keep it moderate till the cake is done. it will take about an hour. when cool, ice it; adding a little lemon juice or extract of roses to the icing. sponge cake is best the day it is baked. diet bread is a foolish name for sponge cake. footnotes: [i] sponge cake may be made with rice flour. almond cake.--blanch, and pound in a mortar four ounces of shelled sweet almonds and two ounces of shelled bitter ones; adding, as you proceed, sufficient rose-water to make them light and white. sift half a pound of flour, and powder a pound of loaf-sugar. beat thirteen eggs; and when they are as light as possible, stir into them alternately the almonds, sugar, and flour; adding a grated nutmeg. butter a large square pan; put in the mixture, and bake it in a brisk oven about half an hour, less or more, according to its thickness. when cool, ice it. it is best when eaten fresh. cocoa-nut cake.--cut up and wash a cocoa-nut, and grate as much of it as will weigh a pound. powder a pound of loaf-sugar. beat fifteen eggs very light; and then beat into them, gradually, the sugar. then add by degrees the cocoa-nut; and lastly, a handful of sifted flour. stir the whole very hard, and bake it either in a large tin pan, or in little tins. the oven should be rather quick. washington cake.--stir together a pound of butter and a pound of sugar; and sift into another pan a pound of flour. beat six eggs very light, and stir them into the butter and sugar, alternately with the flour and a pint of rich milk or cream; if the milk is sour it will be no disadvantage. add a glass of wine, a glass of brandy, a powdered nutmeg, and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. lastly, stir in a small tea-spoonful of soda, or sal-aratus, that has been melted in tepid water; take care not to put in too much soda, lest it give the cake an unpleasant taste. stir the whole very hard; put it into a buttered tin pan, (or into little tins,) and bake it in a brisk oven. wrapped in a thick cloth, this cake will keep soft for a week. cider cake.--pick, wash, and dry a pound of currants, and sprinkle them well with flour; and prepare two nutmegs and a large table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. sift half a pound and two ounces of flour. stir together till very light, six ounces of fresh butter, and half a pound of powdered white sugar; and add gradually the spice, with two wine glasses of brandy, (or one of brandy and one of white wine.) beat four eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture alternately with the flour. add by degrees half a pint of brisk cider; and then stir in the currants, a few at a time. lastly, a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or sal-aratus dissolved in a little cider. having stirred the whole very hard, put it in a buttered tin pan, have the oven ready, and put in the cake immediately. bake it in a brisk oven an hour or more, according to its thickness. or you may bake it as little cakes, putting it into small tins; in which case use but half a pound of flour in mixing the batter. election cake.--make a sponge (as it is called) in the following manner:--sift into a pan two pounds and a half of flour; and into a deep plate another pound. take a second pan, and stir two table-spoonfuls of the best west india molasses into five jills or two tumblers and a half of strong fresh yeast; adding a jill of water, warm, but not hot. then stir gradually into the yeast, &c. the pound of flour that you have sifted separately. cover it, and let it set by the fire three hours to rise. while it is rising, prepare the other ingredients, by stirring in a deep pan two pounds of fresh butter and two pounds of powdered sugar, till they are quite light and creamy; adding to them a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon; a tea-spoonful of powdered mace; and two powdered nutmegs. stir in also half a pint of rich milk. beat fourteen eggs till very smooth and thick, and stir them gradually into the mixture, alternately with the two pounds and a half of flour which you sifted first. when the sponge is quite light, mix the whole together, and bake it in buttered tin pans in a moderate oven. it should be eaten fresh, as no sweet cake made with yeast is so good after the first day. if it is not probable that the whole will come into use on the day it is baked, mix but half the above quantity. moravian sugar cake.--cut up a quarter of a pound of butter into a pint of rich milk, and warm it till the butter becomes soft; then stir it about in the milk so as to mix them well. sift three quarters of a pound of flour (or a pint and a half) into a deep pan, and making a hole in the middle of it, stir in a large table-spoonful of the best brewer's yeast in which a salt-spoonful of salt has been dissolved; and then thin it with the milk and butter. cover it, and set it near the fire to rise. if the yeast is sufficiently strong, it will most probably be light in two hours. when it is quite light, mix with the dough two beaten eggs and three quarters of a pound more of sifted flour; adding a tea-spoonful of oil of cinnamon, and stirring it very hard. butter a large round baking pan, and put the mixture into it. set it to rise again, as before. mix together five ounces or a large coffee-cup of fine brown sugar; two ounces of butter; and two table-spoonfuls of powdered cinnamon. when the dough is thoroughly light, make deep incisions all over it, at equal distances, and fill them with the mixture of butter, sugar and cinnamon, pressing it hard down into the bottom of the holes, and closing the dough a little at the top to prevent the seasoning from running out. strew some sugar over the top of the cake; set it immediately into the oven, and bake it from an hour and a half to two hours, or more, in a brisk oven in proportion to its thickness. when cool, cut it into squares this is a very good plain cake; but do not attempt it unless you have excellent yeast. huckleberry cake.--spread a quart of ripe huckleberries on a large dish, and dredge them thickly with flour. mix together half a pint of milk; half a pint of molasses; half a pint of powdered sugar; and half a pound of butter. warm them by the fire till the butter is quite soft then stir them all together, and set them away till cold. prepare a large table-spoonful of powdered cloves and cinnamon mixed. beat five eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the other ingredients; adding, by degrees, sufficient sifted flour to make a thick batter. then stir in a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or dissolved sal-aratus. lastly, add by degrees the huckleberries. put the mixture into a buttered pan, or into little tins, and bake it in a moderate oven. it is best the second day. bread cake.--when you are making wheat bread, and the dough is quite light and ready to bake, take out as much of it as would make a twelve cent loaf, and mix with it a tea-cup full of powdered sugar, and a tea-cup full of butter that has been softened and stirred about in a tea-cup of warm milk. add also a beaten egg. knead it very well, put it into a square pan, dredged with flour, cover it, and set it near the fire for half an hour. then bake it in a moderate oven, and wrap it in a thick cloth as soon as it is done. it is best when fresh. federal cakes. sift two pounds of flour into a deep pan, and cut up in it a pound of fresh butter; rub the butter into the flour with your hands, adding by degrees, half a pound of powdered white sugar; a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon; a beaten nutmeg; a glass of wine or brandy, and two glasses of rose water. beat four eggs very light; and add them to the mixture with a salt-spoonful of soda melted in a little lukewarm water. mix all well together; add, if necessary, sufficient cold water to make it into a dough just stiff enough to roll out; knead it slightly, and then roll it out into a sheet about half an inch thick. cut it out into small cakes with a tin cutter, or with the edge of a tumbler; dipping the cutter frequently into flour, to prevent its sticking. lay the cakes in shallow pans buttered, or on flat sheets of tin, (taking care not to let them touch, lest they should run into each other,) and bake them of a light brown in a brisk oven. they are best the second day. savoy biscuits.--take four eggs, and separate the whites from the yolks. beat the whites by themselves, to a stiff froth; then add gradually the yolks, and beat them both together for a long time. next add by degrees half a pound of the finest loaf-sugar, powdered and sifted, beating it in very hard; and the juice of a lemon or orange. lastly, stir in a quarter of a pound of sifted flour, a little at a time. stir the whole very hard, and then with a spoon lay it on sheets of white paper, forming it into thin cakes of an oblong or oval shape. take care not to place them too close to each other, lest they run. grate loaf-sugar over the top of each, to assist in keeping them in shape. have the oven quite ready to put them in immediately. it should be rather brisk. they will bake in a few minutes, and should be but slightly coloured. they are sometimes called lady-fingers. almond maccaroons.--take a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds. blanch them in scalding water, mix them together, and pound them, one or two at a time, in a mortar to a very smooth paste; adding frequently a little rose water to prevent them from oiling and becoming heavy. prepare a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. beat the whites of seven eggs to a stiff froth, and then beat into it gradually the powdered sugar, adding a table-spoonful of mixed spice, (nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon.) then mix in the pounded almonds, (which it is best to prepare the day before,) and stir the whole very hard. form the mixture with a spoon into little round or oval cakes, upon sheets of buttered white paper, and grate white sugar over each. lay the paper in square shallow pans, or on iron sheets, and bake the maccaroons a few minutes in a brisk oven, till of a pale brown. when cold, take them off the papers. it will be well to try two or three first, and if you find them likely to lose their shape and run into each other, you may omit the papers and make the mixture up into little balls with your hands well floured; baking them in shallow tin pans slightly buttered. you may make maccaroons with icing that is left from a cake; adding pounded almonds &c. cocoa-nut maccaroons.--beat to a stiff froth the whites of six eggs, and then beat into it very hard a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. mix with it a pound of grated cocoa-nut, or sufficient to make a stiff paste. then flour your hands, and make it up into little balls. lay them on sheets of buttered white paper, and bake them in a brisk oven; first grating loaf-sugar over each. they will be done in a few minutes. maccaroons may be made in a similar manner of pounded cream-nuts, ground-nuts, filberts, or english walnuts. white cocoa-nut cakes.--break up a cocoa-nut; peel, and wash the pieces in cold water, and grate them. mix in the milk of the nut and some powdered loaf-sugar, and then form the grated cocoa-nut into little balls upon sheets of white paper. make them all of a regular and handsome form, and touch the top of each with a spot of red sugar-sand. do not bake them, but place them to dry for twenty-four hours, in a warm room where nothing is likely to disturb them. cocoa-nut jumbles.--grate a large cocoa-nut. rub half a pound of butter into a pound of sifted flour, and wet it with three beaten eggs, and a little rose water. add by degrees the cocoa-nut, so as to form a stiff dough. flour your hands and your paste-board, and dividing the dough into equal portions, make the jumbles with your hands into long rolls, and then curl them round and join the ends so as to form rings. grate loaf-sugar over them; lay them in buttered pans, (not so near as to run into each other,) and bake them in a quick oven from five to ten minutes. common jumbles.--sift a pound of flour into a large pan. cut up a pound of butter into a pound of powdered white sugar, and stir them to a cream. beat six eggs till very light, and then pour them all at once into the pan of flour; next add the butter and sugar, with a large table-spoonful of mixed mace and cinnamon, two grated nutmegs, and the juice of two lemons, or a wine glass of rose water. when all the ingredients are in, stir the mixture very hard with a broad knife. having floured your hands and spread some flour on the paste-board, make the dough into long rolls, (all of equal size,) and form them into rings by joining the two ends very nicely. lay them on buttered tins, and bake them in a quick oven from five to ten minutes. grate sugar over them when cool. apees.--rub a pound of fresh butter into two pounds of sifted flour, and mix in a pound of powdered white sugar, a grated nutmeg, a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and four large table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. add a wine glass of rose water, and mix the whole with sufficient cold water to make it a stiff dough. roll it out into a large sheet about a third of an inch in thickness, and cut it into round cakes with a tin cutter or with the edge of a tumbler. lay them in buttered pans, and bake them in a quick oven, (rather hotter at the bottom than at the top,) till they are of a very pale brown. white cup cake.--measure one large coffee cup of cream or rich milk, (which, for this cake, is best when sour,) one cup of fresh butter; two cups of powdered white sugar; and four cups of sifted flour. stir the butter and sugar together till quite light; then by degrees add the cream, alternately with half the flour. beat five eggs as light as possible, and stir them into the mixture, alternately with the remainder of the flour. add a grated nutmeg and a large tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, with rose water to your taste. lastly, stir in a very small tea-spoonful of sal-aratus or pearl-ash, melted in a little tepid water. having stirred the whole very hard, put it into little tins; set them in a moderate oven, and bake them about twenty minutes. kisses.--powder a pound of the best loaf-sugar. beat to a strong froth the whites of eight eggs, and when it is stiff enough to stand alone, beat into it the powdered sugar, (a tea-spoonful at a time,) adding the juice of two lemons, or of two large oranges. having beaten the whole very hard, drop it in oval or egg-shaped heaps upon sheets of white paper, smoothing them with a broad knife dipped in cold water. place them in a moderate oven, (if it is too cool they will not rise, but will flatten and run into each other,) and bake them till coloured of a very pale brown. then take them off the papers very carefully, place two bottoms (or flat sides) together so as to unite them in an oval ball, and lay them on their sides to cool. you may scoop out a little from the under-surface of each, and put in some jelly. then stick the flat sides together. marmalade cake.--make a batter as for queen-cake, and bake it in small tin rings on a griddle. beat white of egg, and powdered loaf-sugar according to the preceding receipt, flavouring it with lemon. when the batter is baked into cakes, and they are quite cool, spread over each a thick layer of marmalade, and then heap on with a spoon the icing or white of egg and sugar. pile it high, and set the cakes in a moderate oven till the icing is coloured of a very pale brown. instead of small ones you may bake the whole in one large cake. secrets.--take glazed paper of different colours, and cut it into squares of equal size, fringing two sides of each. have ready, burnt almonds, chocolate nuts, and bonbons or sugar-plums of various sorts; and put one in each paper with a folded slip containing two lines of verse; or what will be much more amusing, a conundrum with the answer. twist the coloured paper so as entirely to conceal their contents, leaving the fringe at each end. this is the most easy, but there are various ways of cutting and ornamenting these envelopes. scotch cake.--rub three quarters of a pound of butter into a pound of sifted flour; mix in a pound of powdered sugar, and a large table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. mix it into a dough with three well beaten eggs. roll it out into a sheet; cut it into round cakes, and bake them in a quick oven; they will require but a few minutes. scotch queen cake--melt a pound of butter by putting it into a skillet on hot coals. then set it away to cool. sift two quarts of oatmeal into a deep pan, and mix with it a pound of powdered sugar and a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and mace. make a hole in the middle, put in the melted butter, and mix it with a knife till you have formed of the whole a lump of dough. if it is too stiff, moisten it with a little rose water. knead it well, and roll it out into a large oval sheet, an inch thick. cut it down the middle, and then across, so as to divide it into four cakes. prick them with a fork, and crimp or scollop the edges neatly. lay them in shallow pans; set them in a quick oven and bake them of a light brown. this cake will keep a week or two. you may mix in with the dough half a pound of currants, picked, washed, and dried. honey cakes.--take a quart of strained honey, half a pound of fresh butter, and a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in a little sour milk. add by degrees as much sifted flour as will make a stiff paste. work the whole well together. roll it out about half an inch thick. cut it into cakes with the edge of a tumbler or with a tin cake-cutter. lay them on buttered tins and bake them with rather a brisk fire, but see that they do not burn. wafer cakes. mix together half a pound of powdered sugar, and a quarter of a pound of butter; and add to them six beaten eggs. then beat the whole very light; stirring into it as much sifted flour as will make a stiff batter; a powdered nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of cinnamon; and the juice of a lemon, or a table-spoonful of rose water. the batter must be very smooth when it is done, and without a single lump. heat your wafer iron on both sides by turning it in the fire; but do not allow it to get too hot. grease the inside with butter tied in a rag, (this must be repeated previous to the baking of every cake,) and put in the batter, allowing to each wafer two large table-spoonfuls, taking care not to stir up the batter. close the iron, and when one side is baked, turn it on the other; open it occasionally to see if the wafer is doing well. they should be coloured of a light brown. take them out carefully with a knife. strew them with powdered sugar, and roll them up while warm, round a smooth stick, withdrawing it when they grow cold. they are best the day after they are baked. if you are preparing for company, fill up the hollow of the wafers with whipt cream, and stop up the two ends with preserved strawberries, or with any other small sweetmeat. wonders, or crullers.--rub half a pound of butter into two pounds of sifted flour, mixing in three quarters of a pound of powdered sugar. add a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and a grated nutmeg, with a large table-spoonful of rose water. beat six eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture. mix it with a knife into a soft paste. then put it on the paste-board, and roll it out into a sheet an inch thick. if you find it too soft, knead in a little more flour, and roll it out over again. cut it into long slips with a jagging iron, or with a sharp knife, and twist them into various fantastic shapes. have ready on hot coals, a skillet of boiling lard; put in the crullers and fry them of a light brown, turning them occasionally by means of a knife and fork. take them out one by one on a perforated skimmer, that the lard may drain off through the holes. spread them out on a large dish, and when cold grate white sugar over them. they will keep a week or more. dough nuts.--take two deep dishes, and sift three quarters of a pound of flour into each. make a hole in the centre of one of them, and pour in a wine glass of the best brewer's yeast; mix the flour gradually into it, wetting it with lukewarm milk; cover it, and set it by the fire to rise for about two hours. this is setting a sponge. in the mean time, cut up five ounces of butter into the other dish of flour, and rub it fine with your hands; add half a pound of powdered sugar, a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, a table-spoonful of rose water, and a half pint of milk. beat three eggs very light, and stir them hard into the mixture. then when the sponge is perfectly light, add it to the other ingredients, mixing them all thoroughly with a knife. cover it, and set it again by the fire for another hour. when it is quite light, flour your paste-board, turn out the lump of dough, and cut it into thick diamond shaped cakes with a jagging iron. if you find the dough so soft as to be unmanageable, mix in a little more flour; but not else. have ready a skillet of boiling lard; put the dough-nuts into it, and fry them brown; and when cool grate loaf-sugar over them. they should be eaten quite fresh, as next day they will be tough and heavy; therefore it is best to make no more than you want for immediate use. the new york oley koeks are dough-nuts with currants and raisins in them. waffles.--put two pints of rich milk into separate pans. cut up and melt in one of them a quarter of a pound of butter, warming it slightly; then, when it is melted, stir it about, and set it away to cool. beat eight eggs till very light, and mix them gradually into the other pan of milk, alternately with half a pound of flour. then mix in by degrees the milk that has the butter in it. lastly, stir in a large table-spoonful of strong fresh yeast. cover the pan, and set it near the fire to rise. when the batter is quite light, heat your waffle-iron, by putting it among the coals of a clear bright fire; grease the inside with butter tied in a rag, and then put in some batter. shut the iron closely, and when the waffle is done on one side, turn the iron on the other. take the cake out by slipping a knife underneath; and then heat and grease the iron for another waffle. send them to table quite hot, four or six on a plate; having buttered them and strewed over each a mixture of powdered cinnamon, and white sugar. or you may send the sugar and cinnamon in a little glass bowl. in buying waffle-irons, do not choose those broad shallow ones that are to hold four at a time; as the waffles baked in them are too small, too thin, and are never of a good shape. the common sort that bake but two at once are much the best. they should be of a deep well-cut pattern. new york cookies.--take a half-pint or a tumbler full of cold water, and mix it with half a pound of powdered white sugar. sift three pounds of flour into a large pan, and cut up in it a pound of butter; rub the butter very fine into the flour. add a grated nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, with a wine glass of rose water. work in the sugar, and make the whole into a stiff dough, adding, if necessary, a little cold water. dissolve a tea-spoonful of soda in just enough tepid water to cover it; and mix it in at the last. take the lump of dough out of the pan, and knead it on the paste-board till it becomes quite light. then roll it out rather more than half an inch thick, and cut it into square cakes with a jagging iron or with a sharp knife. stamp the surface of each with a cake print. lay them in buttered pans, and bake them of a light brown in a brisk oven. they are similar to what are called new year's cakes, and will keep two or three weeks. in mixing the dough, you may add three table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. sugar biscuit.--wet a pound of sugar with two large tea-cups full of milk; and rub a pound of butter into two pounds of flour; adding a table-spoonful of cinnamon, or a handful of carraway seeds. mix in the sugar, add a tea-spoonful of soda dissolved, and make the whole into a stiff dough. knead it, and then roll it out into a sheet about half an inch thick. beat it on both sides with the rolling-pin, and then cut it out with the edge of a tumbler into round cakes. prick them with a fork, lay them in buttered pans, and bake them light brown in a quick oven. you may colour them yellow by mixing in with the other ingredients a little of the infusion of saffron. these are the hard sugar-biscuits. rusks.--sift three pounds of flour into a large pan, and rub into it half a pound of butter, and half a pound of sugar. beat two eggs very light, and stir them into a pint and a half of milk, adding two table-spoonfuls of rose water, and three table-spoonfuls of the best and strongest yeast. make a hole in the middle of the flour, pour in the liquid, and gradually mix the flour into it till you have a thick batter. cover it, and set it by the fire to rise. when it is quite light, put it on your paste-board and knead it well. then divide it into small round cakes and knead each separately. lay them very near each other in shallow iron pans that have been sprinkled with flour. prick the top of each rusk with a fork, and set them by the fire to rise again for half an hour or more. when they are perfectly light, bake them in a moderate oven. they are best when fresh. soft sugar-biscuits are made the same way. you can convert them into what are called hard rusks, or tops and bottoms, by splitting them in half, and putting them again into the oven to harden and crisp. milk biscuit.--cut up three quarters of a pound of butter in a quart of milk, and set it near the fire to warm, till the butter becomes soft; then with a knife, mix it thoroughly with the milk, and set it away to cool. afterwards stir in two wine glasses of strong fresh yeast, and add by degrees as much sifted flour as will make a dough just stiff enough to roll out. as soon as it is mixed, roll it into a thick sheet, and cut it out into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler or a wine glass. sprinkle a large iron pan with flour; lay the biscuits in it, cover it and set it to rise near the fire. when the biscuits are quite light, knead each one separately; prick them with a fork, and set them again in a warm place for about half an hour. when they are light again, bake them in a moderate oven. they should be eaten fresh, and pulled open with the fingers, as splitting them with a knife will make them heavy. white gingerbread. sift two pounds of flour into a deep pan, and rub into it three quarters of a pound of butter; then mix in a pound of common white sugar powdered; and three table-spoonfuls of the best white ginger. having beaten four eggs very light, mix them gradually with the other ingredients in the pan, and add a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash melted in a wine glass of sour milk. stir the whole as hard as possible. flour your paste-board; lay the lump of dough upon it, and roll it out into a sheet an inch thick; adding more flour if necessary. butter a large shallow square pan. lay the dough into it, and bake it in a moderate oven. when cold, cut it into squares. or you may cut it out into separate cakes with a jagging iron, previous to baking. you must be careful not to lay them too close together in the pan, lest they run into each other. common gingerbread.--cut up a pound of butter in a quart of west india molasses, which must be perfectly sweet; sugar-house molasses will make it hard and heavy. warm it slightly, just enough to melt the butter. crush with the rolling-pin, on the paste-board, half a pound of brown sugar, and add it by degrees to the molasses and butter; then stir in three table-spoonfuls of ginger, a large tea-spoonful of powdered cloves, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. add gradually sufficient flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll out easily; and lastly, a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash melted in a little sour milk. mix and stir the dough very hard with a spaddle, or a wooden spoon; but do not knead it. then divide it with a knife into equal portions; and, having floured your hands, roll it out on the paste-board into long even strips. place them in shallow tin pans, that have been buttered; either laying the strips side by side in straight round sticks, (uniting them at both ends,) or coil them into rings one within another, as you see them at the cake shops. bake them in a brisk oven, taking care that they do not burn; gingerbread scorching sooner than any other cake. to save time and trouble, you may roll out the dough into a sheet near an inch thick, and cut it into round flat cakes with a tin cutter, or with the edge of a tumbler. ground ginger loses much of its strength by keeping. therefore it will be frequently found necessary to put in more than the quantity given in the receipt. gingerbread nuts.--rub half a pound of butter into a pound and a half of sifted flour; and mix in half a pound of brown sugar, crushed fine with the rolling-pin. add three table-spoonfuls of ginger, a tea-spoonful of powdered cloves, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. stir in a pint of molasses, and the grated peel of a large lemon, but not the juice, as you must add at the last a very small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in tepid water, and pearl-ash entirely destroys the taste of lemon-juice and of every other acid. stir the whole mixture very hard with a spaddle or with a wooden spoon, and make it into a lump of dough just stiff enough to roll out into a sheet about half an inch thick. cut it out into small cakes about the size of a quarter dollar; or make it up, with your hands well floured, into little round balls, flattening them on the top. lay them in buttered pans, and bake them in a moderate oven. they will keep several weeks. use west india molasses. franklin cake.--mix together a pint of molasses, and half a pint of milk, and cut up in it half a pound of butter. warm them just enough to melt the butter, and then stir in six ounces of brown sugar; adding three table-spoonfuls of ginger, a table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, a tea-spoonful of powdered cloves, and a grated nutmeg. beat seven eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture, in turn with a pound and two ounces of flour. add, at the last, the grated peel and juice of two large lemons or oranges; the peel grated very fine. this gingerbread requires no pearl-ash. stir the mixture very hard; put it into little queen-cake tins, well buttered; and bake it in a moderate oven. it is best the second day, and will keep soft a week. use west india molasses. ginger plum cake.--stone a pound and a half of raisins, and cut them in two. wash and dry half a pound of currants. sift into a pan two pounds of flour. put into another pan a pound of brown sugar, (rolled fine,) and cut up in it a pound of fresh butter. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, and add to it two table-spoonfuls of the best ginger, one table-spoonful of powdered cinnamon; and one of powdered cloves. then beat six eggs very light, and add them gradually to the butter and sugar, in turn with the flour and a quart of molasses. lastly, stir in a tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in lukewarm water and add by degrees the fruit, which must be well dredged with flour. stir all very hard; put the mixture into a buttered pan, and bake it in a moderate oven. use west india molasses. molasses candy.--mix a pound of the best brown sugar with two quarts of west india molasses, (which must be perfectly sweet,) and boil it in a preserving kettle over a moderate fire for three hours, skimming it well, and stirring it frequently after the scum has ceased to rise; taking care that it does not burn. have ready the grated rind and the juice of three lemons, and stir them into the molasses after it has boiled about two hours and a half; or you may substitute the juice and rind of three large oranges. the flavour of the lemon will all be boiled out if it is put in too soon. the mixture should boil at least three hours, that it may be crisp and brittle when cold. if it is taken off the fire too soon, or before it has boiled sufficiently, it will not congeal, but will be tough and ropy, and must be boiled over again. it will cease boiling of itself when it is thoroughly done. then take it off the fire; have ready a square tin pan; put the mixture into it, and set it away to cool. the pan should be buttered. you may make molasses candy with almonds blanched and slit into pieces; stir them in by degrees after the mixture has boiled two hours and a half. or you may blanch a quart of ground-nuts and put them in instead of the almonds. nougat.--blanch a pound of shelled sweet almonds; and with an almond-cutter, or a sharp penknife, split each almond into two slips. spread them over a large dish, and place them in a gentle oven. powder two pounds of the best loaf-sugar, and put it into a preserving pan without a drop of water. set it on a chafing-dish over a slow fire, or on a hot stove, and stir it with a wooden spoon till the heat has entirely dissolved it. then take the almonds out of the oven, and mix with them the juice of two or three lemons. put them into the sugar a few at a time, and let them simmer till it becomes a thick stiff paste, stirring it hard all the while. have ready a mould, or a square tin pan, greased all over the inside with sweet oil; put the mixture into it; smooth it evenly, and set it in a cold place to harden. when almost hard cut it into long slips. lemon drops.--squeeze some lemon-juice into a pan. pound in a mortar some of the best loaf-sugar, and then sift it through a very fine sieve. mix it with the lemon-juice, making it so thick that you can scarcely stir it. put it into a porcelain saucepan, set it on hot coals, and stir it with a wooden spoon five minutes or more. then take off the pan, and with the point of a knife drop the liquid on writing paper. when cold, the drops will easily come off. peppermint drops may be made as above, substituting for the lemon-juice essence of peppermint. orange drops may be made in the same manner. warm cakes for breakfast and tea. buckwheat cakes. take a quart of buckwheat meal, mix with it a tea-spoonful of salt, and add a handful of indian meal. pour two table-spoonfuls of the best brewer's yeast into the centre of the meal. then mix it with lukewarm water till it becomes a batter. cover it, put it in a warm place and set it to rise; it will take about three hours. when it is quite light, and covered with bubbles, it is fit to bake. put your griddle over the fire, and let it get quite hot before you begin. grease it well with a piece of butter tied in a rag. then dip out a large ladle full of the batter and bake it on the griddle; turning it with a broad wooden paddle. let the cakes be of large size, and even at the edges. ragged edges to batter cakes look very badly. butter them as you take them off the griddle. put several on a plate, and cut them across in six pieces. grease the griddle anew, between baking each cake. if your batter has been mixed over night and is found to be sour in the morning, melt in warm water a piece of pearl-ash the size of a grain of corn, or a little larger; stir it into the batter; let it set half an hour, and then bake it. the pearl-ash will remove the sour taste, and increase the lightness of the cakes. flannel cakes.--put a table-spoonful of butter into a quart of milk, and warm them together till the butter has melted; then stir it well, and set it away to cool. beat five eggs as light as possible, and stir them into the milk in turn with three pints of sifted flour; add a small tea-spoonful of salt, and a large table-spoonful and a half of the best fresh yeast. set the pan of batter near the fire to rise; and if the yeast is good, it will be light in three hours. then bake it on a griddle in the manner of buckwheat cakes. send them to table hot, and cut across into four pieces. this batter may be baked in waffle-irons. if so, send to table with the cakes powdered white sugar and cinnamon. indian batter cakes.--mix together a quart of sifted indian meal, (the yellow meal is best for all purposes,) and a handful of wheat flour. warm a quart of milk, and stir into it a small tea-spoonful of salt, and two large table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. beat three eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the milk in turn with the meal. cover it, and set it to rise for three or four hours. when quite light, bake it on a griddle in the manner of buckwheat cakes. butter them, cut them across, and send them to table hot, with molasses in a sauce-boat. if the batter should chance to become sour before it is baked, stir in about a salt-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in a little lukewarm water; and let it set half an hour longer before it is baked. indian mush cakes.--pour into a pan three pints of cold water, and stir gradually into it a quart of sifted indian meal which has been mixed with half a pint of wheat flour, and a small tea-spoonful of salt. give it a hard stirring at the last. have ready a hot griddle, and bake the batter immediately, in cakes about the size of a saucer. send them to table piled evenly, but not cut. eat them with butter or molasses. this is the most economical and expeditious way of making soft indian cakes; but it cannot be recommended as the best. it will be some improvement to mix the meal with milk rather than water. johnny cake.--sift a quart of indian meal into a pan; make a hole in the middle, and pour in a pint of warm water. mix the meal and water gradually into a batter, adding a small tea-spoonful of salt. beat it very hard, and for a long time, till it becomes quite light. then spread it thick and even on a stout piece of smooth board. place it upright on the hearth before a clear fire, with a flat iron or something of the sort to support the board behind, and bake it well. cut it into squares, and split and butter them hot. indian flappers.--have ready a pint of sifted indian meal, mixed with a handful of wheat flour, and a small tea-spoonful of salt. beat four eggs very light, and stir them by degrees into a quart of milk, in turn with the meal. they can be made in a very short time, and should be baked as soon as mixed, on a hot griddle; allow a large ladle full of batter to each cake, and make them all of the same size. send them to table hot, buttered and cut in half. indian muffins.--sift and mix together a pint and a half of yellow indian meal, and a handful of wheat flour. melt a quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a quart of milk. beat four eggs very light, and stir into them alternately (a little at a time of each) the milk when it is quite cold, and the meal; adding a small tea-spoonful of salt. the whole must be beaten long and hard. then butter some muffin rings; set them on a hot griddle, and pour some of the batter into each. send the muffins to table hot, and split them by pulling them open with your fingers, as a knife will make them heavy. eat them with butter, molasses or honey. water muffins.--put four table-spoonfuls of fresh strong yeast into a pint of lukewarm water. add a little salt; about a small tea-spoonful; then stir in gradually as much sifted flour as will make a thick batter. cover the pan, and set it in a warm place to rise. when it is quite light, and your griddle is hot, grease and set your muffin rings on it; having first buttered them round the inside. dip out a ladle full of the batter for each ring, and bake them over a quick fire. send them to table hot, and split them by pulling them open with your hands. common muffins.--having melted three table-spoonfuls of fresh butter in three pints of warm milk, set it away to cool. then beat three eggs as light as possible, and stir them gradually into the milk when it is quite cold; adding a tea-spoonful of salt. stir in by degrees enough of sifted flour to make a batter as thick as you can conveniently beat it; and lastly, add two table-spoonfuls of strong fresh yeast from the brewery. cover the batter and set it in a warm place to rise. it should be light in about three hours. having heated your griddle, grease it with some butter tied in a rag; grease your muffin rings round the inside, and set them on the griddle. take some batter out of the pan with a ladle or a large spoon, pour it lightly into the rings, and bake the muffins of a light brown. when done, break or split them open with your fingers; butter them and send them to table hot. soda biscuits.--melt half a pound of butter in a pint of warm milk, adding a tea-spoonful of soda; and stir in by degrees half a pound of sugar. then sift into a pan two pounds of flour; make a hole in the middle; pour in the milk, &c., and mix it with the flour into a dough. put it on your paste-board, and knead it long and hard till it becomes very light. roll it out into a sheet half an inch thick. cut it into little round cakes with the top of a wine glass, or with a tin cutter of that size; prick the tops; lay them on tins sprinkled with flour, or in shallow iron pans; and bake them of a light brown in a quick oven; they will be done in a few minutes. these biscuits keep very well. a sally lunn.--this cake is called after the inventress. sift into a pan a pound and a half of flour. make a hole in the middle, and put in two ounces of butter warmed in a pint of milk, a salt-spoonful of salt, three well-beaten eggs, and two table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. mix the flour well into the other ingredients, and put the whole into a square tin pan that has been greased with butter. cover it, set it in a warm place, and when it is quite light, bake it in a moderate oven. send it to table hot, and eat it with butter. or, you may bake it on a griddle, in small muffin rings, pulling the cakes open and buttering them when brought to table. short cakes.--rub three quarters of a pound of fresh butter into a pound and a half of sifted flour; and make it into a dough with a little cold water. roll it out into a sheet half an inch thick, and cut it into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler. prick them with a fork; lay them in a shallow iron pan sprinkled with flour, and bake them in a moderate oven till they are brown. send them to table hot; split and butter them. tea biscuit.--melt a quarter of a pound of fresh butter in a quart of warm milk, and add a salt-spoonful of salt. sift two pounds of flour into a pan, make a hole in the centre, and put in three table-spoonfuls of the best brewer's yeast. add the milk and butter and mix it into a stiff paste. cover it and set it by the fire to rise. when quite light, knead it well, roll it out an inch thick, and cut it into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler. prick the top of each with a fork; lay them in buttered pans and bake them light brown. send them to table warm, and split and butter them. rice cakes.--pick and wash half a pint of rice, and boil it very soft. then drain it, and let it get cold. sift a pint and a half of flour over the pan of rice, and mix in a quarter of a pound of butter that has been warmed by the fire, and a salt-spoonful of salt. beat five eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of milk. beat the whole very hard, and bake it in muffin rings, or in waffle-irons. send them to table hot, and eat them with butter, honey, or molasses. you may make these cakes of rice flour instead of mixing together whole rice and wheat flour. cream cakes.--having beaten three eggs very light, stir them into a quart of cream alternately with a quart of sifted flour; and add one wine glass of strong yeast, and a salt-spoon of salt. cover the batter, and set it near the fire to rise. when it is quite light, stir in a large table-spoonful of butter that has been warmed by the fire. bake the cakes in muffin rings, and send them to table hot, split with your fingers, and buttered. french rolls.--sift a pound of flour into a pan, and rub into it two ounces of butter; mix in the whites only of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and a table-spoonful of strong yeast; add sufficient milk to make a stiff dough, and a salt-spoonful of salt. cover it and set it before the fire to rise. it should be light in an hour. then put it on a paste-board, divide it into rolls, or round cakes; lay them in a floured square pan, and bake them about ten minutes in a quick oven. common rolls.--sift two pounds of flour into a pan, and mix with it a tea-spoonful of salt. warm together a jill of water and a jill of milk. make a hole in the middle of the pan of flour; mix with the milk and water a jill of the best yeast, and pour it into the hole. mix into the liquid enough of the surrounding flour to make a thin batter, which you must stir till quite smooth and free from lumps. then strew a handful of flour over the top, and set it in a warm place to rise for two hours or more. when it is quite light, and has cracked on the top, make it into a dough with some more milk and water. knead it well for ten minutes. cover it, and set it again to rise for twenty minutes. then make the dough into rolls or round balls. bake them in a square pan, and send them to table hot, cut in three, buttered and put together again. bread. take one peck or two gallons of fine wheat flour, and sift it into a kneading trough, or into a small clean tub, or a large broad earthen pan; and make a deep hole in the middle of the heap of flour, to begin the process by what is called setting a sponge. have ready half a pint of warm water, which in summer should be only lukewarm, but even in winter it must not be hot or boiling, and stir it well into half a pint of strong fresh yeast; (if the yeast is home-made you must use from three quarters to a whole pint;) then pour it into the hole in the middle of the flour. with a spoon work in the flour round the edges of the liquid, so as to bring in by degrees sufficient flour to form a thin batter, which must be well stirred about, for a minute or two. then take a handful of flour, and scatter it thinly over the top of this batter, so as to cover it entirely. lay a warmed cloth over the whole, and set it to rise in a warm place; in winter put it nearer the fire than in summer. when the batter has risen so as to make cracks in the flour on the top, scatter over it three or four table-spoonfuls (not more) of fine salt, and begin to form the whole mass into a dough; commencing round the hole containing the batter, and pouring as much soft water as is necessary to make the flour mix with the batter; the water must never be more than lukewarm. when the whole is well mixed, and the original batter which is to give fermentation to the dough is completely incorporated with it, knead it hard, turning it over, pressing it, folding it, and working it thoroughly with your clenched hands for twenty minutes or half an hour; or till it becomes perfectly light and stiff. the goodness of bread depends much on the kneading, which to do well requires strength and practice. when it has been sufficiently worked, form the dough into a lump in the middle of the trough or pan, and scatter a little dry flour thinly over it: then cover it, and set it again in a warm place to undergo a farther fermentation; for which, if all has been done rightly, about twenty minutes or half an hour will be sufficient. the oven should be hot by the time the dough has remained twenty minutes in the lump. if it is a brick oven it should be heated by faggots or small light wood, allowed to remain in till burnt down into coals. when the bread is ready, clear out the coals, and sweep and wipe the floor of the oven clean. introduce nothing wet into the oven, as it may crack the bricks when they are hot. try the heat of the bottom by throwing in some flour; and if it scorches and burns black, do not venture to put in the bread till the oven has had time to become cooler. put the dough on the paste-board, (which must be sprinkled with flour,) and divide it into loaves, forming them of a good shape. place them in the oven, and close up the door, which you may open once or twice to see how the bread is going on. the loaves will bake in from two hours and a half to three hours, or more, according to their size. when the loaves are done, wrap each in a clean coarse towel, and stand them up on end to cool slowly. it is a good way to have the cloths previously made damp by sprinkling them plentifully with water, and letting them lie awhile rolled up tightly. this will make the crust of the bread less dry and hard. bread should be kept always wrapped in a cloth, and covered from the air in a box or basket with a close lid. unless you have other things to bake at the same time, it is not worth while to heat a brick oven for a small quantity of bread. two or three loaves can be baked very well in a stove, (putting them into square iron pans,) or in a dutch oven.[j] if the bread has been mixed over night (which should never be done in warm weather) and is found, on tasting it, to be sour in the morning, melt a tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in a little milk-warm water, and sprinkle it over the dough; let it set half an hour, and then knead it. this will remove the acidity, and rather improve the bread in lightness. if dough is allowed to freeze it is totally spoiled. all bread that is sour, heavy, or ill-baked is not only unpalatable, but extremely unwholesome, and should never be eaten. these accidents so frequently happen when bread is made at home by careless, unpractised or incompetent persons, that families who live in cities or towns will generally risk less and save more, by obtaining their bread from a professional baker. if you like a little indian in your wheat bread, prepare rather a larger quantity of warm water for setting the sponge; stirring into the water, while it is warming, enough of sifted indian meal to make it like thin gruel. warm water that has had pumpkin boiled in it is very good for bread. strong fresh yeast from the brewery should always be used in preference to any other. if the yeast is home-made, or not very strong and fresh, double or treble the quantity mentioned in the receipt will be necessary to raise the bread. on the other hand, if too much yeast is put in, the bread will be disagreeably bitter.[k] you may take off a portion of the dough that has been prepared for bread, make it up into little round cakes or rolls, and bake them for breakfast or tea. footnotes: [j] if you bake bread in a dutch oven, take off the lid when the loaf is done, and let it remain in the oven uncovered for a quarter of an hour. [k] if you are obliged from its want of strength to put in a large quantity of yeast, mix with it two or three handfuls of bran; add the warm water to it, and then strain it through a sieve or cloth; or you may correct the bitterness by putting in a few bits of charcoal and then straining it. bran bread.--sift into a pan three quarts of unbolted wheat meal. stir a jill of strong yeast, and a jill of molasses into a quart of soft water, (which must be warm but not hot,) and add a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, or sal-aratus. make a hole in the heap of flour, pour in the liquid, and proceed in the usual manner of making bread. this quantity may be made into two loaves. bran bread is considered very wholesome; and is recommended to persons afflicted with dyspepsia. rye and indian bread.--sift two quarts of rye, and two quarts of indian meal, and mix them well together. boil three pints of milk; pour it boiling hot upon the meal; add two tea-spoonfuls of salt, and stir the whole very hard. let it stand till it becomes of only a lukewarm heat, and then stir in half a pint of good fresh yeast; if from the brewery and quite fresh, a smaller quantity will suffice. knead the mixture into a stiff dough, and set it to rise in a pan. cover it with a thick cloth that has been previously warmed, and set it near the fire. when it is quite light, and has cracked all over the top, make it into two loaves, put them into a moderate oven, and bake them two hours and a half. common yeast.--put a large handful of hops into two quarts of boiling water, which must then be set on the fire again, and boiled twenty minutes with the hops. have ready in a pan three pints of sifted flour; strain the liquid, and pour half of it on the flour. let the other half stand till it becomes cool, and then mix it gradually into the pan with the flour, &c. then stir into it half a pint of good strong yeast, fresh from the brewery if possible; if not, use some that was left of the last making. you may increase the strength by stirring into your yeast before you bottle it, four or five large tea-spoonfuls of brown sugar, or as many table-spoonfuls of molasses. put it into clean bottles, and cork them loosely till the fermentation is over. next morning put in the corks tightly, and set the bottles in a cold place. when you are going to bottle the yeast it will be an improvement to place two or three raisins at the bottom of each bottle. it is best to make yeast very frequently; as, with every precaution, it will scarcely keep good a week, even in cold weather. if you are apprehensive of its becoming sour, put into each bottle a lump of pearl-ash the size of a hazle-nut. bran yeast.--mix a pint of wheat bran, and a handful of hops with a quart of water, and boil them together about twenty minutes. then strain it through a sieve into a pan; when the liquid becomes only milk-warm, stir into it four table-spoonfuls of brewer's yeast, and two of brown sugar, or four of molasses. put it into a wooden bowl, cover it, and set it near the fire for four or five hours. then bottle it, and cork it tightly next day. pumpkin yeast.--pare a fine ripe pumpkin, and cut it into pieces. put them into a kettle with a large handful of hops, and as much water as will cover them. boil them till the pumpkin is soft enough to pass through a cullender. having done this, put the pulp into a stone jar, adding half a pint of good strong yeast to set it into a fermentation. the yeast must be well stirred into the pumpkin. leave the jar uncovered till next day; then secure it tightly with a cork. if pumpkin yeast is well made, and of a proper consistence, neither too thick nor too thin, it will keep longer than any other. baker's yeast.--to a gallon of soft water put two quarts of wheat bran, one quart of ground malt, (which may be obtained from a brewery,) and two handfuls of hops. boil them together for half an hour. then strain it through a sieve, and let it stand till it is cold; after which put to it two large tea-cups of molasses, and half a pint of strong yeast. pour it into a stone jug, and let it stand uncorked till next morning. then pour off the thin liquid from the top, and cork the jug tightly. when you are going to use the yeast, if it has been made two or three days, stir in a little pearl-ash dissolved in warm water, allowing a lump the size of a hickory-nut to a pint of yeast. this will correct any tendency to sourness, and make the yeast more brisk. to make butter. scald your milk pans every day after washing them; and let them set till the water gets cold. then wipe them with a clean cloth. fill them all with cold water half an hour before milking time, and do not pour it out till the moment before you are ready to use the pans. unless all the utensils are kept perfectly sweet and nice, the cream and butter will never be good. empty milk-pans should stand all day in the sun. when you have strained the milk into the pans, (which should be broad and shallow,) place them in the spring-house, setting them down in the water. after the milk has stood twenty-four hours, skim off the cream, and deposite it in a large deep earthen jar, commonly called a crock, which must be kept closely covered, and stirred up with a stick at least twice a day, and whenever you add fresh cream to it. this stirring is to prevent the butter from being injured by the skin that will gather over the top of the cream. you should churn at least twice a week, for if the cream is allowed to stand too long, the butter will inevitably have a bad taste. add to the cream the strippings of the milk. butter of only two or three days gathering is the best. with four or five good cows, you may easily manage to have a churning every three days. if your dairy is on a large scale, churn every two days. have your churn very clean, and rinse and cool it with cold water. a barrel churn is best; though a small upright one, worked by a staff or dash, will do very well where there are but one or two cows. strain the cream from the crock into the churn, and put on the lid. move the handle slowly in warm weather, as churning too fast will make the butter soft. when you find that the handle moves heavily and with great difficulty, the butter has come; that is, it has separated from the thin fluid and gathered into a lump, and it then is not necessary to churn any longer. take it out with a wooden ladle, and put it into a small tub or pail. squeeze and press it hard with the ladle, to get out all that remains of the milk. add a little salt, and then squeeze and work it for a long time. if any of the milk is allowed to remain in, it will speedily turn sour and spoil the butter. set it away in a cool place for three hours, and then work it over again.[l] wash it in cold water; weigh it; make it up into separate pounds, smoothing and shaping it; and clap each pound on your wooden butter print, dipping the print every time in cold water. spread a clean linen cloth on a bench in the spring-house; place the butter on it, and let it set till it becomes perfectly hard. then wrap each pound in a separate piece of linen that has been dipped in cold water. pour the buttermilk into a clean crock, and place it in the spring-house, with a saucer to dip it out with. keep the pot covered. the buttermilk will be excellent the first day; but afterwards it will become too thick and sour. winter buttermilk is never very palatable. before you put away the churn, wash and scald it well; and the day that you use it again, keep it for an hour or more filled with cold water. in cold weather, churning is a much more tedious process than in summer, as the butter will be longer coming. it is best then to have the churn in a warm room, or near the fire. if you wish to prepare the butter for keeping a long time, take it after it has been thoroughly well made, and pack it down tightly into a large jar. you need not in working it, add more salt than if the butter was to be eaten immediately. but preserve it by making a brine of fine salt, dissolved in water. the brine must be strong enough to bear up an egg on the surface without sinking. strain the brine into the jar, so as to be about two inches above the butter. keep the jar closely covered, and set it in a cool place. when you want any of the butter for use, take it off evenly from the top; so that the brine may continue to cover it at a regular depth. this receipt for making butter is according to the method in use at the best farm-houses in pennsylvania, and if exactly followed will be found very good. the badness of butter is generally owing to carelessness or mismanagement; to keeping the cream too long without churning; to want of cleanliness in the utensils; to not taking the trouble to work it sufficiently; or to the practice of salting it so profusely as to render it unpleasant to the taste, and unfit for cakes or pastry. all these causes of bad butter are inexcusable, and can easily be avoided. unless the cows have been allowed to feed where there are bitter weeds or garlic, the milk cannot naturally have any disagreeable taste, and therefore the fault of the butter must be the fault of the maker. of course, the cream is much richer where the pasture is fine and luxuriant; and in winter, when the cows have only dry food, the butter must be consequently whiter and more insipid than in the grazing season. still, if properly made, even winter butter cannot taste badly. many economical housekeepers always buy for cooking, butter of inferior quality. this is a foolish practice; as when it is bad, the taste will predominate through all attempts to disguise it, and render every thing unpalatable with which it is combined. as the use of butter is designed to improve and not to spoil the flavour of cookery, it is better to omit it altogether, and to substitute something else, unless you can procure that which is good. lard, suet, beef-drippings, and sweet oil, may be used in the preparation of various dishes; and to eat with bread or warm cakes, honey, molasses, or stewed fruit, &c. are far superior to bad butter. footnotes: [l] a marble slab or table will be found of great advantage in working and making up butter. cheese. in making _good_ cheese, skim milk is never used. the milk should either be warm from the cow or heated to that temperature over the fire. when the rennet is put in, the heat of the milk should be from ° to °. three quarts of milk will yield, on an average, about a pound of cheese. in infusing the rennet, allow a quart of lukewarm water, and a table-spoonful of salt to a piece about half the size of your hand. the rennet must soak all night in the water before it can be fit for use. in the morning (after taking as much of it as you want) put the rennet water into a bottle and cork it tightly. it will keep the better for adding to it a wine glass of brandy if too large a proportion of rennet is mixed with the milk, the cheese will be tough and leathery. to make a very good cheese, take three buckets of milk warm from the cow, and strain it immediately into a large tub or kettle. stir into it half a tea-cupful of infusion of rennet or rennet-water; and having covered it, set it in a warm place for about half an hour, or till it becomes a firm curd. cut the curd into squares with a large knife, or rather with a wooden slitting-dish, and let it stand about fifteen minutes. then break it up fine with your hands, and let it stand a quarter of an hour longer. then pour off from the top as much of the whey as you can; tie up the curd in a linen cloth or bag, and hang it up to drain out the remainder of the whey; setting a pan under it to catch the droppings. after all the whey is drained out, put the curd into the cheese-tray, and cut it again into slices; chop it coarse; put a cloth about it; place it in the cheese-hoop or mould, and set it in the screw press for half an hour, pressing it hard.[m] then take it out; chop the curd very fine; add salt to your taste; and put it again into the cheese-hoop with a cloth about it, and press it again. you must always wet the cloth all over to prevent its sticking to the cheese, and tearing the surface. let it remain in the press till next morning, when you must take it out and turn it; then wrap it in a clean wet cloth, and replace it in the press, where it must remain all day. on the following morning again take out the cheese; turn it, renew the cloth, and put it again into the press. three days pressing will be sufficient. when you finally take it out of the press, grease the cheese all over with lard, and put it on a clean shelf in a dry dark room, or in a wire safe. wipe, grease, and turn it carefully every day. if you omit this a single day the cheese will spoil. keep the shelf perfectly clean, and see that the cheese does not stick to it. when the cheese becomes firm, you may omit the greasing; but continue to rub it all over every day with a clean dry cloth. continue this for five or six weeks; the cheese will then be fit to eat. the best time for making cheese is when the pasture is in perfection. you may enrich the colour of the cheese by a little anatto or arnotta; of which procure a small quantity from the druggist, powder it, tie it in a muslin rag, and hold it in the warm milk, (after it is strained,) pressing out the colouring matter with your fingers, as laundresses press their indigo or blue rag in the tub of water. anatto is perfectly harmless. after they begin to dry, (or ripen, as it is called,) it is the custom in some dairy-farms, to place the cheeses in the haystack, and keep them there among the hay for five or six weeks. this is said greatly to improve their consistence and flavour. cheeses are sometimes ripened by putting them every day in fresh grass. footnotes: [m] if you are making cheese on a small scale, and have not a regular press, put the curd (after you have wrapped it in a cloth) into a small circular wooden box or tub with numerous hole's bored in the bottom; and with a lid that fits the inside exactly. lay heavy weights on the lid in such a manner as to press evenly all over. sage cheese.--take some of the young top leaves of the sage plant, and pound them in a mortar till you have extracted the juice. put the juice into a bowl, wipe out the mortar, put in some spinach leaves, and pound them till you have an equal quantity of spinach juice. mix the two juices together, and stir them into the warm milk immediately after you have put in the rennet. you may use sage juice alone; but the spinach will greatly improve the colour; besides correcting the bitterness of the sage. stilton cheese.--having strained the morning's milk, and skimmed the cream from the milk of the preceding evening, mix the cream and the new milk together while the latter is quite warm, and stir in the rennet-water. when the curd has formed, you must not break it up, (as is done with other cheese,) but take it out all at once with a wooden skimming dish, and place it on a sieve to drain gradually. while it is draining, keep pressing it gently till it becomes firm and dry. then lay a clean cloth at the bottom of a wooden cheese-hoop or mould, which should have a few small holes bored in the bottom. the cloth must be large enough for the end to turn over the top again, after the curd is put in. place it in the press for two hours; turn it, (putting a clean cloth under it,) and press it again for six or eight hours. then turn it again, rub the cheese all over with salt, and return it to the press for fourteen hours. should the edges of the cheese project, they must be pared off. when you take it finally out of the press, bind it round tightly with a cloth, (which must be changed every day when you turn the cheese,) and set it on a shelf or board. continue the cloths till the cheese is firm enough to support itself: rubbing or brushing the outside every day when you turn it. after the cloths are left off, continue to brush the cheese every day for two or three months; during which time it may be improved by keeping it covered all round, under and over, with grass, which must be renewed every day, and gathered when quite dry after the dew is off. keep the cheese and the grass between two large plates. a stilton cheese is generally made of a small size, seldom larger in circumference than a dinner plate, and about four or five inches thick. they are usually put up for keeping, in cases of sheet lead, fitting them exactly. there is no cheese superior to them in richness and mildness. cream cheeses (as they are generally called) may be made in this manner. they are always eaten quite fresh, while the inside is still somewhat soft. they are made small, and are sent to table whole, cut across into triangular slices like a pie or cake. after they become fit to eat, they will keep good but a day or two, but they are considered while fresh very delicious. cottage cheese.--this is that preparation of milk vulgarly called smear case. take a pan of milk that has just began to turn sour; cover it, and set it by the fire till it becomes a curd. pour off the whey from the top, and tie up the curd in a pointed linen bag, and hang it up to drain; setting something under it to catch the droppings. do not squeeze it. let it drain all night, and in the morning put the curd into a pan, (adding some rich cream,) and work it very fine with a spoon, chopping and pressing it till about the consistence of a soft bread pudding. to a soup plate of the fine curd put a tea-spoonful of salt, and a piece of butter about the size of a walnut; mixing all thoroughly together. having prepared the whole in this manner, put it into a stone or china vessel; cover it closely, and set it in a cold place till tea time. you may make it of milk that is entirely sweet by forming the curd with rennet. a welsh rabbit.--toast some slices of bread, (having cut off the crust,) butter them, and keep them hot. grate or shave down with a knife some fine mellow cheese: and, if it is not very rich, mix with it a few small bits of butter. put it into a cheese-toaster, or into a skillet, and add to it a tea-spoonful of made mustard; a little cayenne pepper; and if you choose, a wine glass of fresh porter or of red wine. stir the mixture over hot coals, till it is completely dissolved; and then brown it by holding over it a salamander, or a red-hot shovel. lay the toast in the bottom and round the sides of a deep dish; put the melted cheese upon it, and serve it up as hot as possible, with dry toast in a separate plate; and accompanied by porter or ale. this preparation of cheese is for a plain supper. dry cheese is frequently grated on little plates for the tea-table. to make chocolate. to each square of a chocolate cake allow three jills, or a chocolate cup and a half of boiling water. scrape down the chocolate with a knife, and mix it first to a paste with a small quantity of the hot water; just enough to melt it in. then put it into a block tin pot with the remainder of the water, set it on hot coals; cover it, and let it boil (stirring it twice) till the liquid is one third reduced. supply that third with cream or rich milk; stir it again, and take it off the fire. serve it up as hot as possible, with dry toast, or dry rusk. it chills immediately. if you wish it frothed, pour it into the cup, and twirl round in it the little wooden instrument called a chocolate mill, till you have covered the top with foam. to make tea.--in buying tea, it is best to get it by the box, of an importer, that you may be sure of having it fresh, and unmixed with any that is old and of inferior quality. the box should be kept in a very dry place. if green tea is good, it will look green in the cup when poured out. black tea should be dark coloured and have a fragrant flowery smell. the best pots for making tea are those of china. metal and wedgwood tea-pots by frequent use will often communicate a disagreeable taste to the tea. this disadvantage may be remedied in wedgwood ware, by occasionally boiling the tea-pots in a vessel of hot water. in preparing to make tea, let the pot be twice scalded from the tea-kettle, which must be boiling hard at the moment the water is poured on the tea; otherwise it will be weak and insipid, even when a large quantity is put in. the best way is to have a chafing dish, with a kettle always boiling on it, in the room where the tea is made. it is a good rule to allow two heaping tea-spoonfuls of tea to a large cup-full of water, or two tea-spoonfuls for each grown person that is to drink tea, and one spoonful extra. the pot being twice scalded, put in the tea, and pour on the water about ten minutes before you want to fill the cups, that it may have time to draw or infuse. have hot water in another pot, to weaken the cups of those that like it so. that the second course of cups may be as strong as the first, put some tea into a cup just before you sit down to table, pour on it a very little boiling water, (just enough to cover it,) set a saucer over it to keep in the steam, and let it infuse till you have filled all the first cups; then add it to that already in the tea-pot, and pour in a little boiling water from the kettle. except that it is less convenient for a large family, a kettle on a chafing dish is better than an urn, as the water may be kept longer boiling. in making black tea, use a larger quantity than of green, as it is of a much weaker nature. the best black teas in general use are pekoe and pouchong; the best green teas are imperial, young hyson, and gunpowder. to make coffee--the manner in which coffee is roasted is of great importance to its flavour. if roasted too little, it will be weak and insipid; if too much, the taste will be bitter and unpleasant. to have it very good, it should be roasted immediately before it is made, doing no more than the quantity you want at that time. it loses much of its strength by keeping, even in twenty-four hours after roasting. it should on no consideration be ground till directly before it is made. every family should be provided with a coffee roaster, which is an iron cylinder to stand before the fire, and is either turned by a handle, or wound up like a jack to go of itself. if roasted in an open pot or pan, much of the flavour evaporates in the process. before the coffee is put into the roaster, it should be carefully examined and picked, lest there should be stones or bad grains among it. it should be roasted of a bright brown; and will be improved by putting among it a piece of butter when about half done. watch it carefully while roasting, looking at it frequently. a coffee-mill affixed to the wall is far more convenient than one that must be held on the lap. it is best to grind the coffee while warm. allow half a pint of ground coffee to one quart of water. if the coffee is not freshly roasted, you should put in more. put the water into the tin coffee-pot, and set it on hot coals; when it boils, put in the coffee, a spoonful at a time, (stirring it between each spoonful,) and add two or three chips of isinglass, or the white of an egg. stir it frequently, till it has risen up to the top in boiling; then set it a little farther from the fire, and boil it gently for ten minutes, or a quarter of an hour; after which pour in a tea-cup of cold water, and put it in the corner to settle for ten minutes. scald your silver or china pot, and transfer the coffee to it; carefully pouring it off from the grounds, so as not to disturb them. if coffee is allowed to boil too long, it will lose much of its strength, and also become sour. french coffee.--to make coffee without boiling, you must have a biggin, the best sort of which is what in france is called a grecque. they are to be had of various sizes and prices at the tin stores. coffee made in this manner is much less troublesome than when boiled, and requires no white of egg or isinglass to clear it. the coffee should be freshly roasted and ground. allow two cupfuls of ground coffee to six cupfuls of boiling water. having first scalded the biggin, (which should have strainers of perforated tin, and not of linen,) put in the coffee, and pour on the water, which should be boiling hard at the time. shut down the lid, place the pot near the fire, and the coffee will be ready as soon as it has all drained through the coarse and fine strainers into the receiver below the spout. scald your china or silver pot, and pour the coffee into it. but it is best to have a biggin in the form of an urn, in which the coffee can both be made and brought to table. for what is called milk coffee,--boil the milk or cream separately; bring it to table in a covered vessel, and pour it hot into the coffee, the flavour of which will be impaired if the milk is boiled with it. domestic liquors etc. spruce beer. put into a large kettle, ten gallons of water, a quarter of a pound of hops, and a tea-cupful of ginger. boil them together till all the hops sink to the bottom. then dip out a bucket full of the liquor, and stir into it six quarts of molasses, and three ounces and a half of the essence of spruce. when all is dissolved, mix it with the liquor in the kettle; strain it through a hair sieve into a cask; and stir well into it half a pint of good strong yeast. let it ferment a day or two; then bung up the cask, and you may bottle the beer the next day. it will be fit for use in a week. for the essence of spruce, you may substitute two pounds of the outer sprigs of the spruce fir, boiled ten minutes in the liquor. to make spruce beer for present use, and in a smaller quantity, boil a handful of hops in two gallons and a half of water, till they fall to the bottom. then strain the water, and when it is lukewarm, stir into it a table-spoonful of ground white ginger; a pint of molasses; a table-spoonful of essence of spruce; and half a pint of yeast. mix the whole well together in a stone jug, and let it ferment for a day and a half, or two days. then put it into bottles, with three or four raisins in the bottom of each, to prevent any further fermentation. it will then be fit for immediate use. ginger beer.--break up a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, and mix with it three ounces of strong white ginger, and the grated peel of two lemons. put these ingredients into a large stone jar, and pour over them two gallons of boiling water. when it becomes milkwarm strain it, and add the juice of the lemons and two large table-spoonfuls of strong yeast. make this beer in the evening and let it stand all night. next morning bottle it in little half pint stone bottles, tying down the corks with twine. molasses beer.--to six quarts of water, add two quarts of west india molasses; half a pint of the best brewer's yeast; two table-spoonfuls of ground ginger; and one table-spoonful of cream of tartar. stir all together. let it stand twelve hours, and then bottle it, putting three or four raisins into each bottle. it will be much improved by substituting the juice and grated peel of a large lemon, for one of the spoonfuls of ginger. molasses beer keeps good but two or three days. sassafras beer.--have ready two gallons of soft water; one quart of wheat bran; a large handful of dried apples; half a pint of molasses; a small handful of hops; half a pint of strong fresh yeast, and a piece of sassafras root the size of an egg. put all the ingredients (except the molasses and yeast) at once into a large kettle. boil it till the apples are quite soft. put the molasses into a small clean tub or a large pan. set a hair sieve over the vessel, and strain the mixture through it. let it stand till it becomes only milkwarm, and then stir in the yeast. put the liquor immediately into the keg or jugs, and let it stand uncorked to ferment. fill the jugs quite full, that the liquor in fermenting may run over. set them in a large tub. when you see that the fermentation or working has subsided, cork it, and it will be fit for use next day. two large table-spoonfuls of ginger stirred into the molasses will be found an improvement. if the yeast is stirred in while the liquor is too warm, it will be likely to turn sour. if the liquor is not put immediately into the jugs, it will not ferment well. keep it in a cold place. it will not in warm weather be good more than two days. it is only made for present use. gooseberry wine. allow three gallons of soft water (measured after it has boiled an hour) to six gallons of gooseberries, which must be full ripe. top and tail the gooseberries; put them, a few at a time, into a wooden dish, and with a rolling-pin or beetle break and mash every one; transferring them, as they are done, into a large stone jar. pour the boiling water upon the mashed gooseberries; cover the jar, and let them stand twelve hours. then strain and measure the juice, and to each quart allow three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar; mix it with the liquid, and let it stand eight or nine hours to dissolve, stirring it several times. then pour it into a keg of proper size for containing it, and let it ferment at the bung-hole; filling it up as it works out with some of the liquor reserved for that purpose. as soon as it ceases to hiss, stop it close with a cloth wrapped round the bung. a pint of white brandy for every gallon of the gooseberry wine may be added on bunging it up. at the end of four or five months it will probably be fine enough to bottle off. it is best to bottle it in cold frosty weather. you may refine it by allowing to every gallon of wine the whites of two eggs, beaten to a froth, with a very small tea-spoonful of salt. when the white of egg, &c. is a stiff froth, take out a quart of the wine, and mix them well together. then pour it into the cask, and in a few days it will be fine and clear. you may begin to use it any time after it is bottled. put two or three raisins in the bottom of each bottle. they will tend to keep the wine from any farther fermentation. fine gooseberry wine has frequently passed for champagne. keep the bottles in saw-dust, lying on their sides. currant wine.--take four gallons of ripe currants; strip them from the stalks into a great stone jar that has a cover to it, and mash them with a long thick stick. let them stand twenty-four hours; then put the currants into a large linen bag; wash out the jar, set it under the bag, and squeeze the juice into it. boil together two gallons and a half of water, and five pounds and a half of the best loaf-sugar, skimming it well. when the scum ceases to rise, mix the syrup with the currant juice. let it stand a fortnight or three weeks to settle; and then transfer it to another vessel, taking care not to disturb the lees or dregs. if it is not quite clear and bright, refine it by mixing with a quart of the wine, (taken out for the purpose,) the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and half an ounce of cream of tartar. pour this gradually into the vessel. let it stand ten days, and then bottle it off. place the bottles in saw-dust, laying them on their sides. take care that the saw-dust is not from pine wood. the wine will be fit to drink in a year, but is better when three or four years old. you may add a little brandy to it when you make it; allowing a quart of brandy to six gallons of wine. raspberry wine.--put four gallons of ripe raspberries into a stone jar, and mash them with a round stick. take four gallons of soft water, (measured after it has boiled an hour,) and strain it warm over the raspberries. stir it well and let it stand twelve hours. then strain it through a bag, and to every gallon of liquor put three pounds of loaf-sugar. set it over a clear fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. when it is cold bottle it. open the bottles every day for a fortnight, closing them again in a few minutes. then seal the corks, and lay the bottles on their sides in saw-dust, which must not be from pine wood. elderberry wine.--gather the elderberries when quite ripe; put them into a stone jar, mash them with a round stick, and set them in a warm oven, or in a large kettle of boiling water till the jar is hot through, and the berries begin to simmer. then take them out, and press and strain them through a sieve. to every quart of juice allow a pound of havanna or lisbon sugar, and two quarts of cold soft water. put the sugar into a large kettle, pour the juice over it, and, when it has dissolved, stir in the water. set the kettle over the fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. to four gallons of the liquor add a pint and a half of brandy. put it into a keg, and let it stand with the bung put in loosely for four or five days, by which time it will have ceased to ferment. then stop it closely, plastering the bung with clay. at the end of six months, draw off a little of it; and if it is not quite clear and bright, refine it with the whites and shells of three or four eggs, beaten to a stiff froth and stirred into a quart of the wine, taken out for the purpose and then returned to the cask; or you may refine it with an ounce or more of dissolved isinglass. let it stand a week or two, and then bottle it. this is an excellent domestic wine, very common in england, and deserving to be better known in america, where the elderberry tree is found in great abundance. elderberry wine is generally taken mulled with spice, and warm. elder flower wine.--take the flowers or blossoms of the elder tree, and strip them from the stalks. to every quart of flowers allow one gallon of water, and three pounds of white sugar. boil and skim the sugar and water, and then pour it hot on the flowers. when cool, mix in with it some lemon juice and some yeast; allowing to six gallons of the liquor the juice of six lemons, and four or five table-spoonfuls of good yeast stirred in very hard. let it ferment for three days in a tub covered with a double blanket. then strain the wine through a sieve, (add six whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, or an ounce of melted isinglass,) and put it into a cask, in the bottom of which you have laid four or five pounds of the best raisins, stoned. stop the cask closely, and in six months the wine will be fit to bottle. it will much resemble frontiniac, the elder flowers imparting to it a very pleasant taste. cider wine.--take sweet cider immediately from the press. strain it through a flannel bag into a tub, and stir into it as much honey as will make it strong enough to bear up an egg. then boil and skim it, and when the scum ceases to rise, strain it again. when cool, put it into a cask, and set it in a cool cellar till spring. then bottle it off; and when ripe, it will be found a very pleasant beverage. the cider must be of the very best quality, made entirely from good sound apples. mead.--to every gallon of water put five pounds of strained honey, (the water must be hot when you add the honey,) and boil it three quarters of an hour, skimming it well. then put in some hops tied in a thin bag, (allowing an ounce or a handful to each gallon,) and let it boil half an hour longer. strain it into a tub, and let it stand four days. then put it into a cask, (or into a demijohn if the quantity is small,) adding for each gallon of mead a jill of brandy and a sliced lemon. if a large cask, do not bottle it till it has stood a year. fox grape shrub.--gather the grapes when they are full grown, but before they begin to purple. pick from the stems a sufficient quantity to nearly fill a large preserving kettle, and pour on them as much boiling water as the kettle will hold. set it over a brisk fire, and keep it scalding hot till all the grapes have burst. then take them off, press out and strain the liquor, and allow to each quart a pound of sugar stirred well in. dissolve the sugar in the juice; then put them together into a clean kettle, and boil and skim them for ten minutes, or till the scum ceases to rise. when cold, bottle it; first putting into each bottle a jill of brandy. seal the bottles, and keep them in a warm closet. you may make gooseberry shrub in this manner. currant shrub.--your currants must be quite ripe. pick them from the stalks, and squeeze them through a linen bag. to each quart of juice allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put the sugar and juice into a preserving kettle, and let it melt before it goes on the fire. boil it ten minutes, skimming it well. when cold, add a jill of the best white brandy to each quart of the juice. bottle it, and set it away for use; sealing the corks. it improves by keeping. raspberry shrub may be made in this manner; also strawberry. cherry shrub.--pick from the stalks, and stone a sufficient quantity of ripe morellas, or other red cherries of the best and most juicy description. put them with all their juice into a stone jar, and set it, closely covered, into a deep kettle of boiling water. keep it boiling hard for a quarter of an hour. then pour the cherries into a bag, and strain and press out all the juice. allow a pound of sugar to a quart of juice, boil them together ten minutes in a preserving kettle, skimming them well, and when cold, bottle the liquid; first putting a jill of brandy into each bottle. cherry bounce.--mix together six pounds of ripe morellas and six pounds of large black heart cherries. put them into a wooden bowl or tub, and with a pestle or mallet mash them so as to crack all the stones. mix with the cherries three pounds of loaf-sugar, or of sugar candy broken up, and put them into a demijohn, or into a large stone jar. pour on two gallons of the best double rectified whiskey. stop the vessel closely, and let it stand three months, shaking it every day during the first month. at the end of the three months you may strain the liquor and bottle it off. it improves by age. lemon syrup.--break up into large pieces six pounds of fine loaf-sugar. take twelve large ripe lemons, and (without cutting them) grate the yellow rind upon the sugar. then put the sugar, with the lemon gratings and two quarts of water, into a preserving kettle, and let it dissolve. when it is all melted, boil it till quite thick, skimming it till no more scum rises; it will then be done. have ready the juice of all the lemons, stir it in, and boil it ten minutes more. bottle it, and keep it in a cold place. it makes a delicious drink in summer, in the proportion of one third lemon syrup and two thirds ice water. lemon cordial. pare off very thin the yellow rind of a dozen large lemons; throw the parings into a gallon of white brandy, and let them steep till next day, or at least twelve hours. break up four pounds of loaf-sugar into another vessel, and squeeze upon it the juice of the lemons. let this too stand all night. next day mix all together, boil two quarts of milk, and pour it boiling hot into the other ingredients. cover the vessel, and let it stand eight days, stirring it daily. then strain it through a flannel bag till the liquid is perfectly clear. let it stand six weeks in a demijohn or glass jar, and then bottle it. to make it still more clear, you may filter it through a piece of fine muslin pinned down to the bottom of a sieve, or through blotting paper, which must be frequently renewed. it should be white blotting paper. orange cordial may be made in the same manner. rose cordial.--put a pound of fresh rose leaves into a tureen, with a quart of lukewarm water. cover the vessel, and let them infuse for twenty-four hours. then squeeze them through a linen bag till all the liquid is pressed out. put a fresh pound of rose leaves into the tureen, pour the liquid back into it, and let it infuse again for two days. you may repeat this till you obtain a very strong infusion. then to a pint of the infusion add half a pound of loaf-sugar, half a pint of white brandy, an ounce of broken cinnamon, and an ounce of coriander seeds. put it into a glass jar, cover it well, and let it stand for two weeks. then filter it through a fine muslin or a blotting paper (which must be white) pinned on the bottom of a sieve; and bottle it for use. strawberry cordial.--hull a sufficient quantity of ripe strawberries, and squeeze them through a linen bag. to each quart of the juice allow a pint of white brandy, and half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. put the liquid into a glass jar or a demijohn, and let it stand a fortnight. then filter it through a sieve, to the bottom of which a piece of fine muslin or blotting paper has been fastened; and afterwards bottle it. raspberry cordial--may be made in the above manner. quince cordial.--take the finest and ripest quinces you can procure, wipe them clean, and cut out all the defective parts. then grate them into a tureen or some other large vessel, leaving out the seeds and cores. let the grated pulp remain covered in the tureen for twenty-four hours. then squeeze it through a jelly-bag or cloth. to six quarts of the juice allow a quart of cold water, three pounds of loaf-sugar, (broken up,) and a quart of white brandy. mix the whole well together, and put it into a stone jar. have ready three very small flannel or thick muslin bags, (not larger than two inches square,) fill one with grated nutmeg, another with powdered mace, and the third with powdered cloves; and put them into the jar that the spice may flavour the liquor without mixing with it. leave the jar uncorked for a few days; reserving some of the liquor to replace that which may flow over in the fermentation. whenever it has done working, bottle it off, but do not use it for six months. if not sufficiently bright and clear, filter it through fine muslin pinned round the bottom of a sieve, or through a white blotting paper fastened in the same manner. peach cordial.--take the ripest and most juicy free-stone peaches you can procure. cut them from the stones, and quarter them without paring. crack the stones, and extract the kernels, which must be blanched and slightly pounded. put the peaches into a large stone jar in layers, alternately with layers of the kernels, and of powdered loaf-sugar. when the jar is three parts full of the peaches, kernels, and sugar, fill it up with white brandy. set the jar in a large pan, and leave it uncovered for three or four days, in case of its fermenting and flowing over at the top. fill up what is thus wasted with more brandy, and then close the jar tightly. let it stand five or six months; then filter it, and bottle it for use. cherry, apricot, and plum cordial may be made in the above manner; adding always the kernels. anniseed cordial.--melt a pound of loaf-sugar in two quarts of water. mix it with two quarts of white brandy, and add a table-spoonful of oil of anniseed. let it stand a week; then filter it through white blotting paper, and bottle it for use. clove or cinnamon cordial may be made in the same manner, by mixing sugar, water and brandy, and adding oil of cinnamon or oil of cloves. you may colour any of these cordials red by stirring in a little powdered cochineal that has been dissolved in a small quantity of brandy. rose brandy.--nearly fill a china or glass jar with freshly-gathered rose leaves, and pour in sufficient french white brandy to fill it quite up; and then cover it closely. next day put the whole into a strainer, and having squeezed and pressed the rose leaves and drained off the liquid, throw away the leaves, put fresh ones into the jar, and return the brandy to it. repeat this every day while roses are in season, (taking care to keep the jar well covered,) and you will find the liquid much better than rose water for flavouring cakes and puddings. lemon brandy.--when you use lemons for punch or lemonade, do not throw away the peels, but cut them in small pieces, and put them into a glass jar or bottle of brandy. you will find this brandy useful for many purposes. in the same way keep for use the kernels of peach and plum stones, pounding them slightly before you put them into the brandy. noyau.--blanch and break up a pound of shelled bitter almonds or peach kernels. mix with them the grated rinds of three large lemons, half a pint of clarified honey that has been boiled and skimmed, and three pounds of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. put these ingredients into a jar or demijohn; pour in four quarts of the best white brandy or proof spirit; stop the vessel, and let it stand three months, shaking it every day for the first month. then filter it, dilute it with rose water to your taste, (you may allow a quart of rose water to each quart of the liquor,) and bottle it for use. this and any other cordial may be coloured red by mixing with it (after it is filtered) cochineal, powdered, dissolved in a little white brandy, and strained through fine muslin. ratafia.--pound in a mortar, and mix together a pound of shelled bitter almonds, an ounce of nutmegs, a pound of fine loaf-sugar, and one grain (apothecaries' weight) of ambergris. infuse these ingredients for a week in a gallon of white brandy or proof spirit. then filter it, and bottle it for use. capillaire.--powder eight pounds of loaf-sugar, and wet it with three pints of water and three eggs well beaten with their shells. stir the whole mass very hard, and boil it twice over, skimming it well. then strain it, and stir in two wine glasses of orange flower water. bottle it, and use it for a summer draught, mixed with a little lemon juice and water; or you may sweeten punch with it. orgeat.--to make orgeat paste, blanch, mix together, and pound in a mortar till perfectly smooth, three quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and one quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds; adding frequently a little orange-flower or rose water, to keep them from oiling; and mixing with them, as you proceed, a pound of fine loaf-sugar that has been previously powdered by itself. when the whole is thoroughly incorporated to a stiff paste, put it into little pots and close them well. it will keep five or six months, and, when you wish to use it for a beverage, allow a piece of orgeat about the size of an egg to each half pint or tumbler of water. having well stirred it, strain the mixture. to make liquid orgeat for present use; blanch and pound in a mortar, with rose water, a quarter of a pound of sweet and an ounce and a half of bitter almonds. then sweeten three pints of rich milk with half a pound of loaf-sugar, and stir the almonds gradually into it. boil it over hot coals; and as soon as it comes to a boil, take it off and stir it frequently till it gets cold. then strain it, add a glass of brandy and put it into decanters. when you pour it out for drinking dilute it with water. lemonade.--take fine ripe lemons, and roll them under your hand on the table to increase the quantity of juice. then cut and squeeze them into a pitcher, and mix the juice with loaf-sugar and cold water. to half a pint of lemon juice you may allow a pint and a half of water, and ten or twelve moderate sized lumps of sugar. send it round in little glasses with handles. to make a tumbler of _very good_ lemonade, allow the juice of one lemon and four or five lumps of sugar, filling up the glass with water. in summer use ice water. orangeade--is made of oranges, in the same proportion as lemonade. it is very fine when frozen. punch. roll twelve fine lemons under your hand on the table; then pare off the yellow rind very thin, and boil it in a gallon of water till all the flavour is drawn out. break up into a large bowl, two pounds of loaf-sugar, and squeeze the lemons over it. when the water has boiled sufficiently, strain it from the lemon-peel, and mix it with the lemon juice and sugar. stir in a quart of rum or of the best whiskey. two scruples of flowers of benjamin, steeped in a quart of rum, will make an infusion which much resembles the arrack of the east indies. it should be kept in a bottle, and a little of it will be found to impart a very fine and fragrant flavour to punch made in the usual manner. frozen punch--is made as above, omitting one half of the rum or whiskey. put it into an ice-cream freezer, shaking or stirring it all the time. when it is frozen, send it round immediately, in small glasses with a tea-spoon for each. roman punch.--grate the yellow rinds of four lemons and two oranges upon two pounds of loaf-sugar. squeeze on the juice of the lemons and oranges; cover it, and let it stand till next day. then strain it through a sieve, add a bottle of champagne, and the whites of eight eggs beaten to a froth. you may freeze it or not. milk punch.--what is commonly called milk punch, is a mixture of brandy or rum, sugar, milk and nutmeg, with-without either lemon juice or water. it is taken cold with a lump of ice in each tumbler. fine milk punch.--pare off the yellow rind of four large lemons, and steep it for twenty-four hours in a quart of brandy or rum. then mix with it the juice of the lemons, a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, two grated nutmegs, and a quart of water. add a quart of rich unskimmed milk, made boiling hot, and strain the whole through a jelly-bag. you may either use it as soon as it is cold, or make a larger quantity, (in the above proportions,) and bottle it. it will keep several months. regent's punch.--take four large lemons; roll them on the table to make them more juicy, and then pare them as thin as possible. cut out all the pulp, and throw away the seeds and the white part of the rind. put the yellow rind and the pulp into a pint of boiling water with one tea-spoonfuls of raw green tea of the best sort. let all boil together about ten minutes. then strain it through linen, and stir in a pound of powdered loaf-sugar and a bottle of champagne, or of any liquor suitable for punch. set it again over the fire, and when just ready to boil, remove it, and pour it into a china bowl or pitcher, to be sent round in glasses. wine jelly.--clarify a pound of loaf-sugar, by mixing it with half a pint of water and the beaten white of an egg, and then boiling and skimming it. put an ounce of isinglass (with as much boiling water as will cover it) into a small sauce-pan, and set it in hot coals till the isinglass is thoroughly dissolved. then when the syrup has been taken from the fire, mix the melted isinglass with it, add a quart of white wine and stir in a table-spoonful or a spoonful and a half of old jamaica spirits. stir the mixture very hard, and pour it into a mould. when it has congealed, wrap a cloth dipped in warm water round the outside of the mould; turn out the jelly, and eat it with ice-cream. sherry cobler.--lay in the bottom of a tumbler some pieces of the yellow rind of an orange or lemon, pared off very thin; and add a heaping table-spoonful of powdered loaf-sugar. upon this, place some pounded ice. pour on sherry wine till the tumbler is one-third, or half full. hold an empty tumbler inverted or turned downwards, upon the top of that which contains the ingredients; placing the glasses so that their edges exactly meet, and leaving no opening for any portion of the contents to escape. keep your hands fast on the two tumblers, one above and one below, and turn them up and down, back and forwards, till the articles inside are thoroughly mixed. then take off the upper tumbler, and let the lower one stand still a few moments before you fill it up with ice-water. mulled wine.--boil together, in a pint of water, a beaten nutmeg, two sticks of cinnamon broken up, and a table-spoonful of cloves slightly pounded. when reduced to one-half, strain the liquid into a quart of wine, set it on hot coals, take it off as soon as it comes to a boil, and sweeten it. serve it up hot in a pitcher, surrounded by glass cups, and with it a plate of rusk. mulled cider.--allow six eggs to a quart of cider. put a handful of whole cloves into the cider, and boil it. while it is boiling, beat the eggs in a large pitcher; adding to them as much sugar as will make the cider very sweet. by the time the cider boils, the eggs will be sufficiently light. pour the boiling liquor on the beaten egg, and continue to pour the mixture backwards and forwards from one pitcher to another, till it has a fine froth on it. then pour it warm into your glasses, and grate some nutmeg over each. port wine may be mulled in the same manner. egg nogg.--beat separately the yolks and whites of six eggs. stir the yolks into a quart of rich milk, or thin cream, and add half a pound of sugar. then mix in half a pint of rum or brandy. flavour it with a grated nutmeg. lastly, stir in gently the beaten whites of three eggs. it should be mixed in a china bowl. sangaree.--mix in a pitcher or in tumblers one-third of wine, ale, or porter, with two-thirds of water either warm or cold. stir in sufficient loaf-sugar to sweeten it, and grate some nutmeg into it. by adding to it lemon juice, you may make what is called negus. turkish sherbet.--put into a large pitcher a pound and a half of the best loaf-sugar, broken small. pour on it a quart of clear cold water, and crush and stir the sugar till it is all melted. take a dozen large fine ripe oranges, and roll every one under your hand on a table, to increase the juice. take off the yellow rind in large thin pieces, and cut them neatly into round shapes, the size of a half-dollar. squeeze the juice of the oranges through a strainer upon the melted sugar, and stir it well. set the pitcher on ice till the sherbet is wanted. serve it up in lemonade-glasses, placing in the bottom of each, one of the round pieces of orange-rind, and lay a lump of ice upon it. then fill the glasses with the sherbet. instead of orange-juice, you may use that of strawberries, raspberries, or currants, pressed through a strainer. bottled small beer.--take a quart bottle of the very best brisk porter, and mix it with four quarts of water, a pint of molasses, and a table-spoonful of ginger. bottle it, and see that the corks are of the very best kind. it will be fit for use in three or four days. to keep lemon juice.--powder a pound of the best loaf-sugar; put it into a bowl, and strain over it a pint of lemon juice; stirring it well with a silver spoon till the sugar has entirely melted. boil and skim it. then bottle it, sealing the corks; and keep it in a dry place. essence of lemon-peel.--rub lumps of loaf-sugar on fine ripe lemons till the yellow rind is all grated off; scraping up the sugar in a tea-spoon, and putting it on a plate, as you proceed. when you have enough, press it down into a little glass or china jar, and cover it closely. this will be found very fine to flavour puddings and cakes. the white or inside of lemon-peel is of no use. cider vinegar. take six quarts of rye meal; stir and mix it well into a barrel of strong hard cider of the best kind; and then add a gallon of whiskey. cover the cask, (leaving the bung loosely in it,) set it in the part of your yard that is most exposed to the sun and air; and in the course of four weeks (if the weather is warm and dry) you will have good vinegar fit for use. when you draw off a gallon or more, replenish the cask with the same quantity of cider, and add about a pint of whiskey. you may thus have vinegar constantly at hand for common purposes. the cask should have iron hoops. a very strong vinegar may be made by mixing cider and strained honey, (allowing a pound of honey to a gallon of cider,) and letting it stand five or six months. this vinegar is so powerful that for common purposes it should be diluted with a little water. vinegar may be made in the same manner of sour wine. white vinegar.--put into a cask a mixture composed of five gallons of water, two gallons of whiskey, and a quart of strong yeast, stirring in two pounds of powdered charcoal. place it where it will ferment properly, leaving the bung loose till the fermentation is over, but covering the hole slightly to keep out the dust and insects. at the end of four months draw it off, and you will have a fine vinegar, as clear and colourless as water. sugar vinegar.--to every gallon of water allow a pound of the best white sugar, and a jill or more of strong yeast. mix the sugar and water together, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. then pour it into a tub; and when it cools to lukewarm heat, put into it the yeast spread on pieces of toast. let it work two days; then put it into an iron-hooped cask, and set it in a sunny place for five months, leaving the bung loose, but keeping the bung-hole covered. in five months it will be good clear vinegar, and you may bottle it for use. a cask that has not contained vinegar before, should have a quart of boiling hot vinegar poured into it, shaken about frequently till cold, and allowed to stand some hours. common cider vinegar.--set a barrel of hard sour cider in the sun for a few weeks, or three months, and it will become good vinegar. pine-apple-ade.--pare and slice some very ripe pine-apples; then cut the slices into small pieces. put them with all their juice into a large pitcher, and sprinkle among them plenty of powdered white sugar. pour on boiling water, allowing a small half pint to each pine-apple. cover the pitcher, and let it stand till quite cool, occasionally pressing down the pine-apple with a spoon. then set the pitcher, for a while, in ice. lastly, strain the infusion into another vessel, and transfer it to tumblers, putting into each glass some more sugar and a bit of ice. this beverage will be found delicious. preparations for the sick chicken jelly. take a large chicken, cut it up into very small pieces, bruise the bones, and put the whole into a stone jar with a cover that will make it water tight. set the jar in a large kettle of boiling water, and keep it boiling for three hours. then strain off the liquid, and season it slightly with salt, pepper, and mace; or with loaf-sugar and lemon juice, according to the taste of the person for whom it is intended. return the fragments of the chicken to the jar, and set it again in a kettle of boiling water. you will find that you can collect nearly as much jelly by the second boiling. this jelly may be made of an old fowl. bread jelly.--measure a quart of boiling water, and set it away to get cold. take one-third of a six cent loaf of bread, slice it, pare off the crust, and toast the crumb nicely of a light brown. then put it into the boiled water, set it on hot coals in a covered pan, and boil it gently, till you find by putting some in a spoon to cool, that the liquid has become a jelly. strain it through a thin cloth, and set it away for use. when it is to be taken, warm a tea-cupful, sweeten it with sugar, and add a little grated lemon-peel. arrow root jelly.--mix three table-spoonfuls of arrow root powder in a tea-cup of water till quite smooth; cover it, and let it stand a quarter of an hour. put the yellow peel of a lemon into a skillet with a pint of water, and let it boil till reduced to one half. then take out the lemon-peel, and pour in the dissolved arrow root, (while the water is still boiling;) add sufficient white sugar to sweeten it well, and let it boil together for five or six minutes. it may be seasoned (if thought necessary) with two tea-spoonfuls of wine, and some grated nutmeg. it may be boiled in milk instead of water, or in wine and water, according to the state of the person for whom it is wanted. rice jelly.--having picked and washed a quarter of a pound of rice, mix it with half a pound of loaf-sugar, and just sufficient water to cover it. boil it till it becomes a glutinous mass; then strain it; season it with whatever may be thought proper; and let it stand to cool. port wine jelly.--melt in a little warm water an ounce of isinglass; stir it into a pint of port wine, adding two ounces of sugar candy, an ounce of gum arabic, and half a nutmeg grated. mix all well, and boil it ten minutes; or till every thing is thoroughly dissolved. then strain it through muslin, and set it away to get cold. sago.--wash the sago through two or three waters, and then let it soak for two or three hours. to a tea-cupful of sago allow a quart of water and some of the yellow peel of a lemon. simmer it till all the grains look transparent. then add as much wine and nutmeg as may be proper, and give it another boil altogether. if seasoning is not advisable, the sago may be boiled in milk instead of water, and eaten plain. tapioca.--wash the tapioca well, and let it steep for five or six hours, changing the water three times. simmer it in the last water till quite clear, then season it with sugar and wine, or lemon juice. gruel.--allow three large table-spoonfuls of oatmeal or indian meal to a quart of water. put the meal into a large bowl, and add the water, a little at a time, mixing and bruising the meal with the back of a spoon. as you proceed, pour off the liquid into another bowl, every time, before adding fresh water to the meal, till you have used it all up. then boil the mixture for twenty minutes, stirring it all the while; add a little salt. then strain the gruel and sweeten it. a piece of butter may be stirred into it; and, if thought proper, a little wine and nutmeg. it should be taken warm. oatmeal gruel.--put four table-spoonfuls of the best grits (oatmeal coarsely ground) into a pint of boiling water. let it boil gently, and stir it often, till it becomes as thick as you wish it. then strain it, and add to it while warm, butter, wine, nutmeg, or whatever is thought proper to flavour it. if you make the gruel of fine oatmeal, sift it, mix it first to a thick batter with a little cold water, and then put it into the sauce-pan of boiling water. stir it all the time it is boiling, lifting the spoon gently up and down, and letting the gruel fall slowly back again into the pan. panada.--having pared off the crust, boil some slices of bread in a quart of water for about five minutes. then take out the bread, and beat it smooth in a deep dish, mixing in a little of the water it has boiled in; and mix it with a bit of fresh butter, and sugar and nutmeg to your taste. another way is to grate some bread, or to grate or pound a few crackers. pour on boiling water, beat it well, and add sugar and nutmeg. barley water.--wash clean some barley, (either pearl or common,) and to two ounces of barley allow a quart of water. put it into a sauce-pan, adding, if you choose, an equal quantity of stoned raisins; or some lemon-peel and sugar; or some liquorice root cut up. let it boil slowly till the liquid is reduced one half. then strain it off, and sweeten it. ground rice milk.--mix in a bowl two table-spoonfuls of ground rice, with sufficient milk to make a thin batter. then stir it gradually into a pint of milk and boil it with sugar, lemon-peel or nutmeg. beef tea.--cut a pound of the lean of fresh juicy beef into small thin slices, and sprinkle them with a very little salt. put the meat into a wide-mouthed glass or stone jar closely corked, and set it in a kettle or pan of water, which must be made to boil, and kept boiling hard round the jar for an hour or more. then take out the jar and strain the essence of the beef into a bowl. chicken tea may be made in the same manner. mutton broth.--cut off all the fat from a loin of mutton, and to each pound of the lean allow a quart of water. season it with a little salt and some shred parsley, and put in some large pieces of the crust of bread. boil it slowly for two or three hours, skimming it carefully. beef, veal, or chicken broth may be made in the same manner. vegetables may be added if approved. also barley or rice. mutton broth made quickly.--cut three chops from the best part of a neck of mutton, and remove the fat and skin. beat the meat on both sides, and slice it thin. put into a small sauce-pan with a pint of water, a little salt, and some crust of bread cut into pieces. you may add a little parsley, and a small onion sliced thin. cover the sauce-pan, and set it over the fire. boil it fast, skim it, and in half an hour it should be ready for use. wine whey.--boil a pint of milk; and when it rises to the top of the sauce-pan, pour in a large glass of sherry or madeira. it will be the better for adding a glass of currant wine also. let it again boil up, and then take the sauce-pan off the fire, and set it aside to stand for a few minutes, but do not stir it. then remove the curd, (if it has completely formed,) and pour the clear whey into a bowl and sweeten it. when wine is considered too heating, the whey may be made by turning the milk with lemon juice. rennet whey.--wash a small bit of rennet about two inches square, in cold water, to get off the salt. put it into a tea-cup and pour on it sufficient lukewarm water to cover it. let it stand all night, and in the morning stir the rennet water into a quart pitcher of warm milk. cover it, and set it near the fire till a firm curd is formed. pour off the whey from it, and it will be found an excellent and cooling drink. the curd may be eaten (though not by a sick person) with wine, sugar, and nutmeg. the whey should look greenish. calf's feet broth.--boil two calf's feet in two quarts of water, till the liquid is reduced one half, and the meat has dropped to pieces. then strain it into a deep dish or pan, and set it by to get cold. when it has congealed, take all the fat carefully off; put a tea-cupful of the jelly into a sauce-pan, and set it on hot coals. when it has nearly boiled, stir in by degrees the beaten yolk of an egg, and then take it off immediately. you may add to it a little sugar, and some grated lemon-peel and nutmeg. chicken broth and panada.--cut up a chicken, season it with a very little salt, and put it into three quarts of water. let it simmer slowly till the flesh drops to pieces. you may make chicken panada or gruel of the same fowl, by taking out the white meat as soon as it is tender, mincing it fine, and then pounding it in a mortar, adding as you pound it, sufficient of the chicken water to moisten the paste. you may thin it with water till it becomes liquid enough to drink. then put it into a sauce-pan and boil it gently a few minutes. taken in small quantities, it will be found very nutritious. you may add to it a little grated lemon-peel and nutmeg. vegetable soup.--take a white onion, a turnip, a pared potato, and a head of celery, or a large tea-spoonful of celery seed. put the vegetables whole into a quart of water, (adding a little salt,) and boil it slowly till reduced to a pint. make a slice of nice toast; lay it in the bottom of a bowl, and strain the soup over it. onion soup.--put half a pound of the best fresh butter into a stew-pan on the fire, and let it boil till it has done making a noise; then have ready twelve large onions peeled and cut small; throw them into the butter, add a little salt, and stew them a quarter of an hour. then dredge in a little flour, and stir the whole very hard; and in five minutes pour in a quart of boiling water, and some of the upper crust of bread, cut small. let the soup boil ten minutes longer, stirring it often; and after you take it from the fire, stir in the yolks of two beaten eggs, and serve it up immediately. in france this soup is considered a fine restorative after any unusual fatigue. instead of butter, the onions may be boiled in veal or chicken broth. toast and water.--toast some slices of bread very nicely, without allowing them to burn or blacken. then put them into a pitcher, and fill it up with boiling water. let it stand till it is quite cold; then strain it, and put it into a decanter. another way of preparing toast and water is to put the toasted bread into a mug and pour cold water on it. cover it closely, and let it infuse for at least an hour. drink it cold. apple water.--pare and slice a fine juicy apple; pour boiling water over it, cover it, and let it stand till cold. tamarind water.--put tamarinds into a pitcher or tumbler till it is one-third full; then fill it up with cold water, cover it, and let it infuse for a quarter of an hour or more. currant jelly or cranberry juice mixed with water makes a pleasant drink for an invalid. molasses posset.--put into a sauce-pan a pint of the best west india molasses; a tea-spoonful of powdered white ginger; and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. set it on hot coals, and simmer it slowly for half an hour; stirring it frequently. do not let it come to a boil. then stir in the juice of two lemons, or two table-spoonfuls of vinegar; cover the pan and let it stand by the fire five minutes longer. this is good for a cold. some of it may be taken warm at once, and the remainder kept at hand for occasional use. it is the preparation absurdly called by the common people a stewed quaker. half a pint of strained honey mixed cold with the juice of a lemon, and a table-spoonful of sweet oil, is another remedy for a cold; a tea-spoonful or two to be taken whenever the cough is troublesome. flax-seed lemonade.--to a large table-spoonful of flax-seed allow a tumbler and a half of cold water. boil them together till the liquid becomes very sticky. then strain it hot over a quarter of a pound of pulverized sugar candy, and an ounce of pulverized gum arabic. stir it till quite dissolved, and squeeze into it the juice of a lemon. this mixture has frequently been found an efficacious remedy for a cold; taking a wine-glass of it as often as the cough is troublesome. cocoa.--put into a sauce-pan two ounces of good cocoa (the chocolate nut before it is ground) and one quart of water. cover it, and as soon as it has come to a boil, set it on coals by the side of the fire, to simmer for an hour or more. take it hot with dry toast. baker's prepared cocoa is excellent. cocoa shells.--these can be procured at the principal grocers and confectioners, or at a chocolate manufactory. they are the thin shells that envelope the chocolate kernel, and are sold at a low price; a pound contains a very large quantity. soak them in water for five or six hours or more, (it will be better to soak them all night,) and then boil them in the same water. they should boil two hours. strain the liquid when done, and let it be taken warm. raw egg.--break a fresh egg into a saucer, and mix a little sugar with it; also, if approved, a small quantity of wine. beat the whole to a strong froth. it is considered a restorative. soda water.--to forty grains of carbonate of soda, add thirty grains or tartaric acid in small crystals. fill a soda bottle with spring water, put in the mixture, and cork it instantly with a well-fitting cork. seidlitz powders.--fold in a white paper one drachm of rochelle salts. in a blue paper a mixture of twenty grains of tartaric acid, and twenty-five grains of carbonate of soda. they should all be pulverized very fine. put the contents of the white paper into a tumbler not quite half full of cold water, and stir it till dissolved. then put the mixture from the blue paper into another tumbler with the same quantity of water, and stir that also. when the powders are dissolved in both tumblers, pour the first into the other, and it will effervesce immediately. drink it quickly while foaming. bitters.--take two ounces of gentian root, an ounce of virginia snake root, an ounce of the yellow paring of orange peel, and half a drachm of cochineal. steep these ingredients, for a week or more, in a quart of madeira or sherry wine, or brandy. when they are thoroughly infused, strain and filter the liquor, and bottle it for use. this is considered a good tonic, taken in a small cordial glass about noon. essence of peppermint.--mix an ounce of oil of peppermint with a pint of alcohol. then colour it by putting in some leaves of green mint. let it stand till the colour is a fine green; then filter it through blotting paper. drop it on sugar when you take it. essence of pennyroyal, mint, cinnamon, cloves, &c. may all be prepared in the same manner by mixing a portion of the essential oil with a little alcohol. you may obtain liquid camphor by breaking up and dissolving a lump in white brandy or spirit of wine. lavender compound.--fill a quart bottle with lavender blossoms freshly gathered, and put in loosely; then pour in as much of the best brandy as it will contain. let it stand a fortnight, and then strain it. afterwards, mix with it of powdered cloves, mace, nutmeg and cochineal, a quarter of an ounce of each; and cork it up for use in small bottles. when taken, a little should be dropped on a lump of sugar. lead water.--mix two table-spoonfuls of extract of lead with a bottle of rain or river water. then add two table-spoonfuls of brandy, and shake it well. remedy for a burn.[n]--after immediately applying sweet oil, scrape the inside of a raw potato, and lay some of it on the place, securing it with a rag. in a short time put on fresh potato, and repeat this application very frequently. it will give immediate ease, and draw out the fire. of course, if the burn is bad, it is best to send for a physician. footnotes: [n] these remedies are all very simple; but the author _knows_ them to have been efficacious whenever tried. for chilblains.--dip the feet every night and morning in cold water, withdrawing them in a minute or two, and drying them by rubbing them very hard with a coarse towel. to put them immediately into a pail of brine brought from a pickle tub is another excellent remedy when feet are found to be frosted. for corns.--mix together a little indian meal and cold water, till it is about the consistence of thick mush. then bind it on the corn by wrapping a small slip of thin rag round the toe. it will not prevent you from wearing your shoe and stocking. in two or three hours take it off, and you will find the corn much softened. cut off as much of it as is soft with a penknife or scissors. then put on a fresh poultice, and repeat it till the corn is entirely levelled, as it will be after a few regular applications of the remedy; which will be found successful whenever the corn returns. there is no permanent cure for them. warts.--to remove the hard callous horny warts which sometimes appear on the hands of children, touch the wart carefully with a new pen dipped slightly in aqua-fortis. it will give no pain; and after repeating it a few times, the wart will be found so loose as to come off by rubbing it with the finger. ring-worms.--rub mercurial ointment on the ring-worm previous to going to bed, and do not wash it off till morning. it will effect a cure if persevered in; sometimes in less than a week. musquito bites.--salt wetted into a sort of paste, with a little vinegar, and plastered on the bite, will immediately allay the pain; and if not rubbed, no mark will be seen next day. it is well to keep salt and vinegar always in a chamber that is infested with musquitoes. it is also good for the sting of a wasp or bee; and for the bite of any venomous animal, if applied immediately. it should be left on till it becomes dry, and then renewed. antidote for laudanum.--when so large a quantity of laudanum has been swallowed as to produce dangerous effects, the fatal drowsiness has been prevented when all other remedies have failed, by administering a cup of the strongest possible coffee. the patient has revived and recovered, and no ill effects have followed. green ointment.--take two or three large handfuls of the fresh-gathered leaves of the jamestown weed, (called apple peru in new england,) and pound it in a mortar till you have extracted the juice. then put the juice into a tin sauce-pan, mixed with sufficient lard to make a thick salve. stew them together half an hour, and then put the mixture into gallipots and cover it closely. it is excellent to rub on chilblains, and other inflammatory external swellings, applying it several times a day. to stop blood.--for a prick with a pin, or a slight cut, nothing will more effectually stop the bleeding than old cobwebs compressed into a lump and applied to the wound, or bound on it with a rag. a scrap of cotton wadding is also good for stopping blood. or wet the place with laudanum. after the blood is stopped, cover the cut with a bit of white or pink court-plaster. the copperas dye in _black_ court-plaster will sometimes produce inflammation. perfumery, etc. cologne water. procure at a druggists, one drachm of oil of lavender, the same quantity of oil of lemon, of oil of rosemary, and of oil of cinnamon; with two drachms of oil of bergamot, all mixed in the same phial, which should be a new one. shake the oils well, and pour them into a pint of spirits of wine. cork the bottle tightly, shake it hard, and it will be fit for immediate use; though it improves by keeping. you may add to the oils, if you choose, ten drops of the tincture of musk, or ten drops of extract of ambergris. for very fine cologne water, mix together in a new phial oil of lemon, two drachms; oil of bergamot, two drachms; oil of lavender, two drachms; oil of cedrat, one drachm; tincture of benzoin, three drachms; neroli, ten drops; ambergris, ten drops; attar of roses, two drops. pour the mixture into a pint of spirits of wine; cork and shake the bottle and set it away for use. use only what is called absolute alcohol. another receipt for cologne water is to mix with a pint of alcohol, sixty drops or two large tea-spoonfuls of orange-flower water, and the same quantity of the essential oils of lemon, lavender, and bergamot. the alcohol should be inodorous. lavender water.--mix two ounces of essential oil of lavender, and two drachms of essence of ambergris, with a pint of spirits of wine; cork the bottle, and shake it hard every day for a fortnight. use absolute alcohol. hungary water.--mix together one ounce of oil of rosemary and two drachms of essence of ambergris; add them to a pint of spirits of wine. shake it daily for a month, and then transfer it to small bottles. rose vinegar.--fill a stone or china jar with fresh rose leaves put in loosely. then pour on them as much of the best white wine vinegar as the jar will hold. cover it, and set it in the sun, or in some other warm place for three weeks. then strain it through a flannel bag, and bottle it for use. this vinegar will be found very fine for salads, or for any nice purposes. thieves' vinegar.--take a large handful of lavender blossoms, and the same quantity of sage, mint, rue, wormwood and rosemary. chop and mix them well. put them into a jar, with half an ounce of camphor that has been dissolved in a little alcohol, and pour in three quarts of strong clear vinegar. keep the jar for two or three weeks in the hot sun, and at night plunge it into a box of heated sand. afterwards strain and bottle the liquid, putting into each bottle a clove of garlic sliced. to have it very clear, after it has been bottled for a week, you should pour it off carefully from the sediment and filter it through blotting paper. then wash the bottles and return the vinegar to them. it should be kept very tightly corked. it is used for sprinkling about in sick-rooms; and also in close damp oppressive weather. inhaling the odour from a small bottle will frequently prevent faintness in a crowd. it is best to make it in june. this vinegar is so called from an old tradition, that during the prevalence of the plague in london the composition was invented by four thieves, who found it a preservative from contagion; and were by that means enabled to remain in the city and exercise their profession to great advantage, after most of the inhabitants had fled. oil of flowers.--a french process for obtaining essential oils from flowers or herbs has been described as follows:--take carded cotton, or split wadding, and steep it in some pure florence oil, such as is quite clear and has no smell. then place a layer of this cotton in the bottom of a deep china dish, or in an earthen pipkin. cover it with a thick layer of fresh rose leaves, or the leaves of sweet pink, jasmine, wall-flower, tuberose, magnolia blossoms, or any other odoriferous flower or plant from which you wish to obtain the perfume. spread over the flower-leaves another layer of cotton that has been steeped in oil. afterwards a second layer of flowers, and repeat them alternately till the vessel is quite full. cover it closely, and let it stand in the sun for a week. then throw away the flower-leaves, carefully press out the oil from the cotton, and put it into a small bottle for use. the oil will be found to have imbibed the odour of the flowers. keep the scented cotton to perfume your clothes-drawers. balm of gilead oil.--put loosely into a bottle as many balm of gilead flowers as will come up to a third part of its height; then nearly fill up the bottle with sweet oil, which should be of the best quality. let it infuse (shaking it occasionally) for several days, and it will then be fit for use. it is considered a good remedy for bruises of the skin; also for cuts, burns, and scalds that are not very bad, and should be applied immediately by wetting a soft rag with it; renewing it frequently. lip salve.--put into a wide-mouthed bottle four ounces of the best olive oil, with one ounce of the small parts of alkanet root. stop up the bottle, and set it in the sun, (shaking it often,) till you find the liquid of a beautiful crimson. then strain off the oil very clear from the alkanet root, put it into an earthen pipkin, and add to it an ounce of white wax, and an ounce and a half of the best mutton suet, which has been previously clarified, or boiled and skimmed. set the mixture on the embers of coals, and melt it slowly: stirring it well. after it has simmered slowly for a little while, take it off; and while still hot, mix with it a few drops of oil of roses, or of oil of neroli, or tincture of musk. cold cream.--cut up a shilling cake of white wax; put it into a clean sauce-pan with an ounce of oil of sweet almonds, and two large table-spoonfuls of lard. boil and stir it well. when you take it off the fire, beat in an ounce of orange-flower, or rose-water. put it up in gallicups with covers. soft pomatum.--soak half a pound of fresh lard and a quarter of a pound of beef marrow in water for two or three days; squeezing and pressing it every day, and changing the water. afterwards drain off the water, and put the lard and marrow into a sieve to dry. then transfer it to a jar, and set the jar into a pot of boiling water. when the mixture is melted, put it into a basin, and beat it with two spoonfuls of brandy. then drain off the brandy, perfume the pomatum by mixing with it any scented essence that you please, and tie it up in gallipots. cosmetic paste.--take a quarter of a pound of castile soap, and cut it into small pieces. then put it into a tin or porcelain sauce-pan, with just water enough to moisten it well, and set it on hot coals. let it simmer till it is entirely dissolved; stirring it till it becomes a smooth paste, and thickening it with indian meal, (which even in a raw state is excellent for the hands.) then take it from the fire, and when cool scent it with rose-water, or with any fragrant essence you please. beat and stir it hard with a silver spoon, and when it is thoroughly mixed put it into little pots with covers. acid salt.--this is the composition commonly, but erroneously called salt of lemon, and is excellent for removing ink and other stains from the hands, and for taking ink spots out of white clothes. pound together in a marble mortar an ounce of salt of sorrel, and an ounce of the best cream of tartar, mixing them thoroughly. then put it in little wooden boxes or covered gallipots, and rub it on your hands when they are stained, washing them in cold water, and using the acid salt instead of soap; a very small quantity will immediately remove the stain. in applying it to linen or muslin that is spotted with ink or fruit juice, hold the stained part tightly stretched over a cup or bowl of boiling water. then with your finger rub on the acid salt till the stain disappears. it must always be done before the article is washed. this mixture costs about twenty-five cents, and the above quantity (if kept dry) will be sufficient, for a year or more. ink stains may frequently be taken out of white clothes by rubbing on (before they go to the wash) some bits of cold tallow picked from the bottom of a mould candle. leave the tallow sticking on in a lump, and when the article comes from the wash, it will generally be found that the spot has disappeared. this experiment is so easy and so generally successful that it is always worth trying. when it fails, it is in consequence of some peculiarity in the composition of the ink. sweet jars.--take a china jar, and put into it three handfuls of fresh damask rose-leaves; three of sweet pinks, three of wall-flowers, and stock gilly-flowers, and equal proportions of any other fragrant flowers that you can procure. place them in layers; strewing powdered orris-root thickly between each layer. you may fill another jar with equal quantities of lavender, knotted marjoram, rosemary, lemon-thyme, balm of gilead, lemon-peel, and smaller quantities of laurel leaves and mint; and some sliced orris-root. you may mix with the herbs, (which must all be chopped,) powdered cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg; strewing powdered orris-root between the layers. flowers, herbs, and spice may all be mixed in the same jar; adding always some orris root. every thing that is put in should be perfectly free from damp. the jar should be kept closely covered, except when the cover is occasionally removed for the purpose of diffusing the scent through the room. scented bags.--take a quarter of a pound of coriander seeds, a quarter of a pound of orris root, a quarter of a pound of aromatic calamus, a quarter of a pound of damask rose leaves, two ounces of lavender blossoms, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, and two drachms of musk-powder. beat them all separately in a mortar, and then mix them well together. make small silk or satin bags; fill each with a portion of the mixture, and sew them closely all round. lay them among your clothes in the drawers. violet perfume.--drop twelve drops of genuine oil of rhodium on a lump of loaf-sugar. then pound the sugar in a marble mortar with two ounces of orris root powder. this will afford an excellent imitation of the scent of violets. if you add more oil of rhodium, it will produce a rose perfume. sew up the powder in little silk bags, or keep it in a tight box. durable ink.--take, when empty, one of the little bottles that has contained indelible ink, such as is sold in cases, and wash and rinse it clean. put into it two inches of lunar caustic; fill it up with soft water and cork it tightly. this is the marking ink. prepare the larger bottle that has contained the liquid used for the first wash, by making it quite clean. take a large tea-spoonful of salt of tartar, and a lump of gum arabic the size of a hickory nut. put them into the wash bottle, and fill it up with clear rain water. cork both bottles tightly, and set them three days in the sun. always put them in the sun before using it. linen cannot be marked well with durable ink unless the weather is clear and dry. dip a camel's hair pencil in the large bottle that contains the gum liquid, and wash over with it a small space on a corner of the linen, about large enough to contain the name. dry it in the sun, and let it alone till next day. then take a very good pen, and with the ink from the smallest bottle, write the name you intend, on the place that has been prepared by the first liquid. this also must be dried in the sun. see that the bottles are always well corked, and keep them in a covered box. after the linen is dried, iron it before you write on it. another durable ink.--for the marking liquid--rub together in a small mortar five scruples of lunar caustic with one drachm of gum arabic, one scruple of sap-green and one ounce of rain water. keep the bottle three days in the sun. for wetting the linen--mix together a quarter of an ounce of salt of soda, a heaped table-spoonful of powdered gum arabic, and two ounces of hot water. to keep pearl-ash.--take three ounces of pearl-ash, and put it into a clean black bottle with a pint and a half (not more) of soft water. the proportion is an ounce of pearl-ash to half a pint of water. cork it very tightly, shake it, and it will be fit for use as soon as all the pearl-ash is dissolved. a table-spoonful of this liquid is equal to a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in the lump or powder. keeping it ready dissolved will be found very convenient. almond paste.--blanch half a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and a quarter of a pound of bitter ones, and beat them in a mortar to a smooth paste--adding by degrees a jill of rose or orange-flower water. then beat in, gradually, half a pound of clear strained honey. when the whole is well incorporated, put it into gallipots, pouring on the top of each some orange-flower or rose-water. keep it closely covered. this is a celebrated cosmetic for the hands. miscellaneous receipts. minced oysters.--take fifty fine large oysters, and mince them raw. chop also four or five small pickled cucumbers, and a bunch of parsley. grate about two tea-cupfuls of stale bread-crumbs, and beat up the yolks of four eggs. mix the whole together in a thick batter, seasoning it with cayenne and powdered mace; and with a little salt if the oysters are fresh. have ready a pound of lard, and melt in the frying-pan enough of it to fry the oysters well. if the lard is in too small a quantity they will be flat and tough. when the lard is boiling hot in the pan, put in about a table-spoonful at a time of the oyster-mixture, and fry it in the form of small fritters; turning them so as to brown on both sides. serve them up hot, and eat them with small bread rolls. stewed black fish.--flour a deep dish, and lay in the bottom a piece of butter rolled in flour. then sprinkle it with a mixture of parsley, sweet marjoram, and green onion; all chopped fine. take your black fish and rub it inside and outside with a mixture of cayenne, salt, and powdered cloves and mace. place skewers across the dish, and lay the fish upon them. then pour in a little wine, and sufficient water to stew the fish. set the dish in a moderate oven, and let it cook slowly for an hour. shad or rock fish may be dressed in the same manner. fried smelts.--these little fish are considered extremely fine. before they are cooked, cut off the heads and tails. sprinkle the smelts with flour, and have ready in a frying pan over the fire plenty of fresh lard or butter. when it boils, put in the fish and fry them. broiled sweetbreads.--split open and skewer the sweetbreads; season them with pepper and salt, and with powdered mace. broil them on a gridiron till thoroughly done. while they are broiling, prepare some melted butter seasoned with mace and a little white wine, or mushroom catchup; and have ready some toast with the crust cut off. lay the toast in the bottom of a dish; place the sweetbreads upon it, and pour over them the drawn butter. pickled eggs.--boil twelve eggs quite hard, and lay them in cold water; having peeled off the shells. then put them whole into a stone jar, with a quarter of an ounce of whole mace, and the same quantity of cloves; a sliced nutmeg; a table-spoonful of whole pepper; a small bit of ginger; and a peach leaf. fill up the jar with boiling vinegar; cover it closely that the eggs may cool slowly. when they are cold, tie up the jar; covering the cork with leather. after it has stood three days pour off the pickle, boil it up again, and return it boiling hot to the eggs and spice. they will be fit for use in a fortnight. gumbo soup.--take four pounds of the lean of a fresh round of beef and cut the meat into small pieces, avoiding carefully all the fat. season the meat with a little pepper and salt, and put it on to boil with three quarts and a pint of water (not more.) boil it slowly and skim it well. when no more scum rises, put in half a peck of ochras, peeled and sliced, and half a peck of tomatas cut in quarters. boil it slowly till the ochras and tomatas are entirely dissolved, and the meat all to rags. then strain it through a cullender, and send it to table with slices of dry toast. this soup cannot be made in less than seven or eight hours. if you dine at two you must put on the meat to boil at six or seven in the morning. it should be as thick as a jelly. shrewsbury cakes.--rub three quarters of a pound of butter into two pounds of sifted flour, and mix in half a pound of powdered sugar, and half a pound of currants, washed and dried. wet it to a stiff paste with rich milk. roll it out, and cut it into cakes. lay them on buttered baking sheets, and put them into a moderate oven. rice flummery.--to two quarts of milk allow half a pound of ground rice. take out one pint of the milk, and mix the rice gradually with it into a batter; making it quite smooth and free from lumps. put the three pints of milk into a skillet, (with a bunch of peach leaves or a few peach-kernels,) and let it come to a boil. then while it is still boiling, stir in by degrees the rice batter, taking care not to have it lumpy; add sugar, mace, and rose brandy to your taste; or you may flavour it with the juice of a large lemon. when it has boiled sufficiently, and is quite thick, strain it, and put it into a mould to congeal. make a rich boiled custard, (flavoured in the same manner,) and send it to table in a pitcher, to eat with the flummery. both should be cold. if you mould it in tea-cups, turn it out on a deep dish, and pour the custard round it. apple butter without cider--mix together ten gallons of water, and ten gallons of the best west india molasses. put it into a large kettle over a good fire; let it come to a hard boil, and skim it as long as any scum continues to rise. then take out half the liquid, and put it into a tub. have ready eight bushels of fine sound apples, pared, cored and quartered. throw them gradually into the liquid that is still boiling on the fire. let it continue to boil hard, and as it thickens, add by degrees the other half of the molasses and water, (that which has been put into the tub.) stir it frequently to prevent its scorching, and to make it of equal consistence throughout. boil it ten or twelve hours, continuing to stir it. at night take it out of the kettle, and set it in tubs to cool; covering it carefully. wash out the kettle and wipe it very dry. next morning boil the apple butter six or eight hours longer; it should boil eighteen hours altogether. then an hour before you take it finally out, stir in a pound of mixed spice cloves, mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg, all finely powdered. when entirely done, put up the apple butter in stone or earthen jars. it will keep a year or more. it can, of course, be made in a smaller quantity than that given in the above receipt; and also at any time in the winter; fresh cider not being an ingredient, as in the most usual way of making apple butter. an apple pot pie.--make a paste, allowing a pound of butter, or of chopped suet to two pounds and a quarter of flour. have ready a sufficient quantity of fine juicy acid apples, pared, cored, and sliced. mix with them brown sugar enough to sweeten them, a few cloves, and some slips of lemon-peel. butter the sides of an iron pot, and line them with paste. then put in the apples, interspersing them with thin squares of paste, and add a very little water. cover the whole with a thick lid of paste, cutting a slit in the centre for the water to bubble up, and let it boil two hours. when done, serve it up on a large dish, and eat it with butter and sugar. pudding catchup.--mix together half a pint of noyau; a pint of sherry or other white wine; the yellow peel of four lemons, pared thin; and half an ounce of mace. put the whole into a large bottle, and let it stand for two or three weeks. then strain it, and add half a pint of capillaire or strong sugar syrup; or of curaçoa. bottle it, and it will keep two or three years. it may be used for various sweet dishes, but chiefly for pudding-sauce mixed with melted butter. cura�oa.--grate as much fresh orange-peel as will make two ounces when done; the peel of fresh shaddock will be still better. mix it with a pint of orange juice. put it into a quart of the strongest and clearest rectified spirit; shake it, let it infuse for a fortnight, and strain it. then make a syrup by dissolving a pound of the best loaf-sugar in a pint of cold water, adding to it the beaten white of an egg, and boiling and skimming it till the scum ceases to rise. mix the syrup with the strained liquor. let it stand till next day, and then filter it through white blotting paper fastened to the bottom of a sieve. curaçoa is a great improvement to punch; also a table-spoonful of it in a tumbler of water makes a very refreshing summer drink. patent yeast.--boil half a pound of fresh hops in four quarts of water, till the liquid is reduced to two quarts. strain it, and mix in sufficient wheat flour to make a thin batter; adding half a pint of strong fresh yeast, (brewer's yeast, if it can be procured.) when it is done fermenting, pour it into a pan, and stir in sufficient indian meal to make a moderately stiff dough. cover it, and set it in a warm place to rise. when it has become very light, roll it out into a thick sheet, and cut it into little cakes. spread them out on a dish, and let them dry gradually in a cool place where there is no sun. turn them five or six times a day while drying; and when they are quite dry, put them into paper bags, and keep them in a jar or box closely covered, in a place that is not in the least damp. when you want the yeast for use, dissolve in a little warm water one or more of the cakes, (in proportion to the quantity of bread you intend making,) and when it is quite dissolved, stir it hard, thicken it with a little flour, cover it, and place it near the fire to rise before you use it. then mix it with the flour in the usual manner of preparing bread. this is a very convenient way of preserving yeast through the summer, or of conveying it to a distance. to dry herbs.--by drying herbs with artificial heat as quickly as possible, you preserve their scent and flavour much better than when they are dried slowly by exposing them to the sun and air; a process by which a large portion of their strength evaporates. all sorts of herbs are in the greatest perfection just before they begin to flower. gather them on a dry day, and place them in an oven, which must not be hot enough to discolour, scorch, or burn them. when they are quite dry, take them out, and replace them with others. pick the leaves from the stems, (which may be thrown away,) and put them into bottles or jars; cork them tightly, and keep them in a dry place. those that are used in cookery should be kept in a kitchen closet. peach kernels.--when peaches are in season, have in a convenient place an old basket or something of the sort, in which all the peach stones can be saved; they are too useful to be thrown away. then have them carefully cracked, so as to extract the kernels whole if possible. spread them out on a dish for one day. then put them into a box or jar, and keep them to use as bitter almonds; for which they are an excellent substitute in flavouring custards, creams and cakes. plum stones are worth saving in the same manner. lemon-peel.--never throw away the rind of a lemon. keep a wide-mouthed bottle half full of brandy, and put into it (cut in pieces) all the lemon-rind that you do not immediately want. as the white part of the rind is of no use, it will be best to pare off the yellow very thin, and put that alone into the brandy, which will thus imbibe a very fine lemon flavour, and may be used for many nice purposes. to keep tomatas.--take fine ripe tomatas, and wipe them dry, taking care not to break the skin. put them into a stone jar with cold vinegar, adding a small thin muslin bag filled with mace, whole cloves, and whole peppers. then cork the jar tightly with a cork that has been dipped in melted rosin, and put it away in a dry place. tomatas pickled in this manner keep perfectly well and retain their colour. for this purpose use the small round button tomatas. morella cherries may be pickled thus, in cold vinegar. additional receipts. french green pea soup.--this soup is made without meat. put into a soup-pot four quarts of shelled green peas, two large onions sliced, a handful of leaves of sweet marjoram shred from the stalks, or a handful of sweet basil; or a mixed handful of both--also, if you like it, a handful of green mint. add four quarts of water, and boil the whole slowly till all the peas are entirely to pieces. then take off the pot, and mash the peas well against its sides to extract from them all their flavour. afterward strain off the liquid into a clean pot, and add to it a tea-cup full of the juice of spinach, which you must prepare, while the soup is boiling, by pounding some spinach in a mortar. this will give the soup a fine green colour. then put in a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter rolled whole in flour; and add a pint and a half more of shelled young peas. if you wish the soup very thick, you may allow a quart of the additional peas. season it with a very little salt and cayenne; put it again over the fire, and boil it till the last peas are quite soft, but not till they go to pieces. have ready in a tureen two or three slices of toasted bread cut into small squares or dice, and pour the soup on it. this soup, if properly made, will be found excellent, notwithstanding the absence of meat. it is convenient for fast days; and in the country, where vegetables can be obtained from the garden, the expense will be very trifling. what is left may be warmed for the next day. giblet soup.--take three pounds of shin of beef or of neck of mutton. cut off the meat and break the bones. then put the meat with the bones into a soup-pot, with a tea-spoonful of salt, and three quarts of water. add a bunch of sweet marjoram, one of sweet basil, and a quarter of an ounce of black pepper-corns, all tied in a thin muslin rag; a sliced onion, and six or eight turnips and carrots, cut small. let the whole boil slowly for two or three hours, skimming it well. in the mean time, have ready two sets of goose-giblets, or four of duck. they must be scalded, and well washed in warm water. cut off the bills, and split the heads; and cut the necks and gizzards into mouthfuls. having taken the meat and bones out of the soup, put in the giblets, with a head of celery chopped. boil it slowly an hour and a half, or more, taking care to skim it. make a thickening of an ounce and a half of butter, and a large table-spoonful of flour, mixed together with a little of the soup. then stir it into the pot, adding a large table-spoonful of mushroom catchup, and some small force-meat balls, or little dumplings. boil the soup half an hour longer. then send it to table with the giblets in the tureen. gumbo.--take an equal quantity of young tender ochras and of ripe tomatas, (for instance, a quarter of a peck of each.) chop the ochras fine, and scald and peel the tomatas. put them into a stew-pan without any water. add a lump of butter, and a very little salt and pepper; and, if you choose, an onion minced fine. let it stew steadily for an hour. then strain it, and send it to table as soup in a tureen. it should be like a jelly, and is a favourite new orleans dish. eat dry toast with it. this gumbo is for fast days. ham omelet.--take six ounces of cold boiled ham, and mince it very fine, adding a little pepper. beat separately the whites and yolks of six eggs, and then mix them together; add to them gradually the minced ham. beat the whole very hard, and do not let it stand a moment after it is thoroughly mixed. have ready some boiling lard in a frying-pan, and put in the omelet immediately. fry it about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour. when done, put it on a hot dish, trim off the edges, and fold it over in a half moon. send it to table hot, and covered. it is eaten at breakfast. if you wish a soft omelet, (not to fold over,) fry it a shorter time, and serve it in a deep dish, to be helped with a spoon. a similar omelet may be made of the lean of a cold smoked tongue. batter pudding.--take a quart of milk, and stir into it gradually eight large table-spoonfuls of flour, carefully pressing out all the lumps with the back of the spoon. beat eight eggs very light, and add them by degrees to the milk and flour. then stir the whole very well together. dip your pudding-cloth into boiling water, and then dredge it with flour. pour in the pudding, and tie it tightly, leaving room for it to swell. put it into a pot full of boiling water, and boil it hard for two hours. keep it in the pot till it is time to send it to table. serve it up with wine-sauce, butter and sugar, or molasses and cold butter. peach mangoes.--take free-stone peaches of the largest size, (when they are full grown, but not quite ripe,) and lay them in salt and water for two days, covered with a board to keep them down. then take them out, wipe them dry, cut them open, and extract the stones. mix together, to your taste, minced garlic, scraped horse-radish, bruised mustard seed, and cloves; and a little ginger-root soaked in water to soften, and then sliced. fill the cavity of the peaches with this mixture. then tie them round with pack-thread, and put them into a stone jar till it is two-thirds full. strew among them some whole cloves, broken cinnamon, and a little cochineal. season some cold vinegar, (allowing to each quart a jill of fresh made mustard, and a little ginger, and nutmeg,) and having mixed this pickle well, fill up the jar with it. broiled tomatas.--take large ripe tomatas; wipe them, and split them in half. broil them on a gridiron till brown, turning them when half done. have ready in a dish some butter seasoned with a little pepper. when the tomatas are well broiled, put them into the dish, and press each a little with the back of a spoon, so that the juice may run into the butter and mix with it. this is to make the gravy. send them to table hot. tomatas are very good sliced, and fried in butter. preserved tomatas.--take large fine tomatas, (not too ripe,) and scald them to make the skins come off easily. weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of the best white sugar, and the grated peel of half a lemon. put all together into a preserving kettle, and having boiled it slowly for three hours, (skimming it carefully,) add the juice of the lemons, and boil it an hour longer. then put the whole into jars, and when cool cover and tie them up closely. this is a cheap and excellent sweetmeat; but the lemon must on no account be omitted. it may be improved by boiling a little ginger with the other ingredients. tomata honey.--to each pound of tomatas, allow the grated peel of a lemon and six fresh peach-leaves. boil them slowly till they are all to pieces; then squeeze and strain them through a bag. to each pint of liquid allow a pound of loaf-sugar, and the juice of one lemon. boil them together half an hour, or till they become a thick jelly. then put it into glasses, and lay double tissue paper closely over the top. it will be scarcely distinguishable from real honey. preserved cucumbers.--your cucumbers should be well shaped, and all of the same size. spread the bottom and sides of a preserving kettle with a thick layer of vine leaves. then put in the cucumbers with a little alum broken small. cover them thickly with vine leaves, and then with a dish. fill up the kettle with water, and let them hang over a slow fire till next morning, but do not allow the water to boil. next day, take them out, cool them, and repeat the process with fresh vine leaves, till the cucumbers are a fine green. when cold drain them, cut a small piece out of the flat side, and extract the seeds. wipe the cucumbers in a dry cloth, and season the inside with a mixture of bruised mace and grated lemon-peel. tie on with a pack-thread the bit that was cut out. weigh them, and to every pound of cucumbers allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put the sugar into a preserving kettle, a half pint of water to each pound, and the beaten white of an egg to every two pounds. boil and skim the sugar till quite clear, adding sliced ginger and lemon parings to your taste. when cool, pour it over the cucumbers, and let them lie in it two days, keeping them covered with a plate, and a weight on it to press it down. then boil up the syrup again, adding one-half as much sugar, &c. as you had at first; and at the last the juice and grated peel of two lemons for every six cucumbers. the lemon must boil in the syrup but ten minutes. then strain the syrup all over the cucumbers, and put them up in glass jars. if they are not quite clear, boil them in a third syrup. small green melons may be preserved in this manner. apple rice pudding.--wash half a pint of rice, and boil it till soft and dry. pare, core, and cut up six large juicy apples, and stew them in as little water as possible. when they are quite tender, take them out, and mash them with six table-spoonfuls of brown sugar. when the apples and rice are both cold, mix them together. have ready five eggs beaten very light, and add them gradually to the other ingredients, with five or six drops of essence of lemon, and a grated nutmeg. or you may substitute for the essence, the grated peel and the juice of one large lemon. beat the whole very hard after it is all mixed; tie it tightly in a cloth, (leaving but a very small space for it to swell,) and stopping up the tying place with a lump of flour moistened to paste with water. put it into a pot of boiling water, and boil it fast for half an hour. send it to table hot, and eat it with sweetened cream, or with beaten butter and sugar. baked apple dumplings.--take large, fine, juicy apples, and pare and core them, leaving them as whole as possible. put them into a kettle with sufficient water to cover them, and let them parboil a quarter of an hour. then take them out, and drain them on a sieve. prepare a paste in the proportion of a pound of butter to two pounds of flour, as for plain pies. roll it out into a sheet, and cut it into equal portions according to your number of apples. place an apple on each, and fill up the hole from whence the core was extracted with brown sugar moistened with lemon-juice, or with any sort of marmalade. then cover the apple with the paste, closing it neatly. place the dumplings side by side in buttered square pans, (not so as to touch,) and bake them of a light brown. serve them warm or cool, and eat them with cream sauce. they will be found very good. indian loaf cake.--mix a tea-cup full of powdered white sugar with a quart of rich milk, and cut up in the milk two ounces of butter, adding a salt-spoonful of salt. put this mixture into a covered pan or skillet, and set it on coals till it is scalding hot. then take it off, and scald with it as much yellow indian meal (previously sifted) as will make it of the consistence of thick boiled mush. beat the whole very hard for a quarter of an hour, and then set it away to cool. while it is cooling, beat three eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture when it is about as warm as new milk. add a tea-cup full of good strong yeast, and beat the whole another quarter of an hour--for much of the goodness of this cake depends on its being long and well beaten. then have ready a turban mould or earthen pan with a pipe in the centre, (to diffuse the heat through the middle of the cake.) the pan must be very well buttered, as indian meal is apt to stick. put in the mixture, cover it, and set it in a warm place to rise. it should be light in about four hours. then bake it two hours in a moderate oven. when done, turn it out with the broad surface downwards, and send it to table hot and whole. cut it into slices, and eat it with butter. this will be found an excellent cake. if wanted for breakfast, mix it, and set it to rise the night before. if properly made, standing all night will not injure it. like all indian cakes, (of which this is one of the best,) it should be eaten warm. it will be much improved by adding to the mixture, a salt-spoon of pearl-ash, or sal-aratus, dissolved in a little water. plain cider cake.--sift into a large pan a pound and a half of flour, and rub into it half a pound of butter. mix in three-quarters of a pound of powdered white sugar, and melt a small tea-spoonful of sal-aratus or pearl-ash in a pint of the best cider. pour the cider into the other ingredients while it is foaming, and stir the whole very hard. have ready a buttered square pan, put in the mixture, and set it immediately in a rather brisk oven. bake it an hour or more, according to its thickness. this is a tea cake, and should be eaten fresh. cut it into squares, split and butter them. tennessee muffins.--sift three pints of yellow indian meal, and put one-half into a pan and scald it. add a good piece of butter. beat six eggs, whites and yolks separately. the yolks must be beaten till they become very thick and smooth, and the whites till they are a stiff froth that stands alone. when the scalded meal is cold, mix it into a batter with the beaten yolk of egg, the remainder of the meal, a salt-spoonful of salt, and, if necessary, a little water. the batter must be quite thick. at the last, stir in, lightly and slowly, the beaten white of egg. grease your muffin rings, and set them in an oven of the proper heat; put in the batter immediately, as standing will injure it. send them to table hot; pull them open, and eat them with butter. hoe cake.--beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and sift into a pan a quart of wheat flour, adding a salt-spoon of salt. make a hole in the middle, and mix in the white of egg so as to form a thick batter, and then add two table-spoonfuls of the best fresh yeast. cover it, and let it stand all night. in the morning, take a hoe-iron (such as are made purposely for cakes) and prop it before the fire till it is well heated. then flour a tea-saucer, and filling it with batter, shake it about, and clap it to the hoe, (which must be previously greased,) and the batter will adhere till it is baked. repeat this with each cake. keep them hot, and eat them with butter. milk toast.--boil a pint of rich milk, and then take it off, and stir into it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, mixed with a small table-spoonful of flour. then let it again come to a boil. have ready two deep plates with half a dozen slices of toast in each. pour the milk over them hot, and keep them covered till they go to table. milk toast is generally eaten at breakfast. potato yeast.--pare half a dozen middle-sized potatoes, and boil them in a quart of soft water, mixed with a handful of hops, till quite soft. then mash the potatoes smooth, not leaving in a single lump. mix with them a handful of wheat flour. set a sieve over the pan in which you have the flour and mashed potatoes, and strain into them the hop-water in which they were boiled. then stir the mixture very hard, and afterwards pass it through a cullender to clear it of lumps. let it stand till it is nearly cold. then stir in four table-spoonfuls of strong yeast, and let it stand to ferment. when the foam has sunk down in the middle, (which will not be for several hours,) it is done working. then put it into a stone jug and cork it. set it in a cool place. this yeast will be found extremely good for raising home-made bread. yeast when it becomes sour may be made fit to use by stirring into it a little sal-eratus, or pearl-ash, allowing a small tea-spoonful to a pint of yeast. this will remove the acidity, and improve the bread in lightness. the pearl-ash must be previously melted in a little lukewarm water. cream cheese.--the cheese so called, of which numbers are brought to philadelphia market, is not made entirely of cream, but of milk warm from the cow, (and therefore unskimmed,) mixed with cream of last night. to a small tub of fresh morning's milk, add the cream skimmed from an equal quantity of last evening's milk. mix the cream and the new milk together, and warm them to about blood-heat or degrees of the thermometer. have ready a cup of water in which has been soaking, since last night, a piece of rennet, (the salt wiped off,) about the length and breadth of two fingers. stir the rennet-water into the vessel of mixed milk and cream, and set it in a warm place till the curd has completely formed. then, with a knife, cut the curd into squares. next, take a large, thin, straining-cloth, and press it down on the curd so as to make the whey rise up through it. as the whey rises, dip it off with a saucer or skimming dish. when the whey is nearly all out, put the curd into the cloth, and squeeze and press it with your hands till it becomes dry. next, crumble the curd very fine with your hands, and then salt it to your taste. then wash the straining-cloth clean, and lay it in the cheese-hoop (a bottomless vessel, about the size of a dinner-plate, perforated with small gimlet-holes) put the crumbled curd into the cloth, and then fold the rest of the cloth closely over it. the cheese-hoop should be set on a clean wooden bench or table. place on it its round wooden cover, so as to fit exactly; and lay on the top two bricks or a heavy stone. after it has stood six hours in the hoop or mould, turn it, and let it stand six hours longer. when you take out the cheese, rub it all over with a little fresh butter. set it in a dark, dry place, turning it every day, and in four or five days it will be fit for use. when once cut, it should be eaten immediately, if the weather is warm. but while uncut, it may keep a week in a cold place, provided it is turned several times a-day. almond bread.--blanch, and pound in a mortar, half a pound of shelled sweet almonds till they are a smooth paste, adding rose-water as you pound them. they should be done the day before they are wanted. prepare a pound of loaf-sugar finely powdered, a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, (mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon,) and three-quarters of a pound of sifted flour. take fourteen eggs, and separate the whites from the yolks. leave out seven of the whites, and beat the other seven to a stiff froth. beat the yolks till very thick and smooth, and then beat the sugar gradually into them, adding the spice. next stir in the white of egg, then the flour, and lastly the almonds. add the juice of a large lemon. put the mixture into a square tin pan, (well buttered,) or into a copper or tin turban-mould, and set it immediately in a brisk oven. ice it when cool. it is best if eaten fresh. you may add a few bitter almonds to the sweet ones. custard cakes.--mix together a pound of sifted flour and a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. divide into four a pound of fresh butter; mix one-fourth of it with the flour, and make it into a dough. then roll it out, and put in the three remaining divisions of the butter at three more rollings. set the paste in a cool place till the custard is ready. for the custard, beat very light the yolk only of eight eggs, and then stir them gradually into a pint of rich cream, adding three ounces of powdered white sugar, a grated nutmeg, and ratafia, peach-water, or essence of lemon, to your taste. put the mixture into a deep dish; set it in an iron baking pan or a dutch oven half full of boiling water, and bake it a quarter of an hour. then put it to cool. in the mean time roll out the paste into a thin sheet; cut it into little round cakes about the size of a dollar, and bake them on flat tins. when they are done, spread some of the cakes thickly with the custard, and lay others on the top of them, making them fit closely in the manner of lids. you may bake the paste in patty-pans like shells, and put in the custard after they come out of the oven. if the custard is baked in the paste, it will be clammy and heavy at the bottom. you may flavour the custard with vanilla. honey ginger cake.--rub together a pound of sifted flour and three-quarters of a pound of fresh butter. mix in, a tea-cup of fine brown sugar, two large table-spoonfuls of strong ginger, and (if you like them) two table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. having beaten five eggs, add them to the mixture alternately with a pint of strained honey; stirring in towards the last a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, that has been melted in a very little vinegar. having beaten or stirred the mixture long enough to make it perfectly light, transfer it to a square iron or block-tin pan, (which must be well buttered,) put it into a moderate oven, and bake it an hour or more, in proportion to its thickness. when cool, cut it into squares. it is best if eaten fresh, but it will keep very well a week. rock cake.--blanch three-quarters of a pound of shelled sweet almonds, and bruise them fine in a mortar, but not to a smooth paste as for maccaroons. add, as you pound them, a little rose-water. beat to a stiff froth the whites of four eggs, and then beat in gradually a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. add the juice of a lemon. then mix in the pounded almonds. flour your hands, and make the mixture into little cones or pointed cakes. spread sheets of damp, thin, white paper on buttered sheets of tin, and put the rock cakes on it, rather far apart. sprinkle each with powdered loaf-sugar. bake them of a pale brown, in a brisk oven. they will be done in a few minutes. when cold, take them off the papers. frozen custard.--slice a vanilla bean, and boil it slowly in half a pint of milk, till all the strength is extracted and the milk highly flavoured with the vanilla. then strain it, and set it aside. mix a quart of cream and a pint of milk, or, if you cannot procure cream, take three pints of rich milk, and put them into a skillet or sauce-pan. set it on hot coals, and boil it. when it has come to a boil, mix a table-spoonful of flour in three table-spoonfuls of milk, and stir it into the boiling liquid. afterwards add six eggs, (which have been beaten up with two table-spoonfuls of milk,) pouring them slowly into the mixture. take care to stir it all the time it is boiling. five minutes after, stir in gradually half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and then the decoction of vanilla. having stirred it hard a few moments, take it off the fire, and set it to cool. when quite cold, put it into a mould and freeze it, as you would ice-cream, for which it frequently passes. you may flavour it with the juice of two large lemons, stirred in just before you take it from the fire, or with a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds, blanched, pounded in a mortar with rose-water, and then boiled in half a pint of milk, till the flavour is extracted. then use the milk only. cherry cordial.--take a bushel of fine ripe cherries, either red or black, or mixed; stone them, put them into a clean wooden vessel, and mash them with a mallet or beetle. then boil them about ten minutes, and strain the juice. to each quart of juice allow a quart of water, a pound of sugar, and a quart of brandy. boil in the water (before you mix it with the juice) two ounces of cloves, and four ounces of cinnamon; then strain out the spice. put the mixture into a stone jug, or a demijohn, and cork it tightly. bottle it in two or three months. common ice cream.--split into pieces a vanilla bean, and boil it in a very little milk till the flavour is well extracted; then strain it. mix two table-spoonfuls of arrow-root powder, or the same quantity of fine powdered starch with just sufficient cold milk to make it a thin paste; rubbing it till quite smooth. mix together a pint of cream and a pint of rich milk; and afterwards stir in the preparation of arrow-root, and the milk in which the vanilla has been boiled. beat it very hard, stir in half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, beating it very hard again. then strain it, and put it into a freezer placed in a tub that has a hole in the bottom to let out the water; and surround the freezer on all sides with ice broken finely, and mixed with coarse salt. beat the cream hard for half an hour. then let it rest; occasionally taking off the cover, and scraping down with a long spoon the cream that sticks to the sides. when it is well frozen, transfer it to a mould; surround it with fresh salt and ice, and then freeze it over again. if you wish to flavour it with lemon instead of vanilla, take a large lump of the sugar before you powder it, and rub it on the outside of a large lemon till the yellow is all rubbed off upon the sugar. then, when the sugar is all powdered, mix with it the juice of two large lemons. for strawberry ice cream, mix with the powdered sugar the juice of a quart of ripe strawberries squeezed through a linen bag. pink champagne jelly.--beat up the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and then stir it hard into three wine-glasses of filtered water. put twelve ounces of the best double-refined loaf-sugar (powdered fine and sifted) into a skillet lined with porcelain. pour on it the white of egg and water, and stir it till dissolved. then add twelve grains of cochineal powder. set it over a moderate fire, and boil it and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. then strain it through a very fine sieve. have ready an ounce and a half of isinglass that has been boiled in a little water till quite dissolved. strain it, and while the boiled sugar is lukewarm mix it with the isinglass, adding a pint of pink champagne and the juice of a large lemon. run it through a linen bag into a mould. when it has congealed so as to be quite firm, wrap a wet cloth round the outside of the mould, and turn out the jelly into a glass dish; or serve it broken up, in jelly glasses, or glass cups. jelly may be made in a similar manner of madeira, marasquin, or noyau. a charlotte russe.--boil in half a pint of milk a split vanilla bean, till all the flavour is extracted. then strain the milk, and when it is cold stir into it the yolks of four beaten eggs, and a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. simmer this custard five minutes over hot coals, but do not let it come to a boil. then set it away to cool. having boiled an ounce of the best russian isinglass in a pint of water till it is entirely dissolved and the water reduced to one-half, strain it into the custard, stir it hard, and set it aside to get quite cold. whip to a stiff froth a quart of rich cream, taking it off in spoonfuls as you do it, and putting it to drain on an inverted sieve. when the custard is quite cold, (but not yet set or congealing,) stir the whipt cream gradually into it. take a circular mould of the shape of a drum, the sides being straight. cut to fit it two round slices from the top and bottom of an almond sponge-cake; glaze them with white of egg, and lay one on at the bottom of the mould, reserving the other for the top. you can get the mould at a tinner's. having thus covered the bottom, line the sides of the mould with more of the sponge-cake, cut into long squares and glazed all over with white of egg. they must be placed so as to stand up all round--each wrapping a little over the other so as to leave not the smallest vacancy between; and they must be cut exactly the height of the mould, and trimmed evenly. then fill up with the custard and cream when it is just beginning to congeal; and cover the top with the other round slice of cake. set the mould in a tub of pounded ice mixed with coarse salt; and let it remain forty minutes, or near an hour. then turn out the charlotte on a china dish. have ready an icing, made in the usual manner of beaten white of egg and powdered sugar, flavoured with essence of lemon. spread it smoothly over the top of the charlotte, which when the icing is dry will be ready to serve. they are introduced at large parties, and it is usual to have two or four of them. a charlotte polonaise.--boil over a slow fire a pint and a half of cream. while it is boiling have ready six yolks of eggs, beaten up with two table-spoonfuls of powdered arrow-root, or fine flour. stir this gradually into the boiling cream, taking care to have it perfectly smooth and free from lumps. ten minutes will suffice for the egg and cream to boil together. then divide the mixture by putting it into two separate sauce-pans. then mix with it, in one of the pans, six ounces of chocolate scraped fine, two ounces of powdered loaf-sugar, and a quarter of a pound of maccaroons, broken up. when it has come to a hard boil, take it off, stir it well, pour it into a bowl, and set it away to cool. have ready, for the other sauce-pan of cream and egg, a dozen bitter almonds, and four ounces of shelled sweet almonds or pistachio nuts, all blanched and pounded in a mortar with rose-water to a smooth paste, and mixed with an ounce of citron also pounded. add four ounces of powdered sugar; and to colour it green, two large spoonfuls of spinach juice that has been strained through a sieve. stir this mixture into the other half of the cream, and let it come to a boil. then put it aside to cool. cut a large sponge-cake into slices half an inch thick. spread one slice thickly with the chocolate cream, and cover another slice with the almond cream. do this alternately (piling them evenly on a china dish) till all the ingredients are used up. you may arrange it in the original form of the sponge-cake before it was cut, or in a pyramid. have ready the whites of the six eggs whipped to a stiff froth, with which have been gradually mixed six ounces of powdered sugar, and twelve drops of oil of lemon. with a spoon heap this meringue (as the french call it) all over the pile of cake, &c., and then sift powdered sugar over it. set it in a very slow oven till the outside becomes a light brown colour. serve it up cold, ornamented according to your taste. if you find the chocolate cream too thin, add more maccaroons. if the almond cream is too thin, mix in more pounded citron. if either of the mixtures is too thick, dilute it with more cream. this is superior to a charlotte russe. apple compote.--take large ripe pippin apples. pare, core, and weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of fine loaf-sugar and two lemons. parboil the apples, and then set them out to cool. pare off very nicely with a penknife the yellow rind of the lemons, taking care not to break it; and then with scissors trim the edges to an even width all along. put the lemon-rind to boil in a little sauce-pan by itself, till it becomes tender, and then set it to cool. allow half a pint of water to each pound of sugar; and when it is melted, set it on the fire in the preserving kettle, put in the apples, and boil them slowly till they are clear and tender all through, but not till they break; skimming the syrup carefully. after you have taken out the apples, add the lemon-juice, put in the lemon-peel, and boil it till quite transparent. when the whole is cold, put the apples with the syrup into glass dishes, and dispose the wreaths of lemon-peel fancifully about them. sour milk.--to recover milk that has turned sour, stir in powdered carbonate of magnesia, of which allow a heaped tea-spoonful to each quart of milk. appendix, containing new receipts. orange cake.--take four ripe oranges, and roll them under your hand on the table. break up a pound of the best loaf-sugar, and on some of the pieces rub off the yellow rind of the oranges. then cut the oranges, and squeeze their juice through a strainer. powder the sugar, and mix the orange-juice with it; reserving a little of the juice to flavour the icing. wash, and squeeze in a pan of cold water, a pound of the best _fresh_ butter, till you have extracted whatever milk and salt may have been in it, as they will impede the lightness of the cake. cut up the butter in the pan of sugar and orange, and stir it hard till perfectly light, white, and creamy. sift into a pan fourteen ounces (two ounces less than a pound) of fine flour. beat ten eggs till they are as thick and smooth as a fine boiled custard. then stir them, by degrees, into the butter and sugar, alternately with the flour, a little of each at a time. continue to beat the whole very hard for some time after all the ingredients are in; as this cake requires a great deal of beating. have ready a large square, shallow pan, well buttered. put in the mixture, and set it immediately into a brisk oven. it must be thoroughly baked, otherwise it will be heavy, streaked, and unfit to eat. the time of baking must of course be in proportion to its thickness, but it requires a much longer time than pound-cake, queen-cake, or spanish buns. when it shrinks from the sides of the pan, and looks as if done, try it by sticking in the middle of it, down to the bottom, a twig from a corn-broom, or something similar. if the twig comes out dry and clean, the cake is done; but if the twig remains moist and clammy, let the cake remain longer in the oven. when it is quite done, make an icing of beaten white of egg, and powdered loaf-sugar, mixed with a spoonful or more of orange juice. dredge the cake with flour, then wipe off the flour and spread on the icing thick and evenly, scoring it in large squares. before you put it into baskets, cut the cake into squares about the usual size of a spanish bun. it should be eaten fresh, being best the day it is baked. this cake will be found very fine. it is, of course, best when oranges are ripe and in perfection, as the orange flavour should be very high. we recommend that at the first trial of this receipt, the batter shall be baked in small tins, such as are used for queen-cake, or naples biscuit, as there will thus be less risk of its being well baked than if done in a larger pan. when they seem to be done, one of the little cakes can be taken out and broken open, and if more baking is found necessary, the others can thus be continued longer in the oven. after some experience, an orange cake may be baked, like a pound cake, in a large tin pan with a tube in the centre; or in a turban mould, and handsomely iced and ornamented when done. a fine orange cake will, when cut, perfume the table. lemon cake may be made and baked in a similar manner, adding also a little lemon juice to the icing. citron cake--cut a pound of candied citron into slips. spread it on a large dish. sprinkle it thickly with sifted flour till it is entirely white with it, tumbling the citron about with your hands till every piece is well covered with flour. then sift into a pan fourteen ounces (two ounces less than a pound) of flour. beat together in a deep pan, till perfectly light, a pound of fresh butter cut up in a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. then add, by degrees, a glass of wine, a glass of brandy, and a table-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon mixed, and a powdered nutmeg. have ready twelve eggs beaten in a shallow pan till very smooth and thick. stir the beaten egg into the beaten butter and sugar, alternately with the flour and citron, a little at a time of each. then, at the last, stir the whole very hard. butter a large tin pan (one with a tube in the centre will be best), put in the mixture, set it directly in a moderate oven, and bake it at least four hours. put it on an inverted sieve to cool. when the cake is cool, ice and ornament it. common pound cakes are now very much out of use. they are considered old-fashioned. boston cream cakes--from a quart of rich milk or cream take half a pint, and put it into a small saucepan, with a vanilla bean, and a stick of the best ceylon cinnamon, broken in pieces. cover the saucepan closely, and let it boil till the milk is highly flavoured with the vanilla and cinnamon. then strain it, take out the vanilla bean, wipe it, and put it away, as it will do for the same purpose a second time. mix the flavoured milk with the other pint and a half, and let it get quite cold. beat very light _the yolks only_ of twelve eggs, and stir them into the milk alternately with a quarter of a pound, or more, of powdered white sugar. put this custard mixture into a tin pan, set it in a dutch oven or something similar, pour round the pan some boiling water, enough to reach half-way up its sides, and bake the custard ten minutes. instead of vanilla, you may flavour the custard by boiling, in the half pint of milk, a handful of bitter almonds or peach kernels, blanched and broken in half, and stirring into the custard when it has done baking, but is still hot, a wine glass of rose water. as rose water loses most of its taste by cooking, it is best, when practicable, to add it after the article is taken from the fire. in the mean time let another mixture be prepared as follows. sift half a pound of fine flour, cut up half a pound of fresh butter in a pint of rich milk, and set it on a stove or near the fire till the butter is soft but not melted. then stir it well and take it off. beat eight whole eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the milk and butter, in turn with the flour. take care to have this batter very smooth, and quite free from lumps. having beaten and stirred it thoroughly, put it in equal portions into deep pattypans with plain unscolloped sides, filling them but little more than half, so as to allow space for the cakes to rise in baking. the pattypans must be previously buttered. when the mixture is in, sprinkle powdered loaf-sugar over the top of each. set them immediately into a brisk oven, and bake them about a quarter of an hour, or twenty minutes. they must be well browned. when done, take them out, and open in the side of each (while quite hot) a slit or cut, large enough to admit a portion of the custard that has been made for them. put in with a spoon as much of this custard as will amply fill the cavity or hollow in the middle of each cake. then close the slit nicely, by pinching and smoothing it with your thumb and finger, and set the cakes to cool. they should be eaten fresh. in summer they will not keep till next day unless they are set on ice. if properly made, they will be found delicious. connecticut loaf cake.--for this cake you must prepare, the day before, three pounds of sifted flour, two pounds of powdered white sugar, four nutmegs, and a quarter of an ounce of mace powdered fine; two pounds of stoned raisins, two pounds of currants, picked, washed, and dried (or you may substitute for the currants two additional pounds of raisins), and half a pound of citron cut large. the raisins, currants, and citron must be spread on a large dish, and dredged thickly over with flour, which must be mixed well among them with your hands, so as to coat them all completely. this is to prevent their sinking in a clod to the bottom while the cake is baking, and should always be done with whatever fruit is used in either cakes or puddings. put the spice into half a pint of white wine, cover it, and let it infuse all night. next morning, have ready two pounds of the best fresh butter, cut small; six eggs well beaten; a pint of warm new milk; and half a pint of fresh strong yeast, procured, if possible, from a brewer or baker. rub half the butter into the flour, adding half the sugar; wet it with the milk, and add half of the eggs, and the wine, and the yeast. stir and mix it thoroughly. then cover it and set it to rise. it should be perfectly light by evening. then add the remainder of the butter and the sugar, and the rest of the egg. mix it well, and set it again to rise till early next morning. then add gradually the fruit, setting it again to rise for two or three hours. when it is perfectly light for the last time, butter a large deep pan, and put in the mixture. the oven must first be made _very hot_, and then allowed to cool down so as to bake rather slowly. if too hot, it will scorch and crust the cake on the outside, so as to prevent the heat from penetrating any farther, and the inside will then be soddened and heavy. a common-sized loaf-cake may remain in the oven from three to four hours. clove cakes.--rub a pound of fresh butter (cut up) into three pounds of sifted flour; adding, by degrees, a pound of fine brown sugar, half an ounce of cloves ground or powdered, and sufficient west india molasses to wet the whole into a stiff dough, mixing in at the last a small tea-spoonful of sal-aratus dissolved in tepid water. roll the dough out into a sheet of paste, and cut out the cakes with a tin stamp, or with the edge of a tumbler. put them in buttered pans, and bake them a quarter of an hour or more. they will continue good a long time, if kept dry, and are excellent to take to sea. soft gingerbread.--beat to a cream half a pound of fresh butter cut up in a deep pan, among half a pound of brown sugar, and at the beginning set near the fire to soften it a little, but not to melt it. add two large table-spoonfuls of ginger, a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, and a tea-spoonful of powdered cloves. then stir into it, alternately, a pint of west india molasses, and three pints of sifted flour, and six well-beaten eggs. lastly, dissolve a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in a pint of _sour_ milk, and stir it, while foaming, into the mixture. put it immediately into shallow square tin pans, well buttered, and place it in an oven not too hot, or it will burn the outside, and leave the inside raw and heavy. this cake requires long beating, and much baking. fine cookies.--sift into a pan five large tea-cupsful of flour, and rub into it one tea-cup of fresh butter; add two cups of powdered white sugar, and a handful or two of carraway seeds; wet it with an egg well beaten, and a little rose-water. add, at the last, a small tea-spoonful of sal-aratus dissolved in a very little lukewarm water. knead the whole well. roll it out into a sheet. cut it into cakes with a stamp or a tumbler edge; put them into a buttered pan, and bake them about fifteen minutes. instead of carraway seeds, you may use currants, picked, washed, and dried. indian cup cakes.--sift a pint and a half of yellow indian meal, and mix it with half a pint wheat flour. beat two eggs very light, and then stir them gradually into the meal, in turn with almost a quart of _sour_ milk. if you have no sour milk from the preceding day, you can turn some sweet milk sour by setting it in the sun. lastly, dissolve a tea-spoonful of sal-aratus, or a very small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in a little of the sour milk reserved for the purpose. the batter must be as thick as that for a pound-cake. more indian meal may be necessary. stir it at the last into the mixture, which, while foaming, must be put into buttered cups, or little tin pans, and set immediately into an oven, brisk but not too hot. when well baked, turn out the cakes, and send them warm to the breakfast-table. eat them with butter. bran batter-cakes.--mix a quart of bran with a handful of wheat flour, and a level tea-spoonful of salt. pour in sufficient milk-warm water to make a thick batter. add two table-spoonfuls of brewer's yeast, or three, if home-made; and stir it very hard. cover it, and set it by the fire to rise. half an hour before you begin to bake, you may add a salt-spoonful of soda, melted in a little warm water. bake it like buckwheat cakes, on a griddle. apple bread pudding.--pare, core, and slice thin, a dozen or more fine juicy pippins, or bell-flowers, strewing among them some bits of the yellow rind of a large lemon that has been pared very thin, and squeezing over them the juice of the lemon. or substitute a tea-spoonful of essence of lemon. cover the bottom of a large deep dish with a thick layer of the sliced apples. strew it thickly with brown sugar then scatter on a few very small bits of the best fresh butter. next strew over it a thin layer of grated bread-crumbs. afterwards another thick layer of apple, followed by sugar, butter, and bread-crumbs as before. continue this till you get the dish full, finishing with a thin layer of crumbs. put the dish into a moderate oven, and bake the pudding well, ascertaining that the apples are thoroughly done and as soft as marmalade. send it to table either hot or cold, and eat it with cream-sauce, or with butter, sugar, and nutmeg, stirred to a cream. this pudding is in some places called by the homely names of brown betty, or pan dowdy. it will require far less baking, if the apples are previously stewed soft, and afterwards mixed with the sugar and lemon. then put it into the dish, in layers, interspersed (as above) with bits of butter, and layers of grated crumbs. it will be much improved by the addition of a grated nutmeg, mixed with the apples. apple custards.--take fine juicy apples, sufficient when stewed to fill two soup plates. pare, core, and slice them. add a lump of butter, about the size of a walnut, and the grated peel of a lemon; and stew them with as little water as can possibly keep them from burning. they must be stewed till they are quite soft all through, but not broken. then mash them well with the back of a spoon, and make them very sweet with fine brown sugar. squeeze in the juice of a lemon, or add a wine-glass of rose-water. when the apple is quite cold, add a grated nutmeg, a table-spoonful of brandy, and a table-spoonful of cream, mixed with a table-spoonful of finely-grated bread crumbs, and the well-beaten yolk of an egg. stir the whole very hard. cover the bottom and sides of two soup plates with thin puff-paste, and put a thick paste round the edges, notching it handsomely. then fill up with the mixture, and bake it about half an hour. or you may bake it in cups, without any paste. if for cups, prepare double the above quantity of apple and other ingredients. peach custards may be made in a similar manner, of fine ripe free-stone peaches, pared, stoned, quartered, and stewed without any water. omit the lemon, and add two eggs. new england pumpkin pie.--take a quart of stewed pumpkin. put it into a sieve, and press and strain it as dry as possible. then set it away to get cold. beat eight eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the pumpkin, a little at a time, in turn with a quart of rich cream and a pound of sugar. mix together a quarter of an ounce of powdered mace, two powdered nutmegs, and a table-spoonful of ground ginger, and stir them into the other ingredients. when all is mixed, stir the whole very hard. cover the bottom of your pie-dishes with a thin paste, and fill them nearly to the top with the mixture. cut out narrow stripes of paste with your jagging-iron, and lay them across the tops of your pies. bake them from an hour to an hour and a quarter. send them to table cool. they are best the day they are baked. some persons prefer them without any paste beneath, the dishes being filled entirely with the mixture; and if they have broad edges, a border of thick puff-paste may be laid along the edge, and handsomely notched. we think this the best way; as paste that is baked under any mixture that has milk and eggs in it, is liable, in consequence of the moisture, to become clammy and heavy, and is therefore unwholesome. west india cocoa-nut pudding.--cut up and skin a large ripe cocoa-nut, and grate it fine. then put the grated cocoa-nut into a clean cloth, and squeeze and press it till all the moisture is taken out. spread it on a broad tin pan, and stand it up to dry, either in the sun or before the fire, stirring it up occasionally with your hands. when quite dry weigh a pound of it. beat very light sixteen eggs (omitting the whites of four) and then beat into them, gradually, a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and a wine glass of rose-water. then give the whole a hard stirring. put the mixture into deep dishes, and lay puff-paste round their edges handsomely notched. bake them about half an hour. send them to table cold with white sugar grated over the top. yankee tea cakes.--cut up half a pound of fresh butter in a pint of milk, and warm it a little, so as to soften but not melt the butter. add, gradually, half a pound of powdered white sugar, in turn with three well-beaten eggs, and a pound of sifted flour, finishing with half a jill of strong fresh yeast. set the mixture in a warm place to rise. it will most probably be five hours before it is light enough to bake, and it should therefore be made in the forenoon. when it has risen high, and the top is covered with bubbles, butter some cups, and bake it in them about twenty minutes. when done, turn the cakes out on large plates; send them to table hot, and split and butter them. to open these cakes, pull them apart with your fingers. gelatine jelly.--gelatine is used as a substitute for calves feet in making jelly. it is prepared in light yellowish sheets, and can be purchased at the druggists'. the chief advantage in gelatine is, that by keeping it in the house, you can always have it ready for use, and the jelly made with it may be commenced and finished the same day: while, if you use calves' feet, they must be boiled the day before. also, you may chance to live in a place where calves' feet cannot at all times be procured, and then a box of gelatine, always at hand, may be found very convenient. the cost is about the same, whether the jelly is made of calves' feet or of gelatine. that of calves' feet will generally be the firmest, and will keep two or three days in a cold place or when set on ice; that of gelatine, if not used on the day that it is made, will sometimes melt and become liquid again. its greatest recommendations are convenience and expedition. the following receipt for gelatine jelly will be found a very good one, if exactly followed. soak two ounces of gelatine, for twenty-five minutes, in as much cold water as will cover it. then take it out, lay it in another vessel, pour on it two quarts of boiling water, and let it thoroughly dissolve. afterwards set it to cool. having rolled them under your hand on a table, pare off very thin the yellow rind of four lemons, and cut it into small bits. break up, into little pieces, two large sticks of the best cinnamon (that of ceylon is far preferable to any other) and a pound of the best double refined loaf-sugar. mix together in a large bowl, the sugar, the lemon-rind, and the cinnamon; adding the juice of the lemons, the beaten white of an egg, and a pint of malaga or any other good white wine. add to these ingredients the dissolved gelatine, when it is cool but not yet cold. mix the whole very well, put it into a porcelain kettle, or a very clean bell-metal one, and boil it fifteen minutes. then pour it warm into a white flannel jelly-bag, and let it drip into a large glass bowl. on no account squeeze or press the bag, or the jelly will be dull and cloudy. after it has congealed in the bowl, set it on ice; but the sooner it goes to table the better. a warm damp day is unfavourable for making any sort of jelly. you may flavour it with four or five oranges instead of lemons. if you are averse to using wine in the jelly, substitute a pound of the best raisins, stemmed (but not seeded or stoned) and boiled whole with the other ingredients. biscuit ice cream.--this is the _biscuit glacé_ so popular in france. take some pieces of broken loaf-sugar, and rub off on them the yellow rind of four lemons, or oranges. then pulverize the sugar, and mix it with half a pound of loaf-sugar already powdered, and moistened with the juice of the lemons. beat six eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of cream, in turn with the sugar and lemon. have ready some stale naples biscuit or square sponge cakes grated very fine, and stir them gradually into the mixture, in sufficient quantity to make a thick batter, which must be beaten till perfectly smooth and free from lumps. put it into a porcelain stew-pan, and give it one boil up, stirring it nearly all the time. then put it into a freezer, and freeze it in the usual manner. afterwards transfer it to a pyramid mould, and freeze it a second time for half an hour or more. when quite frozen, take it out of the mould upon a glass or china dish. instead of lemon or orange, you may flavour it with a vanilla bean boiled slowly in half a pint of cream, and then strained out, before you mix it with the other cream. maccaroon ice cream.--from a quart of cream take half a pint, and boil in it slowly two ounces of bitter almonds, or peach kernels, previously blanched and broken up. then, when it is highly flavoured with the almonds, strain the half pint and mix it with the remaining pint and a half of cream, to which add, by degrees, six eggs previously beaten till very light, and half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. crumble a sufficient quantity of the best almond maccaroons to make a thick batter when stirred gradually into the mixture of cream, sugar, and eggs, which must be beaten till perfectly smooth. give it a boil, stirring it well while boiling. then put it into a freezer, and freeze it as usual. afterward transfer it to a pyramid mould and freeze it again. it will be found very fine if properly made. orange water ice.--to four pounds of the best double refined loaf-sugar, allow a quart of water, and four dozen large ripe deep-coloured oranges. having rolled the oranges on the table under your hand to increase the quantity of juice, wash and wipe them dry. take pieces of the sugar and rub them on half the oranges till you have taken off on the sugar their yellow rind or zest. then put that sugar with the remainder into a porcelain kettle, and pour on it a quart of water into which has been beaten the white of one egg. when the sugar is quite melted, set the kettle on the fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise, and the orange-zest is entirely dissolved. then stir in gradually the juice of the oranges, and when all is in, take it directly off the fire, lest the flavour of the juice should be weakened by boiling. let it cool, stirring it well. lastly, put it into a freezer surrounded by pounded ice and salt, and stir it hard for the first ten minutes. take off the lid and repeat the stirring every five minutes till the freezing is accomplished. turn it out into a glass bowl; having first washed off the ice and salt from the outside of the freezer, lest some of it should chance to get into the inside. serve it on saucers. after it has congealed in the freezer, you may transfer it to a pyramid or pine-apple mould, and freeze it a second time, which will require half an hour or more. of course, while in the mould, it must remain undisturbed. before you turn it out, hold round the outside of the mould a cloth dipped in cold water. lemon-water ice.--may be made in the above manner, only that you must allow an additional pound of sugar, and use the zest or yellow rind of _all_ the lemons. strawberry-water ice.--to each pound of loaf-sugar allow half a pint of water, and three quarts of ripe strawberries. having broken up the sugar, put it into a preserving-kettle, and pour on it the water in the above proportion. to make the syrup very clear, you may allow to each pint of water half the white of an egg beaten into the water. when the sugar has melted, and been well stirred in the water, put the kettle over the fire, and boil and skim it till the scum ceases to rise. have ready the strawberry juice, having put the strawberries into a linen bag, and squeezed the liquid into a deep pan. as soon as you take the kettle of syrup from the fire, stir into it the strawberry juice. then put it into a freezer, surrounded with ice broken small, and mixed with salt; twirl it round by the handles for ten minutes, and then let it freeze, frequently stirring it hard. when done, turn it out into a glass bowl, and serve it on saucers. or you may give it a second freezing in a pyramid mould. raspberry-water ice.--is made exactly as above. you may heighten the colour of these ices by adding to the juice a little cochineal, which it is very convenient to keep in the house ready prepared. to do this, mix together an ounce of cochineal (pounded to a fine powder), a quarter of an ounce of powdered alum, and a quarter of an ounce of cream of tartar, adding a salt-spoonful of pearl-ash, and three ounces of powdered loaf-sugar. boil them all together for ten minutes or more. then pat the mixture into a clean new bottle, cork it tightly, and stir a little of it into any liquid you wish to colour of a fine red. with this you may give a red colour to calves' feet jelly, or blancmange, or to icing for cakes. grape-water ice--is made as above, first mashing the grapes with a wooden beetle, before you put them into the bag for squeezing the juice. currants for water ice must also be mashed before squeezing in the bag. pine-apple water ice.--having pared and sliced a sufficient number of very ripe pine-apples, cut the slices into small bits, put them into a deep dish or a tureen, sprinkle among them powdered loaf-sugar, cover them and let them set several hours in a cool place. then have ready a syrup made of loaf-sugar, dissolved in a little water (allowing to every two pounds of sugar a pint of water beaten with half the white of an egg), and boiled and skimmed till quite clear. get as much pine-apple juice as you can, by squeezing through a sieve the bits of pine-apple (after they have stood some hours in the tureen), measure it, and to each pint of the boiled syrup allow a pint of juice. mix them together while the syrup is warm from the fire. then put it into a freezer, and proceed in the usual manner. peach-water ice.--take soft, ripe, juicy, freestone peaches, pare them, stone them, and cut them in pieces. put the pieces into a linen bag and squeeze the juice into a deep pan. crack the stones, scald and blanch the kernels, break them in half, and, having made a syrup as in the above receipts, allowing half a pint of water to each pound of loaf-sugar, boil the kernels in the syrup, taking them out when the syrup is done. this infusion of the kernels will add greatly to the flavour. then measure the peach-juice, allowing a pint of it to each pint of syrup, and mix them together while the syrup is hot. then freeze it. a fine charlotte russe.--for this purpose you must have a circular or drum-shaped tin mould, or a pair or more of them. the mould should be without a bottom. they can be procured at a tin-store, and are useful for other purposes. the day before you want the charlotte russe, make a stiff plain jelly by boiling a set of calves' feet (four) in a gallon of water till the meat drops from the bone. it should boil slowly till the liquid is reduced to less than two quarts. then, having strained it, measure into a pan three pints of the liquid, cover it, and set it away to congeal. next morning, it should be a solid cake, from which you must carefully scrape off all the fat and sediment. boil a vanilla bean in half a pint of milk, till the milk is very highly flavoured with the vanilla. then strain it, and set it away to get cold. take three pints of rich cream, put it into a shallow pan, set it on ice, and beat it to a stiff froth with rods or a whisk; or churn it to a foam with a little tin churn. next, add to the cream the vanilla milk, and beat both together. melt the jelly in a pan over the fire. beat very light the yolks of six eggs, and then stir gradually into the beaten egg half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. next, add, by degrees, the melted jelly to the egg and sugar, stirring very hard. keep the vessel sitting on ice, and continue stirring till the mixture is firm enough to retain the mark of the spoon. then stir in the cream as quickly as possible. have ready the tin mould, lined with the long thin cakes called lady-fingers, or finger biscuits, brushed over with beaten white of egg. they must be laid closely across each other on the bottom of a dish, and be so arranged as to stand up in a circle round the sides of the mould, each wrapping a little over the other. then carefully put in the mixture, and cover the top with lady-fingers laid closely across. after the whole is nicely arranged, set it on ice till wanted. when you wish to turn out the charlotte russe, (which must be done with great care,) wrap round the outside of the mould a coarse towel dipped in cold water, and lift it off from the charlotte. instead of lady-fingers you may use sponge-cake for the shape or form. cut two circular slices from a large sponge-cake, one for the bottom, and one for the top of the charlotte, and for the wall or sides arrange tall, square slices of the cake, all of them standing up so as to wrap a little over each other. all the cake must be glazed with beaten white of egg. a still easier way is to make an almond sponge-cake, and bake it in a drum-shaped mould or pan, or an oval one with straight or upright sides. when cold, cut off the top in one thin slice, and carefully cut out or hollow the middle, so as to make a space to contain the mixture of the charlotte, leaving bottom and sides standing. they must be left thin. then, when the mixture is ready and quite cold, fill up the cake with it. it must be set on a china or glass dish, and kept on ice till wanted. it will require no turning out; and there is no risk of its breaking. the pieces that come out of the almond-cake when it is hollowed to receive the charlotte mixture, can be used for some other purpose, for instance, to mix with other cakes in a basket, or to dissolve at the bottom of a trifle. coffee custard--for this purpose the coffee should be cold drawn. take a large half pint of fresh ground coffee, which should be of the best quality, and roasted that day. put it into a grecque or french coffee pot, such as are made with strainers inside, and have a second cover below the lid. lay the coffee on the upper strainer, pour on it half a pint of _cold_ water, and press it down with the inner cover. put on the outer or top-lid of the coffee-pot, and stop the mouth of the spout with a roll or wad of soft white paper, or with a closely-fitting cork, to prevent any of the aroma escaping. when the coffee liquid has all filtered down through both the upper and lower strainers, pour it off into a bowl, and return it to the upper strainer to filter down a second time. it will then be beautifully clear, and very strong, notwithstanding that it has been made with cold water. have ready a custard-mixture made of eight well-beaten eggs, stirred gradually into a pint of cold rich milk or cream; and three or four table-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar. stir the cold liquid coffee gradually into it. put it into cups. set them in an iron oven or bake-pan with boiling water round them, reaching rather more than half-way up the sides of the cups. bake them ten minutes or more. then set them on ice, and send them to table quite cold. preserved limes, or small lemons.--take limes, or small lemons that are quite ripe, and all about the same size. with a sharp penknife scoop a hole at the stalk end of each, and loosen the pulp all around the inside, taking care not to break or cut through the rind. in doing this, hold the lime over a bowl, and having extracted all the pulp and juice, (saving them in the bowl,) boil the empty limes half an hour or more in alum-water, till the rinds look clear and nearly transparent. then drain them, and lay them for several hours in cold water, changing the water nearly every hour. at night, having changed the water once more, let the limes remain in it till next day, by which time all taste of the alum should be removed; but if it is not, give them a boil in some weak ginger tea. if you wish them very green, line the sides and bottom of a preserving-kettle with fresh vine-leaves, placed very thickly, put in the limes, and pour on as much clear cold water as will cover them, (spring or pump-water is best,) and fill up with a very thick layer of vine-leaves. boil them slowly an hour or more. if they are not sufficiently green, repeat the process with fresh vine-leaves and fresh water. they must boil till a twig can pierce them. after the limes have been greened, give the kettle a complete washing; or take another and proceed to make the syrup. having weighed the limes, allow to every pound of them a pound of the best double refined loaf-sugar, and half a pint of very clear water. break up the sugar and put it into the kettle. then pour on to it the water, which must previously be mixed with some beaten white of egg, allowing the white of one egg to three pounds of sugar. let the sugar dissolve in the water before you set it over the fire, stirring it well. boil and skim the sugar, and when the scum ceases to rise, put in the limes, adding the juice that was saved from them, and which must first be strained from the pulp, seeds, &c. boil the limes in the syrup till they are very tender and transparent. then take them out carefully, and spread them on flat dishes. put the syrup into a tureen, and leave it uncovered for two days. in the mean time prepare a jelly for filling the limes. get several dozen of fine ripe lemons. roll them under your hand on the table, to increase the juice; cut them in half, and squeeze them through a strainer into a pitcher. to each pint of the juice allow a pound and a quarter of the best double refined loaf-sugar. put the sugar, mixed with the lemon-juice, into a preserving-kettle, and when they are melted set it over the fire, and boil and skim it till it becomes a thick, firm jelly, which it should in twenty minutes. try if it will congeal by taking out a little in a spoon, and placing it in the open air. if it congeals immediately, it is sufficiently done. if boiled too long it will liquefy, and will not congeal again without the assistance of isinglass. when the jelly is done, put it at once into a large bowl, and leave it uncovered. the lemon-jelly, the syrup and the limes, being thoroughly done, and all grown cold, finish by filling the limes with the jelly; putting them, with the open part downwards, into wide-mouthed glass jars, and gently pouring on them the syrup. cover the jars closely, and paste strong paper over the covers. or seal the corks. very small, thin-skinned, ripe oranges, preserved in this manner, and filled with orange-jelly, are delicious. if, instead of having it liquid, you wish the syrup to crystallize or candy round the fruit, put no water to the sugar, but boil it slowly a long time, with the juice only, clarified by beaten white of egg mixed with the sugar in the proportion of one white to three pounds. before squeezing out the juice of the lemons intended to make the jelly, it will be well to pare off very thin the yellow rind; cut it into bits, and put it into a bottle of white wine or brandy, where it will keep soft and fresh, and the infusion will make a fine flavouring for cakes, puddings, &c. the rind of lemons should never be thrown away, as it is useful for so many nice purposes. apple-sauce and apple-pies should always be flavoured with lemon-peel. pine-apple marmalade.--take the largest, ripest, and most perfect pine-apples. pare them, and cut out whatever blemishes you may find. weigh each pine-apple, balancing the other scale with an equal quantity of the best double refined loaf-sugar, finely powdered. grate the pine-apples on a large dish, omitting the hard core in the centre of each. put the grated pine-apples and the sugar into a preserving-kettle, mixing them thoroughly. set it over a moderate fire, and boil and skim it well, at times stirring it up from the bottom. after the scum has ceased to appear, still stir, till the marmalade is done, which will generally be in half an hour after it has come to a boil; but if not clear, bright, and smooth in that time, continue to boil it longer. when done, put it into a tureen, and cover it closely, while it is growing cold. afterwards, remove it into tumblers, covering the top of each with double white tissue-paper, cut round so as exactly to fit the inside. lay this paper closely on the marmalade, and press it down round the edges. then paste on covers of thick paper. this preparation of pine-apples is far superior to the usual method of preserving it in slices. it will be found very fine for filling tart-shells, and for jelly-cake. orange drops.--squeeze through a strainer the juice of a dozen or more ripe oranges. have ready some of the best double refined loaf-sugar, powdered as fine as possible, and sifted. mix gradually the sugar with the juice, till it is so thick you can scarcely stir it. put it into a porcelain skillet. set it on hot coals, or over a moderate fire, and stir it hard with a wooden spoon for five minutes after it begins to boil. then take it off the fire, and with a silver spoon or the point of a broad knife, drop portions of the mixture upon a flat tin pan or a pewter dish, smoothing the drops, and making them of good shape and regular size, which should be about that of a cent. when cold they will easily come off the tin. they are delicious, if properly made. never use extract or oil of orange for them, or for any thing else. it will make them taste like turpentine, and render them uneatable. confectioners form these drops in moulds made for the purpose. lemon drops may be prepared in the same manner. fine lemon syrup.--the best time for making lemon syrup is early in the spring. lemons are then plenty, and the syrup mixed with ice-water, makes a pleasant beverage for summer. it is best and cheapest to buy lemons by the box. before using them _for any purpose_, each lemon should be wiped well, and then rolled hard under your hand upon a table to soften them and increase the juice. two dozen large ripe lemons will generally yield about a quart of juice if pressed with a wooden lemon-squeezer; but it is best to have a few extra ones at hand, in case they should be required. to a quart of juice allow six pounds of the best loaf-sugar, broken up; on pieces of which rub off the yellow rind or zest of the lemons. the white part of the skin is useless and injurious. put all the sugar into a large porcelain preserving-kettle. beat to a stiff froth the whites of two eggs, mix it gradually with a quart of clear soft water, and then add it to the sugar. stir the sugar while it is melting in the water, and when all is dissolved, place the kettle over the fire, and boil and skim it till perfectly clear, and the scum ceases to rise, and the particles of lemon zest are no longer visible. meanwhile, squeeze the lemons through a strainer into a large pitcher, till you have a quart of juice. when the sugar has boiled sufficiently, and is quite clear, stir in gradually the lemon-juice, cover the kettle and let it boil ten minutes longer. when cool put it into clean, clear glass bottles, either quite new ones or some that have already contained lemon syrup. the bottles should first be rinsed with brandy. cork them tightly and seal the corks. orange syrup may be made in a similar manner omitting to use the grated yellow rind of the oranges, (it being too pungent for this purpose,) and substituting for it a double quantity of the juice; for instance, allowing two quarts of juice to six pounds of sugar. croquant cake.--take three quarters of a pound of almonds, (of which two ounces, or more, should be the bitter sort,) and blanch and slice them. powder three quarters of a pound of fine white sugar. sift three quarters of a pound of flour, and slice half a pound of citron. mix together the almond and citron, on a flat dish, and sprinkle among them flour from the dredging-box, till they are white all over. beat six eggs as light as possible, till they are very thick and smooth. then mix them gradually with the sugar, almond, and citron, stirring very hard. lastly, stir in, by degrees, the sifted flour. butter a tin pan or pans, and put in the mixture about an inch deep. bake it; and when cool, cut it into narrow slices about an inch wide, and five inches long. to make them keep a long time, lay them on shallow tins, and give them a second baking. put the cakes into a stone jar, and they will keep a year or more, after this double baking. sassafras mead.--mix gradually with two quarts of boiling water, three pounds and a half of the best brown sugar, a pint and a half of good west india molasses, and a quarter of a pound of tartaric acid. stir it well, and when cool, strain it into a large jug or pan, then mix in a tea-spoonful (not more) of essence of sassafras. transfer it to clean bottles, (it will fill about half a dozen,) cork it tightly, and keep it in a cool place. it will be fit for use next day. put into a box or boxes a quarter of a pound of carbonate of soda, to use with it. to prepare a glass of sassafras mead for drinking, put a large table-spoonful of the mead into a half tumbler full of ice-water, stir into it a half tea-spoonful of the soda, and it will immediately foam up to the top. sassafras mead will be found a cheap, wholesome, and pleasant beverage for warm weather. the essence of sassafras, tartaric acid, and carbonate of soda, can of course all be obtained at the druggists'. fine tomata catchup.--take a large quantity of tomatas, and scald and peel them. press them through a fine hair-sieve, and boil the pulp in either a porcelain or a bell-metal preserving-kettle, as tin or iron will blacken it. cover the kettle closely, and keep it at a slow boil during four hours. then measure the pulp of the tomatas, and to every two quarts allow a tea-spoonful of salt. boil it an hour after the salt is in, stirring it frequently. have ready, in equal proportions, a mixture of powdered ginger, nutmeg, mace, and cloves; and to every two quarts of the liquid, allow a large tea-spoonful of these mixed spices, adding a small tea-spoonful of cayenne. stir in this seasoning, and then boil the catchup half an hour longer. strain it carefully into a large pitcher, avoiding the grounds or sediment of the spices, and then (while hot) pour it through a flannel into clean bottles. cork them tightly, and seal the corks. keep it in a dry, cool place. it will be of a fine scarlet colour. green tomata pickles.--slice a gallon of the largest green tomatas, and salt them over night to your taste. in the morning mix together a table-spoonful of ground black pepper; one of mace; one of cloves; four pods of red pepper, chopped fine; and half a pint of grated horse-radish. mix them all thoroughly. have ready a large, wide-mouthed stone jar; put into it first a layer of the seasoning, then a layer of tomatas, then another of seasoning, then another of tomatas, then another of seasoning, another of tomatas; and so on alternately till the jar is filled within two inches of the top, finishing with a layer of seasoning. then fill up to the top with cold cider vinegar; adding at the last a table-spoonful of sweet oil. cover the jar closely. this will be found a very nice pickle, and is easily made, as it requires no cooking. after the tomatas are all gone, the liquid remaining in the jar may be used as catchup. red tomata pickles.--fill three quarters of a jar with small, round, button tomatas when quite ripe. put them in whole, and then pour over them sufficient cold vinegar (highly flavoured with mace, cloves, and whole black pepper) to raise them to the top. add a table-spoonful of sweet oil, and cover the jar closely. hashed veal.--always save the gravy of roast meat. having skimmed off the fat, and poured the gravy through a strainer into a jar, cover it closely, and set it away in a refrigerator, or some very cold place, till next day. when cold meat is hashed or otherwise recooked, it is best to do it in its own gravy, and without the addition of water. take some cold roast veal, and cut it into small mouthfuls. put it into a skillet or stew-pan, without a drop of water. add to it the veal gravy that was left the preceding day, and a small lump of fresh butter. cover the skillet, and let the hash stew over the fire for half an hour. then put to it a large table-spoonful of tomata catchup; or more, according to the quantity of meat. one large table-spoonful of catchup will suffice for as much hash as will fill a soup-plate. after the catchup is in, cover the hash, and let it stew half an hour longer. this is the very best way of dressing cold veal for breakfast. observe that there must be no water about it. cold roast beef, mutton, or pork, may be hashed in this manner; but hashed veal is best. you may also hash cold poultry, or rabbits, by cutting them in small bits, and stewing them in gravy, adding mushroom catchup instead of tomata. french chicken salad.--take a large, fine, cold fowl, and having removed the skin and fat, cut the flesh from the bones in very small shreds, not more than an inch long. the dressing should not be made till immediately before it goes to table. have ready half a dozen or more hard-boiled eggs. cut up the yolks upon a plate, and with the back of a wooden spoon mash them to a paste, adding a small salt-spoonful of salt, rather more of cayenne pepper, and a large tea-spoonful of made mustard. mix them well together; then add two large table-spoonfuls of salad oil, and one of the best cider vinegar. all these ingredients for the dressing, must be mixed to a fine, smooth, stiff, yellow paste. lay the shred chicken in a nice even heap, upon the middle of a flat dish, smoothing it, and making it circular or oval with the back of a spoon, and flattening the top. then cover it thickly and smoothly with the dressing, or paste of seasoned yolk of egg, &c. have ready a large head of lettuce that has been picked, and washed in cold water; and, cutting up the best parts of it very small, mix the lettuce with a portion of the hard-boiled white of egg minced fine. lay the chopped lettuce all round the heap of shred chicken, &c. then ornament the surface with very small bits of boiled red beets, and green pickled cucumbers, cut into slips and dots, and arranged in a pretty pattern upon the yellow ground of the coating that covers the chicken. after taking on your plate a portion of each part of the salad, mix all together before eating it. do not use for this, or any other purpose, the violently and disagreeable sharp vinegar that is improperly sold in many of the grocery stores, and is made entirely of chemical acids. some of these employed for making vinegar, are so corrosive as to be absolutely poisonous. this vinegar can always be known by its very clear transparency, and its excessive pungency, overpowering entirely the taste of every thing with which it is mixed; and also by its entire destitution of the least flavour resembling wine or cider, though it is often sold as "the best white vinegar." you can always have good wholesome vinegar by setting in the sun with the cork loosened, a vessel of cider till it becomes vinegar. in buying a keg of vinegar, it is best to get it of a farmer that makes cider. normandy soup.--take four pounds of knuckle of veal. put it into a soup pot with twenty common-sized onions, and about four quarts of water. let it simmer slowly for two hours or more. then put in about one third of a six-penny loaf grated; adding a small tea-spoonful of salt, and not quite that quantity of cayenne pepper. let it boil two hours longer. then take out the meat, and press and strain the soup through a large sieve into a broad pan. measure it, and to every quart of the soup add a pint of cream, and about two ounces of fresh butter divided into four bits, and rolled in flour. taste the soup, and if you think it requires additional seasoning, add a very little more salt and cayenne. always be careful not to season soup highly; as it is very easy for those who like them to add more salt and pepper, after tasting it at table. put the soup again over the fire, and let it just come to a boil. then serve it up. these proportions of the ingredients ought to make a tureen-full. this soup is a very fine one for dinner company. the taste of the onions becomes so mild as to be just agreeably perceptible; particularly in autumn when the onions are young and fresh. in cool weather it may be made the day before; but in this case, when done, it must be set on ice, and the cream and butter not put in till shortly before it goes to table. never keep soup (or any other article that has been cooked) in a glazed earthen crock or pitcher. the glazing being of lead would render it unwholesome. its effects have sometimes been so deleterious as really to destroy life. tomata soup.--take a fore-leg of beef, and cut it up into small pieces. put the meat with the bones into a soup-pot, and cover it with a gallon of water. season it with pepper, and a little salt. boil and skim it well. have ready half a peck of ripe tomatas cut up small; and when the soup is boiling thoroughly, put them in with all their juice. add six onions sliced, and some crusts of bread cut small. the soup must then be boiled slowly for six hours or more. when done, strain it through a cullender. put into the tureen some pieces of bread cut into dice or small squares, and pour the soup upon it. tomata soup (like most others) is best when made the day before. in this case you may boil it longer and slower. then having strained it into a stone jar, cover it closely, and set it away in a cold place. next day, add some grated bread-crumbs mixed with a little butter, and give the soup a boil up. when ochras are in season, this soup will be greatly improved by the addition of half a peck of ochras, peeled and sliced thin. calves' feet soup.--take eight calves' feet (two sets) and season them with a small tea-spoonful of salt, half a tea-spoonful of cayenne, and half a tea-spoonful of black pepper, all mixed together and rubbed over the feet. slice a quarter of a peck of ochras, and a dozen onions, and cut up a quarter of a peck of tomatas without skinning them. put the whole into a soup-pot with four quarts of water, and boil and skim it during two hours. then take out the calves' feet, and put them on a dish. next, strain the soup through a cullender, into an earthen pan, and with the back of a short wooden ladle mash out into the pan of soup all the liquid from the vegetables, till they are as dry as possible. cut off all the meat nicely from the bones into small bits, and return it to the soup, adding a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, divided into four, and rolled in flour. put the soup again into the pot, and give it a boil up. toast two or three large thick slices of bread; cut it into small square dice or mouthfuls; lay it in the bottom of the tureen; pour the soup over it, and put on the tureen cover immediately. this soup (which, however, can only be made when tomatas and ochras are in season) will be found excellent. it may be greatly improved by boiling in it the hock of a cold ham: in which case add no salt. fine calves' head soup.--boil in as much water as will cover it, a calf's head with the skin on, till you can slip out the bones. then take a fore-leg of beef, and a knuckle of veal; cut them up, and put them (bones and all) into the liquid the calf's head was boiled in; adding as much more water as will cover the meat. skim it well; and after it has thoroughly come to a boil, add half a dozen sliced carrots; half a dozen sliced onions; a large head of celery cut small; a bunch of sweet herbs; and a salt-spoonful of cayenne pepper. boil the whole slowly during five hours; then strain it into a large pan. take rather more than a pint of the liquid, (after all the fat has been carefully skimmed off,) and put it into a saucepan with two ounces of fresh butter, a bunch of sweet marjoram, a few sprigs of parsley, two onions minced fine, and a large slice of the lean of some cold boiled ham, cut into little bits. keep it closely covered, and let it simmer over the fire for an hour. then press it through a sieve into the pan that contains the rest of the soup. thicken it with a large tea-cupful (half a pint) of grated bread-crumbs; return it to the soup-pot, and boil it half an hour. unless your dinner hour is late, it is best to make this soup the day before, putting it into a large stoneware or china vessel, (not an earthen one,) covering it closely and setting it in a cool place. have ready some force-meat balls, made of the meat of the calves' head, finely minced, and mixed with grated bread-crumbs, butter, powdered sweet-majoram, a very little salt and pepper, and some beaten yolk of egg to cement these ingredients together. each ball should be rolled in flour, and fried in fresh butter before it is put into the soup. shortly before you send it to table, add a large lemon sliced thin without peeling, and a pint of good madeira or sherry, wine of inferior quality being totally unfit for soup, terrapin, or any such purposes. add also the yolks of some hard-boiled eggs cut in half. then, after the wine, lemon, and eggs are all in, give the soup one boil up, but not more. the best clam soup.--put fifty clams into a large pot of boiling water, to make the shells open easily. take a knuckle of veal, cut it into pieces (four calves' feet split in half will be still better) and put it into a soup-pot with the liquor of the clams, and a quart of rich milk, or cream, adding a large bunch of sweet majoram, and a few leaves of sage, cut into pieces, and a head of celery chopped small; also, a dozen whole pepper-corns, but no salt, as the saltness of the clam liquor will be sufficient. boil it till all the meat of the veal drops from the bones, then strain off the soup and return it to the pot, which must first be washed out. having in the mean time cut up the clams, and pounded them in a mortar, (which will cause them to flavour the soup much better,) season them with two dozen blades of mace, and two powdered nutmegs; mix with them a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and put them into the soup with all the liquor that remains about them. after the clams are in, let it boil another quarter of an hour. have ready some thick slices of nicely-toasted bread, (with the crust removed,) cut them into small square mouthfuls; put them into a tureen; and pour the soup upon them. it will be found excellent. oyster soup may be made in the same manner. baked clams.--in taking out the clams, save several dozen of the largest and finest shells, which must afterwards be washed clean, and wiped dry. chop the clams fine, and mix with them some powdered mace and nutmeg. butter the sides and bottom of a large, deep dish, and cover the bottom with a layer of grated bread-crumbs. over this scatter some very small bits of the best fresh butter. then put in a thick layer of the chopped clams. next, another layer of grated bread-crumbs, and little bits of butter. then, a layer of chopped clams, and proceed in this manner till the dish is full, finishing at the top with a layer of crumbs. set the dish in the oven, and bake it about a quarter of an hour. have ready the clam-shells and fill them with the baked mixture, either leaving them open, or covering each with another clam-shell. place them on large dishes, and send them to table hot. oysters may be cooked in a similar manner; sending them to table in the dish in which they were baked. the meat of boiled crabs may also be minced, seasoned, and dressed this way, and sent to table in the back shells of the crabs. clams intended for soup will communicate to it a much finer flavour, if they are previously chopped small, and pounded in a mortar. fine stewed oysters.--strain the liquor from two hundred large oysters, and putting the half of it into a saucepan, add a table-spoonful of whole mace, and let it come to a hard boil, skimming it carefully. have ready six ounces of fresh butter divided into six balls or lumps, and roll each slightly in a little flour. add them to the boiling oyster liquor, and when the butter is all melted, stir the whole very hard, and then put in the oysters. as soon as they have come to a boil, take them out carefully, and lay them immediately in a pan of very cold water, to plump them and make them firm. then season the liquor with a grated nutmeg; and taking a pint and a half of very rich cream, add it gradually to the liquor, stirring it all the time. when it has boiled again, return the oysters to it, and simmer them in the creamed liquor about five minutes or just long enough to heat them thoroughly. send them to the tea-table hot in a covered dish. if you stew six or eight hundred oysters, in this manner, for a large company, see that the butter, spice, cream, &c., are all increased in the proper proportion. oysters cooked in this way make very fine patties. the shells for which must be made of puff-paste, and baked empty in very deep patty-pans, filling them, when done, with oysters. spiced oysters.--to four hundred large oysters allow a pint of cider vinegar, four grated nutmegs, sixteen blades of whole mace, six dozen of whole cloves, three dozen whole pepper corns, and a salt-spoonful of cayenne. put the liquor into a porcelain kettle, and boil and skim it; when it has come to a hard boil, add the vinegar and put in the oysters with the seasoning of spices, &c. give them one boil up, for if boiled longer they will shrivel and lose their flavour. then put them into a stone or glass jar, cover them closely, and set them in a cool place. they must be quite cold when eaten. you may give them a light reddish tint by boiling in the liquor a little prepared cochineal. to keep fresh eggs.--have a close, dry keg, for the purpose of receiving the eggs as they are brought in fresh from the hen's nests. an old biscuit keg will be best. keep near it a patty-pan, or something of the sort, to hold a piece of clean white rag with some good lard tied up in it. while they are fresh and warm from the nest, grease each egg all over with the lard, not omitting even the smallest part; and then put it into the keg with the rest. eggs preserved in this manner (and there is no better way) will continue good for months, provided they were perfectly fresh when greased; and it is useless to attempt preserving any but new-laid eggs. no process whatever, can restore or prevent from spoiling, any egg that is the least stale. therefore, if you live in a city, or have not hens of your own, it is best to depend on buying eggs as you want them. a molasses pie.--make a good paste, and having rolled it out _thick_, line a pie-dish with a portion of it. then fill up the dish with molasses, into which you have previously stirred a table-spoonful, or more, of ground ginger. cover it with an upper crust of the paste; notch the edges neatly; and bake it brown. this pie, plain as it is, will be found very good. it will be improved by laying a sliced orange or lemon in the bottom before you put in the molasses. to the ginger you may add a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. soup � la lucy.--take a large fowl; cut it up; put it with a few small onions into a soup-pot, and fry it brown in plenty of lard. afterwards pour in as much water as you intend for the soup, and boil it slowly till the whole strength of the chicken is extracted, and the flesh drops in rags from the bones. an hour before dinner, strain off the liquid, return it to the pot (which must first be cleared entirely out) add the liquor of a quart of fresh oysters, and boil it again. in half an hour put in the oysters and mix into the soup two large table-spoonfuls of fresh butter rolled in flour; some whole pepper; blades of mace; and grated nutmeg. toast some thick slices of bread (without the crust) cut them into dice, and put them into the soup tureen. for the fowl, you may substitute a knuckle of veal cut up; or a pair of rabbits. mint julep.--this can only be made when fresh green mint is in season. lay at the bottom of a large tumbler, one or two round slices of pine-apple nicely pared; and cover them with a thick layer of loaf-sugar, powdered or well-broken. pour on it a glass or more of the best brandy. add cold water till the tumbler is two-thirds full. finish with a thick layer of pounded ice till it nearly reaches the top. then stick down to one side a bunch of fresh green mint, the sprigs full and handsome, and tall enough to rise above the edge of the tumbler. place, in the other side, one of the small tubes or straws used for drawing in this liquid. the proportions of the above ingredients may, of course, be varied according to taste. a union pudding.--the night before you make this pudding, take a piece of rennet, in size rather more than two inches square, and carefully wash off in two cold waters all the salt from the outside. then wipe it dry. put the rennet into a tea-cup and pour on sufficient milk-warm water to cover it well. next morning, as early as you can, stir the rennet-water into a quart of rich milk. cover the milk, and set it in a warm place till it forms a firm curd, and the whey becomes thin and greenish. then remove it to a cold place and set it on ice. blanch, in scalding water, two ounces of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels; and two ounces of shelled sweet almonds. pound the almonds in a mortar, to a smooth paste, one at a time (sweet and bitter alternately, so as to mix them well); and add, while pounding, sufficient rose-water to make them light and white, and to prevent their oiling. grate upon a lump of loaf-sugar the yellow rind or zest of two lemons, scraping off the lemon-zest as you proceed, and transferring it to a saucer. squeeze over it the juice of the lemons, and mix the juice and the zest with half a pound and two ounces of finely-powdered loaf-sugar, adding a small nutmeg, grated. then put the cold curd into a sieve, and drain it from the whey till it is left very dry, chopping the curd small, that it may drain the better. beat in a shallow pan the yolks of eight eggs till very light, thick, and smooth. then mix into the egg the curd, in turn with the pounded almonds, and the sugar and lemon. finish with a glass of brandy, or of madeira or sherry, and stir the whole very hard. butter a deep dish of strong white ware. put in the mixture: set it immediately into a brisk oven and bake it well. when done, set it in a cold place till wanted, and before it goes to table, sift powdered sugar over it. it will be still better to cover the surface with a meringue or icing, highly flavored with rose-water or lemon-juice. you may decorate the centre with the word union in letters of gilt sugar. the pudding will be found very fine. cocoa-nut candy.--take three cocoa-nuts and grate their meat on a coarse grater. weigh the grated cocoa-nut, and to each pound, allow one pound of the best double-refined loaf-sugar. put the sugar into a preserving kettle, and to every two pounds allow a pint of water, and the beaten white of one egg mixed into the water. when the sugar is entirely dissolved in the water, set it over the fire, and boil and skim it. when the scum has ceased to rise, and the sugar is boiling hard, begin to throw in the grated cocoa-nut, gradually, stirring hard all the time. proceed till the mixture is so thick it can be stirred no longer. have ready, square or oblong tin pans, slightly buttered with the best fresh butter. fill them with the mixture, put in evenly and smoothly, and of the same thickness all through the pan. smooth the surface all over with a broad knife dipped in cold water. set it to cool, and, when the candy is almost hard, score it down in perpendicularly straight lines with a sharp knife dipped in cold water, the lines being two or three inches apart. these cuts must be made deep down to the bottom of the pan. when it is quite cold and firm, cut the candy entirely apart, so as to form long sticks, and keep it in a cold place. if any of the grated cocoa-nut is left, you may make it into cocoa-nut maccaroons, or into a cocoa-nut pudding. preserved green tomatas.--take a peck of button tomatas, full grown, but quite green. weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of the best double-refined loaf-sugar, broken up small. scald and peel them. have ready ten lemons rolled under your hand on a table, to increase the juice. grate off, upon lumps of sugar, the yellow surface of the rind, scraping up the grating or zest with a spoon, and transferring it to a bowl. squeeze over it, through a strainer, the juice of the lemon. take a quarter of a pound of root ginger, scrape off the outside, grate the ginger and mix it with the lemon. put the sugar into a large preserving kettle, and pour water on it; allowing half a pint of water to each pound of sugar. stir it about with a large, clean wooden spoon, till it melts. set it over a clear fire, and boil and skim it. after it has boiled, and is very clear, and the scum has ceased to rise, put in the tomatas and boil them till every one has slightly bursted. next add the lemon and ginger, and boil them about a quarter of an hour longer. then take them out and spread them on large dishes to cool. boil the syrup by itself, ten minutes longer. put the tomatas into jars, about half full, and fill up with the syrup. cover the jars closely, and paste paper round the lids; or tie bladders over them. green tomatas, done as above, make an excellent sweetmeat. ripe or red tomatas may be preserved in the same manner; yellow ones also. the lemon and ginger must on no account be omitted. preserved figs.--take figs when perfectly ripe, and wipe them carefully, leaving the stem about half an inch long. boil them rapidly, for about ten minutes, in water that has a small bag of hickory wood-ashes laid at the bottom of the preserving kettle. then take them out carefully, so as not to break the skins. wash out the kettle, and boil the figs a second time, in clean hot water, for ten minutes. take them out, spread them separately on large dishes, and let them rest till next morning. prepare a syrup, by allowing to every pound of the finest loaf-sugar, half a pint of water, and, when melted together, placing the kettle over the fire. when the syrup has boiled, and is thoroughly skimmed, put in the figs, and boil them about twenty-five minutes or half an hour. then take them out, and again spread them to cool on large dishes. afterwards, put them up in glass jars, pouring the syrup over them. cover the jars closely, and set them in the hot sun all next day. then seal the corks with the red cement made of melted rosin and bees-wax, thickened with fine brick-dust. another way is to cut the stems closely, and to peel off the skin of the figs; and to substitute for the bag of wood-ashes, a little powdered alum. then proceed as above. myrtle oranges preserved.--the small myrtle of the south, makes a very fine green sweetmeat. lay them three days in weak salt and water. then three days in cold water, changed at least three times a day. afterwards, put a layer of green vine-leaves at the bottom of the preserving kettle, and round the sides. put in a layer of oranges, sprinkling among them a very little powdered alum, allowing not more than a heaped salt-spoonful of alum to the whole kettle of oranges and vine-leaves. then fill up with water; hang them over the fire till they are of a fine green, and boil them till they are so tender that you can pierce them through with a twig from a whisk broom. when clear and crisp, take them out of the kettle, spread them on flat dishes, and throw away the vine-leaves. then wash out the kettle, and, having weighed the oranges, allow to each pound one pound of double-refined sugar, broken small. put the sugar into the preserving-kettle, and pour on half a pint of water to each pound of sugar. when it is quite dissolved, hang it over the fire, and boil and skim it till it is very clear, and no more scum appears on the surface. then put in the oranges, and boil them slowly in the syrup till they slightly burst. another way is to scoop out all the inside of oranges as soon as they are greened, and make a thick jelly of it, with the addition of some more orange-pulp from other oranges. press it through a strainer, and, after adding a pound of sugar to each pint of orange juice, boil it to a jelly. having boiled the empty oranges in a syrup till they are crisp and tender, spread them out to cool--fill them with the jelly, and put them up in glass jars, pouring the syrup over them. to keep strawberries.--take the largest and finest ripe strawberries, hull them, and put them immediately into large wide-mouthed bottles, filling them quite up to the top. cork them directly, and be sure to wire the corks. set the bottles into a large preserving-kettle full of cold water. place them over the fire, and let the water boil around them for a quarter of an hour after it has come to a boil. then take out the bottles, drain them, and wipe the outside dry. proceed at once to seal the corks hermetically, with the red cement made of one-third bees-wax cut up, and two-thirds rosin, melted together in a skillet over the fire, and, when completely liquid, taken off the fire, and thickened to the consistence of sealing-wax by stirring in sufficient finely powdered brick-dust. this cement must be spread on hot over the wired corks. it is excellent for all sweetmeat and pickle jars. nothing is better. keep the bottles in boxes of dry sand. when opened, the strawberries will be found fresh and highly flavoured, as when just gathered. they must, however, be used as soon as they are opened, for exposure to the air will spoil them. raspberries, ripe currants stripped from the stalk, ripe gooseberries topped and tailed, and any small fruit, may be kept in this manner for many months. in france, where syrups of every sort of fruit are made by boiling the juice with sugar, and then bottling it, it is very customary to serve up, in glass dishes, fruits preserved as above, with their respective syrups poured round them, from the bottles. they are delicious. to keep peaches.--take fine ripe juicy free-stone peaches. pare them, and remove the stones by thrusting them out with a skewer, leaving the peaches as nearly whole as possible. or you may cut them in half. put them immediately into flat stone jars, and cement on the covers with the composition of bees-wax and rosin melted together, and thickened with powdered brick dust. the jars (_filled up to the top_) must be so closely covered that no air can possibly get to the peaches. then pack the jars in boxes of sand, or of powdered charcoal, and nail on the box-lid. peaches done in this manner, have arrived at california in perfect preservation. but they must be eaten as soon as the jars are opened. green corn muffins.--having boiled the corn, grate it, as if for a pudding. beat six eggs very light, and stir them gradually into a quart of milk. then stir in, by degrees, the grated corn, till you have a moderately thick batter. add a salt-spoon of salt. butter the inside of your muffin-rings. place them on a hot griddle, over a clear fire, and nearly fill them with the batter. bake the muffins well, and send them to table hot. eat them with butter. compote of sweet potatoes.--select fine large sweet potatoes, all nearly the same size. boil them well and then peel off the skins. then lay the potatoes in a large baking-dish; put some pieces of fresh butter among them, and sprinkle them very freely with powdered sugar. bake them slowly, till the butter and sugar form a crust. they should be eaten after the meat. this is a carolina dish, and will be found very good. baked ham.--soak a nice small sugar-cured ham in cold water, from early in the evening till next morning--changing the water at bed-time. (it may require twenty-four hours' soaking.) trim it nicely, and cut the shank-bone short off. make a coarse paste of merely flour and water, sufficient in quantity to enclose the whole ham. roll it out, and cover the ham entirely with it. place it in a well-heated oven, and bake it five hours, or more, in proportion to its size. when done, remove the paste, peel off the skin, and send the ham to table, with its essence or gravy about it. it will be found very fine. if the ham is rather salt and hard, parboil it for two hours. then put it into the paste, and bake it three hours. mushroom sweet-breads.--take four fine fresh sweet-breads; trim them nicely, split them open, and remove the gristle or pipe. then lay the sweet-breads in warm water till all the blood is drawn out. afterwards, put them into a saucepan, set them over the fire, and parboil them for a quarter of an hour. then take them out, and lay them immediately in a pan of cold water. have ready a quart of fresh mushrooms; peel them, and remove the stalks. spread out the mushrooms on a large flat dish, with the hollow side uppermost, and sprinkle them slightly with a little salt and pepper. having divided each sweet-bread into four quarters, put them into a saucepan with the mushrooms, and add a large piece of the best fresh butter rolled in flour. cover the pan closely, and set it over a clear fire that has no blaze. you must lift the saucepan by the handle, and shake it round hard, otherwise, the contents may burn at the bottom. keep it closely covered all the time; for if the lid is removed, much of the mushroom-flavour may escape. let them stew steadily for a quarter of an hour or more. then take them up, and send them to table in a covered dish, either at breakfast or dinner. they will be found delicious. if the mushrooms are large, quarter them. pancake ham.--cut very thin some slices of cold ham, making them all nearly of the same size and shape. beat six eggs very light, and smooth. stir them, gradually, into a pint of rich milk, alternately with six table-spoonfuls of sifted flour, adding half a nutmeg, grated. if you find the batter too thick, add a little more milk. for pancakes or fritters, the batter should be rather thin. take a yeast-powder; dissolve the contents of the blue paper (the soda) in a little warm water, and, when quite melted, stir it into the batter. in another cup, dissolve the tartaric acid from the white paper, and stir that in immediately after. have ready, in a frying-pan over the fire, a sufficiency of lard melted and boiling, or of fresh butter. put in a ladle-full of the batter, and fry it brown. have ready a hot plate, and put the pancakes on it as soon as they come out of the frying-pan, keeping them covered, close to the fire. when they are all baked, pile them evenly on a hot dish, with a slice of cold ham between every two pancakes, beginning with a cake at the bottom of the pile, and finishing with a cake at the top. you may arrange them in two piles, or more. in helping, cut down through the whole pile of pancakes and ham alternately. in making yeast-powders, allow twice as much carbonate of soda as of tartaric acid. for instance, a level tea-spoonful of soda to a level salt-spoonful of the tartaric acid. put up the two articles, separately folded in papers of different colours; the former in blue paper, the latter in white. an apple pandowdy.--make a good plain paste. pare, core, and slice half a dozen or more fine large juicy apples, and strew among them sufficient brown sugar to make them very sweet; adding some cloves, cinnamon, or lemon-peel. have ready a pint of sour milk. butter a deep tin baking-pan, and put in the apples with the sugar and spice. then, having dissolved, in a little lukewarm water, a small tea-spoonful of soda, stir it into the milk, the acid of which it will immediately remove. pour the milk, foaming, upon the apples, and immediately put a lid or cover of paste over the top, in the manner of a pie. this crust should be rolled out rather thick. notch the edge all round, having made it fit closely. set it into a hot oven, and bake it an hour. eat it warm, with sugar. honey paste (_for the hands_.)--take half a pound of strained honey, half a pound of white wax, and half a pound of fresh lard. cut up the wax very small, put it into a porcelain-lined saucepan, and set it over the fire till it is quite melted. then add alternately the honey and the lard; stirring them all well together. let them boil moderately, till they become a thick paste, about the consistence of simple cerate, or of lip salve. then remove the saucepan from the fire, and stir into the mixture some rose-perfume, or carnation, or violet--no other. transfer the paste, while warm, to gallicups with covers; and paste a slip of white paper round each cover. for keeping the hands white and soft, and preventing their chapping, there is nothing superior to this paste; rubbing on a little of it, after dipping your hands lightly in water. glycerine.--this is an excellent and very convenient preparation for the hands. buy a bottle of it at one of the best druggists, and keep it well corked. after washing your hands with palm or castile soap, empty the basin, and pour in a little fresh water, to which add a few drops of glycerine. finish your hands with this, rubbing it in hard. it will render them very soft and smooth, and prevent chapping. try it, by all means. to keep off musquitoes.--before going to bed, put a little eau de cologne into a basin of clean water, and with this wash your face, neck, hands, and arms, letting it dry on. the musquitoes then will not touch you. it may be necessary to repeat this washing before morning, or about day-light. there is nothing better. you may also do it early in the evening, before the musquitoes begin. corn-starch blancmange.--buy at one of the best grocer's, a half-pound paper of corn-starch flour. boil a quart of milk, taking out of it a large tea-cup-full, which you may put into a pan. while the milk is boiling, mix with the cold milk four heaping table-spoonfuls of the corn-starch. beat three eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture. flavour it with a tea-spoonful of extract of bitter almonds, or of vanilla, or a wine-glass of rose-water. add a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar, and stir the whole well together. when the other milk is boiling hard, pour it gradually on the mixture in the pan, which mixture will thicken while the milk is pouring. transfer it to blancmange moulds, (first wetting them with cold water,) and set them in a cold place till dinner-time. eat it with cream. serve up sweetmeats at the same time. if you use new milk, the mixture will be like a soft custard, and must be sent to table as such. skim-milk makes it blancmange. if you wish it as a pudding, use five heaping spoonfuls of the corn-starch powder. send it to table hot, and eat it with wine sauce. it is a pudding very soon prepared. blancmange moulds are best of block tin. those of china are more liable to stick. these preparations of corn-starch are much liked. farina.--is the finest, lightest, and most delicate preparation of wheat flour. it is excellent for all sorts of boiled puddings, for flummery, and blancmange. also, as gruel for the sick. cinnamon cake.--take as much of the very best and lightest bread-dough as will weigh a pound. the dough must have risen perfectly, so as to have cracked all over the surface. put it into a pan, and mix into it a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, melted in half a pint of milk, adding a well-beaten egg, and sufficient flour to enable you to knead the dough over again. then mix in a heaping tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. next, take a yeast-powder. in one cup, melt the soda or contents of the blue paper, in as much lukewarm water as will cover it; and, when thoroughly melted, mix it into the dough. immediately after, having dissolved in another cup the tartaric acid, or contents of the white paper, stir that in also, and knead the dough a little while, till the whole is well mixed. spread the dough thick and evenly in a square pan greased with lard or fresh butter, and with a knife make deep cuts all through it. having previously prepared in a bowl a mixture of brown sugar, moistened with butter, and highly flavoured with powdered cinnamon, in the proportion of four heaping table-spoonfuls of sugar to two large spoonfuls of butter and one heaped tea-spoonful of cinnamon. fill the cuts with this mixture, pressing it down well into the dough. bake the cake half an hour or more, in a rather quick oven. when done, set it to cool; and when cold, cut it in squares, and sift powdered white sugar over it. it is best the day it is baked. you may, previous to baking, form the dough into separate round cakes; and in placing them in the pan, do not lay them so near each other as to touch. by bespeaking it in time, you can get risen bread dough from your baker. for two pounds of dough you must double the proportions of the above ingredients. thawing frozen meat, &c.--if meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, or any other article of food, when found frozen, is thawed by putting it into _warm water_ or placing it before the fire, it will most certainly spoil by that process, and be rendered unfit to eat. the only way is to thaw these things by immersing them in _cold_ water. this should be done as soon as they are brought in from market, that they may have time to be well thawed before they are cooked. if meat that has been frozen is to be boiled, put it on in cold water. if to be roasted, begin by setting it at a distance from the fire; for if it should not chance to be thoroughly thawed all through to the centre, placing at first too near the fire will cause it to spoil. if it is expedient to thaw the meat or poultry the night before cooking, lay it in cold water early in the evening, and change the water at bed-time. if found crusted with ice in the morning, remove the ice, and put the meat in fresh cold water; letting it lie in it till wanted for cooking. potatoes are injured by being frozen. other vegetables are not the worse for it, provided they are always thawed in cold water. keeping meat, &c., in summer.--in summer, meat, poultry, fish, fruit, &c., should always be kept in ice, from the time they are brought from market till it is time to cook them. families, who have not an ice-house, should have _two_ refrigerators; one for meat and poultry, the other for milk, butter, and fruit. if the three last articles are kept in the same refrigerator with meat and poultry, the milk, butter and fruit will imbibe a bad taste. a barrel of salt fish should never be kept in the same cellar with other articles of food. the fish-smell will injure them greatly, and render them unwholesome; milk and butter particularly. it is best to buy salt fish a little at a time, as you want it. a fish-barrel in the cellar will sometimes vitiate the atmosphere of the whole lower story of the house, and, indeed, may be smelt immediately on entering the door. in this case, let the barrel and its contents be conveyed to the river and thrown in; otherwise, its odour may produce sickness in the family. avoid eating anything that is _in the very least_ approaching to decomposition. even sour bread and strong butter are unwholesome as well as unpalatable. if the bread is sour, or the butter rancid, it is because (as the french, in such cases, unceremoniously say) "putrefaction has commenced." fortunately, the vile practice (once considered fashionable) of eating venison and other game when absolutely tainted, is now obsolete at all good tables. persons who have had opportunities of feasting on fresh-killed venison, just from the woods, and at a season when the deer have plenty of wild berries to feed on and are fat and juicy, can never relish the hard, lean, black haunches that are brought to the cities in winter. broiled shad.--cut off the head and tail, and clean the fish. wipe it very dry with a cloth, and sprinkle the inside with a little salt and pepper. you may either broil it split open, and laid flat; or you may cut it into three or four pieces without splitting. in the latter case, it will require a longer time to broil. keep it in ice till you are ready to cook it. having well greased the bars with lard, or beef suet, or fresh butter, set your gridiron over a bed of clear, bright, hot coals; place the shad upon it (the inside downwards) and broil it thoroughly. when one side is done, turn it on the other with a knife and fork. have ready a hot dish, with a large piece of softened fresh butter upon it, sprinkled with cayenne. when the shad is broiled, lay it on this dish, and turn it in the butter with a knife and fork. send it hot to table, under a dish-cover. apple pork.--take a fillet of fine fresh pork, and rub it slightly all over with a very little salt and pepper. score the outside skin in diamonds. take out the bone, and fill up the place with fine juicy apples, pared, cored, and cut small, and made very sweet with plenty of brown sugar; adding some bits of the yellow rind of a lemon or two, pared off very thin. then have ready a dozen and a half or more of large apples, pared, cored, and quartered, sweetened well with sugar, and also flavoured with yellow rind of lemon. the juice of the lemons will be an improvement. put the pork into a large pot, or into an iron bake-oven; fill up with the cut apples the space all round, adding just sufficient water to keep it from burning. stew or bake it during three hours. when done, serve all up in one large dish. stewed salt pork.--take a good piece of salt pork, (not too fat,) and, early in the evening, lay it in water, to soak all night, changing the water about bed-time. in the morning, drain and wash the pork, and cut it in very thin slices, seasoning it with pepper. put a layer of this pork in the bottom of a large dinner-pot, and then a layer of slices of bread. next put in a layer of potatoes, pared and cut up; then another layer of pork slices, covered by another layer of sliced bread; and then again potatoes. proceed till the pot is two-thirds full, finishing with bread. lastly, pour on just sufficient water to stew it well and keep it from burning. set it over the fire, and let it cook slowly for three hours. if it becomes too dry, add a little boiling water. this is a homely dish, but a very good one, particularly on a farm or on ship-board. at sea, you must substitute biscuit for bread. cold pork, left from yesterday, may be cooked in this manner. to make good toast.--cut the bread in even slices, and moderately thick. when cut too thin, toast is hard and tasteless. it is much nicer when the crust is pared off before toasting. a long-handled toasting-fork (to be obtained at the hardware or tin stores) is far better than the usual toasting apparatus, made to stand before the fire with the slices of bread slipped in between, and therefore liable to be browned in stripes, dark and light alternately; unless the bread, while toasting, is carefully slipped along, so that the whole may receive equal benefit from the fire. with a fork, whose handle is near a yard in length, the cook can sit at a comfortable distance from the fire, and the bread will be equally browned all over; when one side is done, taking it off from the fork, and turning the other. send it to table hot, in a heated plate, or in a toast-rack; and butter it to your taste. toast should neither be burnt nor blackened in any way. you may lay it in even piles, and butter it before it goes to table; cutting each slice in half. carving. the seat, for the carver should be somewhat elevated above the other chairs: it is extremely ungraceful to carve standing, and it is rarely done by any person accustomed to the business. carving depends more on skill than on strength. we have seen very small women carve admirably sitting down; and very tall men who knew not how to cut a piece of beef-steak without rising on their feet to do it. the carving knife should be very sharp, and not heavy; and it should be held firmly in the hand: also the dish should be not too far from the carver. it is customary to help the fish with a fish trowel, and not with a knife. the middle part of a fish is generally considered the best. in helping it, avoid breaking the flakes, as that will give it a mangled appearance. in carving ribs or sirloin of beef, begin by cutting thin slices off the side next to you. afterwards you may cut from the tender-loin, or cross-part near the lower end. do not send any one the outside piece, unless you know that they particularly wish it. in helping beef-steak, put none of the bone on the plate. in cutting a round of corned beef, begin at the top; but lay aside the first cut or outside piece, and send it to no one, as it is always dry and hard. in a round of _a-la-mode beef_, the outside is frequently preferred. in a leg of mutton, begin across the middle, cutting the slices quite down to the bone. the same with a leg of pork or a ham. the latter should be cut in _very thin_ slices, as its flavour is spoiled when cut thick. to taste well, a tongue should be cut crossways in round slices. cutting it lengthwise (though the practice at many tables) injures the flavour. the middle part of the tongue is the best. do not help any one to a piece of the root; that, being by no means a favoured part, is generally left in the dish. in carving a fore-quarter of lamb, first separate the shoulder part from the breast and ribs, by passing the knife under, and then divide the ribs. if the lamb is large, have another dish brought to put the shoulder in. for a loin of veal, begin near the smallest end, and separate the ribs; helping a part of the kidney (as far as it will go) with each piece. carve a loin of pork or mutton in the same manner. in carving a fillet of veal, begin at the top. many persons prefer the first cut or outside piece. help a portion of the stuffing with each slice. in a breast of veal, there are two parts very different in quality, the ribs and the brisket. you will easily perceive the division; enter your knife at it, and cut through, which will separate the two parts. ask the persons you are going to help, whether they prefer a rib, or a piece of the brisket. for a haunch of venison, first make a deep incision, by passing your knife all along the side, cutting quite down to the bone. this is to let out the gravy. then turn the broad end of the haunch towards you, and cut it as deep as you can, in thin, smooth slices, allowing some of the fat to each person. for a saddle of venison, or of mutton, cut from the tail to the other end on each side of the back-bone, making very thin slices, and sending some fat with each. venison and roast mutton chill very soon, therefore it is usual to eat it with iron heaters under the plates. some heaters are made to contain hot coals, others are kept warm with boiling water, and some are heated by spirits of wine; the last is a very exceptionable mode, as the blue blaze flaming out all around the plate, is to many persons frightful. currant jelly is an indispensable appendage to venison, and to roast mutton, and to ducks. a young pig is most generally divided before it comes to table, in which case, it is not customary to send in the head, as to many persons it is a revolting spectacle after it is cut off. when served up whole, first separate the head from the shoulders, then cut off the limbs, and then divide the ribs. help some of the stuffing with each piece. to carve a fowl, begin by sticking your fork in the pinion, and drawing it towards the leg; and then passing your knife underneath, take off the wing at the joint. next, slip your knife between the leg and the body, to cut through the joint; and with the fork, turn the leg back, and the joint will give way. then take off the other wing and leg. if the fowl has been trussed (as it ought to be) with the liver and gizzard, help the liver with one wing, and the gizzard with the other. the liver wing is considered the best. after the limbs are taken off, enter your knife into the top of the breast, and cut under the merry-thought, so as to loosen it, lifting it with your fork. afterwards cut slices from both sides of the breast. next take off the collar-bones, which lie on each side of the merry-thought, and then separate the side-bones from the back. the breast and wings are considered as the most delicate parts of the fowl; the back, as the least desirable, is generally left in the dish. some persons, in carving a fowl, find it more convenient to take it on a plate, and as they separate it, return each part to the dish; but this is not now the usual way. a turkey is carved in the same manner as a fowl; except that the legs and wings being larger, are separated at the lower joint. the lower part of the leg, (or drumstick, as it is called,) being hard, tough, and stringy, is never helped to any one, but allowed to remain on the dish. first cut off the wing, leg, and breast from one side; then turn the turkey over, and cut them off from the other. to carve a goose, separate the leg from the body, by putting the fork into the small end of the limb; pressing it close to the body, and then passing the knife under, and turning the leg back, as you cut through the joint. to take off the wing, put your fork into the small end of the pinion, and press it closely to the body; then slip the knife under, and separate the joint. next cut under the merry-thought, and take it off; and then cut slices from the breast. then turn the goose, and dismember the other side. take off the two upper side-bones, that are next to the wings; and then the two lower side-bones. the breast and legs of a goose afford the finest pieces. if a goose is old, there is no fowl so tough; and if difficult to carve, it will be still more difficult to eat. partridges, pheasants, grouse, &c., are carved in the same manner as fowls. quails, woodcocks, and snipes are merely split down the back; so also are pigeons, giving a half to each person. in helping any one to gravy, or to melted butter, do not pour it _over_ their meat, fowl, or fish, but put it to one side on a vacant part of the plate, that they may use just as much of it as they like. in filling a plate, never heap one thing on another. in helping vegetables, do not plunge the spoon down to the bottom of the dish, in case they should not have been perfectly well drained, and the water should have settled there. by observing carefully how it is done, you may acquire a knowledge of the joints, and of the process of carving, which a little daily practice will soon convert into dexterity. if a young lady is ignorant of this very useful art, it will be well for her to take lessons of her father, or her brother, and a married lady can easily learn from her husband. domestics who wait at table may soon, from looking on daily, become so expert that, when necessary, they can take a dish to the side-table and carve it perfectly well. at a dinner party, if the hostess is quite young, she is frequently glad to be relieved of the trouble of carving by the gentleman who sits nearest to her; but if she is familiar with the business, she usually prefers doing it herself. to draw poultry, &c. though to prepare poultry for cooking is by no means an agreeable business, yet some knowledge of it may be very useful to the mistress of a house, in case she should have occasion to instruct a servant in the manner of doing it; or in the possible event of her being obliged to do it herself; for instance, if her cook has been suddenly taken ill, or has left her unexpectedly. as all poultry is, of course, drawn in the same manner, it will be sufficient to designate the mode of emptying the inside of a fowl. in winter, if the fowl is frozen, lay it before the fire till it has completely thawed. then have ready one or more large pieces of waste paper, rolled up loosely into a long wisp; lay the fowl down on a clean part of the hearth, and, taking its legs in your hand, light the paper, and pass it back and forward above the surface of the skin, (turning the fowl on both sides,) so as to singe off all the hairs; doing it so carefully as not to burn or scorch the skin. there should always be a quantity of old newspapers, or other waste paper, kept in a closet or drawer of the kitchen for this and other purposes. next, lay the fowl upon its back on a clean old waiter or tray, (such as should be kept in every kitchen,) and with a large sharp knife cut off, first the head, and then the legs at the first joint. the next thing is to cut a very long slit in the skin at the right side of the neck, and with your fingers strip down the skin towards the shoulders, till you come to the craw, which you must take out with your hand. then with your knife make two long deep cuts or incisions on each side of the body, going downward towards the tail. put your hand into the cut or orifice on the right side, and pull out the heart, liver, gizzard, and then the entrails. take care not to break the gall-bag, or its liquor will run over the liver, and make it so bitter that it cannot be eaten, and should therefore be thrown away without cooking. next, to flatten the body, break the breast-bone by striking on it hard with your hand. then tuck the legs into the lower part of the slits that you have cut on each side of the body. afterwards with your hand bend or curve inwards the end of the neck-bone, and tuck it away under the long loose piece of skin left there. after this, lay the fowl in a small tub of cold water, and wash it well inside and out: then dry it with a clean towel. next, cut open the gizzard, empty it of the sand and gravel, and take out the thick inside skin. split open the heart, and let out the blood that is in it. then carefully cut the gall-bag from the liver, so as not to break it. wash clean the heart, liver, and gizzard, (having trimmed them neatly,) and return the heart to the inside of the breast; putting back also the eggs, if you have found any. have ready the stuffing, and fill up with it the vacancy from which you have taken the craw, &c., pressing it in hard. next, taking between your thumb and finger the above-mentioned piece of skin at the top of the neck, draw it down tightly towards the back of the fowl, (folding it nicely over the bent end of the neck-bone,) and fasten it down between the shoulders with a skewer, which must be stuck in so as to go lengthways down the back. this will prevent any of the stuffing from getting out, and will keep all compact and nice. then run a skewer through both the wings and the upper part of the body, tucking in the liver so as to appear from under the right pinion, and the gizzard (scoring it first) on the left. both pinions must be bent upwards. lastly, secure all by tying two strings of small twine tightly round the fowl; one just above the skewer that confines the legs; the other just below that which passes through the wings. of course, the strings and skewers are removed before the poultry is sent to table. turkeys, geese, and ducks are always trussed in this manner, the legs being cut off at the first joint. so are fowls for boiling. but when fowls are to be roasted, some cooks leave on the whole of the legs and feet, (scraping and washing them clean,) and drawing the feet up quite to the breast, where they are tied together by a string. pigeons, pheasants, partridges, &c., are all trussed as above, with the legs short. to draw a little roasting pig, cut the body open by one long slit, and before you take out what is inside, loosen it all with a sharp knife; then extract it with your hands. empty the head also. afterwards wash the animal clean, (inside and out,) and fill the vacancy with stuffing. having bent the knees under, skewer the legs to the body, and secure the stuffing by tying twine tightly several times round the body; first fastening the slit by pinning it with a wooden skewer. having boiled the liver and heart, chop them to enrich the gravy. figures explanatory of the pieces into which the five large animals are divided by the butchers. [illustration: _beef_ . sirloin. . rump. . edge bone. . buttock. . mouse buttock. . leg. . thick flank. . veiny piece. . thin flank. . fore rib: ribs. . middle rib: ribs . chuck rib: ribs. . brisket. . shoulder, or leg of mutton piece. . clod. . neck, or sticking piece. . shin. . cheek. ] [illustration: _veal._ . loin, best end. . fillet. . loin, chump end. . hind knuckle. . neck, best end. . breast, best end. . blade bone. . fore knuckle. . breast, brisket end. . neck, scrag end. ] [illustration: _mutton._ . leg. . shoulder. . loin, best end. loin. chump end . neck. best end. . breast. . neck, scrag end. _note._ a chine is two loins; and a saddle is two loins and two necks of the best end.] [illustration: _pork._ . leg. . hind loin. . fore loin. . spare rib. . hand. . spring. ] [illustration: _venison._ . shoulder. . neck. . haunch. . breast. . scrag. ] index. acid salt, . almond cake, . almond custard, . almond ice-cream, . almond maccaroons, . almond pudding, . another almond pudding, . anchovy catchup, . anchovy sauce, . anniseed cordial, . apees, . apples, baked, . apple butter, . apple butter, without cider, . apple custard, . apple dumplings, . apple fritters, . apple jelly, . apple and other pies, . apple pot-pie, . apples, preserved, . apple pudding, baked, . apple pudding, boiled, . apple sauce, . apple water, . apricots, preserved, . arrow-root blancmange, . arrow-root jelly, . arrow-root pudding, . artichokes, to boil, . asparagus, to boil, . asparagus soup, . balm of gilead oil, . barberry jelly, . barberries, to pickle, . barley water, . bath buns, . bean soup, . beans, (dried,) to boil, . beans, (green or french,) to boil, . beans, (green,) to pickle, . beans, (lima,) to boil, and dry, . beans, (scarlet,) to boil, . beef, remarks on, . beef, à la mode, . beef, baked, . beef bouilli, . beef, (corned or salted,) to boil, . beef cakes, . beef, to corn, . beef, to dry and smoke, . beef dripping, to save, . beef, hashed, . beef's heart, roasted, . beef's heart, stewed, . beef kidney, to dress, . beef, potted, . beef, to roast, . beef soup, fine, . beef steaks, to broil, . beef steaks, to fry, . beef steak pie, . beef steak pudding, . beef, to stew, . beef, (a round of,) to stew, . beef, (a round of,) to stew another way, . beef and tongues, to pickle, . beef tea, . beets, to boil, . beets, to stew, . beer, (molasses,) . beer, (sassafras,) . biscuit, (milk,) . biscuit, (soda,) . biscuit, (sugar,) . biscuit, (tea,) . bitters, . black cake, . black-fish, to stew, . blanc-mange, . blanc-mange, (arrow-root,) . blanc-mange, (carrageen,) . bottled small beer, . bran bread, . bread, . bread, (rye and indian,) . bread cake, . bread jelly, . bread pudding, baked, . bread pudding, boiled, . bread and butter pudding, . bread sauce, . broccoli, to boil, . brown soup, rich, . buckwheat cakes, . burnet vinegar, . burns, remedy for, . butter, to brown, . butter, melted or drawn, . butter, to make, . butter, to preserve, . butternuts, to pickle, . cabbage, to boil, . cabbage, (red,) to pickle, . cale-cannon, . calf's feet broth, . calf's feet, to fry, . calf's feet jelly, . calf's head, dressed plain, . calf's head, hashed, . calf's head soup, . calf's liver, fried, . calf's liver, larded, . cantelope, preserved, . caper sauce, . capillaire, . carrots, to boil, . carrot pudding, . carp, to stew, . carrageen blanc-mange, . catfish soup, . cauliflower, to boil, . cauliflower, to pickle, . cayenne pepper, . celery, to prepare for table, . celery sauce, . celery vinegar, . charlotte, (plum,) . charlotte, (raspberry,) . cheese, to make, . cheese, (cottage,) . cheese, (sage,) . cheese, (stilton,) . cheesecake, (almond,) . cheesecake, (common,) . cherry bounce, . cherry cordial, . cherries, (dried,) . cherry jam, . cherry jelly, . cherries, preserved, . citron melon slices, . cherry shrub, . chestnuts, to roast, . chestnut pudding, . chicken broth and panada, . chickens, broiled, . chicken croquets and rissoles, . chicken curry, . chicken dumplings or puddings, . chickens, fricasseed, . chicken jelly, . chicken pie, . chicken salad, . chilblains, remedy for, . chili vinegar, . chitterlings, or calf's tripe, . chocolate, to make, . chocolate custard, . chowder, . cider cake, . cider, (mulled,) . cider vinegar, . cider wine, . cinderellas, or german puffs, . citrons, to preserve, . clam soup, . clam soup, (plain,) . clotted cream, . cocoa, to prepare, . cocoa shells, to boil, . cocoa-nut cakes, . cocoa-nut cakes, (white,) . cocoa-nut custard, baked, . cocoa-nut custard, boiled, . cocoa-nut jumbles, . cocoa-nut maccaroons, . cocoa-nut pudding, . cocoa-nut pudding, another way, . codfish, (fresh,) to boil, . codfish, (fresh,) to boil another way, . codfish, salt, to boil, . coffee, to make, . coffee, (french,) . cold cream, . cold slaw, . cold sweet sauce, . cologne water, . colouring for confectionary, . corn, (indian,) to boil, . corn, (green,) pudding, . corns, remedy for, . cosmetic paste, . crab-apples, (green,) to preserve, . crab-apples, (red,) to preserve, . crabs, (cold,) . crabs, (hot,) . crabs, (soft,) . cranberries, to preserve, . cranberry sauce, . cream cake, . cream, (lemon,) . cream, (orange,) . cream, to preserve, . cream sauce, . cucumbers, to dress raw, . cucumbers, to fry, . cucumbers, to pickle, . cup cake, . curaçoa, . curds and whey, . currant jelly, (black,) . currant jelly, (red,) . currant jelly, (white,) . currant shrub, . currant wine, . custard, (boiled,) . custard, (plain,) . custard, (rice,) . custard, (soft,) . custard pudding, . dough nuts, . ducks, to hash, . ducks, to stew, . ducks, to roast, . dumplings, (apple,) . dumplings, (light,) . dumplings, (plain suet,) . dumplings, (fine suet,) . dumplings, (indian,) . durable ink, . durable ink, another way, . eastern pudding, . eggs, to boil for breakfast, . eggs, to fricassee, . eggs, to keep, . eggs with ham, . egg nogg, . eggs, to pack, . eggs, to pickle, . egg plant, to stew, . egg plant, to fry, . egg plant, stuffed, . eggs, raw, . egg sauce, . election cake, . elder-berry wine, . elder-flower wine, . essence of lemon peel, . essence of peppermint, . eve's pudding, . family soup, . federal cakes, . flannel cakes, . flax-seed lemonade, . floating island, . flour, to brown, . flour hasty-pudding, . force-meat balls, . fowls, to boil, . fowls, to roast, . fox-grape shrub, . friar's chicken, . fritters, (apple,) . fritters, (plain,) . frosted fruit, . fruit queen-cakes, . general sauce, . gherkins, to pickle, . ginger, to preserve, . ginger beer, . ginger plum-cake, . gingerbread, (common,) . gingerbread nuts, . gingerbread, (franklin,) . gingerbread, (white,) . gooseberries, bottled, . gooseberry custard, . gooseberry fool, . gooseberries, to preserve, . gooseberries, to stew, . gooseberry wine, . goose pie, . goose pie for christmas, . goose, to roast, . grapes, in brandy, . grapes, (wild,) to keep, . grape jelly, . gravy, (drawn or made,) . gravy soup, (clear,) . ground nuts, to roast, . ground rice milk, . grouse, to roast, . gruel, to make, . gruel, oatmeal, . halibut, to boil, . halibut cutlets, . ham, to boil, . ham, to broil, . ham or bacon, directions for curing, . ham, (to glaze,) . ham dumplings, . ham pie, . ham sandwiches, . ham, to roast, . ham, (westphalia,) to imitate, . hare or rabbit soup, . hare, to roast, . harvey's sauce, . herbs, to dry, . hominy, to boil, . honey cake, . horseradish vinegar, . huckleberry cake, . hungary water, . ice cream, (almond,) . ice cream, (lemon,) . ice cream, (pine apple,) . ice cream, (raspberry,) . ice cream, (strawberry,) . ice cream, (vanilla,) . ice lemonade, . ice orangeade, . icing for cakes, . indian batter cakes, . indian corn, to boil, . indian dumplings, . indian flappers, . indian muffins, . indian mush, . indian mush cakes, . indian pound cake, . indian pudding, baked, . indian pudding, boiled, . indian pudding without eggs, . italian cream, . jaune-mange, . jelly cake, . johnny cake, . julienne (à la) soup, . kid, to roast, . kitchen pepper, . kitchiner's fish-sauce, . kisses, . lady cake, . lamb, to roast, . larding, . lavender, compound, . lavender water, . laudanum, antidote to, . lead water, . lemon brandy, . lemon catchup, . lemon cordial, . lemon cream, . lemon custard, . lemon juice, to keep, . lemon peel, to keep, . lemon peel, (essence of,) . lemons, preserved, . lemon pudding, . lemon syrup, . lemonade, . lettuce or salad, to dress, . lip salve, . liver dumplings, . liver puddings, . lobster, to boil, . lobster catchup, . lobster, to fricassee, . lobster, to dress cold, . lobster, pickled, . lobster, potted, . lobster pie, . lobster sauce, . lobster soup, . lobster, to stew, . maccaroni, to dress, . maccaroni soup, . maccaroni soup, (rich,) . maccaroons, (almond,) . maccaroons, (cocoa-nut,) . maccaroon custard, . mackerel, to boil, . mackerel, to broil, . mangoes, to pickle, . marbled veal, . marlborough pudding, . marmalade cake, . mead, . meg merrilies' soup, . milk biscuit, . milk punch, . milk soup, . mince pies, . mince meat, . mince meat for lent, . mince meat, (very plain,) . minced oysters, . mint sauce, . molasses beer, . molasses candy, . molasses posset, . moravian sugar-cake, . morella cherries, to pickle, . mock oysters of corn, . mock turtle, or calf's head soup, . muffins, (common,) . muffins, (indian,) . muffins, (water,) . mulled cider, . mulled wine, . mulligatawny soup, . mush, (indian,) to make, . mush cakes, . mushrooms, to broil, . mushroom catchup, . mushrooms, to pickle brown, . mushrooms, to pickle white, . mushroom sauce, . mushrooms, to stew, . musquito bites, remedy for, . mustard, (common,) . mustard, (french,) . mustard, (keeping.) . mutton, to boil, . mutton broth, . mutton broth made quickly, . mutton, (casserole of,) . mutton chops, broiled, . mutton chops, stewed, . mutton cutlets, à la maintenon, . mutton harico, . mutton, hashed, . mutton, (leg of,) stewed, . mutton, to roast, . mutton soup, (including cabbage and noodle soups,) . nasturtians, to pickle, . nasturtian sauce, . new york cookies, . nougat, . noyau, . oatmeal gruel, . ochra soup, . oil of flowers, . omelet, (plain,) . omelet soufflé, . onions, to boil, . onions, to fry, . onions, to pickle, . onions, pickled white, . onions, to roast, . onion sauce, (brown,) . onion sauce, (white,) . onion soup, . orangeade, . orange cream, . orange jelly, . orange marmalade, . orange pudding, . orgeat, . ortolans, to roast, . oyster catchup, . oysters, fried, . oyster fritters, . oysters, minced, . oysters, pickled, . oysters, pickled for keeping, . oyster pie, . oysters, scolloped, . oysters, stewed, . oyster soup, . oyster soup, (plain,) . ox-tail soup, . oyster sauce, . panada, . panada, (chicken,) . pancakes, (plain,) . pancakes, (sweetmeat,) . parsley, to pickle, . parsley sauce, . parsnips, to boil, . partridges, to roast, . partridges, to roast another way, . paste, (dripping,) . paste, (lard,) . paste, (the best plain,) . paste, (potato,) . paste, (fine puff,) . paste, (suet,) . paste, (sweet,) . peaches, (in brandy,) . peach cordial, . peaches, (dried,) . peaches for common use, . peach jelly, . peach kernels, . peach marmalade, . peaches, to pickle, . peaches, to preserve, . peach sauce, . peas, (green,) to boil, . peas soup, . peas soup, (green,) . pears, to bake, . pears, to preserve, . peppers, (green,) to pickle, , . peppers, (green,) to preserve, . pepper pot, . perch, to fry, . pheasants, to roast, . pheasants, to roast another way, . pine-apple-ade, . pies, . pie crust, (common,) . pies, (standing,) . pies, (apple and other,) . pickle, (east india,) . pig, to roast, . pig's feet and ears, soused, . pigeon or chicken dumplings, . pigeon pie, . pigeons, to roast, . pilau, . pine-apple ice cream, . pine-apples,(fresh,) to prepare for eating, . pine-apples, to preserve, . plovers, to roast, . plum charlotte, . plums for common use, . plums, to preserve, . plums,(egg,) to preserve whole, . plums, (green gage,) to preserve, . plum pudding, baked, . plum pudding, boiled, . poke, to boil, . pomatum, (soft,) . pork and beans, . pork cheese, . pork, (corned,) to boil, . pork, (pickled,) to boil with peas pudding, . pork cutlets, . pork, (leg of,) to roast, . pork, (loin of,) to roast, . pork, (middling piece,) to roast, . pork pie, . pork steaks, . pork, to stew, . port wine jelly, . pot pie, . pot pie, (apple,) . potatoes, to boil, . potatoes, to fry, . potatoes, roasted, . potato pudding, . potato snow, . pound cake, . prawns, to boil, . prune pudding, . pudding catchup, . pumpkin, to boil, . pumpkin chips, . pumpkin pudding, . pumpkin yeast, . punch, . punch, (frozen,) . punch, (milk,) . punch, (fine milk,) . punch, (regent's,) . punch, (roman,) . pyramid of tarts, . pink sauce, . quails, to roast, . queen cake, . quin's sauce for fish, . quince cheese, . quince cordial, . quince jelly, . quince marmalade, . quinces, preserved, . quinces, to preserve whole, . quince pudding, . rabbits, fricasseed, . rabbits, to fry, . rabbits, to stew, . radishes, to prepare for table, . radish pods, to pickle, . raspberry charlotte, . raspberry cordial, . raspberry ice-cream, . raspberry jam, . raspberries, to preserve, . raspberry vinegar, . raspberry wine, . ratafia, . raw egg, . reed birds, to roast, . rennet whey, . rhubarb tarts, . rice, to boil, . rice, to boil for curry, . rice custard, . rice cakes, . rice dumplings, . rice flummery, . rice jelly, . rice pudding, boiled, . rice pudding, (farmer's,) . rice pudding, (ground,) . rice pudding, (plain,) . rice pudding, (plum,) . rice milk, . rice milk, (ground,) . ringworms, remedy for, . rock-fish, to boil, . rock-fish, to pickle, . rolls, (common,) . rolls, (french,) . rose brandy, . rhubarb jam, . rose cordial, . rose vinegar, . rusk, . russian or swedish turnip, to boil, . rye and indian bread, . soup à la lucy, . sago, . sago pudding, . salad, to dress, . sour milk, . salmon, (fresh,) to bake whole, . salmon, (fresh,) to bake in slices, . salmon, (fresh,) to boil, . salmon, (pickled,) . salmon, (smoked,) . salmon steaks, . sally lunn cake, . salsify, to dress, . sandwiches, (ham,) . sangaree, . sassafras beer, . sausage meat, (common,) . sausages, (fine,) . sausages, (bologna,) . savoy biscuits, . scented bags, . scotch cake, . scotch queen-cake, . scotch sauce for fish, . sea bass or black-fish, boiled, . sea bass, fried, . sea catchup, . sea kale, to boil, . secrets, . seidlitz powders, . shad, baked, . shad, to fry, . shalot vinegar, . shells, . short cakes, . shrub, (cherry,) . shrub, (currant,) . shrub, (fox-grape,) . smelts, to fry, . snowball custard, . snipes, to roast, . soda biscuit, . soda water, . spanish buns, . spinach, to boil, . spinach and eggs, . sponge cake, . spruce beer, . squashes or cymlings, to boil, . squash, (winter,) to boil, . squash pudding, . strawberries, preserved, . strawberry ice-cream, . strawberry cordial, . sturgeon cutlets, . sherry cobler, . suet pudding, . sugar biscuit, . sugar syrup, clarified, . sweet basil vinegar, . sweet jars, . sweet sauce, (cold,) . sweet potatoes, boiled, . sweet potatoes, fried, . sweet potato pudding, . sweetbreads, to broil, . sweetbreads, larded, . sweetbreads, to roast, . syllabub or whipt cream, . syllabub, (country,) . shrewsbury cake, . tamarind water, . tapioca, . tarragon vinegar, . tea, to make, . terrapins, . thieves' vinegar, . toast and water, . tomatas, to bake, . tomata catchup, . tomatas, to keep, . tomatas, to pickle, . tomatas, to stew, . tomata soy, . tongue, (salted or pickled,) to boil, . tongue, (smoked,) to boil, . trifle, . tripe, to boil, . tripe, to fry, . tripe and oysters, . trout, to boil, . trout, to fry, . turkey, to boil, . turkey, to roast, . turkish sherbet, . turnips, to boil, . veal, (breast of,) to stew, . veal, (breast of,) to roast, . veal cutlets, . veal, (fillet of,) to stew, . veal, (fillet of,) to roast, . veal, (knuckle of,) to stew, . veal, (loin of,) to roast, . veal, (minced,) . veal patties, . veal pie, . veal soup, . veal soup, (rich,) . veal steaks, . veal or chicken tea, . vegetable soup, . venison hams, . venison, (cold,) to hash, . venison pasty, . venison, to roast, . venison soup, . venison steaks, . vermicelli soup, . vinegar (cider,) . vinegar, (sugar,) . vinegar, (white,) . violet perfume, . wafer cakes, . waffles, . walnut catchup, . walnuts, pickled black, . walnuts, pickled green, . walnuts, pickled white, . warm slaw, . warts, remedy for, . washington cake, . watermelon rind, to preserve, . water souchy, . welsh rabbit, . white soup, (rich,) . wine jelly, . wine sauce, . wine whey, . wonders or crullers, . woodcocks, to roast, . yam pudding, . yeast, (bakers',) . yeast, (bran,) . yeast, (common,) . yeast, (patent,) . yeast, (pumpkin,) . new receipts. almond bread, . almond paste, . apple bread pudding, . apple custard, . apple compote, . apple dumplings, (baked,) . apple pandowdy, . apple pork, . apple rice pudding, . batter pudding, . biscuit ice cream, . blood, to stop, . boston cream cakes, . bran batter-cakes, . calf's head soup, (fine,) . calves' feet soup, . carving, . charlotte polonaise, . charlotte russe, . charlotte russe, (fine,) . cherry cordial, . chicken salad, (french,) . cider cake, (plain,) . citron cakes, . cinnamon cake, . clams, (baked,) . clam soup, (fine,) . clove cakes, . cocoa-nut candy, . cocoa-nut pudding, (west india,) . coffee custard, . connecticut loaf cake, . cookies, (fine,) . corn starch blancmange, . cream cheese, . croquant cake, . cucumbers, (preserved,) . cup cake, (indian,) . custard cakes, . farina, . figs, (preserved,) . fresh eggs, (to keep,) . frozen custard, . frozen meat, (to thaw,) . gelatine jelly, . giblet soup, . gingerbread, (soft,) . glycerine, . grape water-ice, . green corn muffins, . green ointment, . green pea soup, (french,) . green tomatas, (preserved,) . gumbo, . gumbo soup, . ham, (baked,) . ham omelet, . hashed veal, . hoe cake, . honey ginger-cake, . honey paste for the hands, . ice cream, (common,) . indian loaf cake, . keeping meat, &c., in summer, . lemon drops, . lemon syrup, (fine,) . lemon water-ice, . limes, or small lemons, (preserved,) . maccaroon ice cream, . milk toast, . mint julep, . molasses pie, . mushroom sweetbreads, . musquitoes, to keep off, . myrtle oranges, to preserve, . normandy soup, . orange cake, . orange drops, . orange water-ice, . oysters, (fine stewed,) . oysters, (spiced,) . pancake ham, . peach leather, . peach mangoes, . peach water-ice, . pearlash, to keep, . peppermint drops, . pine-apple marmalade, . pine-apple water-ice, . pink champagne jelly, . potato yeast, . poultry, (to draw, &c.,) . pumpkin pie, (new england,) . peaches, (to keep,) . raspberry water-ice, . rock cake, . salt pork, (to stew,) . sassafras mead, . shad, (broiled,) . strawberries, (to keep,) . strawberry water-ice, . sweet potatoes, (compote of,) . tennessee muffins, . toast, (to make,) . tomatas, (broiled,) . tomata catchup, (fine,) . tomata honey, . tomata pickles, (green,) . tomata pickles, (red,) . tomatas, (preserved,) . tomata soup, . union pudding, . transcriber's note: printer errors such as missing punctuation have been corrected silently. mis-spellings have been corrected if they were deemed to be printer errors, but those deemed to be deliberate spelling variations have been retained. the following alterations have been made (the whole original line given for context): p. three large turnips, and slice them also. wash clean and cu -- 't' added to final word 'cut'. p. oysters; and when it comes to a boil again, they will be sufciently -- 'sufciently' corrected to sufficiently. p. but into a cold place will keep a fortnight. -- 'but' corrected to 'put'. p. of it is too thick, thin it with some additional milk. -- 'of' corrected to 'if'. p. ten minutes, but do not allow it to boil, lest (having beef -- 'beef' corrected to 'been'. p. hours till it is quite tender, cut it up into small pieces. pu -- 't' added to final word 'put'. p. great deal of salt well into it. cover it carefully, and keen -- 'keen' corrected to 'keep' p. two pounds of flour. divide it into two pieces, oll it out -- 'oll' corrected to 'roll'. p. them to pieces and pound them to a paste in a mortar, moist-tening -- 'moist-tening' corrected to 'moistening'. p. tomatas or tomata catchup, and shred or powdered swee -- 't' added to final word 'sweet'. p. cloves; and one clove or garlic minced very fine. -- 'or' corrected to 'of'. p. will become tough and hard. after you pour it on, mix the the -- extra 'the' removed. p. of cream or rich mllk, and the beaten yolks of three -- 'mllk' corrected to 'milk'. p. if must be stewed for a long time, skimmed, strained, thickened, -- 'if' corrected to 'it'. p. in using this catchup, allow four table-spoonfuls to a common-seized -- 'common-seized' corrected to 'common-sized'. p. before roasting. take large onions, place them on a ho -- 't' added to final word 'hot'. p. a iittle at a time. keep stirring it gently, and continue to do -- 'iittle' corrected to 'little'. p. &c. add the spice, and lastly the currants; having dredges -- 'dredges' corrected to 'dredged'. p. pound of brown sugar, and a table-spooonful of powdered cinnamon. -- 'table-spooonful' corrected to 'table-spoonful'. p. being long and thoroughly boiled. if sufficienlty cooked, it is -- 'sufficienlty' corrected to 'sufficiently'. p. instead of using a figure-mould, you may set it to congea. -- 'congea.' corrected to 'congeal'. p. ones that are to hold four at a time; as the wafflles baked in -- 'wafflles' corrected to 'waffles'. p. almond into two slips. spread them over a lage dish, and -- 'lage' corrected to 'large'. p. melted; then stir it well, and set it away too cool. beat five -- 'too' corrected to 'to'. p. let it ferment at the bung-hole; filling it up as as it works out -- extra 'as' removed. p. is a mixture of brandy or rum, sugar, milk and nutmeg, with-without -- 'with-without' is probably an error but has been left uncorrected as the intention is unclear. p. jasmine, wall-flower, tuberose, magnolia blossoms, or and -- 'and' corrected to 'any'. p. in three-quarters of a pound of powdered white sugar, an -- 'd' added to final word 'and' (scan unclear). p. melt a small tea-spoonful of sal-aratus or pearl-ash in a pi -- 'nt' added to final word 'pint' (scan unclear). p. interpersed (as above) with bits of butter, and layers of grated -- 'interpersed' corrected to 'interspersed'. p. after it has congealed in the freezer, yon may transfer it to -- 'yon' (upside-down u) corrected to 'you'. added index: acid salt, . almond bread, . almond cake, . almond custard, . almond ice-cream, . almond maccaroons, . almond paste, . almond pudding, . anchovy catchup, . anchovy sauce, . anniseed cordial, another almond pudding, . apees, . apple and other pies, . apple bread pudding, . apple butter, . apple butter, without cider, . apple compote, . apple custard, . apple custard, . apple dumplings, (baked,) . apple dumplings, . apple fritters, . apple jelly, . apple pandowdy, . apple pork, . apple pot-pie, . apple pudding, baked, . apple pudding, boiled, . apple rice pudding, . apple sauce, . apple water, . apples, baked, . apples, preserved, . apricots, preserved, . arrow-root blancmange, . arrow-root jelly, . arrow-root pudding, . artichokes, to boil, . asparagus soup, . asparagus, to boil, . balm of gilead oil, . barberries, to pickle, . barberry jelly, . barley water, . bath buns, . batter pudding, . bean soup, . beans, (dried,) to boil, . beans, (green or french,) to boil, . beans, (green,) to pickle, . beans, (lima,) to boil, and dry, . beans, (scarlet,) to boil, . beef and tongues, to pickle, . beef bouilli, . beef cakes, . beef dripping, to save, . beef kidney, to dress, . beef soup, fine, . beef steak pie, . beef steak pudding, . beef steaks, to broil, . beef steaks, to fry, . beef tea, . beef's heart, roasted, . beef's heart, stewed, . beef, (a round of,) to stew another way, . beef, (a round of,) to stew, . beef, (corned or salted,) to boil, . beef, baked, . beef, hashed, . beef, potted, . beef, remarks on, . beef, to corn, . beef, to dry and smoke, . beef, to roast, . beef, to stew, . beef, à la mode, . beer, (molasses,) . beer, (sassafras,) . beets, to boil, . beets, to stew, . biscuit ice cream, . biscuit, (milk,) . biscuit, (soda,) . biscuit, (sugar,) . biscuit, (tea,) . bitters, . black cake, . black-fish, to stew, . blanc-mange, (arrow-root,) . blanc-mange, (carrageen,) . blanc-mange, . blood, to stop, . boston cream cakes, . bottled small beer, . bran batter-cakes, . bran bread, . bread and butter pudding, . bread cake, . bread jelly, . bread pudding, baked, . bread pudding, boiled, . bread sauce, . bread, (rye and indian,) . bread, . broccoli, to boil, . brown soup, rich, . buckwheat cakes, . burnet vinegar, . burns, remedy for, . butter, melted or drawn, . butter, to brown, . butter, to make, . butter, to preserve, . butternuts, to pickle, . cabbage, (red,) to pickle, . cabbage, to boil, . cale-cannon, . calf's feet broth, . calf's feet jelly, . calf's feet, to fry, . calf's head soup, (fine,) . calf's head soup, . calf's head, dressed plain, . calf's head, hashed, . calf's liver, fried, . calf's liver, larded, . calves' feet soup, . cantelope, preserved, . caper sauce, . capillaire, . carp, to stew, . carrageen blanc-mange, . carrot pudding, . carrots, to boil, . carving, . catfish soup, . cauliflower, to boil, . cauliflower, to pickle, . cayenne pepper, . celery sauce, . celery vinegar, . celery, to prepare for table, . charlotte polonaise, . charlotte russe, (fine,) . charlotte russe, . charlotte, (plum,) . charlotte, (raspberry,) . cheese, (cottage,) . cheese, (sage,) . cheese, (stilton,) . cheese, to make, . cheesecake, (almond,) . cheesecake, (common,) . cherries, (dried,) . cherries, preserved, . cherry bounce, . cherry cordial, . cherry cordial, . cherry jam, . cherry jelly, . cherry shrub, . chestnut pudding, . chestnuts, to roast, . chicken broth and panada, . chicken croquets and rissoles, . chicken curry, . chicken dumplings or puddings, . chicken jelly, . chicken pie, . chicken salad, (french,) . chicken salad, . chickens, broiled, . chickens, fricasseed, . chilblains, remedy for, . chili vinegar, . chitterlings, or calf's tripe, . chocolate custard, . chocolate, to make, . chowder, . cider cake, (plain,) . cider cake, . cider vinegar, . cider wine, . cider, (mulled,) . cinderellas, or german puffs, . cinnamon cake, . citron cakes, . citron melon slices, . citrons, to preserve, . clam soup, (fine,) . clam soup, (plain,) . clam soup, . clams, (baked,) . clotted cream, . clove cakes, . cocoa shells, to boil, . cocoa, to prepare, . cocoa-nut cakes, (white,) . cocoa-nut cakes, . cocoa-nut candy, . cocoa-nut custard, baked, . cocoa-nut custard, boiled, . cocoa-nut jumbles, . cocoa-nut maccaroons, . cocoa-nut pudding, (west india,) . cocoa-nut pudding, . cocoa-nut pudding, another way, . codfish, (fresh,) to boil another way, . codfish, (fresh,) to boil, . codfish, salt, to boil, . coffee custard, . coffee, (french,) . coffee, to make, . cold cream, . cold slaw, . cold sweet sauce, . cologne water, . colouring for confectionary, . connecticut loaf cake, . cookies, (fine,) . corn starch blancmange, . corn, (green,) pudding, . corn, (indian,) to boil, . corns, remedy for, . cosmetic paste, . crab-apples, (green,) to preserve, . crab-apples, (red,) to preserve, . crabs, (cold,) . crabs, (hot,) . crabs, (soft,) . cranberries, to preserve, . cranberry sauce, . cream cake, . cream cheese, . cream sauce, . cream, (lemon,) . cream, (orange,) . cream, to preserve, . croquant cake, . cucumbers, (preserved,) . cucumbers, to dress raw, . cucumbers, to fry, . cucumbers, to pickle, . cup cake, (indian,) . cup cake, . curaçoa, . curds and whey, . currant jelly, (black,) . currant jelly, (red,) . currant jelly, (white,) . currant shrub, . currant wine, . custard cakes, . custard pudding, . custard, (boiled,) . custard, (plain,) . custard, (rice,) . custard, (soft,) . dough nuts, . ducks, to hash, . ducks, to roast, . ducks, to stew, . dumplings, (apple,) . dumplings, (fine suet,) . dumplings, (indian,) . dumplings, (light,) . dumplings, (plain suet,) . durable ink, . durable ink, another way, . eastern pudding, . egg nogg, . egg plant, stuffed, . egg plant, to fry, . egg plant, to stew, . egg sauce, . eggs with ham, . eggs, raw, . eggs, to boil for breakfast, . eggs, to fricassee, . eggs, to keep, . eggs, to pack, . eggs, to pickle, . elder-berry wine, . elder-flower wine, . election cake, . essence of lemon peel, . essence of peppermint, . eve's pudding, . family soup, . farina, . federal cakes, . figs, (preserved,) . flannel cakes, . flax-seed lemonade, . floating island, . flour hasty-pudding, . flour, to brown, . force-meat balls, . fowls, to boil, . fowls, to roast, . fox-grape shrub, . fresh eggs, (to keep,) . friar's chicken, . fritters, (apple,) . fritters, (plain,) . frosted fruit, . frozen custard, . frozen meat, (to thaw,) . fruit queen-cakes, . gelatine jelly, . general sauce, . gherkins, to pickle, . giblet soup, . ginger beer, . ginger plum-cake, . ginger, to preserve, . gingerbread nuts, . gingerbread, (common,) . gingerbread, (franklin,) . gingerbread, (soft,) . gingerbread, (white,) . glycerine, . goose pie for christmas, . goose pie, . goose, to roast, . gooseberries, bottled, . gooseberries, to preserve, . gooseberries, to stew, . gooseberry custard, . gooseberry fool, . gooseberry wine, . grape jelly, . grape water-ice, . grapes, (wild,) to keep, . grapes, in brandy, . gravy soup, (clear,) . gravy, (drawn or made,) . green corn muffins, . green ointment, . green pea soup, (french,) . green tomatas, (preserved,) . ground nuts, to roast, . ground rice milk, . grouse, to roast, . gruel, oatmeal, . gruel, to make, . gumbo soup, . gumbo, . halibut cutlets, . halibut, to boil, . ham dumplings, . ham omelet, . ham or bacon, directions for curing, . ham pie, . ham sandwiches, . ham, (baked,) . ham, (to glaze,) . ham, (westphalia,) to imitate, . ham, to boil, . ham, to broil, . ham, to roast, . hare or rabbit soup, . hare, to roast, . harvey's sauce, . hashed veal, . herbs, to dry, . hoe cake, . hominy, to boil, . honey cake, . honey ginger-cake, . honey paste for the hands, . horseradish vinegar, . huckleberry cake, . hungary water, . ice cream, (almond,) . ice cream, (common,) . ice cream, (lemon,) . ice cream, (pine apple,) . ice cream, (raspberry,) . ice cream, (strawberry,) . ice cream, (vanilla,) . ice lemonade, . ice orangeade, . icing for cakes, . indian batter cakes, . indian corn, to boil, . indian dumplings, . indian flappers, . indian loaf cake, . indian muffins, . indian mush cakes, . indian mush, . indian pound cake, . indian pudding without eggs, . indian pudding, baked, . indian pudding, boiled, . italian cream, . jaune-mange, . jelly cake, . johnny cake, . julienne (à la) soup, . keeping meat, &c., in summer, . kid, to roast, . kisses, . kitchen pepper, . kitchiner's fish-sauce, . lady cake, . lamb, to roast, . larding, . laudanum, antidote to, . lavender water, . lavender, compound, . lead water, . lemon brandy, . lemon catchup, . lemon cordial, . lemon cream, . lemon custard, . lemon drops, . lemon juice, to keep, . lemon peel, (essence of,) . lemon peel, to keep, . lemon pudding, . lemon syrup, (fine,) . lemon syrup, . lemon water-ice, . lemonade, . lemons, preserved, . lettuce or salad, to dress, . limes, or small lemons, (preserved,) . lip salve, . liver dumplings, . liver puddings, . lobster catchup, . lobster pie, . lobster sauce, . lobster soup, . lobster, pickled, . lobster, potted, . lobster, to boil, . lobster, to dress cold, . lobster, to fricassee, . lobster, to stew, . maccaroni soup, (rich,) . maccaroni soup, . maccaroni, to dress, . maccaroon custard, . maccaroon ice cream, . maccaroons, (almond,) . maccaroons, (cocoa-nut,) . mackerel, to boil, . mackerel, to broil, . mangoes, to pickle, . marbled veal, . marlborough pudding, . marmalade cake, . mead, . meg merrilies' soup, . milk biscuit, . milk punch, . milk soup, . milk toast, . mince meat for lent, . mince meat, (very plain,) . mince meat, . mince pies, . minced oysters, . mint julep, . mint sauce, . mock oysters of corn, . mock turtle, or calf's head soup, . molasses beer, . molasses candy, . molasses pie, . molasses posset, . moravian sugar-cake, . morella cherries, to pickle, . muffins, (common,) . muffins, (indian,) . muffins, (water,) . mulled cider, . mulled wine, . mulligatawny soup, . mush cakes, . mush, (indian,) to make, . mushroom catchup, . mushroom sauce, . mushroom sweetbreads, . mushrooms, to broil, . mushrooms, to pickle brown, . mushrooms, to pickle white, . mushrooms, to stew, . musquito bites, remedy for, . musquitoes, to keep off, . mustard, (common,) . mustard, (french,) . mustard, (keeping.) . mutton broth made quickly, . mutton broth, . mutton chops, broiled, . mutton chops, stewed, . mutton cutlets, à la maintenon, . mutton harico, . mutton soup, (including cabbage and noodle soups,) . mutton, (casserole of,) . mutton, (leg of,) stewed, . mutton, hashed, . mutton, to boil, . mutton, to roast, . myrtle oranges, to preserve, . nasturtian sauce, . nasturtians, to pickle, . new york cookies, . normandy soup, . nougat, . noyau, . oatmeal gruel, . ochra soup, . oil of flowers, . omelet soufflé, . omelet, (plain,) . onion sauce, (brown,) . onion sauce, (white,) . onion soup, . onions, pickled white, . onions, to boil, . onions, to fry, . onions, to pickle, . onions, to roast, . orange cake, . orange cream, . orange drops, . orange jelly, . orange marmalade, . orange pudding, . orange water-ice, . orangeade, . orgeat, . ortolans, to roast, . ox-tail soup, . oyster catchup, . oyster fritters, . oyster pie, . oyster sauce, . oyster soup, (plain,) . oyster soup, . oysters, (fine stewed,) . oysters, (spiced,) . oysters, fried, . oysters, minced, . oysters, pickled for keeping, . oysters, pickled, . oysters, scolloped, . oysters, stewed, . panada, (chicken,) . panada, . pancake ham, . pancakes, (plain,) . pancakes, (sweetmeat,) . parsley sauce, . parsley, to pickle, . parsnips, to boil, . partridges, to roast another way, . partridges, to roast, . paste, (dripping,) . paste, (fine puff,) . paste, (lard,) . paste, (potato,) . paste, (suet,) . paste, (sweet,) . paste, (the best plain,) . peach cordial, . peach jelly, . peach kernels, . peach leather, . peach mangoes, . peach marmalade, . peach sauce, . peach water-ice, . peaches for common use, . peaches, (dried,) . peaches, (in brandy,) . peaches, (to keep,) . peaches, to pickle, . peaches, to preserve, . pearlash, to keep, . pears, to bake, . pears, to preserve, . peas soup, (green,) . peas soup, . peas, (green,) to boil, . pepper pot, . peppermint drops, . peppers, (green,) to pickle, , . peppers, (green,) to preserve, . perch, to fry, . pheasants, to roast another way, . pheasants, to roast, . pickle, (east india,) . pie crust, (common,) . pies, (apple and other,) . pies, (standing,) . pies, . pig's feet and ears, soused, . pig, to roast, . pigeon or chicken dumplings, . pigeon pie, . pigeons, to roast, . pilau, . pine-apple ice cream, . pine-apple marmalade, . pine-apple water-ice, . pine-apple-ade, . pine-apples, to preserve, . pine-apples,(fresh,) to prepare for eating, . pink champagne jelly, . pink sauce, . plovers, to roast, . plum charlotte, . plum pudding, baked, . plum pudding, boiled, . plums for common use, . plums, (green gage,) to preserve, . plums, to preserve, . plums,(egg,) to preserve whole, . poke, to boil, . pomatum, (soft,) . pork and beans, . pork cheese, . pork cutlets, . pork pie, . pork steaks, . pork, (corned,) to boil, . pork, (leg of,) to roast, . pork, (loin of,) to roast, . pork, (middling piece,) to roast, . pork, (pickled,) to boil with peas pudding, . pork, to stew, . port wine jelly, . pot pie, (apple,) . pot pie, . potato pudding, . potato snow, . potato yeast, . potatoes, roasted, . potatoes, to boil, . potatoes, to fry, . poultry, (to draw, &c.,) . pound cake, . prawns, to boil, . prune pudding, . pudding catchup, . pumpkin chips, . pumpkin pie, (new england,) . pumpkin pudding, . pumpkin yeast, . pumpkin, to boil, . punch, (fine milk,) . punch, (frozen,) . punch, (milk,) . punch, (regent's,) . punch, (roman,) . punch, . pyramid of tarts, . quails, to roast, . queen cake, . quin's sauce for fish, . quince cheese, . quince cordial, . quince jelly, . quince marmalade, . quince pudding, . quinces, preserved, . quinces, to preserve whole, . rabbits, fricasseed, . rabbits, to fry, . rabbits, to stew, . radish pods, to pickle, . radishes, to prepare for table, . raspberries, to preserve, . raspberry charlotte, . raspberry cordial, . raspberry ice-cream, . raspberry jam, . raspberry vinegar, . raspberry water-ice, . raspberry wine, . ratafia, . raw egg, . reed birds, to roast, . rennet whey, . rhubarb jam, . rhubarb tarts, . rice cakes, . rice custard, . rice dumplings, . rice flummery, . rice jelly, . rice milk, (ground,) . rice milk, . rice pudding, (farmer's,) . rice pudding, (ground,) . rice pudding, (plain,) . rice pudding, (plum,) . rice pudding, boiled, . rice, to boil for curry, . rice, to boil, . ringworms, remedy for, . rock cake, . rock-fish, to boil, . rock-fish, to pickle, . rolls, (common,) . rolls, (french,) . rose brandy, . rose cordial, . rose vinegar, . rusk, . russian or swedish turnip, to boil, . rye and indian bread, . sago pudding, . sago, . salad, to dress, . sally lunn cake, . salmon steaks, . salmon, (fresh,) to bake in slices, . salmon, (fresh,) to bake whole, . salmon, (fresh,) to boil, . salmon, (pickled,) . salmon, (smoked,) . salsify, to dress, . salt pork, (to stew,) . sandwiches, (ham,) . sangaree, . sassafras beer, . sassafras mead, . sausage meat, (common,) . sausages, (bologna,) . sausages, (fine,) . savoy biscuits, . scented bags, . scotch cake, . scotch queen-cake, . scotch sauce for fish, . sea bass or black-fish, boiled, . sea bass, fried, . sea catchup, . sea kale, to boil, . secrets, . seidlitz powders, . shad, (broiled,) . shad, baked, . shad, to fry, . shalot vinegar, . shells, . sherry cobler, . short cakes, . shrewsbury cake, . shrub, (cherry,) . shrub, (currant,) . shrub, (fox-grape,) . smelts, to fry, . snipes, to roast, . snowball custard, . soda biscuit, . soda water, . soup à la lucy, . sour milk, . spanish buns, . spinach and eggs, . spinach, to boil, . sponge cake, . spruce beer, . squash pudding, . squash, (winter,) to boil, . squashes or cymlings, to boil, . strawberries, (to keep,) . strawberries, preserved, . strawberry cordial, . strawberry ice-cream, . strawberry water-ice, . sturgeon cutlets, . suet pudding, . sugar biscuit, . sugar syrup, clarified, . sweet basil vinegar, . sweet jars, . sweet potato pudding, . sweet potatoes, (compote of,) . sweet potatoes, boiled, . sweet potatoes, fried, . sweet sauce, (cold,) . sweetbreads, larded, . sweetbreads, to broil, . sweetbreads, to roast, . syllabub or whipt cream, . syllabub, (country,) . tamarind water, . tapioca, . tarragon vinegar, . tea, to make, . tennessee muffins, . terrapins, . thieves' vinegar, . toast and water, . toast, (to make,) . tomata catchup, (fine,) . tomata catchup, . tomata honey, . tomata pickles, (green,) . tomata pickles, (red,) . tomata soup, . tomata soy, . tomatas, (broiled,) . tomatas, (preserved,) . tomatas, to bake, . tomatas, to keep, . tomatas, to pickle, . tomatas, to stew, . tongue, (salted or pickled,) to boil, . tongue, (smoked,) to boil, . trifle, . tripe and oysters, . tripe, to boil, . tripe, to fry, . trout, to boil, . trout, to fry, . turkey, to boil, . turkey, to roast, . turkish sherbet, . turnips, to boil, . union pudding, . veal cutlets, . veal or chicken tea, . veal patties, . veal pie, . veal soup, (rich,) . veal soup, . veal steaks, . veal, (breast of,) to roast, . veal, (breast of,) to stew, . veal, (fillet of,) to roast, . veal, (fillet of,) to stew, . veal, (knuckle of,) to stew, . veal, (loin of,) to roast, . veal, (minced,) . vegetable soup, . venison hams, . venison pasty, . venison soup, . venison steaks, . venison, (cold,) to hash, . venison, to roast, . vermicelli soup, . vinegar (cider,) . vinegar, (sugar,) . vinegar, (white,) . violet perfume, . wafer cakes, . waffles, . walnut catchup, . walnuts, pickled black, . walnuts, pickled green, . walnuts, pickled white, . warm slaw, . warts, remedy for, . washington cake, . water souchy, . watermelon rind, to preserve, . welsh rabbit, . white soup, (rich,) . wine jelly, . wine sauce, . wine whey, . wonders or crullers, . woodcocks, to roast, . yam pudding, . yeast, (bakers',) . yeast, (bran,) . yeast, (common,) . yeast, (patent,) . yeast, (pumpkin,) . the easiest way in housekeeping and cooking. adapted to domestic use or study in classes by helen campbell, author of "in foreign kitchens," "mrs. herndon's income," "prisoners of poverty,", "some passages in the practice of dr. martha scarborough," "women wage-earners," etc., etc. "if it were done, when 'tis done, then 'twere well it were done quickly." boston: little, brown, and company, . _copyright, ,_ by roberts brothers. university press: john wilson and son, cambridge, u.s.a. a book for agnes l.v.w. and the southern girls who studied with her. preface to revised edition. the little book now revised and sent out with some slight additions, remains substantially the same as when first issued in . in the midst of always increasing cookery-books, it has had a firm constituency of friends, especially in the south, where its necessity was first made plain. to enlarge it in any marked degree would violate the original plan, for which the critic will please read the pages headed "introductory," where he or she will find full explanation of the growth and purpose of the book. whoever desires more receipts and more elaborate forms of preparation must look for their sources in the bibliography at the end, since their introduction in these pages would practically nullify the title, proved true by years of testing at the hands of inexperienced housekeepers, whose warm words have long been very pleasant to the author of "the easiest way." new york, june, . contents. part first. page introductory chapter. i. the house: situation and arrangement ii. the house: its ventilation iii. drainage and water-supply iv. the day's work v. fires, lights, and things to work with vi. washing-day and cleaning in general vii. the body and its composition viii. food and its laws ix. the relations of food to health x. the chemistry of animal food xi. the chemistry of vegetable food xii. condiments and beverages part second. stock and seasoning soups fish meats poultry sauces and salads eggs and breakfast dishes tea, coffee, &c vegetables bread and breakfast cakes cake pastry and pies puddings, boiled and baked custards, creams, jellies, &c canning and preserving pickles and catchups candies sick-room cookery household hints hints to teachers lessons for practice class twenty topics for class use list of authorities referred to examination questions bibliography index _introductory._ that room or toleration for another "cook-book" can exist in the public mind, will be denied at once, with all the vigor to be expected from a people overrun with cook-books, and only anxious to relegate the majority of them to their proper place as trunk-linings and kindling-material. the minority, admirable in plan and execution, and elaborate enough to serve all republican purposes, are surely sufficient for all the needs that have been or may be. with mrs. cornelius and miss parloa, marion harland and mrs. whitney, and innumerable other trustworthy authorities, for all every-day purposes, and mrs. henderson for such festivity as we may at times desire to make, another word is not only superfluous but absurd; in fact, an outrage on common sense, not for one instant to be justified. such was my own attitude and such my language hardly a year ago; yet that short space of time has shown me, that, whether the public admit the claim, or no, one more cook-book must be. and this is why:-- a year of somewhat exceptional experience--that involved in building up several cooking-schools in a new locality, demanding the most thorough and minute system to assure their success and permanence--showed the inadequacies of any existing hand-books, and the necessities to be met in making a new one. thus the present book has a twofold character, and represents, not only the ordinary receipt or cook book, usable in any part of the country and covering all ordinary household needs, but covers the questions naturally arising in every lesson given, and ending in statements of the most necessary points in household science. there are large books designed to cover this ground, and excellent of their kind, but so cumbrous in form and execution as to daunt the average reader. miss corson's "cooking-school text-book" commended itself for its admirable plainness and fullness of detail, but was almost at once found impracticable as a system for my purposes; her dishes usually requiring the choicest that the best city market could afford, and taking for granted also a taste for french flavorings not yet common outside of our large cities, and to no great extent within them. to utilize to the best advantage the food-resources of whatever spot one might be in, to give information on a hundred points suggested by each lesson, yet having no place in the ordinary cook-book, in short, _to teach household science as well as cooking_, became my year's work; and it is that year's work which is incorporated in these pages. beginning with raleigh, n.c., and lessons given in a large school there, it included also a seven-months' course at the deaf and dumb institute, and regular classes for ladies. straight through, in those classes, it became my business to say, "this is no infallible system, warranted to give the whole art of cooking in twelve lessons. all i can do for you is to lay down clearly certain fixed principles; to show you how to economize thoroughly, yet get a better result than by the expenditure of perhaps much more material. before our course ends, you will have had performed before you every essential operation in cooking, and will know, so far as i can make you know, prices, qualities, constituents, and physiological effects of every type of food. beyond this, the work lies in your own hands." armed with manuals,--american, english, french,--bent upon systematizing the subject, yet finding none entirely adequate, gradually, and in spite of all effort to the contrary, i found that my teaching rested more and more on my own personal experience as a housekeeper, both at the south and at the north. the mass of material in many books was found confusing and paralyzing, choice seeming impossible when a dozen methods were given. and for the large proportion of receipts, directions were so vague that only a trained housekeeper could be certain of the order of combination, or results when combined. so from the crowd of authorities was gradually eliminated a foundation for work; and on that foundation has risen a structure designed to serve two ends. for the young housekeeper, beginning with little or no knowledge, but eager to do and know the right thing, not alone for kitchen but for the home as a whole, the list of topics touched upon in part i. became essential. that much of the knowledge compressed there should have been gained at home, is at once admitted: but, unfortunately, few homes give it; and the aim has been to cover the ground concisely yet clearly and attractively. as to part ii., it does not profess to be the whole art of cooking, but merely the line of receipts most needed in the average family, north or south. each receipt has been tested personally by the writer, often many times; and each one is given so minutely that failure is well-nigh impossible, if the directions are intelligently followed. a few distinctively southern dishes are included, but the ground covered has drawn from all sources; the series of excellent and elaborate manuals by well-known authors having contributed here and there, but the majority of rules being, as before said, the result of years of personal experiment, or drawn from old family receipt-books. to facilitate the work of the teacher, however, a scheme of lessons is given at the end, covering all that can well be taught in the ordinary school year: each lesson is given with page references to the receipts employed, while a shorter and more compact course is outlined for the use of classes for ladies. a list of topics is also given for school use; it having been found to add greatly to the interest of the course to write each week the story of some ingredient in the lesson for the day, while a set of questions, to be used at periodical intervals, fixes details, and insures a certain knowledge of what progress has been made. the course covers the chemistry and physiology of food, as well as an outline of household science in general, and may serve as a text-book wherever such study is introduced. it is hoped that this presentation of the subject will lessen the labor necessary in this new field, though no text-book can fully take the place of personal enthusiastic work. that training is imperatively demanded for rich and poor alike, is now unquestioned; but the mere taking a course of cooking-lessons alone does not meet the need in full. the present book aims to fill a place hitherto unoccupied; and precisely the line of work indicated there has been found the only practical method in a year's successful organization of schools at various points. whether used at home with growing girls, in cooking-clubs, in schools, or in private classes, it is hoped that the system outlined and the authorities referred to will stimulate interest, and open up a new field of work to many who have doubted if the food question had any interest beyond the day's need, and who have failed to see that nothing ministering to the best life and thought of this wonderful human body could ever by any chance be rightfully called "common or unclean." we are but on the threshold of the new science. if these pages make the way even a little plainer, the author will have accomplished her full purpose, and will know that in spite of appearances there is "room for one more." helen campbell. _the easiest way._ chapter i. the house: situation and arrangement. from the beginning it must be understood that what is written here applies chiefly to country homes. the general principles laid down are applicable with equal force to town or city life; but as a people we dwell mostly in the country, and, even in villages or small towns, each house is likely to have its own portion of land about it, and to look toward all points of the compass, instead of being limited to two, as in city blocks. of the comparative advantages or disadvantages of city or country life, there is no need to speak here. our business is simply to give such details as may apply to both, but chiefly to the owners of moderate incomes, or salaried people, whose expenditure must always be somewhat limited. with the exterior of such homes, women at present have very little to do; and the interior also is thus far much in the hands of architects, who decide for general prettiness of effect, rather than for the most convenient arrangement of space. the young bride, planning a home, is resolved upon a bay-window, as large a parlor as possible, and an effective spare-room; but, having in most cases no personal knowledge of work, does not consider whether kitchen and dining-room are conveniently planned, or not, and whether the arrangement of pantries and closets is such that both rooms must be crossed a hundred times a day, when a little foresight might have reduced the number certainly by one-half, perhaps more. inconvenience can, in most cases, be remedied; but unhealthfulness or unwholesomeness of location, very seldom: and therefore, in the beginning, i write that ignorance is small excuse for error, and that every one able to read at all, or use common-sense about any detail of life, is able to form a judgment of what is healthful or unhealthful. if no books are at hand, consult the best physician near, and have his verdict as to the character of the spot in which more or less of your life in this world will be spent, and which has the power to affect not only your mental and bodily health, but that of your children. because your fathers and mothers have been neglectful of these considerations, is no reason why you should continue in ignorance; and the first duty in making a home is to consider earnestly and intelligently certain points. four essentials are to be thought of in the choice of any home; and their neglect, and the ignorance which is the foundation of this neglect, are the secret of not only the chronic ill-health supposed to be a necessity of the american organization, but of many of the epidemics and mysterious diseases classed under the head of "visitations of providence." these essentials are: a wholesome situation, good ventilation, good drainage, and a dry cellar. rich or poor, high or low, if one of these be disregarded, the result will tell, either on your own health or on that of your family. whether palace or hut, brown-stone front or simple wooden cottage, the law is the same. as a rule, the ordinary town or village is built upon low land, because it is easier to obtain a water-supply from wells and springs. in such a case, even where the climate itself may be tolerably healthy, the drainage from the hills at hand, or the nearness of swamps and marshes produced by the same cause, makes a dry cellar an impossibility; and this shut-in and poisonous moisture makes malaria inevitable. the dwellers on low lands are the pill and patent-medicine takers; and no civilized country swallows the amount of tonics and bitters consumed by our own. if possible, let the house be on a hill, or at least a rise of ground, to secure the thorough draining-away of all sewage and waste water. even in a swampy and malarious country, such a location will insure all the health possible in such a region, if the other conditions mentioned are faithfully attended to. let the living-rooms and bedrooms, as far as may be, have full sunshine during a part of each day; and reserve the north side of the house for store-rooms, refrigerator, and the rooms seldom occupied. do not allow trees to stand so near as to shut out air or sunlight; but see that, while near enough for beauty and for shade, they do not constantly shed moisture, and make twilight in your rooms even at mid-day. sunshine is the enemy of disease, which thrives in darkness and shadow. consumption or scrofulous disease is almost inevitable in the house shut in by trees, whose blinds are tightly closed lest some ray of sunshine fade the carpets; and over and over again it has been proved that the first conditions of health are, abundant supply of pure air, and free admission of sunlight to every nook and cranny. even with imperfect or improper food, these two allies are strong enough to carry the day for health; and, when the three work in harmony, the best life is at once assured. if the house must be on the lowlands, seek a sandy or gravelly soil; and avoid those built over clay beds, or even where clay bottom is found under the sand or loam. in the last case, if drainage is understood, pipes may be so arranged as to secure against any standing water; but, unless this is done, the clammy moisture on walls, and the chill in every closed room, are sufficient indication that the conditions for disease are ripe or ripening. the only course in such case, after seeking proper drainage, is, first, abundant sunlight, and, second, open fires, which will act not only as drying agents, but as ventilators and purifiers. aim to have at least one open fire in the house. it is not an extravagance, but an essential, and economy may better come in at some other place. having settled these points as far as possible,--the question of water-supply and ventilation being left to another chapter,--it is to be remembered that the house is not merely a place to be made pleasant for one's friends. they form only a small portion of the daily life; and the first consideration should be: is it so planned that the necessary and inevitable work of the day can be accomplished with the least expenditure of force? north and south, the kitchen is often the least-considered room of the house; and, so long as the necessary meals are served up, the difficulties that may have hedged about such serving are never counted. at the south it is doubly so, and necessarily; old conditions having made much consideration of convenience for servants an unthought-of thing. with a throng of unemployed women and children, the question could only be, how to secure some small portion of work for each one; and in such case, the greater the inconveniences, the more chance for such employment. water could well be half a mile distant, when a dozen little darkies had nothing to do but form a running line between house and spring; and so with wood and kindling and all household necessities. to-day, with the old service done away with once for all, and with a set of new conditions governing every form of work, the southern woman faces difficulties to which her northern or western sister is an utter stranger; faces them often with a patience and dignity beyond all praise, but still with a hopelessness of better things, the necessary fruit of ignorance. old things are passed away, and the new order is yet too unfamiliar for rules to have formulated and settled in any routine of action. while there is, at the north, more intuitive and inherited sense of how things should be done, there is on many points an almost equal ignorance, more especially among the cultivated classes, who, more than at any period of woman's history, are at the mercy of their servants. every science is learned but domestic science. the schools ignore it; and, indeed, in the rush toward an early graduation, there is small room for it. "she can learn at home," say the mothers. "she will take to it when her time comes, just as a duck takes to water," add the fathers; and the matter is thus dismissed as settled. in the mean time the "she" referred to--the average daughter of average parents in both city and country--neither "learns at home," nor "takes to it naturally," save in exceptional cases; and the reason for this is found in the love, which, like much of the love given, is really only a higher form of selfishness. the busy mother of a family, who has fought her own way to fairly successful administration, longs to spare her daughters the petty cares, the anxious planning, that have helped to eat out her own youth; and so the young girl enters married life with a vague sense of the dinners that must be, and a general belief that somehow or other they come of themselves. and so with all household labor. that to perform it successfully and skillfully, demands not only training, but the best powers one can bring to bear upon its accomplishment, seldom enters the mind; and the student, who has ended her course of chemistry or physiology enthusiastically, never dreams of applying either to every-day life. this may seem a digression; and yet, in the very outset, it is necessary to place this work upon the right footing, and to impress with all possible earnestness the fact, that household science holds every other science in tribute, and that only that home which starts with this admission and builds upon the best foundation the best that thought can furnish, has any right to the name of "home." the swarms of drunkards, of idiots, of insane, of deaf and dumb, owe their existence to an ignorance of the laws of right living, which is simply criminal, and for which we must be judged; and no word can be too earnest, which opens the young girl's eyes to the fact that in her hands lie not alone her own or her husband's future, but the future of the nation. it is hard to see beyond one's own circle; but if light is sought for, and there is steady resolve and patient effort to do the best for one's individual self, and those nearest one, it will be found that the shadow passes, and that progress is an appreciable thing. begin in your own home. study to make it not only beautiful, but perfectly appointed. if your own hands must do the work, learn every method of economizing time and strength. if you have servants, whether one or more, let the same laws rule. it is not easy, i admit; no good thing is: but there is infinite reward for every effort. let no failure discourage, but let each one be only a fresh round in the ladder all must climb who would do worthy work; and be sure that the end will reward all pain, all self-sacrifice, and make you truly the mistresses of the home for which every woman naturally and rightfully hopes, but which is never truly hers till every shade of detail in its administration has been mastered. the house, then, is the first element of home to be considered and studied; and we have settled certain points as to location and arrangement. this is no hand-book of plans for houses, that ground being thoroughly covered in various books,--the titles of two or three of which are given in a list of reference-books at the end. but, whether you build or buy, see to it that your kitchens and working-rooms are well lighted, well aired, and of good size, and that in the arrangement of the kitchen especially, the utmost convenience becomes the chief end. let sink, pantries, stove or range, and working-space for all operations in cooking, be close at hand. the difference between a pantry at the opposite end of the room, and one opening close to the sink, for instance, may seem a small matter; but when it comes to walking across the room with every dish that is washed, the steps soon count up as miles, and in making even a loaf of bread, the time and strength expended in gathering materials together would go far toward the thorough kneading, which, when added to the previous exertion, makes the whole operation, which might have been only a pleasure, a burden and an annoyance. let, then, stove, fuel, water, work-table, and pantries be at the same end of the kitchen, and within a few steps of one another, and it will be found that while the general labor of each day must always be the same, the time required for its accomplishment will be far less, under these favorable conditions. the successful workman,--the type-setter, the cabinet-maker, or carpenter,--whose art lies in the rapid combination of materials, arranges his materials and tools so as to be used with the fewest possible movements; and the difference between a skilled and unskilled workman is not so much the rate of speed in movement, as in the ability to make each motion tell. the kitchen is the housekeeper's workshop; and, in the chapter on _house-work_, some further details as to methods and arrangements will be given. chapter ii. the house: ventilation. having settled the four requisites in any home, and suggested the points to be made in regard to the first one,--that of wholesome situation,--_ventilation_ is next in order. theoretically, each one of us who has studied either natural philosophy or physiology will state at once, with more or less glibness, the facts as to the atmosphere, its qualities, and the amount of air needed by each individual; practically nullifying such statement by going to bed in a room with closed windows and doors, or sitting calmly in church or public hall, breathing over and over again the air ejected from the lungs all about,--practice as cleanly and wholesome as partaking of food chewed over and over by an indiscriminate crowd. now, as to find the reason why of all statements and operations is our first consideration, the familiar ground must be traversed again, and the properties and constituents of air find place here. it is an old story, and, like other old stories accepted by the multitude, has become almost of no effect; passive acceptance mentally, absolute rejection physically, seeming to be the portion of much of the gospel of health. "cleanliness is next to godliness," is almost an axiom. i am disposed to amend it, and assert that cleanliness _is_ godliness, or a form of godliness. at any rate, the man or woman who demands cleanliness without and within, this cleanliness meaning pure air, pure water, pure food, must of necessity have a stronger body and therefore a clearer mind (both being nearer what god meant for body and mind) than the one who has cared little for law, and so lived oblivious to the consequences of breaking it. ventilation, seemingly the simplest and easiest of things to be accomplished, has thus far apparently defied architects and engineers. congress has spent a million in trying to give fresh air to the senate and representative chambers, and will probably spend another before that is accomplished. in capitols, churches, and public halls of every sort, the same story holds. women faint, men in courts of justice fall in apoplectic fits, or become victims of new and mysterious diseases, simply from the want of pure air. a constant slow murder goes on in nurseries and schoolrooms; and white-faced, nerveless children grow into white-faced and nerveless men and women, as the price of this violated law. what is this air, seemingly so hard to secure, so hard to hold as part of our daily life, without which we can not live, and which we yet contentedly poison nine times out of ten? oxygen, nitrogen, carbonic acid, and watery vapor; the last two being a small portion of the bulk, oxygen and nitrogen making up four-fifths. small as the proportion of oxygen seems, an increase of but one-fifth more would be destruction. it is the life-giver, but undiluted would be the life-destroyer; and the three-fifths of nitrogen act as its diluent. no other element possesses the same power. fires and light-giving combustion could not exist an instant without oxygen. its office seems that of universal destruction. by its action decay begins in meat or vegetables and fruits; and it is for this reason, that, to preserve them, all oxygen must be driven out by bringing them to the boiling point, and sealing them up in jars to which no air can find entrance. with only undiluted oxygen to breathe, the tissues would dry and shrivel, fuel burn with a fury none could withstand, and every operation of nature be conducted with such energy as soon to exhaust and destroy all power. but "a mixture of the fiery oxygen and inert nitrogen gives us the golden mean. the oxygen now quietly burns the fuel in our stoves, and keeps us warm; combines with the oil in our lamps, and gives us light; corrodes our bodies, and gives us strength; cleanses the air, and keeps it fresh and invigorating; sweetens foul water, and makes it wholesome; works all around us and within us a constant miracle, yet with such delicacy and quietness, we never perceive or think of it, until we see it with the eye of science." food and air are the two means by which bodies live. in the full-grown man, whose weight will average about one hundred and fifty-four pounds, one hundred and eleven pounds is oxygen drawn from the air we breathe. only when food has been dissolved in the stomach, absorbed at last into the blood, and by means of circulation brought into contact with the oxygen of the air taken into our lungs, can it begin to really feed and nourish the body; so that the lungs may, after all, be regarded as the true stomach, the other being not much more than the food-receptacle. take these lungs, made up within of branching tubes, these in turn formed by myriads of air-cells, and each air-cell owning its network of minute cells called _capillaries_. to every air-cell is given a blood-vessel bringing blood from the heart, which finds its way through every capillary till it reaches another blood-vessel that carries it back to the heart. it leaves the heart charged with carbonic acid and watery vapor. it returns, if pure air has met it in the lung, with all corruption destroyed, a dancing particle of life. but to be life, and not slow death, thirty-three hogsheads of air must pass daily into the lungs, and twenty-eight pounds of blood journey from heart to lungs and back again three times in each hour. it rests wholly with ourselves, whether this wonderful tide, ebbing and flowing with every breath, shall exchange its poisonous and clogging carbonic acid and watery vapor for life-giving oxygen, or retain it to weigh down and debilitate every nerve in the body. with every thought and feeling some actual particles of brain and nerve are dissolved, and sent floating on this crimson current. with every motion of a muscle, whether great or small, with every process that can take place in the body, this ceaseless change of particles is going on. wherever oxygen finds admission, its union with carbon to form carbonic acid, or with hydrogen to form water, produces heat. the waste of the body is literally burned up by the oxygen; and it is this burning which means the warmth of a living body, its absence giving the stony cold of the dead. "who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" may well be the literal question for each day of our lives; and "pure air" alone can secure genuine life. breathing bad air reduces all the processes of the body, lessens vitality; and thus, one in poor health will suffer more from bad air than those who have become thoroughly accustomed to it. if weakened vitality were the only result, it would not be so serious a matter; but scrofula is soon fixed upon such constitutions, beginning with its milder form as in consumption, but ending in the absolute rottenness of bone and tissue. the invalid may live in the healthiest climate, pass hours each day in the open air, and yet undo or neutralize much of the good of this by sleeping in an unventilated room at night. diseased joints, horrible affections of the eye or ear or skin, are inevitable. the greatest living authorities on lung-diseases pronounce deficient ventilation the chief cause of consumption, and more fatal _than all other causes put together_; and, even where food and clothing are both unwholesome, free air has been found able to counteract their effect. in the country the balance ordained in nature has its compensating power. the poisonous carbonic acid thrown off by lungs and body is absorbed by vegetation whose food it is, and which in every waving leaf or blade of grass returns to us the oxygen we demand. shut in a close room all day, or even in a tolerably ventilated one, there may be no sense of closeness; but go to the open air for a moment, and, if the nose has not been hopelessly ruined by want of education, it will tell unerringly the degree of oxygen wanting and required. it is ordinarily supposed that carbonic-acid gas, being heavier, sinks to the bottom of the room, and that thus trundle-beds, for instance, are especially unwholesome. this would be so, were the gas pure. as a matter of fact, however, being warmed in the body, and thus made lighter, it rises into the common air, so that usually more will be found at the top than at the bottom of a room. this gas is, however, not the sole cause of disease. from both lungs and skin, matter is constantly thrown off, and floats in the form of germs in all impure air. to a person who by long confinement to close rooms has become so sensitive that any sudden current of air gives a cold, ventilation seems an impossibility and a cruelty; and the problem becomes: how to admit pure air throughout the house, and yet avoid currents and draughts. "night-air" is even more dreaded than the confined air of rooms; yet, as the only air to be had at night must come under this head, it is safer to breathe that than to settle upon carbonic acid as lung-food for a third, at least, of the twenty-four hours. as fires feed on oxygen, it follows that every lamp, every gas-jet, every furnace, are so many appetites satisfying themselves upon our store of food, and that, if they are burning about us, a double amount of oxygen must be furnished. the only mode of ventilation that will work always and without fail is that of a warm-air flue, the upward heated air-current of which draws off the foul gases from the room: this, supplemented by an opening on the opposite side of the room for the admission of pure air, will accomplish the desired end. an open fire-place will secure this, provided the flue is kept warm by heat from the kitchen fire, or some other during seasons when the fire-place is not used. but perhaps the simplest way is to have ample openings (from eight to twelve inches square) at the top and bottom of each room, opening into the chimney-flue: then, even if a stove is used, the flue can be kept heated by the extension of the stove-pipe some distance up within the chimney, and the ascending current of hot air will draw the foul air from the room into the flue. this, as before stated, must be completed by a fresh-air opening into the room on another side: if no other can be had, the top of the window may be lowered a little. the stove-pipe _extension_ within the chimney would better be of cast-iron, as more durable than the sheet-iron. when no fire is used in the sleeping-rooms, the chimney-flue must be heated by pipes from the kitchen or other fires; and, with the provision for _fresh_ air never forgotten, this simple device will invariably secure pure and well-oxygenated air for breathing. "fussy and expensive," may be the comment; but the expense is less than the average yearly doctor's bill, and the fussiness nothing that your own hands must engage in. only let heads take it in, and see to it that no neglect is allowed. in a southern climate doors and windows are of necessity open more constantly; but at night they are closed from the fear referred to, that night-air holds some subtle poison. it is merely colder, and perhaps moister, than day-air; and an extra bed-covering neutralizes this danger. once accustomed to sleeping with open windows, you will find that taking cold is impossible. if custom, or great delicacy of organization, makes unusual sensitiveness to cold, have a board the precise width of the window, and five or six inches high. then raise the lower sash, putting this under it; and an upward current of air will be created, which will in great part purify the room. beyond every thing, watch that no causes producing foul air are allowed to exist for a moment. a vase of neglected flowers will poison the air of a whole room. in the area or cellar, a decaying head of cabbage, a basket of refuse vegetables, a forgotten barrel of pork or beef brine, a neglected garbage pail or box, are all premiums upon disease. let air and sunlight search every corner of the house. insist upon as nearly spotless _cleanliness_ as may be, and the second prime necessity of the home is secure. when, as it is written, man was formed from the dust of the earth, the lord god "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a _living soul_." shut off that breath of life, or poison it as it is daily poisoned, and not only body, but soul, dies. the child, fresh from its long day out of doors, goes to bed quiet, content, and happy. it wakes up a little demon, bristling with crossness, and determined not to "be good." the breath of life carefully shut out, death has begun its work, and you are responsible. and the same criminal blunder causes not only the child's suffering, but also the weakness which makes many a delicate woman complain that it "takes till noon to get her strength up." open the windows. take the portion to which you were born, and life will grow easier. chapter iii. drainage and water-supply. air and sunshine having been assured for all parts of the house in daily use, the next question must be an unfailing and full supply of pure water. "dig a well, or build near a spring," say the builders; and the well is dug, or the spring tapped, under the general supposition that water is clean and pure, simply because it is water, while the surroundings of either spring or well are unnoticed. drainage is so comparatively new a question, that only the most enlightened portions of the country consider its bearings; and the large majority of people all over the land not only do not know the interests involved in it, but would resent as a personal slight any hint that their own water-supply might be affected by deficient drainage. pure water is simply oxygen and hydrogen, eight-ninths being oxygen and but one-ninth hydrogen; the latter gas, if pure, having, like oxygen, neither taste nor smell. rain-water is the purest type; and, if collected in open vessels as it falls, is necessarily free from any possible taint (except at the very first of a rain, when it washes down considerable floating impurity from the atmosphere, especially in cities). this mode being for obvious reasons impracticable, cisterns are made, and rain conducted to them through pipes leading from the roof. the water has thus taken up all the dust, soot, and other impurities found upon the roof, and, unless filtered, can not be considered desirable drink. the best cistern will include a filter of some sort, and this is accomplished in two ways. either the cistern is divided into two parts, the water being received on one side, and allowed to slowly filter through a wall of porous brick, regarded by many as an amply sufficient means of purification; or a more elaborate form is used, the division in such case being into upper and under compartments, the upper one containing the usual filter of iron, charcoal, sponge, and gravel or sand. if this water has a free current of air passing over it, it will acquire more sparkle and character; but as a rule it is flat and unpleasant in flavor, being entirely destitute of the earthy salts and the carbonic-acid gas to be found in the best river or spring water. distilled water comes next in purity, and is, in fact, identical in character with rain-water; the latter being merely steam, condensed into rain in the great alembic of the sky. but both have the curious property of taking up and dissolving _lead_ wherever they find it; and it is for this reason that lead pipes as leaders from or to cisterns should _never_ be allowed, unless lined with some other metal. the most refreshing as well as most wholesome water is river or spring water, perfectly filtered so that no possible impurity can remain. it is then soft and clear; has sufficient air and carbonic acid to make it refreshing, and enough earthy salts to prevent its taking up lead, and so becoming poisonous. river-water for daily use of course requires a system of pipes, and in small places is practically unavailable; so that wells are likely, in such case, to be the chief source of supply. such water will of course be spring-water, with the characteristics of the soil through which it rises. if the well be shallow, and fed by surface springs, all impurities of the soil will be found in it; and thus to _dig deep_ becomes essential, for many reasons. dr. parker of england, in some papers on practical hygiene, gives a clear and easily understood statement of some causes affecting the purity of well-water. "a well drains an extent of ground around it, in the shape of an inverted cone, which is in proportion to its own depth and the looseness of the soil. in very loose soils a well of sixty or eighty feet will drain a large area, perhaps as much as two hundred feet in diameter, or even more; but the exact amount is not, as far as i know, precisely determined. "certain trades pour their refuse water into rivers, gas-works; slaughter-houses; tripe-houses; size, horn, and isinglass manufactories; wash-houses, starch-works, and calico-printers, and many others. in houses it is astonishing how many instances occur of the water of butts, cisterns, and tanks, getting contaminated by leaking of pipes and other causes, such as the passage of sewer-gas through overflow-pipes, &c. "as there is now no doubt that typhoid-fever, cholera, and dysentery may be caused by water rendered impure by the evacuations passed in those diseases, and as simple diarrhoea seems also to be largely caused by animal organic [matter in] suspension or solution, it is evident how necessary it is to be quick-sighted in regard to the possible impurity of water from incidental causes of this kind. therefore all tanks and cisterns should be inspected regularly, and any accidental source of impurity must be looked out for. wells should be covered; a good coping put round to prevent substances being washed down; the distances from cess-pools and dung-heaps should be carefully noted; no sewer should be allowed to pass near a well. the same precautions should be taken with springs. in the case of rivers, we must consider if contamination can result from the discharge of fecal matters, trade refuse, &c." now, suppose all such precautions have been disregarded. suppose, as is most usual, that the well is dug near the kitchen-door,--probably between kitchen and barn; the drain, if there is a drain from the kitchen, pouring out the dirty water of wash-day and all other days, which sinks through the ground, and acts as feeder to the waiting well. suppose the manure-pile in the barnyard also sends down its supply, and the privies contribute theirs. the water may be unchanged in color or odor: yet none the less you are drinking a foul and horrible poison; slow in action, it is true, but making you ready for diphtheria and typhoid-fever, and consumption, and other nameless ills. it is so easy to doubt or set aside all this, that i give one case as illustration and warning of all the evils enumerated above. the state board of health for massachusetts has long busied itself with researches on all these points, and the case mentioned is in one of their reports. the house described is one in hadley, built by a clergyman. "it was provided with an open well and sink-drain, with its deposit-box in close proximity thereto, affording facility to discharge its gases in the well as the most convenient place. the cellar was used, as country cellars commonly are, for the storage of provisions of every kind, and the windows were never opened. the only escape for the soil-moisture and ground-air, except that which was absorbed by the drinking-water, was through the crevices of the floors into the rooms above. after a few months' residence in the house, the clergyman's wife died of fever. he soon married again; and the second wife also died of fever, within a year from the time of marriage. his children were sick. he occupied the house about two years. the wife of his successor was soon taken ill, and barely escaped with her life. a physician then took the house. he married, and his wife soon after died of fever. another physician took the house, and within a few months came near dying of erysipelas. he deserved it. the house, meanwhile, received no treatment; the doctors, according to their usual wont, even in their own families, were satisfied to deal with the consequences, and leave the causes to do their worst. "next after the doctors, a school-teacher took the house, and made a few changes, for convenience apparently, for substantially it remained the same; for he, too, escaped as by the skin of his teeth. finally, after the foreclosure of many lives, the sickness and fatality of the property became so marked, that it became unsalable. when at last sold, every sort of prediction was made as to the risk of occupancy; but, by a thorough attention to sanitary conditions, no such risks have been encountered." these deaths were suicides,--ignorant ones, it is true, not one stopping to think what causes lay at the bottom of such "mysterious dispensations." but, just as surely as corn gives a crop from the seed sown, so surely typhoid fever and diphtheria follow bad drainage or the drinking of impure water. boiling such water destroys the germs of disease; but neither boiled water nor boiled germs are pleasant drinking. if means are too narrow to admit of the expense attendant upon making a drain long enough and tight enough to carry off all refuse water to a safe distance from the house, then adopt another plan. remember that to throw dirty water on the ground near a well, is as deliberate poisoning as if you threw arsenic in the well itself. have a large tub or barrel standing on a wheelbarrow or small hand-cart; and into this pour every drop of dirty water, wheeling it away to orchard or garden, where it will enrich the soil, which will transform it, and return it to you, not in disease, but in fruit and vegetables. also see that the well has a roof, and, if possible, a lattice-work about it, that all leaves and flying dirt may be prevented from falling into it. you do not want your water to be a solution or tincture of dead leaves, dead frogs and insects, or stray mice or kittens; and this it must be, now and again, if not covered sufficiently to exclude such chances, _though not the air_, which must be given free access to it. as to hard and soft water, the latter is always most desirable, as soft water extracts the flavor of tea and coffee far better than hard, and is also better for all cooking and washing purposes. hard water results from a superabundance of lime; and this lime "cakes" on the bottom of tea-kettles, curdles soap, and clings to every thing boiled in it, from clothes to meat and vegetables (which last are always more tender if cooked in soft water; though, if it be too soft, they are apt to boil to a porridge). washing-soda or borax will soften hard water, and make it better for all household purposes; but rain-water, even if not desired for drinking, will be found better than any softened by artificial means. if, as in many towns, the supply of drinking-water for many families comes from the town pump or pumps, the same principles must be attended to. a well in golden square, london, was noted for its especially bright and sparkling water, so much so that people sent from long distances to secure it. the cholera broke out; and all who drank from the well became its victims, though the square seemed a healthy location. analysis showed it to be not only alive with a species of fungus growing in it, but also weighted with dead organic matter from a neighboring churchyard. every tissue in the living bodies which had absorbed this water was inflamed, and ready to yield to the first epidemic; and cholera was the natural outcome of such conditions. knowledge should guard against any such chances. see to it that no open cesspool poisons either air or water about your home. sunk at a proper distance from the house, and connected with it by a drain so tightly put together that none of the contents can escape, the cesspool, which may be an elaborate, brick-lined cistern, or merely an old hogshead thoroughly tarred within and without, and sunk in the ground, becomes one of the most important adjuncts of a good garden. if, in addition to this, a pile of all the decaying vegetable matter--leaves, weeds, &c.--is made, all dead cats, hens, or puppies finding burial there; and the whole closely covered with earth to absorb, as fresh earth has the power to do, all foul gases and vapors; and if at intervals the pile is wet through with liquid from the cesspool, the richest form of fertilizer is secured, and one of the great agricultural duties of man fulfilled,--that of "returning to the soil, as fertilizers, all the salts produced by the combustion of food in the human body." where the water-supply is brought into the house from a common reservoir, much the same rules hold good. we can not of course control the character of the general supply, but we can see to it that our own water and waste pipes are in the most perfect condition; that traps and all the best methods of preventing the escape of sewer-gas into our houses are provided; that stationary or "set" basins have the plug always in them; and that every water-closet is provided with a ventilating pipe sufficiently high and long to insure the full escape of all gases from the house. simple disinfectants used from time to time--chloride of lime and carbolic acid--will be found useful, and the most absolute cleanliness is at all times the first essential. with air and water at their best, the home has a reasonable chance of escaping many of the sorrows brought by disease or uncertain health; and, the power to work to the best advantage being secured, we may now pass to the forms that work must take. chapter iv. the day's work. it is safe to say that no class of women in the civilized world is subjected to such incessant trials of temper, and such temptation to be fretful, as the american housekeeper. the reasons for this state of things are legion; and, if in the beginning we take ground from which the whole field may be clearly surveyed, we may be able to secure a better understanding of what housekeeping means, and to guard against some of the dangers accompanying it. the first difficulty lies in taking for granted that successful housekeeping is as much an instinct as that which leads the young bird to nest-building, and that no specific training is required. the man who undertakes a business, passes always through some form of apprenticeship, and must know every detail involved in the management; but to the large proportion of women, housekeeping is a combination of accidental forces from whose working it is hoped breakfasts and dinners and suppers will be evolved at regular periods, other necessities finding place where they can. the new home, prettily furnished, seems a lovely toy, and is surrounded by a halo, which, as facts assert themselves, quickly fades away. moth and rust and dust invade the most secret recesses. breakage and general disaster attend the progress of bridget or chloe. the kitchen seems the headquarters of extraordinary smells, and the stove an abyss in its consumption of coal or wood. food is wasted by bad cooking, or ignorance as to needed amounts, or methods of using left-over portions; and, as bills pile up, a hopeless discouragement often settles upon both wife and husband, and reproaches and bitterness and alienation are guests in the home, to which they need never have come had a little knowledge barred them out. in the beginning, then, be sure of one thing,--that all the wisdom you have or can acquire, all the patience and tact and self-denial you can make yours by the most diligent effort, will be needed every day and every hour of the day. details are in themselves wearying, and to most men their relation to housekeeping is unaccountable. the day's work of a systematic housekeeper would confound the best-trained man of business. in the woman's hand is the key to home-happiness, but it is folly to assert that all lies with her. let it be felt from the beginning that her station is a difficult one, that her duties are important, and that judgment and skill must guide their performance; let boys be taught the honor that lies in such duties,--and there will be fewer heedless and unappreciative husbands. on the other hand, let the woman remember that the good general does not waste words on hindrances, or leave his weak spots open to observation, but, learning from every failure or defeat, goes on steadily to victory. to fret will never mend a matter; and "study to be quiet" in thought, word, and action, is the first law of successful housekeeping. never under-estimate the difficulties to be met, for this is as much an evil as over-apprehension. the best-arranged plans may be overturned at a moment's notice. in a mixed family, habits and pursuits differ so widely that the housekeeper must hold herself in readiness to find her most cherished schemes set aside. absolute adherence to a system is only profitable so far as the greatest comfort and well-being of the family are affected; and, dear as a fixed routine may be to the housekeeper's mind, it may often well be sacrificed to the general pleasure or comfort. a quiet, controlled mind, a soft voice, no matter what the provocation to raise it may be, is "an excellent thing in woman." and the certainty that, hard as such control may be, it holds the promise of the best and fullest life here and hereafter, is a motive strong enough, one would think, to insure its adoption. progress may be slow, but the reward for every step forward is certain. we have already found that each day has its fixed routine, and are ready now to take up the order of work, which will be the same in degree whether one servant is kept, or many, or none. the latter state of things will often happen in the present uncertain character of household service. old family servants are becoming more and more rare; and, unless the new generation is wisely trained, we run the risk of being even more at their mercy in the future than in the past. first, then, on rising in the morning, see that a full current of air can pass through every sleeping-room; remove all clothes from the beds, and allow them to air at least an hour. only in this way can we be sure that the impurities, thrown off from even the cleanest body by the pores during the night, are carried off. a neat housekeeper is often tempted to make beds, or have them made, almost at once; but no practice can be more unwholesome. while beds and bedrooms are airing, breakfast is to be made ready, the table set, and kitchen and dining-room put in order. the kitchen-fire must first be built. if a gas or oil stove can be used, the operations are all simpler. if not, it is always best to have dumped the grate the night before if coal is used, and to have laid the fire ready for lighting. in the morning brush off all ashes, and wipe or blacken the stove. strong, thick gloves, and a neat box for brushes, blacking, &c., will make this a much less disagreeable operation than it sounds. rinse out the tea-kettle, fill it with fresh water, and put over to boil. then remove the ashes, and, if coal is used, sift them, as cinders can be burned a large part of the time where only a moderate fire is desired. the table can be set, and the dining or sitting room swept, or merely brushed up and dusted, in the intervals of getting breakfast. to have every thing clean, hot, and not only well prepared but ready on time, is the first law, not only for breakfast, but for every other meal. after breakfast comes the dish-washing, dreaded by all beginners, but needlessly so. with a full supply of all conveniences,--plenty of soap and sapolio, which is far better and cleaner to use than either sand or ashes; with clean, soft towels for glass and silver; a mop, the use of which not only saves the hands but enables you to have hotter water; and a full supply of coarser towels for the heavier dishes,--the work can go on swiftly. let the dish-pan be half full of hot soap and water. _wash glass first_, paying no attention to the old saying that "hot water rots glass." be careful never to put glass into hot water, bottom first, as the sudden expansion may crack it. slip it in edgeways, and the finest and most delicate cut-glass will be safe. _wash silver next._ hot suds, and instant wiping on dry soft cloths, will retain the brightness of silver, which treated in this way requires much less polishing, and therefore lasts longer. if any pieces require rubbing, use a little whiting made into a paste, and put on wet. let it dry, and then polish with a chamois-skin. once a month will be sufficient for rubbing silver, if it is properly washed. _china comes next_--all plates having been carefully scraped, and all cups rinsed out. to fill the pan with unscraped and unrinsed dishes, and pour half-warm water over the whole, is a method too often adopted; and the results are found in sticky dishes and lustreless silver. put all china, silver, and glass in their places as soon as washed. then take any tin or iron pans, wash, wipe with a dry towel, and put near the fire to dry thoroughly. a knitting-needle or skewer may be kept to dig out corners unreachable by dishcloth or towel, and if perfectly dried they will remain free from rust. the cooking-dishes, saucepans, &c., come next in order; and here the wire dish-cloth will be found useful, as it does not scratch, yet answers every purpose of a knife. every pot, kettle, and saucepan must be put into the pan of hot water. if very greasy, it is well to allow them to stand partly full of water in which a few drops of ammonia have been put. the _outside must be washed_ as carefully as the inside. till this is done, there will always be complaint of the unpleasantness of handling cooking-utensils. properly done, they are as clean as the china or glass. plated knives save much work. if steel ones are used, they must be polished after every meal. in washing them, see that the handles are never allowed to touch the water. ivory discolors and cracks if wet. bristol-brick finely powdered is the best polisher, and, mixed with a little water, can be applied with a large cork. a regular knife-board, or a small board on which you can nail three strips of wood in box form, will give you the best mode of keeping brick and cork in place. after rubbing, wash clean, and wipe dry. the dish-towels are the next consideration. a set should be used but a week, and must be washed and rinsed each day if you would not have the flavor of dried-in dish-water left on your dishes. dry them, if possible, in the open air: if not, have a rack, and stand them near the fire. on washing-days, let those that have been used a week have a thorough boiling. the close, sour smell that all housekeepers have noticed about dish-towels comes from want of boiling and drying in fresh air, and is unpardonable and unnecessary. keep hot water constantly in your kettles or water-pots, by always remembering to fill with cold when you take out hot. put away every article carefully in its place. if tables are stained, and require any scrubbing, remember that to wash or scrub wood you must follow the grain, as rubbing across it rubs the dirt in instead of taking it off. the same rule applies to floors. a clean, coarse cloth, hot suds, and a good scrubbing-brush, will simplify the operation. wash off the table; then dip the brush in the suds, and scour with the grain of the wood. finally wash off all soapy water, and wipe dry. to save strength, the table on which dishes are washed may be covered with kitchen oilcloth, which will merely require washing and wiping; with an occasional scrubbing for the table below. the table must be cleaned as soon as the dishes are washed, because if dishes stand upon tables the fragments of food have time to harden, and the washing is made doubly hard. leaving the kitchen in order, the bedrooms will come next. turn the mattresses daily, and make the bed smoothly and carefully. put the under sheet with the wrong side next the bed, and the upper one with the marked end always at the top, to avoid the part where the feet lie, from being reversed and so reaching the face. the sheets should be large enough to tuck in thoroughly, three yards long by two and a half wide being none too large for a double bed. pillows should be beaten and then smoothed with the hand, and the aim be to have an even, unwrinkled surface. as to the use of shams, whether sheet or pillow, it is a matter of taste; but in all cases, covered or uncovered, let the bed-linen be daintily clean. empty all slops, and with hot water wash out all the bowls, pitchers, &c., using separate cloths for these purposes, and never toilet towels. dust the room, arrange every thing in place, and, if in summer, close the blinds, and darken till evening, that it may be as cool as possible. sweeping days for bedrooms need come but once a week, but all rooms used by many people require daily sweeping; halls, passages, and dining and sitting rooms coming under this head. careful dusting daily will often do away with the need of frequent sweeping, which wears out carpets unnecessarily. a carpet-sweeper is a real economy, both in time and strength; but, if not obtainable, a light broom carefully handled, not with a long stroke which sends clouds of dust over every thing, but with a short quick one, which only experience can give, is next best. for a thorough sweeping, remove as many articles from the room as possible, dusting each one thoroughly, and cover the larger ones which must remain with old sheets or large squares of common unbleached cotton cloth, kept for this purpose. if the furniture is rep or woolen of any description, dust about each button, that no moth may find lodgment, and then cover closely. a feather duster, long or short, as usually applied, is the enemy of cleanliness. its only legitimate use is for the tops of pictures or books and ornaments; and such dusting should be done _before_ the room is swept, as well as afterward, the first one removing the heaviest coating, which would otherwise be distributed over the room. for piano, and furniture of delicate woods generally, old silk handkerchiefs make the best dusters. for all ordinary purposes, squares of old cambric, hemmed, and washed when necessary, will be found best. insist upon their being kept for this purpose, and forbid the use of toilet towels, always a temptation to the average servant. remember that in dusting, the process should be a _wiping_; not a flirting of the cloth, which simply sends the dust up into the air to settle down again about where it was before. if moldings and wash-boards or wainscotings are wiped off with a damp cloth, one fruitful source of dust will be avoided. for all intricate work like the legs of pianos, carved backs of furniture, &c., a pair of small bellows will be found most efficient. brooms, dust-pan, and brushes long and short, whisk-broom, feather and other dusters, should have one fixed place, and be returned to it after every using. if oil-cloth is on halls or passages, it should be washed weekly with warm milk and water, a quart of skim-milk to a pail of water being sufficient. never use soap or scrubbing-brush, as they destroy both color and texture. all brass or silver-plated work about fire-place, doorknobs, or bath-room faucets, should be cleaned once a week and before sweeping. for silver, rub first with powdered whiting moistened with a little alcohol or hot water. let it dry on, and then polish with a dry chamois-skin. if there is any intricate work, use a small toothbrush. whiting, silver-soap, cloths, chamois, and brushes should all be kept in a box together. in another may be the rotten-stone necessary for cleaning brass, a small bottle of oil, and some woolen cloths. old merino or flannel under-wear makes excellent rubbing-cloths. mix the rotten-stone with enough oil to make a paste; rub on with one cloth, and polish with another. thick gloves can be worn, and all staining of the hands avoided. the bedrooms and the necessary daily sweeping finished, a look into cellar and store-rooms is next in order,--in the former, to see that no decaying vegetable matter is allowed to accumulate; in the latter, that bread-jar or boxes are dry and sweet, and all stores in good condition. where there are servants, it should be understood that the mistress makes this daily progress. fifteen minutes or half an hour will often cover the time consumed; but it should be a fixed duty never omitted. a look into the refrigerator or meat-safe to note what is left and suggest the best use for it; a glance at towels and dish-cloths to see that all are clean and sweet, and another under all sinks and into each pantry,--will prevent the accumulation of bones and stray bits of food and dirty rags, the paradise of the cockroach, and delight of mice and rats. a servant, if honest, will soon welcome such investigation, and respect her mistress the more for insisting upon it, and, if not, may better find other quarters. one strong temptation to dishonesty is removed where such inspection is certain, and the weekly bills will be less than in the house where matters are left to take care of themselves. the preparation of dinner if at or near the middle of the day, and the dish-washing which follows, end the heaviest portion of the day's work; and the same order must be followed. only an outline can be given; each family demanding variations in detail, and each head of a family in time building up her own system. remember, however, that, if but one servant is kept, she can not do every thing, and that your own brain must constantly supplement her deficiencies, until training and long practice have made your methods familiar. even then she is likely at any moment to leave, and the battle to begin over again; and the only safeguard in time of such disaster is personal knowledge as to simplest methods of doing the work, and inexhaustible patience in training the next applicant, finding comfort in the thought, that, if your own home has lost, that of some one else is by so much the gainer. chapter v. fires, lights, and things to work with. the popular idea of a fire to cook by seems to be, a red-hot top, the cover of every pot and saucepan dancing over the bubbling, heaving contents, and coal packed in even with the covers. try to convince a servant that the lid need not hop to assure boiling, nor the fire rise above the fire-box, and there is a profound skepticism, which, even if not expressed, finds vent in the same amount of fuel and the same general course of action as before the remonstrance. the modern stove has brought simplicity of working, and yet the highest point of convenience, nearly to perfection. with full faith that the fuel of the future will be gas, its use is as yet, for many reasons, very limited; the cost of gas in our smaller cities and towns preventing its adoption by any but the wealthy, who are really in least need of it. with the best gas-stoves, a large part of the disagreeable in cooking is done away. no flying ashes, no cinders, no uneven heat, affected by every change of wind, but a steady flame, regulated to any desired point, and, when used, requiring only a turn of the hand to end the operation. ranges set in a solid brick-work are considered the best form of cooking-apparatus; but there are some serious objections to their use, the first being the large amount of fuel required, and then the intense heat thrown out. even with water in the house, they are not a necessity. a water-back, fully as effectual as the range water-back, can be set in any good stove, and connected with a boiler, large or small, according to the size of the stove; and for such stove, if properly managed, only about half the amount of coal will be needed. fix thoroughly in your minds the directions for making and keeping a fire; for, by doing so, one of the heaviest expenses in housekeeping can be lessened fully half. first, then, remove the covers, and gather all ashes and cinders from the inside top of the stove, into the grate. now put on the covers; shut the doors; close all the draughts, and dump the contents of the grate into the pan below. in some stoves there is an under-grate, to which a handle is attached; and, this grate being shaken, the ashes pass through to the ash-pan, and the cinders remain in the grate. in that case, they can simply be shoveled out into the extra coal-hod, all pieces of clinker picked out, and a little water sprinkled on them. if all must be dumped together, a regular ash-sifter will be required, placed over a barrel which receives the ashes, while the cinders remain, and are to be treated as described. into the grate put shavings or paper, or the fat pine known as lightwood. if the latter be used, paper is unnecessary. lay on some small sticks of wood, _crossing them_ so that there may be a draught through them; add then one or two sticks of hard wood, and set the shavings or paper on fire, seeing that every draught is open. as soon as the wood is well on fire, cover with about six inches of coal, the smaller, or nut-coal, being always best for stove use. when the coal is burning brightly, shut up all the dampers save the slide in front of the grate, and you will have a fire which will last, without poking or touching in any way, four hours. even if a little more heat is needed for ovens, and you open the draughts, this rule still holds good. never, for any reason, allow the coal to come above the edge of the fire-box or lining. if you do, ashes and cinders will fall into the oven-flues, and they will soon be choked up, and require cleaning. another reason also lies in the fact that the stove-covers resting on red-hot coals soon burn out, and must be renewed; whereas, by carefully avoiding such chance, a stove may be used many years without crack or failure of any sort. if fresh heat is required for baking or any purpose after the first four hours, let the fire burn low, then take off the covers, and with the poker _from the bottom_ rake out all the ashes thoroughly. then put in two or three sticks of wood, fill as before with fresh coal, and the fire is good for another four hours or more. if only a light fire be required after dinner for getting tea, rake only slightly; then, fill with _cinders_, and close all the dampers. half an hour before using the stove, open them, and the fire will rekindle enough for any ordinary purpose. as there is great difference in the "drawing" of chimneys, the exact time required for making a fire can not be given. in using wood, the same principles apply; but of course the fire must be fed much oftener. grate-fires, as well as those in the ordinary stove, are to be made in much the same way. in a grate, a blower is fastened on until the coal is burning well; but, if the fire is undisturbed after its renewal, it should burn from six to eight hours without further attention. then rake out the ashes, add coal, put on the blower a few minutes, and then proceed as before. if an exceedingly slow fire is desired, cover the top with cinders, or with ashes moistened with water. in making a grate or stove fire, keep a coarse cloth to lay before it, that ashes may not spoil the carpet; and wipe about the fire-place with a damp, coarse cloth. in putting on coal in a sick-room, where noise would disturb the patient, it is a good plan to put it in small paper bags or in pieces of newspaper, in which it can be laid on silently. a short table of degrees of heat in various forms of fuel is given below; the degree required for baking, &c, finding place when we come to general operations in cooking. degrees of heat from fuel. willow charcoal ° _fah._ ordinary charcoal ° _fah._ hard wood ° to ° _fah._ coal ° _fah._ _lights_ are next in order. gas hardly requires mention, as the care of it is limited to seeing that it is not turned too high, the flame in such case not only vitiating the air of the room with double speed, but leaving a film of smoke upon every thing in it. kerosene is the oil most largely used for lamps; and the light from either a student-lamp, or the lamp to which a "student-burner" has been applied, is the purest and steadiest now in use. a few simple rules for the care of lamps will prevent, not only danger of explosion, but much breakage of chimneys, smoking, &c. . let the wick always touch the bottom of the lamp, and see that the top is trimmed square and even across, with a pair of scissors kept for the purpose. . remember that a lamp, if burned with only a little oil in it, generates a gas which is liable at any moment to explode. fill lamps to within half an inch of the top. if filled brimming full, the outside of the lamp will be constantly covered with the oil, even when unlighted; while as soon as lighted, heat expanding it, it will run over, and grease every thing near it. . in lighting a lamp, turn the wick up gradually, that the chimney may heat slowly: otherwise the glass expands too rapidly, and will crack. . keep the wick turned high enough to burn freely. many persons turn down the wick to save oil, but the room is quickly poisoned by the evil smell from the gas thus formed. if necessary, as in a sick-room, to have little light, put the lamp in the hall or another room, rather than to turn it down. . remember, that, as with the fire, plenty of fresh air is necessary for a free blaze, and that your lamp must be kept as free from dirt as the stove from ashes. in washing the chimneys, use hot suds; and wipe with bits of newspaper, which not only dry the glass better than a cloth, but polish it also. . in using either student-lamps, whether german or american, or the beautiful and costly forms known as moderator-lamps, remember, that, to secure a clear flame, the oil which accumulates in the cup below the wick, as well as any surplus which has overflowed from the reservoir, must be _poured out daily_. the neglect of this precaution is the secret of much of the trouble attending the easy getting out of order of expensive lamps, which will cease to be sources of difficulty if this rule be followed carefully. . keep every thing used in such cleaning in a small box; the ordinary starch-box with sliding lid being excellent for this purpose. extra wicks, lamp-scissors, rags for wiping off oil, can all find place here. see that lamp-rags are burned now and then, and fresh ones taken; as the smell of kerosene is very penetrating, and a room is often made unpleasant by the presence of dirty lamp-rags. if properly cared for, lamps need be no more offensive than gas. _things_ to work with. we have settled that our kitchen shall be neat, cheerful, and sunny, with closets as much as possible near enough together to prevent extra steps being taken. if the servant is sufficiently well-trained to respect the fittings of a well-appointed kitchen, and to take pleasure in keeping them in order, the whole apparatus can be arranged in the kitchen-closets. if, however, there is any doubt on this point, it will be far better to have your own special table, and shelf or so above it, where the utensils required for your own personal use in delicate cooking can be arranged. in any kitchen not less than two tables are required: one for all rough work,--preparing meat, vegetables, &c, and dishing up meals; the other for general convenience. the first must stand as near the sink and fire as possible; and close to it, on a dresser, which it is well to have just above the table and within reach of the hand, should be all the essentials for convenient work, namely:-- a meat-block or board; a small meat-saw; a small cleaver and meat-knife; spoons, skewers, vegetable-cutters, and any other small conveniences used at this table, such as potato-slicer, larding and trussing needles, &c.; a chopping-knife and wooden tray or bowl; rolling-pin, and bread and pastry board; narrow-bladed, very sharp knife for paring, the french cook-knife being the best ever invented for this purpose. a deep drawer in the table for holding coarse towels and aprons, balls of twine of two sizes, squares of cloth used in boiling delicate fish or meats, &c., will be found almost essential. basting-spoons and many small articles can hang on small hooks or nails, and are more easily picked up than if one must feel over a shelf for them. these will be egg-beaters, graters, ladle, &c. the same dresser, or a space over the sink, must hold washing-pans for meat and vegetables, dish-pans, tin measures from a gill up to one quart, saucepans, milk-boiler, &c. below the sink, the closet for iron-ware can be placed, or, if preferred, be between sink and stove. a list in detail of every article required for a comfortably-fitted-up kitchen is given at the end of the book. house-furnishing stores furnish elaborate and confusing ones. the present list is simply what is needed for the most efficient work. of course, as you experiment and advance, it may be enlarged; but the simple outfit can be made to produce all the results likely to be needed, and many complicated patent arrangements are hindrances, rather than helps. the _iron-ware_ closet must hold at least two iron pots, frying-pans large and small, and a scotch kettle with frying-basket for oysters, fish-balls, &c.,--this kettle being a broad shallow one four or five inches deep. roasting-pans, commonly called dripping-pans, are best of russia iron. _tin-ware_ must include colander, gravy and jelly strainers, and vegetable-sifter or _purée_-sieve; six tin pie-plates, and from four to six jelly-cake tins with straight edges; and at least one porcelain-lined kettle, holding not less than four quarts, while a three-gallon one for preserving and canning is also desirable; muffin rings or pans; "gem-pans;" four bread-tins, of best tin (or, better still, russia iron), the best size for which is ten inches long by four wide and four deep; the loaf baked in such pan requiring less time, and giving a slice of just the right shape and size; cake-tins of various shapes as desired, a set of small tins being desirable for little cakes. a small sifter in basket shape will be found good for cake-making, and a larger one for bread; and spices can be most conveniently kept in a spice-caster, which is a stand holding six or eight small labeled canisters. near it can also be small tin boxes or glass cans for dried sweet herbs, the salt-box, &c. the _crockery_ required will be: at least two large mixing-bowls, holding not less than eight or ten quarts, and intended for bread, cake, and many other purposes; a bowl with lip to pour from, and also a smaller-sized one holding about two quarts; half a dozen quart and pint bowls; half a dozen one-and two-quart round or oval pudding-dishes or nappies; several deep plates for use in putting away cold food; blancmange-molds, three sizes; one large pitcher, also three-pint and quart sizes; yeast-jar, or, what is better, two or three mason's glass cans, kept for yeast. this list does not include any crockery for setting a servant's table; that being governed by the number kept, and other considerations. such dishes should be of heavier ware than your own, as they are likely to receive rougher handling; but there should be a full supply as one means of teaching neatness. _wooden-ware_ is essential in the shape of a nest of boxes for rice, tapioca, &c.; and wooden pails for sugar, graham-flour, &c.; while you will gradually accumulate many conveniences in the way of jars, stone pots for pickling, demijohns, &c., which give the store-room, at last, the expression dear to all thrifty housekeepers. scrubbing and water pails, scrubbing and blacking brushes, soap-dishes, sand-box, knife-board, and necessities in cleaning, must all find place, and, having found it, keep it to the end; absolute order and system being the first condition of comfortable housekeeping. chapter vi. washing-day, and cleaning in general. why monday should be fixed upon as washing-day, is often questioned; but, like many other apparently arbitrary arrangements, its foundation is in common-sense. tuesday has its advantages also, soon to be mentioned; but to any later period than tuesday there are serious objections. all clothing is naturally changed on sunday; and, if washed before dirt has had time to harden in the fiber of the cloth, the operation is much easier. the german custom, happily passing away, of washing only annually or semi-annually, is both disgusting, and destructive to health and clothes; the air of whatever room such accumulations are stored in being poisoned, while the clothes themselves are rubbed to pieces in the endeavor to get out the long-seated dirt. a weekly wash being the necessity if perfect cleanliness exists, the simplest and best method of thoroughly accomplishing it comes up for question. while few women are obliged to use their own hands in such directions, plenty of needy and unskilled workwomen who can earn a living in no other way being ready to relieve us, it is yet quite as necessary to know every detail, in order that the best work may be required, and that where there is ignorance of methods in such work they may be taught. the advantages of washing on tuesday are, that it allows monday for setting in order after the necessary rest of sunday, gives opportunity to collect and put in soak all the soiled clothing, and so does away with the objection felt by many good people to performing this operation sunday night. to avoid such sin, bed-clothing is often changed on saturday; but it seems only part of the freshness and sweetness which ought always to make sunday the white-day of the week, that such change should be made on that morning, while the few minutes required for sorting the clothes, and putting them in water, are quite as legitimate as any needed operation. if monday be the day, then, saturday night may be chosen for filling the tubs, supposing the kitchen to be unfurnished with stationary tubs. sunday night enough hot water can be added to make the whole just warm--not hot. now put in one tub all fine things,--collars and cuffs, shirts and fine underwear. bed-linen may be added, or soaked in a separate tub; but table-linen must of course be kept apart. last, let the coarsest and most soiled articles have another. do not add soap, as if there is any stain it is likely to set it. if the water is hard, a little borax may be added. and see that the clothes are pressed down, and well covered with water. monday morning, and the earlier the better (the morning sun drying and sweetening clothes better than the later), have the boiler full of clean warm suds. soft soap may be used, or a bar of hard dissolved in hot water, and used like soft soap. all the water in which the clothes have soaked should be drained off, and the hot suds poured on. begin with the cleanest articles, which when washed carefully are wrung out, and put in a tub of warm water. rinse out from this; rub soap on all the parts which are most soiled, these parts being bands and sleeves, and put them in the boiler with cold water enough to cover them. to boil up once will be sufficient for fine clothes. then take them out into a tub of clean cold water; rinse them in this, and then in a tub of water made very slightly blue with the indigo-bag or liquid indigo. from this water they must be wrung out very dry, and hung out, always out of doors if possible. a wringer is much better than wringing by hand, as the latter is more unequal, and also often twists off buttons. the lines must be perfectly clean. a galvanized-iron wire is best of all; as it never rusts, and needs only to be wiped off each week. if rope is used, never leave it exposed to weather, but bring it in after each washing. a dirty, weather-stained line will often ruin a nice garment. leave clothes on the line till perfectly dry. if any fruit-stains are on napkins or table-cloths, lay the stained part over a bowl, and pour on boiling water till they disappear. ink can be taken out if the spot is washed while fresh, in cold water, or milk and water; and a little salt will help in taking out wine-stains. machine-oil must have a little lard or butter rubbed on the spot, which is then to be washed in warm suds. never rub soap directly on any stain, as it sets it. for iron-rust, spread the garment in the sun, and cover the spot with salt; then squeeze on lemon-juice enough to wet it. this is much safer and quite as sure as the acids sold for this purpose. in bright sunshine the spot will disappear in a few hours. remember that long boiling does not improve clothes. if washed clean, simply scalding is all that is required. if delicate curtains, either lace or muslin, are to be washed, allow a tablespoonful of powdered borax to two gallons of warm water, and soap enough to make a strong suds. soak the curtains in this all night. in the morning add more warm water, and press every part between the hands, without rubbing. put them in fresh suds, and, if the water still looks dark after another washing, take still another. boil and rinse as in directions given for other clothes. starch with very thick hot starch, and dry, not by hanging out, and then ironing, but by putting a light common mattress in the sun, and pinning the curtain upon it, stretching carefully as you pin. one mattress holds two, which will dry in an hour or two. if there is no sun, lay a sheet on the floor of an unused room, and pin the curtains down upon it. in washing flannels, remember that it must be done in a sunny day, that they may dry as rapidly as possible. put them into hot suds. do not rub them on a washing-board, as this is one means of fulling and ruining them. press and rub them in the hands, changing them soon to fresh hot suds. rinse in a pail of clear hot water; wring very dry; shake, and hang at once in the sun. flannels thus treated, no matter how delicate, retain their softness and smoothness, and do not shrink. starch is the next consideration, and is made in two ways,--either raw or boiled. boiled starch is made by adding cold water to raw starch in the proportion of one cup of water to three-quarters of a cup of starch, and then pouring on boiling water till it has thickened to a smooth mass, constantly stirring as you pour. a bit of butter is added by many excellent laundresses, the bit not to be larger than a filbert. any thing starched with boiled starch must be dried and sprinkled before ironing, while with raw starch this is not necessary. to make raw starch, allow four even tablespoonfuls to a half-pint of cold water. dip collars, cuffs, and shirt-bosoms, or any thing which must be very stiff, into this starch, being careful to have them dry. when wet, clap them well between the hands, as this distributes the starch evenly among the fibers of the cloth. the same rule must be followed in using boiled starch. roll the articles in a damp cloth, as this makes them iron more smoothly; and in an hour they will be ready for the iron. in using boiled starch, after the articles have been dried, and then dampened by sprinkling water lightly upon them, either by the hand, or by shaking over them a small whisk-broom which is dipped as needed in water, it is better to let them lie ten or twelve hours. all clothes require this folding and dampening. sheets and table-cloths should be held by two persons, shaken and "snapped," and then folded carefully, stretching the edges if necessary. colored clothing must be rinsed before starching, and the starch should be thin and cool. for ironing neatly and well, there will be required, half a dozen flat-irons, steel bottoms preferred; a skirt-board and bosom-board, both covered, first with old blanket or carpet, then with thick strong cotton-cloth, and over this a cover of lighter cloth, sewed on so that it may be removed as often as may be necessary to wash it. if a bag the size of each is made, and they are hung up in this as soon as used, such washing need very seldom be. having these, many dispense with ironing-sheet and blanket; but it is better to use a table for all large articles, and on this the ironing-sheet can be pinned, or tied by tapes, or strips of cloth, sewed to each corner. a stand on which to set the irons, a paper and coarse cloth to rub them off on, and a bit of yellow wax tied in a cloth, and used to remove any roughness from the iron, are the requirements of the ironing-table. once a month, while the irons are still slightly warm, wash them in warm water in which a little lard has been melted. never let them stand day after day on the stove, and never throw cold water on them, as it makes them very rough. if the starch clings to the irons, put a little bristol-brick on a board, and rub them up and down till free. if they are too hot for use, put in a current of air a few moments; and in all cases try them on a piece of paper or cloth before putting them on a garment. if through carelessness or accident an article is scorched, lay it in the hottest sunshine to be found. if the fiber is not burned, this will often take the spot entirely out. let the ironed clothes hang in the air for at least twenty-four hours after ironing. unaired sheets have often brought on fatal sickness. examine all clothes sent up from the wash. if the laundress is sure this inspection will take place, it is a constant spur to working in the best way, and a word of praise for good points is always a stimulus. mending should be done as the clothes are looked over, before putting away. place the sheets from each wash at the bottom of the pile, that the same ones may not be used over and over, but all come in rotation; and the same with table-linen. if the table-cloth in use is folded carefully in the creases, and kept under a heavy piece of plank, it will retain a fresh look till soiled. special hints as to washing blankets and dress-materials will be given in the latter part of the book. however carefully and neatly a house may be kept, it requires a special putting in order, known as _house-cleaning_, at least once a year. spring and fall are both devoted to it in new england; and, if the matter be conducted quietly, there are many advantages in the double cleaning. in a warmer climate, where insect-life is more troublesome and the reign of flies lasts longer, two cleanings are rather a necessity. as generally managed, they are a terror to every one, and above all to gentlemen, who resent it from beginning to end. no wonder, if at the first onslaught all home comfort ends, and regular meals become irregular lunches, and a quiet night's rest something sought but not found. a few simple rules govern here, and will rob the ordeal of half its terrors. if coal or wood are to be laid in for the year's supply, let it be done before cleaning begins, as much dust is spread through the house in such work. heavy carpets do not require taking up every year; once in two, or even three, being sufficient unless they are in constant use. take out the tacks, however, each year; fold back the carpet half a yard or so; have the floor washed with a strong suds in which borax has been dissolved,--a tablespoonful to a pail of water; then dust black pepper along the edges, and retack the carpet. by this means moths are kept away; and, as their favorite place is in corners and folds, this laying back enables one to search out and destroy them. sapolio is better than sand for scouring paint, and in all cases a little borax in the water makes such work easier. closets should be put in order first; all winter clothing packed in trunks, or put in bags made from several thicknesses of newspaper, printers' ink being one of the most effectual protections against moths. gum-camphor is also excellent; and, if you have no camphor-wood chest or closet, a pound of the gum, sewed into little bags, will last for years. in putting away clothing, blankets, &c., look all over, and brush and shake with the utmost care before folding, in order to get rid of any possible moth-eggs. if matting is used, wipe it with borax-water, using a cloth wet enough to dampen but _not_ wet. window-glass thoroughly washed can be dried and polished with old newspapers; or whiting can be used, and rubbed off with a woolen cloth. hard-wood furniture, black walnut, or other varieties, requires oiling lightly with boiled linseed oil, and rubbing dry with a woolen cloth; and varnished furniture, mahogany or rosewood, if kept carefully dusted, requires only an occasional rubbing with chamois-skin or thick flannel to retain its polish perfectly. soap should never be used on varnish of any sort. ingrain and other carpets, after shaking, are brightened in color by sprinkling a pound or two of salt over the surface, and sweeping carefully; and it is also useful to occasionally wipe off a carpet with borax-water, using a thick flannel, and taking care not to wet, but only dampen the carpet. mirrors can be cleaned with whiting. never scrub oil-pictures: simply wipe with a damp cloth, and, if picture-cord is used, wipe it off to secure against moths. it is impossible to cover the whole ground of cleaning in this chapter. experience is the best teacher. only remember that a household earthquake is not necessary, and that the whole work can be done so gradually, quietly, and systematically, that only the workers need know much about it. the sense of purity transfused through the air and breathing from every nook and corner should be the only indication that upheaval has existed. the best work is always in silence. chapter vii. the body and its composition. "the lamp of life" is a very old metaphor for the mysterious principle vitalizing nerve and muscle; but no comparison could be so apt. the full-grown adult takes in each day, through lungs and mouth, about eight and a half pounds of dry food, water, and the air necessary for breathing purposes. through the pores of the skin, the lungs, kidneys, and lower intestines, there is a corresponding waste; and both supply and waste amount in a year to one and a half tons, or three thousand pounds. the steadiness and clear shining of the flame of a lamp depend upon quality, as well as amount of the oil supplied, and, too, the texture of the wick; and so all human life and work are equally made or marred by the food which sustains life, as well as the nature of the constitution receiving that food. before the nature and quality of food can be considered, we must know the constituents of the body to be fed, and something of the process through which digestion and nutrition are accomplished. i shall take for granted that you have a fairly plain idea of the stomach and its dependences. physiologies can always be had, and for minute details they must be referred to. bear in mind one or two main points: that all food passes from the mouth to the stomach, an irregularly-shaped pouch or bag with an opening into the duodenum, and from thence into the larger intestine. from the mouth to the end of this intestine, the whole may be called the alimentary canal; a tube of varying size and some thirty-six feet in length. the mouth must be considered part of it, as it is in the mouth that digestion actually begins; all starchy foods depending upon the action of the saliva for genuine digestion, saliva having some strange power by which starch is converted into sugar. swallowed whole, or placed directly in the stomach, such food passes through the body unchanged. each division of the alimentary canal has its own distinct digestive juice, and i give them in the order in which they occur. first, the saliva; secreted from the glands of the mouth:--alkaline, glairy, adhesive. second, the gastric juice; secreted in the inner or third lining of the stomach,--an acid, and powerful enough to dissolve all the fiber and albumen of flesh food. third, the pancreatic juice; secreted by the pancreas, which you know in animals as sweetbreads. this juice has a peculiar influence upon fats, which remain unchanged by saliva and gastric juice; and not until dissolved by pancreatic juice, and made into what chemists call an _emulsion_, can they be absorbed into the system. fourth, the bile; which no physiologist as yet thoroughly understands. we know its action, but hardly _why_ it acts. it is a necessity, however; for if by disease the supply be cut off, an animal emaciates and soon dies. fifth, the intestinal juice; which has some properties like saliva, and is the last product of the digestive forces. a meal, then, in its passage downward is first diluted and increased in bulk by a watery fluid which prepares all the starchy portion for absorption. then comes a still more profuse fluid, dissolving all the meaty part. then the fat is attended to by the stream of pancreatic juice, and at the same time the bile pours upon it, doing its own work in its own mysterious way; and last of all, lest any process should have been imperfect, the long canal sends out a juice having some of the properties of all. thus each day's requirements call for pints. of saliva - / gastric juice bile - / pancreatic juice - / intestinal juice / ------- - / do not fancy this is all wasted or lost. very far from it: for the whole process seems to be a second circulation, as it were; and, while the blood is moving in its wonderful passage through veins and arteries, another circulation as wonderful, an endless current going its unceasing round so long as life lasts, is also taking place. but without food the first would become impossible; and the quality of food, and its proper digestion, mean good or bad blood as the case may be. we must follow our mouthful of food, and see how this action takes place. when the different juices have all done their work, the _chyme_, which is food as it passes from the stomach into the duodenum or passage to the lower stomach or bowels, becomes a milky substance called _chyle_, which moves slowly, pushed by numberless muscles along the bowel, which squeeze much of it into little glands at the back of the bowels. these are called the mesenteric glands; and, as each one receives its portion of chyle, a wonderful thing happens. about half of it is changed into small round bodies called corpuscles, and they float with the rest of the milky fluid through delicate pipes which take it to a sort of bag just in front of the spine. to this bag is fastened another pipe or tube--the thoracic duct--which follows the line of the spine; and up this tube the small bodies travel till they come to the neck and a spot where two veins meet. a door in one opens, and the transformation is complete. the small bodies are raw food no more, but blood, traveling fast to where it may be purified, and begin its endless round in the best condition. for, as you know, venous blood is still impure and dirty blood. before it can be really alive it must pass through the veins to the right side of the heart, flow through into the upper chamber, then through another door or valve into the lower, where it is pumped out into the lungs. if these lungs are, as they should be, full of pure air, each corpuscle is so charged with oxygen, that the last speck of impurity is burned up, and it goes dancing and bounding on its way. that is what health means: perfect food made into perfect blood, and giving that sense of strength and exhilaration that we none of us know half as much about as we should. we get it sometimes on mountain-tops in clear autumn days when the air is like wine; but god meant it to be our daily portion, and this very despised knowledge of cookery is to bring it about. if a lung is imperfect, supplied only with foul air as among the very poor, or diseased as in consumption, food does not nourish, and you now know why. we have found that the purest air and the purest water contain the largest proportion of oxygen; and it is this that vitalizes both food and, through food, the blood. to nourish this body, then, demands many elements; and to study these has been the joint work of chemists and physiologists, till at last every constituent of the body is known and classified. many as these constituents are, they are all resolved into the simple elements, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon, while a little sulphur, a little phosphorus, lime, chlorine, sodium, &c., are added. flesh and blood are composed of water, fat, fibrine, albumen, gelatine, and the compounds of lime, phosphorus, soda, potash, magnesia, iron, &c. bone contains cartilage, gelatine, fat, and the salts of lime, magnesia, soda, &c., in combination with phosphoric and other acids. cartilage consists of chondrine, a substance somewhat like gelatine, and contains also the salts of sulphur, lime, soda, potash, phosphorus, magnesia, and iron. bile is made up of water, fat, resin, sugar, cholesterine, some fatty acids, and the salts of potash, iron, and soda. the brain is made up of water, albumen, fat, phosphoric acid, osmazone, and salts. the liver unites water, fat, and albumen, with phosphoric and other acids, and lime, iron, soda, and potash. the lungs are formed of two substances: one like gelatine; another of the nature of caseine and albumen, fibrine, cholesterine, iron, water, soda, and various fatty and organic acids. how these varied elements are held together, even science with all its deep searchings has never told. no man, by whatsoever combination of elements, has ever made a living plant, much less a living animal. no better comparison has ever been given than that of youmans, who makes a table of the analogies between the human body and the steam-engine, which i give as it stands. analogies of the steam-engine and the living body. _the steam engine in action takes_: . fuel: coal and wood, both combustible. . water for evaporation. . air for combustion. _and produces_: . a steady boiling heat of ° by quick combustion. . smoke loaded with carbonic acid and watery vapor. . incombustible ashes. . motive force of simple alternate push and pull in the piston, which, acting through wheels, bands, and levers, does work of endless variety. . a deficiency of fuel, water, or air, disturbs, then stops the motion. _the animal body in life takes_: . food: vegetables and flesh, both combustible. . water for circulation. . air for respiration. _and produces_: . a steady animal heat, by slow combustion, of °. . expired breath loaded with carbonic acid and watery vapor. . incombustible animal refuse. . motive force of simple alternate contraction and relaxation in the muscles, which, acting through joints, tendons, and levers, does work of endless variety. . a deficiency of food, drink, or air, first disturbs, then stops the motion and the life. carrying out this analogy, you will at once see why a person working hard with either body or mind requires more food than the one who does but little. the food taken into the human body can never be a simple element. we do not feed on plain, undiluted oxygen or nitrogen; and, while the composition of the human body includes really sixteen elements in all, oxygen is the only one used in its natural state. i give first the elements as they exist in a body weighing about one hundred and fifty-four pounds, this being the average weight of a full-grown man; and add a table, compiled from different sources, of the composition of the body as made up from these elements. dry as such details may seem, they are the only key to a full understanding of the body, and the laws of the body, so far as the food-supply is concerned; though you will quickly find that the day's food means the day's thought and work, well or ill, and that in your hands is put a power mightier than you know,--the power to build up body, and through body the soul, into a strong and beautiful manhood and womanhood. elements of the human body. ---------------------------------------------------------|------|-----|----- | lbs. | oz. | grs. ---------------------------------------------------------|------|-----|----- . oxygen, a gas, and supporter of combustion, | | | weighs | | | | | | . carbon, a solid; found most nearly pure in charcoal. | | | carbon in the body combines with other | | | elements to produce carbonic-acid gas, and by | | | its burning sets heat free. its weight is | | | | | | . hydrogen, a gas, is a part of all bone, blood, and | | | muscle, and weighs | | | | | | . nitrogen, a gas, is also part of all muscle, blood, | | | and bone; weighing | | | | | | . phosphorus, a solid, found in brain and bones, | | | weighs | | | | | | . sulphur, a solid, found in all parts of the body, | | | weighs | | | | | | . chlorine, a gas, found in all parts of the body, | | | weighs | | | | | | . fluorine, supposed to be a gas, is found with calcium | | | in teeth and bones, and weighs | | | | | | . silicon, a solid, found united with oxygen in the | | | hair, skin, bile, bones, blood, and saliva, weighs | | | | | | . magnesium, a metal found in union with phosphoric | | | acid in the bones | | | | | | . potassium, a metal, the basis of potash, is found | | | as phosphate and chloride; weighs | | | | | | . sodium, a metal, basis of soda; weighs | | | | | | . calcium, a metal, basis of lime, found chiefly in | | | bones and teeth; weighs | | | | | | . iron, a metal essential in the coloring of the | | | blood, and found everywhere in the body; | | | weighs | | | | | | . manganese. } faint traces of both these metals | | | } | | | . copper metals.} are found in brain and blood, | | | but in too minute portions to be given by | | | weight. | | | |------|-----|----- total | | | the second table gives the combinations of these elements; and, though a knowledge of such combinations is not as absolutely essential as the first, we still can not well dispense with it. the same weight--one hundred and fifty-four pounds--is taken as the standard. composition of the body. ---------------------------------------------------------|------|-----|----- | lbs. | oz. | grs. ---------------------------------------------------------|------|-----|----- . water, which is found in every part of the body, | | | and amounts to | | | | | | . fibrine, and like substances, found in the blood, | | | and forming the chief solid materials of the | | | flesh | | | | | | . phosphate of lime, chiefly in bones and teeth, but | | | in all liquids and tissues | | | . fat, a mixture of three chemical compounds, | | | and distributed all through the body | | | | | | . osseine, the organic framework of bones; boiled, | | | gives gelatine. weight | | | | | | . keratine, a nitrogenous substance, forming the | | | greater part of hair, nails, and skin. weighs | | | | | | . cartilagine resembles the osseine of bone, and is a | | | nitrogenous substance, the chief constituent of | | | cartilage, weighing | | | | | | . hæmoglobine gives the red color to blood, and is | | | a nitrogenous substance containing iron, and | | | weighing | | | | | | . albumen is a soluble nitrogenous substance, | | | found in the blood, chyle, lymph, and muscle, | | | and weighs | | | | | | . carbonate of lime is found in the bones chiefly, | | | and weighs | | | | | | . hephalin is found in nerves and brain, with | | | cerebrine and other compounds | | | | | | . fluoride of calcium is found in teeth and bones, | | | and weighs | | | | | | . phosphate of magnesia is also in teeth and bones, | | | and weighs | | | | | | . chloride of sodium, or common salt, is found in | | | all parts of the body, and weighs | | | | | | . cholesterine, glycogen, and inosite are compounds | | | containing hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, | | | found in muscle, liver, and brain, and | | | weighing | | | | | | . sulphate phosphate, and salts of sodium, found | | | in all tissues and liquids | | | | | | . sulphate, phosphate, and chloride of potassium, | | | are also in all tissues and liquids | | | | | | . silica, found in hair, skin, and bone | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | | | with this basis, to give us some understanding of the complicated and delicate machinery with which we must work, the question arises, what food contains all these constituents, and what its amount and character must be. the answer to this question will help us to form an intelligent plan for providing a family with the right nutrition. chapter viii. food and its laws. we have found, that, in analyzing the constituents of the body, water is the largest part; and turning to food, whether animal or vegetable, the same fact holds good. it forms the larger part of all the drinks, of fruits, of succulent vegetables, eggs, fish, cheese, the cereals, and even of fats. fat is found in butter, lard, drippings, milk, eggs, cheese, fish, meat, the cereals, leguminous vegetables,--such as pease and beans,--nuts, cocoa, and chocolate. sugar abounds in fruits and vegetables, and is found in milk and cereals. starch, which under the action of the saliva changes into glucose or grape-sugar, is present in vegetables and cereals. flesh foods, called as often nitrogenous foods, from containing so large a proportion of nitrogen, are made up of fibrine, albumen, caseine, gelatine, and gluten; the first four elements being present in flesh, the latter in vegetables. salts of various forms exist in both animal and vegetable food. in meat, fish, and potatoes are found phosphorus, lime, and magnesia. common salt is largely made up of soda, but is found with potash in many vegetables. this last element is also in meat, fish, milk, vegetables, and fruits. iron abounds in flesh and vegetables; and sulphur enters into albumen, caseine, and fibrine. the simplest division of food is into _flesh-formers_ and _heat-producers_; the former being as often called nitrogenous food, or albumenoids; the latter, heat-giving or carbonaceous foods. much minuter divisions could be made, but these two cover the ground sufficiently well. for a healthy body both are necessary, but climate and constitution will always make a difference in the amounts required. thus, in a keen and long-continued winter, the most condensed forms of carbonaceous foods will be needed; while in summer a small portion of nitrogenous food to nourish muscle, and a large amount of cooling fruits and vegetables, are indicated; both of these, though more or less carbonaceous in character, containing so much water as to neutralize any heat-producing effects. muscle being the first consideration in building up a strong body, we need first to find out the values of different foods as flesh-formers, healthy flesh being muscle in its most perfect condition. flesh and fat are never to be confounded, fat being really a species of disease,--the overloading of muscle and tissue with what has no rightful place there. there should be only enough fat to round over the muscle, but never hide its play. the table given is the one in use in the food-gallery of the south kensington museum, and includes not only the nutritive value, but the cost also, of each article; taking beef as the standard with which other animal foods are to be compared, beef being the best-known of all meats. among vegetables, lentils really contain most nourishment; but wheat is chosen as being much more familiar, lentils being very little used in this country save by the german part of the population, and having so strong and peculiar a flavor that we are never likely to largely adopt their use. about an equal amount of nourishment is found in the varied amounts mentioned in the table which follows:-- table. cost about eight ounces of lean beef (half-pound) cts. ten ounces of dried lentils cts. eleven ounces of pease or beans cts. twelve ounces of cocoa-nibs cts. fourteen ounces of tea cts. fifteen ounces of oatmeal cts. one pound and one ounce of wheaten flour cts. one pound and one ounce of coffee cts. one pound and two ounces of rye-flour cts. one pound and three ounces of barley cts. one pound and five ounces indian meal cts. one pound and thirteen ounces of buckwheat-flour cts. two pounds of wheaten bread cts. two pounds and six ounces of rice cts. five pounds and three ounces of cabbage cts. five pounds and three ounces of onions cts. eight pounds and fifteen ounces of turnips cts. ten pounds and seven ounces of potatoes cts. fifteen pounds and ten ounces of carrots cts. now, because tea, coffee, and cocoa approach so nearly in value as nutriment to beef and lentils, we must not be misled. fourteen ounces of tea are equivalent to half a pound of meat; but a repast of dry tea not being very usual, in fact, being out of the question altogether, it becomes plain, that the principal value of these foods, used as we must use them, in very small quantities, is in the warmth and comfort they give. also, these weights (except the bread) are of uncooked food. eight ounces of meat would, if boiled or roasted, dwindle to five or six, while the ten ounces of lentils or beans would swell to twice the capacity of any ordinary stomach. so, ten pounds of potatoes are required to give you the actual benefit contained in the few ounces of meat; and only the irishman fresh from his native cabin can calmly consider a meal of that magnitude, while, as to carrots, neither irishman nor german, nor the most determined and enterprising american, could for a moment face the spectacle of fifteen pounds served up for his noonday meal. the inference is plain. union is strength, here as elsewhere; and the perfect meal must include as many of these elements as will make it not too bulky, yet borrowing flavor and substance wherever necessary. as a rule, the food best adapted to climate and constitution seems to have been instinctively decided upon by many nations; and a study of national dishes, and their adaptation to national needs, is curious and interesting. the esquimaux or greenlander finds his most desirable meal in a lump of raw blubber, the most condensed form of carbonaceous food being required to preserve life. it is not a perverted taste, but the highest instinct; for in that cruel cold the body must furnish the food on which the keen air draws, and the lamp of life there has a very literal supply. take now the other extreme of temperature,--the east indies, china, africa, and part even of the west indies and america,--and you find rice the universal food. there is very little call, as you may judge, for heat-producers, but rather for flesh-formers; and starch and sugar both fulfill this end, the rice being chiefly starch, which turns into sugar under the action of the saliva. add a little melted butter, the east indian _ghee_, or olive-oil used in the west indies instead, and we have all the elements necessary for life under those conditions. a few degrees northward, and the same rice is mingled with bits of fish or meat, as in the turkish _pilau_, a dish of rice to which mutton or poultry is added. the wandering arab finds in his few dates, and handful of parched wheat or maize, the sugar and starch holding all the heat required, while his draught of mare's or camel's milk, and his occasional _pilau_ of mutton, give him the various elements which seem sufficient to make him the model of endurance, blitheness, and muscular power. so the turkish burden-bearers who pick up a two-hundred-pound bag of coffee as one picks up a pebble, use much the same diet, though adding melons and cucumbers, which are eaten as we eat apples. the noticeable point in the italian dietary is the universal and profuse use of macaroni. chestnuts and indian corn, the meal of which is made into a dish called _polenta_, something like our mush, are also used, but macaroni is found at every table, noble or peasant's. no form of wheat presents such condensed nourishment, and it deserves larger space on our own bills of fare than we have ever given it. in spain we find the _olla podrida_, a dish containing, as chief ingredient, the _garbanzo_ or field-pea: it is a rich stew, of fowls or bacon, red peppers, and pease. red pepper enters into most of the dishes in torrid climates, and there is a good and sufficient reason for this apparent mistake. intense and long-continued heat weakens the action of the liver, and thus lessens the supply of bile; and red pepper has the power of stimulating the liver, and so assisting digestion. east indian curries, and the mexican and spanish _olla_, are therefore founded on common-sense. in france the _pot-au-feu_, or soup-pot, simmers in every peasant or middle-class home, and is not to be despised even in richer ones. in this dish, a small portion of meat is cooked so judiciously as to flavor a large mass of vegetables and broth; and this, served with salad and oil and bread, forms a meal which can hardly be surpassed in its power of making the most of every constituent offered. in germany soups are a national dish also; but their extreme fondness for pork, especially raw ham and sausage, is the source of many diseases. sweden, norway, russia,--all the far northern countries,--tend more and more to the oily diet of the esquimaux, fish being a large part of it. there is no room for other illustrations; but, as you learn the properties of food, you will be able to read national dietaries, from the jewish down, with a new understanding of what power food had and has in forming national peculiarities. it is settled, then, that to renew our muscles which are constantly wearing out, we must eat the food containing the same constituents; and these we find in meat, milk, eggs, and the entire gluten of grains, &c, as in wheaten-grits or oatmeal. fat and heat must come to us from the starches and sugars, in sufficient supply to "put a layer of wadding between muscles and skin, fill out the wrinkles, and keep one warm." to find out the proportion needed for one's own individual constitution, is the first work for all of us. the laborer requires one thing, the growing child another, the man or woman whose labor is purely intellectual another; and to understand how best to meet these needs, demands a knowledge to which most of us have been indifferent. if there is excess or lack of any necessary element, that excess or lack means disease, and for such disease we are wholly responsible. food is not the only and the universal elixir of life; for weak or poor blood is often an inheritance, and comes to one tainted by family diseases, or by defects in air or climate in general. but, even when outward conditions are most disastrous, perfect food has power to avert or alter their effects; and the child who begins life burdened with scrofulous or other diseases, and grows to a pale, weak, unwholesome youth, and either a swift passing into the next world, or a life here of hopeless invalidism, can, nine times out of ten, have this course of things stopped by scientific understanding of what foods are necessary for such conditions. i propose to take the life of one who from babyhood up has been fed on the best food, perfectly prepared, and to give the tables of such food for different periods in that life, allowing only such digression as will show the effects of an opposite course of treatment; thus showing the relations of food to health,--a more necessary and vital form of knowledge than any other that the world owns. chapter ix. the relations of food to health. we begin, then, with a typical baby, born of civilized parents, and living in the midst of the best civilization to be had. savage or even partially civilized life could never furnish the type we desire. it is true, as we have seen, that natural laws, so deeply planted that they have become instincts, have given to many wild nations a dietary meeting their absolute needs; but only civilization can find the key to these modes, and make past experience pay tribute to present knowledge. we do not want an indian baby, bound and swathed like a little mummy, hanging from the pole of a wigwam, placidly sucking a fish's tail, or a bone of boiled dog; nor an esquimaux baby, with its strip of blubber; nor the hottentot, with its rope of jerked beef; nor the south-sea islander, with its half-cocoanut. nor will we admit the average irish baby, among the laboring classes in both city and country, brought to the table at three months old to swallow its portion of coffee or tea; nor the small german, whom at six months i have seen swallowing its little mug of lager as philosophically as its serious-faced father. that these babies have fevers and rashes, and a host of diseases peculiar to that age, is a matter of course; and equally a matter of course that the round-eyed mother wonders where it got its dreadful disposition, but scorns the thought that lager or coffee can be irritants, or that the baby stomach requires but one food, and that one the universal food of all young animal life,--milk. take, then, our typical baby, lying fresh and sweet in the well aired and lighted room we suppose to be his birthright. the bones are still soft, the tender flesh and skin with little or no power of resistance. muscles, nerves, all the wonderful tissues, are in process of formation; and in the strange growth and development of this most helpless yet most precious of all god's creations, there are certain elements which must be had,--phosphates to harden the delicate bones; nitrogen for flesh, which is only developed muscle; carbon,--or sugar and fat, which represent carbon,--for the whole wonderful course of respiration and circulation. water, too, must be in abundance to fill the tiny stomach, which in the beginning can hold but a spoonful; and to float the blood-corpuscles through the winding channels whose mysteries, even now, no man has fully penetrated. caseine, which is the solid, nourishing, cheesy part of milk, and abounds in nitrogen, is also needed; and all the salts and alkalies that we have found to be necessary in forming perfect blood. let us see if milk will meet these wants. composition of cow's milk. (_supposed to contain , parts._) water . caseine . butter . sugar . ------ _carried forward_ . _brought forward_ . soda } chloride of sodium and potassium} phosphate of soda and potassa } phosphate of lime } . magnesia } iron } alkaline carbonates } ------- , . mother's milk being nearly the same, having only a larger proportion of water, will for the first year of our baby's life meet every demand the system can make. even the first teeth are no sign, as ignorant mothers believe, that the stomach calls for stronger food. they are known, with reason, as milk-teeth, and the grinders delay their appearance for months afterward. a little oatmeal, bread and milk, and various porridges, come in here, that the bones may harden more rapidly; but that is all. the baby is in constant motion; and eyes and ears are taking in the mysteries of the new life, and busy hands testing properties, and little feet walking into mischief, all day. this is hardly the place to dwell upon the amount of knowledge acquired from birth to five years of age; yet when you consider how the mind is reaching in every direction, appropriating, investigating, drawing conclusions which are the foundation of all our after-knowledge, you will see that the brain is working with an intensity never afterwards equaled; and, as brain-work means actual destruction of brain-fiber, how vital it is that food should be furnished in the right ratio, and made up of the right elements! with the coming of the grinders, and the call of the muscles and tissues for stronger food, begins the necessity for a more varied dietary. our baby now, from two and a half to seven years of age, will require daily:-- bread, not less than ounces. butter ounce. milk / pint. meat ounces. vegetables ounces. pudding or gruel ounces. this table is made from the dietaries of various children's hospitals, where long experiment has settled the quantities and qualities necessary to health, or, as in these cases, recovery from sickness, at which time the appetite is always keener. in many cases physicians who have studied the laws of food, and kept pace with modern experiments in dietetics, strike out meat altogether till the child is seven or eight years old, and allow it but once daily after this time, and in very limited amount. sir henry thompson, one of the most distinguished of english physicians, and a man noted for his popularity as diner out and giver of dinners, writes strenuously against the prevailing excessive use of meat, and especially protests against its over use for children; and his opinion is shared by most thoughtful medical men. the nitrogenous vegetables advantageously take its place; and cheese, as prepared after the formulas given in mattieu williams's "chemistry of cookery," is a food the value of which we are but just beginning to appreciate. as to quantity, with the healthy child, playing at will, there need be very little restraint. few children will eat too much of perfectly simple food, such as this table includes. let cake or pastry or sweetmeats enter in, and of course, as long as the thing tastes good, the child will beg for more. english children are confined to this simple diet; and though of course a less exacting climate has much to do with the greater healthfulness of the english than the american people, the plain but hearty and regular diet of childhood has far more. our young american of seven, at a hotel breakfast, would call for coffee and ham and eggs and sausages and hot cakes. his english cousin would have no liberty to call for anything. in fact, it is very doubtful if he would be brought to table at all; and if there, bread and milk or oatmeal and milk would form his meal. by this time i do not doubt our baby has your heartiest pity, and you are saying, "what! no snacks? no cooky nor cake nor candy? no running to aunt or grandmother or tender-hearted cook for goodies? if that must be so, half the pleasure of childhood is lost." perhaps; but suppose that with that pleasure some other things are also lost. suppose our baby to have begun life with a nervous, irritable, sensitive organization, keenly alive to pain, and this hard regimen to have covered these nerves with firm flesh, and filled the veins with clean, healthy blood. suppose headache is unknown, and loss of appetite, and a bad taste in the mouth, and all the evils we know so well; and that work and play are easy, and food of the simplest eaten with solid satisfaction. the child would choose the pleasant taste, and let health go, naturally; for a child has small reason, and life must be ordered for it. but if the mother or father has no sense or understanding of the laws of food, it is useless to hope for the wholesome results that under the diet of our baby are sure to follow. by seven some going to school has begun; and from this time on the diet, while of the same general character, may vary more from day to day. habits of life are fixed during this time; and even if parents dislike certain articles of food themselves, it is well to give no sign, but as far as possible, accustom the child to eat any wholesome food. we are a wandering people, and sooner or later are very likely to have circumnavigated the globe, at least in part. our baby must have no antipathies, but every good thing given by nature shall at least be tolerated. "i never eat this," or "i never eat that," is a formula that no educated person has a right to use save when some food actually hurtful or to which he has a natural repulsion is presented to him. certain articles of diet are often strangely and unaccountably harmful to some. oysters are an almost deadly poison to certain constitutions; milk to others. cheese has produced the same effect, and even strawberries; yet all these are luxuries to the ordinary stomach. usually the thing to guard against most carefully is gluttony, so far as boys are concerned. with girls the tendency often is to eat far too little. a false delicacy, a feeling that paleness and fragility are beautiful and feminine, inclines the young girl often to eat less than she desires; and the stomach accustoms itself to the insufficient supply, till the reception of a reasonable meal is an impossibility. or if they eat improper food (hot breads and much fat and sweets), the same result follows. digestion, or rather assimilation, is impossible; and pasty face and lusterless eyes become the rule. a greedy woman is the exception; and yet all schoolgirls know the temptation to over-eating produced by a box of goodies from home, or the stronger temptation, after a school-term has ended, to ravage all cake-boxes and preserve-jars. then comes the pill or powder, and the habit of going to them for a relief which if no excess had been committed, would have been unnecessary. patent medicines are the natural sequence of unwholesome food, and both are outrages on common-sense. we will take it for granted, then, that our baby has come to boyhood and youth in blissful ignorance of their names or natures. but as we are not in the least certain what personal tastes he may have developed, or what form his life-work is to take,--whether professional or mercantile or artisan in one of the many trades,--we can now only give the regimen best adapted for each. supposing his tastes to be scholarly, and a college and professional career to be chosen, the time has come for slight changes in the system of diet,--very slight, however. it has become a popular saying among thinkers upon these questions, "without phosphorus, no thinking;" and like all arbitrary utterances it has done more harm than good. the amount of phosphorus passing through the system bears no relation whatever to the intensity of thought. "a captive lion," to quote from dr. chambers, one of the most distinguished living authorities on diet, "a leopard, or hare, which can have wonderfully little to think about, assimilates and parts with a greater quantity of phosphorus than a professor of chemistry working hard in his laboratory; while a beaver, who always seems to be contriving something, excretes so little phosphorus that chemical analysis cannot detect it." phosphatic salts are demanded, but so are other salts, fat, and water; and the dietaries that order students to live upon fish, eggs, and oysters, because they are rich in phosphorus, without which the brain starves, err just so far as they make this the sole reason,--the real reason being that these articles are all easily digested, and that the student, leading an inactive muscular life, does not require the heavy, hearty food of the laborer. the most perfect regimen for the intellectual life is precisely what would be advised for the growing boy: frequent _small_ supplies of easily-digested food, that the stomach may never be overloaded, or the brain clouded by the fumes of half-assimilated food. if our boy trains for a foot-race, rows with the college crew, or goes in for base-ball, his power as a brain-worker at once diminishes. strong muscular action and development hinder continuous mental work; and the literary life, as a rule, allows no extremes, demanding only mild exercise and temperance as its foundation-stones. but our boy can well afford to develop his muscular system so perfectly that his mild exercise would seem to the untrained man tolerably heavy work. the rower in a college crew requires six weeks of training before his muscular power and endurance have reached their height. every particle of superfluous fat must be removed, for fat is not strength, but weakness. there is a vast difference between the plumpness of good muscular development and the flabby, heavy overloading of these muscles with rolls of fat. the chest must be enlarged, that the lungs may have full play, and be capable of long-continued, extra draughts upon them; and special diet and special exercise alone can accomplish these ends. all fat-producing foods are struck out, sugar and all starchy foods coming under this head, as well as all puddings, pies, cakes, and sweets in general. our boy, after a short run, would breakfast on lean, under-done beef or mutton, dry toast, or the crust of bread, and tea without milk or sugar; would dine on meat and a little bread and claret, and sup on more meat and toast, with cresses or some acid fruit, having rowed twice over the course in the afternoon, steadily increasing the speed, and following it by a bath and rub. at least nine hours sleep must be had; and with this diet, at the end of the training-time the muscles are hard and firm, the skin wonderfully pure and clear, and the capacity for long, steady breathing under exertion, almost unlimited. no better laws for the reduction of excessive fat can be laid down for any one. under such a course, severe mental exertion is impossible; and the return to it requires to be gradual. but light exercise with dumb-bells, &c., fresh air, walking, and good food are the conditions of all sound mental work, whether done by man or woman. for the clerk or bookkeeper closely confined to desk or counter, much the same regimen is needed, with brisk exercise at the beginning and end of the day,--at least always walking rather than riding to and from the office or store; while in all the trades where hard labor is necessary, heartier food must be the rule. and for all professions or trades, the summing-up is the same: suitable food, fresh air, sunlight, and perfect cleanliness,--the following of these laws insuring the perfect use of every power to the very end. as old age advances, the food-demand lessens naturally. nourishing food is still necessary, but taken in much smaller quantities and more often, in order that the waning powers of the stomach may not be overtaxed. living on such principles, work can go on till the time for work is over, and the long sleep comes as quietly as to a tired child. simple common-sense and self-control will free one once for all from the fear, too often hanging over middle life, of a paralytic and helpless invalidism, or the long train of apoplectic symptoms often the portion even of middle life. i omit detail as to the character and effects of tea, coffee, alcohol, &c, such details coming in the chapters on the chemistry of food. chapter x. the chemistry of animal food. animal food has a wider range than is usually included under that head. the vegetarian who announces that no animal food is allowed upon his table offers a meal in which one finds milk, eggs, butter, and cheese,--all forms of animal food, and all strongly nourishing. a genuine vegetarian, if consistent, would be forced to reject all of these; and it has already been attempted in several large water-cures by enthusiasts who have laid aside their common-sense, and resigned with it some of the most essential forces for life and work. meat may often be entirely renounced, or eaten only at rare intervals, with great advantage to health and working power, but the dietary for the varied nourishment which seems demanded must include butter, cheese, eggs, and milk. meats will be regarded as essential by the majority, and naturally they come first in considering food; and beef is taken as the standard, being identical in composition with the structures of the human body. beef, if properly fed, is in perfection at seven years old. it should then be a light red on the cut surface, a darker red near the bone, and slightly marbled with fat. beef contains, in a hundred parts, nearly twenty of nitrogen, seventy-two of water, four of fat, and the remainder in salts of various descriptions. the poorer the quality of the beef, the more it will waste in cooking; and its appearance before cooking is also very different from that of the first quality, which, though looking moist, leaves no stain upon the hand. in poor beef, the watery part seems to separate from the rest, which lies in a pool of serous bloody fluid. the gravy from such beef is pale and poor in flavor; while the fat, which in healthy beef is firm and of a delicate yellow, in the inferior quality is dark yellow and of rank smell and taste. beef is firmer in texture and more satisfying to the stomach than any other form of meat, and is usually considered more strengthening. mutton is a trifle more digestible, however. a healthy person would not notice this, the digestive power in health being more than is necessary for the ordinary meal; but the dyspeptic will soon find that mutton gives his stomach less work. its composition is very nearly the same as that of beef; and both when cooked, either by roasting or boiling, lose about a third of their substance, and come to us with twenty-seven parts of nitrogen, fifteen of fat, fifty-four of water, and three of salty matters. mountain sheep and cattle have the finest-flavored meat, and are also richest in nitrogenous matter. the mountain mutton of virginia and north carolina is as famous as the english southdown; but proper feeding anywhere will make a new thing of the ordinary beef and mutton. when our cattle are treated with decent humanity,--not driven days with scant food and water, and then packed into cars with no food and no water, and driven at last to slaughter feverish and gasping in anguish that we have no right to permit for one moment,--we may expect tender, wholesome, well-flavored meat. it is astonishing that under present conditions it can be as good as it is. in well-fed animals, the fat forms about a third of the weight, the largest part being in the loin. in mutton, one-half is fat; in pork, three-quarters; while poultry and game have very little. the amount of bone varies very greatly. the loin and upper part of the leg have least; nearly half the entire weight being in the shin, and a tenth in the carcass. in the best mutton and pork, the bones are smaller, and fat much greater in proportion to size. veal and lamb, like all young meats, are much less digestible than beef or mutton. both should have very white, clear fat; and if that about the kidneys is red or discolored, the meat should be rejected. veal has but sixteen parts of nitrogenous matter to sixty-three of water, and the bones contain much more gelatine than is found in older animals. but in all bones much useful carbon and nitrogen is found; three pounds of bone yielding as much carbon, and six pounds as much nitrogen, as one pound of meat. carefully boiled, this nutriment can all be extracted, and flavored with vegetables, form the basis of an endless variety of soups. pork is of all meats the most difficult to digest, containing as it does so large a proportion of fat. in a hundred parts of the meat, only nine of nitrogen are found, fat being forty-eight and water thirty-nine, with but two of salty matters. bacon properly cured is much more digestible than pork, the smoke giving it certain qualities not existing in uncured pork. no food has yet been found which can take its place for army and navy use or in pioneering. beef when salted or smoked loses much of its virtue, and eight ounces of fat pork will give nearly three times as much carbon or heat-food as the same amount of beef; but its use is chiefly for the laborer, and it should have only occasional place in the dietary of sedentary persons. the pig is liable to many most unpleasant diseases, measles and trichina spiralis being the most fatal to the eaters of meat thus affected; but the last--a small animalcule of deadly effect if taken alive into the human stomach, as is done in eating raw ham or sausage--becomes harmless if the same meat is long and thoroughly boiled. never be tempted into eating raw ham or sausage; and in using pork in any form, try to have some knowledge of the pig. a clean, well-fed pig in a well-kept stye is a wonderfully different object from the hideous beast grunting its way in many a southern or western town, feeding on offal and sewage, and rolling in filth. such meat is unfit for human consumption, and the eating of it insures disease. we come now to another form of meat, that of edible entrails. this includes _tripe_, _haslet_, or lights, &c. more nitrogen is found here than in any other portion of the meat. the cheap and abundant supply in this country has made us, as a people, reject all but the liver. in the country, the sweetbreads or pancreas are often thrown away, and tripe also. the european peasant has learned to utilize every scrap; and while such use should not be too strongly urged, it is certain that this meat is far better than _no_ meat. fully one-third of the animals' weight comes under this head,--that is, feet, tail, head, and tongue, lungs, liver, spleen, omentum, pancreas, and heart, together with the intestines. the rich man is hardly likely to choose much of this food, the tongue and sweetbreads being the only dainty bits; but there are wholesome and savory dishes to be made from every part, and the knowledge of their preparation may be of greatest value to a poorer neighbor. both ox-tails and head make excellent soup. tripe, the inner lining of the stomach, is, if properly prepared, not only appetizing but pleasant to the eye. calves' feet make good jelly; and pigs' feet, ears, and head are soused or made into scrapple. blood-puddings are much eaten by germans, but we are not likely to adopt their use. fresh blood has, however, been found of wonderful effect for consumptive patients; and there are certain slaughter-houses in our large cities where every day pale invalids are to be found waiting for the goblet of almost living food from the veins of the still warm animal. horrible as it seems, the taste for it is soon acquired; and certainly the good results warrant at least the effort to acquire it. venison comes next in the order of meats, but is more like game than any ordinary butchers' meat. it is lean, dark in color, and savory, and if well cooked, very digestible. poultry are of more importance to us than game, and the flesh, containing less nitrogen, is not so stimulating as beef or mutton. old fowls are often tough and indigestible, and have often, also, a rank flavor like a close hen-house, produced by the absorption into the flesh of the oil intended by nature to lubricate the feathers. game contains even less fat than poultry, and is considered more strengthening. the flesh of rabbits and hares is more like poultry or game than meat, but is too close in fiber to be as digestible. pigeons and many other birds come under none of the heads given. as a rule, flesh is tender in proportion to the smallness of the animal, and many varieties are eaten for the description of which we have no room here. fish forms the only animal food for a large part of the world. it does not possess the satisfying or stimulating properties belonging to flesh, yet the inhabitants of fishing-towns are shown to be unusually strong and healthy. the flesh of some fish is white, and of others red; the red holding much more oil, and being therefore less digestible. in _salmon_, the most nutritious of all fishes, there are, in a hundred parts, sixteen of nitrogen, six of fat, nearly two of saline matter, and seventy-seven of water. _eels_ contain thirteen parts of fat. _codfish_, the best-known of all the white fish, vary greatly, according to the time of year in which they are taken, being much more digestible in season than out (i.e., from october to may). _mackerel_ and _herring_ both abound in oil, the latter especially, giving not only relish to the irishman's potato, but the carbon he needs as heat-food. _shell-fish_ are far less digestible, the _oyster_ being the only exception. the nitrogenous matter in oysters is fourteen parts, of fatty matter one and a half, of saline matter two, and of water eighty. at the time of spawning--from may to september--they lose their good condition, and become unwholesome. _lobsters_ rank next in importance, and are more delicate and finer-flavored than _crabs_. both are, however, very difficult of digestion, and should only be used occasionally. the many forms of pickled and smoked fish are convenient, but always less wholesome than fresh. milk comes next, and has already been considered in a previous chapter. it is sometimes found to disagree with the stomach, but usually because looked upon as drink and not as real food, the usual supply of which is taken, forgetful of the fact that a glass or two of milk contains as much nourishment as two-thirds of the average meal. the nitrogenous matter in milk is known as caseine, and it is this which principally forms cheese. cheese is commonly considered only a relish, but is in reality one of the most condensed forms of nitrogenous food; and a growing knowledge of its value has at last induced the army department to add it to the army ration list. mattieu williams, after giving the chemical formulas of caseine and the other elements of cheese, writes; "i have good and sufficient reasons for thus specifying the properties of this constituent of food. i regard it as the most important of all that i have to describe in connection with my subject,--the science of cookery. it contains, as i shall presently show, more nutritious material than any other food that is ordinarily obtainable, and its cookery is singularly neglected,--practically an unknown art, especially in this country. we commonly eat it raw, although in its raw state it is peculiarly indigestible, and in the only cooked form familiarly known among us here, that of welsh rabbit or rare-bit, it is too often rendered still more indigestible, though this need not be the case. cream-cheese is the richest form, but keeps less well than that of milk. stilton, the finest english brand, is made partly of cream, partly of milk, and so with various other foreign brands, gruyere, &c. parmesan is delicately flavored with fine herbs, and retains this flavor almost unaltered by age. our american cheeses now rank with the best foreign ones, and will grow more and more in favor as their value is understood, this being their strongly nitrogenous character. a cheese of twenty pounds weight contains as much food as a sheep weighing sixty pounds, as it hangs in the butcher's shop. in dutch and factory cheeses, where the curd has been precipitated by hydrochloric acid, the food value is less than where rennet is used; but even in this case, it is far beyond meat in actual nutritive power." butter is a purely carbonaceous or heat-giving food, being the fatty part of the milk, which rises in cream. it is mentioned in the very earliest history, and the craving for it seems to be universal. abroad it is eaten without salt; but to keep it well, salt is a necessity, and its absence soon allows the development of a rank and unpleasant odor. in other words, butter without it becomes rancid; and if any particle of whey is allowed to remain in it, the same effect takes place. perfect butter is golden in color, waxy in consistency, and with a sweetness of odor quite indescribable, yet unmistakable to the trained judge of butter. it possesses the property of absorption of odors in a curious degree; and if shut in a tight closet or a refrigerator with fish, meat, or vegetables of rank or even pronounced smell, exchanges its own delicate aroma for theirs, and reaches us bereft once for all of what is the real charm of perfect butter. for this reason absolute cleanliness and daintiness of vessels containing milk or cream, or used in any way in the manufacture of butter, is one of the first laws of the dairy. _ghee_, the east-indian form of butter, is simply fresh butter clarified by melting, and is used as a dressing for the meal of rice. butter, though counted as a pure fat, is in reality made up of at least six fatty principles, there being sixty-eight per cent of margarine and thirty per cent of oleine, the remainder being volatile compounds of fatty acids. in the best specimens of butter there is a slight amount of caseine, not over five per cent at most, though in poor there is much more. it is the only fat which may be constantly eaten without harm to the stomach, though if not perfectly good it becomes an irritant. the _drippings_ of roasted meat, more especially of beef, rank next in value; and _lard_ comes last on the list, its excessive use being a serious evil. eaten constantly, as in pastry or the new-england doughnut, it is not only indigestible, but becomes the source of forms of scrofulous disease. it is often a convenient substitute for butter, but if it must be used, would better be in connection with the harmless fat. eggs come last; and as a young animal is developed from them, it follows that they contain all that is necessary for animal life, though in the case of the chicken the shell also is used, all the earthy matter being absorbed. in a hundred parts are found fourteen of nitrogen, ten and a half of fatty matter, one and a half of saline matter, and seventy-four of water. of this water the largest part is contained in the white, which is almost pure albumen, each particle of albumen being enclosed in very thin-walled cells; it is the breaking of these cells and the admission of air that enables one to beat the white of egg to a stiff froth. the fat is accumulated in the yolk, often amounting to thirty per cent. raw and lightly-boiled eggs are easy of digestion, but hard-boiled ones decidedly not so. an egg loses its freshness within a day or so. the shell is porous; and the always-feeding and destroying oxygen of the air quickly gains admission, causing a gradual decomposition. to preserve them, they must be coated with lard or gum, or packed in either salt or oats, points down. in this way they keep good a long time, and while hardly desirable to eat as boiled eggs, answer for many purposes in cooking. chapter xi. the chemistry of vegetable food. we come now to the vegetable kingdom, the principal points that we are to consider arranging themselves somewhat as follows:-- farinaceous seeds, oleaginous seeds, leguminous seeds, tubers and roots, herbaceous articles, fruits, saccharine and farinaceous preparations. under the first head, that of farinaceous seeds, are included wheat, rye, oats, indian corn, rice, and a variety of less-known grains, all possessing in greater or less degree the same constituents. it will be impossible to more than touch upon many of them; and wheat must stand as the representative, being the best-known and most widely used of all grains. each one is made up of nitrogenous compounds, gluten, albumen, caseine, and fibrine, gluten being the most valuable. starch, dextrine, sugar, and cellulose are also found; fatty matter, which gives the characteristic odor of grain; mineral substances, as phosphates of lime and magnesia, salts of potash and soda, and silica, which we shall shortly mention again. _hard wheat_, or that grown in hot climates and on fertile soil, has much more nitrogen than that of colder countries. in hard wheat, in a hundred parts, twenty-two will be of nitrogen, fifty-nine starch, ten dextrine, &c, four cellulose, two and a half of fatty matter, and three of mineral, thus giving many of the constituents found in animal food. this wheat is taken as bread, white or brown, biscuits, crackers, various preparations of the grain whether whole or crushed, and among the italians as _macaroni_, the most condensed form of cereal food. the best macaroni is made from the red wheat grown along the mediterranean sea, a hot summer and warm climate producing a grain, rich, as already mentioned, in nitrogen, and with a smaller proportion of water than farther north. the intense though short summer of our own far north-west seems to bring somewhat the same result, but the outer husk is harder. this husk was for years considered a necessity in all really nutritious bread; and a generation of vegetarians taking their name from dr. graham, and known as grahamites, conceived the idea of living upon the wheaten flour in which husk and kernel were ground together. now, to stomachs and livers brought to great grief by persistent pie and doughnuts and some other new-england wickednesses, these husks did a certain office of stimulation, stirring up jaded digestions, and really seeming to arrest or modify long-standing dyspepsia. but they did not know what we do, that this outer husk is a layer of pure silica, one of the hardest of known minerals. boil it six weeks, and it comes out unchanged. boil it six years, or six centuries, and the result would be the same. you can not stew a grindstone or bring granite to porridge, and the wheat-husk is equally obstinate. so long as enthusiasts ate husk and kernel ground together, little harm was done. but when a more progressive soul declared that in bran alone the true nutriment lay, and a host of would-be healthier people proceeded to eat bran and preach bran, there came a time when eating and preaching both stopped, from sheer want of strength to go on. the enthusiasts were literally starving themselves to death--for starvation is by no means mere deprivation of food: on the contrary, a man may eat heartily to the day of his death, and feel no inconvenience, so far as any protest of the stomach is concerned, yet the verdict of the wise physician would be, "died of starvation." if the food was unsuitable, and could not be assimilated, this was inevitable. blood, muscle, nerve--each must have its fitting food; and thus it is easy to see why knowledge is the first condition of healthful living. the moral is: never rashly experiment in diet till sure what you are about, and, if you can not for yourselves find out the nature of your projected food, call upon some one who can. where wheat is ground whole, it includes six and a half parts of heat-producers to one of flesh-formers. the amount of starch varies greatly. two processes of making flour are now in use,--one the old, or st. louis process; the other, the "new process," giving haxall flour. in the former, grindstones were used, which often reached so great a degree of heat as to injure the flour; and repeated siftings gave the various grades. in the new, the outer husk is rejected, and a system of knives is used, which chop the grain to powder, and it is claimed do not heat it. the product is more starchy, and for this reason less desirable. we eat far too much heat-producing food, and any thing which gives us the gluten of the grain is more wholesome, and thus "seconds" is really a more nutritious flour than the finer grades. try for yourselves a small experiment, and you will learn the nature of flour better than in pages of description. take a little flour; wet it with cold water enough to form a dough. place it on a sieve, and, while working it with one hand, pour a steady stream of water over it with another. shortly you will find a grayish, tough, elastic lump before you, while in the pan below, when the water is carefully poured off, will be pure wheat-starch, the water itself containing all the sugar, dextrine or gum, and mineral matter. this toughness and elasticity of gluten is an important quality; for in bread-making, were it not for the gluten, the carbonic-acid gas formed by the action of yeast on dough would all escape. but, though it works its way out vigorously enough to swell up each cell, the gluten binds it fast, and enables us to have a panful of light "sponge," where a few hours before was only a third of a pan. starch, as you have seen, will not dissolve in the cold water. dry it, after the water is poured on, and minute grains remain. look at these grains under a microscope, and each one is cased in a thick skin, which cold water can not dissolve. in boiling water, the skins crack, and the inside swells and becomes gummy. long boiling is thus an essential for all starchy foods. bread proper is simply flour, water, and salt, mixed to a firm dough and baked. such bread as this, abram gave to his angelic guests, and at this day the bedouin arab bakes it on his heated stone. but bread, as we understand it, is always lightened by the addition of yeast or some form of baking-powder, yeast making the most wholesome as well as most palatable bread. carbonic-acid gas is the active agent required; and yeast so acts upon the little starch-granules, which the microscope shows as forming the finest flour, that this gas is formed and evenly distributed through the whole dough. the process is slow, and in the action some of the natural sweetness of the flour is lost. in what is known as aërated bread, the gas made was forced directly into the dough, by means of a machine invented for the purpose; and a very scientific and very good bread it is. but it demands an apparatus not to be had save at great expense, and the older fashions give a sufficiently sweet and desirable bread. _rye_ and _indian corn_ form the next best-known varieties of flour in bread-making; but barley and oats are also used, and beans, pease, rice, chestnuts, in short, any farinaceous seed, or legume rich in starch, can fill the office. _oatmeal_ may take rank as one of the best and most digestible forms of farinaceous food. some twenty-eight per cent of the grain is husk, seventy-two being kernel; and this kernel forms a meal containing twelve parts of nitrogenous matter, sixty-three of carbo-hydrates, five and a half of fatty matter, three of saline, and fifteen of water. so little gluten is found, that the flour of oats can not be made into loaves of bread; although, mixed and baked as thin cakes, it forms a large part of the scotchman's food. it requires thorough cooking, and is then slightly laxative and very easily digested. _buckwheat_ is very rich in nitrogenous substances, and as we eat it, in the form of cakes with butter and sirup, so heating a food, as to be only suitable for hard workers in cold weather. indian corn has also a very small proportion of gluten, and thus makes a bread which crumbles too readily. but it is the favorite form of bread, not only for south and west in our own country, but in spanish america, southern europe, germany, and ireland. it contains a larger amount of fatty matter than any other grain, this making it a necessity in fattening animals. in a hundred parts are eleven of nitrogen, sixty-five of carbo-hydrates, eight of fatty matter, one and a half of saline, and fourteen of water. the large amount of fatty matter makes it difficult to keep much meal on hand, as it grows rancid and breeds worms; and it is best that it should be ground in small quantities as required. _rice_ abounds in starch. in a hundred parts are found seven and a half of nitrogen, eighty-eight of starch, one of dextrine, eight-tenths of fatty matter, one of cellulose, and nine-tenths of mineral matter. taken alone it can not be called a nutritive food; but eaten with butter or milk and eggs, or as by the east indians in curry, it holds an important place. we come now to oleaginous seeds; nuts, the cocoanut, almonds, &c, coming under this head. while they are rich in oil, this very fact makes them indigestible, and they should be eaten sparingly. _olive-oil_ must find mention here. no fat of either the animal or vegetable kingdom surpasses this in delicacy and purity. palm-oil fills its place with the asiatics in part; but the olive has no peer in this respect, and we lose greatly in our general distaste for this form of food. the liking for it should be encouraged as decidedly as the liking for butter. it is less heating, more soothing to the tissues, and from childhood to old age its liberal use prevents many forms of disease, as well as equalizes digestion in general. leguminous seeds are of more importance, embracing as they do the whole tribe of beans, pease, and lentils. twice as much nitrogen is found in beans as in wheat; and they rank so near to animal food, that by the addition of a little fat they practically can take its place. bacon and beans have thus been associated for centuries, and new england owes to assyria the model for the present boston bean-pot. in the best table-bean, either lima or the butter-bean, will be found in a hundred parts, thirty of nitrogen, fifty-six of starch, one and a half of cellulose, two of fatty matter, three and a half of saline, and eight and a half of water. the proportion of nitrogen is less in pease, but about the same in lentils. the chestnut also comes under this head, and is largely eaten in spain and italy, either boiled, or dried and ground into flour. tubers and roots follow, and of these the _potato_ leads the van. low as you may have noticed their standing on the food-table to be, they are the most economical and valuable of foods, combining as well with others, and as little cloying to the palate, as bread itself. each pound of potatoes contains seven hundred and seventy grains of carbon, and twenty-four grains of nitrogen; each pound of wheat-flour, two thousand grains of carbon, and one hundred and twenty of nitrogen. but the average cost of the pound of potatoes is but one cent; that of the pound of wheat, four. it is obtainable at all seasons, and thus invaluable as a permanent store, though best in the winter. spring, the germinating season, diminishes its nutritive value. new potatoes are less nutritious than older ones, and in cooking, if slightly underdone, are said to satisfy the appetite better; this being the reason why the laboring classes prefer them, as they say, "with a bone in them." in a hundred parts are found but two of nitrogen, eighteen of starch, three of sugar, two-tenths of fat, seven-tenths of saline matter, and seventy-five parts of water. the _sweet-potato_, _yam_, and _artichoke_ are all of the same character. other _tubers_, the _turnip_, _beet_, _carrot_, and _parsnip_, are in ordinary use. the turnip is nine-tenths water, but possesses some valuable qualities. the beet, though also largely water, has also a good deal of sugar, and is excellent food. carrots and parsnips are much alike in composition. carrots are generally rejected as food, but properly cooked are very appetizing, their greatest use, however, being in soups and stews. herbaceous articles follow; and, though we are not accustomed to consider _cabbage_ as an herb, it began existence as cole-wort, a shrub or herb on the south coast of england. cultivation has developed it into a firm round head; and as a vegetable, abounding as it does in nitrogen, it ranks next to beans as a food. _cauliflower_ is a very delicate and highly prized form of cabbage, but cabbage itself can be so cooked as to strongly resemble it. _onions_ are next in value, being much milder and sweeter when grown in a warm climate, but used chiefly as a flavoring. _lettuce_ and _celery_ are especially valuable; the former for salads, the latter to be eaten without dressing though it is excellent cooked. _tomatoes_ are really a fruit, though eaten as a vegetable, and are of especial value as a cooling food. egg-plant, cucumbers, &c., all demand space; and so with edible fungi, mushrooms, and truffles, the latter the property of the epicure, and really not so desirable as that fact would indicate. fruits are last in order; and among these stands first of all the apple. while in actual analysis fruits have less nutritive value than vegetables, their acids and salts give to them the power of counteracting the unhealthy states brought about by the long use of dried or salted provisions. they are a corrective also of the many evils arising from profuse meat-eating, the citric acid of lemons and grape-fruit being an antidote to rheumatic and gouty difficulties. cold storage now enables one to command grapes long after their actual season has ended, and they are invaluable food. the brain-worker is learning to depend more and more on fruit in all its forms; and apples lead the list, containing more solid nutriment than any other form. while considered less digestible raw than baked, they are still one of the most attractive, life-giving forms of food, and if eaten daily would prove a standard antidote to patent medicine. the list of fruits is too long for mention here; but all have their specific uses, and are necessary to perfect health. sugar and honey follow in the stores of the vegetable kingdom. cane-sugar and glucose, or grape-sugar, are the two recognized varieties, though the making of beet-sugar has become an industry here as well as in france. grape-sugar requires to be used in five times the amount of cane, to secure the same degree of sweetness. honey also is a food,--a concentrated solution of sugar, mixed with odorous, gummy, and waxy matters. it possesses much the same food value as sugar, and is easily digested. with the various farinaceous preparations, _sago_, _tapioca_,_ arrow-root_, &c, the vegetable dietary ends. all are light, digestible foods, principally starchy in character, but with little nutriment unless united with milk or eggs. their chief use is in the sick-room. restricted as comment must be, each topic introduced will well reward study; and the story of each of these varied ingredients in cookery, if well learned, will give one an unsuspected range of thought, and a new sense of the wealth that may be hidden in very common things. chapter xii. condiments and beverages. condiments are simply seasoning or flavoring agents, and, though hardly coming under the head of food, yet have an important part to play. as food by their use is rendered more tempting, a larger amount is consumed, and thus a delicate or uncertain appetite is often aided. in some cases they have the power of correcting the injurious character of some foods. salt stands foremost. vinegar, lemon-juice, and pickles owe their value to acidity; while mustard, pepper black and red, ginger, curry-powder, and horse-radish all depend chiefly upon pungency. under the head of aromatic condiments are ranged cinnamon, nutmegs, cloves, allspice, mint, thyme, fennel, sage, parsley, vanilla, leeks, onions, shallots, garlic, and others, all of them entering into the composition of various sauces in general use. salt is the one thing indispensable. the old dutch law condemned criminals to a diet of unsalted food, the effects being said to be those of the severest physical torture. years ago an experiment tried near paris demonstrated the necessity of its use. a number of cattle were fed without the ration of salt; an equal number received it regularly. at the end of a specified time, the unsalted animals were found rough of coat, the hair falling off in spots, the eyes wild, and the flesh hardly half the amount of those naturally fed. a class of extreme grahamites in this country decry the use of salt, as well as of any form of animal food; and i may add that the expression of their thought in both written and spoken speech is as savorless as their diet. salt exists, as we have already found, in the blood: the craving for it is a universal instinct, even buffaloes making long journeys across the plains to the salt-licks; and its use not only gives character to insipid food, but increases the flow of the gastric juice. black pepper, if used profusely as is often done in american cooking, becomes an irritant, and produces indigestion. red pepper, or cayenne, on the contrary, is a useful stimulant at times; but, as with mustard, any over-use irritates the lining of the stomach. so with spices and sweet herbs. there should be only such use of them as will flavor well, delicately, and almost imperceptibly. no one flavor should predominate, and only a sense of general savoriness rule. extracts, as of vanilla, lemon, bitter almond, &c., should be used with the greatest care, and if possible always be added to an article after it cools, as the heat wastes the strength. beverages. tea and coffee are the most universal drinks, after water. the flavor of both is due to a principle, _theine_ in tea, _caffeine_ in coffee, in which both the good and the ill effects of these drinks are bound up. it is hardly necessary the principles should have different names, as they have been found by chemists to be identical; the essential spirit of cocoa and chocolate,--_theobromine_,--though not identical, having many of the same properties. _tea_ is valuable chiefly for its warming and comforting qualities. taken in moderation, it acts partly as a sedative, partly as a stimulant, arresting the destruction of tissue, and seeming to invigorate the whole nervous system. the water in it, even if impure, is made wholesome by boiling, and the milk and sugar give a certain amount of real nourishment. nervous headaches are often cured by it, and it has, like coffee, been used as an antidote in opium-poisoning. pass beyond the point of moderation, and it becomes an irritant, precisely in the same way that an overdose of morphine will, instead of putting to sleep, for just so much longer time prevent any sleep at all. the woman who can not eat, and who braces her nerves with a cup of green tea,--the most powerful form of the herb,--is doing a deeper wrong than she may be able to believe. the immediate effect is delightful. lightness, exhilaration, and sense of energy are all there; but the re-action comes surely, and only a stronger dose next time accomplishes the end desired. nervous headaches, hysteria in its thousand forms, palpitations, and the long train of nervous symptoms, own inordinate tea and coffee drinking as their parent. taken in reasonable amounts, tea can not be said to be hurtful; and the medium qualities, carefully prepared, often make a more wholesome tea than that of the highest price, the harmful properties being strongest in the best. if the water is soft, it should be used as soon as boiled, boiling causing all the gases which give flavor to water to escape. in hard water, boiling softens it. in all cases the water must be fresh, and poured boiling upon the proper portion of tea,--the teapot having first been well scalded with boiling water. never boil any tea but english-breakfast tea; for all others, simple steeping gives the drink in perfection. a disregard of these rules gives one the rank, black, unpleasant infusion too often offered as tea; while, if boiled in tin, it becomes a species of slow poison,--the tannic acid in the tea acting upon the metal, and producing a chemical compound whose character it is hard to determine. various other plants possess the essential principle of tea, and are used as such; as in paraguay, where the brazilian holly is dried, and makes a tea very exhilarating in quality, but much more astringent. the use of _coffee_ dates back even farther than that of tea. of the many varieties, mocha and java are finest in flavor, and a mixture of one-third mocha with two-thirds java gives the drink at its best. as in tea, there are three chief constituents: ( ) a volatile oil, giving the aroma it possesses, but less in amount than that in tea. ( ) astringent matter,--a modification of tannin, but also less than in tea. ( ) caffeine, now found identical with theine, but varying in amount in different varieties of coffee,--being in some three or four per cent, in others less. the most valuable property of coffee is its power of relieving the sensation of hunger and fatigue. to the soldier on active service, nothing can take its place; and in our own army it became the custom often, not only to drink the infusion, but, if on a hard march, to eat the grounds also. in all cases it diminishes the waste of tissue. in hot weather it is too heating and stimulating, acting powerfully upon the liver, and, by producing over-activity of that organ, bringing about a general disturbance. so many adulterations are found in ground coffee, that it is safest for the real coffee-lover to buy the bean whole. roasting is usually more perfectly done at the grocers', in their rotary roasters, which give every grain its turn; but, by care and constant stirring, it can be accomplished at home. too much boiling dissipates the delicious aroma we all know; and the best methods are considered to be those which allow no boiling, after boiling water has been poured upon it, but merely a standing, to infuse and settle. the old fashion, however, of mixing with an egg, and boiling a few minutes, makes a coffee hardly inferior in flavor. in fact, the methods are many, but results, under given conditions, much the same; and we may choose urn, or old-fashioned tin pot, or a french biggin, with the certainty that good coffee, well roasted, boiling water, and good judgment as to time, will give always a delicious drink. make a note of the fact that long boiling sets free tannic acid, powerful enough to literally tan the coats of the stomach, and bring on incurable dyspepsia. often coffee without milk can be taken, where, with milk, it proves harmful; but, in all cases, moderation must rule. taken too strong, palpitation of the heart, vertigo, and fainting are the usual consequences. _cocoa_, or, literally, cacao, from the cacao-tree, comes in the form of a thick seed, twenty or thirty of which make up the contents of a gourd-like fruit, the spaces between being filled with a somewhat acid pulp. the seeds, when freed from this pulp by various processes, are first dried in the sun, and then roasted; and from these roasted seeds come various forms of cocoa. _cocoa-shells_ are the outer husk, and by long boiling yield a pleasant and rather nutritious drink. cocoa itself is the nut ground to powder, and sometimes mixed with sugar, the husk being sometimes ground with it. in _chocolate_--a preparation of cocoa--the cocoa is carefully dried and roasted, and then ground to a smooth paste, the nuts being placed on a hot iron plate, and so keeping the oily matter to aid in forming a paste. sugar and flavorings, as vanilla, are often added, and the whole pressed into cakes. the whole substance of the nut being used, it is exceedingly nutritious, and made more so by the milk and sugar added. eaten with bread it forms not only a nourishing but a hearty meal; and so condensed is its form, that a small cake carried in traveling, and eaten with a cracker or two, will give temporarily the effect of a full meal. in a hundred parts of chocolate are found forty-eight of fatty matter or cocoa-butter, twenty-one of nitrogenous matter, four of theobromine, eleven of starch, three of cellulose, three of mineral matter, and ten of water; there being also traces of coloring matter, aromatic essence, and sugar. twice as much nitrogenous, and twenty-five times as much fatty matter as wheaten flour, make it a valuable food, though the excess of fat will make it disagree with a very delicate stomach. _alcohol_ is last upon our list, and scientific men are still uncertain whether or not it can in any degree be considered as a food; but we have no room for the various arguments for and against. you all know, in part at least, the effects of intemperance; and even the moderate daily drinker suffers from clouded mind, irritable nerves, and ruined digestion. this is not meant as an argument for total abstinence; but there are cases where such abstinence is the only rule. in an inherited tendency to drink, there is no other safe road; but to the man or woman who lives by law, and whose body is in the best condition, wine in its many forms is a permissible _occasional_ luxury, and so with beer and cider and the wide range of domestic drinks. in old age its use is almost essential, but always in moderation, individual temperament modifying every rule, and making the best knowledge an imperative need. a little alcoholic drink increases a delicate appetite: a great deal diminishes or takes it away entirely, and also hinders and in many cases stops digestion altogether. in its constant over-use the membranes of the stomach are gradually destroyed, and every organ in the body suffers. in ales and beers there is not only alcohol, but much nitrogenous and sugary matter, very fattening in its nature. a light beer, well flavored with hops, is an aid to digestion, but taken in excess produces biliousness. the long list of alcoholic products it is not necessary to give, nor is it possible to enter into much detail regarding alcohol itself; but there are one or two points so important that they can not be passed by. you will recall in a preceding chapter the description of the circulation of the blood, and of its first passage through veins and arteries for cleansing, before a second round could make it food for the whole complex nervous system. alcohol taken in excess, it has been proved in countless experiments by scientific men, possesses the power of coagulating the blood. the little corpuscles adhere in masses, and cannot force themselves through the smaller vessels, and circulation is at once hindered. this, however, is the secondary stage. at first, as many of you have had occasion to notice, the face flushes, the eyes grow brighter, and thought and word both come more freely. the heart beats far more rapidly, and the speed increases in proportion to the amount of alcohol absorbed. the average number of beats of the heart, allowing for its slower action during sleep, is , beats per day. under a small supply of alcohol this rose to , , and in actual intoxication to , . the flush upon the cheek is only a token of the same fact within; every organ is congested. the brain has been examined under such circumstances, and "looked as if injected with vermilion ... the membrane covering both brains resembling a delicate web of coagulated red blood, so tensely were its fine vessels engorged." at a later stage the muscular power is paralyzed, the rule of mind over body suspended, and a heavy, brutal sleep comes, long or short according to the amount taken. this is the extreme of alcoholism, and death the only ending to it, as a habitual condition. alcohol seems a necessary evil; for that its occasional beneficence can modify or neutralize the long list of woe and crime and brutality following in its train, is more than doubtful. "whatever good can come from alcohol, or whatever evil, is all included in that primary physiological and luxurious action of the agent upon the nervous supply of the circulation.... if it be really a luxury for the heart to be lifted up by alcohol, for the blood to course more swiftly through the brain, for the thoughts to flow more vehemently, for words to come more fluently, for emotions to rise ecstatically, and for life to rush on beyond the pace set by nature; then those who enjoy the luxury must enjoy it--with the consequences." and now, at the end of our talks together, friends, there is yet another word. much must remain unsaid in these narrow limits; but they are wide enough, i hope, to have given the key by which you may find easy entrance to the mysteries we all may know, indeed must, if our lives are truly lived. if through intemperance, in meat or drink, in feeling or thought, you lessen bodily or mental power, you alone are accountable, whether ignorant or not. only in a never-failing self-control can safety ever be. temperance is the foundation of high living; and here is its definition, by one whose own life holds it day by day:-- "temperance is personal cleanliness; is modesty; is quietness; is reverence for one's elders and betters; is deference to one's mother and sisters; is gentleness; is courage; is the withholding from all which leads to excess in daily living; is the eating and drinking only of that which will insure the best body which the best soul is to inhabit: nay, temperance is all these, and more." _part ii._ stock and seasoning. the preparation called stock is for some inscrutable reason a stumbling-block to average cooks, and even by experienced housekeepers is often looked upon as troublesome and expensive. where large amounts of fresh meat are used in its preparation, the latter adjective might be appropriate; but stock in reality is the only mode by which every scrap of bone or meat, whether cooked or uncooked, can be made to yield the last particle of nourishment contained in it. properly prepared and strained into a stone jar, it will keep a week, and is as useful in the making of hashes and gravies as in soup itself. the first essential is a tightly-covered kettle, either tinned iron or porcelain-lined, holding not less than two gallons; three being a preferable size. whether cooked or uncooked meat is used, it should be cut into small bits, and all bones broken or sawn into short pieces, that the marrow may be easily extracted. to every pound of meat and bone allow one quart of cold water, one even teaspoon of salt, and half a saltspoon of pepper. let the meat stand till the water is slightly colored with its juice; then put upon the fire, and let it come slowly to a boil, skimming off every particle of scum as it rises. the least neglect of this point will give a broth in which bits of dark slime float about, unpleasant to sight and taste. a cup of cold water, thrown in as the kettle boils, will make the scum rise more freely. let it boil steadily, but very slowly, allowing an hour to each pound of meat. the water will boil away, leaving, at the end of the time specified, not more than half or one-third the original amount. in winter this will become a firm jelly, which can be used by simply melting it, thus obtaining a strong, clear broth; or can be diluted with an equal quantity of water, and vegetables added for a vegetable soup. the meat used in stock, if boiled the full length of time given, has parted with all its juices, and is therefore useless as food. if wanted for hashes or croquettes, the portion needed should be taken out as soon as tender, and a pint of the stock with it, to use as gravy. strain, when done, into a stone pot or crock kept for the purpose, and, when cold, remove the cake of fat which will rise to the top. this fat, melted and strained, serves for many purposes better than lard. if the stock is to be kept several days, leave the fat on till ready to use it. fresh and cooked meat may be used together, and all remains of poultry or game, and trimmings of chops and steaks, may be added, mutton being the only meat which can not as well be used in combination; though even this, by trimming off all the fat, may also be added. if it is intended to keep the stock for some days, no vegetables should be added, as vegetable juices ferment very easily. for clear soups they must be cooked with the meat; and directions will be given under that head for amounts and seasonings. the secret of a savory soup lies in many flavors, none of which are allowed to predominate; and, minutely as rules for such flavoring may be given, only careful and frequent _tasting_ will insure success. every vegetable, spice, and sweet herb, curry-powders, catchups, sauces, dried or fresh lemon-peel, can be used; and the simple stock, by the addition of these various ingredients, becomes the myriad number of soups to be found in the pages of great cooking manuals like gouffée's or francatelli's. _brown soups_ are made by frying the meat or game used in them till thoroughly brown on all sides, and using dark spices or sauces in their seasoning. _white soups_ are made with light meats, and often with the addition of milk or cream. _purées_ are merely thick soups strained carefully before serving, and made usually of some vegetable which thickens in boiling, as beans, pease, &c, though there are several forms of fish _purées_ in which the foundation is thickened milk, to which the fish is added, and the whole then rubbed through a common sieve, if a regular purée-sieve is not to be had. browned flour is often used for coloring, but does not thicken a soup, as, in browning it, the starchy portion has been destroyed; and it will not therefore mix, but settles at the bottom. burned sugar or caramel makes a better coloring, and also adds flavor. with clear soups grated cheese is often served, either parmesan or any rich cheese being used. onions give a better flavor if they are fried in a little butter or dripping before using, and many professional cooks fry all soup vegetables lightly. cabbage and potatoes should be parboiled in a separate water before adding to a soup. in using wine or catchup, add only at the last moment, as boiling dissipates the flavor. unless a thick vegetable soup is desired, always strain into the tureen. rice, sago, macaroni, or any cereal may be used as thickening; the amounts required being found under the different headings. careful skimming, long boiling, and as careful removing of fat, will secure a broth especially desirable as a food for children and the old, but almost equally so for any age; while many fragments, otherwise entirely useless, discover themselves as savory and nutritious parts of the day's supply of food. * * * * * soups. beep soup with vegetables. for this very excellent soup take two quarts of stock prepared beforehand, as already directed. if the stock is a jelly, as will usually be the case in winter, an amount sufficient to fill a quart-measure can be diluted with a pint of water, and will then be rich enough. add to this one small carrot, a turnip, a small parsnip, and two onions, all chopped fine; a cupful of chopped cabbage; two tablespoonfuls of barley or rice; and either six fresh tomatoes sliced, or a small can of sealed ones. boil gently at least one hour; then add one saltspoonful each of pepper, curry-powder, and clove. if the stock has been salted properly, no more will be needed; but tasting is essential to secure just the right flavors. boil a few minutes longer, and serve without straining. this is an especially savory and hearty soup, and the combinations of vegetables may be varied indefinitely. a cup of chopped celery is an exceedingly nice addition, or, if this is not to be had, a teaspoonful of celery salt, or a saltspoonful of celery-seed. a lemon may also be sliced thin, and added at the last. where tomatoes are used, a little sugar is always an improvement; in this case an even tablespoonful being sufficient. if a thicker broth is desired, one heaped tablespoonful of corn-starch or flour may be first dissolved in a little cold water; then a cup of the hot broth gradually mixed with it, and the whole added to the soup and boiled for five minutes. clear or amber soup. this soup needs careful attention. it may be made of beef alone, but, if desired very rich for a special dinner, requires the addition of either a chicken or a knuckle of veal. allow, then, for the best soup, a soup-bone,--the shin of beef being most desirable,--weighing from two to three pounds; a chicken; a slice of fat ham; two onions, each stuck with three cloves; one small carrot and parsnip; one stalk of celery; one tablespoonful of salt; half a saltspoonful of pepper; and four quarts of cold water. cut all the meat from the beef bone in small pieces; slice the onions; fry the ham (or, if preferred, a thick slice of salt pork weighing not less than two ounces); fry the onions a bright brown in this fat; add the pieces of beef, and brown them also. now put all the materials, bones included, into the soup-kettle; add the cold water, and let it very gradually come to a boil. skim with the utmost care, and then boil slowly and steadily for not less than five hours, six or even seven being preferable. strain, and set in a cold place. next day remove the fat, and put the soup on the fire one hour before it will be wanted. break the white and shell of an egg into a bowl; add a spoonful of cold water, and beat a moment; add a little of the hot soup, that the white may mix more thoroughly with the soup, and then pour it into the kettle. let all boil slowly for ten minutes; then strain, either through a jelly-bag, or through a thick cloth laid in a sieve or colander. do not stir, as this would cloud the soup; and, if not clear and sparkling, strain again. return to the fire, and heat to boiling-point, putting a lemon cut in thin slices, and, if liked, a glass of sherry, into the tureen before serving. a poached egg, or a boiled egg from which the shell has been peeled, is often served with each plate of this soup, which must be clear to deserve its name. white soup. veal or chicken must be used for this soup; and the stock must always be prepared the day beforehand, having been flavored with two chopped onions and a cup of cut celery, or celery-seed and other seasoning, in the proportions already given. on the day it is to be used, heat a quart of milk; stir one tablespoonful of butter to a cream; add a heaping tablespoonful of flour or corn-starch, a saltspoonful of mace, and the same amount of white pepper. stir into the boiling milk, and add to the soup. let all boil a moment, and then pour into the tureen. three eggs, beaten very light and stirred into the hot milk without boiling, make a still richer soup. the bones of cold roast chicken or turkey may be used in this way; and the broth of any meat, if perfectly clear, can serve as foundation, though veal or chicken is most delicate. mock turtle soup. a calf's head is usually taken for this soup; but a set of calf's feet and a pound of lean veal answer equally well. in either case, boil the meat in four quarts of water for five hours, reducing the amount to two quarts, and treating as stock for clear soup. remove all fat, and put on the fire next day, half an hour before dinner, seasoning it with a saltspoonful each of mace, powdered thyme, or sweet marjoram and clove. melt a piece of butter the size of a walnut in a small saucepan; add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and stir both till a bright brown. add soup till a smooth thickening is made, and pour it into the soup-kettle. cut about half a pound of the cold meat into small square pieces,--_dice_ they are called,--and put into the tureen. make forcemeat balls by chopping a large cup of meat very fine; season with a saltspoonful each of pepper and thyme; mix in the yolk of a raw egg; make into little balls the size of a hickory-nut, and fry brown in a little butter. squeeze the juice of half a lemon into the tureen with (or without) a wine-glass of sherry. pour in the soup, and serve. if egg-balls are desired, make them of the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs rubbed fine. add the yolk of a raw egg, a tablespoonful of melted butter, a saltspoon of salt and half a one of pepper, and flour enough to make a dough which can be easily handled. roll out; cut into little dice, and make each into a ball by rolling between the palms of the hands. boil five minutes in the soup. mutton broth. prepare and boil as directed for stock. the broth from a boiled leg of mutton can be used, or any cheap pieces and trimmings from chops. one small turnip and an onion will give flavoring enough. on the day it is to be used, add to two quarts of broth half a cup of rice, and boil for half an hour. chicken broth. even an old fowl which is unusable in any other way makes excellent broth. prepare as in any stock, and, when used, add a tablespoonful of rice to each quart of broth, boiling till tender. a white soup will be found the most savory mode of preparation, the plain broth with rice being best for children and invalids. tomato soup without meat. materials for this soup are: one large can, or twelve fresh tomatoes; one quart of boiling water; two onions; a small carrot; half a small turnip; two or three sprigs of parsley, or a stalk of celery,--all cut fine, and boiled one hour. as the water boils away, add more to it, so that the quantity may remain the same. season with one even tablespoonful each of salt and sugar, and half a teaspoonful of pepper. cream a tablespoonful of butter with two heaping ones of flour, and add hot soup till it will pour easily. pour into the soup; boil all together for five minutes; then strain through a sieve, and serve with toasted crackers or bread. hasty tomato soup. simple but excellent. one large can of tomatoes and one pint of water brought to the boiling-point, and rubbed through a sieve. return to the fire. add half a teaspoonful of soda, and stir till it stops foaming. season with one even tablespoonful of salt, two of sugar, one saltspoonful of cayenne. thicken with two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, and one of butter rubbed to a cream, with hot soup added till it pours easily. boil a pint of milk separately, and, when ready to use, pour into the boiling tomato, and serve at once, as standing long makes the milk liable to curdle. oyster soup. two quarts of perfectly fresh oysters. strain off the juice, and add an equal amount of water, or, if they are solid, add one pint of water, and then strain and boil. skim carefully. add to one quart of milk one tablespoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper, and, if thickening is liked, use same proportions as in hasty tomato soup, and set to boil. when the milk boils, put in the oysters. the moment the edges curl a little, which will be when they have boiled one minute, they are done, and should be served at once. longer boiling toughens and spoils them. this rule may be used also for stewed oysters, omitting the thickening; or they may be put simply into the boiling juice, with the same proportions of butter, salt, and pepper, and cooked the same length of time. clam soup. fifty clams (hard or soft), boiled in a quart of water one hour. take out, and chop fine. add one quart of milk, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and one teaspoonful of salt. it will be necessary to taste, however, as some clams are salter than others. rub one tablespoonful of butter to a cream with two of flour, and use as thickening. add the chopped clams, and boil five minutes. if the clams are disliked, simply strain through a sieve, or cut off the hard part and use the soft only. pur�e, of fish, vegetables, etc. one pound of fresh boiled salmon, or one small can of the sealed. pick out all bone and skin, and, if the canned is used, pour off every drop of oil. shred it as fine as possible. boil one quart of milk, seasoning with one teaspoonful of salt, and one saltspoonful each of mace and white pepper, increasing the amount slightly if more is liked. thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour, and one of butter rubbed to a cream, with a cup of boiling water; add thickening and salmon, and boil two minutes. strain into the tureen through a purée sieve, rubbing as much as possible of the salmon through with a potato-masher, and _serve very hot_. all that will not go through can be mixed with an equal amount of cracker-crumbs or mashed potato, made into small cakes or rolls, and fried in a little butter for breakfast, or treated as croquettes, and served at dinner. this thickened milk is the foundation for many forms of fish and vegetable purées. a pint of green pease, boiled, mashed, and added; or asparagus or spinach in the same proportions can be used. _lobster_ makes a purée as delicious as that of salmon. dry the "coral" in the oven; pound it fine, and add to the milk before straining, thus giving a clear pink color. cut all the meat and green fat into dice, and put into the tureen, pouring the hot milk upon it. boiled _cod_ or _halibut_ can be used; but nothing is so nice as the salmon, either fresh or canned. for a _purée of celery_ boil one pint of cut celery in water till tender; then add to boiling milk, and rub through the sieve. for _potato purée_ use six large or ten medium sized potatoes, boiled and mashed fine; then stirred into the milk, and strained; a large tablespoonful of chopped parsley being put in the tureen. for a _green-corn soup_ use the milk without straining; adding a can of corn, or the corn cut from six ears of fresh boiled corn, and an even tablespoonful of sugar, and boiling ten minutes. _salsify_ can also be used, the combinations being numberless, and one's own taste a safe guide in making new ones. turtle-bean soup. wash and soak over-night, in cold water, one pint of the black or turtle beans. in the morning put on the fire in three quarts of cold water, which, as it boils away, must be added to, to preserve the original quantity. add quarter of a pound of salt pork and half a pound of lean beef; one carrot and two onions cut fine; one tablespoonful of salt; one saltspoonful of cayenne. cover closely, and boil four or five hours. rub through a colander, having first put in the tureen three hard-boiled eggs cut in slices, one lemon sliced thin, and half a glass of wine. this soup is often served with small sausages which have been boiled in it for ten minutes, and then skinned, and used either whole or cut in bits. cold baked beans can also be used, in which case the meat, eggs, and wine are omitted. pea soup. one quart of dried pease, washed and soaked over-night; split pease are best. in the morning put them on the fire with six quarts of cold water; half a pound of salt pork; one even tablespoonful of salt; one saltspoonful of cayenne; and one teaspoonful of celery-seed. fry till a bright brown three onions cut small, and add to the pease; cover closely, and boil four or five hours. strain through a colander, and, if not perfectly smooth, return to fire, and add a thickening made of one heaping teaspoonful of flour and an even one of butter, stirred together with a little hot water and boiled five minutes. beans can be used in precisely the same way; and both bean and pea soups are nicer served with _croutons_, or a thick slice of bread cut in dice, and fried brown and crisp, or simply browned in the oven, and put into the tureen at the moment of serving. onion soup. take three large onions, slice them very thin, and then fry to a bright brown in a large spoonful of either butter or stock-fat, the latter answering equally well. when brown, add half a teacupful of flour, and stir constantly until red. then pour in slowly one pint of boiling water, stirring steadily till it is all in. boil and mash fine four large potatoes, and stir into one quart of boiling milk, taking care that there are no lumps. add this to the fried onions, with one teaspoonful of salt and half a teaspoonful of white pepper. let all boil for five minutes, and then serve with toasted or fried bread. simple as this seems, it is one of the best of the vegetable soups, though it is made richer by the use of stock instead of water. browned flour for soups. put a pint of sifted flour into a perfectly clean frying-pan, and stir and turn constantly as it darkens, till the whole is an even dark brown. if scorched at all, it is ruined, and should not be used for any purpose. as a coloring for soups and gravies it is by no means as good as caramel or burned sugar. caramel. half a pound of brown sugar; one tablespoonful of water. put into a frying-pan, and stir steadily over the fire till it becomes a deep dark brown in color. then add one cup of boiling water and one teaspoonful of salt. boil a minute longer, bottle, and keep corked. one tablespoonful will color a clear soup, and it can be used for many jellies, gravies, and sauces. * * * * * fish. the most essential point in choosing fish is their _freshness_, and this is determined as follows: if the gills are red, the eyes prominent and full, and the whole fish stiff, they are good; but if the eyes are sunken, the gills pale, and the fish flabby, they are stale and unwholesome, and, though often eaten in this condition, lack all the fine flavor of a freshly-caught fish. the fish being chosen, the greatest care is necessary in cleaning. if this is properly done, one washing will be sufficient: the custom of allowing fresh fish to lie in water after cleaning, destroys much of their flavor. fresh-water fish, especially the cat-fish, have often a muddy taste and smell. to get rid of this, soak in water strongly salted; say, a cupful of salt to a gallon of water, letting it heat gradually in this, and boiling it for one minute; then drying it thoroughly before cooking. all fish for boiling should be put into cold water, with the exception of salmon, which loses its color unless put into boiling water. a tablespoonful each of salt and vinegar to every two quarts of water improves the flavor of all boiled fish, and also makes the flesh firmer. allow ten minutes to the pound after the fish begins to boil, and test with a knitting-needle or sharp skewer. if it runs in easily, the fish can be taken off. if a fish-kettle with strainer is used, the fish can be lifted out without danger of breaking. if not, it should be thoroughly dredged with flour, and served in a cloth kept for the purpose. in all cases drain it perfectly, and send to table on a folded napkin laid upon the platter. in frying, fish should, like all fried articles, be _immersed_ in the hot lard or drippings. small fish can be fried whole; larger ones boned, and cut in small pieces. if they are egged and crumbed, the _egg_ will form a covering, hardening at once, and absolutely impervious to fat. pan-fish, as they are called,--flounders and small fish generally,--can also be fried by rolling in indian meal or flour, and browning in the fat of salt pork. baking and broiling preserve the flavor most thoroughly. cold boiled fish can always be used, either by spicing as in the rule to be given, or by warming again in a little butter and water. cold fried or broiled fish, can be put in a pan, and set in the oven till hot, this requiring not over ten minutes; a longer time giving a strong, oily taste, which spoils it. plain boiled or mashed potatoes are always served with fish where used as a dinner-course. if fish is boiled whole, do not cut off either tail or head. the tail can be skewered in the mouth if liked; or a large fish may be boiled in the shape of the letter s by threading a trussing-needle, fastening a string around the head, then passing the needle through the middle of the body, drawing the string tight and fastening it around the tail. baked fish. bass, fresh shad, blue-fish, pickerel, &c., can be cooked in this way:-- see that the fish has been properly cleaned. wash in salted water, and wipe dry. for stuffing for a fish weighing from four to six pounds, take four large crackers, or four ounces of bread-crumbs; quarter of a pound of salt pork; one teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper; a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, or a teaspoonful of thyme. chop half the pork fine, and mix with the crumbs and seasoning, using half a cup of hot water to mix them, or, if preferred, a beaten egg. put this dressing into the body of the fish, which is then to be fastened together with a skewer. cut the remainder of the pork in narrow strips, and lay it in gashes cut across the back of the fish about two inches apart. dredge thickly with flour, using about two tablespoonfuls. put a tin baking-sheet in the bottom of a pan, as without it the fish can not be easily taken up. lay the fish on this; pour a cup of boiling water into the pan, and bake in a hot oven for one hour, basting it very often that the skin may not crack; and, at the end of half an hour, dredging again with flour, repeating this every ten minutes till the fish is done. if the water dries away, add enough to preserve the original quantity. when the fish is done, slide it carefully from the tin sheet on to a hot platter. set the baking-pan on top of the stove. mix a teaspoonful of flour with quarter of a cup of cold water, and stir into the boiling gravy. a tablespoonful of walnut or mushroom catchup, or of worcestershire sauce, may be added if liked. _serve very hot._ before sending a baked fish to table, take out the skewer. when done, it should have a handsome brown crust. if pork is disliked, it may be omitted altogether, and a tablespoonful of butter substituted in the stuffing. basting should be done as often as once in ten minutes, else the skin will blister and crack. where the fish is large, it will be better to sew the body together after stuffing, rather than to use a skewer. the string can be cut and removed before serving. if any is left, it can be warmed in the remains of the gravy, or, if this has been used, make a gravy of one cup of hot water, thickened with one teaspoonful of flour or corn-starch stirred smooth first in a little cold water. add a tablespoonful of butter and any catchup or sauce desired. take all bones from the fish; break it up in small pieces, and stew not over five minutes in the gravy. or it can be mixed with an equal amount of mashed potato or bread-crumbs, a cup of milk and an egg added, with a teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper, and baked until brown--about fifteen minutes--in a hot oven. to boil fish. general directions have already been given. all fish must boil _very_ gently, or the outside will break before the inside is done. in all cases salt and a little vinegar, a teaspoonful each, are allowed to each quart of water. where the fish has very little flavor, dubois' receipt for boiling will be found exceedingly nice, and much less trouble than the name applied by professional cooks to this method--_au court bouillon_--would indicate. it is as follows:-- mince a carrot, an onion, and one stalk of celery, and fry them in a little butter. add two or three sprigs of parsley, two tablespoonfuls of salt, six pepper-corns, and three cloves. pour on two quarts of boiling water and one pint of vinegar, and boil for fifteen minutes. skim as it boils, and use, when cold, for boiling the fish. wine can be used instead of vinegar; and, by straining carefully and keeping in a cold place, the same mixture can be used several times. to broil fish. if the fish is large, it should be split, in order to insure its being cooked through; though notches may be cut at equal distances, so that the heat can penetrate. small fish may be broiled whole. the gridiron should be well greased with dripping or olive oil. if a double-wire gridiron is used, there will be no trouble in turning either large or small fish. if a single-wire or old-fashioned iron one, the best way is to first loosen with a knife any part that sticks; then, holding a platter over the fish with one hand, turn the gridiron with the other, and the fish can then be returned to it without breaking. small fish require a hot, clear fire; large ones, a more moderate one, that the outside may not be burned before the inside is done. cook always with the _skin-side_ down at first, and broil to a golden brown,--this requiring, for small fish, ten minutes; for large ones, from ten to twenty, according to size. when done, pepper and salt lightly; and to a two-pound fish allow a tablespoonful of butter spread over it. set the fish in the oven a moment, that the butter may soak in, and then serve. a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, and half a lemon squeezed over shad or any fresh fish, is a very nice addition. where butter, lemon, and parsley are blended beforehand, it makes the sauce known as _maître d'hôtel_ sauce, which is especially good for broiled shad. in broiling steaks or cutlets of large fish,--say, salmon, halibut, fresh cod, &c.,--the same general directions apply. where very delicate broiling is desired, the pieces of fish can be wrapped in buttered paper before laying on the gridiron; this applying particularly to salmon. to fry fish. small fish--such as trout, perch, smelts, &c.--may simply be rolled in indian meal or flour, and fried either in the fat of salt pork, or in boiling lard or drippings. a nicer method, however, with fish, whether small or in slices, is to dip them first in flour or fine crumbs, then in beaten egg,--one egg, with two tablespoonfuls of cold water and half a teaspoonful of salt, being enough for two dozen smelts; then rolling again in crumbs or meal, and dropping into hot lard. the egg hardens instantly, and not a drop of fat can penetrate the inside. fry to a golden brown. take out with a skimmer; lay in the oven on a double brown paper for a moment, and then serve. _filets_ of fish are merely flounders, or any flat fish with few bones, boned, skinned, and cut in small pieces; then egged and fried. to bone a fish of this sort, use a very sharp knife. the fish should have been scaled, but not cleaned or cut open. make a cut down the back from head to tail. now, holding the knife pressed close to the bone, cut carefully till the fish is free on one side; then turn, and cut away the other. to skin, take half the fish at a time firmly in one hand; hold the blade of the knife flat as in boning, and run it slowly between skin and flesh. cut the fish in small diamond-shaped pieces; egg, crumb, and put into shape with the knife; and then fry. the operation is less troublesome than it sounds, and the result most satisfactory. the _bones and trimmings_ remaining can either be stewed in a pint of water till done, adding half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and a tablespoonful of catchup; straining the gravy off, and thickening with one heaping teaspoonful of flour dissolved in a little cold water: or they can be broiled. for broiled bones, mix one saltspoonful of mustard, as much cayenne as could be taken up on the point of a penknife, a saltspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. a tablespoonful of olive-oil may be added, if liked. lay the bone in this, turning it till all is absorbed; broil over a quick fire; and _serve very hot_. fish may also be fried in batter (p. ), or these pieces, or _filets_, may be laid on a buttered dish; a simple drawn butter or cream sauce (p. ) poured over them; the whole covered with rolled bread or cracker-crumbs, dotted with bits of butter, and baked half an hour. a cup of canned mushrooms is often added. to stew fish. any fresh-water fish is good, cooked in this way; cat-fish which have been soaked in salted water, to take away the muddy taste, being especially nice. cut the fish in small pieces. boil two sliced onions in a cup of water. pour off this water; add another cup, and two tablespoonfuls of wine, a saltspoonful of pepper, and salt to taste (about half a teaspoonful). put in the fish, and cook for twenty minutes. thicken the gravy with a heaping teaspoonful of flour, rubbed to a cream with a teaspoonful of butter. if wine is not used, add a sprig of chopped parsley and the juice of half a lemon. these methods will be found sufficient for all fresh fish, no other special rules being necessary. experience and individual taste will guide their application. if the fish is oily, as in the case of mackerel or herring, broiling will always be better than frying. if fried, let it be with very little fat, as their own oil will furnish part. to boil salt codfish. the large, white cod, which cuts into firm, solid slices, should be used. if properly prepared, there is no need of the strong smell, which makes it so offensive to many, and which comes only in boiling. the fish is now to be had boned, and put up in small boxes, and this is by far the most desirable form. in either case, lay in tepid water _skin-side up_, and soak all night. if the skin is down, the salt, instead of soaking out, settles against it, and is retained. change the water in the morning, and soak two or three hours longer; then, after scraping and cleaning thoroughly, put in a kettle with tepid water enough to well cover it, and set it where it will heat to the scalding-point, but _not boil_. keep it at this point, but never let it boil a moment. let it cook in this way an hour: two will do no harm. remove every particle of bone and dark skin before serving, sending it to table in delicate pieces, none of which need be rejected. with egg sauce (p. ), mashed or mealy boiled potatoes, and sugar-beets, this makes the new-england "fish dinner" a thing of terror when poorly prepared, but both savory and delicate where the above rule is closely followed. fish-balls, and all the various modes of using salted cod, require this preparation beforehand. salt cod with cream. flake two pounds of cold boiled salt cod very fine. boil one pint of milk. mix butter the size of a small egg with two tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir into it. add a few sprigs of parsley or half an onion minced very fine, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and half a teaspoonful of salt. butter a quart pudding-dish. put in alternate layers of dressing and fish till nearly full. cover the top with sifted bread or cracker crumbs, dot with bits of butter, and brown in a quick oven about twenty minutes. the fish may be mixed with an equal part of mashed potato, and baked; and not only codfish, but any boiled _fresh_ fish, can be used, in which case double the measure of salt given will be required. spiced fish. any remains of cold fresh fish may be used. take out all bones or bits of skin. lay in a deep dish, and barely cover with hot vinegar in which a few cloves and allspice have been boiled. it is ready for use as soon as cold. potted fish. fresh herring or mackerel or shad may be used. skin the fish, and cut in small pieces, packing them in a small stone jar. just cover with vinegar. for six pounds of fish allow one tablespoonful of salt, and a dozen each of whole allspice, cloves, and pepper-corns. tie a thick paper over the top of the cover, and bake five hours. the vinegar dissolves the bones perfectly, and the fish is an excellent relish at supper. fish chowder. three pounds of any sort of fresh fish may be taken; but fresh cod is always best. six large potatoes and two onions, with half a pound of salt pork. cut the pork into dice, and fry to a light brown. add the onions, and brown them also. pour the remaining fat into a large saucepan, or butter it, as preferred. put in a layer of potatoes, a little onion and pork, and a layer of the fish cut in small pieces, salting and peppering each layer. a tablespoonful of salt and one teaspoonful of pepper will be a mild seasoning. a pinch of cayenne may be added, if liked. barely cover with boiling water, and boil for half an hour. in the meantime boil a pint of milk, and, when at boiling-point, break into it three ship biscuit or half a dozen large crackers; add a heaping tablespoonful of butter. put the chowder in a platter, and pile the softened crackers on top, pouring the milk over all. or the milk may be poured directly into the chowder; the crackers laid in, and softened in the steam; and the whole served in a tureen. three or four tomatoes are sometimes added. in clam chowder the same rule would be followed, substituting one hundred clams for the fish, and using a small can of tomatoes if fresh ones were not in season. stewed oysters. the rule already given for _oyster soup_ is an excellent one, omitting the thickening. a simpler one is to strain the juice from a quart of oysters, and add an equal amount of water. bring it to boiling-point; skim carefully; season with salt to taste, this depending on the saltness of the oysters, half a teaspoonful being probably enough. add a saltspoonful of pepper, a tablespoonful of butter, and a cup of milk. the milk may be omitted, if preferred. add the oysters. boil till the edges curl, and no longer. serve at once, as they toughen by standing. fried oysters. choose large oysters, and drain thoroughly in a colander. dry in a towel. dip first in sifted cracker-crumbs; then in egg, one egg beaten with a large spoonful of cold water, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, being enough for two dozen oysters. roll again in crumbs, and drop into boiling lard. if a wire frying-basket is used, lay them in this. fry to a light brown. lay them on brown paper a moment to drain, and serve at once on a _hot platter_. as they require hardly more than a minute to cook, it is better to wait till all are at the table before beginning to fry. oysters are very good, merely fried in a little hot butter; but the first method preserves their flavor best. scalloped oysters. one quart of oysters; one large breakfast cup of cracker or bread crumbs, the crackers being nicer if freshly toasted and rolled hot; two large spoonfuls of butter; one teaspoonful of salt; half a teaspoonful of pepper; one saltspoonful of mace. mix the salt, pepper, and mace together. butter a pudding-dish; heat the juice with the seasoning and butter, adding a teacup of milk or cream if it can be had, though water will answer. put alternate layers of crumbs and oysters, filling the dish in this way. pour the juice over, and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes. if not well browned, heat a shovel red-hot, and brown the top with that; longer baking toughening the oysters. oysters for pie or patties. one quart of oysters put on to boil in their own liquor. turn them while boiling into a colander to drain. melt a piece of butter the size of an egg in the saucepan, add a tablespoonful of sifted flour, and stir one minute. pour in the oyster liquor slowly, which must be not less than a large cupful. beat the yolks of two eggs thoroughly with a saltspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and one of mace. add to the boiling liquor, but do not let it boil. put in the oysters, and either use them to fill a pie, the form for which is already baked, for patties for dinner, or serve them on thin slices of buttered toast for breakfast or tea. spiced or pickled oysters. to a gallon of large, fine oysters, allow one pint of cider or white-wine vinegar; one tablespoonful of salt; one grated nutmeg; eight blades of mace; three dozen cloves, and as many whole allspice; and a saltspoon even full of cayenne pepper. strain the oyster juice, and bring to the boiling-point in a porcelain-lined kettle. skim carefully as it boils up. add the vinegar, and skim also, throwing in the spices and salt when it has boiled a moment. boil all together for five minutes, and then pour over the oysters, adding a lemon cut in very thin slices. they are ready for the table next day, but will keep a fortnight or more in a cold place. if a sharp pickle is desired, use a quart instead of a pint of vinegar. smothered oysters (_maryland fashion_). drain all the juice from a quart of oysters. melt in a frying-pan a piece of butter the size of an egg, with as much cayenne pepper as can be taken up on the point of a penknife, and a saltspoonful of salt. put in the oysters, and cover closely. they are done as soon as the edges ruffle. serve on thin slices of buttered toast as a breakfast or supper dish. a glass of sherry is often added. oyster or clam fritters. chop twenty-five clams or oysters fine, and mix them with a batter made as follows: one pint of flour, in which has been sifted one heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder and half a teaspoonful of salt; one large cup of milk, and two eggs well beaten. stir eggs and milk together; add the flour slowly; and, last, the clams or oysters. drop by spoonfuls into boiling lard. fry to a golden brown, and serve at once; or they may be fried like pancakes in a little hot fat. whole clams or oysters may be used instead of chopped ones, and fried singly. to boil lobsters or crabs. be sure that the lobster is alive, as, if dead, it will not be fit to use. have water boiling in a large kettle, and, holding the lobster or crab by the back, drop it in head foremost; the reason for this being, that the animal dies instantly when put in in this way. an hour is required for a medium-sized lobster, the shell turning red when done. when cold, the meat can be used either plain or in salad, or cooked in various ways. a can-opener will be found very convenient in opening a lobster. stewed or curried lobster. cut the meat into small bits, and add the green fat, and the coral which is found only in the hen-lobster. melt in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter and a heaping tablespoonful of flour. stir smoothly together, adding slowly one large cup of either stock or milk, a saltspoonful of mace, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and half a teaspoonful of salt. put in the lobster, and cook for ten minutes. for curry, simply add one teaspoonful of curry-powder. this stewed lobster may also be put in the shell of the back, which has been cleaned and washed, bread or cracker crumbs sprinkled over it, and browned in the oven; or it may be treated as a scallop, buttering a dish, and putting in alternate layers of crumbs and lobster, ending with crumbs. crabs, though more troublesome to extract from the shell, are almost equally good, treated in any of the ways given. * * * * * meats. the qualities and characteristics of meats have already been spoken of in part i., and it is necessary here to give only a few simple rules for marketing. the best beef is of a clear red color, slightly marbled with fat, and the fat itself of a clear white. where the beef is dark red or bluish, and the fat yellow, it is too old, or too poorly fed, to be good. the sirloin and ribs, especially the sixth, seventh, and eighth, make the best roasting-pieces. the ribs can be removed and used for stock, and the beef rolled or skewered firmly, making a piece very easily carved, and almost as presentable the second day as the first. for steaks sirloin is nearly as good, and much more economical, than porter-house, which gives only a small eatable portion, the remainder being only fit for the stock-pot. if the beef be very young and tender, steaks from the round may be used; but these are usually best stewed. other pieces and modes of cooking are given under their respective heads. mutton should be a light, clear red, and the fat very white and firm. it is always improved by keeping, and in cold weather can be hung for a month, if carefully watched to see that it has not become tainted. treated in this way, well-fed mutton is equal to venison. if the fat is deep yellow, and the lean dark red, the animal is too old; and no keeping will make it really good eating. four years is considered the best age for prime mutton. veal also must have clear white fat, and should be fine in grain. if the kidney is covered with firm white fat, it indicates health, and the meat is good; if yellow, it is unwholesome, and should not be eaten. the loin and fillet are used in roasting, and are the choice pieces, the breast coming next, and the neck and ribs being good for stewing and fricassees. pork should have fine, white fat, and the meat should be white and smooth. only country-fed pork should ever be eaten, the pig even then being liable to diseases unknown to other animals, and the meat, even when carefully fed, being at all times less digestible than any sort. _bacon_, carefully cured and smoked, is considered its most wholesome form. poultry come last. the best _turkeys_ have black legs; and, if young, the toes and bill are soft and pliable. the combs of fowls should be bright colored, and the legs smooth. _geese_, if young and fine, are plump in the breast, have white soft fat, and yellow feet. _ducks_ are chosen by the same rule as geese, and are firm and thick on the breast. _pigeons_ should be fresh, the breast plump, and the feet elastic. only experience can make one familiar with other signs; and a good butcher can usually be trusted to tide one over the season of inexperience, though the sooner it ends the better for all parties concerned. boiled meats and stews. all meats intended to be boiled and served whole at table must be put into _boiling water_, thus following an entirely opposite rule from those intended for soups. in the latter, the object being to extract all the juice, cold water must always be used first, and then heated with the meat in. in the former, all the juice is to be kept in; and, by putting into boiling water, the albumen of the meat hardens on the surface and makes a case or coating for the meat, which accomplishes this end. where something between a soup and plain boiled meat is desired, as in _beef bouilli_, the meat is put on in cold water, which is brought to a boil _very quickly_, thus securing good gravy, yet not robbing the meat of all its juices. with corned or salted meats, tongue, &c., cold water must be used, and half an hour to the pound allowed. if to be eaten cold, such meats should always be allowed to cool in the water in which they were boiled; and this water, if not too salt, can be used for dried bean or pea soups. beef � la mode. six or eight pounds of beef from the round, cut thick. take out the bone, trim off all rough bits carefully, and rub the meat well with the following spicing: one teaspoonful each of pepper and ground clove, quarter of a cup of brown sugar, and three teaspoonfuls of salt. mix these all together, and rub thoroughly into the beef, which must stand over-night. next morning make a stuffing of one pint of bread or cracker crumbs; one large onion chopped fine; a tablespoonful of sweet marjoram or thyme; half a teaspoonful each of pepper and ground clove, and a heaping teaspoonful of salt. add a large cup of hot water, in which has been melted a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and stir into the crumbs. beat an egg light, and mix with it. if there is more than needed to fill the hole, make gashes in the meat, and stuff with the remainder. now bind into shape with a strip of cotton cloth, sewing or tying it firmly. put a trivet or small iron stand into a soup-pot, and lay the beef upon it. half cover it with cold water; put in two onions stuck with three cloves each, a large tablespoonful of salt, and a half teaspoonful of pepper; and stew very slowly, allowing half an hour to the pound, and turning the meat twice while cooking. at the end of this time take off the cloth, and put the meat, which must remain on the trivet, in a roasting-pan. dredge it quickly with flour, set into a hot oven, and brown thoroughly. baste once with the gravy, and dredge again, the whole operation requiring about half an hour. the water in the pot should have been reduced to about a pint. pour this into the roasting-pan after the meat is taken up, skimming off every particle of fat. thicken with a heaping tablespoonful of browned flour, stirred smooth in a little cold water, and add a tablespoonful of catchup and two of wine, if desired, though neither is necessary. taste, as a little more salt may be required. the thick part of a leg of veal may be treated in the same manner, both being good either hot or cold; and a round of beef may be also used without spicing or stuffing, and browned in the same way, the remains being either warmed in the gravy or used for hashes or croquettes. beef � la mode (_virginia fashion_). use the round, as in the foregoing receipt, and remove the bone; and for eight pounds allow half a pint of good vinegar; one large onion minced fine; half a teaspoonful each of mustard, black pepper, clove, and allspice; and two tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. cut half a pound of fat salt pork into lardoons, or strips, two or three inches long and about half an inch square. boil the vinegar with the onion and seasoning, and pour over the strips of pork, and let them stand till cold. then pour off the liquor, and thicken it with bread or cracker crumbs. make incisions in the beef at regular intervals,--a carving-steel being very good for this purpose,--and push in the strips of pork. fill the hole from which the bone was taken with the rest of the pork and the dressing, and tie the beef firmly into shape. put two tablespoonfuls of dripping or lard in a frying-pan, and brown the meat on all sides. this will take about half an hour. now put the meat on a trivet in the kettle; half cover with boiling water; and add a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of pepper, an onion and a small carrot cut fine, and two or three sprigs of parsley. cook very slowly, allowing half an hour to a pound, and make gravy by the directions given for it in the preceding receipt. _braised beef_ is prepared by either method given here for _à la mode_ beef, but cooked in a covered iron pan, which comes for the purpose, and which is good also for beef _à la mode_, or for any tough meat which requires long cooking, and is made tenderer by keeping in all the steam. boiled mutton. a _shoulder_, or _fore-quarter_, of mutton, weighing five or six pounds, will boil in an hour, as it is so thin. the _leg_, or _hind-quarter_, requires twenty minutes to the pound; though, if very young and tender, it will do in less. it can be tried with a knitting-needle to see if it is tender. it is made whiter and more delicate by boiling in a cloth, but should be served without it. boil in well-salted water according to the rule already given. boiled or mashed turnips are usually served with it, and either drawn butter or caper sauce as on p. . _lamb_ may be boiled in the same manner, but is better roasted; and so also with _veal_. boiled corned beef. if to be eaten hot, the _round_ is the best piece. if cold and pressed, what are called "_plate pieces_"--that is, the brisket, the flank, and the thin part of the ribs--may be used. wash, and put into cold water, allowing half an hour to a pound after it begins to boil. if to be eaten cold, let it stand in the water till nearly cold, as this makes it richer. take out all bones from a thin piece; wrap in a cloth, and put upon a large platter. lay a tin sheet over it, and set on a heavy weight,--flat-irons will do,--and let it stand over-night. or the meat may be picked apart with a knife and fork; the fat and lean evenly mixed and packed into a pan, into which a smaller pan is set on top of the meat, and the weight in this. thus marbled slices may be had. all corned beef is improved by pressing, and all trimmings from it can be used in hash or croquettes. boiled tongue. smoked tongue will be found much better than either fresh or pickled tongues. soak it over night, after washing it. put on in cold water, and boil steadily four hours. then take out; peel off the skin, and return to the water to cool. cut in _lengthwise_ slices, as this makes it tenderer. the root of the tongue may be chopped very fine, and seasoned like deviled ham (p. ). boiled ham. small hams are better in flavor and quality than large ones. a brush should be kept to scrub them with, as it is impossible to get them clean without it. soak over-night in plenty of cold water. next morning, scrape, and trim off all the hard black parts, scrubbing it well. put on to boil in cold water. let it heat very gradually. allow half an hour to the pound. when done, take from the water, skin, and return, letting it remain till cold. dot with spots of black pepper, and cover the knuckle with a frill of white paper. it is much nicer, whether eaten hot or cold, if covered with bread or cracker crumbs and browned in the oven. the fat is useless, save for soap-grease. in carving, cut down in thin slices through the middle. the knuckle can always be deviled (p. ). a _leg of pork_ which has simply been corned is boiled in the same way as ham, soaking over-night, and browning in the oven or not, as liked. irish stew. this may be made of either beef or mutton, though mutton is generally used. reject all bones, and trim off all fat and gristle, reserving these for the stock-pot. cut the meat in small pieces, not over an inch square, and cover with cold water. skim carefully as it boils up, and see that the water is kept at the same level by adding as it boils away. for two pounds of meat allow two sliced onions, eight good-sized potatoes, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and half a teaspoonful of pepper. cover closely, and cook for two hours. thicken the gravy with one tablespoonful of flour stirred smooth in a little cold water, and serve very hot. the trimmings from a fore-quarter of mutton will be enough for a stew, leaving a well-shaped roast besides. if beef is used, add one medium-sized carrot cut fine, and some sprigs of parsley. such a stew would be called by a french cook a _ragoût_, and can be made of any pieces of meat or poultry. white stew, or fricassee. use _veal_ for this stew, allowing an hour to a pound of meat, and the same proportions of salt and pepper as in the preceding receipt, adding a saltspoonful of mace. thicken, when done, with one heaping tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a piece of butter the size of an egg, and one cup of hot milk added just at the last. a cauliflower nicely boiled, cut up, and stewed with it a moment, is very nice. this stew becomes a _pot-pie_ by making a nice biscuit-crust, as on p. ; cutting it out in rounds, and laying in the kettle half an hour before the stew is done. cover closely, and do not turn them. lay them, when done, around the edge of the platter; pile the meat in the centre, and pour over it the thickened gravy. two beaten eggs are sometimes added, and it is then called a _blanquette_ of veal. brown stew or fricassee. to make these stews the meat is cut in small pieces, and browned on each side in a little hot dripping; or, if preferred, quarter of a pound of pork is cut in thin slices and fried crisp, the fat from it being used for browning. cover the meat with warm water when done. if a stew, any vegetables liked can be added; a fricassee never containing them, having only meat and a gravy, thickened with browned flour and seasoned in the proportions already given. part of a can of mushrooms may be used with a beef stew, and a glass of wine added; this making a _ragoût with mushrooms_. the countless receipts one sees in large cook-books for ragoûts and fricassees are merely variations in the flavoring of simple stews; and, after a little experimenting, any one can improvise her own, remembering that the strongly-flavored vegetables (as carrots) belong especially to dark meats, and the more delicate ones to light. fresh pork is sometimes used in a white fricassee, in which case a little powdered sage is better than mace as a seasoning. _curries_ can be made by adding a heaping teaspoonful of curry-powder to a brown fricassee, and serving with boiled rice; put the rice around the edge of the platter, and pour the curry in the middle. chicken makes the best curry; but veal is very good. in a genuine east-indian curry, lemon-juice and grated cocoa-nut are added; but it is an unwholesome combination. beef rolls. two pounds of steak from the round, cut in very thin slices. trim off all fat and gristle, and cut into pieces about four inches square. now cut _very thin_ as many slices of salt pork as you have slices of steak, making them a little smaller. mix together one teaspoonful of salt and one of thyme or summer savory, and one saltspoonful of pepper. lay the pork on a square of steak; sprinkle with the seasoning; roll up tightly, and tie. when all are tied, put the bits of fat and trimmings into a hot frying-pan, and add a tablespoonful of drippings. lay in the rolls, and brown on all sides, which will require about ten minutes; then put them in a saucepan. add to the fat in the pan a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and stir till a bright brown. pour in gradually one quart of boiling water, and then strain it over the beef rolls. cover closely, and cook two hours, or less if the steak is tender, stirring now and then to prevent scorching. take off the strings before serving. these rolls can be prepared without the pork, and are very nice; or a whole beefsteak can be used, covering it with a dressing made as for stuffed veal, and then rolling; tying at each end, browning, and stewing in the same way. this can be eaten cold or hot; while the small rolls are much better hot. if wanted as a breakfast dish, they can be cooked the day beforehand, left in the gravy, and simply heated through next morning. brunswick stew. two squirrels or small chickens; one quart of sliced tomatoes; one pint of sweet corn; one pint of lima or butter beans; one quart of sliced potatoes; two onions; half a pound of fat salt pork. cut the pork in slices, and fry brown; cut the squirrels or chickens in pieces, and brown a little, adding the onion cut fine. now put all the materials in a soup-pot; cover with two quarts of boiling water, and season with one tablespoonful of salt, one of sugar, and half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper. stew slowly for four hours. just before serving, cream a large spoonful of butter with a heaping tablespoonful of flour; thin with the broth, and pour in, letting all cook five minutes longer. to be eaten in soup-plates. roasted meats. our roasted meats are really _baked_ meats; but ovens are now so well made and ventilated, that there is little difference of flavor in the two processes. allow ten minutes to the pound if the meat is liked rare, and from twelve to fifteen, if well done. it is always better to place the meat on a trivet or stand made to fit easily in the roasting-pan, so that it may not become sodden in the water used for gravy. put into a hot oven, that the surface may soon sear over and hold in the juices, enough of which will escape for the gravy. all rough bits should have been trimmed off, and a joint of eight or ten pounds rubbed with a tablespoonful of salt. dredge thickly with flour, and let it brown on the meat before basting it, which must be done as often as once in fifteen minutes. pepper lightly. if the water in the pan dries away, add enough to have a pint for gravy in the end. dredge with flour at least twice, as this makes a crisp and relishable outer crust. take up the meat, when done, on a hot platter. make the gravy in the roasting-pan, by setting it on top of the stove, and first scraping up all the browning from the corners and bottom. if there is much fat, pour it carefully off. if the dredging has been well managed while roasting, the gravy will be thick enough. if not, stir a teaspoonful of browned flour smooth in cold water, and add. should the gravy be too light, color with a teaspoonful of caramel, and taste to see that the seasoning is right. _mutton_ requires fifteen minutes to the pound, unless preferred rare, in which case ten will be sufficient. if a tin kitchen is used, fifteen minutes for beef, and twenty for mutton, will be needed. stuffed leg of mutton. have the butcher take out the first joint in a leg of mutton; or it can be done at home by using a very sharp, narrow-bladed knife, and holding it close to the bone. rub in a tablespoonful of salt, and then fill with a dressing made as follows: one pint of fine bread or cracker crumbs, in which have been mixed dry one even tablespoonful of salt and one of summer savory or thyme, and one teaspoonful of pepper. chop one onion very fine, and add to it, with one egg well beaten. melt a piece of butter the size of an egg in a cup of hot water, and pour on the crumbs. if not enough to thoroughly moisten them, add a little more. either fasten with a skewer, or sew up, and roast as in previous directions. skim all the fat from the gravy, as the flavor of mutton-fat is never pleasant. a tablespoonful of currant jelly may be put into the gravy-tureen, and the gravy strained upon it. the meat must be basted, and dredged with flour, as carefully as beef. both the shoulder and saddle are roasted in the same way, but without stuffing; and the leg may be also, though used to more advantage with one. lamb requires less time; a leg weighing six pounds needing but one hour, or an hour and a quarter if roasted before an open fire. roast veal. veal is so dry a meat, that a moist dressing is almost essential. this dressing may be made as in the previous receipt; or, instead of butter, quarter of a pound of salt pork can be chopped fine, and mixed with it. if the loin is used,--and this is always best,--take out the bone to the first joint, and fill the hole with dressing, as in the leg of mutton. in using the breast, bone also, reserving the bones for stock; lay the dressing on it; roll, and tie securely. baste often. three or four thin slices of salt pork may be laid on the top; or, if this is not liked, melt a tablespoonful of butter in a cup of hot water, and baste with that. treat it as in directions for roasted meats, but allow a full half-hour to the pound, and make the gravy as for beef. cold veal makes so many nice dishes, that a large piece can always be used satisfactorily. roast pork. bone the leg as in mutton, and stuff; substituting sage for the sweet marjoram, and using two onions instead of one. allow half an hour to the pound, and make gravy as for roast beef. spare-ribs are considered most delicate; and both are best eaten cold, the hot pork being rather gross, and, whether hot or cold, less digestible than any other meat. roast venison. in winter venison can be kept a month; and, in all cases, it should hang in a cold place at least a month before using. allow half an hour to a pound in roasting, and baste very often. small squares of salt pork are sometimes inserted in incisions made here and there, and help to enrich the gravy. in roasting a haunch it is usually covered with a thick paste of flour and water, and a paper tied over this, not less than four hours being required to roast it. at the end of three, remove the paper and paste, dredge and baste till well browned. the last basting is with a glass of claret; and this, and half a small glass of currant jelly are added to the gravy. venison steaks are treated as in directions for broiled meats. baked pork and beans. pick over one quart of dried beans, what is known as "navy beans" being the best, and soak over-night in plenty of cold water. turn off the water in the morning, and put on to boil in cold water till tender,--at least one hour. an earthen pot is always best for this, as a shallow dish does not allow enough water to keep them from drying. drain off the water. put the beans in the pot. take half a pound of salt pork, fat and lean together being best. score the skin in small squares with a knife, and bury it, all but the surface of this rind, in the beans. cover them completely with boiling water. stir in one tablespoonful of salt, and two of good molasses. cover, and bake slowly,--not less than five hours,--renewing the water if it bakes away. take off the cover an hour before they are done, that the pork may brown a little. if pork is disliked, use a large spoonful of butter instead. cold baked beans can be warmed in a frying-pan with a little water, and are even better than at first, or they can be used in a soup as in directions given. a teaspoonful of made mustard is sometimes stirred in, and gives an excellent flavor to a pot of baked beans. double the quality if the family is large, as they keep perfectly well in winter, the only season at which so hearty a dish is required, save for laborers. broiled and fried meats. if the steak is tender, never pound or chop it. if there is much fat, trim it off, or it will drop on the coals and smoke. if tough, as in the country is very likely to be the case, pounding becomes necessary, but a better method is to use the chopping-knife; not chopping through, but going lightly over the whole surface. broken as it may seem, it closes at once on the application of a quick heat. the best _broiler_ is by all means a light wire one, which can be held in the hand and turned quickly. the fire should be quick and hot. place the steak in the centre of the broiler, and hold it close to the coals an instant on each side, letting both sear over before broiling really begins. where a steak has been cut three-quarters of an inch thick, ten minutes will be sufficient to cook it rare, and fifteen will make it well done. turn almost constantly, and, when done, serve at once on a _hot dish_. never salt broiled meats beforehand, as it extracts the juices. cut up a tablespoonful of butter, and let it melt on the hot dish, turning the steak in it once or twice. salt and pepper lightly, and, if necessary to have it stand at all, cover with an earthen dish, or stand in the open oven. _chops_ and _cutlets_ are broiled in the same way. veal is so dry a meat that it is better fried. where broiling for any reason cannot be conveniently done, the next best method is to heat a frying-pan very hot; grease it with a bit of fat cut from the steak, just enough to prevent it from sticking. turn almost as constantly as in broiling, and season in the same way when done. venison steaks are treated in the same manner. veal cutlets. fry four or five slices of salt pork till brown, or use drippings instead, if this fat is disliked. let the cutlets, which are best cut from the leg, be made as nearly of a size as possible; dip them in well-beaten egg and then in cracker-crumbs, and fry to a golden brown. where the veal is tough, it is better to parboil it for ten or fifteen minutes before frying. pork steak. pork steaks or chops should be cut quite thin, and sprinkled with pepper and salt and a little powdered sage. have the pan hot; put in a tablespoonful of dripping, and fry the pork slowly for twenty minutes, turning often. a gravy can be made for these, and for veal cutlets also, by mixing a tablespoonful of flour with the fat left in the pan, and stirring it till a bright brown, then adding a large cup of boiling water, and salt to taste; a saltspoonful being sufficient, with half the amount of pepper. pigs' liver, which many consider very nice, is treated in precisely the same way, using a teaspoonful of powdered sage to two pounds of liver. fried ham or bacon. cut the ham in very thin slices. take off the rind, and, if the ham is old or hard, parboil it for five minutes. have the pan hot, and, unless the ham is quite fat, use a teaspoonful of drippings. turn the slices often, and cook from five to eight minutes. they can be served dry, or, if gravy is liked, add a tablespoonful of flour to the fat, stir till smooth, and pour in slowly a large cup of milk or water. salt pork can be fried in the same way. if eggs are to be fried with the ham, take up the slices, break in the eggs, and dip the boiling fat over them as they fry. if there is not fat enough, add half a cup of lard. to make each egg round, put muffin-rings into the frying-pan, and break an egg into each, pouring the boiling fat over them from a spoon till done, which will be in from three to five minutes. serve one on each slice of ham, and make no gravy. the fat can be strained, and used in frying potatoes. fried tripe. the tripe can be merely cut in squares, rolled in flour, salted and peppered, and fried brown in drippings, or the pieces may be dipped in a batter made as for clam fritters, or egged and crumbed like oysters, and fried. in cities it can be bought already prepared. in the country it must first be cleaned, and then boiled till tender. to warm cold meats. cold roast beef should be cut in slices, the gravy brought to boiling-point, and each slice dipped in just long enough to heat, as stewing in the gravy toughens it. rare mutton is treated in the same way, but is nicer warmed in a chafing-dish at table, adding a tablespoonful of currant jelly and one of wine to the gravy. venison is served in the same manner. veal and pork can cook in the gravy without toughening, and so with turkey and chicken. cold duck or game is very nice warmed in the same way as mutton, the bones in all cases being reserved for stock. * * * * * poultry. to clean poultry. first be very careful to singe off all down by holding over a blazing paper, or a little alcohol burning in a saucer. cut off the feet and ends of the wings, and the neck as far as it is dark. if the fowl is killed at home, be sure that the head is chopped off, and never allow the neck to be wrung as is often done. it is not only an unmerciful way of killing, but the blood has thus no escape, and settles about all the vital organs. the head should be cut off, and the body hang and bleed thoroughly before using. pick out all the pin-feathers with the blade of a small knife. turn back the skin of the neck, loosening it with the finger and thumb, and draw out the windpipe and crop, which can be done without making any cut. now cut a slit in the lower part of the fowl, the best place being close to the thigh. by working the fingers in slowly, keeping them close to the body, the whole intestines can be removed in a mass. be especially careful not to break the gall-bag, which is near the upper part of the breastbone, and attached to the liver. if this operation is carefully performed, it will be by no means so disagreeable as it seems. a french cook simply wipes out the inside, considering that much flavor is lost by washing. i prefer to wash in one water, and dry quickly, though in the case of an old fowl, which often has a strong smell, it is better to dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in the first water, which should be warm, and wash again in cold, then wiping dry as possible. split and wash the gizzard, reserving it for gravy. dressing for poultry. one pint of bread or cracker crumbs, into which mix dry one teaspoonful of pepper, one of thyme or summer savory, one even tablespoonful of salt, and, if in season, a little chopped parsley. melt a piece of butter the size of an egg in one cup of boiling water, and mix with the crumbs, adding one or two well-beaten eggs. a slice of salt pork chopped fine is often substituted for the butter. for _ducks_ two onions are chopped fine, and added to the above; or a potato dressing is made, as for geese, using six large boiled potatoes, mashed hot, and seasoned with an even tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful each of sage and pepper, and two chopped onions. _game_ is usually roasted unstuffed; but grouse and prairie-chickens may have the same dressing as chickens and turkeys, this being used also for boiled fowls. roast turkey. prepare by cleaning, as in general directions above, and, when dry, rub the inside with a teaspoonful of salt. put the gizzard, heart, and liver on the fire in a small saucepan, with one quart of boiling water and one teaspoonful of salt, and boil two hours. put a little stuffing in the breast, and fold back the skin of the neck, holding it with a stitch or with a small skewer. put the remainder in the body, and sew it up with darning-cotton. cross and tie the legs down tight, and run a skewer through the wings to fasten them to the body. lay it in the roasting-pan, and for an eight-pound turkey allow not less than three hours' time, a ten or twelve pound one needing four. put a pint of boiling water with one teaspoonful of salt in the pan, and add to it as it dries away. melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in the water, and baste very often. the secret of a handsomely-browned turkey, lies in this frequent basting. dredge over the flour two or three times, as in general roasting directions, and turn the turkey so that all sides will be reached. when done, take up on a hot platter. put the baking-pan on the stove, having before this chopped the gizzard and heart fine, and mashed the liver, and put them in the gravy-tureen. stir a tablespoonful of brown flour into the gravy in the pan, scraping up all the brown, and add slowly the water in which the giblets were boiled, which should be about a pint. strain on to the chopped giblets, and taste to see if salt enough. the gravy for all roast poultry is made in this way. serve with cranberry sauce or jelly. roast or boiled chickens. stuff and truss as with turkeys, and to a pair of chickens weighing two and a half pounds each, allow one hour to roast, basting often, and making a gravy as in preceding receipt. boil as in rule for turkeys. roast duck. after cleaning, stuff as in rule given for poultry dressing, and roast,--if game, half an hour; if tame, one hour, making gravy as in directions given, and serving with currant jelly. roast goose. no fat save its own is needed in basting a goose, which, if large, requires two hours to roast. skim off as much fat as possible before making the gravy, as it has a strong taste. birds. small birds may simply be washed and wiped dry, tied firmly, and roasted twenty minutes, dredging with flour, basting with butter and water, and adding a little currant jelly or wine to the gravy. they may be served on toast. fried chicken. cut the chicken into nice pieces for serving. roll in flour, or, if preferred, in beaten egg and crumbs. heat a cupful of nice dripping or lard; add a teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper; lay in the pieces, and fry brown on each side, allowing not less than twenty minutes for the thickest pieces and ten for the thin ones. lay on a hot platter, and make a gravy by adding one tablespoonful of flour to the fat, stirring smooth, and adding slowly one cupful of boiling water or stock. strain over the chicken. milk or cream is often used instead of water. brown fricassee. fry one or two chickens as above, using only flour to roll them in. three or four slices of salt pork may be used, cutting them in bits, and frying brown, before putting in the chicken. when fried, lay the pieces in a saucepan, and cover with warm water, adding one teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. cover closely, and stew one hour, or longer if the chickens are old. take up the pieces, and thicken the gravy with one tablespoonful of flour, first stirred smooth in a little cold water. or the flour may be added to the fat in the pan after frying, and water enough for a thin gravy, which can all be poured into the saucepan, though with this method there is more danger of burning. if not dark enough, color with a teaspoonful of caramel. by adding a chopped onion fried in the fat, and a teaspoonful of curry-powder, this becomes a curry, to be served with boiled rice. white fricassee. cut up the chicken as in brown fricassee, and stew without frying for an hour and a half, reducing the water to about one pint. take up the chicken on a hot platter. melt one tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, and add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, stirring constantly till smooth. pour in slowly one cup of milk, and, as it boils and thickens, add the chicken broth, and serve. this becomes a pot-pie by adding biscuit-crust as in rule for veal pot-pie, p. , and serving in the same way. the same crust may also be used with a brown fricassee, but is most customary with a white. chicken pie. make a fricassee, as above directed, either brown or white, as best liked, and a nice pie-crust, as on p. , or a biscuit-crust if pie-crust is considered too rich. line a deep baking-dish with the crust; a good way being to use a plain biscuit-crust for the lining, and pie-crust for the lid. lay in the cooked chicken; fill up with the gravy, and cover with pastry, cutting a round hole in the centre; and bake about three-quarters of an hour. the top can be decorated with leaves made from pastry, and in this case will need to have a buttered paper laid over it for the first twenty minutes, that they need not burn. eat either cold or hot. game pies can be made in the same way, and veal is a very good substitute for chicken. where veal is used, a small slice of ham may be added, and a little less salt; both veal and ham being cut very small before filling the pie. boiled turkey. clean, stuff, and truss the fowl selected, as for a roasted turkey. the body is sometimes filled with oysters. to truss in the tightest and most compact way, run a skewer under the leg-joint between the leg and the thigh, then through the body and under the opposite leg-joint in the same way; push the thighs up firmly close to the sides; wind a string about the ends of the skewer, and tie it tight. treat the wings in the same way, though in boiled fowls the points are sometimes drawn under the back, and tied there. the turkey may be boiled with or without cloth around it. in either case use _boiling_ water, salted as for stock, and allow twenty minutes to the pound. it is usually served with oyster sauce, but parsley or capers may be used instead. chicken croquettes. take all the meat from a cold roast or boiled chicken, and chop moderately fine. mince an onion very small, and fry brown in a piece of butter the size of an egg. add one small cup of stock or water; one saltspoonful each of pepper and mace; one teaspoonful of salt; the juice of half a lemon; two well-beaten eggs; and, if liked, a glass of wine. make into small rolls like corks, or mold in a pear shape, sticking in a clove for the stem when fried. roll in sifted cracker-crumbs; dip in an egg beaten with a spoonful of water, and again in crumbs; put in the frying-basket, and fry in boiling lard. drain on brown paper, and pile on a napkin in serving. a more delicate croquette is made by using simply the white meat, and adding a set of calf's brains which have been boiled in salted water. a cupful of boiled rice mashed fine is sometimes substituted for the brains. use same seasoning as above, adding quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne, omitting the wine, and using instead half a cup of cream or milk. fry as directed. veal croquettes can hardly be distinguished from those of chicken. philadelphia chicken croquettes. the croquette first given is dry when fried, and even the second form is somewhat so, many preferring them so. for the creamy delicious veal, sweetbread, or chicken croquette one finds in philadelphia, the following materials are necessary: one pint of hot cream; two even tablespoonfuls of butter; four heaping tablespoonfuls of sifted flour; half a teaspoonful of salt; half a saltspoonful of white pepper; a dust of cayenne; half a teaspoonful of celery salt; and one teaspoonful of onion juice. scald the cream in a double boiler. melt the butter in an enameled or granite saucepan, and as it boils, stir in the flour, stirring till perfectly smooth. add the cream very slowly, stirring constantly as it thickens, adding the seasoning at the last. an egg may also be added, but the croquettes are more creamy without it. to half a pound of chicken chopped fine, add one teaspoonful of lemon juice and one of minced parsley, one beaten egg and the pint of cream sauce. spread on a platter to cool, and when cool make into shapes, either corks or like pears; dip in egg and crumbs, and fry in boiling fat. oyster, sweetbread, and veal croquettes are made by the same form, using a pint of chopped oysters. to the sweetbreads a small can of mushrooms may be added cut in bits. salmi of ducks or game. cut the meat from cold roast ducks or game into small bits. break the bones and trimmings, and cover with stock or cold water, adding two cloves, two pepper-corns, and a bay-leaf or pinch of sweet herbs. boil till reduced to a cupful for a pint of meat. mince two small onions fine, and fry brown in two tablespoonfuls of butter; then add two tablespoonfuls of flour and stir till deep brown, adding to it the strained broth from the bones. put in the bits of meat with one tablespoonful of lemon juice and one of worcestershire sauce. simmer for fifteen minutes, and at the last add, if liked, six or eight mushrooms and a glass of claret. serve on slices of fried bread, and garnish with fried bread and parsley. casserole of rice and meat. this can be made of any kind of meat, but is nicest of veal or poultry. boil a large cup of rice till tender, and let it cool. chop fine half a pound of meat, and season with half a teaspoonful of salt, a small grated onion, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley and a pinch of cayenne. add a teacupful of cracker crumbs and a beaten egg, and wet with stock or hot water enough to make it pack easily. butter a tin mould, quart size best, and line the bottom and sides with rice about half an inch thick. pack in the meat; cover with rice, and steam one hour. loosen at edges; turn out on hot platter, and pour tomato sauce around it. italia's pride. this is a favorite dish in the writer's family, having been sent many years ago from italy by a friend who had learned its composition from her italian cook. its name was bestowed by the children of the house. one large cup of chopped meat; two onions minced and fried brown in butter; a pint of cold boiled macaroni or spaghetti; a pint of fresh or cold stewed tomatoes; one teaspoonful of salt; half a teaspoonful of white pepper. butter a pudding dish, and put first a layer of macaroni, then tomato, then meat and some onion and seasoning, continuing this till the dish is full. cover with fine bread crumbs, dot with bits of butter, and bake for half an hour. serve very hot. deviled ham. for this purpose use either the knuckle or any odds and ends remaining. cut off all dark or hard bits, and see that at least a quarter of the amount is fat. chop as finely as possible, reducing it almost to a paste. for a pint-bowl of this, make a dressing as follows:-- one even tablespoonful of sugar; one even teaspoonful of ground mustard; one saltspoonful of cayenne pepper; one spoonful of butter; one teacupful of boiling vinegar. mix the sugar, mustard, and pepper thoroughly, and add the vinegar little by little. stir it into the chopped ham, and pack it in small molds, if it is to be served as a lunch or supper relish, turning out upon a small platter and garnishing with parsley. for sandwiches, cut the bread very thin; butter lightly, and spread with about a teaspoonful of the deviled ham. the root of a boiled tongue can be prepared in the same way. if it is to be kept some time, pack in little jars, and pour melted butter over the top. boned turkey. this is a delicate dish, and is usually regarded as an impossibility for any ordinary housekeeper; and unless one is getting up a supper or other entertainment, it is hardly worth while to undertake it. if the legs and wings are left on, the boning becomes much more difficult. the best plan is to cut off both them and the neck, boiling all with the turkey, and using the meat for croquettes or hash. draw only the crop and windpipe, as the turkey is more easily handled before dressing. choose a fat hen turkey of some six or seven pounds weight, and cut off legs up to second joint, with half the wings and the neck. now, with a very sharp knife, make a clean cut down the entire back, and holding the knife close to the body, cut away the flesh, first on one side and then another, making a clean cut around the pope's nose. be very careful, in cutting down the breastbone, not to break through the skin. the entire meat will now be free from the bones, save the pieces remaining in legs and wings. cut out these, and remove all sinews. spread the turkey skin-side down on the board. cut out the breasts, and cut them up in long, narrow pieces, or as you like. chop fine a pound and a half of veal or fresh pork, and a slice of fat ham also. season with one teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful each of mace and pepper, half a saltspoonful of cayenne, and the juice of lemon. cut half a pound of cold boiled smoked tongue into dice. make layers of this force-meat, putting half of it on the turkey and then the dice of tongue, with strips of the breast between, using force meat for the last layer. roll up the turkey in a tight roll, and sew the skin together. now roll it firmly in a napkin, tying at the ends and across in two places to preserve the shape. cover it with boiling water, salted as for stock, putting in all the bones and giblets, and two onions stuck with three cloves each. boil four hours. let it cool in the liquor. take up in a pan, lay a tin sheet on it, and press with a heavy weight. strain the water in which it was boiled, and put in a cold place. next day take off the napkin, and set the turkey in the oven a moment to melt off any fat. it can be sliced and eaten in this way, but makes a handsomer dish served as follows: remove the fat from the stock, and heat three pints of it to boiling-point, adding two-thirds of a package of gelatine which has been soaked in a little cold water. strain a cupful of this into some pretty mold,--an ear of corn is a good shape,--and the remainder in two pans or deep plates, coloring each with caramel,--a teaspoonful in one, and two in the other. lay the turkey on a small platter turned face down in a larger one, and when the jelly is cold and firm, put the molded form on top of it. now cut part of the jelly into rounds with a pepper-box top or a small star-cutter, and arrange around the mold, chopping the rest and piling about the edge, so that the inner platter or stand is completely concealed. the outer row of jelly can have been colored red by cutting up, and boiling in the stock for it, half of a red beet. sprigs of parsley or delicate celery-tops may be used as garnish, and it is a very elegant-looking as well as savory dish. the legs and wings can be left on and trussed outside, if liked, making it as much as possible in the original shape; but it is no better, and much more trouble. jellied chicken. tenderness is no object here, the most ancient dweller in the barnyard answering equally well, and even better than "broilers." draw carefully, and if the fowl is old, wash it in water in which a spoonful of soda has been dissolved, rinsing in cold. put on in cold water, and season with a tablespoonful of salt and a half teaspoonful of pepper. boil till the meat slips easily from the bones, reducing the broth to about a quart. strain, and when cold, take off the fat. where any floating particles remain, they can always be removed by laying a piece of soft paper on the broth for a moment. cut the breast in long strips, and the rest of the meat in small pieces. boil two or three eggs hard, and when cold, cut in thin slices. slice a lemon very thin. dissolve half a package of gelatine in a little cold water; heat the broth to boiling-point, and add a saltspoonful of mace, and if liked, a glass of sherry, though it is not necessary, pouring it on the gelatine. choose a pretty mold, and lay in strips of the breast; then a layer of egg-slices, putting them close against the mold. nearly fill with chicken, laid in lightly; then strain on the broth till it is nearly full, and set in a cold place. dip for an instant in hot water before turning out. it is nice as a supper or lunch dish, and very pretty in effect. * * * * * sauces and salads. the foundation for a large proportion of sauces is in what the french cook knows as a _roux_, and we as "drawn butter." as our drawn butter is often lumpy, or with the taste of the raw flour, i give the french method as a security against such disaster. to make a roux. melt in a saucepan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and add two even tablespoonfuls of sifted flour; one ounce of butter to two of flour being a safe rule. stir till smooth, and pour in slowly one pint of milk, or milk and water, or water alone. with milk it is called _cream roux_, and is used for boiled fish and poultry. where the butter and flour are allowed to brown, it is called a _brown roux_, and is thinned with the soup or stew which it is designed to thicken. capers added to a _white roux_--which is the butter and flour, with water added--give _caper sauce_, for use with boiled mutton. pickled nasturtiums are a good substitute for capers. two hard-boiled eggs cut fine give egg sauce. chopped parsley or pickle, and the variety of catchups and sauces, make an endless variety; the _white roux_ being the basis for all of them. bread sauce. for this sauce boil one point of milk, with one onion cut in pieces. when it has boiled five minutes, take out the onion, and thicken the milk with half a pint of sifted bread-crumbs. melt a teaspoonful of butter in a frying-pan; put in half a pint of coarser crumbs, stirring them till a light brown. flavor the sauce with half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and a grate of nutmeg; and serve with game, helping a spoonful of the sauce, and one of the browned crumbs. the boiled onion may be minced fine and added, and the browned crumbs omitted. celery sauce. wash and boil a small head of celery, which has been cut up fine, in one pint of water, with half a teaspoonful of salt. boil till tender, which will require about half an hour. make a _cream roux_, using half a pint of milk, and adding quarter of a saltspoonful of white pepper. stir into the celery; boil a moment, and serve. a teaspoonful of celery salt can be used, if celery is out of season, adding it to the full rule for _cream roux_. cauliflower may be used in the same way as celery, cutting it very fine, and adding a large cupful to the sauce. use either with boiled meats. mint sauce. look over and strip off the leaves, and cut them as fine as possible with a sharp knife. use none of the stalk but the tender tips. to a cupful of chopped mint allow an equal quantity of sugar, and half a cup of good vinegar. it should stand an hour before using. cranberry sauce. wash one quart of cranberries in warm water, and pick them over carefully. put them in a porcelain-lined kettle, with one pint of cold water and one pint of sugar, and cook without stirring for half an hour, turning then into molds. this is the simplest method. they can be strained through a sieve, and put in bowls, forming a marmalade, which can be cut in slices when cold; or the berries can be crushed with a spoon while boiling, but left unstrained. apple sauce. pare, core, and quarter some apples (sour being best), and stew till tender in just enough water to cover them. rub them through a sieve, allowing a teacupful of sugar to a quart of strained apple, or even less, where intended to eat with roast pork or goose. where intended for lunch or tea, do not strain, but treat as follows: make a sirup of one large cupful of sugar and one of water for every dozen good-sized apples. add half a lemon, cut in very thin slices. put in the apple; cover closely, and stew till tender, keeping the quarters as whole as possible. the lemon may be omitted. plain pudding sauce. make a _white roux_, with a pint of either water or milk; but water will be very good. add to it a large cup of sugar, a teaspoonful of lemon or any essence liked, and a wine-glass of wine. vinegar can be substituted. grate in a little nutmeg, and serve hot. molasses sauce. this sauce is intended especially for apple dumplings and puddings. one pint of molasses; one tablespoonful of butter; the juice of one lemon, or a large spoonful of vinegar. boil twenty minutes. it may be thickened with a tablespoonful of corn-starch dissolved in a little cold water, but is good in either case. foaming sauce. cream half a cup of butter till very light, and add a heaping cup of sugar, beating both till white. set the bowl in which it was beaten into a pan of boiling water, and allow it to melt slowly. just before serving but _not before_, pour into it slowly half a cup or four spoonfuls of boiling water, stirring to a thick foam. grate in nutmeg, or use a teaspoonful of lemon essence, and if wine is liked, add a glass of sherry or a tablespoonful of brandy. for a pudding having a decided flavor of its own, a sauce without wine is preferable. hard sauce beat together the same proportions of butter and sugar as in the preceding receipt; add a tablespoonful of wine if desired; pile lightly on a pretty dish; grate nutmeg over the top, and set in a cold place till used. fruit sauces. the sirup of any nice canned fruit may be used cold as sauce for cold puddings and blancmanges, or heated and thickened for hot, allowing to a pint of juice a heaping teaspoonful of corn-starch dissolved in a little cold water, and boiling it five minutes. strawberry or raspberry sirup is especially nice. plain salad dressing. three tablespoonfuls of best olive-oil; one tablespoonful of vinegar; one saltspoonful each of salt and pepper mixed together; and then, with three tablespoonfuls of best olive-oil, adding last the tablespoonful of vinegar. this is the simplest form of dressing. the lettuce, or other salad material, must be fresh and crisp, and should not be mixed till the moment of eating. spanish tomato sauce. one can of tomatoes or six large fresh ones; two minced onions fried brown in a large tablespoonful of butter. add to the tomatoes with three sprigs of parsley and thyme, one teaspoonful of salt, and half a one of pepper; three cloves and two allspice, with a small blade of mace and a bit of lemon peel, and two lumps of sugar. stew very slowly for two hours, then rub through a sieve, and return to the fire. add two tablespoonfuls of flour, browned with a tablespoonful of butter, and boil up once. it should be smooth and thick. keep on ice, and it will keep a week. excellent. mayonnaise sauce. for this sauce use the yolks of three raw eggs; one even tablespoonful of mustard; one of sugar; one teaspoonful of salt; and a saltspoonful of cayenne. break the egg yolks into a bowl; beat a few strokes, and gradually add the mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. now take a pint bottle of best olive-oil, and stir in a few drops at a time. the sauce will thicken like a firm jelly. when the oil is half in, add the juice of one lemon by degrees with the remainder of the oil; and last, add quarter of a cup of good vinegar. this will keep for weeks, and can be used with either chicken, salmon, or vegetable salad. a simpler form can be made with the yolk of one egg, half a pint of oil, and half the ingredients given above. it can be colored red with the juice of a boiled beet, or with the coral of a lobster, and is very nice as a dressing for raw tomatoes, cutting them in thick slices, and putting a little of it on each slice. mayonnaise may be varied in many ways, _sauce tartare_ being a favorite one. this is simply two even tablespoonfuls of capers, half a small onion, and a tablespoonful of parsley, and two gherkins or a small cucumber, all minced fine and added to half a pint of mayonnaise. this keeps a long time, and is very nice for fried fish or plain boiled tongue. dressing without oil. cream a small cup of butter, and stir into it the yolks of three eggs. mix together one teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt, and quarter of a saltspoonful of cayenne, and add to the butter and egg. stir in slowly, instead of oil, one cup of cream, and add the juice of one lemon and half a cup of vinegar. boiled dressing for cold slaw. this is good also for vegetable salads. one small cup of good vinegar; two tablespoonfuls of sugar; half a teaspoonful each of salt and mustard; a saltspoonful of pepper; a piece of butter the size of a walnut; and two beaten eggs. put these all in a small saucepan over the fire, and stir till it becomes a smooth paste. have a firm, white cabbage, very cold, and chopped fine; and mix the dressing well through it. it will keep several days in a cold place. chicken salad. boil a tender chicken, and when cold, cut all the meat in dice. cut up white tender celery enough to make the same amount, and mix with the meat. stir into it a tablespoonful of oil with three of vinegar, and a saltspoonful each of mustard and salt, and let it stand an hour or two. when ready to serve, mix the whole with a mayonnaise sauce, leaving part to mask the top; or use the mayonnaise alone, without the first dressing of vinegar and oil. lettuce can be substituted for celery; and where neither is obtainable, a crisp white cabbage may be chopped fine, and the meat of the chicken also, and either a teaspoonful of extract of celery or celery-seed used to flavor it the fat of the chicken, taken from the water in which it was boiled, carefully melted and strained, and cooled again, is often used by southern housekeepers. salmon mayonnaise. carefully remove all the skin and bones from a pound of boiled salmon, or use a small can of the sealed, draining away all the liquid. cut in small pieces, and season with two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, half a small onion minced fine, and half a teaspoonful each of salt and pepper. cover the bottom of the salad dish with crisp lettuce-leaves; lay the salmon on it, and pour on the sauce. the meat of a lobster can be treated in the same way. * * * * * eggs, cheese, and breakfast dishes. boiled eggs. let the water be boiling fast when the eggs are put in, that it may not be checked. they should have lain in warm water a few minutes before boiling, to prevent the shells cracking. allow three minutes for a soft-boiled egg; four, to have the white firmly set; and ten, for a hard-boiled egg. another method is to pour boiling water on the eggs, and let them stand for ten minutes where they will be nearly at boiling-point, though not boiling. the white and yolk are then perfectly cooked, and of jelly-like consistency. poached eggs. have a deep frying-pan full of boiling water,--simmering, not boiling furiously. put in two teaspoonfuls of vinegar and a teaspoonful of salt. break each egg into a cup or saucer, allowing one for each person; slide gently into the water, and let them stand five minutes, but without boiling. have ready small slices of buttered toast which have been previously dipped quickly into hot water. take up the eggs on a skimmer; trim the edges evenly, and slip off upon the toast, serving at once. for fried eggs, see _ham and eggs_, p. . scrambled eggs. break half a dozen eggs into a bowl, and beat for a minute. have the frying-pan hot. melt a tablespoonful of butter, with an even teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper, and turn in the eggs. stir them constantly as they harden, until they are a firm yet delicate mixture of white and yellow, and turn into a hot dish, serving at once. a cup of milk may be added if liked. the whole operation should not exceed five minutes. baked eggs. break the eggs into a buttered pudding-dish. salt and pepper them very lightly, and bake in a quick oven till set. or turn over them a cupful of good gravy, that of veal or poultry being especially nice, and bake in the same way. serve in the dish they were baked in. stuffed eggs. boil eggs for twenty minutes. drop them in cold water, and when cold, take off the shells, and cut the egg in two lengthwise. take out the yolks carefully; rub them fine on a plate, and add an equal amount of deviled ham, or of cold tongue or chicken, minced very fine. if chicken is used, add a saltspoonful of salt and a pinch of cayenne. roll the mixture into little balls the size of the yolk; fill each white with it; arrange on a dish with sprigs of parsley, and use cold as a lunch dish. they can also be served hot by laying them in a deep buttered pie-plate, covering with a cream _roux_, dusting thickly with bread-crumbs, and browning in a quick oven. plain omelet. the pan for frying an omelet should be clean and very smooth. break the eggs one by one into a cup, to avoid the risk of a spoiled one. allow from three to five, but never _over_ five, for a single omelet. turn them into a bowl, and give them twelve beats with whisk or fork. put butter the size of an egg into the frying-pan, and let it run over the entire surface. as it begins to boil, turn in the eggs. hold the handle of the pan in one hand, and with the other draw the egg constantly up from the edges as it sets, passing a knife underneath to let the butter run under. shake the pan now and then to keep the omelet from scorching. it should be firm at the edges, and creamy in the middle. when done, either fold over one-half on the other, and turn on to a hot platter to serve at once, or set in the oven a minute to brown the top, turning it out in a round. a little chopped ham or parsley may be added. the myriad forms of omelet to be found in large cook-books are simply this plain one, with a spoonful or so of chopped mushrooms or tomatoes or green pease laid in the middle of it just before folding and serving. a variation is also made by beating whites and yolks separately, then adding half a cup of cream or milk; doubling the seasoning given above, and then following the directions for frying. quarter of an onion and a sprig or two of parsley minced fine are a very nice addition. a cupful of finely minced fish, either fresh or salt, makes a fish omlet. chopped oysters may also be used; and many persons like a large spoonful of grated cheese, though this is a french rather than american taste. baked omelet. one large cup of milk; five eggs; a saltspoonful of salt; and half a one of white pepper mixed with the last. beat the eggs well, a dover egg-beater being the best possible one where yolks and whites are not separated; add the salt and pepper, and then the milk. melt a piece of butter the size of an egg in a frying-pan, and when it boils, pour in the egg. let it stand two minutes, or long enough to harden a little, but do not stir at all. when a little firm, put into a quick oven, and bake till brown. it will rise very high, but falls almost immediately. serve at once on a very hot platter. this omelet can also be varied with chopped ham or parsley. the old-fashioned iron spider with short handle is best for baking it, as a long-handled pan cannot be shut up in the oven. this omelet can also be fried in large spoonfuls, like pancakes, rolling each one as done. cheese fondu. this preparation of grated cheese and eggs can be made in a large dish for several people, or in "portions" for one, each in a small earthen dish. for one portion allow two eggs; half a saltspoonful of salt; a heaping tablespoonful of grated cheese; two of milk; and a few grains of cayenne. melt a teaspoonful of butter in the dish, and when it boils, pour in the cheese and egg, and cook slowly till it is well set. it is served in the dish in which it is cooked, and should be eaten at once. an adaptation of this has been made by mattieu williams, the author of the "chemistry of cookery." it is as follows:-- soak enough slices of bread to fill a quart pudding-dish, in a pint of milk, to which half a teaspoonful of salt and two beaten eggs have been added. butter the pudding-dish and lay in the bread, putting a thick coating of grated cheese on each slice. pour what milk may remain over the top, and bake slowly about half an hour. cheese souffl�. melt in a saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter, and add to it half a teaspoonful of dry mustard; a grain of cayenne; a saltspoonful of white pepper; a grate of nutmeg; two tablespoonfuls of flour; and stir all smooth, adding a gill of milk and a large cupful of grated cheese. stir into this as much powdered bi-carbonate of potash as will stand on a three-cent piece, and then beat in three eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. pour this into a buttered earthen dish; bake in a quick oven, and serve at once. in all cases where cheese disagrees it will be found that the bi-carbonate of potash renders it harmless. to boil oatmeal or crushed wheat. have ready a quart of boiling water in a farina-boiler, or use a small pail set in a saucepan of boiling water. if oatmeal or any grain is boiled in a single saucepan, it forms, no matter how often it is stirred, a thick crust on the bottom; and, as _never to stir_ is a cardinal rule for all these preparations, let the next one be, a double boiler. add a teaspoonful of salt to the quart of water in the inside boiler. be sure it is boiling, and then throw in one even cup of oatmeal or crushed wheat. now _let it alone_ for two hours, only being sure that the water in the outside saucepan does not dry away, but boils steadily. when done, each grain should be distinct, yet jelly-like. stirring makes a mere mush, neither very attractive nor palatable. if there is not time for this long boiling in the morning, let it be done the afternoon before. do not turn out the oatmeal, but fill the outer boiler next morning, and let it boil half an hour, or till heated through. coarse hominy. treat like oatmeal, using same amount to a quart of water, save that it must be thoroughly washed beforehand. three hours' boiling is better than two. fine hominy. allow a cupful to a quart of boiling, salted water. wash it in two or three waters, put over, and boil steadily for half an hour, or till it will pour out easily. if too thin, boil uncovered for a short time. stir in a tablespoonful of butter before sending to table. any of these preparations may be cut in slices when cold, floured on each side, and fried brown like mush. fine hominy cakes. one pint of cold boiled hominy; two eggs; a saltspoonful of salt; and a tablespoonful of butter melted. break up the hominy fine with a fork, and add salt and butter. beat the eggs,--whites and yolks separately; add the yolks first, and last the whites; and either fry brown in a little butter or drop by spoonfuls on buttered plates, and bake brown in a quick oven. this is a nice side-dish at dinner. oatmeal and wheat can be used in the same way at breakfast. hasty pudding, or mush. one cup of sifted indian meal, stirred smooth in a bowl with a little cold water. have ready a quart of boiling water, with a teaspoonful of salt, and pour in the meal. boil half an hour, or till it will just pour, stirring often. to be eaten hot with butter and sirup. rye or graham flour can be used in the same way. if intended to fry, pour the hot mush into a shallow pan which has been wet with cold water to prevent its sticking. a spoonful of butter may be added while hot, but is not necessary. cut in thin slices when cold; flour each side; and fry brown in a little butter or nice drippings, serving hot. what to do with cold potatoes. chop, as for hash; melt a tablespoonful of either butter or nice drippings in a frying-pan; add, for six or eight good-sized potatoes, one even teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. when the fat boils, put in the potatoes, and fry for about ten minutes, or until well browned. as soon as they are done, if not ready to use, move to the back of the stove, that they may not burn. or cut each potato in lengthwise slices; dredge on a little flour; and fry brown on each side, watching carefully that they do not burn. the fat from two or three slices of fried salt pork may be used for these. lyonnaise potatoes. slice six cold boiled potatoes. mince very fine an onion and two or three sprigs of parsley,--enough to fill a teaspoon. melt in a frying-pan a tablespoonful of butter; put in the onion, and fry light brown; then add the potatoes, and fry to a light brown also, turning them often. put into a hot dish, stirring in the minced parsley, and pouring over them any butter that may be left in the pan. stewed potatoes. one pint of cold boiled potatoes cut in bits; one cup of milk; butter the size of an egg; a heaping teaspoonful of flour. melt the butter in a saucepan; add the flour, and cook a moment; and pour in the milk, an even teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of white pepper. when it boils, add the potatoes. boil a minute, and serve. saratoga potatoes. pare potatoes, and slice thin as wafers, either with a potato-slicer or a thin-bladed, very sharp knife. lay in very cold water at least an hour before using. if for breakfast, over-night is better. have boiling lard at least three inches deep in a frying kettle or pan. dry the potatoes thoroughly in a towel, and drop in a few slices at a time, frying to a golden brown. take out with a skimmer, and lay on a double brown paper in the oven to dry, salting them lightly. they may be eaten either hot or cold. three medium-sized potatoes will make a large dishful; or, as they keep perfectly well, enough may be done at once for several meals, heating them a few minutes in the oven before using. fish balls. one pint of cold salt fish, prepared as on page , and chopped very fine. eight good-sized, freshly-boiled potatoes, or enough to make a quart when mashed. mash with half a teaspoonful of salt, and a heaping tablespoonful of butter, and, if liked, a teaspoonful of made mustard. mix in the chopped fish, blending both thoroughly. make into small, round cakes; flour on each side; and fry brown in a little drippings or fat of fried pork. a nicer way is to make into round balls, allowing a large tablespoonful to each. roll in flour; or they can be egged and crumbed like croquettes. drop into boiling lard; drain on brown paper, and serve hot. fresh fish can be used in the same way, and is very nice. breadcrumbs, softened in milk, can be used instead of potato, but are not so good. fish hash. use either fresh fish or salt. if the former, double the measure of salt will be needed. prepare and mix as in fish balls, allowing always double the amount of fresh mashed potato that you have of fish. melt a large spoonful of butter or drippings in a frying-pan. when hot, put in the fish. let it stand till brown on the bottom, and then stir. do this two or three times, letting it brown at the last, pressing it into omelet form, and turning out on a hot platter, or piling it lightly. fish with cream. one pint of cold minced fish, either salt cod or fresh fish; always doubling the amount of seasoning given if fresh is used. melt in a frying-pan a tablespoonful of butter; stir in a heaping one of flour, and cook a minute; then add a pint of milk and a saltspoonful each of salt and pepper. when it boils, stir in the fish, and add two well-beaten eggs. cook for a minute, and serve very hot. cold salmon, or that put up unspiced, is nice done in this way. the eggs can be omitted, but it is not as good. if cream is plenty, use part cream. any cold boiled fresh fish can be used in this way. salt mackerel or roe herring. soak over-night, the skin-side up. in the morning wipe dry, and either broil, as in general directions for broiling fish, page , or fry brown in pork fat or drippings. salted shad are treated in the same way. all are better broiled. fried sausages. if in skins, prick them all over with a large darning-needle or fork; throw them into a saucepan of boiling water and boil for one minute. take out, wipe dry, and lay in a hot frying-pan, in which has been melted a tablespoonful of hot lard or drippings. turn often. as soon as brown they are done. if gravy is wanted, stir a tablespoonful of flour into the fat in the pan; add a cup of boiling water, and salt to taste,--about a saltspoonful,--and pour, not _over_, but around the sausages. serve hot. frizzled beef. half a pound of smoked beef cut very thin. this can be just heated in a tablespoonful of hot butter, and then served, or prepared as follows:-- pour boiling water on the beef, and let it stand five minutes. in the meantime melt in a frying-pan one tablespoonful of butter; stir in a tablespoonful of flour, and add slowly half a pint of milk or water. put in the beef which has been taken from the water; cook a few minutes, and add two or three well-beaten eggs, cooking only a minute longer. it can be prepared without eggs, or they may be added to the beef just heated in butter; but the last method is best. veal loaf. three pounds of lean veal and quarter of a pound of salt pork chopped very fine. mince an onion as fine as possible. grate a nutmeg, or use half a teaspoonful of powdered mace, mixing it with an even tablespoonful of salt, and an even saltspoonful of cayenne pepper. add three well-beaten eggs, a teacupful of milk, and a large spoonful of melted butter. mix the ingredients very thoroughly; form into a loaf; cover thickly with sifted bread or cracker crumbs, and bake three hours, basting now and then with a little butter and water. when cold, cut in thin slices, and use for breakfast or tea. it is good for breakfast with baked potatoes, and slices of it are sometimes served around a salad. a glass of wine is sometimes added before baking. meat hash. the english hash is meat cut either in slices or mouthfuls, and warmed in the gravy; and the southern hash is the same. a genuine hash, however, requires potato, and may be made of any sort of meat; cold roast beef being excellent, and cold corned beef best of all. mutton is good; but veal should always be used as a mince, and served on toast as in the rule to be given. chop the meat fine, and allow one-third meat to two-thirds potato. for corned-beef hash the potatoes should be freshly boiled and mashed. for other cold meats finely-chopped cold potatoes will answer. to a quart of the mixture allow a teaspoonful of salt and half a teaspoonful of pepper mixed together, and sprinkled on the meat before chopping. heat a tablespoonful of butter or nice drippings in a frying-pan; moisten the hash with a little cold gravy or water; and heat slowly, stirring often. it may be served on buttered toast when hot, without browning, but is better browned. to accomplish this, first heat through, then set on the back of the stove, and let it stand twenty minutes. fold like an omelet, or turn out in a round, and serve hot. minced veal. chop cold veal fine, picking out all bits of gristle. to a pint-bowlful allow a large cup of boiling water; a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour; a teaspoonful of salt; and a saltspoonful each of pepper and mace. make a _roux_ with the butter and flour, and add the seasoning; put in the veal, and cook five minutes, serving it on buttered toast, made as in directions given for water toast. toast, dry or buttered. not one person in a hundred makes good toast; yet nothing can be simpler. cut the slices of bread evenly, and rather thin. if a wire toaster is used, several can be done at once. hold just far enough from the fire to brown nicely; and turn often, that there may be no scorching. toast to an even, golden brown. no rule will secure this, and only experience and care will teach one just what degree of heat will do it. if to be buttered dry, butter each slice evenly as taken from the fire, and pile on a hot plate. if served without butter, either send to table in a toast-rack, or, if on a plate, do not pile together, but let the slices touch as little as possible, that they may not steam and lose crispness. water toast. have a pan of boiling hot, well-salted water; a teaspoonful to a quart being the invariable rule. dip each slice of toast quickly into this. it must not be _wet_, but only moistened. butter, and pile on a hot plate. poached eggs and minces are served on this form of toast, which is also nice with fricasseed chicken. milk toast. scald a quart of milk in a double boiler, and thicken it with two even tablespoonfuls of corn-starch dissolved in a little cold water, or the same amount of flour. add a teaspoonful of salt, and a heaping tablespoonful of butter. have ready a dozen slices of water toast, which, unless wanted quite rich, needs no butter. pour the thickened milk into a pan, that each slice may be easily dipped into it, and pile them when dipped in a deep dish, pouring the rest of the milk over them. serve very hot. cream is sometimes used instead of milk, in which case no thickening is put in, and only a pint heated with a saltspoonful of salt. * * * * * tea, coffee, etc. for these a cardinal rule has already been given in part i., but can not be enforced too often; viz., the necessity of fresh water boiled, and used as soon as it boils, that the gases which give it character and sparkle may not have had time to escape. tea and coffee both should be kept from the air, but the former even more carefully than the latter, as the delicate flavor evaporates more quickly. tea. to begin with, never use a tin teapot if an earthen one is obtainable. an even teaspoonful of dry tea is the usual allowance for a person. scald the teapot with a little _boiling water_, and pour it off. put in the tea, and pour on not over a cup of boiling water, letting it stand a minute or two for the leaves to swell. then fill with the needed amount of _water still boiling_, this being about a small cupful to a person. cover closely, and let it stand five minutes. ten will be required for english breakfast tea, but _never boil_ either, above all in a tin pot. boiling liberates the tannic acid of the tea, which acts upon the tin, making a compound bitter and metallic in taste, and unfit for human stomachs. coffee. the best coffee is made from a mixture of two-thirds java and one-third mocha; the java giving strength, and the mocha flavor and aroma. the roasting must be very perfectly done. if done at home, constant stirring is necessary to prevent burning; but all good grocers use now rotary roasters, which brown each grain perfectly. buy in small quantities _unground_; keep closely covered; and if the highest flavor is wanted, heat hot before grinding. a noted german chemist claims to have discovered an effectual antidote to the harmful effects of coffee,--an antidote for which he had searched for years. in his experiments he discovered that the fibre of cotton, in its natural state before bleaching, neutralizes the harmful principle of the caffein. to make absolutely harmless coffee which yet has no loss of flavor, it is to be boiled in a bag of unbleached cheese-cloth or something equally porous. in the coffee-pot of his invention, the rounds of cotton are slipped between two cylinders of tin, and the boiling water is poured through once or twice, on the same principle as french filtered coffee. the cloths must be rinsed in hot and then cold water daily and carefully dried; and none are to be used longer than one week, as at the end of that time, even with careful washing, the fibre is saturated with the harmful principle. the same proportions of coffee as those given below are used, and the pot must stand in a hot place while the water filters through. for a quart of coffee allow four heaping tablespoonfuls of coffee when ground. scald the coffee-pot; mix the ground coffee with a little cold water and two or three egg-shells, which can be dried and kept for this purpose. part of a fresh egg with the shell is still better. put into the hot coffee-pot, and pour on one quart of _boiling water_. cover tightly, and boil five minutes; then pour out a cupful to free the spout from grounds, and return this to the pot. let it stand a few minutes to settle, and serve with boiled milk, and cream if it is to be had. never for appearance's sake decant coffee. much of the flavor is lost by turning from one pot into another, and the shapes are now sufficiently pretty to make the block tin ones not at all unpresentable at table. where coffee is required for a large company, allow a pound and a half to a gallon of water. coffee made in a french filter or biggin is considered better by many; but i have preferred to give a rule that may be used with certainty where french cooking utensils are unknown. cocoa, broma, and shells. the directions found on packages of these articles are always reliable. the _cocoa_ or _broma_ should be mixed smoothly with a little boiling water, and added to that in the saucepan; one quart of either requiring a pint each of milk and water, about three tablespoonfuls of cocoa, and a small cup of sugar. a pinch of salt is always a great improvement. boil for half an hour. shells are merely the husk of the cocoa-nut; and a cupful to a quart of boiling water is the amount needed. boil steadily an hour, and use with milk and sugar. chocolate. this rule, though unlike that given in cook-books generally, makes a drink in consistency and flavor like that offered at maillard's or mendee's, the largest chocolate manufacturers in the country. scrape or grate fine two squares (two ounces) of baker's or any unsweetened chocolate. add to this one small cup of sugar and a pinch of salt, and put into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of water. stir for a few minutes till smooth and glossy, and then pour in gradually one pint of milk and one of boiling water. let all boil a minute. dissolve one heaping teaspoonful of corn-starch or arrow-root in a little cold water, and add to the chocolate. boil one minute, and serve. if cream can be had, whip to a stiff froth, allowing two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence to a cup of cream. serve a spoonful laid on the top of the chocolate in each cup. the corn-starch may be omitted, but is necessary to the perfection of this rule, the following of which renders the chocolate not only smooth, but entirely free from any oily particles. flavor is lost by any longer boiling, though usually half an hour has been considered necessary. * * * * * vegetables. potatoes. to be able to boil a potato perfectly is one of the tests of a good cook, there being nothing in the whole range of vegetables which is apparently so difficult to accomplish. like the making of good bread, nothing is simpler when once learned. a good boiled potato should be white, mealy, and served very hot. if the potatoes are old, peel thinly with a sharp knife; cut out all spots, and let them lie in cold water some hours before using. it is more economical to boil before peeling, as the best part of the potato lies next the skin; but most prefer them peeled. put on in boiling water, allowing a teaspoonful of salt to every quart of water. medium-sized potatoes will boil in half an hour. let them be as nearly of a size as possible, and if small and large are cooked at the same time, put on the large ones ten or fifteen minutes before the small. when done, pour off every drop of water; cover with a clean towel, and set on the back of the range to dry for a few minutes before serving. the poorest potato can be made tolerable by this treatment. never let them wait for other things, but time the preparation of dinner so that they will be ready at the moment needed. new potatoes require no peeling, but should merely be well washed and rubbed. mashed potatoes. boil as directed, and when dry and mealy, mash fine with a potato-masher or large spoon, allowing for a dozen medium-sized potatoes a piece of butter the size of an egg, half a cup of milk, a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of white pepper. the milk may be omitted if the potato is preferred dry. pile lightly in a dish, or smooth over, and serve at once. never brown in the oven, as it destroys the good flavor. potato snow. mash as above, and rub through a colander into a very hot dish, being careful not to press it down in any way, and serve hot as possible. baked potatoes. wash and scrub carefully, as some persons eat the skin. a large potato requires an hour to bake. their excellence depends upon being eaten the moment they are done. potatoes with beef. pare, and lay in cold water at least an hour. an hour before a roast of beef is done, lay in the pan, and baste them when the beef is basted. they are very nice. potato croquettes. cold mashed potatoes may be used, but fresh is better. to half a dozen potatoes, mashed as in directions given, allow quarter of a saltspoonful each of mace or nutmeg and cayenne pepper, and one beaten egg. make in little balls or rolls; egg and crumb, and fry in boiling lard. drain on brown paper, and serve like chicken croquettes. sweet potatoes. wash carefully, and boil without peeling from three-quarters of an hour to an hour. peel, and dry in the oven ten minutes. they are better baked, requiring about an hour for medium-sized ones. beets. winter beets should be soaked over-night. wash them carefully; but never peel or even prick them, as color and sweetness would be lost. put in boiling, salted water. young beets will cook in two hours; old ones require five or six. peel, and if large, cut in slices, putting a little butter on each one. they can be served cold in a little vinegar. parsnips. wash, and scrape clean; cut lengthwise in halves, and boil an hour, or two if very old. serve whole with a little drawn butter, or mash fine, season well, allowing to half a dozen large parsnips a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and a tablespoonful of butter. parsnip fritters. three large parsnips boiled and mashed fine, adding two well-beaten eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, two tablespoonfuls of milk, and one heaping one of flour. drop in spoonfuls, and fry brown in a little hot butter. _oyster-plant_ fritters are made in the same way. oyster-plant stewed. scrape, and throw at once into cold water with a little vinegar in it, to keep them from turning black. cut in small pieces, or boil whole for an hour. mash fine, and make like parsnip fritters; or drain the pieces dry, and serve with drawn butter. carrots. carrots are most savory boiled with corned beef for two hours. they may also be boiled plain, cut in slices, and served with drawn butter. for old carrots not less than two hours will be necessary. plenty of water must be used, and when cold the carrots are to be cut in dice. melt in a saucepan a spoonful of butter; add half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of sugar, and when the butter boils put in the carrots, and stir till heated through. pile them in the centre of a platter, and put around them a can of french peas, which have been cooked in only a spoonful of water, with a teaspoonful of sugar, a spoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of pepper. this is a pretty and excellent dish, and substantial as meat. a cup of stock can be added to the carrots if desired, but they are better without it. turnips. pare and cut in quarters. boil in well-salted water for an hour, or until tender. drain off the water, and let them stand a few minutes to dry; then mash fine, allowing for about a quart a teaspoonful of salt, half a one of pepper, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. or they may be left in pieces, and served with drawn butter. cabbage. wash, and look over very carefully, and lay in cold water an hour. cut in quarters, and boil with corned beef an hour, or till tender, or with a small piece of salt pork. drain, and serve whole as possible. a much nicer way is to boil in well-salted water, changing it once after the first half-hour. boil an hour; take up and drain; chop fine, and add a teacupful of milk, a piece of butter the size of an egg, a teaspoonful of salt, and half a one of pepper. serve very hot. for cabbage virginia fashion, and the best of fashions, too, bake this last form in a buttered pudding-dish, having first stirred in two or three well-beaten eggs, and covered the top with bread-crumbs. bake till brown. cauliflower. wash and trim, and boil in a bag made of mosquito-netting to keep it whole. boil steadily in well-salted water for one hour. dish carefully, and pour over it a nice drawn butter. any cold remains may be used as salad, or chopped and baked, as in rule for baked cabbage. onions. if milk is plenty, use equal quantities of skim-milk and water, allowing a quart of each for a dozen or so large onions. if water alone is used, change it after the first half-hour, as this prevents their turning dark; salting as for all vegetables, and boiling young onions one hour; old ones, two. either chop fine, and add a spoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a little pepper, or serve them whole in a dressing made by heating one cup of milk with the same butter and other seasoning as when chopped. put the onions in a hot dish, pour this over them, and serve. they may also be half boiled; then put in a buttered dish, covered with this sauce and a layer of bread-crumbs, and baked for an hour. winter squash. cut in two, and take out the seeds and fiber. half will probably be enough to cook at once. cut this in pieces; pare off the rind, and lay each piece in a steamer. never boil in water if it can be avoided, as it must be as dry as possible. steam for two hours. mash fine, or run through a vegetable sifter, and, for a quart or so of squash, allow a piece of butter the size of an egg, a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper. serve very hot. summer squash, or cimlins. steam as directed above, taking out the seeds, but not peeling them. mash through a colander; season, and serve hot. if very young, the seeds are often cooked in them. half an hour will be sufficient. pease. shell, and put over in boiling, salted water, to which a teaspoonful of sugar has been added. boil till tender, half an hour or a little more. drain off the water; add a piece of butter the size of an egg, and a saltspoonful of salt. if the pease are old, put a bit of soda the size of a pea in the water. field pease. these are generally used after drying. soak over-night, and boil two hours, or till tender, with or without a small piece of bacon. if without, butter as for green pease. or they can be mashed fine, rubbed through a sieve, and then seasoned, adding a pinch of cayenne pepper. in virginia they are often boiled, mashed a little, and fried in a large cake. succotash. boil green corn and beans separately. cut the corn from the cob, and season both as in either alone. a nicer way, however, is to score the rows in half a dozen ears of corn; scrape off the corn; add a pint of lima or any nice green bean, and boil one hour in a quart of boiling water, with one teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, and a saltspoonful of pepper. let the water boil away to about a cupful; add a spoonful of butter, and serve in a hot dish. many, instead of butter, use with it a small piece of pork,--about quarter of a pound; but it is better without. a spoonful of cream may be added. canned corn and beans may be used; and even dried beans and coarse hominy--the former well soaked, and both boiled together three hours--are very good. string beans. string, cut in bits, and boil an hour if very young. if old, an hour and an half, or even two, may be needed. drain off the water, and season like green pease. shelled beans. any green bean may be used in this way, lima and butter beans being the nicest. put on in boiling, salted water, and boil not less than one hour. season like string beans. green corn. husk, and pick off all the silk. boil in well-salted water, and serve on the cob, wrapped in a napkin, or cut off and seasoned like beans. cutting down through each row gives, when scraped off, the kernel without the hull. green-corn fritters. one pint of green corn grated. this will require about six ears. mix with this, half a cup of milk, two well-beaten eggs, half a cup of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a tablespoonful of melted butter. fry in very small cakes in a little hot butter, browning well on both sides. serve very hot. corn pudding. one pint of cut or grated corn, one pint of milk, two well-beaten eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper. butter a pudding-dish, and bake the mixture half an hour. canned corn can be used in the same way. egg-plant. peel, cut in slices half an inch thick, and lay them in well-salted water for an hour. wipe dry; dip in flour or meal, and fry brown on each side. fifteen minutes will be needed to cook sufficiently. the slices can be egged and crumbed before frying, and are nicer than when merely floured. egg-plant fritters. peel the egg-plant, and take out the seeds. boil for an hour in well-salted water. drain as dry as possible; mash fine, and prepare precisely like corn fritters. baked egg-plant. peel, and cut out a piece from the top; remove the seeds, and fill the space with a dressing like that for ducks, fitting in the piece cut out. bake an hour, basting with a spoonful of butter melted in a cup of water, and dredging with flour between each basting. it is very nice. asparagus. wash, and cut off almost all of the white end. tie up in small bundles; put into boiling, salted water, and cook till tender,--about half an hour, or more if old. make some slices of water toast, as in rule given, using the water in which the asparagus was boiled; lay the slices on a hot platter, and the asparagus upon them, pouring a spoonful of melted butter over it. the asparagus may be cut in little bits, and, when boiled, a drawn butter poured over it, or served on toast, as when left whole. cold asparagus may be cut fine, and used in an omelet, or simply warmed over. spinach. not less than a peck is needed for a dinner for three or four. pick over carefully, wash, and let it lie in cold water an hour or two. put on in boiling, salted water, and boil an hour, or until tender. take up in a colander, that it may drain perfectly. have in a hot dish a piece of butter the size of an egg, half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and, if liked, a tablespoonful of vinegar. chop the spinach fine, and put in the dish, stirring in this dressing thoroughly. a teacupful of cream is often added. any tender greens, beet or turnip tops, kale, &c., are treated in this way; kale, however, requiring two hours' boiling. artichokes. cut off the outside leaves; trim the bottom; throw into boiling, salted water, with a teaspoonful of vinegar in it, and boil an hour. season, and serve like turnips, or with drawn butter poured over them. tomatoes stewed. pour on boiling water to take off the skins; cut in pieces, and stew slowly for half an hour; adding for a dozen tomatoes a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of sugar. where they are preferred sweet, two tablespoonfuls of sugar will be necessary. they may be thickened with a tablespoonful of flour or corn-starch dissolved in a little cold water, or with half a cup of rolled cracker or bread crumbs. canned tomatoes are stewed in the same way. baked tomatoes. take off the skins; lay the tomatoes in a buttered pudding-dish; put a bit of butter on each one. mix a teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper, with a cup of bread or cracker crumbs, and cover the top. bake an hour. or cut the tomatoes in bits, and put a layer of them and one of seasoned crumbs, ending with crumbs. dot the top with bits of butter, that it may brown well, and bake in the same way. canned tomatoes are almost equally good. thin slices of well-buttered bread may be used instead of crumbs. fried tomatoes. cut in thick slices. mix in a plate half a teacupful of flour, a saltspoonful of salt, and half a one of pepper; and dip each slice in this, frying brown in hot butter. broiled tomatoes. prepare as for frying, and broil in a wire broiler, putting a bit of butter on each slice when brown, and serving on a hot dish or on buttered toast. rice. wash in cold water, changing it at least twice. it is better if allowed to soak an hour. drain, and throw into a good deal of boiling, salted water, allowing not less than two quarts to a cupful of rice. boil twenty minutes, stirring now and then. pour into a colander, that every drop of water may drain off, and then set it at the back of the stove to dry for ten minutes. in this way every grain is distinct, yet perfectly tender. if old, half an hour's boiling may be required. test by biting a grain at the end of twenty minutes. if tender, it is done. rice croquettes. where used as a vegetable with dinner, to a pint of cold boiled rice allow a tablespoonful of melted butter and one or two well-beaten eggs. mix thoroughly. a pinch of cayenne or a little chopped parsley may be added. make in the shape of corks; egg and crumb, and fry a golden brown. macaroni. never wash macaroni if it can be avoided. break in lengths of three or four inches and throw into boiling, salted water, allowing quarter of a pound for a dinner for three or four. boil for half an hour, and drain off the water. it may be served plain with tomato sauce, or simply buttered, or with drawn butter poured over it. macaroni with cheese. boil as directed. make a pint of white sauce or _roux_, as on p. , using milk if it can be had, though water answers. have a cupful of good grated cheese. butter a pudding-dish. put in a layer of macaroni, one of sauce, and one of cheese, ending with cheese. dust the top with sifted bread or cracker crumbs, dot with bits of butter, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven. it can be baked in the same way without cheese, or with simply a cup of milk and two eggs added, making a sort of pudding. * * * * * bread and breakfast cakes. bread-making and flour. much of the health, and consequently much of the happiness, of the family depends upon good bread: therefore no pains should be spared in learning the best method of making, which will prove easiest in the end. yeast, flour, kneading, and baking must each be perfect, and nothing in the whole range of cooking is of such prime importance. once master the problem of yeast, and the first form of wheat bread, and endless varieties of both bread and breakfast cakes can be made. the old and the new process flour--the former being known as the st. louis, and the latter as haxall flour--are now to be had at all good grocers; and from either good bread may be made, though that from the latter keeps moist longer. potapsco flour is of the same quality as the st. louis. it contains more starch than the st. louis, and for this reason requires, even more than that, the use in the family of coarser or graham flour at the same time; white bread alone not being as nutritious or strengthening, for reasons given in part i. graham flour is fast being superseded by a much better form, prepared principally by the health food company in new york, in which the entire grain, save the husk, is ground as fine as the ordinary flour, thus doing away with the coarseness that many have objected to in graham bread. flour made by the new process swells more than that by the old, and a little less quantity--about an eighth less--is therefore required in mixing and kneading. as definite rules as possible are given for the whole operation; but experience alone can insure perfect bread, changes of temperature affecting it at once, and baking being also a critical point. pans made of thick tin, or, better still, of russia iron, ten inches long, four or five wide, and four deep, make the best-shaped loaf, and one requiring a reasonably short time to bake. yeast. ingredients: one teacupful of lightly broken hops; one pint of sifted flour; one cupful of sugar; one tablespoonful of salt; four large or six medium-sized potatoes; and two quarts of boiling water. boil the potatoes, and mash them fine. at the same time, having tied the hops in a little bag, boil them for half an hour in the two quarts of water, but in another saucepan. mix the flour, sugar, and salt well together in a large mixing-bowl, and pour on the boiling hop-water, stirring constantly. now add enough of this to the mashed potato to thin it till it can be poured, and mix all together, straining it through a sieve to avoid any possible lumps. add to this, when cool, either a cupful of yeast left from the last, or of baker's yeast, or a twin brothers' yeast cake dissolved in a little warm water. let it stand till partly light, and then stir down two or three times in the course of five or six hours, as this makes it stronger. at the end of that time it will be light. keep in a covered stone jar, or in glass cans. by stirring in corn-meal till a dough is made, and then forming it in small cakes and drying in the sun, _dry yeast_ is made, which keeps better than the liquid in hot weather. crumb, and soak in warm water half an hour before using. _potato yeast_ is made by omitting hops and flour, but mashing the potatoes fine with the same proportion of other ingredients, and adding the old yeast, when cool, as before. it is very nice, but must be made fresh every week; while the other, kept in a cool place, will be good a month. bread. for four loaves of bread of the pan-size given above, allow as follows: four quarts of flour; one large cup of yeast; one tablespoonful of salt, one of sugar, and one of butter or lard; one pint of milk mixed with one of warm water, or one quart of water alone for the "wetting." sift the flour into a large pan or bowl. put the sugar, salt, and butter in the bottom of the bread pan or bowl, and pour on a spoonful or two of boiling water, enough to dissolve all. add the quart of wetting, and the yeast. now stir in slowly two quarts of the flour; cover with a cloth, and set in a temperature of about ° to rise until morning. bread mixed at nine in the evening will be ready to mould into loaves or rolls by six the next morning. in summer it would be necessary to find a cool place; in winter a warm one,--the chief point being to keep the temperature _even_. if mixed early in the morning, it is ready to mold and bake in the afternoon, from seven to eight hours being all it should stand. this first mixture is called a _sponge_; and, if only a loaf of graham or rye bread is wanted, one quart of it can be measured, and thickened with other flour as in the rules given hereafter. to finish as _wheat bread_, stir in enough flour from the two quarts remaining to make a dough. flour the molding-board very thickly, and turn out. now begin kneading, flouring the hands, but after the dough is gathered into a smooth lump, using as little flour as may be. knead with the palm of the hand as much as possible. the dough quickly becomes a flat cake. fold it over, and keep on, kneading not less than twenty minutes; half an hour being better. make into loaves; put into the pans; set them in a warm place, and let them rise from thirty to forty-five minutes, or till they have become nearly double in size. bake in an oven hot enough to brown a teaspoonful of flour in one minute; spreading the flour on a bit of broken plate, that it may have an even heat. loaves of this size will bake in from forty-five to sixty minutes. then take them from the pans; wrap in thick cloths kept for the purpose and stand them, tilted up against the pans till cold. never lay hot bread on a pine table, as it will sweat, and absorb the pitchy odor and taste; but tilt, so that air may pass around it freely. keep well covered in a tin box or large stone pot, which should be wiped out every day or two, and scalded and dried thoroughly now and then. pans for wheat bread should be greased very lightly; for graham or rye, much more, as the dough sticks and clings. instead of mixing a sponge, all the flour may be molded in and kneaded at once, and the dough set to rise in the same way. when light, turn out. use as little flour as possible, and knead for fifteen minutes; less time being required, as part of the kneading has already been done. graham bread. one quart of wheat sponge; one even quart of graham flour; half a teacupful of brown sugar or molasses; half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little hot water; and half a teaspoonful of salt. pour the sponge in a deep bowl; stir in the molasses, &c, and lastly the flour, which must never be sifted. the mixture should be so stiff, that the spoon moves with difficulty. bake in two loaves for an hour or an hour and a quarter, graham requiring longer baking than wheat. if no sponge can be spared, make as follows: one pint of milk or water; half a cup of sugar or molasses; half a cup of yeast; one teaspoonful of salt; one cup of wheat flour; two cups of graham. warm the milk or water; add the yeast and other ingredients, and then the flour; and set in a cool place--about ° fahrenheit--over-night, graham bread souring more easily than wheat. early in the morning stir well; put into two deep, well-greased pans; let it rise an hour in a warm place, and bake one hour. graham muffins. these are made by the same rule as the bread. fill the muffin-pans two-thirds full; let them rise till even with the top of the pans, which will take about an hour; and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes. to make them a little nicer, a large spoonful of melted butter may be added, and two beaten eggs. this will require longer to rise, as butter clogs the air-cells, and makes the working of the yeast slower. the quantities given for bread will make two dozen muffins. rye bread. this bread is made by nearly the same rule as the graham, either using wheat sponge, or setting one over-night, but is kneaded slightly. follow the rule just given, substituting rye for graham, but use enough rye to make a dough which can be turned out. it will take a quart. use wheat flour for the molding-board and hands, as rye is very sticky; and knead only long enough to get into good shape. raise, and bake as in rule for graham bread. rye muffins. make by above rule, but use only one pint of rye flour, adding two eggs and a spoonful of melted butter, and baking in the same way. a set of earthen cups are excellent for both these and graham muffins, as the heat in baking is more even. they are used also for pop-overs, sunderland puddings, and some small cakes. brown bread. sift together into a deep bowl one even cup of indian meal, two heaping cups of rye flour, one even teaspoonful of salt, and one of soda. to one pint of hot water add one cup of molasses, and stir till well mixed. make a hole in the middle of the meal, and stir in the molasses and water, beating all till smooth. butter a tin pudding-boiler, or a three-pint tin pail, and put in the mixture, setting the boiler into a kettle or saucepan of boiling water. boil steadily for four hours, keeping the water always at the same level. at the end of that time, take out the boiler, and set in the oven for fifteen minutes to dry and form a crust. turn out, and serve hot. milk may be used instead of water, or the same mixture raised over-night with half a cup of yeast, and then steamed. plain rolls. a pint-bowlful of bread dough will make twelve small rolls. increase amount of dough if more are desired. flour the molding-board lightly, and work into the dough a piece of butter or lard the size of an egg. knead not less than fifteen minutes, and cut into round cakes, which may be flattened and folded over, if folded or pocket rolls are wanted. in this case put a bit of butter or lard the size of a pea between the folds. for a cleft or french roll make the dough into small round balls, and press a knife-handle almost through the center of each. put them about an inch apart in well-buttered pans, and let them rise an hour and a half before baking. they require more time to rise than large loaves, as, being small, heat penetrates them almost at once, and thus there is very little rising in the oven. bake in a quick oven twenty minutes. parker-house rolls. two quarts of flour; one pint of milk; butter the size of an egg; one tablespoonful of sugar; one teacupful of good yeast; one teaspoonful of salt. boil the milk, and add the butter, salt, and sugar. sift the flour into a deep bowl, and, when the milk is merely blood-warm, stir together with enough of the flour to form a batter or sponge. do this at nine or ten in the evening, and set in a cool place, from ° to °. next morning about nine mix in the remainder of the flour; turn on to the molding-board; and knead for twenty minutes, using as little flour as possible. return to the bowl, and set in cool place again till about four in the afternoon. knead again for fifteen minutes; roll out, and cut into rounds, treating them as in plain rolls. let them rise one hour, and bake twenty minutes. one kneading makes a good breakfast roll; but, to secure the peculiar delicacy of a "parker-house," two are essential, and they are generally baked as a folded or pocket roll. if baked round, make the dough into a long roll on the board; cut off small pieces, and make into round balls with the hand, setting them well apart in the pan. soda and cream of tartar biscuit. one quart of flour; one even teaspoonful of salt; one teaspoonful of soda, and two of cream of tartar; a piece of lard or butter the size of an egg; and a large cup of milk or water. mix the soda, cream of tartar, and salt with the flour, having first mashed them fine, and sift all together twice. rub the shortening in with the hands till perfectly fine. add the milk; mix and roll out as quickly as possible; cut in rounds, and bake in a quick oven. if properly made, they are light as puffs; but their success depends upon thorough and rapid mixing and baking. baking-powder biscuit. make as above, using two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, instead of the soda and cream of tartar. beaten biscuit. three pints of sifted flour; one cup of lard; one teaspoonful of salt. rub the lard and flour well together, and make into a very stiff dough with about a cup of milk or water: a little more may be necessary. beat the dough with a rolling-pin for half an hour, or run through the little machine that comes for the purpose. make into small biscuit, prick several times, and bake till brown. wafers. one pint of sifted flour; a piece of butter the size of a walnut; half a teaspoonful of salt. rub butter and flour together, and make into dough with half a cup of warm milk. beat half an hour with the rolling-pin. then take a bit of it no larger than a nut, and roll to the size of a saucer. they can not be too thin. flour the pans lightly, and bake in a quick oven from five to ten minutes. waffles. one pint of flour; one teaspoonful of baking powder; half a teaspoonful of salt; three eggs; butter the size of an egg; and one and a quarter cups of milk. sift salt and baking powder with the flour; rub in the butter. mix and add the beaten yolks and milk, and last stir in the whites which have been beaten to a stiff froth. bake at once in well-greased waffle-irons. by using two cups of milk, the mixture is right for pancakes. if sour milk is used, substitute soda for the baking powder. sour cream makes delicious waffles. rice or hominy waffles. one pint of warm boiled rice or hominy; one cup of sweet or sour milk; butter the size of a walnut; three eggs; one teaspoonful of salt and one of soda sifted with one pint of flour. stir rice and milk together; add the beaten yolks; then the flour, and last the whites beaten stiff. by adding a small cup more of milk, rice pancakes can be made. boiled oatmeal or wheaten grits may be substituted for the rice. breakfast puffs or pop-overs. one pint of flour, one pint of milk, and one egg. stir the milk into the flour; beat the egg very light, and add it, stirring it well in. meantime have a set of gem-pans well buttered, heating in the oven. put in the dough (the material is enough for a dozen puffs), and bake for half an hour in a _very hot oven_. this is one of the simplest but most delicate breakfast cakes made. ignorant cooks generally spoil several batches by persisting in putting in baking powder or soda, as they can not believe that the puffs will rise without. short-cake. one quart of flour; one teaspoonful of salt and two of baking powder sifted with the flour; one cup of butter, or half lard and half butter; one large cup of hot milk. rub the butter into the flour. add the milk, and roll out the dough, cutting in small square cakes and baking to a light brown. for a strawberry or peach short-cake have three tin pie-plates buttered; roll the dough to fit them, and bake quickly. fill either, when done, with a quart of strawberries or raspberries mashed with a cup of sugar, or with peaches cut fine and sugared, and served hot. corn bread. two cups of corn meal; one cup of flour; one teaspoonful of soda and one of salt; one heaping tablespoonful of butter; a teacup full of sugar; three eggs; two cups of sour milk, the more creamy the better. if sweet milk is used, substitute baking powder for soda. sift meal, flour, soda, and salt together; beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar; add the milk, and stir into the meal; melt the butter, and stir in, beating hard for five minutes. beat the whites stiff, and stir in, and bake at once either in one large, round loaf, or in tin pie-plates. the loaf will need half an hour or a little more; the pie-plates, not over twenty minutes. this can be baked as muffins, or, by adding another cup of milk, becomes a pancake mixture. hoe-cake. one quart of corn meal; one teaspoon full of salt; one tablespoonful of melted lard; one large cup of boiling water. melt the lard in the water. mix the salt with the meal, and pour on the water, stirring it into a dough. when cool, make either into one large oval cake or two smaller ones, and bake in the oven to a bright brown, which will take about half an hour; or make in small cakes, and bake slowly on a griddle, browning well on each side. genuine hoe-cake is baked before an open fire on a board. buckwheat cakes. two cups of buckwheat flour; one of wheat flour; one of corn meal; half a cup of yeast; one teaspoonful of salt; one quart of boiling water. mix the corn meal and salt, and pour on the boiling water very slowly, that the meal may swell. as soon as merely warm, stir in the sifted flour and yeast. all buckwheat may be used, instead of part wheat flour. beat well, cover, and put in a cool place,--about °. in the morning stir well, and add half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water. grease the griddle with a bit of salt pork on a fork, or a _very little_ drippings rubbed over it evenly, but never have it floating with fat, as many cooks do. drop in large spoonfuls, and bake and serve _few at a time_, or they will become heavy and unfit to eat. if a cupful of the batter is saved, no yeast need be used for the next baking, and in cold weather this can be done for a month. huckleberry cake. one quart of flour; one teaspoonful of salt and two of baking powder sifted with the flour; one pint of huckleberries; half a cup of butter; two eggs; two cups of sweet milk; two cups of sugar. cream the butter, and add the sugar and yolks of eggs; stir in the milk, and add the flour slowly; then beating the whites of the eggs stiff, and adding them. have the huckleberries picked over, washed, dried, and well dusted with flour. stir them in last of all; fill the pans three-quarters full, and bake in a moderate oven for about half an hour. apple cake. make as above; but, instead of huckleberries, use one pint of sour, tender apples, cut in thin slices. it is a delicious breakfast or tea cake. brown-bread brewis. dry all bits of crust or bread in the oven, browning them nicely. to a pint of these, allow one quart of milk, half a cup of butter, and a teaspoonful of salt. boil the milk; add the butter and salt, and then the browned bread, and simmer slowly for fifteen minutes, or until perfectly soft. it is very nice. bits of white bread or sea biscuit can be used in the same way. crisped crackers. split large soft crackers, what is called the "boston cracker" being best; butter them well as for eating; lay the buttered halves in baking-pans, and brown in a quick oven. good at any meal. sour bread. if, by any mishap, bread has soured a little, make into water toast or brewis, adding a teaspoonful of soda to the water or milk. to use dry bread. brown in the oven every scrap that is left, seeing that it does not scorch. roll while hot and crisp, and sift, using the fine crumbs for croquettes, &c., and the coarser ones for puddings and pancakes. keep dry in glass jars; or tin cans will answer. bread pancakes. one cup of coarse crumbs, soaked over-night in a quart of warm milk, or milk and water. in the morning mash fine, and run through a sieve. add three eggs well beaten, half a cup of flour, a large spoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, and, if liked, a little nutmeg. if the bread was in the least sour, add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water. bake like pancakes, but more slowly. to freshen stale bread or rolls. wrap in a cloth, and steam for ten or fifteen minutes in a steamer. then dry in the oven. rolls or biscuits may have the top crust wet with a little melted butter, and then brown a minute after steaming. * * * * * cake. cake-making. in all cake-making, see that every thing is ready to your hand,--pans buttered, or papered if necessary; flour sifted; all spices and other materials on your working-table; and the fire in good order. no matter how plain the cake, there is a certain order in mixing, which, if followed, produces the best result from the materials used; and this order is easily reduced to rules. first, always cream the butter; that is, stir it till light and creamy. if very cold, heat the bowl a little, but never enough to melt, only to soften the butter. second, add the sugar to the butter, and mix thoroughly. third, if eggs are used, beat yolks and whites separately for a delicate cake; add yolks to sugar and butter, and beat together a minute. for a plain cake, beat yolks and whites together (a dover egg-beater doing this better than any thing else can), and add to butter and sugar. fourth, if milk is used, add this. fifth, stir in the measure of flour little by little, and beat smooth. flavoring may be added at any time. if dry spices are used, mix them with the sugar. always sift baking powder with the flour. if soda and cream of tartar are used, sift the cream of tartar with the flour, and dissolve the soda in a little milk or warm water. for very delicate cakes, powdered sugar is best. for gingerbreads and small cakes or cookies, light brown answers. where fruit cake is to be made, raisins should be stoned and chopped, and currants washed and dried, the day beforehand. a cup of currants being a nice and inexpensive addition to buns or any plain cake, it is well to prepare several pounds at once, drying thoroughly, and keeping in glass jars. being the very dirtiest article known to the storeroom, currants require at least three washings in warm water, rubbing them well in the hands. then spread them out on a towel, and proceed to pick out all the sticks, grit, small stones, and legs and wings to be found; then put the fruit into a slow oven, and dry it carefully, that none may scorch. in baking, a moderate oven is one in which a teaspoonful of flour will brown while you count thirty; a quick one, where but twelve can be counted. the "cup" used in all these receipts is the ordinary kitchen cup, holding half a pint. the measures of flour are, in all cases, of _sifted flour_, which can be sifted by the quantity, and kept in a wooden pail. "prepared flour" is especially nice for doughnuts and plain cakes. no great variety of receipts is given, as every family is sure to have one enthusiastic cake-maker who gleans from all sources; and this book aims to give fuller space to substantials than to sweets. half the energy spent by many housekeepers upon cake would insure the perfect bread, which, nine times out of ten, is not found upon their tables, and success in which they count an impossibility. if cake is to be made, however, let it be done in the most perfect way; seeing only that bread is first irreproachable. sponge cake. one pound of the finest granulated, or of powdered, sugar; half a pound of sifted flour; ten eggs; grated rind of two lemons, and the juice of one; and a saltspoonful of salt. break the eggs, yolks and whites separately, and beat the yolks to a creamy froth. beat the whites till they can be turned upside down without spilling. put yolks and whites together, and beat till blended; then add the sugar slowly; then the lemon rind and juice and the salt, and last the flour. whisk together as lightly and quickly as possible. turn into either three buttered bread-pans of the size given on p. , or bake in a large loaf, as preferred. fill the pans two-thirds full, and, when in the oven, do not open it for ten minutes. bake about half an hour, and test by running a clean broom-straw into the loaf. if it comes out dry, they are done. turn out, and cool on a sieve, or on the pans turned upside down. rolled jelly cake. three eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately; one heaped cup of sugar; one scant cup of flour in which a teaspoonful of baking powder and a pinch of salt have been sifted; quarter of a cup of boiling water. mix as in sponge cake; add the water last, and bake in a large roasting-pan, spreading the batter as thinly as possible. it will bake in ten minutes. when done, and while still hot, spread with any acid jelly, and roll carefully from one side. this cake is nice for lining charlotte-russe molds also. for that purpose the water may be omitted, its only use being to make the cake roll more easily. cup cake. one cup of butter; two cups of sugar; four eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately; one cup of milk; three and a half cups of flour; a grated nutmeg, or a teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon; and a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. cream the butter; add the sugar, and then the yolks; then the milk and the whites, and last the flour, in which the baking powder has been sifted. bake half an hour, either in two brick loaves or one large one. it is nice, also, baked in little tins. half may be flavored with essence, and the other half with a teaspoonful of mixed spice,--half cinnamon, and the rest mace and allspice. by using a heaping tablespoonful of yellow ginger, this becomes a delicious sugar gingerbread, or, with mixed spices and ginger, a spice gingerbread. this cake with the variations upon it makes up page after page in the large cook-books. use but half a cup of butter, and you have a plain _cup cake_. add a cup of currants and one of chopped raisins, and it is plain _fruit cake_, needing to bake one hour. bake on washington-pie tins, and you have the foundation for _cream_ and _jelly cakes_. a little experience, and then invention, will show you how varied are the combinations, and how one page in your cook-book can do duty for twenty. pound cake. one pound of sugar; one pound of flour; three-quarters of a pound of butter; nine eggs; one teaspoonful of baking powder, and one of lemon extract; one nutmeg grated. cream the butter, and add half the flour, sifting the baking powder with the other half. beat the yolks to a creamy foam, and add; and then the sugar, beating hard. have the whites a stiff froth, and stir in, adding flavoring and remainder of flour. bake in one large loaf for one hour, letting the oven be moderate. frost, if liked. fruit cake. one pound of butter; one pound of sugar; one pound and a quarter of sifted flour; ten eggs; two nutmegs grated; a tablespoonful each of ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice; a teaspoonful of soda; a cup of brandy or wine, and one of dark molasses; one pound of citron; two pounds of stoned and chopped raisins, and two of currants washed and dried. dredge the prepared fruit with enough of the flour to coat it thoroughly. to have the cake very dark and rich looking, brown the flour a little, taking great care not to scorch it. cream the butter, and add the sugar, in which the spices have been mixed; then the beaten yolks of eggs; then the whites beaten to a stiff froth, and the flour. dissolve the soda in a very little warm water, and add. now stir in the fruit. have either one large, round pan, or two smaller ones. put at least three thicknesses of buttered letter-paper on the sides and bottom; turn in the mixture, and bake for three hours in a moderate oven. cover with thick paper if there is the least danger of scorching. this will keep, if well frosted, for two years. dover cake. one pound of flour; one pound of sugar; half a pound of butter; one teacup of milk; six eggs; one teaspoonful of baking powder; one grated nutmeg. cream the butter; add first sugar, then beaten yolks of eggs and milk, then whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and last the flour. bake forty-five minutes in a large dripping-pan, sifting fine sugar over the top, and cut in small squares; or it may be baked in one round loaf, and frosted on the bottom, or in small tins. half a pound of citron cut fine is often added. white or silver cake. half a cup of butter; a heaping cupful of powdered sugar; two cups of flour, with a teaspoonful of baking powder sifted in; half a cup of milk; whites of six eggs; one teaspoonful of almond extract. cream the butter, and add the flour, beating till it is a smooth paste. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and add the sugar and essence. now mix both quickly, and bake in a sheet about an inch and a half thick. about half an hour will be needed. frost while hot, with one white of egg, beaten ten minutes with a small cup of sifted powdered sugar, and juice of half a lemon. this frosting hardens very quickly. before it is quite hard, divide it into oblong or square pieces, scoring at intervals with the back of a large knife. the milk can be omitted if a richer cake is wanted. it may also be baked in jelly-cake tins; one small cocoanut grated, and mixed with one cup of sugar, and spread between, and the whole frosted. or beat the white of an egg with one cup of sugar, and the juice of one large or two small oranges, and spread between. either form is delicious. gold cake. one cup of sugar; half a cup of butter; two cups of flour; yolks of six eggs; grated rind and juice of a lemon or orange; half a teaspoonful of soda, mixed with the flour, and sifted twice. cream the butter; add the sugar, then the beaten yolks and the flour, beating hard for several minutes. last, add the lemon or orange juice, and bake like silver cake; frosting, if liked. if frosting is made for either or both cakes, the extra yolks may be used in making this one, eight being still nicer than six. bread cake. two cups or a pint-bowlful of raised dough ready for baking; one cup of butter; two cups of sugar; one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, or half a nutmeg grated; three eggs; one teaspoonful of soda in quarter of a cup of warm water, and half a cup of flour. cream the butter, and add the sugar. then put in the bread dough, and work together till well mixed. the hand is best for this, though it can be done with a wooden spoon. add the eggs, then the flour, and last the soda. let it stand in a warm place for one hour, and bake in a moderate oven forty-five minutes, testing with a broom-straw. a pound of stoned and chopped raisins is a nice addition. omitting them, and adding flour enough to roll out, makes an excellent raised doughnut or bun. let it rise two hours; then cut in shapes, and fry in boiling lard. or, for buns, bake in a quick oven, and, a minute before taking out, brush the top with a spoonful of sugar and milk mixed together. plain buns. one pint-bowlful of dough; one cup of sugar; butter the size of an egg; one teaspoonful of cinnamon. boll the dough thin. spread the butter upon it. mix sugar and cinnamon together, and sprinkle on it. now turn over the edges of the dough carefully to keep the sugar in, and press and work gently for a few minutes, that it may not break through. knead till thoroughly mixed. roll out; cut like biscuit, and let them rise an hour, baking in a quick oven. the same rule can be used for raised doughnuts. doughnuts. first put on the lard, and let it be heating gradually. to test it when hot, drop in a bit of bread; if it browns as you count twenty, it is right. never let it boil furiously, or scorch. this is the rule for all frying, whether fritters, croquettes, or cakes. one quart of flour into which has been sifted a teaspoonful of salt, and one of soda if sour milk is used, or two of baking powder if sweet milk. if cream can be had, use part cream, allowing one large cup of milk, or cream and milk. one heaping cup of fine brown sugar; one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, and half a one of mace or nutmeg; use one spoonful of butter, if you have no cream, stirring it into the sugar. add two or three beaten eggs; mixing all as in general directions for cake. they can be made without eggs. roll out; cut in shapes, and fry brown, taking them out with a fork into a sieve set over a pan that all fat may drain off. cut thin, and baked brown in a quick oven, these make a good plain cooky. ginger snaps. one cup of butter and lard or dripping mixed, or dripping alone can be used; one cup of molasses; one cup of brown sugar; two teaspoonfuls of ginger, and one each of clove, allspice, and mace; one teaspoonful of salt, and one of soda dissolved in half a cup of hot water; one egg. stir together the shortening, sugar, molasses, and spice. add the soda, and then sifted flour enough to make a dough,--about three pints. turn on to the board, and knead well. take about quarter of it, and roll out thin as a knife-blade. bake in a quick oven. they will bake in five minutes, and will keep for months. by using only four cups of flour, this can be baked in a loaf as spiced gingerbread; or it can be rolled half an inch thick, and baked as a cooky. in this, as in all cakes, experience will teach you many variations. plain gingerbread. two cups of molasses; one of sour milk; half a cup of lard or drippings; four cups of flour; two teaspoonfuls of ginger, and one of cinnamon; half a teaspoonful of salt; one egg, and a teaspoonful of soda. mix molasses and shortening; add the spice and egg, then the milk, and last the flour, with soda sifted in it. bake at once in a sheet about an inch thick for half an hour. try with a broom-straw. good hot for lunch with chocolate. a plain cooky is made by adding flour enough to roll out. the egg may be omitted. jumbles. the richest jumbles are made from either the rule for pound or dover cake, with flour enough added to roll out. the cup-cake rule makes good but plainer ones. make rings, either by cutting in long strips and joining the ends, or by using a large and small cutter. sift sugar over the top, and bake a delicate brown. by adding a large spoonful of yellow ginger, any of these rules become hard sugar-gingerbread, and all will keep for a long time. drop cakes. any of the rules last mentioned become drop cakes by buttering muffin-tins or tin sheets, and dropping a teaspoonful of these mixtures into them. if on sheets, let them be two inches apart. sift sugar over the top, and bake in a quick oven. they are done as soon as brown. cream cakes. one pint of boiling water in a saucepan. melt in it a piece of butter the size of an egg. add half a teaspoonful of salt. while still boiling, stir in one large cup of flour, and cook for three minutes. take from the fire; cool ten minutes; then break in, one by one, six eggs, and beat till smooth. have muffin-pans buttered, or large baking-sheets. drop a spoonful of the mixture on them, allowing room to spread, and bake half an hour in a quick oven. cool on a sieve, and, when cool, fill with a cream made as below. filling for cream cakes. one pint of milk, one cup of sugar, two eggs, half a cup of flour, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. mix the sugar and flour, add the beaten eggs, and beat all till smooth. stir into the boiling milk with a teaspoonful of salt, and boil for fifteen minutes. when cold, add a teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon. make a slit in each cake, and fill with the cream. corn-starch may be used instead of flour. this makes a very nice filling for plain cup cake baked on jelly-cake tins. meringues, or kisses. whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth; quarter of a pound of sifted powdered sugar; a few drops of vanilla. add the sugar to the whites. have ready a hard-wood board which fits the oven. wet the top well with boiling water, and cover it with sheets of letter-paper. drop the meringue mixture on this in large spoonfuls, and set in a _very slow_ oven. the secret of a good meringue is to _dry_, not bake; and they should be in the oven at least half an hour. take them out when dry. slip a thin, sharp knife under each one, and put two together; or scoop out the soft part very carefully, and fill with a little jelly or with whipped cream. pastry and pies. in the first place, don't make either, except very semi-occasionally. pastry, even when good, is so indigestible that children should never have it, and their elders but seldom. a nice short-cake made as on p. , and filled with stewed fruit, or with fresh berries mashed and sweetened, is quite as agreeable to eat, and far more wholesome. but, as people _will_ both make and eat pie-crust, the best rules known are given. butter, being more wholesome than lard, should always be used if it can be afforded. a mixture of lard and butter is next best. clarified dripping makes a good crust for meat pies, and cream can also be used. for dumplings nothing can be better than a light biscuit-crust, made as on p. . it is also good for meat pies. plain pie-crust. one quart of flour; one even teacup of lard, and one of butter; one teacup of ice-water or very cold water; and a teaspooonful of salt. rub the lard and salt into the flour till it is dry and crumbly. add the ice-water, and work to a smooth dough. wash the butter, and have it cold and firm as possible. divide it in three parts. roll out the paste, and dot it all over with bits from one part of the butter. sprinkle with flour, and roll up. roll out, and repeat till the butter is gone. if the crust can now stand on the ice for half an hour, it will be nicer and more flaky. this amount will make three good-sized pies. enough for the bottom crusts can be taken off after one rolling in of butter, thus making the top crust richer. lard alone will make a tender, but not a flaky, paste. puff paste. one pound of flour; three-quarters of a pound of butter; one teacupful of ice-water; one teaspoonful of salt, and one of sugar; yolk of one egg. wash the butter; divide into three parts, reserving a bit the size of an egg; and put it on the ice for an hour. rub the bit of butter, the salt, and sugar, into the flour, and stir in the ice-water and egg beaten together. make into a dough, and knead on the molding-board till glossy and firm: at least ten minutes will be required. roll out into a sheet ten or twelve inches square. cut a cake of the ice-cold butter in thin slices, or flatten it very thin with the rolling-pin. lay it on the paste, sprinkle with flour, and fold over the edges. press it in somewhat with the rolling-pin, and roll out again. always roll _from_ you. do this again and again till the butter is all used, rolling up the paste after the last cake is in, and then putting it on the ice for an hour or more. have filling all ready, and let the paste be as nearly ice-cold as possible when it goes into the oven. there are much more elaborate rules; but this insures handsome paste. make a plainer one for the bottom crusts. cover puff paste with a damp cloth, and it may be kept on the ice a day or two before baking. patties from puff paste. roll the paste about a third of an inch thick, and cut out with a round or oval cutter about two inches in diameter. take a cutter half an inch smaller, and press it into the piece already cut out, so as to sink half-way through the crust: this to mark out the top piece. lay on tins, and bake to a delicate brown. they should treble in thickness by rising, and require from twenty minutes to half an hour to bake. when done, the marked-out top can easily be removed. take out the soft inside, and fill with sweetmeats for dessert, or with minced chicken or oysters prepared as on p. . grandmother's apple pie. line a deep pie-plate with plain paste. pare sour apples,--greenings are best; quarter, and cut in thin slices. allow one cup of sugar, and quarter of a grated nutmeg mixed with it. fill the pie-plate heaping full of the sliced apple, sprinkling the sugar between the layers. it will require not less than six good-sized apples. wet the edges of the pie with cold water; lay on the cover, and press down securely, that no juice may escape. bake three-quarters of an hour, or a little less if the apples are very tender. no pie in which the apples are stewed beforehand can compare with this in flavor. if they are used, stew till tender, and strain. sweeten and flavor to taste. fill the pies, and bake half an hour. dried-apple pies. wash one pint of dried apples, and put in a porcelain kettle with two quarts of warm water. let them stand all night. in the morning put on the fire, and stew slowly for an hour. then add one pint of sugar, a teaspoonful of dried lemon or orange rind, or half a fresh lemon sliced, and half a teaspoonful of cinnamon. stew half an hour longer, and then use for filling the pies. the apple can be strained if preferred, and a teaspoonful of butter added. this quantity will make two pies. dried peaches are treated in the same way. lemon pies. three lemons, juice of all and the grated rind of two; two cups of sugar; three cups of boiling water; three tablespoonfuls of corn-starch dissolved in a little cold water; three eggs; a piece of butter the size of an egg. pour the boiling water on the dissolved corn-starch, and boil for five minutes. add the sugar and butter, the yolks of the eggs beaten to a froth, and last the lemon juice and rind. line the plates with crust, putting a narrow rim of it around each one. pour in the filling, and bake half an hour. beat the whites to a stiff froth; add half a teacup of powdered sugar and ten drops of lemon extract, and, when the pie is baked, spread this on. the heat will cook it sufficiently, but it can be browned a moment in the oven. if to be kept a day, do not make the frosting till just before using. the whites will keep in a cold place. orange pie can be made in the same way. sweet-potato pie or pudding. one pound of hot, boiled sweet potato rubbed through a sieve; one cup of butter; one heaping cup of sugar; half a grated nutmeg; one glass of brandy; a pinch of salt; six eggs. add the sugar, spice, and butter to the hot potato. beat whites and yolks separately, and add, and last the brandy. line deep plates with nice paste, making a rim of puff paste. fill with the mixture, and bake till the crust is done,--about half an hour. wickedly rich, but very delicious. irish potatoes can be treated in the same way, and are more delicate. squash or pumpkin pie. prepare and steam as in directions on p. . strain through a sieve. to a quart of the strained squash add one quart of new milk, with a spoonful or two of cream if possible; one heaping cup of sugar into which has been stirred a teaspoonful of salt, a heaping one of ginger, and half a one of cinnamon. mix this with the squash, and add from two to four well-beaten eggs. bake in deep plates lined with plain pie-crust. they are done when a knife-blade on being run into the middle comes out clean. about forty minutes will be enough. for pumpkin pie half a cup of molasses may be added, and the eggs can be omitted, substituting half a cup of flour mixed with the sugar and spice before stirring in. a teaspoonful of butter can also be added. cherry and berry pies. have a very deep plate, and either no under crust save a rim, or a very thin one. allow a cup of sugar to a quart of fruit, but no spices. stone cherries. prick the upper crust half a dozen times with a fork to let out the steam. for rhubarb or pie-plant pies, peel the stalks; cut them in little bits, and fill the pie. bake with an upper crust. custard pie. line and rim deep plates with pastry, a thin custard pie being very poor. beat together a teacupful of sugar, four eggs, and a pinch of salt, and mix slowly with one quart of milk. fill the plate up to the pastry rim _after it is in the oven_, and bake till the custard is firm, trying, as for squash pies, with a knife-blade. mince-meat for pies. two pounds of cold roast or boiled beef, or a small beef-tongue, boiled the day beforehand, cooled and chopped; one pound of beef-suet, freed from all strings, and chopped fine as powder; two pounds of raisins stoned and chopped; one pound of currants washed and dried; six pounds of chopped apples; half a pound of citron cut in slips; two pounds of brown sugar; one pint of molasses; one quart of boiled cider; one pint of wine or brandy, or a pint of any nice sirup from sweet pickles may be substituted; two heaping tablespoonfuls of salt; one teaspoonful of pepper; three tablespoonfuls of ground cinnamon; two of allspice; one of clove; one of mace; three grated nutmegs; grated rind and juice of three lemons; a cupful of chopped, candied orange or lemon peel. mix spices and salt with sugar, and stir into the meat and suet. add the apples, and then the cider and other wetting, stirring very thoroughly. lastly, mix in the fruit. fill and bake as in apple pies. this mince-meat will keep two months easily. if it ferments at all, put over the fire in a porcelain-lined kettle, and boil half an hour. taste, and judge for yourselves whether more or less spice is needed. butter can be used instead of suet, and proportions varied to taste. rammekins, or cheese straws. one pound of puff paste; one cup of good grated cheese. roll the paste half an inch thick; sprinkle on half the cheese; press in lightly with the rolling-pin; roll up, and roll out again, using the other half of the cheese. fold, and roll about a third of an inch thick. cut in long, narrow strips, four or five inches long and half an inch wide, and bake in a quick oven to a delicate brown. excellent with chocolate at lunch, or for dessert with fruit. * * * * * puddings boiled and baked. for boiled puddings a regular pudding-boiler holding from three pints to two quarts is best, a tin pail with a very tight-fitting cover answering instead, though not as good. for large dumplings a thick pudding-cloth--the best being of canton flannel, used with the nap-side out--should be dipped in hot water, and wrung out, dredged evenly and thickly with flour, and laid over a large bowl. from half to three-quarters of a yard square is a good size. in filling this, pile the fruit or berries on the rolled-out crust which has been laid in the middle of the cloth, and gather the edges of the paste evenly over it. then gather the cloth up, leaving room for the dumpling to swell, and tying very tightly. in turning out, lift to a dish; press all the water from the ends of the cloth; untie and turn away from the pudding, and lay a hot dish upon it, turning over the pudding into it, and serving at once, as it darkens or falls by standing. in using a boiler, butter well, and fill only two-thirds full that the mixture may have room to swell. set it in boiling water, and see that it is kept at the same height, about an inch from the top. cover the outer kettle that the steam may be kept in. small dumplings, with a single apple or peach in each, can be cooked in a steamer. puddings are not only much more wholesome, but less expensive than pies. apple dumpling. make a crust, as for biscuit, or a potato-crust as follows: three large potatoes, boiled and mashed while hot. add to them two cups of sifted flour and one teaspoonful of salt, and mix thoroughly. now chop or cut into it one small cup of butter, and mix into a paste with about a teacupful of cold water. dredge the board thick with flour, and roll out,--thick in the middle, and thin at the edges. fill, as directed, with apples pared and quartered, eight or ten good-sized ones being enough for this amount of crust. boil for three hours. turn out as directed, and eat with butter and sirup or with a made sauce. peaches pared and halved, or canned ones drained from the sirup, can be used. in this case, prepare the sirup for sauce, as on p. . blueberries are excellent in the same way. english plum pudding, or christmas pudding. one pound of raisins stoned and cut in two; one pound of currants washed and dried; one pound of beef-suet chopped very fine; one pound of bread-crumbs; one pound of flour; half a pound of brown sugar; eight eggs; one pint of sweet milk; one teaspoonful of salt; a tablespoonful of cinnamon; two grated nutmegs; a glass each of wine and brandy. prepare the fruit, and dredge thickly with flour. soak the bread in the milk; beat the eggs, and add. stir in the rest of the flour, the suet, and last the fruit. boil six hours either in a cloth or large mold. half the amounts given makes a good-sized pudding; but, as it will keep three months, it might be boiled in two molds. serve with a rich sauce. any-day plum pudding. one cup of sweet milk; one cup of molasses; one cup each of raisins and currants; one cup of suet chopped fine, or, instead, a small cup of butter; one teaspoonful of salt, and one of soda, sifted with three cups of flour; one teaspoonful each of cinnamon and allspice. mix milk, molasses, suet, and spice; add flour, and then the fruit. put in a buttered mold, and boil three hours. eat with hard or liquid sauce. a cupful each of prunes and dates or figs can be substituted for the fruit, and is very nice; and the same amount of dried apple, measured after soaking and chopping, is also good. or the fruit can be omitted altogether, in which case it becomes "troy pudding." batter pudding, boiled or baked. two cups of flour in which is sifted a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, two cups of sweet milk, four eggs, one teaspoonful of salt. stir the flour gradually into the milk, and beat hard for five minutes. beat yolks and whites separately, and then add to batter. have the pudding-boiler buttered. pour in the batter, and boil steadily for two hours. it may also be baked an hour in a buttered pudding-dish. serve at once, when done, with a liquid sauce. sunderland puddings. are merely puffs or pop-overs eaten with sauce. see p. . bread pudding. one cup of dried and rolled bread-crumbs, or one pint of fresh ones; one quart of milk; two eggs; one cup of sugar; half a teaspoonful of cinnamon; a little grated nutmeg; a saltspoonful of salt. soak the crumbs in the milk for an hour or two; mix the spice and salt with the sugar, and beat the eggs with it, stirring them slowly into the milk. butter a pudding-dish; pour in the mixture; and bake half an hour, or till done. try with a knife-blade, as in general directions. the whites may be kept out for a meringue, allowing half a teacup of powdered sugar to them. by using fresh bread-crumbs and four eggs, this becomes what is known as "queen of puddings." as soon as done, spread the top with half a cup of any acid jelly, and cover with the whites which have been beaten stiff, with a teacupful of sugar. brown slightly in the oven. half a pound of raisins may be added. bread-and-butter pudding. fill a pudding-dish two-thirds full with very thin slices of bread and butter. a cupful of currants or dried cherries may be sprinkled between the slices. make a custard of two eggs beaten with a cup of sugar; add a quart of milk, and pour over the bread. cover with a plate, and set on the back of the stove an hour; then bake from half to three-quarters of an hour. serve very hot, as it falls when cool. bread-and-apple pudding. butter a deep pudding-dish, and put first a layer of crumbs, then one of any good acid apple, sliced rather thin, and so on till the dish is nearly full. six or eight apples and a quart of fresh crumbs will fill a two-quart dish. dissolve a cup of sugar and one teaspoonful of cinnamon in one pint of boiling water, and pour into the dish. let the pudding stand half an hour to swell; then bake till brown,--about three-quarters of an hour,--and eat with liquid sauce. it can be made with slices of bread and butter, instead of crumbs. bird's-nest pudding. wash one teacupful of tapioca, and put it in one quart of cold water to soak for several hours. pare and core as many good apples as will fit in a two-quart buttered pudding-dish. when the tapioca is softened, add a cupful of sugar, a pinch of salt, and half a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and pour over the apples. bake an hour, and eat with or without sauce. tapioca pudding. one quart of milk; one teacupful of tapioca; three eggs; a cup of sugar; a teaspoonful of salt; a tablespoonful of butter; a teaspoonful of lemon extract. wash the tapioca, and soak in the milk for two hours, setting it on the back of the stove to swell. beat eggs and sugar together, reserving whites for a meringue if liked; melt the butter, and add, and stir into the milk. bake half an hour. sago pudding is made in the same way. tapioca cream. one teacupful of tapioca washed and soaked over-night in one pint of warm water. next morning add a quart of milk and a teaspoonful of salt, and boil in a milk-boiler for two hours. just before taking it from the fire, add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of vanilla, and three eggs beaten with a cup of sugar. the whites may be made in a meringue. pour into a glass dish which has had warm water standing in it, to prevent cracking, and eat cold. rice or sago cream is made in the same way. plain rice pudding. one cup of rice; three pints of milk; one heaping cup of sugar; one teaspoonful of salt. wash the rice well. butter a two-quart pudding-dish, and stir rice, sugar, and salt together. pour on the milk. grate nutmeg over it, and bake for three hours. very good. minute pudding. one quart of milk; one pint of flour; two eggs; one teaspoonful of salt. boil the milk in a double boiler. beat the eggs, and add the flour slowly, with enough of the milk to make it smooth. stir into the boiling milk, and cook it half an hour. eat with liquid sauce or sirup. it is often made without eggs. corn-starch pudding. one quart of milk; four tablespoonfuls of corn-starch; one cup of sugar; three eggs; a teaspoonful each of salt and vanilla. boil the milk; dissolve the corn-starch in a little cold milk, and add. cook five minutes, and add the eggs and flavoring beaten with the sugar. turn into a buttered dish, and bake fifteen minutes, covering then with a meringue made of the whites, or cool in molds, in this case using only the whites of the eggs. the yolks can be made in a custard to pour around them. a cup of grated cocoanut can be added, or two teaspoonfuls of chocolate stirred smooth in a little boiling water. gelatine pudding. four eggs; one pint of milk; one cup of sugar; a saltspoonful of salt; a teaspoonful of lemon or vanilla; a third of a box of gelatine. soak the gelatine a few minutes in a little cold water, and then dissolve it in three-quarters of a cup of boiling water. have ready a custard made from the milk and yolks of the eggs. beat the yolks and sugar together, and stir into the boiling milk. when cold, add the gelatine water and the whites of the eggs beaten very stiff. pour into molds. it is both pretty and good. cabinet pudding. one quart of milk; half a package of gelatine; a teaspoonful each of salt and vanilla; a cup of sugar. boil the milk; soak the gelatine fifteen minutes in a little cold water; dissolve in the boiling milk, and add the sugar and salt. now butter a charlotte-russe mold thickly. cut slips of citron into leaves or pretty shapes, and stick on the mold. fill it lightly with any light cake, either plain or rich. strain on the gelatine and milk, and set in a cold place. turn out before serving. delicate crackers may be used instead of cake. corn-meal or indian pudding. one quart of milk; one cup of sifted corn meal; one cup of molasses (not "sirup"); one teaspoonful of salt. stir meal, salt, and molasses together. boil the milk, and add slowly. butter a pudding-dish, and pour in the mixture; adding, after it is set in the oven, one cup of cold milk poured over the top. bake three hours in a moderate oven. * * * * * custards, creams, jellies, etc. baked custard. one quart of milk; four eggs; one teacup of sugar; half a teaspoonful of salt; nutmeg. boil the milk. beat the eggs very light, and add the sugar and salt. pour on the milk very slowly, stirring constantly. bake in a pudding-dish or in cups. if in cups, set them in a baking-pan, and half fill it with boiling water. grate nutmeg over each. the secret of a good custard is in slow baking and the most careful watching. test often with a knife-blade, and do not bake an instant after the blade comes out smooth and clean. to be eaten cold. six eggs are generally used; but four are plenty. boiled custard. one quart of milk; three or four eggs; one cup of sugar; one teaspoonful of vanilla; half a teaspoonful of salt; one teaspoonful of corn-starch. boil the milk. dissolve the corn-starch in a little cold water, and boil in the milk five minutes. it prevents the custard from curdling, which otherwise it is very apt to do. beat the eggs and sugar well together, stir into the milk, and add the salt and flavoring. take at once from the fire, and, when cool, pour either into a large glass dish, covering with a meringue of the whites, or into small glasses with a little jelly or jam at the bottom of each. or the whites can be used in making an apple-float, as below, and the yolks for the custard. for _cocoanut custard_ add a cup of grated cocoanut; for _chocolate_, two tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate dissolved in half a cup of boiling water. tipsy pudding. make a boiled custard as directed. half fill a deep dish with any light, stale cake. add to a teacup of wine a teacup of boiling water, and pour over it. add the custard just before serving. apple float. six good, acid apples stewed and strained. when cold, add a teacupful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and the beaten whites of three or four eggs. serve at once. blancmange. one quart of milk; one cup of sugar; half a package of gelatine; half a teaspoonful of salt; a teaspoonful of any essence liked. soak the gelatine ten minutes in half a cup of cold water. boil the milk, and add gelatine and the other ingredients. strain into molds, and let it stand in a cold place all night to harden. for chocolate blancmange add two tablespoonfuls of scraped chocolate dissolved in a little boiling water. spanish cream. make a blancmange as on p. ; but, just before taking from the fire, add the yolks of four eggs, and then strain. the whites can be used for meringues. whipped cream. one pint of rich cream; one cup of sugar; one glass of sherry or madeira. mix all, and put on the ice an hour, as cream whips much better when chilled. using a whip-churn enables it to be done in a few minutes; but a fork or egg-beater will answer. skim off all the froth as it rises, and lay on a sieve to drain, returning the cream which drips away to be whipped over again. set on the ice a short time before serving. charlotte russe. make a sponge cake as on p. , and line a charlotte mold with it, cutting a piece the size of the bottom, and fitting the rest around the sides. fill with cream whipped as above, and let it stand on the ice to set a little. this is the easiest form of charlotte. it is improved by the beaten whites of three eggs stirred into the cream. flavor with half a teaspoonful of vanilla if liked. bavarian cream. whip a pint of cream to a stiff froth. boil a pint of rich milk with a teacupful of sugar, and add a teaspoonful of vanilla. soak half a box of gelatine for an hour in half a cup of warm water, and add to the milk. add the yolks of four eggs beaten smooth, and take from the fire instantly. when cold and just beginning to thicken, stir in the whipped cream. put in molds, and set in a cold place. this can be used also for filling charlotte russe. for chocolate add chocolate as directed in rule for boiled custard; for coffee, one teacup of clear, strong coffee. strawberry cream. three pints of strawberries mashed fine. strain the juice, and add a heaping cup of sugar, and then gelatine soaked as above, and dissolved in a teacup of boiling water. add the pint of whipped cream, and pour into molds. fruit creams. half a pint of peach or pine-apple marmalade stirred smooth with a teacupful of sweet cream. add gelatine dissolved as in rule for strawberry cream, and, when cold, the pint of whipped cream. these creams are very delicious, and not as expensive as rich pastry. omelette soufflÃ�e. six whites and three yolks of eggs; three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar sifted; a few drops of lemon or vanilla. beat the yolks, flavoring, and sugar to a light cream; beat the whites to the stiffest froth. have the yolks in a deep bowl. turn the whites on to them, and do not stir, but mix, by cutting down through the middle, and gradually mixing white and yellow. turn on to a tin or earthen baking-dish with high sides, and bake in a moderate oven from ten to fifteen minutes. it will rise very high, and must be served the instant it is done, to avoid its falling. fried cream. one pint of milk; half a cup of sugar; yolks of three eggs; two tablespoonfuls of corn-starch and one of flour mixed; half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and two inches of stick-cinnamon; a teaspoonful of butter. boil the cinnamon in the milk. stir the corn-starch and flour smooth in a little cold milk or water, and add to the milk. beat the yolks light with the sugar, and add. take from the fire; take out the cinnamon, and stir in the butter and vanilla, and pour out on a buttered tin or dish, letting it be about half an inch thick. when cold and stiff, cut into pieces about three inches long and two wide. dip carefully in sifted cracker-crumbs; then in a beaten egg, and in crumbs again, and fry like croquettes. dry in the oven four or five minutes, and serve at once. very delicious. peach fritters. make a batter as on p. . take the fruit from a small can of peaches, lay it on a plate, and sprinkle with a spoonful of sugar and a glass of wine. let it lie an hour, turning it once. dip each piece in batter, and drop in boiling lard, or chop and mix with batter. prepare the juice for a sauce as on p. . fresh peaches or slices of tender apple can be used in the same way. drain on brown paper, and sift sugar over them, before they go to table. freezing of ice cream and ices. with a patent freezer ice cream and ices can be prepared with less trouble than puff paste. the essential points are the use of rock-salt, and pounding the ice into small bits. set the freezer in the centre of the tub. put a layer of ice three inches deep, then of salt, and so on till the tub is full, ending with ice. put in the cream, and turn for ten minutes, or till you can not turn the beater. then take off the cover, scrape down the sides, and beat like cake for at least five minutes. pack the tub again, having let off all water; cover with a piece of old carpet. if molds are used, fill as soon as the cream is frozen; pack them full of it, and lay in ice and salt. when ready to turn out, dip in warm water a moment. handle gently, and serve at once. ice cream of cream. to a gallon of sweet cream add two and a quarter pounds of sugar, and four tablespoonfuls of vanilla or other extract, as freezing destroys flavors. freeze as directed. ice cream with eggs. boil two quarts of rich milk, and add to it, when boiling, four tablespoonfuls of corn-starch wet with a cup of cold milk. boil for ten minutes, stirring often. beat twelve eggs to a creamy froth with a heaping quart of sugar, and stir in, taking from the fire as soon as it boils. when cold, add three tablespoonfuls of vanilla or lemon, and two quarts either of cream or very rich milk, and freeze. for strawberry or raspberry cream allow the juice of one quart of berries to a gallon of cream. for chocolate cream grate half a pound of chocolate; melt it with one pint of sugar and a little water, and add to above rule. water ices. are simply fruit juices and water made very sweet, with a few whites of eggs whipped stiff, and added. for lemon ice take two quarts of water, one quart of sugar, and the juice of seven lemons. mix and add, after it has begun to freeze, the stiffly-beaten whites of four eggs. orange ice is made in the same way. wine jelly. one box of gelatine; one cup of wine; three lemons, juice and rind; a small stick of cinnamon; one quart of boiling water; one pint of white sugar. soak the gelatine in one cup of cold water half an hour. boil the cinnamon in the quart of water for five minutes, and then add the yellow rind of the lemons cut very thin, and boil a minute. take out cinnamon and rinds, and add sugar, wine, and gelatine. strain at once through a fine strainer into molds, and, when cold, set on the ice to harden. to turn out, dip for a moment in hot water. a pint of wine is used, if liked very strong. lemon jelly. omit the wine, but make as above in other respects, using five lemons. oranges are nice also. the juice may be used as in lemon jelly, or the little sections may be peeled as carefully as possible of all the white skin. pour a little lemon jelly in a mold, and let it harden. then fill with four oranges prepared in this way, and pour in liquid jelly to cover them. candied fruit may be used instead. the jelly reserved to add to the mold can be kept in a warm place till the other has hardened. fresh strawberries or raspberries, or cut-up peaches, can be used instead of oranges. canning and preserving. canning is so simple an operation that it is unfortunate that most people consider it difficult. the directions generally given are so troublesome that one can not wonder it is not attempted oftener; but it need be hardly more care than the making of apple sauce, which, by the way, can always be made while apples are plenty, and canned for spring use. in an experience of years, not more than one can in a hundred has ever been lost, and fruit put up at home is far nicer than any from factories. in canning, see first that the jars are clean, the rubbers whole and in perfect order, and the tops clean and ready to screw on. fill the jars with hot (not boiling) water half an hour before using, and have them ready on a table sufficiently large to hold the preserving-kettle, a dish-pan quarter full of hot water, and the cans. have ready, also, a deep plate, large enough to hold two cans; a silver spoon; an earthen cup with handle; and, if possible, a can-filler,--that is, a small tin in strainer-shape, but without the bottom, and fitting about the top. the utmost speed is needed in filling and screwing down tops, and for this reason every thing _must be_ ready beforehand. in filling the can let the fruit come to the top; then run the spoon-handle down on all sides to let out the air; pour in juice till it runs over freely, and screw the top down at once, using a towel to protect the hand. set at once in a dish-pan of water, as this prevents the table being stained by juice, and also its hardening on the hot can. proceed in this way till all are full; wipe them dry; and, when cold, give the tops an additional screw, as the glass contracts in cooling, and loosens them. label them, and keep in a dark, cool closet. when the fruit is used, wash the jar, and dry carefully at the back of the stove. wash the rubber also, and dry on a towel, putting it in the jar when dry, and screwing on the top. they are then ready for next year's use. mason's cans are decidedly the best for general use. general rules for canning. for all small fruits allow one-third of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. make it into a sirup with a teacup of water to each pound, and skim carefully. throw in the fruit, and boil ten minutes, canning as directed. raspberries and blackberries are best; huckleberries are excellent for pies, and easily canned. pie-plant can be stewed till tender. it requires half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. for peaches, gages, &c, allow the same amount of sugar as for raspberries. pare peaches, and can whole or in halves as preferred. prick plums and gages with a large darning-needle to prevent their bursting. in canning pears, pare and drop at once, into cold water, as this prevents their turning dark. always use a porcelain-lined kettle, and stir either with a silver or a wooden spoon,--never an iron one. currants are nice mixed with an equal weight of raspberries, and all fruit is more wholesome canned than in preserves. to can tomatoes. unless very plenty, it is cheaper to buy these in the tins. pour on boiling water to help in removing the skins; fill the preserving kettle, but add no water. boil them five minutes, and then can. do not season till ready to use them for the table. okra and tomatoes may be scalded together in equal parts, and canned for soups. preserves. preserves are scarcely needed if canning is nicely done. they require much more trouble, and are too rich for ordinary use, a pound of sugar to one of fruit being required. if made at all, the fruit must be very fresh, and the sirup perfectly clear. for sirup allow one teacup of cold water to every pound of sugar, and, as it heats, add to every three or four pounds the white of an egg. skim very carefully, boiling till no more rises, and it is ready for use. peaches, pears, green gages, cherries, and crab-apples are all preserved alike. peel, stone, and halve peaches, and boil only a few pieces at a time till clear. peel, core, and halve pears. prick plums and gages several times. core crab-apples, and cut half the stem from cherries. cook till tender. put up _when cold_ in small jars, and paste paper over them. jams. make sirup as directed above. use raspberries, strawberries, or any small fruit, and boil for half an hour. put up in small jars or tumblers; lay papers dipped in brandy on the fruit, and paste on covers, or use patent jelly-glasses. marmalade. quinces make the best; but crab-apples or any sour apple are also good. poor quinces, unfit for other use, can be washed and cut in small pieces, coring, but not paring them. allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar and a teacupful of water to a pound of fruit, and boil slowly two hours, stirring and mashing it fine. strain through a colander, and put up in glasses or bowls. peach marmalade is made in the same way. currant jelly. the fruit must be picked when just ripened, as when too old it will not form jelly. look over, and then put stems and all in a porcelain-lined kettle. crush a little of the fruit to form juice, but add no water. as it heats, jam with a potato-masher; and when hot through, strain through a jelly-bag. let all run off that will, before squeezing the bag. it will be a little clearer than the squeezed juice. to every pint of this juice add one pound of best white sugar, taking care that it has not a blue tinge. jelly from bluish-white sugars does not harden well. boil the juice twenty-five minutes; add the sugar, and boil for five more. put up in glasses. orange marmalade. this recipe, taken from the "new york evening post," has been thoroughly tested by the author, and found delicious. "a recipe for orange marmalade that i think will be entirely new to most housewives, and that i know is delicious, comes from an english housekeeper. it is a sweet that is choice and very healthful. if made now, when oranges and lemons are plentiful, it may be had at a cost of from five to six cents for a large glass. the recipe calls for one dozen oranges (sweet or part bitter), one half-dozen lemons, and ten pounds of granulated sugar. wash the fruit in tepid water thoroughly, and scrub the skins with a soft brush to get rid of the possible microbes that it is said may lurk on the skins of fruit. dry the fruit; take a very sharp knife, and on a hard-wood board slice it very thin. throw away the thick pieces that come off from the ends. save all the seeds, and put them in one bowl; the sliced fruit in another. pour half a gallon of water over the contents of each bowl, and soak for thirty-six hours. then put the fruit in your preserving-kettle, with the water that has been standing on it, and strain in (through a colander) the water put on the lemon-seeds. cook gently two hours; then add the sugar, and cook another hour, or until the mixture jellies. test by trying a little in a saucer. put away in glasses or cans, as other jelly." fruit jellies. crab-apple, quince, grapes, &c., are all made in the same way. allow a teacup of water to a pound of fruit; boil till very tender; then strain through a cloth, and treat as currant jelly. cherries will not jelly without gelatine, and grapes are sometimes troublesome. where gelatine is needed, allow a package to two quarts of juice. candied fruits. make a sirup as for preserves, and boil any fruit, prepared as directed, until tender. let them stand two days in the sirup. take out; drain carefully; lay them on plates; sift sugar over them, and dry either in the sun or in a moderately warm oven. pickles and catchups. sour pickles are first prepared by soaking in a brine made of one pint of coarse salt to six quarts of water. boil this, and pour it scalding hot over the pickle, cucumbers, green tomatoes, &c. cucumbers may lie in this a week, or a month even, but must be soaked in cold water two days before using them. other pickles lie only a month. sweet pickles are made from any fruit used in preserving, allowing three, or sometimes four, pounds of sugar to a quart of best cider vinegar, and boiling both together. cucumber pickles. half a bushel of cucumbers, small, and as nearly as possible the same size. make a brine as directed, and pour over them. next morning prepare a pickle as follows: two gallons of cider vinegar; one quart of brown sugar. boil, and skim carefully, and add to it half a pint of white mustard seed; one ounce of stick-cinnamon broken fine; one ounce of alum; half an ounce each of whole cloves and black pepper-corns. boil five minutes, and pour over the cucumbers. they can be used in a week. in a month scald the vinegar once more, and pour over them. tomato chutney. one peck of green tomatoes; six large green peppers; six onions; one cup of salt. chop onions and peppers fine, slice the tomatoes about quarter of an inch thick, and sprinkle the salt over all. in the morning drain off all the salt and water, and put the tomatoes in a porcelain-lined kettle. mix together thoroughly two pounds of brown sugar; quarter of a pound of mustard-seed; one ounce each of powdered cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and black pepper; half an ounce of allspice; quarter of an ounce each of cayenne pepper and ground mustard. stir all into the tomatoes; cover with cider vinegar,--about two quarts,--and boil slowly for two hours. very nice, but very hot. if wanted less so, omit the cayenne and ground mustard. ripe cucumber or melon-rind pickles. pare, seed, and cut lengthwise into four pieces, or in thick slices. boil an ounce of alum in one gallon of water, and pour over them, letting them stand at least half a day on the back of the stove. take them out, and let them lie in cold water until cold. have ready a quart of vinegar, three pounds of brown sugar, and an ounce of stick-cinnamon and half an ounce cloves. boil the vinegar and sugar, and skim; add the spices and the melon rind or cucumber, and boil for half an hour. sweet-pickled peaches, pears, or plums. seven pounds of fruit; four pounds of brown sugar; one quart of vinegar; one ounce of cloves; two ounces of stick-cinnamon. pare the peaches or not, as liked. if unpared, wash and wipe each one to rub off the wool. boil vinegar and sugar, and skim well; add spices, sticking one or two cloves in each peach. boil ten minutes, and take out into jars. boil the sirup until reduced one-half, and pour over them. pears are peeled and cored; apples peeled, cored, and quartered. they can all be put in stone jars; but mason's cans are better. tomato catchup. boil one bushel of ripe tomatoes, skins and all, and, when soft, strain through a colander. be sure that it is a colander, and _not_ a sieve, for reasons to be given. add to this pulp two quarts of best vinegar; one cup of salt; two pounds of brown sugar; half an ounce of cayenne pepper; three ounces each of powdered allspice and mace; two ounces of powdered cinnamon; three ounces of celery-seed. mix spices and sugar well together, and stir into the tomato; add the vinegar, and stir thoroughly. now strain the whole through a _sieve_. a good deal of rather thick pulp will not go through. pour all that runs through into a large kettle, and let it boil slowly till reduced one-half. put the thick pulp into a smaller kettle, and boil twenty minutes. use as a pickle with cold meats or with boiled fish. a teacupful will flavor a soup. in the old family rule from which this is taken, a pint of brandy is added ten minutes before the catchup is done; but it is not necessary, though an improvement. bottle, and keep in a cool, dark place. it keeps for years. * * * * * candies. cream candy. one pound of granulated sugar; one teacupful of water; half a teacupful of vinegar. boil--trying very often after the first ten minutes--till it will harden in cold water. cool, and pull white. chocolate caramels. one cup of sugar; one cup of milk; half a cup of molasses; two ounces of grated chocolate. melt the chocolate in a very little water; add the sugar, milk, and molasses, and boil twenty minutes, or until very thick. pour in buttered pans, and cut in small squares when cool. molasses candy. two cups of molasses, one of brown sugar, a teaspoonful of butter, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. boil from twenty minutes to half an hour. pour in a buttered dish, and pull when cool. nut candy. make molasses candy as above. just before taking it from the fire, add a heaping pint of shelled peanuts or walnuts. cut in strips before it is quite cold. cocoanut drops. one cocoanut grated; half its weight in powdered sugar; whites of two eggs; one teaspoonful of corn-starch. mix corn-starch and sugar; add cocoanut, and then whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth. make in little cones, and bake on buttered paper in a slow oven. chocolate creams. one pound of granulated sugar; half a pound of chocolate; one teaspoonful of acetic acid; one tablespoonful of water; one teaspoonful of vanilla. melt the sugar slowly, wetting a little with the water. add the acid and vanilla, and boil till sugary, trying _very_ often by stirring a little in a saucer. when sugary, take from the fire, and stir until almost hard; then roll in little balls, and put on a buttered plate. melt the chocolate in two tablespoonfuls of water with a cup of sugar, and boil five minutes. when just warm, dip in the little balls till well coated, and lay on plates to dry. very nice. * * * * * sick-room cookery. general hints. as recovery from any illness depends in large part upon proper food, and as the appetite of the sick is always capricious and often requires tempting, the greatest pains should be taken in the preparation of their meals. if only dry toast and tea, let each be perfect, remembering instructions for making each, and serving on the freshest of napkins and in dainty china. a _tête-à-tête_ service is very nice for use in a sick-room; and in any case a very small teapot can be had, that the tea may always be made fresh. prepare only a small amount of any thing, and never discuss it beforehand. a surprise will often rouse a flagging appetite. be ready, too, to have your best attempts rejected. the article disliked one day may be just what is wanted the next. never let food stand in a sick-room,--for it becomes hateful to a sensitive patient,--and have every thing as daintily clean as possible. remember, too, that gelatine is not nourishing, and do not be satisfied to feed a patient on jellies. bread from any brown flour will be more nourishing than wheat. corn meal is especially valuable for thin, chilly invalids, as it contains so much heat. in severe sickness a glass tube is very useful for feeding gruels and drinks, and little white china boats with spouts are also good. a wooden tray with legs six or seven inches high, to stand on the bed, is very convenient for serving meals. let ventilation, sunshine, and absolute cleanliness rule in the sick-room. never raise a dust, but wipe the carpet with a damp cloth, and pick up bits as needed. never let lamp or sun light shine directly in the eyes, and, when the patient shows desire to sleep, darken the room a little. never whisper, nor wear rustling dresses, nor become irritated at exactions, but keep a cheerful countenance, which helps often far more than drugs. experience must teach the rest. beef tea, or essence of beef. cut a pound of perfectly lean beef into small bits. do not allow any particle of fat to remain. put in a wide-mouthed bottle, cork tightly, and set in a kettle of cold water. boil for three hours; pour off the juice, which is now completely extracted from the meat. there will be probably a small cupful. season with a saltspoonful of salt. this is given in extreme sickness, feeding a teaspoonful at a time. beef tea for convalescents. one pound of lean beef prepared as above. add a pint of cold water,--rain-water is best,--and soak for an hour. cover closely, and boil for ten minutes; or put in the oven, and let it remain an hour. pour off the juice, season with half a teaspoonful of salt, and use. a little celery salt makes a change. chicken broth. the bones and a pound of meat from a chicken put in three pints of cold water. skim thoroughly when it comes to a boil, add a teaspoonful of salt, and simmer for three hours. strain and serve. a tablespoonful of soaked rice or tapioca may be added after the broth is strained. return it in this case to the fire, and boil half an hour longer. chicken jelly. boil chicken as for broth, but reduce the liquid to half a pint. strain into a cup or little mold, and turn out when cold. chicken panada. take the breast of the chicken boiled as above; cut in bits, and pound smooth in a mortar. take a teacupful of bread-crumbs; soak them soft in warm milk, or, if liked better, in a little broth. mix them with the chicken; add a saltspoonful of salt, and, if allowed, a pinch of mace; and serve in a cup with a spoon. beef, tapioca, and egg broth. one pound of lean beef, prepared as for beef tea, and soaked one hour in a quart of cold water. boil slowly for two hours. strain it. add a half teaspoonful of salt, and half a cupful of tapioca which has been washed and soaked an hour in warm water. boil slowly half an hour. serve in a shallow bowl, in which a poached egg is put at the last, or stir a beaten egg into one cup of the boiling soup, and serve at once with wafers or crackers. mutton broth. made as chicken broth. any strong stock, from which the fat has been taken, answers for broths. oatmeal gruel. have ready, in a double boiler, one quart of boiling water with a teaspoonful of salt, and sprinkle in two tablespoonfuls of fine oatmeal. boil an hour; then strain, and serve with cream or milk and sugar if ordered. farina gruel is made in the same way. indian or corn meal gruel. one quart of boiling water; one teaspoonful of salt. mix three tablespoonfuls of corn meal with a little cold water, and stir in slowly. boil one hour; strain and serve, a cupful at once. milk porridge. one quart of boiling milk; two tablespoonfuls of flour mixed with a little cold milk and half a teaspoonful of salt. stir into the milk, and boil half an hour. strain and serve. if allowed, a handful of raisins and a little grated nutmeg may be boiled with it. wine whey. boil one cup of new milk, and add half a wine-glass of good sherry or madeira wine. boil a minute; strain, and use with or without sugar as liked. egg-nog. one egg; one tablespoonful of sugar; half a cup of milk; one tablespoonful of wine. beat the sugar and yolk to a cream; add the wine, and then the milk. beat the white to a stiff froth, and stir in very lightly. omit the milk where more condensed nourishment is desired. arrow-root or rice jelly. two heaping teaspoonfuls of either arrow-root or rice flour; a pinch of salt; a heaping tablespoonful of sugar; one cup of boiling water. mix the flour with a little cold water, and add to the boiling water. boil until transparent, and pour into cups or small molds. for a patient with summer complaint, flavor by boiling a stick of cinnamon in it. for a fever patient add the juice of quarter of a lemon. dr. gaunt's rice jelly. take four tablespoonfuls of rice, and boil it hard in three pints of water for twenty minutes. let simmer for two hours. then force through fine hair strainer, and allow it to cool. place in an ice chest over night. directions for use. dissolve two tablespoonfuls of the rice jelly in each one-half pint of milk. rice water for drink. one quart of boiling water; a pinch of salt; one tablespoonful of rice or rice flour. boil half an hour, and strain. toast water. toast two slices of bread very brown, but do not scorch. put in a pitcher, and while hot pour on one quart of cold water. let it stand half an hour, and it is ready for use. crust coffee. two thick slices of graham or boston brown bread toasted as brown as possible. pour on one pint of boiling water, and steep ten minutes. serve with milk and sugar, like coffee. beef juice. broil a thick piece of beef steak three minutes. squeeze all the juice with a lemon-squeezer into a cup; salt very lightly, and give like beef tea. jelly and ice. break ice in bits no bigger than a pea. a large pin will break off bits from a lump very easily. to a tablespoonful add one of wine jelly broken up. it is very refreshing in fever. panada. lay in a bowl two boston or graham crackers split; sprinkle on a pinch of salt, and cover with boiling water. set the bowl in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it stand half an hour, till the crackers look clear. slide into a hot saucer without breaking, and eat with cream and sugar. as they are only good hot, do just enough for the patient's appetite at one time. milk toast. toast one or two thin slices of bread; dip quickly in a little salted boiling water, and spread on a little butter. boil a teacupful of milk; thicken with a teaspoonful of flour mixed in a little cold water with a pinch of salt; lay the toast in a small, hot, deep plate, and pour over the milk. cream toast is made in the same way. beef sandwich. two or three tablespoonfuls of raw, very tender beef, scraped fine, and spread between two slices of slightly buttered bread. sprinkle on pepper and salt. prepared flour. tie a pint of flour tightly in a cloth, and boil for four hours. scrape off the outer crust, and the inside will be found to be a dry ball. grate this as required, allowing one tablespoonful wet in cold milk to a pint of boiling milk, and boiling till smooth. add a saltspoonful of salt. this is excellent for summer complaint, whether in adults or children. the beaten white of an egg can also be stirred in if ordered. if this porridge is used from the beginning of the complaint, little or no medicine will be required. parched rice. roast to a deep brown as you would coffee, and then cook as in rule for boiled rice, p. , and eat with cream and sugar. rice coffee. parch as above, and grind. allow half a cup to a quart of boiling water, and let it steep fifteen minutes. strain, and drink plain, or with milk and sugar. herb teas. for the dried herbs allow one teaspoonful to a cup of boiling water. pour the water on them; cover, and steep ten minutes or so. camomile tea is good for sleeplessness; calamus and catnip for babies' colic; and cinnamon for hemorrhages and summer complaint. slippery-elm and flax-seed are also good for the latter. beef steak or chops, etc. with beef steak, cut a small thick piece of a nice shape; broil carefully, and serve on a very hot plate, salting a little, but using no butter unless allowed by the physician. chops should be trimmed very neatly, and cooked in the same way. a nice way of serving a chop is to broil, and cut in small bits. have ready a baked potato. cut a slice from the top; take out the inside, and season as for eating; add the chop, and return all to the skin, covering it, and serving as hot as possible. when appetite has returned, poached eggs on toast, a little salt cod with cream, or many of the dishes given under the head of breakfast dishes, are relished. prepare small quantities, preserving the right proportions of seasoning. tapioca jelly. two ounces of tapioca,--about two tablespoonfuls,--soaked over-night in one cup of cold water. in the morning add a second cup of cold water, and boil till very clear. add quarter of a cup of sugar; two teaspoonfuls of brandy or four of wine; or the thin rind and juice of a lemon may be used instead. very good hot, but better poured into small molds wet with cold water, and turned out when firm. tapioca gruel. half a cup of tapioca soaked over-night in a cup of cold water. in the morning add a quart of milk and half a teaspoonful of salt, and boil three hours. it can be eaten plain, or with sugar and wine. most of the blancmanges and creams given can be prepared in smaller quantities, if allowed. baked custards can be made with the whites of the eggs, if a very delicate one is desired. apple water. two roasted sour apples, or one pint of washed dried apples. pour on one quart of boiling water; cover, and let it stand half an hour, when it is ready for use. household hints. soft soap. all mutton and ham fat should be melted and strained into a large stone pot. the practice of throwing lumps of fat into a pot, and waiting till there are several pounds before trying them out, is a disgusting one, as often such a receptacle is alive with maggots. try out the fat, and strain as carefully as you would lard or beef drippings, and it is then always ready for use. if concentrated lye or potash, which comes in little tins, is used, directions will be found on the tins. otherwise allow a pound of stone potash to every pound of grease. twelve pounds of each will make a barrel of soft soap. crack the potash in small pieces. put in a large kettle with two gallons of water, and boil till dissolved. then add the grease, and, when melted, pour all into a tight barrel. fill it up with boiling water, and for a week, stir daily for five or ten minutes. it will gradually become like jelly. to purify sinks and drains. to one pound of common copperas add one gallon of boiling water, and use when dissolved. the copperas is poison, and must never be left unmarked. furniture polish. mix two tablespoonfuls of sweet or linseed oil with a tablespoonful of turpentine, and rub on with a piece of flannel, polishing with a dry piece. to keep eggs. be sure that the eggs are fresh. place them points down in a stone jar or tight firkin, and pour over them the following brine, which is enough for a hundred and fifty:-- one pint of slacked lime, one pint of salt, two ounces of cream of tartar, and four gallons of water. boil all together for ten minutes; skim, and, when cold, pour it over the eggs. they can also be kept in salt tightly packed, but not as well. to make hard water soft. dissolve in one gallon of boiling water a pound and a quarter of washing soda, and a quarter of a pound of borax. in washing clothes allow quarter of a cup of this to every gallon of water. to take out fruit-stains. stretch the stained part tightly over a bowl, and pour on boiling water till it is free from spot. to take out ink-spots. ink spilled upon carpets or on woolen table-covers can be taken out, if washed at once in cold water. change the water often, and continue till the stain is gone. mixed spices. three heaping tablespoonfuls of ground cinnamon, one heaping one each of clove and mace, and one even one of allspice. mix thoroughly, and use for dark cakes and for puddings. spice salt. four ounces of salt; one of black pepper; one each of thyme, sweet marjoram, and summer savory; half an ounce each of clove, allspice, and mace; quarter of an ounce of cayenne pepper; one ounce of celery salt. mix all together; sift three times, and keep closely covered. half an ounce will flavor a stuffing for roast meat; and a tablespoonful is nice in many soups and stews. to wash greasy tin and iron. pour a few drops of ammonia into every greasy roasting-pan, first half-filling with warm water. a bottle of ammonia should always stand near the sink for such uses. never allow dirty pots or pans to stand and dry; for it doubles the labor of washing. pour in water, and use ammonia, and the work is half done. to clean brass and copper. scrape a little rotten-stone fine, and make into a paste with sweet oil. rub on with a piece of flannel; let it dry, and polish with a chamois-skin. copper is cleaned either with vinegar and salt mixed in equal parts, or with oxalic acid. the latter is a deadly poison, and must be treated accordingly. weights and measures. as many families have no scales for weighing, a table of measures is given which can be used instead. weighing is always best, but not always convenient. the cup used is the ordinary coffee or kitchen cup, holding half a pint. a set of tin measures, from a gill up to a quart, is very useful in all cooking operations. one quart of sifted flour is one pound. one pint of granulated sugar is one pound. two cups of butter packed are one pound. ten eggs are one pound. five cupfuls of sifted flour are one pound. a wine-glassful is half a gill. eight even tablespoonfuls are a gill. four even saltspoonfuls make a teaspoonful. a saltspoonful is a good measure of salt for all custards, puddings, blancmanges, &c. one teaspoonful of soda to a quart of flour. two teaspoonfuls of soda to one of cream of tartar. the teaspoonful given in all these receipts is just rounded full, not heaped. two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder to one quart of flour. one cup of sweet or sour milk as wetting for one quart of flour. time table for roasted meats. beef, from six to eight pounds, one hour and a half, or twelve minutes to the pound. mutton, ten minutes to the pound for rare; fifteen for well-done. lamb, a very little less according to age and size of roast. veal, twenty minutes to a pound. pork, half an hour to a pound. turkey of eight or ten pounds weight, not less than three hours. goose of seven or eight pounds, two hours. chickens, from an hour to an hour and a half. tame ducks, one hour. game duck, from thirty to forty minutes. partridges, grouse, &c., half an hour. pigeons, half an hour. small birds, twenty minutes. time table for boiled meats. beef _à la mode_, eight pounds, four hours. corned beef, eight pounds, four hours. corned or smoked tongue, eight pounds, four hours. ham, eight or ten pounds, five hours. mutton, twenty minutes to a pound. veal, half an hour to a pound. turkey, ten pounds, three hours. chickens, one hour and a half. old fowls, two or three hours. time table for fish. halibut and salmon, fifteen minutes to a pound. blue-fish, bass, &c., ten minutes to a pound. fresh cod, six minutes to a pound. baked halibut, twelve minutes to a pound. baked blue-fish, &c., ten minutes to a pound. trout, pickerel, &c., eight minutes to a pound. time table for vegetables. _half an hour_,--pease, potatoes, asparagus, rice, corn, summer squash, canned tomatoes, macaroni. _three-quarters of an hour_,--young beets, young turnips, young carrots and parsnips, baked potatoes (sweet and irish), boiled sweet potatoes, onions, canned corn, tomatoes. _one hour_,--new cabbage, shelled and string beans, spinach and greens, cauliflower, oyster-plant, and winter squash. _two hours_,--winter carrots, parsnips, turnips, cabbage, and onions. _three to eight hours_,--old beets. time table for bread, cakes, etc. bread,--large loaves, an hour; small loaves, from half to three-quarters of an hour. biscuits and rolls, in from fifteen to twenty minutes. brown bread, steamed, three hours. loaves of sponge cake, forty-five minutes; if thin, about thirty. loaves of richer cake, from forty-five minutes to an hour. fruit cake, about two hours, if in two or three pound loaves. small thin cakes and cookies, from ten to fifteen minutes. watch carefully. baked puddings, rice, &c., one hour. boiled puddings, three hours. custards to be watched and tested after the first fifteen minutes. batter puddings baked, forty-five minutes. pie-crust, about half an hour. deviled ham. for this purpose, use either the knuckle or any odds and ends remaining. cut off all dark or hard bits, and see that at least a quarter of the amount is fat. chop as finely as possible, reducing it almost to a paste. for a pint-bowl of this, make a dressing as follows:-- one even tablespoonful of sugar; one even teaspoonful of ground mustard; one saltspoonful of cayenne pepper; one teacupful of good vinegar. mix the sugar, mustard, and pepper thoroughly, and add the vinegar little by little. stir it into the chopped ham, and pack it in small molds, if it is to be served as a lunch or supper relish, turning out upon a small platter and garnishing with parsley. for sandwiches, cut the bread very thin; butter lightly, and spread with about a teaspoonful of the deviled ham. the root of a boiled tongue can be prepared in the same way. if it is to be kept some time, pack in little jars, and pour melted butter over the top. this receipt should have had place under "meats," but was overlooked. list of utensils required for successful working. tin ware. one boiler for clothes, holding eight or ten gallons.--two dish-pans,--one large, one medium-sized.--one two-quart covered tin pail.--one four-quart covered tin pail.--two thick tin four-quart saucepans.--two two-quart saucepans.--four measures, from one gill to a quart, and broad and low, rather than high.--three tin scoops of different sizes for flour, sugar, &c.--two pint and two half-pint molds for jellies.--two quart molds.--one skimmer with long handle.--one large and one small dipper.--four bread-pans, x x .--three jelly-cake tins.--six pie-plates.--two long biscuit-tins.--one coffee-pot.--one colander.--one large grater.--one nutmeg-grater.--two wire sieves; one ten inches across, the other four, and with tin sides.--one flour-sifter.--one fine jelly-strainer.--one frying-basket.--one dover egg-beater.--one wire egg-beater.--one apple-corer.--one pancake-turner.--one set of spice-boxes, or a spice-caster.--one pepper-box.--one flour-dredger.--one sugar-dredger.--one biscuit-cutter.--one potato-cutter.--a dozen muffin-rings.--small tins for little cakes.--one muffin-pan.--one double milk-boiler, the inside boiler holding two quarts.--one fish-boiler, which can also be used for hams.--one deep bread-pan; a dish-pan is good, but must be kept for this.--one steamer.--one pudding-boiler.--one cake-box.--six teaspoons. wooden ware. one bread-board.--one rolling-pin.--one meat-board.--one wash-board.--one lemon-squeezer.--one potato-masher.--two large spoons.--one small one.--nest of wooden boxes for rice, tapioca, &c.--wooden pails for graham and corn meal.--chopping-tray.--water-pail.--scrubbing-pail.--wooden cover for flour-barrel.--one board for cutting bread.--one partitioned knife-box. iron ware. one pair of scales.--one two-gallon pot with steamer to fit.--one three-gallon soup-pot with close-fitting cover.--one three-gallon porcelain-lined kettle, to be kept only for preserving.--one four or six quart one, for apple sauce, &c.--one tea-kettle.--one large and one small frying-pan.--two russia or sheet iron dripping-pans; one large enough for a large turkey.--two gem-pans with deep cups.--two long-handled spoons.--two spoons with shorter handles.--one large meat-fork.--one meat-saw.--one cleaver.--one griddle.--one wire broiler.--one toaster.--one waffle-iron.--one can-opener.--three pairs of common knives and forks.--one small scotch or frying kettle.--one chopping-knife.--one meat-knife.--one bread-knife.--one set of skewers.--trussing-needles. earthen and stone ware. two large mixing-bowls, holding eight or ten quarts each.--one eight-quart lip-bowl for cake.--half a dozen quart bowls.--half a dozen pint bowls.--three or four deep plates for putting away cold food.--six baking-dishes of different sizes, round or oval.--two quart blancmange-molds.--two or three pitchers.--two stone crocks, holding a gallon each.--two, holding two quarts each.--one bean-pot for baked beans.--one dozen mason's jars for holding yeast, and many things used in a store closet.--stone jugs for vinegar and molasses.--two or three large covered stone jars for pickles.--one deep one for bread.--one earthen teapot.--one dozen pop-over cups.--one dozen custard-cups.--measuring-cup. miscellaneous. scrubbing and blacking brushes.--soap-dish.--knife-board.-- vegetable-cutters.--pastry-brush.--egg-basket.--market-basket.-- broom.--brush.--dust-pan.--floor and sink cloths.--whisk-broom.-- four roller-towels.--twelve dish-towels.--dishes enough for setting servants' table, heavy stone-china being best. hints to teachers. in beginning with a class of school-girls from fourteen to eighteen, it is best to let the first two or three lessons be demonstration lessons; that is, to have all operations performed by the teacher. an assistant may be chosen from the class, who can help in any required way. the receipts for the day should first be read, and copied plainly by all the pupils. each process must be fully explained, and be as daintily and deftly performed as possible. not more than six dishes at the most can be prepared in one lesson, and four will be the usual number. two lessons a week, from two to three hours each, are all for which the regular school-course gives time; and there should be not more than one day between, as many dishes can not be completed in one lesson. after yeast and bread have been once made by the teacher, bread should be the first item in every lesson thereafter, and the class made a practice-class. each pupil should make bread twice,--once under the teacher's supervision, and at least once entirely alone. in a large class this may occupy the entire time in the school-year. let the most important operations be thoroughly learned, even if there is little variety. to make and bake all forms of bread, to broil a steak, boil a potato, and make good tea and coffee, may not seem sufficient result for a year's work; but the girl who can do this has mastered the principles of cooking, and is abundantly able to go on alone. the fire should be made and cared for by each in turn, and the best modes of washing dishes, and keeping the room and stores in the best order, be part of each lesson. once a week let a topic be given out, on which all are to write, any ingredient in cooking being chosen, and the papers read and marked in order of merit. once a month examine on these topics, and on what has been learned. let digestion and forms of food be well understood, and spare no pains to make the lesson attractive and stimulating to interest. in classes for ladies the work is usually done entirely by the teacher, and at least five dishes are prepared. a large class can thus be taught; but the results will never be as satisfactory as in a practice-class, though the latter is of course much more troublesome to the teacher, as it requires far more patience and tact to watch and direct the imperfect doing of a thing than to do it one's self. a class lunch or supper is a pleasant way of demonstrating what progress has been made; and, in such entertainment, do not aim at great variety, but insist upon the perfect preparation of a few things. to lay and decorate a table prettily is an accomplishment, and each classroom should have enough china and glass to admit of this. to indicate the method which the writer has found practicable and useful, a course of twelve lessons is given, embracing the essential operations; and beyond this the teacher can construct her own bills of fare. when the making of bread begins, it will be found that not more than two or three other things can be made at one lesson. let one of these be a simple cake or pudding for the benefit of the class, whose interest is wonderfully stimulated by something good to eat. large white aprons and small half-sleeves to draw on over the dress-sleeves are essential, and must be insisted upon. a little cap of swiss muslin is pretty, and finishes the uniform well, but is not a necessity. for the rest each teacher must judge for herself, only remembering to _demand the most absolute neatness_ in all work done, and to _give the most perfect patience_ no matter how stupid the pupil may seem. twelve lessons. lesson first. to make stock. beef rolls. apple float. boiled custard. lesson second. to clarify fat or drippings. clear soup. beef soup with vegetables. to make caramel. cream cakes. lesson third. beef _à la mode_. to boil potatoes. mashed potatoes. potato snow. potato croquettes. yeast. wine jelly. lesson fourth. bread. plain rolls. beef hash with potatoes. beef croquettes. coddled apples. lesson fifth. graham bread. rye bread. to broil beef steak. to boil macaroni. macaroni baked with cheese. to make a _roux_. baked custard. lesson sixth. parker-house rolls. steamed brown bread. purée of salmon. croquettes of salmon. corn-starch pudding. lesson seventh. baked fish. to devil ham. stuffed eggs. plain omelet. saratoga potatoes. to use stale bread. bread pudding and plain sauce. lesson eighth. irish stew. boiled cabbage. baked cabbage. lyonnaise potatoes. whipped cream. sponge cake. charlotte russe. lesson ninth. bean soup. to dress and truss a chicken. chicken fricassee,--brown. chicken pie. meringues, plain and with jelly. lesson tenth. oyster soup. oyster scallop. fried oysters. pie-crust. oyster patties. lemon and apple pie. lesson eleventh. to bone a turkey or chicken. force-meat. boiled parsnips. to boil rice. parsnip fritters. lesson twelfth. to decorate boned turkey. to roast beef. to bake potatoes with beef. gravy. rice croquettes. chicken or turkey croquettes. list of topics for twenty lessons. wheat and corn. making of flour and meal. tea. coffee. chocolate and cocoa. tapioca and sago. rice. salt. pepper. cloves and allspice. cinnamon, nutmegs, and mace. ginger and mustard. olive-oil. raisins and currants. macaroni and vermicelli. potatoes. sweet potatoes. yeast and bread. butter. fats. list of authorities to which the teacher may refer. draper's physiology. dalton's physiology. carpenter's physiology. foster's physiology. youman's chemistry. johnston's chemistry of common life. lewes's physiology of common life. gray's how plants grow. rand's vegetable kingdom. brillât savarin's art of dining. brillât savarin's physiologie du goût. the cook's oracle, dr. kitchener. food and dietetics, by dr. chambers. food and dietetics, by dr. pary. food and digestion, by dr. brinton. food, by dr. letheby. cook-books at discretion. questions for final examination at end of year. . how is soup-stock made? . how is white soup made? . what are purées? . how is clear soup made? . how is caramel made, and what are its uses? . how is meat jelly made and colored? . how is meat boiled, roasted, and broiled? . how can cold meat be used? . how is poultry roasted and broiled? . how are potatoes cooked? . how are dried leguminous vegetables cooked? . how is rice boiled dry? . how is macaroni boiled? . how are white and brown sauces made? . give plain salad-dressing and mayonnaise. . how are beef tea and chicken broth made? . give receipts for plain omelet and omelette soufflée. . how are bread, biscuit, and rolls made? . how is pie-crust made? . rule for puff paste? . how should you furnish a kitchen? . what are the best kinds of cooking utensils? end. bibliography. the chemistry of cookery. by w. mattieu williams. the perfect way in diet. by dr. anna kingsford. foods. by edward smith. fruits, and how to use them. by hester m. poole. eating for strength. dr. m.l. holbrook. fruit and bread. by gustav schlickeyesen. translated by dr. m.l. holbrook. food and feeding. by sir henry thompson. mrs. lincoln's boston cook book. what to do and what not to do in cooking. just how. by mrs. a.d.t. whitney. mrs. rorer's philadelphia cook book. practical cooking and dinner-giving. mrs. henderson. in the kitchen. by mrs. e.s. miller. good living. a practical cook book for town and country. by sara van buren brugière. french dishes for american tables. by pierre caron. cuisine classique. urbain-dubois. carÃ�me. gouffÃ�. soyer. diet for the sick. a treatise on the values of foods, their application to special conditions of health and disease, and on the best methods of their preparation. by mrs. mary e. henderson. cookery-books at discretion. index. part ii. apple dumplings, . float, . water, . artichokes, . asparagus, . authorities for reference, . beans, string, . shelled, . beef _a la mode_, . corned, . frizzled, . juice, . rolls, . sandwich, . steak, . steak for sick, . tea or essence, . tea for convalescents, . virginia fashion, . beets, . bibliography, . birds, . biscuit, baking-powder, . beaten, . soda and cream of tartar, . blancmange, . boiled meats and stews, bread-making and flour, . bread, . brown, . cake, . corn, . graham, . pancakes, . rye, . sour, . to use dry, . to freshen stale, . breakfast puffs or popovers, . brown-bread brewis, . broth, mutton, , . chicken, . beef, tapioca, and egg, . buns, plain, , cake making, . cake, apple, . bread, . cup, . dover, . fruit, . gold, . huckleberry, . pound, . rolled jelly, . sponge, . white or silver, . cakes, cream, . filling for, . drop, . buckwheat, . cabbage, . candy, cream, . candy, molasses, . nut, . chocolate creams, . caramels, cocoanut drops, . canning, general rules for, . tomatoes, . caramel, . carrots, . carrots _sautés_, . casserole of rice and meat, . cauliflower, . cheese fondu, . soufflé, . charlotte russe, . cheese straws, . chicken broth, . broth for sick, . croquettes, philadelphia, . croquettes, . fricassee, brown, . fricassee, white, . fried, . jellied, . panada, . pie, . roasted or boiled, . salad, . chocolate, . cocoa, . coffee, . crust, . rice, . copper, to clean, . corn, green, . fritters, . pudding, . cream, bavarian, . fried, . fruit, . ice, with cream, . ice, with eggs, . to freeze, . spanish, . strawberry, . whipped, . crisped crackers, . croquettes, chicken, . potato, . rice, . crushed wheat, boiled, . curries, . custard, baked, . boiled, . pie, . doughnuts, . dressing, boiled for cold slaw, . for poultry, . without oil, . plain salad, . drop cakes, . duck, roast, . egg-nog, . egg-plant, . baked, . fritters, . eggs, baked, . boiled, . poached, . scrambled, . stuffed, . to keep, . examination questions, . fish, . baked, . balls, . boiled, . broiled, . chowder, . fried, . hash, . potted, . salt cod, boiled, . salt cod, with cream, . spiced, . stewed, . with cream, . flour browned for soup, . prepared, . freezing ices and creams, . fritters, clam, . oyster, . peach, . fruits, candied, . jellied, . fruit-stains, to take out, . fruit cream, . furniture polish, . gingerbread, . ginger snaps, . goose, roasted, . gruel, corn meal or indian, . oatmeal, . tapioca, . ham, boiled, . deviled, . fried, . hash, meat, . hasty pudding, . herb teas, . herring, roe, . hints to teachers, . hoe-cake, . hominy cakes, . coarse, . fine, . huckleberry cake, . ink-spots, to take out, . iron or tin, to wash, . italia's pride, . jams, . jelly and ice, . arrow-root, . rice, dr. gaunt's, . chicken, . currant, . fruit, . lemon, . rice, . tapioca, . wine, . jumbles, . list of utensils required, . lobster, boiled, . curried, . macaroni, . with cheese, . mackerel, salt, . marmalade, . marmalade, orange, . mayonnaise, . of salmon, . meats, . roasted, . broiled and fried, . meat, cold, to warm, . meringues, . mince-meat, for pies, . muffins, graham, . rye, . mush, . mutton, boiled, . broth, . broth for sick, . chops, . leg of, stuffed, . roasted, . oatmeal, boiled, . omelet, plain, . baked, . omelette soufflée, . onions, boiled, . oyster or clam fritters, . oyster-plant, . oysters, fried, . for pie or patties, . scalloped, . smothered, . spiced or pickled, . stewed, . panada, . parsnips, . fritters, . pastry and pies, . patties, . pease, . field, . pickles, cucumber, . ripe cucumber, . melon-rind, . sweet; peaches, &c, , pie, cherry or berry, . custard, . dried-apple, . grandmother's apple-pie, . lemon, . squash or pumpkin, . sweet potato, or pudding, . plain pie-crust, . pork and beans, . roasted, . steak, . potato croquettes, . snow, . potatoes, baked, . baked with beef, . boiled, . lyonnaise, . mashed, . saratoga, . potatoes, stewed, . sweet, . what to do with cold, . poultry, to clean, . dressing for, . porridge, milk, . preserves, . pudding, any-day plum, . batter, . bread, . bread-and-apple, . bread-and-butter, . bird's-nest, . corn-starch, . cabinet, . corn-meal or indian, . english plum, . gelatine, . minute, . plain rice, . sunder land, . tapioca, . tapioca cream, . tipsy, . puff paste, . purées, . rammekins, . rice, boiled, . croquettes, . water, . parched, . rolls, plain, . parker-house, , roux, to make, . salads, . salmi of duck or game, . sauces, . sauce, apple, . bread, . celery, cranberry, . foaming, . fruit, . hard, . mayonnaise, . mint, . molasses, . plain pudding, . spanish tomato, . sausage, fried, . short-cake, . sinks and drains, to purify, . soft soap, . soup, amber or clear, . beef, with vegetables, . clam, . mock turtle, . onion, . oyster, . pea, . tomato, without meat, . tomato, hasty, . turtle-bean, . white, . spanish tomato sauce, . spinach, . spice salt, . spices, mixed, . stew, brunswick, . brown, . irish, . white, . stock and seasoning, . squash, winter, . summer, . succotash, . tea, . time table for roasted meats, . for boiled meats, . for fish, . for vegetables, . bread, cake, &c., . toast, dry or buttered, . for sick, . milk, , , water, , . topics for twenty lessons, . tomato catchup, . chutney, . tomatoes, baked, . canned, . stewed, . fried, . boiled, . tongue, boiled, . deviled, . tripe, . turkey, boiled, . boned, . roasted, . turnips, . twelve lessons, . veal, . cutlets, . loaf, . minced, . venison, roast, . wafers, . waffles, . rice or hominy, . water, apple, . toast, . hard, to make soft, . ices, . weights and measures, . wine whey, . yeast, . some passages in the practice of dr. martha scarborough. by helen campbell. _ mo. cloth. price, $ . ._ besides being equal to mrs. campbell's best work in the past, it is strikingly original in presenting the ethics of the body as imperiously claiming recognition in the radical cure of inebriety. it forces attention to the physical and spiritual value of foods, and weaves precedent and precept into one of the most beguiling stories of recent date. it is the gospel of good food, with the added influence of fresh air, sunlight, cleanliness, and physical exercise that occupy profitably the attention of helen campbell. martha is a baby when the story begins, and a child not yet in her teens when the narrative comes to an end, but she has a salutary power over many lives. her father is a wise country physician, who makes his chaise, in his daily progress about the hills, serve as his little daughter's cradle and kindergarten. when she gets old enough to understand he expounds to her his views of the sins committed against hygiene, and his lessons sink into an appreciative mind. when he encounters particularly hard cases she applies his principles with unfailing logic, and is able to suggest helpful means of cure. the old doctor is delightfully sagacious in demonstrating how the confirmed pie-eater marries the tea inebriate, with the result in doughnut-devouring, dyspeptic, and consumptive offspring. "what did they die of?" asked little martha, in the village graveyard; and her father answers solemnly, "intemperance." so martha declares that she will be a "food doctor," and later on she helps her father in saving several victims of strong drink. the book is one that should find hosts of earnest readers, for its admonitions are sadly needed, not in the country alone, but in the city, where, if better ideas of diet prevail, people have yet as a rule a long way to go before they attain the path of wisdom. meanwhile it remains true, as mrs. campbell makes dr scarborough declare, that the cabbage soup and black bread of the poorest french peasants are really better suited to the sustenance of healthy life than the "messes" that pass for food in many parts of rural new england.--_the beacon._ _sold by all booksellers. mailed, post-paid, on receipt of price, by the publishers_, little, brown, and company, boston. roger berkeley's probation. a story. by helen campbell, _author of "prisoners of poverty," "mrs. herndon's income," "miss melinda's opportunity," "the what-to-do club," etc._ mo, cloth, price, $ . ; paper, cents. this story is on the scale of a cabinet picture. it presents interesting figures, natural situations, and warm colors. written in a quiet key, it is yet moving, and the letter from bolton describing the fortunate sale of roger's painting of "the factory bell" sends a tear of sympathetic joy to the reader's eye. roger berkeley was a young american art student in paris, called home by the mortal sickness of his mother, and detained at home by the spendthriftness of his father and the embarrassment that had overtaken the family affairs through the latter cause. a concealed mortgage on the old homestead, the mysterious disappearance of a package of bonds intended for roger's student use, and the paralytic incapacity of the father to give the information which his conscience prompted him to give, have a share in the development of the story. roger is obliged for the time to abandon his art work, and takes a situation in a mill; and this trying diversion from his purpose is his "probation." how he profits by this loss is shown in the result. the mill-life gives mrs. campbell opportunity to express herself characteristically in behalf of down-trodden "labor." the whole story is simple, natural, sweet, and tender; and the figures of connie, poor little cripple, and miss medora flint, angular and snappish domestic, lend picturesqueness to its group of characters.--_literary world_. _sold by all booksellers. mailed, post-paid, on receipt of price, by the publishers_, little, brown, and company, boston. miss melinda's opportunity. a story. by helen campbell, author of "the what-to-do club," "mrs. herndon's income," "prisoners of poverty." mo. cloth, price, $ . ; paper covers, cents. "mrs. helen campbell has written 'miss melinda's opportunity' with a definite purpose in view, and this purpose will reveal itself to the eyes of all of its philanthropic readers. the true aim of the story is to make life more real and pleasant to the young girls who spend the greater part of the day toiling in the busy stores of new york. just as in the 'what-to-do club' the social level of village life was lifted several grades higher, so are the little friendly circles of shop-girls made to enlarge and form clubs in 'miss melinda's opportunity.'"--_boston herald._ "'miss melinda's opportunity,' a story by helen campbell, is in a somewhat lighter vein than are the earlier books of this clever author; but it is none the less interesting and none the less realistic. the plot is unpretentious, and deals with the simplest and most conventional of themes; but the character-drawing is uncommonly strong, especially that of miss melinda, which is a remarkably vigorous and interesting transcript from real life, and highly finished to the slightest details. there is much quiet humor in the book, and it is handled with skill and reserve. those who have been attracted to mrs. campbell's other works will welcome the latest of them with pleasure and satisfaction."--_saturday gazette._ "the best book that helen campbell has yet produced is her latest story, 'miss melinda's opportunity,' which is especially strong in character-drawing, and its life sketches are realistic and full of vigor, with a rich vein of humor running through them. miss melinda is a dear lady of middle life, who has finally found her opportunity to do a great amount of good with her ample pecuniary means by helping those who have the disposition to help themselves. the story of how some bright and energetic girls who had gone to new york to earn their living put a portion of their earnings into a common treasury, and provided themselves with a comfortable home and good fare for a very small sum per week, is not only of lively interest, but furnishes hints for other girls in similar circumstances that may prove of great value. an unpretentious but well-sustained plot runs through the book, with a happy ending, in which miss melinda figures as the angel that she is."--_home journal._ _sold by all booksellers. mailed, post-paid, on receipt of price, by the publishers_, little, brown, and company, boston. the what-to-do club a story for girls by helen campbell. mo. cloth. price $ . . "'the what-to-do club' is an unpretending story. it introduces us to a dozen or more village girls of varying ranks. one has had superior opportunities; another exceptional training; two or three have been 'away to school;' some are farmers' daughters; there is a teacher, two or three poor self-supporters,--in fact, about such an assemblage as any town between new york and chicago might give us. but while there is a large enough company to furnish a delightful coterie, there is absolutely no social life among them.... town and country need more improving, enthusiastic work to redeem them from barrenness and indolence. our girls need a chance to do independent work, to study practical business, to fill their minds with other thoughts than the petty doings of neighbors. a what-to-do club is one step toward higher village life. it is one step toward disinfecting a neighborhood of the poisonous gossip which floats like a pestilence around localities which ought to furnish the most desirable homes in our country.'"--_the chautauquan._ "'the what-to-do club' is a delightful story for girls, especially for new england girls, by helen campbell. the heroine of the story is sybil waite, the beautiful, resolute, and devoted daughter of a broken-down but highly educated vermont lawyer. the story shows how much it is possible for a well-trained and determined young woman to accomplish when she sets out to earn her own living, or help others. sybil begins with odd jobs of carpentering, and becomes an artist so woodwork. she is first jeered at, then admired, respected, and finally loved by a worthy man. the book closes pleasantly with john claiming sybil as his own. the labors of sybil and her friends and of the new jersey 'busy bodies,' which are said to be actual facts, ought to encourage many young women to more successful competition in the battles of life.'"--_golden rule._ "in the form of a story, this book suggests ways in which young women may make money at home, with practical directions for so doing. stories with a moral are not usually interesting, but this one is an exception to the rule. the narrative is lively, the incidents probable and amusing, the characters well-drawn, and the dialects various and characteristic. mrs. campbell is a natural storyteller, and has the gift of making a tale interesting. even the recipes for pickles and preserves, evaporating fruits, raising poultry, and keeping bees, are made poetic and invested with a certain ideal glamour, and we are thrilled and absorbed by an array of figures of receipts and expenditures, equally with the changeful incidents of flirtation, courtship, and matrimony. fun and pathos, sense and sentiment, are mingled throughout, and the combination has resulted in one of the brightest stories of the season."--_woman's journal._ _sold by all booksellers. mailed, post-paid, by publishers_, little, brown, and company, boston. mrs. herndon's income. a novel. by helen campbell. author of "the what-to-do club." one volume. mo. cloth. $ . . "confirmed novel-readers who have regarded fiction as created for amusement and luxury alone, lay down this book with a new and serious purpose in life. the social scientist reads it, and finds the solution of many a tangled problem; the philanthropist finds in it direction and counsel. a novel written with a purpose, of which never for an instant does the author lose sight, it is yet absorbing in its interest. it reveals the narrow motives and the intrinsic selfishness of certain grades of social life; the corruption of business methods; the 'false, fairy gold,' of fashionable charities, and 'advanced' thought. margaret wentworth is a typical new england girl, reflective, absorbed, full of passionate and repressed intensity under a quiet and apparently cold exterior. the events that group themselves about her life are the natural result of such a character brought into contact with real life. the book cannot be too widely read."--_boston traveller._ "if the 'what-to-do club' was clever, this is decidedly more so. it is a powerful story, and is evidently written in some degree, we cannot quite say how great a degree, from fact. the personages of the story are very well drawn,--indeed, 'amanda briggs' is as good as anything american fiction has produced. we fancy we could pencil on the margin the real names of at least half the characters. it is a book for the wealthy to read that they may know something that is required of them, because it does not ignore the difficulties in their way, and especially does not overlook the differences which social standing puts between class and class. it is a deeply interesting story considered as mere fiction, one of the best which has lately appeared. we hope the authoress will go on in a path where she has shown herself so capable."--_the churchman._ "in mrs. campbell's novel we have a work that is not to be judged by ordinary standards. the story holds the reader's interest by its realistic pictures of the local life around us, by its constant and progressive action, and by the striking dramatic quality of scenes and incidents, described in a style clear, connected, and harmonious. the novel-reader who is not taken up and made to share the author's enthusiasm before getting half-way through the book must possess a taste satiated and depraved by indulgence in exciting and sensational fiction. the earnestness of the author's presentation of essentially great purposes lends intensity to her narrative. succeeding as she does in impressing us strongly with her convictions, there is nothing of dogmatism in their preaching. but the suggestiveness of every chapter is backed by pictures of real life."--_new york world._ _sold by all booksellers. mailed, post-paid, on receipt of price, by the publishers_, little, brown, and company, boston. prisoners of poverty. women wage-workers: their trades and their lives. by helen campbell, author of "the what-to-do club," "mrs. herndon's income," "miss melinda's opportunity," etc. mo. cloth. $ . . paper, cents. the author writes earnestly and warmly, but without prejudice, and her volume is an eloquent plea for the amelioration of the evils with which she deals. in the present importance into which the labor question generally has loomed, this volume is a timely and valuable contribution to its literature, and merits wide reading and careful thought.--_saturday evening gazette._ she has given us a most effective picture of the condition of new york working-women, because she has brought to the study of the subject not only great care but uncommon aptitude. she has made a close personal investigation, extending apparently over a long time; she has had the penetration to search many queer and dark corners which are not often thought of by similar explorers; and we suspect that, unlike too many philanthropists, she has the faculty of winning confidence and extracting the truth. she is sympathetic, but not a sentimentalist; she appreciates exactness in facts and figures; she can see both sides of a question, and she has abundant common sense.--_new york tribune._ helen campbell's "prisoners of poverty" is a striking example of the trite phrase that "truth is stranger than fiction." it is a series of pictures of the lives of women wage-workers in new york, based on the minutest personal inquiry and observation. no work of fiction has ever presented more startling pictures, and, indeed, if they occurred in a novel would at once be stamped as a figment of the brain.... altogether, mrs. campbell's book is a notable contribution to the labor literature of the day, and will undoubtedly enlist sympathy for the cause of the oppressed working-women whose stories do their own pleading.--_springfield union._ it is good to see a new book by helen campbell. she has written several for the cause of working-women, and now comes her latest and best work, called "prisoners of poverty," on women wage-workers and their lives. it is compiled from a series of papers written for the sunday edition of a new york paper. the author is well qualified to write on these topics, having personally investigated the horrible situation of a vast army of working-women in new york,--a reflection of the same conditions that exist in all large cities. it is glad tidings to hear that at last a voice is raised for the woman side of these great labor questions that are seething below the surface calm of society. and it is well that one so eloquent and sympathetic as helen campbell has spoken in behalf of the victims and against the horrors, the injustices, and the crimes that have forced them into conditions of living--if it can be called living--that are worse than death. it is painful to read of these terrors that exist so near our doors, but none the less necessary, for no person of mind or heart can thrust this knowledge aside. it is the first step towards a solution of the labor complications, some of which have assumed foul shapes and colossal proportions, through ignorance, weakness, and wickedness.--_hartford times._ _sold by all booksellers. mailed, post-paid, on receipt of price, by the publishers_, little, brown, and company, boston. transcriber's notes for e-book: in this book, spelling is inconsistent, but is generally left as found in the original scans used for transcription. some of the most common inconsistencies are noted below. if you are using this book for research, please verify any spelling or punctuation with another source. spelling variants: omelet(te), omlet souflé(e) gouffé(e) cocoanut, cocoa-nut dishcloth, dish-cloth forcemeat, force-meat oilcloth, oil-cloth popovers, pop-overs schoolgirls, school-girls storeroom, store-room underdone, under-done underwear, under-wear obvious typos corrected: identital for identical cacoa-nut for cocoa-nut boiled for broiled [transcriber's note: italic text is rendered with underscores _like this_, and bold with equal signs =like this=] mushrooms of america, edible and poisonous. edited by julius a. palmer, jr. published by l. prang & co., boston. (copyright, . by l. prang & co.) general directions. these charts are prepared for popular use, rather than for students of botanical science; all technical terms are, therefore, as far as possible, avoided. the names "mushroom" and "toadstool" are indefinite, are both applied with equal reason to any fleshy fungus, and are here used as synonymes, like the corresponding term "plant" and "vegetable," or "shrub" and "bush," in common conversation. no general test can be given by which a poisonous mushroom may be distinguished from an edible mushroom. but each species of fungus has certain marks of identity, either in appearance, quality, or condition of growth, which are its own, and never radically varied; none can contain a _venomous_ element at one time, and yet be harmless under other conditions. like other food, animal or vegetable, however, mushrooms may, by decay or conditions of growth, be unfit for table use; yet in this state no _fatality_ would attend such use. therefore the identification of species is a safe guide, and is the only means of knowing what mushrooms should be eaten, and what varieties of fungus should be rejected. having once learned to distinguish any species of mushrooms as esculent, perfect security may be felt in the use of that species wherever and whenever found; but any specimen varying from the type in the slightest degree should be rejected by an amateur. there are about one thousand varieties of mushrooms (exclusive of small or microscopic fungi) native to the united states; many will therefore be found which are not represented on either of these plates. those here depicted are of three classes, namely, the lycoperdaceæ, or puff-ball fungi; the agaricini, or gill-bearing fungi; and the boleti, which last is one division of the polyporei, or pore-bearing fungi. the following definitions are here given, and will be found necessary:-- =_pileus._= the expanded disk or cap of the mushroom or toadstool. =_gills._= the thin plates set on their edges under the pileus, running to a common centre at the stem. =_tubes._= the spongy collection of pores which take the place of gills under the pileus of a boletus. =_veil._= a web or membrane which extends from the margin of the pileus to the stem when the mushroom is young, and thus encloses the gills. =_ring._= a part of the veil adherent to the stem, and forming a collar around it. =_volva._= the sheath or wrapper enclosing the young mushroom, when below or just above the ground; the remains of which are found in the ring, the veil, at the base of the stem, and in the warty or scurfy top of some varieties of mushrooms. =_spores._= the reproductive bodies, analogous to seeds in some other plants, found under the caps of the agaricini and boleti, and appearing like fine dust when the cap is left for a time lying under-side downward. * * * * * there are as many different flavors and tastes among esculent fungi as are found in any other varieties of diet, and the very general ignorance of this fact is a sufficient reason for the issue of this work. many persons claim to know a mushroom from a toadstool. this means that there is one variety out of a thousand of which they eat with safety, and it means nothing more. a person might as well select one fish from the sea, and avoid all other members of the finny tribe on the ground that there are poisonous fishes. it is strange that this general ignorance is most apparent in the case of the english-speaking people. the fungus eaters form a little clique in england, but the majority of her people know nothing of this gratuitous offering from nature's storehouse. no country is richer in mushroom food than america. were the poorer classes of russia, germany, italy, or france to see our forests during the autumn rains, they would feast on the rich food there going to waste. for this harvest is spontaneous; it requires no seed-time, and asks for no peasant's toil. at the same time, the economic value of mushroom diet ranks second to meat alone. with bread, and mushrooms properly gathered and prepared, a person may neglect the butcher during the summer months. this is self-evident to the unscientific mind by the simple facts that mushrooms make the same use of the air we breathe as is made by animals, that cooked they resemble no form of vegetable food, and that in decay their odor in some cases cannot be distinguished from that of putrid meat. to this feast, abundantly provided by nature for the poorest as well as the most epicurean, we invite the american people. in gathering mushrooms for food, cut the stem off about an inch below the cap, and place them in the basket or dish, gills upward. never twist or pull them, as the gills become thereby full of dirt, which is not easily removed. by placing them gills downward, they will shed their spores largely and thus lose flavor. the stem in cutting will often exhibit fine holes; this indicates that maggots have entered the mushroom. if the substance of the pileus continues firm and hard, the mushroom may be cooked and eaten by those not over-nice; but if perforated and soft, the consequent decomposition might induce nausea, and even serious sickness. mushrooms may be noxious as food in three ways:-- ( .) they may disagree with the system, by their toughness, indigestibility, or use in a state of decay. ( .) they may be slimy, acrid, or otherwise nauseous. ( .) they may contain a subtle poison without taste, smell, or other indication of its presence. most noxious fungi appertain to the first or second class above given, and taste or common-sense would readily reject them, unless they were cooked with other food or excessively spiced. for this reason plain cooking is advised, and further, no amateur should venture to mingle with good varieties others to him unknown. of the third class, there is one family, many of whose members contain a violent and deadly poison. this is known as the _amanita_ family; and although out of fourteen varieties, four are known to be edible, yet it is here advised to avoid all fungi as food which have these its distinguishing marks:-- ( .) a scurfy or warty top, the protuberances of which rub easily off, leaving the skin intact. in a number of specimens many will be found entirely smooth, while near them are others of the same variety where more or less of the specks remain. ( .) a ring; generally large and reflexed or falling downward. ( .) a volva; more or less enclosing the young plant, and remaining at the base of the older specimen, so that when the mushroom is pulled up a socket is left in the ground. these three marks should all exist in the typical plant of this family, and the experienced eye will see signs of their presence, even where they are wanting. but the _volva_ rarely or never decays during the life of the specimen, and to reject everything with this mark is recommended to all amateurs. so far as known, there are no cases of death by the use of mushrooms except from this one family. in all well-defined cases of fatal poisoning, the cause is just as well defined, namely, the use of the mushroom represented by plates ix. and x. in this sheet. therefore, when one has become perfectly acquainted with this family, and learned to always reject them, he has very little to fear in the choice of mushrooms for the table. the poisonous varieties of the amanita family are extremely common. the antidote for this poison is found in the skilful use of the alkaloids from the family of the solanaceæ or nightshades, especially in subcutaneous injections of atropine. but to the public generally, in cases of poisoning, no other advice can be given than to call a physician without delay. plate vi. represents several members of the russula family. having once learned to identify it without danger of error, this family is quite safe for use as food; for all the non-esculent russulas are hot or nauseous to the taste, while the edible ones are very nutty and pleasant. the student should, therefore, taste each specimen when preparing them for cooking. some authorities consider all boleti fit for table use, but there are those which are too bitter for food, and one such as the specimen numbered , plate xi., would spoil a whole stew. the tubes of this boletus (_felleus_) are light rose, although they appear to be white when fresh and young. a good rule for amateurs is to avoid all the lurid boleti; by this is meant all those that have the slightest shade of red to the tubes, although i have often eaten of such. the mild-colored members of this family, having white, yellow, or greenish tubes, if pleasant to the taste, may be considered safe eating. plate viii. represents some of the esculent puff-balls. there are some warty fungi growing on wood, which, in early growth, resemble puff-balls, whose qualities are not yet known. but all those varieties of clear white fungi, which appear in little balls on the open ground after rains, may be eaten with perfect safety, if fresh, white inside, and hard; if soft and yellowish, or black in the pulp, they should be avoided, as they are approaching decay. the most important advice to the student is to learn to recognize the amanita family, and to avoid them all; next, to define and recognize any mushroom he is using for food, so that he could pick a single specimen of the same out of a basketful of assorted fungi; and finally, never to pick mushrooms at random for food, unless he has tested by actual use each and all of the varieties so used. there is a large family of mushrooms resembling the russulas, which exude a milky juice if broken or cut. the amateur will do well to avoid all such, although they are esculent where the milk is mild to the taste. additional plates, displaying other varieties of esculent mushrooms, may possibly be issued in the future. julius a. palmer, jr. [illustration: plate i. agaricus campestris et arvensis, or mushroom proper. =description.= pileus. dry, silky or downy from the first; globular, margin united to the stem by the veil, then expanded, bell-shaped, at last even flat. color variable, from white to dark brown. cuticle easily separable in pasture variety. gills. at first pink, then purple, finally almost black, never white; of different lengths. stem. nearly solid, even in size, easily removed from the socket. volva. none; but veil present, at first enclosing gills, then making a ring, finally absent. spores. purple or purplish brown. taste and smell fragrant and agreeable. grows in open pastures, lanes or roadsides; never in forests. (b.) similar to above, but coarser, more brittle and of stronger flavor; turns rust of iron color when bruised; grows on banks, street-sweepings and in hot-houses. =to cook.= stew in milk or cream; prepare to serve with meat as described under plate ii., or broil as directed under plate iii. =to roast in the oven.= cut the larger specimens into fine pieces, and place them in a small dish, with salt, pepper and butter to taste; put in about two tablespoonfuls of water, then fill the dish with the half-open specimens and the buttons; cover tightly and place in the oven, which must not be overheated, for about twenty minutes. the juice of the larger mushrooms will keep them moist, and, if fresh, yield further a most abundant gravy. n. b. in gathering the pasture variety, cut them just below the cap (_don't pull them_); they can then be cooked without washing or peeling. the cultivated mushrooms are often so dirty as to require both washing and peeling.] [illustration: plate ii. coprinus comatus, or shaggy-maned mushroom. =description.= pileus. at first oval and hard; margin then separating from the stem; then equally cylindrical, margin turning black; finally expanded, and decaying by dissolution into inky fluid. color of pileus variable from brown to pure white, always woolly, shaggy, the cuticle coming off in layers like the scales of a fish. gills. at first white, crowded; possibly pink, then dark purple, or black, and moist. stem. thick at base, equal above ground, hollow, appearing like macaroni cooked. volva. none, but ring present, and movable in the full-grown specimen. spores. black. smell strong, especially at centre of pileus. taste. pleasant raw, but should not be eaten after it is moist and black. grows in rich lawns, roadsides, or newly filled city grounds, in groups or solitary. =to cook.= for about twenty mushrooms, put into a saucepan one gill of milk or cream, add salt and pepper to the taste, with a piece of butter the size of the larger specimens above; when it boils, put in the stems and small hard mushrooms; after ten minutes' boiling add the larger specimens; keep the dish covered and boiling for ten minutes longer, then pour the stew over dry toast, and serve. =to serve with meat.= chop the mushrooms fine, let them simmer ten minutes in one half gill of water, with butter, salt and pepper as for oyster sauce; thicken with flour or ground rice; pour over the meat and cover quickly. n. b. but very little fluid is needed in cooking this mushroom, as it yields a rich juice of its own. it should always be cleaned before cooking, by scraping it smooth and until it is perfectly white.] [illustration: plate iii. marasmius oreades, or fairy-ring champignon. =description.= pileus. leathery, tough, and of an equal cream color, pliable when moist; shrivelling, wrinkled, even brittle when dry, changing from the former to the latter with a dew or rain followed by a hot sun, and also _vice versa_. cuticle not separable. gills. broad, wide apart, of the same color as pileus, or a little paler. stem. solid, of equal circumference; tough, not breaking easily if bent or twisted. volva and ring, none. spores white. taste and smell musky, rather strong, but nutty and agreeable. grows in rings or groups in rich lawns or roadsides. =to cook.= for serving with meat or fish, cut the tops clear from the stems just below the gills. to a pint of mushrooms, if moist, add about a gill of water, pepper and salt to the taste, and a piece of butter half the size of an egg. simmer together over the fire ten or fifteen minutes, thicken with flour or ground rice, and pour over the cooked meat or fish. =to broil.= place the tops like oysters on a fine wire gridiron; as soon as they are hot, butter them lightly, and salt and pepper to the taste. put them back over the coals, and when they are heated through they are cooked. butter them, if required, and place in a hot dish. n. b. when the mushrooms are dried, swell them in water before cooking.] [illustration: plate iv. agaricus cretaceus, or chalk mushroom. =description.= pileus. pure white, dry at first, nearly globular, then bell-shaped, finally expanded and becoming darker, even smoky in color. in early growth very brittle, cuticle always peeling easily. gills. at first pure white, then pinkish, finally rusty; withered in color and texture; always turning pink or dark if exposed to dry heat. stem. hollow, bulbous at base in small specimens, then elongated and equal; leaves the socket easily, without breaking into the gills. volva. none; veil distinct and entire, enclosing the gills at first, then ruptured, forming the ring. spores. pale pink or rosy. taste, mild, agreeable, but insipid. odor, none. grows in lawns and richly cultivated grass plots; rarely or never in forests. =to cook.= this mushroom, while sweet and of firm body, has little or no flavor of its own. it may, therefore, be best to stew it as directed under plate i., with milk, or under plate iii., with water; in either case mixing some proportion of either or all of the three preceding kinds. in such case, it will completely absorb their flavor. for those who like spices it is very nice cooked as number three for meat or fish, adding to that receipt chopped parsley, an onion, or a clove of garlic, chopped fine, with a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce. if served with any meat making an abundant gravy, cook as directed under the plate of edible russulas.] [illustration: plate v. agaricus procerus, or parasol mushroom. =description.= pileus. brown from first to last; thick skinned, very scaly and shaggy; at first egg-shaped, then swollen, finally expanded, a little point in the centre becoming prominent; always pliable and leathery. gills. pure white. stem. fibrous, hollow, equal in size, freckled, deeply sunk into the cap, from which it withdraws free from the gills, leaving a deep socket. volva. none; veil ragged, ring well defined and movable. spores. white. taste sweetish, not marked; odor slight. grows in open fields and lawns or margins of forests. =to cook.= stew in milk or cream as directed under plate ii., except that this mushroom is dry and firm, and more liquid may be used, for it will make little or no gravy of its own. it is not of suitable character to be stewed in water, but is very good broiled, requiring the liberal use of butter, or placed under meat as directed with the edible russulas.] [illustration: plate vi. edible russulas. , . russula heterophylla. . russula virescens. . russula lepida. . russula alutacea. =description.= pileus. many colored; white, drab, green, purple or bright red; cuticle very thin, peeling from the edge, adherent toward the centre; bell-shaped, at first compressing the gills, then expanded, until finally the centre of the cap becomes depressed or concave. gills. generally pure white, sometimes creamy or buff; nearly or quite equal in length, rigid, brittle, breaking into unequal segments if pressed. stem. stout, solid or stuffed; in substance the same as the flesh of the cap, often tapering quite abruptly to a point at the base. volva, ring, and veil all entirely absent at every age of the plant. spores. white. taste, excellent raw, like nuts; odor none. grows in woods, woody paths or clearings; often found gnawed by squirrels or other animals. =to cook.= remove the skin as far as it peels easily, and wash the centre of the cap clean; then place on a gridiron and let them heat through; butter plentifully, and salt and pepper to the taste, then place them in a hot dish in the oven, and after broiling a beefsteak or chicken put it thereon that the gravy may run out and be absorbed by the mushrooms. n. b. the noxious members of this family resemble the esculent so closely that, to the amateur, tasting each one as gathered is the only guide; the hurtful ones being always hot and acrid. equal gills, extreme brittleness, and dry, firm texture are characteristic of the whole russula family.] [illustration: plate vii. boleti. . boletus bovinus. . boletus edulis. . boletus scaber. . boletus sub-tomentosus. . boletus chrysenteron. . boletus strobilaceus. =description. no. .= boletus bovinus. pileus flat, smooth, viscid; the thin, transparent skin easily peeling. flesh white, unchangeable in color (stem same color as pileus). tubes whitish yellow, yellow or gray, shallow. very variable in size. no. . boletus edulis. pileus cushion-like, dry, brown-gray or drab, thick. flesh white, unchangeable. tubes white-yellow to green. stem very thick, often abortive in shape, bulbous at base, very pleasant to taste. no. . boletus scaber. pileus bell-shaped at first and hard, then broad, uneven, soft and flat, variable in color from dark-brown to reddish drab. stem rough, scabby, fibrous. flesh dirty white, often changing to black. tubes white, rusty, often iron-stained in color in spots. no. . boletus sub-tomentosus. pileus very variable in form, from bell to cushion shaped; also in color, from light-brown or olive to any shade of red. stem touched with red, smooth or with light lines, often twisted. flesh and tubes and stem changing to blue wherever bruised or cut. tubes yellow, shading at times toward green. tastes like walnuts. no. . boletus chrysenteron. very similar to no. , except that the pileus is often brick-red. the flesh is sulphur-yellow and scarcely changeable, and the stem with more red. no. . boletus strobilaceus. whole plant blackish, turning red when bruised or cut, broken into thick fir-cone segments or scales. tubes white or rusty, often enclosed by a veil. =to cook.= beat up a batter, or simply some fresh eggs, lay the mushrooms in the same, turning them so as to have the liquid adhere to them. then fry in hot boiling fat, or on a buttered griddle, according to your liking, with salt and pepper to the taste. broil, bake or serve under meat as in other recipes here given. of the above, nos. , and may be stewed, but the others, and, in fact, all boleti are so moist or viscous that they are much better cooked by dry heat. n. b. all the above, and many other varieties of esculent boleti, have tubes colored white, gray, green, or yellow; none are even slightly red.] [illustration: plate viii. lycoperdaceÆ, or puff-balls. . lycoperdon giganteum. giant puff-ball. . lycoperdon saccatum. little puff-ball. . lycoperdon gemmatum. pear-shaped puff-ball. there are many varieties corresponding in most points with some one of the three above named, some growing on stumps, but most of them appearing on sandy soils after heavy rains. none are poisonous. =to cook.= make a batter, properly seasoned as for frying egg-plant, or beat up eggs for the same purpose; cut the puff-balls into slices half an inch thick, and fry in boiling fat or on a buttered griddle. puff-balls are also very good stewed with the coprinus, or with the ordinary mushroom, as their porous substance absorbs the stronger flavor.] [illustration: plate ix. agaricus (amanita) vernus, or poisonous white mushroom. =description.= pileus. at first ovate or bulbous, enclosed in the volva, then expanded, always pure white, usually clammy or viscid to the touch; cuticle thin, separable. gills. pure white, unequal, free from the stem. stem. long, rough or woolly, stuffed or a little hollow toward the cap. volva. always present. ring marked at medium growth; often absent at maturity of the plant; and the same is true of the warts or scurf on the cap. n. b. this mushroom to many persons has no disagreeable taste or smell. it grows in and on the borders of woods, and when half open may easily be taken for those in plates i. or iv., if attention is not paid to the volva. it is deadly poison.] [illustration: plate x. poisonous mushrooms of the genus amanita. . agaricus (amanita) muscarius. , . agaricus (amanita) phalloides. . agaricus (amanita) mappa. =general description of above.= plant when just below the soil enclosed in a volva or wrapper, which as it matures remains ( ) at the base continuing to sheathe the stem; ( ) in the collar or ring; ( ) on the pileus in the form of easily separable scales or warts. generally free from disagreeable taste or smell, except at decay, when the variety illustrated by figures no. and no. is putrid and nauseous. gills pure white at every stage of growth. pileus very variable in color, from pure white to bright orange or red. all contain a deadly poison.] [illustration: plate xi. poisonous or suspicious boleti. . boletus felleus, bitter boletus. . boletus alveolatus, crimson boletus. , . boletus luridus, lurid boletus. figure above is very much like figures and , plate vii., of edible mushrooms, from which it is easily distinguished by its bitter taste and rosy tubes. figure is a distinctively american species, and the authority for suspecting it is found in the fact that all boleti which have red or red-mouthed tubes have been considered poisonous. although valuable for an illustration of the lurid boleti, this variety is probably edible. figure is easily confounded with figures and , plate vii., of edible mushrooms, if attention is not paid to the color of the tubes.] [illustration: plate xii. poisonous or false champignons. , . agaricus (naucoria) semi-orbicularis. , . agaricus (stropharia) semi-globatus. , . agaricus (naucoria) pediades. figure and figure above are of a small mushroom which grows in lawns and pastures, and is very easily mistaken for those on plate iii. of edible mushrooms; but, first, they have no point, but are strictly orbicular; second, the gills are always discolored in age or decay as in figure above; third, the texture is soft, and the mushroom does not dry hard by the sun and re-expand with moisture as a _marasmius_. figures and as also and illustrate species oftenest found in or on manure, and the above distinctions are equally true of these two varieties. the above are not known to be assuredly poisonous, but have none of the esculent qualities of the fairy-ring champignon. there are also other small fungi of soft texture and doubtful quality closely resembling these which grow in lawns and pastures, and the object of this plate is to teach the amateur to avoid all such. the suspicious varieties of marasmius do not grow with the edible species, but in woods.] things mother used to make by lydia maria gurney a collection of old time recipes, some nearly one hundred years old and never published before new york author's foreword good food depends as largely upon the judgment of the cook, as upon the materials used. these recipes and household hints are written very plainly, for those who have had no experience, no practice and possibly have little judgment. they are very simple, not expensive, and if followed closely, will ensure success. it is the hope of the writer of this book that the young and inexperienced housekeeper may find it a real help. l.m. gurney. introduction the things mother used to make consist of old fashioned recipes, which have been for the most part handed down by word of mouth from one generation to another, extending over a period of nearly one hundred years. the author, a new england woman, has during her life tested out in her own kitchen the greater part of these recipes, which represent the best cookery of those times. this material was originally published in _suburban life_, where it obtained such recognition as seemed to warrant its preservation in book form. the original material has accordingly been amplified, and it is here presented as one of the volumes in the series of countryside manuals. frank a. arnold new york september , =breads= =bannocks= cupful of thick sour milk / cupful of sugar egg cupfuls of flour / cupful of indian meal teaspoonful of soda a pinch of salt make the mixture stiff enough to drop from a spoon. drop mixture, size of a walnut, into boiling fat. serve warm, with maple syrup. =boston brown bread= cupful of rye meal cupful of graham meal cupful of indian meal cupful of sweet milk cupful of sour milk cupful of molasses teaspoonful of salt heaping teaspoonful of soda stir the meals and salt together. beat the soda into the molasses until it foams; add sour milk, mix all together and pour into a tin pail which has been well greased, if you have no brown-bread steamer. set the pail into a kettle of boiling water and steam three or four hours, keeping it tightly covered. =brown bread (baked)= cupful of indian meal cupful of rye meal / cupful of flour cupful of molasses (scant) cupful of milk or water teaspoonful of soda put the meals and flour together. stir soda into molasses until it foams. add salt and milk or water. mix all together. bake in a tin pail with cover on for two and a half hours. =coffee cakes= when your dough for yeast bread is risen light and fluffy, cut off small pieces and roll as big as your finger, four inches long. fold and twist to two inches long and fry in deep fat. serve hot with coffee. =corn meal gems= cupfuls of flour cupful of corn meal (bolted is best) cupfuls of milk teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of baking soda egg / cupful of sugar / teaspoonful of salt stir the flour and meal together, adding cream of tartar, soda, salt and sugar. beat the egg, add the milk to it, and stir into the other ingredients. bake in a gem-pan twenty minutes. =cream of tartar biscuits= pint of flour teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda / teaspoonful of salt tablespoonful of lard stir cream of tartar, soda, salt and lard into the flour; mix with milk or water, handling as little as possible. roll and cut into rounds. baking-powder can be used in place of soda and cream of tartar. =crullers= use the recipe for doughnuts, adding one egg and a little more butter. roll a small piece of the dough to the size of your finger, and eight inches long, double it, and twist the two rolls together. fry in boiling fat. =delicious dip toast= cut slices of bread, one-half inch thick; toast each side to a delicate brown. dip these into hot, salted milk, letting them remain until soft. lay them on a platter and spread a little butter over each slice. take one quart of milk more or less according to size of family; heat in a double boiler, salt to taste. wet two tablespoonfuls of flour with a little water; stir until smooth, and pour into the milk when boiling. make this of the consistency of rich cream; add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and pour over the toasted bread. serve hot. =doughnuts= egg cupful of milk and / cupfuls of sugar teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda piece of butter the size of a walnut / teaspoonful of cinnamon or nutmeg salt, and flour enough to roll soft beat the egg and sugar together and add the milk and butter. stir the soda and cream of tartar into the flour, dry; mix all together, with the flour and salt. cut into rings and fry in deep fat. lay them on brown paper when you take them from the fat. =fried bread= after frying pork or bacon, put into the fat slices of stale bread. as it fries, pour over each slice a little milk or water and salt to taste, turn and fry on the opposite side. this is a very appetizing dish. =german toast= cupful of milk egg pinch of salt or slices of bread beat together one egg, one cupful of milk, and a little salt. dip slices of stale bread into this mixture, and fry on a griddle in butter or pork fat. serve hot with butter and maple syrup. =soft gingerbread= cupful of molasses cupful of sour milk / cupful of butter or lard teaspoonful of ginger teaspoonful of soda / teaspoonful of salt stir the soda into the molasses until it foams, add sour milk, ginger, salt and melted butter. last of all, add flour enough for quite a stiff batter, and bake. this makes one sheet. =huckleberry cake= pick over and wash and flour well one cupful of fresh huckleberries. add these to the batter for soft gingerbread. serve hot, with butter. =quick graham bread= pint of graham meal / cupful of molasses cupful of sour milk teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of salt stir soda into the molasses, add sour milk and salt; add all to the meal, beating well. sweet milk will do with a little less soda. bake thirty minutes, or according to heat of the oven. a moderate oven is best. =graham bread (raised over night)= cupfuls of flour cupfuls of graham meal tablespoonfuls of sugar tablespoonful of lard teaspoonful of salt yeast cake mix flour and meal together and rub in lard, sugar and salt. add yeast cake which has been dissolved in one-half cup of cold water. mix with warm water at night. set in a warm place to rise. in the morning stir and let rise to twice its bulk. knead and put in baking pans. raise again and bake forty-five minutes. =graham muffins= pint of graham flour / cupful of molasses teaspoonful of salt / pint of white flour teaspoonful of soda put the salt into the flour and soda into the molasses. stir all together and mix with milk or water. drop into muffin tins and bake twenty minutes. =sour milk griddle cakes= cupfuls of sour milk teaspoonfuls of soda teaspoonful of salt stir the soda and salt into the milk and add flour enough to make thin batter. fry on a well-greased griddle. one spoonful for each cake. serve hot with butter and maple syrup. =sweet milk griddle cakes= egg pint of sweet milk level teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar level teaspoonful of soda pinch of salt flour enough for thin batter mix soda and cream of tartar with flour. beat the egg, add milk and stir into flour. fry in small cakes on a griddle. =jenny lind tea cake= cupfuls of flour / cupful of sugar egg teaspoonful of soda tablespoonful of melted butter teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar stir salt, soda and cream of tartar into the dry flour. beat the egg, add sugar and butter, stir into the flour and mix with enough milk to make batter as thick as a cake. bake in a moderate oven. to be eaten hot with butter. =real johnny cake= cupfuls of flour cupful of yellow meal tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda or teaspoonfuls of baking-powder add enough milk or water to make a thin batter, and bake. =new england buns= cupful of milk and l/ cupfuls of sugar / cupful of butter or lard / cupful of currants teaspoonful of extract of lemon / teaspoonful of soda / teaspoonful of salt yeast cake flour enough for soft dough dissolve the yeast in a half-cupful of cold water. scald the milk and, when nearly cold, add the yeast, half the sugar, and flour enough to make a thin batter; let it rise to twice its bulk. when light and foamy, add the rest of the ingredients; sprinkle a little flour over the currants, stir the soda into the flour, using flour enough to make stiff dough. set again, then roll, cut with a cooky-cutter, about an inch thick, and let rise again. bake in a moderate oven twenty-five minutes. mix in the morning, if wanted for the evening meal. when done, brush over the top, while warm, with equal parts of milk and molasses. =nut bread= / cupfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of baking-powder / teaspoonful of salt / cupful of sugar egg cupful of milk / cupful of english walnut meats, chopped fine beat egg and sugar together, then add milk and salt. sift the baking-powder into the dry flour, and put all the ingredients together. add the nuts last, covering with a little flour, to prevent falling, and bake in a moderate oven one hour. =oatmeal bread= cupfuls of rolled oats / cupfuls of boiling water / cupful of molasses yeast cake pinch of salt let the rolled oats and boiling water stand until cool, then add the molasses, salt, and yeast cake which has been dissolved in cold water. stir in flour enough to make a stiff dough. let it rise over night. in the morning, stir it down and let it rise again. mold into loaves and let rise again. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. this will make three small loaves. =parker house rolls= quart of flour tablespoonful of lard tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of salt / pint of milk yeast cake scald the milk. when nearly cold add the yeast cake which has been dissolved in one-half cup of cold water. rub into the flour, the lard, sugar and salt. stir all together with a knife and knead. let rise to twice its bulk and knead. let rise again and knead. roll half an inch thick, cut into rounds, spread with butter and double over. rise again, bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. mix at ten o'clock in the morning if wanted for supper, a little earlier in cold weather. =popovers= egg cupful of milk cupful of flour beat the egg, and stir flour and milk in slowly, a little flour, then a little milk. salt a little. this will make a very thin batter. drop into well-buttered muffin pan, bake in a very hot oven and serve with hot sauce for a pudding, or eat with butter. =rye muffins= cupfuls of flour cupful of rye meal tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of salt / cupful of yeast or yeast cake dissolved in water mix with warm water at night. in the morning add one-quarter teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of boiling water; stir well. bake in a gem-pan for twenty or thirty minutes. =breakfast sally lunn= egg quart of flour piece of butter the size of an egg tablespoonfuls of sugar teacupfuls of milk teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda a little salt mix salt, sugar, cream of tartar and soda, with the flour. beat the egg, stir into it the melted butter and milk. stir all together and bake in a muffin pan, fifteen or twenty minutes. =sour milk biscuits= pint of flour teaspoonful of lard teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of salt cupful of sour milk put lard and salt into the flour and soda with the sour milk. mix together, roll thin and cut into rounds. bake twenty minutes. =spider cake= cupfuls of bread flour / cupful of lard teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of salt put the soda, salt and cream of tartar into the dry flour. rub in the lard and mix with water into a soft dough. roll to the size of the spider or griddle. when the spider is hot and well greased with lard, lay on the cake and cover. bake ten minutes on one side, then ten on the other. this can be made quickly without waiting for the oven to heat. serve hot with butter. =white bread= cupfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of lard pinch of salt / yeast cake rub sugar, salt and lard into the flour. dissolve the yeast in half a cupful of cold water. put all together and mix to a stiff dough with milk or water, at night. in the morning, push it down and let rise again. then knead and place in a pan. let it rise to twice its bulk and bake thirty minutes. * * * * * =cakes= =filled cookies= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter or lard cupful of milk / cupfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda tablespoonful of vanilla roll thin and cut with a cooky-cutter. =filling for cookies= cupful of chopped raisins / cupful of sugar / cupful of water teaspoonful of flour cook this until thick, being careful not to burn it. place cookies in a well-buttered pan, spread on a teaspoonful of the filling and cover with another cooky. bake in a moderate oven. =sugar cookies= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter tablespoonfuls of milk egg teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of lemon extract flour enough to roll beat the butter, sugar and egg together, add the milk, stir the cream of tartar and soda into the flour dry. stir all together and roll. =cream cake= eggs cupful of cream (sour preferred) cupful of sugar cupfuls of flour teaspoonful of soda / teaspoonful of salt flavor with lemon stir the soda into the cream; beat the eggs; add sugar, salt, flour and cream; last of all, the flavoring. =delicious cake without eggs= cupful of thick, sour milk cupful of sugar / cupful of butter cupfuls of flour cupful of chopped raisins pinch of salt teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of cinnamon / teaspoonful each of cloves and nutmeg stir the soda into the sour milk, add melted butter and sugar, salt and spices. put the flour over the raisins and stir all together. this will make one loaf or twelve little cakes in gem-pans. =feather cake= cupfuls of sugar eggs butter the size of an egg teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda cupfuls of flour flavor with almond beat fifteen minutes cream together the butter and sugar. add the well-beaten eggs, then the milk. beat together. put soda and cream of tartar into the flour, dry. stir all together with the flavoring. this will make two small loaves. =old-time gingersnaps= cupful of molasses / cupful of butter or lard teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of ginger boil the molasses five minutes. remove from the fire, and add soda, butter and ginger. when cooled a little, stir in the flour until thick enough to roll, then roll thin as a postage-stamp. cut with a cooky-cutter, and bake in a hot oven, being careful not to burn. shut in a tin pail. these will keep for a long time. =gold cake= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter yolks of eggs whites of egg / cupful of milk / teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda - / cupfuls of flour flavoring cream butter and sugar together. add the well-beaten eggs, milk, flavoring and flour into which the cream of tartar and soda have been stirred. bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. =hermits= cupful of sugar / cupful of molasses / cupful of butter eggs cupful of raisins, chopped fine tablespoonfuls of milk teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of cinnamon teaspoonful of nutmeg / teaspoonful of cloves flour enough to roll cream the butter and sugar together, beat the eggs, add to the butter and sugar, then stir in the molasses, milk and spices. add the raisins which have been covered with flour, and, last of all, the flour into which the dry soda has been sifted. roll thin and cut with cooky-cutter. =jumbles= cupfuls of sugar cupful of butter / cupful of milk eggs teaspoonful of soda teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of lemon flour enough to roll cream together the butter and sugar. stir into the well-beaten egg. add milk. stir cream of tartar and soda into the flour, dry. beat all together and flavor. cut into rings and bake in a well-greased pan. =nut cake= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter / cupful of milk eggs cupfuls of flour teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda cupful of hickory nut meats, or english walnuts cream the butter and sugar together, then add the well-beaten eggs and milk and put the soda and cream of tartar into the flour. stir all together, adding nut meats, covered with flour, last. =oatmeal cookies= eggs cupful of sugar / cupfuls of oatmeal or rolled oats / cupful of cocoanut / teaspoonful of salt / teaspoonful of vanilla tablespoonfuls of butter cream the butter and sugar together and add the well-beaten eggs. add the remainder of the ingredients and drop on a well-greased baking-pan. bake in a moderate oven, from fifteen to twenty minutes. =one, two, three, four cake= cupful of butter cupfuls of sugar cupfuls of flour eggs / cupful of milk teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda cream the butter and sugar together and add the well-beaten eggs; beat all and add milk; beat again. sift the cream of tartar and the soda into the flour; stir all together. bake in a slow oven. this will make two loaves. =ribbon cake= eggs cupfuls of sugar / cupful of butter cupful of milk cupfuls of flour teaspoonful of cream of tartar tablespoonful of molasses a little salt and flavor, lemon or almond large cupful of raisins / pound of citron teaspoonful of cinnamon and cloves a little nutmeg / teaspoonful of soda cream the butter and sugar together, and add the well-beaten eggs and the milk. mix the salt, soda and cream of tartar, with the flour. stir all together. put half of this mixture into two oblong pans. to the remainder add one tablespoonful of molasses, one large cupful of raisins, stoned and chopped, a quarter of a pound of citron sliced thin, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and cloves, a little nutmeg, and one tablespoonful of flour. bake in two pans of the same size as used for the first half. put the sheets together while warm, alternately, with jelly between. =roll jelly cake= eggs cupful of sugar cupful of flour teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda pinch of salt teaspoonful of extract of lemon beat together eggs and sugar, add salt and extract. stir into the dry flour the soda and cream of tartar. mix all together. bake in a moderate oven, in a large pan, and turn out, when done, on a clean towel, which has been sprinkled with powdered sugar. spread with jelly and roll while warm. =silver cake= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter cupfuls of flour whites of eggs / cupful of milk scant teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda almond flavoring cream together the butter and sugar, add milk and flavoring. stir cream of tartar and soda into dry flour. last of all add whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. to make a very good cake, the butter and sugar should be creamed with the hand. citron also makes it very nice. =sponge cake, no. = eggs / cupfuls of sugar / cupful of water pinch of salt / cupfuls of flour teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda beat eggs and sugar together, add water and salt, then put soda and cream of tartar into the dry flour. beat all together. bake slowly. =sponge cake, no. , grandmother's rule= eggs pinch of salt cupful of sugar cupful of flour teaspoonful of baking-powder beat the eggs ten minutes, add sugar, and beat again. then add the flour, into which has been stirred the baking-powder. stir all together and flavor. bake in a moderate oven. * * * * * * =some old-fashioned candies= =chocolate taffy= / cupfuls of molasses / cupfuls of sugar / cupful of milk squares of chocolate small teaspoonful of flour butter the size of a walnut stir the sugar, flour and grated chocolate into the molasses and milk. when hot add the butter. boil until it strings. pour into buttered tin. when nearly cold mark into squares. =molasses candy= cupfuls of molasses teaspoonfuls of vinegar butter the size of a walnut / teaspoonful of soda put the molasses, vinegar and butter into a saucepan. boil until it strings when dropped from a spoon, or until it is brittle when dropped into cold water. stir the soda in briskly and pour into a buttered tin. when nearly cold, pull until nearly white. cut into small pieces or sticks and lay on buttered platter. =butter scotch= / cupful of molasses / cupful of sugar / cupful of butter boil until it strings. pour into buttered tin and when cold break into pieces. this is very nice when cooled on snow. =pop corn balls (very old recipe)= cupful of molasses piece of butter, half the size of an egg boil together until it strings and then stir in a pinch of soda. put this over a quart dish full of popped corn. when cool enough to handle squeeze into balls the size of an orange. * * * * * * =desserts= =apple tarts= roll rich pie crust thin as for pies. cut into rounds, pinch up the edge half an inch high and place in muffin rings. put into each one a tablespoonful of apple sauce and bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar. drop a spoonful on the top of each and brown quickly in a hot oven. =baked apples, no. = take good, sour apples; greenings are best. scoop out the cores, wash and place in a baking-pan. fill the hole with sugar, and a tablespoonful for each apple besides. pour over these a generous supply of cold water. bake in a hot oven, until light and fluffy. these make a delicious dessert, if served with cream. =baked apples, no. = wash, core and quarter sour apples. put them into an earthen crock. cover with cold water adding a cup and a half of sugar to six apples, or sweeten to taste. bake three or four hours, until they are a dark amber color. =baked sweet apples= wash clean, fair, sweet apples. put these into a baking-pan, with a little cold water and a half-cup of molasses, if four to six apples are used. bake slowly until you can stick a fork through them. years ago, people ate these, with crackers and milk. baked apples and milk was a favorite dish. =baked apple dumplings= take rich pie crust, roll thin as for pie and cut into rounds as large as a tea plate. pare and slice fine, one small apple for each dumpling. lay the apple on the crust, sprinkle on a tiny bit of sugar and nutmeg, turn edges of crust over the apple and press together. bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes. serve hot with cold sauce. =fried apples= pare and slice apples and fry in hot fat. when removed from the fire, sprinkle over them a little sugar. bananas are nice cooked in the same way. =bramberries= _crust_ l/ cupfuls of flour / cupful of lard (scant) teaspoonful of salt just enough water to wet smooth _filling_ cupful of raisins cracker lemon / cupful of sugar egg a little salt beat the egg, add sugar, salt, lemon juice and grated rind. roll cracker fine, chop raisins and mix all together. roll the crust thin, cut into rounds. put a spoonful of filling between two rounds and pinch the edges together. prick top crust with fork. bake in iron pan for twenty minutes. =cream puffs= cupful of hot water / cupful of butter cupful of flour pinch of salt and baking soda eggs put the water and butter, into a dish on the stove. when boiling, stir in the dry flour, into which you have put the salt and soda. stir until smooth and thick. when nearly cool, add three eggs, one at a time. drop on a buttered pan and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. this will make twelve cakes. when they are cold, make a slit in the side with a sharp knife, and fill with whipped cream or the following mixture: one pint of milk, one egg, two-thirds of a cupful of sugar, one large spoonful of flour. beat the egg, sugar, flour, and a little salt together till smooth and stir into the boiling milk. flavor with lemon. =floating island= quart of milk eggs cupful of sugar teaspoonful of cornstarch teaspoonful of vanilla pinch of salt put the milk on the stove and heat to nearly the boiling point. whip whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and drop them by spoonfuls into the hot milk for a few minutes to cook. with a skimmer remove these islands to a platte. beat the yolks of the egg with sugar, salt and cornstarch. stir into the milk until it boils. flavor and cool. turn into a glass dish and lay the "islands" on top of the custard. serve cold. =huckleberry dumplings= cupfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda / teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of lard mix ingredients together with water until thick enough to roll. cut into rounds an inch thick as for biscuits. boil one quart of huckleberries in one-half pint of water and one-half cupful of sugar. drop in the dumplings. boil for twenty minutes. serve with cold sauce or cream and sugar. =coffee jelly= small box of gelatine pint of strong coffee cupful of sugar scant quart of boiling water flavor with vanilla soak the gelatine in cold water for fifteen minutes. stir into the coffee and add sugar, salt and water, then vanilla. pour into a mould and set away to cool. serve with sweetened whipped cream. =lemon jelly= / box of gelatine / cupful of cold water - / cupfuls of boiling water cupful of sugar lemons soak gelatine in the cold water for half an hour. add boiling water, sugar and juice of lemons. stir well and strain into mould or small cups. =strawberry shortcake, no. = pint of flour / cupful of lard a little salt milk enough to make a stiff dough box of strawberries teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of soda put the salt, soda, lard and cream of tartar, into the dry flour, mix with milk (water will do), divide into halves and roll large enough for a washington pie tin. spread butter over one, lay the other on top, bake twenty minutes. hull and wash and mash the berries and sweeten to taste. separate the two cakes, butter, and place the berries between. serve hot. =strawberry shortcake, no. = tablespoonful of butter / cupful of sugar egg / cupful of milk teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda box of strawberries cupful of cream cream together the butter and sugar and add the well-beaten egg and milk. stir the cream of tartar and soda into the dry flour and beat all together. bake in two washington pie tins. hull, wash, mash and sweeten to taste, the berries. put half of these between the two loaves, the other half on top, with whipped cream on top of all. * * * * * * eggs =to boil eggs= put your eggs into a bowl which can be sent to the table. pour boiling water over them and let stand eight or ten minutes. it is essential that the water be boiling. this way of boiling eggs, though so simple, is going out of fashion, unfortunately, as it makes a wonderful difference in the appearance of the egg when broken open, and above all, in its digestibility. eggs should never be boiled in any other way for invalids. =eggs on toast= toast as many slices of bread as desired. butter well and pour over these just enough salted water to soften. have ready a dish of boiling water. stir it round and round with a spoon or fork, break the egg and drop into this swirling water. remove from the water in from four to six minutes, as preferred, and place one on each slice of bread. serve hot, with a dash of pepper, if liked. =plain omelette= eggs teaspoonfuls of water pinch of salt beat whites and yolks separately. put together, salt, and add water. pour onto a hot buttered frying pan and fry one side until it is puffed up, then turn half over and serve at once. =ham omelette= make a plain omelette and add two-thirds of a cupful of chopped boiled ham. pour into the hot frying pan and cook both sides. =new england poached eggs= eggs tablespoonfuls of milk butter the size of a walnut / teaspoonful of salt break the eggs into a sauce pan with milk, salt and butter. cook until they thicken, stirring constantly. remove from fire before it wheys. serve hot with a dash of pepper. * * * * * * =fish= =clam fritters= egg cupful of milk cupful of bread-flour and a little salt beat the egg and half the milk, adding the flour gradually, to make the batter smooth. salt, and add the last half-cupful of milk. put one clam into one teaspoonful of batter and drop into boiling lard. serve hot. =fish balls= cupful of hot mashed potatoes / cupful of shredded cod-fish teaspoonfuls of melted butter tablespoonfuls of milk put the fish into a piece of cheese-cloth, let cold water run over it, and squeeze dry. mix ingredients all together. take a little flour in the hand and roll half a tablespoonful of the mixture between the palms, to the size of a small peach. fry in deep fat. =to boil a lobster= have a large kettle on the fire with plenty of boiling water, deep enough to cover the lobster well. put into this one cupful of salt, if you cannot get the sea-water. when the water is galloping, put in the lobster, head foremost, and keep it under water. boil from twenty to thirty-five minutes according to size. =to dress lobsters cold= crack the shell of the claws carefully, remove the meat and place on a platter. turn the lobster on its back, lay a heavy knife on the middle of the tail, all the way up to the body. give it a gentle blow with a hammer, then with both hands turn back the shell and draw out the tail intact. twist off the claws from the under side of the body and remove the body from the shell. open and remove the stomach and sandbags. open the tail in length, halfway through, on the under side, remove the black vein from the body to the end. dress with parsley and serve. =baked mackerel= mackerel small slices of salt pork salt to taste split open the mackerel, remove head and insides, wash clean, and lay in a baking-pan on a well buttered paper or cheese-cloth, the skin side down. spread over this slices of salt pork and a little salt. bake in moderate oven for twenty minutes, or half an hour. this is much nicer than fried mackerel. =oysters on toast= toast as many slices of bread as you require. wipe enough oysters to cover them and season with pepper and salt. put a little hot water over the bread and place in a very hot oven, until the edges of the oysters curl. serve hot, with a white sauce. =baked shad= make a nice dressing of five or six crackers, according to size of family (bread crumbs will do). roll fine, or soak until soft in milk (water will do). season to taste with poultry dressing, salt and add a small piece of butter. wash the shad and stuff. have a large sheet of white paper, well buttered, or a piece of cheese-cloth. put into a baking-pan and set in the oven. bake one hour. spanish mackerel is fine baked in the same way. * * * * * * =meat dishes= =a la mode beef= pounds of beef onions or white turnips potatoes salt take three pounds of a cheap cut of beef. wash, put into an iron pan, sprinkle over it salt to taste. pare six onions, more or less, according to size of family, and prepare four or five small white turnips sliced thin. lay these around the meat, and pour over all a quart of cold water. put into the oven and bake three hours. pare potatoes enough for the family, putting them in an hour and a half before serving. this is a most delicious way to cook beef. as the water cooks away, add more. thicken the gravy, with flour wet with water, as you would with any roast meat. =beefsteak pie= pounds of beef (any cheap cut will do) onion tablespoonful of salt cut the meat into small pieces; cover with cold water, salt and put into the oven; cut the onion into small pieces and add. bake three hours in an earthen dish. half an hour before serving, put over the top a crust, made of two cupfuls of flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, one-half teaspoonful of salt, and one tablespoonful of lard. wet with water or milk, as for biscuits. =beef stew with dumplings= pounds of shin-bone with meat potatoes large onions tablespoonful of salt wash the meat, put into a kettle, cover with cold water and boil four hours. add the salt, and more water, as it boils away. pare the onions, wash and slice thin; put them in with the boiling meat, allowing two hours for cooking. pare potatoes, wash, slice thin; put them in with the meat and onions, allowing three-quarters of an hour for cooking. =dumplings= heaping cupfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar teaspoonful of baking soda teaspoonful of lard teaspoonful of salt glass of water roll out an inch thick and cut into round pieces. put these on a wire plate, on top of the meat; cover and let boil twenty minutes. lift them out, and thicken the stew with three dessertspoonfuls of flour, wet with a scant cup of water. =new england boiled dinner= this consists of corned beef, white and sweet potatoes, cabbage, beets, turnips, squash, parsnips and carrots. the quantity depends upon the size of the family. eight pounds of meat is sufficient for a family of eight. boil the meat four hours, the beets three hours, the cabbage one and a half hours, squash and turnips three-quarters of an hour. boil these in one kettle, all together. beets, carrots and parsnips should be boiled with the skin on. pare the potatoes, pare and slice the squash and turnip. pick the outer leaves from cabbage and cut in quarters. when done, pare parsnips and carrots. drop the beets into cold water and slip the skin off with the hand. =brunswick stew= chicken or pounds of lamb onion potatoes ears of corn salt and pepper tomatoes cook the chicken or lamb until tender in two quarts of water. take from the water and chop fine. put back in the liquor, add the corn, cut from the cob, tomatoes, onion, and potatoes all chopped, salt and pepper to taste. cook two hours. in winter this can be made by using canned corn and tomatoes. =how to corn beef= a piece of fresh beef weighing seven or eight pounds is sufficient for a family of eight. wash, clean and put it in an earthen dish, twenty-four hours before cooking. cover with cold water, and add a cup and a half of ice-cream salt. when ready to cook it, remove from the brine and wash, placing it in cold water. cook four hours. =corn beef hash= corned beef milk potatoes salt and pepper lump of butter chop the meat fine, add the same bulk of potatoes or a little more. put into a saucepan or spider a lump of butter the size of an egg, and a few spoonfuls of milk or water. when bubbling, put in the meat and potatoes, and a little salt and pepper, if you like. stir for a while, then let it stand ten or fifteen minutes, until a crust is formed at the bottom. loosen from the pan with a cake-turner. turn a warm platter over it. turn pan and hash together quickly and serve. if you have a scant quantity, place it on slices of toasted bread, which have been buttered and wet with hot water. =breaded pork chops= chops cupful of bread crumbs egg pinch of salt / cupful of milk beat the egg and milk together, adding the salt. dip the chops into this mixture, then into the crumbs. fry in hot fat. veal cutlets can be served in the same way. =potted beef= pounds of a cheap cut of beef / can of tomatoes salt to taste onions put the meat into a kettle, cover with cold water and boil slowly for three or four hours. add salt and onions, cut fine. put the tomato through a colander. boil all together, and, as the water boils away, add more. serve the meat hot. the liquor makes a delicious soup, thickened with two tablespoonfuls of flour. =a fine way to cook veal= pounds of veal, or according to size of family egg bread crumbs milk, salt and pepper cut the veal into small pieces, a good size for serving, and season with salt and pepper. dip into the egg, which has been beaten light, then into the bread crumbs. have a little pork fat (lard will do) in a frying-pan, and cook until brown. set on the back of the stove and cook slowly for ten minutes. cover with milk, and bake in the oven very slowly for one hour in a covered pan. the toughest veal, cooked in this way, will be as tender as chicken. =veal patties= / cupfuls of boiled rice cupful of veal teaspoonful of salt / teaspoonful of poultry dressing egg tablespoonful of milk grind or chop the veal, salt and stir into the rice with the dressing; beat the eggs, add milk, and stir all together. drop a tablespoonful spread out thin on the griddle, and fry as you would griddle-cakes. chicken, pork, or lamb may be used instead of veal. * * * * * * =miscellaneous= =boston baked beans= pick over and wash three cupfuls of small white beans; cover with cold water and soak over night. in the morning, put them on the stove, just to scald, not boil, in the same water. pour off the water and put into an earthen bean-pot. add seven teaspoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one half-pound of salt pork, fat and lean mixed. cover with water, and bake from eight a.m. until six p.m. as the water boils away add more. =a breakfast dish= take stale brown bread, no matter how dry, and boil until it is soft like pudding. serve hot, with cream. =cracker tea for invalids= take four boston crackers, split open, toast to a delicate brown on each side. put these into a bowl, or earthen dish of some kind, pour over them a quart of boiling water. let it stand on the back of the stove half an hour. when cold, give two or three teaspoonfuls to the patient. it is nourishing, and the stomach will retain it when absolutely nothing else can be taken. =crust coffee= take the crusts, or any pieces of stale brown bread, and bake in the oven until hard and brown. put them into an agate or earthen tea-pot, pour over them boiling water and boil ten or fifteen minutes. strain and serve hot like any coffee, with cream and sugar. =grape juice= pounds of grapes pounds of sugar cupful of water pick from the stems, and wash clean, ten pounds of grapes. put them on the stove in a kettle, with a little water, and cook until tender. strain through a flannel bag. do not squeeze it. return juice to the kettle, add sugar, and boil for five minutes. seal in glass jars when boiling hot. slant the jars, when filling, to prevent cracking. when serving, add nearly the same amount of water. =mince meat= cupfuls of chopped meat cupfuls of chopped apples cupfuls of chopped suet cupful of vinegar cupfuls seeded raisins cupful of currants cupfuls of brown sugar / cupfuls of molasses teaspoonfuls of cinnamon teaspoonfuls of cloves teaspoonful of nutmeg / pound of citron rind and juice of one lemon butter the size of an egg and salt moisten with cold coffee or strong tea. cook slowly two hours. =home-made potato yeast= good-sized potatoes quart of boiling water / cupful of sugar / cupful of salt / cupfuls of old yeast boil, peel and mash the potatoes; add the boiling water, sugar and salt. if old yeast cannot be obtained, use one and one-half cakes of compressed yeast. put this into a pitcher or dish which will hold three pints; place in a warm spot to rise; keep covered. use two-thirds of a cupful to one quart of flour. this recipe has been in use over fifty years. * * * * * * =pickles= =pickled cauliflower= cauliflower tablespoonfuls of salt cloves quart of vinegar teaspoonful of whole cloves teaspoonful of white mustard seed pull the cauliflower into pieces, put into cold water with the salt, heat gradually and boil five minutes, then drain until dry. put this into a glass jar. boil the clove and mustard seed in the vinegar, and pour over the cauliflower, hot. have it covered with vinegar. seal while hot. =green chopped pickle, no. = peck of green tomatoes large onions green peppers red peppers pounds of brown sugar bunches of celery pints of vinegar tablespoonfuls of allspice tablespoonfuls of whole cloves sticks of cinnamon put the tomatoes, onions and peppers through the meat-grinder, or chop fine, and sprinkle over them one cupful of salt. let stand over night. in the morning drain off the water, put in the other ingredients and let come to the boiling point, then add one ten-cent bottle of horse-radish. seal in jars having a glass top. =green chopped pickle, no. = peck of green tomatoes large cauliflowers head of white cabbage pounds of sugar vinegar red peppers (seeded) large onions cupful of salt / ounce of white mustard seed / ounce of whole cloves / ounce of celery seed dessertspoonful of ground mace put through the meat-grinder, or chop, tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, and peppers. sprinkle over these one cupful of salt and let stand over night. in the morning drain off water, cover with vinegar, and add the other ingredients. cook until tender. =chili sauce, no. = ripe tomatoes onion green peppers tablespoonful of sugar tablespoonful of salt / cupfuls of vinegar chop, or put through the meat-grinder, tomatoes, peppers and onions, add sugar, salt and vinegar. boil one hour and seal in jars. =chili sauce, no. = quart of ripe tomatoes cupful of cider vinegar onion red pepper teaspoonfuls of salt teaspoonfuls of white sugar chop, or put through the grinder, the onion and pepper, then add the other ingredients and cook one hour, uncovered. =chili sauce, no. = or large ripe tomatoes large onion red peppers teaspoonful of cloves teaspoonful of allspice nutmeg tablespoonful of salt tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of ginger teaspoonful of cinnamon small cupfuls of vinegar chop the onion and peppers fine, mix all together, and cook half an hour. bottle while hot. =chow chow, no. = / peck green tomatoes large head of cabbage large onions / pint grated horseradish / pound of white mustard seed / cupful of ground black pepper / ounce of celery seed pounds of brown sugar quarts of vinegar cupful of salt chop or grind tomatoes, cabbage and onions, very fine and salt over night. next day, drain off the brine, add vinegar and other ingredients, then mix well and put into glass jars. _do not cook_. =chow chow, no. = peck of green tomatoes cupful of salt onions peppers cupful of sugar vinegar enough to cover tablespoonful of cinnamon tablespoonful of cloves tablespoonful of allspice even spoonful of ginger cut the tomatoes, onions and peppers into small pieces. put the salt over them and let stand over night. drain off the liquor the next day and throw it away. mix all together, cover with vinegar and simmer until tender. seal in glass jars. =cold catsup= peck of ripe tomatoes tablespoonfuls of salt teacupful of white mustard seed teacupfuls of chopped or ground onions teacupful of sugar tablespoonfuls of pepper red peppers celery stalks, or ounces of celery seed teaspoonfuls of ground cloves pints of vinegar drain the tomatoes well before mixing. mix together, let stand a few hours and it is ready for use. =corn relish= ears of corn onion cabbage / pound of mustard pint of vinegar cupfuls of sugar / cupful of salt peppers cut the corn from the cob, chop onion, peppers and cabbage, add sugar, salt and vinegar, and cook slowly three-quarters of an hour. ten minutes before taking from the fire, add a very scant fourth of a pound of dissolved mustard. seal in glass jars. =home-made cucumber pickles= take enough small cucumbers to fill four one-quart jars; wash and sprinkle over them one cupful of table salt; let them remain over night; in the morning, wash and pack in the jars. add one teaspoonful of whole cloves, one teaspoonful of whole allspice, one teaspoonful of white mustard seed, and two pieces of alum, as large as a pea, to each jar. fill the jars with boiling vinegar, and seal. =quickly made cucumber pickle= take small cucumbers, wipe clean and lay them in a small jar or stone crock. allow one quart of coarse salt to a pail of water. boil the salt and water until the salt is dissolved, skim and pour boiling hot on the cucumbers. cover them tight, and let them stand twenty-four hours, then turn out and drain. boil as much vinegar as will cover the cucumbers, skimming thoroughly. put the cucumbers into clean glass jars and pour the vinegar on boiling hot. put in a piece of alum the size of a bean, and seal. they will be ready for use in forty-eight hours. add peppers and spice if desired. =mixed pickles= quarts of green tomatoes quarts of cucumbers quarts of small onions heads of cauliflower green peppers gallon of vinegar / pound of ground mustard cupfuls of sugar ounce of tumeric powder cupful of flour cupful of salt cut the tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, cauliflower and peppers into small pieces. pour over them boiling brine, made of three quarts of water and one cupful of salt. let this stand twenty-four hours, then pour off the brine. stir the flour, mustard, sugar and tumeric powder together, and wet with a little of the vinegar, then stir it into the boiling vinegar, as you would make gravy. put the other ingredients in, and simmer together until all are tender. seal in glass jars. =piccalilli, no. = peck of green tomatoes / cupfuls of sugar / cupful of salt pints of vinegar large spoonfuls of ground cloves / pint of green peppers chop all together and simmer three hours. =piccalilli, no. = peck of green tomatoes ounce of whole cloves, allspice, and mustard seed onions green peppers vinegar to cover cupful of salt slice the tomatoes, sprinkle over the salt, and let stand over night. in the morning, pour off the water and drain. slice peppers and onions, tie the spices in a piece of cheese-cloth, put all together, and pour over the vinegar. let simmer three or four hours, and seal in glass jars. very good, and not sweetened. =piccalilli, no. = peck of green tomatoes green peppers allspice, cloves and mustard seed cupful of salt onions vinegar wipe clean, cut into small pieces, sprinkle over them a cupful of salt, and let stand over night. in the morning, drain off the liquor, add six onions, four green peppers, sliced thin, one ounce each, of whole allspice, cloves, and white mustard seed. tie the spices in a muslin bag, cover with vinegar, and cook three or four hours slowly, until very tender, in an agate kettle. this is much nicer if sealed in glass jars. =tomato catsup, no. = peck of ripe tomatoes cupfuls of vinegar onions cupfuls of sugar red peppers / cupful of salt chop or grind onions and peppers. put with tomatoes, stew and press through colander, then add the rest of the ingredients and boil until it is thick. seal while hot in glass jars. =tomato catsup, no. = pint of vinegar quarts of ripe tomatoes tablespoonful of salt tablespoonful of mustard tablespoonful of black pepper allspice pods red pepper peel the tomatoes, add salt, black pepper, mustard, red pepper, and allspice. mix and stew slowly, in the vinegar for two hours. strain through a sieve, and cook until you have one quart. cork in bottles. =pickled watermelon rind= pare off the green rind and all the pink, using just the white of the melon. cut into large squares. cover with water, and put in a pinch of alum. let stand twenty-four hours. pour off the water and drain. take enough vinegar to cover, add one teaspoonful of whole allspice, cloves and white mustard seed, and pour over the rind boiling hot. heat the vinegar three mornings in succession, and pour over the rind while hot. it will be ready for use in a week. * * * * * * =pies= =rich pie crust= cupfuls of flour cupful of lard dessertspoonful of salt put salt and lard into the flour, working in the lard with the hand until thoroughly mixed. add enough water to barely wet,--ice-cold water is best. this is sufficient for two pies. =pork apple pie= apples tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of ground cinnamon pieces of fat salt pork, size of a pea line a pie-plate with rich crust; pare, core and slice apples thin, to fill the plate; sprinkle over these the sugar, cinnamon and pork; cover with crust and bake in moderate oven. to be eaten warm. =chocolate custard pie= pint of milk tablespoonfuls of sugar eggs pinch of salt tablespoonfuls of cocoa or square of chocolate teaspoonful of vanilla beat yolks of eggs and add sugar and salt. wet the cocoa with half a cup of warm milk and stir into the yolks. flavor. line a deep pie-plate with rich pie-crust, pinching a little edge around the plate. pour in the mixture and bake until it rises. beat the whites to a stiff froth, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, spread over the pie and brown in a hot oven. =cocoanut pie= pint of milk eggs pinch of salt / cupful of grated cocoanut piece of butter the size of a marble beat the yolks of the eggs, add sugar and salt and beat again. put in the butter which has been melted, milk and cocoanut. line a deep pie-plate with pie-crust and pour in the mixture. bake until it rises--this is not nice if baked too long. beat the whites of the eggs stiff and put on top of pie when it is cool. set in the oven to brown. =cranberry pie= quart of cranberries / cupfuls of water cupfuls of sugar line a deep pie-plate with crust. put the cranberries on the stove, with the water, and cook until tender, then rub them through a colander. put in two scant cupfuls of sugar, and boil for fifteen minutes. when cool, pour this into the plate, lay narrow strips of pie-crust from the center to the outer edge, and bake in a hot oven. =cream pie= cupful of sweet cream white of one egg / cupful of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla bake with two crusts. beat white of egg till stiff; add sugar, beat again; stir in the cream and flavor. =old-time custard pie= pint of milk eggs tablespoonfuls of sugar / teaspoonful of salt line a deep plate with pie-crust, rolling it large enough to pinch up a little edge around the plate. beat the eggs thoroughly, add sugar and salt, and beat again; then add the milk and stir well. pour into the plate. bake until it rises, being sure to remove from the oven before it wheys. grate over the top a little nutmeg. the quality of the pie depends largely on the baking. =frosted lemon pie= lemon cupful of sugar / cupfuls of milk eggs tablespoonfuls of flour beat the yolks of the eggs, add the flour, the juice and rind of the lemon. beat all together, add a little of the milk, and sugar; beat, then add the rest of the milk. line a plate with crust, the same as for custard; pour in this mixture and bake, being careful not to let it whey when it is done. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, spread over the top, and set in the oven to brown. =mock mince pie= / crackers cupful of raisins / cupful of molasses / cupful of sugar / cupful of vinegar cupful of steeped tea egg spices of all kinds ( / teaspoonful of each) =pumpkin pie, no. = cupfuls of pumpkin (the bright yellow kind preferred) eggs / cupfuls of sugar heaping tablespoonful of flour teaspoonful of cinnamon / teaspoonful of nutmeg quart of milk, a little salt boil the pumpkin till very tender and press through a colander. mix all ingredients together. line two deep pie-plates with a nice crust, and pour in the mixture, and bake until they rise. =pumpkin pie, no. = cupfuls of stewed and sifted pumpkin crackers rolled fine boston crackers or uneedas cupful of sugar pinch of salt / teaspoonful of cinnamon pint of milk pour the mixture into a deep pie-plate lined with crust, and bake in a slow oven one hour. =rhubarb pie= pint of rhubarb tablespoonful of flour cupful of sugar / teaspoonful of soda remove the skin, and cut into small pieces enough rhubarb to fill a pint bowl. add the soda, and pour over it boiling water to cover. let stand fifteen minutes and pour off the water. line a deep plate with a rich crust. put in the rhubarb, sugar and flour, cover with crust. bake twenty minutes or half an hour. =rolley polys= roll pie crust very thin and cut into strips four inches long and three inches wide. over these spread jelly and lap the crust over, pressing edges together. brush over the top with milk and sprinkle over a little sugar. bake fifteen minutes. =squash pie= cupfuls of squash tablespoonfuls of sugar tablespoonful of flour cupfuls of milk teaspoonful of ground cinnamon / teaspoonful of salt egg pare the squash, boil till tender, and sift through a colander. beat the egg, add sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. stir these into the squash and add the milk, stirring in slowly. bake in a deep plate, like a custard pie. =cream washington pies= egg / cupful of sugar cupful of flour / cupful of milk (scant) tablespoonfuls of melted butter rounding teaspoonful of cream of tartar / teaspoonful of soda cream butter and sugar together, add the well-beaten egg; then the milk into which has been stirred the soda and cream of tartar; last of all, the flour. bake in three round shallow dishes. =cream for filling= cupful of milk egg a little salt heaping tablespoonful of flour tablespoonfuls of sugar / teaspoonful of vanilla put the milk on the stove to heat. put the sugar, flour and salt into the well-beaten egg and stir into the milk when boiling. when cool, add vanilla and spread between the layers of cake. * * * * * * =preserves= =crab apple jelly= cover the apples with water and boil until tender. strain through a flannel bag. boil the juice twenty minutes. add the same amount of sugar, pint for pint, and cook five minutes. pour into tumblers, and when cold, cover with paraffine. =california jam= divide and seed as many oranges as desired. slice thin, the pulp and skin together. add to each pound of oranges one lemon, sliced thin, and one quart of cold water. let all stand twenty-four hours; then cook until tender, with the same amount of sugar. =canned cherries= quart of cherries cupful of sugar cupful of water pick over and wash the cherries. if they are to be used for sauce, can them whole; if to be used for pies and puddings, remove stones and use less water, as there will be juice enough to cook them in. cook until tender and seal when boiling hot. =cherry conserve= pounds of cherries pounds of sugar oranges lemon wash and stone the cherries. wash and remove seeds from oranges and lemon. put them through the meat-grinder or chop fine. cook all together twenty minutes, or until thick. put into tumblers and cover with paraffine. =preserved citron= pounds of citron pounds of sugar gills of water lemons pare the citron and cut into pieces one inch square. cover with cold water, adding a pinch of salt. next day throw off this water and cover with fresh water, this time adding a pinch of alum. slice the lemons, removing every seed, and boil until tender. boil the sugar and water together, skim, then put into the syrup citron and lemon. boil until it looks rich and transparent. skim out the fruit into jars or tumblers, boil down the syrup for ten or fifteen minutes, and pour over the fruit. if jars are used, fill to the brim and seal while hot. this can be made in the summer from watermelon-rind. cut off all the pink of the melon, pare, and prepare as you would citron. it is really very nice. =currant jelly= pick currants from the stems and wash clean. put them into a kettle with a very little water and cook for ten minutes. strain through a flannel bag. use one pint of juice to one pint of sugar. boil the juice fifteen minutes, add sugar and boil five minutes. pour into tumblers or jelly moulds, and when cold cover with paraffine. =spiced currants= pounds of currants pounds of sugar pint of vinegar teaspoonfuls of cinnamon teaspoonfuls of cloves boil slowly two and a half hours. tie the spices in a cloth before boiling. =cranberry jelly= quart of cranberries / cupfuls of sugar put one quart of cranberries on the stove, with cold water enough to cover. boil until tender. strain through a colander. to this four cupfuls of juice add three and a half cupfuls of sugar. boil, twenty minutes and turn into a mould which has been wet with cold water. =grape conserve= pints of grapes cupfuls of sugar / pound of raisins oranges cupful of nut meats pick the grapes from the stems, wash, and separate the pulps from the skins. stew the pulps and press through a colander. put the raisins and oranges through the meat grinder, after removing seeds. cook all together except the nuts. add these about ten minutes before removing from fire. put into glasses and cover with paraffine. this makes eleven glasses. =grape marmalade= when making grape-juice, use the grape which is left after straining, for marmalade. press through a colander, measure and use the same amount of sugar. cook until it thickens and put into tumblers. when cold, cover with paraffine. =grape preserve= pick from the stems and wash the amount of grapes desired. squeeze the pulps from the skins. put into a kettle with very little water and boil until the seeds loosen. press through a colander. put this with skins, weigh, and use three-fourths of a pound of sugar, for every pound of fruit. cook all together until the skins are tender, usually about an hour. seal in glass jars. =orange marmalade= grapefruit whole orange juice of two oranges whole lemon juice of two lemons chop fruit fine or put through the grinder. measure and put three times the amount of water. let this stand till the next day. boil ten minutes. stand again till the next day. measure and add equal amount of sugar. boil until it jells. this will make eleven or twelve tumblerfuls. pour into glasses while warm. when cold, pour over a thin coating of paraffine. =peach marmalade= when preserving peaches or quinces, wipe them very clean before paring, and save the skins for marmalade. cook in water enough to cover well and, when tender, press through a colander. measure, and add the same amount of sugar. boil half an hour, or until it thickens. put into tumblers and cover with paraffine. this is nice for school sandwiches, or for filling for washington pie or queen's pudding. =to can peaches= quart of peaches cupful of sugar cupfuls of water be sure to have the jars perfectly clean and warm. glass covers are always preferable. make a syrup of the sugar and water. boil this hard for five minutes. set back on the stove and let it settle, then skim very thoroughly. pare, cut in half, and remove the stones from the peaches. when the syrup comes to a boil, put in enough peaches to fill your jar, whatever the size. boil until tender enough to pierce with a wisp. take the fruit out carefully with a spoon and place in the jar. fill the jar with the boiling syrup, being careful always to cant the jar as you pour it in. if you do this, the jar will never crack, as it is likely to do if held perfectly straight or upright. always run around the inside of the jar with a silver knife, and you will have no trouble in keeping fruit. seal while hot. the peaches may be canned whole, if preferred. =pickled peaches= pounds of sugar pint of vinegar tablespoonful of cloves tablespoonful of allspice stick of cinnamon boil the ingredients together for ten minutes before putting in the peaches. cook as many peaches in this as possible, and have juice enough to fill up the jars. tie the spices in a piece of cheese-cloth. pears may be cooked in the same way. =ginger pears= pounds of pears pounds of sugar lemons oranges box of crystallized ginger wipe pears clean and cut fine with sugar. simmer an hour. then add the lemons and oranges, seeded and cut fine, and the crystallized ginger. let all boil together two or three hours. =preserved pears= quart of pears cupful of sugar cupfuls of water use pears which are just right to eat. pare and drop into cold water, to prevent discoloring. make a syrup of one cupful of sugar and two cupfuls of cold water, and boil the pears in this until you can stick a straw through them. fill the jars with the fruit, all you can put in, then hold the jar slanting and fill with syrup to the very brim. use whole pears, if preferred. if cut in halves, remove the core. =way to pickle pears= pint of vinegar pounds of sugar pounds of pears / tablespoonful of cinnamon / tablespoonful of whole allspice tablespoonful of whole cloves boil pears until tender. boil vinegar, sugar, and spices together fifteen minutes, then put in the boiled pears, and cook all together half an hour. these will be nicer if sealed in glass jars. =to preserve pineapple= peel the pineapple, remove the eyes and cut into small cubes. weigh, and take three-fourths of a pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. allow one cupful of water for each jar, and cook all together slowly until tender. fill the jars. this is very nice for ice-cream or sherbet. =quince jelly= pare, core, and quarter the fruit, and boil in water enough to cover. when soft, take out the fruit and strain the syrup through a flannel bag, then return the syrup to the kettle and boil until perfectly clear, skimming constantly. measure syrup, adding an equal quantity of sugar, and boil twenty minutes, removing the scum which rises to the surface. pour into tumblers or moulds and set aside to cool; then pour over the top a covering of paraffine. =quince marmalade= put the quinces, which were boiled in water for the jelly, in with the cores and skins. cover with water and boil ten or fifteen minutes. press all through a colander. measure, and add the same amount of sugar. set on the stove and boil fifteen minutes, being careful not to scorch. put into tumblers and cover with paraffine. =quince sauce= peel, core, and cut into quarters the quinces. boil in clear water until tender. weigh the quinces before cooking, and put into the water in which they have been boiled three-fourths of a pound of sugar for every pound of quince. boil five minutes and skim. then put in the quinces and cook until of a dark amber color-for about an hour. as quinces are expensive, old-fashioned people used to put in one-fourth as much sweet apple or pear. =raspberry jam, no. i= mash the berries, add equal parts of sugar, and let stand half an hour. put on the stove in a kettle containing a half cupful of water, to prevent sticking. boil until it thickens. put into tumblers and cover with paraffine. blackberries and strawberries used in the same way are very nice. =raspberry jam, no. = mash the berries, and use two-thirds as much currant juice as you have berries. measure, and add the same amount of sugar. cook all together until it jells. put into tumblers and cover with paraffine. =to keep rhubarb through the winter= fill preserve jars with cold water. cut the rhubarb into small pieces, as you would for a pie, and drop them into the jars. as they fill, the water will overflow. when full, screw the tops on the jars and set away. the water excludes the air, and the fruit, treated in this way, will keep for months. when required for use drain off the water and cook in the usual way. =rhubarb marmalade= pounds of rhubarb pounds of sugar lemons, juice and rind pound of chopped walnuts teaspoonfuls of extract of jamaica ginger cook all the ingredients, excepting the nuts and ginger, together three or four hours. ten minutes before removing from the fire, add the ginger and nuts. seal in glass jars, or put into tumblers. if tumblers are used, cover over the tops with a coating of paraffine. =rhubarb jam= stalks of rhubarb oranges lemon cupfuls of sugar cook the rhubarb and rind and juice of the lemon and oranges together for twenty-five minutes. put into tumblers and cover with paraffine. =spiced fruit= pounds of fruit pounds of sugar pint of vinegar for all kinds of spiced fruit use the above measurements, adding one tablespoonful each of cinnamon, allspice, and cloves, and cook until tender. seal in glass jars. =bread pudding= pint of stale bread quart of milk cupful of sugar egg / cupful of raisins teaspoonful of cinnamon / teaspoonful of salt pour hot water over the stale bread and let soak until soft. then add other ingredients and bake for three hours in a moderate oven. if eaten cold, serve with hot sauce. if eaten hot, serve with cold sauce. =steamed chocolate pudding= butter size of a walnut / cupful of sugar / cupful of milk cupful of flour teaspoonful of baking-powder square of chocolate, or two dessertspoonfuls of cocoa egg salt to taste cream together the butter and sugar, then add egg and milk; then the cocoa, flour, salt, and flavoring. steam for an hour and a half, and serve hot with sauce. =graham pudding= / cupfuls of graham flour / cupful of molasses / cupful of milk / cupful of butter egg teaspoon of soda / cupful of raisins and currants, mixed salt and spice to taste stir the soda into the molasses, then add the beaten egg and milk, salt and spice, and melted butter. add the flour and, last of all, currants and raisins, which have been sprinkled with flour. steam two hours in a tin pail set in a kettle of water and serve hot with sauce. =hasty pudding= into a dish of boiling water (a double boiler is best) stir indian meal, very slowly. let it cook for an hour. the water should be salted a little. turn this into a bowl. the next day, or when perfectly cold, cut into slices and fry in pork fat or hot lard. this is served with molasses. =baked indian pudding= quarts of milk cupful of yellow cornmeal cupful of molasses teaspoonful of salt put one quart of the milk into an earthen puddingpot, and the other quart of the milk into an agate dish, on the stove, to scald. stir the meal into the hot milk slowly, one handful at a time, until it thickens. remove from the stove and add molasses, pouring the mixture into the cold milk. bake six hours in a slow oven; serve warm with cream. if properly cooked; it will be red and full of whey. =orange pudding= oranges cupfuls of milk cupful of sugar eggs tablespoonfuls of cornstarch pinch of salt remove peel and seeds from the fruit and cut fine. sprinkle over the oranges half the sugar. let stand for a few hours. beat the yolks of the eggs, add the rest of the sugar, cornstarch and salt, and stir into the boiling milk. pour this, when cooled, over the oranges and sugar. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar. spread this over the top and brown in the oven. to be eaten cold. =plum pudding= take ten or twelve boston crackers, split them open and soak over night in milk. use a large pudding dish that will hold three or four quarts. put in a layer of crackers, a handful of raisins, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and a little butter on the crackers; repeat this three times. have a layer of crackers on the top. make a custard of three or four eggs, five is better, one cupful of sugar, a little salt, and milk enough to fill the dish within two inches of the top. bake in a slow oven four or five hours. let stand until cold, and it will slip out whole. serve with hot sauce. =queen's pudding= pint of bread quart of milk eggs cupful of sugar teaspoonful of butter lemon soak one pint of bread in a quart of milk till soft. beat together the yolks of the eggs, sugar, butter, and the juice and rind of half a lemon. stir all together and bake until it rises, about an hour and a half. when nearly cold, spread the top with jelly, and then the white of the eggs, beaten stiff. brown in the oven. to be eaten cold. =poor man's rice pudding= quart of milk small cupful of sugar / cupful of washed rice (scant) piece of butter, size of a hickory nut / teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of vanilla bake slowly for three hours; the success lies in the baking. if baked right it will be creamy on top. =suet pudding= cupful of molasses cupful of milk cupful of chopped suet cupful of raisins cupfuls of flour teaspoonful of nutmeg teaspoonful of soda teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of clove teaspoonful of cinnamon beat the soda into the molasses, add milk, salt and spices. cover the raisins and suet with some of the flour, stir all together. steam three hours in a tin pail, set in a kettle of boiling water. serve hot with cold sauce, made of one cupful of sugar and one-third cupful of butter, creamed together. grate a little nutmeg over the top. =tapioca cream= quart of milk tablespoonfuls of tapioca eggs teaspoonful of corn-starch / cupful of sugar pinch of salt soak the tapioca in a little warm water for an hour. put the milk on the stove in a sauce pan. add the sugar and salt to the beaten yolks of the eggs. when the milk is scalded put in the soaked tapioca and when boiling, stir in the eggs. cook a few minutes and remove from fire. stir in the beaten whites and flavor. to be eaten cold. * * * * * * =sauces= =chocolate sauce= tablespoonful of butter tablespoonfuls of cocoa cupful of sugar tablespoonfuls of boiling water put the butter into an agate dish on the stove; when melted, stir in the cocoa and sugar dry; add boiling water and stir until smooth. add vanilla to taste. =cold sauce= cream together one-half cupful of butter and one and one-half cupfuls of sugar. grate a little nutmeg over the top. =cranberry sauce= pick over and wash one quart of cranberries; cover with cold water and cook until tender. remove from the fire, rub through a colander and sweeten to taste. =cream mustard= / cupful of vinegar / cupful of sweet cream egg teaspoonful of salt tablespoonful of mustard put the vinegar on the stove and let it come to a boil. have the cream, salt, mustard, and egg well beaten together, and pour the boiling vinegar over them, then set the whole over boiling water and stir constantly until it thickens. when cold, it is ready for use, and is very nice. =egg sauce, for chocolate pudding= cupfuls of sugar egg cupful of boiling milk flavoring beat the egg and sugar together, and pour over it the boiling milk, and flavor. =pudding sauce= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter pint of water heaping teaspoonfuls of cornstarch flavoring cream together the butter and sugar. wet the cornstarch with a little water; stir it into the pint of boiling water and, when thickened, pour it over the butter and sugar. add the flavoring. =salad dressing= / cupful of vinegar / cupful of water / cupful of milk piece of butter size of a walnut egg tablespoonfuls of sugar tablespoonful of flour tablespoonful of mustard teaspoonful of salt put the vinegar, water and butter on the stove, in an agate dish, to boil. mix together sugar, flour, mustard and salt, stir into the beaten egg with the milk, and add to the boiling water and vinegar. let boil until it thickens. this is quickly and easily made, _very_ nice and always a success. =sauce, for graham pudding= cupful of sugar / cupful of butter egg lemon / pint boiling water cream together the butter and sugar, add the well-beaten yolk of egg, pour over this the boiling water, juice of lemon and well-beaten white of egg. * * * * * * =soups= =bean porridge= pick over and wash two-thirds of a cupful of white beans. put on the back of the stove in cold water. let these boil slowly, while the dinner is cooking. when the boiled dinner has been taken up, put these beans into the liquor in which the dinner was cooked. boil one hour. wet three tablespoonfuls of flour with water, and stir in while boiling, to thicken. serve hot, adding a little milk, if you like. =connecticut clam chowder= or slices of salt pork potatoes / onion cupful of tomatoes crackers teaspoonful of parsley soft-shelled clams quart of water salt and pepper cupful of milk cut three or four slices of salt pork and fry in the bottom of a kettle. add the potatoes cut into dice, onion shaved, a cupful of stewed tomatoes, rolled ship crackers, minced parsley, soft-shelled clams, and boiling water. add salt and pepper to taste and cook till the potatoes are tender. a little hot milk may be added just before taking up. =massachusetts clam chowder= quarts of clams medium-sized potatoes small onion boston crackers slices of salt pork wash the clams clean, put them on the stove to cook, with one pint of cold water. boil until the shells burst open. remove from the stove, pour the clam liquor into an earthen dish and set away to settle. when the clams have cooled a little, pick them from the shells, remove the night-caps, cut off the head, to the shoulders, washing each clam. cut three or four slices of fat salt pork and fry in the bottom of a kettle with half an onion. skim these from the fat, pour in the clam liquor, add a little hot water. when this boils, add the raw potatoes, which have been pared and sliced thin, and cook until tender. split the crackers open and soak till soft in milk or water. add these and the clams to the potatoes. cook ten minutes, then add a quart of milk and salt, if needed. do not let it boil after adding the milk. serve hot. this is very delicious. =new england fish chowder= slices of fat salt pork or potatoes small onion or pounds of fresh haddock or codfish boston crackers fry the salt pork, with the onion, in the bottom of a kettle, skim from the fat, and pour in about a quart of water. slice the potatoes thin, after they have been washed and pared. make alternate layers of fish and potatoes, seasoning each layer with pepper and salt. cook until both are tender. then put in the split crackers, which have been soaked in milk or water, as for clam chowder. cook for ten minutes. pour in a quart of milk, add a small piece of butter and serve hot. =lamb broth= pounds of fore-quarter of lamb / cupful of rice tablespoonful of salt teaspoonful of sage leaves put the lamb into a kettle, cover with cold water, add the salt and cook three hours. as the water boils away, add more. wash the rice, allowing three-fourths of an hour to cook; put in the sage, about fifteen minutes before serving, and thicken with two tablespoonfuls of flour, wet in two-thirds of a cupful of water. the sage may be left out if preferred. =a good oyster stew= oysters teaspoonful of flour quart of milk butter salt take twenty-five oysters, with their liquor and put these into an agate dish on the stove with salt to taste, in a pint of cold water. boil five minutes. stir into this one heaping teaspoonful of flour, which has been wet with two tablespoonfuls of cold water. add one quart of milk. let it come to a boil, but be sure not to have it boil. remove from the fire, and add a piece of butter the size of an egg. this is sufficient for eight people. =potato soup= potatoes pints of milk piece of butter size of an egg small piece of onion take four large potatoes, boil until done and mash smooth, adding butter and salt to taste. heat the milk in a double boiler, cook the onion in it a few minutes and then remove. pour the milk slowly on the potato, strain, heat and serve immediately. thicken with one tablespoonful of flour. * * * * * * =vegetables= =green corn fritters= cupfuls of corn, grated from the cob eggs a little salt / cupful of milk / cupful of flour level teaspoonful of cream of tartar / level teaspoonful of soda beat the eggs, then add the milk and salt. stir the corn into the dry flour, wetting with the milk and eggs, then fry in hot lard. =delicious stuffed baked potatoes= bake six potatoes, or enough for family. when done, set away to cool slightly. cut off a small piece, scoop out the inside, mash, add butter, salt, and milk, also tiny bits of parsley, if liked. fill the shells with this mixture, put back in the oven and bake until brown. =creamed potatoes= or baked potatoes pint of milk / teaspoonful of salt butter, the size of a walnut pare the potatoes and cut into small pieces. put them on the stove, in an agate dish, salt and cover with milk. let them cook fifteen or twenty minutes, then thicken with one tablespoonful of flour, stirred with half a cupful of water; put in the butter and serve hot. =scalloped potatoes= butter a baking-dish, pare and slice potatoes in small pieces. put into the dish with salt, pepper and a little butter. fill the dish with milk, sprinkle over the top cracker or bread crumbs, and cheese, if you like it. bake in the oven for an hour and a half or two hours. =baked tomatoes= tomatoes cupfuls of bread crumbs small piece of onion a few stalks of celery hearts salt and pepper to taste cut off a small piece of each tomato and scoop out the inside. mix this with two cupfuls, or the same amount of bread crumbs, the chopped onion, salt and pepper. then fill the tomatoes with this mixture, putting small pieces of butter over the top. place these in a pan in which is a very little water, to prevent sticking, and bake in a hot oven from twenty minutes to half an hour. =fried tomatoes= pare and slice (not very thin), dip into flour and fry on a griddle in hot fat. * * * * * * appendix * * * * * * =household hints old and new for housekeepers young and old= =to save confusion in the home= "plan your work, then work your plan." _monday_--wash, if you have it done in the house. if sent out, use that day for picking up and putting things in order, after the disorder of sunday. _tuesday_--iron. _wednesday_--finish ironing and bake; wash kitchen floor. _thursday, friday_--sweep and dust, thoroughly. _saturday_--bake, and prepare in every way possible, for the following day. =have in or near your sink= a handle dish cloth. a wire dish cloth. a cake of scouring soap. a small brush for cleaning vegetables. these articles are indispensable. also have two cloths, which must be kept perfectly clean. one for washing dishes. one for washing sink. =homemade shortening= do not throw away small pieces of fat from pork, lamb or steak. put them on the stove, in a skillet or agate dish and cook them till there is nothing left, but scraps. then pare a potato, wash clean, cut into thin slices and cook in the fat for a half hour to clarify it. strain through a cloth. this will be good to fry doughnuts in and for all purposes, where shortening is needed, except for pie crust. pieces of fat, not fit for shortening can be saved in some old utensil and made into kitchen soap. =to make tea and coffee= always use freshly boiled water. do not boil more than three or four minutes. this is very important, in making a good cup of tea or coffee. never use water which has stood in the teakettle over night. =a use for left-over coffee= do not throw away the coffee you have left from breakfast. if you do not care for iced coffee for dinner, make a little coffee jelly, by the recipe on page . =never throw away old underclothes= keep them for housecleaning, for washing windows and for washing lamp chimneys. old pieces of calico, or flannel make good holders to use about the stove. wash, boil and dry cleaning cloths when soiled, that they may be ready for use again. =that leaky hot-water bag= do not throw away an old hot-water bag because it leaks. fasten over the leak, a strong piece of adhesive plaster. fill the bag with sand or salt and cover with flannel. it will hold heat for a long time, and can be used instead of the water bottle. =to keep your hands white= keep a piece of lemon in your bathroom or kitchen. it will remove stains from the hands. =to brown flour= spread flour upon a tin pie plate, put it in a hot oven, and stir constantly, after it begins to brown, until it is all colored. keep always on hand. it is good for coloring and thickening gravies. =lemons and fish= lemon juice makes a very grateful addition to all kinds of fish. thin slices of lemon, with sprigs of parsley, around a platter of fish, makes a pretty garnish. =to try out lard= if you want good sweet lard, buy from your butcher, leaf lard. skin carefully, cut into small pieces and put it into a kettle or sauce pan. pour in a half-cupful of water, to prevent burning, and cook slowly, until there is nothing left but scraps. remove the scraps with a skimmer, salt it a little, and strain through a clean cloth, into tin pails. be sure not to scorch it. =how to keep eggs= in the summer, when eggs are cheap, buy a sufficient number of freshly laid ones to last through the winter. take one part of liquid glass, and nine parts of cold water which has been boiled, and mix thoroughly. put the eggs into a stone crock, and pour over them this mixture, having it come an inch above the eggs. the eggs will keep six months, if they are perfectly fresh when packed and will have no taste, as when put into lime water. =save your old stockings= old stockings are fine for cleaning the range. slip your hand into the foot and rub hard, or place an old whisk broom inside. it will make the sides and front of the range clean and shiny. in fact, you will seldom need to use blacking on these parts. =when washing lamp chimneys= if you live in the country and use kerosene lamps, do not dread washing the chimneys. make a good hot suds, then wash them in this, with a clean cloth kept for that purpose. pour over them very hot or boiling water and dry with an old soft cloth. twist a piece of brown paper or newspaper, into cornucopia shape and place over the chimneys to protect from dust and flies. =to remove disagreeable odors from the house= sprinkle fresh ground coffee, on a shovel of hot coals, or burn sugar on the shovel. this is an old-fashioned disinfectant, still good. =to lengthen the life of a broom= your broom will last much longer and be made tough and pliable, by dipping for a minute or two, in a pail of boiling suds, once a week. a carpet will wear longer if swept with a broom treated in this way. leave your broom bottom side up, or hang it. =to prevent mold on top of glasses of jelly= melt paraffine and pour over the jelly after it is cold. no brandy, paper, or other covering is necessary. =to clean nickel stove trimmings= rub with kerosene and whiting, and polish with a dry cloth. =to clean zinc or copper= wash with soap suds and powdered bristol brick. when perfectly dry, take a flannel cloth and dry powdered bristol or any good cleaning powder and polish. you will be pleased with the result. i have tried this for forty years. =how to prevent button holes from fraying= when making button holes in serge or any material which frays, place a piece of lawn of two thicknesses, underneath and work through this. another way is to make four stitchings in the goods the length of the button hole. cut between these, leaving two stitchings each side of the hole. =when making a silk waist= stitch a crescent shaped piece of the same material as your waist under the arm. it will wear longer and when the outside wears out it looks neater than a patch. if the waist is lined, put this between the lining and the outside. =to make old velvet look new= turn hot flatirons bottom side up. rest these on two pieces of wood, or hold in your lap. put over them a piece of wet cloth, then lay the velvet on this. brush with a whisk broom. the steam from the wet cloth will raise the nap and take out the creases. =onion skins as a dye= if you wish for a bright yellow, save your onion skins. they will color white cloth a very bright yellow. this is a good color for braided rugs, such as people used to make. =to remove egg stain from silver= salt when applied dry, with a soft piece of flannel will remove the stain from silver, caused by eggs. =put a little cornstarch in salt shakers= this will prevent the salt from becoming too moist to shake out. =how to color lace ecru= if you wish for ecru lace and you have only a piece of white, dip it into cold tea or coffee, until you have the desired color. =to keep lettuce crisp= put it into a paper bag and place right on the ice. it will keep a week in this way. =to keep celery= do not put it into water. wrap it in a cloth, wet in cold water and place directly on the ice. =to keep a piece of salt pork sweet= put it in a strong brine made of one quart of cold water, and two-thirds of a cup of salt. =save potato-water= pare potatoes before boiling, and then save the water, to mix your yeast bread with. =a use for the vinegar off pickles= when your pickles have been used from your glass jars, do not throw away the vinegar. use it in your salad dressing. it is much better than plain vinegar because of the flavor. =do not allow a child to eat fresh snow= this often looks clean and pure but fill a tumbler with it, cover to keep out the dust and then show it to the child, that he may see for himself, the dirt it contains. =when making hermits or cookies= instead of rolling and cutting as usual, drop the dough into a large iron pan. the heat of the oven melts them into one sheet. cut them into squares or long narrow strips. it takes much less time, than the old way of rolling and cutting. =to clean a vinegar cruet on the inside= put into it shot, pebblestones, or beans. fill it with a strong soap suds, and one teaspoonful of bread soda or ammonia. let stand an hour, shake well and often. rinse with clean water. =to make tough meat, or a fowl tender= put one tablespoonful of vinegar, into the kettle while boiling. =to remove black grease= rub patiently with ether. it will not leave a ring, like gasolene, and will remove every trace of the stain. =to keep an iron sink from rusting= wash with hot suds. when dry rub it well, with a cloth wet with kerosene. do this three or four times a week and your sink will look well, all the time. =how to add salt to hot milk= salt will curdle new milk, so when making gravies, or puddings, put your salt into the flour, or with eggs and sugar, to add when the milk boils. use a double boiler for milk gravies and gruels. =to soften boots and shoes= rub them with kerosene. shoes will last longer, if rubbed over with drippings from roast lamb. old-fashioned people always used mutton tallow on children's shoes. =a way to cook chops= pork or lamb chops are very nice, if baked in a hot oven. turn them as they brown. it saves the smoke in the room. =when cooking canned corn= place it in a double boiler to prevent scorching. =salted almonds= shell the nuts and put into boiling water. when they have stood for fifteen or twenty minutes, the skin will slip off easily. when dry, mix a half-teaspoonful of olive oil or butter, and a quarter of a teaspoonful of salt, with a cupful of nut meats. spread on a tin pan, and place in a hot oven. bake fifteen or twenty minutes. watch closely and stir several times, as they burn quickly. treat peanuts in the same way. =before washing colored clothes= it is wise to set the color first, by soaking in a strong solution of cold salt water (one cupful of salt to half a pail of water). soak two hours. =to remove iron rust from white goods= the old-fashioned way, still good, is to wet the place in lemon juice, sprinkle on it common table salt, and lay it in the sun. in these later days, there is on the market an iron rust soap, which removes the spot quickly, also an ink eradicator, sold by all druggists. =how to make starch= two tablespoonfuls of starch should be made into a smooth paste with four tablespoonfuls of cold water. pour over this three pints of boiling water, stirring rapidly all the time. starch the garments, while they are still wet. in the olden days, people made starch of flour in the same way, for linen and gingham dresses, as it was less expensive and thought to be just as good for colored clothes. =when you go away from home for a few days= plan your meals before leaving. this simplifies matters for the one left in charge, and is often found to be of importance financially. =the proper way to sweep a room= dust the furniture and put it in another room. dust bric-a-brac and put on the bed if you are sweeping a sleeping room, if another room put them on the table, or in an adjoining room. brush the draperies, take down and lay on the bed or table. cover these and bric-a-brac with a sheet. wet a newspaper, tear into small pieces and spread on the rug or carpet. now you are ready for sweeping. if the floor is carpeted, sweep all dirt to the center of the room. sweep the corners with a small whisk broom. move every piece of furniture lest there be dirt left underneath. open the windows before sweeping. when the dust is settled take a pail of warm water, put in a tablespoonful of ammonia, then with a clean cloth wrung from this wipe the window glass, mirror and pictures; polish with dry cloth. wipe all finger marks from doors and mop boards. now take a pail of clean water, with ammonia, and with a small scrubbing brush go over the rug or carpet, to remove dust and brighten the colors. replace furniture, bric-a-brac and draperies and your room will be sweet and clean. with care, once in two or three weeks, will be often enough to do this. =when baking cup custards= set them into a pan of hot water. when you remove from the oven, place them in a pan of cold water, to prevent longer cooking. =when using currants and raisins= mix a little dry flour with currants and raisins before adding them to cakes or puddings. it will keep them from falling to the bottom. =try baking beets, instead of boiling them= they are much sweeter. three or four hours is necessary, according to size. =when making grape juice or jelly= before adding the sugar, strain through a flannel bag. it will be much clearer. =when sewing braid on a dress= slip a piece of pasteboard three or four inches long, into the hem. you can sew more quickly, and your stitches will not show on the right side. =to skin beets= when you remove beets from the kettle, plunge them into a dish of cold water. the skins will slip off easily with the hand. never cut or pare beets before cooking. =a fine way to keep cut roses= immerse them at night in a pail of cold water, blossoms down. =to keep carnations= put a little salt in the water, which should be changed each morning, and cut the stems a little each time. =when pies are ready to bake= put little dabs of lard, on the top crust, then hold it under the faucet, letting cold water run over it. =a way to make pies brown and shiny= just before putting a pie in the oven, brush over the top with milk, using a soft brush or a clean piece of cheese cloth. =when threading a needle= place a piece of white paper under the eye. you will be surprised at the ease, with which you can thread it. =make your own baking powder= get your grocer to weigh for you one pound of cream of tartar, and one-half pound of bread soda. sift these together nine times in a flour sifter. put in a tin can, and it is ready for use. =to prevent children from losing mittens= sew strongly to each mitten, four or five inches of narrow black ribbon (use a colored one if you prefer). sew the other end of ribbon to the coat sleeve. the child can remove mittens at any time without losing them and always know where they are. =teach a child to hang up his own coat and hat= have some hooks, low down in the closet or kitchen where a child can reach them easily, to be used only by himself. =to keep your own umbrella= take a piece of narrow white tape, three or four inches long. with a glass pen, or a new clean steel one, and indelible ink, write your name upon it. sew this to the inside of the umbrella. =to wash a white silk waist, or a baby's bonnet= use cold water and white soap. hot water will turn white silk yellow. =when ironing embroidery= place it right side down on a piece of soft flannel, ironing on the wrong side. if flannel is not at hand, try an old turkish towel. =to wash small pieces of lace= put in a horse radish bottle and pour over them, strong soap suds, good and hot, and shake well. let stand awhile and shake again. rinse in clear, warm water, by shaking. dry on a clean cloth in the sunshine. =never throw away sour milk= it is excellent for graham bread, gingerbread, brown bread, griddle cakes, and doughnuts, also biscuit. you can make a delicious cottage cheese of a very small quantity. set the milk on the back of the stove, in an agate dish. let stand until the whey separates from the curd. strain through a cloth, squeezing the curd dry. put in a little salt, a small piece of butter, and a little sage if desired. press into balls and serve. =mark new rubbers= take a pointed stick--a wooden skewer from the butcher's is best--dip it into ink and write the name, on the inside. =economical hints= save small pieces of soap in the bathroom, by placing in a cup or small box, until you have a cupful. add a little water and boil a few minutes; when nearly cool, press with the hands, and you have a new cake of soap. do not throw away the white papers around cracker boxes. they are good to clean irons and will save buying ironing wax. if irons are dirty put a good layer of salt on newspaper and rub the irons back and forth. save even the coupons on your soap wrappers. you can get a silver thimble for your mending bag with them, if nothing more. save your strong string, to wrap around packages going by parcel post. also fold nicely for further use your clean wrapping papers. make a bag of pretty cretonne, hang in the kitchen or cellar way, to keep the string and wrapping paper in. you will find it very convenient. do not throw away small pieces of bread. save them for plum pudding, queen's pudding, or dressing for fish or fowl. if broken into small pieces and browned in a hot oven, it is very nice to eat with soups. or, dry well, roll fine and keep in a glass jar, to be used for breaded pork chops, croquettes, or oysters. =to mend broken china= stir into a strong solution of gum arabic, plaster of paris. put this on each side of the china, holding together for a few minutes. make it as thick as cream. =to clean old jewelry= wash in warm water containing a little ammonia. if very dirty rub with a brush. this is very good also for cleaning hair brushes and combs. =dish washing made a pleasure= first of all, remove all refuse from the dishes. place them near the sink, large plates at the bottom, then the smaller ones, then saucers. have a large pan full of very hot water. make a good soap suds by using a soap shaker. wash the tumblers and all glassware first, and wipe at once. use a handle dish cloth (which can be bought for five cents), for these, as the water will be too hot for the hands. wash the silver next. have a large pan, in which to place the clean dishes, cups and bowls first. when all are washed pour over them boiling or very hot water, and wipe quickly. pans and kettles come last. always have a cake of sand soap or a can of cleaning powder, for scouring the pie plates and bottoms of kettles. it is very little work to keep baking tins and kitchen utensils in good condition, if washed perfectly clean each time they are used. wash the dish towels, at least once every day, and never use them for anything else. with clean hot water, clean towels, and plenty of soap dishwashing is made easy. if you live in new england, your sink will be in front of a window. be sure and plant just outside of this window nasturtiums, a bed of pansies, morning glories and for fall flowers, salvia. these bright blossoms will add to your pleasure while washing dishes. =a space saver= if you are crowded for space in closet, kitchen or pantry buy a spiral spring, such as is used for sash curtains. fasten the end pieces to the back of the door, and stretch the spring from end to end. you now have a fine place to hang towels, stockings or neckties, or if used in a pantry, to keep covers. =another space saver= if you have no closet in your room, get a board, nine inches wide, and three or four feet long. put it in the most convenient place in your room on two brackets. stain it the color of your woodwork. screw into the under side of the board, wardrobe hooks. now get a pretty piece of cretonne or denim, hem top and bottom, and tack with brass headed tacks to the shelf, having it long enough to come to the floor, and around the ends of the board. use the top for a book shelf or hats. =if the freshness of eggs is doubtful= break each one separately into a cup, before mixing together. yolks and whites beaten separately, make a cake much lighter than when beaten together. =when bread cooks too quickly= when your bread is browning on the outside, before it is cooked inside, put a clean piece of brown paper over it. this will prevent scorching. =to remove the odor of onions= fill with cold water kettles and sauce pans in which they have been cooked adding a tablespoonful of bread soda and the same of ammonia. let stand on the stove until it boils. then wash in hot suds and rinse well. a pudding or bean pot, treated in this way, will wash easily. wood ashes in the water will have the same effect. =never leave a glass of water or medicine, uncovered in a room= this is very _important_. water will absorb all the gases, with which a room is filled from the respiration of those sleeping in the room. =weights and measures= teaspoonsfuls equal tablespoonful of liquid. tablespoonfuls equal half a gill. coffee-cupfuls equal pint. pints equal quart. coffee-cupfuls of sifted flour equal pound. quart of unsifted flour equals pound. pint of granulated sugar equals pound. coffee-cupful of cold butter pressed down equals pound. an ordinary tumbler holds the same as a coffee cup. it is well to have a tin or glass cup, marked in thirds or quarters for measuring. =when to salt vegetables= every kind of food and all kinds of vegetables need a little salt when cooking. do not wait until the vegetables are done. salt the water they are boiled in after they begin to boil. =what to serve with meats= _roast beef and turkey_ squash, turnips, onions and cranberry sauce. _roast pork_ spinach, onions and apple sauce. _roast lamb_ mint sauce. _roast mutton_ currant jelly and vegetables. with all kinds of meat and fowl pickles are always good. make your own pickles, after recipes found in this book. =the length of time to cook meats= _lamb_ roast a leg of lamb three hours. wash clean, sprinkle over it a little flour and salt and put into a pan, with cold water. while it is cooking, take a spoon and pour over it the water from the pan, three or four times. _veal_ roast veal three hours, treating it the same way as lamb. when you have removed it from the pan, make a smooth paste, by wetting two or three tablespoonfuls of flour with cold water, and stir into the water left in the pan. pour in more water, if the size of your family requires it. _beef_ roast beef requires fifteen minutes for each pound. do not salt beef, until you take it from the oven. _ham_ boil a ham of ordinary size three hours. let cool in the water in which it is boiled. it is very nice to remove the skin, while warm, stick cloves in the outside, sprinkle over it a little vinegar and sugar and bake for one hour. _sausages_ sausages are very nice, baked in a hot oven twenty minutes. prick with a fork to prevent bursting. do this too, if fried. _corned beef_ should boil four hours. _chicken_ a chicken will cook in one hour and a half. a fowl requires an hour longer. don't forget to put in one tablespoonful of vinegar to make tender. _turkey_ a ten pound turkey needs to cook three hours, in a slow oven. =the length of time to cook vegetables= _onions_ boil one hour. longer if they are large. _cabbage_ requires one hour and a half. _parsnips_ boil two or three hours according to size. _carrots_ wash, scrape, and boil one hour. =when paring tomatoes= put them into very hot water and the skin will come off easily. * * * * * * the following pages contain advertisements of a few of the macmillan books on kindred subjects. transcriber's note obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been maintained. a list of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. oe ligatures have been expanded. illustrations have been moved and placed near the paragraph that they illustrate whenever possible the century cook book [illustration: square-cornered dinner-table with fourteen covers. decorations in white. (see page .)] the century cook book by mary ronald _this book contains directions for cooking in its various branches, from the simplest forms to high-class dishes and ornamental pieces; a group of new england dishes furnished by susan coolidge; and a few receipts of distinctively southern dishes. it gives also the etiquette of dinner entertainments--how to serve dinners--table decorations, and many items relative to household affairs._ "now good digestion wait on appetite and health on both" --_macbeth_ [illustration] new york the century co. copyright, , by the century co. the devinne press. _"to be a good cook means the knowledge of all fruits, herbs, balms and spices, and of all that is healing and sweet in field and groves, and savory in meats; means carefulness, inventiveness, watchfulness, willingness and readiness of appliance. it means the economy of your great-grandmothers and the science of modern chemists. it means much tasting and no wasting. it means english thoroughness, french art and arabian hospitality. it means, in fine, that you are to be perfectly and always ladies (loaf-givers) and are to see that every one has something nice to eat."_--ruskin. _aphorisms--brillat-savarin._ _les animaux se repaissent; l'homme mange; l'homme d'esprit seul sait manger._ _dis moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es._ _le créateur, en obligeant l'homme à manger pour vivre, l'y invite par l'appêtit et l'en récompense par le plaisir._ _la table est le seul endroit où l'on ne s'ennuie jamais pendant la première heure._ _la découverte d'un mets nouveau fait plus pour le bonheur du genre humain que la découverte d'une étoile._ _l'ordre des comestibles est des plus substantiels aux plus légers._ _l'ordre des boissons est des plus tempérées aux plus fumeuses et aux plus parfumées._ _on devient cuisinier mais on naît rôtisseur._ _attendre trop longtemps un convive retardataire est un manque d'égards pour tous ceux qui sont présent._ _celui qui reçoit ses amis, et ne donne aucun soin personnel au repas qui leur est préparé, n'est pas digne d'avoir des amis._ _la maîtresse de la maison doit toujours s'assurer que le café est excellent, et le maître, que les liqueurs sont de premier choix._ time table. boiling. meats. time. mutton per pound minutes. potted beef " " to min. corned beef " " minutes. ham " " to min. turkey " " minutes. chicken " " " fowl " " to min. tripe " " to hours. fish. time. codfish per pound minutes. haddock " " " halibut " " " blue " " " bass " " " salmon " " to min. small fish " " minutes. lobster to min. vegetables. potatoes to min. asparagus to " peas to " string beans to " lima " to " spinach to " turnips minutes. beets min. or more. cabbage " cauliflower " brussels sprouts to min. onions to " parsnips to " green corn to " macaroni minutes. rice to min. baking. meats. time beef, ribs, rare per pound, to min. " " well done " to " " " boned & rolled " to " round of beef " to " mutton, leg, rare " minutes. " " well done " " " loin, rare " " " shoulder, stuffed " " " saddle, rare " " lamb, well done " " veal, " " " to min. pork, " " " minutes. venison, rare " " chicken " " goose " " fillet, hot oven minutes. braised meats to hours. liver, whole hours. turkey, lbs - / " " very large " birds, small, hot oven to min. ducks, tame minutes. " wild, very hot oven " partridge to min. grouse to " fish. time. large fish hour, about. small " to min. time. bread hour. biscuits minutes. cake to min. custards, very slow oven hour. broiling. time. steak, inch thick to min. " - / " " to " mutton chops, french minutes. " " english " spring chicken " quail to min. grouse minutes. squabs to min. shad, bluefish, trout to " small fish to " weights and measures gills = pint. pints = quart. quarts = gallon. ounces = pound. / kitchen cupful = gill. kitchen cupful = / pint or gills. kitchen cupfuls = quart. cupfuls of granulated sugar } = pound. - / cupfuls of powdered sugar } heaping tablespoonful of sugar = ounce. heaping tablespoonful of butter } = oz. or / cupful. butter size of an egg } cupful of butter = / pound. cupfuls of flour } = pound. heaping quart } round tablespoonfuls of dry material = cupful. tablespoonfuls of liquid = cupful. proportions to eggs to quart of milk for custards. to eggs to pint of milk for custards. saltspoonful of salt to quart of milk for custards. teaspoonful of vanilla to quart of milk for custards. ounces of gelatine to - / quarts of liquid. heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to quart of milk. heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to quart of flour. even teaspoonful of baking-powder to cupful of flour. teaspoonful of soda to pint of sour milk. teaspoonful of soda to / pint of molasses. teaspoonful of baking-powder is the equivalent of / teaspoonful of soda and teaspoonful of cream of tartar. for other proportions, see page . for measuring, see page . preface in france various honors are awarded to cooks. accomplished _chefs de cuisine_ are by compliment called _cordon-bleu_, which is an ancient and princely order. a successful culinary production takes the name of the inventor, and by it his fame often lasts longer than that of many men who have achieved positions in the learned professions. cooking is there esteemed a service of especial merit, hence france ranks all nations in gastronomy. although definite honors are not conferred on cooks elsewhere, good cooking is everywhere appreciated, and there is no reason why it should not be the rule instead of the exception. in large establishments it may be said to prevail, but in many moderate households the daily fare is of a quality which satisfies no other sense than that of hunger, the hygienic requirements and esthetic possibilities being quite unknown or disregarded. this is what savarin designates as feeding, in contradistinction to dining. the author believes that the women of to-day, because of their higher education, have a better understanding of domestic duties; that hygiene, economy, system, and methods are better understood and more generally practised. children are not only more sensibly clothed, but they are more wholesomely fed, and households are directed with more intelligent care. it is hoped that this book will inculcate a desire to learn the simple principles of cooking for the benefits which such knowledge will give, and that it will be of material assistance to any woman who wishes to establish and maintain a well-ordered cuisine. receipts are given for simple and inexpensive as well as elaborate and costly dishes, and they are intended to be of use to the inexperienced as well as to the trained cook. the rules are given in precise language, with definite measurement and time, so that no supervision by the mistress will be required for any receipt given the cook. at the head of each chapter are given the general rules for the dishes included in that class. economy, practicability, and the resources of the average kitchen have been constantly borne in mind. the illustrations, it is believed, will aid materially in serving dishes, as they complete and demonstrate the receipts. many of them are given to attract attention to very simple dishes, which might be selected as suited to one's convenience, but which might otherwise be overlooked in a hasty perusal of the text. the pictures are from photographs of dishes, many of which are not too difficult for a novice to undertake. the author has fortunately been able to secure from susan coolidge a number of receipts of new england dishes; also a few distinctively southern dishes from an equally experienced southern housekeeper. these, she hopes, will enable many who have strayed from home to enjoy again the dishes associated with other times and places. much care has been taken to give a complete alphabetical index, so that anything in the book can be quickly found, even if the ordinary classification is not understood. the chapters on etiquette, serving, etc., are meant to aid those young housekeepers who, from lack of observation or experience, find themselves at a loss to remember small details when the responsibility of an entertainment falls upon them for the first time. the author, in speaking of this book to friends, has had various questions asked and suggestions given, by which she has endeavored to profit. some of the questions have been the following: "have you given receipts suitable for a family of two or three?" "have you given expedients, so if articles called for in the receipts are not at hand others may be substituted?" "is your book only for rich people?" "is it not a mistake to use french names, which many do not understand?" etc., etc. in deference to the last suggestion, she has explained the meaning of certain classes of dishes known only by the french names, and which would lose character if translated. a soufflé, for instance, has no special significance when called "inflated," but the word soufflé defines the class of dishes which are inflated, and is so generally understood that it is almost an anglicized word. the terms soufflés, pâtés, timbales, hors-d'oeuvres, entrées, etc., are as distinctive as stews, hashes, creams, etc.; hence there seems no other way than to learn the culinary nomenclature as one partakes of the dishes. the author strongly urges the trial of new dishes, and breaking away from the routine of habit. the preparation of so-called fancy dishes is very simple. a little attention given to ornamentation and garnishing, making dishes attractive in appearance as well as taste, will raise the standard of cooking without necessarily increasing the expense. contents part i page dinner-giving and the etiquette of dinners manner of serving dinners laying the table table decorations courses the home dinner serving the informal dinner luncheon the five o'clock tea a homily on cooking cooking as a pleasure and an accomplishment to train a green cook economical living wastefulness how to utilize what some cooks throw away emergencies things to remember care of utensils part ii chapter i methods of cooking explained ii soups iii fish iv meats v poultry and game vi vegetables { farinaceous foods used as vegetables vii { macaroni { cereals viii a group of receipts from a new england kitchen { distinctively southern dishes ix { very inexpensive dishes { miscellaneous receipts x eggs xi sauces { entrÉes xii { terrapin, frogs' legs { mushrooms xiii aspic jelly, fancy molding, supports xiv chafing-dish receipts xv bread xvi { sandwiches and canapÉs { cheese and cheese dishes xvii salads xviii cold desserts xix { hot desserts { pudding sauces xx { pies { puff paste xxi { cake { icing and decorating cakes xxii ice-creams, water-ices, parfaits, mousses, punches xxiii boiling sugar and making candies xxiv fruits, cooked and fresh xxv compotes, preserving and canning, pickles xxvi beverages xxvii wines the century cook book the century cook book part i dinner-giving and the etiquette of dinners "to feed were best at home; from thence, the sauce to meat is ceremony, meeting were bare without it."--_shakspere_ a dinner party may be considered as holding the highest rank among entertainments. in no other social function is etiquette so strictly observed. there are prescribed rules for the form of the invitation, the manner of assigning each guest his place at the table, the manner of serving the dinner, etc.; and when these rules are followed there need be no embarrassments. [sidenote: the company.] it should always be remembered that the social part of the entertainment is on a higher plane than the gastronomic one, though the latter must by no means be slighted. a sentiment expressed by the wit who said, "a fig for your bill of fare, give me a bill of your company," is generally felt, and a hostess should bring together only such people as she believes will be mutually agreeable. the idea, given by goldsmith in his "retaliation," of looking upon one's friends as so many pleasant dishes, is offered as a suggestion. he says: if our landlord supplies us with beef and with fish, let each guest bring himself, and he brings the best dish: our dean shall be venison, just fresh from the plains; our burke shall be tongue, with a garnish of brains; our will shall be wild fowl of excellent flavour, and dick with his pepper shall heighten the savour; our cumberland's sweetbread its place shall obtain, and douglas is pudding, substantial and plain; our garrick's a salad, for in him we see oil, vinegar, sugar, and saltness agree:... at a dinner so various--at such a repast, who'd not be a glutton, and stick to the last? [sidenote: the host and hostess.] the hostess should give her instructions for the details of the entertainment so explicitly that on the arrival of the guests she will have no care other than their pleasure. if she is nervous, has wandering eyes, or shows constraint, it affects sensibly the ease of her guests. the spirit of pleasure is infectious, and upon the demeanor of the hosts the success of the evening largely depends. much tact may be shown in placing the right people together at the table. if one is a great talker let the other be a good listener; if one is dogmatic let the other be without positive views, and so on; for as every one is happiest when appearing well, it is wise to consider the idiosyncrasies of the guests. 't is a great point in a gallery how you hang your pictures; and not less in society how you seat your party. [sidenote: the guests.] the part of the hosts is thus well defined; but the guests, too, have their obligations, and in recognition of the compliment of being included in an entertainment where the number of guests is limited to very few, each one should make exertion to be agreeable, as a dull dinner companion is a recognized misfortune. at a dinner there is time, not given at most other forms of entertainment, for rational and sustained conversation, and this may be turned to durance vile if one victimizes by egotism or caprice the person who without power of withdrawal is assigned to his or her society for perhaps two hours or more. also, if one finds oneself neighbor to some person for whom one has a personal antipathy, it must not be allowed to interfere with the general pleasure; and should such a situation occur, there is nothing to do but to make the best of it, and conceal from the hostess the mistake she has unwittingly made-- and do as adversaries do in law, strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends. under these circumstances the discovery may possibly be made that an unfriendly person is more agreeable than was supposed, and a pleasanter relationship may be established. [sidenote: time.] two hours is the extreme limit of time that should be given to a dinner; one hour and a quarter, or a half, is preferable. eight courses served quickly, but without seeming haste, require as much time as most people can sit at the table without fatigue. last impressions are as enduring as first ones, so it is important not to surfeit, for when fatigue enters into so-called pleasure, failure begins. judgment shown in combination of dishes, the perfection of their preparation, careful serving, and taste in adornment, are elements of refinement that far outweigh quantity and ostentation. [sidenote: temperature.] the temperature and ventilation of the dining-room should be given careful attention. the best of spirits and the brightest wit will flag in an overheated, ill-ventilated room. it is not always easy to maintain a fresh atmosphere where as many guests are seated as the size of the room permits, but at least the room can be well aired before the dinner is served. windows opened a very little from both the top and bottom in an adjoining room, with a careful adjustment of screens to protect those who are sensitive to drafts, will do much to keep the air fresh, and will have a sensible effect upon the comfort and mental activity of the company. [sidenote: the invitation.] invitations are sometimes sent out a month or three weeks in advance, but ordinarily two weeks is sufficient time to secure the guests one wishes to entertain. courtesy requires a dinner invitation to be answered at once, certainly within twelve hours, but better in less time. this enables the hostess to fill the vacancy in case the invitation is declined. unconventional people are sometimes unmindful of this obligation, but as a rule those who are accustomed to entertaining recognize the importance of a prompt reply, and answer a dinner invitation immediately. it is well, when convenient, to send the invitation as well as the reply by hand, so that there may be no uncertainty of prompt delivery; to send either of them by post is, however, permissible. the answer should be definite, and where a man and his wife are invited, if one of them is unable to accept, the invitation should be declined for both. an invitation should be precise in expression, therefore the prescribed form given below should be exactly followed. it does not belong to the order of social notes; it is simply a formal invitation, and an acceptance should be of the same character. any deviation from the prescribed form is uncalled for and likely to cause criticism. in declining the invitation, however, it is considered more gracious to answer the formal note informally, and, by stating the reason, show that the regret is not merely a perfunctory expression. verbal invitations or replies should never be given for formal entertainments. r. s. v. p. should not be put on a dinner invitation. every well-bred person knows an answer is necessary, and it is a reflection upon good manners to assume that no reply would be given if the request for it were omitted. it is important also that the reply should repeat, in the same words as the invitation, the date and hour of the dinner, so, if any mistake has inadvertently been made, it may be corrected, thus establishing an exact understanding. a dinner engagement is the most exacting of any social obligation, and no greater discourtesy can be shown than to break it except for serious cause. [sidenote: form of invitation.] _mr. and mrs. james j. james request the pleasure of mr. and mrs. smith's company at dinner, on monday, december twenty-third, at eight o'clock._ _ west a street,_ _dec. st._ envelop addressed to mrs. john b. smith. * * * * * [sidenote: reply.] _mr. and mrs. john b. smith accept with pleasure mr. and mrs. james's kind invitation to dinner on monday, december twenty-third, at eight o'clock._ _ west b street,_ _dec. st._ envelop addressed to mrs. james j. james. _mr. and mrs. john b. smith regret that they are unable to accept mr. and mrs. james's kind invitation to dinner on monday, december twenty-third, at eight o'clock._ _ west b street,_ _dec. st._ or, _mr. and mrs. john b. smith regret that owing to a previous engagement they are unable to accept mr. and mrs. james's kind invitation to dinner on monday, december twenty-third, at eight o'clock._ _ west b street,_ _dec. st._ * * * * * where an invitation is meant to be informal, a social form of note with formal phraseology is often sent, thus: _my dear mrs. smith_: _will you and mr. smith dine with us informally on thursday evening, december twenty-third, at eight o'clock?_ _sincerely yours_, _mary james._ _ west a street,_ _dec. st._ this form of invitation is sometimes misleading to strangers, as the word "informal" is open to different interpretations. these dinners are generally quite as formal as the others, and require the same toilet. a woman's dinner dress should be décolleté, and for a man evening dress is always _de rigueur_. [sidenote: dress.] the butler wears a dress suit with white tie. the footman, or second man, wears the livery of the family, or, in default of that, a coat of dark color, with brass buttons, and a bright-colored striped waistcoat. the dining-room maid wears a plain black dress, a white apron that covers completely the front of her skirt, a linen collar and deep cuffs, and a small white cap, with or without strings, but no crown. everything in a well-ordered household is supposed to be clean, including the hands of the domestics, and the use of white gloves is not permissible. first-class butlers and footmen do not wear mustaches. [sidenote: arrival.] guests are expected at the hour mentioned in the invitation, and should be as near that time as possible. in large cities, where distances are great and exact time difficult to calculate, a little grace is allowed, but the hostess is not expected to wait longer than fifteen minutes for a tardy guest. it is considered a breach of etiquette to be late, and the assumption is, when this occurs, that the delay is unavoidable and will be indefinite, and so the other guests should not be inconvenienced. at large dinners a gentleman finds in the dressing-room, or a servant passes to him before he enters the drawing-room, a tray holding small addressed envelops. he selects the one bearing his own name, and finds on an inclosed card the name of the lady he is to take to the table. the letter r or l in the corner of the card denotes whether he will find his place on the right or left of the table from the entrance. if he does not know the lady, he should tell the hostess, so that he may be presented to her. the hostess stands near the door to receive her guests, and such introductions follow as can conveniently be made. if general introductions are omitted, guests are expected to act as though acquainted, and speak to whomever they may be near. this rule holds good for all entertainments in some countries, but americans continue a reserve except at dinners, where barriers to ease and pleasure must not exist. the hostess does not knowingly bring together people who object to meet one another, but in such an event the acquaintanceship need not extend beyond the evening, and good breeding requires a courteous recognition of the friends of the hostess while under her roof. [sidenote: announcement.] the butler keeps count of the arrival of expected guests, and announces dinner shortly after all are in the drawing-room. in case of a tardy guest he waits for the hostess to order the dinner served. he then enters the room, and, looking at the host or hostess, says, "dinner is served," or "madam is served," or simply bows to the hostess. [sidenote: precedence.] the host then offers his right arm to the lady who is to sit at his right, and leads the way into the dining-room; the other couples follow in any order that is convenient. the hostess, with the gentleman she honors with the seat at her right, are the last to leave the drawing-room. if a distinguished man is present, it is to him this courtesy is shown. except in official and diplomatic circles, there is no other rule of precedence. if the president of the united states or a royal personage were being entertained, the hostess with this dignitary would then precede the others. at each cover is laid a card on which is distinctly written the name of the person who is to occupy that place. confusion is thus avoided in seating the guests. it has been a fashion to have these cards artistic and elaborate in design, but at present plain gilt-edged cards stamped with the family crest or monogram are more generally used. [sidenote: departure.] when the dinner is finished, the gentlemen return to the drawing-room with the ladies, and then withdraw to the smoking-room for half an hour. shortly after their return to the drawing-room the guests take their leave. if guests of honor are present, they are the first to go. manner of serving dinners the custom of serving dinner _à la russe_ (dishes passed) has supplanted the form known as the english style, where the joints are carved on the table. this is for good reason, as the host cannot well fulfil his social part if he has to do the carving; therefore, unless on very informal occasions, when the number of servants may be insufficient, the carving is done on the side-table, or the garnished dishes are cut in the kitchen. the portions, whether carved or otherwise, are placed on dishes to be passed, and should be so arranged that each guest may remove a part easily and without destroying the symmetry of the whole. this need not preclude attractive garnishing, but such complicated constructions as are sometimes seen, which embarrass one to find how to break them, should be avoided. sometimes a dish is placed on the table to be shown, and then removed to be served. [sidenote: passing the dishes.] the dishes are presented on the left side. those of the first course are passed first to the lady sitting on the right of the host, and then in regular order to the right around the table. the dishes of each following course are started at some distance from the place where the preceding one was presented. in this way the same person is not left always to be served last. [sidenote: number of servants.] at least one servant is needed for every six persons, otherwise the service will be slow and tedious, and the portion placed on one's plate becomes cold before the accompaniments of sauce or vegetable can be passed. many dishes may be garnished with the vegetable or sauce, thus obviating in a measure this difficulty. for large dinners two or more dishes should be arranged to pass on opposite sides of the table, so that every one may be served at about the same time. plates, vegetable, and other large dishes are held in the hand of the servant. small dishes, like hors d'oeuvres, bonbon dishes, etc., are passed on a tray. [sidenote: wines.] when the wines are served, the servant should name the wine offered, so that it may be refused if not wanted; the glasses should not be filled entirely full. [sidenote: plates.] when a plate is removed it should be immediately replaced by another one holding a fork or any piece of silver or cutlery which is needed for the next course. plates should be removed with the left and replaced with the right hand. care should be taken that plates for the hot dishes are warm, but not hot, and that for the cold dishes they are not lukewarm. the plate holding the shell-fish is placed upon the one already on the table; this under plate is used also to hold the soup plate, but double plates are not again used until the end of the dinner, when the dessert plate holding the finger-bowl plate is put on. in case a hot sweet dish is served, the double plates, being intended for ices, fruits, and bonbons, are not put on until after that course. silver serving-dishes are much used; lacking these, all the china used in the same course should match when possible. [sidenote: china.] [sidenote: care of china.] a different set of plates may be used with each course. in the matter of china the greatest latitude of taste and expense is possible, some china being more valuable than its weight in silver. when handsome china is being used, which demands great care in handling, it is well to have a table in the pantry reserved for its use, where it can be carefully piled and left until the following morning to be washed. with daylight and ample time, it can be given the care it might not receive if washed after the fatigue and late hours of a long dinner. this need not necessarily mean leaving a disordered pantry for the night, although that would be of less consequence than the extra risk of having valuable china nicked or broken. the same care is recommended for handsome glass. [sidenote: clearing the table.] before the dessert is served, all the plates, the small silver, the salt- and pepper-boxes, the hors d'oeuvres, and such glasses as will not be again used are removed; the crumbs are then taken off, a silver crumb knife and a plate being used for this purpose. the dessert and finger-bowl plates are then put on. under the finger-bowl is placed a small fancy doily, and beside it on the same plate such small silver as will be needed. if peaches, or any fruit which will stain, are to be served, a fruit doily should also be given at this time and laid beside the place. the finger-bowl should be filled one third with water, and have a thin slice of lemon, a scented leaf, or a flower floating in it. [sidenote: the service.] the service should be entirely noiseless, and the machinery of the household as invisible as possible. there should be no rattling of china or silver, no creaking boots, or heavy tread, or audible speech among the servants. [sidenote: ordering the dinner.] when entertaining one should not attempt more than one is sure of being able to attain, bearing in mind the capabilities of the cook and the range, and remembering that the quality of the dishes rather than the number of them is what pleases. experiments should be made at times when failure is of less consequence. in arranging the menu, each course should be in pleasing contrast to the preceding one, and in the same course only such dishes should be served as go well together. butter is not served at dinner. laying the table [sidenote: the table.] a round or square table five feet across is a convenient size for ordinary use, giving ample room for six people, and leaving space for decoration. large round tops are made to fit over extension-tables, which will seat from twelve to twenty or more people; and when the size of the room will permit, this is the pleasantest form of table for entertainments, and best lends itself to decorative effects, giving to each person a complete picture of the table and of the company assembled. [sidenote: the linen.] a thick cotton material, which is made for the purpose, for interlining between table and cloth, is the first requisite in laying the table, and should always be used. it protects the polished surface of the table from injury, gives a more brilliant whiteness to the cloth, and prevents any noise when placing the china and silver upon the table. the linen should be as fine as the purse will allow. handsome linen will give elegance to a table where ornamentation is very simple. it should be ironed without starch, or with a very little if it is not sufficiently heavy to take polish without it. it should be folded perfectly square, so that the lines will be straight, and should be of spotless and dazzling whiteness. with this as a basis, there will be no difficulty in making an attractive table. in the way of linen, much taste may be shown in the ornamental pieces used in the center of the table. these may be of any shape or size desired, from a small square to a long scarf. they may be of embroidered linen, drawn-work, lace, plain silk or satin; but wash materials are preferable, and effects of color, when desired, can be obtained in the embroidery or linings. the attractiveness of these pieces depends on their daintiness. the fashion of a center-piece of linen is, however, a passing one, as they are not at present so generally used. [sidenote: the order of laying the table.] after the interlining has been spread, the cloth should be laid with great care, making the center fold run perfectly straight with the room, and the cross fold again exactly divide the table at right angles to the other crease. by these straight lines, everything else is gaged. the fancy linen piece is next laid, and its center must coincide with that of the cloth. if the piece is square, it sometimes has better effect to place the points on the long lines of the cloth, giving it a diamond shape; this, however, is a matter of fancy. the center ornament is then placed on the exact point where the folds of the cloth cross in the middle of the table. the plates are next put in position, attention being given to the decoration on the china, if it be a monogram that it is right side up, if flowers that they are in natural position, etc. where there are an uneven number of covers it is better to place the plates at equal distances around the table, without regard to the place of the hostess being opposite to that of the host. in other cases, the plates at the head and foot of the table, and those on the sides, should be directly opposite each other. under no circumstances must the plates be omitted. on the left of the plates place the forks; three or four may be put on and laid in the order in which they will be used. three knives (one of them being a silver knife for the fish course) and the oyster fork are placed on the right of the plate; the soup spoon may go in front of the plate or with the knives on the right; the bowls of the forks and spoons should be right side up, the edges of the knives turned toward the plate. [illustration: diagram of table. a. plates. b. plant, flowers, fruit, lamp, or ornamental piece of silver. c. compotiers, holding cakes, fruit, or flowers. d. candlesticks or candelabra. e. salt and pepper boxes. f. water and wine glasses. g. bonbons, or hors d'oeuvres, or carafes. h. bonbons, or hors d'oeuvres.] [illustration: detail of one cover.] [sidenote: the decoration.] after the plates and small silver and cutlery are in position, the decorating of the table should proceed as far as possible. the position for everything can be best determined after the plates are laid. the perishable articles, that cannot be put on until the last moment, can usually have their position located by the compotiers or the bonbon dishes which will hold them. uniformity is not required in having two or four of these dishes to match, but such ornamental holders as are used must be placed in uniform positions, so as to balance and harmonize. any deviation from this rule, or neglect of the small details in placing the table furniture, will give the effect of a disordered table. [sidenote: lights.] the candlesticks, or candelabra, as the case may be, should be so placed as not to obstruct the views across the table. this may be determined by two persons taking seats on opposite sides of the table, viewing each other from different places, and moving the candelabra until the right position is found, which usually will not be more than an inch or two either way. it is well to give attention to this matter, as comfort is much disturbed and conversation interrupted from shutting out by this kind of screen the different persons at the table. before being placed on the table candles should be fitted firmly and straight in their sockets, be lighted for a few minutes, and then the wicks should be cut and the shades fitted squarely upon the holders. this will prevent smoking, dripping and other annoyances that may occur if it is not done. shade-holders that fit the top of the candle are very objectionable and dangerous, but those that clasp the candle below the heated part give little trouble. salt- and pepper-boxes are placed at the corners of the table, or within easy reach of every two people if more than four are used. if carafes are used the same rule is observed. after the decoration of the table is completed as far as possible, the glasses are put on. there is danger of their being broken if put on before. they are placed in uniform groups at the right of the plates: the water glass nearest the plate, and the wine-glass to be first used nearest the edge of the table. port and madeira glasses are not put on until the time for serving those wines, which is at the end of the dinner. the napkin, folded in triangular shape, the embroidered monogram on top, is laid on the plate, and a piece of bread cut two inches long and one and a half inches thick, or more generally a dinner roll, is laid in the fold, but left in full sight, so that it will not be shaken on to the floor when the napkin is lifted. [sidenote: the sideboard.] everything that will be needed in serving the dinner should be convenient to hand. the plates to be warmed should be in the hot closet; those for the cold courses, the finger-bowls, extra small silver and cutlery, extra rolls and cracked ice, should be on the sideboard, so that there will be no delay in getting them when needed. foot-stools placed under the table for the ladies add much to their comfort. table decoration there is wide range for individual taste and artistic arrangement in table decoration, which is limited only by the resources at one's command. pleasing effects of color are perhaps the first consideration. of late it has been a fashion to have one prevailing color. in many cases this is very suitable as well as complimentary to the guests entertained. for instance, a white dinner to a bride, pink to young people, red to a harvard company, or yellow to those with princeton affiliations. the scheme of color is often carried through the menu as far as possible; the dishes served corresponding in color to the table decorations. where this is done the colors should be light and delicate. dark shades are not pleasing, and suggest the name "painted foods," which has been scornfully given to them. of all colors green is the easiest to carry out, and perhaps the most pleasing. the many shades of green give variety and contrasts. ferns make a light and dainty centerpiece, and rival flowers in beauty. for the menu spinach gives a soup, vegetable, and coloring for sauces. green salads are numerous. angelica makes a decoration for desserts. pistachio nuts give flavor and color to ice-cream, icings, and bonbons. a very beautiful and elaborate dinner on this scheme is described below, which was called in the invitation "al fresco," and in its design and execution well simulated an out-door entertainment. green is a soft, reposeful color; red, pink, and yellow are gayer, and give a more festive aspect. yellow is sunny in effect, and for a yellow dinner the color scheme may be obtained with yellow flowers, oranges, silver-gilt compotiers, gilded china, and with light diffused through yellow shades. for the culinary part the yolks of eggs render important service for coloring, covering, and garnishing, and oranges furnish many delicious dishes. white dinners are also easy to arrange with white flowers, silver, a profusion of cut-glass, lace shades, white grapes, spun sugar, whipped cream, white sauces, celery, whites of eggs, white meats, etc. a white dinner is likely to be too severe, however, unless carefully managed. delicate ferns can be mixed with white flowers without changing the effect, and a warm glow may be thrown on the table from a center light in the chandelier, screened with thin pink or yellow silk, and raised high, so as not to appear as a part of the decoration. the most beautiful pictures of snow scenes are not a dead white, but reflect the color of the sunset or atmosphere. fruits and flowers typical of the season are in good taste, and usually more pleasing than hot-house products. in the spring, tulips, daffodils, lilies of the valley, or any wild flowers. goldenrod, chrysanthemums, and asters in their times. autumn leaves and berries later, holly and mistletoe at christmas, and lilies at easter, while in the summer the fields and lanes afford a wealth of material. at other times, and where the purse does not permit indulgence in roses and forced flowers, the resources lie in potted plants and fruits. any plant not too large, which looks fresh and healthy, will make a pleasing centerpiece. the crotons and dracænas give beautiful colors. a dish of growing ferns makes an attractive, satisfactory and enduring center ornament. with care the ferns will last a long time, and at small expense can be renewed. double silver-plated boxes, both square and oval, are made for this use. fruits are always pleasing and give good color effects. the success of any decoration depends largely upon the proper lighting of the table; lacking this, beautiful arrangements may appear commonplace or wholly lose their effect. the decorated dinner-table should be the especial picture of the room, the conspicuous object of interest and beauty for the time; therefore the light should be centered upon it and the rest of the room form but the shadowy background. the pleasantest light is from shaded single candles, placed at intervals around the table, and a more brilliant light thrown on the center of the table from the shaded drop-light of a chandelier, or from large candelabra holding groups of candles. small lamps which fit candlesticks are much used, and when there are open windows and drafts they give much less trouble than candles. effects of color are largely obtained from the use of shades. these vary in size and shape to suit the fancy or fashion of the moment, and are made of silk, lace, or paper; for the latter, crape papers are much used. shades recently brought from paris were of translucent paper painted by hand to imitate china. making shades is pleasant fancy work, and the materials are so inexpensive that one can easily indulge in a variety of them. with a centerpiece of polished red apples and candles with red shades, or a potted plant and green shades, quite a definite and pleasing character may be given to a simple dinner. high ornaments should be avoided except they be candelabra or lamps which do not obstruct the view across the table. it is very annoying to be forced to look around ornaments when trying to talk to a person seated opposite at table; such a screen effectually debars general conversation. on large or long tables, large ornamental pieces should be used. those appropriate to a small table often appear scanty and insufficient on a large one. masses of one color are more effective than mixtures, and a display of abundance may be made on large tables while on small ones daintiness is more pleasing. confectioner's pieces are again being used for dinner decorations. baskets and horns of plenty made of nougat or pulled sugar, holding glacé fruits, and forms made of spun sugar are in good taste, but imitations of art objects and high pyramids, such as are used on supper tables, should be excluded. a pleasing decoration for a hot day may be made of a block of ice set in a pan deep enough to hold the drippings, but placed on something to raise it above the sides of the pan. the pan should be concealed with moss and ferns, or flowers, arranged around it loosely so as to partly conceal the ice also. a hole cut through the center of the block of ice, and a flat candle, such as are used in night lamps, placed within it, gives a brilliant and lovely effect. the block of ice should be cut square and weigh at least ten pounds. this decoration is easily managed in the country, where ferns are readily obtainable. [illustration: round dinner-table with eighteen covers--cloth of pink india silk covered with lace--center ornament of ferns--bunch of pink roses in front of each cover.] a pan filled with floating water-lilies, together with their buds and leaves, the pan being concealed in a bed of moss and ferns, makes also a pretty decoration for a luncheon table. these flowers close at night, and so are only suitable for daylight service. a table may be made beautiful by entirely covering it with a mass of the same kind of flowers, leaving only enough space around the edge to hold the plates and glasses. the flowers may or may not be raised in the center of the table, or may in any way simulate a garden-bed. when daisies are used they should be plentifully mixed with grasses as they are in the field. care must be used not to make the decoration high, or the effect will be lost; and to avoid this the stems of the flowers, cut the desired length, can be stuck into wet sand or moss, held in flat tins. this will hold them firmly in place, as well as keep them fresh. an english fashion is to have a piece of silver ornament the table, without accessories of fruits or flowers. this severe but elegant simplicity is perhaps a reaction from the overloading of tables which has long prevailed. a pink dinner given in washington was arranged as follows: the table was round and large enough to seat eighteen persons. a covering of thin ivory-colored india silk over pink was cut round to fit the table, and a frill of lace ten inches deep fell over a ruffle of pink silk on the edge. a large square of silk gauze embroidered in pink covered the center of the table. a mound of maiden-hair ferns formed the centerpiece. around this were placed pink candles in venetian-glass candlesticks and shaded with full frills of lace over pink. the bonbon dishes and all the glasses were of venetian and bohemian glass. four ornamental candy pieces were used: two were garden hats holding glazed cherries, and a pink ribbon tied around each hat held a large bunch of pink roses. the other two were baskets, and held frosted grapes which were half hidden under spun sugar. ornamental silver was omitted, as being out of harmony with the other decorations. a dinner unique in its character was given a few years ago by lord dufferin, the english ambassador to france. the centerpiece was flowers, and candelabra lighted the table; but in place of the dessert dishes which ordinarily do ornamental service were choice bits of bric-à-brac collected by the ambassador in various parts of the world. the curios served as an interesting novelty, and became the subject of conversation. a dinner given in jamaica is described, where orchids in profusion were suspended over the table, some on climbing vines, and others, of such delicate form and texture as made it seem not unnatural, appeared as though floating in the air. the "al fresco" dinner referred to above was in imitation of a woodland scene. it was served in a dining-room the walls of which were hung with tapestries. the ceiling decoration was blue sky with white clouds. a profusion of palms, bay-trees, and rubber-plants were placed about the room and screened the side-boards. the dining-table was a mass of verdure. it was round, seating eighteen persons. the whole center of the table was depressed eight inches, leaving an outside rim fourteen inches wide for the plates and glasses. the center space was filled with growing plants, the top of the pots being on a level with the outside rim. the pots were concealed by mosses and loose ferns making a solid mass of green. four tall slender plants rose from the center, the rest was of ferns and lycopodium with here and there a few primroses. green candles with fluffy green shades in glass candlesticks were so distributed as to give sufficient light. the space left for the dinner service was covered with light-green india silk over canton flannel. on the back of the menu cards were water-color sketches of forest scenes. the menu was largely composed of products of the forest. the aspect of this dinner was really sylvan, and the idea so well carried out that the elaboration of it was artistically hidden. from the time of lucullus, dinner-givers have been striving for novelties, but as a rule any radical departure from conventional forms is a failure. menu of the "al fresco" dinner _soup_ cream of celery (colored green). _fish_ brook trout, butter sauce. _entrée_ mushrooms on crusts. _roast_ saddle of venison. wild plum sauce. saratoga potatoes. green peas served in fontage cups. salpicon of fruits au rhum. _game and salad_ quails in nests of purée of chestnuts. english walnuts and celery mixed with green mayonnaise in cups of molded tomato jelly. _cheese_ small balls of cream-cheese, colored green to imitate bird's eggs, in nests of shredded lettuce. _hot entremet_ individual nut puddings (burning). _dessert_ pistache ice cream pralinée, molded in a ring, the center filled with whipped cream. white cakes with green icing. fruits. coffee. courses the order of the dinner service is soup, fish, flesh, fowl. these may be supplemented to any extent with entremets and entrées. mets are the principal dishes. entremets, the dishes served between the mets. entrées, dishes which are served between any of the courses. [sidenote: first course.] i. =course.= canapés of caviare, small bits of anchovy toast, or in their season muskmelons, are sometimes served as the first course, but ordinarily oysters or clams on the half shell is the first dish presented. the smallest-sized shell-fish are preferable to the large ones. one half dozen are served on each plate and placed symmetrically on or around a bed of cracked ice; a quarter of a lemon cut lengthwise is placed in the center. cayenne pepper and grated horse-radish are passed with this course, also very thin slices of brown bread buttered and folded together, then cut into small squares or triangular-shaped pieces. the plates holding the shell-fish may be placed on the table before dinner is announced; but as there is no place to conveniently lay the folded napkin except on the plate, it is as well not to serve the mollusks until the guests are seated. [sidenote: second course: soup.] ii. =course: soup.= it is better to serve a clear soup when the dinner is to be of many courses, as heavy soups are too hearty. the choice of two kinds of soup may be offered. grated parmesan cheese may be passed with clear soups, dice of fried bread with cream soups, and toasted cracker biscuits with any kind of soup. one ladleful of soup is sufficient for each person, and a second portion is not offered. an anecdote is told of a punctilious person who, being asked if he would be helped again to soup, answered, "thanks, not to-day." hors d'oeuvres, which are radishes, celery, olives, etc., are passed after the soup. salted almonds are taken at any time through the dinner. [sidenote: third course: fish.] iii. =course: fish.= fish, if boiled or fried, is served upon a napkin. if baked no napkin is used, and a little sauce is spread on the dish. boiled potatoes are served with boiled fish, and are more attractive when cut with a potato-scoop into small balls. cucumbers dressed with oil and vinegar are also served with fish. [sidenote: fourth course: entrées.] iv. =course: entrées.= entrées can be served between any of the courses, or they may be omitted altogether; but a variety of attractive dishes come under this head, and usually one is served after the fish. [sidenote: fifth course: vegetables.] v. =course: vegetables.= a vegetable, such as asparagus, artichokes, cauliflower, is served at this time, although the french reserve the vegetable until after the joint. only one vegetable besides potato is permitted with a meat course, and if more are wanted they are served as a separate course. [sidenote: sixth course.] vi. =course.= the joint with one green vegetable and potato. [sidenote: seventh course.] vii. =course.= frozen punch, when served, comes between the meat and game courses. it is not passed, but a glassful standing on a plate, with a coffee spoon beside it, is placed before each person. if preferred, a cheese omelet or soufflé may be used instead of punch for this course. [sidenote: eighth course.] viii. =course: game and salad, or poultry and salad.= game is usually not passed, but the portions are laid on the individual plates by the butler. this is done in order to serve it as hot as possible. a small cold plate is sometimes given for the salad; crescent-shaped plates are made for this use. with ducks, celery and small squares of fried hominy are served. when game or poultry is not used, cheese may be served with the salad, or cheese-straws instead of cheese. when salad is served with game or poultry, cheese and crackers may be served immediately afterward as a separate course, or they may be passed after the dessert. [sidenote: ninth course.] ix. =course.= sweet puddings, soufflés, bavarian cream, etc. [sidenote: tenth course.] x. =course.= ice-cream or any frozen dessert. cakes and brandied peaches, preserved ginger, or wine-jellies may be passed with ice-cream. [sidenote: eleventh course.] xi. =course.= fruit, fresh or glacé, and bonbons. [sidenote: twelfth course.] xii. =course.= coffee, liqueurs. of the courses given above, the first, fourth, fifth, and seventh, and a choice of either the ninth or tenth, may all, or any one of them, be omitted. black coffee in small cups is passed on a tray, with cream and sugar, in the drawing- and smoking-rooms after the guests have left the table. apollinaris or other sparkling water is passed later, and is usually welcomed. the home dinner at the every-day or family dinner there will naturally be less elaboration in the decoration of the table, and fewer courses, than when the dinner is an occasion of entertainment, but so far as the appointments reach they should be observed with the same precision and care. the dinner has always something of a ceremonious character, being the time when the family all meet with the leisure to enjoy one another's society after the labors of the day are done. it is well, therefore, to attend to the few material details which aid in making the occasion an agreeable one. refinements are more clearly shown at table than elsewhere, and the influences of decorum at dinner are more subtle than are always recognized. let the linen be as spotless and white, the silver and glass as polished, and the dishes, however few, be as carefully prepared as though guests were present. the simplest dinner so ordered will give pleasure and satisfaction. when attention to details is practised every day, company will cause no agitation in the household. the refinements of the table are within the means of the humblest. a word may also be said for manners at the home table. the habit of fault-finding, commenting upon the dishes and wines, correcting the mistakes of servants while at the table, making apologies, etc., is reprehensible, inefficacious and vulgar, and not only interrupts conversation, but spoils the pleasure of the dinner hour. it is always difficult, and often impossible, to improve a dish after it is served; therefore, it is better to accept it without remark. if the housekeeper, who is always the first to observe faults in the service, can conceal her discomfiture, it is but right for the others to be considerate. faults often pass unnoticed if attention is not called to them. dr. johnson, it is said, always complained of his dinners, but never omitted to say grace. upon one such occasion his wife interrupted him, saying, "nay, hold, mr. johnson! do not make a farce of thanking god for a dinner which in a few minutes you will pronounce uneatable." the home table, with its every-day appointments, causing one to blush in the event of a friend's unexpected arrival, is not to be excused in this day of advanced women in the nineteenth century, when higher education has at least taught them to regard their domestic duties in the light of a science and an art. there are many simple dishes that can be quickly prepared which will give the dinner a little more complimentary character, and supply the little extra that may be needed when more are present than were originally provided for. a beefsteak can be virtually enlarged by serving with it a mushroom sauce, for the mushrooms, having the same elements of nutrition as the meat, permit the latter to be served in smaller portions. a simple entrée, such as a dish of macaroni, a scallop dish, a mince, with good sauce (which is easily made where the stock pot is ever ready), a cheese omelet, a vegetable salad, etc., etc., are suggested as a few of the dishes, which are called by the french _plats d'amitié_, and should enable any woman to enjoy the pleasure of entertaining unexpected guests in a hospitable manner. serving the informal dinner in laying the table for an informal dinner, where the carving is to be done on the table, a napkin to protect the cloth is spread at the carver's place. very pretty fancy pieces are made for this use, but an ordinary dinner napkin will do. this is not removed until the table is cleared for the dessert. when the carving is done on the table, the soup and dessert are usually served by the lady of the house, and the salad is also dressed on the table, and then passed. so far as the service will allow, however, it is pleasanter to have everything passed that does not need cutting. the vegetable dishes should never be placed on the table. when the joint is put on the table, warm plates in a pile are set at the left of, or before the carver, and when a portion is served, the plate is lifted by the servant and placed before the person for whom it is intended, without the use of a tray. the plates placed on the table when it is laid are used for holding the soup plates, and are not removed until the ones holding the portions of the next course are exchanged for them; if the succeeding course is to be passed, warm or cold plates, as the course requires, are in turn exchanged for them; but if the course is to be served from the table, the places are meanwhile left without covers. there should always be a plate before each person except in this instance, and when the table is cleared for dessert. sharpening the carving-knife is a trial to the nerves of many, and this infliction can be easily avoided by having it done before dinner is announced. many good carvers, however, seem to delight in this preliminary operation and are unconscious of committing an act of impoliteness. the attractiveness of a dish may be wholly lost by unskilful carving, and the appetite may be destroyed by an overloaded plate. where but one substantial dish is served, it is permissible to be helped a second time. the dish can be removed to the side-table, and the second portions helped by the servant, if the carver does not care to be interrupted in his own dinner after he has performed the office of cutting the joint. the sense of sight should always be considered, even though it cost the trouble of replenishing a dish. no more than can be used on one plate is served at the same time at any well appointed table. one vegetable only, besides potatoes, is served with the roast; if more are used, they are served as courses separately. luncheon the luncheon service does not differ materially from that of dinner. lighter dishes are usually served, entrées taking the place of joints and roasts, and the soup or bouillon is served in cups instead of soup plates. grape fruit, or a fruit salad, is often an acceptable first course. when the table has a handsome and polished surface the cloth may be left off if desired and a fancy square take its place. in this case small squares may also be used under the plates to protect the table and in such other places as needed. drawn-work linen squares over mahogany make an attractive luncheon table. when a large number of guests are being entertained at luncheon, small tables placed in the different rooms (and on the piazzas, if in the country) are often used, and these do not admit of more than the slight decoration of a few flowers. luncheons of this kind are usually of an informal character and secondary to some entertainment which has preceded them. a few simple menus for luncheons are given below. menus for luncheon no. . grape fruit. bouillon. oyster patties. chops and peas. quail, lettuce salad. ice-cream. cake. tea. no. . melon. clams on half-shell. cold salmon, sauce tartare. filets mignons, sauce béarnaise. omelet soufflé. cheese. coffee. no. . grape fruit. bouillon. shad roe. { broiled chicken. { green peas. russian salad. { ice-cream and jelly. { angel cake. tea. no. . bouillon. lobster à la newburg. eggs villeroi. sweetbreads and peas. french chops, potato straws. russian salad of chicken aspic, celery and walnuts (see receipt). plum-pudding glacé. coffee. no. . chicken consommé. lobster chops. mushrooms on toast. sweetbreads and peas. frozen punch. quails on toast. { pâté de foie gras en bellevue. { lettuce. charlotte russe. no. . clams. eggs à la reine. { planked shad. { cucumbers. { broiled squabs. { vegetable salad. ice-cream. cheese. fruit. no. . salpicon of fruit. cream of clams. salmon cutlets, cucumbers. curried eggs. chicken à la poulette. asparagus, sauce hollandaise. fruit tart. chocolate pralinée. no. . little neck clams. bouillon. vol-au-vent. broiled chicken, peas. mushrooms. lobster salad. gâteau st. honoré. strawberries. at a luncheon, given in a country house to a large party of golfers, all the edibles, consisting of cold meats, game, aspics, salads, and mince-pie, were placed on the side-table, and the gentlemen served the ladies before taking their own places at the table. the servants came into the room only to remove the plates. this gave a very social and lively character to the meal, which all enjoyed for its informality. entertainments of this kind may often be practicable, as the question of service sometimes debars one from entertaining many guests at a time. the five o'clock tea a cup of tea at this time of the afternoon is usually gratefully accepted, and one is disappointed if it is made so badly that it is not drinkable. the young lady who presides at the tea table at an afternoon reception has sometimes a difficult task if the tea is not prepared with a bag (as directed on page ), but for the unceremonious social cup of tea with the friend who drops in at this hour it is easy to have it just right. after the proper preparation of the tea (as directed on page ), the attractiveness of the table and the delicacy of the china are the next things to be desired. tea does not taste as well taken from a coarse, large, or heavy cup. the taste and refinement of the hostess are easily recognized in this very unceremonious, but very social, function. the cloth may be as elaborate as one wishes, but it must above all be spotless, unwrinkled and dainty. the cups may all differ from one another, but each one should be small and thin, and the steaming kettle, which lends cheerfulness to the occasion, should be highly polished, whether it be silver, brass, or copper. a dry biscuit or a thin piece of bread and butter is usually offered with the tea. fresh unsalted butter is preferable, but any of the fine butters may be used. the butter is spread very evenly on the loaf; the bread sliced very thin and doubled like a sandwich. it may be cut into any shape desired, such as strips, diamonds, or triangles. it is attractive stamped into circles with a biscuit-cutter of about the size of a silver dollar. three kinds of bread may be used--white, graham, and boston brown bread, and all may be served on the same plate. this simple dish is carried into the esthetics in some english houses, where the bread and butter is described as tasting of roses, violets, clover, or nasturtiums. the flavor is obtained by shutting the fresh butter in a tight jar with the blossoms for several hours. butter very readily absorbs flavors and odors, indeed it is the medium used for extracting perfumes in the manufacture of those articles. the flavored butter is spread in the ordinary way on the bread, which has been treated also to a bath of flowers. butter sandwiches must be exceedingly thin and shapely, and have no suggestion of mussiness. they should be laid in a folded napkin to keep them fresh. any sweet wafers may also be used, but as this is not a meal, nothing should be offered which will take away the appetite for dinner, which follows shortly afterward. a homily on cooking it is a trite saying that a thing worth doing at all is worth doing well, but, from the inefficiency of the large number of domestics who hold the office of cook, and from the acceptance of careless work by so many families, it would seem that the truism is not regarded in reference to cooking. since it is upon the kitchen that the health and comfort of the family so greatly depend, is it not a duty, and would it not be a pleasure, for the mistress of every house to understand the science of cooking as well as the arts which give other attractions to the house? a knowledge of its fundamental principles would give her a sense of independence and power, which knowledge is proverbially said to do. if she were familiar with the nature of the yeast plant, and the action of heat as applied in boiling, broiling, and frying, if she could make a sauce and clear a soup, her family would be relieved from the affliction of sour bread, burned meats, and muddy soup. an ordinary kitchen servant can do these simple things well, if she is once told how, and this basis would be a guide in other work, and a safeguard against many failures. there is no such thing as luck in cooking. laws govern the chemical changes which take place, and can always be relied upon. water will boil at °, and cannot be made hotter by violent boiling in an open vessel. frying can be properly done only when the fat is smoking hot. broiling can be properly done only over, or under, hot and bright coals. for baking, the oven must be of the right temperature. the same thing cooked in the same way will always be the same, and failure comes simply from neglect of the rules. it is as easy to have good cooking as bad; the former requires only the elements of care and intelligence. with very little trouble, dishes may be made to please the sight as well as the taste. the difference between the elegance and refinement of one table and the vulgarity of another often lies merely in the manner of dishing and serving. again, the step from plain to fancy cooking is very short. a simple and tasteful arrangement, or combination, of materials prepared in the ordinary way will make an ornamental dish. minced chicken pressed into a ring mold to give it shape, and the center filled with a mushroom sauce, will make a more appetizing dish than if placed carelessly together with no regard to symmetry. potatoes pressed into a fancy mold, a part of the center removed, and the space filled with chopped seasoned meat, will give a chartreuse, and no thought of hash suggested. a jelly with a flower in the top, or of two colors, will make a decorative piece for the table. uniformity in size and shape of potatoes, chops, pancakes, slices of bread or anything that is served on the same dish, gives a pleasing sense of order and care, which is as marked as the proper arrangement of the table furniture. it is in little things only that fancy differs from plain cooking, but as soon as a cook comprehends the value of the appearance of dishes she is sure to think of their perfection in every other way. there is a popular prejudice against fried foods, and a belief that abstaining from them will cure us of our dyspepsia, but if articles are properly fried they should contain no more grease than the boiled one does of water. smoking fat has such a high degree of heat, that certain articles are better cooked by frying than by any other method. minced meat, rolled into the form of croquettes and fried, assumes a different character both in taste and rank from the minced meat heated in other ways. if the croquettes are coated with egg and crumbs and immersed in smoking hot fat, as the rule directs, the egg is instantly hardened, and no fat can be absorbed through it. that which covers the outside is evaporated by draining and drying in a hot place. the napkin on which the croquettes are served will not be stained if they are rightly fried. saratoga chips can be handled with a glove without soiling it. we need not be a nation of dyspeptics from eating pie when the french are not from eating puff-paste, or from hot breads when the english are not from plum pudding and pork pies. it is from the manner of preparing our foods that we suffer. cooking has not been one of the virtues of our new country, as we have been satisfied to get our cooks from france and ireland, but if intelligent american housewives will take interest and pleasure in this important department, which is delegated to their care, some of the serious trials of life will be overcome, and emancipation from many petty cares and annoyances will follow. cooking as a pleasure and an accomplishment the common sayings about waste in american kitchens, dyspeptic results of american cooking, etc., reflect the opinion held by other nations of our culinary art, and though the judgment may be too severe, it has been pronounced, and should remind us of our shortcomings. it seems, however, as though a new era were now dawning. cooking-schools are established in large cities, cooking lectures are given everywhere and are well attended. the nutritive values of different foods and the chemistry of cooking are studied. this, and the recognition of the fact that health proceeds largely from the diet, seem to indicate that there has been an awakening of interest in the subject of gastronomy. in this day of fads, it will soon be discovered also that pleasures lie in this line of work. fancy cooking has an interest quite as engaging as other occupations of diversion. fine cooking utensils, gas-stoves, and modern conveniences, make the well-appointed kitchen as attractive as the laboratory or workshop. trying a new dish has the same interest as any other experiment. the construction of ornamental pieces is as interesting as other fancy work. making puff-paste, ice-creams, fancy molding of desserts and salads, boiling sugar, etc., are in reality simple processes, and with very little practice found to be as easy to prepare as dishes which from familiarity have come to be called plain cooking. skill and dexterity of hand may be enjoyed in boning, trussing, and larding, and taste shown in decorating with truffles and other articles, in molding with flowers and fruits, in icing cakes, in spinning sugar, and in making bonbons. the pleasure of decorating the table and adorning the dining-room will be found secondary to that of preparing artistic dishes when that art has once been learned. the gas-stove obviates the objection, formerly existing, of one's being subjected to excessive heat while cooking. at a cost of about $ . a stove can be bought which will stand on a table anywhere, and answer all ordinary purposes of boiling and frying. more expensive ones, fitted with ovens and other appliances, answer the requirements of all kinds of cooking. when the preparation of a new or a fancy dish comes to be looked upon as a pastime instead of a task, there may be discovered in america savarins and béchamels. we have already had a sam ward, but to the women should belong the honor of raising our standard of cooking, and though they need not agree with the terrible sentiment expressed by margaret fuller, that a woman to have influence must cook or scold, still it must be conceded that the former accomplishment will enable her to wield a potent scepter. perhaps, however, the strongest word to be said in favor of every mistress of a house knowing how to cook is the usefulness of it. the difficulty of getting trained cooks at reasonable wages, the caprices of the class, whose consciences do not prevent their leaving at the moment when their services are most needed, and the many occasions that arise when a knowledge of cooking is of the greatest comfort and service, make it difficult, for those who know how to cook, to comprehend how any one can keep house without this knowledge, or how, with the inferior service generally rendered, the pleasures of hospitality can be enjoyed, or the comfort of a well-ordered culinary department experienced. to train a green cook if one is obliged to accept the service of inexperienced cooks, or of women who claim to be plain cooks, but in reality know nothing of the right ways of preparing anything, it is often necessary to do more or less teaching or supervising. often it would be found easier to begin at the beginning, and teach an entirely green girl who has intelligence and a desire to learn, than it is to correct careless habits or bad methods already formed. a formula for teaching a green cook is given below for the benefit of any who care to avail of it. _first._ impress the necessity of clean utensils, being particular that every saucepan used is perfectly clean on the outside as well as the inside. _second._ have all the utensils of one kind kept together in definite places, and insist that each one is returned to its place as soon as it has served its use, thus establishing system. _third._ when sugar, butter, spices, or any articles are taken out for use, have the boxes returned to their places as soon as the desired quantity is removed. _fourth._ do not allow any accumulation of soiled utensils waiting for a general cleaning-up. a great deal of time and work can be saved, and an orderly kitchen maintained, by washing things as you go along so far as possible at odd moments, and also in not using an unnecessary number of dishes. _fifth._ explain about exact measurements. insist upon the use of the tin measuring-cup (see page ). _sixth._ have a time-table giving time per pound for cooking meats, fastened in a convenient place against the wall, for easy reference. _seventh._ have all meats weighed and wiped off with a wet cloth before proceeding to cook them. _eighth._ at all times give attention to right management of the fire; be especially careful not to have coal piled above the grate, nor to let the top of range become red-hot. shut off drafts before the coal is burned out, and have the ovens clean and at the right temperature. _ninth._ have everything dished neatly, and garnished simply. _tenth._ no matter how simple the dish, insist that it be attractive in appearance, and that every dish placed on the table show the care of the cook in its preparation; for instance, have every piece of toast of the same size and shape, evenly browned and carefully arranged on a hot plate. to instil strict care in every detail is a most important point in forming a good cook. dishes recommended for first lessons. to make beef stock for soups, page . to boil potatoes, page . to boil rice, page . to make a white sauce, page . with one half the sauce make cream potatoes, add a little onion juice to the other half, and add to it meat minced very fine, making a creamed mince. serve it on moistened toast; or make creamed chicken and serve a border of rice around it. when making a roux, and a white sauce is understood, it is easy to show the variations of it, such as to cook onion or vegetables with the butter before the flour is added; or to brown the flour if a brown sauce is wanted; or to use stock instead of milk, thus making a béchamel sauce; or to add an egg to white sauce, making a poulette sauce, etc. to poach eggs: serve them on toast cut uniformly and moistened. place symmetrically on dish and garnish with parsley; or, spread the toast with creamed mince, place a poached egg on each piece, and put a spot of pepper on the center of the yolk. to make coffee, page . to broil a steak, page . to boil a leg of mutton, caper sauce, pages and . to roast beef and baste frequently, roast potatoes in the same pan, pages and . to draw and truss a chicken, pages and . to clear the beef stock for clear soup, page . to make common stock, page . to make potato soup, page . to clarify drippings, page . to try out all other fat, page . to dry bread and roll it into crumbs, page . to make bread and bread biscuits, page . to make rice pudding, page . to make bread pudding, page . to make plain cornstarch pudding, page . a compote to serve with cornstarch pudding, page . cottage pudding, sabayon sauce, pages and . cup cake, page . cookies, page . plain pie-crust, page . baked apple-dumplings, hard sauce, pp. and . some variations of cornstarch pudding, page . plain wine-jelly, page . when a woman has learned to do these few simple things perfectly, she will have no difficulty in following any ordinary receipt, and having a knowledge of the first principles of cooking, can then advance to more elaborate dishes. frying should not be attempted until she can roast, broil, and bake. croquettes of various kinds can then be made; to mold them uniformly requires a little practice--the care of the fat and the right degree of heat are the essential things to emphasize in frying. in one month a woman of ordinary intelligence, with the desire to learn, should be able to make perfectly, and serve attractively, enough simple dishes to supply the family table with sufficient variety, without troubling the mistress to plan and think for her. an insistence upon system and exactness will insure immunity from failures. economical living a very pleasant book called "$ . enough" explains how a family of two lived well on that sum per week, including house rent and wages of one servant. mrs. rorer says $ . per head a week is a liberal allowance. articles are published giving directions for living on ten cents a day; also of dinners for six people costing twenty-five cents. in examining these formulæ it is evident that in order to accomplish this very small cost of living, one must first understand the comparative values of foods, so as to select those which at low prices furnish the necessary nourishment, and secondly, to be able to cook them in such a way as to make them acceptable; in fact the rule holds good, however high the scale of living, that the proper cooking of food counts for more than the cost of it. the cheap and the expensive articles can be equally spoiled in the cooking; while the cheap ones, well cooked, are more esteemed than the high-priced ones poorly prepared. the first thing excluded from the list of cheap nutritive foods is white bread. refining the flour to the whiteness of the so-called best qualities takes out most of its nutritive elements, while the lower grades or brown flours retain the gluten, and make a bread which is preferred when one becomes familiar with it. beans, peas, and corn-meal have an important place on the list of accepted foods. they supply the wastes of the system and afford a hearty meal. meat, which is the most expensive food, has come to be regarded here as a necessity, but in the old countries the classes who perform the hardest labor consider it only as a luxury, and seldom use it oftener than once a week. often the cost of living is more in the waste than in the actual consumption of food. another needless and unwise expense is buying more than is required, providing for three persons enough for six; and still another extravagance is in buying articles which are out of season. for instance, in the spring veal is a very cheap meat; in the autumn it is the most expensive one, but, at the right times, one may indulge in sweetbreads, calf's head, calf's brains, and liver. in its season game is frequently abundant and reasonably cheap. the idea prevails that, in order to have variety, it is necessary to buy whatever the market offers, whereas variety may be attained by variation in the ways of cooking, in serving with different sauces, and with different accompaniments, and in arranging the menu so that one course is in pleasing contrast to the preceding one, thus avoiding surfeit. many pieces of meat of the best quality are sold at low rates because not in shapes to be served as boiling or roasting pieces. these serve well for entrées and made-up dishes; other pieces, which are tough, but well flavored, can by slow cooking be made as tender as the prime cuts, such as a round of beef braised. on page will be found a number of menus and receipts for very inexpensive dinners. [sidenote: mushrooms.] mr. gibson, in an interesting article on "mushrooms," published in "harper's magazine" for august, , calls attention to the vast amount of wholesome and nutritious food that lies at the door of every country dweller. city people pay at least a dollar a pound for mushrooms, which are served at the finest dinners, and are considered as among the best articles for use in high-class cooking. therefore, why should they be scorned or overlooked by those who can have them for the gathering? neglect to use them seems equal in wastefulness to the practice of some country butchers, who throw away calves' heads, brains, sweetbreads, fresh tongues, etc., because the people have not learned their value. a french family who moved into a western town reported that the cost of living there was nominal, because the foods which they most prized, not being recognized as belonging on the list of comestibles, were given away by the butchers as food for dogs. mushrooms are very distinctive in feature, and by the aid of descriptions given in books and colored charts, one can easily learn the edible varieties which grow in his neighborhood. by taking no risks in eating those not perfectly recognized, there is no danger of being poisoned. it is not thought difficult to learn varieties of the rose, nor to discriminate between the poison and the innocuous ivy. the form, color, and habitat of mushrooms make them equally easy to recognize. care should be taken, however, to avoid any mushroom which is old or partly decayed, as its condition then is analogous to that of putrid meat. in their season the edible fungi grow in great profusion; they are nitrogenous, containing the same nutritive elements as meat, and well serve as a substitute for it, giving a pleasant change to the limited bill of frugal fare. mr. gibson speaks of them as beefsteaks. they seem from circumstances, therefore, to have a place in the dietary of the poor as well as the rich. receipts for cooking mushrooms are given on page . it is sometimes thought to be an extravagance to serve a roast to a small family, because so much meat is left over. when there is no way known of presenting it again except as cold meat or as hash, it may indeed be disagreeable to have the same meat served four times. a good cook, however, served turkey acceptably at four dinners to a family of three persons in this way: first day's dinner lbs. turkey at cents per lb. $ . quart sweet potatoes boiled . quarts apples (of which she used three for baked apple dumplings, sabayon sauce, page ) . egg . lemon . / cup sugar . -- . -- cost of first day's dinner $ . second day's dinner lbs. codfish boiled . hollandaise sauce (page ). eggs . / lb. butter . / lemon . -- . croquettes made of one cupful of turkey meat . sauce to mix them / cup milk . / tablespoonful butter . egg . -- . / tablespoonful flour (see croquettes, page ) pint cranberries . sweet potatoes left from day before, cut in strips and browned (see page ) . brown betty pudding apples from day before . molasses and crumbs . -- . -- cost of second dinner . third day's dinner soup made from carcass of turkey . chicken soufflÉ (page ). cup turkey meat . sauce to mix it tablespoonful butter . cup milk . eggs . other ingredients . -- . baked macaroni / lb. macaroni . cheese . -- . cottage pudding egg . / cup sugar . / cup milk . tablespoonful butter . baking powder . -- . chocolate sauce (page ). oz. chocolate . / cup sugar . -- . -- cost of third day's dinner . fourth day's dinner codfish steak, lb. . smelts for garnishing . -- . chartreuse of chicken (page ). cup rice . white sauce . what is left of turkey including giblets . boiled potatoes . scalloped tomatoes . salad of water-cresses . bread pudding . -- . -- cost of fourth day's dinner . first day $ . second day . third day . fourth day . extras for bread, seasonings, etc. . ---- total $ . average per day - / cents. the turkey in this case gave three cupfuls of chopped meat after the dinner of the first day. any kind of meat can be made into the same dishes, and will be liked if the meat is chopped very fine, is well seasoned, and made creamy by using enough sauce. wastefulness as a rule the family life of america does not represent opulence, yet it has become a familiar saying that a french family could live on what an american family throws away. again, it is said that in american kitchens half the provisions are spoiled and the other half wasted. there is no need to-day of being open to such accusations. at small expense a woman can have the benefit of lessons in cooking-schools, and should not be accepted as a cook until she has some knowledge of the duties, and is qualified to bear that name. the gage of a woman's rank in her profession can be definitely determined by what she wastes or utilizes, and the high wages paid a first-class cook are often saved by the intelligent use she makes of all her materials. many of her best entrées are but a combination of odds and ends which another cook would throw away. her delicious sauce, which gives a very ordinary dish that requisite something which makes it highly esteemed, may be but the blending of many flavors obtained from little scraps. the waste in foods need be so small as practically to have no waste material; not a crumb of bread, a grain of sugar, a bit of butter, a scrap of meat or fat, a piece of vegetable or leaf of salad, but can be utilized with profit. the soup pot is a receptacle for everything too small for other uses, and from this source can be drawn seasonings which will give richness and flavor to innumerable dishes, which are greatly improved by using stock instead of milk or water in their preparation. how to utilize what some cooks throw away [sidenote: bread.] trim such pieces of cut bread as will do for toast into uniform shape and serve at the next breakfast. smaller pieces cut into croûtons (page ) for garnishing or for soup. save unshapely pieces for bread pudding, brown betty, or stuffings. save every scrap of bread for crumbs, to use for breading croquettes, chops, scallop dishes, etc. it is well to have two kinds of crumbs, using the white ones for the outside of fried articles, as they give a better color. to prepare the crumbs, separate the crumb from the crusts of bread and dry each of them slowly, on separate tins, on the shelf of the range. when dry, roll, sift and place them in glass preserve-jars until wanted. [sidenote: fat.] clarify all beef fat and drippings, the grease which rises on soup stock, and fat from poultry, and keep in a clean jar or tin pail for use in frying; it is preferable to lard (see "frying," pages and ). mutton, turkey, and smoked meat fat has too strong a flavor to be used for frying, but save it with other fat that may be unsuitable for frying, and when six pounds are collected make it into hard soap (page ). use the marrow of beef bones on toast for a luncheon entrée (page ), or use it with bread to make balls for soup (page ). grill wings and legs of fowls that are left over (page ) for luncheon, or stuff the legs as directed (page ). if the sinews are removed from the legs when the fowl is drawn, as directed (page ), the meat of the leg will be as good as that of the second joint. use a ham bone for improving bean soup. use the carcasses of fowls and the bones from roasts for making soup. try out chop bones and other meat taken from the plates for soap fat. [sidenote: tough pieces.] chop the tough ends of steak very fine, season, and form them into balls or cakes, sauté or broil them, and serve for breakfast or luncheon (see "hamburg steaks," page ). [sidenote: small pieces, cold meats.] cut pieces of white meat into dice or strips, mix it with a white sauce, turn it into a flat dish, make a border of pointed croûtons, sprinkle over the top a little chopped parsley, and garnish with hard-boiled egg; or mix the meat with aspic jelly in a mold and serve cold with salad. mix dark meats of any kind with a brown sauce, and garnish with lettuce leaves, hard-boiled eggs, and croûtons. any kind of cold meat may be chopped and used in an omelet, or combined with rice and tomatoes for a scallop. for cold mutton see "ragoût of mutton" (page ). [sidenote: eggs.] save egg-shells to clear soup, jellies, or coffee. boiled eggs that are left return to the fire and boil them hard to use for garnishing, to mix with salad, or to make golden toast (page ) for luncheon. cold poached eggs can be boiled hard and used in the same way. cold fried or scrambled eggs can be chopped and mixed with minced meat, and will much improve it. when an egg is opened for the white alone, drop the yolk carefully into a cup, cover the cup with a wet cloth, and keep it in the ice-box until wanted. when whites are left over make a small angel cake (page ), angel ice cream (page ), kisses (page ), or cover any dessert with meringue, or serve a meringue sauce (page ) with the next dessert, or make a meat soufflé without yolks (page ). [sidenote: general odds and ends.] everything too small to utilize in other ways put in the soup pot, and from this can be drawn sauces and seasoning for minces, scallops, etc., that will often be better than specially prepared stock. [sidenote: cereals.] oatmeal, hominy, cracked wheat, and other cereals which are left over can be added next day to the fresh stock, for they are improved by long boiling and do not injure the new supply, or such as is left can be molded in large or in small forms, and served cold with cream, or milk and sugar. in warm weather cereals are nicer cold than hot. cold hominy and mush, cut into squares and fried, so that a crisp crust is formed on both sides,--also hominy or farina, rolled into balls and fried,--are good used in place of a vegetable or as a breakfast dish. any of the cereals make good pancakes, or a small amount added to the ordinary pancake batter improves it. cold rice can be added to soup, or made into croquettes, or used in a scallop dish, or mixed with minced meat and egg and fried like an omelet. cold rice pudding can be cut into rounded pieces with a spoon and served again on a flat dish; this may be covered with whipped cream or flavored whipped white of egg. [sidenote: vegetables.] a small amount of vegetables left over may go into the soup, or may be mixed with a ragoût. peas, tomatoes, or beans can be put in an omelet. a number of vegetables mixed together can be used for a salad. cauliflower broken into flowerets, covered with white sauce, and sprinkled with grated cheese, makes "cauliflower _au gratin_," a dish which is much liked. the coarse stalks and roots of celery make a good vegetable dish when cut in pieces and boiled, or they make a good cream-of-celery soup. the leaves are valuable in the soup pot for flavor; also are useful for garnishing. [sidenote: sour milk.] sour milk makes cottage cheese, or makes good biscuits. for uses of stale cakes see page . for jellies left over see page . [sidenote: fruits.] when fruits show signs of deterioration, stew them at once instead of letting them decay. see compotes. stew apple parings and cores to a pulp and strain; this will make a jelly which, spread on apple tart, greatly improves it. boil lemon and orange peels in sugar, and dry as directed, page , for candied peels. [sidenote: cheese.] grate cheese which becomes dry and use for _gratin_ dishes or soups; or it can be served with crackers the same as though in its original shape. emergencies there is to-day such a variety of well-preserved foods that a store-closet provided with these articles may be almost the equivalent of a full larder. with such a resource the housekeeper can meet without embarrassment the emergencies that may arise in any household, however well ordered. in the country, where tradespeople are difficult to reach, it will be especially useful at such times. the articles sealed in glass jars seem the most wholesome, and are sometimes so well preserved as to be a very good substitute for the fresh ones. salted meats and fish are distinctive foods, which are occasionally very acceptable, and the dessicated foods are beyond suspicion of unwholesomeness. a few suggestions are offered of how to utilize some of the articles which can be recommended. many of the soups are excellent; chicken gumbo is particularly good. extract of beef can be quickly made into soup, beef-tea, or aspic jelly (page ). canned salmon and chicken, either of them, can be heated and covered with a white sauce, or be used for salad, or the salmon may be broiled and covered with a maître d'hôtel sauce (page ). potted meats spread on toast make excellent canapés for luncheon (page ). shrimps make a salad, or in a chafing-dish can be prepared _à la newburg_ (page ). of the salted and smoked meats are ham, bacon, dried tongue, chipped beef, codfish, smoked salmon, and mackerel, all of which are much esteemed as breakfast dishes, and may be offered at luncheon or supper. of the vegetables, string-beans and flageolets make good salads. asparagus makes a good extra course served alone. tomatoes, the cheapest of all, and perhaps the most useful, will make soup, sauces, a scallop dish, or may be added to an omelet, macaroni, or rice. pilot bread, toasted bread in slices, and rusks make delicious cream-toasts for luncheon or supper. noodles or macaroni boiled plain for a vegetable, or mixed with any sauce, tomatoes, or cheese. cheese is useful for canapés (pages - ), cheese soufflé (page ), macaroni, etc. there are varieties of plain and fancy cracker biscuits which can be used in the place of cake. plum-puddings wrapped in tin-foil will keep indefinitely. the canned whole apples can be used for dumplings (page ) or pies. california apricots or cherries around a form of plain boiled rice, hominy, or other cereal, make a dessert; peaches make a shortcake (page ); jams make delicious tarts, or, served alone with cracker biscuits, are a sufficient dessert for luncheon. plain boiled rice may be used as a vegetable in place of potatoes; or, sweetened and mixed with a few raisins, or served with stewed prunes, makes a dessert. there are prepared flours from which biscuits may be quickly made; prepared buckwheat which makes good pancakes for supper or for breakfast. a few cans of condensed milk should be in the store-room for use in case of real necessity only; it answers very well for puddings, sweet dishes, or chocolate. outside the store-room supplies, eggs furnish a variety of dishes quickly prepared. eggs _à l'aurore_, or _bourguignonne_, omelets with peas, tomatoes, mushrooms, minced meat, etc., are for luncheon, and cheese omelets, sweet omelets, and soufflés for dinner dishes. it is well to have fondant (page ) in close jars ready for icing cakes or for bonbons, candied fruits for sweets or for ornamenting desserts, ginger and brandied peaches to serve with ice-cream. lady-fingers are easily made, and will keep in a cracker-box indefinitely. if these are at hand, a charlotte russe is quickly made, and is one of the simplest and most acceptable light desserts. there are olives, gherkins, and chow-chow for _hors d'oeuvres_. there are catsups and condiments in variety to make barbecues (page ), or to make cold meats acceptable. the growing plant, the globe of gold fish, the bird-cage partly concealed with branches, may be utilized for table decoration. as circumstances alter cases, there are many expedients to which a housekeeper may resort in supplying deficiencies which might not be in rule, were the occasion a formal one. the chafing-dish on the luncheon or supper-table, or a dish more appropriate to a different meal, would not only be excused, but perhaps give to an embarrassing occasion the pleasant feature of informality. things to remember [sidenote: eggs.] a dash of salt added to the whites of eggs makes them whip better. not a speck of the yolk must get into the whites which are to be whipped. fold the whipped whites into any mixture rather than stir them in, as the latter method breaks the air cells. break eggs one at a time into a saucer, so any can be rejected if necessary and the mixture not be spoiled. add a tablespoonful of water to an egg used for crumbing in order to remove the stringiness. use a double boiler for milk. [sidenote: milk.] milk is scalded when the water in the lower pan boils. a pinch of bi-carbonate of soda mixed with tomato before milk or cream is added prevents the milk from curdling. with sour milk, or molasses, use soda instead of baking powder. [sidenote: butter.] milk and butter should be kept in closely covered vessels, as they readily absorb flavor and odor from other articles. butter added slowly in small bits to creamy mixtures, or sauces, prevents a greasy line forming. [sidenote: crumbs.] crumbs grated directly from the loaf give a more delicate color than dried crumbs to fried articles. dried crumbs absorb more moisture, and are better for watery dishes. crumbs spread over the tops of dishes should be mixed evenly with melted butter over the fire; this is a better method than having lumps of butter dotted over the crumbs after they are spread. when the sauce bubbles through the crumbs on top of a scallop dish, the cooking is completed. [sidenote: meats.] meat should not be washed. it can be cleaned by rubbing with a wet cloth, or by scraping with a knife. drippings are better than water for basting meats. meats should not be pierced while cooking. soak salt fish with the skin side up over night. change the water several times. to skim sauces, draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, throw in a teaspoonful of cold water, and the grease will rise so that it can be easily taken off. a few drops of onion juice improve made-over meat dishes; not enough need be used to give a pronounced onion flavor. [sidenote: drippings.] the skimming from soups, drippings from any beef roasts, and trimmings from any beef, serve the same uses as lard, cottolene, or butter. [sidenote: onion juice.] to extract onion juice, press the raw surface of an onion against a grater, move it slightly, and the juice will run off the point of the grater. [sidenote: chopping suet.] chop suet in a cool place, and sprinkle it with flour to prevent its oiling and sticking together. remove the membrane before chopping it. [sidenote: chopping or pounding almonds.] add a few drops of rose-water to almonds to prevent their oiling when chopped or pounded. to loosen grated peel, or other articles, from the grater, strike the grater sharply on the table. [sidenote: mixing.] when mixing a liquid with a solid material, add but little liquid at a time and stir constantly to prevent lumping. when adding cornstarch, arrowroot, or any starchy material to hot liquid, first mix it with enough cold water, or milk, to make it fluid; pour it in slowly and stir constantly until it becomes clear. [sidenote: gelatine.] soak gelatine in a cool place for an hour in cold water or milk. it will then quickly dissolve in hot liquid and have no odor. if jellied dishes do not stiffen, add more gelatine; boiling down will not effect the purpose. [sidenote: molds.] grease molds evenly with butter or oil, using a brush. lumps of butter on the side of molds leave an uneven surface on the article cooked or molded in them. molds for jellies are not greased. invert a dish over a mold before turning it, so that the form will not break; also, place it in exactly the right spot before lifting off the mold. [sidenote: strainers.] it is desirable to pass all liquid mixtures through a strainer to make them perfectly smooth. [sidenote: to keep dishes warm.] to keep dishes warm until time of serving, place the saucepan in a pan of hot water. [sidenote: flavoring.] any flavoring is added after the mixture is cooked, excepting for baked dishes. wine increases the taste of salt, therefore, where wine is used for flavoring, very little salt should be put in until after the wine is used, when more can be added if necessary. dishes which are to be frozen need an extra amount of sweetening. [sidenote: raisins.] flour raisins before adding them to a mixture in order to prevent their settling to the bottom. [sidenote: baking.] never slam the oven door, or jar any rising material while it is baking. anything being cooked for the second time needs a hot oven. care of utensils a very essential thing in doing nice cooking is to have clean utensils. the pans of a careless cook are encrusted outside and frequently inside with dry, hard grease, which ordinary washing will not remove; the broilers are black with burned grease, and the ovens are in the same state. if one sees this condition of things, or finds a woman putting a saucepan on the hot coals, one needs no further commentary on her work. the saying "you can judge a workman by his tools" is very true in this case. no good cook will abuse her utensils, or expect to get well-flavored sauces from saucepans which are not immaculately clean. to keep utensils clean, it is necessary to wash them thoroughly, after they are used, with soda to cut the grease, and with sapolio to scour off any blackened spots. sand or ashes may be used on the outside of iron pots. the outside as well as the inside of every utensil should be clean, and never be allowed to approach that state where only scraping will clean them. when utensils do reach that unwholesome condition, the coat of burned and blackened grease can be removed only by boiling in a strong solution of sal soda for an hour or more, using a large boiler which will hold enough water to entirely cover them. after the grease is softened, it can be scraped off, the articles then scoured with sand, ashes, or sapolio.[ -*] this is a good day's work for a charwoman, which will change the aspect of things in the kitchen, and may awaken a pride for cleanliness where it has not before existed. [sidenote: tins, sieves, woodenware.] tins should be well dried before being put away, or they will rust. sieves should not be washed with soap, but cleaned with a brush, using soda if necessary. wooden ware should not be put near the fire to dry, or it will warp or crack. [sidenote: arrangement of utensils in closet.] an orderly arrangement of utensils in the kitchen closet will greatly facilitate quick work. everything of the same class should be in the same group: saucepans and gridirons hung on hooks, measuring-cups, iron spoons, and strainers also hung in a place very convenient to hand. molds and baking tins should be placed where they will not get bent or jammed. practise strictly the system of a place for everything and everything in its place. [sidenote: supply-closet.] [sidenote: refrigerator.] order in the supply-closet is also necessary. have a number of tin boxes, and of glass preserve-jars of different sizes, to hold everything large and small in the way of food supplies. stand them in rows, each one plainly labeled, that no time may be lost in searching for the article needed. the cost of these receptacles is small, while their use is not only a great convenience, but also a protection from dust and insects. a closet so kept is also easily supervised. in every large and well-ordered kitchen perfect order and system prevail. were it not so, a hopeless confusion would soon ensue. in small households the same nicety can be the rule, and if the mistress makes a weekly inspection, order will soon become a tradition of the household, and be maintained without demur. the refrigerator must be kept scrupulously clean and dry to insure wholesome food, and its waste-pipe kept freely open. this should not be connected directly with the general waste-pipe of the house. cases of diphtheria have been directly traced to this cause. there should be a free use of soda in washing out the refrigerator to keep it free from taint. as butter and milk readily absorb the flavors of other articles they should be kept by themselves, or with only the eggs, in the small compartment. lemons or other fruit are particularly to be excluded. fish may be laid directly on ice, the skin side down; but beefsteaks or other uncooked meats lose flavor if placed in direct contact with ice. [sidenote: coal and range.] proper care of the range and intelligent use of the coal are also essential factors of success in cooking. if the drafts are left open too long, the greatest heat is often lost before cooking begins. if they are closed the moment the coal is kindled, the heat will remain steady for a long time. when the coals look whitish, they are becoming exhausted and beginning to fall to ashes, and this condition arrives quickly when rapid combustion takes place from open draughts. piling the coal above the level of the fire-box is another error generally practised by ignorant cooks. the heat does not increase from the depth of coal, but from the breadth of surface. piling up the coal, in a mound which nearly touches the top of the range, results in heating the iron red-hot, warping the lids out of shape, destroying the saucepans, and very likely burning the food. no articles cooked on top of the range require excessive heat, and are usually spoiled by too rapid cooking. [sidenote: ovens.] when the ovens do not bake on the bottom or on the top, it means a layer of ashes shuts off the heat. the ashes are easily removed from the top, but to lift the plate from the bottom of the oven and clean it out requires a cold range, so this is often neglected or not understood, while the cook wonders why the bread will not bake on the bottom, and why the cake is spoiled. footnotes: [ -*] it can also be easily removed by soaking in a solution of babbitt's lye--one tablespoonful to several gallons of water.--m. r. part ii receipts chapter i methods of cooking explained boiling [sidenote: simmering.] there is an erroneous impression that articles cook faster when the water is boiling violently, but this is not the case; the ebullition is caused by the escaping steam, which is lost heat, and the water at this time is at ° (except in high elevations), however fast or slow it may be boiling. if, however, a little sugar or salt is added to the water it increases its density, and the heat rises to ° before the steam escapes. the heat can be raised also by covering the pot and confining as much of the steam as possible. where violently boiling water is recommended, as for rice and green peas, the object is not greater heat, but to keep the grains and peas separated by the turbulence of the water. there is waste of fuel in unnecessarily fast boiling, and economy can be easily practised here, especially where gas is used, as the boiling point, once reached, can be maintained with but little heat. where the juices and color are to be retained, the articles are put into already boiling salted water. the albumen on the surface is then at once coagulated and the juices shut in. where the object is to extract the juices, as for soups, they must be cut into pieces so as to expose more surface, and put into cold water, and the heat of the water gradually raised to the simmering point only. the slow, long cooking obtained in simmering water best destroys the fiber of meat, and tough pieces cooked in this way are made tender. to render tough pieces tender, the meat is first put into boiling water in order to fix the albumen on the surface, the heat then reduced, and the cooking done at the simmering point, which is °. hence, water at different stages of heat is used, according to the object in view, and the result is as definite as that of the different degrees of heat in an oven, so this point should not be considered as of little importance. the flavor of meats and vegetables is volatile, and much of it can be carried off by escaping steam, as is demonstrated by the odors which sometimes pervade the house. to prevent the latter, and also to make the article tender and retain all its flavor, the pot should be covered and the water kept at the simmering point only. [sidenote: vegetables.] [sidenote: meat.] [sidenote: fish.] an exception to this rule is made in the cases of cabbage and cauliflower. these strong-flavored vegetables will be much less objectionable when cooked in rapidly boiling water in open vessels (see page ). green vegetables should be boiled in open vessels, as high heat destroys their color. all meats should be well tied and skewered, to keep them in good shape while boiling, and, when possible, be placed with the bone side up, so if any scum settles it will not spoil the appearance of the dish. for fish a little vinegar should be put into the water, as it hardens the meat and helps to prevent its falling apart (see page ). salt water is used where the object is to keep the flavors in, fresh water where it is to draw them out as in soup, where the salt is not added until the cooking is completed. the rule of not piercing meat, thus letting out its juices, applies to boiling as well as to other methods of cooking. fifteen minutes to the pound is the rule for mutton or tender meat, a much longer or indefinite time for tough meat. ham is done when the skin peels off easily. the scum should be taken off the pot when boiling meat. milk boils at ° and easily burns, therefore it is safer to use a double boiler for anything containing milk. when using a double boiler, the liquid in the inner pan is scalded when the water in the outside vessel boils. baking [sidenote: asbestos paper.] the baking of many articles is a more important matter than the mixing. there are no definite tests for ovens, therefore one has to learn by experience and careful watching the capabilities or faults of the ovens used. a common trouble is from not having them thoroughly cleaned of the ashes which settle under the ovens and prevent the heat reaching the bottom part. it is usual to have them hotter on the fire side. in this case it is necessary to turn frequently the articles being baked, or, where this cannot be done, to interpose a screen to protect them from burning. asbestos paper, which is now sold at very low cost at house-furnishing stores, is a convenient thing to place against the side of the oven, or on the shelf of the oven if the excessive heat is on top. a tin, or a piece of brown paper, will, however, ordinarily serve the purpose. directions for baking bread and cake are given at the heads of those chapters. to lower the heat of an oven, if closing the damper is not sufficient, open the lid of the range over the oven a little way. sometimes a pan of cold water put on the shelf of the oven will effect the purpose. when baking meats, the oven should be very hot at first, and after the meat is seared the heat should be lowered, so the cooking will be done slowly. roasting roasting is done before the fire, and should not be confused with baking, which is done in the oven. roasted meats have a distinctly better flavor than baked ones. the latter are likely to taste of smoke unless the oven is frequently opened for basting, as few of them are sufficiently ventilated to free them of smoke and steam. baking is the method generally employed in small households, but where the grate of the range is sufficiently large, and the front can be exposed, it will be found no more trouble to roast than to bake the meats, and the improvement will well repay the trouble of changing a habit. tin ovens (dutch ovens) are made for this use, with a clockwork to turn the spit, so the only care is to baste, which has to be done in either case, and to keep the fire bright, which is done by adding a few coals at a time if necessary. the meat should at first be placed near the coals to sear the outside, and then be drawn back where it will cook at lower heat. broiling meat cooked by broiling is exposed to a greater heat than in any other manner of cooking, and to prevent its burning, requires constant watching. meats for broiling are cut thin, and much surface is exposed, therefore they must be at once exposed to intense heat to sear the surface and retain the juices. frequent turning not only prevents burning, but gives slower cooking and also prevents the grease dripping into the fire, making a smoke which destroys the flavor of the meat. the rule for broiling is to have bright coals without flame, drafts open to carry off smoke, and meat turned as often as one counts ten (see broiling beefsteak, page ). in this way the result will be satisfactory, the meat will be puffed and elastic from the confined steam of the juices, will have a seared crust, and the rest evenly cooked through and of the same color. when the puffed appearance of broiled meats begins to disappear it means the moisture is evaporating through the crust, which will leave it hard and dry. chops wrapped tight in oiled paper before being broiled are especially good (see page ). the paper will not burn if turned as directed above. although broiling with a double wire-broiler over or under bright coals is the approved way, it can be accomplished in a hot pan when coals are not accessible. in this instance a frying-pan is heated very hot, then rubbed with suet to prevent the meat from sticking, and the meat is turned frequently as in the other method. this manner of broiling is recommended only as an expedient, as hot iron does not give the same result as hot coals. braising meat cooked by braising is shut in a closely-covered pot with a few slices of salt pork (laid under the meat to prevent its sticking to the pot), a mixture of vegetables, cut into dice, a little soup stock or water, and a bouquet of herbs, and cooked slowly in the confined steam. this method of cooking tough or dry meats makes them tender and of good flavor. braised dishes are much esteemed. fricasseeing meat cooked in this way is first sautéd to keep in its juices, then stewed until tender and served in a white or brown gravy, made from the liquor in the pot in which the meat is stewed. toasted bread and sometimes dumplings are served with it. in the latter case it is called a pot-pie. sautÉing a little fat is put in a shallow pan; when this is hot, the articles to be cooked are laid in and browned on both sides. this manner of cooking is by many miscalled frying, and is largely responsible for the disrepute of frying, as sautéd articles are likely to be greasy and indigestible. frying [sidenote: heating the fat.] [sidenote: to extinguish fire from grease.] [sidenote: spattering.] [sidenote: color of fried articles.] frying is cooking by immersion in very hot fat. the success of frying depends upon the fat being sufficiently hot, and enough fat being used to completely cover the articles cooked in it. a kettle for frying should be kept for that purpose alone, and started with enough fat to fill it two thirds full. olive-oil, lard, cottolene, drippings, or any mixture of them, serve the purpose. when properly used but little fat is consumed, and the pot can be easily replenished with the right quantity for its next use. each time, after using the fat, a slice of raw potato should be dropped in to clarify it; it should then be strained through a cloth and returned to the pot, be covered when cold, and set away until again wanted. this fat can be used for potatoes, and anything which is coated with egg and crumbs. if fish without this coating are fried in it, it will then be unsuitable for other purposes. a pot of fat will with care last for months, but should be clarified as often as necessary (see below). when the fat is to be used, the frying-kettle should be placed on the range an hour before the time it is needed. it will then become gradually hot, and at the right moment can be quickly raised to the smoking heat needed for frying. it takes some time for fat to reach this temperature; and if this preparatory measure is not taken, a cook, when hurried, is likely to use it before the right heat is attained, or to place it on the open fire, which is attended with great danger. many persons are seriously burned from this imprudence. when fat boils over and takes fire, the best extinguisher is ashes. if the cook's clothes take fire, the best thing to do is to wrap the skirts together and roll on the floor until assistance comes. with ordinary care there need be no accidents. dropping grease on the range or clothes can be avoided by holding a tin plate under the frying-basket when removing it from the kettle. when the articles to be fried are prepared, the wire basket should be dipped into the fat to grease it, the articles laid in, a few at a time, without touching one another, the basket hung on an iron or wooden spoon, and slowly lowered into the fat. too many articles must not be put in at the same time, or the heat of the fat will be too much reduced. spattering is caused by water contained in the articles being turned to steam and throwing out the fat; hence, one reason for making them very dry and of lowering them gradually into the fat. when fat is sufficiently hot it at once sears the outside of everything placed in it, and forms a crust through which the grease cannot penetrate and be absorbed by the food. egg and crumbs are used for the purpose of thus encrusting the outside of made dishes, like croquettes. the mistake should not be made of leaving articles too long in the fat; a lemon color, which is the one desired, is quickly attained. when lifted from the fat, the basket should be held for a few minutes, or until through dripping, over the kettle, which is the hottest place to be found, the articles then placed on a brown paper without touching one another, and set in the open oven, or on the hot shelf, until perfectly dry. if so treated the grease will evaporate, and the articles become so free from it as not to leave a mark on the napkin on which they are served. articles properly prepared and fried in this manner can be no more unwholesome than meat which is basted with drippings. the fat should be given time to again rise to the smoking heat before a second basketful of articles is immersed. when frying articles which take a little time to cook, the pot should be drawn to a cooler part of the range, after the first few minutes. the coating will then be formed, and the cooking can proceed more slowly, and the articles will not brown too much before they are cooked. croquettes, being made of cooked meat, need to remain in the fat only long enough to color and become heated. [illustration: frying kettle and basket. . frying kettle. . wire basket and iron spoon for lifting the frying basket. (see page .)] to clarify fat [sidenote: bubbling fat.] when fat becomes discolored and unfit for use, stir into it when melted one half teaspoonful of baking soda and a quart of water. let it boil for a little time, take off the scum that rises, and set the pot aside until cold. remove the cake of grease, scrape off all the impurities, put it again on the fire, where it will melt but will not be agitated, and let it remain undisturbed until all the water has evaporated and the remaining impurities have settled to the bottom; then pour off the clear grease. when fat bubbles it means there is water in it, not that it is hot. to try out suet and other fats cut the fat into pieces, place it in a shallow pan over moderate heat until the fat is melted, then strain it through a cloth. there will be no odor from the fat if not placed where it becomes too hot. all kinds of fats are good for frying except mutton fat, turkey fat, and fat from smoked meats; these can be used for making soap, as directed on page . to prepare articles for frying by covering them with egg and crumbs [sidenote: the crumbs.] all scraps of bread should be saved for crumbs, as directed on page , the crusts being separated from the white part, then dried, rolled, and sifted. the brown crumbs are good for the first coating, the white ones for the outside, as they give better color. where a very delicate color is wanted, bread grated from a stale loaf or rubbed through a coarse sieve gives better results; the fresh crumbs need not be very fine. cracker crumbs give a smooth surface and are better for oysters than bread crumbs, but for most things bread crumbs are preferable. for meats a little salt and pepper, and for sweet articles a little sugar, should be mixed with the crumbs. crumbs left on the board should be dried, sifted, and kept to be used again. [sidenote: the egg.] [sidenote: molding.] the whole egg is generally used. the white alone will serve, but not the yolk alone, as it is the albumen which is needed. the albumen quickly coagulates when put into the hot fat, and forms a coating through which the grease will not penetrate. to one egg is added one tablespoonful of water, so as to make it thin enough to run and remove the stringiness of the egg; these are beaten lightly together, but should not be foamy, as bubbles break and leave holes for the grease to enter. where delicate color is wanted, it is better to use the white of the egg only and fresh crumbs. turn the crumbs on to a board; roll the articles first in the crumbs to dry them well, then place them in the beaten egg one at a time, and with a spoon pour the egg over and moisten them thoroughly; return them to the board, and completely cover them with crumbs. soft, creamy mixtures like croquettes require delicate handling, and are easier to manage if first made into a ball,--molding them into shape being left until the second crumbing, at which time they can be rolled into cylindrical form and the ends flattened by dropping them lightly on the board. they will keep their shape better if, after being prepared, they are allowed to stand an hour or more before being fried. (see croquettes, page .) [illustration: . piece of meat larded. . larding needles. . lardoons.] larding [sidenote: cutting lardoons.] larding is simply drawing small pieces of salt pork through the surface of meat. it is easily done, and so much improves lean, dry pieces of meat as to well repay the trouble. the pork for larding is best cut lengthwise with the rind, and that nearest the rind is the firmest. cut it into slices, one quarter inch thick, and then into strips one quarter inch wide and two inches long. the lardoons can be made firmer by placing them on ice, but ordinarily this is not necessary. the larding needle holding a lardoon is pressed through the surface of the meat, taking a stitch about a quarter inch deep and an inch long, then drawn through, leaving the lardoon projecting on both sides. the stitches should be taken at regular intervals, so as to appear ornamental, and when all the lardoons are in they should be cut even. for birds or small pieces, the lardoons would of course be cut of a size to suit the needle used. daubing daubing is cutting through the entire thickness of the meat in several places and inserting lardoons of salt pork. the cut is made with a thin, sharp knife. boning [sidenote: fowls.] [sidenote: meats.] cutting the meat free from the bones, leaving the meat whole, is called boning. this is easily done with a sharp-pointed knife, and requires but little practice to accomplish successfully. directions for boning fowls are given on page . boned fowls are usually made into galantine, but they are also good when stuffed and pressed into natural shape, or to imitate a duck or a rabbit and served hot. the butcher will remove the bones from joints of meat when requested. boned meats make an agreeable change, and in the case of shoulder pieces make them suitable to serve as roasts (see pages and ). chops with the bones removed, the tail ends wrapped around the meat and secured with wooden toothpicks or with small skewers until cooked, resemble in form filets mignons. measuring [sidenote: measuring-cup.] exact measurements are an important factor in the success of cooking, therefore a definite understanding of what a cupful or a spoonful means is requisite. a cupful means one half pint. a tin cup holding this amount is as necessary as a quart measure in every kitchen. they can be bought for ten cents apiece in any house-furnishing store. a spoonful of butter, lard, sugar, or flour means a rounding spoonful, as much rising above the spoon as is held in the bowl. a spoonful of salt or spices means only as much as the bowl holds, the top being smoothed off with a knife.[ -*] one half spoonful means the half of the contents of the bowl divided lengthwise. a heaping spoonful means as much as the spoon can be made to hold. a table giving comparative weights and measures is given on page . [illustration: measuring cup and spoons. . tin measuring cup holding one half-pint. . spoonful of salt, pepper or spices. . one half spoonful. . spoonful of flour, sugar, or butter. . heaping spoonful. (see page .)] stirring and beating these two methods should not be confused. the object of stirring is to mix the materials. the spoon is held on the bottom of the dish, and the materials rubbed and pressed together as much as possible. it is not essential to always stir one way. the object of beating is to get air into the mixture to make it lighter, which is done by continuously lifting it up in the same way; therefore a beaten mixture must not be stirred, or the imprisoned bubbles of air will be broken and the result of the beating lost. how to stone olives with a sharp-pointed knife cut through the olive to the stone on the blossom end and pare off the meat, turning the olive around three times, keeping the knife at not too sharp an angle close to the stone. the meat will then be in one curled piece, which can be pressed into its original shape again. how to cut bacon place the bacon on a board with the rind down. with a very sharp knife slice the bacon very thin down to the rind, but do not try to cut through it. when enough slices are cut, run the knife under, keeping it close to the rind, and the slices will be free. [illustration: cutting bacon. (see page .)] how to extract onion juice cut an onion across and press it against a coarse grater, moving it a very little; the juice will then run off the point of the grater. caramel caramel is used to color soup, gravies, etc., and serves also as a flavoring for desserts. it must be used with care for coloring, as it also sweetens. the flavor of caramel depends upon the degree to which the sugar is cooked before the water is added. it grows stronger as it becomes browner. put one half cupful of granulated sugar and two tablespoonfuls of water into a granite-ware saucepan, stir until the sugar has melted, then let it cook without stirring until it has turned dark brown, but not black, then add one half cupful of hot water, and let it simmer until the sugar is dissolved and cooked to a thin syrup. to make roux put one tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan. when it bubbles add one tablespoonful of flour and let them cook together for a few minutes, stirring all the time. if it is to be used as thickening for a white sauce or soup, do not let it color. if for brown soup or sauce, let it become brown. this amount is sufficient to thicken one cupful of milk or of stock, to make a sauce, or to thicken one pint or more of soup. roux can be prepared and kept in jars ready for use. the proportion of equal quantities of butter and flour is usually taken, and is the rule, but in some cases double the flour is used. the flour cooked in this way gives a better result than when rubbed with the butter and stirred into the liquid. cooking flour in hot fat seems to more surely burst the starch-grains, which removes the raw taste it is likely to have if cooked only in the boiling liquid. to marinate make a mixture in the proportion of three tablespoonfuls of vinegar to two of oil, one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, one bay-leaf, one teaspoonful onion juice, and a sprig of parsley. put it on a flat dish and lay any cooked or raw meat in the marinade for an hour or more before using, turning the pieces often. enough flavor is absorbed to much improve meats or fish to be used for salads, fish to be fried or boiled, and other cases given in receipts. the onion juice may be omitted if desired. salpicon a salpicon is a mixture of cooked meats, which are cut into dice and combined with a sauce, mushrooms, and truffles. chicken, sweetbreads, and tongue mixed with mushrooms and truffles and moistened with a béchamel sauce, is a combination often used. salpicon is used in timbales, patties, and vol-au-vent. a mixture of fruits seasoned with sugar and wine is also called a salpicon. seasoning and flavoring. [sidenote: condiments.] the savoriness of a dish can often be much enhanced by adding a few drops of worcestershire sauce, of mushroom or tomato catsup, of kitchen bouquet, by a few celery seeds, a bay-leaf, or a sprig of some dried herb. a little tarragon vinegar or a few capers will often much improve a salad. [sidenote: almonds.] [sidenote: orange peel.] a half dozen chopped almonds will greatly improve a bread pudding or any other simple dessert. a few shreds of candied orange peel will give a delicious flavor to puddings, sauces, and cake. a flavor of almonds, orange- or rose-water, sherry, or maraschino, will be an agreeable change from vanilla, and much more wholesome. some cooks feel they are called upon to do fancy cooking if expected to use a bay-leaf or an almond; others feel a receipt is extravagant or impracticable if it calls for anything in the line of flavors beyond salt and pepper, lemon juice, vanilla, or raisins; but there is no more extravagance in using different condiments than in using always the same, or those which from habit have established themselves in the favor of every housekeeper. none of the condiments are expensive, and so little is used at a time that one bottleful lasts a long time. all the flavoring extracts are the same price, and the expense of a few almonds is only nominal, therefore it is a pity not to have a variety of such articles in the dresser, and give variety to dishes by at least the very simple means of changing flavors. a cottage pudding with a little shredded orange peel, nuts, or cocoanut in it, or with a chocolate, wine, or méringue sauce, will be an agreeable change from the plain pudding with hard sauce. the same may be said of a corn-starch or a rice pudding, of a custard, and of many other things. croÛtons and croustades croûtons or crusts are used in pea, bean, and all cream soups, for garnishing all kinds of stewed dishes, and for any dish with which toast would be acceptable. when cut large and filled they are called croustades. to make croûtons or croustades, cut bread into the desired shape and sauté the pieces in hot butter, or dip them in melted butter and toast them carefully in the oven, turning frequently, so they will be evenly colored; or they may be fried in smoking-hot fat. they should be crisp and dry and the color of amber. they are made of various sizes and shapes to suit the uses they are to serve. for soups the bread is cut into cubes one quarter inch square or into fancy shapes; for garnishing meat dishes they are cut into diamonds, squares, triangles, and circles; for sippets to eat with boiled eggs, into strips one half inch wide and four inches long; for poached eggs, into circles four inches in diameter. [sidenote: for soups.] to make croûtons for soup, cut bread into slices one quarter of an inch thick, take off the crust, then cut it into strips one quarter of an inch wide and then across into even squares; or with vegetable cutters cut the sliced bread into fancy shapes. [sidenote: triangles.] for triangles, cut a slice of bread one half inch thick, then into strips one and a quarter inches wide, then into pieces two or three inches long, then diagonally across. [sidenote: pyramidal pieces.] for pyramidal pieces, cut the bread into one inch squares and cut diagonally across the cube. when used for garnishing they may be moistened a little on one side with white of egg, and will then stick to the dish sufficiently to hold in place. a circle of pyramidal pieces makes a good border to inclose minced meat, creamed fish, etc. [sidenote: circles.] circles for poached eggs are cut with a biscuit cutter three inches in diameter, and may be toasted in the ordinary way if preferred. [sidenote: boxes.] for boxes cut bread from which the crust has been removed into pieces two and a half inches thick, two and a half inches wide and three and a half inches long, then with a pointed knife cut a line around the inside one half of an inch from the edge and carefully remove the crumb, leaving a box with sides and bottom one half inch in thickness. the boxes may be cut round if preferred, using two sizes of biscuit cutters. they are browned the same as other croûtons, and are used for creamed spinach, creamed chicken, creamed fish, etc. a five cent square loaf of bread cuts to good advantage. [illustration: croÛtons and croustades. (see page .) . sippets to use with boiled eggs. . pyramidal pieces for borders. , , . bread boxes. . triangles for garnishing. . croustade for poached egg, creamed meats, etc. . croûtons for soups.] chartreuse chartreuse is a liqueur made by the monks of the french monastery of grande chartreuse; but a class of dishes has also been given this name, where two or more foods are used one of which conceals the others. the story goes that on fast days the monks were thus able to indulge in forbidden food, and savory viands were hidden under cabbage or other severely plain articles. chartreuses are made by lining a mold with rice, a vegetable, or a forcemeat, and filling the center with a different food. two vegetables are sometimes so combined, but more often game or meats are inclosed in rice and served with a good sauce. (see illustration facing page .) [sidenote: en bellevue.] fruits are made into chartreuses by inclosing them in blanc-mange or puddings. when meats are molded in aspic jelly they are called "en bellevue" as in this case they are not concealed. [illustration: some useful utensils. , . small pointed knives for vegetables, boning, etc. . fluted knife for cutting potato straws, or cutting vegetables into fancy shapes. . tuller knife. useful for pastry and all work done on a board. . broad-bladed knife or spatula. . saw. . bread or cake knife. , . small wooden spoons.] footnotes: [ -*] cooking schools have recently adopted the rule of using even spoonfuls for every spoon measurement. this ensures great exactness.--m. r. chapter ii soups as nothing is easier than making good soups, they should be the first lesson in cooking. they are one of the most nutritious and inexpensive foods presented, and have a very wide range, extending from the clear, transparent soups, through many degrees of consistency, color and material, to the heavy varieties which contain enough nourishment for a meal in themselves. the pot-au-feu as managed in the families of the french peasantry furnishes their chief source of diet. the pot on the fire receives every bit of nutritious material of every kind; by slow cooking the juices and flavors are extracted, and a savory combination is made which is both pleasant to the taste and satisfying to the hunger. the stock-pot should be on every range, and its contents ever ready to be drawn upon, not only for soup, but for sauces, and for flavoring the numerous dishes which can be enriched and improved by stock.[ -*] the many kinds of soups are variations of the few kinds of stock. [sidenote: brown stock, see page .] the brown stock is made from beef, or from beef, veal, and fowl combined, and mixed vegetables. [sidenote: white stock, see page .] white stock is made of veal and chicken together, or from veal alone, seasoned with onion, celery, white pepper, and salt, nothing being used which will give color. [sidenote: chicken consommé or broth, see page .] chicken stock is made from the fowl alone, and seasoned with celery, white pepper, and salt. [sidenote: cream soups, see page .] cream soups are made without stock, the basis being vegetables boiled and mashed to a purée by being pressed through a colander or sieve, then mixed with cream or milk and seasoned to taste. [sidenote: soup meats.] the meats used for soups are: the lower or tough part of the round, the shin, and the neck pieces of beef, the knuckle of veal, and fowls. mutton is not used except for mutton broth. a very little ham is sometimes used; game also gives good flavor. bones contain gelatine and cause the stock to jelly when cold. [sidenote: soup vegetables.] the soup vegetables are onions, carrots, turnips, and celery. they are cut into small pieces and are sometimes fried before being added to the soup pot. [sidenote: the bouquet.] parsley wrapped around peppercorns, cloves, bay-leaves and other herbs, excepting sage, and tied, makes what is called a bouquet. in this shape the herbs are more easily removed. [sidenote: proportions.] the proportions are one quart of cold water to a pound of meat, and to four quarts of water one each of the vegetables of medium size, named above, two sticks of celery, and a bouquet containing one root of parsley with leaves, one bay-leaf, twelve peppercorns, six cloves,--one sprig of thyme, and sweet marjoram if desired. [sidenote: the order of preparing soups.] in making good soup the first essential is a perfectly clean pot. i would emphasize the word clean. first have the pot thoroughly washed with soda and water to remove any grease, then scoured with sapolio to take off any bits of burned or hardened matter. the meat should be wiped clean with a wet cloth and carefully examined to see if there are any tainted spots, then cut into pieces about one and a half inches square (except in the case where a round of beef is used, which is to be removed when tender and served as bouilli). the meat and bones must be put into cold water in order to extract the juices, and never be allowed to boil. slow cooking best effects the object desired (see article on boiling, page ). after the meat has stood fifteen minutes in cold water, put it on the fire, cover, and let it come slowly to the simmering-point, then place on the back of range to simmer for six hours or more. an hour before the cooking is completed, add the vegetables, cut into small pieces. when the soup is to be served clear, it is well to remove the scum as it rises, but this is not essential, for much of it comes off when the soup is strained, and perfectly clear soup requires clarifying in any case. the french receipts all say remove the scum, but as it is a nutrient part of the meat, unless clearness is desired, it seems better to let it remain during the period of cooking. [sidenote: removing the grease.] when the soup has simmered five or six hours, it should be strained into an earthen bowl and left to cool uncovered. under no circumstances let it stand in the pot after it is cooked. the grease will rise to the top and form a cake which can be easily removed when cold. any little particles which may stick to the jelly may be wiped off with a cloth wet in hot water. where a quantity of stock is made at one time, it is well to strain it into two or even three bowls; the grease forms an air-tight cover and will help to keep it from souring. stock should be made the day before it is to be used in order to let the grease rise and the floating particles settle, but where it is needed at once, the grease that cannot be skimmed off with a spoon can be absorbed by passing tissue paper over it carefully. [sidenote: clarifying.] soup can be made perfectly clear by taking the jellied stock from which every particle of grease and sediment has been removed, and stirring into it, while cold, the slightly-beaten white and crushed shell of one egg to each quart of stock. it must be stirred constantly until the soup is hot enough to coagulate the albumen, by which time it has thoroughly mixed with and imprisoned the fine particles which cloud the liquid. let it boil violently for five minutes, then let it stand five minutes longer on the side of the range to settle. strain through a fine cloth laid on a sieve. let it drain through without pressing. in some cases a small bit of lemon rind used with the egg in clearing gives a pleasant flavor to the soup. after clearing it will ordinarily need to be heated again before serving. in high-class cooking, soups are cleared with chopped raw meat or chicken, which adds to, instead of detracting from the richness of the soup. the albumen of egg does not materially affect the quality of the soup, and is recommended for general practice.[ -*] [sidenote: coloring.] if a deeper color is wanted, it may be obtained by adding a very little caramel (see page ) or a few drops of a preparation called "kitchen bouquet." artificial coloring, however, is not so good as that obtained by browning the vegetables and part of the meat before adding them to the soup pot. (see brown stock, page .) [sidenote: names.] the meat soups are called broths, bouillon, or consommé, according to their richness. the purées are thick soups made with or without stock, the basis being mashed vegetables or meat pounded to a paste. [sidenote: meat stock.] stock made of meat alone will keep better than where vegetables are used. in warm weather it is well to have it so prepared. common stock (pot-au-feu) for this stock pieces of fresh or cooked meat are used, also all odds and ends, chicken bones, gravies, cooked or raw vegetables, etc. water in which fish or vegetables (excepting cabbage or potatoes) have been boiled may or may not be used. they are put together cold and are simmered for five or six hours, then strained through a colander into an earthen bowl and left to cool uncovered. clear soup should not be attempted with this stock, but it is good to combine with vegetables for vegetable soup, or with other mixtures like rice, bits of meat, chicken, gumbo, etc., for soup and to use for sauces and seasoning. beef or brown stock lbs. of shin of beef. quarts of cold water. medium-sized carrot. medium-sized turnip. parsley root and leaves. onion. stick of celery. peppercorns. cloves. tablespoonful of salt. rub with a wet cloth the outside of the shin of beef, which has been well broken by the butcher. take the meat from the bones and cut it into small pieces. put aside a half pound of the meat. place the rest of the meat and the bones in a perfectly clean pot with the cold water, and let it stand fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the water is red; then place them on the fire and let them come slowly to the simmering point. meanwhile, place in a sauté-pan some of the marrow from the bones, or a tablespoonful of drippings. when the fat is hot put in the half pound of reserved meat and cook it until it is well browned. when the water in the pot has begun to simmer, put in the browned meat and rinse the sauté-pan with a few spoonfuls of water so none of the value of the browned meat will be lost. this will give good color and also flavor to the soup. place the pot where the water will simmer only, and leave it to cook for six hours, or until the meat is cooked to shreds and its nutriment fully extracted. add the vegetables, which have been well washed, scraped, and cut into pieces, one hour before the cooking is completed, and add the salt just before removing the stock from the fire. if a clear soup is not desired, the care to keep it below the boiling point is not essential. (see note, page .) when the stock is done strain it through a close cloth or a fine sieve into an earthen bowl, and let it cool without covering. when ready to serve, remove the grease, clear it if desired for transparent soup, add more pepper and salt to taste. for macaroni, noodle, vermicelli, vegetable or printaniÈre, julienne, tapioca, and croÛte-au-pot soups, take as much of the beef stock as will be needed, allowing one half pint for each person, remove all the grease, heat it, and season to taste. just before serving add any of the above articles, which must have been boiled separately. the soup will then have the name of the ingredient used. [sidenote: julienne.] julienne does not differ from the vegetable soup except in the form given the vegetables. for julienne, the outside or deep yellow of the carrot, turnip, and celery are cut, with a knife which comes for the purpose, into thin, thread-like pieces about two inches long. the shredded vegetables must be boiled before being added to the soup, and care used to prevent their breaking or becoming too soft to hold their form, or they may be fried in butter until tender. green peas, asparagus tips, and flowerets of cauliflower may also be added. (see illustration facing page .) [sidenote: printanière.] any vegetables may be used for vegetable soup, but judgment should be shown in the combination. they may be made ornamental by being cut into fancy shapes with cutters, or into balls with a small potato scoop, or they may be cut into dice. [illustration: printaniÈre and julienne soup vegetables. (see page .) , , . cutters used for cutting vegetables for printanière soup. . vegetables prepared for printanière soup. . knife for cutting vegetables into julienne. . julienne.] [sidenote: tapioca.] pearl tapioca boiled to clearness makes a very pretty thickening to clear soup. [sidenote: croûte au pot.] small pieces of toast or thin shavings of stale bread are added to the tureen just before serving to make the _croûte-au-pot_. the soup should be served before the bread dissolves or gets very soft. for julienne, tapioca, and _croûte-au-pot_, the soup should be perfectly clear and a deep amber color. [sidenote: garnishes for soups.] other garnishes which may be added to soups are: force-meat balls (see page ); yolks of hard-boiled eggs; egg balls (see page ); royal custard (see page ); fried croûtons (see page ); noodles (see page ); dumplings (see page ); thin cross-cuts of celery; thin slices of lemon, one for each plate; grated parmesan cheese (passed); macaroni cut into pieces one eighth of an inch thick, making rings; sweet potato balls (see page ); marrow balls (see page ); green pea timbale (see page ); harlequin slices (see page ); with consommé, a poached egg for each portion. thickening for soups roux (see page ) makes the best thickening for soups which are not clear, using brown or white roux according to the color of the soup. thin the roux with a little soup, so it will be smooth before adding it to the soup kettle. roux added to pea, bean, and potato soups prevents their separating. a thickening of eggs is made as follows: beat two or three yolks and dilute them with a half a cupful of cream or milk or cold soup. stir in a few spoonfuls of the hot soup to warm it. remove the soup from the fire and stir in slowly the egg mixture, return it to the fire to cook the egg, but do not let it boil, or it may curdle. clear soups are sometimes thickened by using one teaspoonful of arrowroot to a quart of soup. mix the arrowroot with a little of the cold soup, turn it into the hot soup, and cook until it becomes clear. a clear soup so thickened may be flavored with sherry. footnotes: [ -*] it is not meant to imply that the stock-pot should never be removed from the range and that articles should be added at any time. when the nutriment is extracted from one collection of materials, the stock should be strained off, the pot thoroughly cleaned, and a new stock started as soon as enough materials have again accumulated.--m. r. [ -*] it will be difficult if not impossible to make a perfectly clear and brilliant soup from stock where bones have been used, if the stock has been subjected to boiling heat. boiling dissolves the lime in the bones, and this gives a cloudiness which clarifying will not entirely remove.--m. r. garnishes for soups =royale= a custard to serve with consommÉ yolks. entire egg. / teaspoonful of salt. dash of cayenne. / cupful of beef stock. beat the eggs well, but not to a froth. add one third of a teaspoonful of salt and one half cupful of clear beef stock. pour the mixture into a small pan or flat dish, so it will be about one half inch deep. set the pan into another one containing hot water and place them in a very moderate oven, so that the custard will set without bubbles and without browning on top. let the custard become perfectly cold. without removing it from the pan, cut it into cubes one half inch square, or into fancy forms, with vegetable cutters. these pieces should be placed carefully in the consommé after it is in the tureen, allowing three or four pieces to each portion of soup. =force-meat balls= chop any cooked meat very fine, season highly with salt, pepper, thyme, onion juice, lemon juice, and herbs if desired; add enough yolk of egg to moisten and bind the meat. mold into balls one half inch in diameter, roll the balls in flour, and poach them in boiling water, or they may be fried in butter. force-meat balls may also be made of raw meat prepared as for timbale paste (see page ). [illustration: radishes cut to imitate roses.] =egg balls= rub to a paste, with a wooden spoon, the yolks of hard-boiled eggs; season with salt, pepper, and butter; add enough raw yolk to bind the paste; form it into balls one half the size of a natural yolk; roll them in white of egg and then in flour, and poach the balls in boiling water for a few minutes. three yolks will make five balls. one ball is enough to allow to each portion of soup. =noodles= several dishes may be made from noodles. to three eggs (slightly beaten) mixed with two tablespoonfuls of water and a little salt, add enough flour to make a stiff dough; work it well for fifteen or twenty minutes, adding flour when necessary. when it is smooth and elastic, cut off a small piece at a time and roll it as thin as a wafer. it can be rolled very thin by placing a cloth under it. sprinkle the thin sheet with flour, and roll it into a rather tight roll. with a sharp knife cut it, from the end,--into threads, if for soup; if to use as a vegetable, into ribbons one quarter inch wide. let them dry an hour or more. they will keep the same as macaroni. [illustration: noodles. (see page .) . sheet of noodle paste. . noodles for soup. . noodles to serve as vegetable. . noodle balls. . sheet of noodle paste rolled. . paste cut from roll. . noodle paste cut for balls before being fried.] =noodles served as a vegetable= throw a few noodles at a time into boiling, salted water; boil them until they are done, separating them carefully with a fork to prevent their matting together. skim them out when done, and keep them on a warm dish on the hot shelf until enough are cooked. season with butter. put them in the dish in which they are to be served, and sprinkle over them bread crumbs browned in hot butter to a golden color. this dish may be served with fish, with meat, or as a course by itself. noodles may also be cooked like macaroni, with cheese. =noodle balls= take some of the noodle paste made as directed above. roll it as thin as possible, then place it on a floured napkin and roll until it is as thin as paper; fold it double, and cut it into circles one quarter inch in diameter, using a small vegetable cutter or pastry bag tube. fry them in smoking hot fat, tossing them in the frying basket so that they will color evenly. they will puff into balls and color in one minute. drain and place them on paper on the hot shelf. sprinkle them on the soup after it is in the tureen, or better pass them, as they soften very quickly. =marrow balls= melt a tablespoonful of marrow and strain it through a cloth, or fine sieve, into a bowl; beat it till creamy, then add an egg and beat again thoroughly. season with pepper, salt, and a little nutmeg. add to this mixture as much soft bread as it will moisten. roll it into small balls and poach in boiling water. place them in the soup just before serving. =sweet potato balls= mash some cooked sweet potatoes, season with butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a little grated cheese. moisten with beaten egg; roll into small balls and poach in boiling water. put the balls into the soup the last thing before serving. =green pea timbale for soup= mix one half cupful of mashed green peas with one tablespoonful of soup stock and three whites of eggs; season with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg. beat well together and place in a small mold or flat tin. set the mold into hot water and place in slow oven until the mixture is set. when it is firm, unmold, cut into small cubes, and put them in the soup just before serving. =harlequin slices= cut into small squares some cooked carrots, turnips, and string beans. arrange them in timbale cups, mixing the vegetables together; fill the cups up with royale mixture. (see above.) set them into hot water and cook in slow oven until the custard is firm. unmold when cold, and cut with a sharp knife into slices one eighth of an inch thick. place these in the soup just before serving. broths =chicken broth= fowl. quarts of cold water. / cupful of rice. salt and pepper. clean the fowl carefully; wash it with a wet cloth; cut it into pieces and remove the fat. place the joints in a saucepan with a quart of water to each pound of fowl. let it simmer until the meat is tender; then remove the breast; after four hours take it off and strain it through a sieve. let the soup stand until the grease rises; then carefully remove it, and put the soup again in the saucepan; add the breast of the chicken, cut into dice, and the half cupful of rice; salt and pepper to taste, and cook until the rice is tender. =clam broth= large hard-shelled clams for pint of broth. boil the clams and juice for twenty minutes; strain and let it stand to settle; strain it again carefully into a saucepan, and let it boil up once; season with butter and pepper--no salt--and serve in cups with whipped cream on top. to open the clams and obtain the juice, place the clams, after they have been carefully washed with a brush and clear water, in a saucepan; add two tablespoonfuls of hot water; cover and let them steam until the shells open; then strain off the liquor. =mutton broth= the neck or shoulder-pieces may be used for broth. the meat should be cut into pieces and the fat removed. to each pound of meat add one quart of cold water; simmer for four or five hours; strain it into an earthen bowl; when ready to serve, remove the grease, and add to each quart of stock one stick of celery, two tablespoonfuls of rice, salt and pepper to taste, and boil until the rice is soft. the water in which a leg of mutton has been boiled will make a good mutton soup, but is not rich enough for a broth to be served to an invalid. =broth made quickly for invalids.= broth may be made quickly by chopping lean meat to a fine mince. to a pound of meat add one pint of cold water; let soak for fifteen minutes; then let slowly boil for half an hour; season and strain. soups =bouillon= ( pints. time, hours) lbs. of beef cut from under side of round and chopped to a mince. quarts of cold water. onion. / carrot. sprig of parsley. sticks of celery. bay-leaf. cloves. peppercorns. teaspoonful of salt added just before taking the soup off the fire. take three pounds of beef cut from the lower part of round, remove all the fat, and chop the meat to a fine mince. place the chopped meat in a saucepan with three quarts of cold water, and let it stand one hour; then put it on the fire, cover, and let it come slowly to the boiling-point, taking off any scum that rises. then place it where it will only simmer. after it has simmered for four hours add the vegetables cut into dice, and the spices, and let it simmer one hour longer. strain into an earthen bowl and let it cool without covering. this stock will not jelly, as no bones are boiled with it. when ready to use remove grease, season, if necessary, with pepper and salt, and put into saucepan with three fourths of a pound of lean meat chopped fine, and the white of one egg. stir until it boils; let it boil for fifteen minutes. lay a fine cloth on a sieve and strain through it the bouillon without pressing. it should be perfectly clear and of the color of amber. it can be served in cups. a little sherry may be added, if liked, when served at afternoon teas. =consommÉ=[ -*] lbs. lower part round of beef. lbs. knuckle of veal. tablespoonfuls of butter. quarts of cold water. large onion. / carrot. stalks of celery. tablespoonful of salt. sprigs of parsley. peppercorns. cloves. inch square of cinnamon. a little thyme. a little marjoram. a little summer savory. bay-leaves. cut the beef into pieces one inch square. remove the veal from the bone, and cut it also into small pieces. put one tablespoonful of butter into a very clean soup-pot with the pieces of meat, and stir over a hot fire until the meat is browned, care being taken that it does not burn; then add one quart of water, and let it cook until a glaze has formed on the bottom of the kettle, which will take about one hour. then add five quarts of cold water and let it come slowly to the boiling-point. set the soup-pot back on the fire and let the soup simmer for six hours. remove the scum from time to time as it rises. one hour before the time for removing the soup add to it the vegetables, which have been cut fine and browned in one tablespoonful of butter. add also the herbs and spices, and one tablespoonful of salt. when it has simmered six hours, strain it through a fine cloth, laid on a sieve, into an earthen bowl, and let it cool without covering. a fowl added to this receipt will give the soup a more delicate flavor. if used it should be put in the pot at the time the five quarts of water are added. the veal-bone may also go in at this time; but the soup will not be so clear if the bone is used. if a chicken is used it may be removed from the stock when tender and used for other purposes. footnotes: [ -*] this receipt gives a perfectly clear brilliant soup after it is clarified. if no bones are used it can be boiled slowly without injury instead of being simmered. the stock will not always jelly.--m. r. =ox-tail soup= ox-tails. onion. tablespoonful of drippings or of salt pork. quarts of cold water. stick of celery. root of parsley. cloves. peppercorns. tablespoonful of salt. cut the ox-tails into pieces, separating them at the joints. sauté the onion and the ox-tails in the drippings to a delicate brown. put the meat in the soup-pot with four quarts of cold water. let it come to the boiling-point; add the vegetables and spices, and simmer for four hours, then add the salt. strain, take off the grease. select some of the pieces of ox-tail, one piece for each portion, and place them in the tureen with the soup. ox-tails are gelatinous and make a smooth soup. =white stock= knuckle of veal. fowl. bouquet of herbs. onion. stalks of celery. small turnip cut into dice. small carrot cut into dice. cut the meat from the bone. wash the skin of the fowl (see page ). allow one quart of cold water to each pound of meat and bone. place all in a kettle. cover and let simmer four or five hours. strain into an earthen bowl, and let cool uncovered. white stock may be made of veal alone. if a fowl is used, the breast and second joints may be removed when tender, and used for other dishes (croquettes, soufflé, imperiale, etc.). a part of the veal may also be removed, and used for veal loaf (see page ). =white soup= pint of white stock. pint of milk or cream. tablespoonful of butter. salt and pepper to taste. chicken, veal, or celery (cut into small dice), or rice. tablespoonful of flour. put one pint of milk or cream into a double boiler; add to it one pint of white stock, and a white roux made of one tablespoonful of butter and one tablespoonful of flour cooked together, but not browned. dilute the roux to smoothness with a little of the cold milk before adding it to the soup. let it come to the boiling-point. season to taste, and strain into the tureen; then add one tablespoonful or more of chicken breast, veal, or celery (cut into small dice), or rice. if desired, two or more of these may be used, and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, pressed through a sieve, sprinkled over the top. this quantity gives but one quart of soup; enough to serve to four people. =chicken consommÉ, or stock= place a fowl, cut into pieces, in four quarts of cold water; let come slowly to the boiling-point; then draw it to the side of range and simmer for three hours. at the end of this time add one slice of onion, two sticks of celery, one tablespoonful of salt, one saltspoonful of pepper, and simmer one or two hours longer; strain into earthen bowl, and let cool without covering. this stock may be cleared the same as beef stock, and served in cups for luncheon. it may also be mixed with gelatine, cleared, and used for aspic, in russian salads, jellied chicken, etc. (see page ). the meat from the breast and second joints may be removed from the stock-pot, when tender, and reserved for timbales, croquettes, patties, etc. if this soup is not rich enough, it can be reduced by opening the lid of the pot, after it has simmered the required time, and allowed to boil uncovered until as rich as desired. =plain chicken soup= fowl. quarts of water. cupful of rice. slice of onion. sticks of celery. sprig of parsley. place the fowl, cut into pieces, in a saucepan with four quarts of cold water; when it comes to the boiling-point, draw it aside and let it simmer for three hours; then add one thick slice of onion, two sticks of celery, one sprig of parsley, and one cupful of rice, and simmer for another hour; strain and let the soup stand until the grease can be taken off the top. remove the meat, bones, and vegetables from the strainer, and press the rice through the sieve; stir this into the soup; season with salt and pepper, and heat again before serving; a little cream may also be added. this soup is also good thickened with a little roux or with corn-starch. for the latter, take two tablespoonfuls of the cold stock; stir into it one tablespoonful of corn-starch; then stir it into the soup, and let cook for ten minutes to take away the raw taste of the starch, and to make it clear. pieces of the breast cut into dice may also be added. =vegetable soup= to one quart of common stock add one pint of parboiled mixed vegetables cut into small dice. simmer until the vegetables are tender but not pasty. season with salt, pepper, and one teaspoonful of sugar. serve without straining. =tomato purÉe= put into a granite-ware saucepan a quart of canned or of fresh tomatoes; add a pint of water or of stock;--the soup will be better if stock is used;--add also one bay-leaf, a sprig of parsley, a stick of celery, six peppercorns, and a teaspoonful of sugar; simmer until the tomato is thoroughly soft. in another saucepan put a tablespoonful of butter; when it is hot add a sliced onion, and fry, but not brown it; then add a tablespoonful of flour, and cook, but not brown the flour. to this roux add enough of the tomato to dilute it, and then mix it well with the rest of the tomato, and season with salt. pass the whole through a fine sieve or strainer. heat it again before serving, and sprinkle over the top small croûtons. =split-pea or bean soup= cupful of split peas, or cupful of dried beans. tablespoonful of butter. quarts of water. / teaspoonful of sugar. tablespoonful of flour. salt and pepper to taste. let the peas or beans soak over night in three quarts of cold water. put the soaked peas or beans into a saucepan with two quarts of water and a ham-bone, if you have it, otherwise it may be omitted. let simmer for four or five hours, or until the peas or beans are perfectly soft. (add more water from time to time, if necessary.) then pass them through a sieve; add to the pulp enough stock, or milk, or water to make a soup of the consistency of cream. put it again into a saucepan on the fire; season, and add a roux made of one tablespoonful of butter and one tablespoonful of flour cooked together; dilute the roux to smoothness with a little of the soup before adding it to the pot. the roux will hold the particles of peas or beans in suspension. without it they are liable to precipitate. an onion may be boiled with the peas or beans if desired. serve croûtons on the soup, or pass them. =black-bean soup= cupfuls of black beans. brown stock. brown roux. bouquet of herbs, made of a sprig of parsley, a sprig of thyme, one clove. peppercorns, onion. egg balls. thin slices of lemon. force-meat balls. white of hard-boiled egg. / cupful of sherry or red wine. salt and pepper to taste. soak two cupfuls of black beans over night. put the soaked beans into a saucepan with a bouquet of herbs, and cover them with cold water. let them boil slowly until tender, which will take several hours, adding more water if necessary. when the beans are very soft remove the bouquet, drain off the water, and pass the beans through a purée sieve. add to the pulp enough brown stock to make a soup of the consistency of thin cream. place it again on the fire and add a brown roux made of one tablespoonful of butter and one tablespoonful of flour, cooked together until brown; dilute it to smoothness before adding and cook it with the soup for five minutes. this will prevent the soup from separating. season with salt and pepper. strain it through a sieve into the tureen; then add thin slices of lemon, egg balls, and force-meat balls, allowing one of each to each portion of soup; add also the white of one hard-boiled egg cut into small dice, and one quarter of a cupful of sherry or red wine. this resembles mock-turtle soup. =calf's-head or mock-turtle soup= make a brown roux by putting in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter, let it brown, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and let that brown; then add, slowly at first, one and a half or two quarts of water in which a calf's head has been boiled, white wine instead of vinegar being used in the boiling (see boiled calf's head, page ). add three or four strained tomatoes and simmer for one half hour. skim off any fat and season with salt and pepper. add some pieces of boiled calf's head cut in pieces one half inch square, a few egg balls, two or three tablespoonfuls of sherry, and a few very thin slices of lemon. =fish stock= put into the soup-pot a tablespoonful of butter or of drippings. add a tablespoonful each of chopped onion, carrot, and turnip. fry them without browning, then add fish-bones, head, and trimmings, a stalk of celery, sprigs of parsley and of thyme, a bay-leaf, a tomato or a slice of lemon. cover with water, and simmer them for an hour or more. season with salt and pepper. strain. when this stock is used for soup, make a roux of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, add a cupful of milk or cream, and add this amount to each pint of the fish stock. =oyster soup= scald a quart, or twenty-five, oysters in their own liquor. as soon as they are plump, or the gills curl, remove them (oysters harden if boiled). add to the liquor a cupful of water. make a roux of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, dilute it with the liquor, and when it is smooth add a cupful of scalded milk or cream. season with pepper, salt, if necessary, and a dash of cayenne or paprica; then add the oysters, and as soon as they are heated serve at once. in oyster houses finely shredded cabbage with a french dressing is served with oyster soup, and is a good accompaniment when served for luncheon. oysters should be carefully examined, and the liquor passed through a fine sieve before being cooked, in order to remove any pieces of shell there may be in them. =clam soup= remove the clams from the shells as soon as they have opened (see clam broth, page ). put them in a warm place, until the juice is prepared. add a cupful of hot milk to a quart of juice, and thicken it with a roux made of one tablespoonful of butter and one tablespoonful of flour; then add the clams, chopped fine, season, and bring the soup again to the boiling-point and serve. two spoonfuls of whipped cream served on each plateful of soup is an improvement to the dish. cream soups =onion soup= (a very simple soup quickly made) slice two or three large onions; fry them in a tablespoonful of butter or drippings until they are soft and red, then add three tablespoonfuls of flour, and stir until it is a little cooked. to this add slowly a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time, so it will be smooth. boil and mash three good-sized potatoes. add to them slowly a quart of scalded milk, stirring well so it will be smooth. add the potato and milk mixture to the onion mixture. season with salt and pepper. let it get very hot, and pass it through a strainer into the tureen. sprinkle over the top a little parsley chopped very fine, and a few croûtons. the soup will be better if stock is used instead of water to dilute the onion mixture. =potato soup= boil and mash three or four potatoes. make a roux of one tablespoonful of butter, one half tablespoonful of flour, and one teaspoonful of chopped onion, letting the onion cook in the butter a few minutes before adding the flour. when the roux is cooked add to it a pint of milk, making a thin, white sauce. add this to the mashed potato and pass the whole through a strainer. return it to the fire for a few minutes to heat and blend it. season it with salt and pepper. sprinkle on the soup, when it is in the tureen, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a few croûtons. if the soup is too thick, add a little more milk or a little hot water. the roux prevents the milk and potato from separating, and also gives it smoothness. the soup can be made richer by using more milk, and stirring into it, just before serving, the beaten yolks of two eggs. this soup may also be made of sweet potatoes. =tomato bisque= / can of tomatoes. quart of milk. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of corn-starch. teaspoonful of salt. / saltspoonful of pepper. saltspoonful of soda. dash of cayenne. stew the tomatoes until very soft; then pass them through a fine sieve or strainer. put the strained tomatoes into a granite-ware saucepan, and add one saltspoonful of soda; when it has ceased foaming add the butter, a small piece at a time; if put in all at once it will show an oily line; add salt, pepper, and cayenne. put the milk into a double boiler, and stir into it a tablespoonful of corn-starch which has been mixed with a little of the cold milk, to make it smooth; let it scald for ten minutes, or long enough to cook the corn-starch; then pour the milk into the tomatoes, beat well together, and serve at once. it is better not to add the milk to the tomatoes until just ready to serve, for fear of curdling. =cream of asparagus; cream of green peas; cream of string beans; cream or spinach; cream of corn; cream of celery= these soups are very delicate, and are much esteemed. they are all made in the same way. the vegetable is boiled until soft, and is then pressed through a sieve. a pint of the vegetable pulp is diluted with a quart of stock (the stock may be veal, beef, or chicken broth). it is thickened with a roux made of one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, seasoned with pepper and salt, and is then strained again, so it will be perfectly smooth. it is replaced on the fire, a cupful or a half cupful of cream added, and the whole beaten with an egg-whip to make it light, and is served at once very hot. the french thicken cream soups with egg-yolks. in this case two yolks would be used for the above quantity. the beaten yolks are diluted with the cream, and cooked only just long enough to set the egg. it would curdle if allowed to boil. butter is needed for seasoning, and where eggs are used it should be added in small bits before the cream and eggs. where roux is used for thickening, there is enough butter in the roux. =cream of clams= large clams. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. - / pints of milk. small slice of onion. dash of nutmeg. salt and pepper. / pint of cream. wash the clam shells thoroughly with a brush and clear water. put them into a pot on the fire with one half cup of boiling water; cover and let steam until the shells open; take out the clams and let the liquor settle; then strain it carefully, and set aside; remove the clams from the shells; chop them, pound them in a mortar, and press as much of them as possible through a purée sieve. put the milk into a double boiler with the slice of onion. put the butter into a frying-pan, and when it bubbles, stir into it the flour, and let it cook a few minutes, but not brown; add enough of the milk slowly to make the roux liquid; then add it to the milk in the double boiler, first having removed the slice of onion; add a dash of nutmeg and of pepper, then the cream; when ready to serve, stir in the clam pulp and one pint of the clam liquor; taste to see if salt will be needed. after the clams are added to the milk, leave it on the fire only long enough to get well heated; if boiled, the milk will curdle. beat a moment with an egg-whisk to make foamy. if the mixture is too thick, it may be diluted with milk or cream. this is good for luncheon, served in small cups, the top covered with a spoonful of whipped cream. =cream of oysters= scald a quart of oysters in their own liquor. remove the oysters; chop and pound them in a mortar, then press as much of them as possible through a purée sieve. make a roux of one tablespoonful of butter and a heaping tablespoonful of flour. dilute it with the oyster juice. add the oyster pulp; season it with pepper, salt, and paprica, and keep it hot until ready to serve. just before serving add a half pint of whipped cream, and beat it well into the soup.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] any soup made of milk will be greatly improved by adding a cupful of hot cream just before serving. a little fish stock improves clam or oyster cream soup. =soup À la reine= put a chicken into three quarts of water. simmer it slowly for two hours, or until the chicken is very tender. a half hour before removing it add a half pound of rice and a bouquet containing one root of parsley, one sprig of thyme, a thin slice of onion, and a stick of celery. boil it until the rice is soft, then strain through a colander. let the broth cool and remove the grease. remove the white meat from the bones of the chicken, put it with the rice in a mortar, and pound both to a pulp. pass the pulp through a purée sieve, moistening it with a little stock to make it pass through easier. when ready to serve, add the purée to the stock, season with salt and pepper, and heat it thoroughly without boiling. just before sending it to the table add a half pint of hot cream. if desired the soup can be thickened with a little roux, or with fifteen blanched almonds chopped and pounded to a paste, using a little cream to prevent the almonds from oiling. =bisque of lobster= put into a mortar equal parts of boiled lobster meat and boiled rice; pound them to a pulp; then add enough broth to dilute it; season with salt and paprica. pass it through a sieve. heat it without boiling, and then add enough béchamel sauce to make it the consistency of cream soup; lastly, add to each quart of soup a quarter of a pound of lobster butter, adding a little at a time, and stirring until the butter is melted. instead of the lobster butter, plain butter may be used, and the coral of the lobster, dried and pounded to a powder, stirred in at the same time. serve croûtons with the bisque. =lobster butter= after the meat is removed from the lobster, take all the rest (except the lady, woolly gills and intestine), including the shell, and put it into a mortar with twice its weight of butter. pound it to a pulp; then place it in a saucepan on the fire, and cook until the butter is melted. strain it through a cloth. beat the strained butter until it is cold. if not a deep enough color, add a very little cochineal. chowders =potato chowder= good-sized potatoes. / lb. salt pork. onion. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful flour. pint milk or cream. pint water. tablesp'ful chopped parsley. teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful pepper. cut the potatoes into dice, cut the pork into small pieces, and put it with the sliced onion into a frying pan, and fry until a light brown. put into a kettle a layer of potatoes, then a layer of onions and pork, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley. repeat this until all the potatoes, pork, onions, and parsley are in. pour over them the grease from the pan in which the pork and onions were fried. add one pint of water, cover, and let simmer twenty minutes. scald the milk in a double boiler, and add it to a roux made of the flour and butter. add this to the pot when the potatoes are tender, and stir carefully together, so as not to break the potatoes. taste to see if the seasoning is right. serve very hot. this is a good dish for luncheon, or for supper in the country. =fish chowder= lbs. fresh fish. large potatoes. large onion. / lb. salt pork. pint milk. ship crackers. pepper and salt. cut the fish, the potatoes, and the onion into slices. cut the pork into half-inch dice. put the pork and the onion into a pan and sauté them a light brown. place in alternate layers in a large saucepan first potatoes, then fish, then pork and onion; dust with salt and pepper, and continue in this order until all the materials are used. cover the whole with boiling water and let the mixture simmer for twenty minutes. scald a pint of milk or of cream, take it off the fire and add one and a half tablespoonfuls of butter and three broken ship crackers or the same quantity of water biscuits. arrange the fish mixture in a mound on a dish, cover it with the softened crackers, and pour over the whole the hot milk. =clam chowder= clams. medium-sized onion. oz. salt pork. large potatoes. teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful pepper. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonfuls flour. pint of milk or cream. saltspoonful of mace. saltspoonful of thyme. ship crackers. put the clams, with their own liquor, into a saucepan on the fire. when they have boiled three minutes, remove the clams and return the liquor to the fire. cut the pork into slices. chop an onion and fry it with the pork until both are browned. then stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour. when the flour is cooked, add slowly the clam liquor, a dash of mace and thyme, and salt, if necessary; then add three parboiled potatoes cut into dice, and cook until the potatoes are tender. when ready to serve add a pint of milk or cream, the clams cut into pieces, and a quarter of a pound of broken ship crackers or any hard water cracker. chapter iii fish [sidenote: cooking.] [sidenote: freshness.] [sidenote: dressing.] it is essential that fish should be perfectly fresh, thoroughly cleaned, and carefully cooked. if underdone it is not eatable; if cooked too long it loses flavor and becomes dry. the sooner it is cooked after being taken from the water, the better. when fresh, the eyes are bright, the gills red, the flesh firm and odorless. ordinarily the fishman removes the scales and draws the fish before delivering it; but if not, this should be done at once, and the fish thoroughly washed, but not allowed to soak in water, then wiped dry and put into the refrigerator, on the ice, the skin side down, but not in the same compartment with butter, milk, or other foods which absorb flavors. [sidenote: keeping frozen fish.] fish that are frozen should be laid in cold water until thawed, but not allowed to remain in the water after they become flexible. [sidenote: trimming.] the head and tail should be left on, and the fins trimmed, of any fish which is to be served whole. [sidenote: the bones.] when the fillets only are to be used, the head and bones may be used for a fish soup. [sidenote: to skin, bone, and remove the fillets.] to separate a fish, cut through the skin all around, then, beginning at the head, loosen the skin and strip it down. by putting salt on the hand a firmer grasp may be obtained, and with the aid of a knife the skin can be removed without tearing the flesh. after the skin is taken off from both sides, slip the knife under the flesh, and keeping it close to the bone, remove the fillets. the fillets may then be cut into two or more pieces according to the size of the fish, care being used to have them of uniform size and shape. fillets taken from small fish and from flounders or other flat fish are sometimes rolled and held until cooked with small skewers. wooden toothpicks serve this purpose very well. fish containing many bones are not suitable for fillets. to carve fish run a knife down the back, cutting through the skin. remove the fins. then cut into even pieces on one side. when these pieces are served, remove the bone, and cut the under side in the same way. to boil fish add one teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful of vinegar to every two quarts of water, and use sufficient water to entirely cover the fish. the salt and vinegar serve to whiten and harden, as well as to season the meat. a bay-leaf and soup vegetables in the water improve the flavor of cod and some other fish. the fish must not be put into cold water, as that extracts the flavor; nor into boiling water, as that breaks the skin and gives it a ragged appearance. lower the fish gradually into warm water, let it come quickly to the boiling point, then draw to the side of the range, where it will simmer only, until done. [sidenote: time.] allow ten minutes to the pound after the water has begun to simmer. [sidenote: the kettle.] a fish kettle, with strainer, is requisite for boiling a fish whole. a plate held in a piece of cheese cloth may be used for smaller pieces. when the fish is done the strainer should be lifted out carefully and placed across the kettle until the fish is well drained. [sidenote: to boil a fish whole.] a boiled as well as a baked fish is more attractive served upright as if swimming. to hold it in this position, place a carrot inside the fish to give it roundness and stability, and prop it on both sides with pieces of carrot or turnip. the head must be wrapped with cord or a strip of cheese cloth to keep it from losing shape, and the whole held in position by strings going around the strainer (see illustration). if a fish is too large for the kettle, it may be cut into halves or thirds, and when cooked laid carefully together on the dish and garnishing placed over the cuts. [illustration: fish prepared to boil in upright position. (see page .)] [sidenote: serving.] boiled fish is served on a napkin, and garnished with parsley. this may be so arranged as to conceal any defects. [sidenote: garnishes.] slices of lemon, slices of hard-boiled eggs, chopped pickle, or capers may also be used for garnishing. boiled potato balls may be served on the same dish. [sidenote: sauces.] boiled fish needs a rich white sauce. drawn butter, egg, hollandaise, or béchamel sauces are generally used. [illustration: slices of codfish boiled or sautÉd and rested against a wedge-shaped bread support and garnished with boiled or fried potato balls, water-cress, and lemon.] fish =court bouillon= court bouillon is used for boiling fresh-water fish or others which are without much flavor. it may be prepared beforehand, and used several times, or the vegetables may be added at the time the fish is boiled. fry in tablespoonful of butter, chopped carrot, chopped onion, stalk of celery. then add quarts of hot water, cup of vinegar or wine, peppercorns, cloves, bay-leaf, teaspoonful of salt. =baked fish= after the fish is carefully washed and dried, put in the stuffing, and sew up the opening with a trussing needle; then cut three gashes in each side of the fish, and lay a lardoon of salt pork in each cut. next, run a trussing needle, holding a double white cotton cord, through the head, the middle of the body, and the tail. draw the fish into the shape of the letter s, and tie the cord firmly. in order to cook evenly, it is better to have the fish upright, and by trussing as directed it will hold that position. dredge the fish with salt, pepper, and flour, and lay it on slices of larding pork in a baking pan. place also over the back slices of pork. allow fifteen minutes to each pound, and baste frequently. the pork should supply sufficient liquid for basting; if not, add a very little water. the fish can be more easily removed if a baking sheet is used in the bottom of the pan. (see illustration facing page .) serve with a brown sauce. garnish with lemon and parsley. haddock, bluefish, shad, and bass are good for baking. [illustration: fish prepared to bake. (see page .)] =stuffings for baked fish= put a large tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan. when melted stir into it cupful of cracker or dry bread crumbs, teaspoonful of chopped onion, teaspoonful of chopped capers, / teaspoonful salt, / teaspoonful pepper, teaspoonful of chopped parsley. if a moist stuffing is preferred, add one quarter cupful of milk, stock or water. =bread stuffing= fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in a tablespoonful of butter. add a cupful or more of stale bread, which has been soaked in hot water, then pressed dry. a tablespoonful each of chopped parsley, suet, and celery, one quarter teaspoonful each of salt and pepper, and a dash of powdered thyme (if liked). when it is well mixed, remove from the fire and add an egg. =to broil fish= fish to be broiled are split down the back. after being washed and well dried, they should be rubbed with oil or butter, or the skin floured, to keep from sticking. the broiler should be made hot and greased with a piece of salt pork before the fish is laid on. the hot wires will sear the lines which should always show on broiled dishes. the fire must be clear and hot for small fish, more moderate for large ones, so the outside may not be burned before the inside is cooked. when there is danger of this, the broiler may be laid on a pan in the oven to complete the cooking. the broiler should be turned as often as the cook counts ten, and as the skin burns easily, it must be carefully watched. when done, the wires should be carefully raised from both sides so as not to break the meat, and the fish turned on to a hot dish and spread with butter, salt, and pepper, or better, a maître d'hôtel sauce. this sauce makes a more evenly distributed mixture. a wreath of water-cresses laid around the fish makes a good garnish, and is an acceptable accompaniment to any broiled dish. lemon is also used for garnish and flavor. shad, bluefish, and mackerel are most frequently cooked in this way. =to sautÉ fish= small or pan fish, and fish cut into slices, are often sautéd. after the fish is washed and dried, dredge it with salt and pepper, and roll in flour, then dip in egg and roll in bread crumbs, cracker dust, or in corn-meal. put into a frying-pan a few pieces of salt pork, and after sufficient grease has tried out, lay in the fish; or one tablespoonful of lard and one tablespoonful of butter may be used instead of the fat pork. butter burns, and should not be used alone. the grease must be very hot, and only enough of it to cover the bottom of the pan one eighth of an inch deep. turn the fish with a broad knife or pancake turner, and with care to not break the meat. when cooked an amber color it is ready to turn. slices of halibut should be marinated (see page ) before being coated with flour. lay the fish or slices overlapping each other on a hot dish. serve with quarters of lemon, and garnish with parsley. (see illustrations facing pages and .) =to fry fish= fish to be fried are first well washed and dried, then dredged with salt, pepper, and flour, then dipped in egg, and rolled in bread or cracker crumbs. the fish should be completely incased in the egg and crumbs, leaving no opening for the grease to enter. the same rule applies to frying fish as to other articles (see page ). they must have entire immersion, and the fat smoking hot. =to fry smelts= smelts, after being washed, dried, and sprinkled with salt and pepper, are dipped in egg, then rolled in bread or cracker crumbs. the head and tail pinned together with a small skewer, or wooden tooth-pick (to be removed after they are fried), makes them into rings, and is a pretty way of serving them either by themselves or for garnishing other fish dishes. cook only as many as will cover the bottom of the frying-basket at one time (see rules for frying, page ). dress the smelts on a folded napkin, and serve with mayonnaise or with tartare sauce. [illustration: smelts fried in rings. (see page .)] =fried smelts on skewers= use medium sized smelts, clean carefully, and wipe them dry. dredge them with salt and pepper; dip them in egg and roll them in crumbs. string three or four on each skewer, the skewer passing through the eyes. place them in a frying-basket, a few at a time, and immerse in very hot fat. prepare at a time only as many as will go in the frying-basket. the time given to rolling them is only as long as required for the fat to regain the right degree of heat. dress on a napkin and serve with mayonnaise, tartare sauce, or quarters of lemon. =broiled smelts= split the smelts down the back and remove the bone. lay them on a hot broiler, which has been rubbed with suet, to prevent sticking. broil over hot coals for two minutes on each side. put into a dish some béchamel sauce, and lay the broiled fish on the sauce, or they may be spread with maître d'hôtel sauce. serve at once while very hot. =fried fillets of fish= remove fillets as directed on page . dip them in salted milk, roll in flour, then in egg and fresh bread crumbs. fry as soon as prepared in hot fat. fillets may also be cooked by sautéing. arrange the fillets on a napkin or hot dish, overlapping each other. serve with béarnaise, mayonnaise or tartare sauce. =whitebait= wash the whitebait with great care, and dry well by rubbing them in a napkin. roll them in flour, using enough to entirely cover them. toss them on a sieve to shake off the loose flour. place them in a fine wire basket, and immerse in smoking hot fat for one minute, or just long enough to give them a light amber color. the fish are so small, it takes but a moment to cook them, and there is danger of burning them by leaving them in the fat too long. they should be crisp and dry. only enough to make one layer on the bottom of the basket should be fried at once. too many will cool the fat, and also will stick together. the fat must be brought to the right degree of heat before putting in the second basketful. they should be floured only just before going into the fat. the flour becomes damp if it remains on the fish for any time, and they will then neither take color nor become crisp. turn them on to a paper, sprinkle with salt, and keep them in a warm oven until all are cooked. have a hot dish with a folded napkin on it standing on the warming shelf. place the whitebait between the folds of the napkin, and serve immediately. they cool rapidly, and should not be cooked until just in time to serve. they are easily prepared, and very nice when crisp and hot, but will not be right unless care is given to the small details. serve with quarters of lemon. [illustration: whitebait. (see page .)] =boiled halibut steaks= lay two chicken halibut steaks into a shallow stew pan, sufficiently large to allow them to lie side by side. cover them with court bouillon or with hot water, and add a slice of carrot, onion, piece of celery, bay-leaf, four cloves, six peppercorns, and juice of half a lemon. let simmer until done. or they may be put into a baking pan, with a little water, covered with another pan or greased paper, and steamed in the oven until cooked. lift out the slices with a skimmer and broad knife, and with care not to break them; lay them on a hot dish, one a little overlapping the other. garnish with boiled potato balls, and serve with egg or with hollandaise sauce. (see illustration facing page .) =halibut--turkish style= (receipt given at one of mrs. rorer's lectures) place on the bottom of a baking pan two or three slices of onion, then a cutlet of halibut, and put a tablespoonful of butter cut into small bits over the top of the fish. cut three skinned tomatoes into quarters, slice a sweet green pepper into ribbons, and put the tomatoes and pepper on the fish. put the pan on the shelf of the oven to cook first the vegetables, but do not let it remain there long enough to discolor or change their shape; then remove it to the bottom of the oven, baste it well, and finish the cooking. when done place it carefully on a hot dish, and pour over it the juice from the pan. the fish should retain its whiteness, and the vegetables their color, giving a very pretty as well as delicious dish. =scalloped fish= pounds halibut or any white fish, boiled with slice onion, stalk celery, sprig parsley, peppercorns, cloves, bay-leaf, juice of one-half a lemon, cupful white sauce, mashed potato. boil two pounds of fish in court bouillon until tender enough to flake. make a white sauce of one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful flour, one cupful of milk, salt, pepper, and cayenne. (see white sauce, page .) boil four medium-sized potatoes, mash them, and season with one half teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and a little cream or milk; beat them until light, then add the whites of four eggs beaten stiff. fill a baking dish one half full of the flaked fish, pour over it the white sauce, and cover the top with potato, leaving the potato rough and irregular. place in the oven for fifteen minutes, or until browned. cream may be substituted for the white sauce, and enough used to moisten well the fish. shells or individual cups may be used instead of a baking dish. =scalloped fish au gratin= make a béchamel sauce (see page ). take some seasoned mashed potato, and mix with it one beaten egg. make with the potato a border around a flat dish. in the center of the ring of potato spread a layer of sauce, over this a layer of flaked cod fish, then another layer of sauce and fish, cover the top with sauce, sprinkle it with bread crumbs and grated cheese (parmesan or dairy), and a few pieces of butter. bake in a hot oven until browned, and serve in the same dish. the potato border may be made ornamental by pressing the potato through a pastry bag with tube, the same as is used for potato roses (see page ). the potato will not hold its form unless egg is mixed with it. white sauce may be used instead of béchamel, but is not quite as good. one layer of fish in large flakes, covered with sauce, crumbs, and cheese, and browned with a border of boiled potato balls laid around regularly, is also a good way of serving it when a small quantity is needed. =fish chops= pound or pint of fish. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. / teaspoonful of onion juice. cupful of milk or cream. tablespoonful of butter. rounded tablespoonfuls flour. yolks of two eggs. tablespoonful of chopped parsley. put in a double boiler one cupful of cream or milk; when scalded, stir into it the butter and flour rubbed together, and cook for five minutes. remove from the fire and mix in, stirring all the time, the beaten yolks of two eggs, put again on the fire, and stir until thickened. take one pound or pint of shredded boiled fish, sprinkle over it one teaspoonful of salt, one half teaspoonful of pepper, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, ten drops of lemon juice. mix the seasoned fish with the white sauce, then spread it on a dish and set aside for several hours to cool and stiffen. it will not be difficult to mold if it stands long enough. take a tablespoonful of the mixture in the hands, and mold into the form of chops, round at one end and pointed at the other; roll the chops in crumbs, then in beaten egg, then in coarse bread crumbs grated from the loaf (see croquettes, page ). after the chops are molded let them stand for a time to stiffen before frying. place them in a basket four at a time, and immerse in hot fat until an amber color. place on a paper to dry. when all are done pierce a small hole in the pointed end with a fork, and insert a sprig of parsley. dress on a napkin, and serve with tomato, béarnaise, or hollandaise sauce. any kind of fish may be used for the chops. (see illustration facing page .) [illustration: fish chops. (see page .)] [illustration: fish chops.] =fillets baked with custard or tomatoes= remove the fillets from any white fish, dredge them with salt and pepper, and lay them in a baking pan, one on top of the other. beat two eggs, and add to them cupfuls of milk, saltspoonful of salt, saltspoonful of pepper, saltspoonful of nutmeg, soda crackers rolled to powder. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into the pan with the fish, and set it in the oven. when the butter is melted, add one half the milk mixture, and baste the fish with it frequently. when the custard becomes set add a little more of the milk, and continue the operation until the fish is cooked. lift the fish carefully from the pan with a pancake turner and broad knife. place it on a hot dish, and pile on the top the flakes of custard. instead of the milk mixture tomato may be used if preferred. to one half can of tomato add teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of thyme, / teaspoonful of pepper, slice of onion, bay-leaf, cloves. the whole of the tomato mixture may be put in the pan as soon as the butter is melted. =cold fish= any kind of fish which is good boiled may be served cold, and in summer is often more acceptable in this way. bass, trout, halibut, salmon, and bluefish are recommended. serve with cold béarnaise, mayonnaise, or tartare sauce. garnish with lettuce leaves or water-cresses, and hard-boiled eggs. =fish pudding= pound or pint boiled halibut. / cupful of cream or milk. - / tablespoonfuls of butter. / tablespoonful of flour. - / teaspoonfuls salt. / teaspoonful pepper. / teaspoonful onion juice. eggs. pound the fish in a mortar until it is thoroughly mashed, then rub it through a purée sieve; season the fish pulp with salt, pepper, and onion juice. put the butter into a saucepan when melted, add the flour, and cook for a few minutes, then add slowly the cream or milk, stirring constantly until well scalded; then add the fish pulp, take from the fire, add the beaten eggs, and mix thoroughly. butter well a border or ring mold holding a pint or little more; put in the mixture, pressing it well against the sides to remove any air bubbles. cover the mold with a greased paper, and set in a pan of warm water covering one half the mold. place in moderate oven for thirty minutes, and do not let the water boil. place the form of fish on a hot dish, fill the center with boiled potato balls (see page ), pour over the potato balls some béchamel or some white sauce, sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. serve with the fish a generous amount of béchamel or of white sauce. this is a very good dish. =fish timbale= cut one pound of very fresh white uncooked fish into small pieces, put it in a mortar, and pound until the fiber is well separated from the meat, then press it through a purée sieve. to every cupful of fish pulp add one tablespoonful of bread crumbs soaked in milk or cream until soft and then pressed through a sieve; add also the beaten yolk of one egg, ten drops of onion juice, one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. beat all well together and for some time, to make it light; then for every cupful of pulp beat in lightly the whites of two eggs whipped very stiff. put the mixture into a well buttered mold, filling it only three quarters full, set it into a pan of warm water, covering three quarters of the mold, cover the mold with a greased paper, and place in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. do not let the water boil. turn the timbale on to a hot dish, and pour around, but not over it, a béchamel or a tomato sauce. this is a very delicate fish dish, and is particularly good when made of shad. =fish dish for a pink luncheon= cut halibut or any firm white fish into cutlets three quarters of an inch thick, two inches wide, and three inches long. dredge with salt, pepper, and paprica. lay them in a pan so they do not touch, cover with salted water, cover the pan, and let them steam in the oven for ten or fifteen minutes until cooked, but remove while they are still firm enough to retain shape. pound the trimmings of the fish in a mortar, pass it through a sieve, and to one half cupful of the fish pulp add a thickening made as follows: put a dessert-spoonful of butter in a saucepan on the fire; when it is melted add a dessert-spoonful of flour, cook for a minute without coloring, add three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, a quarter teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper, remove it from the fire. stir in the half cupful of fish pulp and one beaten egg; color it a delicate pink with a few drops of cochineal, beat the whole until light, and spread the cutlets of fish with this mixture one quarter inch thick; smooth it carefully on top and sides with a wet knife. place the pieces in a pan, cover, set it into another pan containing hot water, and let steam in the oven for ten or fifteen minutes. range the pieces standing on end around a socle of rice or hominy (see page ); mask the top of the socle with prawns, or with parsley, or with water cresses, and a few pink roses or pink carnations. serve with hollandaise sauce, colored green or pink. the pink cutlets may be garnished with capers, or with a thin slice of pickle cut into fancy shape with cutter. [illustration: fish steaks sautÉd or boiled, garnished with potato balls, water-cress, and lemon.] [illustration: creamed fish in shells.] =rolled fillets of flounder= select flounders of uniform size, and large enough to make two strips about two and a half inches wide on each side, each fish giving four fillets. marinate them, or else dredge with salt and pepper, and dip into butter. roll them, beginning at the broad end, and fasten with a wooden tooth-pick. egg and bread-crumb them, and fry in hot fat for seven minutes. fry only four at a time, that the fat may not be too much cooled when they go in. remove the skewer carefully, and serve with rémoulade, tartare, or tomato sauce. [illustration: turbans, or rolled fillets of fish. (see page .)] =shad= shad may be broiled, and spread with maître d'hôtel sauce; stuffed and baked, and served with brown sauce; or it may be boiled and served with hollandaise, béchamel, or egg sauce. =planked shad= have a hardwood board one and a half or two inches thick. split the shad as for broiling, place it on the board with the skin side down, and fasten with a few tacks; place the board before the fire, and roast until done; rub it from time to time with a little butter. the plank should be well-seasoned, and be heated before placing the shad on it, or it will impart the flavor of the wood to the fish. a substitute for this mode of cooking is to put into a baking-pan a tablespoonful of drippings; when very hot lay in the shad with the skin side up, place it under the coals, and when the skin is puffed and blistered it is done. turn it onto a hot dish, dredge with salt and pepper, cover with bits of butter, and serve with quarters of lemon. =broiled shad roe= wash and dry the roe with care not to break the skin, place it on a well greased broiler, and rub it with butter once or twice during the time of broiling; cook to a nice brown, place it on a hot dish, and cover with a maître d'hôtel sauce. garnish the dish with a wreath of water cresses. this makes a good fish course for luncheon. shad roe may also be cooked in a sauté-pan, using one half butter and one half drippings or lard. =shad roe croquettes, no. = put the roes from two fishes into boiling salted water, and simmer for fifteen minutes; when cool, remove the skin, and mash them with a fork, so the little eggs will be separated but not broken: scald one cupful of cream or milk, and stir into it one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed together. take the paste on a spoon, and stir it in the cream until dissolved. remove from the fire, and add the beaten yolks of two eggs and the seasoning--one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, juice of one half a lemon, dash of nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste. place again on the fire, and stir until the sauce is thickened; then add the mashed shad roe, pour the mixture on a dish, and set away to cool for several hours. form it into small croquettes, egg and bread-crumb them, using crumbs grated from the loaf; fry in hot fat until an amber color. dress on a folded napkin, garnish with parsley, and serve with mayonnaise, tartare, or béarnaise sauce. =shad roe croquettes, no. = put shad roes into salted boiling water, and simmer for fifteen minutes; remove with care not to break the skin, and place in cold water; when cold, dry them, and with a sharp knife cut them into pieces two inches thick; dredge them with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, dip them in beaten egg, roll in grated white bread crumbs, place in a wire basket, and fry in hot fat. dress on a napkin, and serve with tartare or béarnaise sauce. =salt mackerel= soak the mackerel for twelve hours or more, with the skin side up, and change the water several times. simmer it for fifteen or twenty minutes; and, if convenient, have in the water one teaspoonful of vinegar, one bay-leaf, one slice of onion, and a sprig of parsley. when tender, place carefully on a hot dish, and pour over it a cream sauce; or the soaked fish may be broiled, and spread with butter, pepper, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. =creamed mackerel= soak the mackerel for twenty-four hours, then lay it in a shallow stew-pan, and cover with milk or cream. simmer for fifteen minutes. remove the fish carefully, and place it on a hot dish. add to the milk or cream in the stew-pan one tablespoonful each of butter and flour rubbed together. stir until a little thickened, and the flour cooked; add a little pepper and chopped parsley, and pour the sauce over the fish. =salt codfish= soak the codfish several hours, changing the water three times. simmer it for minutes or until it is tender. take out carefully all the bones. make a white sauce of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and one cupful of milk; add to it, off the fire, two beaten yolks. return to the fire, and stir in one cupful of shredded codfish. taste to see if it needs seasoning with salt and pepper. serve it on slices of toast, or place it in center of dish, and surround it with triangular croûtons. =club house fish balls= boil the quantity of codfish that will be needed, changing the water once, that it may not be too salt. while the fish is hot, pick it very fine, so that it is feathery; it cannot be done fine enough with a fork, and should be picked by hand. at the same time have hot boiled potatoes ready. mash them thoroughly, and make them creamy with milk and a good-sized lump of butter. to three cupfuls of the mashed potatoes take one and one half cupfuls of fish. the fish should not be packed down. beat one egg lightly, and stir into the other ingredients; season to taste. beat the mixture well together and until light, then mold it into small balls, handling lightly, and before frying, roll the balls in flour. fry them in smoking hot fat until a golden color.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] this mixture can be spread on a pan, then marked into squares, and baked in the oven. this method makes it a more wholesome dish for those who are unable to eat fried preparations.--m. r. =broiled sardines on toast= drain sardines from the can. lay them on a broiler over hot coals for two minutes on each side. have ready hot toast cut the right size to hold three of the fish. arrange them neatly on the toast, and moisten with a little heated oil from the can. =fresh fish balls= to one cupful of flaked boiled fish add a cream sauce made of one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, and one half cupful of milk. let the sauce be very stiff, so it leaves the sides of the pan; mix it well with the fish, and when hot add two beaten eggs, pepper, and salt. drop the mixture, which should be like thick batter, from a spoon into very hot fat. it will puff, and be very light. =salmon= put salmon into hot water to preserve its color, and simmer in acidulated water or in court bouillon, as is the rule for all fish. the middle cuts are preferable where a small quantity only is needed. the head piece makes a pretty cut, but is not profitable to buy, as the head adds materially to the weight. where a large fish is to be used for a supper or cold dish, it may be cut in halves or sections (see page ) if too large for the fish kettle. cold salmon can be elaborately garnished with aspic, colored mayonnaise, shrimps, gherkins, capers, etc. =canned salmon= the canned salmon is very good, and makes a palatable emergency dish. it can be prepared quickly, as the fish is already cooked. it may be broiled, and spread with maître d'hôtel butter, or it can be served on toast with cream dressing; or a white sauce can be made, and the fish put in it to heat; or the fish may be heated in water, and served as cutlets with béarnaise sauce. =salmon cutlets= prepare salmon cutlets the same as boiled halibut steaks (page ), or cut them in half heart or chop shapes, roll them in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in hot fat. arrange them in a circle overlapping one another, and serve with béarnaise, hollandaise or tartare sauce. =broiled slices of salmon= marinate the slices for one hour. broil on both sides; baste with butter, so that they will not brown. place them on a hot dish, and sprinkle with salt, pepper, lemon juice, and chopped parsley. serve with them a béarnaise sauce or quarters of lemon. =slices of salmon with mayonnaise= simmer two slices of salmon in court bouillon until done; remove carefully so as not to break them. when perfectly cold cover one side of them with a smooth layer of mayonnaise made with jelly (see page ), and colored a delicate green. arrange a row of sliced gherkins or of capers around the edge. place a wedge-shaped socle of bread in the middle of a dish, and fasten it to the dish with white of egg, so that it will be firm; rest the slices against it; conceal the side of socle with garnish of fresh lettuce leaves. place a bunch of parsley or water-cress or if convenient a bouquet of nasturtium blossoms, in the hollow center of the fish. use hard-boiled eggs cut in halves for further garnishing. this makes a handsome supper dish for card or theater party. it should be kept in a cool place until ready to serve. =fillets of salmon for green luncheon= cut salmon into pieces three quarters of an inch thick and two and a half inches square, trim them carefully, and flatten with heavy knife so they will be uniform. lay them in a baking-pan so they do not touch, cover them with salted water, and simmer them in the oven for about twenty minutes, or until well cooked, but still firm. take them out carefully, skin and dry them, and when cold marinate them. make a jelly mayonnaise (see page ), using a little tarragon vinegar; color it green; cover the fillets with the green mayonnaise while it is soft enough to become perfectly smooth, and set them away in a cool, dry place. when ready to serve place the fillets on the top of a socle made of hominy, and ornamented on the sides with green beans and balls of carrot, or green peas (see illustration page ). arrange a macédoine of vegetables (see page ) around the base of the socle. serve with it a mayonnaise dressing. one pound of salmon will cut into nine cutlets. =croustade of shrimps= make a sauce the same as for lobster filling (see page ), and substitute potted shrimp meat for the lobster. serve in croustades of rice. this is a good luncheon dish, and easily prepared. shell-fish, lobsters, crabs =oysters= oysters are out of season during the months of may, june, july, and august. the rule is to use oysters only in the months that have the letter r in the name. [sidenote: how to serve on half-shell.] when served raw, the small varieties are the best. they are left on the deep half of the shell. six are allowed for each person. they should be arranged regularly on the plate around a little ice broken fine, the valve side toward the center of plate, and in the center of the circle a quarter of a lemon. a few sprigs of parsley or cress under the lemon makes a pretty garnish. black and red pepper are served with raw oysters, and also very thin slices of buttered brown bread. [sidenote: precaution.] oysters served raw should be very fresh. it is therefore not desirable to use them in this way when one lives inland. to prevent the chance of any bits of shell getting into oyster dishes, they should be washed; each oyster being taken on a fork and dipped into water. as they are largely composed of water, this will not injure their flavor. the juice should be strained through a coarse sieve. cracker crumbs are better than bread crumbs for mixing with oysters. [sidenote: cooking.] oysters require very little cooking. they are put over the fire in their own liquor, and removed the moment they are plump or the gills are curled. more cooking than this makes them tough. =fried oysters= drain the oysters. roll each one first in cracker crumbs, then in egg mixed with a little milk, and seasoned with pepper and salt, then again in the cracker crumbs. use first the crumbs, as the egg will not otherwise adhere well to the oyster. place them in a wire basket, and immerse in smoking hot fat. as soon as they assume a light-amber color drain, and serve immediately. oysters should not be fried until the moment of serving, for they are quickly cooked and it is essential to have them hot. pickles, chow-chow, horse-radish, cold-slaw, or celery salad are served with fried oysters, and may be used as a garnish or be served separately. =oysters À la villeroi= prepare a _villeroi_ sauce (see page ). heat the oysters in their own liquor until plump, then remove and wipe them dry. place them on a pan turned bottom side up, leaving a space around each one. with a spoon cover each oyster with the thick sauce, and set them away for several hours to cool and harden; then trim them to good shape. take one at a time on a broad knife or spatula, and, holding it over a dish containing beaten egg, coat it well with egg; then cover it with fresh bread crumbs and draw the coating around the whole oyster. place the rolled oysters in a wire basket, and immerse in hot fat until an amber color. dress them on a folded napkin, and serve with a béchamel sauce, or with the same sauce with which they are coated, diluted with stock or oyster juice. a little chopped truffle and mushrooms improve the sauce. =broiled oysters= dry the oysters. heat the broiler well, and grease it by rubbing it with a slice of salt pork or with suet. dip the oysters into melted butter, or into oil, and lay them on the broiler. broil them on both sides for a few minutes over bright coals. have ready some toast cut into uniform shapes and moistened with oyster juice. on each croûton place three or four oysters, and pour over them a little melted maître d'hôtel sauce. =panned oysters= heat a baking-pan very hot. put into it a tablespoonful of butter; then the oysters, which have been well drained. let them cook in hot oven until browned. have ready some toast cut into even pieces; soften them with some liquor from the pan; place three or four oysters on each piece, and pour over them the liquor from the pan, which should be reduced if too watery. sprinkle with a little parsley chopped very fine. =roasted oysters= wash the shells well with a brush and cold water. place them in a pan with the deep half of shell down. put them into a hot oven, and bake until the shell opens. remove the top shell carefully so as not to lose the liquor. arrange them on plates, and on each oyster place a piece of butter and a little pepper and salt. if roasted too long the oysters will be tough. =oysters À la poulette= oysters. cupful of oyster juice. cupful of milk or cream. yolks of eggs. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. scant teaspoonful of salt. saltspoonful of pepper. dash of cayenne pepper. dash of nutmeg. scald the oysters in their liquor until plump. put into a saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter; when melted stir in carefully the flour, and cook, but not brown. stir in slowly the oyster juice; when perfectly smooth add the milk or cream and the seasoning. take it off the fire, and when a little cooled stir in the beaten yolks. place again on the fire, and stir until thickened; then pour it over the oysters on a hot dish. place a border of triangular-shaped croûtons around the dish, and serve at once. do not add the cream and eggs to the sauce until time to serve, so that there may be no delay, as this dish is not good unless hot, and if kept standing the sauce will curdle. the sauce should be of the consistency of cream. =scalloped oysters= place in a shallow baking-dish a layer of oysters; over this spread a layer of bread or cracker crumbs; sprinkle it with salt, pepper, and bits of butter; alternate the layers until the dish is full, having crumbs on top, well dotted with bits of butter. pour over the whole enough oyster juice to moisten it. bake in a hot oven fifteen or twenty minutes, or until browned; serve it in the same dish in which it is baked. individual scallop-cups or shells may also be used, enough for one person being placed in each cup. =oyster filling for patties= for one dozen oysters, tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. cupful of milk or cream. yolks of eggs. dash of cayenne. dash of mace. scald the oysters in their liquor; drain and cut each one into four pieces with a silver knife. put the butter into a saucepan, and when melted add the flour; cook, but not brown; then add the milk or cream, and stir until smooth; add the seasoning, and remove from the fire. when a little cooled add the beaten yolks, stirring vigorously; place again on the fire, and stir until thickened; then add the pieces of oysters. the filling should be soft and creamy, and the patty cases should be heated before the filling is put in. this mixture is improved by using an equal quantity of oysters and mushrooms, either fresh or canned, and should be highly seasoned. it may be served in bread-boxes (see page ), or in crusts prepared by removing the crumb from rolls, then browning them in the oven. minced oysters and clams in equal parts, with some of their juice used in making the sauce, also make a good filling. the same mixture may be made into croquettes, in which case two tablespoonfuls of flour instead of one are used, also a few more oysters, and the sauce is allowed to become thicker (see croquettes, page ). =clams= clams are served raw on the half shell during the months that oysters are out of season. little neck clams are best for this purpose, and the smaller they are the better. the manner of serving them is the same as for raw oysters. as many as ten or twelve are allowed for each person. to open clams to remove clams from the shells when wanted for cooking, wash the shells well with a brush and clear water. place them in a saucepan or pot with a very little hot water; cover the pot, and let them steam until the shells open; strain the liquor through a fine cloth, or let it cool and settle; then pour it off carefully in order to free it from sand the shells may have contained. =creamed clams= scald the clams in their own liquor. if opened by steaming, they are sufficiently cooked. chop them into fine dice and measure. to each cupful of chopped clams add one cupful of thick cream sauce. for one cupful of sauce put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter; when melted, stir in one tablespoonful of flour; cook, but not brown it; then add slowly one half cupful of clam liquor and one half cupful of milk or cream; season with pepper, and salt if necessary. let it cook until a smooth, thick cream, stirring all the time; add the clams only just before serving. pour the mixture over small pieces of toast laid on the bottom of the dish. =roasted clams= clams are roasted in the same manner as oysters (see page ). =clam fritters= mix chopped clams with fritter batter (see page ), using clam liquor instead of water in making the batter, and have the batter quite thick. drop the mixture from a tablespoon into hot fat, and fry until an amber color. =scallops= scallops are dried with a napkin, then rolled in cracker dust, then in egg and crumbs, and immersed in hot fat for a minute, or just long enough to take a light color. mix salt and pepper with the crumbs. =lobsters= lobsters are in season from march to november. they are in the market all the year, but during the off months they are light and stringy. their size increases with their age; therefore a small, heavy lobster is better than a large one. they are unwholesome if boiled after they are dead. if bought already boiled, their freshness may be judged by the tail, which should be curled and springy. if it is not curled up, or will not spring back when straightened, the lobster was dead when boiled, and should be rejected. lobsters may be killed just before being boiled by running a pointed knife into the back through the joint between the body and tail shells. to boil a lobster have in a kettle enough water to entirely cover the lobster. before it becomes very hot take the lobster by the back and put it into the warm water head first. this smothers instead of scalding it to death, and seems the most merciful way of killing it. a lobster treated in this way does not change position, and seems to have been killed instantly. cover the pot. when it boils, add one tablespoonful of salt, and boil for thirty minutes. it will be tough and stringy if cooked longer. to open a lobster after the lobster is cold, break apart the tail and body; twist off the claws; remove the body from the shell; shake out the green, fatty substance and the coral, and save them to mix with the meat. remove the stomach, which lies directly under the head, and is called the "lady"; remove also the woolly gills; break open the body, and take out the small pieces of meat which lie under the gills; break open the claws and remove the meat. with scissors or a knife cut the bony membrane on the inside of the tail; remove the meat in one piece, and open it to remove the intestine, which runs the entire length of the tail-piece. the intestine is sometimes without color. to broil a lobster with a sharp knife cut quickly down the back, following a line which runs down the middle of the shell. the fishman will ordinarily do this, and it is as quick and merciful as any way of killing. the lobster may be killed, if preferred, by running a knife into the back as directed above, and then opened with a heavy knife and mallet. remove the stomach, or lady, and the intestine. lay the two pieces on the broiler, with the shell part down, and broil over a moderate fire for thirty minutes or longer. spread a little butter over it when half done, to keep it moist; spread butter, salt, and pepper over it when done; open the claws with a nut-cracker or mallet, and serve immediately. to bake a lobster split the lobster open in the same way as for broiling. remove the stomach, or lady, and the intestine; lay the two pieces in a baking-pan; spread over the top of each salt, pepper and butter, and sprinkle with bread crumbs; bake about forty minutes in a hot oven; during the baking baste it twice by pouring over it a little melted butter. baked and broiled lobsters are considered a great delicacy. =lobster farci= cupfuls of boiled lobster meat. cupful of milk or cream. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of flour. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. tablespoonful of salt. tablespoonful chopped parsley. / nutmeg. dash of cayenne pepper or of paprica. put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter; when it bubbles add one tablespoonful of flour; cook, but not brown; add one cupful of milk slowly, and stir until smooth; then remove it from the fire; add the salt, the pepper, the parsley, the yolks mashed fine, and lastly the lobster meat cut into pieces one half inch square. (use a silver knife to cut lobster.) be careful, in mixing, not to break the meat. have the shell from which the meat was taken carefully washed and dried, leaving on the head; cut out neatly the inside shell of the tail-piece, and fit the two parts of the shell together. as the shell contracts in cooking, it is well to trim off a little from the sides of the body shell in order to leave an opening wide enough to admit a spoon in serving. put the meat mixture into the shell. cover the top with the bread crumbs, which have been moistened with one tablespoonful of butter. place it in the oven for a few minutes to brown. if the meat of two lobsters is used, the shells of both may be used, or the two tail-shells may be fitted into one body shell, which will then hold all the meat. [illustration: lobster farci.] =lobster chops= the mixture for chops is prepared in the same manner as for farci, except that the meat is cut a little finer. after it is mixed with the white sauce, spread it on a platter to cool; when sufficiently cold, mold into the form of chops. then dip in egg, roll in fresh bread crumbs (see croquettes, page ), and immerse in hot fat until fried to an amber color. the chops will mold better if the mixture is left for some time to harden. the chops may also stand for some hours before being cooked. tin forms are made for molding chops, but they are easily shaped without them if the mixture has stood long enough to stiffen. after they are fried, make a little opening in the pointed end, and insert a small claw. serve the chops on a napkin, and garnish with lemon and parsley. [illustration: lobster chops, served standing.] [illustration: lobster chops.] =lobster À la newburg= one and a half cupfuls of boiled lobster meat cut into pieces one inch square. tablespoonful of butter. / cup of madeira or sherry. cupful of cream. yolk of two eggs. truffle chopped. / teaspoonful of salt. dash of cayenne or paprica. put the butter in a saucepan; when it has melted add the lobster meat, the chopped truffle, the salt, and the pepper; cover and let simmer for five minutes; then add the wine, and cook three minutes longer. have ready two yolks and one cupful of cream well beaten together; add this to the lobster, shake the saucepan until the mixture is thickened, and serve immediately. this dish will not keep without curdling, and should not be put together until just in time to serve. the lobster may be prepared and kept hot. the rest of the cooking, from the time the wine goes in, requires but five minutes, so the time can be easily calculated. if the mixture is stirred the meat will be broken; shaking the pan mixes it sufficiently. this is a very good dish, and easily prepared; but it will not be right unless served as soon as it is cooked. the quantity given is enough for six people. crab meat may be used in the same way. =lobster stew= put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of chopped onion. before it takes color add one tablespoonful of flour, and cook, but not brown. then add slowly one cupful of water in which the lobster was boiled, one cupful of milk, and one cupful of good stock. add the lobster meat, and when it has become thoroughly hot remove the meat and place it on the dish on which it is to be served, arranging it in the shape of a lobster as far as possible. cut the tail-piece into thick slices, without changing its position. season the sauce with salt, pepper and cayenne, and pour it over the meat. place around the edges triangular croûtons, and garnish with head, small claws, and tail. =lobster filling for patties= cupful of lobster meat cut into dice. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. cupful of milk. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. dash of cayenne. yolks. put the butter into a saucepan; when melted add the flour, and cook a few minutes, but not brown; add slowly the milk or cream, and stir until perfectly smooth. to this white sauce add the two yolks beaten, and stir them in off the fire; then add the meat, season, and replace on the fire until sufficiently thickened. mix carefully with a wooden spoon, so as not to break the meat. the filling should be very creamy. the salpicon given below may be used for filling, if preferred. =salpicon of lobster= tablespoonful of lobster meat cut into dice. mushrooms. truffle. tablespoonful of butter. teaspoonful of flour. / cupful of white stock. / cupful of cream. salt and cayenne. put one level tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan, and when melted add one level tablespoonful of flour; cook, but not brown; add slowly the stock, and stir until perfectly smooth; then add the cream; after it begins to thicken add the lobster meat, the chopped truffle, and the mushrooms cut into dice. season highly with salt and cayenne or paprica. let simmer for five minutes. this must be creamy, but not too soft. it can be served as filling for patties or potato croustades, or may be served in paper boxes. this amount makes about a cupful of salpicon, which is enough for six patties. =crabs= crabs are in season during the months of may, june, july, and august. they may be had at other times, but are then light and stringy. soft-shell crabs are best in july and august. like lobsters, crabs must be bought while alive, and boiled in the same way. put them head first into hot water. after five minutes add one tablespoonful of salt, and boil for thirty minutes. when cold remove the shells, the stomach, which is just under the head, the gills, and the intestine. take out the meat carefully. =deviled crabs= crabs. cupful of cream or milk. - / tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of flour. tablespoonful chopped parsley. teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful paprica or dash of cayenne. / teaspoonful of lemon juice. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. to obtain enough meat to fill nine shells, use twelve crabs. after they are boiled remove the meat with care, breaking it as little as possible. put into a double boiler the cream; when it is scalded add to it the flour and butter, which have been rubbed together; stir until smooth and thickened; then add the mashed yolks, the seasoning, and the crab meat. mix well together, and taste to see if more seasoning is needed. deviled crabs need to be highly seasoned. a little mustard may be used, if desired. have the shells carefully washed and dried, and fill them with the mixture, rounding it well on top, and pressing it close to the edges of the shells, so that in frying none of the fat may enter. smooth the top, and let stand until cold. beat one egg with one tablespoonful of water, and, holding a shell over this, baste it with the egg, letting it run over the whole top, including the shell; then sprinkle with white bread crumbs. put two at a time into a frying-basket, and immerse in very hot fat. it will take but a minute to color them. they may be browned in the oven, if preferred, in which case the egging is omitted, and a few pieces of butter are placed on top of the crumbs. =stuffed crabs with mushrooms= meat of crabs. mushrooms cut into dice the same quantity as of the crab meat. cupful of cream or milk. slice of onion. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of paprica, or dash of cayenne. / teaspoonful of lemon juice. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter, and one slice of onion chopped fine; before it becomes brown, add one tablespoonful of flour; cook, but not brown; and add slowly one cupful of milk or cream. stir until smooth and thickened; then add the mashed yolks, the seasoning, the crab meat, and the chopped mushrooms. this mixture should not be very soft. fill the shells with it, and finish the same as deviled crabs. =soft-shell crabs= wash the crabs carefully; lift up the flap, and remove the sand-bag (stomach), gills, and intestine; dry them well, and dredge with salt and pepper. roll in flour, and sauté them in butter. have a generous amount of butter in the frying-pan, and sauté them on both sides; when done place them on a hot dish. to the butter in the frying-pan add a little lemon juice. strain this over the crabs, and sprinkle them with parsley chopped very fine. soft-shell crabs may also be fried, in which case they are first dipped in milk, then covered with fine bread-crumbs, and immersed in hot fat. they may also be broiled over a slow fire, and when done covered with maître d'hôtel sauce. the preferable way of cooking them is by the method first given. =oyster-crabs= after they are carefully washed and dried, dip them in milk, then roll them in flour, and fry them for one minute in hot fat. serve them on a hot napkin with quarters of lemon, or they may be served in fontage cups, or in paper boxes, or in shells. (see also oyster-crabs, page .) =crabs st. laurent= cupful of boiled crab meat ( crabs). tablespoonfuls grated parmesan cheese. tablespoonfuls white wine. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. / cupful stock. / cupful cream or milk. / teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful pepper. dash of cayenne. put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter; when melted add the flour; cook, but not brown; add slowly the stock, and stir until perfectly smooth; then add the cream, and when thickened, add the salt and pepper, then the crab meat and the cheese; simmer for a few minutes, and add the wine; spread this mixture over pieces of buttered toast cut in squares or circles; sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and place on each piece a small bit of butter; set in the oven for three minutes; serve very hot on a napkin garnished with parsley. this dish may be prepared in a chafing-dish, in which case the mixture must be placed on the toast and served directly from the chafing-dish. boiled halibut may be substituted for the crab meat. =crab stew= / dozen crabs. quart milk. yolks of eggs boiled hard. / lemon. nutmeg. tablespoonfuls butter. tablespoonful flour. dessert spoonful mustard. / teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful red pepper. mash the hard-boiled yolks fine, and rub into them the butter, flour and mustard. put the milk into a double boiler; when it is scalded stir in the mixture of egg, etc.; season, and just before serving stir in the crab meat, and add one cupful of sherry. place in bottom of a deep dish a few thin slices of lemon and turn the stew over them. chapter iv meats [sidenote: slow cooking.] long, slow cooking breaks down the fiber of meat, and so makes it more tender. whatever method of cooking is employed, this fact should be remembered. many of the tough pieces are the most nutritious ones, and can by slow cooking be made as acceptable as the more expensive cuts. [sidenote: juices.] in order to shut in the juices, meat should at first be subjected to a high degree of heat for a short time. a crust or case will then be formed on the outside by the coagulation of the albumen, after which the heat should be lowered, and the cooking proceed slowly. the same rule holds for baking, where the oven must be very hot for the first few minutes only; for boiling, where the water must be boiling and covered for a time, and then placed where it will simmer only; for broiling, where the meat must be placed close to the coals at first, then held farther away. tough meats are better boiled, because a lower degree of heat can be maintained and slower cooking insured. [sidenote: degree of cooking.] dark meats should be served underdone or red; the white meats thoroughly cooked, but not dried. [sidenote: dry meats.] dry meats are improved by being larded. [sidenote: cleaning.] clean meat by wiping it with a wet cloth, but do not put it in water. [sidenote: seasoning.] salt and pepper draw out the juices; therefore do not put them on meat before cooking, or until after the meat is seared, unless the meat is to be covered at once with egg and crumbs, or with flour. do not pierce the meat with a fork while cooking, as it makes an outlet for the juices. if necessary to turn it, use two spoons. =to roast beef= time for cooking rib roast rare eight to ten minutes per pound; time for cooking rolled roast rare, ten to twelve minutes per pound. to roast beef on a spit before the fire is unquestionably the best method of cooking it; but as few kitchens are equipped for roasting meats, baking them in the oven is generally practised, and has come to be called roasting. beef should be well streaked with fat, and have a bright-red color. place the meat to be baked on a rack which will raise it a little above the bottom of the pan. dredge the whole, top and sides, with flour. place in a corner of the pan a half teaspoonful of salt and a quarter teaspoonful of pepper. do not let them touch the raw meat, as they draw out the juices. put into the pan also two tablespoonfuls of drippings. place it in a very hot oven for fifteen or twenty minutes, or until the meat is browned; then shut off the drafts and lower the temperature of the oven, and cook slowly until done; baste frequently; do not put water in the pan, as it makes steam, and prevents browning. a roast has a better appearance if the ribs are not too long. they may be cut off and reserved for the soup pot, or broken and doubled under. serve it standing on the ribs, and cut the slices in line with the ribs. for a rolled roast, remove the bones, roll it, and tie securely into good shape; when cooked, cut the cords and run through a fancy skewer holding at the head a slice of lemon or piece of carrot cut into ornamental shape. this piece of beef stands on the dish like a cylinder, and should be cut across horizontally. if the beef is cooked as directed it will have one quarter of an inch of seared meat; the rest will be of a uniform red color all through. if cooked in too hot an oven the center will be raw, while an inch or two of the outside will be much overdone, hard, and tasteless. (see illustration facing page .) [illustration: rolled rib roast of beef garnished with potatoes roasted in same dish with the beef. fancy skewer garnished with slices of turnip and carrot, run into the side to hold it together. (see page .)] =yorkshire pudding= put two cupfuls of flour into a bowl, and mix in one half a teaspoonful of salt. beat up three eggs, and stir them into the flour; then add two cupfuls of milk. stir until the mixture is smooth, then turn it into a pan containing a little of the drippings from the roast beef. let the batter be only one inch deep in the pan. bake thirty to forty minutes. cut the pudding in squares, and place it around the roast beef. =round of beef= ten to twelve minutes per pound. the cut from the upper side of the round is a good roasting piece. it should be cooked very slowly after it is browned in order to make it tender. the under side of the round should be cooked _à la mode_, or braised. =braised beef= take one half cupful of salt pork, one half cupful each of carrot, turnip, onion, and celery, all cut into dice. mix them together and spread them on a baking pan, reserving one half cupful for the top of the meat. on the bed of vegetables place a piece of beef cut from the upper or under side of the round, weighing five or six pounds. dredge it with flour. place it in hot oven to brown for twenty to twenty-five minutes. then add two cupfuls of stock or water; a bouquet of herbs, consisting of parsley, six peppercorns, three cloves, one bay-leaf; spread the one half cupful of vegetables over the meat; add a half teaspoonful of salt to the pan, cover it closely with another pan, reduce the heat of the oven, and cook very slowly for four or five hours. double pans are made which are especially good for braising, where the steam should be confined as much as possible, and the basting is done automatically. these pans should not be used for baking meats. if very close fitting pans are not used, the water must be renewed when necessary, and basting done frequently. the success of this dish depends upon slow cooking. strain the sauce from the pan, season with salt and pepper; pour a little of the sauce over the meat; serve the rest in a sauce-boat. it is very like a spanish sauce. the vegetables may be served around the meat if desired. this way of cooking can be done in a pot if more convenient, and is then called a pot roast. =beef À la mode= use six or seven pounds of the upper round of beef for this dish. (it is very good cold when properly cooked.) the success depends upon very slow cooking. the vegetables give it a distinctive flavor. make several deep incisions into the meat with a thin, sharp knife, or with a steel. press into them lardoons of salt pork about half an inch square, and two or three inches long. this is called daubing, and the butcher will ordinarily do it if requested. put trimmings of pork, or two tablespoonfuls of drippings, into the bottom of a large iron pot. when it is hot, put in the meat, and brown it on all sides by turning it to the bottom of the pot. this will take about half an hour. next dredge it with flour, and brown that also. then put a small plate under the beef to lift it a little off the bottom of the pot, and prevent its burning. fill the pot with enough boiling water to half cover the meat. add a half cupful each of sliced onions, carrots, and turnips, and a sprig of parsley. cover the pot very tight, so the meat will cook in steam; and simmer it for four or five hours. add more boiling water when necessary. when the meat is done, place it on a hot dish. place some of the vegetables around and over it. make a gravy as follows: put into a saucepan a tablespoonful of butter; when it bubbles, add a tablespoonful of flour, and stir until it is browned; then add a cupful of liquor strained from the pot in which the beef was cooked. if there is not a cupful of liquor in the pot, add enough hot water to make that quantity. season with pepper and salt. this will resemble a spanish sauce. it can be poured over the meat, or served separately. =bouilli= this dish is prepared usually from the meat used in making soup. take a piece from the lower side of round; trim, and tie it into good shape; place it in the soup pot with cold water, allowing one quart of water to each pound of meat. let it come slowly to the boiling point, and then let it simmer for four hours. after it has cooked two hours add a whole carrot, onion, and turnip, parsley, celery, six peppercorns, three cloves, one teaspoonful of salt. the meat will be tender if cooked very slowly, and not allowed to boil; but having been put into cold water, its juices will be extracted. therefore the water is used as soup, and the meat will depend on a good sauce for flavor. any rich brown sauce will do. tomato or horseradish sauce is recommended. cut the vegetables into fancy shapes with cutters, or into dice, and place them on the dish around the meat. =fillet of beef= time, thirty minutes in hot oven. the fillet is the tenderloin of beef, and is taken from the underside of the sirloin cut. remove, taking care not to make the meat ragged, the sinewy skin and the muscle from the top, and most of the fat from the other side. fold the thin end under, trim it into good shape. lard it plentifully, letting the whole upper surface be perforated with fine lardoons. place in a small baking pan thin slices of larding pork, over the pork place a layer of chopped onion, carrot, turnip and celery; lay the tenderloin on top. pour in the pan a cupful of stock, add one half teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and a bouquet of parsley, one bay-leaf, and two cloves. bake in a hot oven for thirty minutes, and baste frequently. the fillet should be rare. remove it when done; strain off the gravy, and skim off the grease. put into the same pan a tablespoonful each of butter and of flour; stir until they are browned; then add slowly the gravy strained from the pan; if not enough to give a cupful, add enough stock to make that measure. stir until it boils; then add a canful of mushrooms (which have been drained), and let them simmer for five minutes; not longer, or the mushrooms will harden. taste to see if the seasoning is right. add a half teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet to make it brown. the sauce should be of the consistency of cream. a half cupful of madeira or of sherry may be used in place of the mushrooms if preferred. spread the sauce on the serving dish, and lay the fillet on it. arrange the mushrooms top side up, evenly around the fillet. in carving cut the fillet diagonally, instead of straight across; and put a little gravy in the center of each slice. the time for cooking is always thirty minutes, for the weight is in the length, and not in the thickness of the meat. =how to buy a fillet= a profitable way to obtain a fillet is to buy a large cut of the sirloin, remove the tenderloin, and have the top cut into two or more roasting pieces. beef will keep for some time, and the butcher will hold it until called for. in this way it will cost twenty-two to twenty-five cents per pound, while, if bought by itself, it would be from eighty cents to one dollar per pound. for a moderate sized family it may seem too much beef to buy at one time; but it is the one kind of meat that can be served very often, and there is no waste. it is good hot or cold, warmed over or hashed. the suet is the best fat for frying purposes, and the bones make good soup. part of the sirloin piece can be cut into steaks, and one of the roasting pieces rolled to give variety. the flank can be made into hamburg steaks, or into soup. if judiciously cut there will be little left over to cook again. =cold roast beef= roasted and braised beef are both quite as good cold as hot, and in summer are sometimes preferable cold. serve with cold beef a vegetable salad when it is used for dinner. make the salad of string beans, asparagus, or a macédoine of vegetables. for a supper dish, the rolled rib roast can be made very attractive by garnishing it with aspic jelly cut into fancy forms. place a large star of the jelly on top, and small timbale forms of jellied vegetables, and broken jelly on the dish around the meat; or a simpler garnishing can be made with lettuce leaves, tomatoes stuffed with mayonnaise, or celery, etc. use lettuce with any of the salads. have a fancy skewer stuck in the side. =scalloped meat= spread in a baking dish alternate layers of bread-crumbs, meat chopped very fine, a sprinkling of chopped parsley and onion, pepper and salt. when the dish is nearly full, pour over enough white sauce to moisten it well; cover with crumbs and bits of butter. set in oven until browned. soup stock or tomatoes may also be used for moistening a scallop. if uncooked meat is used, it will require longer cooking (one hour in slow oven), and more liquid used, so that it will not get too dry. the coarse ends of steak can be utilized in this way. a scallop made of raw meat and tomatoes makes a good luncheon dish. =hamburg steaks= chop one pound of lean raw meat very fine, remove all the fiber possible. to the mince add / tablespoonful of onion juice. / teaspoonful salt. / teaspoonful pepper. dash of nutmeg. egg. form it into small balls, and flatten; dredge them with flour, and sauté them in butter. place them on a hot dish, and spread with maître d'hôtel butter; or make a thick brown sauce by adding a tablespoonful of flour to the butter used in the sauté pan. let it brown; then add slowly a little soup stock. season with salt and pepper, and lemon juice, or worcestershire sauce. drop a teaspoonful of sauce on each cake without spreading it. garnish with water-cresses. these steaks can be made from the end pieces of steaks, or from the round. when made for invalids, the best meat is used. they are seasoned only with salt and pepper, and broiled just enough to be thoroughly heated. another way to serve them is to make them the size of english muffins; on the upper side make a depression or hollow, broil or sauté them, and place them on a baking dish; spread them with maître d'hôtel butter, and drop an egg in the hollow top of each one. put them in the oven just long enough to set the white of the egg. place a dash of pepper on the center of the yolk, and serve at once very hot. =beef pie= lay in a pie dish a few thin slices of onion; then a layer of cold cooked beef cut very thin. dredge with a little flour, pepper, and salt; fill the dish with these articles in alternate layers, and add any cold gravy there may be at hand. scald and peel enough tomatoes to cover the top of the dish; have them of uniform size, and place them close together. spread over them some bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and bits of butter. place the dish in the oven, and cook until the tomatoes are tender. mutton or veal may be used in the same way. =warmed-over beef (chafing-dish)= cut the beef into small thin slices, and trim off the fat. put into a stew pan one tablespoonful of butter, and one tablespoonful of flour. when cooked, and a little browned, add slowly one cupful of stock, one teaspoonful each of worcestershire sauce and mushroom catsup. season with salt and pepper to taste. add the slices of beef, and let them become thoroughly hot. then place in the center of a hot dish, and pour the sauce over them. garnish with croûtons, and serve with it farina balls (see page ). tomato catsup may be substituted for the worcestershire sauce. when this dish is to be prepared in a chafing-dish, the sauce may be made beforehand; the heating and mixing only being done over the lamp, and croûtons alone served with it. any kind of meat or fish may be used in this way. =inside flank= take the piece of meat called the inside flank; wipe it clean with a wet cloth; carefully remove the skin and fat and lay it flat on a board; moisten three quarters of a cupful of crumbs with stock; add one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful onion juice or one half onion chopped fine, one tablespoonful chopped parsley. spread this mixture on the meat evenly; then roll and tie it with white twine; turn in the ends to make it even and shapely. cut into dice an onion, turnip, and carrot, and place them in a baking-pan; lay the rolled meat on the bed of vegetables; pour in enough stock or water to cover the pan one inch deep; add a bouquet made of parsley, one bay-leaf and three cloves; cover with another pan, and let cook slowly for four or five hours, basting frequently. it can be done in a pot just as well, and should be covered as tight as possible; when cooked, strain off the vegetables; thicken the gravy with brown roux and serve it with the meat. long, slow cooking is essential to make the meat tender. if cooked too fast it will not be good. a thin steak cut from the round may be cooked the same way, and a little ham chopped fine may be added to the stuffing. the cost of this dish is not more than eighteen to twenty-five cents, and is enough for four or five persons. =ragout of beef= cut two pounds of the upper round of beef into inch squares; dredge them with salt and pepper, and roll them in flour. put into a saucepan some butter and some drippings, or a little suet, and let it try out, using enough only to cover the bottom of the saucepan; when the grease is hot, turn in the pieces of meat, and let them cook until well browned on all sides. watch, and turn them as soon as browned; then draw the meat to one side of the pan, and add a tablespoonful of flour; let the flour brown, and add a cupful of stock or water, and stir until it comes to the boiling-point; then add a teaspoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful of pepper, one half teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet; one carrot cut into blocks, and one tablespoonful of onion; cover the saucepan, and let it simmer (not boil) for an hour. just before serving add two tablespoonfuls of sherry or of madeira. serve a border of rice around the ragout. beefsteak some one has said, "there is as much difference between beefsteaks as between faces; and a man of taste can find as much variety in a dinner at the beefsteak club as at the most plentifully-served table in town." [sidenote: thickness.] [sidenote: sauces.] the difference between a thick and a thin steak is particularly marked--the former seems like an altogether different dish from the latter. some may like their steak well done, but it is not a taste to be commended. a perfect steak should be cut one and a half inches thick, and cooked so that on both sides it has a crust one eighth of an inch thick of browned meat, the rest being an even red color. it should be puffed and elastic from the confined steam of the juices. when the steak is over-cooked the steam and the juices have escaped, leaving the meat dry and tasteless. the three best sauces which are served with steak are first the maître d'hôtel and then the béarnaise and mushroom sauces. tough beefsteaks can be made more tender by pounding them; but a better way is to brush them on both sides with a mixture of one tablespoonful of vinegar and two tablespoonfuls of oil or melted butter. the steak should then stand two or more hours before being cooked. it is the fiber of meat which makes it tough, and this fiber is soluble in acetic acid, which is found in vinegar. broiling under the coals is better than over them when possible, as all smoke is then avoided. =to broil a beefsteak= time: one inch thick, eight minutes; one and a half inches thick, ten minutes. trim a steak into good shape, taking off the end-piece to be used in some other form, as it is not eatable when broiled; take off superfluous fat; make the surface smooth by striking it with the broad blade of knife; heat the broiler very hot. take a piece of the fat, trimmed off the meat, on a fork and grease the broiler well; lay on the steak with the outside or skin edge toward the handle, so the fat may run on the meat. place it close to the hot coals and count ten slowly; turn it and do the same; this is to sear the outside and keep the juices in; then hold it farther from the coals to cook more slowly, and turn it as often as you count ten, counting about as fast as the clock ticks. if turned in this way very little fat will run into the fire, and it also cooks slowly, giving an even color all through. the flame from fat does not injure the meat, but the smoke must be avoided. wrap a napkin around the hand holding the broiler to protect it from the heat. a steak ought not to be less than an inch, but should be one and a half to one and three quarters inches thick. allow eight to ten minutes for cooking according to the thickness. one two inches thick will take fourteen to eighteen minutes. a steak should be rare but not raw, should have a uniform red color, and be full of juice. when done it will be puffed between the wires of broiler, and will offer a little resistance to the touch. if experience does not enable one to judge in this way, remove the broiler to a dish on the table, and make a small clean cut on one side. do not at any time pierce the meat with a fork. sprinkle it with salt and pepper, and spread with maître d'hôtel butter. if the steak has to stand a few minutes before serving, which should be avoided if possible, dredge it at once with salt and pepper, but do not spread with the maître d'hôtel butter until just before sending it to the table. the heat of the meat must melt the butter, and the parsley should look fresh and bright. steak, as well as all broiled articles, should be garnished with slices of lemon and with water-cress. fried potato-balls, straws, puffed, or saratoga potatoes may be served on the same dish. =chateaubriand= the chateaubriand is cut from the center of the fillet; but a good substitute is a tenderloin steak cut two inches thick, the bone removed, and the meat then turned so as to make a circle. flatten it by striking with broad blade of knife or a cleaver. broil slowly as directed above for eighteen minutes. serve with maître d'hôtel butter, mushroom, or olive sauce, placing the mushrooms or olives on top of the steak, the sauce under it. (see illustration facing page .) the chateaubriand may also be roasted or braised. [illustration: a boned tenderloin steak made to imitate a chateaubriand garnished with water-cress and lemon. (see page .)] =mignon fillets= cut slices from the end of the fillet of beef about five eighths of an inch thick. press and trim them into circles; dredge with salt and pepper; sauté them in butter; spread béarnaise sauce on a hot dish, and lay the mignon fillets on it, or lay the fillets on croûtons of the same size as the fillet, and place on top of each one a small spoonful of peas, string-beans, or macédoine of vegetables. =corned beef= put corned beef into cold water; using enough to cover it well; let it come slowly to the boiling-point; then place where it will simmer only; allow thirty minutes or more to each pound. it is improved by adding a few soup vegetables the last hour of cooking. a piece from the round is the best cut, and should have a layer of fat. if cooked very slowly as directed, it will be tender and juicy. if the piece can be used a second time, trim it to good shape; place it again in the water in which it was boiled; let it get heated through; then set aside to cool in the water and under pressure, a plate or deep dish holding a flat-iron being set on top of the meat. the water need not rise above the meat sufficiently to wet the iron. when cooled under pressure the meat is more firm and cuts better into slices. cabbage is usually served with hot corned beef, but should not be boiled with it. the receipt given on page is recommended, and if that method is followed, there will be no odor from the cooking, and the objection to this very good dish will be removed. =corned beef hash= chop cooked corned beef, using some of the fat. do not make it too fine; chop some cold boiled potatoes (not fine); mix the two together in equal proportions; season with salt, pepper, and onion juice, if liked. put a tablespoonful of butter in a frying-pan with as much milk, stock, or hot water as will be required to moisten the hash; add the chopped meat and potatoes; mix them together with care to not mash the potatoes; cover and cook slowly for half an hour, or until a crust has formed on the bottom of the pan; then turn it on to a hot dish, like an omelet. hash should not be like mush, but the meat and potato quite distinct, and as both ingredients have been already cooked they need only to be well heated and incorporated with the seasoning. =hash= unless for brown hash, or corned beef hash, potato is not used. chop the meat to a fine mince. put a tablespoonful of butter into a frying-pan with one slice of onion; remove the onion when cooked, and add one tablespoonful of flour, and let it brown, thus making a brown roux, if the hash is to be made of beef or mutton. do not let it brown if it is to be used for veal or chicken hash. to the brown roux add slowly a cupful of stock or hot water; then a cupful and a half of minced meat; season with salt and pepper; stir until well incorporated, and serve at once on toast. to a white roux add slowly a cupful of milk; then add one and a half cupfuls of veal or chicken chopped fine; season with salt and pepper. cut toast into large circles with a biscuit-cutter. spread them with a thick layer of mince, and on this place a poached egg, neatly trimmed to the same size as the toast. it can be cut with the same cutter, or it may be poached in a muffin-ring (see page ). put a dash of pepper on the center of yolk. garnish with parsley. this makes a very presentable breakfast or luncheon dish. =brown hash= cut lean meat into small dice; cut also cold boiled potatoes into dice of the same size; mix them together, and place in a small baking-pan; dredge with salt and pepper, and dot plentifully with bits of butter. put into hot oven to brown; stir them often so all sides will brown alike, and do not let them become too dry. =marrow-bones= have the bones cut into pieces two or three inches long; scrape and wash them very clean; spread a little thick dough on each end to keep the marrow in; then tie each bone in a piece of cloth and boil them for one hour. remove the cloth and paste, and place each bone on a square of toast; sprinkle with red pepper and serve very hot. or the marrow-bone can be boiled without being cut, the marrow then removed with a spoon and placed on squares of hot toast. serve for luncheon. (see illustration facing page .) [illustration: marrow-bones served on round slices of toast. (see page .)] mutton [sidenote: the cuts and cooking of mutton.] mutton should be hung for some days before being used. the leg may be either boiled or roasted; the saddle always roasted; the shoulder boned, stuffed and roasted; the chops broiled, and the neck stewed. except where it is stewed, mutton should be cooked rare. mrs. brugière recommends pounding the leg of mutton before cooking it. the roasted leg or the saddle are the only forms of mutton permissible to serve at a ceremonious dinner. the strong taste of mutton is in the fat. therefore trim off a part of the fat from the outside, and when baking it in the oven set the joint on a rack in the pan, so it will not cook in the fat. [sidenote: vegetables to serve with mutton.] [sidenote: anecdote of charles lamb.] certain vegetables have by experience been found to go well with certain meats. of these turnips have been established as the accompaniment of mutton. this has been amusingly emphasized by an anecdote told of charles lamb. on an occasion when riding in a stage coach, he was much annoyed by a scotch farmer, who was a fellow passenger, asking him questions about the crops. "and pray, sir," asked the farmer, "how are turnips t' year?" "why," stammered lamb, "that will depend upon the boiled legs of mutton." turnips and carrots cut into dice, boiled separately, then mixed and covered with white sauce, also make a good vegetable dish for boiled mutton. caper sauce is always served with it. another anecdote is given as a suggestion for an expedient in case the mutton is too underdone (boiled mutton should be red, but not black). an english nobleman, on being shown a dutch picture representing a man in a passion with his wife because the mutton was underdone, exclaimed, "what a fool the fellow is not to see that he may have a capital broil." with roasted mutton may be served baked turnips stuffed with seasoned bread-crumbs soaked in cream. it is a russian dish. bananas cut in two, rolled in egg and crumbs, and fried like croquettes, are also recommended for roast mutton. mint sauce and green peas are usually served with spring lamb. =roast leg of mutton= time ten minutes per pound (rare); fifteen minutes per pound (moderately well done). cut the bone short, place in a hot oven for twenty minutes; then add one cupful of hot water; baste frequently. allow ten minutes to the pound for cooking rare. when ready to serve conceal the bone with a frill of paper, or a few leaves of parsley. =roast loin of mutton= have the joints cracked entirely through, so there may be no trouble in carving. remove the fat and kidney. allow nine minutes to the pound; roast the same as the leg. =roast saddle of mutton= the saddle is the back of the animal. if split it would be called the loin, and when cut gives the chops. it does not furnish very much meat for a roast, so requires to be a large cut. it is esteemed for its handsome appearance, as well as for its flavor. remove the skin from the top, also the fat and kidneys from the under side. the suet on the top can be lightly cut in points, and a little raised to make decoration. roll the flaps under, and tie into a well rounded shape. if a large saddle is used, the tail is left on. it should be cooked in a hot oven, basted frequently, and cooked rare, allowing nine minutes to the pound. in carving cut slices the length of the saddle, and parallel to the back bone; then slip the knife under, and separate them from the rib bones. after the top is carved, the saddle is turned, and the tenderloin, which lies on the under side, is cut in the same way. serve currant jelly with the saddle of mutton. =rolled loin (crown roast)= have the butcher cut a full loin, split the bone between the chops, trim the rib bones as for french chops, and chop them off to a uniform length; then roll the loin backward into a circle, and tie securely. have a thick slice of larding pork wrapped around each bone, so it will not burn while cooking. baste frequently while roasting, and allow nine minutes to the pound. serve with saratoga or other fancy fried potatoes in the basket-like top formed by the bones. place a frill of paper on each bone. [illustration: crown roast. a rack of mutton, the center filled with saratoga potatoes. (see page .)] [illustration: crown roast prepared for cooking.] =shoulder of mutton stuffed= have the butcher carefully remove the blade from the shoulder, and fill the space with a mixture made of cupful of bread-crumbs. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful chopped parsley. dozen oysters. juice of lemon. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. egg. sew up the opening, roast in the oven with a little water in the pan; allow fifteen minutes to the pound, and baste frequently. serve with the gravy from the pan, after the grease is carefully poured off. more oysters may be used, or they may be omitted altogether. a stuffing may be made of chopped meat, celery, onion, mushrooms, crumbs, egg, and seasoning of salt and pepper. a stuffed shoulder can be pressed into a shape to resemble a fowl or a duck, and garnished so as to make an ornamental dish. [illustration: boned and stuffed shoulder of mutton. (see page .)] =boiled mutton= time fifteen minutes to the pound. put the mutton in just enough boiling water to cover it, and put on the lid of the pot. after fifteen minutes draw it aside, and let it simmer for the required time. thirty minutes before removing the meat add some soup vegetables. they will give flavor to the meat, and enrich the water, which may be used for soup the next day. cut the carrot and turnip in half inch thick slices, and stamp with a fluted cutter, so the rims will be scalloped. place the meat on a hot dish, and rub lightly over it enough of the white sauce (to be used for the caper sauce) to make the surface white and smooth. sprinkle with chopped parsley or capers. take the sliced vegetables, cut a hole in the center, and string them alternately on the bone, which will protrude at each end. this will give the effect of skewers, conceal the bone, and make the dish more presentable. serve with caper sauce. =caper sauce= put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan; when melted, add a tablespoonful of flour; cook for a few minutes, but not brown; then add one cupful of water in which the mutton was boiled; season with salt and pepper, strain, and add one heaping tablespoonful of capers. =ragout of mutton or lamb= one and one half pounds of the neck of mutton or lamb cut into pieces one inch square. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. onion. carrot. / can of peas. - / cupfuls of water or stock. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. sprig of parsley. bay-leaf. clove. put the butter into a frying-pan; when melted add the flour, and let brown. then add the carrot and onion cut into dice, and the mutton. cook, stirring frequently, until all are browned, using care that they do not burn; it will take about twenty minutes. then add the stock or water, and the seasoning, having the herbs in a bouquet, so they can be removed. cover closely, and let simmer for two hours. add the peas ten minutes before removing from the fire. =ragout of cold boiled mutton= cupfuls of cold boiled mutton cut in inch squares. onion sliced. cupful of stock or water in which mutton was boiled. tablespoonfuls of butter. / can of peas. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. head of lettuce. farina balls. put all the ingredients, except the lettuce and farina balls, into a saucepan together; cover closely, and simmer very slowly for one hour; stir occasionally, but with care not to break the meat or peas. when ready to serve, taste to see if the seasoning is right, and pour on a hot dish. lay around the edge, and close to the meat, the crisp leaves of one head of lettuce, and the farina balls (see page ). this way of utilizing cold mutton will be found very good. the garnishing makes it a presentable dish, and is a good accompaniment in place of other vegetables. [illustration: ragout of mutton garnished with farina balls and lettuce. (see page .)] =irish stew= cut the neck of mutton into pieces two and one half or three inches square. put them into a saucepan with one tablespoonful of butter, and let them brown; stir frequently so they do not burn. when browned add enough water to cover them well, and two or three onions cut into pieces. cover closely and let simmer two hours. then add more water if necessary, some parboiled potatoes cut in two, and a few slices of carrot, salt, and pepper to taste; cover and let cook one hour more. a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce is an improvement. the gravy must be quite thick, so too much water must not be used. the potatoes should be very soft, but not broken. =mutton chops= loin chops should be cut one and one fourth inches thick, and the fat trimmed off, leaving them round; or the end pieces may be pared off thin, wrapped around the chops, and fastened with a skewer, making the chop into the form of a circle. the breast chops are cut a little thinner, the bones scraped and cut into even lengths. they are called french chops when the bones are bare. whichever kind of chops are used, they should be all of uniform size and shape. broil the chops over or under hot coals, turning the broiler as often as you count ten slowly, using the same method as in broiling steak. when the meat offers a little resistance and is puffy, it is done. if cooked too long the chops will be hard and dry. if properly seared at first the juices are shut in, and the inflation is caused by the confined steam from the juices. it will take eight to ten minutes to broil chops which are one inch thick. when done sprinkle over them a little salt and pepper and butter. dress them on a hot dish in a circle, the chops overlapping. green peas, string-beans, or any small vegetable, or fancy-fried potatoes, such as balls, straws, saratoga, etc., may be served on the same dish, and placed in the center of the circle, or around the chops. spinach or mashed potato pressed into form of socle may be used, and the chops rested against it, the bones pointing up or slanting. paper frills placed on the ends of the bones improve their appearance. [illustration: three kinds of mutton chops. . english mutton chop. . french chop. . boned and rolled chop. (see page .)] =chops in paper cases= put into a frying-pan some slices of salt pork; when tried out, lay in neatly trimmed and seasoned lamb or veal chops; let them sauté until half cooked; remove the chops, and to the pan add a tablespoonful of onion chopped fine; when the onion is cooked add a cupful of stock and a cupful of mixture containing minced veal or chicken, a little ham, and mushrooms, chopped parsley, and truffles if convenient; salt and pepper to taste. put a spoonful of this sauce on a well-buttered or oiled paper, cut in heart-shape; lay the chop on the sauce, and on the chop put another spoonful of the sauce. fold the paper over, and plait the edges together so as to completely enclose the chop. lay the enclosed chops on a buttered dish, and place them in the oven for ten minutes; serve on the same dish very hot. chops can also be broiled in well-greased paper, and with a little care it is easily done without burning the paper. heavy writing paper should be used; the fire should be moderate, and the chops turned frequently. they are served in the papers, and are very good, as they hold all the juices of the meat. =chops À la maintenon= put one tablespoonful of butter in a frying-pan; when hot add one tablespoonful of flour; let the flour cook a few minutes; then add four tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, one teaspoonful of parsley, one half teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of pepper; moisten with three tablespoonfuls of stock; mix well together and set aside to cool. have six french chops cut one inch thick. with a sharp knife split the chops in two without separating them at the bone; spread the mushroom mixture between the opened chops; press the edges well together, and broil for eight minutes; serve with an olive sauce. =spring lamb= spring lamb is best when two months old. it must be used when fresh, and must be thoroughly cooked, but not dried. it is divided into the fore and hind quarters, the whole of either not being too much to serve at one time; the former are less expensive than the latter, but the meat is equally sweet and good. roast it in a hot oven with a little water in the pan; allow fifteen to eighteen minutes to the pound, and baste frequently; serve with it mint sauce, and green peas or asparagus tips for vegetable. when using a fore quarter, have the bones well cracked, so that in carving it may be cut into squares, or have the shoulder blade removed. a very good dressing may be made on the table as follows: cut around the shoulder bone; lift and place under it two tablespoonfuls of butter, the juice of one lemon, one teaspoonful of salt, one half teaspoonful of pepper. press the pieces together, and let stand a minute to melt the butter before carving. veal the flesh of veal should be pink and firm, the bones hard. if it has a blue tinge and is flabby, it has been killed too young, and is unwholesome. like lamb, it must be used while perfectly fresh and be thoroughly cooked. it contains less nourishment than other kinds of meat; also, having less flavor, it requires more seasoning. veal is frequently used as a substitute for chicken. it can be made into croquettes and salads very acceptably. =roast fillet of veal= the fillet is cut from the upper part of the leg, and should be four to six inches thick. only one good fillet can be cut from the leg. press and tie it into good round shape. lay a few slices of larding pork over the top. place it in very hot oven for fifteen minutes; then lower the heat; baste frequently with water from the pan; allow eighteen to twenty minutes to the pound. it must be thoroughly cooked, but not dried. remove the slices of pork from top a half hour before it is done, so it may brown. the bone may be removed from the fillet before cooking, and the space filled with stuffing made of crumbs, sweet herbs, pepper and salt, and a little chopped salt pork. thicken the gravy in pan to serve with the fillet. =stuffed shoulder of veal= twenty to twenty-five minutes per pound. have the blade removed, and fill the space with a stuffing made of bread crumbs, thyme, marjoram, lemon juice, chopped salt pork, salt and pepper, and an egg; also chopped mushrooms, if desired. sew up the opening, press and tie it into good shape, and roast the same as the fillet. the stuffing may also be made of minced veal cut from the knuckle, highly seasoned. =fricandeau of veal= the fricandeau is the most choice cut of veal. it is taken from the upper round of the leg, and is one side of the fillet. as it destroys that cut, it commands the highest price. it should be cut four inches thick, and is usually larded and braised. place it in a baking-pan on a layer of sliced salt pork, and chopped carrot, onion, and turnip. add a bouquet of herbs, a cupful of stock, and enough water to fill the pan one and a half inches deep. cover closely, and let cook in moderate oven, allowing twenty minutes to the pound; baste frequently. remove the cover for the last half hour, so the meat may brown. strain the gravy from the pan to serve with it. =veal cutlets= leave the cutlet whole or cut it into pieces of uniform size and shape; dredge with salt and pepper; dip in egg and cover with bread crumbs or with flour; sauté cutlets in drippings, or in a frying-pan after slices of salt pork have been tried out. cook until well browned on both sides; then place them on a hot dish and moisten the top with a little lemon juice; or, omitting the lemon juice, serve with them a tomato or a béarnaise sauce, or make a gravy by adding a little flour to the grease in the pan, and diluting to right consistency, after the flour is browned, with stock or water. if the gravy is used, put it in the bottom of the dish and place the cutlets on it. =a plain pot-pie= cut veal, chicken, or beef into pieces; put them with strips of pork into boiling water and cook until tender; season with salt, pepper, and butter. there should be enough liquid to make a generous amount of gravy. when the stew is ready cook the dumplings, and place them on the same dish around the stew. if suet dumplings are used, they must be placed in the pot as soon as it boils in order to cook them a sufficient length of time. it is better to cook either kind of dumplings in a separate pot with plenty of water, and not remove them until the stew is dished and ready to be sent to the table. =dumplings with baking powder= cupfuls of flour. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. cupful of milk. mix the flour, salt, and baking powder well together, then stir in quickly the milk. have the dough quite soft. drop the batter from a spoon into the stew, or into boiling water; or, if preferred, make the dough just consistent enough to roll, and cut it into squares. the stew must not be allowed to stop simmering after the dumplings are in; and they must be served immediately after being taken from the pot, or they will fall. it will take ten minutes to cook them. =dumplings with suet= cupful of chopped suet. scant cupfuls of flour. teaspoonful of salt. / cupful of cold water. mix together lightly the flour, suet and salt; then with a knife stir in quickly the water. the dough must be soft, but not sticky. put it on a board, and roll it lightly to one inch thickness, and place it on the boiling stew in one cake. the stew must not stop boiling for a moment, or the dumpling will fall. cook for one hour. the dough may be rolled into balls if preferred. when the dumpling is put in, draw the pot forward where it will heat quickly, and not arrest the boiling. when it is thoroughly hot, place it where it will simmer continually during the hour of cooking. if this rule is observed, it will be light and spongy. where cooked meat is used, which does not require such long cooking, the dumplings may be boiled in water. this mixture can be used for fruit and for roly-poly puddings (see page ). =jellied veal= wipe a knuckle of veal clean with a wet cloth; have it well broken. put it in a saucepan with two quarts of water, or enough to cover it. tie in a piece of cheese-cloth one tablespoonful each of chopped onion, carrot, and turnip, a little parsley and celery, three cloves, and a blade of mace. put it in the pot. boil slowly until the veal falls from the bone; then strain it, and put the liquor again in the saucepan; season it with salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice. reduce it to one quart by boiling with the cover off the saucepan. cut two hard-boiled eggs into thin slices, and with them ornament the bottom of a plain mold; a brick ice-cream mold, or a small tin basin will do. put a very little of the liquor in to fix the ornament, but not enough to float the egg slices. when set add a little more of the liquor, enough to make a layer of jelly one quarter of an inch thick. when that is set fill the mold with the veal, and place slices of boiled egg between the layers of meat. around the sides of the mold lay in slices of egg. then pour in as much of the liquor as it will hold, and set away to harden. this makes a good cold dish to use with salad. [illustration: jellied veal decorated with slices of hard-boiled egg. garnished with lettuce.] =veal loaf= pounds of veal. / pound of ham, or / pound of salt pork. eggs. cupful of fine bread or cracker crumbs. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. teaspoonful of onion juice. / teaspoonful of ground mace. / teaspoonful of allspice. chop the veal and ham very fine, mix into it the other ingredients, and mold it into a loaf; or press it into a mold or tin to form a loaf; then turn it on a baking dish. baste it with beaten egg, and sprinkle it with bread crumbs. cook in moderate oven for two hours, basting it several times with melted butter and water. this dish is to be served cold. =veal scallop= chop veal to a fine mince. put into a baking-dish alternate layers of veal and bread crumbs, sprinkling the meat with salt and pepper, the crumbs with bits of butter. over the top pour a white sauce made of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and one cupful of milk. spread over it a layer of crumbs, and put in the oven to brown. rice may be used instead of the crumbs, and tomatoes instead of the white sauce. =liver and bacon= cut the liver into slices one half inch thick; lay them in boiling water for a few minutes, then dry and cover them with flour and a little pepper and salt. lay in a hot frying-pan very thin slices of bacon. when tried out enough for the bacon to be crisp, remove it and put the slices of liver in the same frying pan. cook until thoroughly done, but not dried. remove the liver, and to the fat in the pan add a spoonful of flour; when the flour is brown, add enough water slowly to make a thick sauce. pour the sauce over the liver, and place the bacon around it. liver is generally cut thin, but it will be found much better when cut a half inch or more thick. the bacon should be cut thin, and cooked quickly; the liver cut thick, and cooked slowly. =broiled liver= slice the liver. let it soak in hot water a few minutes to draw out the blood. dry it, rub it with butter, and broil five to eight minutes, turning it constantly. it should not be cooked until dry. when done, spread it with butter, and serve at once. =braised liver= use a calf's or lamb's liver. lard it in two or three rows. cut into dice one carrot, one turnip, one onion, a stalk of celery, and the bits left from the lardoons of salt pork; put them in a baking pan, and on this bed of vegetables place the larded liver. add two cupfuls of stock or hot water, and a bouquet of one sprig of parsley, one bay-leaf, and two cloves. cover with another pan, and cook in moderate oven for two hours; baste occasionally. serve with the vegetables from the pan, on the same dish, placed around the liver. pour over the liver a sauce made as follows: put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter; when melted, add one tablespoonful of flour, and stir until browned; then add slowly the strained liquor from the pan. if there is not enough to make one cupful, add water to make that quantity. season with salt and pepper, and add, if convenient, one tablespoonful each of worcestershire sauce and mushroom catsup. =stewed kidneys= beef, calf or lamb kidneys may be used. be sure they are very fresh. remove the fat and white center, then soak them for one hour in salted water. cut them in slices one half inch thick, cover the slices with flour, and sauté them for five minutes in one tablespoonful of butter. add to the frying-pan one thin slice of onion and one half cupful of water, and simmer for ten minutes, not longer. the kidneys will be tough and hard if cooked too long. just before serving, add one quarter cupful of sherry; salt and pepper to taste. one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce may be used instead of the sherry. =tripe= soak the tripe for several hours, then scrape it thoroughly clean, put it in salted water, and simmer it for three or four hours, until it is like jelly. drain off the water, and put the tripe aside until ready to use. put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; when hot add a tablespoonful of flour, and cook for a few minutes, but do not brown. then add slowly one cupful of milk, and stir until smooth. add a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and a half teaspoonful of onion juice; then add one cupful of the boiled tripe. stir until the tripe is heated, and serve immediately. =calf's heart= wash the heart, but do not let it soak, or stand in water. fill it with a stuffing made of minced meat or of bread, either one of them seasoned with onion, sage, thyme, marjoram, pepper and salt, and an egg to bind it. bake it for two hours, basting it frequently with water from the pan. when the heart is cooked remove it, and add to the pan a tablespoonful of flour; stir until it has browned. then, if there is not enough liquor in the pan, add to it just enough water to make a thick sauce. strain this over the heart, and serve on the same dish some boiled and browned onions. =beef's tongue= if a smoked tongue is used, soak it over night. put it in cold water, and let it come to the boiling point. then simmer for four hours, or until tender. boil a fresh tongue in salted water one and a half hours. a few soup vegetables may be added to the water if convenient. before putting it in the water, trim it carefully, and skewer it into good shape. when it is boiled remove the skin. if it is to be used cold, replace the skewer, put it again in the water in which it was boiled, and let it remain there until cold; then cover it with a meat glaze colored red. if served hot, pour over it a white sauce, and garnish with parsley and sliced pickle; or serve with it a piquante sauce. spinach is a good vegetable to serve with tongue. =hot sliced tongue= make a piquante sauce (see page ). lay slices of boiled tongue cut one half inch thick into it, and let them remain until well heated. arrange the hot slices in a circle, the slices overlapping, and pour the sauce in the center. garnish with capers, slices of hard-boiled eggs, and gherkins; or make a form of spinach by pressing into a bowl well-chopped and seasoned spinach. turn it on the center of a dish, and lay the slices around or against it. serve with piquante or with pickle sauce. =cold tongue= lay thick slices of tongue in a circle, the pieces overlapping. place in the center a bunch of nasturtium blossoms and lettuce leaves. serve with tartare or cold béarnaise sauce. =jellied tongue= cut tongue into slices. lay them together to look like a solid piece, and place them in a square or brick-shaped mold. sprinkle a few capers in the bottom of the mold before putting in the tongue. have the mold only large enough for the tongue to fit in easily, but be held in place. fill with aspic jelly (see page ). =boiled calf's head= have the head split open, and the gristle about the nose and eyes, and the eyes and ears, removed by the butcher. wash thoroughly the head; remove the tongue and brains; parboil the brains, and set them aside with the tongue to use on another occasion (see page ). blanch the head by putting it into cold water; when it comes to the boiling point, pour off the hot water, and cover it with cold water. when cold, rub it with lemon. put it into boiling water, enough to cover it; add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or white wine, twelve peppercorns, one bay-leaf, one onion, one carrot, and a sprig of parsley. cover the pot, and let boil for two hours, or until tender, but not ready to fall apart. when done, take out the bones carefully, and lay the meat on a baking dish in compact shape. rub over the top with egg, sprinkle it with bread crumbs and bits of butter, and set in the oven to brown. serve with it a poulette or an allemande sauce. put any of the meat left over after being served in this manner into a mold; fill it up with water in which the head was boiled; season to taste. this will make a jellied meat very good to use with salad. the water from the pot will make a good soup. (see mock turtle soup.) four separate dishes can be made from one head, viz.: boiled calf's head, cold jellied calf's head, mock turtle soup, tongue and brains, with white, poulette, or vinaigrette sauce. =calf's head with vinaigrette sauce= after the calf's head is boiled as directed above, take it from the water, remove the meat, and press it into a square mold or tin, and let it get entirely cold. it can then be cut into uniform pieces. when ready to serve, heat some of the liquor in which the head was boiled, cut some long slices from the form of cold calf's head, lay them in the hot liquor to become hot only. remove them carefully, and place them on a hot dish. pour over them a vinaigrette sauce. (for sauce, see page .) pork salt pork and bacon should be kept always at hand; the former for larding, spreading in thin slices over baked meats, poultry, and birds, and various other uses as directed in many receipts. bacon is an appetizing accompaniment to many breakfast dishes. fresh pork is used only in cold weather, and must be thoroughly cooked. =roast pork= the roasting pieces are the leg, loin, spare-rib, and shoulder. if the skin is left on cut it through in lines both ways, forming small squares. put a cupful of water in the pan with the meat; bake in a moderate oven, allowing twenty to twenty-five minutes to the pound. pork must be thoroughly cooked. serve with apple sauce or fried apples. =fried apples= cut slices one half inch thick across the apple, giving circles. do not remove the skin or core. or cut the apples in quarters, leaving on the skin and removing the core. sauté the apples in butter or drippings until tender, but not soft enough to lose form. serve the fried apples on the same dish with pork as garnishing. =pork chops= cut pork chops not more than one half inch thick. trim off most of the fat, dredge them with flour, and sauté them until thoroughly cooked, and well browned. it will take about twenty-five minutes. serve with fried apples. =boiled ham= soak the ham over night, or for several hours. thoroughly wash and scrape it. put it into cold water; let it come to the boiling point; then simmer, allowing twenty minutes to the pound. pierce the ham with a fine skewer. if done the skewer can be withdrawn easily without sticking. let the ham partly cool in the water; then remove and draw off the skin. sprinkle the top plentifully with cracker crumbs and brown sugar, or brush it with egg. press into it a number of whole cloves, and set it in the oven a few minutes to brown. or the ham may be left white, and dotted with pepper, a clove stuck in the center of each spot of pepper. soup vegetables and a bouquet of herbs boiled with a ham improve its flavor. a ham boiled in cider is especially good. trim the meat around the bone, and conceal the bone with a paper frill or vegetable cut into shape of rose. ornament the ham with dressed skewers, or with parsley and lemon. [illustration: cold ham covered with chaudfroid sauce and decorated with truffles to imitate branches--ornament on top a half-olive surrounded with slices of pickle--a piece of the ham-skin left on the bone end and the edge of the skin decorated with triangular and diamond-shaped pieces of truffle--paper frill on ham-bone--dish garnished with lettuce, water-cress, or parsley.] =baked ham= soak and prepare the ham as directed above. let it simmer for two hours; then remove it and take off the skin, and bake it in a moderate oven for two hours; baste it frequently, using a cupful of sherry, two spoonfuls at a time, until all is used; then baste with drippings from the pan. when done, cover it with a paste made of browned flour and brown sugar moistened with sherry, and replace in the oven for a few minutes to brown. =broiled ham and eggs= cut the ham very thin. if very salt, place it in boiling water for a few minutes. then dry and broil it over hot coals for three or four minutes. put a few pieces of salt pork into a frying pan. when tried out, add the eggs, one at a time, from a saucer. baste the top of the eggs with fat from the pan. let them brown a little on the edges, but not blacken, and serve them around the slices of ham. boiled ham may be broiled. if so, cut it into thin, small pieces, and after broiling it, place on each piece a fried egg. =ham and eggs À l'aurore= chop fine some cold boiled ham. boil six or eight eggs very hard (see page ). with a sharp knife cut them in quarters lengthwise. remove the yolks, and press them through a coarse sieve or strainer; lay the white segments in warm water. make a white sauce, using two tablespoonfuls of butter; when melted, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and let cook for a few minutes; then add slowly two cupfuls of milk. stir constantly, and when a smooth, consistent sauce, season with salt and white pepper. moisten the chopped ham with a little of the sauce, and place it on the fire just long enough to become well heated. stir constantly so the sauce will not brown. make a smooth, rounded mold of the ham in the center of a hot dish. pour over it the white sauce. sprinkle thickly over the top the yolk crumbs; then range evenly around it the white segments of the eggs. =bacon= cut bacon very thin, as shown on page . lay the slices on a hot frying-pan. when clear turn them over. tip the pan a little, so the fat will run to one side. if not wanted crisp and dry, turn the slices before they look clear, and remove before all the fat is tried out. chapter v poultry and game chickens to judge the age of a chicken, touch the end of the breastbone. if it is still cartilaginous, and bends easily from side to side, the meat of the chicken will be tender. if the cartilage has hardened to bone, the bird is over a year old, and should be used only for the purposes which fowls serve. the skin of the chicken should be firm, smooth and white; the feet soft, the legs smooth and yellow, the spurs small, the eyes bright and full, the comb red. on young chickens there are pin-feathers; on fowls, there are long hairs. the dry-picked chickens are preferable to those which are scalded. it is not easy to find all the conditions right in our markets, which are mostly supplied with frozen poultry, and one is obliged to rely very much on the honesty of the poulterer. chicken, to be perfectly wholesome and good-flavored, should be drawn as soon as killed; but here again we are subject to the customs of our markets, and are obliged to buy poultry which has not only been killed, but undrawn, for an indefinite time. it is presumable, however, that poultry sent to market is frozen shortly after being killed, and it does not deteriorate while frozen. it should be drawn at once after it comes to the kitchen, without waiting for the time to prepare it for cooking. to clean and draw poultry [sidenote: washing.] [sidenote: drawing the sinews.] first, remove any pin-feathers; then singe off the hairs. this is done best over an alcohol flame. put one or two tablespoonfuls of alcohol into a plate or saucer and ignite it. (wood alcohol is inexpensive, and besides serving this purpose very well may be used also in the chafing-dish and tea-kettle lamps.) if alcohol is not at hand, use lighted paper, but take care not to smoke the chicken. hold the fowl by the head and feet, and turn it constantly, exposing every part to the flame. after singeing, wash the outside of the chicken thoroughly with a cloth and bowl of water. the skin will become several degrees whiter when freed from dust and the marks of much handling. do not place the chicken in the bowl of water, or at any time allow the meat to soak, as that will extract its flavor. after the chicken is drawn, it should only be wiped out with a wet cloth. if it is properly drawn there will be nothing unclean to wash away from the inside. after the skin of the chicken is cleaned, cut off the head, cut the skin down the back of the neck, turn it over while you remove carefully the crop and windpipe, and cut off the neck close to the body, leaving the skin to fold over the opening. next take the leg, bend it back slightly, and carefully cut the skin on the joint, just enough to expose the sinews without cutting them; run a skewer or fork under them, one at a time, and draw them out; five or eight of them can be easily removed after a little practice. the one on the back of the leg is particularly large and strong. these sinews are very tough and almost bony after cooking, especially in turkeys, but if they are removed the meat of the drumstick is quite as good as that of the second joint. after the sinews are drawn, break the leg off at the joint, the sinews hanging to it. cut a small opening under the rump; run a finger around close to the body to loosen the entrails. do the same at the neck opening. carefully draw them out, in one solid mass, without any part being broken; cut around the vent to free the large intestine. if by any mischance the gall or intestines should be broken, the inside of the chicken must be washed at once; otherwise only wipe it out with a wet cloth, as directed above. cut the oil sack away from the rump. cut the gall carefully off the liver; cut the outer coat of the gizzard and draw it carefully away from the inner sack, leaving the sack unbroken. open the heart and wash away the clot of blood. the heart, liver, and gizzard are the giblets. all poultry and birds are dressed in the same way. [illustration: leg of chicken with sinews drawn. (see page .)] to bone a fowl wash and singe the fowl; take off the head and legs, and remove the tendons as directed for drawing. when a fowl is to be boned it is not drawn. the work of boning is not difficult, but requires care and a little practice. the skin must not be broken. use a small pointed knife; cut the skin down the full length of the back; then, beginning at the neck, carefully scrape the meat away from the bone, keeping the knife close to the bone. when the joints of the wings and legs are met, break them back and proceed to free the meat from the carcass. when one side is free, turn the fowl and do the same on the other side. the skin is drawn tightly over the breast-bone, and care must be used to detach it without piercing the skin. when the meat is free from the carcass, remove the bones from the legs and wings, turning the meat down or inside out, as the bones are exposed, and using care not to break the skin at the joints. the end bones of the wings cannot be removed, and the whole end joint may be cut off or left as it is. =roasted boned chicken= spread the boned chicken on a board, the skin side down; turn the flesh of the legs and wings right side out, and stuff them with forcemeat into shape. equalize the meat as well as possible, placing the mignon fillets, or little strips of white meat next the bone, over the dark meat, etc.; dredge with salt and pepper. make a roll of the stuffing or forcemeat, and lay it in the chicken. draw the skin up, and sew it together securely. turn it over, place the legs and wings into the position of a trussed fowl, press the body into natural shape, and tie it securely; or it may be pressed into the form of a duck or rabbit. cover with slices of salt pork, and roast in oven, allowing twenty minutes to the pound; baste frequently. remove the pork the last fifteen minutes, dredge with flour, and let it brown. serve with a giblet or tomato sauce. =braised boned chicken= to braise the chicken prepared as above, roll it lightly in a piece of cheese cloth, tying the ends well. put in a saucepan the bones of the chicken, a slice of carrot and onion, a bouquet containing parsley, one bay-leaf, three cloves, twelve peppercorns, celery if convenient, and a knuckle of veal. add enough water to cover the bed of vegetables and bones; lay in the chicken; cover the pot, and let it simmer for four hours. =jellied boned chicken= a braised boned chicken may be served hot, or it may be set aside to cool, then jellied as follows: strain the water in which the chicken was braised, and let it cool; then remove the grease and clarify the liquor; season it highly. if veal has been used, and the liquor jellies, it may be used as it is. if veal has not been used, add gelatine soaked in cold water, observing the proportion of one box of gelatine to one and a half quarts of liquor. mask a mold with jelly (see page ); when the jelly is set, put in the chicken, and add enough liquid jelly to entirely cover it. or, on the bottom of the mold make a decoration of either truffles, ham, capers, gherkins, or any combinations suitable; fix it with a thin layer of jelly; when hardened, add enough more to make a layer of jelly one quarter of an inch thick, and when that is hardened lay in the chicken, and surround it with the liquid jelly (see molding jellies, page ). garnish the dish on which the jellied chicken is served with lettuce, and serve with it a mayonnaise, béarnaise, or tartare sauce. when the chicken is to be jellied, use enough water in the braising pot to give three pints of liquor after the cooking is done. =forcemeat, for stuffing boned fowls= use the meat of another fowl, or veal, or pork, or a mixture. chop them fine, and add to the minced meat one cupful of bread or cracker crumbs and, if convenient, a little chopped boiled ham or tongue, and a few lardoons of pork. season with the following articles, and moisten the whole with stock: tablespoonful of chopped parsley. teaspoonful of onion juice. / teaspoonful of pepper. teaspoonful thyme. teaspoonful of salt. if veal is used, take it from the knuckle, and use the bone in the braising pot, as it will give a good jelly. =to truss a fowl= when the fowl is wiped, singed, and drawn as by directions given above, put in the stuffing if it is to be used; place a little in the opening at the neck, the rest in the body, and sew up the opening. draw the skin of the neck smoothly down and under the back, press the wings close against the body, and fold the pinions under, crossing the back and holding down the skin of the neck. press the legs close to the body, and slip them under the skin as much as possible. thread the trussing needle with white twine, using it double. press the needle through the wing by the middle joint, pass it through the skin of the neck and back, and out again at the middle joint of the other wing. return the needle through the bend of the leg at the second joint, through the body and out at the same point on the other side; draw the cord tight, and tie it with the end at the wing joint. thread the needle again, and run it through the legs and body at the thigh bone, and back at the ends of the drumsticks. draw the drumstick bones close together, covering the opening made for drawing the fowl, and tie the ends. have both knots on the same side of the fowl. when cooked, cut the cord on the opposite side, and by the knots it can easily be drawn out. (see illustration.) [illustration: trussed chicken. (see page .)] [illustration: back of trussed chicken.] =roasted chicken= a roasted chicken may be stuffed or not. if stuffing is used it should only half fill the chicken. truss it as directed above, or use skewers, doubling a cord across the back and around the ends of the skewers to hold them in place. a roasted or boiled chicken is not presentable, which has not been securely fastened into good shape before being cooked. dredge the chicken with salt and pepper, and place it on slices of salt pork in a baking pan; add a very little water, and bake in hot oven, allowing fifteen minutes to the pound; baste frequently. white meat must be well cooked, but not dried. fifteen minutes before it is done, rub it over the top and sides with butter, dredge it with flour, and replace it in the oven until it becomes a golden brown and looks crisp. draw out the trussing cords, and garnish with parsley. serve with it a giblet sauce. do not use a tough chicken for roasting; one a year old is about right. a roasting chicken may be larded if desired. =stuffing for fowls= moisten a cupful of bread-crumbs with a tablespoonful of melted butter; season highly with salt, pepper, thyme, chopped parsley, and onion juice; or put in a saucepan a tablespoonful of butter and fry in it one minced onion; then add one cupful of soaked bread, the water being pressed out, one half cupful of stock, one teaspoonful of salt, one half teaspoonful each of pepper and thyme, and one half cupful of celery cut into small pieces. stir it until it leaves the sides of the pan. =chestnut stuffing= shell a quart of large french chestnuts. put them in hot water and boil until the skins are softened; then drain off the water and remove the skins. replace the blanched chestnuts in water, and boil until soft. take out a few at a time, and press them through a colander or a potato press. they mash more easily when hot. season the mashed chestnuts with a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, and a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper. some cooks add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and moisten it with a little stock. some add, also, a few bread crumbs. the dressing is best seasoned only with butter, salt, and pepper. =giblet sauce= boil the giblets until tender; chop them, but not very fine; add a tablespoonful of flour to the pan in which the chicken was roasted; let it brown, stirring constantly; add slowly a cupful of water in which the giblets were boiled; season with salt and pepper; strain and add the chopped giblets; serve in a sauceboat. the liver is a tidbit, and should be roasted and served with the chicken, instead of being used in the sauce. =boiled chicken= a chicken too old to roast is very good when boiled. truss the chicken firmly. it is well also to tie it in a piece of cheese-cloth, to keep it in good shape. it may be stuffed or not. boiled rice seasoned with butter, pepper, and salt, or celery cut in small pieces, is better to use for boiled chicken than bread stuffing. put the chicken into boiling salted water and simmer, allowing twenty minutes to the pound; when done, remove the cloth and cords carefully, spread a little white sauce over the breast, and sprinkle it with chopped parsley. garnish with parsley, and serve with it egg, oyster, or béarnaise sauce. =braised chicken= a fowl too old to roast may be made tender and good by braising, and present the same appearance as a roasted chicken. prepare it as for roasting, trussing it into good shape. cut into dice a carrot, turnip, onion, and stalk of celery; put them in a pot with a few slices of salt pork, and on them place the fowl, with a few pieces of salt pork laid over the breast; add a bouquet of parsley, one bay-leaf, three cloves, six peppercorns, also a teaspoonful of salt, and a pint of hot water. cover the pot closely and let simmer for three hours. if any steam escapes, a little more water may have to be added. when done, rub a little butter over the breast, dredge with flour, and place in the oven a few minutes to brown. strain the liquor from the braising pot, season to taste, and if necessary thicken with a little brown roux; serve it with the chicken as sauce. =broiled chicken= young spring chickens only are used for broiling. split them down the back, remove the entrails and the breast bone, wipe them clean, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and rub them with soft butter. place them on a broiler over a slow fire, the inside down; cover with a pan, and let cook for twenty to twenty-five minutes. turn, to let the skin side brown when nearly done. place them on a hot dish, and spread them with maître d'hôtel butter; garnish with parsley or watercress and thin slices of lemon. =fricassee= cut a chicken into eleven pieces: two drumsticks, two second joints, two wings, two breasts, three back pieces. put the pieces in a saucepan with two tablespoonfuls of butter or drippings; let them brown slightly on both sides, but use care that they do not burn; when a little colored, add enough boiling water to cover them; add a bouquet of herbs, salt and pepper, and a few slices of salt pork. simmer until tender. arrange the pieces neatly on a dish, using the best ones outside, and pour over them a gravy made as follows: strain the liquor from the pot and take off the fat. make a white roux of one tablespoonful of butter and two of flour; add to it slowly a cupful of the liquor from the pot; season to taste; remove from the fire, and when a little cool add a cupful of cream or milk beaten up with two or three yolks of eggs. place again on the fire until the eggs are a little thickened, but do not let it boil, or they will curdle. a tablespoonful of sherry may be added, if liked, or a half can of mushrooms. a border of rice may be placed around the chicken, or softened toast used under the chicken. to make a brown fricassee, sprinkle the pieces of chicken, after they are simmered until tender, with salt, pepper, and flour, and place them in the oven to brown. make a brown instead of a white roux, and omit the cream or milk. =fried chicken= cut a tender chicken in pieces; dip the pieces in water; sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and roll them in flour; sauté them in a tablespoonful of lard or butter, browning both sides; then remove and add to the pan a tablespoonful of flour; cook it for a minute without browning, stirring all the time, and add a cupful of milk or cream; stir until it is a little thickened; strain; mix into it a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. place the sauce on the serving-dish and arrange the pieces of chicken on it. =chicken fritters= cut cold cooked chicken or turkey off the bones in as large pieces as possible; sprinkle with salt and pepper; dip them in fritter batter (see page ), and fry in hot fat until a golden brown. place the pieces when fried on a brown paper until all are done; dress them on a folded napkin, and serve with a béarnaise, mayonnaise, or tartare sauce. the pieces may be rolled in egg and bread crumbs instead of being dipped in batter, if preferred. =stuffed chicken or turkey legs= carefully remove the tendons from the drumsticks as directed in drawing (page ); remove the bone, all but about an inch and a half at the small end, and remove any remaining sinews. stuff the leg with a forcemeat made of chicken or veal chopped very fine, and use with it the liver and a little strip of larding pork; season it with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley, and moisten it with one egg. draw the skin over the end and sew it closely together, keeping the shape as natural as possible. lay the stuffed legs in a baking-pan; cover with boiling water, and simmer an hour, or until tender; remove them from the water, press them into shape, and let cool. when cold, take out the stitches, dredge with salt and pepper, roll in beaten egg and bread crumbs, and fry in hot fat until browned; or broil them on both sides four minutes, if chicken; six minutes, if turkey legs; or they may be sautéd in butter. they may be deviled by rubbing them with mustard and a little red pepper before coating with the eggs and crumbs. serve them arranged like chops, the bones masked with paper frills. if preferred, the bones may be entirely removed, and the leg flattened to look like a cutlet. this can be done by placing them under a weight to cool after being boiled. serve with an olive, béarnaise, tartare, or any sauce preferred. =grilled bones= take the wings, second joints, and drumsticks of cold cooked chicken; dip them in melted butter, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and broil them until they are very hot and well browned. =chicken À la vienne= split a small spring chicken down the back, as for broiling; remove the breast bone; then cut it into four pieces, giving two breast and two leg pieces, cut off the pinions; marinate the pieces in oil, vinegar, pepper, and salt; then roll in flour, and fry in hot fat, one piece at a time; drain and place on paper in the open oven until all are done. they should be a light golden color. place a paper frill on the leg and wing bones, and dress them on a folded napkin. serve with tartare sauce; or arrange the pieces overlapping on a dish, and garnish with four lettuce leaves holding tartare sauce. =chicken, baltimore style= split a small spring chicken down the back as for broiling; remove the breast-bone and cut off the pinions. cut into four pieces; dredge with salt and pepper; dip them in egg and fresh crumbs. place them in a pan, and pour over each piece enough melted butter to moisten it; then roast in the oven eighteen to twenty minutes. make a cream sauce, taking one cupful of béchamel sauce, and adding to it a half cupful of cream and a half tablespoonful of butter. pour this sauce on a dish, and place the pieces of chicken on it. garnish with slices of fried bacon. =chicken imperial= cut the breast from a chicken, retaining it in shape on the bone. remove the skin, and lard the breast on each side with four lardoons. place it in a deep saucepan; cover with stock or boiling water, and simmer for thirty to forty minutes, or until tender. then remove from the water, and place in oven for ten minutes to take a very light color. make a sauce as follows: put into a saucepan one half cupful of the stock in which the breast was boiled, and one half cupful of cream. let it come to the scalding point; season with salt and pepper and one tablespoonful of chopped parsley. remove from fire, and stir in slowly two yolks and two tablespoonfuls of milk beaten together. stir constantly until thickened, but do not let boil, or the egg will curdle. strain and pour it around the breast. the breast should be carved diagonally, giving three pieces on each side. [illustration: chicken imperiale and stuffed legs. (see pages and .)] =chicken breasts with poulette sauce= remove the breasts from several chickens; cut them lengthwise, each breast giving four pieces. simmer them in salted water until tender. make a poulette sauce (see page ), and pour over the breasts piled on a dish. sprinkle with parsley chopped very fine. use a generous amount of sauce. =chicken chartreuse= mix one cupful of cooked chicken minced very fine with teaspoonful of chopped parsley, / teaspoonful of onion juice, / teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonfuls of tomato juice, beaten egg, dash of pepper. grease well a charlotte russe or pudding mold; line it one inch thick with boiled rice. fill the center with the chicken mixture, and cover the top with rice, so the chicken is entirely encased, and the mold is full and even. cover and cook in steamer for forty-five minutes. serve with it a tomato sauce; pour a little of the sauce on the dish around the form, not over it. [illustration: chartreuse of chicken garnished with slice of hard-boiled egg and parsley. (see pages and .)] =chicken soufflÉ= tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. tablespoonful of chopped parsley. cupful of milk. cupful of minced chicken. / teaspoonful of salt. eggs. drops of onion juice. dash of pepper. make a white sauce by putting the butter in a saucepan or double boiler. when melted add the flour, and cook a moment without browning. then add slowly the milk, and stir till smooth. season with salt, pepper, parsley, and onion juice. there should be one cupful of the sauce. remove from the fire, and stir in the beaten yolks of three eggs; then add a cupful of chicken chopped fine. stir the mixture over the fire a minute until the egg has a little thickened; then set aside to cool. rub a little butter over the top, so it will not form a crust. when time to serve beat very stiff the whites of the three eggs, and stir them lightly into the cold chicken mixture. put it into a pudding dish, and bake in hot oven for twenty minutes. serve at once in the same dish. this is a soufflé, so the whites of the eggs must not be added until it is time for it to go into the oven, and it will fall if not served immediately after it comes from the oven. this dish may be made with any kind of meat. chicken soufflé may be baked in paper boxes, and served as an entrée. =chicken loaf= boil a fowl until the meat falls from the bones. strain, and put the liquor again in the saucepan; reduce it to one and a half pints, and add one quarter box of soaked gelatine. lay a few slices of hard-boiled egg on the bottom of a plain mold; fill the mold with alternate layers of white and dark meat of the chicken. season the liquor, and pour it over the meat in the mold, and set it away to harden; it will become a jelly. it is a good dish to use with salad for luncheon or supper. =chicken chaudfroid= cut cold cooked chicken into as neat and uniform pieces as possible; remove the skin; make a chaudfroid sauce as directed on page . mix the sauce thoroughly, and let it cool enough to thicken, but not harden. roll each piece of chicken in this sauce until well coated. range the pieces without touching in a pan, the ends resting on the raised edge; place the pan on ice until the sauce is set. make a socle (see page ) of bread or rice; rub it with butter, and mask it with chopped parsley. arrange the pieces of chicken around the socle, resting them against it; then with a brush coat them over lightly with clear chicken aspic which is cold, but still liquid. ornament the top of socle with a star of aspic, or with a bunch of nasturtium, or other blossoms or leaves. garnish the dish with aspic, with flowers, or leaves; or, if socle is not used, pile the pieces in pyramidal form and garnish. serve with it a mayonnaise, béarnaise, or tartare sauce; or some of the chaudfroid sauce diluted. =chicken mayonnaise= cut cold cooked chicken into pieces; remove the skin, and trim the pieces into good shape. cover each piece with jelly mayonnaise (page ), and leave them in a cool place until the mayonnaise has set. trim them and dress them around an ornamented socle or a mound of salad, or lay each piece on a leaf of lettuce. garnish with aspic or with flowers. use a green, white, or yellow mayonnaise; and keep in cold place until ready to serve. =english chicken pie (cold)= take two tender chickens, and cut them up as for frying. put them into a large saucepan with two and a half quarts of water; add a bouquet made of sweet marjoram, basil, parsley, three bay-leaves, sprig of thyme, and small blade of mace. let them simmer until well cooked. add to the pot when the chicken is about half done one half pound of bacon cut into small pieces like lardoons. wash the bacon before adding it. a quarter of an hour before removing the chicken add the half of a small can of truffles cut into slices. boil eight eggs very hard, and cut them in slices. arrange on the bottom of an earthen dish a layer of egg slices and truffles, then a layer of chicken meat; alternate the layers until the dish is two-thirds full. return the bones and coarse pieces of meat to the pot, and reduce the liquid one third. strain, cool, and remove the grease. return the stock to the fire, add a quarter box or one half ounce of soaked gelatine. pour this over the chicken. when it has jellied and is ready to serve, place on the top a crust of puff paste, which has been cut to fit the dish, and has been baked separately. turkey the rules given for dressing and cooking chickens apply also to turkeys. turkey can be substituted for chicken in any of the receipts given. a young turkey will have smooth black legs and white skin. [sidenote: general directions.] fifteen minutes to the pound is the time allowed for roasting or boiling a young turkey; for an old one more time will be required. they should have slow cooking and frequent basting. after a turkey is trussed, wet the skin; dredge it well with salt and pepper, and then with a thick coating of flour. this will give a crisp brown crust. =turkey galantine or boned turkey= select a young fat hen turkey. bone it as directed, page ; spread the boned meat on the table, the skin side down. equalize the meat as well as possible by paring it off at the thick parts, and laying it on the thin parts. leave the legs and wings drawn inside; lay a few lardoons of salt pork on the meat lengthwise. make a forcemeat of another fowl or of veal, or of both chicken and veal. chop it to a very fine mince, and pound it in a mortar to make it almost a paste. season it with salt and pepper, savory, marjoram, thyme, and sage--about a half teaspoonful each of the herbs--one teaspoonful of onion juice, a half cupful of cold boiled tongue cut into dice, some truffles cut into large pieces. moisten it with stock and mix thoroughly. it will take three or four pounds of meat, according to the size of the turkey, to make sufficient stuffing. spread the forcemeat on the boned turkey, having the tongue, truffles, and a few pieces of both the white and dark meat of the turkey well interspersed through it. roll up the turkey, making it as even as possible, and sew it together; then roll it in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it securely at both ends and around the roll in several places. place the galantine and the bones of the fowl in a kettle, with an onion, carrot, celery, bouquet of herbs, and a tablespoonful of salt. cover it with boiling water, and let simmer three or four hours; then remove it from the fire; let the galantine remain in the water for an hour; then take it out, cut the strings which bind it in the middle, draw the cloth so it will be tight and smooth, and place it under a weight until perfectly cold. a baking-pan holding two flatirons will answer the purpose. remove the cloth carefully, set the galantine in the oven a moment to melt the fat, and wipe it off with a cloth; trim it smooth; then brush it over with glaze (see page ), or rub it over with beaten egg and sprinkle with crumbs and brown in the oven; or, cover it with a chaudfroid sauce, and ornament it as shown in illustration. the ornament of cut truffles is applied by taking each piece on a long pin and placing it on the chaudfroid before it is quite set. when perfectly set it is brushed over lightly with a little liquid jelly. galantine of chicken or game is made in the same way, except that in small pieces they are not flattened by being put under a weight.[ -*] a galantine is always used cold. garnish with aspic. the water in which it was boiled--strained and cleared--may be used for the aspic. use a box of gelatine to one and a half quarts of liquor. [illustration: galantine of turkey covered with chaudfroid sauce and decorated with truffles. (see pages , and .)] footnotes: [ -*] a rectangular-shaped galantine may be obtained by pressing it into a bread-tin to cool. it should then be trimmed and incased in aspic, using the same or a slightly larger bread-tin of the same shape. see molding, page .--m. r. =roast goose= green geese about four months old are the best, as they get very tough when much older. if there is any doubt about the age of the goose, it is better to braise than to roast it. it can be browned after it is braised, and have the same appearance as if roasted. dress and truss a goose the same as a turkey; singe and wash the skin well; flatten the breast bone by striking it with a rolling-pin. stuff it only partly full with mashed potato highly seasoned with onion, sage, salt, and pepper, or with a mixture of bread, apples, onions, sage, salt and pepper, and a little butter. dredge the goose with salt, pepper, and a thick coating of flour; put a little water in the pan and baste frequently. allow eighteen minutes to the pound for a young goose, twenty-five minutes for an older one. serve with goose apple sauce and a brown giblet gravy. =tame ducks= prepare the same as geese. stuff with the same mixture or with celery. roast ducklings in a hot oven twenty minutes, if liked rare; thirty minutes if they are to be cooked through. old ducks require an hour to cook, and should be basted frequently. pekin ducks, a breed of white ducks raised in quantities on long island, are especially esteemed. game =canvasbacks and redhead ducks= carefully pick, singe, and wipe the outside. draw them, leaving on the head, so as to distinguish them from ordinary game. cut an opening at the neck, and through it draw the head and neck, letting the head emerge at the back between the drumsticks, and tie it securely in place. do not wash the inside. if carefully drawn they will not need it. cut off the wings at the second joint. truss the ducks neatly. sprinkle with salt and pepper inside, and a teaspoonful of currant jelly may also be put inside. place them in a baking-pan with a little water, and bake in a very hot oven from fifteen to eighteen minutes; baste frequently. wild ducks should be very rare and served very hot, on hot plates. each duck makes but two portions, as the breast only is served. serve with duck small pieces of fried hominy and currant jelly. the canvasback is superior in flavor to any other species of wild duck, and is much esteemed. they have a purple head and silver breast, and are in season from september to may. the "redhead" closely resembles in flavor the "canvasback," and often is mistaken for it. =salmi of duck or game= cut the game into neat pieces; put them in the oven for five minutes to start the juices. put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter, one half pound of bacon or salt pork cut into dice, one tablespoonful each of chopped onion and carrot, twelve peppercorns, one saltspoonful each of salt, thyme, and sage, and any coarse pieces of the game. cover with a greased paper and let cook to a glaze; then add a tablespoonful of flour, and let it brown; then two cupfuls of stock; simmer for thirty minutes; strain; add one quarter cupful of madeira and the pieces of game; cover and let simmer another thirty minutes. this dish needs long, slow cooking and careful watching. garnish with croûtons and truffles. the truffles should be added to the salmi a few minutes before it is removed from the fire. if cooked game is used for the salmi, simmer for ten minutes only after the pieces are added to the sauce. =potted pigeons (dark meat)= unless pigeons are young they should be braised or stewed in broth. truss them carefully; place slices of bacon on the bottom of a stew-pan; lay in the pigeons side by side, their breasts up; add a carrot and onion cut into dice, a teaspoonful of sugar, and some parsley, and pour over enough stock or boiling water to cover them. cover the pot closely. let them simmer until they are tender, adding boiling water or stock when necessary. serve each pigeon on a thin piece of moistened buttered toast. =roast pigeons or squabs= do not roast pigeons unless they are young and tender. after they are well trussed, or tied into shape, tie thin slices of bacon over the breasts, and put a little piece of butter inside each pigeon. boast them about fifteen minutes; baste them with butter. or split the pigeons in two through the back and breast, cover with thin slices of salt pork, and roast them in the oven. thicken the gravy in the pan with a little cornstarch. season and moisten with it slices of toast on which the half pigeons will be served. =prairie-chicken or grouse roasted (dark meat)= grouse, like all game, should not be too fresh. wash them on the outside only, the same as directed for chicken (page ). put a little butter inside each bird and truss them into good shape. roast them in a hot oven twenty-five to thirty minutes, basting them frequently with melted butter. five minutes before removing them dredge them with flour. boil the liver of the grouse, pound it with a little butter, pepper, and salt to a paste; spread it over hot buttered toast moistened with juice from the pan. serve the grouse on the toast. prairie-chickens have dark meat, and many epicures declare that they should be cooked quite as rare as canvasback ducks and that their flavor when so served is unsurpassed. young prairie-chickens have a much lighter meat and need not be so rare. =quails roasted (white meat)= draw the birds carefully. wipe them inside and out with a damp cloth; do not wash them more than this. truss them carefully, letting the legs stand up instead of down, as with a chicken. tie around each one a thin slice of pork or bacon. bake in a hot oven fifteen to twenty minutes. baste frequently, having in the pan a little butter, hot water, salt, and pepper. serve on slices of toast moistened with juice from the pan. =quails broiled= split them down the back. broil over hot coals four minutes on each side. baste them while broiling with a little butter. when they are done spread them with butter, salt, and pepper; place them on slices of slightly moistened toast, and stand them in the oven a few minutes to soak the butter. =snipe and woodcock (dark meat)= draw the birds carefully. wipe inside and out with a wet cloth, but do not wash more than this, as it takes away their flavor. cut off the feet, and skin the lower legs, which can be done after holding them a minute in scalding water. skin the head, and take out the eyes. press the bird well together; draw around the head, and run the bill like a skewer through the legs and body. wrap each one in a thin slice of pork or bacon, and bake in a hot oven for ten minutes; baste with butter. chop or pound the hearts and livers to a paste. season with salt, pepper, onion juice, and butter. spread the paste on slices of toast just large enough to hold one bird. place the croustades in the oven to become very hot. pour over them the juice from the dripping-pan holding the birds. place the birds on the toast, and serve at once. garnish the dish with water-cress. the croustades are better fried than toasted. =roasted and broiled partridge (white meat)= dress and truss the partridge the same as a chicken. lard the breast, or cover it with a slice of salt pork. put into the baking-pan with the bird one tablespoonful of butter, and two of boiling water. roast in a hot oven about forty minutes, basting frequently. the partridge has white meat, and so needs to be thoroughly cooked, but not dried. place the bird on a hot dish, and around it on the same dish a border of coarse bread-crumbs, which have been thoroughly mixed in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of melted butter. serve in a sauce-boat a white sauce or a bread sauce. if the partridge is to be broiled split it down the back, rub it well with butter, place the inside next the coals; cover and broil for twenty-five minutes. keep it well moistened with butter, and turn it to brown on the skin side a few minutes before done. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve on buttered toast. =venison= venison is prepared and cooked the same as mutton. the roasting pieces are the saddle, and haunch or leg. it should be cooked underdone, allowing ten minutes to the pound. serve with it currant jelly sauce and salad. =venison steak= a venison steak is cooked in the same manner as a beefsteak. a little melted currant jelly is served on the same dish, or as a sauce (see page ).[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] the steak should be moistened with the sauce so it will have a glazed appearance. chapter vi vegetables [sidenote: general directions.] the simplest way of cooking vegetables is usually the best; but all kinds need seasoning or to be served with a sauce. they should be cooked only until tender. the time depends upon their freshness. the same vegetable sometimes takes twice the time to cook when wilted. they should be well washed in cold water to remove all dust and insects, and if wilted, should stand some time in it to refresh them. green vegetables are put into salted boiling water, and cooked rapidly in an uncovered saucepan. this will preserve their color. overcooking destroys both their color and appearance. when done they should be removed from the water at once and be well drained before the seasoning is added. [sidenote: serving.] one vegetable only besides potato is served with a meat course, but cauliflower, stuffed tomatoes, asparagus, green corn, egg-plant, artichokes, or mushrooms may be served as a separate course. [sidenote: canned vegetables] when using canned vegetables, turn them onto a sieve or colander, and let water from the faucet run over them in order to remove the taste of the can which they sometimes have. [illustration: vegetable cutters. . plane for cutting saratoga potatoes. . potato press for making potato rice. . fluted knives for potato straws or fluted slices, and for potato curls. . potato scoops for cutting balls.] =boiled potatoes= wash the potatoes well; take off only a thin paring, and drop them at once into cold water to prevent their discoloring. have them of uniform size, or cut the larger ones into pieces the size of the small ones, so they will all be cooked at the same time, for after a potato is cooked it rapidly absorbs water and becomes soggy. if the potatoes are old or withered, put them on to cook in cold water; if fresh and firm, put them into boiling salted water, and boil slowly about thirty minutes, or until they can be easily pierced with a fork. then at once drain off every drop of water; shake them in the pot a moment to expose all sides to the air; sprinkle with a little salt; cover the pot with a double cloth, and place it on the back of the range for a few minutes to evaporate all the moisture. if treated in this way the potatoes will be dry and mealy. violent boiling is likely to break the outside surface and make them ragged in appearance. new potatoes are boiled with the skins on. =mashed potatoes= after the potatoes are boiled and dried as directed above, mash them at once over the fire and in the same pot in which they were boiled, so that they will lose no heat. season them with salt, butter, and cream or milk; heat the milk and butter together; add them slowly, and beat the potatoes well with a fork or an egg-beater until they are very light and white. turn them into a hot dish. do not smooth the top. =potato cakes= mashed potato left over may be used for cakes. add an egg to a cupful and a half of potato and beat them well together until light; form it into cakes or balls; roll them in flour and sauté in butter, or spread the mixture in a layer one inch thick; cut it into strips or squares and sauté; or put it into a well-buttered border mold; cover with greased paper, and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. let it stand in the mold for ten minutes; then turn onto a dish, and fill the center with any mince or with creamed fish. mashed potato without egg will not hold its form when molded. =potato rice= press well-seasoned mashed potatoes through a colander or a potato press onto the center of a dish, leaving the little flakes lightly piled up. serve chops or minced meat around the mound of potato. =potato soufflÉ= to two cupfuls of smooth, well-seasoned, and quite moist mashed potatoes add the yolks of two eggs. when a little cooled stir in lightly the whites of two eggs beaten very stiff. put the whole into a pudding-dish, and brown it in a quick oven. =potato roses= to two cupfuls of well-seasoned mashed potatoes, add the yolks of two eggs and white of one, and beat them well together. place it in a pastry bag with a tube having a star-shaped opening (see illustration), and press it through. as the potato comes from the tube, guide it in a circle, winding it around until it comes to a point. the little piles of potato will resemble roses. touch them lightly with a brush dipped in egg, and place a bit of butter on each one. put them in the oven a moment to brown slightly. the edges touched by the egg will take a deeper color. potato roses make a good garnish for meat dishes. [illustration: potato roses. (see page .)] =potato croquettes= to two cupfuls of well-seasoned mashed potatoes add the beaten yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, one and a half tablespoonfuls of butter (if none has been used in seasoning), a dash of cayenne and nutmeg; stir over the fire until the potato leaves the sides of the pan. when cold, form it into small croquettes, roll them in egg and bread-crumbs and fry them in hot fat to an amber color. serve on a napkin (see frying croquettes, page ). the croquette mixture may be made into balls enclosing minced meat. when used in this way serve with it a white sauce. =potato balls= with a potato scoop (see illustration) cut balls out of peeled raw potatoes, and drop them in cold water for half an hour. put them into salted boiling water and boil for fifteen minutes, or until tender; drain off the water; cover with a cloth and let stand on the back of the range until dry. serve them on a napkin, or pour over them white sauce, and sprinkle with parsley, or use them as a garnish. the pieces of potato left from cutting the balls can be boiled and mashed, so there is no waste. =potato omelet= cut cold boiled potatoes into dice a quarter of an inch square; mix them with enough white sauce to well moisten them. place a tablespoonful of butter in a frying-pan; when the butter is hot, put in the potatoes and sauté them until browned on the bottom, loosen them from the pan, and turn them like an omelet onto a flat dish; or this preparation may be put in a baking-dish, sprinkled with crumbs and grated cheese, then put in the oven to brown, and served in the same dish. =creamed potatoes= cut cold boiled potatoes that are a little underdone into dice or into slices one eighth of an inch thick. put them in a saucepan with enough milk or cream to cover them, and cook until the potatoes have absorbed nearly all the milk; then to every two cupfuls of potato add one tablespoonful of butter, one half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and, just before serving, a teaspoonful of parsley chopped very fine; or a white sauce may be made, using cream, if convenient, and the potatoes placed in it just long enough to heat them; or a cream sauce may be poured over hot boiled potatoes; then sprinkle with parsley. =broiled potatoes= peel and cut the potatoes lengthwise into slices one quarter of an inch thick. broil them on both sides over moderate heat until tender; spread each slice with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. serve very hot. or, use cold boiled potatoes. dip each slice in melted butter; sprinkle with pepper and salt and broil three minutes on each side. =baked potatoes= select large potatoes of uniform size and shape. wash and scrub them with a brush. bake them in a hot oven about an hour, or until soft; press them to see if done, but do not pierce them with a fork; when soft break the skin in one place, and serve at once on a napkin. they become watery if kept. =stuffed potatoes= select potatoes of equal size and shape, wash and scrub them well and bake them. while they are still hot cut a piece off the top of each, and with a spoon scoop out the potato, leaving the skin unbroken. mash and season the potato, using a little hot milk and beating it well to make it light. fill the potato skins with the mashed potato, letting it rise a little above the top of the skin. place a piece of butter on the top of each, and put them in the oven to get well heated and slightly brown the tops; or cut the baked potatoes in two, lengthwise, and when the skins are filled, smooth the potato even with the skin; brush them with egg and set in the oven to glaze. (see illustration.) [illustration: stuffed baked potatoes. (see page .)] =potatoes baked with meat= pare the potatoes, and place them in the dripping-pan with the meat one hour before the meat is to be removed. baste them with the drippings, and turn so all sides will be browned. =lyonnaise potatoes= put one and a half tablespoonfuls of butter in a frying-pan. when melted add a scant tablespoonful of chopped onion; let it slightly color, then add two cupfuls of cold boiled potatoes cut into dice. stir until the potato has absorbed all the butter, and become slightly browned; then sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. mix well, and serve very hot. =fried potatoes= cold boiled potatoes are sliced, then put into a sauté-pan with butter, and cooked until browned on both sides. if rolled in flour they will form a crisp crust. raw potatoes are sliced or cut into any shape, and put into cold water for half an hour. they are then well dried on a napkin, and immersed in hot fat until done. too many must not be put in the basket at once, as it cools the fat (see frying, page ). fry them to an amber color; then drain, and place them on a paper in the oven until all are done. serve them at once, as they lose their crispness if kept. =fried potato balls and straws= to make balls use a potato scoop; press it well into the potato before turning it. to make straws cut the potato into slices lengthwise, and then into strips, making each one about one eighth of an inch thick. slices or strips cut with a fluted knife are good forms for fried potatoes. fry the potatoes in hot fat, using a basket. fancy fried potatoes are used to garnish any broiled meat dish. there are many kinds of cutters to give different shapes to potatoes. =saratoga potatoes= cut the potatoes with a plane into slices as thin as paper if possible. let them soak in cold water for a little time to wash out the starch; then put them into fresh water with a piece of ice to thoroughly chill them. drain a few of the slices at a time, dry them on a napkin; put them in a frying basket and immerse them in smoking-hot fat. keep them separated, and remove as soon as slightly colored. turn them into a colander to drain, and sprinkle them with salt. when the second lot are fried turn those in the colander onto a paper in the open oven, and so on until all are done. saratoga potatoes should be perfectly dry and crisp. they may be used hot or cold, and will keep for some time in a dry place. if wanted hot, place them in the oven a moment before serving. =puffed or soufflÉ potatoes= peel the potatoes; cut the sides square, and trim off the corners, so as to give an oval shape. with one even cut slice them one eighth of an inch thick the length of the potato; they must be all the same size and shape. soak them in cold water for half an hour; dry them on a napkin, and fry them in fat which is only moderately hot until they are soft, but not colored. remove and place them on a sieve to drain and cool. then immerse them in hot fat, when they will puff into balls. toss the basket, and remove any that do not puff. sprinkle with salt, and serve them on a napkin, or as a garnish. holland potatoes best suit this purpose; it is impossible to get the same result with most of the other varieties. =sweet potatoes= wash and scrub the potatoes; put them in boiling water, and cook until they can be pierced with a fork; then pour off the water. cover the pot with a cloth, and draw it to the side of the range to let the potatoes steam for ten minutes. peel them before serving. =baked sweet potatoes= wash and scrub the potatoes without breaking the skin. bake until soft; then break the skin in one place, and serve at once. =browned sweet potatoes= cut cold boiled potatoes into slices one quarter of an inch thick. sprinkle them with salt and pepper; spread with butter, and sprinkle with sugar. place them in a hot oven to brown. =sweet potato croquettes= follow the rule for potato croquettes given on page . =sweet potato purÉe= mash thoroughly the boiled potatoes, and season them well with salt, pepper, and butter; add enough hot milk to moisten them. serve it the same as mashed white potato; or put it in a pudding-dish, brush the top with egg, and brown it in the oven. serve with it a tomato sauce, and use as a luncheon dish. either boiled or baked potatoes may be used. =stewed tomatoes= if fresh tomatoes are used remove the skins by placing them in boiling water a few minutes; they will then peel off easily. cut them in pieces, and stew in a granite-ware saucepan until tender. to one quart of tomatoes add one teaspoonful each of salt and sugar, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and a tablespoonful of butter. thicken with a teaspoonful of cornstarch wet in cold water, or with one half cupful of cracker or bread-crumbs. =scalloped tomatoes= season a can of tomatoes with one teaspoonful of salt, and one quarter teaspoonful of pepper. spread a shallow baking dish with a thin layer of bread-crumbs; pour in the tomatoes, sprinkle over them a tablespoonful of sugar, and a few drops of onion juice. cover the top with a cupful of bread-crumbs which have been moistened with a tablespoonful of melted butter. bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. serve in the same dish. =stuffed tomatoes= select large, firm tomatoes; do not remove the skins; cut a small slice off the stem end, and scoop out the inside. fill them with a stuffing made as follows: put one tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; when hot add one tablespoonful of onion chopped fine. let it color slightly; then add three quarters of a cupful of any minced meat, chicken, or livers, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, one cupful of bread-crumbs, the pulp taken from the tomatoes, one teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and also an egg if desired. stir it over the fire until it is consistent. dust the inside of the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and fill them, letting the stuffing rise half an inch above the tomato, and place a piece of butter on it. the above amount of stuffing is enough for eight tomatoes. cut slices of bread one half inch thick into circles the size of the tomatoes; dip them quickly in water, and place in a baking-pan. place a tomato on each piece of bread, and bake in oven about fifteen minutes, or until the stuffing is browned. a brown sauce may be served with this dish. the meat may be omitted from the stuffing if desired. if convenient it is better to use oil instead of butter with tomatoes. =roasted tomatoes= peel the tomatoes; cut a piece off the top, and remove a little of the pulp. put a piece of butter or a few drops of oil in each one; dust with salt and pepper, replace the top, sprinkle it with crumbs, pepper, and salt. put a small piece of butter or a little oil on each one, and place on a slice of bread. bake in oven fifteen to twenty minutes. =broiled tomatoes= cut the tomatoes horizontally in two; leave the skins on. place them on a broiler with the skin side down; dust with salt and pepper, and broil, without turning, over a moderate fire fifteen to twenty minutes, or until tender. lay them on a hot dish, and spread each piece with either butter, oil, maître d'hôtel sauce, hot mayonnaise or béarnaise; or the tomatoes may be cut into thick slices, covered with oil, and then broiled, turning frequently. =tomato farci= cut the tomatoes in halves; place them in a frying-pan, the open side down, in one half inch deep of hot fat. move them about until they are cooked a little tender. then lift them carefully without breaking, and place them side by side in a baking-dish. pour a little sweet oil around them; sprinkle with chopped garlic, and parsley, salt, pepper, and cayenne. bake in hot oven fifteen to twenty minutes. serve in same dish. =green peas= the flavor of peas, and also the time required for cooking them, depends very much upon their freshness. put them into salted boiling water, and do not cover the saucepan; boil ten to twenty minutes, or until soft enough to be easily mashed. drain off the water, and season with pepper, salt, and butter. mix in the seasoning carefully with a fork, so as not to break the peas. sometimes a little sugar improves them. use plenty of water in boiling, and do not let them be overcooked, as this is as bad a fault as having them underdone. when canned peas are used turn them onto a sieve, and rinse them off with cold water (this will remove the taste of the can, which they sometimes have); add the seasoning, and let them become thoroughly heated. they do not require any more cooking. =purÉe of peas= boil the peas until very tender; mash and press them through a sieve. place them again in the saucepan, and stir into them enough hot milk, pepper and salt, to well moisten and season them; add also some butter, and a very little sugar. dried peas may be used in this way, but require soaking and long boiling. the purée makes a pretty garnish pressed through a pastry bag like potato roses (see page ), or into a fancy border around a dish. [illustration: forms of purÉe for garnishing. (see pages , , and .)] =string beans= remove carefully all the strings; cut the beans into one-quarter inch pieces, laying a number together, and cutting them at one time; or cut each bean lengthwise into four strips, and lay them evenly together. place them in salted boiling water, and boil uncovered until tender; drain off the water, and season with salt, pepper, and butter, or mix with them just enough white sauce (page ) to coat them well. =flageolets= if the dried beans are used soak them several hours in cold water; then throw them into salted boiling water, and boil until tender, but not soft enough to break. use plenty of water in boiling them, and drain well. season with butter, salt, and pepper. if cooked right the beans will be glossy. they are good also as a purée, the same as purée of peas (see page ). =lima beans= put them into salted boiling water, and cook until tender, then drain off the water. moisten them with butter, and season with salt and pepper; and add, if convenient, a little hot cream, or cover with white sauce. =spinach= put a half peck of spinach into cold water to freshen; pick it over carefully, removing all the wilted and yellow leaves. pass it through five changes of water to free it from grit. put it in a saucepan; enough water will cling to it for the cooking. cover the saucepan; stir occasionally so it does not burn. after fifteen minutes add a tablespoonful of salt, and cook five minutes longer; then turn it into a colander to drain; when it is dry chop it very fine. put into a saucepan one and a half tablespoonfuls of butter, and one tablespoonful of flour. after they are a little cooked add a teaspoonful of salt, dash of pepper, and the spinach. cook five minutes; then add a half cupful of cream or milk, and cook another five minutes. stir constantly, to prevent burning. taste to see if the seasoning is right. serve either in a vegetable dish, or in the center of a dish with chops around it, or in bread boxes as shown in illustration; or press the spinach into individual timbale molds, place each form on a square of toast, and garnish the top of each one in imitation of a daisy by placing in the center some of the yolks of hard-boiled eggs which have been pressed through a sieve, and around this center a circle of the whites of the eggs chopped fine; or a thick slice of hard-boiled egg may be pressed into the top of each mold. [illustration: spinach served in croustades or bread-boxes.] =spinach soufflÉ= take a cupful of spinach which has been prepared as directed above (any that is left over can be utilized in this way); mix with it the beaten yolk of an egg, and stir it over the fire until the egg is set. let it cool. when ready to serve stir into it lightly the well-beaten whites of three eggs. fill individual china cups or buttered paper boxes half full, and place them in a hot oven for ten to fifteen minutes. serve at once. like any soufflé, it will fall if not sufficiently baked, or if not served very promptly. =chartreuse of spinach or of cabbage= boil a large carrot and turnip; cut them into slices lengthwise three eighths of an inch thick, then into strips of the same width. butter well a tin basin, with slightly flaring sides, or a plain mold. ornament the bottom with hard-boiled egg, or with fancy pieces of the vegetables. around the sides of the mold place close together alternate strips of the carrot and turnip. if the mold is well buttered they will easily hold in place. fill the center with spinach or with seasoned chopped cabbage, and press it down so it is quite firm; smooth the top and cut off the strips of vegetable so that they are even. heat the chartreuse by placing the mold in a pan of hot water and putting both in the oven for a few minutes. turn the chartreuse on a flat dish to serve. a white or a vinaigrette sauce goes well with this dish. birds, veal cutlets, chops, chicken, or sweetbreads may be placed on top of the chartreuse if desired. [illustration: chartreuse of spinach. (see pages and .) border of alternate strips of carrot and turnip. top circles of carrot and turnip.] =asparagus= scrape the stalks; let them stand in cold water for half an hour; tie them again into a bundle and make them uniform in length; put them into salted boiling water and cook about twenty minutes or until tender, but not so soft as to be limp. place the asparagus on buttered toast and remove the string. serve with the asparagus, but separately, plain melted butter, a white, or a hollandaise sauce. cold boiled asparagus is served as a salad with plain french dressing (see page ) or with cold béarnaise sauce. =asparagus tips= cut the asparagus stalks into pieces about an inch long, and as far down as tender. cook them in salted boiling water. drain and stir into them just enough white sauce to well coat them. cabbage [sidenote: cabbage.] [sidenote: cauliflower.] [sidenote: brussels sprouts.] [sidenote: kohlrabi.] four vegetables are the result of the cabbage plant by cultivation. as the rose changes its character under the hand of the floriculturist, so it is with cabbage at the hand of the gardener. first is the cabbage, which is the leafy bud that stores up food for a flower the next year. second, the cauliflower, which is a cluster (corymb) of forced cabbage flowers. third, brussels sprouts. the leaves are picked off, and small buds form along the stem; and fourth, kohlrabi, which is the leaves turned into a fleshy tuberous-like vegetable. in these results two of the phases, cauliflower and brussels sprouts, are much esteemed, and are given rank with the best vegetables, while cabbage and kohlrabi have little favor, and are considered coarse and vulgar foods. the cabbage, however, if properly cooked, will be found an exceedingly palatable vegetable, which very closely resembles cauliflower. =boiled cabbage= if this receipt is exactly followed, this much-despised vegetable will be found very acceptable, and its odor will not be perceptible through the house. cut the cabbage into good-sized pieces, take off the outside leaves, and cut away the hard core. wash it well in two changes of water, and place the pieces, open side down, on a colander to drain. have a very generous amount of water in a large saucepan or pot; let it boil violently; add a tablespoonful of salt and one quarter teaspoonful of baking soda; put in the cabbage, one piece at a time, so as to check the boiling as little as possible. let it cook for twenty-five minutes uncovered and boiling rapidly all the time. push the cabbage under the water every five minutes. turn it into a colander and press out all the water. put into a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter, a heaping teaspoonful of flour, one half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper; add slowly one half cupful of milk, and stir till smooth; then add the cabbage. cut it into large pieces with a knife, and mix it lightly with the sauce. if the cabbage is free from water the sauce will adhere to it and form a creamy coating. this receipt of catherine owen has been found most satisfactory. =cabbage with cheese= (_very good._) boil the cabbage as directed above. press out all the water and chop it. make a white sauce of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, one cupful of milk, one half teaspoonful of salt, dash of cayenne (see page ). spread a layer of cabbage on the bottom of a pudding-dish; cover it with white sauce; then add a layer of grated cheese. make a second layer of cabbage, sauce, and cheese; cover the top with a layer of crumbs moistened with butter, and place it in the oven. when the sauce bubbles through the crumbs it is done. serve in same dish. =swedish cabbage= slice the cabbage into thin shreds as for cold slaw; cook it in a generous amount of rapidly boiling water for fifteen minutes; then drain off the water; cover it with milk; add salt, pepper, and a bit of mace, and cook until tender, and until the milk has boiled away so that it only moistens the cabbage. add a piece of butter, and serve. =hot slaw= cut the cabbage into thin shreds as for cold slaw. (use a plane if convenient.) boil it until tender in salted fast-boiling water. drain it thoroughly, and pour over it a hot sauce made of one tablespoonful of butter, one half teaspoonful of salt, dash of pepper and of cayenne, and one half to one cupful of vinegar, according to its strength. cover the saucepan and let it stand on the side of the range for five minutes, so that the cabbage and sauce will become well incorporated. =brussels sprouts= remove any wilted leaves from the outside of the sprouts, and let them stand in cold salted water from fifteen to twenty minutes, so that any insects there may be in them will come out. put the sprouts into salted, rapidly boiling water, and cook uncovered fifteen or twenty minutes, or until tender, but not until they lose their shape. drain them thoroughly in a colander; then place them in a saucepan with butter, pepper, and salt, and toss them until seasoned; or mix them lightly with just enough white sauce to coat them. =cauliflower= trim off the outside leaves and cut the stalk even with the flower. let it stand upside down in cold salted water for fifteen or twenty minutes to take out any insects there may be in it. put it into a generous quantity of rapidly boiling salted water and cook it uncovered about twenty minutes or until tender, but not so soft as to fall to pieces. remove any scum from the water before lifting out the cauliflower. if not perfectly white, rub a little white sauce over it. serve with it a white, a béchamel, or a hollandaise sauce; or it may be served as a garnish to chicken, sweetbreads, etc., the little bunches being broken off and mixed with white sauce. =cauliflower au gratin= break the boiled cauliflower into small flowerets. place them in a pudding-dish in alternate layers with white sauce and grated cheese. cover the top with crumbs moistened with butter, and bake until the sauce bubbles through the crumbs. =egg-plant= cut the egg-plant into slices one quarter of an inch thick, after removing the skin. sprinkle the slices with salt. pile them one upon another on the back of a dish. place on them a plate holding a weight; let it stand one hour to express the juice. dip the slices in egg and crumbs, or in egg and flour, and sauté on both sides in lard or drippings. =stuffed egg-plant= boil an egg-plant twenty to thirty minutes, or until tender. cut it in two lengthwise, and take out the pulp, using care not to break the skin. mash the pulp, and season it with butter, salt, and pepper; replace it in the skins; sprinkle with bread-crumbs moistened in butter, and place in the oven to brown. =stuffed peppers= use green sweet peppers of uniform size. cut a piece off the stem end, or cut them in two lengthwise, and remove the seeds and partitions. put them in boiling water for five minutes to parboil. fill each one with a stuffing made of equal parts of softened bread-crumbs and minced meat well seasoned with salt, butter, and a few drops of onion juice. place them in a baking-dish with water, or better stock, half an inch deep, and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. serve them in the same dish if a suitable one is used; if not, remove them carefully to another dish. =chestnut purÉe= remove the shells; boil ten minutes; then drain and remove the skins. put them in boiling salted water, and cook until tender; then drain, mash, and press them through a colander. season with butter, salt, and pepper; moisten with cream, or milk, or stock. =celery stewed= cut the celery into pieces one inch long. boil in salted water until tender; drain and mix with a white sauce. =celery au jus= cut heads of celery into pieces six inches long, leaving them attached to the root; remove the coarse branches, and trim the roots neatly. parboil it for five minutes. make a brown roux, using two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, one teaspoonful of salt, and one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, and dash of nutmeg. add two cupfuls of stock when the roux is well browned; and in this, place the bunches of celery; cover and cook very slowly for twenty-five minutes. remove the celery, and place it evenly on a dish. strain the gravy; pour it around or over the celery. =carrots and turnips= cut carrots and turnips into dice one quarter of an inch square, or with a small potato scoop cut them into balls. boil them separately in salted water; drain and mix them carefully together. stir lightly into them enough white sauce to moisten them well. =macÉdoine of vegetables= cut a carrot and turnip into half inch dice, or with small vegetable-cutters cut them into fancy shapes or into small balls. mix them in about equal proportions with green peas, flageolet beans, string-beans cut into half inch lengths, and small pieces of cauliflower. the vegetables should be boiled separately and well drained before being put together, and when prepared should be mixed lightly so as not to break them, and seasoned with butter, pepper, and salt, or be moistened with a béchamel or a cream sauce. the macédoine may be used as a garnish for meat, or can be served separately in a vegetable dish. this mixture of vegetables may also be used for a salad. sometimes the vegetables, instead of being mixed together, are placed in separate piles around the meat or on a flat dish, and then give a good effect of color. =dried beans= boiled, baked, purÉe, croquettes wash the beans, and soak them over night. boil them slowly until tender, changing the water several times. they are improved in flavor by boiling with them a small piece of salt pork, a bay-leaf, and onion. if they are to be baked remove them from the water when the skin will break easily; put them in a pipkin or bean pot, bury in them a piece of salt pork with the rind scored; sprinkle with salt and pepper. pour over them a tablespoonful of molasses, and enough salted water to cover them. cover the pot closely, and place it in a slow oven to cook for six to eight hours. for a purée, boil the beans until tender; mash them through a colander. season with butter, salt, and pepper; and add enough cream or stock to make them the right consistency. this is called "purée bretonne." to use it for a garnish, press it through a pastry bag into forms like potato roses (see page ), or put it into small fontage cups (see page ), or on thin pieces of toast the size of a silver dollar. to make croquettes add a beaten egg to the purée, form it into small croquettes, roll them in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat. =beets= wash beets well, but do not break the skin, or they will lose their color in boiling. cook for one hour if young, for two to three hours if old. when done throw them into cold water, and remove the skins. season with butter, salt, and pepper. serve them whole if small; cut into slices if large. =summer squash= wash; cut into small pieces; cook in salted boiling water for twenty minutes, or until tender. drain thoroughly; mash, and press out all the water. season with butter, pepper, salt, and cream if convenient. =parsnips= boil the parsnips one hour, or until tender; throw them in cold water, and remove the skins. cut them in slices lengthwise one quarter of an inch thick. sprinkle with salt and pepper. dip in melted butter; then roll in flour, and sauté on both sides until browned. or mash the boiled parsnips; season, and stir into them one tablespoonful of flour and one egg to bind them; form into small cakes, and sauté in drippings until browned on both sides. =cucumbers= boiled, stuffed boiled: peel the cucumbers, and cut them lengthwise into quarters. boil them in salted water until tender. make a white sauce (page ), using cream instead of milk, if convenient. place the well-drained cucumbers in the sauce, to be heated through; then sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. stuffed: select large cucumbers of uniform size. cut them in two lengthwise. with a spoon remove carefully the seeds, and fill the place with a stuffing made of equal parts of minced chicken, or any meat, and soft crumbs, seasoned, and moistened with one egg and a little stock. round it over the top, and sprinkle with crumbs. place the pieces in a pan with enough stock to cover the pan one half inch deep. cook in a moderate oven one hour, or until the cucumbers are tender; replenish the stock in the pan if necessary. remove them carefully to a hot dish. thicken the gravy in the pan with a little cornstarch, and pour it around, not over them. this dish can be served as an entrée. =lettuce stewed= wash the lettuce carefully to remove the dust and any insects. take off the wilted leaves, and cut the root even with the head. tie the top together. lay the heads side by side in a baking-pan; add enough stock to cover the pan one and a half inches deep. cover, and place in a moderate oven to simmer for one half hour, or until the lettuce is soft; renew the stock if necessary. lift the lettuce out with a fork, putting it under the middle; let it drain, and lay it double, as it will be over the fork, in a row on a hot dish. season the gravy in the pan with butter, salt, and pepper; thicken it with cornstarch, or with a beaten egg, and serve it with the lettuce. =onions= put them in salted boiling water, and cook until tender; drain, and pour over them a white sauce, or melted butter, pepper, and salt. if browned onions are wanted for garnishing place them, after they are boiled tender, in a pan; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little sugar; and put them in a hot oven to brown. =stuffed spanish onions= peel the onions. scoop out from the top a portion of the center. parboil them for five minutes, and turn them upside down to drain. fill them with a stuffing made of equal parts of minced chicken, or meat, and soft bread-crumbs, chop fine the onion taken from the center, and add it to the mixture. season it with salt and pepper, and moisten it with melted butter. fill the onions heaping full, and sprinkle the tops with crumbs. place them in a pan with an inch of water; cover, and let cook in an oven for an hour, or until tender, but not so long as to lose shape. take off the cover the last five minutes, so they will brown very slightly. =corn on the ear= strip off the husk and silk. put into boiling water; cover, and boil ten to fifteen minutes. do not salt the water, as it hardens the hull. =corn mock oysters= cut down through the center of the grains, each row of green corn on the ear and with the back of a knife press out the pulp, leaving the hulls on the ear. to a pint of the pulp add two beaten eggs, one teaspoonful each of butter and salt, a dash of pepper, and enough flour to bind it. roll it into small cakes, and sauté them in butter; or it may be dropped from a spoon into hot fat, making fritters. these may be made of canned corn, in which case use a little milk and sugar. =canned corn= turn it into a sieve, and let a little water run over it from the faucet. put it into a shallow baking dish; add to one canful of corn one tablespoonful of butter, one half cupful of cream or milk, one half teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of pepper. place in the oven to brown the top, and serve in the same dish. =succotash= mix equal parts of corn, cut from the ear, and any kind of beans; boil them separately; then stir them lightly together, and season with butter, salt, and pepper and add a little cream if convenient. =artichokes= cut the stems off even with the leaves; remove the hardest bottom leaves, and cut off the top ones straight across, leaving an opening. take out the inside, or choke. wash well, and place upside down to drain. put them into boiling water for half an hour, or until the leaves pull out easily; drain well, and serve on a napkin. they should be cut with a sharp knife into halves or quarters, and served with white, béchamel, or hollandaise sauce. the bottom and the base of the leaves only are eatable. =artichoke bottoms= remove all the leaves and choke. trim the bottoms into good shape. boil them in salted water until tender. serve with béchamel or hollandaise sauce. or cut the leaves close to the bottom, and divide it into quarters. cook, and serve the same way. canned artichoke bottoms can be procured, which are very good. chapter vii farinaceous foods used as vegetables receipts for macaroni and cereals =to boil rice= wash the rice well, and drain it. it must be washed in several waters, and until the floury coating, which is usually on rice, is all removed. this flour makes it pasty, and holds the grains together. have a large saucepan of salted boiling water. place it on the hottest part of the range, so it will boil violently. sprinkle in the rice slowly, so as not to stop the boiling, and let it cook for fifteen to twenty minutes uncovered. at the end of fifteen minutes take out a few grains. if they are soft when pressed between the fingers, they are done. then drain off every drop of water; sprinkle with salt; cover the pot with a napkin, using one thickness only--and set it on the side of the range to steam and become perfectly dry. or the rice may be turned into a colander to drain, then placed in the open oven to dry. use a large amount of water in proportion to the rice. have it violently agitated all the time to keep the grains separated. do not cook it too long, and do not stir or touch it while cooking. the cloth will not prevent the moisture escaping, and will help to keep it warm while it is drying. if these simple rules are observed, each grain will be separate and dry. do not cover the dish in which it is served. rice cooked in this way can be served in the place of potatoes. =rice and tomato= to a cupful of boiled rice add a half cupful of strained tomato sauce, which has been well seasoned with butter, salt, pepper, and bay-leaf. toss them together, or mix lightly with a fork so as not to mash the grains. serve as a vegetable. =parched rice= boil rice as directed above, so each grain will be separate. let it get cold, then separate the grains lightly with a fork on a flat dish. put into a frying-pan just enough butter to cover the bottom of the pan; when it is hot add a little of the rice at a time, and sauté it to a delicate color. shake the pan constantly to keep the grains separated. remove the rice as it is done, and spread on a paper to dry in an open oven. the rice should not be greasy when served. this makes a good rice dish to serve as a vegetable with broiled meats. =farina balls= / cupful of farina. cupfuls of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. dash of cayenne. drops of onion juice. yolk of egg. cook the milk and farina in a double boiler for twenty to thirty minutes. wet the farina with a little cold milk before stirring it into the boiling milk, so it will be smooth; add the salt, and cook to stiffness, or until the milk has evaporated, then add the cayenne, onion juice, and beaten yolk of egg. stir well to mix, and to cook the egg; pour it onto a dish. when cold roll it into balls one inch in diameter; roll the balls in crumbs, then in egg (the white and yolk with one tablespoonful of water, beaten only enough to break), and again in white crumbs. fry them in hot fat for one minute, or to a light amber color. be sure the balls are completely coated with egg and crumbs, or they will break in frying. any cold cereals can be used in this way. they make a very pretty dish. serve on a napkin, or to garnish a meat dish. [illustration: farina balls. (see page .)] =fried hominy= cut cold boiled hominy into slices one half inch thick, then into pieces of uniform size. roll in flour, and sauté on both sides, or dip them in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat. =fried corn mush= pour well-boiled cornmeal mush (page ) into a bread-tin or dish with straight sides, so it will cut in even slices. make the mush the day before it is to be used, so it will have time to harden. cut it in pieces one half inch thick, and into any shape desired, but have the pieces uniform. roll each one in egg and flour, and fry in hot fat; or they may be rolled in milk, then in flour, and sautéd in butter. they should have a crust on both sides. it is good served as a vegetable with game, or as a breakfast dish with or without syrup. macaroni [sidenote: general directions.] the best macaroni is smooth, has a fine, close grain and clear yellow color. it is made of flour and water only, and when cooked needs the seasoning of a good sauce. it is generally mixed with cheese, but tomato, cream, or béchamel sauces make at good combination. when macaroni is to be boiled in long pieces to be used for timbales, hold the pieces in a bunch, and lower them gradually into hot water. they will quickly soften, and can be turned into a circle in the saucepan. they must be removed when tender, and not cooked until they lose form. when done drain off the hot water, and pour on cold water for a few minutes; then lay them straight on a cloth. [illustration: bean pot.] spaghetti [sidenote: how to serve.] spaghetti is a small and more delicate form of macaroni. it is boiled until tender in salted water and is combined with cheese and with sauces the same as macaroni, and is usually left long. it makes a good garnish. =baked macaroni, with cheese= take as much macaroni as will half fill the dish in which it is to be served. break it into pieces two and a half to three inches long. put it into salted boiling water, and boil twelve to fifteen minutes, or until the macaroni is perfectly soft. shake the saucepan frequently to prevent the macaroni from adhering to the bottom. turn it into a colander to drain; then put it into a pudding-dish with butter, salt, and grated cheese. if much cheese is liked, it may be put into the dish in two layers, alternating the seasoning with the macaroni. cover it with milk, and bake until the milk is absorbed and the top browned. a tablespoonful or more of melted butter should be used to a half pound of macaroni. the macaroni called "mezzani," which is a name designating size, not quality, is the preferable kind for macaroni dishes made with cheese. =macaroni au gratin= boil the macaroni as directed above. drain it in a colander; then return it to the saucepan with butter and grated cheese. toss over the fire until the butter is absorbed and the cheese melted. serve at once before the cheese has time to harden. a mixture of parmesan and of swiss cheese is often liked; the former strings when melted; the latter becomes liquid. =macaroni with tomato or other sauces= boil the macaroni as directed above; drain it in a colander; then return it to the saucepan, and mix it with tomato sauce, with cream sauce, or with béchamel sauce; toss until they are well mixed; serve in a vegetable dish or as a garnish. =macaroni with minced meat= mix boiled macaroni with minced chicken or any meat, and moisten with white or brown sauce. the meat should be minced very fine. this makes a good luncheon dish. =receipt for macaroni= (from mrs. maspero.) put the macaroni into salted boiling water, and cook it twelve to fifteen minutes, or until it is tender. do not let the water boil violently, as this breaks the macaroni. when it is cooked, drain off all the water, and cover the hot macaroni with grated cheese (parmesan and gruyère mixed). with two forks mix lightly the cheese with the macaroni. turn it into the hot serving-dish, and pour over it the sauce given below. serve at once. =sauce for macaroni, for rissotto, and for polenta= put into a saucepan one and a half tablespoonfuls of butter. add a small onion chopped fine and a half clove of garlic. cook until all are browned; then add three tablespoonfuls of water in which the macaroni was boiled, and a teaspoonful of beef extract. add, also, three or four soaked mushrooms, and let it simmer for five minutes. this amount of sauce is enough for a pound of macaroni. the mushrooms given in this receipt are the dried cèpes, which can be bought by the pound at italian groceries. they are the best, after the fresh mushrooms, to use for sauces. they should not be cooked longer than five minutes to give their best flavor. =sauce for macaroni no. = (mrs. maspero.) make a sauce as directed for no. , using in place of the beef extract a cupful of chopped round of beef, and a cupful of tomatoes. =sauce for macaroni no. = (mrs. maspero.) when roasting an upper round of beef stick into it six cloves, a clove of garlic, and a few lardoons of pork. sprinkle it well with salt and pepper. after the beef is roasted, turn the juice from the pan over the macaroni and cheese. =polenta= (mrs. maspero.) make a cornmeal mush; boil it for a long time, until it is firm and hard. cut it in slices or leave it in one piece. pour over it sauce no. given above. =rissotto= (mrs. maspero.) boil rice until tender, but not soft. the italian rice must be used, as it does not get soft like the carolina rice; when the rice is done, drain off the water and steam it dry; then add, while the rice is still on the fire, some mixed grated parmesan and swiss cheese. turn them together lightly until the cheese has softened, then put it into the hot serving-dish, and cover with sauce no. given above. cereals oatmeal porridge oatmeal is ground in different grades of coarseness, and some brands are partly cooked before they are put up for sale; therefore the time for cooking varies, and it is better to observe the directions given on the packages. oatmeal requires to be cooked until very soft, but should not be mushy. the ordinary rule is to put a cupful of meal into a quart of salted boiling water (a teaspoonful of salt), and let it cook in double boiler the required time. it is well to keep the pan covered until the oatmeal is cooked, then remove the cover and let the moisture evaporate until the oatmeal is of the right consistency. it should be moist enough to drop but not run from the spoon. it should be lightly stirred occasionally to prevent its sticking to the pan, but carefully so as not to break the grains. if carefully cooked, the sides of the pan will not be covered with burned oatmeal, and so wasted. oatmeal is very good cold, and in summer is better served in that way. it can be turned into fancy molds or into small cups to cool, and will then hold the form and make an ornamental dish. =cracked wheat= add to three cupfuls of water a half teaspoonful of salt; when it boils add a half cupful of cracked wheat, and let it cook uncovered until the water is nearly evaporated; then add three cupfuls of hot milk; cover and cook until the wheat is soft; then uncover and cook to the right consistency. it should be quite moist. stir it carefully from time to time while it is cooking, but with care not to break the grains. turn into molds to harden, and serve cold with sugar and milk. =cornmeal mush= sprinkle with the hand a pint of cornmeal into rapidly boiling salted water, stirring all the time. cook for half an hour; or mix the cornmeal with a pint of milk and teaspoonful of salt and turn it slowly into a quart of boiling water; cook for half an hour, stirring constantly. this may be eaten cold or hot, with milk, with butter and sugar, or with syrup. when cold it can be cut into slices and browned on both sides in a sauté-pan, and used as a vegetable dish, or as a breakfast dish, and may be eaten with syrup. chapter viii a group of receipts from a new england kitchen (supplied by susan coolidge) many of the receipts in this little "group" have never before appeared in print. they are copies from old grandmother and great-grandmother receipt-books, tested by generations of use, and become, at this time, traditional in the families to which they belong. they are now given to the public as examples of the simple but dainty cooking of a by-gone day, which, while differing in many points from the methods of our own time, in its way is no less delicious. =split pea soup= soak one quart of split peas in lukewarm water for three hours. pour off the water and boil the peas in three and a half quarts of salted water till they are thoroughly soft. rub through a colander, and throw away whatever does not pass through. this will keep several days. take out the quantity needed for dinner (allowing a generous quart to three persons); boil in it a small piece of pork, onion, and a little white pepper and salt; strain and serve very hot, with small cubes of fried bread dropped into the tureen. =black bean soup= quart of black beans. quarts of water. the bone of a boiled ham. cloves. peppercorns. boil on the back of the range for twelve hours; rub through a colander and set away to cool. this should make soup for two dinners for a family of six. when served, add a glass of wine to each tureenful, two or three slices of lemon, and cubes of bread fried in butter. =clam soup= boil a quart of clams in their own liquor till they are tender; then chop them fine and return to the broth. stir together until smooth two tablespoonfuls of butter and one and a half of flour, and with them thicken the soup. add very carefully a pint of milk, stirring to avoid curdling, and add two tablespoonfuls of butter, with pepper and salt, after taking the mixture from the fire. =clam chowder= cut one half pound of salt pork into slices, and fry them brown; chop two small onions, and cook them with the pork. stew separately a quart of tomatoes, canned or fresh, and a quart of sliced potatoes. when all are done, put them together with one quart of clams and their juice. add three pints of water, salt, pepper, a little thyme, a very little flour for thickening, and a handful of small whole crackers. stew all together for half an hour, and serve very hot. =fish chowder= three pounds of fresh codfish well boiled and the bones carefully removed. two onions chopped fine and fried with half a pound of salt pork, cut into small dice. six potatoes cut small, a pint of water, a little salt and white pepper. stew for twenty minutes, thicken slightly with a little flour; add a pint and a half of milk, and let all boil up once, stirring thoroughly. put a handful of oyster crackers into a hot tureen, and pour the mixture over them. =browned oysters= take thirty large oysters (about three pints); wash them in their own liquor. add to one pint of milk three tablespoonfuls of the oyster liquor, well strained, a very little mace, and a bit of butter about the size of an english walnut, and make the mixture scalding hot. rub two tablespoonfuls of flour perfectly smooth with a little of the milk; pour in and stir until the whole is thick. then drop in the oysters; cook five minutes or so, till they are well plumped out, and add a little salt, white pepper, and a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce. serve on a platter on slices of buttered toast. =fish and oysters= make a pint or more of white sauce, with flour, butter, and hot milk, carefully stirred till smooth and thick. pick to fine bits two quarts of cold boiled codfish, and add one pint of oysters chopped fine. fill a well-buttered pudding-dish with alternate layers of the fish and oysters and white sauce, sprinkling a little salt over the layers of cod. cover the top of the dish with fine bread-crumbs and small bits of butter; baste with a little cold water, and bake till the top is browned. =scalloped oysters= three pints of oysters; a quart of sifted bread-crumbs. place a layer of crumbs in the bottom of a rather deep baking-dish, then a layer of oysters, and sprinkle with salt and white pepper. repeat the process till the dish is filled. cover the top with crumbs and a layer of soft bread broken into bits and placed round the edge of a circle of small oyster crackers. wet the whole with half a pint of soup stock and a quarter of a cup of oyster liquor. cover the top generously with butter cut into fine bits. pour over the whole a glass of sherry, and bake an hour. =pickled oysters= scald the oysters in their own liquor, with a little water added, till they are plump. skim them out, and drop into a bowl of cold water; rinse well and put them in glass jars. scald an equal quantity of the liquor and vinegar with whole peppers, mace, and salt, and when perfectly cold fill the jars up with it. these will keep two or three weeks. =fricasseed oysters= drain a quart of large oysters from their liquor, and place them in a covered saucepan with a quarter of a pound of good butter. set them on the back of the range, and let them simmer gently till the oysters are well plumped out. put the oyster liquor in another saucepan with three tablespoonfuls of powdered cracker, and a little pepper. when the oysters are done, remove them from the butter with a fork, and place them on toasted crackers on a hot platter. add the butter in which they have been cooked to the oyster broth. let it boil up once. stir in half a pint of cream, and pour over the oysters. =stewed lobster= cut a boiled lobster weighing four pounds into small pieces. thicken a half pint of milk with a teaspoonful of flour and a tablespoonful of butter; add a teaspoonful of dry mustard, and a little salt and pepper. stew the lobster in this till it is quite tender, and lastly add a tablespoonful of vinegar. =fish balls= maine soak over night three quarters of a pound of boneless codfish. in the morning shred the fish (uncooked) very carefully with a silver fork till it is fine. add to it a dozen potatoes of medium size, freshly boiled, mashed, and rubbed through a sieve, two beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, a little hot milk or cream, and a sprinkling of white pepper. mold into round balls, and drop into very hot fat. =codfish and cream= shred two thirds of a bowlful of salt codfish, wash it several times with fresh water, drain off the water, and put it into a saucepan with a pint of sweet cream and half a pint of sweet milk. let it come nearly, but not quite, to the boiling point. beat together one egg, a tablespoonful of flour, and two tablespoonfuls of sweet milk; add it to the fish, and stir continually until it is done. put the mixture in a hot dish, and add a large spoonful of butter, stirring it thoroughly. =oysters on a chafing-dish= put into the chafing-dish four or five tablespoonfuls of the oyster liquor; add salt, white pepper, and a tablespoonful of butter, and stir till it is scalding hot. drop the oysters in, a dozen at a time, and cook till they are plump and tender; then skim out and place on slices of hot buttered toast; add more oysters as required. =pilau= one half pint of rice; one pint of stock; one half can of tomato. soak the rice in cold water for an hour. pour off the water, and put the rice, with the stock and one quarter of a white onion, in a double boiler. stew till the rice absorbs the stock. stew the tomato thoroughly, and season with butter, salt, and pepper. mix it with the rice. sauté in butter to a light color jointed chicken, slightly parboiled, or slices of cold cooked chicken or turkey. make a hole in the rice and tomato, put in the chicken and an ounce of butter, and stew all together for twenty minutes. serve on a platter in a smooth mound, the red rice surrounding the fowl. =spiced shad= scale the fish, cut off the heads and tails, and divide them into four pieces. chop four or five small onions, and sprinkle a layer on the bottom of a stone jar; on this place a layer of fish, packing closely. spice with black and cayenne pepper, cloves, allspice, whole peppers, and a little more onion. then add another layer of fish, and so on till the jar is full. arrange the roe on top, spice highly, and fill the jar with the strongest vinegar procurable. place thick folds of paper on the jar under the cover, and bake for twelve hours. the vinegar will dissolve the bones, and the fish can be sliced for a tea-table relish. =pork and beans= new hampshire soak a pint of small white beans over night. in the morning pour off the water, pour on a pint of cold water, and set at the back of the range to simmer slowly for three quarters of an hour. place the beans in a bean-pot with half a pound of scored salt pork in the middle, half a teaspoonful of dry mustard, salt, white pepper, and a half pint of white sugar. add water from time to time, as it grows dry, and bake twelve hours. =a rÉchauffÉ of cold mutton= have the mutton cut very neatly and carefully into slices. add to a half pint of gravy or stock a little white pepper, a quarter of a teaspoonful of dry mustard, a quarter of a teaspoonful of curry powder, and three large tablespoonfuls of currant jelly. when this is scalding hot, add a glass of sherry. have ready a hot platter with slices of toast. put the sliced mutton into the sauce long enough to heat through, but not to cook for a moment. take the slices out with a fork, and place them on the toast; last of all pour the boiling gravy over all, and serve instantly. this preparation will be found delicious--it robs the second-day-of-the-mutton of its terrors. =corned beef= if a round of corned beef is to be eaten cold, as is often the case, it should be carefully and slowly boiled, and left in the pot till the next day. the soaking in the water in which it has been boiled has the effect of making the beef delightfully delicate and tender, and a little less salt in its flavor. no one who has tried this method will be content with any other. if the beef is to be served hot, what is left can be reheated, and left to cool for the next day's use in the liquor. =a beefsteak pie= connecticut three pounds of lean rump steak cut thick. cut it into strips three inches long, and an inch wide. put it to stew in enough boiling water to not quite cover the meat, and simmer very slowly for half an hour. add a tablespoonful of parsley chopped fine, a large teaspoonful of sweet thyme, half a teaspoonful of white pepper, and a quarter of a pint of sliced onions. stew together till the meat is perfectly tender. rub smooth a tablespoonful of corn starch, and stir it with the gravy until it becomes of the consistency of cream; add a little salt and a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce. place the meat in a deep pudding-dish with alternate layers of cold ham sliced thin and sliced hard-boiled eggs--seven or eight eggs will be required. add a little grated nutmeg; cover with paste, and bake half an hour. =easy chicken salad= take a two-pound can of richardson & robbins's compressed chicken; remove the skin, and cut the chicken into small dice. add twice as much celery cut into small pieces, salt to taste, and marinate the whole with a mixture of three tablespoonfuls of vinegar to nine of oil. have it very cold, and just before serving pour over it a mayonnaise made by the following receipt. this quantity is enough for twenty-five persons. =cream dressing= rub together in a china bowl a large tablespoonful of butter, four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, a half teaspoonful of salt, and a half teaspoonful of dry mustard. place the bowl in a saucepan full of boiling water over a spirit lamp, or on the range. stir the mixture carefully till very hot, to prevent the butter from oiling. when hot add two well-beaten eggs; stir till thick, then pour in a half pint of cream, stir, remove from the fire, and allow it to get perfectly cold. cold sweet-breads are excellent served with this cream mayonnaise. =macaroni À l'albi= break a dozen stems of large macaroni into pieces four inches long, and stew carefully, till tender, in consommé or white soup stock. place in a dish layers of the macaroni sprinkled with salt, pepper, and of gruyère cheese grated fine. cover the top with a thick layer of grated cheese, on that a layer of fine bread-crumbs, and on that bits of butter cut fine. bake just long enough to brown the top thoroughly. =corn pudding= scrape with a knife two dozen ears of green corn, cutting each row through the middle. add one pint of milk, half a pound of butter, three eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, a little salt, and white pepper. stir the yolks into the milk and corn, pour into a baking-dish, stir in the whites, and bake an hour and a half. =thin indian bread= vermont mix together two cupfuls of meal, a tablespoonful of lard, and a teaspoonful of salt; scald with boiling water. thin it with a large cupful of cold milk and two well-beaten eggs. spread thin on a large buttered pan, and bake till brown in an oven only moderately hot. =graham gems= one pint of milk. one pint of graham flour. place on top of the range a frame of "iron-clad" gem-pans to get very hot. stir the milk and meal together lightly, not trying to make the batter very smooth. drop a bit of butter into each hot pan, and while it sizzles pour in the batter, and instantly set in the oven; bake twenty minutes. the heat raises the batter to lightness, and the butter gives a savory crust to the little cakes. =colonial hoe-cakes= connecticut stir indian meal and water together into a thickish paste. spread thickly on a new wooden spade, or on the top of a new barrel, and set on end before an open fire to slowly toast, turning the cake when the outer side is brown. no preparation of indian meal has quite the flavor of this. =rhode island johnny-cake= for this, rhode island meal, ground between stones, is required. take one pint of meal and one teaspoonful of salt, and scald thoroughly with boiling water till it is a stiff, smooth batter. thin with cold milk till about the consistency of sponge-cake batter, and drop in tablespoonfuls on a hot buttered griddle. when the under side is brown, turn the cakes and brown the other side. eat with butter. =boston brown bread= one pint of yellow cornmeal, scalded with a small quantity of boiling water, just enough to wet it thoroughly. let it stand ten minutes. then add enough cold water to make a soft batter. add one quarter pint of brewer's yeast, one quarter pint of molasses, one pint of rye meal, one half teaspoonful of salt, and one saltspoonful of soda. beat it well together, and set it to rise over night. when light, stir it thoroughly, put it into a buttered tin, sprinkle a little flour over the top, and set it to rise again. bake about two hours. it is excellent cut into slices and toasted. =dabs= connecticut a pint of cornmeal, thoroughly scalded with hot water. rub into it a dessertspoonful of butter, two eggs beaten very light, a wineglassful of cream or milk, and a little salt. butter a tin pan, and drop the mixture from a spoon upon it. bake in a moderate oven. =cream oatmeal= boil oatmeal for an hour as for breakfast use. rub it through a fine sieve, add a little milk, and cook it very slowly in a double boiler for half an hour longer. when perfectly smooth, add a little salt and cream. this is the most delicate preparation of oatmeal that an invalid can take. =zephyrs= prepare a thin mush of indian meal, water, and salt, and boil till smooth. drop this batter into iron-clad pans, made very hot and buttered, and bake till brown. =squash pies= pare and cut into pieces a hubbard squash, and steam it till, thoroughly soft; then rub it through a coarse sieve. to a quart of the squash, which should be as thick and dry as chestnuts when prepared for stuffing, add three quarters of a pint, heaping full, of granulated sugar, the peel and juice of a large lemon, half a nutmeg grated, a tablespoonful of powdered ginger, about as much powdered cinnamon, a small teaspoonful of salt, six drops of rose-water, half a pint of cream, and four beaten eggs. stir thoroughly, and add about three pints of scalded milk. the mixture should be tasted, and a little more sugar, or lemon, or spice added if required. line a deep tin pie-dish with paste, lay a narrow strip around the edge, and fill the dish with the mixture. bake till the filling is set. this quantity will make four pies. =pumpkin pies (about four pounds)= massachusetts pare a small pumpkin, about four pounds, and take out the seeds. steam till soft, and strain through a colander. beat in three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of molasses, two tablespoonfuls of ground cinnamon, one of ginger, two teaspoonfuls of salt, and two quarts of hot milk. if more sweetening is needed add a little sugar. bake with an under crust only. this receipt will make five pies. =easy pie-crust= three quarters of a pint of lard, three quarters of a pint of butter, three quarters of a pint of iced water with a teaspoonful of salt dissolved in it, a pint and a half of flour sifted twice through a fine sieve. put the lard and flour into a bowl (leaving out a little flour for rolling), and very lightly rub them together with the tips of your fingers. pour in the salted water, and stir with a knife till the flour and lard are well mixed. pour out onto the paste-board (over which a very little flour should be sifted), and beat the mixture with a rolling pin, doubling and folding, and putting the dry particles in the middle, till the whole becomes a smooth, firm paste. roll this into a narrow oblong, as far as possible rolling from you. divide the butter, which should be very cold and hard, into three parts, and put one third on the paste with a knife, cutting it into little bits. fold the sheet of paste over into a roll, and again roll out into an oblong. add the second third of butter in the same way. roll once more, put on the last third of butter, again fold into a roll, and cut the paste in two, putting one half on top of the other half. cut portions off from the end of the double roll, and with them line the pie dishes, rolling them very thin. this quantity of paste will make four or five pies. care should be taken not to increase the quantity of flour. the pie-crust will be found tender and delicate, though not so elegant as puff-paste; and to make it ready for use in the pie-dishes should not take more than a quarter of an hour. =a boiled indian pudding= connecticut one quart of milk. one pint of meal. five tablespoonfuls of west india molasses. two tablespoonfuls of suet chopped fine. scald the milk, and pour it over the meal; add the other ingredients. put the pudding into a mold or bag, and boil four hours. hot maple molasses and butter are eaten with this pudding. =a baked indian pudding= three and a half quarts of sweet milk. three heaping tablespoonfuls of cornmeal. one half pint of molasses. one teaspoonful of salt. ginger to taste. boil one quart of the milk; add to it molasses, butter, salt, and spice, and lastly the meal stirred smooth with a little cold milk; scald the whole together, and turn into a well-buttered baking-dish. when it begins to crust over, stir it all up from the bottom, and add a pint of cold milk. repeat the process every half hour, or oftener if the pudding browns too fast, till the five pints are used; then let it bake till done--six hours in all. serve hot with a sauce of grated or granulated maple sugar stirred into rich cream, and kept very cold till needed. =orange indian pudding= connecticut put four heaping tablespoonfuls of indian meal in a bowl, and mix in half a pint of molasses and a teaspoonful of salt. boil three pints of milk; pour it scalding hot on the meal, stirring carefully till perfectly smooth and free from lumps. butter a deep pudding-dish; cover the bottom thickly with fragments of dried orange-peel; pour in the mixture, and, last of all, pour gently over the top a tumblerful of cold milk. bake four hours and a half in a hot oven. eat with thick cream. =blueberry pudding= rhode island line a deep pudding-dish with slices of buttered bread. fill this with alternate layers of whortleberries or blueberries, and granulated sugar. squeeze the juice of a lemon over the whole. cover the top with slices of bread buttered on both sides. place a plate over the dish, and bake for an hour and a half, setting the dish in a pan of hot water. take the pudding from the oven, spread over the top a meringue of white of egg beaten lightly with sugar in the proportion of a tablespoonful of sugar to one egg, and return it to the oven just long enough to lightly brown the meringue. the pudding should be eaten hot with hard wine sauce. =a peach pudding= line the bottom of a deep pudding-dish with thick slices of stale sponge cake soaked in sherry. fill the dish with fresh peaches, sliced, and well sprinkled with sugar. spread over the top a meringue similar to that described for whortleberry pudding, and leave it in the oven just long enough to brown. set the dish on the ice, and serve very cold. it is eaten with cream. =cherry bread= fill a deep pudding-dish with alternate layers of buttered bread and sour cherries, stoned, and stewed with sugar. pack the dish in ice, and half freeze the mixture, which will become a semi-jelly. it is eaten with thick cream. =lemon rice pudding= boil a half pint of rice in a quart of milk till very soft. add to it while hot the yolks of three eggs, three large tablespoonfuls of sugar, the grated rind of two lemons, and a little salt. if too thick, add a little cold milk. it should be a little thicker than a boiled custard. turn it into a pudding-dish. beat the whites of the eggs very stiff with eight tablespoonfuls of sugar and the juice of the two lemons, and brown the top delicately in the oven. set on ice and eat very cold. =bermuda pudding= weigh two eggs, and allow the same weight in sugar and flour, and the weight of one egg in butter. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs beaten to a froth, and lastly the flour, in which half a teaspoonful of royal baking powder has been mixed. stir till perfectly smooth; then add a heaping tablespoonful of orange marmalade; pour into a buttered mold; cover with buttered paper, and steam gently for an hour and a half. serve with wine sauce. =rice and orange-marmalade pudding= simmer a quarter of a pint of rice in a quart of milk till it is very soft and thick. add a teaspoonful of salt, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, a little cream, and let all cool together a few minutes. pour into a pudding-dish and bake till set. spread over the pudding a thick layer of orange marmalade, and over that a meringue, and return to the oven till the top is lightly browned. serve it cold. =molasses pie= this is a genuine new england dainty, dear to the hearts of children. mix half a pint of the best molasses with a tablespoonful of flour, and add the juice of a large lemon, and the rind and pulp chopped fine. bake with an under and an upper crust. =prune jelly, with almonds= one pound of prunes. one half box of coxe's gelatine. soak the prunes over night, and stew till tender in the water in which they have soaked. remove the stones, and sweeten to taste. dissolve the gelatine in a little hot water, and add to the prunes while hot. lastly, add the juice of a lemon and two tablespoonfuls of blanched almonds. pour the jelly into molds and set it on the ice to harden. eat with cream. =clarified apples= melt two cupfuls of crushed sugar over the fire, adding a little water to keep it from burning, and dropping in a few bits of lemon-peel. pare eight large greening apples, and slice them very thin. have a saucepan full of boiling water ready, and into this put the apples and let them cook till they are parboiled, but not soft enough to break. skim them out, and drop them into the boiling syrup, shaking them continually over a slow fire till they are done. if properly prepared the slices will be almost transparent. =lemon ice= one quart of milk. one tumblerful of sugar. mix the two, and half freeze in an ice cream freezer. then add the juice and pulp of four large lemons; stir thoroughly, and freeze firm. this is the simplest and cheapest of frozen preparations, and for use in the country, where materials are hard to come by, it is invaluable. =apple sauce= pare, core, and quarter enough baldwin or greening apples to fill a small stoneware jar. add three quarters of a pint of sugar and a quarter of a pint of water; cover tightly. set this in the oven of the range as soon as the last meal of the day--dinner or supper, as it may be--is served, and let it remain till breakfast next morning. the long, slow cooking gives the apples a deep red color and a flavor quite different from other preparations. =stewed pears= prick hard baking pears with a fork in half a dozen places, and with them fill a small stoneware jar. add half a pint of sugar, half a pint of water, and a heaping teaspoonful of molasses. cover tightly, and bake all night as directed above. =cranberry jelly= stew four quarts of cranberries in a porcelain kettle with water enough to float them, till they are thoroughly soft and broken. rub them through a coarse sieve. allow to each pint of the marmalade-like mixture resulting a pound of sugar. put the fruit on the fire till it boils hard. stir in the sugar, and as soon as it jellies, which will be in a few minutes, remove from the fire and pour into glasses. the advantage of this preparation of cranberries is that it keeps perfectly for six weeks or two months, losing nothing in quality or flavor during the time. =hartford election cake= - / pounds of flour. - / pounds of sugar. - / pounds of butter. / ounce of nutmeg. / pound of sliced citron. / ounce of mace. a cupful of brandy and sherry mixed. pounds of raisins. eggs. at noon, or early in the afternoon, begin making this cake. cream the butter and sugar, add a quart of lukewarm milk, half of the flour, and either a half pint of brewer's yeast or a cake and a half of compressed yeast. beat the mixture well, cover the pan with a thick towel, and set it in a warm place to rise. at night, when it is very light, add the flour, spices, and eggs. set the pan in a moderately warm place for a second rising. early next morning add the fruit, the wine, the grated peel of a lemon, and half a teaspoonful of extract of rose. pour into pans lined with buttered paper. let them stand an hour or until light. this receipt makes seven loaves, which require to bake from an hour to an hour and a half, according to oven. a half teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water, and stirred into the batter just before it is put into the pans, is an improvement. =instantaneous frosting= to the white of an unbeaten egg add a cupful and a quarter of pulverized sugar, and stir until smooth. add three drops of rose-water, ten of vanilla, and the juice of half a lemon. it will at once become very white, and will harden in five or six minutes. chapter ix part i distinctively southern dishes [sidenote: the cornmeal.] [sidenote: the hoe.] the dishes in which the south excel, and which may be called distinctive to that section, are those made of cornmeal, of gumbo or okra, and those seasoned with sassafras powder or twigs. the cornmeal used in the south is white and coarse-grained (it is called there water-ground), and gives quite a different result from that which is finer in grain and yellow in color, which is usually sold at the north. the hoe used for baking corn-cakes is an article made for the purpose, and not the garden implement usually associated with the name. =pone= sift a quart of white cornmeal, add a teaspoonful of salt; pour on enough cold water to make a mixture which will squeeze easily through the fingers. work it to a soft dough. mold it into oblong cakes an inch thick at the ends, and a little thicker in the center. slap them down on the pan, and press them a little. these cakes, they say, must show the marks of the fingers. the pan must be hot, and sprinkled with the bran sifted from the meal. bake in a hot oven for about twenty minutes. =hoe-cake no. = make the same mixture as for pone. spread it on the greased hoe, or a griddle, making a round cake one quarter inch thick. bake it on the top of the range, turning and baking it brown on both sides. =hoe-cake no. = use for these cakes, if possible, coarse water-ground white meal. add to a quart of meal a teaspoonful of salt; pour over it enough boiling water to make it a soft dough; add also a little milk to make it brown better. let it stand an hour or longer, then work it together with the hand. form it into little cakes an inch thick, and bake on a greased griddle till browned on both sides. serve very hot. they are split and spread with butter when eaten. =kentucky corn dodgers= mix a teaspoonful of salt with a cupful of white cornmeal. scald it with just enough boiling water to dampen it; then add enough cold milk to enable you to mold it. stir it well together, and form it into cakes three quarters of an inch thick in the middle and oblong in shape. use a tablespoonful of dough for each cake. bake them on a greased pan in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. =maryland beaten biscuit= add a teaspoonful of salt and tablespoonful of butter to a quart of flour. rub them together, then add a cupful of milk, and, if necessary, a little water, making a stiff dough. place the dough on a firm table or block, and beat it with a mallet or rolling-pin for fully half an hour, or until it becomes brittle. spread it half an inch thick; cut it into small circles, and prick each one with a fork. bake them in a hot oven about twenty minutes. =soft corn-bread= mix a tablespoonful of butter with two cupfuls of hot boiled hominy or of rice; add two or three well-beaten eggs, and then add slowly two cupfuls of milk, and lastly a cupful of white cornmeal and a dash of salt. turn the mixture, which should be of the consistency of pancake batter, into a deep dish, and bake about an hour. serve it with a spoon from the same dish in which it is baked. =southern way of cooking rice= wash the rice thoroughly through several waters, using the hand. put it into a saucepan with a pint of water and a half teaspoonful of salt to each cupful of rice. let it boil covered until the water has boiled away; then draw it to the side of the range, open the cover a little, and let it steam until thoroughly dry. do not touch the rice while it is cooking. this receipt is furnished by a southern negro cook. =gumbo filÉ= (a new orleans dish) oysters. fowl cut into pieces. / pound of veal cut into pieces. / pound of ham cut into pieces. tablespoonfuls of tomato. tablespoonful of drippings. onions. / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. / teaspoonful of powdered thyme. / teaspoonful of marjoram. dash of cayenne. tablespoonfuls of sassafras powder. wash well the outside of a fowl (see page ), and cut it into pieces. cut the veal and the ham into small pieces, and dredge all of them well with flour. put the onions, sliced, into a pot or large saucepan with one tablespoonful of fat or drippings, and fry until brown; then add the pieces of chicken, veal, and ham. turn them often, so all will brown evenly; this will take about twenty minutes. when the meat is browned, add two quarts of hot water; cover the pot, and let simmer for two hours. after the first hour add the salt, pepper, thyme, marjoram, and tomatoes. at the end of two hours, if the meat is tender, add the oysters and the oyster juice, and let remain on the fire only long enough to ruffle the gills of the oysters. take from the fire, and add two tablespoonfuls of sassafras powder, and stir until a little thickened (do not add the sassafras until the pot is removed from the fire). serve in a meat-dish with a border of boiled rice. this is a dish much used in the south. it may be served as a chowder, with the meat and liquor together, or may be served separately, using the liquor as a soup. powdered sassafras leaves may be obtained at the grocer's. =chicken gumbo= cut a chicken into pieces; roll the pieces in flour; put them into a pot with a few slices of salt pork and one sliced onion. sauté them a light brown; then add four quarts of hot water, and simmer it until the chicken is nearly cooked; then add two slices of boiled ham, two quarts of sliced okra, one half can of tomatoes, and one pod of red pepper. continue to cook until everything is tender. season with salt and pepper, and just before serving stir in one teaspoonful of sassafras powder. if sassafras twigs can be had they are better than the powder, and should be added with the vegetables. this is a favorite southern dish. it resembles a chowder, and is so hearty as to almost constitute a dinner in itself. part ii very inexpensive dishes [sidenote: cost of living.] the following receipts are furnished by a lady who for many years solved the problem of providing nourishment for a family of three persons upon a very small income. the average expenditure each day for three meals did not exceed twenty cents _per capita_, or four dollars and twenty cents a week for the family; and great care was taken to secure for this sum the greatest possible amount of nourishment. in families where meat is not considered a daily necessity, this price might be further reduced. [sidenote: care required in cooking cheap cuts of meat.] it is, of course, very much easier to supply coarse qualities of food for a low sum than refined and dainty dishes, but, after all, it is more a matter of the care given to the preparation than of the food itself which produces refined results; for instance, beef, which is very nourishing, is least suited to these requirements, because the less expensive portions, which often contain the most nutriment, cannot be served as daintily as either veal or mutton without a large amount of care and trouble; this it is often difficult to give personally, and almost impossible to secure in a low-priced cook. still, it is worth while for any housekeeper desirous of obtaining the maximum nourishment at minimum cost, to try the following receipts for using the most inexpensive portion of beef that can be bought, _i. e._, the shin, which costs about eight cents a pound. =to prepare shin of beef= take a slice about one inch thick, cut toward the smaller end of the shin, so that the little round bone in the center is quite small. this is fairly manageable, and can by careful cooking be rendered as tender as a sirloin steak. place the slice in a stewpan, cover it with water, add salt, and set it upon the far end of the grate for three hours, never allowing it to boil. if by that time it is fairly tender, cover it with vegetables cut in very small dice--carrots, turnips, and one large onion; advance the pot nearer to the fire, and let it simmer another hour. push aside the vegetables, take the meat out carefully, and lay it on the dish; pile the vegetables upon its center, then carefully thicken the liquor, and if necessary brown it with a drop or two of burnt sugar, and pour this gravy over the beef. another way take about two and a half pounds of the thicker part of the shin, place it in an iron pot with two tablespoonfuls of drippings. turn it as it browns. when brown enough put it in a stew-pan; add enough water to cover it, a large onion stuck full of cloves, and half a carrot cut into slices. let it simmer four hours, remove the meat and onion and carrot, thicken the liquor, and serve in a dish large enough to allow plenty of gravy. if, after removing the meat, the liquor appears too rich, pour off the fat before thickening. [sidenote: round steak.] round steak can be used instead of shin for both these receipts, but costs just double the price. it requires far less cooking and calls for less care, and if carefully and slowly stewed for one hour makes a very appetizing dish. another very appetizing dish, much used by people of small means in england, is beefsteak pudding, for which it is also possible to use the shin, by stewing it beforehand, and cutting it up when perfectly tender into small pieces; but it is usually made of round steak as follows: =beefsteak pudding= line a pudding-basin with a plain crust made of chopped suet and flour mixed with water, and simply rolled out once an inch thick; cut up a pound of round steak, and sprinkle with flour, pepper, and salt; chop a small onion fine, put all into the lined basin, add a cup of water, cover over with the suet crust, and tie it in a well-floured cloth. have a saucepan full of water boiling rapidly, and put the basin in, the opening downwards; leave the lid off the saucepan, and let it boil two and one half hours, adding water if it boils away. a sheep's kidney cut up small adds richness to the gravy. [sidenote: menus.] sometimes, where great economy must be practised, and the sum allowed for the entire meal for three people is only sixty cents, it is difficult to remember just such accessories in the way of vegetables as are as inexpensive in their way as the meat, and for this reason the following very modest menus are offered as samples of what can be accomplished in the way of very inexpensive dinners. =dinner no. = potato balls, scotch broth, turnips with white sauce, tapioca and apples this is an excellent winter dinner. _scotch broth._--buy for four persons one pound or one and a quarter pounds of scrag of mutton; chop it into pieces, and put it into an iron pot with one quart of water, one large onion cut into slices, and a small cupful of pearl barley. let it simmer for two hours, adding a little water if it becomes too thick. serve boiling hot with the mutton in it. this is very inexpensive. the scrag of mutton costs from eight to ten cents; the barley is eight cents a pound--about two cents' worth is sufficient; the onion may be reckoned as one cent. it can be made a little more costly by buying what is called the best end of the neck. six or eight chops would weigh the pound and a quarter required, and would cost perhaps twelve to fourteen cents. the chops look somewhat better than the chopped-up scrag, but the nourishing quality is as good in the latter. _potato balls._--choose large potatoes, and with a scoop cut out small balls; boil these and serve them sprinkled with chopped parsley. _turnips._--cut into small dice, boil until tender, throw away the water, and serve with a white sauce made of milk, flour, and a teaspoonful of butter. two turnips are sufficient for a dish. _tapioca and apples._--apples are cheap early in the winter. three or four at a cent apiece should be pared and cored, and placed in a low baking-dish with two dessertspoonfuls of tapioca, and enough water to cover the whole. bake in a slow oven. by soaking the tapioca over night a less quantity will do, say, one and a quarter spoonfuls. n. b.--both sago and tapioca are very economical because, when soaked over night, they swell greatly, and they can both be cooked with water, instead of milk, with good results. =dinner no. = stuffed potatoes, veal with white sauce, purified cabbage, rennet custard buy one and a quarter pounds of leg of veal at ten cents a pound; cut the meat into dice, and place it in a stew-pan with a piece of mace and a pint of milk. place it back of the fire so that it will not burn, and thicken it before serving with a teaspoonful of flour. _stuffed potatoes._--bake four large potatoes until nearly done; then cut in half, remove the insides, beat them up with milk, replace in the skins, and serve in a pyramid. _purified cabbage._--cut a cabbage into thin strips as if for salad; boil it in salted water, but every time the water comes to the boiling point throw it away for three successive times; after the third boiling use milk instead of water, and add a little nutmeg. if nicely cooked in this way, cabbage is as palatable and as digestible as cauliflower. =dinner no. = stewed carrots, chops with parsley sauce, cream potatoes, apple dumplings chops cut from the shoulder of mutton are cheaper than either neck or loin chops, and are as good, perhaps better, for boiling. put the chops on in enough cold water to cover them; let them simmer for half an hour, and at the end of that time come just to a boil; pour off the liquor into the stock-pot, and lay the chops on a hot dish; make some white sauce of one ounce of butter, one teaspoonful of flour, and a cup of milk; add chopped parsley, and pour over the chops. to stew carrots cut them in very thin rounds, lay them in a stew-pan with enough water to more than cover. let them boil till tender, about one quarter of an hour; then thicken the liquor with flour, and add a tiny bit of butter. =dinner no. = boiled onions, curry, rice, stewed prunes curry can be made of a variety of materials. the best for the purpose are the white meats, veal, pork, or chicken; and although curried cooked meat is a satisfactory substitute for hash, it is not on the whole commendable. the indian receipt for ordinary curry is as follows: cut the fowl or meat into joints or fair-sized pieces; dip each piece in curry powder, or sprinkle freely with it; cut up a large onion, and have a clove of garlic. put all together in a frying-pan, the bottom of which is covered with melted butter (drippings or lard will do); fry until thoroughly brown, turning continually. when brown, remove meat into a stew-pan; make a gravy with flour and water (or stock) in the frying-pan from which the meat was taken; strain it over the meat, and then add a few drops of lemon, or a little worcester sauce--and set the stew-pan on the side of the stove and let it simmer for two hours. the meat should be so tender that it can be readily separated by a fork. a knife should never be used. eggs make a delicious curry. boil them hard, shell, and cut in halves; make a curry gravy as above, and pour over them. serve with rice around the dish. _rice._--the proper way to serve rice with curry is perfectly dry, and this is best secured by throwing a cupful (for an ordinary dish) into water which is already boiling hard. let it continue to boil rapidly until the water has all boiled away, leaving the lid off. the rice will then be almost tender, and by removing to the side of the stove the evaporation will continue, and the rice drying off will be easily separable grain from grain, which is the proper way. the success of this method depends upon having plenty of water in the first instance. _madras_ curry is differently made, and is served dry. for it, proceed as for the other curry by frying all the ingredients together in butter or drippings, but when brown continue to fry until the meat is done; then at the last moment add a sprinkling of curry powder, shake the pan, and turn all the contents onto a hot dish. serve with rice. =dinner no. = brussels sprouts, liver sautÉ, potatoes, rice pudding calf's liver can be so cooked as to be both delicate and easily digested. the german method is a very good one. remove any outer skin, and cut the liver into very thin slices. have a pan with salted boiling water and throw in the liver. it will require only about five minutes' cooking if the slices are thin enough. take them out, lay them on a hot dish, and make a gravy by frying a cut-up onion and when brown pouring in the liquor used to boil the liver, thickening with flour and browning if necessary. add at the last moment one half a large spoonful of vinegar. liver balls may be made by using the liver left over, chopping it very fine with an onion, some sage, or thyme (as may be preferred), bread-crumbs and a beaten egg, and frying in hot lard. liver should be accompanied by a green vegetable, for which reason brussels sprouts are suggested. they should be cooked in salted water, drained, and served with white sauce, flavored with nutmeg. =dinner no. = fried sweet potatoes, breast of mutton, caper sauce, string-beans (ten cents a can), apple pie breast of mutton is the cheapest of all mutton, and being very fat, is considered unprofitable, but by care it can be made both palatable and economical. buy about three pounds of breast; place it in a pan over a slow fire until a good deal of the fat has melted, but avoid letting it brown; pour away the fat as it melts, and when fairly free of it place the meat in a stew-pan with an onion cut up, and enough water to cover it, and a little thyme. let it cook very slowly, only simmering for two hours; then lay on a hot dish, and pour caper sauce over it. if it is still fat skim often while simmering. =some cheap soups= _tomato._--turn a can of tomatoes into a stew-pan, and let come to a boil; fry some bread in dice, place them at the bottom of a soup tureen, and rub the tomatoes through a colander over them; put the pulp left in the colander back into the stewpan; add water, let it boil up, and strain again into the tureen; stir in a teaspoonful of butter, season with pepper and salt, and serve. _carrot._--boil half a dozen large carrots until quite tender; then rub them through a colander into a saucepan; add a pint and a half of water to the pulp, and boil; thicken with a little flour, and add a teaspoonful of butter, pepper and salt. _potato._--boil half a dozen large potatoes; rub them through a sieve (coarse hair is the best) into a saucepan in which there have been placed a shredded onion, some chopped parsley, and about a cupful of milk. stir in the potato pulp, and thin with water. season with pepper and salt. _bean._--soak some beans over night, boil for one hour; add an onion when nearly soft, rub them through a colander into a tureen in which have been already placed some onions fried in butter or lard, and add water if too thick. _celery._--take the cast-off leaves and hard ends of a bunch of celery, and let them boil until perfectly shredded; then strain the water into some thickened milk, and let it all come to the boiling point, but not boil. season with butter, pepper and salt. it is a very good addition to this soup to break an egg into the tureen, and pour the soup upon it. stock can be used in any of these soups instead of water. part iii miscellaneous receipts =sterilized milk= the subject of bacteria in foods has of late become a matter of careful scientific study, and the fact has been established that milk is one of the most subtle of disease-carriers. hence every careful mother, before giving it to her children, subjects it to the sterilizing process, which is simply raising it to the degree of heat which destroys the germs. it is found, however, that this does not kill the spores or seeds of the bacilli, and so the operation is but a partially successful expedient. (to render it really sterile requires heating several times on successive days.) it has also been found that sterilizing milk robs it of its antiscorbutic qualities, and that children fed entirely upon it are subject to bleeding gums and other symptoms of scurvy. milk should be fresh as possible, as the longer it stands the greater will be the number of bacteria, and less rich the milk in the substances on which they feed. the first point to emphasize in the simple process of sterilization is perfect cleanliness. rounded bottles should be used, as they are easier to clean. they should be well rinsed as soon as emptied, and left to soak in soda and water, and before use they should be subjected to a good scrubbing with scalding water and a piece of cloth tied onto a stick or wire. the brushes made for cleaning bottles should be avoided, as they are more than likely to be full of germs themselves. turn the fresh milk into the bottles as soon as cleaned. fill them to within an inch of the top, and stop them with antiseptic cotton. the sterilizing is effected by keeping the bottles in boiling water or in live steam for at least half an hour. the water in the boiler should be cold at first, and the heat raised gradually. this, as well as not letting the bottles rest on the bottom of the kettle, will prevent their breaking. sterilizers are made which are both cheap and convenient, but any kettle well covered will answer the purpose. the time for cooking should be counted from the moment the water boils. let the bottles remain in the water until cooled, and do not remove the stopper until the milk is to be used. =devonshire cream, no. = (receipt obtained in england.) put a panful of milk in a cold place for twenty-four hours, or in summer for twelve hours. then place it on the fire, and let it come very slowly to the scalding-point, but do not let it boil. put it again in a cool place for six or twelve hours, and then take off the cream, which will be firm and of a peculiarly sweet flavor. =devonshire cream, no. = put the fresh milk on the fire, and let it very slowly come to the scalding-point, but do not let it boil. leave it on the fire for about half an hour, then remove to a cold place, and let it stand for six hours, or until the cream has all risen. devonshire cream is thick and clotted, and is used on fruits, mush, etc. it will keep for some time, and is particularly delicious. =fresh butter= the french use for table butter that which is freshly made and without salt. one soon learns to prefer it to the best salted butter. it is very easy to make fresh butter, but not always easy to buy it, for it keeps only a day at its best, and therefore the surest way of having it good is to make it. take a half pint of double cream; turn it into a bowl, and with a wire whip beat it until the butter forms. this will take but a few minutes, if the cream is of the right temperature ( °). (if very cold, it will whip to froth as it is prepared for whipped cream.) turn off the milk; add some ice water, and work the butter until it is firm and free from milk; then press it into pats, and keep it in a tight jar on the ice until ready to use. this amount of cream, which costs ten cents, will, if rich, give a quarter of a pound of butter. put some fresh grass or some clover blossoms in the jar with the butter, and it will absorb their flavor. (see illustration facing page .) [illustration: butter pats and molded butter. (see page .) . shells made with no. . . balls made with no. . . small pats made with no. . . rolls made with no. .] =to make white hard soap= save every scrap of fat each day; try out all that has accumulated, however small the quantity. this is done by placing the scraps in a frying-pan on the back of the range. if the heat is low, and the grease is not allowed to get hot enough to smoke or burn, there will be no odor from it. turn the melted grease into lard-pails and keep them covered. when six pounds of fat have been obtained, turn it into a dish-pan; add a generous amount of hot water, and stand it on the range until the grease is entirely melted. stir it well together; then stand it aside to cool. this is clarifying the grease. the clean grease will rise to the top, and when it has cooled can be taken off in a cake, and such impurities as have not settled in the water, can be scraped off the bottom of the cake of fat. put the clean grease into the dish-pan and melt it. put a can of babbitt's lye in a lard-pail; add to it a quart of cold water, and stir it with a stick or wooden spoon until it is dissolved. it will get hot when the water is added; let it stand until it cools. remove the melted grease from the fire, and pour in the lye slowly, stirring all the time. add two tablespoonfuls of ammonia. stir the mixture constantly for twenty minutes or half an hour, or until the soap begins to set. let it stand until perfectly hard; then cut it into square cakes. this makes a very good, white hard soap which will float on water. it is very little trouble to make, and will be found quite an economy in a household. six pounds of grease make eight and a half pounds of soap. =floor polish= ounces of beeswax. quart of turpentine. piece of resin size of hickory nut. cut up the beeswax and pound the resin. melt them together. take them from the fire and stir in a quart of turpentine. rub very little on the floor with a piece of flannel; then polish with a dry flannel and a brush. chapter x eggs there is a best way of doing everything, even if it be to boil an egg.--_emerson._ the variety of purposes which eggs serve, the many ways of cooking them, their value as a highly concentrated, nutritious, and easily-digested food, make them one of the most useful articles of food. to have them fresh and rightly cooked is within the power of the simplest household. they hold the principal place as a breakfast dish, and although the original methods of cooking them may be limited to boiling, baking, poaching, etc., each one of these can be varied in an indefinite number of ways, giving a menu of eggs unlimited in extent, and thus securing always a new way of presenting them, if desired. urbain dubois has recently published a book giving ways of preparing eggs. the varieties are attained mostly by the sauces and garnishings. it is not generally understood that sauces can be served with poached, hard-boiled, and scrambled eggs, and also with omelets. [sidenote: to judge of freshness and how to preserve eggs.] [sidenote: how to pack.] a fresh egg should feel heavy, sink in water, and when held to a bright light, show a clear round yolk. if old, a part of the substance will have evaporated through the pores of the shell, leaving a space filled with air, which will cause it to float on water. it will also contain dark specks. to preserve eggs it is necessary to stop the pores of the shells with a coating of fat or gum or wax. this will prevent the air from entering and decomposing the nitrogenous elements of the egg. they should be packed standing on the small end, and kept in a cool, dark place. another way of preserving them is to immerse them in a saturated solution of lime. =boiled eggs= soft-boiled eggs should have the albumen creamy, not hard. to obtain this, slow heat is required. hence receipt no. is recommended. no. gives a soft egg, but the time is difficult to determine exactly. no. gives satisfactory results. to have eggs hard boil them for twenty-five minutes. the yolks will then be dry and mealy. when done, place them in cold water for fifteen minutes. then roll them lightly on the table to crush the shells, which can then be peeled off easily, leaving the surface smooth and white. use a sharp, thin knife for cutting them so the pieces will be clean and smooth. =no. = place the eggs in warm water to heat the shells so they will not crack when put into boiling water. let the water in the saucepan boil violently; put in the eggs carefully, and when the water again bubbles, remove it from the fire; cover and let the eggs remain in it for five minutes. =no. = put the eggs into boiling water and cook for three minutes, the water boiling all the time. =no. = place the eggs in cold water on the fire, and remove as soon as the water boils. =poached eggs, no. = the white of a poached egg should be a white, translucent, jelly-like mass. to obtain this result, which makes it an easily digested food, it must cook very slowly, the water never reaching the boiling-point. place in a shallow pan as many muffin-rings as you have eggs to poach. turn in enough boiling water to just cover the rings; add a little salt. when the water boils, draw the pan to the side of the range, and break an egg into each ring. it should take at least ten to fifteen minutes to cook the eggs to the translucent state desired. have ready even pieces of toast one half inch thick, cut into rounds a trifle larger than the muffin-rings. moisten them with hot water, and spread with a little butter. remove the eggs carefully on a skimmer or pancake turner, and place one on each round of toast; then lift off carefully the rings, and place a spot of pepper in the center of each yolk. arrange them symmetrically on a dish, and garnish with parsley. =french poached eggs, no. = these eggs, when properly cooked, are in the shape of balls, and are used for fancy egg-dishes. have in a deep saucepan a generous amount of water; add a little salt and vinegar; the salt to raise the heat of the water, the vinegar to harden the white of the egg. when the water is violently boiling, crack the shell of the egg, and holding it close to the water, drop the contents quickly on the point of greatest ebullition. the egg should drop all at once, not drain into the water. the mass will then be whole, and the violently agitated water will toss it about, giving it a round form. when sufficiently firm to hold, remove with a skimmer and place carefully on the bottom of an inverted tin to drain. poach but one egg at a time, and remove it before the yolk hardens. =poached egg, no. = add a dash of salt to the white of an egg and whip it to a froth. place this in a deep saucer or cup, and place in the center the whole unbroken yolk. set the dish in a pan of boiling water; cover and let cook for two minutes. this is a good way to serve an egg to an invalid. [illustration: poached egg. no. . (see page .)] =fried eggs= place a little butter in a very clean frying-pan. when it bubbles, turn in the eggs, one at a time, and keep the pan where the heat is not sufficient to blacken the butter. if the eggs are wanted hard, turn and fry them on both sides like a pancake. =scrambled eggs= beat the eggs lightly with a fork, just enough to break them. to four eggs add two tablespoonfuls of milk, one half teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of pepper. put into a very clean frying-pan one half tablespoonful of butter. when it begins to bubble, turn in the eggs, and stir them constantly over a slow fire until they begin to set; then remove them from the fire and continue to stir until they are of the right consistency. the heat of the pan will be sufficient to finish the cooking, and there will not be danger of their being overcooked. they should be firm only, not hard. if the pan is perfectly clean, and the butter is not allowed to burn, they will have a bright clean color. scrambled eggs may be varied the same as omelets, by mixing with them any other thing desired. the extra material should be added when the pan is taken from the fire, and stirred with the egg until it has finished cooking. a teaspoonful of parsley, chopped fine, gives a good flavor and simple change. a little purée of tomatoes added makes a good combination. with minced chicken, veal, ham, fried bacon, mushrooms, or sweetbreads, it makes a good luncheon dish. any pieces left over will serve the purpose, as very little is required. garnish the dish with croûtons and parsley. =plain french omelet= an omelet is the most difficult to prepare of any egg dish. it requires some practice to give it the right shape (which is high in the center and pointed at the ends), to have it soft inside, to give it a smooth, slightly browned surface, a texture like scrambled eggs, and to have everything perfect. the first essential is to have a perfectly clean and smooth pan. it is difficult to make a smooth omelet in a pan used for other purposes; so it is well to have one kept for this use alone. the french do not wash the omelet-pan, but scour it smooth with salt and vinegar when it sticks, and at other times rub it clean with a dry cloth. before using the pan scour it well with dry salt to give it extra smoothness. it is better to make several small omelets than one large one, using not more than three or four eggs for each one. beat the eggs just enough to break them. the rule is twelve beats. to three eggs add a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and a half teaspoonful of butter broken into small bits. a teaspoonful of milk may be used or not. have the pan evenly heated and hot, but not scorching. put in a half teaspoonful of butter and let it run evenly over the pan, but not brown; turn in the eggs. with a knife or fork break the cooked surface in several places quickly, so the egg from the top may run to the bottom and cook, or press the egg away from the sides, letting the uncooked part run under. this must be done in the beginning so as not to make the surface uneven. when the egg is cooked, but yet quite soft on the top, lift the pan on one side, slip the knife under, and carefully roll the omelet to the center. let it cook a moment to set any egg that has run out, and if the color is not right add a little butter, and let it run under and slightly color the omelet. place a hot dish over the pan and turn them together so the omelet will fall in the right place; press it into good shape, doubling it under on the ends if necessary. garnish with parsley and serve at once. have everything ready before beginning to cook an omelet, as it will not bear being kept while the dish is heated, and the garnishing found. =variations of the omelet= no. . sprinkle a little parsley, chopped fine, over the top. no. . turn tomato, béchamel or mushroom sauce on the dish around the omelet; sprinkle the top with chopped mushrooms, if that sauce is used. garnish with pointed croûtons. no. . green omelet. mix chopped parsley with the egg mixture before cooking the omelet, and do not brown the surface. no. . aux fines herbes. chop parsley, chives, chervil, and tarragon very fine. mix them with the egg mixture before cooking. when the omelet is turned out, rub over it a little maître d'hôtel butter (see page ). no. . with peas or tomatoes. before turning a plain omelet, spread it with a few green peas or tomatoes cooked and seasoned. asparagus or any other vegetable may be used in the same way. no. . with ham. spread the plain omelet with ham, chopped fine, before turning it. any other cooked meat may be used in the same way. =beaten omelet= beat very light the yolks and whites of three eggs separately. season the yolks with salt and pepper and one tablespoonful of milk; then fold in lightly the whipped whites. put a half teaspoonful of butter in a hot frying or omelet pan. let it run over the bottom and sides of the pan, but do not let it brown. turn in the egg mixture, spread it lightly and evenly over the pan, and let it cook until it forms a very light crust on the bottom; then place it in the oven about three minutes, or until the egg is cooked through, but not hard; fold it once, and turn it onto a hot dish. this omelet may be used the same as the french omelet in combination with other things. spread anything so used on the omelet before turning it. for a sweet omelet add sugar to the yolks, and omit the pepper. serve at once. =shirred eggs= (sur le plat ... au miroir ... cocotte.) for this dish (sur le plat) individual china dishes are generally used, although a dish holding several eggs will do. butter the dishes; break into each one an egg; sprinkle a little salt on the whites, but not on the yolks. place them on the shelf of the oven so the heat will be greatest on top; baste the yolks several times while baking with a little hot butter. this will give them a glaze. as soon as the glaze appears remove them from the oven, and if not sufficiently cooked, stand them for a minute on the top of the range. care must be used not to dry the eggs. several eggs cooked together in this way in a large dish, then cut into circles with a biscuit cutter, and placed on broiled ham, stewed kidneys, minced meat, tomato purée, or other things, are called eggs au miroir. when baked in individual dishes, they may be varied by sprinkling in the dish before the egg is added a little chopped ham, chicken, mushrooms, or tomato purée, etc. when baked in little pot-shaped dishes in the same way they are called cocottes. these may be varied by lining the dishes with a thin layer of forcemeat or minced meat, the eggs then dropped in and poached by standing the dishes in a pan of water in the oven. when done, a little cream or béchamel sauce or tomato purée is turned over the top, and sprinkled with parsley. serve eggs sur le plat and cocotte in the dishes in which they are baked. [illustration: . shirred egg. . cocotte. (see page .)] =molded eggs= (À la polignac) butter well some individual timbale molds; chop some parsley very fine, and powder the inside of the buttered molds with it. to do this, place a teaspoonful of the parsley in a buttered mold, cover it with the hand and shake it well; then invert the mold, and strike it on the table to free it of all that is loose. break into each mold an egg, letting it go in slowly from the side so no air bubbles will be held, as they make holes and uneven surface in the cooked egg. sprinkle the top with salt and butter. place the molds in a pan of hot water, half covering them, and poach in a moderate oven eight to ten minutes, or until firm enough to stand, but not very hard. serve them on a flat dish with a spoonful of white, béchamel, or tomato sauce under each form. this is a very simple way of preparing eggs, and makes a good luncheon dish. [illustration: molded eggs À la polignac. (see page .)] =molded ham and eggs= mince some boiled ham very fine. moisten it with white sauce and raw egg, just enough to make a consistent paste. line individual buttered timbale molds with a thin layer of the ham paste. break an egg in the center of each one, and poach them in the oven eight to ten minutes, as directed for eggs à la polignac. place a little white or béchamel sauce on the serving dish; turn the eggs onto it, and put a spoonful of sauce on the top of each one, letting it run over, and partly mask them, as the color of the ham is not attractive. garnish with parsley. another receipt for ham and eggs is given on page . any other meat may be used in the same way. =poached eggs on anchovy toast= (a supper dish) cut toasted bread into circles; spread them with anchovy paste, and place on each piece a poached egg prepared as directed in receipt no. . =poached eggs with anchovy= (an entrÉe for luncheon) cut bread into circles and toast them; spread them lightly first with anchovy paste, then with a layer of ham or tongue chopped very fine, seasoned well, and a little moistened with stock or white sauce. cover the top with whipped white of egg; place a raw yolk in the center of each one. bake them in the oven for one minute, or just long enough to well heat the egg. =poached egg with tomato= cut bread into slices three quarters of an inch thick, then into circles. with a smaller cutter cut half way through the bread, and remove the center, leaving a form like a patty case. fry them in hot fat to an amber color; fill the centers with well seasoned tomato purée, and place on the top of each one a french poached egg. =eggs À la villeroi= this dish is served as an entrée for luncheon, and is a particularly good as well as mysterious dish, for having a soft egg inside a croquette seems a difficult thing to get. poach the eggs french style (page ), using care to have them round and just firm enough to hold in shape. lift them carefully on a strainer, and place them on the bottom of an inverted pan, leaving a space between them. when they are cold trim them, carefully removing any ragged ends of white, and wipe them dry. make a villeroi sauce as directed (page ). when it is partly cooled, pour it with a spoon over the eggs. it should form a thick coating. when it is cold and well set, trim each egg neatly again, cutting away any of the sauce that has run over the pan. have some soft, white crumbs, grated from the loaf or rubbed through a coarse sieve, and mixed with grated cheese. lift an egg on a broad knife, and place it on the crumbs. cover it with as many crumbs as will adhere. lift it again on the knife into a dish containing beaten egg, and with a spoon moisten it well with the egg. then place it on fresh, white crumbs that are not mixed with cheese, and cover it completely. it can now be handled with care and turned into good shape in the crumbs. let the breaded eggs stand until just ready to serve, then place three or four at a time in a wire basket, and plunge them in smoking hot fat (see frying, page ) to take a delicate color. do not let them become deeper than lemon color. place a spoonful of villeroi sauce on each plate, using the sauce left from coating the eggs and thinning it with stock; place an egg on the sauce and serve at once. chopped truffles mixed with the sauce improves it. =eggs À la bourguinonne= poach eggs in the french style, letting them be as soft as possible. butter a flat baking-dish; sprinkle it with bread crumbs and grated cheese. place on them carefully the poached eggs. cover them with béchamel or allemande sauce (see page ), and sprinkle over the top grated parmesan cheese. place in a hot oven to melt the cheese, and lightly brown the top. =eggs À l'aurore= take six hard-boiled eggs, and press the yolks through a colander. cut the whites into half-inch dice, mix them with a well-reduced white or béchamel sauce, and turn them into a flat baking-dish. cover the top with the mashed yolks, dot it with small bits of butter, and place in a hot oven for a few minutes to heat, but not brown. this may be served in individual cups or shells if desired. chopped mushrooms mixed with the sauce makes a good variation of the dish. another way of serving it is to cut the whites lengthwise into quarters or eighths, and place them in a circle on the dish; pour the sauce in the center, leaving the points of one end uncovered, and sprinkle over the sauce the mashed yolks. in order not to have the dish cold when served in this way, keep the cut whites in hot water until ready to serve. have the dish hot, and put all together quickly at the moment of serving. (see illustration.) [illustration: eggs À l'aurore. (see page .)] =golden cream toast= cut bread into even pieces; toast and butter the pieces, and moisten them with hot water. boil six eggs hard. separate the whites from the yolks; chop the whites, and press the yolks through a colander or sieve. make a white sauce, using one tablespoonful each of butter and flour cooked together, and then add a cupful of cream or milk. when it is well thickened add the chopped whites, and season with pepper and salt. spread this mixture on the slices of toast, and cover the top with the mashed yolks. sprinkle the yolks evenly over the pieces, so they look very yellow. serve very hot. =curried eggs= boil the eggs hard; remove the shells carefully as directed (page ), and drop them in hot water to keep warm until ready to use. mold some boiled rice into a form resembling a nest. have the rice boiled so each grain is distinct (see page ). place it on the hot shelf to keep warm. place a teaspoonful of chopped onion in a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, and cook until the onion is a light yellow, but not brown. add an even tablespoonful of corn starch, mixed with a half tablespoonful of curry powder and diluted with a little cold milk or stock, then stir in slowly one and a half cupfuls of white stock or milk. let it cook until the corn starch is clear; add pepper and salt to taste, and strain it. the sauce should be a bright yellow color, perfectly smooth, and not very thick. wipe the eggs dry, roll them in the sauce to get evenly coated with color, and place them in the nest of rice. pour in enough sauce to moisten the rice without discoloring the outside or top edge of the rice around the eggs. (see illustration.) [illustration: curried eggs in a nest of rice. (see page .)] =stuffed eggs no. = cut hard-boiled eggs in two lengthwise. take out carefully the yolks, mash them, and mix them with some chicken or other meat minced fine. season the mixture with pepper and salt. moisten it with a little of any kind of sauce or gravy, and add a little raw egg. chopped truffles and mushrooms may be added to the stuffing if convenient. fill the spaces in the whites of the eggs with the mixture; smooth it even with the top; rub a little raw white of egg over the pieces, and press two halves together. roll the stuffed eggs in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat to a lemon color. serve the eggs on a napkin, and pass with them a white, béchamel, tomato, or any other sauce. =stuffed eggs no. = cut hard-boiled eggs in halves. take out the yolks, leaving two cup-shaped pieces. mix the yolks with an equal quantity of softened bread; season with salt, pepper, and parsley. add a little raw egg to bind the mixture, and fill the spaces from which the yolks were taken. round it on top to give the appearance of a whole yolk. cut a little slice off the bottom of the egg, so it will stand firm. place them in the oven just long enough to heat, and serve standing, on a dish covered with white sauce. =egg croquettes= cut some hard-boiled eggs into quarter-inch dice. mix with them some chopped mushrooms. stir them carefully into a well-reduced béchamel or white sauce made as directed for croquettes (page ). turn the mixture onto a cold dish to cool and stiffen. mold into croquettes, and fry in hot fat. see directions for croquettes (page ). =other ways of serving hard-boiled eggs= (luncheon dishes) no. . cut hard-boiled eggs in two lengthwise. arrange them symmetrically on a flat dish, and pour over them a giblet sauce made of chicken or turkey gravy. no. . cut hard-boiled eggs into quarters. make a ring form of boiled rice; fill the center with the eggs; pour over them some béchamel sauce. sprinkle the whole with bread-crumbs and grated cheese. moisten the top with melted butter, and place in the oven to brown. serve on the dish in which they are browned. =tomatoes stuffed with eggs= select round tomatoes of uniform size; remove the skins. cut a slice off the tops, and take out the seeds and soft pulp. drop into each one a raw egg, and replace the cover. set the tomatoes into a buttered pan or into a baking-dish which can be sent to the table, and place in the oven for about ten minutes, or until the egg has set. serve on the same dish and with a brown or a béchamel sauce. =eggs À la reine= down town club make croustades, three inches in diameter and half an inch thick, from stale american bread. dip them in good melted butter, put them on a pan in the oven until they are a nice light-brown color; then take out the center of each croustade and fill with foie gras. on the top of each put a poached egg; then pour over a cream sauce, sprinkle with truffles chopped fine, and serve immediately. =eggs livingston= down town club. (for six persons) take twelve raw eggs, half a pint of rich cream; beat well together, add salt and pepper. put the mixture in a flat saucepan well buttered, and scramble; then add three quarters of a pint of well-cooked tomato meat and three truffles hashed (not too fine). dress on toast covered with pâté de foie gras. serve very hot. =eggs au beurre noir= poach or fry the number of eggs desired and place them on a flat dish. pour over them enough brown butter sauce to well moisten them. (see page .) =spanish omelet= make a plain french omelet, using four eggs (see page ). just before it is done place in the center a veal kidney, which has been well soaked, then cut into half-inch dice and sautéd until tender in a tablespoonful of butter. do not cook the kidney too long or it will toughen. fold the omelet and turn it onto a dish. pour around the omelet a tomato sauce (see page ). spread over the top of the omelet a sweet green pepper, which has been boiled until tender and then cut into narrow strips. the sauce, the kidney and the pepper should be prepared first, as the omelet must be served as soon as the eggs are cooked. chapter xi sauces "there are many sauces besides hunger." [sidenote: general directions.] the basis of most sauces is butter and flour cooked together, which makes a roux or thickening. if for a white sauce, the flour is not colored; if for a brown sauce, the flour is cooked until brown. to this basis are added the flavor and seasoning suited to the dish with which it is to be served. for meats, it is the flavor of meat, vegetables, spices, and herbs; for entrées, it is the flavor of meat or chicken, and cream; for vegetables it is butter, cream or milk, and eggs; for fish, the same, with a little lemon-juice or vinegar to give piquancy. the basis of pudding sauces is butter and sugar. [sidenote: uses and variations of the white sauce.] sauces are easily made, and greatly improve the dishes they accompany. many dishes depend upon sauces to make them palatable, and many made-over dishes are very acceptable when served with a good sauce. the first and most simple one to learn is the white sauce, and this is used for very many dishes. it is made by melting a tablespoonful of butter, and then adding a tablespoonful of flour. to this roux is added a half pint (one cupful) of milk for white sauce, or of cream for cream sauce. if a cupful of stock (or half stock and half milk) is used it becomes a béchamel sauce; then, if a couple of egg-yolks are added, it makes a poulette sauce, which is the one generally used with chicken, sweetbreads, oysters, etc. the superiority of french cooking is largely in the variety of their sauces, to the preparation of which much care is given. it cannot be too strongly urged that every housekeeper will give attention to this important branch of cooking. [sidenote: stock for sauces.] every kitchen can produce a stock made from odds and ends unsuitable for other purposes than the stock-pot, and this stock is most useful in preparing sauces, giving a flavor not obtained in specially prepared stock. a french cook keeps at hand the different essences required to combine in sauces, such as a mirepoix (vegetable flavor), which is made by cutting into dice an onion, carrot, and turnip, celery, parsley, bay-leaf and bits of meat, frying them in fat pork or butter, then adding a little water, and simmering an hour, or until the flavor of the vegetables is extracted; a spanish sauce, made by adding stock instead of water to the fried vegetables; a veal or white stock; a brown and a white roux, and glaze. [sidenote: general directions.] the flavor of vegetables can easily be obtained by frying them in the butter used in making the roux, before the flour is added. in preparing sauces with milk, use a double boiler, or set a small saucepan into a larger one containing water. the milk will be scalded when the water boils in the double boiler. brown sauces need long slow cooking to blend the flavors. if the butter rises to the top add a little more stock or milk; stir it well until it boils, and it will then become smooth again. do this just before serving. have always a small strainer at hand, and strain sauces so there will be no lumps in them. if stock is not at hand, substitute beef extract, which comes in jars, using it in the proportion of one teaspoonful of extract to a cupful of hot water. in this case fry vegetables in the roux. =glaze= glaze is much used in high-class cooking. it gives to meats a smooth and polished surface. cold meats to be garnished for suppers are much improved in appearance by being glazed. glaze is also added to sauces to give them richness and flavor. to make glaze: take good consommé of beef (or a white stock, when it is to be used for fowls or white meat), clear it, and reduce it to one quarter (or one quart of stock to one cupful). it will quickly boil down in an open saucepan and become like a thick paste. it will keep some time if closed in a preserve jar and kept in a cool place. when used, heat it in a double saucepan and apply it with a brush. =roux for sauces= one tablespoonful of butter; one tablespoonful of flour. roux is used for thickening, giving body to sauces, etc. it is made by cooking together an equal quantity of butter and flour for about five minutes, or until the flour has lost the raw taste. when the roux is cooked, draw the saucepan to a cooler part of the range, and add the liquor (stock or milk) slowly, in the proportion of one cupful of liquor to one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, and stir until smooth. if the roux is for white sauce do not let the flour color. if for brown sauce, let it cook until brown, but be careful that it does not burn. if more flavor is wanted, fry a few slices of onion or other vegetables in the butter before adding the flour. sauces thickened in this way are much better than those in which uncooked flour is used. in making roux do not use more butter than flour. where more butter is required in a sauce, add it, in small pieces at a time, after the other ingredients are mixed with the roux. this will prevent an oily line forming. =white sauce= tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. cupful of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. put one tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan. when it bubbles add one tablespoonful of flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for five minutes, but do not let it color; draw it to a cooler part of the range and add very slowly, stirring all the time, one cupful of cold milk, and stir until perfectly smooth and a little thickened. season with salt and pepper. most of the white sauces are simple variations from this sauce. water may be used instead of milk, and it is then called drawn-butter sauce. it can be made richer by adding a little more butter, in small pieces, one at a time, after the milk is in; also by adding the beaten yolk of an egg. if the egg is added remove the pan from the fire and let it cool a little before adding the egg; then cook for a minute, but do not let it boil, or the egg will curdle. the secret of making a good white sauce is in cooking the flour until the starch grains have burst, which removes the raw and pasty taste one finds where this care is not used. there is no difficulty in making it smooth if the milk is turned in slowly, as directed above. a common way of making this sauce is to rub the butter and flour together, and then stir them into the boiling milk, but this does not give as good a result as when a roux is made. the intense heat of frying butter cooks the flour quickly, while milk boiled long enough to cook the flour is changed in flavor. when this sauce is used as the basis of other sauces, the amount of salt and pepper must be varied to suit the requirements of the other ingredients. =white sauce for fish= make a white sauce, using with the milk two tablespoonfuls of the water in which the fish is boiled. boil in the water with the fish five cloves, three bay-leaves, one onion, eight peppercorns, and two tablespoonfuls of salt. this will give flavor to the fish and to the sauce. =egg sauce for boiled fish= to a pint, or two cupfuls, of white sauce, add three hard-boiled eggs cut into slices or small dice, and, if liked, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. =caper sauce= (boiled mutton) add to two cupfuls of white sauce four tablespoonfuls of capers. see also page . =oyster sauce= (boiled fish or fowls) scald the oysters in their own liquor until the edges curl. make a white sauce using oyster-liquor instead of milk, or use half milk and half oyster-liquor. add the oysters just before serving. one dozen oysters are enough for one pint of sauce. =celery sauce= (boiled fowls) cut one half cupful of celery into small pieces. boil it in salted water until tender. add the cooked celery to one cupful of white sauce. =lobster sauce= chop the meat of a lobster into coarse pieces. add it to a pint of white sauce. add also a little of the coral (which has been dried and pounded to a powder), and a little paprica. =veloutÉ and allemande sauces= (fish and vegetables) make a white sauce (page ), using chicken or veal stock instead of milk. _allemande._ remove the velouté from the fire; add two yolks beaten with one half cupful of cream or milk, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and a dash of nutmeg. put on the fire a moment to thicken, but do not let it boil. continue to stir for some moments after removing from the fire. =bÉchamel sauce= make a white sauce, using for liquor one half each of rich white stock and milk, or use stock alone. a slice of onion, carrot and turnip should be fried in the butter before the flour is added. a richer béchamel is made by adding a little cream and chopped mushrooms. =poulette sauce= (for chicken-breasts, sweetbreads, and other entrÉes) take a pint of white sauce made with chicken or veal stock instead of milk. beat four yolks with a cupful of cream. remove the sauce from the fire, and add it slowly to the eggs and cream, stirring all the time. put it again on the fire a moment to thicken; but do not let it boil, or it will curdle. add one tablespoonful of butter slowly, a small piece at a time, the juice of half a lemon, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and a dash of nutmeg. serve at once. do not put the sauce together until it is time to serve, as it is likely to curdle after the eggs and lemon-juice are in. stir constantly, and for a moment after removing from the fire. =villeroi= (to use for eggs villeroi, and for coating cold meats that are to be heated again) put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter and a slice of onion; fry for a few moments, but not brown. remove the onion, and add two tablespoonfuls of flour; cook but do not brown the flour. dilute with two cupfuls of stock, and boil, stirring constantly until the sauce is very thick. season with one half teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of pepper, a dash each of cayenne and nutmeg; remove from the fire, and add the yolks of four eggs beaten with one half cupful of cream or milk. place again on the fire, and let thicken until quite stiff and elastic. do not let it boil after the eggs are added, or it will curdle; stir constantly. when it is beginning to cool pour it over the articles it is to coat, or roll the articles in it as the receipts direct. chopped parsley, truffles, and mushrooms may be mixed with this sauce, if desired. the thick sauce left from coating the articles may be diluted with stock or milk, and served with them. this amount of sauce is sufficient to coat and to give diluted sauce for a dozen eggs villeroi. =hollandaise= (boiled fish, asparagus, cauliflower) in a saucepan or bowl rub to a cream one half cupful of butter; add the yolks of four eggs, and beat well together; then the juice of half a lemon, one half teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of cayenne; then add slowly one cupful of hot water; mix well, and set it into a saucepan of hot water. stir constantly until the sauce becomes like a thick cream. do not let it boil. remove from the fire, and continue to stir for a few minutes. it should be creamy and consistent. it is one of the best sauces to use with fish. it is also good cold with cold fish or meats. =chaudfroid sauce= (for covering cold chicken or meats which are to be served cold) put two tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan; when it bubbles add two tablespoonfuls of flour. let it cook well, but not brown; stir all the time. add two cupfuls of chicken or of veal stock, and stir until it is well thickened. season with salt and pepper. then add a half box, or one ounce, of gelatine which has soaked an hour in a half cupful of cold water. stir until the gelatine has dissolved. strain the sauce, and let it just begin to stiffen before using it. put a little on ice to see if it will be of the right firmness. if it is too stiff add a little more stock; if not hard enough add a little more gelatine. it needs to be only firm enough to hold its place well without running. a yellow color can be given it by adding the yolks of three eggs just before removing it from the fire. a brown chaudfroid, which is used for game and dark meats, is made by browning the roux, diluting it with beef stock; and a deeper color can be obtained with a few drops of kitchen bouquet. this sauce, poured over boned chicken or other meats, gives them a smooth, even surface. they can then be elaborately decorated with truffles, making ornamental cold dishes for suppers. before covering a galantine with chaudfroid fill any irregularities on the surface of the meat with a little of the sauce which has been placed on ice to set. the surface can in this way be made perfectly even, so when the sauce is turned over it the galantine will be smooth. (see picture, page .) =brown sauce= put a tablespoonful of chopped onion and a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan on the fire. let them both become brown; then add a tablespoonful of flour, and brown that also. stir all the time. add a cupful of beef or brown stock, and cook until the sauce is a little thickened. season with pepper and salt. strain it to remove the onion. a sauce poivrade is made by adding to the brown sauce, at the same time that the stock is put in, a cupful of claret, two cloves, a bay-leaf, a little thyme and parsley. in place of claret, a teaspoonful of mustard, the juice of half a lemon, and a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar gives a robert sauce. =espagnole= (chops, cutlets, croquettes, and seasoning for other sauces) - / cupfuls of stock or consommé. tablespoonful of gelatine. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. tablespoonfuls of chopped onion. tablespoonful of chopped lean ham. tablespoonful each of chopped carrot and celery. bay-leaf. cloves. piece of parsley. piece of mace. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. soak the gelatine in a half cupful of stock. put the butter in a saucepan; when hot add the chopped vegetables and ham, and let them brown; then add the flour, and let that brown. stir constantly so it will not burn. when well browned add slowly the stock, then the herbs, spices, salt, and pepper, and let cook for five minutes. cover the saucepan. set it into a larger one containing hot water. draw it to the side of the range to simmer slowly for two hours. then stir in the soaked gelatine, and let stand another half hour. when ready to serve skim off the fat and strain. if a stock made with knuckle of veal is used, the gelatine will not be needed. it is used to give smoothness. this is the richest of the brown sauces, and in french cooking is used as the basis, or seasoning, for them all. if too thick dilute with stock. =champagne sauce (ham)= put in a saucepan one cupful of champagne, two cloves, six peppercorns, one bay-leaf, one teaspoonful of sugar. let them infuse for five minutes over the fire; then add a cupful of espagnole or of brown sauce, and a little mushroom liquor if convenient. let it simmer for ten minutes and strain. any white wine may be used instead of champagne. =piquante sauce= (baked fish, roast and broiled meats) cupfuls of brown stock. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. dash of cayenne. tablespoonful of chopped onion. tablespoonful of chopped capers. tablespoonfuls of chopped pickle. teaspoonful of sugar. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. put the butter in a saucepan, and when it begins to brown add the flour, and stir until it is well browned, but do not let it burn. draw to a cooler place on the range, and slowly add the stock, stirring constantly, add salt and cayenne, and let simmer for ten minutes. in another saucepan boil the vinegar, onion, and sugar rapidly for five minutes; then add it to the sauce, and at the same time add the capers, pickle and tarragon vinegar. stir well, and let cook for two minutes to heat the pickle. if the sauce becomes too thick dilute it with a little water. for piquante sauce no , to two cupfuls of espagnole sauce add capers and pickles. =soubise sauce= (for chops) fry three or four onions until soft in a tablespoonful of butter; press them through a strainer, and mix with a cupful of brown sauce. =horseradish sauce= (roast or boiled beef) mix together two tablespoonfuls of soft white crumbs of bread and two tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish. cover them with cream or milk, and let soak for two hours. then rub them through a sieve, and add one quarter teaspoonful of salt, one quarter teaspoonful of sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. enough milk should be used to give it the consistency of cream. this sauce will keep in a cool place for several days. =mustard sauce= (corned beef, broiled and roasted meats) make a roux of one tablespoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of flour. add to it cupful of stock. tablespoonful of french mustard. tablespoonful of vinegar. a dash of cayenne. teaspoonful of dry english mustard. / teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful of sugar. cook slowly for ten minutes. =curry sauce= (for eggs, chicken, etc.) put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan. when it bubbles add a teaspoonful of onion-juice, and a tablespoonful of curry powder mixed with two tablespoonfuls of flour. let it cook a few minutes, and add slowly two cupfuls of milk. stir constantly. =olive sauce= (ducks) dozen stoned olives. cupful of brown stock. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. tablespoonful each of chopped onion and carrot. clove. teaspoonful of salt. dash of pepper. put the butter in a saucepan; when it bubbles add the chopped onion and carrot and let them brown; then the flour and let that brown. then add slowly the stock; season with salt, pepper and one clove; let simmer for twenty minutes and strain. stone the olives, leaving the meat in one piece; boil them in a little water for half an hour. add the cooked olives to the strained sauce, and cook for five minutes; or, dilute a cupful of espagnole sauce with a cupful of brown stock, and add the cooked olives. if brown sauce is not at hand, use extract of beef from jar (one teaspoonful of extract to one cupful of hot water). if the sauce gets too thick dilute it with a little stock. =tomato sauce= (meats, croquettes and entrÉes) tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of flour. tablespoonful each of carrot and onion. / can of tomatoes. parsley. bay-leaf. cloves. / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. put one tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; add the chopped onion and carrot, and let slightly brown; add the flour and cook five minutes, stirring constantly. then add the tomatoes, cloves, bay-leaf, salt and pepper. cook slowly for half an hour, or until the tomatoes are soft and reduced to right consistency. then add a tablespoonful of butter (a small piece at a time to prevent an oily line); strain; add more salt and pepper if necessary. =mushroom sauce= (using canned mushrooms) make a brown roux, using one tablespoonful each of butter and of flour; add a cupful of stock and a half cupful of liquor from the can of mushrooms. cook for five minutes, stirring all the time; then add one can of drained mushrooms, a teaspoonful of lemon-juice, a half teaspoonful of salt and a quarter teaspoonful of pepper. let the mushrooms become well heated; then remove from the fire and stir in the yolk of one raw egg rubbed with a teaspoonful of butter. stir the hot sauce until the egg is set; add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and serve; or a half teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet may be used and the egg and parsley omitted. this sauce may be served on the same dish with beefsteaks, fowls, etc., and the mushrooms laid evenly, top side up, around the meat as a garnish. it may be made a white sauce by making a white roux, using white stock and leaving out the kitchen bouquet. the mushrooms are sometimes cut into halves or quarters. =maÎtre d'hÔtel sauce= (broiled fish and steaks) tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of chopped parsley. tablespoonful of lemon juice. / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. rub the butter to a cream; add salt, pepper, and parsley chopped very fine; then the lemon-juice slowly. spread it on broiled meat or fish; let the heat of the meat melt the butter. the dish must not be put in the oven after the sauce is spread, or the parsley will lose its freshness and color. this sauce, which greatly improves as well as garnishes broiled meat, can be mixed and kept for some time in a cool place. soften a little before using so it will spread evenly, and be quickly melted by the hot meat. =mint sauce= (spring lamb) bunch of mint; tablespoonful of sugar; / cupful of vinegar. rinse the mint in cold water; chop it very fine. dissolve the sugar in the vinegar; add the mint and let stand for an hour, to infuse before using. if the vinegar is too strong, dilute it with cold water. if the sauce is wanted hot, heat the vinegar and sugar, and stir in the chopped mint just before serving. =bread sauce= (partridges, quail, grouse) sift two cupfuls of dry bread-crumbs. put on the fire a pint of milk and a small onion sliced. when the milk is scalded remove the onion, and add enough of the fine crumbs to thicken it. season with a tablespoonful of butter, a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and of nutmeg. put the coarse crumbs into a pan with a tablespoonful of butter and sauté them a light brown, stirring all the time; add a dash of paprica; serve the fried crumbs on the dish with the game; serve the sauce in a boat. =jelly sauce= (game and mutton) melt in a saucepan one tumblerful of currant or of grape jelly; add slowly one tablespoonful of butter. let boil one minute; remove, and just before serving add one tablespoonful of sherry or of red wine. =cranberry sauce= (roast turkey, chicken, mutton) quart of cranberries. cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of water. pick over the berries carefully and wash in cold water. put them in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware saucepan, with enough water to cover them. cook until tender; then add the sugar, and remove as soon as the sugar is dissolved. it may be served hot or cold. if thoroughly cooked the skins improve the sauce. if strained and put in a mold to cool, it becomes a jelly. if the berries are carefully selected, and boiled slowly without being stirred, they will retain their shape, and the sauce will be clear and transparent. =apple sauce= (goose and pork) peel, quarter, and core six tart apples. put them in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware saucepan, and cover with water. boil until tender, then press them through a colander; add a teaspoonful of butter, a dash of nutmeg or cinnamon, and sweeten to taste. when used with meats apple sauce should be tart. =bÉarnaise= this is a very good sauce to use either hot or cold with meats and fish. it is very like mayonnaise. yolks of eggs. / teaspoonful of salt. dash of cayenne. tablespoonfuls of salad oil. tablespoonful of hot water. tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. beat the yolks; add the oil and water; stand the bowl in boiling water and stir until the eggs thicken; remove and add salt, pepper, and vinegar. it should be creamy and of the consistency of mayonnaise. a few chopped capers, olives, and gherkins make it a good tartare sauce; and a little tomato purée will make it a red mayonnaise to use with cold boiled fish. =mayonnaise= yolk of egg. / teaspoonful of salt. dash of cayenne. cupful of salad oil. - / teaspoonfuls of lemon-juice. let the oil and egg be thoroughly chilled before beginning to make mayonnaise. in summer it is well to stand the soup-plate in which the dressing is being mixed in a dish of cracked ice; stir constantly with a silver fork or a wooden spoon. have the yolk entirely free from any white of the egg; add drop by drop the oil. the success depends on adding the oil slowly at first. it is well to spend half the time in incorporating the first two spoonfuls of oil; after that it can be added in larger quantities. after the dressing has become a little thick, alternate a few drops of lemon-juice or of vinegar with the oil; a little tarragon vinegar gives good flavor. if mustard is liked, add one quarter teaspoonful of dry mustard. add the salt and pepper last. if the sauce curdles, take another yolk, and add slowly the curdled mayonnaise. a few drops of ice water or a small bit of ice added to the mixture when it begins to curdle will sometimes bring it back. this dressing will keep for some time in a closed jar in the ice-box. the proportions given are right, but it is usually desirable to make a larger quantity. with care more oil can be added to the egg, which will give more sauce. a very safe mixture, and one recommended for summer, is made by using the yolk of a hard-boiled egg with a raw yolk. with this the dressing is more quickly made and seldom curdles. lemon-juice makes a whiter dressing than vinegar, but it also makes it a little softer. =white mayonnaise= just before serving add to the above quantity of mayonnaise one half cupful of very stiff whipped cream, or the white of one half an egg whipped very stiff. =green mayonnaise= take some green herbs, such as chervil, tarragon, chives, parsley, a leaf of spinach, lettuce or watercress, and pound them in a mortar with a little lemon-juice. express the juice and add it to the mayonnaise. it is then called ravigote sauce. mashed green peas may be used to give color and also more consistency to the sauce when it is to be used to cover cold fish. a little vegetable green coloring can be added if the color is not sufficiently deep, but a delicate color is preferable. =red mayonnaise= dry some lobster coral; pound it to a powder and rub it through a sieve; mix it with a little lemon-juice and add it to the mayonnaise. use a little carmine color if deeper shade is wanted. or, color with well-strained tomato purée. =jelly mayonnaise= instead of yolks of eggs, use aspic jelly as a medium to hold the oil; mix the sauce the same as the ordinary mayonnaise. or, to a cupful of aspic jelly (see page ) or chicken aspic add a cupful of oil, one tablespoonful of vinegar (one half being tarragon if convenient), a few drops of lemon-juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne; stir together all at once, the jelly being warmed enough to be liquid. place it on ice and stir until it begins to set; keep it in a cool place. this jelly softens easily. it is used to coat fish or meats, and should be put on when a little soft. it will then make a smooth and polished surface. keep the meats coated with the jelly on ice until ready to serve. it is used also for salads in forms, or russian salads (see receipts). =mayonnaise with arrowroot= smooth a tablespoonful of arrowroot in cold water; stir it over the fire until it becomes smooth, clear and firm like starch; when a little cooled, add salt, pepper, mustard, and two or three yolks, and beat until smooth; when cold add oil as in regular mayonnaise. this mixture will not curdle. =tartare= (fish and cold meats) to a cupful of mayonnaise made with mustard, add one tablespoonful of capers, three olives, and two gherkins, all chopped very fine; also the juice expressed from some pounded green herbs, as in green mayonnaise or ravigote (see above); or chop the herbs fine and mix them in the dressing. a good tartare sauce can be made by using tarragon vinegar and a little onion-juice when mixing the mayonnaise, and adding parsley and capers, both chopped very fine, just before serving it. =agra dolce= (sour sweet) (an italian sauce used with venison, sweetbreads, calf's-head, and mutton) mix together two heaping tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, one quarter bar of grated chocolate, one tablespoonful each of shredded candied orange and lemon-peel, ten blanched almonds shredded, one half cupful of currants, and one cupful of vinegar. let them soak for two hours. then pour it over the cooked meat, and simmer for ten minutes. this receipt was obtained in florence, where it is a well-known and favorite sauce. =beurre noir or brown butter sauce= (eggs, calf's head, calf's brains, fish) put a quarter of a pound of butter in a saucepan and let it cook slowly until it has browned, then add three tablespoonfuls of hot vinegar, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and a dash of pepper and of salt. chapter xii entrÉes entrées are the dishes served between any of the regular courses. =croquettes= general directions [sidenote: shape.] [sidenote: how to serve.] croquettes are simply minced meat mixed with a thick sauce, then rolled into shape and fried. any kind of cooked meat, fish, shell-fish, hard-boiled eggs, and some kinds of vegetables may be served as croquettes. croquettes may be plain, using one kind of meat alone, or made richer by combining with it sweetbreads, brains, mushrooms, truffles, etc. whatever meat mixture is used, the rules for sauce, molding, and frying are the same. the croquettes may be shaped like cylinders, pyramids or chops. the meat should be chopped very fine. (an "enterprise chopper" is recommended.) they should be very soft and creamy inside, and should be fried to a light golden color only. serve them on a napkin and garnish with parsley. [illustration: croquettes. (see page .)] the enterprise chopper this simple machine minces meat very fine, and is useful in making croquettes, forcemeat for stuffings, etc. where meat having much fiber is put in the chopper, it soon becomes clogged. the end piece can then be taken off, and the fiber clinging to it, which stops the holes, be removed. in making timbales the meat put through the chopper in this way, and then pounded, will sometimes do without being passed through a sieve. [illustration: enterprise chopper.] =sauce for croquette mixture= (to this amount of sauce add two cupfuls of meat.) tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. cupful of milk or cream. egg. teaspoonful of onion-juice. teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. dash of cayenne. dash of nutmeg. put the cream or milk in a double boiler and scald it. rub the butter and flour together. take this paste on a spoon and stir it in the scalding milk until it is dissolved from the spoon, and the sauce has become thickened and consistent. add the seasoning; then remove from the fire and stir in a beaten egg (the egg may be omitted if desired). place it again on the fire for a minute to cook the egg, but do not let it boil, and add two cupfuls of meat minced very fine. pour this mixture on a flat dish, and set it away for two or more hours. it will then be stiffened and can be easily molded. if a mixture is used which absorbs the sauce, add more than the quantity given in receipt. the softer the mixture, the more creamy, and therefore the better will be the croquettes, and if allowed to stand long enough the molding will not be difficult. =to mold croquettes= take a tablespoonful of the mixture (this will make a croquette of the right size; large ones are likely to crack open in frying); roll it lightly between the hands into a ball. have a plentiful supply of bread-crumbs spread evenly on a board; roll the ball lightly on the crumbs into the shape of a cylinder, and flatten each end by dropping it lightly on the board; put it in the egg (to each egg add one tablespoonful of water, and beat together), and with a spoon moisten the croquette completely with the egg; lift it out on a knife-blade, and again roll lightly in the crumbs. have every part entirely covered, so there will be no opening through which the grease may be absorbed. where a light yellow color is wanted, use fresh white crumbs grated from the loaf (or rubbed through a purée sieve) for the outside, and do not use the yolk of the egg. coarse fresh crumbs are used for fish croquettes, which are usually made in the form of chops, or half heart shape. a small hole is pricked in the pointed end after frying, and a sprig of parsley inserted. for lobster croquettes a small claw is used instead of the parsley. cracker-crumbs are used where a smooth surface is wanted. have all the croquettes of perfectly uniform size and shape, and lay them aside on a dish, not touching one another, for an hour or more before frying. this will make the crust more firm. the white of an egg alone may be used for egging them, but not the yolk alone. whip the egg with the water, just enough to break it, as air-bubbles in the egg will break in frying, and let the grease penetrate. =to fry croquettes= let the fat become smoking hot; then test it with a piece of bread. if the bread colors while you count forty (twenty seconds), it is right. it is well to put the frying-pot on the fire an hour before it is needed, so it will be hot, and ready to be raised quickly to the right degree. after dipping the frying-basket in the fat to grease it, lay in it four croquettes so that they do not touch one another, and immerse them in the fat. cook only long enough to attain a delicate color. let them drain a moment over the hot fat; then lift them from the basket with the hand (if done quickly the hand will not be burned) and place on a brown paper on the hot shelf or in the open oven until all are ready. do not fry more than four at one time, as more would reduce the heat of the fat too much. let the fat become smoking hot before each immersion of croquettes. hang the basket on a long iron spoon so the hand will not be burned by the spattering fat. =materials used for croquettes= chicken croquettes chop the chicken very fine, using the white meat alone, or the dark meat alone, or both together. season with salt, pepper, onion-juice, and lemon-juice. chopped mushrooms, sweetbreads, calf's brains, tongue, ham or truffles are used with chicken, and a combination of two or more of them much improves the quality of the croquettes. veal croquettes veal is often mixed with chicken, or is used alone as a substitute for chicken. season in same manner and make the same combinations. sweetbread croquettes cut the boiled sweetbreads into small dice with a silver knife. mix with mushrooms, using half the quantity of mushrooms that you have of sweetbreads. use two eggs in the sauce. oyster croquettes scald the oysters; cut them into small pieces with a silver-plated knife. lobster croquettes (see page ) fish croquettes (see pages and ) meat and boiled hominy croquettes equal proportions. meat, rice, and tomato croquettes equal proportions of meat and boiled rice: moisten with tomato purée. macaroni croquettes boil the macaroni in salted water until tender; let it cool; then cut into pieces one quarter inch long, forming rings. to a cupful of the rings add one tablespoonful of grated cheese. the sauces to serve with croquettes are brown, béchamel, poulette, and tomato. =timbales= [sidenote: general directions.] timbales are forms of pastry or of forcemeat filled with salpicon. they are made in individual, border, or cylinder molds. the receipts below give the rules for making the pastry, forcemeat, and salpicon, and the combinations. for forcemeat, the raw meat is used, and may be used alone or mixed with panada: in the latter case it is called quenelle forcemeat. cut the meat or fish in pieces (excepting chicken, which is scraped), and pound it in a mortar to separate the flesh from the fiber, then press it through a purée sieve. do not chop the meat, as the fiber is not then so easily separated. if the meat pulp is mixed with panada, press it through the sieve again so the paste will be perfectly smooth and fine. truffles are used in decorating the molds and in the salpicon. the little bits left from the decoration are chopped and used in the salpicon or in a sauce. [illustration: hinged mold and individual timbale molds.] [illustration: purÉe sieve and mortar.] =truffles= truffles can be bought in tins, and as very little is used at a time they are not as expensive as at first appears. to preserve truffles left over in an opened can, drain them from the liquor and roll them in melted paraffine or in melted suet. with the air-tight covering which either of these things gives, the truffles can be kept in the refrigerator for an indefinite time. =cream chicken forcemeat= cut the breast from a chicken or turkey, also the white meat from the wings; remove the skin and fat, and with a knife scrape the meat so as to free it from the sinews. place the scraped meat in a mortar and pound it to a paste; incorporate into it gradually, while pounding, the white of an egg; this will moisten it a little so it will pass more easily through the sieve. after it is thoroughly macerated, take a little at a time and with the pestle or spoon rub it through a sieve; it passes through better when a little is worked at a time. put the pulp in a bowl, season it with salt, pepper, and a dash of nutmeg. set the bowl on cracked ice and stir in slowly (as you add oil to mayonnaise) one or one and a half cupfuls of thick cream--some mixtures take more cream than others; stir continually, using a wire whip if convenient. when it is a consistent paste, try it by dropping a half teaspoonful in hot (not boiling) water and let it poach; if it is too thick add more cream, if too thin add a little beaten white of egg. the sample should poach for ten minutes, and when cut should be smooth and firm, but not tough. =cream forcemeat, no. .= to one half pound of meat pulp add five ounces of butter, one whole egg, and four yolks, or the whites alone of four eggs if used with white meat; beat very thoroughly together; pass again through the sieve; place on ice and beat in slowly one pint of whipped cream--three quarters of a cupful of cream will make about the right amount after being whipped. =fish cream forcemeat= scrape, pound, and pass through a sieve one pound of firm white fish. put the pulp in a bowl, season with salt, pepper and cayenne; whip into it the whites of two eggs, and add slowly, beating all the time, about one and a half cupfuls of cream. poach a small piece to see if right: if too thick add more cream, if too thin add more white of egg. a pretty decoration for fish timbale, especially when made of salmon, is lobster coral, dried and pounded to powder, and sprinkled on the buttered mold. fish timbale is usually made in a solid piece and served as a fish course. with white fish serve a tomato sauce; with salmon a poulette or a cream sauce, or mayonnaise. =quenelle forcemeat= to one cupful of meat-pulp, after it is rubbed through the sieve, add one half cupful of panada, one quarter cupful of butter, yolks of three eggs, salt, pepper, and dash of nutmeg. stir well together and pass again through the sieve. place on ice and add slowly one cupful of cream. try by poaching a small piece to see if it is of the right consistency. a good white sauce or tomato purée may be substituted for the cream in some cases. this forcemeat is used the same as cream forcemeat. =bread panada= soak the crumb of bread; express the water and place the bread in a saucepan on the fire. stir it to a paste with milk or stock, and continue to stir until it leaves the sides of the pan. =flour panada= put a little water, milk or stock in a saucepan; add a little butter and salt, and stir in as much flour as will absorb the liquid. stir constantly until it leaves the sides of the pan. =to mold and cook timbales= rub the mold well with butter; ornament it with truffle, tongue, ham, or hard-boiled egg. cut the truffle, or other article used for the decoration, in very thin slices and stamp it into fancy shapes with a cutter, or cut it with a knife. arrange the pieces in some design on the mold; they will stay in place if the mold is well buttered. put in the forcemeat carefully with a knife, press it well against the sides to force out any air-bubbles, and have a care not to displace the decoration. if the timbale is to be filled with salpicon, make a layer of the forcemeat from a quarter to three quarters of an inch thick, according to the size of mold, using enough to give stability to the form when unmolded; make it a little thicker at the base than at the top and leave a smooth surface inside; fill it with the salpicon and cover the top with forcemeat, pressing from the sides towards the center; draw the knife across the top so it will be smooth and even, and stand straight and firm when unmolded. stand the mold or molds in a pan of water, covering them one half or a little more. cover them with a greased paper and let them poach in a slow oven ten to fifteen minutes for small, and twenty minutes for large molds. if the center feels firm to the touch they are done. the water must not be allowed to boil; slow cooking is necessary to have them tender. let the molds stand a minute in the water, then invert on a cloth to let the moisture drain off, and unmold them on the dish on which they are to be served. [illustration: individual timbales. timbales of any forcemeat; decoration of truffles.] =salpicon= cooked veal, chicken, game, sweetbreads, calf's brains, livers, fish, oysters, lobster, mushrooms, truffles, tongue, etc., when cut into dice and mixed with a rich sauce is called salpicon. it is used for filling timbales, vol-au-vent, patties, croustades, etc. it may also be served in paper boxes, or shells, or fontage cups. it may be made of one kind of meat, but is usually a mixture of two or more, with mushrooms and truffles. the meats are cut into small dice and warmed with a sauce which goes well with the meats used. the sauce must be reduced until quite thick, and enough of it used to make the mixture very creamy. for dark meat use an espagnole, brown or mushroom sauce; for white meat, béchamel, allemande or poulette sauce. [illustration: chicken timbale--filling of salpicon; decoration of truffles.] =fontage cups= (used for oyster-crabs, salpicon, creamed sweetbreads, etc.) make a batter of one half cupful of flour, yolk of one egg, one quarter teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of salad oil, and enough milk or water to make the batter thin. let it stand for an hour or two. beat it well together, and have the batter very smooth; strain it if there are any lumps. have a pot of hot fat; place the fontage iron in the fat until it is thoroughly hot, then dip it in the batter, and hold it there a moment until a coating of batter has adhered; place it again in the hot fat until the cup is cooked a delicate color, and can be detached from the iron. repeat the operation until all are made, and keep them in a warm dry place until used. this amount of batter will make twelve cups. [illustration: fontage iron and cups. (see page .)] =pain de volaille= make a chicken cream forcemeat (see page ). butter individual timbale molds, decorate them with truffles, fill with forcemeat, and poach ten to fifteen minutes in slow oven. serve with an allemande sauce. or, line the molds with forcemeat; fill them with salpicon made of the dark meat of the chicken and mushrooms; mix with espagnole or a good brown sauce; cover the top well with forcemeat, and poach as directed. or, use a charlotte russe mold; line it a half inch thick with forcemeat, and use the same salpicon, adding small egg balls or quenelles, a few pieces of tongue, and a truffle chopped very fine. or, use a border mold for the forcemeat, and fill the center of the ring, when unmolded, with the salpicon. =quenelles= these are quenelle forcemeat formed into small balls, the balls rolled in flour and poached, then used in salpicon; or, with two tablespoons, the forcemeat may be molded into egg-shaped pieces, poached in hot salted (not boiling) water, and ranged on a socle; or they may be placed on a dish in a circle. the two latter forms of quenelles are served with a sauce as an entrée. fish quenelles with tomato sauce make a very good dish. large quenelles for decorating dishes may be made by molding the forcemeat into fancy shapes with a knife on buttered white paper (the paper will become detached while they are poaching). the quenelles may be ornamented with truffles or tongue, using white of egg to make the decoration adhere. use salted water for poaching them, and do not let it boil. =palmettes= press forcemeat into rings or cutlet molds; partly poach them. unmold, roll in egg and crumbs, and fry in hot fat. serve with a sauce. =celestines À la maintenon= take some quenelle forcemeat (see page ). add to it a little juice from a can of truffles, one truffle chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls of mushrooms chopped fine, and a few bits of ham, or tongue. mix well together, and stir in enough cream to make it quite soft. butter some cutlet molds, or some rings. fill them with the mixture; smooth them with a knife, and place them on the bottom of a large saucepan. pour enough boiling water to cover them carefully on the sides of the pan, so it will go into the pan without defacing the forcemeat; let them poach for five minutes without the water boiling. the cutlets will leave the molds, and rise to the top. lift them out with a skimmer, and place on an inverted pan to cool. when perfectly cold, dry them lightly with a napkin, and cover each one with villeroi sauce (see page ). set aside to let the sauce harden. sprinkle with bread-crumbs; moisten with egg and cover with fresh crumbs grated from the leaf. use a broad knife to handle them with when crumbing. fry in hot fat, like croquettes, to an amber color. serve with béchamel or poulette sauce. =boudins rouennais= line well-buttered individual molds with a cream forcemeat made of veal or chicken; fill the center with a forcemeat made of duck or any game. cover the top with a white forcemeat, and smooth it off even with the mold. poach them for ten minutes. unmold, and let them cool; then cover with egg and fresh bread-crumbs, and fry in hot fat to an amber color. serve with them an espagnole or a brown sauce. =macaroni timbale= cook until tender in salted water long pieces of spaghetti, or fine macaroni. put it into the water slowly, and it can then be turned so it will not break. lay the pieces straight on a napkin to cool. butter well a dome-shaped mold. wind the spaghetti around the mold, holding it in place, as you proceed, with a layer of forcemeat. fill the center with boiled macaroni and cheese, mixed with a well-reduced béchamel sauce; or fill the timbale with a salpicon of sweetbreads and mushrooms. make the layer of forcemeat thick enough to give the timbale stability. cover it with a greased paper, stand it in a pan of hot water, and poach in a slow oven for thirty minutes. this timbale may also be made in individual molds. [illustration: macaroni timbale. (see page .)] [illustration: spaghetti timbales. (see page .)] =honeycomb timbale= (a very simple luncheon dish) boil in salted water large-sized macaroni. when cold cut it into pieces one quarter of an inch long, making rings. butter a plain dome-shaped mold, and cover it with the rings. fill the mold with minced uncooked chicken, turkey, or veal, mixed with cream sauce. add three or four eggs to the creamed mince just before putting it into the mold. unless the eggs are added, it will not have stiffness enough to hold in shape. cover the mold with a greased paper. place it in a pan of hot water, and poach in a slow oven for thirty minutes. this timbale may also be made of any cooked meat as follows: put the meat through an "enterprise" chopper. make a sauce, using two tablespoonfuls each of butter and flour, a cupful of milk, and a cupful of stock. after the liquid is added to the roux put in a slice of onion and two dried mushrooms, one teaspoonful of salt, and one quarter teaspoonful pepper. let it cook until a little thickened. add half the strained sauce to the minced meat. stir it over the fire until the meat is heated; remove from the fire, add two beaten eggs, and turn it into a a quart timbale mold, which is lined with macaroni in any of the forms given in illustrations. cover the mold with a greased paper. place it in a pan of hot water, and poach for twenty minutes. serve the rest of the sauce with the cooked timbale. [illustration: honeycomb timbale. (see page .)] =a simple timbale of halibut= take a half pound of uncooked halibut. cut it into fine pieces, pound it in a mortar, and pass it through a sieve. mix a cupful of white bread-crumbs with a half cupful of milk, and stir until it makes a smooth paste; remove it from the fire, add the fish pulp, a half teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of paprica. then beat in lightly, a little at a time, the whipped whites of five eggs. fill buttered timbale molds with the mixture, and place them in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. this will fill a quart mold, or eight individual molds. serve with a white or with a tomato sauce. [illustration: fish timbale decorated with slices of cucumber pickle.] =pastry timbale= make a paste, using to one pound of flour three quarters of a pound of butter, four yolks, one half teaspoonful of salt, and one and a half cups of water. work it well, roll it one quarter of an inch thick, cover, and set it aside for one hour. butter a timbale-mold, and line it with the paste. if ornamentation is wanted, cut some noodle paste into fancy forms. arrange the pieces in some design on the bottom and sides of the mold, and brush them with a little water before putting in the paste. with a cutter or knife stamp out a circle in the paste on the bottom of the mold, but do not remove it. then with a buttered paper cover the whole inside surface of the paste. fill the center with flour. cover the top with buttered paper, buttered side up; then a layer of paste, and press it to the paste of the sides. set it aside for half an hour. bake it in a hot oven for fifty minutes. unmold, take off the circle which was cut in the paste; remove the paper and flour. brush the timbale all over, inside and out, with yolk of egg, and place it in the oven to brown. fill it with salpicon. =potato and fish timbale= (for luncheon or breakfast) butter a plain mold. sprinkle it with white bread-crumbs. fill it with mashed potato which has been seasoned and mixed with two or more egg yolks and some grated cheese. bake it for forty minutes in a moderate oven. with a pointed knife cut around the top one and a half inches from the edges; lift off the piece, and with a spoon scoop out the potato, leaving a lining one and a half inches thick. brush the inside with egg, and place it again in the oven to dry and brown. fill the center with creamed fish; replace the top piece, and fill the cut with potato so as to confine the fish. place a dish over the top, invert the mold, and let it stand a few minutes. it will then come out of the mold. serve with a white sauce. =vol au vent= prepare a puff paste (see page ). roll it one and a half inches thick. cut a circle six to six and a half inches in diameter, using as guide a pie-tin or cardboard, if a regular cutter is not at hand. place it with care on a baking-tin, and cut a smaller circle around the top, one and a half inches from the edge, and two thirds through the paste. paint over the top with yolk of egg, and bake it in a hot oven for thirty minutes. do not open the oven door for the first fifteen minutes. when baked, lift off the inside circle. cut out the uncooked paste, paint it over with white of egg, and place it again in the oven to brown. keep the crust hot until ready to serve. then fill with salpicon, and replace the cover, or small circle of paste. =patties= prepare patty shells as directed in puff paste receipt (page ). fill them with oysters (see page ), with lobster (see page ), or with any salpicon. =rissoles= roll puff paste one eighth of an inch thick. place on it at intervals of three inches from the edge and five inches apart, a teaspoonful of salpicon, or of creamed minced meat. moisten with a wet brush the paste, and fold it over the balls of meat. with the finger press the paste together lightly around the meat, inclosing it like a small pie. then with a patty or biscuit-cutter stamp out the rissoles in shape of half-circles, the ball of meat being on the straight side, and a border of paste an inch or more wide on the rounded side. egg and bread-crumb them or not, and fry in hot fat. serve on a folded napkin. =to prepare sweetbreads= soak the sweetbreads in cold water for an hour or more. change the water several times, so that all the blood will be extracted, and leave the sweetbreads very white. put them on the fire in cold water, and simmer (not boil) for twenty minutes. then immerse them again in cold water. this is to parboil and blanch them. remove all the pipes, strings, and fibers it is possible to do without breaking the sweetbreads to pieces. when half cold tie each one in a piece of cheese-cloth, drawing it tightly into an oval form, and place them under a light weight until cold. they will then be smooth and a uniform shape, and may be larded with fine lardoons if desired. use a silver knife for cutting sweetbreads. =baked sweetbreads= take parboiled larded sweetbreads, and place them on slices of salt pork in a baking-pan. add enough stock to cover well the pan. cook them in a hot oven for twenty minutes, basting frequently. serve with a brown or with a mushroom sauce. =braised sweetbreads= place in a baking-pan a bed of vegetables cut in small dice, and a few pieces of salt pork. lay parboiled sweetbreads on it. add enough water or stock to cover the vegetables. close the pan tight, and cook for forty to forty-five minutes. uncover the pan the last fifteen minutes to let the sweetbreads brown. paint them with glaze. strain the liquor from the pan; thicken it with a brown roux, and serve it on the dish under the sweetbreads. =sautÉd sweetbreads= cut the parboiled sweetbreads in slices and sauté them in butter; serve with green peas. =fried sweetbreads= roll the sweetbreads (either whole or cut in slices) in egg and crumbs; let them stand for a time, then fry in hot fat; dress them on a folded napkin and serve with them a béchamel sauce. they may also be dipped in fritter batter and fried. =sweetbreads À la poulette= simmer the sweetbreads for thirty or forty minutes; blanch them, then cut or break them in pieces and place them on a dish. pour over them a béchamel or a poulette sauce. mushrooms and chopped truffles may be added if desired. =chaudfroid of sweetbreads= simmer the sweetbreads until cooked; blanch and tie them in cloth as directed above, or place them in muffin-rings under pressure until cold; cover them with a chaudfroid sauce (see page ). place fancy bits of truffle on the top lightly, and when the sauce has set, paint it over with liquid aspic. arrange them on a socle or on a mound of salad, and serve with them a mayonnaise sauce and lettuce. =calf's brains= soak the brains for an hour in cold water; then simmer in water containing a tablespoonful of vinegar for twenty minutes; an onion, thyme, bay-leaf, salt and peppercorns in the water also will improve the flavor of the brains; place again in cold water to blanch; remove the skin and fibres, and cook by any of the receipts given for sweetbreads. the boiled brains may also be served with any of the following sauces poured over them: a plain white sauce; a white sauce with chopped mushrooms; a white sauce seasoned with mashed yolks of hard-boiled eggs, a little mustard, tarragon vinegar and chopped parsley, and a tablespoonful of chopped pickle added just before serving; a vinaigrette sauce; a hollandaise sauce; a tomato sauce; or a sauce made of browned butter and a dash of vinegar. =marinade of brains= boil the brains; remove the skin and veins; cut them into pieces the size of half an egg; let them stand an hour in a marinade of oil, vinegar, onion, pepper and salt; then wipe and dip them into fritter batter and fry in hot fat. arrange them on a napkin and serve with tomato sauce. =calf's head À la vinaigrette= place pieces of hot boiled calf's head in the center of a dish; split the tongue in two and lay it across two sides of the dish, and the brains on the opposite sides; garnish with parsley and serve with a vinaigrette sauce, or with a piquante sauce. =vinaigrette sauce= (cold): three tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of vinegar, one teaspoonful each of grated onion, chopped parsley, and capers, one saltspoonful each of salt and pepper. =false terrapin= cut boiled calf's head (see page ) into pieces one inch square; break into pieces the boiled brains. make a brown roux; add to it water in which the calf's head was boiled, in the same proportion as for white sauce; season with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and add a cupful of cream; then put in the pieces of meat, three or four chopped hard-boiled eggs, a few small egg balls, and a glass of sherry; serve very hot; there should be a half more sauce than meat. =calf's head À la poulette= cut boiled calf's head into pieces one inch square; heat them in hot water; drain and pile them in the center of a hot dish; sprinkle over them a few small egg balls, and pour over the whole a poulette sauce, using for the sauce water in which the calf's head was boiled in the place of chicken stock. =oyster cases= line buttered paper cases, or china individual cups, with a layer of fish quenelle forcemeat (page ), or with the fish preparation given in receipt for fish pudding (page ); scald some oysters in their own liquor until the gills curl; cut each oyster into four pieces and fill the center of the cup with them; pour over them a tablespoonful of béchamel sauce, made with oyster-liquor in place of stock; cover the top with forcemeat, brush it over with butter and bake in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. cases of other combinations may be made in the same way; using mashed potato for the lining and any creamed meat for filling; or use hominy or rice with chicken, mushrooms, etc. =liver loaf, or false pÂtÉ de foie gras= cut a calf's liver in pieces; pound it in a mortar and press it through a sieve; add to one cupful of liver pulp one quarter cupful of flour panada, one teaspoonful each of butter and salt; one half teaspoonful of pepper; dash each of cayenne and of nutmeg and allspice, and two eggs. mix well together and pass it again through the sieve. put the mixture into a well-buttered pint mold; place it in a pan of hot water in the oven for forty-five minutes or more. an ice-cream brick-mold makes a loaf of convenient shape. it may be served hot with a brown sauce; but is better cold with salad, or used like pâté de foie gras. a loaf of any game may be made in the same way. the loaf may be made very ornamental by decorating it with pieces of truffle, ham, and white of hard-boiled eggs cut into diamond shapes and fitted together to look like blocks. to arrange this decoration use two molds of the same size; butter one of them and apply carefully the decoration; line the other with thin slices of larding pork and cook the liver or game mixture in it; when it is cold remove the pork, and this will leave it small enough to fit into the decorated mold. fill the space between them with aspic jelly and let it become well set before unmolding the form. =chicken livers= cut the gall carefully off the livers; dry them with a cloth and cut them in two or more pieces. place them in a frying-pan with a tablespoonful of butter, and sauté until cooked, or about five minutes. turn them often, so they will not burn, and dredge them with a little flour; add one cupful of espagnole, or of brown sauce, and one half cupful of madeira; season with salt and pepper and let simmer slowly for ten minutes. if the color is not dark enough, add a few drops of caramel or of kitchen bouquet; serve with croûtons around the dish, or in a croustade, or in fontage cups. =stuffed mushrooms= take off the stalks from one pound of fresh mushrooms, peel the cups, using a silver knife, and drop them into cold water to keep them white (if exposed to the air they discolor). if they have to stand for some time put a little lemon-juice in the water; scrape the stalks, chop them and put them into a saucepan with one tablespoonful of butter and one half onion sliced; cook slowly for ten minutes, then add one tablespoonful of flour and cook that five minutes; add one cupful of stock and one half cupful of bread crumbs; season with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne. fill the cups of the mushrooms with this mixture; sprinkle with crumbs and place them on circles of toasted bread one quarter of an inch thick and the size of the mushroom. bake in moderate oven for fifteen minutes. =chicken purÉe= chop cooked chicken very fine; pound it to as much of a paste as possible; season with salt and pepper; mix it with half its quantity of chaudfroid sauce (see page ). coat a mold with jelly (see page ), and fill it with the mixture, which must be cold and beginning to set; when it has hardened, turn it onto a dish; garnish with lettuce and serve with it a mayonnaise or a béarnaise sauce. game may be used in the same way. ornamented individual timbale cups may also be used for molding the purée. =oyster-crabs= put into a saucepan two tablespoonfuls of butter and a gill of water, one teaspoonful of lemon-juice, a little salt and white pepper. when the liquid is warm, put a few of the crabs in at a time and cook until they begin to whiten, then skim them out and keep them in a warm place until all are cooked. the liquid must only simmer; if it is too hot the crabs will break open. the crabs should be just moistened with the sauce in which they are cooked. serve in croustades, or in fontage cups (see page ). =entrÉe of oyster-crabs= use for this entrée individual shirred-egg dishes. cut slices of bread one inch thick; with a biscuit-cutter stamp it into circles one inch smaller than the egg dish, and with a smaller cutter stamp out the center, making rings of the bread one inch thick, one inch wide, and one inch smaller than the egg dishes. place the bread rings in the dishes and moisten them with cream; fill the space outside the rings with oyster-crabs cooked as directed above; spread one layer of crabs in the center of each ring and on them break an egg. cover the whole with béchamel sauce and sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese. place this in a hot oven just long enough to set the egg. terrapin, frogs' legs terrapin [sidenote: counts.] terrapin measuring six inches or more across the bottom shell are called "counts." the largest do not exceed ten inches; the average size is seven inches, and weight three to five pounds. the counts vary in price from seventeen to eighty dollars a dozen, according to size and weight. [sidenote: diamond backs.] the terrapin which are most esteemed, and which command the highest price, are the "diamond back," from the chesapeake bay. probably it is the wild celery of this region which gives the especially prized flavor to the terrapin as well as to the canvasback ducks taken there. good terrapin, however, are taken in long island waters and all along the sea-coast. [sidenote: season.] terrapin burrow in the mud as soon as cold weather approaches and remain there until may, during which time they grow fat. they are caught during their season of hibernation, and are kept in cool, dark places packed in sea grass until wanted; the season for eating them being from december to april. terrapin taken during the summer are rank in taste and unfit for food, and are confined in pens and fed on celery. the female terrapin is the most prized on account of its eggs, terrapin-eggs, as served in the stew, being considered a great delicacy. [sidenote: cooking.] the maryland style of cooking terrapin is one of the most esteemed. a simple way is that of the southern negro, who places the "bird," as he calls it, over hot coals or in the oven until cooked, when the under shell comes off, and, removing only the gall, he eats the whole of the contents from the inverted upper shell, seasoning with butter, pepper, and salt. before hibernating, the terrapin empties the stomach and is consequently clean, but a fastidious taste prefers to have the terrapin thoroughly washed, and the entrails and lights as well as the gall-sack removed. [sidenote: the gall.] it is of the greatest importance that the gall should be very carefully removed, for, if the sack be punctured or in any way injured, so that the liquid touches the liver or meat, its disagreeable bitter taste will infect the entire dish. =to prepare terrapin= drop the live terrapin into hot water, and let it remain until the skin can be removed from the head and feet. then remove, wash in several changes of water, take off the skin from the head and feet by rubbing it with a cloth, and return it to fresh scalding water to cook until tender. this is shown by pressing the feet between the fingers. they should be done in forty-five minutes to an hour. if a longer time is required, the terrapin is probably not a good one, and the meat will be stringy. remove as soon as tender. when cold, cut off the nails, remove the shells, take out very carefully the gall-sack from the liver, the entrails, lights, heart, head, tail and white muscles. separate the pieces at the joints, divide the meat into pieces an inch and a half long, and do not break the bones. place the meat, cut into pieces, the terrapin eggs and the liver in a pan, cover with water, and boil again until the meat is ready to drop from the bones. =stewed terrapin, maryland style= mash the yolks of eight hard-boiled eggs and mix them with two tablespoonfuls of best butter, rubbing them to a smooth paste. put a pint of cream in a double boiler; when it is scalded, stir in the egg and butter until smooth; season with salt, white and cayenne pepper, a dash of nutmeg and allspice. add a quart of terrapin prepared as directed above, and simmer for ten minutes, or until the terrapin is well heated. just at the moment of serving add two tablespoonfuls of sherry or madeira; serve very hot. terrapin is often served in individual metal cups made for the purpose, so as to insure its being hot; but with care to have all the dishes hot, the stew need not be allowed to get cold when served in ordinary deep plates. =terrapin À la newburg= put in a saucepan one quart of terrapin (prepared as directed, page ), a half pint of cream, and a tablespoonful of best butter. let it cook a few minutes; then draw it aside, and add the yolks of five eggs beaten with a half pint of cream. stir until the eggs are thickened; but do not let it boil, or it will curdle. season with salt, white pepper and paprica. at the moment of serving, add two tablespoonfuls of sherry. like all newburg dishes this must be prepared only just in time to serve, or it will curdle. =fried frogs' legs= dip the skinned frogs' legs in milk; sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roll them in flour. immerse in smoking hot fat until cooked to a delicate color. serve on a napkin. =frogs' legs À la poulette= sauté the skinned frogs' legs in butter; cook some fresh mushrooms in the pan at the same time if convenient. place on a hot dish with the mushrooms, and pour over them a poulette sauce (see page ). mushrooms (see also page ) when one has learned to distinguish a few varieties of the edible fungi, a delicious acquisition to the menu will be enjoyed. the author will not assume the responsibility of instructing how to distinguish the esculent mushrooms. there are books and colored charts which give explicit and reliable descriptions, and with these one can easily learn to know a few of them. accidents are usually the result of carelessness or recklessness, many of the poisonous mushrooms being so attractive in appearance as to invite favor. mushroom hunting is akin in pleasure to botanizing, geologizing, or the gathering of any natural history specimens. it is not always easy to reject the many unfamiliar kinds. [sidenote: how to gather.] in gathering mushrooms they should be cut, not pulled, and laid in the basket with the gills up, so the spores will not be lost. if the stem is perforated with fine holes it means that worms have bored it, and it should be rejected. [sidenote: the three most common varieties.] the most common varieties are the agaracini--those having gills; the boleti--those having pores; and puff-balls (lycoperdaceæ). all the puff-balls are edible, and those of the boleti which have no tinge of red on the pore surface; but especial care must be used with the agaracini, for it is said that all deaths from mushroom-poisoning have come from the amanita, which is a genus of the gilled species, and is very common and abundant. [sidenote: the amanita.] [sidenote: antidote to poison.] the safeguard to other species of poison varieties is their bitter and acrid taste. this warning the poisonous agaric does not give, but it has the distinguishing feature of a cup or volva at the base of the stern. this cup is some times below the ground, and should be carefully sought; and where any doubt is felt, the specimen should be rejected. the antidote to this poison, as given by mr. gibson, is one sixtieth grain doses of atropine in hypodermic injections. authorities on mushrooms advise the amateur to first acquaint himself with the amanita family. "dr. w. a. curtis found in north carolina thirty-eight edible species of agaricus, eleven of boletus, nine of polyporus, seven of hydnum, and thirteen of clavaria." the popular tests of the cap peeling, or the mushroom blackening a silver spoon when cooking, are worthless. [sidenote: freshness.] [sidenote: nourishment in.] mushrooms are very short-lived, and are quickly attacked by insects and worms, and so rendered unfit for use. they also decay quickly, and should be rejected if not entirely sound. many cases of illness are the result of this unfit condition. the same would be the case if unwholesome meat were eaten, but good meat is not condemned on that account. mushrooms contain the same nutritive value as meat, and rank second to it in nitrogenous elements. they vary in flavor and in delicacy as much as vegetables. =cooking mushrooms= the simplest way of cooking mushrooms is usually the best, and this may be broiling, sautéing in butter, or stewing in a little cream sauce. these simple ways may be varied by seasoning with sherry, madeira, or lemon-juice. any meat stock may be used to stew them in, but many of the mushrooms are very juicy, and their flavor must not be lost by diluting them with too much liquor. they may be cut in pieces when used for sauces. when dried and powdered they make an excellent seasoning for sauces. dried cèpes may be bought at grocers', and are very useful to stew in sauces. it is better to cook mushrooms as soon as they are peeled, and to rinse them only as much as is necessary, as they lose some flavor by soaking. when they are to be used for garnishing, they are thrown into water with lemon-juice, one tablespoonful of juice to a quart of water, and are afterward boiled in the same water; this keeps them white. the water they are boiled in should be saved to use in sauces. again, they may be put into a saucepan with butter and lemon-juice, and cooked (stirring frequently) for about five minutes. they are then covered to keep them moist and white until ready for use. lemon-juice keeps them white, but the flavor of the mushroom is somewhat destroyed by it, and so it is not recommended for general practice. the french peel the caps with a fluted knife to make them more ornamental, but it is a difficult operation, and does not repay the trouble. "mr. george augustus sala, in a discourse on 'dinners departed,' refers to the famous à la mode beef, served in the days of old at the 'thirteen cantons,' in blackmore street, drury lane, and of which soyer was very fond. the dish was remarkable for its rich sauce, the concoction of which was a close secret. however, the former proprietor of the old eating-house confided the receipt to mr. sala. thus: 'it was simply made from a particular mushroom, which he called "morella," and which i infer was the morchella esculenta, described in botanical works. these mushrooms were gathered in the fields round about the metropolis, dried, reduced to powder, and then used to thicken the sauce and enhance the flavor of à la mode beef.'" =the fairy ring champignon= (marasmius oreades) this is one of the most common and easily recognized mushrooms, and in their season enough for a sauce may be gathered in almost any dooryard. the difference between the real and the false fairy is easily distinguished, the former having the gills wide apart, and a little mound rising in the center of the cap, while the "false" have the gills close together and usually a depression in the center of the cap. if the "fairies" are dry when gathered soak them in water for a little while, and then sauté or stew them. put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; when it bubbles add a teaspoonful of flour, and cook the flour a few minutes, but not brown it; then add a half cupful of water or of milk, stir until smooth, and add a pint of the "fairies." simmer for fifteen minutes, season with salt and pepper. pour this over softened buttered toast or over meat; use water to make the sauce if they are used with meat, and milk if served on toast; or cook them by sautéing them in a little butter, and serve them on softened toast. =the agaricus campestris= this mushroom is one and two third inches in diameter; has a white or cream colored cap and purplish pink gills, the gills becoming brown at a later stage. when once learned they are unmistakable. it is a highly esteemed variety, and grows abundantly in meadows and pastures, but never in the forest. it is the mushroom generally found for sale in the markets. cut off the stem near the cup, peel them, and lay them with the gills up on a dish and sprinkle them with salt. after a little time they will be quite moist; then stew them in a sauce, the same as given above for the "fairies." they may also be sautéd in butter, or be broiled. to broil, lay them on a fine wire broiler; turn the gills first to the coals for a few minutes; then turn the other side, and place a piece of butter on each one. serve on toast. the fire for broiling mushrooms should not be very hot or bright. =agaricus procerus= remove the scurf spots, and broil the same as given above. use plenty of butter. serve on a dish with meat or on toast, as preferred. =agaricus russula= this mushroom is of various colors. it is found in woody paths and clearings. it is particularly subject to the attack of worms, and must be carefully scrutinized. the noxious russulas have a bitter taste, and in appearance resemble closely the esculent ones, so care is required to discriminate them. wash them well, peel, and broil as directed for the campestris. lay them under a broiled steak, so they will absorb the juices of the meat. =coprinus comatus and coprinus atramentarius= these grow in masses in barnyards, gardens or any rich earth, and in decomposition become a soft black paste. they should be gathered at the white or pink stage. fry them in butter or stew them with butter and a little milk or cream. they are very juicy, and do not need much liquor added to stew them. =the boleti= this species is of a distinctly different character from the agaracini or gilled mushrooms. the cap is more solid, being filled with a mass of vertical tubes or pores. some boleti are as large as six to eight inches in diameter, one of them making a meal for several people. any of this class which have any tinge of red on the under surface should be rejected. remove the skin and pores, and either sauté the caps in butter, or dip them in fritter batter, or egg and crumb them, and fry in smoking-hot fat. they may also be stewed in a white sauce, but they are very juicy, and need but little extra liquor. these mushrooms must be carefully examined for insects, as they are quickly attacked. =puff balls= all are edible when gathered at the white stage. cut them in slices one half inch thick. either sauté them in butter, or dip them in beaten egg, and fry in hot fat or cook on a griddle. season with pepper and salt. =morchellÆ esculentÆ= these mushrooms resemble none but those of the same genus, and all of them are edible. they are hollow, the exterior resembles a honey-comb, and they are found in open woods and at the base of trees on lawns. great use is made of all the morels in the french kitchen, and they are much prized by epicures. morels are usually stuffed with chicken, veal, or other meat, chopped very fine and highly seasoned. the stem is opened to admit the forcemeat, then pressed together again. lay them on slices of bread, and bake in a moderate oven for ten minutes, or until tender; baste them with butter while cooking, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. wash the morels well before stuffing them. =hydnum caput medusÆ= cut the fungus into pieces, and simmer it in a little water; season with butter, salt, and pepper, and add a little cream. when cooked, pour the mixture over croûtons, or sauté the pieces in butter; add a little sherry just before removing from the fire, and serve on softened toast. =clavaria= separate the branches, and stew in white sauce; or sauté them in butter, seasoning with lemon-juice, salt, and pepper. =to dry mushrooms= place them in a saucepan, and cook with gentle heat until the moisture they give is evaporated; then place them on a hot shelf until they are thoroughly dry. pound them to powder in a mortar, and place the powder in well-closed preserve jars. =scalloped mushrooms= make a roux of one tablespoonful each of butter and flour. add two cupfuls of chicken broth or of white stock; add the chopped stalks of a pint of mushrooms; reduce the sauce one half; add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, pepper, and salt. turn this sauce into a shallow baking-dish. press into it as many mushrooms as will fit into the dish, placing them close together, with the gills up. put a piece of butter on each one; sprinkle the top with crumbs, and place in the oven for five to eight minutes. serve in the same dish. =mushrooms À la poulette= stew the mushrooms in a little water with a tablespoonful of butter; season with pepper and salt. when ready to serve, add a little milk or cream; remove from the fire, and stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs; replace on the fire for a minute to thicken the eggs, and serve at once. chapter xiii aspic jelly, fancy molding, supports [sidenote: uses.] aspic is very useful in the preparation of cold dishes, and much care should be given to having it perfectly clear and well flavored. the second one of the two receipts given below is so simple that the most inexperienced cook can easily make it. with aspic, cold meats and salads can be made into most attractive dishes; and it is well worth while to learn and ornamenting with it. (see opposite pages , .) =aspic= fowl. shin of beef. knuckle of veal. cloves. bay-leaf. onions. carrot. stock of celery. turnip. / package cox's gelatine. cupful of sherry or madeira. put the chicken, beef, and veal in a pot. cover them well with cold water, and let simmer for five or six hours, with the pot covered closely. an hour before removing from the fire, add the carrot cut into dice, the cloves, and bay-leaf. fry in butter the onions and celery (cut into pieces) to a dark brown, and add them to the stock at the same time. remove from the fire, strain, and add one half package of gelatine (which has been soaked for an hour in one cupful of water) and one cupful of sherry or madeira. stir until the gelatine is dissolved. set away until the next day. there should be two quarts of jelly. if it is not solid enough to stand, more gelatine may be added at the time of clearing. boiling down jelly will not make it more firm. =to clear aspic= remove all the grease from the top of the jelly, and wipe it off with a cloth wet in hot water, so every particle of grease will be removed. stir into the cold jelly the beaten whites and the shells of three eggs (do not froth the egg). put it on the fire, and continue to stir until it boils. let it boil for five minutes; then strain it through a double cloth. if not perfectly clear, strain it a second time. let the jelly drain through the cloth without pressure. =quick aspic= put into a saucepan one and a half cupfuls of cold water, a tablespoonful each of chopped carrot and celery, a slice of onion, sprig of parsley, one bay-leaf, and three cloves; add also one teaspoonful of beef extract (obtained in jars) dissolved in one cupful of hot water. cover, and let simmer for half an hour; then add one half box of cox's gelatine, which has been soaked in one half cupful of cold water for one hour. stir until the gelatine is dissolved. season with salt and pepper. a tablespoonful of sherry improves the flavor. if a deeper color is wanted add a few drops of kitchen bouquet or of caramel. strain through a double cloth. if it is for molding it can be used at once, as there is no grease to be removed. if for garnishing, turn it into a shallow pan to set. it can be stamped or cut into fancy shapes more easily if cooled in layers of the right thickness. gelatine added to a good, clear consommé will give the same results. observe always the proportion of one box, or one and a half ounces, of gelatine to one and a quarter quarts (five cupfuls) of liquor. this simple method of making aspic is very quick, and is entirely satisfactory. =chicken aspic or jelly= boil a fowl as directed for chicken stock (page ), or boil a chicken or knuckle of veal, as directed for white stock (page ). let the stock cool, take off the grease, then clarify the stock. if veal has been used, no gelatine will be needed. if chicken only has been used in making the stock, add to each quart of hot clarified stock three quarters of a box of cox's gelatine which has been soaked one hour in a half cupful of cold water. stir until the gelatine is dissolved. this will make a very clear, light-colored jelly, good for molding, salads, chicken, etc. =aspic croÛtons= when jelly is to be used for garnishing, pour it into a square shallow pan one and a half inches deep. when it has thoroughly set, turn it onto a slightly dampened napkin spread on a board in a cool place. dip a knife into hot water. wipe it dry, and cut the jelly in strips the same width as the thickness of the jelly, then cut it straight across, making squares, or diagonally across, making diamonds, or into triangles. these croûtons will stand upright, and can be used for borders. if it is to be laid flat on the dish the strips need be cut only one quarter of an inch thick, and can be stamped with cutters into fancy shapes. small molds may also be used for getting fancy forms of aspic. (see illustration facing page .) [illustration: aspic cut into ornamental shapes for garnishing cold dishes.] =to chop jelly= place the jelly on a cold plate, and with a knife cut it very slowly until it is of the right size. the chopped jelly is used to cover the top of meats, or to place like a wreath around it on the dish. it may be either fine or coarse, but each piece should be separate and distinct, and can be kept so if cut slowly in a cool place, and not allowed to become warm. =to mold jelly= (see illustrations) where the mold is to be only coated with jelly, first paste a piece of paper over the top of the mold; when it is firm, cut an opening in the paper, and pour in some cold, but liquid, jelly; and turn the mold on ice slowly, so that every part may be coated. pour off any of the jelly that has not adhered to the sides; remove the paper, and lay in the material which is to fill the center of the mold. this method is employed where only a thin coating of jelly is required. where it is to be an inch or more in thickness it is better to use a double mold as explained below. when molding jelly have a pan of cracked ice, and set the mold into it. the jelly will then quickly harden. the mold must be perfectly firm and upright, or the jelly will not stand straight when unmolded. do not oil or grease a mold used for jelly. (see illustrations facing pages and .) [illustration: . small molds for aspic. . mold with paper pasted over the top for coating the mold. (see page .)] =to unmold jelly= dip the mold quickly into warm (not hot) water; wipe it dry, place the dish over the top of the mold, and turn them over together. if the jelly fails to slip out, rub the mold with a cloth wrung out of hot water. it takes only a low degree of heat to melt jelly, and if too much is used the fine points and edges will be destroyed. do not unmold jelly until it is time to serve it. do not shake the mold in trying to get it free, or the jelly is liable to break. =to ornament molds= lay whatever fancy pieces are used for the decoration carefully in place on the bottom of the mold. with a spoon add only enough jelly to moisten them; if too much is used, the pieces will float out of place. let the jelly harden and fix the decoration; then add as much as will make a layer one half inch thick; let that set; then place the material which is to fill the center. if it is a bird, or anything in one piece, add a little jelly to fix it in place; then fill up the mold. if the material is a soft substance, set in the double mold (see below); or, if one is not at hand, add a few spoonfuls at a time of the filling, leaving a space of one half an inch around the sides, and fill this with jelly. proceed in this way until the mold is full, having the top covered with jelly, so that when unmolded it will form a complete case. if ornament is used on the sides of the mold, arrange the decoration when the mold is filled to the right height, dip the pieces in jelly to make them adhere, and cover them very slowly at first, so they will not float off. when the filling is to be in alternate layers with jelly, proceed in the same way, adding one layer at a time, and letting each one harden before the next is placed. the mold should not be moved while being filled; one layer should not become too hard before the next one is added, and no dampness must settle on them. any of these causes will make the jelly liable to separate when unmolded. if the mold is placed on ice, as directed, the jelly hardens quickly, and the filling is soon accomplished. =double molds= for salads, and also in many cases for sweet jellies, it is easier to use a double mold. if one is not at hand two charlotte russe molds may be substituted, or any two molds or tins of the same shape, one of which is an inch smaller than the other. place the larger one on ice, and pour into it enough jelly to make a layer on the bottom the same thickness as the width of space between the two molds. when it is set, place the smaller mold, filled with ice, on it; and fill the space between the two with jelly. when that has set, remove with a spoon the ice from the small mold, and pour in carefully a little warm water. it can then be easily lifted out. be careful not to have the water too warm. fill the space left by the small mold with the material to be used, leaving a space on top to cover with jelly--to encase it. another way of molding jellies double, besides using the double mold and the method given above in ornamenting molds, is to fill the mold entirely with jelly, and when it has hardened, scoop out with a teaspoon, heated in hot water and wiped dry, enough of the center to give the space desired. this has to be done very carefully, as there is danger of the sides falling in. (see page .) =decorations for meat jelly= daisy design cut a hard-boiled egg into slices one eighth of an inch thick. with a pastry-bag tube or a small round vegetable-cutter stamp circles from the yolk. cut the white strips diagonally, so they form diamond-shaped pieces. lay a round piece of yolk in the mold, and the white pieces around it to simulate a daisy; place small pieces of parsley beside it, and use the stem of parsley for the stem of the daisy. this decoration fits very well in a charlotte russe mold, or in individual molds. make two or three daisies on the large mold, only one on the small ones. [illustration: daisy design for aspic jelly forms. (see page .) . yolk of hard-boiled egg. . white of hard-boiled egg. . parsley leaves. . parsley stems.] [illustration: slice of white of hard-boiled egg cut into petals.] [illustration: slices of tongue in aspic (en bellevue). (see page .) decorated with hard-boiled egg in daisy design. (see page .) dish garnished with olives cut in halves.] berry design use capers, grouped like berries, along the stem. use water-cress for leaves and parsley for stems. this design, being dark, looks well in chicken or veal jelly. [illustration: berry design for aspic. (see page .) . capers. . parsley or water-cress. . parsley stems.] to decorate with truffles slice the truffles very thin; stamp them into any form desired. take each piece on a long pin, and place it in a well-buttered mold; or for jelly molds dip them in cold jelly, and they will then adhere to the sides of the mold. arrange the pieces symmetrically in any design. if the truffle is cut in strips, make geometrical forms. some dishes may be ornamented after they are unmolded by dipping the pieces of truffle in cold but liquid jelly, and then applying them. the latter is the method used for chaudfroid dishes, which are usually much ornamented. (see illustration facing page .) green peas, carrots, beets, pickles, string-beans, radishes, parsley, etc., in combinations, can be made into various designs. [illustration: vegetables and truffles cut and arranged in designs for decorating molds, molded dishes, or chaudfroid dishes. (see page .) . vegetables. . truffles.] =socles= socles are stands on which to raise birds, chops, or other articles above the dish to give them a better appearance, and allow more garnishing. they are also used as supports against which to rest larger pieces of meat, fish, tongue, etc., to keep them in place. elaborate socles of various shapes are made of tallow by caterers, but these are not practicable for ordinary cooks to undertake, and they are also in questionable taste. the simple supports given below are easily made, and well repay the trouble, especially for cold dishes. they should be stuck to the dish with white of egg, so they will be firm. the simplest way of making a socle is to take a loaf of stale bread, remove the crust, and cut the crumb to the desired shape. then spread it with butter, and cover it with parsley chopped very fine. if to be used for a hot dish, immerse the bread in hot fat until it takes a golden brown. another simple socle can be made of hominy. fill a well-buttered cake-tin or plain mold with boiled hominy. when cold it will retain the form of the mold. if desired, the sides of the mold can be ornamented with vegetables of different colors cut into fancy shapes. (see picture.) [illustration: socles or supports for chops, birds, etc. form made of rice, hominy or white corn meal molded in a tin basin. (see page .) . green string beans. . balls of carrot or beet cut in halves, or slices stamped into small rounds. . parsley stalk. . balls of carrot, large green peas or capers. . slices of string beans.] [illustration: blocks of bread for support of meat, poultry, fish, game, etc.] [illustration: boned birds in aspic around socle. the boned birds are molded in fluted individual molds and decorated with hard-boiled egg in daisy design as directed on page . dish garnished with parsley.] [illustration: boned birds in aspic, the same as preceding cut, served on flat dish and garnished with parsley.] =rice socle or casserole= boil rice with three times its quantity of water, and a little butter, until it is very soft; then mash or pound it in a mortar until it becomes a smooth, elastic paste. press the paste into a plain buttered mold or pan of the size desired for the socle, and place a weight on it so it will be compact and firm when cold. unmold, and with a pointed knife, a turnip cut wedge-shape, and a butter-stamp, mold the sides to fancy form. brush it over with yolk of egg, and place a moment in the oven to brown; or it may be ornamented the same as the hominy supports, with vegetables cut into fancy shapes. (see illustrations.) if wanted for a casserole, scoop out carefully a hollow in the center, and fill with chicken or any creamed meat, or with vegetables. =potato casserole= to a quart of seasoned mashed potato add four or six egg yolks. stir it over the fire to dry it well; then with the hands or a knife mold it into a hollow cylinder or into a cup-shaped form; brush it over with yolk of egg, and place it a moment in the oven to brown. fill the center just before serving with any minced meat, or with birds, chops, sweetbreads, or any creamed dish. the casserole may also be formed by pressing the potato into a mold which opens (see illustration), or any mold with fluted or plain sides, which, when buttered, will let the potato slip out; then egg and brown as before. =a potato support for hot meats= add slowly to two cupfuls of well-mashed sweet or white potato, beating all the time over the fire, one cupful of hot milk, a tablespoonful of butter, one quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of salt, and lastly, three beaten eggs. butter well a plain mold of the shape desired; sprinkle over it as many bread-crumbs as will stick to the butter; turn in the purée of potatoes, place the mold in a pan of water, and bake for thirty minutes. turn the molded potato in the centre of a dish, and arrange chops or birds around and against it. =croustades of bread= take a loaf of bread two days old, which was baked in a round or a square tin; pare off the crust, and carve it with a sharp-pointed knife into vase or cup-shape. fry it in hot fat to gold color. paint the inside with white of egg to prevent its soaking up the sauce of the filling. fill with mushrooms, chicken livers, creamed chicken or any salpicon. do not put the filling in until ready to serve, and heat the croustade before adding it. =roll croustades= cut off the tops of rolls, or of home-made biscuits of any size. remove the crumb from the inside; butter the rolls inside and out, and set in the oven to brown. fill with any creamed meat or salpicon. chapter xiv chafing-dish receipts =chafing-dish cooking= the chafing-dish, although a time-honored utensil, has recently had a renaissance. to-day it is not more valued for the convenience than for the fun of it. amateurs and epicures alike find pleasure in brewing and stewing over the alcohol lamp; in preparing a luncheon dish, or a novelty for "tea;" but, best of all, at the midnight hour the chafing-dish does its best though most disastrous service, for matutinal headaches have been called the desserts, and just deserts of late suppers. [sidenote: kind of chafing-dish to use.] the chafing-dish with double pan (the lower one to hold hot water) is the preferable one, because dishes may be kept warm in the hot water, and also because articles cooked with milk are liable to burn if cooked directly over the flame. for safety from fire and staining, the chafing-dish should stand on a large metal tray, and the lamp should not be filled too full. wood alcohol, which is much cheaper than high-proof spirits, answers just as well the purpose of heating, but has an unpleasant odor. [sidenote: russian bowls.] the various articles to be used in the preparation of the dish should be put into russian bowls, and the bowls placed on a japanese tray. these bowls are of wood, and are made of all sizes. they do not break, they make no noise, and are ornamental: the last is a consideration which recommends them, other things being equal, where fancy work is being done. the preliminary preparation of the foods should be done in the kitchen, rather than before the party assembled to assist in the cooking operation with their advice, praise, and appetite. [sidenote: wooden spoons.] wooden spoons, which come in all sizes, are also desirable to use, as they do not become hot, do not scratch the dish, and are noiseless. articles prepared in the chafing-dish are served directly from it, therefore garnishing has no part, but toast or croûtons go well with most of the preparations, and these can be toasted or reheated on an asbestos pad placed over the flame. the water-pan containing hot water should be placed under the cooking-pan as soon as the flame is extinguished. it will keep the dish warm, and serve as a bain-marie (the utensil employed in large kitchens for keeping dishes hot until time for serving). two chafing-dishes are almost a requisite where no other fire than the lamp is to be called upon, but with this _batterie de cuisine_ a supper can be easily and quickly prepared without one half of it spoiling while the other half is being made ready--the toast and hot water, for instance. [sidenote: dishes suitable for chafing-dish.] the dishes most suitable for chafing-dish cooking are stews, eggs, and cheese. stews can be modified in a great variety of ways, the barbecue being a favorite one. the simplest way of cooking in a chafing-dish is to put a little butter in the dish, and when it bubbles add oysters, mushrooms or any article which makes its own liquor; this lacking, a little water or milk is added, and seasoning to taste. canned chicken, tongue, salmon, crabs, and shrimps make good dishes and are easily prepared. paprica, a kind of red pepper, is especially good for use in chafing-dish cookery instead of cayenne. =panned oysters= for twenty-five oysters, put in a chafing-dish one tablespoonful of butter. when it is melted, add the juice of half a lemon and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. then add the oysters, which should be well drained. cook, stirring carefully, until they are plump and the gills a little frilled--no longer. season with salt and pepper, and serve at once on toast. the oysters exude enough juice to soften the toast. or let the butter brown in the chafing-dish, then add the oysters and cook until plump or the gills are curled. then add a wineglassful of sherry or madeira. season with salt and pepper and serve at once. when wine is used, omit the lemon and parsley, and do not season until after the wine is added, as wine augments the flavor of salt. have ready some toasted bread and pour the oysters over it; or cut the toast into small squares, stir them into the oysters and serve directly from the chafing-dish. =oyster stew= put a tablespoonful of butter in the chafing-dish; add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and cook a few minutes, stirring all the time so it will not color. add a cupful of milk slowly and stir until it begins to thicken; then add the oyster liquor (have the liquor strained so it will be free from pieces of shell), and lastly the oysters; season with salt and pepper and a little celery salt if liked. as soon as the edges of the oysters curl they are done, and the cooking must be arrested, or they will become tough. =creamed oysters and clams= see receipt for creamed clams (page ). this receipt can easily be prepared in the chafing-dish. also oysters à la poulette given on page . =barbecue of fish= marinate one pound of any cold boiled white fish in one tablespoonful of oil, one tablespoonful of vinegar, one slice of onion, pepper and salt. leave the fish in as large pieces as possible. put in a chafing-dish three tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, three tablespoonfuls of sherry, three tablespoonfuls of butter. put the butter in first, and when melted add the catsup and wine and then the fish. baste the fish with the liquor until it is thoroughly heated, and it is then ready to serve. thin slices of cooked cold beef, veal, or ham may also be cooked in this way. =eggs with tomatoes= put into the chafing-dish a cupful of canned tomatoes, and cook until they begin to soften; then season with one tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste. add two beaten eggs, and stir constantly until they begin to thicken. then extinguish the flame, and the heat of the dish will be sufficient to complete the cooking. stir constantly until they are of the consistency of scrambled eggs. serve at once, or they will separate. =tomatoes and rice= put into a chafing-dish a half cupful of tomatoes; add a bay-leaf, a few drops of onion-juice, pepper and salt to taste. let them cook until tender, then remove the bay-leaf and stir in as much boiled rice as can be well coated and moistened with the tomatoes. serve with cracker biscuits. =creamed dishes= (eggs, chicken, or veal) use the double pan with water. make a white sauce by putting in the chafing-dish one tablespoonful of butter; let it bubble, then stir in one tablespoonful of flour; let it cook a few minutes, but not brown; then add a cupful of milk slowly, stirring all the time until it is a little thickened. season with pepper and salt. lay in carefully thick slices of hard-boiled egg. as soon as they are heated, place them on slices of toast softened with hot water, and pour the thickened sauce over them. for chicken or meat, season the sauce with a few drops of onion-juice, a little chopped celery if convenient, salt, pepper, and paprica. have the chicken in good-sized pieces, or meat in thin slices, and leave them in the sauce only long enough to become well heated; canned chicken or turkey may be used. any kind of meat can be minced and used in this way, in which case the sauce should be made with half milk and half stock. if stock is not at hand extract of beef (one teaspoonful to a cupful of boiling water) may be substituted. with chicken or oysters, the yolk of an egg is added just before it is removed, which makes it "à la poulette." =dishes À la newburg= these are favorite chafing-dish preparations, and may be made of lobster, crabs, shrimps, soft-shelled clams, chicken, or cold boiled halibut. lobster: take the meat of one boiled lobster, put it in a chafing-dish with a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne or of paprica. stir lightly with a fork for three minutes, or until the lobster is well heated; then add a wineglassful of sherry or of madeira, cook for another three minutes, and then add the beaten yolks of three eggs, diluted with a half pint of cream. stir the mixture constantly for a minute, or just long enough to set the egg. if cooked too long it will curdle; serve at once. prepare the dishes à la newburg with a double pan. for soft-shell clams use only the soft half of the clam. for chicken use the white meat cut into inch squares. for halibut leave the pieces large, and break them as little as possible. =terrapin= the prepared terrapin which comes in cans is the best for the chafing-dish, and needs only to be heated and seasoned to taste. =chicken livers with madeira= put a tablespoonful of butter in the chafing-dish; add the livers cut into pieces; cook them directly over the flame, turning them constantly, and dredge them while cooking with a tablespoonful of flour. it will take about five minutes to cook them; add a cupful of stock, and a few drops of kitchen bouquet. then place the pan in the double pan containing water already hot; add to the livers a half cupful of madeira and a few stoned olives; season with salt, pepper, and paprica after the wine is in; cover and let it simmer for ten minutes. serve with croûtons. =crab toast= put into the chafing-dish a tablespoonful of butter; when it is melted, add a tablespoonful of chopped celery, a teaspoonful of flour, a half cupful of cream or milk, and a canful of crab meat. stir until the moisture is nearly evaporated; add a tablespoonful of sherry, salt and pepper, and paprica to taste; spread on toasted biscuits, or on thin slices of toast. =smelts À la toulouse= smelts. / cupful of white wine. tablespoonfuls of liquor from the mushroom can. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of flour. dozen canned mushrooms. truffle. cut down the back of the smelts, and remove the bone; close the fish, and lay them in the chafing-dish with the wine and mushroom liquor taken from the can. cook until done, which will take five or six minutes. remove and place the smelts on a hot dish. mix with the liquor in which they were boiled one cupful of stock; rub together the butter and flour, and stir this in also, leaving it on the spoon until by stirring it is dissolved. (this method prevents its getting lumpy.) then add the chopped mushrooms and chopped truffle. season with salt and paprica or a dash of cayenne. cook, stirring all the time until the sauce is creamy; then pour it over the fish. serve with croûtons. this is a good supper dish. =meats= venison put a tablespoonful of butter in a chafing-dish. when it is very hot, lay in a piece of venison steak; let it cook a minute on both sides. use spoons for turning the meat, so as not to pierce it. when the surfaces are seared, add a glassful of currant jelly, and baste the venison constantly with the liquid jelly until cooked rare. extinguish the flame, and cut and serve the meat from the chafing-dish. mutton lay a slice of mutton cut from the leg into a hot chafing-dish; turn it constantly, using two spoons, until it is cooked rare. extinguish the flame, and cover the meat with a maître d'hôtel sauce (page ). if preferred, spread it with currant jelly or with plum sauce; or prepare it the same as venison, with a little butter, and, instead of jelly, add a half canful of tomatoes, and finish the cooking in the same way. season with a little onion-juice, pepper, and salt. beef a small steak can be pan-broiled in the same way. for beef a maître d'hôtel sauce must be used. a delmonico steak or a small porterhouse steak, with the bones removed, are the best cuts to use. any meat cooked in the chafing-dish should have all the fat trimmed off, so that there will be less odor. welsh rarebit and golden buck receipts for welsh rarebit and golden buck are given on pages and . =fondue= brillat-savarin savarin gives this receipt, which he says is taken from the papers of a swiss bailiff. he says: "it is a dish of swiss origin, is healthy, savory, appetizing, quickly made, and, moreover, is always ready to present to unexpected guests." he relates an anecdote of the sixteenth century of a m. de madot, newly appointed bishop of belley, who at a feast given in honor of his arrival, mistaking the fondue for cream, eat it with a spoon instead of a fork. this caused so much comment that the next day no two people met who did not say: "do you know how the new bishop eat his fondue last night?" "yes; he eat it with a spoon. i have it from an eye-witness." and soon the news spread over the diocese. receipt "weigh as many eggs as you have guests. take one third their weight of gruyère cheese, and one sixth their weight of butter. beat the eggs well in a saucepan; add the cheese, grated, and the butter. put the saucepan on the fire and stir until the mixture is soft and creamy; then add salt, more or less, according to the age of the cheese, and a generous amount of pepper, which is one of the positive characters of the dish. serve on a hot plate. bring in the best wine, drink roundly of it, and you will see wonders." =pineapple canapÉs= split in two some square sponge-cakes, which can be bought at the baker's for two cents each. put a little butter in the chafing-dish. when it is hot put in the slices of cake, and brown them a little on both sides. lay the slices on a plate, and spread each one with a layer of canned chopped pineapple. turn the juice from the can into the chafing-dish. moisten a teaspoonful of arrowroot with cold water, stir it slowly into the hot juice, and continue to stir until it becomes thickened and clear. pour the sauce over the slices of spread cake. if more than a cupful of juice is used, add more arrowroot in proportion. any kind of fruit, and slices of sponge cake or of brioche, can be used instead of the square individual cakes. strawberries, raspberries, or peaches make good sweet canapés. =chocolate made with condensed milk= fill the cups to be used about one third full of condensed milk; add a heaping teaspoonful of instantaneous chocolate, which is chocolate ground to a fine powder. mix them well together; then fill the cup with boiling water, and stir until the chocolate and milk are dissolved. no sugar is needed, as the milk is sweetened to preserve it. chapter xv bread [sidenote: the yeast plant.] yeast is a minute plant, and like other plants must have the right conditions of heat, moisture, and nourishment in order to live or to nourish. it will be killed if scalded, or if frozen, as any other plant would be; therefore, as we depend upon the growth of this little plant for raising our bread, we must give its requirements as much care as we do our geraniums or our roses. the yeast plant takes its nourishment from sugar. this is found in flour. it converts this sugar into carbonic acid gas and alcohol, and the pressure of this gas causes the mixture in which it is generated to become inflated, or to "rise." [illustration: forms of growth of the yeast plant.] [sidenote: making bread.] in mixing bread, we put the yeast into warm (not hot) water; this we mix with flour, thus supplying the moisture and nourishment required. we put this mixture in a warm place to force the growth of the plant. when the dough has become sufficiently inflated we put it into the oven and raise the heat to a degree which kills the plant and fixes the air cells, and our bread is done. [sidenote: yeast.] in cities, where fresh compressed yeast can be obtained, it is not worth while to prepare one's own. where this cannot be had, the dry yeast-cakes often give satisfactory results, but are not as reliable as a liquid yeast, which in the country it is often necessary as well as desirable to make. =dick bennet's receipt for yeast= peel nine good-sized potatoes, and boil them with a large handful of loose hops tied in a thin muslin bag. use enough water to cover them well. when the potatoes are tender strain off the water. mash the potatoes, return them to the water in which they were boiled, and mix them well together. add two tablespoonfuls of flour, one half cupful of granulated sugar, and one tablespoonful of salt. cook it for a few minutes, adding sufficient flour to make a thin batter. set it aside until lukewarm; then add a yeast-cake, or a cupful of liquid yeast. mix it well and place in a stone jar. let it stand for twelve hours in a warm place. stir it three times during this period. place a weight on the lid of the jar, and set it in a cool place. =yeast receipt no. = grated raw potatoes. cupful of brown sugar. / cupful of salt. quarts of flour. mix these together, and add enough water to make a batter as thick as that used for griddle cakes. pour two quarts of boiling water on as many hops as one can hold in the hand. let them boil for five minutes. strain off the water, and while hot add it to the batter. when it is lukewarm add a cupful of yeast, or a yeast cake. let it stand several hours in a warm place until it rises, or the top is covered with bubbles. then place in glass preserve jars, and keep in a cool place. use a granite-ware saucepan and a wooden spoon when making yeast, in order to keep a good color. =what to do when yeast is not obtainable to start the fermentation in making yeast= mix a thin batter of flour and water, and let it stand in a warm place until it is full of bubbles. this ferment has only half the strength of yeast, so double the amount must be used. =proportions of raising materials to use, and other items= one cake of compressed yeast is equal to one cupful of liquid yeast. baking-powder is a mixture of soda, cream of tartar, and cornstarch, or rice flour. use one level teaspoonful of baking-powder to each cupful of flour. use one even teaspoonful of soda and two full teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar to a quart of flour. when sour milk is used, take one even teaspoonful of soda to a pint of milk, and omit the cream of tartar. when molasses is used, omit the cream of tartar, and use one teaspoonful of soda to each cupful of molasses. mix powders with the flour, and sift them together, so as to thoroughly mix them. mix dry materials in one bowl and liquids in another; combine them quickly, and put at once into the oven. the oven for baking bread should be hot enough to brown a teaspoonful of flour in five minutes. for biscuits it should brown in one minute. rolls brushed with milk just before baking will have a brown crust. rubbing the crust with butter just before it is taken from the oven will make it crisp. =general directions for making bread= [sidenote: time required for making bread.] bread is often mixed the night before it is to be baked, and left to rise from eight to ten hours; but the whole process of bread-making, from the mixing to the serving, can be done in two and a half hours if sufficient yeast is used. in hot weather it is desirable to complete the work in a short time, in order to prevent fermentation or souring, which occurs if left too long a time. four hours and a half is ample time for the whole process, using the ordinary amount of yeast; two hours for the mixing and rising of the sponge or dough; one half hour for the kneading and molding; one hour for the loaves to rise in the pans, and one hour for the baking. [sidenote: raising the bread.] a thin batter called a sponge may be made at night, and the rest of the flour added in the morning, or the dough may be mixed and kneaded at night and only molded into loaves in the morning; but a better way, especially in summer, is to set the bread early in the morning and have it baked by noon. it needs to rise twice, once either in the sponge or in the dough, and again after it is molded into loaves. the old way of letting it rise three times is unnecessary, and increases the danger of souring. if the dough gets very light before one is ready to work it, it should be cut away from the sides of the pan and pressed down in the center with the knife. this liberates some of the gas and retards the fermentation. this can be done several times. if it rises too high it will collapse, which means souring, but before that it loses its best flavor, and so should not be allowed to more than double its bulk. [sidenote: proportions of materials.] the proportions of flour, liquid, and yeast cannot be exactly given, as flour of different qualities and degrees of dryness will absorb more or less liquid, and the amount of yeast to be used depends both upon the time allowed and the temperature. two cupfuls of liquid will take six to seven cupfuls of sifted flour, and this will make two small loaves. one half a compressed yeast cake will raise this amount in two hours if kept in a warm place. the other ingredients for this quantity are one teaspoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of sugar, and one tablespoonful of butter, lard, or cottolene, if shortening is desired. bread made with milk instead of water, and with shortening, is more tender than when water alone is used. boiled potatoes are sometimes added, and give a more moist bread. [sidenote: mixing.] dissolve the yeast in a part of the tepid water; in the rest of the water mix the salt, sugar, and butter, add the dissolved yeast, and then stir in enough flour to make a soft dough which will not stick to the hands. if the flour is cold warm it. if milk is used, scald it, then allow it to become tepid before mixing it with the yeast. place the pan in a warm place free from draughts. when the dough is to be made into rolls or fancy forms, it needs to be a little stiffer than for loaves. [sidenote: making a sponge.] a sponge is a thin batter made by mixing only a little flour with the other ingredients. this is left to stand until filled with large bubbles. the rest of the flour is then added, to make the dough. when bread is to be made in a short time, it is better to set a sponge instead of making a dough at first; for in this way the second rising will be a little quicker. [sidenote: the crust on dough.] when a dough is mixed and set aside to rise, cover the pan with several thicknesses of cloth to exclude the air and so prevent a crust forming on the top. it helps also to keep the dough at an even temperature. if a crust forms it is difficult to mix it in so thoroughly that it does not leave hard spots and lines in the bread. there is a bread-pan made with close-fitting cover, which is recommended. [sidenote: kneading and molding.] when the dough is made, it should be kneaded for twenty to thirty minutes. turn it from the pan onto a board, and work it by drawing it forward with the fingers and pushing it away with the balls of the hands, turning it all the time. this stretches the gluten and changes it from a sticky paste to a smooth, elastic substance. use as little flour on the board as possible, and work it until it no longer sticks. the more it is worked the finer will be the grain, and the less flour used the better will be the bread. [sidenote: baking.] when dough is made at the first mixing, return it to the pan after it is kneaded and let it rise to double its size (not more), and then work it down, mold it into loaves, and let it rise a second time in the baking-pans. when a sponge is made, knead the dough when the flour is added to the sponge, and put it at once into the baking-pans. divide the dough evenly and shape it to the pans as well as possible, filling the pans only half full. cover and set them in a warm place free from draughts. when they have doubled (not more) in size, put them in the oven. the loaf rises a little more in the oven. if it is too light, it is likely to fall, which means it has soured, and for this there is no remedy. the loaf in the pan should rise in one hour. [sidenote: the fire.] [sidenote: time.] care in baking is even more essential than care in mixing and raising the bread. test the oven by putting in a teaspoonful of flour. if it browns the flour in five minutes the heat is right. have the fire prepared so it will not need replenishing during the hour required for the baking. the bread rises after it goes in the oven, and is likely to rise unevenly if the oven is hotter on one side than the other; therefore it should be watched and turned carefully if necessary. at the end of ten to fifteen minutes the top should be browned, and this will arrest the rising. if the oven is too cool, the bread is likely to rise so much as to run over the pan, or to have a hole in the center. if the oven is too hot it will make a crust too soon, the centre be underdone, and the crust be too thick. one hour is the time required for baking the ordinary sized loaf. [sidenote: care of bread after it is baked.] when the bread is taken from the oven turn it out of the pans and support the loaves in such a way that the air will reach all sides. if the loaves stand flat the bottom crust will become moist. if wrapped in cloth it will do the same and give a soft crust, which, however, some prefer to have. it should not be put in the bread-box until entirely cold. [sidenote: baking bread rolls.] for baking rolls the rule is different from that for bread. rolls should rise, to be very light, more than double their original size, and the oven be hot enough to form a crust at once. it should brown flour in one minute and bake the rolls in fifteen to twenty minutes. [sidenote: flour.] the ordinary white flour of best quality is nearly all starch, the nourishing parts of the wheat having been mostly all removed by the bolting to make it white. the whole wheat flour makes a much more nourishing and health-giving bread, and when the habit of eating it is once formed, bread made of the white flour is no longer liked. [sidenote: pans.] [sidenote: different shapes for variety.] there is a variety of bread-pans giving loaves of different shapes to be used for different purposes. besides the square tin which gives the ordinary square loaf, there is a sheet iron rounded pan open at the ends. the dough for this pan is made into a long roll a little thicker in the middle than at the ends. it gives the shape of the vienna loaf. after the bread has risen cut it across the top in three diagonal slashes with a sharp knife; when it is nearly baked brush over the top with a thin boiled cornstarch, and it will further resemble the vienna loaf. for dinner bread, there is a pan a foot long of two flutes, about two inches each across and open at the ends; for this roll the dough long and round, or make two smaller rolls and twist them together; bake in a hot oven like biscuits. this gives a long, round crusty loaf like the french bread. a pan of small flutes is used for dinner sticks or finger rolls, giving a pencil of bread three quarters of an inch thick and five inches long. bread made in different shapes gives a pleasant variety and often seems like a different article when baked so as to give more or less crust. [illustration: bread and roll tins.] =water bread no. = (two small loaves) cupfuls of tepid water. teaspoonful of salt. / compressed yeast cake. to cupfuls of flour. for mixing, kneading, and baking, see general directions given at head of chapter. =water bread no. = (two small loaves) cupfuls of tepid water. / cake of compressed yeast. teaspoonful of salt. to cupfuls of flour. tablespoonful of sugar. tablespoonful of butter, lard, drippings, or cottolene. for mixing, kneading, and baking, see general directions given at head of chapter. =milk bread= make the same as water bread no. , but use milk in place of the water, or use half milk and half water. =potato bread= add one medium-sized mashed boiled potato to the sponge of any of the foregoing receipts. potato gives a more moist bread, which retains its freshness longer. =receipt for one loaf of bread or one pan of biscuits to be made in two hours= cupful of scalded milk. / cupful of butter. yeast cakes. tablespoonful of sugar / teaspoonful of salt. white of one egg. to cupfuls of flour. make a sponge; let it stand in a warm place in a pan of warm water until full of bubbles; then add the flour, knead it for twenty minutes, mold into loaf, and let it rise in the baking-pan until double in size, and bake. =bread made with baking-powder= add to four quarts of flour a teaspoonful of salt and six teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. sift them three times so as to thoroughly mix them, and then add slowly a quart of cold water, or enough to make a dough of the right consistency. mold it quickly into four loaves, and put at once into a moderate oven for one and a quarter hours. =bread made of whole wheat flour= dissolve a yeast cake in two tablespoonfuls of tepid water. put into a bowl a pint of milk; add to it a pint of boiling water, and let it stand until it is lukewarm; then add the dissolved yeast, a teaspoonful of salt, and enough whole wheat flour to make a thick batter. the batter should drop, but not run off the spoon. beat this batter with a spoon for fifteen minutes. it becomes quite soft and liquid by beating. add enough more flour to make a dough; turn it onto the board and knead it a few minutes; return it to pan, and let rise for three hours, or until light. mold it into small loaves; let it rise again, and bake in moderate oven thirty to forty-five minutes. =graham bread= dissolve a half teaspoonful of soda in a cupful of lukewarm water. put a tablespoonful of butter into a tablespoonful and a half of molasses, and let them warm until the butter is melted. add to it the dissolved soda and water, and a half teaspoonful of salt. stir this mixture into a cupful of light white bread sponge, and add enough graham flour to make a stiff batter, or very thin dough. turn into a greased pan. let it rise until even with the top of the pan, and bake in a moderate oven an hour or an hour and a quarter. use a spoon, and not the hands, for mixing graham flour. a little white flour may be mixed with the graham flour if a lighter colored and dryer bread is preferred. =gluten bread= pour a pint of boiling water into a pint of milk; add a teaspoonful of butter and a teaspoonful of salt. let it stand until it is lukewarm; then add a well-beaten egg, a quarter of a yeast-cake dissolved, and enough gluten to make a soft batter. cover and stand in a warm place to rise; then add enough gluten to make a soft dough, and knead it well. form it into four loaves, and let rise again. bake for one hour. gluten bread requires less yeast and less time to rise than ordinary bread. =boston brown bread= cupfuls of white cornmeal. cupfuls of yellow cornmeal. cupfuls of graham flour or of rye meal or of white flour. cupful of molasses. cupfuls of milk (one of them being sour milk, if convenient). cupfuls of boiling water. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of soda. mix well the flour, meal, and salt; add to them the boiling water. mix the sweet milk and molasses together, and add them to the scalded meal. dissolve the soda in the sour milk, and add it last. turn the mixture into a covered cylindrical mold or into a covered pail, and steam it for three hours; then uncover and bake in the oven for half an hour. slices of this bread toasted, buttered, and covered with cream make a good breakfast or luncheon dish. =toast= cut the bread in even slices one quarter of an inch thick. cut off the crust and trim the pieces into even and uniform shape. there is no waste in this, as the scraps of bread can be dried and crumbed. if the bread is fresh, let it dry a few minutes in the oven. place it on a wire toaster, and turn often until well dried through; then hold it over the coals a minute to take an even golden color. toast requires careful watching, or it will burn or be unevenly colored. toast should not be served until the moment it is required. a few pieces only should be served at a time, and the plate should be hot. if wrapped in a napkin, or piled up, it quickly becomes damp and loses its crispness. if a soft toast is wanted, color the bread at once without drying it; the center will then be only heated. toast used under game or meats is made dry, buttered, and sprinkled with salt; then softened with a little boiling water. =milk toast= make a dry toast; spread it with butter, and sprinkle it with salt. place it in the dish in which it is to be served, and pour over it a little boiling water; cover it, and place in the oven a few minutes to steam and soak up the water. it should have enough water to entirely soften it, but not lose its shape. put one teaspoonful of butter in a saucepan. when it bubbles, stir in a teaspoonful of flour, and let it cook a minute without coloring. add slowly, stirring all the time, one cupful of milk. cook until it is slightly thickened; add a saltspoonful of salt. pour this thickened milk over the softened toast just before serving. bread for milk toast should be cut in even slices one half inch thick, thoroughly dried in toasting, evenly colored, and steamed until tender. when cream is used, it is scalded and poured over the softened toast. =panada= split bent's water biscuits in two; sprinkle salt or sugar between them, and place together again; or, use two large soda biscuits, or pilot bread, or passover bread. place them in the dish in which they will be served; pour over enough boiling water to cover them. cover the dish, and place it in the open oven, or on the hot shelf, until the biscuits have become soft like jelly; pour off any water that has not been absorbed, using care not to break the biscuits. sprinkle again with salt or sugar. a little cream or hot milk can be added if desired. =pulled bread= break off irregular pieces of the crumb of fresh bread, and dry it in a very slow oven until lightly colored. the inside of fresh biscuits left over can be treated in this way, and will keep an indefinite time. they should be heated in the oven when served, and are good with chocolate, or coffee, or bouillon. the crusts of the biscuits may be used as cups for creamed meats or vegetables, or for eggs. =zwieback= cut rusks into slices one half inch thick, and dry them in a very slow oven until dried through, and of a deep yellow color. slices of vienna bread can be used in the same way. =bread fritters= take pieces of raised bread-dough the size of an egg, drop them into smoking hot fat, and fry to a gold color, the same as doughnuts. drain and serve on a napkin for breakfast, or sprinkle them with powdered sugar and ground cinnamon mixed, and serve them for luncheon. =bread rolls= for one panful of biscuits take as much raised bread-dough as will make one loaf of bread. use any kind of bread-dough, but if no shortening has been used, add a tablespoonful of butter to this amount of dough. add also more flour to make a stiffer dough than for bread. work it for ten minutes so as to give it a finer grain. cut it into pieces half the size of an egg, roll them into balls, and place in a pan some distance apart. if enough space is given, each roll will be covered with crust, which is the best part of hot breads. if, however, the crumb is preferred, place them in the pan near enough to run together in rising. let the biscuits rise to more than double size, and bake in a quick oven twenty to thirty minutes. when removed from the oven rub the crusts with a little butter, and wrap the rolls in a cloth until ready to serve. this will give a tender crust. if a deep color is liked, brush the rolls with milk or egg before placing them in the oven. a glaze is obtained by brushing them with sugar dissolved in milk when taken from the oven, then replacing them in the oven again for a moment to dry. =crescents= add to bread-dough a little more sugar, and enough flour to make a stiff dough. roll it to one eighth inch thickness. cut it into strips six inches wide, and then into sharp triangles. roll them up, commencing at the base; the point of the triangle will then come in the middle of the roll. turn the points around into the shape of crescents. place on tins to rise for half an hour, brush the tops with water, and bake until lightly colored. when taken from the oven brush the tops with thin boiled cornstarch water, and place again for a minute in the oven to glaze. =braids and twists= take any bread- or biscuit-dough. roll it one inch thick, and cut it into strips one inch wide. roll the strips on the board to make them round. brush the strips with butter. braid or twist the strips together, making them pointed at the ends, and broad in the middle. let them rise a little, but not so much as to lose shape, and bake in a quick oven. glaze the tops the same as directed above for crescents. =cleft rolls= make the dough into balls of the size desired. after the rolls have risen cut each roll across the top with a sharp knife about an inch deep. if cut twice it makes a cross roll. glaze the tops as directed for crescents, or brush them with milk and sugar. =luncheon and tea rolls= quarts of flour. cups of boiled milk. tablespoonfuls of sugar. teaspoonful of salt. / cupful of butter. whites of eggs. / yeast cake. boil the milk, dissolve in it the sugar and salt, and add the butter to melt it. when this mixture becomes tepid, add the beaten whites of the eggs and the yeast, dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of water; then stir in the flour, and knead it for twenty to thirty minutes; cover it well, and put it aside in a warm place free from draughts to rise over night. if to be used for breakfast, mold the rolls to any shape desired; let them rise to more than double their size, and bake for thirty minutes. if they are to be used for luncheon, cut down with a knife the raised dough in the morning, and keep it in a cool place until an hour and a half before the time for serving the rolls; then mold, raise, and bake them. if they are to be used for tea, do not set the dough until morning. in summer allow four and a half hours for the whole work, the same as directed for bread on page . =parker house rolls= quarts of flour. tablespoonfuls of butter, or lard, or cottolene. teaspoonful of salt. pint of milk. / compressed yeast cake. / cupful of sugar (scant). put the salt into the flour, and work in the shortening thoroughly. dissolve the yeast in one cupful of warm water. scald the milk, and dissolve the sugar in it after it is taken off the fire. when the milk is lukewarm, mix the yeast with it. make a hollow in the center of the flour, and pour into it the milk and yeast mixture. sprinkle a little of the flour over the top. cover the pan well, and leave it to rise. if this sponge is set at five o'clock, at ten o'clock stir the whole together thoroughly with a spoon. do not beat it, but stir it well, as it gets no other kneading. in the morning turn the dough onto a board, work it together a little, and roll it evenly one half inch thick. lift the dough off the board a little to let it shrink all it will before cutting. cut it into rounds with a good-sized biscuit-cutter. place a small piece of butter on one side, and double the other side over it, so the edges meet. let them rise for two hours, and bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. if the rolls are to be used for luncheon, cut down the dough in the morning and keep it in a cool place until the time for molding them. if for tea, set the sponge in the morning, using one half cake of compressed yeast.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] place the rolls far enough apart in the pan to give room for them to rise without running together. =tea biscuits made with baking powder= cupfuls of sifted flour. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of butter. add the salt and baking-powder to the flour and sift them. rub in the butter well. with a fork stir in lightly and quickly sufficient milk to make a soft dough. the dough must be only just stiff enough to roll. flour the board well, turn the dough onto it, and lightly roll it to a half inch thickness. cut it into small circles, brush the tops with milk, and bake in a quick oven for twenty to thirty minutes. =biscuits made with sour milk= quart of flour. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of butter or lard. milk. mix the soda and the salt with the flour, and sift them several times so they will be thoroughly mixed. rub in the butter evenly. stir in lightly with a fork enough sour milk to make a dough just stiff enough to roll. the dough can be left very soft if the board is well floured and the rolling-pin is used very lightly, patting the dough rather than rolling it. roll it out quickly an inch thick. cut it into small rounds. bake in a quick oven twenty to thirty minutes. the dough can be rolled half an inch thick, and two rounds placed together with a small bit of butter between. they are then called twin biscuits. these biscuits may be made of sweet milk, in which case two rounding teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar must be used with the soda and mixed with the flour. =corn bread no. = cupfuls of flour. - / cupfuls of cornmeal (yellow or white). / cupful of sugar. saltspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. - / cupfuls of milk. tablespoonful of butter or lard melted. eggs. mix the flour, meal, salt, and baking-powder together thoroughly. beat together the eggs and sugar; add the butter, then the flour mixture, and lastly mix in quickly the milk and turn into a flat pan to bake. sour milk can be used instead of sweet milk, in which case a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a quarter of a cupful of hot water is used, and baking-powder is omitted. =corn bread no. = cupful of fine cornmeal sifted. - / cupfuls of milk. eggs. tablespoonful of butter. teaspoonful of baking-powder. teaspoonful of sugar. scald the milk and pour it onto the sifted meal. let it cool, then add the melted butter, salt, sugar, baking-powder, and yolks of the eggs. stir it quickly and thoroughly together, and lastly fold in the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. bake in a flat pan in a hot oven for thirty minutes. =puffs or pop-overs= cupfuls of milk. cupfuls of flour. eggs (whites and yolks beaten separately). teaspoonful of salt. mix the salt with the flour. mix the beaten yolks with the milk, and add them slowly to the flour to make a smooth batter. lastly fold in the whipped whites. put the batter at once into hot greased gem-pans, filling them half full, and put into a hot oven for thirty minutes. serve at once, as they fall as soon as the heat is lost. =graham gems= cupfuls of graham flour. cupful of milk. cupful of water. eggs. / teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of sugar. mix the dry ingredients together; beat the eggs separately. mix the milk with the salt and sugar; add the water, then the flour, and lastly fold in the whipped whites, and put at once into very hot greased gem-pans, filling them half full. bake in a hot oven thirty minutes. =corn gems= (made of corn flour) eggs. cupful of corn flour. / cupful of white flour. tablespoonful of butter. cupful of milk. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of baking-powder. break the yolks of the eggs; add to them milk, salt, and melted butter; mix them well together, then add the two kinds of flour. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth; when they are ready, add the baking-powder to the flour mixture and then fold in lightly the whipped whites. turn at once into warm gem-pans, a tablespoonful of batter into each one, and bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. this receipt can be used for any kind of flour. =muffins no. = cupfuls of flour. cupful of milk. level tablespoonful of butter. eggs (beaten separately). / teaspoonful of salt. even teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. mix thoroughly the baking-powder and salt with the flour. stir the milk and yolks together; add the butter, melted; then the flour, and lastly fold in the whipped whites. turn into hot gem-pans, and bake at once in a very hot oven for fifteen to twenty minutes. serve immediately. =raised muffins= pint of milk, scalded. / compressed yeast-cake. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of sugar. teaspoonful of salt. about - / cupfuls of flour. scald the milk, and add the butter, sugar and salt. when it has become lukewarm, add the yeast dissolved in a quarter cupful of lukewarm water. stir in enough flour to make a drop batter, cover it well, place it in a warm place free from draughts, and let rise over night. in the morning stir it down, grease some muffin-rings, place them on a hot greased griddle, fill the rings half full of batter. it will rise to the top. turn the muffins with a pancake turner and bake them on both sides until a thin brown crust is formed. two eggs may be added to the batter in the morning if desired. if so, beat the yolks and whites separately and add the whites last. =english muffins or crumpets= use the receipt for raised muffins, omitting the sugar and eggs. do not bake them so much. turn them before the crust becomes brown. when cold, pull them apart and toast them. =sally lunn= this is the same as the receipt for muffins no. , using three eggs instead of two, and baking it in a cake-tin instead of gem-pans. in this form it is served for luncheon or for tea. =waffles= cupfuls of flour. teaspoonful of baking-powder. - / cupfuls of milk. tablespoonful of butter, or lard, or cottolene. / teaspoonful of salt. eggs beaten separately. mix the flour, baking-powder, and salt thoroughly together. mix the yolks with the milk; then the melted butter, the flour, and lastly the beaten whites. have the waffle-iron very clean; let it be thoroughly heated on both sides. rub it over with a piece of salt pork, or with a piece of butter tied in a clean rag. close the iron, and turn it so the grease will cover every part. put enough batter into each section of the iron to fill it two-thirds full. shut the iron, and cook the waffles a minute or longer on each side. serve the waffles hot, using with them syrup or powdered sugar mixed with ground cinnamon. =hominy cake= stir into one cupful of boiled hominy while it is still hot a teaspoonful of butter, one saltspoonful of salt, and the yolks of two eggs well beaten; add slowly a cupful of milk, and then a half cupful of fine cornmeal; lastly, fold in the whipped whites of two eggs. bake in a flat tin in a hot oven for twenty to thirty minutes. cold boiled hominy left over can be used for this dish by heating it with enough water to moisten it. =oat cake= mix oatmeal, which is ground fine, with a little salt and enough water to make a stiff dough. roll it on a floured board to one eighth inch thickness, and bake it in one sheet in a slow oven without browning, until dry and hard. it should be gray in color. when done, break it into irregular pieces. this is a scotch dish, and in scotland is made with a fine oat flour, which is difficult to obtain in this country. =bran biscuits= pint of bran. / pint of flour. / pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of molasses. even teaspoonful of baking soda. mix the bran, flour, and soda together, mix the molasses and milk together, and add the flour mixture. bake in gem-pans. two of these biscuits eaten at each meal act as a laxative and cure for constipation. the receipt is furnished by a physician. =bread sticks= any bread-dough may be used, though that with shortening is preferred. after it is kneaded enough to be elastic, cut it into pieces half the size of an egg, roll it on the board into a stick the size of a pencil and a foot long. lay the strips on a floured baking-tin or sheet. let them rise a very little, and bake in a moderate oven, so they will dry without browning. serve them with bouillon or soups, or with tea. =rusks= cupful of milk scalded. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of sugar. eggs. / cake of compressed yeast. / teaspoonful of salt. flour. make a sponge (see directions at head of chapter), using the milk, salt, and yeast. when it is full of bubbles, add the butter, sugar, and well-beaten eggs. stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. knead it for twenty minutes. let it rise to double its bulk; then mold it into balls the size of half an egg. place them rather close together in a baking-tin, and let them rise until very light. when they are ready to go into the oven, brush over the tops with sugar dissolved in milk, and sprinkle the tops with dry sugar. bake in a hot oven about half an hour. rusks must be well kneaded and be very light before being baked. a part of the dough set for bread may be made into rusks by adding to it an egg, sugar, and butter. =dried rusks= cut rusks that are a day old into slices one half inch thick, and dry them in a slow oven until a fine golden color. =bath buns= cupfuls of flour. cupful of milk. / cupful of sugar. / cupful of butter. / teaspoonful of salt. / nutmeg grated. / compressed yeast-cake. eggs. mix the salt, sugar, and grated nutmeg with the flour. scald the milk and melt the butter in it. dissolve the yeast in a quarter cupful of lukewarm water. when the scalded milk has become lukewarm, add to it the dissolved yeast and the eggs, which have been well beaten, the yolks and whites separately; then add the flour. use more flour than given in the receipt, if necessary, but keep the dough as soft as possible. knead it on a board for twenty minutes. let it rise over night in a warm place, well covered. in the morning turn it on to the molding-board, roll it and rub it lightly with butter, then fold it several times, cut it into pieces the size of a large egg, and mold it into balls. the folding is to make it peel off in layers when baked, but may be omitted if desired. press into the side of each bun, after it is molded, a piece of citron and lump of sugar wet with lemon-juice. place the buns in a baking-tin and let them rise to more than double their size. brush the tops with egg diluted with water to give a brown crust. bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. when baked, brush over the tops with sugar dissolved in milk, and return to the oven for a few minutes to glaze. sprinkle a little powdered sugar over the tops as soon as they are removed from the oven. =coffee cake= take two cupfuls of bread sponge, add one egg well beaten, a half cupful of sugar, a tablespoonful of butter, and a cupful of tepid water. mix them well together, then add enough flour to make a thin dough. let it rise until double in size. turn it on a board, and roll it out an inch thick. place it in a baking-tin, cutting it to fit the tin, and let it rise again until light. just before placing it in the oven, spread over the top an egg beaten with a teaspoonful of sugar. sprinkle over this some granulated sugar, and a few split blanched almonds. if preferred, the dough may be twisted and shaped into rings instead of being baked in sheets. this cake, which is a kind of bun, is, as well as bath buns, a good luncheon dish to serve in place of cake; or either of them, served with a cup of chocolate, makes a good light luncheon in itself. =brioche= brioche is a kind of light bun mixture much used in france. it has many uses, and is much esteemed. it will not be found difficult or troublesome to make after the first trial. the paste once made can be used for plain brioche cakes, buns, rings, baba, savarins, fruit timbales (see page ), cabinet puddings, etc. cake of compressed yeast. / cupful of lukewarm water. quart of flour. eggs. / pound of butter. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of sugar. dissolve the yeast-cake in a quarter of a cupful of lukewarm water. stir it so it will be thoroughly mixed, then add enough flour to make a very soft ball of paste. drop this ball into a pan of warm water (the water must not be hot, or it will kill the yeast plant). cover, and set it in a warm place to rise, which will take about an hour. this is for leaven to raise the brioche. the ball of paste will sink to the bottom of the water at first, but will rise to the top later, and be full of bubbles. put the rest of the flour on a platter, and make a well in the center of it. into this well put the butter, salt, sugar, and four eggs. break the eggs in whole, and have the butter rather soft. work them together with the hand, gradually incorporating the flour, and adding two more eggs, one at a time. work and beat it with the hand until it loses its stickiness, which will take some time. when the leaven is sufficiently light, lift it out of the water with a skimmer, and place it with the dough. work them together, add one more egg, the last of the seven, and beat it for a long time, using the hand. the longer it is beaten the better and the finer will be the grain. put the paste in a bowl, cover, and let it rise to double its size, which will take four to five hours; then beat it down again, and place it on the ice for twelve or twenty-four hours. as beating and raising the paste require so much time, the work should be started the day before it is to be used. after taking the paste from the ice, it will still be quite soft, and have to be handled delicately and quickly. it softens more as it becomes warm. =to make a brioche roll with head= take up carefully a little of the paste, and turn it into a ball about three inches in diameter; flatten it a little on top, and with a knife open a little place on top, and lay a small ball of paste into it. let it rise to double its size, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty to thirty minutes. if a glazed top is wanted, brush it over with egg yolk diluted one half with water, before putting it in the oven. serve hot or perfectly fresh. =to make a brioche crown or ring= roll the paste into a ball, roll it down to a thickness of half an inch, keeping the form round. cut it several times through the middle, and twist the paste into a rope-like ring. let it rise, brush the top with egg, and bake in a well-heated oven for about half an hour. =to make buns= roll the paste into small balls, glaze the tops when ready to go into the oven, and bake about twenty minutes. =brioche for timbale, or cabinet puddings= when the brioche is to be used for timbales, or cabinet puddings, turn the paste into a cylindrical mold, filling it half full. let it rise to the top of the mold, and bake in a hot oven for about half an hour. =pancakes= the batter for pancakes should be smooth, and thin enough to run freely when turned onto the griddle. in order to have all the cakes of the same size an equal quantity of batter must be used for each cake. it should be poured steadily at one point, so the batter will flow evenly in all directions, making the cake perfectly round. an iron spoonful of batter makes a cake of good size; but if a larger one is wanted, use a ladle or cup; for if the batter is put on the hot griddle by separate spoonfuls, the first becomes a little hardened before the second is added, and the cake will not be evenly baked, or have so good an appearance. lastly, the baking is of great importance. the cakes must be well browned on both sides, the color even and uniform on every part. to effect this the griddle must be perfectly clean and evenly heated. a soap-stone griddle is the best, as it holds the heat well, and as it requires no greasing. the cakes baked thus are by some considered more wholesome. the griddle should stand on the range for some time before it is needed in order to get thoroughly and evenly heated. where an iron griddle is used, it should also be given time to become evenly heated, and while the cakes are baking it should be moved so the edges may in turn come over the hottest part of the range. it must be wiped off and greased after each set of cakes is baked. a piece of salt pork on a fork is the best thing for greasing, as it makes an even coating, and too much grease is not likely to be used. an iron griddle is often allowed by careless cooks to collect a crust of burned grease around the edges. when in this condition, the cakes will not, of course, be properly baked. the griddle should be hot enough to hiss when the batter is turned onto it. serve the cakes as soon as baked, in a folded napkin on a hot plate. two plates should be used, so while one is being passed the next griddleful may be prepared to serve. =plain pancakes= stir two cupfuls of milk into two beaten eggs; add enough flour to make a thin batter. add a half teaspoonful of salt and a heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder. sour milk can be used, in which case omit the baking-powder and add a half teaspoonful of soda. the baking-powder or soda should not be put in until just before beginning to bake the cakes. the cakes will be lighter and better if the eggs are beaten separately, and the whipped whites added the last thing. =flannel cakes= tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of sugar. eggs. cupfuls of flour. milk. teaspoonful of baking-powder. rub the butter and sugar to a cream, add the beaten eggs, then the flour, in which the baking-powder has been sifted. add enough milk to make a smooth, thin batter. =rice pancakes= make the same batter as for plain cakes, using half boiled rice and half flour. any of the cereals--hominy, oatmeal, cracked wheat, etc.--can be used in the same way, utilizing any small quantities left over; a little butter is sometimes added. =bread pancakes= soak stale bread in hot water until moistened; press out the water. to two cupfuls of softened bread, add two beaten eggs, a teaspoonful of salt, a half cupful of flour, and enough milk to make a thin, smooth batter; add, the last thing, a teaspoonful of baking-powder, or use soda if sour milk has been used in the batter. =cornmeal pancakes= pour a little boiling water on a cupful of cornmeal, and let it stand half an hour. add a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, one egg and two cupfuls of flour. add enough milk to make a smooth batter, and a teaspoonful of baking-powder just before baking. instead of white flour rye meal may be used: one cupful of rye to one of cornmeal, a tablespoonful of molasses instead of the sugar, and soda in place of baking-powder. =buckwheat cakes= scald a cupful of yellow meal in a quart of boiling milk. add a half teaspoonful of salt; when cold add a quarter of a compressed yeast-cake, and enough buckwheat flour to make a soft batter. beat it well together. let it rise over night. in the morning stir in a tablespoonful of molasses and a teaspoonful of soda. although the above method is the old and better way, these cakes can be made in the morning, and baking-powder used instead of yeast; in which case divide the batter, and add the baking-powder, one half at a time. =adirondack pancakes= bake several pancakes as large as a plate. butter, and cover them with maple syrup. pile them one on another, and cut like a pie. chapter xvi sandwiches =sandwiches and canapÉs= sandwiches are usually the chief reliance for cold lunches, and are always acceptable if well made and attractively served. where they are to be kept some time, as in traveling, they should be wrapped in oiled or paraffin paper, for this will keep them perfectly fresh. sandwiches may be made of white, graham, or brown bread, or of fresh rolls, and may be filled with any kind of meat, with fish, with salads, with eggs, with jams, or with chopped nuts. [sidenote: shapes.] they may be cut into any shapes, the square and triangular ones being the usual forms, but a pleasant variety may be given by stamping them with a biscuit-cutter into circles, or by rolling them, and these forms are recommended for sandwiches made of jams or jellies, as it gives them a more distinctive character. [sidenote: how to prepare the meat.] the meat used in sandwiches should be chopped to a fine mince, seasoned with salt and pepper, mustard, if desired, and moistened with a little water, stock, cream or milk, or with a salad dressing, using enough to make the mince spread well. fish can be pounded to a paste, then seasoned. potted meats can also be used. slices of anything that has a fibrous texture make the sandwich difficult to eat, and as knives and forks are not usually at hand when sandwiches are served, it is desirable to make the primitive way of eating as little objectionable as possible. [sidenote: butter.] the butter for sandwiches should be of the best, and should be soft enough to spread easily without tearing the bread. the butter may sometimes be worked into the meat paste. what are called "sandwich butters" are frequently used. they are made by rubbing the butter to a cream, combined with anchovy paste, with mustard, with chopped parsley and tarragon, with pâté de foie gras, etc. these butters are used to spread the bread for meat sandwiches, using with the butter any flavoring that will go well with the meat. [illustration: bread-and-butter sandwiches. made of white, graham, and boston brown bread. (see page .)] [sidenote: rolls.] when rolls are used for sandwiches, they should be very fresh, should be small, and have a tender crust. the finger rolls are good for the purpose, also parker house rolls, when made in suitable shape. graham bread makes excellent sandwiches. [sidenote: how to prepare the bread.] bread for sandwiches should be of fine grain and a day old. a five-cent loaf cuts to good advantage. the crust should be cut off, and the loaf trimmed to good shape before the slices are cut. the crusts and trimmings can be dried for crumbs, so they are not wasted, and no butter is lost in spreading bread which will afterward be trimmed off. when the bread is ready, the butter should be spread on the loaf, and then a slice cut off evenly one eighth of an inch thick. the next slice will have to be cut off before being spread, in order to have it fit exactly the preceding piece. after the first slice is covered with the filling, lay the second slice on it. in many cases the second slice of bread does not need spreading with butter. cut the sandwich to the desired shape. one cut across the loaf will make two square, or four triangular, sandwiches. [sidenote: meat sandwiches.] poultry, game, ham, beef, and tongue can be prepared as directed above, or they may be mixed with a french or a mayonnaise dressing. chicken pounded to a paste, then well mixed with a paste made of the yolks of hard-boiled eggs mashed, a little milk or cream, and a little butter, then seasoned with salt, pepper, and a few drops of onion-juice, makes a delicious chicken sandwich. [sidenote: fish sandwiches.] anchovies, sardines, or any fresh boiled fish may be used for sandwiches. it is better pounded to a paste. moisten sardines with a little lemon-juice. fresh fish should be well seasoned with salt and pepper, and moistened with a white or any other sauce, or with mayonnaise. a little chopped pickle may be added. shad roe, mashed with a fork to separate the eggs, and seasoned in the same way, makes excellent sandwiches. note.--sandwiches of any kind which are left over are good toasted, and can be served at luncheon.--m. r. =egg sandwiches= no. . cut hard-boiled eggs into slices; sprinkle with salt and pepper plentifully, and spread the bread with butter mixed with chopped parsley. no. . lay the sliced eggs between crisp lettuce leaves, and spread the bread with butter, then with mayonnaise. no. . chop the hard-boiled eggs fine. mix with mayonnaise and spread on the buttered bread, or mix them with well-seasoned white sauce. =salad sandwiches= no. . lay a crisp lettuce leaf sprinkled with salt between buttered thin slices of bread; or spread the bread with mayonnaise, then with lettuce or with water-cress. no. . chop chicken and celery together fine; mix it with french or with mayonnaise dressing. no. . chop lobster meat; mix it with any dressing; cut lettuce into ribbons; cover the bread with the lettuce; then a layer of lobster; then with lettuce again. no. . mix chopped olives with mayonnaise; serve with afternoon tea. =spanish sandwiches= spread buttered graham bread with mustard; then with a layer of cottage cheese; and then with a layer of chopped olives mixed with mayonnaise. =cheese sandwiches= no. . cut american cheese in slices one-eighth of an inch thick, or about the same thickness as the bread. sprinkle it with salt, and have the bread well buttered. no. . cut gruyère cheese in thin slices. lay it on the bread, sprinkle it with salt and pepper; then add french mustard. no. . grate any cheese. rub it to a paste with butter, and spread the bread; dust with salt and pepper. cut into strips and serve with salad. no. . mock crab. rub to a smooth paste one tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, a saltspoonful each of salt, paprica, and dry mustard, a little anchovy paste, and a teaspoonful of vinegar. spread between thin slices of dry toast. =raw beef sandwiches= scrape the raw beef; spread it between thin slices of plain bread. sprinkle with salt and pepper. place the sandwiches on a toaster, and hold them over the coals until well heated. serve them hot. =sweet sandwiches= no. . for Æsthetic sandwiches, see chapter "five o'clock tea," page . no. . spread thin slices of bread with any jam, or with fruit jelly, or with any preserved fruit, or with chopped canned fruit. cut them into circles, or roll them as directed above. no. . spread very thin buttered slices of boston brown bread with chopped walnuts, or with chopped almonds, or with both mixed, or with salted nuts chopped. =canapÉs= canapés are slices of bread toasted or fried in hot fat, or dipped in butter, and browned in the oven. the slices are then covered with some seasoned mixture. they are served hot, and make a good first course for luncheon. the bread is cut a quarter of an inch thick, then into circles two and a half inches in diameter, or into strips four inches long and two inches wide. they are sometimes used cold, and are arranged fancifully with different-colored meats, pickles, eggs, etc. =cheese canapÉs= cut bread into slices one quarter inch thick, four inches long and two inches wide. spread it with butter, and sprinkle it with salt and cayenne or paprica. cover the top with grated american cheese, or with grated parmesan cheese, and bake in the oven until the cheese is softened. serve at once, before the cheese hardens. =ham canapÉs= cut bread into slices a quarter inch thick, then with a small biscuit-cutter into circles; fry them in hot fat, or sauté them in butter. pound some chopped ham to a paste; moisten it with cream or milk. spread it on the fried bread; dust with cayenne, sprinkle the top with grated parmesan cheese, and place in a hot oven until a little browned. =anchovy canapÉs= spread strips of fried bread with anchovy paste. arrange in lines, on top, alternate rows of the white and yolks of hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. =sardine canapÉs= spread circles of fried bread with a layer of sardines pounded to a paste. arrange on top, in circles to resemble a rosette, lines of chopped hard-boiled egg and chopped pickle. =canapÉ lorenzo= tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. slice of onion. cupful of stock. cupful of crab meat. tablespoonful of milk. - / tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese. - / tablespoonfuls of swiss cheese. salt, pepper, and cayenne. put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of butter, and fry in it one slice of onion chopped fine, but do not brown; then add one tablespoonful of flour and cook, but do not brown; add the stock slowly, and when smooth add the cooked crab meat. season highly with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and let simmer for six or eight minutes. put into another saucepan one tablespoonful of butter; when melted, add one tablespoonful of flour and cook, but not brown; then add the milk and stir in the cheese, and let cook just long enough to soften the cheese. remove from the fire and let cool; then form the cheese mixture into six balls. have ready six slices or circles of buttered toast, or bread fried in butter, and cover them with a layer of the crab mixture, and in the center of each piece place a ball of the cheese. place in a hot oven for five minutes. this is a good supper dish, and may be made of lobster, fish, or chicken. serve with water-cress. =cheese and cheese dishes= [sidenote: varieties.] [sidenote: serving.] among the best cheeses are stilton, cheshire, camembert, gorgonzola, rocquefort, edam, gruyère, and parmesan. the parmesan is a high-flavored, hard italian cheese, and is mostly used grated for cooking. our american dairy cheeses are much esteemed, and are largely exported to foreign markets; but as they have no distinctive names, it is difficult to find a second time any one that is particularly liked. the pineapple cheese is the only one that differs radically from the other so-called american cheeses. the foreign cheeses are, nearly all of them, very successfully imitated here. cheese is served with crackers, wafer biscuits, or with celery after the dessert, or with salad before the hot dessert. any of the cheese dishes, such as soufflé, ramekins, omelets, etc., are served before the dessert. cheese straws are used with salad. cheeses small enough to be passed whole, like edam, pineapple, etc., have the top cut off, plain or in notches, and are wrapped in a neatly plaited napkin. the top is replaced after the service, so as to keep the cheese moist. a stilton or chester cheese is cut in two, and one half, wrapped in a napkin, served at a time. rocquefort and gorgonzola are served in the large slice cut from the cheese and laid on a folded napkin. american dairy cheese is cut into small uniform pieces. the soft cheeses, brie, neuchâtel, etc., are divested of the tinfoil and scraped before being passed. they are placed on a lace paper. fresh butter, wafer biscuits, and celery are passed with cheese. =cheese soufflÉ= tablespoonfuls of butter. heaping tablespoonful of flour. / cupful of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. dash of cayenne. eggs. cupful of grated cheese. put into a saucepan the butter; when it is melted stir in the flour and let it cook a minute (but not color), stirring all the time; add one half cupful of milk slowly and stir till smooth, then add salt and cayenne. remove from the fire and add, stirring constantly, the beaten yolks of three eggs and the cupful of grated american or parmesan cheese. replace it on the fire, and stir until the cheese is melted and the paste smooth and consistent (do not cook too long, or the butter will separate). pour the mixture on a buttered dish and set away to cool. when ready to use, stir into it lightly the well-beaten whites of the three eggs; turn it into a pudding-dish and bake in a hot oven for twenty to thirty minutes. do not open the oven door for ten minutes; do not slam the oven door; do not move the soufflé until after fifteen minutes; serve it at once when done. like any soufflé, it must go directly from the oven to the table, or it will fall. =crackers and cheese= split in two some bent's water biscuits; moisten them with hot water and pour over each piece a little melted butter and french mustard; then spread with a thick layer of grated cheese; sprinkle with paprica or cayenne. place them in a hot oven until the cheese is soft and creamy. =cheese canapÉs= cut bread into slices one half inch thick; stamp them with a biscuit cutter into circles; then, moving the cutter to one side, cut them into crescent form; or, if preferred, cut the bread into strips three inches long and one and one half inches wide; sauté them in a little butter on both sides to an amber color. cover them with a thick layer of grated cheese; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dash of cayenne. fifteen minutes before the time to serve, place them in the oven to soften the cheese. serve at once very hot; or, cut some toasted bread into small triangles; spread with a little french mustard; dip in melted butter; then roll in grated cheese; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dash of cayenne, and place in a hot oven for a few minutes to soften the cheese. serve at once on a hot dish. =welsh rabbit= pound of cheese. / cupful of ale or beer. dash of cayenne. / teaspoonful of dry mustard. / teaspoonful of salt. slices of toast. grate or cut into small pieces fresh american cheese. place it in a saucepan or chafing-dish with three quarters of the ale. stir until it is entirely melted; then season with the mustard, salt, and pepper, and pour it over the slices of hot toast, cut in triangles or circles. everything must be very hot, and it must be served at once, as the cheese quickly hardens. some use a scant teaspoonful of butter (more will not unite), a few drops of onion-juice, and the beaten yolks of two eggs, added just before serving. the egg makes it a little richer and prevents the cheese hardening so quickly. milk may be used instead of ale to melt the cheese, in which case the egg should also be used. if any of the cheese fondu is left, it can be heated again with the rest of the ale for the second helping. =golden buck= make welsh rarebits as directed above, and place on each one a poached egg (see page ). =cheese straws= mix with one cupful of flour one half cupful of grated parmesan cheese, a dash of cayenne, one half teaspoonful of salt, and the yolk of one egg; then add enough water to make a paste sufficiently consistent to roll. place it on a board and roll to one quarter inch thickness. cut it into narrow strips and roll so each piece will be the size and length of a lead pencil. place them in a baking-tin and press each end on the pan so they will not contract. bake to a light brown in a moderate oven. serve with salad. these straws will keep for several days, and should be heated just before serving. =cheese straws no. = take bits of puff paste; roll them to one half inch thickness; cut them into strips one inch wide and three inches long; sprinkle them with grated cheese and bake; or, the pastry may be rolled to one quarter inch thickness; then spread with cheese, doubled over, and then cut into strips, leaving the cheese between two layers of paste. =cheese patties= make some small round croustades as directed (page ). dip them in butter and toast them in the oven to a delicate color. fill the centers with a mixture of two ounces of grated cheese, one half tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of milk, a little salt and pepper. place the croustades again in the oven to melt the cheese. serve very hot. =cottage cheese= place a panful of milk which has soured enough to become thick, or clabbered, over a pan of hot water. let it heat slowly until the whey has separated from the curd; do not let it boil, or the curd will become tough; then strain it through a cloth and press out all the whey; stir into the curd enough butter, cream, and salt to make it a little moist and of good flavor. work it well with a spoon until it becomes fine grained and consistent, then mold it into balls of any size desired. =fondue= see page . chapter xvii salads [sidenote: drying the salad.] nearly all the meats, vegetables, and fruits may be served as salads. the essential thing is to have the salad fresh and cold; and if green, to have the leaves crisp and dry. if any water is left on leaves, the dressing will not adhere to them, but will run to the bottom of the dish, and both the salad and the dressing will be poor. all greens should be carefully washed in cold water to free them from dust and insects, and to make them crisp. after they have stood fifteen to twenty minutes in cold or ice water, free them from moisture by swinging them in a wire basket, or dry, without bruising, each leaf carefully with a napkin. the dressing is added only at the moment of serving, as the salad wilts if allowed to stand after the dressing is added. the green salads are the most simple of any, and are especially worthy the little care required to make them perfect. [sidenote: cutting the meat.] meat of any kind used for salads should be cut into dice, but not smaller than one half inch, or it will seem like hash. it should be marinated before being mixed with the other parts of the salad. meat mixtures are usually piled in cone-shape on a dish, the mayonnaise then spread over it, and garnished with lettuce, capers, hard-boiled eggs, gherkins, etc. [sidenote: marinating.] to marinate.--take one part of oil and three of vinegar, with pepper and salt to taste; stir them into the meat, and let it stand a couple of hours; drain off any of the marinade which has not been absorbed, before combining the meat with the other parts of the salad. use only enough marinade to season the meat. french dressing is used with green vegetable salads, and either mayonnaise or french dressing with potato and tomato salads. [sidenote: fish salads.] lettuce, water-cress, fetticus, sorrel, or other leaf salads are better with french dressing. a boiled fish can be served whole as a salad for suppers or luncheons, or in hot weather as a fish course for dinner. it may be covered, all but the head and tail, with a thick coating of green or red jelly mayonnaise (see page ), and elaborately decorated with capers, olives, gherkins, hard-boiled eggs, and lettuce. salmon, blue fish, bass, or any firm fish, serves this purpose. fish may also be cut into cutlets of equal size and shape, and covered with jelly mayonnaise garnished in the same way. nasturtium blossoms make a good garnish, and also add a good flavor to green salads. =mayonnaise= the receipts for mayonnaise are given on pages - . white mayonnaise, instead of that having the color of the eggs, is the fancy of to-day. the yolks will whiten by being stirred before the oil is added, and lemon-juice, used instead of vinegar, also serves to whiten the dressing; so it is not always necessary to add whipped cream, although the cream gives a very delicate and delicious mayonnaise. the jelly mayonnaise is used for molded salads, and will be found very good, as well as useful, for the class of salads served at suppers, etc. =french dressing= this dressing is the most simple, and the best one to use with green salads for dinner. the proportions are one tablespoonful of vinegar to three of oil, one half teaspoonful of salt, and one quarter teaspoonful of pepper. mix the salt and pepper with the oil; then stir in slowly the vinegar, and it will become white and a little thickened, like an emulsion. some like a dash of paprica or red pepper. when intended for lettuce salad it is much improved by using a little tarragon vinegar with the wine vinegar. more oil may be used if preferred, but the mixture should be so blended as to taste of neither the oil nor the vinegar. =lettuce salad= use only the tender leaves. let them stand half an hour in cold water to become crisp. rub the inside of the salad bowl lightly with an onion. wipe the lettuce leaves perfectly dry without bruising them, and arrange them in the bowl in circles, the heart leaves in the center. sprinkle over them a teaspoonful of mixed tarragon, parsley, and chives, chopped fine; pour over the french dressing, and toss them lightly together. french lettuce salads always have chopped herbs mixed with them, and they are a great improvement to the salad. if all of them are not at hand, any one of them may be used alone. the salad should be put together only just before being served, or its crispness will be lost. nasturtium blossoms, small radishes cut into flowers, or a few white chicory leaves may be used with plain lettuce salad. =water-cress and apples= prepare the water-cress the same as lettuce, letting it become crisp in cold water, then drying it thoroughly. mix it with french dressing. a few thin slices of sour apple with water-cress makes a good salad to serve with ducks. a chopped hard-boiled egg sprinkled over the top of water-cress is a good garnish, and improves the salad. [illustration: salad of water-cress garnished with radishes cut to resemble roses.] =celery salad= wash and scrape the tender stalks of celery, cut them into one quarter inch pieces, or into straws two inches long, or cut them in pieces one and a half inches long, and slice them in small strips nearly to the end; place them in ice-water for a few minutes to curl them. mix the celery with either french or mayonnaise dressing, and garnish with lettuce leaves or celery tops. =cucumber and tomato salad= slice cucumbers and tomatoes into pieces of equal thickness, and lay them alternately around a bunch of white lettuce leaves. pass separately either a french or mayonnaise dressing, or both. =cucumber salad to serve with fish= peel the cucumbers, and place them in cold water to become crisp. do not use salt in the water, as is sometimes recommended, as it wilts and makes them indigestible. cut the cucumbers in two lengthwise, and lay them, with the flat side down, on the dish on which they are to be served. slice them without destroying their shape, and pour on them a french dressing. [illustration: cucumbers cut in halves lengthwise and then sliced to serve with fish.] =string-bean salad= cut each bean in four strips lengthwise; lay them evenly together and boil in salted water until tender. remove them carefully and drain. when they are cold and ready to serve, pile them on a flat dish, trim the ends even, and pour over them slowly a french dressing. garnish with parsley, white chicory leaves or nasturtium leaves. [illustration: string-bean salad.] =bean salads= boiled navy beans, flageolets, or lima beans may be mixed with french or mayonnaise dressing, and garnished with hard-boiled eggs and parsley. =cauliflower salad= break the vegetable into flowerets; season with salt, pepper, and a little vinegar and oil. pile them in a pyramid on a dish, and pour over them a white mayonnaise. arrange around the base a border of carrots or beets, cut into dice or fancy shapes, to give a line of color. place a floweret of cauliflower on the top of the pyramid. =macÉdoine salad= this salad is composed of a mixture of vegetables. the vegetables are boiled separately; the large ones are then cut into dice of equal size. the salad is more attractive when the vegetables are cut with fancy cutters or with a small potato-scoop. peas, flageolets, string beans, flowerets of cauliflower, beets, celery roots, asparagus points, carrots, and turnips--all, or as many as convenient, may be used. mix them lightly with french dressing or with mayonnaise. if the latter, marinate them first. be careful not to break the vegetables when mixing them. arrange lettuce leaves like a cup, and place the macédoine in the center. =potato salad= boil the potatoes with the skins on; when cold remove the skins and cut them into slices three eighths inch thick, or into dice three quarters inch thick, or cut the potatoes into balls with a scoop; sprinkle them with a little grated onion and parsley, chopped very fine. turn over them a french dressing. they will absorb a great deal. toss them lightly together, but do not break the potatoes, which are very tender. a mayonnaise dressing is also very good with marinated potatoes. a mixture of beets and potatoes with mayonnaise is also used. garnish with lettuce, chopped yolk of hard-boiled egg and capers. in boiling potatoes for salad, do not steam them after they are boiled, as they should not be mealy. new or german potatoes are best for salad. =cold slaw= shred a firm cabbage very fine. mix it with a french dressing, using an extra quantity of salt, or put into a bowl the yolks of three eggs, one half cupful of vinegar (if it is very strong dilute it with water), one tablespoonful of butter, one half teaspoonful each of mustard and pepper, and one teaspoonful each of sugar and salt. beat them together, place the bowl in a pan of boiling water, and stir until it becomes a little thickened. pour this while hot over the cabbage, and set it away to cool. =hot slaw= place shredded cabbage in a saucepan with enough salted boiling water to cover it. boil it until tender, but not so long as to lose shape; turn it onto a sieve and drain it well in a warm place. pour over the drained cabbage a hot béarnaise sauce. cabbage salads are good to serve with fried oysters, meat fritters, or chops. the boiled cabbage, cold, may be used with french dressing. =tomato salads= to remove the skins from tomatoes, place them in a wire-basket, and plunge them into boiling water for a minute. this is better than letting them soak in the water, which softens them if left too long. =no. .= select tomatoes of the same size and shape; peel, and place them on ice until ready to use; then cut each one in two and place on each piece a teaspoonful of mayonnaise. dress them on a bed of lettuce leaves; or, slice the tomatoes without breaking their form, place each one on a leaf of lettuce, cover the tomato with mayonnaise, and sprinkle over a little parsley chopped fine; or scoop out a little of the center from the stem end and fill it with dressing. an attractive salad is made of the small yellow tomatoes which resemble plums. remove the skin carefully; let them get thoroughly cold; then pile them on a dish the same as fruit, garnish with leaves of lettuce, and pour over them a french dressing. =no. . stuffed tomatoes= select round tomatoes of equal size; peel and scoop from the stem end a part of the center. place them on ice until ready to serve; then fill them with celery cut fine and mixed with mayonnaise. let it rise above the top of the tomato. put a little mayonnaise on small lettuce leaves, and place a stuffed tomato on the dressing in the center of each leaf. arrange them in a circle on a flat dish. tomatoes may be stuffed in the same way with chopped veal, celery and veal or chicken, celery and sweetbreads, or chopped hard-boiled eggs and shredded lettuce. [illustration: tomatoes stuffed with celery and mayonnaise standing on lettuce leaves.] =no. . tomatoes and eggs= prepare the tomatoes as above; partly fill them with mayonnaise, and press into each one the half of a hard-boiled egg, letting the rounded top rise a little above the tomato. serve on lettuce as above. =no. . molded tomatoes= select small round tomatoes. stuff them in any way directed above, but do not let the filling project beyond the opening. place individual molds on ice. small cups will do; pour in one eighth of an inch of clear aspic or chicken aspic (see page ); when it has set, place in each one a tomato, the whole side down; add enough jelly to fix the tomato without floating it. when that has set, add enough more to entirely cover it (see fancy molding, page ). turn each molded tomato onto the plate on which it is to be served, and arrange around it a wreath of shredded lettuce. pass mayonnaise dressing separately. =no. . tomato jelly= / can or cupfuls of tomatoes. cloves. bay-leaf. slice of onion. / teaspoonful of thyme. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of sugar. / teaspoonful of pepper. / box or / ounce of cooper's gelatine, soaked in / cupful of water. boil together the tomatoes, spices, and onion until the tomato is soft; then add the soaked gelatine, and stir until the gelatine is dissolved; then strain and pour it into a border or ring-shaped mold to set. serve with the center of the jelly-ring filled with celery cut into pieces, into straws, or curled, and mixed with mayonnaise. form outside the ring a wreath of shredded lettuce. this jelly may also be molded in a solid piece and surrounded by the celery. (see illustration opposite page .) [illustration: tomato jelly molded in ring, the center filled with curled celery and mayonnaise--lettuce cut into ribbons around the outside. (see page .)] =celery and walnut salad= mix with the celery, cut into small pieces, one third the quantity of english walnut meats broken in two, and enough mayonnaise to well moisten it. garnish with lettuce. =sweetbreads with celery= cut cold cooked sweetbreads into dice and mix with an equal quantity of celery. cover with mayonnaise and garnish with lettuce. =egg salad no. = cut hard-boiled eggs (see page ) into thick slices or into quarters. use a sharp knife so the cuts will be clean. arrange each portion on a leaf of lettuce partly covered with mayonnaise, and arrange the lettuce in a circle on a flat dish, the stem of the leaf toward the center of the dish. place a bunch of nasturtium flowers or a bunch of white chicory leaves in the middle. (see illustration.) [illustration: salad of sliced hard-boiled eggs arranged on lettuce leaves, the stalk ends of the leaves meeting in the center of the dish.] =no. = cut hard-boiled eggs in two, making the cut one third from the pointed end. remove the yolks without breaking the whites; mash them and mix with chicken, chopped fine, and enough mayonnaise to bind them. fill the large half of the egg with the mixture, rounding it on top like a whole yolk. invert the small pieces of white. cut the pointed ends of both pieces flat, and stick them together with raw white of egg. place the vase-shaped eggs on a flat dish, and fill the spaces with shredded lettuce. pass mayonnaise, as that put in the yolks will not be sufficient. (see illustration.) [illustration: salad of stuffed eggs garnished with lettuce cut into ribbons. (see page .)] =orange salad= use for this salad sour oranges; if these cannot be obtained, strain over sweet oranges after they are sliced a little lemon-juice. cut the oranges in thick slices, remove the seeds carefully, arrange them in rows, and turn over them a dressing made of one tablespoonful of lemon-juice to three of oil, with salt, and cayenne, or paprica to taste. serve with game. grape fruit may be used the same way, and walnut meats used with either. =chicken salad= cut cold cooked chicken into dice one half inch square, or into pieces of any shape, but not too small. use only the white meat, if very particular as to appearance, but the dark meat is also good. veal is sometimes substituted for chicken. wash and scrape the tender stalks of celery. cut them into small pieces, and dry them well. use two thirds as much celery as chicken. marinate the chicken as directed at the head of chapter. keep it in a cold place until ready to serve; then mix with it the celery, and add lightly a little mayonnaise. place the mixture in a bowl, smooth the top, leaving it high in the center; cover it with mayonnaise. garnish with hard-boiled eggs, the whites and yolks chopped separately; also with sliced pickle, stoned olives, capers, lettuce-leaves, celery-tops, etc. arrange any or all of these in as fanciful design as desired. shredded lettuce may be used instead of celery if more convenient. =lobster salad= cut the boiled lobster into one inch pieces or larger. marinate it, and keep in a cool place until ready to serve; then mix with it lightly a little mayonnaise. place it in the salad bowl; smooth the top, leaving it high in the center. mask it with a thick covering of mayonnaise. sprinkle over it the powdered coral of the lobster. place on top the heart of a head of lettuce, and around the salad a thick border of crisp lettuce-leaves, carefully selected. shad roe, canned salmon, or any firm white fish mixed with mayonnaise, and garnished with lettuce, may be served as a salad. =oyster salad= scald the oysters in their own liquor until plump and frilled. drain, and let them get very cold and dry. if large oysters, cut each one with a silver knife into four pieces. just before serving mix them with mayonnaise or tartare sauce, and serve each portion on a leaf of lettuce. celery may be mixed with oysters, and served the same way. =bouilli salad= cut beef that has been boiled for soup into half-inch dice. marinate it, using a little grated onion with the marinade. mix it lightly with some cold boiled potatoes cut into half-inch dice, and some parsley chopped fine. pour over it a french dressing, or mayonnaise. garnish with hard-boiled eggs and lettuce. =russian salad= fill the outside of a double mold with clear aspic jelly (see page ), and the center with a macédoine of vegetables, or with celery, or with any one vegetable. marinate the vegetables; then mix them with mayonnaise made with jelly instead of eggs (see page ). cover the top with jelly so the vegetables will be completely enclosed (see directions for double molding, page ). turn the form of salad on a flat dish, and garnish with shredded lettuce. [illustration: russian macÉdoine salads with aspic. pink and white outside, center filled with celery, peas and beans, mixed with chicken aspic. . turnip. . beet. . truffle. . red beets. . slices of hard-boiled egg. . olives. . turnip. . beet. . turnip.] =individual russian salads= ornament the bottom of small timbale-molds with carrot cut into fancy shape in the center, and a row of green peas around the edge. add enough clear aspic or chicken jelly to fix them, then fill the mold with jelly; when it has hardened, scoop out carefully with a hot spoon some of the jelly from the center, and fill the space at once with a macédoine of vegetables mixed with jelly mayonnaise as above. serve each form on a leaf of lettuce. pass mayonnaise separately. note.--molds of salad in aspic may be elaborately decorated with rows of different-colored vegetables, or they may be arranged in layers like the aspic of pâté. individual salads, when served for suppers, buffet lunches, etc., may be placed around graduated socles in a pyramid. decorations of capers and parsley, also of truffles and tongue, are suitable for russian salads. [illustration: individual salads. . pâté de foie gras and aspic jelly in layers. daisy decoration made of hard-boiled egg. . russian salad decorated with green peas or capers.] =aspic of pÂtÉ en bellevue= ornament the bottom of individual timbale molds with a daisy design made of hard-boiled egg as directed, page ; fix it with a little jelly; then add a layer of jelly one quarter inch thick, and a layer of pâté de foie gras alternately until the mold is full. any forcemeat may be used in the same way. turn the molds onto a flat dish and surround them with shredded lettuce, or place them on an ornamented socle. pass mayonnaise. (see illustration facing page .) [illustration: pÂtÉ de foie gras en bellevue. slices of pÂtÉ alternating with aspic--molded in individual timbale molds. forms standing on rice socle decorated with tongue and pickle--garnished with bunch of red carnations.] =chicken aspic with walnuts= make a clear chicken consommé (see page ). to one and one half cupfuls of the consommé add one half box of cox's gelatine soaked for one half hour in one half cupful of cold water. ornament the bottom of a quart charlotte mold with a daisy design with leaf, as given page . add a layer of jelly one quarter inch thick, and then fill the outside of double mold with jelly. (see double molding, page .) fill the center with one and a half cupfuls of celery cut rather fine, and one half cupful of english walnuts, broken to same size as the celery. mix them with a dressing made of tablespoonfuls of melted chicken jelly. tablespoonfuls of oil. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of vinegar. / teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. / teaspoonful of pepper. cover the top with jelly, so as to completely enclose the celery mixture. turn it onto a flat dish, and place around it a wreath of shredded lettuce. this is a very delicious salad, and well repays the trouble of preparation. =bird's-nest salad= rub a little green coloring paste into cream cheese, giving it a delicate color like birds' eggs. roll it into balls the size of birds' eggs, using the back or smooth side of butter-pats. arrange on a flat dish some small well-crimped lettuce leaves; group them to look like nests, moisten them with french dressing, and place five of the cheese balls in each nest of leaves. the cheese balls may be varied by flecking them with black, white, or red pepper. the nests may be made of shredded lettuce if preferred. chapter xviii cold desserts utensils illustration no. , egg-beaters.--no. , dover beater; nos. and , wire whips; no. , daisy beater. [illustration: no. . egg whips. . dover beater. . wire spoon. . wire whip. . daisy beater.] illustration no. , jelly molds.--no. , two charlotte russe molds to use for double molding; no. , cylindrical mold for charlottes, bavarians, cornstarch, etc.; nos. and , ring molds. [illustration: no. . jelly molds. . two charlotte molds for double molding. . cylindrical mold. , . ring molds.] illustration no. .--no. , jelly mold packed in ice ready to be filled; no. , smaller mold to fit inside for double molding. [illustration: no. . jelly molds. . mold packed in ice for fancy molding. . smaller mold of same shape to fit into no. for double molding. (see page .)] illustration no. .--pastry bag and tubes. [illustration: no. . pastry bag and tubes.] illustration no. .--paper for filtering fruit juices. [illustration: no. . paper for filtering fruit juices.] illustration no. .--no. , lace papers to use under cake, puddings, jellies, individual creams, bonbons, etc.; also for timbales; no. , paper boxes and china cups to use for individual soufflés, biscuits, glacé oranges and grapes, creamed strawberries, and cherries; also for creamed chicken, and fish, salpicon, etc. [illustration: no. . lace papers, paper boxes, and china box.] the china cups are useful for the latter purposes. the rectangular paper boxes are easily made. for boxes - / x - / inches, cut heavy unruled writing paper into pieces - / x - / inches; fold down an edge two inches wide all around; fold it back again on itself, giving a border one inch broad. cut the corners at the black line, as shown in diagram, and fold the box together. the ends will fit under the folds, and hold the box in shape. a little more stability may be given the box by taking a stitch at each corner, and letting the thread run around the top of the box under the flap. [illustration] weights and measures gills = pint. pints = quart. quarts = gallon. ounces = pound. / kitchen cupful = gill. kitchen cupful = / pint or gills. kitchen cupfuls = quart. cupfuls of granulated sugar } = pound. - / cupfuls of powdered sugar } heaping tablespoonful of sugar = ounce. heaping tablespoonful of butter } = oz. or / cupful butter size of an egg } cupful of butter = / pound. cupfuls of flour } = pound. heaping quart } round tablespoonfuls of dry material = cupful. tablespoonfuls of liquid = cupful. proportions to eggs to quart of milk for custards. to eggs to pint of milk for custards. saltspoonful of salt to quart of milk for custards. teaspoonful of vanilla to one quart of milk for custards. ounces of gelatine to - / quarts of liquid. heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to quart of milk. heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder to quart of flour. even teaspoonful of baking-powder to cupful of flour. teaspoonful of soda to pint of sour milk. teaspoonful of soda to / pint of molasses. materials [sidenote: gelatine.] cooper's gelatine costs eight cents a box, holding two ounces. unless perfectly transparent jelly, without clarifying, is required, it serves as well as the more expensive brands. cox's gelatine costs fifteen cents a box, containing one and one half ounces. it is clear, and needs only to be strained to make a transparent jelly. isinglass comes in thin sheets, is very clear, and makes a brilliant jelly. it costs ten cents an ounce, and there are eight and one half sheets of the white, thirteen sheets of the red, to an ounce. for dissolving and proportions, see page . [sidenote: chocolate.] unsweetened chocolate costs about thirty-eight cents a pound. it is usually divided into squares weighing one ounce each. sweetened chocolate costs about fifty cents per pound, and is usually divided into bars, each weighing a little less than one and a quarter ounces. [sidenote: to melt chocolate.] break the chocolate into pieces, and put them into a dry pan on the fire, where the heat is moderate. the chocolate melts quickly, and must be carefully watched, or it will burn. add a few spoonfuls of milk to melted chocolate to dissolve it before adding it to custards. [sidenote: to whip eggs.] do not let a particle of the yolk get into the whites. add a little salt, and they will whip more quickly. the "daisy beater," with the handle bent, as shown in illustration, is an excellent one for whipping eggs. hold it flat, and whip with an upward motion. [sidenote: sweetening.] one tablespoonful of powdered sugar to the white of one egg is the right proportion for sweetening meringue. add but one spoonful of sugar at a time, place it on the side of the dish, and beat it in gradually from below. this will destroy the air-cells less, and leave the egg lighter than sprinkling the sugar over the top. [sidenote: to whip cream.] to whip cream, see page . [sidenote: milk.] milk is scalded when the water in the outside double kettle boils. [sidenote: raisins.] raisins are more easily stoned if soaked a few minutes. roll raisins and currants in flour before adding them to cake or puddings. if added the last thing they will then hold in place, and not sink to the bottom. [sidenote: thickening.] use arrowroot to thicken fruit juices. it cooks perfectly clear, and does not destroy the color or cloud the transparency of the fruit. [sidenote: flavoring.] where essences or wine flavorings are used they are put in the last thing, and after the mixture is cooked. for cold desserts the mixture should be partly or entirely cold before adding them. [sidenote: molding.] in molding mixtures be careful that bubbles of air do not form on the sides of the molds, as they leave holes and destroy the smoothness and beauty of the form. this can be prevented by pouring the mixture very slowly into the center of the tin. flavors vanilla has long held first place in american cooking as flavoring, but is no longer highly esteemed, and by many it is considered injurious. the essences of fruits, flowers, and nuts are preferable. they cost twenty cents per bottle of two ounces. [sidenote: liqueurs.] cordials or liqueurs give by far the most delicate and pleasant flavor to jellies, creams, and many other desserts. they are rich syrups of different flavors, and contain only enough spirits to preserve them. maraschino has the flavor of bitter cherry, curaçao of orange-peel, noyau of peach-kernels or nuts. they cost about $ . per bottle, holding nearly a quart, and last so long a time that the expense of using them is really not greater, if as much, as for vanilla, which costs twenty-five cents for two ounces. [sidenote: wines.] kirsch, rum, and sherry are also much used in high-class cooking, and, like the liqueurs, need not be excluded from use on the score of temperance. the slight flavor they impart to cooked dishes does not suggest the drink or create a taste for liquors. wine augments the flavor of salt, and so the latter should be used sparingly until after the flavoring is added. [sidenote: eau de vie de dantzic.] eau de vie de dantzic is made of brandy, is highly flavored, and contains gold-leaf. it is used for jellies, making them very ornamental. there is seldom enough gold-leaf in it, however, and more should be added. a book of gold-leaf costs less than fifty cents. [sidenote: vanilla bean.] in french cooking the vanilla bean is generally used instead of the extract. the bean is split and infused in the liquid. half of one bean is sufficient to flavor one quart, but its use is not always economical, as one bean costs twenty cents. it is said the tonquin bean, which is much less expensive, very closely resembles the vanilla bean in flavor and can be substituted for it. [sidenote: vanilla powder.] vanilla powder is used for ice-creams. [sidenote: vanilla sugar.] vanilla sugar is better than the extract of vanilla for meringues, whips, etc., where a liquid is not desirable. [sidenote: flavoring sugars.] flavoring sugars can be made as follows: [sidenote: vanilla sugar.] cut one ounce of dried vanilla beans into pieces and pound them in a mortar with one half pound of granulated sugar to a fine powder. pass it through a fine sieve. pound again the coarse pieces that do not go through at first. keep it in a well-corked bottle or preserve jar. [sidenote: orange sugar.] cut from six oranges the thin yellow rind, or zest, taking none of the white peel. let it thoroughly dry, then pound it in a mortar with a cupful of granulated sugar and pass it through a fine sieve. keep it in an air-tight jar. one tablespoonful of this sugar will flavor a quart of custard. the mandarin orange makes a good flavor. [sidenote: lemon sugar.] another way is to rub cut loaf-sugar against the peel of an orange or lemon. as the sugar breaks the oil sacs and absorbs the zest, scrape it off, dry, and pass it through a fine sieve. [sidenote: rose sugar.] make the same as orange sugar, using two cupfuls of dried rose leaves to one of sugar. [sidenote: orange and lemon syrups.] orange and lemon syrups are made by pounding the thin yellow rinds with a little tepid water to a pulp, then adding it to cold syrup at ° (see page ), and letting it infuse for an hour or more. strain and keep in air-tight jars. [sidenote: pistachio flavor.] pistachio flavor can be obtained, when it is not convenient to use the nuts, by first flavoring with orange-flower water, then adding a very little essence of bitter almond. a peach leaf, infused with milk when it is scalded for custard, will give the flavor of noyau. [sidenote: caramel.] caramel (see page ). this gives a very delicate and agreeable flavor to custards, cream and ices. [sidenote: preserved orange and lemon peel.] candied orange and lemon peel cut into shreds is good in custards and cakes. to prepare it, boil the peel in water until tender, then in sugar and water until clear; let it stand in the syrup several hours, then drain and dry. it will keep indefinitely in a closed jar. coloring vegetable coloring pastes, which are entirely harmless, can be obtained for twenty-five cents a bottle. the green and the red, or carmine, are the colors generally used for icings, creams and jellies. the orange is used for orange-cake icing and candies. very little should be used, as the colors should be delicate. to guard against using too much it is well to dilute it with a little water and add only a few drops at a time to the mixture. the various shades of red to pink are obtained by using more or less carmine. [sidenote: fruit juices.] fruit juices impart both color and flavor. they should be filtered (see page ) before using, or they give a muddy color. garnishing to decorate cold sweet dishes, use fancy cakes, icings, fruits either fresh, candied, compote or glacé; jellies or blanc-mange molded, or made into a layer and then cut into fancy shapes. spun sugar (see page ) makes a fine decoration, and can be formed into nests, wreaths, balls, or simply spread irregularly over a dish. [sidenote: candied california fruits.] the candied california fruits are very useful and beautiful for both cold and hot desserts. they cost sixty to eighty cents a pound, and are not expensive, as but little is used at a time, and they keep indefinitely in closed jars. cherries are used whole, the other fruits are cut into pieces. [sidenote: angelica.] angelica is also very effective for decoration. a piece costing twenty cents will go a long way. it is cut into thin strips and then into diamond-shaped or triangular pieces, and used to simulate leaves. the combination of cherries and angelica is especially pretty. [sidenote: currants.] a mold sprinkled with currants makes a good garnish for hot or cold puddings. [sidenote: raisins and almonds.] raisins and almonds also make an effective garnish for either hot or cold desserts. [sidenote: nuts.] almonds, pistachio nuts, filberts, english walnuts and chestnuts are employed in many ways, as see receipts. [sidenote: fresh flowers.] fresh flowers and green leaves may be used with good effect on many cold dishes. pink roses lend themselves particularly to this purpose. violets, pansies, geraniums, sweet-peas and others are often appropriate. nasturtiums with salad are good for both decoration and flavor. (see opposite pages , , .) [sidenote: colored sugars.] colored sugars and small candies called "hundreds and thousands" are used to sprinkle over icings, méringues, creams and whips. to color sugar sift coarse granulated sugar, spread the coarse grains on stiff paper, and drop on it a few drops of coloring fluid. roll it under the hand until evenly tinted, then leave to dry on the paper. keep in corked bottles. [sidenote: sauces.] sauces for cold sweet dishes are custards, whipped cream, canned or preserved fruit, fresh fruit juices, or purées. the purées are crushed fruit sweetened to taste (with syrup at ° if convenient). they are improved with a little flavoring of maraschino, kirsch, curaçao, or with orange or lemon juice. peach is improved in appearance if slightly colored with carmine. [sidenote: canned fruits.] canned fruits are now very inexpensive, and many of them are fresh in taste as well as appearance. they are useful in a variety of desserts, and often suit the purpose as well as fresh fruits. the store-closet [sidenote: garnishing and flavoring.] the various articles needed for garnishing, flavoring, etc., should be kept in glass preserve jars, and labeled. the store-closet, once furnished with the requisites for fancy dishes, will tempt the ordinary cook to a higher class of work, and contribute to the desirable end of presenting dishes that please both sight and taste, and so raise the standard of every-day cooking. it is very easy to garnish a dish or decorate a mold, and the habit once formed will lead to more ambitious attempts. =custards= boiled custard no. cupfuls, or one pint, of milk. yolks of eggs. / saltspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of vanilla. tablespoonfuls of sugar. boiled custard is the basis of many puddings, ice-creams and sauces. it requires care to get it just right, for the cooking must be arrested at the right point; a moment too soon leaves it too thin, a moment too long curdles and spoils it. it should have the consistency of thick cream, and be perfectly smooth. it is safer to make it in a double boiler. bring the milk to the scalding-point without boiling; then take from the fire, and pour it slowly into the eggs and sugar, which have been beaten together to a cream; stir all the time; replace on the fire, and stir until the custard coats the spoon, or a smooth creamy consistency is attained; then immediately strain it into a cold dish, and add the flavoring. if vanilla bean, peach leaves, or lemon zest are used for flavoring, they can be boiled with the milk. if by accident the custard begins to grain, arrest the cooking at once by putting the saucepan in cold water; add a little cold milk, and beat it vigorously with a dover beater. five egg yolks to a quart of milk will make a good boiled custard, but six or eight make it richer. it is smoother when the yolks only are used, yet the whole egg makes a good custard, and in the emergency of not having enough eggs at hand a little corn-starch may be used. boiled custard may be flavored with vanilla, almond, rose, maraschino, noyau, caramel, coffee, chopped almonds, grated cocoanut, or pounded macaroons. the cocoanut makes a delicious custard, but must be rich with eggs and stiff enough to keep the cocoanut from settling to the bottom. boiled custard no. . make a boiled custard (see preceding receipt), using a pint of milk, three egg yolks, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, dash of salt, and any flavoring preferred. let it get entirely cold; just before serving mix in lightly the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. this will give a sponge-like texture, and make a very delicate custard. as the whites are not cooked it will not keep long after they are added. ornament the top with bits of jelly on small pieces of the whipped egg. =floating island= whip the whites of two or three eggs very stiff; add a tablespoonful of powdered sugar (see page ) to each egg; flavor with essence of almond, and add a few chopped almonds. turn it into an oiled pudding-mold which has a fancy top; cover and place it in a saucepan of boiling water to poach for twenty minutes. leave enough room in the mold for the meringue to swell. let it stand in the mold until cold; it will contract and leave the sides. when ready to serve, unmold the meringue and place it on boiled custard served in a glass dish. [illustration: floating island. (see page .)] =chocolate custard= make a boiled custard no. , using the whites as well as the yolks of the eggs; add one bar of melted chocolate (see page ). mix thoroughly and strain into cups. =baked custard= use the same proportions as for boiled custard. beat the eggs, sugar, and salt together to a cream; stir in the scalded milk; turn into a pudding-dish or into cups; grate a little nutmeg over the top; stand it in a pan of hot water, and bake in a moderate oven until firm in the center. test by running a knife into the custard. if it comes out clean, it is done; if milky, it needs longer cooking; but it must be carefully watched, for it will separate if cooked too long. a custard, to be smooth and solid, must be baked very slowly. the holes often seen in baked custard are caused by escaping bubbles of steam, which rise through the mixture when the heat reaches the boiling-point. =caramel custard= put a cupful of granulated sugar into a small saucepan with a tablespoonful of water; stir until melted; then let it cook until a light brown color (see caramel, page ). turn one half the caramel into a well-buttered mold which has straight sides and flat top, and let it get cold. into the rest of the caramel turn a half cupful of hot water, and let it stand on the side of the range until the caramel is dissolved. this is for the sauce. stir four yolks and two whole eggs, with three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one half saltspoonful of salt, to a cream, but do not let it froth; add a pint of scalded milk and a half teaspoonful of vanilla. strain this into the mold onto the cold hardened caramel. place the mold in a pan of hot water, and bake in a very moderate oven until firm in the center; test by running in a knife (see baked custard), and watch it carefully. the water in the pan must not boil, and the oven should be so slow that it will take at least an hour to cook the custard. it will then be very firm and smooth. unmold the custard when ready to serve. it will have a glaze of caramel over the top, and some will run down the sides. serve the caramel sauce in another dish. this dish is recommended. =chocolate cream custard= use the same proportions as for caramel custard. add one and one half ounces of melted chocolate (see page ). strain it into a buttered mold, and bake slowly the same as caramel custard. unmold when cold, and serve with or without whipped cream. both the caramel and the chocolate cream custards may be baked in individual timbale-molds, if preferred. =rennet custard= sweeten and flavor the milk; heat it until lukewarm; then turn it into the glass dish in which it is to be served. add to each quart of milk a tablespoonful of liquid rennet (which comes prepared for custards), and mix it thoroughly. let it stand where it will remain lukewarm until a firm curd is formed; then remove carefully to a cold place. if jarred the whey is likely to separate. brandy or rum make the best flavoring for this custard, but any flavoring may be used. it may be served without sauce, but a whipped cream, colored pink, improves it, and also takes away the suggestion of soured milk which curds give. =corn-starch puddings= (no. .) a plain corn-starch pudding pint of milk. heaping tablespoonfuls of corn-starch. tablespoonfuls of sugar. whites of eggs. / teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the eggs to a stiff froth. dissolve the corn-starch in a little of the cold milk. stir the sugar into the rest of the milk, and place it on the fire. when it begins to boil, add the dissolved corn-starch. stir constantly for a few moments. when it becomes well thickened, stir in the beaten whites of the eggs, and let it remain a little longer to cook the eggs. remove from the fire; flavor with vanilla, and turn it into a mold.[ -*] this pudding is quickly and easily made. it gives about a quart of pudding, or enough to serve six to eight persons. it may or may not be served with a custard made of the yolks of the eggs, but it requires a good sauce and flavoring, or it is rather tasteless. several variations of this receipt are given below. footnotes: [ -*] corn-starch has a raw taste unless it is thoroughly cooked. after the mixture has thickened it can be left to cook in a double boiler for half an hour without changing its consistency, and this length of time for cooking is essential to its flavor. a mold of corn starch should not be very firm, but have a trembling jelly-like consistency. the eggs may be omitted from above receipt if desired, but the pudding will not be as delicate.--m. r. (no. .) corn-starch with canned fruit when the corn-starch is sufficiently set to hold the fruit in place, stir into it lightly one half can of well-drained fruit (cherries, raspberries, strawberries, or any other fruit), and turn it into a mold to harden. serve the juice of the fruit with it as a sauce. [illustration: cornstarch pudding molded in ring mold with white california canned cherries and center filled with cherries.] (no. .) cocoanut pudding when the corn-starch is removed from the fire, and partly cooled, add half a cocoanut grated. mix it well together and turn into a mold; serve with a custard or, better, with whipped cream. sprinkle sugar over the half of the grated cocoanut not used, and spread it on a sieve to dry. it will keep for some time when dried. (no. .) chocolate pudding when the corn-starch is taken from the fire and flavored, turn one third of it into a saucepan, and mix with it one and a half ounces or squares of chocolate melted, a tablespoonful of sugar if unsweetened chocolate is used, and a half cupful of stoned raisins. let it cook one minute to set the chocolate. turn into a plain cylindrical mold one half of the white corn-starch. make it a smooth, even layer, keeping the edges clean; then add the chocolate; smooth it in the same way; then add the rest of the white corn-starch, making three even layers, alternating in color; after each layer is in wipe the sides of the mold so no speck of one color will deface the other. (see illustration.) [illustration: cornstarch pudding in layers. (see page .)] [illustration: cornstarch pudding with pansies molded in a layer of jelly on top--garnished with pansies.] =corn-starch chocolates= (very simple, and quickly made) scald a pint of milk and four tablespoonfuls of sugar; add an ounce of chocolate shaved thin, so it will dissolve quickly; then add two heaping tablespoonfuls of corn-starch which has been diluted with a little of the cold milk. stir over the fire until the mixture is thickened, add a half teaspoonful of vanilla, and turn it into small cups to cool and harden. unmold the forms when ready to serve, and use sweetened milk for a sauce. by using a little less corn-starch, this mixture will be a smooth, thick custard, and may be served in the cups. =blanc-mange, or white jelly= / box, or ounce, of gelatine. - / cupfuls of milk. / cupful of sugar. teaspoonful of vanilla, or other flavor. scald three cupfuls of milk with the sugar; then add and dissolve in it the gelatine, which has soaked for one half hour in a half cupful of milk. remove from the fire, add the flavoring, and strain into a mold. blanc-mange may be flavored with any of the liqueurs, and it may have incorporated with it, when stiffened enough to hold them suspended, chopped nuts or fruits, or raisins, currants, and citron. =plum pudding jelly= / box, or ounce, of gelatine soaked / hour in cupful of cold water. - / ounces of chocolate. cupful of sugar. pint of milk. cupful of raisins stoned. / cupful of currants. / cupful of sliced citron. dissolve the sugar in the milk, and put it in a double boiler to scald. melt the chocolate on a dry pan; then add a few spoonfuls of the milk to make it smooth, and add it to the scalded milk. remove from the fire, and add the soaked gelatine. stir until the gelatine is dissolved; then strain it into a bowl. when it begins to set, or is firm enough to hold the fruit in place, stir in the fruit, which must have stood in warm water a little while to soften. flavor with one half teaspoonful of vanilla, or a few drops of lemon. turn it into a mold to harden. serve with it whipped cream, or a sauce made of the whipped white of one egg, one tablespoonful of powdered sugar, a cupful of milk, and a few drops of vanilla. bavarian creams [sidenote: general remarks about.] bavarian creams are very wholesome, light, and delicious desserts. they are easily made, and are inexpensive, as one pint of cream is sufficient to make a quart and a half of bavarian. they are subject to so many variations that they may be often presented without seeming to be the same dish. bavarian creams may be used for charlotte russe. general rules.--have the cream cold; then whipped, and drained (see whipping cream), and do not add the whipped cream to the gelatine mixture until the latter is beginning to set. [sidenote: how to make.] have the gelatine soaked in cold water one hour. it will then quickly dissolve in the hot custard. do not boil the gelatine. =plain bavarian cream= pint of cream whipped. pint of cream or milk. / cupful of sugar. yolks of eggs. / saltspoonful of salt. / box, or ounce, of gelatine soaked in one half cupful of water. / vanilla bean, or teaspoonful of vanilla extract. whip one pint of cream, and stand it aside to drain. scald one pint of cream or milk with the vanilla bean split in two; remove it from the fire, and turn it slowly, stirring all the time, on the yolks, which have been beaten with the sugar and salt to a cream. return it to the fire a moment to set the egg, but take it off the moment it begins to thicken. add the soaked gelatine and flavoring (if the bean has not been used). stir until the gelatine has dissolved, then pass it through a sieve. when it is cold, and beginning to set, whip it a few minutes with a dover beater and then mix in lightly the whipped cream, and turn it into a mold to harden. avoid using any of the cream which has returned to liquid. this cream should have a spongy texture. =chocolate bavarian= use the receipt given above for plain bavarian. melt two ounces of chocolate, and dissolve it in a little milk; add this to the custard mixture before the gelatine. =italian cream, or bavarian without cream= make a custard of one pint of milk, the yolks of three eggs, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar; add a dash of salt. when it is cooked enough to coat the spoon, add an ounce of gelatine, which has soaked for half an hour in some of the cold milk. as soon as the gelatine is dissolved, remove from the fire, and when it begins to stiffen fold in carefully the whites of three eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and turn it into a mold to set. =fruit bavarian= mash and press through a colander any fresh or canned fruit. if berries are used, press them through a sieve to extract the seeds. sweeten to taste, and flavor with a little orange and lemon-juice, curaçao, or maraschino. to a pint of fruit juice or pulp add a half box or one ounce of gelatine, which has soaked an hour in one half cupful of cold water, and then been dissolved in one half cupful of hot water. stir the fruit and gelatine on ice until it begins to set, otherwise the fruit will settle to the bottom. then stir in lightly a pint of cream whipped and well-drained, and turn it into a mold to harden. strawberries, raspberries, pineapple, peaches, and apricots are the fruits generally used. with fruits it is better to use a porcelain mold if possible, as tin discolors. if a tin one is used, coat it with jelly as directed on page , using a little of the dissolved gelatine (sweetened and flavored) prepared for the fruit. =rice bavarian, or riz À l'impÉratrice= put into a double boiler one and one half pints of milk and a few thin cuts of lemon-zest; when it boils stir in one half cupful of well-washed rice and a saltspoonful of salt. cook until the rice is perfectly tender. the milk should be nearly boiled away, leaving the rice very moist. then add or mix in carefully a half cupful of sugar and a quarter of a box, or one half ounce, of gelatine, which has soaked in half a cupful of cold water for one hour, and then melted by placing the cup containing it in hot water for a few minutes. when the mixture is partly cold add three tablespoonfuls each of maraschino and of sherry, or of sherry alone, or of any other flavoring. when it is beginning to set, stir in lightly one half pint or more of well-whipped cream, and turn it into a mold. this is a very white dish, and is a delicious dessert. it may be served alone, or with orange jelly cut into croûtons, or with orange compote (see page ), or with plain or whipped cream. =bavarian panachÉe= make a plain bavarian; flavor with vanilla; divide it into three parts before the cream is added. into one third stir one ounce of melted chocolate. into another third mix two tablespoonfuls of pistachio nuts chopped fine, and color it green (see page ). arrange the three parts in layers in a mold, beginning with the white, and stir into each one, after it has begun to set, and just before putting it into the mold, a third of the whipped cream. by keeping it in a warm place the bavarian will not set before it is wanted, and it can then be made to set quickly by placing it on ice. =bavarian en surprise= line a mold with chocolate bavarian one inch thick. fill the center with vanilla bavarian mixed with chopped nuts, or line the mold with vanilla bavarian, and fill with fruit bavarian (see double molding, page ). =diplomatic pudding= this is molded in a double mold, and made of very clear lemon, orange, or wine jelly for the outside, and a bavarian cream for the inside. with candied fruits make a design on the bottom of the larger mold (see molding, page ); fix it with a very little jelly, then add enough more to make a half or three quarter inch layer of jelly. when it is set put in the center mold. make a layer of fruit and a layer of jelly alternately until the outside space is filled, using fruits of different colors for the different layers or stripes. when it is set, remove the small mold, and fill the space with bavarian, using a flavor that goes well with the one used in the jelly--maraschino with orange; sherry, noyau, or almond with lemon. =diplomatic bavarian= take six lady-fingers; open, and spread them with apricot, or with peach jam. place them together again like a sandwich. moisten them with maraschino, and cut them in one inch lengths. boil until softened a half cupful of stoned raisins and a half cupful of currants; drain them, and moisten them with maraschino. make a plain bavarian flavored with kirsch. when it is beginning to set and ready to go into the mold, mix it lightly with the cake and fruit, and turn into a mold to harden. =charlotte russe= [sidenote: forms.] charlotte russe is simply a cream mixture, molded, with cake on the outside. it is easily made and always liked. charlotte pans are oval, but any plain, round mold, or a kitchen basin with sides not too slanting, or individual molds may be used. [sidenote: general directions.] first place on the bottom of the pan an oiled paper which is cut to fit it neatly; then arrange lady-fingers evenly around the sides, or instead of lady-fingers use strips of layer sponge cake, no. (page ), or of genoese (page ). cut the strips one or one and a half inches wide, and fit them closely together. fill the center with any of the mixtures given below, and let it stand an hour or more to harden. [illustration: charlotte russe made with lady fingers.] [sidenote: ornamentation.] [sidenote: cake in two colors.] [sidenote: icing in two colors.] [sidenote: decorating the top.] a sheet of cake cut to fit the top may, or may not, be used. if cake is used it is better to place it on the charlotte after it is unmolded and the paper removed. the layer cake should be one quarter or three eighths of an inch thick only. charlottes can be ornamented in many ways, and made very elaborate if desired. a simple decoration is obtained by having the strips of cake in two colors, alternating the upper, or browned, with the under, or white, side of the cake. for the top, cut a piece of cake to the right shape. then cut it transversely, making even, triangular pieces, with the width at the base the same as the side strips. turn over each alternate piece to give the two colors (see illustration); or, ice the strips and the top piece of cake with royal icing (see illustration) in two colors. let the icing harden before placing it in the mold. have the sides, as well as the bottom, of the mold lined with paper. arrange the strips in the mold with the colors alternating. instead of using cake for the top, some of the filling mixture can be put into a pastry-bag, and pressed through a tube over the top in fancy forms. meringue or whipped cream may also be used for decorating the top. [illustration: charlotte russe with cake arranged in strips of two colors. (see page .)] [illustration: charlotte russe with strips of cake iced in two colors. (see page .)] [illustration: charlotte russe made of one layer of cake--top decorated with dots of icing.] =charlotte russe filling no. = whip a pint of cream to a stiff froth. soak a half ounce of gelatine in three tablespoonfuls of cold water for half an hour; then dissolve it with two tablespoonfuls of boiling water. add to the whipped cream a tablespoonful of powdered sugar (or a little more if liqueurs are not used for flavoring), and two dessertspoonfuls of noyau or other liqueur, or a teaspoonful of vanilla. then turn in slowly the dissolved gelatine, beating all the time. when it begins to stiffen turn it into a mold which is lined with cake. =charlotte russe filling no. = beat well together two yolks of eggs and a half tablespoonful of sugar. scald a half cupful of milk, and stir it into the beaten yolks; add a dash of salt, and return it to the double boiler. stir it over the fire until it coats the spoon, thus making a plain boiled custard. add to the hot custard a level tablespoonful of cooper's gelatine, which has soaked for half an hour in four tablespoonfuls of cold water; stir until the gelatine is dissolved, then strain it into a bowl, add two tablespoonfuls of sherry (or use any flavoring desired) and the whipped whites of two eggs; beat until it just begins to thicken, then mix in lightly a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth, and turn into the mold. =charlotte russe filling no. (fruit)= soak an ounce of gelatine in a half cupful of cold water for half an hour. make a syrup of one cupful of sugar, a half cupful of lemon-juice, and two cupfuls of orange-juice. when it has become a light syrup, turn it slowly onto the beaten yolks of four eggs, beating all the time. return it to the double boiler, and cook until it is a little thickened, then add the gelatine. when the gelatine is dissolved, strain and beat until it is cold; add the whites of four eggs, and beat until it stiffens, then turn it into the mold. a pint of whipped cream may be used instead of the whipped whites of the eggs if convenient. in place of orange and lemon-juice, any fruit may be used. stew the fruit until tender, add enough sugar to sweeten, and cook it to a light syrup; then press the fruit through a sieve, and to two and a half cupfuls of fruit syrup or of fruit pulp add the four eggs, and proceed as directed for the orange filling. =charlotte russe filling, no. = use any of the plain or fruit bavarian creams. =charlotte russe filling no. = use whipped jelly plain, or whipped jelly with fruits, called macédoine of fruits (see page ). =timbale of brioche= bake a brioche (see page ) in a cylindrical mold. cut a straight slice off the top about one inch thick; replace the cake in the tin, and carefully pick out the center of the loaf, leaving a thickness of one inch of the brioche. spread the inside with a layer of jam. put in a saucepan the liquor from a can of apricots or peaches. stir into it two tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, moistened with a little water, and stir over the fire until the juice is thickened and clear. fill the center of the brioche with the drained fruit, mixed with blanched almonds and raisins; pour over it the thickened syrup, replace the cover. when set turn it onto a dish; spread the outside with a little jam, and sprinkle with chopped blanched almonds. this makes a very simple and wholesome sweet. =charlotte princesse de galles= take eight carlsbad wafers of oblong shape. stand them on end around the outside of a cylindrical mold, and carefully stick the edges together with sugar cooked to the crack, or with royal icing (see page ). make the octagon as regular as possible. when the edges are well set place it on a foundation either of puff-paste or of layer cake cut to the shape of the form. ornament it with dots of royal icing pressed through a pastry-bag and tube onto the edges. just before serving fill the center with whipped cream, or with czarina cream, or with whipped jelly and fruits, or whipped jelly and meringue, or with any of the mousses. the wafers quickly loose their crispness, so the form must not be filled until the moment of serving. a filling may also be made for this charlotte of any of the charlotte russe mixtures, molding them in a form smaller than the form of wafers, and when unmolded the ornamental form placed over it, and whipped cream piled on top. in this way the wafers will not be softened. [illustration: charlotte princesse de galles. (see page .)] [illustration: charlotte princesse de galles made of rolled gauffres. (see page .)] =strawberry charlotte= cut large firm strawberries in two lengthwise; dip them in liquid gelatine, and line a plain mold, placing the flat side against the mold. if the mold is on ice the jelly will harden at once, and hold the berries in place. fill the center with charlotte filling no. , or with bavarian cream, or with pain de fraises. =gÂteau st. honorÉ= this is a combination of puff-paste, cream cakes, glacé fruits, and whipped cream. it is said to be the triumph of the chef's art, yet one need not fear to undertake it when one has learned to make good pastry and to boil sugar. it is an ornamental, delicious dessert, and one that can be presented on the most formal occasions. first: roll thin a very short or a puff-paste, so when baked it will be one quarter of an inch thick only. cut it the size of a layer-cake tin; place it on a dampened baking-tin, and prick it with a fork in several places. second: make a cream-cake batter (see page ); put the batter in a pastry-bag with half inch tube, and press out onto and around the edge of the paste a ring of the batter. with the rest of the batter make a number of small cakes (two dozen), forming them with the tube into balls one half inch in diameter. brush the ring and balls with egg, and bake in a quick oven; then fill them with st. honoré cream (see below). third: boil a cupful of sugar to the crack, and glacé some orange sections and some white grapes (see glacé fruits, page ). fourth: with some of the sugar used for the fruits stick the small cream cakes onto the ring, making an even border; on top of each cake stick a grape, and between them a section of orange. place a candied cherry on each piece of orange, and one below it, if there is room. other candied fruits and angelica may be used also, if desired, and arranged in any way to suit the fancy. fifth: make a st. honoré cream as follows: scald one cupful of milk in a double boiler; turn it slowly onto the yolks of six eggs, which have been well beaten with one and one half tablespoonfuls of corn-starch and a cupful of powdered sugar. return to the fire until it begins to thicken or coats the spoon, then remove, and flavor with one teaspoonful each of vanilla and noyau, and stir in lightly the whites of eight eggs beaten very stiff. cook it one minute to set the whites, beating all the time. when cold, turn it into the gâteau. whipped cream may or may not be piled on top of the st. honoré cream. [illustration: gÂteau st. honorÉ. (see page .)] =croquenbouche of macaroons= oil the outside of a dome-shaped mold. beginning at the bottom, cover it with macaroons, sticking the edges of the macaroons together with sugar boiled to the crack, or with royal icing (see page ). just before serving turn it off the mold, and place it over a form of plain or fruit bavarian cream, which has been hardened in a smaller mold of the same shape. there should be an inch or more of space between the two, the outer one covering the other like a cage. a croquenbouche can also be made of little cakes cut from a layer cake with a small biscuit-cutter, and iced in two colors with royal icing, or with glacé oranges, or with chestnuts. the latter are difficult to make, but are very good with ice-creams. whipped cream [sidenote: general directions.] [sidenote: temperature.] [sidenote: texture.] [sidenote: time for adding.] [sidenote: draining.] one half pint of double or very rich cream costs ten cents, and may be diluted one half, giving a pint of cream as called for in the receipts. cream should be placed on the ice for several hours before it is whipped. it is essential to have it very cold, otherwise it will not whip well; and also, if rich cream, it will form particles of butter. if not lower than ° it will all go to butter. place the bowl containing the cream in a larger bowl containing cracked ice, and with a cream churn, dover beater, or wire whip, whichever is convenient, whip it to a stiff froth; continue to whip until it all becomes inflated. if the cream is cold it will take but a few minutes. this gives a firm, fine-grained cream, which is used for bavarians, mousses, ice-creams, etc. when a lighter and more frothy cream, called syllabub, is wanted for whips and sauces, dilute the cream more, and remove the froth from the top of the cream as it rises while being whipped, and place it on a fine sieve over a bowl to drain. that which drips through the sieve replace in the whipping-bowl to be again beaten. the flavoring and sweetening are added after it is whipped for the first method; but it is better to add it before for the latter, as mixing breaks down the froth. whipped cream, like beaten whites of eggs, added to gelatine or custard mixtures, gives them a sponge-like texture. it should be drained, and added only when the mixtures are cold and ready to be molded or frozen. it is then cut in lightly, not stirred. some judgment must be used about diluting the cream, and it must stand several hours on ice to insure success. cream whipped by the first method is the one recommended for all purposes. when it is added to other things, any liquid cream that may have dripped to the bottom of the bowl should not be put in. desserts of whipped cream preserves and jams served with whipped cream make an excellent dessert. =whips= flavor a pint of cream with a dessertspoonful of maraschino, kirsch, or rum, or with a teaspoonful of essence of vanilla, rose, or almonds, or flavor it with black coffee. color it pink, or green, or leave it white. sweeten with three scant tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. whip it to a stiff froth and drain. let it stand on ice until ready to use; then with a spoon pile it high on a glass dish. if the cream is white sprinkle it with colored pink and green sugar mixed (see page ). or, skim off the foam which first rises, placing several spoonfuls of it on a sieve to drain. color the rest a delicate pink, and whip it until it all becomes firm and of fine grain. turn this into a glass dish, and with a spoon place the white froth upon it. =czarina cream= pint of cream. / box of gelatine. / cupful of sugar. / cupful of blanched almonds. teaspoonful of vanilla. / teaspoonful of rosewater. tablespoonfuls of sherry. put a bowl containing the cream on ice; whip it to a stiff froth; add slowly the sugar, then the gelatine (which has first been soaked an hour in one quarter cupful of cold water, and then dissolved by placing the cup in hot water), beating all the time. add the vanilla and rosewater, and enough green coloring (see page ) to give it a delicate color. when it begins to stiffen add the sherry, and lastly the almonds chopped fine. when the cream is quite firm put it in round paper boxes, and sprinkle over the top a little colored sugar, or chopped pistachio nuts and granulated sugar mixed. let it stand an hour or more on ice before serving. =chestnut purÉe with cream= boil a pound of shelled english chestnuts a few minutes; then drain, and remove the skins. boil them again until tender; drain, and mash them through a purée sieve; sweeten, flavor with vanilla, and moisten them with a little cream. put the purée in a saucepan, and stir over a slow heat until dry; then press it through a colander or potato-press onto the dish in which it is to be served. form it into a circle, using care not to destroy the light and vermicelli-like form the colander has given it. serve whipped cream in the center of the ring. =chestnuts with cream= after removing the shells and skins from some english chestnuts, boil them until tender in water, then in sugar and water, until clear. let them lie in the syrup until cold; then drain, and pile them on a dish. boil the syrup down to a thick consistency, and pour it over the nuts. serve cold with whipped cream. uses for stale cake =pine cones= with a biscuit-cutter, cut slices of stale cake or bread into circles. moisten them with sherry, maraschino, or merely with a little hot water. chop some fresh or canned pineapple into small pieces, and pile it on the cakes. with a knife press each one into the form of a cone or small pyramid. place them in a shallow tin close together, but not touching. put the pineapple liquor into a saucepan, and thicken it with arrowroot (which has first been wet with water), using a teaspoonful to a cupful of liquor. cook until the arrowroot becomes clear and begins to stiffen; then pour it slowly over the cones. it will cover them with a jelly. when cold, trim them carefully so the base of each one will be round, and lift them carefully from the tin. =cake with custard= spread slices of stale cake or cottage pudding with jam; place them in a glass dish, and cover with boiled custard; or first moisten the cake with sherry, then cover with custard. =trifle (esther)= slice in two six square sponge cakes (layer cake cut in squares will do), spread with jam or jelly (a tart jelly is best), and put them together like sandwiches. moisten them in a mixture of one third brandy and two thirds sherry. put them in a glass dish, and pour over them a custard made of one pint of milk, three eggs, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar; put together as directed for boiled custard no. (page ). blanch and cut in fine strips one half cupful of almonds, and stick them into the top cakes standing upright. cover all with a half pint of whipped cream, and sprinkle the top with hundreds and thousands (see page ), or with colored sugar (see page ). =banana trifle (martha)= / cupful of milk. / cupful of water. heaping teaspoonful of cornstarch. even teaspoonful of sugar. / saltspoonful of salt. bananas. lady-fingers. / pint of cream, or the whipped white of one egg. slice the bananas, and lay them in a glass dish in alternate layers with four lady-fingers split in two. put the milk and water in a saucepan; add the sugar, salt, and the corn-starch diluted in a little cold water. when it has thickened pour it over the bananas, and let it stand until cold and ready to serve; then cover the top with whipped cream, or if that is not convenient use the whipped white of one egg sweetened with one tablespoonful of sugar. split and break in two the remaining lady-fingers, and place them upright around the edge. sweet jellies with different flavors, colors, and combinations, a great variety of attractive desserts can be made with gelatine. they are inexpensive, require no skill, and the work is accomplished in a very few minutes. [sidenote: points to observe in making jellies.] _points to observe in making jellies._--have jellies perfectly transparent and brilliant. use the right proportions, so the jelly will hold its form, but not be too solid. mold the jelly carefully. [sidenote: dissolving.] _dissolving._--gelatine should be soaked in cold water in a cold place (one cupful of water to a box of gelatine) for one or more hours; then dissolved in a little hot water, or added to the hot mixture. treated in this way it will dissolve quickly, and be free from taste or smell. if soaked in warm water in a warm place it will have a disagreeable taste and odor, requiring much flavoring to overcome. it does not need cooking. if the jelly is not sufficiently firm, add more gelatine; boiling down will not effect the purpose. [sidenote: proportions.] _proportions._--observe the quantity of gelatine stated on the box, as some brands do not contain two ounces. two ounces will take one and three quarter quarts of liquid, including that used for soaking and flavoring. the directions given on the boxes usually give the proportion of one ounce to a quart of liquid, but this will not insure a jelly which will stand firm, and it is safer to use less liquid. for this amount two cupfuls of sugar will give about the right sweetening, but must be modified to suit the flavoring used. in summer, or if the jelly will have to stand any length of time after it is unmolded, it is better to use but one and one half quarts of liquid to two ounces of gelatine. [sidenote: to clear jelly.] _clarifying._--most of the brands of gelatine are already clarified, and need only to be passed through a sieve to remove the lemon-zest and any particles of gelatine that may not have dissolved. any fruit juices used should be passed through a filter-paper (see below) before being added to the jelly: straining the jelly once or twice through a felt or flannel will usually give perfectly limpid and beautiful jelly. when, however, they need to be clarified, or a particularly brilliant jelly is required, stir into the mixture when it is cool the whites of two eggs, well broken but not too much frothed; add also the shells; stir it over the fire until it boils; let it simmer a few minutes and strain it, twice if necessary, through a bag, without pressure. a piece of flannel laid over a sieve or strainer may be substituted for a bag if more convenient. [sidenote: molding for fancy jellies.] _molding for fancy jellies._--place the mold in a bowl containing cracked ice; the jelly will then quickly harden, and the process of fancy molding not be tedious. have the mold perfectly even, so the jelly will stand firm and straight when unmolded; also, do not move the mold while filling, as jarring or shaking is likely to separate the layers and cause them to fall apart. have the jelly mixture cold, but not ready to set, or it will take in bubbles of air and cloud the jelly. pour in one layer at a time and let it harden before adding the next. do not, however, let it become too firm or gather moisture, or it will not unite, and also will be clouded. (see picture facing page .) [sidenote: to mold with fruit or flowers.] to suspend a bunch of grapes in the center of a form, first pour into the mold a layer of jelly one half inch deep; let it harden; then place on it, and arrange in good shape the bunch of grapes, leaving one half inch or more space around the sides; pour in another half inch of jelly, but not enough to float the grapes; when that has set, cut with scissors the grape stem in many places, so it will fall apart when served; then fill the mold with jelly. any fruits, or flowers, can be put in in the same way, care being used to add at first only just enough jelly to fix the ornament; otherwise it will float out of place. plain jellies are more transparent when molded in forms having a cylindrical tube in the center, like cake-tins. the space left can be filled with whipped cream or with fruits, which gives a pretty effect. (see picture.) [illustration: jelly with a rose molded in it and garnished with roses. (see page .)] [illustration: jelly with a bunch of grapes molded in it. (see page .)] [sidenote: double molding.] _double molding_ (see page ) can be used with good effect in sweet jellies in combination with whipped jelly, bavarian creams, fruit jellies, etc. [sidenote: unmolding.] _unmolding._--see page . [sidenote: serving.] _serving._--jellies are improved by serving with them whipped cream, custard, or purée of fruits. it may be poured around, not over, the jelly on the same dish. when a sauce is not used, have a lace paper under the jelly. jelly is more attractive when served on a flat glass dish. [sidenote: fruit jellies.] for fruit jellies it is well to use a china mold, or else coat the tin one with clear jelly (see page ), as tin is likely to discolor it. [sidenote: to clarify fruit juices.] _to clarify fruit juices._--pass the fruit juice through filter-paper laid in a funnel. if filter-paper is not at hand, soak unsized paper to a pulp. wash it in several waters; press it dry; and spread it on a small sieve or in a funnel, and drain the juice through it. if orange, lemon, or other fruit juices are first clarified, it will often obviate the necessity of straining the jelly. (see illustration facing page .) =wine jelly= / box, or ounce, of gelatine. / cupful of cold water. cupfuls of boiling water. cupful of sugar. juice of lemon. / cupful of sherry, or parts sherry, part brandy. soak the gelatine in one half cupful of cold water for one hour or more. put the boiling water, the sugar, and a few thin slices of lemon-peel in a saucepan on the fire. when the sugar is dissolved, add the soaked gelatine, and stir until that also is dissolved; then remove, and when it is partly cooled add the lemon-juice and the wine. strain it through a felt or flannel, and turn it into the mold. if the jelly has to be clarified do it before adding the wine. any wine or liqueur can be used for flavoring. this will make one quart of jelly. =lemon jelly= / box, or ounce, of gelatine. / cupful of cold water. cupfuls of boiling water. cupful of sugar. juice of lemons, filtered. thin slices of lemon-rind. put together as directed for wine jelly. =orange jelly= / box, or ounce, of gelatine. / cupful of cold water. cupful of boiling water. juice of lemon. cupful of sugar. cupfuls of orange-juice, filtered. combine the same as directed for wine jelly. a stronger flavor and color of orange can be obtained by soaking with the gelatine the grated yellow rind of one or two bright-skinned oranges. in this case the juice need not be filtered, for the mixture will have to be passed through flannel. putting it through several times gives a clearer and more brilliant jelly. =coffee jelly= use the receipt given for wine jelly, using three quarters of a cupful of strong filtered coffee instead of wine, and omitting the lemon; mold in a ring, and fill the center with whipped cream; or, if this is not convenient, use any mold, and serve with it sweetened milk. =champagne jelly= / box of cox's gelatine soaked in / cupful of cold water. cupful of boiling water. cupful of sugar. teaspoonful of lemon-juice, filtered. cupful of champagne. combine the same as wine jelly, and do not add the champagne until the jelly is cold. this will give one and a half pints of jelly. it is very clear and transparent, and well suited to fancy molding. =champagne jelly with flowers= place on ice a broad round mold (a basin will serve the purpose); arrange, on a very thin layer of jelly, some pink rose petals in rosette form, or to simulate an open rose; add carefully a very little jelly with a spoon to set the decoration; when it has hardened, add a very little more, and so continue to do until the petals are half enveloped; then place in right position some angelica cut in diamond shaped pieces to simulate leaves; add a little jelly at a time until the mold is full. the petals will be bent out of shape if the jelly is not added very slowly. when unmolded place around it some green rose-leaves and a few loose pink rose-petals. a little rose-water or essence should be used with the champagne to flavor the jelly. violets and angelica can be used in the same way, or a spray of roses with leaves can be put in a deeper mold, and when secured in position the stems cut the same as directed for molding grapes. when flowers are used they must be very fresh. [illustration: pink jelly garnished with pink carnations.] =whipped jelly or snow pudding= make a wine or lemon jelly (page ). place it in a bowl on ice; when it is cold, but before it begins to harden, beat it with a dover beater until it becomes white and a mass of froth. turn it into a mold to harden. serve with it a sauce made of boiled custard, or any preserve that will go well with the flavoring, or a compote of orange or any fruit. =jellies with fruits (macédoine)= berries or any fresh fruits, peeled and quartered, may be placed in layers, or irregularly through the entire mold, or a mixture of fruits may be used in the same way, when it is called a macédoine. the jelly may be clear or whipped. strawberries, raspberries, currants (red and white), cherries, peaches, plums, pears, apricots, and pineapples are suitable for this use. preserved or canned fruits well drained may also be used. candied fruits are especially good, but should be cut into pieces, and softened in maraschino. jellies to be used with fruits are best flavored with kirsch or maraschino. =russian jellies= for these double molds are used (see page ). no. . make the outside layer of any transparent jelly. when hard remove the inner mold and fill the space with the same jelly whipped until foamy. no. . the outside a transparent jelly, the inside one of different flavor and color, such as champagne and maraschino colored pink, orange and strawberry, lemon and coffee. no. . the outside champagne jelly, the inside whipped jelly mixed with macédoine of fruits. no. . the outside wine or maraschino jelly, the filling pain de fraises (see page ). no. . the outside fruits in clear jelly, the inside bavarian cream. no. . maraschino jelly, center bavarian cream mixed with crushed peaches or with apricot jam. =ribbon jelly= make a plain jelly; divide it into three parts; flavor one with maraschino; the second with strawberry-juice, and deepen the color with a little carmine (see page ); the third with orange, noyau, or any other flavor, and whip it until foamy. put it into mold in layers, beginning with the lightest. =italian jelly= make a plain blanc-mange (see page ). let it set in a layer one half inch thick; cut it into small circles, diamonds, or fancy shapes with cutters. arrange these pieces in some design around or inside a mold of transparent jelly (see molding jellies, page ). the blanc-mange may be colored pink, green, or yellow, and gives a very pretty effect. =dantzic jelly= this is a very clear, ornamental jelly, the gold-leaf giving it the appearance of venetian glass, and is good in individual molds to serve with ices. use the receipt for wine jelly, omitting the wine and making the amount of liquid right by using more water; clarify or strain it several times to make it very brilliant; when it is cold add two tablespoonfuls each of eau de vie de dantzic (see page ) and brandy. =what to do with jelly left over= add a little lemon-juice, and beat the jelly until it becomes entirely white, which will take some time; turn it again into a mold to set. if there is not enough jelly for this, cut the jelly into fine dice with a knife as directed for cutting aspic on page , and beat into it lightly an equal quantity of meringue. this should be prepared in a cold place. =pains aux fruits, or jellied fruits= pain de fraises (strawberries) crush the berries to a pulp; sweeten to taste, and add a little flavoring, either orange and lemon juice, maraschino or curaçao. to a pint of the pulp add a half box, or one ounce, of cooper's gelatine, which has soaked an hour in one half cupful of cold water, and then been dissolved in one half cupful of hot water. stir until it begins to set; then turn it into a china mold to harden. the mold may be ornamented with blanched almonds split in two, and arranged in star shapes. when a tin mold is used for fruits, it is well to coat it first with plain jelly (see page ), as tin sometimes discolors fruit juices. a little carmine may be used to heighten the color of red fruits. raspberries, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, pineapples, or oranges can be used in the same way. this gives a very good dessert with little trouble. serve with cream. =suprÊme of strawberries= make a pain de fraises; place it on the outside of a double mold (see page ), and fill the center space with whole berries, or with any other fruit or mixture of fruits, such as white grapes and oranges, etc. serve it very cold with whipped cream. =pain de riz aux fruits= (rice with fruits) make a rice bavarian (see page ); mix with it a few chopped blanched almonds. put it in a cylindrical mold in layers with pain de fraises (strawberries) or raspberries, keeping the red layer thinner than the white one; or mold it in a double mold, using the jellied fruit for the center or for the outside. =pain de riz À la princesse= decorate a mold with candied cherries and angelica; line it with rice bavarian, and fill the center with fresh or canned pineapple chopped and jellied. the jelly may be clear or whipped or mixed with whipped cream. =pain d'oranges= (oranges) take off the peel and divide into sections eight to ten oranges; run a knife between the skin and pulp and remove it carefully. place the bare but unbroken pulp on a sieve to drain; roll each piece in powdered sugar, and lay them overlapping in a ring around a cylindrical mold; fix and cover them with clear jelly flavored with kirsch or maraschino. arrange them in the same way around the outside of a double mold. fill the center with orange bavarian, using the juice drained from the pieces to flavor the bavarian. serve it with orange quarter cakes (see page ) around the dish. =pain de pÊches= (peaches) no. . make a jelly of peaches the same as rule given above for strawberries; color it with a little carmine, giving it a delicate pink shade; garnish the mold with blanched almonds and angelica, and fill it with the jellied peach-pulp. no. . cut peaches in quarters or halves, and arrange them in a double mold with blanched almonds to look like the pits; fill the center with peach bavarian. =pain de marrons= (chestnuts) make a purée of boiled chestnuts; sweeten and flavor with vanilla; add to one pint of purée one ounce of dissolved gelatine; when beginning to set add a few spoonfuls of whipped cream; cover a mold with thin coating of jelly (see page ), and fill outside of double mold with very brown chocolate bavarian (see page ); fill the center with the jellied chestnuts. chapter xix hot desserts =soufflÉs= [sidenote: general remarks.] the preparation of soufflés is exceedingly simple, the only difficulty being in serving them soon enough, as they fall very quickly when removed from the heat. they must go directly from the oven to the table, and if the dining-room is far removed from the kitchen the soufflé should be covered with a hot pan until it reaches the door. the plain omelet soufflé is the most difficult. those made with a cooked foundation do not fall as quickly, but they also must be served at once. in order to insure the condition upon which the whole success of the dish depends, it is better to keep the table waiting, rather than suffer the result of the omelet being cooked too soon. have everything ready before beginning to make a soufflé, and see that the oven is right. in adding the beaten whites "fold" them in, that is, lift the mixture from the bottom, and use care not to break it down by too much mixing. =omelet soufflÉ= whites of eggs. yolks of eggs. grated zest of / lemon. rounded tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, sifted. tablespoonful of lemon-juice. whip the whites of the eggs, with a pinch of salt added to them, to a very dry stiff froth. beat to a cream the yolks and the sugar, then add the lemon. fold in the beaten whites lightly (do not stir) and turn the mixture into a slightly oiled pudding-dish. if preferred, turn a part of it onto a flat dish, and with a knife shape it into a mound with a depression in the center. put the rest into a pastry-bag, and press it out through a large tube, into lines and dots over the mound; sprinkle it with sugar and bake it in a very hot oven eight to ten minutes. serve at once in the same dish in which it is baked (see soufflés above). the flavor may be vanilla, or orange if preferred. =vanilla soufflÉ= cupful of milk. tablespoonfuls of flour. tablespoonfuls of sugar. tablespoonfuls of butter. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of vanilla. eggs. put the milk into a double boiler with the salt; when it is scalded add the butter and flour, which have been rubbed together. stir for ten minutes to cook the flour and form a smooth paste; then turn it onto the yolks of the eggs, which, with the sugar added, have been beaten to a cream. mix thoroughly, flavor, and set away to cool; rub a little butter over the top, so that no crust will form. just before time to serve, fold into it lightly the whites of the eggs, which have been beaten to a stiff froth. turn it into a buttered pudding-dish and bake in a moderate oven for thirty to forty minutes; or, put the mixture into buttered paper cases, filling them one half full, and bake ten to fifteen minutes. serve with the soufflé foamy sauce (page ). this soufflé may be varied by using different flavors; also by putting a layer of crushed fruit in the bottom of the dish, or by mixing a half cupful of fruit-pulp with the paste before the whites are added. in this case the whites of two more eggs will be needed to give sufficient lightness. serve at once after it is taken from the oven. =chocolate soufflÉ= ounces of chocolate. heaping tablespoonful of sugar.[ -*] rounded tablespoonfuls of flour. / cupful of milk. yolks of eggs. whites of eggs. rounded tablespoonful of butter. melt the butter in a small saucepan; stir into it the flour and let it cook a minute, but not brown, then add slowly the milk and stir until smooth and a little thickened; remove it from the fire and turn it slowly onto the yolks and sugar, which have been beaten to a cream; mix thoroughly and add the melted chocolate (see page ); stir for a few minutes, then set it away to cool; rub a little butter over the top so a crust will not form. when ready to serve, stir the mixture well to make it smooth and fold into it lightly the whites of the eggs, which have been whipped until very dry and firm. turn the mixture into a buttered tin, filling it two thirds full. have the tin lined with a strip of greased paper which rises above the sides to confine the soufflé as it rises. place the tin in a deep saucepan containing enough hot water to cover one half the tin. cover the saucepan and place it where the water will simmer for thirty minutes, keeping it covered all the time. place the tin on a very hot dish and serve at once. cover the top with a hot tin until it reaches the dining-room if it has to be carried far. footnotes: [ -*] if unsweetened chocolate is used, add about three more tablespoonfuls of sugar or to taste, and a teaspoonful of vanilla. =prune soufflÉ= / pound of prunes. tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. eggs. small teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar to a cream, add the vanilla, and mix them with the prunes, the prunes having been stewed, drained, the stones removed, and each prune cut into four pieces. when ready to serve fold in lightly the whites of the eggs, which have been whipped to a stiff froth, a dash of salt having been added to the whites before whipping them. turn it into a pudding-dish and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. serve it as soon as it is taken from the oven. a few chopped almonds, or meats from the prune-pits, may be added to the mixture before the whites are put in if desired. =apple soufflÉ= boil some peeled and cored apples until tender; press them through a colander; season to taste with butter, sugar, and vanilla. place the purée in a granite-ware saucepan and let it cook until quite dry and firm. to one and one quarter cupfuls of the hot reduced apple purée add the whites of four eggs, whipped very stiff and sweetened with three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. mix the purée and meringue lightly and quickly together and turn it into a pudding-dish; smooth the top into a mound shape; sprinkle with sugar and bake in a slow oven twenty to twenty-five minutes. this soufflé does not fall. serve with a hard, a plain pudding, or an apricot sauce. =farina pudding= this is a very wholesome, delicate pudding, and is especially recommended. the receipt gives an amount sufficient for six people. cupfuls of milk ( pint). tablespoonfuls of farina. tablespoonfuls of sugar. eggs. grated rind of / lemon. put the milk and lemon-zest into a double boiler; when it reaches the boiling-point stir in the farina and cook for five minutes; then remove from the fire and turn it onto the yolks and sugar, which have been beaten together until light; stir all the time. let it become cool but not stiff; when ready to bake it, fold in lightly the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, a dash of salt added to them before beating. turn it into a pudding-dish and place the dish in a pan containing enough hot water to half cover it. bake it in a moderately hot oven for twenty-five minutes. serve at once, or, like other soufflés, it will fall. serve with it a sabayon no. , or a meringue sauce (pages and ). sweet omelets these desserts are quickly made, are always liked, and serve well in emergencies. =orange omelet= eggs. tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. orange, using the grated rind and tablespoonfuls of juice. beat the yolks of the eggs with the sugar to a cream; add the grated zest of the rind and the orange juice; then fold in lightly the beaten whites of the eggs. have a clean, smooth omelet or frying-pan; put in a teaspoonful of butter, rubbing it around the sides as well as bottom of the pan. when the butter bubbles, turn in the omelet mixture and spread it evenly. do not shake the pan. let it cook until it is a delicate brown and seems cooked through, but not hard. fold the edges over a little and turn it onto a flat hot dish; sprinkle it plentifully with powdered sugar; heat the poker red hot and lay it on the omelet four times, leaving crossed burnt lines in the form of a star. this ornaments the top and also gives a caramel flavor to the sugar. =jam omelet= make a french omelet as directed on page , using four to six eggs; omit the pepper and add a little powdered sugar. when the omelet is ready to turn, place in the center two tablespoonfuls of any jam (apricot is particularly good) and fold. turn the omelet onto a hot dish and sprinkle it with sugar. =rum omelet= make either a french omelet, or a beaten omelet, using a little sugar and omitting the pepper. place the dish holding the omelet on a second and larger dish to prevent accident from fire. when ready to place on the table pour over the omelet a few spoonfuls of rum or brandy and light it. it is better not to touch the match to it until it is on the table. =sweet pancakes= eggs. cupful of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of sugar. / cupful of flour. / tablespoonful of oil. beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately; mix them together and add the salt, sugar, and one half the milk; stir in the flour, making a smooth paste; then add the rest of the milk, and lastly the oil; beat well and let it stand an hour or more before using. bake on a hot griddle in large or small cakes as desired; spread each cake with butter and a little jam or jelly, then roll them, sprinkle with sugar, and serve at once. any pancake batter can be used. those made of rice or hominy are good. the batter can be made of a consistency for thick or thin cakes by using more or less milk. currant or tart jelly is better to use than a sweet preserve. fritters with fritter batter a number of good desserts are made, which, if properly fried, will be entirely free from grease, and perfectly wholesome. =fritter batter= eggs. tablespoonful of oil. cupful of flour. / cupful of cold water. saltspoonful of salt. if for sweet fritters, teaspoonful of sugar and tablespoonful of brandy. for clam or oyster fritters use one tablespoonful of lemon juice or vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and the liquor of the clams or oysters instead of water. stir the salt into the egg-yolks; add slowly the oil, then the brandy and the sugar; the brandy may be omitted if desired, and if so, use two tablespoonfuls of oil instead of one. when well mixed stir in slowly the flour, and then the water, a little at a time. beat it well and set it aside for two hours (it is better to let it stand longer); when ready to use, stir in the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. the batter should be very thick and of the consistency to coat completely the article it is intended to cover. if not soft enough add the white of another egg. =apple fritters= cut firm apples crosswise into slices one quarter of an inch thick. with a biscuit-cutter stamp them into circles of uniform size; sprinkle them with orange sugar (see page ), and moisten them with brandy. let them stand to soak for ten minutes, then dry one or two at a time on a napkin; dip them in batter, using care to have them completely coated, and drop them into hot fat (see frying, page ). fry to an amber color; lift them out on a skimmer and dry on paper in an open oven until all are fried; then roll them in sugar and serve on a folded napkin, the slices overlapping. fry only two at a time, so they can be kept well apart. serve with a sauce flavored with brandy or sherry. =peach or apricot fritters= cut the fruit in half; sprinkle with sugar moistened with maraschino, and roll them in powdered macaroons before dipping them in the batter. fry as directed above. well-drained canned fruit may also be used for fritters. =orange fritters= cut the oranges in quarters; take out the seeds and run a knife between the pulp and peel, freeing the orange and leaving it raw. roll them in powdered sugar and dip in batter before the sugar has time to dissolve; fry as directed for apple fritters. =fritters made of biscuit dough= make a biscuit dough as given on page ; turn it on a floured board and let it rise until light, then roll it one eighth of an inch thick and cut it into circles with a fluted patty-cutter. put a teaspoonful of jam in the center of a circle. wet the edges and cover with a second circle; press the edges lightly together and fry in hot fat. =balloons= put a cupful of water in a saucepan; when it boils add one tablespoonful of butter; when the butter is melted add one cupful of flour and beat it with a fork or wire whip until it is smooth and leaves the sides of the pan. remove from the fire and add three eggs, one at a time, beating vigorously each one before adding the next. let it stand until cold. when ready to serve, drop a spoonful at a time into moderately hot fat and fry for about minutes. take out on a skimmer and dry on brown paper. the batter will puff into hollow balls. if the fat is very hot it will crisp the outside too soon and prevent the balls from puffing. fry only a few at a time, as they must be kept separated. sprinkle with powdered sugar and pile on a folded napkin. serve with lemon sauce made as follows. lemon sauce: strain the juice of one and a half lemons; add one cupful of powdered sugar, then a half cupful of boiling water. =batter pudding= cupful of milk. heaping tablespoonful of butter. / cupful of flour. eggs. put the milk in a double boiler; when hot add the butter. let the milk boil; then add the flour, and beat it hard until it leaves the sides of the pan; then remove from the fire and stir in gradually the eggs, which have been well beaten, the yolks and whites together, and a dash of salt. continue to beat the batter until it is no longer stringy. turn it into a warm greased pudding-dish, and bake in a moderate oven thirty to thirty-five minutes. it should puff up like a cream cake, and have a thick crust. serve as soon as it is taken from the oven, or it will fall. the batter may stand some time before baking if convenient. it may be baked in gem-pans fifteen to twenty minutes if preferred. serve with plain pudding or hard sauce. desserts made of apples =snow apple pudding= fill a pudding-dish half full of apple purée or sauce, well seasoned with butter, sugar, and nutmeg. pour over it a batter made of one and a half cupfuls of flour mixed with two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, one half teaspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of chopped suet or of lard. moisten it with about three quarters of a cupful of milk, or enough to make a thick batter. it should not be as stiff as for biscuits. cook in a steamer about three quarters of an hour, and serve at once with a hard, foamy, sabayon, or any other sauce. the top will be very light and white. this quantity is enough to serve six people. =brown betty= in a quart pudding-dish arrange alternate layers of sliced apples and bread-crumbs; season each layer with bits of butter, a little sugar, and a pinch each of ground cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. when the dish is full pour over it a half cupful each of molasses and water mixed; cover the top with crumbs. place the dish in a pan containing hot water, and bake for three quarters of an hour, or until the apples are soft. serve with cream or with any sauce. raisins or chopped almonds improve the pudding. =baked apple dumplings= make a short pie-crust; roll it thin and cut it into squares large enough to cover an apple. select apples of the same size; pare them; remove the core with a corer, and fill the space with sugar, butter, a little ground cinnamon, and nutmeg. place an apple in the center of each square of pie-crust; wet the edges with white of egg and fold together, the points meeting on the top; give the edges a pinch and turn, making them fluted. bake in a moderate oven about forty minutes, or until the apples are tender, but not until they have lost their form. if preferred, the crust may be folded under the apple, leaving it round. it must be well joined, so the juices will not escape. brush the top with egg, and ten minutes before removing from the oven dust them with a little sugar to give them a glaze. serve with hard sauce. [illustration: baked apple dumplings. (see page .)] =apple charlotte= cut bread into slices one quarter inch thick; then into strips one and a half inches wide, and as long as the height of the mold to be used; cut one piece to fit the top of mold, then divide it into five or six pieces. butter the mold; dip the slices of bread into melted butter, and arrange them on the bottom and around the sides of the mold, fitting closely together or overlapping. fill the center entirely full with apple sauce made of tart apples stewed until tender, then broken into coarse pieces, drained, and seasoned with butter and sugar. a little apricot jam can be put in the center if desired; chopped almonds also may be added. cover the top with bread, and bake in a hot oven about thirty minutes. the bread should be an amber color like toast. turn it carefully onto a flat dish. serve with a hard sauce or any other sauce preferred. =apples with rice, no. = boil half a cupful of rice with a saltspoonful of salt in milk until tender; sweeten it to taste; drain it if the milk is not all absorbed; press it into a basin; smooth it over the top; when it has cooled enough to hold the form, turn it onto a flat dish. this will be a socle, and should be about one and a half to two inches high. pare and core as many apples as will stand on the top of the socle; boil them slowly until tender in sugar and water; remove them before they lose shape. boil the sugar and water down to a thick syrup. arrange the apples on the top of the rice, and pour over them a little of the thickened syrup; then fill the center of each apple with jam; place a candied cherry on each one, and a pointed piece of angelica between each apple. the syrup should give enough sauce, but richelieu sauce is recommended instead. serve hot or cold. [illustration: stewed apples on a rice socle--garnished with candied cherries and angelica. (see page .)] =apples with rice, no. = boil the rice as above; sweeten it and flavor it with a few drops of orange-flower water, almond, or other essence, and mix into it a few chopped blanched almonds. turn it onto a flat dish, and press it into a mound or cone. cut some apples of uniform size in halves, cutting from the stem to the blossom; remove the core with a vegetable scoop (see illustration), and pare off the skin carefully; stew the apples slowly until tender, but still firm enough to hold their shape; before removing them add a few drops of carmine to the water, and let them stand until they have become a delicate pink; then drain and place them evenly and upright against the form of rice. put some meringue in a pastry-bag, and press it in lines or dots around the apples and over the top of the rice, making it as ornamental as desired. dust it with sugar, and place for one minute in the oven to slightly color the meringue, but not long enough to dry the surface of the apples. serve with whipped cream, with fruit sauce, richelieu sauce, or wine sauce. whipped cream may be substituted for the meringue, in which case place the apples overlapping one another around the rice in wreath shape; flatten the top of the rice, and pile the whipped cream on it. another form may be made by putting the rice in a border-mold to shape it, filling the center of the rice with a well-seasoned apple purée, and finishing as directed above. [illustration: stewed apples cut in halves and arranged around a rice socle--garnished with meringue. (see page .)] =apples with corn-starch (felice)= pare and core as many apples as will be used, having them of uniform size. to a quart of water add one half cupful of sugar and the juice of half a lemon; boil the apples in this until tender, but remove them before they lose shape; drain and place them in regular order on the dish in which they are to be served. boil the water down one half; then stir into it one tablespoonful of corn-starch or arrowroot moistened in a little water; let it cook until the starch is clear; remove from the fire; flavor with lemon, almond, kirsch, or anything preferred; let it stiffen a little; then pour it over the apples; sprinkle with sugar and place in the oven a moment to brown, or, omitting the browning, sprinkle them with green and pink sugar (see page ), or stick them full of split almonds. =flaming apples= pare and core the apples; stew them in sugar and water until tender, but still firm enough to hold their shape. remove them carefully to the serving-dish; fill the centers with apricot or raspberry jam; boil down the liquor to a thick syrup and pour it over the apples; just before serving pour over them a few spoonfuls of rum or brandy, and light it with a taper after it is on the table. serve with fancy cakes. =baked apples= (for breakfast) select apples of equal size; wash and polish them; remove the core. place them in a baking-tin a little distance apart, and put a little water in the bottom of the pan. bake in a moderate oven about thirty minutes; baste frequently, so they will not burn or blacken. serve with sugar and cream. =baked apples= (for luncheon) pare and core the apples; fill the centers with butter and sugar. let them bake in a pan with a little water until tender, but still in good shape; baste frequently, letting them become only slightly colored. after removing from the oven sprinkle them with granulated sugar and a little powdered cinnamon or nutmeg. =tapioca pudding= arrange evenly in a buttered dish six apples which have been pared and cored. any other fruit may be used--canned peaches are good. soak a cupful of tapioca in hot water for an hour or more; sweeten and flavor it to taste and pour it over the fruit. bake in a moderate oven for an hour. [illustration: pudding molds.] rice puddings =plain rice pudding no. = in a pudding-dish holding a quart, put two heaping tablespoonfuls of well-washed rice; fill the dish with milk, and add a half teaspoonful of salt. let it cook in the oven for half an hour, stirring it two or three times. take it out and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a scant teaspoonful of vanilla; also a half cupful of stoned raisins if desired. grate nutmeg over the top; return the dish to the oven and cook slowly for two hours or more; as the milk boils down, lift the skin at the side and add more hot milk. the pudding should be creamy, and this is attained by slow cooking, and by using plenty of milk. =rice pudding no. = scald a pint and a half of milk; add a tablespoonful of cornstarch which has been moistened with a little of the cold milk; cook it for a few minutes; then remove it from the fire and stir in three cupfuls of boiled rice, a cupful or more of sugar to taste, and the beaten yolks of two eggs. return it to the fire and cook it until thickened, stirring constantly but carefully. turn it into a dish, cover the top with meringue, and place it in the oven for a few minutes to brown. =rice and raisins= mix with two cupfuls of boiled rice a half or three quarters cupful of raisins. the rice should be boiled as directed on page , and the raisins should be soaked in hot water until plump, and the seeds removed. press the mixture into a bowl to give it shape, and turn it onto a flat dish. grate nutmeg over the top. serve with sweetened milk a little flavored with vanilla or almond, or only nutmeg. for lemon rice pudding, see page . for rice and orange marmalade pudding, see page . bread puddings =bread pudding no. = cupfuls of milk. cupful of bread-crumbs or broken bread. tablespoonful of sugar. egg-yolks. egg-white. / teaspoonful of vanilla. saltspoonful of salt. soak the bread in the milk until softened; then beat it until smooth and add the rest of the ingredients excepting the white of egg. turn it into a pudding-dish, place this in a pan of hot water, and bake in a slow oven fifteen to twenty minutes, or only long enough to set the custard without its separating. cover the top with a layer of jam or with tart jelly, and place in the center a ball of meringue made with the white of one egg; dust with sugar, place in the oven a moment to brown the meringue, and then put a piece of jelly on the top of the meringue. serve hot or cold. the jelly and meringue answers as a sauce. =bread and butter pudding= cut stale bread into thin slices; remove the crusts, dip them in melted butter, and arrange them in a small bread or square cake-tin in even layers, alternating with layers of stoned raisins. when the mold is full, pour over it a mixture made of one pint of milk, the yolks of two eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. use only as much as the bread will absorb. bake in a moderate oven twenty to thirty minutes. turn it onto a flat dish and serve with it a plain pudding sauce. the bread should be dry and crisp and hold the form of the mold. =bread tarts= cut bread into slices a quarter of an inch thick, then with a biscuit-cutter about three inches in diameter stamp it into circles. moisten the circles of bread with milk, but do not use enough to cause them to fall apart; then spread them with any jam or preserve and place two together like a sandwich. place them in a frying-pan with a little butter, and sauté them on both sides to a delicate color. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve very hot. a sabayon or other sauce can be served with them if convenient, but it is not essential. for other bread puddings see blueberry pudding and cherry bread, page . cake puddings =cottage pudding= cupful of flour. heaping teaspoonful of baking-powder. tablespoonful of butter. / cupful of sugar. / cupful of milk. saltspoonful of salt. egg. mix the baking-powder with the flour and sift them. rub the butter and sugar together to a cream and beat into it the egg; then add the milk, in which the salt has been dissolved. add the flour; beat well together and turn into a cake-tin having a tube in the center. bake about twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. turn it onto a flat dish, leaving it bottom side up. the chocolate sauce given below is recommended, but any other sauce may be served with it. chocolate sauce: melt three ounces or squares of baker's chocolate on a dry pan (see page ); add one half cupful of sugar and one half cupful of boiling water. stir until well dissolved and smooth, then add one quarter teaspoonful of vanilla. =canary pudding= take the mixture for genoese cake, which is three eggs, and their weight respectively of sugar, butter, and flour; cream the butter and sugar; then beat in, one at a time, the three eggs; add lightly the sifted flour. butter a covered pudding-mold; decorate it with raisins, or sprinkle it all over with currants; fill it half full of the mixture; cover and steam for one hour, or put it in individual timbale-molds and bake for twenty minutes. serve with wine or fruit or richelieu sauce. =suet pudding= cupful of molasses. teaspoonful of soda. cupful of milk - / cupfuls of flour. cupful of stoned raisins. cupful of suet, chopped fine. teaspoonful of salt. mix the salt, flour, and suet together. mix the molasses and milk; add the soda and then as much of the flour mixture as will make a stiff batter (not dough), then add the raisins floured, and fill a covered pudding-mold half full; steam for three hours. serve with foamy, wine, or brandy sauce. =farina pudding (boiled)= stir into three cupfuls of boiling milk one cupful of farina, and cook for ten minutes. rub together one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of sugar; add the yolks of three eggs, the grated rind of one lemon and twenty-five chopped blanched almonds. stir this mixture into the farina after it is a little cooled; lastly add the whites of three eggs beaten to stiff froth. boil this pudding in a covered mold for one and a half hours. serve with any pudding sauce. =christmas plum pudding= / pound of suet chopped very fine; mix with it, while chopping, a tablespoonful of flour. / pound of raisins seeded. / pound of currants. / pound of sugar. / pound of fresh bread-crumbs. grated zest of one lemon. / pound candied orange-peel and citron cut into thin shavings. / teaspoonful each of ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice. mix the dry materials together thoroughly, and then add six eggs, one at a time, and one half cupful of brandy; add another egg if too stiff, and more crumbs if too soft. wet a strong cloth in cold water, wring it dry, butter it, and dredge it well with flour; turn the mixture into the center and draw the cloth together over the top, leaving room for the pudding to swell a little, and tie it firmly; give it a good round shape. put it into a pot of boiling water, having it completely covered with water; cover the pot and boil four to five hours. do not let the water fall below the pudding, and in adding more let it be hot, so as to not arrest the boiling. after it is removed from the water let it rest in the bag for ten minutes to harden a little, then cut the string and turn it carefully onto a dish. cut a small hole in the top of the pudding and insert a paper bonbon case (see page ); trim it so it does not show. pour rum or brandy onto the dish and also into the paper box on top; place it on the table and touch it with a lighted taper. serve with a brandy sauce. the amount given will serve twelve to fourteen persons. the mixture may be divided and boiled in small puddings if it is too much to use at one time. it will keep for a long time, and the puddings can be warmed when used. slices of cold plum pudding may be steamed and served with a sauce; or they may be rolled in egg and crumbs and fried in hot fat, and be served as fruit croquettes. =fig pudding= / cupful of chopped figs. / cupful of chopped suet. cupfuls of white bread-crumbs. / cupful of sugar. cupful of milk. / cupful of flour. / cupful of chopped almonds. eggs. teaspoonful of baking-powder. tablespoonfuls of noyau or other flavor. flour the figs and suet. soak the bread-crumbs in the milk, add the sugar, then the egg-yolks, and beat it well; then add slowly, stirring all the time, the figs, suet, almonds, flour mixed with the baking-powder, flavoring, and lastly the whites of the eggs beaten very stiff. turn it into a covered pudding-mold, filling it three quarters full; steam for three hours. this mixture will fill twelve individual molds. if the small molds are used, place a star of angelica in the bottom of each one and cover it with a thin layer of boiled rice; then fill three quarters full with the pudding mixture; place them in a pan of hot water, cover with a greased paper, and poach on top of the range for one and one half hours. this pudding can have brandy poured over and lighted the same as the plum pudding. serve with a syrup sauce flavored the same as the pudding. =cabinet pudding no. = ornament the bottom of a well-buttered mold with citron and raisins. cover them with slices of cake; then fill the mold nearly full with alternate layers of fruit and cake, arranging the fruit on the edges of the fruit layers so it will be even and symmetrical. make a custard mixture of a pint of milk, three egg-yolks, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. pour it slowly into the mold, so the cake will be thoroughly soaked, and set it in a pan of water. bake it in a slow oven for an hour, or until the custard is set. unmold the pudding, and serve with it a wine sauce. =cabinet pudding no. = cut a half pound of candied fruits into dice, using cherries, apricots, plums, limes, etc.; also some candied orange-peel shredded. butter well a plain cylindrical mold; sprinkle over the bottom a thin layer of the fruit, then a layer of cake (genoese, or sponge layer cake, see page ). fill the mold to within an inch of the top with alternate layers of fruit and cake, using also some macaroons. leave always some fruit on the sides of the mold. then turn in slowly a custard mixture made of one pint of milk, the yolks of five eggs, and two and one half tablespoonfuls of sugar. let it stand a few minutes for the cake to absorb the liquid; then place the mold in a pan of hot water, and poach in a slow oven for one hour. this pudding is usually served hot, but may be served cold. serve with sabayon, richelieu, or bischoff sauces. (see pudding sauces.) =cabinet pudding no. (royale)= take a loaf of brioche (see page and ) baked the day before in a cylindrical mold. cut it into slices one half inch thick. cut with a small patty-cutter a round piece from the center of all but two of the slices. cut the crust from the outside, taking as little as possible. spread each slice with apricot jam, and sprinkle with chopped almonds. butter the mold well, and replace the slices, using on the bottom one which has not had a hole cut in the center. when all but the last slice are in, fill the well in the center with mixed canned fruits well drained, using pineapple, apricots, a few candied cherries, and chopped almonds; then pour in a custard mixture made of one pint of milk, four yolks of eggs, two and a half tablespoonfuls of sugar. let the brioche absorb the liquid; then cover with the second whole slice, and pour over that, too, some of the custard mixture. place the mold in a pan of hot water, and poach in a slow oven for one hour. let it stand a little while in the mold after it is cooked. when ready to serve, unmold, spread the whole outside with apricot jam, and sprinkle with chopped almonds. serve with apricot sauce or any other sauce. =cabinet pudding no. = cut slices of bread one half inch thick to fit a mold. fill the mold with alternate layers of bread and chopped drained pineapple (fresh or canned). pour in a custard mixture made of one pint of milk, yolks of three eggs, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. bake in a slow oven for one hour (as directed above), or until the custard is set. serve with a sauce made of the juice of the fruit diluted and thickened with a little arrowroot, then sweetened and flavored (with kirsch if liked), and a few shredded almonds. =savarins= butter some individual timbale-molds, sprinkle them with chopped almonds, fill them half full of brioche paste (see page ), let the paste rise to the top of the molds, and then bake in a hot oven for about twenty minutes. when baked, cut off the top even with the mold, and turn them out. pour over them a hot syrup made of one cupful of sugar and three quarters of a cupful of water boiled for ten minutes (or to °), and flavored with four teaspoonfuls of kirsch. other flavors may be used if preferred. let the savarins absorb enough of the hot syrup to be well moistened, but not so much as to lose their firmness. drain and serve them hot. or incorporate into the paste before molding a little shredded candied orange-peel. soak them, when baked, in syrup flavored with orange or curaçao, and cover them with an orange fondant icing (see page ), and serve cold. =baba= into three cupfuls of brioche paste mix one cupful of currants, raisins, and chopped citron, which have soaked for an hour in maraschino. half fill buttered baba-molds (which are cups holding about one half pint); let it rise to top of mold, which will take about three quarters of an hour. it must not rise in too warm a place, or the butter will separate. bake them in a moderate oven one half hour. let them absorb hot syrup at °, flavored with kirsch or sherry. custards =crÊme parisienne= this is the same as caramel custard (page ), except that it is served hot. butter well a flat mold or basin, ornament the bottom with a few candied cherries and angelica, pour over them caramel which is not browned deeper than an amber color, and do not use enough to float the fruits. let it cool before adding the custard mixture. when it is baked, let the mold stand in the hot water until the moment of serving. =fried cream= pint of milk. / cupful of sugar. / teaspoonful of butter. yolks of eggs. - / tablespoonfuls of cornstarch. tablespoonful of flour. / teaspoonful of vanilla. / saltspoonful of salt. put the milk into a double boiler with the salt and a piece of cinnamon or lemon-zest. when it is at the boiling-point add the sugar; then the cornstarch and flour, which have been moistened in cold milk. stir until thickened; remove, and turn it over the beaten yolks of the eggs. place it on the fire again for a few minutes to set the eggs. add the butter and flavoring, and strain it onto a flat dish, or biscuit-tin, making a layer three quarters of an inch thick. let it stand until perfectly cold and firm (it may be made the day before it is used); then cut it into pieces three inches long and two inches wide. handle the pieces carefully, using a broad knife-blade. cover each one with sifted cracker-crumbs, then with egg, and again with crumbs; be sure they are completely covered. fry the pieces in hot fat to an amber color; lay them on a brown paper in the open oven to dry, sprinkle them with sugar, and serve on a folded napkin. the crust should be crisp, and the center creamy, the same as a croquette. if the pudding stands long enough before being fried, it will not be difficult to handle. have the fat smoking hot, and do not fry too long. this dish is recommended, as it is particularly good, and very easy to make. short cakes =strawberry shortcake= cupfuls of sifted flour. heaping teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of butter. teaspoonful of lard. milk. quarts of strawberries. sift the baking-powder and salt with the flour, rub in the shortening; then with a fork stir in lightly and quickly sufficient milk to make a soft dough--too soft to roll. turn it into a greased tin, and bake in a hot oven for thirty minutes. watch to see that it rises evenly. unmold, and leaving it inverted, cut a circle around the top, within one inch of the edge; lift off the circle of crust, and with a fork pick out the crumb from the center, leaving about three quarters of an inch of biscuit around the sides. spread the inside of the cake with butter, and then fill it with crushed strawberries, which have been standing half an hour or more mixed with sugar enough to sweeten them. turn off the juice from the berries before filling the cake. replace the circle of crust, and cover the whole cake, top and sides, with meringue, heaping it irregularly on the top. use a pastry-bag if convenient to give the meringue ornamental form. place it in the oven a moment to slightly color the meringue. arrange a few handsome berries on the top. serve the strawberry-juice as a sauce. whipped cream may be used instead of meringue, if convenient. shortcake, to be good, should be freshly made, and served as soon as put together. =currant shortcake= make a biscuit dough as directed for strawberry shortcake above, using half the quantity. turn it into a pie-tin to bake. while it is still hot cut the edges and pull it apart with forks (do not cut it). turn the crumb sides up; butter them and cover each one with a thick layer of crushed currants, which have been standing at least two hours with enough sugar to sweeten them. place one layer on the other, cover the top with meringue, and ornament it with a few currants in lines or arranged in any way to suit the fancy. this is a delicious shortcake, the acid of the currants giving it more character than strawberry shortcake. =strawberry cake= make two layers of genoese (page ) or of sponge cake no. (page ); cover them with whipped cream, and arrange whole strawberries close together over the entire top; place one layer on the other, and serve at once. the cream moistens the cake if it stands long. shortcakes are good made of peaches or pineapple, using the biscuit mixture. =roly-poly pudding= make a biscuit dough, and roll it out a quarter of an inch thick; spread it with any kind of berries (whortleberries or blackberries are best). then roll it, and tie it in a cloth, leaving room for the pudding to expand, and boil or steam it for an hour. serve with any sauce. =fruit pudding= beat two eggs; add a cupful of milk, three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder and enough flour to make a stiff batter; then stir in as much fruit as it will hold (cherries, whortleberries, strawberries, or raspberries are the best fruits to use). turn the mixture into a pudding-mold large enough to give room for the pudding to expand, and boil it for an hour. serve with it plain pudding sauce, sabayon, or a fruit sauce. =baked indian pudding= / cupful yellow meal. scant half cupful of molasses. / teaspoonful of salt. - / tablespoonfuls of butter. cupfuls of milk. egg. / cupful of water. dash of nutmeg. put two cupfuls of milk, a quarter cupful of water, and the salt, on the fire; when it boils stir in the meal, and let it cook five minutes, stirring all the time; then remove from the fire, and add the rest of the milk mixed with the molasses, the butter, the beaten egg, and the nutmeg (or ginger, if preferred), and turn it into a baking-dish. bake it in a slow oven for three hours. this quantity makes a pint and a half of pudding. note.--some small bits of candied orange-peel sprinkled on the bottom of the dish before the batter is put in give a delicious flavor to the pudding. pudding sauces pudding sauces are quickly made. they call for but few materials, and, like other sauces, often give the whole character to the dish. serving the same pudding with a different sauce, makes it a different dish; therefore it is well to vary as much as possible the combinations. farina pudding can be served with almost any of the sauces given below. cake, cornstarch, rice, apple, or bread puddings can also be served with almost any sauce, if the flavorings are the same, or such as go well together. hot puddings can be served with cold sauces. jellies, creams, and blanc-manges can be served with whipped cream, the fruit sauces, or the whipped egg sauces. stewed prunes or compote of orange are good to serve with plain boiled rice, or with sweetened hominy, farina, or cerealine molded in cups. =plain pudding sauce no. (hot)= / cupful of sugar. cupfuls of boiling water. teaspoonful of butter. zest of lemon. tablespoonful of cornstarch. flavoring to taste of vanilla or any essence, or brandy, rum, or wine. dilute the corn-starch with a little cold water, and stir it into the boiling water; add the sugar and stir until the starch becomes clear; then add the butter and flavoring. if the sauce becomes too thick, dilute it with a little boiling water; the whipped white of one egg may be added, but is not essential. =plain pudding sauce no. (cold)= stir a heaping teaspoonful of corn-starch, which has been moistened with a little cold milk, into a pint of boiling milk, and stir for five minutes, or until it is well cooked; add three quarters of a cupful of sugar, and remove from the fire. when the mixture is cold flavor it, and just before serving beat in the whipped whites of two eggs and serve at once. =rich pudding sauce= (for fruit puddings or croquettes) tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. tablespoonfuls of hot water. / cupful of sherry. juice of / lemon. egg yolks. dash of nutmeg. cream the butter; add the sugar, and cream again thoroughly; then add the yolks and beat until light; add the hot water and the nutmeg. place it in a saucepan of hot water, and beat, adding slowly the lemon-juice and the wine. the sauce should be foamy. =foamy sauce= (steamed and baked puddings) / cupful of butter. cupful of powdered sugar. teaspoonful of vanilla. / cupful of boiling water. tablespoonfuls of sherry. egg white. cream the butter and sugar; add the vanilla and wine, and beat them well. just before serving stir in the boiling water; add the whipped white of one egg, and beat until foamy. =brandy, rum, or kirsch sauce= (fruit or plum puddings) put in a saucepan two cupfuls of water with one cupful of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved and the water boils, add slowly a heaping tablespoonful of corn-starch or arrowroot diluted with a little cold water; stir until the corn-starch is clear; then remove from the fire, and add two tablespoonfuls of the liquor. serve it hot. =sabayon no. = egg-yolks. tablespoonfuls of wine. tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. beat in a small saucepan the eggs and sugar to a light cream; add the wine. when ready to serve, place the saucepan in another one containing hot water, and beat until the sugar is melted and the egg beginning to thicken. =sabayon no. = put one cup of sugar, one half cup of sherry, and one egg all together in a saucepan and whip over the fire until it is a little thickened. =syrup sauce= put two cupfuls of sugar and three tablespoonfuls of water into a saucepan on the fire, and stir until the sugar is dissolved; then let it boil without touching until it is a light syrup, and remove from the fire; add a teaspoonful of butter and flavoring, which may be fruit juice, liqueur, brandy, or flavoring extract. =fruit sauces= canned fruits, preserves, or jams make good sauces for blanc-mange, corn-starch, rice, or boiled puddings. the juice of canned fruit, boiled and thickened a little with arrowroot, and flavored or not with liqueur or essence, makes a good hot sauce. =apricot sauce= dilute one half cupful of apricot jam with one half cupful of hot water; sweeten if necessary; strain and flavor with vanilla or one teaspoonful of madeira or maraschino. =purÉe of fruit sauces= strawberries, raspberries, peaches and apricots make excellent pudding sauces. mash the fruit and press it through a colander or coarse sieve; sweeten to taste; serve hot or cold; if hot, let it come to the boiling-point and thicken with arrowroot, using one teaspoonful to a cupful of purée. =pineapple sauce= chop the pineapple (fresh or canned) fine; sweeten and thicken with arrowroot. serve with fritters, corn-starch, rice, or batter puddings. =boiled custard sauce= yolks of eggs. cupful of milk. tablespoonfuls of sugar. / teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the yolks and sugar to a cream; pour over them the scalded milk; return to the fire to cook the eggs, but let it only slightly thicken; remove; add the flavoring and beat with a wire whip to make it light and foamy. when served with plum pudding add rum or brandy to flavor it. almonds chopped fine improve it for hot puddings. =chocolate sauce= put a half cupful each of sugar and water in a saucepan and let boil five minutes. let the syrup cool, then stir it slowly into four ounces of unsweetened chocolate melted; add one half teaspoonful of vanilla. let it stand in a pan of hot water until ready to serve; then add one half cupful of cream or of milk.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] this sauce should be smooth and of the consistency of heavy cream. if it is to be used with ice-cream, omit the cream or milk and make it of the right consistency with water. see also page .--m. r. =bischoff sauce= put in a saucepan one cupful of white wine, one cupful of hot water, and sugar to taste; add the zest of one half of an orange and one half of a lemon; let it come to the boiling-point; remove from the fire; take out the orange and lemon peel and add one half cupful of seedless raisins, one tablespoonful of shredded almonds, and a tablespoonful of finely shredded candied orange and lemon peel; cover and let stand a half-hour. when ready to serve let it again come to the boiling-point. serve with cabinet puddings. =richelieu sauce= put one cupful of sugar into a saucepan with one cupful of boiling water; let it boil five minutes; add one teaspoonful of arrowroot moistened with a little water, and cook until clear; then remove from fire. flavor with one tablespoonful of kirsch and add two tablespoonfuls of shredded almonds and candied cherries cut into small pieces. =meringue sauce= whip the whites of two or three eggs to a very stiff froth. take as many tablespoonfuls of sugar as you have egg-whites; add a little water and let it cook to the ball (see page ), or so that when dropped into water it will roll into a ball between the fingers. turn this hot syrup slowly onto the whipped eggs, beating all the time; then beat it over the fire for a minute where the heat is moderate. this is called italian meringue. remove it from the fire and add a little lemon-juice or kirsch to take away the excessive sweetness; or a little currant jelly can be used, also grated orange-peel and shredded candied peel; serve it at once. this is a good sauce for soufflés or light puddings. =hard sauce= beat together one half cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar until they are very white and light; flavor with vanilla, wine, or brandy. the success of this sauce depends upon its being beaten a long time. it may be varied by beating with it the yolk of an egg, or adding the whipped white of an egg after the butter and sugar are beaten. let it stand on ice to harden a little before serving. =strawberry sauce= make a hard sauce as directed above; add the whipped white of one egg and a cupful of strawberries mashed to a pulp. any fruit-pulp may be added in the same way and makes a good sauce for fruit puddings. =cocoanut sauce= make a hard sauce as directed above; add the yolks of two eggs; when it is very light and creamy add the whipped whites and a cupful of grated cocoanut. =cold jelly sauce= stir a half glassful of grape, currant, or any jelly until smooth; then beat into it lightly the whipped whites of two eggs. serve with any light pudding or with jelly. chapter xx pies and puff-paste [sidenote: seasons.] the american pie is perhaps the most ridiculed of all dishes. it has, however, great popularity and undoubted merits. were the crust, especially the under one, always right, it would remove the most salient point of criticism. the tart pies, made with puff-paste, are a temptation to the most fastidious taste. the mince pie, probably the most indigestible of all, is the one universally accepted as a treat, and seldom refused by the scoffer. pies have their seasons, like other good things, the apple pie being the only one served the year round. the berries and fruits, each one in their time, make most acceptable and delicious pies and tarts, while rhubarb introduces the spring, and pumpkin announces the autumn. in this day of canned and dried fruits the season need not be so strictly observed, but fresh fruits will always be preferable to preserved ones, and tradition goes far to hold the place for pumpkin pie at thanksgiving, and mince pie at the christmas feasts. =pies= plain pastry for pies quart of flour. cupful of butter. cupful of cold water. teaspoonful of salt. or use one-half butter and one half lard or cottolene. this quantity gives enough for three or four pies. cottolene makes good pastry. the shortening may be mixed, but the flavor is better where butter alone is used. the richness of pastry depends upon the amount of shortening used. sift the salt and flour together, reserving a little flour for the board. with a knife, cut the butter into the flour. add the water a little at a time, and mix it in lightly with the knife; turn it onto the board, and roll it twice--that is, after it is rolled out once, fold it together and roll it again. if the paste is wanted richer for the top crust, put bits of butter over the paste when rolled; fold and roll it again several times. fold the paste, and put it in the ice-box for an hour before using, keeping it covered. in making pastry everything should be cold, the handling light, and the hands used as little as possible. paste will keep several days in a cool place, but should be rolled in a napkin, so it will not dry and form a crust. _to put a pie together._--roll the paste one eighth inch thick, and a little larger than the tin. dust the pan with flour; place the paste on it, letting it shrink all it will. lift it from the sides to fit it into place, and press it as little as possible. cut a narrow strip of paste, and lay around the edge; moisten it so it will stick. brush the top of the bottom crust with white of egg, so the filling will not soak in and make it heavy. put in the filling, and cover with another sheet of pastry. moisten the top of the strip of pastry so the top crust will adhere to it; this gives three layers around the edge. trim and press them lightly together. cut several slits in the top crust to let the steam escape in cooking. a thin piece of paste cut into fancy shape can be placed in the center for ornament if desired. =pastry for tarts or open pies= cupfuls of flour. / cupful of butter. / teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of sugar. yolks of eggs. water. sift the flour, salt, and sugar together. cut in the butter as directed above. mix in the beaten yolks, then enough water to make a paste which is not very stiff; roll it two or three times, then wrap it in a cloth, or cover it closely, and put it in the ice-box for an hour. this gives enough paste for four small tart pies like those shown in illustration. =tart pies= (apricot, plum, apple, berry) roll the paste one eighth of an inch thick, lay it on a deep pie-dish; let it shrink all it will, and use as little pressure as possible in fitting it to the tin. cut the paste an inch larger than the dish, and fold it under, giving a high twisted edge. prick the paste on the bottom in several places with a fork. lay over it a thin paper, and fill the tart with rice, dried peas, beans, cornmeal, or any dry material convenient. brush the edge with egg, and bake it in a moderate oven. when done remove the rice, or other filling, and the paper. brush the bottom with white of egg. this will insure a dry under crust. if apricots or peaches are to be used, peel and cut them in halves, lay them evenly over the tart with the center side up. place the half of a blanched almond in each one to represent the pit. put the juice of the fruit into a saucepan on the fire; if there is no juice use a cupful of water. sweeten to taste, and when it boils add to each cupful of juice one teaspoonful of arrowroot dissolved in a little cold water, and let it cook until clear; then pour it around the fruit, but not over it, as the fruit should lie on top and show its form. place in the oven only long enough to cook the fruit tender. if canned fruit is used, cook the juice and arrowroot until a little thickened and clear; then pour it around the fruit, and let cool. it will not need to be put in the oven. when plums or cherries are used, remove the pits carefully, and place the fruit close together, with the whole side up. for apple tarts, cut the apples in even quarters or eighths; stew them in sweetened water, with a little lemon-juice added, until tender. lay them overlapping in even rows or circles in the tart. to a cupful of water in which the apples were stewed add a teaspoonful of arrowroot, and cook until clear; pour it over the apples, sprinkle with sugar, nutmeg, and cinnamon. with berries, the fruit may be stewed or not before being placed in the tart; then strips of paste are laid across it, like lattice-work, and the paste brushed with egg. bake long enough to cook the fruit and the strips of paste. when cold place a fresh berry on each piece of crust where it crosses; or place a drop of meringue on the crusts, and the berries in the openings. the california canned fruits, costing thirty-five cents, make very good pies. one can of fruit will make two pies. tart-rings are better to use than pie-tins, as the sides are straight. place them on a baking-sheet, or tin, before lining them with pastry. [illustration: tart rings and crusts. , . tart rings. . crust baked in ring no. . . crust filled with rice as prepared for baking. (see page )] [illustration: tart pies. . pie filled with quarters of apples arranged in rows. . pie filled with apricots cut in halves--a blanched almond in the center of each piece. (see page .)] =orange pie= juice and grated yellow rind of orange. / cupful of milk. eggs. cupful of granulated sugar. tablespoonful of flour. / saltspoonful of salt. beat the yolks and the sugar together; add the flour, the milk, and the grated rind and juice of the orange. place it on the fire in a double boiler, and stir until it is a little thickened; then pour it into an open or tart pie, and bake thirty minutes. the crust of the pie should be brushed with white of egg before adding the thickened mixture. the tart crust may be first baked, as directed above, if preferred. cover the top with meringue made with the whites of the eggs and sweetened with three tablespoonfuls of sugar. pile it on irregularly, or press it through a pastry-bag into fancy shapes. place it in the oven a moment to brown. a little more flour may be used if the pie is wanted more solid. =a plain apple pie= fill a pie with apples sliced thin, using enough to make the pie at least an inch thick when done. add a little water to the apples, and cover with a top crust which is a little richer than the under one. this is done by rolling out a part of the same paste, covering it with bits of butter, folding it together, and rolling it again, repeating the operation two or three times. cut a few slits in the paste to let out the steam while cooking. brush the top with beaten yolk of egg. when the pie is baked, and while it is still hot, lift off carefully the top crust; add sugar, nutmeg, and a little butter, and mix them well with the apples. replace the top crust, and dust it with powdered sugar. apple pies seasoned in this way are better than when seasoned before being baked. =pumpkin pie= cut a pumpkin into small pieces; remove the soft part and seeds. cover and cook it slowly in its own steam until tender; then remove the cover and reduce it almost to dryness, using care that it does not burn. press it through a colander. to two and one half cupfuls of pulp add two cupfuls of milk, one teaspoonful each of salt, butter, cinnamon, and ginger, one tablespoonful of molasses, two eggs, and sugar to taste. add the beaten eggs last and after the mixture is cold. pour it into an open crust and bake slowly forty to fifty minutes. squash pies are made in the same way, but are not the same in flavor, although they are often given the name of pumpkin pies. =mince pie mixture= pounds of lean boiled beef chopped fine, or half beef and half boiled tongue. - / pounds of suet chopped fine. quarts of apples chopped not very fine. quart of stoned raisins. cupfuls of cleaned currants. / pound of citron cut into thin slices. cupful of candied orange and lemon peel shredded. teaspoonful each of cloves, allspice and cinnamon. grated zest and juice of two oranges and two lemons. nutmegs grated. tablespoonful of salt. cupful of molasses. cupfuls or sugar. cupfuls of brandy. cupful of sherry. cupful of cider. mix the meat and suet together; then add all the dry ingredients and then the liquids. pack in an earthen jar. it should stand several days before using, and will keep an indefinite time. the pies should be made of good puff paste for the upper crust and tart paste for the under one, the edge having three layers as directed on page . the filling of mince meat should be one and a half inches thick. paint the top crust with egg and trace with a pointed knife some simple design on it, cutting the paste very slightly. bake for one hour and a quarter. glaze the top by sifting a very little powdered sugar over it a few minutes before removing it from the oven. =cream pie= eggs. cupful of sugar. teaspoonful of baking-powder. cupful of flour. sift the flour and baking-powder together; beat the yolks and sugar together; add the flour and lastly the whipped whites of the eggs. bake this cake mixture in two layers, and place between them when cold, and just before serving, a thick layer of whipped cream. have the top piece covered with a boiled icing, or use between the cakes a cream filling made as follows: cream for filling. - / cupfuls of milk. tablespoonfuls of flour. / cupful of sugar. egg. teaspoonful of vanilla. scald the milk; turn it onto the beaten egg; return it to the fire; add the flour moistened with a little milk, and the sugar, and stir until thickened. let it cool before adding it to the cake. serve with whipped cream if desired. =cocoanut pie= line a tin basin which is two inches deep with pie paste, and bake it as directed for tart pies (page ). make a custard of one pint of milk, three egg-yolks, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of corn-starch. scald the milk and turn it onto the yolks and sugar beaten together; return it to the fire; add the corn-starch moistened with cold milk, and stir until well thickened; add one half teaspoonful of vanilla, and the whites of two eggs whipped to a froth; cook one minute to set the egg, then remove, and when nearly cold and stiffened stir in the half of a grated cocoanut. brush the bottom of the baked pie-crust with white of egg; cover it with a thin layer of grated cocoanut and turn in the thickened custard. cover the top with meringue made with the white of one egg. return it to the oven one minute to color the meringue. let the pie stand long enough to get firm and cold before serving. if the grated cocoanut is not added until the custard has stiffened, it will not sink to the bottom. =cranberry pie= chop one cupful of cranberries and a half cupful of seeded raisins together into small pieces; add to them a cupful of sugar, a half cupful of water, a tablespoonful of flour, and a teaspoonful of vanilla. bake with an upper and under crust. this resembles cherry pie. =washington pie= make two round layer cakes, of sponge or of genoese cake; spread between them a layer of pastry cream or of chocolate filling. dust the top with powdered sugar in crossed lines to imitate strips of pastry. _pastry cream_--boil with a pint of milk or water five tablespoonfuls of sugar; add two tablespoonfuls of corn-starch, the yolks of five eggs, and a tablespoonful of butter; stir until thickened, add flavoring, and when partly cool spread it on the cake. _chocolate filling_--mix a half cupful of milk and a cupful of sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved; then add an ounce of shaved chocolate, and the beaten yolks of two eggs; stir until it is thickened; flavor with one half teaspoonful of vanilla, and let it partly cool before spreading it on the cake. puff-paste it is a mistake to consider the making of puff-paste too difficult for any but an experienced cook to undertake. no one need hesitate to attempt it, and if the few simple rules are strictly observed there will be success. the materials are few and inexpensive, and within the compass of the most moderate household. if light, good pastry can be substituted for the sodden crust of the ordinary pie, it will be found not only more palatable, but far more digestible and wholesome. confections of puff-paste can be served on all occasions, and always make an acceptable dish, whereas ordinary pastry is excluded from any but the most informal service. =general rules= the most important rule for making puff-paste, and the secret of success, is to have cold paste and a hot oven. it is well to have a marble slab to roll it on, but this is not positively essential. a warm, damp day should be avoided. the paste will keep on ice for a day or two before it is baked, and for several days in a dry place after it is baked, and if placed in the oven for a few moments just before serving, it will have the same crispness as when just baked. if there is no room colder than the kitchen to work in when mixing the paste, stand by an open window or in a current of air, for it is necessary to keep the paste cold during the whole time of preparing it. use pastry flour if convenient (plant's st. louis flour). it can be obtained at all first-class grocers. it has a very fine grain, and can easily be distinguished from ordinary flour by rubbing a little between the thumb and forefinger. =receipt for puff-paste= / pound or cupful of butter. / pound or cupfuls of flour. / teaspoonful of salt. / to / cupful of ice-water. st. put the butter in a bowl of ice-water, and work it with the hand until it becomes smooth and flexible; then place it in a napkin and knead it a little to free it from moisture. pat it into a flat square cake, and place it on the ice until ready to use. d. sift the flour and salt together on a board or marble slab; reserve a little flour to be used for dusting the slab. make a well in the center, and pour in a part of the water. work in the flour, and use enough water to make a smooth paste. the exact amount of water cannot be given, as at certain times the flour absorbs more than at others. gather in all the crumbs, and work the paste as you would bread dough until it becomes smooth. roll it in a napkin, and place it on ice for fifteen minutes, that it may become thoroughly cold. [illustration: three pans arranged for chilling puff paste--the upper and under ones holding cracked ice, the center one holding the paste wrapped in a napkin.] d. sprinkle the slab lightly with flour. roll the cold paste into a square piece; place the cold butter in the center, and fold the paste over it, first from the sides and then the ends, keeping the shape square, and folding so the butter is completely incased, and cannot escape through the folds when rolled. this must be absolutely guarded against at all times, and can be prevented if the paste is rolled evenly and folded properly. turn the folded side down, and with a rolling-pin roll it lightly away from you into a long, narrow strip, keeping it as even as possible. fold it over, making three even layers of paste. this is called "giving it one turn"; then roll the folded strip again, and fold as before. this must be repeated until it has had six turns, which is as many as it should receive to give it its greatest lightness. after each turn, if it shows signs of softening, otherwise after each two turns, wrap the paste in a napkin, and place it in a pan, which should be placed between two other pans containing cracked ice, and let it remain there twenty to thirty minutes. great care must be used in rolling the paste to keep the edges even, so that the layers will be even, and to roll lightly and always away from you, so as not to break the air-bubbles which give the lightness to the paste. the rolling is made easier by lightly pounding as well as rolling the paste. after each folding press the edges gently with the rolling-pin to shut in the air, and turn the paste so as to roll in a different direction. the paste should slip on the slab. if it does not, it sticks, and must be put on the ice at once. when it has had six turns cut it into the desired forms, and place again on the ice for twenty to thirty minutes before putting it in the oven. the trimmings, put together and rolled, make a good bottom crust for tart bands, or a top crust for mince pies. the baking of puff-paste is as important a matter as the rolling. the oven must be very hot, with the greatest heat at the bottom, so the paste may rise before it begins to brown; therefore put it on the bottom of the oven and lay a paper on the shelf for a few minutes. do not open the door for the first five minutes. it is essential to have the oven very hot. it must not, however, scorch the paste, and if it scorches open the draughts at once, and place a basin of ice-water in the oven to lower the temperature. the amount given in this receipt makes about six pâté shells or one vol-au-vent case. =pÂtÉ shells= roll puff-paste which has had six turns to a quarter-inch thickness; cut it into circles with a fluted or plain cutter two and a quarter inches in diameter. it should be icy-cold when cut, for if it sticks on one side it will not rise evenly. from one half the circles cut a hole in the center with a cutter one inch in diameter. moisten the edges of the whole circles, and place on them the rings. brush over the top with egg. (this is to glaze them, and the egg must not touch the edges.) place them on the ice for half an hour, then bake in hot oven for twenty minutes. bake the small circles cut from the center on a separate tin, as they do not require as much time; when baked pick out from the center any uncooked paste. use the small pieces for covers after the cases are filled. if preferred, roll the paste one half inch thick, and with the small cutter cut half-way through the paste. when baked lift off the inner circle, and remove the uncooked paste from the interior. [illustration: pÂtÉ shells.] =tart bands= make a good short paste, using the receipt for tart paste. roll it one eighth inch thick, and cut it into a circle six inches in diameter, using a basin for guide. wet the edges and lay around it a band of puff-paste cut in a strip one and one half inches wide and one quarter inch thick. place the strip neatly and carefully around the edge, using care not to press it; cut the edges that are to join in a sharp diagonal line, and moisten them so they will adhere. prick the bottom crust in many places with a fork to prevent its puffing up; brush the top of the band with egg, but do not let the egg touch the edges; let it rest on ice for half an hour, then bake in hot oven thirty to forty minutes. when ready to serve fill it with jam, preserves, purée, or any other mixture used for tart pies. these tarts are very good, and can be served where pies would not be admissible. =millefeuilles= roll puff-paste turned six times to the thickness of one half inch; cut it with a pastry wheel into pieces three inches long and one inch wide. brush the tops of the pieces with egg, and sprinkle them with sugar. let them stand on ice one half hour, and then bake in a hot oven for twenty minutes, or until well browned; these are served in place of cakes. or, cut the paste three and a half inches long and two inches wide, and when baked place two pieces together with a thin layer of apricot jam between them, and cover the top with meringue. these are served as a dessert dish for luncheon. =tartlets= cut puff-paste into rings the same as for pâté shells. use tart paste for the under crust. after they are baked fill the center with pineapple, with any preserves, or with apple purée covered with apricot jam. =paganini tartlets= roll puff-paste one eighth inch thick; cut it with a pastry wheel into squares of three and a half to four inches. turn the points together in the middle, and press them down lightly. bake; then put a spoonful of jam in the center of each, and cover the jam with meringue; place them in the oven a moment to brown. =to glaze pastry= take an egg and one tablespoonful of water, and beat the egg enough to break it, but not enough to make it froth. the yolk alone may be used with the water, but the white alone will not give it color. brush it lightly over the pastry, using a brush or quill-feather, and dust it with a very little sugar. this will give a brown and polished surface to the pastry. when two layers of pastry are to be stuck together, brush the top of one with water, and lay the other on it before baking them. chapter xxi cake [sidenote: baking.] the most difficult part of cake-making is the baking. unless the oven is right, the cake will be a failure, no matter how carefully it may have been mixed. rules have everything ready before beginning to mix the cake. have the weights and measures exact. [sidenote: fire.] have the fire so it will last through the baking, and the heat of the oven just right (see below), for on this the success of the cake mostly depends. do not mix the cake until the oven is entirely ready for it to go in. sift the flour before measuring it. if baking-powder or cream of tartar is used, sift it with the flour. mix in an earthen bowl with a wooden spoon. beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately. grease the tins with lard, as butter blackens. for some cakes it is better to line the pans with paper. [sidenote: fruit.] when fruit is used, roll it in flour, and add it the last thing. if the fruit is wanted in layers, add it while the mixture is being poured into the tins. [sidenote: salt.] add one quarter teaspoonful of salt to all cakes. [sidenote: sugary crust.] if a sugary crust is wanted, sprinkle the top with sugar before the cake is baked. [sidenote: cause of cracking.] if the cake cracks open as it rises, too much flour has been used. [sidenote: uneven rising.] if it rises in a cone in the center, the oven is too hot. [sidenote: beating.] beating eggs and butter makes them light, beating flour makes it tough; hence the rule to add it last. [sidenote: adding white of egg.] when the whipped whites are added do not stir, but turn or fold them in lightly, so as not to break the air-cells. [sidenote: pans, how filled.] in filling the pans let the mixture be a little higher on the sides than in the middle. [sidenote: soda and baking powder.] when molasses is used, baking-powder (also cream of tartar) must be omitted, and soda alone used for raising the cake. [sidenote: equivalents.] one teaspoonful of baking-powder is the equivalent of one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and one half teaspoonful of soda. how to beat eggs [sidenote: whites.] [sidenote: yolks.] place the whites on a flat dish, being careful that not a particle of the yolk gets in. add a pinch of salt, and with a daisy beater held flat whip the whites with an upward motion to a stiff, dry froth. it will take but a very few minutes if the eggs are fresh and cold. put the yolks in an earthen bowl, and with a wooden or silver spoon beat them until a lemon color. if sugar is used add it at this time, and stir until the whole becomes light and creamy. how to line tins with paper turn the tin bottom side up, lay over it the paper, and crease the circle for the bottom. cut the paper in several places down to the circular mark, fold it around the pan, and cut away the paper that doubles over. grease the paper, and fit it neatly inside the pan, leaving an inch of paper rising above the edge. [illustration: cake tins and baking sheet.] how to grease pans [sidenote: flouring tins.] warm the pan, and with a brush spread evenly the lard or cottolene. for flat tins to be used for small cakes, brush them lightly with oil; then with a paper or cloth rub them dry, and sprinkle with flour. jar them so the flour will completely cover them; then turn over the tins, and strike them against the table. all the superfluous flour will fall, leaving the tins lightly coated with flour. this will give a clean surface to the bottom of the cake. how to bake cake [sidenote: rising.] [sidenote: time.] the oven should be only moderately hot at first, so that the cake can get heated through, and can rise before forming a crust; the heat should then be increased, so that when the cake has been in the oven one half the time required for baking a light crust will be formed. it should rise evenly, and be smooth on top. when it rises in a cone in the center it is because the oven is too hot, and a crust has formed on the edges before it has had time to rise. sometimes it rises on one side, showing the oven is hotter on one side than the other, in which case it should be turned or a screen interposed; but it must be done with the greatest care. moving or jarring the cake before the air-cells are fixed is almost sure to cause it to fall. do not open the oven door for the first five minutes, and then open and shut it very gently, so as not to jar the cake. cake takes from fifteen minutes to an hour to bake, according to its kind and thickness. a hotter oven is needed for a thin cake than for a thick one. it is done when it shrinks from the pan, and makes no singing noise; or when a broom straw run into it comes out clean and smooth. be sure the cake is done before removing it from the oven. let it stand a few minutes in the tin, and it will then come out easily. always handle the cake carefully. [sidenote: tests for the oven.] the following test for the oven is given by miss parloa. put in a piece of white paper. if at the end of five minutes the paper is a rich yellow color, the oven is right for sponge-cake; if light yellow, it is too cool; if dark brown, too hot. for pound or butter-cakes, it should be light yellow at the end of five minutes. for gingerbreads and thin rolled cakes, it should be dark brown. mixing sponge-cakes cream the yolks and sugar together. add the flavoring and water; then fold in the beaten whites, and lastly the flour, sprinkling it in, and lightly folding, not stirring it in. if baking-powder is used, it is mixed with the flour. mixing cake made with butter rub the butter until it is light and smooth. add the sugar, and stir until creamy. if there is too much sugar to mix with the butter, beat one half with the yolks of the eggs. add the beaten yolks to the creamed butter and sugar. (if only a little butter is used melt it, and add it to the yolks and sugar.) next add the flavoring, and then the milk and flour alternately, until all are in. beat the batter a few minutes to give it fine grain; then fold in the whipped whites of the eggs lightly. if fruit is used, flour and add it the last thing. turn it into the pans, and put it at once into a moderate oven.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] cake made with butter needs to have the dough quite thick with flour, as the butter when melted acts as a wetting. =sponge-cake no. = eggs. cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of flour. cupful of cold water. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. juice and grated rind of lemon. / teaspoonful of salt. in this cake the beaten whites are added last. the baking-powder mixed with the flour is added to the yolks, sugar, and flavoring. this is a good cake to use for layer-cakes or rolls. it is sufficient for two loaves. =sponge-cake no. = weigh any number of eggs; take the same weight of sugar and one half the weight of flour; the grated rind and juice of one lemon to five eggs. for mixing this cake, see the directions given above; the mixture should be very light and spongy, great care being used not to break down the whipped whites. the oven should be moderate at first, and the heat increased after a time. the cake must not be moved or jarred while baking. the time will be forty to fifty minutes, according to size of loaf. use powdered sugar for sponge-cake. rose-water makes a good flavoring when a change from lemon is wanted. almonds chopped fine mixed in the cake, and also orange rind grated over the cake before it is frosted, are good. =sponge-cake no. = eggs. pound of powdered sugar. / pound of flour. juice and grated rind of / lemon. beat the yolks and sugar together for at least half an hour. it will not be right unless thoroughly beaten; add the lemon, then the whites beaten very stiff, and the flour last; sprinkle the top with sugar. put it at once into a moderate oven. this is a moist cake and has a thick crust. =white sponge, or angel cake= whites of eggs. / cupful of granulated sugar. cupful of flour. / teaspoonful of vanilla. / teaspoonful of cream of tartar. put the cream of tartar into the flour and sift it five or six times; sift the sugar twice. put a pinch of salt with the whites of the eggs and whip them very stiff; add the sugar to the whipped whites, placing it on the end of the platter and gradually beating it in from below; add the flour in the same way, and lastly add the flavoring. do not stop beating after the mixing is begun, and keep the mixture light. bake it in a perfectly bright ungreased pan, or one lined with paper; a pan with a tube in the center is best. bake in a moderate oven thirty to forty minutes. do not move or jar it while it is baking. try it with a broom-straw before removing it from the oven, and do not let it get too deeply colored. let it stand in the pan a few minutes, then loosen it around the sides, and it will fall out. turn the cake upside down and ice the bottom and sides if desired. the usual receipt is double the above quantities, eleven eggs being used, but this one gives a cake large enough to serve six people, and as it should be used while it is very fresh, it is better not to make more than enough to serve once. it can be made with five eggs and is very good, but not quite as spongy. do not cut the cake, but break it apart with two forks.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] if baked too fast this cake will be tough. it is well to set the cake-pan in a pan of water in the oven. =sunshine cake= make the same as angel cake, adding the beaten yolks of two eggs before putting in the flour. =genoese cake= three eggs, and the same weight of butter, of sugar, and of flour. beat the butter and sugar together until very light and creamy; add one saltspoonful of salt and flavoring (one half teaspoonful of vanilla or almond, or one tablespoonful of brandy); then add the eggs one at a time and beat each one well before adding the next. beat the mixture for fifteen to twenty minutes; then stir in lightly the sifted flour and turn it into a pan, filling it three quarters full. this cake can be used for layers, rolls, canary pudding, or can be cut into small forms for fancy cakes. bake slowly about forty minutes. =jelly rolls= make a layer of genoese, or of sponge-cake no. . put the mixture on the layer tins in spoonfuls, placing it around the edges; then with a broad knife smooth it over toward the middle, making it as even as possible. another way is to press it through a pastry bag in lines onto the tins. the layers should be only one half inch thick when baked, and the crust should not be hard. as soon as it is removed from the oven, and before it has had time to cool, cut off the hard edges, spread it with currant, or any jelly or jam, and roll it up evenly; then roll it in a paper and tie, so it will cool in a round, even shape. =layer cakes: chocolate, vanilla, coffee= bake genoese or sponge-cake no. (one half the receipt will give three layers) in round layer tins, using three for each cake; when baked spread two of them with filling and pile them one on the other. trim the outside with a sharp knife so it will show a white even edge instead of crust. cover the top with a soft royal icing made of confectioners' sugar and flavored the same as the filling. =cream filling= beat well together the yolks of five eggs, one half cupful of sugar, and one heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch; dilute it with two cupfuls of boiling milk, and stir it over the fire until thickened; then remove, add the flavoring, and let it cool. if coffee flavoring is wanted, use one half black coffee and one half milk. if chocolate, melt three or four ounces and add it to the custard. =chocolate filling= melt four ounces of chocolate; dilute it with three tablespoonfuls of milk, and then add a cupful of sugar mixed with a well-beaten egg, and stir until thickened. =orange cake= whites of eggs. cupfuls of granulated sugar. heaping cupfuls of flour sifted three or four times. cupful of butter. cupful of milk. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. teaspoonful of lemon-juice. cream the butter; add the sugar, and beat for ten minutes; add the milk, and then add alternately the whipped eggs and the flour, the baking-powder having been sifted with the flour; add the lemon-juice last, and mix all lightly. bake in layer tins; spread the layers with orange filling and frost the top with royal icing flavored with orange-juice and a little lemon. =orange filling= beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth. boil one and one quarter cupfuls of sugar with one half cupful of water to the small ball (see page ). pour the boiling sugar in a very fine stream onto the whipped whites, beating hard all the time. add the grated rind and juice of one orange and continue to beat until it is cold and the sugar is stiffened enough to place between the cakes without running. =pistachio cake= make three layers of cake after the receipt given for orange cake. make a cream filling as directed for layer cakes. flavor it with orange-flower water and a little bitter almond, to give the flavor of pistachio (see page ), and color it a delicate green. frost the top with a soft royal icing (page ) made of confectioners' sugar; color it a delicate light green and sprinkle the top with chopped pistachio nuts. this cake is rather soft and creamy, and should not be cut before going on the table. =plain cup cake= / cupful of butter. - / cupfuls of sugar. cupful of water or milk. cupfuls of flour. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. eggs. juice and rind of lemon. beat the butter and sugar to a cream; add the beaten yolks; then add slowly the water and three quarters of the flour. beat it a long time until very smooth and light; then add the lemon and the rest of the flour in which the baking-powder is mixed; beat well together, and lastly add the whipped whites of the eggs. bake in gem-pans, putting a tablespoonful of the mixture into each pan. raisins may be added to this cake, or two ounces of melted chocolate may be used instead of the lemon-juice, making it chocolate cake; or it may be made into spice cakes by using two tablespoonfuls of molasses with enough water to give one cupful of liquid; add also one half teaspoonful each of ground cloves, cinnamon, and allspice, and a few currants if desired; use one teaspoonful of soda instead of the baking-powder if molasses is used. bake in a moderate oven about one half hour, and see that the cakes rise evenly and are of the same size. turn them out of the pans bottom side up, and frost the bottom and sides with royal icing while they are still warm. for chocolate or spice cakes, use chocolate icing. [illustration: plain cup cakes iced and small piece of angelica placed in center of each cake.] =gold-and-silver cake= use the receipt given for plain cup cake. divide the materials; use the whites of the eggs with one part, the yolks and one whole egg with the other. bake in separate tins; cut before serving; arrange the slices with the two colors alternating on a lace paper. =marble cake= make a mixture as directed for plain cup cake; divide it into three parts; color one with carmine, another with melted chocolate (one ounce), and leave the third one white. do this quickly, so the baking-powder will not lose its force before going into the oven. pour the mixtures into a tin, alternating the colors twice; they will run together and make a mottled cake. =richer cup; or, , , , cake= use one cup of butter, two of sugar, three of flour, and four eggs, and one half teaspoonful of vanilla. mix as directed for butter-cake mixtures (page ). =pound-cake= use one pound each of butter, sugar, and flour; ten eggs; one quarter teaspoonful of mace and one half cupful of brandy. mix as directed for butter-cake mixtures. divide it into two loaves and bake in tins lined with paper forty to fifty minutes in a moderate oven. this cake may be filled with sliced citron and raisins if desired, or may have nuts mixed with it, making a nut cake, or some nuts may be sprinkled over the top before it goes in the oven. =white cake= whites of eggs. / cupful of butter. - / cupfuls of powdered sugar. cupfuls of flour. juice of half a lemon. / teaspoonful of soda. sift the soda with the flour three times; cream the butter and add the flour to it; whip the eggs to a stiff froth and add the sugar, then beat them gradually into the butter and flour, and add the lemon-juice. when it is thoroughly mixed and smooth put it into a biscuit or flat tin, so it will make a layer one and a half inches thick when done. bake it in a moderate oven; while it is still warm spread it with royal icing (see page ). before the icing fully hardens, mark two lines down the length of the cake, dividing it into three sections, then across in even lines, giving slices one inch broad and about two and a half inches long; to do this hold over it a straight edge and mark it with the back of a knife. put into a pastry bag some of the frosting, made a little stiffer with sugar, and place two dots of icing on each slice. this cake may be made with baking-powder, using one teaspoonful and mixing it in the usual way. it will then be a lighter cake and should be baked in a loaf; the first gives a firm, fine-grained cake. =plain fruit cake= { / cupful of butter. } { cupfuls of granulated sugar. } cream these together well. { eggs. { teaspoonful of allspice. { / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. { / teaspoonful of ground cloves. { / teaspoonful of ground mace. { cupful of milk with / teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it. { cupfuls of sifted flour with teaspoonful of cream of tartar mixed in it. { cupful of sliced citron. { cupfuls of raisins. mix the materials in the order given, beating well each one before the next is added; add part of the flour and the milk at the same time, then the rest of the flour. flour the fruit and add it last. more fruit can be used if desired. this will make one large or a dozen small cakes. bake in a moderate oven about one hour if in one cake. =brod torte= eggs. - / cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of bread-crumbs--graham preferred. teaspoonfuls of ground cinnamon. citron size of small egg. / cupful of blanched almonds. grated rind of one lemon. / cupful of brandy or rum. - / ounces of chocolate. teaspoonful of ground allspice. put into a bowl the bread-crumbs, dried and pounded fine, the citron and almonds both chopped fine, the spices and lemon-rind and the chocolate grated fine; mix them thoroughly and evenly together. in a second bowl put the yolks of the nine eggs and whites of five with one and one half cupfuls of sugar. beat them until quite stiff. in a third bowl put the whites of four eggs; beat them to a stiff froth; then stir in the remaining cupful of sugar. now gradually and lightly mix the dry ingredients of bowl no. with no. ; then add the whites from no. . lastly, add the brandy or rum, and quickly put it into the oven to bake for three quarters of an hour. cover with chocolate icing, and decorate with lines of white icing. [illustration: iced cake decorated with candied cherries cut in halves, angelica cut into triangular pieces, and a scalloped line of icing.] [illustration: cake covered with chocolate icing and ornamented in center with lines of white icing.] [illustration: cake ornamented with a medallion in center formed by a ring of candied plums cut in quarters and stood on edge. the center of the circle is covered with boiled icing and decorated with candied cherries and angelica. the cake outside the medallion is brushed with white of egg and then covered with blanched almonds cut in thin slices.] =fruit cake= pound of flour. pound of sugar. pound of butter. / pound of candied citron (sliced). pounds of currants. pounds of raisins (stoned and chopped). eggs. tablespoonful of ground cinnamon. tablespoonful of mace. tablespoonful of nutmeg. gills of brandy. mix the fruit together and flour it; mix the spices with the sugar. cream the butter and sugar; add the beaten yolks, then the whipped whites and the brandy, then the flour, and lastly the fruit. put the mixture in two large tins lined with double paper, and bake in a moderate oven for three hours. if preferred, add the sliced citron in layers as the mixture is poured into the pans. one pound of chopped almonds may be substituted for one of the pounds of currants. this cake will keep any length of time, therefore the quantity may not be too great to make at one time. cream cakes and Éclairs these are made of cooked paste, and are very easy to prepare. the cream cakes differ from the éclairs only in form and in not being iced. =cream cakes= cupful of water. tablespoonful of sugar. tablespoonfuls of butter. - / cupfuls of flour (pastry flour preferred). to eggs. / saltspoonful of salt. put the water, sugar, salt, and butter in a saucepan on the fire. when the butter is melted remove; add to it the flour, and beat until it is a smooth paste; return it to the fire, and stir vigorously until the paste leaves the sides of the pan; then remove; let it partly cool, and then add the eggs, one at a time, beating each one for some time before adding the next. when all are in, beat until the batter is no longer stringy. it should be consistent enough to hold its shape without spreading when dropped from the spoon on a tin. three eggs make it about right unless they are very small or the flour very dry. the batter is better if it stands for an hour or two before being used; but this is not essential. put the mixture into a pastry-bag with a tube of one half inch opening; press the batter through into balls one and a half to two inches in diameter. a spoon can be used, but does not give the cakes as good shape. brush the tops with egg. put them in a slack oven and bake slowly for about forty minutes. they will feel light when done, and be puffed very high. oil and flour the pans or baking-sheets as directed on page . when the puffs are cool make an incision in the side and fill with cream filling as given for layer cakes, page . the whipped whites of the eggs may be added to this filling if it is wanted thinner and lighter. these cakes are good made very small, filled with jam and a little whipped cream, and the tops dipped in sugar boiled to the crack, then sprinkled with chopped burnt almonds. =chocolate, vanilla, and coffee Éclairs= make a mixture as for cream cakes; put it into a pastry-bag with a tube of three eighth inch opening. press the batter onto tins (floured as directed for cream cakes) in strips three and one half inches long, and a little distance apart, the same as lady-fingers. egg the tops and bake in a slack oven about thirty minutes. cut open one side and fill with cream filling made the same as for cream cakes. make a chocolate icing no. (page ); dip the éclairs into it, covering them one half. for vanilla or coffee éclairs use fondant icing, page . flavor the filling with vanilla or coffee, the same as the icing. =carolines= make small éclairs two inches long, using a tube with opening no larger than a pencil. when baked run a wooden skewer through them, leaving an opening at each end, so the filling will go all the way through. put the filling in a bag, and press it through the carolines. cover the top with fondant icing. have the filling flavored with coffee. fancy small cakes =meringues and kisses= add a half saltspoonful of salt to the whites of three eggs; beat them, and add gradually, while whipping, three quarters of a cupful of powdered sugar. continue to beat until the mixture is smooth and firm enough to hold its shape without spreading when dropped in a ball; add the flavoring of lemon-juice or any essence. place the meringue in a pastry-bag and press it through a tube into balls of the size desired onto strips of paper laid on a board that will fit the oven. with a wet knife flatten down the point on top left by the tube, and sprinkle them with sugar. put them into a very slack oven, and let them dry for at least an hour; then remove from the papers and either press in the bottoms or scoop out the soft center and turn them over to dry inside. if small kisses, it is better to give them plenty of time to dry, so none of the center has to be taken out. they can be removed to the warm shelf if the oven is giving them too much color. they should be only slightly colored on top and dried all the way through. for large meringues to be filled with cream, use one and a half tablespoonfuls of meringue for each piece. make them an oblong shape. place them in an oven hot enough for cake and watch them closely until they have formed a light-colored crust; then remove and take out the soft center or press in the bottom, and turn them over to dry inside. these meringues may be dried like the kisses, but take longer time, as they are larger. when a board is not at hand the papers holding the meringues may be laid in biscuit-tins, a second tin placed like a cover over the top, and set on the shelf over the range for several hours. this serves very well where the fire is too great for the ovens to be cool. there is no difficulty in making meringues if the eggs are sufficiently whipped. they soon become stiff when whipped after the sugar is in. they must be dried rather than baked. if the meringues stick to the paper turn them over, slightly moisten the paper, and it will soon come off. make kisses small and stick two together with white of egg. when very small they are good with a little jam or jelly between them. large meringues can be filled with ice-cream or with whipped cream just before serving them, and two placed together. one quarter cupful of powdered sugar is needed for the white of each egg. [illustration: . small kisses. (see page .) . madeleines--round, square, diamond-shaped, and crescents, each one iced and garnished with piece of angelica cut the same shape as the cake. (see page .)] =lady-fingers= eggs. / pound or - / cupfuls of powdered sugar. / pound or cupful of sifted flour. / saltspoonful of salt. flavoring of vanilla, lemon, or orange-flower water. beat the yolks and sugar to a light cream; add the flavoring. stir in lightly the flour and then the whites of the eggs whipped very firm; the salt is added to the whites before being whipped. have a sheet of paper on the baking-pan or sheet. place the mixture in a pastry-bag, and press it through a tube having an opening one half to three quarter inch wide. have the strips four and a half inches long. cut off the paste from the tube with a knife so the ends will be clean; dust them with sugar and bake in a moderate oven ten to twelve minutes, or until a light crust has formed. the crust should not be colored. when done, stick two together, using white of egg. _for biscuit balls._--drop the mixture in balls one half inch in diameter, and bake the same as fingers. stick two together with a little jam between them. =macaroons= / pound of almonds. whites of eggs. - / cupfuls of powdered sugar. pound the blanched almonds to a paste, adding a teaspoonful of rose-water to keep them from oiling; add also the sugar, a little at a time, while pounding the almonds; add a few drops of almond essence and the whipped whites of the eggs; beat thoroughly together. drop the mixture in balls one half inch in diameter on strips of paper, using a pastry-bag. if not stiff enough to hold their shapes without spreading, add one tablespoonful of flour. =cocoanut balls or cones= grate a cocoanut; add to it half its weight of sugar; then stir in the whipped white of one egg. boll the mixture into balls or cones, and bake in a moderate oven twenty to thirty minutes. if the mixture is too soft to hold its shape, add a very little flour. =madeleines no. = make two thin layers of genoese cake (page ), flavored with brandy; place them together with a thin layer of jelly or jam between them. cut the cake into fancy shapes, such as diamonds, squares, circles, and crescents, having them not more than one and a quarter to one and a half inches in diameter, and the same in thickness. ice them with fondant (see page ), flavored with ram, kirsch, or maraschino, or vary the flavor for the different shapes; or, make the cakes of one layer one and a quarter inches thick, and ice them on top and sides with royal icing or with fondant, making it of different colors, pink, green, chocolate, white, and flavor to correspond. place in the center of each cake a currant, bit of candied cherry, piece of angelica, or almond. =madeleines no. = take a sponge-cake no. , or a genoese cake mixture, and make it a little stiffer with flour (enough batter can usually be saved from layer cake to make a few fancy cakes). with a spoon or pastry-bag drop it in balls one half inch in diameter; bake, and place two together with a little jam or jelly between them. cover them with soft royal icing; have them all of the same color. if green, use pistachio flavor as directed, page , and sprinkle the tops with chopped pistachio nuts; if white, with almonds; if pink, leave them plain, and flavor with rose. =little pound-cakes= use the genoese mixture with a few currants added, or the plain pound-cake mixture. bake in small tins one and a half inches in diameter; take care that they rise evenly so they are flat on top. ice the top only with any kind of icing. [illustration: . small pound cakes and tins in which they were baked. . orange-quarter cakes and baking tin. (see page .) . shell-shaped genoese cakes and baking tin.] =orange quarters= use the genoese or any butter-cake mixture, making it quite stiff with flour; flavor it with lemon- and orange-juice, and add a little of the grated rind of orange. drop a small tablespoonful of the cake mixture at intervals into the tin made for this cake (see illustration), and bake in a moderate oven; cover the wedge-shaped sides of the cakes with soft royal icing flavored and colored with orange-juice. =almond wafers= take one tablespoonful each of flour and powdered sugar and one half saltspoonful of salt. sift them well together. beat the white of one egg just enough to break it, and add as much of it to the flour and sugar as it will take to make a creamy batter; flavor with a few drops of almond essence. grease the pans lightly and flour them as directed on page . drop a half teaspoonful of the paste on the pan, and with a wet finger spread it into a thin round wafer. bake it in a very moderate oven until the edges are slightly browned, then, before removing from the oven door, lift each wafer, and turn it around a stick. they stiffen very quickly, and the rolling must be done while they are hot. =venetian cakes= / cupful of butter. / cupful of powdered sugar. - / cupfuls of pastry flour. cupful of almonds. teaspoonful of vanilla. yolks of eggs. cream the butter and sugar together until very light; add the yolks well beaten; then the almonds blanched and cut in strips; mix; add the vanilla and stir in lightly the flour. the dough should be rather soft. take a small piece at a time, drop it in powdered sugar, and roll it between the hands into a ball one inch in diameter. put a piece of pistachio nut on the top. place the balls a little distance apart on floured pans (see page ), and bake in a moderate oven ten to fifteen minutes, or to a pale color. they will flatten in baking and have the shape of macaroons. =gauffres= this receipt was obtained in paris, and makes the little cakes one sees for sale at all the french fêtes, and also on the sea-beaches, where the vender calls so cheerily, "voici les plaisirs." they are baked in a kind of small waffle-iron. the plaisirs are rolled as soon as taken from the iron. add a dash of salt to the whites of six eggs, and whip them to a stiff froth. put a half pound of flour in a bowl, and add enough water to make a thin batter; flavor it with vanilla, then add the whipped whites of the eggs. bake one gauffre to see if the batter is of the right consistency. it should be very thin, and water can be added until it is right. have the iron hot, and grease it well with butter or oil. pour in the batter, and let it run evenly into all the grooves; close the iron, and bake on both sides over hot coals. the iron must be very clean, smooth, and well greased, or the gauffres will stick. dredge them with powdered sugar as soon as baked. [illustration: gauffre iron. (see page .)] jumbles, cookies, and plain cakes =jumbles= beat to a cream one cupful of butter with two cupfuls of sugar. add three eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately; then the flavoring. stir in lightly enough flour to make a paste just firm enough to roll thin. cut it into circles, and with a smaller cutter stamp out a small circle in the middle, leaving the jumbles in rings. place them in a floured pan, brush the tops with white of egg, and sprinkle with pounded loaf sugar. the sugar should be in small lumps. bake in a moderate oven to a light color. =sand tarts= make the mixture given for jumbles. cut it into squares or diamonds, place them in floured pans, brush the top with white of egg. sprinkle with granulated sugar mixed with ground cinnamon. place a piece of blanched almond in the center of each one. =rolled jumbles= make a mixture as directed for jumbles, using only enough flour to make a thin batter. drop a teaspoonful of batter for each cake on a floured pan. in the oven it runs out into a thin cake, so leave plenty of room for the batter to spread. as soon as the edges begin to brown lift the cakes, and at the oven door roll them around a stick. leave them in the oven a few moments longer to dry. =plain cookies= cupful of butter. cupfuls of sugar. cupful of milk. eggs. / teaspoonful of vanilla. flour. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. mix in the order given. use enough flour to roll the dough thin. cut it into circles, and bake in a moderate oven. brush the tops with white of egg, and sprinkle them with sugar. caraway seeds may be mixed with the dough, or sprinkled over the tops if liked. for soft cookies do not roll the dough so thin. stamp them out with a fluted cutter, and remove them from the oven as soon as baked, not leaving them to dry as for crisp cookies. =ginger snaps= put a half cupful of butter and a cupful of molasses on the fire; as soon as the butter is softened remove them, and add a half cupful of brown sugar, a teaspoonful of ginger, and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little hot water; then mix in enough flour to make a stiff dough. roll it very thin, and stamp it into circles. =crullers= beat three eggs together; add four tablespoonfuls of sugar and four tablespoonfuls of melted butter or lard; then enough flour to make a dough stiff enough to roll. roll it a quarter of an inch thick. cut it into pieces three and a half inches long and two inches broad. cut two slits in each piece, and give each one a twist. fry the crullers in hot fat, the same as doughnuts. =doughnuts= eggs. cupful of sugar. cupful of milk. tablespoonfuls of melted butter. flour enough to make a soft dough. saltspoonful each of salt and ground cinnamon. / teaspoonful of soda and teaspoonful of cream of tartar, or teaspoonful of baking-powder. roll the dough one inch thick. cut it into small circles, or rings, or strips and twist them. drop the cakes into smoking hot fat, and fry to light brown; drain, and roll them in powdered sugar while still warm. =bread cake= take a piece of raised bread-dough large enough for one loaf. mix into it one tablespoonful of butter, one cupful each of sugar, raisins, and currants; one half teaspoonful each of ground cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. let it rise, which will take some time, and bake the same as bread. =one-egg cake= cream together a half cupful of butter and a cupful of sugar. add a cupful of milk, and one beaten egg; then two cupfuls of flour mixed with two teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. bake in a moderate oven. =warren's cake= eggs. cupful of sugar. cupful of flour. / cupful of hot water. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. beat the yolks and whites of the eggs together well, add the sugar, then the flour, in which the baking-powder is mixed, and lastly the water. put it into the oven at once. =molasses wafers= mix well together one cupful of butter, one cupful of sugar, two cupfuls of molasses, and two cupfuls of flour. drop a few spoonfuls into a pan, in different places, and put it in the oven; it will melt and run together. let it bake until it begins to harden on the edges; then remove, cut it into squares, and while it is still hot and soft roll each piece around a stick. =soft gingerbread= cupful of molasses. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of boiling water. to cupfuls of flour. teaspoonful each of ginger, ground cloves, cinnamon, and soda. / saltspoonful of salt. add the melted butter to the molasses, then the spices. dissolve the soda in the boiling water, and stir it into the molasses. add enough flour to make a very soft dough--too soft to roll. bake in a biscuit-tin lined with paper, in a moderate oven, for thirty-five minutes. mix it quickly and put it into the oven at once. =molasses cake= put together two cupfuls of new orleans molasses and one cupful of butter, and heat them enough to soften the butter; remove from the fire, and add a teaspoonful each of powdered ginger and cinnamon, and one half teaspoonful of cloves, then three well-beaten eggs. when it is well mixed add alternately, in small quantities, three cupfuls of flour and one cupful of boiling water in which have been dissolved three teaspoonfuls of baking soda. icing and decorating cakes =royal icing= place the white of an egg in a bowl or plate. add a little lemon-juice or other flavoring, and a few drops of water. stir in powdered sugar until it is of the right consistency to spread. while the cake is still warm pile the icing on the center of the cake, and with a wet knife smooth it over the top and sides of the cake. it will settle into a smooth and glossy surface. if the icing is prepared before the cake is ready, cover it with a wet cloth, as it quickly hardens. if it becomes too stiff add a few drops of water, and stir it again. color and flavor as desired. one egg will take about a cupful of sugar, and will make enough icing to cover one cake. if a little more is needed add a little water to the egg, and it will then take more sugar. when icing is wanted for decorating a cake, beat the whites to a froth, then beat in the sugar instead of stirring it, and continue to beat until it is firm enough to hold its form. stirring more sugar into the unwhipped whites will make it firm enough for decorating, but the whipped icing is better. put it into a pastry-bag with small tube, or into a paper funnel, and press it through into any shapes desired. a good icing is made of milk and sugar alone. =royal icing with confectioner's sugar= make this icing the same as the other, using confectioner's sugar, which is finer than the powdered sugar, and use a little water with the egg. this makes a soft, creamy icing; the more water used, the softer it will be. if beaten instead of stirred it will become firm enough to hold in place without so much sugar being used, but in this way it dries sooner and is not so creamy. this is a good icing for layer cakes, fancy cakes, and éclairs. =boiled icing no. = put a cupful of sugar into a saucepan with one quarter cupful of boiling water and a half saltspoonful of cream of tartar; stir till dissolved, then let it boil without stirring until it threads when dropped from the spoon. turn it in a fine stream onto the white of one egg whipped to a stiff froth. beat the egg until the mixture becomes smooth and stiff enough to spread, but do not let it get too cold. pour it over the cake. =boiled icing no. = boil sugar as directed above to the soft ball; then remove from the fire, add the flavoring, and stir it until it looks clouded, and turn it at once over the cake. =chocolate icing no. = melt in a dry saucepan some chocolate; dilute it with a little water and add enough powdered or confectioner's sugar to make it of the right consistency. use it while warm, as chocolate quickly hardens. flavor it with vanilla. =chocolate icing no. = melt in a dry pan four ounces of baker's chocolate, or of cocoa. boil one and three quarter cupfuls of sugar with a cupful of water till it threads when dropped from the spoon, the same as for boiled icing. turn it slowly onto the chocolate, stirring all the time. use this icing for dipping éclairs and small cakes, and for layer cakes. chocolate icing loses its gloss when at all stale. =chocolate icing no. = melt one ounce of chocolate; dilute it with two tablespoonfuls of milk; add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a quarter teaspoonful of butter; stir till smooth and spread on the cake. =icing for small cakes= stir into confectioner's sugar enough syrup of thirty degrees (see page ) to dissolve it; add fruit-juice or liqueur to flavor it. when ready to use, heat it, stirring all the time, and stand it in a pan of hot water while the cakes are dipped into it. =coffee icing for Éclairs= make the same as the one given above, using very strong coffee or coffee essence to color and flavor it. use enough sugar to make a soft flowing icing, and dip the cakes into it while it is hot. =fondant icing= this is the best of all icings. it is soft and glossy, and is used especially for small cakes and éclairs. if the fondant is already made, it gives very little trouble. to make fondant see page . it will keep in tight preserve jars any length of time. fondant does not work so well after it has been melted two or three times, therefore it is better to take only the amount to be used for one flavor or color at a time. place it in a cup and stand it in a pan of boiling water. stir the fondant constantly while it is melting, or it will become a clear liquid. it will soften at a low degree of heat; add the flavoring and coloring and dip the cakes into it. if it becomes too hard, add a few drops of syrup at thirty-four degrees (see page ). when liqueurs are used for flavoring, add a drop or two at a time only, or they will dilute it too much. should this occur, add a little more fondant to the cup. maraschino, curaçao, kirsch, orange-flower water, rose, almond, and coffee essences make good flavorings for fancy-cake icings. garnishing cakes with powdered sugar [sidenote: in lines or squares.] the simplest of all garnishings is to sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar; strips of paper can be laid over the cake before it is dusted, so as to give lines or squares of white over the top; stencils for this purpose are easily cut, giving circles or diamonds. with chopped nuts [sidenote: almonds, walnuts, or pistachio nuts.] brush the cake with white of egg and then sprinkle with nuts chopped or sliced fine; or the cake may be lightly coated with a red jelly or jam, and then sprinkled with chopped nuts. with colored sugars cover the cake with royal icing, and before it hardens sprinkle it with red and green colored sugar (see page ). it may be put on in dots or sprinkled evenly over the whole. with two colors loaf cake may be iced in sections of alternate colors. to do this, place a strip of stiff paper upright between the colors while spreading them, and remove it carefully as soon as the icing is on. this will give a clean, sharp line. cakes iced with chocolate or with boiled icing may be ornamented with fine lines of royal icing. to decorate in designs [sidenote: to practise elaborate designs.] place royal icing in a pastry bag having a tube with small opening. press the icing through slowly, following any design one may have in view. points may be pricked in the flat icing at regular intervals as a guide. it requires some practice to acquire the facility for making very elaborate designs, but straight lines, dots, and circles around the cake are easy to make, and with these a great variety of combinations can be made. tubes of various-shaped openings are made to give different forms to the icing pressed through them. if one cares to practise making fancy decorations, draw a design on a paper or slab and follow the lines with icing; scrape off the icing when it is done, and repeat the operation until familiar enough with the design to be able to make it without a guide. chapter xxii frozen desserts ice-creams, water-ices, parfaits, mousses, frozen fruits, punches, and sherbets frozen desserts are the most acceptable of any that can be presented in the summer-time, and at any season they are served and expected at dinner entertainments. [sidenote: comparative trouble and expense.] the trouble of making them is not greater than that of making any dessert of the same class, and the expense no more than any dessert using the same amount of eggs and cream; thus a plain ice-cream is the same as a custard, a mousse the same as whipped cream, etc. parfaits are especially delicious creams, and as they require no stirring while freezing are very quickly and easily made. the freezing of ice-creams which require stirring is accomplished in twenty to twenty-five minutes, and is much easier work than beating eggs for cake. in fact, the whole process of making ice-creams is easier than that of making cake, but the latter is so generally practised that nothing is thought of it. it will be the same with ice-cream if the habit is once formed. they have the advantage over hot desserts that they require no attention at dinner-time. classification of ice-creams philadelphia ice-creams are cream sweetened, flavored, and stirred while freezing. french ice-creams are custards of different degrees of richness stirred while freezing. parfaits, biscuits, and mousses are whipped cream, with or without eggs, frozen without stirring. water-ices are fruit-juices sweetened with sugar syrup, stirred while freezing. punches and sherbets are water-ices with liquors mixed with them either before or after they are frozen. [sidenote: fancy creams.] these creams, in different degrees of richness and with different flavorings, give an infinite variety, and their combinations and forms of molding give all the fancy ices. general rules for making ice-creams--to prepare ice-cream mixtures [sidenote: the cream.] unless the cream is to be whipped it should be scalded, as it then gives a smoother and better ice; otherwise it has a raw taste. it is scalded as soon as the water in the outside kettle boils. if the cream is too much cooked it will not increase in bulk when stirred, therefore do not boil the cream. when whipped cream is used it should be very cold, whipped to a stiff, firm froth with a wire whip, and the liquid which drains from it should not be used. (see whipping cream, page .) [sidenote: the sugar.] ices are much better when the sugar is added in the form of syrup. (see sugar syrup, page ; and boiling syrup, page .) frozen fruits are smoother when sweetened with syrup, and water-ices should be made of a thick syrup diluted with fruit-juice to ° on the syrup gauge. [sidenote: custards] in custard creams the milk should be scalded, and when a little cool stirred into the beaten yolks (the whites of the eggs are not generally used). the whole is then placed on the fire, and stirred continually until it coats the spoon no longer. the flavoring is then added, and it is beaten until cold. this makes it light and smooth, and increases its bulk. [sidenote: biscuits and parfaits.] for biscuits and parfaits the custard is made of sugar syrup and yolks of eggs cooked together until it coats the spoon, and is then beaten until cold. [sidenote: freezing.] [sidenote: time.] _freezing._--put the ice in a strong cloth or bag, and pound it quite fine. the finer the ice the quicker will be the freezing. snow may be used in place of ice. use one part of rock salt (fine salt will not do) to three parts of ice. rock salt can be had at feed-stores when not found at grocers'. place the can in the freezing pail with the pivot of the can in the socket of the pail, have the cover on the can, and a cork in the opening on top. hold the can straight, and fill around it three inches deep of ice; then an inch of salt. alternate the layers of ice and salt, observing the right proportions, until the packing rises to within an inch of the top of the can; pack it down as solid as possible. see that the can will turn, and be careful not to lift it out of the socket. take off the top of the can; put in the paddle, placing the pivot in the socket at the bottom; then pour in carefully the ice-cream mixture, which must be perfectly cold. adjust the tops and crank, and turn it for twenty to twenty-five minutes, by which time the cream should be frozen. the crank turns harder when the mixture has stiffened, and it is not necessary to look in order to know it is frozen. if the cream is frozen too quickly it will be coarse-grained. to have it fine-grained it must be turned constantly, and not frozen in less time than twenty minutes. [sidenote: adding fruit, nuts, cream, etc.] [sidenote: ripening.] _packing._--when the cream is frozen take off the crank and the top of the pail. wipe carefully the top of the can, and see that the ice and salt are well below the lid, so none will get into the cream; lift off the top, take out the paddle, and with a spoon or wooden spatula work down the cream. if fruit, whipped cream, or anything is to be added to the cream, put it in at this time and work it well together. if the cream is to be molded, remove and place it in the molds; if not, smooth the top, and make the cream compact with a potato masher. replace the top, put a cork in the opening of the lid, draw off the water in the pail by removing the cork from the hole in the side of the pail, add more ice and salt. cover it with a heavy cloth, and let it stand until ready to use. the cream ripens or becomes blended by standing, so should be made before the time for serving. look at it occasionally to see that the water does not rise above the opening of the can. if properly watched, and if the packing is renewed as required, the cream can be kept for any length of time. [sidenote: molding.] [sidenote: precaution.] _molding ice-creams._--put the frozen ice-cream into the mold, filling it entirely full; press it down to force out any air bubbles. rub butter around the edge where the lid fits on. lay a wet thin paper over the top, and put on the lid. fill the edges around the lid with butter or lard. this will harden, and make the joints tight. too much care cannot be taken to prevent the salt water leaking into the mold. imbed the mold in ice and salt for from one to six hours. mousses require four to six hours, and parfaits two to three hours. watch to see that the water does not rise above the lid of the mold, and draw it off when necessary. [illustration: ice-cream molds in brick forms and individual lead molds.] [sidenote: bombs.] [sidenote: panachée.] [sidenote: neapolitan.] [sidenote: individual creams.] [sidenote: freezing box.] _fancy molding._--when two or more kinds of creams are to be combined in the same mold, first place the mold in ice and salt; line it an inch or more thick with one kind of cream, and fill the center with a cream of different flavor and color. these are called bombs. or, place two or more kinds in even layers. where two colors are used they are panachée; if three, they are neapolitan. if the colors are to run in vertical strips, which is desirable in pyramidal molds, cut a piece of stiff paper or cardboard to the shape of the mold; fill each side with a different cream, and then withdraw the paper. arrange layers of creams so that when unmolded the most solid one will be at the bottom, as it has the weight of the others to sustain; for instance, do not put water-ices or parfaits under french creams. biscuits are put into paper boxes, and individual creams into lead molds. the latter must be thoroughly chilled, then filled according to fancy or color suitable to the form. they are then closed, and put into a freezing-box, or into a pail, the joints of the pail tightly sealed with butter, and packed in ice and salt. a freezing-box with shelves is desirable to have for these creams, but a lard-pail answers very well for a small number of molds, as the lid fits over the outside, and so can be made tight. molds packed in this way require to stand longer than those which come in direct contact with the ice and salt. [sidenote: decorating.] the individual creams have to be frozen very hard, and when unmolded should be brushed with a little color to simulate the fruit or flower they represent. thus, a peach or a pear would be of french cream, which is yellow in color, and the sides brushed with a little diluted cochineal to give pink cheeks, and a piece of angelica stuck in to represent a stem. a flower would be molded in white cream, and the center made yellow. a mushroom stem would be dipped in powdered cocoa, etc. individual creams are perhaps too difficult for an amateur to undertake, and hardly repay the trouble when so many ornamental creams are more easily made. [sidenote: unmolding.] _to unmold creams._--dip the mold into cold water; wipe it dry and invert it on the dish. if it does not come out at once let it stand a moment, or wring a cloth out of warm water, and wipe quickly around the mold. this must be done quickly, or the sharp edges of the molded cream will be destroyed. with parfaits and mousses it is better not to use a hot cloth, as they melt very easily. it destroys the attractiveness of ices to have the dish swimming in melted cream, or to have the mold soft and irregular in shape, which partial melting produces. hence the unmolding of creams requires great care. _ornamental creams._--a plain ring-mold of ice-cream in any color can be made an ornamental cream, by filling the center with berries or with whipped cream for sauce. the whipped cream may be colored to give pleasing contrast. for instance, a white ice-cream-ring filled with pink whipped cream and a few pink roses laid on one side of the dish, or a ring of pistachio ice-cream filled with white whipped cream or with strawberries, and a bunch of green leaves laid on one side of the dish. [illustration: ice-cream molded in a ring mold, the center filled with whipped cream colored pink, and the dish garnished with pink roses and leaves.] [sidenote: melon cream.] a melon mold may be lined with pistachio ice-cream, the center filled with pink ice-cream mixed with a few small chocolates to represent seeds, or with french ice-cream, which is yellow, and mixed with blanched almonds. the surface of the melon when unmolded is sprinkled with chopped browned almonds to simulate a rind. this dish may be garnished with leaves. [sidenote: spun sugar.] spun sugar can be employed to ornament any form of cream. it may be spread over or be laid around it, and makes a beautiful decoration. _individual creams_, representing eggs or snow-balls, can be served in a nest of spun sugar. glacé grapes or oranges can be arranged on the same dish with individual creams representing peaches and pears, the whole lightly covered with a little spun sugar. [sidenote: combinations.] individual ice-creams, representing roses, can be held by artificial stems, stuck into a rice socle, with natural roses and leaves interspersed, giving the effect of a bouquet. individual creams are also served in baskets of nougat or of pulled candy. the baskets can be ornamented by tying a bunch of roses with a ribbon on the handle. individual creams representing strawberries are served on flat baskets, or piled on a flat dish and trimmed with natural leaves. forms of ice-cream representing animals and vegetables are in questionable taste, and are not recommended. attention is called to the following creams given in the receipts, which are especially good: the coffee and the chocolate pralinée. the white ice-cream, plain or mixed with candied or preserved chestnuts, or with candied fruits cut into dice. the maple parfait, which is quite new. fruit ice no. . chocolate mousse. maraschino, curaçao, and noyau make delicious flavorings for cream. receipts for ice-creams and ices =vanilla ice-creams= no. . philadelphia ice-cream quart of cream. / pound, or cupful, of sugar. vanilla bean or tablespoonful of vanilla extract. if the cream is very rich dilute it with a little milk, or the ice-cream will be too rich, and also it may form fine particles of butter while being stirred. put the cream and the sugar into a double boiler and scald them; when they are cold add the flavoring. if a vanilla bean is used it should be infused with the cream when it is scalded. freeze and pack as directed in general directions, page . note.--plain vanilla ice-cream is very good served with hot chocolate sauce. page . no. . american ice-cream (very plain) quart of milk. cupful of sugar. whole eggs, tablespoonful of vanilla. scald the milk. beat the eggs and sugar together; stir the scalded milk into them slowly; replace on the fire in a double boiler and stir constantly until the custard coats the spoon; do not let it boil, or it will curdle. beat it for a little while after taking it off the fire. when it is cold add the flavoring, and freeze it as directed at head of chapter. cream will improve this mixture, even if it be only a few spoonfuls. more eggs, also, will give a richer ice-cream. when the cream is frozen remove the dasher, press the cream down with a potato-masher to smooth the top and make it compact, and leave it in the freezer until time to serve. a few raisins, thin slices of citron, or a little fresh or preserved fruit may be mixed in when the dasher is removed, and will much improve the cream. no. . french ice-cream pint of milk. pint of cream. cupful of sugar. egg-yolks. tablespoonful of vanilla extract or of powder, or vanilla bean. scald the pint of milk in a double boiler. (it is scalded when the water in the outside kettle boils). beat the yolks and sugar together until light and smooth. stir the scalded milk slowly into the beaten eggs and sugar. put this into a double boiler and cook, stirring constantly until it thickens enough to coat the spoon. do not let it boil or cook too long, or it will curdle. if a vanilla bean is used it should be cut in two lengthwise and infused with the scalded milk. remove the custard from the fire; add the cream and the flavoring and stir until it is partly cooled. when cold freeze it as directed at head of chapter. note .--this makes a solid, fine-grained cream. it can be made with one quart of cream instead of half milk, and eight to ten eggs may be used instead of six. the richness depends upon the amount of cream, and the solidity upon the number of yolks used. note .--with the whites of the eggs make an angel cake, or keep them until next day, and make an angel cream (page ), or an angel parfait (page ). =chocolate ice-cream= use either of the receipts given for vanilla creams, according to the richness and quality of cream desired; add to the custard while it is hot four ounces of melted chocolate. to melt the chocolate break it into small pieces; place it in a small saucepan on the side of the range where the heat is not great. when it is melted add a very little milk or custard to dilute and smooth it before adding it to the ice-cream mixture. freeze and pack as directed at head of chapter. =caramel ice-cream no. = pint of milk. pint of cream. whole eggs. - / tablespoonfuls of scraped chocolate. caramel. scald the milk; add it slowly to the beaten eggs; add the chocolate, and cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly until the custard coats the spoon; then add the hot caramel. when the mixture is perfectly cold add the cream, whipped, and freeze. see general directions. to make the caramel, put a cupful of sugar with a half cupful of water into a saucepan; stir until the sugar is dissolved; then, without touching, let it cook until a golden color--not longer, or it will blacken. this is the caramel stage, and registers on the thermometer ° (see page ). =caramel ice-cream no. = add the hot caramel to any of the mixtures given for vanilla creams, omitting the sugar and vanilla. the caramel supplies both sweetening and flavoring. it must be mixed with the custards while hot, as it quickly hardens, and will not then dissolve. =coffee ice-cream no. = to any of the receipts given for vanilla cream add a half cupful of black coffee, and omit the vanilla. =coffee ice-cream no. = quart of milk. quart of cream. / cupful of very black coffee. - / cupfuls of sugar. / ounce of isinglass soaked for half an hour in a little of the cold milk. scald the milk; add the coffee and isinglass and sugar. when it is cold add the cream, whipped, and freeze. =white or angel ice-cream= whites of eggs. cupful of powdered sugar. pint of cream. italian meringue made of the whites of eggs and tablespoonful of hot syrup. tablespoonfuls of noyau or of orange-flower water. break the whites of the eggs, but do not beat them to a froth; stir into them the cupful of powdered sugar, and then add the cream. place it in a double boiler, and stir until it is scalded, but do not let it boil; remove from the fire and stir until it is cold, to make it light. when it is cold add the flavoring, and freeze. when it is frozen remove the dasher, stir in the italian meringue, turn it into a mold, and pack in ice and salt for two or three hours. this cream requires a little longer to freeze than the other creams. =italian meringue= whip the whites of eggs to a stiff froth; beat into them slowly some boiling syrup cooked to the ball. this cooks the eggs enough to prevent their separating. the syrup is made by boiling sugar and water until, when a little is dropped into cold water, it will form a ball when rolled between the fingers. =rice ice-cream= cook a cupful of rice until very soft. have the juice of a lemon in the water in which the rice is boiled. when the rice is steamed dry, cover it with a thick sugar syrup and let it stand for an hour or more. drain off the syrup, add a half pint of cream, whipped (this may be omitted if preferred); stir this into vanilla cream no. or , or with angel ice-cream after it is well frozen. mold and pack in ice and salt for one or two hours. =pistachio ice-cream= blanch two ounces of pistachio nuts; this is done by pouring over them boiling water: after a few minutes the skins can be easily removed. pound the nuts in a mortar to a smooth paste, using a little cream to prevent their oiling. add this quantity of nuts to one quart of vanilla cream mixture no. ; color it green, the shade of green peas; flavor with a little orange-flower water, then freeze. when nuts are not obtainable, the flavor of pistachio can be produced with orange-flower water and a very little bitter almond. =neapolitan ice-cream= this cream is molded in brick form in three layers of different flavors and colors. make a cream after the receipt for vanilla cream no. , using eight or ten yolks, as it should be solid and of fine grain; omit the vanilla flavoring. have a pail packed in ice; when the cream is frozen, remove one third of it to the pail and stir in quickly a little vanilla, using the vanilla powder if convenient; put this into the brick-shaped mold, also packed in ice, and smooth it down to an even layer. take from the freezer one half of the cream remaining in it and put it into the pail; stir into it one ounce of melted chocolate diluted and made smooth with a little cream or milk. place the chocolate cream in an even layer on the layer of vanilla cream. to the cream remaining in the freezer add an ounce of pistachio nuts, prepared as directed in receipt for pistachio cream; color it green and add it to the mold for the third layer. seal the joints of the mold with butter to make it very tight, as directed for molding, page . pack in ice and salt for several hours. the molding of this cream must be done quickly, but with care to have the layers even. strawberry ice is often used for one of the layers instead of chocolate cream. =nesselrode pudding= cupful of french chestnuts. cupful of granulated sugar. yolks of eggs. / pint of cream. / pound of mixed candied fruits. cupful of almonds. / can of pineapple (drained). - / tablespoonfuls of maraschino, or tablespoonfuls of sherry. / teaspoonful of vanilla sugar, or / teaspoonful of vanilla extract. . remove the shells from the chestnuts; put them in boiling water for three minutes, then into cold water, and take off the skins. boil the blanched chestnuts until tender. take one half of them and press them through a sieve. they will go through more easily while hot. . blanch the almonds; chop them fine and pound them. . cut the candied fruits and the chestnuts into dice; pour over them the maraschino and let them stand until ready to use. . put into a saucepan on the fire a cupful of granulated sugar and one quarter cupful of boiling water; stir until the sugar is dissolved, then let it cook slowly for five minutes, making a sugar syrup. . beat the yolks of three eggs until light. pour onto them slowly, stirring all the time, the sugar syrup; place them on the fire and stir constantly until the mixture is enough thickened to coat the spoon and has the consistency of thick cream. remove it from the fire, turn it into a bowl, and beat it until it is cold. when it is cold add a half pint of cream, the mashed chestnuts, the pounded almonds, and the vanilla flavoring, and freeze it. when it is frozen remove the lid of the freezer, add the fruits, replace the lid, and turn the freezer for another five minutes. put the cream into a fancy mold and pack in ice and salt until ready to use. serve with it whipped cream, or the sauce given below for plum pudding glacé flavored with maraschino. this makes a quart of cream, and, being very rich, is enough to serve to ten persons. gouffé gives the receipt for this pudding, which he says he obtained from the chef of count nesselrode. he omits the grated almonds, and uses stoned raisins and currants instead of candied fruits. when the cream is half frozen he adds a half pint of whipped cream. the raisins and currants are boiled until plump and added after the cream is frozen, but before it is packed. =plum pudding glacÉ= make a chocolate ice-cream as directed on page , using the french ice-cream mixture. have a scant three quarters of a pound of mixed fruit, composed of seeded raisins and currants boiled until plump, thin slices of citron, a few candied cherries and apricots if convenient. pour over them a little sherry and let them stand long enough to be a little softened. when the cream is frozen, drain the fruit and mix it into the cream, turning the dasher for a few minutes to get it well mixed and again hardened. place it in a melon mold and pack in ice and salt. this will make about two quarts of cream. serve with a sauce placed around it on the same dish. the sauce may be whipped cream flavored with a little kirsch or brandy, or a sauce made as follows. =sauce for plum pudding glacÉ or for nesselrode pudding= beat the yolks of two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar to a cream. stir it over the fire in a double boiler until the egg is a little thickened, but not hard. continue to beat the egg until it is cold. it will then be light and creamy; add a tablespoonful of brandy, or of kirsch, or of rum, or of maraschino; and then mix in lightly a half pint of cream whipped to a dry, stiff froth. =tutti-frutti= make a french vanilla ice-cream, page . cut into small dice four ounces each of candied cherries, apricots, and plums; and other fruits may be used if desired. let them soak until a little softened in maraschino, or kirsch, or sherry. when the cream is frozen, stir in the salpicon of fruit, drained; replace the lid of the freezer and turn it for five minutes. turn it into a fancy mold and pack in ice and salt until ready to use. the angel ice-cream, page , may be used instead of the vanilla no. if preferred. serve with the tutti-frutti a sauce of whipped cream flavored with kirsch, maraschino, or sherry. =fruit ice-creams= no. . berries, or any kind of larger fruit cut into small pieces, may be added to any of the vanilla creams after they are frozen. remove the paddle of the freezer, mix the fruit in well, then mold and pack in ice and salt for one or two hours. the fruit will become too solid if packed for a long time. no. . crush any fruit or berries to a pulp. sweeten it to taste with a thick sugar syrup ( ° on the syrup gauge). freeze the same as any ice cream, and pack in ice and salt if molded. this makes a delicious ice. sugar may be used instead of syrup for sweetening, but the latter gives a better result. no. . using canned fruit. strain the liquor from the fruit; sweeten it if necessary with sugar or with syrup. mix it with an equal quantity of cream, and freeze. when it is frozen add the drained fruit. mix it well together. mold and pack in ice and salt for one or two hours. the fruit will become hard if it is packed too long. preserved strawberries are a particularly good fruit to use for ice-cream. note.--strawberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, apricots, plums, pineapple, bananas, and oranges are the fruits generally used for ices and creams. =fruit puddings= no. . line a mold one or one and a half inches thick with vanilla ice-cream; fill the center with fresh strawberries, raspberries, whortleberries, peaches, bananas, or any fruit. cover the top with cream. pack in ice and salt for two hours. the fruit may be mixed with whipped cream, if convenient, when it is put in the center of the mold. whipped cream may also be served as a sauce with this cream. =nut ice-creams= vanilla ice cream no. , also angel ice-cream, is good with chopped nuts mixed with it after it is frozen and before it is packed. boiled chestnuts cut into small pieces, chopped english walnuts, filberts, pecan nuts, or almonds may be used. almonds should be blanched, chopped, and browned; and a caramel or an almond flavoring is better than vanilla for the cream when almonds are used. parfaits this class of ice-creams is very easily made, as they are not stirred while freezing. the yolks of eggs are cooked with sugar syrup to a thick smooth cream, then flavored and beaten until cold and light, and mixed with drained whipped cream. they are then simply put into a mold and packed in ice and salt for three or four hours, according to size of mold. they are not solid like the custard ice-creams, but have a sponge-like texture. they should not be frozen too hard. it is because they have no water in them to crystallize that they do not require to be stirred while freezing. =sugar syrup= put two cupfuls of sugar and a half cupful of water into a saucepan on the fire. stir until the sugar is dissolved, then let it cook slowly without touching it for about ten minutes, or until it is a clear syrup. the syrup can be made in larger quantities and kept in preserve jars ready for use. to keep well it should be boiled to a rather thick consistency, or should register ° on the syrup gauge. for parfaits it should be thinner or register °. for water ices it should register ° (see boiling sugar, page ). in using syrups by measure, articles may be too much sweetened if the right degree is not designated; but if one has not a syrup gauge the sweetening must be determined by taste. all classes of ice-creams are better sweetened with syrup than with sugar. it seems to give them more smoothness and delicacy. =vanilla parfait= beat the yolks of eight eggs until light; add one cupful of syrup. place the mixture on a slow fire and stir constantly until the eggs have thickened enough to make a thick coating on the spoon. turn it into a bowl and beat it with a whip until it is cold; it will then be very light. if a vanilla bean is used for flavoring, infuse it with the syrup; if the extract is used add a teaspoonful of it to the custard when it is taken from the fire. when the custard is cold add a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth. (if any liquid has drained from the cream do not let it go in.) stir these lightly together; turn the mixture into a mold holding three pints. pack in ice and salt for four hours. make the joints of the mold very tight as directed for molding at head of chapter. this cream can be varied by using different flavorings in place of the vanilla: a tablespoonful of curaçao or of noyau, two ounces of chocolate melted and smoothed with a little cream, etc., etc. =maple parfait= this is made the same as the vanilla parfait, using maple syrup in place of the sugar syrup, and omitting the vanilla flavoring. maple syrup may be made by adding water to maple sugar and cooking it to the right consistency. =parfait au cafÉ and cafÉ pralinÉ= put the yolks of five eggs into a saucepan; beat them light; add three tablespoonfuls of sugar syrup and four tablespoonfuls of strong black coffee. stir the mixture over a slow fire until it is enough thickened to make a thick coating on the spoon. turn it into a bowl and beat it until it is cold and light. if making coffee praliné, add three tablespoonfuls of praline powder (see below). mix in lightly a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth. if any liquid has drained from the cream do not let it go in. turn the mixture into a mold holding three pints and pack in ice and salt for four hours. =chocolate parfait and chocolate pralinÉ= put the yolks of five eggs into a saucepan; beat them until light; add three tablespoonfuls of sugar syrup. cook over a slow fire, stirring constantly until it makes a thick coating on the spoon. turn it into a bowl; add two ounces of melted unsweetened chocolate and beat until it is cold and light. if making chocolate praliné, add three tablespoonfuls of praline powder; stir in lightly a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth. if any liquid has drained from the cream do not let it go in. pack in ice and salt for four hours. this makes three pints of cream. =praline powder= put one and a half cupfuls of sugar and a half cupful of water into a saucepan on the fire; stir until the sugar is well dissolved; then add a cupful of shelled almonds and a cupful of shelled filberts without removing the skins. let it cook, without touching, until it attains a golden color, the caramel stage. turn it onto a slab or oiled dish. when it is cold pound it in a mortar to a coarse powder. keep the praline powder in a close preserve jar ready for use. =angel parfait= whip the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth. put a half cupful of sugar and a half cupful of water into a saucepan on the fire. stir until the sugar is dissolved, then let it cook slowly, without touching, to the ball, or until a little dropped into cold water will form a ball when rolled between the fingers. pour three tablespoonfuls of the boiling-hot syrup slowly onto the whipped whites, beating constantly. add a teaspoonful of vanilla, or of maraschino, or of sherry, or of noyau, or any other flavoring. when the italian meringue is cold, add a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth. do not let any liquid that has drained from the cream go into the mixture. mold and pack in ice and salt for four hours. =imperatrice of rice pudding glacÉ= boil a scant half cupful of rice in milk and water as directed for boiling rice, page , so each grain will be separate; but it must be quite soft, so boil it half an hour. this will make a cupful of rice when boiled. whip half a pint of cream to a stiff froth; mix into it four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and one tablespoonful of noyau or any flavoring desired; mix the rice lightly with the whipped cream. turn it into a mold, and as quickly as possible pack it; leave it in the ice and salt for three hours. this gives about a quart of cream. =parfaits of chestnuts, candies, fruits, fresh fruits, or berries= make a vanilla parfait as directed, page . when the mixture is ready to go in the mold add a cupful of boiled chestnuts, or marrons glacé, or of mixed candied fruits cut into dice. roll them in powdered sugar so each piece will be dry and separate and not sink to the bottom. stir them in quickly and pack the mold as quickly as possible after the fruit is mixed in. when fresh fruits or berries are used crush the fruit; strain off the juice; add enough powdered sugar to the pulp to make it of the same consistency as the whipped cream. pack in ice and salt for three hours. =biscuits glacÉ= make a syrup of one cupful of sugar and a quarter cupful of water. beat the yolks of four eggs; add to them three quarters of a cupful of syrup and a half cupful of cream or milk. place the mixture on the fire and cook, stirring constantly until it makes a thick coating on the spoon. turn it into a bowl; place it on the ice, and beat it until it is cold and quite stiff and light; then fold in lightly a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth. if any liquid has drained from the cream do not let it go in. for flavoring infuse a vanilla bean with the syrup, or add a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, or of maraschino, or any flavoring desired, to the custard when it is taken from the fire. put the mixture into paper boxes; sprinkle over the top some chopped browned almonds or some macaroons rolled to crumbs, and pack. tin boxes containing a framework of shelves are made for holding individual ices while freezing, but a tin lard-pail can be used if necessary, placing a sheet of paper between each layer of boxes. securely seal with butter the lid of the pail and pack in ice and salt for four or five hours. mousses whip a pint of cream very stiff; turn it onto a sieve to drain for a few minutes so it will be entirely dry. return it to the bowl and whip into it lightly four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a tablespoonful of curaçao, of noyau, of kirsch, or of very black coffee, or a teaspoonful of any flavoring extract, or an ounce of chocolate, melted, and diluted with a little milk or cream, and flavor with a few drops of vanilla. when a liqueur is used for flavoring less sugar is needed than with coffee, chocolate, or essences. turn the cream into a mold and pack it in ice and salt for four hours. garnish the dish with small iced cakes. =fruit mousses= whip a pint of cream very stiff and drain as directed above. mix with it a cupful of any fruit-pulp, the juice drained off and the pulp mixed with enough powdered sugar to make it of the same consistency as the whipped cream; a little cochineal added to strawberry or to peach mousse gives it a better color. a little vanilla improves the flavor. mold and pack in ice and salt for three hours. =golden mousse (made without cream)= eggs. tablespoonfuls of sherry. / tablespoonful of lemon-juice. tablespoonful of syrup with the yolks. tablespoonfuls of syrup with the whites. beat the yolks smooth; add a tablespoonful of syrup, and cook, stirring constantly until the mixture makes a thick coating on the spoon. remove from the fire, add the sherry and lemon-juice, and beat it until it is light and cold; whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth; pour into them slowly two tablespoonfuls of boiling syrup cooked to the ball (see italian meringue, page ); add the italian meringue to the mixture of yolks, put it into a mold, and pack in ice and salt for four hours. this mousse can be flavored with a tablespoonful of kirsch, rum, or brandy instead of sherry. a few white grapes or candied cherries laid in the bottom of the mold before the mixture is put in, makes the dish more ornamental. water-ices water-ices are made of fruit-juice sweetened with sugar syrup. sugar may be used, but the result is better with syrup. the liquid mixture should register ° on the syrup gauge, but if one is not at hand, it can be sweetened to taste. a good way of preparing it is to make a syrup of ° and add enough fruit juice to dilute it to °. freeze the same as ice-cream, and pack in salt and ice. the ices will not get so hard as creams. the following method may also be used: =orange-ice= boil a quart of water and two and one half cupfuls of sugar for ten minutes; strain and add the juice of six oranges and one lemon. when cold, freeze. =lemon-ice= add to the amount of sugar and water given above the juice of four lemons and one orange. =strawberry-ice= to a quart of syrup made as given above, add a cupful and a half of strawberry-juice. ices may be made of any fruit used in the same proportions. punches and sherbets [sidenote: serving.] these ices are served in glasses after the joint or last entrée, and before the game. a quart is enough for twelve portions. [sidenote: liquors.] punches differ from sherbets only in having a little italian meringue added to them just before serving. they are simply water-ices with liquors added. roman punch has a cupful or two gills of rum added to a quart of lemon-ice. punches having other names are made in the same way, but have other liquors or mixtures of liquors. these may be kirsch, kirsch and rum, kirsch and maraschino, rum and sherry, or any other combination desired. when champagne is used it is generally added to orange-ice. strawberry, raspberry, pineapple, or orange-ices are generally used for sherbets with liqueurs such as curaçao, maraschino, noyau, etc., combined with kirsch, rum, or champagne. [sidenote: mixing in the liquors.] the liquors can be added to the ice mixture before it is frozen, in which case it takes them longer to freeze; (in fact, spirits will not freeze at all, and hence these ices are always soft, and have to be eaten with a spoon); or the liquors may be poured over the frozen mixture and stirred in with the paddle. sometimes the water-ice is placed in the glasses and a teaspoonful of the liquor or mixture of liquors is poured over each glassful at the moment of serving. =coffee punch= mix together a quart of black coffee, a cupful of cream, three quarters cupful of sugar; freeze, and then mix in a half cupful of brandy or rum, and a half pint of cream, whipped, and let it stand half an hour. stir it well before serving. =cafÉ frappÉ= mix a quart of black coffee with a quart of cream and a cupful of sugar, or, better, sweeten with syrup. freeze the same as ice-cream, and serve in glasses. a little brandy may be mixed in just before serving, if desired. =lalla rookh= make a vanilla cream no. . when it is frozen add a cupful of jamaica rum. turn the dasher until it is well mixed. allow a cupful of rum to each quart of cream. serve in glasses the same as punch. chapter xxiii sugar and its uses =boiling sugar and making candies= boiling sugar to boil sugar is one of the niceties of cooking, but as the uses of boiled sugar in fancy cooking are so various, it is worth some practice to acquire the requisite skill. with the ordinary ways of testing, it requires much experience to tell the exact point at which to arrest the cooking, and on this the success depends. the stages named "thread," "blow," "ball," etc., give the different degrees required for different purposes. it passes quickly from one to the other and needs careful watching and close attention. the professional cook's method of testing it by dipping in the fingers is not practicable for ordinary use. it is also difficult to judge by dropping it in water unless experienced, but with a sugar thermometer it can easily be determined with perfect exactness and much less trouble. a sugar thermometer costs $ . or $ . , a syrup gauge costs fifty cents, and both should be considered as necessary cooking utensils as are molds, mortars, and other articles used in fancy cooking. for measuring syrups, the syrup gauge is used as explained below. ice-creams and frozen fruits are much nicer when sweetened with syrup instead of sugar. water-ices and compotes to be right must measure a certain density, and for this the syrup gauge is employed. fondant, one of the very useful articles, candies, and spun sugar are easily made with the aid of the thermometer. eleven stages of sugar are explained below, but it is not essential to learn exactly more than the four which are most used, namely: the "thread" for boiled icing, the "soft-ball" for fondant, the "crack" for glacé fruit, and the "caramel." [illustration: sugar thermometer and syrup gauge. (see page .)] [illustration: utensils for boiling sugar. . thermometer standing in saucepan of sugar on gas-stove. . cup of water and brush for washing crystals from side of saucepan. . wooden spatula for working sugar on marble slab to make fondant. . wooden skewer for testing sugar when thermometer is not used. . candy wire for dipping nuts or other things to be coated.] granulation the tendency of sugar, when the water which holds it in solution is evaporated, is to resume its original form of crystals; to prevent this is the chief care: the liquid must not be jarred or stirred after the sugar is dissolved. the grains which form on the sides of the pan as the boiling proceeds must be wiped away; this is done by dipping a cloth or brush into water and passing it around the pan above the sugar. if these crystals are allowed to remain, the whole mass will become granular. also the sugar has a great affinity for water, and care must be used to have a dry atmosphere. no steam from boiling kettles, etc., must be in the room, and it is useless to attempt confections requiring the ball or crack stages on a rainy or damp day. when the right degree is reached, place the sugar pan in one containing cold water, to prevent the cooking from proceeding any farther. the different stages follow very quickly after the thread; it is therefore well to have a moderate heat and give it undivided attention. a very little cream of tartar (a scant half saltspoonful to a pound of sugar) added at the beginning makes the sugar less liable to grain. if cream of tartar is not used, a few drops of lemon-juice should be added at the crack stage. if the sugar passes the degree desired, add a spoonful of water and continue the boiling. no sugar need ever be wasted unless it becomes burned. in working the sugar, if it begins to grain there is nothing to do but to add a little water and boil it again. degrees of boiling sugar [sidenote: first and second degrees.] small thread, °. large thread, °. press a little of the syrup between the thumb and finger. a ring will form and a fine thread be drawn out which breaks at once and returns to the drop; for the second stage the thread draws a little farther than the first. [sidenote: third and fourth.] little pearl, °. large pearl, °. the sugar forms a thread between the fingers which stretches long, but breaks. for the fourth it stretches without breaking. the first four degrees are syrups. [sidenote: fifth and sixth.] the blow, °. } the feather, °. } crystallization. dip in a broom-straw twisted to form a small loop at the end. a film will fill the loop, which will blow into a bubble. at the sixth stage fine threads will fly from the bubble. the candy stages follow: [sidenote: seventh and eighth.] small ball, °- °. large ball, °- °. drop a little into cold water; for the th a soft ball can be rolled between the fingers; for the th a hard ball. [sidenote: ninth and tenth.] small crack, °. crack, °. at the th a little, dropped into water, will break when cooled. at ° it begins to assume a light color, and a few drops of lemon-juice should be added (four drops to a pound of sugar). at ° it breaks off sharp and crisp, and crackles when chewed. [sidenote: eleventh.] the caramel, °- ° it now assumes a yellow color, and great care must be used or it will burn. the cooking must be arrested as soon as it is taken from the fire by holding the pan in cold water for a minute or so. a skewer or stick is the best thing to use for testing, as the little sugar that adheres to it will cool quickly. dip the stick first into water, then into the sugar, and again into water. syrups [sidenote: syrup kept in stock.] to use a syrup gauge have a glass deep enough to allow the gauge to float. a small cylindrical glass like the one shown in illustration is best, as it requires so little syrup that removing and pouring it back does not arrest the boiling. syrups can be prepared and kept in air-tight preserve jars until needed for use. it is well to have in stock syrup at ° for softening fondant when used for icing cakes, éclairs, etc. water-ices should register °- ° on the gauge when ready to freeze. fruits to be frozen are better when sweetened with syrup at ° than when sugar is used. [sidenote: making syrup without a gauge.] to prepare syrup without a gauge the following method can be employed: put into a saucepan three and one half cupfuls of sugar and two and one half cupfuls of water. stir it over the fire until the sugar is dissolved. after it has boiled five minutes, counting from the time it is actually boiling, it will register °; every five minutes' additional boiling will thicken it one degree. at the end of minutes it is °. at the end of minutes it is °. at the end of minutes it is °. fondant [sidenote: the uses of fondant.] fondant is the basis of all french cream candies. it can be kept any length of time in air-tight preserve jars, and used as needed for the various purposes which it serves. a great variety of bonbons can be made of it by using different flavors, colors, and nuts in various forms and combinations. some of these are given under "candies," but each one's taste may suggest something different. fondant makes the nicest icing for small cakes; strawberries with the hulls on dipped into fondant make a delicious fruit glacé. it will be found easy to make fondant if the directions given below are strictly followed. to make fondant [sidenote: testing.] [sidenote: cooling.] [sidenote: working.] place in a copper or a graniteware saucepan two cupfuls of granulated sugar, one cupful of water, and a scant half saltspoonful of cream of tartar. stir until the sugar is dissolved, but not a minute longer. as it boils, a thin scum of crystals will form around the edge of the pan. these must be wiped away by wetting a cloth or brush in water and passing it around the dish without touching the boiling sugar. this must be done frequently, or as often as the crystals form, or the whole mass will become granular. when large bubbles rise it must be carefully watched and tested, as from this time it quickly passes from one stage to another. have a cup of ice-water and a skewer or small stick; dip it into the water, then into the sugar, and again into the water. if the sugar which adheres to it can be rolled into a soft ball, it is done. this is the stage of small-ball, and the thermometer registers °- ° (see page ). have ready a marble slab, very lightly but evenly rubbed over with sweet-oil. if a slab is not at hand, a large platter will serve the purpose. the moment the sugar is done, pour it over the slab and let it cool a few minutes, or until, pressing it with the finger, it leaves a dent on the surface. if stirred while too warm it will grain. if a crust forms, every particle of it must be taken off, or else the boiling must be done again, as it shows it has cooked a little too long. when it will dent, work it with a wooden spatula, keeping the mass in the center as much as possible. continue to stir until it becomes a very smooth, fine, white, creamy paste, which is soft and not brittle and can be worked in the hands like a thick paste. if the results are not right and the mass becomes grained, the sugar need not be wasted, but can be put in the saucepan with a spoonful of water and boiled again. in stirring the fondant do not mix in the scrapings unless the whole is still very soft. they can be worked by themselves afterward. confectioners use one part of glucose to ten of sugar and boil to °. spun sugar [sidenote: three requisites.] although spinning sugar has been called the climax of the art of sugar work, one need not be deterred from trying it; for with a dry atmosphere, the sugar boiled to the right degree, and care given to prevent graining, it can be accomplished. it is upon these three things alone that success depends. spun sugar makes a beautiful decoration for ice-creams, glacé fruits, and other cold desserts. the expense of making it is only nominal, but it commands a fancy price. directions for spinning sugar [sidenote: keeping.] put in a copper or a graniteware saucepan two cupfuls (one pound) of sugar; one half cupful of water, and one half saltspoonful of cream of tartar. boil the sugar as directed for fondant above, letting it attain the degree of crack, or °. this is the degree just before caramel, and care must be used. when it has reached the crack, place the sugar pan in cold water a moment to arrest the cooking, for the heat of the pan and sugar may advance it one degree. for spinning, two forks may be used, but a few wires drawn through a cork are better, as they give more points. have also two iron bars or rods of any kind (pieces of broom handle will do), placed on a table or over chairs so the ends project a little way; spread some papers on the floor under them. take the pan of sugar in the left hand, the forks or wires in the right; dip them into the sugar and shake them quickly back and forth over the rods; fine threads of sugar will fly off the points and drop on the rods. if the sugar gets too cold it can be heated again. take the spun sugar carefully off the rods from time to time and fold it around molds, or roll it into nests or other forms desired. place the spun sugar under a glass globe as soon as made. under an air-tight globe with a small piece of lime it may keep crisp for a day or two, but it readily gathers moisture, and it is safer to make it the day it is to be used. do not attempt to make it on a damp or rainy day, and have no boiling kettles in the room (see general directions for boiling sugar, page ). glacÉ oranges and grapes [sidenote: causes of failure.] divide an orange into sections; do not break the inside skin, for if the juice escapes in ever so small a quantity the section must be discarded. let them stand several hours until the surface has become very dry. remove grapes from the bunch, leaving a short stem attached to each one. boil some sugar to °, or the point just before the caramel stage (see directions for boiling sugar, page ). remove the pan from the fire and place it for a moment in water to arrest the cooking. drop the orange sections into the sugar, one at a time, and remove them with a candy wire or with two forks, and place them on an oiled slab to dry. with a pair of pincers take each grape by the small stem and dip it into the sugar, and be sure it is entirely coated. place each separately on the slab to dry. if the day is damp, the sugar not sufficiently boiled, or the fruit at all moist, the sugar will all drain off; therefore the work must be done only under the right conditions. candied cherries may be treated in this way: first wash them to remove the sugar; let them dry, then pierce them with an artificial stem and dip them carefully so as not to deface the stem. [illustration: glacÉ oranges and grapes in paper boxes.] [illustration: glacÉ grapes and oranges covered with spun sugar.] [illustration: glacÉ grapes in nest of spun sugar.] [illustration: glacÉ grapes covered with spun sugar.] candies [sidenote: to prevent granulation.] [sidenote: greasing.] when making candies observe carefully the rules for boiling sugar. when sugar reaches the candy stage, the water has evaporated, and the tendency is to return to the original state of crystals. if it is jarred, or is stirred, or if the thin line of crystals formed around the pan by the sugar rising while boiling is allowed to remain, the whole mass will granulate, hence, for success, it is necessary to avoid these things. to keep the sides of the pan washed free of crystals dip a brush in water and pass it around the pan close to the edge of the sugar as often as is necessary; a sponge or a small piece of cloth may be used, but with these there is danger of burning the fingers. a very little acid added at the crack stage also prevents graining; this is termed "greasing." if too much acid is used it prevents the sugar advancing to the caramel stage, and also may cause granulation. a few drops, only, of lemon-juice, of vinegar, or a little cream of tartar are the acids used. [sidenote: making candies.] the success of candy-making depends entirely upon boiling sugar to just the right degree. the candy will not harden if boiled too little. another stage, where it hardens but sticks to the teeth, means the boiling was arrested at the hard-ball instead of the crack stage. unless a thermometer is used, a little practice seems necessary before one recognizes the small differences upon which success depends; but the experience once gained, it is easy to make a pound or more of candy at slight expense. in the country, where it is often impossible to get fresh candies, it is desirable to be able to make them. where fondant is already prepared and kept in preserve jars, the cream bonbons can be quickly made. carameled nuts are perhaps the least trouble to make of any candies. [sidenote: marble slab and iron bars.] a marble slab is almost requisite in making candy, though greased papers and tins can be used. candy poured upon a slab cools quickly, has an even surface, and can be easily removed. four square iron bars are useful to confine the sugar. these can be placed so as to form bays of the size suitable to the amount of sugar used and the thickness required. =nougat no. (for bonbons)= blanch one cupful of almonds. chop them and place them in the oven to dry. they must be watched that they do not brown. put into a saucepan two and a half cupfuls of powdered sugar and a tablespoonful of lemon-juice. place it on the fire and stir with a wooden spoon until it is melted and slightly colored. let it stand a few minutes so it will be thoroughly melted and not grainy, then turn in the hot almonds, mix them together quickly, not stirring long enough to grain the sugar, and turn it onto an oiled slab. spread it out in an even sheet, one eighth of an inch thick, using a half lemon to press it with. while it is still warm, mark it off into squares or diamonds. break it into pieces when cold. these sheets of nougat can be lifted and pressed into molds, but it hardens quickly and is not as easy to work as the receipt no. . =nougat no. (for molding)= put two cupfuls of granulated sugar into a saucepan with a half cupful of water. let it boil to the crack ( °) without stirring (see boiling sugar, page ), add a few drops of lemon-juice, and then turn in a half cupful of hot chopped blanched almonds which have been dried in the oven. mix them together, stirring only enough to mix them and not grain the sugar. pour it on an oiled marble slab, and press it as thin as an eighth of an inch or less. cut the sheet of nougat into pieces of the right size and press them into oiled molds. do this while the nougat is only just cool enough to handle, so it will be pliable. loosen the form from the mold while it is still warm, but keep it in the mold until cold. the work has to be done quickly, as the nougat hardens in a few minutes. perhaps the first trial to make nougat forms will be a failure, but a few trials will enable one to accomplish it. if any pieces get broken off the molded forms, they can be stuck on again with liquid sugar or with royal icing. horns of plenty are favorite forms for nougat. the molds come of different sizes. these pieces filled with glacé fruits make very ornamental pieces. the horns are molded in halves. when the nougat has hardened, the two pieces are tied together, rested on a muffin ring, and royal icing pressed through a pastry-tube into any ornamental shape along the edges. this quickly hardens and binds the horn together. a support for the form is made from nougat cut into strips and formed into a box-shape, open at one end. [illustration: horn of plenty in nougat filled with glacÉ grapes.] [illustration: horn of plenty in nougat filled with glacÉ oranges and grapes covered with spun sugar.] =nougat no. (soft white nougat)= put into a saucepan the whites of three eggs whipped to a stiff froth; beat into them one pound of heated strained honey, then add a pound of sugar cooked to the ball, °. continue beating until it attains °. a little of the mixture cooled in water will then crumble between the fingers. at this stage add a pound of sugar cooked to the crack, °, a pound of whole blanched almonds, and a few pistachio nuts. pour the mixture into a dish lined with wafers, making the nougat one inch thick. cover the top with wafers, and when cold cut it into pieces three inches long and one inch wide. to make wafers, see receipt for gauffres (page ); but instead of baking them in the gauffre-iron, spread the mixture as thinly as possible on an oiled paper and dry in a slow oven without coloring. =nougat no. (bonbons)= blanch, chop, and dry without coloring one cupful of almonds. melt one cupful of powdered sugar with one teaspoonful of lemon-juice, stirring all the time. when it is thoroughly melted and a delicate color, turn in the hot almonds. mix them together and turn into an oiled tin. press down the nougat evenly, leaving it an inch thick. cut it in inch squares before it becomes hard. this nougat has only enough sugar to bind the nuts together. =burnt almonds= put a cupful of brown sugar into a saucepan with a very little water. stir until the sugar is dissolved. let it boil a minute, then throw in a half cupful of almonds and stir over the fire until the sugar granulates and is a little browned. when the nuts are well coated, and before they get into one mass, turn them out and separate any that have stuck together. =sugared almonds= put a cupful of granulated sugar in a saucepan with a little water. stir until it is dissolved, then let it cook to the ball stage without touching except to test. turn in a half cupful of blanched almonds and stir off the fire until the nuts are well covered with the granulated sugar, but turn them out before they become one mass. boil another cupful of sugar to the ball, turn in the coated almonds and stir again in the same way, giving them a second coating of sugar, but not leaving them in the pan until they are all stuck together. the nuts may be given a third coating in the same way, if a larger size is wanted. for pink almonds, add a little carmine to the sugar just before putting in the almonds for the last coating. any flavoring desired may also be added at this time. =marrons glacÉ (candied chestnuts)= remove the shells from a dozen or more french chestnuts. cover them with boiling water and let them stand a few minutes until the skins can be removed. put them again in hot water and simmer slowly until the nuts are tender, but not soft. put a cupful of sugar and a cupful of water in a saucepan and stir until dissolved. add the boiled chestnuts and let them cook in the syrup until they look clear, then turn them onto a sieve, using care not to break the nuts, and let them cool. return the strained syrup to the saucepan and cook it to the hard-ball stage. remove it from the fire, add a few drops of lemon-juice and a half teaspoonful of vanilla extract. drop the chestnuts into it, one at a time, turn until thinly coated, and remove with a candy wire to an oiled paper or slab; or, when the sugar has reached the ball stage, add a few drops of lemon-juice, let it cool a few minutes, and then stir until it begins to whiten; then immediately place in a pan of hot water, flavor with vanilla and stir until it again becomes liquid, and dip the nuts as directed above. =marshmallows= soak four ounces of gum arabic in a cupful of water until it is dissolved. strain it to take out any black specks that may be in the gum. put the dissolved gum arabic into a saucepan with a half pound of powdered sugar. place the saucepan in a second pan containing boiling water. stir until the mixture becomes thick and white. when it begins to thicken, test it by dropping a little into cold water. when it will form a firm ball remove it from the fire, and stir into it the whites of three eggs whipped to a stiff froth. this will give it a spongy texture. lastly, flavor it with two teaspoonfuls of orange-flower water. turn the paste into a pan covered thick with corn-starch. the layer of paste should be one inch thick. too large a pan must not be used, or it will spread and make a thin layer. after the paste has stood twelve hours, turn it onto a slab and cut it into inch squares, dust them well with corn-starch or with confectioner's sugar, and pack in boxes. as the paste is more or less cooked, it will be more or less stiff. marshmallows become harder the longer they are kept, but are best when as soft as they can be handled. caramels =chocolate= put into a saucepan a half cupful each of molasses, of white sugar and of brown sugar, a cupful of grated chocolate, and a cupful of cream or milk. stir the mixture constantly over the fire until it reaches the hard-ball stage, then add a teaspoonful of vanilla and turn it onto an oiled slab between iron bars, or into a greased tin, having the paste an inch thick. mark it in inch squares and cut before it is quite cold. wrap each piece in paraffin paper. =vanilla, coffee, maple= put into a saucepan one cupful of sugar and three quarters of a cupful of cream. stir constantly over a hot fire until it reaches the hard-ball stage; remove from the fire, add a teaspoonful of vanilla, and turn it onto an oiled slab between iron bars, or into greased tins, the same as directed for chocolate caramels. for coffee caramels use a half cupful of cream and a quarter of a cupful of strong coffee. for maple caramels use a cupful of maple syrup in place of sugar, and omit the vanilla. bonbons of fondant =harlequin balls= take several small portions of fondant and color each one a different shade do this by dipping a wooden toothpick into the coloring matter and then touching it to the paste. the colors are strong, and care must be used not to get too much on the fondant, for the candies should be delicate in color. for orange balls, color and flavor with orange-juice; for pistachio, color green and flavor with orange-flower water and then with bitter almond (see page ); for pink, color with carmine and flavor with maraschino or with rose-water; for chocolate, mix in cocoa powder and flavor with vanilla; for white, flavor with noyau, peach, or anything preferred. when liquid flavors are used, if the fondant becomes too soft, mix in a little confectioner's sugar; use as little as possible, as too much gives a raw taste. work in the flavorings and colors by hand, and wash the hands between each different color. after the fondant is prepared, roll it into balls the size of filberts, then roll them in almonds chopped fine. the nuts improve them, but may be omitted if desired. let the balls stand for two or more hours to harden before putting them together. if the balls are wanted of one color on the outside, omit the nuts and dip them in liquid fondant colored as desired. =neapolitan squares= color and flavor fondant in three colors as directed above; roll it into layers one quarter inch thick, and place the layers one on the other; press them together lightly and cut into inch squares. =nut creams= mix chopped nuts of any kind into flavored fondant, then roll into a layer three quarters of an inch thick, and cut into squares. =sugar-plums= take small pieces of fondant, flavored and colored to taste; form it into olive-shaped balls. hold one in the palm of the hand, cut it half through and press into it an almond; form the fondant around it, leaving a narrow strip of the nut uncovered, giving the appearance of a shell cracked open, showing the kernel. if chocolate color is used the almond should be blanched, but with light colors the skin is left on to give contrast. when green color is used it represents a green almond. =chocolate creams= roll fondant flavored with vanilla into small balls; let them stand a few hours to harden. melt an ounce of unsweetened chocolate, add to it two tablespoonfuls of milk, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a quarter teaspoonful of butter. stir till smooth; drop the balls into it and remove with a fork or candy wire. if the chocolate becomes too stiff, add a few drops of syrup and heat it again. =creamed nuts and creamed fruits= put one or two tablespoonfuls of fondant into a cup. place the cup in a basin of hot water and stir constantly until the fondant becomes soft like cream or molasses. if it is not stirred it will go back to clear syrup; flavor and color the liquid fondant as desired. drop the nuts in one at a time, turn them until well covered with fondant, lift them out with a candy-spoon, and place them on an oiled paper, or on an oiled slab. english walnuts, cherries, strawberries, and grapes are very good creamed in this way. the hulls are left on strawberries, the stems on cherries and grapes. brandied cherries may also be creamed in the same way. if the fondant becomes too stiff, melt it again. after it has been melted twice it no longer works well. a few drops of syrup at ° can then be added. it is well to have some syrup prepared to keep in stock for this purpose. a drop or two of liquid is sufficient to soften fondant, and unless care is used it will be diluted too much, in which case confectioner's sugar can be mixed in; but this gives a raw taste to the fondant, and should be avoided if possible. =cocoanut creams= grate some cocoanut fine. mix it with as much liquid fondant as will bind it well, and flavor with a little vanilla. spread it in a layer one inch thick and cut into one inch squares, or roll it into balls, and dip the balls into melted chocolate, the same as directed for chocolate creams, or into liquid fondant, flavored and colored as desired. =cocoanut cakes= moisten a cupful of sugar with the milk of a cocoanut; boil it to the soft-ball; then stir in as much grated cocoanut as the boiled sugar will moisten; stir it only enough to mix and not granulate. drop a spoonful at a time on an oiled slab, making flat round cakes about two inches in diameter. if the sugar granulates before the cakes are all spread, add a little water and cook it again to the soft-ball. =peppermint creams= melt fondant as directed for creamed nuts; flavor it with essence of peppermint. with a spoon drop the liquid fondant in even amounts upon an oiled slab, making lozenges; or, better, turn it into starch molds (see starch molds, below). =chocolate peppermints= dip the peppermint lozenges into liquid chocolate, as directed for chocolate creams. =to make starch molds and cast candies= fill a box-cover with corn-starch, having it very light and dry; shake it down even. press into it a die of any shape desired, making the indentations carefully. plaster casts are made for this purpose, but buttons make very good dies. a smooth flat button one half inch in diameter makes a good shape for peppermints. molds are used for cream drops, chocolates, or any of the flavored clear candies. the liquid candy is dropped carefully into the molds and removed when cold and the starch dusted off. the starch can then be stirred light and again pressed into molds. candies made from sugar boiled to the crack or the caramel =peppermint drops= boil a cupful of sugar to the hard-ball. remove it from the fire; add a half teaspoonful of essence of peppermint and stir it just enough to mix in the flavoring and cloud the sugar. drop it into starch molds or upon an oiled slab, letting four drops of the candy fall in exactly the same spot; it will then spread round and even. these drops should be translucent or a little white. unless care is used the candy will grain before the drops are molded; therefore it is better to pour it from the spout of the pan than to dip it out with a spoon. =carameled nuts= boil a cupful of sugar to the crack or to the caramel, as preferred; add a few drops of lemon-juice. blanch a few almonds and dry without coloring them. drop one at a time into the sugar; turn it until well covered without stirring the sugar; lift it out with the candy-spoon, and place it on an oiled slab. do not drain the nuts when lifting them out, and enough sugar will remain to form a clear ring of candy around each one. english walnuts, filberts, or any other nuts may be used in the same way. they should be warmed so as not to chill the candy. the work should be done quickly. if the sugar becomes hard before the nuts are all done, return it to the fire to heat. add a teaspoonful of water if necessary, and boil it to the right degree again. if the sugar is boiled to the crack, the candy will be without color; if boiled to the caramel, it will be yellow. =almond hardbake= blanch some almonds and split them in two. dry them in a moderate heat without coloring them. lay them with the flat side down on an oiled layer-cake tin, entirely covering it. pour over the nuts enough sugar boiled to the crack to entirely cover them. the almonds may be laid in regular order like wreaths, or in groups like rosettes, if desired. mark off squares or circles on the candy while it is warm, and it can then be broken in regular pieces when cold. =peanut candy= fill a small square tin a half inch deep with shelled peanuts, leaving the skins on. boil some sugar to the crack or to the caramel, and pour it over the nuts, just covering them. cut it into two-inch squares before it becomes quite cold. =taffy= put into a saucepan two and a half cupfuls of sugar and a half cupful of water; stir until it dissolves; then wash the sides of the pan, and let it boil without touching until it reaches the soft-ball stage; add a tablespoonful of butter and a half teaspoonful of lemon-juice, and let it boil to the crack; add a teaspoonful of vanilla, and turn it onto an oiled slab or a tin to cool. mark it off into squares before it becomes cold. =molasses candy= put into a large saucepan a cupful of brown sugar, two cupfuls of new orleans molasses, and a tablespoonful each of butter and vinegar. mix them well and boil until it will harden when dropped in water. then stir in a teaspoonful of baking-soda, which will whiten it, and turn it into a greased tin to cool. when it can be handled pull it until white and firm; draw it into sticks and cut it into inch lengths. =candied orange or lemon peel= keep the peel of the fruit, as it is used, in a weak brine until enough has collected to preserve. wash it thoroughly in several waters. let it boil in plenty of water until tender, changing the water several times. if the peels are fresh they need be boiled in one water only. when they can be pierced with a straw, drain off the hot water. let them cool, and scrape out the white pulp with a spoon. make enough syrup to cover the yellow peels, using the proportion of a pound of sugar to a pint of water. when the syrup is boiling, drop in the peels and let them cook slowly until they are clear. then boil rapidly until the syrup is reduced almost to dryness, using care that it does not burn. spread the peels on a flat dish and place them in a warm place to dry for twelve hours or more. when perfectly dry pack them into preserve jars. they are cut into shreds and used in cakes, puddings, and wherever raisins and citron are used. they are also used in pudding sauces. it is very little trouble to make the candied peels, and they are a delicious addition to various sweet dishes. the boiled peel can be cut into shreds before being cooked in the syrup if preferred. chapter xxiv fruits in point of general usefulness, apples hold the first place among fruits. oranges also serve a great number of purposes, and, like apples, can be depended on nearly the whole year. peaches and apricots, although of short season, can be so successfully preserved that they, as well as berries, render important service in cooking. all of these fruits are excellent prepared as compotes, with pastry, with corn-starch, or with gelatine, making a variety of dishes without number. in the index will be found a list of dishes under each of these heads. in the fruit season one is sometimes at a loss to know how to utilize the abundance there may be at command. usually the fresh fruit is most acceptable at that time, but the little trouble and slight expense of canning should make one provident enough to secure a year's store to supply the various purposes which cooked fruit serve. [sidenote: temperature.] [sidenote: arranging.] fresh fruits are always wholesome, beautiful, and inviting, and should always have a place on every table. the practice of leaving fruit on the sideboard in a warm room from one meal to another is a mistake, for fruit should be fresh, firm, and cold to be in its best condition. an exception to this rule may be made for fruits fresh from the garden with the heat of the sun upon them. the small fruits are much more delicious when tasting of the sunshine, but fruits obtained from markets are better for being chilled. much taste may be shown in arranging fruits for decorating the table. they may be combined in large dishes, giving effect of abundance, or a quantity of one kind massed together for color-effects, or a few choice specimens of a kind placed on separate compotiers. all the ways are good and, if the fruit is fresh and fair, will be most attractive. green leaves should be combined with fruits; grape-leaves under small groups of peaches, plums, grapes, etc., are much used by the french, who excel in the beautiful arrangements of fruit. white grapes, shading from those with pink tints to white below, give pleasing effects on white dinner-tables. [sidenote: apples.] apples should be washed and rubbed until well polished. fine apples so treated make an attractive centerpiece dish. [sidenote: illustrations.] a few ways of preparing oranges are given in illustrations. [illustration: different ways of preparing oranges.] [illustration: sliced oranges.] [sidenote: oranges, grape-fruit, or shaddocks.] the grape-fruit is served at breakfast, or as a first course at luncheon. the pulp must be separated from the thin bitter skin which separates the sections, with a silver knife. a little sugar is added, and sometimes a teaspoonful of sherry, to each portion. the pulp and juice is eaten with a spoon from the peel, one half the shaddock being served to each person, or it may be served in small glasses. the peels prepared as fancy baskets can be kept fresh for several days in water. [illustration: grape fruit served in the half peel.] [illustration: grape fruit served in a basket made of the peel and a branch of holly tied to the handle. (see page .)] [illustration: grape fruit served in a basket made of the peel--geranium leaves tied to the handle.] [sidenote: peaches.] peaches should have the down taken off lightly with a soft brush before being served. a fruit doily should be given at the time they are passed, as peaches stain the table linen. [sidenote: strawberries.] large fine strawberries are served with the hulls on and piled in a pyramid. sugar is passed with them, or they may be served on individual plates around a small mound of sugar, made by pressing the sugar in a wineglass and then unmolding it in the center of the plate. [sidenote: berries.] no berries should be washed. if strawberries are sandy, cold water must be poured over them and drained off at once, but the berries will no longer be at their best. sugar should always be passed, and not put over the berries before serving them, as it extracts their juice and destroys their firmness. they should also be served in small dishes, as they crush with their own weight. where a large quantity is being served, several dishes should be used. [sidenote: currants.] a mixture of red and of white currants makes an attractive breakfast fruit. they may be served on the stems if fine and large clusters. [sidenote: bananas sliced, sautéd, and fried.] bananas sliced and covered with whipped cream make a good light dessert for luncheon. they may be moistened with orange-juice or with sherry before the cream is added, if desired. bananas may be cut in two lengthwise, sautéd in a little butter, and served as a vegetable or as an entrée; or they may be cut in two, the ends cut square, so they will resemble croquettes, then rolled in flour, and fried in hot fat to a light color, and served as a dessert with currant jelly sauce. to make the sauce, dilute the jelly with boiling water; add a few chopped blanched almonds and shredded candied orange-peel. the unripe and not fully developed banana is devoid of sweetness and when roasted resembles a baked potato. in hot climates the natives live mostly on bananas, and a nation is said to be cursed where they grow, because the ease with which they get their living makes them lazy. [sidenote: stewed figs.] soak dried figs in cold water for several hours, then stew them slowly until plump. drain and pile them on a dish, and serve with whipped cream slightly sweetened and flavored with vanilla, sherry, maraschino, or with essence of almond. arrange the cream in a circle around the figs. [sidenote: salpicon of fruits.] mix together lightly an equal proportion of orange-pulp, bananas cut into half-inch dice, and grapes cut in two and the seeds removed. add sugar if necessary, and a little sherry or liqueur if desired; serve in glasses or in half-orange skins. grape-fruit may be used in the same way; it may also be combined with the orange salpicon. there should be a good quantity of juice with the mixture. [illustration: salpicon of fruits in orange-skin.] [illustration: salpicon of fruits in glass.] [sidenote: melons.] melons are in perfection in hot dry weather. they absorb water readily and should not be gathered after a heavy rain storm. small melons are cut in two, the seeds removed, a piece of ice placed in each piece, and a half melon served to each person. large melons are cut in broad sections and a generous piece served as a portion. melons may be served at the beginning or the end of any meal. they are usually most acceptable as a first course. they should be thoroughly cold. [sidenote: frozen fruits.] any of the fruits can be partly frozen and served as an ice. cut them into pieces, sweeten with sugar syrup, and pack in ice and salt for an hour, but do not leave them long enough to become stiff. berries are of course left whole. [sidenote: quinces baked.] pare and core quinces the same as apples. put them in a shallow earthen dish, with enough water to fill the dish a quarter inch deep. place them in a moderate oven and bake until tender, basting them often. serve them hot with butter and sugar as a luncheon dish. [illustration: plums.] [sidenote: nuts.] nuts with hard shells are cracked, the meats removed and placed in bonbon dishes, or are piled on lace papers in small compotiers. almonds with paper shells are served whole. almonds are also served blanched. peanuts with the shells and skins removed, and served in bonbon dishes, are much liked and seldom recognized as the much-despised nut. peanuts may be salted the same as almonds. [sidenote: salted almonds.] blanch the almonds by putting them in boiling water for a few minutes; the skins can then be easily rubbed off. put the blanched nuts into a pan with a small piece of butter, and place them in a moderate oven. stir them frequently so they will brown on all sides. sprinkle them freely with salt as soon as they are taken from the oven. [sidenote: salted almonds no. .] blanch the almonds, and when they are thoroughly dry pour a tablespoonful of oil on every cupful of nuts. let them stand in the oil for an hour, then add a tablespoonful of fine salt to each cupful. stir them and place in a shallow pan in the oven until they are colored a light brown. stir them occasionally while in the oven, so they will be evenly colored. turn them onto a paper to dry, and shake off the loose salt before serving. [sidenote: salted english walnuts and filberts.] brown them in the oven with a little butter the same as almonds. filberts are blanched, but walnuts do not have the skin removed. a mixture of salted almonds, walnuts, and filberts makes a good combination. salted nuts are served at luncheon or dinner, and are eaten at any and all times during those meals. =salpicon of fruit punch= this is served in glasses, in place of and in the same way as frozen punch after the roast. cut a pineapple into small dice; remove the bitter skin carefully from the segments of three shaddocks and cut them into pieces. cut in two and remove the seeds from a pound of white grapes; mix the fruit together. put a cupful of rum and a cupful of sugar into a saucepan on the fire and let them come to the boiling point, then pour them over the fruit and let stand until cold. the rum will not penetrate the fruit so well if put on cold. put the mixture into a freezing-can and pack in ice and salt for several hours, or until ready to serve. stir the mixture together carefully every little while. =punch of white california canned cherries= drain off the liquor; make a rum syrup as above; soak and freeze in the same way. =jellied fruit= cut the pulp of two oranges into small pieces; cut two bananas into dice; cut half a dozen candied cherries into quarters; chop a dozen blanched almonds. mix all lightly together and turn them into a bowl or a china mold. soak a half ounce of gelatine in a half cupful of cold water for an hour; dissolve it in a cupful of boiling water; add a half cupful of sugar and stir over the fire until dissolved; then add the juice of half a lemon, the juice which has drained from the fruit, and a tablespoonful of sherry. turn it into the mold slowly, so it soaks into the fruit, and set aside to cool. serve with cream if convenient. any mixture of fresh fruits may be used in the same way; raisins may be used instead of cherries, or both may be omitted. this is a good way to utilize fruits that are going to waste. =fruit juices= the juice of oranges, strawberries, currants, or any fruit makes a delicious first course for luncheon in summer time or the fruit season, when prepared as directed below. it is served cold in small glasses and eaten with a spoon. take a quart of fruit-juice; this will require about a dozen oranges, or two quarts of strawberries or other juicy fruit; strain it through filter paper to make it clear (see page ); put it in an earthenware or porcelain-lined saucepan on the fire, and as soon as it steams, stir in three teaspoonfuls of arrowroot moistened in a little cold water. cook it until clear; then add a half cupful of sugar (or more if an acid fruit), and as soon as the sugar is dissolved turn it into a bowl to cool. at the moment of serving put a piece of ice in each glass. chapter xxv compotes, preserving and canning, pickles =compotes= [sidenote: for plain desserts.] compotes are fresh fruits stewed. they are good served with cake as a plain dessert. in combination with rice or other molded cereals they are a very wholesome sweet for children. [sidenote: serving.] make a syrup of ° (see page ). when it is boiling drop the fruit in, a few pieces at a time, so it will not get broken or crushed. let it cook until tender, but still firm enough to hold its form. remove it carefully with a skimmer. arrange the pieces in regular order, overlapping, or piled like uncooked fruit in a glass or silver dish. after the fruit is cooked, let the syrup boil down until thick, or about °, and strain it over the fruit. let it cool before serving. =apple compote= pare and core the apples; leave them whole, or cut them into halves, quarters, or thick round slices. boil them until tender, and finish as directed above. have a few slices of lemon in the syrup and serve them with the fruit. pieces of cinnamon and cloves boiled with the fruit give a good flavor. for jellied apples boil down the syrup to the jelly point. when partly cooled pour it slowly with a spoon over the apples, so enough will adhere to give them a glaze. the center of the apples may be filled with a bright-colored jelly or jam. =compote of pears= use pears that are not quite ripe. cut them in two lengthwise, splitting the stem. remove the core carefully with a scoop. boil and serve them as directed above. =compote of peaches or apricots= peel the fruit and cut it in halves. prepare it as directed above. mix with the syrup some meats taken from the pits. =compote of oranges= peel the oranges down to the pulp, using a sharp knife. cut them in two crosswise. remove with a pointed knife the core and seeds from the center. boil them, one or two at a time, until tender, in a syrup with a little lemon-juice added, and be careful to keep them in good shape. boil the syrup down until it threads, and pour it over the oranges piled in a glass dish. a candied cherry in the center of each one gives a pretty garnish. orange compote is good served plain, or with whipped cream, with ice-creams, bavarians, or corn-starch puddings. mandarin oranges make a delicious compote. [illustration: compote of oranges garnished with candied cherries. (see page .)] preserving and canning [sidenote: sterilizing the fruit.] [sidenote: use of paraffin.] [sidenote: proportions.] [sidenote: utensils.] the success of preserving and canning depends upon heating the fruit until all germs are destroyed, then sealing it air-tight while still scalding hot. in this way no new germs of ferment or mold can reach the fruit. patent jars are generally used, and must be put into scalding water before being filled to prevent their breaking, and also to sterilize them. the preserve must be put into them scalding hot, a spoon-handle run down the sides to liberate any bubbles of air, the jar filled to the very brim, and the top put on each one at once after it is filled. a simple and very effectual way of hermetically sealing fruit is to cover it with paraffin. this can be obtained at any pharmacy. place the paraffin in a small saucepan on the side of the range; it melts at a low degree of heat. when the jar or glass is filled with hot preserves wipe the glass close to the fruit to free it of syrup. cover the top with a tablespoonful of liquid paraffin, and do not move the jar until the paraffin has set; it will then adhere closely to the glass. this will be found a very easy and satisfactory way of sealing fruits. the paraffin when taken off the fruit can be washed and kept to use again. in preserving, sugar is used in the proportion of three quarters of a pound or one pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and the fruit is thoroughly cooked. in canning, one quarter of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit is used, the fruit is only thoroughly scalded, and so retains its flavor better. fruits should be under rather than overripe for preserving, and only the finest should be selected. inferior fruit may be used for jams. it is most abundant when at its best, and at this time it is cheapest. a porcelain-lined kettle and wooden spoons should be used in the cooking, and a wide-mouthed funnel is a convenience for filling the jars. =preserved peaches= the skin can easily be removed from peaches, leaving a smooth surface, by placing them in a wire basket and plunging it for a moment into boiling lye. the lye is made by adding two cupfuls of wood ashes to four quarts of water. from the lye put the fruit into cold water and rinse it several times, then rub off the skin. cut each peach in two and place again in cold water to preserve the color until ready to use. place in a porcelain-lined kettle three quarters the weight of sugar you have of fruit. add a very little water to dissolve the sugar. let it boil a minute, and take off any scum that rises. then add as much fruit as will float without crowding, and cook until it is transparent, but not until it loses shape. remove each piece separately as soon as it is cooked. when ready to fill the jars place them carefully in a pan of boiling water; have the tops and rubbers also in hot water. part of the fruit has become cooled while the rest was cooking, but, as it must go into the jars hot, place it again in the boiling syrup, a little at a time. use a ladle or cup to dip out the fruit; run a spoon-handle around the inside of the jars after they are filled to liberate any air bubbles. add enough syrup to fill them to overflowing, and adjust the rubber and top on each jar as it is filled. any juice that is left over may be boiled down to a jelly, or it may be bottled to use as flavoring or for sauces. =preserved pears= peel the pears; cut them in two lengthwise, splitting the stem, or they may be left whole if preferred. place them carefully in jars; fill the jars with a syrup of ° (see page ); cover the jars without fastening the tops. place the jars in a boiler of warm water, half covering them. stand the jars on muffin-rings, slats of wood, or something to raise them off the bottom of the boiler, or they will break while cooking. cover the boiler and cook the fruit until it is tender and looks clear. remove the jars carefully, fill them completely full, using more hot syrup, or the contents of one of the cooked jars. adjust the tops and set them to cool where the air will not strike them. (see canning.) pears may be cooked the same as peaches, but they are such a very tender fruit, it is better to use the method given, as the shape is kept better in this way. =preserved plums= preserve plums in the same way as directed for peaches or for pears. remove the skin from them or not. if left on it is likely to crack open and come off if boiled too long. to prevent this, in a measure, prick the plums in several places with a fork before cooking. =grape preserves= press the pulp out of each grape. boil the pulps until tender, then pass them through a colander to remove the seeds. mix the skins with the pulp and juice, add as many cupfuls of sugar as there are of grapes, and boil all together until well thickened. seal while hot the same as other preserves. green grapes are preserved by cutting each grape in halves, taking out the seeds, then adding an equal quantity of sugar, and boiling all together until of the right consistency. =preserved strawberries no. = select firm, large berries and remove the hulls. to each pound of fruit (one basketful of berries will weigh about a pound) add three quarters of a pound of granulated sugar. mix it with the berries, and let them stand ten to fifteen minutes, or long enough to moisten the sugar but not soften the berries. put them in a granite or porcelain-lined saucepan and let them boil slowly five to ten minutes, or until the berries are softened: do not stir them, as that will break the berries, and do not boil long enough for them to lose their shape. cook one basketful of berries only at a time. a larger quantity crushes by its own weight. a good method is to have two saucepans and two bowls, and leave the berries, after being hulled, in the baskets until ready to use; then put a basketful at a time in a bowl with sugar sprinkled through them; while one bowlful is being cooked, the bowl refilled, and the glasses filled, the other one is ready to use. in this way no time is lost, and the cooking is accomplished in as short a time as though all were put into a preserving kettle together. it is well to put strawberries into glasses. one basketful of berries will fill two half-pint tumblers. cover the tops with paraffin as directed above, page . =preserved strawberries no. = fill pint jars with as many berries as they will hold; pour over them a hot syrup of ° (see page ). after standing a few minutes they will shrivel, and more berries should be added. cover and cook them in a boiler as directed for preserved pears and canning. strawberries require more sugar than other fruits to preserve their color, therefore they do not can well. strawberries, if carefully prepared by either of the foregoing receipts, will resemble the wiesbaden preserves. =raspberry preserve= raspberries are preserved the same as strawberries. =citron preserve= pare and core the citron; cut it into strips and notch the edges; or cut it into fancy shapes. allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and to six pounds of the fruit allow four lemons and a quarter of a pound of ginger root. tie the ginger in a cloth, and boil it in a quart and a half of water until the flavor is extracted; then remove it, and add to the water the sugar and the juice of the lemons; stir until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear; take off any scum; then add the citron, and cook until it is clear, but not soft enough to fall apart. can and seal while hot. canning apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherries, berries, etc. [sidenote: proportions.] [sidenote: red fruits.] [sidenote: cooling.] canning does not differ from preserving, except in the amount of sugar used. a quarter of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit is the rule, but none at all need be used, as the fruit will keep just as well without it if it is thoroughly sterilized by heat and immediately sealed. fruits that require sugar when eaten fresh need sugar in like proportion when canned. the fruit may be boiled in a syrup of °, which is made of one pound of sugar to a quart of water, and bottled the same as when preserved, but an easier and better way is to cook it in the jars. pack the fruit tightly in the jars and cover it with a syrup of °; red fruits need more sugar to preserve their color, and should have a syrup of °, which is one pint of water to a pound of sugar. place the jars in a boiler of water, half covering them; raise them off the bottom of the boiler by standing them on muffin-rings or slats of wood. do not let them touch. cover the boiler, and let them cook until the fruit is tender; the fruit will fall a little, so the jars will have to be filled up again; use for this the contents of another jar, or plain boiling water; adjust and fasten the tops at once, and place them where the air will not strike them while cooling. another way is to pack the dry jars full of fruit, fasten down the tops at once, place them in a boiler of cold water nearly covering them, raise it to the boiling-point and cook for an hour, and leave them in the water until cold again. in this way they are cooked in their own juice, and are said to retain their flavor better than where water is used. canned apples make a very good substitute for fresh ones for pies, compotes and apple-sauce. jams or marmalades [sidenote: testing.] use three quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. place the fruit, pared and cored, in layers with the sugar in the preserving kettle. let it stand a few minutes to extract some of the juice from the fruit; then place it on the fire and cook until it becomes a thick, consistent mass. stir it frequently to break the fruit. when it has become tender, use a potato-masher to crush it. when it looks clear, put a little on a plate, and if it thickens, it is done. put it into tumblers and cover. this does not require to be hermetically sealed. in making preserves it is well to reserve all the fruit which is not perfect and make it into jam. =quince marmalade= pare, core, and cut into pieces the fruit. put the skins and cores into a kettle; cover them with water, and boil thirty minutes, or until tender; strain off the water through a colander, and as much pulp as will pass without the skins. to this add the rest of the fruit and three quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. boil it until it becomes a jelly-like mass. mash the fruit as much as possible. it may be colored red, if desired, with cochineal. turn it into glasses, tin boxes, or wooden salt-boxes. it becomes solid, and is served cut into slices. the russians cut it into inch squares, and serve it as a bonbon. =orange marmalade= allow the juice and grated rind of one lemon to every five oranges. weigh the fruit before cutting it, and allow three quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. remove the peel in quarters, and boil it in plenty of water until it is tender enough to pierce easily with a broom-straw; then drain off the water and let it cool. remove the seeds and as much of the skin as possible from the pulp. boil the pulp with the sugar until the orange is well cooked. when the peel is cool take one piece at a time in the palm of the hand, and with a tablespoon cut out all the white pithy part, leaving the thin yellow rind. place a number of these pieces together, and with a sharp knife cut them into thin shreds. by cutting many together in this way it is done quickly. add the shredded rinds to the cooked oranges and let them cook until of the right consistency. it should be very thick, but not solid like jelly. this is a very good marmalade, and resembles the dundee brand. =apple marmalade= make the same as directed for jams. =brandy peaches= cook the fruit the same as directed for preserving peaches; but for this purpose the peaches are left whole, the skin left on or not, as desired. if the skins are retained they should be carefully brushed to remove all the down; use only fine fruit. when the jars are filled, add to each quart a half cupful of brandy, and seal; or, after filling the jars with fruit, boil down the syrup until it is very thick, and to each cupful of syrup add a cupful of brandy; pour it over the fruit and seal. california brandy serves very well for this purpose. jellies currant or any berries to make clear jelly use only the perfect fruit. pick it over carefully and remove the stems. place it in a porcelain-lined kettle and crush it enough to give a little juice so it will not burn. cook it slowly until the fruit is soft, then turn it into a heavy cloth and press out all the juice. strain the juice several times if necessary, to make it clear. passing it through filter paper is recommended. measure the juice, and to each pint allow a pound of sugar. put the sugar in the oven to heat, but do not let it burn. put the strained juice into the kettle and let it boil twenty minutes; then add the hot sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the juice is clear again. pour it into glasses and let it stand until set. grapes and cherries do not jelly easily, and a little gelatine added will insure success. when fruit does not jelly it is usually because it is over ripe. the fruit should not be gathered after a rain, nor should it be washed. =apple jelly= wash the apples; cut them in pieces without peeling or coring, but remove any imperfect parts. barely cover them with water and boil slowly until they are tender, then strain off the liquor through cheese-cloth without pressing. measure the juice, and to each pint of juice allow a pound of sugar. put the juice in the preserving kettle and let it boil five minutes; then add the sugar and stir until it dissolves. continue to boil it until a little dropped on a cold plate will jelly. it will take twenty to thirty minutes. turn it into tumblers and cover. this jelly spread on the apple used in tarts improves them very much. =crab-apple jelly= make the same as apple jelly. =quince jelly= make the same as apple jelly. =spiced grapes= prepare the grapes as for preserving, by removing the skins, boiling the pulp, and straining out the seeds. to seven pounds of fruit (weighed before the seeds are removed), add a cupful of strong vinegar, a cupful of grape-juice taken from the grapes used for preserves, two ounces of cinnamon, one ounce of cloves (tie the spices in a cloth so they can be removed), three and one half pounds of sugar. boil until it becomes thick like a marmalade, which will take about an hour and a half. when done turn it into glasses. this is good with roast meats. =plum sauce for meats= to each pound of damson plums, add a half cupful of sugar, one half ounce each of cinnamon, mace, and cloves (tie the spices in a bag). remove the stones from the plums and boil until it becomes thick like jam. =sweet pickled peaches and plums= allow three and three quarter pounds of sugar to seven pounds of fruit. put the sugar into the preserving kettle with a quart of vinegar and two ounces each of cloves and a stick of cinnamon. boil them for five minutes after the sugar is dissolved. pare the peaches and stick a clove into each one. place a few at a time in the boiling syrup and cook them until they look clear, but are not softened enough to fall apart. when all are cooked, continue to boil the syrup until it is reduced nearly one half and pour it over the peaches. plums are pickled in the same way. the skins may be left on both peaches and plums if preferred; in which case the down must be brushed off the peaches, and the plums must be pricked with a fork in several places to prevent the skins cracking when placed in the hot syrup. =pickled walnuts= gather the walnuts when well grown, but still soft enough to be pierced through with a needle. run a heavy needle through them several times and place them in strong brine, using as much salt as the water will absorb. let them remain in brine for a week or ten days, and change the brine every other day; then drain the nuts and expose them to the air until they have turned black. pack them in jars and cover them with boiling hot vinegar prepared as follows: to a gallon of vinegar add an ounce each of ginger root, mace, allspice, and cloves, and two ounces of peppercorns; boil them together for ten minutes and strain over the nuts. let them stand a month before using. =cucumber or gherkin pickles= gather each day the cucumbers of the size desired; rub them smooth with a cloth and place them in brine strong enough to float an egg. they will keep in the brine until wanted to pickle. soak the cucumbers in water for two days after taking them from the brine, changing the water once, and then scald them in vinegar, or pour the boiling vinegar over them and let them stand in it two days before using. put into each two quarts of vinegar an ounce of peppercorns, a half ounce each of mustard seed and mace, a piece of horseradish, a piece of alum the size of a pea, and a half cupful of sugar; boil them together for ten minutes before straining it over the cucumbers. the very small cucumbers are called gherkins. =green tomato pickle= peck of green tomatoes. quarts of onions. vinegar. / tablespoonful of cayenne. / tablespoonful of ground mustard. teaspoonful of turmeric. pounds of brown sugar. / pound of white mustard seed. / ounce of ground mace. tablespoonful of celery seed. tablespoonful of ground cloves. slice the tomatoes and onions very thin; sprinkle a little salt through them and let them stand over night. drain them through a colander and put them on to boil with enough vinegar to cover them and boil slowly until they are clear and tender, then drain them from the vinegar. put into some fresh vinegar the sugar, mustard seed, mace, celery seed, and cloves, and let them boil for a few minutes; then pour it over the drained tomatoes, which have been mixed with the cayenne pepper, ground mustard, and turmeric. mix them well together; add a half bottle of salad oil, and when cold put it in jars. =chow-chow= cut into pieces, / peck of green tomatoes. large cabbages. onions. cucumbers. mix them together and pack them in layers with salt; let them stand for twelve hours, then drain off the brine and cover them with vinegar and water, and let them stand another twelve hours. drain off the vinegar and cover them with one and one half gallons of scalding hot vinegar which has been boiled a few minutes with one pint of grated horseradish, one half pound of mustard seed, one ounce of celery seed, one half cupful of ground pepper, one half cupful of turmeric, one half cupful of cinnamon, and four pounds of sugar. let them stand until perfectly cold, then add one cupful of salad oil and one half pound of ground mustard. mix them all thoroughly together and place in jars. =nasturtium pickle= pick the nasturtium seeds green; leave a short stem on them and place them in a weak brine for two days; then soak them in fresh water for a day. pack them in jars and turn over them boiling vinegar; seal and let them stand a month before using. chapter xxvi beverages filtered water [sidenote: boiling the water.] it is a recognized fact that many diseases are contracted through drinking impure water, yet many are so careless as not to take the simple means of removing this danger. it only requires boiling the water to destroy the germs. this, however, does not remove the foreign matter, such as decayed vegetable growth and other substances, therefore it is well to filter as well as to boil water. many good filters are made which are cheap and easy to clean. the gate city stone filter is perhaps the simplest one, being an earthen crock with a porous stone bottom. although all filters claim to remove germs as well as impurities from water, it is safer to boil it first. bright, crystal-like water in clear glass carafes is an ornamental addition to the table service as well as a convenient way of serving it. if the carafes are stopped with cotton and placed in the refrigerator for several hours, the water will be refreshingly cool, and cracked ice, which many do not use, in the belief that it arrests digestion, will not be required. to freeze carafes [sidenote: packing.] fill the bottles a little less than half full. the water should be below the largest part of the bulb; stop the bottles with cotton, and over the top of each one invert a tin cup. individual timbale-molds may be used. cover the bottom of a tub with ice and salt, place the bottles on it, leaving some space around each one, then fill the tub with ice and salt, the same as in packing ice-creams, and cover it. within two or three hours the water will become frozen. care must be taken that the water in the tub is never high enough to flow into the top of the carafes. when ready to serve, wipe the frozen carafes and fill them with ice water. tea [sidenote: the water.] you cannot have first-rate tea or coffee unless you use freshly-boiled water. water that has been boiled for an hour or more lacks life, and gives a dull taste to the decoction. draw freshly filtered water and let it come to a hard boil before using. scald the pot and immediately put into it the tea-leaves. when the water boils hard, pour upon the tea-leaves the required quantity of water. shut down the cover of the tea-pot and let it stand just five minutes before serving. [sidenote: proportions.] [sidenote: steeping.] to give the proportions of tea and water is impossible, as such different degrees of strength are demanded. one teaspoonful of tea to a pint of water, steeped five minutes, makes a weak tea. two teaspoonfuls give the color of mahogany, if an english breakfast tea is used. oolong tea does not color the water very much, so its strength cannot be as well judged in that way. tea, to be perfect, should not steep longer than five minutes; it may continue to grow stronger after that time, but the flavor is not as good, and if the leaves remain too long in the water the tea becomes bitter. the russians, who are reputed to have the best tea, prepare it at first very strong, getting almost an essence of tea; this they dilute to the strength desired, using water which is kept boiling in the samovar. water removed from the kettle and kept in a pot where it falls below the boiling-point, will not give satisfactory results in diluting a strong infusion. [sidenote: the tea-bag.] where a quantity of tea is to be used, as at receptions, it is well to put the tea into a swiss muslin bag, using enough to make a very strong infusion. place the bag in the scalded pot; add the boiling water; after five minutes remove the bag. keep a kettle of water boiling over an alcohol flame, and use it to dilute the tea as needed. the tea will then be as good as though freshly made. if, however, the leaves are allowed to remain in the pot the tea will not be fit to use after a short time, and no matter how much it may be diluted, it will still have an astringent taste. [sidenote: the tea-ball.] silver balls are convenient to use where one or two cups at a time only are to be made for the friend who drops in for the afternoon cup of tea. the ball holding the tea is placed in the cup, water from the boiling kettle poured over it, and the ball removed when the water has attained the right color. [sidenote: russian tea.] [sidenote: tea punch.] [sidenote: iced tea.] various preparations of tea are made by adding flavorings. the so-called russian tea is made by adding sugar and a thin slice of lemon to each cup; tea punch by soaking the sugar first in rum or brandy. these, however, as well as milk, destroy the flavor of tea and change the character of the drink. iced tea is a very refreshing drink in summer. it is served in glasses, with plenty of cracked ice, and should not be made very strong, or it will become clouded when the ice is added. iced tea is improved by adding lemon. one tablespoonful of lemon-juice to a glass of tea is a good proportion. coffee care of the coffee-bean it is generally understood that tea becomes air-drawn if not kept closely covered. it is also desirable to keep coffee in the same way. coffee mixtures and brands [sidenote: / java, / mocha.] mandhaling coffee, which is grown by the dutch government on the island of sumatra, is considered the finest coffee in the world. the finest mocha which comes to this market contains twenty per cent. of "long bean." the best-known mark of this coffee in new york is h. l. o. g. a favorite mixture is two thirds mandhaling to one third mocha. the ordinary mixture of two thirds java to one third mocha is misleading, as there are an indefinite number of inferior qualities of both "mocha" and "java." the best java comes from the port of padang in sumatra, and the only true mocha comes from aden in arabia. the finest grades of mexican, maracaibo, bogota, and jamaica coffees are highly esteemed. high grades of "washed rio" are also richly flavored coffees. these high-class coffees are difficult to get unadulterated. another difficulty in buying coffee is that each variety has many grades, so the only assurance one can have of the quality received is the good faith of the grocer with whom one deals. a practice among grocers is to make mixtures which they sell under their own trademark. =to make coffee= to have the coffee right is one of the difficulties of the housekeeper. the making of coffee is a very simple operation, but the nicety and care with which it is prepared mark the difference between the good and bad decoction. the best quality of coffee carelessly made is not as acceptable as that well made from an inferior bean. coffee readily absorbs foreign flavors. if the pot is wiped out with a soiled cloth, or if the coffee is strained through a flannel not perfectly sweet, the coffee betrays it. if the spout is allowed to collect a film of stale coffee, it will ruin all the fresh coffee put into the pot. to have perfect coffee, use an earthen or china pot, and have the water boiling when turned onto the coffee. like tea, the results will not be right if the water is allowed to fall below the boiling-point before it is used. have the coffee ground to a fine powder in order to get its full flavor as well as strength. there is great waste in having coffee ground coarse. a pound will go three times as far in the former as in the latter case, therefore a good coffee-mill is an economy in a household. like tea, it should also be freshly made. it seems to lose its fine flavor if kept hot for any considerable time. black coffee is usually made by dripping. any coffee is better made in that way, using less coffee if less strength is desired, but a strong infusion diluted with hot milk makes a better drink than weak coffee flavored with milk. =drip coffee= one heaping tablespoonful of coffee to a cupful, or half pint, of water will make black coffee. put the coffee powder into a felt bag, or on a thick flannel laid on a strainer and pour the boiling water over it. the flannel must be thick, and close enough to prevent the fine powder straining through. if enough coffee is used to make it of much depth in the strainer, the water will pass through very slowly and the coffee will be cold, therefore have the pot hot before beginning, and stand it in a pan of hot water while it is dripping. coffee will not be right unless the water is violently boiling when poured on the grounds. serve the coffee at once. =boiled coffee= put the ground coffee into the pot, pour over it boiling water; let it come to the boiling-point; remove, and stir into it the slightly beaten white of an egg and the crushed shell; replace it on the fire and let it boil one minute. this is to clear the coffee of the fine particles held in suspension. pour a tablespoonful of cold water down the spout and place it on the side of the range where it will be perfectly still for five minutes, then pour off carefully the liquid coffee. do not let the coffee boil three minutes altogether. the aroma of the coffee is the escaped volatile oils--all that is lost detracts just so much from the flavor of the drink. =iced cafÉ au lait= add enough cold black coffee to milk to give it the desired strength and flavor. sweeten to taste and let it stand on ice until ready to serve. serve it in glasses instead of cups. any coffee left from breakfast prepared in this way makes a refreshing and acceptable drink for luncheon in summer. =chocolate= maillard's chocolate is excellent; his receipt is given below. for each cup of chocolate use one cupful of milk and one bar of chocolate. with maillard's chocolate this is nearly one and a quarter ounces. put the cold milk into a porcelain-lined saucepan, break the chocolate into small pieces, and add them to the milk. place the saucepan on the fire, and with a wooden spoon stir constantly and rapidly until the chocolate is dissolved and the milk has boiled up once. beat it vigorously to make it smooth, and serve at once. more milk may be added if this is too rich. chocolate should not be kept standing.[ -*] footnotes: [ -*] huyler's, baker's, and other brands of chocolate may be prepared in the same way, the proportions being regulated by the richness desired.--m. r. =cocoa= dissolve a teaspoonful of cocoa in half a cupful of boiling water; then add a half cupful of boiling milk and boil it for one minute, stirring vigorously all the time. sweeten to taste. brioche or bath buns are good to serve with chocolate or cocoa for a light lunch. =lemonade= squeeze the lemons, allowing two lemons for every three glasses of lemonade; remove any seeds that may have fallen in, or strain the juice if the lemonade is wanted clear. sweeten the juice with sugar, or, better, with sugar syrup. when ready to use, add the necessary amount of water and a large piece of ice if served in a bowl, or put cracked ice into the glasses if only a few glassfuls are made. put a thin slice of lemon or a few shavings of lemon-zest into each glass. =orangeade= to two and one half cupfuls of orange-juice, the juice of two lemons, and the grated rind of one orange, add two cupfuls of syrup at ° (see page ), or sweeten to taste; add enough water to bring it to ° on the syrup gauge, or to taste; strain and place it on ice until ready to use. =cobblers= put a claret-glassful of claret into a tumbler; add a teaspoonful of sugar, or sweeten to taste; fill the glass with ice cracked fine, and add a little water if desired. place a shaker over the glass and mix it well; add a strawberry, raspberry, bit of pineapple, orange, or any fruit convenient; add, also, two straws. cobblers may be made of sherry, catawba, or any wine, using a quantity in proportion to the strength desired. they are meant as light cooling drinks, and should not be strong of wine. =claret cup no. = pint of claret. pint of soda. juice of lemon. sherry-glassful of liqueur. slice of cucumber rind. orange. grapes. bunch of mint. large piece of ice. =claret cup no. = quart of claret. glassful of white curaçao. glassful of sherry. slip of borage, or a slice of cucumber. pint of soda. juice of orange. sweeten to taste. =champagne cup no. = juice of / lemon. teaspoonful of powdered sugar. sherry-glassful of liqueur. pint of champagne. pint of soda. slice of cucumber. slice of pineapple. orange cut in pieces. bunch of mint. large piece of ice. =champagne cup no. = quart of champagne. glassful of white curaçao. glassful of sherry. juice of orange. slip of borage, or a slice of cucumber, or green celery-tops. pint of apollinaris. =moselle cup= quart of braunberger or zeltinger. pony of brandy. juice of orange. juice of lemon. slip of borage or a slice of cucumber. pint of apollinaris. no sugar. =sauterne cup= use brand "graves." to a quart of sauterne add the strained juice of four large lemons. sweeten with powdered sugar to taste, add a cocktail glassful of brandy, two thirds glassful of maraschino (noyau can be used, but it is not so good), and a teaspoonful of angostura bitters. put it on ice until ready to use, and then, not before, add a bottle of delatour soda, also chilled, or the same amount of soda from syphon. lastly, add six thin slices of cucumber and a few pieces of any fruit convenient, such as pineapple, raspberries, strawberries, etc., and a piece of ice. borage is better than cucumber for cups if it can be had. =cider cup= pint of cider. sherry-glassful of sherry. sherry-glassful of brandy. liqueur-glassful of curaçao. piece of ice. / of orange sliced. yellow rind of lemon. slice of cucumber. a dash of nutmeg. sugar to taste. =the thorp cocktail= the following formula is for one cocktail only; the same proportions must be observed in making any number of them. have the glasses well chilled before beginning, and always use sugar syrup instead of sugar for sweetening. teaspoonful of sugar syrup. teaspoonful of orange bitters. teaspoonfuls of old tom gin. drops of noyau or maraschino. enough cracked ice to chill but not to dilute. stir with a spoon until thoroughly chilled and blended. the mixture must not be shaken, as that fills it with air. lastly, take a piece of lemon zest the size of a ten-cent piece, hold it over the cocktail, and express a little of the oil, then drop it in the glass. =egg-nog= beat the yolk of one egg and a teaspoonful of sugar to a light cream; whip the white of the egg to a stiff froth; mix them together; turn them into a glass; add one teaspoonful of rum or brandy and as much milk as the glass will hold. stir or shake it well together; add more sugar and rum if desired. grate a dash of nutmeg over the top; whipped cream may be used instead of milk, and will give more nourishment when it is used for an invalid. =milk shake= fill a glass two thirds full of milk; sweeten it to taste with any fruit syrup, or with a syrup made of boiled sugar flavored with vanilla, orange-flower water, or any liqueur; strained preserve of any kind or liquefied jelly may be used. fill up the glass with cracked ice and shake together until well mixed. =milk punch= add to a glass of milk a teaspoonful or more of sherry, brandy, or rum; sweeten to taste; shake well and dust over the top a little grated nutmeg. =fruit syrups= a refreshing drink can be made of fresh strawberries, raspberries, cherries, or currants. cook a quart of fruit with a pint of water until well softened; then strain and press out the juice through a heavy cloth. when cold, sweeten and dilute to taste and serve in glasses filled with cracked ice. =grape-juice= add a quart of water to three quarts of grapes, free from the stems; let them come slowly to the boiling-point; then strain through a thick cloth. return the liquid to the fire, let it again come to the boiling-point, and turn at once into glass jars and seal immediately. use a porcelain-lined kettle and wooden spoon in preparing the juice. =raspberry vinegar= put three quarts of ripe raspberries into an earthen bowl; pour over them a quart of vinegar; at the end of twenty-four hours press and strain out the liquor and turn it over another three quarts of fresh ripe berries. let it stand another twenty-four hours; again express and strain the juice, and to each pint add a pound of sugar, and boil for twenty minutes. turn it into bottles, and cork when cold. when used dilute the raspberry vinegar with three parts of water. koumiss koumiss, which is simply fermented milk, can easily be made at home after the receipt given below, and can then be had sweet and is much more palatable than the acid koumiss sold at pharmacies. it is a valuable drink or diet for invalids with weak digestion, or for dyspeptics. [sidenote: driving the corks.] [sidenote: tying the corks.] for making koumiss it is necessary to have strong bottles (champagne bottles are best), and they must be scrupulously clean. a corking machine is requisite for driving in the corks. this is placed over the bottle; the cork, which has steamed an hour or more in hot water until softened, is placed in the side opening and the rammer pounded until the cork is free from the machine. the cork must be tied down to insure safety. a loop of twine is placed over it, then drawn tight around the neck of the bottle, brought back, and tied over the top of the cork. [illustration: utensil for driving corks into bottles.] [illustration: method of tying down corks in koumiss bottles.] [sidenote: the champagne tap.] a champagne tap for drawing the koumiss is also necessary, as it contains so much gas, it is impossible to draw the cork without losing a good part of the contents of the bottle. [illustration: champagne tap for drawing koumiss or any effervescing drink without uncorking the bottle.] [illustration: shakers for mixing any iced drinks.] receipt.--fill quart bottles three quarters full of fresh milk; add to each one a tablespoonful of fresh brewer's yeast and a tablespoonful of sugar syrup. the syrup is made by boiling sugar and water together to a syrup (the sugar must be used in this form). shake the bottles for some minutes to thoroughly mix the ingredients, then fill them nearly full with milk and shake them again. cork and tie them, and stand them upright in a cool place for two and a half days; then turn them on the side and use as needed. they should be kept in a cool, dark place, so the fermentation will be slow, and the temperature should be about °, or low enough to prevent the milk from souring. brewer's yeast is best and gives the koumiss the taste of beer; but compressed yeast may be used, a fifth of a cake dissolved being added to each bottleful of milk. chapter xxvii wines the temperance movement has made great advance since the days when it was not considered etiquette for a man to leave the table sober, and also from recent times when men lingered at the table after the ladies had withdrawn, to partake of strong liquors with their cigars. to-day there are some people who exclude wine entirely from their table, and many others who serve it only in moderation. it is common now to have but three kinds, such as sherry, claret and champagne, and sometimes only one. in this respect, therefore, one may follow his own conviction without fear of being considered peculiar. the usual order of serving wines is as follows: [sidenote: white wines.] with the first course of the dinner there should be served a white wine of some kind, such as niersteiner, hochheimer, or liebfrauenmilch amongst the rhine wines; zeltinger, josephshöfer, or scharzberger muscatel amongst the moselle wines; haut barsac, haut sauterne, or château yquem amongst the white bordeaux wines; and chablis, nuersault or montrachet amongst the white burgundies. [sidenote: sherry.] [sidenote: champagne.] [sidenote: claret.] [sidenote: burgundy.] [sidenote: temperature.] sherry is served with soup. it should be light and dry, and should be chilled by being placed in the ice-box for some time before dinner. champagne is now served with the fish and continued all through dinner. claret or burgundy is served with the game. pontet canet, larose, léoville, margaux, and lafite are standard vintages amongst the clarets. chambertin, clos de tart, clos de vougeot and romanée amongst the burgundies. claret is sometimes, and very properly, served at the same time as champagne, as many people drink no other wine. in this case a higher grade of claret or a fine burgundy should be served with the game. the white bordeaux and burgundy wines should be served cool. rhine and moselle wines are best at a temperature of about ° f. [sidenote: sweet champagne.] [sidenote: care of wines.] [sidenote: decanting.] the champagne should be very dry (brut) and served very cold. half an hour in ice and salt before dinner will bring it to about the right temperature. sweet champagnes are but seldom served nowadays, and are more appreciated, perhaps, at ladies' luncheons than at dinners. sweet champagne cannot be too cold and should be frappé if convenient. clarets and burgundies should stand upright on the dining-room mantelpiece for at least twenty-four hours before they are required, in order that the wine may acquire the temperature of the room, as well as be prepared for decanting. wines old in bottle will form more or less deposit, which, if shaken up with the wine, will injure it. after standing twenty-four hours the sediment will fall and the wine should then be decanted (with the aid of a candle), care being taken that no sediment passes into the decanter. [sidenote: port.] neither claret nor burgundy is good the second day after decanting. they contain too small a percentage of alcohol to keep their flavor more than a few hours after the bottle is opened, and what remains over from dinner should be put into the vinegar demijohn. ports and madeiras are but little used at dinners, but may still be served with the cheese at the end of dinner, or with the dessert. a glass of port with a biscuit at five o'clock is very popular in many quarters, and will be welcomed by those who are afraid of tea. [sidenote: madeira.] [sidenote: brandy.] [sidenote: liqueurs.] a fine madeira may be served with the soup instead of sherry, and is the wine par excellence to drink with terrapin. a superior quality of brandy and various liqueurs are usually served with coffee. in buying wines it is always best to go directly to a reliable wine merchant and take his advice. especially is this true when the buyer himself has no great knowledge of the different kinds of wines. it has been said that a man's wine merchant should stand in as close relation to him as his lawyer or his physician. indexes alphabetical index a =agra dolce=, . =allemande sauce=, . =almonds, burnt=, . chopping, . hardbake, . salted, . " no. , . sugared, . " wafers, . =anchovy canapés=, . =angel cake=, . ice-cream, . parfait, . =angelica=, . =apples=, . baked for breakfast, . " " luncheon, . compote of, . clarified, . charlotte, . dumplings, . flaming, . fritters, . fried with pork, . jelly, . marmalade of, . pie, . pudding, . sauce, , . soufflé, . with rice, . " " no. , . " corn-starch, . =apricot sauce=, . =artichokes=, . bottoms, . =asparagus=, . cream of, . tips, . =aspic jelly=, . to chop, . to clear, . chicken, . croûtons, . to mold, . to ornament molds for, . quick, . of pâté en bellevue, . b =baba=, . =bacon=, . " how to cut, . =baked apples=, . beans, , . custard, . fish, . ham, . lobster, . macaroni, . =baking=, . bread, . cake, . custards, . =balloons=, . =banana trifle=, . =bananas, sliced=, . sautéd, fried, . =barbecue of fish=, . =bath buns=, . =batter pudding=, . =bavarian creams=, . general directions for making, . chocolate, . diplomatic, . fruit, . en surprise, . italian cream, . panachée, . plain, . rice, . =beans=, . baked, , . boiled, . croquettes of, . dried, . lima, . purée of, . salads, . soup, , . string, . =béarnaise sauce=, . =beating=, . =béchamel sauce=, . =beef=, . à la mode, . bouilli, . braised, . cold roast, . corned, , . " hash, . fillet of, . " how to buy, . inside flank of, . pie, . raw sandwiches, . ragoût of, . to roast, . rolled roast of, . round of, . shin of, to prepare, . stock, . tongue, . warmed over, . =beefsteaks=, . to broil, . pie, . pudding, . =beets=, . =berries=, . =berry design for molds=, . =beverages=, . =bird's-nest salad=, . =bischoff sauce=, . =biscuits, beaten=, . bran, . dough fritters, . tea, . =biscuit glacé=, . =bisque of lobster=, . =black bean soup=, . =blanc-mange=, . =blueberry pudding=, . =boiled beans=, . cabbage, , . calf's head, . chicken, . cucumbers, . custard, . eggs, . fish, . ham, . lobster, . mutton, . =boiling=, . sugar, . =bonbons=, . =bone, to, a fowl=, . =bones, grilled=, . marrow, . =boned chicken=, . turkey, . shoulder of mutton, . shoulder of veal, . =boning=, . =boston brown bread=, , . =boudins rouennais=, . =bouilli=, . salad, . =bouillon=, . =bouquet for soups=, . =brains, calf=, . marinade of, . =braising=, . =braised beef=, . chicken, . =bran biscuits=, . =brandy peaches=, . sauce, . =bread=, . general directions for making, . baking, . boston brown, , . braids and twists of, . care of, . cake, . corn, . " soft, . fritters, . graham, . gluten, . made with baking powder, . milk, . mixing, . pans, . panada, . potato, . pulled, . puddings, . rolls, . sauce, . sticks, . tarts, . thin indian, . water, no. , . " no. , . whole wheat, . =bread and butter pudding=, . =brioche=, . roll, . crown, . for timbales, . timbale of, . =brod torte=, . =broiled lobster=, . oysters, . =broiling=, . =broth, chicken=, . clam, . mutton, . made quickly for invalids, . =brown betty=, . =brown butter sauce=, . =brown sauce=, . =brown stock=, . =browned oysters=, . =brussels sprouts=, . =buckwheat cakes=, . =buns, bath=, . brioche, . =burnt almonds=, . =butter=, , . how to make, . c =cabbage=, . boiled, , . hot slaw, . with cheese, . swedish, . =cabinet puddings=, . =café frappé=, . parfait, . au lait, iced, . =cake=, . rules for making, . to line tins with paper, . to grease pans, . to bake, . mixing sponge, . mixing batter, . angel, . almond wafers, . bread, . brod torte, . cakes, small fancy, . carolines, . chocolate éclairs, . chocolate filling for, . cocoanut balls, . coffee, cookies, plain, . cream, . cream filling for, . cream cakes and éclairs, . crullers, . cup, plain, . cup, richer, . doughnuts, . Éclairs, . election, . fruit, plain, . fruit, rich, . garnishing, . gauffres, . genoese, . gingerbread, soft, . gingersnaps, . gold and silver, . hoe, . hoe, no. , . hoe, colonial, . hominy, . icing and decorating, . jelly rolls, . johnny, . jumbles, cookies, plain, . jumbles, . layer, . lady fingers, . little pound-cakes, . macaroons, . madeleines, . marble, . meringues and kisses, . molasses, . one egg, . orange, . orange filling for, . orange quarters, . pound, . pistachio, . sand tarts, . sponge, . sunshine, . uses for stale, . venetian cakes, . warren's, . white, . white sponge, . with custard, . =calf's brains=, . à la poulette, . à la vinaigrette, . head boiled, . with vinaigrette sauce, . soup, . heart, . liver, . =canapés=, . anchovy, . cheese, , . ham, . lorenzo, . pineapple, . sardine, . =canary pudding=, . =candied fruits, california=, . =candies=, . general remarks about making, . =candy, molasses=, . peanut, . taffy, . =canned fruits=, . =canning=, . =canvasback ducks=, . =caper sauce=, , . =carafes, to freeze=, . =caramel=, , , . =carameled nuts=, . =caramels, chocolate=, . vanilla, coffee, maple, . =caramel custard=, . ice-cream, . =carrots and turnips=, . =casserole of rice=, . of potato, =cauliflower=, . au gratin, . salad, . =celery, cream of=, . stewed, . au jus, . salad, . and walnut salad, . sauce, . =cereals=, . =chafing dish cookery=, . kind of, to use, . dishes suitable for, . oysters in, , . meats in, . =champagne cup=, no. , . no. , . jelly, . " with flowers, . sauce, . =charlotte, apple=, . russe, . filling, no. , . " no. (with eggs), . " no. (with fruit), . " no. , . " no. , . " princesse de galles, . strawberry, . timbale of brioche, . =chartreuse=, . of chicken, . of spinach, . =chateaubriand=, . =chaudfroid of chicken=, . of sweetbreads, . sauce, . =cheese=, . cottage, . dishes, . " general directions for, . canapés, , . and crackers, . fondue, . golden buck, . patties, . sandwiches, . soufflé, . straws, . welsh rarebit, . =cherry bread pudding=, . =chestnuts, candied=, (marrons glacé), . parfait of, . pain de marrons, . purée, , . stuffing, . with cream, . =chickens=, . to judge of, . to clean and draw, . to bone, . to truss, . à la vienne, . aspic, . aspic with walnuts, . baltimore style, . boiled, . braised, . breasts with poulette sauce, . broiled, . broth, . consommé, . chartreuse of, . chaudfroid, . fricassee, white, brown, . fried, . fritters, . gumbo, . imperial, . jellied, boned, . legs stuffed, . livers, , . mayonnaise, . pie, english, . purée, . soufflé, . soup, plain, . =chocolate=, , . to melt, . bavarian, . caramels, . with condensed milk, . cream, . creams, . custards, . Éclairs, . filling for cake, . ice-cream, . icing no. , . " no. , . " no. , . parfait, . peppermints, . praliné, . pudding, . sauce, , . soufflé, . =chops cut from shoulder=, . fish, . lobster, . mutton, . in paper cases, . à la maintenon, . pork, . =chow-chow=, . =chowder, clam=, , . fish, , . potato, . =christmas plum pudding=, . =cider cup=, . =clam broth=, . chowder, , . fritters, . soup, , . =clams=, . to open, . cream of, . creamed, . roasted, . =claret cup= no. , . " " no. , . =clarified apples=, . =clarifying fat=, . fruit juices, . jelly, . soups, . =club house fish balls=, . =cobblers=, . =cocoa=, . =cocoanut balls=, . cakes, . creams, . pie, . pudding, . sauce, . =codfish and cream=, . =codfish balls=, , . salt, . =coffee=, . care of beans, . mixtures and brands, . to make, . drip, . cake, . ice-cream, . iced (au lait), . icing for éclairs, . jelly, . =cold chicken pie=, . desserts, . jelly sauce, . tongue, . fish, . roast beef, . slaw, . =coloring=, . soups, . sugar, . =common stock=, . =compote of apples=, . oranges, . peaches and apricots, . pears, . =consommé=, , . =cookies, plain=, . =cooking for pleasure=, . =corned beef=, , . hash, . =corn bread= (soft), . no. , . no. , . canned, . cream of, . dodgers, . on the ear, . mock oysters, . pudding, . =cornmeal mush=, . fried, . =cornstarch with apples=, . pudding, plain, . with canned fruit, . cocoanut, . chocolate, . chocolates, . =cottage pudding=, . =courses=, . =court bouillon=, . =crab-apple jelly=, . =crabs=, . deviled, . crabs, oyster, , . entrée of, . soft-shell, . stew, . st. laurent, . stuffed with mushrooms, . toast, . =cracked wheat=, . =cranberry jelly=, . pie, . sauce, . =cream of asparagus=, . celery, . clams, . of corn, . of green peas, . of oysters, . of string beans, . cakes, . chicken forcemeat, no. , . " " no. , . czarina, . devonshire, . dressing, . fried, . italian, . pie, . to whip, . soups, , . whips, . =creamed clams=, . " dishes, . " mackerel, . =creams, chocolate=, . cocoanut, . nut, . peppermint, . =crême parisienne=, . =croquenbouche of macaroons=, . =croquettes=, . sauce for mixing, . to mold, . to fry, . materials used for, . bean, . egg, . potato, . sweet potato, . =croustade of shrimps=, . bread, . rolls, . =croûte-au-pot=, . =croûtons and croustades=, . =crullers=, . =crumbs=, , . =crumpets=, . =cucumbers, boiled=, . pickles, . salad for fish, . stuffed, . and tomato salad, . =cup cake=, , . =currant jelly=, . shortcake, . =currants=, . =curried eggs=, . =curry=, . madras, . sauce, . =custards=, . baked, . boiled, no. , . " no. , . caramel, . chocolate, . " baked, . " cream, . rennet, . sauce, boiled, . d =dabs=, . =daisy designs for molds=, . =daubing=, . =decorating cakes=, . =decorations for meat jelly=, . =desserts, information pertaining to=, . cold, . =deviled crabs=, . =devonshire cream=, . =diplomatic bavarian=, . pudding, . =dishes à la newburg=, , . =doughnuts=, . =dried beans=, . mushrooms, . =drip coffee=, . =drippings=, , . =ducks, tame=, . canvasbacks and redheads, . salmi of, . =dumplings, apple=, . with baking powder, . " suet, . e =Éclairs=, . chocolate, vanilla, coffee, . =economical living=, . =eggs=, , . à l'aurore, . à la bourguinonne, . à la polignac, . à la reine, . à la villeroi, . au beurre noir, . au miroir, . balls for soup, . boiled, . cocotte, . croquettes, . curried, . fried, . golden cream toast, . how to judge and keep, . livingston, . nog, . omelet, . poached, . on anchovy toast, . " " " (entrée), . salads, . sandwiches, . sauce, . scrambled, . shirred, . stuffed, , . sur le plat, . with tomatoes, , . in tomatoes, . to whip, , . plant, . " stuffed, . =election cake=, . =emergencies=, . =english muffins=, . =enterprise chopper=, . =entrées=, . =espagnole sauce=, . f =false terrapin=, . =fancy molding=, . in aspic, . =farinaceous foods=, . =farina balls=, . pudding, . boiled, . =fat, to clarify=, . to try out, . saving, . =figs=, . =fig pudding=, . =fillet of beef=, . =fillets of fish=, , , . =fillets mignon=, . of salmon, . =filtered water=, . =fish=, . balls, , . " fresh, . baked, . barbecue of, . bones of, . to bone and remove fillets, . to boil, . time to boil, . to boil whole, . to serve boiled, . sauces for boiled, . court bouillon for, . to broil, . to carve, . cold, . cooking, . chops, . chowder, , . dish for pink luncheon, . dressing, . fillets of, , , , . fillets of, baked with custard or tomatoes, . to fry, . fillets of fried, . freshness of, . frozen, . forcemeat of, . garnishing, . kettle, . keeping, . pudding, . and oysters, . sauces for, . sandwiches, . scalloped, . " au gratin, . stock and soup, . to sauté, . timbale, . trimming, . =five o'clock tea=, . =flageolets=, . =flaming apples=, . =flavoring=, , . when to add, . =flavors=, . =floating island=, . =flounder, rolled fillets of=, . =flowers for garnishing=, . =floor polish=, . =foamy sauce=, . =fondant=, . to make, . bonbons of, . icing, . =fondue=, . =fontage cups=, . =forcemeat, chicken, cream=, . no. , . fish, cream, . quenelle, . balls, . for boned fowls, . =fowls, to bone=, . to truss, . =french dressing for salads=, . omelet, . =fricasseeing=, . =fricassee of chicken=, . oysters, . =fried bananas=, . cream, . corn-meal mush, . hominy, . =fried oysters=, . =fritters=, . apple, . batter, . biscuit dough, . bread, . chicken, . orange, . peach or apricot, . =frogs' legs, fried=, . à la poulette, . =frosting, instantaneous=, . =frozen desserts=, . remarks about, . fruits, , . punches, . =fruit cake, plain=, . rich, . =fruits=, . remarks about, . bavarian, . frozen, , . ice-creams, . jellied, . juices, . " to thicken, . pudding, , . salpicon of, . " punch, . sauces, . syrups, . =frying=, . to prepare articles for, . g =galantine of turkey=, . =garnishing=, . boiled fish, . cakes, . with flowers, . =garnishes for soups=, . =gâteau st. honoré=, . =gauffres=, . =gelatine=, , . =gems, corn=, . graham, , . =genoese cake=, . =giblet sauce=, . =gingerbread, soft=, . =ginger snaps=, . =glacé oranges and grapes=, . =glaze=, . =gluten bread=, . =gold and silver cake=, . =golden buck=, . cream toast, . =goose, roast=, . =graham bread=, . gems, , . =grape fruit=, . =grapes glacé=, . juice, . preserved, . spiced, . =grease, removing from soups=, . saving, . =green peas=, . cream of, . timbale of, for soups, . =grilled bones=, . =grouse, roasted=, . =gumbo filé=, . h =halibut steaks, boiled=, . turkish style, . timbale, . =ham boiled=, . baked, . and eggs, broiled, . à l'aurore, . canapés, . omelet, . =hamburg steaks=, . =hard sauce=, . =harlequin balls=, . slices for soups, . =hartford election cake=, . =hash, corned beef=, . brown, . =heart, calf's=, . =hoe cake=, . no. , . colonial, . =hollandaise sauce=, . =home dinner=, . =homily on cooking=, . =hominy cake=, . fried, . =horseradish sauce=, . =hot slaw=, . i =ices=, . lemon, , . orange, . strawberry, . =ice-creams=, . american, . angel, . caramel, , . coffee, . chocolate, . classification of, . fancy molding of, . freezing, . french, . fruit, . general rules for making, . imperatrice, . individual, , . molding, . neapolitan, . nesselrode, . nut, . ornamental, . packing, . philadelphia, . pistachio, . plum pudding glacé, . rice, . tutti frutti, . vanilla, . =iced tea=, . =icing, boiled=, . chocolate, , . coffee for éclairs, . fondant, . royal, . " with confectioners' sugar, . for small cakes, . and decorating cakes, . =indian bread=, . pudding, , , . =individual salads=, . =inside flank of beef=, . =irish stew=, . =italian cream=, . jelly, . meringue, . j =jams=, . =jam omelet=, . =jellied chicken=, . fruit, . fruits (pain aux fruits), . tongue, . veal, . =jellies=, , . =jelly rolls=, . =jelly, to clarify=, . apple, . aspic, . berry design for mold, . coffee, . cold, sauce, . crab-apple, . cranberry, . champagne, . " with flowers, . currant, . daisy design for mold, . dantzic, . decorations for meat, . dissolving, . italian, . lemon, . macédoine, . molding fancy, , . orange, . points to observe in making, . plum pudding, . proportions for, . prune, . quince, . ribbon, . rolls, . russian, . sauce, , . serving, . wine, . with fruits (macédoine), . what to do with left over, . whipped, . white or blanc-mange, . unmolding, . =johnny cake=, . =julienne soup=, . =jumbles=, . k =kidneys, stewed=, . =kisses=, . =kneading bread=, . =koumiss=, . l =lady fingers=, . =lalla rookh=, . =lamb, spring=, . =larding=, . =layer cakes=, . =lemonade=, . =lemon ice=, , . jelly, . sugar, . syrup, . =lettuce salad=, . stewed, . =lima beans=, . =little pound cakes=, . =liver and bacon=, . braised, . broiled, . loaf or false pâté de foie gras, . sauté, . =livers, chicken=, , . =loaf of chicken=, . liver, . veal, . =lobster=, . to bake, . to boil, . to broil, . to kill, . to open, . à la newburg, . bisque of, . butter, . chops, . farci, . filling for patties, . freshness of, . salad, . salpicon of, . sauce, . season of, . stew, . stewed, . =luncheon=, . =luncheon and tea-rolls=, . m =macaroni=, . à la albi, . au gratin, . baked with cheese, . mrs. maspero, . with tomato or other sauce, . with minced meat, . timbale, . " honeycomb, . sauce for, . " no. , . " no. , . soup, . =macaroons=, . =macédoine jelly=, . salad, . of vegetables, . =mackerel, salt=, . creamed, . =madeleines=, no. , . no. , . =mâitre d'hôtel sauce=, . =marble cake=, . =marinate, to=, , . =marmalade=, . apple, . orange, . quince, . =marrow balls=, . bones, . =marrons, pain de=, . glacé, . =marshmallows=, . =mayonnaise=, , . arrowroot, . green, . jelly, . red, . white, . of chicken, . =measuring=, . =meats=, , . cooking, . cleaning, . general remarks about, . juices of, . piercing, . scalloped, . sandwiches, . seasoning, . =menus, luncheon=, . inexpensive dinners, , . =meringues=, . =meringue sauce=, . to sweeten, . =mignon fillets=, . =milk=, , , . bread, . when scalded, . punch, . toast, . shake, . sterilized, . =millefeuilles=, . =mince pie=, . =mint sauce=, . =miscellaneous receipts=, . =mixing liquids and solids=, . =mock oysters=, . =mock turtle soup=, . =molasses cake=, . candy, . pie, . wafers, . =molding=, . articles to fry, . fancy, . jellies, . ice-creams, . =molds=, . double, . to ornament, . =moselle cup=, . =mousses=, . fruit, . golden, . =muffins=, . english, . raised, . =mushrooms, remarks about=, , . cooking, . à la poulette, . agaricus campestris, . " procerus, . " russula, . boleti, . coprinus comatus, . " atramentarius, . clavaria, . hydnum caput medusæ, . puff balls, . marasmius oreades, . scalloped, . sauce, . to dry, . =mustard sauce=, . =mutton=, remarks about, . boiled, . breast of, . broth, . chops, . " in paper cases, . à la maintenon, . leg of, . loin of, . ragoût of, . " cold boiled, . réchauffé of, . rolled loin of, . saddle of, . shoulder of, stuffed, . n =nasturtium pickle=, . =neapolitan ice-cream=, . squares, . =nesselrode pudding=, . =noodles=, . balls, . to serve as vegetables, . soup, . =nougat=, . for bonbons, . " molding, . soft white, . =nuts=, . carameled, . creams, . ice-creams, . salted, . o =oat cake=, . =oatmeal, creamed=, . porridge, . =olives, to stone=, . =olive sauce=, . =omelets=, . aux fins herbes, . beaten, . green, . ham, . jam, . orange, . plain french, . potato, . with peas and tomatoes, . rum, . variations of, . soufflé, . spanish, . =onions=, . juice, . " how to extract, . soup, . spanish, stuffed, . =orangeade=, . =oranges=, . glacé, . cake, . compote of, . fritters, . ice, . indian pudding, . jelly, . juice, . marmalade, . omelet, . or lemon peel candied, , . pie, . salad, . sugar, . syrup, . pain d', . =oysters=, . à la poulette, . " villeroi, . broiled, . browned, . cooking, . " in chafing-dish, . crabs, , . " entrée of, . cases, . creamed, . cream of, . filling for patties, . and fish, . fried, . fricassee, . mock, . panned, , . pickled, . raw, . roasted, . salad, . sauce, . soup, . scalloped, , . stew, . =ox-tail soup=, . =ovens=, . p =panada, bread=, . flour, . =pancakes=, remarks about, . adirondack, . bread, . buckwheat, . cornmeal, . plain, . rice, . sweet, . =pans, bread=, . cake, , . =panned oysters=, , . =pain aux fruits=, . de fraises, . d'oranges, . de pêches, . de marrons, . de riz aux fruits, . " à la princesse, . de volaille, . =parched rice=, . =parfaits=, . general rules for making, . angel, . au café and praliné, . of chestnuts, . maple, . vanilla, . =parker house rolls=, . =parsnips=, . =partridges, roasted, broiled=, . =pastry=, . plain, , . for tarts, . to glaze, . timbale, . =pâté de foie gras en bellevue=, . =pâté shells=, . =patties=, . =pea soup=, , . =peaches=, . compote of, . =peach-leaf flavor=, . fritters, . frozen, , . pickled, sweet, . preserved, . pudding, . =peanut candy=, . =peanuts=, . =pears, stewed=, . preserved, . =peppermint creams=, . drops, . =peppers, stuffed=, . =philadelphia ice-cream=, . =pickled oysters=, . =pickles=, . chow-chow, . cucumber or gherkins, . green tomato, . nasturtiums, . peaches, . plums, . walnuts, . =pies=, . apple, . beef, . beefsteak, . chicken, . cocoanut, . cranberry, . cream, . mince mixture, . molasses, . orange, . plain apple, . " pastry for, , . pumpkin, , . squash, . tart, . washington, . =pigeons, potted=, . roasted, . =pineapple canapés=, . sauce, . =pine cones=, . =piquante sauce=, . =pistachio cake=, . flavor, . ice-cream, . =plain pudding sauces=, , . =plum-pudding=, . jelly, . glacé, . sauce for, . =plum sauce for meats=, . =polenta=, . =pone=, . =pork=, . and beans, , . chops, . roast, . =pot-pie=, . =potatoes, baked=, . baked with meat, . balls, . " fried, . boiled, . bread, . broiled, . cakes, . casserole, . chowder, . creamed, . croquettes, . and fish timbale, . fried, . lyonnaise, . mashed, . omelet, . puffed, . rice, . roses, . salad, . saratoga, . soufflé, . soup, . straws, . stuffed, . supports for hot meats, . sweet, . " baked, . " browned, . " croquettes, . " purée of, . =poulette sauce=, . =poultry and game=, . to clean and draw, . =pound cake=, . =pound cakes, small=, . =prairie chicken and grouse=, . =praline powder=, . =preserved citron=, . grapes, . peaches, . " brandied, . pears, . plums, . raspberries, . strawberries, . " no. , . =preserving=, . =printanière soup=, . =prune jelly=, . soufflé, . =pudding batter=, . beefsteak, . bermuda, . blueberry, . bread, . " and butter, . brown betty, . cabinet, . " no. , . " no. (royal), . " no. , . canary, . chocolate, . cherry bread, . cocoanut, . cottage, . cornstarch, . diplomatic, . fig, . fish, . fruit, . indian, , , . peach, . plum, . " glacé, . rice, plain, . " and marmalade, . roly-poly, . snow apple, . suet, . tapioca, . yorkshire, . =puffs or pop-overs=, . =puff-paste=, . rules for, . receipt for, . =pulled bread=, . =pumpkin pie=, , . =punch, frozen, general rules, for=, . coffee, . milk, . salpicon of fruit, . " of california cherries, . =purée of beans=, . chestnuts, , . chicken, . fruit sauce, . q =quails broiled=, . roasted, . =quenelles=, . forcemeat, . =quick aspic=, . =quinces, baked=, . jelly, . marmalade, . r =ragoût of beef=, . of mutton, . =raisins=, , . =range=, . =raspberry vinegar=, . preserve, . =raw beef sandwiches=, . oysters, . =réchauffé of mutton=, . =redhead ducks=, . =refrigerator=, . =rennet custard=, . =rhode island johnny cake=, . =ribbon jelly=, . =rice, to boil=, . southern way of boiling, . bavarian, . ice-cream, . pancakes, . parched, . pudding no. , . " no. , . lemon rice-pudding, . and marmalade pudding, . and raisins, . pudding glacé, . and tomatoes, . =rich pudding sauce=, . =richelieu sauce=, . =rissotto=, . =rissoles=, . =roast beef=, . cold, . =roasted oysters=, . =roasting=, . =rolled loin of mutton=, . =rolls, baking=, . bread, . cleft, . luncheon and tea, . parker house, . =roly-poly pudding=, . =rose sugar=, . =roux, to make=, . =royal icing=, . =royale=, . =rum omelet=, . sauce, . =rusks=, . dried, . =russian jellies=, . salad, . bowls, . s =sabayon sauces=, . =saddle of mutton=, . =salads=, general remarks about, . aspic of pâté en bellevue, . " with walnuts, . bean, . bird's nest, . bouilli, . cauliflower, . celery, . " and walnut, . chicken, , . cold slaw, . cucumber, . " and tomato, . egg, no. , . " no. , . french dressing for, . hot slaw, . lettuce, . lobster, . macédoine, . mayonnaise dressing for, , , . to marinate, . orange, . oyster, . potato, . russian, . " individual, . sandwiches, . string bean, . sweetbreads with celery, . tomato no. , . " and egg, . " jelly, . " " molded, . tomato stuffed, . water cress and apples, . =sally lunn=, . =salmi of duck or game=, . =salmon=, . broiled slices of, . canned, . cutlets, . fillets for green luncheon, . slices with mayonnaise, . =salpicon=, , . of fruits, . punch, . lobster, . =salt codfish=, . mackerel, . =salted nuts=, . =sandwiches=, remarks about, . shapes of, . how to prepare meat for, . how to prepare bread for, . butter, . cheese, . egg, . fish, . meat, . raw beef, . rolls, . salad, . spanish, . sweet, . =sardine canapés=, . =sardines, broiled=, . =sauces for meats=, . =sauces for sweet puddings=, . =sauces for cold sweet desserts=, . =sauces for macaroni, rissotto=, . =sauces for boiled fish, kinds of=, . =sauces=, . general directions for, . agra dolce, . allemande, . apple, . béarnaise, . béchamel, . beurre noir or brown butter, . bread, . brown, . caper, . celery, . champagne, . chaudfroid, . cranberry, . curry, . egg, . espagnole, . for mixing croquettes, . " macaroni, , . giblet, . glaze, . hollandaise, . horseradish, . jelly, . lobster, . maître d'hôtel, . mayonnaise, . " with arrowroot, . " green, . " jelly, . " red, . " white, . mint, . mushroom, . mustard, . olive, . oyster, . piquante, . poulette, . pudding sauces, sweet, . roux for, . soubise, . tartare, . tomato, . velouté, . villeroi, . white, . " for fish, . =sauce=, apricot, . bischoff, . brandy, rum, kirsch, . cocoanut, . cold jelly, . chocolate, . custard, . foamy, . fruit, . " purée of, . hard, . meringue, . pineapple, . plain pudding, no. (hot), . plain pudding, no. (cold), . rich pudding, . richelieu, . sabayon, no. , . " no. , . strawberry, . syrup, . for plum pudding glacé, . =saratoga potatoes=, . =sautéing=, . =savarins=, . =scalloped fish=, . meat, . mushrooms, . oysters, . tomatoes, . veal, . =scallops=, . =scotch broth=, . =scrambled eggs=, . =seasoning=, . meats, . =serving boiled fish=, . dinners, . " the informal, . jellies, . wines, . =shad=, . planked, . spiced, . roe, broiled, . " croquettes, no. , . " " no. , . =shell fish=, . =sherbets=, . general remarks about, . =shirred eggs=, . =shin of beef=, . =shortcake, currant=, . strawberry, . =shrimps, croustade of=, . =smelts à la toulouse=, . broiled, . to fry, . fried on skewers, . =snipe=, . =snow apple pudding=, . =snow pudding=, . =soap, to make=, . =socles=, . of rice, . =soubise sauce=, . =soufflés=, . apple, . cheese, . chicken, . chocolate, . omelet, . potato, . prune, . spinach, . vanilla, . =soup=, general directions for, . meats, . vegetables, . inexpensive, . =garnishes for soup=, , . forcemeat balls, . egg balls, . green pea timbale, . harlequin slices, . marrow balls, . noodles, . " balls, . sweet potato balls, . =soup=, bean, . black bean, , . bouillon, . calf's head or mock turtle, . chicken, . " consommé, . clam, , . croûte au pot, . fish stock and, . julienne, . lobster bisque, . " butter for, . macaroni, . noodle, . onion, . oyster, . ox-tail, . pea, , . potato, . tapioca, . tomato bisque, . " purée, . vegetable, . " or printanière, . vermicelli, . white, . broths, . clam, . chicken, . mutton, . made quickly for invalids, . chowders, . potato, . clam, , . fish, , . =soups, cream=, . " asparagus, . " celery, . " clams, . " corn, . " green peas, . " oysters, . " spinach, . " string beans, . " à la reine, . =southern dishes=, . =spaghetti=, . =spanish omelet=, . =spanish sandwiches=, . =spiced grapes=, . =spinach=, . chartreuse of, . soufflé, . =sponge, to make bread=, . =sponge cake=, nos. , , , . " white, . " mixing, . =spring lamb=, . =squabs=, . =squash=, . " pie, . =starch molds for candies=, . =steaks, hamburg=, . =stew, irish=, . =stewed figs=, . " pears, . " kidneys, . " lobster, . " oysters, . =sterilized milk=, . =sticks, bread=, . " cheese, . =stock, soup=, . " " brown, . " " white, . =strawberries=, . =strawberry cake=, . charlotte, . shortcake, . preserved, , . suprême of, . sauce, . ice, . ice-cream, . =stirring=, . =store-closet=, , . =strainers=, . =string beans=, . " salad, . =stuffing for baked fish=, . " " boned fowls, . " " fowls, . chestnut, . =stuffed chicken legs=, . cucumbers, . eggs, , . egg-plant, . mushrooms, . peppers, . potatoes, . shoulder of mutton, . " " veal, . spanish onions, . tomatoes, . =succotash=, . =suet, to try out=, . chopping, . pudding, . =sugar and its uses=, . boiling, . " degrees of, . colored for garnishing, . " how to make, . creams, . spun, . " directions for making, . syrup, . syrups, . =sugared almonds=, . =sunshine cake=, . =supply closet=, . =supports for hot meats=, . =sweetbreads, to prepare=, . à la poulette, . baked, . braised, . chaudfroid of, . fried, . salad, . sautéd, . =sweet pancakes=, . =sweet potatoes=, baked, . balls for soup, . boiled, . browned, . croquettes, . purée of, . =sweet sandwiches=, . =swedish cabbage=, . =syrups, fruit=, . sauce, . sugar, , . t =table, laying the=, . time, inside of cover. weights and measures, . =taffy=, . =tapioca=, soup, . and apples, . pudding, . =tartare sauce=, . =tart bands=, . bread, . pies, . =tartlets=, . paganini, . =tea=, . five o'clock, . iced, . biscuits, . " with sour milk, . =terrapin=, . à la newburg, . general rules about, . maryland style, . false, . =thickening for soup=, . =things to remember=, . =timbales=, . to mold and cook, . fish, . halibut, . honeycomb, . macaroni, . of brioche, . pastry, . potato and fish, . =toast=, . milk, . =tomato bisque=, . broiled, . farci, . jelly, . purée, . roasted, . salads, , . sauce, . scalloped, . stewed, . stuffed, . " with eggs, . and rice, . =tongue, beef=, . cold, . hot sliced, . jellied, . =trifle=, . banana, . =tripe=, . =truffles=, . to decorate with, . =turkey=, . boned, . galantine, . =turnips=, , . =tutti frutti=, . u =uses for stale cake=, . =utensils, care of=, . for desserts, . v =vanilla soufflé=, . ice-cream, . sugar, . =veal=, . cutlets, . fricandeau, . jellied, . " loaf, . roast fillet of, . scallop, . stuffed shoulder of, . with white sauce, . =vegetables=, general remarks about, . soup, . for soup, . macédoine of, . =velouté sauce=, . =venetian cakes=, . =venison=, . " steak, . =vermicelli soup=, . =villeroi sauce=, . =vol-au-vent=, . w =wafers, molasses=, . =waffles=, . =walnuts, pickled=, . english, salted, . =warren's cake=, . =washington pie=, . =wastefulness=, . =water=, . =water-cress salad=, . =water-ices=, . =weights and measures=, . =welsh rabbit=, . =wheat, cracked=, . whole, bread, . =whips=, . =whipped cream=, . jelly, . =whitebait=, . =white cake=, . jelly, . soup, . stock. . =wines, serving=, . =wine jelly=, . =woodcock=, . =wooden spoons=, . y =yeast=, . remarks about, . dick bennet's, . receipt no. , . =yorkshire pudding=, . z =zephyrs=, . =zwieback=, . general index part i. dinner-giving and the etiquette of dinners, . manner of serving dinners, . laying the table, . table decoration, . courses, . the home dinner, . serving the informal dinner, . luncheon, . the five o'clock tea, . a homily on cooking, . cooking as a pleasure and an accomplishment, . to train a green cook, . economical living, . mushrooms, , . menus. "al fresco" dinner, . " luncheon, . " economical living, , . wastefulness, . how to utilize what some cooks throw away, . bread, . fat, . bones, . tough pieces, . small pieces, . cold meats, . eggs, . general odds and ends, . cereals, . vegetables, . sour milk, . fruits, . cheese, . emergencies, . _things to remember._ items about eggs, . milk, . butter, . crumbs, . meats, . drippings, . onion juice, . chopping suet, . " almonds, . mixing liquids and solids together, . gelatine, . molds, . strainers, . to keep dishes warm, . flavoring, . raisins, . baking, . utensils, care of, . " cleaning, . tins, sieves, woodenware, . tins, arrangement of, . supply closet, . refrigerator, . coal and range, . ovens, . part ii. chapter i. _methods of cooking explained._ boiling, . baking, . roasting, . broiling, . braising, . fricasseeing, . sautéing, . frying, . to clarify fat, . to try out suet and other fats, . to prepare articles for frying by covering them with egg and crumbs, . the crumbs, . the egg, . the molding, . larding, . daubing, . boning, . measuring, . stirring and beating, . how to stone olives, . how to cut bacon, . how to extract onion juice, . caramel, . to make roux, . to marinate, . salpicon, . seasoning and flavoring, . croûtons and croustades, . chartreuse, . chapter ii. _soups._ general directions for preparing soups, including directions for brown stock, , . white stock, , . chicken consommé, . cream soups, , . soup meats, . " vegetables, . the bouquet, . proportions, . the order of preparation, . removing the grease, . clarifying, . coloring, . meat stock, . common stock (pot-au-feu), . beef or brown stock, . macaroni soup, . noodle soup, . vermicelli soup, . vegetable or printanière soup, . julienne soup, . tapioca soup, . croûte au pot, . garnishes for soup, . thickening for soup, . garnishes for soups, . royale, . forcemeat balls, . egg, . egg balls, . noodles, . " to serve as a vegetable, . noodle balls, . marrow balls, . sweet potato balls, . green pea timbale, . harlequin slices, . _broths._ chicken broth, . clam broth, . mutton broth, . broth made quickly for invalids, . _soups._ bouillon, . consommé, . ox-tail soup, . white stock, . white soup, . chicken consommé, . plain chicken soup, . vegetable soup, . tomato purée, . split-pea or bean soup, . black bean soup, . calf's head or mock turtle, . fish stock, . oyster soup, . clam soup, . _cream soups._ onion soup, . potato soup, . tomato bisque, . cream of asparagus, . green peas, . string beans, . spinach, . corn, . celery, . clams, . oysters, . soup à la reine, . bisque of lobster, . lobster butter, . _chowders._ potato chowder, . fish chowder, . clam chowder, . chapter iii. _fish._ cooking, . freshness, . dressing, . keeping, . frozen fish, . trimming, . the bones, . to skin, bone, and remove fillets, . to carve, . to boil, . time to boil, . the kettle, . to boil a fish whole, . serving boiled fish, . garnishing boiled fish, . sauces used for boiled fish, . court bouillon, . baked fish, . stuffings for baked fish, . to broil fish, . to sauté fish, . to fry fish, . to fry smelts, . fried smelts on skewers, . fried fillets of fish, . smelts broiled, . whitebait, . boiled halibut steaks, . halibut, turkish style, . scalloped fish, . au gratin, . fish chops, . fillets baked with custard or tomatoes, . cold fish, . fish pudding, . fish timbale, . fish dish for pink luncheon, . rolled fillets of flounder, . shad, . planked shad, . broiled shad roe, . shad roe croquettes, no. , . no. , . salt mackerel, . creamed mackerel, . salt codfish, . club house fish balls, . broiled sardines on toast, . fresh fish balls, . salmon, . canned salmon, . salmon cutlets, . broiled slices of salmon, . slices of salmon with mayonnaise, . fillets of salmon for green luncheon, . croustade of shrimps, . _shell-fish, lobsters, and crabs._ oysters, . raw oysters, . precaution, . cooking, . fried oysters, . oysters à la villeroi, . broiled oysters, . panned oysters, . roasted oysters, . oysters à la poulette, . scalloped oysters, . oyster filling for patties, . clams, . to open clams, . creamed clams, . roasted clams, . clam fritters, . scallops, . lobsters, . season, . freshness, . to kill a lobster, . boil a lobster, . open a lobster, . broil a lobster, . bake a lobster, . lobster farci, . chops, . à la newburg, . stew, . filling for patties, . salpicon of lobster, . crabs, . deviled crabs, . stuffed crabs with mushrooms, . soft-shell crabs, . oyster-crabs, . crabs st. laurent (chafing-dish), . crab stew, . chapter iv. _meats._ general remarks, . slow cooking, . juices, . degree of cooking, . cleaning, . seasoning, . piercing, . _beef._ to roast beef, . rolled roast beef, . yorkshire pudding, . round of beef, . braised beef, . À la mode, . bouilli, . fillet of beef, . how to buy a fillet, . cold roast beef, . scalloped meat, . hamburg steaks, . beef pie, . warmed-over beef (chafing-dish), . inside flank, . ragout of beef, . beefsteaks, . to broil a beefsteak, . chateaubriand, . mignon fillets, . corned beef, . corned beef hash, . hash, . brown hash, . marrow bones, . _mutton._ remarks about mutton, . roast leg of mutton, . loin of mutton, . saddle of mutton, . rolled loin of mutton, . shoulder of mutton stuffed, . boiled mutton, . caper sauce, . ragout of mutton or lamb, . of cold boiled mutton, . irish stew, . mutton chops, . chops in paper cases, . à la maintenon, . spring lamb, . _veal._ remarks about veal, . to roast fillet of veal, . stuffed shoulder of veal, . fricandeau of veal, . veal cutlets, . a plain pot-pie, . dumplings with baking-powder, . dumplings with suet, . jellied veal, . veal loaf, . veal scallop, . liver and bacon, . broiled liver, . braised liver, . stewed kidneys, . tripe, . calf's heart, . beef's tongue, . hot sliced tongue, . cold tongue, . jellied tongue, . boiled calf's head, . calf's head with vinaigrette sauce, . _pork._ roast pork, . fried apples, . pork chops, . boiled ham, . baked ham, . broiled ham and eggs, . ham and eggs à l'aurore, . bacon, . chapter v. _poultry and game._ chickens, . to judge of chickens, . to clean and draw poultry, . to bone a fowl, . roasted boned chicken, . braised boned chicken, . jellied boned chicken, . forcemeat or stuffing for boned fowls, . to truss a fowl, . roasted chicken, . stuffing for fowls, . chestnut stuffing, . giblet sauce, . boiled chicken, . braised chicken, . broiled chicken, . fricasseed chicken, white and brown, . fried chicken, . chicken fritters, . stuffed chicken or turkey legs, . grilled bones, . chicken à la vienne, . baltimore style, . imperial, . breasts with poulette sauce, . chartreuse, . soufflé, . loaf, . chaudfroid, . mayonnaise, . english chicken pie (cold), . turkey, . galantine or boned turkey, . roast goose, . tame ducks, . _game._ canvasbacks and redhead ducks, . salmi of duck or game, . potted pigeons, . roasted pigeons or squabs, . prairie chicken or grouse, roasted, . quails roasted, . broiled, . snipe and woodcock, roasted, . partridges, roasted and broiled, . venison, . steak, . chapter vi. _vegetables._ general directions, . potatoes, boiled, . mashed, . cakes, . rice, . soufflé, . roses, . croquettes, . balls, . omelet, . creamed, . broiled, . baked, . stuffed, . baked with meat, . lyonnaise, . fried, . balls, fried, and straws, . saratoga, . puffed, . sweet potatoes boiled, . " baked, . " browned, . " croquettes, . " purée, . tomatoes, stewed, . scalloped, . stuffed, . roasted, . broiled, . farci, . green peas, . purée of peas, . string beans, . flageolets, . lima beans, . spinach, . soufflé, . chartreuse of spinach or cabbage, . asparagus, . tips, . cabbage, . boiled cabbage, . with cheese, . swedish, . hot slaw, . brussels sprouts, . cauliflower, . au gratin, . egg-plant, . stuffed, . peppers, stuffed, . chestnut purée, . celery, stewed, . au jus, . carrots and turnips, . macédoine of vegetables, . dried beans, . boiled " . baked " . purée of beans, . croquettes of beans, . beets, . summer squash, . parsnips, . cucumbers, boiled, . stuffed, . lettuce stewed, . onions, . spanish onions, stuffed, . corn on the ear, . mock oysters, . canned, . succotash, . artichokes, . bottoms, . chapter vii. _farinaceous foods used as vegetables--receipts for macaroni--cereals._ to boil rice, . rice and tomatoes, . parched rice, . farina balls, . hominy fried, . cornmeal mush fried, . _receipts for macaroni._ macaroni, . spaghetti, . baked macaroni with cheese, . " au gratin, . " with tomato or other sauces, . baked macaroni with minced meat, . receipt for macaroni from mrs. maspero, . sauce for macaroni, for rissotto, and for polenta, . sauce for macaroni no. , . " " " , . polenta, . risotto, . _cereals._ oatmeal porridge, . cracked wheat, . cornmeal mush, . chapter viii. _a group of receipts from a new england kitchen._ split-pea soup, . black bean soup, . clam soup, . clam chowder, . fish chowder, . browned oysters, . fish and oysters, . scalloped oysters, . pickled oysters, . fricasseed oysters, . stewed lobster, . fish balls, . codfish and cream, . oysters on a chafing-dish, . pilau, . spiced shad, . pork and beans, . a réchauffé of cold mutton, . corned beef, . a beefsteak pie, . easy chicken salad, . cream dressing, . macaroni à l'albi, . corn pudding, . thin indian bread, . graham gems, . colonial hoe-cakes, . rhode island johnny-cake, . boston brown bread, . dabs, . cream oatmeal, . zephyrs, . squash pies, . pumpkin pies, . a rule for simple pie-crust, . a boiled indian pudding, . a baked indian pudding, . orange indian pudding, . blueberry pudding, . a peach pudding, . cherry bread, . lemon rice pudding, . bermuda pudding, . rice and marmalade pudding, . molasses pie, . prune jelly with almonds, . clarified apples, . lemon ice, . apple sauce, . stewed pears, . cranberry jelly, . hartford election cake, . instantaneous frosting, . chapter ix. _distinctively southern dishes._ general remarks, . pone, . hoe-cake no. , . no. , . kentucky corn dodgers, . maryland beaten biscuits, . soft corn bread, . southern way of cooking rice, . chicken gumbo, . gumbo filé (new orleans), . _very inexpensive dishes._ very inexpensive dinners, . to prepare a shin of beef, . " " " another way, . beefsteak pudding, . menus for inexpensive dinners, . scotch broth, . tapioca and apples, . veal with white sauce, . purified cabbage, . chops cut from the shoulder, . apple dumplings, . curry, . madras curry, . liver sauté, . breast of mutton, . tomato soup, . carrot " . potato " . bean " . celery " . _miscellaneous receipts._ sterilized milk, . devonshire cream, no. , . " " no. , . to make fresh butter, . to make white hard soap, . floor polish, . chapter x. _eggs._ to judge of freshness, and how to preserve eggs, . boiled eggs, . " " , . " " , . " " , . poached eggs, no. , . " " no. , french style, . " " no. , . fried " . scrambled, . plain french omelet, . variations of the, . no. , . no. , . no. , green, . no. , aux fines herbes, . no. , with peas or tomatoes, . no. , with ham, . beaten omelet, . shirred eggs, . sur le plat, . au miroir, . cocotte, . molded eggs, . à la polignac, . ham and eggs, . poached eggs on anchovy toast (supper dish), . poached eggs on anchovy toast (entrée for luncheon), . poached egg with tomato, . eggs à la villeroi (entrée for luncheon), . egg à la bourguinonne, . " à l'aurore, . golden cream toast, . curried eggs, . stuffed " no. , . " " " , . egg croquettes, . other ways of serving hard-boiled eggs, . tomatoes stuffed with eggs, . oeufs à la reine, } } downtown club, n.y., . eggs livingston, } eggs au beurre noir, . spanish omelet, . chapter xi. _sauces._ general directions, . glaze, . roux for sauces, . white sauce, . " " for fish, . egg " . caper " . oyster " . celery " . lobster " . velouté and allemande, . béchamel, . poulette, . villeroi, . hollandaise, . chaudfroid, . brown sauce, . espagnole, . champagne sauce, . piquante " . soubise " . horseradish " . mustard " . curry " . olive " . tomato " . mushroom " . maître d'hôtel, . mint sauce, . bread sauce, . jelly sauce, . cranberry sauce, . apple, . béarnaise, . mayonnaise, . white, . green, . red, . jelly, . with arrowroot, . tartare, . agra dolce, . chapter xii. _entrées._ croquettes, general directions for making, . the enterprise chopper, . sauce for croquette mixture, . to mold croquettes, . to fry croquettes, . materials used for croquettes, . timbales, . truffles, . cream chicken forcemeat, . cream forcemeat no. , . fish cream forcemeat, . quenelle forcemeat, . bread panada, . flour panada, . to mold and cook timbales, . salpicon, . fontage cup, . pain de volaille, . quenelles, . palmettes, . celestines à la maintenon, . boudins rouennaise, . macaroni timbale, . honeycomb timbale, . a simple timbale of halibut, . pastry timbale, . potato and fish timbale, . vol-au-vent, . patties, . rissoles, . to prepare sweetbreads, . baked sweetbreads, . braised sweetbreads, . sautéd sweetbreads, . fried sweetbreads, . sweetbreads à la poulette, . chaudfroid of sweetbreads, . calf's brains, . head à la vinaigrette, . marinade of brains, . false terrapin, . calf's head à la poulette, . oyster cases, . liver loaf, or false pâté de foie gras, . chicken livers, . stuffed mushrooms, . chicken purée, . oyster-crabs, . entrée of oyster-crabs, . _terrapin._ terrapin, general remarks about, . to prepare, . stewed in maryland style, . à la newburg, . frogs' legs, fried, . à la poulette, . _mushrooms._ remarks about mushrooms, . cooking mushrooms, . the fairy ring champignon (marasmius oreades), . the agaricus campestris, . procerus, . russula, . coprinus comatus, . atramentarius, . the boleti, . puff balls, . morchellæ esculentæ, . hydnum caput medusæ, . clavaria, . to dry mushrooms, . scalloped mushrooms, . mushrooms à la poulette, . chapter xiii. _aspic jelly, fancy molding supports._ aspic jelly, . to clear aspic, . quick aspic, . chicken aspic or jelly, . aspic croûtons, . to chop jelly, . mold jelly, . unmold jelly, . ornament molds, . double molds, . decorations for meat jelly, . daisy design, . berry design, . to decorate with truffles, . socles, . rice socle or casserole, . potato casserole, . a potato support for hot meats, . croustades of bread, . roll croustades, . chapter xiv. _chafing-dish cooking._ the chafing-dish, . kind of chafing-dish to use, . russian bowls, . wooden spoons, . dishes suitable for chafing-dish, . panned oysters, . oyster stew, . creamed oysters and clams, . barbecue of fish, . eggs with tomatoes, . tomatoes and rice, . creamed dishes: eggs, chicken, veal, . dishes à la newburg, . terrapin, . chicken livers with madeira, . crab toast, . smelts à la toulouse, . meats, . venison, . mutton, . beef, . welsh rabbit and golden buck, . fondu-savarin, . pineapple canapés, . chocolate made with condensed milk, . chapter xv. _bread._ remarks about yeast, . yeast, . dick bennet's receipt for yeast, . yeast receipt no. , . what to do when yeast is not obtainable to start the fermentation, . proportions of raising materials and other items, . general directions for making bread, . time, . raising, . proportions of material, . mixing, . making a sponge, . the crust on dough, . kneading and molding, . baking, . care of bread after it is baked, . baking bread rolls, . flour, . bread pans, . water bread no. , . " " " , . milk bread, . potato bread, . receipt for making one loaf of bread or one pan of biscuits in two hours, . bread made with baking-powder, . whole wheat flour, . graham bread, . gluten bread, . boston brown bread, . toast, . milk toast, . panada, . pulled bread, . zwieback, . bread fritters, . bread rolls, . crescents, . braids and twists, . cleft rolls, . luncheon and tea rolls, . parker house rolls, . tea biscuits made with baking-powder, . sour milk, . corn bread no. , . " " no. , . puffs or pop-overs, . graham gems, . corn gems, . muffins, . raised muffins, . english muffins or crumpets, . sally lunn, . waffles, . hominy cake, . oat cake, . bran biscuits, . bread sticks, . rusks, . dried rusks, . bath buns, . coffee cake, . brioche, . to make a brioche roll with head, . a brioche crown or ring, . buns, . brioche for timbales or cabinet puddings, . pancakes, . plain pancakes, . flannel cakes, . rice pancakes, . bread pancakes, . cornmeal pancakes, . buckwheat pancakes, . adirondack pancakes, . chapter xvi. _sandwiches and canapés._ general remarks, . shapes, . how to prepare the meat, . butter, . rolls, . how to prepare the bread, . meat sandwiches, . fish sandwiches, . egg sandwiches, . salad sandwiches, . spanish sandwiches, . cheese sandwiches (mock crab), . raw beef sandwiches, . sweet sandwiches, . canapés, . cheese canapés, . ham canapés, . anchovy canapé, . sardine canapé, . canapé lorenzo, . _cheese and cheese dishes._ general directions, . cheese soufflé, . crackers and cheese, . cheese canapés, . welsh rarebit, . golden buck, . cheese straws no. , . straws no. , . patties, . cottage cheese, . chapter xvii. _salads._ general directions, . to marinate, . mayonnaise, . french dressing, . lettuce salad, . water-cresses and apples, . celery salad, . cucumber and tomato salad, . cucumber salad to serve with fish, . string-bean salad, . bean salads, . cauliflower salad, . macédoine salad, . potato salad, . cold slaw, . hot slaw, . tomato salads, . no. , . no. , stuffed tomatoes, . no. , tomatoes and eggs, . no. , molded tomatoes, . no. , tomato jelly, . celery and walnut salad, . sweetbreads with celery, . egg salad no. , . " " " , . orange salad, . chicken salad, . lobster salad, . oyster salad, . bouilli salad, . russian salad, . individual salad, . note, . aspic of pâté en bellevue, . chicken aspic with walnuts, . bird's-nest salad, . chapter xviii. _cold desserts._ information pertaining to making desserts, . utensils, . table of weights and measures, . proportions, . materials, . gelatine, . chocolate, . to melt chocolate, . to whip eggs, . sweetening meringue, . milk scalded, . raisins, . thickening fruit juices, . when to add flavoring, . molding, . liqueurs, . wines, . eau de vie de dantzic, . vanilla bean, . powder, . sugar, . how to make vanilla sugar, . orange sugar, . lemon sugar, . rose sugar, . orange and lemon syrups, . to get pistachio flavor, . peach-leaf flavor, . caramel, . how to make candied orange or lemon peel, . coloring, . garnishing, . california candied fruits, . angelica, . currants, raisins, nuts, for garnishing, . fresh flowers for garnishing, . colored sugars for garnishing, . how to make, . sauces for cold sweet dishes, . canned fruits, . the store-closet, . _custards._ boiled custard no. , . " " " , . floating island, . chocolate custard, . baked custard, . caramel custard, . chocolate cream custard, . rennet, . _cornstarch puddings._ no. , a plain cornstarch pudding, . no. , cornstarch with canned fruit, . no. , cocoanut pudding, . no. , chocolate pudding, . cornstarch chocolates, . blanc-mange or white jelly, . plum-pudding jelly, . _bavarian creams._ general rules for, . plain bavarian cream, . chocolate bavarian cream, . italian cream or bavarian without cream, . fruit bavarian, . rice bavarian, or riz à l'impératrice, . bavarian panachée, . en surprise, . diplomatic pudding, . bavarian, . _charlotte russe._ charlotte russe, filling, no. , . no. (with eggs), . no. (with fruit), . no. , . no. , . timbale of brioche, . charlotte princesse de galles, . strawberry charlotte, . gâteau st. honoré, . croquenbouche of macaroons, . _whipped cream._ how to whip cream, . whips, . czarina cream, . chestnut purée with cream, . chestnuts with cream, . _uses for stale cake._ pine cones, . cake with custard, . trifle (esther), . banana trifle (martha), . _sweet jellies._ points to observe in making jellies, . dissolving, . proportions, . clarifying, . molding for fancy jellies, . serving jellies, . to clarify fruit juices, . wine jelly, . lemon jelly, . orange jelly, . coffee jelly, . champagne jelly, . champagne jelly with flowers, . whipped jelly or snow pudding, . jellies with fruits (macédoine), . russian jellies, . ribbon jelly, . italian jelly, . dantzic jelly, . what to do with jelly left over, . _pains aux fruits or jellied fruits._ pain de fraises (strawberries), . suprême of strawberries, . pain de riz aux fruits (rice with fruits), . pain de riz à la princesse, . pain d'oranges (oranges), . de pêches (peaches), . de marrons (chestnuts), . chapter xix. _hot desserts._ soufflés, . omelet, . vanilla, . chocolate, . prune, . apple, . farina pudding, . _sweet omelets._ orange omelet, . jam omelet, . rum omelet, . sweet pancakes, . _fritters._ fritter batter, . apple fritters, . peach or apricot fritters, . orange fritters, . biscuit dough, . balloons, . batter pudding, . _desserts made of apples._ snow apple pudding, . brown betty, . baked apple dumplings, . apple charlotte, . apples with rice, no. , . " " " " , . with cornstarch (felice), . flaming apples, . baked apples (for breakfast), . " " (for luncheon), . tapioca pudding, . _rice puddings._ plain rice pudding no. , . " " " " , . rice and raisins, . _bread puddings._ bread pudding, . bread and butter pudding, . bread tarts, . _cake puddings._ cottage pudding, . canary pudding, . suet pudding, . farina pudding, boiled, . christmas plum pudding, . fig pudding, . cabinet pudding no. , . " " " , . " " " (royale), . " " " , . savarins, . baba, . _custards._ crême parisienne, . fried cream, . _shortcakes._ strawberry shortcake, . currant shortcake, . strawberry cake, . roly-poly pudding, . fruit pudding, . baked indian pudding, . _pudding sauces._ plain pudding sauce no. (hot), . " " " " (cold), . rich pudding sauce, . foamy pudding sauce, . brandy, rum, or kirsch sauce, . sabayon no. , . " " , . syrup sauce, . fruit sauces, . apricot sauce, . purée of fruit, . pineapple sauce, . boiled custard sauce, . chocolate sauce, . bischoff sauce, . richelieu sauce, . meringue sauce, . hard sauce, . strawberry sauce, . cocoanut sauce, . cold jelly sauce, . chapter xx. _pies._ plain pastry for pies, . pastry for tarts or open pies, . tart pies, . orange pie, . a plain apple pie, . pumpkin pie, . mince pie mixture, . cream pie, . cocoanut pie, . cranberry pie, . washington pie, . _puff-paste._ general rules, . receipt for puff-paste, . pâté shells, . tart bands, . millefeuilles, . tartlets, . paganini tartlets, . to glaze or egg pastry, . chapter xxi. _cake._ rules for making cake, . how to beat eggs, . to line tins with paper, . to grease pans, . to bake cake, . mixing sponge cake, . cake made with butter, . sponge cake no. , . " " , . " " , . white sponge or angel cake, . sunshine cake, . genoese cake, . jelly rolls, . layer cakes--chocolate, vanilla, coffee, . cream filling, . chocolate filling, . orange cake, . filling, . pistachio cake, . plain cup cake, . gold and silver cake, . marble cake, . richer cup, or , , , cake, . pound cake, . white cake, . plain fruit cake, . brod torte, . fruit cake (rich), . cream cakes and éclairs, . cream cakes, . chocolate, vanilla, and coffee éclairs, . carolines, . _fancy small cakes._ meringues and kisses, . lady-fingers, . macaroons, . cocoanut balls or cones, . madeleines no. , . " " , . little pound cakes, . orange quarters, . almond wafers, . venetian cakes, . gauffres, . _jumbles, cookies, and plain cakes._ jumbles, . sand tarts, . rolled jumbles, . plain cookies, . ginger snaps, . crullers, . doughnuts, . bread cake, . one-egg cake, . warren's cake, . molasses wafers, . soft gingerbread, . molasses cake, . _icing and decorating cakes._ royal icing, . " with confectioner's sugar, . boiled icing no. , . " " , . chocolate icing no. , . chocolate icing no. , . " " , . icing for small cakes, . coffee icing for éclairs, . fondant icing, . _garnishing cakes._ with powdered sugar, . chopped nuts, . colored sugars, . two colors, . to decorate in designs, . chapter xxii. _frozen desserts._ _ice-creams, water-ices, parfaits, mousses, frozen fruits, punches, and sherbets._ remarks about frozen desserts, . classification of ice-creams, . general rules for making ice-creams, . the cream, . sugar, . custards, . " for biscuits and parfaits, . freezing, . packing, . molding, . fancy molding, . unmolding, . ornamental creams, . individual creams, . vanilla ice-creams, . no. , philadelphia, . no. , american (very plain), . no. , french, . chocolate ice-cream, . caramel ice-cream no. , . " " " , . coffee ice-cream no. , . " " " , . white or angel ice-cream, . italian meringue, . rice ice-cream, . pistachio ice-cream, . neapolitan ice-cream, . nesselrode pudding, . plum pudding glacé, . sauce for plum pudding glacé or for nesselrode pudding, . tutti frutti, . fruit ice-creams, . no. , . no. , . no. , . no. , fruit puddings, . nut ice-creams, . _parfaits._ general remarks about parfaits, . sugar syrup, . vanilla parfait, . maple parfait, . parfait au café and café praliné, . chocolate parfait and chocolate praliné, . praline powder, . angel parfait, . imperatrice or rice pudding glacé, . parfaits of chestnuts, candied fruits, fresh fruits or berries, . biscuits glacé, . _mousses._ fruit mousses, . golden mousse (made without cream), . _water-ices._ orange ice, . lemon ice, . strawberry ice, . _punches and sherbets._ general remarks about punches and sherbets, . coffee punch, . café frappé, . lalla rookh, . chapter xxiii. _boiling sugar and making candies._ boiling sugar, . granulation, . degrees of boiling sugar, . syrups, . fondant, . to make fondant, . spun sugar, . directions for spinning sugar, . glacé oranges and grapes, . _candies._ general remarks about candy making, . nougat no. (for bonbons), . " " (for molding), . " " (soft white nougat), . " " (bonbons), . burnt almonds, . sugared almonds, . marrons glacé, . marshmallows, . chocolate caramels, . caramels, vanilla, coffee, maple, . _bonbons of fondant._ harlequin balls, . neapolitan squares, . nut creams, . sugar-plums, . chocolate creams, . creamed nuts and creamed fruits, . cocoanut creams, . cakes, . peppermint creams, . chocolate peppermints, . to make starch molds and cast candies, . _candies made from sugar boiled to the crack or the caramel._ peppermint drops, . carameled nuts, . almond hardbake, . peanut candy, . taffy, . molasses candy, . candied orange and lemon peel, . chapter xxiv. _fruits._ general remarks, . apples, . oranges, . grape fruit, . peaches, . strawberries, . berries, . currants, . bananas, sliced, sautéd, fried, . stewed figs, . salpicon of fruits, . melons, . frozen fruits, . quinces, baked, . nuts, . salted almonds, . " " no. , . " english walnuts and filberts, . salpicon of fruit punch, . punch of white california canned cherries, . jellied fruit, . fruit juices, . chapter xxv. _compotes--preserving and canning--pickles._ compotes, . compote of apples, . " " pears, . " " oranges, . " " peaches and apricots, . preserving and canning, . preserved peaches, . " pears, . " plums, . " grapes, . " strawberries no. , . " strawberries no. , . " raspberries, . " citron, . canning, . jams or marmalades, . quince marmalade, . orange " . apple " . brandy peaches, . jellies, . currant or berries, . apple jelly, . crab-apple jelly, . quince jelly, . spiced grapes, . plum sauce for meats, . _pickles._ sweet pickled peaches and plums, . pickled walnuts, . " cucumbers or gherkins, . green tomato pickles, . chow-chow, . nasturtium pickle, . chapter xxvi. _beverages._ filtered water, . to freeze carafes, . tea, . the tea bag, . " " ball, . russian tea, . tea punch, . iced tea, . coffee, . care of coffee beans, . coffee mixtures and brands, . to make coffee, . drip coffee, . boiled " . iced café au lait, . chocolate, . cocoa, . lemonade, . orangeade, . cobblers, . claret cup no. , . " " " , . champagne cup no. , . " " " , . moselle cup, . sauterne cup, . cider cup, . the thorp cocktail, . egg-nog, . milk shake, . " punch, . fruit syrups, . grape juice, . raspberry vinegar, . koumiss, . wines, . transcriber's note the following typographical errors were corrected: iii household affairs changed to household affairs. mr. and mrs james's changed to mr. and mrs. james's decorated-dinner table changed to decorated dinner-table foies-gras changed to foie gras chocolate pralinée changed to chocolate pralinée. potato soup, page changed to potato soup, page lb changed to lb. tablepoonfuls of water changed to tablespoonfuls of water seive changed to sieve clam broth, page changed to clam broth, page footnote - changed to -* both in text and footnote took-pick changed to tooth-pick illustration page changed to illustration page macedoine changed to macédoine seasoning changed to seasoning. if requested, changed to if requested. size of the to-tomatoes changed to size of the tomatoes pan with, butter, changed to pan with butter, cupful of farina changed to cupful of farina. cupfuls of milk changed to cupfuls of milk. tablepoonfuls of butter changed to tablespoonfuls of butter beurre noir. changed to beurre noir pÂte changed to pÂtÉ make an excellent, changed to make an excellent cold color changed to gold color lukewarm water, changed to lukewarm water. macedoine changed to macÉdoine macedoine changed to macÉdoine birds-nest changed to bird's-nest (no. ). changed to (no. .) page ). changed to page ), teaspoonful of vanilla changed to teaspoonful of vanilla. egg yolks changed to egg yolks. citron (sliced) changed to citron (sliced). fruit is mixed in, changed to fruit is mixed in. hard-bake, . changed to hardbake . flaming, . changed to flaming, . calf'shead, . changed to calf's head, . cucumbers, . changed to cucumbers, . =boston brownbread= changed to =boston brown bread= braising, . changed to =braising=, . little pound cakes changed to little pound-cakes =caramel=, , , . changed to =caramel=, , , . filling, no. , , changed to filling, no. , . leggs stuffed changed to legs stuffed no. . . changed to no. , . =coffee=, , changed to =coffee=, . slaw, . changed to slaw, . toast, . moved to proper alphabetical posistion under =crabs= no. . changed to no. , . rolls, . changed to rolls, . with baking powder, . changed to with baking powder, . =Éclairs=, . changed to =Éclairs=, . nogg, . changed to nog, . omelet, . changed to omelet, . enterprize chopper changed to enterprise chopper farinacious changed to farinaceous =figs=, . changed to =figs=, . no , . changed to no. , . plum pudding glacé, . changed to plum pudding glacé, . no. , . changed to no. , . dinners, , . changed to dinners, , . =milk=, , , . changed to =milk=, , , . =mustard sauce=, . changed to =mustard sauce=, . rechauffé changed to réchauffé glacé, changed to glacé, =orange cake=, . changed to subentry cake, . oxtail changed to ox-tail =plum sauce for meats=, . changed to =plum sauce for meats=, . " glacé, . changed to " glacé, . =pound cakes, small=, , changed to =pound cakes, small=, . =puff paste= changed to =puff-paste= =quails broiled=, . changed to =quails broiled=, . rechauffé changed to réchauffé remarks about, . changed to remarks about, . =sauces for meats=, . changed to =sauces for meats=, . =sauces=, . changed to =sauces=, . =pudding sauces, sweet=, . moved to spot as subheading under =sauces= corn, . changed to corn, . spinach, . changed to " spinach, . string beans, . changed to " string beans, . suprème of, . changed to suprême of, . =tart bands=, . changed to =tart bands=, . five o'clock, . changed to five o'clock, . general rules about, . changed to general rules about, . vegetables, changed to vegetables, pot au feu changed to pot-au-feu skewers, . changed to skewers, . fish-balls changed to fish balls ( times) a plain potpie changed to a plain pot-pie dumplings with suet, changed to dumplings with suet, veal scallop, changed to veal scallop, fish-balls changed to fish balls rechauffé changed to réchauffé boiled indian pudding, . changed to boiled indian pudding, . baked indian pudding, . changed to baked indian pudding, . frosting, . changed to frosting, . making, , changed to making, . raw-beef changed to raw beef orange salad, . changed to orange salad, . making desserts, . changed to making desserts, . utensils, . changed to utensils, . store closet changed to store-closet floating island, . changed to floating island, . chocolate custard, . changed to chocolate custard, . rice pudding no changed to rice pudding no. meringue sauce, . changed to meringue sauce, . impératrice changed to imperatrice fruit punch, . changed to fruit punch, . green tomato pickles, . changed to green tomato pickles, . other inconsistencies the price for milk is given as $ . per cup on p. and $ . per cup on p. . the price for sugar is given variously as $ . per cup (p. , ) and $ . per cup (p. ) irregularities in the alphabetization in the alphabetical index have been left as printed. other changes footnotes were moved to follow the section or recipe they are associated with. the note that appeared at the bottom of p. was moved to p. and placed at the end of the section on sandwiches. the note that appeared at the bottom of p. was moved to follow the recipe for vanilla ice-cream no. . the following words were inconsistently spelled or hyphenated: air-bubbles / air bubbles air-cells / air cells apple-dumplings / apple dumplings apple-sauce / apple sauce baking-dish / baking dish baking-pan / baking pan baking-powder / baking powder baking-sheet / baking sheet baking-soda / baking soda baking-tin / baking tin bean-pot / bean pot biscuit-cutter / biscuit cutter boiling-point / boiling point boiling-hot / boiling hot border-mold / border mold bread-boxes / bread boxes bread-crumbs / bread crumbs bread-dough / bread dough breast-bone / breastbone broom-straw / broom straw calf's-head / calf's head celery-tops / celery tops center-piece / centerpiece cheese-cloth / cheesecloth / cheese cloth close-fitting / close fitting cold-slaw / cold slaw corn-meal / cornmeal corn-meal / cornmeal corn-starch / cornstarch / corn starch corn-starch / cornstarch corn-starch / cornstarch cracker-crumbs / cracker crumbs cream-cake / cream cake _croûte-au-pot_ / croûte au pot dessert-spoonful / dessertspoonful diamond-shaped / diamond shaped egg-dishes / egg dishes egg-white / egg white egg-yolks / egg yolks filter-paper / filter paper force-meat / forcemeat force-meat / forcemeat force-meat / forcemeat fruit-juices / fruit juices fruit-pulp / fruit pulp frying-basket / frying basket frying-pan / frying pan granite-ware / graniteware half-shell / half shell half-shell / half shell hard-ball / hard ball horse-radish / horseradish ice-cream / ice cream ice-cream / ice cream ice-water / ice water layer-cake / layer cake layer-cakes / layer cakes lemon-juice / lemon juice lemon-peel / lemon peel lemon-rind / lemon rind lemon-zest / lemon zest lettuce-leaves / lettuce leaves measuring-cup / measuring cup medium-sized / medium sized meringue / méringue meringues / méringues mock-turtle / mock turtle muffin-ring / muffin ring onion-juice / onion juice orange-cake / orange cake orange-juice / orange juice orange-peel / orange peel oyster-liquor / oyster liquor pastry-bag / pastry bag pie-dish / pie dish pie-dishes / pie dishes potato-balls / potato balls potato-masher / potato masher potato-press / potato press potato-scoop / potato scoop pudding-dish / pudding dish pudding-mold / pudding mold puff-paste / puff paste ragoût / ragout ragoût / ragout ragoÛt / ragout rice-pudding / rice pudding ring-mold / ring mold rolling-pin / rolling pin rose-leaves / rose leaves rose-petals / rose petals rose-water / rosewater sauce-boat / sauceboat sauté-pan / sauté pan scalding-point / scalding point serving-dish / serving dish serving-dishes / serving dishes simmering-point / simmering point smoking-hot / smoking hot soft-ball / soft ball soup-pot / soup pot sponge-cake / sponge cake sponge-cakes / sponge cakes starch-grains / starch grains stew-pan / stewpan / stew pan sweet-breads / sweetbreads stock-pot / stock pot string-beans / string beans sweet-oil / sweet oil tail-shells / tail shells tart-rings / tart rings terrapin-eggs / terrapin eggs timbale-mold / timbale mold timbale-molds / timbale molds tin-foil / tinfoil tooth-pick / toothpick water-cress / watercress water-ices / water ices wine-glass / wineglass woodenware / wooden ware yeast-cake / yeast cake yeast-cakes / yeast cakes transcriber's note: inconsistent hyphenation, accents, capitalization and spelling in the original text have been preserved. obvious punctuation and spelling errors have been corrected. page number and spelling inconsistencies between the index and the text have been corrected to agree with the text. italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. page : word missing before "in a wine glassful" page : same recipe called beef montpasson and beef montbasson [illustration: victor hirtzler] the hotel st. francis cook book by victor hirtzler former chef of hotel st. francis san francisco published by the hotel monthly press john willy, inc. merchandise mart chicago printed in u. s. a. copyright , by victor hirtzler. printed and bound in u. s. a. preface in this, my book, i have endeavored to give expression to the art of cookery as developed in recent years in keeping with the importance of the catering business, in particular the hotel business, which, in america, now leads the world. i have been fortunate in studying under the great masters of the art in europe and america; and since my graduation as chef i have made several journeys of observation to new york, and to england, france and switzerland to learn the new in cooking and catering. i have named my book the hotel st. francis cook book in compliment to the house which has given me in so generous measure the opportunity to produce and reproduce, always with the object of reflecting a cuisine that is the best possible. victor hirtzler. january breakfast sliced oranges farina with cream calf's liver and bacon lyonnaise potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs oriental tripe and potatoes, family style cold ham and tongue celery root, field and beet salad port de salut cheese crackers coffee dinner consommé d'orleans boiled whitefish, netherland sauce squab pot pie, à l'anglaise lettuce and tomatoes, mayonnaise savarin montmorency demi tasse =eggs oriental.= put on a plate one slice of tomato fried in butter, on top of the tomato place six slices of cucumber simmered in butter and well seasoned, on top of that one poached egg, and cover with sauce hollandaise. =tripe and potatoes, family style.= slice the white ends of six leeks very fine, put in sauce pan with four ounces of butter and simmer for five minutes. then add a scant spoonful of flour and simmer again. then add one pound of tripe cut in pieces one inch square, one pint of bouillon, two raw potatoes sliced fine, some chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and one-half glass of white wine. cover and cook for an hour, or until all is soft. =boiled whitefish, netherland style.= boil, and serve on napkin with small boiled potatoes, lemon and parsley. serve melted butter separate. =squab pot pie, à l'anglaise.= roast the squabs and cut in two. fry a thin slice of fillet of beef on both sides, over a quick fire, in melted butter. put both in a pie dish with a chopped shallot that was merely heated with the fillet, six heads of canned or fresh mushrooms, one-half of a hard-boiled egg, a little chopped parsley, and some flour gravy made from the roasted squab juice, and well seasoned with a little worcestershire sauce. cover with pie dough and bake for twenty minutes. this is for an individual pie; make in the same proportions for à large pie. =lemon water ice.= one quart of water, one pound of sugar, and four lemons. dissolve the sugar in the water, add the rinds of two lemons and the juice of four lemons. strain and freeze. =orange water ice.= one quart of water, one pound of sugar, three oranges and one lemon. melt the sugar in the water, add the juice of the oranges and the lemon, and one drop of coloring. strain and freeze. =strawberry water ice.= one-half pound of sugar, one pint of water, one pint of strawberry pulp, the juice of one lemon, and coloring. strain and freeze. =raspberry water ice.= same directions as for strawberry water ice. use raspberry pulp instead. =cantaloupe water ice.= add to one quart of cantaloupe pulp the juice of three lemons and a half pound of sugar. pass through a fine sieve and freeze. january breakfast grape nuts with cream kippered herring rolls coffee luncheon omelet with oysters perch sauté, meunière browned hashed potatoes lobster salad with anchovies floating island napoleon cake coffee dinner little neck clams codfish chowder planked shad and roe artichokes au gratin hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing peach melba caroline cakes coffee =omelet with oysters.= parboil six oysters, add one spoonful of cream sauce and season well. make the omelet, and before turning over on platter place the oysters in the center. serve with light cream around the omelet. =perch sauté, meunière.= season the fish well with salt and pepper, roll in flour, put in frying pan and cook with butter. when done, put fish on platter, and put a fresh piece of butter in pan, over fire, and allow to become hazelnut color. pour the butter and the juice of a lemon over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =browned hashed potatoes.= hash three cold boiled potatoes. melt three ounces of butter in a frying pan, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and fry evenly. when nearly done form in the pan in the shape of a rolled omelet and fry again until well browned on the top. turn over on platter in the same manner as an omelet, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =lobster salad.= take the tails of two boiled lobsters, season with salt and pepper and a teaspoonful of vinegar, and let stand for a half hour, then add one cup of mayonnaise sauce. put some sliced lettuce in the bottom of a salad bowl, the lobster salad on top, a few nice lettuce leaves around the sides, cover the salad again with mayonnaise, and decorate with hard-boiled eggs, beets and olives. =lobster salad with anchovies.= same as above. decorate with fillets of anchovies. =floating island.= beat the whites of six eggs very stiff, add six ounces of powdered sugar and the inside of a vanilla bean. mix well. boil one quart of milk, one-quarter pound of sugar, and the remainder of the vanilla bean, in a wide vessel. dip a tablespoon in hot water and form the beaten eggs, or meringue, into the shape and size of an egg, and drop into the boiling milk. dip the spoon in hot water each time so the meringue will not stick. take off the fire and let stand for a few minutes, turning the floating eggs several times. then take out of the milk and dress on napkin to cool. boil the milk again and bind with the yolks of two eggs, strain and cool. put the sauce in a bowl, or deep dish, and float the "islands" on top. serve very cold. january breakfast orange juice waffles and honey chocolate and whipped cream luncheon chicken salad, victor rolls coffee dinner potage normande fillet of turbot, daumont sirloin of beef, clermont endives salad rolled oats pudding coffee =chicken salad, victor.= cut the breast of a boiled soup hen or boiled chicken in half-inch squares, add one-half cup of string beans cut in pieces one inch long, a cup of boiled rice, one peeled tomato cut in small squares and one sliced truffle. season with salt, fresh-ground black pepper, a little chives, chervil, parsley, one spoonful of tarragon vinegar and two spoonsful of best olive oil. mix well and serve on lettuce leaves. =potage normande.= velouté with julienne of carrots and turnips. =fillet of turbot, daumont.= put the fillet in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, and add one glass of white wine. boil six fresh mushrooms in a little water and strain the juice over the fish, or use the juice of canned mushrooms. cook the fish, remove to platter, and reduce the sauce to glace, then add one pint of sauce au vin blanc (white wine sauce), strain, and before pouring over the fish add two ounces of sweet butter and the juice of one lemon. =sirloin of beef, clermont.= roast sirloin of beef, sauce madère, garnished with tomatoes stuffed with whole chestnuts, and bermuda onions stuffed with cabbage. =boiled chestnuts.= cut the chestnut shells with a sharp knife and put on pan in oven for ten minutes. then peel, put in vessel with a small piece of celery, salt, and cover with water. boil slowly so they will remain whole when done. use for garnishing, stuffing, etc. =tomatoes stuffed with chestnuts.= peel four nice fresh tomatoes, cut off the tops, scoop out the insides, and fill with boiled chestnuts. put a small piece of butter on top, and put in oven for five minutes. serve as a garnish, or as an entrée with madeira sauce. =boiled cabbage.= cut a head of cabbage in four, trim and wash well. have a kettle with salt water boiling. put the cabbage in the kettle and cook until nearly soft, then drain off nine-tenths of the water, add a small piece of ham, or ham bone, and simmer till soft. remove the ham or bone and prepare the cabbage with cream, or any other style. for stuffing onions, cut the cabbage up, add a little butter, and season with salt and pepper. =stuffed onions with cabbage.= peel four large bermuda or spanish onions. boil them in salt water until nearly done, then remove from the fire and allow to cool. take out the inside and fill with cabbage prepared as above. put the stuffed onions on a buttered dish with a piece of butter on top, and bake in oven. january breakfast hothouse raspberries with cream baked beans, boston style brown bread coffee luncheon canapé of fresh caviar consommé julienne boiled salmon, sauce princess corned beef hash with poached eggs escarole salad french pastry coffee dinner lynn haven oysters strained chicken okra, in cups cheese straws salted english walnuts fillet of sole, gasser stuffed capon, st. antoine asparagus hollandaise gauffrette potatoes season salad coupe st. jacques assorted cakes coffee =consommé julienne.= the word "julienne" is a common kitchen term, signifying cut in slender strips, or match shape. for consommé garnish cut "julienne" style one carrot, one turnip, one leek, a small piece of celery, four leaves of cabbage, and one-half of an onion. season with a spoonful of salt, and one-half teaspoonful of sugar. mix well. put in a well-buttered casserole, cover with buttered paper and the casserole cover, put in oven moderately hot, and allow to simmer slowly. turn occasionally, using a fork to avoid breaking the vegetables. they should simmer without adding liquid, but should they be too dry, a half cup of consommé may be added. cook until soft, and drain on a sieve so all the juice will run off. combine with two quarts of consommé, and before serving add a few peas and some chervil. =fillet of sole, gasser.= put four fillets of sole in cold milk seasoned with salt and pepper, and leave for four hours. then wrap around raw potatoes, cut like a cork, and about three inches long. let one side extend over the potato, and fasten with a toothpick. fry slowly in swimming lard until golden brown, then take out, remove the toothpick, push out the potato, and fill the center of the sole with a very thick filling composed of two-thirds béarnaise sauce and one-third of reduced tomato sauce. serve on napkin with fried parsley, and tomato sauce, separate. =boiled salmon, sauce princess.= boil the salmon, serve the sauce separate. make the sauce as follows: one pint of hollandaise sauce, one spoonful of meat extract, and twelve parboiled oysters, thoroughly mixed. =stuffed capon, st. antoine.= season the capon well, both inside and out, and put in ice box. prepare a stuffing as follows: the bread crumbs made from a five-cent loaf of bread, twelve whole boiled chestnuts, three boiled fresh, or canned, apricots, six stewed prunes, three boiled, or canned, pears, and two peaches. put in a bowl, add an egg and one gill of brandy, and mix well. fill the capon, wrap a piece of fat pork around it, and put in roasting pan with a carrot, onion, bouquet garni, and three ounces of butter. put in oven and roast slowly, basting continually until done. remove the capon to a platter and take off the fat pork. return the pan to fire and bring to a boil. when the fat is clear drain it off and add to the pan one-half cup of bouillon and one cup of brown gravy. season, boil, strain and pour over the capon. garnish with watercress. january breakfast baked apples with cream fried hominy maple syrup coffee luncheon shirred eggs, mornay fried smelts, tartar broiled spareribs and sauerkraut plain boiled potatoes american cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage marquis celery stuffed lobster boiled beef, sauce piquante maître d'hôtel potatoes brussels sprouts and chestnuts spinach, english style savarin mirabelle coffee =shirred eggs, mornay.= put on a buttered shirred egg dish one spoonful of cream sauce, break two fresh eggs on top, season with salt and pepper, cover the eggs with sauce mornay, sprinkle with grated cheese and bake in oven. =potage marquis.= cream of rice with breast of boiled chicken cut in small squares. =stuffed lobster.= prepare the lobster as for croquettes. clean the shells and fill with the prepared lobster. sprinkle the top with cheese and bread crumbs mixed with a small piece of butter, and bake in oven. serve on napkin with quartered lemon and parsley. =maître d'hôtel potatoes.= peel and slice two boiled potatoes and put in pan. season with salt and pepper, cover with thick cream, and boil for a few minutes. then add two ounces of sweet butter and mix well, being careful not to break the potatoes. just before serving add the juice of one-half lemon and some chopped parsley. =boiled brussels sprouts.= clean and wash the sprouts, boil in salt water till soft. drain and cool. be careful that the sprouts remain whole. =brussels sprouts with chestnuts.= melt three ounces of butter in pan, add two cups of fresh-boiled sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and fry for a few minutes. then add a cup of fresh-boiled chestnuts, mix well, and serve with a sprinkle of parsley on top. =boiled spinach.= clean the spinach and wash in four or five waters, as it is difficult to remove the sand. it is sometimes necessary to wash as many as ten times to remove it all. put a gallon of water and a handful of salt in a pot and bring to the boiling point. add the spinach, and boil over a very hot fire, so it will remain green. it will require from five to ten minutes, depending upon the tenderness of the spinach. drain off water and serve plain. or, cool with cold water, press dry with the hand, and prepare as desired. =spinach, english style.= add a small piece of butter to plain spinach. january breakfast sliced pineapple waffles honey in comb rolls coffee luncheon croquettes liviannienne eggs beaujolais camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage victoria bass, provençale stuffed lamb chops, maréchal curried lima beans château potatoes lettuce salad nectarine ice cream assorted cakes coffee =croquettes liviannienne.= mix four leaves of melted gelatine with one pint of mayonnaise and use to bind some crab meat. cool and form in small croquettes, roll in chopped yolks of hard-boiled eggs mixed with chopped parsley. =eggs beaujolais.= poached eggs on toast covered with sauce colbert. =potage victoria.= half velouté of chicken and half purée of tomatoes. garnish with turnip cut in small squares, string beans cut in half-inch lengths, and a few peas. =bass, provençale.= split a bass, remove the bones and skin, put in buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, put some sliced tomatoes and a few small pieces of butter on top, and bake in oven. when done cover with white wine sauce with a few pieces of tomato in it. =stuffed lamb chops, maréchal.= broil the lamb chops on one side. cover that side with force meat of veal quenelles decorated with chopped tongue and truffles, put in buttered pan, cover with buttered paper, and bake in oven for ten minutes. serve with fresh mushroom sauce. (see veal force meat recipe jan. .) =macedoine water ice.= two pounds of sugar, three quarts of water, and six lemons. dissolve the sugar in the water, add the rind of four lemons and the juice of six, strain and freeze. when frozen add one quart of assorted fruit, such as small seedless grapes, stoned cherries, and apricots, strawberries, and pineapple cut in small dices, or any other kind in season, or canned. before adding the fruit to the water ice put it in a bowl with a little powdered sugar and kirschwasser, and leave for an hour. this will prevent the fruit from freezing too hard. =normandie water ice.= two pounds of sugar, two quarts of water, and the juice of six lemons. mix together, add one quart of crabapple pulp and one gill of cognac. freeze. =curried lima beans.= put some boiled lima beans in a sauce pan and cover with well seasoned curry sauce. before serving add a small piece of fresh butter and some chopped parsley. january breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon consommé favorite broiled shad roe, maître d'hôtel mirabeau salad lemon pie coffee dinner potage à l'anglaise fillet of flounder, meissonier chicken, valencienne jets de houblons sybil potatoes hearts of romaine macédoine water ice lady fingers coffee =consommé favorite.= garnish the consommé with asparagus tips cut in small pieces, and chicken dumplings stuffed with goose liver, the size of à large olive. teaspoons may be used to form the dumplings. =broiled shad roe, maître d'hôtel.= season the roe well with salt and pepper, roll in olive oil, and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with quartered lemon and parsley. =mirabeau salad.= cut in one-inch squares one cucumber, two tomatoes, and one potato. put in salad bowl separately, cover with vinaigrette sauce. add one teaspoonful of french mustard in the vinaigrette. lay anchovies over the top, and a green olive cut in strips, in the middle. =potage à l'anglaise.= put in vessel two pounds of lean mutton, and one pound of barley. cover with water, season with salt, add a bouquet garni, and boil for two hours. then remove the bouquet and the meat, strain through a fine sieve, add one pint of boiling thick cream, three ounces of sweet butter, and a little cayenne pepper. =fillet of flounder, meissonier.= cook the fillets in white wine. make a white wine sauce and add a julienne of vegetables, and pour over the fish before serving. =chicken, valencienne.= salt and pepper a jointed chicken and sauté in pan with butter. put on platter and serve with suprême with truffles and fresh mushrooms, cut in small squares, and quenelles (chicken dumplings), teaspoon size. garnish with heart-shaped fried crusts of bread. =coupe st. jacques.= slice some fresh fruits, such as oranges, pineapple, pears and bananas, and add all fresh berries in season. put in a bowl with one-quarter pound of sugar, and a small glass of kirschwasser and of maraschino. let stand for about two hours. then fill coupe glasses about half full with the fruit, and fill the remainder with two kinds of water ice, raspberry and lemon. smooth the top with a knife, and decorate with some of the fruit used for filling. january breakfast baked apples scrambled eggs with parsley rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés pilaff à la turc pont l'Évêque cheese crackers fruit coffee dinner potage quirinal fillet of sole, normande squab en compote artichoke hollandaise peach ice cream pound cake coffee =risotto.= in a vessel put one chopped onion, two ounces of butter, and the marrow of a beef bone chopped fine; and simmer until the onions are done. then stir in one pound of rice, and put in oven for five minutes. then add one and one-half pints of bouillon and a pinch of salt, cover, and place in oven for twenty minutes. add a half cup of grated cheese before serving. =pilaff à la turc.= make a ring of risotto on a round platter, and in center put some well-seasoned chickens' livers, sauté au madère. =potage quirinal.= make in the same manner as purée of game, but use pheasants only. garnish with julienne of breast of pheasants, truffles, and some dry sherry. season with cayenne pepper. =fillet of sole, normande.= cook the fillets "au vin blanc." garnish individually with mussels, oysters, mushrooms, small parisian potatoes, and very small fried fish. if small fish are not obtainable cut a fillet of sole in strips one-quarter-inch thick and two inches long, breaded and fry. before serving place a slice of truffle on top of each piece of sole. =peach ice cream.= one pint of cream, one quart of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one pint of peach pulp, and a few drops of peach kernel extract. put the milk and one-half of the sugar on the fire to boil. mix the other half of the sugar with the eggs, stir into the boiling milk, and cook until it becomes creamy, but do not let it come to the boiling point after adding the eggs. remove from the fire, add the cream, pulp and extract, and freeze. =banana ice cream.= same as the above, except substitute the pulp of six bananas and extract, in place of the peach pulp. =pineapple ice cream.= add one pint of finely cut pineapple instead of the peach pulp. =hazelnut ice cream.= roast one-half pound of hazelnuts, pound to a fine paste, mix with a little milk and two ounces of sugar. use instead of the peach pulp. =raspberry ice cream.= use one pint of raspberry pulp in place of the peach pulp. january breakfast preserved figs with cream waffles coffee luncheon omelet with soft clams ripe olives broiled spanish mackerel, fine herbs hollandaise potatoes cucumber salad german huckleberry pie coffee dinner bisque of california oysters salted pecans frogs' legs, michels roast pheasant, bread sauce and bread crumbs compote of spiced peaches sweet potatoes, southern style asparagus, polonaise banana ice cream lady fingers coffee =omelet with soft clams.= take the bellies of six soft clams and put in pan, season with salt and pepper, add a small piece of butter, and heat through. mix with two spoonsful of cream sauce. make an omelet, and garnish with the clams in cream. =broiled spanish mackerel, aux fines herbes.= season the mackerel with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. prepare a maître d'hôtel sauce with chopped chervil and chives, and pour over the fish. garnish with quartered lemon and parsley in branches. =cucumber salad.= slice some iced cucumbers and serve with french dressing. or: slice a cucumber and put in salad bowl, salt well and let stand for an hour, then squeeze the salt water out gently, and use dressing desired, as french dressing, thousand island dressing, etc. or: slice the cucumbers, cover with very thick cream, season with salt and paprika, and just before serving add the juice of one lemon. =bisque of california oysters.= put one pint of california oysters, with their juice, in a pot and bring to the boiling point. then skim, and add one pint of cream sauce, one-half pint of milk, a bouquet garni, and boil for ten minutes. remove the bouquet garni, strain the broth through a fine sieve and return to the pot. heat a pint of cream and strain into the soup, add three ounces of sweet butter, and season to taste. =roast pheasant.= pheasant should be kept one week to season, before cooking. clean, wrap in a slice of fresh lard, and roast in the same manner as chicken. serve bread sauce and fried bread crumbs separate. =bread sauce.= boil one cup of milk, add half of an onion, a little salt, one-third of a cup of fresh bread crumbs, and boil for five minutes. remove the onion, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, and season with cayenne pepper. =bread crumbs.= put in frying pan three ounces of butter and three-quarters of a cup of fresh bread crumbs, and fry until brown. then drain off the butter and serve the dry crumbs in a sauce boat. january breakfast oatmeal with cream rolls coffee luncheon oysters yaquino cold assorted meats potato salad brie cheese and crackers oolong tea dinner potage grande mère cold goosebreast with jelly fillet of sole, royale plain potted squab chicken potatoes à la reine stuffed fresh mushrooms hearts of romaine salad pineapple ice cream assorted cakes coffee =oysters yaquino.= season one dozen oysters on the deep shell, with salt and paprika, put on each a piece of butter and some chopped chives. place in oven, bake, and serve very hot. =potage grande mère.= take equal parts of leeks, cabbage, onions and celery and cut in very small dices. put in pot, cover with water, season with salt and pepper, and boil. when soft, add hot milk, and serve. =fillet of sole, royale.= same as fillet of sole, joinville. =potted squab chicken.= prepare the chicken as for roasting. season well, and put a small piece of fresh butter in each. place in a sauté pan with butter and a piece of onion, brown well, basting from time to time. when almost done drain off the butter, add a cup of stock and a little brown gravy, and finish roasting. strain the gravy over the chicken when serving. serve in a casserole. =potatoes à la reine.= mix well, one cup of boiling water, one ounce of butter, and a half cup of flour; cool a little, and add the yolks of two eggs. mix this dough with equal parts of fresh-boiled potatoes passed through a fine sieve, season with salt and a little grated nutmeg. take up, with a spoon, in pieces the size of an egg, and drop one by one in warm swimming lard, heating gradually, so the potato will have time to swell (souffle), before becoming a golden brown color. when done, salt, and serve on napkin. =d'uxelles.= put in flat sauce pan three ounces of butter, one chopped onion, and a slice of ham cut in small dices. simmer for five minutes. add the stems of fresh or canned mushrooms chopped very fine, and simmer again for five minutes; then add one-half glass of white wine and reduce. then add one-half pint of brown gravy and boil for ten minutes. finally stir in one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs, the yolks of two eggs, and season with salt and cayenne pepper, and chopped parsley. d'uxelles is used for garnishing in many ways. =stuffed fresh mushrooms.= cut the stems from six fresh mushrooms, wash the heads well, season with salt and pepper, and fill with d'uxelles. place on a buttered dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, put a piece of butter on the top of each, and bake in a moderate oven. january breakfast grapefruit juice pettijohns with cream crescents cocoa luncheon pancake molosol scotch consommé sweetbread patties with cream meringue glacée with raspberries coffee dinner blue points on shell potage bagration celery. ripe olives paupiette of flounder, bignon roast ribs of beef anna potatoes new peas escarole salad bavarois au chocolat assorted cakes coffee =pancake molosol.= spread some very thin french pancakes with fresh russian caviar, roll up, and cut in diamond shapes. serve on napkin, garnished with leaves of lettuce filled with chopped onions, quartered lemons, and parsley in branches. the pancakes must be fresh. =scotch consommé.= boil a piece of mutton very slowly in consommé. when done strain the broth, add the mutton, cut in small dices, some brunoise, and some boiled barley. =sweetbread patties with cream.= cut some parboiled sweetbreads in small dices and simmer a few minutes with a piece of butter. add a little cream and cream sauce, season with salt and cayenne pepper, boil for ten minutes. have some hot patty shells, and fill. =potage bagration.= add to cream of chicken some boiled macaroni cut in pieces one-quarter inch in length. =paupiette of flounder, bignon.= stuff some fillets with fish force meat. bread, and fry. serve tomato sauce separate. =fish force meat.= quarter pound trimmings of fish chopped fine, passed through sieve, and add one yolk of egg and a tablespoonful of cream. salt and pepper. =veal force meat.= quarter pound raw veal chopped fine, passed through sieve; add one raw yolk of egg, salt and pepper, and tablespoonful of cream. =chicken force meat.= quarter pound raw chicken meat, chopped fine, and passed through sieve. add one yolk of egg and a tablespoonful of cream. salt and white pepper. =anna potatoes.= peel some potatoes to a round shape, about the size of a dollar, and slice very thin, like saratoga chips. season with salt and pepper. melt some butter in a round mould or hot frying pan, and lay the potatoes around the bottom; add layer upon layer until they are about two inches in height. put some melted butter over them, and bake in a moderate oven for about a half hour. drain off the butter and turn out upon a napkin on a platter. =meringue glacée, with raspberries.= fill meringue shells with raspberry ice cream and garnish with fresh raspberries. january breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon eggs mirabeau hasenpfeffer (hare stew) noodles coffee éclairs rolls tea dinner consommé d'artagnan pickles new england boiled dinner apple pie coffee =eggs mirabeau.= place some stuffed eggs in a buttered shirred egg dish, cover with cream sauce, and bake in oven. =hasenpfeffer (hare stew).= cut up a hare in three-inch pieces. save the blood and liver in separate dish. put the cut up meat in an earthen pot and cover with one-half claret, or white wine, and one-half water. add one sliced carrot, one sliced onion, a bouquet garni with plenty of thyme in it, salt, and a spoonful of whole black peppers. let stand for forty-eight hours, then drain, strain the juice, and put the meat on a platter. put in a pan on the stove one-half pound of butter; when hot add two heaping spoonsful of flour, and allow to become nice and yellow, stirring all the while to prevent its burning. then add the pieces of hare and simmer for a few minutes; then add the juice and a glass of water or bouillon, bring to the boiling point, cover and let simmer slowly. parboil and fry in butter one dozen small onions; also cut up one-half pound of salt pork in half-inch squares, and parboil and fry them. when stew is about three-quarters cooked, add the onions, pork, and a can of french mushrooms, and cook until done. now chop the liver fine, mix with the blood, and stir into the stew just before removing from the fire. do not let it boil after adding the liver. season to taste, and serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. =consommé d'artagnan.= in the bottom of a buttered pan place one sliced carrot, one onion, a stalk of celery, a piece of raw ham, a sprig of thyme, one bay leaf, and some pepper berries. on top place three calf's feet, and simmer for a few minutes. then add one-half glass of white wine and one-half glass of sherry, and three quarts of bouillon or stock. clarify with the whites of six eggs, bringing to a boil slowly. cook until the feet are soft. strain the broth through cheese cloth, cut the calf's feet in small pieces and add to the consommé. =new england boiled dinner.= put a shoulder of salt pork in a pot, cover with water, bring to a boil, and then allow to become cool. then put the pork in a pot with five pounds of brisket of beef, cover with water, add a little salt, a bouquet garni, three whole turnips, three beets, three carrots and a small head of cabbage. cook until the vegetables are soft, then remove, and continue cooking the meat until well done. place the meat on a platter, slice, and place the vegetables around the meat; add some plain boiled potatoes, pour a little of the broth over all, and serve hot. january breakfast stewed rhubarb broiled finnan haddie baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon oyster stew eggs gambetta mutton chops french fried potatoes string beans camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage venitienne aiguillettes of bass, à la russe beef steak, provençale georgette potatoes lettuce and tomato salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =oyster stew.= put in a pot six oysters with their own juice, bring to the boiling point, and skim. then add one cup of boiling milk, one ounce of sweet butter, and salt. serve crackers separate. =eggs gambetta.= dip four cold poached eggs in some beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs, and fry in swimming fat. place on toast, garnish with boiled calf's brains and sliced truffles, and serve with madeira sauce. =potage venitienne.= beat two spoonfuls of farina, two whole eggs and a half cup of milk together, stir into one quart of boiling consommé, and cook for twelve minutes. =aiguillettes of bass, à la russe.= remove the skin from the fillets of bass, and cut in slices (aiguillettes) about one and one-half inches wide and five inches long. place in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, place on each piece three or four round slices of cooked carrots, add half a glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and cook slowly. add some finely cut chervil to some white wine sauce, and pour over the fish. =beef steak, provençale.= cook a small sirloin steak sauté in butter, and season well. cover one-half of the steak with béarnaise sauce, and the other half with béarnaise sauce mixed with a little puree of tomatoes. on top of each half place a round potato croquette the size of a walnut, and some julienne potatoes around the steak. =béarnaise sauce.= put in a sauce pan six very finely-chopped shallots, a spoonful of crushed white peppers, and a glass of tarragon vinegar, and reduce until nearly dry. then put the pan in another vessel containing hot water, add the yolks of five eggs and stir in well. then add one pound of sweet butter cut in small pieces. stir the butter in piece by piece, and as it melts the sauce will become thick, like mayonnaise. be careful that the sauce does not become too hot. salt, strain through cheese cloth, add one teaspoonful of melted meat extract, some chopped fresh tarragon, and a little cayenne pepper. =béarnaise tomatée.= one cup of thick puree of tomatoes mixed with two cups of béarnaise sauce. =choron sauce.= same as béarnaise tomatée. january breakfast grapefruit juice grape-nuts with cream rolls coffee luncheon barquette à l'aurore. salmon steak with anchovies baked potatoes cheese cake coffee dinner consommé crème de volaille salted english walnuts frogs' legs, sauté à sec lamb chops, sauce soubise stewed tomatoes brussels sprouts hearts of romaine meringue chantilly coffee =barquette à l'aurore.= small tartelettes filled with italian salad and covered with pink mayonnaise sauce. =italian salad.= use equal parts of carrots, turnips, string beans, and roast beef cut in small squares, and of boiled peas. season with salt, pepper, tarragon vinegar and olive oil, and garnish with beets and flageolet beans. =pink mayonnaise.= add to two cups of mayonnaise, one-half cup of cold purée of tomatoes. =consommé crème de volaille.= put some very light chicken force meat (quenelle) in small round buttered timbale moulds, and cook in bain-marie (double boiler). when done, slice thin and serve in hot consommé. (see chicken force meat recipe jan. .) =cheese cake.= one and one-half pounds of cottage cheese, one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of butter, the yolks of five eggs, one-half pint of milk, the whites of three eggs well beaten, and some vanilla extract. mix the butter with the sugar, then the cheese, and the yolks of the eggs, one by one. then add the milk, flour, and vanilla, and finally the beaten whites of eggs should be stirred in very slowly. pour on pie dish or pan lined with a thin tartelette dough, and bake in a moderate oven. =sauce soubise.= parboil six sliced onions, and then pour off the water. put in vessel with cold water and salt, and boil till done. drain off the water, pass the onions through a fine sieve, add one pint of cream sauce, mix well, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. =soubise (for stuffing crabs, etc.).= slice a dozen onions, put in vessel with cold water and salt, bring to the boiling point, and allow to cool. then put the onions in a well buttered casserole, add a half-pound of parboiled rice, a little salt, and two ounces of butter. cover with a buttered paper and the casserole cover, put in oven and cook until soft. then strain through a fine sieve; put in a vessel and add two spoonsful of thick cream sauce, heat well, and bind with the yolks of four eggs, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and allow to cool. when cold mix with a spoon, and use as needed. january breakfast broiled yarmouth bloaters lyonnaise potatoes corn muffins coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries scrambled eggs, turbico curried lamb with rice chocolate éclairs coffee dinner blue point oysters potage marie louise salted hazelnuts fillet of sole, castelanne squab en compote spinach endive salad, french dressing coupe st. jacques assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs, turbico.= mix with six scrambled eggs one-half cup of créole sauce. =curried lamb with rice.= cut three pounds of shoulder and breast of lean lamb in pieces two and one-half inches square. parboil and put on fire in cold water with one carrot, one onion, a bouquet garni, and salt. boil until the lamb is done; remove the vegetables, and strain the broth. put in another vessel three ounces of butter, melt, add two spoonsful of curry powder and two of flour, heat, then add a sliced apple and banana fried in butter, and one-half cup of chutney sauce. boil for twenty minutes. strain over the lamb, and serve with boiled rice. =potage marie louise.= mix one quart of purée of white beans with one pint of thick consommé tapioca. =fillet of sole, castelanne.= put six fillets in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover, and bake in oven for ten minutes. make on a round platter a border of boiled rice. place the fillets in the center. strain the fish broth, mix with créole sauce, and pour over the fish, completely covering same. =squab en compote.= prepare four squab as for roasting, except the stuffing. season well, and put in earthen pot with an onion, carrot, and two ounces of butter. put in oven and roast well, basting continually so they will retain their juice. to a brown gravy, or sauce madère, add the following: eight small onions boiled and fried, eight heads of fresh mushrooms sautéed in butter, eight small boiled french carrots, and two small pickles cut in two. serve with the squabs. january breakfast oatmeal with cream boiled eggs dry toast chocolate luncheon clam broth in cups broiled striped bass vogeleier omelet field salad tartelette au bar le duc coffee dinner consommé, de la mariée boiled codfish, oyster sauce roast ribs of beef lima beans potato croquettes escarole and chicory salad savarin montmorency coffee =vogeleier omelet.= cut a roll in very thin slices, put in omelet pan with two ounces of butter, and fry until crisp. add eight beaten eggs, with salt, pepper, and plenty of chives, and make into an omelet. =tartelette au bar le duc.= line the moulds with tartelette dough, fill with raw white beans, and bake. when the dough is done remove the beans, and fill the tartelettes with imported bar le duc jelly. decorate with whipped cream. =consommé de la mariée.= boil one quart of consommé. put the yolks of four eggs in a soup tureen and stir well, adding the consommé slowly. season with a little cayenne pepper. =oyster sauce.= parboil a dozen oysters in their own juice for two minutes. then strain the broth through a napkin into one pint of cream or allemande sauce, add the oysters, and season. =lima beans.= boil the beans in salt water until soft, drain off, add sweet butter and a little pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. =peas in cream.= boil the peas in salt water until nearly done. drain off the water and add just enough thick cream to wet them, and simmer for five minutes. then add a cup of cream sauce and cook until the peas are very soft. add a little salt and a pinch of sugar. =coupe oriental.= slice some fresh fruit, such as oranges, pineapple, bananas, etc., add all kinds of berries in season, and put in a bowl with some sugar and a small glass of kirsch or maraschino. allow to macerate for a couple of hours. then fill coupe glasses half way to the top with the fruit, and fill the remainder with vanilla ice cream. place a strawberry or cherry on top. cook about one-quarter of a pound of sugar so that it will crack when cold. it will require about degrees. dip a tablespoon into it and shake it over a stick, to form filé sugar (commonly called spun sugar). cut this sugar in pieces and form in the shape of a ball, and put on top of the cup before serving. january breakfast baked apples with cream poached eggs on toast puff paste crescents english breakfast tea luncheon pain mane cold roast beef fresh vegetable salad roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage andalouse ripe olives fillet of spanish mackerel, montebello olivette potatoes leg of lamb, au jus mixed string beans tomato salad vanilla custard pie coffee =pain mane.= small dinner rolls, split, toasted, and filled with a purée of sweet-and-sour bananas, and garnished with pimentos. =fresh vegetable salad.= for this salad use any kind of fresh vegetables in season, such as string beans, lima beans, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, tomatoes, peas, boiled celery, boiled celery roots, spring turnips, jerusalem artichokes, fresh buttons of artichokes, etc. place them in separate bouquets in a salad bowl, and use french dressing, or any other dressing desired. =potage andalouse.= to velouté of beef add some cooked tapioca. =fillet of spanish mackerel, montebello.= put the fillets in a buttered dish, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, cover with buttered paper, and bake in oven. dress on a platter, and cover with sauce béarnaise tomatée. =olivette potatoes.= cut potatoes with a parisian potato spoon to the shape of an olive. put in a vessel with cold water, bring to the boiling point, and drain. melt some butter in a sauté pan, add the potatoes, and bake in oven until a nice golden brown. drain off the butter, and season with salt. =sweet potatoes, rissolées.= boil some small sweet potatoes. when done peel and put in a pan with butter, and roast until brown. season with salt. january breakfast baked beans, boston style brown bread omelet with jelly coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés consommé impératrice beef steak, foch gendarme potatoes lettuce salad meringue glacée au chocolat coffee dinner oysters on half shell crème maintenon queen olives fillet of sole, lord curzon stuffed goose, with chestnuts apple sauce sweet potatoes, rissolées peas in cream cold asparagus, mustard sauce coupe oriental assorted cakes coffee =consommé impératrice.= consommé garnished with small lobster dumplings and asparagus tips in equal parts, and a sprinkle of chopped chervil. =beef steak, foch.= use sirloin, tenderloin, or rump steak. season well, and sauté in butter. place on a platter and put a thick piece of parboiled beef marrow, with one fried egg, on top. serve with the pan gravy. =meringue glacée au chocolat.= fill two meringue shells with chocolate ice cream, place together, and decorate with whipped cream. =crème maintenon (soup).= three parts crème à la reine soup, and one part thick consommé brunoise. =fillet of sole, lord curzon.= put six fillets in a buttered pan, season with salt and a teaspoonful of curry powder, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and bake in oven. when done put the fish on a platter, strain the broth into a pint of white wine sauce, add one chopped shallot, one tomato cut in squares, one red pepper, and two fresh mushrooms cut in squares and simmered in butter. mix, season well, and pour over the fish. =stuffed goose with chestnuts.= clean a goose, and keep the liver and gizzard. fill with a chestnut stuffing, put in a roasting pan, salt, add a spoonful of water and place in the oven. the water will soon evaporate and the fat begin to melt. baste well until the goose is done. then remove the goose to a platter; save the grease for other purposes; and add to the pan one-half glass of bouillon or stock, and one spoonful of meat extract. boil for five minutes. serve the gravy separately. also serve giblet sauce and apple sauce separately. the goose should be served very hot. january breakfast hothouse raspberries in cream scrambled eggs with bacon dry toast coffee luncheon consommé in cups ripe california olives broiled fillet of sole, maître d'hôtel cucumber salad deviled turkeys' legs, with chow chow mashed potatoes au gratin brie cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage gentilhomme fish dumplings, cream sauce small tenderloin steak, florentine romaine salad, roquefort dressing english breakfast tea ice cream assorted cakes coffee =deviled turkey's legs, with chow chow.= use the legs from a boiled or roasted turkey. season with salt and pepper, spread some french mustard all over the surface, roll in bread crumbs, and broil; or fry in pan with a piece of butter. when nice and brown dish up on platter, and garnish with large leaves of lettuce filled with chow chow. =mashed potatoes au gratin.= put some mashed potatoes in a buttered shirred egg dish or pie plate. sprinkle with grated parmesan or swiss cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake until brown. =potage gentilhomme.= potato soup with julienne of carrots. =julienne.= julienne is the term used in cooking for vegetables, or any kind of meat, etc., cut in long strips, like matches. vegetable julienne should be prepared and cooked as follows: cut the vegetables in strips, add salt and a very little sugar, put in a well-buttered casserole, cover with buttered paper and the casserole cover. put in oven and smother until soft. turn gently once or twice, with a fork, so as not to break the vegetables. =small tenderloin steak, florentine.= broiled tenderloin steak, with sauce madere, or brown sauce. garnish with risotto, and just before serving garnish the risotto with truffles, ham and tongue cut in small squares. =roquefort dressing, for salads.= for four persons take four ounces of roquefort cheese, put in salad bowl and mash well with a fork. add one-half teaspoonful of salt, two pinches of ground black pepper, two tablespoonsful of vinegar, and three tablespoonsful of olive oil. mix well and pour over the salad. if desired, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce and a pinch of paprika may be added. =english breakfast tea ice cream.= prepare in the same manner as vanilla ice cream. before freezing add some strong tea made of one ounce of english breakfast tea and one cup of boiling water. january breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs buttered toast coffee luncheon eggs oudinot fricassee of veal, with noodles chocolate profiteroles coffee dinner potage mcdonald lyon sausage fried chicken, maryland cheese cake coffee =eggs oudinot.= put some stuffed eggs in a shirred egg dish, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with the chopped yolks of hard-boiled eggs, put a small piece of butter on the top of each, and bake in oven until brown. =fricassee of veal.= cut five pounds of shoulder and breast of veal in pieces two and one-half inches square, put on fire in cold water, bring to the boiling point, and then cool. put back in vessel, cover with water, add one carrot, one onion, a bouquet garni, a little salt, and boil until soft. remove the vegetables and bouquet, and use the broth to make the fricassee sauce. put in casserole on stove, six ounces of butter, when hot add three-quarters cup of flour, heat through, then add three pints of the veal broth, stir well and boil for ten minutes, then bind with the yolks of three eggs and a cup of cream. season and strain the sauce over the pieces of veal. allow to stand five minutes before serving. noodles, spaghetti, or other paste, should be served, either separate or on the side of plate with the stew. =noodle dough.= mix one pound of flour with five whole eggs, with a very little or no salt, and a pony of kirschwasser, if desired. mix well, roll out very thin, and then let the dough become nearly dry. then cut in strips. have a vessel on the fire, with about a gallon and a half of boiling water. add the noodles, and boil for seven minutes over a quick fire, so they will not stick together. drain off the water and pour two ounces of hot melted butter over the noodles. a little grated nutmeg may be added, if desired. noodles, like macaroni, may be prepared in many ways. =chocolate profiteroles.= make some small cream puffs and fill with whipped cream. place on a deep dish and cover with a sauce made of one pint of water, one-half pound of sugar, and three ounces of cocoa. boil the water with the sugar, then add the cocoa and stir well. boil for five minutes. =potage mcdonald.= boil one calf's brains in chicken broth. make one quart of cream of barley soup, and strain both together through a fine sieve. put in vessel and add one ounce of sweet butter, and, when melted, serve. do not let the soup boil after the two have been joined. =fried chicken, maryland.= cut up a spring chicken, put in flour, then in eggs, and then in bread crumbs. season with salt and pepper. melt three ounces of butter in a frying pan, and when hot add the breaded chicken and fry until golden brown, but be careful not to burn it. it will require about twelve minutes for a young chicken. when done, put on platter with cream sauce over the bottom, and garnish with four corn fritters, four small potato croquettes the size of an ordinary cork, and four strips of fried bacon on top. january breakfast preserved figs oatmeal with cream rolls cocoa luncheon eggs mery roast fresh leg of pork, au jus apple sauce spinach swiss cheese crackers coffee dinner petite marmite radishes boiled beef, horseradish sauce boiled potatoes pickled beets apple charlotte coffee =eggs mery.= scramble eight eggs, well seasoned. just before they are done add one sliced truffle and two sliced pimentos. serve in croustades. =roast leg of fresh pork.= put on bottom of roasting pan one sliced carrot, one onion, three bay leaves, six cloves, one spoonful of pepper berries, and a piece of celery. season the leg of pork with salt and pepper, and a little sage, if desired. put on top of the vegetables, and place in oven to roast. baste well. when done take out the pork, remove the fat in the pan, and add to the gravy a cup of stock or bouillon, and one tablespoonful of meat extract. boil, strain, and season to taste. =apple charlotte.= chop six peeled apples and fry in butter with one-quarter pound of sugar, and one-half teaspoonful of ground cinnamon. line a charlotte mould with slices of white bread cut as thin as possible, and buttered with fresh butter. fill the mould with the fried apple and bake in oven for twenty-five minutes. serve with brandy sauce. january breakfast stewed prunes pettijohns with cream rolls coffee luncheon canapé of fresh caviar scrambled eggs with morilles planked sirloin steak romaine salad camembert cheese crackers coffee dinner consommé bretonne lyon sausage lobster thermidor noisettes of lamb, cendrillon peas au beurre celery mayonnaise apple water ice cakes coffee =scrambled eggs with morilles.= morilles are a species of mushroom rarely found in the united states. they come principally from europe in cans, or dried. when fresh ones are used, sauté in butter and mix with the scrambled eggs. when in can, drain off the water, put in sauce pan with a piece of butter, season with salt and pepper, simmer for ten minutes, and add to the eggs. when dried, soak them in cold water over night, wash, and then proceed in the same manner as with the canned ones. =planked sirloin steak.= broil the steak in the usual manner. when nearly done put on a meat plank, put four slices of broiled tomatoes on top, place four strips of broiled bacon across the tomatoes, and roast in oven for five minutes. cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with parisian potatoes, parsley in branches, and quartered lemon. =consommé bretonne.= make a julienne of equal parts of celery, onions and leeks, and serve in consommé. =lobster thermidor.= cut a live lobster in two lengthwise, sprinkle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and put in oven and bake. when done remove the meat from the shell and cut in small squares. then make a sauce as follows: chop two shallots, a little parsley and tarragon, add one spoonful of meat extract, or some good meat gravy, and reduce by boiling until nearly dry. then add one spoonful of dry mustard, one cup of cream sauce, and two ounces of fresh butter. put some of the sauce in the bottom of the shells, put the lobster in the sauce, and pour the remainder over the top. sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake in oven until brown. january breakfast poached eggs on toast broiled ham rolls ceylon tea luncheon mariniert herring potato salad lemon pie coffee dinner california oyster cocktails bisque of crabs ripe olives frogs' legs, marinière roast chicken, au jus watercress salad asparagus hollandaise peach melba carolines (cakes) coffee =bisque of crabs.= take two large raw pacific crabs and put in vessel with cold water, season with salt and a bouquet garni, and boil for one-half hour. then crack the shells and remove the meat. use the meat for salad, an entrée dish, or to garnish the soup. put the shell in a mortar and smash fine. in a vessel put one-quarter pound of butter and the broken shell, and simmer. then add one pint of the water used to boil the crab, and one pint of milk, and boil for ten minutes. then add one quart of cream sauce, boil again, and strain through a fine sieve. put back in pot, add one pint of boiling thick cream, salt and cayenne pepper, and just before serving add three ounces of sweet butter and one cup of crab meat cut in small pieces. =cocktail sauce, for oysters ( )= one cup of tomato ketchup, one pinch of salt, a little cayenne pepper, paprika, and celery salt, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar. =( )= one cup of tomato ketchup, one-half teaspoonful of paprika, one spoonful of grated horseradish sauce, salt, one spoonful of worcestershire sauce, and the juice of one lemon. =oyster cocktail.= use california oysters, toke points, blue points, lynnhavens, seapuits, or any other kind. put in an oyster cocktail glass and mix with plenty of cocktail sauce. set the glass in ice, and serve with lemons cut in half. =frogs' legs, marinière.= cut the hind legs of two dozen small frogs in two. put in sauté pan with three ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes. then add six chopped shallots and simmer for three minutes. then one-half glass of white wine and boil until nearly dry. then add one pint of allemande sauce, fricassee sauce, or sauce au vin blanc, and boil for five minutes. serve with a sprinkle of chopped chives and parsley over the top. january breakfast preserved strawberries finnan haddie in cream baked potatoes corn muffins coffee luncheon eggs chipolata tripe à la mode de caën chocolate éclairs coffee dinner consommé parfait pimentos à l'huile sand dabs, meunière leg of lamb, boulangère chiffonade salad rolled oats pudding coffee =eggs chipolata.= make some shirred eggs and garnish with sauce madère, to which has been added two small roasted onions, two heads of mushrooms, two small french carrots, three boiled chestnuts, and two very small fried sausages. =consommé parfait.= to one pint of lukewarm consommé tapioca add four raw beaten eggs, put in buttered mould, set in pan in boiling water, and put in moderate oven for ten minutes. allow to cool, cut in slices, and serve in consommé. =pimentos à l'huile.= this is a plain hors d'oeuvres. take a can of pimentos, drain off the juice, cut the pepper in four; place on a platter, season with salt and pepper, add one part vinegar and two parts olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =leg of lamb, boulangère.= season a leg of lamb with salt and pepper, and rub with garlic and butter. put in roasting pan with a cup of water and a bouquet garni. slice two large onions very fine, also six raw potatoes the size of a silver dollar, mix, season with salt and pepper, and place around the leg of lamb. put small pieces of butter on top, put in oven, and baste the meat only. it will require about one and one-quarter hours to cook. do not disturb the potatoes while cooking. when done remove the bouquet garni, and serve the meat and potatoes very hot, with chopped parsley on top. =rolled oats pudding.= boil one pint of milk with half of a split vanilla bean; add two ounces of rolled oats and two ounces of sugar, and cook for about ten minutes. remove from the fire. separate the yolks and whites of four eggs, add the yolks to the rolled oats and mix well. beat the whites very hard with a whip, and add to the batter lightly. put in buttered pudding mould and bake in bain-marie (hot water bath) for about thirty minutes. take out of mould and serve with vanilla cream sauce. =vanilla cream sauce.= boil one pint of milk with one-quarter of a split vanilla bean. mix one-quarter of a pound of sugar with two eggs and one spoonful of sifted flour. pour the boiling milk over this mixture, and put back on the fire, stir well, and allow to become thick. then add one cup of cream, strain and serve. =cream sauce (sweet--quick).= one pint of cream, two ounces of sugar, and some flavoring. mix well, and serve hot or cold. january breakfast oatmeal with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés clam broth in cups cheese straws broiled lamb chops french fried potatoes cold artichokes, mustard sauce apple pie coffee dinner chicken okra queen olives fillet of sole, rose caron vol au vent, toulouse roast saddle of venison purée of chestnuts peas au cerfeuil sweet potatoes, southern style lettuce salad omelette soufflé à la vanille coffee =fillet of sole, rose caron.= skin the four fillets of one large sole and place on a buttered pan. put on top of each, three slices of cooked lobster, season with salt and paprika, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, put in oven and cook for twelve minutes. remove the fillets to a platter, taking care that the lobster does not fall off. to the gravy in the pan add one pint of white wine sauce and boil for ten minutes, then add two tablespoonsful of écrevisse butter, and strain the sauce over the fish. heat in sherry wine sixteen slices of truffles, and put four on top of each fillet, after the sauce has been added. garnish with fleurons. =sweet potatoes, southern style.= peel and slice some boiled sweet potatoes and put in buttered shirred egg dishes, or pie plates. add a little salt, molasses and maple syrup, sprinkle with powdered sugar, put some small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =vol au vent, or patty shells.= take some puff paste, with six turns, and roll out to about one-quarter inch in thickness. with a round pastry cutter about three inches in diameter, cut the paste. then moisten with egg, and with the tip of a small knife trace a ring on each patty about one-half inch from the edge. bake in a hot oven for about twenty minutes. take out of the oven and with the knife point lift off the center cover within the traced circle, and empty of the uncooked paste inside. =garniture toulouse.= cut the garnishing to agree with the size of the patty. for the size described above cut in pieces about one-half inch square. for larger patties cut from an inch to an inch and a half square. use the boiled breast of chicken, sweetbreads boiled in chicken broth, and french mushrooms in equal parts, one-half of a sliced truffle to each person, three chicken dumplings, teaspoon size cut in two, rooster kidneys and rooster combs. mix well, and stew in a sauce allemande made of chicken broth and well seasoned. fill the hot patty shells and serve on platter, garnished with parsley in branches. january breakfast waffles honey in comb coffee luncheon grapefruit with sherry mixed grill cup custard lady fingers coffee dinner purée crécy radishes bouillabaisse marseillaise roast leg of mutton, currant jelly string beans hashed in cream potatoes escarole salad napoleon cake coffee =mixed grill.= broil one lamb chop, one breakfast sausage, one slice of tomato, one whole fresh mushroom head, and one whole lamb kidney. put all on a plate, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and serve hot. garnish with watercress. =cup custard.= mix four eggs, one-quarter pound of sugar, one pint of milk, and flavor with vanilla. strain, pour into cups, and bake in bain-marie until firm. it will require about one-half hour in a moderate oven. =bain-marie.= this is a term used in cookery for a vessel holding hot water in which another vessel may be heated at a temperature not above that of boiling water. different dishes are variously allowed to stand, cook or bake in bain-marie. for example, hollandaise sauce should be kept in bain-marie in hot water. hollandaise or béarnaise sauce, if kept in boiling water, would turn. a cream soup should be kept in boiling water, as extra cooking will not harm it. timbale of chicken, custard for soup, or cup custard, should be cooked in bain-marie. =purée crécy (soup).= slice six carrots very thin, put in casserole with three ounces of butter, and simmer for thirty minutes. then add three pints of well-seasoned chicken broth, and boil for one hour. strain through a fine sieve. serve in a separate dish small squares of bread fried in butter. =roast leg of mutton.= the leg of mutton should hang in the ice box at least four days before using. if too fresh it will be tough. rub the mutton with salt and pepper and, if desired, a little garlic. put in a roasting pan, one sliced onion, one sliced carrot, one bay leaf and two cloves. now put in the mutton, with a piece of butter on top, and place in oven to roast. baste continually. it will require from forty-five to sixty minutes to cook. if desired well done cook for another thirty minutes. when done take out the leg, drain off the fat, and make a gravy by adding one cup of stock and one spoonful of meat extract; boil, season, and strain. january breakfast stewed rhubarb ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon salade thon mariné stuffed breast of veal, au jus asparagus tips, au gratin potato salad savarin au rhum coffee dinner potato and leek soup corned beef and cabbage plain boiled potatoes broiled chicken on toast lettuce with egg dressing coupe st. jacques assorted cakes coffee =thon mariné salad.= tunny fish can be obtained in cans, the best quality being the french brands. break up the fish with the fingers, and place on a platter with leaves of lettuce. the fish should be in pieces about one inch and a half thick. sprinkle with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, chervil, and a little finely sliced chives, and a sauce of one-third vinegar and two-thirds olive oil. =stuffed breast of veal, au jus.= have your butcher prepare a breast of veal ready for stuffing. use the same dressing as for chicken, and sew up the end so the dressing will not fall out while roasting. put in the roasting pan one sliced onion and one carrot. put in the veal and sprinkle with salt and pepper. put bits of butter all over the top and roast in oven, basting often. it will take about an hour to cook in a moderate oven. remove the veal to platter when done, and make a sauce by adding to the gravy in pan one cup of bouillon and one spoonful of meat extract, boil for five minutes, and strain. =asparagus tips, au gratin.= put the tips in a buttered pan or silver dish, cover with well-seasoned cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and small bits of butter and bake in oven until brown. =corned beef and cabbage.= the best corned beef is that made from the brisket. put on fire in cold water and skim when it comes to the boiling point. cover and let it boil slowly until about three-quarters done. then add two heads of well-washed cabbage cut in four, and cook with the beef for at least one hour. january breakfast farina with cream omelet with fine herbs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit and orange en suprême ripe olives eggs marigny russian salad caramel custard coffee dinner tomate parisienne (cold) consommé parfait boiled salmon, hollandaise potatoes nature fricandeau of veal, au jus sorrel with eggs carrots with cream baba au rhum coffee =russian salad.= equal parts of boiled carrots, turnips, beets and potatoes, cut in small dice, boiled peas, boiled string beans cut in small pieces, and one slice of cold roast beef cut in small squares. put all in salad bowl, season with salt, pepper, a little cayenne pepper, and just enough tarragon vinegar to wet the mixture. let stand for one hour, drain off the liquid, if any, and form the salad in pyramid shape in the bowl. spread some thick mayonnaise over all, and garnish with boiled potatoes and truffles, cut like a five-cent piece, linking one to the other around the base of the salad like a chain. on top put a small flower of a boiled and seasoned cauliflower, and serve very cold. =caramel custard.= put two ounces of sugar in a copper pan and cook until it is brown in color, then pour into a custard mould and allow to become cold. mix four eggs with one-quarter of a pound of sugar, flavor with vanilla, add one pint of milk, and strain. pour over the burned sugar, and fill the mould. put in bain-marie and cook until firm. when cool, reverse the custard on a dish, and serve. the caramel at the bottom of the mould will serve as a sauce. =tomate parisienne (hors d'oeuvres).= peel and slice four tomatoes and lay on platter with lettuce leaves. cut the inside of a stalk of celery in very small dice, and six anchovies in small squares. put in a bowl, add a pinch of salt, some fresh-ground black pepper, some chives, parsley and chervil chopped fine, and one spoonful of vinegar and two of olive oil. mix well and pour over the tomatoes. =sorrel.= sorrel is a fine vegetable for the promotion of health. remove the stems from a peck of sorrel and wash the leaves in four different waters, to remove all the sand. have a kettle with salted water on the fire. put the sorrel into the boiling water and cook for ten minutes, stirring often. pour off the water and let stand in the colander fifteen minutes so it will drain dry, then strain through a fine sieve. then put the sorrel in a sauce pan with three ounces of butter and bring to the boiling point. season with salt and pepper, and bind with two whole eggs, beaten. do not let it boil after adding the eggs, but let it get just hot enough to give the sorrel a firm body. garnish with the half of a hard boiled egg, if desired. january breakfast orange juice boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés eggs à la russe boiled beef tongue with spinach mashed potatoes french pastry coffee dinner cream of canned peas sardines on toast roast beef au jus lima beans rissolées potatoes romaine salad raspberry bavarois assorted cakes coffee =eggs à la russe.= spread a piece of toast with fresh caviar, put an egg fried in oil on top, and put anchovy sauce around the edge on the platter. =eggs fried in oil.= fry the eggs one at a time. have a very small frying pan with plenty of very hot olive oil in it. drop a fresh egg in it, and turn with a wooden spoon. if any other kind of spoon is used the egg will stick to it. when of a good yellow color, take out and place on a towel, so the oil can drain off, and season with salt. the eggs should be soft inside, like a poached egg. =anchovy sauce.= to a cup of cream add one spoonful of essence of anchovies, or one teaspoonful of anchovy paste. anchovy sauce is also made with sauce allemande, white wine sauce, or even a brown sauce, if desired. the cream sauce with the essence is more commonly used with eggs. =boiled beef tongue.= put a fresh beef tongue in cold water and bring to the boiling point, skim, add salt, one carrot, one onion, a bouquet garni, one stalk of celery, and one of leek. boil until tongue is soft. the bouillon may be used for stock or soup, or to make caper sauce. for beef tongue with spinach, put plain boiled spinach on platter, sliced tongue on top, and pour a little of the broth over all. =raspberry bavarois.= (for four or five persons.) one pint of milk, one pint of whipped cream, the yolks of four eggs, one-quarter pound of sugar, six sheets of french gelatine, and one-half pint of raspberry juice. boil the milk with the sugar, then pour over the yolks, and set on the fire again until it thickens, but do not let it boil. wash the gelatine in cold water, add to the mixture, and stir until melted. then set aside until cold. mix the raspberry pulp with the whipped cream, and stir into the mixture. put in mould and place in ice box until set. turn out on platter, and serve with whipped cream or raspberry syrup, separate or around the bavarois. =sardines on toast.= take sardines from can and put on a fine thin wire broiler and heat quickly. serve on toast with maître d'hôtel butter on top, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley. january breakfast baked apples with cream scrambled eggs with smoked beef rolls english breakfast tea luncheon grapefruit with chestnuts consommé in cups deviled crab lemon pie coffee dinner toke point oysters potage tapioca, crécy terrapin, maryland squab chicken, michels stewed tomatoes cèpes tyrolienne (cold) fancy ice cream cakes coffee =grapefruit with chestnuts.= cut a grapefruit in two and cut free the sections with a pointed knife. pour a little maraschino in the center, and place a marron glacé (candied chestnut) on top. =deviled crabs.= simmer the flakes of two crabs and one-half of a chopped onion in butter. season with salt and cayenne pepper, add two cups of thick cream sauce, one dash of worcestershire sauce, one spoonful of english mustard, and a little chopped chives. bring to a boil, and bind with the yolks of two eggs. then fill the crab shells, spread a little french mustard over the top, sprinkle with bread crumbs, place a small piece of butter on each, and bake in the oven. when brown serve on napkin with lemon and parsley. =potage tapioca, crécy.= half consommé tapioca and half potage crécy, mixed. no croûtons. =stewed tomatoes.= peel six tomatoes, and cut in four. squeeze out half of the juice, and put the tomatoes in a vessel with three ounces of butter, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of powdered sugar, cover, and simmer until done. =cèpes tyrolienne (cold).= cut in small dices one carrot and one celery root, and put in casserole with one chopped onion and two ounces of butter. simmer. then add one glass of white wine and reduce. then add one-half cup of tomato sauce, some chopped chervil, and one can of sliced cèpes. serve cold. =squab chicken à la michels.= season four squab chickens well with salt and pepper, both inside and out. put in iron pot with a quarter of a pound of sweet butter and one onion cut in two. put the pot on the fire and simmer slowly, until the chicken and onion are of a good yellow color, turning them often while cooking. then add one tablespoonful of white wine and one of chicken broth, cover, and put in oven for ten minutes, basting frequently. put the chickens on a platter, take out the onion, and boil the sauce remaining in pot with the addition of one teaspoonful of meat extract. strain over the chicken. january breakfast oatmeal with cream calf's liver and bacon rolls coffee luncheon oysters kirkpatrick country sausages with baked apples potato salad cabinet pudding coffee dinner potage windsor green olives fillet of sole, admiral saddle of lamb, mint sauce string beans potato croquettes hearts of lettuce pineapple biscuit glacé assorted cakes coffee =oysters kirkpatrick.= season some oysters on half shell with salt, pepper and a little worcestershire sauce, cover with tomato ketchup, sprinkle with grated cheese, put a small piece of butter on top of each, and bake in their own shells for five minutes. serve quartered lemon separate. =cabinet pudding.= fill a well-buttered pudding mould with left-over pieces of sponge, layer or other kinds of cake, cut in small squares, and mix with one-quarter pound of seedless raisins. then make a custard of three eggs, one-quarter pound of sugar, one pint of milk and a little vanilla flavoring. mix well, strain, and pour over the cake in the moulds, and bake in bain-marie for about forty minutes. remove from the mould and serve hot, with vanilla cream sauce. =fillet of sole, admiral.= put fillets of sole in a buttered sauté pan, decorate the top with fish force meat in the shape of an anchor, and cook in white wine. when done serve with a white wine sauce, with shrimps, oysters and clams cut in small pieces, in it. garnish with fleurons. =potage windsor.= put in roasting pan five pounds of veal bones, one carrot and one onion sliced, a piece of leek, a piece of celery, a bouquet garni, and three ounces of butter. roast in oven until well browned, then transfer to a pot and add one gallon of water, six calf's feet and a little salt, and boil until the feet are cooked. strain the broth. allow the feet to cool, remove the meat from the bones, and slice in very thin strips. now put four ounces of butter in a vessel, heat, and add four ounces of flour and cook until golden brown. then add two quarts of the broth, and boil for thirty minutes. strain, add the calf's feet, one carrot boiled and cut in very thin round slices, some small chicken dumplings, a few french peas, and one-half cup of sherry wine. season with salt and cayenne pepper. february breakfast fried hominy currant jelly crescents coffee luncheon poached eggs with clams, créole chicken croquettes with peas camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner oxtail soup, english style boiled brook trout, hollandaise potatoes nature roast stuffed duckling, apple sauce broiled sweet potatoes brussels sprouts in bouillon romaine salad french pancake coffee =clams, créole.= heat two dozen clams in their own juice, but do not allow them to boil. then add one pint of créole sauce. =poached eggs with clams, créole.= serve poached eggs on toast, covered with clams créole. =ox tail, english style.= cut two ox tails in small pieces, put on the fire in cold water, salt, and bring to the boiling point. take off the stove and allow to cool. put in sauce pan four ounces of butter, melt, add the oxtail, and roast until colored. then sprinkle the pieces with two large spoonsful of flour, and cook again until of a good brown color. then add one gallon of bouillon, stock or hot water; bring to a boil, and skim. then boil for one hour. now add three carrots and two turnips cut in very small squares, and one pound of whole barley, and boil for two hours. then add one pint of purée of tomatoes, one spoonful of worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, a little cayenne, some chopped parsley, and one-half cup of tomato ketchup. boil again for ten minutes, and before serving add one glass of sherry wine. =broiled sweet potatoes.= peel four boiled sweet potatoes, and slice lengthwise, one-quarter inch in thickness. sprinkle with salt, wet with olive oil, and broil on both sides on an iron broiler. serve on a platter with melted butter poured over them. =brussels sprouts in bouillon.= clean and wash thoroughly one quart of brussels sprouts. put a vessel on the fire, with one gallon of water and a tablespoonful of salt. when boiling add the sprouts and cook for five minutes; then cool off with cold water. put the cold sprouts in a casserole, add two ounces of butter, salt, pepper, one cup of bouillon and a little chopped parsley. cover, and simmer until well done. sprouts should be served whole, so do not touch with spoon while cooking. february breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon smoked goosebreast tomcods, meunière broiled fresh spareribs, with lentils vanilla bavarois, with bar le duc cookies demi tasse dinner consommé doria scallops, jerusalem spring lamb tenderloin, thomas fried egg plant chicory and escarole salad homemade apple pudding coffee =tomcods, meunière.= season six tomcods with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. melt four ounces of butter in a frying pan, put in the tomcods and fry. when done put on platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley and the juice of two lemons. put four ounces of butter in the pan and cook to the color of a hazelnut. pour the butter over the fish, garnish with quartered lemon and parsley in branches. =broiled spareribs with lentils.= broil some spareribs and place on platter. garnish with lentils, and serve with a border of madeira sauce. =lentils.= soak two pounds of lentils in cold water for six hours, then put on fire with one quart of water, a pinch of salt, one ham bone, one carrot, one onion and a bouquet garni. boil for about two hours, when the lentils should be soft; remove the vegetables and the bouquet, and drain off the water. then chop two large onions very fine, put in casserole with three ounces of butter, cover, and simmer until done. add the lentils and a cup of brown meat gravy, some chopped parsley and ground pepper, simmer for twenty minutes, and serve hot. =lentil salad.= take some of the boiled lentils, before the onions and brown gravy have been added, and serve with french dressing. =vanilla bavarois with bar le duc.= bar le duc is a currant jelly made in the village of bar le duc, france. there are two kinds, red and white. make a vanilla bavarois, place on platter, and pour some red bar le duc around the base. =homemade cookies.= work one-quarter pound of butter and one-quarter pound of sugar together until creamy, then add three eggs, one by one, and whip well. then add one-quarter pound of sifted flour and some flavoring, preferably the rind of a lemon. dress the batter in fancy, or plain round, shapes, on a buttered pan, and bake in a quick oven. february breakfast grapefruit ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon canapé of sardines eggs benedict sweetbread cutlets, cream sauce broiled fresh mushrooms fruit salad, chantilly coffee dinner potage lamballe frogs' legs, sauté à sec wiener schnitzel spaghetti milanaise terrine de foie gras, cold lettuce salad nesselrode pudding cakes coffee =eggs benedict.= cut an english muffin in two, toast, and put on platter. put a slice of broiled ham on top of each half, a poached egg on top of the ham, cover all with hollandaise, and lay a slice of truffle on top of the sauce. =wiener schnitzel.= cut from a leg of veal some cutlets; or have your butcher cut them for you. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and then in bread crumbs. put some melted butter in a frying pan and fry the cutlets, or schnitzel, on both sides, until yellow and well done. dish up on a platter with tomato sauce. put on each schnitzel a thin slice of lemon. roll a fillet of anchovy around your finger to form a ring, place on a slice of lemon and fill the ring with capers. =fruit salad, chantilly.= slice some fresh fruit, such as oranges, pears, pineapple, apples, strawberries, cherries, etc. put in a bowl, add one spoonful of granulated sugar, one pony of kirschwasser or maraschino, and allow to macerate for about an hour. put in glasses or saucers, and serve with whipped cream on top. =fruit salad au kirsch.= same as above, but use kirschwasser only, to macerate, and omit the whipped cream. =fruit salad au marasquin.= same as au kirsch, only use maraschino instead of kirschwasser. february breakfast guava jelly rolled oats with cream plain omelet rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés fillet of halibut, au vin blanc broiled pig's feet, special celery root, field and beet salad assorted fruit coffee dinner bisque of clams broiled alaska black cod breast of squab under glass, st. francis asparagus polonaise coupe viviane assorted cakes coffee =broiled alaska black cod.= this alaskan fish is brought from the north frozen, and is very fine, being rich and fat. broiling is the best way of preparing it, as it needs a quick fire to cook the oil in the fish. season well, and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce made with plenty of lemon juice. =asparagus polonaise.= put four pounds of boiled fresh, or two cans, of asparagus on a platter. have the asparagus very hot. sprinkle the tips with salt and pepper, one chopped boiled egg, and some chopped parsley. melt in a pan, three ounces of sweet butter, add two tablespoonsful of bread crumbs, fry until brown, and pour over the tips of the asparagus. =breast of squab under glass, st. francis.= season the breast of a raw squab with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. fry in butter for two minutes, or until nice and brown. fry in the same butter, very lightly, one slice of virginia ham. then fry in same pan the heads of four fresh mushrooms, well seasoned. put a slice of toast in a buttered shirred egg dish, put the ham on the toast, the breast of squab on the ham, and the mushrooms on top. pour well-seasoned cream sauce over all, cover with a glass bell that fits just inside of the edge of the shirred egg dish, put in the oven and cook for ten minutes. =boiled lettuce.= boil six heads of lettuce in salted water. when done strain off the water and pound the lettuce through a fine colander. add two ounces of butter and one cup of cream, heat well, and serve. february breakfast baked apples with cream buttered toast cocoa luncheon omelet with soft clams, newburg breaded lamb chops, tomato sauce new string beans potatoes au gratin mince pie coffee dinner seapuit oysters potage talleyrand planked smelts tournedos rossini jets de houblons gauffrette potatoes romaine salad, roquefort dressing curaçao sorbet alsatian wafers demi tasse =sauce newburg.= put in a vessel one cup of well-seasoned cream sauce, one cup of thick cream and one gill of sherry wine. bring to the boiling point and bind with the yolk of one egg and a little cream. then stir slowly into the sauce two tablespoonsful of lobster or crayfish butter. this sauce is used a great deal in hotel and restaurant cookery. =soft clams, newburg.= take the bellies of two dozen soft clams and put in a buttered sauté pan, add one spoonful of madeira wine, cover the pan, and warm them through. do not stir, as the clams will break easily. then add one and one-half cups of sauce newburg, well seasoned with salt, pepper and a little cayenne pepper. mix and serve in a chafing dish. =omelet with soft clams.= make a plain well-seasoned omelet. put at each end a bouquet of clams newburg, and pour on each side of the omelet a little sauce newburg. =potage talleyrand.= put in soup tureen one quart of consommé tapioca, one grated fresh, or two grated canned truffles, one glass of dry sherry wine, a pinch of cayenne pepper. =tournedos.= tournedos are small tenderloin beef steaks, trimmed free of fat. they may be either broiled or sautéed, and served with maître d'hôtel sauce. mostly used as an entrée with fancy garniture. =tournedos rossini.= salt and pepper the tournedos, sauté in butter, and put on a platter. take one slice of fresh goose liver (or strassbourg goose liver au natural), season, roll in flour, sauté in butter, and put on top of the tournedo. simmer à large head of fresh mushroom in butter, and place on top of the goose liver, lay two slices of truffle on top of the mushroom, and pour well-seasoned madeira sauce over all. february breakfast preserved figs scrambled eggs with bacon rolls coffee luncheon antipasto essence of chicken in cups cheese straws bear steak, port wine sauce chestnuts and prunes fried egg plant mexican salad corn meal pudding coffee dinner clam chowder ripe olives striped bass sauté, miller style o'brien potatoes asparagus hollandaise cold westphalia ham omelette soufflée à la vanille coffee =scrambled eggs with bacon ( ).= put some plain scrambled eggs in a deep platter with strips of broiled bacon over the eggs. =( )= cut six slices of bacon in small squares, put in casserole with one-half ounce of butter and fry slowly until crisp. add ten beaten eggs mixed with one-half cup of cream, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the usual manner. =antipasto.= this is an italian relish (hors d'oeuvre), and can be obtained in cans. it consists of tunny fish, sardines, pickles, capers, etc., preserved in oil. serve on a napkin, in the can, with quartered lemons and parsley around the sides. =essence of chicken.= put in a casserole one chopped raw fowl, or plenty of carcasses, necks, etc., of raw chickens. add the whites of three eggs, stir well, and add slowly two quarts of strong chicken broth. bring to a boil, strain through a napkin, and serve in cups. =o'brien potatoes.= peel two large boiled potatoes, cut in one-half inch squares, and put in hot fat to gain color. cut two red peppers (pimentos) in small squares and put in a sauté pan with one ounce of butter. when the peppers are hot add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and mix carefully so the potatoes will not break. =omelette soufflée.= mix one-half pound of sugar with the yolks of two eggs, add one-half of a split vanilla bean, and beat until light and fluffy. remove the pieces of vanilla bean. beat the whites of eight eggs until absolutely stiff, and then add to the batter lightly. arrange on a silver platter in fancy shape, and decorate with a pastry bag with a fine tube. dust with powdered sugar, and bake in a rather hot oven for a few minutes. february breakfast cactus fruit with lemon broiled pigs' feet, chili sauce shirred eggs with parsley dry toast cocoa luncheon eggs lackmée lamb steak, bércy string beans mashed potatoes fruit salad au marasquin coffee dinner consommé julienne fillet of flounder, cansale tenderloin of beef, malvina escarole and chicory salad almond cake coffee =cactus fruit with lemon.= slice some cactus fruit and serve on ice, with powdered sugar and lemon separate. no cream. =broiled pigs' feet, chili sauce.= split some cooked pigs' feet, season, roll in bread crumbs, sprinkle with oil and broil. put on platter and garnish with lemon and parsley. serve hot or cold chili sauce, separate. =shirred eggs with parsley.= crack two eggs on a buttered shirred egg dish, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh-chopped parsley, and bake in oven for three minutes. =eggs lackmée.= put four poached eggs on toast. chop some boiled chicken very fine, add one cup of cream sauce, one-half cup of cream, put on the stove and bring to the boiling point, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and pour over the eggs. =lamb steak.= cut the steak crosswise from a leg of young lamb, and about one inch in thickness. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil and broil; or sauté in pan with butter. use as an entrée dish, or in place of the roast. =garniture bércy.= bércy is used with steaks, chops, fish, etc. prepare as follows: mix one-quarter pound of fresh butter with salt, pepper, three fine chopped shallots, one small piece of garlic mashed fine, some chopped parsley, chervil and chives. spread over the meats or fish, and put in hot oven for two minutes. (called also sauce bércy.) =fillet of flounder, cansale.= put four fillets of flounder in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add the juice of one dozen oysters, one-half wineglass full of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and bake in oven. when done remove the fillets and add to the pan one-half pint of white wine sauce, and boil for ten minutes. bind with the yolk of one egg, and strain. poach the dozen oysters, and, with a small can of french mushrooms, add to the sauce, and pour over the fish. =tenderloin of beef, malvina.= a roast tenderloin with sauce madère, garnished with small onions sauté, potatoes rissolées, and whole chestnuts glacé au madère. =chestnuts glacé.= put one-half pound of boiled chestnuts in a sauté pan with two spoonsful of meat extract, and cook for ten minutes. =chestnuts glacé au madère.= add to chestnuts glacé a little sauce madère, just before serving. february breakfast baked apples with cream boiled eggs dry toast chocolate with whipped cream luncheon omelette louis xiv chickens' livers sauté, au madère purée of lima beans sago pudding coffee dinner seapuit oysters cream of celery, kalamazoo ripe california olives fillet of pompano, en papillote roast chicken watercress salad château potatoes fresh asparagus, hollandaise peach mona lisa assorted cakes coffee =omelette louis xiv.= chop the white meat of a boiled fowl very fine, mix with one truffle cut in small dices and one-half cup of well-seasoned cream sauce. place in the center of a plain omelet, turn on a platter, and pour some cream sauce around the edge. =chickens' livers sauté, forestière.= clean a dozen chicken livers, cut in two, and season with salt and pepper. melt a piece of butter in frying pan, add the livers, and sauté over a quick fire for a few minutes. slice one pound of fresh mushrooms and fry them in butter. then put the mushrooms and livers together in a sauce pot on the stove, and cover with two cupsful of brown gravy or madeira sauce. get as hot as possible without boiling, serve in deep dish, or chafing dish, with chopped parsley on top. =purée of lima beans.= take one can, or a pound of fresh boiled lima beans, and pass through a fine sieve. put in pot, add two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve hot. if too thick add a soupspoonful of cream or consommé. =cream of celery, kalamazoo.= make a cream of celery soup. take the inside of two stalks of celery and cut in very small dices boiled, and use for garnishing. =fillet of pompano en papillote.= take four small pacific pompano, or the fillets of à large florida pompano, season, roll in flour, and put in pan in two ounces of hot butter. fry on both sides until nearly done. simmer two chopped shallots in one ounce of butter for a minute, then add six chopped fresh mushrooms, and simmer for ten minutes. now add one spoonful of madeira sauce, season with salt and pepper, and cook for five minutes to a purée. add the juice of a lemon, some chopped parsley, and one ounce of sweet butter. now cut four pieces of manilla paper in the shape of a heart about ten inches high and fourteen inches wide. fold in center, then open out flat on the table and oil well on one side. put a teaspoonful of the mushroom purée on one half of the paper, place the pompano on top, and another spoonful of the purée on top of the fish. now fold the free side of the paper over the top, and turn in the edges to close tight the opening. put on a flat pan and place in an oven for a few minutes. be careful not to burn, and serve in the papers on a silver platter. other fish may be substituted for pompano if desired. =papillote, club style= (for fish). fry the fish as above. omit the purée of mushrooms and use, instead, a piece of butter, a slice of fresh-boiled hot potato, and one slice of lime. finish as above. =veal chops en papillote.= season four veal chops with salt and pepper, fry in butter, and finish in paper, with the purée of mushrooms and the addition of a slice of cooked ham on top, before folding the paper. february breakfast stewed prunes broiled salt mackerel, melted butter baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs henri iv pork tenderloin, sauce madère fried sweet potatoes stewed apples sherry wine jelly coffee dinner consommé national radishes fried fillet of sole, maréchal roast rack of lamb, mint sauce string beans mashed potatoes nesselrode pudding cakes coffee =wine jelly.= dissolve four ounces of french gelatine in two quarts of water, add one pound of sugar, the rind and juice of six lemons, the juice of three oranges, a piece of cinnamon stick, and six cloves. stir well and put on fire to boil. then stir quickly into the jelly the whites of six eggs, partly beaten, and boil again. then take off the fire and strain through a flannel jelly bag, and add the flavoring desired. pour into jelly moulds and put on ice until firm. to remove the jelly, dip the moulds in hot water, and turn out on a cold dish. for the following jellies use a wine glassful of the respective wines or liqueurs for flavoring: sherry wine, maraschino, rhein wine, claret, port wine, anisette, kirschwasser, champagne, burgundy, moselle wine, chartreuse, brandy, bénédictine, cognac, fine champagne, etc. =fruit jelly.= cut or slice all kinds of fresh fruit in season, put in jelly mould and cover with wine jelly. put in ice box until firm. =jelly à la russe.= put some empty jelly moulds on ice until cold, then pour a little wine jelly in the bottom and allow to set. do not let the balance of the jelly set, but add a pony of russian kümmel, put in bowl and beat with a whip until it looks like white frost. then fill the moulds to the top with the beaten jelly, and set in the ice box until needed. =fillet of sole, maréchal.= salt and pepper the fillets, dip in milk, then in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. fry in swimming lard, and serve on napkin with lemon and fried parsley. serve the following sauce separate: two cups of cream sauce, one dozen parboiled oysters, one-quarter pound of picked shrimps, and six sliced canned mushrooms. february breakfast grapefruit omelet with chives corn muffins coffee luncheon pickled oysters toasted rye bread consommé vermicelli calf's head à la poulette potato croquettes hot mince pie american cheese coffee dinner purée of pheasant, st. hubert planked smelts bacon and cabbage boiled potatoes roast ribs of beef, au jus chiffonnade salad tutti frutti ice cream assorted cakes coffee =consommé vermicelli.= boil one-half pound of vermicelli in two quarts of salt water for five minutes. drain, and add to three pints of consommé. serve grated cheese separate. =calf's head, poulette.= take one boiled calf's head and cut in pieces two inches square. mix with one quart of poulette sauce, and serve in chafing dish. =purée of pheasant, st. hubert.= remove the breast of a roasted pheasant and cut in small squares. put the rest of the pheasant in a pot and cover with two quarts of bouillon, add a bouquet garni, and boil for one hour. in a sauce pot put three ounces of butter; when hot add three spoonsful of flour, and allow to become nice and brown. then strain the broth into the sauce pot and boil for thirty minutes. chop the pheasant very fine and add to the soup, boil again, and strain through a fine sieve. season with salt and pepper, add the cut-up pheasant breast, and a glass of fine dry sherry wine. =bacon and cabbage.= cut à large head of cabbage in four, wash well, and put in two quarts of water, with a little salt, and boil. then drain off the water, add fresh water and two pounds of bacon, and boil until the bacon is well done. put the cabbage on a platter, slice the bacon and put on top of the cabbage. =tutti frutti ice cream.= macerate one-quarter of a pound of chopped candied mixed fruit in a pony of maraschino. mix thoroughly with one quart of vanilla ice cream. put in the bottom of a mould a little raspberry water ice, and fill to the top with the ice cream and fruit. pack in ice and rock salt, and leave for about an hour and a half. turn out on platter and decorate with candied cherries and angelica. february breakfast oatmeal with cream rolls chocolate whipped cream luncheon eggs brésilienne sirloin steak, marchand de vin fried egg plant farina pudding coffee dinner potage waldaise fish dumplings, white wine sauce mutton chops, provençale mashed potatoes string beans hearts of romaine fancy ice cream cakes coffee =eggs brésilienne.= put some boiled rice on a platter, place a poached egg on top, and cover with tomato sauce mixed with a little chopped ham. =sirloin steak, marchand de vin.= cut four slices of sirloin steak about one-half inch thick, season with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. have three ounces of hot butter in a pan and fry the steaks for two minutes. remove the steaks to platter. chop two shallots very fine and put in pan, allow to become hot, add one-half glass of claret, and reduce one-half. then add one spoonful of meat extract, the juice of one lemon, and some chopped parsley and pour over the steaks. garnish with parisian potatoes. =parisian potatoes.= take some large potatoes and cut out a quart of small potatoes with a round parisian spoon. put on fire in cold water, with one spoonful of salt, and boil for three minutes. drain off the water and put the potatoes in a flat sauté pan with three ounces of butter. put in oven and roast for about twelve minutes, or until golden yellow. try with fingers to see if done. serve in a deep dish. =potage waldaise.= mix one quart of consommé tapioca with one quart of purée of tomato soup, add four slices of boiled ham cut in small squares. =fish dumplings, white wine sauce.= remove the skin and bones from one pound of halibut, sole, salmon or other fish, put in mortar, mash well, and mix with the following dough: one cup of boiling water, one ounce of butter, and one-half cup of flour, well mixed. let cool, stir in the yolks of two eggs, and mix with the mashed fish. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, strain through a fine sieve, place in a pan on ice, and stir in slowly one-quarter pint of thick cream, adding it little by little. to make dumplings, drop teaspoonsful of this forcemeat, or stuffing, into boiling fish broth, bouillon, or water with salt, and cook very slowly for five minutes. serve in chafing dish covered with white wine sauce. these dumplings are also called quenelles of fish, and are used for fish patties, vol au vent, or garniture for fish. if made very small, can be served with clam broth. the forcemeat can be used for fish timbales and stuffing for fish. =timbale of bass.= make a force meat as above, with any kind of bass, fill small well-buttered timbale moulds, and boil in bain-marie. then cover with buttered paper and put in oven for ten minutes. turn out on platter, and serve with any kind of fish sauce. for a fancy decoration slices of truffles or pimentos may be cut in the shape of stars, crescents, initials, etc., and placed in the bottom of the timbale moulds, then fill with the forcemeat and cook. february breakfast sliced pineapple broiled lamb kidneys with bacon lyonnaise potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs à la tripe kingfish sauté meunière cucumber salad chicken sauté, parisienne french peas corn meal pudding coffee dinner potage minestra queen olives fillet of barbel, régence tournedos beresford potatoes château asparagus hollandaise baked alaska coffee =eggs à la tripe.= slice an onion very fine, put in casserole with two ounces of butter, cover, and simmer. cook until the onions are soft, but not colored. then add two spoonsful of flour, allow to get hot, pour in one pint of boiling milk, season with salt and pepper, and boil for five minutes. slice eight hard-boiled eggs about one-quarter inch in thickness, put in the sauce and cook until hot. serve in chafing dish, or deep dish, with chopped parsley on top. =chicken sauté, parisienne ( ).= joint a young chicken and sauté in pan with two ounces of butter. season with salt and pepper, and when done add two cups of tomato sauce and one dozen sliced canned french mushrooms. cook for two minutes in the sauce, dress the chicken on platter, pour the sauce over it, and garnish with macaroni in cream. =( )= joint the chicken and put in sauté pan with two ounces of butter, and season with salt and pepper. when nearly done, add two chopped shallots and heat them through, only. add one cup of sauce madère, the juice of one lemon, and some chopped parsley. serve with parisian potatoes. =sago pudding.= one quart of milk, one-half of a split vanilla bean, one-quarter pound of sago, six ounces of sugar, the yolks of six eggs and the whites of six eggs. boil the milk and the vanilla bean together, add the sago, and cook until well done and like a stiff batter. take off the fire, add the sugar and the yolks, and mix well. beat the whites until very stiff and dry, and then add to the batter and mix lightly. put in buttered moulds and bake in moderate oven for nearly an hour. turn out of moulds and serve with vanilla sauce. corn meal, rice, tapioca and farina puddings are made in the same manner as sago pudding. =sago pudding, family style.= one quart of milk, one-half of a split vanilla bean, three ounces of sago, six ounces of sugar, two eggs and one cup of cream. boil the milk with the vanilla bean (or one-half teaspoonful of vanilla extract), add the sago, and cook well. mix the sugar, eggs and cream, and add to the milk and sago. pour in pudding dishes or bowl, put in hot oven to color the top, and serve either hot or cold, with cream separate. rice, corn meal, tapioca, farina or vermicelli puddings, family style, are made in the same manner as sago pudding, family style. february breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs buttered toast cocoa with whipped cream luncheon eggs troubadour haricot of mutton french pastry coffee dinner potage voisin smoked goosebreast fillet of sole, choisy sweetbreads eugénie roast leg of lamb, au jus julienne potatoes celery mayonnaise curaçao jelly coffee =eggs troubadour.= spread four pieces of toast with purée de foie gras (goose liver pâté), put a poached egg on top of each, and cover with sauce périgord. =haricot of mutton (stew).= cut five pounds of lean shoulder of mutton in pieces two inches square. put in roasting pan with a little butter or fat, season with salt and pepper, and roast in oven until nice and brown. add four spoonsful of flour and roast again until the flour is brown. then put in a casserole and cover with boiling water, add a bouquet garni, six french carrots, six turnips cut in small pieces, season with salt and pepper, and boil for one hour. remove the bouquet garni, and add one pint of purée of tomatoes, or a can of tomatoes strained through a fine sieve, and boil again, with the pot covered, until done. before serving add some boiled string beans and chopped parsley. a little worcestershire sauce may be added if desired. =french pastry.= this is a term used in hotels and restaurants for a platter of mixed individual fancy cakes, such as éclairs, fruit tartelettes, moka cake, napoleons, apple turnovers, pont neuf cakes, jalousie, cream puffs, etc. =potage voisin.= half purée of peas and half purée crécy. before serving add a handful of boiled rice. =smoked goosebreast= (hors d'oeuvre). the most common goosebreast is imported from germany; that made in the united states is seldom to be found in the markets. do not cook; slice very thin, and serve on an ice-cold china platter, decorated with chopped meat jelly, and garnished with parsley in branches. =fillet of sole, choisy.= put the four fillets of a sole in a buttered pan, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with a buttered paper, and bake in oven. when done dress on a platter, and cover with green hollandaise sauce, with a slice of truffle on top. =green coloring= (vert d'épinards). mash in mortar a peck of well-washed spinach. when very fine strain through a piece of cheesecloth, put in a bowl, set in hot water (bain-marie), and boil until set. when cold it will be a firm green mass, and may be used for coloring sauces, soups, etc. =green hollandaise sauce.= mix one pint of hollandaise sauce with one spoonful of green coloring (vert d'épinards). february breakfast stewed rhubarb plain omelet rolls coffee luncheon smoked eels pumpernickel with sweet butter roast loin of pork with sauerkraut plain boiled potatoes german huckleberry pie coffee dinner lynn haven oysters cream of cauliflower pickles broiled spanish mackerel, sauce fleurette chicken sauté, portugaise artichokes hollandaise hearts of lettuce, french dressing diplomate pudding assorted cakes coffee =smoked eels.= imported german canned eels. serve on napkin with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =sauerkraut, alsatian style.= spread one-quarter of a pound of goose grease (lard will do) in the bottom of a casserole, then put in one pound of sauerkraut, then two pounds of bacon, then another pound of sauerkraut, and another quarter pound of goose grease on top. then add a pint of white wine and a pint of bouillon, cover with a buttered paper and the casserole cover, put on the stove and bring to a boil. then put in oven and cook for an hour and a half. serve the sauerkraut on a platter, with the bacon sliced, as a garnish. =sauerkraut, german style.= put one-quarter pound of lard in a casserole, add one pound of sauerkraut, two pounds of salt pork, one bouquet garni, one whole onion, one carrot, and on top another pound of sauerkraut. then add one glass of vinegar, two spoonsful of sugar, and one pint of bouillon. cover, and cook in oven for two hours. then remove the bouquet garni, onion and carrot, and serve the sauerkraut with the salt pork. =sauerkraut, hungarian style.= put in a casserole one-quarter pound of lard and one pound of sauerkraut. sprinkle on top one spoonful of paprika and three peeled and chopped tomatoes. then add two pounds of bacon and another pound of sauerkraut, and sprinkle again with another spoonful of paprika and three chopped tomatoes. add a pint of sweet white wine and a pint of bouillon, and one bouquet garni. cover and bake in oven for one hour and a half. remove the bouquet garni, and serve with the bacon sliced. =special notice for sauerkraut.= avoid salt, as the sauerkraut is seasoned, and the bacon and salt pork are salty also. if the raw sauerkraut is too salty, lay it in a dish pan, cover with water, and squeeze out with the hands immediately. do not let it remain in the water but a second. other meats may be cooked in the sauerkraut, as beef and pork together, lamb and pork, beef and lamb, or pheasant or other game. february breakfast baked apples with cream baked beans, boston style boston brown bread coffee luncheon eggs bagration chicken hash on toast chocolate éclairs coffee dinner hors d'oeuvres variés mock turtle soup ripe california olives aiguillettes of sole, hotelière sweetbreads braisé, clamart roast partridge, bread sauce jets de houblons soufflée potatoes endives salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs bagration.= put on a platter some boiled rice, lay a fresh hard-boiled egg, cut in two, on top, and cover with the following sauce. take any kind of cold meats that may be left over, such as lamb, beef, ham or tongue, and cut in small dices. also a few mushrooms and truffles cut in the same way. put in a casserole with a cup of cream sauce, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. =chicken hash on toast.= cut the breast of a boiled fowl in small squares. put in a casserole one cup of cream sauce, one gill of thick cream and the chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook together. serve on a platter on dry toast. =aiguillettes of sole, hotelière.= put aiguillettes of sole (long fillets) in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, cover with a glass of white wine, and cook for ten minutes. then put the sole on a platter, and reduce the wine until nearly dry. then add a pint of béarnaise sauce and pour over the fish. =mock turtle soup.= put in pan six pounds of cut veal bones, two sliced onions and one carrot, and four ounces of butter, and roast until brown. then add one-quarter pound of flour and brown again. change to a vessel, add two gallons of water, one can of tomatoes, a bouquet garni, some salt, a spoonful of black pepper berries, and two cloves, and boil for two hours. add one pint of cooking sherry and boil again for thirty minutes. skim, and remove the grease from the top, and strain through a cheesecloth. then take one-quarter of a boiled calf's head and cut in small squares and put in a casserole with one glass of dry sherry wine, a little salt and cayenne pepper, and boil for five minutes. now add the strained soup to the calf's head. before serving add three thin slices of smoked beef tongue cut in small diamond shapes, three chopped hard-boiled eggs, and a truffle cut in small squares. =roast partridge.= tie a piece of fresh fat pork over the breast of the dressed partridge, season inside and out with salt and pepper, put in roasting pan with a piece of butter, and put in oven. baste often so the meat will not become dry. it will require about thirty minutes to cook. serve with lemon and watercress, and bread sauce separate. =bread sauce, for game.= to a pint of boiling milk add one whole onion, a bay leaf with two cloves stuck through it, and one and one-half cups of fresh bread crumbs, and boil for a few minutes. then remove the onion and bay leaf and cloves, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. before serving add two ounces of sweet butter. =bread crumbs, for game.= put in frying pan four ounces of sweet butter. when just warm add a cupful of fresh bread crumbs, and fry until golden yellow. drain off the butter (which may be kept for roasting, etc.), and serve the crumbs in a small bowl. this is usually served in addition to bread sauce, with quail, pheasant, partridge, etc. february breakfast hominy with cream plain scrambled eggs rolls english breakfast tea luncheon crab salad mutton chops, robinson string beans napoleon cake coffee dinner pea soup radishes broiled shad, maître d'hôtel roast chicken, au jus hot asparagus, hollandaise potato croquettes watercress salad peach mona lisa assorted cakes coffee =crab salad.= season the flakes of a crab with salt and pepper, add a spoonful of mayonnaise, and mix. put a few leaves of lettuce around the inside of a salad bowl, put the crab in the center, cover with mayonnaise, and garnish with a hard-boiled egg cut in four, two fillets of anchovies, and one green olive. =mutton chops, robinson.= broil four mutton chops and season well. cut in four a half dozen chicken livers, season with salt and pepper and fry in butter. cut up a small can of mushrooms, put in a casserole with the livers, and cover with a cup of sauce madère. cook together and pour over the chops. =watercress salad= ( ). clean and wash the watercress well, and season with salt and vinegar. ( ) use french dressing with a very little oil. watercress does not require much oil. =peach mona lisa.= make a fancy form in the shape of a peach of vanilla ice cream with a brandied peach in the center. put a spoonful of raspberry sauce (see raspberry sauce), in the center of a small plate. put a round piece of sponge cake, about three inches in diameter and one-half inch thick, on the plate. dust the ice cream peach with some sugar, colored pink, and place on the sponge cake. stick two sugar peach leaves under the edge of the peach, and serve. =napoleon cake.= when making vol au vent, patty shells, or anything else with puff paste, save the trimmings, roll together and give two turns, in the same manner as when making fresh puff paste. leave in ice box for one-half hour and then roll out to one-eighth inch in thickness. put on a pastry pan, prick all over with a fork, and bake in oven until very dry. when done, divide and cut into three strips, and allow to become cold. put the three strips one on top of the other, with pastry cream between. glace the top with vanilla icing, and sprinkle a band one-half inch wide along the edge with chopped pistache nuts. then cut into individual portions about two by four inches in size. february breakfast grapefruit marmalade boiled eggs buttered toast ceylon tea luncheon eggs benedict tripe sauté, lyonnaise potatoes hashed in cream romaine salad camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé rachel sardines. olives boiled sheepshead, cream sauce potatoes hollandaise roast leg of mutton, currant jelly baked hubbard squash german fried potatoes celery mayonnaise plum pudding, hard and brandy sauces coffee =tripe sauté, lyonnaise.= cut two pounds of tripe in narrow strips. put in large frying pan four ounces of butter and four sliced onions, and cook until half fried, then add the tripe, which must be dry; season with salt and pepper, and fry until both are of a nice yellow color. drain off the butter and serve the tripe dry, garnished with quartered lemons and chopped parsley. vinegar may be served instead of the lemons if desired. =consommé rachel= ( ). plain consommé garnished with asparagus tips. ( ) plain consommé garnished with chicken dumplings and small peas. =boiled sheepshead, cream sauce.= put a whole sheepshead in cold water with one glass of milk, season with salt, and bring to the boiling point. then put on side of range where it will keep very hot without boiling, and let stand for twenty minutes. serve on napkin with small boiled potatoes, quartered lemons and parsley. cream sauce separate. =plum pudding.= one pound of well-chopped beef suet, one pound of sifted flour, one-half pound of bread crumbs; two lemons, both juice and rinds; one pound of brown sugar, four eggs, one-half teaspoonful each of powdered nutmeg, ginger, cloves and cinnamon; one pound of currant raisins; one-half pound each of malaga raisins, orange peel, citron peel and lemon peel, all chopped fine; one cup of molasses, and one-half pint of good brandy. mix all together in a bowl, putting the liquids in last, making a thick, heavy mixture. put in a buttered mould or in a cloth, and boil in water, or steam cook, for about three hours. this pudding, if kept in a cool place, will keep indefinitely. warm the pudding until very hot before serving, sprinkle some powdered sugar over the top, pour on some brandy, and burn. =brandy sauce.= put in a vessel one-half pint of apricot pulp, made from fresh or preserved fruit; one pint of water, and a half pound of sugar, and boil. moisten a teaspoonful of arrowroot with a little water and add it to the boiling sauce, stirring so it will not get lumpy. then strain and add a small glassful of brandy. =hard sauce.= put in a bowl three-quarters of a pound of sweet butter, one pound of sugar, the white of an egg, and flavor with lemon, vanilla or a little brandy, and work into a cream. put into a pastry bag with a tube, and dress on a pan in small round shapes. place in the ice box to get hard. february breakfast waffles honey in comb boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon grapefruit and oranges en suprême chicken broth in cups olives small sirloin steak, bordelaise potato croquettes lettuce and tomato salad french pastry coffee dinner potage westmoreland oysters à l'ancienne chicken pot pie, home style combination salad moka cake demi tasse =grapefruit and oranges en suprême.= sliced oranges and grapefruit in equal parts, add a little sugar and maraschino, and serve in suprême glasses. tie a ribbon around the glass, with a nice bow. =potage westmoreland.= equal parts of mock turtle soup, thick consommé tapioca, and thick consommé brunoise. before serving add a glass of dry sherry wine. =oysters à l'ancienne.= take a dozen oysters on the deep half shell, season with salt and pepper, put a small piece of butter, some chopped parsley, a little lemon juice, and a thin slice of salt pork on each, and bake in a hot oven for about four minutes. =chicken pot pie, home style.= take a young fat hen and cut up as for fricassee. wash well and put in a vessel with one quart of water, season with salt, bring to a boil, skim, and add a bouquet garni. after boiling for about thirty minutes remove the bouquet and add twelve small round potatoes, twelve very small onions, and one-quarter pound of parboiled salt pork cut in small squares. boil all together until well done. mix in a cup three spoonsful of flour and one-half cup of water, and stir into the stewing chicken. boil again for about ten minutes, then put in a deep dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and when nearly cold cover with thin pie, or puff paste, brush over with the yolk of an egg, and bake in oven until well browned. serve on a napkin. dumplings and a few small french carrots may be added before covering with the paste, if desired. =moka cake.= take three layers of cake and fill between with moka filling. for the filling beat a half pound of sweet butter with a half pound of powdered sugar until it is white and light. then add the yolks of three eggs, one by one, and a half cup of rich cream, beating until very smooth. flavor with some strong coffee or coffee extract. finish the cake by glacing the top with coffee frosting, and decorate with some of the moka filling. february breakfast stewed prunes scrambled eggs with chives toasted muffins coffee luncheon canapé of raw meat radishes broiled shad, maître d'hôtel potatoes au gratin cauliflower mayonnaise pont l'Évêque cheese crackers coffee dinner cream of lima beans celery frogs' legs, jerusalem roast squab chicken individual artichokes, au gratin julienne potatoes endives salad vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =canapé of raw meat.= take a quarter pound of lean fresh beef tenderloin or sirloin and chop very fine and season with a little salt and pepper. toast some thin slices of rye or white bread lightly, spread with a little sweet butter, and then spread the chopped meat on top. serve on a napkin, garnished with quartered lemon and parsley. =broiled shad, maître d'hôtel.= split a shad, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with oil, and broil on both sides. dish up on a platter, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley. =cream of lima beans.= put in a vessel two ounces of butter and one leek cut in small pieces. simmer for a few minutes, then add one-half cup of flour and simmer again. when hot add one quart of milk and a can of lima beans, or one pound of fresh beans. when soft strain through a fine sieve, put back in vessel, bring to a boil, and add one-half pint of thick cream and two ounces of best butter. stir well, and season with salt and pepper and a little cayenne pepper. in place of the cream, use half chicken broth, light bouillon, veal broth, or half stock and half milk, if desired. =frogs' legs, jerusalem.= put in a sauté pan one soupspoonful of chopped celery, three chopped shallots, and three ounces of butter, and simmer for about five minutes. then add one dozen cut up frogs' legs, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes. then add one cup of cream, or one cup of cream sauce, and boil for ten minutes. serve in chafing dish. =artichokes au gratin.= remove the leaves from four boiled artichokes and cut the bottoms in slices. butter four individual shirred egg dishes, put one spoonful of cream sauce in the bottom, then put in the sliced artichokes, season with salt and pepper, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put a small piece of butter on top of each, and bake in oven until brown. february breakfast oatmeal boiled salt mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon poached eggs, rothschild fried chicken, maryland field salad roquefort cheese, crackers coffee dinner potage de santé salmon, chambord leg of mutton, à la busse spinach with cream parisian potatoes sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise anise seed cake =poached eggs, rothschild.= put a spoonful of purée of game on a plate, a poached egg on top, and cover with sauce périgueux. =purée of game.= after serving roast venison, duck, quail, bear, reindeer, hare, or other game, take the remainder, remove the meat from the bones and mash very fine in a mortar, add just enough thick brown gravy to make a paste, and pass through a fine sieve. season with salt and pepper, heat well, and use as a garnish. =salmon, chambord.= put in a buttered shallow sauce pan two slices of salmon, season with salt and pepper, add half a glass of red wine, and half a glass of stock, bouillon, fish stock or water, cover with buttered paper, and put in the oven and cook until done. with its broth make a sauce génoise, and add to it one dozen small french mushrooms, one dozen parboiled clams, and one sliced truffle. pour the sauce over the fish, and garnish with plain-boiled small écrevisses (crayfish). =leg of mutton, à la busse.= roast a leg of mutton, serve with its own gravy, and garnish with fresh mushrooms sauté in butter, and onions glacés. =fresh mushrooms sauté in butter.= clean and wash one pound of fresh mushrooms and dry in a towel. put in a sauté pan on the range, two ounces of butter; when hot add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and sauté slowly for about ten minutes. serve on toast with their own gravy, or use as a garnish for entrées, stews, etc. =onions glacés.= peel one dozen small white onions and put in one quart of cold water with a spoonful of salt. put on fire, boil for about five minutes, drain off water, and put the onions in a shallow sauté pan with one ounce of butter. put in oven and roast until brown. then add one spoonful of meat extract, let them glacé in this for a few minutes, and then serve. if preferred the onions may be glacéd by sprinkling with powdered sugar, and omitting the meat extract. or take one pint of strong beef consommé and reduce one-half, then add at the same time as the onions, and they will glacé while reducing. =anise seed cake.= one-half pound of sugar, four eggs, one-half pound of flour, and one-half ounce of anise seed. beat the sugar and eggs together over a slow fire until blood warm, then remove and continue beating until cold and firm. then add the sifted flour and anise seed. mix, and lay out on a greased and floured pan in drops about one and one-half inches in diameter. put in a dry warm place until a crust forms on top (a few hours will be required), and then bake in a slow oven. =spinach in cream.= boil a peck of well-washed spinach in salted water. drain off and pound through a fine colander, add two ounces of butter, one cup of thick cream, heat well and serve. salt and pepper if necessary. february breakfast baked apples with cream plain omelet rolls english breakfast tea luncheon fillet of herring, mariné potato salad minced tenderloin, à l'estragon mashed potatoes au gratin american cheese, crackers coffee dinner consommé florentine ripe olives fillet of sole, bercy sweetbreads braisé, with peas roast squab, au jus. gauffrette potatoes cold asparagus, mustard sauce coupe lyonnaise. assorted cakes. coffee =fillet of herring, mariné.= take two marinated herrings, remove the skins and bones, and cut in long strips. put on platter, strain a little of its own sauce over them, and decorate with sliced lemons. =minced tenderloin of beef, à l'estragon.= slice one pound of tenderloin of beef in strips one-eighth inch thick and two inches wide, using trimmings or the end piece. put two ounces of melted butter in frying pan, and when red-hot add the slices of meat, season with salt and pepper, and fry very quickly over a hot fire; about one minute is required. then remove the meat and sprinkle the pan with one spoonful of flour, and allow to become brown, then add one cup of bouillon or stock, boil for five minutes, add one teaspoonful of chopped fresh tarragon, and test as to seasoning. then add one ounce of fresh butter and the juice of one lemon. pour over the fillets, which have been kept warm in a deep dish. =consommé florentine.= in consommé put some plain boiled spinach cut in small pieces, also thin pancake cut same way. serve grated cheese separate. =fillet of sole, bercy.= put in a buttered flat sauté pan three finely-chopped shallots, the four fillets of a sole on top of the shallots, and a little chopped parsley and chervil on top of the fillets. season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, put on top of the stove and bring to the boiling point. then put in oven and finish cooking. remove the fillets to a platter, and put in the sauté pan one pint of white wine sauce, cook for a few minutes, and pour over the fish. do not strain the sauce. other fish besides sole may be used if desired. =roast squab, au jus.= season four squabs, put a piece of fresh fat pork over the breast, and place in roasting pan with one sliced carrot, one onion, one bay leaf, a clove, a few pepper berries, and three ounces of butter. roast in a hot oven for about thirty-five minutes, basting often. then put the squabs on a platter, and place the pan on the fire and cook until the butter is clarified. drain off, add one cup of bouillon and one spoonful of meat extract, reduce one-half, strain, and pour over the squabs. garnish with watercress. =waffle potatoes.= cut the potatoes with a special cutter called a potato waffle machine. put them in warm swimming lard and let it become hot gradually so the potatoes will not become brown too quick. when cooked soft take them out and put them for a second into very hot fat so they will become crisp and golden yellow. serve on a napkin, sprinkled with salt. =sybil and gauffrette potatoes.= same as waffle potatoes. =coupe lyonnaise.= fill a glass with vanilla ice cream, and put on top one large marron glacé. february breakfast orange marmalade buckwheat cakes rolls coffee luncheon canapé julia consommé in cups cheese straws sand dabs, meunière broiled chicken on toast sybil potatoes baked hubbard squash hearts of lettuce meringue glacée à la vanille coffee dinner seapuit oysters clear green turtle, au pemartin crisp celery. queen olives salted almonds fillet of bass, noisettes of lamb, ducale breast of chicken with virginia ham peas au beurre soufflée potatoes alligator pear salad apple moscovite assorted cakes coffee =canapé julia.= chop the tail of a lobster very fine and put in a vessel on the range. when hot add one cup of thick cream sauce, bring to a boil, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. add the yolks of two eggs, but do not boil, heat just enough to bind the lobster. make four pieces of toast, put the lobster on top, cover with grated cheese, put a bit of butter on the top of each, and bake in the oven. serve on napkins, with lemons and parsley. =noisettes of lamb.= noisettes are cut from the saddle of lamb, free from fat and skin, and in the shape of a small tenderloin steak. broil or sauté in butter, and serve with colbert, béarnaise, or any other meat sauce. =ducale.= artichoke bottoms filled with french peas, sauce madère. use as a garnish for lamb, beef, sweetbreads, etc. =breast of chicken.= cut the breast from two raw roasting chickens, remove the skin, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour. put two ounces of butter in a shallow sauté pan, and fry the breasts for about fifteen minutes, or until golden brown. serve with virginia ham or bacon, figs, or with sauce colbert, madère, cream, etc. if virginia ham is served take four slices and just heat through on the broiler, or in pan with a little butter. do not allow to become hard or crisp. =alligator pear salad.= ( ). select ripe, soft pears, but not mushy. cut in half, remove the stone, fill with french dressing, and serve on cracked ice. ( ). put in the bottom of a salad bowl some lettuce leaves, scoop out the inside of the pears with a soup spoon, put on the lettuce leaves, and cover with french dressing. =apple moscovite.= take four large apples and remove the insides with a sharp spoon, leaving only a firm shell. put a spoonful of apple sauce on the bottom of the apples. whip the whites of six eggs very hard, and mix with a half pint of sweet apple sauce. fill the apples with this, dust over with powdered sugar, and bake in a moderate oven. february breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés mutton chops, daumont julienne potatoes swiss cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage kroumir aiguillettes of sole, marinière chicken, montmorency artichokes with melted butter chiffonnade salad kirschwasser jelly lady fingers coffee =mutton chops, daumont.= bread four mutton chops and fry in a flat sauté pan. dish up on a long platter, and garnish with artichoke bottoms filled with cauliflower. pour sauce périgueux around the chops. =artichokes filled with cauliflower.= remove the leaves and trim the bottoms of four cold artichokes. cut in four a boiled and well-seasoned cauliflower, squeeze out the water, and use to fill the artichoke bottoms. cover with a little thick cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, place small bits of butter on top of each, put on a buttered pan with a spoonful of bouillon, and bake in the oven. =potage kroumir.= one quart of purée of tomato soup mixed with one pint of consommé tapioca. =aiguillettes of sole, marinière.= take the four fillets from one sole and lay them flat in a buttered pan, sprinkle with three chopped shallots, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, one-half cup of stock or water, cover with buttered paper, and bring to a boil on top of the stove. then put in oven and cook for about seven minutes. put the fillets on a platter, and reduce the broth until nearly dry. then add two cups of white wine sauce and boil for a minute. bind the sauce with the yolk of an egg mixed with a spoonful of cream, add a little chopped chives, and pour over the fish. =chicken sauté, montmorency.= joint a chicken, season with salt and pepper, put three ounces of butter in a sauté pan and sauté the chicken. when done remove the chicken to a platter, and put in the pan one cup of brown gravy or sauce madère, and one can of french mushrooms. boil for a few minutes. then pour over the chicken. garnish with croustades filled with small french peas. =croustades.= one cup of flour, one cup of milk, the whites of three eggs, a teaspoonful of olive oil, a teaspoonful of corn starch, and a little salt. mix well and strain. keep the croustade iron very hot in swimming lard. dip the iron in the dough for a few seconds, then dip in the swimming lard, coated with the dough, and fry until a nice golden color. take out, and when cold the croustades will be very crisp. croustade irons can be obtained in any first-class store. february breakfast grapefruit with cherries omelet with ham rolls coffee luncheon eggs talleyrand oysters à la hyde french pastry coffee dinner cream of frogs' legs olives scallops, newburg roast easter kid, mint sauce sweetbreads sauté, with green peas endives salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs talleyrand.= trim the bottoms of four fresh artichokes and put a little terrine de foie gras in each, and keep hot. put a poached egg on top of each and cover with sauce périgueux. =cream of frogs' legs.= take the backs and front legs of two dozen frogs, reserving the hind legs for an entrée. put in vessel with two quarts of bouillon or chicken broth, and boil for thirty minutes. then take one-half pound of rice flour and mix with one pint of cream. let it run into the boiling soup, and cook for ten minutes. strain through a fine colander, put back in the vessel, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and add three ounces of sweet butter. stir the soup so the butter will melt slowly. serve croûtons soufflés separate. =scallops, newburg.= put one pint of scallops in a sauté pan with one ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about three minutes over a hot fire; then drain off and add one pint of sauce newburg. do not cook further, and serve in chafing dish. =roast easter kid.= kid when young is a delicious morsel. prepare in the same manner as lamb for roasting. =sweet potatoes sauté.= peel and slice two large boiled sweet potatoes. put three ounces of butter in a sauté pan, when hot add the potatoes and sauté until nice and brown. season with salt and pepper. february breakfast waffles honey coffee luncheon poached eggs, martha hungarian beef goulash noodles, polonaise savarin chantilly coffee dinner consommé colbert broiled alaska candlefish sweetbreads, théodora roast ribs of beef, au jus saratoga potatoes celery victor fruit cake coffee =poached eggs, martha.= on top of four pieces of toast put some lobster croquette preparation in à layer about one-quarter of an inch thick, put a piece of butter on top of each, and bake in oven. put a poached egg on top and cover with cream sauce. =noodles, polonaise.= on à large platter put one pound of plain boiled noodles. in a frying pan put one-quarter pound of butter, and one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs. fry until golden brown, and pour over the noodles. =consommé colbert.= equal parts of carrots, turnips, peas, string beans, cauliflower, and flageolet beans. cut the carrots and turnips in small squares. boil the cauliflower and cut off the small flowers. then put all in hot consommé, with one poached egg to each person. add a little chopped chervil before serving. =broiled alaska candlefish.= as this fish is very oily it is better broiled. season with salt and pepper, and serve on platter, with plenty of lemon and parsley in branches. =sweetbreads, théodora.= split four large sweetbreads, fill with chicken forcemeat, and braise them. serve with sauce madère, and garnish with stuffed fresh mushrooms. =fruit cake (white).= one pound each of butter, sugar and flour, one-half teaspoonful of baking powder, ten eggs, one-quarter pound of currant sultana raisins, one pony of rum, and one-quarter pound of chopped glacé fruits. work the butter and the sugar together until creamy, then add the eggs two by two, and work well, then add the rum, and finally the flour, baking powder and fruit. mix lightly, and bake in a buttered pan lined with paper. february breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs buttered toast coffee luncheon eggs à la colonel english lamb chops, tavern lettuce salad pont l'évêque cheese crackers coffee dinner cream of rice ripe olives rock cod, en court bouillon potatoes nature squab chicken sauté, sutro olivette potatoes endives salad orange soufflé, st. francis assorted cakes coffee =eggs à la colonel.= cut two tomatoes in half, squeeze out the juice, bread them, and fry. put a poached egg on top of each piece, and cover with sauce madère with fresh mushrooms. =english lamb chops, tavern.= broil an english lamb chop until nearly done, then put in an earthern casserole, with some sauté potatoes on one side and some stewed lamb kidneys on the other. put in the oven for a minute or two, and serve with chopped parsley on top. =english mutton chop, tavern.= same as english lamb chop, tavern. =rock cod, en court bouillon.= put in a flat pan three spoonsful of olive oil, one onion sliced very fine, three sliced green and one red pepper, one bouquet garni, and about five pounds of codfish cut in slices two inches thick. season with salt and pepper, add two glasses of white wine and one pint of water, and a little chopped parsley. simmer slowly for about forty minutes. remove the bouquet garni, and serve on a deep platter with broth and all. any fish may be prepared in the same manner. =squab chicken sauté, sutro.= cut two squab chickens in six pieces each. two legs, two wings, and the breast and carcass split. season with salt and pepper, and sauté in pan with two ounces of butter. prepare as follows: two fresh artichoke bottoms boiled and cut in four; one-half pound of fresh mushrooms sauté in butter; one can of cèpes sauté in butter; the livers of the chickens whole, and one parboiled sweetbread sliced and sauté in butter. mix all together with the chicken, season well, and add some chopped parsley and chives. =orange soufflé, st. francis.= cut "lids" from the tops of four large oranges and remove the insides. have the openings about an inch and one-half in diameter. fill about one-third full with some sliced fresh fruit, such as oranges, apples, bananas, pineapple, etc. then add a few drops of maraschino, fill another third with vanilla ice cream. beat the whites of six eggs until stiff, mixed with one-half pound of sugar and the grated rind of an orange, and fill the final third of the orange. dust with powdered sugar, and brown on top in a very hot oven. it will take but a second to brown, and they should be served at once. february breakfast orange marmalade ham and eggs corn muffins coffee luncheon omelet with virginia ham and peppers calf's head, vinaigrette baked potatoes apricot layer cake coffee dinner strained gumbo soup, in cups radishes barracouda, maître d'hôtel stuffed capon, bruxelloise asparagus, hollandaise champs Élysées potatoes hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing chocolate parfait lady fingers coffee =omelet with virginia ham and peppers.= cut two slices of virginia ham and one green pepper in small squares, put in frying pan with one ounce of butter, and simmer for about two minutes. add eight beaten eggs and two red peppers cut in small squares, season with salt and pepper, and proceed in the same manner as for a plain omelet. =calf's head, vinaigrette.= dish up on a napkin some boiled calf's head with the brains and the tongue sliced. garnish the platter with pickles, pickled beets, quartered lemons, parsley in branches, and two hard-boiled eggs cut in two. serve vinaigrette sauce separate. =strained gumbo soup, in cups.= make a chicken okra soup, strain through cheese cloth, and serve in cups. =stuffed capon, bruxelloise.= soak half of a loaf of white bread in milk, then squeeze out the milk, mince fine, add salt and pepper, a little chopped parsley, one pound of finely chopped salted almonds, and one egg. mix well together and fill the capon. tie a slice of fresh fat pork over the breast, and roast in the same manner as chicken or other fowl. =layer cake.= eight eggs, one-half pound of flour, one-quarter pound of melted butter, and a few drops of vanilla extract. beat the eggs with the sugar over a slow fire until thoroughly warm, then take off the range and continue beating until cold. put in the flour, mixing lightly, and add the melted butter and vanilla extract. bake in buttered flat tin cake moulds, for about ten minutes. =french layer cake.= the same as above with the exception that it is baked in one thick cake and then cut into layers. =chocolate layer cake.= use three or four layers, filling between with chocolate cream. glacé with chocolate frosting, and decorate the top with glacé fruits. see pastry cream for directions for filling. =apricot layer cake.= same as chocolate layer cake, but fill with apricot marmalade, glacé the top with vanilla frosting, and decorate with glacé fruit. february breakfast shredded wheat with cream crescents cocoa luncheon eggs à la reine tripe à la mode de caën camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé d'orleans celery fillet of sole, victoria leg of mutton, réforme carrots, vichy potato salad peach melba assorted cakes coffee =poached eggs, à la reine.= spread some purée de foie gras on a piece of toast. put a poached egg on top, cover with cream sauce, and sprinkle with finely chopped truffles. after the truffles have been chopped put in a napkin and squeeze out the juice, and then chop again. they will then be dry, and easy to sprinkle. =fillet of sole, victoria.= put four fillets in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine. when done put on platter and pour a lobster sauce over the fish, with lobster and truffles cut in small squares, in it. =leg of mutton, réforme.= roast a leg of mutton, and serve the following sauce separate: ham, tongue, pickles, mushrooms, and chicken in equal parts, cut julienne style, and mixed with sauce poivrade. =sauce poivrade.= crush one-half cup of black pepper berries and put in vessel with one dozen chopped shallots, a little parsley, and one pint of white wine vinegar. boil and reduce until nearly dry, then add one quart of brown sauce, or sauce madère, and boil for five minutes, then strain, and stir in three ounces of sweet butter slowly. =tripe à la mode de caën.= parboil eight pounds of raw tripe and four ox feet. cut both the tripe and the feet in pieces two inches square. chop one pound of raw beef suet and four large onions very fine. put in an earthen pot half of the suet and onions, then half of the tripe and feet, then the remainder of the suet and onions, followed by the rest of the tripe and feet. season with salt and pepper, add one bouquet garni, one-half pint of brandy, one pint of white wine, and fill the remainder of the space in the pot with water. put a cover on the pot and seal with any kind of paste or dough, so that no air or steam can escape. then put the pot in a moderate oven and leave for about eight hours; then take out of oven, take off the cover, and remove the bouquet garni. if there should be too much fat on top a little may be taken off. ordinarily there will not be too much. season to taste with salt and pepper, add one-half pint of dry apple cider and one glass of brandy, and boil for two minutes. serve hot. the proper way to serve tripe à la mode de caën is in small individual earthen pots, on à large plate, with red-hot ashes under the pot. march breakfast strawberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon grapefruit en suprême consommé in cups cheese straws sweet-and-sour beef tongue string beans mashed potatoes chocolate éclairs coffee dinner oysters on half shell onion soup au gratin kingfish sauté, meunière roast chicken succotash potato cakes escarole salad corn meal pudding coffee =sweet-and-sour sauce.= procure one-half pound of unsweetened spiced fish cake from your grocer, break it in small pieces, put in a bowl, cover with one pint of vinegar and one pound of brown sugar. soak for about an hour, then stir well, and add one cup of fish broth or meat stock, depending upon whether it is to be used for fish or meat. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, then add one pound of seedless raisins, and boil again for five minutes. =sweet-and-sour beef tongue.= boil a fresh beef tongue in the same manner as boiled beef. when done cut in thin slices, put in a flat pan, cover with sweet-and-sour sauce, and simmer for five minutes. serve on a platter covered with the sauce. =omelette suzanne.= cut six macaroons in four and mix with a little whipped cream. cut six lady fingers in two and sprinkle with powdered cocoa and powdered sugar. melt some bar le duc jelly. make an omelet in the usual manner, powder with plenty of sugar, and burn bands across the top with a hot iron. at one end of the omelet place the lady fingers, at the other end the macaroons, and pour some of the bar le duc jelly on each side. pour a pony of chartreuse over the omelet, then a pony of fine champagne, and light it. =cheese straws.= roll out some puff paste (a good way to utilize any trimmings you may have) very thin, about one-eighth inch. wash the top with eggs and spread with grated parmesan cheese mixed with a little cayenne pepper. cut in narrow strips, one-half inch by six, lay on a baking pan and bake in a moderate oven until brown and crisp. =onion soup, au gratin.= slice three onions very fine, put in a casserole with three ounces of butter, put on the cover, and simmer until of a golden color. then add one quart of consommé, stock or any good broth (consommé preferred), season well, and boil for five minutes. slice three rolls very thin and put in oven and allow to remain until brown and dry, like toast. put the soup in an earthen casserole, float the slices of rolls on top, spread a cup of grated cheese over the bread, put in a hot oven and cook until brown on top. serve very hot. =potato cakes.= whenever there is mashed potatoes left over, make into little cakes about one inch thick and two inches in diameter, roll in flour, and fry in pan with a little butter, until brown on both sides. if the potato should be too thin add the raw yolk of an egg. march breakfast oatmeal with cream broiled finnan haddie lyonnaise potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs bordelaise lamb chops, victor hugo julienne potatoes stewed tomatoes brie cheese, crackers coffee dinner cream of lettuce radishes scallops, mornay croustades financière roast leg of mutton, currant jelly potato croquettes cold asparagus, mustard sauce fruit salad, au marasquin lady fingers coffee =eggs bordelaise.= fry the eggs in oil, put on toast, cover with bordelaise sauce, and lay two slices of truffle on each egg. =lamb chops, victor hugo.= broil or sauté six lamb chops on one side only, and allow to become cold. grate two horseradish roots and put in a sauce pot with two ounces of butter, and simmer. then add one cup of thick cream sauce, and bring to a boil; season well and bind with the yolks of two eggs. when this stuffing is cold put on top of the chops, make smooth with a knife, sprinkle with a little grated parmesan cheese mixed with bread crumbs, put small bits of butter on each chop, place on a buttered pan, and put in a hot oven, so they will cook from the bottom. cook until the tops are nice and brown, and serve on a platter with brown gravy, and two slices of truffle on each. =cream of lettuce.= take the trimmings of six heads of lettuce, in volume about the same as two heads of lettuce, wash well and cut in small bits. take two quarts of chicken broth, or any kind of clear broth or stock, add the lettuce to it and boil for thirty minutes. put in a separate vessel four ounces of butter, and heat; add three spoonfuls of flour and heat again; add the broth containing the lettuce and boil for ten minutes. boil a pint of cream, mix with the soup, and strain through a fine sieve. put back in vessel, add two or three ounces of sweet butter, and stir until the butter is melted. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. =scallops, mornay.= put one pint of scallops in a sauté pan with an ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and heat through. then remove the juice and add one cup of thick cream sauce, mix well, put in a deep dish, sprinkle with grated parmesan or swiss cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in hot oven until brown. =croustades financière.= make a financière, but cut a little smaller than for garniture. fill the croustades, and serve on napkin with parsley in branches. =financière (garniture).= cut two parboiled sweetbreads in slices, and sauté in butter; add one-half can of french mushrooms, or one-quarter pound of fresh mushrooms cut in two and sautéed, rooster combs and kidneys, sliced truffles, small chicken dumplings, and a few green olives with the stones removed. put all in a casserole, season well, add a pint of good madeira sauce, and serve hot. this garnish may be used for filling croustades, vol au vents, small patties, or as an entrée. march breakfast griddle cakes with maple syrup buttered toast oolong tea luncheon poached eggs, monnet sully imported frankfort sausages sauerkraut boiled potatoes limberger cheese and crackers coffee dinner toke point oysters pannade soup boiled sea bass, hollandaise potatoes nature chicken sauté, salonika peas au cerfeuil chiffonnade salad biscuit glacé assorted cakes coffee supper golden buck =poached eggs, monnet sully.= place a poached egg on a canapé of chicken and pour béarnaise sauce over it. =canapé of chicken.= take the breast of a boiled fowl and chop very fine, season with salt and pepper, mix well with two ounces of sweet butter, and spread on fresh toast. =pannade soup.= take a half loaf of stale white bread, or some rolls, and put in a pot with three pints of water, season with salt and pepper, add one-quarter of a pound of butter, cover, and boil slowly for one hour. it will then be of the consistency of gruel. mix the yolks of two eggs with a cup of cream and a half cup of milk, and stir slowly into the boiling soup. this is an excellent plain soup, and fine for the digestion. =peas au cerfeuil.= put three ounces of butter in a casserole, add one quart of parboiled peas, some chopped chervil (cerfeuil), season with salt and a pinch of sugar, and simmer for five minutes. =boiled sea bass, hollandaise.= put a whole sea bass, including the head and tail, in a fish kettle, in cold water. season with salt, some whole black pepper berries, and a bouquet garni. add one sliced onion, and one carrot, bring to a boil and then set on the side for fifteen minutes. serve on a napkin with small boiled potatoes, quartered lemons and parsley. hollandaise sauce separate. =fried artichokes.= trim the bottoms of six boiled artichokes, cut in four, put in flour, then in milk, then in beaten egg, then in fresh bread crumbs, and fry in swimming fat. serve on napkin with lemon and parsley. =chicken sauté, salonika.= joint a chicken and season with salt and pepper. put two spoonfuls of olive oil in a sauté pan, and when very hot add the chicken. sauté until nice and brown, then add one chopped shallot. when the shallot is hot pour off the oil, add one cup of brown gravy, and simmer for five minutes. dish up on a flat platter, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish both ends of the platter with fried artichokes. =golden buck.= a welsh rabbit with a poached egg on top. march breakfast sliced pineapple bacon and eggs rolls coffee luncheon mussels marinière reindeer chop, port wine sauce sweet potatoes, sauté lettuce braisé waldorf salad french pastry coffee dinner california oyster cocktail ox tail soup, english style frogs' legs, jerusalem filet mignon, bayard flageolet beans sybil potatoes hearts of lettuce raspberry water ice assorted cakes coffee supper hangtown fry =sauce marinière.= cut fine six shallots, put in casserole with one ounce of butter, and simmer just enough to have the shallots hot, then add one glass of white wine and boil until reduced nearly dry. then add one pint of sauce allemande and boil for five minutes. season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and chives. =sauce allemande.= put four ounces of butter and three spoonfuls of flour in a casserole and place on the stove. when hot add one quart of chicken or veal broth, and boil for twenty minutes, then bind with the yolks of three eggs mixed with one-half cup of thick cream. strain and season well with salt and a little cayenne pepper. =mussels, marinière.= wash the mussels well to free them from all sand. put in casserole with one-half glass of white wine and one cup of water, bring to the boiling point, then add six chopped shallots, and boil until the mussels are open. remove the mussels to another vessel, strain the broth, and reduce. then add one pint of sauce marinière, and pour over the mussels. the mussels may be served with the entire shells attached; on the half shell, or removed from the shells altogether, after they have been boiled. =reindeer chop.= reindeer should be hung up for at least two weeks before being cooked, otherwise it will be very tough. the meat is very good, and easily prepared. salt and pepper the chops, roll in olive oil, and broil; or fry in frying pan, in the same manner as any other kind of chop or steak. serve with maître d'hôtel, or some fancy meat sauce. =port wine sauce.= take the brown gravy from a roast, or use any kind of brown sauce, or sauce madère; add one glass of port wine and boil for two minutes. this sauce is excellent with game. if a sweeter sauce is desired one-half cup of hot currant jelly may be added. =filet mignon, bayard.= sauté in butter, or broil, small tenderloin steaks, place on toast, spread with purée de foie gras, cover with sauce madère with sliced truffles, and garnish with small round chicken croquettes. =hangtown fry.= mix plain scrambled eggs with one dozen small fried california oysters. march breakfast pearl grits with cream broiled smoked salmon toast melba coffee luncheon eggs, meyerbeer paprika schnitzel with spätzel gorgonzola cheese with crackers coffee dinner cream of bananas ripe california olives fillet of bass, nanon chicken sauté, créole boiled rice escarole and chicory salad nesselrode pudding assorted cakes coffee =pearl grits.= to one quart of boiling water add eight ounces of pearl grits, season with salt, and boil for twenty minutes. serve cream separate. =eggs, meyerbeer.= for each person cook two eggs on a shirred egg dish. have the eggs very soft. place a broiled split lamb's kidney in the center of each dish and cover with a little sauce madère. place two slices of truffle on top. season well. =broiled smoked salmon.= slice the salmon about one-half inch thick, roll in olive oil, and broil. when done put on platter, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley. =toast melba.= cut some white bread in very thin slices, trim, put on a pan and bake in the oven until brown. =paprika schnitzel.= cut four slices from a leg of veal. the slices should be about one-half inch thick, two and one-half inches wide and six inches long. season them with salt and paprika. melt three ounces of butter in a sauté pan, when hot put the slices of meat in the pan and sauté for about five minutes. then add one cup of very thick cream, a little more salt, one teaspoonful of paprika, and simmer for five minutes. if the sauce should be too thin add one spoonful of cream sauce and simmer for a few minutes. =nesselrode pudding.= beat over the fire the yolks of eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, and one pony of good rum, until light and creamy. then remove from the fire and continue beating until cold. then add one quart of whipped cream and one-half pound of broken marrons glacés. mix well, and put in one large, or in individual moulds, pack in ice and salt, and leave until hard. it will require about two hours to freeze. to serve, remove from mould, decorate the top with a marron glacé, and pour maraschino sauce around the bottom of the pudding. =spätzel.= these are small flour dumplings, but made harder than the usual dumpling. mix well one cup of flour, one whole egg and the yolk of an egg, one-third of a cup of milk, a little salt and pepper, and a very little grated nutmeg. form in small bits and drop into boiling salted water and boil for about five minutes, then pour off the water. in a frying pan put two ounces of butter and cook until brown, then pour over the spätzel and mix. =cream of bananas.= make a cream of chicken soup, heat six bananas in it, and strain through a fine sieve. march breakfast bar le duc jelly spanish omelet dry toast chocolate with whipped cream luncheon grapefruit with cherries fried tomcods, tartar sauce turkeys' livers en brochette flageolet beans french pastry coffee dinner consommé royal soft clams, bâtelière roast turkey, cranberry sauce sweet potato croquettes asparagus hollandaise chiffonnade salad mince pie american cheese coffee =spanish omelet.= make a plain omelet and pour one cup of créole sauce around it. =fried tomcods.= clean eight tomcods, wash well, and dry with a towel. roll in milk, then in flour, and fry in swimming fat for about five minutes, or until nice and brown. the fat must be very hot. serve on a napkin with fried parsley, quartered lemons, and tartar sauce separate. =turkeys' livers en brochette.= take three turkey livers and cut each in four slices. broil three slices of bacon, and cut in four pieces also. now stick a piece of liver on a skewer, then a piece of bacon, then another piece of liver, then another piece of bacon, and so continue until the skewer is full. season with salt and pepper, roll in fresh bread crumbs, sprinkle with olive oil, and broil. when done on all sides place on a piece of toast, put some maître d'hôtel sauce over it, and garnish with quarters of lemon and water-cress. =clams bâtelière.= separate the bellies from one dozen soft clams and put them back in their half shells. season with salt and pepper, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, put a thin slice of salt pork over the top, and place in oven and bake. garnish with quartered lemon and parsley. =roast turkey.= season the turkey well, fill with any kind of stuffing, and roast in the same manner as roast turkey stuffed with chestnuts. march breakfast fresh strawberries with cream boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon eggs sarah bernhardt reindeer stew mashed potatoes camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner cherrystone oysters on half shell cream of farina fillet of turbot, bonnefoy lamb chops, charcutière succotash french fried potatoes romaine salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs sarah bernhardt.= cut six hard-boiled eggs in two, remove the yolks, mash them up and mix with a little salt, pepper, celery salt, one spoonful of fresh bread crumbs, one spoonful of chopped chicken meat, and the yolk of one raw egg. stuff the halved whites of eggs with this, put on a buttered dish and place in the oven for four minutes. dress on a silver platter, and cover with sauce périgueux. =sauce périgueux.= chop a small can of truffles and put in a casserole with one glass of madeira, and reduce until nearly dry. then add one pint of brown gravy and season with salt and cayenne pepper. =sauce périgord.= slice one small can of truffles, put in casserole with one glass of madeira or sherry wine, reduce, add one pint of brown gravy and boil again for twelve minutes. season with salt and cayenne pepper. =reindeer stew.= cut about five pounds of shoulder and breast of reindeer in pieces two inches square. put in sauté pan with one-quarter pound of butter, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until nice and brown. then add two spoonfuls of flour and simmer until the flour is slightly brown; add one pint of claret and one quart of boiling water, a bouquet garni, and bring to a boil; skim, cover and let slowly cook until nearly done. sauté in butter twelve heads of fresh mushrooms, and parboil twelve very small potatoes and fry in butter, add them to the stew and cook until soft. season well with salt and pepper. =cream of farina.= boil one pound of farina in one quart of milk. when done add one pint of well-seasoned chicken broth, and strain through a fine sieve. put back in pot, add two ounces of sweet butter and one pint of boiling cream. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. =fillet of turbot, bonnefoy.= cut the turbot in fillets about one and one-half inches wide and three inches long. put in sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add six very finely chopped shallots, one small can of mushrooms, or a half pound of fresh mushrooms, and one glass of claret. cover with buttered manilla paper, put in oven and simmer for ten minutes, then remove the fish to a platter. put the pan with the gravy on the fire, add one pint of tomato sauce and boil for five minutes. then stir in well one ounce of good butter, and pour over the fish. =lamb chops, charcutière.= broil some lamb chops and cover with brown sauce with which has been mixed some sliced pickle and sliced green olives in equal parts. season the sauce well. march breakfast stewed prunes scrambled eggs with bacon buttered toast english breakfast tea luncheon canapé of fresh caviar consommé in cups cheese straws spring lamb irish stew cream puffs coffee dinner purée d'artois (soup) salted pecans broiled shad, albert chicken à l'estragon potatoes au gratin artichokes, sauce hollandaise omelette soufflée coffee =purée d'artois.= same as purée of peas. =broiled shad, albert.= broiled shad with horseradish sauce. =chicken à l'estragon.= boil a whole chicken in a quart of water with salt and a bouquet garni. when done pull the skin off but leave the chicken whole. make the sauce in the following manner: put three ounces of butter in a casserole, when hot add two and one-half spoonfuls of flour and one and one-half pints of the chicken broth, boil for ten minutes, add a little chopped tarragon and boil for another ten minutes. bind with the yolks of two eggs and a half cup of cream, strain, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. pour the sauce over the chicken, and lay a few leaves of tarragon on top. =omelette soufflée.= mix a cup of powdered sugar with the yolks of two eggs and the inside of a vanilla bean, and beat until it is light and fluffy. beat the whites of eight eggs until they are very stiff, then add to the batter, mixing lightly. place this on a buttered silver platter that has been dusted with powdered sugar, form into a fancy shape, decorate through a pastry bag with some of the same preparation, dust with powdered sugar, and bake in a rather hot oven for about ten minutes. =omelette soufflée en surprise.= cut a piece of sponge cake into an oval shape about one-half inch thick, three inches wide and six inches long. put on top of the cake one pint of vanilla ice cream that has been frozen very hard, cover with omelette soufflée preparation, decorate in the same manner as above, dust with powdered sugar, and bake in a very hot oven for two minutes. march breakfast orange marmalade boiled eggs dry toast ceylon tea luncheon eggs maltaise calf's head, à la française plain boiled potatoes brie cheese and crackers coffee dinner cream of green corn matelote of fish leg of mutton, bretonne field salad sand tart coffee =eggs maltaise.= fill a croustade with purée of fresh mushrooms, put a poached egg on top, and cover with cream sauce. =calf's head, à la française.= boil a calf's head, with the tongue and brains, and dish up on a china platter. make a macédoine of vegetables as follows: boil in salt water a carrot and a turnip, and when cold cut up in small dices. add one-half pound of cold cooked string beans cut in pieces about one-half inch long, one-quarter pound of boiled peas, and one-half can of flageolet beans. put this macédoine in a salad bowl, add one teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of fresh-ground black pepper, a little parsley and chervil, one-half cup of white wine vinegar, and one and one-half cups of olive oil. mix well and pour over the calf's head. =cream of green corn.= soak five pounds of green corn in cold water over night. then put on fire in pot with one-half gallon of bouillon, and cook until soft. then strain through a fine sieve, put back in pot, add one quart of boiling cream, and season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. before serving add four ounces of sweet butter, and stir well until melted. =white beans, bretonne.= soak pounds of white beans in cold water over night. put in a vessel with three quarts of water, a ham bone, a bouquet garni, and a small handful of salt. boil until soft, then remove the ham bone and bouquet, and drain off the water. chop three large onions very fine, put in casserole with three ounces of butter, and simmer until cooked, then add a teaspoonful of chopped garlic and heat through, pour in a cupful of purée of tomatoes and some chopped parsley, add the beans, season well with fresh-ground black pepper, and cook for ten minutes. =leg of mutton, bretonne.= roast leg of mutton garnished with beans bretonne. =matelote of fish.= take the solid meat of any kind of fresh fish such as bass, carp, perch, etc., and cut about four pounds in slices two inches thick. put in buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one pint of claret, one cup of stock, fish broth, or water, and a bouquet garni. cover, put over a slow fire and boil for about twenty minutes, or until soft. put the fish in a deep dish, cover with matelote sauce, and garnish with boiled écrevisses. to make the matelote sauce put three ounces of butter in a casserole and allow to become hot. then add two spoonfuls of flour, heat well, and then pour in the strained broth from the fish, boil for ten minutes, add one spoonful of meat extract and one teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, and strain. peel one dozen very small white onions, parboil then and fry in butter until soft. add the onions and one can of french mushrooms to the sauce, season well, and boil. =sand tart (sablé).= one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, the yolks of five eggs, six ounces of butter, and three tablespoonfuls of thick sour milk in which has been dissolved one pinch of soda. mix to a hard dough and roll very thin. beat the whites of two eggs and use to moisten the top of the rolled dough. cut in the desired shape, sprinkle with sugar mixed with a little powdered cinnamon and chopped almonds, put on buttered pan and bake quick. march breakfast sliced bananas with cream broiled finnan haddie baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs renaissance mutton chops, signora fried egg plant romaine salad meringued peaches coffee dinner mock turtle soup oysters, victor croustades laguipierre roast capon, au jus fresh asparagus, hollandaise champs elysées potatoes escarole salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs renaissance.= put a little cream sauce in the bottom of a buttered cocotte dish, add a raw egg, season with salt and pepper, then add a few sliced canned mushrooms and sliced truffles, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put bits of butter on top, and bake in oven. =mutton chops, signora.= split open four mutton chops, season with salt and pepper, put three slices of truffle in each chop and fold together, roll in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in bread crumbs. fry the chops for ten minutes in hot melted butter. serve cream sauce to which has been added some chopped truffles. =meringued peaches.= (pêche meringuée.) cook one quarter pound of rice in one quart of milk for about one-half hour. the rice should be stiff when done. add one pony of cream, one ounce of butter, two ounces of sugar, and mix well. spread on a dish about one inch deep, and place on top some halved preserved peaches, or some fresh peaches cooked in syrup. make a meringue paste with the whites of four eggs beaten stiff and a half pound of sugar. cover the peaches with the meringue, using a pastry bag with a fancy tube. dust over with powdered sugar, and bake in a rather cool oven until it becomes a little dry and brown. =oysters victor.= wash the heads of three fresh mushrooms, dry them in a towel, and chop very fine, also chop very fine six walnuts and put in salad bowl with the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, add three ounces of butter and a little chopped parsley, and mix well together. spread this paste on top of a dozen oysters on the half shell, and bake in oven for about five minutes. serve with halves of lemon. =croustades laguipierre.= use equal parts of chickens' livers, sauté in butter, sliced sweetbreads sauté, boiled rooster combs, sliced green olives, sliced truffles, and french mushrooms cut in two. stir into hot madeira sauce, season well, and fill the croustades. march breakfast fresh strawberries with cream scrambled eggs with truffles crescents coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés potato omelet roquefort cheese and crackers hungarian beef goulash coffee dinner consommé du barry queen olives fillet of sole, turbigo veal kidney roast carrots in butter mashed potatoes chicory salad fried cream coffee =scrambled eggs with truffles.= cut a truffle in small dices and put in sauce pan, on the range, with one ounce of butter. when hot add six beaten eggs, a little salt and pepper, one spoonful of cream, and then scramble in the usual manner. dish up and lay six slices of heated truffles on top. =potato omelet.= cut a boiled potato in small dices. put one ounce of butter in a frying pan with the potato, and fry until brown, then add six beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook into an omelet in the usual manner. =consommé du barry.= boil a cauliflower in salt water. when done cut the tips of the flowers from the stems and add to boiling consommé. =fillet of sole, turbigo.= cut the fillets from a sole, and remove the skin. spread with fish force meat, (see fish dumplings), fold in half, place in buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, and boil. when done remove the fish to a platter; add to the gravy in the pan one cup of white wine sauce, boil for ten minutes, and strain. cut the tail of a lobster in slices, heat them and lay on top of fillets and cover with the sauce. =carrots in butter.= wash and peel three dozen small french carrots, and boil in two quarts of salted water. when done drain off the water, add two ounces of sweet butter, and simmer for two minutes. sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. =fried cream.= one quart of milk, one-half pound of sugar, the yolks of eight eggs, four ounces of flour, and one-half of a vanilla bean. boil the milk with the vanilla bean. mix the sugar, flour and the yolks of the eggs, and then pour into the boiling milk. continue cooking, stirring all the time until stiff. then pour into a flat pan in à layer about three-quarters of an inch thick, allow to become cold, and then cut into two inch squares. roll in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in cake, macaroon, or bread crumbs, and fry in swimming lard until brown. serve dusted with powdered sugar, or with a lump of sugar covered with brandy, and burning. =beef tongue, parisian style.= wash a fresh beef tongue, put in a pot, cover with hot water, add a cup of white wine vinegar, two carrots, two onions, a bay leaf, a few cloves, a crushed garlic clove, some thyme, the green tops of a bunch of celery, and some salt. simmer slowly for three hours, or until when pricked with a fork it has the consistency of jelly. then peel and trim. reduce the broth, and make a brown gravy, adding a glass of madeira wine. in another pan boil a dozen or so small onions. glacé and simmer them in plenty of butter, but do not brown, add a can of mushroom heads and quarter of a pound of salt pork that has been boiled and diced, and simmer again. add two tablespoonfuls of minced parsley and a wine glass of sherry, then mix with the brown madeira sauce. put the whole tongue on a platter, and pour the sauce over it. march breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with maraschino fried tomcods, tartar broiled honeycomb tripe celery root, field and beet salad lyonnaise potatoes cherry tart coffee dinner potage lamballe radishes bass, dijonaise roast chicken fonds d'artichauts, feypell julienne potatoes sliced tomatoes, french dressing vanilla ice cream cakes coffee =bass, dijonaise.= put four fillets of bass in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with two finely-chopped shallots, add one-half cup of water, cover, and put in hot oven for fifteen minutes. then place the fillets on a platter, and reduce the broth until nearly dry, add one spoonful of french mustard and two cups of cream sauce, and boil for two minutes. add some chopped chives, and pour over the fish. =fonds d'artichauts, feypell.= (artichoke bottoms, feypell). remove the leaves, and trim the bottoms of twelve boiled artichokes. cut six of them into one-half inch squares. prepare one cup of purée of fresh mushrooms and one-half cup of grated cheese. put in a sauté pan one ounce of fresh butter, and when hot add the cut-up artichoke bottoms, and season with salt and pepper. fry until of a light golden yellow color, then add the grated cheese, mix well, add the mushrooms purée, and boil for a minute or two. finally stir in the yolk of an egg, mixing quickly, and a little chopped parsley. cover thickly the six whole artichoke bottoms with this filling, place on a buttered dish or pan, lay a thin slice of raw bacon about an inch and a half long on top of each, and put in the oven and bake. serve as a vegetable course with madeira or tomato sauce, or as a garnish, plain. =canapé st. francis.= trim small pieces of toast, and cut in fancy shapes, or circular. spread with caviar. place a slice of tomato on top and over this strips of caviar. place on lettuce leaves that have been dressed with french dressing mixed with finely-chopped herbs. =potatoes ritz.= allow one large potato for each individual. peel, and cut into half-inch dices. boil in salt water for ten minutes, drain, and brown with butter. when done the potatoes should be in small free pieces, and browned on all sides. march breakfast grapefruit marmalade buckwheat cakes breakfast sausages maple syrup rolls coffee luncheon eggs gastronome calf's brains au beurre noir persillade potatoes hearts of lettuce, french dressing french pastry coffee dinner toke point oysters, mignonette potage mongol ripe california olives fillet of sole, villeroi roast loin of lamb, mint sauce asparagus polonaise potato salad savarin aux fruits coffee supper yorkshire buck coffee =eggs gastronome.= boil six eggs until hard, remove the shells, and cut in two lengthwise. chop up the yolks and put in a bowl. chop very fine one can of french mushrooms, and add to the yolks, season with salt and pepper, add the raw yolk of one egg, one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs and a little chopped parsley, and mix well. fill the hard-boiled whites with this filling, put on a platter, cover with brown gravy and bake in oven. =calf's brains au beurre noir.= put two calf's brains in cold water and leave for one hour; then remove the reddish-black outside skin with the fingers, and put again in fresh cold water so the blood will run out, and the brains remain white after being cooked. now put in a casserole two quarts of water, a heaping spoonful of salt, one-half glass of vinegar, two onions, one-half of a carrot, and a bouquet garni. boil for five minutes, and then add the brains and boil for two minutes, then let it stand in the hot broth for about one-half hour. then remove the brains, cut in two lengthwise and lay on a platter, sprinkle with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, one spoonful of french capers, and a little chopped parsley, chives and chervil. put in a frying pan three ounces of sweet butter and cook until very dark brown, nearly black; and pour over the brains. then put in the same pan one-third of a cup of vinegar, let it become hot, and pour over the brains also. =potatoes persillade.= cut two dozen potatoes to the shape of a small egg. put in a pot, cover with cold water, add a spoonful of salt, and boil slowly so they will not break. when they are nearly soft drain off the water, add one ounce of butter, cover, and simmer until the butter is melted. then sprinkle with chopped parsley. =fillet of sole, villeroi.= put the fillets of à large sole in a buttered pan, add some salt and a glass of milk, bring to a boil, and then set on the side of the stove for ten minutes; then remove the fish to a platter. mix in a cup one spoonful of flour and one spoonful of butter; add this to the broth in the pan from which the fish has been removed, and boil for five minutes; then add one cup of cream, and two ounces of sweet butter and whip well until melted, season with salt and pepper, and strain over the fish. =asparagus polonaise.= put four pounds of boiled fresh asparagus, (for four persons), on a platter. in a frying pan put three ounces of fresh butter, and one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs, and fry until the crumbs are golden yellow. then pour over the tips of the asparagus, sprinkle with a little pepper and chopped parsley. a hard-boiled egg chopped fine, may be added if desired. =boiled fresh asparagus.= fresh asparagus should be peeled very thin with a sharp knife, and well washed. if to be served hot, put in boiling salt water over a hot fire about twenty minutes before serving. they should not be cooked in advance. if to be served cold, as soon as the asparagus is done pour a glass of cold water over them so they will not continue cooking and become too soft. allow to cool in the broth, and before serving lay on a towel or napkin to allow the water to drip off. march breakfast baked beans, boston style brown bread buttermilk coffee luncheon omelet with oysters veal chops, sauté in butter purée of salad camembert cheese, crackers coffee dinner little neck clams chicken okra soup salted almonds aiguillettes of bass, massena vol au vent toulouse roast capon, giblet sauce stewed asparagus château potatoes endives salad parfait napolitain assorted cakes coffee =purée of salad.= (vegetable). boil in salted water, lettuce or any other kind of green salad. when done drain off the water and press through a fine colander. add butter and a little cream. =aiguillettes of bass, massena.= put four fillets of bass in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper; add one-half glass of white wine and one-half glass of stock, bouillon, fish broth or water, cover with buttered paper, and put in oven to bake. when done place the aiguillettes on a platter and cover with the following sauce: heat one and one-half ounces of butter in a sauce pan, add one spoonful of flour and allow to become brown, add the fish broth left from cooking the bass, one spoonful of meat extract, and one-half spoonful of worcestershire sauce. boil for ten minutes, then add one-half teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, and strain through cheese cloth. boil one dozen clams and cut in two; cut half of the tail of a lobster in small squares, and six heads of mushrooms cut in two. put all of this in the strained sauce, and season well. =giblet sauce.= clean the giblets of chickens, turkeys, or other fowl, boil in salt water, and chop. put in casserole two chopped onions, and two ounces of butter, and simmer for ten minutes, or until soft and yellow. then add one tablespoonful of flour, and simmer again until brown. add the gravy from a roast, the chopped giblets and a little of the water the giblets were boiled in. cook for half an hour, season with salt and pepper and chopped parsley. a little sherry wine may be added before serving, if desired. =stewed asparagus.= cut up some asparagus tips and cook in a casserole in salt water until soft. mix a spoonful of flour and one ounce of butter and add to the asparagus, with some of the water used for boiling. use only enough water to cover the asparagus. sprinkle with chopped parsley and pepper, and serve in a deep dish. =white bean soup.= soak a quart of beans over night. put in a vessel with four quarts of water, or a mild soup stock. add a half pound of lean bacon, and a shinbone, if desired. start to boil rapidly, then remove to back of stove and cook for several hours until the beans drop to pieces. skim from time to time. meanwhile chop very fine an onion, a carrot and a stalk of celery, and simmer in butter until they take on a slightly brown color. add a spoonful of flour, a potato cut in small dices, and the water from the beans. strain the beans, and to the purée add the cooked vegetables; cut the bacon in small pieces, and cook all together for twenty minutes. season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley. march breakfast bananas with cream scrambled eggs with asparagus tips toast coffee luncheon crab salad consommé in cups cheese straws fried whitebait, rémoulade lamb chops sauté potatoes escarole and chicory salad roquefort cheese, crackers coffee dinner pot au feu loin of pork, baker's oven style mashed turnips celery root and field salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =fried whitebait.= wash the whitebait well and dry on a towel or napkin. roll in milk, then in flour, and fry in very hot swimming lard, just enough to make them crisp. lay them on a napkin, sprinkle with salt, and garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons. serve brown bread and butter sandwiches and sauce tartar or rémoulade. =pot au feu.= put in a pot one brisket of beef; or five pounds of short ribs of beef; two gallons of cold water, and a handful of salt. bring slowly to a boil and skim well, so the broth will remain clear. when the boiling point is reached add two whole carrots, two turnips, three stalks of leeks, one stalk of celery, a bouquet garni, one small head of savoy cabbage, and two large onions, all well washed. bring to the boiling point again, cover, and put on the side of the stove where it will simmer slowly. the vegetables will be done before the meat, so when they are cooked remove them and throw out the bouquet garni. let the beef cook until very soft. cut the vegetables, with the exception of the onions, in thin slices; and when the beef is done strain the broth over the vegetables. give it another boil, season well, add some chopped chervil, and serve with toasted bread crusts, separate. the boiled beef may be served as an extra course, usually after the soup, if no fish is served. =loin of pork, baker's oven style.= for à large family, take eight pounds of pork ribs, season with salt and pepper, rub with a piece of garlic thoroughly, and put into a stoneware pot. cut six large potatoes in strips lengthwise and one inch square, slice three onions and add, with three pints of water, a bay leaf and two cloves, to the meat. your baker will bake it for you in a brick oven, and it will be a dish quite different from the usual roasted pork. if necessary, put it in your own oven, baking for not less than four hours with a slow, even fire. however, it is preferable to have it baked in a brick oven. =fried chicken, vienna style.= cut a chicken in six pieces; two legs, two wings, and two pieces of breast. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in fresh bread crumbs. put in a sauté pan in two spoonfuls of hot butter, and fry. when done dish up on a platter, garnish with corn fritters, and serve sauce suprême separate. =peas, farmer style.= shell enough peas to make two cupsful. take twelve firm large asparagus tips, an onion, a firm head of lettuce cut fine, six small french carrots cut in two, three ounces of butter, a pinch of salt and one of sugar. add enough water to cover, and simmer slowly until all the vegetables are thoroughly done. march breakfast grapefruit fried eggs dry toast english breakfast tea luncheon sardines, vinaigrette paprika schnitzel with spätzel german apple cake coffee dinner blue point oysters on half shell purée paysanne pompano sauté, meunière tame duckling, apple sauce young beets in butter sweet potatoes sauté waldorf salad lemon pie coffee =sardines, vinaigrette.= remove the skins from a can of sardines, and arrange on a platter, on a lettuce leaf. sprinkle with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, pour a spoonful of vinaigre and one of olive oil over them, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. garnish with a lemon cut in half, two hard-boiled eggs cut in two, some chopped onion on a small leaf of lettuce, and another small leaf filled with small french capers. =purée paysanne.= (soup). slice a carrot, an onion, a turnip, one-half of a stalk of celery, two stalks of leeks, three leaves of cabbage, one-half pound of squash or other fresh vegetable such as asparagus or tomatoes. put them in a vessel with one-half pound of fresh peas, and one-quarter pound of fresh lima beans. cover with two quarts of bouillon and cook until soft. strain through a fine colander, put back in the vessel, bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, add two ounces of butter and mix well. =young beets in butter.= cut some young boiled beets in thin slices, put in sauté pan with butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. =fillet of sole, villeroi.= put the fillets of à large sole in a buttered pan, add some salt and a glass of milk, and bring to a boil, then set on side of stove for ten minutes. then remove the fillets to a platter. mix in a cup one spoonful of flour and one spoonful of butter, and add this to the milk broth in the pan, which has been kept boiling, and cook for five minutes. then add one cup of cream and two ounces of sweet butter, whip well until melted, season with salt and pepper, and strain over the fish. =sponge cake.= one-half pound of sugar, six yolks of egg and six whole eggs, one-half pound of flour, and flavoring. beat the eggs and yolks and sugar over a slow fire until blood warm. then remove and continue beating until cold and very light and spongy. then add the flour and vanilla, or other flavoring, and mix lightly. put into paper-lined moulds or pan, and bake in medium hot oven. serve with powdered sugar dusted on top, or frosted. =caroline cake.= (chocolate or coffee). make a dough as for cream puffs, and dress on a pan in drops about quarter the size as for regular cream puffs. bake in a moderate oven; when done make a hole in the bottom of each with a pointed stick, and fill with pastry cream, or sweetened whipped cream. place on a wire grill about one-quarter inch apart, and glacé with chocolate or coffee icing. let the icing dry, and serve in paper cases. march breakfast fresh strawberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast chocolate with whipped cream luncheon eggs princesse chicken sauté, hongroise mashed potatoes lettuce salad brie cheese and crackers coffee dinner little neck clams consommé camino fillet of bass, menton roast leg of lamb string beans château potatoes chiffonnade salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs princesse.= put some purée of fresh mushrooms in the bottom of small croustades, lay a poached egg on top, and cover with sauce périgueux. =chicken sauté, hongroise.= joint a chicken and put in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter, season with salt and a little paprika, simmer for five minutes; then add a sliced onion and simmer slowly for ten minutes with the cover over the pan. then add a cup of cream and cook for four minutes, and add one-half cup of cream sauce. remove the chicken to a platter, pour the sauce over it, and garnish both ends of the platter with macédoine of vegetables. =macédoine of vegetables.= macédoine is a mixture of vegetables, and may be obtained in cans, but is easily made at home. if the canned sort is used drain off the juice, put in casserole in cold water, bring to a boil, and then drain off the water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a minute or so. to make macédoine, use equal parts of carrots, turnips, string beans, cut in squares about one-quarter inch in diameter, and peas and flageolet beans. boil each separately in salt water, and mix afterwards, season with salt and pepper and one ounce of butter, and simmer as above. flageolet beans come in cans, or dry like dry peas. they may be omitted if desired. =consommé camino.= boil one-quarter of a pound of macaroni in salt water; when soft, drain, and cool in cold water. then cut in small pieces about one-half inch in length, and serve in a quart of consommé. serve grated cheese separate. =fillet of bass, menton.= cut four fillets of bass; and prepare some fish dumpling mixture. spread some of the mixture over the fillets, and fold in half, place in buttered sauté pan, add a little salt and one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and place in oven for fifteen minutes. dish up on a platter and cover with white wine sauce. =beans, normandy.= soak two pounds beans over night, then put to boil with three pints of water, sliced carrot, a yellow turnip, an onion, and a bouquet garni, season with salt, and cook for an hour. put two big spoonfuls of butter and a spoonful of flour in a pan, and make a creamy sauce by adding the water from the beans. now fill a baking dish; first à layer of sliced potatoes mixed with minced onions, then the semi-cooked beans, then potatoes, and so on until filled. then add half a glass of white vinegar and bake until the potatoes are done, by which time the beans will be done also. march breakfast baked apple with cream fried hominy bar le duc jelly rolls coffee luncheon oranges en suprême clam broth in cup fillet of sole, orly tripe and oysters in cream baked potatoes diplomate pudding coffee dinner cream of celery pompano, café anglaise chicken sauté, portugaise fresh asparagus, hollandaise julienne potatoes romaine salad sponge cake compote of mixed fruits coffee =orange en suprême.= slice six oranges, put in bowl with three spoonfuls of powdered sugar and two ponys of curaçao, let stand for thirty minutes, and serve in suprême glasses. =fillet of sole, orly.= roll four fillets of sole in the form of cigars, put in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs, and fry in hot swimming lard. when done lay on napkin, garnish with quartered lemon and fried parsley, and serve tomato sauce separate. =diplomate pudding.= take sponge, or any kind of left over cake and cut in small pieces, using enough to fill a pudding mould. add about a teaspoonful of chopped candied fruit to each person. make a custard with one quart of milk, six eggs and a half pound of sugar; pour over the cake in the mould, and bake. serve with brandy sauce with some chopped candied fruit in it. =pompano, café anglaise.= put four small whole pompano and four fillets of pompano in a buttered sauté pan, and season with salt and pepper. put in another vessel one dozen clams and one dozen oysters, with their own juice, and bring to a boil. then strain the broth over the pompano and boil until done. remove the fish to platter, reduce the broth, then add one cup of cream sauce and one cup of white wine sauce, and strain. put the oysters and clams and one dozen écrevisse tails in the sauce and pour over the fish. the sauce should be well seasoned. garnish with small fried fillets of sole. =small fried fillets of sole.= cut fillets of sole into small strips about one-quarter inch thick and two inches long, roll in milk and then in flour, and fry in hot swimming lard. when crisp take out of the fat and sprinkle with salt. serve with tartar sauce as fried fillet of sole, or use as a garnish for fish. =chicken sauté, portugaise.= joint a chicken and season with salt and pepper. put in sauté pan one spoonful of olive oil and one of butter, heat, add the chicken, and sauté until golden yellow; then add three finely chopped shallots and simmer for a minute; add one can of french, or one-half pound of fresh mushrooms sauté in butter; two peeled and quartered tomatoes, or the same amount of canned ones, using the pulp only, and simmer for five minutes. add one cup of tomato sauce, and simmer again for five minutes. put the chicken on a platter, pour the sauce with its garnishing on top, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. a little chopped garlic may be added at the same time as the chopped shallots, if desired. march breakfast preserved figs with cream scrambled eggs with parsley puff paste crescents oolong tea luncheon eggs du barry boiled ham, leonard stewed tomatoes, brazilian mashed potatoes roquefort cheese, crackers coffee dinner velvet soup ripe california olives skatefish au beurre noir baked chicken with rice chiffonnade salad bavarois à la vanille assorted cakes coffee =baked chicken with rice.= put in a saucepan a fat hen with all of its fat, cover with hot water, season with salt, and when it comes to a boil, skim off the foam but leave the fat. add a soup bouquet with the addition of some spices and a bay leaf. when the hen is half done, which will be in about an hour, remove the bouquet, and add a cup of washed rice. boil until the rice is nearly done, by which time it has absorbed most of the broth; then put into a porcelain baking dish and bake until brown. =eggs du barry.= line an egg cocotte with a forcemeat made of truffles and beef tongue, drop an egg into this, set the dish in hot water and cook in the oven for from five to ten minutes. when done cover with hot purée of cauliflower. =purée of cauliflower.= boil a head of cauliflower in salted water. when soft drain off the water and press the cauliflower through a fine colander. season with salt and pepper, and add a spoonful of cream sauce. =forcemeat of truffles and tongue.= put through a fine sieve two slices of beef tongue, then add a truffle chopped fine, the yolk of one egg, and a little pepper. =boiled ham, à la leonard.= soak a smoked ham in cold water for twelve hours, after having cut off the handle bone and shortening the hip bone. set on the fire and bring to the boiling point very gradually, then drain off the water, and replace with water of tepid warmth. add four or five carrots, two bay leaves, a small bunch of thyme, sage and basil and a bunch of celery tops, all tied in a bunch. season with mace, cloves and pepper berries, let it come to bubbling heat, and then set on back of stove, where it may simmer at an even temperature. when done; allowing about a quarter of an hour for each pound of meat; peel, and serve with a sauce made of some clear soup stock, madeira sauce, three spoonfuls of molasses and a spoonful of french mustard. the ham should be basted frequently while cooking. =velvet soup.= mince fine the red part of a few carrots, stew them with butter, salt, sugar and a little broth. when done strain through a sieve. put a quart of clear broth on to boil, mix in four tablespoonfuls of tapioca, let it stand for twenty-five minutes on the side of the fire, skimming well. at the last minute before serving add the carrot purée, season, boil up once or twice more, and serve in a tureen. =tomato stew, brazilian.= dice a piece of white bread and simmer with two ounces of butter, slightly browning it. add four peeled tomatoes and a can of lima beans with the water drained off, and season. then add a half cup of chicken broth or well-flavored stock, and simmer for twenty minutes. march breakfast strawberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon raisin cocktail consommé in cups broiled shad roe with bacon cold roast beef cole slaw french pastry coffee dinner purée céléstine radishes paupiettes of bass mutton chops, milanaise peas, farmer style homemade apple pudding coffee =broiled shad roe with bacon.= season four shad roes with salt and pepper, lay in oil, and broil. when done place on platter and cover with maître d'hôtel sauce. lay eight crisp-broiled slices of bacon on top of the roe, and garnish with quartered lemon and parsley. =purée céléstine.= same as purée of potatoes. =purée of potatoes.= peel four well-washed white potatoes, and cut in pieces. put in a vessel with one quart of stock and two cut-up stalks of leeks, and boil until done. then strain through a fine sieve, put back in vessel, season with salt and pepper, add two ounces of butter, and stir well until the butter is melted. =paupiettes of bass.= cut four fillets of bass about one-quarter of an inch thick, two inches wide and six inches long. lay them flat on the table and spread with a thin layer of fish dumpling preparation. roll them up and place standing in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and white pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of stock or hot water, cover with buttered paper, and put in oven for fifteen minutes. then remove the fish to a platter, reduce the broth until nearly dry, add one pint of white wine sauce, strain, and pour over the fish. decorate the tops with chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped parsley, and lobster corals chopped very fine. =lobster corals.= in lobsters may be found a solid red substance which is known as lobster corals. remove the corals from a boiled lobster, put on a covered plate and dry on the stove until very hard. chop fine, and use for decorating fish, salads, etc. it will keep a long time in a dry place. =raisin cocktail.= soak seedless raisins in sherry wine for fifteen minutes, then put a heaping spoonful in each cocktail glass. make a sauce of tomato ketchup, tobasco sauce, celery seed, and the juice of two lemons; allowing the latter to a half pint of ketchup. add a few chopped almonds, fill the glasses and chill, or serve with ice around the glasses. =homemade apple pudding.= fry four sliced apples in a little butter and a pinch of powdered cinnamon. cut half of a five cent loaf of milk bread into small squares, mix with the apple and put in a pudding mould. mix half a pound of sugar with four eggs and one quart of milk, strain, and pour into the mould. allow to soak for a half hour, and bake in a moderate oven. =maraschino sauce for iced pudding.= one-half pint of cream, one pony of maraschino, one-quarter of a pound of sugar. beat all together until a little thick, and serve very cold. march breakfast oatmeal and cream broiled kippered herring baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon canapé st. francis eggs, carême hot buckwurst with potato salad limburger cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage eliza terrapin, maryland beef tongue, parisian style potatoes ritz beans, normandy hearts of lettuce savarin au kirsch coffee =broiled kippered herring.= kippered herring may be obtained in cans. dip in oil and broil very lightly, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with lemon and parsley. =eggs, carême.= butter a shirred egg dish, crack two eggs into it, and season with salt and pepper. slice a truffle and a few canned mushrooms, mix with a little cream sauce, and pour over the eggs. bake in oven. =hot buckwurst.= secure the buckwurst from your butcher, lay them in boiling water for ten minutes, but do not let the water boil after they have been put in it. =potage eliza.= same as potage santé. =how to boil terrapin.= put two live terrapin into boiling water and leave for two minutes. then remove the outer skin from the feet, neck and head, with a towel. put the terrapin in a kettle with two quarts of cold water, an onion, a carrot, a bay leaf, and one clove, and boil until the feet are soft. the time required depends upon the age of the terrapin, some being cooked in fifteen minutes, and others requiring two or three hours. when done open the shell, take out all the meat, and the liver, removing the gall from the latter with scissors. remove the tail and claws and head. cut up the legs in inch-long pieces, or at the joints, as preferred. reduce the broth by boiling down to about a cupful, and put in a jar with the meat, and add a whiskey glass of sherry wine. the terrapin is then ready to prepare in any style desired. =terrapin, maryland.= put one cup of terrapin, prepared as above, in a flat pan, add a little grated nutmeg, salt and pepper, and half a glass of dry sherry. boil until half reduced, then add a cup of thick cream, boil, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs, a quarter of a cup of thick cream and an ounce of butter beaten together. heat, but do not boil. serve in chafing dish, with dry sherry, and toast on the side. =terrapin, jockey club.= same as terrapin, maryland. before serving add two ponies of cognac and six slices of truffles. =terrapin, baltimore.= one cup of the prepared terrapin without the liver. put in saucepan with salt, pepper, nutmeg, celery salt, and a glass of dry sherry. boil for five minutes. mash the liver in a salad bowl, add the yolks of two raw eggs, one ounce of sweet butter, and strain through a fine sieve. add a cup of brown sauce to the simmering terrapin, then add the liver prepared as above, pouring in gradually. heat barely enough to thicken. before serving add half a glass of dry sherry. march breakfast fresh raspberries with cream scrambled eggs with smoked beef rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit en suprême crab meat, monza loin of pork, baker's oven style field salad prune soufflé coffee dinner little neck clams white bean soup salt codfish, nova scotia fried chicken, vienna style corn fritters mashed potatoes romaine salad diplomate pudding, glacé coffee =crab in chafing dish.= mince a shallot onion and brown slightly with two spoonfuls of butter. add a spoonful of flour, mixing well, then add a half pint of sweet milk, and stir to a smooth cream. add the meat of a california crab (or six eastern crabs) and a tablespoonful of sherry. place toast, cut in fancy shapes, on a deep platter, and cover with the crab. this is a favorite way of preparing crab. =crab meat au gratin.= shred the meat of one crab, mix with a cup of cream sauce and a little paprika, or cayenne; or if this is too strong use white pepper. fill individual baking dishes, and sprinkle the top liberally with grated parmesan cheese. bake in an oven until the top is an even brown. =crab meat, gourmet.= put a quarter of a pound of picked shrimps in a saucepan, add one ounce of butter and one-half whiskey-glassful of dry sherry wine. simmer for five minutes, then add the meat of one crab, prepared monza. =crab meat, suzette.= bake four good-sized potatoes, and cut off one side like the cover of a box. scoop the insides out with a spoon, and fill with the meat of one crab prepared in cream. sprinkle some grated parmesan or swiss cheese on top, and bake in oven until nice and brown. serve on napkins, garnished with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. =oysters or crab, à la poulette.= if for oysters, boil them in their own liquid for about five minutes. if the small california oysters are used boil for half that time. into this liquid of, say, a pint of oysters, stir a heaping teaspoonful of corn starch mixed with a half pint of white wine. then beat the yolks of two eggs with half a cup of cream, and stir slowly into the above, add two large spoonfuls of butter, and keep on the stove but do not let it boil. finally squeeze in the juice of half a small lemon. if crab is used, cut the meat in small pieces, and make the sauce in the same manner, but instead of beginning with the juice of oysters for the foundation of the sauce, begin with a cup and a half of cream and water in equal proportions, thicken with corn starch, then add the yolks of eggs, etc., as above. the oysters or the crab meat should be added last. =crab meat, à la louise.= have the crab meat thoroughly chilled, and allow one crab to three or four people, according to the size of the fish. use small fancy fish plates, or salad plates. lay on each plate some slices of the white hearts of firm heads of lettuce. lay on top some canned spanish pimentos, using the brilliant red variety, which is sweet. on top of this place the crab meat, taking care not to break it too small. over all pour french dressing made with tarragon vinegar, well-seasoned with freshly-ground black pepper. march breakfast hominy and cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon sardines with lemon clam broth in cups sand dabs, meunière plain boiled potatoes asparagus, vinaigrette edam cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage coquelin radishes and olives broiled pompano, havanaise leg of mutton, clamart rissolées potatoes lettuce and tomato salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee supper eggs pocahontas =eggs pocahontas.= fry six strips of bacon, and two dozen california, or one dozen blue point, oysters. scramble ten eggs and mix with the above. season well. =potage coquelin.= garnish purée of pea soup with chicken and leeks cut julienne style, and boiled in broth. =broiled pompano, havanaise.= serve broiled pompano with a colbert sauce, to which has been added two red peppers (pimentos), cut julienne style. pour the sauce over the fish, or serve separate, as desired. =leg of mutton, clamart.= roast leg of mutton garnished with purée of peas. serve brown gravy. =lettuce and tomato salad.= put the leaves of a head of lettuce in a salad bowl. in the center place four peeled and sliced, or quartered, tomatoes. pour one-half cup of french dressing or mayonnaise over the tomatoes. =crab meat, belle helene.= put six whole tomatoes in hot water for fifteen seconds, then cool immediately, and remove the skins. cut a hole in the tops the size of a quarter of a dollar, scoop out the insides, season the inside of the shells with salt and pepper, fill with crab meat monza, and bake in oven for ten minutes. serve on platters, garnished with parsley and quartered lemons. =prune soufflé.= wash a cupful of prunes thoroughly, and soak them over night. boil them in the water in which they were soaked, flavoring with half of a vanilla bean, and sweetened with a cupful of sugar. when done pour off and save the juice. strain the pulp through a colander or wire sieve, making a good firm purée, and about a cupful in quantity. whip the whites of six eggs until dry, then whip in the prune pulp, and bake in the same manner as an omelette soufflé. bake on a platter, formed into a symmetrical mound; or in a buttered pudding mould. serve hot or cold, with a sauce made of the flavored juice in which the prunes were cooked, or it may be served with whipped cream. other fruit may be prepared in the same manner, if desired. =salt codfish, nova scotia.= soak two pounds of salt codfish in cold water for six hours. then put in casserole in one pint of water, boil for ten minutes, drain, add one pint of créole sauce, boil slowly for five minutes, and serve hot with fresh-boiled rice. march breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs buttered toast english breakfast tea luncheon crab cocktail, victor broiled shad roe, ravigote tripe sauté, lyonnaise château potatoes escarole salad caroline cake coffee dinner clam chowder, boston style fillet of sole, under glass roast chicken julienne potatoes asparagus, hollandaise baked alaska coffee =broiled shad roe, ravigote.= broil the roe, place on a platter, and cover with a sauce made by mixing one-half cup of maître d'hôtel sauce with two chopped vinegar pickles and one teaspoonful of french mustard. =fillet of sole under glass.= cut the fillets into pieces two inches square. into a buttered shirred egg dish put a piece of toast; on top of this place the fish, season with salt and pepper, put three fresh mushroom heads on each portion of fish, add a piece of butter about the size of an egg, and over all squeeze the juice of half a lemon, and sprinkle with finely-chopped parsley. cover with a glass cover, such as used for mushrooms, put in a moderate oven and cook for twenty minutes; being careful that the oven is not hot enough to burn the toast. then take from the oven, pour velouté sauce and a spoonful of white wine over each portion, and return, to cook for another five minutes. any other fish may be substituted for sole, if desired. =clam chowder, boston style.= put fifty clams, with their liquid, into a saucepan and boil for three minutes. then set the clams aside, strain the broth and return to the fire. chop fine, a medium-sized onion, and cut into dice four slices of salt pork. put a piece of butter into a pan, and fry the pork and onion until light brown in color; stir in two tablespoonfuls of flour and cook thoroughly, add the clam juice, a half pint of rich soup stock, and the same amount of cream, a couple of diced potatoes, and a bit of thyme if the flavor is liked. cook for about ten minutes. chop the clams, and add last of all, as they do not require much cooking. just before serving add a few hard crackers broken into bits. =crab cocktail, victor.= place a boiled crab on ice and chill thoroughly, then remove the meat, taking care not to break the pieces more than necessary. make a sauce with three-quarters of a cup of tomato ketchup, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, and a good pinch of freshly-ground pepper. mix with the crab meat, fill the cocktail glasses, place them in cracked ice, and serve. =baked alaska.= (individual). slice some sponge cake about one-half inch thick, and cut with a round cutter two inches in diameter. place the discs of cake on a silver platter, put a ball of vanilla cream in the center of each, and cover with meringue paste. make the meringue with the whites of four eggs, beaten well and mixed with one-half pound of powdered sugar. use a pastry bag with a fancy tube, and cover carefully; dust with powdered sugar, and bake in a very hot oven for a couple of minutes. put a french cherry on top of each before serving. march breakfast fresh strawberries with cream bacon with eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries chicken broth with rice crab meat, gourmet rolled veal, huguenin onions, hongroise camembert cheese, crackers coffee dinner toke points on half shell potage esau shrimps with mushrooms rack of lamb, mint sauce string beans potato croquettes chiffonnade salad peach melba assorted cakes coffee =rolled veal, huguenin.= cut four thin slices of veal and flatten out smoothly. chop fine two young green onions and two slices of bacon; and crush and chop fine, half of a clove of garlic, add a little pepper, and spread over the veal, roll up tight and tie with a string. in a saucepan put a piece of butter the size of an egg, and the veal, and simmer for three-quarters of an hour, basting frequently. before serving season with salt and sprinkle with parsley. =shrimps with mushrooms.= fry two cups of shrimps and half a cup of fresh mushrooms in plenty of butter. season with nutmeg, salt and pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. add two spoonfuls of tomato sauce, half a cup of stock, and a few bread crumbs. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =onions, hongroise.= chop fine à large bermuda onion, cover with water, and cook until tender. drain, add half a pound of fresh cream cheese, a pint of sweet cream, à large can of pimentos, and a teaspoonful of paprika. serve in a chafing dish. do not salt. =peach melba.= peel some large fresh peaches, and cook them whole in a light syrup; or use whole preserved peaches. from vanilla ice cream, that is frozen very hard, cut some round pieces about three inches in diameter and an inch thick. place the ice cream on plates, place a peach on the center of each, and pour melba sauce over them. =raspberry melba sauce.= mix well a half pint of strained raspberry pulp, the juice of one lemon, and half a pound of powdered sugar; place in an earthen pot and let it set over night. then pack in ice, stir well, add a cup of powdered sugar, and stir every half hour until smooth and thick. keep in ice until used. =potage esau.= same as purée of lentils. =diplomate pudding glacé.= mix in a bowl one pint of preserved fruit; or fresh fruit that has been cooked in syrup; cut in small dices, add a pony of kirsch and one of maraschino, and allow to macerate for one hour. beat the yolks of four eggs with a quarter of a pound of sugar and half of a split vanilla bean, over the fire, until light and creamy; then remove from the fire and continue beating until cold. then add one pint of whipped cream and the prepared fruit, and mix well together. put in a pudding mould, pack in ice and rock salt, and freeze for about two hours. serve with cold brandy sauce with chopped fruit in it. march breakfast preserved figs omelet with tomatoes rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés sand dabs, meunière broiled rump steak french fried potatoes smothered onions romaine salad eclairs coffee dinner viennese bean soup crab meat en bellevue chicken, tyrolienne boiled rice asparagus, hollandaise strawberry pie coffee =viennese bean soup.= wash a pint of beans, then put them in water and let them soak over night. then put in a vessel with three quarts of water and a quarter of a pound of lean salt pork, and cook slowly for three hours, by which time the beans should be done. meanwhile mince an onion, à large carrot, and a stalk of celery; fry them in butter, but do not brown. add a spoonful of flour and two cups of the beans, making a thick sauce; add this to the beans in the pot, and cook slowly for another hour. season to taste, and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. cut the pork in very thin slices, and serve one slice to each plate. =chicken, tyrolienne.= joint a tender fowl, and dust lightly with flour. put into a pan with plenty of butter, and simmer slowly for about fifteen minutes, turning frequently so it will become brown on all sides. then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, add a spoonful of sherry and half a cup of brown gravy, a slice of boiled ham diced fine, and one large tomato cut in small pieces. simmer slowly again for ten minutes. dish up on a platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish with apples fried in butter. =peach pie.= slice about five peaches for each pie, add sugar and cinnamon to taste, cover, and finish in the same manner as apple pie. for preserved peaches very little sugar is required. =apricot, pear and pineapple pies.= make in the same manner as peach pie. =strawberry pie.= clean and wash the berries, and add three ounces of sugar for each pie. line the pie plate with dough, and put a handful of biscuit crumbs on the bottom, before putting in the berries. the crumbs will prevent the juice from running. =raspberry, blackberry, huckleberry, gooseberry, currant, grape and cherry pies=, prepare in the same manner as strawberry pie. =english gooseberry pie.= fill a deep china vegetable dish with gooseberries, add one-quarter pound of sugar and two cloves to each individual dish, wet the edges of the dish, cover with pie dough, wash the top with eggs, and bake. when done dust the top with powdered sugar, allow to cool, and serve cream separate. =english huckleberry or currant pie=, same as english gooseberry pie. =english rhubarb pie.= remove the outer skin from rhubarb, cut in small pieces, and prepare the same as english gooseberry pie. =english grape pie.= same as gooseberry but use a little less sugar. march breakfast sliced oranges omelet with kidneys rolls coffee luncheon indian canapé rack of lamb, jardinière lettuce salad floating island lady fingers coffee dinner cream of chicken, à la reine queen olives fillet of rock cod, nantaise sweetbreads braisé, henri iv julienne potatoes fresh artichokes, sauce mousseline pâté de foie gras lettuce salad pudding à la rossini coffee =omelet with kidneys.= make a plain omelet, and before turning over on platter put a small spoonful of kidney stew (see kidney stew), in the center. put some stewed kidneys at each end of the omelet. =rack of lamb.= have the butcher cut a rack of lamb consisting of about ten chops. season with salt and pepper, and put in a small roasting pan with a sliced onion and carrot, and two ounces of butter. put in a hot oven to roast, basting every few seconds so it will not become dry. if necessary, add a spoonful of water to prevent the vegetables from burning. after twenty minutes remove the lamb to a platter, and add a spoonful of flour to the pan, and simmer for five minutes; then add one cup of stock or hot water, and one spoonful of meat extract. season, strain, and pour over the rack of lamb. garnish with fresh watercress. =rack of lamb, jardinière.= garnish the rack of lamb with a bouquet of peas, and a bouquet of string beans, cauliflower, spring carrots in butter, or any kind of fresh vegetables. some kind of potatoes, such as parisian, julienne, etc., may be added, if desired. =sweetbreads braisé, henry iv.= braised sweetbreads with sauce béarnaise, garnished with julienne potatoes, and sliced truffles cut in triangles, placed on top of the sweetbreads. =pudding à la rossini.= cut six large thin pancakes in strips one inch wide, and line a buttered pudding mould with them, one overlapping the other. boil a pint of milk, add one-quarter of a pound of flour to it, and stir well to a thick batter; then remove from the fire, whip in one-quarter pound of sugar and two ounces of butter, two ounces of grated cocoanut, the rind of a lemon, and the yolks of six eggs. beat the whites of six eggs very stiff and add, mixing lightly. fill the lined pudding mould, and bake in a slow oven for about forty minutes. serve hot, with orange sauce. =orange sauce.= boil together one pint of water, one-half pound of sugar, and the grated rind of an orange. while boiling, stir in one teaspoonful of corn starch dissolved in a little cold water, boil for a few minutes, remove from the fire and add the juice of one or two oranges. strain. =lemon sauce.= same as orange sauce, using lemons instead of oranges, and in the same proportions. =fillet of rock cod, nantaise.= season four fillets of rock cod with salt and pepper, dip in oil and broil. when done place on platter and cover with the following butter: press six sardines through a fine sieve, mix with two ounces of butter, the juice of two lemons, and some chopped parsley. march breakfast fresh strawberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon matjes herring, potato salad chicken croquettes, cream sauce asparagus tips tapioca pudding coffee dinner giblet soup, à l'anglaise radishes terrapin, jockey club baby lamb steak, horticulture escarole salad bavarois noisettes alsatian wafers coffee =matjes herring.= this is an imported salted herring. lay six herrings in cold water for an hour, and then clean. put them in a stone pot, add a sliced onion, one-quarter cup of whole black pepper berries, two bay leaves, four cloves, one-half cup of vinegar, two cups of cream, and a little salt if necessary. allow to stand for a couple of days, and then serve on lettuce leaves, with its own sauce, and with sliced lemon on top. =baby lamb steak, horticulture.= cut a steak from the leg of a spring lamb, season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done dish up on a platter, cover with madeira sauce, and garnish with different vegetables, such as peas, carrots, stuffed tomatoes, stuffed peppers, string beans, cauliflower, asparagus tips, artichokes, etc. arrange the vegetables in bouquets, and use as many kinds as you desire. =bavarois noisette.= the yolks of eight eggs, one quart of milk, one-half of a split vanilla bean, one-half pound of sugar, one-quarter pound of ground hazelnuts, one pint of whipped cream, and five sheets of french gelatine. boil the milk with the vanilla. roast the hazelnuts, grind, or chop them very fine, and mix with the yolks of eggs and sugar. add the boiling milk, and stir over the fire until it thickens, but do not let it boil. remove from the fire and add the gelatine (which has been washed) in cold water, and stir with a spoon until melted. allow to become cold, remove the vanilla bean, add the whipped cream, mix well, put in a fancy mould, and set in the ice box for two hours. serve with whipped cream with chopped hazelnuts in it. =indian canapé.= use one hard-boiled egg for each person to be served, and force through a sieve. for six eggs add a quarter of a pound of sweet butter, a half teaspoonful of curry, and beat into a smooth paste. toward the last add a tablespoonful of cream. spread over toast, and place a little chopped chutney on top of each. =pommes d'arbre, (apple, ).= peel and core six apples and cook them in syrup, with the addition of half of a vanilla bean. drain, and allow to become cold. make a cream sauce with half a pint of cream, two ounces of sugar, and two sheets of gelatine, and pour over the apples, coating them nice and smooth. sprinkle the top with nonpareil candies, and place in ice box. serve in suprême glasses, with vanilla cream in the bottom of the glass. march breakfast oatmeal and cream broiled kippered herrings lyonnaise potatoes rolls english breakfast tea luncheon omelet with soft clams blood pudding mashed turnips mashed potatoes roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner german lentil soup salted almonds crab meat, au gratin tournedos, rossini château potatoes chiffonade salad pommes d'arbre, assorted cakes coffee =german lentil soup.= to a purée of lentils, add before serving, some sliced frankfurter sausages, and a little bacon cut in small strips and fried. =quince jelly.= to each pound of cut-up quinces add a cup of water, put in a kettle and stew until soft. then put in a jelly bag to drain, but do not crush. add a pound of sugar to each pint of liquor, boil gently until the sugar is dissolved, then boil more quickly. pour into glasses, and when cold cover with paraffine. =preserved pears.= peel, halve, and remove the cores from bartlett or seckle pears. allow one pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. put the sugar on to melt, with a few spoonfuls of water. stick a clove in each piece of fruit, and boil in the sugar until thoroughly done. put the fruit in glass jars, cover with the syrup, and seal. the rind of one lemon to every five pounds of fruit may be used instead of the cloves, if desired, or both may be used. =pineapple preserves.= pare and slice the pineapples, then weigh out one pound of cane sugar to each pound of fruit. put à layer of the slices in a stone jar, sprinkle with the sugar, continue until fruit and sugar are used up, and allow to stand over night. then remove the pineapple and cook the syrup until it thickens, add the fruit, and boil for fifteen minutes, remove the fruit and let it cool, then put in jars and pour the syrup over it. a very little ginger root boiled in the syrup will improve it. =citron preserves.= pare some sound fruit, divide into quarters, remove the seeds, and cut in small pieces. to every pound of fruit allow one-half pound of granulated cane sugar. cook the citron in water until quite clear, then drain through a colander. melt the sugar with a few spoonfuls of water, and boil until very clear, then put in the drained citron, add two sliced large lemons, a small piece of ginger root, and cook for about fifteen minutes. fill the jars with the citron, and cover with the syrup. march breakfast honey in comb scrambled eggs with chives rolls coffee luncheon canapé of fresh astrachan caviar saddle of hare, sour cream sauce palestine potatoes spatzle green peas au beurre french pastry coffee dinner lobster chowder ripe california olives broiled barracouda roast leg of lamb, mint sauce string beans alsatian potatoes escarole salad biscuit tortoni assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs with chives.= make some plain scrambled eggs, and just before serving add some finely-cut chives, mix, and season well. =sweet potato croquettes.= boil four large potatoes in salt water, when soft, peel, and pass through a sieve. then put in a casserole, add two ounces of butter, the yolks of three eggs, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. when cold, roll in flour, shape in the form of à large cork, then roll in beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and fry in very hot swimming lard. when nice and brown serve on a napkin. =palestine potatoes.= sweet potato croquettes formed in the shape of a small pear. when fried, dress on a napkin with the pointed end up, and stick a sprig of parsley in the top. =alsatian potatoes.= put in a casserole two ounces of butter and one chopped onion, and simmer until golden yellow. add four potatoes cut in small dices, one bay leaf, one clove, one cup of water, and season with salt and pepper. cover, and simmer slowly for thirty minutes. add fresh chopped parsley before serving. =biscuit tortoni.= same as biscuit glacé, with the addition of a pony of good maraschino and two ounces of macaroon crumbs. to make the crumbs, crush some dry macaroons and pass through a sieve or colander. put in round paper cases, filling above the edge, and allow to set in ice box for several hours until frozen. dip the top of the biscuit in macaroon crumbs before serving. =saddle of hare, sour cream sauce.= remove the skins from the saddles of two hares, and lard them with thin strips of larding pork. put them in an agate pan, add a little salt, and one-half cup of whole black peppers wrapped in cheese cloth. cover with from two to three quarts of sour cream, and stand in a cool place for forty-eight hours. then put the saddles in a roasting pan with a sliced onion and carrot, and a little butter on top, and roast in a hot oven for about ten minutes, or until brown. then strain the sour cream, and add little by little to the saddles, while roasting. baste continually, and after forty minutes you should have a nice brown sauce. remove the saddles to a platter, reduce the sauce one-half, season with salt if necessary, and a little paprika, strain part over the saddles, and serve the remainder in a bowl. march breakfast hothouse raspberries with cream browned corned beef hash poached eggs on toast rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries frogs' legs, sauté à sec lamb chops watercress salad french fried potatoes camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner petite marmite radishes crab à la louis boiled beef, horseradish sauce boiled potatoes stuffed cabbage hearts of lettuce salad apple water ice cakes coffee =corned beef hash.= chop an onion very fine and put in a casserole with two ounces of butter. simmer until the onion is cooked, then add two pounds of boiled corned beef cut in small dices, and one pound of boiled potatoes cut very small, or chopped. mix well, season with a little pepper, and salt if necessary, add one cup of bouillon, and simmer for ten minutes. before serving add a little chopped parsley. =browned corned beef hash.= same as above, but use only one-half cup of bouillon. before serving put the hash in a frying pan with two ounces of butter, and allow it to brown. serve in the shape of an omelet. =corned beef hash au gratin.= make a corned beef hash and put in a buttered, deep, silver vegetable dish, sprinkle with bread crumbs, put a small piece of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =lamb cutlets in papers.= fry the cutlets in a sauté pan, in melted fat pork, turning frequently. brown only slightly, allowing them to remain rare. then remove the cutlets, and in the fat simmer some minced onions, mushrooms and parsley for a few minutes. when nearly done add some shredded lean ham. now prepare some oiled paper, tearing it heart-shaped, lay the cutlet on one half, surrounding it with the minced herbs, with a little on top also; then fold over the paper, creasing the edges together like a hem. lay on a buttered dish, and set in oven until nicely colored. =purée of onions (soubise).= peel and slice one dozen large white onions, put in a casserole with one-quarter pound of butter, cover, and put in oven for about forty-five minutes, or until soft; but do not allow them to become brown. then drain off the butter and add one pint of thick cream sauce, season well with salt and white pepper, and strain through a fine sieve. =apple water ice.= see normandy water ice. april breakfast fresh strawberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon canapé romanoff eggs, voltaire tripe à la mode de caën baked potatoes coffee éclairs demi tasse dinner cream of chicken, reine hortense ripe olives terrapin baltimore roast saddle of mutton château potatoes braised sweetbreads, marie louise lettuce salad pears in syrup lady fingers coffee supper venetian egg in chafing dish =venetian egg in chafing dish.= mince an onion and cook in sauté pan in two ounces of butter, then add half a can of firm tomatoes and cook for twenty minutes. add a pound of eastern cheese, broken into small bits; season with salt, paprika, a little worcestershire sauce, and half a teaspoonful of mustard. stir continuously. last, add three lightly beaten eggs, and stir until thick. it should be of the same consistency as a welsh rabbit. serve either with, or on, toast or toasted crackers. =eggs, voltaire.= in the bottom of a buttered cocotte or egg dish place a spoonful of chicken hash, on top break a raw egg, and season. cover with cream sauce and grated cheese. bake until the tops are brown. =cream of chicken, reine hortense.= make a cream of chicken soup in the usual way. take a cup of peeled almonds to each quart of the soup, pound into a pulp in a mortar, pulverizing thoroughly; mix with milk, strain, and add to the soup. =canapé romanoff.= mix a boxful of smoked norwegian sardines with three ounces of hot butter, mash fine, and force through a sieve. stir in four spoonfuls of cream, and spread over toast cut in fancy shapes. garnish with ripe and green olives. serve as a fancy sandwich at tea or bridge parties, or as an appetiser for dinner. =braised sweetbreads, marie louise.= soak the sweetbreads in cold water for no less than three hours, changing the water two or three times. this draws all the blood from the sweetbreads. then put into à large pot, with plenty of cold water, and bring to the boiling point; then drench with cold water to cool. in a saucepan put a sliced carrot, a sliced onion, a bay leaf, a clove, parsley in branches, a piece of salt pork rind, butter the size of half an egg, and one cup of stock or broth of any kind. place the sweetbreads on top, and place in oven and cook for half an hour, basting frequently. the sweetbreads should turn an even yellow. trim some artichoke bottoms, cut in half, and place the sweetbreads on top. mix the juice from the baked sweetbreads with a cup of cream sauce and a sherry glassful of dry sherry. pour this over the top, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and return to oven for two minutes. =pears in syrup.= make a syrup with a cup of sugar, and water enough to cover. add the juice or rind of a lemon, a few cloves, and a stick of cinnamon. quarter the pears, remove the cores, and cook in the syrup for eight or ten minutes, or until tender. old hard pears may require a half an hour or more before they are sufficiently cooked. a little claret or white wine may be added, if desired. april breakfast preserved figs with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon terrine de foie gras à la gelée eggs, texas clover broiled squab with fresh mushrooms french fried potatoes romaine salad brie cheese and crackers coffee dinner blue point oysters on half shell clear green turtle soup, au madère queen olives crab poulette roast chicken fresh asparagus, hollandaise rissolée potatoes sliced tomatoes, french dressing omelette robespierre coffee =eggs, texas clover.= chop a green pepper, put in casserole with one ounce of butter, and simmer until the peppers are soft; then add ten beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, and scramble. before serving add a dozen parboiled oysters, a little cream, and a piece of fresh butter. =terrine de foie gras à la gelée.= serve as an appetiser, cold, with meat jelly. the foie gras comes from europe, being a particular specialty of strasbourg, alsace. it is a goose liver pie, baked in terrines. =broiled squab.= split the squab, season well, roll in oil and broil. serve on a piece of freshly-made toast, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with half a lemon and watercress. =broiled squab with fresh mushrooms.= prepare as above, with the addition of four broiled heads of fresh mushrooms on top of the squab. =clear green turtle soup.= may be made from live turtle, or the florida canned turtle, which is the most common for home use. put a can of green turtle meat in a pot and bring to a boil, then drain off the broth, and save. cut the meat in one-half inch squares. in a casserole put one sprig of thyme, one sprig of sweet basilic herb, one glass of sherry, and reduce until nearly dry. then add two quarts of strong consommé, bring to a boil, and thicken with a soupspoonful of arrowroot diluted with a little cold water. add the arrowroot while the consommé is boiling. after boiling for five minutes strain through a fine cloth, put back in the casserole, add the turtle meat, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. before serving add a glass of very old madeira and the turtle juice. =omelette robespierre.= take six canned apricots, or six fresh apricots boiled in syrup, and cut in one-quarter inch squares. make an omelette with ten eggs, and with very little salt. make the omelet soft. put on a platter, sprinkle with plenty of powdered sugar, and burn with a red-hot poker. warm the apricots, and put at both ends of the omelet; pour two ponies of absinthe over the top, and light before bringing to the table. anisette liqueur may be used in place of the absinthe if more convenient. april breakfast fresh raspberries with cream broiled yarmouth bloaters potatoes hashed in cream rolls coffee luncheon eggs, st. laurent clam broth in cups planked shad and roe chicory and beet salad cream puffs demi tasse dinner oyster soup, family style radishes fillet of turbot, nesles fondante potatoes salmon steak, chambord sauce peas au cerfeuil hot baked apples macaroons coffee =poached eggs, st. laurent.= put four slices of smoked salmon on four pieces of toast, and set in oven for a minute, to warm the salmon. then lay a poached egg on each piece, and cover with cream sauce. =planked shad and roe.= split a shad and lay on a buttered plank, with the roe on the side. season with salt and pepper and bits of butter, and put in a moderate oven. after fifteen minutes turn over the roe, and leave in the oven for another two minutes. then take out and make a border around the fish with potato croquette preparation, and bake again until the border is brown. serve with maître d'hôtel butter, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =fillet of turbot, nesles.= put four fillets of turbot in a buttered pan, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, add a cup of cream, and boil for twelve minutes. then remove the fillets to a platter, add to the cream in the pan a cup of cream sauce, bring to the boiling point, then add two spoonfuls of grated cheese, and pour over the fish. have the sauce well seasoned. =fondante potatoes.= cut a quart of small potatoes to the size of pigeons' eggs, put in a casserole and cover with cold water, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. then drain off the water and put the potatoes in a flat sauté pan with two ounces of butter, and simmer very slowly until they are golden yellow. then add a spoonful of chicken broth and simmer again until nearly dry. sprinkle with fresh-chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper. =chicken sauté, chasseur.= joint a chicken, and season with salt and pepper. in a sauté pan put one ounce of butter and a spoonful of olive oil, heat, and then add the chicken. when the chicken is golden yellow add three chopped shallots, and simmer, but not enough to color the shallots. then add one gill of white wine and boil for two minutes; add one peeled and chopped tomato and half of a can of french mushrooms, and boil for ten minutes more. finally add half a dozen small onions glacé, and then dress the chicken on a platter. season the sauce well, reduce one-half, add a little chopped parsley, and pour over the chicken. =roast saddle of mutton.= secure the saddle from the butcher ready prepared for roasting. put a sliced onion and carrot in a roasting pan, place the saddle on top, season well with salt and pepper, put a piece of butter on top, and place in hot oven. bast frequently. it will require from thirty-five to forty-five minutes to roast, depending upon the thickness. when done, place the saddle on a platter, drain off the fat in the pan, add a half cup of stock and a spoonful of meat extract, and bring to a boil. strain and pour over the saddle. serve hot. april breakfast guava jelly oatmeal with cream rolls cocoa with whipped cream luncheon grapefruit and orange en surprise eggs, crossy chicken sauté, chasseur parisian potatoes endives salad soufflé au fromage coffee dinner potage solferino ripe olives brook trout, sauté meunière roast leg of lamb, mint sauce stewed asparagus rissolées potatoes neapolitan ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs, crossy.= make a cupful of purée of spinach and spread on four round pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each, and pour a little brown gravy around them. =soufflé au fromage.= heat a pint of milk in a double boiler. mix a quarter of a pound of butter with a quarter of a pound of flour, working them well together, then add to the boiling milk and cook until it thickens. remove from the fire and add the yolks of six eggs, whipping slightly. then add a quarter of a pound of grated parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper, and stir in the whites of the six eggs, which have been whipped dry. put into large, or individual, buttered moulds, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for twenty minutes. =potage solferino.= cut six fresh tomatoes in pieces and cook in half a cup of consommé until well done. strain through a fine sieve, and add to two quarts of consommé. garnish with small squares of carrots and potatoes that have been cooked separately, and peas and chervil. =brook trout, sauté meunière.= clean and wash well six small brook trout, season with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. put three ounces of butter in a frying pan, melt, add the fish and sauté till nice and brown. when done put the fish on a platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and the juice of two lemons. melt two ounces of fresh butter in the frying pan and pour over the fish. garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =stewed asparagus.= cut off two pounds of tips about one inch in length, from fresh asparagus. put in casserole and cover with a cup of bouillon, season with salt and pepper, cover, and boil slowly for about eighteen minutes. then mix half a cupful of water and a spoonful of flour, and pour slowly into the boiling asparagus. add a little chopped parsley before serving. =neapolitan ice cream.= fill a brick-shaped mould with three layers of different ices, such as pistache, vanilla and strawberry ice cream, or lemon water ice, strawberry and pistache, or chocolate, ice cream. cover mould well, and pack in ice and salt, and let stand for an hour. to serve, dip the mould in warm water and remove the ice cream, cut in slices about one inch thick, and crossways of the brick, to show the different colors. april breakfast fresh strawberries with cream waffles with maple syrup coffee luncheon poached eggs, jeanne d'arc breaded pork chops, cream sauce spaghetti caruso field salad roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner potato soup à la faubonne radishes and salted almonds clams with port wine sweetbreads braisé, clamart roast chicken sybil potatoes cold asparagus, mustard sauce almond cake coffee supper sandwich carême =sandwiches, carême.= mince fine one-half dozen sweet mixed pickles. shred the meat of one lobster, and mix with the pickles, season with salt and pepper, and add a whiskey glass of tarragon. let stand for a few minutes, then squeeze out the vinegar and add half a cup of mayonnaise. spread over toast or salted crackers. the above may be mixed with three hard-boiled eggs, and served on lettuce leaves as a salad. =clams with wine sauce.= take as many large clams as you desire to use. remove from the shells, cut away the neck, retaining only the bellies. cook in madeira wine for two or three minutes, then put in half as much sweet cream as you have wine, and heat to boiling. if for six persons, thicken with the yolks of three eggs, add another half cup of rich cream, and season with cayenne pepper and salt. serve in a chafing dish, with small thin bits of toast on the side. =potato soup, faubonne.= put one quart of purée of potato soup and one quart of consommé julienne in a casserole and bring to a boil. bind with the yolks of three eggs mixed with a cup of cream. serve with a little chopped parsley and chervil. =sweetbreads braisé, clamart.= place four sweetbreads braisé on a platter, garnish with a purée of fresh or canned peas, and pour brown gravy around the bottom. =almond cake.= mix three-quarters of a pound of almond paste, one-half pound of sugar, and four whole eggs, and work until creamy and smooth. add the yolks of sixteen eggs, one by one, stirring all the while, and flavor with the rind of a lemon. beat the whites of eight eggs very stiff, and add to the mixture lightly, stirring in at the same time one-half pound of sifted flour. bake in a cake pan or mould, in a moderate oven. when cold finish with white frosting, and decorate with split almonds. =almond cream cake.= cut an almond cake in three or four layers and spread between with whipped cream sweetened with vanilla sugar, and mixed with fine-chopped roasted almonds. cover with white frosting, and decorate with whipped cream and split almonds. =eggs, jeanne d'arc.= place four very soft poached eggs on a buttered dish, cover with a thick tomato sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in a hot oven for two minutes. april breakfast orange juice buckwheat cakes with maple syrup chocolate with whipped cream luncheon tartine russe consommé parfait crab en brochette chow chow chocolate macaroons coffee dinner potage reine mogador queen olives catfish sauté, meunière roast loin of lamb, au jus timbale of croquette potatoes chiffonnade salad saxony pudding coffee =tartine russe.= toasted rye bread, buttered, spread with caviar, and garnished around the edges with chopped boiled eggs, and some chopped beets in the center. =consommé parfait.= to a pint of cold consommé tapioca add three raw eggs and two additional yolks, put in a buttered mould and cook in a bain marie. when done allow to cool, slice, and serve in hot consommé. (this is tapioca royal). =crab en brochette.= alternate on a skewer a crab leg, then a piece of broiled bacon, and so on, until the skewer is full. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil and fresh bread crumbs, and broil. when done place on toast, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with lemon and parsley. =chocolate macaroons.= one pound of almond paste, one pound of granulated sugar, two ounces of melted cocoa, one spoonful of flour, and the whites of five eggs. mix the almond paste with the sugar, add the whites of eggs, and work well. then add the cocoa and flour, mix well, and dress on paper, in the same manner as ordinary macaroons. moisten the tops with a brush, and bake in a moderate oven. =saxony pudding.= sift one-half pound of flour into a sauce pan, and add a pint of boiling milk and four ounces of butter. stir with a wooden spoon until the flour is free from the bottom of the pan. then remove from the fire and add four ounces of sugar and the yolks of eight eggs, four ounces of candied fruit chopped fine, and the whites of six eggs beaten very hard. put in a mould and cook in bain marie in a moderate oven. when done remove from mould and serve with apricot sauce flavored with kirschwasser. make the sauce in the same manner as brandy sauce, but use kirschwasser in place of brandy. =potage reine mogador.= half cream of chicken and half purée of potatoes. bind with the yolks of two eggs and half a cup of cream. =catfish sauté, meunière.= clean six catfish, season with salt and pepper, roll in milk and then in flour. melt three ounces of butter in a frying pan, add the fish, and sauté until nice and brown. then put on a platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and the juice of two lemons. add to the sauce in the pan two ounces of fresh butter, and cook until hazelnut brown, then pour over the fish. garnish with parsley and quartered lemons. april breakfast fresh raspberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon yarmouth bloaters in oil poached eggs, talleyrand fricandeau of veal, au jus sorrel mashed potatoes pont l'êveque cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage saxe lyon sausages and radishes curried crab sirloin steak, dickinson soufflé potatoes cauliflower au gratin hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing vanilla and chocolate ice cream assorted cakes coffee =yarmouth bloaters in oil.= skin and split four yarmouth bloaters, and remove the bones. lay them in an earthen pot, add the juice of one lemon, one-half cup of olive oil, four bay leaves, two cloves and one spoonful of whole black peppers. allow to stand for twenty-four hours. serve on lettuce leaves with a little of its juice. =poached eggs, talleyrand.= on four round pieces of toast spread some foie gras, lay a poached egg on top of each piece, and cover with sauce périgueux. =fricandeau of veal, au jus.= obtain from the butcher the nut of a leg of veal and lard it with thin strips of larding pork. put in a sauté pan a sliced onion and carrot, some parsley in branches, one bay leaf, one clove, and six pepper berries. place the veal on top, season with salt and pepper, put three ounces of butter on top of all, and roast in a hot oven, basting frequently. add a little water when necessary, so the vegetables will not burn. it will require from fifty minutes to one hour to cook. when done place the fricandeau on a platter, and boil the gravy; if necessary add a little stock or bouillon, season well, and strain over the veal. =potage saxe.= to two quarts of boiling consommé add the bread crumbs made from a small loaf of bread, two beaten eggs, and some chopped chervil. stir well, boil and serve. =sirloin steak, dickinson.= broil a steak and place on a platter. parboil six slices of beef marrow in salt water, and lay on top of the steak. heat a pimento, cut in triangles, and place on top of the marrow. cover all with sauce colbert with sliced truffle in it. =curried crab.= cut the crab meat into small pieces. put in a frying pan a piece of butter the size of an egg, and a teaspoonful of chopped onion or shallot, and fry until golden brown. add a heaping teaspoonful of flour and a small teaspoonful of curry powder, and stir into the butter and onion until thoroughly mixed. add a cup of hot soup stock and a cup of cream, and boil for three minutes. then add the crab meat and simmer slowly for about five minutes. serve with boiled rice. =spaghetti caruso.= boil a pound of whole spaghetti in salt water. soak one pound of dried mushrooms over night. heat in a casserole two ounces of butter, add a chopped shallot and a little garlic. when hot add the mushrooms and three peeled and cut up tomatoes, and simmer for five minutes. then add the cooked spaghetti and two cups of grated parmesan cheese, season with salt and white pepper, and serve very hot. april breakfast hominy with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit à l'anisette oyster broth in cups crackers broiled brook trout with bacon cucumber salad lamb chops, grilled julienne potatoes chicory salad french pastry coffee dinner potage viennoise curried oysters with boiled rice saddle of mutton with currant jelly string beans à l'alsacienne laurette potatoes dandelion salad gastaner pudding coffee =grapefruit à l'anisette.= cut the grapefruit in half and loosen the inside from the skin with a pointed knife. put a teaspoonful of powdered sugar and a half pony of anisette on each half. serve on cracked ice. =oyster broth.= in a casserole put two dozen oysters with their own juice, and one quart of water. add a bouquet garni and put on the fire. when boiling remove the bouquet garni, and strain the broth through a napkin, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and serve in cups. the oysters may be saved for other purposes. =curried oysters.= in a casserole melt three ounces of butter, then add two spoonfuls of flour, one spoonful of curry powder, and one pint of oyster broth. boil for a minute, then add one apple fried in butter, one tablespoonful of chutney sauce, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and a little salt and cayenne pepper. boil for five minutes, and bind with the yolk of an egg and a spoonful of cream. strain the sauce, and add two dozen well-seasoned parboiled oysters. =pudding à la gastaner.= decorate the bottoms of buttered moulds with chopped pastry cherries and angelique, arranging in alternating lines of green and red. cut some lady fingers to fit the depth of the mould, and moisten them well with curaçao. stand them up around the inside of the mould one-half inch apart. cook four ounces of farina in one quart of milk, and mix with the rind and juice of a lemon, five eggs, four ounces of sugar, and one cup of apricot pulp, and fill the moulds with same. serve with strawberry sauce flavored with a pony of brandy. =broiled brook trout with bacon.= clean and wash well, one-half dozen brook trout, and dry them on a towel or napkin. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done put on a platter with maître d'hôtel sauce. lay six slices of broiled bacon on top. garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =potage viennoise.= cream of barley with royal cut in small squares as garnishing. =potage venitienne.= half velouté of chicken soup and half consommé tapioca. add a little chopped chives. april breakfast grapefruit marmalade shirred eggs dry toast coffee luncheon eggs st. george lamb cutlets in papers cold asparagus, mayonnaise brown betty pudding coffee afternoon tea oysters poulette, or sweetbreads monza salted almonds windsor sandwiches cream of almond sandwiches olive sandwiches shrimp salad vanilla ice cream pound cake fruit cake apple tarts salted pecans créole sandwiches dubney sandwiches bread and butter sandwiches chicken salad pineapple water ice strawberry pie chocolate, coffee or tea rolls toast melba assorted cakes dinner potage venitienne crab in chafing dish roast duckling, apple sauce sweet potato croquettes artichokes, mustard sauce lemon water ice cocoa cake coffee =cocoa cake.= half a cup of butter, a cup of sugar, three eggs, a teaspoonful of vanilla, three-fourths of a cup of milk, six level tablespoonfuls of cocoa, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, and one and three-fourth cups of sifted flour. cream the butter, adding the sugar gradually, then add the eggs one by one, whipping vigorously. sift together half of the flour, the cocoa and the baking powder, then add the milk and the rest of the flour, making a mixture that will drop from the spoon. when all is mixed together put in a pan or mould, and bake for thirty-five minutes. cover the cake with a plain icing. a cake is baked when it shrinks from the pan, or if, when you press it, it springs back. =dubney sandwiches.= to a cupful of chopped chicken or turkey meat add a spoonful of mayonnaise, a teaspoonful of minced onion, two minced shallots, a pinch of chopped chives, and season with salt and pepper. spread on well-buttered warm toast. =cream of almond sandwiches.= mix a soft cream cheese with a cup of crushed salted almonds, and a liqueur glassful of kirsch. spread on thin slices of brown bread. =olive sandwiches.= chop equal parts of olives and onions together, add a few drops of olive oil and a little pepper, but no salt, as the olives have enough. spread on thin slices of buttered bread. =windsor sandwiches.= chop enough chicken or turkey to make a cup of meat, add half as much chopped ham, and half a dozen chopped olives. bind together with mayonnaise. spread on white and on brown buttered bread. =créole sandwiches.= chop some fresh or canned sweet peppers, bind together with mayonnaise, and add a bit of minced parsley. spread on both white and brown bread. always make the sandwiches dainty and thin. =brown betty.= pull half a loaf of white bread to bits, or use bread crumbs. the pulled bread makes the lighter pudding. butter the inside of a pudding dish liberally, put in à layer of crumbs, then twice as much sliced apple or other fruit, sprinkle with sugar, nutmeg and bits of butter, add another layer of crumbs, and so on, for about three layers, having the crumbs last. bake until brown, and the fruit well done, or about twenty minutes. serve with cream. =eggs st. george.= butter four cocotte dishes, put purée of onions on bottom, a poached egg on top, cover with cream sauce, and sprinkle with grated cheese. bake in hot oven to color only. april breakfast oatmeal with cream boiled eggs toast english breakfast tea luncheon kieler sprotten omelette schofield mixed vegetable salad camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner fish chowder ripe olives fillet of sole, bretonne planked shad and roe lettuce salad hot asparagus with melted butter coffee custard demi tasse =kieler sprotten.= this is a canned fish. serve cold on lettuce leaves, garnished with quartered lemons. =omelette schofield.= boil a shad roe in salt water for ten minutes. allow to cool, and cut in dices one-quarter inch square. heat a cup of cream sauce, add the roe, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. when making the omelet place a little of the roe in the center; dress on a platter, and pour the roe and cream sauce around the edge. =fish chowder.= cut a pound of some white fish, such as bass, codfish, or sole, in dices about one-quarter inch square, and free from skin and bones. put the bones of the fish in a casserole and add three quarts of water, one bouquet garni, and two tablespoonfuls of salt. boil for thirty minutes, and strain. cut two pounds of potatoes in quarter inch squares, and boil in the fish stock until soft, then add the fish and boil for five minutes, then add one pint of boiling-hot cream, and season well with salt and white pepper. before serving add a little chopped parsley. serve broken crackers separate. =fillet of sole, bretonne.= boil four fillets of sole in a little salt water. dish up on a platter and cover with equal parts of hollandaise and tomato sauce mixed. garnish with rings of fried onions. =coffee custard.= grind fine (but not pulverized), a half pound of java or other mildly flavored coffee. put it into a quart of boiling milk and let it infuse on the back of the stove for a half hour, then strain through cheese cloth. beat the yolks of six eggs with six ounces of sugar, add a spoonful of cream, and stir into the hot milk, which has been heated again after straining off the coffee. let it cream, but do not boil; and then add the beaten whites of three eggs. use any flavoring desired, a dash of brandy or cognac being very good. fill the moulds, stand them in hot water, and place in a moderate oven. when done, cool, serve with english cream, apricot juice or just plain cream. =grapefruit marmalade.= shave two clean whole grapefruit very thin, rejecting nothing but the seeds and cores. measure the fruit, and add three times the quantity of water, and let it stand in an earthenware dish over night. then boil for ten minutes, and let it stand another night. then add an equal quantity of sugar, and boil briskly until the mixture jells. april breakfast fresh strawberries with cream omelet with fine herbs crescents chocolate luncheon scrambled eggs with truffles lamb chops, sauce soubise julienne potatoes lettuce salad raspberry shortcake coffee dinner potage châtelaine radishes crab meat au gratin roast chicken mashed potatoes cold asparagus, mayonnaise vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =omelet with fine herbs.= mix equal parts of chopped parsley, chervil, and chives with the beaten eggs, season well with salt and white pepper, and make the omelet in the usual manner. =lamb chops, sauce soubise.= season the chops well, roll in oil, then in bread crumbs, and broil. put a cupful of sauce soubise on a platter, and lay the broiled chops on top. =strawberry shortcake.= bake two layers of sponge cake (see layer cake). place on top of one some well-sweetened strawberries, put the other cake on top, and press well together. cut in individual portions, put some selected berries on top, and decorate with sweetened whipped cream. serve cream separate. =old fashioned strawberry shortcake.= make some biscuit dough as follows: mix three-quarters of a pound of flour, one ounce of baking powder, two ounces of sugar, two ounces of butter, and a pinch of salt. mix to a dough with half a pint of milk. roll out about one-half inch thick, and bake. when cold split in two, place on one layer some crushed strawberries, and spread some sugar over them. put the other layer on top and cut in squares. serve with well-sweetened crushed strawberries on top, and plain cream separate. =raspberry shortcake.= prepare in the same manner as either of the above, using raspberries in place of strawberries. =potage châtelaine.= simmer in two ounces of butter one onion, one-half stalk of celery, and one leek, all chopped very fine. then add one-half pound of lean beef cut in small squares, sprinkle with three ounces of flour, and simmer until well browned. then add two quarts of stock or bouillon and boil for an hour. season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and add a glass of good sherry wine before serving. =string beans, alsacienne.= simmer in a casserole in three ounces of butter one chopped onion. when just colored golden yellow, add one spoonful of flour, one quart of bouillon, stock, or chicken broth, and three pounds of cleaned and well-washed string beans. season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for forty minutes. then add one-half glass of white wine and cook for fifteen minutes. do not add the wine to the beans until they are soft. sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. april breakfast baked apples with cream waffles honey in comb coffee luncheon poached eggs, virginia minced tenderloin of beef, à l'estragon lyonnaise potatoes escarole salad port de salut cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage portugaise salted pecans fillet of turbot, sarcey boiled ham with spinach hollandaise potatoes lallah rookh lady fingers coffee =boiled ham with spinach.= soak an eight-pound ham in water over night. then put on fire, in a pot, covered with cold water, and bring to a boil. then set to side of stove where it will simmer, but not boil, for about three and one-half hours, when the ham should be done. try to pull off the skin. if it comes off easily the ham is cooked. serve with plain spinach, and with either champagne or madeira sauce, or plain bouillon. =dandelion salad.= clean and wash the dandelion well, and dry in a towel. put in a salad bowl, lay two hard-boiled eggs cut in four, on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and one-third vinegar to two-thirds of olive oil. mix just before serving. =dandelion salad, german style.= put the salad in a bowl. cut six slices of bacon in small dices, and fry until crisp. pour the hot fat and bacon over the salad, add a spoonful of vinegar, salt if necessary, and a little fresh-ground black pepper. mix well. =poached eggs, virginia.= put four corn fritters on a platter, lay a poached egg on each, and cover with tomato sauce. =potage portugaise.= mix one quart of tomato sauce with one quart of consommé and bring to a boil. season with salt and pepper, and add a cup of boiled rice before serving. =fillet of turbot, sarcey.= this is fillet of sole au vin blanc. before serving lay three slices of truffle on each fillet. =lallah rookh.= to a quart of vanilla ice cream add a pony of jamaica rum, and mix well. serve flat in glasses with a little rum on top. =apple sauce.= peel and core six apples and cut in small pieces. put into a vessel, add a pony of white wine, two ounces of water, one ounce of sweet butter, two ounces of sugar, and a small stick of cinnamon. cover, boil for thirty minutes, and strain through a fine sieve. =rump of beef, windsor.= larded rump of beef, braisé, with its own gravy, garnished with parisian potatoes, fresh green peas, and beets frouard. =virginia ham and eggs.= broil or fry two slices of virginia ham and place on platter. lay two fried eggs on top. april breakfast fresh raspberries with cream bacon and eggs rolls coffee luncheon crab, portola (cold) eggs, coquelin calf's head, sauce piquante fondante potatoes apple strudel coffee dinner blue points on half shell crème parisienne (soup) sand dabs, meunière roast tenderloin of beef summer squash potatoes rissolées chartreuse jelly assorted cakes coffee =eggs, coquelin.= cut in two, six hard-boiled eggs. mix the yolks with a cupful of well-seasoned purée of mushrooms, and fill the half eggs. set them on a buttered china platter, cover with cream, and put in the oven to bake. when very hot remove, lay twelve fillets of anchovies over the eggs, and serve. =calf's head, sauce piquante.= boiled calf's head served on a napkin, with the brain and tongue. garnish with parsley in branches, sliced pickles, sliced pickled beets, and lemon in halves. serve sauce piquante separate. =apple strudel.= roll out some puff paste about one-eighth inch thick and eight inches wide. on it spread some sliced apples mixed with sugar and powdered cinnamon. wet the edges and fold up both sides, forming a roll. place on a baking pan, wash the top with egg, and bake in a hot oven. when done cut in slices about two inches wide, and serve hot, with hard and brandy sauces. =crab, portola.= remove the boiled crab meat from the shell, taking care to keep as entire as possible. on a salad plate arrange hearts of lettuce, cut into eighths. on the lettuce lay a whole sweet red pimento, using the canned ones which come ready for use. on top of the pepper place three spoonfuls of crab meat. cover all with french dressing made with tarragon vinegar, using one spoonful to three of olive oil; seasoned with salt and some fresh-ground pepper. =crème parisienne.= cream of chicken and cream of chicory soups mixed. serve bread cut in small squares and fried in butter. =stuffed tomatoes with anchovies.= chop the contents of one bottle of anchovies in oil, in small pieces, add two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, a little fresh-ground pepper, and two spoonfuls of mayonnaise. peel six tomatoes, cut off the tops and scoop out the insides with a spoon. then fill with the prepared anchovies, cover with the piece cut from the top, and serve on leaves of lettuce garnished with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =brook trout sauté, miller style.= clean four brook trout and dry in a napkin. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, put in a frying pan with two spoonfuls of butter and the grease from two slices of salt pork that have been fried in their own fat. fry the trout on both sides, place on platter, and lay the fried pork on top. then put in the same frying pan two ounces of butter, and cook until the color of chestnuts. pour over the fish, and sprinkle with some chopped parsley and the juice of two lemons. garnish with parsley in branches. april breakfast grapefruit juice wheatcakes breakfast sausages rolls coffee luncheon sardines with lemon scrambled eggs, raspail fillet mignon, trianon peas pineapple, créole coffee dinner consommé aux quenelles fillet of sole, voisin sweetbreads braisé, ancienne roast rack of mutton fresh string beans potato croquettes alligator pear salad punch palermitaine assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs, raspail.= cut a stalk of celery in small dices, wash well, and boil in salt water. when soft drain off the water. in a pot put two ounces of butter and two peeled tomatoes cut in small dices. simmer for five minutes, add ten beaten eggs and the celery, season with salt and pepper, and add one-half cup of thick cream. cook and serve. =fillet mignon.= a very small tenderloin steak. broil or sauté in pan with butter. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with watercress and half of lemon. =fillet mignon, trianon.= dress the fillet on a platter and cover with béarnaise sauce. lay three triangular shaped pieces of truffle on top and garnish with julienne potatoes. =pineapple, créole.= cook a quarter pound of rice in a quart of milk. add a quarter pound of sugar and one cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple, and mix well. dress on a platter and decorate the top with sliced pineapple and candied cherries. serve hot with apricot sauce poured over all. =consommé aux quenelles.= make small chicken dumplings from chicken force meat, boil them in, and serve with, consommé. these small dumplings are called in french, quenelles. =fillet of sole, voisin.= in a buttered sauce pan put four fillets of sole, sprinkle with one-half teaspoonful of very finely chopped onions, a little chopped parsley, chives, chervil, and one peeled and finely chopped tomato. season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover, and put in oven for fifteen minutes. then remove the fish to a platter, and put in the same sauté pan one pint of white wine; cook and mix well, and pour over the fish. =sweetbreads braisé, ancienne.= dish up on a platter four sweetbreads braisé, and garnish with four croustades financière. pour sauce madère around the sweetbreads on platter. =roast rack of mutton.= secure from the butcher a rack of mutton of ten chops, season well with salt and pepper, place in a roasting pan with sliced carrots, onions, a spoonful of pepper berries, and a small piece of butter on top; and roast, basting well, for ten minutes. then put the rack on a platter; drain off the grease and add to the pan one-half cup of stock and a spoonful of meat extract, season well, bring to a boil, and strain over the roast. april breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs buttered toast coffee luncheon grapefruit en suprême, with kirsch eggs, lorraine corned beef hash french pastry demi tasse dinner purée st. germain salmon mirabeau fillet of beef, charcutière stewed canned corn baked potatoes endives salad floating island macaroons coffee =grapefruit en suprême with kirsch.= add to sliced grapefruit, for each person, a spoonful of powdered sugar and one pony of kirschwasser. mix well and serve in suprême glasses. =eggs, lorraine.= same as eggs chipolata with the addition of a strip of bacon across the top. =purée st. germain.= add to a purée of peas some fresh-cooked green or canned peas. =salmon mirabeau.= put in a buttered flat pan two thick slices of salmon, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of claret or white wine, cover, and cook until done. put on a platter, cover with tarragon sauce (sauce à l'estragon), garnish with stuffed olives, and lay six fillets of anchovies on top of each slice of fish. =tarragon sauce (sauce à l'estragon).= chop some tarragon very fine, add one-half glass of claret or white wine, and reduce by boiling until nearly dry. then add one pint of brown gravy and boil for five minutes. season with salt and pepper, add two ounces of fresh butter and whip well into the hot sauce. serve with fish or meats. =fillet of beef, charcutière.= roast tenderloin of beef. serve with brown gravy (sauce madère), to which has been added twelve small glacéed onions, six sliced sour pickles, and twelve heads of french mushrooms or fresh mushrooms sauté in butter. before serving add a cup of tomato sauce, and season well with salt and pepper. =stewed canned corn.= empty a can of corn into a sauce pan, add one ounce of fresh butter, season with salt and pepper, and boil. if too thick add a spoonful of thick cream. =punch palermitaine.= serve orange water ice in glasses with a little curaçao on top. =scalloped halibut with cheese.= prepare one quart of cream sauce. take four pounds of halibut, clear of bones and skin, and cut in thin slices about one-quarter inch thick, and two inches square. butter a shallow earthen dish, put some cream sauce in the bottom, sprinkle with grated cheese, then put in à layer of halibut, season with salt and pepper; then sauce, cheese and fish in turn; and continue for about five layers, with cream and sauce on top. put bits of butter on top and bake in a moderate oven for from forty-five minutes to one hour, or until fish is done and top is nicely browned. april breakfast fresh raspberries with cream codfish cakes broiled bacon rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres assorted poached eggs, paulus filet mignon, maître d'hôtel potatoes hashed in cream cold asparagus, vinaigrette fruit salad, chantilly lady fingers coffee dinner consommé daumont baked shad, with raisins chicken sauté, austin jeanette potatoes carrots, vichy lettuce salad charlotte russe coffee =codfish cakes.= prepare the fish as for codfish balls. form into flat cakes about one inch thick and two and one-half inches in diameter. roll in flour and fry in melted butter. serve on napkin with lemon and parsley in branches. =poached eggs, paulus.= put four very soft poached eggs on four slices of toast, cover with cream sauce with sliced truffles, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake in hot oven just long enough to become slightly brown. =consommé daumont.= to some chicken force meat add some truffles chopped fine, mix well and form into small dumplings. cook the dumplings in consommé. cut two turnips in small squares and boil in salt water. when done add to the consommé, with one-half cup of boiled rice, and croutons soufflés prepared with grated cheese. =chicken sauté, austin.= joint a chicken, season well with salt and pepper, put in sauté pan with two ounces of hot melted butter, and fry until brown on both sides. then add one cup of brown gravy, two sliced truffles, and one spoonful of chopped tarragon. boil for five minutes. =jeanette potatoes.= prepare the potatoes as for croquettes, put into a pastry bag with à large star tube, and press through onto a buttered pan, in the form and size of à large rose. brush the top with yolks of eggs, and bake in oven until brown. serve on a napkin. =charlotte russe. (i).= line a pudding mould with lady fingers, fill with sweetened whipped cream, unmould on a plate and decorate with whipped cream. =(ii).= whip to a frost one pint of cream, add one-quarter pound of sugar and a glass of sherry wine. dissolve two sheets of gelatine in a little hot water, strain, and pour into the cream, heating well. line a pudding mould with lady fingers and fill with the prepared cream. allow to stand in the ice box for an hour and a half before serving. decorate with whipped cream. =baked shad with raisins.= split the fish and lay at full length on a long buttered dish. cover the top of the fish with slices of tomato. put bits of butter on top of the tomato; for a medium sized shad using a lump of butter the size of an egg. sprinkle chopped parsley over all, and strew seedless raisins around the fish. then add a half glass of wine, and put in a moderate oven to bake. the fish will be very tender when thoroughly done, but the time required will depend upon the thickness of the fish. from thirty to forty-five minutes is usually sufficient. april breakfast orange juice hominy with cream crescents chocolate with whipped cream luncheon oysters mignonette eggs à la tripe small tenderloin steak, demidoff sauté potatoes escarole salad camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage mongol perch sauté, meunière roast leg of mutton string beans with butter potatoes au gratin field salad roman punch pound cake coffee =oysters mignonette.= put six oysters on half shell on cracked or shaved ice, with a small glass or hollow green pepper filled with mignonette sauce, in the center. =small tenderloin steak, demidoff.= put four small broiled tenderloin steaks on a platter, and cover with brown gravy containing olives and sliced canned mushrooms. garnish both ends of the platter with asparagus tips. =roman punch.= dress lemon water ice in glasses in pointed shapes, and pour a little rum on top. =beets, frouard.= cut some boiled beets with a parisian spoon into the shape of olives, put in a sauté pan with melted butter, season with salt and pepper, and heat through. serve in a vegetable dish, or use for garnishing. =deviled crab in shells.= secure some empty shells from a first-class grocer. allow one shell to each person and fill with the following: take the meat of one crab, which is sufficient for four persons, shred it, add a cup of velouté sauce, a teaspoonful of english mustard, a soupspoonful of worcestershire sauce, a half-teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a bit of cayenne. mix well. fill the shells, covering evenly. make a paste of a teaspoonful each of english and french mustard and two spoonfuls of melted butter. spread this over the top, and cover with bread crumbs. bake for about ten minutes, or until the top is browned. =roast leg of reindeer.= put in a roasting pan a sliced onion, a sliced carrot, a piece of skin of salt pork, a stalk of celery, some parsley in branches, two bay leaves, two cloves, and one sprig of thyme. season the leg of reindeer well and lay on top. put three ounces of butter on the leg, and place in the oven to roast. baste continually, adding a little water or stock from time to time, to prevent the vegetables from burning. when the roast is done remove to a platter, and make a brown gravy with the contents of the pan by adding a spoonful of flour, simmer, add one cup of stock, season well, and strain over the meat. some may be reserved to serve in a bowl, separate. also serve currant jelly and port wine sauce. =asparagus tips au gratin.= cut the tips from fresh-cooked asparagus, place in a buttered dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated swiss cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. april breakfast rice cakes apricot marmalade rolls coffee luncheon eggs epicurienne tripe and oysters in cream baked potatoes strawberries romanoff lady fingers demi tasse dinner little neck clams consommé sévigné, ii. ripe california olives fillet of sole, st. cloud roast chicken sybil potatoes cold asparagus, mustard sauce fruit salad glacé assorted cakes coffee =eggs epicurienne.= shirr the eggs. when nearly done add a brown gravy to which has been added some small pieces of terrine de foie gras, four slices of truffle, and one sliced canned mushroom. =strawberries romanoff.= put some nice ripe strawberries into a bowl, pour some curaçao over them, and serve with well-sweetened whipped cream, flavored with vanilla, on top. serve very cold. =consommé sévigné, ii.= consommé brunoise with small quenelles (chicken dumplings). add some chopped chervil and a little cayenne pepper. serve very hot. =flannel cakes.= one pound of flour, one ounce of baking powder, two ounces of sugar, two ounces of butter, two eggs, and a pinch of mace. mix all together with sufficient milk to make a medium dough, or batter. beat until smooth, and bake on a hot griddle. =rice cakes.= boil one-quarter pound of well-washed rice in water for five minutes. drain off the water and add one pint of milk, cook until rice is soft, drain off the milk and add the rice to a flannel cake batter. bake in the usual manner. =fillet of sole, st. cloud.= in a buttered sauté pan put four fillets of sole, season with salt and white pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and a little stock, and boil for ten minutes. make a white wine sauce and add the following to it: two dozen boiled mussels and one dozen boiled oysters removed from the shells, six heads of canned mushrooms and twelve slices of truffle. put the fish on a platter and cover with the sauce. =fruit salad glacé.= one sliced orange and one sliced grapefruit, six slices of pineapple, one banana, one dozen strawberries and a handful of raspberries. put all in bowl, add two spoonfuls of sugar, a glassful of maraschino and a pony of kirschwasser. allow to stand in the ice box for an hour. serve in small individual dishes with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream on top. =grapefruit cocktail.= slice one grapefruit and one-half orange and put in bowl with a spoonful of sugar and a pony of kirschwasser. allow to stand for an hour. serve in grapefruit suprême glasses, decorated on top with brandied cherries. april breakfast raspberries with cream plain omelet rolls english breakfast tea luncheon fillet of mariniert herring potato salad consommé in cups sweetbread patties in cream cold artichokes, vinaigrette roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner purée of spinach crab meat, suzette roast tenderloin of beef, cubaine gendarme potatoes peas and carrots in cream lettuce and alligator pear salad frozen egg nogg macaroons coffee =sweetbread patties in cream.= soak two pounds of sweetbreads in cold water for two hours, to cause the blood to flow out. then put them on the fire in one quart of water and two ounces of salt, bring to a boil, and then allow to become cold. pull off the skin and cut the sweetbreads in pieces one-half inch square. put in vessel with one cup of bouillon, and boil till soft. then add a cup of cream, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and boil for five minutes. knead one ounce of butter with one ounce of flour, and use for thickening. boil again for five minutes. serve in hot patty shells, on napkin, garnished with parsley in branches. (patty shells, jan. ). =purée of spinach (soup).= bring to a boil two quarts of chicken broth, add one peck of well-washed spinach and two ounces of butter, and boil for an hour. strain through a fine sieve, and put back in the casserole. it should now be of the thickness of a purée of pea soup. season well with salt and pepper, and stir in, while boiling, one-quarter pound of sweet butter. serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. =roast tenderloin of beef, cubaine.= roast the beef in the usual manner. serve with sauce madère, and garnish with stuffed green or red peppers. =candied sweet potatoes.= boil four sweet potatoes, remove the skins, and cut in egg shapes. put in sauté pan with two ounces of butter, and roast slowly. when nearly brown add a spoonful of powdered sugar and continue roasting till sugar and potatoes are brown. =cole slaw, ravigote.= slice a white cabbage very thin and put in a salad bowl. cover with highly seasoned sauce tartar, and mix thoroughly. =frozen egg nogg.= one quart of milk, six eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one pony of brandy, one pony of rum, and one-half teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. mix well, strain, and freeze. serve in glasses. april breakfast stewed prunes plain shirred eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit cocktail eggs en cocotte, valentine roast loin of pork, apple sauce candied sweet potatoes cole slaw, ravigote vanilla custard pie demi tasse dinner consommé théodora scalloped halibut with cheese rump of beef peas parisian potatoes beets frouard chocolate ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs en cocotte, valentine.= mix some crab meat with a little well-seasoned cream sauce. put a spoonful in the bottom of a buttered cocotte dish, break an egg on top, salt and pepper the egg, put a little more crab meat and cream on top, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, put some bits of butter on top, and bake in oven for five minutes. =consommé théodora.= put in the consommé, equal parts of small chicken dumplings, royal, and boiled asparagus tips. before serving add some chopped chervil. =vanilla custard pie.= six eggs, one quart of milk, one-quarter pound of sugar, one-half of a vanilla bean. boil the milk with the vanilla bean. mix the eggs with the sugar and add to the milk. strain, and fill a large pie dish lined with a thin pie dough, and bake in a moderate oven until set. =lemon custard pie.= same as vanilla custard pie, except use the grated rind and the juice of two lemons instead of the vanilla bean. =orange custard pie.= same as lemon custard pie, but use two oranges instead of the lemons. =cocoanut custard pie.= same as vanilla custard pie, but put a handful of shredded cocoanut in the bottom of the pie before filling. =vanilla meringue pie.= same as vanilla custard pie, but when baked, cover, and ornament the top with meringue paste, dust with powdered sugar, and put back in oven to color. =meringue paste for pie.= the whites of four eggs beaten firm and stiff; then add one-half pound of powdered sugar and mix well. flavor to taste. =lemon meringue pie.= same as lemon custard pie, but cover and ornament with meringue paste, and bake until colored. =orange meringue pie.= same directions as for lemon meringue pie. =lemon pie, special.= the yolks of eight eggs, six ounces of sugar, three lemons, the whites of four eggs. mix the yolks, sugar, and the grated rinds and the juice of the lemons, and beat over a fire until thick. then add the whites of eggs well beaten, and pour into à large pie dish lined with thin pie dough. bake slowly. serve with powdered sugar on top. =cocoanut meringue pie.= same as cocoanut custard pie, but cover with meringue paste, and bake until colored. april breakfast strawberries with cream virginia ham and eggs rolls cocoa with whipped cream luncheon antipasto fried smelts, sauce rémoulade spring lamb irish stew chiffonnade salad old fashioned raspberry shortcake coffee dinner toke points on half shell potage santé boiled salmon, villers roast capon, au jus parsnips with cream duchesse potatoes endive salad, victor dressing frankfort pudding, sauce sabayon coffee =boiled salmon, villers.= cut two slices of salmon about one and one-half inch thick. put in vessel with one quart of water, a bouquet garni, one spoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of whole black peppers, and one spoonful of white wine vinegar. boil slowly for twenty minutes. in a casserole put two ounces of butter, heat, and then add two ounces of flour. when the flour is hot add a pint and a half of the fish broth from the salmon, and boil for five minutes. then add the yolk of one egg and one cup of cream, mix well, season with salt and pepper, and strain. add to the sauce one can of sliced mushrooms and half a pound of picked shrimps. place the salmon on a platter and pour the sauce over it. =frankfort pudding.= one-quarter pound of butter, one-quarter pound of sugar, the yolks of seven eggs, six ounces of cake crumbs, the whites of six eggs, and some vanilla flavoring. mix the butter with the sugar, and work well with a wooden spoon until creamy, then add the yolks, one by one, and mix thoroughly. add the cake crumbs; which are made by passing left-over cake through a colander with large holes; flavor with the vanilla extract, and mix well. beat the whites to snow, and add to the batter, mixing very lightly. put in a buttered pudding mould and bake. serve hot sabayon sauce separate, or pour over the pudding. =sabayon sauce.= in a copper kettle put six yolks of eggs and six ounces of powdered sugar. set on a slow fire, or bain-marie, and beat until warm. add a glass of marsala or sherry wine and whip until it thickens. serve either hot or cold. =boiled parsnips.= peel a half dozen parsnips, wash, and boil whole in salt water. when done cut in slices, or some fancy shape, and put in sauce pan with two ounces of butter. heat through. season with salt and pepper. =parsnips in cream.= cut boiled parsnips in pieces two inches long, put in sauce pan with one cup of cream sauce, season with salt and white pepper. serve in deep vegetable dish, and very hot. =victor dressing.= two pinches of salt, one pinch of fresh-ground black pepper, one spoonful of tarragon vinegar, two spoonfuls of olive oil, and one teaspoonful of chopped chervil. april breakfast fresh cherries flannel cakes with maple syrup rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with chestnuts austrian chicken fritters cold asparagus, mustard sauce lemon pie, special demi tasse dinner consommé soubise ripe olives with garlic and oil deviled crabs in shells tenderloin of beef, cumberland stuffed cucumbers sweet potatoes, southern style, ii. california sherbet assorted cakes coffee =consommé soubise.= mix one cup of purée of onions, one pint of cold chicken broth, three whole eggs and the yolks of three eggs; season with salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg. strain through a fine sieve, put in buttered moulds, and cook in bain-marie. allow to set, slice, and serve in hot consommé. =ripe olives with garlic and oil.= rub an olive dish or salad bowl with garlic. put the olives in the dish, add a spoonful of olive oil, and roll the olives in the dish for a few minutes. =austrian chicken fritters.= chop the meat of a boiled or baked fowl, season with salt, pepper, nutmeg and herbs; place in a saucepan, and add enough cream or white sauce to moisten. to each cup of the meat and cream add the yolk of one egg. cut some sandwich bread into thick slices. mix a pint of milk with two well-beaten eggs. spread the sandwich bread with a thick layer of the creamed chicken, press two pieces of the bread together, as if making a sandwich, dip this in the egg and milk mixture, then roll in sifted bread crumbs, and fry in hot lard to an even brown color; and in the same manner as for pancakes. =sweet potatoes, southern, ii.= peel some sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise into strips about an eighth of an inch thick. put some butter into a sauté pan, and the potatoes, and sprinkle them with brown sugar. then place on top another layer of potatoes, sprinkle them with sugar, and so on, filling the pan. add hot water, cover the dish, and set in the oven and bake until soft. =california sherbet.= fill glasses with orange water ice, and on top place five strawberries that have been soaked in california brandy. =tenderloin of beef, cumberland.= roast tenderloin of beef, sauce poivrade, garnished with stuffed cucumbers. =stuffed cucumbers.= peel two cucumbers and cut in pieces one and one-half inches thick. put in casserole and cover with a quart of water, season with a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, and cool off. with a round cutter remove the inside from the cucumbers, leaving firm rings. place these on a buttered sauté pan and fill with the following stuffing: mix a cup of bread crumbs with a cup of purée of fresh mushrooms; season with salt and pepper, add the yolks of two raw eggs, and some fresh-chopped parsley. mix well, and fill the cucumbers. cover with buttered manilla paper, put a cup of bouillon in the bottom of the pan, and bake in oven for twenty minutes. serve as a garnishing for entrées, or fish; or as a vegetable course, on a platter, with tomato sauce or meat gravy. april breakfast baked apples with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon oysters mariné clam broth in cups cheese straws english chuck steak, maître d'hôtel white beans with tomatoes french fried potatoes cocoanut meringue pie coffee dinner potato soup, dieppoise broiled herring, cream sauce hollandaise potatoes roast leg of reindeer, port wine sauce sweet potatoes flambé with rum asparagus tips au gratin vanilla charlotte glacée demi tasse =english chuck steak, maître d'hôtel.= this steak is cut from the end of the saddle, near the legs. it should be cut all the way across the saddle, and about an inch and a half thick. season with salt and pepper, dip in oil, and broil. when done put on a platter, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with lemon and watercress. =white beans and tomatoes.= soak two pounds of white beans in cold water, over night. then put the beans in a vessel with three quarts of water, a ham bone, a bouquet garni, and a handful of salt. bring to the boiling point, skim, cover, and boil until well done. remove the ham bone and the bouquet, and drain off the water. in a casserole put two ounces of butter and a chopped onion, and simmer until nice and yellow. then add four peeled and chopped fresh tomatoes, or a quart of canned tomatoes, and simmer for thirty minutes. then add the beans, season with salt and pepper, and simmer all together for fifteen minutes. =oysters, mariné.= same as pickled oysters. =potato soup, dieppoise.= in a sauce pan put three ounces of butter, one sliced celery root, two leeks, a half dozen sliced parsley roots, and simmer for five minutes. then add two pounds of potatoes sliced very thin, and two quarts of bouillon. season with salt and pepper, and boil for forty-five minutes. just before serving add two rolls that have been sliced thin and toasted in the oven, and a little fresh-chopped parsley. =sweet potatoes flambé with rum.= boil and peel four sweet potatoes, and cut in egg shapes. put in pan with two ounces of butter and roast until nice and yellow. then add a little salt and a teaspoonful of sugar, heat, and then put in chafing dish. pour two ponies of rum on top, light, and bring to the table flaming. =vanilla charlotte glacée.= line a pudding mould with lady fingers, fill with vanilla ice cream, unmould, and decorate with whipped cream and glacé cherries. =dartois chantilly.= roll some puff paste with six turns, and about one-quarter inch thick. cut in strips two inches wide and four inches long. place them in a wet pan about one-half inch apart, and let them set for a few minutes, then brush over with egg, and with the point of a small knife mark a line about one-eighth inch deep all around the cakes, and about one-quarter inch from the edges. bake in rather hot oven for about twenty-five minutes. remove the top while hot, and empty the cake, leaving only the dry crust. fill with sweetened whipped cream, vanilla flavor, after cooling. april breakfast orange marmalade finnan haddie in cream baked potatoes rolls oolong tea luncheon eggs en cocotte, plain ripe california olives sand dabs, meunière cold asparagus, vinaigrette strawberry short cake coffee dinner little neck clams burned farina soup radishes fillet of sole, sauce cardinal olivette potatoes roast shad and roe, à l'américaine artichokes, hollandaise lettuce salad english rice pudding coffee =eggs en cocotte, plain.= break one or two eggs in a buttered cocotte dish, season with salt and pepper, put a little butter on top, and bake in oven for a few minutes. serve on napkin or paper doily. =burned farina soup.= melt in a casserole one-half pound of butter; when hot add three-quarters of a pound of farina, and roast on top of the range, stirring with a wooden spoon so it will not stick to the bottom. cook until the color of a chestnut, then add two quarts of boiling water, season with salt and pepper, and boil for one hour. this is a good soup for friday. =fillet of sole, cardinal.= in a buttered sauté pan put four fillets of sole, season with salt and white pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and bake in oven for ten minutes. remove the fillets to a platter, and to the sauté pan add one pint of white wine sauce. bring to a boil and then stir in two tablespoonfuls of lobster butter. when the butter is melted strain the sauce over the fish. =roast shad and roe, à l'américaine.= secure from the fish dealer a fresh shad with the roe inside, and without the belly cut open. in a roasting pan put four ounces of butter, one chopped onion, a carrot cut in very small dices, a spoonful of chopped parsley, and a bay leaf, clove, and a garlic clove, all chopped fine. place the fish on top, season well with salt and pepper, put a few bits of butter on top of the fish, and place in the oven. baste continually, and if the pan becomes too dry, add one-half glass of white wine, baste, and then add one-half glass of water. bake for about an hour in a moderate oven. when done place on a platter and pour the sauce in the pan over the fish. a spoonful of worcestershire sauce, and the juice of a lemon or two, may be added to the sauce if desired. =english rice pudding.= three pints of milk, one-quarter of a pound of rice, one-quarter of a pound of sugar, and one-half of a vanilla bean split in two. boil the milk with the vanilla bean, then add the washed rice, and cook for about forty minutes. add the sugar and boil again for a few minutes, turning carefully with a wooden spoon, so it will not stick to the bottom. then remove from the fire, add one cup of thick cream, and pour into deep china vegetable dishes, and bake in a hot oven until brown on top. use one large dish for baking, or individual ones, as desired. april breakfast grapefruit à la rose boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon consommé in cup fillets of sand dabs, sauce verte leberkloese (liver dumplings) sauerkraut boiled potatoes escarole and chicory salad port de salut cheese and crackers coffee dinner cream of potatoes pickles tenderloin steak, à la polonaise spinach with eggs mashed potatoes lettuce and alligator pear salad orange custard pie coffee =grapefruit à la rose.= peel and slice two grapefruit and put in salad bowl. mix one-half cup of fresh strawberries and one-half cup of fresh raspberries and two spoonfuls of powdered sugar, and strain through a fine colander. have all very cold. put the grapefruit in glasses and pour the fresh fruit sauce over it. =fillet of sand dabs, fried.= cut the fillets from four sand dabs, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs, and fry in hot swimming lard. when done serve on napkins with fried parsley and quartered lemons. serve sauce tartar or sauce verte separate. =sauce verte.= in a mortar mash equal parts of chives, chervil and parsley. when very fine add some mayonnaise sauce, mix well, and strain through a cheese cloth. season well before serving. =leberkloese (liver dumplings).= remove the skin from a calf's liver of good size, and scrape well with a fork to remove all the nerves. then put in a bowl and add four cups of fresh bread crumbs, three eggs, a little salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, one chopped onion and four chopped shallots fried in butter, a teaspoonful of chopped thyme leaves, and one bay leaf chopped almost to a powder. mix all well together, and drop with a soupspoon into boiling bouillon or salt water, and cook slowly for about twelve minutes. place on a platter with a little brown gravy; or, in a pan put three ounces of butter with one cup of bread cut in small squares and fry until nice and yellow, then pour over the dumplings, and sprinkle chopped parsley on top. =tenderloin steak, polonaise.= broil the steak, put on a platter, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with cauliflower polonaise. april breakfast sliced oranges ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon eggs gourmet honeycomb tripe with cream and peppers baked potatoes fresh vegetable salad imperial pancake demi tasse dinner consommé à la russe salted brazil nuts frogs' legs, sauté à sec breast of tame duck, virginia style fried apples wax beans in butter romaine salad neapolitan ice cream assorted cakes coffee supper angels on horseback chicken à la king coffee =eggs gourmet.= spread some terrine de foie gras on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each piece, and cover with sauce périgord. =honeycomb tripe with cream and peppers.= cut three pounds of tripe in strips about two inches long and one-half inch wide, and put in casserole with cold water and a spoonful of salt. bring to a boil and cook for ten minutes. then drain off the water, add one pint of milk, season with salt, and boil for thirty minutes. cut six green peppers in small squares, and put in casserole with three ounces of butter, simmer until done, then add one pint of cream sauce, boil for a minute, and add to the tripe. boil together for five minutes. =imperial pancakes.= make some thin pancakes, and cut in circular shapes with a three-inch round cutter. with the same cutter cut some sponge cake, and about one-half inch thick. put some apple sauce on top of the cake, then one of the round pieces of pancake, and repeat until you have four layers with the pancake on top. decorate with meringue paste, with a pastry bag and a fancy tube, and form in the shape of a crown on top. put in oven to give a light color. =consommé à la russe.= to consommé brunoise add a spoonful of boiled barley and a few squares of boiled smoked beef tongue for each person. =breast of tame duck.= cut the breasts from a tame duck, season with salt and pepper. put a piece of butter in a sauté pan, add the breasts and sauté for about fifteen minutes if the duck is a young one. serve on a platter covered with sauce colbert. =breast of duck, virginia style.= broil two slices of virginia ham and lay on top of the breasts prepared as above. =boiled wax beans.= cut the strings from both sides of the beans, and cut the beans in two. boil in salted water until done, then drain off the water, and to each pound of beans add two ounces of butter and a little salt and pepper. simmer for a few minutes, and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. =angels on horseback.= select large eastern oysters, wrap a slice of thin raw bacon around each oyster, and fasten with a wooden toothpick. dip them in beaten eggs mixed with a little worcestershire and english mustard, then roll in fresh bread crumbs, and place in a buttered sauté pan with bits of butter on top of each oyster. bake in hot oven for about eight minutes, and serve on toast. pour maître d'hôtel sauce on top, and garnish with parsley in branches and halves of lemon. april breakfast grapefruit juice oatmeal and cream rolls cocoa luncheon poached eggs, d'artois turkey hash in cream alligator pear salad vanilla meringue pie demi tasse dinner purée of green asparagus lyon sausage. radishes fillet of turbot, windsor leg of mutton, choiseul o'brien potatoes escarole and chicory salad jam roll pudding coffee =poached eggs, d'artois.= place the poached eggs on toast and pour thick tomato sauce over them. =purée of green asparagus.= heat in a casserole three ounces of butter, then add three ounces of flour and four pounds of green asparagus cut in small pieces, one quart of milk, one quart of chicken broth or bouillon, a bouquet garni, a little salt, and one teaspoonful of sugar. boil for an hour, and strain through a very fine sieve. then put back in casserole and add the yolks of two eggs mixed with one cup of cream. cut some bread in small squares, fry in butter, and add just before serving. =fillet of turbot, windsor.= cut six fillets of fish, put in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and white pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half glass of stock, cover with buttered manilla paper, and boil until done. make a white wine sauce and add to it one dozen parboiled oysters and the tail of a lobster cut in slices. place the fillets on a platter, pour the sauce over them, and garnish with six fried shrimps. =leg of mutton, choiseul.= roast leg of mutton, sauce madère, garnished with small croustades of purée of peas and purée of spinach, and fresh mushrooms sauté in butter. =jam roll pudding.= mince fine one pound of suet, add a pound of flour, a pinch of salt and a cup of milk, making a rather hard dough. roll out to the thickness of a quarter of an inch or less. cover evenly with a layer of any kind of fruit jam, then roll up like a sausage, wrap in a wet cloth, tie with a string so it will not become loose, and steam for an hour. cut into individual pieces, and serve warm, with hard and soft sauces. =peach norelli.= fill two meringue shells with a small tablespoonful of vanilla ice cream. on a fancy plate place an ice cold whole preserved peach, or a fresh peach that has been cooked in syrup. on two sides of the peach press the filled meringue shells, decorate the center with whipped cream, and on the top place a whole marron glacé. april breakfast honey in comb plain scrambled eggs buttered toast coffee luncheon stuffed tomatoes with anchovies clam broth in cups cheese straws planked shad and roe cucumber salad roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé céléstine brook trout sauté, miller style larded tenderloin of beef, montpasson onion glacés quartered artichokes parisian potatoes field salad meringue glacée au chocolat coffee =consommé céléstine.= make some thin pancakes, cut in strips like matches, and serve in consommé. =larded tenderloin of beef.= lard a tenderloin of beef, after removing the fat and skin. put in a roasting pan with a sliced onion, carrot, celery, a little leek, parsley, one bay leaf, six cloves, and one spoonful of whole black peppers. put some small bits of butter on top of the tenderloin, season with salt and pepper, and place in a hot oven. baste frequently. after the fillet is done remove to a platter, place the pan on top of the stove and take off the fat except about one spoonful. then add one spoonful of flour, stir well, and add two cups of stock and a spoonful of meat extract, season with salt and pepper, boil for five minutes, and strain. add one-half glass of good madeira wine, pour half of the sauce over the tenderloin, and serve the rest in a sauceboat. =larded tenderloin of beef, montbasson.= cook the tenderloin as above, but serve with sauce madère, and garnish with a bouquet of quartered artichokes, glacéd onions, and parisian potatoes. =quartered artichokes.= cut four large artichokes in quarters, remove the fuzzy parts on the inside, and immediately rub the quarters with lemon so they will not become black. boil in salt water until soft. =pears bourdaloue.= peel and cook some nice pears in a light syrup, which can be made of one pint of water and one pound of sugar. mix a half pound of sugar with the yolks of eight eggs and two ounces of flour. boil one quart of milk with half of a vanilla bean, and pour into the yolks and sugar, and cook until it thickens. add two ounces of sweet butter and mix well, making a nice smooth cream. put some of this cream on a plate and put the cooked pears on top. the pears may be cut in half and cored, if desired. cover the pears with the rest of the cream, sprinkle some macaroon crumbs on top, and put in a hot oven to brown. serve very hot. april breakfast strawberries with cream fried hominy country sausages rolls coffee luncheon pickled salmon, st. francis eggs, commodore hashed fillet of beef, sam ward cocoanut custard pie demi tasse dinner cream of parsnips ripe olives tomcods, montmorency chicken sauté, madeleine alligator pear salad omelette au cognac coffee =pickled salmon, st. francis.= cut in small pieces two pounds of raw salmon and put in sauté pan, add a can of sliced cèpes, a cupful of sliced sour pickles, one-half cup of sliced green olives, a glass of white wine, a pint of tomato ketchup, one spoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of paprika, and four peeled tomatoes, squeezed and cut in small pieces. put on fire, bring to the boiling point, set on back of the stove and let stand for a half hour. then put in earthen jar and place in ice box. serve cold. =eggs, commodore.= cook the eggs en cocotte, just before serving pour a little béarnaise sauce on top. =hashed fillet of beef, sam ward.= take the unused portions of roasted or larded tenderloin of beef and cut in small squares. also an equal amount of boiled potatoes cut in the same way. in a sauté pan put one chopped onion and two green peppers cut in small dices, with two ounces of butter. simmer until soft, then add the potato and meat, one cup of bouillon, or two cups, if necessary, season with salt, cover, put in oven and cook for thirty minutes. serve on platter with chopped parsley on top, and garnished with small pieces of toast. =cream of parsnips.= peel and slice six parsnips and put in vessel with one pint of chicken broth, boil, and when soft add one pint of cream sauce. boil for ten minutes and then pass through a fine sieve. put back in vessel, add one pint of thick cream, season with salt and pepper, and add two ounces of sweet butter before serving. =tomcods, montmorency.= put four tomcods on a buttered flat sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, put four canned heads of mushrooms on top of each fish, cover with italian sauce, sprinkle with a little grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in a moderate oven for twenty minutes. before serving pour the juice of two lemons over the fish, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve in same pan. =chicken sauté, madeleine.= joint two spring chickens and put in sauté pan with three ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and then simmer for five minutes. then sprinkle two spoonfuls of sifted flour over the chicken and simmer for two minutes. add one pint of boiling milk and boil for ten minutes. then remove the chicken to a platter, bring the sauce to a boil, add one cup of cream, and strain over the chicken. see that the sauce is well seasoned. sprinkle about one and one-half cupfuls of macédoine vegetables over all. =omelet au cognac.= sprinkle a plain omelet with plenty of powdered sugar, burn with a red-hot poker, pour two ponies of cognac around the omelet, and set afire before bringing to the table. april breakfast raspberries with cream waffles chocolate with whipped cream crescents luncheon grapefruit en suprême eggs à la turque chickens' legs, deviled asparagus hollandaise gauffrette potatoes apple pie american cheese coffee dinner consommé printanier royal salted almonds halibut, richmond roast tame duck with olive sauce sweet potatoes, country style stewed tomatoes, family fashion. cold asparagus, mayonnaise biscuit tortoni assorted cakes coffee =eggs à la turque.= to shirred eggs add a few chickens' livers sauté, in brown gravy. place a slice of truffle on top of each egg. =deviled chickens' legs.= left over boiled or broiled chickens' legs may be utilized. season with salt and pepper, spread with a little french mustard mixed with a little powdered mustard and worcestershire sauce. roll in fresh bread crumbs, and broil over a slow fire. when done serve on a platter with devil sauce, or sauce poivrade. =devil sauce.= in a casserole put one chopped shallot and one ounce of butter, and merely warm, then add the juice of a lemon, one spoonful of french mustard, one spoonful of worcestershire sauce, and one pint of brown gravy. season with salt and pepper, boil for five minutes, and strain. =consommé printanier.= cut all kinds of spring vegetables in fancy or dice shapes, boil in salt water, and serve in hot consommé. just before serving add some small leaves of chervil. the vegetables commonly used are carrots, turnips, peas, string beans, small green asparagus tips, small flowers of cauliflower, etc. =halibut, richmond.= make a border with a potato croquette preparation, around a silver platter. remove the skin and bones from two pounds of halibut and boil in salt water for ten minutes. then put in vessel, add one-half pint of cream and one pint of cream sauce, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and boil together for five minutes. then place inside the border on the silver platter, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until nicely colored. =olive sauce.= remove the stones from twenty-four green olives, cut the olives in two, and put in a casserole with a glass of sherry or madeira wine, and boil until nearly dry. then add one pint of brown gravy, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and boil for five minutes. serve with any meat. =stewed tomatoes, family fashion.= peel six tomatoes and cut each in eight pieces. put in a casserole with three ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, add a pinch of sugar and two slices of bread cut in small squares, cover, and simmer on a slow fire for about forty minutes. may breakfast stewed prunes melba toast ceylon tea luncheon little neck clam cocktail broiled striped bass, maitre d'hôtel potatoes natural lettuce and tomato salad french pancakes coffee dinner bisque of crabs radishes fillet of sole, marguery vol au vent of salmon, génoise planked shad and roe cucumber salad fancy ice cream alsatian wafers demi tasse supper canapé of sardines yorkshire buck coffee =fillet of sole, marguery.= put four fillets of sole in a buttered sauté pan. season each fillet with salt and a little cayenne pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, and cover with buttered manilla paper. put in oven and cook for six minutes. remove the fillets to a buttered silver platter, place six boiled mussels and one head of canned mushrooms on top of each fillet. now add to what wine is left in the sauce pan, one spoonful of white wine sauce, and bring to a boil, and bind with the yolks of two eggs and two ounces of butter. stir well so the butter will be thoroughly melted. strain and pour over the fish, sprinkle with grated bread crusts, and bake in a very hot oven just long enough to acquire a light golden color. =vol au vent of salmon, génoise.= make one large, or four individual, vol au vent shells. boil one pound of salmon in salted water; when done cut in pieces one inch square, put in casserole, cover with one-half pint of génoise sauce, add eight heads of canned mushrooms, season well, and fill the shells. =chicken sauté, montpensier.= joint a spring chicken and season with salt and pepper. melt in a sauté pan one ounce of butter; when hot add the chicken and sauté until nice and brown. then sprinkle with one-half spoonful of flour and let that get brown; add one-half cup of bouillon and a spoonful of meat extract, and simmer without being covered for five minutes. then remove the chicken to a platter, season the sauce well and pour over it. garnish with quartered tomatoes sautéed in butter, and chopped parsley and chives, and also with small pieces of bread cut in heart shapes and fried in butter. =yorkshire buck.= welsh rabbit on anchovy toast with a poached egg and two strips of broiled bacon on top. may breakfast cherries omelet with bacon rolls coffee luncheon stuffed eggs, mayonnaise sauce broiled spareribs with lentils breast of squab, sauce périgord potato croquettes port de salut cheese with crackers coffee dinner farina soup, francis joseph fillet of flounder, pompadour larded sirloin of beef, d'orsay artichokes jardinière rissolées potatoes romaine salad burgundy wine jelly assorted cakes coffee =breast of squab, périgord.= cut the breasts from four squabs, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and fry in sauté pan in three ounces of butter. when done place on toast and cover with sauce périgord. =fillet of flounder, pompadour.= cut the fillets from a flounder and place them on a china platter, season with salt, pepper, the juice of a lemon, and a spoonful of olive oil. set in the ice box for twelve hours; then take out and roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs, and fry in swimming lard. when done place on a platter on a napkin, and garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons. make a sauce of six fillets of anchovies cut in small slices, mixed with sauce tartare, well seasoned, and serve separate. =artichokes jardinière.= boiled artichoke bottoms filled with macédoine of vegetables. =farina soup, francis joseph.= roast a pheasant in the oven for five minutes to obtain a slight color, then put in fresh-prepared consommé and boil until soft. then strain the consommé, bring to a boil, add three pints of farina and boil for fifteen minutes. then bind with the yolks of two eggs and one-half cup of cream, add a glass of sherry wine, one spoonful of grated cheese; season with salt, a little cayenne pepper and the juice of a lemon. cut the breast of the pheasant in thin slices and put in the soup tureen and pour the soup over it; give it a sprinkle of chopped parsley, and serve hot. may breakfast baked apples with cream buckwheat cakes, maple syrup rolls english breakfast tea luncheon suprême of oysters, st. francis eggs malakoff broiled chicken soufflé potatoes lettuce salad old fashioned strawberry shortcake coffee dinner consommé chiffonnade ripe california olives fillet of smelts, stanley chicken sauté, demidoff turnips glacés potato croquettes endives salad biscuit glacé, au peppermint macaroons coffee =suprême of oysters, st. francis.= for about eight people. use twenty california oysters or seven eastern oysters for each person. serve like an oyster cocktail in grapefruit suprême glasses in the following sauce: mix one cup of tomato ketchup, a short cup of cream, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, one teaspoonful of lemon juice, season with salt, a dash of tobasco, and paprika. the cream should be added last. keep the sauce on ice until needed. =eggs, malakoff.= spread some fresh caviar on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on each, and cover the eggs with horseradish sauce and cream. =consommé chiffonnade.= cut equal parts of lettuce and sorrel in julienne style, put in casserole, cover with water, bring to a boil, then drain off water and allow to become cool. then put back in casserole, add two quarts of consommé, and boil very slowly for about thirty minutes. before serving add a little chopped parsley and chervil. =fillet of smelts, stanley.= split six smelts, remove the bones, season with salt and pepper, place in a buttered sauté pan, add one-half glass of white wine, and cover with buttered paper. bake in oven for five minutes, and then place the fillets on a platter. make a cardinal sauce but add to it the tail of a lobster cut in small squares, twelve slices of truffles, and six heads of canned mushrooms, sliced. pour over the fish. =cardinal sauce.= one pint of sauce au vin blanc; bring to a boil and stir in two spoonfuls of lobster butter. =chicken sauté, demidoff.= joint a spring chicken, season with salt and pepper and put in sauté pan with two ounces of butter. heat, add the chicken, and sauté on both sides for fifteen minutes. then add a cup of madeira sauce, and dress on a platter with sauce over it. garnish the platter with turnips glacé; onions glacé; queen olives with the stones removed, and warmed in sherry wine; and french carrots. may breakfast raspberries with cream boiled eggs buttered toast coffee luncheon canapé riga sand dabs, meunière ox tail braisé noodles polonaise cole slaw, , island dressing lemon custard pie coffee dinner purée of red kidney beans radishes fillet of halibut, bristol sweetbreads braisé, zurich new peas, au cerfeuil julienne potatoes roast chicken, au jus lettuce and grapefruit salad savarin mirabelle coffee =ox tail braisé.= cut two ox tails in pieces three inches long, wash well and dry with a towel or cloth. season with salt and pepper. in a casserole put three ounces of butter, put on the stove, and when hot add the ox tail. sauté until nice and brown, then add three spoonfuls of flour, and let that become brown also. then add one quart of boiling water, a bouquet garni, a little salt, one-half can of tomatoes, or four chopped fresh tomatoes, one piece of garlic, an onion and a carrot. cover the casserole and put in the oven until the ox tail is soft. it will require two or three hours. when done remove the ox tail to a platter, reduce the sauce, season well, and strain over the ox tail on the platter. =purée of kidney beans.= soak three pounds of dry red kidney beans in cold water over night. then put on fire with two quarts of cold water, a handful of salt, a ham bone, an onion, a carrot and a bouquet garni. skim well, and when it boils, cover and cook until soft. remove the ham bone, carrot, onion, and bouquet garni, and strain the beans through a fine sieve. put back in casserole, boil again, then season with salt and pepper, and add three ounces of butter, little by little, and stir well until thoroughly melted. serve with bread cut in small squares and fried in butter. =fillet of halibut, bristol.= put four fillets of halibut in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, cover with buttered paper, add one-half glass of milk and water mixed, and cook. when done place the fish on a buttered platter, garnish with two dozen parboiled oysters, and cover all with cream sauce. sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, put in oven and bake until colored. =sweetbreads braisé, zurich.= put some braised sweetbreads on a platter and garnish with croustades financière and sauce madère. may breakfast gooseberries in cream waffles honey in comb coffee luncheon oranges en suprême au curaçao clam broth in cups cheese straws broiled squab on toast olivette potatoes cold asparagus, mustard sauce chocolate éclairs coffee dinner consommé croûte au pot crab legs, josephine fillet of beef, cendrillon pâté de foie gras hearts of lettuce omelet with fresh strawberries demi tasse =oranges en suprême au curaçao.= slice two oranges, sprinkle with a spoonful of powdered sugar, and add one pony of curaçao. have well iced, and serve in large suprême glasses. =consommé croûte au pot.= cut carrots, turnips, cabbage and leeks in small thin squares, parboil, and finish cooking in consommé. serve with sliced french bread browned in oven. =crab legs, josephine.= bread the crab legs with fresh bread crumbs, and fry in a pan, with butter. dish up on a round platter, with sliced fresh mushrooms sauté in butter in center. serve sauce colbert separate. =fillet of beef, cendrillon.= roast tenderloin of beef, sauce madère, garnished with the following: shape some potato croquettes in the form of small patties, about one and one-half inch in diameter and one inch high. roll in flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs. mark about an eighth inch deep on top with a small round cutter, and fry in swimming lard. then lay out on a towel, lift out the cover formed by the cutter, and save. scoop out the center, fill with a soubise (purée of onions), and replace the cover. may breakfast strawberries and raspberries, with cream scrambled eggs rolls oolong tea luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés eggs châteaubriand breaded lamb chops, reformé endives salad roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner lamb broth à la grecque ripe california olives lake tahoe trout, maître d'hôtel calf's head, providence roast chicken peas potatoes au gratin watercress salad french pastry coffee =eggs châteaubriand.= spread some foie gras on a piece of toast, lay a poached egg on top, and cover with tomato sauce. =breaded lamb chops, reformé.= mix the crumbs made from one loaf of bread with two slices of chopped ham and one spoonful of chopped parsley. season eight chops with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in the crumbs mixed as above. fry in hot butter, and when done place on a platter and pour around them the following sauce: cut in small strips, and in equal parts, some gherkins, beets, fresh mushrooms sauté in butter, or canned mushrooms, smoked beef tongue, and the whites of hard-boiled eggs. add one pint of good meat gravy and a spoonful of melted currant jelly. season with salt and cayenne pepper. serve some of the sauce separate. =lamb broth, à la grecque.= cut a pound of raw lamb, from the shoulder or leg, in dices about one-half inch square. in a casserole put three ounces of butter and set on the stove. when hot add the lamb and one chopped onion and simmer together for ten or fifteen minutes. then add two spoonfuls of flour and one spoonful of curry powder, and simmer for five minutes, then add two quarts of stock, bouillon or hot water. if water is used add a bouquet garni. bring to a boil and cook for fifteen minutes, then add a cup of washed rice and boil until soft. season with salt and pepper, remove the bouquet garni if used, add one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce and a teaspoonful of sugar. serve with a little chopped parsley. =calf's head, providence.= boil a calf's head with the brain and tongue. place one piece of each, for each person, on a platter, cover with sauce madère with mushrooms and olives. may breakfast sliced bananas with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon crab salad, louis braised mutton chops with string beans gendarme potatoes orange meringue pie demi tasse dinner little neck clams consommé vivieurs fillet of sole, suchet sweetbreads braisé, godard roast leg of reindeer, au jus sweet potatoes, southern style purée of salad (vegetable) vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =crab salad, louis.= arrange lettuce leaves around the inside of a salad bowl, with a few sliced leaves on the bottom. put crab meat on top of the sliced leaves, and a few sliced hard-boiled eggs and sliced chives on top of the crab meat. in another bowl mix one-half cup of french dressing with one-half cup of chili sauce, two spoonfuls of mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce. pour over the salad, and serve very cold. =braised mutton chops.= have six chops cut one and one-half inches thick, season with salt and pepper. in a sauté pan on the stove put one spoonful of fat or lard, and when hot add the chops and fry on both sides until brown. then drain off the fat, add two ounces of butter, sprinkle with a spoonful of flour, add one pint of stock, one crushed tomato, one bay leaf, one clove; and then simmer slowly for an hour and a half. when done place the chops on a platter, season the sauce well, and strain over the chops. =consommé vivieurs.= make a julienne of beets, leeks and celery, in equal parts, parboil in salt water, and finish cooking in consommé. then add the breast of a boiled chicken also cut julienne. chop a raw beet, press out the juice and add to the consommé. this will give it a nice reddish color. serve croûtons diablé separate. =croûtons diablé (for soup).= use either white or rye bread, and cut in round pieces the size of a quarter of a dollar. mix some grated parmesan cheese with cayenne pepper, and put on the round pieces of bread. place on a flat pan and bake in oven until brown. serve on a napkin. =fillet of sole, suchet.= make a julienne of vegetables in the same manner as for consommé. prepare a fillet of sole, au vin blanc. when the sole is done add the julienne of vegetables to the white wine sauce, together with a little chopped tarragon, and pour over the fish. have the sauce well seasoned. =sweetbreads braisé, godard.= braise the sweetbreads and dish up on a platter. garnish with whole truffles heated in sherry wine, and whole heads of mushrooms fried in butter, rooster combs, rooster fries, and sauce madère around the platter. may breakfast guava jelly rice cakes breakfast sausages chocolate with whipped cream rolls luncheon grapefruit en suprême au marasquin consommé in cups finnan haddie in cream baked potatoes italian salad camembert cheese coffee dinner consommé with royal and carrots ripe california olives crab meat, belle hélène tournedos bordelaise julienne potatoes cauliflower au gratin fresh strawberry coupe assorted cakes coffee =consommé with royal and carrots.= boil one quart of french carrots in salted water. when done, drain off the water and pass the carrots through a fine sieve. take a cup of this carrot purée and mix with two whole eggs and one yolk, season with salt and pepper, and strain again. put in a small buttered pudding mould and cook in a bain-marie. when set, allow to become cool, remove from mould, and cut in any fancy shape desired. serve in hot consommé. =tournedos bordelaise.= either fry in butter or broil a small tenderloin steak. dish up on a platter, put some sliced parboiled beef marrow on top, and cover with bordelaise sauce. =fresh strawberry coupe.= select some nice strawberries and put them in a bowl with powdered sugar and a little maraschino, and mix well. fill some coupe glasses about half full, pour some of the juice over each, and fill the remainder of the glass with vanilla ice cream. decorate the top with selected strawberries. =fresh raspberry coupe.= use raspberries, and prepare as above. =banana coupe.= use sliced bananas, and prepare in the same manner as for strawberries. =orange coupe.= use sliced oranges, and prepare as above. =grapefruit coupe.= same as orange coupe, but use a little more sugar. may breakfast orange juice omelet with cèpes rolls coffee luncheon crab ravigote consommé in cups chicken à la king knickerbocker salad baba au rhum coffee dinner purée of white beans, soubise fillet of bass, duglère rack of lamb, montjo sybil potatoes artichokes, hollandaise chiffonnade salad peach norelli assorted cakes coffee =knickerbocker salad.= on a long leaf of romaine salad put one slice of grapefruit, then one slice of orange, and so on until the leaf is full. then put four fresh strawberries on top, cover with french dressing and garnish with whipped cream. serve on individual plates. =purée of white beans, soubise.= soak two pounds of white beans in cold water over night. then put on fire with two quarts of water, six whole white onions, one bouquet garni, one ham bone, and two pounds of veal bones. season with salt; and skim when it comes to a boil. when the beans are soft remove the bouquet garni, ham and veal bones, strain the rest through a fine sieve, and put back on the fire. bring to a boil, and stir in three ounces of butter, adding it little by little. season with salt and pepper, and if too thick add a little bouillon. serve separate, some small squares of bread fried in butter. =crab ravigote.= mix the meat of one boiled crab with a cup of tartar sauce and a little cayenne pepper. with this fill four eastern crab shells. these shells are smaller and daintier than the pacific coast variety, and can be obtained from first-class grocers. sprinkle the tops with finely chopped parsley, then lay a band of pimento across the center, parallel this with chopped yolk of egg on one side, and with chopped whites on the other, and fringe the whole with chopped parsley. serve with quartered lemon and parsley. =fillet of bass, duglère.= on a buttered platter put four fillets of bass, and season with salt and pepper. sprinkle with a half of an onion, chopped fine, and a little chopped parsley, tarragon and chervil. peel and chop two tomatoes and spread over the top of the fish. put around the platter a little brown gravy and one-half glass of white wine. a spoonful of meat extract diluted with warm water may be used in place of the gravy if desired. put a small piece of butter on top of each fillet, then place the platter in a moderate oven and bake for about thirty-five minutes. serve on the same platter. =rack of lamb, montjo.= roast a rack of lamb, and serve with sauce madère, to which has been added a can of french mushrooms and some stuffed olives. =omelet with cèpes.= melt two ounces of butter in an omelet pan, then add a can of sliced cèpes, season with salt and pepper, and fry them. then add twelve beaten eggs, and make the omelet. pour some brown gravy around the omelet. cream or tomato sauce may be used, if desired. may breakfast cherries poached eggs on toast broiled bacon rolls coffee luncheon crab meat in cream radishes loin of lamb chops, jardinière soufflé potatoes cold artichokes, mustard sauce assorted cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé valentienne salted almonds lake tahoe trout, meunière chicken sauté, montpensier duchesse potatoes jets de houblons dandelion salad dartois chantilly coffee =loin of lamb chops, jardinière.= season four lamb chops with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. then place on a platter, cover with madeira sauce, and garnish with bouquets of fresh vegetables; such as peas in butter, cauliflower hollandaise; or asparagus tips, string beans, young carrots, etc. also add some kind of potatoes. =consommé valentienne.= make some small dumplings of cream puff paste and boil in salt water for two minutes. cook some lettuce, cut julienne style, in consommé. boil some italian paste. serve equal parts of each in boiling consommé. =suggestions and recipes for preserves, jellies and pickles.= for jelly select your fruit before it is too ripe, as the flavor will then be much better. put it on the stove and bring to a heat, to facilitate the easy extraction of the juice. have a funnel-shaped bag made of flannel, to strain the juice through. the first time it is strained use a wire sieve with a revolving wire to crush the fruit. the juice should always be strained twice, and the second time if the flannel bag is used, and it is allowed to hang over night and drip, it will be much clearer. put on the juice over a good fire and allow it to come to a heat, then add the sugar, which should be first heated in the oven. boil rapidly in a pan with a very large bottom, so that as much surface can be on the stove as possible. if it is desired that the color be light add a little gelatine. from fifteen to twenty minutes is long enough to boil it, but it should not stop boiling during this time. better success will probably be had if the jelly is cooked in small quantities. after pouring the jelly in glasses set in the hot sun until set, and then cover with melted paraffine. if corn starch be put in the juice before adding the sugar it will make it clearer. use two teaspoonfuls in two tablespoonfuls of water, to three pints of juice. a teaspoonful of sugar on top of jelly, in the glass, prevents moulding. (to one pint of juice ½ lbs. sugar). =preserves.= small stone jars are best for preserves. if glass jars are used they should be wrapped in paper to exclude the light. to prevent preserves from sugaring add a little tartaric acid after they are cooked. =pickles.= cider vinegar is best for pickles. if vinegar is too strong dilute it with water. the pickles should be tightly sealed to prevent the air reaching the vinegar, as this kills it. the vinegar should always be poured on hot, just as it comes to the first scald--never allowing it to boil. never put up pickles in anything that has held grease; and never let them freeze. if pickles are put into brine it should be strong enough to bear an egg. to make the brine, use a heaping pint of salt to each gallon of water. put the pickles in bottles, and seal while the brine is hot. a half bushel of grape leaves added to the barrel of salt pickles will keep them sound and firm. a slice of horseradish added to each jar or bottle of vinegar pickles will keep the vinegar clear. may breakfast fresh raspberries with cream boiled eggs buttered toast english breakfast tea luncheon sardines in oil chicken broth in cups fried tomcods, tartar sauce broiled honeycomb tripe, chili sauce browned mashed potatoes field and beet salad lemon meringue pie coffee dinner potage santé crab meat, suzette roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding stewed corn french peas chiffonnade salad grapefruit coupe assorted cakes coffee =broiled honeycomb tripe, chili sauce.= roll four pieces of well seasoned boiled tripe in oil, then in fresh bread crumbs, and then broil. heat one-half bottle of chili sauce, pour on a platter and lay the tripe on top. =preserves. amount of fruit required.= seven and one-half pounds of cherries and seven and one-half pounds of sugar will make one gallon of preserves. fourteen pounds of berries and fourteen pounds of sugar will make five quarts of jam. two quarts of stemmed currants will make two pints of juice. added to two pounds of sugar it will make three tumblers of jelly. always wash strawberries before removing the hulls, and then put in a colander to drain. always select strawberries for their flavor rather than for their size. =strawberry preserves.= prepare a small quantity at a time to secure the best results. make a syrup in a kettle with two pounds of cane sugar and half a cup of water. drop the berries into it and cook rapidly for twenty minutes. do not stir, but remove any scum which may arise. after twenty minutes remove the berries and put in tumblers. cook the syrup to a jelly and fill up the tumblers with it. allow to become cold before covering. =blackberry jam.= four quarts of blackberries, two quarts of nice cooked apples, four quarts of cane sugar. boil for twenty-five or thirty minutes. =raspberry or loganberry jam.= in making raspberry jam, if two-thirds red raspberries and one-third currants are used the jam will be better, as the berries alone do not contain enough acid. loganberries are sufficiently acid. mash the fruit well, and boil it for twenty minutes. weigh, and to every pound of fruit use three-quarters of a pound of sugar. boil until when some is placed on a saucer no juice will gather around it. put in small jars or glasses, in the same manner as jelly. =canned strawberries.= wash well before hulling. weigh, and to each pound of berries add one-quarter pound of cane sugar. boil for fifteen minutes. put in pint jars and seal while hot. =apple jelly.= take ripe belleflower, or other fine-flavored cooking apples. cut in quarters and remove the cores. drop in water as fast as cut, to prevent them from turning black. add a little lemon juice to the water. when all are ready drain off the water, and put the apples in a copper preserving kettle. pour a little water over them and cook until soft, then strain through a flannel bag. boil the juice with an equal weight of sugar, until it jells, and pour while hot into jelly glasses. =blackberry jelly.= heat the berries to the boiling point, mash, and strain through a flannel bag. add an equal weight of sugar to the juice, and boil briskly for twenty-five minutes. pour into glasses while hot. may breakfast nutmeg melon shirred eggs rolls coffee luncheon Écrevisses en buisson chicken patties, toulouse broiled virginia ham french fried potatoes panachée salad savarin with strawberries coffee dinner consommé ravioli queen olives shad roe, bordelaise fillet of beef, lombarde cold asparagus, vinaigrette soufflé pudding, dame blanche coffee =chicken patties, toulouse.= fill some patty shells with toulouse filling, prepared in the same manner as for vol au vent toulouse. =broiled virginia ham.= use either boiled or raw virginia ham. cut in thin slices, broil, and serve on platter, garnished with parsley in branches. =panachée salad.= this is a mixed salad of two kinds of vegetables such as beans and flageolets, peas and carrots, potatoes and lettuce, beets and field, etc. =consommé ravioli.= make some small raviolis and boil them for five or ten minutes in consommé. =shad roe, bordelaise.= season four roes with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil; when done put on a platter. parboil one-half pound of beef marrow, slice very thin, and lay on top of the broiled roe. cover with bordelaise sauce. =fillet of beef, lombarde.= roast tenderloin of beef, sauce madère, garnished with stuffed tomatoes and potato croquettes. =soufflé pudding, dame blanche.= one-quarter pound of butter, one-quarter pound of sugar, three ounces of flour, one pint of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, the whites of eight eggs, and three ounces of ground blanched almonds. put the almonds in boiling water for one second, then immediately put them into cold water, then remove the skins, and chop them very fine. mix the butter, flour and sugar into a hard batter. put the milk and the almonds on the stove to boil, then add the batter, and stir until it becomes a creamy mixture. then remove from the fire, and add the yolks one by one, mixing well. beat the whites of eggs to snow, and mix with the rest. put in a buttered mould and bake in a moderate oven for about forty minutes. serve hot, with cream sauce to which chopped almonds have been added. may breakfast baked apple with cream griddle cakes maple syrup coffee luncheon cantaloupe strained onion soup croûtons parmesanne pickelsteiner stew roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage turinoise salted brazil nuts sand dabs, david chicken sauté, au madère string beans in butter persillade potatoes romaine salad peaches bordaloue assorted cakes coffee =croûtons parmesanne.= four yolks of eggs, two ounces of grated parmesan cheese, one-half ounce of salt, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and the whites of three eggs. beat well together the yolks of eggs, grated cheese, salt and cayenne pepper. then add the whites of eggs, beaten very hard. put in a buttered pan and bake in a moderate oven. cut in diamond shapes while warm. =pickelsteiner stew.= two pounds of veal, two pounds of shoulder of lamb, and two pounds of pork cut in pieces one and one-half inches square. put in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and cook until brown; then put in casserole with an onion chopped fine, and let it become brown, then add one-half cup of flour; one pint of purée of tomatoes; one quart of bouillon, stock, or hot water, and a bouquet garni. cover, and cook for half an hour; then add two pounds of potatoes cut in one inch squares, and cook until soft. serve in casserole, or individual cocotte dishes. =potage turinoise.= one quart of purée of tomatoes and two quarts of consommé, mixed. garnish with cooked spaghetti cut one inch long. serve about two cupfuls of grated cheese separate. =salted brazil nuts.= roast in oven one pound of shelled brazil nuts until they are brown. then rub them together to loosen the second skin, which should be removed. wet them with a little melted gum arabic, and sprinkle with about an ounce of fine table salt. stir until dry. =sand dabs, david.= salt and pepper four sand dabs, roll in flour, and fry in butter. then place on platter and sprinkle with chopped parsley and the juice of one lemon. put two ounces of fresh butter in the frying pan, add one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs, and fry until golden yellow. pour over the fish. =chicken sauté, au madère.= joint a spring chicken, season with salt and pepper. put a small piece of butter in a frying pan, heat, and add the chicken. when nice and brown sprinkle with a spoonful of flour and brown again. then add a half glass of madeira wine, simmer a few minutes, add a cupful of stock or bouillon, and a spoonful of meat extract, and boil for five minutes. dress the chicken on a platter, reduce the sauce one half, season well, and strain through a fine cloth or sieve. before pouring over the chicken add a spoonful of dry sherry wine. =peaches bourdaloue.= prepare in the same manner as pears bourdaloue. may breakfast fresh strawberry preserves scrambled eggs, asparagus tips rolls coffee luncheon alligator pear cocktail broiled alaska black codfish maître d'hôtel potatoes fricadellen spinach with eggs banana coupe macaroons demi tasse dinner consommé diablé ripe california olives boiled salmon, fidgi saddle of lamb, carnot watercress salad omelette soufflée à la vanille coffee =alligator pear cocktail.= scoop out the inside of one large, or two small, ripe alligator pears and cut in small pieces. add one-half cup of tomato ketchup, one-half teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, one-half teaspoonful of lemon juice, a little salt and paprika, a dash of tabasco sauce, and last of all, one-half cup of cream. mix lightly, and serve in glasses set in ice. the cocktails should be very cold. =fricadellen (balls of cooked meat).= use any kind of meat that may be left over, such as boiled beef, roast lamb, etc. chop very fine. to each two pounds of meat add one chopped onion fried in butter, one cup of bread crumbs, two whole eggs, and some chopped parsley. season with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg. mix well, and make into small balls, like hamburger. roll them in bread crumbs, and fry in pan, with melted butter. when well browned serve on a platter with any kind of brown gravy, or tomato sauce, or brown butter. =consommé diablé.= cut three thin slices of bread, as for sandwiches, and spread with two cups of grated parmesan or swiss cheese, that has been mixed with the yolks of two eggs and plenty of cayenne pepper. bake in a hot oven until brown. cut in small squares or circles, and serve on a napkin on a platter. serve the consommé very hot. =boiled salmon, fidgi.= boil the salmon and serve on a napkin, garnished with small round boiled potatoes, quartered lemons, and parsley in branches. serve sauce fidgi separate. =sauce fidgi.= one cup of sauce hollandaise and one cup of sauce riche, mixed with one spoonful of melted meat extract. season well. =saddle of lamb, carnot.= roast saddle of lamb, with sauce madère. garnish the saddle with six stuffed fresh mushrooms and parisian potatoes. may breakfast cantaloupe ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon eggs ministerielle koenigsberger klobs mashed potatoes stewed tomatoes ginger snaps coffee dinner potage fontange radishes fillet of sole, doria tenderloin of beef, brillat savarin spinach in cream lettuce salad strawberry ice cream assorted cakes coffee =koenigsberger klobs.= with a medium-fine meat chopper cut six ounces of shoulder of lamb, six ounces of shoulder of veal, and ten ounces of fat and lean pork. simmer one chopped onion and six shallots in butter, and add to the meat. season with salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg and cayenne pepper, and chopped parsley. add a glassful of water, one dozen chopped anchovies, a little chopped garlic, two raw eggs, and some chives, chopped fine. roll into small round balls about one inch in diameter. bring two quarts of thin caper sauce to a boil, and boil the meat balls in it for about a half hour. serve in a deep dish with the sauce. =ginger snaps.= work one-half pound of sugar and one-quarter pound of butter together until creamy. then add one egg, and work well again. add one gill of molasses, one teaspoonful of powdered ginger, one-half ounce of soda dissolved in a gill of water; and mix in lightly one pound of flour. roll out about one-eighth inch thick, and cut with a round cutter the size desired. put them in a buttered pan, brush with egg, and bake in a moderate oven. =potage fontange.= make a purée of white beans. simmer some sliced sorrel in butter, and add to the soup before serving. =fillet of sole, doria.= put four fillets of sole in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add a half glass of claret, and cover with buttered paper. bake in oven, and when done remove the fish to a platter. put in a casserole one ounce of butter, and heat same. add to the hot butter one ounce of flour, one cup of stock or bouillon, the remainder of the claret used in cooking the fish, and one spoonful of meat extract. season with salt, pepper, and a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, boil for five minutes, and strain. cut some cucumbers in round balls and simmer in butter. add to the sauce, and pour over the fish. =tenderloin of beef, brillat savarin.= roast tenderloin of beef, sauce madère, garnished with stuffed fresh mushrooms and stuffed tomatoes. may breakfast blackberry jam buckwheat cakes rolls coffee luncheon canapé st. francis eggs mirabel sour schmorrbraten noodles roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé tosca lyon sausage and pimentos crab meat in chafing dish chicken sauté, amphitian timbale of rice, créole parisian potatoes romaine salad savarin au kirsch demi tasse =eggs mirabel.= spread some foie gras on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each piece, and cover with sauce périgueux. =sour schmorrbraten.= rub a six pound piece of rump of beef with salt and pepper, and a piece of garlic. place in an earthern pot, add one sliced onion, one carrot, a little celery, leeks, parsley, two bay leaves, one sprig of thyme, and two cloves. boil one quart of white wine vinegar, pour over all in the earthen jar, and allow to stand in the ice box from thirty-six to forty-eight hours. then put two ounces of butter in a casserole and heat. when hot put in the piece of meat and fry on all sides until nice and brown, and then remove. then put two spoonfuls of flour in the casserole and allow to brown, add one glass of the vinegar used to pickle the beef, and one and one-half quarts of bouillon or stock. then put in the beef again, bring to a boil, and add three chopped tomatoes. when the beef is soft, slice fine. reduce the sauce, season well, and strain over the beef. =consommé tosca.= peel and cut a cucumber in small squares, boil in salt water until soft, and then allow to become cool. cut one-half stalk of celery julienne style, and cook in salt water until soft. cook one-half pound of large barley in salt water for two hours, and cool. boil two quarts of consommé, add two peeled tomatoes cut in small squares, and boil for two minutes. add the cucumber, celery and barley, and serve. =chicken sauté amphitian.= joint a chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté in butter. when done place on a platter. slice four heads of fresh mushrooms, put in a casserole with one ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer till soft. then add two sliced truffles, and one-half glass of sherry wine, and boil for five minutes. then add one cup of brown gravy (meat or chicken gravy); and pour over the chicken. garnish the platter with four timbales of rice, à la créole. =timbales of rice, créole.= prepare some rice créole, as described december . butter four timbale moulds, fill with the rice, and then turn them out. serve as a garnish, or as a vegetable with tomato sauce. may breakfast apple jelly omelet with onions rolls coffee luncheon poached eggs, st. pierre sand dabs, miller style lamb hash with peppers chow chow neapolitan sandwich (ice cream) assorted cakes coffee dinner crème bagration salted jordan almonds fillet of flounder, circassienne tournedos niçoise duchesse potatoes asparagus, hollandaise escarole and chicory salad cherry pie coffee =omelet with onions.= chop an onion very fine. simmer slowly until soft, in an omelet pan in one ounce of butter. then add eight beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper; and make the omelet in the usual manner. =poached eggs, st. pierre.= lay four poached eggs on four pieces of anchovy toast, and cover with anchovy sauce. =anchovy toast. .= mix one spoonful of anchovy paste with one spoonful of butter, and spread on toast. = .= soak two dozen salt anchovies in cold water for fifteen minutes. then dry them and force them through a fine sieve. mix with two ounces of butter, and spread on toast. =lamb hash with peppers.= chop an onion and two green peppers, and put in a casserole with two ounces of butter. simmer till soft, then add two pounds of roast or boiled lamb, cut in small squares, and one pound of chopped boiled potatoes, one cup of bouillon or stock, a little salt and pepper, and six red peppers (pimentos) cut in small squares. mix well, cover, and simmer in oven for forty minutes. serve on a platter, garnished with toast cut in triangles, and with chopped parsley on top. if desired, a spoonful of worcestershire sauce may be added when mixing the hash. =neapolitan sandwich.= in a brick-shaped mould put three layers of ice cream of different colors, such as pistache, vanilla and strawberry. freeze very hard. make à layer of sponge cake about one-half inch thick. put the brick of ice cream on top of a slice of the cake, and lay another slice of cake on top of the ice cream. serve in slices about one inch thick. the cake should be trimmed to the size of the brick, and should be cut through crosswise to serve. =crème bagration.= cream of chicken with small pieces of boiled macaroni served in it. =fillet of flounder, circassienne.= put four fillets of flounders in a flat buttered pan, season with salt and pepper. lay a slice of cucumber on top of each fillet, then one slice of peeled tomatoes, then a few slices of pickles and a teaspoonful of capers. season with salt and pepper again, add a glass of white wine, and one-half ounce of butter on top of each piece of fish, and bake in the oven. serve hot, direct from the oven. =tournedos niçoise.= broil, or sauté in butter, a small tenderloin steak. dish up on a platter, with madeira sauce with stuffed olives. =stuffed olives.= cut the stones out of a dozen large green olives, and fill with chicken force meat (chicken dumplings). boil in bouillon, stock, water, white sauce, or any other kind of sauce. stuffed olives are used principally in sauces, or as a garnish for meats and fish. may breakfast california marmalade boiled eggs butter toast chocolate with whipped cream luncheon assorted hors d'oeuvres clam broth, bellevue crab meat, au gratin broiled mutton chops french fried potatoes sliced tomatoes, french dressing lillian russell lady fingers demi tasse dinner consommé aux éclairs fillet of sole, lord curzon roast chicken potato croquettes cold artichokes, mustard sauce broiled fresh mushrooms on toast orange coupe macaroons coffee =california marmalade.= one grapefruit, one orange, and two lemons. shave the fruit very thin, discarding the seeds only. pack lightly into an earthern vessel, add just water enough to cover, and allow to stand from twelve to twenty-four hours. then bring to a boil, and simmer for fifteen minutes. return to the earthern vessel and allow to stand for another twenty-four hours. then measure, and add an equal quantity of sugar, return to stove and boil until it jells. put up in jelly glasses. =lillian russell.= cut a nice cantaloupe in half, remove the seeds, and set each half in cracked ice. fill with ice cream, with a sprinkle of maraschino on top. =consommé aux éclairs.= make some small éclairs about one inch long. chop a little white meat of chicken very fine, add some salt and a little whipped cream, and mix well. split the éclairs and fill with the prepared chicken meat. serve on a napkin. have the consommé very hot, with a little cayenne pepper in it. =fillet of sole, lord curzon.= cut one green pepper, three heads of fresh mushrooms, and one peeled tomato in small squares. put in a sauté pan with one ounce of butter, and simmer. lay four fillets of flounder in a frying pan, season with salt and pepper and a chopped shallot, spread the simmered vegetables on top, add one glass of white wine, sprinkle with a spoonful of curry powder, cover, and bake ten minutes. then remove the fish to a platter. to the pan add one cupful of hollandaise sauce and one and one-half cupfuls of tomato sauce. mix well and pour over the fish. now place the platter with the fish and sauce in a very hot oven and brown slightly. may breakfast fresh raspberries with cream waffles honey in the comb coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs, waterloo breaded pork chops, tomato sauce lorraine potatoes cole slaw french pastry coffee dinner veloutine aurore lake tahoe trout, meunière cucumber salad leg of lamb, renaissance château potatoes millionaire punch assorted cakes coffee =eggs, waterloo.= spread some foie gras on four pieces of toast; place a poached egg on each, and cover with béarnaise sauce. =veloutine aurore.= mix two pints of velouté of chicken soup with one pint of purée of tomatoes. =leg of lamb, renaissance.= garnish a roast leg of lamb with small croustades filled with chickens' livers sauté au madère, and artichokes bottoms filled with macédoine of vegetables. serve sauce périgueux separate. =millionaire punch.= sliced mixed fruits and a few berries soaked in chartreuse. serve in punch glasses with lemon water ice on top. =raspberry juice.= mash some clean ripe raspberries to a pulp, and allow to stand over night. then strain through a jelly bag, and to each pint of juice add one cupful of granulated sugar. boil for three minutes, and seal hermetically in bottles, while hot. other berries or fruit may be prepared in the same manner. this is a good substitute for brandy or wine, for puddings or sauces. it also makes a nice drink when added to a glass of ice water. =boiled cider.= put five quarts of sweet newly-made cider, before fermentation has set in, in a granite kettle, put on the fire and boil slowly until reduced to one quart. seal in a bottle while hot. for mince pies, fruit cake, etc., use about a gill to a quart of mince meat, or cake dough. =peach with brandy sauce.= bring one pint of water and one pound of sugar to the boiling point, add four peeled peaches, and cook slowly until they are soft. remove the peaches to a bowl. reduce the syrup one-half, add à large pony of brandy, and pour over the peaches. may breakfast quince jelly oatmeal with cream crescents chocolate with whipped cream luncheon grapefruit with cherries eggs en cocotte, porto rico filet mignon, maréchale new peas lettuce salad camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner little neck clams consommé sarah bernhardt ripe california olives boiled tahoe trout, vatchette broiled porterhouse steak, bercy french fried potatoes string beans sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise peaches, brandy sauce assorted cakes coffee =eggs en cocotte, porto rico.= butter four cocotte dishes. cut a peeled tomato in small squares and distribute in the four dishes, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for two minutes. then add a slice of boiled ham cut in small dices, and a few fresh-cooked asparagus tips. break an egg in each dish, season with salt and pepper, put a small piece of butter on top, and bake in oven for about five minutes. =filet mignon, maréchale.= broil or sauté four small tenderloin of beef steaks, and season well. slice four heads of fresh mushrooms and chop four shallots. put them in a casserole and simmer until done, then add two truffles sliced fine, and a small glass of sherry wine, and reduce until nearly dry. then add two cupfuls of brown gravy, and cook again for five minutes, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and pour over the fillets, on a platter. =consommé sarah bernhardt.= consommé tapioca with small lobster dumplings. cook a few leaves of fresh tarragon in clear consommé, and strain into the consommé tapioca before serving. =boiled tahoe trout, vatchette.= put two nice lake tahoe trout in cold water, with a little salt, one sliced onion, one carrot, a bay leaf and a clove, some parsley and chervil. bring to the boiling point, then set on side of the range for fifteen minutes. serve on a napkin, with small round boiled potatoes, parsley in branches, and quartered lemons. serve separate a sauce formed by mixing one cup of hollandaise sauce, one and one-half cupfuls of tomato sauce, and a few chopped truffles. =broiled porterhouse steak, bercy.= season a four pound porterhouse steak with salt and pepper, roll it in oil, and broil. when nearly done place on a china platter and put on top a mixture of three ounces of butter, four shallots chopped very fine, a spoonful of chopped parsley, a little chives sliced very fine, a spoonful of meat extract, and the juice of two lemons. put in oven and cook for five minutes. garnish with plenty of well-washed watercress, and three lemons cut in half. may breakfast pineapple preserves boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon antipasto consommé in cups beef à la mode baked potatoes hearts of romaine salad strawberry cream pie coffee dinner purée camelia radishes. salted almonds boiled salmon, hollandaise potatoes natural roast tame duckling apple sauce potatoes au gratin cold asparagus, mustard sauce chocolate ice cream lady fingers coffee =purée camelia.= boil two pounds of green peas in one quart of chicken broth; with the addition of a bouquet garni. when the peas are soft remove the bouquet, and strain the soup through a fine sieve. put back in casserole, bring to a boil, season with salt and white pepper; and add three ounces of sweet butter, stirring well to ensure its being melted. =beef à la mode.= take about five pounds of rump of beef and lard it with a special larding needle with fresh larding pork. season with salt and pepper, and lay in earthen pot. cover with half claret and half water, add one sliced onion, one sliced carrot, one bouquet garni; and allow to stand for twenty-four hours. in a casserole put one spoonful of melted butter, and when the casserole is hot put the piece of beef in it and fry brown on both sides. put the beef on a platter, and add to the casserole one ounce of fresh butter and two spoonfuls of flour, let it become brown, then add the wine, water and vegetables used in the earthen pot, bring to the boiling point, put the beef in it and simmer until the beef is soft. place the beef on a platter, and strain the sauce through a fine sieve. garnish the beef with carrots, onions glacés, peas and potatoes. may breakfast fresh blackberries with cream scrambled eggs with bacon southern corn pone coffee luncheon canapé of raw beef clam broth en bellevue sand dabs, meunière potatoes au gratin chiffonnade salad strawberries parisienne coffee dinner consommé, quenelles doria broiled halibut, alcide smoked beef tongue with spinach baked potatoes sorbet eau de vie de dantzig assorted cakes coffee =canapé of raw beef.= chop one-half pound of lean fresh beef very fine, and season with salt and pepper. spread four slices of rye bread, first with sweet butter, and then with the chopped beef. place on a napkin and garnish with lettuce leaves filled with chopped onions, sliced pickles, ripe olives, and two lemons cut in half. =strawberries, parisienne.= put some nice ripe strawberries in a bowl and put in the ice box until very cold. make a sauce by mixing one-half pint of strawberry pulp, made by passing some strawberries through a fine strainer or sieve; one-quarter pound of powdered sugar, the juice of one lemon, and a half pint of whipped cream. do not whip the cream too hard. when well mixed pour over the strawberries, and serve on cracked ice. =consommé, quenelles doria.= make a cream puff paste. when cold, form into small balls the size of a pea, and fry in swimming lard. serve on a napkin with hot consommé. =broiled halibut, alcide.= cut the halibut in slices one and one-half inches thick, season with salt and pepper, roll them in oil, and broil. to a colbert sauce add two chopped hard-boiled eggs, and pour over the fish; which has been placed on a platter. garnish with six small fried smelts. =southern corn pone.= mix one quart of yellow corn meal with cold water, into a soft dough. add one teaspoonful of salt, a little melted lard, and a little sugar. shape with the hands into oval cakes, so that the impression of the fingers will show. bake in a well-greased pan in a very hot oven. =smoked beef tongue with spinach.= put a smoked tongue in a casserole and cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and then set at the side of the stove and simmer slowly until soft. cook some spinach english style, and place on platter. slice the beef tongue and place on top of the spinach. serve with it either sauce madère, champagne sauce, or plain bouillon. =sorbet eau de vie de dantzig.= one pound of sugar, three pints of water, the juice of two lemons and one orange, and the whites of two eggs beaten with one gill of maraschino. freeze, and serve in sorbet glasses, with eau de vie de dantzig on top. pour the eau de vie on immediately before serving, so the silver leaves will show. may breakfast sliced apricots with cream plain shirred eggs dry toast coffee luncheon eggs hongroise calf's liver sauté, sauce robert lyonnaise potatoes string bean salad raspberry cream pie demi tasse dinner little neck clams cooper soup queen olives crab meat, suzette roast capon, au jus potato croquettes cold artichokes, mayonnaise caramel ice cream macaroons coffee =eggs, hongroise.= boil a cup of rice, and spread on a platter, lay four poached eggs on top. place some chickens' livers, that have been cooked sauté in butter, around the rice; and cover all with sauce périgueux. =calf's liver sauté, sauce robert.= slice some calf's liver three-quarters of an inch thick. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and fry in melted butter. place on a platter and cover with sauce robert. =sauce robert.= slice two onions very fine and put in casserole with two ounces of butter. simmer slowly until soft; then add a spoonful of flour and simmer again. then add one pint of bouillon, one spoonful of vinegar, two spoonfuls of french mustard, one spoonful of meat extract, and some salt and pepper. cook for thirty minutes. before serving add some chopped parsley. serve with boiled beef, tongue, etc. =string bean salad.= boil two quarts of cleaned string beans in salt water. allow to become cool, place in salad bowl, season with salt and pepper, add two spoonfuls of white wine vinegar, five of olive oil, and a little chopped parsley. mix well. =strawberry cream pie.= line a plate with pie dough and bake it. (put some white beans in the pie so it will not lose its shape while baking. when done remove the beans.) place a handful of biscuit crumbs in the bottom, and fill with strawberries. dust with powdered sugar, and garnish with whipped cream on top. =raspberry cream pie.= make in the same manner as strawberry cream pie. =banana cream pie.= use sliced bananas, and make in the same manner as strawberry cream pie. =cooper soup.= slice three large onions and put in casserole with two ounces of butter. cover, and simmer until the onions are done. then add one and one-half quarts of bouillon, consommé or chicken broth; season with salt and pepper, and boil for thirty minutes. strain. serve toasted french bread and grated parmesan cheese separate. =caramel ice cream.= boil one and one-half pounds of sugar with one pint of water until slightly brown. add two quarts of milk and stir until the sugar is dissolved. mix one pint of milk with the yolks of eight eggs and stir gradually into the boiling milk until well mixed. remove from the fire, add one quart of cream, and freeze. may breakfast pineapple preserves breakfast sausages flannel cakes rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe fried smelts, tartar sauce english mutton chops, xx century club celery root, beet and field salad cottage cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé aux perles de nizam fillet of perch, st. charles shoulder of lamb, baker's oven style romaine salad baba au rhum coffee =english mutton chop, xx century club.= secure from the butcher four english mutton chops with the kidneys. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. place on a platter and cover with sauce madère. garnish with four red peppers (pimentos) stuffed with purée of sweet potatoes. =cottage cheese.= let two quarts of milk become sour. put in a cheese cloth and allow to hang for twenty-four hours, so all the water can drain out. then put the curd in a salad bowl, season with salt and pepper, mix well until smooth; or strain it through a fine sieve; then add a cup of sweet cream, and some chives cut very fine. =consommé aux perles de nizam.= perles de nizam is large pearl tapioca. boil two quarts of consommé, then add slowly one-half pound of pearl tapioca, and cook slowly until soft. =fillet of perch, st. charles.= cut four fillets of perch and place in sauté pan with butter, salt, white pepper, and one-half glass of white wine. cover with buttered paper and simmer for ten minutes, then remove the fish to a platter. put in the same sauté pan one pint of white wine sauce, and boil for five minutes. strain, and add a few slices of truffle, and the tail of a lobster cut in thin slices. pour over the fish, and sprinkle some chopped lobster corals over all. =shoulder of lamb, baker's oven style.= season a shoulder of lamb with salt and pepper, and rub with a piece of garlic. then place in a deep earthen flat pan, or a roasting pan about two inches deep. slice eight potatoes to the size of a silver dollar, and slice six onions very fine. mix together and put on top and around the piece of lamb. add a bay leaf and two cloves to the pan, sprinkle with salt, fresh-ground pepper, and some chopped parsley, add two quarts of water, and put in a baker's oven; or in the stove oven; and simmer slowly for about two and one-half hours. do not cover while cooking, and if the stove oven is used do not have it too hot. serve from the pan in which it was cooked. may breakfast strawberries with cream boiled eggs buttered toast chocolate with whipped cream luncheon scrambled eggs, marseillaise crab meat, louise corned beef hash, au gratin lettuce salad with french dressing banana cream pie demi tasse dinner cream soup, à l'algérienne salted pecans sole, colbert filet mignon, chéron olivette potatoes chicory salad victoria punch assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs, marseillaise.= peel and slice two fresh tomatoes and put in casserole with two ounces of butter. simmer for five minutes. rub the inside of a bowl with garlic, break twelve eggs in the bowl and beat them. add salt and pepper and half a cup of cream, pour into the casserole and scramble in the usual manner. =cream soup, à l'algérienne.= boil two sweet potatoes, and force through a fine sieve. add two quarts of cream of chicken soup. if too thick add a little plain chicken broth, or boiling milk, season well, and strain. before serving add two cups of boiled rice. =sole, colbert.= cut off the head of à large sole, and pull off the black skin. lift off the four fillets complete, spreading the two sides apart with two toothpicks, so they will not touch. dip in milk, then in flour, and then in beaten eggs and fresh bread crumbs, the lower side only. dip the top side in milk and flour. season well with salt and pepper, and place in a pan with butter, and two ounces of butter on top of the fish. bake in the oven, basting continually until done. then put the sole on a platter, remove the toothpicks and fill the space with two ounces of butter that has been mixed with salt, pepper, a little chopped parsley, one spoonful of meat extract, and the juice of one lemon. place the platter in the oven just long enough to melt the butter. garnish with parsley in branches and lemons cut in half. the whole sole may be fried in swimming lard instead of baking, if desired. this way is easier, but is not the correct one. =filet mignon, chéron.= sprinkle four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil; or sauté in pan with butter. place on a platter, cover with béarnaise sauce, lay a slice of truffle on top of each, and have for each fillet one artichoke bottom filled with macédoine of vegetables. =victoria punch.= two pounds of sugar, two quarts of water, and the juice of six oranges, mixed. then add a small glass of rhum, a small glass of kirsch, and a glass of sauternes. freeze. serve in glasses, covered with a meringue made with the white of three eggs and one-half pound of sugar. may breakfast preserved pears broiled salt mackerel with melted butter baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe poached eggs, vanderbilt breaded veal cutlets, tomato sauce spaghetti in cream allumettes (cake) coffee dinner consommé aux pluches ripe california olives fillet of halibut, sauce venitienne roast tame duck, apple sauce asparagus hollandaise potatoes au gratin lettuce and grapefruit salad soufflé glacé assorted cakes coffee =poached eggs, vanderbilt.= make a purée of fresh mushrooms and spread over toast. lay a poached egg on top, and cover with sauce madère. =breaded veal cutlets, tomato sauce.= have your butcher cut four veal cutlets from the leg, and about one-third of an inch thick. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in fresh bread crumbs. heat a half cup of melted butter in a frying pan, and fry the cutlets. serve on a platter with tomato sauce. =spaghetti in cream.= boil half a pound of spaghetti in two quarts of water seasoned with a little salt, and when soft drain off the water. melt an ounce of butter in a casserole, add one-half spoonful of flour, one-half cup of boiling milk, and one-half cup of cream, season with salt and pepper, and boil for five minutes. pour over the spaghetti, adding a half cup of grated parmesan or swiss cheese. =consommé aux pluches.= slice a head of lettuce and two leaves of tarragon very fine. boil in two quarts of consommé for thirty minutes. add some chervil before serving. =fillet of halibut, sauce venitienne.= put four fillets of halibut in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered manilla paper, and bake in the oven for fifteen minutes. then place the fish on a platter, put in the sauté pan one pint of white wine sauce, and simmer for a few minutes. then add two spoonfuls of green coloring, and strain over fish. =sauce venitienne.= use any kind of white meat or fish sauce, depending upon what it is to be used with, and color with green vegetable coloring. use enough color to make the sauce bright green. =soufflé glacé (plain).= whip a pint of rich cream. beat the yolks of four eggs with one-quarter pound of sugar, until very light, then add the cream to it. beat the whites of five eggs very stiff, and add to the cream. put into fancy paper cases, specially made for this purpose, and freeze in the ice cream box. if you have no ice cream box, put them in a thin vessel, cover tightly, and pack in cracked ice with rock salt mixed with it. may breakfast fresh raspberries with cream shirred eggs with bananas dry toast coffee luncheon eggs, presidential frogs' legs, greenway broiled squab chicken on toast soufflé potatoes hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing strawberries à la mode lady fingers coffee dinner crème cardinal radishes crab meat, gourmet small tenderloin steak, fedora artichokes, sauce mousseline watercress, salad wine jelly, au chartreuse assorted cakes coffee =shirred eggs with bananas.= peel a banana and slice it very fine. put half and half in two buttered shirred egg dishes, and allow to become hot. then put two eggs in each dish, season with salt and pepper, put in oven and cook. =eggs, presidential.= boil until quite soft some left-over roasted or boiled chicken, mix with a little cream sauce, season well, and pass through a fine sieve. place on artichoke bottoms, put on a buttered dish, and set in oven to get hot. then lay a poached egg on top, cover with well-seasoned cream sauce, and put two slices of truffle on top. =frogs' legs, greenway.= cut a dozen frogs' legs in two, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. melt two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, add the frogs' legs and simmer for five minutes, then add a spoonful of flour and simmer again for a few minutes. then add one-half glass of white wine, one cup of chicken broth, or any kind of clear white broth, some chopped chives, parsley and chervil, and cook for five minutes. before serving season well, and bind with the yolk of one egg and one-half cup of cream. =strawberries, à la mode.= selected strawberries with vanilla ice cream on top. =raspberries, à la mode.= prepare in the same manner as strawberries à la mode. =crème cardinal.= pound the shells of two lobsters very fine, in a mortar. then put in a casserole with three ounces of butter, a sliced onion and carrot, one leek and a little celery, and simmer for twenty minutes. take care that it does not burn, and simmer slowly. then add three ounces of flour, mix well, add two quarts of milk, season well with salt and a little cayenne pepper, boil for half an hour, and then strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth. return to the casserole, bring to a boil, and bind with the yolks of two eggs and one-half cup of cream. put in a soup tureen. cut the tail of a lobster and two truffles in small dices, put them in a casserole, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, add a pony of good brandy and a pony of dry sherry, bring to a boil, and pour into the soup. =small tenderloin steak, fedora.= season four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil; or sauté in butter. when done place on top of a thin slice of heated, or fresh-boiled, ham, and cover with bordelaise sauce. may breakfast strawberry jam calf's liver and bacon baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with chestnuts eggs, columbus broiled pig's feet, tomato sauce mashed turnips cannelons à la crème demi tasse dinner consommé, profiteroles lyons sausage sand dabs, grenobloise broiled chicken, tyrolienne potatoes château string beans in butter chiffonnade salad fresh raspberry cup macaroons coffee =eggs, columbus.= put some green peppers in hot, swimming lard for a minute. then peel and cut in orange shape. cut some pimentos in orange shape. heat both in warm butter, lay two of each on each poached egg on toast. =cannelons à la crème.= roll out half a pound of puff paste, that was made with six turns, to about one-eighth inch thick. cut in strips eight inches long and one inch wide. wash with egg, and roll on buttered sticks about one inch in diameter. place on pan and bake in moderate oven. remove the sticks while hot. when cold fill with sweetened whipped cream. =cornets à la crème.= same as for cannelons, but roll the strips around cornecopia shaped sticks, or tins. =consommé, profiteroles.= make a cupful of cream puff paste, add two spoonfuls of grated cheese, put in pastry bag with round tube, and dress on pan. make very small, about the size of a pea. put in oven and bake. serve separate with hot consommé. =sand dabs, grenobloise.= remove the skins from four sand dabs, dry with a towel, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and fry in pan with butter. remove to a platter. put two ounces of butter in the pan, cook until the color of hazelnuts, and pour over the fish. sprinkle with chopped parsley, and lay two slices of lemon on top of each fish. =broiled chicken, tyrolienne.= cut a spring chicken in four, lay in a deep porcelain dish, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add one shallot or small onion, chopped fine, a little chopped parsley and tarragon, two cloves, and half a cup of olive oil. let it stand for one hour. then take out the chicken and roll in freshly made bread crumbs, and broil slowly for fifteen minutes. place on a platter and garnish with two lemons cut in half, and parsley in branches. serve rémoulade sauce separate. may breakfast gooseberries with cream boiled eggs toast melba english breakfast tea luncheon assorted hors d'oeuvres clam broth in cups fried smelts, sauce tartar asparagus polonaise cornet à la crème coffee dinner potage albert sardines on toast boiled lake tahoe trout, pepper sauce hollandaise potatoes shad roe, bordelaise peas and carrots in cream lettuce and grapefruit salad jelly roll demi tasse =potage, albert.= two-thirds purée of potato soup and one-third very thick consommé julienne. =boiled lake trout, pepper sauce.= put two trout in a fish kettle filled with water. season with salt, add a sliced onion, one carrot, a bouquet garni, and a spoonful of whole black peppers tied in a cheese cloth. boil until done. put the fish on a napkin, and garnish with small round boiled potatoes, parsley in branches, and quartered lemons. serve pepper sauce separate. =pepper sauce.= crush with a bottle on a hardwood table or marble one spoonful of whole black peppers. put the crushed peppers in a casserole with a glass of white wine. boil until nearly dry, add a pint of cream sauce, boil a minute, and strain through a cheese cloth. season with salt. =shad roe, bordelaise.= place four shad roe in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, put a few pieces of butter on top, put in oven and cook for five minutes, basting all the time. then sprinkle with three very finely chopped shallots, a little chopped parsley, chervil and chives, and the juice of one lemon. bake in oven, and serve on platter with its own sauce. =jelly roll.= one-half pound of flour, six eggs, one-half ounce of baking powder, and some vanilla flavoring. sift the flour and baking powder together. beat the sugar and eggs together until light, then add the flour and flavoring, and mix. spread very thin on paper, place in pan and bake. when done turn over on a paper that has been dusted with sugar. peel the paper from the bottom of the cake at once. spread with some jelly or marmalade, and roll up tightly. when cold cut in slices. may breakfast sliced peaches with cream fried eggs with chives dry toast coffee luncheon cantaloupe frogs' legs sauté à sec blood pudding, sauce robert mashed potatoes escarole and chicory salad apple turnover demi tasse dinner consommé venitienne fillet of halibut, lilloise tournedos, bayard jets de houblons potatoes à la reine green corn hearts of romaine, egg dressing mousse au chocolat small cakes coffee =fried eggs with chives.= put an ounce of butter in a frying pan, break four eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle some chives, chopped very fine, on top of the eggs, and fry. =blood pudding, sauce robert.= get two pounds of blood pudding from the butcher, put in frying pan with one ounce of melted butter, and fry for about fifteen minutes. serve on a platter covered with sauce robert. =apple turnovers.= roll out some puff paste about one-eighth inch thick. cut with a round cutter about four inches in diameter. wet the edges with water, place a spoonful of chopped apples mixed with sugar and a little cinnamon on the center, and fold over, bringing the edges together, press a little, wash the top with beaten eggs and bake. when nearly done dust some powdered sugar on top, and return to oven until glacéed. =consommé venitienne.= in a bowl mix one and one-half spoonfuls of flour with three whole eggs and a little salt. let this run through a colander into a quart of boiling consommé. continue boiling for two minutes. =fillet of halibut, lilloise.= place four fillets of halibut in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add a half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and set in oven for ten minutes. then put the fillets on a platter, and put in the fish pan one-half pint of white wine sauce and one-half pint of tomato sauce. bring to a boil, and strain. cut two slices of bacon in strips like matches (julienne style), fry, and put in the sauce. also add six leaves of tarragon chopped fine, season well, and pour over the fish. =tournedos, bayard.= season four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper. heat two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, and sauté the fillets. dress on toast spread with foie gras. pour over them sauce madère, to which has been added some sliced fresh mushrooms sauté in butter. garnish with small round chicken croquettes, about one inch in diameter. =mousse au café.= mix the yolks of six eggs with one-quarter pound of syrup at about twenty-eight degrees. put in a basin in bain-marie and cook until it thickens. remove from the fire and beat until cold. add one-half cup of strong coffee and one pint of whipped cream. mix well, put in mould and freeze. serve decorated with sweetened whipped cream. =mousse au chocolat.= same as above, but flavor with two ounces of melted cocoa or chocolate, instead of coffee. may breakfast fresh strawberries with cream breakfast sausages with apple sauce rolls coffee luncheon canapé norway eggs biarritz english mutton chops, tavern camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner crème congalaise bass, niçoise potatoes nature chicken sauté, demi-deuil timbale of rice flageolets in butter alligator pear salad peach, bourdaloue assorted cakes demi tasse =canapé norway.= spread four pieces of toast with butter, lay thin slices of smoked salmon on top, trim to diamond shape, and dress on napkin. garnish with parsley and lemon. =eggs, biarritz.= spread four pieces of toast with anchovy butter, lay on each piece a hard-boiled egg cut in two. put a stuffed olive on each half of egg. =crème congalaise.= add a spoonful of curry powder to a cream of chicken soup. also add the breast of a boiled chicken cut in small dices. =bass, niçoise.= cut a three-pound bass in slices about one inch thick. put in a buttered fish pan, season with salt and pepper, spread over the top one-half teaspoonful of chopped garlic, four peeled and chopped tomatoes, some chopped parsley, and three ounces of butter in small bits. put in oven and bake for twenty minutes. serve from pan, direct from the oven. other large fish may be prepared in the same manner. =chicken sauté, demi-deuil.= cut a spring chicken in four, season with salt and pepper, put in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter, and simmer for five minutes, without allowing to get color. then sprinkle with a spoonful of flour, and simmer again. then add a cup of chicken broth or white bouillon, and boil for ten minutes. then remove the chicken to a platter. mix one-half cup of thick cream and the yolks of two eggs, and let it run into the boiling sauce. season well, and strain. slice one-half can of french mushrooms and two truffles, and add to the sauce. heat, and pour over the chicken. =timbale of rice.= make a risotto. butter four timbale moulds, fill with risotto, and turn over on a platter. serve with any desired sauce, such as suprême, cream, tomato, madeira, etc. or serve plain, as a garnish. june breakfast blackberry jelly ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon little neck clams on half shell consommé in cups cheese straws fried calf's brains, tomato sauce potatoes au gratin cold asparagus, mustard sauce raspberries à la mode sponge cake demi tasse dinner roçol soup, à la russe boiled salmon, sauce diplomate larded tenderloin of beef, st. martin green corn fresh lima beans potatoes marquise chicory salad with a chapon vanilla plombière macaroons coffee =fried calf's brains, tomato sauce.= cut two cold boiled calf's brains in two lengthwise, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and then in fresh bread crumbs. fry in very hot swimming fat, and serve on napkin with parsley and lemon. serve tomato sauce separate. =boiled calf's brains.= let two fresh calf's brains soak in cold water for an hour, so the blood will run out. then remove the skin with the fingers. put in a casserole, cover with cold water, add salt, a bouquet garni, one-half of an onion, sliced, one-half of a carrot, sliced, and one-half of a wine-glassful of vinegar. bring to the boiling point, skim, and let slowly simmer for ten minutes. remove from the water and serve on napkin, with parsley and lemon. serve melted butter, or other sauce, separate. =roçol soup à la russe.= in a casserole put one veal knuckle, one pound of shin of beef, two slices of raw bacon, two slices of raw ham, and one soup hen. cover with four quarts of water, add a spoonful of salt, bring to a boil, and skim well. then add two carrots, two onions, two turnips, and a bouquet garni. as the meats become soft remove and cut in small squares. then strain the broth through a cheese cloth into another casserole. take off the fat from the top and bring to a boil. while it is boiling let one-half pound of farina run slowly into it. cook for fifteen minutes, add the meats, season with salt, pepper, and a little chopped parsley and fennel. =boiled salmon, sauce diplomate.= serve boiled salmon on a napkin, with small round boiled potatoes, parsley in branches, and quartered lemons. serve sauce diplomate separate. =sauce diplomate.= to a pint of cream sauce add a spoonful of lobster butter and a spoonful of anchovy paste. stir well, add a little cayenne pepper, and three ounces of butter, little by little. strain and serve. =larded tenderloin of beef, st. martin.= roast à larded tenderloin, and make a brown gravy. put the tenderloin on a platter, and cut one slice for each person, leaving the remainder whole. garnish with chickens' livers sauté in butter on each side of the platter. add three sliced truffles and one-half glass of madeira to the brown gravy, and boil for ten or fifteen minutes. season well, and pour over the beef. =potatoes marquise.= same as duchesse potatoes. june breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs dry toast ceylon tea luncheon cantaloupe eggs, fedora lamb chops, bradford sybil potatoes string bean salad strawberry cream pie coffee dinner consommé caroline ripe california olives in oil and garlic fillet of trout, rachel roast duckling, apple sauce artichoke bottoms, au gratin fresh asparagus, hollandaise escarole salad mousse au café demi tasse =eggs, fedora.= cut four hard-boiled eggs in two, lengthwise, remove the yolks and mash with a fork, in a bowl. then add one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs, salt, pepper, the raw yolk of an egg, a little chopped chives and parsley, and one ounce of butter. mix well, and fill the boiled whites with the mixture. then roll in the beaten whites of eggs, and then in bread crumbs, and fry in hot swimming fat. serve on a napkin, with fried parsley. serve cream of tomato sauce separate. =lamb chops, bradford.= broil eight nice lamb chops, place on a platter, and garnish with stuffed hot olives. pour sauce madère, to which has been added whole fresh mushrooms sauté in butter, over the chops. =consommé, caroline.= make a royal with eight eggs to a quart of milk, or four eggs to a pint; add a little salt, pepper, and some grated nutmeg. strain into a buttered mould, set in a bain-marie and boil. when set, and cold, remove from the mould and cut in small squares. serve in very hot consommé with one spoonful of boiled rice to each person. =fillet of trout, rachel.= cut the fillets from two tahoe trout. use the bones and head to make a sauce génoise. put the fillets in a buttered fish pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of claret, and one-half glass of fish stock, bouillon or water, cover, and simmer for ten minutes. remove the fish to a platter. add to the sauce half of the tail of a lobster, one truffle, six heads of canned mushrooms cut in small squares, and one dozen small fish dumplings. pour over the fish. =chicory salad with chapon.= serve the salad with french dressing. chapon is a crust of french bread rubbed with garlic, and added to the salad to flavor same. june breakfast preserved pears omelet with parsley rolls coffee luncheon crab legs, à la stock eggs en cocotte, d'uxelles english rump steak, maître d'hôtel french fried potatoes wax beans in butter sliced peaches with whipped cream lady fingers demi tasse dinner cream of green corn salted almonds Écrevisses, lafayette roast leg of mutton, au jus mashed summer squash potatoes, st. francis field salad burgundy punch assorted cakes coffee =crab legs, stock.= for four persons, put two leaves of lettuce on each dinner plate. slice fine a head of lettuce and put on top of the lettuce leaves. add to each plate one slice of peeled tomatoes, and on top place four legs of crab, or some crab meat, and two fillets of anchovies on top of the crab. put in a salad bowl one spoonful of vinegar, one of tomato ketchup, one of chili sauce, two of olive oil, one-half teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, one teaspoonful of salt, a little paprika, and some chopped chives. mix well, and pour over the salad on the plates. serve very cold. =eggs, d'uxelles.= for individual portions, put in a buttered cocotte dish one spoonful of d'uxelles (jan. ), break an egg on top, season with salt and pepper, put a little more d'uxelles on top of the egg, then a little grated cheese and small bits of butter, and bake in oven until egg is set. serve on a napkin. =omelet with parsley.= beat eight eggs, season with salt, pepper and chopped parsley, add a spoonful of thick cream, and cook in the usual manner. =burgundy punch.= two pounds of sugar, two quarts of water, the juice of six lemons and the rind of one, and one piece of cinnamon stick. let the mixture infuse for about two hours. freeze, and then add one pint of claret, a small glass of cognac, and a drop of red coloring. =whipped cream.= put one-half pint of double cream into a bowl and whip until quite stiff, then add two ounces of powdered sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract. mix well, and keep in a cool place until needed. =sliced peaches with whipped cream.= peel and slice some ripe peaches, and sprinkle with a little sugar. serve in individual dishes with a spoonful of whipped cream on the side. =sliced bananas with whipped cream.= prepare in the same manner as peaches. =sliced fruits with whipped cream.= prepare oranges, pears, figs, etc., in the same manner as peaches. =berries of all kinds with whipped cream.= hull and wash the berries, dry in cheesecloth, and prepare in the same manner as peaches. =cream of green corn.= put two pounds of veal bones in a casserole, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and cool off in cold water. put the bones back in the vessel in from three to four quarts of fresh water, add a little salt and a bouquet garni, bring to the boiling point, and skim. cook for about one hour, then add eight ears of green corn and one pint of milk, and boil for ten minutes. then take out the ears, cut off the grains and chop very fine, or mash in a mortar. heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, then add three spoonfuls of flour, and when heated add two quarts of the strained veal and corn stock. bring to a boil, stirring well with a whip. let it boil slowly, add the corn, and cook for about thirty minutes. strain through a fine sieve or cheesecloth, put back in the casserole, season to taste with salt and a little cayenne pepper, stir in two ounces of sweet butter, and serve hot. =Écrevisses, lafayette.= Écrevisses, crawfish and crayfish are the same. take the tails of twenty-four of the fish and put in sauté pan with two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes. then add a half glass of sherry wine and simmer until nearly dry; then add one and one-half cups of thick cream, and boil for five minutes. thicken with the yolks of three eggs mixed with one-half cup of cream. do not let it quite reach the boiling point after the yolks of eggs are added. add a pony of very dry sherry wine, and serve in chafing dish. =mashed summer squash.= peel three pounds of summer squash, cut in half, and put in casserole with two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook in oven for thirty minutes. then strain through a fine sieve, put back in casserole, add two additional ounces of butter, and if too thick add a spoonful of thick cream. june breakfast sliced figs with cream bacon and eggs chocolate with whipped cream rolls luncheon cold eggs, danoise broiled sea bass, maître d'hôtel breast of squab, sauté in butter summer squash, native son potatoes sauté watermelon coffee dinner consommé japonnaise radishes shad roe, en bordure cucumber salad tenderloin of beef, voisin potatoes allumette lettuce and alligator pear salad vanilla ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse =sliced figs with cream.= peel and slice some fresh figs and serve on a compotier, with powdered sugar and cream separate. =cold eggs, danoise.= make four pieces of anchovy toast, and lay on each a hard-boiled egg cut in two lengthwise. cover the eggs with mayonnaise sauce. =breast of squab, sauté in butter.= cut out the breasts of four raw squabs, season with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. heat two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, add the squab breast and cook for about ten minutes, or until brown on both sides. place on a platter, pour butter sauce over them, sprinkle with a little chopped parsley, and garnish with watercress and two lemons cut in half. =summer squash, native son.= cut off the corn from four ears. peel one pound of summer squash, and cut in one inch squares. put them, with the corn, in a bowl and add three peeled tomatoes cut in squares. in a casserole put one chopped onion with two ounces of butter, and simmer until yellow, then add the corn, tomato and squash, season with salt and pepper, cover, and simmer for thirty minutes. =consommé japonnaise.= consommé aux perles de nizam colored with yellow breton coloring. =shad roe, en bordure.= butter a plank, lay four shad roe on top, season with salt and pepper, put small bits of butter on top of each roe, and set in oven. after ten minutes turn the roes over, make a bordure of potato croquette mixture around the plank, and return to oven to cook until done. pour a little maître d'hôtel sauce on top, and garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. =tenderloin of beef, voisin.= roast tenderloin of beef, garnished with fresh artichoke bottoms filled with tomatoes cut in small squares, sautéed in butter, and well seasoned. serve sauce choron separate. =potatoes, allumette.= cut four potatoes in the form of matches, dry with a napkin, and fry in hot swimming lard until yellow and crisp. remove, salt well, and serve on a napkin. june breakfast raspberry jam salted salmon belly, melted butter baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon shirred eggs, monaco lake tahoe trout, meunière potatoes o'brien tomatoes, mayonnaise cream fritters demi tasse dinner little neck clams on shell sorrel soup, à l'eau salted hazelnuts terrapin sauté, au beurre noisette fillet of bass, asparagus, hollandaise waldorf salad french pastry coffee =salted salmon belly, melted butter.= soak a salted salmon belly in cold water over night. then place in vessel and cover with fresh cold water, bring to a boil, and then set at side of the range for twenty minutes. dish up on a napkin on a platter, garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. serve melted butter separate. =shirred eggs, monaco.= put six chopped shallots in a casserole with one ounce of butter. heat slightly, then add six sliced fresh mushrooms and one peeled and sliced tomato; season with salt and pepper, and simmer for ten minutes. butter four individual shirred egg dishes, pour in the above preparation, break two eggs in each, season with salt and pepper, and cook in oven for five minutes. =cream fritters.= mix two ounces of corn starch, four ounces of sugar, the yolks of four eggs, and half of the peel of a lemon, and warm up in a double boiler. bring one-half pint of milk to the boiling point and add it to the mixture. continue boiling, and stir all the time until it becomes thick. then spread it on a platter about a half inch thick, and allow to become cold. cut in pieces about two inches square, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs, and fry in swimming lard, or in frying pan with plenty of melted butter. dress on a napkin, and serve vanilla cream sauce separate. =sorrel soup, à l'eau.= clean one pound of sorrel, wash well, and slice very thin. put in casserole with two ounces of butter, cover, and simmer for five minutes. then add two quarts of water, season with salt and pepper, add three sliced rolls, or one-half loaf of sliced french bread, and boil slowly for one hour. put the yolks of three eggs in à large cup and fill with cream, mix, and let it run into the boiling soup. serve at once. june breakfast strawberries with cream broiled mutton chops lyonnaise potatoes rolls coffee luncheon antipasto eggs, belmont chickens' livers, au madère risotto camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé marchand pim olas fillet of sole, mantane roast chicken corn au gratin stewed tomatoes potato croquettes escarole salad soufflé glacé, pavlowa assorted cakes coffee =eggs, belmont.= butter four timbale moulds, put in each a spoonful of d'uxelles, break an egg on top, season with salt and pepper, put in bain-marie, and bake until the eggs are set. then turn out on a platter and cover with tomato sauce, to which a little chopped truffle has been added. =consommé, marchand.= cut a truffle julienne style; also the breast of a boiled fowl and a few slices of smoked beef tongue. serve in one quart of boiling well-seasoned consommé. =pim olas.= pim olas are small green olives stuffed with red peppers (pimentos). they may be obtained in bottles of any grocer. =fillet of sole, mantane.= cut and trim four fillets of sole, fold over, season with salt and pepper, lay in a buttered sauté pan, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered manilla paper, put in oven and bake for twelve minutes. serve on a platter covered with béarnaise sauce. =soufflé glacé, pavlowa.= whip a pint of rich cream until thick. beat the yolks of four eggs with one-quarter pound of sugar, until very light. then add it to the cream, with a pony of maraschino. whip the whites of five eggs very hard, and add them to the mixture, mixing lightly. then fill fancy paper cases until about one inch higher than the edges, and set to freeze. when hard, and just before serving, dip the tops in grated chocolate. =soufflé glacé, st. francis.= make a soufflé glacé pavlowa mixture, dress in fancy paper cases, using a pastry bag with a fancy tube. sprinkle some chopped pistache nuts on top, and freeze. june breakfast blackberries with cream plain scrambled eggs dry toast english breakfast tea luncheon cantaloupe baked beans, boston style brown bread citron preserves kisses demi tasse dinner soft clam soup, salem california ripe olives boiled tahoe trout, sauce mousseline potatoes nature cucumber salad vol au vent toulouse stuffed capon, st. antoine peas à la française cardon à la moelle hearts of lettuce, french dressing coupe orientale allumettes coffee =soft clam soup, salem.= remove the bellies from two dozen clams and put the remainder, with their juice, in a casserole. add a quart of water, a bouquet garni, and some salt; bring to a boil, and strain over the clam bellies, which have been placed in a vessel. bring to a boil again and add one pint of thick cream and two ounces of sweet butter. when butter is melted, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and serve in a tureen. serve broken crackers separate. =boiled tahoe trout, sauce mousseline.= put two tahoe trout in a vessel in cold water, add one-half glassful of white wine vinegar, half of an onion and half of a carrot sliced, a bouquet garni, and a small handful of salt. bring to a boil, and set on side of the range for twenty minutes. serve on a platter on a napkin, garnished with small round boiled potatoes, lemons cut in two, and parsley in branches. serve sauce mousseline separate. the potatoes may be served separate if desired. =kisses.= one pound of sugar, the whites of seven eggs, and some vanilla flavoring. mix the sugar with a little water and boil until it is thick and sticky when cooled on a saucer. beat the whites of the eggs until very stiff and dry, then add the hot sugar and continue beating until it becomes cold. add a few drops of vanilla extract, and dress in a fancy shape on a buttered pan. use a pastry bag with a fancy tube for forming them. when dry bake in a nearly cool oven. =allumettes.= roll out some puff paste that was made with six turns, until it is about one-eighth inch thick. spread with royal icing, and cut in strips about three-quarters of an inch wide and three inches long. place on a wet baking pan, with a little space between, and bake in a moderate oven. =royal icing (glacé royal).= put one-half pound of icing sugar in a bowl with the whites of two eggs and a couple of drops of lemon juice. beat with a wooden spoon until very light and firm. while beating be careful that it does not dry on the sides of the bowl, and when finished cover immediately with a damp cloth. this icing may be used for frosting cakes, or for ornamental work. june breakfast sliced peaches with cream chipped beef on toast crescents and rolls cocoa luncheon shirred eggs, argenteuil sweetbreads braisé, st. george flageolet beans, au cerfeuil purée of potato salad french pastry coffee dinner consommé colbert salted almonds boiled turbot, jean bart potatoes, nature filet mignon, rossini green corn broiled egg plant hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing champagne punch lady fingers demi tasse =chipped beef on toast.= cut one pound of smoked beef in very thin chips, put in hot water and bring to a boil. then drain off the water and add a cup of very thick cream, boil again, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs and half a cup of thick cream. let it come nearly to a boil, taste to see if sufficiently salt, add a little white pepper, and serve on four pieces of dry toast. =shirred eggs, argenteuil.= cut the tips, about one and one-half inch long, from one pound of asparagus, put in salted water and boil until soft, then drain off the water. butter well four shirred egg dishes, and put the asparagus tips in them in equal portions. crack two eggs in each dish, season with salt and pepper, put small bits of butter on top, and cook in oven for five minutes. =sweetbreads braisé, st. george.= braise some sweetbreads, place on a platter, and garnish with okra and tomatoes sauté and green peppers cut like matches and sautéed in butter. serve sauce choron separate. =okra and tomatoes sauté.= cut both ends off of one pound of okra, put in cold water and bring to a boil, then drain off the water. peel and cut in quarters two or three large tomatoes, place them in a casserole with two ounces of butter, heat through, add the okra, season with salt and pepper, cover, and allow to simmer slowly for twenty minutes. serve as a vegetable course, or as a garnish. =flageolet beans, au cerfeuil.= put in a casserole two cans of flageolet beans and one quart of fresh water, bring to a boil, and drain. return the beans to the casserole, add two ounces of sweet butter, a little salt and pepper, and one spoonful of chopped chervil. simmer for five minutes. =purée of potato salad.= boil four white potatoes in salted water, and pass through a fine sieve. add one spoonful of vinegar, two spoonfuls of olive oil, a little cayenne pepper, and salt if necessary. set in ice box until cold. then mix well with a wooden spoon. if too thick stir in a little hot bouillon or water. be sure it is hot, as cold will not do. serve in a salad bowl with finely chopped parsley on top. =fillet of turbot, jean bart.= place four trimmed fillets of turbot in a buttered sauté pan, and season with salt and pepper. place on each fillet a well-washed head of fresh mushroom and two leaves of tarragon; add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of water. cover with buttered paper, bring to a boil, and set in oven for fifteen minutes. then remove the fillets to a platter, and put one pint of white wine sauce in the sauté pan, reduce to normal thickness of a fish sauce, and strain over the fillets. have the sauce well seasoned. =green corn.= put three gallons of water, one pint of milk, and a handful of salt on the fire and bring to a boil. then add one dozen clean ears of green corn, bring to a boil, cover the vessel, and set to side of range for ten minutes, where it will remain at boiling heat without actually boiling. serve on a napkin, with corn holders, and sweet butter separate. =champagne punch (sorbet).= one pint of water, one-half pint of champagne, one-half pound of sugar, the juice of three lemons and the juice of half an orange. dissolve the sugar in the water, add the lemon and orange juice, strain and freeze. when nearly frozen add the champagne, and finish. finally stir in an italian meringue (see italian meringue) made with the whites of three eggs, and serve in sherbet glasses. =broiled egg plant.= peel an egg plant, and cut in slices three-quarters of an inch thick. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. serve on a platter with a little melted butter poured over it, and garnish with parsley in branches. june breakfast cherries omelet with egg plant rolls coffee luncheon assorted hors d'oeuvres consommé in cups broiled sirloin steak, cliff house french fried potatoes baked tomatoes brie cheese with crackers coffee dinner lamb broth, olympic club salted pecans frogs' legs, jerusalem broiled chicken, maître d'hôtel asparagus, hollandaise potato croquettes alligator pear, french dressing meringue glacée, au chocolat demi tasse =omelet with egg plant.= use any broiled egg plant that may be left over, or fresh egg plant, and cut in small squares about one-half inch in diameter. put in sauté pan with a little butter and simmer until soft. then put the omelet pan on the fire with a small piece of sweet butter in it, add twelve beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, add the egg plant, and then cook the omelet in the usual manner. =broiled sirloin steak, cliff house.= season a two-pound steak with salt and pepper, roll in oil, broil, and when done place on a platter. cut the steak in slices, but do not place them apart. sprinkle with one teaspoonful of paprika, one tablespoonful of dry english mustard, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, three chopped shallots, a little chopped chives, and two ounces of butter in small bits. set in oven until butter is melted. =baked tomatoes.= peel four large tomatoes and place on a buttered dish. season with salt and pepper, put small pieces of butter on top, and set in oven to bake. when done place on platter and pour tomato sauce around them, or serve with their own butter. =lamb broth, olympic club.= put a shoulder of lamb in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, add an onion and a carrot, put small bits of butter on top, and roast in oven until done. then remove the meat from the bones and cut in small squares about one-quarter inch thick. put the bones and trimmings in a casserole, add an additional two pounds of lamb bones, one turnip, two leeks, two leaves of celery, one spoonful of pepper berries, one bay leaf, two cloves, a little parsley in branches, one gallon of water, and a handful of salt. bring to a boil, skim, and let simmer for two hours. then strain through fine cheese cloth, put back in casserole, add the cut-up lamb and one-half pound of boiled rice, give one boil, and serve. june breakfast fresh currants oatmeal with cream rolls coffee luncheon california oyster cocktails eggs agostini calf's head, vinaigrette boiled potatoes sliced bananas with whipped cream macaroons demi tasse dinner consommé turbigo black bass, sauté meunière tenderloin of beef, parisienne spinach in cream artichokes, sauce mousseline watercress salad plombière à la vanille assorted cakes coffee =eggs agostini.= put one-quarter pound of boiled rice on a platter, lay four poached eggs on top, and cover with tomato sauce. =consommé turbigo.= boil one-quarter pound of noodles in salt water. boil a carrot, cut in the form of matches, in salt water until soft. cut the breast of a soup hen or chicken in julienne shape. add all to two quarts of hot and well-seasoned consommé. =plombière à la vanille (ice cream).= the yolks of eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one quart of milk, and one vanilla bean. mix the yolks of eggs with the sugar. split the vanilla bean and boil it in the milk. then pour the milk, the yolks and sugar together, set on the fire, and stir with a wooden spoon until it thickens. do not let it come to a boil. strain and freeze, put in moulds, and set in ice box until very hard. serve with whipped cream. =plombière aux marrons.= same as vanilla plombière, but add some broken marrons glacés soaked in a little rum, when ready to put in the moulds to harden. serve with whipped cream, and a whole marron glacé on top of each portion. =plombière aux fruits.= prepare in the same manner as for plombière aux marrons, but use chopped mixed glacé fruit instead of the marrons. june breakfast sliced fresh figs with cream scrambled eggs with bacon buttered toast coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs au fondu broiled squab on toast julienne potatoes cold asparagus, mustard sauce oregon cream cheese with crackers demi tasse dinner cream of artichokes ripe olives fillet of flounder, piombino sweetbreads braisé, montebello soufflé potatoes roast chicken, au jus escarole and chicory salad soufflé glacé aux fraises assorted cakes coffee =eggs au fondu.= poached eggs on toast, covered with welsh rabbit. serve hot. =cream of artichokes.= make three quarts of very light stock veal or chicken broth, strain and add to it four whole artichokes. boil until the artichokes are soft, then remove and separate the bottoms from the leaves, cut the bottoms in small squares, and place in soup tureen. then pass the leaves through a fine sieve, and put back in the broth. melt three ounces of butter in a casserole, add three spoonfuls of flour, heat through, add the broth and boil for ten minutes. then add a pint of thick cream, bring to a boil, season well with salt and pepper, and strain over the cut-up artichoke bottoms in the tureen. =fillet of flounder, piombino.= cut four fillets from one large flounder, place in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add a glassful of claret and one-half cup of water, cover with buttered paper, put in oven and bake until done. then place the fish on a platter. make a sauce génoise from the head and bones of the flounder, add the tail of a lobster cut julienne style, and four heads of fresh mushrooms cut in the same manner and sautéed in butter. pour the sauce over the fish. if fresh mushrooms are not available canned ones may be used. =sweetbreads braisé, montebello.= put some braised sweetbreads on a platter with their own gravy, and garnish with artichoke bottoms filled with purée of fresh mushrooms. serve sauce béarnaise separate; or poured over the sweetbreads, as desired. =soufflé glacé aux fraises.= mix one pint of whipped cream, one-half pint of fresh strawberry juice, the yolks of four eggs beaten lightly, and four ounces of powdered sugar. whip separately the whites of five eggs, and add to the mixture. put in paper cases, and freeze. serve with a dot of whipped cream on top, and a nice large fresh strawberry on top of the cream. =soufflé glacé with raspberries.= prepare in the same manner as soufflé glacé aux fraises, but substitute raspberries for the strawberries. june breakfast preserved pears griddle cakes with honey coffee luncheon carciofini Écrevisses en buisson braised beef noodles french pastry coffee dinner consommé ditalini fillet of sole, st. nazaire leg of mutton, currant jelly string beans green corn hashed potatoes in cream field salad apricot pie coffee =braised beef.= have the butcher cut an eight pound piece of rump or brisket of beef. season with salt and pepper, and rub with a small piece of garlic. melt in a pot about two ounces of butter, and when hot add the beef and roast on top of the range until it is brown on all sides. then remove the beef, add one ounce of fresh butter to the gravy already in the pot, and when hot add two large spoonfuls of flour, and allow it to brown. then add three pints of water, bring to a boil, and then put in the beef again. add two calf's feet, one onion, one carrot, à large bouquet garni, four chopped tomatoes, salt, and a spoonful of whole black peppers. when boiling season well, cover, and put in oven. it will require from three to four hours to become well done. then remove the beef to a platter, and reduce the sauce one-half. taste to see if more seasoning is required, and then strain. pour some of the sauce over the beef, and serve the remainder in a sauceboat. garnish the beef with the carrot that was cooked with it. cut the carrot in thin slices. =larded rump of beef.= lard a piece of rump of beef, and then prepare in the same manner as braised beef. =fillet of sole, st. nazaire.= cook four fillets of sole à la normande, and garnish with a dozen fried oysters. =currant jelly.= strip the currants from their stems, and wash them. put them on to cook, and when they become hot mash them. boil for twenty-five minutes, then pour into jelly bag and let them drip without squeezing. measure the juice and return it to the kettle. after it has boiled about ten minutes add heated sugar, allowing a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. cook until it jells when a little is poured on a saucer. pour into moulds, and seal when cold. june breakfast fresh strawberries with cream broiled veal kidneys, english style baked potato rolls coffee luncheon poached eggs, colbert ombrelle d'ostende potato croquettes celery victor compote of pineapple sponge cake demi tasse dinner potage arlequin ripe california olives pompano, vatel chicken sauté, archiduc duchesse potatoes jets de houblons chiffonnade salad peach ice cream assorted cakes coffee =broiled veal kidneys, english style.= leave a little fat on two veal kidneys, split them, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a tablespoonful of dry english mustard. then sprinkle with olive oil, and broil. when done place them on four pieces of dry toast. mix two ounces of butter with the juice of a lemon, one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, a little salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped parsley, and one spoonful of meat extract. mix well, and pour over the kidneys. garnish with watercress. =poached eggs, colbert.= put some poached eggs on toast, and cover with sauce colbert. =ombrelle d'ostende.= put four pieces of toast on a platter and place on each à large broiled fresh mushroom, head down. put two broiled oysters on top of the mushrooms, pour maître d'hôtel sauce over them, and lay two strips of broiled bacon across the top of each. garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. =compote of pineapple.= pare and core a pineapple, and cut in slices. make a syrup with one-half pound of sugar and half a pint of water, and stew the pineapple in it until tender, and the syrup is clear. serve cold, with a few drops of kirschwasser or maraschino sprinkled over it, and a little of its syrup. =potage arlequin.= slice two carrots, two beets, two turnips, and add a pound of shelled new peas. put all in a casserole, cover with two quarts of water, season with salt, add about three pounds of cut-up veal bones, bring to a boil, and skim. then cover, and cook until soft. remove the veal bones, and strain the remainder through a fine sieve. then return to casserole, and if too thick add a little bouillon, chicken broth or stock. bring to a boil, season with salt and pepper, and stir in three ounces of sweet butter. serve with bread cut in small squares and fried in butter. =pompano, vatel.= use four whole california pompano; or the four fillets from one florida fish. put them in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of stock and the juice of a lemon, and cook in oven until done. then place the fish on a platter. bring one-half pint of tomato sauce to a boil, add one-half pint of cream sauce, one spoonful of chopped truffles, season well with salt and pepper, and pour over the fish. june breakfast raspberries with cream scrambled eggs with cheese rolls oolong tea luncheon half of grapefruit with cherries baked beans, boston style brown bread beignets soufflés coffee dinner little neck clams on half shell consommé ab-del-cader aiguillettes of turbot, bayard roast sirloin of beef, fermière lettuce salad soufflé glacé, st. francis assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs with cheese.= mix ten eggs with one-half cup of cream, and one-half cup of grated parmesan or swiss cheese; season with salt and pepper to taste. melt two ounces of butter in a casserole, add the eggs, and scramble. =beignets soufflés.= one pint of water, one-quarter pound of butter, one-half pound of flour, nine eggs, and a pinch of salt. put the butter and salt in the water and bring to a boil. stir in the flour with a wooden spoon, and work well until it is a smooth paste. remove from the fire and work in the eggs, one by one. form in the size of a walnut, and drop into hot lard with a soupspoon, and fry until well browned. the fritters will turn by themselves while frying. when done roll in powdered sugar to which has been added a little cinnamon, and serve on a napkin. =consommé ab-del-cader.= cut some carrots and turnips in half-moon shape, and boil in salted water. cut some royal in the same shape. also have some profiteroles. put equal quantities of each in hot consommé, and also one poached yolk of an egg for each person. have the consommé well seasoned. =aiguillettes of turbot, bayard.= cut four fillets of turbot lengthwise, and about four inches long and two inches wide. place in a buttered pan, season with salt and white pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish stock, or water; cover with buttered paper, and cook in oven for ten minutes. then place the fish on a platter, reduce the broth until nearly dry, add a pint of lobster sauce to which has been added the tail of a lobster, six heads of french canned mushrooms, and two truffles, all cut julienne style. pour the sauce over the fish before serving. =roast sirloin of beef, fermière.= roast sirloin of beef, sauce madère, garnished with string beans in butter, carrots in butter, and château potatoes. =chicken sauté, archiduc.= joint a chicken, and season with salt and pepper. melt two ounces of butter in a sauté pan; when hot add the chicken and sauté for five minutes. then add two sliced green peppers, and sauté until the chicken is done. then place the chicken on a platter, and add another ounce of butter to the sauté pan. when the butter is nice and brown pour the gravy over the chicken, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish with lemons cut in half. june breakfast sliced peaches with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon poached eggs à la reine cold sirloin of beef rachel salad baked apple roll coffee dinner cabbage soup, normande radishes salmon steak, hongroise roast chicken fresh asparagus, hollandaise georgette potatoes chicory salad vanilla ice cream bouchettes demi tasse =rachel salad.= cut some artichoke bottoms, boiled celery, potatoes and asparagus tips, and two truffles, in julienne shape. arrange the vegetables in a salad bowl in bouquets, place the truffles in the center, and pour some french dressing over all. =baked apple roll.= roll out one pound of puff paste until it is about one-eighth inch thick. spread with chopped apples mixed with a little powdered sugar and powdered allspice. wet the edges of the paste with water and roll up in the form of a big stick. put in a pan, wash the top with beaten eggs, and bake in a rather hot oven. when done cut in slices, and serve with hard and brandy sauces. plain cream may be served separate. =baked apricot roll, blackberry roll, huckleberry roll, or loganberry roll.= prepare in the same manner as apple roll, using the fruit desired. =cabbage soup, normande.= separate the outside leaves and the core of a head of cabbage. put both the leaves and core in a casserole with five pounds of beef bones, one onion, one carrot, a bouquet garni, and a handful of salt. bring to a boil, season, and boil for two and one-half hours. slice the rest of the cabbage very thin, place in another casserole, add three ounces of butter, and fry until the moisture is out. then drain off the butter, and strain the beef and cabbage broth over it. let it boil slowly for an hour. season with salt and pepper, and add some bread crust cut in small squares and fried in butter. =salmon steak, hongroise.= cut two slices of salmon one and one-half inches thick; season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil on both sides until colored. then place on a platter, put two ounces of butter on top, and put in oven to finish cooking. when done place on a platter and cover with tomato sauce to which a tablespoonful of paprika has been added. =bouchettes.= make a mixture as for lady fingers. put it into a pastry bag, and press out on paper in dots the size of a "quarter." bake in a moderate oven. allow to become cold, spread some jam or marmalade on the bottom of one and press another one on the jam, making a ball, and so on. coat them with a white or pink icing. =chocolate bouchettes.= make as above, coat with chocolate icing. =coffee bouchettes.= make as above, coat with coffee icing. june breakfast sliced figs with cream boiled salt mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit en suprême shirred eggs, antoine hamburg steak lorraine potatoes field salad vanilla blanc mange assorted cakes coffee dinner consommé andalouse queen olives frogs' legs, sauté à sec filet mignon, athénienne potatoes au gratin sliced cucumbers and tomatoes plombière aux marrons lady fingers coffee =shirred eggs, antoine.= plain shirred eggs with broiled strips of bacon on top. =vanilla blanc mange.= one pint of milk, one pint of cream, six ounces of sugar, one ounce of gelatine, and one-half of a vanilla bean. soak the gelatine in cold water. put the milk and the vanilla bean on the fire together and let them come nearly to a boil. then remove from the fire, add the soaked gelatine, and work with a wooden spoon until melted. strain, and allow to become nearly cold. then add the cream, and beat, on ice, until it begins to thicken. then put in moulds and set in ice box for one hour. turn out of moulds to serve. =chocolate blanc mange.= use two ounces of chocolate instead of vanilla bean. =coffee blanc mange.= use a cup of strong coffee instead of vanilla bean. =blanc mange aux fruits.= make a vanilla blanc mange, and just before putting in moulds mix in one-quarter pound of chopped candied fruits. =blanc mange aux liqueurs.= add to a vanilla blanc mange a glass of liqueur, such as maraschino, kirschwasser, kummel, rum, or other liqueur. add the liqueur just before putting into the mould. =consommé andalouse.= to consommé vermicelli, add just before serving, one peeled raw tomato cut in very small squares. =filet mignon, athénienne.= season four small fillets of beef with salt and pepper, broil or sauté them, and serve on a piece of toast with a slice of broiled ham on top. cover with sauce hussarde, and garnish with peas in butter. =sauce hussarde.= bring to a boil one pint of sauce madère, or brown gravy; add one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs and boil for two minutes. then add one ounce of good butter, a little chopped parsley, salt and cayenne pepper. june breakfast baked apples with cream oatmeal dry toast coffee luncheon poached eggs, blanchard spring lamb tenderloin, thomas lettuce salad sliced fruit with whipped cream cakes coffee dinner cream of parsnips ripe olives fillet of bass, argentina roast duckling, apple sauce green corn cauliflower, hollandaise romaine salad, roquefort dressing raspberry water ice assorted cakes coffee =poached eggs, blanchard.= cut two english muffins in half, toast them, and lay a slice of broiled ham on each. put a poached egg on top of the ham, and cover with cream sauce. =cream of parsnips, ii.= put three pounds of veal bones in a casserole, add three quarts of water and a handful of salt, bring to a boil, and skim. then add six sliced parsnips and a bouquet garni, and boil for an hour; then remove the bones and the bouquet. put three ounces of butter in another vessel, heat, then add three spoonfuls of flour, and when hot add the broth and parsnips. boil for half an hour, then strain through a fine sieve, put back in the casserole, season with salt and pepper, and add a pint of boiling cream. =fillet of bass, argentina.= put two ounces of butter in a casserole, add a sliced onion and a sliced carrot, and simmer until done. then add a can of sliced french mushrooms, one-half can of sliced pimentos, four peeled and sliced tomatoes, one cupful of tomato sauce, and a little salt and pepper. boil for ten minutes. place four fillets of bass in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, cover with the above sauce, and bake in oven until done. serve the fish from a platter with the sauce over it. =cranberry jelly.= to three quarts of cranberries add two pounds of granulated sugar and one quart of water. cook thoroughly, and force through a fine sieve. cook the juice for fifteen minutes, and then pour into individual moulds. =crab apple jelly, and marmalade.= to eight quarts of crab apples add three quarts of water. boil slowly for an hour, adding more water to make up for evaporation. strain through a flannel bag, but do not squeeze. measure the juice and add an equal amount of sugar. boil for twenty minutes, pour into glasses, and seal when cold. make a marmalade of the remainder of the apples left in the bag, by pressing through a sieve, and then adding an equal amount of cane sugar. cook until well done. flavor with lemon or cinnamon. =apricot and peach marmalade.= cut some firm ripe apricots in half and remove the stones. add a few spoonfuls of water and cook until soft. strain through a sieve, and add three-quarters of a pound of cane sugar to every pound of fruit. crack some of the stones and add the kernels to the fruit. continue to stir and cook until it thickens. then pour immediately into hot glasses. allow to become thoroughly cold before covering. peach marmalade may be prepared in the same manner. =brandied cherries.= select some fine queen anne cherries and cut off about half of the stem with scissors. arrange the cherries in glass jars or bottles. melt two and one-half pounds of granulated cane sugar with a very little water, being very careful not to let it scorch. remove from the fire and add half a vanilla bean, then add slowly one gallon of brandy. when cold pour over the cherries, seal well, and keep in a cool place. =brandied peaches.= rub some sound white peaches with a crash towel to remove the down. prick all over with a needle, drop in cold water, drain, put in a kettle, cover with fresh cold water, and add a small piece of alum the size of a hazelnut. place over a fire, stir occasionally, and as they float to the surface of the liquid take them out and place in a pan of cold water. drain, and arrange in quart glass jars. pour over brandy enough to cover the peaches. seal and put away in a cool place, and let stand for two weeks. then drain off brandy into a kettle, and allow three pounds of sugar to each gallon of brandy. stir well to melt the sugar. pour this over the peaches, seal hermetically, and put away in a cool place. =preserved cherries.= to each pound of stoned cherries allow one pound of granulated cane sugar. crack some of the stones and tie the kernels in a piece of gauze, so they may be removed after the boiling. then put all in a preserving kettle, boil, and skim, until the syrup is clear. then put the cherries in jars; boil the syrup a little longer, and pour over the fruit. =preserved green gage plums.= use a pound of sugar for each pound of plums. have the fruit clean and dry, and prick all over to keep the skins from breaking. melt the sugar with as little water as possible, and when boiling add the plums, à layer at a time. boil for a few minutes, then lift out with a skimmer and place singly on a dish to cool. continue in this way until the plums are removed. when the last layer is finished return the first ones cooked to the kettle, and continue in reverse order, and boil until transparent. then take out and arrange closely in glass jars. when all are in the jars pour the hot syrup over them, and seal. june breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés pompano sauté, meunière cold duckling and ham orloff salad camembert cheese coffee dinner consommé irma lyon sausage fillet of sole, talleyrand saddle of lamb, souvaroff string beans in butter mashed potatoes chiffonnade salad angel cake demi tasse =orloff salad.= cut out the flesh from two cantaloupes and cut in one-half inch squares. arrange in a circle in a salad bowl, and in the center put four buttons of artichokes cut in the same manner. pour one-half cup of french dressing over all. =consommé irma.= boil one calf's brains, cut in small squares, and add to a quart of well-seasoned consommé. =fillet of sole, talleyrand.= lay four fillets of sole flat on the table and spread with fish force meat (feb. ), and sprinkle with a little chopped truffles. on top of each lay another thin fillet, season well with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in fresh bread crumbs. fry in swimming lard for about ten minutes. serve on a napkin garnished with parsley in branches and quartered lemons; and with tartar sauce separate. =saddle of lamb, souvaroff.= roast a saddle of lamb, place on a platter, and garnish with a canful of cèpes sauté, and raw horseradish root shaved or scraped with a knife. cover with brown gravy made from the lamb gravy. =angel cake, or angel food.= one pint of whites of eggs (it will require about sixteen), one pound of sugar, ten ounces of flour sifted with one-half teaspoonful of cream of tartar, and the flavor desired. beat or whip the whites of eggs very stiff, then gradually put in the sugar and vanilla, lemon or orange flavor; and finally stir in the flour. put in mould and bake in a very slow oven. when cold glacé with white icing. june breakfast stewed rhubarb broiled honeycomb tripe saratoga chips rolls coffee luncheon eggs, oudinot fried smelts, tartar sauce paprika schnitzel boiled rice baked apricot roll demi tasse dinner potage paysanne aiguillettes of flounder, rochefoucault roast squab chicken artichokes, sauce mousseline carrots, vichy potato croquettes alligator pear salad blackberry pie coffee =eggs, oudinot.= cut four hard-boiled eggs in two lengthwise. take out the yolks and put in a salad bowl, add one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs, one raw egg yolk, and season with salt, pepper, and a little chopped parsley. mix well, and then stuff the whites of eggs. place on a buttered dish, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter all over the top, and bake in oven until brown. =potage paysanne.= cut a carrot, white turnip, parsnip, and a small head of green cabbage in round slices the size of a silver half dollar. put in a casserole with three ounces of butter, salt and a pinch of sugar. cover casserole and put in oven and simmer until vegetables are done. be careful not to burn, and when turning do not break the vegetables. when the vegetables are cooked add two quarts of bouillon, stock, or chicken or beef broth, and cook for half an hour. before serving add chopped chervil, and season with salt and pepper. =aiguillettes of flounder, rochefoucault.= place four flat fillets of flounder in a buttered pan, lay some sliced lobster on top, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half glass of water, cover with buttered paper, and put in oven for ten minutes. then remove the fillets to a platter. reduce the broth, add one pint of white wine sauce, and strain. to the sauce add one-half can of french mushrooms sliced, and two sliced truffles. pour the sauce over the fish. =pompano, bâtelière.= roll four small california pompano in flour, and season with salt and pepper. put three ounces of butter in a frying pan, heat, add the fish, and sauté until nice and brown. then put the fish on a platter; and in the pan put two ounces of butter, heat until the color of hazelnuts, and pour over the fish. sprinkle with chopped parsley, and garnish with two lemons cut in half. june breakfast fresh strawberries with cream waffles, special, with maple syrup coffee luncheon poached eggs, bombay imported frankfort sausages potato salad brie cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé valencienne carciofini. queen olives frogs' legs, sauté, dilloise porterhouse steak, jolly fresh lima beans julienne potatoes endives salad chocolate and coffee bouchettes demi tasse =waffles, special.= one-half pound of flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one spoonful of sugar, one ounce of melted butter, one-half pint of milk, one pinch of salt, three yolks and three whites of eggs. mix the baking powder with the flour, then add the sugar, salt, yolks of eggs, butter and milk, and make a batter that should not be too stiff and hard. beat the whites of eggs very hard, add to the batter, and mix well. bake in a well-greased hot iron. (if possible use sour milk.) =poached eggs, bombay.= put some boiled rice on a platter, lay four poached eggs on top, and cover with curry sauce. =consommé valencienne.= boil one-half pound of rice in salted water, cool; and serve in one quart of hot and well-seasoned consommé. before serving add some small leaves of chervil, which should be specially selected. grated swiss cheese should be served separate. =frogs' legs, dilloise.= cut two dozen frogs' legs in two, season with salt and pepper, put in sauté pan with one ounce of butter, and two ounces of bacon cut in small squares. fry for a few minutes until the bacon is nearly crisp, then add the legs, and simmer for five minutes. then add one pint of tomato sauce and boil for ten minutes, very slowly. add a few dashes of tabasco sauce, and season well. =porterhouse steak, jolly.= get from the butcher a nice porterhouse steak, about four pounds in weight. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place on a platter, and cover with sauce bordelaise with beef marrow. place a dozen heads of broiled fresh mushrooms on top, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. june breakfast cantaloupe boiled eggs buttered toast uncolored japan tea luncheon antipasto shirred eggs, amiral broiled pig's feet, chili sauce string bean salad italian meringue, with whipped cream coffee dinner little neck clams on half shell purée of cucumber soup pompano sauté, bâtelière rissolées potatoes roast chicken peas à la française lettuce salad raspberry shortcake with plain cream coffee =shirred eggs, amiral.= put two eggs in a buttered shirred egg dish and cook. when nearly done put on top a spoonful of white wine sauce with a little chopped lobster, mushrooms and truffles in it. finish cooking, and season well with salt and pepper. =purée of cucumbers.= peel four cucumbers, and cut in slices. put them in a casserole with two quarts of cold water, season with salt, and bring to a boil. then drain off the water, cool in cold fresh water, and drain again. put three ounces of butter in a casserole, add the cucumbers, cover, and simmer in the oven for thirty minutes. then remove from oven, set on top of range, add three spoonfuls of flour, simmer, then add one quart of boiling milk and one quart of chicken broth, and boil for twenty minutes. strain through a fine sieve, put back in casserole, season with salt, pepper and a pinch of sugar, add two ounces of sweet butter and a cupful of heated cream. when butter is melted add some bread that has been cut in small squares and fried in butter, and serve. =italian meringue.= put one pound of sugar and one gill of water into a copper kettle (copper inside and out) and cook to a blow. (see below). beat six whites of eggs very hard and dry, and then pour into the cooked sugar, stirring constantly, and beat well until cold. it will then be a very smooth meringue paste, which can be used for meringue with whipped cream, or sherbet, or to make small fancy cakes, or for use in decorating cakes, pies, tarts, etc. =how to cook sugar to a blow.= dissolve one pound of sugar in one gill of water, and put on fire to cook. after about five minutes of good boiling dip a skimmer into it and remove immediately. let the syrup drain a little, and then blow through. if small air bubbles fly out the sugar is cooked to a blow. if no air bubbles fly continue cooking until they do. it may possibly require some time to get it right. =peas à la française.= in a casserole put two ounces of butter and a head of lettuce sliced very fine. simmer for five minutes, then add two pounds of shelled peas, six small raw french carrots and one dozen raw fresh asparagus tips. season with salt and a pinch of sugar, add one pint of chicken broth, cover, and simmer for one hour. serve with fresh-chopped chervil on top. june breakfast baked pears bacon and eggs rolls coffee luncheon canapé riga sweetbreads, lavalière cold roast beef field salad lemon water ice langues de chat demi tasse dinner consommé allemande california ripe olives perch au bleu potatoes nature larded tenderloin of beef, vigo string beans in butter green corn on cob lettuce salad, russian dressing chocolate blanc mange assorted cakes coffee =baked pears.= core one dozen pears, but leave the stems on. put in a pan with half a pint of water and half a pound of sugar, and bake in medium hot oven until soft. serve either hot or cold, with sauce separate. =baked peaches.= prick one dozen peaches all over with a fork, and set them close together in a pan. sprinkle with one-quarter pound of granulated sugar, and add just water enough to cover the bottom of the pan. bake until soft. serve cream separate. =sweetbreads, lavalière.= prepare some sweetbreads braisé, place on a platter, garnish with peas in butter, and onions glacés. in the gravy put pieces of parboiled salt pork cut in small dices, and cook for ten minutes. pour over the sweetbreads. =consommé allemande.= mix in a bowl three-quarters of a cupful of sifted flour, one-quarter of a cupful of milk, two whole eggs, and a little salt. let it run through a colander into three pints of boiling consommé, and boil for five minutes. =consommé xavier.= same as consommé allemande, with the addition of a little chopped chervil just before serving. =perch au bleu.= put four fresh-killed perch on a platter, and pour a glassful of white wine vinegar over them. put in a fish kettle on the fire, some water, a handful of salt; and one sliced onion, one carrot, a bay leaf, clove and parsley tied in a bouquet. boil for five minutes, then add the fish and vinegar, bring to a boil, and then set on side of the range for fifteen minutes. serve on a napkin garnished with small boiled potatoes, parsley in branches, and lemons cut in half. serve hollandaise sauce separate. =larded tenderloin of beef, vigo.= lard and roast the tenderloin as given elsewhere. serve on a platter garnished with stuffed tomatoes, créole. cover with its own brown gravy. =stuffed tomatoes, créole.= make a rice créole (dec. ). peel four sliced tomatoes, scoop out the insides, season with salt and pepper both inside and out, and fill with the rice. place on a buttered pan, put a small piece of butter on top of each, and bake in oven for ten minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft. test with your finger. serve with tomato sauce around them; or use as a garnish for entrées. june breakfast fresh raspberries with cream omelet with potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs, basque frogs' legs, tartar sauce broiled chicken on toast soufflé potatoes cold artichokes, vinaigrette peach compote honey cake coffee dinner potage mongol radishes planked shad and roe roast loin of veal, au jus carrots, vichy flageolets in butter endives salad german almond strips demi tasse =omelet with potatoes.= use left-over cold baked or boiled potatoes. chop up a cupful and put in an omelet pan with two ounces of butter and fry until golden yellow. season with salt and pepper, and then add a dozen beaten and seasoned eggs. cook the omelet in the usual manner. =eggs, basque.= put in very hot swimming fat four whole large green peppers, and fry for one minute. then take out and remove the skin, cut the bottoms off, take out the seeds, and place each pepper in a buttered cup, with the open end up. then crack an egg in each pepper, season with salt, and place the cups in a pan in a little water, and put in oven to bake. put some boiled rice on a platter and turn out the peppers with eggs on top, so they will look like stuffed green peppers. pour some brown meat gravy, or tomato sauce, or cream sauce, around them. =roast loin of veal, au jus.= see veal kidney roast, dec. . =russian dressing, for salads.= mix in à large bowl one cup of mayonnaise sauce, three soupspoonfuls of french dressing, two soupspoonfuls of chili sauce, two soupspoonfuls of chopped pimentos, one soupspoonful of chopped green olives, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and season with salt and pepper, if necessary. =peach compote.= peel a dozen peaches and place them in a sauce pan, add a quart of water, one-half pound of sugar, and one-half of a vanilla bean. boil slowly until soft. strain off the syrup, return to the fire, and reduce one-half. pour the syrup over the peaches, and serve when cold. the peaches may be prepared whole, or cut in half. =fruit compotes.= apple, nectarine, apricot, prune or plum compote may be prepared in the same manner as peach compote. =langue de chat, i.= work a quarter pound of butter with a quarter pound of sugar until creamy. then add four eggs, one by one, and keep on working until very smooth. add a few drops of vanilla extract and a quarter pound of flour, and mix lightly. put into a pastry bag and dress on a buttered pan in the shape of small thin lady fingers. bake for a few minutes in a rather hot oven. =ii.= one-quarter pound of sugar, one-quarter pound of butter, one-quarter pound of flour, the whites of three eggs, and a little vanilla flavor. mix the sugar and butter until creamy; add the whites of eggs that have been well whipped to snow; add the flour and flavoring, and mix lightly. dress on buttered pan like lady fingers, but smaller. bake and remove from pan while hot. =german almond strips.= one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of butter, ten ounces of flour, three eggs, one-half pound of ground almonds, and the grated rind of a lemon. work the sugar with the butter until creamy, add the lemon rind, and work in the egg. then add the flour and almonds, and mix lightly. set in the ice box for an hour to harden. then roll out in thin sheets and cut in strips two inches long and one-half inch wide. wash the tops with egg, sprinkle with chopped almonds, put on a pan and bake in a moderate oven. =honey cake.= one-half pound of honey, seven ounces of brown sugar, one pony of water, one-half teaspoonful of soda, six ounces of finely-chopped almonds, one pinch of cloves and allspice, three-quarters of a pound of flour, and two ounces of lemon and orange peel chopped fine. boil the sugar, honey and water; then take off the fire and allow to cool to blood heat; then mix in the flour, spices, and the soda dissolved in a little water; then add the almonds and the peel. roll out about one-half inch thick, and cut in small cakes about one inch by three; and bake in a moderate oven. when done glacé with a very thin icing. june breakfast apricot marmalade buckwheat cakes breakfast sausages rolls coffee luncheon cold poached eggs, à l'estragon sand dabs, meunière german huckleberry cake american dairy cheese coffee dinner consommé créole salt codfish, biscayenne braised sweetbreads, sauce soubise roast squab boiled onions broiled fresh mushrooms château potatoes lettuce and grapefruit salad baked blackberry roll coffee =cold poached eggs, à l'estragon.= select four nice lettuce leaves and place a cold poached egg on each. cover with sauce mayonnaise, and lay four leaves of tarragon crosswise over each egg. =german huckleberry cake.= line a cake pan, that will hold enough for six persons, with thin dough. (see dough for german cake). fill with cleaned huckleberries, sprinkle on a handful of sugar mixed with a little powdered cinnamon, and bake. then mix one-quarter pound of sugar with one pint of milk and three eggs, and strain. pour this over the cake when it is nearly done, and set back in oven for a few minutes until the custard is set. when cold dust with powdered sugar. =consommé créole.= peel and cut in small squares, two raw tomatoes, and add to a quart of boiling consommé. also add a cupful of boiled rice, and season with a little cayenne pepper. =salt codfish, biscayenne.= soak two pounds of salted codfish in cold water over night. then drain off the water. heat two tablespoonfuls of olive oil in a casserole, add six shallots chopped very fine, and allow them to become warmed through, but not colored. then add six pieces of chopped garlic and half of the codfish. on top of the codfish lay two raw potatoes that have been sliced very thin, season with salt, lay two peeled and sliced tomatoes on top of the potatoes, then add the remainder of the codfish, and half a cup of water, cover, and cook in the oven for an hour. fresh codfish may be used if desired, with the addition of a little more salt. =braised sweetbreads, sauce soubise.= braise the sweetbreads in the usual manner. put some sauce soubise on a platter, lay the sweetbreads on top, and garnish with fleurons. june breakfast sliced peaches with cream boiled eggs dry toast english breakfast tea luncheon cendrillon salad small tenderloin steak, marseillaise gnocchis à la romaine camembert cheese and crackers coffee dinner cream countess salami sausage. radishes fillet of kingfish, ubsala roast tame duck, apple sauce carrots and peas in cream german fried potatoes escarole salad plombière aux fruits assorted cakes demi tasse =salad cendrillon.= scoop out four cold baked potatoes, fill with russian salad, and serve on a napkin, garnished with parsley in branches and canapés of anchovies. =small tenderloin steak, marseillaise.= chop six shallots and two pieces of garlic, and simmer in two ounces of butter. then add a peeled tomato cut in small squares, and six chopped anchovies, and simmer for twenty minutes. then add two cups of brown gravy (sauce madère), boil for two minutes, add two ounces of butter, stir until melted, and season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. =gnocchis à la romaine.= put three-quarters of a pound of farina in one quart of boiling milk, and boil slowly for fifteen minutes. then remove from the fire and bind with the yolks of six eggs and a half cup of cream. season with salt and white pepper, and set to cool. then cut in one and one-half inch squares, or in other desired shapes; place on a buttered pan, or deep dish, or individual shirred egg dish; sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =gnocchis au gratin.= same as above, except pour sour cream over them, sprinkle with cheese, add butter on top, and bake until brown. =cream countess.= make a cream of asparagus soup, and before serving bind with the yolk of one egg for each person. color with green spinach coloring. =kingfish, ubsala.= put four cleaned kingfish on a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish stock, bouillon or water, and bake in an oven. then place the fish on a platter, add one pint of white wine sauce to the juice of the fish in the pan, and reduce by boiling to the thickness of a good sauce. strain over the fish. garnish with fleurons. june breakfast apricot marmalade waffles buttermilk coffee luncheon eggs, céléstine fried chicken, villeroi flageolet beans mashed potato salad french pastry demi tasse dinner consommé magador ripe olives salmon, concourt fillet of beef sauté, balzag artichokes, hollandaise green corn potato croquettes romaine salad, roquefort dressing blanc mange, aux liqueurs lady fingers coffee =eggs, céléstine.= put four pieces of toast on a buttered platter, lay a slice of broiled ham on top of each, and a poached egg on top of each slice of ham. cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put a little butter on each, and bake in a hot oven until brown. =fried chicken, villeroi.= joint a chicken, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs and fresh bread crumbs. put one-half cup of melted butter in a pan, heat, and then fry the chicken. make a pint of sauce allemande (march ), add one cup of fresh-boiled new peas, and season well. put some of the sauce on a platter, lay the chicken on top, and serve the remainder of the sauce in a sauceboat. =consommé magador.= wash a stalk of celery and cut in small dices, boil in salted water until soft. then add to three pints of boiling consommé; season well, and serve with chopped chervil. =salmon, concourt.= cut the salmon in slices one inch thick, season with salt and pepper, roll in melted butter, then in fresh bread crumbs, and broil. when done place on a platter, and garnish with parsley in branches and lemons cut in half. serve sauce colbert separate. =fillet of beef sauté, balzag.= season four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper, and sauté in butter. then place on a platter. make a pint of sauce madère, and add to it one dozen small chicken dumplings, one dozen stuffed olives and two sliced truffles. pour over the fillets. june breakfast strawberries with cream scrambled eggs with chives crescents and rolls cocoa luncheon cold virginia ham bretonne salad lillian russell macaroons coffee dinner chicken soup, brésilienne celery striped bass, buena vista chicken fricassee, à l'ancienne asparagus, sauce mousseline pâté de foie gras, à la gelée lettuce salad pancakes, lieb coffee =salad bretonne.= soak one pound of white beans in cold water over night. then put on fire in two quarts of water, add a little salt, one carrot, one onion, and a bouquet garni. cover, and boil until soft. then remove the vegetables, drain off the water, and set the beans in a cool place. when cold put them in a salad bowl, and in the center place two tomatoes peeled and cut in small squares. sprinkle with one teaspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of fresh-ground black pepper, one-third cup of white wine vinegar, two-thirds of a cup of olive oil, and a little chopped parsley. some chopped chives may also be added if desired. mix on the table. =chicken soup, brésilienne.= one pint of consommé tapioca, one pint of thick consommé brunoise, and the breast of a fowl cut in small squares. bring to a boil, and serve. =striped bass, buena vista.= put in a wide copper fish pan one cup of olive oil, two sliced onions, two sliced green peppers, and then fry. when done add four cloves of chopped garlic and let it set in the hot oil for a second; then add a pint of claret, one dozen sliced fresh mushrooms, six peeled and sliced tomatoes, and one-half canful of sliced pimentos. bring to a boil, and then add five pounds of striped bass cut in slices two inches thick. season with salt, pepper, and a little paprika; cover, and simmer for thirty minutes. cut eight slices of bread the same thickness as for toasting, and fry in hot oil. rub the fried bread with a piece of garlic, lay on a deep platter, put the fish on top of the toast, pour sauce over the fish, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =chicken fricassée, à l'ancienne.= cut a young roasting chicken in eight pieces, wash well, and put in a pot in one quart of cold water. season with salt, bring to a boil, and skim. then add one-half pint of small peeled white onions, one pint of small round raw parisian potatoes, one pound of parboiled salt pork cut in small dices, and one bouquet garni. boil until done; then remove the bouquet garni, and take off the fat on top of the broth. mix in a bowl two spoonfuls of flour and one-half cup of water, and let it run into the boiling fricassee. boil for five minutes; then bind with the yolks of two eggs and one-half cup of cream. when serving sprinkle with chopped parsley. june breakfast crab apple marmalade shirred eggs, plain melba toast coffee luncheon cantaloupe omelette argentine turkey hash, château de madrid julienne potatoes brie cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé bohémienne queen olives and salted almonds baked lobster, lincoln roast imperial squab baked potatoes cold artichokes, mustard sauce baked huckleberry roll coffee =omelette argentine.= cut one-quarter pound of egg plant in one-half inch squares. put in omelet pan with one ounce of butter and fry until cooked. then add eight beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, and cook in the usual manner. serve the omelet on a platter with sauce colbert around it. =turkey hash, château de madrid.= cut the breast of a boiled turkey in small squares. put in a sauté pan with one pint of thick cream sauce, season with salt and pepper, heat, and fill as many red peppers (pimentos) as possible. place the filled peppers on a buttered platter, so they will have the appearance of little red caps. put in the oven and cook for a few minutes. serve with sauce créole poured around them. =consommé bohémienne.= make three thin pancakes, and when cold cut in julienne shape. cut the breast of a boiled fowl also in julienne shape. chop a raw peeled tomato; and add all the above with a cup of fresh peas, to three pints of boiling consommé, and serve. =baked lobster, lincoln.= boil two lobsters. when cold, cut in two lengthwise, remove the meat, and slice it. put in a casserole two ounces of butter, and heat; then add two chopped shallots, and two cloves of garlic chopped fine. heat slightly and then add six sliced fresh mushrooms, and simmer for five minutes. then add one cup of cream sauce, one teaspoonful of english mustard mixed with one tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce, and a little chopped parsley and tarragon. cook for ten minutes, then add the lobster, and season with salt and pepper. fill the half lobster shells with the mixture, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until well browned. serve on a napkin, with parsley in branches, and two lemons cut in half. june breakfast fresh sliced peaches with cream griddle cakes kidneys sauté, au madère rolls coffee luncheon cold fish à la michels lemon pie buttermilk coffee dinner little neck clams sorrel soup, with rice lyon sausages frogs' legs, sauté à sec tournedos, vaudeville sybil potatoes watercress salad compote of gooseberries assorted cakes coffee =cold fish à la michels.= put in a casserole one spoonful of olive oil and a small onion chopped very fine. fry until yellow, and then add one chopped clove of garlic and a spoonful of flour. cook this until yellow; then add two and one-half cups of water, season with salt and pepper, and boil for two minutes. then add about two pounds of any kind of fish cut in pieces about two inches square, and some chopped parsley, and boil for thirty minutes. put the fish in a deep porcelain dish, pour the sauce over it, and serve when cold. =sorrel soup with rice.= wash à large handful of sorrel, remove the stems, and slice very thin. put two ounces of butter and three ounces of rice in a casserole, and heat. then add the sorrel and simmer for five minutes. then add two quarts of bouillon, chicken broth or stock, season with salt and pepper, and boil slowly for thirty minutes. when rice is soft it is ready to serve. =tournedos, vaudeville.= season four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper, and broil; or sauté in pan with butter. when done place on a platter, lay on each a fresh poached egg; and garnish with four stuffed tomatoes, créole. cover the tournedos with sauce madère. =compote of gooseberries.= to each pint of well-cleaned gooseberries add one-half pound of sugar and one gill of water. cook slowly until the berries are soft. june breakfast preserved green gage plums boiled eggs doughnuts rolls coffee luncheon clam broth en bellevue chicken sauté à sec french fried potatoes romaine salad sierra cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé xavier pim olas boiled salmon steak with peas roast saddle of lamb, mint sauce green corn stewed tomatoes lettuce and grapefruit salad berliner pfannenkuchen coffee =doughnuts--with baking powder.= one pound of flour, one-half ounce baking powder, two ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, the yolks of four eggs, one whole egg, one-half gill of milk, and the rind of a lemon. sift the baking powder into the flour. mix the sugar, butter and eggs; add the milk and flour, and the lemon rind flavoring. roll out, and cut with a doughnut cutter, and fry in hot lard or butter. dust with powdered sugar with a little cinnamon in it, before serving. =doughnuts--with yeast.= one pound of flour, one ounce of yeast, two eggs, two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, one pinch of salt and the rind and juice of a lemon. sift the flour into a bowl; add the egg, and the yeast dissolved in a little milk, and one gill of milk; making a medium stiff dough. cover with a cloth, and allow to rise to double its original volume. it will require about an hour. then work in the butter, salt, and flavoring, mix well, and let it rise again. then fold the dough together, roll out to about one-quarter inch thick, cut with a doughnut cutter, allow to rise for half an hour, and fry. dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving. =crullers.= use either the baking powder or yeast doughnut dough, cut with a cruller cutter, and fry in the same manner as doughnuts. =coffee cake dough.= one pound of flour, one ounce of yeast, two eggs, two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, one pinch of salt, the rind and juice of a lemon, and a little nutmeg. put the flour into a bowl. dissolve the yeast in a gill of luke-warm milk, and add to the flour, with the eggs. work to a medium stiff dough. cover with a cloth and let it rise to double its original size. then work in the butter, sugar, salt and lemon flavoring, and mix well. let it rise again for about an hour; when the dough will be ready to use. this dough is the foundation for all kinds of coffee cake. =berliner pfannenkuchen.= make a coffee cake dough. roll out some balls about the size of an egg, flatten them a little and put one-half teaspoonful of any kind of jam on top. pinch up the dough over the jam. lay them on a cloth, smooth side up, cover, and allow to raise to nearly double in size. fry in swimming hot lard or clarified butter. when done dust with granulated sugar and powdered cinnamon. july breakfast sliced figs with cream baked beans, boston style rolls coffee luncheon imperial salad broiled lamb chops red kidney beans soufflé potatoes st. francis cheese, with crackers demi tasse dinner potage st. marceau fillet of sole, montmorency sweetbreads braisé, princess château potatoes roast chicken chiffonnade salad corn starch pudding coffee =imperial salad.= equal parts of sliced tomatoes, sliced artichoke bottoms, and fresh peas. put them in a salad bowl, cover with mayonnaise sauce, and lay some sliced truffles on top. =st. francis cheese.= scrape the skin from three camembert cheeses, and put in a copper casserole. add one-quarter pound of good roquefort cheese, one-half pound of the best table butter, two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, and one pint of the best cream. cook until melted, and the whole becomes thick; then strain through cheese cloth. put in an earthern pot and allow to become cool. the cheese will keep for two weeks if kept in the ice box. =potage st. marceau.= mix one quart of purée of split pea soup with one pint of consommé julienne. =fillet of sole, montmorency.= place four fillets of sole in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, and lay on each fillet four heads of canned french mushrooms. cover all with one pint of sauce italienne, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven for fifteen minutes. then remove from the oven, squeeze the juice of a lemon on top, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. serve from the pan used in cooking, which may be placed on a platter. =sweetbreads braisé, princess.= braise four nice sweetbreads, and place them on fresh artichoke bottoms on a platter. garnish with boiled cauliflower with a little béarnaise sauce poured over it; and over the sweetbreads pour the gravy left after braising. sauté the livers of four chickens in butter, season well with salt and pepper, and lay them around the cauliflower. =corn starch pudding.= one quart of milk, three ounces of corn starch, five ounces of sugar, four yolks and four whites of eggs, one ounce of butter, and flavoring. dissolve the corn starch in a little cold milk. put the rest of the milk and the sugar on the stove, and when near boiling add the dissolved corn starch and stir well. boil for a few minutes, then take off the fire, add the butter, the yolks of eggs, and the flavoring. beat the whites to snow, and add, mixing lightly. put into buttered moulds and bake for about twenty minutes. serve with fruit or cream sauce. july breakfast preserved cherries bacon and eggs rolls english breakfast tea luncheon crab cocktail, crêmière pig's feet, st. menehould cottage fried potatoes succotash coffee blanc mange assorted cakes demi tasse dinner little neck clams consommé marie louise ripe olives. salted pecans halibut, boitel larded sirloin of beef, lili potato pancakes wax beans in butter celery victor brandied peaches vanilla ice cream macaroons coffee =crab cocktail, crêmière.= same as crab cocktail, victor (see march ), with the addition of a little whipped cream on top. =cottage fried potatoes.= slice three potatoes of medium size in pieces the size and shape of a silver dollar. heat two ounces of butter in a frying pan, add the potatoes, season with salt and pepper, and fry slowly. when done add a spoonful of grated cheese, and put in the oven for a few minutes. then dish up, sprinkled with chopped parsley. =pig's feet, st. menehould.= split two boiled pigs' feet, roll in melted butter and then in fresh bread crumbs. broil. when done dish up on a platter, and garnish with parsley in branches and two lemons cut in half. serve tomato sauce separate, and cream sauce with chopped truffles in it. =succotash.= if canned succotash is used empty it into a casserole, add a small piece of butter, season with salt and pepper, and serve very hot. =fresh succotash.= put two ounces of butter in a casserole, add the corn cut from six fresh ears, and simmer for ten minutes. then add one pound of boiled fresh lima beans, season with salt and pepper, add one spoonful of cream sauce and one spoonful of cream, and cook for five minutes. =consommé marie louise.= to consommé royal add a cupful of fresh boiled green peas. =halibut, boitel.= cut four fillets of halibut, place them in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of stock or water, cover, and simmer for ten minutes. then remove the fish to a platter, and to the pan add one can of chopped french mushrooms, and two cups of cream sauce. season well, and boil for five minutes. pour over the fish, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =larded tenderloin of beef, lili.= roast à larded tenderloin of beef, and serve with sauce madère, to which has been added six sliced heads of fresh mushrooms sautéed in butter, and two sliced truffles. garnish with six peeled and quartered tomatoes sautéed in butter. =potato pancakes.= mix one egg, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of flour, and salt and pepper. grate one and one-half cups of raw potato and add immediately, otherwise it will turn black. fry in melted butter, and form the cakes by putting in a spoonful of the batter at a time. left over boiled or baked potatoes may be used instead of the raw potatoes if desired. july breakfast sliced bananas with cream flannel cakes with maple syrup rolls coffee luncheon fresh caviar dry toast clams en cocotte, californienne omelet with fresh strawberries coffee dinner croute bretonne boiled lake tahoe trout, hollandaise potatoes nature chicken sauté, viennoise green peas roast leg of mutton, currant jelly endive salad biscuit glacé, mapleine assorted cakes demi tasse =clams en cocotte, californienne.= remove three dozen little neck clams from their shells and put in an earthern casserole or cocotte dish with two ounces of butter. then add one-half cup of raw fine-chopped celery, two heads of fresh mushrooms chopped very fine, and a little chives sliced very fine, and some chopped parsley. season with salt and pepper, put two more ounces of butter on top, and place in oven to bake. cook for twenty minutes, and serve from the cocotte, direct from the oven. =croute bretonne.= put two pounds of beef shin and five pounds of beef bones in a casserole or soup kettle. add one gallon of cold water, bring slowly to a boil, and skim well. then add one spoonful of salt, a bouquet garni, half of a small head of cabbage or kale, two turnips, two carrots, one parsnip and an onion. boil for three hours; then strain the broth into a soup tureen. chop the vegetables very fine, put in salad bowl, season with salt, pepper, and a little grated nutmeg, and add a little chopped parsley and one-half cup of grated cheese. cut some bread in round pieces the size of a silver half dollar, and toast on one side. put the purée of vegetables on the toasted side of the croutons, place on a buttered pan and bake in the oven until brown. serve on a napkin with the broth. =chicken sauté, viennoise.= joint a spring chicken, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. fry in melted butter. when done place on a platter, pour cream sauce around it, and garnish with new peas cooked in butter. =german coffee cake.= one pound of flour, one ounce of yeast, six ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, three eggs, and the rind of a lemon. prepare and raise the dough in the same manner as for coffee cake. roll out until about one-half inch thick, or thicker, if desired. brush over with egg, and spread some streusel on top (see streusel cake). allow to raise, and bake in a moderate oven. =streusel cake.= one-half pound of flour, six ounces of sugar, four ounces of melted butter, one-half ounce of cinnamon, the juice of one lemon, and the yolk of one egg. mix all together, and pass through a coarse sieve. make a coffee cake dough, roll out, and spread the above mixture over the top. allow to raise, and then bake. (this cake is the same as german coffee cake.) =cinnamon cake.= roll out some german coffee cake dough about one-half inch thick. brush over with melted butter, and spread granulated sugar mixed with powdered cinnamon, on top. allow to raise, and then bake. =coffee fruit cake.= add to german coffee cake mixture three ounces of currants, three ounces of raisins, two ounces of lemon peel, and two ounces of citron chopped fine. roll out to about one-half inch thick, allow to rise, and bake. when done ice over with very thin lemon icing. =coffee cream cake.= roll out some german coffee cake dough very thin. spread over with pastry cream (see pastry cream). and cover with another thin sheet of coffee cake dough. brush over with egg, spread some streusel over the top, allow to raise, and bake. july breakfast sliced pineapple farina with cream uncolored japan tea crescents luncheon canapé thon mariné poached eggs, créole lamb chops, robinson lyonnaise potatoes corn sauté in butter orange compote snails (cake) demi tasse dinner consommé florentine ripe olives. celery sand dabs, meunière broiled baby turkey, cranberry sauce baked sweet potatoes summer squash lettuce salad, egg dressing coupe st. jacques macaroons coffee =poached eggs, créole.= put some boiled rice on a platter, lay four poached eggs on top, and cover with créole sauce. =lamb chops, robinson.= broil eight lamb chops, and lay them on a platter. clean a dozen chicken livers, cut in four, season with salt and pepper, put in a frying pan with two ounces of hot melted butter, and sauté for three minutes. then sprinkle with a spoonful of flour, add a cup of bouillon or broth, boil for a minute, add a little dry sherry wine, and pour over the chops. =corn sauté in butter.= cut the corn from eight ears, put in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and cook for ten minutes. =orange compote.= take the outside yellow skin from six oranges cut very fine in julienne style. cook for thirty minutes in water, changing about three times. changing the water takes away the bitter taste. now peel the fine skin of the six oranges very clean, and cut in two, crosswise. in a sauce pan put one pound of sugar, a gill of water, and a drop of red coloring, and boil for ten minutes. add the cooked skins to the syrup and boil again for fifteen minutes. put the oranges in a deep bowl and pour the syrup over them. =consommé florentine.= add to consommé printanier two pancakes cut julienne style, and some chervil. =broiled baby turkey.= split a young turkey through from the back, wash well, and dry with a towel. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place on four pieces of buttered toast, pour a cup of maître d'hôtel sauce over it, and garnish with watercress and two lemons cut in half. =snails (cake).= take some german coffee cake dough and roll out into a square sheet, about one-quarter inch thick. brush over with melted butter, and spread with some currants, citron chopped fine, sugar and cinnamon. roll the sheet of dough into a roll, and cut in slices about one-quarter inch thick. lay them on a buttered pan and allow to raise until nearly double in size. bake in moderate oven, and when done, and still hot, coat over with thin lemon icing. july breakfast iced grapefruit juice scrambled eggs with swiss cheese rolls coffee luncheon cold stuffed eggs, with anchovies terrine de foie gras hearts of lettuce assorted french pastry demi tasse dinner chicken soup, portugaise salted almonds fillet of bass, brighton paprika schnitzel gnocchis au gratin chiffonnade salad artichokes, hollandaise strawberry water ice assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs with swiss cheese.= cut one-quarter pound of swiss cheese in very small squares. put an ounce of butter in a casserole with the cheese, and heat slightly; then add ten beaten eggs, one-half cup of cream, season with salt and pepper, and scramble in the usual manner. =chicken soup, portugaise.= put a soup hen on the fire in three quarts of water, bring to a boil, and skim well. then add a tablespoonful of salt, two carrots, one onion, and a bouquet garni, and boil slowly until the fowl is done. then skim the broth, and cut the carrots and the onion in small squares, and return to the soup. peel four tomatoes, squeeze out the juice, cut in small squares, and also add to the soup. bring to a boil, add a cup of boiled rice, and serve. =fillet of bass, brighton.= place four fillets of bass in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and set in oven for five minutes. then place the fillets on a platter; and put what remains in the pan in a casserole, add one pint of well-seasoned sauce italienne, bring to a boil, and pour over the fish. sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven for fifteen minutes. sprinkle with fresh-chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon. =fillet of fish au gratin, à l'italienne.= use any kind of fish cut in fillets; large fish cut in slices; or whole small fish. prepare in the same manner as fillet of bass, brighton. =cold stuffed eggs, with anchovies.= boil six eggs until hard, remove the shells, and cut in two lengthwise. pass the yolks through a fine sieve, and mix with one dozen anchovies in oil cut in small squares, a little pepper, and a teaspoonful of mayonnaise sauce. fill the whites of the eggs with this mixture, and serve on a napkin with parsley in branches and two lemons cut in four. july breakfast boiled farina in milk mixed fruit compote dry toast coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries scrambled eggs, caroline veal chop sauté, in butter mixed flageolet and string beans mashed potatoes escarole salad roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé, niçoise queen olives frogs' legs sauté, aux fines herbes larded tenderloin of beef, jardinière duchesse potatoes alligator pear, french dressing sherbet au rhum assorted cakes coffee =boiled farina in milk.= bring a quart of milk to a boil, add a small pinch of salt, and pour a half pound of farina into it slowly so dough balls will not form. cook for fifteen minutes. =scrambled eggs, caroline.= cut two boiled artichoke bottoms and two slices of boiled ham in small squares. in a casserole put the ham with two ounces of butter, heat, and then add ten beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, add one-half cup of cream, and scramble in the usual manner. just before finishing add the artichokes. =consommé, niçoise.= to consommé vermicelli add a peeled tomato cut in small squares. bring to a boil, and serve with grated cheese, separate. =watermelon preserves.= select a melon with a thick rind, and cut in any shape desired. lay the pieces in strong salt water for two or three days; then soak in clear water for twenty-four hours, changing the water frequently. then put in alum water for two hours to harden. to every pound of fruit use one pound of sugar. make a syrup of the sugar and a few pieces of ginger root and one lemon sliced thin. after boiling for a few minutes, remove the lemon and ginger, add the melon, and boil until transparent. lift carefully, and place in glass jars. fill the jars with the syrup. =canned pears.= peel, halve and core ten pounds of pears. put in a vessel with five pounds of granulated sugar, one sliced lemon, one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, a little grated nutmeg, and a small piece of ginger root. tie the cinnamon and nutmeg loosely in a piece of gauze. cook all together until the pears turn pink. put in jars, and seal while still hot. =canned peaches.= pare twelve pounds of peaches, cut in half, and lay in cold water until needed. put on the stove three pounds of sugar with nine pints of water. boil to a syrup. set the jars on a cloth in hot water. fill the jars with the cold peaches, putting a generous layer of sugar between them. when the jars are full fill up with the hot syrup, and seal immediately. twelve pounds of fruit and three pounds of sugar will fill six quart jars. =canned apples and quinces.= pare and cut equal quantities of apples and quinces. first cook the quinces in just sufficient water to cover. then remove, and cook the apples in the same water. in a vessel put a layer of quinces, then à layer of apples, and so on until all are used. pour over them a syrup made of half a pound of sugar for each pound of fruit; and allow to stand over night. then boil for five minutes, and seal in jars. =tomato preserves.= scald and peel carefully some small, pear-shaped, half ripe tomatoes. prick with a needle to prevent their bursting, and put their weight in sugar over them. let them set overnight, then pour off the liquid into a preserving kettle, and boil until it is a thick syrup. clarify with the white of an egg, add the tomatoes, and boil until transparent. a small piece of ginger root; or a lemon sliced very thin, to each pound of fruit, and cooked in the syrup, improves it. =apple butter.= to three gallons of cooked apples add one quart of cider, five pounds of brown sugar, and several sticks of cinnamon. boil down to about two gallons. july breakfast fresh raspberries with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe cold consommé in cups cold larded tenderloin of beef cauliflower salad floating island lady fingers demi tasse dinner potage honolulu radishes stuffed clams chicken sauté, lafitte beets à la russe green corn sauté gauffrette potatoes biscuit glacé, pistachio assorted cakes coffee =cauliflower salad.= boil two heads of cauliflower in salt water for ten minutes. allow to become cold, and serve in salad bowl with french dressing, or mayonnaise sauce. =potage honolulu.= put on the fire a soup hen, in three quarts of water; season with a tablespoonful of salt, and bring to a boil. then add one bouquet garni, three onions, three green peppers, and three-quarters of a pound of rice. when the hen is boiled soft remove it, with the bouquet garni and the peppers. strain the rice, onions and broth through a fine sieve, and put back in the casserole. bring to a boil, and bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with a cup of cream. season well with salt and cayenne pepper, and add three canned red peppers cut in small squares, before serving. =stuffed clams.= remove the clams from twenty-four large little necks. wash the shells very clean, so there will be no sand in them. chop the clams, and mix with three fresh mushrooms chopped fine, one truffle, a little chopped parsley and three ounces of butter. season with salt and pepper, and then fill the shells. place on a pan, sprinkle with grated cheese, put a small piece of butter on top of each, and bake in the oven for fifteen minutes. serve on a napkin, with parsley, and lemons cut in half. =chicken sauté, lafitte.= cut a spring chicken in four, and season with salt and pepper. put two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, heat, and then add the chicken. cook until golden yellow, then sprinkle with a tablespoonful of flour and cook until the flour is yellow. then add half a glass of claret and a cup of stock, bouillon or chicken broth. in another frying pan put a spoonful of olive oil, heat, then add a can of cèpes, toss them while cooking slightly, and add to the chicken. peel one tomato, cut in eight, and also add to the chicken. simmer together for twenty minutes. then place the chicken on a platter; boil the sauce for five minutes more, season well with salt and pepper, add some chopped parsley, and pour over the chicken. lay six fleurons around the platter. =beets à la russe.= slice a dozen boiled beets, put in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for about five minutes. just before serving add six leaves of fresh mint chopped very fine. july breakfast apricots shirred eggs with peppers rolls coffee luncheon beef marrow, princess eggs, garcia bread custard pudding demi tasse dinner consommé charles quint broiled salmon, à la russe noisettes of lamb, montpensier roast duckling, apple sauce fried sweet potatoes green corn chicory salad philadelphia vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =shirred eggs with peppers.= cut four whole green peppers in small squares. take four individual shirred egg dishes and put a teaspoonful of butter in each. divide the chopped peppers equally among the four dishes, and simmer until nearly cooked; then break two eggs in each dish, season with salt and a little pepper, and cook again until the eggs are done. =beef marrow, princess.= have the butcher take the marrow out of four beef shin bones. lay them whole in cold water for an hour, so the blood will run out. then put the marrow in a casserole, in two quarts of cold water; add a tablespoonful of salt, bring to a boil, and let the marrow stand for half an hour in the boiling water. then place it on four pieces of dry toast, and cover with well-seasoned bordelaise sauce. when making the bordelaise sauce omit the marrow. =bread custard pudding.= over half a pound of bread crumbs pour a custard made of one quart of milk, the yolks of three eggs, three whole eggs, four ounces of sugar, and the grated rind of a lemon. put in small moulds, and bake in a bain-marie. serve with a cream sauce. =cocoanut pudding.= one-quarter pound of grated cocoanut, one-quarter pound of bread crumbs, and custard same as for bread custard pudding. bake in the same way, and serve with cream sauce. =consommé charles quint.= serve in hot consommé equal parts of chicken dumplings and asparagus tips. add some picked chervil leaves. =broiled salmon à la russe.= cut two slices of salmon about one and one-half inches thick, and season well. roll in oil, and broil. when done place on a platter, and spread two tablespoonfuls of anchovy butter on top. serve separate hollandaise sauce to which has been added two tablespoonfuls of fresh caviar. =anchovy butter.= mix two tablespoonfuls of butter with two tablespoonfuls of essence of anchovies, the juice of a lemon, and a little chopped parsley. anchovies in salt, soaked in cold water for an hour; or anchovies in oil; forced through a fine sieve, may be used if desired. use in the same proportion as given for the essence. =noisettes of lamb, montpensier.= season four noisettes of lamb with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. then place on a platter; put on one side four artichoke bottoms filled with french peas in butter, and on the other side parisian potatoes. put a spoonful of béarnaise sauce on top of each noisette, and serve. july breakfast sliced figs with cream boiled salt mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe clam broth in cups scrambled eggs, havemeyer roast rack of mutton string beans potato salad roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage coburg ripe california olives lobster, becker roast saddle of venison, currant jelly red cabbage potatoes, nature knickerbocker salad cocoanut pudding demi tasse =scrambled eggs, havemeyer.= peel two tomatoes, cut in half, squeeze out the juice, and cut in small squares. put in a sauce pot one ounce of butter, heat, add the tomatoes, and simmer for two minutes. then add eight beaten eggs, and one-half cup of cream. season with salt and pepper. scramble in the usual manner. =potage coburg.= mix one quart of mock turtle soup with one pint of consommé tapioca; and just before serving add one-half cup of very small gnocchis. =lobster, becker.= put in a sauté pan two ounces of butter, heat, add the tails of two boiled lobsters cut in slices, season with salt and pepper, and toss in pan for five minutes. then add one-half glass of sherry wine, and boil for five minutes. then add a cupful of very thick table cream, and boil again for five minutes. then bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with two ponies of very dry sherry wine. before serving add a dozen slices of truffle. =roast saddle of venison.= cook the saddle larded or plain, as desired. in a roasting pan put one sliced onion, one carrot, a small piece of celery, a sprig of thyme, two bay leaves, two cloves, and a spoonful of pepper berries. season the saddle well, and lay in the pan, with two ounces of butter on top of the venison. put in the oven and baste continually. when the saddle is done take out of the pan, and drain off the fat. then put in the pan one-half glass of sherry wine, and reduce by boiling until nearly dry. then add one cup of beef or chicken stock, one spoonful of meat extract, season with salt and pepper, and boil until reduced one-half. pour over the saddle, or serve separate, as desired. july breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs dry toast english breakfast tea luncheon grapefruit, cardinal cold consommé in cups cold pheasant pie with meat jelly chiffonnade salad lemon water ice lady fingers demi tasse dinner potage dagobert radishes fillet of sole, à la française tournedos, porte maillot roast chicken lettuce salad strawberry ice cream assorted cakes coffee =grapefruit, cardinal.= peel four grapefruit and slice them. drain off the juice, and put the slices in suprême glasses. force two small baskets of fresh raspberries through a fine sieve, put in a bowl, add two spoonfuls of powdered sugar and one pony of kirschwasser, mix well, and pour over the grapefruit. =cold pheasant pie.= cut the breasts from two pheasants, and trim carefully. put all of the trimmings and the meat of the legs without the bones, in an earthern jar; add three chopped shallots, and a bouquet garni, cover with sherry wine, and allow to stand for two days. simmer the bones, with an onion, carrot, and a little celery, in two ounces of butter, until slightly brown. then cover with a quart of stock, and cook slowly until reduced one-half. keep this to mix with the forcemeat. pass through a fine meat chopper one pound of veal, and one pound of not-too-fat pork; and season with salt, pepper and a little allspice. have a special game pie or pâté form lined with pâte dough. put à layer of forcemeat in the bottom, then a few pieces of the breasts cut in long narrow strips, and a strip of larding pork cut the same size. lay the strips lengthwise of the pie. add a few peeled blanched or parboiled pistachio nuts, then another layer of forcemeat, and so continue until the form is full. cover the top with thin layer of larding pork, and then cover all with dough. moisten the edges where the dough comes together, and close carefully, so there will be no leak. cut a round hole in the center and insert a little chimney made of a small piece of stiff paper; otherwise the dough will close while cooking. put in the oven and cook for one and one-half hours. then allow to become cold, remove the paper chimney, fill the hole with meat jelly, and put in ice box until set. cut in thin slices. =pâte dough.= one pound of flour, one-quarter pound of butter, three eggs, one-half pony of water. mix the butter and flour between the hands, then add the eggs and water, and season with a little salt. let the dough set in the ice box a few hours before using. =potage dagobert.= mix one quart of purée of peas, one pint of consommé julienne, and one pint of consommé aux perles de nizam. =tournedos, porte maillot.= season four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper; roll in oil, and broil. place on a platter, and garnish with carrots and turnips cut in small balls, boiled and tossed in butter, salt and pepper. also four potatoes cut in the shape of wooden shoes, fried in hot swimming lard, and filled with purée of spinach. pour sauce madère over the meat. =fillet of sole, à la française.= lay four fillets of sole flat on a table, spread with fish forcemeat (see timbale of bass), roll up and place in a buttered pan. season with salt and white pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish stock, bouillon or water. cover with buttered paper, and set in oven for fifteen minutes. then take out and place the fillets on a platter. add to the pan one pint of white wine sauce, boil for two minutes, and strain. then add to the sauce a spoonful of well-seasoned lobster butter, one dozen french mushrooms, and two sliced truffles. pour the sauce over the fish, and garnish with four écrevisses en buisson. july breakfast fresh grapes omelet with bacon crescents cocoa luncheon canapé st. francis poached eggs, gourmet calf's head, vinaigrette boiled potatoes apple cottage pudding coffee dinner consommé cameroni celery black bass, tournon roast loin of veal, nivernaise maître d'hôtel potatoes summer squash with butter field salad biscuit glacé au chocolat assorted cakes coffee =canapé st. francis.= put four nice leaves of yellow lettuce on four dessert plates. cut four round pieces of toast, two and one-half inches in diameter, spread with fresh caviar, and place on top of the lettuce. peel two ripe tomatoes and cut in four nice slices, and lay on top of the caviar. sprinkle each piece with one third white wine vinegar and two-thirds olive oil, and a little salt and fresh ground black pepper mixed together. lay two fillets of anchovies crosswise over each, and finally sprinkle some fine-chopped chervil over all. serve cold. =poached eggs, gourmet.= spread some pâté de foie gras on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each, and cover with béarnaise sauce. =apple cottage pudding.= one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of butter, eight eggs, one pint of milk, one and one-half pounds of flour, one ounce of baking powder, two grated rinds of lemons, one pinch of powdered mace, and four nice apples cut in thin slices. mix the butter and the sugar well together, then add the eggs and the milk. sift the baking powder and the flour together, and add, mixing lightly. then add the grated rinds, mace and apples. bake in a buttered pan, and serve with a thin apple sauce. =cottage pudding.= make an apple cottage pudding batter, and add chopped candied fruits and raisins, instead of the apples. serve with fruit sauce. =boston brown pudding.= same as cottage pudding with the addition of a cup of molasses. =consommé cameroni.= add to a quart of consommé brunoise one-quarter pound of boiled spaghetti cut in pieces one-quarter inch long. serve grated cheese separate. =black bass, tournon.= season two black bass with salt and pepper, roll in melted butter, and broil. then place on a platter, garnish with parsley in branches and two lemons cut in half. serve colbert sauce, to which a little chopped tarragon has been added. =roast loin of veal, nivernaise.= same as veal kidney roast. (dec. ). garnish with carrots cooked in butter. july breakfast orange juice oatmeal with cream buttered toasted rolls coffee luncheon calf's foot jelly in cups eggs, moscow terrine de foie gras en aspic lettuce salad camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage lord mayor queen olives. salted almonds boiled lake tahoe trout, hollandaise potatoes, natural roast ribs of beef cauliflower au gratin rissolée potatoes sliced tomatoes coffee ice cream macaroons demi tasse =calf's foot jelly.= parboil four calf's feet; allow to become cool; put back in vessel with an onion and a carrot, a piece of leek, a piece of celery, one clove, a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, a spoonful of whole black peppers, a gallon of water, a quart of white wine, and a small handful of salt. boil until the feet are soft. then strain the broth, let it stand for a couple of minutes, and then remove all the fat from the top. put a spoonful of the broth on a plate and set on ice. if it sets too hard add a little water, if it is too soft boil down until it is thick enough to set. then put six whites of eggs in a casserole, beat with a whip, add slowly to the broth, put on a slow fire and bring to the boiling point. this serves to clarify the broth. then strain, and set to cool. if the broth is for invalids omit the spices and vegetables, use but a little salt, and do not clarify. the cooked calf's feet may be used for an entrée, or for soup or salad. =eggs, moscow.= poach six eggs, and set in ice box until cold. then remove the yolks carefully by making a very small hole, and letting the soft yolks run out. fill the eggs with fresh caviar, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs; fry in very hot swimming lard or melted butter for a few seconds only; or until the crumbs are yellow. serve immediately on a napkin, with fried parsley, and two lemons cut in half. =terrine de foie gras en aspic.= use a jelly mould that will contain as much as six small individual moulds. put a little melted, but not hot, meat jelly in the bottom, and set on cracked ice until it is firm. cut some foie gras from a terrine with a spoon, and lay in the mould, then cover with a little more melted jelly, then another layer of foie gras, and so continue until the mould is full. set in the ice box for an hour; and serve on a napkin, with parsley in branches. july breakfast mixed fresh fruit eggs au beurre noir rolls coffee luncheon canapé martha cold roast beef brésilienne salad french pastry demi tasse dinner consommé palestine radishes. lyon sausages fillet of flounder, st. avertin roast tenderloin of beef, berthieu escarole salad cottage pudding coffee =consommé palestine.= add to hot well-seasoned consommé equal parts of peas, flageolet beans, and carrots and turnips cut in small round balls; and all boiled in salted water. =brésilienne salad.= one-third boiled fresh lima beans, one-third sliced green peppers, and one-third celery cut julienne style. place in a salad bowl, separately. in the center put some french dressing. sprinkle with chopped parsley and chervil. =fillet of flounder, st. avertin.= put four fillets of flounder in a pan, cover with water, add a spoonful of salt and the juice of a lemon, and boil for seven minutes. then place on a platter, and cover with a pint of hollandaise sauce to which has been added a spoonful of french mustard. garnish with four or eight round potato croquettes. =roast tenderloin of beef, berthieu.= garnish the roasted tenderloin with stuffed cucumbers, stuffed olives, peas au beurre, and potatoes château. serve sauce madère separate. =potage lord mayor.= put two pounds of veal bones in a roasting pan with one onion, one carrot, a little celery, leek and parsley in branches, and two ounces of butter. roast in oven until nicely browned, then drain off the fat, put in casserole, add two fresh pig's feet, one soup hen, and three pounds of shin of beef, one bouquet garni, a handful of salt, and two gallons of water. cook until the hen and beef are soft, when they may be removed. when the pig's feet are done take out the bone, the fat and the lean meat, so nothing is left but the skin. cut the skin in small squares, or round pieces the size of a dime. cut some carrots in the same shape, and boil in salted water until soft. put one pound of chopped beef in a casserole, add the whites of six eggs, stir well, add slowly the strained broth, and bring to a boil. this will clarify it. season with salt and cayenne pepper to taste. boil for fifteen minutes, strain through a cheese cloth into another pot, bring to a boil, and reduce slowly for half an hour. mix two spoonfuls of arrow root and a cup of sherry wine well together, and let run slowly into the boiling broth. boil again for ten minutes. before serving add a glass of dry amontillado. the beef and the soup hen then may be used for salads, croquettes, or other purposes. july breakfast sliced peaches with cream kidney stew baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs, bienvenue kalter aufschnitt camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner chicken mulligatawney soup ripe california olives fried smelts, tartar sauce roast chicken artichokes, hollandaise summer squash rissolée potatoes field salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse =eggs, bienvenue.= butter four individual shirred egg dishes. make a border of mashed (croquette) potato around each dish. put in the bottom a spoonful of purée of fresh tomatoes. break two eggs in each dish, season with salt and pepper, and bake in oven. =kalter aufschnitt.= assorted cold meats, such as roast beef, ham, tongue, lamb, etc. garnish with a lettuce leaf filled with potato salad, for each person. =chicken mulligatawney soup.= cut the breast from an uncooked soup hen, and cut in small squares of about one-quarter inch. make about two quarts of broth from the bones and trimmings. heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, add the cut-up breast of chicken, and simmer for five minutes. then add an onion chopped very fine, and simmer again until yellow. then add two spoonfuls of flour and one spoonful of curry powder, and heat through. now pour in the strained chicken broth and a cup of rice, and boil slowly until the rice is cooked. cut two apples in quarter inch squares, and simmer in butter until cooked, and add to the soup. season with salt and pepper. =to preserve limes.= remove the cores from the limes with a small tin tube made for the purpose. then cover with salad water, using à large handful of salt to the gallon. soak for four or five hours; then drain off the water, and throw the limes into boiling water. as soon as they are soft take them out, one by one, and drop them into cold water. change the cold water several times. to turn the limes green again put two gallons of water in a copper pan, add two large handfuls of cooking salt, one cup of vinegar, and several handfuls of fresh spinach. put the pan on the fire and boil for a few minutes, then put the limes in the pan, and boil up several times. remove from the fire, and allow to stand until cold; when the limes will have resumed their natural color. drain off the liquid and let the limes soak in fresh water for about fourteen hours, changing the water frequently. prepare a fifteen degree syrup, testing with a syrup gauge or cooking thermometer; and when boiling throw the limes into this, boil up, and then put into a vessel and leave for twelve hours. then pour off the syrup, and boil it to sixteen degrees, pour it over the limes again, leaving it for twelve hours. then drain and boil again to twenty degrees, pour over the limes, stand for twelve hours, and continue every twelve hours until thirty-two degrees are reached. then boil for two minutes, and pour into small stone jars. seal hermetically when cool. =jellied cherries.= stone three pounds of cherries. crush a handful of the cherry stones, and tie in a gauze bag. put a pound of currant juice on the fire, add the crushed cherry stones, and steep. put the cherries in a copper pan over a slow fire, and reduce one-half. then add three pounds of granulated cane sugar and the currant juice, after the gauze bag has been removed; and boil steadily until a little tried on a saucer will not spread. add half a gill of kirschwasser, and pour at once into jelly glasses. place in a cool place, and when cold pour melted paraffine over the top and cover tightly. =candied lemon or orange peels.= put a sufficient quantity of lemon or orange peels on the fire with enough water to cover. boil until soft to the touch, then drain, and put in cold water and soak for twenty-four hours, changing the water often. then pour off the water, and put the peels in an earthern jar, covering with a fifteen degree boiling syrup. use a syrup gauge or cooking thermometer to determine the density. let the peels stand for twelve hours, then pour off the syrup and boil it up to eighteen degrees. pour again over the peels and let it set for twelve hours. repeat this operation six or seven times, gradually increasing the density of the syrup until it reaches thirty-two degrees. the last time prepare a fresh thirty-two degree syrup. drain the old syrup from the peels, add them to the fresh boiling syrup, and boil up once. then put the peels in stone jars or pots, cover with the syrup, and seal when cold. =fig jam.= select large white firm figs, remove the stems, and cut in quarters. dissolve a half pound of sugar in a little water for each pound of figs. bring to a boil, then add the figs and boil steadily until the marmalade coats the spoon and drops from it in beads. then pour into hot jelly glasses. =blackberry cordial, for medicinal purposes.= heat and strain through fine cheese cloth some ripe blackberries. to one pint of juice add one pound of granulated sugar, one-fourth ounce of powdered cinnamon, one-fourth ounce of mace, and one teaspoonful of cloves. boil all together for twenty minutes, strain, and to each pint add a jill of french brandy. put up in small bottles. =vanilla brandy.= cut some vanilla beans very fine, pound in a mortar, put in bottles and cover with strong brandy. this is much better than ordinary vanilla extract. july breakfast strawberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast russian caravan tea luncheon cantaloupe chicken jelly in cups cold beef à la mode potato salad boiled custard lady fingers demi tasse dinner consommé garibaldi salami sand dabs, sauté meunière mutton chops, maison d'or string beans in butter stewed tomatoes mashed potatoes roast squab lettuce salad french pastry assorted fruit coffee =chicken jelly.= clarify three quarts of good chicken broth with the whites of six eggs. soak two leaves of gelatine in water, and add to the broth. boil for twenty minutes, and strain. set in ice box to become firm. =cold beef à la mode.= take two pieces of rump of beef weighing about six pounds each, season with salt and pepper, place in a vessel with a spoonful of fat or butter, and roast until nice and brown all over. then sprinkle with two spoonfuls of flour, and cook until flour is brown. then add one quart of boiling water and a pint of claret, one bouquet garni, twenty-four small raw french carrots, twenty-four small white onions fried in butter, and four quartered tomatoes. cover, and boil in the oven. remove the carrots and onions when soft, and continue cooking the beef until well done. put the beef in an earthern pot and lay the carrots and onions around it. reduce the sauce, by boiling, to half its volume, and strain over the beef. prepare the day before using, so it will have sufficient time to become cold. =boiled custard.= the yolks of four eggs, three whole eggs, one ounce of corn starch, one quart of milk, and flavoring. put all of the eggs, corn starch, half of the sugar, and a few drops of the milk into a bowl and mix well together. boil the remainder of the milk and the other half of the sugar; pour over the egg mixture, and cook until it thickens. then take off the fire, add the flavoring, mix well, and serve either in cups or saucers. =tipsy parsons.= cut some slices of sponge cake about one-half inch thick. soak them in sherry wine, and place them in saucers. cover the top with boiling custard, and serve. =vanilla custard with meringue.= make some boiled custard flavored with vanilla. pour in saucers, place a half meringue shell on each, and serve. =macaronade célestine.= soak some macaroons in maraschino. place in a saucer and pour boiling custard over them. =bouchettes palmyra.= soak some bouchettes in kummel, place them on saucers, and pour boiling custard over them. =consommé garibaldi.= boil one-quarter pound of spaghetti and cut in pieces one inch long. cut a dozen green queen olives julienne style, and add, with the spaghetti, to three pints of hot consommé. serve grated cheese separate. =mutton chops, maison d'or.= broil four mutton chops on one side; and then set to become cold. make a forcemeat from the breast of a chicken, and add to it some chopped truffles. place the forcemeat on the broiled side of the chops in pyramid form, sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs, set on a buttered pan, put a small piece of butter on top of each, and cook in the oven for ten or twelve minutes. serve on a platter, with sauce madère. =lamb chops, maison d'or.= prepare in the same manner as mutton chops, maison d'or. july breakfast baked bartlett pears with cream omelet with asparagus tips rolls coffee luncheon shrimp salad eggs, marlborough cold squab and virginia ham alligator pear salad compote of apricots german coffee cake demi tasse dinner chicken soup, piedmontaise pim olas. radishes black bass, heydenreich sweetbreads, poulette roast leg of venison red cabbage boiled potatoes lettuce and grapefruit salad apple cobbler coffee =eggs, marlborough.= place four poached eggs on four pieces of anchovy toast, cover with sauce périgueux, and lay a strip of broiled bacon across each. =chicken soup, piedmontaise.= mix a pint of chicken broth with a pint of purée of tomato soup, add a quarter pound of macaroni cut in one-quarter inch pieces, and the breast of a boiled chicken cut in small squares. =black bass, heydenreich.= place two black bass in a buttered pan, and season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper. chop three ounces of salted almonds, and mix with one-quarter pound of chopped fresh mushrooms, three ounces of butter, and some chopped parsley. spread over the fish, and bake in oven for twenty minutes. pour the juice of two lemons over the fish, and serve from the pan in which it was baked. =sweetbreads, poulette.= soak two pounds of sweetbreads in cold water for two hours, to cause the blood to run out. then put on the fire in two quarts of water, add a spoonful of salt, bring to a boil, and then cool off in cold water. remove the skins, and cut the sweetbreads in slices one-half inch thick. put two ounces of butter in a sauce pan, add the sweetbreads, and simmer for two minutes. then add a spoonful of flour, and heat through. then add one pint of thick cream, and boil for ten minutes. season with salt and cayenne pepper, add a can of sliced french mushrooms and a little chopped chives, boil for two minutes, and thicken with the yolks of two eggs mixed with a little cream. serve in a chafing dish. =cobblers.= apple, pear, peach or apricot. line a deep baking pan with pie dough, fill with the chopped fruit desired, sweetened with sugar, and with a little cinnamon added, cover with a sheet of pie crust paste, brush with egg, and bake. serve with cream or wine sauce. =wine sauce.= put in a sauce pan one pint of water, one-half pound of sugar, and the rind and juice of half a lemon. bring to a boil, and then thicken with a teaspoonful of corn starch dissolved in a little water, and again bring to a boil. flavor with a glassful of any kind of wine; or a pony of cognac, kirschwasser, or other cordial, as you may desire. strain and serve with puddings, cobblers, etc. july breakfast raspberries with cream broiled fillet of sole, maître d'hôtel hashed browned potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs, st. catherine boneless squab en aspic majestic salad roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner little neck clams consommé talleyrand ripe olives. lyon sausage boiled salmon trout, sauce mousseline potatoes, nature planked sirloin steak, st. francis escarole and chicory salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs, st. catherine.= cut the tops from four large baked potatoes, and scoop out the insides. lay a slice of tomato in the bottom, season with salt and pepper, break an egg in each, and cover with well-seasoned cream sauce. sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven for about ten minutes. serve on napkin, with parsley in branches. =boneless squab en aspic.= cut the squabs open at the back, and remove all the bones, being careful not to cut the skin. spread flat on the table, season with salt and pepper, fold together and place in a buttered pan and cook until done, and of a nice color. allow to become cold. set an oval mould in cracked ice, garnish the bottom with sliced truffles, pour in just enough nearly cold meat jelly to cover the truffles. place the cold squab in the mould and fill to the top with jelly. keep in the ice box until set. when ready to serve turn over on a napkin, remove the mould, and garnish with parsley. =majestic salad.= equal parts of celery, raw apple, and green peppers cut in julienne style. serve with mayonnaise dressing. =consommé talleyrand.= put four grated truffles in a soup tureen, add a glassful of very dry sherry wine, and a pinch of cayenne pepper, cover, and stand for an hour. when ready to serve pour three pints of hot consommé tapioca over it. =planked sirloin steak, st. francis.= season a three pound sirloin steak with salt and pepper, roll in oil and broil. when done place it on a hot meat-plank sufficiently large so that it may be garnished with a bouquet of new peas cooked in butter, string beans, asparagus tips with a little hollandaise sauce on them, and french carrots in butter. lay a dozen fresh mushrooms on top of the steak. around the steak and vegetables lay some parisienne potatoes. serve sauce colbert separate. july breakfast orange and grapefruit juice mixed oatmeal and cream corn muffins coffee luncheon chicken salad, victor vogeleier omelet raspberry water ice streusel kuchen (cake) coffee dinner potage vert pré smoked eels with rye bread corned beef and cabbage boiled potatoes peach meringue demi tasse =potage vert pré.= mix one pint of consommé tapioca with one quart of purée of pea soup. just before serving add some chopped chervil. =peach meringue.= dress some meringue paste (see meringue shells) on dishes or plates in round forms about three inches in diameter and three-quarters of an inch deep. place the dishes on a pan, and set in a rather cool oven until the meringues are of a nice straw color. put on the center of each a spoonful of pastry cream, and on top of this half of a peach cooked in syrup; or half of a preserved peach. =apricot meringue.= prepare in the same manner as peach meringue. =strawberry, blackberry or raspberry meringues.= prepare in the same manner as peach meringue, but use fresh uncooked berries. =patience (cake).= beat ten whites of eggs until firm, then add one pound of powdered sugar, three quarters of a pound of flour, and some vanilla flavor. stir until firm and well mixed, and lay out like small lady fingers on a buttered pan. set in a dry place until a crust forms on top, and then bake in a moderate oven. july breakfast grapes waffles honey in comb toasted rolls ceylon tea luncheon sardines scrambled eggs, lucullus galantine of capon salade cupid d'azure port de salut cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé trianon celery. olives. salted almonds broiled barracouda, mustard sauce hollandaise potatoes roast leg of veal carrots vichy spinach with egg pickled beets vanilla ice cream coffee fruit cake demi tasse =scrambled eggs, lucullus.= put in a casserole one ounce of butter, and three truffles cut in dices about one-eighth inch square. heat through, and then add eight beaten eggs, and one-half cup of cream. season with salt and pepper, then scramble, and dish up on a china platter. cut about a dozen slices of truffle, heat on a plate with the addition of half a spoonful of meat extract, and lay over the eggs. =galantine of capon.= split open down the back a good-sized fowl or capon, and remove every bone, being careful not to remove any of the meat, and not to cut the skin. lay out flat on the table skinside down, and season with salt and pepper. prepare a forcemeat with one pound of veal, and one and one-half pounds of lean pork. strain through a sieve, season with salt and pepper and a little grated nutmeg, and add a pint of cream. cut in small squares the tip of a smoked boiled beef tongue, one-half pound of white fat pork, one-quarter pound of ham, one-quarter pound of peeled pistache nuts, and four truffles. mix thoroughly with the force meat, and put on top of the fowl. close, by drawing both sides together, forming a big sausage. roll very tightly in a towel or napkin, and tie with a string on both ends and twice around the middle. cook in bouillon, stock or salted water slowly for from one and one-half to two hours. when cooked, untie, remove the cloth, roll tight again and re-tie. set in the ice box for at least eight hours. serve sliced in the same manner as sausage, and about one-quarter inch thick. garnish with meat jelly and parsley in branches. galantine of chicken, squab, etc., may be prepared in the same manner. =salade cupid d'azure.= cut alligator pears in slices, lay on a platter, and sprinkle with one chopped shallot, salt and pepper, one chopped green pepper, one spoonful of vinegar, and two spoonfuls of olive oil. allow to stand for an hour. cut two heads of well-washed romaine salad in two, and on each lay a slice of grapefruit, then a slice of alligator pear, then a slice of grapefruit, and so continue until the romaine is full. divide the dressing over the individual salads; and if not sufficient, finish with french dressing. =consommé trianon.= to each portion of consommé royal add six slices of truffle cut in triangle shape. =mustard sauce.= to one pint of cream sauce add two spoonfuls of french mustard, and mix well. july breakfast sliced peaches with cream boiled eggs popover muffins coffee luncheon cantaloupe poached eggs, bar le duc paprika veal boiled rice louise salad surprise fritters. coffee dinner little neck clams crab gumbo california ripe olives boiled codfish, egg sauce small tenderloin steak, rachel hearts of lettuce apricot cobbler patience demi tasse =popover muffins.= five eggs, one-half ounce of salt, one quart of milk, and one pound of flour. beat the eggs and salt well together; then beat in the milk; then add the flour and beat until smooth. this will make a very thin batter. fill greased tall muffin moulds only half full, and bake in medium oven until very crisp. =paprika veal.= the remains of a roast leg of veal may be used. cut in slices one-half inch thick, and as wide as the meat will allow. put two ounces of butter and a chopped onion in a casserole and simmer until the onion is done. then add two spoonfuls of flour and one spoonful of paprika, and simmer again for a few minutes. then add half a pint of stock, half a cup of white wine, one spoonful of meat extract, and the veal. season well with salt, and simmer for twenty minutes. should the sauce be too thick add a little more stock. =poached eggs, bar le duc.= place four boiled bottoms of artichokes on four pieces of toast, and lay four poached eggs on the artichokes. cover all with well-seasoned cream sauce, to which has been added a little chopped fresh tarragon. =louise salad.= raw celery, fresh pineapple, and pimentos in equal parts, and all cut julienne style. place in a salad bowl and cover with well-seasoned mayonnaise sauce with a dash of dry sherry wine in it. =surprise fritters.= one quart of milk, six ounces of butter, three-quarters of a pound of flour and eight eggs. make a paste in the same manner as for cream puffs. drop with a spoon in a pan of hot swimming lard and fry until crisp and brown. fill with currant or other fruit jelly, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with cream or sabayon sauce. =crab gumbo.= put two ounces of butter, one chopped onion and one chopped green pepper in a casserole and simmer until done. then add two quarts of fish broth and one-half cup of rice, and boil very slowly for fifteen minutes. then add three peeled tomatoes cut in small dices, one spoonful of worcestershire sauce, the meat of two whole crabs, and a can of okra; or one pound of fresh okra cut in pieces one inch long. cook slowly for twenty minutes, season well with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. =fish broth.= cover the bones of any kind of fish with water, add a bouquet garni, one onion, one carrot, and a cupful of white wine if desired. cook for thirty minutes, and strain. the broth may be served in cups as soup; used for chowders; for bisque soups; for white wine sauce; for cooking fish, or for many other purposes. july breakfast sliced fresh pineapple pearl grits with cream buttered toast english breakfast tea luncheon stuffed mangoes scrambled eggs, mayence steak tartare roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé sicilienne chow chow. carciofini broiled salmon, st. germain sweetbreads braisé, elizabeth roast leg of mutton, currant jelly cold asparagus, mustard sauce cantaloupe baskets almond rocks coffee =scrambled eggs, mayence.= mayence, or mainz, is a city in germany famous for its ham. cut four slices of mayence or westphalia ham in small squares, put in a casserole with two ounces of butter and simmer until heated through. then add ten beaten eggs and one-half cup of cream, and season with pepper and a very little salt. scramble in the usual manner. =steak tartare.= cut one pound of tenderloin steak very fine, season with salt and pepper, and form in two oval shaped pats. in the center on top lay the yolk of a raw egg. garnish with two lettuce leaves filled with fine-chopped white onions and some sliced pickles; and two leaves filled with capers and chopped parsley. serve raw. =consommé sicilienne.= roll out very thin a noodle paste, and cut in lozenge shapes about one inch long. boil in salt water for about ten minutes, cool off in fresh cold water, and serve in hot consommé. serve grated parmesan cheese separate. =broiled salmon, st. germain.= cut two slices of salmon about one and one-half inches thick, roll in butter, season with salt and pepper, roll in fresh bread crumbs, and broil slowly. when done place on a platter, and garnish with parisian potatoes. serve sauce béarnaise separate. =sweetbreads braisé, elizabeth.= braised sweetbreads served with stuffed tomatoes, stuffed mushrooms, onions glacé, and sauce madère. =cantaloupe baskets.= cut four cantaloupes in the form of baskets, using part of the rind for the handle. carefully take out the pulp with a teaspoon. fill the baskets with vanilla ice cream mixed with the pulp, and decorate with whipped cream. =orange baskets.= cut the oranges in the form of baskets, scrape out the pulp, fill with orange water ice, and decorate with strawberries and raspberries. =almond rocks.= beat the whites of eight eggs very stiff and dry. add one pound of powdered sugar and three-quarters of a pound of shredded almonds, and one-half spoonful of vanilla extract. mix lightly, and lay on a buttered and floured pan, in the shape of rocks, using a fork to form them. bake in a slack oven. serve cold. =small tenderloin steak, rachel.= broil the steaks and lay on a platter. put a slice of terrine de foie gras on top, garnish with peas au beurre and julienne potatoes. serve sauce madère. july breakfast stewed prunes virginia ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon tomatoes, surprise clam broth in cups cold lake tahoe trout, vinaigrette boston brown pudding demi tasse dinner cream of watercress pim olas. celery fried frog's legs, espagnole roast squab chicken, michels peach compote sweet and sour string beans gauffrette potatoes lettuce salad, egg dressing blanc mange aux fruits rolled almonds wafers coffee =tomatoes, surprise.= peel four tomatoes, cut off the top, and scoop out the insides with a small sharp spoon. cut a stalk of white celery in small dices, wash well, and set in ice box to cool. then mix the celery with half a cup of thick mayonnaise sauce, season with salt and pepper, and fill the tomatoes. sprinkle the tops with chopped parsley, and serve on lettuce leaves. =cream of watercress.= heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, add three spoonfuls of flour, one pint of chicken broth, and one pint of milk; and bring to a boil. then add one quart of well-washed watercress, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. boil for half an hour, strain, and put back in casserole. again bring to a boil, and bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with one-half pint of cream. strain again and serve. =fried frogs' legs, espagnole.= season two dozen frogs' legs with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and then in fresh bread crumbs. fry in swimming hot lard, and serve on a napkin on a platter. garnish with fried parsley and two lemons cut in half. serve créole sauce separate. =squab chicken, michels.= put four well-seasoned squab chickens in a casserole with three ounces of butter and one onion cut in half. put in oven and baste very often. when both chicken and onion are nicely colored set on top of the stove, add one-half glass of white wine, cover the pot, and simmer for five minutes. then place the chicken on a platter; and put in the pot one-half cup of chicken broth and a spoonful of meat extract, and boil for five minutes. pour over the chicken. =rolled almond wafers (cigarettes).= beat the whites of nine eggs, but not too hard. stop beating when they begin to get spongy. then stir in one-half pound of blanched chopped almonds, ten ounces of sugar, two ounces of flour, and one pinch of powdered cinnamon. spread on a buttered pan, like wafers, and about two inches square. bake in a hot oven. when done immediately roll them around a small wooden stick, and press the ends together. they may be served dry, or filled with whipped cream. =sweet and sour string beans.= boil two pounds of string beans in salted water. when cooked place in a casserole, add a cupful of white wine vinegar, one cupful of brown sugar, one spoonful of meat extract, and a cupful of chicken broth, or any kind of good bouillon. season with salt, and boil for fifteen minutes with the pot uncovered. july breakfast compote of apricots buckwheat cakes with maple syrup rolls coffee luncheon omelette meissonier pork chops, badoise schloss cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé chevalier salted brazil nuts. ripe olives fillet of sole, montmorency broiled spring turkey summer squash lima beans mashed potatoes, au gratin escarole and chicory salad croute aux fruits demi tasse =omelette meissonier.= cut a carrot and a turnip in one-quarter inch squares. boil until soft in salted water, then mix with a spoonful of cream sauce, and season with salt and pepper. make an omelet with ten eggs, in the usual manner and before turning over on the platter place the vegetables in the center. pour cream sauce around the omelet. =pork chops, badoise.= season four pork chops with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and fry in a pan. when done place on a platter, garnish one side with noodles and the other side with mashed potato. pour tomato sauce around all. =consommé chevalier.= serve in hot well-seasoned consommé equal parts of small chicken dumplings, and chicken breast and smoked beef tongue cut julienne style. =fillet of sole, montmorency.= place four flat fillets of sole on a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, and lay four heads of french mushrooms and four slices of truffle on top of each. cover with sauce italienne, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven. when done sprinkle with chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon, and serve from the pan they were baked in. a silver dish is preferable for baking. =croute aux fruits (fruit crust).= toast some slices of sponge cake, put them on a plate or saucer, and put on top different kinds of stewed fruit, (compote), flavored with a little kirschwasser or maraschino. =croute à l'ananas (pineapple crust).= prepare in the same manner as croute aux fruits, but use pineapple. decorate with maraschino cherries. july breakfast baked pears with cream scrambled eggs with smoked salmon rolls coffee luncheon terrine de foie gras en aspic shirred eggs, niçoise sweetbreads, marigny lettuce and grapefruit salad blackberry meringue demi tasse dinner cream of flageolet beans antipasto. celery sea bass, montebello roast tenderloin of beef, vert pré field and beet salad alexandria pudding coffee =scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.= cut a half pound of raw smoked salmon in thin slices. in a casserole put the salmon with two ounces of butter, and heat through. then add ten beaten eggs, one-half cup of cream, a little salt and pepper; and scramble in the usual manner. =terrine de foie gras en aspic.= use small round individual moulds; or a large one for six people; as desired. melt a little meat jelly just so it will run, but do not have it hot. put a little in the bottom of each mould and set in the ice box to become firm. cut the foie gras out of the terrine with a soup spoon, which should be dipped in hot water for each cut so as to give a nice smooth surface. put à layer of foie gras in the bottom of the moulds, cover with a little more jelly, set in ice box again to become cool, and then repeat until the moulds are full. for serving dip the form in hot water for a second, and turn out on a napkin on a platter. garnish with parsley in branches. =shirred eggs, niçoise.= shirr some eggs, and before serving pour some tomato sauce, or purée, over the white of the eggs. =sweetbreads, marigny.= garnish some braised sweetbreads with an artichoke bottom filled with french peas, for each person. serve sauce madère. =cream of flageolet beans.= heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, then add three spoonfuls of flour, and heat through. then add one pint of chicken broth, one pint of milk, and two cans of french flageolet beans. boil for thirty minutes, strain through a fine sieve, and put back in the casserole. bring to a boil, season with salt and cayenne pepper and a very little grated nutmeg. then stir in a pint of boiling milk and three ounces of sweet butter. strain again, and serve. =sea bass, montebello.= cut the fillets from a sea bass in the same manner as a fillet of sole. spread à layer of fish forcemeat (see bass timbale) over them, season well, and fold the fillets. put in a buttered pan, add one-half cup of fish stock or broth, one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and cook in oven for fifteen minutes. place on a platter, and cover with a mixture of two-thirds béarnaise sauce and one-third tomato sauce. garnish with fleurons. =roast tenderloin of beef, vert pré.= roast a tenderloin of beef, and place on a platter. garnish with french string beans in butter, and julienne potatoes. pour a little sauce madère over the tenderloin; and also serve sauce separate. july breakfast cantaloupe boiled eggs dry toast ceylon tea luncheon matjes herring, krasnapolsky consommé in cups cheese straws broiled squab on toast asparagus, hollandaise roquefort cheese with crackers mixed fruit coffee dinner rice soup, à l'allemande salted almonds sand dabs, meunière saddle of lamb, jardinière romaine salad pear cobbler assorted cakes coffee =matjes herring, krasnapolsky.= get six matjes herring from the grocer, and soak in cold water for two hours. then remove the skins, and place the herrings on lettuce leaves on a platter. garnish with small plain boiled potatoes and dill pickles. =rice soup, à l'allemande.= put three ounces of butter and two spoonfuls of raw rice in a casserole and heat through. then add two spoonfuls of flour and heat again. then add two quarts of strained boiling chicken broth, and boil slowly for an hour. stir occasionally so the rice will not burn on the bottom of the pot. season with salt and white pepper. =saddle of lamb, jardinière.= prepare in the same manner as rack of lamb, jardinière. =alexandria pudding.= ten ounces of bread crumbs, one quart of milk, two ounces of butter, the grated rind of a lemon, the yolks of eight eggs, the whites of six eggs, four ounces of browned and chopped almonds, and six ounces of sugar. mix the sugar with the butter, and then add the eggs. mix the crumbs with the almonds and lemon rind, and add to the first mixture. beat the whites of the eggs, and mix in lightly. bake in a buttered pan, and serve with strawberry or raspberry sauce. july breakfast fresh raspberries with cream boiled salted salmon belly baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries broiled striped bass sibyl potatoes breast of chicken, en aspic louis salad neufchâtel cheese with crackers claret punch demi tasse dinner little neck clams consommé monte cristo planked shad roast chicken château potatoes new peas chiffonnade salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =breast of chicken en aspic.= loosen the legs and skin of a good-sized chicken, then insert a knife between neck and wing up towards the middle of the wishbone, loosening all the meat from the breast bone. the whole side will then be in one piece with the wing attached. do the same with the other side. then season, and fry to a brown color in butter. set aside to become cold. then decorate with the hard-boiled white of eggs cut in fancy shapes; place in an oval form, cover with almost-cold meat jelly, and set in ice box to become cold. to remove, dip the form in hot water for a second, and place on a folded napkin. garnish with parsley in branches. =louis salad.= equal parts of raw pineapple, apple, and celery, cut julienne style. season with a sauce made with a cup of mayonnaise, a spoonful of cream, a spoonful of sherry wine, a dash of vinegar, and a pinch of paprika. mix well. =claret punch.= one bottle of claret, one bottle of soda water, one-half pint of plain water, one-half pound of powdered sugar, one lemon cut in slices, and one pony of brandy. stir all together until the sugar is dissolved. strain, cool on ice, and serve in glasses with a very thin slice of lemon. =consommé monte cristo.= consommé royal and printanier mixed. july breakfast fig jam boiled eggs dry toast english breakfast tea luncheon canapé of sardines cold clam broth broiled honeycomb tripe lyonnaise potatoes chiffonnade salad stilton cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage velour california ripe olives fillet of turbot, bâtelière sweetbreads, metropolitan club roast duckling, apple sauce artichokes, hollandaise waldorf salad strawberry meringue demi tasse =potage velour.= mix two pints of purée of tomato soup with one pint of consommé aux perles de nizam. =fillet of turbot, bâtelière.= put four fillets of turbot in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of claret and one-half cup of fish broth, cover, boil for ten minutes, and then place the fish on a platter. put one ounce of butter in a small casserole and heat. then add one ounce of flour, heat through, add the broth left from the fish and also another half cup of broth, boil for five minutes, and strain. then add slowly two ounces of fresh butter, stir well, and when butter is melted add one cup of hot shrimps. season well, and pour over the fish. =sweetbreads, metropolitan club.= let two pounds of sweetbreads soak in cold water with a little salt in it, for two hours; to cause the blood to run out. then put in a casserole with one-half gallon of cold water and a spoonful of salt, and bring to a boil. cool off in cold water, and then trim them free from skin. put three ounces of butter in a very wide earthern pot, put the sweetbreads on top, and season with salt and pepper. add six small white onions, six heads of fresh mushrooms, and two green peppers cut in one inch squares. simmer until nice and brown, then add one-half glass of white wine and a spoonful of meat extract. cook in oven for fifteen minutes, basting continually. serve from the casserole in which it was cooked. july breakfast sliced peaches with cream plain shirred eggs rolls luncheon cantaloupe poached eggs, périgordine mixed grill, special french fried potatoes chicory salad rice croquettes demi tasse dinner clam cocktail consommé inauguration salted pecans mousse d'écrevisses (fish) roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding stewed corn green peas mashed potatoes watercress salad chocolate ice cream assorted cakes coffee =poached eggs, périgordine.= spread some pâté de foie gras on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each, and cover with sauce périgordine. =consommé inauguration.= equal parts of julienne, small chicken dumplings, and italian paste, served in hot consommé. =mousse d'écrevisses.= remove the shells from three lobsters and two dozen écrevisses (crayfish or crawfish) and smash very fine in a mortar. put a cup of water, an ounce of butter, and a little salt and cayenne pepper in a vessel and bring to a boil. then stir in slowly two tablespoonfuls of flour, and continue stirring until there are no lumps. mix this with the écrevisse and lobster meat and mashed shells. when cold strain through a very fine sieve. place in a bowl on ice and mix with an egg and a pint of thick cream; stirring in carefully so it does not curdle. test for seasoning, and if necessary add a little écrevisse coloring to give a rose shade. fill small buttered moulds, and boil in bain-marie for about fifteen minutes. turn out on a platter, and pour écrevisse sauce over all. the lobster is added for economy and strength of color. double the amount of écrevisses may be used instead. =Écrevisse sauce.= melt two tablespoonfuls of écrevisse butter in a pint of sauce allemande, or sauce au vin blanc. add a few écrevisse tails. july breakfast grapes griddle cakes, maple syrup coffee luncheon herring salad hot tomato broth eggs, suzette cold tongue, meat jelly beet salad peach cobbler anisette cakes coffee dinner potage mcdonald radishes kingfish, argentine small sirloin steak, à la russe summer squash cauliflower, hollandaise potato croquettes sliced tomatoes orange basket assorted cakes coffee =herring salad.= soak two salted herrings in cold water for an hour, then remove the skin and cut out the bones. slice in thin slices, and mix with one quart of potato salad. =hot tomato broth.= chop three pounds of shin or lean beef. mix with the whites of six eggs and one dozen tomatoes chopped very fine. stir well, and add slowly one gallon of bouillon or stock. bring slowly to a boil, and simmer for an hour. strain through cheese cloth, season with salt and pepper. serve either hot or cold. =eggs, suzette.= bake four medium-sized potatoes, cut off the tops, and scoop out the insides. mash half of the potato that has been removed, add a little butter, season with salt and pepper, and put back in the bottom of each potato shell. break an egg in each, cover with well-seasoned cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in medium-hot oven for ten minutes. =anisette cake.= one-half pound of sugar, five eggs, one-half pound of flour, and one teaspoonful of anise seed. beat the sugar with the eggs until light, then add the flour and anise seeds. put in a buttered bread pan and bake. when done allow to become cool; then cut in slices about one-half inch thick. lay on a pan and bake until they become of a nice brown color. =potage mcdonald.= heat three ounces of butter in a casserole; then add two and one-half spoonfuls of flour, and one-half spoonful of curry powder. heat through, and then add one pint of bouillon, stock or chicken broth, and one pint of milk; bring to a boil, and add one parboiled calf's brains. boil for thirty minutes, and then strain through a fine sieve. heat in another casserole one ounce of butter; then add half of a chopped onion, and fry until golden yellow. then add the soup and boil for ten minutes. then add the yolks of two eggs mixed with one cup of cream, stir well, and strain again. season well with salt and pepper. =kingfish, argentine.= put two kingfish on a buttered platter or pan, season with salt and pepper, add a glass of white wine, put in oven and bake. cover with créole sauce and serve. =small sirloin steak à la russe.= broiled sirloin steak garnished with small patty shells filled with fresh caviar. serve horseradish sauce separate. july breakfast apricots ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon lobster salad poached eggs, piedmontaise birds' nests demi tasse orangeade dinner consommé vanderbilt salami. pim olas striped bass, meunière leg of veal, au jus spinach with egg laurette potatoes lettuce salad raspberry meringue demi tasse =poached eggs, piedmontaise.= make a risotto, and place four poached eggs on top. cover with cream sauce. =birds' nests (puff paste).= bake small patties as elsewhere described. wash with thin royal icing, and sprinkle with plenty of shredded cocoanut. set in oven to obtain a little color. fill the center with jelly or marmalade, and place three or four blanched almonds on top to represent the bird's eggs. small egg-shaped candies may be used instead if desired. =lemonade.= one quart of water, the juice of five lemons, and one-half pound of powdered sugar. dissolve the sugar in the water, and then add the lemon juice. strain, and cool on ice. =orangeade.= one pint of water, one pint of orange juice, the juice of two lemons, and one-half pound of sugar. dissolve the sugar in the water, add the orange and lemon juice, strain, and cool on ice. =consommé vanderbilt.= equal parts of boiled breast of chicken, boiled smoked beef tongue, french canned mushrooms and truffles cut in julienne style; and one part of fresh or canned peas. serve in hot, well-seasoned consommé. july breakfast fresh strawberries with cream plain omelet rolls coffee luncheon schlemmerbroedchen scrambled eggs, pluche westphalian ham red cabbage salad rice croquettes champagne punch demi tasse dinner little neck clams on half shell potage mexicaine ripe california olives fillet of turbot, tempis roast chicken château potatoes asparagus, hollandaise tomato salad biscuit glacé, au café demi tasse =schlemmerbroedchen (sandwich).= spread four slices of rye bread with butter, cover with one-quarter pound of raw beef chopped very fine, and seasoned with salt and pepper. spread some fresh caviar on top of the beef. serve on a folded napkin, with two lemons cut in half. =red cabbage salad.= slice a head of red cabbage very thin, put in a salad bowl, season with salt, pepper, one spoonful of oil, and three spoonfuls of vinegar. this salad requires more vinegar than oil. =rice croquettes.= cook one-half pound of rice in three pints of milk, to which has been added half of a vanilla bean. this will make a stiff batter. add one-quarter pound of sugar and the yolks of four eggs. allow to cool. shape the rice in croquettes, dip in beaten eggs, then in macaroon crumbs or powder, and fry in swimming hot lard or butter. serve with wine sauce. =compote with rice.= prepare some rice as for croquettes. put à large spoonful in the center of a plate and garnish with stewed fruit. any kind of stewed fruit may be used, such as peaches, apricots, pears, etc., either singly or mixed. =champagne punch.= one quart of champagne, one quart of white wine, one bottle of soda water, one spoonful of sugar, and three apples cut in small dices. cool, and serve in champagne cup glasses. =potage mexicaine.= mix one quart of purée of tomato soup with one pint of well-seasoned consommé tapioca. =fillet of turbot, tempis.= season four fillets of turbot with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. put three ounces of butter in a pan and heat. then add the fish and fry for ten minutes on both sides. place the fish on a platter; add another ounce of butter to the pan, and cook to the color of a chestnut, and pour over the fish. sprinkle with the juice of à large lemon, and one spoonful of chopped salted almonds. =scrambled eggs, pluche.= scrambled eggs with chopped herbs; such as parsley, chervil and chives. august breakfast sliced peaches with cream waffles with maple syrup ceylon tea luncheon eggs à la patti stewed tripe, blanchard puff paste roses coffee dinner consommé alexandria lyon sausage. antipasto boiled brook trout, mousseline potatoes, nature roast saddle of mutton, currant jelly, mint sauce string beans in butter broiled tomatoes escarole and chicory salad soufflé au fromage coffee =eggs à la patti.= make a chicken hash in cream and put on a platter. lay four poached eggs on top, and one slice of truffle on top of each egg. pour sauce madère around the hash. =puff paste roses.= roll out some puff paste about one-eighth inch thick, and cut with a star cutter. brush over with a little water, and fold the points of the stars to the center. bake, and when nearly done dust with powdered sugar, and return to oven to finish baking. the cakes will puff up like a rose. fill with jelly and serve. =consommé alexandria.= add one cupful of boiled white meat of chicken, cut in small dices, to three pints of consommé brunoise. =orange or lemon brandy, for flavoring.= peel very thin the yellow outside from oranges or lemons. the inner white skin is not good. crush with a little granulated sugar. put in a bottle and cover with strong brandy. in the same manner can be prepared the kernels of cherries, plums, apricots or peaches. pound the kernels slightly before putting them in the brandy. =glacé fruit.= be very particular in selecting the fruit. cherries should be large and not quite ripe, and without blemishes; and the stones must be removed. apricots and peaches should be of medium size, and almost green. make as small a hole as possible when removing the stones. pears should be peeled, and the stems left on. figs should be green. strawberries should be very green, but full grown; wash and dry well, and leave the stems on. nectarines should be green, and the stones removed. any hard green plums may be used, but leave their stones in. cut pineapple in thick slices, remove the core, and any brown outside spots. all fruit should be thoroughly washed and dried before being prepared. it is well to make new syrup for each kind of fruit. to make the syrup boil two pounds of granulated sugar and two gills of water for eight minutes. put the fruit in the syrup piece by piece; do not let it stop boiling; and wait a few seconds between each piece, so the syrup will boil up over the fruit. then remove piece by piece in the same order as placed in the kettle. use a silver spoon or an aluminum skimmer to handle the fruit, and under no circumstances use a fork. place the fruit on a thick piece of waxed paper, and set in a cool place. repeat the process the next day, adding a pound of sugar and a gill of water to the syrup of the day before. allow the fruit to boil hard for a minute, and remove as before. this must be continued for about eight days before the fruit will have absorbed enough sugar, and not be mushy. when the fruit is finished line a broad shallow stone jar with waxed paper, lay the fruit in singly, not allowing the pieces to touch, put waxed paper between the layers, and cover closely. =baked pears, for canning.= wash as many ripe, firm unspecked pears as will fill a baking pan. fill the pan almost full of boiling water. sweeten as though for immediate use. set the pan in the oven, baste frequently, and turn the pears around so they will brown lightly and evenly. add a few cloves and a small stick of cinnamon. when the pears are very tender and almost candied, pack in hot glass jars, and pour the boiling syrup over them. be sure to have enough thick syrup to cover the fruit. seal while hot. should the water evaporate too much while cooking, add a little more from time to time. august breakfast oregon cherries finnan haddie in cream baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon assorted hors d'oeuvres cold consommé in cups cold saddle of mutton white bean salad french pastry demi tasse dinner lamb broth à la reine queen olives baked whitefish, st. menehould roast squab artichokes with melted butter broiled potatoes celery root, field and beet salad pumpkin pie coffee =white bean salad.= soak a pound of navy beans over night in cold water. then boil them in three quarts of water; to which has been added a little salt, an onion, a carrot, and a bouquet garni. when soft, remove the onion and carrot, and the bouquet garni, drain off the water, and set the beans to cool. when cold put in a salad bowl, add two shallots chopped very fine, a little chopped parsley, a little salt and some fresh-ground pepper, one spoonful of vinegar and two of olive oil. mix well. =lamb broth à la reine.= put a shoulder of lamb in a roasting pan, season with salt and pepper, a little fat or a small piece of butter, and put in the oven to roast. when done remove the lean meat from the bones and cut in small squares. put the trimmings in a casserole with five pounds of lamb bones and three quarts of water. bring to a boil, skim well, and then add one sliced onion, one carrot, a bay leaf, six cloves, a bouquet garni, a stalk of leek and three leaves of celery, a little salt and a few whole black pepper berries. boil slowly for one hour, without being covered, so the broth will stay clear. strain through fine cheese cloth, add the lamb cut in small squares, and one-half pound of boiled rice. serve hot and well seasoned. =pumpkin pie.= make a custard with five eggs, two ounces of sugar, one pint of pumpkin pulp, one pony of molasses, three ounces of melted butter, one pinch of grated nutmeg, one pinch of cinnamon and one pinch of allspice. mix to a custard, and finish like a custard pie. =pumpkin pulp.= peel a pumpkin and wash out the seeds. steam or boil until soft, and strain through a fine sieve. =baked whitefish, st. menehould.= take four pounds of whitefish (bass or other fish may be used), put in a vessel with two quarts of water and a spoonful of salt, and boil for five minutes. then drain off the water, remove the skin and bones, and break the fish in two inch pieces. make one quart of cream sauce. in a buttered baking dish put one spoonful of cream sauce, then one-third of the fish; cover with cream sauce; then another third of the fish; cover with sauce; and then the remainder of the fish, and pour the remainder of the sauce on top. the sauce should be highly seasoned. sprinkle the top with grated swiss or parmesan cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven for fifteen or twenty minutes. sprinkle with the juice of two lemons, and serve from the baking dish. august breakfast loganberries with cream bacon and eggs rolls coffee luncheon eggs mollet, cream sauce broiled black bass, maître d'hôtel sliced cucumbers, french dressing browned hashed potatoes compote with rice demi tasse dinner terrapin soup, southern style pimentos, vinaigrette scalloped clams larded tenderloin of beef, moderne romaine salad biscuit glacé, peppermint assorted cakes coffee =eggs mollet, cream sauce.= eggs mollet are soft boiled (about four minutes). remove the shells, being careful that the eggs do not break. put in a deep dish and cover with cream sauce. =pimentos, vinaigrette.= drain the juice from one can of pimentos, lay them on a platter, and cover with vinaigrette sauce. serve very cold. =scalloped clams.= put six dozen little neck clams in a vessel with their juice, and bring to a boil. heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, then add two spoonfuls of flour, and heat through. then add the juice of the clams and half a pint of milk, and season with salt and pepper. the sauce should then be a little thick. bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with one-half cup of cream. mix the clams with three-fourths of the sauce and put in a baking dish. pour the rest of the sauce over the top, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in hot oven until brown. serve in same dish. =tenderloin of beef, moderne.= roast the tenderloin of beef, place on a platter, and garnish with several small patties; some of them filled with string beans, and some filled with peas in butter. also garnish with rissolée potatoes. serve madeira sauce separate, besides pouring a little over the tenderloin. =terrapin soup, southern style.= scald two terrapin, and remove the shell, skin and intestines. cut the terrapin in small pieces about one-quarter inch square. heat four ounces of butter in a casserole, then add the terrapin and fry over a quick fire. sprinkle with three tablespoonfuls of flour, add three pints of any kind of good broth and one pint of milk, season with salt and pepper, add a glass of good sherry wine, and boil until well done. bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with a cup of cream and a glass of dry sherry wine. set on stove and let it come nearly to a boil, but not quite. august breakfast grapefruit oatmeal with cream rolls english breakfast tea luncheon eggs vilna calf's liver sauté, spanish style boiled rice watermelon demi tasse dinner consommé rothschild california ripe olives broiled striped bass, maître d'hôtel sliced culemo salad roast chicken peas à la française mashed potatoes watercress apricot meringue coffee =eggs vilna.= spread some fresh caviar on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each, lay four fillets of anchovies crosswise over the eggs, and garnish with two lemons cut in half, and parsley in branches. =calf's liver, spanish style.= cut six slices of calf's liver three-quarters of an inch thick, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and fry in melted butter. when nearly done place on a platter and keep hot. pour one pint of very highly seasoned créole sauce over the liver, and put in oven for two minutes. sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve. =consommé rothschild.= equal parts of breast of boiled fowl, beef tongue and truffles cut julienne style, and added to very hot consommé. add a little chervil before serving. =sliced culemo salad.= culemo is a sort of cucumber. peel, slice, and pour french dressing over it. august breakfast cantaloupe boiled eggs dry toast crescents chocolate with whipped cream luncheon cold eggs with celery cold chicken, with chow chow asparagus, mayonnaise roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner little neck clams potage lamballe radishes. lyon sausage fillet of sole, paylord sweetbreads, egyptienne roast ribs of beef saratoga chip potatoes chiffonnade salad vanilla ice cream assorted cakes fruit coffee =cold eggs with celery.= put four cold poached eggs on a platter and cover with a sauce made of one pinch of salt, a little fresh-ground black pepper, the heart of a stalk of celery cut in very small dices, a little chopped parsley, one spoonful of vinegar, and two tablespoonfuls of olive oil. =fillet of sole, paylord.= chop very fine one-half of a can of french mushrooms, put in a napkin and squeeze out the water. then mix with half a cup of thick cream sauce. season four fillets of sole with salt and pepper, and spread all over with mushroom purée; then roll in fresh bread crumbs, and fry in swimming hot lard. dress on a napkin on a platter, and garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons. serve tartar sauce separate. =sweetbreads, egyptienne.= put some braised sweetbreads on a platter and garnish with stuffed green peppers and croquettes of rice. one of each to each person. serve bordelaise sauce separate. =stuffed green peppers.= dip four green peppers in very hot lard for a second, then remove the skin, cut off the top, and clean out the insides. fill with a purée of fresh mushrooms, sprinkle with bread crumbs, put small bits of butter on top of each, and bake in oven for ten minutes. serve as a garnish; or as a vegetable, with sauce madère, or tomato sauce. august breakfast grapes hominy in cream rolls coffee luncheon canapé st. francis eggs montebello cold roast beef cosmopolitan salad buttermilk dinner consommé paysanne salted almonds salmon steak, calcutta parisian potatoes, hollandaise broiled squab on toast artichokes with melted butter stewed corn hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing assorted french pastry coffee =eggs montebello.= poach four eggs, allow them to become cool, roll in flour, then in bread crumbs, and fry in swimming hot lard or butter. serve on a napkin, and garnish with fried parsley. serve sauce montebello separate. =sauce montebello.= equal parts of béarnaise and tomato sauce mixed. =cosmopolitan salad.= put in a salad bowl in bouquets such vegetables as peas, string beans, carrots, cauliflower, asparagus, brussels sprouts, etc. there should be at least four different kinds. in the center place a handful of shelled shrimps or lobster cut in slices, or crab meat. serve with french dressing, well seasoned. =consommé paysanne.= cut two leaves of white cabbage in one inch squares, and put in a casserole. add one sliced carrot, one sliced turnip, one leek and two leaves of celery, also sliced. also add two ounces of butter, cover, and simmer in oven until soft. be careful that it does not burn. drain off the butter, add one quart of consommé, and boil for ten minutes. add a little chopped chervil. =salmon steak, calcutta.= put two slices of salmon, about one and one-half inches thick, in a flat buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish stock, cover with buttered paper, and cook in oven for twenty minutes. then put the fish on a platter and keep hot. pour over the fish a sauce made as follows: heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add one spoonful of flour and one of curry powder, and heat through. then add the broth the fish was cooked in, and one pint of fish stock, and boil for ten minutes. bind with the yolks of two eggs and one-half cup of cream. strain, put back in the casserole, and whip one ounce of fresh butter into it. when the butter is melted it is ready to pour over the fish. garnish the fish with fleurons. =parisian potatoes, hollandaise.= cut a quart of potatoes with a round parisian spoon, put in cold water, add a little salt, and boil very slowly. when done, drain off the water, and put the potatoes in the oven to dry. then put the potatoes in one ounce of melted butter mixed with a little chopped parsley, roll carefully so they will not break, and serve. august breakfast sliced nectarines in cream scrambled eggs with smoked beef rolls coffee luncheon omelet levy lamb kidneys en brochette, bacon lyonnaise potatoes field salad camembert cheese with crackers demi tasse dinner potage cameroni ripe olives sand dabs, sauté meunière sweetbreads, figaro roast sirloin of beef, mounet sully broiled tomatoes escarole salad puff paste basket coffee =omelet levy.= make a plain omelet with eight eggs, and put on a quite-large china platter. garnish with one bouquet of pimentos cut in small dices and heated in butter; one bouquet of green peppers cut in the same manner and sautéed in butter; one bouquet of asparagus tips, and one of chicken hash in cream. =lamb kidneys en brochette with bacon.= remove the skin from two lamb kidneys, split them open, and put a skewer through them. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place on a piece of dry toast, lay two strips of bacon on top. and put a spoonful of maître d'hôtel butter on top of all. =potage cameroni.= make one quart of consommé brunoise, add six chickens' livers cut in small squares and sautéed in butter; and one-half cup of boiled macaroni cut in half inch pieces. serve grated cheese separate. =sweetbreads, figaro.= braised sweetbreads served with their own gravy, and garnished with one timbale of spinach for each person. serve sauce figaro separate. =sauce figaro.= reduce one pint of tomato sauce one half by boiling slowly. allow to become cold, add one pint of mayonnaise sauce, mix well, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. =roast sirloin of beef, mounet sully.= roast a sirloin of beef, place on a platter, and garnish with fresh artichoke bottoms filled with peas au beurre, and potatoes julienne. serve béarnaise sauce separate. =puff paste basket.= roll out some puff paste about one-quarter inch thick. cut out the paste with an oval cutter. wash the tops, and then make a shallow incision in the tops with another oval cutter about one-half inch smaller. bake. remove the soft inside paste, and fill with sweetened whipped cream. make a handle out of some candied angelica, and stick it on the whipped cream, making it look like a basket. august breakfast orange juice kippered alaska cod in cream baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon california gray shrimps in shell cold consommé in cups cold sirloin of beef, with meat jelly potato and beet salad schloss cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé monaco celery broiled striped bass, maître d'hôtel virginia ham glacé, champagne sauce timbale of spinach mashed potatoes watercress salad strawberry ice cream assorted cakes coffee =kippered alaska cod in cream.= kippered alaska black cod is a delicate smoked fish. remove the skin, place in a sauce pan and cover with thick cream. bring slowly to a boil, and let stand for about ten minutes at boiling point. another method of cooking is to put the fish in a sauté pan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. then drain off the water, add some cream sauce and a small piece of butter, season with salt and pepper, and boil for five minutes. =consommé monaco.= cut one breast of a boiled chicken or fowl and two truffles in small dices. add to one quart of hot well-seasoned consommé. =virginia ham, glacé.= soak a virginia ham in cold water over night. then put the ham in à large kettle and cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and then set at side of stove and allow to simmer for three hours. the ham is done when the skin is easy to loosen. then remove the skin, and put the ham in another pot with one quart of sherry wine, and set in oven to bake. baste continually. after twenty minutes dust the top with powdered sugar, and bake until brown. =champagne sauce, i.= put two ounces of sugar in a casserole and cook to a brown caramel color, but be careful not to burn. then add one glass of vinegar and boil until nearly dry. then add one pint of sauce madère and boil for ten minutes. strain, and season well. =ii.= put one quart of champagne in a casserole and reduce until nearly dry, then add one pint of sauce madère, season with salt and cayenne pepper, boil for ten minutes, and strain. =timbale of spinach.= pass one pint of freshly-chopped spinach through a fine sieve, season with salt and pepper, add one spoonful of cream sauce and a raw egg, mix well, and put in small buttered timbale moulds. cook for twenty minutes in bain-marie. serve as a garnish, or as a vegetable with cream, tomato, or madeira sauce. august breakfast fresh strawberries with cream flannel cakes, maple syrup coffee luncheon cantaloupe poached eggs, d'orleans mutton chops, argenteuil lettuce salad puff paste sandwich coffee dinner rice soup, palermo radishes frogs' legs, sauté à sec tenderloin of beef, gambetta romaine salad biscuit glacé, mapleine assorted cakes demi tasse =poached eggs, d'orleans.= make four round pieces of dry toast, lay a thin slice of smoked beef tongue on each, and a poached egg on top of the tongue. cover with béarnaise sauce. =mutton chops, argenteuil.= broil some mutton chops and put on a platter. garnish with asparagus tips. pour a little hollandaise sauce over the tips; and a little brown gravy or sauce madère over the chops. =puff paste sandwich (pastry).= roll out some puff paste into a thin sheet, and spread with a thick layer of jam. wash the edges of the sheet, and place another thin sheet of the same paste on top. press together at the edges. wash the top, and bake. when nearly done dust the top with powdered sugar, and bake in the oven until the sugar is melted. serve cold. =rice soup, palermo.= heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add two ounces of rice and one ounce of flour, and heat through. then add three pints of chicken broth, and boil slowly. keep stirring carefully so it will not burn on the bottom, but do not break the rice. when the rice is soft bind the soup with the yolks of three eggs mixed with one pint of cream. keep stirring the soup until it nearly comes to a boil; taste to determine as to seasoning; add a tiny bit of grated nutmeg, a little cayenne pepper, and the juice of two lemons, freshly squeezed. =tenderloin of beef, gambetta.= put a roast tenderloin of beef on a platter, garnish on one side with onions glacés, and on the other side with fresh mushrooms sauté in butter. serve sauce madère on top of the beef, and also separate in a bowl. august breakfast sliced peaches with cream scrambled eggs with bacon rolls chocolate with whipped cream luncheon cold fonds d'artichauts, du barry cold virginia ham and tenderloin of beef chilian salad lemon cake demi tasse dinner consommé oriental ripe california olives fillet of halibut, cubaine roast chicken asparagus, hollandaise new peas in butter duchesse potatoes chiffonnade salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =cold fonds d'artichauts, du barry.= boil four fresh artichoke bottoms in salt water, to which has been added the juice of a lemon. also boil a head of cauliflower. when both are cold fill the bottoms with some of the cauliflower, and cover with a well-seasoned thick mayonnaise sauce. place each artichoke on a leaf of lettuce, and serve. =chilian salad.= place in a salad bowl equal parts of apple, celery and pimentos, all cut julienne style. serve with mayonnaise sauce. =lemon cake.= bake a sponge cake, as described elsewhere. cut in three layers, and fill between with lemon butter filling. glacé the top with thin white icing flavored with lemon juice. serve when the icing is dry. =orange cake.= same as lemon cake, but fill the cake with orange butter filling, and glace the top with pink icing flavored with orange. serve with a slice of orange on top of each portion of cake. =lemon butter filling.= one-half pound of sugar, four ounces of sweet butter, two lemons, the yolks of two eggs, and two whole eggs. grate the lemon rinds into the sugar, squeeze in the juice of the lemons, add the eggs, yolks and butter, mix well, and stir over a slow fire until it thickens. do not let it boil. use cold. =orange butter filling.= prepare in the same manner as lemon butter filling, but use oranges. =consommé oriental.= cut carrots and turnips in the shape of half moons. boil in salted water until soft, and serve in hot consommé with an equal quantity of plain boiled rice. =fillet of halibut, cubaine.= cut four fillets of halibut, season with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. heat two ounces of butter in a frying pan, then add the fish and sauté on both sides until done. put the fish on a platter and pour créole sauce over it. serve boiled rice separate. august breakfast grapenuts with cream boiled eggs dry toast ceylon tea luncheon shrimp patties in cream calf's liver sauté, lyonnaise german fried potatoes field salad camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage parmentier pim olas planked striped bass venison chops, port wine sauce hashed brown sweet potatoes artichokes au gratin endive salad strawberry meringue coffee =shrimp patties in cream.= make four patty shells and keep them hot. wash one pound of picked shrimps in warm water. make a pint of cream sauce, add the shrimps, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and fill the patties. serve on napkins, with parsley in branches, and a lemon cut in four. =calf's liver sauté, lyonnaise.= cut four slices of calf's liver about one inch thick. season with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. put two ounces of butter in a frying pan, and heat, add the liver and fry on both sides. when nearly done remove from the pan and place on a platter. slice two onions very thin, put in the pan and fry until yellow. then add one spoonful of flour, heat through, add a cupful of stock, bouillon, or hot water, season with salt and pepper, and add some chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon. boil for a few minutes, and pour over the liver. =potage parmentier.= cut four stalks of leek and one onion in thin slices. put in a casserole with three ounces of butter, cover, and simmer until done. then add two pounds of raw white potatoes cut in half inch squares, two quarts of bouillon or stock, and one quart of water, a handful of salt, and a bouquet garni. boil slowly until the potatoes are done, remove the bouquet, taste to see if salt is needed, and add a little pepper and chopped parsley. =venison steak, port wine sauce.= cut four venison chops about one and one-quarter inches thick, and season with salt and pepper. put a spoonful of melted butter in a sauté pan, heat, then add the chops and sauté until done. place on a platter and pour port wine sauce over them. =port wine sauce.= make any kind of brown gravy after cooking venison chops, saddle, or any roast. melt two spoonfuls of currant jelly in a casserole, in a wine glassful of port wine, and reduce one-half. then add one cup of brown gravy, dish gravy, or sauce madère, season with salt and pepper, and boil for five minutes. serve with game or mutton. august breakfast fresh raspberries with cream omelet with fine herbes crescents breakfast rolls cocoa luncheon cantaloupe eggs, mollet, bordelaise broiled lamb chops string beans with parsley browned mashed potatoes dandelion salad german apple cake coffee dinner consommé fermière radishes. salted almonds broiled lobster, maître d'hôtel sweetbreads braisé, st. albans roast squab, au jus summer squash, au beurre parisian potatoes escarole salad vanilla ice cream orange cake coffee =eggs mollet, bordelaise.= put four eggs mollet (see eggs) in a deep dish, and cover with sauce bordelaise. =consommé fermière.= put two ounces of butter in a casserole; add equal parts of carrots, turnips, and cabbage cut in thin round slices the size of a silver quarter. simmer until done, then drain off the butter, add one and one-half quarts of consommé, and boil for fifteen minutes. serve with chopped parsley on top, and with bread crusts fried in butter separate. =sweetbreads braisé, st. albans.= place some braised sweetbreads on a platter, and garnish with one head of fresh stuffed mushrooms and one small chicken patty for each person. make a gravy as described elsewhere for sweetbreads braisé, to which should be added one spoonful of tomato sauce. =grape jelly.= to every eight pounds of fruit add one cup of water, bring to a boil, crush, and strain through a jelly bag. measure the juice, and then measure and set aside an equal quantity of granulated cane sugar. then boil the juice for half an hour. melt the sugar, add to the juice and boil for ten minutes. =gooseberry jam.= to each eight pounds of half-ripe gooseberries add one teacupful of water. boil until soft, add eight pounds of heated sugar, and continue boiling until clear. =spiced vinegar, for pickles.= one gallon of cider vinegar, one pound of brown sugar, two tablespoonfuls each of mustard seed, celery seed and salt; one tablespoonful each of turmeric powder, black pepper, and mace; two nutmegs grated; three onions; and one handful of grated horseradish. =spiced cherries.= nine pounds of fruit, four pounds of sugar, one pint of malt or cider vinegar, one-half ounce of cinnamon bark, and one-half ounce of whole cloves. make a syrup of the ingredients, and boil for a few minutes before adding the fruit. cook the fruit in the syrup until the skins break; then take out, and boil the syrup down until thick. pour over the fruit while hot. =spiced sweet apples.= take equal parts of sugar and vinegar, add a dozen cloves and a stick of cinnamon bark, bring to a boil, add sweet apples, and cook until the apples are tender. =spiced tomatoes.= take red and yellow pear-shaped tomatoes, prick with a needle to prevent bursting, sprinkle with salt, and let stand over night. pack neatly in glass jars, and cover with a vinegar made as follows: one pint of cider or malt vinegar; one tablespoonful of sugar; and one teaspoonful each of cloves, allspice, and black pepper. the spices should be ground. bring to the boiling point, and pour over the tomatoes. seal when cold. august breakfast sliced fresh pineapple oatmeal with cream dry toast oolong tea luncheon lobster canapé scrambled eggs, mauresque cold smoked beef tongue romaine salad american cheese with crackers assorted cakes demi tasse dinner potage nassau ripe california olives pompano sauté, meunière roast ribs of prime beef stewed tomatoes succotash new peas mashed potatoes lettuce and grapefruit salad compote of peaches coffee cream cakes demi tasse =lobster canapé.= cut the tail of a lobster in thin slices and lay on four pieces of toast. cover with thick well-seasoned mayonnaise, and garnish the edges with chopped hard-boiled eggs and chopped parsley. serve on a folded napkin, and garnish with parsley in branches and two lemons cut in half. =scrambled eggs, mauresque.= cut some lyon sausage and boiled ham in small dices, put in a casserole with a piece of butter, and heat. then add the beaten eggs, cream, and a little salt and pepper. scramble in the usual manner, and serve in a deep china dish. =potage nassau.= peel eight white onions, and put in a casserole with one quart of water and a little salt. boil for twenty minutes, and then drain off the water. heat three ounces of butter in another casserole; then add three spoonfuls of flour, heat through; then add one pint of milk and one quart of bouillon and the onions, and boil for forty minutes. strain through a fine sieve, put back in casserole, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and stir-in three ounces of sweet butter. when the butter is melted, serve hot, with small crusts of bread cut in small squares, and fried in butter. august breakfast fresh strawberries with cream broiled salted mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon cold consommé in cups cold salmon, mayonnaise culemo salad french pastry demi tasse dinner pea soup with vermicelli crisp celery codfish steak, à l'anglaise fillet of beef, dumas chicory salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =pea soup with vermicelli.= one quart of purée of pea soup mixed with one pint of consommé vermicelli. =codfish steak à l'anglaise.= heat two ounces of butter in a sauté pan; add two slices of fresh codfish cut about one and one-half inches thick, and one sliced onion. season with salt and pepper, and simmer until the fish is done. then remove the fish to a platter; sprinkle a spoonful of flour in the pan, heat through, add one-half glass of white wine, and boil for a few minutes. then add one cup of hot milk and one-half cup of fish broth, and boil for ten minutes. season with salt and pepper, add a little chopped parsley and a chopped hard-boiled egg and the juice of a lemon, and pour over the fish. serve hot. =fillet of beef, dumas.= use a roast tenderloin of beef; or broiled fillet of beef steaks. place on a platter, and cover with sauce madère to which has been added a slice of boiled ham and a small can of french mushrooms cut in small dices. garnish one side of the beef with potatoes parisian, and the other side with artichokes cut in quarters and boiled in salted water. august breakfast fresh grapes boiled eggs buttered toast coffee luncheon casawba melon fried fillet of sole, sauce tartar cold tenderloin of beef salade château de madrid camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage dieppoise queen olives. radishes broiled fresh mackerel, anchovy butter potatoes hollandaise sweetbreads, lieb, with peas roast imperial squab asparagus with melted butter endive and beet salad corn starch blanc mange alsatian wafers coffee =salade château de madrid.= peel a half dozen fresh mushrooms, and cut them, raw, in julienne style. place them in a salad bowl with equal parts of green peppers and pimentos, also cut julienne. in the center put an equal part of plain boiled rice; and a dressing made with one spoonful of vinegar, the juice of a lemon, two spoonfuls of olive oil, a pinch of cayenne pepper, a little paprika, salt and pepper, and some chopped parsley and chervil. =potage dieppoise.= put in a casserole four leaves of white cabbage, and two stalks of leeks and one of celery cut in thin slices. add three ounces of butter, cover, and simmer until done. then add one pound of raw potatoes cut in thin slices the size of a silver quarter, and three pints of bouillon. season with salt and pepper, and boil until done. =broiled fresh mackerel, anchovy butter.= broil the mackerel and place on a platter. pour over it an anchovy butter made as described elsewhere. garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. =sweetbreads, lieb.= soak four sweetbreads in cold water for an hour. then put on fire in three pints of cold water and a spoonful of salt. bring to a boil, and then cool off in cold water. then trim the sweetbreads, season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. the sweetbreads must be whole; not split. when done place on a slice of virginia ham and cover with sauce colbert, and garnish with fleurons. the preceding is for one person only. =endives with beets.= cut endives salad lengthwise, place on à large china platter, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped beets and parsley, and a mixture of one-third of vinegar to two-thirds of olive oil. august breakfast baked apples with cream small sirloin steak broiled bacon browned hashed potatoes rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries eggs buckingham salade russe vanilla darioles demi tasse dinner potage italienne salted pecans boiled turbot, nonpareil roast chicken purée of chicory summer squash in butter rissolées potatoes lemon water ice macaroons coffee =eggs, buckingham.= put in a buttered shirred egg dish a slice of toast, lay a slice of ham on top, and a soft poached egg on top of the ham. cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake in a hot oven until brown on top. =vanilla darioles.= mix one ounce of flour with three ounces of sugar, two eggs and five yolks of eggs. then add one pint of milk and some vanilla flavoring, and strain. line about one dozen dariole or small timbale moulds with very thin tartelette dough. put a piece of butter the size of a marble in the bottom of each, and fill with the above preparation. bake in a medium-hot oven, and when done unmould; and serve either hot or cold, with vanilla sauce. =orange darioles.= same as vanilla darioles, but flavor with the rind and juice of an orange. serve with orange sauce. =lemon darioles.= prepare in the same manner as orange darioles, but use a lemon to flavor same. serve with lemon sauce. =potage italienne.= soak half a pound of dry mushrooms in cold water for a few hours. then put in a casserole with one quart of consommé, one pint of purée of tomatoes, and one-half pound of boiled spaghetti cut in pieces two inches long. boil for ten minutes. crush two pieces of garlic and fry in a spoonful of oil for a second, add to the soup, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. serve grated cheese separate. =boiled turbot, nonpareil.= put the whole turbot in a fish kettle, cover with cold water, add a glass of white wine, a handful of salt, one sliced carrot, onion and lemon, and a bouquet garni. boil slowly for about ten minutes, then allow to stand for about thirty minutes in the hot water. then put the fish on a folded napkin on a platter, and garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. serve sauce non pareil separate. =sauce nonpareil.= put in a casserole the yolks of five eggs and the juice of a lemon. set the casserole in a bain-marie, and stir well. then add, little by little, three-quarters of a pound of butter, and one-quarter of a pound of crayfish butter, or lobster butter. then strain through a fine cheese cloth, season with salt and pepper, or cayenne, add one dozen écrevisse tails cut in two; or the tail of a lobster cut in small squares. =purée of chicory.= see march th, purée of salad. august breakfast stewed prunes ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe poached eggs, balti ham croquettes, cream sauce peas à la française schloss cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé montesquieu mortadella pompano, sauté meunière leg of mutton, mexicaine string beans potatoes sauté hearts of lettuce thousand island dressing french pastry demi tasse =poached eggs, balti.= spread some fresh caviar on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each, and cover with sauce madère. =ham croquettes.= cut about one pound of ham trimmings in very small squares. cut a can of french mushrooms in small dices, and squeeze the water out of them. heat an ounce of butter in a casserole, add a dozen shallots chopped fine, and simmer for five minutes. then add a spoonful of flour and heat through; then add a cupful of bouillon or stock, and boil for a minute; then add the mushrooms and the ham, and cook for ten minutes. bind with the yolks of two eggs, season with a little cayenne pepper, and add some chopped parsley. then take off the fire and work in two ounces of good butter. when the butter is dissolved put on a pan or platter, and allow to become cold. form the croquettes in any shape desired, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and then in bread crumbs, and fry in hot swimming lard. serve with cream or tomato sauce, or sauce madère. the butter is added to prevent the croquettes from being hard, when cooked. =virginia ham croquettes.= make from virginia ham; otherwise same as above. =consommé montesquieu.= equal parts of boiled ham, breast of chicken, and french mushrooms, cut julienne style. also an equal part of the small flowers of boiled cauliflower. serve all in hot, well-seasoned consommé. =leg of mutton, mexicaine.= put a leg of mutton in a roasting pan with a sliced onion and carrot, four leaves of celery, and one chili pepper. season the leg with salt and pepper, and rub with a little garlic; place a small piece of butter on top, and set in oven to roast. when done remove the leg to a platter, drain the grease from the pan, add one spoonful of meat extract, a cup of bouillon or stock, and a little salt, and boil for a few minutes. pour a little of the gravy over the mutton and serve the rest in a bowl. garnish the leg with one stuffed pimento à la créole for each person. =stuffed pimentos, créole.= make a rice créole. fill pimentos with this rice, place on a buttered pan, put small pieces of butter on top of each, and bake in a medium-hot oven. serve as a garnish, or as a vegetable with tomato sauce. august breakfast orange juice broiled spanish mackerel baked potatoes rolls english breakfast tea luncheon eggs mollet, florentine cold leg of mutton lima bean salad swiss cheese with crackers assorted fruit coffee dinner chicken soup, fougarmont california ripe olives brook trout, volper louis potatoes roast beef, jules-albert stewed tomatoes fried egg plant endives salad, french dressing vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs mollet, florentine.= put some purée of spinach in a vegetable dish, place four eggs mollet on top. =chicken soup, florentine.= cut a spring chicken, bones and all, in pieces one inch square. heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, add the chicken, and cook until golden yellow; add two spoonfuls of flour and heat through; add three pints of chicken broth, a bouquet garni, and one-half cup of raw rice. boil for one hour, then remove the bouquet garni, add one pint of boiling milk, and season with salt and pepper and a little chopped parsley. =brook trout, volper.= put in a casserole two quarts of cider, one sliced onion, one carrot, one piece of celery, one piece of leek, a little parsley, one bay leaf, one clove, and one spoonful of salt. bring to a boil, and then add eight brook trout. set the vessel on the side of the range, and let stand at boiling point for ten minutes; then remove the trout to a platter. serve with the following sauce: heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add two spoonfuls of flour and one and one-half pints of the cider in which the fish was cooked. boil for twenty minutes. then add two more ounces of fresh butter, season well with salt and pepper, and strain over the fish. garnish with bread cut in heart shapes, and fried in butter. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =louis potatoes.= cut some potatoes with a small round parisian spoon, parboil in water, and finish cooking in just enough cream to cover the potatoes. season with a little salt, and serve in a deep dish with the cream. =roast beef, jules-albert.= season a five pound piece of sirloin of beef with salt and pepper, and rub with garlic. put in an earthern pot and pour a glassful of olive oil over it. let it stand in the ice box for two days. then put on fire and roast for about forty minutes, basting often. then remove the beef to a platter, and add to the roasting pan one spoonful of flour; heat; add one cup of bouillon and one-half glass of white wine, season with salt and pepper, boil for ten minutes, and strain. pour a little over the beef, and serve the rest in a sauce boat. august breakfast fresh raspberries with cream omelet with chives rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit, cardinal fried eggs, infante imported frankfort sausages potato salad limburger cheese with pumpernickel rye bread coffee dinner consommé with celery and rice antipasto fillet of sole, au vin blanc roast chicken asparagus, hollandaise potato croquettes romaine salad lemon darioles coffee =fried eggs, infante.= cook some chickens' livers sauté in butter, and add a little sauce madère. pour the livers around some fried eggs. =imported frankfurter sausages.= these sausages can be obtained in cans. remove from can immediately upon opening, otherwise they will turn bad. put the sausages in water almost at the boiling point, and keep them at that temperature for twelve minutes, but do not let them boil. serve on a platter, garnished with parsley in branches. =consommé with celery and rice.= cut a stalk of celery in small squares, wash well, and boil in salted water until soft. boil about one-quarter of a pound of rice in salted water until soft. serve both in three pints of hot well-seasoned consommé. =omelet with chives.= beat eight eggs, season with salt and pepper, add one spoonful of chives sliced very fine, and cook the omelet in the usual manner. august breakfast blackberries with cream plain pancakes breakfast sausages rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs, meyerbeer cold ham and tongue, meat jelly chiffonnade salad german prune cake demi tasse dinner potage brunoise, with rice carciofini boiled codfish, flamande potatoes, natural sweetbreads, sans gêne roast turkey, cranberry sauce broiled sweet potatoes stewed corn sliced tomatoes, vinaigrette corn starch blanc mange with sabayon coffee =eggs meyerbeer.= shirred eggs with a broiled split lamb's kidney and a slice of truffle on top of each one. pour a little sauce madère over the white of the eggs. =potage brunoise, with rice.= to three pints of consommé brunoise add one-quarter of a pound of boiled rice. =boiled codfish, flamande.= put three slices of fresh codfish, cut about one and one-half inches thick, in a kettle with water. season with salt, add one-half glass of vinegar, bring to a boil, and let stand at the boiling point for half an hour. then place on a folded napkin, with parsley in branches, and two lemons cut in two. serve sauce flamande separate. =sauce flamande.= heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add two spoonfuls of flour, one spoonful of vinegar, one quart of the fish broth in which the codfish was cooked, one spoonful of french mustard, a little salt and pepper, one bay leaf, one clove, and a little grated nutmeg. boil for twenty minutes, strain through a fine cheese cloth, and put back in casserole. then add, little by little, three ounces of good butter. when the butter is melted add the juice of a lemon and some fresh-chopped parsley. =sweetbreads, sans gêne.= put some braised sweetbreads on a platter, and garnish with one stuffed head of fresh mushroom to each person. cover with sauce colbert. august breakfast baked pears with cream broiled salted mackerel boiled potatoes rolls coffee luncheon canapé thon mariné cold eggs, riche broiled lamb chops french fried potatoes cold artichokes, vinaigrette cottage cheese with crackers coffee dinner purée of lentils with tapioca california ripe olives broiled pompano, fleurette duchesse potatoes boiled fowl, celery sauce spinach, english style orange darioles demi tasse =canapé thon mariné.= butter four pieces of toast, lay thin slices of thon mariné on top, spread a little mayonnaise over all with a knife, garnish the edges with chopped boiled eggs and chopped parsley. serve on a napkin with parsley in branches, and quartered lemons. =cold eggs, riche.= make four eggs mollet. when the eggs have become cold cut with the point of a knife, and let the yolks run out. then fill with a few chopped anchovies, place on a china platter, and cover with sauce figaro. =purée of lentils with tapioca.= mix one quart of purée of lentils with one pint of consommé tapioca. =boiled fowl.= put a soup hen on the fire in two quarts of water, add a little salt, bring to a boil, and skim. then add one carrot, one onion, one leek, one piece of celery and a bouquet garni. cook until the fowl is soft. serve with cream, celery, oyster, or other sauce; as you may desire. =celery sauce.= warm three ounces of butter in a casserole; add two stalks of celery, cut in small squares, well-washed and dried; and one and one-half spoonful of flour. heat through, and then add two pints of chicken broth and a little salt. boil until the celery is soft; then bind with the yolks of two eggs and a cup of cream. august breakfast sliced peaches with cream oatmeal rolls coffee luncheon casawba melon eggs lenox tripe sauté, lyonnaise mashed potatoes field salad raspberry tartelette demi tasse dinner consommé colbert radishes salted almonds lobster en court bouillon roast leg of lamb string beans potatoes au gratin fried egg plant watercress salad whipped cream in cups lady fingers coffee =eggs lenox.= boil hard one dozen eggs, remove the shells and cut in four. put the eggs in one-half cup of cream sauce, and season with salt and pepper. put in a deep buttered earthern dish, pour a cupful of tomato sauce on top, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =consommé colbert.= add to consommé printanier one poached egg for each person. sprinkle with chopped chervil. =lobster en court bouillon.= heat in a sauté pan one spoonful of olive oil and one ounce of butter. add two leeks and one onion sliced fine. fry till crisp and yellow, add one glassful of white wine, one bay leaf, one clove, one bouquet of tied parsley, one pint of fish broth, one clove of garlic, some chopped parsley, and two tomatoes cut in four. then add two live lobsters cut in pieces one inch thick, including the shell and claws. season with salt and pepper and a pinch of cayenne, and boil slowly for forty minutes. when done remove the bay leaf, clove and bouquet of parsley, and serve with the broth and all. =whipped cream in cups.= whip some cream quite stiff, and add a little powdered sugar and vanilla. fill some cups; decorate the tops with some of the same whipped cream, but put on in fancy shape with the aid of a pastry bag. serve with lady fingers. august breakfast blackberries with cream plain poached eggs on toast broiled bacon rolls uncolored japan tea luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés cold consommé in cups omelet impératrice english mutton chop, tavern escarole and chicory salad roquefort cheese with crackers assorted fruit demi tasse dinner purée of white bean soup, allemande plain celery sand dabs, meunière sugar-cured ham glacé, champagne sauce spinach in cream potatoes au gratin wine jelly with whipped cream assorted cakes coffee =omelette impératrice.= slice a breast of boiled chicken, and mix with half a cup of cream sauce. season with salt and pepper. make the omelet, and before turning over on platter lay the chicken stew in the center. pour thin cream sauce around the omelet. =purée of white bean soup, allemande.= make a purée of white beans as described elsewhere. add four frankfort sausages, peeled and cut in thin slices. =sugar-cured ham glacé.= put a ham in a kettle and cover with cold water. bring to a boil, and allow to simmer on side of range, at boiling point, for about three hours. then pull the skin from the ham, sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar, place in a roasting pan, put a pint of sherry wine in the bottom, set in oven, and roast until brown. serve on a platter garnished with watercress. serve champagne sauce separate. =wine jelly with whipped cream.= make some wine jelly as described elsewhere. pour into moulds and set in ice box until firm. unmould on a cold dish, and decorate with sweetened whipped cream. august breakfast sliced bananas with cream browned corned beef hash rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs, opéra spring lamb irish stew french pastry coffee dinner consommé with italian paste lyon sausage stewed striped bass, américaine hollandaise potatoes roast chicken succotash cauliflower, polonaise hearts of lettuce salad corn starch blanc mange with berries macaroons demi tasse =eggs, opéra.= garnish some shirred eggs on one side with asparagus tips in butter, and on the other side with chickens' livers sauté au madère. =consommé with italian paste.= boil some italian paste in salted water for eight minutes. then drain off water, and cool the paste in cold water. serve in hot consommé, with grated cheese separate. =stewed striped bass, américaine.= cut four pounds of striped bass in pieces two inches thick. put them in a buttered sauté pan with an onion chopped fine; season with salt and pepper, add a glassful of white wine, and one quart of canned tomatoes just as they come from the can; and a bouquet garni. cover, and simmer for half an hour. then remove the fish to a platter, take out the bouquet garni, and reduce the broth one-half. add, little by little, three ounces of sweet butter, stir until the butter is melted, add a little chopped parsley, and pour over the fish. =corn starch blanc mange.= put a pint of milk on the fire. moisten three spoonfuls of corn starch in a little cold milk, and then stir it into the boiling milk. add two ounces of sugar and two well-beaten eggs. cook for a few minutes, and pour into small moulds. when cold, unmould, and serve with cold cream. =corn starch blanc mange with sabayon.= prepare as above, and serve covered with thick sabayon sauce. =corn starch blanc mange with berries.= prepare a corn starch blanc mange, and serve with sweetened strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, or loganberries, around the edge of the dish. =corn starch blanc mange with stewed fruit.= serve corn starch blanc mange with cold stewed apples, pears, peaches, plums, or apricots, around the bottom of the dish. =corn starch food.= (for infants or invalids.) boil one pint of milk. add three tablespoonfuls of corn starch diluted with a little cold water, and two ounces of sugar. stir into the boiling milk, boil for a few minutes, and serve hot or cold. august breakfast grapes scrambled eggs with tomatoes rolls coffee luncheon tomatoes, surprise eggs, de lesseps rump steak, dickinson french fried potatoes jerusalem artichokes in cream camembert cheese with crackers assorted fruit demi tasse dinner purée of turnips, caroline mortadella. salted almonds broiled fillet of sole, maître d'hôtel leg of veal, au jus carrots, vichy peas in butter château potatoes field and beet salad strawberry ice cream assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs with tomatoes.= peel four tomatoes, cut in two, and squeeze out the water. then cut in small squares, and put in a sauté pan with one ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer until done. then add eight beaten eggs, one-half cup of cream, one ounce of butter, a little more salt and pepper; and then scramble with the tomatoes. =tomatoes, surprise.= peel four tomatoes, cut off the tops, and scoop out the centers with a small spoon. season the inner side of the tomatoes with salt and pepper, and turn upside down so the water will run out. cut some celery in small dices, wash well, and mix with mayonnaise sauce, season with salt and pepper; and then fill the tomatoes. serve on lettuce leaves. =eggs, de lesseps.= butter shirred egg dishes, crack two eggs in each, and lay one-quarter of a calf's brains that has been previously heated, on each. season with salt and pepper, and set in oven for a few minutes. put a small piece of butter in a frying pan and cook until smoking, and nearly black; pour over the egg and brain. put a spoonful of vinegar in the frying pan and heat, and also pour over the egg. sprinkle with a little chopped parsley and a few capers. =rump steak, dickinson.= broil a rump steak, and place on a platter. parboil four slices of beef marrow and lay on top with some green and red peppers cut in triangular shapes. pour sauce colbert around the steak. =jerusalem artichokes in cream.= peel a quart of jerusalem artichokes, and put in a casserole with water, salt and a piece of lemon. boil until done, drain off the water, and cut the artichokes in any shape desired, or sliced. make a pint of cream sauce, put the artichokes in it, and boil for a few minutes. season well. =purée of turnips, caroline.= peel six turnips, cut in four, put in a casserole with two quarts of chicken or veal broth, half a pound of rice, and a bouquet garni. boil until done, remove the bouquet, and strain through a fine sieve. put back in the casserole, bring to a boil; and add slowly, bit by bit, four ounces of sweet butter; season with salt and pepper, and serve with small pieces of bread cut in dices and fried in butter. =mortadella.= imported italian sausages, which comes in cans, sliced. very fine. august breakfast stewed prunes buckwheat cakes, maple syrup crescents english breakfast tea luncheon eggs, don juan broiled veal kidneys, with bacon lyonnaise potatoes celery victor napoleon cake coffee dinner consommé châtelaine queen olives fried soft clams, tartar sauce tenderloin of beef, cardinalice lima beans, au paprika st. francis potatoes endives salad mirlitons coffee =eggs, don juan.= make four pieces of toast, lay six fillets of anchovies on each, and cover with scrambled eggs. =consommé châtelaine.= equal parts of small chicken dumplings, boiled rice and new peas, served in hot consommé. =fried soft clams, sauce tartar.= take the bellies of one dozen soft clams and roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in fresh bread crumbs. fry in swimming hot lard or butter. season with salt, place on a platter, on a napkin; and garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons. serve tartar sauce separate. =tenderloin of beef, cardinalice.= roast a tenderloin of beef, and lay sliced truffles heated in madeira wine, on top. for each person, garnish with one-half tomato seasoned with salt and pepper, a small bit of butter placed on top and baked in the oven, and one pimento heated in butter. serve separate, sauce béarnaise and tomato sauce mixed. this is also a good way to serve tenderloin or sirloin steaks. =lima beans, au paprika.= boil one quart of lima beans in salted water. when done drain off the water. heat through in a casserole, two ounces of butter and six chopped shallots. then add one teaspoonful of flour and one teaspoonful of paprika, and one-half cup of bouillon, stock, or water; and boil for ten minutes. then add the lima beans, and simmer for a few minutes. if necessary, add a little more salt. =mirlitons (cake).= beat well together four eggs and three ounces of sugar. add one gill of orange flower water and one pint of cream. strain, and put into tartelette moulds lined with tartelette dough rolled very thin. dust some powdered sugar over them, and bake in a moderate oven. august breakfast cantaloupe ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon cold celery broth cold salmon, mayonnaise sliced cucumbers roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage bourgeoisie pim olas skate fish au beurre noir potatoes, nature boiled beef, horseradish sauce german cabbage roast squab chiffonnade salad biscuit glacé, vanilla assorted cakes coffee =cold celery broth.= wash two stalks of celery, and cut in small pieces. put in a vessel with three pounds of chopped raw shin of beef, the whites of six eggs, one onion, and a spoonful of salt. mix well, and add slowly one gallon of stock or bouillon; or three quarts of water; and boil for two hours. strain through a fine cloth, put in ice box, and serve when cold. =potage bourgeoisie.= in a kettle put a fresh brisket of beef, two marrow bones, and a handful of salt; and cover with cold water. bring to a boil, skim well, add a small piece of savoy cabbage, one carrot, one onion, one piece of celery, a dozen stalks of leek tied in a bunch, a bouquet garni, and a spoonful of whole black peppers. boil slowly for about three hours and a half; then remove the beef; and take out the leeks and carrot and cut them in small round pieces. take the fat off of the broth, and strain the broth over the leeks and carrot. boil for a few minutes, and season with salt and pepper. before serving add some chopped chervil, and some bread crusts cut in half inch squares, and fried in butter. =german cabbage.= heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, add three chopped onions, and simmer until done. then add one spoonful of flour and one pint of bouillon from boiled beef, season with salt and pepper; and then add two heads of sliced savoy cabbage, and cover the pot. cook for one hour; then add one-half glass of white wine vinegar, and one spoonful of chopped parsley, and boil for thirty minutes. august breakfast sliced figs with cream hominy pulled bread chocolate luncheon olive and anchovy salad eggs, canada broiled pigs' feet chow chow potatoes, surprise corn starch blanc mange with stewed fruits demi tasse dinner potage colbert salted hazelnuts eels, marinière roast leg of mutton string beans with shallots mashed potatoes endives salad dariolets, duchesse coffee =olive and anchovy salad.= lay on a ravier, or flat celery dish, two dozen fillets of anchovies, crosswise. cut the stones out of one dozen large queen olives, and slice the olives thin. lay them over the anchovies, sprinkle with a very little salt, some fresh-ground black pepper, a spoonful of vinegar, and a spoonful of olive oil. garnish with hard-boiled eggs cut in four, and chopped parsley. =eggs, canada.= cut the tops from four solid even-sized tomatoes, scoop out the insides, season with salt and pepper, break a raw egg in each, put a small piece of butter on top, season with salt and pepper, place on a buttered plate and bake in the oven for about eight or ten minutes. serve on a china platter with a little tomato sauce around the tomatoes. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =potatoes, surprise.= bake four medium-sized potatoes, cut off the tops, and scoop out the insides. mix the insides with two ounces of sweet butter, a little chopped chives, and salt and pepper. mix lightly with a spoon, and refill the potatoes. replace the top, and bake in oven again for three minutes. serve on napkins. =potage colbert.= wash and dry two heads of chicory salad, slice fine, and fry in a casserole in three ounces of butter. then add one and one-half ounces of flour, three pints of veal or beef broth, and one bouquet garni; and boil for an hour. remove the bouquet, and strain the rest through a fine sieve. put back in the vessel, season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper, and when nearly boiling add the yolks of two eggs beaten with one cup of cream. before serving add one lightly-poached egg to each person. =eels, marinière.= remove the skin, and cut an eel in pieces three inches long. put in a buttered pan, add one dozen finely chopped shallots, one glass of white wine, and one cup of fish broth. cover, and boil until the eels are done. then place on a platter. heat one ounce of butter in a casserole, add a spoonful of flour and the broth in which the eels were cooked, and boil for five minutes. bind with the yolks of two eggs and one-half cup of cream, add a little chopped parsley, and pour over the fish. do not strain the sauce. =string beans with shallots.= boil two pounds of string beans in salted water. simmer, without allowing to color, six chopped shallots in two ounces of butter. then add the string beans, one ounce of butter, and some chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. august breakfast stewed dried fruit boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries eggs benoit english mutton chops, kentucky sauce broiled sweet potatoes romaine salad brie cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé tapioca, écrevisse butter california ripe olives sand dabs, meunière roast turkey, cranberry sauce green corn spinach with eggs rissolée potatoes cold artichoke, vinaigrette roman punch assorted cakes coffee =eggs benoit.= spread some pâté de foie gras on four pieces of toast, lay a poached egg on top of each; and a head of fresh mushrooms sauté in butter on top of each egg. cover with madeira sauce. =english mutton chop, kentucky sauce.= broil the chop. serve kentucky sauce separate. =kentucky sauce.= put in a casserole one pint of claret, half a pint of whiskey or cognac, one pint of chicken broth, half a pint of tomato ketchup, quarter of a pound of brown sugar, a little salt and one-half teaspoonful of tabasco sauce. bring to a boil, and thicken with one-half cup of corn starch mixed with a little cold water. boil for ten minutes, and then strain. serve with mutton or game. =stewed dried fruit (in general).= take pears, apricots, peaches, figs, or other fruit, and soak in cold water for about one hour. then drain, add a little sugar, to taste, and boil until soft. allow to become cold before serving. =consommé tapioca, au beurre d'écrevisses (écrevisse butter).= make two quarts of consommé tapioca, and while boiling add, little by little, three ounces of écrevisse butter. when the butter is melted, and while the soup is boiling, add a little cayenne pepper and a pony of cognac, and serve. august breakfast apple sauce plain omelet pulled bread cocoa luncheon canapé of fresh caviar eggs chambord breaded veal cutlets macaroni caruso edam cheese with crackers coffee dinner potage plessy celery boiled turbot, hollandaise potatoes, nature sirloin steak, bordelaise broiled fresh mushrooms soufflé potatoes french asparagus, melted butter chicory salad raspberry water ice assorted cakes coffee =eggs chambord.= poached eggs on toast, covered with sauce chambord. =sauce chambord.= put in a casserole the head of a salmon cut in small pieces. add three ounces of butter, one sliced carrot, one onion, a little parsley in branches, one bay leaf, four cloves, one spoonful of whole black peppers, one clove of garlic, and a little salt. simmer until the head is cooked, then add one pint of claret and reduce until nearly dry. then add one quart of fish broth or stock and boil for ten minutes. thicken with two ounces of butter and one ounce of flour kneaded together, mix well, add two tablespoonfuls of anchovy essence, and boil for five minutes. strain through a fine sieve, put back in casserole, bring to a boil, add two ounces of fresh butter, whip well, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. strain through fine cheese cloth. serve with fish or eggs. =macaroni caruso.= boil one pound of macaroni in salted water. when done drain off the water, add one-half pound of sliced fresh mushrooms sauté in butter, a very little garlic fried in oil, a cup of tomato sauce, and one-half cup of grated cheese. also serve grated cheese separate. =potage plessy.= slice ten onions very fine, and put in a casserole with a quart of water, bring to a boil, and then drain. heat three ounces of butter in a casserole, then add two ounces of flour and two quarts of bouillon, and stir well. then add the onions, season with salt and pepper, boil for an hour, and strain through a fine sieve. put back in the casserole and add two ounces of sweet butter. when the butter is melted add bread crumbs fried in butter. august breakfast fresh raspberries with cream baked beans, boston style boston brown bread coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs bernadotte calf's head, vinaigrette plain boiled potatoes german prune cake demi tasse dinner potage montglas dill pickles boiled striped bass, indian soy sauce chicken sauté, alsacienne peas à la française chicory salad, escoffier dressing floating island macaroons coffee =eggs bernadotte.= lay four poached eggs on four pieces of toast, put two fillets of anchovies crosswise on each egg. mix one pint of cream sauce with one dozen sliced queen olives, and pour over the eggs. =potage montglas.= mix one pint of purée of tomatoes with one quart of consommé sago. add the breast of a boiled fowl cut julienne style, the tip of a smoked beef tongue cut in small squares, and one-quarter of a pound of macaroni cut in pieces one inch long. serve grated cheese separate. =boiled striped bass, indian soy sauce.= put a whole striped bass in a fish kettle, cover with cold water, add a handful of salt, two sliced lemons, one small piece of ginger root, one sliced onion, and a bouquet garni. bring to a boil, and set on side of stove at boiling point for twenty minutes. when done place on a platter, on a napkin, and garnish with small round boiled potatoes, parsley in branches, and two lemons cut in half. serve sauce separate. =indian soy sauce.= put two ounces of butter in a casserole, add two chopped shallots, and heat. then add one spoonful of flour, one pint of boiling milk, one-half pint of indian soy sauce, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. boil for a few minutes; then add a cup of thick cream and the juice of a lemon. the indian soy sauce may be obtained in bottles. =chicken sauté, alsacienne.= cut a chicken in four. heat one ounce of butter in a sauté pan, add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and a chopped shallot, and cook until golden yellow. then add one-half spoonful of flour, and toss. then add one-half glass of white wine, one cup of bouillon, and a spoonful of meat extract; and simmer for fifteen minutes. serve on a platter garnished on one side with noodles, and on the other side with flour dumplings. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =escoffier dressing.= mix well together one-fourth cup of imported escoffier sauce, which may be obtained in bottles, three-fourths of a cup of chili sauce, a cup of mayonnaise to which has been added the juice of half a lemon, a little chives cut fine, and salt, pepper and paprika to taste. pour over the salad. september breakfast orange marmalade buckwheat cakes breakfast sausages rolls coffee luncheon canapé de sardine eggs grazienna pork tenderloin, sauce piquante lorraine potatoes dandelion salad oregon cream cheese with crackers coffee dinner little neck clams fish broth, with whipped cream chow chow broiled barracouda, sauce rougemont potato brioche tournedos, café julien string beans with tomatoes escarole salad strawberries à la mode assorted cakes demi tasse =eggs grazienna.= mix a cupful of boiled peas with a spoonful of cream sauce and a little salt and sugar. heat well, and place on a platter. put four fried eggs on top of the peas and pour a little tomato sauce around the bottom of the platter. =fish broth with whipped cream.= make a fish broth, serve whipped cream and cheese straws on the side. =potato brioche.= make a potato croquette preparation. roll out, in flour, into the shape of a ball, place on a buttered pan, brush the tops with yolks of eggs, and bake in oven until nicely colored. =sauce rougemont (cold).= chop very fine some fresh mustard and tarragon, and mix with well-seasoned mayonnaise. if fresh mustard is not available use a little french mustard. =broiled barracouda, sauce rougemont.= split a barracouda, season well with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. place on a platter and garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. serve sauce rougemont separate. =tournedos, café julien.= take tournedos, or filet mignons, or small tenderloin steaks, or sirloin steaks; season well with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place on a platter, and garnish, for each person, with one fresh boiled artichoke bottom filled with french peas. pour sauce madère over the meat. =string beans with tomatoes.= peel and cut four tomatoes in four. put in a casserole with one ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for ten minutes. add two pounds of fresh boiled string beans, and two more ounces of fresh butter. season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for five minutes. sprinkle with parsley chopped fine. september breakfast sliced pineapple fried eggs with salt pork rolls coffee luncheon little neck clam cocktails eggs à la tripe cold roast beef string bean salad duchesse darioles demi tasse dinner potage maintenon california ripe olives pompano sauté, meunière roast duckling, apple sauce baked creamed squash sweet potatoes sauté green peas waldorf salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =fried eggs with salt pork.= put four slices of salt pork in a frying pan and fry until done. then break four eggs on top of the pork, season with a little pepper, and bake in oven for three minutes. =dariole duchesse.= mix one ounce of flour and three ounces of sugar with two whole eggs and five yolks. then add one pint of milk to which has been added six crushed macaroons. line about a dozen dariole moulds, or small timbales, with tartelette dough, or puff paste parings. (paste left over when making vol au vent or puff paste cakes). the paste should be rolled out very thin. into the bottom of each lined mould place a little chopped candied fruit, then fill with the above preparation. dust some powdered sugar on top, and bake in a rather hot oven. unmould and serve with fruit sauce. =potage maintenon.= put a soup hen and two pounds of veal bones in a pot in one gallon of water, add a spoonful of salt, one onion, one carrot, one stalk of celery, one-half stalk of leek, and a bouquet garni. bring to a boil, skim well, and then simmer until the fowl is done. then take out the fowl and cut the white meat in small squares. strain the broth. heat in a casserole four ounces of butter, add one-half cup of rice and two and one-half ounces of flour. when heated through add the broth, stir well, and let it simmer slowly. when once boiling be careful that the rice does not stick to the bottom and burn. also be careful when stirring that you do not break the rice. taste, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper; and when the rice is soft thicken the soup with the yolks of four eggs mixed with a cup of cream and a very little grated nutmeg. do not let the soup boil after adding the thickening. september breakfast fresh raspberries and strawberries with cream calf's liver and bacon rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe and watermelon, surprise shirred eggs, caroli veal kidneys sauté, au madère mashed potatoes salade brésilienne camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé brunoise and vermicelli pickles. radishes planked black bass cucumber salad deviled chickens' legs with virginia ham spinach with cream egg plant, sicilienne french pastry demi tasse =cantaloupe and watermelon, surprise.= cut out with a round parisian spoon equal parts of cantaloupe and watermelon. mix, and serve in grapefruit suprême glasses. serve salt, pepper and powdered sugar separate. =eggs, caroli.= place in a buttered shirred egg dish one slice of smoked beef tongue, break two eggs on top, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =consommé brunoise and vermicelli.= one quart of consommé brunoise mixed with one pint of consommé vermicelli. serve grated cheese separate. =planked black bass.= season a whole black bass with salt and pepper, and lay on a buttered plank. put a little butter on top of the fish, and set in oven to bake. when the fish is done make a border around the edge of the plank with potato croquette preparation, using a pastry bag with a star tube to squeeze the potato through. then set back in oven and cook until the border is brown. pour two spoonfuls of maître d'hôtel butter over the fish, and garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. =deviled chickens' legs and virginia ham.= use the legs from soup hens or roasted chickens. spread with a mixture of half english and half french mustard, roll in bread crumbs, sprinkle with olive oil, broil, and place on a platter. broil one slice of virginia ham for each person, and lay on top of the chickens' legs. pour tomato sauce around them. =egg plant, sicilienne.= peel an egg plant and cut in thin slices. mix in a bowl two cups of grated cheese, one egg, half a cup of very thick cream, a little chopped chives, salt and a little cayenne pepper. spread on a slice of egg plant, and lay another slice on top, in the form of a sandwich. roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. fry in very hot swimming butter, and serve on folded napkin. september breakfast stewed prunes german pancakes corn muffins ceylon tea luncheon hors d'oeuvres assortis cold consommé in cups baked oysters, gruyère russian salad mirlitons au rhum coffee dinner potage ruffo queen olives bouillabaisse marseillaise roast leg of lamb corn à la marie potato croquettes lima beans in butter chicory and romaine salad vanilla ice cream lady cake demi tasse =baked oysters, gruyère.= season one dozen oysters on the half shell with salt and pepper, lay on each a very thin slice of swiss cheese, put a small bit of butter on top, and bake in a very hot oven for six minutes. serve in the shells, on a platter, garnished with quartered lemons. =mirlitons au rhum.= beat until very light, six eggs, six ounces of powdered sugar, and six ounces of almonds chopped very fine. then add two tablespoonfuls of rum, one ounce of flour, and four ounces of melted butter. pour into tartalette moulds, that have been lined with very thin dough. dust the tops with powdered sugar, and bake in a rather hot oven. glace the tops with thin icing flavored with rhum. =potage ruffo.= mix one quart of purée of tomato soup with one pint of consommé, add one-half pound of macaroni that has been boiled in salted water, and cut in pieces one-half inch long. serve grated cheese separate. =corn à la marie.= put two ounces of butter and two peeled and quartered tomatoes in a casserole, and simmer for five minutes. then add the corn cut from six boiled ears, season with salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar, and simmer for five minutes. =lady cake.= one pound of sugar, three-quarters of a pound of sweet butter, one pound of flour, two ounces of corn starch, half a teaspoonful of baking powder, the whites of sixteen eggs, and rose flavoring. mix the sugar with the butter and half of the whites of eggs. mix the flour, corn starch and baking powder together, and add it to the first mixture. beat the remainder of the whites of eggs until very hard, and add them to the preceding. add the rose flavoring, mix lightly, put in mould and bake in the same manner as pound cake. september breakfast orange marmalade poached eggs with bacon rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with chestnuts eggs mollet, auben lamb hash, sam ward escaloped tomatoes sierra cheese with crackers coffee dinner blue point oysters on half shell consommé federal salted brazil nuts boiled lake tahoe trout, hollandaise potatoes, nature sweetbreads braisé, georginette roast chicken new beets, californienne baked kohl rabi hearts of lettuce, egg dressing lemon water ice lady fingers demi tasse =eggs mollet, auben.= make four croustades, lay an egg mollet in each, and pour a little sauce italienne over them. =lamb hash, sam ward.= put two ounces of butter and one chopped onion in a casserole and simmer until yellow. then add one pound of raw potatoes cut in small squares, and two pounds of left-over lamb cut in the same manner; season with salt and pepper, add one cup of bouillon, cover, and simmer for nearly an hour. then dish up and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =escaloped tomatoes.= drain into a bowl the juice from canned tomatoes. butter a baking dish, cover the bottom with à layer of the tomatoes, add bits of butter, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs. then repeat with tomatoes, seasoning, and crumbs, in order, until the dish is full. then add the tomato juice, sprinkle some crumbs on top, and bake in oven for twenty minutes. serve in same dish. =consommé federal.= make a consommé royal, season with a little cayenne pepper, and add six thin slices of truffle for each person. =sweetbreads braisé, georginette.= make a purée of sorrel (see vegetable). add to the purée some sliced canned mushrooms; or fresh mushrooms sauté in butter. put the sorrel on a platter, lay sweetbreads braisé on top, and pour the gravy around the bottom of the platter. =new beets, californienne.= put in a sauté pan two ounces of butter, three cloves, one teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar, one-half teaspoonful of sugar, and some fresh-cooked and peeled, small beets. simmer for a few minutes. =baked kohl rabi.= peel some kohl rabi, slice thin, and boil in salted water. then arrange in a baking dish, cover with well-seasoned cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and bread crumbs in equal parts, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. september breakfast baked pears with cream broiled salmon bellies with melted butter plain boiled potatoes rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs, jockey club cold chicken and tongue, meat jelly string bean and tomato salad american dairy cheese with crackers coffee dinner macaroni soup, with leeks california ripe olives fillet of flounder, chilienne roast loin of veal, au jus stuffed egg plant asparagus tips in cream cleo potatoes escarole salad chocolate éclairs demi tasse =eggs, jockey club.= shirred eggs garnished with veal kidneys sauté au madère. =string bean and tomato salad.= equal parts of fresh-boiled cold string beans and peeled and quartered tomatoes. put the beans around the edge of a salad bowl and the tomatoes in the center. serve with french dressing and fresh-chopped parsley. =macaroni soup with leeks.= slice six stalks of leek very thin, and put in casserole with three ounces of butter. simmer until the leeks are cooked; then add two quarts of bouillon, stock or chicken broth; and bring to a boil. then add six ounces of macaroni that has been boiled in salted water for fifteen minutes and then cut in pieces one inch long. boil again for fifteen minutes, and season with salt and pepper. it is ready to serve when the macaroni is soft. serve grated cheese separate. =fillet of flounder, chilienne.= put four fillets of flounder in a flat buttered baking dish, season with salt and pepper, lay four parboiled oysters on top of each fillet, and cover all with sauce créole. sprinkle with grated cheese and bread crumbs, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven for thirty minutes. serve in the same dish, sprinkled with chopped parsley. =stuffed egg plant.= three tablespoonfuls of sweet butter, one-half cupful of fresh bread crumbs, one cup of bouillon, the breast or leg of a cooked chicken chopped very fine, one egg, one-half glass of white wine, one pony of sherry wine, one tablespoonful of flour; and for seasoning use salt and pepper, and a little grated nutmeg, if desired. cut three egg plants in two lengthwise, and scoop out the centers, leaving the shell a half inch thick. soak half a cup of bread crumbs in a little stock or bouillon for five minutes; then add the chicken, two spoonfuls of butter, the egg, well beaten, and the chopped centers of the egg plant. season, fill the egg plant shells, sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs, put small bits of butter on top, set in pan with a spoonful of olive oil, pour in the rest of the bouillon and white wine, and bake in a moderate oven. serve on hot dishes, with the following sauce. heat one spoonful of flour with one spoonful of butter, add the sherry wine and a cupful of the broth from the pan in which the egg plant was baked, and cook for five minutes. pour the sauce around the egg plant. =asparagus tips in cream.= make half a pint of cream sauce, and season well. heat a can of asparagus tips in its own water; drain, lay in a deep vegetable dish, and pour the cream sauce over them. september breakfast fresh grapes and apricots oatmeal with cream crescents chocolate with whipped cream luncheon herring salad, moscovite eggs, germaine lamb chops sauté, aux fines herbes peas and shallots in cream mashed potatoes au gratin lemon pie, special coffee dinner german carrot soup salami. green olives. celery sand dabs, gaillard braised beef, comfortable green corn potato croquettes romaine salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =herring salad, moscovite.= soak half a dozen salted herrings in cold water for two hours. then skin them, remove the bones, slice very thin, and place on a china platter. chop two pickled beets, and place around the herring. chop separately the whites and yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, and place on top of the herring. pour the following dressing over all: put in a bowl two spoonfuls of fresh-grated horseradish, a little salt and fresh-ground black pepper, one spoonful of tarragon vinegar, two spoonfuls of olive oil, and a little chopped cloves and parsley. mix well. =eggs, germaine.= broil four large heads of fresh mushrooms and place them on four small round pieces of toast. put a poached egg on top of each mushroom; and cover with sauce colbert, to which has been added a little chopped tarragon. =lamb chops sauté, aux fines herbes.= season eight lamb chops with salt and pepper, and fry in melted butter. then place the chops on a platter. put two ounces of butter in the frying pan, cook until the butter is brown, and pour over the chops. sprinkle with chopped parsley, chervil, tarragon, and the juice of a lemon. =peas and shallots in cream.= put in a sauté pan one dozen peeled shallots and simmer in two ounces of butter until golden yellow. then add one quart of shelled peas, one cup of water, a little salt and a pinch of sugar. then put on the cover and boil until soft. drain off half of the broth and add one pint of rich cream sauce. boil again for a few minutes. =german carrot soup.= grate the red parts of six carrots and put in a casserole with two ounces of butter and one chopped onion. simmer for twenty minutes. then add one pint of chicken broth, or veal broth, or any kind of stock; and one bouquet garni. boil for twenty minutes, then remove the bouquet, and pass the rest through a fine sieve. put back in casserole, add one pint of cream sauce, bring to a boil, and bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with one cup of cream. strain again; and before serving add a quarter of a pound of boiled noodles. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. =sand dabs, gaillard.= season four sand dabs with salt and pepper, put in a buttered pan, lay four raw oysters on top of each fish, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and cook in oven for ten minutes. then remove the paper and pour one pint of cream sauce over the fish. sprinkle with two chopped hard-boiled eggs, put a few bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =braised beef, comfortable.= braise the beef, as described elsewhere. add to the sauce one can of sliced mushrooms. garnish the beef with a timbale of spinach for each person. september breakfast sliced peaches with cream picked-up codfish in cream rolls coffee luncheon cold consommé, in cups cold braised beef, meat jelly cole slaw omelette célestine demi tasse dinner mutton broth, kitchener radishes oysters, newburg fried chicken, savoy canned corn fritters egg plant in casserole lettuce salad french pastry coffee =omelette célestine.= prepare an omelet, and before turning on platter fill with a little currant jelly. sprinkle with powdered sugar, and burn with a hot iron. cut some lady fingers in two, mix with a little sweetened whipped cream, and place at one end of the omelet. at the other end place some macaroons mixed with sweetened whipped cream. =mutton soup, kitchener.= put in a casserole three pounds of shin of beef, and a rack of lamb consisting of about six chops. cover with about a gallon of water, add a little salt, bring to a boil, and skim. then add two carrots, two turnips, one stalk of celery, two stalks of leeks, a bouquet garni, a spoonful of whole black peppers tied in cheese cloth, and one-half pound of large barley. boil slowly. when the lamb is done remove, cut the chops apart and lay in soup tureen. when the vegetables are done remove the bouquet and the pepper bag; and cut the leeks, celery, carrots and turnips in small squares. continue boiling the beef and barley until soft. then remove the beef, which may be used the following day for an entrée dish if desired. add to the soup two ounces of sweet butter, a glass of dry sherry wine, and the cut vegetables. test for seasoning; and pour over the chops in the tureen. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =oysters, newburg.= put two dozen oysters, with their juice, in a pan. bring to a boil, drain off the broth, add one cup of cream sauce, boil once, then bind with the yolks of four eggs mixed with one-half cup of cream. season with a little salt and cayenne pepper, let come nearly to a boil, and add one-half glass of sherry wine. serve in a chafing dish. =fried chicken, savoy.= joint two small frying chickens, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. fry in swimming hot melted butter. when done pour a cupful of tomato sauce on a platter, lay the chicken on it, and garnish with asparagus tips à la hollandaise. =canned corn fritters.= one tablespoonful of melted butter, one can of crushed corn, one cupful of flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder, three tablespoonfuls of milk, and salt and white pepper to taste. put all in a bowl and mix well. drop on a hot buttered griddle in spoonfuls, and brown on both sides. can be made with fresh corn if desired. serve with roast or fried chicken. =egg plant in casserole.= slice very thin, one large, or two small, egg plants, three small onions, one clove of garlic, three tomatoes, and one green pepper. arrange alternately in a buttered casserole, season with salt and pepper, pour four tablespoonfuls of melted butter over all, cover, and cook with a slow fire. serve hot or cold. september breakfast fresh strawberries with cream boiled eggs buttered toast oolong tea luncheon poached eggs, florentine tripe étuvé, bonne femme bischwiller potatoes alligator pear salad roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner oysters on half shell consommé portugaise california ripe olives salmon steak, colbert noisettes of lamb, ducale asparagus hollandaise york potatoes dandelion salad, egg dressing wine jelly with apricots silver cake coffee =poached eggs, florentine.= cut a can of pimentos in strips their full length and about one-quarter inch wide. heat in a sauté pan with a little butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper. lay them on a platter, crosswise, and place six poached eggs on top. pour madeira sauce around them. =tripe étuvé, bonne femme.= cut two pounds of cooked tripe in strips about one-half inch wide and three inches long. put two ounces of butter and two chopped onions in a casserole, and simmer until done. then add spoonful of flour, and heat through. then one glass of white wine, one pint of stock, and the tripe. season with salt and fresh-ground pepper, add a bouquet garni, cover the casserole, and cook in oven for one hour. when the tripe is done remove the bouquet, and add some fresh-chopped parsley. =bischwiller potatoes.= cut two pounds of peeled potatoes lengthwise, in eight pieces each. put in casserole and cover with cold water, add a little salt, and boil. when done drain off the water and put the potatoes on a long platter. fry until crisp two sliced onions in two ounces of butter. pour the butter and onions over the potatoes. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =consommé portugaise.= peel four tomatoes, cut in two, squeeze out the water, and cut in small dices. bring three pints of consommé to a boil, add the tomatoes and one cup of boiled rice. canned tomatoes may be used if desired. =salmon steak, colbert.= cut two slices of salmon about one inch thick. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and then in fresh bread crumbs. fry in frying pan with hot melted butter. when done place on a platter, on a napkin, and garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons. serve sauce colbert separate. =noisettes of lamb, ducale.= season four noisettes of lamb with salt and pepper, and fry in sauté pan with one spoonful of butter. when done place on a platter and garnish with fresh-boiled artichoke bottoms filled with french peas in butter. pour sauce madère over the noisettes. =silver cake.= ten ounces of sugar, six ounces of butter, the whites of six eggs, half a pint of milk, three-quarters of a pound of flour, and one-half ounce of baking powder. mix well the sugar and the butter, and then stir in the whites of eggs and milk. add the flour with the baking powder mixed in, and the rind of one lemon. mix the whole lightly, and bake in the same manner as pound cake. september breakfast sliced nectarines with cream broiled salt mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon casawba melon eggs chambery ragout à la deutsch german apple cake iced tea dinner cream of farina, lié sweet pickles. salted almonds fillet of sole, pondichery veal chops, montgolfier english spinach duchesse potatoes escarole and chicory salad rice darioles demi tasse =eggs chambery.= make a purée of chestnuts, spread on four pieces of buttered toast, lay a poached egg on each, and cover with brown sauce (sauce madère). =cream of farina, lié.= bring to a boil one pint of chicken broth, then let one-half pound of farina run into it; and cook for about thirty minutes. then add one pint of boiling milk, season with salt and pepper; and boil again. then pass through a sieve, put back in the casserole, and bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with à large cup of cream. strain again. =fillet of sole, pondichery.= cut four fillets of sole, season with salt and pepper, place in a buttered sauté pan, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish broth. cover with buttered paper, and cook in oven for ten minutes. then place the fish on a platter. make a sauce as follows: heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add one heaping spoonful of flour and heat through. then add the broth from the fillet of sole, and an additional cup of broth; one spoonful of curry powder, and a cup of tomato sauce. season with salt and pepper, boil for a few minutes, and strain over the fish. =veal chops, montgolfier.= season four veal chops with salt and pepper, and place in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter and an onion cut in four. sauté until the onion and chops are golden yellow. then place the chops on a platter. in the sauté pan put one-half spoonful of flour, and simmer; then add one cup of broth or stock, and boil for a few minutes. cut a stalk of celery in small squares, and parboil in salted water for ten minutes. then drain off the water, and add the celery to the sauce from the chops; and boil for ten minutes. then add the chops, and simmer for ten minutes. remove the chops to the platter, and season the sauce well with salt and pepper. add one ounce of sweet butter and some chopped parsley, and pour over the chops. =rice darioles.= cook one-quarter pound of rice in one quart of milk; with one-half split vanilla bean. when cooked add one-quarter pound of sugar, one gill of cream, and the yolks of four eggs. mix well. line one dozen dariole moulds with thin dough, cover the bottoms with a little apricot marmalade, and fill with the rice. put a small piece of butter on top of each, and bake in oven. serve with apricot sauce. september breakfast baked apples with cream scrambled eggs, with lobster rolls coffee luncheon eggs molière frogs' legs, greenway cold squab sliced grapefruit and lettuce salad stilton cheese with crackers demi tasse dinner consommé with noodles california ripe olives boiled salmon, sauce maximilienne potatoes, nature filet mignon, du barry chiffonnade salad pancakes with raspberry syrup coffee =eggs molière.= cut off the tops from four medium tomatoes, scoop out the insides, season with salt and pepper, lay an egg mollet in each, and fill to the top with cream sauce to which has been added a few slices of mushrooms and truffles. sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake in hot oven until brown on top. =frogs' legs, greenway.= heat two ounces of butter in a sauté pan; then add two dozen hind legs of frogs, cut in two and seasoned with salt and pepper. toss for two minutes in the pan over the fire; then sprinkle with a spoonful of flour, and toss again; then add a half glass of white wine and one large cup of chicken broth, and simmer for five minutes. then bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with one-half cup of cream, add a little chopped tarragon, chives and parsley. serve in chafing dish. =sauce maximilienne.= add some chopped truffles to lobster sauce. =filet mignon, du barry.= broiled filet mignons garnished with fresh bottoms of artichokes filled with cauliflower; and with a sauce madère to which has been added some sliced canned french mushrooms. =pancakes with raspberry syrup.= make a french pancake dough or batter. cook small individual flat pancakes, place in a buttered chafing dish, and pour a little raspberry syrup over each in turn. serve in the chafing dish. =scrambled eggs, with lobster.= cut the tail of a boiled lobster in small squares, put in a sauté pan with two ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. then add twelve beaten eggs, one-half cup of cream, and one ounce of sweet butter. season with salt and pepper, and scramble in the usual manner. september breakfast sliced oranges broiled alaska black cod baked potatoes rolls chocolate with whipped cream luncheon egg salad broiled sweetbreads on toast purée of lima beans fried egg plant royal cake iced tea dinner blue points, mignonette purée of peas, with noodles celery. pim olas planked striped bass roast chicken young artichokes, en cocotte baked sweet potatoes with sugar cold asparagus, mayonnaise fancy ice cream alsatian wafers demi tasse =egg salad.= boil one dozen eggs eight minutes, remove the shells, and cut the eggs in half. place on a platter on lettuce leaves, season with salt and fresh-ground blackpepper, sprinkle with two spoonfuls of vinegar, three of olive oil, and some chopped chervil and parsley. =royal cake.= bake a french sponge cake (which see), cut into four layers, and fill between with royal butter. glace the whole with orange icing, and form on top a crown, using a pastry bag and some royal butter. decorate around the top of the cake with candied fruits. =royal butter.= the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, six ounces of sweet butter, one-quarter pound of powdered sugar, and one teaspoonful of orange flower water. crush and work the yolks smooth in a bowl, stir in the butter, sugar and flavoring, and mix well. allow it to become very cold; pass it through a fine sieve and it will come out like vermicelli. use it for cake filling and cake decorations. =purée of peas with noodles.= make a purée of pea soup, and to each quart add three ounces of boiled noodles. =young artichokes, en cocotte.= select very small california artichokes, trim them, and put in an earthen cocotte dish with one spoonful of hot olive oil, season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook slowly for about twenty-five minutes. then add to each dozen artichokes one small can of american peas, and one head of lettuce salad sliced very thin. cover again, and cook in oven for about twenty minutes more. =baked sweet potatoes, with sugar.= boil half a dozen sweet potatoes until nearly done; cut in half, or in thick slices; lay in a buttered baking dish, spread with butter, sprinkle with a spoonful of brown sugar, season with salt and pepper, add one spoonful of hot water, set in oven and finish cooking, basting often until brown. september breakfast baked bananas boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries scrambled eggs, nantaise deviled ham purée of salad york potatoes roquefort sandwiches coffee dinner consommé napier radishes, antipasto oysters mornay roast leg of lamb stewed onions scalloped pumpkin and rice sybil potatoes endives salad roman punch macaroons demi tasse =scrambled eggs, nantaise.= split some sardines and lay on four pieces of buttered toast. cook the scrambled eggs, and pour over the sardines. =deviled ham.= slice some boiled or raw ham, spread with french and english mustard mixed, roll in fresh bread crumbs, and broil. then place on platter, and serve with sauce diable, tomato sauce, or sauce colbert. garnish the platter with watercress and quartered lemons. =york potatoes.= add some boiled ham cut in small squares to duchesse potatoes. =consommé napier.= add to boiling consommé a marrow bone cut as thin as your butcher can cut it with a saw. serve at once. =oysters mornay.= parboil two dozen oysters in their own juice, then place them on a flat buttered baking dish, season with salt and pepper, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =stewed onions.= peel some small white onions, and boil in salted water until tender. then drain, and turn into a hot vegetable dish. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a sauce pan, stir in one tablespoonful of flour, mix well, add one-half pint of boiling milk, season with salt and pepper, boil for five minutes, and pour over the onions. =scalloped pumpkin and rice.= use a buttered fireproof dish. put in a layer of stewed pumpkin, cover with à layer of boiled rice, then a spoonful of cream sauce, and continue in this order until the dish is nearly full. sprinkle with bread crumbs, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =stewed pumpkin.= peel the pumpkin, cut in one-inch squares, place in a well-buttered casserole, season with salt and pepper, put small pieces of butter on top, add one spoonful of broth, cover, and bake in oven for thirty minutes. serve in a vegetable dish, sprinkled with chopped parsley. september breakfast fresh strawberries with cream boiled salt mackerel, with melted butter boiled potatoes rolls coffee luncheon stuffed eggs, epicure salisbury steak, stanley spanish beans watercress salad wine jelly with peaches lady fingers demi tasse dinner toke point oysters, mignonette cream of tomatoes ripe california olives sand dabs, meunière roast duckling, apple sauce corn oysters green peas baked sweet potatoes lettuce salad french pastry demi tasse =stuffed eggs, epicure.= boil six eggs until hard, remove the shells, and cut in two lengthwise. mix the yolks with one spoonful of purée de foie gras, and the chopped breast of a boiled chicken. season with salt and pepper, pass through a fine sieve, put in bowl, add two ounces of sweet butter, mix well, and fill the eggs. serve on lettuce leaves. =salisbury steak, stanley.= pass two pounds of raw beef through a fine meat grinder, season with salt and pepper and add a cup of thick cream. make four, or six, oval steaks, roll in fresh bread crumbs, then in oil, and broil. place on a platter. split some bananas, roll in flour, fry in butter, and lay two pieces on top of each steak. pour horseradish sauce around the steaks. =spanish beans.= one pint of red kidney beans, one pint of tomatoes, one onion chopped fine, one clove of garlic, one tablespoonful of oil, one-half pound of bacon or pork, one-half pound of beef cut in dices, one tablespoonful of powdered spanish pepper, and a little salt and pepper. soak the beans over night, parboil, and drain. add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, meat, etc., season with salt and pepper, and pour in enough water to keep it from being too sticky, or thick. cook slowly all day, or until the meat is tender, and the beans thoroughly cooked. about half an hour before serving add the spanish pepper, and a tablespoonful of corn meal. the cooking may be finished in a fireproof dish, in the oven, if preferred. =wine jelly with apricots.= fill some individual moulds, or glasses, half full of liquid jelly, place in the center of each one-half of a canned, or fully ripe, apricot; and place in ice box to set. when firm, fill to the tops with more jelly, and again set in ice box until ready to use. =wine jelly with peaches.= prepare in the same manner as above. =wine jelly with any kind of berries.= prepare in the same manner as above, using selected ripe berries of any kind. =corn oysters.= mix well together two cupfuls of grated green corn, one beaten egg, one cup of flour, and a little salt and pepper. drop from a spoon into very hot fat, in a frying pan. serve on a napkin. september breakfast fresh raspberries with cream oatmeal pulled bread crescents chocolate luncheon hors d'oeuvres, assorted omelette bayonnaise paprika schnitzel with spaetzle swiss cheese with crackers pears coffee dinner consommé with stuffed cabbage sardines fillet of sole, meissonier english mutton chops broiled fresh mushrooms colache (vegetable) rissolée potatoes escarole salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =omelette bayonnaise.= for four persons, take the bottoms of two boiled artichokes and cut in squares. add one-half can of french mushrooms, sliced. mix with a very little tomato sauce. make the omelet, and before turning over on the platter fill with the above preparation. make four fillets of anchovies on top of the omelet, and pour béarnaise sauce around it. =pulled bread.= take à large loaf of fresh bread and remove the inside, pulling it into large flakes. put the flakes on a baking pan and bake in a moderate oven until crisp and brown. =consommé with stuffed cabbage.= add to hot consommé one small stuffed cabbage to each person. =stuffed cabbage.= may be made any size, using the whole cabbage; or as small around as a silver half dollar, for garnishing. parboil a whole cabbage; or some leaves only. make a stuffing as follows: soak two rolls in milk for ten minutes, then squeeze out, and chop fine. add one onion, chopped and fried in butter; one pound of sausage meat; a whole raw egg, and some chopped parsley, chervil and chives. season with salt and pepper, and mix well. fill the whole head of cabbage if desired. or, take two leaves and season with salt and pepper, put a spoonful of the stuffing in the center, and fold the leaves in the form of a ball. place the stuffed cabbage in a buttered pan with a sliced carrot and onion, a bay leaf and a clove. cover with bouillon, put a buttered paper over the top of the pan, and cook in the oven until the cabbage is soft. if served as a vegetable serve a brown meat gravy, or sauce madère, or tomato sauce. =fillet of sole, meissonier.= trim four fillets of sole, fold them in half, season with salt and pepper, lay in buttered sauté pan, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish broth, cover with buttered paper, and cook in oven for ten minutes. put the fillets on a platter and cover with the following sauce: cut a carrot and a turnip in very small dices, like brunoise, and put in a casserole with one ounce of butter. cover the casserole, and simmer for twenty minutes or over, but be careful that it does not burn. put two ounces of butter in another casserole, add a spoonful of flour and the broth from the cooked sole. if too thick add a little fish stock. boil for five minutes, bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with half a cup of cream, strain, and add the carrots and turnips, from which the butter has been drained. season well. =colache (vegetable).= pare three good-sized summer squash, and cut in small squares; three peeled and quartered tomatoes, and the corn cut from four ears. put two ounces of butter in a casserole with one chopped onion, and simmer until the onion is yellow. then add the squash, corn and tomatoes, and steam slowly for about three-quarters of an hour. season with salt and pepper. september breakfast sliced peaches with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe broiled oysters with bacon pig's knuckles and sauerkraut boiled potatoes assorted cheese with crackers coffee dinner ditalini soup, à la royal pickles. ripe california olives sand dabs, carnot larded tenderloin of beef, sigurd lettuce braisé cold asparagus, mayonnaise black cake compote of apricots. coffee =broiled oysters with bacon.= drain the juice from two dozen large oysters, season with salt and pepper, roll in melted butter, then in fresh bread crumbs, place in a thin-wired special oyster broiler, sprinkle with olive oil, and broil. when done, place on four pieces of buttered toast, put a spoonful of maître d'hôtel butter on top, and two strips of broiled bacon on top of all. serve with lemons cut in half, and parsley in branches. =pig's knuckles and sauerkraut.= if fresh pig's knuckles are used salt must be added to the water; with salted knuckles it is unnecessary. put the knuckles in a kettle filled with cold water, and bring to a boil. skim, then add one onion, one carrot, one leek, one branch of celery, and a bouquet garni. boil slowly until soft. place on a platter and garnish with sauerkraut. =ditalini soup à la royal.= ditalini is a species of macaroni, prepared in small pieces. bring two quarts of chicken broth to a boil, add one-half pound of ditalini, and boil until the paste is soft. then bind the soup with the yolks of three eggs mixed with half a pint of cream. season well with salt and pepper, and serve at once. serve grated cheese separate. =sand dabs, carnot.= place four cleaned and well seasoned sand dabs in a buttered pan, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish stock; cover, and cook. when done place on a platter and pour a white wine sauce over the fish. garnish with small patties filled with oyster crabs. =oyster crab patties.= wash one-half pint of oyster crabs, and drain well. put the crabs in a sauté pan with one ounce of butter, season with salt and pepper, and toss over the fire for five minutes. then add a pony of sherry wine, and simmer for two minutes. then add one-half cup of cream sauce, or white wine sauce, and fill the patties. serve hot. for garnishing fish, make very small patties. if served as a fish course, serve on a platter garnished with parsley in branches. =larded tenderloin of beef, sigurd.= roast à larded tenderloin of beef, place on a platter, and garnish one side with stuffed tomatoes créole; and the other side with potato croquettes. serve sauce périgueux separate. =black cake (christmas cake).= one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, one pound of flour, ten eggs, one-half pint of brandy, three pounds of currants, one pound of citron, two pounds of seeded raisins, one-half pound of orange-peel, one-quarter pound of molasses, one-half ounce of powdered cloves, one-half ounce of ginger, one ounce of allspice, one-half ounce of cinnamon, and the rind and juice of two lemons. mix thoroughly and bake. september breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs buttered toast english breakfast tea luncheon cold consommé in cups poached eggs, dauphine broiled squab on toast sauté potatoes lorenzo salad camembert cheese with crackers kalte schahle dinner california oysters on half shell cream of corn and onions queen olives. radishes boiled salmon, badu-cah parisian potatoes with parsley roast turkey, cranberry sauce corn fritters, susan jones peas. endives salad vanilla ice cream seed biscuits demi tasse =poached eggs, dauphine.= lay some poached eggs on toast and garnish with asparagus tips. pour over the eggs some sauce madère, to which has been added some sliced french mushrooms. =lorenzo salad.= cut some pears in squares, and add equal parts of watercress and lettuce. season with french dressing to which has been added two spoonfuls of chutney sauce. =kalte schahle.= this is a german summer drink, and is made as follows: put in a pitcher à large piece of ice, and then add three large glasses of beer, two large glasses of lemonade made with very little sugar, two spoonfuls of small raisins, and three spoonfuls of grated pumpernickel. =cream of corn and onions.= heat two ounces of butter in a casserole; then add two spoonfuls of flour, one quart of chicken broth, six sliced onions, and six grated ears of corn. season with salt and pepper, and boil for one hour. then add one pint of milk, and boil again. strain through a fine sieve, put back in casserole, add one-half pint of sweet cream, bring nearly to a boil, and add two ounces of butter. when the butter is melted, serve. =boiled salmon, badu-cah.= cut two slices of salmon about one inch thick, and put in pot in cold water; add half of a sliced onion, half of a carrot, one bouquet garni, one-half spoonful of salt, and one wineglassful of vinegar. boil slowly for twenty minutes. serve on a platter, on a napkin, garnished with two lemons cut in half, and parsley in branches. serve separate, lobster sauce to which has been added two spoonfuls of capers. =lobster sauce.= make two pints of white wine sauce, and whip into it two large spoonfuls of lobster butter. season with salt and cayenne pepper. strain, and add half a cupful of lobster cut in small dices. for badu-cah, omit the lobster. =cranberry sauce.= boil one-half gallon of ripe cranberries with one-quart of water. boil until soft, strain, add one and one-half pounds of sugar, and boil for five minutes. pour in moulds, and serve cold. this sauce may be made without straining if desired. =corn fritters, susan jones.= one pint of grated corn, half a teacupful of milk, half a teacupful of flour, a small teaspoonful of baking powder, a tablespoonful of melted butter, two eggs, one teaspoonful of salt, and a little pepper. mix, and drop from a spoon into hot fat, and fry. =seed biscuits.= four ounces each of sugar and butter, one pound of flour, three eggs, half ounce of caraway seeds, and lemon flavoring. mix to a dough, roll out about one-quarter inch thick, cut in round shapes, wash the tops with beaten eggs, and bake in a medium oven. september breakfast baked bananas codfish in cream baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs, isabella mixed grill, special escarole salad petaluma cream cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé printanier royal california ripe olives Écrevisses en buisson boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce mashed turnips steamboat fried potatoes lettuce and grapefruit salad orange soufflé glacé, st. francis tango cake demi tasse =baked bananas.= peel six bananas and cut them in half, lengthwise. lay in a pan close together. mix a little powdered cinnamon with some sugar, and spread over the bananas. put some small bits of butter on top, and bake for twenty minutes. while baking, baste a couple of times with a little syrup. serve with its own juice. =orange soufflé glacé, st. francis.= take six nice oranges and cut off the tops. take out the insides. put some sliced fruit, such as apples, oranges, pineapple, grapefruit, etc., in the bottom of the orange shell, and fill about one-third full. add one-third of vanilla ice cream, and finally finish with a meringue made of the whites of three eggs, six ounces of sugar, and the grated rind of an orange. dust some powdered sugar on top, and bake in a very hot oven until brown. =eggs, isabella.= put some thick créole sauce on a platter, lay four poached eggs on top, and cover with a little cream sauce. =petaluma cream cheese.= this cheese is a specialty of petaluma, california. serve plain; or mixed with salt, pepper, chopped chives, and caraway seeds. or serve with powdered sugar and cream, separate. =tango cake.= one-quarter pound of burnt almonds, powdered very fine, one-quarter pound of melted butter, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, two ounces of grated chocolate, one-quarter pound of biscuit crumbs, the grated rind of one lemon, the yolks of seven eggs, three whole eggs, the whites of seven eggs beaten very hard, and one pony of rum. beat the eggs and yolks with the sugar until light; then add the almonds, chocolate, crumbs and lemon rind, and mix well. add the rum and melted butter; and finally the whites of eggs, mixing lightly. line a ring mould with very thin tartelette dough, cover the bottom with apricot jam, and then fill with the above preparation. bake in a warm (not hot), oven. when done, glace with icing flavored with rum. while the icing is still soft sprinkle with assorted colored nonpareil seeds. these seeds may be obtained of grocers dealing in fancy groceries. =steamboat fried potatoes.= peel three fresh-boiled potatoes, and cut crosswise in pieces one and one-half inches thick. fry in a pan with half butter and half chicken fat. season with salt and pepper, and cook until golden yellow. september breakfast stewed pears with claret oatmeal and cream dry toast oolong tea luncheon shrimp salad, anastine shirred eggs, imperial breast of squab, au jus peas chocolate cream pie coffee dinner oysters on half shell potage carpure dill pickles. lyon sausage sand dabs, sauté meunière roast chicken cauliflower hollandaise potatoes au gratin endives salad coffee ice cream anise toast demi tasse =stewed pears with claret.= peel a dozen nice pears, put them in an earthen pot, add one pint of water, one-half pint of claret, one-half pound of sugar, and a piece of cinnamon stick. cover the pot, and cook in oven for about two hours. serve cold. =shrimp salad, anastine.= six shallots, one-half stalk of celery, one-half can of pimentos, and some parsley. chop all very fine, and put in salad bowl with two pounds of picked shrimps. mix, and add one-half teaspoonful of salt, some fresh-ground black pepper, two spoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, and four spoonfuls of olive oil. serve in a salad bowl, with leaves of lettuce around the sides; and with hard-boiled eggs cut in four. =shirred eggs, imperial.= cut fresh goose liver in small pieces, and fry in pan seasoned with salt and pepper. then place the liver in a buttered shirred egg dish, break eggs on top, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the eggs are done. =breast of squab, au jus.= cut the breasts from four large squabs, season with salt and pepper, and roll in flour. heat two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, add the breasts, and fry for ten minutes. place the breasts on a platter, and put in the pan one spoonful of meat extract and one-half cup of stock. season with salt and pepper, reduce one-half by boiling, and pour over the squab. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =chocolate cream pie.= one quart of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, two ounces of corn starch, two ounces of powdered cocoa, and one ounce of butter. dissolve the corn starch in a little milk, and stir into the yolks of eggs. put the milk on the fire, add the sugar, cocoa, and butter, and bring to a boil. then pour it into the yolks and corn starch, and set back on the stove until it thickens. have a pie crust already baked, fill it with this cream, decorate the top with meringue, and set it in the oven to brown the top. serve cold. the above will make about two pies. =potage carpure.= slice a head of lettuce very fine, wash, and drain well. then put in a casserole with two ounces of butter, cover, and simmer for ten minutes. then add chicken broth, or clear veal or beef broth (three pints), season with salt and pepper, and boil slowly for about fifteen minutes. bind with the yolks of three eggs mixed with half a pint of cream. serve with bread sliced thin, and dried in the oven, like toast. =anise toast.= one-half pound of sugar, four whole eggs, the yolks of two eggs, one-half ounce of anise seed, one-half pound of flour, and lemon flavoring. beat the eggs, yolks and sugar over the fire until light; then remove and continue beating until cold. add the flour, seeds, and flavor; dress on a buttered pan in long strips, and bake. when cold cut in slices, and toast in the same manner as zwieback. september breakfast strawberries with cream broiled salt mackerel boiled potatoes rolls coffee luncheon eggs, derby cold chicken, isabella compote of peaches devil cake demi tasse dinner consommé chartreuse. queen olives terrapin sauté au beurre roast lamb, mint sauce timbale of spinach potatoes, hollandaise lettuce and grapefruit salad vanilla ice cream baisés (chocolate drops) coffee =eggs, derby.= cut a can of goose liver au natural in slices one-half inch thick, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, and fry in butter. place on a platter, put a poached egg on top of each slice, and pour sauce madère, to which has been added sliced mushrooms, over the eggs. =cold chicken, isabella.= boil a fat chicken. when cold, slice the breast very thin. make a pint of mayonnaise, and add a spoonful of paprika to it. mix a cup of cold boiled rice with one spoonful of the mayonnaise, season with salt, and place in the center of a china platter. lay the breast of chicken on top, and pour the rest of the sauce over all. lay a few leaves of tarragon crosswise on top. at each end of the platter place two bouquets of asparagus tips. sprinkle with finely chopped chervil. =baisés (chocolate drops).= one pound of sugar (half powdered and half icing), the whites of three eggs, two ounces of chocolate, and vanilla flavoring. dissolve the chocolate, and stir into the sugar and whites of eggs, over the fire, until all is melted and smooth; but do not let it come to a boil. dress on a buttered pan, like peppermint drops. allow to dry out for a few hours, and bake in a moderate oven. =devil cake.= one-half pound of almond paste, one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of butter, four ounces of grated chocolate, twelve yolks and twelve whites of eggs, and four ounces of flour. cream the sugar with the butter, and work in the yolks. rub the almond paste smooth with four of the whites of eggs, and add, with the grated chocolate, to the sugar, butter and yolks. beat the rest of the whites of eggs very hard and stiff, and add them to the mixture, with the flour. fill a buttered cake mould, and bake. allow to become cool; then cut into three layers, and fill between with chocolate filling. glace the top with very dark chocolate frosting. =consommé chartreuse.= boil one cup of chestnuts in salted water until tender. then drain off the water, and pass the chestnuts through a fine sieve. when the chestnuts are cold put in a bowl, add four whole eggs, and one pint of lukewarm consommé; season with salt and pepper; mix well; put in buttered timbale moulds, set them in bain-marie, and boil for twenty minutes, when they will set like custard when cold. turn out of moulds, and cut in slices one-eighth inch thick. serve in hot consommé. =terrapin au beurre.= boil two terrapin (see index), cut up; season with salt, pepper and a little paprika and celery salt. heat three ounces of butter in a pan, add the terrapin, and toss for about ten minutes. put the terrapin in a chafing dish, add to the pan two ounces of butter, cook till brown, and pour over the terrapin. sprinkle a pony of dry sherry wine over all, cover the dish, and allow to stand for a few minutes before serving. september breakfast sliced pineapple hominy with cream crescents russian caravan tea luncheon canapé riga consommé in cups chicken hash, with poached eggs roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner oysters on half shell bean and cabbage soup celery fillet of tahoe trout, au vin blanc roast loin of pork, apple sauce sweet potatoes sauté artichokes, hollandaise green corn waldorf salad cold chocolate pudding coffee =bean and cabbage soup.= soak two pounds of white beans in water over night. put in a vessel two pounds of salt pork, three pounds of shin of beef, two gallons of cold water, and a tablespoonful of salt. bring slowly to a boil, and skim well. add the beans, and boil for an hour. then add a small head of cabbage that has been cut in one-inch squares, one onion, one carrot, a bouquet garni, and one mashed clove of garlic. boil slowly for two hours, then remove the pork, beef, carrot, onion and bouquet garni. season to taste with salt and pepper, and add a little chopped parsley. =cold chocolate pudding.= one pint of cream, one-half pint of milk, the yolks of four eggs, six ounces of sugar, three ounces of chocolate, one-half ounce of gelatine, and a little vanilla flavoring. soak the gelatine in a little cold water. dissolve the chocolate and sugar on the fire; then add the yolks and milk, and stir until it thickens, but do not let it come to a boil. remove from the fire, add the gelatine and vanilla flavoring, and stir until the gelatine is melted. then strain, and cool. whip the cream until stiff, mix with the foregoing, and immediately pour into pudding moulds. set in the ice box to harden. serve with cold chocolate sauce. =cold chocolate sauce.= three-quarters of a pound of sugar, one-half pound of water, and four ounces of powdered chocolate. bring the water to a boil, and dissolve the chocolate and sugar in it. bring to a boil again; take off the fire, and allow to become cool. serve with bavarois, puddings, blanc mange, ice creams, etc. =italian wine sauce, for puddings.= two ounces of sago, one-half pint of water, one-half pint of claret, one-quarter pound of sugar, the juice of an orange, and a pony of rum. soak the sago in the water for over an hour; then boil until clear. then add the claret, sugar, and orange juice, and continue on fire until it thickens. then add the rum. serve with corn meal, sago, tapioca, or rice pudding. september breakfast baked apples with cream plain scrambled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon cantaloupe pompano en papillote broiled sweetbreads on toast succotash soufflée potatoes french pastry demi tasse dinner california oyster cocktail consommé trianon ripe olives fried eels, sauce rémoulade breast of chicken with figs artichokes, sauce italienne broiled fresh mushrooms potatoes à la reine romaine salad, roquefort dressing biscuit glacé, st. francis alsatian wafers coffee =consommé trianon.= cut some green, red, and natural royal in triangle shapes, and serve in hot consommé. =consommé with green royal.= mix four eggs with one pint of warm consommé, add green coloring, strain, put in buttered timbale moulds, and cook in bain-marie. cut in any shape, and serve in hot consommé. =consommé with red royal.= obtain some red coloring from a fancy grocer. mix the yolks of four eggs with one pint of warm consommé, add some coloring, strain, and cook in bain-marie. cut in any shape desired, and serve in hot consommé. =fried eels, sauce rémoulade.= cut the eels in pieces two inches long, and boil in water with a little salt and vinegar, one sliced onion, one carrot, and a bouquet garni. allow to become cool in its own gravy. then take out of the gravy, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs, and fry in very hot swimming fat until golden yellow. season with salt, and serve on a platter, on a napkin. garnish with fried parsley and quartered lemons. serve sauce rémoulade separate. =breast of chicken with figs.= cut the breasts from two young raw roasting chickens, remove the skin, season with salt and pepper, roll in table cream, then in flour, and fry in very hot melted butter. when the breasts are done, pour three spoonfuls of cream on a platter and lay the breasts on top. heat some preserved figs, and garnish with two for each person. or dry figs may be warmed in consommé, and used instead, if desired. september breakfast fresh raspberries with cream griddle cakes with maple syrup rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit en suprême eggs belley roast loin of pork, apple sauce fried sweet potatoes cold artichokes, mayonnaise camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner chicken broth, san remo celery oysters, victor hugo small tenderloin steak, cercle militaire peas in cream pont neuf potatoes chiffonnade salad philadelphia vanilla ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse =eggs belley.= slice some smoked beef very fine, parboil, and add to plain scrambled eggs, with a little chopped chives. =chicken broth, san remo.= make two quarts of plain chicken broth, add to it one-half cup of sliced soft-boiled carrots, and one cup of boiled rice. serve grated cheese separate. =oysters, victor hugo.= season two dozen oysters on the half shell with salt and pepper. put in a bowl one cupful of fresh-grated horse radish, a little chopped parsley, one-half cup of fresh bread crumbs, one spoonful of grated cheese, and one spoonful of butter. mix well, and spread over the oysters. put in oven to bake, and when done serve in the same shells. serve one-half lemon to each person. =small tenderloin steak, cercle militaire.= season four small tenderloin steaks with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. broil in the same manner, and at the same time, four whole lamb kidneys. when done place the steaks on a platter with the kidneys on top. boil four artichokes, remove the leaves, and toss the bottoms in a sauté pan with a little butter. season with salt and pepper, and use to garnish the steaks. heat two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, add six chopped shallots, when hot add a piece of lemon and a little chopped parsley, and pour over the kidneys and steaks. september breakfast orange marmalade boiled eggs buttered toast ceylon tea luncheon cantaloupe poached eggs, mexicaine broiled pig's feet lyonnaise potatoes lettuce salad meringue chantilly demi tasse dinner consommé madrilène ripe olives. celery planked black bass roast muscovy duck, apple sauce artichokes, barigoule laurette potatoes fresh asparagus, hollandaise westphalian ham frozen egg nogg assorted cakes coffee =poached eggs, mexicaine.= slice one green pepper, and simmer in butter. slice one-half can of cèpes, and toss in olive oil over fire. slice two pimentos; and mix all together with one cup of tomato sauce. season well, pour on a platter, and lay six poached eggs on top. =roast muscovy duck.= clean a muscovy duck, season with salt and pepper, and stuff with a piece of celery and two shallots chopped very fine. put the duck in a roasting pan with a sliced onion and carrot, add a little water, and put in a hot oven. the water will evaporate quickly, and the fat from the duck will be sufficient to roast it. baste often. when done place the duck on a platter, remove the fat from the pan, add one cup of stock and a spoonful of meat extract, boil for five minutes, and pour over the duck. =artichokes, barigoule.= parboil six artichokes in salted water for two minutes. then remove the hairy part, between the leaves and the bottoms; and fill with a stuffing made as follows: simmer twelve chopped shallots in a casserole in two ounces of butter; then add one-half pound of chopped fresh mushrooms, and simmer again for ten minutes. then add one-half glass of white wine, and boil until nearly dry, but be careful that it does not burn. then add one-half cup of brown gravy, season with salt and pepper and a little chopped garlic and parsley, and boil for five minutes. then thicken with the yolks of three raw eggs, and if necessary add a very little fresh bread crumbs. when the artichokes are filled tie a thin slice of salt pork over the tops, lay in a sauté pan, with sliced onions, sliced carrots, a bouquet garni, and one-half pint of bouillon. cover, set in the oven and cook for about forty-five minutes. if the leaves loosen easily they are done. serve on a platter with sauce madère. =fresh asparagus and westphalia ham.= boil some fresh asparagus, and serve with hollandaise sauce. serve at the same time raw sliced westphalian ham. september breakfast sliced peaches with cream breakfast sausages flannel cakes, maple syrup rolls coffee luncheon oysters, louis vogeleier omelet spring lamb irish stew with dumplings camembert and brie cheese with crackers coffee dinner homemade clam soup dill pickles. salted pecans fillet of sole, paul bert leg of veal, au jus spinach mashed potatoes lettuce salad german apple cake demi tasse =oysters, louis.= season two dozen oysters on the half shell with salt and pepper, sprinkle with one dozen shallots chopped fine. put one-half teaspoonful of bread crumbs, mixed with a little paprika, on each oyster. put a small bit of butter on top of each, and bake in oven for about ten minutes. serve in the shells, with one-half lemon to each person. =spring lamb irish stew with dumplings.= make an irish stew (see index), and cook some dumplings in the broth, as given below. =dumplings, for stews, pot pie, etc.= one quart of flour, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one-half teaspoonful of salt, and some sweet milk. sift the baking powder, salt and flour, four times. add enough milk to make rather a stiff dough or batter. drop by spoonfuls into boiling broth. there should be broth enough to cook up around the dumplings, but not enough to cover them. boil for half an hour, and do not lift the cover until done. =homemade clam soup.= put three dozen little neck clams with their juice in a sauce pan. add one pint of cold water, bring to a boil, and skim well. then add one-half pint of boiling cream and two ounces of butter. when the butter is melted add one cup of broken saltine crackers, and season with salt, pepper, and a little chopped parsley. =fillet of sole, paul bert.= put four fillets of sole in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half cup of fish stock, and one-half glass of white wine, cover with a buttered paper, and cook for ten minutes. place fillets on a platter, reduce the stock nearly dry, add one cup of tomato sauce and one cup of béarnaise sauce, mix well, and strain over the fish. september breakfast fresh strawberries with cream plain poached eggs on toast rolls coffee luncheon pimentos suédoise sand dabs, meunière fried loin of lamb chops, tomato sauce lima beans with shallots potato salad chocolate éclairs demi tasse dinner toke point oysters sorrel soup with rice chow chow baked lobster, cardinal ham glacé, champagne sauce cooked lettuce salad duchesse potatoes fruit salad philadelphia lemon water ice assorted cakes coffee =pimentos suédoise.= spread the contents of a can of pimentos flat on the table, lay a fillet of anchovies in oil on each pimento, and roll up in the form of a sausage with the anchovy in the center. lay them on a ravier dish, season with salt and pepper, one-third of vinegar and two-thirds olive oil, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =fried loin of lamb chops.= have your butcher cut six nice loin chops about one and one-quarter inch thick, and well trimmed. season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten egg, and finally in bread crumbs. put some lard or melted butter in a sauté pan, and when hot add the chops and fry until nice and brown. place on a platter, garnish with parsley in branches and lemons cut in half. serve any sauce desired, separate. =lima beans with shallots.= put one dozen chopped shallots in a casserole with two ounces of butter. when hot, add one teaspoonful of flour, one-half cup of bouillon, one quart of boiled lima beans, and season with salt, pepper and a little chopped parsley. boil for ten minutes. =baked lobster, cardinal.= boil four small lobsters. when done, split in two, remove the meat, and save the shells. put two ounces of butter in a sauté pan, add the lobster meat cut in slices one-half inch thick, season with salt and pepper, and toss over the fire for a few minutes. then add one-half glass of sherry wine, and reduce until nearly dry. then add one cup of cream sauce and boil for a few minutes. then add one spoonful of lobster butter, mix well; and then fill the shells. sprinkle with fresh bread crumbs, place small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until golden brown. serve on a platter, on a folded napkin, and garnish with parsley in branches and two lemons cut in half. september breakfast grapes ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe eggs bennett broiled quail on toast soufflée potatoes cold fresh asparagus, mustard sauce roquefort cheese with crackers coffee dinner consommé national plain celery. ripe olives fillet of sand dabs, meunière sweetbreads, royal roast leg of lamb, mint sauce string beans stewed tomatoes st. francis potatoes sliced tomatoes french pastry coffee =eggs bennett.= boil six eggs until hard, remove the shells, and cut in two lengthwise. remove the yolks, chop fine, and mix with one ounce of butter, and twelve anchovies in oil cut in small squares. fill the whites of the eggs with this mixture, place on a buttered baking dish, cover with a well-seasoned cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in the oven until brown. =broiled quail on toast.= split the quail, season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place each quail on a piece of buttered toast, put a spoonful of maître d'hôtel butter on top of each, and garnish with watercress and lemons cut in half. =consommé national.= cut some plain green, and red royal in small stars, and serve in hot consommé. =sweetbreads, royal.= parboil one pound of sweetbreads, pull off the skins, and cut in slices one-quarter inch thick. peel twenty small heads of fresh mushrooms, wash well, and dry on a napkin. put two ounces of butter in a sauté pan with the sweetbreads and mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and simmer slowly for ten minutes. then add half a pint of cleaned and well-washed oyster crabs, and simmer again for five minutes. then add one-half pint of cream, and boil. thicken with the yolks of three eggs well-mixed with a small cup of cream, but do not let it come to a boil after the cream has been added. taste to see if seasoning is right, add half a glass of dry amontillado sherry wine, and serve in chafing dish. september breakfast baked apples with cream german pancakes rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit, cardinal scrambled eggs, norwegian honeycomb tripe sauté, aux fines herbes alsatian potatoes watercress salad pear tartelette. coffee dinner potage navarraise salted pecans oysters en brochette, à la diable roast chicken stewed tomatoes, family style mashed potatoes peas à la française lettuce, mayonnaise dressing crust with peaches (croute aux pêches) demi tasse =scrambled eggs, norwegian.= make four pieces of anchovy toast, put some plain scrambled eggs on top, and lay some fillets of anchovies crosswise over the eggs. =honeycomb tripe sauté, aux fines herbes.= cut three pounds of boiled tripe in strips, put in a sauté pan with four ounces of butter, season with salt and pepper, and cook over a quick fire. when nearly crisp add parsley, chives and chervil, all chopped fine; and serve in a deep dish. serve quartered lemons on a platter, on a napkin, separate. =potage navarraise.= heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add a spoonful of flour, and cook until golden yellow. then add one quart of consommé and one pint of tomato sauce, or tomato purée; season with salt and pepper, boil for ten minutes, and strain. boil one-half pound of vermicelli in salted water until soft, and add to the soup. serve grated cheese separate. =oysters en brochette.= cut the beard, or gills, from two dozen large oysters. broil twelve slices of bacon, and cut them in three pieces each. take a silver or steel skewer and put a slice of bacon on it, then an oyster, then bacon, then an oyster, and so continue until the skewer is full. season with salt and pepper, roll in melted butter, then in fresh bread crumbs, and broil. when done, serve on a platter with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with lemons cut in four, and parsley in branches. =oysters en brochette, à la diable.= the word, brochette, means skewer. make four skewers full of oysters and bacon as described above. season with salt and pepper. mix a tablespoonful of french mustard and a tablespoonful of english mustard together, and roll the skewered oysters in it, then in fresh bread crumbs, and then broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce over the oysters, and devil sauce separate. =crusts with peaches (croute aux pêches).= stew a dozen nice peaches (see index). cut a dozen slices of bread about one-half inch thick, and in round shape, about three inches in diameter. butter them, put on a pan, and roast in the oven; turning over so they will become brown on both sides. place on a platter, set a peach on top of each crust, and pour its own syrup, to which has been added a little kirschwasser, over all. =crusts with pears.= prepare in the same manner as above. =crusts with apples.= prepare in the same manner as above. canned fruit may be used if desired, for any of the above. september breakfast grapefruit juice oatmeal with cream rolls english breakfast tea luncheon canapé of fresh beluga caviar omelet with peas sirloin steak, saxonne julienne potatoes lettuce salad meringue glacée à la vanille demi tasse dinner toke point oysters, mignonette consommé medina ripe california olives sand dabs, sauté meunière roast young turkey, cranberry sauce baked sweet potatoes fresh asparagus, hollandaise fried egg plant watercress salad mince pie coffee =omelet with peas.= mix a cup of boiled peas with two spoonfuls of cream sauce, and season with salt and a little sugar. make an omelet with twelve eggs, and before turning over on platter fill with the peas. pour a thin cream sauce around the omelet. =sirloin steak, saxonne.= season two sirloin steaks with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place on a platter, and garnish with four stuffed tomatoes with rice, and four stuffed cucumbers (see index). pour a little sauce madère over the steaks. =consommé medina.= boil six chicken livers in bouillon. when done, cut in julienne style. boil one-quarter pound of spaghetti until soft, cut in pieces one inch long, and add with the chickens' livers, to one and one-half quarts of very hot consommé. serve grated cheese separate. =pickled nasturtion seeds.= select the small and green seeds, and put them in salted water; changing the water twice in the course of a week. then pour off the brine and cover with scalding vinegar with a little alum in it. use in salads. =pickled artichokes.= select small and tender artichokes, trim the bottoms, remove the hardest leaves, and allow to stand in alum water until ready to cook. then bring to the boiling point, and allow to become cool slowly. pack in glass jars, and cover with a liquor made as follows: to one gallon of vinegar add a teacup of sugar, one cup of salt, a teaspoonful of alum, and one-quarter ounce of cloves and black pepper. bring to the boiling point, pour over the artichokes, and seal while hot. =pickled onions.= select very small white onions, peel them, and boil in equal parts of sweet milk and water for ten minutes. drain well, place in glass jars, and pour scalding spiced vinegar over them immediately. use no sugar, and no allspice in the vinegar as it would tend to darken the onions. =pickles.= take one hundred green cucumbers two inches long, or under; and peel as many small white onions as desired. wash well, and put into a stone jar. sprinkle plenty of table salt over them, and toss all about with the hands. allow to stand for twenty-four hours, then drain off the liquor, place the cucumbers and onions in glass jars, and cover with spiced vinegar without sugar. add a small red pepper to each jar. seal hot. =sweet pickled peaches.= select clingstone peaches, and peel; or rub the down off with a coarse crash towel. for eight pounds of fruit use four pounds of sugar, one quart of vinegar, one ounce of stick cinnamon, and one ounce of whole cloves. boil the sugar and vinegar with the cinnamon for two minutes. stick one or two cloves in each peach, and put in the boiling syrup. when the peaches are done place in jars, and put others in the syrup to cook until all are done. then reduce the syrup to half the original quantity, and pour over the fruit. seal hot. plums and pears may be pickled in the same manner. =green tomato pickle.= slice one peck of green tomatoes and one dozen large onions very thin. put the tomatoes in a jar with salt sprinkled between layers, and allow to stand for a few hours. put the onions in another jar, pour boiling water over them, and allow them to stand for a few hours also. then squeeze the juice from both, and arrange them in a stone jar in alternate layers, sprinkling through them celery and mustard seed. pour over all a quart of vinegar and a pint of sugar brought to a boil. it will be ready to use when cold. =ripe cucumber sweet pickles.= pare twelve large ripe cucumbers, cut out the pulp, and cut them in strips. boil together two pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, and one-half ounce of cinnamon and cloves. skim well. then put in the cucumbers, and cook until tender. then remove the cucumbers, reduce the liquor, pour over the cucumbers, and cover tightly. september breakfast fresh raspberries with cream shirred eggs, brunswick rolls coffee luncheon cantaloupe fried fillet of sole, tartar sauce cucumber salad cold turkey and ham with chow chow baked potatoes brie cheese with crackers demi tasse dinner potage schorestène dill pickles. radishes frogs' legs, sauté à sec small tenderloin steak, nicholas ii brussels sprouts, au beurre potatoes au gratin. escarole salad baked brown bread pudding. coffee =shirred eggs, brunswick.= butter a shirred egg dish, lay a slice of raw tomato about one-half inch thick in the bottom, heat through, turn it over, and break two eggs on top. season with salt and pepper, and finish cooking. =potage schorestène.= chop fine, one pound of sirloin, or top sirloin, of beef. put in a casserole with three quarts of consommé and boil slowly for one hour. then strain through a coarse sieve. the meat must be all forced through the sieve, and served in the soup. =small tenderloin steak, nicholas ii.= cut four small steaks, and season with salt and pepper. put two ounces of butter in a frying pan and fry the steaks, and when nearly done remove them to a casserole. heat eight whole truffles in sherry wine, and use them to garnish the steaks. also lay on each steak a slice of goose liver sauté in butter. pour a little sauce madère over all. =baked brown bread pudding.= one quart of graham bread crumbs, one quart of milk, one gill of molasses, two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, three eggs, and one-half teaspoonful of cinnamon. make the crumbs very fine. then melt the butter in the milk, with the sugar, molasses, cinnamon, and eggs. then stir in the crumbs, and bake in buttered moulds for about one-half hour. serve hot, with cream sauce flavored with a little cinnamon. =sweet grape juice.= crush twenty pounds of concord grapes in three quarts of water, and put them in a porcelain kettle. set the kettle on the fire, and stir well until it reaches the boiling point; then allow it to simmer for fifteen or twenty minutes. strain through a cloth, and add three pounds of white sugar. when the sugar is dissolved strain again through a cloth, and heat to the boiling point. pour into hot pint or quart bottles, and seal instantly with new corks, only. after the corks have been inserted dip the necks of the bottles into hot sealing wax. =canned pumpkin or squash.= peel the squash or pumpkin, and cut in small squares. boil, without seasoning, until soft. mash through a fruit press. fill hot quart glass jars, and seal tight. keep in a cool dark place. =preserved violets.= cut the stems from one pound of large full-blown violets. boil one and one-half pounds of granulated sugar, until a little dropped in cold water makes a soft ball. then throw the violets into the sugar, remove the pan from the fire for a moment, and stir gently. then return the pan to the fire, boil up once, and then change the violets immediately to another vessel. let them stand over night, and then drain off the syrup through a sieve. put the syrup in a copper pan, add a cupful of sugar, and cook until it hardens in water. then put in the violets, change to another vessel, and allow to stand again over night. again drain off the syrup, and boil it for a few minutes. then add the violets, and remove the pan at once from the fire, and stir lightly until it begins to crystalize. then pour the whole on sheets of paper, shake, and separate the flowers carefully with the fingers. when dry pick them from the sugar, arrange on a wire grating, and allow them to become cool. =canned minced meat.= three pounds of boiled beef, one pound of beef suet, three pounds of brown sugar, one-half peck of apples, two pounds of raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of citron, one grated nutmeg, one tablespoonful of powdered mace, and allspice and cinnamon to suit the taste. chop the meat, suet and apples, slice the citron fine, and mix all together with the seasoning. pour on enough boiled cider to make a thick batter. heat it thoroughly and put into one quart glass jars. seal while hot, and set away in a cool dark place. october breakfast orange and grapefruit juice, mixed broiled salt mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres assorted eggs castro spring lamb steak, bercy french fried potatoes cold asparagus, mayonnaise strawberry whipped cream hazelnut macaroons. demi tasse dinner consommé georgia ripe california olives pompano sauté meunière virginia ham glacé, champagne sauce spinach in cream. laurette potatoes hearts of lettuce salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes. coffee =eggs castro.= cook four artichokes, clean the bottoms, lay a poached egg on each, and cover with the following sauce: mix half a cup of cream sauce with three-quarters of a cup of hollandaise sauce, add a few sliced canned mushrooms, and season with salt and a little spanish or cayenne pepper. =strawberry whipped cream.= crush one-half pint of strawberries with one-quarter of a pound of sugar. whip one pint of cream until stiff, then add the crushed strawberries, mix well, and serve in saucers. =raspberry, peach or banana whipped cream.= prepare in the same manner as strawberry whipped cream. =hazelnut macaroons.= roast some shelled hazelnuts in the oven, and as soon as brown rub them well on a coarse sieve to remove the skins. crush three-quarters of a pound of the hazelnuts and one-quarter pound of almonds with two pounds of sugar. add eight or ten whites of eggs, and stir to a paste. dress on paper, and bake in the same manner as ordinary macaroons. =consommé georgia.= peel two tomatoes, cut in two, squeeze out the juice, and cut in small squares. cut two pimentos in small squares. boil two peeled green peppers in bouillon, and cut in small squares. slice twelve heads of canned mushrooms very fine. add all of the above, together with a cup of plain boiled rice, to two quarts of very hot and well-seasoned consommé. october breakfast sliced peaches with cream omelet with bacon corn muffins coffee luncheon cantaloupe consommé in cups lamb chops, beau-sejour château potatoes romaine salad compote of pears french sponge cake coffee dinner shrimp soup, family style salted brazil nuts. radishes fillet of turbot, bagration roast leg of lamb, purée of chestnuts boiled parisian potatoes fresh asparagus, hollandaise fancy ice cream american gugelhoff coffee =lamb chops, beau-sejour.= make a risotto, and put in small buttered timbale moulds. use one timbale to garnish each two broiled lamb chops. pour some tomato sauce over the chops. =french sponge cake (génoise legère).= put six eggs and four yolks into a basin with half a pound of sugar, and whip over a slow fire for about fifteen minutes, but do not let it become too hot. then take off the fire, and continue beating until cold. then mix in lightly half a pound of sifted flour, a quarter of a pound of melted butter, and some vanilla flavoring. put in buttered moulds, and bake in a rather cool oven for over half an hour. when cold glacé with white frosting, and decorate the top with candied fruit. =shrimp soup, family style.= add to one quart of fish broth one pound of picked shrimps, and bring to a boil. then add one pint of boiling cream, season with salt and pepper and chopped parsley, add one-half cup of broken saltine crackers, and two ounces of sweet butter. it is ready to serve when the butter is melted. =fillet of turbot, bagration.= put four fillets of turbot in a buttered sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish broth, cover with buttered paper, and put in oven. when done, remove the fish to a platter. with the trimmings of the turbot make a fish forcemeat. mash the trimmings well in a mortar, pass through a sieve, add one egg, season with salt and pepper, make into small round balls, and boil in fish broth for three minutes. put these fish balls into white wine sauce, pour over the fish, and serve hot. =american gugelhoff.= one pound of flour, one-half pint of milk, one ounce of yeast, four eggs, three ounces of sugar, six ounces of butter, two ounces of malaga raisins, and the rind of a lemon and a pinch of mace for flavoring. have the milk luke-warm, dissolve the yeast in it, add all the other ingredients, and mix to a batter. put into a basin, cover with a cloth, and allow to raise for about two hours. butter the moulds well, sprinkle them with coarse-chopped almonds, fill the moulds half full with the raised dough, allow to raise until the moulds are about three-quarters full, and then bake in a medium oven. october breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon canapé eldorado poached eggs, taft beef steak, jusienne potatoes au gratin chicory salad banana pie demi tasse dinner consommé frascati chow chow boiled brook trout, sauce mousseline potatoes, nature lamb chops, beaugency peas and carrots in cream chiffonnade salad pears à la piedmont alsatian wafers coffee =canapé eldorado.= spread a leaf of lettuce with some mayonnaise sauce, lay a boiled artichoke bottom on top, and three small mexican tomatoes stuffed with anchovies on top of the artichoke. decorate with anchovy butter. =poached eggs, taft.= fry four slices of egg plant, lay a slice of boiled virginia ham on top of each, a poached egg on top of each slice of ham, and cover with hollandaise sauce. cut a "t" out of a truffle and lay on top of the sauce. =beef steak, jusienne.= season four small steaks with salt and pepper, and fry in sauté pan with melted butter. when done place on a platter and garnish with lettuce braisé, peas in butter, and onions glacés. pour sauce madère over the steaks. =consommé frascati.= cut two potatoes in small dices, and parboil for five minutes in salted water. drain off the water, add six heads of peeled fresh mushrooms sliced very thin, and two quarts of consommé. cook slowly until the potatoes are soft. =banana pie.= mash enough bananas to make two cupfuls of pulp. force through a sieve with a potato masher, add one-half cup of sugar, two crushed and sifted soda crackers, one-half cup of milk, the juice and rind of a lemon, two spoonfuls of molasses, a pinch of powdered cinnamon, and two eggs. mix well together, and bake in an open pie, in the same manner as a pumpkin pie. =lamb chops, beaugency.= broil the chops, place on a platter, and garnish with fresh artichoke bottoms filled with parboiled beef marrow cut in small dices. serve sauce choron separate. =pears, piedmont.= peel and remove the cores from a dozen nice pears, and stew them in syrup. fill the centers with pear marmalade and chopped candied fruits. cook some rice in the same manner as for rice croquettes. dress à layer of the rice on a platter, place the pears on top, and serve with wine sauce. (see index for italian wine sauce). october breakfast baked apples with cream griddle cakes, maple syrup crescents english breakfast tea luncheon cantaloupe scrambled eggs, bullit broiled honeycomb tripe sauté potatoes field salad roquefort cheese with crackers coffee wedding dinner fresh caviar with dry toast toke point oysters, mignonette clear green turtle, amontillado crisp celery. ripe olives salted mixed nuts frogs' legs, jerusalem sweetbreads braisé, liencourt peas à la française saddle of lamb, au jus jets de houblons cardon à la moelle potatoes à la reine sorbet au champagne stuffed capon, st. antoine lettuce salad with roquefort dressing assorted fancy cakes wedding cake assorted cheese fruit and bonbons demi tasse =scrambled eggs, bullit.= peel six heads of fresh mushrooms, slice very thin, and put in a sauce pan with one ounce of butter. simmer until done, then add twelve beaten eggs, one cup of cream, two ounces of sweet butter, and a little salt and pepper. scramble the eggs, and dish up on a platter on top of four slices of fried egg plant. =sweetbreads, liencourt.= braise some sweetbreads (see index), place on a platter with their own gravy, and garnish with fresh bottoms of artichokes filled with purée of fresh mushrooms. =purée of fresh mushrooms.= wash thoroughly two pounds of fresh mushrooms, press in a cloth to extract the water, and chop very fine. put two ounces of butter in a casserole, add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, cover and simmer for twenty minutes. then add half a cup of fresh bread crumbs and a little chopped parsley, and bind with the yolks of two eggs. =wedding cake (home made).= one pound of sugar, one and one-half pounds of butter, ten eggs, one and one-half pounds of flour. mix in the same manner as for pound cake, and then add one and one-half pounds of seedless raisins, one pound of currants, one pound of chopped citron, one-half pound of chopped orange peel, one tablespoonful of mixed spices (cinnamon, cloves, mace, ginger, etc.), the juice and rind of a lemon, and one-half pint of brandy. put in a mould lined with buttered paper, and bake in a slow oven for about two hours. the cake will improve if allowed to set a few days after being baked. =as a table decoration.=--glacé the wedding cake with very thick white frosting, and then decorate it with royal icing (see glacé royal), using a fancy pastry tube. =wedding cake in boxes.=--when the cake has set for a few days after baking, cut in size to fit your boxes, and wrap each piece in wax paper. tie the boxes with white ribbons. october breakfast fresh raspberries with cream broiled kippered herrings baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon canapé of sardines poached eggs, velour filet mignon, monegasque lettuce salad camembert cheese with crackers coffee dinner hare soup, uncle sam pim olas sand dabs, meunière roast leg of lamb, au jus lima beans mashed potatoes romaine salad crêpes suzette demi tasse =poached eggs, velour.= split two english muffins, toast and butter them, lay a slice of broiled ham on top of each, a poached egg on top of the ham, and cover with béarnaise sauce. =filet mignon, monegasque.= broil some small tenderloin steaks, place on a platter, lay a slice of broiled tomato on top of each, and garnish with the bottoms of fresh artichokes filled with parisian potatoes. pour sauce madère, to which has been added some sliced green olives, over the steaks. =hare soup, uncle sam.= cut the saddle and hind legs from à large belgian hare, and put the remainder in a roasting pan with two sliced onions, one carrot, one stalk of leek, one-half stalk of celery, a few pepper berries, two cloves, three bay leaves, two sprigs of thyme, and three ounces of butter. season with salt and pepper, and put in oven and roast until done. then sprinkle with three spoonfuls of flour, and roast again until the flour is brown. then put in a casserole with two gallons of water and a little salt and one pound of lentils, and boil for four hours. then force all that is possible through a fine sieve. roast the legs and saddle of the hare, and cut the meat in half-inch squares. put the strained soup back in the casserole, bring to a boil, add the cut-up hare meat and one glassful of sherry wine, and season if necessary with salt and cayenne pepper. =crêpes suzette.= make some french pancakes, as thin as possible. then make a cream with one-half pound of sweet butter, one-half pound of sugar, the grated peel of two oranges, and a dash of brandy or kirschwasser. mix the sugar and butter to a light cream, then add the liquor and orange, and mix thoroughly. spread some of the cream over each pancake, and then fold in the form of an english pancake. place them in a chafing dish, pour two ponies of brandy or kirschwasser over them, and light just before serving. october breakfast stewed prunes shirred eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit en surprise eggs, sara bernhardt fried pig's feet, tomato sauce château potatoes apple pie coffee dinner blue point oysters consommé with noodles celery. radishes fillet of halibut, pondicherry roast chicken chestnuts boulettes artichokes, hollandaise potato croquettes endive salad vanilla ice cream alsatian wafers demi tasse =eggs, sarah bernhardt.= soak half a pound of salt codfish in water over night, then boil for ten minutes, and shred it. put twelve beaten eggs in a casserole, season with a little salt and pepper, add two chopped truffles, the shredded codfish, and half a cup of thick cream; and then scramble. when done dish up in a deep china dish and lay sliced truffles heated in butter, on top. =consommé with noodles.= boil one-half pound of noodles in salted water. when done add them to two quarts of hot consommé. serve grated cheese separate. =fillet of halibut, pondicherry.= place four fillets of halibut in a sauté pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half cup of fish broth and one-half glass of white wine, cover with buttered paper, and bake in oven for ten minutes. heat two ounces of butter in a casserole, add one teaspoonful of flour and one of curry powder, heat through, then add the broth from the fish and a cup and a half of fish broth additional, and boil for ten minutes. then bind the sauce with the yolks of two eggs mixed with half a cup of cream, season with salt and pepper, and strain. then put the sauce back in the casserole, add two ounces of sweet butter, and when the butter is melted pour the sauce over the fish. =chestnuts boulettes.= one cup of boiled and mashed chestnuts, one tablespoonful of whipped cream, one-half tablespoonful of butter, a pinch of salt, the yolks of two eggs, a little sugar, the whites of two eggs well beaten, and if desired, one teaspoonful of sherry wine. mix well together, form into small balls, dip in beaten eggs, roll in crumbs, and fry in hot swimming fat. october breakfast sliced bananas with cream sausage cakes buckwheat cakes rolls coffee luncheon fresh artichokes à la russe eggs bonne femme broiled alaska black cod paul stock potatoes cucumber salad limberger cheese with crackers coffee dinner little neck clam cocktail onion and tomato soup ripe california olives sand dabs, sauté meunière sirloin steak, braconière new peas in cream rissolée potatoes escarole salad roly-poly pudding coffee =fresh artichokes à la russe.= boil the bottoms of four artichokes in salted water, and allow them to become cold. then fill them with fresh caviar, place on a platter on a folded napkin, and garnish with two lemons cut in half and parsley in branches. =eggs bonne femme.= fry eight slices of bacon on both sides, in a frying pan, then add eight eggs, season with a little pepper, and cook in oven for three minutes. serve on a platter, with mixed chopped parsley, chervil and chives sprinkled over the eggs. =paul stock potatoes.= bake four potatoes, remove the peels, and put the potatoes in a chafing dish. add three ounces of sweet butter, season with salt and paprika and a spoonful of chives cut fine, and mix with a fork until the butter is melted. serve in a chafing dish. =onion and tomato soup.= slice four onions very fine, put in a casserole with two ounces of butter, and simmer until done. then add four peeled and chopped tomatoes, and two quarts of bouillon, chicken broth, or consommé. season with salt and pepper, and boil for half an hour. serve grated cheese separate, and rolls cut in thin slices and toasted. =sirloin steak, braconière.= broil a sirloin steak, place on a platter, and garnish with onions glacés and broiled fresh mushrooms. pour sauce madère over the steak. =roly-poly pudding.= one pound of suet, one pound of flour, one cup of milk, and one pinch of salt. chop the suet very fine, mix with the flour, salt and milk, making a rather hard dough. roll out about one-quarter inch thick, and spread with à layer of any kind of jam. roll up in the form of a sausage, put a wet cloth around it, and tie with a string at both ends. steam or boil for an hour. then unwrap, cut in individual pieces, and serve hot, with hard and brandy sauces. october breakfast fresh strawberries with cream ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit à la rose eggs, boston style lamb or mutton chops, bignon string beans mashed potatoes tutti frutti pudding demi tasse dinner seapuit oysters consommé pemartin celery. salted almonds brook trout, cambacérès cucumber salad breast of squab, eveline asparagus, hollandaise coupe victor ginger bread demi tasse =eggs, boston style.= make four codfish cakes, put a poached egg on top of each, and cover with cream sauce. =lamb or mutton chops, bignon.= broil the chops, place on a platter, and garnish with one tomato stuffed with rice créole to each person, one dozen green olives, and a small can of french mushrooms. cut the mushrooms in small squares, put them in a sauté pan with one-half glass of sherry wine and cook until nearly dry. then add two cups of brown sauce (sauce madère), and pour over the chops. =tutti frutti pudding.= sift one-quarter of a pound of flour into a sauce pan, add one pint of boiling milk and two ounces of butter, and stir over the fire with a wooden spoon, until it detaches from the pan. then remove from the fire and add two ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, the yolks of eight eggs, and four ounces of chopped candied fruits. mix well. beat the whites of six eggs very stiff and add them to the mixture, stirring them in lightly. put in a buttered mould, and cook in bain-marie in the oven for about thirty minutes. when done unmould, and serve with apricot sauce flavored with a little kirschwasser. =consommé pemartin.= chop two truffles very fine, put in a casserole with one large glassful of pemartin sherry wine and boil for two minutes. then add two quarts of consommé, season well with salt and cayenne pepper, and serve very hot. =brook trout, cambacérès.= season six brook trout with salt and pepper and place in a shallow buttered dish with one-half glass of white wine. sprinkle with chopped tarragon, pour two pints of tomato sauce over all, lay a few bits of butter on top, and bake in the oven for twenty or thirty minutes, according to the size of the fish. serve in the dish in which they were cooked. =breast of squab, eveline.= broil the breasts, and place on a platter with maître d'hôtel sauce on top. garnish one side with spaghetti in cream and the other side with new peas in butter. =ginger bread.= one quart of flour, one ounce of butter, half a pint of molasses, two teaspoonfuls of allspice, a teaspoonful of ginger, two eggs, and a quarter of a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. sift the flour, the allspice and the ginger together. pour a spoonful of hot water on the soda, and mix with the molasses, the eggs, and the melted butter. then stir all together, mixing well, and bake in a thin layer; or divide into small rolls or cakes. =coupe victor.= take equal parts of raspberries and strawberries; and to each basket allow four spoonfuls of sugar and four spoonfuls of kirschwasser. mix well, and set on ice to chill thoroughly. if there is not time to chill in this manner cover with cracked ice for a few minutes. serve in punch glasses with a teaspoonful of lemon water ice on top. the water ice may be omitted if desired, but be sure to have the fruit well chilled. october breakfast fresh grapes broiled smoked alaska black cod baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon carciofini eggs argenteuil chicken hash à l'italienne cranberry water ice assorted cakes coffee dinner merry widow cocktail chicken soup à la française celery scallops à la poulette roast leg of mutton stewed tomatoes peas in cream duchesse potatoes chicory salad french pastry demi tasse =broiled smoked alaska black cod.= get a kippered alaska black cod, roll in oil and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel butter, and garnish with lemons cut in half, and parsley in branches. this fish is excellent prepared in the same manner as finnan haddie or smoked salmon, or served raw as a hors d'oeuvre. =eggs argenteuil.= scoop out the centers from four english muffins, toast them, and place a poached egg in each, cover with sauce hollandaise, and lay two slices of truffle heated in butter on top of each. =chicken hash, italienne.= put two ounces of butter in a sauté pan with one chopped onion, or six chopped shallots. fry, and then add one-half spoonful of flour and cook until brown. then add one glass of sherry wine, and one cup of broth or stock, one whole boiled fowl cut in small dices, and one pound of dried mushrooms that have been previously soaked in cold water for one hour. season with salt and pepper, and boil all together for thirty minutes. serve toast melba separate. =chicken soup à la française.= put a fat soup hen in a casserole with three quarts of water, a little salt, one onion, one carrot, and a bouquet garni. when coming to a boil skim well, cover, and simmer slowly until the hen is cooked. then remove the hen and cut the meat in half inch squares. strain the broth, bring to a boil, and add two cupfuls of boiled rice and the chicken meat. season well with salt and pepper, and add some chopped chervil. =merry widow cocktail.= use wide glasses. put in the bottom the tails of six écrevisses, or crawfish. lay six asparagus tips on top, season with salt and pepper, and cover with plenty of mayonnaise. set in the ice box as near the ice as possible, to chill thoroughly. =scallops à la poulette.= parboil the scallops from two to three minutes in their own juice, but not longer, as they will become tough and rubbery. drain, and keep the juice. heat two spoonfuls of flour and two spoonfuls of butter, and add the juice and a little stock, making a thin sauce. season with salt and pepper, add the yolk of one egg and two spoonfuls of cream, but do not boil. mix in the scallops, and serve. oysters and clams may be prepared in the same manner. =cranberry water ice.= cook the berries in a very small quantity of water in a granite or porcelain lined kettle, as otherwise the berries will become discolored. then strain the cooked berries through a hair-sieve, making a thin purée. to every quart of berries add the juice of two lemons. for each quart of berries dissolve a pint of sugar in a cup of water, and add to the purée. taste to see if sweet enough. freeze in the same manner as other water ices. serve as an ice, for dessert, or between courses; although the latter manner of serving ices is going out of vogue. october breakfast baked pears with cream plain omelet buttered toast ceylon tea luncheon cantaloupe eggs andalouse broiled imperial squab on toast saratoga chip potatoes cold artichokes, mayonnaise montmorency pudding coffee dinner oysters on half shell cream of summer squash dill pickles. salted almonds fillet of flounder, norvégienne roast tenderloin of beef, boucicault julienne potatoes hearts of romaine salad red currant water ice assorted cakes demi tasse =eggs andalouse.= make a risotto, place it on a platter, lay a poached egg on top, and cover with sauce hollandaise. pour tomato sauce around the rice to cover the bottom of the platter. =cream of summer squash.= put three ounces of butter in a casserole, add two pounds of peeled summer squash cut in small pieces, and simmer for fifteen minutes. then sprinkle with two small spoonfuls of flour, heat the flour through, and then add two quarts of chicken or other clear white broth. boil for ten minutes, season with salt and pepper to taste, strain through a fine sieve, put back in the casserole, and before serving add one pint of boiling thick cream. =fillet of flounder, norvégienne.= place four fillets of flounder in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine and one-half cup of fish stock, cover, and cook for ten minutes. place on a platter, some spinach in cream, lay the fish on top, and cover with sauce hollandaise. =roast tenderloin of beef, boucicault.= put a roast tenderloin of beef on a platter, and garnish with stuffed cabbage. pour sauce madère over the meat. =montmorency pudding.= butter a pudding mould very generously. line it with stale cake, putting quartered fresh or glacé cherries on each piece. make a custard with four eggs, a quarter of a pound of sugar and a pint of milk. pour this over the cake, filling the mould. bake for thirty minutes. then remove from mould and serve hot, with brandy sauce to which has been added some fresh or glacé cherries chopped fine. =red currant water ice.= strain one quart of ripe red currants. canned ones may be used when the fresh are out of season. add the juice of two lemons, and additional sugar, if necessary. dissolve the sugar in hot water before adding. freeze, using plenty of salt with the ice. october breakfast sliced peaches and cream boiled eggs english breakfast tea butter toast luncheon hors d'oeuvres assorted eggs mckenzie meat croquettes cucumbers on toast camembert cheese. crackers. coffee dinner oysters on half shell hungarian soup ripe california olives halibut metternich baked porterhouse steak potatoes rissolées plain spinach lettuce salad mince pie. american cheese. coffee =hungarian soup.= sauté half a pound of lean beef that has been cut into small cubes. add six onions, thoroughly minced, and when slightly brown add four tablespoonfuls of flour. mix well. add three quarts of stock and a quart of tomatoes that have been strained through a sieve. simmer slowly for one hour. then add a teaspoonful of caraway seeds, half as much marjoram, and à large crushed garlic clove. cook for another half hour or longer, very slowly. the stock should be made with a knuckle of veal and beef. =baked porterhouse.= have a thick steak. put into a dutch oven, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and two ounces of butter. on top place three whole peeled tomatoes, one green pepper, two tablespoonfuls of worcestershire sauce, two of mushroom or tomato catsup and a little chopped parsley. baste frequently. =meat croquettes.= chop à large onion and simmer in a pan with two ounces of butter. mince the meat, and add one raw egg and mix well. season with pepper, salt and some chopped parsley, and add a quarter cup of brown gravy. allow to cool, roll out and form into croquettes. dip in a mixture made of one egg and a spoonful of cream, and roll in sifted crumbs. fry in swimming fat. serve with tomato or madeira sauce. =eggs mckenzie.= peel four tomatoes, cut off the tops and scoop out the insides. break an egg in each tomato, season with salt and pepper, cover with a little bordelaise sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, place on a buttered dish and bake in oven. =cucumbers on toast.= peel and quarter two good sized cucumbers, and soak in salted water for about thirty minutes. then boil in slightly salted water until tender, but not soft. drain, and place each piece on a round of buttered toast. make a sauce by rubbing together a tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of flour, stir in a cup of the water in which the cucumbers were boiled, add a teaspoonful of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the cucumbers and toast. garnish with strips of pimentos. =halibut metternich.= cut two slices of halibut, one and one-half inches thick. put in a vessel in cold water, season with salt, bring to a boil, and skim. add a glass of milk, boil for about twenty-five minutes, until soft. make a sauce in a casserole with two spoonfuls of butter, and two spoonfuls of flour. when hot add two cups of the fish broth, boil for ten minutes, and strain. then add six chopped hard-boiled eggs and salt and pepper to taste. put the fish on a buttered baking dish, pour the sauce over same, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in the oven until brown. october breakfast fresh strawberries and cream baked beans, boston style boston brown bread coffee luncheon grapefruit cardinal clam broth in cups eggs conté veal sauté, catalane romaine salad assorted cheese and crackers coffee dinner consommé nelson radishes and celery sand dabs, meunière coquille of chicken, mornay roast leg of mutton, kentucky sauce string beans in butter potatoes anna field and beet salad charlotte russe demi tasse =eggs conté.= butter a shirred egg dish. place a spoonful of cooked lentils in center of dish, cover with two strips of fried bacon, break two eggs on top, season with salt and pepper, and bake in oven till eggs are done. =veal sauté, catalane.= cut five pounds of breast and shoulder of veal in pieces two inches square. put three spoonfuls of olive oil in a sauté pan and set on the stove until hot, then add the veal, season with salt and pepper, and toss over a quick fire until golden brown. then sprinkle one spoonful of flour and cook until golden yellow. add one pint of hot water or stock, six peeled and chopped tomatoes, one crushed garlic clove, and a bouquet garni. bring to a boil, skim well, and cover. boil until meat is soft. before serving remove the bouquet garni, and add two dozen small onions glacés, and two dozen stoned queen olives. =consommé nelson.= put three pounds of fish bones and three quarts of water in a casserole, also one sliced onion, one carrot, one piece of leek, one leaf of celery, a little parsley in branches, one bay leaf, one clove, and season with salt and pepper. boil for one-half hour, and clarify as follows: in a casserole put one pound of raw chopped beef and the whites of six eggs. mix well. add, little by little, the strained fish broth, set on the stove and bring to a boil. then put to one side and allow to simmer for fifteen minutes. strain through cheese cloth or napkin, add two cups of boiled rice, season well, and serve. =coquille of chicken, mornay.= boil a soup hen. when done cut the meat from the bones, and slice in thin pieces. season with salt and pepper, add a cup of cream sauce, and mix. then place in four buttered coquilles or shells, cover lightly with more cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. serve on platter with folded napkin, garnish with two lemons cut in two, and parsley in branches. october breakfast oatmeal in cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon cantaloupe scrambled eggs, magda chicken sauté, josephine asparagus tips, hollandaise escarole salad danish apple cake. demi tasse dinner oysters on half shell potage villageois lyon sausage. radishes. pickles fillet of sole, judic tenderloin steak, bernardi potatoes sybil endive salad fancy ice cream and cakes. coffee =scrambled eggs, magda.= in a casserole put two ounces of butter, twelve beaten eggs, one-half cup of cream, season with salt and pepper, and then scramble. when nearly done add one tablespoonful of grated swiss cheese, one-half teaspoonful of mustard flour, and one tablespoonful of mixed, chopped parsley, chervil and chives. =chicken sauté, josephine.= cut two spring chickens in quarters, and season with salt and pepper. in a sauté pan put two ounces of butter and a spoonful of olive oil. set on the stove until hot, add the chicken, and sauté. when nearly done add six chopped shallots, one tablespoonful of carrot cut in very small dices, one bay leaf cut very fine, one-half of a clove, a little parsley, and two heads of mushrooms, all chopped very fine. also one spoonful of raw ham cut in very small squares. when the chicken is cooked remove to a platter, and to the sauté pan add one pony of brandy and reduce one-half. then add two more ounces of sweet butter and the juice of a lemon, and pour over the chicken. =danish apple cake.= pare and core six apples. mix one and one-half cups of fine bread crumbs, one-half cup of sugar and one-half teaspoonful of cinnamon. butter a deep cake mould and put à layer of the crumb mixture, with a bit of butter, at the bottom. then à layer of the sliced apples, and continue alternately until the material is all used. bake in a moderate oven for about two hours, and serve cold with whipped cream. =potage villageois.= in a casserole put three ounces of butter and three stalks of leeks cut in julienne shape. simmer for fifteen minutes. then add six leaves of savoy cabbage, cut julienne, and simmer again for ten minutes. then add two quarts of stock, bouillon, chicken broth or consommé, season well with salt and pepper, and boil for forty minutes. then add one-half pound of vermicelli and boil for fifteen minutes, or until the vermicelli is done. =fillet of sole, judic.= put four fillets of sole in a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, put a little butter on top, squeeze the juice of a lemon over all, and bake in the oven until done. then place four pieces of lettuce braisé on a platter, lay the fillets on top, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, put small bits of butter on top, and bake again in the oven until brown. =tenderloin steak, bernardi.= broil a tenderloin steak. place on a platter and garnish with croustades filled with spinach in cream, and artichoke bottoms filled with macédoine of vegetables. pour some sauce madère over the meat. october breakfast stewed prunes bacon and eggs coffee rolls luncheon eggs nantaise pompano sauté, d'orsay broiled honeycomb tripe maître d'hôtel potatoes lettuce salad apple snow and cakes coffee dinner potage champenoise ripe olives boiled brook trout, romanoff hollandaise potatoes shoulder of mutton, budapest peas à la française laurette potatoes celery mayonnaise biscuit glacé, st. francis assorted fancy cakes demi tasse =eggs nantaise.= split and toast two english muffins. lay a few boiled asparagus tips on each half. put a poached egg on top and cover with cream sauce. =pompano sauté, d'orsay.= season the pompano with salt and pepper, roll in flour and fry with melted butter. then place the fried fish on a platter, and sprinkle with plenty of chopped parsley and lemon juice. in a hot pan put two ounces of butter, and when brown pour over the fish. =apple snow.= peel, core and slice three large apples. preferably sour ones. cook in a little water and vinegar until soft. then drain, and rub the apples through a sieve. when cold gradually add the whites of three eggs whipped very stiff, and half a cup of powdered sugar. dress in dishes of fancy shape, and garnish with dots of currant jelly. =potage champenoise.= mix one quart of cream of potatoes with one quart of cream of celery. add as garniture one-half cup of carrots and celery cut in very small dices, and boiled soft in consommé. =boiled brook trout, romanoff.= put six one-half pound trout in boiling water, to which has been added one-half glass of vinegar, and cook for about fifteen minutes. serve on a platter on folded napkin. garnish with parsley in branches and two lemons cut in half. serve separate, sauce mousseline, to which has been added six chopped anchovies. =shoulder of mutton, budapest.= season the mutton well with salt and pepper and place in a roasting pan with a sliced carrot, an onion, a few branches of parsley, a leaf of celery and of leek, a few pepper berries, half of a bay leaf and a clove. put an ounce of butter on top, and roast. then remove the shoulder to a platter, drain off fat, and add to the pan one cup of bouillon and a spoonful of meat extract. boil for a few minutes and strain over the meat. garnish with risotto to which has been added a few pimentos cut in small squares. october breakfast fresh raspberries and cream waffles honey in comb english breakfast tea luncheon herring livonienne eggs en cocotte, ribeaucourt beef tongue, menschikoff potato salad roquefort cheese and crackers coffee dinner cream of peas, suzon celery. radishes. pickles fillet of pompano, pocharde roast tame duckling, apple sauce fried sweet potatoes succotash stewed tomatoes chocolate ice cream macaroons demi tasse =herring, livonienne.= soak two salted herrings in cold water for two hours. then skin and bone them, and cut in half inch squares. add one sliced boiled potato, and a peeled apple cut in small squares. salt a little if necessary, season with pepper, one spoonful of olive oil and the juice of two lemons. serve on a celery dish, sprinkled with chopped tarragon and parsley. =eggs en cocotte, ribeaucourt.= butter four cocotte dishes and break an egg in each. cut in small squares, two slices of tongue, one slice of boiled ham, and four heads of canned mushrooms. mix with two spoonfuls of brown gravy, season with salt and pepper, and put on top of the eggs. sprinkle with a little grated cheese, and bake in the oven for eight minutes. =beef tongue, menschikoff.= place some sliced boiled beef tongue on a platter and garnish with small onions glacé, small vinegar pickles, and madeira sauce with a few raisins in it. =cream of peas, suzon.= make a cream of peas soup. add one spoonful of whipped cream for each person, and mix while hot. put a poached egg on each plate and serve the soup over the eggs. =cream of peas.= to one quart of shelled new peas add one pint of chicken broth, and boil until the peas are soft. strain and return to casserole and add one pint of hot table cream, and, little by little, one large spoonful of table butter. season with salt and cayenne pepper. =cream of peas, st. germain.= add a head of lettuce to the peas and prepare as above. when strained for the second time add one cup of fresh-boiled new peas to the soup. =fillet of pompano, pocharde.= cut four fillets of florida pompano. or pacific pompano may be used. the latter are much smaller. put the fish in a buttered pan, and season with salt and pepper. add one-half glass of claret, one-half glass of white wine, and one-half cup of fish broth. boil until done. in a sauce pan put one table spoonful of flour and place on stove. when hot add the broth in which the fish were cooked, and boil for five minutes. then bind the sauce with the yolks of two eggs mixed with one-half cup of cream and one ounce of butter. whip well and strain over the fish. october breakfast baked apples in cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon casawba melon eggs mollet, à l'aurore sweetbreads, saint mondé lettuce salad mince pie american cheese demi tasse dinner potage grenade salted almonds Écrevisses georgette roast leg of mutton, mint sauce string beans mashed potatoes tomato salad french pastry coffee =eggs mollet, à l'aurore.= place four eggs mollet on four pieces of buttered toast. cover with well seasoned tomato sauce. =sweetbreads, saint mondé.= prepare braised sweetbreads as described elsewhere. place on a platter and garnish with artichoke bottoms filled with asparagus tips with a little hollandaise sauce on top; and others filled with french peas in butter with madeira sauce. =potage grenade.= cut in thin slices, the size of a silver quarter, two turnips, one stalk of leeks, one-half stalk of celery and a small head of savoy cabbage. put in a sauce pan with three ounces of butter, season with salt and a teaspoonful of sugar, and place in the oven to smother. be careful that it does not burn. when soft add two quarts of consommé, and boil for one-half hour. then add two tomatoes peeled and cut in small dices, boil for one minute, season with salt and pepper, and serve with a little chopped chervil. =Écrevisses georgette.= bake four medium-sized potatoes. then cut off the tops, remove the insides, and refill with Écrevisses voltaire. =Écrevisses voltaire.= boil two dozen écrevisses en buisson. remove the tails from the shells and place them in a sauce pan with two ounces of butter and six sliced heads of fresh white mushrooms. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and simmer for ten minutes. then add a pony of brandy, and simmer for a few minutes. then add à large cup of cream, and boil for five minutes. then add two sliced truffles. bind with the yolks of two eggs mixed with one-half glass of dry sherry wine. serve in chafing dish. october breakfast oatmeal and cream ham and eggs coffee rolls luncheon mortadella poached eggs, zurlo broiled honeycomb tripe lyonnaise potatoes field salad port de salut cheese crackers coffee dinner consommé leopold chow chow broiled smelts, à l'américaine chicken leon x peas à la française duchesse potatoes lettuce and grapefruit salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse mint wafers =mortadella.= this is an italian sausage, very highly seasoned, and comes in cans already sliced. serve on a platter garnished with chopped meat, jelly and parsley in branches. =poached eggs, zurlo.= form some flat potato croquettes, and fry. place a poached egg on top of each, and cover with cream sauce. =consommé leopold.= slice very fine one handful of sorrel and a head of lettuce. wash well, and boil in two quarts of chicken broth for about thirty minutes. serve with chervil. =broiled smelts, à l'américaine.= split and remove the bones from twelve large smelts. season with salt and pepper, roll in oil, and broil. when done place on a platter, garnish with six slices of broiled tomatoes, two lemons cut in half, and parsley in branches. pour a little maître d'hôtel sauce over all. =chicken leon x.= put on fire, in cold water, one large fat roasting chicken or capon. add salt, one carrot, and a bouquet garni. boil until soft. make a sauce with two ounces of butter mixed with two ounces of flour. when hot add one pint of the chicken broth. if too thick add a little more of the broth. boil for half an hour. then bind with the yolks of three eggs mixed with a cup of cream. strain, and add two ounces of sweet butter. stir the sauce well until the butter is melted. place the chicken on a platter and garnish with macaroni cooked in cream. pour a little of the sauce over the chicken. to the remainder of the sauce add in equal parts some sliced truffle, sliced canned french mushrooms and parboiled goose liver. serve this sauce separate. =mint wafers (after dinner mints).= to half a gill of water add one pound of powdered sugar, and mix over fire until dissolved and hot. add three or four drops of oil of peppermint. then drop, about the size of a half silver dollar, on waxed paper or a greased pan, using the tip of a spoon or a paper bag. allow to become cold and dry. october breakfast grapefruit juice poached eggs on toast uncolored japan tea crescents luncheon omelette cherbourg homemade beef stew lorette salad alhambra ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse dinner cream of asparagus, favori salted mixed nuts. celery sole héloise roast leg of veal, au jus spinach in cream potatoes au gratin romaine salad pancakes à la lieb demi tasse =omelette cherbourg.= mix a cup of picked shrimps with two spoonfuls of cream sauce. heat well, and season with salt and pepper. make the omelette in the usual manner, and before turning over on platter fill with the prepared shrimps. pour a thick cream sauce around the omelette. =lorette salad.= one-third field salad, one-third boiled celery root, and one-third pickled beets. season with french dressing. =alhambra ice cream.= half vanilla and half strawberry ice cream served in any fancy form. =cream of asparagus, favori.= make a cream of asparagus soup and serve with plenty of boiled asparagus tips in it. =sole héloise.= remove the skin from both sides of à large sole. place on a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, add one-half glass of white wine, cover with a piece of buttered manila paper, and bake in the oven for about twenty minutes. remove the sole to a platter, and put in the pan three ounces of butter, a little pepper, chopped parsley, chervil, tarragon, and chives. when hot add the juice of two lemons, season well, and pour over the sole. october breakfast fresh strawberries and cream broiled fresh mackerel baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon california oyster cocktail consommé in cups shirred eggs, metternich pears, mayonnaise cheese toast coffee dinner potage ferneuse ripe olives sand dabs, sauté meunière roast ribs of beef string beans in butter stewed tomatoes st. francis potatoes escarole salad romaine ice cream alsatian wafers demi tasse =shirred eggs, metternich.= place two eggs in a buttered shirred egg dish with six canned mushrooms sliced very fine. season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with grated cheese, place a small piece of butter on top, and bake. =pears, mayonnaise.= use whole fresh pears cooked in syrup, or canned ones. place the pears on lettuce leaves and cover with thick mayonnaise. on slices of toast place small pieces of american dairy cheese. bake in the oven, and serve separate. =cheese toast.= spread any such cheese as parmesan, american, sierra or camembert, on slices of toast, and set in the oven until hot. serve at once. =potage ferneuse.= slice six white turnips very fine, put in a casserole, with two ounces of butter. cover, and simmer for fifteen minutes. then add one cup of rice and three pints of bouillon, consommé, or chicken broth. boil for one hour, strain through fine wire sieve, and put back in vessel. when hot stir in well three ounces of sweet butter, season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. =romaine ice cream.= to coffee ice cream add a little rum before serving. october breakfast baked apples oatmeal and cream english breakfast tea crescents luncheon hard boiled eggs, vinaigrette fried scallops, tartar broiled squab on toast stewed corn romaine salad camembert cheese crackers coffee dinner toke point oysters potage bouquetière celery fresh herring, à l'egyptienne small boiled potatoes cucumber salad chicken en cocotte, bazar cold asparagus, mustard sauce french pastry assorted fruits demi tasse =hard boiled eggs, vinaigrette.= remove the shells from six hard boiled eggs, and cut in two. place them on a china platter, sprinkle with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, a little chopped chervil, one spoonful of vinegar and two of olive oil. =potage bouquetière.= consommé, tapioca and printanier mixed. =fresh herring, à l'egyptienne.= clean four fresh herring, season with salt and pepper, and fry in hot olive oil. remove the fish to a platter, and add to the frying pan one sliced onion, and fry until done. then add two peeled and quartered tomatoes, one bay leaf, one clove, and a sprig of thyme. season with salt and pepper, and simmer for a few minutes. then put the fish back in the pan, add the juice of two lemons and a little chopped parsley, and simmer together for five minutes. serve both fish and sauce on a platter. =chicken en cocotte, bazar.= season a spring chicken with salt and pepper, and put in a cocotte (earthen casserole) with two ounces of butter and six small onions. set in the oven, and baste well until golden yellow. then add one spoonful of white wine and two peeled and quartered tomatoes. cover the casserole and simmer for ten minutes. add two dozen parisienne potatoes and serve. october breakfast stewed prunes ham and eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit à la rose eggs, ministerielle beef goulash, hungarian style mince pie coffee dinner consommé diane chow chow. salted almonds sole déjazet roast chicken summer squash château potatoes lettuce salad vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =consommé diane.= take any game bird, such as grouse, partridge, quail, pheasant or guinea hen, and roast just enough to give a color. then put in soup stock and boil until soft. clarify the broth with chopped beef, and strain. cut the breast out of the bird, cut in small squares, and serve in the consommé. add some dry sherry wine and a little cayenne pepper before serving. =sole déjazet.= remove the skin from a good sized sole, wash well, and dry in a napkin. season with salt and pepper, dip in milk, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. put in frying pan with melted butter and fry until done. place on a platter, and pour some butter, which has been browned in a pan, over the fish. lay a dozen tarragon leaves on top of the fish, garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. october breakfast baked apples with cream omelette with chipped beef rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres assorted smoked black alaska cod in cream lamb kidneys en pilaff mashed potatoes camembert cheese almond biscuits coffee dinner california oysters on half shell potage livonien olives. salted pecans alsatian fish roast ribs of beef canned asparagus, hollandaise rissolées potatoes escarole salad lemon pie, special coffee =potage livonien.= in a casserole put one onion chopped fine, and three ounces of butter. simmer until yellow. then add one-quarter of a pound of sliced sorrel and one-half pound of sliced spinach. simmer again for ten minutes. then add one quart of chicken broth and one large cup of cream sauce. boil one-half hour. season well, and serve. =smoked alaska black cod in cream.= remove the skin from two pounds of smoked alaska black cod. cut in pieces two inches square, lay in a sauté pan, add one pint of thick table cream and boil for five minutes. then thicken with the yolks of two eggs mixed with a little cream. serve in a chafing dish. =alsatian fish.= heat two tablespoonfuls of oil and thicken with one tablespoonful of flour. remove from the fire and thin out with boiling water. chop fine some parsley, onions and two cloves of garlic, and add to the pan. season the fish with salt and pepper, place in the sauce, and cook for about twenty minutes. =lamb kidneys en pilaff.= slice fine a half dozen lamb kidneys, and prepare in the same manner as chicken livers en pilaff. (see january th.) =almond biscuit.= to every ounce of almond flour add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth. salt to taste and beat well together. put in buttered patty tins and bake in a moderately quick oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. the whole must be done quickly, and baked as soon as the ingredients are mixed. =lemon pie, special.= mix in saucepan the yolks of sixteen eggs, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and the juice and rinds of six lemons, and cook over a slow fire until it thickens. then remove from the fire and stir in the whites of eight eggs beaten very hard. pour the mixture into two pie plates, lined with thin pie dough, and bake in a medium hot oven for about twenty-five minutes. october breakfast prunes victor boiled eggs coffee and rolls snails (bread) luncheon avocado, french dressing war griddle cakes tripe, wm. h. crane mashed potatoes coffee dinner orange and grapefruit, st. francis stuffed chicken with california raisins rice californienne lettuce and tomato salad olympic club cheese coffee =war griddle cakes.= soak stale bread in sour milk. add enough flour or corn meal to make a batter. to a gallon add three eggs, baking powder, and salt. cook in the same manner as wheat cakes. =orange and grapefruit, st. francis.= sliced oranges and grapefruit, in equal parts. sprinkle with powdered sugar, and moisten with dubonnet. serve in double suprême glasses with a few fresh strawberries on top. =prunes victor.= put two pounds of dry prunes in an earthen pot, add two quarts of water, the rind of a lemon, one stick of cinnamon, one-half cup of sugar, and a vanilla bean. put on hot stove and bring to a boil. then move to one side of fire and simmer slowly for six hours. or, set in a moderate oven for six hours. allow to become cool, and add a pony of good cognac. use the prune juice for a morning drink, and serve the prunes with cream. =chicken stuffed with raisins.= soak a small loaf of bread in warm milk, squeeze out lightly, and add an equal volume of raisins. season with salt and pepper, fill the chicken, and roast in the usual manner. =california raisins= may be used in many dishes, such as soup, fish, entrees, roasts, bread, puddings, ice cream, etc. =rice californienne.= wash a pound of rice in cold water. chop an onion, smother in butter, add the rice, one quart of broth, and season with salt and pepper. bring to a boil, cover, and set in oven for thirty-five minutes. before serving add one-half cup of grated cheese. =tripe, wm. h. crane.= wash the tripe well, and cut in round pieces about five inches in diameter. place them in a saucepan with a few carrots, two or three onions, some whole peppers, salt, white wine, and good white broth. boil until thoroughly tender. then place the tripe in a stone jar and strain the liquid over it. keep in a cool place. when needed turn them in flour, and fry quickly in a frying pan in very hot butter. serve with some parsley butter. =avocado, french dressing.= split the avocado, remove the pit, and fill half full with a dressing made with salt, pepper, a little french mustard, and one-third vinegar and two-thirds olive oil. =french dressing.= two teaspoonfuls of salt, one teaspoonful of mustard, one-quarter teaspoonful of black pepper, one-half teaspoonful of paprika, the juice of one lemon, and the same amount of vinegar. put in a quart bottle, fill with olive oil, and shake thoroughly. =salad dressing.= one-half cup of tomato catsup, one-half cup of cream, two teaspoonfuls of lemon juice, and black and red pepper and salt to taste. =snails.= dissolve one ounce of yeast in warm water. make a dough with one pound of flour, four ounces of sugar, two eggs, two ounces of butter, two ounces of lard, one ounce of salt, one cup of water, and the dissolved yeast. allow to raise for about an hour. then roll the dough into a square sheet about one-quarter inch thick. brush over with butter and bestrew with sugar, cinnamon, and currants. roll the sheet into a roll and cut in slices one-quarter inch thick. lay the slices on a greased pan and allow to raise until double the size. bake in a moderate oven. =olympic club cheese.= scrape clean three best quality camembert cheeses. put in a copper casserole with one-quarter pound of good roquefort cheese, one-half pound of table butter, two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour and one pint of cream. boil until the whole is melted together. then strain through cheese cloth, put in an earthen pot, and allow to become cool. october breakfast stewed rhubarb omelette with parsley spoon or mush bread coffee luncheon oysters bellevue cold virginia ham corn pudding loganberry ice cream lady fingers demi tasse dinner canapé p. p. i. e. onion soup au gratin ripe olives roast turkey, cranberry sauce sweet potato pudding coffee =canapé p. p. i. e.= (panama-pacific international exposition). make some pieces of buttered toast. put fresh caviar in the center and anchovies around the edge. serve on napkins with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =oysters bellevue.= in a lighted chafing dish put four pats of table butter, one-half teaspoonful of english mustard, a little salt, pepper and celery salt. stir until the butter melts. then add a teacupful of very finely chopped celery, and stir well until the celery is nearly cooked. then pour in slowly, while stirring, one pint of rich cream, and allow to come to the boiling point. then put in a dozen freshly opened oysters and cook for four or five minutes. add a tablespoonful of good sherry or madeira, and serve on very hot plates. =spoon or mush bread.= scald two cups of corn meal in two cups of boiling water, allow to cool slightly, then add one cup of buttermilk, one teaspoonful of soda, two tablespoonfuls of lard or butter (butter preferred), one egg, and salt to taste. if you have no buttermilk use baking powder and sweet milk. =corn pudding.= one quart of corn cut from the ear and chopped fine, one egg, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt and pepper to taste. thin with sweet milk, and bake in a hot oven. =sweet potato pudding.= grate à large sweet potato and mix with one cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, and two or three eggs, according to the size of the potato. thin with sweet milk, flavor with ginger and spices, or vanilla can be used. beat the eggs well before adding to the mixture. bake in a moderate oven very slowly. the potatoes in the west are not as sweet as the southern variety, therefore more sugar may be required. a good rule is to bake a small portion first to see if the flavor is right. it is considered a luxury in certain parts of the south. =loganberry ice cream.= put in a pan one quart of milk and one-half pound of sugar, and place on the fire. mix the yolks of sixteen eggs with one-half pound of sugar. stir the milk and sugar, after it has reached the boiling point, into it. replace on the fire and stir until it becomes creamy, but do not let it boil. then remove from the fire, add one quart of cream, strain and freeze. when nearly frozen add one quart of bottled loganberry juice, and finish freezing. a few drops of red coloring can be added if a bright color is desired. october breakfast baked prunes scrambled eggs corn bread ( ) cocoa luncheon anchovy salad lamb hash, j. a. britton cheese cake coffee dinner cold artichokes, st. francis dressing brook trout, café de paris breast of chicken, james woods salad algérienne frozen loganberry juice macaroons supper welsh rabbit, special raisin bread ale =baked prunes.= select large prunes, place them in a baking pan side by side so they hardly touch, cover with water and cook in a moderate oven for an hour. then pour off three-quarters of the juice, which may be kept for a beverage, and to the prunes add a little sugar, a stick of cinnamon, and the rind of a lemon. cover the pan tightly, place back in a moderate oven and bake for at least one hour. =corn bread (ii).= put in a pan one egg beaten light, one cup of milk, one tablespoonful of sugar, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one cup of yellow corn meal, one cup of flour, and two and one-half teaspoonfuls of baking powder. if too thin add a little more white flour. beat well together, and add four tablespoonfuls of melted butter or bacon drippings. =graham bread.= same as for corn bread, but use no white flour. =raisin bread.= warm one pint of milk and dissolve one-half ounce of yeast in it. then add two ounces of butter, two eggs, two ounces of sugar, a pinch of salt and one-half pound of raisins. mix well. then stir in two pounds of flour, and make a smooth dough. allow to raise for about three hours. then fold the dough, put it in moulds, and let it again raise for about one hour. bake in a moderate oven for about forty-five minutes. =lamb hash, j. a. britton.= take even quantities of left over roast lamb and mashed potatoes and pass through a fine meat chopper. season well, add a piece of sweet butter, some chopped parsley and a little bouillon, and cook together. serve hot, with a fried egg on top. =st. francis dressing.= one green pepper, an equal amount of raw celery and an equal amount of hard boiled eggs all chopped fine. add one-half cup of chili sauce, one-half cup of mayonnaise, one tablespoonful of white wine vinegar, two spoonfuls of olive oil, and salt, pepper and cayenne. mix well. can be served with almost any kind of salad. =brook trout, café de paris.= butter well an earthern dish, sprinkle with chopped shallots and parsley, lay the trout on top, season with salt and pepper, add a little white wine and fish broth, lay a few pieces of butter on top, and bake in oven until done. serve in the dish in which they were cooked. =breast of chicken, james woods.= remove the skin from a nice young roasting chicken, lift off the breasts, season with salt and pepper, roll in cream, then in flour, and fry in butter. place on a buttered shirred egg dish a piece of toast, then a thin slice of broiled virginia ham, then the breasts of chicken, then a few heads of fresh mushrooms tossed in butter, then a little cream and a piece of butter, season all well, cover with a glass mushroom cover, and bake in oven for ten minutes. =salad algérienne.= sliced pineapple, oranges, grapefruit and bananas in equal quantities. serve in a bowl with lettuce leaves around the sides, and mayonnaise dressing made with plenty of lemon juice. =frozen loganberry juice.= mix one quart of loganberry juice, one quart of water, one pound of sugar, and the juice of two lemons. strain and freeze. =welsh rabbit.= break an egg in a deep plate, add a teaspoonful of vinegar, and english mustard, paprika and salt to taste. mix thoroughly. then grate or crumble four ounces of good american cheese, place in a chafing dish, and add a small quantity of ale or beer. just enough to keep the cheese from frying. use a hot flame, and with two forks in one hand stir continually, in one direction. do not permit the cheese to boil. when the cheese is melted add the egg and seasoning, and stir until blended. then add a pinch of bicarbonate of soda, and serve on buttered toast which has been previously prepared. the rabbit can be prepared for any number of persons by allowing four ounces of cheese to each person, and one egg for each pound, or less, of cheese. =cheese cake.= work thoroughly together one and one-half cup of butter and one and one-half cup of sugar until it is creamy. then stir in eight eggs, one by one, then the juice and rind of one lemon, then one and one-half pound of cottage cheese, then one cup of cream and four spoonfuls of flour. bake in spring form pans lined with thin pie dough. october breakfast oatmeal with cream bacon and eggs mixed bran biscuits coffee luncheon little neck clams, mignonette consommé in cups cold virginia ham lettuce salad pink pudding, victor demi tasse afternoon tea brioche coffee cake tea, chocolate or coffee dinner purée of pea soup ripe olives sand dabs, meunière saddle of lamb, jardinière hearts of palm, victor figs roma lady fingers demi tasse =brioche.= dissolve one ounce of yeast in one gill of tepid water and add about one-third of a pound of flour, to make a medium firm sponge. cover with a cloth and set in a warm place to raise. then work into a smooth paste two-thirds of a pound of flour, three-quarters of a pound of butter, one ounce of sugar, a little salt, and six eggs. beat the eggs in gradually. then spread the sponge over the top and mix into the paste. cover with a cloth and allow to raise until double in size. then work together again, and place in a box for several hours to harden before using. mould into small round balls, place in baking pans, and allow to raise until about one-third above their original size. brush over with egg, make a cross-cut on top, and bake in a rather brisk oven. =coffee cake.= put one pound of flour in a bowl. dissolve an ounce of yeast in a gill of lukewarm milk, add it to the flour with two eggs, and work to a medium-stiff dough. cover with a cloth and allow to raise till double in size. then work in thoroughly three ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, a pinch of salt, a pinch of nutmeg, and the juice and rind of one lemon. allow to raise again for about an hour, when the dough will be ready to bake. this dough is the foundation for all kinds of coffee cake. =pink pudding, victor.= cook one-quarter pound of rice in one quart of milk with a vanilla bean and one-half pound of sugar. when done allow to cool, and then add one quart of whipped cream, some chopped fruits, and one drop of red coloring. dissolve four sheets of gelatine in a little warm milk, stir into the above, put into moulds, and set in ice box until firm. serve with fruit sauce. =figs roma.= line a bowl (timballe) with lady fingers. put à layer of vanilla ice cream in the bottom, then à layer of about a dozen peeled and quartered figs, sprinkle this with good rum, cover thickly with sauce au marasquin, and sprinkle some macaroon crumbs on top. serve in plates with ice around the bowl. =four o'clock tea bran bread.= make a batter with two cups of bran, one cup of educator entire wheat flour, one cup of white flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of water and two cups of milk, or one cup of milk and another one of water. spread the batter about one inch thick in the pan, and cook in a slow oven. =wheat bran gems.= make a batter with two cups of wheat bran, one cup of whole wheat flour, one teaspoonful of baking soda, one-half cup of molasses, three tablespoonfuls of hot milk, and three tablespoonfuls of boiling water. put the dough in buttered gem pans, and cook for about twenty-five minutes. =bran bread.= mix together two cups of wheat bran, one and one-half cups of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of water, and two cups of milk, or one cup of milk and another cup of water. put the dough in the pans about one inch thick, and bake in a slow oven. =bran biscuits.= mix two cups of wheat bran, one cup of white flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one very small teaspoonful of salt, a piece of lard the size of an egg, and enough milk to make a stiff dough. work well together, roll out about a half an inch thick, cut out with forms, and bake in a slow oven. =hearts of palm, victor.= hearts of palm can be obtained in cans similar to asparagus, and may be served in the same way, with hollandaise, polonaise, vinaigrette, or other sauces. hearts of palm, victor, is served cold, with victor dressing (see april ). october breakfast oatmeal strawberries with cream lamb chops with bacon boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with maraschino consommé in cup salted almonds loin of pork, apple sauce lettuce salad meringue glacée à la vanille black coffee dinner purée of peas, varsovienne olives celery sand dabs, sauté meunière roast chicken mashed potatoes canned asparagus, sauce hollandaise escarole salad, french dressing omelet with strawberries coffee =oatmeal.= to one quart of water, boiling, add eight ounces of cracked wheat. boil for one-half hour. salt. =consommé.= mix one-half pound of beef, chopped fine, with one white of an egg. add slowly one quart of stock and let boil for half hour. strain through napkin or fine cheese cloth. =loin of pork.= place pork in roasting pan and pepper and salt well. add one sliced onion, carrot, bay leaf, clove, a little celery and one teaspoonful of whole black peppers. put in moderate oven and roast for about one and one-quarter hours. baste often to keep juicy and of a fine color. when done remove from pan, skim part of the fat from the gravy and add one-half spoonful of flour, let simmer till brown, add one cup of stock and boil for a few minutes. =purée of pea soup.= soak three-quarters of a pound of green split peas in cold water for three hours. wash well and put on fire in cold water. put in sauté pan one sliced onion, carrot, stalk of leek, a little celery and parsley, a bay leaf and clove, and a ham bone or skin of bacon or salt pork. simmer in butter until soft. add the peas and boil together until soft. salt and pepper to taste and strain through sieve. if too thick add some stock or broth of any kind. =varsovienne.= fried thin-sliced bacon. =aux croutons.= bread cut in small dices and fried in butter. =sand dabs, meunière.= remove the skin from the sand dabs, salt, pepper and roll in flour, and fry in fresh butter in shallow frying pan. when brown remove fish to platter, place piece of butter in pan, cook till brown, and pour over fish. add the juice of one lemon and chopped parsley. garnish the platter with parsley and quartered lemons. =roast chicken, plain.= prepare sauce as for loin of pork. omit flour for thickening. serve with its own gravy. =hollandaise sauce.= put the yolks of five eggs in saucepan. place the saucepan in pot containing very hot water, on range. stir the yolks well and add pieces of sweet butter the size of a hazelnut, until one pound is used. as the butter melts in the eggs be careful that the sauce does not get too hot. add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. =salted almonds.= scald the almonds, allow to cool and remove the thin paper-shells. put the almonds on a pan and roast in hot oven until brown. wet with a solution of gum arabic and water, using about four teaspoonfuls to the pound of nuts. dust over with table salt and stir until dry. =meringue shells.= to the whites of eight eggs use one pound of powdered sugar. beat the whites very firm and stiff. add a handful of sugar and beat thoroughly. remove the whip and stir in the remainder of the sugar with à large spoon. form in the size of an egg and dress on a buttered pan dusted with flour. sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake in a moderate oven. =vanilla ice cream.= one pint of cream, one quart of milk, eight yolks of eggs, half pound of sugar and one vanilla bean. place the milk, half of the sugar and the split vanilla bean on the fire to boil. mix the remainder of sugar with the yolks of eggs, stir in the boiling milk and cook until creamy. allow to cool, strain and freeze. =plain omelet.= beat six eggs. put in hot frying pan a piece of butter, add the eggs and roll quickly over hot fire to form. salt. for a sweet omelet sprinkle with sugar. =omelet with strawberries.= dust a plain omelet with plenty of powdered sugar. burn bands across the top with a red-hot poker or special iron, and garnish with stewed strawberries. =stewed strawberries.= wash a basket of strawberries thoroughly. dry in napkin and roll in two ounces of granulated sugar. put in saucepan and place on fire. allow to remain until sugar is melted and berries are soft. do not leave on fire too long. =french dressing for salad.= to one-third of white wine vinegar use two-thirds of olive oil. mix with salt, pepper, a little powdered mustard, dash of worcestershire sauce and a little paprika. =coffee.= to seven ounces of ground coffee use two quarts of water. (use eight ounces for after dinner coffee.) if you do not use a special coffee percolator pour the boiling water over the grounds, contained in a bag. draw off and repeat twice. =plain celery.= stalks of celery well washed and split in four. =ripe olives.= california olives allowed to ripen on the trees, and specially prepared in packing houses. serve with cracked ice. =oysters on half shell.= serve on cracked ice with half of lemon or lime. october breakfast cantaloupe hominy with cream scrambled eggs with smoked beef dry toast coffee luncheon canapé of caviar radishes hungarian goulash potato croquettes assorted fruits dinner purée of tomato soup celery boiled codfish, egg sauce roast leg of lamb string beans in butter potatoes rissolées chicory salad vanilla ice cream lady fingers coffee =hominy.= to one quart of boiling water add eight ounces of hominy. cook twenty minutes. salt to taste. serve cream separate. =scrambled eggs plain.= beat six eggs, add two ounces of butter, spoonful of cream and a little salt and pepper. stir on fire with a wooden spoon until cooked. =scrambled eggs with smoked beef.= slice the beef very thin. boil in water for a few minutes, add the eggs and serve on toast. =canapé of caviar.= spread caviar, which has been kept on ice, on thin toast. sprinkle thick with chopped hard-boiled eggs all around. garnish with leaf of lettuce filled with chopped onion, parsley in branches, and one-fourth of a lemon. serve on napkin. =hungarian goulash.= one pound of shoulder of veal, one pound loin of lean pork. cut in pieces one inch square. mix a little flour, salt, pepper and plenty of paprika. put in sauce pan a piece of butter, two chopped onions and the fat from the loin of pork. simmer till brown, then add the meats and flour; a little bouillon, stock or water; one-half cup of purée of tomatoes, a little thyme, one bay leaf, one clove and a little chopped parsley and celery. cover tight and cook for three-quarters of an hour. then add three potatoes cut the same as the meat, and cook till done. =beef goulash.= same as the above except use beef, and the fat of pork, only. =potato croquettes.= boil one pound of potatoes. pour off water and let evaporate well. when quite dry mash fine, mix with the yolks of two eggs, salt and pepper. roll on floured board into the form of à large cork. dip in flour, then in beaten raw eggs, then in bread crumbs, and fry in swimming lard. =purée of tomatoes.= put in sauce pan one sliced onion, a little celery and leek, one bay leaf, one clove, a spoonful of whole peppers, piece of butter, piece of hambone or pig skin, and allow to simmer. then add one gallon of fresh or canned tomatoes, salt, and a teaspoonful of sugar. when cooked add a piece of butter. strain well. =purée of tomato soup.= add some chicken broth or bouillon to the purée of tomatoes. serve bread crumbs fried in butter. =boiled codfish, or any white fish.= put fish in cold water. add cup of milk to keep it white. salt and boil. when done let stand for ten minutes. serve on napkins with small boiled potatoes, parsley in branches, and quartered lemons. =egg sauce.= add some chopped boiled eggs to cream sauce. sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. =cream or béchamel sauce.= melt two ounces of butter in two ounces of flour. when warm, but not brown, add one pint of boiling milk. stir well and cook for a few minutes. strain. =string beans.= boil in salt water. place in pan, add piece of butter and salt and pepper. =escarole salad.= serve with french dressing. this salad goes well with piece of bread rubbed with garlic, and served in bowl. =chicory salad.= serve with french dressing. use crust of bread rubbed with garlic if desired. october breakfast stewed prunes pettijohns in cream ham and eggs rolls tea luncheon chicken broth in cups lamb hash cheese balls lettuce salad coffee dinner little neck clams on shell giblet soup, english style frog legs, sauté à sec roast teal duck fried hominy and currant jelly boiled artichokes, hollandaise sauce romaine salad philadelphia ice cream macaroons coffee =pettijohns.= to one quart of boiling water add eight ounces of pettijohns. cook ten minutes. salt. serve cream separate. =fried ham.= thin slices of raw ham fried in butter. if fried too much ham will get hard. =fried eggs.= use strictly fresh eggs and fry in hot butter. salt and pepper. =ham and eggs.= put ham in frying pan and fry one side. turn, and crack eggs on top and fry. =chicken broth.= put to boil in cold water two fat soup hens. skim well, add one-half onion, a little celery, salt to taste, and cook for three hours, when fowls should be soft. strain the bouillon and serve in cups. the cooked fowls may be used for sandwiches, chicken salad, chicken à la king, etc. =boiled fowl.= see chicken broth above. =lamb hash.= cut cold boiled or roast lamb in small dices. add one-half as much cold boiled potatoes. put piece of butter in saucepan with one chopped onion and simmer until brown. add lamb and potato, salt, pepper, cup of stock or bouillon and cook for ten minutes. serve on toast with chopped parsley. =cheese balls.= mix one and one-half cups of grated parmesan or american cheese, one tablespoonful of flour, one-quarter teaspoonful of salt, a few grains of cayenne pepper and the whites of three eggs beaten stiff. shape in small balls or croquettes, roll in cracker dust, fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. new lard is necessary for frying, and they must not stand, but serve immediately. =lettuce salad.= wash, dry in napkin, and serve with french dressing. =giblet soup à l'anglaise.= (english style). cut turkey or chicken gizzards in small dices. also a carrot, turnip, piece of celery and a piece of leek. add one-third pound of barley, large spoonful of flour and four ounces of butter. simmer all together, add two quarts of stock or bouillon, season with salt, pepper and teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce and cook for one hour. serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. =frogs' legs sauté à sec.= season the frogs' legs with salt and pepper and dip in flour. put a piece of butter in sauté pan and place on stove over a quick fire. when hot add the frogs' legs and fry for a few minutes. remove to a chafing dish and put a fresh piece of butter in the sauté pan, brown, and pour over the legs, with chopped parsley, and garlic, if desired. =roast teal duck.= season with pepper and salt and roast in very hot oven for ten minutes. rare, seven and one-half minutes. =fried hominy.= boil ten ounces of hominy in one quart of water for thirty minutes. spread in pan to a depth of one inch or more, to cool. cut in diamond shape one-quarter inch thick, roll in flour, beaten eggs and bread crumbs, and fry in swimming fat. =boiled artichokes.= boil in salt water with a few slices of lemon. when soft serve on napkins with parsley in branches. sauce separate. =romaine salad.= romaine should not be washed, or the leaves broken. wipe with a napkin if it is dusty and serve with french dressing. =philadelphia ice cream.= dissolve one-half pound of sugar in one quart of cream. flavor to taste. strain and freeze. =little neck clams on shell.= serve on cracked ice with half a lemon or lime. october breakfast sliced oranges force and cream poached eggs on toast coffee luncheon canapé hambourgeoise broiled honeycomb tripe, maître d'hôtel lyonnaise potatoes field salad german apple cake coffee dinner purée of lentils ripe olives fillet of sole, au vin blanc lamb chops with bacon asparagus tip salad tartelette with pears coffee =sliced oranges.= peel and slice the oranges and put on compote dish. serve powdered sugar separate. =force and cream.= serve raw with powdered sugar and cream separate. =poached eggs.= break the eggs in boiling water, to which may be added a soupspoonful of vinegar if desired. add plenty of salt to the water to take away the vinegar taste. serve on toast and garnish with parsley in branches. =canapé hambourgeoise.= place on toast one sliced gherkin with a slice of smoked salmon on top, and a little anchovy sauce in center. garnish around edge with chopped boiled egg, parsley and lemon. =boiled honeycomb tripe.= cut honeycomb tripe in round pieces, five inches in diameter. put in vessel with one onion, carrot, bay leaf, clove, a little celery and thyme and whole black peppers. cover with water, salt and boil until done. =broiled honeycomb tripe.= take boiled tripe, roll in olive oil, then in fresh bread crumbs, and broil. serve with lemon and parsley garnishing, and maître d'hôtel sauce on top. =maître d'hôtel sauce.= one-quarter pound of fresh butter, juice of one lemon, and chopped parsley. mix well. this sauce is not to be used hot. =lyonnaise potatoes.= slice an onion, fry in butter, and mix with sauté potatoes. =field salad.= wash and clean the salad well. serve with french dressing and chopped parsley. =purée of lentils (soup).= put in pot one pound of well-washed lentils and one quart of stock. skim when it comes to a boil, and salt. put in sauté pan an onion, carrot, bay leaf, clove, some parsley, celery, leek, whole black pepper, a ham bone or small piece of pigskin, and a piece of butter, and allow to simmer. add to the lentils, and boil. when done strain through sieve and serve with small dices of bread fried in butter. =fillet of sole, au vin blanc.= remove the skin from the fillets of sole. put in buttered pan, add salt and a little cayenne pepper, one-half glass of white wine, and one-half glass of stock. cover with buttered manilla paper and put in oven to boil. when done put on platter and cover with sauce "au vin blanc." (see below.) =sauce au vin blanc (white wine sauce).= cut up some large fish bones, put in pot and cover with water. add salt, an onion, carrot, bay leaf, clove, a little thyme and whole black peppers. boil for half an hour. put in another saucepan three ounces of butter. when warm add two spoonfuls of flour, stir, add the strained fish stock; also add the stock left from the fillets, and boil for ten minutes. beat well the yolks of two eggs and one-half cup of cream, and thicken the sauce with same. strain. =lamb chops with bacon.= with each broiled lamb chop serve two slices of broiled bacon. garnish with watercress. =asparagus tip salad.= canned asparagus tips garnished with lettuce leaves. serve with french dressing. =german apple cake.= make a dough with one pound of flour, one pound of butter, one cup of milk and a pinch of salt. line a cake pan with the dough rolled thin, and cover with sliced apples. dust some powdered sugar mixed with ground cinnamon over the apple, and bake. when nearly done pour over it a custard made of one pint of milk, one-quarter pound of sugar and three eggs, mixed well. put again in the oven until the custard is set. =tartelette of pears.= one pound of flour, one-half pound of butter, two ounces of sugar, two eggs, one pinch of salt and one pony of water. rub the butter into the flour, then add the sugar, salt, eggs and water. work it lightly to a rather firm dough. line some tartelette molds thinly with the dough. peel and slice the pears and arrange them in the tartelette, put a pinch of sugar mixed with a very little cinnamon, on top. place in a pan and bake. while they are baking mix one pint of apricot pulp with three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and boil for a few minutes. when the tartelettes are done remove from the moulds, and use a brush to coat the tops with the apricot marmalade. allow to cool before serving. october breakfast bananas in cream buckwheat cakes fried country sausages cocoa luncheon cold poached egg with mayonnaise broiled finnan haddie rump steak, bercy château potatoes pickled beets assorted fruits dinner cream of cauliflower butterfish, sauté meunière shoulder of veal, au jus carrots, vichy duchesse potatoes watercress salad roquefort cheese toasted crackers coffee =bananas and cream.= peel and slice the bananas. serve cream and powdered sugar separate. =buckwheat cakes.= one-quarter pound of buckwheat flour, one-quarter pound of white flour, one tablespoonful of baking powder, one ounce of sugar, one ounce of molasses, one egg and just enough milk to make a thin dough. mix well and cook on hot iron plate rubbed with a piece of raw lard. serve with strained honey or syrup, separate. =mayonnaise sauce.= put in bowl three yolks of eggs, a pinch of salt, a little cayenne pepper, a pinch of english mustard flour and a dash of worcestershire sauce. stir well. add, little by little, one pint of olive oil and an occasional few drops of vinegar or lemon juice. when finished, stir in one spoonful of boiling water, which will keep the sauce from curdling. =cold poached eggs with mayonnaise.= serve on the top of toast. pour mayonnaise over the egg, only. garnish with lemon quarters and parsley. =finnan haddie in cream.= remove the skin and bones and boil for one minute in plain water. then separate the fish in small pieces, add one cup of cream and one-half cup of cream sauce, and boil for ten minutes. serve in chafing dish. =rump steak, bercy.= broil steak. sauce bercy as follows: simmer slightly in butter two chopped shallots. add half cup of sauce maître d'hôtel, and one parboiled marrow, cut in small pieces. pour over steak and put in oven for two minutes. serve with chopped parsley. =château potatoes.= cut raw potatoes in shape of a half-moon, and the size of an egg. put in cold water, salt, and boil for five minutes. then place in pan with butter and roast in oven for ten minutes. salt again. =boiled beets.= wash the beets well and boil with the skin on, in salt water. when soft remove the skin with the fingers while still hot. =pickled beets.= use fresh-boiled and very hot beets. put in a piece of cheese cloth, one onion, bay leaf, clove and one spoonful of whole black peppers, and tie tightly together. place this in center of earthern pot with à layer of the hot sliced beets around the sides and over the top. to each dozen beets put four pieces of lump sugar on top. salt and cover with white wine vinegar. let stand, covered, at least two days before serving. if not all used at once, a wooden spoon must be used to remove the beets from the pot, otherwise they will spoil. =cream of cauliflower soup.= put in saucepan one-half onion, a little leek, a piece of butter the size of two eggs, and let simmer slowly. add one cup of flour, simmer a little more. put in the stems of cauliflower and one quart of milk, boil till done, and strain through sieve. put in pot, add one gill of cream and piece of sweet butter and stir well until butter is melted. add salt and a little cayenne pepper. cut the heart of the cauliflower in small flowers, boil in salt water until soft, and add before serving. =butter fish, meunière.= see sand dabs, meunière. =shoulder of veal, au jus.= roast either with or without bones. if boneless roll and tie firmly with a string. season with salt and pepper and put in pan with an onion, carrot, bay leaf, clove and piece of butter. put in oven and baste often. when done remove meat to platter, put a little water in the pan and let simmer for a few minutes, and add to the veal. november breakfast fresh figs in cream boiled eggs milk toast coffee luncheon smoked salmon broiled sweetbreads new peas moka cake tea dinner old fashioned pepper pot celery lake tahoe trout, sauce génoise hollandaise potatoes roast mallard duck fried hominy currant jelly summer squash in butter vanilla ice cream champagne wafers coffee =fresh figs in cream.= peel and slice the figs, and cool on ice before serving. powdered sugar and cream separate. =milk toast.= put in soup tureen the toast, in small pieces, and cover with boiling milk. =smoked salmon.= slice the salmon very thin, serve on lettuce leaves, with quartered lemon and parsley in branches on the side. =broiled veal sweetbreads.= soak the sweetbreads in cold water for two hours. parboil and cool in cold water, and dry with a napkin. split, salt and pepper, dip in oil and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. =new peas, plain.= boil peas in salt water. when done allow to cool. then put in saucepan with a piece of fresh butter, a little salt and a pinch of sugar, and allow to simmer for a few seconds. =lake trout, boiled.= in three quarts of water boil an onion, carrot, bay leaf, clove, some whole black pepper, salt, parsley and one glass of vinegar. pour over fish and boil slowly for fifteen minutes. serve on napkin garnished with lemon, parsley in branches and small round boiled potatoes. =sauce génoise.= take a raw salmon head, (a trout head will do), and cut in small pieces. put in sauté pan with a piece of butter, a sliced onion, carrot, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, and some whole black pepper, and simmer for fifteen minutes. then add one glass of claret, reduce; add one quart of brown gravy, cook for ten minutes and strain. before serving stir in well the juice of one lemon and a piece of fresh butter. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =hollandaise potatoes.= shape potatoes in the form of a small egg. boil in salt water, drain off and evaporate well. serve on napkin. =roast mallard duck.= roast about sixteen or eighteen minutes. see teal duck. =summer squash in butter.= peel the squash and cut in quarters. remove the seeds, and boil in salt water for five minutes. put in sauté pan with a piece of butter and simmer slowly till soft. salt and pepper, and sprinkle chopped parsley on top. november breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled salt mackerel plain boiled potatoes dry toast coffee luncheon canapé of anchovies omelette du czar spring lamb irish stew camembert cheese crackers coffee dinner cream of celery soup barracouda sauté, aux fines herbes larded tenderloin of beef string beans baked potatoes sliced tomatoes, french dressing vanilla custard pie demi tasse =boiled salt mackerel.= soak the mackerel in water over night. boil in plenty of water and serve on napkin with lemon and parsley. =canapé of anchovies.= lay split anchovies on thin buttered toast with chopped eggs around the edges. serve on napkin, with lemon and parsley in branches. =omelette du czar.= pour horseradish sauce in cream, around the edge of a plain omelet. =spring lamb irish stew.= take four pounds of neck, shoulder and breast of lamb and cut in pieces two inches square. put in vessel with cold water and salt, and bring to a boil. drain off and cool the meat, put back in vessel in sufficient water to cover, with a bouquet garni, one dozen small onions, one dozen small carrots, (large carrots may be cut to size of onions), two dozen raw potatoes cut in small oval shapes, and salt. put on fire and cook till soft, remove bouquet garni, mix one cup of flour with cold water and strain into the boiling stew, stirring at the same time. boil for five minutes. before serving add chopped parsley and a spoonful of worcestershire sauce, if desired. =cream of celery soup.= use celery instead of cauliflower, and prepare the same as cream of cauliflower. =barracouda sauté, aux fines herbes.= put seasoned fish, well rolled in flour, in pan in hot butter. when done lay fish on platter, and brown a fresh piece of butter in pan. add the juice of one lemon, and pour over the fish. serve with chopped parsley, chervil and chives. =larded tenderloin of beef.= trim the tenderloin. lard with fresh or salt pork cut in two inch strips, one-quarter of an inch square. lay on in rows three-quarters of an inch apart, starting from the thick end of the tenderloin and continuing its entire length. put in pan with a sliced onion, sliced carrot, bay leaf, clove, parsley in branches, and some butter on top of the meat. put in oven and baste continuously for about thirty-five minutes. remove the grease from the pan, add one cup of stock or water, reduce, salt, pepper and strain. madeira sauce may be served with same if desired. =sliced tomatoes, french dressing.= peeled tomatoes garnished with leaves of lettuce, and french dressing over same. =vanilla custard pie.= six eggs, one quart of milk, one-half pound of sugar, and half of a vanilla bean. mix the eggs with the sugar, add the milk, and strain. line à large pie dish with thin pie dough. fill with the custard and bake in moderate oven until set. november breakfast orange marmalade english breakfast tea tea biscuits ham and eggs luncheon grapefruit bouillon in cups boiled beef, horseradish sauce vegetable garnishing for beef romaine salad apple pie coffee dinner petite marmite broiled lobster potted squab chicken, plain waffle potatoes peach compote boiled artichokes, hollandaise sauce coffee ice cream pound cake demi tasse =tea biscuits.= three pounds of flour, one-half pound of butter, one quart of milk, three ounces of baking powder, three ounces of sugar, and a little salt. sift the sugar, salt and baking powder with the flour; add the butter and milk, and make a dough on the table about one-half inch thick. cut with a round cutter about the size of a dollar, place in a buttered pan, moisten the top with milk, and bake in a hot oven for about fifteen minutes. =boiled beef with vegetables.= the meat should be juicy, well-flavored and tender. the brisket, cross rib and rump are the best portions. the wide ribs at the end of a rib roast are also very good. tie the beef with a string and put into boiling water; clear from scum, add salt, and garnish with carrots, onions, turnips, celery, leeks and savoy cabbage. the cabbage may be tied with a string to prevent disintegration. a good way is to put all the vegetables into a net as they can thus be withdrawn at once. allow the meat to simmer gently on the side of the range, but do not let it come to a boil. when done cut in slices, not too thin, and garnish with the vegetables neatly arranged around the beef. serve separately, either cream horseradish sauce, piquante, tomato, or bouillon horseradish sauce. a little of its own broth should be poured over the meat before serving. =horseradish sauce in cream.= cream sauce with fresh-grated horseradish and salt and pepper. =horseradish sauce with bouillon.= put two fresh-grated horseradish roots in sauté pan with four ounces of butter. cover and put in oven for five minutes. add two grated rolls and return to oven for two minutes more. then add bouillon enough to form the sauce. the bread will swell and give the necessary body. add a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper. =cold horseradish sauce, english style.= to two fresh-grated horseradish roots add salt, a teaspoonful of english mustard, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and a spoonful of vinegar, mixed well. then add one pint of stiff-whipped cream. =bouillon.= broth from boiled beef, strained. november breakfast casaba melon boiled eggs cold lyon sausage rolls coffee luncheon consommé in cup pompano sauté, tempis broiled veal chops st. francis potatoes brazilian salad brie cheese toasted crackers coffee dinner cherrystone oysters on half shell cream of artichokes boiled rock cod, sauce fleurette sirloin steak, sauce madère broiled fresh mushrooms delmonico potatoes celery victor bavarois à la vanille macaroons coffee =lyon sausage.= an imported sausage. slice thin and garnish with chopped meat jelly and parsley in branches. =pompano sauté, meunière.= prepare the same as sand dabs, meunière. sprinkle with chopped salted almonds over top. =broiled veal chops.= salt and pepper the chops and dip in olive oil. broil over slow charcoal broiler. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce and watercress. =st. francis potatoes.= peel three cold baked potatoes, chop very fine, put in sauté pan with one-half pint of cream, three ounces of butter, salt and pepper. simmer for five minutes. =brazilian salad.= proportions should be one-half lima beans, one-quarter raw celery, and one-quarter raw green peppers, cut in the form of matches. pour french dressing over all and sprinkle with chopped parsley. =oysters on half shell.= serve on cracked ice with one-half lemon or lime. =boiled rock cod.= see codfish. =sauce fleurette.= cream sauce with chives, chervil and parsley, chopped fine and well seasoned. =sirloin steak.= salt and pepper the steak, dip in olive oil and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce and chopped parsley. =sauce madère.= put in sauce pan one glass of sherry wine and reduce over fire one-half. add one and one-half cups of brown gravy, boil for a few minutes, and add a little good madeira before serving. =broiled fresh mushrooms.= cut the stems from the mushrooms and wash the heads in three waters, to free them from sand, dry on napkin. season with salt, pepper and a little olive oil, and broil over a slow fire for about ten minutes, according to their size. serve on dry toast with maître d'hôtel sauce on top. =celery victor. (salad).= wash six stalks of large celery. make a stock with one soup hen or chicken bones, and five pounds of veal bones, in the usual manner, with carrots, onions, bay leaves, parsley, salt and whole pepper. place celery in vessel and strain broth over same, and boil until soft. allow to cool in the broth. when cold press the broth out of the celery gently with the hands, and place on plate. season with salt, fresh-ground black pepper, chervil, and one-quarter white wine tarragon vinegar to three-quarters of olive oil. =delmonico potatoes.= put hashed in cream potatoes in a buttered shirred egg dish, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and bake in oven until brown. november breakfast wine grapes bacon and eggs rolls coffee luncheon buttermilk waffles and honey coffee dinner little neck clams on shell potage lamballe ripe california olives boiled river salmon, sauce mousseline potatoes nature roast sirloin of beef, sauce madère cauliflower au gratin potatoes laurette cole slaw chocolate ice cream assorted cakes coffee =bacon and eggs.= see ham and eggs. =fried bacon.= thin slices of bacon fried slowly in pan in own fat. should be crisp. =waffles.= one-half pound of flour, one-half teaspoonful of baking powder, two eggs, two ounces of sugar, two ounces of butter, a little mace and a little milk. make a batter a little stiffer than for wheatcakes. bake in waffle iron, but do not have the iron too hot. =potage lamballe.= one-half purée of peas and one-half consommé with tapioca, mixed. =boiled salmon, mousseline.= boil salmon in the same manner as trout. =sauce mousseline.= to one pint of hollandaise add one cup of whipped cream and stir in gently. =little neck clams.= same as oysters on shell. =potatoes nature.= plain boiled potatoes cut in the shape of a small egg. =roast sirloin of beef.= see tenderloin of beef. =cauliflower au gratin.= put some dry, boiled cauliflower on a buttered dish, cover with well-seasoned cream sauce, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, put a little butter on top and bake in oven until brown. =potatoes laurette.= to a cup of boiling water add one ounce of butter and stir in one-half cup of sifted flour, mixing it well. allow to cool slightly and add the yolks of two eggs. mix this dough with equal parts of fresh-boiled potato that has been passed through a sieve. roll in flour in the form of a pencil and about two inches long, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in swimming fat or lard. serve on a napkin. =cole slaw.= slice the leaves of a white cabbage very fine. put in salad bowl and use dressing as desired. see salad dressings. =chocolate ice cream.= prepare the same as vanilla ice cream, but in place of the vanilla bean use two ounces of cocoa, or two ounces of melted chocolate. november breakfast scrambled eggs with ham stewed fruits coffee luncheon canapé of sardines fried smelts, tartar sauce broiled lamb chops stewed celery in cream french fried potatoes vanilla custard pie dinner tuna fish salad chicken broth in cups queen olives roast capon, au cresson french peas parisian potatoes lettuce salad, egg dressing fancy ice cream lady fingers coffee =scrambled eggs with ham.= boiled ham cut in small dices and one small piece of butter. put in vessel and add scrambled eggs. see plain scrambled eggs. =canapé of sardines.= skin and split the sardines. place on buttered toast, garnished with chopped eggs around the edges, and serve on napkin with quartered lemon and parsley in branches. =fried smelts.= season the smelts, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. fry in swimming fat and serve on napkin with fried parsley and lemons quartered. sauce separate. =fried parsley.= parsley in branches, well-washed and dried in towel. fry in very hot swimming fat or lard for a second, as it fries very quickly. salt and pepper. can be used for garnishing fried fish and other dishes. =tartar sauce.= one chopped gherkin in vinegar, one tablespoonful of capers, a little chervil, parsley, chives and a tablespoonful of french mustard. stir well into a cup of mayonnaise sauce. =stewed celery in cream.= cut stalks or outside leaves of celery into one inch lengths. wash well, parboil in salt water and allow to cool. put back in salt water and boil until soft. add one-half cup of cream sauce, a small piece of butter, one-half cup of cream, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. simmer for five minutes. =french fried potatoes.= cut raw potatoes in strips one-third inch thick and two inches long. fry in swimming lard, but do not have it too hot. when potatoes are done remove from pan and let the fat become as hot as possible. fry the potatoes again until they are a golden yellow. remove, salt, and serve on a napkin. do not cover, as this will cause them to become soft and spongy. =tuna fish salad. (thon mariné).= this fish can be obtained in cans. put in salad bowl some sliced lettuce with the tuna on top. garnish with lettuce leaves and serve with french dressing. do not mix until ready to serve. =fancy ice cream.= fill fancy lead moulds with any kind of ice cream, using different colors in the same mould if desired. cover with cracked ice and rock salt for thirty minutes. remove and serve on doilies. november breakfast strawberries in cream oatmeal shirred eggs rolls coffee luncheon potato and leek soup broiled halibut steak, maître d'hôtel homemade beef stew lemon water ice fruit cake demi tasse dinner california oysters on shell consommé with sago Écrevisses en buisson leg of veal, au jus browned mashed potatoes peas and carrots in cream hearts of lettuce, french dressing omelet with jelly coffee supper welsh rabbit =shirred eggs, plain.= put eggs on buttered shirred egg dish and cook slowly. salt and pepper. =potato and leek soup.= simmer in butter one chopped onion and four stalks of leeks cut in small dices. when golden yellow add one tablespoonful of flour, mix, add one pound of potatoes cut in dices one-quarter inch square, one quart of stock or bouillon, and a bouquet garni. boil until potatoes are done. season with salt, pepper, a little grated nutmeg and chopped parsley. =bouquet garni.= tie in a bundle a small piece of celery, of leek, and of parsley in branches, with a bay leaf, two cloves, a sprig of thyme, and, if desired, a clove of garlic, in the center. this is used for flavoring stews, soups, fish, etc. =broiled halibut, maître d'hôtel.= cut halibut in slices one inch thick. salt and pepper, dip in olive oil and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce, quartered lemon and parsley. =homemade beef stew.= three pounds of rump, hip, or flank beef, cut into squares two inches thick. season the meat and simmer in sauce pot with two chopped onions and three ounces of butter. when brown add two tablespoonsful of flour and simmer again. then add hot water enough to cover the meat, and a bouquet garni. cook for one hour and then add one pound of potatoes cut in squares one inch thick, and leave on fire until potatoes are soft. take out the bouquet, add one cup of purée of tomatoes and boil for five minutes. serve with a sprinkle of chopped parsley. =consommé with sago.= bring one quart of consommé to a boil and then let one-third of a pound of sago run slowly into it. cook for ten minutes. =Écrevisses en buisson.= to three quarts of boiling water add one sliced onion, one carrot, a bouquet garni, one glassful of vinegar, and salt. boil for five minutes. then put in three dozen écrevisses, or crayfish, and boil for ten minutes. serve on napkin with parsley and lemon, or serve in its broth if desired. for most écrevisses dishes the sauce is made "en buisson" first and then prepared in fancy fashion following. =leg of veal, au jus.= put leg of veal in pan and treat same as roast veal. baste often. =browned mashed potatoes.= put in buttered egg dish some mashed potatoes. sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, place a little butter on top, and bake in oven. =peas and carrots in cream.= put in pot one pint of boiled peas, one pint of boiled french carrots, one cup of thick cream, salt and a pinch of sugar. boil for a few minutes and thicken with a half cup of cream sauce. =omelet with jelly.= see omelet with strawberries. roll the omelet in pan, put any kind of jelly in center, turn over on platter, and burn with hot iron. november breakfast bananas and cream force and cream crescent rolls cocoa luncheon cream of potato soup radishes broiled tenderloin steak, bordelaise sauce gendarme potatoes asparagus tip salad vanilla éclairs demi tasse afternoon tea preserved strawberries dry toast chicken sandwiches assorted cakes oolong tea dinner purée of tomatoes, with rice lobster newburg roast chicken artichokes, hollandaise waffle potatoes pistache ice cream alsatian wafers coffee =force and cream.= serve raw force on a compote dish, with cream and powdered sugar separate. =cream of potato soup.= simmer a little sliced onion, leeks, celery, one bay leaf, a clove and a piece of pig skin, or a raw ham bone, in butter. then add one cup of flour and simmer again. pour in two quarts of boiling milk and two pounds of sliced raw potatoes and boil until the potatoes are soft. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper, and strain through a fine sieve. before serving add the yolk of one egg mixed with a cup of thick cream, and stir in gradually three ounces of sweet butter. =radishes.= wash well. the red skin of the turnip-shaped species may be cut back, beginning at the bottom point and extending toward the top, in the form of open leaves, to make them look like open roses, if desired. serve on cracked ice. =broiled tenderloin steak.= salt and pepper the steak and dip in olive oil before broiling. garnish with watercress and serve with maître d'hôtel sauce. =bordelaise sauce.= simmer four shallots, chopped very fine, in two ounces of butter. when thoroughly warmed through add one-half glass of bordeaux claret and reduce until nearly dry. then add one pint of brown gravy and boil for five minutes. then add one-quarter of a pound of sliced parboiled beef marrow, and a little chopped garlic, if that flavor is desired. sprinkle with chopped parsley, and before serving stir in slowly two ounces of fresh butter. serve poured over meats, or separate. =gendarme potatoes.= peel some small potatoes and cut lengthwise in eight or more pieces. put in roasting pan with salt, pepper and a piece of butter, and roast in oven for seven minutes. add a sliced onion, mix well, and again roast, turning often. =chicken sandwich.= slice boiled or left over roast chicken, very thin. cut the bread thin and spread with sweet butter. place the chicken between slices of the bread with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. trim, and cut in shape desired. =purée of tomato soup, with rice.= add one-half cup of boiled rice to each portion of purée of tomato soup. =artichoke, hollandaise.= see boiled artichokes. sauce hollandaise served separate. =lobster, newburg.= cut the meat from the tails of california lobsters, in slices one-quarter inch thick. put in sauté pan with butter, salt and pepper, and simmer for five minutes, or until the meat has a little color, over a quick fire. then add for each lobster tail one cup of thick cream and one pony of brandy, and cook for two minutes. thicken with yolks of two eggs mixed with a little cream, some very dry sherry wine, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. serve in chafing dish. serve madeira or sherry wine separate. november breakfast orange juice cream toast coffee luncheon eggs au beurre noir hamburg steak lorraine potatoes cole slaw, thousand island dressing limburger cheese rye bread and pumpernickle coffee dinner cream of chicken salted english walnuts fillet of sole, joinville roast tame duckling, apple sauce sweet potatoes, southern style cold asparagus, mustard sauce strawberry ice cream cakes coffee supper chicken salad =orange juice.= strain the juice of peeled oranges through a napkin, and serve in glass surrounded with fine ice. =eggs au beurre noir.= use soft-fried or shirred eggs. put a piece of butter in hot frying pan and when nearly black and smoking add a dash of vinegar, and pour over the eggs. drop a few capers and chopped parsley on top, and salt and pepper. =hamburg steak.= to one and one-half pounds of trimmed beef, add four ounces of beef marrow, and pass through meat chopper, medium fine. simmer some chopped onions in butter until nice and brown. mix the meat and onions with salt, pepper, one raw egg, some chopped parsley, and a dinner roll soaked in water and chopped fine. form the meat in round steaks one-half inch thick, roll in bread crumbs, and fry in pan in butter for about ten minutes. remove the steaks carefully. add a spoonful of flour to gravy in pan, simmer a little, and then add one-half cup of stock or water, pepper and salt, and strain before serving. =lorraine potatoes.= simmer one chopped onion and one-quarter pound of salt pork cut in small dices, in one ounce of butter, for five minutes. then add three pounds of potatoes cut in pieces one inch square, one pint of stock or bouillon, salt and pepper, and a bouquet garni. cook until soft and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving. =thousand island dressing, for salads.= two soupspoonfuls of mayonnaise, one soupspoonful of chili sauce, one soupspoonful of french dressing, one teaspoonful of chopped pimentos, one-half teaspoonful of chopped olives, salt and pepper, all well mixed. use a very cold salad bowl. =cream of chicken.= place a soup hen in a soup kettle with three quarts of water, a leek, carrot, a little parsley and celery, six pepper berries, and two cups of rice. boil until fowl is soft. remove and cut away the white meat from the breast and set aside. chop the remainder of the meat very fine, return to the kettle, and then strain the entire contents through a sieve. to the strained broth add one quart of milk, and strain again. then add one-half pint of cream and the yolk of one egg, mixed; also a piece of sweet butter the size of an egg. then add the breast of the fowl cut in small squares. =roast tame duckling.= see roast chicken. also see stuffings. november breakfast shredded wheat biscuit boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon holland herring boiled potatoes waffles and honey coffee dinner lynn haven oysters on half shell philadelphia pepper pot roast canvas-back duck hulled corn currant jelly cauliflower au gratin celery mayonnaise neapolitan ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse =shredded wheat biscuits.= put the biscuit in a deep dish. a little boiling water poured over it will enable you to economize on cream. =philadelphia pepper pot.= simmer in kettle four large onions chopped fine, one piece of celery, two leeks, one green pepper cut in very small squares, and one-quarter pound of butter. when done add two soupspoonsful of flour, and simmer again; add two quarts of stock, two pounds of tripe and one pound of potatoes cut in small squares, a bouquet garni and salt. cook for two hours. before serving remove the bouquet garni, add a tablespoonful of fresh-ground pepper, a little chopped parsley and some flour dumplings. let the flour dumpling dough run through an ordinary sieve into boiling water and boil for just a minute. =flour dumplings.= one cup of flour, two eggs, three-fourths of a cup of milk, salt, and a little nutmeg. mix well. pass through colander with holes of about one-third inch in diameter, into boiling salt water. boil for about three minutes, drain off water, put on platter and pour some brown butter over them. =brown butter sauce.= put good-sized piece of sweet butter into frying pan and allow to brown. may be served poured over the dish, or in separate sauce bowl. =hulled corn.= may be obtained in cans. follow directions on same. to hull corn is quite a complicated process, requiring the use of lye, etc. =canvas-back duck.= same directions as for teal duck. roast for about eighteen minutes. =celery mayonnaise.= cut raw celery in strips like matches and wash well, then put in napkin on cracked ice, so it will become crisp. serve with well-seasoned mayonnaise sauce, either on top or separate, as desired. =pound cake.= one-half pound of butter, one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of flour, five eggs, a little rum and a teaspoonful of baking powder. beat the butter with sugar until white, add the eggs one by one, while beating briskly. mix the flour and the baking powder in together, and last of all add the rum. put in mould and bake in oven for one hour. =fruit cake.= to the pound cake batter add one-half pound of chopped mixed glacé fruits, and one-half pound of raisins. november breakfast pearl grits and cream fried eggs rolls chocolate luncheon cold assorted meats potato salad iced tea afternoon tea chicken à la king bread and butter sandwiches raspberry water ice champagne wafers almond cake tea chocolate whipped cream dinner consommé with tapioca boiled salmon, mousseline sauce potatoes hollandaise roast goose, apple sauce st. francis potatoes celery victor baked alaska coffee =pearl grits with cream.= see hominy in cream. =potato salad.= slice three boiled potatoes while hot. add one small onion chopped fine, some chopped parsley, salt and pepper, two spoonsful of olive oil, and one each of boiling bouillon, or boiling water, and vinegar. mix carefully so as not to break the potatoes, and serve in salad bowl with lettuce garnishing. =chicken à la king.= take the breast of a boiled chicken or hen (fowl), and cut in very thin, diamond-shape pieces. put in pan and add three-quarters of a pint of cream, salt and cayenne pepper. boil from three to five minutes. add a glass of best sherry or madeira wine. boil for a minute and thicken with the yolks of two eggs, mixed with one-quarter pint of cream. put some sliced truffles on top. =raspberry water ice.= one-half pound of sugar, one pint of water, and one pint of fresh raspberry pulp strained through a fine sieve. squeeze in the juice of one lemon, add a little coloring if desired, strain and freeze. =consommé with tapioca.= to one quart of boiling consommé add slowly one cup of tapioca, and boil for eight minutes. =bread and butter sandwiches.= spread sweet butter on thin slices of bread, and place face to face in pairs. cut in any fancy shape, or roll and tie with soft baby ribbon. november breakfast honey in comb boiled eggs postum cereal dry toast luncheon cold goose and virginia ham port de salut cheese crackers coffee dinner oyster soup, family style salted english walnuts fried chicken, country style au gratin potatoes cauliflower, polonaise escarole and chicory salad chocolate profiterole coffee supper canapé regalia =postum cereal.= a prepared breakfast food obtainable from all grocers. follow directions on package. =oyster soup, family style.= boil two dozen oysters with their juice. in a separate vessel boil one quart of milk and one pint of cream. put both together and add two ounces of sweet butter, and salt and pepper. before serving stir in some fine cut chives and one-half cup of broken crackers. =au gratin potatoes.= fill a shallow buttered dish with hashed in cream potatoes. sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, put a little butter on top, and bake in oven until brown. =cauliflower, polonaise.= put on a platter some fresh-boiled cauliflower and sprinkle with two finely chopped boiled eggs, salt and pepper and some chopped parsley. in a pan on range put three ounces of sweet butter. when warm add two tablespoonsful of fresh bread crumbs and allow to become well browned. pour over cauliflower when very hot. =fried chicken, country style.= put the dressed chicken in salt water and leave for about one hour. then wash and dry between towels, season with pepper and a small amount of salt, and dredge well with flour. place in frying pan about three tablespoonsful of lard and two or three slices of fat breakfast bacon. when bacon is brown remove, and strain the lard, being careful that it is not burned. have the lard very hot and fry the chicken. when brown, and well done, remove the chicken and strain the lard again through a hair sieve, then return lard to range, and stir in thoroughly one tablespoonful of flour, being careful to have no lumps. immediately before serving stir into the sauce one pint of cream, and let boil for one minute. dress with the bacon and parsley in branches. =canapé regalia.= regalia is a special fish paste obtainable in cans. to one small can add two ounces of butter, mix well, and spread on fresh toast. garnish with chopped eggs, serve on napkin with lemon in quarters and parsley in branches. november breakfast bananas and cream scrambled eggs with chives dry toast coffee luncheon pickled oysters consommé in cups broiled bluefish, maître d'hôtel tripe, lyonnaise mashed potatoes hearts of lettuce, egg dressing chocolate éclairs demi tasse dinner potage cambridge boiled sheepshead, hollandaise sauce potatoes nature chicken, diva french peas endive salad strawberries with cream assorted cakes corn bread, maryland coffee =pickled oysters.= parboil one carrot and one celery root cut in strips, and one onion sliced fine. pour off water and finish cooking in one glassful each of white wine, and white wine vinegar, with a spoonful of pepper berries tied in cheese cloth. when done remove the peppers, add three dozen oysters and bring to a boil. serve cold with parsley. =broiled bluefish.= split the bluefish, remove the bones, season with salt and pepper, dip in oil and broil. serve maître d'hôtel sauce on top, and quartered lemons and parsley. =boiled sheepshead, hollandaise sauce.= same as boiled salmon, hollandaise. =maryland corn bread.= beat two eggs until very light, and stir in one pint of sweet milk. then sift one-half pint of coarse corn meal, add a teaspoonful of yeast powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of melted lard or butter. stir this into the milk and eggs. mixture must be a thin batter. bake in small bread pan or muffin rings. =chicken, diva.= prepare the chicken as for roast and stuff with rice stuffing. put chicken in kettle and cover with stock or water. when done prepare a suprême sauce with the stock, pour over the chicken, and sprinkle with chopped virginia ham. carve at table. =rice stuffing.= simmer a small chopped onion in butter, add one cup of washed rice, three cups of stock or bouillon, season, and cook in oven for twenty minutes. then add two truffles cut in small squares. this stuffing is used for poultry, game, peppers, tomatoes, etc. =suprême sauce.= melt three ounces of butter, add two ounces of flour, and simmer, but do not allow to brown. add one and one-half pint of chicken stock, reduce for ten minutes, thicken with the yolk of one egg, a cup of cream and a small piece of sweet butter. season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. this sauce may be used with many entrée dishes. =potage cambridge (soup).= melt three ounces of butter in vessel, add two ounces of flour, and simmer for five minutes, or until golden yellow. add one pint of veal broth or stock, one-half pint of purée of tomatoes and the trimmings of a few fresh mushrooms. cook for twenty minutes, strain through sieve and add fine-cut strips of fresh mushrooms sauté in butter. a pony of dry sherry wine may be added if desired. =strawberry ice cream.= one pint of cream, one quart of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one pint of strawberry pulp or strained strawberries, the juice of one lemon and a little coloring. put the milk with half the sugar on the fire to boil. mix the remainder of the sugar with the eggs, stir the boiling milk into it, and cook until it becomes creamy, but do not allow it to boil. remove from the fire, add the cream, strawberry pulp and lemon juice, cool and freeze. november breakfast grapefruit with vanilla sugar finnan haddie in cream puff paste crescents oolong tea luncheon green onions radishes eggs ministerielle vermicelli aux croutons cold asparagus, mustard sauce cup custard coffee dinner clam chowder, manhattan style queen olives fillet of sole, marguery omelet with spinach broiled fresh mushrooms coffee ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse =puff paste crescents.= two pounds of flour, one pound of butter, one pint of milk, one ounce of salt, one and one-half ounces of sugar and two ounces of yeast dissolved in warm water. mix one-half pound of the flour with one-half pint of water and the dissolved yeast. stand in warm place for about twenty minutes. put the remainder of flour on board and mix in the yeast paste; when sufficiently risen, add salt, sugar and milk, make a stiff dough and allow to stand for a few minutes. roll out, put the butter into the dough as for ordinary puff paste, and roll in the same way, but giving it only half the number of turns. =stock for soup.= two pounds of beef bones and a marrow bone, if you can obtain one, two gallons of water, a carrot, onion, leek, piece of parsley, a bouquet garni, salt and pepper. boil for three hours. strain. =puff paste (feuilletage).= take one pound of flour and one cup of water and make a smooth paste, but not too soft. form into a square loaf and let it set for about fifteen minutes. roll out on floured board about one-half inch thick, and place in the center one pound of butter, well-worked and flexible. fold the edges of the paste over the butter and roll out about one-quarter inch thick, taking care that the butter does not run out of the dough. brush off the flour and fold in three. roll out again to the same thickness as before and repeat the folding. put in cool place or ice box for about one-half hour, then roll and fold as before. again rest for one-half hour, and then roll and fold again. the paste will then have six turns in all, and after a little rest it can be used. =brown gravy.= one pound of veal bones, cut in pieces and browned in oven, with one carrot, one onion, a little thyme, one bay leaf, two cloves and three ounces of butter. baste well, then add three ounces of flour, allow to brown a little, and then add two quarts of water and boil for two full hours. season with salt, and strain. this gravy is used as a foundation for many fancy sauces, such as sauce madère, etc. november breakfast stewed rhubarb grape-nuts with cream yarmouth bloaters rolls coffee luncheon shrimp salad lamb chops julienne potatoes french string beans chocolate macaroons coffee dinner seapuit oysters on half shell onion soup au gratin salted pistachio nuts whitefish, maître d'hôtel sweetbreads braisé, au jus purée st. germain olivette potatoes roast leg of lamb, mint sauce romaine salad pineapple punch lady fingers coffee =stewed rhubarb.= peel one pound of rhubarb, cut in two inch pieces, and place in shallow pan. put on top one-quarter pound of sugar, a small piece of cinnamon, and one-half pint of water. cover and put in oven for about twenty minutes. remove, take out the cinnamon, and serve cold in its own juice. cream and powdered sugar separate. =grape-nuts with cream.= serve as prepared in package. cream and powdered sugar separate. =yarmouth bloater.= imported in cans. put on broiler and heat through. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce, quartered lemons and parsley. =shrimp salad.= season fresh-boiled shrimps with salt, pepper and a little vinegar. put some sliced lettuce in the bottom of a salad bowl, lay the shrimps on top, and cover with mayonnaise sauce. garnish with quartered hard boiled eggs, fancy-cut beets, capers and queen olives. serve very cold. =julienne potatoes.= cut raw potatoes in thin strips like matches, and full length of potatoes. fry in swimming fat, lard preferred, until crisp. remove from fat, salt, and serve on napkin. do not cover. =onion soup, au gratin.= simmer three very finely sliced onions in butter until brown. add one cup of bouillon or consommé, and boil for a few minutes. put in earthern pot, or petite marmite, and place some slices of toasted french bread, previously prepared, on top. put one-half cup of grated parmesan cheese on the bread, set in very hot oven, and bake until the cheese is browned. season to taste. =whitefish, maître d'hôtel.= split the fish and remove the bones. salt, pepper, dip in oil and broil. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce, quartered lemons and parsley. =purée st. germain (vegetable).= strain cooked peas through a fine sieve. put in pan with a piece of butter, salt and a pinch of sugar. stir well, and when hot, add a very little thick cream. the purée should be firm, like mashed potatoes. november breakfast stewed prunes malta vita with cream poached eggs on toast rolls coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés fried fillet of sole, rémoulade sauce broiled quail on toast chiffonnade salad soufflée potatoes savarin au fine champagne demi tasse dinner cotuit oysters on half shell petite marmite salted almonds terrapin, maryland style roast ribs of beef stewed tomatoes mashed potatoes cold artichokes, mustard sauce english breakfast tea ice cream assorted cakes coffee =stewed prunes.= wash well one pound of prunes, and soak in cold water for two hours. put on fire in same water, add a small piece of cinnamon stick, the peel of a quarter of a lemon, and two ounces of sugar, and cook on slow fire until soft. it will require about one hour. if an earthern pot with cover is used, put in bake oven for about two hours. the flavor will be better. =malta vita.= serve with powdered sugar, and cream, separate. =hors d'oeuvres variés.= (appetisers assorted). hors d'oeuvres are different delicacies, and, except in rare instances, are served cold. they consist of caviar, pickled oysters, lyon sausages, any kind of fish salad, pâté de foie gras, smoked salmon, smoked goose breast, and many others. from one dish to two dozen kinds may be served, allowing the guests to make a selection. each kind should be served on a separate platter, or silver bowl. =caviar.= leave the caviar three hours on ice. serve in a glass dish. for each person have a round platter with napkin, a lettuce leaf filled with fine chopped onion and a quarter of a lemon. thin dry toast and sweet butter separate. =pâté de foie gras.= (goose liver patty.) obtainable in cans or terrines, of different sizes. remove the fat, which is put on top as a preservative, and with a soup spoon, which has been dipped in hot water, cut the paste in thin slices, and serve on lettuce leaves on a napkin. garnish with meat jelly and parsley in branches. let the pâté de foie gras stand in ice box a few hours before opening and serving. =lyon sausage.= a kind of imported beef sausage. slice thin. =stuffed eggs.= cut hard boiled eggs in two, either way. mix the yolks with equal parts of sweet butter and pass through a sieve. add salt, paprika, a little anchovy paste, and some chives. mix well, and fill the halved eggs. or the yolks may be mixed with butter, and some poppy or celery seeds, etc. also with any kind of purée, such as purée of tomatoes, regalia, chicken, etc. if the filling is put in a pastry bag with a star mould in the bottom, to squeeze it through, the eggs can be filled in an attractive and novel manner. serve very cold. =sardines.= serve cold with quartered lemons, on lettuce leaves. =sliced tomatoes.= have the tomatoes very cold. peel and slice, and serve on lettuce leaves, with french dressing. to peel, put tomatoes in hot water for ten seconds, and peel immediately. november breakfast baked apples boiled eggs toast coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries steak and kidney pie cream cheese maryland beaten biscuits dinner consommé madriléne ripe california olives sand dabs, meuniére butterball duck with currant jelly fried hominy french endive salad asparagus, hollandaise fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =grapefruit with cherries.= cut the grapefruit in two pieces. split some maraschino cherries and decorate. pour a little maraschino on top. =steak and kidney pie.= use individual pie dishes. a slice of raw sirloin steak one-half inch thick, cut in two. two lamb kidneys cut in two. salt, pepper, and roll in flour, put in pie dish and cover with a little cold water. cover with piecrust dough and bake in oven for about eighteen minutes. serve in the dishes in which they were baked, on napkins. =butterball duck.= roast in hot oven for about twelve minutes. =assorted cakes.= any kind of small cakes. serve on a compotier, on doily. the more varied the assortment the better. =maryland beaten biscuits.= to one pint of sifted flour add one heaping teaspoonful of lard, or butter, and a little salt. mix with one pint of sweet milk to stiff dough. beat with a mallet for one hour. the success of same depends upon the beating. shape as for tea biscuits and bake. =macaroons.= mix one pound of almond paste with one pound of powdered sugar. add the whites of six eggs and a spoonful of flour and mix well. squeeze through a pastry bag onto paper, moisten the tops with water, using a brush, and bake in a very slow oven for about twenty minutes. =lady fingers.= eight eggs, with the yolks and whites separate, one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of flour, and some vanilla flavoring extract. beat the sugar with the yolks until light; then beat the whites very stiff. mix the flour with the yolks and sugar, then add the beaten whites and mix lightly. dress on paper with a plain pastry bag, in the shape wanted. dust powdered sugar on top and bake in a moderate oven. november breakfast guava jelly oatmeal with cream rolls coffee luncheon mariniert herring plain boiled potatoes calf's liver, sauce piquante fried egg plant oregon cream cheese and crackers coffee dinner purée of game, hunter style salted english walnuts roast capon compote of pears stewed celery, au madère paille potatoes bavarois à la vanille fancy macaroons coffee =mariniert herring.= soak six salt herrings in water for twelve hours. then put in pot with one sliced onion, some whole parsley, a spoonful of whole black pepper berries, three bay leaves and six cloves. mix one teaspoonful of english mustard with a cup of vinegar and pour over herring. cover all with thick cream, shake well to thoroughly mix, and let stand for two days before serving. serve with thin slices of one lemon on top, or, if desired, the lemon may be put with the herring for a day. =calf's liver, sauté.= slice the liver one-quarter inch thick, salt, pepper, roll in flour and fry in butter. do not fry too long as it will make the liver tough. serve on a platter with its own gravy, chopped parsley, and quartered lemons. =sauce piquante.= simmer one chopped onion with a piece of butter. add two spoonsful of crushed pepper berries and half a glass of vinegar. reduce almost dry. then add one pint of brown gravy, boil for fifteen minutes, and strain. chop fine one-half cup of gherkins, put into the sauce and boil for a few minutes. add a sprinkle of chopped parsley. =fried egg plant.= peel and cut the egg plant into slices one-quarter of an inch thick. salt, pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, and finally in bread crumbs. fry in swimming lard, fat, or butter. place on napkin, sprinkle with a little more salt, and garnish with parsley. =purée of game soup.= simmer the carcasses or meat of almost any kind of game, such as duck, rabbits, hares, venison, bear, etc. cut in pieces and add one carrot, an onion, two bay leaves, two cloves, a piece of celery, a little thyme, some pepper berries and four ounces of butter. roast all together until nice and brown. add a cup of flour and simmer again until the flour is of a brownish color. then add one and one-half quarts of bouillon, or stock, and boil for an hour. strain, pressing all the soft parts of the game through the sieve, and season with salt and cayenne pepper. before serving add one-half glass of dry sherry wine or madeira. =purée of game, st. hubert.= add to above soup some square cut pieces of roasted game, before serving. =stewed celery, au madère.= wash well and cut the celery stalks in pieces one inch long. parboil in salt water, cool, and put back to boil in enough stock to cover. when nearly done drain off most of the stock, add a cup of brown gravy, and boil until soft. salt and pepper, and add a little dry sherry or madeira before serving. =paille potatoes (straw).= cut in thin strips like straws the full length of the potato. fry in very hot lard, serve in napkin, and salt when first removed from fat. =fancy macaroons.= mix one pound of almond paste, three-quarters of a pound of powdered sugar, the whites of five eggs and one spoonful of flour. put in pastry bag with a fancy tube and squeeze the paste through, about the size of a half dollar. put half of a glacé cherry on top and let stand over night in a dry place. bake in oven for ten minutes. november breakfast stewed apples pettijohns with cream ham and eggs dry toast oolong tea luncheon canapé riga planked smelts, en bordure sirloin steak, sauce colbert haricots panachés lettuce and tomato salad pistache éclairs coffee dinner potage santé salted pecans crab meat, au beurre noisette roast tame duckling, apple sauce corn fritters and potato croquettes waldorf salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =canapé riga.= one-half tuna fish (thon mariné) and one-half caviar mixed. spread on thin toast, buttered. decorate around the edges with chopped eggs, quartered lemon and parsley in branches. =planked smelts, en bordure.= split some large smelts down the back and remove the bones. place on a buttered plank with salt, pepper and a little butter on top. put some potato, prepared as for potato croquettes, into a pastry bag with a star tube, and press out a border around the fish about an inch high. put in oven and bake for about fifteen minutes. serve with a little maître d'hôtel butter on top, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley. =sauce colbert.= chop three shallots very fine, and simmer in butter. add one-half glass of claret, and reduce almost dry. then add one pint of brown gravy and cook for ten minutes. before serving add three ounces of sweet butter, the juice of one lemon, and some chopped parsley. =potage santé (soup).= wash a good handful of sorrel and slice very thin. put in pot with three ounces of butter and simmer slowly for ten minutes. then add one quart of bouillon, or consommé, and boil for a few minutes. thicken with the yolks of two eggs mixed with a cup of cream. before serving put in some french bread, or rolls, that have been dried in the oven, and cut like chip potatoes. =boiled crabs.= put two live crabs in a pot and cover with cold water. add one glass of white wine vinegar, an onion, carrot, a bouquet garni and salt. boil for thirty-five minutes and let become cool without removing from the water. serve cracked, cold, with mayonnaise or any kind of cold sauce; or remove from shell and serve as a salad; or prepare hot in many ways. =crab meat, au beurre noisette.= put some fresh-boiled crab meat on a platter and season with salt and pepper. in a frying pan put a quarter pound of sweet butter. simmer until of a hazel color, and pour over crab meat. sprinkle with chopped chervil, or parsley, on top, and garnish with lemon. =waldorf salad.= half white celery and half apple, cut in small squares. put both in salad bowl, but do not mix. cover with mayonnaise and season to taste. november breakfast honey in comb waffles kippered herring baked potatoes rolls and coffee luncheon eggs marigny french pastry iced tea dinner consommé cialdini radishes fillet of bass, larded sirloin of beef, richelieu salade doucette meringue glacée, chantilly coffee =eggs marigny.= put in a buttered cocotte dish a very thin, small, slice of ham, with two parboiled oysters on top. break an egg over all, salt, pepper, cover with cream sauce and a little grated cheese, and bake in oven until done. =consommé cialdini.= cut some carrots, turnips and potatoes, with a fancy cutting spoon, to the size of à large pea. cook each separate in salt water. when done put in consommé and add the boiled white meat of chicken cut in small squares, a few boiled or canned peas, and some chervil. serve separate some very thin slices of french bread or rolls. =larded sirloin of beef.= remove the skin and fat of the sirloin, half way near the thick part. lard same and roast in the usual manner. =richelieu.= a garnish for beef and other meats. is prepared in various styles. here are four good ones. stuffed tomatoes with rice créole, stuffed fresh mushrooms à la d'uxelles, braised lettuce and potatoes château. tomatoes, whole and baked, string beans, mushrooms and potatoes château. bouquet of all kinds of vegetables, fillets of anchovies, mushrooms and green olives. buttons of artichokes stuffed, stuffed tomato, mushrooms, lettuce braisé and potatoes château. =fillet of bass, .= i originated this style in , hence the name. cut fillets of any kind of bass in pieces about three inches square, and free from skin and bones. place on a piece of toast in a buttered shirred egg dish; salt, pepper, and place three nice heads of fresh mushrooms sauté in butter, on top of the fish. put a soupspoonful of maître d'hôtel butter on top of the mushrooms, cover with a glass globe and bake in oven for twenty minutes. just before serving uncover the fish, pour a little white wine sauce on top, re-cover, and serve. =salade doucette.= field salad. =meringue glacée, chantilly.= same as meringue glacée à la vanille. but decorate with whipped cream, passed through a pastry bag with a star tube. november breakfast bar le duc jelly horlick's malted milk boiled eggs maryland beaten biscuits luncheon stuffed eggs broiled salmon steak, anchovy butter olivette potatoes breaded lamb chops, milanaise pickled beets german apple cake coffee dinner seapuit oysters on shell consommé royal skatefish au beurre noir potatoes nature roast top sirloin of beef, forestière yorkshire pudding chiffonnade salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =stuffed eggs with crab meat.= cut in two some hard-boiled eggs and remove the yolks. fill the whites with fine-chopped crab meat mixed with a very thick mayonnaise. chop the yolks and mix with a little chopped parsley, and sprinkle over the eggs. serve very cold. =broiled salmon steak.= cut a slice of salmon about one inch thick, salt, pepper, dip in oil and broil. serve on platter with maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. or serve with anchovy butter or other sauce, either on top or separate. =anchovy butter.= fresh butter mixed with anchovy paste and the juice of a lemon. =breaded lamb chops.= salt and pepper the chops, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs, and fry in butter. =spaghetti milanaise.= boiled spaghetti cut in two inch lengths, a slice of boiled ham, a slice of tongue, six mushrooms and one truffle cut in strips the same size as the spaghetti. put all in one pot, add a little tomato sauce, salt and pepper, and let simmer for a few minutes. serve grated parmesan cheese separate. if served as a garnish with "lamb chops, milanaise," mix the cheese before serving. =consommé royal.= beat four eggs and season well. add one pint of warm (not hot), consommé, put in a buttered mould and set in a pan of hot water. cook slowly in a moderate oven. when the custard is done allow to cool, and cut in any shape desired. serve hot consommé, with royal custard as a garnish. =skatefish au beurre noir.= place the skate in boiling water for a few minutes, when the skin may readily be scraped off. put in cold water, add a little milk to make the fish white, salt, and bring to a boil. take off the fire, but leave in the water for ten minutes. then put fish on platter, salt, pepper, sprinkle with a little vinegar, a few capers and some chopped parsley. put in frying pan a quarter pound of butter, allow to become almost black, and pour over fish. =roast top sirloin of beef.= same as roast sirloin of beef. =forestière, for sauce.= sliced fresh mushrooms, simmered in butter. add brown gravy and boil for ten minutes. before serving stir in a little sherry wine. =yorkshire pudding.= one cup of milk, one-half cup of flour, two eggs, and one teaspoonful of baking powder. mix well, add salt, pepper and one-half cup of chopped beef suet. bake in roasting pan with beef fat from your roast. when done cut in squares. november breakfast grapefruit germea with cream crescents cocoa luncheon scrambled eggs, morocquaine lamb trotters, poulette potatoes st. francis moka éclairs tea dinner bisque of clams frogs' legs, sauté à sec tournedos massenet jets de houblons endives au cerfeuil mince pie american cheese coffee =germea and cream.= powdered sugar and cream separate. =scrambled eggs, morocquaine.= cut cèpes in small squares, fry in butter and place in middle of scrambled eggs. tomato sauce around the edge. =lamb trotters, poulette.= cook lambs' feet in stock or water with salt, and one carrot, an onion and a bouquet garni. when done pour poulette sauce over all. =sauce poulette.= simmer three shallots in butter, but do not brown. add one-half glass of white wine and reduce till almost dry. then add chives sliced fine, sliced french mushrooms, and one pint of sauce allemande. boil for a few minutes, and bind with the yolk of an egg and a piece of fresh butter. =bisque of clams.= simmer one onion, a little celery and leeks, one bay leaf and a few pepper berries in butter. add the juice of one quart of clams, one pint of fish broth or water, and one cup of rice, and boil for an hour. strain through a fine sieve, put back on fire and add one pint of cream. when hot add three ounces of butter, salt and a little cayenne pepper. parboil the clams, add the juice to the soup, cut the clams in small pieces and serve in the soup terrine. if desired both clams and broth can be used in making the bisque, and all strained before serving. =tournedos massenet.= small tenderloin steaks sauté in butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper. garnish in bouquets with hearts of artichokes cut in four, sliced cèpes, small squares of tomatoes sauté in butter, french fried onions, and olivette potatoes. serve with sauce madère. =jets de houblons.= (hop sprouts). can be obtained in cans. warm in their own juice, drain, serve in vegetable dish, and cover with hollandaise sauce. =mince meat.= one pound of beef suet chopped fine, one pound of boiled beef cut in very small dices, one pound of seedless raisins, one pound of cleaned currants, one-half pound of seeded sultana raisins, one-half pound of citron cut in very small dices, one-pound of orange and lemon peel mixed and chopped fine, two pounds of chopped peeled apples, one ounce of ground cinnamon, one ounce of cloves, allspice, ginger and mace mixed, one pint of rum, and one pint of brandy. mix well, put in jars and keep in cool place. use as needed. =mince pie.= line pie plate with dough as for apple pie. put in mince meat, and finish as for apple pie. serve warm with a piece of american cheese on the side. november breakfast baked apples baked beans, boston style boston brown bread coffee luncheon Écrevisse salad, gourmet eggs, henri iv broiled squab chicken soufflé potatoes apricot compote french pastry coffee dinner lynn haven oysters on shell chicken okra soup salted jordan almonds fillet of halibut, mornay roast ribs of beef stuffed tomatoes, noyer sweet potatoes, southern style wine jelly caroline cakes coffee =stuffed tomatoes, noyer.= cut the tops off two nice tomatoes, scoop them out and season with salt and pepper. mix fresh bread crumbs and chopped english walnuts in equal parts and fill the tomatoes with same. put a piece of butter on top and bake in moderate oven for ten minutes. =baked apples.= wash and core the apples. with a sharp knife cut a circle through the skin, around the apple, above the center, to prevent the apples from bursting. place on a pan and fill the hole in each with sugar mixed with a little ground cinnamon. put a small piece of butter on top of each, and a little water in the bottom of the pan. bake in a moderate oven. serve with their own juice. cream separate. =baked beans, boston style.= soak three pounds of white beans over night in cold water. then put same in a one and one-half gallon earthern pot with one-half cup of molasses, one soupspoonful of english mustard mixed with a cup of water, a little salt, and one whole piece of fat, parboiled salt pork. pour in just enough water to moisten, cover, and put in bake oven for four hours. or in a not too hot range oven for two and one-half hours. if range is used, be careful that they do not burn. serve from pot, or in small individual pots, with boston brown bread separate. =Écrevisse salad, gourmet.= cover the bottoms of four dinner plates with chicory salad. in the center make a nest of celery cut in thin strips like matches. on top of that one well-washed fresh mushroom head, cut the same way, and to cap all, put the tails of six écrevisses. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and a sauce of one-third tarragon vinegar and two-thirds olive oil. cut two truffles like matches, and with some fine chervil, sprinkle all over the salad. =eggs henri iv.= breaded poached eggs fried in swimming lard. place on a piece of toast spread with purée de foie gras, and cover with sauce périgordine. =sauce périgordine.= to one cup of brown gravy add one spoonful of chopped truffles reduced in sherry wine. season with salt and cayenne pepper. =broiled squab chicken.= split a squab from the back, salt, pepper, moisten with a little olive oil and broil. serve on toast, with maître d'hôtel sauce, quartered lemons and watercress. november breakfast florida grapefruit eggs bercy rolls coffee luncheon consommé in cups fried smelts, tartar sauce broiled pig's feet, special fried apples romaine salad french pastry coffee dinner seapuit oysters potage lamballe boiled beef garnished with vegetables horseradish à l'anglaise pickles asparagus, hollandaise fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs bercy.= fry some small breakfast sausages and cut in pieces one inch long. make some shirred eggs. when half cooked add the sausages and a very little tomato sauce. season with salt and pepper and finish cooking. =broiled pig's feet, special.= take some boiled pig's feet, split, and remove the upper bones. season with salt, pepper and olive oil, roll in fresh bread crumbs, and broil. see sauce below. =sauce special.= two-thirds tomato ketchup, one-third tomato sauce, a little paprika, a little worcestershire sauce. bring to a boil and serve. =boiled pig's feet.= roll two pig's feet very tightly together with cheesecloth, so they will lay straight when cooked. put in vessel, cover with cold water, season with salt, whole black peppers, carrot, onion, and a bouquet garni. boil until well done. if necessary to keep them after cooking, place in an earthern pot in their own broth. =fried apples.= peel, core, and cut the apples in five or six pieces. roll in flour and fry in swimming fat or lard. serve on a napkin. =icing or frosting=, for glacé cakes, éclairs, etc. one and one-half pounds of icing sugar, a pony of water or fruit juice, and the whites of two eggs. mix and heat over slow fire, stirring continually with a wooden spoon. do not let it boil. flavor according to desire. for chocolate frosting add a little melted cocoa. =cream puffs.= one-quarter pound of butter, one cup of water, one cup of milk, four eggs and one-quarter pound of flour. put the butter, water and milk into a sauce pan and boil. remove from the fire and add the flour, mixing with a wooden spoon. then add the eggs one by one, beating well. dress them on a buttered pan, and about two inches in diameter. moisten the tops with eggs, and sprinkle with chopped almonds. bake in a medium oven for about twenty minutes, then slit one edge and fill with sweet whipped cream. dust some powdered sugar on top and serve. =chocolate éclairs.= same dough as for cream puffs. dress them on a buttered pan in the shape of lady fingers, and bake in hot oven. split at one side and fill with sweet whipped cream. coat with chocolate icing. pastry cream may be used instead of whipped cream, if desired. =pastry cream.= pint of milk, one-half of a vanilla bean, one-quarter pound of sugar, three eggs and one ounce of corn starch. mix the eggs, sugar and corn starch. boil the vanilla bean and add to the eggs. mix well with a whip, put on fire and keep stirring until thick. when cold use it for filling small cakes, cream puffs, éclairs, etc. november breakfast preserved figs wheat cakes rolls coffee luncheon anchovy salad poached eggs, sans gêne navarin of lamb, printanier baba au rhum demi tasse dinner california oysters on half shell purée of lentils stuffed roasted chicken string beans duchesse potatoes cold french asparagus, french dressing almond cake coffee supper salade olga =wheat cakes.= sift together into a bowl one-half pound of flour and one teaspoonful of baking powder. add one ounce of sugar, one ounce of melted butter, one egg and a little milk. mix all into a medium thick batter. bake on a hot griddle iron. serve honey or maple syrup, and sweet butter separate. =breakfast rolls.= three pounds of flour, one ounce of salt, one ounce of sugar and two ounces of yeast. scald the milk and pour it over the sugar, salt and butter. melt the yeast in luke-warm water, mix with the milk, etc., and add half of the flour. beat well, cover, and let raise. then add the remainder of the flour and let it raise again until it is twice its original volume. put on table, roll in shape desired, place on pan, and let raise again. brush the top with melted butter, and bake. =anchovy salad.= put sliced lettuce on the bottom of a pickle dish. place fillets of anchovies crosswise over the lettuce. garnish all around with chopped eggs, beets and parsley. season with french dressing. =poached eggs, sans gêne.= place a hot poached egg on a heart of artichoke, cover with a slice of parboiled beef marrow. serve with sauce bordelaise. =navarin of lamb, printanier.= (lamb stew). take three pounds of shoulder, or breast of lamb, and cut in pieces two inches square. salt, pepper, and put in sauté pan with a little fat or butter, and allow to roast until nice and brown. then add a cup of flour and let same become brown. add a cup of purée of tomatoes and enough hot water to cover the meat, and boil for ten minutes. parboil three carrots and three turnips and cut in small pieces, and add together with twelve whole small onions fried brown in butter, twelve small round potatoes, and a bouquet garni. cook until soft, remove the bouquet garni, and serve with chopped parsley and fresh cooked peas on top. =duchesse potatoes.= make dough as for potato croquettes. roll on table with a little flour, and cut in the shape of a cork. flatten and cut a cross on the top with a small knife, brush with yolks of eggs, put on buttered pan and bake in oven. by using a pastry bag with a star mould the tops can be decorated with the dough, in the form of a rose, in place of the cross. =salade olga.= cut into small dices two apples, one stalk of celery, two buttons of cooked artichokes, a few asparagus tips, and one truffle. season with salt, pepper, and a very little vinegar and oil. place in salad bowl with leaves of lettuce around the sides, and cover with mayonnaise. garnish with fancy-cut pickled beets and artichokes. sprinkle with hard-boiled yolks of eggs chopped fine, and parsley. november breakfast oatmeal with cream boiled salt mackerel, melted butter baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon stuffed eggs, nantua mutton chop, grilled saratoga chip potatoes chiffonnade salad camembert cheese coffee dinner cream of asparagus whitebait on graham bread rheinbraten romaine salad cup custard lady fingers coffee =stuffed eggs, nantua.= cut four hard-boiled eggs in two, lengthwise, and remove the yolks. mix a piece of butter, the size of an egg, with a little anchovy paste, a very little salt, pepper, paprika, chopped parsley, and the yolks strained through a coarse sieve. dress or fill the eggs through a pastry bag, put a slice of pimento on top of each, and serve very cold. =mutton chops, grilled.= salt and pepper the chops, roll in oil and broil. garnish with watercress. =saratoga chip potatoes.= round the potatoes off lengthwise to about the size of a silver dollar. slice very thin, fry in swimming fat until crisp, remove and salt. serve on napkin. do not cover or they will become soft. =chiffonnade salad.= equal parts of romaine, lettuce, chicory, escarole, sliced cucumbers and quartered tomatoes. put in salad bowl, pour french dressing over all, and garnish with chopped beets, eggs and parsley. =cream of asparagus.= prepare same as cream of cauliflower. use either canned or fresh asparagus. =whitebait on graham bread.= wash the whitebait and dry, then put in bowl, season with salt and pepper, and cover with milk. remove and roll in flour, using a colander to allow the flour to sift through. fry in swimming lard, which is ready in advance, and very hot. serve on napkin, and garnish with graham bread and butter sandwiches, fried parsley, quartered lemon, and sauce tartar separate, or any kind of cold sauce. =rheinbraten.= cut sirloin steaks one-half inch thick. season with salt and paprika on both sides, and fry in hot butter. dish up on platter with paprika sauce, and garnish with paprika potatoes. =paprika sauce.= simmer one chopped onion and a chopped slice of raw ham, in a little butter. add one cup of cream, two cups of cream sauce, a soupspoonful of paprika, and a little salt. boil for ten minutes and strain. =paprika potatoes.= slice fresh-boiled potatoes and put in sauce pan. cover with paprika sauce, salt, and boil for a few minutes. november breakfast assorted fruits boiled eggs rolls coffee luncheon cold assorted meats potato salad coffee dinner clear green turtle, au xérès toke point oysters, mignonette salted almonds. celery radishes. ripe olives planked striped bass sweetbread patties, cream sauce roast stuffed turkey, with chestnuts cranberry sauce sweet potatoes, southern style succotash hearts of lettuce, egg dressing plum pudding, hard and brandy sauces mince pie fancy ice cream assorted cakes roquefort cheese and crackers assorted fruits coffee =mignonnette sauce.= take one-half cup of whole white peppers and crush with a bottle on a hard table or marble slab, but not too fine. mix with four finely chopped shallots, a little chives, one spoonful of salt and one-half pint of white wine or tarragon vinegar. serve in a green pepper, or a small glass, in center of plate surrounded with oysters or clams. =planked striped bass.= split the bass, remove the bones, place on buttered plank, season with salt, pepper and a little melted butter over all. bake in oven until nearly done. take out and decorate with a pastry bag and a star mould, with some potato prepared as for potato croquettes, forming a border around the fish. put back in oven and bake until nice and brown. pour maître d'hôtel sauce on top, garnish with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =turkey stuffed with chestnuts.= stuff the turkey with chestnut dressing. put some thin-sliced pork fat over the breast and tie together. place in pan with an onion, carrot, a little thyme, bay leaf and fresh piece of butter. salt, put in oven and baste all the time. when turkey is done remove from pan, and let gravy set for a few minutes. take off the fat, add a little stock or water, reduce one-half, add a little meat extract and strain. =dressing for chicken, turkey, suckling pig, etc.= bake six onions, with the skins on, in oven for ten minutes. remove the skins and chop very fine. add turkey, chicken or suckling pig livers cut in very small squares. then add fresh bread crumbs, a piece of fresh butter, salt and pepper. mix well, add a little powdered thyme, chopped parsley, add garlic if desired. if for suckling pig add some sage. =chestnut dressing.= split the shells of two pounds of chestnuts with a sharp pointed knife. put in oven and when they burst open remove and peel. put in pot with a small piece of celery, salt, cover with water, boil till done, allow to cool, and mix with dressing described above. =apple dressing.= peel half a dozen apples, remove the cores, cut in six pieces, put in pan with three ounces of butter and simmer slowly for ten minutes. mix with above dressing, omitting chestnuts. november breakfast hothouse raspberries with cream oatmeal and cream stewed lamb kidneys rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with cherries turkey hash on toast coffee éclairs oolong tea dinner consommé aux quenelles ripe california olives cultivated brook trout, hollandaise potatoes nature roast ribs of prime beef stewed tomatoes mashed potatoes lettuce salad english breakfast tea ice cream assorted fancy cakes coffee supper welsh rabbit =stewed lamb kidneys.= split six kidneys, remove the skin, and cut in thin slices. have a pan ready with hot butter and fry on a quick fire for a few seconds. take kidneys from pan, and add one soupspoonful of flour to the sauce and let simmer until brown. add one cup of stock or hot water, salt and pepper, and reduce one-half. return the kidneys to the sauce, but do not let them boil or they will become hard. before serving add a little sherry wine or chopped parsley. =turkey hash on toast.= cut turkey in small dices, put in sauce pan, cover with two-thirds boiling cream and one-third cream sauce, season, boil for a few minutes, and serve on hot dry toast. =welsh rabbit.= cut one pound of american cheese in very small dices. put in pan with a small pinch of cayenne pepper, one spoonful of ale or beer, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and put on fire to melt. do not stir until cheese is quite soft; then stir well with whip till it is melted and boiling. pour over toast on a very hot china platter or shirred egg dish. =french bread.= one gallon of warm water, two ounces of yeast, three ounces of salt, three ounces of sugar and three ounces of lard. dissolve the yeast, salt, sugar and lard in the water, and mix in flour enough to form a medium-stiff dough. work it until smooth, cover with a cloth and let it raise for one-half hour. then form the dough into long loaves and about two inches thick. lay them on a cloth dusted with flour and let them raise to nearly double in size. moisten the tops with milk, make several diagonal cuts on each loaf half way through, and bake in a rather hot oven. =homemade bread.= one quart of warm water, one quart of warm milk, two ounces of yeast, one ounce of salt and one-quarter of a pound of melted lard or butter. dissolve the yeast in the milk and butter, and add the salt and butter, or lard. add enough flour to make a medium dough, mix, beat well and cover. allow to raise for about four hours. divide the dough in four parts, roll and place in moulds or pans and let raise another hour before baking. november breakfast orange juice scrambled eggs with anchovies rolls coffee luncheon Écrevisses with mayonnaise lamb chops sauté, aux cèpes sybil potatoes cup custard coffee dinner toke point oysters on half shell cream of summer squash filet mignon, chéron georgette potatoes ravachol salad pistache ice cream baked alaska coffee =scrambled eggs with anchovies.= put some fillets of salted anchovies in oil and leave for a few days; or use anchovies in oil. salt the scrambled eggs lightly and lay the anchovies crosswise over the top. =Écrevisses with mayonnaise.= prepare the écrevisses en buisson. when cold remove the tails from the shells and serve on platter with lemons and parsley. mayonnaise separate. =lamb chops sauté, aux cèpes.= fry the chops in sauté pan, in oil. when done put on platter. slice some cèpes, (a specie of mushroom) season with salt and pepper and fry for a few seconds. just before removing from the fire add a little garlic, and pour all over the chops. sprinkle with chopped parsley. =georgette potatoes.= use potato croquette dough. roll on table to the thickness of a cork and about ten inches long. make a hollow the entire length and fill with purée of spinach. bring the edges of the hollow together and roll again so the spinach will be in the middle of the potato dough and not visible. cut in pieces two inches long, roll in bread crumbs, and fry in the same manner as croquettes. =ravachol salad.= use whole leaves of romaine. place alternate slices of grape fruit and orange on top until the leaves are covered. put some narrow strips of red pepper across the top, pour french dressing over all, and decorate with unsweetened whipped cream. =filet mignon, chéron.= small fillets of beef sauté in butter. cover with béarnaise sauce, and garnish with artichoke buttons, macédoine, (mixed vegetables) and fleurons. =fleurons.= used for garnishing entrées, newburg or chafing dish preparations, fish, etc. take some puff paste, with six turns, roll it to about one-eighth inch in thickness, cut with a half moon cutter about two inches in diameter, and place on a pan moistened with water. wash the tops with eggs and bake in a hot oven. november breakfast hominy and cream calf's liver and bacon baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon stuffed tomatoes, nana poached eggs, persanne broiled squab on toast cold asparagus, mustard sauce saratoga chip potatoes german apple cake coffee dinner onion soup, au gratin celery planked striped bass roast leg of veal, au jus cardon à la moelle potatoes à la reine escarole and chicory salad neapolitan ice cream assorted cakes coffee =stuffed tomatoes, nana.= put four nice medium sized tomatoes in boiling water for fifteen seconds. then dip in cold water and peel. cut off the tops, scoop out and fill with the following: one-half of the breast of a boiled chicken, chopped very fine, some chopped walnuts, a little mayonnaise sauce, a little whipped cream, and salt and pepper. mix well. after filling place the tomatoes on lettuce leaves and cover with thin mayonnaise. serve very cold. =calf's liver and bacon.= slice the liver about two-thirds of an inch thick. salt, pepper, pass through olive oil and broil, but not too well done or the liver will be hard. serve broiled bacon on top, maître d'hôtel sauce, and garnish with lemon and parsley. =mustard sauce, cold.= for asparagus, artichokes, etc. to one cup of mayonnaise sauce add one soupspoonful of french mustard. mix well. =lunch rolls.= two pounds of flour, one ounce of yeast, one ounce of salt, one pint of water. dissolve the yeast and salt in the water, add the flour and mix, making a rather hard dough. put into a basin, cover with a cloth, and allow to stand for four hours. then divide the dough in four parts, roll each one separately into the form of a stick about fourteen inches long and one inch thick. put on a cloth on a special roll plank made for the purpose. take care that the rolls are sufficiently far apart so they will not touch when they raise. let them set for about one-half hour. then cut each roll of dough in three parts with a sharp knife, make two incisions in the top of each, put into a pan and bake for about twenty minutes. =cardons à la moelle.= cardon is a vegetable, a thistle-like plant related to the artichoke. it can be obtained in cans. empty into a vessel and warm in its own juice. parboil some sliced beef marrow, put into a brown gravy with the juice of one lemon and some chopped parsley. remove cardon from its broth, put on a platter and pour the brown sauce and marrow over all. december breakfast preserved figs with cream force with cream dry toast coffee luncheon cold fillet of sole, raven spring lamb irish stew cream puffs coffee dinner consommé sévigné salted brazil nuts sweetbreads braisé, pompadour château potatoes terrine de foie gras à la gelée hearts of romaine, roquefort dressing meringue à la crème, chantilly coffee =cold fillet of sole, raven.= cook four fillets of sole in white wine and place on a platter. simmer two spoonsful of finely chopped shallots in butter, add a few chopped fresh mushrooms, one chopped tomato and the wine used for cooking the fish. reduce until it becomes thick, cool off, add some chives and chervil chopped fine, and a little mayonnaise. spread over the fillets, and cover with a mayonnaise rose. decorate to taste with fancy-cut truffles, pickles, etc. serve very cold. =consommé sévigné.= white meat of chicken and smoked beef tongue cut julienne, (in the shape of matches). serve in consommé with a sprinkle of chopped chervil. =sweetbreads braisé, pompadour.= braise the sweetbreads until about two-thirds done. cool a little and cover with a thin layer of chicken force meat. decorate all around with chopped tongue, with chopped truffles in the center. replace in pan, using the same stock used before, but strained. cover with buttered manilla paper and return to oven to finish cooking. serve with own gravy and a little madeira sauce. =terrine de foie gras à la gelée.= put the foie gras on ice for a few hours. carve from the terrine with a table spoon and place on a platter covered with a napkin. decorate with meat jelly cut in triangles and chopped, and parsley in branches. =gelée. (meat jelly).= take any kind of good stock. put in the whites of six eggs to each gallon to clarify it. add one pound of chopped raw beef to the gallon. also one sliced onion, one carrot, one leek, a little celery and parsley, a few pepper berries, one bay leaf and a clove. stir well and add slowly the hot stock. soak twelve leaves of gelatine in cold water for ten minutes and add. bring to a boil slowly, stirring from time to time. when it comes to a boil it must be clear. strain through very fine cheese cloth, being careful not to stir up the meat so that it will cloud the broth. season with salt and a very little cayenne, add a glass of good sherry, and allow to cool. =meringue à la crème, chantilly.= whip some cream until stiff, add some powdered sugar, flavor with vanilla. put one spoonful between each two meringue shells, dress on a plate, and decorate with some of the same cream passed through a pastry bag with a star mould. december breakfast baked apples oatmeal with cream butter toast coffee luncheon eggs, tivoli miroton of beef, en bordure cabinet pudding coffee dinner blue point oysters consommé doria fillet of sole, st. malo tournedos, boulanger soufflé potatoes roquefort cheese crackers coffee =eggs, tivoli.= cut a piece of homemade bread into a cube and fry in butter. open one side with a sharp knife and scoop out the center. place in the cavity a poached egg, cover with cream sauce, sprinkle a little grated cheese on top, and bake until brown. =miroton of beef, en bordure.= use left over boiled or braised beef, and cut in thin slices. put into sauce pan one sliced onion with a piece of butter, and simmer until nice and brown. then add one gill of vinegar, and a spoonful of french mustard and reduce until almost dry. now add the sliced beef, cover with brown gravy, season with salt, pepper and a little chopped parsley, and boil for a few minutes. dish into a deep platter, or individual shirred egg dishes, make a border of potato croquet dough, sprinkle grated cheese on top and bake till brown. =consommé doria.= consommé tapioca, with chopped truffles and sherry wine. =fillet of sole, st. malo.= fillet of sole au vin blanc with the addition of lobster sauce with scallops, and lobster and oysters cut in small squares. =tournedos, boulanger.= small fillets of beef sauté, with sauce madère. garnished with fried calf's brains and artichoke bottoms stuffed with spinach. =soufflé potatoes.= peel the potatoes to oval shape. do not wash but wipe with a napkin. cut lengthwise in strips about an eighth of an inch in thickness. place in swimming fat or lard that is merely warm and put on fire to get hot. when the potatoes are nearly done they will swim on top of the fat and swell up like little cushions. when all are on top take out and throw into very hot fat to color them. remove, salt, and serve on napkin. december breakfast preserved figs boiled eggs corn muffins coffee luncheon grapefruit eggs en cocotte, italienne chicken hash, victor endive salad cup custard coffee dinner hors d'oeuvre variés cream of squash aiguillettes of bass, à la russe squab sauté, tyrolienne anna potatoes strawberry ice cream assorted cakes coffee =corn muffins.= one-half pound of corn meal, one-half pound of flour, two ounces of melted butter, four eggs, one pint of sour milk, one-half cup of molasses, one teaspoonful of soda and one teaspoonful of salt. sift together the corn meal, flour and salt. dissolve the soda in the sour milk, add the eggs, well beaten, the molasses, the butter and the sifted ingredients. beat well and bake in a well-greased muffin pan. =eggs en cocotte, italienne.= put in buttered cocotte dish one raw egg, cover with sauce italienne, put a little grated cheese and a small piece of butter on top and bake in oven. =italienne sauce.= chop six shallots very fine and simmer in sauce pan with two ounces of butter. do not let the shallots become brown or they will lose their flavor. add some chopped fresh or canned mushrooms (about a can full), and one glass of white wine, and boil until reduced almost dry. then add one and one-half pints of brown gravy, and boil again for a few minutes. season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with chopped parsley. this sauce is used for many entrée dishes. =endive salad.= endive is a species of chicory salad, originally imported from france. cut in two lengthwise and lay on platter or individual plates. serve with a sauce of salt, pepper, and one-fourth tarragon vinegar to three-fourths olive oil. sprinkle with chopped chervil. =chicken hash, victor.= take the white meat of a boiled chicken or soup hen and cut in half inch squares, and half as much fresh-boiled potatoes cut the same way. chop six shallots very fine and simmer in four ounces of sweet butter, but do not let them become colored. add the chicken and potatoes, and cover with clear chicken broth. season with salt, pepper and a little chives, and let simmer for five minutes. serve in a chafing dish with a sprinkle of chopped chervil on top. melba toast separate. december breakfast grapefruit juice shredded wheat biscuit with cream english muffins coffee luncheon casaba melon eggs aromatic english lamb chops, xx century club lettuce salad pistache éclairs coffee dinner blue point oysters fillet of bass, shrimp sauce braised beef, cumberland style baked hubbard squash mashed potatoes endive salad vanilla ice cream assorted cakes coffee =eggs aromatic.= fry the eggs in oil or poach. place on toast, cover with tomato sauce, and put a few leaves of fresh mint on top before serving. =english lamb chops, xx century club.= broil the chops, garnish with pimentos stuffed with purée of sweet potatoes. serve with sauce madère. =pistache Éclairs.= same as chocolate éclairs. cover with pistache icing. =pistache icing.= to white icing add some pistache essence, or orange flower extract, and a little green coloring. =fillet of bass, shrimp sauce.= place the fillets in a buttered pan, season with salt, add one-half glass of white wine, and a little stock or water. when cooked dish up on platter and cover with shrimp sauce. =shrimp sauce.= to some white wine sauce (sauce vin blanc) add some shrimps. =braised beef with calf's feet.= take a piece of round or rump of beef, season with salt and pepper, put in pot with two onions cut in four, two carrots and a piece of butter. roast until nice and brown. then add one spoonful of flour and brown again. add one glass of claret, one quart of stock, three tomatoes cut in four, or canned tomatoes, and a bouquet garni. bring to a boil, cover tight and put in oven till very well done. this is braised beef, plain. when served cumberland style (with calf's feet) add the feet at the same time as the claret and stock, and strain the sauce when done. if the feet are not served with the beef they may be used as an entrée. =baked hubbard squash.= cut the squash in four, remove the seeds, salt and pepper, put a piece of butter on top of each piece of squash and bake in oven. december breakfast sliced oranges boiled salt mackerel baked potatoes corn bread coffee luncheon clam broth in cups ripe olives fillet of turbot, pelissier potatoes parisienne spinach aux croutons omelette au rhum coffee dinner lobster chowder celery. salted english walnuts aiguillettes of sole, venitienne planked striped bass cucumber salad brussels sprouts and chestnuts apple charlotte coffee =clam broth.= take hard or soft clams and wash well. put in vessel with just water enough to cover, a little salt and a small piece of raw celery. boil for fifteen minutes, and strain through cheese cloth. =clam broth, chantilly.= serve whipped cream separate, or on top of each cup. =consommé en bellevue.= half chicken broth and half clam broth mixed. serve in cups with whipped cream on top. =clam chowder.= chop two onions, one leek, a piece of celery and one green onion in small pieces, also cut one-half pound of salt pork in small squares. put all together in a vessel with two ounces of butter and simmer till well done. then add one gallon of stock or fish broth, four potatoes cut in half inch squares, salt, pepper, a little paprika, one teaspoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of chopped thyme, a little chopped parsley, and four peeled tomatoes cut in small dices; or chopped canned tomatoes. bring to a boil and let cook for about one hour. put one hundred well-washed little neck clams in a separate vessel and put on fire with one-half glass of water and boil for ten minutes. strain the broth and add to the chowder. remove the clams from the shells, cut in four pieces and add to the chowder with one cup of cracker meal, and boil for four minutes. serve with broken crackers. =lobster chowder.= same as clam chowder with the exception of lobster cut in small dices instead of the clams. december breakfast bananas with cream boiled eggs dry toast chocolate whipped cream luncheon fish salad, ravigote broiled lamb chops french fried potatoes cauliflower polonaise german coffee cake lunch rolls tea dinner cream of endives fillet of flounder, chevreuse chicken sauté, ambassadrice carrots, vichy fondante potatoes escarole salad peach ice cream assorted cakes coffee supper oysters poulette st. francis rolls nesselrode pudding lady fingers demi tasse =oysters poulette.= open three dozen oysters, put in vessel with their own juice and bring to a boil. drain off the broth, cover oysters with a pint of poulette sauce, and serve in chafing dish. =carrots, vichy.= slice some tender carrots very fine, place in buttered sauce pan, season with salt and a little pepper, and simmer over a slow fire. then add a little chicken broth or soup stock and cook until soft. mix one teaspoonful of flour with three ounces of butter, add to the carrots and simmer for five minutes. serve with chopped parsley. =chocolate.= for each person take one rib or bar of chocolate. cut in very small pieces, put in pot and add one spoonful of water and let chocolate melt. add one large cup of very hot milk for each person, and bring nearly to the boiling point. =fish salad, ravigote.= any kind of boiled fish that may be left over. remove the bones and skin, break the fish in small pieces and lay on lettuce leaves. cover with tartar sauce, garnish with sliced pickles, pickled beets and hard-boiled eggs. =cream of endives.= prepare the same as cream of cauliflower, using endives instead. =fillet of flounder, chevreuse.= stuff the fillets with halibut force meat, put in buttered pan and cook in white wine. cover with béarnaise sauce mixed with a little purée of tomatoes. =chicken sauté, ambassadrice.= jointed chicken sauté in butter, sauce suprême, garnished with truffles, mushrooms and goose liver sauté. =goose liver sauté.= salt and pepper some fresh goose livers, roll in flour, put in pan with fresh butter and simmer until done. for garnishing entrée dishes the imported goose liver au natural can be obtained in cans. remove the fat from the top of the can, cut the liver out in slices, season with salt and pepper, put in flour, and fry very quickly in sweet butter. serve as a garnish or as an entrée. =goose liver sauté aux truffes.= put goose liver sauté in chafing dish and cover with sauce périgord. =sauce périgord.= slice six truffles very thin, put in vessel with a glass of dry sherry wine and reduce until it is nearly dry. then add one-half pint of brown gravy, seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper, and cook for ten minutes. december breakfast oatmeal with cream baked beans, boston style boston brown bread coffee luncheon mariniert herring boiled potatoes rolls coffee dinner chicken okra soup salted pecans fillet of sole, normande roast ribs of beef asparagus, hollandaise brabant potatoes bijou salad hazelnut ice cream alsatian wafers coffee =corn bread.= one-half pound of yellow corn meal, one-half pound of flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder, three eggs, one ounce of melted butter, one teaspoonful of salt, one pint of milk and one-half cup of boiling water. pour the boiling water over the corn meal and allow it to become cold. beat the yolks of the eggs and add to the corn meal, then add the milk, flour and the baking powder, salt and melted butter. mix and then add the whites of the eggs beaten very stiff. pour into a shallow well-greased pan and bake in a hot oven for about twenty-five minutes. =boston brown bread.= one pound of rye flour, one pound of graham flour, two pounds of corn meal, one pound of wheat flour, one quart of molasses, one and one-half quarts of milk, two ounces of salt and three ounces of baking powder. put all the flour and the baking powder in one vessel, then add the molasses, milk and salt and make a soft dough. fill brown bread moulds about three-fourths full, put in steam cooker for three and one-half hours, then remove from steam and bake in oven for twenty minutes. =chicken okra soup.= remove the breast from a raw fowl, and with the remainder make a chicken broth. cut the breast in small dices, put in vessel with a chopped onion and a chopped green pepper and a small piece of butter, simmer till onion is soft, then add the chicken broth, two peeled tomatoes cut in small dices, or some canned tomatoes, salt and pepper. let boil slowly for one-half hour, then add one pound of okra cut in pieces three-quarters of an inch in length, and cook until okra is soft. add one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce and a cup of boiled rice and serve with chopped parsley. if desired a slice of ham may be cut in small squares and added at the same time as the chicken breast. december breakfast stewed prunes scrambled eggs with asparagus tips buttered toast coffee luncheon hors d'oeuvres variés eggs boremis hungarian beef goulash apple pie coffee dinner cream of spinach fillet of bass, dieppoise chicken sauté, marengo potatoes à la reine dandelion salad apricot ice cream macaroons coffee =scrambled eggs with asparagus tips.= put some asparagus tips in butter, season with salt and pepper, simmer till hot, and add to the eggs. =eggs boremis.= put an egg in a well-buttered cocotte dish, season with salt and pepper, put plenty of grated cheese and a piece of butter on top of all, and bake in oven. =cocoa.= put two tablespoonsful of cocoa in a pot with one-half cup of water and boil for a minute. add two cups of milk, bring to a boil, and strain. serve powdered sugar separate. may also be made with water only, omitting the milk. =fillet of bass, dieppoise.= cook the fillets "au vin blanc." dish up on platter with lobster sauce and oysters, mushrooms, truffles, shrimps and mussels cut in small squares. =chicken sauté, marengo.= joint of chicken, season with salt and pepper and put in pan in very hot olive oil. when nice and brown on both sides add four chopped shallots and a little garlic and allow them to get hot, but not brown. then add one-half glass of white wine and reduce. add one cup of brown gravy, one cup of chopped tomatoes and one can of french mushrooms. cook for fifteen minutes. dish up and garnish with eggs and croûtons fried in oil, chopped parsley, and a few slices of truffle on top. =pie paste.= one and one-half pounds of flour, one-half pound of lard, one-half pound of butter and a pinch of salt. mix all together and add enough water, (about one cup), to make a rather stiff dough. keep in cool place or ice box. =apple pie.= for two pies line the plates with pie paste rolled very thin. slice six good sized apples, add one-quarter of a pound of sugar and a teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, mix and fill the plates. wet the edges of the dough and cover with paste also rolled thin. wash over with egg, make a few cuts in the center so the steam may escape while baking, and put in a moderate oven. when done dust with powdered sugar, and serve hot or cold as desired. if the apples are coarse it will be well to boil them a little in water with a piece of cinnamon and a very little sugar. december breakfast baked apples with cream hominy with cream rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit en suprême eggs benedict lamb hash chocolate layer cake coffee dinner potage coulis salted pecans fillet of turbot, royaldi chicken, edward vii potato croquettes chiffonnade salad parfait au chocolate assorted cakes coffee =grapefruit en suprême.= serve in a long-stemmed double grapefruit glass, put shaved ice in large glass around the smaller one. in small glass put sliced grapefruit mixed with powdered sugar. tie a ribbon, with neat bow, around the glass. =eggs benedict.= split an english muffin, toast on the inside, place on each half a small slice of broiled ham, on the ham a poached egg, cover with hollandaise sauce, and place a piece of truffle on top. =layer cake.= eight eggs, one-half pound of sugar, one-half pound of flour, one-quarter pound of melted butter, and some flavoring extract. beat the eggs with the sugar, on slow fire until warm, remove and continue beating until cold. mix the flour in lightly and then add the melted butter, little by little, and the flavoring. do not mix too much. pour into a well-buttered mould and bake in a moderate oven for about three-quarters of an hour. allow to cool, cut in three or four slices, and fill with cream, or jelly, or marmalade, as desired. glacé the top with icing and decorate. the american style layer cake is mixed in the same manner, but baked in shallow moulds, requiring only about ten minutes in the oven. the filling is then placed between the cakes, instead of slicing. =chocolate layer cake.= bake some layers as for moka cake, and put three or four, one on top of another, with chocolate butter cream filling between. the filling is made in the same manner as moka filling, but use one ounce of melted chocolate or cocoa instead of the coffee flavor. glacé the top of the cake with chocolate frosting and decorate with some of the chocolate cream filling, using pastry bag with fancy tube. =chicken, edward vii.= boil the chicken in stock and stuff with rice as for chicken diva. add small squares of truffles and goose liver natural. serve with curry sauce. december breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon canapé riga eggs coquelicot tripe and oysters in cream camembert cheese crackers coffee dinner potage hollandaise stuffed fillet of sole, diplomate tournedos de goncourt string beans, aux fines herbes julienne potatoes salade brésilienne floating island pound cake coffee =eggs coquelicot.= line a timbale mould with a whole red pepper, (canned pimento) and break an egg into it, season with salt and pepper, and put timbale in a pan in boiling water, and place in oven until egg is cooked. put some chicken hash in cream on a platter and turn egg and pepper on top to look like a little red cap. serve with cream sauce around the hash. =tripe and oysters in cream.= simmer six chopped shallots in butter, but do not allow them to color. add two pounds of tripe cut in strips, one cup of stock, one bouquet garni, and boil for one hour. remove the bouquet garni, drain off the broth. add two cups of cream sauce and three dozen parboiled oysters. simmer for a minute, and season with salt and a little cayenne pepper. =potage hollandaise. (soup).= bind a velouté of chicken with cream and yolks of eggs. serve with brunoise garnishing. =velouté.= used for the foundation of many soups. put in vessel five ounces of butter and four ounces of flour and simmer for a few minutes. add two quarts of chicken broth, stock or bouillon, cook for half an hour and bind with one cup of cream and the yolks of two eggs. =consommé brunoise.= cut in very small dice, (nearly fine chopped), one carrot, one turnip, one leek, a stalk of celery and a little white cabbage, and parboil in salt water. then drain off the water, put in well-buttered casserole, add a pinch of sugar, cover with buttered manilla paper and with the casserole cover on top of that, and put in the oven to braise. if too dry a half cup of stock may be added. cook until vegetables are soft. use for potage garnishing, consommé brunoise, and other dishes. for soups use one heaping spoonful of brunoise to each plate. =fillet of sole, diplomate.= slice fine six fresh mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and simmer in butter. when done add one spoonful of meat extract. split four fillets of sole and fill with the above dressing and cook "au vin blanc." then place on a platter, cover with cream sauce well seasoned, put grated cheese on top and bake in oven. =tournedos de goncourt.= broiled fillet of beef served with béarnaise sauce mixed with a little purée of tomatoes, and garnished with tomatoes glacées. =tomatoes glacées.= put six whole peeled tomatoes on a buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, put a small piece of butter on top of each, and bake in moderate oven for ten minutes. december breakfast grapefruit juice omelet with ham puff paste crescents oolong tea luncheon canapé martha cold assorted meats potato salad cherry tartelettes coffee dinner blue points consommé brunoise braised salmon, parisienne boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce mashed turnips roast chicken hearts of lettuce salad biscuit glacé assorted cakes coffee =omelet with ham.= cut a slice of cooked ham in small squares, put in omelet pan with a small piece of butter. when hot add three beaten eggs and follow directions for plain omelet, but use a little less salt. =canapé martha.= cut a round piece of toast and put some lobster croquette farcé on top in the shape of a pyramid. put a thin slice of swiss cheese on top and bake in oven. garnish with lemon and parsley. =cherry tartelette.= line tartelette moulds and follow directions as for pear tartelettes, but fill with canned cherries. =braised salmon, parisienne.= put a slice of salmon in buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with chopped shallots and parsley, add one one-half glass of white wine, cover and simmer until cooked. remove fish to platter, and in the pan pour some white wine sauce, (sauce au vin blanc). let boil for five minutes and pour over fish. don't strain. =boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce.= put the leg of mutton in pot and cover with boiling water. add one carrot, a leek, onion, a little celery and a bouquet garni. season with salt, and boil for about forty-five minutes. =caper sauce.= melt three ounces of butter in sauce pan, add three ounces of flour and allow to become hot. add three pints of stock, bouillon, or the stock from the leg of mutton. boil for ten minutes, season to taste, bind with the yolk of one egg and a piece of butter, strain, and add one-half cup of capers. =mashed turnips.= boil or steam a half dozen white or russian (yellow) turnips. strain through a fine sieve or colander, add salt and pepper and three ounces of butter. a potato boiled with the turnips will reduce the strong turnip odor. december breakfast stewed prunes codfish balls rolls coffee luncheon oyster broth chow chow bouillabaisse marseillaise asparagus hollandaise omelette au confiture coffee dinner clam chowder celery oysters à la hyde striped bass, meunière potatoes nature combination salad fancy ice cream alsatian wafers coffee =codfish balls.= soak one pound of salt codfish in cold water over night. then boil in fresh water for ten minutes. boil two potatoes in salt water and strain through colander or sieve. shred the codfish very fine and mix with the potato and the yolks of three eggs working well together. allow to become cool, form into balls, roll in flour and fry in melted butter until nice and golden yellow. serve on napkins with quartered lemons and parsley in branches. =bouillabaisse marseillaise.= (fish stew). simmer in shallow sauté pan six chopped shallots, one-half onion sliced very fine and one stalk of white leek also finely sliced, in two spoonsful of olive oil, for about one minute. then add a clove of chopped garlic, one glass of white wine, one pint of fish stock or hot water, salt, pepper, a little cayenne, a bouquet garni and the tail of a live lobster cut in six slices, and one dozen of well washed little neck clams shell and all, boil for ten minutes. add some solid meat of white fish such as rock cod, bass, tomcods, etc., and a pinch of whole saffron tied in a cloth. boil again for twenty-five minutes. do not skim. remove the saffron and serve in deep dish with the broth. sprinkle some chopped parsley over the top. serve separate, slices of bread fried in oil and then rubbed with garlic. =omelette au confiture.= (jelly omelet). same as strawberry omelet. put currant jelly or any kind of marmalade in center of omelet before turning over on platter. =oysters à la hyde.= parboil one-half cup of white celery chopped fine, for ten minutes, and allow to cool. put in sauce pan two dozen large raw oysters with their own juice, add two tablespoonsful of cracker meal, two ounces of butter, one cup of cream and the parboiled celery. season with salt, pepper, a little cayenne, and boil for two minutes. if the sauce is not sufficiently thick add a little more cracker meal. serve in chafing dish. december breakfast griddle cakes honey breakfast sausage rolls coffee luncheon casaba melon consommé ditalini eggs créole stuffed lamb chops, soubise champs elysées potatoes romaine salad napoleon cake coffee dinner little neck clams potage mongol fillet of sole, joinville chicken sauté, bordelaise artichokes hollandaise potatoes laurette biscuit tortoni macaroons coffee supper oysters mignonette salted almonds sweetbreads à la king parfait napolitain cakes demi tasse =breakfast sausages.= small pork sausages fried in pan with a small piece of butter. serve on platter with their own fat. =consommé ditalini.= boil some ditalini (a species of italian paste), in salt water, drain off and serve in consommé. grated cheese separate. =eggs créole.= put in buttered shirred egg dish one spoonful of créole sauce, break two eggs in center, and bake in oven. =créole sauce.= put in sauce pan three ounces of butter, one sliced onion, and three sliced green peppers. simmer for ten minutes, or until soft, then add one quart of canned tomatoes with their juice, one can of sliced french mushrooms, one-half can of sliced pimentos, a very little finely chopped garlic, and salt and pepper. cook slowly for one hour. fresh tomatoes may be substituted for canned, if desired; and if the sauce is too thick some brown gravy or bouillon may be added. =fillet of sole, joinville.= cook the fillets "au vin blanc." serve crayfish sauce or écrevisse, or shrimp sauce with sliced french mushrooms, truffles and lobster. =potage mongol.= one-third purée of peas, one-third consommé julienne, one-third purée of tomatoes. well mixed. =chicken sauté, bordelaise.= jointed chicken sauté in butter with a shallot. serve brown gravy with mushrooms and cèpes sauté, and garnish with fried onions. =cèpes sauté.= cèpes are a species of mushrooms and may be obtained in cans. slice and fry in butter and olive oil in equal parts, season with salt and pepper, and when nearly golden yellow add a very finely chopped shallot and some chopped parsley, and simmer for a minute longer. often used for garnishing entrées, etc. =fried onions.= cut large onions in thin slices and separate into rings. put in milk, then in flour, and fry in hot swimming lard. when brown remove, salt, and serve on napkin, or use for garnishing. december breakfast preserved figs oatmeal with cream chickens' livers sauté, au madère rolls coffee luncheon cold assorted meats alligator pear, french dressing roquefort cheese crackers coffee dinner lynnhaven oysters purée of lima beans, aux croutons ripe olives sand dabs, meunière louisiana gumbo filé boiled rice russian salad peach melba assorted cakes coffee =chickens' livers sauté, au madère.= cut the livers in three, salt and pepper and fry in sauté pan in butter. drain off and add a cup of sauce madère. do not let them boil in the sauce. =purée of lima beans.= take a can of lima beans, or a quart of fresh beans, put in vessel, cover with chicken broth or bouillon and boil till done. then strain through fine sieve, put back in vessel, add two ounces of sweet butter, and season to taste. serve with small squares of bread fried in butter. =louisiana gumbo filé.= two chickens, one quart of large oysters, one quart of cooked shrimps, six bell peppers, four large onions, one quart of tomatoes, one-half pound of butter, two bunches of celery, one small bunch of parsley, one-quarter teaspoonful of tobasco sauce, and black pepper and salt to suit. =first.=--cut the chicken the same way as for fricassée, and wipe dry. =second.=--cut onions and brown in butter, and strain. =third.=--fry chicken brown in strained butter, then set to one side. =fourth.=--add two tablespoonsful of flour to strained butter and brown gradually. when a rich brown add two quarts of boiling water, then add the tomatoes. now bring to boiling point and strain through a fine strainer. =fifth.=--place strained liquor in à large stew pan and add one teaspoonful of salt and a half teaspoonful of black pepper, then add the chicken. should the liquor not sufficiently cover the chicken add more hot water to about two inches above. then add the bell peppers and celery without cutting up. boil over slow fire until chicken can be picked off the bones with fork. then remove chicken and strip meat from bones and cut in small pieces, remove the celery and bell peppers, and replace chicken. add the shrimps, oysters and tobasco sauce. boil for ten minutes. then gradually add sufficient "filé powder" to bring to a rich creamy consistency. add to each plate two large tablespoonsful of boiled rice. serve immediately. =boiled rice.= wash one-half pound of rice and soak in cold water for an hour. cook over hot fire in four quarts of boiling water for fifteen minutes, or until the grains can be mashed between the fingers. strain through a colander. december breakfast hothouse raspberries with cream boiled eggs dry toast coffee luncheon livermore salad fillet of halibut, mornay french pastry rolls tea dinner potato and leek soup queen olives black bass, cambacérès vol au vent toulouse roast lamb, mint sauce rissolées potatoes field salad vanilla ice cream lady fingers coffee =livermore salad.= broil three country sausages, allow to cool and slice thin. mix with one peeled tomato cut in small squares, one-half cup of string beans, chives, chervil, salt and pepper, and one-third of white wine vinegar to two-thirds of olive oil. =fillet of halibut, mornay.= place the halibut fillets in buttered pan, season with salt and pepper, cover with fish stock or water, and boil. when nearly done remove from pan and put on buttered platter, cover with mornay sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese and place small pieces of butter on top. bake in oven till nice and brown. see sauce below. =sauce mornay.= for four persons use one pint of thick cream, season with salt and cayenne pepper, bind with the yolks of two eggs and one tablespoonful of grated cheese. =mint sauce.= use one-quarter pound of brown sugar to one quart of vinegar. bring to the boiling point, cool off and add some fresh mint leaves chopped fine. =rissolées potatoes.= cut potatoes in the form of a small egg or a ball. boil for seven minutes, then put in pan with butter and brown. sprinkle with salt. =vol au vent, toulouse.= boiled breast of chicken cut in small squares; chicken dumplings, dessertspoon size; one can of french mushrooms, whole; one sliced truffle, and two sweetbreads sliced and boiled in chicken broth. put all in casserole, add one-half wine glass of dry sherry wine, allow to become hot, and add sauce allemande to cover. it will now be like a stew. season to taste and fill the heated "vol au vents," or patties. =black bass, cambacérès.= simmer six finely chopped shallots in butter. while hot add three sliced fresh mushrooms, one peeled tomato cut in squares, and one-half glass of white wine. reduce almost dry. then add one pint of white wine sauce. cook the fish "au vin blanc" style and pour the sauce over same. december breakfast sliced pineapple rolled oats with cream rolls coffee luncheon omelette lorraine cold lamb with jelly salade américaine french pancake coffee dinner potage flamande boiled codfish, sauce horose potatoes nature tenderloin of beef, bristol lettuce salad ice cream assorted cakes demi tasse =omelette lorraine.= serve the omelette with small sausages, broiled bacon and madeira sauce. =salade américaine.= parboil one-half cup of okra cut in pieces one inch long. peel a tomato and a boiled potato and cut in strips. put in bowl with the okra, which has been allowed to cool, and garnish the top with very finely chopped virginia ham over one half, and with chopped green peppers over the other half. serve with french dressing. =pancakes.= for two persons take three-fourths of a cup of flour, the same of milk, one egg and a pinch of salt. mix together into a thin batter. bake on a pancake pan, well buttered. =english pancakes.= mix and cook the cakes as above. stack one on another in a chafing dish, sprinkling each with a little lime juice and powdered sugar. =pancakes lieb.= same as above, but instead of the lime juice, spread each cake with sweet butter and powdered sugar. keep hot with chafing dish. =french pancakes.= same ingredients as above, but cover each cake with currant jelly and roll into a roll. sprinkle with powdered sugar and burn with a redhot iron in stripes. =potage flamande.= potato soup garnished with brunoise. =boiled codfish, sauce horose.= boil the codfish, place on napkin, garnish with small boiled potatoes, quartered lemons and parsley. see sauce below. =sauce horose.= two-thirds hollandaise sauce and one-third tomato sauce mixed. =tenderloin of beef, bristol.= roast tenderloin of beef, sauce madère, garnished with rice croquettes in pear form, purée of green peas and laurette potatoes. =rice croquettes.= put two ounces of butter and a finely chopped onion in vessel and simmer until yellow. then add one cup of washed rice, one-half cup of bouillon and a pinch of salt, and cook in oven for ten minutes. then add one cup of sauce allemande and again put in oven for twenty minutes. when rice is well done bind with the yolks of two eggs and one spoonful of grated parmesan cheese. allow to cool and roll in the shape of a pear or ball or other desired shape. bread and fry in swimming lard. december breakfast sliced oranges boiled eggs corn muffins english breakfast tea luncheon consommé rivoli olives kingfish, meunière loin of mutton, charcutière corn fritters mashed potatoes coffee éclairs demi tasse dinner cream of chicken, à la reine celery. salted pecans fillet of sole, maximilian roast chicken, rosabelle escarole salad frozen raisin punch lady fingers coffee =consommé rivoli.= consommé garnished with carrots cut in half moon shape and boiled in consommé, small chicken dumplings and royal custard also cut in half moon shape. =kingfish, meunière.= wash and dry the fish and season with salt and pepper. roll in flour and sauté in pan with butter. when done put on platter and cover with sauce meunière. garnish with quartered lemons and parsley. see sauce below. =sauce meunière.= this is a butter sauce and is principally used for fish. place the fish or meat on a platter and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, chopped parsley and the juice of a lemon. heat in frying pan four ounces of butter to a hazelnut color and pour over the dish. =loin of mutton, charcutière.= salt and pepper the loin well on the inside, and roll up. put in roasting pan and roast in the usual manner. to make charcutière use the mutton pan gravy, or take madeira sauce, and add two sliced pickles and one dozen sliced green olives. =corn fritters.= one-half cup of flour, one egg, one-half cup of milk, one teaspoonful of baking powder and salt and pepper. mix well and then add one and one-half cups of grated fresh corn, or a can of drained corn. fry in pan with hot butter. serve on napkin. =cream of chicken, à la reine.= cream of chicken served with small chicken dumplings. =fillet of sole, maximilian.= cook fish as for "au vin blanc." cover with hollandaise sauce mixed with one tablespoonful of hot meat extract. =roast chicken, rosabelle.= garnish the chicken with hearts of artichokes and whole tomatoes, macédoine. sauce madère. this garnish is fine with most any kind of meat. =frozen raisin punch.= strain the juice of three lemons, add one pint of water, one-half pound of granulated sugar and freeze in the usual manner. have ready one-half pound of boiled in sugar, and chopped, seeded or seedless raisins. let the raisins cool, and add with the whites of two eggs, well beaten, to the contents of the freezer, and finish. serve in glasses with kirschwasser or maraschino poured over the top. december breakfast wheat cakes honey rolls coffee luncheon omelette du czar pickled ham with red cabbage rolled oats pudding coffee dinner purée of white beans pickles striped bass, portugaise braised beef macaroni in cream chiffonnade salad oriental cup cakes coffee =omelette du czar.= grate a horseradish root and place in pan with piece of butter. when hot add one-half cup of cream sauce and mix well. make the omelet, and before turning on the platter put the horseradish in the center. serve with cream sauce around the edge. =pickled ham.= take a fresh leg of pork, rub with salt and pepper and put in earthern jar. cover with red or white wine, or water mixed with wine, as you prefer; one onion, one carrot, a piece of celery, parsley in branches, a few pepper berries and a bouquet garni. after two or three days take out the leg of pork and roast in the ordinary manner. half of the pork pickle may be used to make a flour gravy if desired. =red cabbage.= slice a head of red cabbage very fine. put in vessel with salt, pepper, one glassful of red wine and two cups of fat bouillon. cover and cook in oven for two hours. =red cabbage, german style.= one sliced red cabbage, one-half glass of vinegar, three sliced apples, two cups of bouillon, and a small piece of salt pork or bacon. put in oven and cook as above. =purée of white beans.= soak two pounds of white beans over night. put in pot and cover with stock or bouillon. cook until soft, strain through fine sieve, put back in pot and add enough bouillon to make a soup. season to taste, add two ounces of sweet butter, and serve with small squares of bread fried in butter, separate. =striped bass, portugaise.= take a whole bass and cut in slices two inches thick. put in a buttered pan one-half of an onion chopped, three chopped shallots, a little chopped garlic and parsley, two tomatoes cut in small squares and a bouquet garni. place the fish on top, season with salt and pepper, add one glass of white wine, one cup of stock or fish broth, cover and cook slowly. when done remove the bouquet, place the fish on platter and reduce the broth one-half. add four ounces of butter, mix well and pour over the fish. sprinkle with a little fresh-chopped parsley mixed with a little finely chopped garlic. =macaroni in cream.= boil the macaroni in salt water. when done drain, add cream sauce, a little sweet butter, salt and cayenne pepper. serve grated cheese separate. december breakfast picked-up codfish in cream rolls coffee luncheon grapefruit with maraschino poached eggs, à l'indienne nivernaise salad german huckleberry pie coffee dinner oysters on half shell clam broth in cups salted almonds boiled whitefish, golfin hollandaise potatoes salade rejane pistache ice cream assorted cakes coffee =picked-up codfish in cream.= soak one pound of codfish in cold water over night. cut two fresh-boiled potatoes in small squares. put the codfish in cold water and boil for ten minutes, drain, and shred the fish in small pieces. put in pot with the potatoes, add two cups of cream sauce, salt and a little cayenne pepper, and simmer for ten minutes. =poached eggs, à l'indienne.= lay hot poached eggs on plain boiled rice and cover with curry sauce. =curry sauce.= simmer one onion, one leek, a small piece of celery, one bay leaf, a branch of thyme and a little garlic in three ounces of butter. then add two spoonsful of curry powder and two of flour. when hot add one quart of stock, one sliced apple, one sliced banana sauté in butter, and one-half cup of indian chutney. boil for twenty minutes, strain through a fine sieve and salt to taste. this sauce is used for chicken, fish, oysters, lamb, veal, etc., and should be made respectively with chicken broth, fish broth, juice of oysters, and so forth. =salade nivernaise.= cut in dices cooked carrots, beets and turnips. place in salad bowl in separate piles with a bouquet of watercress in center. season with french dressing. =boiled whitefish, golfin.= boil in the same manner as codfish. serve on napkin, garnished with parsley, lemon and small boiled potatoes. serve sauce separate. see below. =sauce golfin.= white wine sauce mixed with small strips of boiled smoked tongue and gherkins. =salade rejane.= boiled celery root and artichoke buttons, and two tomatoes cut in squares. place in salad bowl in separate piles. slice two pimentos and place in center. season with french dressing. =pistache ice cream.= prepare a vanilla ice cream mixture. crush one-quarter pound of pistachio nuts to a very fine paste, mix with a little orange flower water and two ounces of sugar. infuse in the vanilla ice cream mixture, and strain when hot. allow to become cold, color a very light green, and freeze. december breakfast sliced bananas shredded wheat biscuit with cream dry toast tea luncheon consommé orleans poached eggs, diane tripe à la créole boiled rice demi tasse coffee éclairs dinner potage alexandra fish patties, bagration veal kidney roast turnips glacés gendarmes potatoes celery root, field and beet salad bavarois au chocolat macaroons coffee =consommé orleans.= boiled barley well-washed so it will not discolor the soup, small chicken dumplings, peas, one peeled tomato cut in very small squares, and some chopped chervil. put in consommé just before dishing up. =poached eggs, diane.= line a tartelette mould with paste and fill with raw white beans to support the walls, and bake in oven. then throw out the beans and fill with tomatoes sauté in butter, place a poached egg on top, cover with hollandaise sauce, and put in hot oven for a second. =tripe à la créole.= cut two pounds of boiled tripe in strips, put in casserole one pint of créole sauce and boil for thirty minutes. serve with boiled rice. =potage alexandra.= half velouté of chicken and half cream of potatoes. =veal kidney roast.= secure a loin of veal with the kidneys left in, roll, season well and roast in the same manner as shoulder of veal. =fish patties, bagration.= small pieces of sole, twelve oysters, and twelve little neck clams boiled in white wine. drain and add six heads of french mushrooms sliced, one sliced truffle, and enough white wine sauce to make the consistency of a stew. have the patty shells very hot, and fill. =turnips glacés.= cut the turnips in pieces four times the size of an almond, and put to boil in salt water. when nearly done drain, add a small piece of butter and put in oven until yellow. then add one spoonful of meat extract and glacé them. =gendarme potatoes.= cut the potatoes in the same shape as for french fried. put in pan with piece of butter and roast in oven. when half done add one sliced onion and finish roasting. sprinkle with salt and chopped parsley before serving. =celery root, field and beet salad.= boil two peeled celery roots. when cold slice and put in salad bowl with field salad on top, and decorate with sliced boiled beets. season with french dressing. december breakfast stewed rhubarb boiled eggs dipped toast rolls coffee luncheon sweet-and-sour bananas consommé massenet blood pudding mashed turnips camembert cheese crackers coffee dinner potage reine margot celery boiled salmon, sauce riche olivette potatoes breast of chicken, alexandra hearts of lettuce philadelphia ice cream assorted cakes coffee =sweet-and-sour bananas.= put six ounces of brown sugar and some pepper berries tied in cheese cloth, in one quart of vinegar and bring to the boiling point. then add three sliced green peppers and boil for two minutes, add six sliced pimentos and remove the pepper berries. peel one dozen bananas and put them in an earthern jar and pour the boiling vinegar and peppers over them. let stand for twelve hours and serve cold. =consommé massenet.= garnish the consommé with boiled carrots cut in half-moon shape, and boiled macaroni cut in pieces one-half inch long. sprinkle with chopped chervil. =blood pudding.= made of pork blood, etc., and may be obtained from your butcher. broil or fry in butter. =potage reine margot.= to cream of chicken add some almonds mashed fine, mixed with a little cream, and strained. this is called almond milk. =sauce riche.= mix a tablespoonful of anchovy paste with a pint of hollandaise sauce, add one truffle, three heads of french mushrooms, and one dozen shrimps cut in small squares. =breast of chicken, alexandra.= take the breasts of a raw roasting chicken, season with salt and pepper, put in sauté pan with butter. cook until nice and yellow, add one-half cup of cream and finish cooking. place the breasts on two oval croustades filled with string beans sauté. add the cream gravy to a cup of mornay sauce, with a little paprika, cover the breasts with this sauce and bake in oven till golden yellow. serve on napkin with parsley in branches. =vanilla bavarois.= boil one quart of milk with one-half of a split vanilla bean. stir in gradually, until it gets creamy, six ounces of sugar mixed with the yolks of four eggs. add five leaves of gelatine that have been washed in cold water, stirring until melted. strain, when cold add one pint of rich, very stiff, whipped cream. pour into moulds of fancy shape and place in ice box for about two hours. serve with vanilla sauce or sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla. december breakfast baked apples with cream scrambled eggs with fine herbes crescents coffee luncheon croustade cancalaise consommé fleury ragout à la deutsch roquefort cheese crackers coffee dinner potage faubonne médaillon of sole, st. victor roast squab asparagus hollandaise duchesse potatoes romaine salad pineapple water ice assorted cakes coffee =scrambled eggs with fine herbs.= add to the eggs some fine cut chives, parsley and chervil. =croustade cancalaise.= drain off the juice from pickled oysters and fill the croustades with them. cover with sauce tyrolienne and garnish with chopped hard-boiled eggs. =consommé fleury.= sliced sorrel boiled in water for a second, boiled rice, small asparagus tips and peas, in equal parts. serve in consommé. =ragout à la deutsch.= one-half pound of sliced raw tenderloin of beef, and three lamb kidneys, season with salt and pepper and fry in frying pan with very hot butter. when done remove the meat and place in a deep dish. put three chopped shallots and a green pepper cut in small dices, in the butter in frying pan and simmer for a minute. drain, add two cups of brown gravy and one cup of sauté potatoes. mix with the meat, but do not allow to boil. serve from the deep dish or casserole. =potage faubonne.= make a purée of white beans and bind with the yolk of one egg mixed with a little cream. serve small squares of bread fried in butter, separate. =médaillon of sole, st. victor.= cook the fish in white wine and allow to become cold. mix the stock with white wine sauce, bring to a boil and reduce until it becomes very thick. strain and mix with equal parts of mayonnaise, whipping well so it will not turn. let the sauce become cold and pour over the fish, and place in the ice box. boil three eggs for seven minutes, cool, split in two crosswise, remove the yolk and fill with fresh caviar. turn the eggs upside down and cover with some of the fish sauce, colored a delicate rose. cut some peeled tomatoes in the form of strawberries, and make a vegetable salad mixed with a little thick mayonnaise. make a pyramid of the salad in the middle of the dish, place the fillet of sole around it, and garnish with the eggs and tomatoes. sprinkle with chopped parsley. december breakfast honey in comb waffles yarmouth bloater rolls coffee luncheon german pancakes chocolate whipped cream dinner potage mathilda lobster croquettes, cream sauce plain potted squab chicken stewed tomatoes lettuce braisé château potatoes cold artichokes, mustard sauce charlotte aux pommes coffee =german pancakes.= two eggs, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of flour, a pinch of salt, a little nutmeg and one teaspoonful of sugar. mix well. have à large frying pan ready with hot butter. be sure and have the butter run all over the inside of the pan so the pancake will not stick to the sides when it rises. pour in the batter and place in oven. when nearly done, powder with sugar and put back in oven to brown. serve with lemon and powdered sugar. =potage mathilda.= cream of cucumbers with small squares of bread fried in butter. =rice créole.= put in sauce pan three ounces of butter, one chopped onion, a slice of raw ham cut in small squares, and one green pepper cut in small dices. simmer until the onions are soft, then add one cup of washed rice, one peeled and chopped tomato, two red peppers (pimentos), cut in small dices, two cups of stock or bouillon, and a little salt. cover and put in oven until the rice is soft. before serving add two spoonsful of grated parmesan or swiss cheese. this rice may be used for stuffing green peppers, tomatoes, onions, etc. =chicken croquettes.= three cups of chicken hash made from white and dark meat, one cup of chopped fresh or canned mushrooms, and one-half onion chopped very fine. simmer in butter. then add two cups of allemande or cream sauce, season with salt and cayenne pepper. put on fire and reduce until thick. bind with the yolks of two eggs. allow to become cold, and form in pyramid shape or in the shape of à large cork, bread, and fry in swimming fat until well colored. serve on napkin with sauce separate, or around the croquettes. a chopped truffle may be added before simmering, if desired. =sweetbread croquettes.= three cups of sweetbreads parboiled and cut in small dices, and if desired, one chopped truffle. simmer with chopped onions, and then follow recipe for chicken croquettes. =lobster croquettes.= three cups of lobster cut in small dices, one cup of canned or fresh mushrooms, and one truffle chopped fine. simmer all in butter, then add one-half glass of sherry wine and cook for two minutes, then add two cups of cream sauce and reduce. bind with the yolks of three eggs. follow directions for chicken croquettes for cooking and serving. december breakfast preserved figs with cream shirred eggs dry toast cocoa luncheon petite marmite broiled lobster roast beef cléo potatoes string bean salad lemon pie coffee dinner potage duchesse fillet of sole, marguery roast lamb, mint sauce succotash broiled fresh mushrooms on toast alligator pear salad peach tetrazzini assorted cakes coffee =petite marmite.= put in a vessel with cold water to cover, five pounds of short ribs of beef and a soup hen. season with a spoonful of salt, and bring to a boil, and skim carefully so the broth will be clear. then add two large carrots, three turnips, a piece of cabbage, one stalk of celery and four leeks, all tied in a cheese cloth; one bouquet garni, and à large marrow bone. when beef and fowl are well done remove, take off the skin and fat and cut the meat in pieces one inch square. remove the bouquet garni, and cut the cabbage, carrots, turnips, celery and leeks in round pieces one-half inch in diameter. put the beef, chicken and vegetables in another pot and strain the broth over them. boil slowly for five minutes. have your butcher saw some raw marrow bones in wafers as thin as paper, and add them to the soup at the last moment. serve very hot in soup tureen, with a sprinkle of chopped chervil. cut some crust of bread or rolls in diamond shape, bake in oven till brown, and serve separate. special earthern petite marmite pots are carried at the large stores, and are preferable to tureens for serving. =broiled lobster.= cut a live lobster in two lengthwise, season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with olive oil, and broil on hot iron. serve with maître d'hôtel sauce, garnished with lemons and parsley. =cléo potatoes.= cut raw potatoes in pear shapes the size of an egg, parboil in salt water, then put in a well-buttered pan pointed end up, sprinkle with melted butter and roast in oven, basting all the time till brown. when done, salt and serve on napkin, garnished with parsley. =string bean salad.= put in salad bowl some cold boiled string beans, sprinkle with very finely-sliced chives, chopped parsley, salt and fresh-ground black pepper, and one-third vinegar and two-thirds olive oil. =potage duchesse.= cream of rice with royal in strips. =fillet of sole, marguery.= prepare the sole as for "au vin blanc." place on top of each fillet two parboiled mussels, and two heads of french mushrooms, cover with sauce "au vin blanc," sprinkle with bread crumbs made from stale rolls, and a little butter, and bake in hot oven until a light yellow color. december breakfast hothouse raspberries with cream oatmeal rolls coffee luncheon eggs ministerielle cold assorted meats chiffonnade salad pont neuf cake demi tasse dinner blue points, mignonette bisque d'écrevisses salted almonds. celery ripe california olives fillet of trout, café de paris sweetbreads braisé, au jus purée de marrons roast goose, apple sauce sweet potatoes, southern style pâté de foie gras de strasbourg lettuce salad, aux fines herbes frozen diplomate pudding assorted cakes pont l'évêque cheese crackers nuts and raisins coffee =eggs ministerielle.= cut sandwich bread in slices about two inches thick. with a round cutter about three inches in diameter cut out the white of the bread. with another cutter about an inch and a half in diameter cut out the center of the round slices, leaving a ring of bread. soak these rings in thick cream for a second, put on buttered dish, break an egg in the center of each, salt and pepper, cover with a light cream sauce, sprinkle with grated cheese, and bake in oven for about eight minutes. =pont neuf potatoes.= three times the size of regular "french" fried potatoes. =sweetbreads braisé au jus. (glacé).= place in buttered sauté pan one sliced onion, one carrot, a little parsley, a bay leaf and a clove, and a few pepper berries. put three parboiled sweetbreads, which may be larded with fresh or salted pork if desired, on top, add one-half cup of bouillon, salt, and put over fire to boil. when reduced place in oven, add a small quantity of meat extract, and glacé by basting continually with its own broth, until well browned. when done lay on platter and strain the broth over them. =bisque d'écrevisses.= remove the tails of three dozen écrevisses. use two-thirds of the shells, broken up, to make the soup, and one-third for écrevisse butter. simmer in butter one onion, one carrot, a leek and a little celery, all cut up; with one bay leaf, some thyme and one spoonful of black pepper berries. then add the broken shells, two spoonsful of flour, one glass of white wine, one-half glass of brandy, one gallon of bouillon and one cup of raw rice. season with salt and cayenne pepper, cook till rice is very soft, and strain through fine sieve. bisque should be a little thicker than other cream soups. before serving add two spoonsful of écrevisse butter and stir well, then add the écrevisse tails and one-half glass of cognac. =Écrevisse= butter. break fine in mortar some écrevisse (crayfish) shells. put in sauce pan with one-half pound of butter, one-half onion, one-half carrot, a small piece of celery, one-half of a leek stalk, a little thyme, one bay leaf and a few pepper berries, and simmer in oven till butter is clarified, or clear, and all the other liquids evaporated. squeeze through cheese cloth into a bowl standing in ice. the butter will rise to the top, and may be easily removed when cold. this butter is used with many sauces, soups, etc. =lobster butter.= use lobster shells and prepare in the same manner as écrevisse butter. this butter is used for lobster sauce, newburg dishes, soups, etc. december breakfast stewed prunes boiled eggs toast tea luncheon grapefruit en suprême cold goose and ham, apple sauce romaine salad brie cheese crackers coffee dinner potage bonne femme roast ruddy duck fried hominy and currant jelly cold asparagus, mustard sauce baba au rhum coffee =potage bonne femme.= purée of white beans with julienne of vegetables. =fillet of sole, florentine.= put the fillet of one sole in a buttered pan, salt, add one-half glass of water mixed with white wine, and boil until done. in the center of a buttered platter put a cup of purée of spinach and place the boiled fillet on top, cover with mornay sauce, with grated cheese and small bits of butter on top of the sauce. bake in oven until brown. =roast ruddy duck.= roast for twelve minutes, in the same manner as teal duck. =baba au rhum.= one-half pound of flour, one ounce of yeast, three ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, two ounces of currants and the rind and juice of one lemon. dissolve the yeast in one cup of warm milk and make a soft sponge with half of the flour, cover and let rise in a warm place. work the sugar and the butter together until creamy, add the eggs and lemon and the rest of the flour. when the sponge has risen to twice its original size mix with the batter; at the same time adding the currants. fill baba moulds half full and let raise until nearly to the edge of the moulds. bake in a rather hot oven. when done soak well in a syrup made with one pint of water, one pound of sugar, one gill of rum and the juice of a lemon. pour some of the sauce over the babas when serving. =savarin au kirsch.= make a dough the same as for baba au rhum, but omit the currants. fill a round crown-shaped savarin mould half full, allow to raise, and bake. soak in a syrup made of one pint of water, one pound of sugar, and one gill of kirschwasser. serve warm. =savarin chantilly.= same as savarin au kirsch, but decorated with whipped cream, and served cold. =savarin montmorency.= like savarin au kirsch, but serve hot with stewed stoned cherries as sauce. =savarin mirabelle.= same as savarin au kirsch, but serve hot with stewed stoned mirabelles. december breakfast preserved figs ham and eggs toasted corn muffins coffee luncheon consommé in cups ripe olives panfish sauté, meunière stewed tripe, blanchard savarin au kirsch coffee dinner potage flamande frogs' legs, sauté à sec roast sirloin of beef, porte maillot lettuce braisé château potatoes endive salad biscuit glacé assorted cakes coffee =stewed tripe, blanchard.= simmer a chopped onion in three ounces of butter, add one pint of bouillon, or stock, or chicken broth, one spoonful of flour, one pound of tripe cut in strips, one cupful of raw round potatoes cut out with a small-size "parisian" spoon, one bouquet garni and one gill of white wine. cover and cook for one hour, or until potatoes are very soft. before serving remove bouquet garni and sprinkle with fresh-chopped parsley. =potage flamande.= potato soup mixed with brunoise. =frogs' legs, sauté à sec.= to have the best flavor frogs should be killed just before cooking. remove the skins and cut off the hind legs, salt and pepper them and roll in flour. sauté one dozen frogs' legs in three ounces of hot butter in a frying pan, for a few minutes over a good fire. then add a chopped shallot and let simmer for a few minutes. the legs should then be crisp. serve on a platter with chopped parsley and lemon. =roast sirloin of beef, porte maillot.= roast the sirloin, serve with sauce madère, garnish with small french carrots, celery braisé, lettuce braisé and château potatoes. =lettuce braisé.= wash four heads of large romaine lettuce in cold water, parboil in salt water, cool, and squeeze dry with the hands. cut each head in four lengthwise, remove the stem, season with salt and pepper, and fold so both ends come together. place a piece of pigskin in the bottom of a buttered pan, put the lettuce on top, and add a sliced onion, one carrot and a bay leaf. cover with buttered manilla paper and allow to simmer for a while. then add one cup of stock, put in oven and cook until soft. used for garnishing entrées, etc. =biscuit glacé.= put in double boiler eight yolks of eggs, one-half pound of sugar, and one-half of a split vanilla bean. cook until it thickens, stirring continually. then remove from the fire and beat with an egg whip until cold and very light. remove the vanilla bean, add one quart of whipped cream and mix lightly. put in fancy paper cases or fancy moulds, and freeze. before serving decorate the tops with whipped cream, or any kind of ice cream or water ice. =biscuit glacé, st. francis.= fill some oblong paper cases with biscuit glacé foundation, put in ice box to freeze, decorate the tops with pistachio and strawberry ice cream before serving. =biscuit glacé= of strawberry, raspberry, coffee, pistachio, chocolate, apple, mapleine, pineapple, kirsch, peppermint, etc. same as biscuit glacé, but decorate with the desired ice cream or water ice before serving. december breakfast broiled finnan haddie baked potatoes rolls coffee luncheon canapé of sardines boston baked beans brown bread coffee dinner seapuit oysters cream of rice salted pecans fillet of flounder, café riche spring lamb tenderloin, thomas roast chicken, au jus hearts of romaine, egg dressing strawberry parfait macaroons coffee =broiled finnan haddie.= (smoked haddock). remove the bones, roll in oil and put on iron to broil. when done on both sides place on platter, cover with maître d'hôtel sauce or plain melted butter, garnish with parsley in branches and quartered lemons. =cream of rice.= melt in sauce pan two ounces of butter, add one-quarter pound of rice flour, and when hot, one and one-half pints of chicken broth. boil for ten minutes and strain. season with salt and cayenne pepper, and add one-half pint of hot cream and a small piece of butter before serving. =salted pecans.= roast one-half pound of shelled pecans to a light brown color, wet with a solution of water and a little gum arabic, or the white of an egg, while they are still hot, and then dust over with one spoonful of fine table salt and stir until dry. =salted english walnuts.= follow directions for pecans. =fillet of flounder, café riche.= put the fillets in a buttered pan, cover with white wine, and boil. when done place on platter, pour génoise sauce with the addition of a spoonful of beef extract, over the fish. =spring lamb tenderloin, thomas.= broil the tenderloin and dish up on buttered toast, and cover with sauce colbert. garnish on one side with small boiled potatoes covered with cream sauce, and flageolet beans on the other. =flageolet beans.= these are french beans and can be obtained in cans. put on the fire in salt water, bring to the boiling point, and drain. add sweet butter, salt and pepper, mix well and serve immediately. =egg dressing, for salads.= chop two hard-boiled eggs, and put in salad bowl with one-half teaspoonful of french mustard, one pinch of salt, some fresh-ground pepper, a little chopped parsley, a little chervil, two spoonsful of vinegar and four of olive oil. mix well. =strawberry parfait.= with one quart of strawberry ice cream mix one pint of sweet whipped cream. put in moulds or glasses and serve with whipped cream on top. =parfaits.= pistachio, vanilla, chocolate, peach and café, all prepared the same as strawberry. =neapolitan parfait.= put in mould or glass, three kinds of parfaits, as strawberry, vanilla and pistachio. allow to become very hard in ice box, and serve whipped cream on top. =wilson parfait.= peach parfait with the addition of some chopped peeled peaches. serve with whipped cream and a crystallized violet on top. december breakfast baked apples oatmeal with cream rolls coffee luncheon canapé monte carlo poached eggs, persanne tosca salad french pastry coffee dinner consommé madrilène ripe california olives boiled salmon, sauce anglaise ragout fin stanislaus salad cream cheese with bar le duc crackers coffee =canapé monte carlo.= purée of foie gras lightly mixed with a little stiff mayonnaise and spread on thin toast. garnish around the edge with chopped yolks of hard-boiled eggs, and serve on napkins with parsley in branches. =eggs persanne.= place hot poached eggs on a round toast, cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with fine chopped ham and parsley. =tosca salad.= cut in fine strips about one inch long some boiled ham, tongue, cooked potatoes and buttons of artichokes. arrange in salad bowl with some asparagus tips in the center, garnish with the chopped yolks and whites of hard-boiled eggs, separate; and serve with french dressing. =consommé madrilène.= slice a handful of sorrel and cook for five minutes in consommé. add vermicelli and one tomato cut in small dices. serve grated cheese separate. =boiled salmon, sauce anglaise.= cook the salmon in the same manner as for hollandaise. for sauce anglaise use one pint of hollandaise sauce, mixed with two chopped hard-boiled eggs, sliced chives, chopped parsley and chervil. serve separate. =stanislaus salad.= remove the inside leaves of a whole head of lettuce, leaving a green bowl. put in bottom, celery cut in long strips, with slices of grapefruit and seedless grapes cut in half, on top. sprinkle with chopped walnuts. serve with french dressing. =ragout fin.= slice some parboiled tender sweetbreads, chickens' livers, chickens' combs, chickens' kidneys and truffles, and sauté in butter, cooking each separately. then put all in one pan, add a half glass of good sherry, boil for one minute, add a half pint of brown gravy, simmer for a few minutes, and serve with chopped chervil on top. chickens' combs and kidneys come in bottles from france. if you wish you may cut the tips from raw rooster combs, put in boiling water for a minute, when they can be rubbed with salt to remove the skin. then soak in cold water to cause the blood to run out, and boil in salt water till soft. =cream cheese with bar le duc.= mix some cream cheese with a little whipped cream and spread on plate in the shape of a ring. put some red bar le duc jelly in center. serve toasted crackers separate. december breakfast grapefruit pork sausages apple sauce wheat cakes coffee luncheon plain consommé in cups fried fillet of sole, rémoulade brie cheese and crackers coffee dinner potage jackson crab meat monza chicken dumplings, sauce allemande braised beef à la mode peas à la français duchesse potatoes pineapple biscuit glacé assorted cakes coffee =fried fillet of sole.= clean and trim the fillets, season with salt and pepper, roll in flour, then in beaten eggs, then in bread crumbs, and fry in swimming hot lard for five minutes. remove and serve on napkin with quartered lemons and fried parsley. sauce separate. =rémoulade sauce.= take a handful of spinach, one of watercress and one of parsley and mash fine in a mortar. put in a cloth and press out the juice. mix the juice with a pint and a half of mayonnaise, add four chopped gherkins and some sliced chives. =crab meat, monza.= wash carefully one pound of fresh mushrooms, and cut each one in four. put in sauté pan with two ounces of butter and simmer for thirty minutes. when the mushrooms are soft add the meat of one crab cooked in cream. before serving add one gill of dry sherry wine. =crab meat in cream.= remove the meat from the shell of a boiled crab. in a sauce pan put a piece of butter the size of an egg, and place on stove. when warm add two spoonsful of flour and allow to become hot, then add one pint of boiling milk and one-fourth of a pint of hot cream. stir well and boil for ten minutes. season with salt and cayenne pepper, then add the crab meat and serve in deep dish. serve dry toast separate. =chicken dumplings.= (quenelles de volaille). take the breast of a raw fowl and trim carefully away the fat, using the white meat only. chop very fine and pass through a fine sieve, place in a bowl on ice, season with salt and cayenne pepper, and with a wooden spoon stir in little by little some very thick cream (not whipped), which has been kept on ice. add the cream until you have nearly double the amount of force meat. have two teaspoons in cold water. take one and fill with the force meat, make a little hole in the middle and fill with goose liver purée and close up. remove the dumpling from the first spoon with the other one and place on a buttered pan, and continue. when enough are formed cover with stock and bring to the boiling point, then set off the fire and let stand for ten minutes on the back of the range. the force meat may be used for small dumplings without the purée of goose liver; or some other filling may be used. make them small for garnishing consommé, vol au vent, patties, financière, tortue, etc. the force meat is also used to make timbales of chicken. =sauce allemande.= cut up three pounds of veal bones, put in vessel with two gallons of water, bring to a boil and skim. add one onion, a carrot, a little celery and leek, some pepper berries, two cloves, a sprig of thyme and some salt. boil for two hours and strain. put in sauce pan three ounces of butter, when hot add two ounces of flour and heat again. then add a pint and a half of the broth, boil for ten minutes, season and strain. this is the foundation of many fancy sauces. =potage jackson.= potato soup with small pieces of macaroni added. december breakfast raw apples rolled oats with cream buttered toast cocoa with whipped cream luncheon poached eggs, zingara calf's head, vinaigrette boiled potatoes lemon pie coffee dinner toke point oysters potage américaine fillet of sole, valeska saddle of lamb, international chiffonnade salad coffee ice cream alsatian wafers demi tasse =poached eggs, zingara.= poached eggs on toast. cover with tomato sauce and small strips of tongue. =potage américaine.= put in a pot one onion, one leek, and a little celery, and simmer in three ounces of butter until soft. then add two spoonsful of flour and simmer again. now add one peeled and cut up squash, a bouquet garni and two quarts of stock, and boil till well done. remove the bouquet garni and strain the remainder through a fine sieve. season with salt and pepper. before serving add one cup of cream and two cups of plain boiled rice. =fillet of sole, valeska.= this is stuffed fillet of sole with a slice of lobster and a slice of truffle on top, and cooked in white wine. reduce broth and add hollandaise sauce, and stir in a spoonful of écrevisse butter to give a pink color. =saddle of lamb, international.= put saddle of lamb in a roasting pan with one carrot, an onion, a piece of celery, a few pepper berries and some parsley in branches. season the saddle with salt and pepper, rubbing in well. spread some butter over the top and roast in oven, basting continually so it will not become dry. cook for forty minutes, then take saddle from the pan, remove the fat and add to the gravy a spoonful of flour and a cup of stock or hot water, salt, cook for five minutes and strain. before serving add one-half gill of sherry wine. for international garnishing use a bouquet each of purée of peas, mashed potatoes and purée of chestnuts. =coffee ice cream.= add to vanilla ice cream before freezing one pint of strong coffee and one-quarter pound of sugar. =calf's head, plain.= cut the flesh, tongue and brains from the skull and put in cold water for six hours. put the brains aside. (see index for calf's brains.) put the rest of the meat on the fire in water with a handful of salt, bring to a boil and allow to cool. then cut in square pieces, leaving the tongue whole. put the cut-up pieces in a pot, cover with water, add one handful of salt, a carrot, an onion, a spoonful of black pepper berries, one bouquet garni and a lemon cut in two. boil till well done. if not to be used right away put in earthen jar and strain the broth over it. =vinaigrette sauce.= chop fine one small sour pickle and add salt, some fresh-ground black pepper, one spoonful of vinegar, two spoonsful of olive oil, some sliced chives, chopped parsley and chervil. if desired, add one chopped shallot and a spoonful of chopped capers. selections from the hotel st. francis menu files _hotel st. francis, oriental dinner_, may : fruit salad, oriental cream of chicken, sam yong mixed chinese nuts halibut, veronica chop suey roast duckling, apple sauce noodles cold artichoke mikados glacee mignardises demi tasse _hotel st. francis, californian dinner_, march , : california oysters clear green turtle, sherry salted almonds sand dabs, meunière sweetbreads braisé, with peas broiled san francisco jumbo squab château potatoes cold fresh asparagus, mustard sauce café parfait assorted cakes demi tasse _french dinner_, march , : coeur de palmier, victor crème de volaille, à la reine amandes salées truite de rivière, meunière pommes parisienne pigeonneau au cresson petits pois Étuvés salade de saison pudding diplomate glacé petits fours demi tasse _to meet mr. masaya suzuki, director of the sumitomo bank, limited, and director-in-chief of the sumitomo general head office. mr. seiichi koh, host_, april , : canapé favorite toke point oysters green turtle soup almonds celery olives seafood, marinière noisette of spring lamb, colbert sherbet fleur de palma sweetbreads conte de nassau breast of chicken, st. francis potatoes clarence heart of lettuce, fines herbes biscuit emaline friandises coffee _amontillado sherry_ _pommery greno_ _liqueurs_ _hotel st. francis, mexican dinner_, may , : Écrevisses, gourmet (cold) abalone chowder salted jordan almonds boiled striped bass, hollandaise potatoes nature pilaff mexicaine roast imperial squab asparagus tips salade de saison fancy ice cream wafers demi tasse _hotel st. francis, italian dinner_, april , : hors d'oeuvres, italienne bisque d'Écrevisses salted almonds shad au gratin, piedmontaise macaroni, caruso stuffed imperial squab potatoes, tetrazzini cold artichoke tutti frutti friandises bonbon italien demi tasse _hotel st. francis, southern dinner_, may , : pickled oysters, new orleans giblet soup, with barley salted nuts boiled salmon, génoise vol au vent, toulouse roast squab potatoes sybil cold asparagus coupe carolina assorted cakes demi tasse _patek-newman wedding_, august , : fresh caviar toke points essence of chicken celery olives salted nuts frogs' legs, newman noisettes of lamb, colbert peas Étuvé champagne punch breast of duckling pommes à la reine salad veronica fancy ice cream cakes coffee _mr. raphael weill_, may , : california oysters on half shell salmon belly, béchamel white corn bread, sliced saddle of lamb chicory salad asparagus, sauce mousseline hot waffles café au lait _chi psi fraternity_, august , : toke points clear bortsch salted almonds celery olives lobster newburgh vol au vent, financière châteaubriand, colbert peas à la française pommes château champagne punch breast of squab salad de saison fancy ice cream cakes _hayashi banquet_, march , : california oysters on half shell potage lemardelais salted walnuts olives celery mountain trout, meunière pommes maître d'hôtel noisette of baby lamb, périgord croustade st. germain sorbet doi roast guinea hen lettuce and tomato salad glacé madeleine mignardises coffee _mr. a. johnston, dinner to charles schwab_, may , : crab cocktail, moscovite chicken gumbo, princess almonds olives sweetbreads, eugenie roast guinea hen grilled sweet potato artichokes, french dressing fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _mr. james woods, dinner to mr. boomer of new york_, may , : hors d'oeuvres beef tea en tasse diable olives almonds huîtres vol au vent of chicken saddle of lamb potatoes reine chicory asparagus, hollandaise sauce bavarois cakes coffee _knights of the royal arch_, may , : toke points cream of celery olives almonds striped bass, joinville tournedos forestière pommes rissolé peas Étuvé champagne punch roast squab chicken salad de saison fancy ice cream cakes coffee _mrs. neustadter_, february , : california and toke points consommé de volaille, royal almonds olives frogs à la michels asparagus, hollandaise chicken poêlé brandied peaches pommes fondantes goose liver sauté lettuce, french dressing fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _real estate banquet_, february , : toke points mongol english walnuts olives celery fillet of bass, joinville sweetbread cutlets, virginia peas roast squab potatoes château salad de saison fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _mr. l. j. scroffy_, february , : fresh caviar celery olives almonds terrapin maryland wild rice virginia ham glacé, ferrari faison truffles salad de saison pudding glacé, diplomate mignardises coffee _mrs. j. c. cowdin_, january , : canapé de caviar frais huîtres de californie bortsch clair en tasse celeri olives mures amandes salées poitrine de faisan aux figues pommes à la reine petits pois à la française foie d'oie à la gelée salad de laitue coupe st. jacques mignardises demi tasse _mrs. samuel rissinger_, january , : hors d'oeuvres russe potage lord mayor almonds olives celery frogs, michels breast of pheasant, rossini figs au madère fresh asparagus, hollandaise salad veronica apple charlotte ice cream pralinée cakes coffee _bagmen of bagdad_, december , : toke points green turtle soup celery olives almonds terrapin maryland noisette of lamb, colbert haricot panachée potatoes rissolée champagne punch breast of duck, currant jelly fried hominy cold asparagus, mustard sauce pudding glacé assorted cakes coffee _mr. horace hill_, december , : california oysters on half shell, mignonnette chicken gumbo, princess celery olives almonds vol au vent of crab meat, monza saddle of spring lamb purée of chestnut peas à la française aspic de foie gras, romaine orange soufflé glacé assorted cakes demi tasse _mrs. jules levy_, january , : toke points petite marmite with marrow dumplings cheese straws frogs, neptune breast of duckling à l'orange potatoes fondantes sweet and sour string beans fresh asparagus, hollandaise foie d'oie aux truffes lettuce salad omelette soufflé aux fraises demi tasse _mr. otto irving wise_, december , : queux d'Écrevisse, moscovite broth in cups celery olives almonds frogs marinière boneless squab guinea hen pommes à la reine artichoke bottom, hollandaise mousse de foie gras, virginie lettuce salad, french dressing pudding diplomate fancy cakes coffee _mr. l. a. schwabacher_, december , : canapé de caviar queux d'Écrevisse, moscovite broth in cups au cerfeuil celery olives almonds frogs' legs à la schwabacher ris de veau braise truffes de périgord en serviette boneless squab guinea hen, farcis pommes à la reine asperges nouvelles, hollandaise mousse de foie gras, virginie salad de laitue pudding diplomate mignardises demi tasse _mr. colum_, june , : canapé caviar with cocktail toke points green turtle soup almonds olives lobster newburg ham glacé, champagne sauce timbale of spinach iowa corn bread vol au vent toulouse kirsch punch guinea hen potatoes château salad ice cream cakes coffee _mrs. j. ehrman, supper_, october , : oysters on half shell frogs in rings broiled squab on toast shoestring potatoes lettuce salad chocolate parfait strawberry water ice assorted cakes coffee _mr. charles schwab_, may , : suprême frascate potage lemardelais, passe almonds olives fillet of trout, café de paris breast of chicken, colbert peas à la française artichokes, hollandaise sauce terrine de foie gras lettuce aux cerfeuil bavarois aux fraise and framboise assorted cakes coffee _pacific musical club, supper_, february , : toke points salted almonds broiled squab sybil potatoes salad de saison ice cream, mozart fancy cakes coffee _st. ignatius university_, november , : blue points clear turtle almonds celery olives sole normande filet mignon, sauce madère haricots panaches potatoes noisette champagne punch roast squab chicken salad de saison glacé madeleine fancy cakes coffee _mr. t. f. baxter, supper_, november , : california oysters on half shell, mignonnette crab meat, monza breast of squab, colbert lettuce salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _first subscription ball, mrs. s. s. martin, supper_, december , : scrambled eggs bacon sausages toast melba coffee _mr. ercole canessa, luncheon_, may , : hors d'oeuvres salted almonds fillet of sand dabs, victor, tartar sauce breast of chicken, colbert peas soufflé potato soufflé chocolat sauce vanilla demi tasse _prudential insurance company of america, luncheon_, february , : canapé of anchovies potage lambale olives lobster newburgh loin of lamb, zahler salad de saison hot mince pie black coffee _mrs. a. welch, luncheon_, february , : fruit cocktail in coupe chicken broth in cups almonds fillet of sole, tartare broiled squab pommes château cold asparagus, mustard sauce fancy ice cream cakes caroline coffee _dr. hugo lieber_, may , : california oysters strained gumbo olives almonds fillet of sole, florentine breast of chicken, colbert pomme foudaietes lettuce asparagus, hollandaise sauce ice cream cakes coffee _mrs. hiram johnson_, july , : cantaloupe moscovite beef tea in cups salted almonds fillet of trout, café de paris breast of chicken with truffles potatoes noisettes hearts of lettuce biscuit glacé, st. francis friandises demi tasse _national association of professional baseball_, november , : toke points cream à la reine celery olives almonds fillet of sole, joinville chicken croquettes with peas roman punch imperial squab salad de saison fancy ice cream fancy cakes coffee _inland iron company_, may , : crab cocktail, moscovite clear bortsch in cups salted almonds ripe olives sand dabs, meunière sweetbread cutlets, st. germain châteaubriand, sauce madère artichokes pommes fondantes sorbet au champagne roast imperial squab salad de saison ice cream mignardises coffee _prudential insurance company_, may , : cherry stone clear green turtle salted almonds ripe olives aiguillette of sole, marjory filet mignon with fresh mushrooms flageolet aux fines herbes potato château orange sherbet roast imperial squab chiffonade salad fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _mr. henry t. scott_, may , : bouchées fui with cocktail fresh caviar california oyster soup almonds olives sand dabs, sauté, meunière pommes parisienne, persillade breast of duck new string beans chicory and escarole salad mousse of fresh strawberries assorted cakes coffee _dinner in honor of baron s. goto, given by consul general t. ohta_: grapefruit and orange au marasquin potage lemardelais salted pecans ripe olives bass under glass with fresh mushrooms noisette of baby lamb, colbert string beans sorbet mikado breast of chicken, lucullus potatoes julienne cold fresh asparagus, mustard sauce fancy ice cream friandises demi tasse _white wine_ _red wine_ _champagne_ _white creme de menthe_ _cognac_ _cigarettes_ _cigars_ _mr. raphael weill_, may , : california oysters on half shell brandade saddle of lamb petits pois à la française chicory blanc mange petits fours coffee _mrs. george marye_, july , : grapefruit suprême salted almonds and pecans fillet of sand dabs, mornay noisettes of lamb, sauce diable corn boneless squab, stuffed hearts of lettuce, russian dressing fresh peach ice cream assorted cakes coffee _mrs. h. sinsheimer_, october , : toke and california oysters einlauf suppe almonds frogs raphaël, weill eingedampfte chicken french fried potatoes string beans au beurre bottoms of artichokes, lettuce victor orange soufflé glacé st. francis fancy cakes coffee _retail dry goods association_, october , : blue points potage lord mayor celery olives almonds fillet of sole, bagration tournedos forestière potatoes noisette peas Étuvé champagne punch roast squab chicken salade de saison frozen diplomate pudding fancy cakes coffee _golden gate thoroughbred breeders' association_, september , : toke points clear turtle celery olives almonds aiguillette of sole, marguery vol au vent vaupaliere filet mignon madère peas à la française champagne punch breast of squab potatoes noisettes salade de saison fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _fire chief's banquet of san francisco_, september , : toke points potage lord mayor celery olives almonds fillet of bass, marinière tournedos with fresh mushrooms peas à la française potato risolée roman punch roast squab salade de saison fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _telephone pioneers of america_, september , : caviar d'astrakan toke points potage windsor celery almonds olives Écrevisses voltaire mousse de ris de veau royal châteaubriand bayard petits pois à la française sorbet ambassadrice poitrine de guinea aux fines herbes pommes noisettes salade veronica glaces fantaisies mignardises café noir _west virginia banquet_ (_west virginia building, exposition grounds_), november , : toke points strained gumbo, princesse celery olives almonds fillet of bass, joinville sweetbread braise with peas champagne punch roast imperial squab pommes château salad de saison fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _mrs. henry t. scott_, august , : canapé caviar with cocktail clear bortsch in cups cheese straws salted pecans sand dabs, meunière mousse of virginia ham timbale of spinach breast of pheasant, lucullus salad veronica coupes curasco fancy cakes coffee _carlos sanjinis_ (_bolivian consul_), august , : toke points green turtle soup, xerxes almonds olives celery lobster newburgh noisette of lamb, périgordine peas à la française pommes à la reine champagne punch breast of chicken, virginia ham celery victor fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _papyrus club_, may , . coupe printanière au kirsch consommé tomato chantilly olives sand dabs, meunière pommes hollandaise château briand forestière cold asparagus, mustard sauce meringue glacée demi tasse _dinner to mr. thomas coleman, manager hotel st. francis_, september , . toke points clear turtle olives almonds Écrevisses voltaire breast of chicken, colbert peas Étuvé potatoes fondante hearts of lettuce st. francis fancy ice cream cakes caroline coffee _mrs. anita baldwin_, august , : fruit salad suprême consommé almonds olives frogs, neptune mousse of virginia ham purée of fresh artichokes breast of chicken pommes soufflée alligator pears pudding nesselrode fancy cakes coffee _mrs. e. h. stotesbury_, july , : astrakan caviar chicken broth cheese straws salted pecans and almonds sand dabs, tempis pommes parisienne virginia ham english spinach corn lieb breast of squab chicken salad ravajole coupes fraise fancy cakes coffee candy _monsieur gregoire, french building, p. p. i. e._, november , : bouchées fines huîtres mignonnettes bisque d'Écrevisses almonds celery olives truite de rivière tournedos chéron pommes soufflée poitrine de volaille, virginie coeur de laitue glacé madeleine friandises coffee _students army training corps_, december , . oyster cocktail potage mongol olives celery almonds filet of sole, joinville roast imperial squab peas Étuvé potatoes parisienne salad de saison fancy ice cream assorted cakes coffee _mr. jesse lillienthal (luncheon)_, november , . california oyster cocktail olives celery filet mignon grilled pommes château new string beans individual alaska demi tasse _mr. mulcahy_, february , : toke points mignonnette clear bortsch in cups celery olives almonds Écrevisses voltaire noisette of lamb with fresh mushrooms peas Étuvé--pommes lorette breast of duck fried hominy endive, victor dressing asparagus glacée assorted cakes café marcel _colonel tessier_, november , : potage st. germain almonds fillet sand dabs, sauce Écrevisses poulet poêle pommes champs elysées petits pois parisienne lettuce salad, fines herbes soufflée, vanilla sauce fruit coffee _mr. t. ohta_: blue points mignonnette clear green turtle soup salted nuts celery olives Écrevisses voltaire mackerel mikado jumbo squab, parisienne asparagus, hollandaise salad fruitière fresh figs, sake friandises demi tasse _luncheon to major harley, mr. french and friends_, november , : Écrevisses gourmets cold broiled chicken peas Étuvé--potatoes champs Élysées cream cheese and bar le duc demi tasse _mr. m. j. cohen_, april , : toke points potage lord mayor celery olives almonds terrapin maryland whole squab chicken potatoes château cold asparagus, figaro fancy ice cream cakes demi tasse _mr. mogi_, january , : fresh caviar on ice socle clear green turtle, amontillado almonds celery olives frogs legs, michels sweetbread aux truffes petits pois goose liver with apples punch mikado pheasant, bread sauce potatoes champs Élysées melon richelieu cakes coffee index the classified index follows on pages to , inclusive. the general alphabetical index is on pages to inclusive. cereals boiled farina in milk, july fried hominy, oct. force and cream, oct. ; nov. germea, nov. grape-nuts, nov. hominy, oct. malta vita, nov. pearl grits, march pearl grits with cream, nov. pettijohns, oct. shredded wheat biscuits, nov. cheese cheese balls, oct. cottage cheese, may cream cheese with bar-le-duc, dec. olympic club cheese, oct. petaluma cream cheese, sept. soufflé au fromage (cheese soufflé), april st. francis cheese, july chicken À la king, nov. austrian fritters, april À l'estragon, march boiled fowl, oct. breast of chicken, alexandra, dec. breast of chicken with virginia ham, feb. breast of chicken with figs, sept. breast of chicken, james woods, oct. baked chicken with rice, march broiled chicken, tyrolienne, may breast of chicken en aspic, july boiled fowl, celery sauce, aug. chicken croquettes, dec. cold chicken, isabella, sept. coquille of chicken, mornay, oct. diva, nov. deviled chicken's legs, april deviled chicken's legs with virginia ham, sept. edward vii, dec. essence of chicken in cup, feb. en cocotte, bazar, oct. fried, maryland, jan. fried, villeroi, june fried, savoy, sept. fried, country style, nov. fricassee, à l'ancienne, june hash, victor, dec. hash, on toast, feb. hash, à l'italienne, oct. leon x, oct. livers, sauté, forestière, feb. livers sauté, au madère, dec. plain, roasted, oct. patties, toulouse, may potpie, home style, feb. sauté, ambassadrice, dec. sauté, marengo, dec. sauté, parisienne, feb. sauté, montmorency, feb. sauté, salonika, march sauté, hongroise, march sauté, portugaise, march sauté, chasseur, april sauté, d'austin, april sauté, madeleine, april sauté, demidoff, may sauté, au madère, may sauté, amphitian, may sauté, demi-deuil, may sauté, archiduc, june sauté, viennoise, july sauté, lafitte, july sauté, alsacienne, aug. sauté, josephine, oct. stuffed chicken with california raisins, oct. tyrolienne, march valencienne, jan. squab chicken broiled, nov. michels, july plain potted, jan. sauté, sutro, feb. capon galantine, july stuffed, bruxelloise, feb. stuffed, st. antoine, jan. beef braised beef, with calf's feet, dec. beefsteak, provençale, jan. beefsteak, bismarck, jan. beef tongue, boiled, jan. beef à la mode, may braised beef, june beef marrow, princess, july braised beef, comfortable, sept. beefsteak, jussien, oct. baked porterhouse, oct. beef tongue, menschikoff, oct. beef tongue, parisienne, march broiled tenderloin steak, nov. broiled sirloin steak, cliff house, june corned beef and cabbage, jan. corned beef hash, march corned beef hash, browned, march corned beef hash, au gratin, march chipped beef on toast, june filet mignon, april filet mignon, athénienne, june filet mignon, bayard, march filet mignon, chéron, may ; nov. filet mignon, du barry, sept. filet mignon, maréchale, may filet mignon, trianon, april fillet of beef, charcutière, april fillet of beef, cendrillon, may fillet of beef, lombarde, may fillet of beef, balzag, june fillet of beef, dumas, aug. hamburg steak, nov. hashed fillet of beef, sam ward, april larded sirloin of beef, nov. larded tenderloin of beef, april larded tenderloin of beef, montbasson, april larded tenderloin of beef, st. martin, june larded tenderloin of beef, vigo, june larded tenderloin of beef, lili, july larded tenderloin of beef, sigurd, sept. larded rump of beef, june miroton of beef, en bordure, dec. minced tenderloin, à l'estragon, feb. meat croquettes, oct. ox tail braisé, may planked sirloin steak, jan. porterhouse steak, bercy, may porterhouse steak, jolly, june planked sirloin steak, st. francis, july rump steak, bercy, oct. roast top sirloin of beef, nov. rheinbraten, nov. rump steak, dickinson, aug. roast beef, jules albert, aug. roast sirloin, fermière, june roast sirloin, mounet-sully, aug. roast tenderloin, berthieu, july roast tenderloin, boucicault, oct. roast tenderloin, vert pré, july sirloin steak, sauce madère, nov. sirloin of beef, roasted, nov. sirloin steak, marchand de vin, feb. sweet-sour beef tongue, march sirloin steak, dickinson, april small tenderloin steak, demidoff, april sour schmorrbraten, may smoked beef tongue, with spinach, may small tenderloin steak, fedora, may steak, tartare, july small sirloin steak à la russe, july salisbury steak, stanley, sept. small tenderloin steak, cercle militaire, sept. sirloin steak, saxonne, sept. small tenderloin steak, nicholas ii, sept. sirloin steak, braconière, oct. steak and kidney pie, nov. tenderloin of beef, larded, nov. tenderloin of beef, cubaine, april tenderloin of beef, cumberland, april tenderloin of beef, brillat savarin, may tenderloin of beef, voisin, june tenderloin of beef, moderne, aug. tenderloin of beef, gambetta, aug. tenderloin steak, marseillaise, june tenderloin steak, polonaise, april tournedos massenet, nov. tournedos bordelaise, may tournedos niçoise, may tournedos bayard, may tournedos, vaudeville, june tournedos, porte maillot, july tournedos, café julien, sept. tenderloin steak, bernardi, oct. bread, etc. almond biscuits, oct. anchovy toast, may bran bread, oct. bran biscuits, oct. breakfast rolls, nov. cheese toast, oct. corn bread, i, dec. corn bread, ii, oct. four o'clock tea bran bread, oct. french bread, nov. graham bread, oct. homemade bread, nov. lunch rolls, nov. maryland beaten biscuits, nov. maryland corn bread, nov. milk toast, nov. popover muffins, july puff paste crescents, nov. pulled bread, sept. raisin bread, oct. snails, oct. spoon or mush bread, oct. tea biscuits, nov. toast melba, march wheat bran gems, oct. ducks, tame breast of duck, virginia style, april breast of duck, april roast muscovy duck, sept. roast tame duckling, nov. eggs fried fried, oct. infante, aug. in oil, jan. with chives, may with salt pork, sept. À la russe, jan. À la tripe, feb. bacon and eggs, nov. bagration, feb. basque, june belmont, june biarritz, may bennett, sept. bonne femme, oct. bordelaise, march buckingham, aug. canada, aug. castro, oct. coquelin, april don juan, aug. fedora, june gastronome, march grazienna, sept. ham and eggs, oct. lenox, aug. mckenzie, oct. meyerbeer, aug. mery, jan. mirabeau, jan. montebello, aug. moscow, july oudinot, june ; jan. sarah bernhardt, march st. catherine, july st. george, april suzette, july virginia ham and eggs, april venetian, in chafing dish, april cold eggs danoise, june poached, à l'estragon, june poached, mayonnaise, oct. riche, aug. stuffed, with anchovies, july stuffed, epicure, sept. with celery, aug. scrambled scrambled, oct. belley, sept. bullit, oct. caroline, july havemeyer, july lucullus, july magda, oct. marseillaise, may mauresque, aug. mayence, july nantaise, sept. norwegian, sept. pluche, july pocahontas, march raspail, april sarah bernhardt, oct. texas clover, april with anchovies, nov. with asparagus tips, dec. with bacon, feb. with cheese, june with cheese, swiss, july with chives, march with fine herbs, dec. with ham, nov. with lobster, sept. with morocquaine, nov. with morrilles, jan. with smoked beef, oct. with smoked salmon, july with tomatoes, aug. with truffles, march shirred eggs shirred, nov. amiral, june antoine, june au beurre noir, nov. argenteuil, june bercy, nov. bienvenue, july brunswick, sept. carême, march caroli, sept. chipolata, jan. conté, oct. créole, dec. de lesseps, aug. epicurienne, april imperial, sept. jockey club, sept. lorraine, april meyerbeer, march metternich, oct. ministerielle, dec. monaco, june mornay, jan. niçoise, july opéra, aug. turque, april with bananas, may with parsley, feb. with peppers, july poached poached, oct. agostini, june À la reine, feb. andalouse, oct. argenteuil, oct. aromatic, dec. au fondu, june balti, aug. bar le duc, july benedict, dec. ; feb. beaujolais, jan. benoit, aug. bernadotte, aug. blanchard, june bombay, june boston style, oct. brésilienne, feb. céléstine, june chambord, aug. châteaubriand, may chambery, sept. with clams, créole, feb. colbert, june colonel, feb. columbus, may créole, july crossy, april d'artois, april dauphine, sept. derby, sept. diane, dec. d'orleans, aug. florentine, sept. gambetta, jan. germaine, sept. gourmet, april ; july henri iv., nov. hongroise, may indienne, dec. isabella, sept. lackmée, feb. malakoff, may maltaise, march marlborough, july martha, feb. mexicaine, sept. mirabel, may mounet-sully, march nantaise, oct. oriental, jan. patti, aug. paulus, april périgordine, july persanne, dec. piedmontase, july presidential, may princesse, march rothschild, feb. sans gêne, nov. st. laurent, april st. pierre, may taft, oct. talleyrand, feb. ; april tivoli, dec. troubadour, feb. vanderbilt, may velour, oct. vilna, aug. virginia, april waterloo, may zingara, dec. zurlo, oct. eggs mollet auben, sept. À l'aurore, oct. bordelaise, aug. cream sauce, aug. florentine, aug. molière, sept. eggs en cocotte boremis, dec. commodore, april coquelicot, dec. du barry, march d'uxelles, june italienne, dec. marigny, nov. plain, april porto rico, may renaissance, march ribeaucourt, oct. valentine, april voltaire, april fish admiral, jan. alaska black cod, broiled, feb. alaska black cod, kippered in cream, aug. alaska black cod, smoked, broiled, oct. alaska black cod, smoked in cream, oct. alaska candlefish, broiled, feb. alsatian fish, oct. barracouda, aux fines herbes, nov. barracouda, broiled, sauce rougemont, sept. bass, aiguillettes of, massena, march bass, dijonnaise, march bass, fillet of, argentina, june bass, fillet of, brighton, july bass, fillet of, dieppoise, dec. bass, fillet of, duglère, may bass, fillet of, menton, march bass, fillet of, , nov. bass, fillet of, shrimp sauce, dec. bass, niçoise, may bass, paupiettes of, march bass, provençale, jan. bass, timbale of, feb. bignon, jan. black bass, cambacérès, dec. black bass, heydenreich, july black bass, planked, sept. black bass, tournon, july bluefish, broiled, maître d'hôtel, nov. bouillabaisse, marseillaise, dec. brook trout, boiled, romanoff, oct. brook trout, broiled, with bacon, april brook trout, café de paris, oct. brook trout, cambacérès, oct. brook trout, meunière, april brook trout, miller style, april brook trout, volper, aug. butterfish, sauté meunière, oct. catfish, sauté meunière, april codfish balls, dec. codfish, boiled, flamande, aug. codfish, boiled, horose, dec. codfish, cakes, april codfish or other white fish, boiled, oct. codfish, picked, in cream, dec. codfish, salt, biscayenne, june codfish, salt, nova scotia, march codfish steak, à l'anglaise, aug. chambord, feb. court bouillon, feb. Écrevisses, voltaire, oct. eels, marinière, aug. finnan haddie, broiled, dec. finnan haddie, in cream, oct. fish, cold, michels, june fish dumplings, feb. flounder, fillet of, café riche, dec. flounder, fillet of, cansale, feb. flounder, fillet of, chevreuse, dec. flounder, fillet of, chilienne, sept. flounder, fillet of, circassienne, may flounder, fillet of, meissonier, jan. flounder, fillet of, norvegienne, oct. flounder, fillet of, piombino, june flounder, fillet of, pompadour, may flounder, fillet of, st. avertin, july frogs' legs, dilloise, june frogs' legs, fried, espagnole, july frogs' legs, greenway, may ; sept. frogs' legs, jerusalem, feb. frogs' legs, marinière, jan. frogs' legs, sauté à sec, oct. frogs' legs, sauté à sec, dec. halibut, boitel, july halibut, broiled, alcide, may halibut, broiled, maître d'hôtel, nov. halibut, fillet of, bristol, may halibut, fillet of, cubaine, aug. halibut, fillet of, lilloise, may halibut, fillet of, mornay, dec. halibut, fillet of, venitienne, may halibut, metternich, oct. halibut, richmond, april halibut, scalloped, with cheese, april herring, fresh, à l'egyptienne, oct. kingfish, argentine, july kingfish, meunière, dec. kingfish, ubsala, june kippered herring, broiled, march mackerel, broiled, anchovy, butter, aug. mackerel, salted, boiled, nov. matelote, of fish, march montebello, jan. papillote, feb. papillote, club style, feb. patties, bagration, dec. perch, au bleu, june perch, fillet of, st. charles, may perch, meunière, jan. pompano, bâtelière, june pompano, broiled, havanaise, march pompano, café anglaise, march pompano, fillet of, pocharde, oct. pompano, sauté, d'orsay, oct. pompano, meunière, nov. pompano, vatel, june rock cod, boiled, fleurette, nov. rock cod, fillet of, nantaise, march royal, jan. russe, jan. salmon belly, salted, melted butter, june salmon, boiled, badu-cah, sept. salmon, boiled, diplomate, june salmon, boiled, fidgi, may salmon, boiled, princesse, jan. salmon, boiled, sauce mousseline, nov. salmon, boiled, villers, april salmon, mirabeau, april salmon, braised, parisienne, dec. salmon, broiled, à la russe, july salmon, broiled, st. germaine, july salmon, cold, smoked, nov. salmon, concourt, june salmon, smoked, broiled, march salmon steak, broiled, nov. salmon steak, calcutta, aug. salmon steak, colbert, sept. salmon steak, hongroise, june sand dabs, carnot, sept. sand dabs, david, may sand dabs, fried fillet of, sauce verte, april sand dabs, gaillard, sept. sand dabs, grenobloise, may sand dabs, meunière, oct. sardines on toast, jan. scallops, poulette, oct. sea bass, boiled, hollandaise, march sea bass, montebello, july shad, baked, with raisins, april shad, broiled, albert, march shad, broiled, maître d'hôtel, feb. shad and roe, baked, à l'américaine, april shad and roe, planked, april shad roe, bordelaise, may shad roe, bordelaise, may shad roe, broiled, maître d'hôtel, jan. shad roe, broiled, ravigote, march shad roe, broiled, with bacon, march shad roe, en bordure, june sheepshead, boiled, cream sauce, feb. sheepshead, boiled, sauce hollandaise, nov. skate, au beurre noire, nov. smelts, broiled, américaine, oct. smelts, fillet of, stanley, may smelts, fried, nov. smelts, planked, en bordure, nov. sole, aiguillettes of, hotelière, feb. sole, aiguillettes of, marinière, feb. sole, colbert, may sole, cold fillet of, raven, dec. sole, déjazet, oct. sole, fillet of, au vin blanc, oct. sole, fillet of, bercy, feb. sole, fillet of, bretonne, april sole, fillet of, castelanne, jan. sole, fillet of, cardinal, april sole, fillet of, choisy, feb. sole, fillet of, diplomate, dec. sole, fillet of, doria, may sole, fillet of, florentine, dec. sole, fillet of, française, july sole, fillet of, gasser, jan. sole, fillet of, joinville, dec. sole, fillet of, judic, oct. sole, fillet of, lord curzon, may ; jan. sole, fillet of, mantane, june sole, fillet of, maréchale, feb. sole, fillet of, marguery, may ; dec. sole, fillet of, maximilian, dec. sole, fillet of, meissonier, sept. sole, fillet of, montmorency, july ; july sole, fillet of, normande, jan. sole, fillet of, orly, march sole, fillet of, paul bert, sept. sole, fillet of, paylord, aug. sole, fillet of, pondichery, sept. sole, fillet of, rose caron, jan. sole, fillet of, st. cloud, april sole, fillet of, st. malo, dec. sole, fillet of, st. nizaire, june sole, fillet of, suchet, may sole, fillet of, talleyrand, june sole, fillet of, turbigo, march sole, fillet of, under glass, march sole, fillet of, valeska, dec. sole, fillet of, villeroi, march sole, fillet of, voisin, april sole, fried fillet of, rémoulade, dec. sole, héloise, oct. sole, small fried fillet of, march spanish mackerel, broiled, aux fines herbes, jan. striped bass, boiled, indian soy sauce, aug. striped bass, buena vista, june striped bass, planked, nov. striped bass, portugaise, dec. striped bass, stewed, américaine, aug. tahoe trout, boiled pepper sauce, may tahoe trout, boiled, sauce mousseline, june tahoe trout, boiled, vatchette, may tomcods, fried, march tomcods, meunière, feb. tomcods, montmorency, april trout, boiled, plain, nov. trout, fillet of, rachel, june turbot, aiguillettes of, bayard, june turbot, boiled, nonpareil, aug. turbot, fillet of, bagration, oct. turbot, fillet of, bâtelière, july turbot, fillet of, bonnefoy, march turbot, fillet of, daumont, jan. turbot, fillet of, jean bart, june turbot, fillet of, nesles, april turbot, fillet of, sarcey, april turbot, fillet of, tempis, july turbot, fillet of, windsor, april victoria, feb. vol au vent of salmon, génoise, may whitefish, baked, st. menehould, aug. whitefish, boiled, netherland style, jan. whitefish, broiled, maître d'hôtel, nov. whitebait, fried, march whitebait on graham bread, nov. yarmouth bloater, nov. fruit bananas sliced, with whipped cream, june berries with whipped cream, june cactus fruit with lemon, feb. california raisins, oct. cantaloupe and watermelon, surprise, sept. fruit salad, au kirsch, feb. fruit salad, au marasquin, feb. fruit salad, chantilly, feb. fruit salad glacé, april figs sliced, with cream, june fruits sliced, with whipped cream, june grapefruit à l'anisette, april grapefruit à la rose, april grapefruit and orange en suprême, feb. grapefruit, cardinal, july grapefruit cocktail, april grapefruit en suprême, dec. grapefruit en suprême with kirsch, april grapefruit with cherries, nov. grapefruit with chestnuts, jan. orange and grapefruit, st. francis, oct. orange en suprême, march orange en suprême au curaçao, may peaches, sliced, with whipped cream, june peach, norelli, april pears, mayonnaise, oct. strawberries, parisienne, may strawberries romanoff, april fruit, cooked apple, baked, nov. apple compote, june apricot compote, june apples fried, nov. apple sauce, april bananas, baked, sept. compote of pineapple, june gooseberry compote, june grapefruit marmalade, april nectarine compote, june orange compote, july peaches, baked, june peach compote, june peaches with brandy sauce, may pears, baked, june pears in syrup, april pears, stewed, with claret, sept. plum compote, june prunes, nov. prunes, baked, oct. prune compote, june prunes, victor, oct. rhubarb, nov. strawberries, oct. game butterball duck, roasted, nov. canvas-back duck, roasted, nov. hare, saddle of, sour cream sauce, march mallard duck, roasted, nov. partridge, roasted, feb. pheasant pie, cold, july pheasant, roasted, jan. purée of game, for garnishing, feb. quail, broiled, on toast, sept. reindeer, chops, march reindeer, roast leg of, april ruddy duck, roasted, dec. teal duck, roasted, oct. venison, roast saddle of, july venison chop (steak), port wine sauce, aug. goose goose liver sauté, dec. goose liver sauté, aux truffes, dec. goose, stuffed, with chestnuts, jan. garnitures for entrees, etc. bercy, feb. boulanger, dec. bristol, dec. chéron, nov. clermont, jan. de goncourt, dec. ducale, feb. financière, march international, dec. malvina, feb. porte maillot, dec. richelieu, nov. rosabelle, dec. rossini, feb. toulouse, jan. hors d'oeuvres antipasto, feb. artichokes, fresh, à la russe, oct. barquette à l'aurore, jan. canapé eldorado, oct. canapé hambourgeoise, oct. canapé julia, feb. canapé martha, dec. canapé monte carlo, dec. canapé norway, may canapé, p. p. i. e., oct. canapé riga, nov. canapé romanoff, april canapé st. francis, july canapé regalia, nov. canapé thon mariné, aug. canapé of anchovies, nov. canapé of caviar, oct. canapé of chicken, march canapé of lobster, aug. canapé of raw meat, feb. canapé of raw beef, may canapé of sardines, nov. caviar, nov. cold fonds d'artichauts, du barry, aug. crab legs, stock, june croquettes livannienne, jan. croustades cancalaise, dec. egg salad, sept. fillet of herring, mariné, feb. fish salad, ravigote, dec. hard boiled eggs, vinaigrette, oct. herring livonienne, oct. herring salad, july herring salad, moscovite, sept. hors d'oeuvres variés, nov. indian canapé, march kieler sprotten, april lyon sausage, nov. lyon sausage, nov. marinite herring, nov. matjes herring, march matjes herring, krasnapolsky, july merry widow cocktail, oct. mortadella, aug. ; oct. olive and anchovy salad, aug. oysters mariné, april pain mane, jan. pancake molosol, jan. pâté de foie gras, nov. pickled oysters, nov. pickled salmon, st. francis, april pimentos, à l'huile, jan. pimentos suédoise, sept. pimentos, vinaigrette, aug. pim olas, june plain celery, oct. radishes, nov. ripe olives, oct. ripe olives with garlic and oil, april salted almonds, oct. salted brazil nuts, may salted english walnuts, dec. salted pecans, dec. sardines, nov. sardines vinaigrette, march shrimp salad, anastine, sept. sliced tomatoes, nov. smoked goosebreast, feb. smoked salmon, nov. steak tartare, july stuffed eggs, nov. stuffed eggs, epicure, sept. stuffed eggs, nantua, nov. stuffed eggs with crab meat, nov. stuffed tomatoes, nana, nov. sweet-sour bananas, dec. tartine russe, april terrine de foie gras, à la gelée, april terrine de foie gras en aspic, july thon mariné salad, jan. tomato en surprise, july tomato en surprise, aug. tomatoes parisienne, jan. yarmouth bloater in oil, april ices, sherbets, fancy ices alhambra ice cream, oct. apple water ice, march baked alaska, march banana coupe, may banana ice cream, jan. biscuit glacé (foundation), dec. biscuit glacé, apple, dec. biscuit glacé, chocolate, dec. biscuit glacé, coffee, dec. biscuit glacé, kirsch, dec. biscuit glacé, mapleine, dec. biscuit glacé, peppermint, dec. biscuit glacé, pineapple, dec. biscuit glacé, pistache, dec. biscuit glacé, raspberries, dec. biscuit glacé, st. francis, dec. biscuit glacé, strawberry, dec. biscuit tortoni, march california sherbet, april cantaloupe baskets, july cantaloupe water ice, jan. caramel ice cream, may chocolate ice cream, nov. champagne punch, june ; july coffee ice cream, dec. coupe oriental, jan. coupe victor, oct. cranberry water ice, oct. diplomate pudding, glacé, march eau de vie de dantzig, may english breakfast tea, jan. fancy ice cream, nov. figs, roma, oct. fresh raspberry coupe, may fresh strawberry coupe, may frozen egg nogg, april frozen loganberry juice, oct. grapefruit coupe, may lallah rookh, april lemon water ice, jan. lillian russell, may loganberry ice cream, oct. macedoine water ice, jan. maraschino sauce for iced pudding, march meringue glacée à la chantilly, nov. meringue glacée au chocolate, jan. millionaire punch, may mousse au café, may mousse au chocolate, may neapolitan ice cream, april neapolitan sandwich, may normandie water ice, jan. orange baskets, july orange coupe, may orange soufflé glacé, st. francis, sept. orange soufflé, st. francis, feb. orange water ice, jan. peach, ice cream, jan. peach melba, march peach, mona lisa, feb. philadelphia ice cream, oct. pineapple ice cream, jan. pistache ice cream, dec. plombière aux fruits, june plombière à la vanille, june plombière aux marrons, june punch palermitaine, april raisin punch, dec. raspberries à la mode, may raspberry ice cream, jan. raspberry melba sauce, march raspberry meringue glacée, jan. raspberry water ice, jan. ; nov. romaine ice cream, oct. roman punch, april soufflé glacé, plain, may soufflé glacé, pavlowa, june soufflé glacé, st. francis, june strawberries à la mode, may strawberry ice cream, nov. strawberry water ice, jan. tutti frutti, feb. vanilla charlotte glacée, april vanilla ice cream, oct. lamb baby lamb steak, horticulture, march chops, beaugeney, oct. chops, beau sejour, oct. chops, bignon, oct. chops, bradford, june chops, breaded, nov. chops, breaded, reformé, may chops, charcutière, march chops, maison d'or, july chops, maréchal, jan. chops, robinson, july chops, sauce soubise, april chops, sauté aux cèpes, nov. chops, sauté, aux fines herbes, sept. chops, victor hugo, march chops with bacon, oct. curried, with rice, jan. cutlets in papers, march easter kid, roasted, feb. english chop, tavern, feb. english chops, xx century club, dec. english chuck steak, maître d'hôtel, april hash, oct. hash, j. a. britton, oct. hash, sam ward, sept. hash, with peppers, may kidneys en brochette with bacon, aug. kidneys en pilaff, oct. kidney stew, nov. leg, boulangère, jan. leg, renaissance, may loin chops, jardinière, may loin chops, fried, sept. noisettes, feb. noisettes, ducale, sept. noisettes, montpensier, july rack of lamb, march rack of lamb, jardinière, march rack of lamb, montjo, may roasted (see chicken), oct. saddle, carnot, may saddle, international, dec. saddle, jardinière, july saddle, souvaroff, june shoulder of lamb in bakers' oven, may steak, feb. steak, bercy, feb. tenderloin, thomas, dec. trotters, poulette, nov. miscellaneous alligator pear cocktail, may anchovy butter, july apple dressing, nov. bain marie, jan. boneless squab, en aspic, july bouquet garni, nov. breast of chicken en aspic, july brown betty, april calf's foot jelly, july champagne punch, july cheese straws, march chestnut dressing, nov. chicken jelly, july claret punch, july cocktail sauce, for oysters, jan. cold beef à la mode, july cold celery broth, aug. cold pheasant pie, july croustades, feb. croustades financière, march croustades laguipierre, march croûtons diablé (for soup), may croûtons parmesanne, may dressing for chicken, turkey, pig, etc., nov. dumplings for stews, pot pies, etc., sept. d'uxelles, jan. Écrevisse butter (crayfish), dec. fish broth, july fleurons, nov. flour dumplings, nov. forcemeat--tongue and truffles, march fricadellen (balls of cooked meat), may gelée (meat jelly), dec. gnocchis à la romaine, june gnocchis au gratin, june golden buck, march green coloring (vert d'epinards), feb. hangtown fry, march icings or frosting, nov. julienne, jan. kalter aufschnitt, july kalte schahle, sept. koenigsberger klobs, may lemonade, july lobster butter, dec. lobster corals, march macaroni caruso, aug. macaroni in cream, dec. meat croquettes, oct. mince meat, nov. mixed grill, jan. new england boiled dinner, jan. noodles, jan. noodles, polonaise, feb. ombrelle d'ostende, june orangeade, july oyster crab patties, sept. pastry cream, nov. pâte dough, july pistache icing, dec. pumpkin pulp, aug. purée of game, feb. raisin cocktail, march rice stuffing, nov. royal butter (pastry), sept. schlemmorbroedchen, july shrimp patties, aug. soubise, for stuffing chops, etc., jan. spaghetti, caruso, april spaghetti in cream, may spaghetti milanaise, nov. spätzel, march steak tartare, july stock for soup, nov. stuffed olives, may terrine de foie gras à la gelée, dec. terrine de foie gras en aspic, july terrine de foie gras en aspic, july tournedos, feb. vol au vent patty shells, jan. vol au vent, toulouse, dec. welch rabbit, nov. welch rabbit, special, oct. whipped cream, june yorkshire buck, may yorkshire pudding, nov. mutton chops, argenteuil, aug. chops, bignon, oct. chops, braised, may chops, daumont, feb. chops, grilled, nov. chops, maison d'or, july chops, robinson, feb. chops, signora, march english chop, kentucky sauce, aug. english chop, tavern, feb. english chops, xx century club, may leg, à la busse, feb. leg, boiled, caper sauce, dec. leg, bretonne, march leg, choiseul, april leg, clamart, march leg, mexicaine, aug. leg, réforme, feb. leg, roasted, jan. loin, charcutière, dec. rack, roasted, april saddle, roasted, april shoulder, budapest, oct. omelets argentine, june au cognac, april au confiture, dec. bayonnaise, sept. célestine, sept. cherbourg, oct. du czar, nov. ; dec. en surprise, march fines herbes, april impératrice, aug. levy, aug. lorraine, dec. louis xiv, feb. meissonier, july plain, and for sweet dessert, oct. potato, march robespierre, april schofield, april soufflée, march spanish, march suzanne, march vogeleier, jan. with cèpes, may with chives, aug. with egg plant, june with ham, dec. with jelly, nov. with kidneys, march with onions, may with oysters, jan. with parsley, june with peas, sept. with potatoes, june with soft clams, jan. with soft clams, newburg, feb. with strawberries, oct. with virginia ham and peppers, feb. oysters À la hyde, dec. À l'ancienne, feb. À la poulette, dec. angels on horseback, april baked, au gruyère, sept. bellevue, oct. broiled, sept. broth, april cocktail, jan. curried, april en brochette, sept. en brochette, à la diable, sept. kirkpatrick, jan. louis, sept. mignonnette, april mornay, sept. newburg, sept. on half shell, oct. ; nov. oysters or crab, poulette, march pickled, cold, nov. stewed, jan. sûpreme, st. francis, may victor, march victor hugo, sept. yaquino, jan. pastry alexandria pudding, july almond cake, april almond cream cake, april almond rocks, july allumettes, june american gugelhoff, oct. angel cake, or angel food, june anise seed cake, feb. anise toast, sept. anisette cake, july apple cobbler, july apple cottage pudding, july apple moscovite, feb. apple snow, oct. apple strudel, april apple turnover, may apricot cobbler, july apricot layer cake, feb. apricot meringue, july baba au rhum, dec. baisés (chocolate drops), sept. baked apple roll, june baked apricot roll, june baked blackberry roll, june baked huckleberry roll, june baked loganberry roll, june banana whipped cream, oct. bavarois à la vanille, dec. bavarois à la vanille with bar le duc, feb. bavarois noisette, march bavarois, raspberry, jan. beignets soufflés, june berliner pfannenkuchen, june bird's nests, july blackberry meringue, july black cake, sept. blanc mange aux fruits, june blanc mange aux liqueurs, june blanc mange, chocolate, june blanc mange, coffee, june blanc mange, vanilla, june boiled custard, july boston brown pudding, july bouchettes, june bouchettes palmyra, july brandy sauce, feb. bread custard pudding, july brioche, oct. brown betty, april cabinet pudding, jan. cakes, assorted, nov. cannelons à la crème, may caramel custard, jan. caroline cake, march charlotte russe, april cheese cake, oct. ; jan. cherry tartelette, dec. chocolate bouchettes, june chocolate éclairs, nov. chocolate layer cake, feb. ; dec. chocolate macaroons, april chocolate profiterole, jan. chocolate pudding, cold, sept. cinnamon cake, july cocoa cake, april cocoanut pudding, july coffee bouchettes, june coffee cake, oct. coffee cake dough, june coffee cream cake, july coffee custard, april coffee fruit cake, july cold chocolate sauce, sept. compote with rice, july cornet à la crème, may corn starch blanc mange, aug. corn starch blanc mange with berries, aug. corn starch blanc mange with sabayon, aug. corn starch blanc mange, stewed fruits, aug. corn starch food (for invalids), aug. corn starch pudding, july cottage pudding, july cream fritters, june cream puffs, nov. cream sauce, jan. crêpes suzette, oct. croute à l'ananas (pineapple crust), july croute aux fruits (fruit crust), july crullers, june crusts with apples, sept. crusts with peaches, sept. crusts with pears, sept. cup custard, jan. danish apple cake, oct. dariole duchesse, sept. dartois chantilly, april devil cake, sept. diplomate pudding, march doughnuts, june english rice pudding, april frankfort pudding, april french layer cake, feb. french pastry, feb. french sponge cake (génoise lègere), oct. fried cream, march fritters, surprise, july fruit cake, nov. fruit cake (white), feb. german almond strips, june german apple cake, oct. german coffee cake, july german huckleberry cake, june gingerbread, oct. ginger snaps, may hard sauce, feb. hazelnut macaroons, oct. homemade apple pudding, march homemade cookies, feb. honey cake, june how to cook sugar to a blow, june icing or frosting, nov. imperial pancake, april italian meringue, june italian wine sauce, sept. jam roll pudding, april jelly roll, may kisses, june lady cake, sept. lady fingers, nov. langues de chat, june layer cake, feb. ; dec. lemon butter filling, aug. lemon cake, aug. lemon darioles, aug. lemon sauce, march macaronade célestine, july macaroons, nov. macaroons, fancy, nov. meringue à la crème, chantilly, dec. meringue peaches, march meringue shells, oct. mint wafers, oct. mirlitons, aug. mirlitons au rhum, sept. moka cake (mocha cake), feb. napoleon cake, feb. orange cake, aug. orange butter filling, aug. orange darioles, aug. orange sauce, march pastry cream, nov. patience cake, july peaches, bourdaloue, may peach cobbler, july peach meringue, july peach whipped cream, oct. pears bourdaloue, april pear cobbler, july pears piedmont, oct. pie paste, dec. pineapple créole, april pink pudding, victor, oct. pistache éclairs, dec. plum pudding, feb. pommes d'arbre (apple), march pound cake, nov. prune soufflé, march pudding gastaner, april pudding rossini, march pudding soufflé, dame blanche, may puff paste, nov. puff paste baskets, aug. puff paste roses, aug. puff paste sandwich, aug. raspberry meringue, july raspberry shortcake, april raspberry whipped cream, oct. rice croquettes, july rice darioles, sept. rolled oats pudding, jan. roly poly pudding, oct. royal butter, sept. royal cake, sept. royal icing, june sabayon sauce, april sand tart (sablé), march savarin au kirsch, dec. savarin chantilly, dec. savarin mirabelle, dec. savarin, montmorency, dec. snails, july sponge cake, march strawberry meringue, july strawberry shortcake, april strawberry shortcake, old fashioned, april strawberry whipped cream, oct. streusel cake, july tango cake, sept. tartelette au bar le duc, jan. tartelette of pears, oct. tipsy parson, july tutti frutti pudding, oct. vanilla cream sauce, jan. vanilla custard with meringue, july vanilla darioles, aug. wedding cake, oct. whipped cream in cup, aug. wine sauce, july pie apple, dec. apricot, march banana, oct. banana cream, may blackberry, march chocolate cream, sept. cherry, march cocoanut custard, april cocoanut meringue, april currant, march english currant, march english gooseberry, march english grape, march english huckleberry, march english rhubarb, march gooseberry, march lemon custard, april lemon meringue, april lemon pie, special, april lemon pie, special, oct. meringue paste for pie, april mince, nov. orange custard, april orange meringue, april peach, march pear, march pineapple, march pumpkin pie, aug. pumpkin pie pulp, aug. raspberry, march raspberry cream, may strawberry, march strawberry cream, may vanilla custard, april ; nov. vanilla meringue, april pork bacon and cabbage, feb. bacon, fried, nov. blood pudding, dec. blood pudding, sauce robert, may buckwurst, hot, march breakfast sausages, dec. chops, badoise, july deviled ham, sept. ham and spinach, boiled, april ham, boiled, leonard, march ham croquettes, aug. ham, fried, oct. ham, pickled, dec. imported frankfurter sausages, aug. loin, baker's oven style, march loin, roasted, oct. pig's feet, boiled, nov. pig's feet, broiled, chili sauce, feb. pig's feet, broiled, special, nov. pig's feet, st. menehould, july pig's knuckles and sauerkraut, sept. spareribs, broiled, with lentils, feb. sugar-cured ham glacé, aug. virginia ham, broiled, may virginia ham croquettes, aug. virginia ham glacé, aug. potatoes À la reine, jan. allumette, june alsatian, march anna, jan. au gratin, nov. baked, sweet, with sugar, sept. bischwiller, sept. brioche, sept. broiled, sweet, feb. browned hashed, jan. candied, sweet, april château, oct. cléo, dec. cottage fried, july croquettes, oct. delmonico, nov. duchesse, nov. en surprise, aug. flambé, sweet, with rum, april fondante, april french fried, nov. gauffrette, feb. gendarme, nov. ; dec. georgette, nov. hollandaise, nov. jeanette, april julienne, nov. laurette, nov. lorraine, nov. louis, aug. lyonnaise, oct. maître d'hôtel, jan. marquise, june mashed, au gratin, jan. mashed browned, nov. nature, nov. o'brien, feb. olivette, jan. paille (straw), nov. pancakes, july paprika, nov. parisian, feb. parisienne, hollandaise, aug. paul stock, oct. palestine, march persillade, march pont neuf, dec. potato cakes, march rissolées, dec. ; jan. ritz, march saratoga chips, nov. sauté, sweet, feb. southern style, sweet, jan. southern, no. , sweet, april soufflée, dec. st. francis, nov. steamboat fried, sept. sweet potatoes (see southern) sweet potato pudding, oct. sweet potato croquettes, march sybil, feb. waffle, feb. york, sept. preserves, jellies, pickles apples and quinces, canned, july apple butter, july apple jelly, may apples spiced sweet, aug. apricot marmalade, june artichokes pickled, sept. blackberry cordial, for medicinal purposes, july blackberry jam, may blackberry jelly, may cherry preserves, june cherries brandied, june cherries jellied, july cherries spiced, aug. cider, boiled, may citron preserves, march crab apple marmalade and jelly, june cranberry jelly, june cucumber sweet pickles, ripe, sept. currant jelly, june fig jam, july fruits, dried, stewed, aug. glacé fruits, aug. gooseberry jam, aug. grape jelly, aug. grape juice, sweet, sept. green gage plums preserved, june lemon or orange peel, candied, july limes, to preserve, july mince meat, canned, sept. nasturtion seeds pickled, sept. onions, pickled, sept. orange or lemon brandy for flavoring, aug. peaches, brandied, june peaches, sweet pickled, sept. peach marmalade, june pears, baked, for canning, aug. pears, peaches or plums, canned, july pears, preserved, march pickles, sept. ; may pineapple preserves, march preserves--amount of fruit required, may pumpkin or squash, to can, sept. quince jelly, march raspberry juice, may raspberry or loganberry jam, may spiced vinegar, for pickles, aug. strawberries, canned, may strawberry preserves, may tomatoes, pickled, green, sept. tomatoes, spiced, aug. tomato preserves, july vanilla brandy, july violets preserved, sept. watermelon preserves, july salads algérienne, oct. alligator pear, feb. anchovy, nov. américaine, dec. asparagus tips, oct. avocado, french dressing, oct. beets, pickled, oct. brazilian, nov. brésilienne, july bretonne, june cauliflower, july celery mayonnaise, nov. celery root, field and beet, dec. celery victor, nov. cendrillon, june château de madrid, aug. chicken, victor, jan. chicory, oct. chiffonade, nov. chilian, aug. cole slaw, nov. cole slaw, ravigote, april cosmopolitan, aug. crab, feb. crab, louis, may cucumber salad, jan. culemo, sliced, aug. cupid d'azure, july dandelion, april dandelion, german style, april doucette, nov. Écrevisse, gourmet, nov. egg, sept. endive, dec. endive, with beets, aug. escarole, oct. field, oct. fresh vegetable, jan. herring, july herring, moscovite, sept. imperial, july italian, jan. knickerbocker, may lentil, feb. lettuce, oct. lettuce and tomato, march livermore, dec. lobster, jan. lobster with anchovies, jan. lorenzo, sept. lorette, oct. louis, july louise, july majestic, july mirabeau, jan. nivernaise, dec. olga, nov. orloff, june panache, may pear, mayonnaise, oct. potato, nov. purée of potato, june rachel, june ravachol, nov. red cabbage, july rejane, dec. romaine, oct. russe, jan. salad dressing, oct. shrimp, nov. shrimp, anastine, sept. stanislaus, dec. string bean, may ; dec. string bean and tomato, sept. tomatoes, sliced, nov. ; nov. tosca, dec. tuna, nov. waldorf, nov. watercress, feb. white bean, aug. salad dressing egg, dec. escoffier, aug. french, oct. roquefort, jan. russian, june salad, oct. st. francis, oct. thousand island, nov. victor, april with chapon, june sandwiches bread and butter, nov. carême, april chicken, nov. cream of almond, april créole, april dubney, april olive, april schlemmerbroedchen, july windsor, april sauces allemande, march anchovy, jan. anchovy butter, nov. anglaise, dec. au vin blanc, oct. béarnaise, jan. béarnaise tomatée, jan. béchamel, oct. bercy, feb. ; oct. bordelaise, nov. bread, jan. ; feb. bread crumbs, jan. ; feb. brown butter, nov. brown gravy, nov. cardinal, may caper, dec. celery, aug. chambord, aug. champagne, aug. choron, jan. colbert, nov. cranberry, sept. cream, oct. créole, dec. curry, dec. devil, april diplomate, june Écrevisse, july egg, oct. estragon (tarragon), april fidgi, may figaro, cold, aug. flamande, aug. fleurette, nov. forestière, nov. génoise, nov. giblet, march golfin, dec. green hollandaise, feb. hollandaise, oct. horose, dec. horseradish, cold, english style, nov. horseradish en bouillon, nov. horseradish in cream, nov. hussarde, june indian soy, aug. italienne, dec. kentucky, aug. lobster, sept. madère, nov. maître d'hôtel, oct. marinière, march maximilienne, sept. mayonnaise, oct. meunière, dec. mignonnette, nov. mint, dec. montebello, aug. mornay, dec. mousseline, nov. mustard, july ; nov. newburg, feb. nonpareil, aug. olive, april oyster, jan. paprika, nov. pepper, may périgord, march ; dec. périgordine, nov. périgueux, march pink mayonnaise, jan. piquante, nov. poivrade, feb. port wine, march ; aug. poulette, nov. rémoulade, dec. riche, dec. robert, may rougemont, sept. shrimp, dec. soubise, jan. special, nov. suprême, nov. sweet-sour, march tarragon (estragon), april tartar, nov. venitienne, may verte, april vinaigrette, dec. white wine, oct. shell fish crab à la louise, march crab, boiled, nov. crab cocktail, crêmière, july crab cocktail, victor, march crab, curried, april crab, deviled, jan. crab, deviled, in shell, april crab en brochette, april crab meat au gratin, march crab meat, au beurre noisette, nov. crab meat, belle helene, march crab meat, gourmet, march crab meat in chafing dish, march crab meat in cream, dec. crab meat, monza, dec. crab meat, suzette, march crab or oysters, poulette, march crab, portola, april crab, ravigote, cold, may Écrevisses en buisson, nov. Écrevisses, georgette, oct. Écrevisses, lafayette, june Écrevisses, mayonnaise, nov. mousse d'écrevisses, july lobster, baked, cardinal, sept. lobster, baked, lincoln, june lobster, becker, july lobster, broiled, dec. lobster croquettes, dec. lobster en court bouillon, aug. lobster, stuffed, jan. lobster, newburg, nov. lobster, thermidor, jan. mussels, marinière, march scallops à la mornay, march scallops, newburg, feb. shrimps with mushrooms, march terrapin, how to boil, march terrapin au beurre, sept. terrapin, baltimore, march terrapin, jockey club, march terrapin, maryland, march shell fish--clams bâtelière, march créole, feb. en cocotte, californienne, july fried soft clams, tartare, aug. little necks on half shell, nov. scalloped, aug. soft clams, newburg, feb. stuffed, july with wine sauce, april soups consommé ab-del-cader, june allemande, june alexandria, aug. andalouse, june aux éclairs, may aux pluches, may aux quenelles, april aux quenelles, doria, may bellevue, dec. bohémienne, june bouillon, nov. bretonne, jan. brunoise, dec. brunoise and vermicelli, sept. cameroni, july camino, march caroline, june celery and rice, aug. céléstine, april charles quint, july chartreuse, sept. châtelaine, aug. chevalièr, july chicken broth, oct. chiffonnade, may cialdini, nov. clam broth, dec. clam broth, chantilly, dec. colbert, feb. ; aug. crème de volaille, jan. créole, june croûte au pot, may d'artagnan, jan. daumont, april de la mariée, jan. diablé, may diane, oct. ditalini, dec. doria, dec. du barry, march favorite, jan. federal, sept. fermière, aug. fleury, dec. florentine, feb. ; july frascati, oct. garibaldi, july georgia, oct. gumbo, strained, in cups, feb. impératrice, jan. inauguration, july irma, june italian paste, aug. japonnaise, june julienne, jan. léopold, oct. madrilène, dec. magadore, june marchand, june marie louise, july massenet, dec. medina, sept. monaco, aug. monte cristo, july montesquieu, aug. napier, sept. national, sept. nelson, oct. niçoise, july noodles, oct. oriental, aug. orleans, dec. oyster broth, april palestine, july parfait, april ; jan. paysanne, aug. pemartin, oct. perles de nizam, may plain, oct. portugaise, sept. printanièr, april profiteroles, may rachel, feb. rivoli, dec. ravioli, may rothschild, aug. royal, nov. royal, with carrots, may royal, green, sept. royal, red, sept. russe, april sago, nov. sarah bernhardt, may scotch, jan. sévigné, i, dec. sévigné, ii, april sicilienne, july soubise, april stuffed cabbage, sept. tapioca with écrevisse butter, aug. talleyrand, july tapioca, nov. théodora, april tosca, may turbigo, june trianon, july ; sept. vanderbilt, july vivieurs, may valentienne, may ; june venitienne, may vermicelli, feb. xavier, june cream soups algérienne, may artichokes, june asparagus, nov. asparagus, favori, oct. crème bagration, may bananas, march bisque d'écrevisses, dec. bisque of california oysters, jan. bisque of clams, nov. bisque of crabs, jan. cardinal, may cauliflower, oct. celery, nov. celery, kalamazoo, feb. chicken, nov. chicken à la reine, dec. chicken, hortense, april congolaise, may corn and onions, sept. countess, june endives, dec. farina, march farina lié, sept. flageolets, july frogs' legs, feb. green corn, i, march green corn, ii, june lettuce, march lima beans, feb. maintenon, jan. parisienne, april parsnips, april parsnips, ii, june pea, oct. pea, suzon, oct. pea, st. germain, oct. potatoes, nov. reine mogador, april rice, dec. summer squash, cream of, oct. watercress, july thick soups (potage) bean and cabbage soup, sept. burned farina soup, april cabbage soup, normande, june chicken okra, dec. chicken, brésilienne, june chicken, florentine, aug. chicken, française, oct. chicken, mulligatawney, july chicken, piedmontaise, july chicken, portugaise, july chicken, san remo, sept. clam chowder, dec. clam chowder, boston style, march clear green turtle, april cold celery broth, aug. cooper soup, may crab gumbo, july croute bretonne, july ditalini, à la royal, sept. farina, francis joseph, may fish broth, july fish broth with whipped cream, sept. fish chowder, april german carrot soup, sept. german lentil, march giblet, à l'anglaise, oct. hare soup, uncle sam, oct. homemade clam soup, sept. hungarian, oct. lamb broth à la grecque, may lamb broth, à la reine, aug. lamb broth, olympic club, june lobster chowder, dec. macaroni soup with leeks, sept. mock turtle, feb. mutton, kitchener, sept. onion and tomato, oct. onion, au gratin, march ; nov. oyster, family style, nov. oxtail, english style, feb. pannade, march pea, with vermicelli, aug. petite marmite, dec. potage à l'anglaise, jan. potage albert, may potage alexandra, dec. potage américaine, dec. potage andalouse, jan. potage arlequin, june potage bagration, jan. potage bonne femme, dec. potage bouquetière, oct. potage bourgeoise, aug. potage brunoise with rice, aug. potage cambridge, nov. potage cameroni, aug. potage champenoise, oct. potage châtelaine, april potage coburg, july potage colbert, aug. potage coquelin, march potage dagobert, july potage dieppoise, aug. potage duchesse, dec. potage esau, march potage faubonne, dec. potage ferneuse, oct. potage flamande, dec. ; dec. potage fontange, may potage carpure, sept. potage gentilhomme, jan. potage grande mère, jan. potage grenade, oct. potage hollandaise, dec. potage honolulu, july potage italienne, aug. potage jackson, dec. potage kroumir, feb. potage lamballe, nov. potage livonien, oct. potage lord mayor, july potage maintenon, sept. potage marie louise, jan. potage marquis, jan. potage mathilda, dec. potage mcdonald, jan. ; july potage mexicaine, july potage mongol, dec. potage montglas, aug. potage nassau, aug. potage navarraise, sept. potage parmentier, aug. potage paysanne, june potage plessy, aug. potage portugaise, april potage quirinal, jan. potage reine margot, dec. potage ruffo, sept. potage santé, nov. potage saxe, april potage schorestène, sept. potage solferino, april potage st. marceau, july potage talleyrand, feb. potage tapioca, crécy, jan. potage turinoise, may potage velour, july potage venitienne, jan. ; april potage vert pré, july potage viennoise, april potage villageois, oct. potage voisin, feb. potage waldaise, feb. potage westmoreland, feb. potato and leek soup, nov. potato soup, faubonne, april potato, dieppoise, april pot au feu, march purée camelia, may purée célestine, march purée crécy, jan. purée d'artois, march purée of cucumbers, june purée of game, nov. purée of game, st. hubert, nov. purée of green asparagus, april purée of lentils, oct. purée of lentils with tapioca, aug. purée of lima beans, dec. purée of peas, plain, oct. purée of peas, aux croutons, oct. purée of peas, varsovienne, oct. purée of peas with noodles, sept. purée of pheasant, st. hubert, feb. purée of potatoes, march purée of red kidney beans, may purée of spinach, april purée of tomatoes, oct. purée of tomatoes with rice, nov. purée of turnips, caroline, aug. purée of white beans, dec. purée of white beans, allemande, aug. purée of white beans, soubise, may purée paysanne, march purée st. germain, april rice soup, à l'allemande, july rice, palmero, aug. roçol, à la russe, june shrimp, family style, oct. soft clam soup, salem, june sorrel, à l'eau, june sorrel, with rice, june terrapin, southern style, aug. tomato broth (hot or cold), july veloutine aurore, may velouté, dec. velvet soup, march viennese bean, march white bean soup, march squab boneless, en aspic, july breast of, au jus, sept. breast of, eveline, oct. breast of, périgord, may breast of, sauté in butter, june breast of, under glass, st. francis, feb. broiled squab, april broiled squab, with fresh mushrooms, april en compote, jan. potpie, english style, jan. roast, au jus, feb. stews beef goulash, oct. beef stew, homemade, nov. haricot of mutton, feb. hasenpfeffer (hare stew), jan. hungarian goulash, oct. lamb irish stew, nov. navarin of lamb, printanier, nov. paprika veal, july pickelsteiner stew, may pilaff à la turc, jan. ragout à la deutsch, dec. ragout fin, dec. reindeer stew, march spring lamb irish stew with dumplings, sept. tripe À la mode de caën, feb. broiled honeycomb, chili sauce, may broiled honeycomb, maître d'hôtel sauce, oct. blanchard, dec. créole, dec. Étuvé, bonne femme, sept. honeycomb, sauté, aux fines herbes, sept. in cream with peppers, april sauté, lyonnaise, feb. tripe and oysters in cream, dec. tripe and potatoes, family style, jan. tripe, wm. h. crane, oct. turkey broiled baby turkey, july deviled legs, with chow chow, jan. hash, château de madrid, june hash on toast, nov. livers en brochette, march roast, march stuffed with chestnuts, nov. veal breast, stuffed, au jus, jan. calf's brains au beurre noir, march calf's brains, fried, tomato sauce, june calf's head plain, boiled, dec. calf's head à la française, march calf's head, providence, may calf's head, sauce piquante, april calf's head, poulette, feb. calf's head, vinaigrette, feb. calf's liver and bacon, nov. calf's liver, lyonnaise, aug. calf's liver sauté, nov. calf's liver sauté, robert, may calf's liver sauté, spanish style, aug. chops, broiled, nov. chops en papillote, feb. chops, montgolfier, sept. cutlets, breaded, tomato sauce, may fricandeau, au jus, april fricassee, jan. kidneys, broiled, english style, june kidney roast, dec. kidneys sauté au madère, june leberkloese (calf's liver dumplings), april leg, au jus, nov. loin, roasted, june loin roasted, nivernaise, july paprika schnitzel, march paprika veal, july rolled veal, huguenin, march sauté, catalane, oct. shoulder, au jus, oct. sweetbreads braisé (glacé), dec. sweetbreads braisé, ancienne, april sweetbreads braisé, clamart, april sweetbreads braisé, georginette, sept. sweetbreads braisé, godard, may sweetbreads braisé, henri iv, march sweetbreads, lavalière, june sweetbreads braisé, marie louise, april sweetbreads marigny, july sweetbreads braisé, montebello, june sweetbreads braisé, pompadour, dec. sweetbreads poulette, july sweetbreads braisé, princess, july sweetbreads braised, soubise, june sweetbreads braisé, elizabeth, july sweetbreads braisé, st. george, june sweetbreads braisé, zurich, may sweetbreads, broiled, nov. sweetbread croquettes, dec. sweetbreads egyptienne, aug. sweetbreads figaro, aug. sweetbreads lieb, aug. sweetbreads liencourt, oct. sweetbreads metropolitan club, july sweetbread patties in cream, april sweetbreads royal, sept. sweetbreads, st. alban, aug. sweetbreads, saint mondé, oct. sweetbreads sans gêne, aug. sweetbreads, théodora, feb. wiener schnitzel, feb. vegetables artichoke au gratin (individual), feb. artichokes, barigoule, sept. artichokes, boiled, oct. artichokes en cocotte, sept. artichokes filled with cauliflower, feb. d'artichokes, fonds, feypell, march artichokes, fried, march artichokes, jardinière, may artichokes, quartered, april asparagus, boiled, march asparagus, polonaise, march ; feb. asparagus, stewed, april ; march asparagus tips au gratin, jan. ; april asparagus tips in cream, sept. beans, baked, boston style, nov. beans bretonne, march beans, normandie, march beans, white, with tomatoes, april beets à la russe, july beets, boiled, oct. beets, californienne, sept. beets, frouard, april beans, spanish, sept. beets, young, in butter, march brussels sprouts and chestnuts, jan. brussels sprouts, boiled, jan. brussels sprouts in bouillon, feb. cabbage, boiled, jan. cabbage, german style, aug. cabbage, red, dec. cabbage, stuffed, sept. ; dec. cardon à la moelle, nov. carrots in butter, march carrots, vichy, dec. cauliflower au gratin, nov. cauliflower polonaise, nov. cauliflower, purée of, march celery stewed, au madère, nov. celery stewed in cream, nov. cèpes sauté, dec. cèpes, tyrolienne (cold), jan. chestnuts, boiled, jan. chestnuts, boulettes, oct. chestnuts glacé, feb. chestnuts glacé au madère, feb. colache, sept. corn à la marie, sept. corn (canned) fritters, sept. corn fritters, dec. corn fritters, susan jones, sept. corn, green, june corn, hulled, nov. corn oysters, sept. corn pudding, oct. corn sauté in butter, july corn, stewed (canned), april cucumbers on toast, oct. cucumbers stuffed, april egg plant, broiled, june egg plant, fried, nov. egg plant in casserole, sept. egg plant, sicilienne, sept. egg plant, stuffed, sept. flageolets au cerfeuil, june flageolet beans, dec. hubbard squash, baked, dec. jerusalem artichokes in cream, aug. jets de houblons, nov. kohl rabi, baked, sept. lentils, feb. lettuce boiled, feb. lettuce braisé, dec. lima beans, jan. lima beans au paprika, aug. lima beans, curried, jan. lima beans, purée of, feb. lima beans with shallots, sept. macedoine, march mushrooms, fresh, broiled, nov. mushrooms, fresh, purée of, oct. mushrooms, fresh, sauté in butter, feb. mushrooms, fresh, stuffed, jan. okra and tomatoes, sauté, june onions fried, dec. onions glacés, feb. onions hongroise, march onions, purée of, soubise, march onions, stewed, sept. onions stuffed, with cabbage, jan. parsley, fried, nov. parsnips, boiled, april parsnips in cream, april peas à la française, june peas and carrots in cream, nov. peas and shallots in cream, sept. peas au cerfeuil, march peas, farmer style, march peas in cream, jan. peas, new, plain, nov. peppers, stuffed green, aug. pimentos, stuffed, créole, aug. pumpkin and rice, scalloped, sept. pumpkin, stewed, sept. purée st. germain, nov. rice, californienne, oct. rice, créole, dec. rice croquettes, dec. rice, timbale of, may rice, timbale of, créole, may risotto, jan. salad, purée of, march sauerkraut, feb. sorrel, jan. spinach, boiled, jan. spinach, english style, jan. spinach in cream, feb. spinach, timbale of, aug. string beans, oct. string beans, alsacienne, april string beans, sweet-sour, july string beans with tomatoes, sept. succotash, july summer squash au beurre, nov. summer squash, native son, june summer squash, mashed, june tomatoes baked, june tomatoes glacées, dec. tomatoes, scalloped, sept. tomatoes, stewed, jan. tomatoes, stewed, brazilian, march tomatoes, stewed, family style, april tomatoes, stuffed, créole, june tomatoes, stuffed, noyer, nov. tomatoes, stuffed with chestnuts, jan. turnips glacés, dec. turnips, mashed, dec. wax beans in butter, april wine jellies anisette jelly, feb. benedictine jelly, feb. brandy jelly, feb. burgundy jelly, feb. champagne jelly, feb. chartreuse jelly, feb. claret jelly, feb. cognac jelly, feb. fine champagne jelly, feb. fruit jelly, feb. jelly à la russe, feb. kirsch jelly, feb. maraschino jelly, feb. moselle jelly, feb. port wine jelly, feb. rhine wine jelly, feb. sherry jelly, feb. wine jelly, feb. wine jelly with apricots, sept. wine jelly with berries, sept. wine jelly with peaches, sept. wine jelly with whipped cream, aug. general index admiral (see fish), afternoon teas (selections), , , , alaska black cod, broiled, alaska black cod, kippered in cream, alaska black cod, smoked, broiled, alaska black cod, smoked, in cream, alaska candlefish, broiled, alhambra ice cream, allemande sauce, alexandria pudding, alligator pear cocktail, alligator pear salad, allumettes (pastry), almond biscuits, almond cake, and almond cream cake, almond milk (potage reine margot), almond rocks (pastry), almonds, salted (hors d'oeuvre), almond wafers, alsatian fish, american gugelhoff (pastry), anchovy butter, anchovy butter (sauce), anchovy salad, anchovy sauce, anchovy toast, angel cake or angel food, angels on horseback (oysters), anglaise sauce (for fish), anise seed cake, anise toast, anisette cake, anisette jelly (wine), antipasto (hors d'oeuvre), apple, baked, apple butter, apple charlotte, apple cobbler, apple compote, apple cottage pudding, apple dressing, apples, fried, apple jelly, apple moscovite (pastry), apple pie, apples and quinces, canned, apple roll, baked, apple sauce, apple snow (pastry), apples, spiced, sweet, apple strudel (pastry), apple turnover, apple water ice, apricot compote, apricot layer cake, apricot marmalade, apricot meringue, apricot pie, apricot roll, baked, artichoke au gratin (individual), artichokes, barigoule, artichokes, boiled, artichokes en cocotte, artichokes, filled with cauliflower, artichokes d', fonds feypell, artichokes, fresh, à la russe (hors d'oeuvre), artichokes, fried, artichokes, jardinière, artichokes, jerusalem, in cream, artichokes, pickled, artichokes, quartered, asparagus, boiled, asparagus, polonaise, , asparagus, stewed, , asparagus tips au gratin, , asparagus tips in cream, asparagus tips salad, asparagus and westphalia ham, assorted cakes, avocado salad, french dressing, baba au rhum (pastry), baby lamb steak, horticulture, bacon and cabbage, bacon and eggs, bacon, fried, bain marie, baisés (chocolate drops), baked alaska (see ices, etc.), bananas, baked, banana coupe (see ices, etc.), banana cream pie, banana ice cream, bananas in cream, banana pie, bananas, sliced, with whipped cream, bananas, sweet-sour (hors d'oeuvre), banana whipped cream, barquette à l'aurore (hors d'oeuvre), barracouda, aux fines herbes, barracouda, broiled, sauce rougemont, bavarois à la vanille, bavarois with bar le duc, bavarois, noisette (pastry), bavarois, raspberry (pastry), bass, aiguillettes of, à la russe, bass, aiguillettes of, massena, bass, dijonaise, bass, fillet of ( ), bass, fillet of, argentine, bass, fillet of, brighton, bass, fillet of, dieppoise, bass, fillet of, duglère, bass, fillet of, menton, bass, niçoise, bass, paupiettes of, bass, provençale, bass, fillet of, shrimp sauce, bass, timbale of, bean and cabbage soup, beans, baked, boston style, beans, bretonne, ; normandie, ; spanish, beans, white, with tomatoes, béarnaise sauce, béarnaise tomato (sauce), béchamel sauce, beef à la mode, ; cold, beef boiled with vegetables, beef, braised, ; comfortable, beef, braised, with calf's feet, beef, chipped, on toast, beef, corned, and cabbage, beef, corned, hash, ; browned, beef, corned, hash, au gratin, beef (see classified index), beef, fillet of, cendrillon, beef, fillet of, charentière, beef, fillet of, dumas, beef, fillet of, lombarde, beef, filet mignon, ; athénienne, ; bayard, beef, filet mignon, chéron, , beef, filet mignon, du barry, ; maréchale, beef, filet mignon, trianon, beef, fillet of saute, balzag, beef, goulash (stew), beef, hashed fillet of, sam ward, beef, larded rump of, beef, larded sirloin of, beef, larded tenderloin of, beef, larded tenderloin of, lili, beef, larded tenderloin of, montbasson, beef, larded tenderloin of, sigurd, beef, larded tenderloin of, st. martin, beef, larded tenderloin of, vigo, beef marrow, princess, beef, miroton of, en bordure, beef, planked sirloin steak, ; st. francis, beef, porterhouse, baked, beef, porterhouse steak, bercy, ; jolly, beef, rheinbraten, beef, roast, jules albert, beef, roast sirloin, fermière, ; mounet-sully, beef, roast sirloin of, porte maillot, beef, roast tenderloin, berthieu, ; boucicault, beef, roast tenderloin, vert pré, beef, roast top sirloin of, beef, rump of, beef, rump steak, bercy, ; dickinson, beef, salisbury steak, stanley, beef, sirloin of, clermont, beef, sirloin of, roasted, beef, sirloin steak, braconière, beef, sirloin steak, broiled, cliff house, beef, sirloin steak, dickinson, beef, sirloin steak, marchand de vin, beef, sirloin steak, sauce madère, beef, sirloin steak, saxonne, beef, small sirloin steak, à la russe, beef, small tenderloin steak, cercle militaire, beef, small tenderloin steak, demidoff, beef, small tenderloin steak, fedora, beef, small tenderloin steak, nicholas ii, beef, sour schmorrbraten, beefsteak and kidney pie, beefsteak, bismarck, ; jussien, beefsteak, provençale, ; tartare, beef stew, homemade, beef tenderloin, minced, à l'estragon, beef, tenderloin of, brillat savarin, beef tenderloin, bristol, ; cardinalice, beef, tenderloin of, cubaine, ; cumberland, beef, tenderloin of, gambetta, beef, tenderloin of, larded, beef, tenderloin of, malvina, beef, tenderloin of, moderne, beef, tenderloin of, parisienne, beef, tenderloin of, voisin, beef, tenderloin steak, bernardi, beef, tenderloin steak, broiled, beef, tenderloin steak, florentine, beef, tenderloin steak, marseillaise, beef, tenderloin steak, polonaise, beef, tenderloin steak, rachel (small), beef tongue, boiled, beef tongue, menschikoff, beef tongue, parisienne, beef tongue, smoked, with spinach, beef tongue, sweet-sour, beef, tournedos, bayard, beef, tournedos, bordelaise, ; café julien, beef, tournedos, massenet, ; niçoise, beef, tournedos, porte maillot, ; vaudeville, beets à la russe, beets, boiled, beets, californienne, ; frouard, beets, young, in butter, beignets souffles (pastry), benedictine jelly, bercy (garniture), bercy (sauce), , berliner pfannenkuchen (pastry), berries with whipped cream, bignon (see fish), bird's nests (pastry), biscuits, almond, biscuits, bran, biscuit glacé, apple, biscuit glacé, chocolate, ; coffee, biscuit glacé, foundation, biscuit glacé, kirsch, ; mapeline, biscuit glacé, peppermint, ; pineapple, biscuit glacé, pistache, ; raspberries, biscuit glacé, st. francis, ; strawberry, biscuits, maryland beaten, biscuits, seed, biscuits, tea, biscuit tortoni, bisque d'écrevisses, bisque of california oysters, bisque of clams, blanc mange aux fruits, ; aux liqueurs, blanc mange, chocolate, ; coffee, blanc mange, corn starch, ; with berries, blanc mange, corn starch, with sabayon, blanc mange, corn starch, with stewed fruits, blanc mange, vanilla, black bass, cambacérès, ; heydenreich, black bass, planked, black bass, tournon, blackberry cordial (for medicinal purpose), blackberry jam, blackberry jelly, blackberry meringue, blackberry pie, blackberry roll, baked, black cake, bloater, yarmouth, bloater, yarmouth, in oil (hors d'oeuvre), blood pudding, ; sauce robert, bluefish, broiled, maître d'hôtel, buckwurst, hot (pork), boneless squab en aspic, bordelaise sauce, boston baked beans, boston brown bread, boston brown pudding, bouchettes, coffee (pastry), bouchettes, palmyra (pastry), bouchettes (pastry), bouillabaise, marseillaise, bouillon (consommé), boulanger (garniture), bouquet garni, bran biscuits, bran bread, bran bread, four o'clock tea, brandied cherries, brandied peaches, brandy jelly, brandy, lemon or orange, for flavoring, brandy sauce, brandy, vanilla, brazil nuts, salted (hors d'oeuvre), bread, etc. (see classified index) bread and butter sandwich, bread, boston brown, bread, bran, bread, bran, o'clock tea, bread, corn, , bread crumbs sauce, ; for game, bread custard pudding, bread, french, bread, graham, bread, homemade, bread, pulled, bread, raisin, bread sauce, ; for game, bread, spoon or mush, breakfast rolls, brioche (pastry), bristol (garniture), brook trout, boiled, romanoff, brook trout, broiled, with bacon, brook trout, café de paris, ; cambacérès, brook trout, meunière, ; miller style, brook trout, volper, broth, fish, broth, oyster, brown betty (pastry), brown bread pudding, baked, brown butter sauce, brown gravy sauce, brussels sprouts and chestnuts, brussels sprouts, boiled, brussels sprouts in bouillon, buckwheat cakes, buckwurst, hot, burgundy jelly (wine), burned farina soup, butter, apple, butterball duck, roasted, butterfish, sauté meunière, butter, lobster, butter, royal (pastry), cabbage, boiled, cabbage, german style, cabbage, red, cabbage soup, normande, cabbage, stuffed, cabinet pudding, cactus fruit with lemon, cake, almond, ; almond cream, cake, angel, cake anise seed, cake, anisette, cake, apricot layer, cakes assorted, cake, black, cakes, buckwheat, cake, caroline, cake, cheese, cake, chocolate layer, cake, christmas, cake, cinnamon, cake, cocoa, cake, coffee, ; coffee cream, cake, coffee fruit, cake, danish apple, cake, devil, cakes, flannel, cake, french layer, ; french sponge, cake, fruit, cake, german apple, ; german coffee, cake, german huckleberry, cakes, griddle, war, cake, honey, cake, lady, cake, layer, , cake, lemon, cake, moka (mocha), cake, napoleon, cake, orange, cake, patience, cake, pound, cakes, rice, cake, royal, cakes, silver, cake, sponge, cake, streusel, cake, tango, cake, wedding, calf's brains au beurre noir, calf's brains, boiled, calf's brains fried, tomato sauce, calf's foot jelly, calf's head à la française, calf's head, poulette, calf's head, plain, boiled, calf's head, providence, calf's head, sauce piquante, ; vinaigrette, calf's liver and bacon, calf's liver dumplings (leberkloese), calf's liver, lyonnaise, calf's liver, sauté, ; sauté, robert, calf's liver, sauté, spanish style, california marmalade, california raisins, california sherbet, canapé of anchovies (hors d'oeuvre), canapé of caviar (hors d'oeuvre), canapé of chicken (hors d'oeuvre), canapé eldorado (hors d'oeuvre), canapé hambourgeoise (hors d'oeuvre), canapé julia (hors d'oeuvre), canapé of lobster (hors d'oeuvre), canapé martha (hors d'oeuvre), canapé monte carlo (hors d'oeuvre), canapé norway (hors d'oeuvre), canapé p. p. i. e. (hors d'oeuvre), canapé of raw beef (hors d'oeuvre), canapé of raw meat (hors d'oeuvre), canapé regalia (hors d'oeuvre), canapé riga (hors d'oeuvre), canapé romanoff (hors d'oeuvre), canapé st. francis, canapé st. francis (hors d'oeuvre), canapé of sardines (hors d'oeuvre), canapé thon mariné (hors d'oeuvre), candied lemon or orange peel, cannelons à la crème, cantaloup water ice, canteloupe and watermelon, surprise, canvas-back duck, roasted, capon, galantine of, caper sauce, capon, stuffed, bruxelloise, capon, stuffed, st. antoine, caramel custard, caramel ice cream, cardinal sauce, cardon à la moelle, caroline cake, carrots in butter, carrots, vichy, catfish, sauté, meunière, cauliflower au gratin, cauliflower polonaise, cauliflower, purée of, cauliflower salad, caviar, celery broth, cold, celery plain (hors d'oeuvre), celery root, field and beet salad, celery salad, victor, celery sauce, celery stewed in cream, celery, stewed, au madere, cèpes sauté, ; tyrolienne, cold, cereals (see classified index) chambord (see fish), chambord (sauce), champagne jelly, ; fine, champagne punch, , champagne sauce, charlotte russe, chartreuse jelly, cheese (see classified index) cheese balls, cheese cake, , cheese, cottage, cheese, cream, with bar le duc, cheese, olympic club, cheese, petaluma cream, cheese, st. francis, cheese soufflé (fromage), cheese straws, cheese toast, chéron (garniture), cherries, brandied, cherries, jellied, cherry pie, cherry preserves, cherries, spiced, cherry tartlette, chestnuts, boiled, chestnuts, boulettes, chestnut dressing, chestnuts, glacé, ; glacé au madere, chicken (see classified index) chicken à l'estragon, chicken à la king, chicken, austrian fritters, chicken, baked with rice, chicken, breast of, alexandra, chicken, breast of, en aspic, chicken, breast of, with figs, chicken, breast of, james woods, chicken, breast of, with virginia ham, chicken, broiled, tyrolienne, chicken broth (consommé), chicken, cold, isabella, chicken, coquille of, mornay, chicken croquettes, chicken, diva, chicken dumplings, chicken, edward vii, chicken en cocotte, bazar, chicken, essence of, in cup, chicken, fricassée, à l'ancienne, chicken, fried, country style, chicken, fried, maryland, chicken, fried, savoy, chicken, fried, villeroi, chicken, galantine of, chicken hash, à l'italienne, chicken hash on toast, chicken hash, victor, chicken jelly, chicken's legs, deviled, ; with virginia ham, chicken, leon x, chicken livers, sauté, forestière, chicken livers, sauté, au madère, chicken okra soup, chicken patties, toulouse, chicken, plain, roasted, chicken pot pie, home style, chicken salad, victor, chicken sandwich, chicken, sauté, alsacienne, ; ambassadrice, chicken, sauté, amphitian, ; archiduc, chicken, sauté, au madère, chicken, sauté, bordelaise, ; chasseur, chicken, sauté, d'austin, chicken, sauté, demi-deuil, chicken, sauté, demidoff, ; hongroise, chicken, sauté, josephine, ; lafitte, chicken, sauté, madeleine, ; marengo, chicken, sauté, montmorency, ; montpensier, chicken, sauté, parisienne, ; portugaise, chicken, sauté, salonika, ; viennoise, chicken soup, brésilienne, ; florentine, chicken soup, fougarmont, ; française, chicken soup, mulligatawny, ; piedmontaise, chicken soup, portugaise, ; san remo, chicken, stuffed with california raisins, chicken, tyrolienne, chicken, valencienne, chicory, purée of, chicory salad, ; with chapon, chocolate, chocolate bouchettes, chocolate cream pie, chocolate drops (baisés), chocolate éclairs, chocolate ice cream, chocolate layer cake, , chocolate macaroons, chocolate profiterole, chocolate pudding, cold, chocolate sauce, cold, choron (sauce), chops, badoise (pork), chowder, clam, ; boston style, chowder, fish, chowder, lobster, christmas cake, cider, boiled, cinnamon cake, citron preserves, clams, bâtelière, clam broth, chantilly (consommé), clam broth (consommé), clam chowder, ; boston style, clams en cocotte, californienne, clams, créole, clams, fried soft, tartar, clams, little neck, on half shell, clams, scalloped, clams, soft, newburg, clam soup, homemade, clam soup, soft, salem, clams stuffed, clams with wine sauce, claret jelly, claret punch, clear green turtle soup, clermont (garniture), cobbler, apple, ; apricot, ; peach, ; pear, cocktail, alligator pear, cocktail, crab, crêmière, cocktail, crab, victor, cocktail, grapefruit, cocktail, oyster, ; sauce for, cocktail, raisin, cocoa, cocoa cake, cocoanut custard pie, cocoanut meringue pie, cocoanut pudding, cocotte en (see eggs), codfish balls, codfish (or other white fish) boiled, codfish, boiled, flamande, ; horose, codfish cakes, codfish, picked, in cream, codfish, salt, biscayenne, ; nova scotia, codfish steak, à l'anglaise, coffee, and after dinner coffee, coffee bouchettes (pastry), coffee cake, ; coffee cake dough, coffee cream cake, coffee custard, coffee fruit cake, coffee ice cream, cognac jelly, colache (vegetable), colbert sauce, cold beef à la mode, cold celery broth, cold pheasant pie, cole slaw (salad), ; ravigote, compote (see fruit, cooked), , , , compote with rice, consommé (see classified index) consommé ab-del-cader, ; alexandria, consommé allemande, ; andalouse, consommé aux éclairs, consommé aux pluches, consommé aux quenelles, ; quenelles, doria, consommé, bellevue, consommé bretonne, ; bohémienne, consommé (bouillon), consommé brunoise, consommé brunoise and vermicelli, consommé cameroni, ; camino, ; caroline, consommé, celery and rice, consommé célestine, ; charles quint, consommé chartreuse, ; châtelaine, consommé chevalièr, consommé, (chicken broth), consommé chiffonade, consommé cialdini, consommé (clam broth), ; (chantilly), consommé colbert, , consommé, crème de volaille, consommé créole, consommé, croute au pot, consommé d'artagnan, ; daumont, consommé de la mariée, consommé diable, ; diane, ; ditalini, consommé doria, ; du barry, consommé favorite, ; federal, ; fermière, consommé fleury, ; florentine, , consommé frascati, ; garibaldi, ; georgia, consommé, gumbo strained, in cups, consommé impératrice, ; inauguration, consommé irma, consommé italian paste, consommé japonnaise, ; julienne, ; leopold, consommé madrilène, ; magadore, consommé marchand, consommé marie louise, ; massenet, consommé medina, consommé monaco, ; monte cristo, consommé montesquieu, consommé napier, ; national, consommé nelson, ; niçoise, consommé with noodles, consommé oriental, ; orleans, consommé, oyster broth, consommé palestine, consommé parfait, , consommé paysanne, consommé pemartin, ; perles de nizam, consommé, plain, consommé portugaise, consommé printanier, consommé profiteroles, ; rachel, consommé ravioli, ; rothschild, ; rivoli, consommé royal, ; royal, with carrots, consommé royal, green, ; royal, red, consommé russe, consommé sago, consommé sarah bernhardt, consommé scotch, consommé sévigné, , consommé sicilienne, ; soubise, consommé stuffed cabbage, consommé talleyrand, consommé tapioca, ; with écrevisse butter, consommé théodora, ; tosca, consommé trianon, , consommé turbigo, ; valencienne, consommé vanderbilt, ; venitienne, consommé vermicelli, consommé vivieurs, ; xavier, cookies, homemade, cooper soup, corn à la marie, corn bread, , corn bread, maryland, corn (canned), stewed, corn fritters, ; (canned), corn fritters, susan jones, corn, green, corn, hulled, corn muffins, corn oysters, corn pone, southern, corn, pudding, corn sauté in butter, corn meal pudding, corn starch, blanc mange, ; with berries, corn starch, blanc mange, with sabayon, corn starch, blanc mange, with stewed fruits, corn starch food (for invalids), corn starch pudding, cornet à la crème (pastry), cosmopolitan salad, cottage cheese, cottage pudding, ; cottage pudding, apple, coupe oriental (see ices, etc.), coupe st. jacques, coupe victor (see ices, etc.), court bouillon (see fish), crab, à la louise, crab, boiled, crab cocktail, crêmière, ; victor, crab, curried, crab, deviled, ; deviled in shell, crab en brochette, crab gumbo soup, crab legs, josephine, crab legs, stock (hors d'oeuvre), crab meat au beurre noisette, crab meat au gratin, crab meat, belle helene, crab meat in chafing dish, crab meat in cream, crab meat, gourmet, ; monza, ; suzette, crab or oyster poulette, crab portola, crab, ravigote, cold, crab salad, ; louis, crab apple marmalade and jelly, cranberry jelly, cranberry sauce, cranberry water ice, crayfish butter (ecrevisse), cream of almond sandwich, cream of artichokes, cream of asparagus, favori, cream of asparagus (soup), cream of bananas (soup), cream of cauliflower, cream of celery, cream of celery, kalamazoo, cream of chicken, cream of corn and onions, cream of endives, cream of farina, cream of farina lié, cream of flageolets, cream, fried (pastry), cream fritters, cream of green corn, , cream of lettuce soup, cream of lima beans, cream of parsnips i, cream of parsnips ii, cream, pastry, cream of peas, ; suzon, cream of peas, st. germain, cream of potatoes, cream puffs, cream of rice, cream sauce, cream sauce (pastry), cream soups (see classified index) cream soup à l'algérienne, cream soup, chicken à la reine, cream soup, chicken hortense, cream soup, frog legs, cream of summer squash, cream of watercress (soup), crème bagration (soup), crème cardinal (soup), crème congolaise, crème countess (soup), crème de volaille (consommé), crème maintenon (soup), crème parisienne (soup), crème, reine mogador, créole sandwich, créole sauce, crêpes suzette (pastry), crescents, puff paste (see bread), croquettes, chicken, ; ham, croquettes livannienne (hors d'oeuvre), croquettes, lobster, croquettes, meat, croquettes, rice, , croquettes, sweetbreads, croquettes, virginia ham, croustades, croustades cancalaise (hors d'oeuvre), croustades, financière, croustades, laquipierre, croute à l'ananas (pastry), croute aux fruits (fruit crust), croute au pot (consommé), croute bretonne, soup, croûtons, diable (for soup), croûtons parmesanne, crullers, crusts with apples, ; peaches, ; pears, cucumber salad, cucumbers, stuffed, cucumbers on toast, cucumber sweet pickles, ripe, cumberland style (with braised beef), curry sauce, culemo salad, sliced, cup custard, currant jelly, currant pie, and english currant pie, custard, caramel, custard, boiled, custard, coffee, custard, cup, custard, vanilla, with meringue, dandelion salad, ; german style, danish apple cake, dariole duchesse (pastry), dartois chantilly (pastry), de goncourt (garniture), devil cake, devil sauce, deviled crab, ; in shell, deviled ham, diplomate pudding, ; glacé, diplomate sauce, ditalini à la royal (soup), diva (see chicken), doughnuts, dressings (see salad dressings) dressing, chestnut, dressing for chicken, turkey, pig, etc., dressing, moscovite (fish), dressing, salad, ducale (garniture), duck, breast of (tame), ; virginia style, duck, roast muscovy (tame), ducks, tame (see classified index) duckling, roast tame, dumplings, fish, dumpling, flour, dumplings for stews, pot-pies, etc., d'uxelles, easter kid, roasted, eau de vie de dantzig (see ices, etc.), Éclairs, pistache, Écrevisse butter (crayfish), Écrevisses en buisson, Écrevisses, georgette, Écrevisses, lafayette, Écrevisses mayonnaise, Écrevisses, mousse de, Écrevisse salad, gourmet, Écrevisse sauce, Écrevisses, voltaire, eels, fried, sauce rémoulade, eels, marinière, eels, smoked, eggs (see classified index) eggs, agostini (poached), eggs à l'aurore (mollet), eggs à la reine (poached), eggs à la russe, eggs à la tripe, eggs, amiral (shirred), eggs, with anchovies (scrambled), eggs, andalouse (poached), eggs antoine (shirred), eggs, argenteuil (poached), eggs, argenteuil (shirred), eggs, aromatic (poached), eggs with asparagus tips (scrambled), eggs auben (mollet), eggs au beurre noir (shirred), eggs au fondu (poached), eggs, bacon and, eggs with bacon (scrambled), eggs, bagration, eggs, balti (poached), eggs with bananas (shirred), eggs, bar le duc (poached), eggs, basque, eggs, beaujolais (poached), eggs, belley (scrambled), eggs, belmont, eggs, benedict (poached), eggs, bennett, eggs, benoit (poached), eggs, bercy (shirred), eggs, bernadotte (poached), eggs, biarritz, eggs, bienvenue (shirred), eggs, blanchard (poached), eggs, bombay (poached), eggs, bonne femme, eggs, bordelaise, ; bordelaise (mollet), eggs boremis (en cocotte), eggs, boston style (poached), eggs, brésilienne (poached), eggs, brunswick (shirred), eggs, buckingham, eggs, bullitt (scrambled), eggs, canada, eggs, carême (shirred), eggs, caroli (shirred), eggs, caroline (scrambled), eggs, castro, eggs, with celery (cold), eggs, céléstine (poached), eggs, chambery (poached), eggs, chambord (poached), eggs, châteaubriand (poached), eggs with cheese (scrambled), eggs with cheese, swiss, (scrambled), eggs, with chives (fried) ; (scrambled), eggs, chipolata (shirred), eggs with clams, créole (poached), eggs, colbert (poached), eggs, colonel (poached), eggs, columbus (poached), eggs commodore (en cocotte), eggs, conté (shirred), eggs coquelicot (en cocotte), eggs, coquelin, eggs, crossy (poached), eggs, cream sauce (mollet), eggs, créole (poached), eggs, créole (shirred), eggs, danoise (cold), eggs, d'artois (poached), eggs, dauphine (poached), eggs, de lesseps (shirred), eggs derby (poached), eggs diane (poached), eggs, don juan, eggs d'orleans (poached), eggs du barry (en cocotte), eggs d'uxelles (en cocotte), eggs, epicurienne (shirred), eggs, fedora, eggs florentine (mollet), eggs, florentine (poached), eggs with fine herbs (scrambled), eggs, fried, eggs gambetta (poached), eggs, gastronome, eggs germaine (poached), eggs gourmet (poached), , eggs, grazienna, eggs, ham and, eggs with ham (scrambled), eggs, hard boiled, vinaigrette (hors d'oeuvre), eggs, havemeyer (scrambled), eggs henry iv (poached), eggs hongroise (poached), eggs, imperial (shirred), eggs indienne (poached), eggs, infante (fried), eggs isabella (poached), eggs italienne (en cocotte), eggs, jockey club (shirred), eggs lackmée (poached), eggs, lenox, eggs with lobster (scrambled), eggs, lorraine (shirred), eggs, lucullus (scrambled), eggs, magda (scrambled), eggs malakoff (poached), eggs maltaise (poached), eggs marigny (en cocotte), eggs marlborough (poached), eggs, marseillaise (scrambled), eggs martha (poached), eggs, mauresque (scrambled), eggs, mayence (scrambled), eggs, mckenzie, eggs, mery, eggs, metternich (shirred), eggs, mexicaine (poached), eggs, meyerbeer, ; (shirred), eggs, ministerielle (shirred), eggs, mireabeau, eggs mirabel (poached), eggs molière (mollet), eggs, monaco (shirred), eggs, montebello, eggs, mornay (shirred), eggs with morocquaine (scrambled), eggs with morilles (scrambled), eggs, moscow, eggs mounet-sully (poached), eggs, nantaise (scrambled), eggs, niçoise (shirred), eggs, nantaise (poached), eggs, norwegian (scrambled), eggs, in oil (fried), eggs, opéra (shirred), eggs oriental (poached), eggs, oudinot, , eggs with parsley (shirred), eggs patti (poached), eggs paulus (poached), eggs with peppers (shirred), eggs périgordine (poached), eggs persanne (poached), eggs piedmontaise (poached), eggs plain (en cocotte), eggs, pluche (scrambled), eggs, poached, eggs, poached, à l'estragon (cold), eggs poached, with clams, créole, eggs, poached, mayonnaise (cold), eggs, pocahontas (scrambled), eggs porto rico (en cocotte), eggs presidential (poached), eggs princesse (poached), eggs, raspail (scrambled), eggs renaissance (en cocotte), eggs ribeaucourt (en cocotte), eggs, riche (cold), eggs rothschild (poached), eggs st. catherine, eggs, st. george, eggs st. laurent (poached), eggs st. pierre (poached), egg salad, ; egg salad dressing, egg salad (hors d'oeuvre), eggs, with salt pork (fried), eggs sans gêne (poached), eggs, sarah bernhardt, ; (scrambled), egg sauce, eggs scrambled, ; turbico, eggs shirred, eggs with smoked beef (scrambled), eggs with smoked salmon (scrambled), eggs, stuffed with anchovies (cold), eggs, stuffed, with crab meat (hors d'oeuvre), eggs, stuffed, epicure (hors d'oeuvre), eggs, stuffed (hors d'oeuvre), eggs, stuffed, nantua (hors d'oeuvre), eggs, suzette, eggs taft (poached), eggs talleyrand (poached), , eggs, texas clover (scrambled), eggs, tivoli (poached), eggs with tomatoes (scrambled), eggs troubadour (poached), eggs with truffles (scrambled), eggs, turque (shirred), eggs valentine (en cocotte), eggs vanderbilt (poached), eggs velour (poached), eggs, venetian in chafing dish, eggs vilna (poached), eggs, virginia ham and, eggs virginia (poached), eggs voltaire (en cocotte), eggs zingara (poached), eggs zurlo (poached), eggs waterloo (poached), egg plant, broiled, ; fried, egg plant, in casserole, egg plant, sicilienne, egg plant, stuffed, egg nog, frozen, endive sala, endive with beets salad, english chuck steak (lamb) maître d'hôtel, english gooseberry pie, english grape pie, english huckleberry pie, english rhubarb pie, english rice pudding, english walnuts, salted (hors d'oeuvre), escarole salad, estragon sauce, tarragon, fancy ices (see classified index) farina, boiled in milk, farina pudding, farina soup, francis joseph, fidgi (sauce), field salad, figaro sauce, ; (cold), figs, fresh, in cream, fig jam, figs roma, figs, sliced, with cream, filet mignon (see classified index, beef) filet mignon, monegasque, filling, lemon butter, ; orange butter, financière (garniture), fine champagne jelly, finnan haddie, broiled, finnan haddie in cream, fish (see classified index) fish, admiral, fish broth, ; with whipped cream, fish chowder, fish, cold, michels, fish dumplings, fish, fillet of, au gratin, italian, fish salad, ravigote (hors d'oeuvre), flageolets au cerfeuil, flageolet beans, flamande sauce, flannel cakes, fleurette sauce, fleurons, floating island, florentine (garniture), flounder, aiguillettes of, rouchefoult, flounder, fillet of, café riche, flounder, fillet of, cansale, flounder, fillet of, chevreuse, flounder, fillet of, chilienne, flounder, fillet of, circassienne, flounder, fillet of, meissonier, flounder, fillet of, norvegienne, flounder, fillet of, piombino, flounder, fillet of, pompadour, flounder, fillet of, st. avertin, flounder, paupiette of, st. avertin, flour, dumpling, foie gras, terrine de, à la gelée, foie gras, terrine de, en aspic, , fonds d'artichauts, du barry (cold), force and cream, , forcemeat, tongue and truffles, forestière sauce, four o'clock tea, bran bread, fowl, boiled, ; celery sauce, frankfort pudding, frankfurter sausages, imported, french bread, french layer cake, french pastry, french salad dressing, french sponge cake (génoise lègere), fricadellen (balls of cooked meat), fried cream (pastry), fritters (canned corn), fritters, corn, ; susan jones, fritters cream, fritters, surprise, frogs' legs, dilloise, frogs' legs, fried, espagnole, frogs' legs, greenway, , frogs' legs, jerusalem, frogs' legs, marinière, frogs' legs, sauté à sec, , frosting or icing, frozen egg nog, frozen loganberry juice, fruit (see classified index) fruit cake, ; white, fruit, cooked (see classified index) fruit crust, fruits dried, stewed, fruits glacé, fruit jelly (wine), fruit salad, au kirsch, ; au marasquin, fruit salad, chantilly, fruit salad glacé, fruits, sliced, with whipped cream, galantine of capon; of chicken; of squab, game (see classified index) game, purée of, ; for garnishing, garnitures for entrees, etc. (see classified index) gelée (meat jelly), gems, wheat bran, génoise lègere (pastry), génoise sauce, german almond strips, german apple cake, german carrot soup, german coffee cake, german huckleberry cake, german lentil soup, german pancake, germea (cereal), giblet sauce, giblet soup à l'anglaise, ginger bread, ginger snaps, glacé fruit, gnocchis à la romaine, ; au gratin, golden buck, golfin sauce, goosebreast, smoked (hors d'oeuvre), goose liver sauté, ; aux truffles, goose, stuffed, with chestnuts, gooseberry compote, gooseberry jam, gooseberry pie, goulash, hungarian (stew), graham bread, grape jelly, grape juice, sweet, grapefruit, à l'anisette, ; à la rose, grapefruit, cardinal, grapefruit with cherries, grapefruit with chestnut, grapefruit cocktail, grapefruit coupe, grapefruit en suprême, ; with kirsch, grapefruit marmalade, grape-nuts (cereal), green coloring (vert d'epinards), green gage plums, preserved, green hollandaise sauce, griddle cakes, war, gugelhoff, american (pastry), gumbo filé, louisiana, gumbo strained, in cups (consommé), halibut, boitel, halibut, broiled, alcide, ; maître d'hôtel, halibut, fillet of, bristol, halibut, fillet of, cubaine, halibut, fillet of, lilloise, halibut, fillet of, mornay, halibut, fillet of, pondicherry, halibut, fillet of, venitienne, halibut, metternich, ; richmond, halibut, scalloped, with cheese, ham, boiled, leonard, ham croquettes, ham, deviled, ham and eggs, ham, fried, ham, pickled, ham and spinach, boiled, ham, sugar cured, glacé, ham, virginia, broiled, ham, virginia, croquettes, ham, virginia, glacé, hamburg steak, hangtown fry, hard sauce, hare, saddle of, sour cream sauce, hare soup, uncle sam, hare stew (hasenpfeffer), haricot of mutton (stew), hasenpfeffer (hare stew), hash, corned beef, hash, chicken, à l'italienne, hash, chicken, on toast, hash, chicken, victor, hash, turkey, on toast, hazlenut ice cream, hazlenut macaroons, hearts of palm, victor, herring, fillet of, mariné (hors d'oeuvre), herring, fresh, à l'egyptienne, herring, kippered, broiled, herring, livonienne (hors d'oeuvre), herring salad, ; moscovite, herring salad (hors d'oeuvre), hollandaise sauce, homemade apple pudding, homemade bread, homemade cookies, hominy (cereal), hominy, fried, honey cake, horose sauce, hors d'oeuvres (see classified index) hors d'oeuvres variés, horseradish, en bouillon (sauce), horseradish, in cream (sauce), horseradish sauce, cold, english style, hubbard squash, baked, huckleberry roll, baked, hungarian goulash (stew), , hussarde sauce, hungarian soup, ice cream, alhambra, ice cream, banana, ice cream, caramel, ice cream, coffee, ice cream, chocolate, ice cream, fancy, ice cream, hazlenut, ice cream, loganberry, ice cream, neapolitan, ice cream, peach, ice cream, philadelphia, ice cream, pineapple, ice cream, pistache, ice cream, raspberry, ice cream, romaine, ice cream, strawberry, ice cream, vanilla, ices (see classified index) icing or frosting, icing, pistache, icing, royal, , imperial pancake, imperial salad, indian canapé (hors d'oeuvre), indian soy sauce, international (garniture), irish lamb stew, irish stew, spring lamb with dumplings, italian meringue, italian salad, italian paste (consommé), italienne sauce, italian wine sauce (pastry), jam, blackberry, jam, fig, jam, gooseberry, jam, loganberry, ; raspberry, jellied cherries, jelly, anisette (wine), jelly, apple, jelly, benedictine, jelly, blackberry, jelly, brandy, jelly, burgundy (wine), jelly, champagne, ; fine champagne, jelly, chartreuse, jelly, chicken, jelly, claret, jelly, cognac, jelly, cranberry, jelly, currant, jelly, fruit (wine), jelly, grape, jelly, kirsch, jelly, maraschino, jelly, meat, jelly, moselle, jelly, port wine, jelly, quince, jellies recipes (suggestions), jelly, rhine wine, jelly roll, jelly à la russe (wine), jelly, sherry, jelly, wine with apricots, jelly, wine, ; with berries, jelly, wine, with peaches, jelly, wine, with whipped cream, jerusalem artichokes in cream, jets de houblons (vegetable), julienne, kalte schale (beverage), kalter aufschnitt, kentucky sauce, kid, easter, roasted, kieler sprotten (hors d'oeuvre), kingfish, argentine, ; meunière, ; ubsala, kippered herring, broiled, kirsch jelly, kisses (pastry), knickerbocker salad, koenigsberger klobs, kohl rabi baked, lady cake, lady fingers, lallah rookh (see ices, etc.), lamb (see classified index) lamb, baby, steak, horticulture, lamb broth à la grecque, lamb broth à la reine, lamb broth, olympic club, lamb chops with bacon, lamb chops, beaugeney, lamb chops, beau-sejour, lamb chops, bignon, ; bradford, lamb chops, breaded, ; reformé, lamb chops, charcutière, lamb chops, english, tavern, lamb chops, english, xx century club, lamb chuck steak, english, maître d'hôtel, lamb chops, maison d'or, lamb chops, maréchal, ; robinson, lamb chops, sauce soubise, lamb chops, sauté aux cèpes, lamb chops, sauté aux fines herbes, lamb chops, victor hugo, lamb curried, with rice, lamb cutlets in papers, lamb hash, ; j. a. britton, lamb hash, with peppers, lamb hash, sam ward, lamb kidneys, en brochette, with bacon, lamb kidneys en pilaff, lamb kidney stew, lamb, leg of, boulangère, lamb loin chops, fried, lamb loin chops, jardinière, lamb, leg of, renaissance, lamb, navarin of, printanier (stew), lamb, noisettes, ; ducale, ; montpensier, lamb, rack of, ; jardinière, lamb, rack of, montjo, lamb saddle, carnot, lamb saddle, international, lamb saddle, jardinière, lamb saddle, souvaroff, lamb, shoulder of, in baker's oven, lamb steak, lamb steak, bercy, lamb stew, irish, lamb tenderloin, thomas, lamb trotters, poulette, langues de chat (pastry), layer cake, , leberkloese (calf's liver dumplings), lemon butter filling, lemon cake, lemon custard pie, lemon darioles (pastry), lemon meringue pie, lemon or orange brandy for flavoring, lemon or orange peel, candied, lemon pie, special, , lemon sauce (pastry), lemon water ice, lemonade, lentils, lentil salad, lettuce, boiled, lettuce braisé, lettuce salad, lettuce and tomato salad, lillian russell (see ices, etc.) lima beans, lima beans au paprika, lima beans, curried, lima beans, purée of, lima beans with shallots, limes, to preserve, lobster with anchovies salad, lobster baked, cardinal, ; lincoln, lobster, becker, lobster broiled, lobster butter, lobster chowder, lobster corals, lobster en court bouillon, lobster croquettes, lobster newburg, lobster salad, lobster sauce, lobster stuffed, lobster, thermidor, loganberry jam, loganberry juice, frozen, loganberry ice cream, loganberry roll, baked, loin pork, baker's oven style, loin pork, roasted, lunch rolls, lyon sausage (hors d'oeuvre), , macaronade célestine (pastry), macaroni, caruso, macaroni in cream, macaroni soup with leeks, macaroons, macaroons, chocolate, ; fancy, ; hazlenut, macédoine (vegetable), macédoine water ice, mackerel, broiled, anchovy butter, mackerel, salted, boiled, madère, sauce, maître d'hôtel sauce, mallard duck, roasted, malta vita (cereal), malvina (garniture), maraschino jelly, maraschino sauce for iced pudding, marinière sauce, marinite herring (hors d'oeuvre), marmalade, apricot, ; peach, marmalade, california, marmalade and jelly, crabapple, maryland beaten biscuits, maryland corn bread, matjes herring krasnapolsky (hors d'oeuvre), matelote of fish, ; sauce for, maximilienne sauce, mayonnaise sauce, meat croquettes, meringue (for baked alaska), meringue à la crème chantilly, meringue glacée à la chantilly, meringue glacée au chocolate, meringue, italian, meringue paste for pie, meringue, peach, ; raspberry, ; strawberry, meringued peaches, meringue shells, merry widow cocktail (hors d'oeuvre), meunière, sauce, mignonnette sauce, milk toast, millionaire punch, mince meat, ; canned, mince pie, mint sauce, mint wafers, mirlitons (pastry), ; au rhum, mixed grill, mocha (see moka), mock turtle soup, moka cake, moka (mocha) filling, mollet (see eggs) montebello (see fish), montebello sauce, montmorency pudding, mornay sauce, mortadella (hors d'oeuvre), , moscovite dressing (fish), moselle jelly, mousse au café (see ices, etc.), mousse au chocolate (see ices, etc.), mousseline sauce, muffins, corn, muffins, popover, mushrooms, fresh, broiled, mushrooms, fresh, purée of, mushrooms, fresh, sauté in butter, mushrooms, fresh, stuffed, mussels, marinière, mustard sauce, , mutton (see classified index) mutton chops, argenteuil, mutton chops, bignon, mutton chops, braised, mutton chops, daumont, mutton chops, english, kentucky sauce, mutton chops, english, tavern, mutton chops, english, xx century club, mutton chops, grilled, mutton chops, maison d'or, mutton chops, robinson, ; signora, mutton, haricot of (stew), mutton, leg, boiled, caper sauce, mutton, leg, bretonne, mutton, leg of, à la busse, mutton, leg, choiseul, ; clamart, mutton, leg, mexicaine, mutton, leg, réforme, mutton, leg, roasted, mutton, loin, charcutière, mutton rack, roasted, mutton saddle, roasted, mutton shoulder, budapest, mutton soup, kitchener, napoleon cake, nasturtion seeds, pickled, navarin of lamb, printanier (stew), neapolitan ice cream, neapolitan sandwich (see ices, etc.), nectarine compote, nesselrode pudding, newburg sauce, new england boiled dinner, noodles, ; polonaise, noisettes of lamb, nonpareil sauce, normandie water ice, oatmeal, okra and tomatoes, sauté, olive and anchovy salad (hors d'oeuvre), olives, ripe, with garlic and oil (hors d'oeuvre), olives, ripe (hors d'oeuvre), olive sandwich, olive sauce, olives, stuffed, ombrelle d'ostende, omelets (see classified index) omelet argentine, omelet, bayonnaise, omelet, célestine, omelet with cèpes, omelet, cherbourg, omelet with chives, omelet au cognac, omelet au confiture, omelet du czar, , omelet with egg plant, omelet fines herbes, omelet with ham, omelet impératrice, omelet with jelly, omelet with kidneys, omelet, levy, omelet, lorraine, omelet, louis xiv, omelet, meissonier, omelet with onions, omelet with oysters, omelet with parsley, omelet with peas, omelet, plain and for sweet dessert, omelet, potato, omelet with potatoes, omelet, robespierre, omelet, schofield, omelet with soft clams, , omelet with soft clams, newberg, omelette soufflée, , omelet, spanish, omelet with strawberries, omelet en surprise, omelette suzanne, omelet, sweet, plain, omelet with virginia ham and peppers, omelet, vogeleier, onion au gratin soup, , onions, fried, onions, glacees, onions, hongroise, onions, purée of, soubise, onions, stewed, onions, stuffed, with cabbage, onion and tomato soup, onions, pickled, orange baskets (see ices, etc.), orange butter filling, orange cake, orange compote, orange coupe (see ices, etc.), orange custard pie, orange darioles, orange and grapefruit, st. francis, orange juice, orange or lemon brandy for flavoring, orange or lemon peel, candied, orange meringue pie, orange sauce, oranges, sliced, orange soufflé, st. francis, orange soufflé glacé, st. francis, orange en suprême, ; au curaçao, orange water ice, orangeade, oysters (see classified index) oysters à l'ancienne, oysters, baked, au gruyère, oysters, bellevue, oysters en brochette, ; à la diable, oysters, broiled, with bacon, oyster broth (consommé), oyster cocktail, oyster crab patties, oyster or crab poulette, oysters, curried, oysters on half shell, , oysters à la hyde, oysters, kirkpatrick, oysters, louis, oysters mariné (hors d'oeuvre), oysters, mignonette, oysters, mornay, oysters, newburg, oysters, pickled, cold, oysters à la poulette, , oyster sauce, oyster soup, family style, oysters stewed, oysters, sûpreme, st. francis, oysters victor, oysters, victor hugo, oysters, yaquino, oxtail, braisé, oxtail soup, english style, pain mane (hors d'oeuvre), palm, hearts of, victor, pancakes, pancakes, french and english, pancake, imperial, pancakes, lieb, pancake, german, pancake molosol (hors d'oeuvre), pancakes with rapsberry syrup, pannade soup, papillote, ; club style (for fish), paprika sauce, paprika schnitzel (veal), paprika veal (stew), parfaits (several), parsnips, boiled, parsnips in cream, parsley fried, partridge, roasted, pastry (see classified index) pastry cream, pâte dough, pâté de foie gras, patience cake, patties, bagration (fish), patties, oyster crab, patties, shrimp, peas and carrots in cream, peas au cerfeuil, peas in cream, peas, farmer style, peas à la française, peas, new, plain, peas and shallots in cream, pea soup, with vermicelli, peaches, baked, peaches, bourdaloue, peaches brandied, peaches with brandy sauce, peaches, canned, peach cobbler, peach compote, peach ice cream, peach marmalade, peaches, meringued, peach meringue, peach melba (see ices, etc.), peach mona lisa (see ices, etc.), peach norelli, peach pie, peaches, sliced, with whipped cream, peaches, sweet pickled, peach whipped cream, pears, baked, ; baked, for canning, pears bourdaloue, pear cobbler, pears, mayonnaise, pears, peaches or plums, canned, pear pie, pears, piedmont, pears, preserved, pear salad, mayonnaise, pears, stewed with claret, pears in syrup, pearl grits (cereal), ; with cream, pecans, salted (hors d'oeuvre), pepper pot, philadelphia, pepper sauce, peppers, stuffed, green, perch au bleu, perch, fillet of, st. charles, perch, meunière, périgord, sauce, ; périgordine, sauce, périguèux sauce, petaluma cream cheese, petite marmite (soup), pettijohns (cereal), pheasant pie, cold, pheasant, roasted, philadelphia ice cream, philadelphia pepper pot, pickles, ; pickles (see classified index), pickled beets salad, pickles, cucumber, sweet, ripe, pickled nasturtion seeds, pickled onions, pickled oysters (hors d'oeuvre), pickled peaches, sweet, pickles recipes (suggestions), pickles, spiced vinegar for, pickled tomatoes, green, pickelsteiner, stew, pie (see classified index) pie, apple, pie, apricot, pie, banana, ; banana cream, pie, blackberry, pie, cherry, pie, chocolate cream, pie, cocoanut custard, pie, cocoanut meringue, pie, currant, ; english currant, pie, english grape, pie, english huckleberry, pie, english rhubarb, pie, gooseberry, ; english gooseberry, pie, lemon custard, pie, lemon meringue, pie, lemon special, , pie, meringue paste for, pie, mince, pie, orange custard, ; orange meringue, pie paste, pie, peach, pie, pear, pie, pheasant, cold, pie, pineapple, pie, pumpkin, ; pumpkin, pulp, pie, raspberry, ; raspberry cream, pie, strawberry, ; strawberry cream, pie, vanilla custard, ; pie, vanilla meringue, pig's feet, boiled, pig's feet, broiled, chili sauce, pig's feet, broiled, special, pig's feet, st. menehould, pig's knuckles and sauerkraut, pilaff à la turc (stew), pimentos à l'huile (hors d'oeuvre), pimentos, stuffed, créole, pimentos suédoise (hors d'oeuvre), pimentos vinaigrette (hors d'oeuvre), pim olas (hors d'oeuvre), pineapple, compote of, pineapple créole, pineapple crust (pastry), pineapple ice cream, pineapple pie, pineapple preserves, pink mayonnaise sauce, pink pudding, victor, piquante sauce, pistache éclairs, pistache ice cream, pistache icing, planked black bass, planked steaks, ; planked shad and roe, planked smelts, en bordure, planked striped bass, plombière aux fruits, plombière aux marrons (see ices, etc.), plombière à la vanilla (see ices, etc.), plums, canned, plum compote, plum pudding, poivrade sauce, pommes d'arbre (apple), pompano, bâtelière, pompano, broiled, havanaise, pompano, café anglaise, pompano, fillet of, en papillote, pompano, fillet of, pocharde, pompano, meunière, pompano, sauté, d'orsay, pompano, vatel, popover muffins, pork (see classified index) pork chop, badoise, pork loin, baker's oven style, pork loin, roasted, pork, roast leg of, porte maillot (garniture), port wine jelly, port wine sauce, ; porterhouse (see beef), ; postum cereal, pot au feu (soup), potage albert, potage alexandra, potage américaine, potage andalouse, potage à l'anglaise, potage arlequin, potage bagration, potage bourgeoisie, potage brunoise, with rice, potage bonne femme, potage bouqetière, potage cambridge, potage cameroni, potage carpure, potage champenoise, potage châtelaine, potage coburg, potage colbert, potage coquelin, potage dagobert, potage dieppoise, potage duchesse, potage eliza, potage esau, potage faubonne, potage ferneuse, potage flamande, ; potage fontange, potage gentilhomme, potage grande mère, potage grenade, potage hollandaise, potage honolulu, potage italienne, potage jackson, potage kroumir, potage lamballe, potage livonien, potage lord mayor, potage maintenon, potage marie louise, potage marquis, potage mathilda, potage mcdonald, , potage mexicaine, ; mongol, potage montglas, potage nassau, potage navarraise, potage normande, potage parmentier, potage paysanne, ; plessy, potage portugaise, ; quirinal, potage reine margot, potage ruffo, potage st. marceau, potage santé, potage saxe, potage schorestène, potage solferino, potage talleyrand, potage tapioca, crécy, potage turinoise, potage velour, potage venetienne, ; potage vert pré, potage victoria, potage viennoise, potage villageoise, potage voisin, potage waldaise, potage westmoreland, potage windsor, potatoes (see classified index) potatoes, alsatian, potatoes, anna, potatoes, allumette, potatoes au gratin, potatoes, bischwiller, potatoes, brioche, potatoes, browned hashed, potato cakes, potatoes, candied sweet, potatoes, château, potatoes, cléo, potatoes, cottage fried, potatoes, croquettes, potatoes, delmonico, potatoes duchesse, potatoes flambé with rum (sweet), potatoes fondante, potatoes french fried, potatoes gauffrette, potatoes gendarme, ; potatoes georgette, potatoes hollandaise, potatoes jeanette, potatoes julienne, potatoes laurette, potato and leek soup, potatoes lorraine, potatoes louis, potatoes lyonnaise, potatoes maître d'hôtel, potatoes marquise, potatoes, mashed, au gratin, potatoes, mashed browned, potatoes nature, potatoes o'brien, potatoes olivette, potatoes paille (straw), potatoes palestine, potato pancakes, potatoes paprika, potatoes parisienne, ; parisienne, hollandaise, potatoes, paul stock, potatoes persillade, potatoes pont neuf, potato, purée of, salad, potatoes à la reine, potatoes rissolées, ; potatoes ritz, potatoes st. francis, potato salad, potatoes, saratoga chips, potatoes, sauté, potatoes soufflé, potato soup, dieppoise, ; faubonne, potatoes steamboat fried, potatoes en surprise, potatoes, sweet, southern style, ; potatoes, sweet baked, with sugar, potatoes, sweet, broiled, potato, sweet, pudding, potatoes, sybil, potatoes, waffle, potatoes, york, pound cake, poulette sauce, preserves (see classified index) preserves, amount of fruit required, preserves, cherry, preserves, citron, preserved greengage plums, preserved pears, ; pineapple, preserves recipes (suggestions), preserves, strawberry, preserves, tomato, preserved violets, preserves, watermelon, prunes, ; victor, prune compote, prune soufflé, pudding, apple, cottage, pudding, alexandria, pudding, blood (pork), pudding, boston brown, pudding, bread custard, pudding, brown bread, baked, pudding cabinet, pudding, chocolate, cold, pudding, cocoanut, pudding, corn, pudding, cornmeal, pudding, corn starch, pudding, cottage, pudding, diplomate, pudding, english rice, pudding, farina, pudding, frankfort, pudding, gastaner, pudding, homemade apple, pudding, jam roll, pudding, montmorency, pudding, nesselrode, pudding, pink, victor, pudding, plum, pudding, rice, pudding, rolled oats, pudding, roly poly, pudding, rossini, pudding, tapioca, pudding, tutti frutti, pudding, sago, pudding, saxony, pudding soufflé, dame blanche, pudding, sweet potato, puff paste, puff paste baskets, puff paste crescents, puff paste roses, puff paste sandwich, pulled bread, pumpkin, to can, pumpkin pie, ; pulp, pumpkin and rice, scalloped, pumpkin, stewed, punch, champagne, punch, claret, punch, millionaire, punch palermitaine (see ices, etc.), punch, raisin, punch, roman, punch, victoria, purée (see soups, thick) purée camelia, purée céléstine, purée of chicory, purée crécy, purée of cucumbers, purée d'artois, purée of game, , purée of game, for garnishing, purée of game, st. hubert, purée of green asparagus, purée of lentils, ; with tapioca, purée of lima beans, purée paysanne, purée of peas, aux croutons, purée of peas with noodles, purée of pheasant, st. hubert, purée of peas, plain, ; varsovienne, purée of potatoes, purée of potato salad, purée of red kidney beans, purée of turnips, caroline, purée st. germain, ; (vegetable), purée of spinach, purée of tomatoes, ; with rice, purée of white beans, ; allemande, purée of white beans, soubise, quail, broiled, on toast, quince jelly, radishes (hors d'oeuvre), ragout à la deutsch (stew), ragout fin (stew), raisin bread, raisins, california, raisin cocktail, raisin punch, raspberries à la mode, raspberry coupe, fresh, raspberry cream pie, raspberry ice cream, raspberry jam, raspberry juice, raspberry pie, raspberry melba sauce (see ices, etc.), raspberry meringue, ; meringue glacée, raspberry shortcake, raspberry water ice, , raspberry whipped cream, red cabbage salad, red currant water ice, reindeer chops, reindeer, roast leg of, reindeer stew, rémoulade, ; sauce, rheinbraten (see beef), rhine wine jelly, rhubarb, rice, boiled, rice cakes, rice, californienne, rice, créole, rice croquettes, ; rice darioles, rice pudding, rice soup à l'allemande, ; palermo, rice stuffing, rice, timbale of, ; créole, riche sauce, richelieu (garniture), risotto, robert sauce, rock cod, boiled, fleurette, rock cod, en court bouillon, rock cod, fillet of, nantaise, roçol soup, à la russe, rolls, breakfast, ; lunch, rolled oats pudding, roly poly pudding, roman punch, romaine ice cream, romaine salad, roquefort salad dressing, rougemont sauce, rosabelle (garniture), rossini (garniture), royale (see fish), royal butter (pastry), royal cake, royal icing, ; ruddy duck, roasted, russe (see fish), russian salad dressing, sabayon sauce (pastry), sago pudding, ; family style, st. francis salad dressing, salads (see classified index) salads (see fruit), ; salad, algérienne, salad, alligator pear, salad, américaine, salad, anchovy, salad, asparagus tips, salad, avocado, french dressing, salad, beets, pickled, salad, brazilian, ; brésilienne, salad, bretonne, salad, cauliflower, salad, celery, mayonnaise, salad, celery root, field and beet, salad, celery, victor, salad, cendrillon, salad, château de madrid, salad, chicken, victor, salad, chicory, ; chicory, with chapon, salad, chiffonade, salad, chilian, salad, cole slaw, ; cole slaw, ravigote, salad, cosmopolitan, salad, crab, ; crab, louis, salad, cucumber, salad, culemo, sliced, salad, cupid d'azure, salad, dandelion, ; german style, salad, doucette, salad dressing, ; with chapon, salad dressing, egg, salad dressing, escoffier, salad dressing, french, salad dressing, roquefort, salad dressing, russian, salad dressing, st. francis, salad dressing, thousand island, salad dressing, victor, salad, écrevisse, gourmet, salad, egg, salad, endive, ; endive with beets, salad, escarole, salad, field, salad, fresh vegetable, salad, herring, ; herring, moscovite, salad, imperial, salad, italian, salad, knickerbocker, salad, lentil, salad, lettuce, ; lettuce and tomato, salad, livermore, salad, lobster, ; with anchovies, salad, lorenzo, salad, lorette, salad, louis, salad, louise, salad majestic, salad, mirabeau, salad, nivernaise, salad, olga, ; orloff, salad, panachée, salad pear, mayonnaise, salad, potato, ; purée of potato, salad, purée of, salad, rachel, salad, ravachol, salad, red cabbage, salad, rejane, salad, romaine, salad, russe, salad, shrimp, ; shrimp, anastine, salad, stanislaus, salad, string beans, ; salad, string beans and tomato, salad, tomatoes, sliced, ; salad, tosca, salad, tuna, salad, waldorf, salad, watercress, salad, white bean, salisbury steak (see beef), salmon belly, salted, melted butter, salmon, boiled, badu-cah, salmon, boiled, diplomate, ; fidgi, salmon, boiled, princesse, salmon, boiled, sauce anglaise, salmon, boiled, sauce mousseline, salmon, boiled, villers, salmon, braised, parisienne, salmon, broiled, à la russe, ; st. germaine, salmon, chambord, salmon, cold, smoked, salmon, concourt, salmon, mirabeau, salmon, smoked, broiled, salmon, smoked (hors d'oeuvre), salmon steak, broiled, salmon steak, calcutta, salmon steak, colbert, salmon steak, hongroise, salmon, vol au vent of, génoise, sand dabs, carnot, ; david, sand dabs, fried fillet of, sauce verte, sand dabs, gaillard, sand dabs, grenobloise, sand dabs, meunière, sand tart (sablé), sandwich, bread and butter, sandwich, carême, sandwich, chicken, sandwich, cream of almond, sandwich, créole, sandwich, dubney, sandwich, neapolitan (see ices, etc.), sandwich, olive, sandwich, puff paste, sandwich, schlemmerbroedchen, sandwich, windsor, saratoga chips, sardines (hors d'oeuvre), sardines on toast, sardines, vinaigrette (hors d'oeuvre), sauce allemande, sauce, anchovy, sauce, anchovy butter, sauce anglaise, ; anglaise (for fish), sauce béarnaise, ; béarnaise tomatée, sauce béchamel (cream), sauce bercy, ; sauce bordelaise, sauce, brandy, sauce bread, ; bread crumbs, sauce bread (for game), ; bread crumbs, sauce brown butter, sauce, brown gravy, sauce cardinal, sauce caper, sauce, celery, sauce, chambord, sauce, champagne, sauce, chocolate, cold, sauce, choron, sauce, cocktail, for oysters, sauce, colbert, sauce, cranberry, sauce, cream, ; cream (pastry), sauce, créole, sauce, curry, sauce, devil, sauce, diplomate, sauce, écrevisse, sauce, egg, sauce estragon (tarragon), sauce, fidgi, sauce figaro, ; cold, sauce flamande, sauce fleurette, sauce forestière, sauce génoise, sauce giblet, sauce golfin, sauce green hollandaise, sauce, hard (pastry), sauce hollandaise, sauce horose, sauce, horseradish, cold, english style, sauce, horseradish en bouillon, sauce, horseradish in cream, sauce hussarde, sauce, indian soy, sauce, italian wine (pastry), sauce italienne, sauce kentucky, sauce, lemon (pastry), sauce, lobster, sauce madère, sauce maître d'hôtel, sauce, maraschino (for iced pudding), sauce marinière, sauce matelote (fish), sauce maximilienne, sauce mayonnaise, sauce meunière, sauce mignonette, sauce mint, sauce montebello, sauce mornay, sauce mousseline, sauce mustard, ; sauce newburg, sauce nonpareil, sauce, olive, sauce, orange, sauce, oyster, sauce, paprika, sauce, pepper, sauce périgord, ; sauce, périgordine, sauce, périgueux, sauce, pink mayonnaise, sauce piquante, sauce poivrade, sauce port wine, ; sauce poulette, sauce rémoulade, sauce riche, sauce robert, sauce rougemont, sauce sabayon (pastry), sauce shrimp, sauce soubise, sauce, special, sauce suprême, sauce, sweet-sour, sauce tarragon (estragon), sauce, tartar, sauce, vanilla cream, sauce venetienne, sauce verte, sauce au vin blanc, sauce vinaigrette, sauce, white wine, sauce, wine, sauerkraut, sausages, breakfast, sausages, frankfurter, imported, savarin au kirsch, savarin chantilly, ; mirabelle, savarin montmorency, saxony pudding, scallops à la mornay, scallops, newburg, scallops, poulette, schlemmerbroedchen (sandwich), schmorrbraten, sour (see beef), scotch consommé, sea bass, boiled, hollandaise, sea bass, montebello, seed biscuits, shad, baked with raisins, shad, broiled, albert, shad, broiled, maître d'hôtel, shad and roe, baked, à l'américaine, shad roe, bordelaise, ; shad roe, en bordure, sheepshead, boiled, cream sauce, sheepshead, boiled, sauce hollandaise, shad roe, broiled, with bacon, shad roe, broiled, maître d'hôtel, shad roe, broiled, ravigote, shad and roe, planked, shell fish (see classified index) sherbets (see classified index) sherbet california, sherry jelly, shrimps with mushrooms, shrimp patties, shrimp salad, ; anastine, shrimp sauce, shrimp soup, family style, shortcake, raspberry, shortcake, strawberry, ; old-fashioned, shredded wheat biscuit, silver cake, sirloin (see classified index, beef) skate, au beurre noir, smelts, broiled, américaine, smelts, fillet of, stanley, smelts, fried, smelts, planked, en bordure, snails (see bread), snails (pastry), soft clam soup, salem, sole, aiguillettes of, hotelière, ; marinière, sole, colbert, sole, cold fillet of, raven, sole, déjazet, sole, fillet of, bercy, sole, fillet of, bretonne, sole, fillet of, cardinal, sole, fillet of, castelanne, sole, fillet of, choisy, sole, fillet of, diplomate, sole, fillet of, doria, sole, fillet of, florentine, sole, fillet of, française, sole, fillet of, gasser, sole, fillet of, joinville, sole, fillet of, judic, sole, fillet of, lord curzon, ; sole, fillet of, mantane, sole, fillet of, maréchale, sole, fillet of, marguery, ; sole, fillet of, maximilian, sole, fillet of, meissonier, sole, fillet of, montmorency, ; sole, fillet of, normande, sole, fillet of, orly, sole, fillet of, paul bert, sole, fillet of, paylord, sole, fillet of, pondichery, sole, fillet of, royal, sole, fillet of, rose caron, sole, fillet of, st. cloud, sole, fillet of, st. malo, sole, fillet of, st. nazaire, sole, fillet of, suchet, sole, fillet of, talleyrand, sole, fillet of, turbigo, sole, fillet of, under glass, sole, fillet of, valeska, sole, fillet of, victoria, sole, fillet of, villeroi, sole, fillet of, au vin blanc, sole, fillet of, voisin, sole, fried fillet of, sole, fried fillet of, rémoulade, sole, héloise, sole, médaillon of, victor, sole, small fried fillet of, sorrel, sorrel soup à l'eau, sorrel soup with rice, soubise (for stuffing chops, etc.), soubise sauce, soufflé au fromage, soufflé glacé aux fraises and with raspberries, soufflé glacé, plain, soufflé glacé, st. francis, soufflé glacé, pavlowa, soup, algérienne (cream), soup, artichokes (cream), soup, asparagus (cream), soup, asparagus, favori (cream), soup, bagration (cream), soup, bananas (cream), soup, bean and cabbage, soup, bisque d'écrivisses (cream), soup, bisque of california oysters (cream), soup, bisque of clams (cream), soup, bisque of crabs (cream), soup, burned farina, soup, cabbage, normande, soup, cardinal (cream), soup, cauliflower (cream), soup, celery, soup, celery broth, cold, soup, celery, kalamazoo (cream), soup, chicken, brésilienne, soup, chicken (cream), soup, chicken, florentine, soup, chicken, française, soup, chicken hortense (cream), soup, chicken, mulligatawny, soup, chicken okra, soup, chicken, piedmontaise, soup, chicken, portugaise, soup, chicken, à la reine (cream), soup, chicken, san remo, soup, clam, homemade, soup, clear green turtle, soup, congolaise (cream), soup, cooper, soup, corn and onions (cream), soup, countess (cream), soup, crab gumbo, soup, croute bretonne, soup, ditalini à la royal, soup, endives (cream), soup, farina (cream), soup, farina, francis joseph, soup, farina lié (cream), soup, flageolets (cream), soup, frogs' legs (cream), soup, german carrot, soup, german lentil, soup, giblet à l'anglaise, soup, green corn (cream), ; soup, hare, uncle sam, soup, hungarian, soup, lamb broth à la greque, soup, lamb broth à la reine, soup, lamb broth, olympic club, soup, lettuce (cream), soup, lima beans (cream), soup, macaroni with leeks, soup, maintenon (cream), soup, mock turtle, soup, mutton, kitchener, soup, onion au gratin, ; soup, onion and tomato, soup, ox tail, english style, soup, oyster, family style, soup pannade, soup, parisienne (cream), soup, parsnips (cream), ; soup, peas (cream), soup, pea, st. germain (cream), soup, potatoes (cream), soup, pea suzon, soup, pea, with vermicelli, soup, petite marmite, soup, pot au feu, soup, potato, dieppoise, soup, potato, faubonne, soup, potato and leek, soup, reine mogador (cream), soup, rice, à l'allemande, soup, rice (cream), soup, rice, palermo, soup, roçol, à la russe, soup, shrimp, family style, soup, soft clam, salem, soup, sorrel, à l'eau, soup, sorrel, with rice, soup, stock for, soup, summer squash (cream of), soup, terrapin, southern style, soups, thick (see classified index) soup, tomato broth, hot or cold, soup, velouté of chicken, soup, velautine aurore, soup, velvet, soup, viennese bean, soup, watercress (cream), soup, white bean, spaghetti, caruso, spaghetti in cream, spaghetti, milanaise, spanish mackerel, broiled, aux fines herbes, spanish mackerel, fillet of, montebello, spareribs, broiled, with lentils, spätzel, special sauce, spiced apples, sweet, spiced cherries, spiced tomatoes, spiced vinegar, for pickles, spinach, boiled, spinach, english style, spinach in cream, spinach, timbale of, sponge cake, spoon or mush bread, spring lamb irish stew with dumplings, squab (see classified index) squab, boneless, en aspic, squab, breast of, au jus, squab, breast of, eveline, ; périgord, squab, breast of, sauté in butter, squab, breast of, under glass, st. francis, squab, broiled, ; with fresh mushrooms, squab chicken, broiled, squab chicken, michels, squab chicken, plain potted, squab chicken, sauté, sutro, squab en compote, squab, galantine of, squab pot pie, english style, squab roast, au jus, squash, to can, squash, hubbard, baked, steak, tartare, stews (see classified index) stock for soup, strawberries à la mode, strawberries, canned, strawberry cream pie, strawberry coupe, fresh, strawberry ice cream, strawberry meringue, strawberries, parisienne, strawberry pie, strawberry preserves, strawberries, romanoff, strawberry shortcake, ; old-fashioned, strawberries, stewed, strawberry water ice, strawberry whipped cream, string beans, string beans, alsacienne, string beans salad, ; string beans with shallots, string beans sweet-sour, string beans, with tomatoes, string beans and tomato salad, striped bass, portugaise, striped bass, stewed, américaine, striped bass, boiled, indian soy sauce, striped bass, buena vista, striped bass, planked, strips, german almond, streusel cake, succotash, stuffing, rice, sugar, to cook to a blow, sugar cured ham glacé, summer squash au beurre, summer squash, cream of, soup, summer squash, mashed, summer squash, native son, supper selections, , , , , , , , , , , , , , suprême sauce, sweetbreads braisé, ancienne, sweetbreads braisé, clamart, sweetbreads braisé, georginette, sweetbreads braisé (glacé), sweetbreads braisé, godard, sweetbreads braisé, henry iv, sweetbreads braisé, marie louise, sweetbreads braisé, montebello, sweetbreads braisé, pompadour, sweetbreads braisé, princess, sweetbreads braised, soubise, sweetbreads braisé, elizabeth, sweetbreads braisé, st. george, sweetbreads braisé, zurich, sweetbreads broiled, sweetbread croquettes, sweetbreads egyptienne, sweetbreads, figaro, sweetbreads lavalière, sweetbreads, lieb, sweetbreads liencourt, sweetbreads marigny, sweetbreads, metropolitan club, sweetbread patties in cream, ; sweetbreads poulette, sweetbreads royal, sweetbreads, st. albans, sweetbreads, saint mondé, sweetbreads, sans gêne, sweetbreads, théodora, sweet omelet, plain, sweet potatoes, southern style, ; sweet potato croquettes, sweet potato pudding, sweet-sour sauce, tahoe trout, boiled, pepper sauce, tahoe trout, boiled, sauce mousseline, tahoe trout, boiled, vatchette, tango cake, tapioca pudding, tapioca royal (consommé parfait), tarragon sauce (estragon), tart, sand (sablé), tartar sauce, tartelette au bar le duc, tartelette of pears, tartine russe (hors d'oeuvre), tea biscuits, tea, english breakfast (see ices, etc.), teas, selections, , , , teal duck, roasted, tenderloin (see classified index, beef) terrapin au beurre, terrapin baltimore, terrapin, how to boil, terrapin, jockey club, terrapin maryland, terrapin soup, southern style, terrine de foie gras en aspic, ; terrine de foie gras à la gelée, ; thick soups (see classified index) thon mariné salad (hors d'oeuvre), thousand island salad dressing, tipsy parsons, toast, anchovy, toast, anise, toast, cheese, toast, melba, toast, milk, tomatoes, baked, tomato broth, hot or cold, tomatoes, glacées, tomate parisienne (hors d'oeuvre), tomatoes, pickled, green, tomato preserves, tomatoes, scalloped, tomatoes, sliced, tomatoes sliced (salad), ; tomatoes, spiced, tomatoes, stewed, ; stewed, brazilian, tomatoes, stewed, family style, tomatoes stuffed with anchovies, tomatoes, stuffed, with chestnuts, tomatoes, stuffed, créole, tomatoes, stuffed, nana (hors d'oeuvre), tomatoes, stuffed, noyer, tomato en surprise (hors d'oeuvre), ; tomcods, fried, tomcods, meunière, tomcods, montmorency, toulouse (garniture), tournedos, tournedos (see classified index, beef) tournedos, boulanger, tournedos, goncourt, tripe à la mode de caën, tripe, blanchard, tripe, boiled honeycomb, tripe, broiled honeycomb, chili sauce, tripe, broiled honeycomb, maître d'hôtel sauce, tripe in cream with peppers, tripe créole, tripe Étuvé, bonne femme, tripe, honeycomb, sauté aux fines herbes, tripe sauté, lyonnaise, tripe and oysters in cream, tripe and potatoes, family style, tripe, wm. h. crane, trout, boiled, plain, trout, fillet of, rachel, tuna salad, turbot, aiguillettes of, bayard, turbot, boiled, nonpareil, turbot, fillet of, bagration, turbot, fillet of, bâtelière, turbot, fillet of, bonnefoy, turbot, fillet of, daumont, turbot, fillet of, jean bart, turbot, fillet of, nesles, turbot, fillet of, sarcey, turbot, fillet of, tempis, turbot, fillet of, windsor, turkey, broiled baby, turkey, deviled legs with chow chow, turkey hash, château de madrid, turkey hash on toast, turkey livers en brochette, turkey, roast, turkey stuffed with chestnuts, turnips glacés, turnips, mashed, tutti frutti (see ices, etc.), tutti frutti pudding, vanilla brandy, vanilla charlotte glacée, vanilla cream sauce, vanilla custard pie, ; vanilla custard with meringue, vanilla darioles, vanilla ice cream, vanilla meringue pie, varsovienne (soup garnish), veal, breast, stuffed, au jus, veal chops, broiled, veal chops en papillote, veal cutlets, breaded, tomato sauce, veal, fricandeau of, au jus, veal fricassee, veal kidney, broiled, english style, veal kidney, roast, veal kidney, saute au madère, veal, leg of, au jus, veal, loin of, roasted, veal, (paprika schnitzel), veal paprika (stew), veal, rolled, huguenin, veal sauté, catalane, veal, shoulder, au jus, veal sweetbreads (see classified index, veal) veal, wiener schnitzel, vegetables (see classified index) vegetable salad, fresh, velvet soup, veloutine aurore (soup), velouté of chicken (soup), venitienne sauce, venison chop (steak), port wine sauce, venison, roast saddle of, vert d'épinards (green coloring), verte sauce, victor salad dressing, victoria (see fish), viennese bean soup, vinaigrette sauce, vinegar, spiced, for pickles, violets, preserved, virginia ham and eggs, vol au vent patty shells, vol au vent of salmon, génoise, vol au vent, toulouse, wafers, almond, wafers, mint, waffles, ; waldorf salad, water ice, apple, water ice, cantaloup, water ice, cranberry, water ice, lemon, water ice, macédoine, water ice, normandie, water ice, orange, water ice, raspberry, , water ice, red currant, water ice, strawberry, watercress salad, watermelon preserves, wax beans in butter, wedding feast selections, , wedding cake, welch rabbit, welch rabbit, special, wheat bran gems, whipped cream, whipped cream, banana, whipped cream in cup, whipped cream, peach, whipped cream, raspberry, whipped cream, strawberry, white bean salad, white bean soup, white wine sauce, whitebait, fried, whitebait on graham bread, whitefish, baked, st. menehould, whitefish boiled, golfin, whitefish, boiled, netherland style, whitefish, broiled, maître d'hôtel, wiener schnitzel (veal), windsor sandwich, wine jelly, wine jelly with apricots, wine jelly with berries, wine jelly with peaches, wine jelly with whipped cream, wine sauce, yarmouth bloater, yarmouth bloater in oil (hors d'oeuvre), yorkshire buck, yorkshire pudding, _the epicurean_ _by_ chas. ranhofer an all-around cook book for the kitchen, pastry room, pantry, storeroom, and beverage room the opening chapter is on "table service," and leads off with the arrangement of the bill of fare, followed with a chapter on wines, including a list of the different wines appropriate for the different courses, and the wines usually called for at dinners of americans, frenchmen and germans, respectively. this is followed by a system of menu-compiling for course dinners ranging from to covers, and stating the time it should take to serve the dinners. how to lay and decorate the table; the seating of the host and guests; the fixing of the sideboard; the duties of the steward and waiters; dinner table etiquette, the manner of serving the different courses, including wines, and the windup with the tea service are cleverly explained. the french and russian service are explained and a list is presented of the china, glassware, silver, etc., required for a dinner of twenty-four persons. next comes valuable information regarding breakfasts, luncheons and suppers. note the diversity of the contents there is a table of supplies in which is given the french and english names of the foods and the time of year each is in season. this table includes "fish and shell fish," "poultry," "fruits," "game," "meats," and "vegetables." this is followed with a model market list to show at a glance quantities received, on hand, and needed. we have so far got to page and we come to "bills of fare." these occupy pages and present specimens for breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, buffet or standing suppers, collations, hunting parties, garden parties served ambigue, sit down suppers, and dancing parties, including the refreshments and supper. every dish is numbered to correspond with a recipe for its preparation in another part of the book, the , recipes given being all represented in these bills of fare. next comes a chapter on "elementary methods," in which is taught such information as how to peel almonds, to blanch vegetables, to make paste borders, to prepare bouchées, to braise, bread, carve, mold jellies, make vegetable colors, prepare different style creams, make puff paste, beat up eggs, clean fish, prepare forcemeats and bread stuffing and gelatines, grate cheese, cook icing, prepare jellies, cut fat pork for larding, lard meat, poultry and game, cut lemons, dress meringues, make mince meat, flute mushrooms, stone olives, fix parsley for garnishing, make almond and many other pastes; press meats, gelatines, breasts, sweetbreads, etc., prepare quenelles, clean currants, reduce and strain sauces, prepare rissoles, cut roots with a spoon and with a vegetable cutter; to prepare salpicon; to scald and sieve; the use of spices, aromatics and seasonings for cooking purposes; to cast and color stearine, to strain purees, cook sugar, make tarts; make thickenings for soups, sauces and stews; to line and bake timbale crusts, brush and peel truffles, dress, singe and truss poultry and game for entrees and roasting; make vol-au-vent crust, white stock for meats and vegetables, etc., etc., etc. then follows a chapter on "kitchen utensils," in which about every known article of kitchen furniture and equipment (when the book was written) is described and illustrated. this includes the cold storage department, as well. next comes the department of "soups," of which the making of two hundred kinds is explained. this is followed by "sauces--stocks, essences and auxiliaries," for which recipes are given. following the sauces is a department of "garnishings," for which there are recipes. next is a chapter on "side dishes," in which recipes for cold and hot are given. then follows a chapter on "mollusks and crustaceans," with recipes. a chapter on "fish" comes next with recipes. this is followed with chapters on "beef," recipes; "veal," recipes; "mutton," recipes; "lamb," recipes; "pork," recipes; "poultry," recipes; and "game," recipes. as yet we have got only about half way through the book. the next chapter is headed "miscellaneous entrees," and gives recipes. next is a department of "cold service," including garnishings for cold dishes, the making of cooked salads, cooked and raw vegetable salads, green salads, etc. there are recipes in this department. following comes a chapter on "vegetables," with recipes. then one on "eggs," with different ways of cooking. then comes a chapter headed "farinaceous," with recipes. this is followed with "sweet entremets," of which there are recipes for hot and cold. we now come to the "pastry," beginning with large cakes for entremets, recipes; breakfast cakes, recipes; small cakes for entremets, recipes; tea cakes, recipes; and fancy cakes, recipes. next is the "bakery" department with recipes, together with full information regarding utensils, yeast, ferment, leaves, etc., etc. then follows a chapter on "ices," including "iced drinks," with recipes. following this is a department of "confectionery," with recipes, including large pieces, candies, preserves, salted almonds, cheeses and fresh fruits, chocolate, coffees, raccahout, teas, etc. then follows a very interesting chapter on "wines," with information regarding the care of bottling, clarifying, decanting, and freezing; punches, dessert, drinks, etc. this is followed with a pictorial display of "last century" tables, and a "collection of delmonico's menus," occupying pages of the book. the volume ends with a comprehensive index occupying double column pages. the book is profusely illustrated--there being no less than cuts interspersed among the reading matter. the pictures are very good of their kind, too. another most excellent feature of this great cook book is that every recipe in it appears under a good, honest english name, alongside of which is the translation of it into the french. price $ . postage prepaid for sale by the hotel monthly bookshop merchandise mart john willy, _inc._ chicago , ill. popular handbooks for hotel, restaurant, transportation catering, institution and club use the epicurean (ranhofer) $ . the king of cook books is "the epicurean," by charles ranhofer, of delmonico's. this book is , pages and weighs about ten pounds. it is the most extensive, the most complete, the most readable, the most attractive and the best all-around cook book that has ever been published. the first chapter is devoted to table service, with instruction in menu-making and the care and service of wines, the decoration of the table, the fixing of the sideboard, complete dining room instructions for the service of course dinners. french and russian service is explained. there are lists of china, glass and silver, etc.; a table of supplies in which the french and english names are given, and a market list. then follows pages of menus for breakfasts, luncheons, dinners, buffet or standing suppers, collations, hunting parties, garden parties, dancing parties, etc. all dishes in these menus are numbered to conform with recipes for them in the body of the book. there is a chapter on elementary methods, in which even the drudgery work in the kitchen is explained, and all the work done by apprentices in the early stages of hotel kitchen work. the chapter on kitchen utensils is very full, every utensil illustrated. then come the recipes: soups, sauces, garnishes, side dishes, shell fish, fish, beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork, poultry, game, miscellaneous entrees, salads, vegetables, eggs, farinaceous foods, sweet entrees, cakes, breads, ices and iced drinks, confectionery, and several illustrations of centerpieces. there is an exhaustive chapter on wines, several recipes for mixed drinks, and pages devoted to a collection of delmonico menus. the index occupies double-column pages. there are more than illustrations. a most excellent feature of the epicurean is that every recipe in it appears under a good honest english name, alongside of which is the translation of it into french. it is beautifully bound in keratol levant grain, embossed in gold. the palmer house cook book (amiet) $ . here is the book you have been waiting for ... the _new_ palmer house cook book ... newly revised, new recipes ... illustrated with beautiful natural color and black and white illustrations. the _new_ palmer house cook book contains all the menus and recipes that made the first edition a best seller, _plus_ many new recipes and color illustrations. recipes for world-famous dishes just as they are prepared by chef amiet in chicago's palmer house, and in other leading hotels, clubs, restaurants and in private homes. yet, the instructions are so clear and simple, even a beginner can produce the dishes with wonderful results. the book is divided into two sections. the first section gives menus with recipes for seventy-six consecutive days. the second part is devoted to a choice of recipes which may be substituted for any of those on the daily menus; and instructions for preparing the sauces, garnishes and dressings called for on the menus. outstanding feature of this book is its beautiful color and black and white illustrations showing the proper manner of service, and how the finished dish will look. the _new_ palmer house cook book is truly a masterpiece of culinary literature ... a book which every manager, chef and steward ... in every hotel, club, and restaurant should own and use. pages of recipes and menus, plus pages of illustrations, - / × inches, cloth bound. the hotel st. francis cook book (hirtzler) $ . the author was chef of hotel st. francis, san francisco. adapted for hotels, restaurants, clubs, coffee rooms, families and every place where high-class, wholesome cuisine is desired. this is the most important culinary book that has come from any press in the last twenty-five years. mr. hirtzler is known thruout europe and america as one of the ablest chefs of the day. he made the cuisine of the hotel st. francis world-famous. a feature of the hotel st. francis cook book that will be appreciated by thousands of hotel people, caterers, families and all interested in home economics, is the selection and preparation of foods in season; the presentation of breakfast, luncheon and dinner menus for every day in the year--the selections appropriate, and all dishes actually prepared and served in the hotel st. francis. this feature of the book gives a suggestive quality, a reminder attribute, and a knowledge of food economies and food attributes that is hereby brought to the aid of the proficient and the learner, also enables even the inexperienced to produce the well-balanced menu. the hotel st. francis cook book is indexed and cross indexed so that every recipe can be referred to on the instant. the edgewater salad book (shircliffe) $ . contains more than tested recipes for salads and salad dressings. mr. shircliffe has not only given the recipes, but in many cases has supplemented them with author's notes, calling attention to special health-giving features, and suggesting diets for the different ailments that afflict humans. he also takes opportunity to preach many a short sermon on the importance of right eating and what is best for health from the cradle to old age. he also intersperses much of human interest in the way of anecdote, legend and historic events. in this way it is more than a cook book--it is readable to those who are not so much interested in how to make salads as in the enjoyment of them. the great charm of the book is the illustrations, which are from direct photographs in the natural colors, so that the dishes illustrated have the eye-appeal and the enticing qualities of the real dish. it is a book that fits into every kitchen--home, hotel, club, hospital, restaurant, lunch room, cafeteria, steamship, dining car, industrial catering plant, institution, army mess--in fact, wherever information is desired as to the why and how to prepare for the table. the edgewater salad portfolio (shircliffe) $ . a set of beautiful illustrations of salads taken from the edgewater beach salad book. they are mounted on heavy green cover stock, - / × - / inches, each showing one or two of the salads, and are suitable for framing. the portfolio may be used by the maître d'hôtel to assist him in selling party menus. the illustrations are so natural and appetizing that they make strong appeal to patrons when selecting the salad course for special menus. also these pictures serve as a guide to pantry girls, showing them how the finished salad should look. the edgewater sandwich book (shircliffe) $ . supplemented with chapters on hors d'oeuvres, suprêmes, canapes and relishes. more than recipes. this book is by the author of the edgewater salad book, the most important culinary book produced in recent years. there are thirty illustrations of sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres. it will meet the requirements of all kinds of refreshment places from the soda fountain to lunch room, tea room and high-class restaurant. bound in convenient pocket size. a selection of dishes and the chef's reminder (fellows) $ . the book that has met with the largest sale and is in most demand from managers, stewards and cooks. it is in vest pocket form, pages. the most complete and serviceable pocket reference book to culinary matters that has ever been published. it is not a cook book, in the general sense of the word, but is full of ideas and suggestions regarding bill-of-fare dishes. chapters are devoted to entrees of all kinds, salads, soups, consommés, fish and their sauces, sauces in general, garnishes, fancy potatoes, miscellaneous recipes, hints to cooks and stewards, suggestion for breakfast, lunch and supper dishes, chafing dish cookery, menus, and a pronouncing glossary of culinary terms. hundreds of the dishes listed are given with their bill-of-fare names only, as the cooks understand the basic work in preparing dishes, and the sauces and garnishes are treated separately, with information as to their component parts. thousands of men who possess a copy of this book say it is their greatest help. printed on bond paper, bound in flexible cover. the hotel butcher, garde manger and carver (frank rivers) $ . the author has cultivated a new field in culinary literature, and produced a book both novel and useful. his experience as butcher, carver, chef and steward enabled him to compile facts regarding meats and meat economics, from the butcher shop to the dining-room table, that will be invaluable to managers, stewards, chefs, and all persons employed in culinary work. his book digests the subjects of buying, handling, sale, and service of meats, poultry and fish for hotels, restaurants, clubs and institutions. it is varied with suggestions for the use of meats and trimmings for particular dishes; the composition of these dishes set forth in concise form. the information is clarified by the use of about illustrations. the index is so comprehensive that any item may be referred to on the instant. pages. ideas for refreshment rooms $ . this book is composed mainly of expositions of catering systems, in particular, tea room, lunch room, department store, cafeteria, school, industrial plant, dining car, club and outside. a valuable feature of it is the illustrating of different accounting systems and report forms; also plans of lunch rooms, kitchens and pantries, showing consistent lay-out. there are more than a hundred beautiful half-tone illustrations picturing refreshment rooms of many kinds, their decoration, and furnishment. complete sets of menus of famous catering establishments are presented; also à large number of menus to fit the lunch room, cafeteria, industrial plant, or school. thruout the book there is a plea for the balanced ration and right eating, the advocacy of plain foods simply prepared and appetizingly served, the nutritive value given careful consideration. there is a chapter on service; a chapter on the brewing and serving of tea and coffee; several pages devoted to pantry prepared foods; illustrations of kitchens, of restaurant checks, and of many interesting things, as electric equipment; questions of fuel economy, illumination, and a hundred and one clever ideas in the marketing of prepared foods in public eating houses. the book is thoroly indexed and cross indexed to assure quick finding. pages, cloth bound. the culinary handbook (fellows) $ . presents in concise form information regarding the preparation and service of nearly , different bill-of-fare dishes; also gives much information of encyclopedic nature regarding foods of all kinds. quick reference to every dish described is facilitated with an index of columns arranged in alphabetical order, and cross indexed so that no matter what one is looking for, all he has to do is to find the initial letter and under it, in alphabetical order, for second, third and fourth letters, etc., the article wanted, with page on which it is found. referring, for instance, to a sauce of any particular kind. find the word sauce in the index, and under it will be found in alphabetical order different sauces; and under salads different kinds, exclusive of the variations in making. under head of sausage there are different kinds described, with directions for making as well as cooking and serving. in fact, the sausage information in this book is more complete than in any other published. pages; x inches. the menu maker (fellows) $ . this is the last of the successful ready reference books compiled by chas. fellows, author of "a selection of dishes and the chef's reminder" and "the culinary handbook." in this book mr. fellows has compiled in concise form thousands of suggestions for daily changes on the bills-of-fare, both american and european plan, for breakfast, luncheon and dinner cards, and so arranged as to give popular changes from day to day to give acceptable variety. the book is supplemented with pages of sample menus and bills-of-fare, several of them photographic reproductions, and representing the cards of hotels and restaurants of both first and second class, lunch rooms, transportation catering menus, club menus, wine list, caterer's list, and several illustrations of glass, china and silverware and banquet scenes. the book is indexed; printed on fine quality paper; page x inches, cloth bound. paul richards' pastry book $ . this is the title in brief of "paul richards' book of breads, cakes, pastries, ices and sweetmeats, especially adapted for hotel and catering purposes." the author is known as one of the most skillful all around bakers, pastry cooks and confectioners in america, and has demonstrated the quality of his work in leading hotels. in writing this book he took particular pains to have the recipes reliable and worded in such simple fashion that all who read them may readily understand and work from them. the book is in seven parts. part i is devoted to fruit jellies and preserves; jams, jellies, compotes and syrups; preserved crushed fruits for sherbets and ices; preserving pie fruits; sugar boiling degrees; colors. part ii, pastry and pie making, pastes and fillings; pastry creams, patty cases, tarts and tartlets; icings. part iii, cake baking; part iv, puddings and sauces. part v, ice creams, ices, punches, etc. part vi, breads, rolls, buns, etc. part vii, candy making and miscellaneous recipes; bread economies in hotel; caterers' price list. the recipes are readily found with the aid to columns of index and cross index in the back of the book, this index forming in itself a complete directory, so to speak, of breads, pastry, ices and sugar foods. printed on strong white paper; pages x inches, pages, bound in cloth. pastry for the restaurant (richards) $ . a vest pocket book of pages, is, as its title indicates, especially produced for the use of bakers employed in restaurants and european plan hotels. the style of work required for the american plan hotel with table d'hote meal, and that for the european plan hotel restaurant, where each article is sold for a separate price, has brought about a demand for a book with recipes and methods especially adapted for the preparation of bakery and pastry goods for individual sale. the first chapter is devoted to french pastries, which are now so generally sold, yet so little understood, because of the misnomer title; then follows cakes and tarts of every kind; pies, in great variety; puddings, hot and cold; ices, ice creams, and many specialties, all set forth with ingredients, quantities, and methods of mixing and preparing, and instructions for oven or temperature control. mr. richards' other books have become standard the world over, and this one will be equally reliable. the index to this book makes a very complete reference to popular pastry goods and will be found valuable as a reminder. the book is printed on bond paper. candy for dessert (richards) $ . ice cream for small plants (etta h. handy) $ . whether you make your own ice cream or buy it on specification from a local manufacturer, you need this book. it has many practical suggestions for retailing and service; also special chapters on the selection of manufacturing and storage equipment. there are pages of pictures of specialty dishes. the book shows how high grade frozen foods can be made economically and advantageously in small quantity, as in the hotel or restaurant. it is a practical handbook on the making of ice cream, and is written in non-technical language so that it can be easily understood by those not familiar with ice cream production. the formulas are written for use in a forty-quart freezer, but may be easily adapted to one-half or one-quarter that amount, or for even smaller quantity. the recipes are carefully standardized and have been successfully used to yield products of uniformly high quality that can be sold at a consistent profit. for those who buy ice cream from a local manufacturer, and want to control the quality, _ice cream for small plants_ enables them to specify formulas for an almost unlimited variety of frozen desserts. pages, x ½ inches, durable cloth binding. the vest pocket pastry book (meister) $ . this little book contains recipes, includes for hot puddings, pudding sauces, etc.; for cold puddings, side dishes, jellies, etc.; for ice creams, water ices, punches, etc.; for pastes, patties, pies, tarts, etc.; for cakes; for icings, colorings, sugars, etc.; for bread, rolls, yeast raised cakes, griddle cakes, etc., as well as miscellaneous recipes. mr. meister wrote this book at the request of the editor of the hotel monthly, who had heard his work highly complimented by his employers, who said they believed him to have no superior as a first-class workman. the recipes, while given in few words, yet are easily understandable and have helped thousands of bakers to improve their work. book is indexed; printed on bond paper. the vest pocket vegetable book (moore) $ . this book has done more to popularize the cooking and serving of vegetables in hotels and restaurants than any other book ever published. it was written with this idea. the author took particular pains to make this little volume a classic and his masterpiece, and he succeeded remarkably well. into pages he has condensed more information regarding the history, cultivation, nutritive qualities and approved forms of cooking and serving vegetables than can be found in any other book, no matter how large; and it has been demonstrated to be a book without mistakes. recipes for soups, sauces, garnishings and salads supplement the general recipes. there are ways of preparing potatoes, of mushrooms, of onions, of cabbage, etc., of beans, of rice, of tomatoes, and others in number in proportion to their importance. the vegetables are given with their english names and the french and german translations. the book is indexed and printed on bond paper. the book of sauces (senn) $ . mr. senn is the author of the famous twentieth century cookery book, the menu book, practical gastronomy, and ten other culinary books that have become standard in europe, and that have extensive sale in america. his book of sauces is the most complete work of the kind that has ever been produced. it treats the subject thoroly from every angle and covers all kinds of sauces for meat, poultry, fish and salad dishes; also sweet sauces. this book is adapted not alone for the hotel and catering trades, but also for family use the world over. epicures will find it invaluable for the suggestions and practical instructions, together with the culinary lore therein contained. book is vest pocket size, printed on bond paper. the fish and oyster book (kientz) $ . the author was for many years chef of rector's (the noted sea foods restaurant in chicago), is a handy vest pocket volume, the leaf measuring x ½ inches. in this book mr. kientz tells in concise manner how to cook practically every kind of fish that is brought to the american market; and not only explains the method of cooking, but also the making of the sauces and the manner of service. every recipe is given with its bill-of-fare name in english and its translation into the french. the recipes include also such dishes as frogs' legs, all kinds of shell fish, snails, terrapin, and the fish force-meats. also there is an appendix with specimen fish and oyster house luncheon and dinner menus, with and without wines. the book is indexed, printed on bond paper, bound in flexible cover. economical soups and entrees (vachon) $ . this book was written in response to a demand for a book that would tell how to prepare savory dishes from inexpensive materials at small cost; and, in particular, how to use up leftovers; by which is meant good cooked foods not served at a previous meal, and which have not in any way lost their marketable value in the sense of deterioration of quality, but which can be served in hotel or restaurant in the same appetizing manner that leftovers are served in well-to-do families. mr. vachon was selected to write this book because of his reputation as an economical chef. in it he has given recipes in particular for meat entrees of the savory order, stews, pies and croquettes, hash, salads and fried meats. the soups include creams, broths, bouillons, chowders, purees, pepper-pots and the like. it is two books in one, separately indexed, printed on bond paper, leaf x inches, bound in flexible cover. eggs in a thousand ways (meyer) $ . this book gives more reliable information regarding eggs and their preparation for the table than can be found in any other book. is indexed and cross indexed so that any method of cooking eggs and any of the garnishings can be referred to on the instant. the book starts with boiled eggs. then (following the departmental index in alphabetical order) are cold eggs, ways; egg drinks, kinds; eggs in cases, ways; in cocottes, ways; mollet, ways; molded in timbales, ways; fried, ; fried poached, ; hard eggs, ; miscellaneous recipes, ; omelets in ways; poached, ways; scrambled, ; shirred, ; stuffed, hard, ; surprise omelets, ; sweet eggs, ; sweet omelets, . the recipes are in condensed form. the book is vest pocket size, pages, printed on bond paper. drinks (jacques straub) $ . this book is full of genuine pre-prohibition recipes for mixed drinks. the author was wine steward of the famous blackstone hotel bar in chicago. it is an authoritative treatise on how mixed drinks should be made. in addition to practical recipes, it has a preface by "oscar" of the waldorf, and an opening chapter outlining the care and medicinal value of wines. we recommend "drinks" as the book being used by the finest hotels and clubs, by connoisseurs of beverages, and as a book that is authoritative and exceedingly practical because it was written by one who knew how, and was first published in the days before prohibition ( ). the menu translator (duchamp & jenning) $ . this book was formerly known as the "universal dictionary of menus" and served as a guide to thousands of menu-makers, stewards, and chefs. today, it has been completely revised, greatly enlarged and lists about , translations in french, english and german. items are carefully arranged under headings, making it easy to find any item. now in its seventh edition, and one of the newest and most complete works of its kind. pages, x ½ inches. advertising of hotels (clarence madden) $ . this is the first practical, comprehensive inquiry into hotel advertising ever made available. it is the only book which treats the problem of selling rooms and service in its entirety--promotion, publicity, "in-the-house", "word-of-mouth", copy, appropriation, media selection, and agency contact. mr. madden is acquainted with both sides of the advertising picture. his book brings the two into sharp focus and shows their proper relationship.... anyone who is in any way affected by hotel advertising should be sure to have on hand a copy of "the advertising of hotels" for study, reference, and guidance. the van orman system of hotel control $ . a book illustrating and describing the many forms used in the hotels of the van orman chain of hotels. american plan check system (lewis) $ . hospitality (mcgovern) $ . the american waiter (goins) $ . this is the only published book that treats intelligently of the waiter's work from bus boy to head waiter, for both hotel and restaurant requirements. interspersed are chapters on the care of table wares, salad making, table setting, carving, dishing up, handling of sea foods, building of banquet tables, and many other useful items of information. the book is illustrated, vest pocket size, printed on bond paper. the hotel monthly bookshop john willy, inc. merchandise mart chicago , illinois https://archive.org/details/younghousekeeper corn transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). the young housekeeper's friend. by mrs. cornelius. revised and enlarged. boston: brown, taggard and chase. . entered according to act of congress in the year , by m. h. cornelius, in the clerk's office of the district court of the district of massachusetts. cambridge: allen and farnham, electrotypers and printers. preface. in preparing this little volume, my aim has been to furnish to young housekeepers the best aid that a book can give in the departments of which it treats. no printed guide can perfectly supply the place of that experience which is gained by early and habitual attention to domestic concerns. but the directions here given are designed to be so minute, and of so practical a character, that the observance of them shall prevent very many of the perplexities which most young people suffer during their first years of married life. the receipts, with the exception of about twenty which are copied from books, are furnished from my own experience, or that of my immediate friends. an ample variety is given for furnishing the table of any american family; but especial reference has been had to those who have neither poverty nor riches; and such directions have been given as will enable a housekeeper to provide a good and healthful table, or, if desired, a handsome one, at a moderate expense. to save repetition, very minute directions are given at the head of every chapter, by attending to which, the least experienced cook will learn how to proceed in making each article for which a receipt is given. i do not attempt to give directions in regard to the best methods of taking care of all sorts of furniture, and performing all the various kinds of household labor, because there are works already published which furnish copious and judicious instructions on these subjects. it may be asked, "why then publish a book of counsels and receipts, for there surely are many receipt-books?" this is true; but while some of them are not ample guides on the subjects of which they treat, others are based upon a plan both expensive and unhealthy, and all of them that i have seen, leave an inexperienced housekeeper at a loss in regard to many of the things most necessary to economy and comfort. i have seen many a young lady, just entered upon the duties of married life, perplexed and prematurely care-worn, for want of experience, or a little good instruction, in regard to the simplest domestic processes; and often have felt, with the sincerest sympathy, an earnest wish to render her some effectual aid. if i succeed in affording it through this little book, i shall esteem myself happy; and i have only to ask, in conclusion, that my numerous young friends, and all the youthful housekeepers into whose hands it may fall, will receive it as a token of my friendly interest and best wishes. m. h. c. andover. [illustration: decorative flourish] preface to the revised edition. my aim in the revision of this little book has been to make the arrangement of the receipts and of the index more convenient, the directions more simple and clear, and the entire collection more select and reliable. in place of some of the old receipts many choice new ones are substituted, which, so far as i know, have not been in print before. all of them have been attested by experience, either my own, or of friends in whose judgment in such matters i have entire confidence. the last chapter, written long since in compliance with frequent requests from young friends, is appended in the hope that it will increase the usefulness of the book to those for whose benefit it was originally designed. i trust it is not improper for me to add, that among the motives which have led to the present revision, is the favor with which many ladies have regarded this book in its original form, notwithstanding its confessed imperfections. it has been my earnest wish for years to make it more worthy of such estimation; and hoping that it will prove a better friend to young housekeepers than it has hitherto been, i ask for the continued patronage of those who have so long and so kindly overlooked its faults. m. h. c. march, . contents page counsels and suggestions chapter without heading ovens, bread, &c. biscuits, tea cakes, griddle cakes, &c. directions for making cake. fruit cakes. raised cakes. cup cakes. sponge cakes. various kinds of cake. cream cakes, cookies, wafers, kisses, jumbles, gingerbread, etc. fried cakes. on making pastry. pies. directions about puddings. puddings without eggs. dumplings, flummeries, and other inexpensive articles for dessert. sweet dishes. directions for making ices. fruit ices. to preserve fruit and make jellies. baked and stewed fruits. how to select and take care of beef, mutton, lamb, veal, and pork. stock for gravies and soups. on roasting meat. on boiling meat. directions for making gravies. stuffing or dressing of various kinds. vegetables and sauces appropriate to different meats. directions for cooking meats. to lay meat and poultry on the dish for the table. to select poultry and prepare it for being cooked. soups. eggs. directions respecting fish. directions for salting meat, fish, &c. tomatoes. on cooking vegetables. pickles. tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, etc. convenient common dishes, and ways of using remnants. the care of milk, and making butter. on making cheese. food and drinks for the sick, and for infants. miscellaneous receipts and directions. directions about washing, &c. general index. the young housekeeper's friend. counsels and suggestions _good housekeeping compatible with intellectual culture.--persevering attention rewarded.--effects of unhealthy diet.--responsibleness of women.--application of the principles of religion to the duties of domestic life._ a symmetrical education is extremely rare in this country. nothing is more common than to see young ladies, whose intellectual attainments are of a high order, profoundly ignorant of the duties which all acknowledge to belong peculiarly to women. consequently many have to learn, after marriage, how to take care of a family; and thus their housekeeping is, frequently, little else than a series of experiments; often unsuccessful, resulting in mortification and discomfort in the parlor, and waste and ill temper in the kitchen. so numerous are these instances, that excellence in housekeeping has come to be considered as incompatible with superior intellectual culture. but it is not so. the most elevated minds fulfil best the every-day duties of life. if young women would resolve, let the effort cost what it will, to perfect themselves in their appropriate duties, a defective domestic education would soon be remedied. observation and persevering attention would give the requisite knowledge, and their efforts would bring a speedy and ample reward. it were far better, when they enter upon the station of a mistress of a family, to be already possessed of such experience as would enable them easily to regulate the expenditures, and so to systematize the work of every day, as to secure economy, comfort, neatness, and order. but if this knowledge has not been previously acquired, let not the learner be discouraged, or for a moment yield to the idea of "letting things take their course." no woman can innocently or safely settle down upon this conclusion. the good to be lost, and the evils incurred, are too great to admit of such a decision. the result will certainly be uncomfortable; and it would not be strange if the dearest domestic affections were thus chilled, and the most valuable family interests sacrificed. how often do we see the happiness of a husband abridged by the absence of skill, neatness, and economy in the wife! perhaps he is not able to fix upon the cause, for he does not understand minutely enough the processes upon which domestic order depends, to analyze the difficulty; but he is conscious of discomfort. however improbable it may seem, the health of many a professional man is undermined, and his usefulness curtailed, if not sacrificed, because he habitually eats _bad bread_. how frequently, in case of students in the various professions, is the brightest promise of future attainment and honor overshadowed by a total loss of health; and the young scholar, in whom the choicest hopes were garnered up, is compelled to relinquish his studies, and turn his unwilling thoughts to other pursuits; or, worse than this, he becomes a helpless invalid for life. yet even this is an enviable lot, compared with his, whose noble intellectual powers have become like the broken chords of an instrument that shall never again utter its melody. but are such evils as these to be traced to the use of unwholesome food? every intelligent physician, every superintendent of our insane hospitals, testifies that in very many instances, this is the prominent cause. we often see the most pious christians heavy-hearted, and doubting their share in the great salvation; mistaking the salutary discipline of their heavenly father for the rod of an offended judge; forgetting the freeness of the mercy offered, looking only at their own unworthiness, and refusing to be comforted. instances of this sort, resulting in incurable melancholy, may frequently be traced to the same cause. the human body and mind are so intimately associated, that the functions of the one cannot be disturbed without deranging the action of the other; and it is doubtless true, that many a hopeless heart and feeble body would be more benefited by a wholesome diet, than by the instructions of the minister, or the prescriptions of the physician. to say the least, the good offices of these will avail little while counteracted by the want of the other. if this subject has a direct bearing upon the health of families, so also does it exert an immediate influence upon their virtue. there are numerous instances of worthy merchants and mechanics, whose efforts are paralyzed, and their hopes chilled by the total failure of the wife in her sphere of duty; and who seek solace under their disappointment in the wine-party, or the late convivial supper. many a day-laborer, on his return at evening from his hard toil, is repelled by the sight of a disorderly house and a comfortless supper; and perhaps is met by a cold eye instead of "the thriftie wifie's smile;" and he makes his escape to the grog-shop or the underground gambling-room. can any human agency hinder the series of calamities entailed by these things? no! the most active philanthropy, the best schemes of organized benevolence, cannot furnish a remedy, unless the springs of society are rectified. the domestic influence of woman is certainly one of these. every woman is invested with a great degree of power over the happiness and virtue of others. she cannot escape using it, and she cannot innocently pervert it. there is no avenue or channel of society through which it may not send a salutary influence; and when rightly directed, it is unsurpassed by any human instrumentality in its purifying and restoring efficacy. the bible sanctions this view of female obligation and influence, in the description it gives of the virtuous woman. "her price is far above rubies. the heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil. she will do him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. she seeketh wool and flax, and worketh diligently with her hands. she is like the merchant's ships, she bringeth her food from afar. she riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. she considereth a field and buyeth it; with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. she girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. she perceiveth that her merchandise is good, and her candle goeth not out by night. she layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. she stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. she is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed in scarlet. she maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple. her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land. she maketh fine linen and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant. strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. she openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. she looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness. her children arise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. favor is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the lord she shall be praised. give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her own works praise her in the gates." like the paintings of the old artists, the beauty of this exquisite picture is enhanced by the "softened hue of years," and like them it must be studied long ere its finest touches will be revealed. female virtue is the same now that it was in the days of the wise man, and this portraiture is, in its outlines, still true to the life. energy, industry, economy, order, skill, vigilance, cheerfulness, kindness, charity, discretion, and the fear of god, are as essential to the character of a good wife now, as they were then; and the effects of these are still the same in the embellishments of her house, the abundance of her stores, the happiness of her household, her husband's confidence in her, his honorable rank among the elders of the land, the virtues of her children, and her own felicity. to estimate the truth of the picture, we need only observe in society around us, that the happiest families are those in which the wife and mother most resembles it. in connection with this subject, the inquiry suggests itself whether, in the "excessive externalism of the times," due prominence is given to the practice of home-duties as a part of religion? whether the spirit of the new testament is carried, as it should be, into the every-day concerns of life? is not the giving largely to public objects of benevolence sometimes suffered to supersede the duty of "considering the poor," and "bringing him that is cast out to our house?" are not the claims of a popular charity readily allowed, while the inevitable ills of life, of which every family must have its share, are sometimes permitted to remain unsoothed by the voice of sympathy, and the gentle ministry of skilful hands and a loving heart? we may even go to church, when we should offer purer incense to him who sees the heart, by performing the humblest domestic labors at home. let me not be misunderstood. the public institutions of religion have claims upon us which we cannot innocently set aside; but alas, erring mortals that we are! our piety is seldom symmetrical and consistent. we are prone to love publicity. we find it easier to give money, to enlist our energies in behalf of benevolent societies, to go with the multitude to the house of god, than to practise, in the retirement of home, the "charity which suffereth long and is kind, which envieth not, vaunteth not itself, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things, and never faileth." can we not learn, while we do the one, not to leave the other undone? _style of living.--consistency.--economy.--neatness.--habits of regular attention to family concerns.--perplexing days.--company.--arrangement of family work for a week.--first instructions to domestics.--patience.--good temper.--observance of the golden rule.--self-government when accidents happen.--sunday privileges._ consider in the outset what mode of living best befits your station, resources, and obligations to others; and so adjust your plan that consistency[ ] and appropriateness shall appear throughout. it is much better to adopt a style of expenditure below your means than above them. of the unhappy effects of this last we have many examples in our country. a very little advance in the style of living, creates an additional expense greater than would at first be believed. that little sentence, "_i can do without it_," has saved thousands of dollars for future exigencies. prodigality is as fruitful of mischief as pandora's box, and no amount of wealth can justify it. habits of wasteful expenditure are almost always accompanied with selfishness and a cold heart towards the claims of the poor. be conscientious, therefore, in the practice of economy. family comfort can hardly be found without it. neatness is essential to it; for though there may be neatness without economy, there cannot be economy without neatness. [ ] the writer has heard of more than one lady who furnished but two dish-towels, fearing that a more ample supply would lead to waste in the use of them. but in one instance, when a superb dinner was given to a large party, the cook was reduced to the necessity of tearing up a sheet to wipe the dishes. accustom yourself to take good care of every thing you possess. the best managers probably have, at first, a few disagreeable lessons to learn, in the loss of things forgotten or neglected for want of experience in having the entire care of a family. but it is to be hoped there are not many who lose five or six hams eaten by the rats, or forty yards of russia linen laid upon the snow to whiten, and forgotten till reduced to a pulp fit only for the paper-mill. be economical without parsimony, liberal without waste, and practise the best methods of using your possessions without having your mind wholly absorbed by them. in your arrangements for the table, have reference to the work which is in hand, so that dishes which are easily cooked shall be provided for those days when most work is to be done. a want of consideration in this particular often provokes ill temper, and may even occasion the loss of a good domestic. this is one of the errors which those are liable to commit who are unaccustomed to household labor. provide a variety of food; a frugal table, with frequent change, is much more agreeable and healthy than a more expensive one, where nearly the same things are served up every day. if you are subject to uninvited company, and your means do not allow you to set before your guests as good a table as they keep at home, do not distress yourself or them with apologies. if they are real friends, they will cheerfully sit down with you to such a table as is appropriate to your circumstances, and would be made uncomfortable by an effort on your part to provide a better one than you can afford. if your resources are ample, live in such a way that an unexpected visitor shall occasion no difference. the less alteration made in family arrangements on account of visitors, the happier for them as well as for you. never treat the subject of having company as if it were a great affair. your doing this will excite your domestics, and lead them to imagine the addition to their usual work much greater than it is; your own cares, too, will be greatly magnified. a calm and quiet way of meeting all sorts of domestic vicissitudes, and of doing the work of each day, be it more or less, equalizes the pressure of care, and prevents its becoming oppressive. be composed when accidents happen to your furniture. the most careful hand is sometimes unsteady. angry words will not mend broken glass or china, but they will teach your domestics to conceal such occurrences from you, and the only explanation ever given you will be, that they _came apart_. encourage every one whom you employ to come immediately and tell you, when they have been so unfortunate as to break or injure any thing belonging to you. the cases are very rare, in which it is best to deduct the value from their wages. in the best regulated families there will be some laborious, perplexing days. adverse and inconvenient circumstances will cluster together. at those times, guard against two things,--discouragement and irritability. if others look on the dark side, find something cheering to say; if they fret, sympathize in their share of the trial, while you set them the example of bearing your part in it well. miss hamilton's three maxims, so often quoted, are worthy of an indelible inscription in every house:-- "do every thing in its proper time. "keep every thing to its proper use. "put every thing in its proper place." she should have added, do every thing in the best manner; for the habit of aiming at a perfect standard, is not only of the highest importance in our moral interests, but also proportionately so in reference to the common affairs of life. accustom yourself, each evening, to arrange in your own mind the meals for the next day, and also the extra work to be done by others, and what you will do yourself. this habit promotes order and system, and gives quietness and ease to the movement of the whole family machinery. when you see defects, such as irregularity, confusion, waste, or want of cleanliness in any part of your household concerns, consider what is the best remedy, and be willing to attend to the subject till the evil is cured. visit all the rooms and closets that are in constant use, every day. you will thus acquire that habit of attention to minutiæ, upon which neatness and order so much depend, and it will cost a less expenditure of time and effort to secure these ends, than if a great many little things requiring attention are suffered to accumulate. this habit will also have the best effect upon those who serve you. they will not be tempted to negligence or waste, by the idea that you will never discover it. they will anticipate your daily inspection, and soon find themselves so much benefited by your habits of system and order, that their own convenience will dictate obedience to your directions and suggestions. endeavor so to perfect your plan, that when you have given the necessary time, be it longer or shorter, to domestic concerns each morning, you can dismiss them from your mind and attend to other things, giving to those no further thought, except that which results from a habit of observing whatever passes in the family. when a new domestic enters your service, observe whether she seems to understand her business; if not, teach her your methods. nothing can be more unreasonable than to expect a stranger to remember, and at once practise, a series of directions given all at once, and perhaps in a hurried manner. and yet, this is an injustice of which many a girl has to complain. what wonder if mutual dissatisfaction and a speedy separation is the result?[ ] she is in a new situation, unacquainted with the various parts of your house, and the arrangements of your family. therefore, duty and self-interest dictate, that you cheerfully instruct her, so far as is necessary; and a few days' attention to her manner of doing her work, will probably be rewarded by a much more skilful and willing service, than if no such care were bestowed. she will discover that you are kindly disposed, ready to appreciate her efforts, and capable of judging when her work is well done. confidence is thus inspired, and she will be far more likely to become a faithful and permanent member of your household, than if left in the beginning to pursue her own course, and to be frowned upon if she does not happen to please. [ ] probably a lady, known to the writer, who had twenty-three girls in the course of six weeks, pursued this inconsiderate course. refrain from severity and too much frequency in finding fault, and be careful not to speak to domestics of their errors at a time when they are perplexed or very busy. to choose a good time, is as necessary to success as to avoid needless severity. if the dinner is not properly done, it is usually best to say nothing at the time; your cook will doubtless be conscious of her failure, and your silence will have a much better effect upon her than any thing you can _then_ say; but the next time the same articles are to be cooked, remind her of the previous failure, point out the defect, and give her minute instructions how to avoid its repetition. good temper, decision, and reasonable requisitions will secure the confidence and respect of your domestics; while fretfulness, lack of good judgment, and unreasonable demands will alienate them from you, and involve you in endless perplexities. nothing gives the mistress of a family such power as blended decision and gentleness; they are truly irresistible. you need not, _you must not_, if you regard the best welfare of your household, utter one impatient word from the beginning to the end of the year. study the dispositions of those whom you employ. if you keep several domestics, arrange their work so that there shall be as little collision with one another, as possible. be as considerate of their comfort, as you could reasonably wish others to be of yours in like circumstances. an universal obedience to the golden rule would make this world a paradise, and perhaps it is more liable to be forgotten in this relation than in most others. the best management on your part, cannot always save those who serve you from weariness and vexation; but a well-timed word of kindness and sympathy does good like a medicine. learn so to systematize your concerns, that each day of the week shall have its appropriate work, and every domestic know, without being prompted, what she is to do on that day. observe whether all do their appropriate work; but do not prompt them, unless you see that they are likely to forget. they should learn to feel the responsibility to be on their own memory--not yours. in the morning, soon after breakfast, give all your directions about the dinner, and tea, and specify all the work you wish to have done in addition to the regular routine of the day. if you think of any thing more afterwards, defer it, if you can, till another day; nothing disturbs the temper of domestics more than to have additional work assigned them after the business of the day has been laid out. the two following modes of arranging the work of a week, are designed for families whose pecuniary means allow an entirely comfortable, but not a costly mode of living; yet they may contain useful hints for those whose wealth admits of the employment of a number of domestics. on _monday_ have the house swept and dusted, the clothes for the wash collected, and such articles mended as should be before being washed. on _tuesday_, wash; and here it should be observed, that those persons who have never practised washing, are often unreasonable in their requirements on this day. if there is but one domestic, she is of course to do the washing; but, unless the family is small, she could be excused from doing the cooking or other ordinary work of the family. every one acquainted with this part of family labor, knows that it is very discouraging to be obliged to leave it and do other things; and the cleaning which must be done after the clothes are upon the line, is a sufficient occupation for the remaining time and strength, without one's being obliged to do any portion of the daily housework. in families where the washings are large, it is better to delay the ironing until the next day but one; this gives time for doing some things necessarily omitted on washing-day; for baking, if the size of the family makes it necessary to bake twice a week, and for folding the clothes; and the girl is better able to do the whole ironing in a day, than if she were to perform this labor immediately after washing. to most persons, both washing and ironing are severe labors, and therefore should not be assigned to successive days, unless the domestic herself prefers it, which is sometimes the case. therefore, on _wednesday_, bake, and fold the clothes. on _thursday_, iron. on _friday_, have all parts of the house that are in constant use, swept and dusted again, the brasses rubbed, and if there are windows to be washed, closets or sleeping rooms to be scoured, let it be done on this day. on _saturday_, bake, and provide such a supply for the table as shall supersede the necessity of cooking on sunday. the chief advantage of this method is, that the mistress of the family has not the monday's sweeping to do, in addition to getting the washing-day dinner; and if she is subject to incidental company, and has not daughters or a friend to help her, or has slender health, this is an important relief. the other arrangement is to wash on _monday_; bake, and do other things necessarily omitted, on _tuesday_; iron on _wednesday_; _thursday_, do no extra work. _friday_, sweep and clean; _saturday_, bake; distribute clean bed linen, and see that every thing is in readiness for the sabbath. the practice of rubbing all the silver in common use every week is not necessary, provided it is always washed in clean suds, and rinsed in scalding soft water without soap. if it is washed in the kitchen with other dishes, it will be necessary to rub it once in two or three weeks. there are several advantages in washing on monday. it is then easy on saturday to provide food enough to last until after the washing is done, which cannot easily be accomplished if it is delayed until _tuesday_. another is, that if monday is a pleasant day, the clothes may be dried, and the ironing and mending completed during the first half of the week; but if tuesday be the washing-day, and it is rainy, the work of the whole week is delayed. still another reason is, that after the entire rest of sunday the frame is invigorated for labor; and lastly, it gives one day in the week of comparative leisure to the domestic. this is a consideration worthy of regard. some ladies are always uneasy, and appear to think themselves wronged, when they see their domestics quietly seated at their sewing; as if they could not render faithful service without being employed the _whole_ time in household labor. but those persons who so arrange their affairs as to secure to their domestics several hours every week for their own employments, and who take an interest in promoting, in every reasonable way, their comfort and happiness, will be amply rewarded in their faithfulness and attachment. the situation of a waiting-maid is, in some families, one of hard bondage. it seems as if her employers had forgotten that she is made of flesh and blood, and is therefore capable of having an aching head and weary limbs. she must run at the call of the various bells throughout the house, and no matter how tired she becomes, there is no rest for the sole of her foot. if the unfortunate being is a homeless, motherless little girl, or a friendless foreigner, so much the worse. by a little consideration on the part of the lady, or ladies, of a family, such hard requisitions might be avoided without any real sacrifice of comfort. our happiness is promoted by the cultivation of such habits that we shall not need the constant attendance of another to save us from exertion. if your domestics cannot read, offer to teach them, and devote several half hours to their instruction during the week, and an additional hour on sunday. it is a religious duty, a part of every christian's _mission_. encourage in them a taste for reading, by keeping useful and entertaining books in the kitchen. a love of rational pleasure will thus be promoted, and the effect be every way beneficial. let the least possible amount of labor be required from those who serve you, on sunday. this ought to be a needless injunction in this country; but many a professor of religion, living on the soil trodden by the puritan pilgrims, provides a better dinner for the sabbath than for any other day. religion forbids such a practice; but, aside from this consideration, family comfort is essentially promoted by quietness and freedom from care on the lord's day. domestics, whatever be their religious predilections, uniformly regard it a great privilege to be exempt from cooking on that day. it is easy, by a little good management, to provide a dinner, nice enough for any table in the land, without even kindling a fire. in the summer this is done in many families; and in the winter, when a fire is of course always burning, a cup of tea, or a dish of vegetables, can be added to the cold articles already provided, without keeping any one from church for the purpose. in concluding these suggestions, the writer cannot refrain from adding a few words of sympathy and encouragement for those who, having passed their youth in affluent ease, or in the delights of study, are obliged, by the vicissitudes of life, to spend their time and strength in laborious household occupations. there are many such instances in this country, particularly in the great western valley. adversity succeeds prosperity like a sudden inundation, and sweeps away the possessions and the hopes of multitudes. the poor and uneducated are often rapidly elevated to wealthy independence, while the refined and highly educated are compelled to taste the bitterness of poverty; and minds capable of any attainment, and that would grace any station, are doomed to expend their energies in devising methods for the hands to earn a scanty livelihood. let not such persons feel themselves degraded by the performance of the humblest domestic labor. "some kinds of baseness are nobly undergone, and most poor matters point to rich ends." however lowly the common duties of life may be, a faithful and cheerful discharge of them is always honorable, and god smiles on those who patiently fulfil them. ovens, bread, &c. =ovens--and how to heat them.= stoves and cooking-ranges have so generally taken the place of brick ovens, that the following directions, which were appropriate when this book was first published, will seldom be of use now. yet, as they may sometimes be needed, they are suffered to remain. it is impossible to give minute directions as to the management of the various kinds of baking apparatus now in use. a few experiments will enable a person of good judgment to succeed with any of them. a few suggestions in regard to the construction of an oven may be useful. for a family of medium size, an oven holding ten or twelve plates is large enough. there should be two or three bushels of ashes, with dead coals in them, poured over the top, after the first tier of bricks which forms the arch is laid. then the usual brickwork should be laid over them. the advantage is this,--when the oven is heated, these ashes and coals are heated also, and, being so thick, retain the heat a long time. five successive bakings have been done in such an oven with one heating; the bread first--then the puddings--afterward pastry--then cake and gingerbread--and lastly custards, which, if made with boiled milk and put into the oven hot, and allowed to stand a considerable time, will bake sufficiently with a very slight heat. the first time an oven is heated, a large fire should be kept burning in it six or eight hours. unless this is done it will never bake well. the size and structure of ovens is so different, that no precise rules for heating them can be given. a lady should attend to this herself, until she perfectly understands what is necessary, and can give minute directions to those she employs. it is easy to find out how many sticks of a given size are necessary for baking articles that require a strong heat; and so for those which are baked with less. to bake brown bread, beans, apples, and other things, all at one time, the oven should be heated with hard wood, and if rather large, so as to be two hours in burning out, it is better. to bake thin cake, and some kinds of puddings, pine wood, split small, answers very well. after the wood is half burnt, stir the fire equally to all parts of the oven. this is necessary to an equal diffusion of the heat. do it several times before the oven is cleared. if the oven is to be very full, put in a brick, so that you can have it hot, to set upon it any pan or plate for which there may not be room on the bottom.[ ] be careful that no doors or windows are open near the oven. let the coals remain until they are no longer red. they should not look dead, but like hot embers. when you take them out, leave in the back part a few to be put near the pans that require most heat, such as beans, indian pudding, or jars of fruit. before putting in the things to be baked, throw in a little flour. if it browns instantly, the oven is too hot, and should stand open three or four minutes. if it browns without burning in the course of half a minute, it will be safe to set in the articles immediately. it is often best not to put in those things which require a moderate heat, till those which need a strong heat have been baking ten or fifteen minutes. [ ] the pan which is set on this brick may need a paper over it to keep the top from burning, and after a while should be set on the oven bottom, and another put on the brick. a coal scuttle of peat, with less wood, is economical, and gives an equal and very prolonged heat. many persons use it with pine wood, for their ordinary baking. it takes a longer time to burn out than wood. it is well to kindle the fire as far back as possible, because all parts of the wood are much sooner on fire than if it is kindled near the mouth of the oven; and if peat is used, it should not be thrown in until the wood is well kindled. =directions respecting bread.= there is no one thing upon which health and comfort in a family so much depend as _bread_. with good bread the coarsest fare is tolerable; without it, the most luxurious table is not comfortable. it is best economy to purchase _the best_ flour, even at an extra cost. good flour adheres slightly to the hand, and if pressed in it, shows the impress of the lines of the skin. dough made of it is a _yellowish white_, and does not stick to the hands after sufficient kneading. there is much bad flour in market, which can in no way be made into nutritious food. when you find good flour, notice _the brand_, and afterwards purchase the same kind. the writer knows a family that for eleven years purchased flour in this way, without once having a poor barrel; then the mills passed to another owner, and though the brand was the same, the flour was good no more. if you raise wheat, or buy it in the grain, always wash it before sending it to the mill. take two or three bushels at a time, pour in water and stir it, and then pour off the water. repeat this till the water is clear. do not let the grain stand in the water, as it will swell and be injured; spread it on a large cloth in the sun, or where it will have warmth and fresh air, and stir it often, and in a day or two it will be dry. the flour is much improved by this process. newly ground flour which has never been packed, is very superior to barrel flour, so that the people in western new york, that land of finest wheat, say that new england people do not know what good flour is. indian meal, also, is much the best when freshly ground. the meal made of southern corn is often injured by salt water, or _dampness_ acquired in the hold of a ship. _rye flour_ is very apt to be _musty_ or _grown_. there is no way to detect this but by trial. it is well to engage a farmer to supply you with the same he provides for his own family. =on yeast.= _good yeast_ is indispensable to good bread. many of the compounds sold for yeast are unfit for use. the best kinds are _dry yeast_, _soft hop yeast_, and _potato yeast_. the hard yeast should be made in the month of may, or _early_ in june, for summer use, and in september or october, for the winter. this kind sometimes loses its vitality during the damp weather of august, but it is not invariably the case. soft hop, or potato yeast, should be made once a week in the summer, and once in two weeks in the winter. no soft yeast can be fit for use, if kept week after week; it may be rectified with saleratus, but the bread will not be very good. every housekeeper should make sure, by her own personal attention, that the yeast is properly made, and the jar well scalded. a jar having a close cover is best. bottles will burst, and you cannot be perfectly sure that a jug is cleansed from every particle of old yeast. to scald the jar, put it into a kettle of boiling water. this must be done every time you make yeast. stone ware is liable to be cracked by the pouring of boiling water into it. =soft hop yeast.= to three pints of water put a small handful of hops, or if they are in compact pound papers, as put up by the shakers, half a handful; boil them about half an hour. if the water wastes, add more. put into the jar six or seven table-spoonfuls of flour, and a teaspoonful of salt. set it near the kettle, and dip the hop tea, as it boils, into the jar through a small colander or sieve. when you have strained enough of the tea to wet all the flour, stir it, and let none remain dry at the bottom or sides of the jar; then strain upon it the remainder of the hop-water, and stir it well. this mixture should be about the consistency of batter for griddle-cakes. the reason for straining the hop-water while boiling is, that if the flour is not scalded, the yeast will soon become sour. after it becomes cool (but not cold), stir in a gill of good yeast; set it in a slightly warm place, and not closely covered. do not leave an iron spoon in it, as it will turn it a dark color, and make it unfit for use. when the yeast is fermented, put it in a cool place, covered close. yeast which is made in part of graham flour rises light sooner than that which is made of white flour alone, and does not affect the color of the bread. when yeast has a strong tart smell, and a watery appearance on the surface, it is too old for use. =dry yeast.= put four ounces of hops to six quarts of water; boil it away to three quarts. strain, boiling hot (as directed for the soft yeast) upon three pints of flour, a large spoonful of ginger, and another of salt. when it is cool, add a pint of sweet yeast. when it is foaming light, knead in sifted indian meal enough to make it very stiff. mould it into loaves, and cut in thin slices, and lay it upon clean boards. set it where there is a free circulation of air, in the sun. after one side has dried so as to be a little crisped, turn the slices over; and when both sides are dry, break them up into small pieces. it thus dries sooner than if not broken. set it in the sun two or three days in succession. stir it often with your hand, so that all parts will be equally exposed to the air. when perfectly dry, put it into a coarse bag, and hang it in a dry and cool place. the greatest inconvenience in making this yeast is the danger of cloudy or wet weather. if the day after it is made should not be fair, it will do to set the jar in a cool place, and wait a day or two before putting in the indian meal. but the best yeast is made when the weather continues clear and dry; and if a little windy, so much the better. to use it, take, for five loaves of bread, one handful; soak it in a very little water till soft, which will be in a few minutes; stir it into the sponge prepared for the bread. this yeast makes less delicate bread than the soft kind, but it is very convenient. =potato yeast.= boil one handful of hops in two quarts of water half an hour. strain it, and return the tea to the kettle. have ready grated eight large potatoes, or nine small ones; which stir into the tea. let it boil a minute or two, and it will thicken to a batter. when nearly cold, add half a pint of good yeast. let it ferment well, then put it into a jar and cover close. always shake or stir before using it. use a porcelain kettle for making this yeast, or an iron one tinned inside. a common iron one will turn it dark. =good family bread.= for five common-sized loaves, make a pint and a half of thin water gruel. use half a teacupful of fine indian meal. salt it a little more than if it were to be eaten as gruel, and boil ten or fifteen minutes. this is of importance, as, if the meal is only scalded, the bread will be coarse. add enough milk to make two quarts of the whole. if the milk is new, the gruel may be poured into it in the pan; if not, it should be scalded in the kettle with the gruel. this is particularly important in the summer, as at that season milk which is but a few hours old, and is sweet when put into the bread, will sour in the dough in a short time. when the mixture is cool, so that you are _sure_ it will not scald, add a teacupful of yeast, and then stir in sifted flour[ ] enough to make a thick batter. this is called a sponge. this being done in the evening, let it stand, if in summer, in a cool place, if in winter, in a moderately warm place, till morning. then add flour enough to make it easy to mould, and knead it very thoroughly. [ ] all kinds of flour and meal should be sifted for use, except buckwheat and graham flour. this process of kneading is very important in making bread, and there are but few domestics whom it is not necessary to instruct how to do it. they generally work over the dough without expending any strength upon it. the hands should be closely shut, and the fists pressed hard and quickly upon the dough, dipping them into flour whenever the dough sticks to them. a half an hour is the least time to be given to kneading a baking of bread, unless you prefer, after having done this till it ceases to stick to your hands, to chop it with a chopping-knife four or five hundred strokes. an hour's kneading is not too much. all this looks on paper like a long and troublesome process; but i venture to say that no lady, after having learned the benefit of it, will be willing to diminish any portion of the labor and attention necessary to secure such bread as these directions, observed, will make. practice will make it easy, and no woman of sense will hesitate in choosing between sour, tough, ill-baked bread, with heaps of wasted pieces, a dyspeptic husband, and sickly children on the one hand, and comfort, economy, and health on the other. but to return to the bread. after it is thoroughly kneaded, divide it into four or five equal pieces, and mould according to the form of the pans in which you bake it. these being greased with clean drippings, put in the dough and set it in the sun or near the fire (according to the season) to rise. loaves of this size will bake in an hour; if the oven be rather hot, in a few minutes short of an hour. practice and good judgment must direct these things. if the bread rises rather slowly, take a dish of warm water and wet the top with your hand. when the loaves are baked, do not lay them flat upon the table; good housewives think it makes them heavy. set them on the side, one against another, and put a coarse cloth closely over them; this makes the crust tender by keeping in the steam. if bread is baked too hard, wring a towel in cold water and wrap around it while it is yet hot. care is necessary that bread does not rise too much, and thus become sour, especially in warm weather; and even if it does not, the freshness is lost, and an insipid taste is produced, and it becomes dry sooner by long rising. no exact rule can be given; experience and observation must teach. when dough becomes so light as to run over after being moulded and put into pans, it is best to mould it again, kneading it hard two or three minutes, but using as little flour as possible; then lay it back into the pans, and put it immediately into the oven; this prevents its being tasteless and dry; it will be perfectly light, but of a different sort, and much preferred by some persons. some people invariably use saleratus in bread, and there are tables where the effluvia of this article, and the deep yellow color of the bread, offend the senses before it is tasted. if all the materials used are good, and the dough has not been permitted to sour, white bread is far better without saleratus, except that which is made with water. if dough has become sour, a teaspoonful of saleratus for every quart of the milk or water that was used for wetting the bread, will be sufficient to correct it. the tray or pan in which the bread is made, should be scalded after being washed, every time it is used, except in cold weather. it is not good economy to buy skimmed milk, as some persons do, for making bread. it renders it tough and indigestible, if used in the ordinary way. in case it is used for this purpose, it should be boiled, and thickened with a little indian meal in the same way, and the same proportions as directed for making gruel, in the receipt for good family bread. use no water with it. =bread made without a sponge.= in cool weather the milk should be warmed. a little more yeast is necessary than for sponge-bread, and it should be made up over night. when it is light, knead and mould it, and raise it again in the pans in which it is to be baked. if brewer's yeast is used, a table-spoonful is enough for every quart of wetting, and it should not stand over night, as it rises very quickly. =water bread.= take a quart of warm water, a teaspoonful of salt, and a small gill of yeast. add flour enough to make a sponge, as before directed. in the morning add half a teaspoonful of saleratus. the design of this is to make it tender. it should be kneaded longer than bread made with milk--an hour at least. none but the best of flour will make good bread with water alone. =rice bread.= allow half a pint of ground rice to a quart of milk, or milk and water; put the milk and water over the fire to boil, reserving enough to wet the rice. stir out the lumps, add a large teaspoonful of salt, and when the milk and water boil, stir in the rice, exactly as when you make gruel. boil it up two or three minutes, stirring it repeatedly; then pour it out into your bread-pan, and _immediately_ stir in as much flour as you can with a spoon. after it is cool enough (and of this be very sure, as scalding the yeast will make heavy, sour bread, full of great holes), add a gill of yeast, and let it stand until morning. then knead in more flour until the dough ceases to stick to the hands. it is necessary to make this kind of bread a little stiffer than that in which no rice is used, else there will be a heavy streak through the loaf. it is elegant bread, keeps moist several days, and is particularly good toasted. =bread made with milk.= to make the sponge, simply warm the milk if the weather is cold; if warm weather, boil it; when cool enough, stir in the gill of yeast, and a little salt; make it with the same care as that which is made with indian meal gruel. all these various _sponges_ are very nice baked on a griddle like buckwheat-cakes, or poured into a buttered, shallow pan and baked in the cooking-stove; and better still, baked in muffin rings. =third bread.= take equal parts of white flour, rye flour, and indian meal. it is good made with water, but made with milk is much better. add salt and a gill of yeast to a quart of water or milk. it should not be made so stiff as to mould, but as thick as you can stir it with your hand, or a large spoon. like all other bread it should be thoroughly worked together. bake in deep pans. =graham bread.= take a pint of warm water, one teacup of white flour, a spoonful of scalded indian meal, a small teacup of yeast, a spoonful or two of molasses, a teaspoonful of salt, a small one of saleratus, and stir them together; then add as much unbolted, or graham flour (_not_ sifted) as will be stirred in with a spoon. do this over night, and in the morning stir it again a few minutes, and pour it into two deep tin pans. let it rise up again, and bake an hour. this is very excellent bread--a different thing from the hard, unpalatable article which many a dyspeptic eats as a penance. like the wheat sponge, it is good baked in rings on a griddle for breakfast; it will, however, take several minutes longer, and will more easily burn, owing to the molasses which is in it. =another (one loaf).= take one coffee-cup of white flour, two of graham flour, one of warm water, half a cup each of yeast, and molasses, a small teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved in the water. it should be made as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon. if you prefer to add a spoonful of indian meal it is very well, but it should be scalded. let it rise over night, and when it is very light, bake it about an hour in a moderate heat. =boston brown bread, to be baked in a brick oven.= take a quart of rye meal, and the same of fine indian meal. (if this is bitter, scald it before mixing it with the rye. if it is sweet and fresh, almost every thing in which it is used is lighter without its being scalded.) mix with warm water, a gill of molasses, a teaspoonful of saleratus, a large teaspoonful of salt, and half a gill of yeast. such bread is improved by the addition of a gill of boiled pumpkin or winter squash. make it stiff as can easily be stirred. grease a deep, brown pan, thickly, and put the bread in it, and dip your hand in water and smooth over the top. this will rise faster than other bread, and should not be made over night in the summer. if put into the oven in the forenoon, it will be ready for the tea-table. if in the afternoon, let it stand in the oven till morning. this may be steamed, as directed in the next receipt. =steamed brown bread.= for a very small family, take half a pint of rye meal, not sifted, and a pint of sifted indian meal, a pint of sour milk, a half a gill of molasses, a teaspoonful of salt, and a large teaspoonful of saleratus. mix all the ingredients except the saleratus, dissolve that (as it should always be) in a little boiling water, and add it, stirring the mixture well. grease a tin pudding pan, or a pail having a close lid, and having put the bread in it, set it into a kettle of boiling water. the bread should not quite fill the pail, as it must have room to swell. see that the water does not boil up to the top of the pail, and also take care it does not boil entirely away. the bread should be cooked at least four hours. to serve it, remove the lid, and set it a few minutes into the stove oven, without the lid, to dry the top; then it will turn out in perfect shape. if used as a pudding, those who have cream, can make an excellent sauce for it of thick _sour_ cream, by stirring into it plenty of sugar, and adding nutmeg. this bread is improved by being made, and put into the pan or pail in which it is to be boiled, two or three hours before it is set into the kettle. it is good toasted the next day. =indian loaf.= to one quart of sweet milk, put a gill of molasses, a teaspoonful of saleratus, a heaping pint of indian meal, a gill of flour, and a teaspoonful of salt. stir it well together, put it into a deep brown pan, and bake in a brick oven. it should be stirred the last thing before being set into the oven. it must be in the oven many hours, at least eight or nine, if it is a brick oven, and if set in towards night should stand till morning. if it is baked in a range, it will require five or six hours of moderate heat. =rye bread.= take a pint of water, and a large spoonful of fine indian meal, and make it into gruel. add a pint of milk, and when cool enough, a small gill of yeast, and then the flour. fine, bolted rye flour is necessary to make this bread good. knead it about as stiff as white bread. let it rise over night, and then mould and put into three pans to rise again. when light, bake it about an hour. rye is very adhesive, and a young cook will be troubled with its sticking to her fingers, but practice will make it easy to manage it. =to make stale bread, or cake, fresh.= plunge the loaf one instant in cold water, and lay it upon a tin in the stove ten or fifteen minutes. it will be like new bread without its deleterious qualities. stale cake is thus made nice as new cake. but bread or cake heated over thus, should be used immediately. =various convenient uses of bread dough.= in the winter, dough may be kept sweet many days in a place where it will be cold, without freezing, and it will grow better till the last. it should be raised light, then kneaded a little, and then covered with a damp cloth, so that a dry crust will not form on the top. fresh bread can thus be furnished for the table every day, without extra work. doughnuts, bread, cake, or rusks can be made of it by adding butter, sugar, and spice; tea biscuit also, fried biscuit, crust for apple dumpling, and for pan pie. see the receipts for these articles. the dough should be made, at least in part, with milk, when it is to be used for these purposes. these directions are particularly recommended to persons who do their own house-work, and of course wish to save time and labor, as much as possible. biscuits, tea cakes, griddle cakes, &c. =raised biscuit.= take a pint bowl full of light dough; break into it a fresh egg, and add a piece of butter the size of an egg. knead in these until perfectly incorporated with the dough. it will require about ten minutes. roll it out about an inch thick, cut it into biscuit. lay them upon a tin sheet, or shallow baking-pan, and let them rise in a moderately warm place. they will become very light and should be baked in a quick stove, baker, or oven. they will bake in twelve or fifteen minutes, and are injured by being baked very slowly. very nice eaten fresh, but not hot. this measure will make about two dozen. they are not so good the next day as biscuit made without an egg. =butter-milk biscuit.= take a half pint of butter-milk, or sour milk, and a pint of flour. rub into the flour a piece of butter half the size of an egg. add a little salt and stir the milk into the flour. dissolve a teaspoonful of saleratus in a very little hot water, and stir into it. add flour enough barely to mould it smooth; roll it out upon the board, and cut out and bake exactly like the tea biscuit. the advantage of putting in the saleratus after the dough is partly mixed, is, that the foaming process occasioned by combining the sour milk and alkali, raises the whole mass; whereas if it is stirred first into the milk, much of the effervescence is lost, before it is added to the flour. =cream biscuit.= these are to be made in the same manner as the butter-milk biscuit, except that no butter is required; the cream will make them sufficiently short. =cream of tartar biscuit.= stir into one quart of flour, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, and a little salt. add two table-spoonfuls of thick cream, or rub in one spoonful of lard or butter. put in a teaspoonful of soda or saleratus, dissolved in a very little hot water. mix the whole rather soft with milk. bake like the tea biscuit. it is a convenient way to make the mixture soft enough with milk to enable you to stir it well with a spoon, and then drop it into the baking pan. it should spread a little, but not run. to vary these drop-cakes add an egg, and two spoonfuls of sugar. for a family of three or four, make half the measure. =cream of tartar biscuit without milk.= rub a piece of butter the size of an egg into a quart of flour till there are no little lumps. then add a teaspoonful of salt, and scatter in two heaping teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar. have ready a pint of cold water, in which a heaping teaspoonful of saleratus or soda has been dissolved; pour it into the flour, stirring it quickly with your hand. do this several minutes that the ingredients may become well mixed; then add flour enough to enable you to mould it smooth. roll it out the same thickness as tea biscuit. if these are made right, they are as light as foam. they may be made of unbolted flour, if preferred. make half the measure for a small family. =litchfield crackers.= to one pint of cold milk, put a piece of butter the size of an egg, a small teaspoonful of salt, and one egg. rub the butter into a quart of flour, then add the egg and milk. knead in more flour until it is as stiff as it can possibly be made, and pound it with an iron pestle, or the broad end of a flat-iron, for at least one hour; then roll it very thin, cut it into rounds, prick, and bake in a quick oven, twelve or fifteen minutes. =jenny lind.= take one egg, one teacup of sugar, one of sweet milk, two and a half of flour, a dessert-spoonful of butter, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of saleratus, and a very little salt. to mix it, stir the cream of tartar, sugar, and salt into the flour, then the milk, add the egg without beating, dissolve the saleratus, and melt the butter together in a spoonful of hot water, then stir all together a few minutes. bake in fifteen minutes in two pans about the size of a breakfast plate. if you prefer, make it with sour milk, and omit the cream of tartar. with the addition of one more egg, a teaspoonful more of butter, and half a cup of sugar, and some spice, this is a nice cake for the basket, and may sometimes be very convenient, because so quickly made. =sally lunn.= a quart of flour, a piece of butter the size of an egg, three table-spoonfuls of sugar, two eggs, two teacups of milk, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one of saleratus, and a little salt. to mix it, scatter the cream of tartar, the salt, and the sugar into the flour; add the eggs without having beaten them, the butter melted, and one cup of the milk; dissolve the saleratus in the remaining cup, and then stir all together steadily a few minutes. bake in three pans the size of a breakfast plate, fifteen or twenty minutes. for a family of four or five, make half the measure. add spice, and twice the measure of sugar, and you have a good plain cake for the cake-basket. =rusk.= to a pint bowl of light dough add a gill of sugar, half as much butter, and either a little cinnamon, allspice, or lemon. work these ingredients together, and then add flour enough to enable you to mould it smooth and roll it out. let it be about an inch thick; cut it into biscuit, and lay them into a baking-pan to rise. they should become very light before being baked; and, therefore, in cold weather it is well to let the dough stand, after the ingredients are added, until the next day, then roll out the biscuit, and raise them in the bake-pan. their appearance is improved by wetting the top with a mixture of sugar and milk, when they are nearly baked; then return them to the oven for a short time. they require fifteen or twenty minutes to bake. a double measure may be made in cold weather, and when light be set in a cool place, but where it will not freeze, and a pan be baked whenever needed. each day it will be better than the previous one. =another (extra nice).= to one tumbler of milk, put half a gill of yeast, three eggs, one coffee-cup of sugar, two ounces of butter, and one small nutmeg. beat the sugar and eggs together, rub the butter into the flour, of which use enough to enable you just to mould it. let it rise over night; and when very light, roll out and put it on tins to rise again, after which, bake as above. =whigs.= half a pound of butter, the same of sugar, six eggs, two pounds of flour, a pint of milk, a gill of yeast, and a little salt. melt the butter in the milk, and pour into the flour; beat the sugar and eggs together and stir in. add the yeast last, and be careful to mix the whole very thoroughly. bake in tin hearts and rounds, in the stove, or baker. =waffles.= to a quart of milk, put six eggs, a quarter of a pound of butter, a large gill of yeast, a little salt, and flour enough to make a batter the thickness of griddle cakes. the iron must be heated on hot coals, and then buttered or greased with lard, and one side filled with batter, then be shut and laid on the fire. after a few minutes turn it upon the other side. it takes about twice the time that it would to bake them on a griddle, and they are really no better, but look more inviting. =sour milk muffins.= to a pint of sour milk put one egg, without first beating it; a little salt, a teaspoonful of saleratus, and one of butter, melted with the saleratus in a spoonful of hot water. make rather a thick batter. to bake well in rings, have the griddle of a moderate heat, grease it, and also the rings, lay them on, and fill them only half full of the batter; increase the heat a little. in about eight minutes, turn them and let them lie two or three minutes more. to turn them without spilling requires some dexterity. =cream of tartar muffins.= a quart of flour, a small pint of rich milk, two eggs, a table-spoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of saleratus, two of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of salt. mix the salt, the cream of tartar and the sugar, dry, in the flour, add the eggs without beating, then the milk with the saleratus dissolved in it, and beat these ingredients very thoroughly. half fill the rings, and bake in a quick oven. =raised muffins.= melt a table-spoonful of butter in a pint of milk, add a little salt, two eggs, and a large half gill of yeast, then stir in flour enough to make a thick batter. in cold weather this may stand two or three days without becoming sour. =another.= a pint of milk, one egg, a piece of butter as large as an egg, one teaspoonful of salt, half a gill of yeast, and flour enough to make a thick batter. let it rise over night, and bake in rings. like the other, can be kept a day or two in cold weather. =drop cakes.= break four eggs into a pint of sweet milk, melt a piece of butter the size of an egg and add it, with a little salt, and flour enough to make a batter about as thick as cup-cake. beat all together several minutes. if the cakes are to be eaten cold, add two spoonfuls of brown sugar. bake in very small scalloped tins, or in cups. =rye drop cakes.=[ ] to a pint of sour-milk, or butter-milk, put two or three eggs, not quite a teaspoonful of saleratus, a little salt, and sifted rye meal (this is much better than rye flour), enough to make a batter that will spread a little, but not run. drop them in muffin-rings with a spoon. they will require about twice as much time to bake as common griddle cakes. they will bake very nicely in a stove in fifteen minutes. graham flour may be substituted for rye if preferred. [ ] see directions for cream of tartar drop cakes in the recipe for cream of tartar biscuit, page . griddle cakes. =white flour.= to a quart of milk, put four eggs, a little salt, a large spoonful of butter, melted into the milk, a small gill of yeast, and flour enough to make a batter about as thick as for buckwheat cakes. some persons eat them with a sauce made of butter, sugar, water, and nutmeg. made in the morning they will be light for tea. =butter-milk, or sour milk.= make a thin batter with a quart of sour, or butter-milk, white flour, a spoonful of fine indian meal, a teaspoonful of salt, another of saleratus, and an egg. try a spoonful on the griddle before you proceed to bake them, so that you may add more flour, if it is too thin to turn easily, or more milk if too thick. =another (without an egg).= make a batter just like the last receipt, only without the egg. omit the indian meal if you choose. =indian meal.= these are made like the sour milk cakes, only that the milk is chiefly thickened with indian meal. a spoonful or two of flour should be added, and it is well to use two eggs instead of one, but not necessary. =note.=--in all these various kinds of cakes in which sour milk is used, it is an improvement to substitute buttermilk. but that which is sold in cities as buttermilk, is often adulterated. =rice.= put a teacupful of rice into two teacupsful of water, and boil it till the water is nearly absorbed, and then add a pint and a half of milk. boil it slowly until the rice is very soft. when cool, add a small gill of yeast, three eggs, a little salt, and flour enough to make a batter of suitable thickness to bake on a griddle. let it rise very light. to bake in muffin rings, make it a little thicker. =ground rice.= boil a quart of milk. rub smooth a teacupful of ground rice, in a gill or two of cold milk, and stir it into the boiling milk. add salt, and when cool, add a teacup of yeast, four eggs, and flour to make it the right thickness for baking. let it rise light. =buckwheat.= for a family of four or five, take a quart of warm water, a spoonful of scalded indian meal, a heaping teaspoonful of salt, and a gill of yeast. stir in buckwheat flour enough to make a thin batter. let it rise over night. in the morning add a quarter of a teaspoonful of saleratus or soda. do this whether the cakes are sour or not. buckwheat cakes cannot be made in perfection without this addition; but it should never be put in till just before they are baked. such cakes are often made too thick, and fried with too much fat. they should be as thin as they can be, and be easily turned with a griddle shovel, and no more fat should be used than is necessary to keep them from sticking. to prevent the use of too much, tie a soft white rag, tight, round the tines of a large fork, and keep it for this purpose. if a gill of the batter is left, it will raise the next parcel. buckwheat cakes are as much better made with milk as other cakes are; but no others are so good made with water. they are very nice made of sour milk, with nothing added but salt and saleratus. these should be made only a short time before being baked. =fritters or pan-cakes.= make a batter of a pint of milk, three eggs, salt, and flour to make a rather thick batter. beat it well, then drop it with a spoon into hot fat, and fry like doughnuts. these, and the snow fritters are usually eaten with sugar and cider, or lemon juice. =snow fritters.= stir together milk, flour, and a little salt, to make rather a thick batter. add new-fallen snow in the proportion of a teacupful to a pint of milk. have the fat ready hot, at the time you stir in the snow, and drop the batter into it with a spoon. these pancakes are even preferred by some, to those made with eggs. =corn cake.= to a pint of sour milk, two cups of indian meal, one of flour, one egg, two table-spoonfuls of molasses, a teaspoonful of salt, and one of saleratus. mix it thoroughly, and bake twenty-five minutes in two shallow pans, or thirty-five in a deep one. =another.= take a pint of sweet milk, half a gill of yeast, one gill of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of saleratus; stir in indian meal enough to make it rather stiffer than griddle cakes; let it rise over night, and in the morning bake as directed above. this kind of cake has the advantage over those made without yeast; that if a piece of it is left, it is not heavy when cold, but is as palatable a lunch as a slice of good bread. =another.= take a pint of sour milk, or butter-milk, break an egg into it, stir in a spoonful or two of flour, and add indian meal enough to make a thick batter; put in a teaspoonful of salt, stir it five or six minutes, and then add a heaping teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved in hot water. if it is the season for berries of any kind, put in a gill or two; bake in a pan or on the griddle. =another.= a pint of sweet milk, two eggs, a pint of indian meal or corn flour, half a pint of white flour, one teaspoonful of tartaric acid, or cream of tartar, and one of soda, mixed dry in the flour. bake in a pan, about an inch thick, or in drop cake tins. directions for making cake. when cake or pastry is to be made, take care not to make trouble for others by scattering materials, and soiling the table or floor, or by the needless use of many dishes. put on a large and clean apron, roll your sleeves above the elbows, tie something over your head lest hair may fall; take care that your hands are clean, and have a basin of water and a clean towel at hand. place every thing you will need on the table; butter the pans, grate the nutmegs, and squeeze the lemons. then break the eggs, each in a cup by itself, lest adding a bad one to the others should spoil the whole. then weigh or measure flour and sugar, and, if not already done, _sift_ them. make your cake in an earthen, and not in a tin pan. in warm weather put your eggs into cold water some time before you are ready to break them. they cut into a much finer froth for being cold. for some kinds of cake the whites should be cut to a stiff froth, and the yolks beaten and strained, and then put to the butter and sugar after these have been stirred till they look like cream. then mix the flour gradually. when cream or sour milk is to be put in, half of it should be added when half the flour is mixed in; then the remainder of the flour, and then the saleratus dissolved in the other half of the cream or milk. lastly, add the spice, wine, lemon-juice, or fruit. in summer do not stir cake with the hand; the warmth of it makes it less light. a wooden spoon, kept on purpose, is the best thing. in winter, soften, but do not melt the butter, before using it. cake not raised with yeast, should be baked _as soon as it is made_, except such as is hard enough to be rolled. cookies and sugar gingerbread roll out more smoothly the next day. _firkin_ butter must be cut in small pieces, and washed, to remove some of the salt. drain it well, or it will make heavy cake. never put strong butter into cake; it renders it disagreeable and unhealthy.[ ] [ ] see directions for keeping butter in rose-leaves. page . fresh eggs are needed for nice white cake. those kept in lime-water will do for raised cake and cookies. new orleans, or other good brown sugar, is best for raised, fruit, and wedding cake, but it should be coarse-grained and clean. it will answer also for cup cake, especially if fruit is used. white sugar must be used for sponge and other white cake. the fruit should be added to raised cake when it is ready for the oven. spread it equally over the top, and press it only a little below the surface, else it will sink to the bottom. cask raisins should be washed before being stoned, and box raisins also, unless fresh. in stoning them, cut them in two or three pieces, or chop them. keep currants ready prepared for use. to do this, wash them in warm water, rubbing them between the hands, and then pour off the water. repeat this till the water is clear, then drain them in a sieve, spread them on a cloth on a table, and rub them dry with the ends of the cloth. then brush the good ones into a dish in your lap, putting aside the bad ones on the table. dry them in a gentle warmth, and set them away for use. buttered white paper in the bottom and sides of pans for cake requiring long baking, is needful; and paper not buttered is good for other kinds of cake, as it prevents burning. it will readily peel off when the cake is taken from the pans. attention and practice will teach when cake is well baked. when it is done enough, it settles a little away from the pan. even well made cake becomes heavy by being taken out of the oven before it is perfectly baked. moving it carelessly while it is baking will also make light cake fall. if you have occasion to change the position of the pans, do it gently. a tin chest or a stone jar is good to keep cake in, and it is a good way to let that which is not to be kept long, remain in the tins in which it was baked. =directions for beating the whites of eggs.= on breaking eggs, take care that none of the yolk becomes mingled with the whites. a single particle will sometimes prevent their frothing well. put the whites into a large, flat dish, and beat them with an egg-beater made of doubled wire, with a tin handle; or with a cork stuck crosswise upon the prongs of a fork. strike a sharp, quick stroke through the whole length of the dish. beat them in a cool place till they look like snow, and you can turn the dish over without their slipping off. never suspend the process nor let them stand, even for one minute, as they will begin to return to a liquid state, and cannot be restored, and thus will make heavy cake. after they are beaten to a stiff froth they will not return to a liquid state. the above directions are designed to prevent the necessity of repetition and minuteness in each receipt. the young cook is advised to refer to them in making cake, that she may know at once how to proceed. =frosting.= a pound of the best of fine white sugar, the whites of three fresh eggs, a teaspoonful of nice starch, pounded, and sifted through a piece of muslin or a very fine sieve, the juice of half a lemon, and a few drops of the essence. beat the whites to a stiff froth, then add them to the sugar, and stir it steadily until it will stay where you put it. it will take nearly two hours, perhaps more. dredge a little flour over the cake, and brush it off with a feather. this is to prevent the frosting from being discolored by the butter contained in the cake. lay it on smoothly with a knife, and return the cake to the oven twelve or fifteen minutes. =another (measured).= to a coffee cup of sifted sugar, the white of one egg, half a teaspoonful of powdered starch, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. observe the directions for making it, in the previous receipt. this will frost two small pans or one large one. =another way.= a pound of the best crushed or loaf sugar, the whites of three eggs, the juice of a lemon, and a teaspoonful of finely powdered starch. to mix it, put the sugar into a deep bowl, and pour upon it just cold water enough to soften the lumps, then beat the whites of eggs about half as much as for nice cake--not to a stiff froth; add them to the melted sugar, and set the bowl into a kettle of boiling water, and stir the mixture steadily. it will soon become thin and clear, and afterwards thicken. when it has become quite thick, take it from the fire and stir it till it is cold, and thick enough to spread with a knife. this is enough for a large loaf. fruit cakes. =wedding.= five pounds each of flour, butter, and sugar, six of raisins, twelve of currants, two of citron, fifty eggs, half a pint of good malaga wine, three ounces of nutmegs, three of cinnamon, one and a half of mace. bake in three large pans four hours. =another.= three pounds each of flour, butter, and sugar, six of currants, six of raisins, an ounce each of nutmegs and cinnamon, half an ounce of clove, a pound of citron, the grated peel of two lemons, half a gill each of brandy and rose-water, or a small teaspoonful of the essence of rose, and thirty eggs. to mix either of these two receipts, stir the sugar and butter to a cream, beat the yolks and whites of the eggs separately, and add them to the butter and sugar, then by degrees put in two thirds of the flour, then the spice and brandy or wine, and last the fruit, mixed with the remaining third of the flour. have the citron ready cut up, and when you have put a little of the cake into the pan, put in a layer of citron, then more cake, and again citron and cake alternately. this quantity will bake in one cake in five hours, in two cakes, three hours. each of these two kinds will keep years, if frosted. =maine plumb.= a pound each of butter, sugar, and flour, ten eggs, a pound of raisins, two of currants, half a pound of citron, a teaspoonful of powdered clove, half as much mace, a nutmeg, the juice of a lemon and the grated peel, and a half a teacup of good molasses. before you proceed to mix it, scatter one teaspoonful of cream of tartar into the flour; and the last thing, before you put in the fruit, dissolve a half a teaspoonful of saleratus in a spoonful of boiling water, and add it, stirring the cake fast two or three minutes. mix this in the same way as directed in the two previous receipts. if baked in a brick oven, bake it three hours in one pan; if in a stove, an hour and a half, in two. although this cake has no wine or brandy, it will keep fresh (if frosted) almost any length of time. =one loaf (plainer).= a pound each of flour and sugar, ten ounces of butter, five eggs, a pint of milk, two pounds and a half of raisins and currants, a gill of wine, a nutmeg, a large spoonful of cinnamon, half a teaspoonful of clove. add the same measure of cream of tartar and saleratus as in the last receipt, and in the same way, and bake the same length of time. _to make just frosting enough for either of these two last cakes_, take the whites of four eggs, if the weather is cold, three, if it is warm, cut them to a stiff froth, add a pound of finest sugar, and beat it two hours. add lemon, rose, or any essence you prefer, and a teaspoonful of sifted starch. when the loaf is baked, lay on the icing with a knife, and return it to the oven fifteen minutes. =washington.= to one pound of flour, put one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of butter, eight eggs, two nutmegs, one pound of raisins, and one of currants. raised cakes. =commencement.= four pounds of flour, two and a half of sugar, two of butter, a small quart of milk, half a pint of wine, eight eggs, two gills of yeast, two nutmegs, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one of clove, or a little mace. make up the flour, yeast, and milk, exactly like bread, and when fully light, add the other ingredients, and put it into deep pans. if the weather is cool, let it stand till the next day. when it is again very light, add one pound of currants and two of raisins; and bake two hours. this is excellent cake, and will keep good many weeks. =loaf.= three pounds of flour, two of sugar, one and a half of butter, two of fruit, six eggs, half a pint of yeast, a gill of wine, two nutmegs, a teaspoonful each of cinnamon and clove, and a little mace. make up the flour and yeast with milk, just like bread; when it is very light add all the other ingredients, except the fruit. put in the eggs without beating, warm the wine, and mix the whole very thoroughly. then put it in pans and set it to rise till the next day, and when light enough to bake, put in the fruit as directed in the general observations at the beginning of this chapter. =another.= a pound and a half of flour, one of sugar, three quarters of a pound of butter, a pound of raisins and currants, four eggs, a nutmeg, a glass of wine, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, half a one of clove. make up the flour like bread, with a gill of yeast and new milk warmed. when it is perfectly light, add the eggs without beating, and stir all the ingredients together thoroughly. put it into pans, and when it has risen again, add the fruit, and bake it. =bread cake.= five teacups of very light bread dough, that is wet with milk; three of sugar, two of butter, three or four eggs; or if they are scarce, two. mix it thoroughly, using both hands. flavor it with such spice, or essence as you prefer, and then put it into three pans such as you use for cup cake, and let it stand till perfectly light before you bake it. in winter let it stand in a warm closet, or some place where it will not become very cold, and remain till the next day. by the addition of spice, fruit, more sugar, &c., you can make it as rich as you please. =another.= take two cups of light dough, a small cup of butter, a cup and a half of sugar, one of sour milk, two and a half of flour, two eggs, and a teaspoonful of saleratus. flavor it with nutmeg and cinnamon, or lemon. let it rise in the pans. =another (plainer).= to three cups of light dough, one of butter, one and a half of sugar, one of sour milk, a heaping cup of flour, a teaspoonful of saleratus, and some spice. put the materials together as directed in the last receipt. cup cakes. [the _cup_ used as a measure for the receipts in this book is not the tea-table china cup, but the common large earthen teacup, except where a small one is specified; and the teaspoon used is neither the largest or smallest, but the medium sized.] =howard.= to ten cups of flour, put six of sugar, three of butter, three of sour milk (a little warm), eight eggs, a glass of wine, a large teaspoonful of saleratus, a nutmeg, a pound of currants, a pound of raisins. =tunbridge.= four cups and a half of flour, three of sugar, one of butter, one of cream, one teaspoonful of saleratus, six eggs, spice, currants, citron, and a little wine. =bridgeport.= to one teacup of butter, put two of sugar, three and a half of flour, four eggs, one cup of sour milk, the juice and part of the rind of a lemon, a small teaspoonful of saleratus and two cups of currants. bake in small pans. =superior.= one very heaping cup butter, two and a half of sugar, four eggs, four cups of flour, and one and a half of ground rice, one and a half of sweet milk, a nutmeg, a little grated lemon-rind, the juice of a lemon squeezed into the milk, and a teaspoonful of saleratus. =barnard.= one cup of butter, three of sugar, four and a half of flour, four eggs, a cup of sour milk, the juice, and a little of the rind of a lemon, a teaspoonful of saleratus. it is a good way to use butter that has been kept a few days in a jar of rose leaves, for these cup cakes, and then very little spice is necessary. all delicate soft cake is improved in appearance by sifting a little fine sugar over the top, just as it goes into the oven. =mount pleasant.= five teacups of flour, one heaping cup of butter, two cups and a half of sugar, one cup of sour milk, four eggs, a teaspoonful of saleratus, one nutmeg. =provence.= four cups of flour, one of sugar, one of butter, one of sour milk, one of molasses, four eggs, one nutmeg, one small teaspoonful of saleratus, and a pound and a half of raisins. =composition.= a coffee cup of butter (small measure), two of sugar, three of flour, one and a half of good ground rice, one of sour milk, half a nutmeg, a little essence of lemon, and a large teaspoonful of saleratus. if you have sour cream, instead of the milk, use half a cup of butter. =diet bread.= two cups of sugar, three and a half of flour, one of milk, four eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of cream of tartar in the juice of half a lemon. beat the eggs and sugar together, then add half the milk and flour; when these are mixed, the rest of the milk with the half teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it, the remainder of the flour, the lemon-juice and cream of tartar; and last, a little essence of rose. sponge cakes. the goodness of all delicate cake, but specially of sponge, depends very much upon its being made with fresh eggs. there are several ways of making this cake which all result well. for those who choose not to be cheated of eggs by the use of cream of tartar, two excellent receipts, and two different methods of mixing, are given. two receipts for making it by measure are added, each of them perfect, if made right, and the last one requiring the least possible time and labor. for the old-fashioned sponge cake, beat the yolks thoroughly, and the whites to a very stiff froth, and mix the ingredients thus: stir the sugar and whites together, then add the yolks, next the flour, and last, the lemon or spice, or, mix the yolks and whites after they are beaten, and having stirred the flour and sugar together, add them, and the spice. it should then be stirred fast two minutes, and baked in rather a quick oven. it is made _sticky_, and less light by being stirred long. there is no other cake, the goodness of which depends so much upon care, and good judgment in baking. =lyman.= to one pound of flour, put one and a half of sugar, fifteen eggs, the rind of two lemons, and juice of one, and a little salt. =brooklyn.= to three quarters of a pound of flour, put one and a quarter of sugar, twelve eggs, and one lemon, juice and rind. a little salt. =measure.= twelve fresh eggs, three cups of flour, three of sugar, a little salt, and spice or lemon as you prefer. break the eggs together, and put them without beating into the sugar, then beat steadily with a smart stroke half an hour, then stir in the flour, and bake in rather thick loaves three quarters of an hour. no one but a person having a very strong arm can make this kind of sponge cake well. it is elegant when well made. =another. (berwick sponge.)= beat six eggs, yolks and whites together, two minutes; add three cups of sugar, and beat five minutes; two cups of flour with two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, and beat two minutes; one cup of cold water, with one teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved in it, and beat one minute; the grated rind, and half the juice of a lemon, a little salt and two more cups of flour, and beat another minute. observe the time exactly, and bake in rather deep cup cake pans. various kinds of cake. =queen's.= one pound of flour, one of sugar, half a pound of butter (that which has lain in a jar of rose-leaves is best), five eggs, a gill of wine, a gill of cream, a nutmeg, half a teaspoonful of saleratus, two pounds of currants, or chopped raisins. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately, and after they and the flour are also mixed with it, warm the cream and wine together, and add them, then the saleratus, and last the fruit. frost it, or sift fine sugar over the top just before it is put into the oven. =snow, or bride's.= a pound each of flour and sugar, half a pound of butter, and the whites of sixteen eggs beaten to a stiff froth. flavor it with rose. =federal= a pound each of butter and sugar, a pound and two ounces of flour, a pound of raisins, five eggs, a cup of sour cream (or, if milk is used instead of cream, add a quarter of a pound more of butter), half a nutmeg, a wineglass of brandy, and a teaspoonful of saleratus. stir the butter, sugar, and nutmeg to a cream, then add the eggs, then the cream and saleratus mixed, next the flour (a little at a time), except a handful in which to mix the raisins, and last, the brandy and fruit. very delicious for persons who like rich cake. =gold.= a pound each of flour and sugar, three quarters of a pound of butter, the yolks of fourteen eggs, and the juice and grated rind of two lemons. stir the sugar and butter to a cream, and add the yolks well beaten, and strained. then put in the lemon peel, and the flour (dried), and a teaspoonful of saleratus dissolved in a spoonful of hot water. beat it fifteen minutes, and just before it goes into the oven, stir in the lemon juice very thoroughly. bake it in a square, flat pan, ice it thickly, and cut it into square pieces. =silver.= one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of dried flour, six ounces of butter, the whites of fourteen eggs. add mace and citron. beat the sugar and butter to a cream, and add the whites, cut to a stiff froth, next the flour, and then the mace and citron. bake in a pan of the same size as for the golden cake. they are not difficult to make, and are very beautiful together. =jelly-cake, or washington pie.= make cup cake, and when the ingredients are well mixed, spread it upon round shallow tins, three table-spoonfuls to each tin. it will bake in ten or fifteen minutes; then turn it upon a hair sieve, the under surface uppermost. while it is warm spread upon it raspberry jam, currant, or other jelly; then lay the second sheet of cake upon it, the under side next to the jelly. if you wish to make several alternate layers of cake and jelly make the sheets of cake very thin; one large spoonful of the batter will be enough for each tin. =white mountain.= six eggs, six cups of flour, three of sugar, two of butter, one of milk, one nutmeg, one teaspoon of saleratus. to mix it, stir the butter and sugar to a cream, beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately; add the yolks to the butter and sugar, next part of the milk and half of the flour, and the whites, then the rest of the milk with the saleratus dissolved in it, and then the remainder of the flour, and last the grated nutmeg. =lemon.= a pound each of flour and sugar, half a pound of butter, eight eggs, the rind of one lemon, and the juice of half of one. =rice.= weigh nine eggs, and their weight in sugar, and the weight of six in ground rice. add a lemon, and a little salt. a very delicate cake. =another.= one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of ground rice, thirteen eggs with the whites of four taken out, a small teaspoonful of salt. flavor as above, or with the essence of lemon. =pound.= a pound each of flour, sugar, and butter, ten eggs, half a nutmeg, the juice and part of the rind of a lemon. some persons use only fourteen ounces of butter, and add a quarter of a teaspoonful of saleratus. =cream.= stir one teacup of cream, and two of sugar till well mixed, add two eggs beaten to a froth, and a little salt. dissolve a teaspoonful of saleratus in a spoonful or two of milk, and add it. then, immediately put in a cup or two of flour, and some essence of lemon, or other spice, and stir it a little. then add flour enough to make it as thick as cup cake; stir it well eight or ten minutes, and bake in common cup-cake pans. =harrison.= to two cups of molasses, put one of brown sugar, one of butter, one of sour cream, or milk, a cup of raisins, and one of currants, a teaspoonful of powdered clove, and two (rather small) of saleratus. to mix it, cut the butter in little pieces, and put into a saucepan with the molasses, to melt. when the molasses boils up pour it immediately upon three or four cups of flour, and add the sugar, and half the cream. stir it well, then add the saleratus, the rest of the cream, the spice, and flour enough to make it of the consistence of cup cake, and last, the fruit. bake in cup-cake pans, rather slowly. all cake containing molasses is more liable to burn than that which has none. cream cakes, cookies, wafers, kisses, jumbles, gingerbread, etc. [the eggs for these articles, except for the wafers, need not be broken separately, but yolks and whites may be added without beating, after the sugar and butter have been stirred. when all has been well beaten together eight or ten minutes, add part of the flour, then the saleratus and spice or ginger; and then place the pan upon a table, and work in flour enough to enable you to handle it without its sticking. dough for cookies or gingerbread, is much more easily and neatly rolled out and stamped the day after it is made, than on the same day. in cold weather, set it when made where it will not become hard, or else bring it into a warm room an hour or two before it is to be rolled out. cookies should be about as thick as the end of your little finger; gingerbread half as thick. these things bake very quickly, and should be carefully attended to. sugar gingerbread should be cut up as it lies in the pan, before it has time to cool, and laid upon a sieve. it cannot be cut after it is cold without being very much broken.] =cream cakes.= a pint of water, half a pound of butter, three quarters of a pound of flour, and ten eggs. boil the water, melt the butter in it, stir in the flour dry while it boils; when it is cool, add a teaspoonful of saleratus, and the eggs well beaten. drop the mixture on buttered tins with a table-spoon, and bake twenty minutes. to make the inside, take one cup of flour, two cups of sugar, one quart of milk, and four eggs. beat the flour, sugar, and eggs together, and stir into the boiling milk. when the mixture is sufficiently scalded, season it with lemon. when the cakes are cool, cut them open and add the cream. =cookies.= to one teacup of butter, three of sugar, half a cup of milk or cream, three eggs, one small teaspoonful of saleratus, and flour to make it rather stiff. =another.= seven teacups of flour, three of sugar, two of butter, one of milk or cream, one nutmeg, three eggs, one large teaspoonful of saleratus. =wafers.= one cup of butter, two of sugar, six of flour, half a cup of new milk, three eggs, half a nutmeg, a few drops of essence of lemon, and one teaspoonful of saleratus. roll the dough thin, then take it up and sift a little white sugar upon the board, and lay it down upon the sugar and make it _very_ thin. then cut it in rounds, and with a wide knife take them from the board and turn them over upon the baking pan, so that the sugared side will be uppermost. bake five or six minutes. =kisses.= beat the whites of nine fresh eggs to a stiff froth, then mix with it fifteen spoonfuls of finest white sugar, and five or six drops of essence of lemon. drop them on paper with a teaspoon, sift sugar over them, and bake them in a slow oven. =cocoanut drops.= grate a cocoanut, and weigh it, then add half the weight of powdered sugar, and the white of one egg cut to a stiff froth. stir the ingredients together, then drop the mixture with a dessert spoon upon buttered white paper, or tin sheets, and sift sugar over them. bake in a slow oven fifteen minutes. =fruit jumbles.= a pound and a quarter of flour, a pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of butter, five eggs, a quarter of a pound of currants, a gill or small teacup of milk, half a teaspoonful of saleratus, half a wine-glass of wine. drop them on tins with a spoon, and bake in rather a quick oven. =hard sugar gingerbread.= two cups of butter, four of sugar, two eggs, a cup and a half of milk, two teaspoonfuls of ginger, and two of saleratus. flour to make rather a stiff dough. =another (very plain).= ten ounces of butter, twenty ounces of sugar, a cup and a half of milk, four teaspoonfuls of ginger, one large teaspoonful of saleratus, a few drops of essence of rose, or half a cup of rose-water; in which case omit the half cup of milk. =soft sugar gingerbread.= two pounds of flour, one of butter, one and a half of sugar, seven eggs, half a gill of rose-water or wine. to be baked in such pans as are used for cup cake. this keeps good a long time, and is very nice. =another (without eggs).= one pound of butter, two of sugar, three of flour, a pint of milk, a large spoonful of ginger, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar mixed in the flour, and one teaspoonful of saleratus. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, then add half of the milk, and a large part of the flour; then the remainder of the milk having the saleratus dissolved in it, and the rest of the flour. make half the quantity for a small family. bake it in cup-cake pans. =ginger crackers.= a pint of molasses, two cups of butter, one and a half of sugar, one teaspoonful of saleratus, and two of ginger; add flour enough to make it easy to roll out. stir the butter and sugar together, boil the molasses and pour it into the pan, and stir steadily until the butter and sugar are melted, then put in a few handfuls of flour, and add the saleratus. stir it a few minutes, and then work in all the flour. to be rolled very thin, and baked but a few minutes. =new york ginger snaps.= half a pound each of butter and sugar, two and a half pounds of flour, a pint of molasses, a teaspoonful of saleratus, caraway seeds, or ginger. mix it just like the ginger crackers, and bake them thin. =soft molasses gingerbread.= for three pints of flour, allow a pint of molasses, a pint of sour milk, or butter-milk, a gill of butter, half a gill of nice drippings, three teaspoonfuls of ginger, two of saleratus, and a very little salt. to mix it, boil the molasses with the butter and shortening cut up in it, and pour it hot upon the flour. stir it a little, and then add the sour milk with the saleratus and ginger. stir it well. gingerbread is as much better for being thoroughly beaten, as any other cake. you can make it rather more delicate by using butter only, adding a gill of brown sugar, and substituting cinnamon and clove instead of ginger. on the other hand, very good gingerbread is made by omitting the butter, and using shortening instead, and cold water or cider in place of the sour milk. a teaspoonful of salt is necessary where the butter is omitted. =hard molasses gingerbread.= a half a pint of molasses, a gill of butter, half a gill of nice drippings, half a gill of sour milk, two teaspoonfuls of saleratus, and the same of ginger. melt the butter, drippings, and molasses together, and pour hot upon a quart of flour; add the ginger and saleratus, and when well mixed add more flour until it can be handled without sticking. then roll it out about as thick as the little finger, stamp or mark it, and bake it in shallow iron or tin pans. bake it in a moderate heat. when done, cut it up before you take it out of the pans, as it cannot be done after it is cold without crumbling the edges. if you prefer to have it thin, and cut into rounds like cookies, it is a very good way. by omitting the sour milk and adding a cup of sugar, a rather nicer gingerbread is made. =another.= melt one cup of butter in two of molasses, pour it hot upon a quart of flour; dissolve one teaspoonful of saleratus in a little hot water and add it. put in flour enough to roll it out neatly. make it very thin, cut it in rounds, and bake it quick. these cakes are very crisp, and keep so in a tin chest. fried cakes. =on frying cakes.= [to have fried cakes good, it is necessary that the fat should be of the right heat. when it is hot enough, it will cease to bubble, and be perfectly still. it is best to try it with a little bit of the cake to be fried. if the heat is right, the dough will rise in a few seconds to the top, and occasion a bubbling in the fat; it will swell, and the under-side quickly become brown. it should then be turned over. cakes should be turned two or three times. the time necessary to fry them, depends on their thickness; if about as thick as the little finger, they will be done in seven or eight minutes. it is best to break open one, in order to judge. when done, drain them well with a skimmer. if the fat is too hot, the outside will be burned before the centre is cooked at all; if too cool, they will become fat-soaked, which makes them very unhealthy and disagreeable. the fire must be carefully regulated. a person who fries cakes must attend to nothing else; the cakes, the fat, and the fire will occupy every minute. the use of many eggs prevents cakes from absorbing much fat. but they can be so made without eggs, as not to take up much fat.] =crullers.= to two pounds of flour, put three quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, nine eggs, mace, and rose-water unless the butter has been kept in rose leaves. =another.= to six teacups of flour, put two of sugar, half a one of butter, half a one of cream, eight eggs, one nutmeg; or if more convenient, nine eggs, no cream, and a full cup of butter. =another (plainer, but very good).= to a pint of warm milk, put two spoonfuls of lard, and three of butter cut into little bits. beat four eggs and five heaping spoonfuls of sugar together, and stir into the milk. grate in a nutmeg, put in a very heaping teaspoonful of saleratus, and knead in flour enough to roll out. =cream of tartar.= make them precisely like the cream of tartar biscuit (see page ), with the addition of five spoonfuls of sugar, half a nutmeg, one egg, and a small piece more of butter. =raised doughnuts.= boil a quart of milk, and rub smooth in a little cold milk a large gill of ground rice; when the milk boils up, stir in the rice and a little salt. let it boil till it thickens, stirring it two or three times. pour it, hot, upon a quart of flour; when cool enough, add a gill of yeast, and flour enough to make it stiff as bread. knead it a great deal. let it rise over night, and when very light, work in three quarters of a pound of butter, a pound and a half of sugar beaten in five eggs, and add nutmeg and lemon, juice and rind. let it rise again, and then roll out and fry it. light bread dough, which is wet with milk, may be made into plain, or rich dough-nuts, as preferred, with very little trouble. prepare the dough as directed in the receipt for rusk, and add two or three eggs, if convenient. it is not necessary. =fried biscuit.= work a piece of batter the size of an egg into a large pint of light bread dough. when it has risen again, roll it very thin, cut it into circles or squares, and fry them for breakfast. eat them with salt, or with cider and sugar. all crullers and dough-nuts are much more healthful fried in clarified drippings of roast meat, than in lard; and it is, besides, good economy. on making pastry. the flour, as in making bread or cake, should be sifted. the best-looking pastry is made with lard, but it is not so healthy or good, as that which is made with half or two thirds butter. whichever you use, rub a third of it into the flour, but do not try to rub out every lump; the less the hands are used the better. add cold water; in summer, ice water. if your crust is shortened wholly with lard, allow a teaspoonful of salt to a pound (or quart) of flour, and a small teaspoonful of saleratus to every three pounds. sprinkle the salt into the flour, and dissolve the saleratus in the water. if butter only or chiefly is used, omit the saleratus. when you have put in the water, stir it quickly, rather stiff, with a knife. do not mould it; it will make it tough; but when it is barely stirred together, put it on the board, roll it out, lay thin shavings of butter on every part, sprinkle a little flour over it, and roll it out again, then lay on butter as before. to avoid much handling of the crust, roll it so thin that all the butter will be taken up by two or three times rolling in. when it is all rolled in, fold up the crust in a long roll, and double it, laying the ends together; then lay it aside, and cut from it for each pie. in rolling out for the plates press the pin equally, so as to make all parts of the same thickness, and as nearly circular as possible. have the plates ready buttered, or greased with lard, lay in the crust, and see that all parts touch the plate. take the dish up on the palm of the left hand, and with the right trim the edges, holding the knife under and _aslant_, and so cut the crust that the edge of the dish will be perfectly covered. people differ in regard to the proper thickness of pie-crust. a pie in which the fruit constitutes one third of the thickness, and the two crusts the other two thirds, although it may look more elegant, is neither so healthful or good as one made with thinner crust and plenty of fruit. some fruit requires thicker crust than others; for apple, peach, and pumpkin it should be thin as a common earthen plate; for juicy fruits, such as berries, cherries, currants, plums, and for mince, it should be a little thicker. lay some of the trimmings round the rim of the plate to make the edge of the pie handsome, and put the rest by themselves, and when there are enough, roll them out for an under-crust. in making cherries, currants, &c., into pies, use deep dishes, and be careful not to fill them even full, as the syrup will boil over, and thus, much of the richness of the pie be lost. there is one way effectually to prevent the loss of syrup. after you have laid in the fruit, or mince, and rolled out the upper-crust, wet the rim of the under-crust all around with cold water [not omitting a single spot, if you do the syrup will escape at that spot], and sprinkle a very little flour upon it, lay the trimming upon the rim, wet and flour that in the same manner, then lay the upper-crust immediately over, and press it down gently upon the rim. the flour and water act as a paste to fasten the crusts together. trim the edge as before, and prick the top eight or ten times with a fork. this is necessary for the escape of the steam, and without it, the closing of the edge will not avail to keep in the syrup. it is a good way to invert a teacup in the centre of a juicy fruit-pie, as in making an oyster-pie. a clammy lower-crust is neither good or digestible. therefore never fill pies made of moist materials until just before putting them into the oven. squash pies, cocoanut, and marlborough puddings, &c., should not be filled until the last minute, and mince and stewed apple should only stand long enough for the upper-crust to be laid on. pie-crust becomes yellow from standing long before being baked; therefore, delay rolling out the upper-crust for any kind of pies until the oven is nearly ready. pastry should be baked in a quick oven, to be light, and be slightly browned to be healthy. when you bake pumpkin and similar kinds of pies, if you have the least doubt whether the crust is well done, set the dishes a few minutes on embers, or the top of a cooking stove. this sort of pies requires nearly an hour to bake; more, if the dishes are very deep. when done enough, the top will be gently swelled all over, and in moving, tremble like jelly; if not done, the middle will look like a thick liquid. most pies require an hour to bake; those made of stewed apple or cranberry, three quarters of an hour. much depends on the kind of oven used. it is difficult to make flaky crust in warm weather. but cooling the butter and water with ice, and having the pastry-table in the cellar, will insure tolerable success. there is hardly another article of food in which so much is sacrificed to appearance as in pastry. everybody likes a light crust, a little brown, and not excessively rich, better than one that is half butter or lard, and baked white. cherries should not be stewed or stoned for pies. apples, after they are pared, cut, and cored, should be washed. steam pumpkin and squash, or stew it with very little water. meat for pies must not be chopped till after it is cold. after a little practice and observation, it will be just as well to omit weighing the materials for pastry. one very heaping handful of flour will make a common-sized pie; not, however, allowing for the flour to be used in rolling the paste. when all the pies but the last one are made, scrape the remains of crust from the moulding-board and the rolling-pin, and add any parings of edges that you have, work them together, and use for the under-crust. for almost all kinds of pies, good brown sugar is nice enough. the havana is seldom clean. the porto-rico and santa cruz are considered the best. the new orleans is very sweet. the very early apples, when used for pies or sauce, should not be pared, as the greatest part of the richness of the fruit, at that season, is in the skin. some kinds are so delicate, that when stewed, the skin is entirely absorbed in the pulp, so as not to be visible, and the color, if it is red, is beautifully diffused through the whole mass. =rich puff paste.= for a pound and a half of flour, take one pound of butter; divide it into three parts, and reserve a third of the flour for use in rolling in two parts. rub one third of the butter into the flour, add water enough just to make it a stiff dough, then roll it out, and put in the rest of the butter as directed above. =a plainer paste.= three pounds (or quarts) of flour, half a pound of lard, and a pound of butter. =good common pie-crust.= allow one heaping handful of flour for a pie, and a table-spoonful of lard or butter for each handful. =bread-dough pie-crust.= take very light dough and roll in shavings of butter three times, using as little flour as you can. =potatoe-crust.= boil six good-sized mealy potatoes, and mash them fine; add salt, a spoonful of butter and two of water while they are hot. then work in flour enough for making a paste to roll out, or put in two or three spoonfuls of cream, and no butter or water. this is a good crust for pot-pies or dumplings. pies. =of stewed apple.= stew the apple with water enough to prevent its burning; sweeten and flavor it to your taste, and, while it is hot, add butter in the proportion of a dessert spoonful to a quart of apple. the spices most appropriate are nutmeg and lemon, cinnamon and orange. two kinds are enough; one does very well. when you have laid the under crust in the plate, roll out the upper one, so that it may be laid on the moment the apple is put in, as the under crust will be clammy if the pie is not put immediately into the oven. =another (without an upper crust).= pare and quarter fourteen or eighteen fair sour apples, weigh them, and make a syrup of the same weight of sugar and a little water. grate off the outside of a lemon and set it aside; take out the seeds, cut up the inside, and put it into the syrup. when the syrup is boiled clear, lay in half of the apples and boil them, but not till they are very soft. take them out carefully, and lay them separately on a dish, so as not to break them. stew the rest of the apples, and when they are taken out, boil the syrup a little while longer. have ready three or four medium sized deep plates, with a nice paste in them. if any of the apple is broken or stewed soft, lay that into the middle of the plate, then put the quarters around in regular tiers, one above another, so as to form a sort of half sphere or pyramid, then sprinkle the grated lemon over the top, and pour on some of the syrup. bake in a quick oven half an hour. when they are taken out, sift fine sugar over the top. =of uncooked apples.= to eat immediately, the following is excellent. lay the slices into the plate upon an under crust; fill it quite full; sprinkle the rim with a little flour, to prevent the upper crust from adhering to the under one. bake forty minutes, or till the apple is tender, and then slide off the upper crust and add a small bit of butter, some nutmeg or lemon, and sugar to your taste. mix them well with the apple with a silver spoon, and return the upper crust to its place. =another.= the other method is to lay the apples into a deep dish with an under crust, and for a large family, no matter how large a dish is used; grate a whole or half nutmeg over, according to the size of the pie, or if you have a fresh orange, cut small the peel of half a one, and sprinkle in with the apple; add a few sticks of cinnamon, a few little bits of butter, and lastly, put on as much sugar as your judgment directs. cover it, and close the edge, so that the syrup will not escape. bake from an hour and a half to two hours. =another (sweetened with molasses).= make a plain crust, and line a deep dish; fill it with sliced apples, grate a good deal of nutmeg over them, and lay on two or three thin shavings of butter. then pour over a teacupful or two of good molasses, according to the size of the pie; lay on the upper crust, and close it so that the syrup cannot escape. bake it two hours and a half. for directions how to make a pie of dried apples, see the receipt for stewing them. =whortleberry.= fill the dish not quite even full, and to each pie of the size of a large soup plate, add four large spoonfuls of sugar; (for blackberries and blueberries, five). dredge a very little flour over the fruit before you lay on the upper crust. close the edge with special care. =cherry.= the common red cherry makes the best pie. bake it in a deep dish. use sugar in the proportion directed for blackberries. all cherries, except the very sweet ones, are good for pies. =cranberry.= take the sauce as prepared to eat with meat; grate a little nutmeg over it, put three or four thin shavings of butter on it, and then lay on the upper crust. if not sweet enough, add more sugar. make it without an upper crust, if you prefer, and lay very narrow strips across diagonally. =green currants and gooseberries.= these require a great deal of sugar, at least two thirds as much in measure as of fruit. currant pies should be made in a deep plate or a pudding dish, and with an upper crust. gooseberries should be stewed like cranberries, sweetened to suit the taste, and laid upon the under crust, with strips placed diagonally across the top, as directed for the cranberry tarts. currants that are almost ripe make a nice pie, and require the same measure of sugar as blackberries. =lemon.= make a nice paste, and lay into two medium-sized plates; then prepare the following mixture. to the juice, and grated rind of one lemon, made very sweet with white sugar, add three well-beaten eggs, and a piece of butter half the size of an egg, melted. stir these ingredients together, then add a pint of rich milk, or thin cream, stirring very fast. fill the plates and bake immediately. =another.= an egg, a lemon, and a cup of sugar prepared as directed in the last receipt; then add half a cup of water, and two small crackers, pounded and sifted. bake in a plate, with a paste. =rich mince.= to one beef's tongue, allow a pound of suet, a pound of currants, another of raisins, a pound and a quarter of sugar, half a pound of citron, eight large apples, a quart of wine or boiled cider, salt, a nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, the juice and pulp of a lemon, and the rind chopped fine. let the meat be chopped very fine, then add the apples and chop them fine also. put the sugar into the cider or wine, and just boil it up so as to skim off the top; let it stand a few minutes, and then pour it off into a pan containing all the other ingredients. be careful, in pouring it, not to disturb any sediment there may be from the sugar. use loaf sugar if you choose. =another (not as rich).= chop the meat, apples, and suet separately, and then measure the ingredients thus: three bowls of meat, three of apple, one of suet, one of citron cut small, two of raisins, four of sugar, one of molasses, one of vinegar, one of some kind of syrup (quince or peach), or wine instead, if you prefer. add powdered clove, nutmeg and cinnamon to suit the taste. =temperance.= boil five pounds of meat in water enough to have one quart when it is done; chop the meat very fine when it is cold, and add a quarter of a pound of suet, or salt pork, three pounds and a half of sugar, three of chopped apple, two and a half of box raisins and one of sultana raisins, one of citron, and a pint of syrup of preserved peach, quince, or both; or any other syrup you may have; add salt, nutmeg, and powdered clove. to mix the ingredients, remove the fat from the juice of the meat and put it into a kettle with the apple, sugar, raisins, and citron, and let them boil a few minutes; if froth rises, take it off; have the meat ready in a pan mixed with the spices, pour the mixture boiling hot upon it, and stir it together; add, if you choose, the juice and pulp of three lemons. this process cooks the ingredients so thoroughly that, if you prefer, you can bake the paste first and then fill the dishes; and if you choose to reserve part of it, it will keep in a cool place several weeks. =very plain.= these may be made of almost any cheap pieces of meat, boiled till tender; add suet or salt pork chopped very fine, half or two thirds as much apple as meat; sugar and spices to your taste. if mince pies are eaten cold it is better to use salt pork than suet. a lemon, and a little syrup of sweetmeats will greatly improve them. clove is the most important spice. =without suet.= boil up a quart of good brown sugar in three pints of cider; set it off, and after a few minutes take off the scum; then put in a pint of chopped meat, a quart of chopped apple, and four large crackers pounded and sifted. add a grated nutmeg, a large teaspoonful of powdered clove, and any other spice you prefer. make the mixture more sweet if you choose. boil it again four or five minutes. this will not keep so long as mince which contains no cracker. =without meat.= to twelve apples chopped fine, add six beaten eggs, and a half pint of cream. put in spice, sugar, raisins or currants just as you would for meat mince pies. =another.= a cup of molasses, a cup of sugar, half a cup of vinegar, and half a cup of butter, boiled up together for a minute. then add three crackers pounded and sifted, a half a pint of chopped raisins, two beaten eggs, and spice to suit the taste. =peach.= if the peaches are dried, stew them first in a little water; if fresh, pare them, but do not take out the stones. make the pie in a large deep dish, and close the edge well, to prevent the escape of the syrup. the free-stones are best, because most tender; the cling-stones require long cooking. =rhubarb.= peel the stalks, and cut them into pieces about an inch long; lay them in a soft cloth in order to absorb some of the juice, as the quantity is very great. put them in a sauce-pan and stew gently; add sugar enough to make it sweet as you wish, but no water; cover close. be careful not to stew it so long as to break the pieces. lay it into dishes for the table, and having baked your paste of the right size, lay it over. some persons prefer the rhubarb without spice. if any is used, it should be the rind of a lemon. rhubarb tarts are good made, like the gooseberry, with a lower crust, and strips laid across the top. =squash or pumpkin.= to a pint and a gill of strained squash, put three gills of sugar, three eggs, two crackers, pounded and sifted (or four eggs without the crackers), a teaspoonful of salt, one nutmeg, a dessert spoonful of powdered cinnamon, or some essence of lemon, a teaspoonful of ginger, and a table-spoonful of butter, melted in a quart of milk. boil the milk. to mix it, stir the spice and salt into the strained squash first, then add the cracker, and sugar, and when these are mixed, pour in half the milk, and when this is well stirred, add the remainder, and lastly the eggs, which should be thoroughly beaten. if you make up two quarts of milk, use five eggs, and five pounded crackers, and double the other ingredients. =another.= six eggs, eight table-spoonfuls of strained squash, one quart of boiled milk, a little salt, two table-spoonfuls of rose-water, a lemon (juice and rind), sugar to your taste, a spoonful of butter melted. grate nutmeg over the top. mix the ingredients as directed in the last receipt. the mode of making pumpkin puddings or pies, may be almost endlessly varied. they are very good without eggs, substituting a little more pumpkin and three crackers pounded and sifted, to a quart of milk; omitting rose-water, use cinnamon and a very little ginger. when you have only one or two eggs to a quart, use two crackers. =puffs.= make a rich paste of a quart of flour; after you have rubbed in part of the butter, cut the white of an egg to a stiff froth; reserve half a spoonful of it, and stir the rest, and the water into the flour with a knife; then proceed to roll in the remainder of the butter in the usual way. cut rounds in the paste of the size you wish to have them, and twice as many as you intend to have of puffs. then cut out of half of them, a small round in the centre, so as to leave a circular rim of crust. take up these rims with a wide-bladed knife, and lay them upon the large rounds so as to form a raised edge, and with the knife lay them, thus prepared, on tin sheets, or a nice sheet-iron pan. take a feather, and lightly brush the edges with a little of the reserved white of egg. this will make them brown handsomely. bake them in a quick oven. bake also the small rounds which were cut out from the rims. when all are baked, put raspberry jam, quince, currant, or lemon jelly in the puffs and lay the small rounds over it. some people like them best, without covering the jelly. to make lemon jelly for the purpose, beat one egg and a cup of sugar together; when well mixed, add the juice of a lemon, and then two table-spoonfuls of cold water. put the mixture in a shallow dish, set it on the stove, and stir it steadily, until it thickens, then take it off immediately. be careful it does not boil. when it is cool, put it into the puffs. directions about puddings. the eggs for all sorts of puddings in which they are used, should be well beaten, and then strained. if hot milk is used, the eggs should be added after all the other ingredients. milk for pumpkin, squash, cocoanut, tapioca, ground rice, sago, arrow-root, and sweet potato puddings, should be boiled; for bread and plum puddings also, unless the bread is soaked in milk over night. when suet is used in puddings, it should be chopped fine as possible. in making batter puddings, but a small portion of the milk should be put to the flour at first, as it will be difficult to stir out the little lumps, if the whole quantity is mixed together at once. after the flour is stirred smooth, in a part of the milk, add the eggs not beaten, and beat the mixture well; then add the remainder of the milk, and stir all together till equally mixed. a flour pudding is much lighter, when the materials are all beaten together, than if the eggs are done separately. when berries or cherries are to be used, put them in last. a batter pudding, with berries, requires at least a third more flour than one without. for cherry pudding but a small addition of flour is needed. a buttered earthen bowl, with a cloth tied up close over it, is a very good thing in which to boil a pudding or dumpling; but some persons think they are lighter boiled in a cloth. a large square of thick tow or hemp cloth does very well; but if a bag is preferred, it should be so cut that the bottom will be several inches narrower than the top, and the corners rounded. the seam should be stitched close with a coarse thread on one side, and then turned and stitched again on the other, in order to secure the pudding from the water. when used, let the seam be outside. a strong twine, a yard long, should be sewed at the middle to the seam, about three inches from the top of the bag. when the bag is to be used, wring it in cold water, and sprinkle the inside thick with flour,[ ] and lay it in a dish; pour in the batter and tie up the bag quickly, drawing the string as tight as possible. allow a little room for the pudding to swell. (an indian pudding made with cold milk, swells more than any other.) lay it immediately into the boiling pot, and after ten minutes, turn it over to prevent the flour from settling on one side. if there is fruit in the pudding, it should be turned three or four times during the first half hour. keep it covered by adding water from the tea-kettle if necessary, and be careful that it boils steadily. if it does not, the pudding will be watery. when you take it up, plunge it for a moment in a pan of cold water; then pour off the water, untie the twine, and gently lay back the top of the bag. have a dish ready, and turn the pudding out upon it. a batter pudding without berries cooks very nicely in a tin pudding pan, set upright in a kettle of boiling water. [ ] some persons prefer to spread the inside with butter and then flour it. perhaps this method excludes the water most effectually. either way does well. always butter the dish in which a pudding is to be baked. to cut a boiled pudding without making it heavy, lay the knife, first one side and then the other, upon it, long enough to warm the blade. if these directions seem needlessly minute, it should be remembered that those things which seem perfectly obvious to the experienced, are often very perplexing to the uninitiated. =elegant pudding sauce.= to four large spoonfuls of fine white sugar, put two of butter, one of flour, and stir them together to a cream in an earthen dish. cut the white of an egg to a stiff froth, and add it; then pour into the dish a gill of boiling water, stirring the mixture very fast. put it into the sauce tureen and add essence of lemon, or rose, or grate nutmeg over the top as you prefer. =a plainer sauce.= to three large spoonfuls of clean brown sugar, put rather more than one spoonful of butter, and half a one of flour; stir all together in an earthen dish until white, then add a gill of boiling water, and stir it steadily till it is all melted, then set it upon the coals long enough just to boil up. add rose-water, a few drops of lemon juice, or a spoonful of boiled cider. =cold sauce.= take the same measure of butter and sugar as given in either of the above receipts, and stir them to a cream. omit the flour; but add the white of egg. =sour cream sauce.= put together a cup of sugar and a cup and a half of thick sour cream. stir the mixture five or six minutes, then put it into a sauce tureen and grate nutmeg over it. this sauce is specially appropriate for indian puddings, baked or boiled, and for the boiled suet puddings. =apple pudding.= to a quart of stewed sour apple, put while it is hot, a piece of butter the size of an egg, and sugar enough to make it quite sweet. beat it several minutes in order to mix it thoroughly. beat four eggs and stir into it, add lemon or any essence you choose. butter a cold dish thick, with cold[ ] butter, and strew the bottom and sides with cracker crumbs, or very fine bread crumbs; then pour in the mixture, sift plenty of the cracker crumbs on the top, grate a little nutmeg upon it, and sprinkle it with sifted sugar. bake forty or fifty minutes in one dish, or half an hour in two. it is as good cold, the second day, as when first baked. it is an improvement to eat it with cream. [ ] in all cases, where the sides of a dish are to be strewed with crumbs, both the dish and the butter should be cold. =another (marlborough).= make a nice paste and lay into your dishes. take one quart of strained apple, one quart of sugar, eight eggs, three nutmegs, a pint of cream, a quarter of a pound of butter, a fresh lemon, pulp and juice, and the rind grated. if you have no cream, milk will do, but it should be boiled, and half a pound of butter, instead of one quarter, melted into it. the apples should be very sour. this will fill six deep dishes or soup plates. bake three quarters of an hour. =another (pemberton).= to six large, sour apples, put a pint of cream, an ounce of butter, six eggs, one lemon, sugar to the taste. to be prepared exactly in the same way as the marlborough pudding. =almond.= blanch (that is, peel off the brown skin) of five bitter, and ten sweet almonds; to do this, easily, pour boiling water on them, then pound them fine in a mortar. set a pail with a quart of rich milk into a kettle of hot water; when it boils, put in the almonds. mix two and a half table-spoonfuls of ground rice smooth, with a large tumbler of milk, and stir it in. boil it half an hour, stirring it often; then add the yolks of three eggs beaten with half a coffee cup of fine sugar, and in about a minute take the pail from the kettle, and stir in another half cup of sugar. pour it into a dish and set it away to cool. cut the whites of the eggs, and a large spoonful of fine sugar to a stiff froth, drop them on the top with a large spoon, and set the pudding into the oven till the top is brown. to be eaten cold. =baked batter.= allow a pint of cold milk, four table-spoonfuls of flour, two eggs, and a little salt. stir the flour smooth in a part of the milk, then put in the eggs without first beating, and beat them well with the mixed flour. then add the remainder of the milk, and the salt, and when well stirred together, pour it into a buttered dish, and bake it half an hour. when it is done, the whole top will have risen up. so long as there is a little sunken spot in the centre, it is not baked enough. make a cold or melted sauce as you prefer. this makes an ample pudding for a family of four. a flour pudding will not be light unless it is put into the oven immediately on being made. =boiled batter.= use the very same proportions; butter a tin pudding-pan having a close cover, and put in the mixture; set it immediately into a kettle of boiling water. see that the water comes up high enough around it to cook the pudding, but so that it will not boil quite up to the top. if it boils away, add more hot water. =another.= to a quart of milk put six eggs, eight spoonfuls of flour, and a teaspoonful of salt. to be boiled two hours. if you wish to make a nice addition to your dinner on short notice, prepare this batter, and butter little cups that hold about a gill, fill them three quarters full, and bake in the stove. they will bake in fifteen minutes. they should be turned out upon a dish, and be eaten with sauce. such a pudding requires forty minutes to bake in one dish. =rye batter.= to a pint of cold milk, put three heaping spoonfuls of sifted rye meal, a little salt, and three eggs. boil it an hour and a half in a buttered bowl with the cloth tied very tight over it. the bowl should be of a size to allow a very little for swelling. =bird's nest.= for a pint of cold milk allow three eggs, five spoonfuls of flour, six medium sized, fair apples, and a small teaspoonful of salt. pare the apples, and take out the cores; arrange them in a buttered dish that will just receive them (one in the centre and five around it). wet the flour smooth in part of the milk, then add the eggs and beat all together a few minutes; then put in the salt, and the rest of the milk. stir it well and pour it into the dish of apples. bake it an hour, and make a melted sauce. for a large family make double measure, but bake it in two dishes, as the centre apples of a large dish will not cook as quickly, as those around the edge. =bread.= take nice pieces of light bread, break them up, and put a small pint bowl full into a quart of milk; set it in a tin pail or brown dish on the back part of the stove or range, where it will heat very gradually, and let it stand an hour or more. when the bread is soft enough to be made fine with a spoon, just boil it up; set it off, and stir in a large teaspoonful of butter, a little salt, and from two to four beaten eggs. bake it an hour. make a sauce for it. to be eaten without sauce, put in twice the measure of butter, beat the eggs with a cup of nice brown sugar, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, and half as much powdered clove. =bread and butter.= cut five slices of light bread across the loaf, very thin; spread them thick with butter; cut the slices in two or four parts; butter a dish and lay them in with a few dried currants between each slice. lay them so that the top will be even, and not quite as high as the dish; pour over them a quart of custard made with boiled milk, and five or six eggs, and flavored with peach and nutmeg. it will bake in less than an hour. some persons prefer to toast the bread. =cottage.= one teacup of sweet milk, three of flour, one coffee-cup of brown sugar, one egg, one table-spoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of saleratus. melt the butter. dissolve the saleratus in a little of the milk, and stir it in after the other ingredients are mixed. bake half an hour. to be eaten with sweet sauce. =another (more rich).= one teacup of sugar, three table-spoonfuls of melted butter, one egg, one teacup of milk, two heaping cups of flour, a teaspoonful of saleratus or soda, and two of cream of tartar. if it is made with sour milk, the cream of tartar is to be left out. =cocoanut.= grate a cocoanut, and save the milk. boil a quart of milk and pour upon it; add five eggs, with a coffee-cup of sugar beaten in them, an ounce of butter, two table-spoonfuls of rose-water, a little salt. if you have cream and plenty of eggs, make it of cream instead of milk, and add three more eggs, and any essence or spice you choose, and bake in one dish nearly an hour; or make a nice paste, and bake it in three deep plates like squash pies, forty minutes. =cracker.= to a pint of boiled milk, put four crackers, pounded and sifted, three eggs, and a small teaspoonful of salt. add whortleberries if convenient, and in that case, half of another cracker. make a sweet sauce. bake half an hour, or forty minutes. the same mixture made with cold milk is a nice pudding boiled an hour and a half. =another.= take the same proportions as in the previous receipt, of crackers, milk, and eggs; and add a cup of sugar, a table-spoonful of butter, cinnamon, a very little clove, and a cup of chopped raisins, and eat it with a sauce, or without. it is good cold. =farina.= two table-spoonfuls of farina, a pint of milk, two eggs, a small cup of sugar, and a half teaspoonful of salt; flavor with lemon or nutmeg. to mix it, set the milk in a pail into a kettle of hot water. when the top of the milk foams up, stir in the farina gradually, and add the salt. let it remain in the kettle ten or fifteen minutes, and stir it repeatedly. take the pail from the kettle, beat the eggs and sugar together, and stir them in; add the essence, and pour the mixture into a buttered dish. bake half an hour or forty minutes. no sauce is necessary. =potato.= weigh two pounds of good potatoes, after they are pared; boil them, and when done, dry them; then pound them well in the kettle with a pestle. while they are still hot, add half a pound of sugar and half a pound of butter, which have been previously stirred together to a cream; and last, and a little at a time, seven eggs, a glass of wine, and spice to your taste. bake with or without a paste. omit the wine if you prefer, both in this, and the next receipt, and use lemon-juice. =another.= to half a pound of boiled potato, rolled or pounded, put two ounces of butter, two eggs, half a gill of cream, one table-spoonful of white wine, sugar to your taste, and a very little salt. beat it to a froth, and bake with or without a paste. if it is wanted more rich, add almonds and another egg. =sweet potato.= boil the potatoes and rub them through a sieve; add eggs, milk, sugar, and spice precisely as for squash pies, only making the mixture a very little thicker with the potato. bake in a deep dish with a paste, or without if preferred. =sweet potato pone.= pare and grate several sweet potatoes, and to three pounds of grated potato add two of sugar, twelve eggs, a little more than three pints of milk, the juice and grated rind of a lemon, a quarter of a pound of butter (melted), a table-spoonful of rose-water, a nutmeg, a little cinnamon and mace, a teaspoonful of salt. mix thoroughly together and bake in deep pans two hours. it is usually eaten cold, as cake. =plum.= a pound of bread or six pounded crackers, one quart of milk, six eggs, a large spoonful of flour, a teacup of sugar, one nutmeg, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, half a one of powdered clove, a piece of butter the size of an egg, the same quantity of chopped suet, and a pound of raisins. boil the milk. it is very well to soak the bread in the milk over night; then the entire crust becomes soft, and mixes well with the other ingredients. these puddings are served with a rich sauce, if eaten warm, but are excellent cold, cut up like cake. people that are subject to a great deal of uninvited company, find it convenient in cold weather to bake half a dozen at once. they will keep several weeks, and when one is to be used, it may be loosened from the dish by a knife passed around it, and a little hot water be poured in round the edge. it should then be covered close, and set for half an hour into the stove or oven. =another.= soak a pound of soft bread in a quart of boiled milk till it can easily be strained through a coarse hair sieve; then add seven eggs, two gills of cream, a quarter of a pound of butter (melted), a gill of rose-water, or some extract of rose, a little cinnamon or nutmeg, and a pound of raisins. for a small family, bake it in two dishes, an hour; and reserve one for another day. to warm it, see the directions in the last receipt. =rice.= boil a teacupful of rice in two teacups of water. when it has swelled so as to absorb the water, add a quart of milk and five or six peach leaves, and boil it until the rice is perfectly soft. take it from the fire, remove the peach leaves, add a small piece of butter, a little salt, and three or four eggs, beaten with a teacup of sugar. put it into a buttered dish, grate nutmeg over the top, and bake three quarters of an hour. most people prefer this pudding cold. =another (white top).= prepare the same measures of rice and milk, and in the same way as in the last receipt. boil the rice very slowly after the milk is added, so that it may become very soft, and not get burned. break six eggs, the yolks and whites separate; beat the yolks with a large cup of white sugar; and stir them, with salt, and a small bit of butter into the rice and milk. then return the kettle to the fire two or three minutes, and see that it does not burn. then put the mixture into a buttered dish, and cut the six whites and two large spoonfuls of fine sugar to a stiff froth. flavor the froth with lemon, lay it over the pudding in folds like a turban, and set it into the oven long enough to brown the top. ten minutes will be sufficient. =ground rice.= to a teacup of ground rice, allow a quart and a gill of milk, six eggs, a heaping teacup of sugar, a piece of butter the size of a small nut, one teaspoonful of salt, and any spice you prefer. rose-water and nutmeg are generally considered best. bake it from three quarters to one hour. the milk should be boiled, and the ground rice wet with a part of it reserved for the purpose. when the milk boils up, stir in the rice; mix it thoroughly with the milk, then let it boil up one or two minutes. when it has become a little thick, take it off, put in the butter and salt, add the eggs and sugar, and last of all, the spice. bake it in one dish, in a moderately hot oven, an hour. if your family is small, bake it in two dishes, forty minutes. it is quite as good the second day as the first. =sago.= a pint of milk, a table-spoonful and a half of _pearl_ sago, two eggs, two large spoonfuls of sugar, and half a teaspoon of salt. wash the sago in warm, but not hot water, twice; then put it with the milk into a pail and set it into a kettle of hot water. stir it very often, as it swells fast, and will else lie in a compact mass at the bottom. when it has boiled two or three minutes, take the pail from the kettle, add the salt, and the eggs beaten with the sugar. flavor it with vanilla or a few drops of essence of lemon, put it into a dish, and grate nutmeg over it. set it immediately into the oven, and bake it about three quarters of an hour. if you make a quart of milk, three eggs answer very well. it should then bake an hour. with this number of eggs, the sago settles a little. to have it equally diffused take five eggs. =squash, or pumpkin.= a pint of milk, a large coffee-cup of strained pumpkin or squash, two eggs, three large spoonfuls of sugar, a teaspoonful of butter, a little salt, a small teaspoonful of cinnamon, half as much ginger, and some nutmeg. to prepare it--first, stir the cinnamon and ginger into the squash, as, if they are added after the milk, they will float dry on the top; add salt, then the eggs beaten with the sugar; boil the milk and melt the butter in it, and add it slowly to the other ingredients, stirring fast meantime. butter a cold dish with cold butter, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with sifted cracker, pour in the mixture, grate nutmeg over the top and then sprinkle it with pounded cracker, sift white sugar over, and bake it forty minutes. to make a more economical pudding, use the same measure of milk, squash, sugar, ginger, and cinnamon, with but one egg. stir a pounded and sifted cracker into the squash, before the boiled milk is added; simply butter a dish in the usual way; omit the nutmeg and also the sugar and cracker on the top. the receipt for squash pies (see page ) is a very nice rule for a pudding; omit the paste, and substitute the cracker crumbs in the dish. such puddings, when made with a quart of milk, should be baked in two dishes, because if baked in one, the edges become too dry, before the centre is cooked. =tapioca.= to a quart of milk, put two thirds of a cup of tapioca, five or six eggs, a dessert spoonful of butter, a cup of sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, and flavor with lemon, nutmeg, or extract of rose. do not wash the tapioca, as the fine powder is the nicest part; but pick it over carefully, and soak it over night in half of the milk. if you have not done this, and need the pudding for dinner, it will soak in cold water (twice as much water as tapioca) in two or three hours. boil it in the milk, set into a kettle of hot water; stir it often, beat the eggs and sugar thoroughly, together; stir them and all the other ingredients into the milk while it is yet hot. if the pudding is put immediately in the oven, it will bake in three quarters of an hour, or a little less. three eggs to a quart of milk will make a very good tapioca pudding. [illustration: decorative flourish] puddings without eggs. =berry.= to a quart of washed whortleberries, put a pint of flour in which you have put a small teaspoonful of salt. add a very little water. that which is upon the berries will be nearly enough. boil it two hours in a cloth tied close, allowing no room to swell. to be eaten with melted sauce. =another.= a pint of berries, a pint of flour, a pint of sour milk, a teaspoonful of salt, and one of saleratus. boil it two hours. all boiled fruit puddings should be turned often in the pot, to prevent the fruit from settling on one side. make a sweet sauce. =baked indian.= boil a pint of milk, and set it off from the fire. then stir in a large teacup of indian meal, a cup of finely chopped suet, half a cup of white flour, the same of molasses, and a teaspoonful each of salt, ginger, and cinnamon. grease thick a deep fire-proof patty pan, or a brown earthen one with a small top, such as are made for baking beans, and pour in the mixture; then stir in half a pint of cold milk. bake it in a moderate heat two hours. if you object to using suet, substitute two eggs well beaten. an excellent sauce for this, and all kinds of indian pudding, is made by mixing sour cream and sugar, seasoned with nutmeg. the modern ovens do not bake this kind of pudding as well as a brick oven. =another (with sweet apples).= pare twelve sweet apples and slice them, or take out the cores with a tap-borer. stir up a pudding of a quart of milk, and almost a quart of indian meal; the measure may be filled quite full by using a spoonful or two of wheat flour. add some salt, a teacup of molasses, and a little chopped suet. the milk should be boiled, and after it is taken from the fire, the meal and other ingredients stirred in. then pour the whole over the apples. bake three hours. =boiled plum.= put to a quart of boiled milk twelve pounded crackers, a quarter of a pound of suet, a pound of currants, half a pound of raisins, a little salt, and a teacup of molasses. steam in a pudding-pan, or boil it three hours and a half in a cloth or buttered bowl. to be eaten with sauce. =railroad.= one cup of molasses, one of sweet milk, one of suet or of salt pork chopped fine; four cups of flour, one teaspoonful of saleratus, and if suet is used, one of salt, one cup of chopped raisins, one of currants. warm the molasses and stir the saleratus into it; mix the suet or pork with the flour, then stir all together, and steam it four hours, according to the directions for steamed brown bread (see page ). make a melted sauce, or the sour cream sauce. =rice.= wash a small coffee-cup of rice and put it into three pints of milk over night. in the morning add a piece of butter half as large as an egg, a teacup of sugar, a little salt, cinnamon, or nutmeg. bake very slowly two hours and a half in a stove or brick oven. after it has become hot enough to melt the butter, but not to brown the top, stir it (without moving the dish if you can) from the bottom. if raisins are to be used, put them in now. they add much to the richness of the pudding. it is a very good pudding for so plain a kind, and is very little trouble. for a sunday dinner, where a cooking stove is used, it is very convenient, as it employs but a few minutes to prepare it in the morning. =sago.= wash six table-spoonfuls of pearl sago and put it to soak in a large pint of warm water. pare six good-sized, mellow, sour apples, and remove the cores with a tap-borer. wash them, butter a deep pudding dish, and lay them in, with the open end up. measure a teacup of sugar, fill the holes with it, and then grate half a nutmeg over the apples. dissolve a little salt and the rest of the sugar, in the water with the sago; pour two thirds of the mixture over the apples, and set the dish in the oven or stove. after one hour take it out, pour the remainder of the sago and water into the dish, and press the apples down gently without breaking them. see that none of the sago lies above the water. return the dish to the oven and bake it another hour. it is to be eaten with sugar and milk, or cream, and is a very delicate and healthful pudding. =salem.= three coffee-cups of flour, one of milk, one of chopped raisins, one of suet or salt pork chopped very fine, two thirds of a cup of molasses, a small teaspoonful of powdered cloves, half a nutmeg, a teaspoonful of saleratus, and if suet is used instead of pork, a little salt. warm the molasses and dissolve the saleratus in it, mix the suet, flour, and raisins, then put all the ingredients together. boil or steam it four hours. make a melted sauce. =suet.= a pint of suet chopped very fine, a pint of chopped apples, two gills of milk, a gill of molasses, a large teaspoonful of salt, and flour enough to make it rather stiff. boil it four hours. this, and the last before it, should be boiled in a close tin pail or pudding pan, in a kettle of water. such a pudding as this is too hearty to be eaten after meat, and is substantial enough to constitute a dinner. dumplings, flummeries, and other inexpensive articles for dessert. =apple dumplings (boiled).= the best and most healthful crust for them is made like cream tartar biscuit, or with potatoes, according to the directions under the head of _pastry_. it is better to make one or two large dumplings, than many small ones; because in drawing up the crust, there must necessarily be folds which, when boiled, are thick; and thus, in small dumplings, the proportion of crust to apple, is too great. make a large crust and let the middle be nearly a third of an inch thick; but roll the edges thin, for the reason above mentioned. wring a thick, square cloth in water, sprinkle it with flour, and lay it into a deep dish; lay the crust into it, and fill it with sliced apples; put the crust together and draw up the cloth around it. tie it tight with a strong twine or tape, allowing no room for it to swell, and be sure to draw the string so close that the water cannot soak in. boil a dumpling holding three pints of cut apple, two hours. when taken out of the pot, plunge it for a moment into cold water, then untie it and turn it out into a dish. eat with cold sauce, or butter and sugar. molasses and butter boiled together make a very good sauce for apple dumplings. the process of boiling molasses takes away, in some degree, its strong taste; and improves it for this purpose, and for making gingerbread. all boiled dumplings and puddings should be put into boiling water. some persons prefer to boil dumplings in a buttered bowl, with a cloth tied close over it. this is a very good way. =steamed.= fill a tin pudding pan or pail three quarters with sour, sliced apples, lay upon the top a plain crust about an inch thick. a piece of light bread dough, with a little butter rolled into it, or a crust made like cream of tartar biscuit, is better than pie crust for this purpose. see that there is room for the dough to swell. shut the lid close, and set it on the top of the stove or range, an hour and a half before dinner time. if the apple juice boils over, move the pan to a cooler part of the stove. make a sauce, or use instead, butter and sugar. =baked.= pare large, fair apples, and take out the cores, lay each one into a piece of plain pie crust, just large enough to cover it. fill the centre of the apple with brown sugar, and add a little cinnamon, or small strips of fresh orange peel. close the crust over the apple, and lay them, with the smooth side up, into a deep, buttered dish, in which they can be set on the table. bake them in a stove an hour and a half. if, after an hour, you find that the syrup begins to harden in the bottom of the dish, put in half a gill of hot water. make a cold, or melted sauce as you choose. =blackberry (baked or steamed).= put a small cup of berries and two teaspoonfuls of sugar into a crust large enough to contain them. to close the crust well, dip your fingers in water and then in flour, and thus paste the folds together. lay as many dumplings as you wish to have into a deep patty-pan, because blackberries are a very juicy fruit. bake them an hour and a quarter in a moderate heat. make a cold sauce for them. to steam them, put the fruit and crust into a tin pudding pan, exactly like steamed apple dumpling. =roley poley.= make a potato crust, or a paste of light bread, with butter rolled in, or one of cream tartar biscuit, as you prefer; roll it narrow and long, about a third of an inch thick; spread it with raspberry jam or apple sauce; take care that this does not come too near the edge of the crust; roll it up and close the ends and side as tight as possible, to keep the sauce from coming out and the water from soaking it. sew it up in a cloth, and boil it an hour and a half or two hours, according to its size. make a sauce. [the quart measure used in the following articles, and throughout this book, is the beer quart, except where a _small_ quart is specified. in cooking such dishes as those which immediately follow, the milk should always, as in making custards, be boiled in a pail set into a kettle of hot water. they are much more delicate than when it is boiled in a saucepan; and then there is no danger of its being burned.] =potato starch flummery.= to one quart of boiled milk, put four beaten eggs and four spoonfuls of potato starch, wet in a little milk. add the starch and a little salt first; then the eggs, and boil the whole a minute more. take it up in a mould and eat it with sauce. boil a few peach leaves in the milk if you like the flavor. =ground rice.= measure a quart of milk, and then take out two cupfuls. set the remainder into a kettle of hot water; then wet a teacupful of ground rice, and a teaspoonful of salt, with the reserved cold milk. when that which is in the kettle boils, add the ground rice mixture gradually, and continue to stir it, until it is well scalded, else it will be lumpy, or lie compactly at the bottom. let it remain in the kettle eight or ten minutes, and stir it now and then. just before you take it up, stir in a large table-spoonful of dry ground rice, and as soon as that is well mixed take the pail from the water-kettle, and put the mixture into a bowl, or blanc-mange mould, wet in cold water. if it is of the right consistency, it will turn out in good shape in fifteen or twenty minutes. to be eaten like blanc-mange with sugar and milk or cream. it is nice cold, and if it is made for the next day, a half a spoonful less of dry rice will be enough. it should be only stiff enough to retain the shape. for this and all similar milk preparations, peach leaves are better than any spice. boil in the milk three or four fresh leaves from the tree. remember to take them out before you stir in the rice. if you put in too many, they will give a strong flavor to the article. experience will teach how many to use. =farina.= set a pail containing a quart of milk into a kettle of boiling water. put in a few pieces of stick-cinnamon. when the milk boils, take out the cinnamon and add a teaspoonful of salt, and stir in, very gradually, four table-spoonfuls of dry farina; beat out the lumps, and stir it often during the first ten minutes, then leave it to boil half an hour or more, remembering to stir it repeatedly during that time. put it in a mould till the next day. serve it as blanc-mange. made thin, like gruel, it is excellent food for young children. =tapioca.= soak a cup of tapioca in a pint of cold water over night; then boil it in a pint of milk with a little salt. add any essence you choose. it is very good without. serve it warm, and use sugar and cream. =sago apple.= wash a table-spoonful and a half of pearl sago, and put it into a teacup of cold water to soak. pare and slice very thin two fair sour apples, and boil them very soft in a teacup of water; then add the sago and water with half a teaspoonful of salt, and stir it every minute or two. boil it till the sago and apple are perfectly mixed, then add a large spoonful of white sugar, and boil it a minute more. set it off and add lemon (the essence or juice as you prefer). put it in a mould, and serve it like blanc-mange. this is a very good article for an invalid, leaving out the essence. the same preparation of sago, and two or three table-spoonfuls of currant jelly dissolved in it instead of the apple, is very pretty, and good. sweet dishes. [in making blanc-mange, custards, ice-creams, &c., do not boil the milk in a sauce-pan, but set it, in a tin pail, into a kettle of boiling water. the milk does not rise, when boiled thus, as it does in a sauce-pan, but when the top is covered with foam, it boils enough. in making ice cream, it is an improvement to churn the cream until it becomes frothy, before adding the other ingredients.] =apple island.= stew apple enough to make a quart, strain it through a sieve, sweeten it with fine white sugar, and flavor it with lemon or rose. beat the whites of six eggs to a hard froth, and stir into the apple slowly; but do not do this till just before it is to be served. the apples should be stewed with as little water as possible. put it into a glass dish. serve a nice boiled custard, made of the yolks of the eggs, to eat with it. =apple snow.= put twelve large apples, without paring, into cold water enough to stew them. boil them slowly; when they are very soft strain them through a sieve; beat the whites of twelve eggs to a stiff froth, then add to them half a pound of fine white sugar, and when these are well mixed, add the apple, and beat all together, until white as snow. then lay it in the centre of a deep dish, heap it high as you can, and pour around it a nice boiled custard made of a quart of milk, and eight of the yolks of the eggs. =floating island.= put the juice of two lemons, the whites of two eggs, three spoonfuls of currant jelly, and a gill and a half of fine sugar together and beat to a stiff froth; then put it into the middle of the dish, dress it with sweetmeats, and just before it is served, pour into the dish cream enough to float it. =arrow-root blanc-mange.= to three large spoonfuls of pure jamaica arrow-root, a quart of milk, a large spoonful of fine sugar, a spoonful of rose-water, and a little salt. reserve a gill of milk to wet the arrow-root, and boil the rest. when it boils up, stir in the arrow-root, and boil it up again a minute or two; add the sugar, salt, and rose-water, and put it into the mould. =isinglass blanc-mange.= wash an ounce and a half of calf's-foot isinglass, and put it into a quart of milk over night. in the morning add three peach leaves, and boil it, slowly, twenty minutes or half an hour. strain it into a dish upon a small teacupful of fine sugar. if it is to be served soon, add two or three beaten eggs while it is hot. put it into the mould and set in a cool place. in hot weather this should be made over night if wanted at dinner the next day, as it hardens slowly. =calf's foot blanc-mange.= put four calf's feet into four quarts of water; boil it away to one quart, strain it, and set it aside. when cool, remove all the fat, and in cutting the jelly out of the pan, take care to avoid the sediment. put to it a quart of new milk, and sweeten it with fine sugar. if you season it with cinnamon or lemon peel, put it in before boiling; if with rose or peach-water, afterwards; or, if you choose, boil peach leaves in it. boil it ten minutes, strain it through a fine sieve into a pitcher, and stir it till nearly cold. then put it into moulds. =gelatine blanc-mange.= allow a quart of milk. take a quarter of a paper of english gelatine, and put it into a gill of the milk to soften. in a quarter of an hour, set the remainder of the milk in a tin pail into a kettle of hot water, with a few sticks of cinnamon in it. when the milk boils (or foams up) add a small teaspoon of salt, and stir in the cold milk and gelatine. stir it steadily a few minutes, till the particles of gelatine are dissolved, then put it into moulds. if lemon or some other essence is preferred to the cinnamon, add it after the pail is taken out of the hot water. a beaten egg is an improvement. =moss blanc-mange.= in making this blanc-mange as little moss should be used as will suffice to harden the milk. if the moss is old, more is necessary than if it is fresh. allow half a teacupful for a quart of milk. wash it, and put it in soak over night; in the morning, tie it up in a piece of muslin, and boil it in the milk, with sticks of cinnamon, the rind of a lemon, or peach leaves. boil it gently twenty minutes or half an hour. then put in half a salt-spoonful of salt, strain it upon a large spoonful of crushed sugar, and put it into a mould immediately, as it soon begins to harden. eat it with sugar and milk or cream. =charlotte russe.= make a boiled custard of a pint of milk and four eggs; season it with vanilla, or any essence you prefer; make it very sweet, and set it away to cool. put a half an ounce of isinglass or english gelatine into a gill of milk where it will become warm. when the gelatine is dissolved, pour it into a pint of rich cream, and whip it to complete froth. when the custard is cold, stir it gently into the whip. line a mould that holds a quart with thin slices of sponge cake, or with sponge fingers, pour the mixture into it, and set it in a cold place. =calf's-foot jelly.= scald four calf's feet only enough to take off the hair, (more will extract the juices). clean them nicely. when this is done, put them into five quarts of water and boil them until the water is half wasted; strain and set it away till the next day, then take off the fat and remove the jelly, being careful not to disturb the sediment; put the jelly into a sauce-pan with sugar, wine, and lemon juice and rind to your taste. beat the whites and shells of five eggs, stir them in, and set it on the coals, but do not stir it after it begins to warm. boil it twenty minutes, then add one teacupful of cold water and boil five minutes longer; set off the saucepan, and let it stand covered close half an hour. it will thus become so clear that it will need to run through the jelly bag but once. =another (made of english gelatine).= to one of the papers of gelatine containing an ounce and a half, put a pint of cold water; after fifteen minutes, add a quart of boiling water, and stir till the gelatine is dissolved. then add a coffee-cup of sugar, the juice of a lemon, and the grated rind, or any other spice or essence you prefer, and just boil it up a minute. if the jelly is for an invalid, and wine is a part of the appropriate regimen, omit the lemon and spices, and add two gills of wine, after it is boiled. the gelatine is so pure, that the jelly need not be passed through a jelly-bag. this will keep several weeks in winter, and is convenient for persons who are in the habit of providing little delicacies for the sick. =almond custards.= blanch and beat in a marble mortar, with two spoonfuls of rose-water, a quarter of a pound of almonds; beat the yolks of four eggs with two table-spoonfuls of sugar, mix the almonds with the eggs and sugar, and then add the whole to a pint of cream, set into a kettle of hot water in a pail. stir it steadily till it boils. serve in little cups. =boiled custards.= put a quart of milk into a tin pail or a pitcher that holds two quarts; set it into a kettle of hot water. tin is better than earthen, because it heats so much quicker. put in a few sticks of cinnamon, or three peach leaves. when the milk foams up as if nearly boiling, stir in six eggs which have been beaten, with two spoonfuls of white sugar; stir it every instant, until it appears to thicken a little. then take out the pail, and pour the custard immediately into a cold pitcher, because the heat of the pail will cook the part of the custard that touches it, too much, so that it will curdle. this is a very easy way of making custards, and none can be better. but in order to have them good, you must attend to nothing else until they are finished. you may make them as rich as you choose. a pint of milk, a pint of cream, and eight eggs will make them rich enough for any epicure. so, on the other hand, they are very good with three or four eggs only to a quart of milk, and no cream. =another (good, and very simple).= boil a quart of milk in the way directed in the preceding receipt, excepting one gill; beat three or four eggs with three spoonfuls of fine sugar; wet three teaspoonfuls of arrow-root in the reserved gill of milk, then mix the beaten eggs and arrow-root together, and add a little salt. when the milk in the pail boils, stir them in, and continue to stir a minute or two, till the custard thickens. then take the pail to the table and pour the custard into china cups (as glass will crack), or else into a cold pitcher. use what seasoning you please. the old fashion of using cinnamon is economical and very good. boil some pieces of cinnamon a few minutes only, in two or three spoonfuls of water. put some of this into the custard, and put what is left into a vial for another time. the sandwich island arrow-root is as good as the bermuda for such purposes, and costs a third less. =another (still more economical).= put a quart of milk, excepting two gills, to boil in a kettle of water; with the reserved milk mix three large spoonfuls of flour till it is entirely smooth; add a little salt, and when the milk boils stir it in. let the mixture remain in the boiling kettle half an hour, or if most convenient, still longer, while you attend to other things; but remember to stir it often. beat one or two eggs with two or three spoonfuls of sugar, and stir in. then take the pail to the table, and when the custard has stood a few minutes to cool, add any essence you prefer. =baked custards.= boil the milk with a stick of cinnamon in it, then set it off from the fire, and while it cools a very little, beat (for a quart of milk) five or six eggs, with three large spoonfuls of fine sugar; then stir the milk and eggs together, and pour into custard-cups, or into a single dish that is large enough. if you bake in a brick oven, it is a good way to set custard, in cups, into it, after the bread and other things have been baked. they will become hard in a few hours, and be very delicate. if you bake in a stove, or range oven, it is best to use a dish, and bake it in a very moderate heat, else it will turn, in part, to whey. directions for making ices. mix equal quantities of coarse salt and ice chopped small; set the freezer containing the cream into a firkin, and put in the ice and salt; let it come up well around the freezer. turn and shake the freezer steadily at first, and nearly all the time until the cream is entirely frozen. scrape the cream down often from the sides with a knife. when the ice and salt melt, do not pour off any of it, unless there is danger of its getting into the freezer; it takes half an hour to freeze a quart of cream; and sometimes longer. a tin pail which will hold twice the measure of the cream, answers a good purpose, if you do not own a freezer. in winter, use snow instead of ice. several nice receipts for ice-creams will be given under this head, but a common custard, made of rich milk, two or three eggs, and a little arrow-root, and seasoned with lemon or vanilla, makes an excellent ice-cream. =a rich ice-cream.= squeeze a dozen lemons, and strain the juice upon as much fine sugar as it will absorb; pour three quarts of cream into it very slowly, stirring very fast all the time. =another.= a quart of new milk, a quart of cream, a pint of sugar, three eggs, a large spoonful of arrow-root or ground rice, a piece of cinnamon. boil the milk with the cinnamon in it; when it boils up, stir in the arrow-root or ground rice, wet with a little milk; set it off the fire, stir in the cream, the sugar and eggs. the eggs should be beaten a good deal, and then beaten several minutes in the cream before being put into the boiled milk; add vanilla or lemon as you prefer. =another (simple, but very good).= heat a quart of milk quite hot, but do not let it boil; add the yolks of four eggs, beaten, with a large coffee-cup of fine sugar, and flavor with lemon or vanilla. fruit ices. =apricot.= pare, stone, and scald twelve ripe apricots; then bruise them in a marble mortar. then stir half a pound of fine sugar into a pint of cream; add the apricots and strain through a hair sieve. freeze and put it into moulds. peaches would be a good substitute for the apricots, using, if they are large, nine, instead of twelve. =strawberry or raspberry.= bruise a pint of raspberries, or strawberries, with two large spoonfuls of fine sugar; add a quart of cream, and strain through a sieve, and freeze it. if you have no cream, boil a spoonful of arrow-root in a quart of milk, and, if you like, beat up one egg and stir into it. =currant.= take a gill of fresh currant juice, make it very sweet, and stir in half a pint of cream and freeze it. in the winter, or when fresh currants are not to be had, beat a teaspoonful and a half of currant jelly with the juice of one lemon, sweetened, and put to it half a pint of cream. =lemon.= having squeezed your lemons, add sugar enough to the juice to make it quite sweet, and about a third as much water as to make lemonade; strain it, and then freeze it. =imperial cream.= boil a quart of cream with the thin rind of a lemon; then stir it till nearly cold; have ready, in the dish in which it is to be served, the juice of three lemons, strained, with as much sugar as will sweeten the cream; pour the cream into the dish, from a teapot or pitcher, holding it high and moving it about so as to mix thoroughly with the juice. it should be made six hours before being served. eat with sweetmeats, apple island, or apple-pie. =snow cream.= to a quart of cream add the whites of three eggs, cut to a stiff froth, four spoonfuls of sweet wine, sugar to your taste, and a little essence of lemon, or the grated rind; whip it to a froth, and serve in a glass dish. if you have not a whisk such as is made expressly to whip cream, it can be easily, though not as quickly done, with a spoon. after the materials are mixed, beat them, not over and over like the yolks of eggs, but back and forth, keeping the spoon below the surface; and as fast as the froth forms, take it off and lay it into the dish, or glasses, for the table. it will not return to the liquid state. if it were to stand several days it would become crisped in the form in which it was left. =wine custard.= beat the yolks of three eggs with two spoonfuls of crushed sugar, and cut the whites to a stiff froth; put them into the dish which is to go to the table, and add a quart of milk, and a few drops of peach or rose-water, and when these are well mixed, stir in a spoonful and a half of rennet wine. in cold weather, the milk should be warmed a little; in warm weather it is not necessary. it should be immediately set where it will not be disturbed. it will harden soon, perhaps in five minutes. this depends somewhat on the strength of the rennet, and the measure of wine necessary to harden a quart of milk will depend on this. sometimes a spoonful will prove enough. there is no way to judge but by trying, as in using rennet for making cheese. the strength of this article varies exceedingly. it is a very good, and more economical way to warm the milk a little, sweeten it, and add nothing but the rennet wine, and grate nutmeg over the top. soda biscuit or butter crackers are good with wine custard. =stained froth.= take the whites of three or four eggs, and cut them to a stiff froth, then beat into them the syrup of damsons, blood-peaches, or any highly colored preserve. this makes an elegant addition to a dish of soft custard. some persons, when making custards, lay the white of eggs, cut in this way, upon the top of the boiling milk for a minute or two. this hardens it, and it is taken off upon a dish, and when the custard glasses are filled, a piece of it is laid upon the top of each. to preserve fruit and make jellies. a kettle should be kept on purpose. brass, if very bright, will do. if acid fruit is preserved in a brass kettle which is not bright, it becomes poisonous. bell-metal is better than brass, and the iron ware lined with porcelain, best of all. the chief art in making nice preserves, and such as will keep, consists in the proper preparation of the syrup, and in boiling them _just long enough_. english housekeepers think it necessary to do them very slowly, and they boil their sweetmeats almost all day, in a jar set into a kettle of water. brown sugar should be clarified. the crushed and granulated sugars are usually so pure as not to require being clarified. loaf sugar is the best of any. clean brown sugar makes very good sweetmeats for family use; but the best of sugar is, for most fruits, necessary, to make such as will be elegant, and keep long. sweetmeats should be boiled very gently lest the syrup should burn, and also that the fruit may become thoroughly penetrated with the sugar. furious boiling breaks small and tender fruits. too long boiling makes sweetmeats dark, and some kinds are rendered hard and tough. preserves keep best in glass jars, which have also this advantage, that you can see whether or not fermentation has commenced, without opening them. if stone jars are used, those with narrow mouths are best, as the air is most easily excluded from them; and small sized ones, containing only enough for once or twice, are best, as the frequent opening of a large jar, injures its entire contents, by the repeated admission of the air. when sweetmeats are cold, cover them close, and if not to be used soon, paste a paper over the top, and with a feather, brush over the paper with white of egg. when you have occasion to open them, if a thick, leather-looking mould covers them, they are in a good state, as nothing so effectually shuts out the air; but if they are specked here and there with mould, taste them, and if they are injured, it should be carefully removed, and the jar set into a kettle of water (not hot at first, lest it should crack) and boiled. if the taste shows them to be uninjured, this mould may be the beginning of a leather-mould; therefore wait a few days, and look at them again, and scald them if necessary. a very good way of scalding them, and perhaps the easiest, is to put the jar (if it is of stone ware) into a brick oven as soon as the bread is drawn, and let it stand three or four hours. if the oven is quite warm a shorter time will do. this, or setting the jar into a kettle of water, as mentioned above, is much better than to scald them in the ordinary way, as they are exposed to the air when poured into the preserving kettle, and also when returned to the jar. in making jellies, the sugar should be heated and should not be added, until the fruit-juice boils; and for this reason,--that the process is completed in much less time than if they are put together cold. thus the diminution of the quantity, which long boiling occasions, is avoided, and the color of the jelly is much finer. sometimes ladies complain that, for some inexplicable reason, they cannot make their currant jelly harden. the true reason was doubtless this,--that while making it, it was suffered to stop boiling for a few minutes. let it boil gently but steadily, until by taking a little of it into a cold silver spoon, you perceive that it quickly hardens around the edges. a practised eye will readily judge by the movement of the liquid as it boils. put jelly in little jars, cups, or tumblers; when it is cold, paste paper over the top and brush it over with white of egg. when _this_ is used, the old method of putting brandy papers upon jelly is unnecessary. _particular attention is requested to these suggestions in regard to making jellies._ =to make syrup for preserves.= put a large teacup of water for every pound of sugar. as it begins to heat, stir it often. when it rises towards the top of the kettle, put in a cup of water; repeat this process two or three times, then set the kettle aside. if the sugar is perfectly pure, there will be no scum on the top. if there is scum, after it has stood a few minutes, take it off carefully. if the syrup then looks clear, it is not necessary to strain it. to clarify sugar, put into every two pounds a beaten white of an egg. five whites will do for a dozen pounds. proportion the sugar and water as directed above, and after it has boiled enough take it from the fire, and let it stand ten minutes, then take the scum very carefully from the top, and pour off the syrup so gently as not to disturb the sediment. have the kettle washed, return the syrup, and add the fruit. some persons always strain the syrup through a flannel bag, but if the above directions are observed, it is not necessary. to use a flannel bag, always wring it very dry in hot water. this prevents a waste of the article strained. the bag should be soft, and not fulled up. =to preserve apples.= weigh equal quantities of newtown pippins, and the best of sugar; allow one sliced lemon for every pound. make a syrup, and then put in the apples. boil them until they are tender; then lay them into the jars and boil the syrup until it will become a jelly. no other apple can be preserved without breaking. this keeps its shape, and is very beautiful. quarter the apples, or take out the core and leave them whole, as you prefer. other sour hard apples are very good preserved, but none keep as well, or are as handsome as the newtown pippins. =crab apples.= weigh them, and put them into water enough to almost, but not quite, cover them. take them out when they have boiled three or four minutes, and put into the water as many pounds of sugar as you have of fruit, and boil it till clear, then set it aside till it is cold; skim it, and return the fruit to the kettle, and put it again on the fire. the moment it actually boils take it off; lay the fruit into the jar with care, so as not to break it. =pine-apples.= take equal quantities of pine-apple and the best of loaf sugar. slice the pine-apple, put nearly or all the sugar over it. put it in a deep pan, and let it stand all night. in the morning take the apple out and boil the syrup. when it begins to simmer, put the apple in and boil fifteen or twenty minutes. tie a piece of white ginger in a bit of muslin, and boil it in the syrup before adding the apple. after boiling the whole ten or fifteen minutes, take out the apple and boil the syrup ten minutes longer; then pour it over the pine-apple. the apples should be ripe, and yet perfectly sound. if the syrup does not taste enough of ginger, boil it with the ginger till it suits the taste. =pine-apples (without boiling).= select large, fresh pine-apples. pare them with a very sharp knife, having a thin blade. carefully remove the little prickly eyes. slice the fruit round and round about half an inch thick. weigh a pound and a quarter of best granulated sugar, to a pound of fruit; and put into a glass jar a layer of sugar, and then a layer of fruit till it is filled. make the layers of sugar very thick, else you will have a quantity left when the fruit is all laid in. cover the jar close, and set it in a very cold place. this will keep perfectly, and have the taste of freshly sugared pine-apples a year afterward. =blackberries.= to a pound of the low, running blackberries, allow a pound of fine sugar. put them together in the preserving kettle, the fruit first, and the sugar on the top. these berries are so juicy that no water will be necessary; but they must begin very slowly to stew, and boil gently an hour. if blackberries are well done at first, they will not need scalding afterwards. the high blackberries are not good preserved, but make an excellent syrup for medicinal purposes. =currants.= weigh equal quantities of sugar, and fruit stripped from the stems. boil the fruit ten minutes, stirring it often, and crushing it. add the sugar, and boil another ten minutes. measure the time from the minute boiling commences. this keeps till currants come again. clean brown sugar does very well. if it is to be used up in the course of the autumn, ten or twelve ounces of sugar to a pound of fruit is enough. =cranberries.= pour scalding water upon them, as this will make it much more easy to separate the defective ones from the good, than if they are washed in cold water. measure the fruit, and allow two quarts of sugar for five of fruit. boil the cranberries till they are soft in half as much water as fruit. stir them very often. when they are soft add the sugar, and boil gently as possible half an hour more. they are very liable to burn, and therefore should be carefully attended to. if you like cranberry sauce very sweet, allow a pound of sugar for a pound of fruit. cranberries keep very well in a firkin of water in the cellar, and if so kept, can be stewed fresh at any time during the winter. =damsons.= wash, drain, and weigh them, put them into the kettle, and add the same weight of sugar and (to six or eight pounds) a pint of water. boil them gently but steadily an hour; press the top ones down carefully, several times. they will break some, and the pricking each one with a needle before stewing them, makes little, if any difference. but they break less than other small plums, and are more solid. the syrup gives an elegant color to a beaten white of egg, for ornamenting custards or delicate puddings. other small sized blue plums are preserved in the same way. =egg plums.= to make the most elegant of all plum sweetmeats, take the duane, or the egg plums, ripe, but not very ripe. the skin can usually be pulled off. if you cannot remove it without tearing the fruit pour on boiling water, and instantly pour it off, or lay them into a cullender, and dip boiling water over them once. allow equal quantities of fruit and sugar, and make the syrup in the usual way. then lay in a few plums at a time, and boil gently five minutes; lay them into a jar as you take them from the kettle, and when all are done, pour the boiling syrup over them. after two days, drain off the syrup, boil it, and pour it upon them again. do this every two or three days till they look clear. then, if you wish the syrup to be very thick, boil it half an hour, and when cold, pour it upon the plums. =peaches.= select peaches that are ripe, but not soft. pour boiling water upon them, and let it stand five or six minutes; then pour it off, and pull off the skins. this is the easiest way, and the most economical, as none of the peach is wasted with the skin. in a lot of peaches for preserving, there may be a few that you will have to pare; but most of them will part with the skin when scalded, except the cling-stones. weigh equal quantities of fruit (with the stones in), and fine sugar, and put them together in an earthen pan over night. the next day pour off the syrup, and boil it a few minutes; then set off the kettle and remove the scum. return the kettle to the fire, and when it boils lay the peaches into it. boil them very slowly three quarters of an hour, then lay them into the jars; boil the syrup fifteen minutes more, and pour over them. the blood peaches are a beautiful fruit when preserved. the yellow cling-stone is handsome, but very inconvenient as the fruit adheres so closely to the stone. almost any kind of peach is good, stewed in half a pound of clean brown sugar to a pound of stoned fruit, and will keep several weeks in the autumn. =pears.= weigh three quarters of a pound of sugar for a pound of pears. boil the fruit whole, with the stems on in barely water enough to cover them, till they are tender, but not very soft. then take them from the kettle, and put in the sugar, boil it ten or fifteen minutes, then set it off, and after removing the scum, put in the pears, and boil them till they begin to have a clear look. the difference in the size, and in the solidity of this fruit is so great that exact directions as to time cannot be given. when you have laid the pears into jars, boil the syrup another half hour, skim it if necessary, and then pour it upon the fruit. if you wish to give a more decided flavor to preserved pears, add peach water, or sliced lemons, when the syrup is boiling. clean brown sugar does very well for preserving this fruit. in selecting pears to preserve, choose such as are rather acid. the sweet ones are best baked. the _iron pears_, if you will have patience to boil them long enough, make an excellent preserve. divide them into halves or quarters if you choose. but they are often done whole. boil them in just water enough, covered close, two or three hours. make a syrup as directed above, and boil them in it an hour and a half. =quinces.= procure the apple, or orange quince. it is much less apt to be hard, when preserved, than the pear quince. pare and core the fruit, and allow equal weights of fruit and fine sugar. boil quinces in water enough to cover them, till they are tender; then take them out one by one with a silver spoon and lay them separately on a flat dish. make a syrup and save all the water not used for it. when it is ready, return the fruit to the kettle, and boil it slowly three quarters of an hour, then lay it in jars, and pour the syrup over it. it is a good way to cut part of the quinces in halves, and preserve a part of them whole. remove the cores with a fruit-corer, or if you have not this, use a common tap-borer; it answers the purpose very well. =quinces with sweet apples.= to increase the quantity, without an addition of sugar, have as many large fair sweet apples pared, quartered, and cored, as will weigh one third as much as the quince. when the quince is boiled enough take it out, and put the sweet apples into the syrup, and boil them till they begin to look red and clear; an hour and a half will not be too long. then put the quince and apple into the jars in alternate layers. the flavor of the quince will so entirely penetrate the apple, that the one cannot be distinguished from the other, and the sugar necessary to preserve the quince, will be sufficient for the apple. =quinces (without boiling the syrup).= weigh twelve ounces of sugar for every pound of fruit. boil the quinces in water enough to cover them, until they are so soft that care is necessary not to break them, in taking them out. drain the pieces a little as you take them from the water, and put them into a jar in alternate layers with the sugar. cover the jar close _as soon as it is filled_, and paste a paper over the top. quinces done in this way are very elegant, about the color of oranges, and probably will not need scalding to keep them as long as you wish. if any tendency to fermentation appears, as may be the case by the following april or may, set the jar (if it is stone) into a brick oven after bread has been baked, and the quince will become a beautiful light red, and will keep almost any length of time, _and never become hard_. it may be well to mention that in damp houses, none of the fruits preserved without boiling keep as well as those which are boiled. i have known a very few instances in which persons who were skilful in all these things did not succeed in preserving fruits in this way. the water in which quinces are boiled should be saved. boil the parings in it for a short time, if you intend to make a jelly, as long boiling them will make the water less clear. if you do not make jelly, boil the parings a good while, then strain off the water, and when it is cold bottle it. it will keep without the addition of sugar two or three weeks, and will give a fine flavor to apple-pies or sauce. there is so much richness in the parings of quinces that they should never be thrown away without being boiled. the fruit should therefore be washed and wiped before it is pared, and all defective parts removed. [the pear quince, though it becomes hard when preserved, and therefore is not as good for that purpose as the orange quince, is very rich, and makes fine marmalade.] =marmalade.= wash and wipe the quinces, and take out any dark spots there may be on the skins. cut them up without paring, cores and all; cover them with water in the preserving kettle, and boil them until they are soft enough to be rubbed through a coarse hair sieve. then weigh equal quantities of pulp and refined sugar, and boil the mixture an hour, stirring it steadily. made with nice brown sugar, it is very good, though not quite as handsome. when brown sugar is used it should be stirred an hour and a half. put it into moulds or deep plates, and when it is cold put a paper over it, pasted at the edges, and brushed with white of egg. marmalade can be kept for almost any length of time. =strawberries.= take large strawberries not extremely ripe; weigh equal quantities of fruit and best sugar; lay the fruit in a dish, and sprinkle half the sugar over it; shake the dish a little, that the sugar may touch all the fruit. next day make a syrup of the remainder of the sugar and the juice which you can pour off from the fruit in the pan, and as it boils lay in the strawberries, and boil them gently twenty minutes or half an hour. =another.= weigh equal quantities of fruit and sugar, and put them together over night. the next day boil the strawberries long enough to scald without shrinking them,--six or eight minutes after they commence boiling. then skim them out, and boil away the syrup half an hour; then pour it, hot, upon the strawberries. =apple jam (which will keep for years).= weigh equal quantities of brown sugar and good sour apples. pare and core them, and chop them fine. make a syrup of the sugar, and clarify it very thoroughly; then add the apples, the grated peel of two or three lemons, and a few pieces of white ginger. boil it till the apple looks clear and yellow. this resembles foreign sweetmeats. the ginger is essential to its peculiar excellence. =pine-apple jam.= grate sound but ripe pine-apples, and to a pound put three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar. make a syrup and boil the grated pine-apple in it fifteen minutes. =grape jam.= boil grapes very soft, and strain them through a sieve. weigh the pulp thus obtained, and put a pound of crushed sugar to a pound of pulp. boil it twenty minutes, stirring it often. the common wild grape is much the best for this use. =quince jam.= weigh twelve ounces of brown sugar to one pound of quince. boil the fruit in as little water as will do, until it is sufficiently soft to break easily; then pour off all the water and mash it with a spoon until entirely broken; put in the sugar, and boil twenty minutes, stirring it very often. =another.= chop a pound of quince (not boiled) in a pound of best sugar. when chopped fine, boil it twenty minutes. if you have some of the water in which quinces have been boiled, put in a gill; if you have not this, use pure water. this is very good, but not as easily digested as the other. =raspberry jam.= pick the fruit over very carefully, as it is more apt than any other to be infested with worms. weigh equal quantities of fruit and sugar; put the fruit into the kettle, or preserving pan, break it with a ladle, and stir continually. let it boil quickly four or five minutes, then add the sugar, and simmer slowly a little while. the fruit, preserved in this way, retains its fresh taste much better than if the sugar is added at first. it is scarcely inferior to raspberries gathered from the vines. some persons prefer to add currants or currant juice. a quart of currant juice to four quarts of raspberries is a good proportion. boil it up, and put the fruit into it. if you wish to add currants, take fresh, ripe ones, a quart to three quarts of raspberries. =strawberry jam.= put three pounds of sugar to two quarts of strawberries. sprinkle the sugar upon the fruit, and let it stand an hour or two; then boil it twenty minutes, and meantime bruise the fruit with a spoon or ladle. =apple jelly.= take any juicy, sour apples; wash and wipe them very clean, and cut them up without paring or taking out the cores. put them into an earthen jar or baking pan with a very little water, and cover it with a paste of bread dough, rolled thin; (this keeps in the steam more effectually than a plate or lid). put it in the oven after the bread is baked, and let it remain several hours. then pour the whole into a linen bag, suspended in such a manner that it can be left to drip for some time. put a pound of sugar to a pint of syrup; add any thing which is preferred, to flavor it. boil ten minutes. =another.= take good sour apples, wash and wipe them, cut out any black spots upon the skin, and cut them up without paring or coring. much of the richness of the apple is in the skin and core. boil them in water enough to cover them, and when they become very soft, put the whole into a coarse linen bag, and suspend it between two chairs, with a pan under it, and leave it until it ceases to drip. then press it a very little. allow a pound of fine sugar to a pint of apple-syrup. if you choose, add the juice of a lemon to every quart of syrup. boil up the apple-syrup, and skim it; heat the sugar in a dish in the stove oven, and add it as the syrup boils up, after being skimmed. boil it gently twenty minutes or half an hour. put it up in cups, tumblers, or moulds. =crab-apple jelly.= boil the fruit in water enough to cover it, until it is perfectly soft; then proceed just as directed in the last receipt. =barberry jelly.= this is made by boiling the fruit until the water is very strongly flavored with it; then put a pound of best sugar to a pint of juice. it should boil a little longer than currant or quince jelly. =cranberry jelly.= wash and pick over the fruit carefully, and boil it till very soft in water enough to cover it. then strain it through a hair sieve, and weigh equal quantities of the pulp and fine sugar. boil it gently, and with care that it does not burn, fifteen or twenty minutes. =currant jelly.= pick over the fruit, but leave it on the stems. put it into the preserving kettle, and break it with a ladle or spoon, and when it is hot, squeeze it in a coarse linen bag until you can press out no more juice. then weigh a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. sift the sugar, and heat it as hot as possible without dissolving or burning; boil the juice five minutes very fast, and while boiling add the hot sugar, stir it well, and when it has boiled again five minutes, set it off. the time must be strictly observed. jelly to eat with meat does very well made with brown sugar, but must boil longer. =another (without boiling).= squeeze the currants in a coarse linen cloth, without taking off the stems. weigh the juice, and allow a pound for a pound. the sugar should be sifted, and stirred in with the hand until it feels smooth and well dissolved. put it into glasses, and set them in the sun near a window for two or three days. then cover as directed for preserves and jellies. this will taste like newly made currant jelly at the end of a year, if kept in a cool and dry place. it will not keep well in a damp house. =quince jelly.= take the water in which quinces have been boiled for preserving and for marmalade, and boil the clean parings until they are soft. (see directions in the receipt for preserving quinces without boiling the syrup). then strain the water while very hot through a flannel bag, and allow a pound of best sugar for every pint. put the sugar on a dish into the stove oven to heat; boil up the quince water; if any scum rises, take it off, and then stir in the hot sugar, and boil it slowly, but steadily, twenty minutes, or half an hour. the time necessary will depend somewhat on the water being more or less strongly flavored with the fruit. =to preserve fruit in water.= pick the fruit when ripe, but not mellow; put it into strong glass bottles, with wide mouths; fill them with cold water, cork them and tie down the corks, or cover them with a piece of bladder wet in warm water, and tied over close; then set them into a flat-bottomed wash-boiler with a little hay under them, and cold water enough to come half-way up the sides of the bottles. then heat the water gradually, and while that is doing melt some bees-wax and rosin, in equal quantities, and have it ready to use when the bottles are taken out of the boiler. this must be done as soon as the water in it _begins to boil_. shut all the doors and windows before you do it, for a draught of air will break the bottles. throw a cloth over them till they are a little cooled. as soon as you can handle them at all, dip the necks of the bottles into the melted rosin and wax, so as to cover the whole _cork and bladder_, and make it secure against the entrance of any air. if, in two or three months, a coat of mould should form on the top of the water, that will do no harm; on the contrary it will help to exclude the air, and for two months more will not hurt the fruit. when about to use the fruit, take off the mould carefully, so as not to break it, then pour out the fruit and the water into a stew-pan, add some sugar, and stew it as you would fresh fruit for immediate use, and it will have the same flavor. all sorts of plums, cherries, gooseberries, apricots, and even peaches, may be so preserved. baked and stewed fruits. these are economical, excellent, and healthy; and it is well worth while for every family possessing only a plot of ground large enough for two trees, to set out a pear and sweet apple tree. =steamed sweet apples.= wash and wipe a pailful of sweet apples; put them into a porcelain kettle, with cold water enough to come half-way toward the top, cover them and boil them slowly as possible an hour. then try them with a fork, and turn down the upper side of those which lie on the top. if they are considerably softened, scatter a coffee-cup of brown sugar over them, cover them close, and let them remain boiling another hour. very large apples need half an hour more. =baked sweet apples.= if they are of a good kind, they are very nice baked in an earthen dish, which is better than tin. if you cook them in a stove, there should be a little water in the pan, else the juice will burn and be lost. they are best done in a brick oven. put them into a jar with no water or sugar, but cover them close, and bake five or six hours. a rich syrup will be found in the bottom of the jar, and the appearance and flavor of the apples will be very fine. =baked sour apples.= these are best baked in a stove. they require only an hour. there should be a little water in the dish. just before they are done, sprinkle a little brown sugar upon them, dip the syrup over them, and cover them close till wanted for the table. they are good done in this way to eat at breakfast or tea; and also at dinner, with any meat requiring apple sauce. take out the cores before baking them if you choose. =baked pears.= the common early pears are very good put into a jar without paring, and with a teacup of molasses to every two quarts of pears. but little water is necessary. bake them five or six hours in a brick oven; two in a range or stove. if you wish them more delicate, pare them, and put a teacup of sugar instead of molasses. the later and larger fall pears are very nice baked in a dish; but most kinds of heavy winter pears cannot be baked so as to be tender. =boiled cider apple-sauce.= take apples, sweet and sour together, that will not keep long, and pare a large quantity. when finished, wash and put them into a large brass kettle, in which you have turned down an old dish or large plate, that will nearly cover the bottom; this is to prevent the apple from burning. after you have put in all the apples, pour in a quart of cider (boiled as directed in the receipt for boiled cider) to every pailful of apples. after it has boiled an hour or two, add molasses in the proportion of two quarts to every four pails of apples. if you have refuse quinces, a peck of them gives a fine flavor to a large kettle of apple-sauce. the best way to boil apple-sauce is to put the kettle over the fire at night, and let the apple become partly done before bed-time. when you leave it for the night, see that the fire lies in such a way, that all parts of the apple boil equally, and that no brands can fall.[ ] burn charcoal or peat if you have it, as either of these will make a steady fire, and may be left without danger from snapping. the chief things to be observed, are, that there is not too much fire, that it lies safely, and that it will afford a moderate heat several hours. in the morning the apple-sauce will be of a fine red color, and must then be put away in firkins or stone jars. _never use potter's ware_ for this purpose. [ ] as the open fire-place is now seldom in use, these directions will not often be apropos. but where a range or coal stove is used, a large kettle of apple-sauce can, with care, be done well, on the top with the cover under it. =sweet apple marmalade.= this is made by boiling sweet apples alone, in cider made of sweet apples, and boiled down so as to be very rich. the sauce is in this case strained warm through a very coarse sieve or riddle, and boiled again a little while; or it may be put into deep dishes and set into the oven after the bread is drawn. =coddled apples.= take fair early apples, wipe them, lay them in a preserving kettle, and put to half a peck a coffee-cup of brown sugar, and half a pint of water. cover them and boil them gently, until they are tender and penetrated with the sugar. they may be done quite as well in a jar in the oven, but care must be taken that they are not cooked too much. early apples will bake with a very moderate heat. =common family apple-sauce.= let your stock of apples be picked over several times in the course of the winter, and all the defective ones taken out. let the good parts of these be pared, and if not used for pies, be made into apple-sauce. boil it in a preserving kettle. after it is tender, add a pint bowl of brown sugar, and boil it gently fifteen minutes longer. towards spring, when apples become tasteless, a teaspoonful of tartaric acid, dissolved in a little water, should be added to a gallon of apple. =boiled pears.= these are eaten with roast meat instead of apple or cranberry sauce. choose fair, smooth ones; put them into cold water and boil them whole, without paring and without sugar. it will take an hour, or an hour and a half, according to the size of the fruit. =to stew dried apples or peaches.= wash them in two or three waters, and put them to soak in rather more water than will cover them, as they absorb a great deal. after soaking two hours, put them into a preserving kettle in the same water, and with a lemon or orange cut up; boil them till very tender; when they rise up in the kettle press them down with a skimmer or spoon, but do not stir them. when they are tender, add clean brown sugar, and boil fifteen or twenty minutes longer. dried apples are rendered tasteless by being strained or stirred so as to break them up; and they are also injured by soaking over night. if they are to be used for pies, there should be more sugar added than for sauce, and a small piece of butter stirred in while they are hot. nutmeg and clove are good spices for dried apple-pies. dried peaches are done in the same way, only the lemon and spice are omitted. how to select and take care of beef, mutton, lamb, veal, and pork. ox beef is the best; next to this the flesh of an heifer; and both are in perfection during the first three months of the year. choose that, the lean of which is red and of a fine grain, and the fat of which is white.[ ] in cold weather, if you have a large family, it is good economy to buy a quarter. the hind quarter is considered best. have the butcher cut it up. pack the roasting pieces, which you do not want soon, in a barrel of snow, and set it where it will not melt. it is not necessary to freeze the meat first. the leg will furnish, besides a piece to cook alamode, two or three to smoke. the thin pieces at the end of the ribs are good corned, and the flank also; or it may be used for mince pies. the shank, although it has but little meat, is very good for some purposes. it should be cut up into several pieces and boiled four or five hours, no matter how long. there is a great deal of marrow and fat in it which, when cold, should be taken off and clarified for various uses. the meat is good used as is directed in the receipt for brawn, and the liquor makes excellent soup and gravies. [ ] the flesh of diseased cattle is sometimes sold in city markets. therefore never buy beef the fat of which is very yellow, nor mutton and lamb unless the fat is white. yellow fat indicates that the meat is of an unhealthy kind. the best roasting pieces of beef are the sirloin, the second cut in the fore quarter, and the rump. if you buy a sirloin for a family of six or eight, get eight or ten pounds. cut off the thin end in which there is no bone. it is very good corned, and not very good roasted. the roasting piece will still be large enough for the family dinner, and the corned piece will do for another day, with a pudding or another small dish of meat. the back part of the rump is a convenient and economical piece, especially for a small family. it is a long and rather narrow piece, weighing about ten pounds, and contains less fat and bone than any other, equally good, in the ox. the thickest end affords nice steaks, and next to them is a good roasting piece, and the thinnest end which contains the bone, is very good corned, or for a soup. the whole is an excellent piece for roasting, in case so large a one is needed. the spring is the best season for mutton. that which is not very large is to be preferred. it should be of a good red and white, and fine grained. there is a great difference between mutton and lamb killed from a pasture, and that which has been driven a distance to market. lamb is best in july and august. veal is best in the spring. it should look white and be fat. the breast is particularly nice stuffed; the loin should be roasted. the leg is an economical piece, as you can take off cutlets from the large end, make broth of the shank, and stuff and roast the centre. roasting pieces of all kinds of ribbed meat, except beef, should be jointed by the butcher, else the carving will be extremely difficult. always provide a sharp knife for carving. the juices of meat are extracted by its being _haggled_. an invalid, speaking of the kindness of a neighbor in sending him some slices of corned beef, said, "they were cut with a _sharp_ knife." for the sake of economy, if for no other reason, carve smoothly, and only as much as is wanted at first. it is easy to cut more for replenishing plates; and meat is far better not to lie sliced in the dish. if no more is cut than is used, a handsome piece may often be reserved for the next day; whereas if all is cut up it cannot be so good, and some of it will certainly be wasted. ham and tongue should be sliced very thin. pork, to be the best, should not be more than a year old. the chine is the best roasting piece; the spare-ribs are very sweet food, but too rich to be healthy. the shoulder is good roasted, stuffed with bread and sage. if too large, half of it can be laid a week or two in brine, and will be good boiled, to eat cold. it is well for a small family, in november to buy half of a spring pig; this will furnish several nice pieces to roast, strips for salting, a ham and shoulder for smoking, and _leaf_ enough for a pot or two of lard, besides remnants for sausage meat. in winter, all meat may be kept a long time; and, with the exception of pork, is much better for it; therefore it is easier to furnish a table without waste in winter than in summer. meat will keep in an ice-house or a good refrigerator several days in hot weather; if you have neither, take your meat the moment it is brought in, wipe it dry if at all damp, and hang it in the cellar, sprinkling first a little pepper and salt over it, especially over the parts which flies are most apt to visit. in mutton and lamb, these are the tenderloin and the large end of the leg. the pepper and salt will also tend to preserve the meat from taint. if you wish to keep it longer than two days, wrap it in a piece of cloth (no matter if it is very thin), and lay it in a charcoal bin, and throw a shovel of coal over it. a leg of mutton will keep several days wrapped in a cloth which has been dipped in vinegar, laid upon the ground of a dry cellar. meat that is to be salted for immediate use, should, if the weather is cool, be hung up a day or two first.[ ] where a large quantity of beef is to be salted, a different method is pursued. in winter, unless you wish to keep meat several weeks, place it where it will be cold without freezing. mutton never looks as nice after being frozen hard; it has a dark, uninviting appearance. [ ] see directions for salting meat, page . to thaw frozen meat, bring it over night into a warm room. if this has been forgotten, lay it, early in the morning, into cold water. if meat is put to roast, boil, or broil, before being entirely thawed, it will be tough. it is best to preserve fowls without freezing. they will keep very well packed in snow; the liver, &c., being taken out and laid by themselves in the snow, and the body filled with it. meat that has been kept perfectly clean, or a beef steak just cut off, should not be washed; but, generally, it is necessary to wash a roasting piece. pork having the rind on, needs great care in washing and scraping, to make it fit to cook. trim off the superfluous fat from beef, mutton, and fresh pork before cooking it. tough steak is made more tender by being pounded with a rolling-pin; but some of the juice of the meat is lost by the operation. stock for gravies and soups. wash a leg or shin of beef very clean, crack the bone in two or three places, put with it any trimmings you may have of meat or fowls, such as gizzards, necks, &c.; cover them with cold water in a stew-pan that shuts close. the moment it begins to simmer, skim it carefully till it boils up. then add half a pint of cold water, which will make the remaining scum rise, and skim it again and again, till no more appears, and the broth looks perfectly clear. then put in a moderate sized carrot, cut up small, two turnips, a head of celery, and one large or two small onions. stir it several times that it may not burn, or stick at the bottom. herbs and spices are not to be added until the broth is used for gravies for particular dishes. after these vegetables are added, set the pan where the broth will boil very slowly for four or five hours. then strain it through a sieve into a stone pan or jar, and when cold, cover it, and set it in an ice-house or some other very cool place. the meat thus stewed may be used as directed for minced meat in the chapter on common dishes, &c., p. . on roasting meat. if meat is to be roasted before the fire, allow a quarter of an hour for the cooking of every pound in warm weather, and in winter twenty minutes. flour it well, and put two or three gills of water in the roaster. put the bony side to the fire first, and do not place it very near. if meat is scorched in the beginning, it cannot be roasted through afterwards, without burning. turn it often, and when all parts are slightly cooked, place it nearer the fire. when about half done, flour it again. baste it very often. salt it half an hour before serving it. it is not well to salt meat at first, as salt extracts the juices. in roasting all meats, the art depends chiefly on flouring thoroughly, basting frequently, and turning so often as not to allow any part to burn. to roast in a cooking stove, it is necessary to attend carefully to the fire, lest the meat should burn. lay it into the pan with three or four gills of water in it. turn the pan around often, that all the parts may roast equally. when it is about half done, flour it again, turn it over that the lower side may become brown. if the water wastes so that the pan becomes nearly dry, add a little hot water. among the _little_ things which are worthy the attention of a housekeeper, is that of having a dinner served _hot_. it is often the case, that a well-cooked dinner loses much of its excellence, by a want of care in this particular. all the meat and vegetable dishes should be heated, and in winter the plates should also be warmed. on boiling meat. it is a common impression that boiled meat requires very little attention; and probably one reason why many persons dislike it, may be, that it is seldom so carefully cooked as roast meat. if proper attention can be secured, meat should not be boiled in a cloth. but if the pot is not likely to be thoroughly skimmed, it is best to use one. all kinds of meat are best put over the fire in cold water, in the proportion of a quart to every pound of meat. the fibres are thus gradually dilated, and the meat is more tender. the fire should be moderate, and the water should heat gradually. if it boils in thirty or forty minutes it is soon enough. all kinds of meat, poultry, and fish should boil very slowly. fast boiling makes meat tough and hard. allow twenty minutes to a pound of fresh meat; but a little more time is required to cook a hind than a fore quarter. salt meat should boil longer than fresh; allow forty minutes for every pound. a tongue that has been cured with saltpetre and smoked, should soak over night, and be boiled at least four hours; it is not easy to boil it too much, and nothing is more disagreeable or indigestible than a tongue not well boiled. a ham, if very salt, should also be soaked over night, and should be boiled from three to five hours, according to the size, unless you prefer to cook it the last half of the time in the oven, as is directed in the receipt for cooking a ham or shoulder. this is the better way. calf's head should lie in a great deal of water several hours; and if large, will require two hours and a half to boil. the two things most important in boiling meat, are, to boil it gently; and to skim it until no more froth rises. to do this, have a skimmer or a spoon and dish, and the moment the froth begins to rise, which will be when the water becomes very hot, skim it off. put in a pint of cold water, which will cause it to rise more freely, and continue to skim it every minute or two, till all is taken off.[ ] if the water boils fast before you begin to take off the froth, it will all return into the water, and will adhere to the meat, and make it look badly. some nice housekeepers throw a handful of flour into the kettle to prevent scum from adhering to meat. calf's head, and veal need more skimming than any other meat; but all kinds need to be skimmed several times. if the water boils away so that the meat is not covered, add more, as the part which lies above the water will have a dark appearance. [ ] froth from fat meat should be put into the soap-grease. directions for making gravies. many young housekeepers who succeed well in most kinds of cooking, are a long time in finding out how to make good gravy. to have it free from fat is the most important thing. for a small family it is not necessary to prepare stock. the water in which fresh meat, a tongue, or piece of beef slightly salted, has been boiled, should be saved for this purpose, and for use in various economical dishes. in cold weather it will keep a good while, and in warm weather, several days in a refrigerator. the way to use meat liquor, or the stock for which a receipt is given, is this: in case you are roasting beef, mutton, lamb, or pork, pour off entirely, into a dish, half an hour before the dinner hour, all the contents of the dripping pan or roaster, and set it away in a cold place; then put into the roaster two or three gills of the meat liquor or stock; if you have cold gravy, or drippings of a previous day, remove all the fat from the top, and put the liquid that remains at the bottom into the pan. wet some browned flour smooth, and when you take up the meat, set the pan on the top of the stove. the gravy will immediately boil, and the wet flour must then be stirred in. it will boil away fast, therefore see that it does not stand too long. for veal and venison, gravy is made differently because there is but little fat on these meats, and what there is, is not gross. put into the roaster, or dripping pan, some of the meat liquor or stock, when you first put the meat to roast, and if it is done in a stove or range, add a little more in case it boils away. when it is done, set the dripping pan on the stove, and having stirred in the wet flour, add a piece of butter half the size of an egg, and stir until it is all melted, else it will make the gravy oily. gravy for poultry is made by boiling the giblets (necks, gizzards, hearts, and livers) by themselves in five or six gills of water. skim them carefully, as a great deal of scum will rise. after an hour, or hour and a half, take them out, and pour the water into the dripping-pan. mash, or chop the liver fine, and when you make the gravy, add this, and a bit of butter, some pepper, the wet flour, and, if you choose, a little sweet marjoram. the fat that roasts out of a turkey should be dipped off with a spoon before these ingredients are added. it is too gross to be palatable or healthy. in making gravy for a goose, pour off all the drippings as in roasting beef or pork, and put in some of the stock or meat liquor. it is best to brown a quart of flour at once. put it into a spider, and set it in the stove oven, or on the top; stir it often lest it should burn. when it is a light brown, put it into a jar or wide-mouthed bottle. =drawn butter.= take a small cupful of butter, and rub into it half a table-spoonful of flour, then pour upon it about a gill of boiling water, stirring it fast. set it upon the coals, and let it boil up once. if it is suffered to remain boiling it will become oily. some persons prefer to use boiling milk instead of water. parsley is an improvement. tie a few sprigs together with a thread and throw them for a minute into boiling water, then cut them fine, and add them to the butter. stuffing or dressing of various kinds. for a fillet of veal, a turkey, chickens, partridges, and pigeons, take light bread enough to make three gills of fine crumbs. cut off the crust and lay by itself in just enough boiling water to soften it. rub the soft part into fine crumbs between your hands; put in a teaspoonful of salt, one or two of powdered sweet marjoram, a little pepper, and a piece of butter half as large as an egg; add the softened crusts, and mix the whole together very thoroughly. if it is not moist enough, add a spoonful or two of milk. taste it, and if there is not seasoning enough, add more. to put it into the fowl neatly, and without waste, use a teaspoon. if stuffing is made of pounded crackers, the seasoning is the same, but crackers swell so much that two gills will be plenty for a turkey. milk will be necessary to mix it, and also a beaten egg to make it cohere. some people prefer dressing made of crackers, but it is hard and not as healthy as that which is made of good bread, without an egg. stuffing for ducks is usually made with a little finely chopped onion in it. for a goose, sage should be used instead of sweet-marjoram. for a pig, or a shoulder of fresh pork, make a dressing without butter, moistened with milk, and seasoned with pepper, salt, and a good deal of powdered sage. this tends to prevent the deleterious effects of such rich meat upon the stomach. for a dressing for alamode beef, and stewed lamb, salt pork, chopped fine, is substituted for butter, and for a fillet of veal it is very well to make it in the same way. vegetables and sauces appropriate to different meats. potatoes are good with all meats. with fowls they are nicest mashed. sweet potatoes are most appropriate with roast meat, as also are onions, winter squash, cucumbers, and asparagus. carrots, parsnips, turnips, greens, and cabbage are eaten with boiled meat; and corn, beets, peas, and beans are appropriate to either boiled or roasted meat. mashed turnip is good with roasted pork, and with boiled meats. tomatoes are good with every kind of meat, but specially so with roasts. apple-sauce with roast pork; cranberry-sauce with beef, fowls, veal, and ham. currant jelly is most appropriate with roast mutton. pickles are good with all roast meats, and capers or nasturtiums with boiled lamb or mutton. horseradish and lemons are excellent with veal. directions for cooking meats. =to roast beef.= see the directions for roasting meat. =beef steak.= the best slices are cut from the rump, or through the sirloin. the round is seldom tender enough, and is very good cooked in other ways. do not cut your slices very thick. have the gridiron perfectly clean. set it over moderately hot coals at first, and turn the steaks in less than a minute. turn them repeatedly. if the fat makes a blaze under the gridiron, put it out by sprinkling fine salt on it. steaks will broil in about seven minutes. have ready a hot dish, and sprinkle each piece with salt, and a little pepper; lay on small pieces of butter, and cover close. this is a much better way than to melt the butter in the dish before taking up the meat. some persons keep a small pair of tongs on purpose to turn beef-steaks, as using a fork wastes the juice. steaks should be served hot as possible. =stuffed beef steak.= take a thick and tender slice of rump, of about two pounds weight; make two gills of stuffing, of crumbs of bread, pepper, salt, and powdered clove, or sweet marjoram, as you choose; roll the dressing up in the steak, wind a piece of twine around it, taking care to secure the ends. have ready a kettle or deep stew-pan, with a slice or two of pork fried crisp. take out the pork and lay in the steak, and turn it on every side, until it is brown. then put in two gills of the stock, or of water in which meat has been boiled; sprinkle in a little salt, cover close, and stew slowly an hour and a half. add more water after a while, if it becomes too dry. some persons like the addition of chopped onion. there should, however, be very little; half of a small one is enough. when nearly done, add half a gill of catsup. when you take up the meat, unwind the string carefully, so as not to unroll it. lay it in a fricassee dish, thicken the gravy, if not thick enough already, and pour it over the meat. cut the meat in slices through the roll. =tomato steak.= take two pounds of beef; cut it in small strips, and put it into the pot with seven medium-sized tomatoes. stew it very slowly. add a dessert spoonful of sugar, salt, a little clove, and, just before you take it up, a dessert spoonful of butter. if you have tomato catsup, add a little, and if you like chopped onion, that also. very tender beef is, of course, to be preferred; but that which is tough becomes more palatable in this than in almost any other way. this dish is quite as good, if not better, heated over the next day. =alamode beef (in a plain way).= take a thick piece of flank, or, if most convenient, the thickest part of the round, weighing six or eight pounds, for a small family of four or five persons. cut off the strips of coarse fat upon the edge, make incisions in all parts, and fill them with a stuffing made of bread, salt pork chopped, pepper, and sweet marjoram. push whole cloves here and there into the meat; roll it up, fasten it with skewers, and wind a strong twine or tape about it. have ready a pot in which you have fried to a crisp three or four slices of salt pork; take out the pork, lay in the beef, and brown every side. when well browned, add hardly water enough to cover it, chop a large onion fine, add eighteen or twenty cloves, and boil it gently, but steadily, three or four hours, according to the size. the water should boil away so as to make a rich gravy, but be careful it does not burn. when you take up the beef, add browned flour to the gravy, if it needs to be thickened. =another (more rich).= take seven or eight pounds of the upper part of the round, cut off the coarse fat upon the side, and make deep incisions in every part. to a pint bowl of bread crumbs, put pepper, powdered clove, a small nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt, some whole allspice, a large spoonful of butter, and, if you choose, a very little chopped salt pork, and two beaten eggs. mix these ingredients well together, and fill the incisions, but reserve a part of the stuffing. put in two or three skewers horizontally, near the edges, and tie twine across to keep in the stuffing. push whole cloves into the meat here and there. lay it, when thus prepared, into a bake-pan or stew-pan, having a lid which may be heated; put in water enough just to cover it, and set it where it will simmer, but not quite boil. have the lid heated, and a few embers laid over it. after two hours, pour upon the top the stuffing which you reserved, heat the lid again, and cover the meat. let it stew two hours more. if the gravy is too thin, add browned flour and boil it up again. some persons use red wine, but it is very good without. half the quantity of meat and stuffing for a small family. =stewed brisket of beef.= put three or four pounds of brisket into a kettle, and cover it with water. take off the scum as it rises. let it boil steadily two hours. then take it from the pot and brown it with butter in a spider. when it is browned on every side, return it to the kettle, and stew it gently five hours more. add more water if it boils away. put in a carrot and a turnip or two, cut small, an onion also; a few cloves, and salt and pepper as you think necessary. half an hour before dinner add tomato or mushroom catsup. to serve it, lay the beef upon a dish, and strew capers over it. the water in which it was stewed is a nice soup. =stewed tongue.= boil a fresh tongue three hours, and if the skin does not easily come off, boil it longer. remove the skin; strain the water in which it was boiled. wash the pot, and return the tongue to it, with enough of the strained liquor to cover it. put in it a carrot, a turnip, and an onion, cut fine, and a table-spoonful of powdered clove and also of ground pepper, tied up in muslin bags. boil the tongue gently two hours and a half. about fifteen minutes before it is taken up, toast two slices of bread without the crust, cut it up in small bits, and put it into the pot. when you dish it up, put about a pint of the liquor and vegetables round the tongue in a fricassee dish. =to boil corned beef.= wash it thoroughly, and put it into a pot that will hold plenty of water. the water should be cold; the same care is necessary in skimming it as for fresh meat. it is not too much to allow forty minutes for every pound, after it has begun to boil. the goodness of corned beef depends much on its being boiled gently and long. if it is to be eaten cold, lay it into a coarse earthen dish or pan, and over it a piece of board the size of the meat. upon this put a clean stone or some other heavy weight. salt meat is very much improved by being pressed. =to roast mutton.= any part may be roasted, but the leg is the best. allow fifteen minutes for a pound, and do according to the directions for roasting meat. =to boil a leg of mutton or lamb.= cut off the shank bone. have water enough to cover the meat. if the pot is well skimmed, the water will make excellent broth for another day. a leg of lamb is a very nice dish if boiled well. it requires a little more time in proportion to the size than mutton, as mutton is good done rare, while lamb is neither good or healthy, unless well done. most people like capers, and drawn butter with mutton and lamb, and cut parsley added is an improvement. =mutton or lamb steaks.= have the leg cut into steaks at the market, or by the butcher. if this has not been done, you can do it yourself with a sharp knife. cut through the largest part first; have the slices about the thickness of your finger; separate them from the bone neatly. broil exactly like beef steak. the bone and fragments which are left will make a good broth. =roast lamb.= if it is a hind quarter, and very fat, take off the thickest from the kidneys; place it on the spit, or in the dripping-pan as it should lie on the dish, slightly drawn up. do exactly as in roasting beef. an hour and a half will suffice to roast a quarter weighing five or six pounds. the breast of lamb is very sweet and requires about as much roasting as the hind quarter. =stewed or alamode lamb.= pick off all the fat from a nice leg of lamb, or small leg of mutton. cut off the shank, make deep incisions in various parts of the inside; fill them with stuffing made of crumbs of bread, salt pork, sweet marjoram, and pepper; stuff it very full. fry two or three slices of pork crisp in the pot, then take them out, and lay in the leg; brown it on every side, then put hardly water enough into the pot to cover it. throw in a dozen or two of cloves, half an onion sliced or chopped very fine, and a little salt. a half a teacup of catsup or a few tomatoes added half an hour before it is served, improve it very much. let it simmer, steadily, three hours. when you take up the leg, thicken the gravy, if it is not thick enough. put a few spoonfuls over the meat, and the rest in a gravy tureen. =to roast a fillet of veal.= veal requires more time than any other meat except pork. it is scarcely ever done too much. a leg weighing eight or nine pounds should roast three hours. if your family is large, so that most of it will be eaten the first day, it is best to take out the bone, which is easily done with a sharp knife, the knuckle having been cut off by the butcher. put this bone aside with the knuckle for a broth. if you design to use what is left cold for dinner the next day, let the bone remain in, as it keeps the leg in better shape. prepare a stuffing of bread, pepper, salt pork, and sweet marjoram; make deep incisions in the meat and fill them with it. fasten the fold of fat which is usually upon the fillet over the stuffed incisions with a skewer. roast it slowly at first. put into the dripping-pan some hot water with a little salt in it, or some of the stock. when the meat has roasted about an hour, flour it thickly, and skewer upon it four or five slices of salt pork. after the flour has become brown, baste the veal every fifteen minutes. if it is very good veal, the pork will flavor it without the addition of any butter; but if not, or if you wish it to be particularly nice, add a small piece of butter to the gravy in the roaster, before you begin to baste the meat. in cutting the incisions, endeavor to make them wider inside than at the surface, so that the stuffing may not fall out. see the directions (page ) for making the gravy. =a loin of veal.= a breast or a loin of veal should be basted a great many times and roasted thoroughly. it is an improvement to put on slices of pork as in cooking the leg. allow two hours for roasting; more, if it is large. =veal pot pie.= take the neck, the shank, and almost any pieces you have. boil them long enough to skim off all the froth. make a paste and roll it about half an inch thick. butter the pot and lay in the crust, cutting out a piece on each side of the circle in such a way as to prevent its having thick folds. put in a layer of meat, then flour, salt and pepper it, and add a little butter or a slice or two of salt pork, as you choose. do this until you have laid in all your meat; pour in enough of the water in which the veal was boiled to half fill the kettle, then lay on the top-crust and make an incision in it to allow the escape of the steam. watch that it does not burn, and pour in more of the water through the hole in the crust if necessary. boil an hour and a half. the objection to this dish is, that boiled crust is apt to be heavy, and therefore unhealthy; but if it is made after the receipt for cream tartar biscuit, or of potato crust, it will be light. =baked veal pie.= this is made in the same way as the boiled. the dish should be very deep, and when you are ready to lay on the upper crust, wet the edge of the under crust all around and flour it; then lay on the upper crust and press your hand upon the edge, so that the flour and water will make it adhere, and thus prevent the gravy from escaping. prick the top several times with a large fork. if you have pieces of crust left, cut them into leaves and ornament the pie. bake it an hour and a half. =stewed breast of veal.= cut it into handsome pieces and fry it brown, either in drippings, or the fat fried out of salt pork. brown all parts thoroughly; then pour in hot water enough barely to cover it. add lemon peel cut fine and sweet marjoram. cover it close as possible, and stew it gently two hours; then pour off the liquor into a sauce-pan, and thicken it with browned flour. take up the veal into a hot fricassee dish, and pour the gravy over it. always allow half an hour for frying veal brown. no other meat requires as much time. =veal cutlets.= take slices from the broad end of the leg. fry three or four slices of salt pork crisp, then take them out, lay in the veal half an hour at least before dinner time. when it has become brown, take it out and dip the slices, one by one, into a plate of fine bread crumbs, then fry them a few minutes longer. when done through, take them up on a hot dish, pour hot water into the spider or frying pan, and instantly when it boils up dredge in a little flour; pour it over the meat. lay the slices of pork around the edge of the dish. the best veal is to be had at the time when winter vegetables are not very good, and fresh ones have not come into market. horseradish, spring cranberries, or fresh lemons are therefore the more acceptable with it. =broiled veal.= it must not be done too fast, and will take longer than beef. it is a great improvement to broil pork and lay between the slices of veal. lay them upon the meat while it is broiling, and if they are not brown when the veal is done, put them a few minutes longer on the gridiron. if pork is not used, season with butter. in either case, add pepper and salt. =calf's head.= let the head, feet, liver and lights, soak some hours in a plenty of cold water. take out the brains. boil the head, &c., till very tender, which will require from two hours to two and a half. throw some salt into the water, and skim it thoroughly. boil the brains ten or fifteen minutes, tied up in a piece of muslin; chop them, and put them with melted butter, and parsley cut fine. if you choose, boil an egg hard, cut it up and add it. cold calf's head is good. it is also good hashed. to make it into soup the second day, see the receipt under the head of soups. =melton veal, or veal cake.= cut three or four pounds of raw veal, and half as much ham, into small pieces. if you have the remains of cooked veal or ham, add them. boil six eggs hard, cut them in slices, and lay some of them in the bottom of a deep brown pan; shake in a little minced parsley; lay in some of the pieces of veal and ham, then add more egg, parsley, pepper, and salt; then more meat, and again parsley, pepper, and salt, till all the meat is laid in. lastly add water enough just to cover it, and lay on about an ounce of butter shaved thin; tie over it a double paper, bake it an hour, then remove the paper, press it down with a spoon, and lay a small plate with a weight upon it, and let it remain another hour in the oven. when cold, it will cut in slices. =venison.= roast a haunch like a loin or leg of veal, and about as long. flour it thickly. put some of the stock for gravies, or water in which beef has been boiled, into the pan, and baste it often. half an hour before serving it add a table-spoonful of butter to the gravy, and baste it again and again. if you use _blazes_ at the table, roast it but an hour. most persons like venison cooked simply, without spices. but if you choose to have a dressing, make it as for veal, with the addition of powdered clove. venison steaks are cooked like beef steaks. =to roast a pig.= it should not be more than a month old. it is better a little less, and it should be killed on the morning of the day it is to be cooked. sprinkle fine salt over it an hour before it is put to the fire. cut off the feet at the first joint. make stuffing enough to fill it very full, of bread crumbs moistened with a little milk, a small piece of butter, sweet marjoram, sage, pepper, and salt. when placed on the spit, confine the legs in such a manner as to give it a good shape. rub it all over with butter or sweet oil, to keep it from blistering. flour it at first a little. as soon as it begins to brown, dredge on a _very_ thick covering of flour. turn the spit every three or four minutes. if the flour falls off, instantly renew it. when it has all become of a dark brown color, scrape it off into a plate and set it aside. put a piece of butter into the gravy in the roaster, and baste the pig very often, till it is done, which it is when the eyes fall out. the feet and liver should be boiled an hour or two, and the gravy from the roaster be poured into the water in which they were boiled. the liver should be cut or mashed fine, and the feet cut open and returned to the sauce-pan, the brains taken out and added, and the gravy thickened with the browned flour reserved in the plate. a pig of a month old will roast in two hours and a half. =a shoulder of pork.= one weighing ten pounds will require full three hours and a half to roast it. for a small family divide it, and roast one half and corn the other. with a sharp knife score the skin in diamonds, or in strips about an inch wide. make a dressing, as directed under the head of stuffing of various kinds. put this into deep incisions made in the thick part of the meat. rub a little fine powdered sage into the skin where it is scored; and then rub the whole surface with sweet oil, or drippings, to prevent its blistering. observe the directions respecting the basting and frequent turning of meat. pork burns very easily, and both the taste and appearance are much injured by its being burnt. =spare-rib or chine.= a spare-rib requires an hour and a half or two hours, according to the thickness. a very thin one will roast in an hour and a half. flour it well, and take care it does not burn. baste it often. the chine requires a longer time, being a thicker piece. it is more healthy, because less fat than the spare-rib, and having more meat in proportion to the bone, is a more economical piece. before roasting either, trim off neatly, with a sharp knife, all the fat which can be removed without disfiguring the piece, and set it aside to be tried and used as lard. =pork steaks.= cut slices from the loin or neck. to fry pork steaks requires twenty-five or thirty minutes. turn them often. if they are quite fat, pour off all that fries out when they are half done, and reserve it for some other use. then dip the steaks in crumbs of bread with a little powdered sage, and lay them back into the frying-pan. when done through, take them up, dredge a little browned flour into the gravy, put in salt, pour in a gill of boiling water, and turn it instantly, as it boils up, upon the dish of steaks. =to fry sausages.= sausages may be kept for some time, but fresh ones are considered best. separate them, prick them to prevent their bursting, and lay them in a spider. if they are properly made, they will need no fat to fry them. cook them slowly, at first, but brown every side of them before taking them up. they cook very well laid in a pan and set in a cooking-stove, but must be turned often, and care taken that they do not burn. some persons fry bread in the fat which remains, in this way. dip slices of bread, or crusts which have been cut and become dry, in salt and water, and lay them in the spider as soon as you take out the sausages. when brown one side, turn them. serve them with the sausages. it takes twenty minutes to fry sausages in a spider, and half an hour to cook them in a stove. for those persons whose health is injured by eating them, it is best to lay them into a little water, and cook them thus, as long as they are usually fried, then pour off the water and brown them. this renders them comparatively harmless. the bread, fried as directed, does not absorb much fat. =to boil a ham or shoulder.= a ham, weighing twelve pounds, should be cooked four or five hours. boil it slowly in a plenty of water half the time it should be cooked; then take off the skin and any excrescences that were not removed by washing. cover the fat side with pounded cracker, and lay it in a dripping pan, or iron basin, and put it into the stove. let it remain the other half of the time. the baking roasts out a great quantity of fat, and leaves the meat much more delicate. in warm weather it will keep in a dry, cool place, a long time. if after ten days you perceive a tendency to mould, set it a little while into the oven again. it is often a more agreeable dinner in hot weather than fresh meat. if a ham is very salt, it should lie in water over night. in baking it, care should be taken that it is not done too much, and thus made hard. if the oven is a brick one and holds the heat a long time, it will do to put it in when the bread is taken out. the fat which bakes out is good to fry eggs or potatoes, and if not strong, will do to use on the griddle. =to fry ham.= cut thin slices, and take off the rind; if very salt, pour hot water upon them, but do not suffer them to lie long in it, as the juices of the meat will be lost. wipe them in a cloth; have the spider ready hot, lay in the pieces and turn them in a minute or two. they will cook in a very short time. the secret of having good fried ham is in cooking it quick, and not too much. the practice of cutting thick slices, laying them into a cold spider and frying a long time, makes ham black and hard. it needs nothing added, but to be laid upon a hot covered dish. =to broil ham.= cut the slices very thin, for which you must have a sharp knife; pare off the rind; lay them on the gridiron over hot coals. do not leave them a moment, as they must be almost immediately turned, and will need attention to keep the edges from burning. two minutes will broil them. =to fry salt pork.= cut slices and lay them in cold water in the spider; boil them up two or three minutes, then pour off the water and set the spider again on the coals and brown the slices on each side. fried pork, with baked potatoes, and baked or fried sour apples, makes a very good dinner. it is an improvement to dip the pork, after being par-boiled, into indian meal, before frying it. =frizzled smoked beef.= shave thin slices, and put them in a teacupful of milk into a small kettle or sauce-pan; boil it a few minutes, and then add a small bit of butter and an egg beaten with a teaspoonful of flour, and stir well. put a little more milk to it if needed. [smoked beef is good in poached eggs, but in that case the beef should be boiled a few minutes in the milk before the eggs are added. the last remnants of a ham may be scraped from the bone, and put into poached eggs, but will not need the boiling which is necessary in the case of the smoked beef.] =to shave smoked beef.= use a very thin-bladed, sharp knife, and shave as thin as the thinnest paper. do not attempt to cut it across the whole piece; no matter how small the shavings are, if they are but thin. to lay meat and poultry on the dish for the table. lay a sirloin of beef with the tenderloin down, and the thick end towards the left hand of the person who carves. a loin of veal or a quarter of lamb, with the thick edge toward the carver, and the inside uppermost. a leg of veal, with the inside up, and the thick end toward the right hand. a leg of mutton or lamb in the same way. a fore quarter of lamb or a breast of veal, with the outside up, and the thick edge toward the carver. a ham, with the outside up, and the thick end toward the right hand. a turkey or goose upon the back, with the neck toward the left hand. fowls on the back, and if there is more than one, with the legs toward the carver. the appearance of a fowl or turkey when on the table, depends much on its having been handsomely skewered. to select poultry and prepare it for being cooked. a young turkey has a smooth leg, and a soft bill, and if fresh, the eyes will be bright, and the feet moist. old turkeys have scaly, stiff feet. young fowls have a tender skin, smooth legs, and the breast bone readily yields to the pressure of the finger. the best are those that have yellow legs. the feet and legs of old fowls look as if they had seen hard service in the world. young ducks feel tender under the wing, and the web of the foot is transparent. the best are thick and hard on the breast. young geese have yellow bills, and the feet are yellow and supple; the skin may be easily broken by the head of a pin; the breast is plump, and the fat white. an old goose is unfit for the human stomach. to keep fowls in warm weather, take out the heart and liver and parboil them, set them aside in a cool place, to be used in the gravy. wash the fowls as clean as possible from the blood, and plunge one at a time into a kettle of boiling water for five minutes, moving it about, that the water may penetrate every part. drain and wipe them dry and pepper the inside and the necks. this process will enable you to keep them two days in warm weather. in cold weather all sorts of poultry should be kept at least a week; but care should be taken that they do not freeze, as they are not quite so good for being frozen. pick out the pin feathers very carefully. a pair of tweezers is sometimes necessary to take out those which a knife will not remove. cut out the oil bag above the tail. singe off all the hair by turning it quickly over a blazing paper. cut off the legs at the joint above the feet; trim the neck, and if too long cut off some of it; draw out the crop and be sure to take out every thing from the inside. the best way of removing the crop is to make an incision along the backbone, just below the neck. it can be removed in this way as easily as by the common method, and the appearance of the bird, when laid on the dish, is much better. be careful, in removing the gall bag, not to break it, as it will make every spot it touches bitter, and the most careful washing will not remove it. if there is much fat, trim off some of it. throw the liver, heart, and gizzard into water and wash them. wash the fowl in several waters. it is then ready to be stuffed and skewered, as directed under the head, _to roast a turkey_. some persons think fowls much better not to be washed; but they cannot be clean without. the sharpness of the breast bone, which is a defect in the appearance of a fowl on the table, may be remedied in the following way: when preparing it to be cooked, take a small sharp knife, and passing it up the body, cut off the little slender bones which join the _hug-me-close_[ ] to the side. then push down the breast bone by pressing heavily upon it. a little practice will make it easy to do this. [ ] this is the bone on each side the neck of a fowl, which answers to the collar bone in the human frame. =to roast a turkey.= observe the directions under the head, _to prepare poultry for being cooked_. make a stuffing, and fill both the breast and body. sew it up with a needle and coarse thread; tie the skin over the end of the neck with a thread or piece of twine. push a short skewer through above the tail, and a long one through the body under the thighs; then tie the ends of the legs down with a twine, close upon the short skewer. push another long skewer through the body, so as to confine the wings, and tie them round with a twine. put the spit through the length of the body, and fasten it with two skewers; flour it, and put it to the fire with a little water in the roaster. it should be roasted rather slowly. a turkey weighing twelve pounds should roast three hours; one weighing six or seven, an hour and a half. when half done, flour it again thickly; when this is browned, baste it often. if much fat roasts out, dip off most of it when the turkey is about half done, and put a small piece of butter into the gravy, and baste the turkey with it. having washed the heart, liver, &c., boil them an hour and a half, in a sauce-pan in a pint of water; skim them when the water first boils up; if it boils away, add more. to make the gravy, take out the heart and gizzard, mash the liver, and put it back into the water in which it was boiled, and pour the gravy also out of the roaster into it; set it on the coals, add browned flour, wet smooth, and a little butter and pepper, and boil it a minute or two, and then serve it. the liver should never be put under the wing, or laid upon the dish, but always be used in the gravy, as it is greatly improved by it. more directions respecting gravies may be found under the head, _directions for making various kinds of gravies_. =to boil a turkey.= stuff a young turkey, weighing six or seven pounds, with bread, butter, salt, pepper, and minced parsley; skewer up the legs and wings as if to roast; flour a cloth and pin around it. boil it forty minutes, then set off the kettle and let it stand, close covered, half an hour more. the steam will cook it sufficiently. to be eaten with drawn butter and stewed oysters. =to roast chickens.= observe the same directions in stuffing them as for a turkey. if you wish to roast several before an open fire, the spit may be put through side-ways, instead of length-ways, and four or five can thus be roasted at once, in a large roaster. boil the inwards and make the gravy as for a turkey. roast them an hour and a half. =to boil chickens.= make the same dressing as directed for a boiled turkey, or boil them without stuffing if preferred. skewer them up into a good shape, as when prepared to roast, and boil them an hour and a quarter. serve them with drawn butter and cut parsley. it is an improvement to mash the livers and put into the butter. if chickens can be carefully skimmed, they need no cloth around them. =to broil chickens.= cut them open through the back, take out the inwards, wash them and wipe them dry; place the inside down on the gridiron. they must broil slowly, and care be taken they do not burn. turn them in ten minutes. to keep them flat, lay a tin sheet upon them, with a weight. broil twenty-five minutes, and dress with butter, pepper, and salt. they can be broiled best over wood coals. =to fricassee chickens.= boil them forty minutes in water enough barely to cover them. take off the scum as fast as it rises. take them up and carve them in the usual way. put part of the water in which they were boiled into a spider or stew-pan. for two chickens rub a piece of butter as large as an egg, and a spoonful of flour together, and stir into the water as it boils up. add some salt, and a gill of cream, or milk. lay in the pieces of chicken, cover the pan close, and stew them gently eight or ten minutes. parsley cut fine is a decided improvement. =chicken salad.= boil or roast a nice fowl. when cold, cut off all the meat, and chop it a little, but not very small; cut up a large bunch of celery and mix with the chicken. boil four eggs hard, mash, and mix them with sweet oil, pepper, salt, mustard, and a gill of vinegar. beat this mixture very thoroughly together, and just before dinner pour it over the chicken. =chicken pie.= boil chickens in water barely to cover them, forty minutes. skim the water carefully. take them out into a dish, and cut them up as they should be carved if placed upon the table. if the skin is very thick remove it. have ready, lined with a thick paste, a deep dish, of a size proportioned to the number of chickens you wish to use; put in the pieces, with the hearts and livers, in layers; sprinkle each layer with flour, salt, and pepper, and put on each piece of chicken a thin shaving of butter; do this till you have laid in all the pieces; put rather more of the spice, flour, and butter over the top layer than on the previous ones, and pour in as much of the liquor in which the chickens were boiled as you can without danger of its boiling over. lay on the upper crust, and close the edges very carefully with flour and water; prick the top with a knife. cut leaves of crust and ornament it. bake two hours. the crust for chicken pie should be twice as thick as for fruit pies. use mace and nutmeg if you wish. =to roast ducks.= flour them thick and baste them often. if they are roasted before the fire, an hour is long enough; if in a stove, an hour and a half. for making the stuffing and gravy, see the directions. =to boil ducks.= scald and lay them in warm water a few minutes, then lay them in a dish, pour boiling milk over them, and let them lie in it two or three hours. then take them out, dredge them with flour, and put them into a saucepan of cold water, cover close and boil them twenty minutes. then take them out and set them, covered, where they will keep warm, and make the sauce as follows:-- chop a large onion and a bunch of parsley fine, and put them into a gill of good gravy. [see receipt for stock.] add a table-spoonful of lemon juice, a little salt, pepper, and a small piece of butter. stew these ingredients half an hour; then lay the ducks into a dish, and pour the sauce over them. =to roast a goose.= boil it half an hour to take out the strong, oily taste, then stuff and roast it exactly like a turkey. if it is a young one, after being boiled, an hour's roasting will be sufficient. =to boil partridges.= put them in a floured cloth into boiling water, and boil them fast fifteen minutes. for sauce, rub a very small piece of butter into some flour, and boil in a teacup of cream. add cut parsley if preferred. =to roast partridges.= prepare them like chickens, and roast three quarters of an hour. =to roast pigeons.= pick out the pin feathers, or if there are a great many, pull off the skin. examine the inside very carefully. soak them half an hour in a good deal of water, to take out the blood. then boil them with a little salt in the water, half an hour, and take off the scum as fast as it rises. take them out, flour them well, and lay them into a dripping-pan; strain the water in which they were boiled, and put a part of it into the pan; stir in it a little piece of butter, and baste the pigeons often. add pepper and sweet marjoram if you prefer. roast them nearly two hours. pigeons need to be cooked a long time. =pigeons in disguise.= prepare them just as directed in the receipt above, and boil them long enough to remove all the blood, then pepper and salt them, make a good paste, roll each pigeon close in a piece of it; tie them separately in a cloth, taking care not to break the paste. boil them gently an hour and a half, in a good deal of water. lay them in a hot dish, and pour a gravy over them made of cream, parsley, and a little butter. =pigeon pie.= pick, soak, and boil pigeons with the same care as directed in the receipt for roasting them. make a crust just as for chicken or veal pie. lay in the pigeons whole, and season with pepper, salt, shavings of butter, and sweet marjoram; flour them thickly, then strain the water in which they were boiled, and fill the dish two thirds with it. lay the top crust over, and close the edges well. make many incisions with the point of a knife, or a large fork, and bake an hour and a half. =woodcocks, quails, and other small birds.= pull off the skin, split them down the back with a sharp knife, pepper the breasts, and lay the inside first upon the gridiron. broil them slowly at first, skewer a small bit of pork upon each one. turn them after seven or eight minutes. broil them twenty minutes. if you wish to make a pie, do just as directed for the pigeon pie. =calcutta curry.= boil and joint two chickens. fry three or four slices of salt pork, and when they are nearly brown add a large spoonful of butter. cut three or four onions fine, and fry them a light brown; then remove them, and the pork, and fry the chickens gently in the fat; strew over the meat while it is frying a spoonful and a half of good curry powder, and dredge in flour. then add hot water to make sufficient gravy; if the gravy is not thick enough, mix a little flour smooth in cold water, and stir in. add salt to suit your taste. this dish is best when stewed slowly. garnish with slices of lemon. partridges, pigeons, rabbits, sweet-breads, breasts of mutton, lamb, and veal, are all used for curries. there is a difference in the quality of curry powder. the above measure, is for the strongest kind, and is enough for a quart of gravy. the east indians never use flour in thickening the gravy, but depend on the curry powder. to prepare rice for calcutta curry, wash a pint in several waters, and put it into a kettle, containing a gallon of warm water, with salt in it. cook it ten minutes from the time it begins to boil; then pour it into a sieve, and when the water is entirely drained out, shake the sieve, and the particles of rice will separate, and it is ready to serve. soups. soup is economical food, and by a little attention may be made good with very small materials. it should never be made of meat that has been kept too long. if meat is old, or has become tainted in the least, the defect is peculiarly offensive in soup. all meat and bones for soup should be boiled a long time, and set aside until the next day in order that the fat may be entirely removed. then add the vegetables, rice, and herbs, and boil it from an hour to an hour and a half. the water in which fresh meat is boiled should be saved for soup and broth; and the bones of roast beef should never be thrown away without boiling, as they make excellent soup, and if not used for this purpose, should be boiled in order to save the fat which they contain. =a rich soup.= the richest soups are made by using several kinds of meat together; as beef, mutton, and veal. a shank of each of these with very little meat upon it, should be boiled several hours the first day; and vegetables, with various kinds of spice, added the day it is to be served. nice soups should be strained; and they are good with macaroni, added afterwards, and boiled half or three quarters of an hour. if you have the water, in which chickens have been boiled, the soup will be much better if the beef, mutton, and veal are boiled in this, instead of pure water. =roast beef bone soup.= boil the bones at least three hours, or until every particle of meat is loose; then take them out and scrape off the meat and set aside the water; the next day take from it all the fat, cut up an onion, two or three potatoes and a turnip, and put into it. add, half an hour before dinner, powdered sweet marjoram, catsup, and some salt. boil it an hour. =shank soup.= when you buy a shank, have the butcher cut it into several pieces, and split open the thickest part of the bone. boil it three or four hours and set it aside. the next day, take off the fat, and if you do not wish to eat the meat in the soup, take that out also; add vegetables, etc., as in the preceding receipt. to make a convenient use of the meat, see the receipt for minced meat. =ox-tail soup.= take two tails, divide them at the joints, soak them in warm water. put them into cold water in a gallon pot or stew-pan. skim off the froth carefully. when the meat is boiled to shreds, take out the bones, and add a chopped onion and carrot. use spices and sweet herbs or not, as you prefer. boil it three or four hours. =soup of the remnants of calf's head.= remove the fat from the water in which the head was boiled, and put into it the pieces left of the first day's dinner, cut up small. add cloves, crackers, pepper, browned flour, curry powder, and, if you choose, catsup. boil it an hour. =mock-turtle soup.= add to the foregoing ingredients, red wine, nutmeg, and mace; and force meat balls, made in the following way,--chop some of the meat fine, and put with it an equal quantity of fine bread crumbs, onions chopped small, cayenne and black pepper, sweet marjoram and powdered clove. beat two eggs and with them stir the ingredients together, and make into balls, and fry in butter enough to brown them; then put the balls and the butter into the soup. =turkey soup.= the remnants of a young turkey make good soup. put all the bones, and little bits left of a dinner into about three quarts of water. if you have turkey gravy, or the remnants of chickens, add them also, and boil them two hours or more. skim out the meat and bones, and set the water aside in a cool place till the next day. then take all the fat from the top; take the bones and pieces of skin out from the meat and return it to the liquor. if some of the dressing has been left, put that in also, and boil all together a few minutes. if more seasoning is needed, add it to suit your taste. =white soup.= boil a knuckle of veal to shreds, add a quarter of a pound of vermicelli, half a pint of cream, and lemon peel and mace. =pea soup.= take a pint of split peas, and when carefully picked over and washed, put them into a pint of water to soak over night. three hours before dinner, put them into a pot with a quart more water, and about half a pound of pork (less if you wish the soup not very rich.) boil it steadily, and be careful to stir it often, lest it should burn. it may need more water before dinner, and can be made of whatever thickness you prefer. if you prefer to have the soup without pork (which makes it too rich for many persons), use the liquor in which beef or other fresh meat has been boiled instead of water, and use no pork. this is a very good way. =vegetable soup.= take two turnips, two carrots, four potatoes, one large onion, one parsnip, and a few stalks of celery or some parsley. cut them all very fine, or chop them in a tray; put them, with a spoonful of rice, into three quarts of water, and boil the whole three hours. then strain the soup through a colander or coarse sieve, return it to the kettle, and put it over the fire. add a piece of butter of the size of a nut, stir the soup till the butter is melted, dredge in a little flour, let it boil up and then serve it. =mutton or lamb broth.= take the water in which a leg of mutton or lamb was boiled on the previous day, take off the fat and boil it two hours with a turnip, an onion, and a carrot, cut small. add some minced parsley and a spoonful of rice. all these, except the parsley, should be put in while the water is cold. any little pieces of the neck, ribs, or shank will make excellent broth. =veal broth.= take a knuckle, or if you have a large family, two knuckles of veal. put them over the fire, at least three hours before dinner-time; use not more than two quarts of water for two knuckles, and skim it until it is no longer necessary. (veal requires more attention in this respect than any other meat). when this is done, add a spoonful of rice. a quarter of an hour before it is to be served, put in some minced parsley, salt, and pepper. it is a very nutritious dish. some persons add two or three slices of salt pork. it is a good way, after having taken off cutlets from the large end of a leg of veal, to boil the entire piece that remains, with the knuckle. boil it two hours or two hours and a half. make broth of the liquor by putting in a small gill of rice, and some parsley; add the parsley about ten minutes before it is served. melt butter with cut parsley, to eat on the meat. in families that like salt pork, a piece should be boiled separately to eat with the veal. eggs. =boiled.= new laid eggs require half a minute longer to cook than others. the fresher they are the better, and the more healthful. eggs over a week old should never be boiled; they will do to fry. put them into water that boils, but not furiously, as it will crack them. if you like them very soft, boil them three minutes. if you wish the yolk hard, boil them five minutes. to be served with salad, they should be boiled twelve minutes. =fried.= after you have fried ham, drop in the eggs one at a time. in about a minute dip the boiling fat with a spoon over them again and again. this will prevent the necessity of turning them, which it is difficult to do without breaking the yolks. take them up in about two minutes and a half, with a skimmer. the fat that roasts out of a ham that is browned in an oven, is good for frying eggs. =poached.= set a tin pan or pail on the range, containing a pint of milk; then beat six eggs well. when the milk is very nearly boiling, put in a teaspoonful of salt, and half a table-spoonful of butter; then add the eggs, and stir steadily, until it thickens, which will be in a minute or two. set it off before it becomes very thick, and continue to stir it a minute more. have ready, in a warm dish, two slices of toasted bread, spread with butter, and pour the egg over them. it should be a little thicker than boiled custard. this is an ample breakfast for six or seven persons. =dropped.= drop fresh eggs into a saucepan of boiling water with salt in it. put them in gently, so as not to break the yolks. have ready slices of buttered toast, and either take up the eggs with a skimmer or pour off the water, and then turn them out of the saucepan upon the toast. add more salt, if they were not seasoned enough by that which was in the water. =omelet (baked, and very simple).= heat three gills of milk with a dessert spoonful of butter in it; beat four or five eggs thoroughly, wet a table-spoonful of flour with a teaspoonful of salt, smooth, in a little cold milk. mix the eggs with the flour and cold milk, then add the hot milk, stirring very fast. put the mixture into a buttered dish just large enough to contain it. it will bake in a quick oven in fifteen or twenty minutes. besides being very palatable, it is a beautiful-looking dish for the breakfast-table, and a very convenient addition to a small dinner. the old rule is, eight eggs to a pint of milk; but six is enough. =omelet (fried).= make a batter of three eggs, two gills of milk, and two table-spoonfuls of flour. beat it well, and add chopped onion, parsley, salt, and nutmeg. fry brown in nice drippings or butter. =another.= make a batter in the same way, and add a gill of grated ham. fry in nice fat, or the drippings of a roasted ham. =another.= wash a piece of salt cod as large as your hand, and soak it in warm water over night. in the morning take out the bones and chop it very fine; then put it into two or three gills of milk and boil it up. stir in a piece of butter half the size of an egg, and a table-spoonful of flour wet smooth in cold milk; then add three eggs well beaten, and boil it half a minute more. directions respecting fish. purchase those which have just been caught. of this you can judge by their being hard under the pressure of the finger. fish lose their best flavor soon, and a few hours make a wide difference in the taste of some sorts. cod are best in cold weather. mackerel are best in august, september, and october. halibut, in may and june. oysters are good from september to april; but are not very good or healthy from the first of may to the last of august. lobsters are best at the season when oysters are not good. they must be put alive into boiling water and be boiled from thirty-five to forty minutes. allow a large spoonful of salt to every quart of water in which they are boiled. the medium sized ones are the best. the shells of old lobsters are apt to be encrusted. on no account should they be eaten later than eighteen hours after being boiled. some persons never eat them after twelve hours. pond fish should be soaked in strong salt and water to take out the earthy taste. fish may be kept good several days, if frozen. all large fish need to be soaked in water that is a little warm, before being cleaned; and they should be cleaned with great care, for even if there are few scales upon them, there is a great deal of slimy substance which a knife will remove. a boiled fish is done when the eyes turn white. when you broil fish, rub the gridiron with lard or drippings, to prevent its sticking. do not attempt to turn it like steaks, with a knife and fork, but lay an old dish upon it, and hold it on with one hand, while you turn over the gridiron with the other. lay the skin side down first. fish that is to be fried, should be cut up and laid in a cloth for an hour that the moisture may be absorbed. it should then be rolled in fine bread crumbs, or indian meal. that which is apt to break in frying may be kept whole by being dipped in a beaten egg, before it is rolled in the bread crumbs. oysters should be skimmed out of the liquor before being cooked, in order that it may be strained, as there are often bits of shell in it. =to boil cod.= rub a little salt down the bone, and over the thick part. wrap it in a cloth and put it over the fire in cold water; putting it into hot water at first will cause the outside to break before the centre is done. see that it is covered with water, and throw in a table-spoonful of salt. take off the froth carefully, and boil it half an hour. fresh cod is eaten with oyster sauce and melted butter, or with the latter alone, prepared as directed under the head of _drawn butter_, with the addition of parsley and if you choose three or four eggs boiled very hard, cut up and put into it. the head and shoulders of cod are so much thicker than the other part, that it is impossible to boil the fish whole and have all parts equally cooked. it is therefore a good way to buy a large cod, divide it, boil the head and shoulders, and fry the other part, or sprinkle it with salt, and after a day or two, broil it. =cod sounds and tongues.= soak them in warm water, scrape them thoroughly, and boil them ten minutes in milk and water. to be served with egg sauce. =to bake a cod or black fish.= the simplest way of baking fish, is very good. spread little pieces of bread, with butter; pepper and salt them, and lay them inside the fish. then take a needle and thread and sew it up. put a small skewer through the lip and tail, and fasten them together with a piece of twine. lay it into a dish, in which it may be served, put two or three thin slices of salt pork upon it, sprinkle salt over it, and flour it well. baste it several times with the liquor which cooks out of it. a fish weighing four pounds will cook in an hour. =to make a richer dish.= chop fine a half a teacupful of fat ham; add a large spoonful of butter, some parsley, thyme, marjoram, a little salt, nutmeg, and pepper. if you have oysters, add a few. beat two eggs, and put all together with fine bread crumbs enough to compound them. with this, stuff the fish, which should be floured thick, and wind a string around it to keep it together, or else sew it up. fasten the head and tail together with a skewer. bake it in a stove an hour. baste it with butter. =to fry cod (or other fish).= after it has been cleansed, cut it into pieces of the proper size, and lay them in a cloth in order to dry them. fry four or five slices of salt pork, or use instead, lard or nice beef drippings; but pork is preferable. when the slices are fried crisp, take them out, dip the pieces of fish in a plate of fine indian meal, and lay them into the spider. fry them brown. when the fish is done, lay it with the pork into a hot dish. pour a little water into the spider, boil it up, dredge in browned flour, and pour the whole over the fish. =to make a chowder.= fry three slices of salt pork, crisp, in a deep kettle; take them out and lay in slices of potatoes; flour and pepper them; then lay in slices of cod or haddock, which must also be floured and peppered. put in alternate layers of potatoes and fish, with flour, salt, and pepper, till it is all laid in. pour over it boiling water enough almost to cover it. when it boils up, dredge in more flour. dip a few crackers in cold water and lay over the top, and cover the kettle close. boil it three quarters of an hour. use ship bread, if it is preferred. some people add a cup of milk just before it is served. add part of a fresh lemon, if you like. =another way.= fry three or four slices of salt pork, soak a dozen hard crackers, cut up four or five onions. when the pork is fried brown take it out, and lay in half of the crackers, and half the onions. cut up the cod, and lay the pieces next, then the rest of the crackers and onions, season it with pepper and salt, pour boiling water enough into the kettle to cover the whole. let it stew moderately an hour. the fish should be fresh from the water. cod's heads and sound bones make the richest chowder. =to boil salt cod.= lay a piece of salt fish into the cellar a few days before it is to be cooked, that it may become softened by the dampness. the afternoon before it is to be boiled, wash it carefully in several waters. it is well to keep a brush on purpose to cleanse salt fish, and use it repeatedly while it is soaking. leave it in water till morning, and then put it into a kettle, and set it where it will keep warm, and at length simmer, but not boil. eat it with beets and potatoes, and drawn butter; or with pork scraps if you prefer. _to prepare the scraps._ cut salt pork into very small square pieces, put them in a saucepan, and cook them till they are crisped. a quarter of a pound of pork will be enough for a family of five, and it will take half an hour to fry it enough. there is a great difference in the quality of salt fish. the dun is considered best. =minced salt fish.= pick out all the bones and bits of skin the day that the fish is boiled, as it is most easily done while it is warm. next day chop it fine, and also all the potatoes left of the previous dinner; they are better for this purpose than those that are just boiled. lay three or four slices of salt pork into a spider, and fry till they are crisped; take them out, and put the chopped fish and potato into the middle, and press it out equally, so that the fat will be at the sides. cover it close; after about five minutes put into the centre a gill of milk, and cover it again. in a few minutes more stir it, but so carefully as not to disturb the sides and bottom, else a brown crust will not form. add more milk if it is too dry. when thoroughly heated through, stir in a small piece of butter, loosen the crust from the sides with a knife, and turn it out upon a hot dish. if it is done right, it will come out whole, and nicely browned. =fish-balls.= chop and mix fish and potatoes in the same manner as directed in the other receipt; melt a small piece of butter in a little milk, and when you have stirred it into the fish, make it up into little flat cakes, roll them in a plate of flour, and fry in hot lard, drippings, or the fat of fried pork. =to boil or broil halibut.= if you wish to boil it, purchase a thick slice cut through the body, or the tail piece, which is considered the richest. wrap it in a floured cloth and lay it in cold water with salt in it. a piece weighing six pounds, should be cooked half an hour after the water begins to boil. it is eaten with drawn butter and parsley. if any of it is left, lay it in a deep dish and sprinkle on it a little salt, throw over it a dozen or two of cloves, pour in some vinegar, and add butternut vinegar or catsup. it will, when cold, have much the flavor of lobster. the _nape_ of the halibut is considered best to broil; but a slice through the body a little more than an inch thick, if sprinkled with salt an hour or two before being cooked, will broil without breaking, and is excellent. when taken up, put on butter, pepper, and salt. =to boil salmon.= clean a salmon in salt and water. allow twenty minutes for boiling every pound. wrap it in a floured cloth, and lay it in the kettle while the water is cold. make the water very salt. skim it well; in this respect it requires more care than any other fish. serve it with drawn butter and parsley. if salmon is not thoroughly cooked it is unhealthy. when a piece of boiled fresh fish of any kind is left of dinner, it is a very good way to lay it in a deep dish, and pour over it a little vinegar, with catsup, and add pepper or any other spice which is preferred. =to broil salmon.= cut it in slices an inch and a half thick, dry it in a clean cloth, salt it, and lay it upon a hot gridiron, the bars having been rubbed with lard or drippings. it cooks very well in a stove oven, laid in a dripping-pan. =to broil shad.= procure fresh caught shad. it requires twenty minutes to broil, on moderately hot coals. to turn it, see directions respecting fish. sprinkle it with salt, and spread on a little butter. fresh fish requires a longer time to broil than meat. =the simplest way of cooking oysters.= take them, unopened, rinse the shells clean, and lay them on hot coals, or the top of a cooking-stove, with the deepest side of the shell down, so as not to lose the liquor. when they begin to open a little, they are done, and the upper shell will be easily removed with a knife, and the oyster is to be eaten from the lower shell. the table should be supplied with coarse napkins, and a large dish to receive the shells. =oyster pie.= make a nice paste and lay into a deep dish, turn a teacup down in the centre. this will draw the liquor under it, and prevent it from boiling over; it also keeps the upper crust from falling in and becoming clammy. lay in the oysters, add a little pepper, butter, and flour; make a wide incision in the upper crust, so that when the pie is nearly done, you can pour in half a teacup of cream or milk. secure the edges of the crust according to the directions for making pastry, and bake it an hour. it should be put into the oven immediately, else the under crust will be clammy. use but little of the liquor. =to fry oysters.= lay them in a cloth a few minutes to dry them, then dip each one into sifted cracker crumbs, and fry in just enough fat to brown them. put pepper and salt on them, before you turn them over. =escaloped oysters.= butter a deep dish, and cover the bottom and sides with fine crumbs of bread. put in half the oysters, with pounded mace, pepper, and salt, and cover them with bread crumbs and small bits of butter; add the rest of the oysters with pepper and mace, and cover as before. put in but little of the liquor, as oysters part with a good deal of moisture in cooking, and if the mixture is too wet, it is not as good. bake a quart of oysters half an hour. a plainer dish, with little butter and no spice is very good. =pickled oysters.= boil the liquor of an hundred oysters and pour it over them. when they have stood a few minutes, take them out and boil the liquor again, with a gill of vinegar, a few whole black peppers, and two or three blades of mace. when this is cold, pour it over the oysters, and cover them closely. this is a very good way to keep them. =stewed oysters.= boil them up very quickly, then set them off, in order to take off the scum which rises. have ready, for a quart of oysters, half a table-spoonful of butter, with as much flour rubbed into it as it will receive. return the kettle to the fire, and when it begins to simmer, stir in the butter till it is melted, and then serve. =another way.= boil a pint of milk; rub a heaping table-spoonful of flour smooth in cold milk, and strain into it; then strain in the liquor of a quart of oysters, and when it boils up again, add half a spoonful of butter, a little salt, and the oysters, and let the whole boil two minutes more. [in opening lobsters, care must be taken to remove the poisonous part. this lies in the head, all of which must be thrown away, as well as the vein which passes from it, through the body. all the other parts are good. break the shells with a hammer. the liquor and the spawn should be saved.] =lobster salad.= to the yolks of four eggs, boiled hard, add a little sweet oil, mustard, pepper, salt, and a gill of vinegar. stir these all together a long time. cut up celery or lettuce fine, sprinkle it on the lobster in the dish in which it is to be served, and pour the mixture over it. the simplest way of serving lobsters is very good, and most healthful. take them from the shells and eat them cold, with vinegar and mustard. =stewed lobster.= take one large or two small lobsters; cut them in pieces, and put into the stew-pan with the liquor two glasses of wine, one teaspoonful of fine allspice, half a teaspoonful of mixed mustard, a little cayenne, and a quarter of a pound of butter rubbed into some flour. if there is not liquor enough for the gravy, add a little water. simmer the whole a half an hour. =baked bass.= make a stuffing of pounded cracker or crumbs of bread, an egg, pepper, clove, salt, and butter. fill it very full, and when sewed up, grate over it a small nutmeg, and sprinkle it with pounded cracker. then pour on the white of an egg, and melted butter. bake it an hour in the same dish in which it is to be served. =potted shad= (a very convenient and excellent dish). take three or four fresh caught shad, and when nicely dressed, cut them down the middle, and across in pieces about three inches wide; put these pieces into a jar in layers, with salt, whole cloves, pepper-corns, and allspice sprinkled between. when all is laid in, put in sharp vinegar enough just to cover them, and bake in the oven. it is the best way to put the jar into a brick oven after the bread is drawn, if considerable heat still remains, and let it stand two or three hours, or put it into a range oven at night, to stand till morning. this will keep several weeks, even in hot weather. almost any fish of the size of shad may be done in the same way. =brook trout.= if they are small, fry them with salt pork. if large, boil them, and serve with drawn butter. =clams.= the round clams, sometimes called quahogs, are much the most healthy. the small ones, with thin edges, are to be preferred. they may be roasted upon a gridiron, or laid in an iron pan upon a stove. when the shell begins to open, pour the liquor into a sauce-pan, and cut the clam from the shell and put with it. when all are taken out, set the sauce-pan on the coals, and when the clams boil up, add pepper and a bit of butter, and pour them upon toasted bread. _clam broth_ is made by washing them very clean, and boiling till the shells open; then take out the clams and put them into the water again. boil them a few minutes, add a little butter and flour, and put toasted crackers in the tureen into which you put the broth. this is very healthy for feeble persons. =smelts.= soak smelts a little while in warm water; scrape them, and cut the heads so far that you can gently pull them off, and thus draw out the dark vein that runs through the body; then rinse and lay them into a dry cloth while you fry two or three slices of salt pork crisp. dip the smelts into a plate of fine indian meal, and fry them brown. if you fry them in lard or drippings, sprinkle them with salt, but not until they are nearly done, as they will not brown as well, if it is put on at first. =to prepare salt shad, mackerel, or halibut's fin to broil.= shad should be soaked twenty-four hours, the water being changed once or twice. mackerel often need soaking thirty, or even thirty-six hours; and halibut's fin thirty-six. a gallon of water is the least in which either of them should be soaked. grease the gridiron, and lay the skin side down. (see directions at the head of this chapter.) =smoked halibut.= it should be washed in warm water, wiped and laid for only three or four minutes on the gridiron. halibut is so solid a fish that it is not easy to get that which is cured perfectly free from taint. directions for salting meat, fish, &c. to some young housekeepers, the salting of meat, and taking care of it, and of smoked meat, are perplexing. perhaps the following directions may assist them. the best pieces to corn are the end of the rump, the thin end of the sirloin, and the edge-bone. if you like it with alternate streaks of fat and lean, the pieces at the ends of the ribs, called by butchers the rattle-ran, are very good. the edge-bone affords the most lean meat. the best piece of pork to corn is the shoulder. it is a good way to divide it, if large, and stuff half of it with sage and bread crumbs, and roast it; and corn the other half. in winter, hang fresh killed meat up two or three days before putting it into brine, as it will thus become more tender. make a brine of four quarts of water, three pints of salt, half a table-spoonful of saltpetre, and a pint of molasses, or a pound of coarse brown sugar. mix it thoroughly without boiling it. in this lay the meat, and see that it is entirely covered. it is well to look at it after a day or two, and if necessary, turn it the other side up. it will be good in a few days, but it is better to let it lie three or four weeks before boiling it. the same brine will do for many successive pieces in winter. but for a family that like salt meat, it is the best way to make a double measure, and put into it at once as much meat as it will cover. it should be kept in a firkin or tub, with a close cover. after a considerable quantity of meat has thus been cured, scald and skim the brine, add a little more molasses, salt, and saltpetre, and let it become cold before meat is put into it. a brine like this, only a little more rich with molasses, is very good for salting tongues, and pieces that are to be smoked. but they should lie in it four or five weeks. meat should never be salted for smoking, later than february or the middle of march. in warm weather, it will not do to use the same brine more than once, as the blood from the meat will become tainted. therefore a less expensive mixture, that may be thrown away after being used once, is better. two quarts of salt to four of water, is a good rule for brine in hot weather. in the summer, the strong membrane that covers the rib bones, must be cut open with a sharp knife before the meat is put into brine; for, as the salt will not penetrate this membrane, the bones will else become tainted, and the meat soon be spoiled. meat, at this season, should be cooked within three or four days after being put into brine. =to salt pork.= allow a bushel of salt for a barrel of pork, or a peck for fifty weight. the salt called _coarse-fine_, is commonly used by butchers; but the best way in a private family, where no more than twenty-five or fifty weight is put down for the year's use, is to use fine salt. put water enough to cover it. examine it in a few days, and if the salt is all dissolved, add more. the only sure way of keeping pork sweet, is to have the brine so strong that some of the salt remains undissolved. a board, with a stone upon it, should always be kept on the top of pork, as it will soon become rusty if the edges lie above the surface of the brine. it is not fit for use, until it has been in brine six weeks. =pickle for one ham.= to a gallon of water, put a pint of salt, a pint of molasses, and an ounce of saltpetre. turn the ham over in the brine often, and let it lie in it six weeks; then let it be smoked nearly as long. =to cure hams.= [this receipt is furnished by a person whose hams are celebrated in the eastern part of massachusetts, for their superior quality.] for curing fifty weight, allow three quarts of coarse salt, half a pound of saltpetre, and two quarts of good molasses. add soft water enough just to cover the hams. common sized hams should be kept in this pickle five weeks; larger ones six. they should all be taken out once a week, and those which were on the top laid in first, and the lower ones last. they should be smoked from two to three weeks with walnut wood or with sawdust and corn-cobs, mixed. meat smoked with cobs is very delicate. pieces of beef for smoking, may be laid in this pickle, after the hams are sent to the smoke house; but more salt should be added. =the knickerbocker pickle.= to three gallons of soft water, put four pounds and a half of salt, coarse and fine, mixed; a pound and a half of brown sugar, an ounce and a half of saltpetre, half an ounce of saleratus, and two quarts of good molasses. boil the mixture, skim it well, and when cold pour it over the hams or beef. beef laid down in this pickle, does not become hard, and is very fine, when boiled gently and long. some persons consider this the best of all methods for curing beef and hams. =how to keep hams through the summer.= when they are taken from the smoke house, do not suffer them to lie a single hour where the flies can find them. sew them up in a coarse cloth or stiff brown paper, and pack them in ashes. there is no method so sure to preserve them from insects, and the effect of the ashes is to improve the meat; but care should be taken that the hams are so secured that the ashes will not touch them. the ashes should be perfectly cold and dry, and the barrel be in a dry, cool place. =to make sausages.= a common fault is, that the meat is not chopped enough. it should be chopped very fine, and this is most easily done if it is a little frozen. when ready for the seasoning, put in just cold water enough to enable you to mix the ingredients equally; but be careful not to use more than is necessary for this purpose. the following excellent rule for seasoning sausages is furnished by the same person whose receipt for curing hams i have been allowed to copy. to twelve pounds and a half of meat put a gill of fine salt, a large gill of powdered sage, and half a gill of ground pepper. let the measures be exact. some persons find it most convenient to keep sausage meat in a cloth. it is done by making a long bag of strong cotton cloth, of such a size that, when filled, it will be as large round as a common half pint mug. it should be crowded full, and each end tied up. if you have not a sausage-filler, it can be filled with the hand. sew up only a quarter of a yard, then fill it tight, so far; then sew another quarter, and fill it, and so on until you reach the end. when the meat is to be used, open one end, rip up the seam a little way, and cut off slices rather more than an inch thick, and fry them. it may be kept good from december to march, in a cold, dry place. =how to salt shad to keep a year.= procure those which are just caught; soak them an hour or two in a plenty of water, in order that the scales may be easily taken off. take care to remove them all. cut off the heads and open them down the back. when you have taken out all the refuse parts, remove the greatest part of the spine, as the fish will be more sure to keep sweet. a sharp knife is indispensable. lay them in fresh water with a good deal of salt in it for an hour or two, in order to extract the blood. then take them out, and sprinkle them plentifully with fine salt, taking care that it touches all the ends and edges. if most convenient, let them lie over night. in the morning, mingle an ounce of saltpetre and a pound of sugar with a peck of _coarse-fine_ salt, and put a layer of salt, and a layer of fish (the skin being down), into the firkin. a peck of salt will cure twenty-five shad. =to try lard.= the fat should not be suffered to stand long without being _tried_, because, even in cold weather, some parts of it may soon become musty, and nothing can then restore its sweetness. remove all the lean bits, as they will adhere to the kettle, and cause the fat to burn. cut it into pieces a little more than an inch square, and take care to have them nearly of a size. put a little water into the kettle, and keep a steady, good fire, without much blaze, and stir the fat often. attention to the kettle and the fire will be necessary, through the process. it will require three hours to do it. when the fat no longer bubbles, but is still, it is done enough. it is best to squeeze it through a tow cloth bag, made by folding half a square in such a way that the corner will form the end, and it should be rounded off a little at the bottom, and the seam made exactly as directed for a pudding-bag. two pieces of wood fastened together, somewhat like a lemon-squeezer, will facilitate the process of straining it. strain all that flows off without much pressure into one jar, and that which is extracted last, into another. there is no advantage in putting salt into lard. it does not mingle with it, as appears by its being always found at the bottom of the kettle, undissolved. stone jars are best for keeping lard, but potter's ware does very well. it should stand in a cold place, and in warm weather, a fire-place with a close board, in a cool room, is a very good place to keep it. scraps are a favorite dish with many persons. put salt, pepper, and pulverized sage to them, while they are still warm, break them small, and stir them well that the seasoning may be equally distributed. tomatoes. =stewed.= scald them in order to remove the skins. cut them up and put them into a saucepan, with a little salt, a bit of butter, and some fine crumbs of bread or pounded cracker. let them stew gently an hour; if you like them sweet, add sugar ten minutes before serving. =baked.= butter a dish, and when you have skinned the tomatoes lay them in it, whole. sprinkle salt and sugar over them, and then fine crumbs of bread or pounded cracker. bake them forty minutes in a dish in which they may be put upon the table. when they are half baked dip the syrup over the top, so as to moisten the crumbs. =broiled.= cut them in two without skinning, and lay them upon the gridiron. they will not break, and will require six or seven minutes to cook through. turn them, and when laid in the dish, add salt and butter, and also pepper if you prefer. =like cucumbers.= take fair fruit. the small kind, called love-apples, are the best for this use. take off the skins, slice them, sprinkle salt over them, add vinegar (rather less than for cucumbers), and put on pepper. =preserved.= having skinned them, weigh equal quantities of fruit and sugar. let the tomatoes lie upon a hair sieve a little while in order that some of the juice may drain out. then lay them carefully, so as not to spoil the shape, into a stone jar, in alternate layers with the sugar. allow one lemon for every four pounds of fruit, and lay slices of lemon between each layer of fruit. cover the jar close, and set it in a kettle of cold water, where it will boil moderately, but constantly, many hours--all day if possible. see that the water comes up high enough around the jar, and also that none of it boils into the top. when it is boiled enough, let the jar stand until the water has in a measure cooled, as it may be broken by being taken at once out of boiling water. =figs.= choose smooth-shaped tomatoes, and to sixteen pounds allow six pounds of sugar. scald and remove the skins in the usual way; put the sugar to them, and boil until penetrated with it; then take them out, spread them on dishes, flatten and dry them in the sun. a small quantity of sugar should be sprinkled over them occasionally while drying. when perfectly dry, pack them in boxes, sprinkling each layer with powdered sugar. =pickle= (an excellent condiment). put eight pounds of skinned tomatoes, and four of brown sugar, into a preserving kettle. stir often and see they do not burn. boil them to the consistency of molasses, then add a quart of sharp cider-vinegar, a teaspoonful of mace, another of cinnamon, and half a teaspoonful of clove, and boil five minutes longer. =stewed tomato= (to keep the year round). skin and cut up the fruit, and boil it gently two hours in a porcelain kettle; add nothing to it but a little salt. have ready enough clean bottles to contain the quantity to be stewed. olive bottles are very convenient for the purpose, but common junk bottles are also good. provide a tunnel, good corks, a coarse towel, a hammer, and a tin dish containing equal parts of rosin and shoemaker's wax. after two hours' boiling, set the kettle off; have the bottles ready warmed by standing near the fire so that heat will not crack them, put hot water into three or four at a time, shake it about, and drain it out; then fill the bottles with the hot tomato _nearly_ far enough to meet the cork. if it does not readily go through the tunnel, push it down with a stick or skewer. when you have filled these, put in the corks and hammer them down; take the coarse towel to protect your hands from the heat, and dip the mouth of the bottle into the melted sealing-wax. see that the cork is entirely covered by it. set these aside and do the rest in the same way. this is a convenient way for those who do not own the cans now so much used; and tomatoes put up thus, are as good months afterwards as if the fruit was just gathered. none but fresh and sound ones should be used. set the bottles in a cool, dry place. =catsup.= slice the tomatoes and sprinkle them with salt. if you intend to let them stand until you have gathered several parcels, put in plenty of salt. after you have gathered all you intend to use, boil them gently an hour, strain them through a coarse sieve; slice two good-sized onions very thin for every gallon; add half a spoonful of ginger, two spoonfuls of powdered clove, two of allspice, and a teaspoonful of black pepper. boil it twenty minutes after the spices are added. keep it in a covered jar. this kind of catsup is specially designed to be used in soups, and stewed meats. =another catsup= (retaining the color and flavor of the fruit). skin and slice the tomatoes, and boil them an hour and a half. then put to one gallon not strained, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the same of nutmegs and cloves, one handful of horseradish, two pods of red pepper, or a large teaspoonful of cayenne, and salt as you like it. boil it away to three quarts, and then add a pint of wine and half a pint of vinegar. bottle it, and leave the bottles open two or three days; then cork it tight. make this catsup once, and you will wish to make it every year. =pickled.= wash green tomatoes, and slice them rather thin; weigh them, and allow three or four sliced onions, four pounds of sugar, and a gallon of cider-vinegar to eight pounds of tomatoes. put the vinegar to boil in a porcelain kettle with the sugar, stir it, and when it boils up, set it off, and let it stand a few minutes until you can remove the scum without wasting the vinegar; then add the onions, two teaspoonfuls of salt, a table-spoonful each of powdered cinnamon and clove, and a grated nutmeg; then set it upon the fire and immediately add the tomatoes. when the vinegar begins to simmer press the tomatoes gently down. let them boil only two or three minutes. put them into covered jars; or, when cool enough into wide-mouthed bottles. when the pickles are all used, the vinegar need not be lost, as it is excellent upon baked beans, and cold salt meat, or in mince pies. on cooking vegetables. after being well washed, they should be laid in water, excepting corn and peas, which should be husked and shelled with clean hands, and not washed, as some of the sweetness is thereby extracted. put all kinds, except peas and beans, into boiling water, with a little salt in it. hard water spoils peas, and is not good for any vegetables; a very little saleratus or soda will rectify it. peas are much best when first gathered, and they should not be shelled long before boiling. if they are old, a salt-spoon of soda in the water will make them tender. asparagus should not be cut so far below the surface of the ground as it usually is for market; the white end never boils tender. sweet potatoes require a third longer time to cook than the common ones. greens, lettuce, and cucumbers should be gathered before the dew is off in the morning, and put into fresh water. all these, with peas, beans, and asparagus, are unhealthful after they are withered. =to boil potatoes.= the best potatoes are good boiled without paring, but even they, are best pared; and poor potatoes are unfit to eat, boiled with the skins on. new potatoes are made watery by being laid in water, but late in the winter and in the spring they should be pared and laid in cold water an hour or two before they are cooked. put them into boiling water, with salt in it, and allow thirty or forty minutes for boiling, according to the size. when they are done through, pour off the water, and take the kettle to the door or window, and shake them. doing this in the open air makes them mealy; return them to the fire a minute or two, and then serve. many persons take a fork and break them up in the kettle, before taking them up, and they make a beautiful looking dish done in this way. potatoes require nearly an hour to bake in a cooking stove or range. =mashed potatoes.= boil them according to the directions in the preceding receipt, allowing twenty minutes more time before dinner, than if they were to be put on the table whole. when they are dried, set off the kettle and mash them in it with a wooden pestle. this is better than to take them into a pan, as they will keep hot in the kettle. have ready a gill or two of hot milk or cream; if you use milk, put a small piece of butter into it. sprinkle salt into the potato and mash it till it is perfectly fine; then pour in the hot milk and mix it thoroughly. the more it is wrought with the pestle, the whiter it becomes. put it into the dish for the table, smooth the top into proper shape, and set it into the stove to brown. to prepare it in the nicest manner, beat the yolk of an egg and spread over the top before putting it into the stove. if you do not care to take all this trouble, it is very good without being browned. =potatoe balls.= mash boiled potatoes fine, stir into them the yolk of an egg, and make them into balls; then dip them into a beaten egg, roll them in cracker crumbs, and brown them in a quick oven; or, fry them in a small quantity of nice drippings, and in that case flatten them so that they can be easily turned, and browned both sides. =old potatoes.= when potatoes are poor, as they often are in the spring, pare, soak, and boil them as directed in the first receipt. then take two together in a coarse cloth, squeeze and wring them. you can, with care, turn them into the dish in shape; but if not, it is no matter. the broken pieces will still be far better than before, for they will be dry and mealy. keep a cloth for the purpose. =to fry potatoes.= pare and slice them thin, and if you have the drippings of a baked ham in which to fry them, it will give them a much better relish than butter or beef drippings. cold boiled potatoes, if fried, should be sliced thicker than raw ones. the latter require much more time to cook than the others. sprinkle them with salt while frying. =potatoes heated in milk.= to make a very good dish for breakfast, cut cold potatoes quite small, and put them into a saucepan or spider, with milk enough almost, but not entirely, to cover them. when the milk becomes hot, stir and mash the potatoes with a large spoon until there are no lumps. add salt, and a small bit of butter, stir it often, until it is as dry as you wish to have it. it is a nicer dish, when prepared with so much milk that a good deal of stirring is necessary to make it dry, than if done in but a small quantity. =sweet potatoes.= they are best baked; are very nice boiled till tender, and then pared and laid into the oven to brown. they require more time for being cooked, than the common potato. cold sweet potatoes are excellent sliced and browned on the griddle. when one side is done, sprinkle salt over before turning them. =mashed turnips.= boil them in salt and water, at least an hour and a half, unless they are of early growth. take them from the kettle into a deep dish, press them a little and pour off the water; mash them like potatoes, but use no milk, as they are moist enough. add salt and a little butter. it is a very nice way to put an equal number of potatoes and turnips together, and mash them until they are thoroughly mixed. this is a favorite dish among the dutch in the state of new york. =shelled beans.= put them into cold soft water, just enough to cover them. boil them from an hour to an hour and a quarter. some kinds are more easily boiled than others. do not put in salt until they are nearly done, as its tendency is to make them hard. take them up with a skimmer and butter them. =string beans.= beans should never be used in this way after the pod has become old enough to have a _string_, or tough fibre upon it. cut off each end, and cut them up small. boil them in as little water as will keep them from burning. just before you take them up, add salt and butter, and dredge in a little flour. they should have only as much liquor in them as you wish to take up in the dish, else the sweetness is wasted. string beans and peas are good boiled together. =peas.= if peas are young and fresh (and none others are good), they will boil in half an hour or thirty-five minutes. they should be put into cold water, without salt. the same quantity should be used as for string beans, and for the same reason. when they are tender, add salt and butter. it is an improvement to boil a single small slice of pork in them. it need not be laid into the dish, and the same slice will do for another boiling. =asparagus.= wash it, trim off the white ends, and tie it up in bunches with a twine or a strip of old cotton. throw them into boiling water with salt in it. boil twenty-five minutes or half an hour. have ready two or three slices of toasted bread, dip them in the water and lay them in the dish. spread them with butter and lay the bunches of asparagus upon the toast. cut the strings with a scissors and draw them out without breaking the stalks; lay thin shavings of butter over the asparagus, and send it to the table. =asparagus and eggs.= take cold asparagus, and cut it the size of peas; break four or five eggs into a dish, and beat them with pepper, salt, and the asparagus. then put it into a stew-pan with a spoonful of butter, set it on the fire, and stir it all the time till it thickens. put it upon toasted bread in a hot dish. =mushrooms.= choose such as are young, having red gills; cut off the part of the stalk which grew in the earth; wash them, remove the skin from the top, stew them with some salt in a little water, and when tender add butter, into which you have rubbed browned flour. they are good fried on a griddle. =salad.= gather lettuce and pepper-grass early, before the dew has evaporated; pick them over, and lay them in cold water. if the weather is very warm, change the water before dinner-time, and add ice. just before it is served, cut it small, and prepare the dressing in the following manner. boil three eggs twelve minutes, and throw them into cold water; remove the shell, and take out the yolks; mash them fine in a spoonful of water and two of oil; add salt, powdered sugar, made mustard and vinegar; pour the mixture over the salad, cut the whites of the eggs in rings and garnish the top. =cucumbers.= cucumbers should be gathered while dew is yet on them, and put immediately into water. half an hour before dinner, pare and slice them very thin, and let them lie in fresh water till dinner is ready; then drain them, lay them into a dish, sprinkle them with salt, pour on the vinegar, and add the pepper last. =macaroni.= procure that which looks white and clean. when it is to be used, examine it carefully, as there are sometimes little insects inside. wash it, and put it in a stew-pan in cold water enough almost to cover it. add a little salt. let it boil slowly half an hour; then add a gill of milk and a small piece of butter, and boil it a quarter of an hour more. then put it into the dish in which it is to go to the table, grate old cheese over it, and heat a shovel red-hot and hold over the top to brown it. it may be browned in a stove, but if the dish would be injured by it, the better way is to use the shovel. =parsnips.= those that have remained in the ground till march, are usually very nice. boil them three quarters of an hour, and cook enough for two days. scrape the outside, split them, and lay them on a dish with a little butter, salt, and pepper. take those that are left the next day, and lay them on a hot griddle or spider, with a little butter, ham fat, or nice drippings, and brown them. these are better than on the first day. they will brown well when first boiled, but not so quickly. =carrots.= these are not considered by most people very good; but they are so in broth and soup. to eat with meat they should be boiled three quarters of an hour, if fresh from the garden; in the winter, an hour and a half. they make very good pies after the fashion of pumpkin or squash; but they must be boiled very tender, and in a good deal of water, else a strong taste will pervade the pies. =beets.= when they are washed the little fibres and ragged excrescences should not be broken off, as the juices of the root will thus be lost. young beets boil in an hour; but in the winter they require from two to three hours. when tender, put them for a minute or two into cold water, take them in your hands and slip the skins off. this is a much easier and better way than to remove the skin with a knife. lay them into a dish, cut them several times through, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, add a little butter, and, if you choose, vinegar also. it is a very good way to cut up all that remain after dinner, put on salt and vinegar, and set them aside to be used cold another day. =salsify, or oyster plant.= wash and scrape it very thoroughly, and put it in boiling water with salt in it. when tender, cut it in slices and fry it in hot fat, in a batter made of an egg, milk, flour, and salt. it is very nice, also, dipped in bread-crumbs moistened with a beaten egg, and browned on a griddle. =summer squash.= if the rind is tender, boil it whole, in a little bag kept for the purpose. it should be put into boiling water; three quarters of an hour is long enough to cook it. take the bag into a pan and press it with the edge of a plate or with a ladle, until the water is out; then turn the squash out into a dish, add salt and butter, and smooth over the top. =winter squash.= cut it up and take out the inside. pare the pieces, and stew them in as little water as possible. if you have a tin with holes in it, which will fit the kettle and keep the squash from touching the water, it is the nicest way to steam it. be careful it does not burn. it will cook in an hour. mash it in a dish, or, if it is watery, squeeze it in a coarse cloth like summer squash. stir in butter and salt. lay it into the dish, smooth the top, and, if you like, pepper it. =onions.= boil them twenty minutes, and pour off the water entirely; then put in equal parts of hot water and milk, or skimmed milk alone, and boil them twenty minutes more. when they are done through, take them up with a skimmer, let them drain a little, and lay them into the dish. put on butter, pepper, and salt. =spinage.= put it into a net, or a bag of coarse muslin, kept for the purpose, and boil it in a plenty of water with salt in it, ten or twelve minutes. all kinds of greens should be boiled in plenty of water, else they will be bitter. one method of serving spinage is, to press it between two plates, then put it into a saucepan with a small bit of butter, salt, and a little cream, and boil it up. another is to drain it thoroughly, lay it in the dish, put upon the top hard boiled eggs, sliced, and pour melted butter over it. =greens.= cabbage plants, turnip or mustard tops, the roots and tops of young beets, cowslips, dandelions, and various other things, make a good dish in the spring. when boiled enough, they will sink to the bottom of the kettle. some require an hour, and others less time. turnip-tops will be boiled enough in twenty minutes. remember to put salt into the water unless you boil a piece of pork with them. =cabbage.= remove the waste leaves, and divide the stump end as far as the centre of the cabbage. it is good boiled with salt meat; but if cooked by itself, salt should be added to the water. cabbage should be put into boiling water, be well skimmed, and boil an hour or hour and a half, according to the size. =cauliflowers.= lay them an hour or two in cold salt and water; remove the outside leaves and boil them half an hour in milk and water. if they are strong, pour off the water when they are half done, and put fresh boiling water to them. brocoli is cooked in the same manner, and should be laid on toast exactly like asparagus. =egg plant.= take fresh purple ones, and pull out the stem; parboil them and cut them in slices about an inch thick. dip them in a beaten egg, and then in a plate of bread or cracker crumbs, with salt and pepper, and fry them in drippings until they are nicely browned. =boiled corn.= put the ears into boiling water, with salt in it, and boil them half an hour. =corn soup.= cut the corn off the cob, and boil the cobs half an hour in the water; then take them out, put in the corn and boil it twenty minutes or half an hour. if there is a quart of the corn and water, add a pint of new milk, with salt, pepper, and one or two beaten eggs. continue the boiling a few minutes, and thicken it a little with flour. =succotash.= cut off the corn from the cobs, and, an hour and a half before dinner, put the cobs, with a few shelled beans, into cold water to boil. after one hour take out the cobs, put in the corn and boil it half an hour. there should be no more water than will be necessary to make the succotash of the right thickness; as having too much occasions a loss of the richness imparted by the cobs. when you take it up, add a small piece of butter. this is much better than to boil the corn on the cob and then cut it off. it is a very good way, when a family are tired of fresh meat in hot weather, to boil a piece of pork in another pot until the grossest fat has boiled out, and then put it with the succotash for the remainder of the time. it gives a very good flavor to the corn, and makes an excellent dinner. =corn oysters.= grate young, sweet corn into a dish, and to a pint add one egg, well beaten, a small teacup of flour, half a gill of cream, and a teaspoonful of salt. mix it well together. fry it exactly like oysters, dropping it into the fat by spoonfuls about the size of an oyster. pickles. pickles should never be kept in potter's ware, as arsenic and other poisonous substances are used in the glazing; and this is sometimes decomposed by vinegar. whole families have been poisoned in this way; and where fatal effects do not follow, a deleterious influence may be operating upon the health, from this cause, when it is not suspected. pickles should be made with cider vinegar. =cucumbers.= wash and drain them in a sieve, but take care not to break the little prickles upon them, as the effect will be to make them soft. lay them in a jar, pour boiling vinegar upon them and cover them close. the next time you gather any, take those from the jar, and put them into that in which they are to be kept, in fresh vinegar having a very little salt in it, and a small bag of spices. take the vinegar from the first jar, boil it again, pour it upon the fresh cucumbers, and transfer them like the first to the larger jar, the next time you have a new quantity to boil. when you have gathered all you wish for, put a brass or bell-metal kettle[ ] over the fire, with the vinegar in it which you have so often boiled, and add a little more to it,--no matter if it is not sharp. lay in your pickles and scald them a few minutes. take them out with a large skimmer, draining them, and lay them back into the jar of spiced vinegar. look at them occasionally; they may need a little more vinegar. keep them covered close. [ ] a kettle lined with porcelain is better than any other for cooking acids. brass or bell-metal should be thoroughly scoured immediately before it is used for these purposes. =mangoes.= select small musk-melons (the common kind are much better for this purpose than cantelopes); cut an oval piece out of one side. you must have a sharp knife, and be careful to make a smooth incision. take out the seeds with a teaspoon. fill the melons with a stuffing made of cloves, mustard-seed, pepper-corns, scrapings of horseradish, and chopped onion if you like it. sew on the piece with a needle and coarse thread, or bind a strip of old cotton around each one and sew it. lay them in a jar, and pour boiling vinegar on them with a little salt in it. do it two or three times, then lay them in fresh vinegar and cover them close. =peaches.= select peaches that are ripe, yet not quite soft enough to eat; push a clove into each one at the end opposite the stem. put two pounds of brown sugar to a gallon of vinegar, and boil it up; skim off the top, boil it up once more, and pour it, hot, upon the peaches. cover them close. it may be necessary to scald the vinegar again in a week or two; after that, they will keep any length of time. they retain much of the flavor of a fresh peach. =nasturtiums.= gather the seeds while green, let them lie a few days, then throw them into vinegar. they need no spice except a little salt, being themselves sufficiently spicy. boil the vinegar and pour on them. they are considered by many persons better than capers, and are much like them. they should be kept six months, covered close, before they are used. =eggs.= boil them twelve minutes, and throw them immediately into cold water, which will cause the shell to come off easily. boil some red beets till very soft, peel and mash them fine, and put them into cold vinegar enough to cover the eggs; add salt, pepper, cloves, and nutmeg. put the eggs into a jar and pour the mixture over them. =peppers.= take fresh, hard peppers, soak them in salt and water nine days, changing the brine each day. let them stand in a warm place. then put them into cold vinegar. if you wish them very hot, leave in the seeds. if not, take out the seeds of the greatest part of them. if peppers are put into the same jar with cucumbers, the entire strength of them will go into the cucumbers, and they themselves will become nearly tasteless. half a dozen peppers will improve a jar of cucumbers. =butternuts.= gather them between the twenty-fifth and thirtieth of june. make a brine of boiled salt and water, strong enough to bear up an egg after it is cold. skim it while it boils. pour it on the nuts, and let them lie in it twelve days. then drain them; lay them in a jar, and pour over them the best of cider vinegar, boiled with pepper-corns, cloves, allspice, mustard, ginger, mace, and horseradish. this should be cooled before it is poured on. cover close, and keep them a year before using them. walnuts are done in the same way. the vinegar becomes an excellent catsup, by many persons preferred to any other. =martinias.= gather them when they are rather small, and so tender that you can run the head of a pin into them. wipe off the down and put them into a cold, weak brine. keep them in brine nine days, changing it every other day. make a pickle of vinegar, allspice, cloves, mace, nutmegs, and cinnamon. take the martinias out of the brine, wipe them, and lay them into a stone jar; pour the mixture of vinegar and spice, boiling hot, over them; cover them close, and let them stand one month, and they will be fit for use. there can be no finer pickle than this, and the plant is so prolific, that half a dozen seeds will produce enough to fill a large jar. =tomatoes.= see page . =plums, peaches, cherries, or tomatoes.= four quarts of cider vinegar, five pounds of sugar, a quarter of a pound of cinnamon, and two ounces of clove, to seven pounds of fruit. scald the vinegar and sugar together, and take off the scum; add the spices and boil it up again, and pour it immediately upon the fruit. scald the vinegar twice more at intervals of three or four days, and cover the jar close after it is poured in. a less expensive way is found to be very good. put four pounds of sugar to eight of fruit, half the quantity of spice, a spoonful of salt, and one also of powdered allspice. tea, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, etc. =tea.= see that the water boils. scald the pot, and put in a teaspoonful for each person. upon green tea, pour a little water, and allow it to stand two or three minutes where it will keep hot; then fill the pot from the teakettle. green tea should never be boiled, and it is rendered dead by being steeped long. of black tea the same measure is used; the pot being filled up at first, and set immediately upon the stove, just long enough to boil up once. water should be added to the teapot from the teakettle; never from the water pot, as in that case it cannot be boiling hot. black and green tea are good mixed. if tea is made from a boiling urn at the table, which is, on several accounts, a very good practice, make black tea in the same way as green. =to roast coffee.= as this must be done well in order to have good coffee, directions for it may not be amiss. there are often little stones in coffee, of the same color with it; therefore, pick it over carefully. if you have no coffee-roaster, put it into a round-bottomed, iron kettle, and let it be where it will be hot an hour or two without burning; then put it where it will brown, and stir it constantly until it is done. if it is left half a minute, the kernels next to the kettle may be burnt black, and this is enough to injure all the rest. it should be a dark, rich brown, but not black. before taking it up, stir in a piece of butter the size of a small nut. put it, while steaming hot, into a box with a close cover. in a small family, not more than two pounds should be roasted at once, as it loses its freshness by being roasted long before use. for the same reason it should be ground as it is wanted. the practice of grinding up a quantity for two or three weeks, is a poor one. the best kinds are the java and the mocha, and it is considered an improvement to mix the two. west india coffee, though of a different flavor, is often very good. =to make coffee.= put a coffee-cup full into a pot that will hold three pints of water; add the white of an egg, or a few shavings of isinglass, or a well cleansed and dried bit of fish-skin of the size of a ninepence. pour upon it boiling water and boil it ten minutes. then pour out a little from the spout, in order to remove the grains that may have boiled into it, and pour it back into the pot. let it stand eight or ten minutes where it will keep hot, but not boil; boiling coffee a great while makes it strong, but not so lively or agreeable. if you have no cream, boil a saucepan of milk, and after pouring it into the pitcher, stir it now and then till the breakfast is ready, that the cream may not separate from the milk. if you use a coffee-biggin, let the coffee be ground very fine and packed tight in the strainer; pour on boiling water, stop the spout of the pot, shut the lid close, and place it upon a heater kept for the purpose. this is made at the table. =coffee milk.= put a dessert spoonful of ground coffee into a pint of milk; boil it a quarter of an hour with a shaving or two of isinglass; then let it stand ten minutes and pour it off. =chocolate.= for those who use a great deal of chocolate, the following is an economical method. cut a cake into small bits and put them into a pint of boiling water. in a few minutes set it off the fire and stir it well till the chocolate is dissolved; then boil it again gently a few minutes, pour it into a bowl, and set it in a cool place. it will keep good eight or ten days. for use, boil a spoonful or two in a pint of milk, with sugar. =another.= shave fine an inch wide across a cake of chocolate; pour on it a quart of boiling water; boil it twenty minutes; add milk in such proportion as you like, and boil it up again. =cocoa.= the cracked cocoa is considered the best. two large spoonfuls put into three pints of cold water, and boiled from one to two hours, is a good rule to make it for four or five persons. it should be boiled over several times, as it is very strong. boil milk for it by itself. =to make the ground cocoa.= boil two large spoonfuls in a quart of water half an hour; skim off the oil, pour in three gills of milk, and boil it up again. it is the best way to make it the day before it is used, as the oily substance can be more perfectly removed when the cocoa is cold. =shells.= put a heaping teacupful to a quart of boiling water. boil them a great while. half an hour will do, but two or three hours is far better. scald milk as for coffee. if there is not time to boil shells long enough before breakfast, it is well to put them into the water over night. =syrup of cream.= to a pint of fresh cream, put a pound and a quarter of loaf sugar; boil it in an earthen pot or saucepan; pour it into a jar or basin, and let it stand till it is cold; then put it into phials and cork close. it will keep good for several weeks, and is convenient to carry to sea. =to raise a thick cream.= put new milk into an earthen pan, and set it on a stove, or over clear embers till it is quite hot. then set it aside till the next day, and it will produce excellent cream for coffee or fruit. convenient common dishes, and ways of using remnants. =baked pork and beans.= for a family of six or seven, take a quart of white beans, wash them in several waters, and put them into two or three quarts over night. in the morning (when it will be easier to cull out the bad ones, than before they were soaked), pick them over, and boil them until they begin to crack open; then put them into a brown pan, such as are made for the purpose. pour upon them enough of the water they were boiled in almost to cover them. cut the rind of about a pound of salt pork into narrow strips; lay it on the top of the beans, and press it down so that it will lie more than half its thickness in the water. bake several hours; four or five is not too much. where a brick oven is used, it is well to let beans remain in it over night. if they are baked in a stove, or range, more water may be necessary, before they are done. many persons think it a decided improvement to put in a large spoonful or two of molasses. it is a very good way. those who object to the use of pork, can have a very good dish of beans, by substituting two table-spoonfuls of nice beef-drippings, and adding two teaspoonfuls of salt. to heat over baked beans, put them in a spider with a little water; heat them slowly at first, and cover close. if they are too moist, remove the cover and stir them often. =salt meat and vegetables, boiled together.= put in the beef first, and allow twenty-five minutes or half an hour for every pound. skim the water when it begins to simmer. an hour and a half before the dinner-hour, put in the pork, well scraped and washed, and again skim off the froth. wash the vegetables with special care, and allow for boiling turnips, carrots, and cabbage, an hour, or an hour and a quarter; for parsnips three quarters, and for potatoes, half an hour. if the potatoes are not pared, a small piece of the skin should be cut off from each end. when the dinner is served, the pot should be set away in a cool place, and the fat taken from the top the next day, and put aside for soap grease. it will not be good for any other use, as it will have the flavor of the vegetables. =remnants of roast beef.= take off with a sharp knife all the meat from the bones. if there are a few nice slices, reserve them, if most convenient, to be eaten cold. chop the rest fine in a tray. take cold gravy, without the fat, and put into a spider to heat. if you have not this, some of the stock, or water in which meat has been boiled. when it boils up, sprinkle in salt, and put in the minced meat; cover it, and let it stand upon the fire long enough to heat thoroughly, then stir in a small piece of butter. toast bread and lay in the dish and put the meat over it. the common error in heating over meat, sliced or minced, is the putting it into a cold spider, with too much fat, and cooking it a long time. this makes it oily and tasteless. almost all meats, when cooked a second time, should be done very quick. the goodness of these dishes depends much upon their being _served hot_. =another.= when tomatoes are to be had, cut up several, according to the size of your family, and the quantity of cold meat; put them into a covered saucepan or kettle. when it boils put in the remnants, large and small, of cold roast beef, and also of roast mutton and lamb, if you have them. add half a spoonful of brown sugar, salt, and a small bit of butter unless you have cold gravy. this, with the fat taken off, is nearly as good. boil it again, fast, but only long enough to heat the meat thoroughly. five minutes is enough. =remnants of boiled meat.= chop fine cold pieces of soup meat, or other boiled meat, salt or fresh; then add cold potatoes, and when these are chopped and mixed with the meat, heat in a spider some cold soup, or water in which meat has been boiled. as it boils up, put in the meat and potatoes, add salt, and cover it close for two or three minutes, then stir in a small piece of butter, let it stand a minute or two longer and then serve in a warm dish. =to heat over beefsteak.= cut it up small, or chop it; put it into a spider or saucepan with a little hot water. season it with salt and a little butter. all these dishes of remnants are much improved by using, instead of water, some of the stock for which a receipt is given on page . =minced veal.= chop fine the pieces left of roast veal. heat the gravy in a spider, or, if you have none left, melt a piece of butter half the size of an egg in a gill of hot water; stir it till it is melted lest it become oily. when it boils, put in the veal and cover it; stir it two or three times in the course of eight or ten minutes; season it with salt and pepper. toast two or three slices of bread and lay in the dish. put the veal upon the toast. =brawn.= boil a hock of beef, and any little pieces you may have besides, several hours. when the meat is ready to fall from the bones, take it out into an earthen pan, salt it, and season it with pepper, sage, and sweet marjoram. put it into a coarse linen cloth or towel, twist it up tight and lay a weight upon it. a good deal of fat will thus be pressed out. when it has lain twenty-four hours take off the cloth. cut thin slices for breakfast. it is very good, and will keep in a cool place several weeks. the water in which it was boiled will make excellent soup, or stock for gravies. =head cheese.= take the head, feet, ears, and tail of a hog, and boil them until every bone falls out. then take all the meat, both fat and lean, and put into an earthen pan. season it with salt, pepper, sage, cloves, and summer savory, or any spice and herbs you may prefer. put it into a coarse cloth, twist it up, and lay a weight upon it. this is a favorite article of food in some parts of the country, and certainly it is very good. great care is necessary in cleaning such giblets of pork. another economical use for them is to take out all the bones, as for head cheese, and then return the meat to the liquor, boil it up, and stir in indian meal, just as in making hasty-pudding. put in considerable salt, and let it boil very moderately another hour and a half. then take it up in deep dishes, and when it is cold cut it in slices and brown it on a griddle. a convenient breakfast article for laborers, but too hearty for persons of sedentary habits. =souse.= take off the horny parts of the feet and toes of a pig, and clean the feet, ears, and tail very thoroughly; then boil them till the large bones slip out easily. pack the meat into a stone jar, with pepper, salt, and allspice sprinkled between each layer. mix some good cider vinegar with the liquor in which it was boiled, in the proportion of one third vinegar to two thirds liquor, and fill up the jar. =to boil rice.= rice should be carefully picked over, and then washed first in warm water, and rubbed between the hands; then, five or six times in a good deal of cold water. it will not be white unless it is well washed. to cook rice as a vegetable to be eaten with meat, put a pint into three or four quarts of hot water, with a teaspoonful of salt for each quart. boil it fast fifteen minutes, then pour off the water, and set it, uncovered upon the stove where it will not burn, to dry. boiled in this way, the kernels are separate, and it is considered, by those who live in the rice growing countries, the best, if not the only proper way of cooking it. _to boil rice in milk_, is a very good way for families that keep cows, as it is thus a nice substitute for a pudding. put a pint of rice into nearly two quarts of cold milk, an hour before dinner. add two teaspoonfuls of salt. boil it very slowly, and stir it often. it will cook on the back part of the range or stove, and not be liable to burn. when the supply of milk is small, boil rice in skimmed milk, or milk and water. it should, when boiled in a way to lose the distinct form of the kernels, be taken up in a mould, or bowl, wet in cold water, a short time before it is served. =cracked wheat.= take one or two quarts, according to the size of the family, put it into cold water and after stirring it well, let it settle, then pour off the water, and add more, in the proportion of three quarts to a quart of wheat. let it stand over night, and the next day boil it very moderately two or three hours. add salt, and stir it very often lest it should burn. if it becomes too thick, add more water. the evaporation is more rapid at sometimes than at others. it should be not quite as thick as hasty pudding. take it up in dishes wet in cold water. to brown it for breakfast, grease a tin or dripping pan, turn the wheat out of the dish upon it, and set it into the stove oven. it will become heated through, and handsomely browned in half an hour or forty minutes, and many people like it thus, better than when it is first boiled. either way it is very nutritious and healthful. =hasty pudding.= boil in a pot or kettle about six quarts of water, leaving room for the addition of the meal; mix a pint bowl full of indian meal and cold water with a small spoonful of salt. when the water boils, stir this into it. after thirty or forty minutes, stir in four or five handfuls of dry meal, and let it boil as much longer; then add more dry meal. taste it to see if it is salt enough. stir it very often to prevent its burning. most people make it too thick, and do not cook it half long enough. boil it, altogether, at least two hours. when taken out, it should be so soft that it will in a few minutes settle down smooth in the dish. if you wish to fry it, put a spoonful of water into each deep pan or dish into which it is to be put, to keep it from sticking. =hasty pudding fried.= cut cold pudding in slices the thickness of your finger, and lay them on the griddle. more fat will be necessary than for buckwheat cakes, but it fries much slower. if the fire is right it will be ready to turn in fifteen minutes, and will be brown. turn it and let it lie about half as long as on the first side. this is a very good breakfast for a winter morning. it does very nicely to be laid in the dripping-pan, and set into a stove oven; it will in that case not need turning, and of course will absorb less fat. it will take forty minutes to brown it in the stove. =pan pie.= the sour apples that drop from the trees early in the autumn, make an excellent pan pie without being pared. the skin then contains much of the richness of the apple, and is often so thin, that when cooked, it cannot be distinguished from the pulp. there are few articles of diet so healthy and palatable as pan pie, that are prepared with so little trouble and expense. where a brick oven is used, the following is a good receipt. take a potters ware pan, that will hold a gallon, and fill it with apples, quartered and cored; in winter pare the apples; roll out a piece of light bread dough, and lay upon the top; butter the edge of the pan to prevent the dough from sticking to it; cut an opening in the crust to allow the steam to escape, and put it into the oven. after about two hours draw it out and remove the crust, sweeten it with good molasses, or, if you choose, coarse sugar. some persons use both. put in a few sticks of cinnamon or some allspice, and a piece of butter as large as a nut. stir it up thoroughly from the bottom. your taste must guide you as to the quantity of sugar or molasses. break up the bread crust and put into the apple. if it is very moist, return the pan uncovered to the oven; but if dry enough, cover it with an old plate; let it stand four or five hours. there are various ways of making this dish. some persons prefer to put in the molasses at first, and others use only sugar. it is very easy to improve it by rolling a little butter into the dough, exactly as in pie-crust; and if this is done once only, it makes the crust much more tender. some persons put any crusts or pieces of bread they happen to have, into the apple, and if the crust that was baked with it is thin, it is a very good way. =another.= to make a pan pie to bake in a stove oven, or range, cover the bottom of a deep dish with a layer of stewed apple; spread over it brown sugar enough to make it sweet, scatter in a little powdered cinnamon, and add two or three bits of butter the size of a filbert; then lay in pieces of plain pie crust or biscuit, baked rather brown, or crusts of light bread; spread a thick layer of apple over the pieces, scatter more cinnamon, and pour over the whole molasses enough to sweeten the upper layer of apple, then bake it in a moderate heat an hour and a half, or two hours. it is the best way to make it while the stewed apple is hot. =crumb cakes.= keep a bowl or pitcher with sour milk in it, and from time to time throw in the crumbs of bread which break off when it is sliced, and also the dry pieces left of the table. when you next want griddle-cakes, take this mixture and break up all the pieces with your hand, add an egg, salt, and saleratus, and a few spoonfuls of flour. if the proportion of bread is too great, the cakes will not be good. experience must teach, as no exact rule can be given. =milk toast.= put a quart of milk, except two or three spoonfuls, to boil; rub smooth a small table-spoonful of flour in the reserved milk; when that in the saucepan begins to boil, stir in a piece of butter, rather larger than an egg, cut up in little bits. stir steadily until it is all melted; then stir in the flour, and add a teaspoonful of salt. when it boils up again, set it where it will keep hot, without boiling, while the bread is toasted. bread is not good when it is dried in the process of toasting; it should be browned quickly, and dipped while it is hot. if you have cream, boil it without adding any butter; when boiled, put in a little salt, and a very little flour rubbed smooth in a spoonful of milk; dip the slices of toasted bread, and let them remain half a minute; then lay them into a hot dish with a cover, and pour over the remainder of the boiled cream. =bruiss.= take crusts of brown bread, and if they are dry and hard, lay them over night in a little water. in the morning add milk and boil them slowly. take care they do not burn. sprinkle in salt, and just before you take them up, add a little butter. if there is too much milk, take off the lid the latter part of the time. take up the pieces as whole as you can. crusts of white bread make a good breakfast dish, in the same way, except that they do not need soaking over night. =uses for pieces of bread.= in some families there is always an accumulation of pieces of bread, and a good deal of ingenuity is necessary to prevent waste. if bread is good, and proper care is taken, such a thing as a plate of dry pieces is needless. some families never have them. but for the benefit of those who, from any cause, cannot always prevent it, the following modes for making good use of pieces are suggested. a bread pudding is easily made, by boiling the pieces in milk. you can make as rich a pudding as you choose, by adding sugar, eggs, suet, spice, and raisins; or as plain a one, putting no sugar, two eggs, and a few sliced apples to a quart of milk, and boil or bake it. make crumb cakes of some of the pieces. boil a dish of others in milk for breakfast. if you are cooking meat that requires or admits of a stuffing, soften crusts with a very little boiling water, add butter, herbs, and a beaten egg. in summer, when bread becomes mouldy from long keeping, lay the pieces which cannot be used immediately, upon a tin and dry them in the oven; they are as good pounded for puddings and crumb cakes as before drying, and as nice to dress a ham as cracker crumbs. nice pieces of bread are good in pan pie, and also in stewed tomato. it is a good way to have a small board upon which to slice bread; and brush the crumbs from it into a box, or dish kept for the purpose. such things may seem of little consequence, but the beneficial influence of economical habits is not limited to the actual value of the amount saved. =care of fat and drippings.= in a large family, where much meat is consumed, the care of the fat and drippings is an important item; and every housekeeper should know what is done with them.[ ] if she has a young cook, she probably will not be acquainted with the various ways of preventing them from being wasted; if one who is experienced, she may not always care to take the trouble. when meat is of a superior quality, there is usually some fat which should be trimmed off before it is cooked, and more will then roast out, than can be properly used for gravy; therefore, about three quarters of an hour before the meat is done, pour off all the drippings from the roaster, into a dish, and set them away to cool.[ ] save all the nice pieces of fat, and put those that are not so into the soap-grease. in warm weather, the good pieces should be clarified once in three or four days; in winter, once a week. if you have boiled lamb, or boiled beef which has been slightly salted, take the fat which cools on the top of the liquor, and add to that poured off from the roaster; scrape off any specks which may be on the under side of it. to clarify, cut small all the pieces saved, and put them into a small kettle; cover it, and put it on the stove or range where it will not burn. it should be tried slowly; stir it occasionally. when it looks clear, the cakes of drippings, the pieces from the top of the pot, &c., should be added. as soon as it again becomes clear, pour it through a little sieve, or colander with very small holes. [ ] the custom of giving them to the cook as her perquisite, besides being wasteful is productive of various evils. [ ] see the directions for making gravies. fat thus clarified will save butter. it makes very good plain gingerbread and common pie-crust, or if preferred, can be used in each of these with half butter; it is as good as lard, to fry doughnuts or biscuit, and much more healthful; and though not equal for frying fish, to salt pork, does very well for this purpose. it is well to keep a small stone jar for such fat. a brown earthen one soon becomes saturated with it, and smells disagreeably. the fat of mutton should not be put with other kinds, as it is very hard and tallow-like, and the taste is not agreeable. it however does very well to use on the griddle, or to grease pans for bread. the fat which is not nice enough for any of these uses, should (unless it is more convenient to dispose of it to the soap boiler) be tried for the purpose of making soap. it should be kept in a dry place where it will not mould, and be covered so that flies will not visit it. two receipts are given (see page ) for making soap with very little trouble. =to make soap with potash.= allow sixteen pounds each of grease and potash for a barrel of soap. the grease should be such as has been well taken care of, viz., tried before it became wormy or mouldy. the potash should be about the color of pumice-stone. that which is red, makes dark soap, unfit for washing clothes. cut up the grease into pieces of two or three ounces, put it into a tight barrel with the potash; then pour in two pailfuls of rain or spring water. the soap will be soonest made by heating the water, but it is just as sure to be good if made with cold water. add a pailful of soft water every day, until the barrel is half full, and stir it well each day. a long stick with a cross piece at the lower end, is convenient for the purpose. when the barrel is half full, add no more water for a week or ten days, but continue to stir it daily. after that, add a pailful a day, until the barrel is full. it is the best way to keep soap three or four months before beginning to use it. it spends more economically, and is less sharp to the hands. when half of it has been used, put two pails of soft water to the rest, and stir it up well, from the bottom. the lower half of a barrel of home-made soap is always the strongest. soft soap, made with clean grease and good potash is of a light nankeen color, and is better for washing flannels and white clothes than any other. it is good economy to make soap, and it is so little work to make it with potash, and the result is so sure, that no one need to be deterred from it by the fear of trouble or ill-success. =to make soap with ashes.= the following method of making soap with ashes has been tried and proved good. provide a leach cask, that is, one that is large at the top, and small at the bottom. if this is not readily obtained, procure a hogshead that will not leak, have the head taken out at one end, and set it, propped forward a little, upon logs placed right and left, and high enough from the ground to set a pail under the front side. there should be a hole in the bottom, close to the front, with a tight plug in it. lay in two or three bricks around the plug hole, and across them some bits of board, so as to reserve a space, and keep the ashes from packing close against the plug hole,--also several bricks here and there over the bottom with straw or brush laid on them. then have the ashes put in and pressed down, till the hogshead is very full. scoop a hollow in the centre in which to pour the water, and then fill it with cold _soft_ water, until it will absorb no more. the next day, see if the water has settled away, if so, add more. when it is full, cover it up. after three weeks, draw off the ley, and put it into the soap barrel. then pour into it twenty pounds of grease, of all kinds, tried and rough, ham skins, and scraps, boiling hot. stir it very thoroughly, and every day. have the hogshead filled again, and after three or four weeks draw off the ley, which will, this time, be comparatively weak; fill up the soap barrel, and continue to stir it daily for a week or two. the first ley being very strong will completely eat up even the coarsest of the grease, and after three or four months you will have a barrel of excellent soap, fit for use. in order to have strong ley the ashes should be of good wood. walnut and maple ashes are best for the purpose. if you wish to make the soap immediately, the water for filling the leach should be nearly boiling, and it can be drawn off the next day. leached ashes are useful to spread upon grass. the care of milk, and making butter. no branch of household economy brings a better reward than the making of butter; and to one who takes an interest in domestic employments, it soon becomes a pleasant occupation. the following instructions are derived from the personal experience of one of the most skilful dairy-women in new england; and by observing them, the youthful house-keeper, hitherto unpractised in such mysteries, will have the pleasure of furnishing her table with the finest butter, the work of her own hands. the first requisite is to have a good cow. one that has high hips, short fore-legs and a large udder is to be preferred. the cream-colored and the mouse-colored cows generally give a large quantity and of rich quality. her feeding should be faithfully attended to. she should have a good pasture not far distant, or if this is impracticable, care must be taken that she is not made to run--a piece of mischief frequently practised. give her a teacupful of salt once a week. feed her once a day with the waste from the kitchen, adding to it about a pint of indian meal. give her the skimmed milk not wanted in the family. if she does not readily drink it, teach her by keeping her a few days without an ample supply of water. take care that nothing is given her which will injure the taste of the milk, such as turnips and parsnips. carrots are a fine vegetable for cows. have her milked by a person who understands the process, or she will not give it freely, and will soon become dry. but the most abundant supply of the richest milk will avail little, unless all the articles used in the care of it are kept in perfect order. they should not be used for other purposes. keep a cloth for washing them only, and never wash them in the same water with other dishes. after washing, every article, and the cloth with which they are washed, must be scalded. wash off thoroughly all the milk from the pans, pail, strainer, churn, dasher, skimmer, spoons, &c., before scalding them. if milk remains in them when scalded, the butter will be injured, as may be supposed, from the fact that a cloth strainer, if scalded a few times with milk in it, becomes yellow, and as stiff as if it were starched. to scald them the water must actually boil. have a kettle of a size to admit the pail and pans, and plunge all the articles into it; as, if the water is only poured on, the edges of the pan and the ears of the pail will not always be well scalded. if a cloth strainer is used, it should be of thin, coarse linen. a basin having a fine wire strainer is used by many persons. tin pails and pans are better than wood and earthen; because tin is more easily kept sweet than wood, and the glazing upon brown earthen pans is sometimes decomposed by sour milk.[ ] large wooden churns, worked by dogs trained to the business, are used in large dairies; but those who keep one or two cows only, will find a stone-ware churn best. no other is so easily kept sweet. for keeping the cream, never use tin, but always stone, cream-colored or fire-proof ware. for working butter, keep a wooden bowl and ladle. this last article is seldom found in new england, but always in the state of new york. every butter-maker should have it, as the warmth of the hand detracts from the sweetness of the butter. [ ] about two years since four men, while making hay in a warm day, drank buttermilk which had been kept in a jar of potter's ware, and every one died immediately. have the milk closet on the coolest side of the house, or in the dryest and coolest part of the cellar, and with a window in it covered with wire-net or slats. good butter cannot be made without a free circulation of fresh air. allow no drops of cream or milk to remain a day on the shelves. every inch of such a closet must be kept perfectly clean. strain the milk as soon as it is brought in, and set it immediately in its place. to remove milk after the cream has begun to rise, prevents its rising freely. for the same reason the smallest quantity should not be taken from a pan set for raising cream; therefore all that is wanted for the day's use, must be set apart from the other pans. those who have ice through the summer, have a valuable aid in making good butter. a piece as large as a peach, should be put into a pan containing three quarts of milk, as soon as it is placed in the closet. the milk will not sour as soon, and of course will afford more cream. skim the cream as soon as the milk has become _loppord_, which will, in hot weather, be in about thirty hours. to do this, first pass the fore-finger round the edge of the pan; (this is better than to use the skimmer, because there is a hard, wiry edge of cream adhering to the pan, which if taken off will injure the butter;) then take off the cream, clear as possible from the milk. in very hot weather, especially in august, which is the least favorable month for making butter, a heaping spoonful of salt should be put into a pailful of milk, after the portion for the ordinary family uses is taken out; and at all seasons, fine salt should be put into the cream from day to day, as it is gathered. the effect of this is excellent, in keeping it sweet and giving a rich flavor to the butter. the finest butter is made where the number of cows renders it necessary to churn every day. the custom of churning once a week is not to be tolerated. cream that is kept seven days, unless it be in the coldest weather, cannot be made into good butter. if you keep but one cow, churn twice a week; and in dog-days, three times. do it in the cool of the morning. if the weather is warm, set the churn into a tub of cold water; add ice if you have it, and put a piece also into the churn. air is necessary to make butter _come_; therefore, if the cream flies out of the opening around the dasher, do not put any thing round to prevent it. when the butter has come, continue the strokes of the dasher a few minutes to separate all the little particles from the butter-milk. this done, take it out into the wooden bowl with a ladle or skimmer. the bowl and ladle should have boiling water poured on them when you first begin to churn. after a few minutes it should be poured off, and cold water be poured on them, and they should stand till you are ready to use them. this is to prevent the butter from sticking to them. work the butter with the ladle, until the buttermilk ceases to come out; then sprinkle it with clean sifted salt, as that which was put into the cream will not be enough; work it in well, and taste it to see if more should be added. observation and experience must teach you how much to use. mould the butter with the ladle into balls or lumps of any form you prefer; put it into a covered jar or tureen and set it in the ice-house or cellar. butter is sweetest to be worked but once, and if all which you make is used from week to week, it is sufficient, provided it comes hard; if it is soft at first, it must be worked again the next morning. that which is to be laid down for future use, or to be kept two or three weeks, must be worked again after a day or two, and every particle of buttermilk got out. never work butter a third time. from october to june, the best method of raising cream is to set the pans for twelve hours in the milk closet, and then for five hours on a stove, or a furnace having embers in it, where the milk will become hot, _but not scald_; then return it to the closet, and after it is cold, take off the cream, draining it very clear from the milk. much more cream will be obtained in this, than in the ordinary method; and at least a quarter more butter will be secured from the same quantity of milk. it also comes very quick--ten minutes' churning being often sufficient. this is the method practised in devonshire, england; and the _clotted cream_, as it is there called, is carried up to the london market; for it is not only good for butter, but also for coffee and other uses. care must be taken that the milk is not made too hot. if it becomes so hot as almost to scald, the cream will have little skinny flakes in it, which will be visible in the butter. =a good brine for keeping butter.= to two quarts of water, put one of clean fine salt, a pound of loaf or crushed sugar, and a teaspoonful of saltpetre. when it has stood an hour, in order that the salt and sugar may dissolve, strain it through a flannel bag, and pour it over the butter. less salt may be enough. the object is to have as much as the water will take up. =to keep butter sweet a year.= take care that the butter is made in the best manner, and the buttermilk entirely worked out of it. lay it in a white-oak firkin. make a strong brine of salt and water, and put it into another and larger firkin, and set the one containing the butter into the one in which the brine is. let the brine come up very near to the top of the butter firkin. lay on the top of the butter a white bag with fine salt in it, cover it close, and then put on the cover of the outside firkin. on making cheese. the articles used in making cheese should be kept sweet and clean as in making butter. they should be scalded daily, and never be set away until perfectly dry. the conveniences wanted are a large pine tub, painted white inside; a cheese basket and a ladder, on which to set the basket over the tub; two cheese-hoops, large or small, according to the size of the dairy; two large square strainers of thin coarse linen; two circular boards called _followers_; and a brass kettle large enough to hold several pails of milk. presses used are of various constructions. the most convenient one has a lever and weight; and for making very large cheeses, a windlass should be attached to the end of the lever. =to make cheese.= strain the night's milk into the tub; in the morning stir in the cream (if you want rich cheese do not let any of it be taken off), and put a part of the milk over a clear fire, in the brass kettle. heat it enough to make the milk which is still in the tub quite warm, but not hot; pour it back into the tub, and strain in the morning's milk. put in a spoonful or two of rennet, stir it well, and let it stand half an hour undisturbed. if the curd does not form well by that time put in more rennet. _to prepare rennet._ this is the stomach of a calf; and it is often the case that a piece of curd (the last milk eaten by the calf) is found in it. see if there is any thing inside which should be removed, and then return the curd to its place, in the rennet; it is the best part of it. soak the rennet in a quart of water, then salt it and hang it up to dry where the flies will not find it; keep the water in a jar or bottle. there is a great difference in the strength of rennets; some will make a thousand weight of cheese, while others will scarcely make fifty. experience alone will teach exactly how much to use. when the curd is well formed, cut it in squares, making the knife go down to the bottom of the tub at every stroke; let it stand fifteen minutes for the whey to separate. then break it up very gently, putting the hand down through all parts. it should be done gently, or some of the milk will be lost in the whey. this causes white whey; the greener the whey, the richer the cheese. lay the strainer on the top of the curd, and dip off the whey that presses up through, until you have dipped about a third of it. put this immediately over the fire to heat. when hot, but not boiling, pour it back upon the curd and then break up the curd small, and as quickly as possible, with your hand; then lay the strainer into the cheese basket, and pour the curd into it to drain. when this is done, return it to the tub, salt it, put it again into the strainer, and then into the cheese-hoop. do not twist up the strainer, but lay it over smooth; lay a follower upon it, put it into the press, and press it tight. let it remain two days, and increase the pressure four or five times meanwhile, turning the cheese over each time. if you make cheese every day, you will need two presses. after this, turn the cheese out upon a shelf, in a dark closet or room, secure from flies. rub every day the side that has lain upon the shelf, and turn it over. rub it _all over_ with butter often. these things must be done for six months. butter made of _whey-cream_, is generally used for this purpose. if cheese is rich, a strip of new american cotton, as wide as the thickness of the cheese, should be sewed tight around it, when first taken from the press. without this, it would soon melt out of shape. during the season, when flies are about, rub cheese now and then with butter sprinkled with cayenne pepper. food and drinks for the sick, and for infants. =beef tea.= cut a piece of lean, juicy beef into pieces an inch square, put them into a wide-mouthed bottle and cork it tight. set the bottle into a kettle of cold water and boil it an hour and a half. this mode of making beef tea concentrates the nourishment more than any other. =another= (furnished by a physician). take a piece of beef cut from the round; take off every particle of fat, then cut it into pieces about an inch square and put into cold water, in the proportion of a pint to the pound. after standing half or three quarters of an hour, set it on the fire and boil it slowly several hours. if the water boils away, add more cold water, so that there will be a pint of tea for every pound of beef. strain it, add salt, and black pepper also if the case allows it. =another way.= choose a lean and juicy piece of beef, the size of your hand; take off all the fat; broil it only three or four minutes, on very hot coals. lay it in a porringer or bowl, sprinkle it with salt, and pour upon it two or three gills of boiling water; then cut it into small pieces, as it lies in the water. cover it close, and let it stand where it will keep hot but not boil. it is fit for use in half an hour, and does well where such nourishment is wanted immediately. this is more agreeable to the taste than tea made by either of the two preceding rules, but it is not as good for a patient who is so sick as to take but very little nourishment at once. =chicken broth.= if the weather is warm, use but half a chicken to make broth for one person. if it is cool take a whole one, as the broth will keep several days. pull off the skin (because there is a good deal of oil in it) and allow two quarts of water for a chicken. skim it in the neatest manner when it begins to boil. put in a large spoonful of rice, and a teaspoonful of salt, and boil it slowly two hours. if onion and parsley are to be added, cut them fine; put in the onion when the broth has boiled an hour, and the parsley five minutes before it is served. it is the best way to boil the chicken the day before it is wanted, and the next day take off the fat, add the rice, &c., and boil it another hour. =chicken tea.= take a leg and thigh of a chicken, lay it into a pint of cold water, and set it on the fire till it boils up long enough for you to skim it. put in a little salt. =chicken panada.= boil a young chicken half an hour in a quart of water. then remove the skin, cut off the white meat, and when cold, put it into a mortar with a spoonful or two of the water in which it was boiled, and pound it to a paste. season it with salt, and a very little nutmeg; add a little more of the water, and boil it up three or four minutes. it should be of such a consistency that it can be drank, though rather thick. the bones which remain may be returned to the water in which the chicken was boiled; and with the addition of rice, a good broth be made of it. =calf's foot broth.= boil two feet in three quarts of water, until it is wasted to three pints. strain it, and set it aside in a cool place. when cold, take off the fat. heat a little at a time as it is wanted, and add salt, nutmeg, and, if approved, a spoonful of good wine. =wine whey.= to a pint of milk put two glasses of wine; mix it, and let it stand twelve minutes, then strain it through a muslin bag or a very fine sieve. sweeten it with loaf sugar. if it is necessary to have the whey weaker, put a little hot water to the milk. =barley water.= boil an ounce of pearl barley a few minutes to cleanse it, pour off the water, and put a quart of cold water and a little salt to it. simmer it an hour. =arrow-root.= the best kinds of arrow-root are the jamaica and bermuda. wet a large teaspoonful in a little cold water, with half a teaspoonful of salt; pour on it half a pint of boiling water, stirring it very fast. then set it where it will just boil up for one minute. sweeten it, and add milk if it is allowed. for a drink, make it very thin, and put in lemon juice and sugar. =pearl sago, and tapioca.= the directions, page are appropriate for the preparation of these articles for invalids. =milk porridge.= put to half a pint of boiling water, two teaspoonfuls of flour wet smooth in cold water, and add salt. then put in half a pint of milk, stir it well, and let it boil up again. vary the proportions of milk and water as the case requires. made wholly with milk it is a very hearty dish. =oatmeal gruel.= put two large spoonfuls of oatmeal, wet in cold water, into three pints of boiling water; boil it gently half an hour, skim it, add a little salt, sugar, and nutmeg. if raisins are also used, a large teacupful stoned, will be enough. but gruel with raisins should be boiled longer than without. =ground rice gruel.= rub a heaping teaspoonful of ground rice in a small quantity of cold water, and stir it into half a pint of boiling water; add a little salt, and let it boil up half a minute. if milk is allowed, it is an improvement to make the gruel with equal parts of milk and water. =indian meal gruel.= this is made in the same way as the ground rice, but requires much longer boiling. it should never be boiled less than half an hour, and an hour is much better. the white froth that rises upon the top should never be skimmed off, as it is the most nutritious part of the gruel. nutmeg, sugar, and a spoonful of cream may be added, if approved. =panada.= set a saucepan with three gills of water upon the fire, add one glass of white wine, a little loaf sugar, and a very little nutmeg, and grated lemon. meanwhile, grate some white bread, and the moment the mixture boils, put in the bread, keeping it still on the fire. let it boil fast, and when of a thickness just to allow of drinking it, set it off. =a nutritious jelly.= take of rice, sago, pearl barley, and hartshorn shavings, each an ounce; add three pints of water, simmer it till reduced to one, and then strain it. when cold, it will be a jelly, to be given dissolved in broth, milk, or wine, as directed by the physician. =caudle.= into a pint of thin rice gruel put, while it is boiling hot, a mixture made of the yolk of an egg, beaten well with sugar, a large spoonful of cold water, a glass of wine, and some nutmeg. it should be stirred in by degrees. =rennet whey.= wash a piece of rennet an inch or two square, and lay it into half a gill of warm water for an hour. warm a pint of milk, but do not make it hot; put it into a shallow dish, and stir the rennet-water into it. let it stand undisturbed half an hour, then cut it across many times with a knife, and after an hour pour off the whey. let the dish then remain several hours undisturbed, and more whey will be formed. in cases of great debility of the stomach, consequent upon inflammation, or attended with it, rennet whey will be retained when every thing else is rejected, and may be given, a teaspoonful at the time, very often, in order to prepare the stomach to receive and retain nourishment. =apple tea.= roast sour apples and pour boiling water upon them. let them stand till the water is cold. =another.= pare and slice thin three or four pleasant sour apples, pour a pint of boiling water on them, and boil them six or eight minutes. let them stand till they are cold, then pour or strain off the water, and sweeten it a little, unless the invalid prefers it without. it is a refreshing drink. =a refreshing draught in a fever.= wash a few sprigs of sage, burnet, balm, and sorrel, and put them into a jug with half a sliced lemon. pour in three pints of boiling water, sweeten it, and stop it close. =crust coffee.= take a large crust of bread; brown is to be preferred, but graham bread will answer. dry it in the toaster, and at last almost burn both sides; lay it in a saucepan and pour boiling water on it; boil it up a minute or two, and then strain off the coffee; return it to the saucepan with a little milk or cream, and boil it up again. it should be made strong enough to look like real coffee, of which it is a very good imitation when well made. =toast water.= toast a crust of white bread very brown without burning it, and put it into cold water. after an hour, the water will be a refreshing drink; and it is sometimes grateful to the stomach when no other can be taken. =herb drinks.= herb drinks should be made with boiling water in an earthen pitcher or tea-pot, and be drank after standing a few minutes without boiling. long steeping makes them insipid and disagreeable. all food and drink for the sick should be prepared with careful attention and perfect neatness, and should be served in as inviting a manner as possible. the appetite of an invalid is excited or checked by things that escape the observation of a person in health. =food for a young infant.= pour four spoonfuls of boiling water upon one of sweet cream, and add a very little loaf sugar. this receipt was given by an experienced physician, and has been proved, to be entirely suited to the stomach of the youngest infant. but care must be taken to secure _good_ cream; and this can be done only by providing new milk every day, from _one_ cow. mixed milk cannot be safely used for a little infant. =for a child just weaned.= there is always danger, especially in warm weather, that the stomach, even of a healthy child, will become disordered by being weaned; and it is important to guard against the evil, by careful attention to the diet, for a little while. boil every morning new milk enough to last twenty-four hours, and stir into it the best of arrow-root wet in cold water, in the proportion of a large teaspoonful to a quart. add a very little salt, and boil it up again for one minute, then set it in a cold place. =flour gruel= (for children sick with teething complaints). tie up in a piece of thick cotton cloth a coffee-cup of white flour. put it into boiling water, and keep it boiling steadily three hours. then remove the cloth and lay the lump where it will become perfectly dry. to use it, grate it and thicken two gills of boiling milk with a dessert spoonful of it wet in cold water. put a little salt in the milk. this is excellent food for feeble children. [the value of the following receipts has been proved in the successful rearing of very feeble infants by the use of them. several mothers have gratefully testified to their excellence, especially for children reduced to extreme debility by teething complaints. after weighing the articles a few times it will be easy to proportion the ingredients by measure]. =food for an infant at successive periods.= _for the first three months_:-- grains of gelatine; grains of arrow-root; gills of milk; gill of cream; ½ pints of water. _from three to six months_:--gelatine, arrow-root, and water, as above; gills of milk; gill of cream. _from six to nine months_:--gelatine, arrow-root, and water, as above; pint of milk; ½ gills of cream. _from nine to twelve months_:--gelatine, arrow-root, and water, as above; ¼ pints of milk; ½ or gills of cream. if the child is feeble, use in each case one quart of water. put the gelatine into ¼ pints of hot water, and when it boils add the arrow-root dissolved in a gill of cold water. when this has boiled five minutes, add the milk, and when it boils again pour in the cream. take it from the fire, and sweeten with loaf sugar until it is slightly sweeter than cow's milk. strain if necessary, through fine muslin, and stir occasionally while cooling. if the child is constipated, use a little more cream, or sweeten with brown sugar. in the opposite case, use a little less cream. this food should be prepared once in twenty-four hours; in warm weather, twice, unless kept in a very cool place. miscellaneous receipts and directions. =lemon syrup.= one pound of loaf or crushed sugar to every half pint of lemon juice. let it stand twenty-four hours, or till the sugar is dissolved, stirring it very often with a silver spoon. when dissolved, wring a flannel bag very dry in hot water, strain the syrup, and bottle it. this will keep almost any length of time. =another without lemons.= put six pounds of white sugar to three pints of water, and boil five minutes. have ready the beaten white of an egg mixed with half a pint of water, and stir it into the boiling mixture. in a few minutes a scum will arise, and the kettle must be set off from the fire, and stand five minutes; then remove the scum. when it is almost cold, measure it, and to a gallon of syrup put three ounces of tartaric acid, dissolved in half a pint of hot water; add at the same time a large teaspoonful of the oil of lemon. when it is cold, bottle it. the goodness of the syrup (and it is an excellent imitation of the genuine), depends on the oil of lemon being fresh. if this is in the least rancid, it will spoil the syrup. =raspberry vinegar.= to two quarts of raspberries, put a pint of cider vinegar. let them lie together two or three days; then mash them up and put them in a bag to strain. to every pint, when strained, put a pound of best sugar. boil it twenty minutes, and skim it. bottle it when cold. =currant wine.= use sugar, water, and currant juice in these proportions, viz., one quart each of juice and the best of sugar, and two of water. put the mixture into a tight keg with a faucet. leave out the bung for two or three weeks, and then put it in loosely, so that if it continues to ferment longer, the keg will not burst. after a few days more put in the bung tight. let it stand a year, and then draw it off and bottle it. =another.= to one gallon of currant juice, put nine pounds of the best of sugar, and two gallons of water. set it where it wont be disturbed, and bottle it at the end of the year. =currant shrub.= boil currant juice five minutes with loaf or crushed sugar--a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. stir it constantly while cooling, and when cold, bottle it. a spoonful or two in a tumbler of water affords a refreshing beverage. =sarsaparilla mead.= three pounds of sugar, three ounces of tartaric acid, one ounce of cream tartar, one of flour, one of essence of sarsaparilla, and three quarts of water. strain and bottle it, then let it stand ten days before using it. =english ginger beer.= pour four quarts of boiling water, upon an ounce and a half of ginger, an ounce of cream of tartar, a pound of clean brown sugar, and two fresh lemons, sliced thin. it should be wrought twenty-four hours, with two gills of good yeast, and then bottled. it improves by keeping several weeks, unless the weather is hot, and it is an excellent beverage. if made with loaf instead of brown sugar, the appearance and flavor are still finer. =maple beer.= to four gallons of boiling water, add one quart of maple syrup and a small table-spoonful of essence of spruce. when it is about milk warm, add a pint of yeast; and when fermented bottle it. in three days it is fit for use. =spring beer.= take a handful of checkerberry (wintergreen), a few sassafras roots cut up, a half a handful of pine-buds, while they are small and gummy, and a small handful of hops.[ ] put all these into a pail of water over night, and in the morning boil them two or three hours; fill up the kettle when it boils away. strain it into a jar or firkin that will hold a half a pailful more of water. stir in a pint and a half of molasses, then add the half pailful of water, and taste it. if not sweet enough add more molasses. it loses the sweetness a little in the process of fermentation, and should therefore be made rather too sweet at first. add two or three gills of good yeast, set it in a warm place, and let it remain undisturbed till it is fermented. when the top is covered with a thick dark foam, take it off; have ready clean bottles and good corks; pour off the beer into another vessel, so gently as not to disturb the sediment; then bottle it, and set it in a cool place. it will be ready for use in two days. the sediment should be put into a bottle by itself, loosely corked, and kept to ferment the next brewing. [ ] if dried in the ordinary way. but a small pinch of the hops put up in pound packages by the shakers is enough. =spruce and boneset beer.= boil a small handful each of hops and boneset for an hour or two, in a pailful of water; strain it, and dilute it with cold water till it is of the right strength. add a small table-spoonful of essence of spruce, sweeten, ferment and bottle it, like the spring beer. the essences of hops, checkerberry, ginger, and spruce, put into warm water in suitable proportions, then sweetened, fermented, and bottled, make good beer. =rennet wine.= wash a third, or half of a salted rennet; wipe it dry and put it into a bottle of wine. the wine will be fit to use for custard the next day. to keep the remainder of the rennet till more is needed, put it into a strong brine and cover it close. =to boil cider.= take cider which has been made but a day or two, and boil it nearly half away. skim it often. it will keep good a long time, and is useful in making mince pies, and to flavor pudding sauce. bottle it and cork it well. a mould will form over the top, but will not injure the cider. =cologne water.= to one gallon of alcohol, put twelve drachms each, of oil of lavender, oil of bergamot, and essence of lemon; four drachms of oil of rosemary, and twelve drops of oil of cinnamon. =indelible ink.= to make the ink, put into the small bottle six cents worth of lunar caustic, and fill it with rain water. to make the wash, nearly fill the largest bottle with soft water, and add gum arabic enough to make a thin solution--about a teaspoonful of the lumps. then put in a drachm of salt of tartar. if the ink spreads, add more gum-arabic to the wash. =to prevent books, ink, paste, &c., from moulding.= a drop or two of oil of lavender on a book, and a single one in a pint bottle of ink, will prevent mould. =tooth powder.= two ounces of peruvian bark, two of myrrh, one of chalk, one of armenian bole, and one of orris root. =rose butter= (a good substitute for rose water). gather every morning the leaves of the roses that blossomed the day before, and put them in a stone jar in alternate layers with fine salt. after all the leaves are gathered, put a saucer or small plate into the jar, and lay in a pound of butter, for cake or pudding sauce. it is a very good way of obtaining the flavor of roses, without expense. =to keep parsley.= gather fresh sprigs, and after washing them, chop them fine, and work them into as much butter as will be needed for boiled poultry, lamb, and fish, before the next summer. put the butter into a stone jar, and cover it with a brine made with nice salt. =to keep suet.= pull off the skin or membrane from fresh suet, sprinkle salt upon it, tie it up in a cloth or bag, and hang it in a cool, dry place. it will keep sweet the year round. =to keep eggs.= to four quarts of air-slacked lime, put two ounces of cream of tartar (that is, two table-spoonfuls), two of salt, and four quarts of cold water. put fresh eggs into a stone jar, and pour the mixture over them. this will keep nine dozen, provided they are all good when laid down; and after many months, the yolks will be still whole, and the whites stiff and clear as at first. the water may settle away so as to leave the upper layer uncovered. if so, add more. cover them closely and keep them in a cool place. eggs should be laid down when they are at the lowest market price. =to cleanse a calf's head and feet.= take them as soon as the animal is killed, wash them clean, and in order to remove the hair, sprinkle pulverized rosin over them and dip them for an instant in scalding water. the rosin will dry immediately, and they can be easily scraped clean. soak them from one to three days in cold water, changing it repeatedly. =to kill cockroaches and beetles.= strew the roots of black hellebore, at night, in the places infested by these vermin, and they will be found in the morning dead, or dying. black hellebore grows in marshy grounds, and may be had at the herb shops. =to drive away ants.= the little red ants will leave closets where sea-sand is sprinkled, or where oyster shells are laid. scatter sprigs of wormwood in places infested with black ants. =to secure woollens, furs, furniture, etc., from moths.= carefully shake and brush woollens early in the spring, so as to be certain that no eggs are in them; then sew them up in cotton or linen wrappers, putting a piece of camphor gum, tied up in a bit of muslin, into each bundle, or into the chests and closets where the articles are to lie. when the gum is evaporated it must be renewed. a lady put up her blankets and carpets in this way before going to europe, and on her return, three or four years after, found every article safe from moths. furs should not be hung out in the sun in the spring before being put away for the season. the moth miller will be likely to visit them when thus exposed. they should be put into a close box with a piece of camphor, and the box tied up in a pillow case or bag. blankets that are in use only occasionally during the summer, should be laid when not wanted, under a mattress in constant use, or in a trunk where there are pieces of camphor gum, or cedar chips. it would be a most convenient arrangement for housekeepers to have a closet with shelves and draws made of cedar boards. it is more difficult than it used to be, to preserve woollens, furs, carpets, and furniture from being injured by moths. thirty years since it was regarded as an indication of very negligent housekeeping to have a moth-eaten carpet. now, the utmost care will not always preserve carpets from being injured in this way. perhaps the reason may be, that in general, warehouses and dwellings are warmed throughout, during the winter, by furnaces. new stuffed and cushioned furniture is sometimes found to contain moths. to destroy them, pour burning fluid plentifully upon the cushions, sofas, &c. if it is fresh, it will leave no stain, and the disagreeable odor will soon pass away. to preserve a carpet that cannot be often shaken, draw out the tacks twice a year, turn back the edges a quarter of a yard all around, brush out the dust, and then with a painter's brush put new spirits of turpentine upon the boards as far as the carpet is turned back; then return it immediately to its place, and put in the tacks. the floors of some houses have moths in the cracks. in this case, cedar saw-dust sprinkled over the floor before laying down the carpet, will protect it from these diligent mischief-workers. if this cannot be had use tar-paper. =to kill moths.= take furs or pillows infested with moths, and put them into a brick oven which has just been used for baking. let them remain over night, and the next day beat them well in the open air. =to remove the bad odor from new feathers.= make a cover for the bed of some coarse material, or a couple of old sheets; get a baker to put it into his oven one or two nights. a better way, when it can be done, is to send the feathers in bags to a baker's oven, before they are put into the tick. =to purify a sink or drain.= dissolve half a pound of copperas in two gallons of water, and pour in half one day, and the remainder the next. =to take out mildew.= (this and the next receipt were furnished by a chemist.) obtain the dryest chloride of lime that can be bought, and for strong fabrics dissolve four table-spoonfuls in a half a pint of water. let the mildewed article lie fifteen minutes in this solution. then take it out, wring it gently, and put it immediately into weak muriatic acid--one part of the acid and four parts soft water. for delicate fabrics, laces, muslins, &c., the solution of lime should be diluted by the addition of three or four times the measure of water. let the article lie in it five minutes; then put it into the muriatic acid. =to take out iron mould.= dissolve a teaspoonful of salts of tin in two table-spoonfuls of water. dip the iron-mould into the solution, and let it remain five minutes. then dip it into a mixture of equal parts of muriatic acid and water. dip the mould spots alternately into these mixtures, or make the first one stronger with the salts of tin, and apply it with a soft rag on the end of a stick. last of all, rinse the articles very thoroughly in cold water. a simpler method of removing iron-mould succeeds well, provided it is recent, and not very dark. tie up a teaspoonful of cream of tartar in the moulded place, and put it into cold water without soap, and boil it half an hour. =to take out ink.= turn boiling water upon it immediately, in this way: spread the cloth over a pitcher or basin, with the ink-spots in the centre, and while you hold it in its place, let another person turn the boiling water on the spots. this is better than to put the article into boiling water, as the whole will then be tinged with the ink. if the spots are still visible, tie up a teaspoonful of cream of tartar in the places where they are--more for a large stain, less for a very small one--then put the cloth into cold water without soap, and boil it half an hour. if it is not convenient to put boiling water at once on the stains, put them in cold water; do not let them become dry. articles that have been stained with ink or fruit, should not be put into soap suds until the stains are removed. soap will tend to make them permanent. =to take out fruit stains.= tie up cream of tartar in the spots, and put the cloth in cold water, to boil; or if the stains are much spread, stir the cream of tartar into the water. if they are still visible, boil the cloth in a mixture of subcarbonate of soda a small table-spoonful to a pail of water. =to take out grease or fresh paint.= rub grease spots with chloric ether. to remove paint, the ether should be applied on the other side. the ether carries off the oil by evaporation, and leaves the lead of which the paint was composed, dry. new turpentine will remove fresh paint. =to remove rust from iron ware and stoves.= new stove or range furniture is sometimes so much rusted as to make the use of it very inconvenient. put into a rusty kettle as much hay as it will hold, fill it with water and boil it many hours. at night set it aside, and the next day boil it again. if it is not entirely fit for use, repeat the process. it will certainly be effectual. rub the rusty spots on a stove with sand-paper, and then with sweet oil. =to take off starch or rust from flat-irons.= tie up a piece of yellow beeswax in a rag, and when the iron is almost, but not quite hot enough to use, rub it quickly with the wax, and then with a coarse cloth. =to prevent glass, earthen, potter's and iron ware from being easily broken.= put dishes, tumblers, and other glass articles into a kettle; cover them entirely with cold water, and put the kettle where it will soon boil. when it has boiled a few minutes, set it aside, covered close. when the water is cold, take out the glass. treat new earthen ware in the same way. when potter's ware is boiled, a handful or two of bran should be thrown into the water, and the glazing will never be injured by acids or salt. cast-iron stoves, and iron ware should be heated gradually the first time they are used. =a permanent cement for glass, china, and wood.= steep russian isinglass twenty-four hours in white brandy, gently boil and stir the mixture until it is well compounded, and a drop of it, cooled, will become a very thick jelly; then strain it through a linen cloth, and cork it up closely. a gentle heat will dissolve it into a colorless fluid. broken dishes united with it, will break elsewhere, rather than separate in the old fracture. to apply it, rub the edges, place them together, and hold them two or three minutes. =to preserve steel knives from rust.= never wrap them in woollen cloths. when they are not to be used for some time, have them made bright, and perfectly dry; then take a soft rag, and rub each blade with dry wood-ashes. wrap them closely in thick brown paper and lay them in a drawer or dry closet. a set of elegant knives, used only on great occasions, were kept in this way more than an hundred years without a spot of rust. =to prevent ivory knife handles from being cracked.= never let knife blades stand in hot water as is sometimes done to make them wash easily. the heat expands the steel which runs up into the handle a very little, and this cracks the ivory. knife handles should never lie in water. a handsome knife, or one used for cooking is soon spoiled in this way. =to remove spots from furniture.= paint or white spots occasioned by spilling medicine or setting something hot upon furniture, can be removed by rubbing them with camphene. =to remove mortar or paint from windows.= rub the spots of mortar with a stiff brush dipped in sharp, hot vinegar, and paint spots with burning fluid or camphene and sand. =to clean paint with pumice-stone.= use powdered pumice-stone instead of whiting or sand. it cleans paint very quickly, and without injuring it. but very little should be put on the cloth at once. a pint of it is enough to clean the paint of a large house. it is well to keep it on hand, as it is often needed for removing spots from paint, and for cleaning closet shelves. =to polish unvarnished mahogany furniture.= first take out ink stains, if there are any, by touching them with spirits of salt. do it with a sponge tied upon the end of a stick; then wash the spots instantly with vinegar, and make the whole surface to be polished, clean with it. then rub on the following preparation with a woollen cloth:-- melt together in an earthen pot two ounces of beeswax, and half an ounce of alconet root; then take it from the fire and add two ounces of spirits of wine, and half a pint of spirits of turpentine. polish with a soft silk cloth. =to clean silver and plated ware.= use fine whiting, and wet it with hartshorn instead of water. the spots that make their appearance upon silver or plated-ware that is not in constant use, are quickly removed by this mixture. silver is injured by coarse whiting; therefore it is well to sift it through a piece of muslin. it is a good way to boil half an ounce of hartshorn powder in a pint of water, and put into it clean linen or cotton rags enough to absorb the whole of the mixture; then dry them, and keep them to clean silver and plate. wash leather should be used afterwards. =to clean paper hangings.= put a clean soft bag, or an old pillow-case over a new broom, and gently brush the dust from the paper; then take crusts of stale bakers' bread, and wipe it down lightly, beginning at the top. if you rub it, the dirt will adhere to the paper. after thus brushing all around the upper part of the walls with the bread, begin just above where you left off, and go round again. do thus until you have finished the paper. the dust and crumbs will fall together. whenever a room is cleaned it is a good way, before the paint and windows are washed, to wipe the paper with a covered broom as above directed. =to prepare earth for house plants.= put together equal parts of the three following things--soil from the sides of a barn-yard, well-rotted manure, and leaf mould from the woods, or earth from the inside of an old tree or stump. add a small quantity of sand. for cactuses, put as much sand as of the other materials and a little fine charcoal. =to raise hyacinths in winter.= when they are put into the glasses or earth, set them into a dark closet until they sprout. if they are in glasses, do not let the water touch the bulb, by an inch. when the roots have shot down to the water, fill the glass, put in a piece of charcoal, and set them in the sun. =soot tea for roses.= get soot from a stove or chimney where wood is used for fuel, put it into an old pitcher, and pour hot water upon it. when cool, use it to water your plants every few days. when it is all used, fill up the pitcher again with hot water. the effect upon plants, especially upon roses that have almost hopelessly deteriorated is wonderful in producing a rapid growth of thrifty shoots, with large thick leaves, and a great number of richly-tinted roses. never despair of a decayed rose till this has been tried. =to destroy grass in gravel walks.= scatter the cheapest coarse salt along the edges, and where-ever the grass is springing. even the canada thistle can be rooted out by cutting off the stalks very near, but not below the surface of the ground, and putting salt on them. old brine, not fit for any other purpose, is good for this. =use to be made of ashes, sawdust, etc.= to spread ashes upon grass makes it thrifty, and of a richer green. those which have been first used for making soap, are as good for the purpose as new ashes. let them be scattered just before a rain. if you cultivate raspberries and blackberries, have sawdust from the wood-house put around them once a year. where these berries grow wild, the largest ones are found near decayed stumps and logs. =to purify a well.= when a well is cleared out, if any offensive substance is found in it, have the bottom sprinkled with two or three quarts of quick-lime. * * * * * as a general rule, it is most economical to buy the best articles. the price is, of course, always a little higher; but good articles _spend_ best. it is a sacrifice of money to buy poor flour, meat, sugar, molasses, butter, cheese, lard, &c., to say nothing of the injurious effect upon the health. of west india sugar and molasses, the santa cruz and porto rico are considered the best. the havana is seldom clean. white sugar from brazil is sometimes very good. refined sugars usually contain most of the saccharine substance, therefore there is probably more economy in using loaf, crushed, and granulated sugars, than we should at first suppose. butter that is made in september and october is best for winter use. lard should be hard and white, and that which is taken from a hog not over a year old, is best. rich cheese feels soft under the pressure of the finger. that which is very strong is neither good or healthy. to keep one that is cut, tie it up in a bag that will not admit flies, and hang it in a cool, dry place. if mould appears on it, wipe it off with a dry cloth. flour and meal of all kinds should be kept in a cool, dry place. the best rice is large, and has a clear, fresh look. old rice sometimes has little black insects inside the kernels. the small white sago, called pearl sago, is the best. the large brown kind has an earthy taste. these articles, and tapioca, ground rice, &c., should be kept covered. the cracked cocoa is the best, but that which is put up in pound papers is often very good. shells are apt to be musty. try a quarter of a pound before buying a quantity. to select nutmegs, prick them with a pin. if they are good, the oil will instantly spread around the puncture. keep coffee by itself as its odor affects other articles. keep tea in a close chest or canister. oranges and lemons keep best wrapped close in soft paper, and laid in a drawer of linen. when a cask of molasses is bought, draw off a few quarts, else the fermentation produced by moving it will burst the cask. bread and cake should be kept in a tin box or stone jar. salt cod should be kept in a dry place, where the odor of it will not affect the air of the house. the best kind is that which is called dun, from its peculiar color. fish-skin for clearing coffee should be washed, dried, cut small, and kept in a box or paper bag. soft soap should be kept in a dry place in the cellar, and should not be used till three months old. bar soap should be cut into pieces of a convenient size, and laid where it will become dry. it is well to keep it several weeks before using it, as it spends fast when it is new. cranberries will keep all winter in a firkin of water in the cellar. potatoes should be put into the cellar as soon as they are dug. lying exposed to the sun turns them green, and makes them watery. some good housekeepers have sods laid over barrels of potatoes not in immediate use. to prevent them from sprouting in the spring, turn them out upon the cellar-bottom. to thaw frozen potatoes put them in hot water. to thaw frozen apples put them in cold water. neither will keep long after being frozen. cabbages should be buried in sand, with the roots upward. celery should also be buried in sand. turnips and beets should be put in a dry part of the cellar. carrots keep anywhere. onions keep best spread, and in a cool place, but should not freeze. parsnips are best buried in a pit in the garden, and not opened till march or april, in cold parts of the country. squashes should be kept in a dry place, and as cold as may be without freezing. apples should remain out of doors in barrels till the weather becomes too cold. they should not be headed up immediately after being gathered, as a moisture accumulates upon them which causes them to decay. when brought in, set them in a back room, until the weather requires their being put into the cellar. a linen cloth laid over them will keep them from frost till very cold weather. many good housekeepers prefer not to have apples headed up at all. there is an advantage in being able to pick them over several times in the course of a winter, as one defective apple injures all its neighbors. if they are moist, wipe them. herbs should be gathered when just beginning to blossom; as they are then in their perfection. medicinal herbs should be dried, put up in paper bags, and labelled. those used in cooking should be pounded, sifted, and put into labelled boxes or bottles. herbs retain their virtue best, to be dried by artificial heat. the warmth of an oven a few hours after the bread is drawn, is sufficient. inspect every part of your house often, and let every place be neatly kept. habits of order in housekeeping save a great deal of time and trouble, and the most thorough way of doing every thing, is the most economical of labor and money, in the end. every thing used in the preparation of food should be kept clean. a half washed pot or saucepan, or a dingy brass kettle, will spoil the articles cooked in them. a lady should accustom herself to such habits of attention to her household concerns, that careless ways on the part of those who serve her, will not escape her observation. unfaithfulness in servants is the sure result of ignorance or negligence in the housekeeper. directions about washing, &c. the design of these directions is to assist the inexperienced; to teach those who are unacquainted with the business of washing, how to do it, and those who can afford to employ others, how to direct them; and also to discover where the fault lies when it is not done well. as i write only for the uninitiated, i shall be excused for being very minute; and for giving some preliminary hints, needed only by learners. for the family wash, good water, and good soap are indispensable. rain, river, or spring water is best, but in some places the well-water is soft, and good for washing. clothes washed repeatedly in hard water with common soap, will soon become too yellow to be worn, and can never be made white again. as the supply of soft water sometimes fails where a cistern is depended on, it may be well to mention that hard water can be made to answer the purpose, temporarily, by dissolving in it the sub-carbonate of soda, commonly called washing-soda. put a large table-spoonful into three or four pails of water while it is heating, and then use the olive-soap both for rubbing and boiling the clothes. remember that soda must not be used in washing calicoes or flannels. it will spoil both. here it may be well to say that white clothes which are constantly washed with soda, will, when laid aside a few months become of a deep yellow color, not easily removed by any ordinary bleaching process. provide a wash bench of convenient height, three tubs, one a large one for rinsing,[ ] a water ladle, a pail to be kept for use about the washing alone, a washing board, a clothes stick, clothes pins, a line and two baskets; one cheap coarse one in which to drain the clothes, when taken from the boiling-kettle, and a better one for taking them to the line, and for laying them in to when folded for the ironing. have good soft soap, which, if you cannot readily procure at the manufactory, you can make with very little trouble.[ ] bar-soap is not necessary for white clothes, provided the soft is of a nice quality. the olive soap is a great improvement on the common yellow soap. if it is several months old, it spends economically, cleanses quickly, and is not sharp to the hands. [ ] a large painted wash-tub is expensive, and it may be convenient to some persons to know that a very good rinsing tub can be made of a flour barrel. take one that is clean and well made; have the upper part sawed off about nine inches. see that there are no nails sticking through. make three holes large enough to admit the fingers, in two opposite staves, to serve for handles. if there are cracks, caulk them, and fill the tub with water. the water will soon swell the staves so as to close the cracks; and when it has once done leaking, keep it always turned down in the cellar when not in use. all kinds of tubs and firkins should be turned down on the cellar floor, to prevent them from leaking. [ ] see two receipts, p. . when clothes are very much soiled, they should be put into a tub of warm suds over night. _borax soap_ is so effectual in cleansing soiled clothes, that the use of it essentially diminishes the labor of washing. to prepare it, put together bar soap, borax, and hot water in the following proportions,--a pound of the soap, cut into small pieces, an ounce of powdered borax, and a quart of hot water. mix the ingredients together over the fire, but see that it does not boil. when it is cold, cut it up in cakes, and use it like common hard soap. put the clothes which are most soiled, or if you choose, all the white clothes of the wash into quite a warm suds made with this soap, and let them remain from saturday evening until monday morning. this method is recommended by very good housekeepers. _to do the washing._ sort the clothes, putting the finest and cleanest by themselves, to be washed first and the coarse and more soiled ones together. where there are white clothes enough to make two or three boilings, sort them accordingly; always boil coarse towels by themselves. if there are fine calicoes, nice ginghams, or delicate printed muslins, separate them from the common ones, and also the white flannel, angola, or merino articles from the colored woollens. the tub should be a third full of water, not hot, but very warm. stir in soap enough to make a weak suds, and put in the nicest clothes. rub handkerchiefs, night-caps, and other fine articles between the hands, using a little soap. never rub them on a washboard. as fast as they are washed, wring and shake them open, and put them into an old pillow case or white bag, else they will be liable to be torn by the weight of the larger articles when taken out of the boiling kettle. some persons keep a large bag in which they boil all the white clothes together; if the kettle is a nice one, so that there is no danger of iron mould, or any kind of stain, it is better to boil them without it. use a wash-board for the large articles, and for those which are not easily made clean, and use more soap than for the fine things, taking special pains with places that are most soiled. all articles worn upon the person should be washed on both sides, and special pains taken with seams and hems. if there are streaks which you cannot entirely wash out, rub soap on them after you have wrung out the article ready for the boiling. lay all the washed clothes together in an empty tub or the draining basket, until you have enough for the first boiling. then dip out all the hot water from the kettle into a tub, and cover it over with a thick cloth, in order to keep it hot for washing more clothes. put a pail or two of cold water into the kettle, and a large spoonful of soft soap--more if the kettle is a large one. shake open and lay in the clothes, and add enough more water to cover them. do not crowd the boiler very full; the clothes will not look as well, and beside, the water will be continually boiling over. have a good fire, push the clothes down often with the stick, and let them boil steadily, half an hour. set the draining basket upon a tub, with two or three strips of board laid across, to keep it up. a little frame, somewhat like the cheese ladder used in a dairy, is more convenient. place the tub near the boiler, and take out the clothes with the stick. when this is done, dip out part of the boiling suds, cover it, and set it aside to be used as occasion requires. add cold water to the kettle, and put in more clothes. continue washing until all the white clothes are rubbed, remembering to dip out part of the dirty water from the tub now and then, and add some of the boiling suds which you have kept covered. when the clothes in the basket are well drained, put them into a tub of clean cold water, and take more clothes from the boiler into the draining basket. when all the white clothes are rubbed, and while the last of them are still boiling, get the second rinsing water ready in the largest tub. (some people have an idea that clothes look best rinsed in hard water, because rain-water is not so white as the other. but rain-water is the best, because it takes out the soap more thoroughly.) fill the rinsing tub two thirds full of water, squeeze the blue-bag in it two or three times, and stir till the water is equally blue.[ ] [ ] _to make a blueing-bag_, take a very thick piece of cotton or a doubled piece, and stitch a close seam near the edge, on three sides, then turn it and stitch it round again; put in a piece of indigo as large as an egg, sew the end twice across, and put on a loop. if it is slightly made, too much of the indigo will come out into the water. keep it hung up where it will not become dusty. the spanish indigo is best. it is hard, and of a rich deep color. poor indigo breaks easily, and shows a slightly greenish tinge in the sunlight. when you wring the clothes from the first rinsing-water, see whether the streaks you could not rub out have disappeared. if not, they can probably be removed quickly now. wring the clothes dry, else the suds remaining in them will make the last rinsing water soapy. if the wash is large, dip off part of the water, when half of the clothes are wrung out, and add clean water, and a little more blueing. strength, and some practice are necessary, to wring large articles dry, and the appearance of the clothes will but poorly pay for the labor bestowed, if this part of the work is not well done. perhaps it is the most fatiguing part of washing. the inventor of a good machine for wringing clothes will deserve and have, the thanks of many a toil-worn woman. when the white clothes are upon the line, take boiling suds and wash the coarse towels; boil them in a clean water, or in some of the last rinsing-water. wash them thoroughly as the table-cloths; not negligently because they are coarse. if the weather is wet, let the clothes lie in the rinsing-water till a fair day, but omit the blueing, as it will be apt to settle in streaks upon them; or some of the articles will be very blue, while others will not be so at all. if the weather threatens to be rainy, better not put them out, as they cannot be taken in half dry, and carried out while damp to be put on the line again, without getting more or less soiled. if the wind is violent, let them lie in the water even if it is fair (unless they can be hung up in an attic or wood-house chamber or in a yard sheltered from the wind), as the hems will very likely be snapped from the corners of the sheets and table-cloths, and all the clothes will be more worn (even if they are not torn) by being blown half a day, than by two months' use from week to week. in the winter when they will freeze stiff in a few minutes, and there is a strong wind, they are liable to be torn. i have known a large and new table-cloth, cracked completely across, in a few minutes after being hung out. small and fine articles, like caps, collars, handkerchiefs, and baby's dresses should be dried in the house in severe winter weather. clothes are made very white by the night frosts, and where the yard is sheltered from the wind it is well to leave them out sometimes for that reason, provided there is no danger of their being stolen. when the last boiling is done, dip out all the water and save it as before. heat clean water for the flannels and other woollens. these should be washed in quite warm water with good soft soap. bar-soap makes woollens hard and wiry. wash the finest and most delicate articles first. if they are much soiled use considerable soap so as to get them clean quickly without much rubbing, for it is this which fulls up flannels, as we may know from the fact that it is by a similar process cloth is made thick at the fulling-mill. as fast as they are done throw them into a plenty of scalding water. if they lie in a pile until all are washed, they will shrink. when you can bear your hands in the water, wring them and throw them into another; from this last water wring them dry, snap them well, and hang them out. few people rinse flannels twice, but they look enough better to pay for the trouble. if the soap is not rinsed out, they will shrink, and also become yellow. the water used for the white flannels is fit for the colored ones, and for mixed footings, or calicoes. all sorts of stockings should be washed first on the right side, and then upon the other. red flannel preserves the color best, and is softest, washed in hard water. a sailor's red flannels, that have been, during a long voyage, often tied to a rope and towed through the waves, look better and feel softer than those washed at home. a word here in regard to the purchase of flannels, will not be out of place. it is the best economy to buy those made of soft wool. they will shrink very little, while coarse wool flannels will grow small and thick every week, and no pains-taking can prevent it. after hanging out the woollens, wash the calicoes in clean water, with hard soap, and rinse them twice. have the starch[ ] ready, and dip them before they are hung up. calicoes should be thrown into the rinsing water as fast as they are washed. even firm colors are injured by lying. if the weather is not fair leave them in the second rinsing, but put the light and dark ones into separate tubs, unless the colors are perfectly fast. put a little salt into the water. they will not be injured any more than white clothes, by lying in the water over night. nice calicoes and ginghams should be dried in the shade, and so put upon the line as to dry quickly. hang a dress in an angle of the line near the post, with the waist down; put one pin at the turn of the line, and one on each side, a few feet from the angle, so that the hem of the skirt will form a triangle. when the skirt is dry, except near the waist, shake open the waist and sleeves, and reverse the dress, pinning the shoulders to the line. [ ] to make starch, see page . calicoes should not be sprinkled till the morning of the day they are ironed. the colors sometimes run together when they are folded over night, and in very warm weather, the starch in a dress that is sprinkled in the evening will become sour by the next morning. in july and august, damp clothes that lie folded together two nights, are very liable to become mildewed. care should be taken that soiled articles are not put aside in a damp state, during the week, for the next wash. sad accidents have occurred through want of care in this particular. for the assistance of ladies who are not able to detect the reasons, if their clothes do not come from the laundry in good order, i will specify a few particulars as to the causes. if good water and soap are provided, and yet the white clothes look badly, it is owing to one, or possibly, all, of the following things--their not being well assorted, the coarse clothes, and those most soiled being washed and boiled with the best ones; or perhaps those places which required special care, had no more rubbing than other parts. if the seams of underclothes are not clean, it is because they are not turned, after being washed on the right side, and well rubbed on the other. if the clothes look yellow, perhaps the washer uses too small a quantity of water, and neglects to dip off, often, that which is cool and dirty, and add more which is hot; and very likely too many are crowded into the boiler at once. if they are not wrung dry from the first rinsing-water, before being thrown into the second, they will be yellow; and lastly, if they are not well wrung out of the second, they will have soapy streaks in the gathers and hems. if spots of iron mould appear, perhaps the washer is not careful to avoid touching the clothes while wet, to the wire handles of the tubs or pails. if the calicoes fade more than you had reason to expect, very likely they are washed in boiling suds. the soft soap in it will spoil them; and besides, it is never clean enough for nice calicoes. it is a good way to have calico dresses washed on some other day by themselves; it will be easier to have them done well. if the flannels are becoming dingy, it may be that they too are washed in the water in which the white clothes were boiled, and then rinsed but once. if they shrink, although made of fine wool, probably the soap is not all rinsed out, and that they were laid together in a pile, and became cold before they were thrown into scalding water. if they retain the wrinkles after being ironed, they were not well shaken out (or snapped) before being put out to dry. they should not be sprinkled; but if laid in the basket over night with the folded white clothes, they will be just damp enough to iron smooth. if the toes of the footings, and woollen stockings feel stiff, they were not washed clean. some domestics bestow great care upon the nicest articles, and take no pains with common ones. this is neither neat or economical. all clothes that are both washed and ironed well, keep clean longest. there are some advantages in a lady's taking the clothes from the bars, after they are ironed, herself. she sees at once whether they are well washed without the trouble of unfolding them to examine, and all those which need mending can then be most conveniently laid apart from the rest. i will only add to these minute directions, that the boiler should be left perfectly dry, and the tubs, &c., rinsed and put away clean. it is good economy after the usual cleaning is done, to save all the suds to water the garden and trees. the good effects will soon reward the trouble. =starching, ironing, and polishing gentlemen's linen.= _to make the starch_--dissolve three table-spoonfuls of the best of starch in cold water, and stir it very fast into a quart of boiling water, and boil it half an hour. five minutes before it is done, put in a piece of spermaceti the size of a large walnut, and stir until it is well mixed. dip the linen as soon as you can bear your hands in the starch, and see that every part is thoroughly wet, or you will have what are called blisters. fold the collars in a dry towel. fold the shirts through the middle up and down, so as to bring the two parts of the bosom together, that the starch may not get on any other part of the shirt. let them lie over night. a bosom board is indispensable. have a piece of board eight inches by eighteen; cover one side with three thicknesses of flannel; fasten it at the edges with small tacks. then cover both sides with three thicknesses of cotton, sewed on tight and perfectly smooth. iron a shirt completely (the bosom upon the side of the board where the flannel is), then hang it on the bars to air. after about an hour, lay the bosom on the hard side of the board, dip a soft towel in cold water, wring it dry, and brush the bosom until it looks a little damp. then lay it upon the softest side and use the polishing iron quickly, pressing with all your strength. the polishing iron is very different from the common flat-iron, and far better for this use. it is oblong, and rounded at each end. they are to be found at all the hardware stores, and are not expensive. if there is any roughness upon the iron, touch it when nearly hot with bees-wax tied up in a rag. a porcelain, or tin saucepan should be kept for making starch, and used for nothing else. the linen ironed by the lady who furnished these directions, was an ample recommendation of them. =to wash calicoes, the colors of which are not fast.= pare and cut up a dozen or fifteen potatoes, and boil them in five or six quarts of water. strain off the water through a hair sieve, and when it is cool enough to put your hands in it, wash the dress without soap. the starch imparted to the water by the potatoes will cleanse it, and also make it stiff enough without other starch even after passing through the rinsing water. if there is green in the calico, dissolve a piece of alum half as large as an egg, in a pailful of water to rinse it. if there are grease spots upon a dress, a thread should be run around them before it is washed, so that those places may receive special care, else they will be as distinct as ever, after being ironed. if washing does not remove them, use chloric ether, or new spirits of turpentine. some very nice managers use beef's gall in washing calicoes to prevent their being faded. it is good for the purpose, but the odor is unpleasant, and will be perceptible when the dress is worn, unless it is used sparingly. a table-spoonful of the gall, to a pailful of suds is enough. put what you do not use into a bottle, with a large table-spoonful of salt, and cork it tight. it is very useful in removing grease from woollens, and cleaning the collars of coats. =to wash mourning calicoes, muslins, and lawns.= wash them in perfectly clean water; and if the color comes out, soak them until the water is clear, even if it should require two or three days, changing the water twice a day. a black calico that parts with much of the dye in washing, will have rusty streaks in it, and look like an old thing, if it is dried without being soaked. but in the way directed, a dress of good quality can be done up many times without losing its beauty, as experience amply proves. such dresses should not be sprinkled over night, before being ironed. =to wash, starch, and iron muslins, laces, etc.= soiled muslins should be looked over and mended before being washed. embroidered articles should be basted in exact shape upon a piece of flannel or other soft cloth. the muslin will be less liable to be frayed or torn by the weight of the needlework. common laces should be folded evenly together into many thicknesses, and then basted through and through around the edges, with a fine needle and thread. soak these various articles in warm water with castile or olive soap in it. after a few hours, or the next day, squeeze them dry (never rub or wring them); put on more soap, pour on hot water, and let them stand another day. then squeeze them dry, and examine them. if they are not white, lay them loosely into a broad dish or platter, with warm suds in it, and set them in the sun a day or two; or, put them into a large white glass bottle, with a wide mouth, fill it with warm suds and set it in the sun. turn the muslins over now and then, and also turn the bottle round, so as to give every side the benefit of the sun. this is a very good way where there is no grass-plot which can be used for bleaching. there can be no better way of whitening muslins than to dip the articles in soap suds, spread them on clean grass and let them lie two or three days and nights, wetting them once or twice a day with suds. when you take them from the grass rinse them twice in a plenty of water, the last time with blueing in it. squeeze them dry as possible, then dip all in fine starch, except those articles which should be very stiff, and they should be dried before being starched. sort them, dip those which need most stiffness first, then add hot water enough to make the starch thinner for the next, and lastly still more, for dipping those which need very little stiffness. hang them all out of doors to dry, unless the weather is cold enough to freeze. when dry, sprinkle them very wet, or squeeze them in cold water, pull them out a little, and lay them two or three double in a sheet--a linen one if they are to be ironed in an hour or two; a cotton one if they are not to be done till the next day--this, because they keep damp much longer in cotton than in linen. to wash elegant, expensive laces, sew a piece of white flannel closely around a common junk bottle, and wind the lace round and round perfectly smooth, and with a fine needle and thread, baste it enough to keep it in place. if the lace is pointed, pass the needle and thread through each point; put the bottle into a jar or deep pitcher filled with warm suds. change the water once a day for two or three days; then put the bottle into the boiler with the finest white clothes on washing day; as soon as it is taken from the boiler, and cooled a little, rinse it again and again in a plenty of cold water, then wrap a soft, dry towel around it to press out the water, and set it in the sun. when the lace has become entirely dry, take out all the threads, unwind it, and wear it without starching. our grandmothers would have thought an elegant lace nearly spoilt by being washed in any other way than this, and a very nice way it is. having once tried it, you will prefer to wash your laces yourself, rather than pay a french laundress for doing them not half as well. when you iron muslins, pull them gently into shape, fold and lay them on a plate, and cover them with a bowl, to keep the edges from getting too dry. have clean irons, and rub each one before using it with a bit of wax or spermaceti tied up in a piece of cotton, and wipe it on a clean rag. this is to prevent the starch from sticking to the iron. lay the muslin upon the ironing board, the wrong side up, and always move the iron in the direction of the threads. the article will be out of shape, and look badly, if ironed diagonally. bobbinet laces, if ironed at all, should be ironed diagonally, as in this way only can the mesh retain its shape. dip them in stiff starch, and after drying them, dip them again, then pin them out upon a bed. they will dry soon, and will need only to be folded even, and a warm iron set upon them to press the folds flat. whether pressed or not they will look like new bobbinet, and this is a very convenient way when a lady is so situated that she cannot iron her own kerchiefs, or get them done to her liking by others. to iron lace or edging, carefully pull into shape the points or scollops, and pearling; lay it the wrong side up with the wrought edge from you, pass the iron along the edge nearest you, and then, beginning at the right hand end, move it out from you. do this the whole length or a yard at a time, then adjust every part even, and pass the iron over it again and again until it is dry. lay every piece, as you finish it, upon a waiter or dish, so that you will not have occasion to handle it again till you lay it in its place. needlework should be ironed upon clean flannel, and be long enough under the iron to dry it, as it will look ill if laid away damp. wrought collars, so much worn as to be easily torn by being washed, if they are not badly soiled, may be squeezed out of cold water, rolled in a dry cloth for a few minutes, and then ironed. the same may be done with plain muslins that are only tumbled. sometimes it is convenient to be able to produce a clean collar in a few minutes. it is convenient to have a board expressly for ironing caps, collars, cuffs, laces, and other small articles. it should be about two feet long, a foot and a half wide, covered on one side with four or five thicknesses of cotton cloth sewed on tight and perfectly smooth, and covered with white flannel. =to make fine starch.= there is a great difference in the quality of starch. it is but labor lost to make use of that which is not good. there is so much difference in the quantity of _gluten_ in this article, that no precise measure can be given. those who are least experienced will soon learn the proportion needed for any given number of articles. a small sauce-pan or porringer should be kept for boiling starch, and used for nothing else. boil the water in the porringer, wet the starch smooth in a little cold water, and pour it in slowly, stirring steadily till it has become of equal thickness. leave it to boil moderately eight or ten minutes. if starch is pure, and well made, it need not be strained. the leg of a fine cotton stocking makes a very good strainer. =to make flour starch.= wet white flour smooth in cold water, and pour it into boiling water, just like the fine starch. some people do not boil it; others think dresses retain the stiffness longer if it is boiled. it should be so made as to have no lumps in it, and if it is not, it should be strained through a fine colander. allow a table-spoonful of flour, and nearly three pints of water for a dress. if there are several dresses and skirts to be dipped, divide the starch into two or three parcels, because the first article put into it will take too large a proportion of the stiffness, and leave what remains too thin for the rest. reserve those which need least stiffness to be starched last. =to whiten or bleach.= the best time in the year is the month of may. the dew at that period has a peculiar efficacy for bleaching. in the country, where clean grass plots are accessible, it is a good way to take all the white clothes of the week's wash, from the first rinsing water, or from the boiling suds, and lay them on the grass. after two or three nights take them up before they are dry in the morning, rinse them well, and put them on the line. their improved appearance will pay for the trouble. in august, clothes should never be more than one day and night upon the grass, lest they become mildewed. in the winter, they will whiten fast, in sunny weather, upon clean snow; and leaving them on the line in the frost over night, after being washed makes them white. =to wash thibet cloths, bombazines, mouslin de laines, and plaids.= if you wish to make over a dress before it is badly worn or soiled, rip it, and sponge it in warm water with castile soap in it. sponge a piece at a time, on the side which is to be out, and iron it on the other side, until perfectly dry. the irons should be quite hot but not so as to change the color. if it is hung upon the bars or laid away, damp, it will curl and look old. thibet cloths of good quality last so long that they are worth being done up twice. after doing good service, till parts of the waist and sleeves are worn out the dress should be ripped and washed (sponging will not answer), and if it is of a color that fades at all, wash with it any new pieces that you may have to use in making it over. wash it just as you would a nice flannel, with castile or olive soap, and then rinse it in two clear warm waters. remember not to wring it either time as it is almost impossible to iron out the wrinkles. squeeze out the suds a little before you rinse it. let it drip as it hangs upon the clothes line, for twenty minutes or half an hour; and before the upper edge begins to dry, and while the lower edge is still wet, turn the lower edge up over the line, and the dry edge down, and let it hang a few minutes, then fold each piece, and lay them in a pile with a damp cloth round them. have a steady good fire, and several irons, and press them upon the wrong side until dry. bombazines if not badly soiled, can be sponged, in the same way as the thibet cloths. if they are to be made up the same side out as before, sponge that side, and iron on the other. if they need to be washed, it is usually best that they should be made up the inside out, and of course should be ironed on what has been the right side. wash them just like thibet cloth. the black bombazines, and other similar fabrics worn in mourning, all wash well, and can be done repeatedly, and each time look so well as to reward the trouble. wash de laines and plaids in the same way. it is safe to use the genuine olive soap for those of the most beautiful colors; they will remain unchanged. =to wash shawls.= almost all kinds of shawls bear washing; and they should be done as the thibet cloths and de laines, except that when there is much white in them, or they are composed chiefly of delicate colors, there should be a very little blueing in the last rinsing water, and after being fifteen minutes on the clothes line, they should be laid perfectly smooth into a sheet, which should then be folded up (not _rolled_, because that will make wrinkles), and as soon as the water is absorbed, so that the shawl remains only very damp, iron it on the wrong side, until it is dry, then fold it, making the creases as when it was new. =to wash colored, plaid, black, and raw silks and ribbons.= for a single dress, pare four or five good-sized potatoes, slice them thin and lay them in a quart of cold water for a few hours; then, if the silk is much soiled, sponge both sides freely, rubbing the soiled places with most care. sponge one piece at a time, and iron it dry upon the side that is to be the inside, moving the iron up and down, or straight across--never diagonally. have the irons quite hot, yet not so as to scorch, or change the color. if they are too cool, they will draw up or crimp the silk in very minute gathers, and it will be nearly impossible to make such places smooth again. the effect of the starch from the potatoes is to cleanse the silk, and also give it a little stiffness, and even plaid silks of the most delicate colors are made to look new in this way. if a silk is not much soiled, sponge it only on what is to be the outside, and iron it on the other. a good black silk may be made to look "amaist as weel's the new," again and again by this process, and those who have never tried it, would be surprised at the renovating effect. good ribbons, black, white, or colored, are made fresh and handsome in precisely the same way. to iron them, set the iron across one end, on the wrong side, and while you press it hard, draw the whole length of the ribbon under it with the other hand. raw silks should be washed in potato water, as directed for calicoes that are liable to fade; and after being rinsed once, and hung without wringing upon the line, long enough for the water to drip off, they should be rolled for fifteen minutes in a sheet, and then ironed dry, on the wrong side. =to renovate black veils and lace.= make a very weak solution of gum arabic, so that it will barely be distinguishable from pure water; lay the veil or lace upon an ironing, or other smooth board, and apply the gum-water with a sponge. see that the article to be sponged lies straight and even; and when you have wet it perfectly smooth, let it remain untouched till the next day. this is the way that ladies who embroider their own veils give them their finish. if the gum water is too thick, there will be danger of tearing the lace in taking it off. =to renovate velvet.= wet a clean sponge in warm soap suds, squeeze it very dry in a cloth, and wipe the velvet with it. then pass the velvet over the edge of a hot iron, turned down side-ways--the wrong side of it next to the iron. another very good way is to hold the velvet in the steam of boiling water, and then pass it over the edge of an iron. =to wash english blankets.= if care is taken to keep them clean, they will seldom need to be washed. new ones ought not to need washing for several years. those which are not in constant use, should be kept where they will not be exposed to moths or dust, in a closet, pinned close in a cloth, or under a mattress. a chamber-maid or a domestic who does the general house-work, should keep a large apron to be worn only while she makes beds. blankets, counterpanes, and even bed-ticks sometimes have to be washed in consequence of negligence on this point. if there are soiled spots on a blanket, baste a thread around them, or else wash those places before it is put into the tub. then put a handful of soft soap into the water, and begin to rub at one end of the blanket, using more soap, and slipping it along as fast as it is washed, from one end to the other; and as it is not possible to rub the whole width of a large blanket at once,--after it is washed along one side, taking it up to the middle, wash along the other side, just as in washing sheets. it takes two persons to wring a blanket or counterpane well. have ready a large tub of as hot water as you can bear your hands in and put them as soon as they are washed into it; rinse them in this, and still in another warm water; and after wringing them dry as possible, have the person who assists you take one end, and taking the other yourself, open and snap them several times. this will take out the wrinkles, so that if the day is fair with a good breeze, the blankets will look almost as smooth as if they were pressed. if there are several to be washed, cover the rinsing tubs, so as to keep the water warm, and have some hot water ready to add, when that in the tubs becomes cool. =to wash white counterpanes and calico quilts.= wash them in the same way as blankets only with hard soap, and rinse them in cold water. if convenient, it is the best way to take them to a pump; and pump upon them and pour off the water again and again, till it is clear; then wring them and hang them on the line. in this way one wringing is saved, which is well, for it is some of the hardest work that is done. the heaviest kind of counterpanes, especially if they are large, should be rinsed at a pump, and taken in the tub to the clothes line, and put upon it without wringing. =to wash the tick of a featherbed, or pillow.= have it washed very thoroughly and rinsed in a plenty of water. when it is entirely dry, melt together bar soap and beeswax in the proportion of two parts soap, and one of wax. mix it well, and then, having laid the tick, inside out, upon a large table or ironing board, spread the soap and wax on it with a knife, as thinly as possible. even a thick tick, when it is washed, does not hold the feathers as securely as before, and the use of this mixture is to remedy the defect. the odor of the soap soon passes away. =to wash worsted table-covers.= wash them in quite warm water with olive soap. if this is not to be had, soft soap, if it is of the best kind, is better than common bar soap. this last, always has rosin in it, and sometimes there is so much as to make woollens washed with it feel _gummy_; and no pains-taking will entirely remove the bad effect. if there are grease spots, they should be first taken out with chloric ether or spirits of turpentine. make a suds, wash the cloth very thoroughly in it, and then in another; then rinse it twice in warm water. do not wring it when you put it from one water into another, but drain it, and very gently press the water out. hang it a short time upon the line, until the water has almost ceased dripping from the lower edge; then reverse it, putting the lower edge up on the line. have the irons hot, and the ironing-board ready, and make up your mind to iron patiently a long time. a medium-sized broadcloth table cover, such as used to be in fashion, required to be ironed two hours and a half. a less time is necessary for the thinner fabrics; but whatever the texture is, if it has wool in it, it must be pressed until it is dry, else it will not look well. faded table-covers, having one color only, mingled with white, may be dyed with advantage. i have seen one that was originally green and white, that after being in constant use many years, was sent to a dye-house, and came back transformed into a maroon and white cloth, and was as good as when it was new. =to wash carpets.= according to the experience of many persons, the kidderminster carpets, and others of like fabric, are as well washed at a fulling-mill as at a dye-house, or by a professed carpet-cleanser. they are washed whole, and if the colors are good, they are returned with a good degree of their original beauty; and i have never known one to be torn or injured in any way. the charge for washing a large carpet, does not exceed a dollar and a quarter, and for medium-sized and small ones, proportionately less. after a carpet has been in hard service, if it is worth being made over, or thoroughly repaired, it is also worth being washed; and a person who has spent two or three days in mending an old, unwashed carpet, will appreciate the assertion. _the directions for removing oil and grease from carpets not having been inserted in the appropriate place, they are given here._ when oil is spilled on a carpet, put on a plenty of white flour, and do it as quickly as possible, in order to prevent it from spreading. if the oil is near a seam, but does not reach it, rip the seam in order to stop it. put flour on the floor under the oil spot. the next day take up all the flour from the carpet and floor, with a dust-pan and a very stiff clothes broom, and put on fresh flour, and a plenty of it. it will not be necessary to do it a third time. to take out grease spots, rub them with a bit of white flannel, dipped in new spirits of turpentine; and if they again become visible, rub the spots again, on both sides of the carpet, when it is taken up and shaken. if there are oil or grease spots on the floor, they should be covered with thick paper before the carpet is again laid down. scouring will not entirely remove them. general index. page ants, arrow-root gruel, articles, various, to keep, apple island, " snow, " sauce, common family, " " boiled cider, " tea, apples, steamed, sweet, " baked, " " sour, " coddled, " dried, or peaches, stewed, ashes, sawdust, &c., use to be made of, asparagus, " and eggs, barley water, bass, baked, beef, to roast, " to use remnants of, " " " " boiled, " steak, " " to heat over, " " stuffed, " " tomato, " alamode, in a plain way, " " more rich, " stewed brisket of, " corned, to boil, " smoked frizzled, " " to shave, " tea, beans and pork, baked, " shelled, " string, beer, english ginger, " maple, " spring, " spruce and boneset, beets, boiled, biscuit, raised, " butter-milk, " cream, " cream of tartar, " fried, blanc-mange, arrow-root, " calf's foot, " gelatine, " isinglass, " moss, bleach, to, or whiten, bread, good family, " made without a sponge, " " with milk, " " " water, " diet, " rice, " third, " graham, " " one loaf, " boston brown, " steamed " , " indian loaf, " rye, " to make stale fresh, " dough, various convenient uses of, " uses for pieces of, brawn, brine, a good, for keeping butter, broth, lamb, " mutton, " veal, bruiss, butter, drawn, " to keep sweet a year, cabbage, cake, barnard, " bread, " berwick (sponge), " bridgeport, " brooklyn (sponge), " commencement, " composition, " cream, " federal, " gold, " howard, " harrison, " jelly (or washington pie), " lemon, " loaf, " lyman (sponge), " mount pleasant, " measure (sponge), " plumb, maine, " " one loaf, plainer, " pound, " provence, " queen's, " rice, " snow or bride's, " silver, " superior, " tunbridge, " washington, " wedding, " white mountain, carrots, cauliflowers, candle, calcutta curry, calf's head, " foot broth, " head and feet, to cleanse, catsup, tomato, cement, to make a permanent, charlotte russe, chicken broth, " panada, " pie, " salad, " tea, chickens, to roast, " boil, " broil, " fricassee, chocolate, to make, cider, to boil, clams, cookies, cockroaches and beetles, to kill, cocoanut drops, cocoa, " ground, coffee, to roast, " make, " milk, " crust, cologne water, corn cake, , " oysters, " soup, " boiled, " and beans (succotash), crackers, litchfield, cracked wheat, crumb cakes, cream, syrup of, " to raise a thick, " ice, " imperial, " snow, " cakes, crullers, " cream of tartar, crust coffee, cucumbers, currant shrub, " wine, custards, almond, " boiled, , " baked, " wine, draught, refreshing in a fever, drop cakes, " " rye, doughnuts, raised, dumplings, apple, boiled, " " baked, " " steamed, " blackberry, ducks, to roast, " boil, earthen ware, to prevent being broken, egg plant, eggs, to keep, " pickled, " boiled, " dropped, " fried, " poached, " to beat the whites of, farina, fat and drippings, care of, feathers, to remove the bad odor from, figs, tomato, fish, cod, to boil, " " sounds and tongues, " " or blackfish, baked, " " to fry, " " chowder, , " " salt, to boil, " " salt, minced, " " balls, flat-irons, to remove starch or rust from, floating island, flummery, ground rice, " potato starch, food for a young infant, " for an infant at successive periods, " for a child just weaned, froth, stained, fruit, to preserve, in water, " jumbles, " ices, " stains, to take out, fritters or pancakes, " snow, frosting, , frying cakes, on, furniture, to remove spots from, gingerbread, hard sugar, " soft sugar, " soft, without eggs, " molasses, hard, " molasses, soft, ginger crackers, " snaps, glass ware, to prevent being broken, goose, to roast, gravel walks, to destroy grass in, grease, to take out, " to remove, from carpets, greens, to boil, griddle cakes, white flour raised, " " butter-milk or sour milk, " " without an egg, " " indian meal, " " rice, " " rice, ground, " " buckwheat, gruel, flour, " arrow-root, " oatmeal, " ground rice, " indian meal, ham or shoulder, to boil or bake, " to fry, " to boil, " pickle for one, hams, to cure, " to keep, through the summer, " knickerbocker, pickle for, or for beef, halibut, boiled or broiled, head cheese, herb drinks, house plants, to prepare earth for, hyacinths, to raise, in winter, ice, apricot, " creams, " currant, " lemon, " strawberry or raspberry, infant, food for, " " for, at successive periods, " " for a child just weaned, ink, to take out, " indelible, to make, iron ware, to prevent being broken, iron mould, to take out, jam, apple, " grape, " pine apple, " quince, " raspberry, " strawberry, jelly, apple, , " barberry, " calf's foot, " crab apple, " cranberry, " currant, " currant, without boiling, " english gelatine, " a nutritious, " quince, kisses, knife handles, ivory, to prevent being cracked, knives, to preserve from rust, lamb, boiled, " steaks, " roast, " stewed or alamode, lard, to try, lemon syrup, " " without lemons, lind, jenny, lobster in the simplest way, " salad, " stewed, lunn, sally, macaroni, mackerel, to prepare to broil, mahogany furniture, to polish, marmalade, quince, " sweet apple, milk porridge, " toast, mildew, to take out, mortar, to remove from windows, moths, to secure woollens, furs, furniture, &c., from, " to kill, mould, iron, to take out, moulding, to prevent books, ink, &c., from, muffins, raised, " sour milk, " cream of tartar, mushrooms, mutton, to roast, " steaks, oil, to take out, from carpets, omelets, onions, ovens, oyster pie, " plant, oysters in the simplest way, " to fry, " pickled, " escaloped, " stewed, " corn, panada, " chicken, pan-cakes or fritters, pan pie, , paint, to clean, with pumice-stone, " to remove, from windows, " fresh, to take out, paper hangings, to clean, parsley, to keep, parsnips, partridges, to roast, " to boil, pears, baked, " boiled, pearl sago and tapioca, , peas, pig, to roast, plated and silver ware, to clean, plants, house, to prepare earth for, pork, a shoulder, to roast or corn, " steaks, " spare-rib or chine, " salt, to fry, pickled cucumbers, " mangoes, " peaches, " nasturtiums, " eggs, pickled peppers, " butternuts, " martinias, " tomatoes, " peaches, plums, cherries, or tomatoes, pie crust, good common, " " bread dough, " " potato, pies, apple, stewed, " " without an upper-crust, " " of uncooked, " " sweetened with molasses, " " dried, " berry, " cherry, " chicken, " cranberry, " currant and gooseberry, " lemon, " mince, rich, " " not as rich, " " temperance, " " very plain, " " without suet, " " without meat, " oyster, " peach, " pigeon, " rhubarb, " squash or pumpkin, , " veal pot, " " baked, pigeons, to roast, " in disguise, pone, sweet potato, potato balls, potatoes, to boil, " mashed, " fried, " heated in milk, " old, " sweet, preserved apples, " " crab, " " pine, " " " without boiling, " blackberries, " cranberries, " currants, " damsons, " egg plums, " peaches, " pears, " quinces, " " with sweet apple, " quinces, without boiling the syrup, " strawberries, " tomatoes, pudding, hasty, " " fried, " sauce, elegant, " " plainer, " " cold, " " of sour cream, puddings, almond, " apple, " " (marlborough), " " (pemberton), " batter, baked, " " boiled or steamed, " rye, " bird's nest, " bread, " bread and butter, " cocoanut, " cottage, " cracker, , " farina, " potato, " " sweet, " plum, , " rice, " " white top, " " ground, " sago, " squash or pumpkin, " tapioca, _puddings without eggs._ pudding, berry, " indian, baked, " " with sweet apples " plum, boiled, " railroad, " rice, " sago, " salem, " suet, puff paste, rich, " " plainer, puffs, raspberry vinegar, rennet whey, " wine, rice, to boil, roley poley, rose butter (a good substitute for rose water), roses, soot tea for, rusk, , rye drop cakes, sago, apple, salad, salmon, to boil, " broil, salsify, or oyster plant, salt meat and vegetables, boiled together, sarsaparilla mead, sausages, to make, " fry, shad, fresh, to broil, " to salt, to keep a year, " salt, to prepare to broil, " potted, shells, silver or plated ware, to clean, sink or drain, to purify, smelts, soap, to make with ashes, " " " potash, " borax, soup, a rich, " roast beef bone, " calf's head, " mock turtle, " ox-tail, " shank, " turkey, " white, " vegetable, " pea, " corn, souse, spinage, squash, summer, " winter, stains, fruit, to take out, starch, to take off, from flat-irons, " fine, to make, " flour, to make, starching, ironing, and polishing gentlemen's linen, stoves, to remove rust from, succotash, suet, to keep, syrup of cream, syrup, to make, for preserves, tapioca, boiled, " pudding, tea, tooth powder, toast water, tomato catsup, " pickle, " figs, tomatoes, baked, " broiled, " like cucumbers, " preserved, " stewed, " stewed to keep a year, " pickled, , tongue, stewed, trout, turkey, to roast, " to boil, " soup, turnips, mashed, veal, to roast a fillet, " loin, " pot pie, " pie, baked, " stewed, breast, " cutlets, " broiled, " minced, " cake, or melton, vegetables and salt meat boiled together, venison, velvet, to renovate, veils and lace, to renovate. wafers, waffles, wash, to, " calicoes, the colors of which are not fast, " mourning calicoes, muslins, and lawns, " starch, and iron muslins, laces, &c., " thibet cloths, bombazines, mouslin de laines, and plaids, " shawls, " colored, black, plaid, and raw silks and ribbons, " english blankets, " white counterpanes and calico quilts, " the tick of a featherbed or pillow, " worsted table-covers, " carpets, well, to purify, whigs, whiten or bleach, to, wine whey, " custard, woodcocks, quails, and other small birds, yeast, soft hop, " dry " , " potato hop, * * * * * transcriber's note: variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error or where in conflict with the index. potatoe on page has been changed to potato on grounds of consistency. a redundant "the" has been removed from "not hot at first, lest the it should crack" on p . there are numerous references to the receipt for "tea biscuit" which does not appear in the book. the original did not include a table of contents. one has been added. this is a copyrighted project gutenberg etext. copyright (c) mitzi perdue. the perdue chicken cookbook by mitzi perdue preface: why i chickened out introduction: you don't need to wing it! let frank take you under his. everything you wanted or needed to know about selecting, storing and cooking chicken chapter . chicken for everyday tips on cooking in a hurry, plus: quick recipes, simple recipes, and family favorites chapter . chicken for the microwave tips for using the microwave, plus: quick microwave recipes, and classic recipes adapted for the microwave chapter . chicken for dieters tips for dieters, plus: low calorie, low cholesterol recipes chapter . chicken for children tips on cooking for kids, plus: recipes for kids to eat and recipes for kids to cook chapter . chicken for barbecuing tips for cooking outdoors, plus recipes for barbecuing chapter . chicken for crowds tips on quantity cooking, plus recipes for crowds chapter . chicken for tomorrow$or next week tips on storing and freezing, plus cook ahead recipes chapter . chicken for holidays chicken and holiday cooking, plus: menus and recipes for the chinese new year, valentine's day, mother's day, fourth of july, thanksgiving, chanukah, and christmas chapter . chicken for important occasions chicken for when you want something different and exciting, plus show stopper recipes chapter . chicken for planovers tips on food safety, plus recipes for the rest of the bird conclusion: a rare bird what frank is really like acknowledgements i've often thought that inspiration is one of the greatest gifts one person can give another, and there are several people who were an inspiration in writing this book. first is a woman whom i would term the godmother of this book, connie littleton, the director of advertising and marketing services at perdue. she is a woman totally committed to excellence, and if that commitment to excellence meant she had to read and edit until the wee hours of the morning, she always did it as if it were a matter of course. with each passing day, i gained increasing respect for her professionalism, judgment and knowledge. bev cox, a home economist and food stylist, was an inspiration for her meticulous attention to detail, her enthusiasm, and her unfailing good humor no matter what. beth fusaro, who typed most of the recipes in this book, is a renaissance woman, who knows not only about food and typing, but also about everything from making pottery to preserving the environment. it's been a privilege to work with beth. gretchen barnes, who assisted bev cox in editing, learned a whole new computer program, word perfect, in order to get the job done quickly. sharon sakemiller, who is already a word perfect expert, also helped with typing and retyping recipes. she impressed everyone with how rapidly she could get things done. my sincere thanks to the members of american agri-women who over the years have shared their food tips with me. also, deepest thanks to the u.s. department of agriculture's cooperative extension. one of cooperative extension's major activities is helping to educate consumers, and i owe cooperative extension a deep debt of gratitude for the education i've received through their many publications, broadcasts, classes, seminars, meetings, and personal contacts. the following cooperative extension members$many of whom are good friends as well as professional colleagues$have been invaluable resources for food tips and food knowledge: dorothy thurber, kathryn boor, christine bruhn, ellen pusey, sally foulke, bonnie tanner, bettie collins, sue snyder, chuck waybeck, and george york. also thanks to dot tringali of the national broiler council, to connie parvis of the delmarva poultry industry, to joy schrage from the whirlpool corporation, and lisa readie from the barbecue industry association. preface why i chickened out want to know a high stress situation? try being a food writer and cookbook author, and then marry frank perdue. you come home from the honeymoon, everything has been wonderful and then...it's time to cook the first meal! frank wants to eat chicken and you're supposed to be a good cook. i remember that afternoon so vividly. i knew he'd be coming home around six and that he'd be hungry. now up until that day, i had always felt fairly confident in the kitchen. after all, i love cooking and trying new recipes is my favorite pastime. but cooking chicken for frank perdue? i began to get stage fright. as i was trying to find where the pots and pans were in his kitchen, i started calculating that there were probably few people in the world who've eaten chicken more times than my husband. "he's been eating chicken almost daily for his entire life" i thought, "he likes it, he cares about it, and my cooking is about to be judged by a world class expert." as i rummaged around looking for the right herbs and spices$and couldn't find the ones i liked $ my stage fright grew worse. "this man must be one of the world's greatest experts on cooked chicken," i thought to myself. "he's attended dozens and dozens of chicken cooking contests, he's been part of hundreds and hundreds of taste testings for perdue products. everywhere he goes, people know he likes chicken and the best chefs and hostesses in the world have served it to him." in my mind i ran through some of the times when together we'd driven an hour out of the way to go to a restaurant that cooked chicken particularly well, and how he always seemed to have lists of the restaurants he wanted to visit. help! my stage fright was getting still worse. the thirty year old oven didn't seem to be heating right, but i couldn't be sure because there wasn't any oven thermometer. the "elbow test," which our grandmothers used to use before the days of thermometers (you stick your elbow in the oven and feel how hot it is), told me that things weren't right, but i didn't know how far off the oven was so i didn't know how to compensate. as i rubbed my elbow with my other hand, i thought of frank's reputation for being demanding. if you've seen the ad that we call "boot camp," you know what i mean. (he plays the part of a drill sergeant in this ad and teaches the new perdue recruits the quality points that they have to inspect -- and then he's all over one recruit for missing what seems like an invisibly small hair.) it's a funny thing, but when you start losing your confidence, you start asking some basic questions about what you're doing. part of me was saying that cooking chicken is pretty simple; after all, i'd been doing it for most of my life. but another part of me realized when attempting to cook chicken for frank the first time, that i knew very little of the basics of cooking chicken. like, for example, what makes a chicken tender? how do you really know when it's done$and not over done? how do you get the best flavor? should you salt before or after cooking? in desperation, i made a two-part promise to myself. first, i'd let myself take the easy way out that first meal, and not even try to cook the chicken myself. instead, dinner would be a never-fail salad, pasta (frank loves pasta), plus store-bought fully-cooked perdue tenders. in return for letting myself off so easily, i'd make it my business from then on to learn how to make the best chicken every time. that meant asking frank every question that popped into my head; checking with the food technologists who work for perdue; getting tips from the farmers who grew the perdue chickens; and systematically going through the thousands of recipes that frank has in his files, trying a different one each night. dinner that night wasn't the show piece i would have liked to create, but it was good enough and frank happens to love his own tenders so the chicken part of the meal was a success. in the time since, i've tried to live up to the second part of the promise, the one about learning how to serve the best chicken every time. in this book, i'd like to share with you the most useful cooking tips and the most appealing, most successful recipes developed by perdue farms over the last twenty years. the first chapter contains the kinds of information i wished i'd known from the beginning. you don't need to read this chapter, because chicken isn't that hard to cook; but there are tips in it that can save you time and money and that can enable you to cook with greater confidence. this chapter also has the latest tips on food safety. the remaining chapters are organized, not by method of cooking or whether the food is an appetizer or salad or whatnot; but rather by the kind of occasion you're facing. you want to put some spark and variety into every day meals? you want to make the most of your microwave? or you're in a hurry today? maybe you need something that will please kids? or you're dieting? you've got a bunch of leftovers? you have to cook for a hundred people tomorrow night? i tried to think of the kinds of situations in which you could need recipes and then i organized frank's recipes around them. jean brillat- savarin, the famous french gourmet, once said, "a chicken to a cook is like a canvas to a painter." enjoy the recipes and tips that follow, and may they help you to feel the creativity and confidence that make cooking fun and eating a joy! you don't have to wing it! let frank take you under his. everything you wanted or needed to know about cooking chicken frank gets roughly , consumer letters a year. half of these are requests for pamphlets, but many of the others are requests for information on selecting, storing, serving, or cooking his products. these letters are tremendously important to frank. often i've been with him when he has a few extra minutes, such as waiting for an airplane, and he'll dash to a pay phone to answer one of the letters with a phone call. he also likes to attend store openings or conventions or other public places because he genuinely wants to hear what people are thinking. one of the marketing men once told me that he was embarrassed about a day he had planned for frank because it included meetings with people who owned just a few stores. when i passed this on to frank, he answered that these were some of the best meetings because the owners of the smaller stores were so close to their customers. he went on to say that the reason he likes to visit butchers (and in new york, he's called on as many as in two days) is that these men are close to the needs and wants of their customers and he can learn things from them that he'd learn in no other way. i've heard that there's almost no other head of a fortune -size company who would spend as much time with the people who buy his products. people are often surprised that a man with his responsibilities would take the time for this much face to face contact. but the fact is, learning what people care about is almost a religion to him. here are some of the questions that people either write to frank or ask him in person. in answering the questions, i've either used the information i've heard frank give, or else i've checked with the perdue food scientists or home economists. what should i look for when i shop for chicken? whatever city we're in, whether it's on the east coast, or puerto rico, or even london or moscow or tokyo, frank visits supermarkets the way other people visit museums or monuments. he notices the following kinds of things himself and would recommend that you do also when selecting chicken. _give the package a little squeeze. are there signs of ice along wings, backs or edges? frank explained to me that some chicken producers blast their birds with air as cold as - o f, but he never does. freezing causes a breakdown in protein, loss of natural juices, and reduced tenderness. also, when you cook a frozen bird, the bones and nearby meat may turn an unappetizing dark color. _look at the thickness of the meat in proportion to the bone. if, for example, the breast looks scrawny, you're paying a lot for bone rather than meat. _read the labels so you know what you are getting. many different parts and combinations are available, and some look surprisingly alike even to frank's trained eye. the label tells exactly what is inside. _ask questions. if any meat or poultry product doesn't look, feel, or smell just right, check with the professionals behind the counter. _notice the pull date. most stores are scrupulous about removing chicken before the pull date expires$but sometimes there's a slip-up. _was the chicken well-cleaned? or are there little traces of feathers or hairs? these can look really unattractive when the bird is cooked. _is the chicken stored correctly on the chilling shelf, or are the trays of chicken stacked so high that the top ones aren't kept cold? when that happens, the shelf life of the top ones is seriously shortened. _is the meat case kept so cold that the fresh chicken is frozen and ends up with ice crystals on the tray? if so, complain to the manager. _look at the ends of the bones. are they pink or are they turning gray? generally, the more pink the bone ends are, the fresher the chicken. how should i store chicken at home? chicken, like all meat, is perishable. it should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator ( o or below), sealed as it comes from the market, and used within two or three days of purchase. should i freeze chickens? frank doesn't recommend freezing poultry. however, if a bird must be held beyond three days, freezing will keep it wholesome. how do i freeze poultry? when freezing is necessary, seal chicken or other poultry in an airtight container, heavy plastic bag, plastic wrap, foil or freezer paper. try to have the wrapping tight against the chicken because any place where it isn't, small ice crystals will form. that means moisture has been drawn from the meat, and where that's happened, the meat will be tough and breading won't stick. frozen uncooked chicken can be stored up to six months; frozen cooked chicken should be used within three months. (personally i try to avoid freezing chicken since i know that freezing makes the chicken less tender and less juicy. still, in spite of good intentions, i sometimes end up doing it. i've learned to make it a point to have a wax marking pencil and freezer tape handy, so i can label the package with the date and contents. i wonder if you've found, as i have, that it's unbelievably easy to lose track of how long things have been in there.) do not stuff poultry before freezing, and freeze cooked birds and stuffing separately. can frozen chicken be thawed and frozen again? each time you freeze chicken, you sacrifice quality. if carefully handled, however, it is safe to defrost uncooked chicken and to freeze it again after cooking. if frozen after cooking, do not thaw and freeze again. why is chicken sometimes implicated in illness? in a warm, moist environment, illness-causing bacteria can grow in high-protein, low-acid foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and milk. but there is no reason to become ill from eating or serving these foods, if they are cooked thoroughly and served or refrigerated immediately. to prevent transferring bacteria from one food to another, use warm water and soap to wash hands, utensils and work surfaces before and after use. what makes chicken tender -- or tough? frank does his best to make perdue chickens as tender as possible, but there's also a lot you can do. _don't let chicken dry out in the refrigerator; dry chicken is tough chicken. keep it wrapped in the package it comes in until you use it. _avoid freezing it. when the juices inside the cells freeze, they act like little spears and they'll rupture some of the cell walls. when you defrost the chicken, you'll lose some of the juice and the chicken will be less tender. _cook chicken to the proper temperature, using a meat thermometer or pop-up guide. cook bone-in chicken to degrees and boneless chicken to degrees. undercooked chicken will be tough and rubbery because it takes a fairly high internal temperature to soften the proteins in the muscles and make them tender. but don't overcook chicken either, because moisture will start to steam off, and the more chicken dries out, the tougher it gets. _keep the skin on chicken during cooking. the skin helps keep juices in, and tenderness and juiciness go hand in hand. i've tried this both ways, and the difference is significant. (when you cook chicken with the skin on, approximately half the fat from the skin is absorbed into the meat; if calories and cholesterol are very important to you, you might want to remove the skin before cooking even if it means a less tender result.) _when microwaving any chicken product, cover with a loose tent of waxed paper to prevent drying. _some authorities feel strongly that you should not salt the chicken before cooking because salt draws the juices out during cooking and toughens the meat. in my experience, there is a detectable difference in tenderness between salting before cooking and salting afterwards; the chicken that i salted afterwards was slightly more tender. still, i would guess that most people, myself included, wouldn't notice a big difference unless they were specifically paying attention to it. the difference doesn't jump out at you as it does with overcooking or freezer burn. _fry or roast breast pieces rather than microwaving them if tenderness is a top priority for you. microwaving is significantly faster, but there's a greater risk of toughness when you microwave breast meat. breast meat is fairly dry to begin with, and you don't have a whole lot of latitude between overcooking and undercooking. with breast meat, there's a trade-off between the speed of microwaving and the reliability of frying or roasting. why are some chickens yellow skinned and some white? a chicken's skin color comes from the diet it was fed and the same bird could have a white skin or a yellow skin, depending on what it ate. the diet that produces a yellow skin is more expensive than the usual diet, but the people at perdue farms feel it's worth it because a yellow skin color is one of the fastest ways frank's inspectors have of finding and disqualifying an inferior bird. if a bird is sick or off its feed, it doesn't absorb nutrients well and won't develop the rich golden color that is characteristic of perdue birds. also, if part of a bird's outer skin is "barked", that is, rubbed off due to rough handling during processing, the perdue inspectors can detect it more easily than with a white-skinned bird. detecting and removing and chicken with a barked skin is important because damaged skin shortens the shelf life and dries out and toughens the meat. no white colored chickens get by the inspectors. sometimes when i open a package of chicken, there's a pungent odor that doesn't smell spoiled, but it's definitely unpleasant. should i throw the chicken out? if the odor lasts only a matter of seconds, your chicken is probably fine. meat is chemically active, and as it ages, it releases sulfur. when you open a bag that doesn't have air holes, you may notice the accumulated sulfur, but it will quickly disperse into the air. in fact, i've heard of cases where a wife will lean over to her husband and say, "smell this, i think it's gone bad." he'll take a deep whiff and find nothing wrong with it. she'll take another sniff and then wonder if it was her imagination. it wasn't. it's just that once the package was opened, the sulfur smell faded into the air like smoke rings. if the chicken still smells bad after a couple of minutes, that's an entirely different story. the problem is bacterial spoilage or rancidity or both. return the chicken to the store where you bought it and write to frank. if a chicken's been around too long you can smell it, and if you can't detect it at room temperature, you probably can as it cooks, since rancidity is more obvious at higher temperatures. rancidity can occur without bacteria if the freezer where the meat was stored wasn't cold enough or if the product was kept there for a very long time, such as more than six months for uncooked chicken, or more than three months for cooked chicken. (by the way, i don't like to focus on this unpleasant stuff, but i do want you to get your money's worth when you're buying chicken.) are chickens given hormones? never. i remember when i lived on the west coast, there was a small company that advertised that its chickens were grown without hormones. i thought this was unethical, because it implied that other chickens were grown with hormones. the fact is none are. can i cook frozen chicken, or do i have to let it defrost first? in a pinch, go ahead, but allow extra cooking time. for the best texture and tenderness, however, you're better off starting from refrigerator temperatures; you can be more sure of getting an evenly cooked product. how long can i keep chicken at room temperature? from the point of view of food safety, you're taking a risk if you leave it outside the refrigerator for more than two hours. unfortunately, bacteria grow and multiply at temperatures between degrees and degrees, and they flourish at room temperature. to avoid food borne illness, all foods of animal origin should be kept either hotter than degrees or colder than degrees. if you know you won't be returning home directly after shopping, bring along an insulated bag or box to keep cold foods cold until you can get them into the refrigerator. do i need to rinse chicken before cooking? advice on this has varied over the years, including the advice frank gives. the latest research shows that from a health point of view, washing is not necessary. any microbes that you'd wash off will be entirely destroyed by heat when you cook the meat. it's actually far more important to wash your hands, your cutting board, and your utensils since they won't be sterilized by cooking. how do i get the best flavor? that depends on whether you're after a mild and delicate flavor, or a strong and robust flavor. the younger the bird, the milder the flavor. a game hen, which is five weeks old, will have the mildest flavor of all. a broiler, at seven weeks, will still have a quite mild and delicate flavor; a roaster, on the other hand, is usually about five weeks older than a broiler and it will have a much more pronounced "chickeny" flavor. (frank and i enjoy chicken at all ages, but if we had to choose on flavor alone, we'd most often go for the roasters.) for a really strong, chickeny flavor, see if you can find fowl or spent hens or stewing hens. these birds are around months old, which means they're going to be quite tough, but if you use them in soups or stews, they'll add an excellent flavor. i've had chicken in the freezer for a year. is it still edible? from a health point of view it would be ok, but the flavor and texture will have deteriorated and it just won't be particularly tasty. i stored chicken in the freezer for a year once as an experiment, just to see what it would be like. it wasn't awful, but it was kind of flat and tasteless. i remember wondering if this was what cotton tasted like - although to be fair, it wasn't really that bad. why are bones sometimes dark? darkened bones occur when the product has been frozen. freezing causes the blood cells in the bone marrow to rupture and then when the chicken is thawed, these ruptured cells leak out and cause visible reddish splotches on the bones. when cooked, these discolorations will turn from red to almost black. is it true that breast meat is the least fattening part of a chicken? yes. breast meat has about half the fat of thigh meat. if calories or cholesterol are important to you, choose the breast meat. frank watches his cholesterol and i've never seen him go for anything but breast meat. is it better to cook a chicken quickly at a high temperature-or slowly at a low temperature? both work, but with high temperatures, you run a greater risk of uneven cooking, with the wings and legs becoming overcooked before the rest of the bird is done. usually we recommend a moderate temperature of degrees for whole birds and degrees for parts. if you are in a hurry and want to use a higher temperature, then shield the wings and legs by wrapping them with aluminum foil if they're starting to become too brown. how much should i allow for shrinkage when cooking chicken? for each -ounce serving of cooked poultry, buy an extra ounce to allow for shrinkage and an extra two ounces to allow for bone. if i want to use different parts of the chicken from what the recipe calls for, how do i go about making substitutions? this table should help: name of part approximate no. to equal one whole chicken whole breasts half breasts whole leg (thigh and drumstick) thigh drumsticks wing drumette (upper part of wing) when using cooked chicken, allow one pound of whole uncooked chicken for each cup of cooked, edible chicken meat. how do you truss a chicken? here have illustration showing how what's the best way to carve a chicken? here have illustration showing how some of your recipes call for roasters. i don't live in an area where perdue chicken is sold, and i haven't been able to find roasters in the stores. what exactly is a roaster, and can i substitute a broiler? a perdue oven stuffer roaster is a week old bird especially developed for a broad breast. roasters are bigger than broilers, and have a more favorable meat to bone ratio than broilers. because they are older birds, they also have a much deeper, richer flavor. you can use broilers in roaster recipes, but plan on the chicken's being done sooner and having a noticeably milder flavor. frank, by the way, is the man responsible for creating the roaster market. back in the early s, when few people had ever heard of a roaster, he was the one who worked to breed these broad-breasted birds, and who put the effort into advertising so people would learn about the new product. he surprised his colleagues by how determined he was in his developing and marketing efforts. one of the men who worked with frank told me that he was amazed that frank, who will hang onto an old pair of shoes to save $ , was willing to spend millions to let people know about the product, and further, he did it without a qualm, because he had such belief in it. if you haven't tried an oven stuffer roaster and you're visiting the east coast, try one, and you'll see why frank believed in it so much. chapter one: chicken for everyday napoleon's cook once bet that he could cook chicken a different way every day of the year. the cook found that this was an easy bet to win, and i can see why, having looked at the recipes in frank's files. chicken's versatility seems almost endless. perdue farms home economists have been developing chicken recipes since the early s and as a result, frank has more than chicken recipes. if only napoleon had chosen to bet with me, i could have won even if he'd said the bet was for six years! in this chapter, you'll find some of frank's and my favorites for every day cooking. but there are different kinds of every day cooking, so i've divided the chapter into three sections to take care of three different every day situations. the first section, fast food chicken from your refrigerator, is for when you're in a hurry and want dinner on the table in the shortest possible time. none of these recipes takes more than minutes, and many are ready in five. however, you will find special tricks to make the food more interesting than just heat and serve. the second section, perdue plus five, is for when you don't mind if dinner isn't ready for another hour or so, but you want your part of the preparation to be as brief as possible. the recipes in this section use only five ingredients in addition to chicken, salt, and pepper, and all of the recipes are simple to prepareathough they may take awhile to cook. the third section, family favorites, is for relaxed times. when you don't mind spending some time putting together something your family will really like, try this section. fast food chicken from your refrigerator (photo: the most valuable player on the tv football- party table might be perdue done it!) frank loves to tell people that they can pick up delicious, fast-food chicken within easy walking distanceatheir refrigerators. "when you're hungry and in a hurry," he says, "you don't need to rush across town for great chicken. you can just walk (slowly) to your refrigerator and pick up my perdue done it! chicken." although fried foods are notoriously high in fat, particularly fast food ones. perdue done it! is an exception. frank flash fries the perdue done it! products. they are in oil for seconds only. further, to assure the chicken is as low in saturated fat as possible, perdue uses only polyunsaturated soybean oil. in the recipes that follow, i've used generic nuggets, cutlets, tenders, and other fully cooked products. however, try for the perdue done it! if you live in the perdue marketing area, which is the east coast and some of the mid western states. the perdue nuggets, cutlets and tenders come from white meat fillets, while some of the other brands are pressed and formed from dark meat chicken and don't have the best texture or flavor. tenders, and nuggets chick on a biscuit: split hot baked biscuits. fill each with a breaded chicken nugget and a thin slice of ham; top with mustard. chicken mexicali: top cutlets or tenders with prepared salsa and avocado slices. chicken parmesan: top partially heated cutlets with spaghetti sauce and sliced mozzarella cheese; broil briefly to melt cheese. super caesar salad: quarter heated nuggets and toss with croutons, romaine lettuce, and caesar salad dressing. holiday crepe: heat breast tenders and place on a warm crepe. top with cranberry sauce and roll up; serve with sour cream. japanese meal-in-a-bowl: prepare japanese-style noodle soup (ramen) as directed. add heated chicken breast nuggets or tenders, sliced scallions and a dash of soy sauce. (i often put this in a thermos and bring it to frank at his office when he's working late.) nugget sticks: on metal skewers, alternately thread to chicken breast nuggets with inch pieces of bacon. heat in oven as directed on nugget package. dip into prepared chutney or sweet-sour sauce. stir-fry snack: stir-fry wings in a little oil with red bell pepper strips, scallions and sliced water chestnuts. season with soy sauce. serve over rice. substantial sub: split a loaf of italian bread lengthwise. pile on heated breaded chicken cutlets or tenders, provolone cheese, sliced tomato, sweet onion, pimentos and shredded lettuce. douse with bottled salad dressing and dig in. tenders under wraps: brush boston lettuce leaves with prepared hoisin sauce or chinese-style duck sauce. place a heated tender or nuggets and a piece of scallion on top. roll up lettuce around tender, securing with a toothpick. precooked hot & spicy wings chicken antipasto: arrange hot & spicy wings on platter with slices of provolone cheese, sliced tomatoes, marinated artichoke hearts and olives. out-of-buffalo wings: warm hot & spicy wings and arrange with celery sticks around a blue cheese dip. combine / cup mayonnaise, / cup crumbled blue cheese and minced scallion in a small bowl. speedy arroz con pollo: prepare a box of spanish rice mix as package directs. during last minutes of cooking time, add package hot & spicy wings, package thawed frozen peas and / cup sliced olives. ed chicken, toasted almonds, and chopped scallions. blend in mayonnaise flavored with curry powder and spoon back into pineapple shell to serve. cheesy chick: prepare packaged stuffing mix as directed, adding cup shredded jarlsberg or swiss cheese. stuff whole roasted chicken or cornish hens with mixture; heat until warmed through. chicken frittata: shred roasted chicken or cut breaded chicken into cubes. add to beaten eggs, along with mushrooms, onions, and any leftover vegetables. cook mixture quickly, forming into an open-faced omelet or frittata. chicken normandy: arrange cut-up roasted chicken or cornish hen meat in a shallow baking dish and scatter thinly sliced apples around pieces. cover and heat until hot and apples are tender. stir in a little light or heavy cream and warm to serve. chicken reuben: thinly slice roasted chicken. pile on sliced rye that's been spread with russian dressing. top with prepared sauerkraut, a slice of swiss cheese, and another slice of rye. grill or pan fry sandwiches until cheese melts. chicken sesame: brush roasted chicken or cornish hens with bottled salad dressing; sprinkle surface with sesame seeds and heat as directed. fabulous fajitas: slice roasted chicken into strips. saute in oil, adding lime juice, garlic, and ground cumin to taste. roll up in warm flour tortillas and top with chunks of avocado, chopped scallion, and cherry tomatoes. pasta pizazz: saute pieces of roasted or breaded chicken with sliced zucchini, chopped onion, sliced mushrooms, and garlic. add a dash of heavy cream and toss with hot cooked spaghetti or noodles. power pita: slice roasted chicken and stuff into a whole wheat pita bread. top with shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, red pepper strips and a tablespoon of dressing made of plain yogurt seasoned with lemon juice, curry powder and salt and pepper to taste. stir fried chicken: dice roasted chicken into a wok or skillet and stir-fry with scallions, celery, mushrooms, and peas. add cooked rice and soy sauce to taste; toss well. super spud: halve a baked potato and top with shredded roasted chicken mixed with a little mayonnaise. pile on shredded swiss cheese, bacon bits, and chopped chives; bake or microwave until cheese melts. taco perdue: cube roasted chicken and serve in taco shells, topped with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, onion, shredded cheese, and taco sauce. photo: harvest fruit adds seasonal flavor to chicken - golden nugget salad: heat package of chicken breast nuggets. combine with romaine lettuce, halved cherry tomatoes and diced avocado. toss with your favorite dressing. nuggets or tenders with dip fully cooked breaded chicken breast nuggets ( - per package) or tenders ( - per package) following package directions, warm nuggets or tenders in a conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a microwave oven. serve with ketchup or your favorite mustard. for myself, i've been trying some of the more exotic mustards from the supermarket and sometimes i put out several kinds in pretty little dishes that i'd otherwise use for nuts. instead of a wine or cheese tasting, my guests end up trying different mustards. perdue plus five when was the last time you baked a pie from scratch? i'm asking you this question because i'm guessing that you're like many other people who've told me that today they'd never have time to bake a pie from scratch. they might have once, but they don't have the time any more. in the last few years i've asked this question to dozens and dozens of audiences when giving talks. almost always, i get the same answer: that people who once had had the time to do a lot of cooking now seldom do. the want to eat well, they enjoy cooking, but they just can't find the time. if you were to ask me that question, i'd have to answer that i haven't found time to bake a pie from scratch in years either. frank keeps me so busy that sometimes i think that i'm married to a whirlwind. people joke that he's the only man you'll ever meet who can enter a revolving door in the compartment behind you and come out ahead of you. they also joke that he doesn't get ulcers$but he's a carrier. knowing quick recipes has become more important to me than ever, and this section contains a selection of the best. the heating and cooking time may take an hour or so, but your part in the kitchen should be no more than fifteen minutes. in this section, you'll find uncomplicated recipes with few steps, and none of the recipes have more than five ingredients in addition to chicken, salt, pepper and water. if like me, you also are looking for ways to prepare meals that taste good, look good, give you more satisfaction than microwaving a store bought frozen dinner, but don't require a long time in the kitchen, this section is for you. baked onion chicken serves recipes don't get much easier on the cook than this. anne nesbit developed it for perdue farms. one of her jobs as a perdue home economist was to translate some of the world's most successful recipes into ones that were both easy to assemble and quick to prepare. "i'm an admirer of simple recipes," says anne. "my heart was in this work because i believed in it. people want food that looks good and tastes good, but they don't have time to put a lot of work into getting there." i've never met anne, except over the phone, but from this comment, i know i would like her. the recipe isn't fancy, and it may be old-fashioned, but it's a treasure when you're in a hurry. chicken, cut in serving pieces dehydrated onion soup mix preheat oven to of. roll chicken in dry soup mix, using about as much mix as you would salt. place chicken in a single layer, skin side up, on baking sheet. bake, uncovered for to minutes until cooked through. basic fried chickenserves this is fried chicken in its simplest form. it's good enough so that the last time i made it, the grandchildren were making off with pieces almost as fast as i could cook them. frank's daughter anne oliviero particularly recommends basic fried chicken served cold the next day for picnics. she and her family love to explore some of the islands off the coast of maine, where they live, and cold fried chicken is just about always on the menu. / cup flour teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper or to taste chicken cut in serving pieces / cup vegetable shortening in a large plastic bag combine flour with salt and pepper. shake chicken in bag with mixture. in a large, deep skillet over medium heat, melt shortening. cook chicken uncovered, heat for to minutes on each side or until cooked through. oven-fried chicken, southwestern style any basic fried chicken recipe may be adapted for oven frying. it is a useful technique when cooking larger quantities of chicken and is less messy than stovetop frying. (especially if you have a self-cleaning oven.) simply follow the basic cooking instructions as given in the southwestern version below. chicken, cut in serving pieces cup buttermilk / teaspoon tabasco, optional vegetable oil for frying / cup flour / cup corn meal teaspoon salt / teaspoon chili powder / teaspoon ground pepper place chicken in a large bowl. sprinkle with tabasco. pour buttermilk over all and allow to marinate for to minutes. preheat oven to of. place / inch of oil in the bottom of a heavy baking pan large enough to hold chicken without crowding. place pan in oven to heat for minutes. in a plastic bag combine remaining ingredients. shake chicken in seasoned flour. remove pieces one at a time and quickly slip into hot oil. place in oven and bake for minutes. turn and bake for to minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. drain chicken on crumpled paper towels. basic roast chickenserves sometimes there is nothing else that will fill the bill like roasted chicken. here's the easiest way to do it. you can brush the surface with melted butter, margarine or oil, but it isn't really necessary. whole chicken teaspoon salt or to taste package ( - / -ounces) stuffing mix, prepared as directed on package sprinkle cavity of chicken with salt. stuff with favorite prepared stuffing. or skip stuffing if you're really in a hurry. place chicken in baking pan (no rack needed). roasting chart approximate additional cooking cooking time amount of time if stuffed time at f stuffing if stuffed broiler/fryer - / to hours - / to cups to minutes ( - / to pounds) oven stuffer roaster - / to - / hours to - / cups to minutes ( to pounds) cornish game hen to minutes / to / cup to minutes ( - -ounces) bird of paradiseserves the recipe calls for a chicken cut in serving pieces, but naturally you can substitute any parts that you particularly like, such as breasts or thighs. three breasts or thighs with drumsticks attached would come out to about the same amount as the chicken called for in this recipe. chicken, cut in serving pieces salt and ground pepper to taste egg, beaten / cup milk teaspoon salt or to taste / cup grated parmesan cheese / cup butter or margarine cup sherry season chicken with salt and pepper. in a shallow bowl combine egg and milk. place cheese in a shallow baking pan. dip chicken in egg mixture; then roll in cheese. in a large, deep skillet, over medium heat, melt butter. add chicken and brown for to minutes on each side. add sherry. cover and cook at medium-low heat for to minutes or until cooked through. corn crisped chickenserves i grew up on this recipe. it's not new, but it's good and the preparation time is minimal. if you don't have cornflakes, you can substitute almost any breakfast flakes as long as they don't have raisins in them. (the raisins can scorch in the oven.) for variation, you can add teaspoon dried italian seasonings or teaspoon chili powder or / teaspoon curry powder to the cornflake crumbs. cup cornflake crumbs teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup evaporated milk, undiluted chicken, cut in serving pieces preheat oven to of. on a sheet of wax paper combine cornflake crumbs, salt and pepper. place evaporated milk in a shallow bowl. dip chicken in milk; then roll in seasoned crumbs. place chicken, skin side up, in a baking pan. bake, uncovered for hour, or until cooked through. cutlet paillards with basil butterserves when i made this recipe, i happened to be in a hurry, and didn't have time to get fresh basil so i used dried basil instead. frank liked it and had seconds. the name "paillard," by the way, comes from a european restaurant famous at the end of the th century. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoon olive or vegetable oil tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoons minced fresh basil, or tablespoon dried small clove garlic, minced teaspoon lemon juice salt and ground pepper to taste lemon slices, for garnish place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / inch thickness. if using thin sliced boneless roaster breast, omit placing in plastic wrap and pounding. brush cutlets lightly with oil, grill over hot coals to minutes per side, rotating to form crosshatch marks characteristic of paillards, or broil to minutes per side or until cooked through. place butter, basil, garlic and lemon juice in a small pan and melt on the side of the grill. spoon butter over paillards and season with salt and pepper. garnish with lemon slices. easy oven chickenserves this recipe has been one of my favorites since college days. the true chicken flavor comes out with just a touch of garlic. chicken, cut in serving pieces / cup olive or vegetable oil teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper small clove garlic, minced preheat oven to of. in a shallow baking pan arrange chicken in a single layer, skin side up. pour oil over chicken. sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic. bake, uncovered, for about hour, or until cooked through. honey lemon chickenserves this recipe was originally designed for broiling, but this version requires less attention. chicken, cut in serving pieces / cup honey / cup lemon juice teaspoon salt or to taste preheat oven to of. in a shallow baking pan arrange chicken in a single layer, skin side down. in a small bowl combine honey, lemon juice and salt. pour half of this sauce over chicken. bake, covered for minutes. remove cover; turn chicken. pour other half of sauce on chicken. replace cover. bake another to minutes or until cooked through, removing cover last minutes for browning. honey-mustard baked breastserves have you ever been concerned about whether the honey you have in your cupboard is fresh or whether it should be thrown out? not to worry! honey is itself a natural preservative and samples of honey have been found in the tombs of ancient egypt that were still edible. if it's crystallized, it may look bad, but it's still a wholesome food. just heat it gently until it reliquifies. whole boneless roaster breast salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons melted butter or margarine / cup honey / cup dijon mustard / teaspoon curry powder preheat oven to of. season breast with salt and pepper. combine butter, honey, mustard and curry powder. spoon half of sauce into a shallow baking dish. add breast and turn to coat well. bake, uncovered, for about hour or until cooked through. turn and baste with remaining sauce once during cooking time. it's a dilly chicken when i read this recipe in the files, i noticed several hand-scrawled notes saying that it was really good, and someone described it as "a dilly of a recipe." yet from reading the recipe, it didn't sound as special as the notes indicated, especially since the ingredients include canned mushrooms rather than fresh. i was curious enough that i went to the kitchen and made the recipe, expecting that this would be one of the recipes that i wouldn't include in this book. but to my surprise, i discovered that yes, dill seed and canned mushrooms, along with the juice from the mushrooms, really do something terrific for chicken. it's not rich or creamy, but there's an attractive, aromatic flavor that permeates the chicken. chicken, cut in serving pieces teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper can ( -ounces) whole small mushrooms (with liquid) / teaspoon dill seed preheat oven to of. in a shallow baking pan arrange chicken, skin side up, in a single layer. add salt, pepper, mushrooms (with liquid from can) and dill. cover with foil. bake at for hour or until cooked through. kiwi glazed cornish hensserves kiwifruit is only sweet and mild when it's fully ripe. a kiwifruit grower told me that kiwifruits are ripe when they're "soft as a baby's bottom." when they're underripe, they taste like something between a lemon and a crabapple. if your kiwifruit is hard when you bring it home, give it a couple of days to ripen on your kitchen counter. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoon sugar ripe kiwifruit, peeled and mashed preheat oven to of. remove giblets. season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. tie legs together, fold wings back and arrange in baking pan. in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. brush hens with tablespoons butter, reserving remainder. put hens in oven, and while they are cooking, prepare kiwi glaze. add sugar to remaining butter in pan and heat over medium-low until sugar dissolves. add mashed kiwi and cook one minute. remove from heat. after minutes of cooking time, brush hens generously with kiwi glaze. continue baking for to minutes or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. family favorites in contrast to the preceding recipes, these recipes have more ingredients and require more preparation time, but if you've got the time, they're worth it. if you want to minimize time in the kitchen using these recipes, here are some suggestions. tips for saving time in the kitchen _to halve baking time, select boneless chicken breasts. cooking time is only - minutes at of. a bone-in breast takes - minutes. _stir fry chicken can be done in as little as minutes. _cook double batches and freeze the extras in serving size packages. on days when time is short, pop a package into the microwave for "fast food." _take advantage of your supermarket's time-saving convenience items. if you're in a hurry, don't bother to slice and chop your fresh ingredients. the salad bar has probably done it for you. you can also find time savers such as shredded cheese and frozen chopped onion. (the supermarket industry has watched restaurants and fast food stores take more and more of your food dollars away each year. they're now doing everything they can think of to reverse this trend and make supermarket shopping so attractive, quick, convenient and economical that you'll want to cook at home.) _learn to cook chicken in the microwave. a pound of broiler parts that would take minutes in a degree oven takes only - minutes in the microwave. see chapter four, chicken in the microwave. soups photo: pot of soup with fresh vegetables surrounding outside - wherever there are people and chickens, there are chicken soups. virtually every immigrant group arriving in america brought along favorite chicken soup recipes and often the treasured family soup pot, too. if you grew up on canned, frozen, and dried soups, you may not realize how easy it is to make truly wonderful soups at home. if so, try it for yourself, perhaps with these american classics. all the soups are based on a key ingredient: rich, homemade chicken stock, made from either whole birds or from parts, in about three hours. stock takes little tending, just slow easy cooking to bring out all the flavor and wholesome goodness. why not try making one of these soups now? and then, with the help of your freezer, enjoy the results many times in the coming months. basic guide to chicken soup _older, larger birds, such as the - pound roasters, make the best soups. an older bird will have developed more of the rich, intense chickeny flavor than the younger, milder-flavored broilers or cornish hens. i've made soup from broilers and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't as good as it could be. _use roaster parts if you want to save time. they cook faster and are excellent when you need only a small amount of broth. the richest flavor, by the way, comes from the muscles that are exercised most, which happen to be the dark meat muscles. all parts will make satisfactory soup, but the legs, thighs and necks provide the fullest flavor. _for clear, golden broth, do not add liver. it turns stock cloudy. and avoid a greenish cast by using only parsley stems and the white parts of leeks or scallions. _as the stock cooks down, foam will float to the top. skim it off, or strain it out through double cheesecloth when the stock is complete. tie herbs and greens in cheesecloth as a "bouquet garni," so you won't inadvertently remove them during the skimming. _always simmer stock over low to medium heat. it's not a good idea to boil the stock for the same reason it's not a good idea to boil coffee; too much of the flavor would boil away into the air. _leftover vegetables and those past their prime are good pureed in cream soups. when thickening such recipes with egg, prevent curdling by stirring a cup of hot soup first into egg, then back into soup. also, be careful to keep the soup from boiling once you've added the egg. _most soups develop better flavor if you'll store them, covered, in the refrigerator for a day or two. to seal in the flavor while you're storing the soup, don't remove the fat that's on top. when you're ready to serve the soup you can lift the congealed fat off as a sheet. to remove the last particles of fat, place unscented paper towel on the surface. draw towel to one side and remove. _when freezing stock, allow / - to -inch head room in containers so soup can expand. freeze some in quart- sized or larger containers for use in soups. ladle the rest into ice cube trays or muffin cups for adding to vegetables, sauces, or gravies. freeze and then transfer frozen stock cubes to a plastic bag or freezer container and keep frozen until ready to use. _soup may be stored in the refrigerator two or three days or frozen for three to four months. when reheating, make sure to bring the broth to a boil. soups enriched with eggs are, unfortunately, not good candidates for reheating; they're apt to curdle. basic chicken stock makes about cups if you need to, you can make the following substitutions for the roaster: stewing hen or spent fowl ( - pounds); fresh young chickens ( - pounds); or pounds fresh chicken parts, preferably dark meat portions. (as i mentioned earlier, young chickens will not provide as rich a flavor as the older birds but the taste will still be good.) cooking times for meat will vary from hours for stewing hens or spent fowl, to - / hours for smaller birds to slightly less time for parts. in each case, time from beginning of simmer and return bones to stock for an additional / hour after you've removed the meat. chicken stock is delicious served as a simple broth with herbs, shredded or julienne vegetables, slivers of meat, or rice. it also is the base from which countless other soups are made. roaster ( - pounds) chicken giblets, except liver large bay leaf whole cloves teaspoon white peppercorns / teaspoons fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried quarts water or enough to cover chicken generously cup dry white wine, optional medium onions, quartered large carrots, sliced ribs celery, sliced leek, white part only, cleaned and sliced, optional bunch fresh parsley, stems only teaspoon salt or to taste remove giblets from roaster and discard bird-watcher thermometer, if it has one. place roaster along with giblets in a large stockpot ( to quarts) or other large sauce pot. wrap bay leaf, cloves, peppercorns, and thyme in cheesecloth as bouquet garni; tie closed with string. add to stockpot along with remaining ingredients. cover pot and simmer over medium-low heat for - / hours or until meat is tender. carefully skim stock from time to time with a ladle or spoon to remove fat particles and foam. to check roaster for doneness, pull back a leg or cut into meat close to bone; it is cooked when no pink color remains in meat. remove pieces with a slotted spoon. cut away meat from bones and return bones to stock; simmer minutes longer. (see chapter : cooking with leftovers for uses for the cooked meat.) strain stock through a fine sieve. if you want, prepare in advance to this point and refrigerate or freeze. skim off top fat before using. to make a soup, bring as much stock as needed to a simmer. then follow the soup recipe, adding chicken, vegetables, thickeners, seasonings, and garnishes. chicken-in-every-pot soupserves - for the best flavor, use fresh vegetables, varying them according to the season. speaking of fresh vegetables, do you know how to tell a good carrot? look at the "crown," (that's the stem end). if the crown is turning brown or black or has regrowth visible where the stem was, you've got a carrot that's been around awhile. if the crown and shoulders are a bright orange, you've got a nice, fresh carrot. cup potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes cups chicken broth / cup dry sherry teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cup onions, halved and thinly sliced cup carrots, in / -inch by -inch sticks cup celery, in / -inch by -inch sticks cup fresh or frozen green beans, in -inch pieces cups cooked chicken, in / -inch by -inch julienne strips cup zucchini, in / -inch by -inch sticks place potatoes in a saucepan with enough salted water to cover. bring to a boil over medium-high heat. cook potatoes minutes; drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. in large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth and sherry to a boil. season with salt and pepper. add onions, carrots, and celery and simmer minutes. stir in green beans and chicken and heat soup to boiling. add zucchini and potatoes and simmer minute longer or until vegetables are as tender as you like them. variation: chicken minestrone add cup chopped stewed tomatoes in their juice and cups cooked, drained fusilli or other pasta and / -cup cooked kidney beans when adding zucchini and potatoes. stir in / -cup grated parmesan cheese just before serving. other fresh vegetables may be added according to their cooking times. minestrone happens to be one of frank's favorites, although he skips the cheese because of its cholesterol. new england chicken 'n' corn chowderserves - chowders are thick soups which take their name from the large french pot used in soup-making called a "chaudiere." you can use fresh corn in this recipe, but i deliberately suggested frozen corn first because frozen corn can actually taste sweeter and fresher than the fresh corn you buy at the supermarket. corn loses % of its sweetness in just hours at room temperature, and it can take days for corn to get from the fields to the supermarket to your house. in contrast, frozen corn is rushed from the fields to the freezer in just a few hours, and once frozen, it stops losing its sweetness. strange as it may seem, with corn, frozen can taste fresher than fresh. / pound bacon or salt pork, diced cup chopped onion / cup chopped celery cups chicken broth cups peeled potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes package ( ounces) frozen corn or kernels from ears of corn teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cups cooked, diced chicken cup ( / -pint) heavy cream oyster crackers, for garnish in large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon for minutes until its fat has been rendered. add onions and celery and cook minutes longer. stir in broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. add potatoes and corn, season with salt and pepper and cook to minutes or until tender. stir in chicken and cream, simmer minutes and serve with oyster crackers. variation: shellfish chowder add cup chopped green pepper and cup cooked crab or shrimp to soup when adding chicken. hearty lancaster chicken, vegetable and dumpling soup serves this is a famous pennsylvania summer soup made with extra vegetables for hearty winter eating. you can substitute noodles for the dumplings, or add crackers, pretzels $ and some people have told me that even popcorn works. i'm skeptical about the popcorn, but if you're feeling adventurous, give it a try. cups chicken broth cups cooked, diced chicken teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup parboiled potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes / cup parboiled carrots, cut in / -inch pieces / cup shredded green cabbage cup thinly-sliced leek, white and tender green parts only, or medium onion, thinly sliced package ( -ounces) frozen corn kernels from ears of corn knepp in large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil. add other ingredients and reduce heat to low. simmer for minutes while making dumplings. knepp (little dumplings) egg / cup flour / cup water / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon baking powder pinch ground nutmeg teaspoon minced, fresh parsley, optional garnish in small bowl, beat egg; stir in flour, water, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. drop batter by half teaspoons into the simmering soup. when dumplings rise to top, stir in parsley and serve. variation: chicken spinach straciatella omit dumplings. clean and stem / pound fresh spinach; stack and cut into / -inch strips. whisk together eggs with / -cup grated parmesan cheese. stir in spinach with chicken, then heat soup just to boiling. immediately pour in the egg mixture in a thin stream, while stirring. the goal is to end up with thread-like strands of cooked egg. cook until soup simmers again; stir gently just before serving. stew from bavariaserves if you like mild sauerkraut, instead of just draining it, as the recipe suggests, rinse it in a colander or strainer. roaster boneless breast, cut into bite-size pieces salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine medium onion, thinly sliced pound sauerkraut, drained can ( ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce large apple, peeled, cored and sliced / cup chopped walnuts (optional) season breast pieces with salt and pepper. in a flame proof casserole or dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter. add chicken and onions. saute until lightly browned, about minutes. in a bowl combine sauerkraut, cranberry sauce and apples. spoon over chicken and onions and toss gently. cover and simmer over medium-low heat for minutes. sprinkle with walnuts just before serving. main dish recipes recipes with chicken breasts unlike women, chickens have only one breast. a single serving would usually be a breast half. the recipes that follow will refer to "breasts" and "breast halves." a cutlet is a breast half (or thigh) that is both skinless and boneless and sometimes has been pounded to flatten. a scaloppine is a cutlet sliced almost in half lengthwise and then opened, like the wings of a butterfly or a thin slice from a large roaster breast. to save time, look for chicken scaloppine which have already been made for you: the perdue thin-sliced oven stuffer roaster breasts are ready-made scaloppine. the recipes will also specify whether to use a chicken breast or a roaster breast. you can interchange them, but the results will be different. a roaster has a more intense flavor and is juicier. it's also bigger, and requires longer cooking. baked breasts with cheeseserves when the perdue oven stuffer roasters and roaster parts first came out, frank used to have recipe cards put in each one because it was a new product and most people didn't know how they should be cooked. the practice was discontinued once roasters became well-known. the woman in charge of distributing recipes told me that sometimes the recipes on the cards became family favorites, and when a person lost one of the family favorite cards, he or she would actually take the trouble to write to frank for a replacement. i asked how often this happens and learned that over the years, frank has received thousands of letters requesting replacement cards. this is one of the recipes that people have asked for over and over again. tablespoons butter or margarine, divided roaster boneless breast salt and ground pepper to taste scallions, thinly sliced tablespoon fresh chopped parsley and / teaspoons fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried / cup chicken broth tablespoons dry white wine / cup grated swiss cheese tablespoons grated parmesan cheese tablespoons bread crumbs preheat oven to of. lightly butter a shallow baking dish. place chicken in baking dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, scallions, parsley, and thyme. in a measuring cup combine broth and wine and pour over chicken. cover and bake minutes. in a small bowl combine cheeses and bread crumbs. remove chicken from oven and sprinkle with cheese mixture. dot with remaining butter and place under broiler until cheese is melted and golden. berliner schnitzel breastserves you'll notice that the "hard-cooked" egg in this recipe isn't called "hard-boiled." the reason is that the egg producers tell me that it's better never to boil an egg, but rather to cook it until it's hard in water that's just below boiling. if you cook your eggs in boiling water, they'll end up with an unattractive greenish color where the yolk meets the white. at lower temperatures, the yolk will be more tender and won't discolor. roaster boneless breast or a package of thin sliced boneless roaster breast. eggs / teaspoon salt or to taste ground pepper to taste / cup flour cup dry breadcrumbs vegetable oil tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons capers, drained hard-cooked egg, finely chopped tablespoons minced fresh parsley separate fillets from breast halves and then cut breast halves in half, lengthwise. place breast pieces between sheets of plastic wrap. pound chicken to a / -inch thickness to form scaloppine. if using thin sliced breast skip this step. in a shallow bowl beat eggs with salt and pepper. place flour and bread crumbs on sheets of wax paper. dredge chicken in flour then dip in egg and coat with breadcrumbs. heat / -inch oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. add chicken and saute for to minutes per side or until cooked through. remove to serving platter. pour oil from skillet and wipe clean. add butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. add lemon juice and capers carefully to avoid spatters; pour over schnitzels. in a small bowl toss together hard- cooked egg and parsley and sprinkle over top. serve with buttered noodles. boneless breast parmesanserves to get the best flavor from the tomatoes, make sure your supermarket doesn't store them on the chilling shelf and don't refrigerate them when you bring them home. store them at room temperature and use them soon after you buy them. roaster boneless breast or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / teaspoons salt, divided ground pepper to taste eggs, beaten / cup plain bread crumbs / cup grated parmesan cheese / cup flour pound fresh ripe tomatoes, chopped small clove garlic, minced / cup olive oil, divided tablespoons minced fresh basil or teaspoons dried separate fillets from breast halves and then cut breast halves in half, lengthwise. place breast pieces between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / " thickness to form scaloppine. if using thin sliced breast, skip the previous step. in a shallow bowl beat eggs with / teaspoon salt and pepper. place flour on a sheet of wax paper. on another sheet of wax paper combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. dredge cutlets in flour, dip in egg and roll in bread crumb mixture. refrigerate while making sauce. in a small serving bowl combine tomatoes, garlic, / cup olive oil, basil and salt and pepper. in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil. add chicken and saute for to minutes per side or until cooked through. transfer to a warmed serving dish. pass sauce separately. breast coq au vin serves the famous food writer, malcolm r. herbert, tells a story that i've always loved about coq au vin (chicken in wine). according to herbert, a lady lavished praise on alexander dumaine, one of france's outstanding chefs, for his version of chicken in wine. "madam, i'm not satisfied," dumaine replied. "but you have been making coq au vin for years," the woman protested. "how can you not be satisfied?" "that, madam, was practice." according to herbert, dumaine's version of coq au vin uses red wine, white wine, and brandy, and it takes a good twenty-four hours to prepare. this version is a lot simpler, but still very good. the day i made it, i couldn't find pearl onions or small onions in my local supermarket, so i used a large white onion, chopped. the pearl onions would have been prettier, but the taste was fine. tablespoons butter or margarine roaster breast cup dry red wine salt and ground pepper to taste sprig each of fresh thyme and rosemary or / teaspoon each, dried clove garlic, minced pearl onions, if available, otherwise small white onions, peeled and quartered, or large onion, chopped. / pound fresh mushrooms, quartered tablespoon cornstarch / cup water slices bacon, cooked and crumbled tablespoon fresh minced parsley in a dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt butter. add breast and brown on all sides, to minutes. add wine, seasonings, garlic and onions. cover and simmer minutes. add mushrooms and simmer to minutes longer or until breast is cooked through. drain juices into a small saucepan; blend cornstarch and water; stir into pan juices and cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly, one minute or until sauce thickens and clears. carve breast and serve with wine sauce. garnish with crumbled bacon and parsley. breast with apple-pecan stuffingserves make sure that the pecans you use are fresh. in the shell, they'll last in a cool dry place for six months. shelled pecans should be kept in the refrigerator, in an air tight container. if you plan to keep them for longer than half a year, freeze them. roaster breast salt and ground pepper to taste cups seasoned breadcrumbs tablespoons butter or margarine, divided / cup hot chicken broth or water apples, peeled, cored and chopped / cup chopped pecans preheat oven to of. season breast inside and out with salt and pepper. in a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, tablespoons butter, broth, apples and pecans. stuff breast cavity and cover with aluminum foil. carefully place breast, skin side up in roasting pan. rub remaining butter over breast and bake about one hour and minutes until juices run clear with no hint of pink when pierced. remove stuffing and carve half of breast. buttermilk pecan chickenserves the pecan halves are more appetizing-looking when you put them on top of the chicken during the last ten minutes of baking; the nuts get a delicious-looking brown. i come back to this recipe when i want something that's never fail. egg / cup buttermilk / cup pecan halves, divided / cup flour / cup ground pecans teaspoons paprika teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon pepper tablespoons sesame seed chicken breast halves / cup oil in a mixing bowl beat egg with buttermilk. chop / cup of pecans coarsely, reserving remaining halves for garnish. on a sheet of wax paper mix together chopped pecans, flour, paprika, salt, pepper and sesame seed. dip chicken pieces in buttermilk mixture; then pecan mixture. pour oil in shallow baking pan. place chicken breasts, skin side down, in pan and turn to coat with oil; finishing with skin side up. bake, uncovered, at of to minutes, or until cooked through. during last minutes of baking, place reserved pecan halves on top of chicken. chicken avocado melt serves for years i made it a kind of hobby to ask cookbook authors and recipe contest winners how they came up with their recipes. since i don't invent recipes myself, the people who create the real winners seem to me as mysterious and impressive as someone who composes a hit song or writes a best selling novel. my favorite example of this is marge fortier, who won the $ , grand prize at the national chicken cooking contest. she didn't do any tinkering, tasting, and adjusting the way most of us would. no, the complete idea for her recipe for chicken avocado melt came to her seemingly out of nowhere. "i was vacuuming the living room," she told me, "when all of a sudden, i don't know how, the complete idea for the finished recipe just came to me. she grabbed a pencil and jotted down the entire recipe on the notepad that she always keeps handy$and won $ , . her recipe calls for chicken breast halves, but you can simplify things a little if you use thin sliced boneless roaster breast pieces instead. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoons cornstarch teaspoon ground cumin clove garlic, minced / teaspoon salt egg, slightly beaten tablespoon water / cup cornmeal tablespoons cooking oil ripe avocado, peeled, sliced - / cups shredded monterey jack cheese / cup sour cream, divided / cup sliced scallion greens / cup chopped sweet red pepper cherry tomatoes parsley sprigs preheat oven to of. pound the chicken to / " thickness. if using thin sliced breast, skip the previous step. in a shallow bowl, mix the cornstarch, cumin, garlic, and salt. in another bowl mix egg and water. place cornmeal in a third small bowl. coat chicken first with the cornstarch mixture, then with the egg, and finally with the cornmeal. (marge fortier says, "i always use cornstarch because it comes out thinner than flour".) in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken and saute for two minutes on each side "to firm up the crust", then remove pieces to a shallow baking pan. before putting cutlets in oven, top them with avocado slices and sprinkle with cheese. bake for minutes or until cooked through. top each chicken breast with sour cream and a sprinkling of scallions and red pepper. garnish with cherry tomato halves and parsley. serves four. chicken in mustard sauceserves home economist michelle scicolone developed this recipe for perdue, and she has an ultimate compliment for it: "it's what i make all the time when i'm cooking at home." you get crunchiness and crispness but it's not fried. according to michelle, it comes out just fine with any mustard that you have on hand or any chicken parts you have around. roaster boneless breast or thin sliced boneless breast tablespoons vegetable oil, divided / pound mushrooms, sliced ( cups) tablespoons minced, fresh parsley l tablespoon minced shallot or scallion l/ teaspoon ground pepper l/ cup chicken broth l/ cup dry white wine l tablespoon dijon mustard slice breast thinly if using whole breast. in large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat tablespoons oil. add breast slices a few at a time, placing them so that pieces do not touch. saute about minutes per side, until chicken is lightly browned on both sides and cooked through. remove from skillet; keep warm. heat remaining oil. add mushrooms, parsley, shallot and pepper. stirring frequently, cook minutes. stir in broth and wine; bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about / cup). reduce heat to low; stir in mustard until well blended. spoon over chicken. hot pineapple breast serves - my teenage son carlos says he likes this better cold the next day with a small handful of slivered almonds tossed over it. myself, i like it hot, served over rice. if you have leftover chicken broth (as you probably will if you're using canned chicken broth), use it as part of the liquid you use to cook the rice. also, if you like peppers to stay a bright green and don't mind if there's still some crunch to them, add them at the same time that you add the cornstarch rather than earlier in the recipe. they look pretty that way and pick up the bright red of the pimentos. roaster boneless breast cut into / " by " strips tablespoons butter or margarine green pepper, cut into strips cup celery, sliced diagonally -ounce can pineapple chunks, with liquid / cup chicken broth / cup chopped onion tablespoon fresh tarragon or teaspoon dried tablespoons cornstarch -ounce can pimento, drained and cut into strips / teaspoon salt or to taste in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, melt butter. add chicken and saute for minutes. add green pepper and celery and cook minutes, stirring. drain pineapple, reserving liquid. add drained pineapple, / cup of pineapple juice, broth, onion and tarragon. bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer minutes. blend cornstarch with tablespoons water to make a smooth paste. (if you like the sauce quite thick, use an extra teaspoon of cornstarch.) add to skillet and continue to cook, stirring, until thickened. add pimento and serve immediately. layered chicken (hawaiian) serves - if you have a sweet tooth, this recipe could end up one of your favorites. frank likes it a lot. besides tasting delicious, it's also quite versatile. once when i was making it, i happened to have leftovers of both chicken and rice, so i substituted them for the first two ingredients in this recipe. i also omitted the water and pineapple juice. if you make this substitution in the recipe, you won't need to bake it, but instead only keep it in the oven long enough to heat it through. it's not quite as delicious as the original, but it's still very good. by the way, the layered arrangement of this dish is typically hawaiian; don't stir or mix the ingredients. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - / cups quick-cooking rice, uncooked can ( - / -ounces) shredded coconut can ( ounces) pineapple chunks, drained...reserve juice / cup water teaspoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons orange marmalade tablespoons butter or margarine, melted tablespoons soy sauce - / teaspoons ground ginger preheat oven to of. cut chicken into -inch cubes. place half of chicken in bottom of large shallow baking dish. arrange rice in layer on top of chicken, then remaining chicken in layer. add layer of coconut; then layer of pineapple chunks. dot marmalade in spaces between chunks of pineapple. mix water, lemon juice and pineapple juice; pour over layers. pour melted butter or margarine and soy sauce over all. sprinkle ginger on top. bake, covered, for minutes or until chicken and rice are done. remove cover during last minutes of baking for browning. lemon-parsley breastserves i have a friend who grows garlic in california who is a member of the society of the lovers of the stinking rose. he says, "the most common misconception about garlic is that garlic breath is bad breath." he and his fellow lovers of the stinking rose believe that on the contrary, it's mouthwash breath that is unpleasant. their slogan is, "get rid of mouthwash breath; eat garlic!" this recipe probably won't give you either mouthwash breath or garlic breath, since cooked garlic is quite mild in its effects. roaster boneless breast salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons melted butter or margarine, divided / cup bread crumbs tablespoons minced, fresh parsley tablespoons minced shallots or scallions clove garlic, minced lemon, thinly sliced preheat oven to of. season breast with salt and pepper. pour tablespoons melted butter into a baking dish. add chicken to dish and turn to coat with butter. in a small bowl combine bread crumbs, parsley, shallots and garlic and spoon over chicken. drizzle with remaining tablespoon butter. top with lemon slices. bake to minutes or until chicken is cooked through. maryland breast of chickenserves this recipe calls for scallions. if you have trouble finding scallions, ask for green onions; they're the same thing. / cup butter or margarine, divided / pound fresh crab meat (or frozen, thawed) / cup thinly sliced scallions tablespoon prepared horseradish teaspoon tomato paste tablespoon fresh lemon juice tablespoons fresh breadcrumbs salt and ground pepper to taste / cup dry white wine roaster breast tablespoon vinegar preheat oven to of. melt tablespoons of butter and toss in a mixing bowl with crab meat, scallions, horseradish, tomato paste, lemon juice, breadcrumbs and salt and pepper. with your forefinger carefully loosen skin from the neck end of the chicken breast to form a pocket, taking care not to detach sides or bottom. stuff crab mixture between breast and skin. rub breast with tablespoon butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in roasting pan. bake approximately one hour, until skin is brown and meat is tender. remove to serving platter and keep warm. skim off any fat from drippings; add wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. reduce pan juices to about / cup and remove from heat. whisk in remaining butter, strain into a sauceboat and serve separately. quick sweet and sour breastserves in most cases, i prefer fresh produce to canned. tomatoes are, at times, an exception. if you're buying out-of-season tomatoes, and if you don't know the source, there's a good chance that they were picked green and artificially ripened. one tomato grower told me she'd rather eat cotton than an out-of-season tomato because the taste was so disappointing. there is some good news on the subject, though. tomatoes retain their flavor during canning exceptionally well, and canned tomatoes are picked vine ripe. if you want the next best thing to a vine-ripened tomato, and it's winter, try canned tomatoes, as suggested in this recipe. roaster boneless breast salt and ground pepper to taste flour tablespoons butter or margarine medium onion, chopped garlic clove, minced medium green pepper, chopped cup canned chopped tomatoes (with liquid) can ( - / -ounces) cubed pineapple (plus tablespoons pineapple juice from can) tablespoons ketchup tablespoons vinegar tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in tablespoons water cut roaster breast into -inch pieces. season with salt and pepper; coat with flour and set aside. in saucepan, over medium heat, melt tablespoons butter and cook onions, garlic and green pepper for minutes stirring often. add tomatoes, pineapple and juice, ketchup and vinegar. stir and simmer over low heat. meanwhile, in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, melt remaining tablespoons butter. saute chicken, half at a time, until golden and cooked through, about to minutes per batch. drain and place on serving dish. to sauce in pan, add dissolved cornstarch; cook, stirring, over high heat until sauce thickens. pour over chicken pieces. stuffed breast parmentierserves parmentier, a french food writer from years ago, popularized the use of potatoes. before him, people worried that potatoes might be poisonous. today, when the name "parmentier" occurs in a recipe, it's a signal that there will be potatoes in it. roaster breast salt and ground pepper to taste pound boiling potatoes, unpeeled / pound bacon, cooked and crumbled / cup chopped red onion / cup chopped celery tablespoons dry bread crumbs / cup sour cream tablespoons butter or margarine, softened preheat oven to of. season breast inside and out with salt and pepper to taste. boil potatoes in salted water to cover until just tender, to minutes. drain, cool slightly, peel and cut into / -inch cubes. toss with bacon, onion, celery, bread crumbs, sour cream and salt and pepper to taste. stuff breast and neck cavities with potato mixture, wrapping exposed stuffing with foil. place chicken breast-side-up in roasting pan. rub skin with butter. bake approximately - / hours, until tender. transfer to serving dish; remove foil and serve. recipes with cornish hens have you ever wondered just what a "cornish game hen" is? it's a very young bird, usually about weeks old, as opposed to a broiler, which is weeks, or a roaster, which is weeks. typically, they're tenderer and slightly lower in fat than older birds. all cornish game hens are very young chickens, but the perdue cornish game hens have something else special about them. frank directed the perdue geneticists to breed the broadest breasted cornish hens in the industry. like the perdue roasters, the perdue cornish have exceptionally broad breasts. the ratio of meat to bone is therefore particularly favorable. buffalo-style cornish piecesserves you can re-use the frying oil called for in this recipe, or any deep frying recipe, for that matter. as long as you never heat the oil to the smoking point and as long as you strain it through cheese cloth to remove any particles of food, you can use it over and over again. the oil is still good as long as it retains it's golden color. when it has turned a dark brown, it's time to replace it. if you don't have cheese cloth handy for straining, laundered nylon stockings make a good substitute. creamy blue cheese dressing / cup mayonnaise / cup sour cream tablespoons crumbled blue cheese tablespoons minced fresh parsley tablespoon fresh lemon juice scallion, thinly sliced small clove garlic, minced fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste oil for deep frying tablespoons butter or margarine, melted tablespoons tabasco in a small serving bowl prepare dressing by blending mayonnaise and sour cream. stir in blue cheese, parsley, lemon juice, scallion and garlic. chill. quarter hens and remove backbones. pat pieces dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. heat oil to of or until a small cube of bread sizzles when placed in oil. deep-fry hens minutes, turning once. drain well. in a small bowl blend melted butter and hot sauce; brush on chicken pieces. serve warm with creamy blue cheese dressing. cornish saute with summer squashserves to keep the olive oil called for in this recipe in its best condition, store it in an airtight container in a cool cupboard away from the light. it's not necessary to refrigerate it, and besides cold temperatures will make it cloudy and difficult to pour. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons olive oil medium onion, sliced clove garlic, minced medium zucchini, sliced medium yellow squash, sliced / cup chicken broth tablespoons minced fresh parsley tablespoon fresh lemon juice halve hens and remove backbones. season with salt and pepper. in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add hen halves and brown on all sides, to minutes. add onion and garlic; saute to minutes. add squash, broth, parsley and lemon juice. cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook to minutes or until hens are cooked through. grecian hen sauteserves do you know the easiest way to peel the fresh tomatoes called for in this recipe? place the tomatoes in boiling water for about - seconds and you'll find that the skin slips off quite easily. the riper the tomato, the quicker the skin loosens in boiling water. fresh cornish game hens tablespoons olive oil clove garlic, minced bay leaf and / teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or / teaspoon dried salt and ground pepper to taste / cup white wine ripe tomatoes, peeled and quartered / pound feta cheese, cut into / " cubes tablespoons ripe olives, sliced cut hens into quarters and remove backbones. in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken and brown to minutes per side. add garlic, bay leaf, oregano, salt, pepper and wine. cover and simmer over medium-low heat for minutes. add tomatoes and cook minutes. stir in cheese and olives. cook minutes longer or until hens are cooked through. remove bay leaf before serving. hens normandy with applesserves if you're not using the apples in this recipe the day you buy them, store them in the refrigerator. apples age five times faster at room temperature than they do in the refrigerator so they'll keep fresher longer if you store them in the refrigerator instead of in a fruit bowl. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoon minced, fresh sage or teaspoon dried tablespoons butter or margarine, melted / cup apple juice golden delicious apples, peeled / cup chicken broth or white wine / cup heavy cream tablespoon minced fresh parsley season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. put / of sage in each cavity. tie legs together and fold wings back. place hens in a flame proof baking pan just large enough to hold them comfortably. brush with melted butter. add apple juice to baking pan. bake at of minutes, basting several times. core and quarter apples; add to pan and baste. bake minutes, until hens and apples are tender, basting several times. remove hens and apples to serving platter; keep warm. on top of stove, bring pan drippings to a boil; add broth or wine and cook until reduced by half. stir in cream; cook to minutes until slightly thickened. pour sauce over hens and apples. sprinkle with parsley and serve. wine-country cornishserves when you buy (or pick) the tomatoes called for in this recipe, store them at room temperature rather than in the refrigerator. the tomato farmers say that refrigerator temperatures destroy a tomato's flavor and texture. try to use tomatoes soon after you buy them while they're still at their best. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons olive oil large onion, thinly sliced cloves garlic, minced tablespoon flour / cup dry white wine or vermouth / cup chicken broth tomatoes, peeled and chopped tablespoons tomato paste / teaspoons minced, fresh oregano or / teaspoon dried season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. fold wings back and tie legs together. in a dutch oven large enough to hold all cornish, over medium-high heat, heat oil. brown hens on breast side. if you don't have a pan big enough to do four at a time, brown one or two at a time. remove hens and reserve. add onion and garlic and saute for minutes. stir in flour. add remaining ingredients and season to taste with salt and pepper. stir. return hens to dutch oven breast side up, and bring liquid to a boil. reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for minutes. cornish are done when juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. recipes with chicken pieces in the early s, % of the chicken sold was whole chicken. today it's less than %. if you want to substitute all legs or all breasts or some other combination, look at the table in the introduction, page s - for a chart showing equivalent amounts of the different parts. batter fried chickenserves i bet you can make this in less time than it takes to drive to the local fast food place and wait in line for service and drive back again. it should cost a lot less too. remember, you can re-use the frying oil many times. just don't let it get so hot that it smokes and be sure to strain it after you've finished with the frying. - / cups flour teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper teaspoons baking powder cup milk egg, beaten chicken cut in serving pieces oil for deep frying in a mixing bowl combine dry ingredients; add milk and egg gradually to make batter. dip chicken in batter. in a deep fryer heat oil to of. add chicken and fry for to minutes until cooked through. beer and pretzels chicken serves this dish is at its best when the bacon and pretzels are finely chopped. use your blender or food processor to make the job easy. / cup flour teaspoon paprika teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ginger / teaspoon ground pepper / cup beer egg / cup finely crushed pretzels / cup grated parmesan cheese slices bacon, cooked crisp, crumbled tablespoons minced, fresh parsley chicken cut in serving pieces in a mixing bowl combine flour, paprika, salt, ginger and pepper. add beer and egg; beat with a hand beater to make smooth batter. mix crushed pretzels, parmesan cheese, bacon and parsley in a large plastic bag. dip chicken pieces one a time in batter; then place in bag with pretzel mix and shake to coat. place coated chicken pieces in shallow baking pan, skin side up. bake, covered, at of for minutes. remove cover. continue baking, uncovered, about minutes longer or until chicken is cooked through. capital chicken serves this is rather highly seasoned dish. your family might prefer it with a little less ginger--but then again, maybe they'll love it this strong. chicken, cut in serving pieces teaspoons ground ginger / teaspoon dried oregano tablespoons brown sugar tablespoon flour cloves garlic, sliced / cup rose wine / cup soy sauce / cup oil / cup water preheat oven to of. place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in shallow baking pan. in a mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. bake, uncovered for about hour or until cooked through, basting occasionally. chicken orange-ano serves when you're making this recipe, what if you find that your brown sugar has hardened into a brick and you can't measure it anymore? i used to take a hammer and wallop it and then use the pieces. but then a sugar cane producer told me that a short term emergency solution is to heat the sugar at degrees in the oven until it softened. the advantage of this is that it works. the disadvantage is that whatever's left is twice as hard once it cools. you can re-heat it again, but it gets more brick-like with each heating. / cup flour teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper chicken, cut in serving pieces / cup butter or margarine can ( -ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate can ( -ounces) water tablespoons dark brown sugar / teaspoon dried oregano / teaspoon nutmeg in a large plastic bag, combine flour salt and pepper. add chicken pieces and shake to coat. in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. add chicken pieces and brown for to minutes per side. remove chicken and reserve. pour off and discard butter from skillet. add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. return chicken to skillet. cover and cook over low heat for about / hour, turning chicken several times until cooked through. fruit and nut chickenserves inflation hits all of us, but in this recipe, you'll find one ingredient has come down in price over the years. in fact, it's come down spectacularly. in roman times, raisins weren't just expensive, they were money. you could buy a young slave for amphora (jars) of raisins. tablespoons oil chicken cut in serving pieces - / cups orange juice teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon cinnamon ground pepper to taste / cup golden raisins / cup slivered almonds in a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. add chicken and brown for to minutes per side. pour orange juice over chicken. sprinkle salt, cinnamon, pepper, raisins and almonds on top. cover and simmer for approximately minutes or until cooked through. oven barbecued chickenserves this isn't new or unique, but it's good. of course, you can always use your favorite prepared barbecue sauce if you prefer. chicken, cut in serving pieces teaspoon salt or to taste / cup water / cup chili sauce / cup vinegar tablespoons worcestershire sauce / cup brown sugar tablespoons oil preheat oven to of. place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in shallow baking pan. in a mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. bake, uncovered, for about hour, or until cooked through. photo: drumsticks in bowl of rice - bread & glass of wine - recipes with ground chicken ground chicken is a perfect substitute for ground beef in dishes such as spaghetti, chili, meatloaf, lasagna or even plain burgers. and ground chicken has fewer calories and less fat than ground beef. it will vary according to the individual manufacturer's formulations, but ground chicken usually averages % less fat than the u.s. department of agriculture standard permits for regular ground beef. (regular ground beef is about % fat.) i was surprised to learn that there's actually a double standard for the beef industry and the poultry industry when it comes to describing fat content. beef can be classified as "lean" at . % fat, while chicken is only "lean" if it contains % or less fat. i was also surprised to learn how complicated it is to make ground chicken. if i weren't connected with the industry, i would have thought that to get ground chicken, you just put it in a grinder the way you do to get hamburger, and that would be it. ah, but it's not so! the fibers of chicken meat are shorter and more delicate than beef. to get the right texture took a full year of experimentation and fine tuning at perdue. the skilled and knowledgeable food scientists working on the project had to discover which parts of the bird tasted best in hamburger, what size holes the meat should be forced through in the grinding machine, what temperature would be best, and so on. a difference of a mere degrees in the meat's temperature meant the difference between a desirable texture and one that was merely passable. i remember when the food scientists were first developing the ground chicken, that hundreds of people, including me, were involved in the taste testings. i also remember the first time frank and i tried ground chicken outside of the laboratory. it happened at a barbecue at his son's house. jim and jan perdue had chicken hamburgers and beef hamburgers grilling side by side, and frank beamed like a kid with a new toy when he saw how the chicken burgers stayed plump and didn't shrink. meanwhile the hamburgers, being % fat, were dwindling into hockey pucks. basic cooking guide for burgers: saute: shape one package fresh ground chicken into patties. saute in a small amount of oil over high heat, to minutes on each side to brown. reduce heat to medium and continue to cook to minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch. broil: shape one package fresh ground chicken into patties. broil on a rack -inches from heat to minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch. grill: shape one package fresh ground chicken into patties. place burgers on hottest area of lightly oiled grill to minutes on each side to brown. move burgers toward the outside of the grill and continue to cook to minutes on each side until thoroughly cooked and springs back to the touch. chicken stromboli serves i've had this at a restaurant, made with bread dough, but i liked it better using this recipe with pie crust dough. the day i made it, i was late (as usual), and took a short cut: i used prepared pie crusts, the kind that come frozen and already shaped in aluminum pie pans. tablespoons olive oil - / cups thinly sliced onion large green pepper, thinly sliced package (about pound) fresh ground chicken / cup tomato paste clove garlic, minced teaspoon dried oregano teaspoon salt prepared recipe pie crust mix tablespoons butter or margarine, melted in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add onion and pepper and saute to minutes. add chicken, tomato paste and seasonings and cook to minutes until chicken is cooked through. preheat oven to of. roll out prepared pie crust into a round / inch thick. cut circle in quarters to form wedge shaped pieces. place / of filling on the wide rounded end of each wedge; fold in sides and roll up. place stromboli seam-side down on baking sheet, brush with butter and bake minutes until pastry is lightly browned. chicken burgers bordelaiseserves these are good just as they are, but i've also found that they're wonderful made into little cocktail sized meat balls to pass during parties. by the way, at one of my parties, i tried to determine whether it was better to use the maximum amount of pepper and mustard in this recipe or the minimum. some guests liked the meat balls highly seasoned, and others preferred them mild, so i guess one isn't better than the other; it's just what your family or guests like. package (about pound) fresh ground chicken to - / teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper tablespoon vegetable oil (optional) - / cups red wine / cup minced shallots or scallions tablespoon sugar - teaspoons dijon mustard / teaspoon dried thyme to tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoon minced fresh parsley form chicken into burgers. press pepper into both sides. in a large, non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add burgers and brown for minutes on each side. salt burgers lightly and reduce heat to medium-low. continue cooking to minutes per side until thoroughly cooked through. while burgers are cooking, combine wine, shallots, sugar, mustard and thyme in a saucepan. cook over high heat to minutes until liquid is reduced to / cup. remove burgers from skillet and keep warm. add wine mixture to skillet and stir over medium heat to combine with pan juices. whisk in butter and parsley. spoon sauce over burgers and serve. recipes with thigh & drumsticks if you haven't liked dark meat up until now, try these recipes with an open mind. thigh meat, drumsticks, or the meat from any well-exercised muscle, has more flavor and is apt to be juicier. if frank were going by taste alone and forgetting about calories, he would always choose thigh meat. i was present at a taste testing at perdue when teri benson, a food technician, asked the dozen or so participants to rate the flavor of various parts of a chicken. the chicken was ground and fried in patties so none of us could identify which parts we were eating. we also couldn't be influenced by what our neighbors thought because each patty was coded and the breast meat or the thigh meat on my plate was in a different position from what they'd be on my neighbor's plate. the test was replicated with many different groups, but the results were fairly uniform: people prefer the flavor and juiciness of thigh meat. try a few of these recipes; you may discover some new family favorites. waldorf saladserves you could use other apples in this recipe, such as red delicious or granny smith, but the mcintosh with its characteristic crispness, juiciness, and mildly tart flavor works particularly well in this recipe. you can tell a mcintosh by its two-toned red and green skin. quart chicken broth roaster boneless thigh cutlets / cup fresh lemon juice teaspoon dijon mustard / cup vegetable oil tablespoons minced, fresh parsley salt and ground pepper to taste / cup celery, thinly sliced to mcintosh apples, unpeeled in / -inch cubes (about cup) / cup walnut halves head bibb or boston lettuce in a quart saucepan over medium heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. add chicken and simmer over low heat for minutes, uncovered. drain thighs and cut into bite-size pieces. reserve broth for other use. in a mixing bowl blend together lemon, mustard, oil, parsley, and salt and pepper. toss warm chicken with sauce and allow to cool. toss with remaining ingredients and serve on beds of bibb or boston lettuce. drumsticks with herb sauceserves when serving this recipe, take a tip from bev cox, a woman who not only is responsible for many of my favorite perdue recipes over the years, but who is also famous for being one of the best food stylists around. she likes to have the garnishes mirror the seasonings, so if she had, for example, this chicken recipe with basil in it, she'd be apt to garnish it with fresh basil. she also believes that garnishes should be edible. these chicken drumsticks with new potatoes and green beans would be a simple dinner, but sprinkle the new potatoes with chopped chives, stick a red pepper ring around the green beans and you have something that looks special as well as tastes special. roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste clove garlic, minced tablespoons olive oil sauce: / cup minced fresh basil, or tablespoon dried / cup minced, fresh parsley / cup thinly sliced scallions tablespoons white vinegar tablespoon minced fresh tarragon, or teaspoon dried tablespoon capers / cup olive oil preheat oven to of. place drumsticks in a baking pan and season with salt and pepper. in a small bowl combine garlic and olive oil and baste drumsticks generously. bake drumsticks for to minutes until tender and cooked through, turning and basting once. meanwhile, in a bowl make sauce by whisking together remaining ingredients. serve drumsticks, passing sauce separately. drumsticks zingaraserves the word "zingara" is from a french sauce with mushrooms, ham, and truffles. in this version, i've skipped the truffles. roaster drumsticks / cup ( -ounces) minced fresh mushrooms / cup ( / pound) minced ham / cup minced shallots or scallions tablespoons madeira or brandy, divided / teaspoons minced, fresh tarragon, or / teaspoon dried tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, divided salt and ground pepper to taste preheat oven to of. pull back the skin of each drumstick and cut lengthwise slits in the meat in places. pull skin back into place in a mixing bowl, combine mushrooms, ham, shallots, tablespoon madeira, tarragon, tablespoons butter and salt and pepper. stuff mixture under the skin of each drumstick and secure with toothpicks. melt remaining butter and baste drumsticks. bake for to minutes or until tender and cooked through. remove to a serving platter and remove toothpicks. to drippings in pan, add tablespoons madeira and bring to a boil, stirring. pour sauce over drumsticks. chili thighs rellenos if you're making this recipe and you're not sure how old the eggs you have in your refrigerator are, the chances are that they're still good. as long as they're clean, dry, have been kept cold and have no cracks, and weren't cooked, they'll last for months in your refrigerator and still be suitable for cooking in dishes like this. eggs that are several months old won't have the quality of a perfectly fresh egg, and i wouldn't use them for frying, but they're still edible. do be sure they've been kept cold and have no cracks and are clean. roaster boneless thigh cutlets can ( -ounces) whole, mild green chilies, seeded egg, beaten salt and ground pepper to taste / cup seasoned bread crumbs tablespoon butter or margarine tablespoon olive oil can ( -ounces) tomato sauce / cup shredded monterey jack cheese open thighs and lay flat. divide chilies in four equal amounts and place in the center of each thigh. roll up and secure with toothpicks. in a shallow bowl, combine egg and salt and pepper to taste. dip thighs in egg and roll in bread crumbs. refrigerate minutes. in a large skillet, over medium heat, melt butter with oil. add thighs and cook, turning, to minutes or until brown on all sides. spoon tomato sauce over thighs. reduce heat to medium-low reduce heat and cover. cook for minutes or until thighs are cooked through. sprinkle with cheese; cover and cook minutes longer. indonesian stir-fry thighsserves this recipe originally called for much more ginger, but i like a milder flavor, so i reduced it. you may want to increase the amount suggested here if you like highly seasoned food. to store fresh ginger, keep it in the refrigerator in a plastic bag along with a dampened paper towel to keep it from drying out. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil / cup soy sauce, divided tablespoons molasses tablespoons rice wine or white distilled vinegar teaspoons minced, fresh ginger or to taste clove garlic, minced / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon red pepper flakes or ground pepper pinch ground cloves / teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cornstarch cup carrots, cut in match stick strips cup peeled cucumber, halved, seeded and cut into match- stick strips / cup thinly sliced scallions cut thighs into / -inch strips. in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken and stir-fry for minutes add tablespoons soy sauce, molasses, vinegar, seasonings, garlic and ginger; bring to a boil. cover, reduce heat to medium-low and steam chicken minutes, stirring once, until tender. in a small bowl dissolve cornstarch in remaining soy sauce and reserve. add carrots and steam, covered, minutes. stir in cucumber, scallions and cornstarch mixture and stir until liquid comes to a boil. serve over hot fluffy rice. island thighsserves one of the best money-saving tips i know for buying food is one you can use in this recipe. a pennsylvania mushroom grower told me that when you see slightly browned mushrooms on sale$and they're often a fraction of the price of the cosmetically perfect mushrooms$buy them. the mushroom flavor will be more intense since the mushrooms are older; they'll have dried slightly so you won't be paying as much for water; and you won't see the discolorations anyway if you're using the mushrooms for cooking. i've tried his recommendation many times, and i think he's right. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoons cornstarch tablespoons vegetable oil cup sliced fresh mushrooms ( ounces) cup thinly sliced scallions cup chicken broth - / cups fresh snow peas or package ( ounces) frozen snow peas, thawed / cup seedless, green grapes, halved teaspoons slivered lemon peel teaspoon minced, fresh ginger, or / teaspoon ground cut thigh cutlets into / " by " strips. toss with cornstarch to coat well. in a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken and saute until browned on all sides, to minutes. add mushrooms and scallions. saute, stirring until mushrooms are golden, about minute. stir in remaining ingredients. cook, stirring, until sauce is thickened and smooth. reduce heat and simmer to minutes. serve over rice. pojarski style thighsserves pojarski style dishes use ground meat. they are typically made from beef, veal, salmon, or chicken. one of the most famous pojarski dishes is salmon shaped to look like a pork chop. doing the same thing with chicken tastes and looks delicious and costs a lot less. package fresh ground chicken (about pound) / cup sour cream, divided salt and ground pepper to taste / teaspoon nutmeg / cup flour tablespoons butter or margarine cup sliced fresh mushrooms ( ounces) tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley mix ground chicken with / cup sour cream, plus salt and pepper to taste. cover and refrigerate minutes. form mixture into four "chop" shaped cutlets and coat each lightly with flour. in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. add cutlets and saute for to minutes on each side until lightly browned and cooked through. remove to a serving dish and keep warm. add mushrooms to skillet and saute to minutes. add remaining sour cream and mix well. spoon sauce over cutlets. sprinkle with fresh dill. stir-fried thighs with beansproutsserves stir frying isn't more difficult than regular frying, but one big difference is that the pan is kept hotter than would be usual for american-style frying. to tell if it's hot enough, place your frying pan$or wok if you have one$over high heat. the pan or wok is hot enough if a drop of water dropped onto it sizzles and then evaporates. add the oil, and let the oil heat until it's almost at the smoking point. when adding the ingredients, stir them constantly until done. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoon cornstarch egg white, slightly beaten salt to taste to tablespoons peanut oil, as needed or cloves garlic, minced red, sweet, bell pepper, cut into thin strips / cup thinly sliced scallions / pound ( cups) snow peas, sliced diagonally / pound ( cups) beansprouts, washed and drained / cup soy sauce few drops tabasco, to taste cut thighs into / " strips. in a shallow bowl, combine cornstarch, egg white and salt. add chicken, turning to coat well. cover and refrigerate one hour. in a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat tablespoon oil. add thighs and garlic and stir-fry for minutes. remove chicken and set aside. add additional oil to wok, if necessary. add pepper strips and stir-fry one minute. remove and set aside. add scallions and snow peas and stir-fry one minute. add beansprouts and cook, tossing, minutes. return chicken and pepper to wok and toss. add soy sauce and tabasco. heat thoroughly. serve over hot cooked rice. sweet and sour thighsserves cornstarch yields a more transparent sauce, and has roughly twice the thickening power of flour. the transparency makes it appropriate for oriental recipes like this one. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoons peanut oil / cups sliced green pepper / cup sliced celery / cup sliced scallions, stems included can ( - / -ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained ounces fresh or frozen (thawed) snow peas can ( - / -ounces) pineapple chunks in syrup / cup chicken broth tablespoon cornstarch tablespoons sugar / teaspoons minced fresh ginger or / teaspoon ground tablespoons vinegar tablespoons soy sauce cut thighs into bite size pieces. in a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add thigh pieces and stir-fry minutes. add green pepper, celery, scallions and water chestnuts. stir-fry minutes. add snow peas, pineapple and syrup and chicken broth. reduce heat to medium and cook for minutes, stirring often. in a small bowl, blend together cornstarch, sugar, ginger, vinegar and soy sauce. add to wok and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about minutes. serve over hot cooked rice. szechuan stir-fry thighsserves the woman in charge of supervising the entire perdue recipe program, says that this is her personal favorite. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil cup carrots, cut into matchstick strips / cup cashews teaspoon hot chili pepper, finely chopped, or to taste clove garlic, minced teaspoons minced fresh ginger / cup soy sauce / cup dry sherry tablespoon cornstarch cut boneless thighs into strips (about / " x "). in a wok or large skillet over high heat, heat tablespoons oil. add chicken and stir-fry for to minutes. remove chicken and reserve. add remaining tablespoons oil to wok and add carrots, cashews, chili pepper, garlic and ginger. stir-fry minutes until carrots just begin to soften. return chicken to wok. in a small bowl blend together soy sauce, sherry and cornstarch. add to wok and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens. serve over hot cooked rice. thigh chiliserves this is a healthy, low-cholesterol chili. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoons vegetable oil / cup chopped onion large garlic clove, minced green pepper, seeded and chopped can ( -ounces) tomatoes, chopped, with liquid can ( -ounces) kidney beans, drained tablespoon chili powder salt and ground pepper to taste tabasco, to taste cut chicken into bite size pieces. in a dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken, onion, garlic and green pepper and cook, stirring until chicken loses its pink color. add remaining ingredients and stir. simmer, covered, over medium-low heat for minutes or until chicken is tender. adjust seasonings according to taste. thigh flautasserves you can tell if your avocado for the guacamole in this recipe is ripe by whether it yields to gentle pressure when you hold it between your palms. if there's some "give" to it, it's ripe. if it feels hard, like a baseball, it's not ripe. wait a few days, and it will have a richer, creamer texture and flavor. you can speed the ripening by keeping the avocado in a paper bag, at room temperature, along with a banana or pear or apple. these fruits give off a ripening factor and the paper bag concentrates the ripening factor. roaster boneless thigh cutlets quart chicken broth / pound monterey jack or cheddar cheese, coarsely grated (about cups) / cup red or green chili salsa salt to taste flour tortillas vegetable oil, for frying / cup sour cream, optional guacamole: large ripe avocado tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice / cup chopped tomato / cup chopped onion tablespoon red or green chili salsa in a large saucepan over medium-high heat bring chicken broth to a boil. add boneless thighs, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, minutes. remove thighs, reserving broth for other use. shred meat and place in a mixing bowl. toss with - / cups cheese, salsa, and salt to taste. divide mixture among tortillas and roll up, securing with a toothpick, if necessary. in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, heat / -inch oil. fry flautas in hot oil, turning to brown lightly on all sides. transfer to serving dish and keep warm. to make guacamole, scoop out avocado flesh, chop and toss with lemon juice. combine lightly with remaining ingredients. serve flautas topped with guacamole, remaining cheese and sour cream, if desired. chapter two. chicken for the microwave when i was organizing this chapter, i was tempted to include all of these microwave recipes in the "cooking for everyday" chapter. after all, the microwave is certainly becoming part of our everyday life. the reason i didn't is$well, there are two reasons. first, if i put all the microwave recipes in one chapter, you won't have to waste time hunting for them. second, there are a number of tips on using the microwave successfully, and i thought you might like to have them all in one place, also. the microwave is a wonderful convenience, but in my case, i used to use it for reheating foods or for boiling water and not much else. are you the same? ah, but there's so much more to it than that! having spent time with the perdue food technologists and home economists, and especially after studying the techniques and recipes from rita marie schneider, the home economist who developed the majority of the perdue microwave recipes, i'm a convert now. i've come to appreciate the versatility of the microwave as well as the speed. there's a reason i happen to have spent time with the perdue experts. once when frank was microwaving nuggets for himself at high, he found that by the time all of them were heated, one of them was badly overcooked and therefore, dried out and$what a dirty word this is in the perdue household!$tough. frank didn't know that the microwave was the problem and instead assumed it was his product that was at fault. how can i even tell you about the crisis that one tough "tender" caused! frank didn't seem as upset when a whole processing plant burned down the year before. because of that one tough tender, he called the plant manager, the quality control people, the packaging people, the man who wrote the cooking directions, the food technologists, the woman who runs the tasting lab, and probably half a dozen other people as well. it didn't matter that it was the weekend$the situation had to be addressed immediately! he kept repeating disconsolately, "i have no right to sell a product like this." eventually, one of the perdue food technicians came out to our house and checked the microwave and suggested that we'd get more even cooking if we used medium high. she said that at this setting, the microwaves reach an equilibrium so heating is much more even. and when there are no hot spots and no cold spots, the chicken gets uniformly warm with no dried out tough parts. while she was there, she had a number of other tips for me as well, and as i talked with other perdue people, i collected still more. by now, knowing a few little tricks about the microwave, i know how to make much better use of it. because of the time it saves in cooking, and the time it saves in clean-up (no baked on bits of food to scrub), i use the microwave about as often as my oven. tips for using your microwave _the best microwave tip i know is, learn about the "cold spots" in your microwave so you don't end up with unevenly cooked chicken. to learn your microwave's "cold spots," line the bottom of your microwave oven with wax paper and then spread an eighth-inch layer of pancake batter over it. turn the oven on high, and then check it at second intervals. at some point, (in my case after a minute and a half), you'll see that in some places the batter is dried out and hard, while in others, it's still soupy, as if the heat hadn't touched it. once i made this check, i gained an immense respect for the fact that microwaves don't necessarily cook evenly, and i've made sure to compensate ever since by stirring or turning foods as directed in microwave recipes. _do not use utensils with metal trim (including the gold trim on fine china), handle clamps, or fastening screws. metal trim can cause arcing (sparking). aluminum foil, in small amounts on the other hand, won't cause arcing in most microwaves as long as it doesn't touch the sides of the oven. _the coverings used in microwave cooking have definite purposes: use plastic wrap to steam and tenderize; use wax paper to hold in heat without steaming; use paper towels to absorb moisture, yet hold in heat. _to obtain a crisp, crunchy crumb-coated chicken, first cook covered with wax paper, then switch to a paper towel covering and, finally, complete cooking with chicken uncovered. _if the bony parts of your chicken are overcooking before the meatier parts are done, shield the bony parts by placing strips of thin aluminum foil over them. _if you're microwaving chicken livers, prick each one to allow steam to escape. before i knew this tip, i've had them explode in the oven. _microwave recipes usually call for smaller amounts of seasonings than conventionally cooked dishes. microwaving tends to intensify flavors, so you won't need as much seasoning. _don't ignore the standing time called for in some of these recipes. in microwave cookery, standing time allows further cooking to occur after you have removed the food from the microwave oven. covering the food holds heat in and speeds this final, important step. when i've cheated on this step, i've found the chicken hard to carve and undercooked. _when possible, arrange food in a circular or donut shape; without corners, food cooks more evenly from all sides. for example, if you're cooking drumsticks, arrange them like a wagon wheel with the meatier portions at the outer edge, and the drum stick end in the center. _thin foods cook faster than thick foods because microwaves lose power after they penetrate food. _ingredients also affect cooking time. foods higher in sugar or fat heat faster and to higher temperatures than do those with lower sugar or fat content. _when the recipe says " % power," or medium high, don't be tempted to get things done faster by going for % power. at % power, the microwaves cook the product more slowly but also more evenly, so there's less worry about cold spots. roasted chicken with almond sauceserves of course you can serve the pre-cooked chicken just as it comes from the store, without doing anything else to it at all. i've done this many times with our perdue done it! roasted chicken when i've been in a hurry. but this recipe only takes a few extra minutes and you'll have a show piece at the end. as you're making it, be glad for a moment that you're not making this recipe in the year . a typical recipe in a the december issue of the wisconsin farmer assumes that you've already plucked the bird and removed its head and feet. it directs you "to singe the bird over a burning newspaper on a hot stove." the stove would probably have been a wood-burning one, and in all probability, it would have been up to you to get the wood for the stove. when i think of then and i think of now, i'm glad that "we've come a long way, baby". roasted chicken tablespoon cornstarch cup chicken broth tablespoons amaretto or other almond liqueur - / teaspoons fresh lemon juice / cup sliced toasted almonds heat pre-cooked roasted chicken in its own microwave tray following package directions. in -cup glass container, combine cornstarch, broth, liqueur and lemon juice. cover with plastic wrap and microwave at high ( % power) or minutes until bubbly and thick; stir twice during cooking. add almonds. slice chicken onto a platter and top with sauce. five-minute roasted drumsticks package roasted chicken drumsticks ( - per package). following package directions, warm roasted drumsticks in a conventional oven or, using package tray, heat in a microwave oven. brush with your favorite bottled barbecue sauce. chicken pocket sandwichesserves you could use regular chicken breasts for this, but the roaster breast has a richer, more chickeny flavor. ("chickeny" is a word, by the way. frank uses it all the time, and he ought to know.) roaster boneless breast / cup olive oil tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons finely chopped onion clove garlic, minced / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon dried oregano / teaspoon cayenne pepper pita breads lettuce leaves container ( -ounces) plain yogurt tablespoons finely chopped green onion cut chicken into -inch chunks. in -quart microwave-safe utensil, combine olive oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic, salt, oregano, and cayenne pepper; add chicken chunks and stir. cover with wax paper; microwave at high ( % power) minutes or until chicken has turned white. stir mixture or times during cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. cut each pita bread into pockets, line with lettuce and spoon in chicken. in small bowl, combine yogurt and green onion; serve over chicken. chicken a la montmorencyserves any recipe with the word "montmorency" is apt to have cherries in it. the sauce for this one is particularly good and frank liked it enough to spread the leftovers on toast the next day at breakfast. if you don't want to microwave the roaster breast, just cook it in your oven, following the package directions. when i'm in a hurry, i use this microwave recipe, but breasts are the hardest part of the chicken to keep tender in a microwave because they're fairly dry to begin with, and if you overcook them, they'll get tough. roaster breast can ( -ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries / cup dry red wine water teaspoons cornstarch tablespoons red currant jelly (optional) tablespoon butter or margarine salt and ground pepper to taste place breast, skin side down, on microwave-safe roasting utensil. cover with wax paper; microwave at high ( % power) minutes. reduce power to medium high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn breast, skin side up; brush with drippings in utensil. re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near bone. drain cherries, reserving syrup in a -cup glass container. place cherries and red wine in small bowl. add enough water to cherry syrup to measure cup. stir in cornstarch, mixing until well blended. microwave at high minutes, stirring twice. stir cherries with wine into thickened syrup. continue cooking at high to minutes or until mixture thickens and boils for minute. add jelly, if desir ed, and butter; stir until smooth. to serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. spoon some of cherry sauce over chicken slices; pass remaining sauce. chicken a la nancyserves unlike me, frank does not enjoy puttering around in the kitchen. he loves the results, but cooking is not his favorite way to spend his free time. (he'd be more apt to watch a game on tv or visit with friends.) when he does cook, i can almost guarantee that it will be something quick and carefree. but there is one exception, and it's this recipe. i've never dared ask just who nancy is, but frank once won a cooking contest using her recipe, so he's been fond of it ever since. he says to point out that the cooked lemon with rind does remain as a part of the food. it adds an unusual taste and texture. if you don't like a strong lemony flavor, you might start by using half the lemon that the recipe calls for. that's what i do when i make this recipe. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoon vegetable oil clove garlic, minced / lemon with peel, very thinly sliced / pound fresh mushrooms, sliced / cup dry white wine tablespoon flour / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / teaspoon dried oregano can ( -ounces) water-packed whole artichoke hearts, drained and quartered place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap. pound to / inch thickness and cut into inch squares. if using thin sliced boneless roaster breast, skip the pounding and simply cut into inch squares. frying pan method: in a large skillet over medium heat, hat oil. add garlic and saute until soft. add lemon and mushrooms and saute to minutes. add all other ingredients except artichokes. fry, stirring frequently, approximately minutes or until chicken is cooked through. add artichokes and heat. amicrowave method: in -quart microwave-safe round dish, combine oil, mushrooms, lemon slices and garlic; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high ( % power) minutes, stirring once. in a -cup glass measuring cup, combine wine and flour; stir into mushroom mixture. arrange chicken pieces on top of mushroom mixture and cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound, stirring mixture times. sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. stir in artichoke quarters; re- cover and microwave at high minutes. let stand, covered, minutes. chicken thighs parmesanserves - the dijon mustard called for in this recipe is quite sharp before it's cooked. after heating in the microwave, you'll find that it loses much of its sharpness and leaves behind a subtle spicy flavor. yellow mustard won't produce the same effect. chicken thighs / cup seasoned bread crumbs / cup grated parmesan cheese / cup melted butter or margarine tablespoon dijon mustard / teaspoons worcestershire sauce remove skin from thighs. on wax paper, combine bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. in shallow dish, combine butter, mustard and worcestershire sauce. brush thighs with butter mixture and then roll in crumbs to lightly coat both sides. reserve remaining butter mixture and crumbs. arrange thighs in circular pattern on microwave-safe roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over; spoon on remaining butter mixture and sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. cover with a double thickness of paper towels. complete cooking; remove paper towels during last minutes cooking time. let stand, uncovered, minutes before serving. chicken with mango sauceserves mangos, which are rich in vitamins a and c, make a delicious, colorful and unusual sauce for a roaster breast. when mangos aren't available, try fresh or canned peaches. roaster breast tablespoon butter or margarine tablespoon cornstarch tablespoons brown sugar / cup fresh orange juice ripe mangos, peeled and cut into chunks tablespoons cherry- or orange-flavored liqueur salt and pepper to taste place skin side down on microwave-safe roasting utensil. cover with wax paper; microwave at high ( % power) minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn breast skin side up; brush with drippings in utensil. re- cover with wax paper and complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near the bone. in a -cup glass container, place butter. microwave at high seconds or until melted. stir in cornstarch until blended; stir in brown sugar and orange juice. in blender or food processor fitted with steel blade, puree mango chunks. stir pureed mangos into orange juice mixture. microwave at high minutes, stirring twice. add liqueur; microwave minute longer. to serve, slice chicken and place on warm platter. spoon some of mango sauce over slices, then pass remaining sauce. curry-glazed breastserves curry powder is a blend of many spices, so you don't need to combine spices yourself. indian curry powder is mild and madras curry powder is quite hot. whole roaster breast tablespoons butter or margarine / cup honey tablespoons dijon mustard teaspoons curry powder / teaspoon salt or to taste place breast bone side down on a microwave-safe roasting utensil. place butter in a -cup glass container; microwave at high ( % power) seconds. stir in honey, mustard, curry powder and salt; brush mixture all over breast. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. baste breast and rotate utensil or times during cooking. let stand, covered with wax paper, minutes. test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when breast is cut near bone. ham and chicken roll-upsserves if you can't easily find the prosciutto called for in this recipe, substitute any thinly sliced ham, such as the pre- sliced ham you find in the deli section of your supermarket. or try thin slices of smoked turkey ham. if you slice the cooked roll-ups crosswise, they make wonderful hors d'oeuvres or appetizers. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoon olive oil teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled salt and ground pepper to taste thin slices prosciutto place chicken breast halves between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / -inch thickness. skip the previous step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. brush breasts with olive oil to help seal in moisture; sprinkle with rosemary, salt and pepper. roll up each breast half, starting from narrow end. wrap a slice of prosciutto around each roll. in -inch square microwave-safe baking dish, place chicken rolls seam side down. cover with wax paper. microwave at high ( % power) minutes, rotating dish or times during cooking. let stand minutes. check for doneness after standing; juices should be clear with no hint of pink when chicken is cut near center. heavenly chickenserves if you're using fresh asparagus spears for this, here's how to tell the tender part from the part that's too tough and fibrous to be good eating. take the bud end of an asparagus spear in one hand and the butt end in the other and then bend the spear until it breaks. the part on the bud side is tender enough to use. the spears will always break at just that point. but don't throw away the tough end. if you peel the tough end with a potato peeler, you'll get down to the tender, edible part underneath and can use that portion also. cook the leftover parts until tender and use them in soups or omelettes. chicken breast halves fresh or frozen asparagus spears / cup water / cup butter or margarine tablespoons flour / teaspoon ground ginger / cups chicken broth / cup dry white wine salt and freshly ground pepper to taste / cup chopped pecans / cup crushed crackers on microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange breasts, bone side up, in a circular pattern. cover loosely with plastic wrap; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time turn breasts over; re- cover with plastic wrap and complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. rinse asparagus and remove tough end. on microwave-safe rack, arrange asparagus with stem ends toward outside. place rack in microwave-safe utensil. add water; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high ( % power) to minutes or until tender-crisp. let stand, covered, to minutes. in -cup glass container, place butter; microwave at high minute. blend flour and ginger into melted butter. gradually add chicken broth, wine, salt and pepper, stirring constantly. microwave at high minutes or until thick and smooth, stirring times. in x -inch microwave-safe dish, arrange cooked asparagus, with stem ends toward outside; pour half of wine sauce over asparagus. arrange chicken breasts on top with meatier portions toward outside; spoon remaining sauce over breasts. sprinkle pecans and cracker crumbs on top; cover with a double thickness of paper towels. microwave at medium-high minutes or until heated through. microwave marmalade drumsticksserves this recipe calls for a microwave-safe utensil. do you know how to tell for sure if your utensil is suitable? . place the utensil and a cup of water side by side in the microwave oven. . turn the oven to the high setting for minute. if the dish is warm, then it is absorbing microwave energy. do not use it in the microwave oven. roaster drumsticks tablespoons butter or margarine / cup finely chopped onion / cup orange marmalade (you can also use current jelly) / teaspoon curry powder in -inch microwave-safe utensil, combine butter and onion. cover; microwave at high ( % power) minutes. blend in marmalade and curry powder; turn drumsticks in mixture. place drumsticks with meatier portions toward outer edge of utensil; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn chicken over, re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. let stand, covered, minutes. saucy microwave chicken wingsserves to make an attractive presentation, try tucking the tip of each wing under to form a triangle. / cup honey / cup soy sauce tablespoons ketchup small clove garlic, minced chicken wings in x -inch microwave-safe utensil, combine all ingredients except wings; turn wings in mixture. cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound, turning wings over to times during cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. tex-mex drumsticksserves removing skin from chicken is an easy way to reduce calories, and because moisture doesn't evaporate readily in microwave cooking, the chicken will remain juicy and flavorful. chicken drumsticks / cup finely chopped pecans / cup fine, dry bread crumbs tablespoon minced fresh parsley teaspoon chili powder / cup taco-flavored or other pourable salad dressing remove skin from drumsticks. on wax paper, combine pecans, bread crumbs, parsley and chili powder. brush drumsticks with taco dressing, then roll in crumb mixture to coat all sides. reserve crumbs and dressing. on microwave-safe roasting pan, arrange drumsticks in circular pattern, with meatier portions toward outside. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn drumsticks over, spoon on remaining dressing and sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. cover with a double thickness of paper towels. complete cooking, removing paper towels during last minutes. let stand, uncovered, minutes before serving. microwave chicken breasts paprikashserves one way of avoiding having your eyes tear when the slicing the onion in this recipe is to do the cutting under running tap water. the vapors that hurt your eyes won't have a chance to get into the air, but instead will just wash down the drain. tablespoons vegetable oil green peppers, thinly sliced large onion, thinly sliced can ( -ounces) tomato sauce tablespoon sweet paprika / teaspoon dried marjoram / teaspoon salt or to taste ground pepper to taste chicken breast halves container ( -ounces) commercial sour cream tablespoon flour in a x -inch microwave-safe utensil, combine oil, peppers and onion. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high ( % power) minutes. stir in tomato sauce, paprika, marjoram, salt, and pepper. on top of tomato mixture, place breasts bone side up with meatier portions toward outside. cover with wax paper; microwave at high minutes; reduce power to medium-high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn breasts over and stir mixture. re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. let stand minutes. stir sour cream and flour into tomato mixture. cover; microwave at high minute. stir and let stand minutes. pour over chicken breasts. cornish hens with lemon tarragon sauceserves you can get more juice from a lemon if you roll it around on a flat surface first while pressing your palm against it fairly hard. this ruptures the little juice sacks. you'll also get more juice if the lemon is at room temperature rather than just out of the refrigerator. fresh cornish game hens / cup flour / teaspoons fresh tarragon, divided, or / teaspoon dried cup chicken broth juice of one lemon (about / cup) salt and ground pepper to taste / pound fresh asparagus, or substitute green beans teaspoons water with sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens in half, lengthwise. remove and discard backbone and skin. coat hen pieces lightly with flour and sprinkle with half of tarragon. place hens bone side up, with legs to inside, on a microwave-safe roasting utensil. in a -cup glass container, combine chicken broth, lemon juice, remaining tarragon and pepper. microwave at high ( % power) to minutes, or until boiling. baste hens with half of hot broth. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound combined weight of hens. halfway through cooking time, turn hens bone side down and baste with remaining broth mixture. re- cover and complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. slice asparagus diagonally into -inch pieces and place in a -quart microwave-safe utensil with water. cover; microwave at high to minutes. let stand minutes; drain and set aside. when ready to serve, add asparagus to lemon sauce and pour over hens. microwave hens jubileeserves this is a close cousin of chicken a la montmorency, but it's spicier and less sweet. fresh cornish game hens can ( -ounces) dark sweet cherries in syrup / cup dry sherry tablespoons cornstarch / cup chili sauce clove garlic, minced salt and freshly ground pepper to taste with poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise, removing backbone, if desired. in x microwave-safe utensil, arrange hens, bone side up with meatier portions to outside. in -quart microwave-safe utensil, drain liquid from cherries; blend in sherry and cornstarch. add cherries, chili sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. microwave at high ( % power) to minutes, stirring once, until mixture begins to boil and thicken. pour sauce over hens. cover loosely with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound, turning the hens over halfway through cooking time. re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. let stand, covered, minutes. pineapple baked cornish hensserves green peppers and most other fresh vegetables are ideal for microwaving. they retain their clear color and stay crunchy and fresh tasting. for extra color, substitute / sweet red pepper and / green pepper for the single whole green pepper. fresh cornish game hens green pepper, cored, finely chopped medium onion, finely chopped teaspoons vegetable oil can ( -ounces) crushed pineapple in natural juices tablespoons soy sauce teaspoons dry mustard / teaspoon ground ginger with poultry shears or sharp knife, split hens lengthwise and remove and discard skin. place hens bone side up on a microwave-safe x -inch utensil, arranging with legs to inside. in a -quart microwave-safe utensil, place green pepper, onion and oil. microwave at high ( % power) to minutes or until pepper is tender. add pineapple, soy sauce, mustard and ginger; microwave at high to minutes. baste hen halves with half of pineapple mixture. cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound combined weight of hens. halfway through cooking time, turn hens bone side down and baste with remaining pineapple mixture. re-cover and complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. serve with pineapple sauce. rosemary hens with light wine gravyserves game hens are sold both fresh and frozen. if you've selected a frozen one, follow your microwave manufacturer's directions for defrosting and turn and rearrange the birds frequently for even defrosting. i've tried game hens both fresh and frozen, and i found that there's enough of a difference in flavor and tenderness to make me strongly prefer fresh. cornish game hens sprigs fresh parsley small onion, halved clove garlic, halved small carrots, peeled, cut in / -inch slices ( cup) medium tomatoes, peeled and cut in wedges, or cherry tomatoes, halved medium zucchini, cut in / -inch slices ( cup) / pound mushrooms, quartered (about cup) / cup chicken broth / cup dry white wine and / teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or / teaspoon dried salt and freshly ground pepper to taste tablespoons cold water teaspoons cornstarch into each hen cavity, place sprigs parsley, / onion and / garlic clove. place carrots, tomatoes, zucchini and mushrooms in a microwave-safe baking dish. combine chicken broth, wine and / teaspoon rosemary; pour over vegetables. cover with plastic wrap and microwave at high ( % power) minutes. arrange hens, breast side down, on top. sprinkle with remaining rosemary and pepper. cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound combined weight of hens. halfway through cooking time, stir vegetables; turn hens breast side up and rotate dish. re-cover with wax paper. remove hens to serving platter, reserving juices for gravy. using slotted spoon, arrange vegetables around hens and cover with foil; allow to stand minutes. cut hens in half to serve. to prepare gravy, in a cup glass container, combine water and cornstarch. slowly add reserved cooking juices (about / cup) from hens; stir to blend. microwave at high minutes or until thickened, stirring twice. serve with cornish hens. honey mustard roasterserves covering is a key technique in successful microwave cooking. in a conventional oven a sweet honey-mustard basting sauce could overbrown. instead, in the microwave it dries as the roaster skin cooks and it forms an attractive golden glaze on the bird. whole roaster (about pounds) tablespoons butter or margarine / cup honey / cup dijon mustard / teaspoon curry powder teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper remove giblets from roaster. with rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across cavity and neck openings. place roaster, breast side down, on microwave-safe roasting pan. melt butter in a -cup glass measuring cup by microwaving at high ( % power) minute. stir in honey and remaining ingredients; brush roaster with mixture and cover with wax paper. microwave at high minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound, brushing frequently with honey mixture. halfway through cooking time, turn roaster breast side up; complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. pour drippings from utensil into remaining sauce mixture in measuring cup; microwave at high minutes or until heated through. serve sauce with roaster. mexican microwave chicken casserole leftover mexican chicken casserole makes a fast and delicious taco filling. shred chicken, reheat in sauce and serve with shredded lettuce and cheese and a dollop of sour cream. tablespoons butter or margarine large onion, chopped ( cup) large green pepper, chopped ( cup) clove garlic, minced can ( . ounces) tomato sauce tablespoons flour teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground cumin / teaspoon dried oregano / teaspoon ground pepper chicken cut in serving pieces can ( -ounces) corn, drained in to -quart microwave-safe utensil, combine butter, onion, pepper and garlic. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high ( % power) to minutes or until onion and pepper are tender. stir in tomato sauce, flour, salt, cumin, oregano and pepper. place chicken pieces, bone side up with meatier portions toward outside of utensil, on top of mixture. cover with wax paper; microwave at high minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn chicken pieces over; re- cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. let stand, covered, minutes. remove chicken pieces to serving dish; cover. add corn to sauce in utensil; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high minutes. to serve, pour sauce over chicken. plum-spiced chickenserves the plum sauce is a low-fat way to make the chicken develop an attractive color as it cooks in the microwave. chicken, cut in half lengthwise cup plum jelly or preserves / cup chicken broth / cup chopped onion tablespoons red wine vinegar / teaspoons soy sauce / teaspoon ground ginger / teaspoon chinese five-spice powder (optional) place chicken halves, skin side down, on microwave-safe roasting utensil, set aside. in a -cup glass container, combine jelly and remaining ingredients. microwave at high ( % power) minutes, stirring times. brush chicken halves with sauce; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) to minutes per pound, brushing chicken frequently with sauce. halfway through cooking time, turn chicken halves over; brush with sauce. re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. let stand, covered minutes. stuffed chicken charleston styleserves the microwave oven makes it possible to make this succulent roast chicken and all the trimmings in less than an hour. to complete the meal with "baked" potatoes, you can microwave them during the chicken's standing time. whole chicken strips uncooked bacon, diced / cup chopped onion / cup chopped celery / cups packaged cornbread stuffing / cup coarsely chopped pecans tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided / cup plus tablespoons dry sherry, divided tablespoons water tablespoons minced fresh parsley teaspoon salt or to taste ground pepper to taste remove giblets. in / -quart microwave-safe utensil place diced bacon; cover with paper towel. microwave at high ( % power) minutes or until crisp, stirring twice. with slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towel to drain; set aside. reserve drippings. in same / -quart microwave-safe utensil, combine onion and celery; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high minutes. in a mixing bowl, combine onions and celery with stuffing, pecans, and cooked bacon. in cup, blend tablespoons butter, tablespoons sherry and water; toss with stuffing. spoon stuffing loosely into cavity and neck openings of chicken. with rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across cavity and neck openings. combine tablespoon butter with teaspoon sherry; brush on chicken. place chicken, breast side down, on microwave- safe roasting utensil; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound, brushing chicken frequently with butter-sherry mixture and drippings. halfway through cooking time, turn chicken breast side up; re-cover with wax paper. complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes. test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced pour pan drippings into a -cup glass container. add / cup sherry to roasting utensil to loosen pan juices; pour into container with drippings. microwave at high minutes; stir in remaining tablespoons butter and parsley. serve chicken, sliced, with stuffing and gravy. cheesy microwave thighsserves chicken thighs and drumsticks are fairly uniform in size, making them an ideal choice for quick cooking in the microwave. chicken thighs tablespoons butter or margarine, divided cup finely chopped onion tablespoons flour / teaspoon salt or to taste cup milk / cup grated swiss cheese / cup grated parmesan cheese tablespoons white wine pinch freshly grated or ground nutmeg minced, fresh parsley (optional) remove and discard skin from thighs. in a x -inch microwave-safe utensil, combine tablespoons butter and onion. microwave at high ( % power) minutes. arrange thighs in a circular pattern on top of onions. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over; re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. let stand, covered, minutes. place remaining butter in -cup glass container; microwave at high to seconds. blend in flour and salt; gradually stir in milk, mixing well. microwave at high to minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture boils and thickens. add cheeses, wine and nutmeg; stir until cheese is melted. pour sauce over chicken thighs; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high to minutes or until heated through. garnish with parsley if desired. chicken marengoserves - frank admires napoleon because he was such an effective leader and motivator of men. but frank has another reason to like the famous french general. napoleon liked chicken so much that during his campaigns, he ate it almost every night. in when napoleon was fighting in italy, the supply wagons were late and his chef had to scour the countryside for whatever food he could find. the result was a chicken dish made with olive oil, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and other ingredients available from the nearby farms. napoleon liked the dish so much that he named it "chicken marengo," in honor of the battlefield where he had just been fighting, and from then on ordered it served to him after every battle. chicken thighs teaspoons olive oil cups coarsely chopped fresh plum tomatoes / cup chopped green pepper / cup finely chopped onion cloves garlic, minced tablespoons minced, fresh parsley / teaspoon dried oregano / teaspoon ground pepper / teaspoon salt or to taste remove and discard skin from thighs. in -quart microwave- safe utensil, combine remaining ingredients; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high ( % power) minutes, stirring twice. arrange thighs in circular pattern on top of tomato mixture; spoon mixture over thighs. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn thighs over; re-cover and complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes before serving. chinese chickenserves the shape of foods affects cooking results. thin areas cook faster than thicker ones, so meatier portions should always be placed toward the outer edge of the utensil where microwave energy is greater. chicken drumsticks chicken thighs / cup melted butter tablespoons soy sauce / teaspoon ground pepper / teaspoon minced, fresh ginger can ( -ounces) chow mein noodles / cup sliced almonds salt to taste remove and discard skin from drumsticks and thighs. in small bowl, mix butter, soy sauce, pepper and ginger. in blender or food processor fitted with steel blade, finely chop chow mein noodles, almonds and salt; transfer to wax paper. brush chicken with soy mixture, then roll in noodle mixture to coat all sides. arrange on microwave-safe roasting pan, with meatier portions toward outside; cover with wax paper. reserve remaining soy and noodle mixture. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time turn legs and thighs over; spoon on remaining soy mixture and sprinkle with remaining noodle mixture. cover with a double thickness of paper towels. complete cooking, remove paper towels during last minutes. let stand, uncovered, minutes before serving. drumsticks little italy styleserves do you know how to tell when rice is done? the aim of cooking rice is to have all the little starch granules inside each grain swell with water but not burst. you can tell that rice is undercooked if you pinch a grain and feel a hard or gritty core. you can tell that it's overcooked if you look at a grain closely and find that the edges are split and ragged. it's perfectly cooked if the grain is the same smooth shape as the uncooked grain, only puffed, swollen and soft. cup chopped, canned tomatoes / cup long grain rice cup chicken broth / cup dry white wine medium onion, chopped large clove garlic, crushed / teaspoon dried thyme roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons or more minced, fresh parsley in a quart microwave-safe utensil combine tomatoes and rice. stir in broth and wine; add onion, garlic, thyme, and mix well. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high ( % power) minutes. arrange drumsticks over top of mixture, with meatiest portions to the outer edge of utensil. re-cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high ( % power) minutes then at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time stir and turn drumsticks over. re-cover and complete the cooking. let stand, covered minutes before serving. test for doneness after standing; juices should run clear with no hint of pink when drumstick is pierced. season with salt and pepper. add parsley to rice mixture for garnish. olive microwaved chickenmakes drumsticks when you saw the title of this recipe, did you hesitate because you were concerned that the calories in olives could wreck your diet? not to worry! olives are actually a fairly low calorie food, with the average one having only - calories. the largest jumbo olive has only calories. chicken drumsticks cup slivered onion strips / cup slivered green pepper strips / cup thawed lemonade concentrate / cup ketchup / cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives / cup sliced pitted ripe olives teaspoons worcestershire sauce clove garlic, minced remove and discard skin from drumsticks. in a x -inch microwave-safe utensil, combine remaining ingredients; cover with plastic wrap. microwave high ( % power) minutes, stirring once. turn drumsticks in sauce to coat. arrange drumsticks in circular pattern in sauce with meatier portions toward outside of utensil. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn drumsticks and spoon sauce on top. re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes before serving. pennsylvania dutch-country drumsticksserves when you're buying the apples for this recipe, you can tell which ones are red delicious by looking at the base of the apples. a red delicious always has five knobs or points at the base. roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine, divided / cup apple juice ( / cup for microwave) tablespoon soy sauce ( - / teaspoons for microwave) / cup brown sugar, firmly-packed ( / cup for microwave) red delicious apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges each tablespoons sugar conventional method: season drumsticks with salt and pepper. in a large skillet over medium heat, melt tablespoons butter. add drumsticks and brown for to minutes per side. in a measuring cup combine apple juice, soy sauce and brown sugar and pour over drumsticks. cover and simmer minutes. turn and simmer minutes longer. ten minutes before end of cooking time, in another skillet, over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. add apple wedges and brown on one side. sprinkle with sugar and turn. brown other side. transfer chicken to serving dish and top with apple wedges. spoon sauce over top. amicrowave oven: place tablespoons of butter in a -inch microwave-safe utensil. microwave at high ( % power) seconds. combine / cup apple juice, / teaspoons soy sauce and / cup firmly packed brown sugar with melted butter. place drumsticks in apple juice mixture and turn to coat well. arrange drumsticks with meatiest portions toward outer edge of utensil. cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. half way through cooking time turn drumsticks and spoon sauce over each. re-cover and complete cooking. let stand, covered, to minutes. place tablespoons butter in a -quart microwave-safe utensil. microwave at high seconds. sprinkle butter with tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar; stir. place apple wedges in brown sugar mixture; toss gently to coat. microwave at high minutes, stir. microwave an additional minutes or until apples are tender. transfer chicken to serving dish and top with apple wedges. spoon sauce over top. roaster thighs in wineserves for the longest shelf life and the best flavor, don't wash the mushrooms called for in this recipe until just before using them. and don't soak them, just lightly mist them or wipe them with a damp paper towel. with soaking, they easily become waterlogged and lose some of their flavor. roaster boneless thigh cutlets strips uncooked bacon, diced cup burgundy or other dry, red wine tablespoons cognac or brandy small whole onions, peeled ounces sliced, fresh mushrooms, cups tablespoons flour teaspoons minced fresh parsley bay leaf / teaspoons minced, fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried cut thigh cutlets in half. in -quart microwave-safe utensil, place bacon; microwave at high ( % power) until crisp, to minutes. combine wine and cognac and add to utensil with remaining ingredients; stir well. arrange thighs, with thicker portions toward outer edge, on top of vegetables. cover with wax paper; microwave at high minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, stir vegetable mixture and turn cutlets over. let stand, covered, minutes before serving. spicy african drumsticksserves if you eliminate the crushed pepper in this recipe, it could be a dish children would love. be sure the peanuts you use in the recipe are fresh. once a package has been opened, keep it in the refrigerator since peanuts rapidly go rancid. as an emergency first aid measure for peanuts that aren't as fresh as you wish they were, try this tip i got from a peanut farmer in georgia. put the peanuts in a sieve and pour boiling water over them. the hot water will wash away some of the oils that are responsible for the off-flavor. chicken drumsticks tablespoons vegetable oil cup chopped onion garlic clove, minced can ( -ounces) tomato puree / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon crushed red pepper / cup peanut butter / cup chopped peanuts remove and discard skin from drumsticks. in a x -inch microwave-safe utensil, combine oil, onion and garlic. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high ( % power) minutes or until onions are tender. stir in tomato puree, salt and red pepper. arrange drumsticks in utensil with meatier portion toward outside; spoon tomato sauce over top. cover with wax paper; microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn drumsticks over; re-cover with wax paper and microwave remaining time. remove drumsticks to serving platter; cover with foil and let stand minutes. stir peanut butter and peanuts into tomato sauce. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high minutes. to serve, spoon sauce over drumsticks. cornucopia stuffed roasterserves a roaster stuffed with vegetables and rice is a tasty meal in one dish. the stuffing doesn't increase the cooking time, which is about one hour less in a microwave than required for conventional roasting. whole roaster (about pounds) / cup hot water / cup butter or margarine cup frozen peas and carrots / cups cooked rice tablespoons minced fresh parsley / teaspoon dried thyme teaspoon salt or to taste browning spray (optional) remove giblets. in a -cup glass measuring cup, place water and butter; microwave at high ( % power) minute. in -quart microwave-safe utensil, place peas and carrots; cover. microwave at high minutes, stirring once; drain. in a small bowl, combine rice, melted butter mixture, peas and carrots, parsley, thyme and salt. place in cavity of roaster; with rounded wooden picks, fasten skin across cavity opening and at neck. place roaster, breast side down, on microwave-safe roasting pan. spray with browning spray or brush roaster with melted butter if desired; cover with wax paper. microwave at high minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power). cook minutes per pound, brushing with drippings several times during cooking. halfway through cooking time, turn roaster over, using paper towels to protect hands. pour off drippings and reserve, if desired. baste roaster with drippings or use browning spray; cover with wax paper and complete cooking. let stand, covered with aluminum foil, minutes. test for doneness after standing; juice should run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. to serve, spoon stuffing into serving bowl and slice roaster. chicken wing paellaserves - paella is a spanish dish with a mixture of rice, vegetables, meat and sometimes shellfish. i lived in spain for a couple of years and came to the conclusion that there must be almost as many versions of paella as there are spanish cooks$which means that you have a lot of latitude to vary the ingredients according to what you have handy in your refrigerator. i like this better the next day, when the different flavors have had a chance to "marry." chicken wings pound sweet italian sausage links teaspoon browning sauce large onion, chopped sweet red pepper, cut into thin strips medium-sized zucchini, chopped can ( -ounces) tomatoes, undrained / cup hot water teaspoon salt or to taste teaspoon dried oregano / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon ground turmeric / teaspoon tabasco cups hot cooked rice cup frozen peas, thawed cut wing-tip section from wings. set tips aside to cook later in soup or stew, if desired. brush sausages with browning sauce; cut into -inch pieces. in -quart microwave-safe dish, place sausage pieces; cover with wax paper. microwave at high ( % power) to minutes, or until sausage loses its pink color, stirring twice. with slotted spoon remove sausage. to drippings in dish, add onion, red pepper and zucchini; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high minutes, stirring twice. add tomatoes, browned sausages, water, salt, oregano, paprika, turmeric and tabasco; stir to blend. arrange chicken wings in circular pattern on top of tomato mixture. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power); cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn wings over; re-cover and complete cooking. stir in hot cooked rice and peas; microwave at high minutes. to warm for serving, cover with plastic wrap to speed cooking and microwave at high until heated through. let stand minutes before serving. chapter three-chicken for dieters are you concerned about the cholesterol in your diet? are you watching calories and trying to cut down on fat? has your doctor suggested that you consume less salt? then read on. the wonderful thing about chicken is that the low cholesterol and the low calorie recipes are the same. and the flavors that add spark to a low calories recipe are the same ones that can help you get along with little or no salt. chicken is the dieter's ray of sunshine. except for turkey breast, no other popular meat is as low in calories as skinless chicken breast. a -ounce portion of skinless broiled chicken breast has only calories. an equivalent size portion of cooked lean trimmed beef would average calories, and cooked lean, trimmed pork is calories. chicken is also lowest in saturated fat compared with non-poultry meats. grams of saturated fat cooked -ounce portion skinless chicken breast: . average cooked -ounce portion of chicken: . average cooked -ounce portion of lean, trimmed beef: . average cooked -ounce portion of lean, trimmed pork: . to avoid both fat and calories when cooking with chicken: _choose breast meat. this is the leanest part of the bird and has less than half the fat of, for example, thigh meat. because of its low fat content, it's the only meat i ever serve frank, and it's the only meat he ever asks for in restaurants. _remove the skin. forty percent of the fat in poultry is attached to the skin and therefore can be easily removed. this is in contrast with other meats, where the fat is dispersed throughout the meat and not so easily removed. one point, though. if you're broiling or baking or grilling chicken, leave the skin on until you're finished cooking; otherwise the meat will lose too much moisture and become tough. i've watched tests done at the perdue tenderness laboratory in which they measured the tenderness of breast meat roasted with the skin and without the skin. the meat cooked with the skin retained its moisture and was startlingly more tender than the meat cooked without the skin. _roast, broil, poach, or grill chicken instead of frying it. _substitute low fat dairy products in recipes. use yoghurt or light sour cream instead of sour cream, and non- fat milk instead of regular milk. to be honest, the taste isn't as rich, but if you're watching calories and cholesterol, these substitutions make a substantial difference. for example, plain low fat yoghurt is calories per cup and light sour cream about calories, while the same amount of regular sour cream is to calories. non-fat milk is to calories per -ounce glass, while whole milk is to calories. _replace oil or fat in marinades with fresh lemon or lime juice, or with wine or vinegar. _broil with wine instead of butter. _take advantage of non-caloric pan sprays. _if you're really counting every single calorie, you may want to choose cornish hens rather than the older broilers and roasters. cornish hens and broilers are young birds and they bear the same relationship to the older roasters that veal does to beef: the younger the animal, the lower the fat content. for comparison, the white meat of a cornish is calories per ounce of cooked meat; the white meat of a broiler is calories per cooked ounce. for low salt diets: _avoid prepared sauces such as barbecue sauce or ketchup: usually they are high in salt. _season chicken with foods that are naturally high in potassium, such as tomatoes, citrus, raisins or bananas. when you eat foods high in potassium, you don't miss the sodium so much. tomato paste, by the way, is very high in potassium, and does not have as much added salt as most prepared or canned foods. _season foods with garlic, onion, wine and a variety of herbs and spices. again, you'll miss the sodium less. _trick your palette by cooking with your own flavored vinegars. use a cup of whichever fresh herb you can find, such as tarragon or mint or dill, for two cups of plain white vinegar and then add a garlic clove or twist of lemon peel. store in a screw top jar for several days and if you want it really strong, leave it for a week. you might taste it along the way to see if it's too strong. finally, strain it and pour into a sterilized bottle and seal. _season chicken with concentrated homemade chicken broth. make chicken stock (use the recipe on page ___, but omit the salt), boil it down until it's concentrated, and then freeze it in ice cube trays. use individual cubes to intensify the flavor of casseroles or stir fry dishes. after a couple of weeks of following a low salt diet, you'll find that your taste changes and that you'll actually be satisfied with far less salt. you'll even find that the olives and potato chips and peanuts that once tasted just right, now seem too salty. we've found that with salt, the less you eat, the less you feel you need$but be patient because this doesn't happen overnight. for that matter, a preference for low fat cooking may not happen overnight either. in fact, to level with you, i think that in most cases it won't happen overnight. if you're not used to the low fat substitutions for rich sauces and gravies, some of the recipes in this chapter may seem downright spartan to you the first time you try them. but once you're used to them, you may find as frank and i have, that with time it's not only possible to get used to lighter cooking, it's actually possible to prefer it. barbecue drumsticksserves microwave recipe to save additional fat and calories, remove the skin from the drumsticks. i wouldn't recommend this for a conventional oven recipe because the meat would dry out. but microwaving retains moisture, and the sauce adds flavor. roaster drumsticks cup water / cup finely chopped onion / cup tomato paste tablespoon vinegar cloves garlic, minced - / teaspoons chili powder teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon ground pepper remove skin from drumsticks and discard. in -cup glass container, combine water, onion, tomato paste, vinegar, garlic, chili powder, mustard and pepper until well blended. cover with plastic wrap; microwave at high ( % power) minutes. stir and microwave, uncovered, minutes longer. pour half the mixture over bottom of a x -inch microwave-safe utensil. place drumsticks in sauce with meatier portions toward outer edge of utensil. pour remaining sauce over drumsticks; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn drumsticks over and move drumsticks to sides of utensil. re-cover with wax paper; complete cooking. let stand, covered, minutes before serving. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. burgundy chickenserves microwave recipe the perdue home economists say that microwave recipes are often more nutritious than their conventional versions because microwaving requires much less liquid, ensuring that vitamins and minerals are not washed away. chicken, cut in serving pieces / cup burgundy or other dry red wine / cup low-sodium chicken broth teaspoon dried thyme leaves / teaspoon ground pepper bay leaf / pound pearl onions, peeled / pound small mushrooms, sliced small new potatoes, cut into quarters carrots (about cup), thinly sliced tablespoons water - / tablespoon cornstarch remove and discard skin and visible fat from the larger chicken pieces. in a -quart microwave-safe utensil, combine wine, chicken broth, thyme, pepper, and bay leaf. add onions, mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots. cover and microwave at high ( % power) minutes. arrange chicken on top of vegetables, bone-side up, with meatier portions toward outer edge of utensil. cover with wax paper; microwave at high minutes. turn chicken pieces over and rearrange, spooning vegetable mixture over each piece. re- cover; microwave - minutes per pound or until chicken and vegetables are fork tender. remove chicken pieces and vegetables; cover to keep warm. in microwave-safe cup, combine water and cornstarch. add small amount of hot pan juices to cup and stir to blend; gradually stir cornstarch mixture into remaining juices. microwave on high minutes; stir and microwave minutes longer or until boiling. serve sauce over chicken and vegetables. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken au poivreserves pepper's piquant flavor helps disguise the lack of salt. l roaster boneless breast or package thin sliced roaster breast tablespoons flour teaspoons cracked black pepper l teaspoon dry mustard tablespoons vegetable oil clove garlic, minced / cup dry red wine tablespoon minced, fresh parsley remove and discard visible fat from boneless breast; slice thin. (you can skip this step if you have the thin sliced roaster breast.) place chicken slices between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / inch thickness. on wax paper, combine flour, pepper and mustard. lightly coat chicken with flour mixture, pressing to make pepper adhere. in large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add garlic; saute seconds. place chicken in skillet so that pieces do not touch. cook about minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. remove to serving platter; keep warm. pour off fat; stir in wine. cook over high heat, stirring constantly to minutes or until thickened and liquid is reduced by one-half. stir in parsley. spoon sauce over chicken. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken provencalserves microwave recipe do you know why you brown chicken first in traditional stews and casseroles? it's to seal in the juices. you don't need to in microwave cooking, so you save the fat calories from the butter or margarine or oil you'd use for browning, and the chicken still ends up moist and tender. chicken breast halves cups coarsely chopped fresh italian plum tomatoes or a -ounce can, drained - / cups sliced mushrooms ( -ounces) / cup chopped onion clove garlic, minced / teaspoon dried basil / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoons dry white wine tablespoon cornstarch tablespoons minced fresh parsley remove and discard skin from chicken breasts. in a -quart microwave-safe utensil, combine tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. cover with wax paper. microwave at high ( % power) minutes. meanwhile, in cup combine wine and cornstarch, stir into tomato mixture. place chicken breasts, bone-side up and meatier portions toward outside of utensil, on top of tomato mixture. cover with wax paper; microwave at high minutes. reduce power to medium-high ( % power) and cook minutes per pound. halfway through cooking time, turn chicken breasts over and stir tomato mixture. after cooking, let stand, covered, minutes. remove chicken to serving platter; stir parsley into tomato mixture and spoon some over breasts; serve remaining sauce on side. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken ratatouillemakes drumsticks. when "ratatouille" appears in a recipe's name, you can be sure it will have eggplant in it and probably tomatoes and peppers as well. these vegetables will be noticeably more delicious if you use them very fresh rather than after storage in the refrigerator. the flavor of these vegetables all deteriorate at refrigerator temperatures. they're warm weather crops and nature didn't mean for them to be in the chilling temperatures of a refrigerator. chicken drumsticks tablespoons vegetable oil cup coarsely chopped onion clove garlic, minced / pound eggplant, peeled and cubed medium zucchini (about / pound) cubed medium tomatoes, coarsely chopped green pepper, cut in thin -inch strips tablespoon minced, fresh basil or teaspoon dried / teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon ground pepper remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks. in large skillet, over medium-heat, heat oil. add drumsticks; cook about minutes, turning until browned on all sides. remove drumsticks; drain on paper towels. add onion and garlic; cook minute, stirring frequently. add eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper, basil, oregano and pepper. cook minutes, stirring occasionally. place drumsticks in vegetable mixture; cook about minutes longer or until drumsticks are tender, occasionally spooning vegetables over chicken. nutritional figures per drumstick calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken in mustard sauceserves if controlling sodium is important to you, use an ordinary table wine for the white wine called for in this recipe. cooking wines often contain salt and should be avoided by anyone who is watching sodium intake. likewise, sweet wines and fortified ones such as sherry, madeira and marsala should be used sparingly because they are higher in calories than dry wines. no wines contain alcohol after cooking. roaster boneless breast or package thin sliced roaster breast tablespoons vegetable oil, divided / pound mushrooms, sliced ( cups) tablespoons minced, fresh parsley l tablespoon minced shallot or scallion l/ teaspoon ground pepper l/ cup low-sodium chicken broth l/ cup dry white wine l tablespoon dijon mustard remove and discard visible fat from breast; slice thin. (if using thin sliced product, skip this step.) in a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat tablespoons oil. add breast slices a few at a time, placing so that pieces do not touch. saute minutes, turning once, until chicken is lightly browned on both sides. remove from skillet; keep warm. heat remaining oil. add mushrooms, parsley, shallot and pepper. stirring frequently, cook minutes. stir in broth and wine; bring to a boil and cook until liquid is reduced by half (about / cup). reduce heat to low; stir in mustard until well blended. spoon over chicken. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken veroniqueserves any recipe with the name veronique will have grapes in it. when buying grapes at the supermarket, you can tell how fresh they are by how green and pliable the stem is. another way of telling is to give the bunch a quick shake. if it's fresh, none of the individual grapes should fall from the bunch. i should warn you, though, that shaking the bunch will not do anything for your popularity with the store's produce manager. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / lemon ground pepper tablespoon unsalted margarine - / teaspoons cornstarch / cup low-sodium chicken broth / cup dry white wine cup seedless green grapes, halved remove and discard any visible fat. butterfly breast halves to make scaloppine. skip the previous step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. rub with lemon and sprinkle lightly with pepper. in large skillet over medium heat, melt margarine. add scaloppine, in batches if necessary, so that they do not touch. saute minutes, turning once, until chicken is lightly browned on both sides and just cooked through. remove from skillet; keep warm. in small bowl, stir together cornstarch, broth and wine until smooth; add to skillet. over medium heat, bring to boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. stir in grapes until heated through. to serve, spoon grapes and sauce over chicken. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken breasts with vegetablesserves whenever possible, choose crisp, fresh vegetables over their canned or frozen counterparts. fresh vegetables have better color, flavor and texture. when using frozen or canned products, be sure to look for those with no salt added. this kind of nutritious, high vitamin, low calorie meal that features breast meat is a mainstay for frank and me, and it has been for him for a long time. his grown daughter, bev nida, tells me that one of her childhood memories of frank was that if he was late for dinner, ("and he always was"), everyone knew to save a chicken breast for him. chicken breasts halves tablespoons unsalted margarine large carrots, cut into matchstick strips ( - / cups) ribs celery, cut into matchstick strips ( - / cups) green pepper, cut into matchstick strips ( cup) small shallot, minced cut low-sodium chicken broth / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoons water tablespoon cornstarch remove and discard skin and visible fat from chicken breasts. in large skillet over medium heat, melt margarine. add chicken, cook to minutes, turning until browned on all sides. remove chicken; drain on paper towels. add carrot, celery, green pepper, and shallot; cook stirring constantly, minutes. remove vegetables; set aside. stir in broth and pepper; add chicken. reduce heat to low; cover and simmer minutes or until chicken is cooked through. remove breasts to serving plate; keep warm. in cup, stir together water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into skillet. over medium heat, bring to boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. stir in vegetables ; cook until heated through. to serve, spoon vegetables over chicken. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. chicken stroganoffserves this is a s version of a nineteenth-century russian classic. by substituting plain, lowfat yogurt for sour cream, you're decreasing the calories in this recipe by calories. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoons vegetable oil, divided medium onions, thinly sliced / pound mushrooms, thinly sliced ( cups) clove garlic, minced / cup low sodium chicken broth / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoons water tablespoon cornstarch container ( -ounces) plain low-fat yogurt hot cooked noodles, cooked without salt remove and discard visible fat from chicken; slice chicken in thin strips. in large skillet over medium heat, heat tablespoon oil. add onions; cook minutes, stirring frequently. add mushrooms; cook minutes longer. remove vegetables from skillet; set aside. heat remaining oil in skillet. add chicken and garlic; cook minutes or until chicken turns white, stirring frequently. return vegetables to skillet; add broth and pepper. in cup, blend water and cornstarch; stir into skillet. over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. remove from heat; stir in yogurt until well blended. heat gently over low heat (do not boil). serve over noodles. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. citrus-marinated chicken wingsserves taste tests show that the parts of the bird that get the most exercise, such as the wings, leg, and neck have the deepest flavor. the seasonings in this recipe bring out the wonderful flavor of wings. chicken wings tablespoons vegetable oil grated peel and juice of lemon grated peel and juice of orange cloves garlic, minced whole cloves bay leaves fold wing tips back to form triangles. place wings in shallow baking pan. in small saucepan, stir together remaining ingredients and heat over medium heat minutes. pour mixture over wings. cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight. preheat oven to of. bake wings minutes or until tender, basting occasionally. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. roaster breast a l'orangeserves if you have a choice when buying the orange for this recipe, buy a valencia in preference to a navel. navel oranges are excellent eating oranges, but they're not good juice oranges; the juice develops an off flavor if not used within half an hour. the valencia, on the other hand, has a more stable flavor in its juice form. roaster breast - / tablespoons cornstarch - / tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar dash ground pepper / cup orange juice / cup low-sodium chicken broth / cup julienne-cut orange peel strips tablespoon fresh lemon juice preheat oven to of. place breast skin-side up in roasting pan; roast minutes. meanwhile, in -quart saucepan, stir together cornstarch, sugar and pepper. gradually stir in orange juice and broth until smooth. over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. remove from heat. stir in orange peel and lemon juice. roast chicken, basting frequently with sauce for minutes longer or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when a cut is made near the bone. heat remaining sauce and serve with roaster breast. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. cornish hens with mushroomsserves skim milk contains all the calcium and protein of whole milk. use it to make a prudent version of mushroom "cream" sauce. fresh cornish game hens tablespoons vegetable oil / pound mushrooms, halved or quartered small onions, peeled and cut in thin wedges cup low-sodium chicken broth / teaspoon ground pepper bay leaves cup skim milk tablespoon cornstarch remove and discard any fat from cavities of hens. in a - quart dutch oven or large deep skillet, over medium heat, heat oil. add hens; cook about minutes, turning to brown on all sides. remove hens from pan and set aside. pour off all but tablespoons drippings; stir in mushrooms and onion. cook minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. stir in broth, pepper and bay leaves. return hens to pan; reduce heat to medium low. cover and simmer minutes or until tender. remove hens to serving platter and cut in half. discard bay leaves. in cup, blend milk and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in pan. over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. serve sauce with hens. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. cornish hens with apple stuffingserves microwave recipe no extra cooking time is needed when you stuff fresh cornish game hens before microwaving. fresh cornish game hens tablespoons unsalted margarine, divided tart red apple, coarsely chopped / cup chopped celery / cup chopped onion cup fresh whole-wheat bread cubes ( slices) / teaspoon poultry seasoning / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoons cider or apple juice divided / teaspoon paprika remove and discard any fat from cavities of hens. place tablespoons margarine in a cup glass container; microwave at high ( % power) seconds. add apple, celery and onion; cover with plastic wrap. microwave at high ( % power) minutes, stirring once. stir in bread cubes, poultry seasoning, pepper and tablespoon cider. spoon stuffing mixture lightly into cavities and close openings with toothpicks. arrange hens, with legs pointing toward center, on microwave-safe roasting utensil. place remaining tablespoon margarine in custard cup; microwave at high seconds. stir in remaining tablespoon cider and paprika; brush mixture on hens. cover hens with wax paper. microwave at medium high ( % power) minutes per pound (combined weight of both hens). let stand, covered, minutes. to serve, cut hens in half. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. curried roaster drumsticksserves in this recipe, you'll see vegetable oil instead of butter or margarine or lard. solid fats contain saturated fat, either because they came from animal sources (butter or lard) or because they have been hydrogenated (shortening or margarine). roaster drumsticks tablespoons vegetable oil medium apples (diced cups) / cup chopped onion clove garlic, minced tablespoon curry powder teaspoon ground ginger / teaspoon ground pepper - / cups low-sodium chicken broth tablespoons cold water - / tablespoons cornstarch remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks. in large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add drumsticks; cook about minutes, turning until browned on all sides. remove; drain on paper towels. pour off all but tablespoon fat. add apple, onion, garlic, curry, ginger and pepper; cook to minutes, stirring frequently. stir in broth. return chicken to skillet; reduce heat to medium low. simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally for minutes or until chicken is tender and cooked through. remove chicken to platter; keep warm. in cup, blend water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into skillet. over medium heat, bring to boil; boil minute, stirring occasionally. spoon sauce over chicken. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. greek lemon chickenserves this recipe adapts well to barbecuing. chicken ( pounds), quartered / cup fresh lemon juice (about lemons) tablespoons cold pressed (extra virgin) olive oil medium-sized onion, sliced into thin rings tablespoons minced fresh oregano or teaspoons dried teaspoons minced fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon ground black pepper cayenne pepper to taste (optional) lemon wedges, fresh oregano and thyme leaves (optional garnish) remove and discard visible fat from chicken. in large, shallow bowl, combine remaining ingredients except garnishes. add chicken and marinate in refrigerator minutes or longer. preheat broiler. drain chicken from marinade; place on rack in broiler pan. broil chicken quarters, inches from heat, for to minutes or until cooked through, turning and basting with marinade to times during cooking. add onion rings during last minutes of broiling time. serve chicken with onion slices and garnish with lemon wedges, and sprigs of fresh oregano and thyme, if desired. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein . carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. lemon drumsticks and thighsserves both the grill and the broiler are good friends to the dieter because any fat that cooks out of your chicken just drops away into the fire or pan below. the juice and rind from lemons help achieve tasty, no salt basting. chicken drumsticks chicken thighs / cup lemon juice tablespoons water tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel clove garlic, minced / teaspoon salt (or less) / teaspoon ground pepper remove and discard skin and visible fat from drumsticks and thighs. place in large, shallow dish. in small bowl, stir together lemon juice, water, oil, lemon peel, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over chicken. cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight, turning occasionally. prepare outdoor grill for cooking or preheat broiler. remove from marinade. grill inches from source of heat or broil indoors, cooking about to minutes or until tender and golden brown; turn and baste frequently with marinade. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. oriental chicken and vegetablesserves fresh garlic is definitely better than powdered garlic. if you haven't been using it, give fresh garlic a try. look for garlic cloves with plump, firm heads that have a fresh appearance. the paper-like casing should be dry and should completely cover the individual garlic cloves, and there should be no trace of sprouting. store garlic in a cool, dry place, but don't refrigerate it. i asked a garlic grower why not, and he told me that cool temperatures can increase the garlic's tendency to sprout. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoons cornstarch ground pepper to taste cup low-sodium chicken broth at room temperature tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoons sliced scallions clove garlic, minced cup diagonally sliced carrots (about medium) cup snow peas cup well-drained bean sprouts can ( -ounces) sliced water chestnuts, drained hot cooked rice (cooked without salt) trim visible fat from thighs; cut chicken in thin strips. in small bowl, stir together cornstarch and pepper. gradually stir in broth and soy sauce until smooth; set aside. in wok or large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add green onions and garlic; stir-fry seconds. add chicken and carrots; stir-fry to minutes or until chicken turns white and carrots are tender crisp. add snow peas, bean sprouts and water chestnuts. stir-fry to heat through. re-stir cornstarch mixture; add to wok. over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil l minute, stirring constantly. serve over rice. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. pasta primavera with chickenserves because freshly grated parmesan cheese has a more intense flavor than pre-grated cheese, you can use less of it, and in the process, you'll be saving on both fat and calories. when i'm cooking pasta for frank, i omit both the oil and salt called for in the directions on the pasta package. if we're having guests, though, i use the salt and oil called for in the package directions; people who aren't used to low-fat, low-salt cooking would find it pretty bland otherwise. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoons vegetable oil, divided scallions, cut in julienne strips (about / cup) cloves garlic, minced pound asparagus, peeled, cut in -inch pieces or julienne zucchini (about cups) carrots, peeled, cut in julienne strips (about cup) / cup low-sodium chicken broth / cup dry white wine / cup minced fresh parsley / teaspoons minced, fresh oregano, or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon ground pepper / pound spaghetti, cooked, drained / cup freshly grated parmesan cheese slice breast meat into thin strips. in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat tablespoon oil. add scallions and garlic; cook minute, stirring frequently. add chicken; cook to minutes or until chicken turns white, stirring constantly. remove chicken and vegetables; set aside. heat remaining oil in skillet; add asparagus and carrots and cook minutes, stirring frequently. stir in broth, wine, parsley, oregano and pepper; simmer to minutes or until vegetables are tender crisp. place spaghetti on large platter; top with chicken mixture. sprinkle with cheese. toss and serve. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. pineapple-minted roasterserves microwave recipe fat attracts more microwave energy than muscle does. that's good for you if you're on a low-fat diet because when you microwave chicken, the fat will render out into the drippings where you can easily discard it. whole roaster (about pounds) can ( -ounces) pineapple chunks in their own juice about / cup pineapple juice, orange juice, or water - / tablespoons cornstarch - small sprigs fresh mint or - / teaspoons dried mint leaves tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted remove and discard any visible fat from roaster cavity. remove giblets. place, breast side down, on microwave-safe roasting utensil. drain pineapple chunks, reserving juice and chunks. add additional juice or water to reserved juice to measure - / cups. place cornstarch in -cup glass container and gradually stir juice into cornstarch until smooth. microwave at high ( % power) minutes; stir and microwave minutes longer or until mixture boils and thickens. add mint (if using fresh mint, remove sprigs after five minutes). remove / cup of mixture for glaze; stir pineapple chunks into remaining mixture for sauce and set aside. brush roaster with melted margarine; cover with wax paper. microwave at medium-high ( % power) to minutes per pound, brushing with glaze several times during cooking. halfway through cooking time, turn roaster over, using paper towels to protect hands. pour off drippings and reserve, if desired. baste bird with glaze and cover again with wax paper; complete cooking. let stand, covered with aluminum foil, minutes. (standing time is important even if bird-watcher thermometer has popped.) after standing time, juice should run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. to reheat sauce, microwave at high for two minutes. serve hot sauce with roaster. nutritional figures per serving: calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. roasted cornish hens with new potatoesserves when you combine tender-skinned new potatoes with cornish game hens, you have almost a complete meal in one pan. add a fresh green vegetable to complete a wholesome menu. fresh cornish game hens vegetable cooking spray tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted teaspoon minced shallot or scallion and / teaspoons fresh rosemary or / teaspoon dried ground pepper to taste small new potatoes, quartered pearl onions, peeled cup low-sodium chicken broth tablespoons cold water tablespoon cornstarch preheat oven to of. with sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens lengthwise in half. remove and discard any visible fat from cavity. spray shallow roasting pan lightly with vegetable cooking spray. place hens skin-side up in pan. stir together margarine and shallot; brush on hens and sprinkle with rosemary and pepper. arrange potatoes and onions around hens. cover pan with foil. bake minutes. uncover and continue baking, basting occasionally, to minutes or until hens and vegetables are tender. remove to serving platter. cover with foil; keep warm. pour pan drippings into measuring cup. allow to stand several minutes until fat drippings separate from hen juices; discard fat. return hen juices to roasting pan; add broth. bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring up brown bits from bottom of pan. in cup, blend water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into broth mixture. bring to a boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. serve gravy with hens and vegetables. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. roaster paprikashserves this comment has nothing to do with this recipe, but i'm slipping it in here because i thought you might like to know about it! fitness declines if you exercise two days or less each week. fitness is maintained if you exercise three days a week. fitness is improved if you exercise four or more days a week. whole roaster (about pounds) / cup vegetable oil small white onions, peeled carrots, peeled and quartered - / cups low-sodium chicken broth tablespoons paprika, divided / teaspoon ground pepper / cup water tablespoons cornstarch cup plain low-fat yogurt remove and discard any visible fat from cavity. remove giblets, tie legs together and fold wings back. fasten neck with wooden pick or small skewer. in -quart saucepot over medium heat, heat oil. add roaster. cook about minutes, turning until browned on all sides. remove and set aside. add onions and carrots; cook minutes, stirring frequently. remove vegetables. pour off fat and stir in broth, tablespoon paprika and pepper. return roaster to saucepot; sprinkle with remaining paprika. arrange onions and carrots around roaster. reduce heat to medium low; cover and simmer hour or until roaster juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced and vegetables are tender. remove roaster and vegetables to serving platter; keep warm. in cup, blend water and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in saucepot. bring to a boil over medium heat; boil minute, stirring constantly. remove from heat; add yogurt and stir until well blended and smooth. heat gently over low heat; do not boil. serve sauce with roaster and vegetables. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. tandoori cornish hensserves fresh cornish game hens contain even less fat and fewer calories than larger poultry and are close in size and flavor to the chickens traditionally used for india's tandoori chicken. if you want a barbecue version of this, using chicken breasts, look for "boneless breasts tandoori" in chapter five. fresh cornish game hens / cup plain yogurt tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoons lime juice tablespoon curry powder cloves garlic, minced teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot teaspoon grated lime peel teaspoon chili powder teaspoon paprika with sharp knife or poultry shears, cut hens lengthwise in half. remove and discard any visible fat from cavities. place hens in large shallow baking dish. in small bowl, stir together remaining ingredients; brush on all sides of hens. cover; refrigerate several hours or overnight to marinate. preheat oven to of. place hens on rack in shallow baking pan; brush with marinade. bake minutes. reduce oven temperature to of; bake to minutes longer or until chicken is tender and juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced with a fork. nutritional figures per serving: calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. tarragon roasted chickenserves make a light, clear pan gravy for chicken by removing fat from drippings and using cornstarch instead of flour to thicken; tablespoon cornstarch = tablespoons flour. whole chicken (about pounds) tablespoons unsalted margarine tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or - / teaspoons dried / teaspoon ground pepper sprigs fresh parsley cloves garlic, peeled cup low-sodium chicken broth tablespoons dry white wine tablespoon cornstarch remove and discard any visible fat from cavity of chicken. remove giblets. preheat oven to of. in small saucepan, over medium heat, melt margarine; stir in tarragon and pepper. place parsley and garlic in cavity of chicken; tie legs together. place chicken, breast-side up, in roasting pan; brush with tarragon mixture. roast, brushing occasionally with remaining tarragon mixture, for about / hours or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. remove chicken to serving platter; keep warm. pour pan drippings into measuring cup. allow to stand several minutes until clear fat drippings separate from chicken juices; discard fat drippings. return chicken juices to roasting pan; add broth. in cup, blend wine and cornstarch; stir into roasting pan. over medium heat, bring to a boil, stirring up brown bits from bottom of pan; boil minute. serve gravy with chicken. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. thyme thighsserves wine is a flavor bargain, if you're counting calories. the alcohol calories in this recipe will evaporate away, but the flavor of the wine remains. chicken thighs tablespoons flour / teaspoon ground nutmeg / teaspoon cayenne pepper tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoon fresh, minced thyme or teaspoon dried / cup dry white wine remove skin from thighs and trim visible fat. on wax paper, combine flour, nutmeg, and pepper. coat thighs with flour mixture. heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. add thighs and cook to minutes or until lightly browned, turning once. sprinkle thyme on chicken and pour wine on top. cover, reduce heat to medium low and cook minutes or until chicken is tender. nutritional figures per serving calories . protein grams. carbohydrate grams. fat grams. cholesterol mg. sodium mg. crunchy baked drumsticksserves the grated lemon peel and the pepper can minimize the need for salt in this recipe. if you're on a low salt diet, skip the salt. chicken drumsticks egg white, lightly beaten tablespoons lowfat milk / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cup crunchy nut-like cereal nuggets or bran flakes, crushed (grapenuts) teaspoon grated lemon peel vegetable cooking spray preheat oven to of. in shallow bowl, beat together egg white, milk, salt and pepper. on waxed paper, combine cereal and lemon peel. roll drumsticks evenly in egg white mixture, then in cereal mixture, turning to coat well. spray a rectangular baking dish or cookie sheet with vegetable cooking spray. arrange drumsticks in dish in a single layer. bake to minutes or until cooked through and golden. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium mg. cholesterol . cape cod chicken breastsserves the cranberries called for in this recipe are available in your supermarket produce section from september through november. if you want to have cranberries available for use at another time of the year, buy them when they're available and then freeze them in the bag they came in, but enclose that bag in a freezer bag so the berries are double wrapped. they'll stay in good condition for about nine months. chicken breast halves ground pepper to taste to tablespoons vegetable oil or margarine medium onion, finely chopped - / cups fresh or frozen, thawed cranberries / cup orange juice to tablespoons sugar teaspoon grated fresh orange peel pinch nutmeg removed skin, and season chicken on both sides with pepper. in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken breasts and cook for to minutes per side until golden brown. add onion; cook minutes longer, stirring often. add cranberries, orange juice, sugar, orange peel and nutmeg. stir to scrape up bits from bottom of skillet; bring to a boil. reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook to minutes longer or until chicken is tender and cranberries are soft, stirring occasionally. remove chicken to warm platter; keep warm. transfer cranberry mixture from skillet to food processor or blender; cover and puree until almost smooth. to serve, pour sauce over chicken. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium mg. cholesterol mg. mediterranean chicken breastsserves fresh garlic, stored in a cool, dry place will last about as long as a fresh onion. if the cloves start to sprout, you can still use them, but they won't be quite as flavorful. chicken breast halves to tablespoons olive oil ground pepper to taste / cup dry red wine fresh or canned plum tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped garlic cloves, minced / teaspoon dried basil / teaspoon dried marjoram / cup pitted black olives, cut in half / cup minced, fresh parsley remove skin from chicken breasts. in a large skillet, over medium heat, heat tablespoon oil. add chicken breasts and cook for minutes until golden, turning once. add more oil if necessary. stir in wine, tomatoes, garlic, basil and marjoram; bring to a boil. reduce heat to low; cover and simmer to minutes or until chicken is almost cooked through. uncover; increase heat to medium- high and cook minutes longer or until liquid is reduced by one-third. stir in olives and parsley; heat through. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium mg. cholesterol mg. indonesian chicken kebobs with curried yogurt dip serves you can use bottled lime juice in this recipe, but it lacks the spark that fresh lime juice has. also, you can lower the sodium content still further by using light soy sauce. tablespoons fresh lime juice tablespoons soy sauce tablespoon vegetable oil teaspoon brown or white sugar garlic clove, crushed boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cup plain lowfat yogurt / cup chopped scallions tablespoon curry powder teaspoon oriental sesame oil, optional in a shallow bowl, combine lime juice, soy sauce, vegetable oil, sugar and garlic; mix well. add chicken, turning to coat with marinade. cover and refrigerate hour. meanwhile, in small bowl, combine yogurt, scallions, curry powder and sesame oil. cover and refrigerate until ready to use. remove chicken from marinade and cut into / -inch cubes; reserve marinade. on each of to skewers, thread to chicken cubes. preheat broiler. place skewers in broiler pan; broil inches from heat source to minutes until cooked through, turning once and brushing occasionally with marinade. serve kebobs with curried yogurt dip. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium grams. cholesterol mg. poached chicken in creamy lemon sauceserves i'm fond of this recipe because the texture is creamy and it doesn't use cream. boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves / teaspoon ground pepper / cup chicken broth / cup white wine tablespoons lemon juice teaspoon grated lemon peel cup lowfat milk - / tablespoons cornstarch tablespoon dijon mustard tablespoons minced, fresh parsley, optional season chicken with pepper. in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, combine broth, wine, lemon juice and lemon peel; bring to a boil. add chicken; reduce heat to medium-low. cover and simmer to minutes or until chicken is cooked through. transfer chicken to a warm serving plate and keep warm. in a small bowl, blend milk, cornstarch and mustard until smooth; stir into simmering liquid in skillet. increase heat to medium; cook until mixture boils and thickens, stirring constantly. return chicken to skillet; coat well with sauce. sprinkle with parsley, if desired. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium cholesterol mg. chicken and bell pepper sauteserves this recipe is prettiest when made with red, green, and yellow bell peppers. however, your supermarket may not have the red and yellow ones available, in which case, substitute green ones. incidentally, red bell peppers started out as green bell peppers, but as they matured, their color changed from green to red. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon dried oregano ground pepper to taste to tablespoons olive oil clove garlic, minced small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips small green bell pepper, cut into thin strips small yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / inch thickness. sprinkle both sides of chicken with cumin, oregano and pepper to taste, pressing to make seasonings adhere. in large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add chicken; saute to minutes per side or until almost cooked through. remove chicken to warm platter; keep warm. add garlic and pepper strips to drippings in skillet; stir- fry one minute. reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook minutes or until peppers are tender-crisp. return chicken to skillet, spooning pepper mixture on top. cover and cook to minutes longer until vegetables are tender and chicken is completely cooked through. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium grams. cholesterol mg. chicken normandyserves if they're available, choose rome beauty apples for this recipe. romes have a somewhat flat, mealy taste when eaten raw, but their flavor develops a wonderful richness when cooked. they're available from october until early summer. the golden delicious, the cortland, the jonathan, and the granny smith are also good for baking. the red delicious apples, by the way, are only fair for cooking. chicken, cut in serving pieces (about pounds) ground pepper to taste vegetable cooking spray medium apples, cored and sliced large onion, sliced / cup apple cider or juice tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoon vegetable oil teaspoons brown sugar / teaspoon ground allspice preheat oven to f. sprinkle chicken pieces with pepper to taste. spray by -inch baking dish with vegetable cooking spray. arrange chicken in baking dish; scatter apple and onion slices around and on top of chicken. in cup, combine cider, lemon juice, oil, sugar and allspice; pour over chicken. bake, uncovered, for about hour or until chicken is cooked through and apples are tender, turning pieces once during cooking and basting occasionally with drippings. to serve, remove chicken from pan juices and spoon apples and onions on top. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium mg. cholesterol mg. balsamic chicken and mushroomsserves if you can find balsamic vinegar, buy it! i've included red wine vinegar in case you can't find balsamic vinegar, but the balsamic vinegar is terrific in this recipe, and it's worth having on hand for salad dressings afterwards. chicken, cut in serving pieces (about pounds) ground pepper to taste paprika - / to tablespoons olive oil, divided tablespoons chopped shallots or scallions cups sliced fresh mushrooms (about / pound) / cup chicken broth tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar preheat oven to f. in large baking dish, place chicken, skin-side up; brush with / to tablespoon oil and sprinkle with pepper and paprika to taste. bake minutes. pour off and discard pan juices. meanwhile, in medium skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining oil. add shallots; saute minutes until slightly softened. stir in mushrooms; cook minutes longer until lightly browned, stirring constantly. add broth and vinegar; reduce heat to medium, and cook minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid is slightly reduced. pour mushroom mixture over chicken; bake to minutes longer until chicken is cooked through, basting occasionally with pan drippings. serve chicken with mushroom sauce. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium mg. cholesterol mg. harvest chicken dinnerserves acorn squash is high in vitamin a. a single serving will more than meet your recommended daily allowance for this vitamin. whole roaster (about pounds) / cup white wine / cup brown sugar tablespoons cider vinegar tablespoon vegetable oil teaspoons dried rosemary leaves, crushed teaspoon worcestershire sauce large acorn squash preheat oven to of. remove and discard and visible fat from roaster cavity. remove giblets. tie drumsticks together and fold wings back. place chicken in roasting pan. in small bowl, combine wine, sugar, vinegar, oil, rosemary, worcestershire; brush mixture on roaster, covering entire surface. roast chicken minutes. meanwhile, cut squash into quarters; remove seeds. after minutes cooking time, arrange squash in roasting pan around chicken; fill cavities with a little rosemary mixture. roast chicken, basting occasionally / to / hours longer (depending on weight) or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. to serve, slice chicken with degreased pan juices and accompany with squash. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium mg. cholesterol mg. cajun spiced roaster if roasters aren't available in your area, you can use a regular whole chicken, adjusting the cooking time. however, roasters are juicier and tenderer and more flavorful, so if you've got a choice, go for a roaster. whole roaster (about pounds) to - / tablespoons dried thyme teaspoons ground black pepper teaspoon salt / to teaspoon cayenne pepper clove garlic, minced celery ribs, sliced (leaves included) onion, quartered / cup parsley sprigs / lemon tablespoon vegetable oil preheat oven to f. remove and discard any visible fat from roaster cavity. remove giblets. rub roaster inside and out with lemon; brush oil evenly over skin. in small bowl, combine thyme, black pepper, salt, red pepper, and garlic. rub some of mixture into cavity of roaster; stuff with celery, onion and parsley. skewer or tie cavity closed and fold back wings. rub remaining herb and spice mixture evenly into skin of roaster, covering entire surface. place chicken in roasting pan. roast / to / hours (depending on weight)or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. baste occasionally with pan drippings. to serve, remove celery, onion and parsley from cavity of roaster; discard. skim fat from pan drippings and discard; reserve pan juices. slice roaster and serve with pan juices. nutrition figures per serving calories . protein grams. fat grams. carbohydrate grams. sodium . cholesterol chapter four$chicken for children this chapter is going to be about cooking for and by kids, but i got the idea for it when i was thinking about something entirely different. i was idly wondering, "when is frank the absolute happiest and most content?" part of me instantly wanted to answer, "when working, of course." i believe that for him business is pleasure. if it's a busy time, he'll happily get along for weeks at a time on four hours sleep and work the rest except for meals. when it gets really busy, i've seen him get by on two hours$and still relish the work. but there are certainly other things he enjoys. he's an avid baseball fan and the best father's day gift i think he ever got was tickets to go to one of the oriole games with his son jim and grandson ryan. he also loves dancing (his nickname years ago used to be "twinkle toes"). still, i think the time that he looks the most relaxed and content and generally pleased with life is when the four children and twelve grandchildren are here. they're scattered from maine to virginia, so we don't get them often, but when we do, it's an occasion. and it's one when i want to have food that i can count on the kids' liking. here are some of the principles of cooking for young children that i've learned from the perdue home economists and from cooperative extension. i'm guessing that if you have kids, you know their preferences pretty well, but if you're entertaining other kids, these tips may come in handy. _finger foods such as chicken nuggets are always a hit. i keep a carton or two on hand for a never-fail snack food for kids$or grown-ups. _young children often prefer uncomplicated tastes. while some may go for elaborate sauces, it's safest to cook chicken by quickly sauteing it in your frying pan, and then have any of the grown-up's sauces available for the kids to use as an optional dip. _avoid highly seasoned foods for kids unless you know they're used to them. _frequently young children like uniform textures. casseroles with hard and soft textures would be riskier than, say, a straightforward boned chicken breast. _pieces cut from a cooked cornish hen can be a real treat for a small child. he or she eats the child-size portion, breast or leg, while the grown-ups eat regular size broiler breast or drumsticks. _my friends in cooperative extension tell me that the latest scientific research suggests thinking of a balanced diet in terms of several days rather than just a rigid - hour period. that means that if one of the kids in your care goes on a chicken-eating jag or a peanut butter jag or a not-eating jag, don't worry; it's ok as long as in the course of several days he or she is getting a balanced diet. knowing this can make meal time a lot more relaxed. cooking with school age kids can be a lot of fun, as long as it's presented as a treat instead of a chore. you might, for a start, get them involved in planning the week's menu. i know some families who allow each child to pick the main dish for one meal a week. older children actually get to cook their choice. my daughter-in-law, jan perdue, suggests getting kids to pick out meals with an ethnic or international theme so that mealtime is a time to explore other cultures as well as a time to eat. many of the recipes in this chapter are not only popular with kids, they're designed to be easy and fun for them to make. when your kids are trying these recipes, how about teaching them some of the food preparation tips that will be useful to them for the rest of their lives? when i'm cooking with kids, my first concern is food safety. i explain to them that in most cases food-borne illnesses don't make you violently sick (although they can); the usual episode is more likely to be simple queasiness or a headache or feeling under the weather and not knowing quite why. to avoid these nuisance illnesses as well as the possibility of more serious ones, the number one rule is: _wash your hands and all utensils before and after touching any raw meat. here are some other food preparation tips that kids should know: _before starting to cook, read the recipe carefully and gather all ingredients and equipment. _don't wear loose, floppy clothing or sleeves that are too long. tie back hair if it gets in the way. _when using a sharp knife, cut on a cutting board and point the knife away from your body. _if you're walking around with a knife, hold it so the blade is pointed toward the floor and away from your body. _make sure you know how to light your stove. if a gas burner or oven doesn't light, turn the knob to "off" and ask an adult for help. electric burners remain hot even after they're turned off, so don't touch! _when removing lids from cooking pots, point them away from you to prevent steam burns. _don't let pot handles extend over the edge of the stove or counter$a little brother or sister could grab the handle and pull it down on his or her head. _never stick anything into an electric mixer or blender while it's running. _don't let any part of your potholder touch the burner; it could catch fire. _clean up as you go along$and don't forget the cutting board. _double check that stove and appliances are turned off before you leave the kitchen. make a habit of turning off the burner before removing your pan, that way you won't forget. _never be embarrassed to ask for help. that's how we learn. personally, i love having kids in the kitchen. i like the bustle and hubbub, and even though i know, as i'm sure you do too, that we parents could probably do things a lot faster without their "help," that's not the point. the point is being together and doing things together and having fun together. allison's chix in a blanket at age , our granddaughter allison perdue, loves to make these. she tells me that her -year old brother can make them too. she got the recipe from summer camp, but changed the main ingredient to frank's franks. if you can't find frank's franks, use any chicken hot dog. it will have much less fat than regular franks. i've watched ally make these, and sometimes the biscuits stay wrapped around the frank, and sometimes they open during cooking. ally says they're okay either way. biscuits from a tube of buttermilk refrigerator biscuits, uncooked chicken frank tablespoon of grated cheddar cheese, or more, to taste lay the biscuits side by side with the sides touching. pinch together the parts that are touching and then, using your palms or a rolling pin, press or roll the biscuits into a single rectangle that's hot dog shaped, only wider. lay a frank on the dough and then sprinkle the frank with the cheese. pierce frank in several places with fork. wrap the dough around the frank, pinch closed, and then bake according to the directions for cooking the biscuits. bbq "spareribs" makes , serves - one of my favorite commercials is of frank introducing the perdue chicken franks. it starts out with frank in front of a hot dog stand calling out, "hot dogs only cents." a young kid who's been made up to have a large nose and ears just like frank's, says, "only cents for a hot dog? how good could it be?" frank answers, "i'm making it easy for people to try perdue chicken franks." the kid answers, "chicken franks? free would be a lot easier." when frank answers that his franks cost less and have % less fat, the kid answers, "all right, i'll bite," and then says, "tastes as good a real hot dog." frank looks at the kid, with his perdue-shaped nose and ears, and says, "this kid's got good taste and good looks." these "spareribs" also taste good and look good. chicken franks - / cups prepared barbecue sauce tablespoon finely chopped onion teaspoon mustard slice each frank on the diagonal into pieces. in a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. add frank slices and toss gently to coat well. arrange coated franks in single layer on baking sheet and place under broiler minutes. turn and broil minutes longer, or until franks are golden brown. watch carefully to avoid burning. serve with toothpicks, if desired. betsy's best-"getti" serves - you can make this even simpler by using canned spaghetti. also, if you top the casserole with thin slices of mozzarella and heat it until the mozzarella melts, you'll get a gloppy, stretchy, chewing-gum-like topping that kids will adore if they're into being messy. mine love it. chicken franks pound spaghetti tablespoons vegetable oil / cup finely chopped onion / clove garlic, minced can ( -ounces) tomato sauce can ( -ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped with liquid / teaspoons minced fresh basil or / teaspoon dried tablespoon minced fresh parsley grated parmesan cheese slice franks into thin rounds. in large kettle, over high heat, bring - / quarts salted water to boil. add spaghetti, stir and cook until tender. drain and place in large bowl. in a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat oil. add garlic and onion and cook for minutes, stirring often. add tomatoes and liquid, sauce and herbs. stir and add franks. bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer minutes. pour sauce over spaghetti, toss to combine. serve with parmesan cheese. big top corn dogsserves because this involves deep fat frying, it's probably best cooked by adults or mature teenagers only, but the end result will impress your kids. chicken franks / cup flour package ( -ounces) corn muffin mix eggs cup milk vegetable oil for deep frying wooden lollipop or caramel-apple sticks pierce each frank in several places with a fork. roll in flour and set aside. in a mixing bowl combine corn muffin mix, eggs and milk; mix thoroughly. in large fryer or deep, heavy skillet, heat / inches of vegetable oil to of or until bread cube sizzles in it. dip each frank in batter, coating evenly. place gently into oil; cook - at one time, turning until golden brown all over. drain on paper towels. place corn dogs on lightly-oiled shallow baking sheet and bake at of for minutes or until thoroughly heated. insert stick at least -inches into corn dog. serve with mustard and ketchup. chicken divanserves - this is an easy recipe for a kid when he or she is in charge of making dinner for the family. package ( -ounces) frozen broccoli, uncooked packages fully cooked chicken breast tenders / teaspoon salt or to taste can ( - / -ounces) cream of celery soup, undiluted cup shredded cheddar cheese preheat oven to of. place broccoli across bottom of baking dish; sprinkle with salt. arrange chicken tenders in a layer on top of broccoli. pour soup over chicken. sprinkle with cheese. bake, uncovered for - minutes or until broccoli is just tender. chicken pizzas serves if you want something unusual for the teenagers, this is it. it's tasty and not much trouble. chicken drumsticks can ( - / -ounces) pizza sauce cup grated mozzarella cheese package ( -ounces) refrigerated parkerhouse rolls (unbaked) preheat oven to of. pour pizza sauce in small bowl. dip chicken in sauce; place on baking sheet. bake, uncovered, for minutes. separate rolls and roll out one at a time to -inch circle. dip chicken in pizza sauce again and roll in cheese. place on round of dough; pull dough around chicken and pinch together. (leave bony end of drumstick uncovered for finger eating.) bake, uncovered, approximately minutes longer or until dough is brown. cozy kitten whiskersserves a short cut for this is to use bread dough that comes in tubes in the refrigerator section of your supermarket. chicken franks package ( - / -ounces) hot roll mix butter or margarine pierce each frank in several places with a fork. to make "whisker" on both ends of franks, lay frank on cutting board and make -lengthwise cuts - / -inches from each end. cut carefully, rotating frank, so that "whiskers" result. repeat with all franks. prepare hot roll mix according to package directions. or use the prepared bread dough that comes in tubes at the supermarket. divide into equal portions and roll each on lightly floured surface to by -inch square. starting at a corner, roll dough around middle of each frank, leaving ends of franks exposed. place on buttered baking sheet, tucking dough tip under frank. arrange "whiskers" fanned out. brush with melted butter. bake in preheated of oven for to minutes until golden brown. serve with mustard and ketchup in squeeze containers so children can "draw" faces. crispy peanut butter chickenserves i once heard a professor at the university of california at davis argue that wine was the greatest cultural achievement of mankind. he's wrong, of course. it's really peanut butter. or at least a lot of my young friends seem to think so. by the way, did you know that there are peanuts in a -ounce jar of peanut butter? the first time i made this recipe, i skipped the / cup oil, just to see if i could save some calories. having tried it, i don't recommend skipping any of the oil. it was too dry and crusty without it. egg / cup peanut butter teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup milk / cup bread crumbs chicken, cut in serving pieces / cup oil preheat oven to of. in a mixing bowl beat egg and peanut butter together; add salt and pepper. add milk gradually, stirring well to blend. place bread crumbs on a sheet of wax paper. dip chicken in peanut butter mixture and roll in crumbs. place chicken, skin side up, in single layer in shallow baking pan. pour oil over chicken. bake, uncovered, at of for hour, or until cooked through. croissant dogsserves - i don't think i can count the number of times my son carlos made this as a teenager. he's also served it to frank. carlos and i laugh over the idea of serving frank's franks to frank. chicken franks package ( -ounces) crescent roll dough tablespoons dijon mustard slices swiss cheese, x -inches egg beaten with tablespoon water - / teaspoons poppy seeds (optional) preheat oven to of. pierce franks all over with tines of fork. divide crescent rolls and place on lightly floured surface. working with one piece of dough at a time, fold tips of long side of triangle in to meet at center. then stretch triangle lightly up toward point. cut cheese slices in half, then diagonally to form four triangular pieces. brush dough with thin layer of mustard, top with cheese, brush with mustard again. roll franks in the dough, starting at the bottom and rolling toward the point. place on ungreased baking sheet so they are not touching. brush lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy seeds. place in the middle of the oven for to minutes or until dough is golden brown. crunchy mini drumsticksserves young children love miniature versions of adult food, but if you're serving this recipe to them, i recommend leaving out the worcestershire sauce. / cup whole wheat flour eggs, beaten teaspoon worcestershire sauce (optional) / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cups whole wheat or seasoned bread crumbs tablespoons unsweetened wheat germ (optional) / cup vegetable oil chicken wings paprika preheat oven to of. place flour on wax paper. in shallow bowl, beat eggs with worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. on another sheet of wax paper, combine bread crumbs and wheat germ, if desired. pour oil into a shallow roasting pan or large shallow baking dish and place in oven. with sharp knife, divide wings into pieces, reserve bony wing tips to prepare chicken broth. roll remaining "mini drumstick" pieces first in flour, then in egg mixture, and finally in bread crumbs. sprinkle with paprika and arrange in preheated baking dish. bake minutes, then turn with tongs and bake minutes longer. reduce heat to of; cook to minutes longer until crisp and golden brown. drain on paper towels and serve warm or at room temperature. deli dogsserves - some teenagers love sauerkraut; some most definitely don't. this is a great dish for those who do. chicken franks can ( -ounces) sauerkraut cups bisquick tablespoon caraway seeds / cup water tablespoons prepared mustard (optional) flour egg beaten with tablespoon water preheat oven to of. pierce franks all over with tines of fork. drain sauerkraut thoroughly by pressing between two stacked dinner plates, then chop coarsely. in a large mixing bowl, combine bisquick, sauerkraut and teaspoons of the caraway seeds. gradually add water and mix vigorously until soft, slightly sticky dough forms. divide dough in half. roll each half on a well-floured surface into a x -inch rectangle approximately / -inch thick. cut each rectangle into four x -inch pieces. brush center of each piece of dough with a thin layer of mustard, if desired, then brush the outer / -inch of the rectangle with egg wash. roll each frank loosely a piece of dough. tuck outer ends under and place seam-side down on lightly greased baking sheet so they are not touching. brush lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with remaining caraway seeds. bake in middle of oven for minutes or until crust is golden brown. serve with more mustard and relish if desired. jalapeno burgersserves - this is good for older teenagers. young kids ones may find the flavors too harsh. package fresh ground chicken (about pound) / cup shredded monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers / teaspoon cumin teaspoon salt taco shells tomato, thinly sliced avocado, thinly sliced cup salsa combine chicken and remaining seasonings. form into burgers. grill or broil on lightly oiled surface to - inches from heat source to minutes per side until burgers are cooked through. serve in heated taco shells with slices of tomato and avocado. top with salsa. maple crunch chickenserves maple syrup with chicken may seem a little unusual to you$but it's really good. frank liked it so much that i've served it to him several times, once substituting boneless skinless chicken breasts. if you want to make that substitution, shorten the cooking time to about twenty minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers - degrees. also, use instant oatmeal and toast it for a couple of minutes in the oven first, to compensate for the shorter time in the oven. chicken, cut in serving pieces egg / cup maple syrup / cup uncooked oatmeal teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup oil preheat oven to of. in a shallow bowl beat egg with maple syrup. place oatmeal, salt and pepper on a sheet of wax paper. dip chicken pieces in egg mixture, then oatmeal mixture. pour oil in shallow baking pan. place chicken, skin side down, in oil in baking pan; turn chicken pieces to coat with oil; leave skin side up. bake, uncovered, for approximately hour, or until cooked through. nacho nibblesserves i've made this recipe scattering the cheese and franks and other ingredients over the tortilla chips haphazardly, and i've also made it so that each individual tortilla chip has its own slice of frank, its own chili and its own pepper and cheese. the second way looks more impressive. the first way is a lot easier. my son jose likes to serve this at parties with his college friends. chicken franks package ( ounces) tortilla chips cups chili scallions, thinly sliced / cup diced green pepper, or mild to hot green chili peppers ounces grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese preheat oven to of. cut franks into thin slices. place tortilla chips on large shallow baking pan and top with frank slices. dab chili on top, then sprinkle with scallions, peppers and cheese. bake nachos for minutes or until cheese bubbles. photo: tucking chicken nuggets into pita pockets and arranging vegetables are easy steps in teaching children... - nuggets in a pocketserves this is an easy sandwich for teenagers to make. package fully-cooked chicken breast nuggets mini pita pockets prepared thousand island dressing or magic mixture sauce (recipe follows) / cup shredded lettuce cherry tomatoes, halved bake nuggets following package directions. slit top of pita pockets. spoon to teaspoons sauce into each pocket and fill with nuggets, lettuce, tomato and additional sauce if desired. serve with rick rack carrot sticks and broccoli trees (raw cut-up pieces of carrot and broccoli). magic mixture sauce: in small bowl, combine / cup mayonnaise, / cup ketchup, tablespoon prepared french dressing, / to / teaspoon curry powder (optional), and - drops tabasco (optional). nutty buddy chickenserves according to the texas peanut producers' board, we americans eat million pounds of peanuts each day. tell your kids that, as they help you chop the salted peanuts for this recipe. egg tablespoons milk / cup all purpose flour teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup bran buds / cup finely chopped salted peanuts chicken, cut in serving pieces / cup melted butter or margarine preheat oven to of. in a shallow bowl beat egg with milk. place flour, salt, pepper, bran buds and peanuts on a sheet of wax paper and mix together. dip chicken pieces in egg mixture; then flour mixture. place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in shallow baking pan. pour melted butter or margarine over chicken. bake, uncovered, for about hour or until cooked through. picnic packet chickenmakes packets the whole picnic meal is ready to serve when these come out of the oven -- and there are no portioning and serving problems. children love this idea. you can also cook this on an outdoor grill. chicken, cut in serving pieces small raw carrots, cut in sticks raw potatoes, quartered teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / teaspoon dried oregano teaspoons butter or margarine preheat oven to of. tear off pieces heavy duty aluminum foil, approximately -inches square. place or pieces of chicken on each piece of foil. put one carrot and one potato on each piece of foil. sprinkle salt, pepper and oregano over all. add teaspoon of butter or margarine to each. wrap tightly. bake for approximately hour or until chicken is cooked through. potato chip drumsticksserves - these are wonderful for school lunch boxes. since they're stored in the freezer, you can take them out a meal at a time and they'll defrost in the child's lunch box in time to eat later in the day. chicken drumsticks / cup whole wheat flour container ( -ounces) plain yogurt ( cup) salt and ground pepper to taste / teaspoon curry powder (optional) package ( -ounces) no-salt potato chips, crushed preheat oven to of. grease a baking sheet. remove skin from drumsticks. in small bowl, combine yogurt, salt, pepper and curry. on wax paper, place crushed potato chips. roll drumsticks first in yogurt mixture and then in potato chips, pressing crumbs gently onto drumsticks to coat thoroughly. arrange drumsticks on baking sheet and place in oven. reduce heat to of and bake to minutes until crisp and golden brown. chill drumsticks, uncovered, on baking sheet. then wrap individually in foil and freeze. if desired, allow extra foil at ends of package and twist to form a chicken. to pack for lunch: freeze individual containers of juice overnight. place frozen juice in lunch bag with well- chilled or frozen foil-wrapped drumsticks and fresh peas and cherry tomatoes in plastic bag. frozen juice will keep other foods chilled and by lunchtime will be a "fruit slush" dessert. variation: instead of potato chips, use crushed salt-free tortilla chips and substitute chili powder for curry. punk pizza rollsserves tell your kids as they're eating this, "if you grew as fast as a chicken, you would have weighed pounds by the time you were months old!" chicken franks cup tomato sauce or pizza sauce tablespoons finely chopped onion / teaspoon dried oregano flour tortillas / cups shredded mozzarella cheese preheat oven to of. pierce each frank in several places with a fork. in a small bowl combine tomato sauce, onion, and oregano; spread equal amounts over each tortilla. place one frank in center of each tortilla and roll up. place rolls about one-inch apart in shallow baking dish and sprinkle each with equal amount of cheese. bake for about minutes or until cheese melts and bubbles. ramaki wrapsmakes , serves - this is a good appetizer for a teenage party. i've served it to kids who would never go for the chicken livers in the original ramaki recipe. they've loved this version, made with cut up franks. chicken franks can ( -ounces) water chestnuts, drained strips bacon preheat oven to of. cut each frank into slices. slice water chestnuts thinly. halve bacon slices crosswise. for each ramaki, wrap frank slice and water chestnut slice with bacon; secure with toothpick. place ramakis on a rack over large baking pan and bake for minutes or until bacon is crisp. red eye eggrollsmakes , serves these take some work, but they've been a great success with both kids and adults. i've served them at parties where both have been present and the "egg rolls" vanished just about as fast as i could make them. chicken franks tablespoons vegetable oil can ( -ounces) bean sprouts, drained cups shredded chinese cabbage or iceberg lettuce tablespoon soy sauce / cup chicken broth square eggroll wrappers (you might be able to find them in the produce section of your supermarket and they are available in oriental food shops.) egg, beaten vegetable oil for deep frying halve franks crosswise, set aside. in large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil; add vegetables, toss and cook minutes. add soy sauce and broth. reduce heat to medium- low and simmer, covered, minutes; drain well in colander. place eggroll wrapper on work surface with a corner pointing toward you; brush each corner with egg. place two rounded tablespoons of vegetable mixture in center, then top with frank piece horizontally. fold bottom corner over frank and filling, then fold right and left corners over and roll up to complete. in a wok, fryer or heavy skillet, heat -inches oil to of or until a small cube of bread sizzles when placed in oil. fry - eggrolls at a time until crisp all over. drain well on paper towels. before serving , re-heat on shallow baking pan in preheated of oven for to minutes. (i don't recommend reheating them in the microwave. they'll come out soggy instead of crisp.) spiced creamed cone chickenserves this is my first choice for when our twelve grandchildren are coming. the ice cream cone flavor is so subtle that no one has yet been able to identify it without being told. still, the flavor is delicious. teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup sour cream tablespoon finely chopped onion / teaspoon ground allspice ice cream cones, crushed (i use the sugar cones) chicken, cut in serving pieces tablespoons shortening preheat oven to of. in a shallow bowl combine sour cream, salt, pepper, onion and allspice. place cone crumbs on a sheet of wax paper. dip chicken in sour cream mixture; then in cone crumbs. melt shortening in shallow baking pan; place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in pan. bake, uncovered, for about hour or until cooked through. spicy southwestern casseroleserves - is there a teenage cook in the family? he or she could make this for the family dinner one night this week. chicken franks cans ( -ounces) chili cup yellow cornmeal teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt or to taste eggs / cup melted butter or margarine cup sour cream can ( ounces) niblets-style corn, drained / pound grated monterey jack or cheddar cheese can ( ounces) chopped, mild green chilies, drained preheat oven to of. cut franks in half lengthwise. place chili in bottom of a buttered x x -inch baking dish. arrange franks, cut side down, on top of chili. in medium size mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. add eggs, butter, and sour cream and blend thoroughly. fold in corn. sprinkle half of the cheese and green chilies over the layer of franks. top with half of the corn mixture. sprinkle with remaining cheese and chilies and finish with a layer of corn mixture. smooth the top with a spatula. bake in the middle of oven for to minutes, or until top is lightly browned and toothpick inserted in corn layers comes out clean. photo: school's open, and crunchy tater-chip drumsticks, fresh vegetables and frozen-juice "slush" earn high lunch bag... - sweet and sour chickenserves this is one of the national chicken cooking contest winners, and it's easy enough for the beginning cook. the original recipe called for adding a teaspoon of salt to the sweet and sour mixture, but i found that the salt in the salad dressing and the onion soup mix was enough. if your kids like foods salty, they may want to sprinkle more on at the end. chicken, cut in serving pieces bottle ( -ounces) russian salad dressing envelope ( - / -ounces) dry onion soup mix jar ( -ounces) apricot preserves preheat oven to of. place chicken, skin side up, in single layer in large shallow baking dish. in a large measuring cup combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. bake, uncovered, for about hour, or until cooked through. taco dogsserves - our neighbors south of the border might be surprised at this version of their tacos, but it's quick and good. chicken franks taco shells can ( -ounces) chili with beans cup shredded monterey jack or cheddar erey jack or cheddar cheese cup shredded lettuce / cup diced tomato preheat oven to f. split franks in half lengthwise and grill or fry briefly. place franks in taco shells and top each with tablespoons chili and tablespoon cheese. place tacos on baking sheet and bake for minutes, or until chili is hot and cheese is melted. top with taco sauce, lettuce, tomato and remaining cheese. serve immediately. tater franksserves - this is inexpensive and easy to like. chicken franks tablespoons melted butter or margarine, divided - / tablespoons milk teaspoon salt or to taste ground pepper to taste cups cooked riced potatoes or very firm prepared instant mashed potatoes egg yolks egg whites, lightly beaten with tablespoon water - / cups cornflake crumbs preheat oven to of. pierce franks all over with a fork. pour half of butter into a mixing bowl. add milk, salt and pepper, then add riced potatoes and beaten egg yolks. (if using instant mashed potatoes, omit milk.) beat thoroughly with wooden spoon until well blended; chill until firm enough to handle. divide potato mixture into eight parts. using your hands, form an even layer of potato (about / - inch thick) around each frank. if mixture is sticky, flour hands lightly. roll first in cornflake crumbs, then in egg white and water mixture, and again in crumbs. place tater franks on buttered baking sheet so they are not touching, and drizzle with remaining melted butter. bake in the middle of the oven for minutes or until crisp and golden brown. serve immediately. team spirit herosserves your teenagers can make this one. if they don't like peppers or onions, it's fine to skip them. chicken franks hero rolls tablespoons vegetable oil onion, thinly sliced green peppers, cut into thin strips - / cups tomato sauce tablespoon fresh, minced basil or teaspoon dried tablespoon minced fresh parsley slices provolone cheese, cut into half-inch strips pierce each frank in several places with a fork. cut rolls lengthwise, leaving the two halves attached. in a large skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil. add onions and peppers and cook for minutes stirring often. add sauce and herbs; stir and simmer minutes. preheat oven to of. place one frank in each roll, spoon equal amounts of sauce mixture over franks. close roll and wrap securely in foil. heat for minutes, turning packages after minutes. chapter five: chicken for barbecuing: america's love affair with an old flame is heating up! photo: we have four good barbecue photos that might go with this chapter. they're paperclipped in section labeled page . are you about to barbecue something? then you're part of an ancient tradition. barbecuing is actually man's oldest form of cooking; the outdoors was man's first kitchen and an open fire his first stove. the earliest cooking method was to lay food on smoldering embers or impale it on sticks held over a fire or dying coals. it wasn't until the s, however, that backyard barbecuing as we know it began to catch on. it may surprise you, but auto mogul henry ford played a major role in this$and it had nothing to do with his automobiles. ford's contribution to backyard barbecuing was the invention of the charcoal briquet. in the late s, it was ford who had the better idea of grinding charcoal, combining it with a starch, and re-forming it into uniform pillow shaped briquets. these charcoal briquets burned more consistently and more evenly than randomly sized and shaped lumps of charcoal. people immediately began using charcoal briquets for industrial purposes, but backyard grills weren't readily available yet. in the s, when backyard grills became widely available, and outdoor cooking really began to take off. the combination of outdoor grills and the charcoal briquets made barbecuing so easy and reliable, that today, according to a barbecue industry association survey, seven out of ten american households own a barbecue grill, and we use them about . billion times a year total. frank and i also barbecue, but it took some learning on my part. in spite of being someone who loves to cook, before marrying frank, i'd never barbecued. i'd never even thought to buy an outdoor grill. what i'd been missing! frank does own a barbecue, a nice handsome one that can manage chickenburgers for our combined eighteen children and grandchildren all at once. i love it, because we can all be outdoors, playing volley ball or watching the young ones, with their arsenal of squirt guns, as they gang up on frank$and the beauty of it all is that no one has to miss a moment of the fun by having to go into the kitchen to fuss with dinner. if you've been barbecuing for years, skip ahead to the recipes. but if you're like me and still new at it, here are some tips that can help you get uniformly good results. the tips come from the perdue food scientists and home economists, from cooperative extension and from the barbecue industry association. _start with a clean grill. removing old ashes assures good air circulation, and cleaning away any cooked- on bits of food results in better flavor and quality. _be sure to wash everything after handling raw meat. don't use the same plate for the cooked meat that you used for the uncooked meat unless you've washed it in between. _coat grate with vegetable cooking spray, or brush with cooking oil to prevent food from sticking. _if the basting sauce contains oil, however, do not grease the grill; too much oil causes flare-ups. _prepare the fire a half hour or more before grilling. for quick lighting, use a chimney starter with crumpled newspaper in the bottom and briquets or charcoal above. or stack the charcoal in a pyramid shape and light with a liquid or electric starter, following the manufacturer's directions. charcoal is ready for cooking when it's % ashy grey in daylight, glowing red at night. this usually takes about to minutes. _toss a handful of aromatic wood chips such as mesquite, hickory, alder, or fruitwood chips over the coals. they'll create a whole new dimension of flavor without adding any extra calories. _check the temperature of the fire before cooking food to prevent over- or under-cooking. for most of the recipes in this chapter, the fire should be medium-hot with a single, even layer of coals lightly covered with grey ash. it's relatively simple to judge the temperature of a charcoal fire. to do this, hold your hand, palm side down, at cooking height: hot - you can hold your hand over the coals for only seconds. medium-hot - you can hold your hand over the coals to seconds. medium - you can hold your hand over the coals to seconds. _be patient. if the fire hasn't cooled down adequately, do not be tempted to put your chicken on to cook - unless you like "blackened bird" a lot more than i do. _if you're dieting and want to remove the chicken's skin, do so after cooking, not before. without some kind of covering, the chicken will dry out and toughen before it finishes cooking. _turn chicken frequently, about every minutes to insure even doneness and to prevent blistering. _if flare-ups occur, remove the food for a few moments and sprinkle water lightly over the flames, or smother them by covering the grill. a friend of mine who works for a volunteer fire department keeps a laundry squirt bottle handy for flare-ups. _to increase the heat, you can push coals together, add more coals or lower the grilling surface, or fan the fire and tap the ashes from the coals. _to decrease heat, raise the cooking grid or sprinkle coals with a little water. _cook white-meat poultry until juices run clear and the meat reaches an internal temperature of o to of and dark meat to o to of on a meat thermometer. _grill smaller poultry parts and cornish game hens directly over a single layer of coals on an open grill or hibachi. _grill whole birds and larger parts using the indirect method in a covered grill. place a drip pan beneath the bird; the pan should be slightly larger than the bird. fill the pan halfway with water, and surround it with a double layer of coals to provide longer, slower, oven-like cooking. add extra coals to the outer edge of the fire as needed to extend grilling. _to reduce the chance of overbrowning, apply tomato- based sauces or those containing sugar or other sweeteners only during last to minutes of grilling. _to make breast quarters grill more quickly and evenly, cut through the wing joint to break it and bring the wing closer to the grill. _chicken should be well-done. if you don't want to take the usual time it takes, cook your chicken partially in the microwave and then finish it on the grill. _the basic guidelines for timing chicken on the grill are: parts$cook dark meat minutes, white meat minutes, basting and turning every five or so minutes. halves$first, grill skin side down for minutes, then cook covered, skin side up, - minutes. wings$ minutes per side. whole$(about and / pounds...about and / to and / hours in a covered grill, and / to hours on rotisserie. _use tongs rather than a fork to turn food gently without losing juices. _if you plan to use marinade as a sauce to be served with chicken during the meal, be sure to cook it before using. you want to avoid the cross-contamination that can come from contact with the uncooked chicken. temperatures over degrees will destroy any microbes. beer-be-cued chicken serves - this is one of the national chicken cooking contest winners. it's been adapted slightly, and this version has the reputation of being particularly popular with men. can ( -ounces) beer tablespoon dark molasses tablespoon onion juice tablespoons lemon juice / cup ketchup teaspoon salt or to taste chicken, cut in half lengthwise in a shallow dish combine beer, molasses, onion juice, lemon juice, ketchup and salt. add chicken, cover, and marinate hours or longer, refrigerated. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. turn and baste with marinade every to minutes. boneless breasts tandooriserves to in many eastern countries, yogurt is a favorite ingredient for marinades used to flavor and tenderize meats. one of the most famous of these recipes is india's tandoori chicken, which takes its name from the clay stove called a tandor in which it is cooked. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cup plain yogurt / cup butter or margarine / cup fresh lemon juice large cloves garlic, minced teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon ground ginger teaspoon turmeric teaspoons ground coriander salt and ground pepper to taste lemon wedges for garnish / cup melted butter in large bowl combine yogurt, butter, lemon juice and spices. place chicken breasts in mixture and turn to coat well. cover and marinate for hours or longer, refrigerated. remove chicken from marinade and grill to inches above medium-hot coals for minutes turn and baste to times with marinade. serve with lemon wedges. brandy-orange barbecued cornishserves - when choosing the brandy for this, i'd recommend a california brandy in preference to an imported one. the california ones tend to be lighter and more fruity, which makes them appropriate for this recipe. fresh cornish hens tablespoon vegetable oil tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided / teaspoon ground ginger, divided salt and ground pepper to taste / cup orange marmalade tablespoon brandy with kitchen string, tie drumsticks together. rub hens with oil and tablespoon lemon juice; sprinkle with / teaspoon ginger, salt and pepper. in small bowl, combine marmalade, brandy, remaining lemon juice and ginger; set aside. place hens on grill breast side up. grill, covered to -inches above medium-hot coals to minutes. after minutes, brush hens with brandy-orange sauce. cook, basting to times, until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. chick kebabsserves these chick kebabs go wonderfully with rice. as someone who grows rice commercially, it hurts me to say this, but for this recipe, i recommend a kind of rice i don't grow, the long grain kind that cooks up fluffy with each grain separate. (i grow short or medium grain rice which is always sticky, no matter how you cook it.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves / pound small, fresh mushrooms can ( - / -ounces) whole white onions green pepper, cut in one-inch squares marinade: / cup oil tablespoons vinegar can ( -ounces) crushed pineapple cup ketchup tablespoons soy sauce teaspoon curry powder / teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or / teaspoon dried tablespoons brown sugar - / teaspoons salt or to taste teaspoons ground pepper tablespoon fresh lemon juice tablespoon cornstarch / cup water cut chicken breasts into -inch cubes. alternate chicken on skewers with mushrooms, onions and green pepper, then lay flat in shallow baking dish. combine marinade ingredients except flour and water. pour marinade over skewers. cover and store in refrigerator to hours or overnight. baste kebabs with marinade and grill to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes until chicken is lightly browned and cooked through. in a small bowl dissolve cornstarch in water. place remaining marinade in a small saucepan. stir in cornstarch and heat, stirring until sauce is slightly thickened. serve sauce over kebabs and rice. chicken almondineserves - you can save money buying the sesame seeds for this recipe in bulk, either from your supermarket or health food store. the one drawback to buying them in bulk is that they have a limited shelf life and at room temperature, they can develop an off-taste due to rancidity. keep bulk sesame seeds refrigerated or frozen if you won't be using them in a week or so. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves - / teaspoons salt or to taste / teaspoon paprika tablespoons sesame seeds tablespoons butter or margarine, melted tablespoons sliced almonds tablespoons dry vermouth aluminum foil season chicken with salt and paprika; then roll in sesame seeds. place each chicken piece in center of piece of foil; fold sides up to vertical position to hold liquids. place tablespoon butter, tablespoon almonds and tablespoon vermouth on each chicken piece. close foil over chicken and seal well. place packets on grill to inches above hot coals. cook about minutes, turning to times until chicken is cooked through. chicken tarragonserves to make breast quarters grill more quickly and evenly, remember to cut through the wing joint to break it and bring the wing closer to the grill. chicken, quartered / cup fresh lime juice / cup vegetable oil / cup chopped onion / cup chopped fresh tarragon or tablespoons dried salt and ground pepper to taste working from the cut side of breast and thigh quarters, carefully use fingers to separate skin from flesh and form a "pocket." in large bowl, combine lime juice and remaining ingredients. place chicken in marinade and spoon some marinade between skin and flesh. cover and refrigerate hour or longer. drain chicken, reserving marinade. grill chicken, uncovered, to -inches above medium-hot coals - minutes or until cooked through, turning and basting frequently with marinade. chutney burgersserves - try this "yogurt sauce" along with the chutney burgers. in a small bowl combine / cup yogurt, tablespoons chopped scallions, teaspoons lemon juice, / teaspoon sugar, / teaspoon salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. package fresh ground chicken (about pound) tablespoons chutney tablespoon fresh lemon juice / cup chopped scallion teaspoon salt individual pita pockets in a mixing bowl, combine chicken and remaining seasonings. form into to burgers. grill on lightly oiled surface, to inches above medium-hot coals, to minutes per side, or until burgers are cooked through. serve in lightly toasted pita pockets topped with "yogurt sauce". confetti burgersserves - a neat accompaniment for confetti burgers is halved kaiser rolls, brushed with olive oil flavored with garlic. place on outer edges of grill a few minutes until lightly toasted. package fresh ground chicken (about pound) / cup oat bran or bread crumbs / cup finely chopped onion / cup diced tomato / cup finely chopped carrot / cup finely chopped celery / cup finely chopped green pepper tablespoon worcestershire sauce tablespoon fresh lemon juice teaspoon salt / teaspoon dried thyme / teaspoon ground black pepper kaiser rolls in a mixing bowl combine chicken with vegetables and seasonings. form into burgers. grill on lightly oiled surface to -inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes per side or until burgers are cooked through. serve on toasted kaiser rolls. chinese grilled drumsticksserves - hoisin sauce is available in chinese groceries. it's slightly sweet, and thick, somewhat like ketchup. roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste / cup hoisin sauce tablespoons dry sherry tablespoons cider vinegar tablespoons honey teaspoon minced fresh ginger clove garlic, minced season chicken to taste with salt and pepper. in a shallow bowl combine remaining ingredients. roll drumsticks in sauce, reserving excess. wrap drumsticks individually in aluminum foil, adding a spoonful of sauce to each package. grill to -inches from hot coals, or bake hour at of, turning once. unwrap drumsticks and place on grill, or broiling pan. pour drippings from foil packages and remaining sauce into a small saucepan and heat. grill or broil drumsticks turning and basting frequently with sauce for minutes or until cooked through. fire eaters' chickenserves this recipe gets its name from the rather large quantity of red pepper. if children and other non-fire eaters will be eating this, you will probably want to decrease the amount of red pepper substantially. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons olive oil garlic cloves, minced teaspoon paprika / to teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste / teaspoon salt or to taste lemon wedges (optional) in shallow dish, combine lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, pepper and salt. add chicken to marinade, turning to coat both sides. cover and refrigerate hour or longer. drain chicken, reserving marinade. grill chicken breasts, uncovered, to -inches above medium-hot coals to minutes on each side until cooked through, basting occasionally with marinade. to serve, garnish with lemon wedges. game hens pestoserves pesto is a sauce made with basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil and parmesan cheese. if you're looking for a shortcut, you might be able to find ready-made pesto in your supermarket. fresh cornish game hens / cup olive or salad oil / cup minced fresh basil or tablespoon dried basil / cup minced fresh parsley tablespoons grated parmesan cheese small clove garlic, minced / teaspoon salt or to taste can ( -ounces) minced clams, drained tablespoons dry white wine (optional) halve hens lengthwise and remove backbones. place half on each of four -inch squares of heavy duty aluminum foil. turn up edges of foil. in bowl, blend oil, basil, parsley, cheese, garlic and salt. add clams and wine. divide among packets, spooning over hens. bring two opposite sides of foil together and close packets securely using several folds and turning up ends to seal. cook to inches above hot coals, to minutes, until cooked through, turning packets twice. packets may also be baked at of for about minutes. grilled breast steak saladserves if you have leftovers, use them in a sandwich. roaster boneless breast tablespoons butter or margarine, melted - / teaspoons worcestershire sauce / teaspoon paprika salt and ground pepper to taste / cup red wine vinegar teaspoons dijon mustard / cup olive or vegetable oil tablespoons minced red onion cups spinach leaves, sliced into / " strips cups thinly sliced red cabbage flatten breast halves slightly between sheets of plastic wrap. combine butter, worcestershire sauce, paprika, salt and pepper. brush sauce liberally over chicken. grill to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes on each side or until cooked through. remove and slice thinly on the diagonal. combine vinegar and mustard in a small bowl. slowly whisk in oil. add red onion and season with salt and pepper. place cups spinach and cups cabbage in a salad bowl. arrange half of the chicken slices over top and spoon half of the dressing over all. grilled cornish with vegetablesserves if you want to skip tying the legs together, as called for in this recipe, the hens won't hold their shape as well and will look more relaxed. the advantage is that you may feel more relaxed. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine medium carrot, cut into thin strips small leek, cut into thin strips rib celery, cut into thin strips / cup apple juice tablespoon minced fresh parsley season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. tie legs together and fold wings back. place each hen on an -inch square of heavy duty aluminum foil. dot with butter. divide vegetables and apple juice among foil pieces. fold edges up and seal tightly. place packets on grill to inches above hot coals. cook to minutes, turning to times until hens are cooked through. or bake at of one hour or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. open foil packages carefully and sprinkle with parsley. grilled drumsticks with fruit mustardserves - do you remember in the early s a fast food chain had a popular advertising campaign based on the slogan, "where's the beef?" one of my favorite perdue ads is a full page ad showing frank holding a drumstick with a big bite missing. he's looking out at you, his eyebrows raised quizzically as he asks, "who cares where the beef is?" this recipe could have been used to cook the drumstick shown in the ad. roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste ripe apricots, or can ( -ounces) drained and coarsely chopped tablespoon fresh lemon juice / cup dijon mustard tablespoons dark brown sugar / cup brandy teaspoon worcestershire sauce season drumsticks with salt and pepper. toss apricots with lemon; add remaining ingredients and toss. wrap drumsticks individually with aluminum foil, adding a spoonful of sauce to each package. grill to inches above hot coals or bake at of for hour, turning once. unwrap drumsticks and place on grill, or broiling pan. add drippings from foil packages to remaining sauce. grill or broil drumsticks turning and basting frequently with sauce for minutes or until cooked through. grilled cutlets costa del solserves this is one of perdue's most popular and most requested recipes. roaster boneless thigh cutlets / cup dry sherry teaspoon paprika teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon sugar teaspoon white vinegar salt and ground pepper to taste clove garlic, minced place cutlets between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / " thickness. in a shallow dish combine remaining ingredients. add chicken and marinate for hour or longer, refrigerated. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. turn and baste with glaze to times. grilled cutlets greek style with olive oilserves olive growers like to point out that the lowest mortality rates due to cardiovascular disease are found on the greek island of crete where olive oil consumption is highest. roaster boneless thigh cutlets cloves garlic, minced tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided tablespoons olive oil, divided / cup plain yogurt teaspoon dried oregano salt and ground pepper to taste ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges ( cups) cucumbers, peeled, halved and cut into / " slices ( / cup) tablespoons minced, fresh parsley or mint / cup pitted ripe olives place cutlets between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / " thickness. in a shallow dish whisk together garlic, tablespoon lemon juice, tablespoons olive oil, yogurt, oregano, salt and pepper. add cutlets and turn to coat with marinade. cover and marinate for hours or longer, refrigerated. grill cutlets to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes on each side or until cooked through. in a large bowl, combine tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, black olives, remaining lemon juice, tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. sprinkle with parsley or mint before serving. cutlets may be served hot with salad as a side dish or served cold sliced and added to salad. gypsy burgers serves - what i like best about chicken burgers, as opposed to hamburgers, is that chicken burgers don't shrink much when you cook them. package fresh ground chicken / cup chopped scallion, divided / cup sour cream, divided teaspoons paprika teaspoon salt / teaspoon ground pepper pinch cayenne pepper to slices italian or french bread in a mixing bowl, combine chicken, / cup scallions, tablespoons sour cream, and remaining ingredients. form into to burgers. grill on lightly oiled surface to inches above medium-hot coals, to minutes per side or until cooked through. serve on toasted slices of italian or french bread, topped with sour cream and scallions. photo: hawaiian glazed wings hawaiian glazed wingsserves - the natural juiciness of chicken wings makes them a good choice for barbecuing. this can make either a nice meal for a few, or appetizers for several. chicken wings / cup vegetable oil tablespoons fresh lemon juice / teaspoon seasoned salt or to taste marmalade pineapple glaze: / cup orange marmalade / cup pineapple preserves / cup soy sauce teaspoon dijon mustard tablespoons white wine vinegar in a large bowl toss wings with vegetable oil, lemon juice and seasoned salt. in a small bowl combine glaze ingredients. drain wings and grill to inches above medium-hot coals for about minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. turn and baste to times with glaze. herb barbecued breastsserves frank always removes the skin from chicken, and often, that means losing some of the herbs and spices. i like this recipe because even if you remove the skin at the end of the barbecuing, the flavoring is still there. chicken breast halves / cup softened butter or margarine tablespoons chopped scallions tablespoons minced, fresh parsley and / teaspoons minced, fresh rosemary, or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon salt or to taste small clove garlic, minced / teaspoon ground pepper working from the wide "neck end" of breasts use finger tips to carefully separate skin from meat to form a pocket. in a small saucepan combine remaining ingredients. place about tablespoons of butter mixture in pocket of each breast. close skin flap at neck edge with a small skewer or toothpick. melt remaining butter mixture and reserve for basting. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through turning and basting chicken every to minutes with butter. honey mustard grilled hens serves i've found that hens cook a little faster and are more attractive when served if you remove the backbone before cooking. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoons honey / tablespoons dijon mustard tablespoon worcestershire sauce halve hens and remove backbones. (see page ___ for directions on doing this.) season with salt and pepper. in a small saucepan, melt butter; stir in remaining ingredients. grill hens to inches above hot coals to minutes or until cooked through, turning often. baste with sauce during last minutes of cooking time. hot and spicy pick-of-the-chickserves - are you familiar with the spice, "cumin", called for in this recipe? it's the dried fruit or seed of a plant in the parsley family. it's sometimes substituted for caraway seed and is a principal ingredient in both curry powder and chili powder. jar ( -ounces) roasted peppers, drained can ( -ounces) mild green chilies, drained tablespoons brown sugar tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoons lime juice - / teaspoons tabasco teaspoon ground cumin teaspoon salt or to taste to sprigs fresh coriander (optional) package chicken parts (about pounds) in food processor or blender, combine all ingredients except chicken; puree until smooth. set aside / cup sauce. grill chicken, uncovered, to -inches above medium-hot coals to minutes or until cooked through, turning and basting with remaining sauce to times during grilling. serve reserved / cup sauce as a condiment with grilled chicken. oriental grill "kung fu" cutlets serves when you see the sweet potatoes called for in this recipe, you might wonder, "is there's a difference between sweet potatoes and yams?" and if there is a difference, "does it matter?" according to sweet potato grower tom archibald from california, there is and it does. "the sweet potato's texture is close to an irish potato's, while the yam's is moister and less firm and doesn't hold up as well," he says. "you can tell the difference between them because the sweet potato is light-skinned, while the yam has a bronze- colored or reddish skin." boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or package thin sliced roaster breast sweet potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled scallions, trimmed tablespoon soy sauce teaspoon sesame or vegetable oil / teaspoon ground pepper / cup tonkatsu sauce (recipe follows, or use bottled version) place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / inch thickness. skip previous step if using thin sliced roaster breast. cut sweet potatoes into / - inch slices. place chicken and potatoes in a shallow bowl with scallions, soy sauce, oil and pepper; toss well. grill cutlets and potato slices to inches above medium- hot coals for to minutes per side or until cutlets are cooked through and potato slices tender. grill scallions minutes, turning once. serve grilled cutlets and vegetables with tonkatsu sauce as condiment; add a favorite cole slaw as side dish. tonkatsu sauce: in small bowl, combine / cup sweet and sour sauce, tablespoon soy sauce, teaspoon white vinegar, and teaspoon worcestershire sauce. lemon special chicken serves - if you don't want to barbecue a half chicken, substitute chicken parts. see table on page for amounts to equal a whole chicken. chicken, cut in half lengthwise tablespoons butter or margarine, melted / teaspoon paprika tablespoons sugar tablespoons fresh lemon juice teaspoon worcestershire sauce teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper grill chicken halves to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. in a small saucepan combine remaining ingredients. make sauce of butter or margarine, paprika, sugar, lemon juice and worcestershire. turn and baste chicken with butter sauce to times. mahogany barbecued hensserves people often ask frank if a cornish game hen is a separate breed from regular chickens. the answer is mostly no and a little bit yes. cornish game hens are young chickens, usually around five weeks; if they were just a couple of weeks older, they'd be sold for broilers, except for the perdue ones. perdue cornish come from the roaster breed which perdue geneticist norman lupean developed, and which is only available through perdue. unlike broilers, roasters reach market size at twelve weeks. both perdue cornish and the oven stuffer roasters were bred to have the broadest, meatiest breasts in the industry. fresh cornish game hens / cup mustard / cup grape jelly tablespoons oil halve hens and remove backbones. in a small bowl combine remaining ingredients. grill to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes until cooked through, turning to times. baste with mustard mixture during last minutes. mexicali chickenserves - when you buy a chili powder for use in a mexican dish like this one, you can be pretty sure that as long as you stick with the same brand, it will be about the same "heat" next year as it was last year. having this kind of quality control is difficult because, first, there are more than known varieties of chilies, each with their own degree of "heat" and second, the same variety grown in a different climate or different year will vary considerably. the chili powder manufacturers get a consistent product by adjusting the formulations each year. / cup fresh lime juice / cup white vinegar teaspoon chili powder teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper whole roaster breast tablespoons chopped, mild green chilies / cup ketchup tabasco in large bowl, combine lime juice, vinegar, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. place breast in marinade; cover and refrigerate hour or longer. when coals are hot, arrange around drip pan filled halfway with water, close all vents. drain breast, reserving marinade. place breast skin side down on grill over drip pan. grill, covered, to minutes, turning occasionally. meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine reserved marinade, green chilies, ketchup and tabasco to taste; bring to a boil. reduce heat to low; simmer until slightly thickened. remove from heat and brush over chicken during last minutes of cooking time. serve chicken with remaining sauce. grilled fiesta lunch mexicali cutletsserves you could just heat the cutlets in the microwave, but the smoke from the barbecue will produce a particularly delicious result. package breaded chicken breast cutlets, ready to eat slices monterey jack or mild cheddar cheese flour tortillas ripe tomato, sliced ripe avocado, sliced / cup sour cream / cup mexican salsa grill cutlets to -inches above hot coals to minutes on each side or until crisp, browned and sizzling. in last to minutes, place a slice of cheese on each cutlet to melt. while cutlets are grilling, sprinkle tortillas with few drops of water and wrap in aluminum foil. warm tortillas along edge of grill. to serve, remove grilled cutlets to serving plates and top with tomato and avocado slices; add dollops of sour cream and salsa. pass warm tortillas. mississippi smoky barbecued drumsticksserves try serving these with drumsticks frills for a special decorative touch. fold heavy white paper ( -inches by - inches) in half, lengthwise. fold in half lengthwise again and tape long edges closed. this produces a strip measuring -inches by - / -inches. cut strip into two - / -inch strips. on each, slash -inch cuts at / -inch intervals along the entire length of the untaped folded edge. to "fluff" frills, press top of slashed edge. tape frills in place around drumsticks just before serving. roaster drumsticks salt and ground pepper to taste / cup finely chopped onion / cup finely chopped green pepper / cup ketchup tablespoon worcestershire sauce - / teaspoons liquid smoke (optional) tablespoons dark brown sugar tablespoons cider vinegar / teaspoon cinnamon to drops tabasco, or to taste season drumsticks with salt and pepper. in a shallow dish combine remaining ingredients. roll drumsticks in sauce, reserving excess. wrap drumsticks individually in aluminum foil, adding a spoonful of sauce to each package. grill to -inches from hot coals, or bake at of hour, turning once. unwrap drumsticks and place on grill, or broiling pan. add drippings from foil packages to remaining sauce. grill or broil drumsticks turning and basting frequently with sauce for minutes or until cooked through. north carolina grilled chicken serves - this was a national chicken cooking contest winner. chickens, cut in half lengthwise cup butter or margarine ( sticks), melted envelopes ( -ounces each) italian salad dressing mix / cup fresh lime juice teaspoon salt or to taste place chicken in a shallow dish. in a measuring cup combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken; cover and refrigerate. melt butter or margarine in saucepan. marinate turning occasionally, for to hours or overnight. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. turn and baste with marinade every to minutes. peppery grilled thigh saladserves the arugula called for in this recipe is not essential and you can substitute watercress or even iceberg lettuce if you have to. but if you can find it, it's a fresh attractive taste. i used to grow arugula in my back yard garden, using seeds a friend brought back for me from italy. boneless roaster thigh cutlets teaspoon coarsely ground or cracked black pepper tablespoons worcestershire sauce, divided / cup olive oil or vegetable oil, divided salt to taste tablespoon dijon mustard tablespoons wine vinegar tablespoon minced shallot or scallion small head bibb or boston lettuce, torn into pieces bunch arugula, well rinsed, torn into pieces head belgian endive, torn into pieces / pound green beans, cooked tender-crisp tablespoon minced fresh basil (optional) tablespoon minced fresh parsley open cutlets and flatten slightly to even thickness; press pepper into both sides of cutlets and place in a shallow baking dish. add tablespoons worcestershire sauce; turn chicken to coat well. cover and refrigerate hour or longer. remove cutlets from marinade; brush with tablespoon oil and sprinkle lightly with salt. grill cutlets, uncovered, to -inches above medium-hot coals to minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally. in salad bowl, combine mustard, vinegar and shallot. gradually whisk in remaining oil. slice warm cutlets and add any meat juices to dressing. arrange greens around edges of dinner plates. toss chicken and beans with dressing and mound equal portions in middle of greens. to serve, drizzle salads with any remaining dressing and sprinkle with minced herbs. prairie barbecued chicken serves - besides adding flavor, vinegar makes an excellent tenderizing agent in this$or any$marinade. / cup butter or margarine, melted / cup cider vinegar bottle ( -ounces) ketchup teaspoon salt or to taste teaspoon ground pepper cup water chicken, cut in half lengthwise in a shallow dish combine butter, vinegar, ketchup, salt, pepper and water. add chicken and turn to coat well; cover and refrigerate. marinate chicken several hours or overnight. grill to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. baste with marinade and turn to times. photo: "spring "b" list, , father's day barbecue provencal herb drumsticksserves - the flavorful combination called "herbes de provence", consisting of basil, thyme, oregano, and other herbs, is typically used in marinades in the south of france, where grilling is often done over cuttings from grape vines. chicken drumsticks / cup red wine / cup water tablespoon wine vinegar garlic cloves, minced / teaspoons minced fresh basil or / teaspoon dried - / teaspoons minced fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried - / teaspoons minced fresh oregano or / teaspoon dried bay leaf tablespoon tomato paste teaspoons anchovy paste (optional) / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoon olive oil with fork, pierce drumsticks to help seasonings to penetrate. in large bowl, combine remaining ingredients except oil; whisk in oil. add chicken to marinade; cover and refrigerate hour or longer. grill drumsticks, uncovered, to -inches above medium-hot coals to minutes or until cooked through, turning and basting frequently with marinade. russian grilled cornishserves - for a traditional russian cornish, use a heavy iron skillet to weight hens while grilling. called tabaka-style in russia, pressed chicken is popular because it browns quickly and holds its shape well. fresh cornish game hens tablespoons fresh lemon juice clove garlic, minced tablespoon vegetable oil kosher salt and pepper to taste lemon wedges (optional) with poultry shears or sharp knife, cut along both sides of backbone and remove. on flat surface, spread out hens skin side up and press down on breast bones to flatten. in a dish combine lemon juice and garlic. add hens to marinade, turning to coat well. cover and refrigerate hour or longer. remove hens from marinade, rub lightly with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. place hens on grill, skin side up, and top with a heavy iron skillet or other pan filled with pound heat-proof object, to flatten. grill, to inches above medium-hot coals. after minutes turn hens and replace weight. continue grilling for another to minutes or until hens are well browned and cooked through. to serve, garnish hens with lemon wedges. santa fe chicken heroserves - thin-sliced roaster breast couldn't be easier or faster to grill for this hearty update of the submarine/hoagy/hero sandwich. this is a complete tex-mex meal in one. roaster thin-sliced boneless breast ( / pounds) or skinless, boneless, chicken breast halves butterflied tablespoon vegetable oil salt and ground pepper to taste cayenne chili powder to thin slices monterey jack cheese with chilies to slices french or italian bread tablespoons melted butter or margarine to leaves romaine lettuce tomato, thinly sliced avocado, peeled, pitted, sliced and tossed with lemon juice / cup prepared salsa rub chicken lightly with oil and season with salt, pepper, cayenne and chili powder. grill, to -inches above medium-hot coals about minutes on each side. top chicken with slices of cheese; grill to minutes longer or until cheese is melted. brush bread with melted butter; grill alongside chicken to minutes on each side until golden brown. to serve, place a lettuce leaf on each toasted bread slice. evenly divide chicken, slices of tomato and avocado on top. serve sandwiches open-faced with salsa. seasoned barbecued chickenserves - this recipe calls for sauterne wine, which is a fairly sweet wine. you can use another white wine if you can't find sauterne; the results will still be good, just different. chicken, cut in half lengthwise cup sauterne wine / cup oil / cup fresh lemon juice / cup soy sauce tablespoon onion juice clove garlic, minced / teaspoon salt / teaspoon ground pepper place chicken in a shallow dish and add remaining ingredients. turn chicken to coat with marinade. cover and refrigerate for hours or longer. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. turn and baste with marinade to times. soy and sesame thigh kebabsserves thigh meat is a good choice for barbecuing because it's naturally juicy and doesn't easily dry out or toughen. if you want to grill some vegetables at the same time, reserve some of the marinade and baste the vegetables with it. try serving the kebabs over rice. roaster boneless thigh cutlets teaspoon minced, fresh ginger or / teaspoon dried cloves garlic, minced tablespoons sesame seeds / cup soy sauce tablespoon white vinegar tablespoons vegetable oil tabasco, to taste flatten cutlets slightly with a meat pounder. cut each thigh into or pieces. in a shallow dish, combine remaining ingredients. add thigh pieces and toss to coat well. cover and marinate one hour or longer, refrigerated. thread chicken onto skewers; reserve marinade. grill kebabs to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes until cooked through turn and baste often with marinade. sweet and sour roaster breastsserves - boneless roaster breasts grill quickly and make an impressive dish for guests. because they are skinless, they absorb marinades well, but should be turned and basted often to keep the meat moist. without basting, they can quickly get dry and tough. roaster boneless breast / cup diced onion / cup soy sauce tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoons minced fresh ginger / cup brown sugar tablespoon cornstarch in a shallow dish, combine onions, soy sauce, oil and ginger. place chicken in marinade; cover and refrigerate hour or longer, turning occasionally. drain chicken, reserving marinade. grill breasts to - inches above medium-hot coals to minutes on each side or until cooked through. meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium heat, combine marinade with sugar and cornstarch; bring to a boil. reduce heat to low; simmer to minutes or until thickened. baste chicken generously with sauce during last minutes of cooking time. to serve, spoon remaining sauce over chicken. sweet and sour drumsticks chicken drumsticks are wonderfully tasty to eat by hand at all outdoor functions. and as a matter of fact, if you've ever wondered about the etiquette of eating chicken with your fingers, frank says, "when in doubt, do!" / cup apricot preserves / cup chili sauce / cup brown sugar / cup red wine vinegar tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoons grated onion tablespoon fresh grated orange rind tablespoons fresh orange juice chicken drumsticks in a large measuring cup combine all ingredients except for chicken. reserve half of sauce to serve with cooked chicken. brush remaining sauce over legs and grill to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes until cooked through. turn and baste with sauce to times. transfer to serving dish and serve with remaining sauce. syrian grilled breastserves i like pistachios in recipes because they are relatively low in saturated fats and they're also lower in calories than most other nuts. weight watchers international endorses pistachios for just this reason. roaster boneless breast or roaster thin-sliced boneless breast tablespoons fresh lemon juice / cup olive oil tablespoon fresh mint or teaspoon dried small clove garlic, minced salt and ground pepper to taste / cup chopped pistachios cut breast pieces in half, removing tenderloin pieces. place pieces, including tenderloin pieces, between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / " thickness to form cutlets. or use the already sliced roaster breast and skip the cutting and pounding. in a shallow dish combine lemon juice, olive oil, mint, garlic, salt and pepper. add chicken to marinade. cover and refrigerate for hour or longer, turning occasionally. grill cutlets to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes per side until cooked through, brushing often with the marinade. sprinkle with pistachios before serving. szechuan wingsserves when you buy wings for these recipes, if they come from perdue, the odds are that they won't have any tiny hairs on them. that's actually a considerable engineering feat. in theory the singeing machines at the processing plants should burn the little hairs off, but in practice, the birds are wet by the time they get to the singeing machines and the hairs can be stuck down so the flame doesn't reach them. seeing this, frank told the engineers at the processing plant, "you know when you wash your hands in the men's room and they have those hot air driers? design one that's got an engine like a and we'll hit the wing with that and dry the hairs so they'll stand up." the idea worked, but not completely. after the initial effort, the machines still missed one or two hairs. for research into the solution to this minor detail, the company has spent more than $ , over the years. chicken wings tablespoons soy sauce tablespoons chili sauce tablespoons white vinegar tablespoon vegetable oil tablespoon minced fresh ginger tablespoon sugar tablespoon crushed red pepper (less if you don't like it hot) salt to taste fold wing tips behind tip of large joints to form triangles. in large bowl, combine soy sauce and remaining ingredients. place wings in marinade; cover and refrigerate hour or longer. grill wingettes, to -inches above medium-hot coals to minutes or until cooked through. turn and baste frequently with marinade. texas twister barbecued cutletsserves there are a number of tips for keeping brown sugar soft. my stepdaughter, sandy spedden, recommends adding a slice of fresh apple to the box once you've opened it. close the box with the apple slice inside, and put in a sealed plastic bag. roaster boneless thigh cutlets tablespoon vegetable oil salt and cayenne pepper to taste clove garlic, minced / teaspoon ground cumin tablespoon brown sugar / cup ketchup / cup cider vinegar / to / teaspoon tabasco, to taste flatten cutlets slightly with a meat pounder. rub lightly with vegetable oil and sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper. in a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, cumin, brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar and tabasco. grill cutlets to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes until cooked through. turn and baste to times with sauce. note to person who lays out the book: can we have the marinades and basting sauces on a separate page, probably at the beginning of the chapter? marinades and bastes basting has no tenderizing qualities, but it does add a special flavor to poultry. marinating for half an hour or more will enhance both flavor and tenderness. beer marinademakes about cups tablespoons spicy brown mustard tablespoons brown sugar tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoon worcestershire sauce teaspoon tabasco teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper. can ( -ounces) beer extra large onion, peeled and sliced into rings in large, shallow baking dish, combine first ingredients; stir in beer. add onion and to pounds chicken to marinade. cover and refrigerate hour or longer, turning occasionally. to grill, drain poultry and use marinade for basting. onion rings may be grilled to minutes per side and served with poultry. chutney barbecue saucemakes about - / cups you'll get a deeply browned chicken with this recipe. jar ( - / -ounces) mango chutney / cup wine vinegar tablespoon spicy brown mustard tablespoon brown sugar / teaspoon cayenne pepper in small bowl, combine all ingredients. use as basting sauce for grilling to pounds of chicken during last to minutes cooking. lightly oil poultry before cooking, and turn often to avoid burning. firehouse barbecue saucemakes about cups this barbecue recipe was developed by robert baker of cornell university in , then published by new york's state extension service with directions for quantity grilling. dr. baker's updated version of the recipe is somewhat lower in salt. you can refrigerate the extra sauce for several weeks. egg cup vegetable oil cup cider vinegar tablespoons salt or to taste tablespoon poultry seasoning / teaspoon ground pepper in blender or medium-sized bowl, blend or beat egg. add oil and beat again. stir in remaining ingredients. use as a basting sauce for grilling to pounds of chicken, basting frequently. for milder, less salty flavor, baste less often. oriental marinademakes about cup if you're using this marinade for kabobs, avoid a sticky cleanup by using disposable wooden skewers; to prevent burning, soak skewers in water for minutes before use. / cup pineapple juice / cup soy sauce tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil tablespoons minced fresh ginger tablespoon brown sugar to garlic cloves, minced / teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) / teaspoon salt or to taste in wide, shallow bowl, combine all ingredients. add to pounds chicken to marinade; cover and refrigerate hour or longer, turning occasionally. to grill, drain poultry and use marinade for basting. traditional barbecue saucemakes - / cups barbecue sauces differ from marinades in how they are used. a marinade is used to flavor meat before cooking and for basting during grilling. barbecue sauces are used for basting during cooking and are frequently re-cooked and later served as a sauce at the table. cup chili sauce / cup brown sugar / cup vegetable oil tablespoons cider vinegar tablespoons soy sauce tablespoon spicy brown mustard - / teaspoons minced fresh oregano, or / teaspoon dried to - / teaspoons liquid smoke (optional, but i recommend it, if you can find it.) in small bowl, combine all ingredients. use as basting sauce for grilling to pounds chicken during last to minutes of cooking. turn poultry often to avoid scorching. wine and garlic marinademakes about - / cups cup dry white wine / cup olive oil to garlic cloves, minced lemon slices tablespoon minced, fresh thyme or teaspoon dried tablespoon minced, fresh basil, or teaspoon dried teaspoon salt or to taste bay leaf (optional) / teaspoon ground pepper in wide, shallow bowl, combine all ingredients. add to pounds chicken to marinade; cover and refrigerate hour or longer, turning occasionally. grill poultry and use marinade for basting. chapter six chicken for crowds do you have a wedding coming up? a school reunion? or you just want to have the crowd over? well guess what! i recommend chicken for the menu! seriously, it's a good choice because it's on almost everyone's diet, most people like it, and it's probably the most economical main course that can be served to crowds. frank and i both enjoy entertaining. there are many months in the year when we entertain associates (that's the term used at perdue farms for employees) each week, and at christmas time, it has gotten up to in a week. people who know that frank and i entertain a lot sometimes ask why i don't have the parties catered. the fact is, i don't want to hire somebody to do what i enjoy doing anyway. besides, it wouldn't fit in with our lifestyle to have catered affairs. frank is actually a frugal and down-to- earth man. he travels economy class, is careful to turn the lights off when we leave the house, and before we married, he cooked for himself and washed his own dishes. (now i do it.) it's a real compliment when frank says that someone is "tight as the bark on an oak tree." still, i know we're all busy, so i'm in favor of any shortcuts that help save time even if they cost a little extra. and yet, as a former new england yankee, i am always in favor of spending money carefully. here are some of the tips that i've learned that may help you, whether you're cooking for eight or a hundred: _plan a simple menu with everything done in advance, except simple heating or reheating. most cookbooks suggest that you have only a few dishes that require last minute work, but i don't want the hassle of worrying about any; i've found that last minute things always come up, and it's wonderful to know that they're not going to upset your schedule or leave you in a state of frazzlement. in my own case, i'm always working harder the day before the party than the day of the party. _check that you've got refrigerator or freezer space for all perishables. _check that you have the pots and pans and storage containers for the foods you'll be preparing. _write a detailed schedule for yourself including the menu and shopping list. i like to have a copy of the menu visible on my refrigerator, partly because it gives me confidence as i check off each dish as it's completed, but mostly because i remember one party when i forgot a dish that i had cooked and was faced with leftover string beans for thirty. _this tip has nothing to do with poultry, but it's worked so well for me i'll share it anyway. when the occasion is special enough so that you're using a florist, (a wedding? an anniversary?) your flower budget will go further if you'll call the florist a week ahead and tell him or her your color scheme and what you're willing to spend. the florist will know which flowers are in over supply and therefore a bargain, and given a week, he or she will have the time to place an order with the wholesaler for the ones which are a good buy. you won't necessarily spend less, but you're likely to get considerably more for your money. _keep food safety in mind as you work. keep perishable food, such as chicken, in the refrigerator except when you're working with it. prepare food in batches and have out only what you're using. when refrigerating foods, have them in small enough batches so that they'll cool quickly. _if you're serving wine, make it white wine rather than red wine. i say that not because white wine is supposed to go with chicken (some of the more robust recipes for chicken go beautifully with red wine), but because white wine is less of a menace to your carpets. _if it's a buffet and people will be balancing plates on their laps, serve foods that are already bite-sized and that don't require cutting with a knife and fork. _just because you're not having it catered doesn't mean you have to do it all yourself. if you're near a college campus, see if the food service people at the student cafeteria would be willing to make the vegetables or other side dishes. also, check the cafeteria at a local factory or processing plant. sometimes these people will moonlight and make large batches of your favorite recipe for you. they've got the equipment, and in my experience, they're pleased to have the extra income. also, they're frequently less expensive than restaurants and they're apt to be much, much less expensive than a caterer. _a crowd seldom consumes more than -ounces of cooked protein total, per person, and that includes whatever protein is part of the appetizers as well as the main course. however, i usually have closer to -ounces per person available, just for "sociable security." if you plan on just under -ounces each, you'll almost certainly have leftovers, but at least you won't run out. another way of calculating is that a breast and a wing per person will insure that you'll have more than enough. (adjust this depending on whether you're entertaining toddlers or professional football players or$the biggest eaters$older teenage boys.) also, keep in mind how much else you're serving. at our parties, i've seen that i'll always have some leftovers if i allow a half cup serving per person for each of the following: starches, vegetables, and salad, plus a serving and a quarter of bread. that's assuming that there have been a couple of small appetizers before, and that the main course will be followed by dessert. _when you're multiplying recipes, keep in mind that cooking times may be different if you change the recipe size. a larger amount of food may take longer to cook; a smaller amount may be overcooked in the same time. illustration: oriental mini drumsticks from chicken wings curried chicken from boneless breast santa fe chicken or boneless thighs photo of all three in files photo: chicken "nibbles" just right for... - dips and spreads - chicken "nibbles" take the heat out of summer entertaining summer parties come in all shapes and sizes. some are small and happen on the spur of the moment. others are great boisterous affairs that roll across the lawn or down the beach. they're fun. they're happy. they also can be lots of work, but one of the nicest shortcuts i know is the pre-cooked nuggets, tenders, or wings. straight from the package or warmed for serving, they're extra tasty dunked into a quick dip. i sometimes have an assortment of store- bought mustards available, each in a pretty dish. or, when there's more time, i'd use one of these perdue recipes for dips. cool and creamy avocado dipmakes about - / home economist pat cobe developed many of the dips for perdue. i asked her how she got her ideas, and learned that when composing a recipe she starts out by imagining all the dips she's sampled at restaurants or food conventions or parties, or ones she's read about in magazines and cookbooks. then in her imagination, she puts together the best ideas from all of them. as she sorts these ideas around in her mind, she'll come up with something new, and then she'll test it. of all the ones she thinks of, the only ones that she would consider actually recommending to perdue, would have to meet her criteria of being "real food for real people." like this one. cups ripe avocado, peeled and seed removed / cup chopped scallions tablespoon lime or lemon juice / teaspoon salt or to taste / cup sour cream in small bowl with fork, mash avocado. add green scallions, lime juice and salt; blend well. stir in sour cream. serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. creole dipmakes about cup / cup bottled chili sauce tablespoon prepared horseradish (optional) tablespoon worcestershire sauce tablespoon minced fresh parsley tablespoon minced scallion tablespoon minced celery in small bowl, combine all ingredients. if time allows, let stand at room temperature hour for flavors to blend. garlicky sweet-sour dipmakes / cup / cup packed brown sugar / cup chicken broth tablespoon soy sauce clove garlic, minced tablespoons cider vinegar tablespoon cornstarch in small saucepan, combine brown sugar, broth, soy sauce and garlic; mix well. in cup, blend vinegar and cornstarch until smooth; stir into saucepan and place over medium heat. bring to a boil; cook to minutes until mixture thickens and becomes slightly reduced, stirring frequently. serve warm or at room temperature. mexicali cheese dipmakes about cups can ( -ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup cup shredded monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers / teaspoon ground cumin / cup sour cream / cup chopped pimentos or tomatoes tabasco (optional) in small saucepan, combine undiluted soup, shredded cheese and cumin. place over low heat and cook until cheese is completely melted, stirring constantly. remove from heat; stir in sour cream, pimentos and hot pepper sauce to taste, if desired. to serve, keep warm in fondue pot, chafing dish or heatproof bowl set on warming tray. red pepper dipmakes about - / cups jar ( -ounces) roasted red peppers, drained clove garlic, quartered / teaspoon ground cumin cup plain lowfat yogurt in blender or food processor, puree red peppers, garlic and cumin. add yogurt; blend or process a few seconds just until mixed. chill several hours or overnight to blend flavors. spicy cranberry - orange dipmakes about cup cup prepared cranberry sauce tablespoons fresh orange juice tablespoon port or marsala wine (optional) tablespoon fresh lemon juice / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon ground ginger in blender or food processor, puree all ingredients. if time allows, let stand at room temperature hour for flavors to blend. appetizers - chicken cocktail puffs makes puffs the cocktail puff is great when stuffed with chicken. i sometimes keep these puffs, unfilled, in the freezer to have available when i need something on short notice. you don't need to thaw them before stuffing. cocktail puffs / cup water tablespoons butter or margarine / teaspoon salt / cup flour egg, unbeaten / cup grated swiss cheese preheat oven to of. in a saucepan over medium heat, heat butter in water until melted. add salt and flour all at once and stir vigorously until ball forms in center of pan. remove from heat and let stand minutes. add egg and beat until smooth, add cheese. mixture should be very stiff. drop by teaspoonful on baking sheet and bake for about minutes or until surface is free from beads of moisture. turn off oven and prop door open slightly by putting a pot holder in the crack. allow puffs to cool in oven. slice crosswise for stuffing. filling cups cooked chicken, minced / cup minced celery tablespoons minced canned pimento tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoon finely chopped onion tablespoon minced fresh tarragon or basil / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper in a mixing bowl combine chicken, celery, pimento, lemon juice, onion and tarragon lightly with mayonnaise. season with salt and pepper. fill each puff with about teaspoons of filling. chicken frank caraway & kraut roll-upsmakes about you can reheat the "roll-ups" by toasting briefly under the broiler after slicing. tubes ( -ounces each) refrigerated white dinner loaf tablespoons german-style mustard can ( -ounces) sauerkraut, drained egg, beaten, for glaze chicken franks tablespoons caraway seeds preheat oven to f. meanwhile, gently unroll loaf into a -inch square, pinching slashed portions together to seal. with sharp knife, cut dough into quarters. spread each piece of dough with mustard and a thin layer of sauerkraut to within / inch of edge. brush edge lightly with egg. place a frank on left side of piece of dough and roll up tightly. place roll, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet. repeat with remaining franks and dough. brush rolls with egg and sprinkle with caraway seeds. bake for minutes until golden brown. remove rolls to a cutting board and allow to cool several minutes. with serrated knife, slice each roll into small "roll-ups." serve immediately. chicken liver loverliesmakes puffs it's not quite a cookie. it's not quite a puff. it's not quite a fritter. it's just something very special. chicken livers (about lb.) / cup butter or margarine, divided cup water cup flour eggs, unbeaten envelope ( - / oz.) dehydrated onion soup mix. in a large skillet over medium heat, melt / cup butter. add chicken livers and saute for to minutes; chop finely. in a saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining butter with water. add flour all at once and stir vigorously until ball forms in center of pan. add eggs, one at a time, beating after each egg. stir in livers and soup mix. preheat oven to of. drop by teaspoonful on baking sheet and bake for to minutes until puffed and golden brown. chicken liver pate makes i like this on rye crackers. chicken livers (about lb.) / cup butter or margarine medium onion, finely chopped eggs, hard cooked / teaspoon tabasco in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. add livers and onions and saute for to minutes. put all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. chicken party sandwich fillingmakes approximately try using different shaped cookie cutters or use different colors of bread. it's nice on open sandwiches--garnished with an olive slice or a lemon sliver. cup cooked, ground chicken / teaspoon salt or to taste / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons milk teaspoon sugar in a bowl combine all ingredients. spread on bread or salted crackers. chicken quiche makes narrow wedges for an attractive and professional presentation, make miniature quiches by lining the inside bottom of your muffin pans with pie dough, forming little tart shells. then add the filling. i see a lot of these at washington parties. tablespoon butter or margarine, softened pie shells (approximately ") cup cooked chicken cut in small pieces cup grated swiss cheese slices crisp, cooked bacon, crumbled eggs, slightly beaten cups heavy cream / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon sugar / teaspoon cayenne pepper / teaspoon ground pepper preheat oven to of. rub butter or margarine on pie shells. put chicken, grated cheese and bacon in pie shells. in a mixing bowl combine all remaining ingredients and pour into shells. bake for minutes. reduce heat to of and bake minutes longer. cut in narrow pie wedges for serving. photo: a storybook reception - garden dining on chicken... - curried chicken and fruit kebabs with yogurt sauce makes - be sure to look at the accompanying illustration. this looks good as well as tastes good. roaster boneless breast tablespoons curry powder / teaspoon salt or to taste tablespoon vegetable oil can ( -ounces) pineapple chunks, well drained / pound (about ) seedless grapes cocktail toothpicks yogurt sauce in zucchini cups (recipe follows) cut breast into to bite-sized chunks. place chicken chunks in large bowl; add curry powder and salt; toss together. in a large, heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat oil. add curried chicken chunks; reduce heat to low and saute for minutes, turning to cook all sides. cover and remove from heat; cool. thread cooled chicken onto toothpicks with a chunk of pineapple and a grape. serve with yogurt sauce as dip. yogurt sauce in zucchini cups for curried chicken and fruit kebabs container ( -ounces) plain yogurt tablespoons honey tablespoons minced fresh coriander (also called cilantro or chinese parsley) or / teaspoon ground coriander seed teaspoon ground ginger tablespoon fresh lemon juice or medium-sized zucchini, optional in medium-sized bowl, combine yogurt, honey, coriander, ginger and lemon juice. if desired, spoon into individual zucchini cups for each guest. to make cups, cut each zucchini crosswise into equal pieces. use a melon baller to scoop out centers from one end of each piece. oriental mini drumsticksmakes about if the honey you're planning on using for this recipe has been around awhile and crystallized, you can re-liquify it by heating the opened jar gently in hot water. you can do the same thing in the microwave, but do it at low power and take the honey out as soon as it's become liquid again. don't heat the honey for longer than it takes to re- liquify; you would lose some of the delicate flavor. chicken wings bottle ( -ounces) teriyaki sauce / cup peanut or vegetable oil / cup honey tablespoon white vinegar teaspoon ground ginger cups lightly toasted, finely-chopped peanuts or pecans with sharp, kitchen knife, divide wings into three sections, cutting between joints -- not bone. reserve first and middle joints for mini drumsticks; set wing tips aside for stock or another use. to make mini drums from the first joint: using a small sharp knife, cut around the narrower end to loosen meat. then, use knife blade to gently scrape meat down toward the larger, knobby end of bone, turning meat inside out. to make mini drums from middle joints: cut around the narrower end; cut tendons away and loosen meat. then use knife blade to gently scrape meat along both bones toward the larger end. pull out smaller bone, detaching with knife if necessary. turn meat inside out around knob of remaining bone. in large bowl, combine teriyaki sauce, oil, honey, vinegar and ginger; mix well. add chicken and coat well. cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator. preheat oven to f. grease large baking sheets with sides; arrange chicken on baking sheets. bake for minutes or until cooked through. remove and roll in chopped nuts. serve hot or at room temperature. santa fe chicken quesadillas (kay sa diyas)makes about if you want to make this way ahead of time, you can cool and then freeze the ungarnished quesadilla wedges between layers of aluminum foil. reheat in preheated f oven for minutes and then add the garnish. roaster boneless thigh cutlets cloves garlic teaspoons ground cumin teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoons vegetable oil cans ( -ounces each) chopped mild green chilies minced, canned or fresh jalapeno pepper (optional) flour tortillas ( inches each) tablespoons minced fresh coriander (also called cilantro or chinese parsley), optional pound monterey jack or cheddar cheese, grated mexican salsa or slivers of avocado sprinkled with lemon juice, chopped tomato, and coriander sprigs cut each thigh into pieces. in container of food processor fitted with steel blade, finely mince garlic. gradually add chicken pieces, cumin, salt and pepper; grind to a fine texture. in a large heavy, non-stick skillet, heat oil. add ground chicken mixture and cook over medium heat, stirring often. cook for to minutes or until meat is no longer pink. preheat oven to f. drain chilies and add to cooked chicken. place tortillas on large baking sheets and brush lightly with water. divide chicken mixture among the tortillas, spreading a thin layer almost to the edges. sprinkle with chopped coriander and grated cheese; top with remaining tortillas, pressing down edges to seal. brush lightly with water and bake for minutes. remove from oven and cut each quesadilla into wedges. if desired, serve with mexican salsa or top with avocado, tomato and coriander. sherry fried chicken livers makes i know people who didn't think they could lik think they could like chicken livers who are won over when the flavor of sherry wine is added. chicken livers (about lb.) tablespoons butter or margarine / teaspoons salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup dry sherry in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. add chicken livers and saute for to minutes. sprinkle with salt and pepper. add sherry, cover, and simmer minutes longer or until cooked through. serve on toothpicks. blue cheese chicken spreadmakes about although i usually prefer fresh products to canned ones, in this case i recommend using canned pineapple. fresh pineapple has an unusual characteristic that's worth knowing. it contains the enzyme bromelin which breaks down protein. the blue cheese in this recipe is rich in protein and fresh pineapple would not work well with it, unless you added it just before serving so the bromelin doesn't have a chance to break down the proteins and give it an off- flavor. canned pineapple, on the other hand, doesn't have enough active bromelin to cause a problem. makes approx. party sandwiches ( tablespoon per sandwich) cup cooked, ground chicken jar ( oz.) blue cheese spread / cup drained, crushed pineapple / cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted salt and ground pepper to taste in a bowl combine chicken with remaining ingredients. use as filling for party sandwiches. main courses - chicken cordon bleu for a crowd serves - there are many recipes for chicken cordon bleu, but i like this one because you can do everything the day before. reheat it in the microwave. don't, however, freeze it. fried foods tend to get a "warmed over" taste after freezing. also, don't hold it in the refrigerator for longer than a day. and finally, when reheating it in the microwave, be sure to rotate it several times so that you don't have uneven warming. (rotating the food in the oven performs the same function as stirring a pot. if you don't rotate it, you risk having some parts overcooked$and overcooked chicken is tough chicken.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cup butter or margarine, melted / cup minced, fresh parsley slices canadian bacon or ham slices sharp or swiss cheese eggs, beaten cups bread crumbs slice each breast half almost in half lengthwise and then open like the wings of a butterfly. brush with melted butter and sprinkle with parsley. place slice of bacon or ham and slice of cheese on each chicken breast, folding to fit. roll, jelly-roll fashion, and secure with toothpicks. dip in beaten eggs and roll in bread crumbs. fry in deep fat at of for to minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.. remove toothpicks before serving. keep warm in a preheated of if serving within minutes or reheat in a preheated of for to minutes. chicken salad hawaiianserves - this recipe is good for a summer lunch. you should keep it cold until serving, but contrary to popular belief, mayonnaise itself isn't particularly dangerous from a food safety point of view. mayonnaise in its usual commercial formulations is acid enough to be mildly protective against harmful microorganisms. but it's not protective enough, so don't take chances and do keep this refrigerated until you need it. cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks - / cups mayonnaise or salad dressing cups chopped celery tablespoons soy sauce can (# size or / cups) pineapple tidbits, drained / cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted, divided in a large mixing bowl combine chicken, mayonnaise, celery and soy sauce. gently fold in pineapple and half of almond slivers. serve salad on a platter lined with lettuce leaves. garnish with remaining almonds. creamed chicken victoriaserves - this is a good buffet dish because your guests don't have to cut anything while balancing their dinner plates on their laps. i've expanded it to feed as many as people, and it always draws raves. as an additional bonus, it's at least as good the next day for leftovers. you may find, as i have, that it's easier to add the flour right after sauteing the mushrooms and skip sauteing the chicken. you can also use leftover chicken and skip cooking the roaster breasts; i've done it and it works just fine. the original recipe called for twice as much mustard. if you like your foods quite spicy, you may want to use the four teaspoons of mustard that the original recipe called for. whole roaster breasts, - / to pounds each cups chicken broth / cup butter or margarine pound fresh mushrooms, sliced / cup flour teaspoons dry mustard salt to taste, depending on saltiness of the broth / teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste cups light cream or half and half cup dry sherry / cup grated parmesan cheese / cup minced fresh parsley puffed pastry hearts (recipe follows) or toast points in -quart dutch oven or large, deep skillet over high heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. add roaster breasts and enough water to cover, if necessary. reduce heat to low; simmer for minutes. cool breasts in broth. remove and cut into / -inch dice; discard bones and skin. reserve cups broth for recipe; save remainder for another use. in same dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter; add mushrooms and saute seconds. add diced chicken and saute seconds longer. stir in flour, seasonings, cups reserved broth and cream; bring to a simmer. reduce heat to low and simmer minutes, stirring frequently. add sherry, parmesan cheese and parsley. simmer minute longer. serve chicken with puff pastry hearts or toast points. puff pastry hearts to go with chicken victoria you can bake the puff pastry hearts or days in advance. store thoroughly-cooled hearts in an airtight container. package ( - / -ounces) frozen puff pastry -inch heart-shaped cookie cutter whole egg beaten with tablespoon water defrost pastry minutes at room temperature. preheat oven to f. open one sheet at a time onto a lightly- floured board. cut hearts from pastry and place on two dampened cookie sheets. pierce hearts with tines of a fork. then, using the back of a small knife, decorate tops and edges. brush tops lightly with egg wash. bake minutes or until golden. curried chicken rajserves - this is another dish that works well for a buffet. it's easy to serve and easy to eat since the guests don't need to cut anything. whole roaster breasts and / to pounds each / cup butter or margarine cups chicken broth / cup raisins / cup curry powder / cup flour - / teaspoons salt or to taste / teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cups light cream or half and half / cup minced fresh parsley puffed pastry hearts (see recipe) or toast points chutney, slivered toasted almonds, other condiments, optional in -quart dutch oven or large, deep skillet over high heat, bring chicken broth to a boil. add roaster breasts and enough water to cover, if necessary. reduce heat to low; simmer chicken for minutes. cool chicken in broth. remove meat and cut into / -inch cubes; discard skin and bones. reserve cups broth for recipe; save remainder for another use. in same dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter, stir in chicken, raisins, and curry powder; saute for minute. stir in flour, seasonings, reserved cups broth, and cream; bring to a simmer. reduce heat to low and simmer minutes, stirring frequently. stir in parsley. serve chicken with puff pastry hearts or toast points, accompanied by chutney, toasted almonds, or other condiments, if desired. just plain barbecued chicken serves if you visit the delmarva peninsula (delaware, maryland, virginia) in summer, you may come across some of the chicken barbecues that take place here. this is one of the popular recipes for crowds. chicken breast halves drumsticks quarts oil quarts vinegar tablespoons salt or to taste tablespoons ground pepper in a gallon container, combine oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. turn and brush with sauce every to minutes. sweet 'n smokey chicken serves - my step daughter-in-law, jan perdue, says that when frank's son jim was courting her, he invited her over for dinner and served sweet 'n smokey chicken for two. jan was enchanted with his culinary skill and thought that this would be a sample of what marriage to him would be like. she learned later that this is just about the only thing he cooks. fortunately, she enjoys cooking and doesn't mind. chicken breast halves chicken drumsticks chicken thighs medium onions, sliced quarts ketchup cup prepared mustard cups vinegar quart maple syrup / cup hickory smoked salt or to taste teaspoons ground pepper preheat oven to of. place chicken in a single layer, skin side up on top of onion slices in the bottom of to large baking pans. if possible keep breast halves in a separate pan from legs and thighs as they will cook more quickly. in a gallon container combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. bake chicken, uncovered for to minutes or until cooked through. check breast meat for doneness after minutes. treasure island chickenserves - a school-lunch chicken recipe contest produced this one. the winner adapted it from an old family recipe. chicken breast halves chicken drumsticks chicken thighs / pound butter or margarine / cup flour / cup sugar teaspoon dry mustard teaspoons cinnamon / teaspoon ground ginger quart orange juice tablespoons salt or to taste preheat oven to of. place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in to large baking pans. keep breast halves in a separate pan as they will cook more quickly than the legs and thighs. in a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. stir in flour, sugar, spices, orange juice and salt and cook, stirring constantly until thickened. pour sauce over chicken. bake, uncovered, for to minutes or until cooked through. check breast meat for doneness after minutes. texas barbecued breastsserves - turn chicken breasts with tongs instead of a fork, which could pierce the meat and cause it to lose some of its juiciness. cup tomato sauce / cup red wine vinegar / cup chili sauce / cup brown sugar tablespoons grated onion tablespoons worcestershire sauce tablespoon dijon mustard / teaspoon chili powder teaspoon paprika / teaspoon tabasco (optional) chicken breast halves in a large saucepan over medium heat combine all ingredients except chicken and bring to a boil. grill chicken to inches above medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through. turn and baste to times with sauce during cooking. chapter seven$ chicken for tomorrow$or next week. in an ideal world, we'd always have food at its freshest and we'd eat it right after it was prepared. in the real world, though, there are many, many times when cooking ahead is useful. you're giving a party and you don't want to be frazzled the day of the event. or you've got a busy week coming up and you want to do better by your family than just giving them calorie-laden, greasy take-out food. or you're having house guests, and you want to spend the time with them instead of in the kitchen. or maybe there's only one or two of you at home, and you've discovered that it's simpler to make a recipe for four and freeze part of it for use later. in my own case, my freezer is always full. one reason is that frank often invites three or four people the last minute, and it helps to have emergency food on hand. equally often, after i've made a meal, he'll call at : p.m. and tell me that we're eating out with one of the poultry distributors or suppliers, and i end up freezing what i've just cooked. as i wrap the food in foil and wedge it into the freezer, i remind myself, "this meal isn't going to waste, it's a head start on a future meal." when you know the principles for successful freezing$and i'll get to them in a moment$you can freeze just about any of the recipes in this cookbook. the recipes in this chapter are different from the rest because they not only can be cooked ahead, often they should be cooked ahead. some of them require marination, others improve with age, and still others adapt so well to cooking the day before that they belong in this chapter. use this chapter for recipes to use when you want to cook a day or so ahead of time, and also, use it for tips on how to freeze foods successfully. there are just a few principles needed to master the technique of cooking ahead, and once you know them, you'll have faster, better-tasting, healthier and safer meals to show for it. _the biggest boon to food preparation ahead is the freezer. everything freezes from the point of view of food safety, but there's a lot of variation in palatability. for best flavor and texture, don't freeze the following foods in your home freezer: _milk products $ they'll curdle. _boiled eggs $ the whites get watery. _custards $ they'll lose texture, get lumpy. _mayonnaise $ it may separate. _most foods that you fry at home (except french fries and onions) $ they can get an unattractive "warmed- over" taste. it's actually the fats turning slightly rancid. _cooked potatoes $ they darken and get an unattractive texture. (if you're going to freeze stew, add cooked potatoes later on when you're reheating the stew.) _fresh greens, celery, and carrots $ they get limp. _fresh tomatoes $ their high water content causes them to collapse when thawed. (however, you can freeze tomatoes if you're going to use them in a cooked form, such as in a pasta sauce.) _gravy $ the fat will separate out and puddle. (if you must freeze gravy, cut way back on the fat when you're making the gravy, and stir constantly when you're reheating it so as to keep the fat from separating.) _heavily spiced foods $ most herbs, salts, onions, fade away, but garlic and cloves will seem more intense. pepper has a tendency to turn bitter. curry takes on a musty flavor. _synthetic flavors $ use real vanilla rather than synthetic because synthetic vanilla can have an off-flavor after freezing. _highly salted foods $ salt tends to attract moisture and uneven freezing may result because salt slows down the freezing process. _even if you're freezing food for only a couple of days, be careful of packaging. air that's in the package will affect the color, flavor and texture. the container should be air tight, or the food will get freezer burn and lose nutritional value, and palatability. _it's critical to have a both your refrigerator and freezer cold enough. the best indicator of a good freezer temperature is brick-hard ice cream. if ice cream stored in your freezer is soft, turn the control to a colder setting. as for the refrigerator, check the drinking temperature of milk. if it's very cold, you've probably hit degrees, which is what you're aiming for. if the milk isn't cold enough, or if it sours too quickly, move the control to a colder setting. _here's a great tip if you're freezing chicken in a polyethylene bag: lower the bag, with the chicken in it, into a pan of water to force out the air. be sure the bag opening is above water. press entire surface area of bag to squeeze out air bubbles. twist end of bag and fold over. secure with fastener and label. _here's a convenient way to freeze casseroles for later use that joy schrage from whirlpool corporation told me: . line the casserole dish with foil, leaving " collar all around. . add casserole ingredients and bake. . cool and freeze in uncovered casserole . when frozen, lift casserole and foil out in one piece . cover with foil or place in a polyethylene freezer bag. press air out, then seal tightly, label, date and freeze. place in a polyethylene freezer bag. . to thaw, take frozen casserole out of bag and foil, and place in the casserole dish it was originally baked in. this type of freezing frees the casserole dish for other uses while the casserole is in the freezer. _homemade "tv" dinners: place leftovers in serving portions on sectioned plastic trays. cover, chill, tightly with plastic wrap and seal. then wrap entire tray in foil. label, date and freeze. to reheat, remove foil, puncture plastic wrap to make steam vents, and heat dinner in microwave. _to keep chicken pieces from sticking together in your freezer so that you can take out just the quantity you want without prying several pieces apart or thawing more than you need, do the following: . spread pieces in a single layer on a cookie sheet . place unwrapped in freezer . once frozen, remove chicken pieces from cookie sheet, and store in polyethylene freezer bag . place bag in freezer, label and date _freezing tip - use freezing tape to seal freezer wrap or suitable plastic wrap. freezer tape is made with a special adhesive designed to stick at low temperatures. _whole birds to be roasted should be thawed before cooking. broilers, and birds to be cooked by other methods can start being cooked when thawed enough for pieces to separate. if you'll follow the suggestions above, you'll find that most of the foods you cook can be prepared ahead of time and if necessary, frozen. this means that, with the exception of fried foods, just about all the recipes in this book can be considered cook-ahead foods. so, whether you're cooking for a party, for the week's meals, for houseguests, or for yourself, enjoy the recipes that follow$and all the others in this book as well. crispy cornish a la bleuserves there are easily varieties of blue vein cheeses for sale in this country. probably the most famous are the french roqueforta, the italian gorgonzola, the english stilton, and the american treasure cavea. personally, i like the american varieties best. fresh cornish game hens oil for deep frying / cup mayonnaise / cup sour cream / cup minced onion / cup crumbled bleu cheese small clove garlic, minced celery sticks cut hens into pieces each. fry in deep hot oil at f, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about ten minutes. drain well on paper towels. refrigerate if not serving right away. in a small bowl combine remaining ingredients except celery. cover and chill. serve hens warm, at room temperature or cold with bleu cheese dip and celery sticks. chicken souffleserves this is a nice prepare-ahead item. it's really best if stored overnight in the refrigerator before baking so the flavors have a chance to blend. eggs, beaten teaspoon minced, fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried teaspoon minced, fresh basil or / teaspoon dried ground pepper to taste cups cooked, shredded chicken / pound ham, roughly chopped tablespoon minced, fresh parsley / cup grated parmesan cheese, divided cups chicken broth / loaf ( ounces) italian bread, roughly torn into chunks cup grated mozzarella cheese in a mixing bowl combine eggs, thyme, basil and pepper. add chicken, ham, parsley, / cup parmesan cheese and broth. combine thoroughly and set aside. butter an " x " baking dish. place bread chunks in the bottom. cover with egg mixture followed by mozzarella cheese and remaining parmesan. refrigerate hour or longer. preheat oven to of. bake for minutes until puffed and golden brown. chicken and stuffingserves i wouldn't serve this to a gourmet club, but it's an easy, cook ahead dish for a relaxed family meal when you don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. it's also an ideal way to have the taste of stuffed chicken -- with easier serving qualities. you can make it ahead of time, up to the point of baking. cans ( - / -ounces each) condensed cream of chicken soup, divided can ( - / -ounces) chicken broth eggs, beaten package ( - / -ounces) herb seasoned stuffing mix cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup milk tablespoons chopped canned pimento preheat oven to of. in a mixing bowl whisk together one can of undiluted soup, broth and eggs. add stuffing mix and toss. place stuffing in bottom of a baking dish. arrange chicken on top of stuffing and sprinkle with salt and pepper. in a large measuring cup combine remaining can of soup and milk and pimento and pour over all. bake, uncovered, for to minutes or until hot and bubbling.. chick-o-tato casserole serves - this tastes better reheated, after the flavors have had a chance to blend. you can make it today and it will taste better tomorrow. / cup vegetable oil / cup chopped onion / cup chopped celery / cup chopped green pepper / cup ketchup / cup water tablespoons vinegar tablespoons sugar tablespoon worcestershire sauce tablespoon prepared mustard teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper chicken, cut in serving pieces medium potatoes, peeled and thickly sliced preheat oven to f. in a large skillet, over medium heat, heat oil. add onion, celery and green pepper and cook, stirring often, for to minutes or until softened. add ketchup, water, vinegar, sugar, worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper and simmer at low heat for about minutes. place chicken in bottom of a baking dish and tuck potatoes around chicken pieces. pour sauce over all. bake, covered, for to minutes or until cooked through. if planning to re-heat, remove from oven when slightly under cooked. choice cheesy chicken serves - there's no last minute attention required for this recipe. prepare it a day ahead, right up to the point of baking. clove garlic, peeled / cup ( stick) butter or margarine cup bread crumbs / cup grated sharp cheddar cheese / cup grated parmesan cheese teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper skinless, boneless chicken breast halves with the broad side of a large kitchen knife crush garlic slightly to release flavor. in a small saucepan over low heat melt butter with garlic clove. set butter aside for / hour for maximum garlic flavoring. on a sheet of wax paper combine bread crumbs, cheeses, salt and pepper. dip chicken in garlic butter, then roll in cheese mixture. tuck sides under to form a neat roll. arrange chicken in a large shallow baking pan and drizzle with any remaining butter. cover and refrigerate if making ahead. when ready to bake, preheat oven to of. bake chicken for to minutes or until crisp, golden and cooked through. photo: new year's eve - cold "chicken tonnato" buffet cold chicken tonnatoserves - this is an elegant company recipe, and it works well if you make it the day before. i've made it with water-packed tuna, but oil-packed would work also. chicken cutlets (about pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded thin, or thin sliced boneless roaster breasts) / cup flour, seasoned with salt and ground pepper to taste / cup ( stick) butter or margarine cans ( -ounces) tuna, drained anchovies cloves garlic, peeled cup olive oil tablespoons white vinegar tablespoons light cream tablespoons capers dip cutlets in flour to coat lightly, shake off excess. in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. add cutlets and saute until cooked through, about minutes; turn once. drain cutlets on paper towels. chill. in a blender or food processor, combine tuna, anchovies, garlic, oil, vinegar and light cream. blend until pureed. pour sauce over cold cutlets, sprinkle with capers. may be loosely covered and refrigerated overnight before serving. easy chicken cordon bleuserves this is another recipe that can be fixed, except for frying, on the day before. for variation, try swiss cheese and canadian bacon. for a sauce, make a white sauce with chicken broth. if you're in a hurry, undiluted cream of chicken soup makes a handy substitute, but it's definitely a second choice compared to a good, homemade white sauce. garnish with parsley sprig. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoon minced, fresh parsley slices ham slices sharp cheese egg, beaten cup bread crumbs place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / inch thickness. skip the preceding step if you're using the thin sliced boneless roaster breast. spread chicken with butter and sprinkle with parsley. place a slice of ham and a slice of cheese on each chicken breast, folding to fit. roll, jelly-roll fashion, and secure with toothpicks. dip chicken in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs. fry in deep fat at of for - minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. remove toothpicks before serving. fiesta tortilla stack - servings the flavors in this recipe blend and get better if you make it the day before, but i have also served it the same day when i was in a hurry. it does need at least a couple of hours for the flavors to develop. i've made this recipe with coriander and without; it works well either way. coriander, by the way, is also known as cilantro or chinese parsley, so if you can't find "coriander" in your market, look for it by its other names. cup cooked, shredded chicken / cup mayonnaise tablespoons chopped, fresh, cilantro (also called coriander or chinese parsley), if available / teaspoon salt package ( ounces) cream cheese can ( ounces) whole kernel corn, drained tablespoons taco seasoning mix dozen -inch flour tortillas cherry tomatoes small head lettuce in a mixing bowl combine chicken, mayonnaise, cilantro and salt. in a separate small bowl combine cream cheese drained corn and taco seasoning mix. place flour tortillas, one on top of other. spread with / of chicken mixture, then two tortillas and corn mixture. continue until mixtures are used up. chill for at least hours to develop flavors. remove from refrigerator half an hour before serving. garnish with tomatoes and serve on a bed of lettuce. garden breast chevreserves chevre means goat in french, and the title of this recipe comes from the goat cheese in it. frank, by the way, loves goat cheese. whole roaster breast salt and ground pepper to taste ounces mild creamy goat cheese or cream cheese, softened medium carrot, coarsely grated small zucchini, unpeeled and coarsely grated / cup snipped fresh or frozen chives teaspoons minced fresh rosemary or / teaspoon dried tablespoon vegetable oil preheat oven to o f. working from the top of the breast use finger tips to carefully loosen the skin from the meat on the breast to form a pocket. do not detach skin on sides or at base of breast.. combine cheese, carrot, zucchini, chives, rosemary and salt and pepper. stuff vegetable mixture evenly under skin of breast. brush with oil and place skin side up in a roasting pan. bake for about one hour and minutes or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when a cut is made near the bone. chill, wrap tightly and refrigerate if not serving immediately. it's good served at room temperature, but it's also good reheated. cold cornishserves to get the best flavor from the green beans in this recipe, choose ones that are fresh and young. the bean growers say that if the bean is fresh, it will snap easily when broken. if it bends instead of snapping, the bean has been around too long. also, check the maturity of the developing seeds inside the pods. you want the seeds to be immature, and you can tell this by making sure that they don't bulge inside the pods. if the seeds are bulging, you can count on the green beans being tough and leathery. fresh cornish game hens tablespoons olive oil large tomatoes, coarsely chopped, or can ( ounces) whole tomatoes, chopped, drained medium zucchini, sliced cup fresh green beans, cut into -inch lengths scallions, sliced / cup minced fresh basil or tablespoon dried teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cup chicken broth / cup feta cheese (optional) quarter hens, remove backbones. in a large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add hens and brown on all sides, to minutes. add remaining ingredients. cover and simmer minutes or until hens are cooked through. refrigerate. serve cold, sprinkled with cheese. kick-off kabobsserves frank is an avid sports fan, and he constantly astonishes his friends by knowing obscure facts and dates concerning the various players and games. this is a an easy dish to serve your sports fans. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves / cup flour teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper egg, slightly beaten tablespoons water / cup fine dry bread crumbs / cup grated parmesan cheese tablespoons butter or margarine preheat oven to of. on a sheet of wax paper, combine flour, salt and pepper. in a shallow dish beat together egg and water. on a separate sheet of wax paper blend bread crumbs and cheese. dip chicken into flour, then egg, then bread crumb mixture turning to coat well on both sides. arrange chicken in a buttered baking dish. dot with remaining butter. bake for minutes. turn and bake to minutes longer or until cooked through. cut each breast half into four pieces and thread onto wooden skewers. wrap in foil or place in plastic container and refrigerate until needed. serve with assorted dips. herbed sour cream dip - in a small bowl combine cup sour cream, tablespoons minced fresh parsley, teaspoon dried tarragon, tablespoons minced scallions, tablespoons snipped fresh or frozen chives, and / teaspoon salt or to taste. instant spiced dip - in a small bowl blend together cup mayonnaise, / cup bottled french dressing, / cup chili sauce, teaspoon horseradish sauce, teaspoon worcestershire sauce, / teaspoon dry mustard, cloves garlic, minced and salt to taste. (if you're in a hurry, substitute / teaspoon garlic salt for the fresh garlic and the salt.) marinated broiled chicken serves - marinating provides an opportunity for flavors to penetrate the chicken. the marinating time can vary tremendously and the results will still be tasty. i like to marinate overnight, in the refrigerator, but even three hours can add a lot to the flavor or your chicken. chicken, cut in half lengthwise / cup peanut or vegetable oil / cup soy sauce teaspoon minced, fresh ginger or teaspoon ground cloves garlic, minced salt to taste place chicken in a shallow dish. add remaining ingredients and turn to coat well. cover and marinate refrigerated for at least hours. place chicken skin side down on broiler rack. pour half of marinade mixture in cavity of chicken. broil to inches from broiler for about minutes. turn chicken, brush with remaining mixture. broil to minutes longer or until cooked through. oven-braised roaster breast with vegetables serves - making this dish the day before has a couple of advantages. any fat will rise to the top where it's easy to remove and also the wine and herbs "marry" with the other flavors. whole roaster breast tablespoons vegetable oil small white onions (about / pound) - / cups low-sodium chicken broth / cup dry white wine tablespoon minced, fresh tarragon or teaspoon dried / teaspoon ground pepper small potatoes, peeled baby carrots cups broccoli florets / cup milk - / tablespoons cornstarch preheat oven to of. in -quart oven-proof dutch oven or saucepot over medium-high heat, heat oil. add roaster breast; cook to minutes turning until browned on all sides. remove and set aside. add onions, cook to minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. remove onions; pour off excess fat. return roaster breast to dutch oven. add broth, wine, tarragon and pepper; bring to a boil. add potatoes; cover and bake minutes. add onions and carrots; cover. bake minutes longer or until roaster breast and vegetables are almost tender. add broccoli; cover. bake to minutes longer or until roaster breast is cooked through and vegetables are tender. (prepare to this point and refrigerate overnight, if desired.) remove roaster breast and vegetables to serving platter; keep warm. in small bowl, stir together milk and cornstarch until smooth; stir into liquid in dutch oven. over medium heat, bring to boil; boil l minute, stirring constantly. serve sauce with roaster breast and vegetables. parmesan breastserves parmesan cheese is a "cooking cheese" and is usually used in its grated form in the united states. when young, it's mild and nutty, but with age is acquires a sharply tangy flavor. when it's too old, it gives an off-flavor to foods, so check the shelf life on the container. when it doubt, taste it. whole roaster breast cups cooked rice cup fresh chopped spinach (or / package frozen, thawed and drained) / cup minced fresh basil, or tablespoons dried clove garlic, minced / cup toasted pine nuts egg tablespoons milk tablespoons olive oil, plus tablespoon for basting / cup grated parmesan cheese salt and ground pepper to taste preheat oven to of. season breast to taste with salt and pepper. in a mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients. stuff breast cavity with rice and place a sheet of aluminum foil over cavity to hold in stuffing. carefully turn breast over and place skin side up in a roasting pan. spoon any remaining rice around breast. baste chicken with oil and bake for about one hour and minutes or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when a cut is made near the bone. chill, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for hours to give flavors a chance to blend. you can serve it warm or at room temperature. salisbury chicken breasts serves - the name "salisbury," when used with steak means that the beef will be chopped or ground. this recipe has nothing to do with chopped meat; in this case "salisbury" refers to the town on maryland's eastern shore where the perdue farms headquarters is located. you can prepare this a day ahead of time right up to the point of baking. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or two thin sliced boneless roaster breasts / cup flour - / teaspoons salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cup bread crumbs / teaspoon minced, fresh sage or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon minced, fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried eggs / cup ( stick) butter or margarine, melted / cup sauterne wine slices mozzarella cheese preheat oven to of. on a sheet of wax paper, combine flour, salt and pepper. in a shallow bowl beat eggs. on a separate sheet of wax paper combine bread crumbs and seasonings. dip chicken in flour mixture, then eggs, then crumb mixture. roll and secure with toothpicks. place in large shallow baking pan. pour melted butter over chicken. cover and bake for minutes. remove cover. pour sauterne over chicken. bake, uncovered, minutes more. fold slices of cheese in half; place one on top of each roll for last minutes or until cheese is melted. secretaries' saladserves - perdue home economists developed most of the recipes in this book, but this recipe is one of the few that is mine. i served it first at what frank and i jokingly call the "perdue high holiday," national secretaries' day. that's the day when we honor the people who we know really make the world go 'round. we usually have about of the top secretaries from perdue headquarters for dinner along with their husbands to celebrate the day. head lettuce, shredded cup chopped celery large green, red, or yellow pepper, chopped cup thinly sliced carrots or if it's summer, cup chopped tomato cup chopped scallions cup frozen peas, room temperature, not cooked / cups mayonnaise (i use hellmann's) cups cooked, shredded chicken - / cups shredded cheddar cheese in a large glass bowl, layer ingredients in the order given. refrigerate for hours to develop flavors. pistachio smoked chicken spread the green color and the crunch of the pistachios add a lot to this spread. be sure to store the pistachios in an airtight container after purchase. exposure to air affects the texture of the nuts and causes them to become soggy. package cream cheese ( -ounces), room temperature cup finely chopped cooked chicken / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon liquid smoke / chopped pistachios teaspoons fresh lemon juice in a mixing bowl combine ingredients thoroughly. refrigerate for hours while flavors blend. serve on crackers, or for a rich and delicious lunch, i have served it on croissants one time and on bagels another day. spicy cornish hen tidbitsserves this is another of the recipes included in the perdue cornish hen packages that people have requested from frank dozens and dozens of times over the years. i'm including the recipe exactly as it originally appeared, but you may want to substitute fresh garlic ( clove), fresh onion ( tablespoon, finely chopped), and fresh celery ( tablespoons, finely chopped), for the garlic powder, onion salt, and celery salt. if you make these substitutions, be sure to add salt to taste afterwards. fresh cornish game hens teaspoon chili powder / teaspoon garlic powder / teaspoon onion salt / teaspoon celery salt / teaspoon lemon pepper or black pepper cup vegetable oil or as needed cup bottled garlic cheese dressing cut hens into serving pieces. combine dry spices and toss hens in spices to coat evenly. heat oil in large skillet over medium heat and fry cornish pieces about minutes on each side until tender and golden. remove and drain on paper towels. arrange on a serving dish. cover and refrigerate overnight. to serve, dip cornish pieces into bottled dressing. serve at room temperature. chapter eight chicken for holidays if we were back in the s right now, and you were planning a holiday meal, it would almost certainly not include chicken$unless you were either lucky or rich. having chicken for holidays happens all the time today, but back then, chicken on the menu was either a sign of affluence or that you lived on a farm and had your own chickens. when herbert hoover was using "a chicken in every pot" as a campaign slogan back in the late s, chicken was such a rare and expensive treat that people thought hoover's promise was about as realistic as promising them pie in the sky. few people believed that anyone could deliver on that promise. all this changed because of a fortunate accident that happened near where frank grew up on the eastern shore of maryland. in , when mrs. wilmer steele, of nearby sussex county, was ordering baby chicks for her laying flock, someone processing the order got a zero wrong. instead of the chicks she was counting on, mrs. steele received baby chicks. she found herself faced with the twin problems of first, the expense of feeding so many birds, and second, the hassle of trying to sell more eggs than the market in sussex county could possibly absorb. the solution she came up with changed the eating patterns not just of sussex county, but of most of the world as well. it also had a lot to do with frank's future career. up until then, chicken production was no more than an adjunct to egg production and when someone had chicken to eat, it was most likely a "spent hen," a tough old bird which no longer laid a sufficient number of eggs to pay her feed costs. mrs. steele transformed all this by deciding to sell all her extra baby chicks for meat when they were only a few months old and hadn't yet cost her too much in feed. the young and tender meat from these birds made them an instant success. consumers loved them, and mrs. steele discovered that raising chickens entirely for meat rather than for producing eggs, was a lucrative business. other egg producers, including frank and his father, arthur w. perdue, eventually switched over to growing chickens for meat rather than for eggs. progressive farmers like the perdues were soon breeding their chickens for larger size, faster growth, and better conversion of feed to meat$something no one had thought about when chickens were grown only for egg production. as a result of this specialization, the poultrymen were able to bring the cost of chicken down far enough so that it became affordable for everyone. these changes literally transformed our eating habits. in , we americans didn't consume a pound of broiler chicken per person in a year; today we're eating about pounds each per year. and where once only the rich could feature chicken for a holiday meal, now everyone can and many do. the holiday recipes that follow were developed by the perdue home economists. you'll find them arranged by date, beginning with january. i've included the sample menus that accompanied the original recipes. my favorite among them is the fourth of july menu that comes from frank's family. chinese new year celebration is do-it-yourself feast i wonder if any nationality can compete with the chinese on the art of eating well. the last empress of china, for instance, was known to order dishes prepared daily. from these, she chose two for dinner. even average chinese families, when they can afford it, serve an array of dishes at meal time. i remember during one chinese cooking course that i took, the teacher explained the philosophy behind having several$or even many$dishes at each meal. the idea is that the taste buds quickly tire of one taste-sensation and therefore, the meal is more enjoyable if you have many flavors and textures. at celebrations such as those that welcome the lunar new year, chicken plays an important role. chicken represents renewal and rebirth, so it often appears in several different dishes. in china, the oven stuffer roaster included here would be served complete with head and feet to symbolize completeness -- but my husband isn't selling them that way right now, so i'm not going to be completely authentic! other symbolic foods include oysters to represent good fortune, fish to symbolize plenty, and mein (noodles) to represent long life. i don't really expect you to make all these dishes from scratch, so how about getting some of them canned or frozen from your supermarket? chinese new year feast cold platter of prepared meat and fish (abalone, smoked fish, smoked ham) boiled rice oysters egg rolls won ton soup *stir fry in noodle basket *poached soy roaster *new year low mein *peking cornish hens with scallion sauce *stir-fried vegetables over chow mein noodles *recipe follows poached soy roasterserves - whole roaster cups water cups dark soy sauce cup dry sherry tablespoons sugar - / teaspoons five-spice powder slices peeled, fresh gingerroot shredded cabbage (optional) carrot curls (optional) hot pepper flowers (optional) remove giblets; set aside. remove and discard fat from cavity. tie legs together and fold wings back. in -quart kettle or dutch oven, place roaster, breast-side down; add giblets and next ingredients. over high heat, bring to a boil. reduce heat to low and cover; simmer minutes. uncover and turn roaster over gently, being careful not to tear skin. over high heat, return to a boil; cover and simmer over low heat for another minutes or until leg joint moves easily and juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. remove roaster and cool slightly; cut into small pieces. serve hot, at room temperature or chilled, arranging on a bed of cabbage and garnishing with carrot curls and hot pepper flowers. soy sauce mixture may be boiled and then passed as a dipping sauce. note: sauce mixture can be used over and over again. skim off fat; refrigerate up to a week or freeze several months. bring to a boil before reusing. stir-fry in a noodle basketserves - boneless roaster breast, cut into / -inch cubes (about cups) tablespoons soy sauce, divided tablespoons dry sherry tablespoons cornstarch, divided scallions, cut into / -inch slices ( / cup) teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot cloves garlic, minced tablespoons cider vinegar teaspoons sugar teaspoons chinese sesame oil / teaspoon cayenne pepper tablespoons vegetable oil, divided cups broccoli flowerets ( small bunch), blanched / cups sliced carrots (about ), blanched / cup sliced water chestnuts can ( -ounces) straw mushrooms, drained, or can ( - ounces) whole button mushrooms, drained / cup dry roasted cashew nuts noodle basket (recipe follows) in large bowl, combine breast cubes, tablespoons soy sauce, sherry, and tablespoon cornstarch; toss until well mixed and set aside. on small plate, combine scallions, ginger and garlic; set aside. in small bowl, mix well remaining tablespoons soy sauce, tablespoon cornstarch, vinegar, sugar, sesame oil, and cayenne; set aside. in a wok or large, heavy skillet over high heat, heat tablespoons oil until hot, but not smoking. add breast cubes and cook, stirring quickly and frequently (stir-fry), minutes. remove breast cubes with slotted spoon. add remaining tablespoons oil to skillet and heat. add onions, ginger and garlic; stir-fry about seconds. add broccoli, carrots, water chestnuts, mushrooms, and cooked breast cubes; stir-fry minutes longer. pour soy sauce mixture into skillet and cook minute longer or until slightly thickened. stir in cashews. serve hot in noodle basket. note: dish may be made up to - / hours ahead, but do not add cashews; add just before serving. place mixture in oven-to-table serving dish; partially cover and reheat in preheated f oven for minutes. or reheat in top of double boiler over hot water for minutes, stirring occasionally. photo: unusual presentation of chineese food in noodle basket noodle basket package ( -ounces) spaghetti oil for deep frying cook spaghetti as package directs. run cooked spaghetti under cold water; drain. gently toss spaghetti with a little oil. over index fingers, fold five or six spaghetti strands in half. drape folded spaghetti over edge of - x - / -inch sieve, so that loops fall to outside of sieve and ends into center. continue to place folded spaghetti ( to strands at a time) around edge of sieve. intertwine ends of spaghetti in center to form a woven pattern that will make the noodle basket stronger and prevent spaghetti from separating during frying. extra spaghetti can be added in center of sieve to reinforce pattern. when basket is complete, place another sieve on top to hold in place. in large saucepan, pour enough oil to cover sieve; over medium-high heat, heat to of or until a small piece of spaghetti sizzles and turns golden when placed in oil. submerge sieves, with spaghetti between, and deep-fry until noodle basket is lightly browned; remove and drain on paper towels. makes large basket or small baskets ( x - / ) note: to make smaller baskets, drape spaghetti over a sieve measuring x - / -inches; repeat for baskets. new year lo meinserves - water tablespoons soy sauce, divided tablespoons cornstarch, divided roaster boneless thigh cutlets, cut into thin slices or strips teaspoons chinese sesame oil teaspoon sugar tablespoons vegetable oil, divided cup chopped scallions ( - ) cloves garlic, minced cups sliced celery cabbage ( / medium head) cups sliced celery ( ribs) cups carrots cut in julienne strips ( ), blanched cups sliced mushrooms ( / pound) cup snow peas, trimmed, cut into -inch pieces cups bean sprouts / cup sliced water chestnuts / cup bamboo shoots cut in julienne strips / pound fine egg noodles or thin spaghetti broken into fourths, cooked, rinsed and drained in medium-sized bowl, combine tablespoons water, tablespoons soy sauce and tablespoon cornstarch. add thigh pieces and toss until well coated; set aside. in small bowl, mix well / cup water, remaining tablespoons soy sauce, remaining tablespoons cornstarch, sesame oil, and sugar; set aside. in large skillet or wok over medium-high heat, heat tablespoons oil until hot but not smoking. add thigh mixture; stir-fry over high heat minutes. remove thigh meat with slotted spoon; set aside. heat remaining tablespoons oil in skillet. add scallions and garlic; stir-fry about seconds. add celery cabbage, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and snow peas; stir-fry over medium heat minutes or until vegetables are tender-crisp. (add - tablespoons water, if needed). add bean sprouts, water chestnuts and bamboo shoots; stir-fry minutes. stir in thigh meat and spaghetti. add cornstarch mixture and cook until sauce has thickened. serve immediately. photo: create a meal in the chinese tradition with fresh cornish hens peking-style, served with stir-fried vegetables peking cornish hens with scallion sauceserves fresh cornish game hens cups water / cup honey - / -inch-thick slices fresh ginger skewers (approximately -inches long) remove giblets. pat hens dry. bring water to a boil in large saucepan. when boiling, add honey and stir. one at a time, lower each bird into honey bath, quickly turning it completely over to evenly coat with liquid. immediately remove and place a slice of ginger in each bird. let hens dry on metal rack for minutes. place in roasting pan with wings folded back. push tail into body cavity, then run skewer through meaty part of drumsticks underneath bone, skewering the tail. (if wood skewers are used, cover ends with foil to prevent burning.) cook in preheated f oven for hour until tender. combine sauce ingredients and serve with hens. scallion sauce / cup soy sauce tablespoons dry sherry tablespoons fresh orange juice teaspoon grated orange rind teaspoon sugar scallions thinly sliced stir-frying is a classic chinese cooking technique in which food is quickly cooked over high heat to retain flavor and crispness. in a wok or skillet, saute chopped broccoli, green beans, celery and bean sprouts in a small amount of peanut oil for about minutes, stirring frequently. flavor with soy sauce and serve. stir-fried vegetablesserves / cup bias-cut bite-size carrot pieces / cup broccoli flowerets / cup bias-cut green beans / cup celery thinly sliced at an angle / cup snow peas - tablespoons peanut oil clove garlic peeled and lightly crushed (optional) - / -inch thick slice fresh ginger (optional) soy sauce to taste in a saucepan bring quart of water to a boil, add carrots, and cook for minutes. drain and rinse under cold running water, then pat dry with paper towels. to a heated wok or iron skillet add tablespoons peanut oil and optional garlic and ginger. when oil is hot, add well dried carrots and saute for minutes. quickly remove carrots with a slotted spoon and arrange on a serving platter, then continue in the same manner cooking the broccoli and green beans, each for minutes and the celery and snowpeas each for minute. add more oil as necessary and remove garlic and ginger if they start to burn. when all of the vegetables have been arranged, sprinkle lightly with soy sauce and serve immediately. elegant dinner for two photo caption: on valentine's day, show your loved one you care by serving cornish hens sheherezade and tender-hearts salad. there's a hearts and valentines connection today that great grandmother never considered. given what we now know about diet and heart disease, it's more true than ever that the way to a man's heart really is through his stomach. in the case of my husband, i think it's certainly true. to be honest, frank is not what you'd call a heavy duty romantic. on valentines day he does give me roses, but i've wondered if the flowers appear because his secretary, elaine barnes, puts him up to it. i also get a wonderfully romantic valentine's card, but for all i know elaine may choose it for him. in my heart of hearts, i think he enjoys valentine's day, but is more turned on by the health aspect of the menu that follows than with any flowers or valentines. february has been celebrated as national heart month since . what better time than february to pamper a loved one's heart -- or your own -- than the season for lovers? here's a special february dinner for your valentine, one with an elegant menu for two that encourages love, devotion and good health. to star at the meal, serve cornish hens sheherazade, a romantic choice because fresh hens, like love birds, come in pairs. they also are low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. to surround the birds with beauty and good nutrition, you could make a brown-rice pilaf, sweet- flavored miniature vegetables, and a salad studded with deep-red beets cut in tiny hearts. for dessert? try forbidden fruit souffle. menu *cornish hens sheherazade *curried brown rice pilaf miniature vegetables *tender hearts salad *forbidden fruit souffle *recipe follows cornish hens sheherazadeserves - fresh cornish game hens tablespoons fresh lemon juice (reserve shell) teaspoons soybean oil / teaspoon ground ginger / teaspoon ground cumin ground pepper to taste, and salt, if you must paprika to taste small onions, halved whole cloves fresh or frozen baby carrots, lightly steamed / cup combined fresh or frozen baby peas and pearl onions, lightly steamed curried brown rice pilaf (recipe follows) place hens in large shallow bowl. in small bowl, combine lemon juice, oil, ginger, cumin, pepper, salt and paprika. pour into and over cornish hens. cover and marinate in refrigerator minutes or longer. preheat oven to f. stick cloves into onion halves. place onion halves and / squeezed lemon juice inside each hen. tie legs together and fold back wings. sprinkle with pepper and paprika. roast about minutes or until juices run clear with no trace of pink when thigh is pierced. serve hens with vegetables and curried brown rice pilaf. curried brown rice pilafserves teaspoon soybean oil / cup chopped onion teaspoon curry powder / teaspoon ground ginger / teaspoon ground cumin / teaspoon ground turmeric ground pepper to taste, and salt, if you can't do without it dash cayenne / cup uncooked brown rice tablespoon raisins (optional) can ( -ounces) low-sodium chicken broth / cup water tablespoon snipped fresh or frozen chives preheat oven to f. in small, non-stick skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil. saute onion and spices and salt, if you're using it, in hot oil for to minutes until tender but not browned. stir in rice and raisins; remove from heat and set aside. in an ovenproof saucepan, over high heat, bring chicken broth and water to a boil. stir in rice mixture; cover and boil minutes. place covered saucepan in oven and continue to cook to minutes until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed. to serve, toss pilaf with chives. tender hearts saladserves can ( -ounces) low-sodium fancy sliced beets teaspoons cider vinegar teaspoon dijon mustard tablespoon soybean oil ground pepper to taste pinch ground cinnamon to taste small heads bibb or boston lettuce with outside leaves removed teaspoons snipped fresh or frozen chives drain beets, reserving tablespoons liquid. using small heart-shaped cookie cutter or cardboard pattern, cut hearts out of beet slices. prepare dressing: in small bowl, combine reserved beet liquid, vinegar, and mustard. whisk in oil in a slow stream; season with pepper and cinnamon. toss beets with dressing and set aside. trim base of lettuce heads, if necessary, so they sit flat; gently spread leaves open like a flower. carefully wash lettuce in cold water; pat dry with paper towels. on each of the two salad plates, place one lettuce head; arrange beet hearts decoratively among leaves. to serve, drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with chives. forbidden fruit souffleserves large unblemished cooking/eating apples / lemon cup unsweetened applesauce teaspoons honey ground cinnamon to taste ground nutmeg to taste tablespoons applejack or calvados, divided (optional) large egg white confectioners' sugar preheat oven to f. lightly grease baking dish. wash apples and, if necessary, cut a thin slice off bottom of each apple to make it stand upright. cut a / -inch slice off tops of apples. using a small, sharp knife and a grapefruit spoon, hollow out apples, leaving a shell / - inch thick. rub inside and top edges of apple shells with lemon to keep them from discoloring. in small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat, combine applesauce, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and to teaspoons applejack. cook, stirring often, until heated through but not boiling. in small bow, with mixer at high speed, beat egg white until stiff but not dry. into medium-sized mixing bowl, pour hot applesauce. add half the egg white; fold in with a rubber or wooden spatula. add remaining egg white and fold in gently. sprinkle inside of apple shells lightly with additional cinnamon and nutmeg. place apple shells in prepared baking dish; carefully fill with applesauce mixture, doming the top. bake in center of oven for to minutes or until souffles have risen and are very lightly browned on top. remove souffles from oven and sprinkle lightly with confectioner's sugar. to flame souffles, in small saucepan, heat remaining applejack until barely warm. using a long match, light applejack and pour over souffles. serve at once. photo - drumstick crown roast - spring drumstick crown roast adds whimsy to easter feast the symbols of easter are happy ones, full of the joy of the day$spring flowers and spring greens, new clothes, cuddly animals and their chocolate look-alikes, jelly beans, fancy breads and cakes, colored eggs and easter egg hunts. catching the spirit of the day, perdue farms' home economists developed a playful main course to "crown" the easter meal. it is a roast of drumsticks fashioned into an edible crown by baking them upright around a coffee can. when baking is complete, a corn bread stuffing that you make replaces the can. the technique is not difficult and the can actually helps brown the outside of the chicken. pilaf-stuffed crown roast with herb gravy could be the centerpiece to a greek feast, including a classic greek soup, artichoke casserole, and salad with feta cheese. traditional touches such as a garnish of red-dyed hard- cooked eggs and luscious rich baklava from the bakery will add authenticity to the celebration. for an american-style meal, serve cornbread-stuffed crown roast of drumsticks with madeira sauce. either way, happy easter! menu hot sherried consomme *pilaf-stuffed crown roast of drumsticks with herb gravy or *cornbread-stuffed crown roast of drumsticks with madeira sauce creamy cole slaw maple candied sweet potatoes wilted lettuce salad golden chiffon cake *recipe follows pilaf-stuffed crown roast ofserves - drumsticks with herb gravy roaster drumsticks empty coffee can ( - -ounces) with ends removed and outside greased kitchen twine / cup olive oil salt and ground pepper to taste / teaspoons minced, fresh oregano or / teaspoon dried, divided / teaspoons minced, fresh thyme, or / teaspoon dried / cup flour clove garlic, minced cups chicken broth or water hard-cooked eggs, dyed red, optional garnish fresh bay leaves, thyme, oregano and marjoram, optional garnish greek easter pilaf (recipe follows) preheat oven to f. place coffee can in center of a round - or -inch cake pan. arrange drumsticks around can, narrow end up. with twine, tie drumsticks securely around the can in places, starting at the middle, then bottom, then top. in a small bowl, combine oil with salt, pepper, one half of oregano, and / of thyme; brush onto drumsticks. roast drumsticks for hour, minutes, basting halfway through cooking time with any remaining oil. meanwhile, prepare greek easter pilaf; keep warm. using two spatulas, remove roast with can to a warm -inch platter or chop plate. pour / cup pan juices into a small saucepan. whisk in flour and cook over medium heat for minutes, stirring constantly. add garlic, broth, and remaining oregano and thyme; bring to a boil, whisking constantly. season to taste with salt and pepper; strain gravy into a warm sauceboat. to serve roast, spoon stuffing into coffee can. carefully lift off can and gently press drumsticks against stuffing. garnish, if desired, with dyed eggs and fresh herbs. greek easter pilaf / cup ( / stick) butter or margarine / cup chopped onion / cup pine nuts (pignoli) - / cups converted rice - / cups chicken broth or water / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup currants or raisins / cup minced, fresh parsley in a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. saute onion, pine nuts, and rice in hot butter for minutes, stirring constantly. stir in broth, salt, pepper, and currants and bring to boil. cover pot with tightly-fitting lid; reduce heat to low. cook rice minutes or until tender. fluff with a fork and toss with parsley. cornbread-stuffed crown roast of drumsticks serves with madeira sauce roaster drumsticks empty coffee can ( - -ounces) with both ends removed and outside greased kitchen twine / cup ( stick) butter or margarine melted salt and ground pepper to taste teaspoon ground sage dixie cornbread stuffing (recipe follows) / cup flour tablespoons madeira wine cup chicken broth or water preheat oven to f. place coffee can in center of a round - or -inch cake pan. arrange drumsticks around can, narrow end up. with twine, tie drumsticks securely around the can in places, starting at the middle, then bottom, then top. in a small bowl, combine butter with salt, pepper, and sage; brush onto drumsticks. roast for hour, minutes, basting halfway through cooking time with remaining any butter. meanwhile, prepare dixie cornbread stuffing, cover and bake in oven with roast during last minutes of cooking time. using two spatulas, remove roast with can to a warm -inch platter or chop plate. pour / cup pan juices into a small saucepan. whisk in flour and cook over medium heat minutes, stirring constantly. add madeira and broth; bring to a boil, whisking frequently. season to taste with salt and pepper; strain gravy into a warm sauceboat. to serve roast, spoon stuffing into coffee can. carefully lift off can and gently press drumsticks against stuffing. dixie cornbread stuffing / pound lean bacon, diced / cup chopped onion / cup chopped celery / cup ( / stick) butter or margarine / pound fresh spinach, kale, or collard greens, cooked, well drained and chopped* package ( -ounces) cornbread stuffing mix cup chicken broth or water salt and ground pepper to taste in a medium-sized ovenproof skillet, over medium heat, saute bacon, onion, and celery for to minutes or until bacon is cooked. add butter and heat until melted. stir in greens, stuffing mix, and broth; toss well. season with salt and pepper. *note: or substitute / package ( -ounces) frozen chopped spinach, kale, or collard greens, thawed and drained. mother's day dinner -- with love from the kids photo: chicken bouquet is a centerpiece for mother's day. mother's day became a national holiday in . since then, it's a day of love and memories, with no gifts more appreciated than the "i made it myself" or "i cooked it myself" variety. i remember so well the fledgling attempts by my oldest child to cook for mother's day. jose wasn't much more than a toddler when he got the idea on his own to make hot cocoa for a mother's day treat. while i was still in bed, he went into the kitchen, turned on the electric stove, and started to make the cocoa by setting a china cup full of water directly on the hot burner. i came into the kitchen just in time to prevent a disaster. as you can imagine, a quick lesson on kitchen safety followed. the perdue farms home economists want to be sure your kids don't have a similar close call and recommend that all kids be warned to stay away from the stove unless there's adult supervision. but assuming that there's an adult around to help, children can participate in making a wonderful treat for their mother. the recipe that follows is "a dinner bouquet for mom." grade school children and older can create a bouquet of chicken kebobs, helping to thread fruit and fresh boneless thigh meat on skewers and to "plant" them in rice. for younger children, even toddlers, drumstick blossoms are an easy alternate recipe in which drumsticks are rolled in parmesan-flavored crumbs. any age child can help scrub vegetables and spoon sherbet into orange cups. teenagers can enjoy creating radish roses, making stir-fry rice, and scalloping orange baskets to hold sherbet. editor's note: please see accompanying recipes and photograph. menu *citrus chicken bouquet or *drumstick blossoms stewed tomatoes idaho baked potatoes with sour cream succotash dinner rolls berries and cream *recipe follows citrus chicken bouquet serves roaster boneless thigh cutlets / cup fresh orange juice tablespoons vegetable oil tablespoons soy sauce tablespoons honey tablespoon grated orange peel cloves garlic, minced - / teaspoon minced, fresh ginger or / teaspoon ground medium-sized green peppers, cut into -inch squares tangerines, peeled and pulled into sections medium-sized clean, glazed ceramic flowerpot garden fried rice (see recipe) or - cups cooked rice cut chicken thighs into -inch chunks. in shallow bowl or non-metal container, combine orange juice, oil, soy sauce, honey, orange peel, garlic, and ginger; mix well. cover and marinate chicken for hour or longer, refrigerated. drain chicken; reserve marinade. preheat broiler. on each of four to six -inch skewers, alternately thread chicken, green pepper, and orange sections. broil kebabs, about inches from heat, for to minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally and basting with marinade. to serve, spoon rice into flowerpot. stand skewers in rice. makes about servings note: kebabs can also be barbecued on an outdoor grill. cook over medium-hot coals for to minutes or until cooked through, turning occasionally and basting with marinade. drumstick blossomsserves - children can make this mother's day "bouquet" of drumsticks. served in a flowerpot it's whimsical and fun. tablespoons butter or margarine, melted / cup grated parmesan cheese / cup seasoned bread crumbs / cup sesame seeds / teaspoon paprika salt and ground pepper to taste drumsticks medium-sized clean, glazed clay flowerpot small head boston lettuce or green leaf lettuce parsley sprigs, optional preheat oven to of. place butter in a baking dish. on wax paper, combine parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, sesame seeds, paprika, salt, and pepper. roll each drumstick in melted butter, then in crumbs until well coated. arrange drumsticks in same baking dish, alternating direction of drums to accommodate all pieces. bake about minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. to serve, separate lettuce into leaves; wash and dry. line bottom and sides of flowerpot with lettuce, allowing leafy edges to extend above rim of flowerpot. place drumsticks, bone side down, on lettuce in flowerpot to resemble flowers. garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired. frank perdue's fourth of july menu frank has warm memories of his childhood, growing up on his father's poultry farm on the eastern shore of maryland. he was part of the family business from the time he was so small "he had to hold an egg with two hands." like any other farm family on maryland's eastern shore, the perdues did not often get to enjoy a tender young broiler; that was strictly springtime eating, when there were small birds to spare. the rest of the year, chicken dinner meant long, slow cooking of one of the venerable hens that hatched the eggs that were the family business. "if a holiday came along," says frank, "we could be sure my mother's big cast iron kettle would come out and it would be time to cook up one of the older hens. that was great eating!" here's the kind of fourth of july menu that frank grew up with. since you probably don't have an old stewing hen, try an oven stuffer roaster for the eastern shore chicken with slippery dumplings. roasters are old enough to have a lot of flavor, but young enough not to be too tough. if you're unfamiliar with slippery dumplings, they are more like noodles or won ton wrappers than conventional dumplings. sweet potato biscuits are a typical accompaniment, and frank is so particular about them that the first six months of our marriage, i probably tried ten different recipes before hitting on the one that accompanies the eastern shore chicken recipe. sweet potato biscuits are sweeter and chewier than the baking powder variety eaten elsewhere. enjoy this eastern fourth of july feast. menu *eastern shore chicken with slippery dumplings turnip greens corn on the cob zucchini parmesan *sweet potato biscuits iced tea peach cobbler *recipe follows eastern shore chicken with slippery dumplings serves - poached roaster whole roaster or soup and stew hen / lemon medium-sized yellow onion whole cloves salt and ground pepper to taste cups chicken broth or more if desired water bay leaf pound small white onions, peeled pound carrots (about ), peeled and cut into - / -inch lengths rub roaster inside and out with lemon. cut onion in half and stick with cloves; place in cavity of roaster. truss bird by lacing up cavity and tying legs together. season with salt and pepper, and place in an eight-quart dutch oven. pour in chicken broth and enough water to reach halfway up sides of roaster; add bay leaf. place over medium heat; bring liquid to a simmer. reduce heat to medium-low. cover and simmer, allowing minutes per pound for a roaster and minutes per pound for a hen. (to keep meat tender, do not allow to boil.) during last minutes of cooking time, add onions and carrots. roaster is done if juices run clear with no hint of pink when thickest part of thigh is pierced. (hen should be cooked beyond this time to tenderize.) remove bird and vegetables to serving platter and keep warm. add more broth or water to poaching liquid, if necessary, to bring it halfway up sides of dutch oven; bring to a boil. meanwhile prepare dumplings. slippery dumplings cups flour cup warm water teaspoon salt or to taste in mixing bowl, combine flour, warm water and salt. turn onto a well-floured surface and knead dough to minutes until it becomes elastic; reflour board as necessary. roll out kneaded dough as thinly as possible. with sharp knife, cut into - / to -inch squares. add to boiling poaching liquid and cook to minutes until "al dente." remove dumplings to a serving bowl. over high heat, cook poaching liquid until reduced and slightly thickened. for a thicker gravy, add a small amount of flour blended with cold water to poaching liquid. to serve, pour some gravy over dumplings; pass the rest separately. carve roaster and serve with vegetables, dumplings and gravy. note: you can substitute won ton skins for dumpling dough. a typical side dishes for this dinner would be greens sauteed with onion and a little salt pork. sweet potato biscuits makes to this is how i cook sweet potato biscuits for frank, with a minimum of salt. you may prefer the biscuits with a little more salt. cup drained, canned sweet potatoes / cup syrup from canned sweet potatoes tablespoons vegetable shortening tablespoon sugar cup flour teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt, or to taste preheat oven to f. grease a baking sheet. rice or mash potatoes until smooth; place in small saucepan and stir in syrup. cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until just warm. stir in shortening and sugar; mix well. in a mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. stir in sweet potato mixture; mix well with wooden spoon or knead with hands for minute. on floured surface, roll or pat out dough to / -inch thickness. with - / to -inch round biscuit cutter, cut out dough. bake to minutes until golden on top and cooked through. serve warm. say "bravo, cristoforo colombo" and celebrate italian style columbus day has been a national holiday in this country since . its first official celebration, however, dates to , the three hundredth anniversary of the exploration that brought columbus and a crew of sailors to the new world. the celebration took place in new york city, where today's italian-american population equals the population of genoa. the first columbus day celebration included a gala banquet$a thoroughly appropriate way to mark the event that changed the eating habits of the old world forever. the enriching exchange of foods between the old and new world affected all the cuisines of europe, but none more than that of italy. imagine italian cuisine without tomatoes or peppers or corn. to many of us "eating italian" is a favorite experience, and what could be a better excuse for a "festa italiana" than "cristoforo colombo day". here's a complete menu for just such a holiday dinner. in fact, it could be two dinners, because there's a choice of main courses one with the color, spice and flare of southern italy, the other with the rich creaminess of the north. because large numbers of immigrants came from southern italy, especially from naples and sicily, lively southern italian dishes are most familiar to americans. these typically include tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, spices such as cinnamon, raisins, and olives. layered pastas and pizza come from the south. in the north, foods are lighter, more varied, and are frequently delicate in flavor. many dishes call for butter, cream or cheese, and filled pasta and rice are also served. chicken is suited to either style of cooking, and boneless oven stuffer roaster thigh meat is as delicious with a spicy tomato sauce as with wine and cream. in all parts of italy, fresh vegetables, fruit, and herbs are important. columbus' own city of genoa is most closely associated with the use of fresh basil. whether inspired by the north or the south, columbus day is a time to wave the flags, both our red, white and blue and the italian red, white and green, and to salute christopher columbus with a meal to remember. regional italian columbus day menu antipasto *brodo genovese *chicken and eggplant agrodolce siciliana *"rice birds" piedmontese in wine and cream sauce broccoli florets parmigiano crusty italian bread *coppa cristoforo colombo cafe espresso *recipe follows brodo genovese: chicken broth with pasta, cheese and basilserves - cups homemade chicken stock or cans ( - / -ounces each) chicken broth cup small pasta such as tubetti (tiny tubes), farfalle (bow ties) or conchiglie (shells) / cup minced fresh basil or italian parsley cup freshly grated parmesan cheese in large saucepan or dutch oven over high heat, bring chicken stock to a boil. add pasta and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about to minutes. to serve, ladle hot soup into bowls; sprinkle with basil and pass grated cheese. chicken and eggplant agrodolce scicilianaserves - large eggplant (about - / pounds), cut into - / inch cubes roaster boneless thigh cutlets salt and ground pepper to taste / - / cup olive oil, divided cups sliced red onions / cup balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar cloves garlic, minced / teaspoon ground cinnamon tablespoons honey grated rind of oranges can ( -ounces) whole plum tomatoes, drained and cut into thin strips minced, fresh parsley and basil (optional) sprinkle eggplant with salt; let stand minutes to extract liquid; rinse and pat dry. trim off any fat from thighs and cut into -inch pieces. preheat oven to of. in large heavy skillet over medium heat, heat tablespoons oil. add chicken, half at a time; saute to minutes until lightly browned, adding more oil if necessary. remove pieces with slotted spoon to large, covered casserole or baking dish. add to tablespoons oil to skillet; stir in eggplant and cook minutes until golden, adding more oil if necessary. add to casserole. pour vinegar into skillet, scraping and stirring to remove pan glaze; add garlic, cinnamon, honey orange rind, and salt and pepper to taste. pour vinegar mixture into casserole. cover and bake minutes. stir in tomato strips, re-cover and bake minutes longer. garnish with minced parsley and basil, if desired. serve with hot crusty italian bread. photo: roaster thigh "rice birds" "rice birds" piedmontese in wine and cream sauceserves - roaster boneless thigh cutlets salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine, divided tablespoons chopped onion / teaspoon minced, fresh rosemary or sage, or / teaspoon dried ounces chopped prosciutto or ham cup cooked rice tablespoons grated parmesan cheese / cup ( -ounces) grated or diced italian fontina or mozzarella cheese tablespoons olive oil cup chicken or beef broth / cup dry white wine / cup heavy cream tablespoon minced, fresh parsley trim off and discard any fat and sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. place between moistened pieces of plastic wrap; pound until about / inch thick. in large heavy, oven-proof skillet over medium heat, melt tablespoons butter. add onion and / teaspoon rosemary; cook, stirring occasionally, to minutes, until tender but not brown. stir in prosciutto; cook minute longer. in small bowl, combine onion mixture, rice, and cheeses; season with salt and pepper to taste. place heaping tablespoon rice stuffing inch from end of each pounded thigh. roll up thighs into neat "packages", folding edges in over stuffing; tie packages with kitchen string. in same skillet over medium heat, melt remaining butter with oil. cook rice birds in butter-oil on all sides until lightly browned, about to minutes. cover skillet and simmer minutes. transfer "birds" to serving platter; cut strings and keep warm. add broth, wine, and remaining rosemary to skillet, scraping bottom to incorporate any browned bits. stir in cream; cook over medium-high heat until sauce is thick enough to lightly coat the back of a spoon. return birds and any juices to skillet; cover with sauce and cook briefly just until heated through. arrange rice birds and sauce on serving platter and sprinkle with parsley. coppa da festa cristoforo colomboserves amarettini (small almond-flavored biscuits) or large amaretti, crushed pint each strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ice cream amaretto liqueur (optional) colored candy sprinkles or nonpareils cocktail toothpick flags of italy and usa ( each) for each serving: in bottom of large, stemmed glass, place teaspoon amarettini biscuit. alternately scoop strawberry, vanilla and pistachio ice cream on top, sprinkling about teaspoon amarettini between each scoop. pour a little amaretto or other liqueur on ice cream, if desired. top with sprinkles and insert a flag of italy and usa. repeat with remaining ingredients. serve immediately or place coppas in freezer until ready to serve. photo: chicken kebabs are tailgate party heroes photo: thanksgiving roaster nested in sage dressing takes an... recipes of old south are today's thanksgiving treasures even before george washington declared thanksgiving a national holiday, its celebration had spread from massachusetts colony to all america. in the old south, thanksgiving could mean weeks of preparation, days of celebrating and a house that overflowed with guests. modern times have inevitably relaxed some standards of southern hospitality, but not necessarily when it comes to setting a sumptuous table. here's a carolina version of a thanksgiving bird. it's an oven stuffer roaster complete with a nest of stuffing. the stuffing is cooked outside instead of inside, so it soaks up the pan juices and develops a lightly crusted surface. several of perdue farms' home recipe testers tried the stuffing-nest method and found it not only wonderful eating, but an appealing presentation as well. thanksgiving day dinner delight *roaster nested in sage dressing with sweet potato puff *creamed giblet gravy string beans almondine creamy cole slaw cranberry salad sour dough dinner rolls southern pecan pie *recipe follows roaster nested in sage dressing with sweet potato puff and creamed giblet gravy serves - whole roaster salt and ground pepper to taste cups hot water loaf ( - / to / - pounds) day-old white bread cup chopped onion - / cups chopped celery / cup minced, fresh parsley - / tablespoons minced fresh sage or - / teaspoons dried sage / teaspoon dried thyme eggs tablespoon butter or margarine creamed giblet gravy (recipe follows) preheat oven to f. remove giblets and sprinkle inside of bird with salt and pepper. tie legs together and fold wings back. place roaster in roasting pan or baking dish along with giblets. pour in cups hot water. roast - / hours, basting occasionally with pan liquids. meanwhile, prepare dressing: tear bread into / -inch pieces; place in large bowl with onion, celery, parsley, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, sage, and thyme. mix well and set aside. after - / hours, remove roaster from oven. reserve giblets and pour cups of pan juices through strainer into a medium-sized saucepan; reserve for gravy. add water to remaining pan juices, if necessary, to bring liquid to - / cups. ladle into bowl with dressing mixture; add eggs and mix until thoroughly moistened. with hands, mold stuffing around outside of roaster to form a "nest." brush butter over breast. return roaster to oven; continue cooking minutes to hour longer or until dressing is cooked and lightly browned and juices run clear with no hint of pink when roaster thigh is pierced. if desired, serve nested roaster from roasting pan. or run spatula under bird to loosen it and carefully transfer to heated platter, keeping dressing intact. serve with creamed giblet gravy. creamed giblet gravy cups reserved pan juices reserved roaster giblets, chopped / cup milk / cup flour salt and ground pepper to taste chop giblets and add to pan juices; over medium heat, bring to a simmer. in small bowl, make a smooth paste of milk and flour. whisk flour mixture into pan juices and continue whisking until gravy is thickened. season with salt and pepper to taste. bourbon sweet potato puffserves if you have a sweet tooth, you'll love this recipe. frank does. medium-sized cooked sweet potatoes or can ( -ounces) sweet potatoes, drained / cup ( / stick) unsalted butter or margarine, melted eggs / cup firmly packed brown sugar / teaspoon ground cinnamon / teaspoon ground cloves / teaspoon ground nutmeg to teaspoons grated orange rind / cup bourbon package ( -ounces) marshmallows preheat oven to f. butter a - / -quart souffle dish or casserole. peel cooked sweet potatoes. in large bowl, combine potatoes with remaining ingredients except marshmallows. with electric mixer or food processor, beat or process until fluffy. turn mixture into prepared dish or casserole; arrange marshmallows over top. bake minutes or until marshmallows are puffed and golden. photo: black & white - platters, sm. bowl soup, chopsticks chanukah is a festival of fun and food chanukah is a jewish holiday, a day of remembrance, a festival of lights, and most of all, a family party that is celebrated during eight joyful days. chanukah was first celebrated more than , years ago, following the defeat of the syrian army by the macabees. after driving the syrians from jerusalem, the jewish temple was ceremonially cleansed. during the cleaning, a flask of oil belonging to the high priest was found. it contained enough oil to burn one night. instead, it burned miraculously for eight days and eight nights. that is why a special eight-branch menorah (candlestick) is lit each chanukah night at sundown, beginning with a single lighted candle on the first night and building to a full eight. as with all jewish holidays, traditional foods are part of the celebration. fried and sauteed dishes have special chanukah significance because of the oil used in cooking them. holiday chicken saute is a favorite meal in one family in which there are two small boys who still prefer fingers to forks. their mother, who is a food consultant, once asked frank what he thought of such table manners. his answer: "that's why we sell our drumsticks with built- in handles." with most of america's jewish settlers having come from eastern europe, holiday foods served in that part of the world are most popular here. for chanukah, this means crisp, brown potato latkes (yiddish for pancakes). latkes are usually served with fresh applesauce and dairy sour cream. before the arrival of the food processor, hand grating the potatoes was a traditional pre-dinner part of the ritual, with everyone taking turns at grating potatoes -- and sometimes knuckles. in israel, fried jelly doughnuts are frequently served instead of latkes, and many sephardic jews (from mediterranean countries), serve fried pastries unique to each country. among them are moroccan fichuelas. these crisp, honey-coated pastries are great fun to twirl in hot oil and shape into pinwheels - but beware of the little fingers near hot oil. photo: chanukah for families family chanukah supper party *holiday chicken saute *potato latkes *applesauce *fichuelas de chanukah *recipe follows holiday chicken sauteserves - chicken drumsticks chicken thighs tablespoons vegetable oil or chicken fat small zucchini, cut into / -inch slices medium-sized carrots, peeled and cut into / -inch slices large onion, sliced into rings tablespoons fresh lemon juice tablespoons honey lemon, thinly sliced teaspoon salt or to taste teaspoon paprika tablespoon cornstarch tablespoons cold water in large, deep skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. saute drumsticks and thighs in hot oil until lightly browned on all sides, about minutes. remove from skillet. to pan drippings, add zucchini, carrots, and onion; saute minutes. return chicken to skillet; add lemon juice, honey, lemon slices, salt, and paprika. reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook to minutes longer or until chicken and vegetables are tender. in cup, place cornstarch; add water and blend to form a smooth paste. stir into skillet and cook until slightly thickened. to serve, arrange chicken, lemon slices and vegetables on large platter; spoon sauce on top. potato latkes (potato pancakes) serves - medium-sized raw potatoes medium-sized onion, peeled eggs / cup matzo meal or flour teaspoon salt or to taste vegetable oil for frying wash potatoes; remove spots or blemishes with a small knife. peel potatoes, if desired. with hand grater or food processor fitted with steel shredding blade, coarsely grate potatoes. transfer to large bowl; cover with cold water and let stand minutes. drain potatoes in colander, pressing out excess liquid. using hand grater or food processor fitted with steel blade, grate or chop onion. combine drained potatoes, onion, eggs, matzo meal or flour and salt; mix well. (as mixture stands, more liquid will accumulate. do not pour off liquid; stir mixture frequently to blend.) in large skillet, heat / -inch oil over medium heat until hot. drop potato mixture by tablespoons into hot oil; flatten slightly with spatula. cook pancakes, a few at a time, until golden brown on both sides, turning once and adding more oil if necessary. drain on paper towels. keep cooked pancakes warm in preheated f oven while others are cooking. serve pancakes warm, with applesauce. applesauceserves - frank loves this recipe. he's normally not fond of granny smith apples, but he likes them cooked, in this recipe. to medium-sized tart apples (about pounds) to tablespoons water to tablespoons sugar, to taste (optional) / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon nutmeg peel apples, if desired; remove cores and seeds. cut apples into chunks; place in medium-sized saucepan. add tablespoons water, sugar if desired, cinnamon, and nutmeg. over medium heat, bring to a boil. reduce heat to low; cover and cook to minutes or until apples are very tender, stirring occasionally and adding more water if necessary. remove from heat and stir until large lumps disappear and mixture is fairly smooth. if apples are used unpeeled, strain sauce in food press or mill to remove skin. let stand until cool; refrigerate until ready to serve. fichuelas de chanukahserves (spiral-shaped sephardic chanukah pastries) cups flour teaspoon salt or to taste eggs, slightly beaten - / cups vegetable oil, divided / cup warm water - / cups sugar / cup water in large bowl or container of food processor, fitted with steel blade, combine flour, salt, eggs, / cup oil, and / cup warm water. stir or process until mixture forms a fairly stiff dough. on unfloured surface, knead dough minutes until smooth and elastic. divide dough into parts; roll each into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. let dough stand hour for easier handling. on lightly floured surface, roll out one ball into a x -inch rectangle. cut dough into strips, each about - / -inches wide and -inches long. in small saucepan over low heat, heat sugar in water until sugar is dissolved, stirring constantly; keep warm. in medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, heat cups oil to f, or until small piece of dough sizzles when dropped in oil. with hand, gently lift one end of a dough strip; pierce the opposite end with a long-handled fork and twirl fork once to secure dough. place dough, fork-end first; into hot oil. as dough fries, quickly and gently turn fork, rolling dough around to form a pinwheel. fry dough until puffed and golden, about to seconds. (do not brown.) slip dough off fork; remove from oil with slotted spoon and immediately dip into warm sugar mixture to coat well. cool completely on wire rack placed over waxed paper. repeat with remaining dough. makes pastries for the romance of it, serve a christmas dinner george and martha washington style george and martha washington made much of christmas. they had been married on the twelfth night of christmas in , and from that year forward they tried to be together for the holidays. (the exceptions were such occasions as christmas , when general washington was busy crossing the delaware.) two of the food specialists at perdue are history buffs as well, an they put together for frank a christmas menu based on "receipts" (as recipes were once called) for dishes that might have been enjoyed at christmas dinner, two hundred years ago. as they pointed out, even basic food supplies were very different two centuries ago. american waters were so abundant with crabs, oysters, shrimp and clams, that inventive cooks tossed them into soups and spreads, baked them "potted," "scalloped" or in loaves, and used them lavishly in sauces and stuffings. the oyster stuffing included in this menu is based on a specialty of george washington's mother. she may have served it with passenger pigeon $common fare in those days. although this wild bird is extinct today, cornish game hens make tasty, tender, modern substitutes. and it is far easier to "bag a brace" or two of cornish hens at the local supermarket than to stalk dinner in the wild. early americans weren't partial to vegetables. they tended to overcook and under season them, then serve them up as a "mess of pease". but old-time cooks did make wonderful vegetable puddings and were superb at pickling and preserving their vegetables and fruits to serve all winter long. from the beginning, american settlers distilled spirits. even the stern pilgrims (who considered the celebration of christmas pagan) drank wine and cider for their health. after a festive holiday meal, most of our founding fathers probably enjoyed a few rounds of madeira or port. but thomas jefferson's favorite holiday drink was a spicy mixture of hot ale and rum, so heat producing it was called "a yard of flannel". frothy syllabub was thought to be suitable for everyone, even women and children, and this rich drink was a delicious accompaniment to sweetmeats, stewed fruit, cakes or pies. though few would wish to return to cooking at the hearth and beehive oven, if you're smitten by the romance of the past, try serving special guests a christmas dinner martha washington-style. photo: "an early american holiday menu with cornish hens" an early american christmas dinner for four potted crab *cornish hens with oyster stuffing mount vernon *sherried pan gravy savory grated-carrot christmas pudding pickled beet salad *"whipt" syllabub with sweetmeats *recipe follows cornish hens with oyster stuffing mount vernon and sherried pan gravyserves fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoons butter or margarine, divided oysters, shucked, coarsely chopped, and strained through a fine sieve or coffee filter (reserve oyster liquor) pinch ground mace / teaspoon minced, fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried / cup chopped onion - slices day-old bread, cubed tablespoon fresh lemon juice tablespoons dry sherry, divided spiced or brandied fruit for garnish (optional) preheat oven to of. season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. in medium-sized skillet over medium heat, melt tablespoons butter with / cup oyster liquor, mace and thyme. add onion; cook minutes until onion is tender and liquid is reduced to about / cup. in medium-sized bowl, toss onion mixture with oysters, bread cubes, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, lemon juice and tablespoon sherry. spoon oyster stuffing loosely into hens. tie legs together and fold back wings. in a small saucepan, melt butter; combine with remaining sherry and baste hens with mixture. roast hens, basting occasionally, about hour and minutes longer or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. remove hens from roasting pan, cut strings, place on serving platter and keep warm. pour pan juices into a heat proof measuring cup or small bowl. skim off tablespoons of clear yellow drippings that rise to the top and return to pan. skim off any remaining yellow drippings and discard. reserve degreased pan juices to add to gravy with broth. if desired, serve hens garnished with spiced or brandied fruit. serve with sherried gravy. sherried pan gravy tablespoons reserved pan drippings tablespoons flour cups chicken broth or water tablespoons dry sherry place roasting pan over medium heat; add flour to reserved clear pan drippings and cook minutes, stirring and scraping the bottom to incorporate any browned bits. stir in enough combined degreased pan juices, chicken broth and sherry to make cups; simmer, stirring constantly, minutes longer. strain gravy into sauceboat. "whipt" syllabubserves - tablespoons dark rum or cognac tablespoons sugar grated rind and juice of lemon / teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg cup ( / -pint) heavy cream sprigs fresh rosemary (optional) sweetmeats (see note) or stewed fruits in large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat rum, sugar and lemon rind. gradually add heavy cream, beating constantly until cream forms soft peaks. (do not overbeat.) cover and refrigerate until serving time. when ready to serve, if liquids have separated, beat by hand to re-incorporate. serve syllabub in small cordial glasses, garnished with a rosemary sprig. accompany with sweetmeats. (by the way, do you know what a sweetmeat is? it's any dainty little confection such as stuffed dates, chocolate truffles, sugared apricots and pears, or even candied watermelon rind.) chapter nine chicken for very special occasions show stopper recipes with the majority of the recipes in this book, i've tried to keep in mind that you are busy and have plenty of other things to do with your time besides spending it in the kitchen. i've also tried to keep the ingredients and the processes reasonably simple and usually i've had an eye on the calories and the cost. this chapter is an exception. these recipes ignore calories, and some of them require not just minutes of preparation, but days. there are some occasions, however, that deserve showstopper recipes. maybe your daughter is getting married? or you're celebrating a very special anniversary? someone important to you just got a promotion? you're part of a gourmet club, and you want your recipe to be at least as good as linda's? this chapter is the place to look for unusual recipes, the show stoppers, the ones that will really make people feel special, and that they'll be talking about for days to come. bass drum stick serves - this really does look the padded stick a drummer would use for his bass drum. l. remove the knobby knuckle from the end of a drumstick by giving it a good hard whack with your heaviest knife. if you happen to have a meat cleaver the job is easier. . stand the drumstick on its meaty end and push the skin down to expose the tendons. remove the largest tendons by pulling them free with a pair of clean pliers. . scrape the skin and meat away from the bone to form a rounder, more compact drumstick. chicken drumsticks / cup flour / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup butter or margarine can ( -ounces) frozen orange juice concentrate can ( -ounces) water tablespoons dark brown sugar / teaspoon minced, fresh oregano or / teaspoon dried / teaspoon nutmeg in a large plastic bag combine flour, salt and pepper. add chicken pieces and shake to coat. in a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, to minutes. pour off remaining butter. in a large measuring cup combine remaining ingredients. add orange juice mixture to skillet. cover and cook over low heat for to minutes, turning chicken several times until cooked through. breast paillard serves as you can see in the accompanying photograph, this is an attractive dish. i tried it on our indoor electric grill and thought it was worth making over and over again. roaster boneless breast or thin sliced boneless roaster breast vegetable oil salt and ground pepper to taste / cup butter or margarine, at room temperature tablespoons snipped fresh or frozen chives teaspoon minced fresh tarragon, or / teaspoon dried tablespoons minced, fresh parsley remove tenderloin pieces from back of breast. place breast pieces and tenderloins between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / -inch thickness to form cutlets. skip the preceding steps if using the thin sliced roaster breast. brush with oil and season with salt and pepper. combine butter, chives and tarragon. reform into a bar and freeze to harden. grill cutlets over hot coals, rotating the chicken on the grill to form crosshatch markings and turning completely over once. or broil " from heat a few minutes on each side until lightly browned. cut herb butter in slices. sprinkle each slice with parsley and top with a butter slice. serve immediately. breast roll cordon bleuserves you can find a simpler version of this in chapter seven, chicken for tomorrow or next week, but this one is a show stopper. roaster boneless breast / cup whole milk ricotta package ( ounces) cream cheese, softened egg yolk / cup grated parmesan cheese / cup thinly sliced scallion / cup minced fresh parsley clove garlic, minced / teaspoon nutmeg salt and ground pepper to taste / pound sliced ham to cups chicken broth place breast halves side by side between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to / " thickness, forming an " x " rectangle. in a mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients except ham and broth. place breast smooth side down, on a piece of dampened cheesecloth. arrange ham slices over chicken breast. spread filling over ham leaving a / -inch border. carefully roll breast, lengthwise, jelly-roll fashion around filling. wrap in cheesecloth, tie ends and in to places in center. bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. add chicken and reduce heat to low. poach chicken, covered, minutes. remove from pan and let cool. remove cheesecloth and chill. cut chicken roll in / -inch slices and arrange over lettuce or watercress. chicken broccoli cakeserves - from the name, you'd think this was a very unusual dessert, but in fact, the cake part of the name comes from its shape, not its taste. although this takes awhile to make, especially the pancakes, i've always felt it was well worth it every time i've made it. since you can eat this with just a fork, it's particularly good for a buffet meal when you don't want your guests to have to cut anything while they're balancing food on their laps. sauce: tablespoons butter or margarine tablespoons flour / cups milk / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground white pepper / teaspoon nutmeg in a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. blend in flour and cook, stirring for minute. add milk and cook, stirring, until sauce is smooth and thickened. add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. filling: when choosing the broccoli for the filling, look for firm, compact clusters of small flower buds with none opened enough to show the bright yellow flower. if you can see any yellow in the buds, the broccoli is overmature. broccoli is at its best when the bud clusters are dark green or sage green, or even green with a decidedly purplish cast. tablespoons butter or margarine cups broccoli, cooked and chopped (once when i didn't have enough broccoli on hand, i rounded it out with green peas and it was great.) / cup grated parmesan cheese / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / teaspoon nutmeg - / cups finely chopped cooked chicken / cup grated swiss cheese pancakes, each a little less than -inches wide and about / -inch thick. (the thicker the pancake, the taller the "cake". use your favorite recipe or mix.) in a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. stir in broccoli, parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg and chicken. (you can stop at this point the night before, but remember to bake the "cake" longer since the ingredients will be cold from being in the refrigerator.) preheat oven to of. to assemble ``cake," butter a cookie sheet and place a pancake on it. spread with part of the broccoli filling. repeat layers, ending with a pancake. pour sauce over the top and sprinkle with swiss cheese. bake for minutes (or minutes if ingredients were refrigerated). place under a hot broiler and broil until cheese is lightly browned. to serve, cut into wedges. chicken fondue iserves i haven't seen anyone use a fondue pot for a long time, but it's still a great way to serve chicken, and it's a fun and informal way to entertain. maybe it's time to remember this once-popular way of cooking. the first version is a new, low-calorie version. the second is more traditional. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cans ( - / ounces each) chicken broth bottle ( -ounces) chili sauce / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing tablespoon finely chopped onion / clove garlic, minced cut each breast in one-inch cubes. sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. bring broth to boiling in fondue pot and keep at that temperature. provide each guest with portion of chicken and fondue fork as well as fork for eating. each guest cooks own chicken on fondue fork by holding in boiling broth about minute, or until done. in a small bowl mix remaining ingredients as sauce for dipping after cooking. chicken fondue iiserves skinless and boneless chicken breast halves - / pints oil / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper eggs, beaten cup water tablespoons sesame seed - / cups flour cut chicken breasts into -inch cubes. bring oil to boiling point in fondue pot and keep at that temperature. sprinkle / teaspoon of the salt and the pepper on chicken. in a mixing bowl combine remaining salt, eggs, water, remaining teaspoons salt, sesame seed and flour to make a batter. provide each guest with fondue fork as well as fork for eating. each guest cooks own chicken on fondue fork by dipping into batter and then holding in hot oil approximately minute, or until done. serve with a variety of dips. any barbecue sauce makes a good dip. i also recommend the dill dip and orange dip. dill dip makes cup / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing / cup sour cream teaspoon fresh lemon juice teaspoons finely chopped onion / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon dill seed in a small bowl combine all ingredients and stir until blended. orange dip makes cup can ( -ounces) orange juice concentrate tablespoons oil tablespoon vinegar tablespoon sugar / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon tabasco in a blender or food processor combine all ingredients. blend at speed for seconds or until smooth. food tip: use leftover orange or dill dip for fresh vegetable such as cauliflower, broccoli, carrots or celery. chicken kiev serves frank and i had this in a restaurant in moscow back in . we happened to be there because the soviet government had invited frank and his ceo, don mabe, to give them tips on producing plumper chicken. don's wife, flo, and i got to go along. i remember that frank was impressed by the world-class knowledge and skill of the soviet poultrymen, but he said their chickens didn't grow to be as plump and juicy as ours because their diets didn't include enough protein. the soviet birds may have been thin, but the recipe that we had for chicken kiev was "otlichnii," (outstanding). you've got it exactly right if, when you cut the cooked chicken, the melted butter spurts out. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / cup butter or margarine, chilled tablespoon lemon juice tablespoon snipped fresh or frozen chives / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper egg, beaten cup bread crumbs oil for deep frying place chicken between sheets of plastic wrap and pound to flatten slightly. skip the previous step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, blend butter, lemon juice and chives; mold into four oblongs and chill. (in fact, i think freezing works best.) sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. wrap chicken breast around chilled mold and secure with toothpicks. dip in beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs. chill again for one hour. fry in deep fat at of for to minutes or until crust is golden brown. serve immediately chicken paella perdueserves - this is the perdue version of the traditional paella. the authentic spanish version takes all day to make -a i've watched cooks in spain do it. you'll notice that the saffron in this paella is optional. that's because the last time i looked at the price for it in the spice jars in the supermarket, i calculated that saffron costs more than gold dust. however, you only need to use a couple of strands of it at a time so it's not totally out of line. if you can't find it or don't want to use it, this recipe will still taste good$just different. it will also look different because saffron imparts an attractive yellow to the rice. incidentally, the reason saffron costs so much is that it's made from the dried stigma of the saffron crocus and it takes , stigmas to make a pound of saffron. chicken, cut in serving pieces teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper small clove garlic, minced tablespoons butter or margarine, melted, divided cups quick-cooking rice, uncooked / cup chopped onion / teaspoon paprika tablespoon minced, fresh parsley / teaspoon seafood seasoning - filaments teaspoon saffron (optional) / cup fresh or can ( -ounces) minced, soft shell clams tablespoons clam juice cup canned chicken broth / pound backfin crabmeat cup peas dozen small clams (on the half-shell) package ( ounces) frozen artichokes, cooked jar ( ounces) pimento strips preheat oven to of. place chicken in single layer, skin side up, in shallow baking dish; season with salt, pepper and garlic. pour tablespoons of the butter or margarine over chicken; cover and bake for minutes or until cooked through, uncovering during last minutes for browning. while chicken is baking, in a large skillet over medium heat, melt remaining butter. add the uncooked rice and onions and saute until lightly browned. add paprika, parsley, seafood seasoning, saffron, minced clams, clam juice and chicken broth. simmer over very low heat for minutes. in the shallow baking dish, leave / of the chicken; add the rice mixture, the crabmeat and peas in layers. as garnish, place on top of this, the remaining chicken, all of the clams in the half-shell, cooked artichokes and pimento. cover and bake at o for - minutes to heat through. chicken piccataserves frank's good friend, sue hess, from ocean city, maryland is a busy lady who entertains frequently and likes to be efficient when doing it. as she puts it, "i don't like to have to invent every part of the wheel all over again for each party. i use the same plan over and over again. i know which platters i'll use for hors d'oeuvres, i know where i'm going to put the cocktail napkins, and when to start peeling the corn. when i find one recipe that i can count on, i use it often enough and make it often enough so i've got the preparation down to a science. this chicken piccata is one of my favorites to repeat for parties." skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / cup flour / cup ( / stick) butter or margarine juice of lemon / cup chicken broth lemon slices / cup minced, fresh parsley salt and ground pepper to taste slice each breast in half lengthwise, butterfly-style. you should end up with thin, flat pieces. skip the previous step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. dip pieces in flour to coat lightly, shake off excess. in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. add scaloppine and saute until lightly browned on both sides. add lemon juice and broth to pan and cook to minutes more, turning scaloppine frequently in sauce until cooked through. garnish with lemon slices and parsley. chinese fried noodle cake with chicken topping theresa kreinen, who developed many of the low fat, low calorie recipes for perdue, says that her favorite show stopper recipe is this chinese noodle cake recipe. "i remembered that many years ago when i was working for a chinese spice company, i saw a similar recipe and thought that if i took the salt and fat out of the recipe and used far less oil, that it might still be tasty." she tried her health-conscious version of the classical chinese dish, and ended up with something that is clearly a show stopper. chinese fried noodle cakemakes noodle cakes in large sauce pot over high heat, bring quarts of water to a boil. add ounces dried fine egg noodles; cook in boiling water minutes; drain. rinse with cold water; drain well. in large bowl, toss noodles with teaspoons vegetable oil to prevent sticking. in -inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat tablespoons vegetable oil. add half noodles, flattening to form cake. cook minutes or until bottom is golden brown. loosen edges. invert onto large round platter. slide noodle cake back into skillet. cook minutes longer or until second side is golden brown. invert onto large round platter. repeat procedure with remaining noodles. chicken toppingmakes servings roaster boneless breast tablespoons vegetable oil medium onions, cut in thin wedges tablespoons minced ginger root cloves garlic, minced cups torn spinach - / cups chicken broth cup sliced mushrooms sweet red pepper, cut in thin strips ( cup) can ( -ounces) bamboo shoots, drained and cut in julienne strips tablespoons soy sauce / teaspoon crushed dried red pepper tablespoons cornstarch tablespoons dry sherry remove visible fat from breast meat and cut into thin strips. in a wok or large skillet, over medium-high heat, heat oil. add onion, ginger and garlic; stir fry minute. add chicken; stir fry minutes, or until chicken turns white. add spinach, broth, mushrooms, red pepper strips, bamboo shoots, soy sauce and crushed red pepper. cook minutes or until chicken and vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. in a cup, blend cornstarch and sherry until smooth; stir into wok. over medium heat, bring to a boil; boil minute, stirring constantly. to serve, spoon chicken mixture over chinese fried noodle cake. fillo wrapped chicken deanna doyel, a californian, brought these to a pot luck at my house, and since they were far and away the most popular food at the party that night, i thought you might enjoy knowing about them. they're tender, flaky, delicious, and they look good. you might garnish the plate with some parsley or watercress. i've served them here to a gathering of of the perdue marketing men and women, but for variation, i cut the chicken into bite size pieces and wrapped them individually to form cocktail-size morsels. to make this successfully, be sure to keep the pastry sheets from drying out or they'll get brittle and impossible to fold. work with only one sheet at a time and keep the others covered with a sheet of waxed paper and topped with a damp tea towel. wrapped chickenserves cup mayonnaise cup chopped scallions tablespoons minced fresh parsley cloves garlic, minced, divided / teaspoon fresh lemon juice pinch salt pinch ground pepper cup butter or margarine, divided sheets fillo pastry (available in most quality supermarkets) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves grated parmesan cheese in a shallow dish combine mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, half of garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. in a small saucepan over medium heat melt butter with remaining garlic. brush one pastry sheet with melted garlic butter, top with second sheet and brush again. dip chicken breast in mixed ingredients turning to coat thoroughly. place chicken diagonally on one corner of pastry sheets, then roll while folding in sides to make a neat rectangular package. brush top of wrapped chicken with butter and top lightly with parmesan cheese. preheat oven to of. place wrapped breasts in a baking dish and bake for about minutes. they're a golden brown when done. mushroom snails serves as an appetizer this is one of the very few recipes that i've developed on my own. in spite of its name, it doesn't contain snails. i'd eaten escargot (snails) in france, and thought they were expensive and overrated, but loved the garlic butter and other seasonings. one day it occurred to me that those flavorings would be delicious with the mushrooms and chicken livers that i happened to have in the refrigerator. i sat down and wrote what i thought would be right, and then made the recipe exactly according to the directions that i'd written. the verdict from guests was that these mushroom snails are a showstopper, especially if you by any chance have any of the escargot serving dishes with little indentations for each snail. since i'm guessing that you probably don't, i've suggested in the recipe that you serve the mushroom "snails" on little rounds of sauteed french bread. / cup butter or margarine, softened cloves garlic, minced tablespoons minced, fresh parsley tablespoons snipped fresh or frozen chives / teaspoon salt or to taste large mushroom caps chicken livers, halved preheat oven to of. in a small bowl combine butter with garlic, parsley, chives and salt. fill each mushroom cap with a half chicken liver. then, top each mushroom cap with / th of the butter mixture. bake at until filling is melted, and bubbly, about minutes. serve on / inch thick slices of french bread which have been sauteed in butter until lightly browned. old world cornish hens baked in saltserves this is one of my personal favorites. when it's brought to the table, this dish looks so impressive that i can still remember the first time i saw it, which was more than ten years ago. when the hostess brought the platter with the four cornish hens, we couldn't be sure what we were getting. it looked like four chicken-shaped pieces of white pottery in the exact shape of cornish game hens, only a little larger. our hostess explained that she had coated the cornish hens with a half-inch layer of salt, and then roasted the hens in this casing. to serve the hens, she took a small wooden mallet and gave each shell a sharp whap. each time she did this, the shell would crack into several pieces, revealing the fragrant and beautifully- roasted game hen inside. i thought the hens would taste salty, but found instead some of the tenderest and most succulent chicken you could hope for. garlic cloves, unpeeled bunch fresh rosemary or thyme, divided fresh cornish game hens ( / to / pounds each) ground pepper x inch squares heavy duty aluminum foil boxes ( ounces each) kosher salt / to cups water preheat oven to of. place garlic cloves and a sprig of rosemary in the cavity of each hen. season with pepper. fold wings back and tie legs together. place a hen on each sheet of foil. fold in edges of foil to form a nest with sides / inches high. leave a border of / inches between hen and foil. remove hens from nests and reserve. place nests on heavy baking sheets. fill each nest with a layer of salt, / inch thick. return hens to nests. in a large bowl combine remaining salt with enough water to make a heavy paste. use hands to mold salt around each hen enclosing it completely in a layer of salt approximately / inch thick. bake hens for to minutes depending upon their size. to serve: with a sharp knife, carefully cut around the base of each hen following its shape. use a spatula to gently lift salt covered hens out of nests and onto platter. decorate platter with sprigs of rosemary. in front of your guests, crack salt casings with a mallet and dust off any remaining salt. garnish hens with sprigs of rosemary. note: if you want to try this recipe with a / pound chicken, proceed in the same manner as for the cornish hens, using box ( ounces) kosher salt and / cups water. the cooking time would is approximately hour and minutes. oriental cook-out chicken serves - you need an outdoor grill with a rotisserie for this one. the sight of the whole chickens wrapped in orange peel spirals, turning on the spit is really impressive. don't let your guests or family miss this part. whole chickens teaspoons salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cup frozen orange juice concentrate (undiluted) tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil tablespoons french salad dressing teaspoons soy sauce oranges rub inside of chickens with salt and pepper. in a bowl combine orange juice, oil, salad dressing, and soy sauce; rub mixture on chickens, inside and out. peel oranges, spiral fashion, keeping skins in one strip. cut orange segments into small pieces and place inside of chickens. truss chickens securely with string. place on outdoor grill rotisserie rod, securing with forked holders. place spiral orange peels around chickens, holding in place with toothpicks. broil on rotisserie about hour or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced, basting constantly with sauce. perdue a la vertical serves - note to connie; there's a line drawing illustration of stuffing the bird in this recipe and also another drawing that illustrates carving. we have permission to use it from spanek, and there's no trade name on it. one of the really fun things about being mrs. frank perdue is that people are always giving me tips on cooking chicken. recently i met a woman in an airport in puerto rico who told me that my life wasn't complete unless i tried cooking chicken on a vertical roaster. not wanting an incomplete life, i took her advice and found that yes, vertical roasting really does have a lot going for it. the chicken cooks about % faster because the metal frame conducts heat and is in contact with the bird's interior. the bird is also juicier. the heat of the vertical roaster forces the juices outward while the heat of the oven is forcing the juices inward. the juices have no where to go, so instead they just stay inside, tenderizing and flavoring the meat. vertical roasters are available in major department stores as well as in quality gourmet cookware shops. denis spanek, who patented the first vertical roster, says he's cooked at least , birds during demonstrations and tests, and this is his favorite recipe. it's now one of my all-time personal favorites too, but i've felt leery about serving it to guests without knowing ahead of time that they liked bleu cheese. the last time i made it, though, i found a way around the problem. i stuffed one side of the roaster with the bleu cheese- mushroom mixture and omitted the bleu cheese from the stuffing for the other side. then i gave our guests the choice of which side they'd like. whole roaster ounces crumbled bleu cheese cloves garlic tablespoons butter or margarine / cup shittake mushrooms, if not available, use whatever mushrooms are. tablespoon dry white wine / teaspoon paprika place roaster on its back and use your fingertips to break the skin membrane at the neck opening on each side of the breast. work your fingers under the skin across both sides of the breast and continue along the thighs and legs. be careful not to break the skin that's attached at the center of the breastbone. in a food processor fitter with steel blade, combine blue cheese, garlic, butter and mushrooms. process, pulsating on and off, until mushrooms are coarsely chopped and mixture just holds together. then, spoon the stuffing under the skin, working over the breast, thigh, and leg areas, smoothing it evenly over each side of the bird. when the bird is stuffed, gently press it onto the vertical roaster so the metal ring at the top comes through. set the roaster in an - inch cake pan and add / cup water to the roasting pan. baste with a mixture of tablespoon of dry white wine with paprika. this will give a rosy color to the bird and the chicken will brown beautifully. sear for minutes in a preheated degree oven. lower temperature to degrees and cook for to minutes per pound food tip: carve the bird over rice so the rice catches the drippings. photo: black & white - chicken platter w/mozzarella strips placed in lattice pattern over breast. on ceramic counter w/napkins, forks, cups & saucers, breads, etc. roaster marinaraserves frank is particularly fond of any recipe with tomatoes, and usually we've found that in restaurants that if you see a menu item that's "marinara," whatever-it-is is going to be served with a tomato-based sauce. however, according to the new york times food writer, craig claiborne, marinara really means "marine style" or sailor style and marinara sauces exist without tomatoes. in this recipe, the sauce is tomato based. i'm fond of this recipe because it looks so good. be sure and notice the illustration. whole roaster / teaspoon minced fresh basil or / teaspoon dried salt and ground pepper to taste - / cups homemade or prepared marinara sauce (available in supermarkets) package ( -ounces) sliced mozzarella cheese preheat oven to f. remove giblets from roaster. season with basil, salt and pepper. place bird, breast side up, in roasting pan. brush marinara sauce over roaster minutes before end of cooking time. cut mozzarella cheese into long strips / -inch wide and place in lattice pattern over breast during final minutes of cooking. photo: stuffed chicken stuffed chicken jardiniereserves i don't know of many presentations that are more impressive than this. that's the good part. the price for all this impressiveness is that it's also one of the more time- consuming recipes in this book. while it's true that there is a fair amount of preparation required, the work is done in advance and not at the last minute. this recipe allows you to surprise your guests with a chicken that appears whole but slices into attractive pieces of chicken and stuffing. it's also a low calorie and healthy recipe. you'll find directions for boning and re-forming a whole chicken further on, but in case you don't have the time or desire to do it yourself, a cooperative butcher can do it for you in about five minutes. whole chicken ( / to pounds) - zucchini ( / pound), well scrubbed and grated - yellow squash ( / pound), well scrubbed and grated carrots, peeled and grated cup thinly sliced scallions large clove garlic, minced tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or teaspoons dried / cup grated parmesan or romano cheese / cup fresh bread crumbs (made from slices low-calorie while grain bread) egg white or egg yolk, lightly beaten / teaspoon ground pepper, divided / teaspoon of salt, divided / teaspoon ground nutmeg or to taste yogurt-herb sauce (recipe follows) fresh tarragon sprigs, miniature zucchini, yellow squash and carrots, (optional garnish) bone chicken except for wings and legs. using kitchen string and a large darning needle, sew up any holes in skin and the split area near tail -- chicken should form a roughly rectangular shape. place squash and carrots in a colander or strainer; press with back of wooden spoon or hands to remove as much liquid as possible. in a large, non-stick or lightly greased skillet, combine grated vegetables, scallions and garlic. cook over low heat, stirring frequently, to minutes or until mixture is quite dry, but not brown. remove from heat; stir in tarragon, parmesan, bread crumbs, egg white, / teaspoon pepper, / teaspoon salt and nutmeg. preheat oven to f. sprinkle inside of chicken with remaining salt and pepper. stuff and truss chicken, following directions for reforming a whole chicken. brush with oil, if desired. place on rack in roasting pan and roast minutes. reduce heat to f and roast hour longer or until juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. refrigerate chicken until ready to serve. recipe can be served hot, but will slice more easily if thoroughly chilled. serve chicken with yogurt-herb sauce, garnish with herbs and vegetables, if desired. yogurt-herb sauce cup plain low-fat yogurt tablespoon minced fresh chives tablespoon minced fresh tarragon tablespoon minced fresh parsley salt and ground pepper to taste in small bowl, combine yogurt and herbs. add salt and ground pepper to taste. boning and re-forming a whole chicken . on a large cutting board, place bird breast down with drumsticks turned toward you. using a small, sharp boning knife, cut off tail. then cut through skin down middle of backbone. . keep knife close to backbone to loosen flesh, cutting around small oyster-shaped piece of meat part-way down back; leave oyster attached to skin. just below oyster, use point of knife to locate and sever ball joint between hip and thigh. . working toward neck, loosen flesh from carcass. when shoulder blade is reached, keep bone to your right and cut through joint to sever wing from shoulder. . continue loosening flesh around edge of carcass until you reach breastbone. do not try to detach this because skin is very thin at this point. turn bird around so neck faces you; repeat steps and . carefully, cut through two spots where wishbone is attached to carcass. . when both sides of carcass and wishbone are loosened, lift carcass and cut breastbone away from meat. cut through cartilage, but do not worry about leaving some attached to flesh. it can be removed more easily later without piercing skin. remove carcass and, if desired, simmer with vegetables to make a stock. . using kitchen string or unwaxed dental floss, thread a large darning needle. turn chicken skin-side up and sew closed any holes in skin. stitch split area near tail together so that chicken roughly forms a rectangle. . turn chicken skin-side down and carefully remove any remaining cartilage in breast area. detach small breast fillets and use to cover less meaty areas near thighs. season meat, if desired. . mound stuffing down center of breast. pull skin up on either side around stuffing and re-form chicken. sew back of bird closed. . truss bird into attractive chicken shape. a trio of show stopper "veal" classics chicken breasts, when pounded and flattened, can make an excellent substitute for veal. and if your market has them, the thin sliced boneless roaster breast is even better, since you don't have to pound or flatten the individual pieces. the fact is, if someone didn't tell you, and if you're not a food professional, there's a good chance that you'd have difficulty telling the difference. the muscle fibers in both meats are surprisingly similar; they're both low in fat, and neither has much collagen, the factor that makes meat fibrous and chewy. the basic ingredients in most of the "veal" dishes that follow are boneless, skinless chicken breasts. they're called "cutlets." a scaloppine is a cutlet sliced in half lengthwise. by the way, if frank had his way, from now on you wouldn't think of chicken breasts as an inexpensive substitute for veal. you'd think of veal as a more expensive substitute for his chicken breasts. in fact, frank likes to say that "anything veal can do, my chicken breasts can do better," he points out that chicken breasts are richer than veal in vitamin a, niacin, and calcium, and they're lower in calories and cholesterol. they're equal to veal in protein, and of course, they're much, much more affordable. if thin sliced boneless roaster breast is unavailable in your market, you can make your own scaloppine, place a skinless, boneless chicken breast half on a flat surface, insert a sharp knife into the side and cut the chicken breast into two wide flat slices. put these slices between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to / " thickness. chicken oscarserves veal oscar is served in some of the finest new york restaurants. you can make this chicken version yourself for a small fraction of the restaurant cost. scaloppine (about pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves) or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / cup flour / cup butter or margarine cup cooked crabmeat cooked, fresh asparagus spears or can ( / ounces), drained cup chicken broth cup hollandaise sauce (optional) dip scaloppine in flour to coat lightly, shake off excess. in a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. add scaloppine and saute for about / minutes per side until lightly browned and just cooked through. remove to serving platter. top with crabmeat and asparagus spears. cover and hold in degree oven. add broth to skillet and cook over high heat to reduce by half. stir frequently. remove scaloppine from oven. top with sauce and hollandaise, if desired. perdue parmigianoserves this is a little like the austrian treatment of veal, but with an italian accent. serve it with spaghetti. if you don't have commercial bread crumbs handy, dry a couple of slices of bread in a degree oven, and then whirl in the blender or food processor. presto! your own bread crumbs. scaloppine (about pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves) or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / cup flour seasoned with teaspoon salt and / teaspoon ground pepper eggs / cup fine dry bread crumbs tablespoons oil cup homemade or prepared marinara sauce (available in supermarkets) / pound mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced / cup grated parmesan cheese place seasoned flour on a sheet of wax paper. break eggs into a shallow bowl and beat lightly. place bread crumbs on a separate sheet of wax paper. dip scaloppine in flour to coat lightly, shake off excess. dip in beaten egg, then coat with bread crumbs. in large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. add saute scaloppine and saute for about minute per side until golden brown. drain on paper towels. arrange scaloppine in shallow baking dish or casserole. cover with marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese. sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake in degree oven for minutes. perdue wiener schnitzelserves i had the real thing in austria, and i don't think it was any better than this. serve it with buttered noodles. skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thin sliced boneless roaster breast / cup flour seasoned with teaspoon salt and / teaspoon ground pepper eggs cup fine bread crumbs tablespoons butter or margarine, divided tablespoons chopped parsley salt and pepper to taste lemon, quartered pound chicken between plastic wrap to flatten to / inch thickness. skip the previous step if you are using thin sliced boneless roaster breasts. break eggs into a shallow bowl and beat lightly. place bread crumbs on a separate sheet of wax paper. dip cutlets in flour to coat, shake off excess. dip in beaten eggs, then coat with bread crumbs. in a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt half of butter. saute breaded cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, about minutes. remove to heated serving platter. add reserved butter to skillet and fry remaining eggs sunnyside up to desired doneness. season with salt and pepper. place egg on top of each cutlet, sprinkle with parsley and garnish with lemon quarters. note to editor: can we have the section on "menu for three beautiful guests" put on its own page, separate from the other recipes? i'd like to have it highlighted in some manner. let's use the story board for three beautiful guests here. most of the readers will never have seen a story board before and would find it fascinating. photo: possible photo of the four cornish, if we can find it in color. menu for three beautiful guests one of frank's most memorable commercials is "dinner with three beautiful guests." in the commercial, while frank roasts four fresh cornish game hens, he showers; shaves; puts on a tuxedo; chills some champagne; arranges flowers in a vase; turns on soft music; and then opens the door to greet three ravishing beauties. the commercial has been so successful that the advertising agency produced a sequel, dramatizing an actual letter that arrived at perdue farms' consumer relations department: "mr. perdue, i have a complaint. i prepared four of your cornish hens just as you did on t.v. i showered and shaved just as you did on t.v. i dressed as you did on t.v. i chilled the wine, and laid the birds on a bed of wild rice just as you did on t.v. your advertising is misleading. no pretty girls have knocked on my door." people sometimes ask me if the original ad makes me jealous. actually it's my favorite. quick, crisp cornish hensserves wild rice is a completely different crop from regular rice. it is chewier and has a more nut-like flavor. the people who grow it refer to it as "the caviar of grains." this is a good and quick method for roasting cornish hens but it can smoke up your kitchen. if you don't have a good fan, preheat your oven to of and then reduce it to of when you put the hens in - and then roast them for to minutes instead of the half hour mentioned in this recipe. fresh cornish game hens salt and ground pepper to taste tablespoon minced, fresh thyme or teaspoon dried bunch fresh parsley small bay leaves / cup butter or margarine, melted cups hot, cooked wild rice lemon cut in wedges as garnish bacon and wild mushroom gravy (recipe follows) place rack in lower half of oven; preheat to f. if you have a ventilator fan on stove, turn it on. reserving other giblets for gravy, discard necks and livers. season hen cavities with salt, pepper and thyme. trim stem ends from parsley and add tablespoon to each cavity, along with a bay leaf. tie legs together, fold back wings and place hens breast side up in a roasting pan. roast hens for about minutes, basting once with butter, until skin is brown and crisp and juices run clear with no hint of pink when thigh is pierced. remove hens from pan and skim off all but tablespoons drippings to be used in gravy. serve on a bed of wild rice; garnish with parsley and lemon wedges and pass gravy separately. bacon and wild mushroom gravy ounce dried wild mushrooms (cepes, morels or porcini) cup boiling water / pound bacon, diced giblets reserved from hens, chopped / cup chopped onion / cup dry sherry / cup flour - / cups chicken broth or water to reconstitute mushrooms well, pour boiling water over them and allow to steep minutes. strain through a coffee filter and reserve liquid. rinse mushrooms to remove any sand; chop finely. in a large skillet over medium-low heat, fry bacon until crisp. drain bacon on paper towels. leaving tablespoons bacon fat in pan, add giblets, mushrooms and onion and brown about minutes. add to cornish drippings in roasting pan. whisk in sherry and flour. cook, whisking frequently for to minutes or until flour is browned. add bacon, reserved mushroom liquid, and broth to flour mixture. bring to a boil, whisking frequently, and cook gravy to thicken. serve with hens. cider-glazed carrotsserves pound baby carrots, peeled cups apple cider tablespoons butter tablespoons honey / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper tablespoon minced, fresh parsley cut larger carrots in half on a diagonal, if necessary, so that all carrots are approximately the same size. in a saucepan over medium heat, bring cider, butter, honey, salt and pepper to a boil and add carrots. cook minutes or until just beginning to soften; remove with slotted spoon. bring cider mixture back to a boil and cook minutes to thicken glaze. remove from heat. two minutes before serving, reheat carrots in sauce, tossing frequently. serve garnished with parsley. peas in chive creamserves cup heavy cream / teaspoon salt and ground pepper to taste / to cups fresh or frozen peas tablespoon snipped fresh or frozen chives in a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cream and seasoning to a boil and cook until thick, about minutes; whisk frequently. five minutes before serving, stir in peas and bring back to a boil, stirring frequently. add chives just before serving. strawberries romanoffserves quart long-stemmed strawberries cup sour cream / to cup brown sugar, sifted arrange strawberries attractively on four individual dessert plates. garnish each plate with a big dollop of sour cream and a heaping tablespoonful of sugar. dip strawberries first into sour cream, then into sugar. zurelli's spinach cutlets chuck zurelli, a butcher for one of the large supermarket chains, makes this for his customers. it's not hard to do at home and it looks professional. you may want to substitute fresh minced onion and garlic for the onion powder and garlic powder that mr. zurelli uses. there is a trick to it though. we all know that having sharp knives is a good thing, but how often do you sharpen yours? are you like me, that once a year would be average, and if you were to get up to once a month, you'd be feeling pretty virtuous? chuck zurelli does a little better than once a month. if you were to watch him at work, you'd see that in the process of butterflying chicken breasts, he'll almost automatically run his knife across his sharpening tool every or seconds. since meeting mr. zurelli, i've asked other butchers how often they sharpen their knives. it turns out that zurelli is typical. the professionals feel it's worth their while to keep their knives very, very sharp. now that i've tried it, i think they're right. if you're doing some serious cutting, how about a few quick strokes on your sharpening tool? it does make a difference. for each serving: skinless, boneless chicken breast half or slice of the thin sliced boneless roaster breast spinach leaves slice provolone cheese onion powder garlic powder vegetable oil salt and ground pepper to taste take a half boneless chicken breast and butterfly it open. or use a slice of the thin sliced roaster breast. remove the membrane and sinews, since these can tighten unevenly and distort the look of the final product. take four spinach leaves and layer these over the butterflied fillet. top this with a slice of provolone cheese, cut about as thick as the pre-sliced cheeses used for sandwiches. season with a few shakes each of onion powder and garlic powder. (don't add salt until after it's finished cooking; salt will draw out the juices and toughen the meat.) roll up the fillet tightly, jelly roll fashion. fasten with a toothpick or tie with kitchen twine. preheat oven to of. brush chicken with oil to seal in the moisture and then bake for to minutes or until cooked through. season with salt and pepper. chapter ten chicken planned-overs $ a great fast food everyone is so busy nowadays, it's often tempting to pick up dinner at a fast food carry-out on the way home. the problem is, these foods not only dent the budget, they can short-change you nutritionally. often they're high in the fat or sodium which many of us are trying to limit. there are, however, ways to serve speedy meals that are also good for you. in fact, i like to think of leftover chicken as a fast food. it gives you a head start on so many recipes. michelle evans, the eminent cookbook author and travel authority, likes to say that left over chicken is the "basic black dress" of the culinary world. it's true. you can dress it up in so many ways: you can use herbs and spices, sauces and dips, toppings and crusts. just as a basic black dress is handy to have around, so leftover chicken is wonderful for a fast start on a number of delicious dishes. by using leftovers, you can create fast food while maintaining control over the calories and nutrition. when you do cook, plan for leftovers by preparing extra quantities. serve part of what you prepared immediately, and save the rest for a "planover". then, on those days when you're short on time, use your microwave to create a meal from your store of "planovers." there are a few points to keep in mind when using leftovers. _know how long the food has been held at room temperature. the department of agriculture recommends that you throw food out if it's of animal origin and if it's been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours. i've talked with some food scientists, however, who feel that the usda two-hour rule is unnecessarily strict. they say that except for the at-risk groups, (infants, the elderly or those in poor health), that you can probably still use chicken that has been kept at room temperature for a little longer than two hours, maybe as long as four hours. still, they agree that the longer chicken is kept at room temperature, the bigger the chance you're taking. harmful organisms can multiply rapidly on food that's held in the danger zone between degrees and degrees. personally, i'm in favor of being cautious, but i thought you might like to know that there's more than one view. _when refrigerating leftovers, break them down into shallow pans that aren't deeper than a couple of inches. if you have a deep pan with lots of, for example, leftover stuffing, it could take too long for the food in the middle to cool down to degrees. _if you're not going to eat the leftover chicken within three days, freeze it. _don't store cooked chicken in the freezer for longer than three months. label it so you can keep track of it. a california home economist friend of mine keeps a running log of what's in her freezer, marking dishes when they are removed. this reduces the search time with the freezer open, and keeps her from losing track of what's in there. _wrap leftovers tightly in moisture proof wrapping so as to prevent freezer burn. _think of ways of working leftovers into your brown bag lunches. cold chicken makes a great lunch. chicken soup or stew goes great in a thermos. if you happen to be browsing in this chapter and find you want to make one of the recipes but don't have any leftovers handy, you can make some by: . baking a chicken. place whole chicken without any seasonings or coatings, uncovered in a of oven for approximately hour. . simmering a whole chicken chicken cups water teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper onion, peeled and quartered stalk celery, halved bay leaf put chicken in kettle or sauce pan. add water and remaining ingredients. cover and simmer minutes or until cooked through. save the broth for sauces or soup bases. . simmering parts of a chicken using the same recipe as for whole chicken. boneless parts cook fastest, a small breast in minutes, a larger roaster-size one in to , and boneless roaster thighs in to minutes. photo: pies and oblong casserole chicken potpies rediscovered one of the best uses for leftover chicken is chicken pot pies. back in the days of the roman empire, potpies were banquet fare, often created with surprises - even live birds -- under the crust. during the time of elizabeth i, english cooks made potpies using "chicken peepers," tiny chicks stuffed with gooseberries. by the mid-eighteenth century, an english cookbook included a sort of telescoping pie in which five birds were stuffed one inside another, then wrapped in dough. with a past like that, it is not surprising that immigrants to america brought an appreciation for potpies with them. when settlers moved west, so did their potpie recipes, which they adapted to local food styles with new ingredients and seasonings. by this century, chicken potpies and "meat and taters" variations had become as american as corn on the cob. they were thrifty foods, served at the kitchen table and in "home cooking" diners along country roads. recently, nostalgia for homespun cookery has meant a change in status for potpies. they not only are considered respectable, they're even "trendy," often appearing on the menus of fashionable restaurants. these are perfect recipes in which to use leftover chicken, and if you run short of a particular vegetable go ahead and substitute whatever else looks good. in fact, you can mix and match and change the ingredients, flavorings and toppings to suit the mood of the moment. to get you started, here are a few guidelines. tips for making old-fashioned chicken potpies _potpie fillings are actually stews or creamed dishes inside a crust. if you want you can also serve fillings over rice, noodles, toast points or party shells. _to prevent a soggy bottom crust, bake two-crust pies on the bottom shelf of a preheated oven and slit the top to allow steam to escape. for decorative slits, use a favorite hors d'oeuvre or cookie cutter. also space dumplings, biscuits and other toppings to allow for steaming. _when making individual potpies, eliminating the bottom crust creates a better proportion of filling to pastry. one double-crust recipe for a -inch pie plate makes about single-crust, -inch tarts. reduce baking time by minutes. _for a different flavor in biscuits, crusts or potato toppings, crumble in a few tablespoonfuls of herbs or grated cheese. _potpie fillings can be prepared in advance and refrigerated, but do not pour fillings into pastry shells until ready to bake. if you plan to freeze a pie for storage, eliminate the bottom crust, sealing the top one over cooked filling. place in a plastic bag or wrap tightly with heavy foil. do not defrost before baking. preheat the oven and add minutes to cooking time. cajun pieserves / pound lean bacon vegetable oil tablespoons flour / cup chopped onion / cup chopped green pepper / cup fresh ripe or canned chopped tomatoes tablespoons worcestershire sauce to drops tabasco - / cups water teaspoon salt or to taste package ( ounces) frozen succotash, thawed cups cooked, chopped chicken to ready to bake buttermilk biscuits grease a deep -inch pie plate or ovenproof dish. in large, heavy skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. remove bacon with a slotted spoon to drain; crumble. pour drippings into a measuring cup and add oil to bring to / cup. return to skillet and stir in flour. cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for to minutes or until well browned. add onions and cook minute. stir in green peppers, tomatoes, sauces, and water; season to taste with salt. simmer until slightly thickened or about to minutes; stir in succotash bacon and chicken. pour into prepared dish. preheat oven to of. place biscuits on top of filling with edges touching. bake for to minutes or until filling is hot and biscuits are golden brown. chicken hash pieserves pounds ( large) potatoes, peeled and diced cup ( / pint) heavy cream, divided tablespoons butter or margarine, divided salt and ground pepper to taste pinch ground nutmeg cup thinly sliced scallions, white and tender green parts only / cup chopped celery tablespoons flour cup chicken broth cups cooked, chopped chicken / teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or / teaspoon dried eggs teaspoons minced, fresh parsley, optional preheat oven to f. grease a -inch pie plate or - / - quart ovenproof casserole. place potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover. salt to taste. bring to a boil over high heat. reduce heat to low and cook until tender, about minutes. drain and mash potatoes, adding / cup cream, tablespoons butter, / teaspoon pepper, nutmeg, and salt to taste. cover and set aside. in large skillet over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. saute scallions and celery in butter for minutes. whisk in flour and cook minutes. add broth and remaining / cup cream and heat to boiling, whisking constantly. stir in chicken, thyme, teaspoon salt or to taste, and / teaspoon pepper. spread chicken mixture on bottom of prepared pie plate. pipe potatoes rings on top of pie or spread potatoes over filling and make four depressions with the back of a spoon. bake minutes. remove from oven and carefully break eggs into rings or depressions. sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired, and return to oven for minutes or until eggs are set to desired doneness. garnish with parsley and serve immediately. chicken pieserves in contrast to the recipe above for chicken hash pie, this may be one of the easiest chicken pie recipes there is. sprinkle grated cheddar cheese over the biscuits when you want something different. cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks cans ( - / -ounces each) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted / cup uncooked frozen peas raw carrots, sliced tablespoons finely chopped onion or teaspoon instant minced onion tube ( and / ounces) prepared biscuits preheat oven to of. mix all ingredients except biscuits in baking dish. cover with foil and bake hour. remove foil. place biscuits on top of mixture. bake, uncovered, minutes longer or until biscuits are brown. chicken tamale pie (mexican) serves - don't be alarmed if the cornmeal mixture gets lumpy$just keep stirring and cooking and the mixture will become consistently thick. tablespoons butter or margarine, divided cup chopped onion clove garlic, minced cups cooked chicken, cut in cubes can ( -ounces) tomato puree tablespoon chili powder cup pitted and chopped ripe olives / teaspoon ground coriander seed teaspoons salt, divided / teaspoon ground pepper cups chicken broth, divided cups cornmeal in a large skillet over medium heat, melt tablespoon butter. add onion and garlic and saute for minute. add chicken, tomato puree, chili powder, olives, coriander, teaspoon of the salt, pepper and / cup chicken broth. cover and simmer minutes. preheat oven to of. bring remaining broth to a boil in large saucepan. add salt and butter. stir in cornmeal. cook at low heat minutes, stirring constantly. line a large shallow baking dish with half of the cornmeal mixture. pour in chicken mixture. cover with remaining cornmeal mixture. bake for / hours. empanada pieserves this is a south american version of chicken pot pie. cups flour / teaspoon salt or to taste tablespoons ( stick) butter or margarine, divided tablespoons lard or shortening about / cup ice-cold water / cup thinly sliced onion cup thinly sliced green pepper hot green chili pepper, chopped (optional) / cup pitted green olives, sliced into rounds cup raisins / cup cider vinegar cup chopped fresh or stewed tomatoes tablespoon tomato paste / teaspoon ground cinnamon / teaspoon salt or to taste cups cooked, diced chicken egg, beaten pastry in a small bowl, combine flour and salt. with pastry blender or knives, cut in tablespoons butter and lard until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. gradually stir in water until dough forms a ball; do not overmix. preheat oven to f and grease a deep -inch pie plate or ovenproof dish. roll out / of the pastry and use to line bottom of pie plate. pierce well with a fork. roll remaining pastry to / -inch thickness for top crust. (pastry can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until filling is ready.) filling in medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, melt remaining butter. add onion and pepper; saute for minutes or until softened. add olives, raisins, vinegar, tomatoes and tomato paste and cook minutes. season with cinnamon and salt; stir in chicken. spread chicken mixture in prepared pie plate and top with pastry. flute edges, cut decorative slits in top, and brush with beaten egg. bake on bottom shelf of oven minutes or until browned. fancy chicken puff pieserves tablespoons butter or margarine / cup chopped shallots or scallions / cup flour cup chicken broth / cup dry sherry salt to taste / teaspoon ground white pepper pinch nutmeg / pound ham, in / -inch by -inch strips cups cooked chicken, cut in / -inch by -inch strips - / cups fresh, or a package ( ounces) frozen, asparagus,cooked tender-crisp and cut in -inch pieces cup ( / pint) heavy cream chilled flaky pastry for a -crust pie or sheet frozen puff pastry egg, beaten in a medium-sized saucepan, oven medium-high heat, melt butter and saute shallots lightly. whisk in flour; cook minutes and add broth and sherry. heat to boiling, whisking constantly; season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. reduce heat to low and simmer minutes. stir in ham, chicken, asparagus, and cream. pour chicken mixture in -inch pie plate. preheat oven to f. cut an -inch circle from pastry, tracing around a plate as pattern. cut pastry hearts from extra dough with cookie cutter, if desired. place circle of dough on a cookie sheet moistened with cold water. pierce with tines of fork, brush with egg and decorate with cutout hearts; brush hearts with egg. place pastry on cookie sheet and the filled pie plate in oven. bake minutes; lower heat to f and bake to additional minutes or until pastry is golden brown and filling is hot. with a spatula, carefully place pastry lid on hot filling and serve immediately. chicken a la king with buttermilk biscuitsserves - according to food historians, chicken a la king got its name, not from some former monarch, but from the e. clark king family, proprietors of a fashionable resort near manhattan at the turn of the century. the original recipe used cream and sherry and egg yolks, and was served over toast points. this is somewhat lighter and a lot easier. if you have the time and are in the mood, skip the cream of chicken soup, and instead, use a basic white sauce made with chicken broth. if you don't have your own favorite white sauce recipe, here's a quick and simple one: stir tablespoons of flour into tablespoons of melted butter. cook for a couple of minutes, but don't let brown. slowly stir in cups chicken broth. continue stirring until thickened. season with salt and pepper to taste. cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks / teaspoon ground pepper / cup pimento, chopped / pound small fresh mushrooms, sliced ( cup) cans ( - / ounces each) cream of chicken soup, undiluted in a saucepan over low heat combine all ingredients and cook for about minutes or until heated through. serve on buttermilk biscuits. you can buy them ready-to-bake in a tube, or else make them from scratch, following this recipe: buttermilk biscuits cups flour / teaspoon salt or to taste teaspoon baking powder teaspoon baking soda / cup shortening or butter about / cup buttermilk preheat oven to f. in large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. stir in just enough buttermilk so dough holds together; turn out onto a floured surface. pat to a / -inch thickness and cut into -inch rounds. bake to minutes, or until golden. chicken and corn soup serves - cups chicken broth / cups cooked, diced, chicken can ( / ounces) cream-style corn tablespoon dry sherry salt and pepper to taste / tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in tablespoons water cup watercress leaves in a saucepan over medium heat bring broth to a boil. add chicken, corn, sherry, salt and pepper. simmer to minutes. stir in cornstarch mixture and cook stirring constantly, to minutes or until slightly thickened. stir in watercress and serve immediately. chicken chow mein (chinese) serves - using the cream of mushroom soup puts this recipe in the category of "fast food." it's good, but if you have the time and the inclination, you'll get fresher-tasting results if you substitute your best white sauce recipe for the canned mushroom soup. also, if you have a choice between buying dark soy sauce and light soy sauce, remember the dark one is sweeter$molasses or caramel is added$and light soy sauce is saltier. - / cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks can ( -ounces) chow mein noodles, divided can ( - / -ounces) cashew nuts, divided can ( - / -ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted / cup chicken broth tablespoons soy sauce preheat oven to of. in a baking dish combine chicken, / of noodles, / of nuts, soup, broth and soy sauce in baking dish, mixing well. top with remaining noodles and cashews. bake for about minutes. chicken-in-every-pot soupserves - for the best flavor, use fresh vegetables, varying them according to the season. speaking of fresh vegetables, do you know how to tell a good carrot? look at the "crown," (that's the stem end). if the crown is turning brown or black or has regrowth visible where the stem was, you've got a carrot that's been around awhile. if the crown and shoulders are a bright orange, you've got a nice, fresh carrot. cup potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes cups chicken broth / cup dry sherry teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cup onions, halved and thinly sliced cup carrots, in / -inch by -inch sticks cup celery, in / -inch by -inch sticks cup fresh or frozen green beans, in -inch pieces cups cooked chicken, in / -inch by -inch julienne strips cup zucchini, in / -inch by -inch sticks place potatoes in a saucepan with enough salted water to cover. bring to a boil over medium-high heat. cook potatoes minutes; drain, rinse under cold water and set aside. in large saucepan over medium-high heat, bring broth and sherry to a boil. season with salt and pepper. add onions, carrots, and celery and simmer minutes. stir in green beans and chicken and heat soup to boiling. add zucchini and potatoes and simmer minute longer. variation: chicken minestrone add cup chopped stewed tomatoes in their juice and cups cooked, drained fusilli or other pasta and / -cup cooked kidney beans when adding zucchini and potatoes. stir in / -cup grated parmesan cheese just before serving. other fresh vegetables may be added according to their cooking times. minestrone happens to be one of frank's favorites, although he skips the cheese because of its cholesterol. new england chicken 'n' corn chowderserves - chowders are thick soups which take their name from the large french pot used in soup-making called a "chaudiere." you can use fresh corn in this recipe, but i deliberately suggested frozen corn first because frozen corn can actually taste sweeter and fresher than the fresh corn you buy at the supermarket. corn loses % of its sweetness in just hours at room temperature, and it can take days for corn to get from the fields to the supermarket to your house. in contrast, frozen corn is rushed from the fields to the freezer in just a few hours, and once frozen, it stops losing its sweetness. strange as it may seem, with corn, frozen can taste fresher than fresh. / pound bacon or salt pork, diced cup chopped onion / cup chopped celery cups chicken broth cups peeled potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes package ( ounces) frozen corn or kernels from ears of corn teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper cups cooked, diced chicken cup ( / -pint) heavy cream oyster crackers, for garnish in large saucepan over medium-high heat, saute bacon for minutes until its fat has been rendered. add onions and celery and cook minutes longer. stir in broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. add potatoes and corn, season with salt and pepper and cook to minutes or until tender. stir in chicken and cream, simmer minutes and serve with oyster crackers. variation: shellfish chowder add cup chopped green pepper and cup cooked crab or shrimp to soup when adding chicken. hearty lancaster chicken, vegetable and dumpling soup serves this is a famous pennsylvania summer soup made with extra vegetables for hearty winter eating. you can substitute noodles for the dumplings, or add crackers, pretzels $ and some people have told me that even popcorn works. i'm skeptical about the popcorn, but if you're feeling adventurous, give it a try. cups chicken broth cups cooked, diced chicken teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup parboiled potatoes, cut in / -inch cubes / cup parboiled carrots, cut in / -inch pieces / cup shredded green cabbage cup thinly-sliced leek, white and tender green parts only, or medium onion, thinly sliced package ( -ounces) frozen corn kernels from ears of corn knepp in large saucepan over high heat, bring broth to a boil. add other ingredients and reduce heat to low. simmer for minutes while making dumplings. knepp (little dumplings) egg / cup flour / cup water / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon baking powder pinch ground nutmeg teaspoon minced, fresh parsley, optional garnish in small bowl, beat egg; stir in flour, water, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg. drop batter by half teaspoons into the simmering soup. when dumplings rise to top, stir in parsley and serve. variation: chicken spinach straciatella omit dumplings. clean and stem / pound fresh spinach; stack and cut into / -inch strips. whisk together eggs with / -cup grated parmesan cheese. stir in spinach with chicken, then heat soup just to boiling. immediately pour in the egg mixture in a thin stream, while stirring. the goal is to end up with thread-like strands of cooked egg. cook until soup simmers again; stir gently just before serving. chicken-bacon sandwich serves different kinds of bread make interesting variations. you can serve the sandwiches either open-face or topped with another slice of bread. i like open-face sandwiches that the kids can decorate. cup cooked, finely chopped chicken / cup chopped celery tablespoons minced, fresh parsley tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing teaspoons fresh lemon juice / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper slices crisp cooked bacon in a mixing bowl combine all ingredients except bacon and spread on favorite kind of bread. break slices of cooked bacon in half and place on top of sandwich. hot chickenwichserves if chicken has been chilled, it should be placed in of oven, uncovered, for about minutes. if you have the time, substitute a good homemade white sauce made with chicken broth for the cream of chicken soup. if you don't have the time, (and i bet that happens to you often!) the chicken soup shortcut is still very good. slices hot buttered toast can ( - / -ounces) deviled ham chicken, cooked and sliced tablespoons minced, fresh parsley can ( - / -ounces) cream of chicken soup, undiluted and heated salt to taste (you may not want any since the soup and the deviled ham are both fairly salty) spread deviled ham on buttered toast; sprinkle with parsley. place sliced chicken on toast. pour hot soup over each sandwich. quick chicken tetrazzini serves - this is even better after standing to let the flavors blend. green beans and broiled tomato go nicely with this. if you have time, use a good homemade white sauce made with chicken broth and mushrooms instead of the cream of mushroom soup. cup cooked, diced chicken can ( - / -ounces) cream of mushroom soup, undiluted / cup cooked spaghetti ( / cup uncooked yields / cup cooked) tablespoons dry sherry / cup grated parmesan cheese salt and ground pepper to taste (you may not want any since the soup is fairly salty) preheat oven to of. in a baking dish combine all ingredients and bake for about minutes until hot and lightly browned. salads chicken spring saladserves - spinach is an excellent source of vitamins a and c, as well as potassium and magnesium. when you eat it uncooked, as in this recipe, dentists say spinach is a detergent food, helpful to dental health. cups cooked chicken, cut in chunks package ( -ounces) raw spinach, washed and drained with stems removed and torn into small pieces small clove garlic, minced tablespoon chives, snipped, fresh or frozen teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper teaspoon sugar / cup chopped pecans apples, chopped / cup oil / cup red wine vinegar in a salad bowl combine all ingredients and toss lightly. french dressing chicken saladserves - this is a real "fast food," perfect for when you've got a lot of other things to do besides fuss in the kitchen. it's quick and easy, but the cayenne pepper gives it a little perk that lifts it out of the ordinary. cups cooked, diced chicken / cup finely chopped celery / cup french dressing / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing / teaspoon cayenne pepper in a salad bowl toss together all ingredients and serve on lettuce. olivey chicken saladserves i like this recipe partly because it tastes good, but also because it's a dandy use for leftover rice as well as leftover chicken. cups cooked, diced chicken cup cooked rice ( / cup uncooked yields cup cooked) / cup chopped celery / cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives / cup toasted slivered almonds / cup thinly sliced scallions teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon ground pepper / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing tablespoons fresh lemon juice in a mixing bowl combine all ingredients and serve salad on a bed of lettuce leaves. sunshine chicken saladserves - the avocado you use in this recipe should be fully ripe, and that means it will have a slight give to it when you press it between your palms. if it has about as much "give" to it as a baseball, let it ripen for a couple of days more at room temperature. but don't refrigerate it because refrigeration puts a permanent stop to all ripening. cups cooked, diced chicken can ( -ounces) orange juice concentrate tablespoons oil tablespoon vinegar tablespoon sugar / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon salt or to taste / teaspoon tabasco cup chopped celery / cup diced ripe olives medium avocado, cut in small chunks / cup toasted, slivered almonds in a blender or food processor, make dressing by blending orange juice concentrate, oil, vinegar, sugar, dry mustard, salt and tabasco at high speed seconds or until smooth. in a salad bowl combine chicken, celery, olives, avocado and almonds. pour dressing over. toss and chill at least minutes before serving. tangy chicken saladserves - have you ever gotten the hard cooked eggs and the uncooked eggs mixed up in the refrigerator$and you wanted to know which was which without breaking them? if that should happen when you're making this recipe, here's what to do. spin them. the one that whirls around like a spinning top is hardcooked. the one that wobbles and doesn't spin well is still raw. cups cooked, diced chicken / teaspoon salt or to taste / cup chopped celery hard cooked egg, chopped tablespoon sweet pickle relish / cup mayonnaise or salad dressing in a salad bowl toss together all ingredients. serve on crisp lettuce. hearty chicken soup in a hurryserves this is an easy soup for a beginning cook. it's also good in a thermos for a school lunch on a cold day. i can't count the number of times i've made it when i've been in a hurry. cans ( - / ounces each) chicken broth cup cooked, diced chicken cup cooked, high-protein wagon wheel macaroni or other pasta cup frozen mixed vegetables in a saucepan over medium heat bring broth to a simmer. stir in chicken, pasta and vegetables. reduce heat to low; simmer minutes until vegetables are tender-crisp. spoon soup into a wide-mouth thermos jar and close tightly. serve with crackers or lightly buttered bread. saucy chicken bundles serves this takes time but it looks good and tastes terrific. it's not a gourmet item, but it's something a young cook can really enjoy making and showing off. cups biscuit mix / cup milk cup cooked, diced chicken / cup butter or margarine, melted cans ( - / -ounces each) cream of chicken soup, undiluted can ( - / -ounces) jellied cranberry sauce in a mixing bowl add milk to biscuit mix to form dough. roll dough into a square about / -inch thick. cut dough into -inch squares (makes about ). in a small bowl combine chicken, butter and tablespoons of soup. put tablespoons of this mixture on each pastry square. bring four corners of square together and pinch closed. preheat oven to of. place on baking sheet and bake for minutes. heat remaining soup and pour over baked squares. slice can of cranberry sauce into / -inch slices. with star-shaped cookie cutter, cut star from each slice of cranberry sauce and place on top of baked bundle before serving. conclusion: the story of a rare bird this part has almost nothing to do with recipes and cooking, but i've been trying to guess what you were looking for when you bought this book. clearly you wanted recipes from one of the world's premier authorities on chicken. i hope you've found this when looking at frank's favorites. but maybe you're also like many people who enjoy reading cookbooks almost as much as they enjoy the cooking. over the years, hundreds of people have told me that they buy cookbooks and only try a few recipes. the real pleasure they get from a cookbook is in reading it. knowing this, i've tried to make this book something that would be fun to read as well. but if you live in an area where frank sells his products, or if you've seen the pbs specials on him or read about him in in search of excellence, or perhaps read about him in some of the gossip columns, you may also have an additional reason to buy this book. perhaps you were curious about him as a person. what kind of man built a company from a father and son operation to one that today processes more than a million chickens a day and has sales in excess of a billion dollars a year? what is he really like? to me, his outstanding characteristic is that he gives of himself. i've seen first hand how he gives of himself for the sake of doing the best job he can for both consumers and for the people who work for the company. i know how often he's set the alarm for : a.m. after being up until : a.m. so he can get a head start on work. when he's really busy with something, i've seen him get by with two hours sleep after a month of getting only four hours. he cares so much for the people who work for him that i've heard him make transatlantic phone calls even during our honeymoon to make sure a low level associate's grievance was handled fairly. i've been touched by how often he visits retired associates, now in their s and s. company functions mean so much to him that once, after we had been traveling for twenty-three hours on our return from the soviet union, he went straight to a perdue volunteer fire brigade appreciation dinner rather than going home to bed. the associates meant far more to him than his sleep. when one of the perdue truckers needed help loading boxes, frank worked alongside him until the job was done because frank believed the man had a right to be home with his family. even in the building of the company, i find him generous. that may seem like an unusual way to look at the work of an entrepreneur, but he is providing jobs and a quality product; he's not engaged in leveraged buy-outs and paper transactions. many people know that frank perdue is famous for his chickens, his financial success, his marketing innovations, his drive, his creativity, or even his eccentricities, but i think that his greatest success lies elsewhere. to me, true success isn't measured by what you get, but rather by what you give. the tough man who makes those tender chickens, is an unusually giving man. none scanned images of public domain material from the google print archive. suppers novel suggestions for social occasions compiled by paul pierce editor and publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine, superintendent of food exhibits at the st. louis worlds's fair, honorary commissioner of foods at the jamestown exposition. chicago brewer, barse & co. copyright by paul pierce to the aristocracy of america. to that much abused, but very eminent class, the society women of america, this book is dedicated. it is with a realization that they constitute the better half of the best aristocracy in the world--probably the only real aristocracy of the present day. it is an aristocracy of real merit, entree to which is attained by achievement, not by mere inheritance. no titles are inherited there; they are bought with effort and accomplishments. it is an aristocracy of the fittest, not of chance birth. out of the competition is growing a higher and higher standard for each succeeding generation, and hence it is an aristocracy of ascent and not of descent. suppers are the favorite social function of the american aristocrats. hence it is with the highest esteem of their station, and the honor they reflect on the nation that this humble volume is recommended to their especial protection and favor. publisher's announcement. so scant is the information regarding suppers that it has been almost impossible for the host or hostess to obtain authentic knowledge regarding these functions excepting through actual experience as a guest, and even then the prevailing ignorance has led to many erroneous conceptions causing deplorable awkwardness. the publication of this volume was decided upon only after a search of libraries and bookshops everywhere revealed such a woeful dearth of information on suppers and the fact that such information as was obtainable was often misleading and in many cases positively ridiculous. there is no social function that lends itself so admirably for a high class entertainment as the supper. this volume, therefore, will fill a vacuum in the needs of society; it will supply a long felt want of both men and women, who often, so often, have worried over the proper forms and menus for suppers. the book is complied by paul pierce, publisher of _what to eat_, the national food magazine, an international authority on all subjects pertaining to dinings and other social functions. mr. pierce is the compiler of "dinners and luncheons," "parties and entertainments," "breakfasts and teas," and "weddings and wedding celebrations," to which "suppers" is a companion. all the other volumes will be found most helpful to the man or woman who entertains on a large or small scale. contents chapter i. _chafing dish suppers_--chafing dish cooking and serving--chafing dish chat--a chafing dish supper--a chafing dish party--over the chafing dish. chapter ii. _german, dutch and bohemian suppers_--some queer german suppers--a dutch supper--bohemian supper for men--the dutch supper. chapter iii. _entertaining in the modern apartment_--a little sunday night supper--stag suppers--a bachelor supper. chapter iv. _suppers for special occasions_--danish valentine supper--a hallowe'en ghost hunt--a hallowe'en supper--hallowe'en supper menus--a pie party for thanksgiving season--the pie shelf--birthday suppers--birthday party. chapter v. _miscellaneous suppers_--camping parties and clambakes--nutting party--harvest home supper--autumn suppers--dickens' supper--boston supper party--yachting party--butterfly supper--young married couples' supper--head dress supper party--quilting supper--wedding supper--waffle supper--the bohemian picnic supper--railroad party--literary supper--peanut party--folk lore supper--cake walk supper--bridge whist supper--after theatre menus--a cold supper menu for hot weather. chapter vi. _toasts_--stories for suppers. chapter i. chafing dish suppers--chafing dish cooking and serving--chafing dish chat--a chafing dish supper--a chafing dish party--over the chafing dish. in serving the most simple of chafing-dish suppers, it would seem as though the novice had a million things to remember and a thousand duties to follow in quick succession. she is the cynosure of all eyes. with what grace and tact she may discharge her pretty duties, or with what awkwardness and evident distaste, none but a "chafing" audience can really appreciate. charming and at home on every other occasion, the most finished society woman frequently feels completely lost in this unwonted dipping into domestic service. perhaps one of the most embarrassing moments is when, the company assembled, unconsciously expectant and usually most flatteringly interested, the hostess prepares to fill and light the little lamp whose flickering flame begins the ceremony. if the hostess is wise and conversation seems to flag at this interesting moment, she will promptly start the ball rolling and relieve the tension by some extemporaneous remark, some light jest that will at least temporarily distract the attention of the merry assemblage. but this over, there is still the inconvenient delay before the water heats, the butter splutters and the real preparing of the supper is begun, and remembering this and the embarassing interval, even at the most informal supper the chafing-dish course should be preceded by a little appetizer, or, to speak more correctly, diverter, which will form a pleasant interlude, occupy in part the attention of the guests and tend to promote the success of her favorite dish by allowing her to proceed in its preparation undisturbed by haste or excitement. for this purpose something most appropriate to the supper must be served, in order that, as according to the customs in ancient rome, the _piece de resistance_ may be emphasized and the appetite whetted, not cloyed by the introductory viands. before the favorite welsh rarebit, so rarely thought of in any combination but with ale and indigestion, anchovy sandwiches garnished with water cress will be found delicious, or sardines, chilled in lemon juice, and offered with inch wide sandwiches of buttered boston brown bread may be served. iced shaddock pulp, flavored with maraschino, is an excellent introduction to creamed chicken. egg lemonade, clam cocktail, raw oysters with stuffed mangoes, or some such light course can all be easily prepared beforehand, and should be served most daintily, individually, in order that no rapacious collegiate may inadvertently regale himself with a second helping, and thereby too early spring the epicurean trap so adroitly set for later refections. the lamp lighted and this first course passed, the hostess may at least be sure of a short interval in which to make her preparations. have everything ready beforehand--the rest is easy. why there should be so much excitement over the cooking of an ordinary rarebit, a creamed chicken, a souffle of oysters or all this terrible excitement about a lobster newberg or a simple cheese fondue is beyond comprehension. the first ambition of the young hostess seems to be a rarebit, possibly because its frequent introduction at stag suppers makes it a great favorite with her men friends. rarebits are avowedly hard to make, and the recipes are legion, but whatever formula you use, whether you use cream, ale, beer, curry or tobasco, never fail to add two half-beaten eggs for each pound of cheese, and serve the minute it reaches a creamy consistency. this principle followed, your rarebit woes will vanish, and the fame of your chafing dish will be heralded abroad. unless you are really an experienced cook, it is unwise to attempt too complicated a dish, but a little practice will soon put you quite at ease, and a little thought will enable you to serve your sunday-night supper or a midnight lunch quite as easily this way as any other. we are most of us familiar enough with simple cooking to prepare any ordinary dish, and without entering into a list of formulæ, the following suggestions will be found all sufficient: ham, oyster, bacon, cheese, potato, jelly, celery or preserved fruit omelets; scrambled eggs; curried oysters or chicken; minced ham or minced tongue souffle; fried shad roe, calves brains, chops, sausages or sardines; creamed chicken with mushrooms, creamed sweetbreads, liver, bacon, lobster, oysters, cold boiled fish of all kinds; fried oyster, clam, corn, pineapple, peach, orange or banana fritters (fried in butter); cheese fondue, welsh rarebit, sardines in cheese sauce, or any other simple little dish your fancy may dictate. with such an array as this to choose from, and a hundred other equally simple dishes in reserve, is it possible for any one to despair over the impossibilities of the chafing dish and its limited qualifications for a quick, hot supper? chafing dish chat. while recipes for chafing dish cookery abound, the little hints which make all the difference between success and failure in the concoction of any given dish are usually omitted. the chafing dish novice is usually obliged to learn them by that hardest of all teachers, experience. to ameliorate this difficulty, the following suggestions are given: have plenty of alcohol on hand to avoid the possibility of the lamp's going out just before some dish is completed, otherwise, if you are a man, you may be tempted to use language almost warm enough to cook the ingredients. if your chafing dish lamp has not been used for some time, pour only a little alcohol into it at first, let it stand, and then fill it up. if obliged to refill the lamp in the process of cooking, do not do it while the lamp is very hot, as the igniting point of alcohol is low. do not fill up your lamp until ready to use it, as alcohol evaporates very rapidly. have a metallic tray underneath the chafing dish. do not blow the flame to extinguish it, or it may fly back at you and scorch your eyebrows and lashes. put it out with a little extinguisher that comes with the lamp. almost everything can be cooked without the hot water pan, and thus one-half the time can be saved in making your dish. raise the pan from the flame if it becomes too strong. never leave the alcohol bottle uncorked, on account of the odor of the alcohol and also to avoid the possibility of its catching fire. should the contents of the bottle ignite, clap your hand over its mouth. this will extinguish the fire at once. use wooden spoons for stirring, as they do not scratch the dish. almost anything that can be cooked in a sauce pan on the stove can be cooked in the chafing dish. have everything you need for your dish on the table before you begin to cook, and if possible have every ingredient, except the seasonings, measured. one level tablespoonful of butter when melted is usually enough to cover the bottom of the chafing dish. do not use too much sherry in making lobster newberg, for alcohol, when used in cooking, tends to make fish or flesh tough. remember in measuring out the sherry that you are preparing a dish, not concocting a drink. the sherry should not be instantly recognized; there should be just a hint of its flavor. when your dish is completed, serve it from the chafing dish. if, however, you prefer turning it out on a platter, garnish the edges of the same with watercress or parsley. last, but not least, save the best and brightest story you have heard during the week, to relate at the chafing dish supper. a chafing dish supper. a chafing dish supper menu must necessarily be confined to those dishes which are the hosts' or hostess' specialty--welsh rarebit, panned or creamed oysters, shellfish, eggs or meats. the very informality of a chafing dish supper is its charm, the guests sitting at the table while the dishes are prepared. decide upon the chief dish and have everything possible prepared in the kitchen and ready to use at the table, the cheese or meat cut into dice, the bread or crackers toasted, the ingredients measured and in glasses or cups and all utensils ready to use. decorate the table with centerpiece and plate mats or large white cloth with bowl of flowers or fruits in the center. do not have many candles or decorations on the table as these will interfere with the preparation of dishes. have the chafing dish or dishes at one end of the table and some hostesses have a higher chair in which to sit while they preside over the chafing dish. have the salad, trays or platters with sandwiches and coffee machine if you make coffee at the table, placed conveniently by those who prepare these articles of food. suppose you are to serve panned oysters, on squares of toast, lettuce salad, bread and butter sandwiches and coffee, or welsh rarebit, potato salad and coffee and sandwiches. any of these is a good menu as you will not want sweets or ice cream at such a supper. for safety place your chafing dishes on metal trays and do not fill the lamp too full. many hostesses prefer to have their ingredients on the table in bowls which will not break and on japanese trays and use wooden spoons for stirring as they do not become hot, and do not scratch the dishes. as food is served directly from the chafing dish to the plates and the object is to have everything very hot, garnishings are not necessary. the water pan placed under the cooking pan will keep things hot after the flame is extinguished. two chafing dishes come in very handy in keeping the toast and hot water hot while the main dish is being prepared. have a pile of hot plates at hand and have someone place the toast on the plate and hand it to the hostess who serves from the chafing dish. while she is doing this, have someone at the other end of the table mix a plain french dressing and toss the lettuce leaves in it in a large bowl and serve the lettuce salad, or serve the potato salad which should be already prepared on small fancy plates. if coffee is made at the table assign this task to one guest and appoint two or three waiters to see that the sandwiches, coffee, salad and the chafing dish product are handed about. dill pickles are popular for chafing dish suppers, and so are wienerwursts, rye bread and swiss cheese. the main idea of such a supper is to keep everyone busy helping and seeing that the supper does not lag. a chafing dish party. hey diddle diddle, the cat's in the fiddle, the cow jumped over the moon, the little dog laughed to see the sport, and the dish ran away with the spoon. start in with a spelling match and spell each other down in good old-fashioned style. as soon as any one misses two words he or she is dropped out. finally when only one is left, award a prize, a little water color, painted by the hostess, and framed passe-partout, to the "unabridged dictionary" as the winner might be called. the one who fails and retires first from the field receives a toy chafing dish. in the dining room the polished table is daintily set with doilies under the olive and almond dishes, and under the plates and glasses. the supper is a very simple one. make creamed oysters in the chafing dish and serve them in home-made pate shells. then have celery sandwiches made of thin slices of bread rolled around tender splintered stalks of celery, and dainty lettuce sandwiches with the lettuce crisp and cold and the mayonnaise of good stiffness and small cups of coffee. to divert the attention while the hostess is cooking the oysters put at each plate a large oyster shell with a verse painted upon it in the form of a recipe which brings out little characteristics of each one of the guests. one man who is very clever and a dabbler in verse may receive the following: "for this wonder culinary take a pound of dictionary, philosophy, perhaps a cup-- beat three epics, mix them up, with a measure of blank verse season with oratory terse, sprinkle in a bunch of rue ---- looms into view." a girl who has a record of alleged broken hearts to her account, is exploited in this style: "take an ounce of fickleness, remorse, perhaps a grain or less; stir this into ready wit, a siren's smile to leaven it; a laugh of wondrous catchiness this is little ----" over the chafing dish. recipes for cooking with this dish of dishes are more than plentiful, yet new ones are always sought; and these will all be found most excellent. sweetbreads with peas. can of peas; three small sweetbreads; one teaspoonful butter; one-half pint of stock broth; celery leaf; salt; white pepper; one-half teaspoonful brown flour. stand the sweetbreads in cold water for an hour. then parboil and remove rough edges, membranes, sinews, etc. put in cold water and keep on ice until wanted. put into the chafing dish the butter and the sweetbreads. when the butter has been absorbed, add one-half pint of stock and the celery leaf, chopped fine, the salt, pepper and browned flour. turn the sweetbreads. when the same is reduced one half it is ready. while the sweetbreads are cooking open a can of green peas. warm thoroughly in the chafing dish. put in salt, pepper and tablespoonful of butter. serve peas and sweetbreads together. lobster a la newberg. meat of a boiled lobster, cut into large dice; good-sized lump butter; one gill of sherry; one pint of cream; yolks of two eggs; glass of sauterne. put the lobster into the chafing dish with a good-sized lump of butter and stir gently until the butter is melted and the lobster heated through. mix the sherry with the cream and yolk of eggs, first blending the latter with enough cream to make them thick as mayonnaise. pour the mixture into the dish over the lobster. let it simmer a moment, then pour the sauterne over the whole and serve hot. welsh rarebit. one pound chopped american cheese; one-half glass ale; yolk of an egg; one teaspoonful dry mustard; one teaspoonful worcestershire sauce and butter; a dash of red and one or two of black pepper; a few drops of tabasco. if cheese is fresh add salt. into the chafing dish put a few small lumps of butter. after it has simmered a bit put in the cheese. stir constantly and gradually add the ale. when the cheese and ale are well blended stir in the condiments prepared as follows: to the yolk of the egg broken into a cup, add the dry mustard and worcestershire sauce, red and black pepper and tabasco. let it have one more heating and pour over toast or toasted biscuit. chapter ii. german, dutch and bohemian suppers--some queer german suppers--a dutch supper--bohemian supper for men--the dutch supper. some queer german suppers. at the following suppers german wines or beers are served during the meal when desired: _beer bouillon_ _fricandeau of veal, with macaroni_ _cauliflower_ _cold pullet, with apricot compote_ _chocolate souffle_ _coffee_ _herring broth_ _pork cutlets_ _cold turnips_ _sour roast meat sliced, with pear compote_ _orange jelly_ _small cups of coffee_ _sardines_ _turbots_ _carrots, creamed_ _slices of venison, with cranberry compote_ _omelette_ _black coffee_ _plum bouillon_ _salmon with butter_ _fillet of beef with mushrooms_ _creamed asparagus_ _duck with currant compote_ _ices_ _black coffee_ _crab broth_ _cold slices of beef, with plum sauce_ _sour potatoes_ _belgian hare, sour cream sauce_ _crackers and cheese_ _small cups of coffee_ in germany the rich and poor alike have the same taste for strange and extraordinary dishes, though these are prepared in a more costly manner in the houses of the wealthy. the german "geschmack," to borrow their own word, seems different from that of other nations. a waiter who had the selection of a menu for the principal officers' mess in berlin, when questioned stated that all the sweets were regularly struck out by the officer who revised the bill of fare with the remark, "give us only sour." that the germans, however, lay great stress on the culinary art is best proved by the fact that in the german domestic exhibition, recently held in berlin, the recipes were sold at the rate of - / cents apiece and freely bought at that price. the germans have a greater variety of soups, including chowders, broths and bouillons, than any other nation of europe. most peculiar are their beer soups. one of the most popular of these is beer and raisin soup, which, in the form of chowders, broths, bouillons and soups, is served for breakfasts, dinners, and suppers. it is made as follows: boil a sufficient quantity of raisins in water with a slice of bread in it until the raisins are soft. then pour in beer till the mixture tastes quite strong. sweeten with sugar and when it boils add from a half to a whole teaspoonful of flour thickening. stir the liquid and add whisked eggs or cream. it might seem the height of human imagination to combine beer and raisins in a soup or bouillon, but the germans proceed a step further and make a favorite soup, broth or bouillon out of beer and milk, which are mixed together in the proportion of two pints of milk to one pint of beer and prepared with the addition of currants, flour and salt. fruit soups, broths and bouillons of all kinds play an important part at german luncheons, dinners and suppers, and really some of them are delicious. perhaps the best is a strawberry decoction which is made as follows: boil some biscuit powder in water. add wine, sugar and cinnamon according to taste. in case the mixture is not thick enough stir in a little corn flour. when this has boiled take it off the fire and put in some cupfuls of ripe strawberries which must have lain an hour with sugar over them. serve as soup, broth or bouillon. fish soups are also very usual, the chief fish employed for the purpose being the carp and the pike. indeed the germans seem able to make soup out of anything and, not only to make it, but enjoy it. vegetables at german dinners, luncheons or suppers are always served in a special course by themselves, being served cold at suppers. they are dressed with oil, butter, or drippings, never boiled in water as we cook them. these fats are placed in a saucepan and allowed to boil before the vegetables are put in. suet may be used instead of the above. of course, this method of dressing does not always apply to potatoes--which are boiled in the american manner, though served in a countless variety of ways. they are served with melted butter and parsley sauce as a dish by themselves. they are served with sour milk sauce. other preparations of potatoes are too numerous to mention, but we may briefly enumerate sour potatoes with bay leaves (the latter being boiled with them), potato fritters, potatoes and apples, potatoes and pears, potatoes and damsons, potatoes and vermicelli, etc. some of these mixtures we attest, from personal experience after tasting them, are not so unsavory as at first sight might appear. the potato is a vegetable of undecided flavor and lends itself to combinations with sweet fruits in an extraordinary manner. indeed by the addition of sugar in some of the german dishes it would pass for a fruit itself. sour roast meat is a favorite with germans. the extraordinary taste which finds pleasure in eating this sour meat is little less remarkable than the strange way in which the viand is prepared. whey is first taken and curdled with vinegar, and the meat is laid in this, the whey and vinegar being changed every two days. this preliminary pickling goes on for more than a week until the meat is thoroughly sour and sodden. if not sour to the last degree the cook has orders to baste it with vinegar while roasting, so as to secure the extreme point of acidity. before it is put to the fire the cooks often slash it, and rub it with cayenne pepper, onions, turnips and the crust of black bread so as to give it some recondite flavor, with the merit of which we are unacquainted. when finally cooked, it is eaten by germans with as much relish as a fine sirloin is by americans. this meat is very popular when served cold at suppers. at german suppers along with the meat is eaten the "compote." this is a species of preserved or stewed fruit, which is served on little glass plates, and lies at the side of the supper plate. it is not an uncommon sight to see a german at supper or dinner putting methodically a piece of meat in his mouth and next instant a spoonful of cranberries or stewed apricots, and repeating the process indefinitely as long as the meal lasts. the little glass plate on which the "compote" lies is lifted to the mouth along with the spoon, replaced on the table, and then the german attacks his meat for another mouthful only. a dutch supper. some cold night try an american version of a dutch supper. have the place cards in the form of hans brinker with the silver skates, or sketches of henriette ronner's famous cats. a windmill for a centerpiece and copies of the wooden shoes for bonbons and nuts. use delft china and of course the coffee must be from mandheling or padang--the best java. from a german bake shop get the bread, either "kummel," (which is rye with caraway seeds), or pumpernickel. be sure and have herring and anchovies in some form--anchovy toast is nice. the simplest way to prepare this is to toast white bread cut in strips, then spread each with butter and essence of anchovy. fry some fine oysters. prepare plenty of cabbage salad or cold slaw, with boiled dressing. from a delicatessen store procure dill pickles and a nice edam cheese. after these, serve rich compotes of fruit--cherry and plum, with anise seed cookies and little nutmeg and cinnamon cakes, so that if, perchance, dreams follow, they will be of the tropic seas and the fragrant breezes of the dutch spice islands. bohemian supper for men. here are two ideas for a bohemian supper. knowing that men prefer substantial dishes with generous helpings to a great number of fancy "messes" as they term it, we would therefore suggest a beefsteak supper. first serve raw oysters. after the oysters have the steaks brought in on separate platters, placing platters before the second, fifth, eighth, eleventh, etc, guests. these men cut the steak for the men on their left and right. with the steaks serve french fried potatoes and the vienna bread or rolls, the very hard crusty kind. for the second course serve cheese, a rarebit on hard crackers, or any strong cheese. serve ale or beer with this supper and no sweets. in buying the steaks the chef will have to pay more attention to the quality of the meat, than size and appearance. the steaks should be broiled over coals and served piping hot in their own gravy. the second menu includes one hot dish, a rabbit fricasse or stew. any chef (especially german) can prepare what is called "hassenpfeffer stew." this is rabbit soaked in vinegar and cooked with certain herbs and is liked by bohemians. with this serve potato salad and cold dishes, swiss cheese on rye bread, westphalian ham, frankfurters, bologna, cottage cheese with chopped chives, dill pickles, spanish onions sliced in vinegar, french mustard, radishes, spring onions, pickled beets and pickled eggs, pickled herring. serve black coffee, beer or ale with this supper. have the sandwiches in baskets and the condiments in the four-part dishes, everything on the table and no waiters save for the liquors. sardines on toast will make a good first course or appetizer for this dinner. if one has a few pieces (violin, cello, bass viol, flute) to play hungarian airs during the dinner it will please the guests. the table should be bare of cloths of any sort. arrange as a center decoration a miniature prize fight. have a small platform roped off with silk cords, toy figures of pugilists labeled, and all the accessories. for each guest a toy figure of a hunter, football player, golfer, prize fighter or any desired athlete could be used. on the back of the figure hang something which will refer to some particular fad or joke on the member. for instance, if one has met with an accident in hunting put a bit of porous plaster on the back of the figure. if one has won a trophy, hang a tiny loving cup or stein, etc. in place of the toasts try this: arrange with a man at the telephone exchange to ring up the telephone in the house every ten or fifteen minutes during the dinner. ask one man to answer the 'phone and carry on a fake conversation taking off different members of the dinner, incorporating the question in his answer. this will keep the crowd roaring. a man with a megaphone describing a race or fight will keep the crowd in a good humor. the dutch supper. the plebian dutch supper is the very latest mode of dispensing hospitality, and has, as yet, the charm of novelty. the hours range from six in the evening until midnight, and during the heated term is very popular as the windup of a trolley or automobile ride. now, it would not do to seat an american crowd to a genuine dutch supper, in all its glory of limburger and sour-kraut, but relieve it of the disagreeables, and a menu, not fancy, but simple and eatable, remains. the table must be covered with the whitest of linen, while the decorations should be blue and red, thus to combine effectively holland's national colors, which, by the way, are not the same as our own. the center is occupied by a great dish of stuffed eggs, garnished with parsley, the green sprays trailing on the cloth; as a companion to this, there is a large platter of thinly sliced ham, cold, but the "weinies" must be steaming hot. then there is a salmon salad encircled by water cress or nasturtium leaves, and at intervals, dainty mounds of potato salad. tomatoes with french dressing (with onions would be more in keeping), small saucers of cheese, sweet and sour pickles, olives, slaw (instead of sour-kraut), bread, in layers of white and brown, and last, but by no means least, smear-kase, served individually. pretzels and fruits, which may include any and all kinds, form the dessert, and can be most artistically arranged by a tasteful person with deft fingers. beer, in mugs, is, of course, the correct beverage, but the lighter wines are also permissable. one charming feature of the supper is that it is served cold and all together, which leaves the hostess free to enjoy her guests without fear that something will go wrong in the culinary department. now, like everything else, the dutch supper can be made elaborate, and the bill of fare extended and put in courses, but a friendly gathering about a homely meal, where one naturally feels at ease, will appeal to most as preferable. chapter iii. entertaining in the modern apartment--a little sunday night supper--stag suppers--a bachelor supper. there are some people to whose distorted vision the tiniest molehills are magnified into veritable chains of mountains, rugged and insurmountable; and if, in addition to their other woes, they happen to be unfortunate enough to dwell in a flat, their desolation is complete. to these women what is said on the subject of entertaining in a modern apartment will possess not one atom of interest. before their horrified eyes will gleam a thousand unsolvable difficulties, and an attempt to successfully evade them might engulf them still further, so this appeal for the much maligned "tenement" of the day is to some bright little woman whose very touch transforms and whose ready brain devises with unerring accuracy. first; it is not to be supposed, if you are dwelling in a modern apartment, that your wealth is unlimited, your resources illimitable and just for that very reason your fertile brain has far more opportunity to exercise its originality than if you merely telephoned "covers for twelve" to some fashionable caterer, stepped into an evening gown held by an obsequious maid, and exhibited your jewels at the head of your well appointed table, conscious (if not troubled) by the fact that this same man was turning out well-served dinners by the dozen, shaping them all (like his ice-cream) in certain fashionable moulds. we all retain just enough of the old adam to relish a well earned victory, and the old lady whose light hand for cake is the talk of the township, is just as much of an artist in her own way as the fashionable decorator. it is almost as impossible to set down a given rule for entertaining as it was for the old darkey to present in tangible form her famous recipe for pones. "why, honey," said she, "it's easy enuf. i jes stir up a little cohn meal and watah, adds some salt and other truck and cooks it till it's done. sho nuf you cud make it yousef." it is quite as often the hand that stirs the cake as well as the ingredients themselves that makes the entertainment successful. there are some women who have a perfectly inexplicable talent for making life livable. under their deft fingers awkward curtains and draperies assume classic form; from their imaginations blossom forth the most marvelous devices for entertainment and comfort; their ferns never have scales and their umbrella plants do not wither at the edges. these are the women who, with studied patience and ready tact, overlook the small ills our flesh is heir to and bring forth into the bright sunshine the many opportunities which everyone's life contains. a woman who lives in an apartment so tiny and modest it would seem at first glance almost impossible to entertain therein, can study its best effects and give as charming little dinners as were ever attended. her dining room, small but cosy, seems made for decoration and her table may well be the delight of many a more ambitious hostess. the decorations, simple, inexpensive and artistic, are the outward and visible signs of her individual taste. no thick stalks of unbending and forbidding "bouquets" disfigure her pretty vases. her candles gleam through dainty shades (of paper it is true) fashioned by her own deft fingers. full-skirted and fluffy, their inexpensiveness makes it quite possible to have them of all colors and shades, and a much-prized pair of silver candelabra lend dignity to the general effect. quiet entertaining, preceded by gracious little notes presaging a cordial welcome, is one of her fancies, and one is quite sure that at her home the entertainment will be deprived of customary stiffness and will resolve into a merry table of congenial friends. a short time ago an old friend of such a woman became engaged and wishing to meet his fiancee she followed her call by an invitation to supper. appreciating the newness of the engagement and her slight acquaintance with the young lady, she wisely made it a little supper of four and decked her table with sweet simplicity. her china, of dainty limoges, was purchased with an idea of being serviceable for many occasions, and is mostly in odd half-dozens, although the color scheme throughout is green and white, a combination which blends well with anything. her soup plates, tea plates, dinner plates, platters and vegetable dishes are of the same pattern, but the china for the entree, the salad set, dessert set, cheese plates, bread and butter plates, etc., are all of a different but harmonizing design. green and white being always a lovely color for the table and also admitting of very inexpensive treatment, make informal suppers not only quite possible but very attractive as well. the table was round, just large enough for four, and nearly covered with a pretty lunch cloth embroidered in white. in the center a huge butterfly bow of wide green ribbon that just matched the china trailed nearly to the edge of the table. over the cloth were scattered white carnations and ferns in artistic carelessness, and two slender candlesticks, with generously green skirted candles, broke the flat effect. each candlestick wore, with holiday gayness, a large green bow, and the soft combination of color and grouping was charming. the supper itself was very simple. a course of raw oysters and stuffed mangoes, with the usual accompaniment of horseradish and lemon, came first. quail on toast with quince jelly (the jelly served in individual forms on tiny leaves of lettuce) followed with stuffed potatoes as an accompaniment and a delicious little chestnut salad was next in order. the dessert was a rich chocolate cream, stiffened with gelatine and moulded round with a large hole in the center. this was filled high with thick cream, whipped, sweetened and flavored with maraschino. the bonbons, of green and white, added the last touch of harmonic color to the dainty little feast. a little sunday night supper. shortly after this, encouraged by her success, she gave a little sunday night supper to introduce two young people to each other. the table, as before, was round, but the colors used were yellow and white. a large round tea cloth, fashioned by the hostess, covered the table. in the center five ragged yellow chrysanthemums were fastened together with a wide yellow ribbon and wired to a slender upright, which they entirely concealed. just inside the circle formed by the plates, glasses, etc., a wavy circle of smilax trailed and ran out into little curves between the plates. nothing more simple could be imagined, but the guests had a very appreciative look as they were seated. getting acquainted under such conditions was a very natural and easy process. the supper was simplicity itself, and consisted of a clam cocktail; frilled french chops with green peas; a rarebit made in the chafing-dish and a rich lemon ice for dessert. in connection there were, it is unnecessary to add, many delicious accompaniments. brown bread sandwiches, thin as wafers, were passed with the cocktail. bread accompanied the chops, the rarebit was served in a bank of cress, with lettuce and cress sandwiches, and the ice was made even more delicious by the addition of stuffed champagne wafers. a pleasant time in the host's den followed, and thus, a happy little evening, quite within the reach of anyone, was made possible by a little forethought. the apartment in which this woman lives has only six rooms, so you can imagine that entertaining (in its ordinary sense) is somewhat out of the question, but very charming little "at homes" are given once a month during the winter, and as the parlor and den adjoin, and are cosily furnished to correspond, it is quite possible to entertain in this way. if you attend her "wednesdays" in december you will be ushered in by a neat little maid in frilled cap and apron and black sateen gown. you will find your hostess in the parlor with half-a-dozen others, and, think you have a glimpse into japanese fairyland. the den is somewhat denuded of its ordinary furnishings, but the bizarre posters still remain on the walls, and the couch, covered with a scrawly japanese creton, is still in evidence. wires are stretched from picture moulding to picture moulding, and japanese lanterns swing gayly from above. in one corner a huge paper umbrella, dangling with unlighted lanterns, bright hued and tiny, swings over a low tea table, at which sits one of the hostess' friends in japanese array. her dark eyes, blackened into almond-shaped slits, vie with her decorated hair in foreign effect. from dainty little japanese cups we drink the tea she makes for us and thank fortune there is one woman in the world at least who dares trifle with the conventional "at home" and eliminate its objectionable features. while drinking your tea you nibble at rolled tutti fruitti wafers, munch delicious home-made bonbons, stuffed figs and nougat (for which your hostess is so famous), revel in a huge japanese jar (strangely like a familiar umbrella stand) which holds five great ragged yellow chrysanthemums with stems nearly three feet long, and finally settle yourself down to listen to some quaint little love song, with guitar accompaniment, sung by a dear little maid with bronze-brown hair. this hostess limits each "at home" to twenty-five, so small a number it makes the average hostess smile, but, if necessary, gives four or five through the winter, as she needs no service beyond that of her own maid, making the expense marvelously small. she has many friends who feel as you do, that one bid to a sociable little "five o'clock" in her doll-house flat is worth all the receptions of a week on gay upper fifth avenue. the first saturday evening in each month, from november until april, she and her husband are at home to his bachelor friends and any young married people who can endure the suffocating atmosphere. all the easy chairs are pressed into service, the little iron lanterns blink joyously, and story-telling, music and smoking are the order of the evening. the light being dim, positions are uncertain and bachelor manners prevail, so unrestrained jollity reigns, and though the people in the other flats may hear the echoing laughter they pass it over with a good natured tolerance and wonder what there is that is so funny. about half-past ten, when stories wane and a change seems desirable, the little low tea table appears and a rarebit, souffle of oysters, or some chafing-dish dainty, is prepared by the hostess. occasionally, when one of the men has a firmly founded reputation for some special dish he is asked to officiate, which he does amid the joyous jokes of his roistering colleagues, while everyone within reach renders able assistance and the others keep up a running fire of disabling comments. if one is willing to take advantage of their very present opportunities it seems to me that limited means lose half their disadvantages. choose your apartment with a view to entertaining. if your bed-room opens from the parlor make it dainty and sweet and close the portieres until merely a glimpse appears. wax your hardwood floors and keep them shining like mirrors; if rugs are scarce they will be a good apology. make your friends welcome and give them a good time when they come. an old-fashioned candy-pull is often more entertaining than the most elaborately prepared function. a stag supper. . in the main room have a mellow light from two or three swinging iron lanterns and several in japanese paper. off in one of the corners, have a cut-glass bowl filled with punch and around it a ring of smilax. the guests select their places by each choosing the name of one of six popular actresses. a silver tray containing six small blank envelopes is passed, and in each envelope is enclosed one of the host's cards, on the back of which is inscribed the name of an actress. passing into the dining-room they find, at each place, a photo to correspond, on the back of which is written some well-known quotations from the actresses' most famous plays. these photos are removed from their original cards by soaking, and are rebuffed and mounted on rectangular mats of dull gray, on which the inscriptions are written in white ink. in the dining room over the heavy damask cloth, is stretched a quaint old german table runner, reaching from end to end of the table. in the center, embroidered in the red cotton used in such work, hospitality encourages jollity in the familiar old motto, "ein froher gast is niemand's last" (a merry guest is no one's burden). "wein, weib und geasang," the faithful trio, is all represented. at each place, beside the napkin, is a rich red rose, just large enough to form a dainty boutonniere. mounds of red pickled cabbage accompany the oysters, rich tomato soup follows, and the nougat ice cream is decorated with candied cherries. the introduction of the bonbons in the form of candy cigars, tied in bunches with the familiar yellow bands, causes amusement. brandy is burned on the coffee, and genuine cigars passed. a stag supper. . turn the ballroom into a "roof garden" for a bachelor supper. cover the walls with canvas or grey cartridge paper painted to imitate grey bricks with ivy leaves painted over the surface. in each window arrange a little hedge of plants in pots and use screens of wire covered with vines. hang many colored lanterns from the roof and at intervals about the room between tables and have tall branching standards with arms from which hang the lanterns. tall palms and bay-trees in tubs set about the room add to the effect. have a hidden orchestra to play airs from the popular operas or have an impromptu vaudeville, the guests furnishing the talent. a band of gypsy fortune-tellers (men dressed to imitate gypsy girls) admitted at the close of the feast will furnish fun, especially if they are men knowing the lives of the guests. serve a beefsteak supper with any kind of beverages you choose. for name cards have steins cut from cardboard and decorated in imitation of the mettlach steins. a bachelor supper. have small mice pins for souvenirs. decorate the long table in green vines, white flowers and odd candle holders. creeping in and out of the vines have artificial snakes, frogs, and other reptiles. have the napkins held by toy spiders and fasten bats over the chandelier globes. if one wishes a plain dinner serve oyster cocktails, tenderloin steak with mushrooms, french fried potatoes, stewed corn, lima beans, tomato and onion salad with mayonnaise, cheesestraws, bavarian cream, peach cake, cheese, crackers, coffee. pass cigars. have colored waiters who are good singers and between each course have them give a jubilee song. after dinner let them entertain the guests with songs, and banjo and guitar music. chapter iv. suppers for special occasions--danish valentine supper--a hallowe'en ghost hunt--a hallowe'en supper--hallowe'en supper menus--a pie party for thanksgiving season--the pie shelf--birthday suppers--birthday party. in denmark our well known snowdrop, one of the earliest messengers of spring, has been since olden days held sacred to st. valentine. on that auspicious eve the danish lover sends his lady a bunch of snow-drops (_vinter-gjaeks_), (winter jokes they are called, because they peep out while it is yet winter and try to hoax people into thinking spring has come), with a card attached bearing a verse or sentiment and as many pin pricks as there are letters in his name. if she cannot guess the name from this clew she is fooled (_gjaekket_), and at easter must pay the sender a forfeit of colored eggs. this quaint bit of folk-lore can be used in a novel valentine supper. the invitations, bearing a bunch of painted snow-drops in one corner, invite you to a "danish valentine supper." cherry and white are the national colors of denmark, and these should be used in the dining-room. the candles have cherry shades and in the center of the snowy cloth have a square of cherry velvet, on which snow-drops and ferns are banked with dainty effect. the menu cards are shaped like hearts, tied with a knot of cherry ribbon and edged with painted snow-drops. across the top in gold letters is the word "_welbekomin_" (may it agree with you.) at each place have a tiny heart-shaped cup of cherry crepe paper, holding a little bunch of snow-drops. the ices are in the shape of hearts with a candied cherry in the center of each. heart-shaped cakes can be iced in pink, and mingled in the salad have tiny hearts cut from slices of red beef. when all are assembled in the parlor give each guest a square white envelope enclosing a card having a knot of snow-drops in one corner with cherry ribbon, and containing a verse and numerous pin pricks. each one must guess from these the name of his companion for supper. here are some of the verses, some of which are translations from the danish. "though a child of winter's cold and storm, i bring to you love-greetings warm. from whom? ah, yes! that shall you guess! and that you may the sender surely know, count all the little pin-pricks signed below." .... ...... * * * * * "little maiden fair and neat, here on stalk so light, fine as silk by fairies spun, hangs a snowdrop white; from a friend i come-- tell me now--from whom?" .... .. ...... * * * * * "love's first kisses are the snow-drops, ringing here like fairy bells; let thy heart bend low and listen to the tale their music tells." ...... ...... * * * * * "sir knight, wouldst know thy lady's name? these pin-pricks tell from whence i came." .... .. ...... * * * * * "love wove the snow-flakes in a flower to deck his lady's secret bower; with them my love i now confess-- thy true knight's name i'd have thee guess." .... ...... * * * * * "farewell to winter! now farewell-- we snow-bells rang his dying knell, and had you but a fine, fine ear, that could our fairy chiming hear, then should you know which friend so true has sent this vinter-gjaek to you: for ever softly do we sing the name of him whose love we bring." ........ .. ...... * * * * * "wouldst find the fair lady fate chooses for you? then search ye this line of wee pin-pricks clear through." .... ........ * * * * * "for life, as for dinner, chance fixes our mate; these pin-pricks point you the way to your fate." ........ .......... a hallowe'en ghost hunt. "fr the gobble-uns'll git you, ef you don't watch out." have the above words from james whitcomb riley's poem printed in large letters over the entrance, the door of which should open with a rattle of chains and a creaking. ask each guest to wear a false face and a red or black domino. when all have assembled in the parlor, where lights are turned low, have a guide in red with a mephisto make-up or a witch to instruct the party before it starts on the "ghost hunt." not a word must be spoken no matter what the provocation, not a giggle must be heard, no one must turn his head or eyes, but look straight ahead. have goblins in red with big eyes painted on their cotton masks, holding clubs, stationed along the route to watch offenders. take the party by a circuitous route, upstairs through dark rooms where open windows and doors make the air cold, up into the attic, lighted only by burning alcohol and salt, then down stairs, around the porches and about the yard. if there is an outside cellar-way, take them down that, otherwise inside the house to the cellar. all along the route have imitation "spooks" placed in corners and unexpected places--grinning jack-o'lantern heads, with ghostly bodies, immense false faces with lights behind them, witches, grotesque animals including black cats, black bears, etc. from cobwebs of grey cotton or wool ropes suspend bats and spiders. leave objects about for guests to stumble over and have as many terrifying noises as possible. in a corner of the cellar, screened by canvas and guarded by fierce goblins, have the great chief ghost and his secretary on a throne. around the corner have a ring of ghosts manufactured from brooms with sheets and white cowls. the ghost hunters sit on the floor in silence for a few moments. then the secretary, in terrible tones, calls the name of each guest and gives the list of his pet sins. the secretary should be a person with ready tongue and wit knowing jokes on each individual. when the secretary finishes each case, the great chief ghost asks the defendant what he has to say for himself. if the latter plead his case successfully and solemnly swear that he is prepared to tell a ghost story if called upon, he is allowed to select his own punishment. if, however, he cannot clear himself, the great chief ghost names his punishment. the sentences should be as ridiculous as possible. the trip back from the cave should be as tantalizing as can be made. viands should be offered and whisked away. the clever host and hostess can devise many tricks. the ghost hunt should end in a brilliantly lighted dining room with table set for supper and time allowed just before midnight to try the familiar hallowe'en charms. this party can be given by a club or church using a big house and grounds. decorate the table in unique arrangement of pumpkins, fruits and candies and serve any preferred menu, or this one: _oyster soup, alphabet crackers,_ _veal or chicken patties, cold boiled ham or tongue,_ _potato salad, apple sauce, dill pickles,_ _hot gingerbread, cheese, coffee._ a hallowe'en supper. some merry, friendly countra folks together did convene, to burn their nuts, an' pluck their stocks an' hand their hollowe'en. --burns. "_butter'd sowens_" _broiled squirrels, hot pocketbooks_ _bow-kail salad_ _brownie cake, halloween jelly_ _roasted chestnuts, apples_ _coffee_ buttered sowens--oatmeal made into mush and eaten with butter and sugar. the scotch always have this for their hallowe'en supper. broiled squirrels--your squirrels must be young and tender. clean, and soak to draw out the blood. wipe dry, and broil over a hot, clear fire, turning often. when done to a golden brown, lay in a hot dish and anoint with melted butter. season each squirrel with a salt spoon of salt and half spoon of pepper. they are delicious. hot pocketbooks--one pint of sweet milk, brought to boiling point, to which, add one tablespoonful of sugar, half teaspoonful of salt and butter the size of an egg; let cool till luke warm, then add half cake of yeast, two eggs and a quart of flour. let the dough rise in a warm place until very light, then put down with the hand and let rise again; roll out to about five-eighths of an inch thick, cut in four inch circles, brush with melted butter and fold over; let rise on tins, bake until a delicate brown, then while warm, go over the surface with melted butter to make the crust tender. bow-kail salad--put one-half cup of vinegar and one tablespoonful of butter to heat in a double boiler. beat yolk of one egg, one spoonful of flour and one of sugar together, add two tablespoonfuls of sour cream and cook in the vinegar until smooth. just before it boils, stir in the well-beaten white and pour immediately over your cabbage or "bow-kail," which has been shredded and salted. brownie cake--one cup of sugar, one-half cup of butter, one-half cup of sweet milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful of vanilla, one cup and a half of flour, sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder. set one square of chocolate on a kettle of boiling water and let it melt. after melting, mix one-half cup of sweet milk slowly in the chocolate, add half-cup of sugar. pour into batter, mix thoroughly, and bake in layers. put together with the following filling: filling--four ounces chocolate melted, add one-half cup of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter and one cup of sugar; boil until it forms a very soft ball when dropped in cold water, then add one cup finely chopped nuts. spread this very thick between the layers. ice with plain chocolate icing, which you have reserved, before adding the nuts, and decorate with unbroken halves of english walnuts. hallowe'en jelly--soften one ounce of gelatine in half a pint of cold water. when quite soft, add half a pint of hot water and a pint of good sparkling cider. if the cider be very sweet, the juice of a lemon is an improvement. set on ice until firm, and when ready to serve, turn into a pumpkin shell which has been prettily carved on the edges. hallowe'en supper menus. a suggestive menu is the following: _goblins' broth, elves' fingers_ _fairy rings_ _chicken and celery salad in mayonnaise triangles_ _almond butter hearts_ _strawberry jelly crescents with whipped cream_ _witches' wands, the cake of doom_ _fruit, nuts, bonbons_ _coffee_ the goblins' broth is merely a delicious beef or chicken bouillon, the elves' fingers, strips of brown bread and butter, and the fairy rings mushroom patties baked in ring moulds. to make the salad use any favorite recipe for chicken salad, and mix it with a bright golden mayonnaise to which enough aspic jelly has been added to make it quite firm when cold. pour into a square mould to set, cut into dainty triangles just before it is to be served, and lift carefully with a broad thin-bladed spatula. serve on crisp lettuce leaves on gilt-edged plates. spread white bread with almond butter and cut into heart shapes. mould the strawberry jelly in half moons and serve with a spoonful of whipped cream (made golden with the yolk of egg) between the "horns." the witches' wands are most delicious. roll puff paste thin, sprinkle lightly with finely chopped blanched almonds, press the rolling pin lightly over again, and cut in strips not over two inches wide. wind from the small end of the pointed tin tubes called lady lock sticks, and have each layer slightly overlay the preceding one. set the tubes across a baking pan and bake in a good oven to a deep yellow. when done remove from the oven and push the paste from the tube. just before serving fill with pineapple meringue. have bonbons in all kinds of suggestive shapes; brownies, witches, brooms, rings, crescents, triangles, et cetera. a pie party for thanksgiving season. thanksgiving is the pie season _par excellence_. the very name calls up visions of old fashioned, buttery shelves loaded down with rows upon rows of the flaky wheels and delicious fillings. a new idea in entertaining for thanksgiving, "the pie party," makes use of this american product. the scheme is an excellent one for the day itself or for any time during thanksgiving season. to prepare for a pie party, get together as many pie plates as you can beg, borrow or buy. a couple of dozen will be needed at least. arrange tables along the wall of the room in which the guests are to be received, and place the pie plates upon these tables. cover the tables with white paper terminating in paper lace to give the effect of quaint, old-fashioned shelves. in each pan place a group of articles or pictures which will represent in anagram the filling of a pie. punning and word stretching of all kinds are allowable, although each puzzle must be simple enough to be readily recognized when guessed. here is a rough suggestion to show the plan of the puzzles. the hostess may modify it to suit her own needs. the pie shelf. a twig from a pine tree and an apple. pineapple. the letters of the word cheese on alphabet cards, jumbled together, with a slice of cake. cheesecake. a cigarette case in the form of a coffin (bury) and a scrap of straw. strawberry. a paperweight representing a ragged little dog and an entomological photograph of the common ant. cur(r)ant. a little oyster crab and an apple. crabapple. a lead line (plumb). plum. a pot, the letter a from baby's alphabet and the toe of a boot (pot-a-toe), all four articles being sprinkled with granulated sugar. sweet potato. a bicycle pump and a card having the words father, mother, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, cousin, written upon it. pump-kin. a breakfast cocoa box and a chestnut. cocoanut. a tailor's iron and a berry. blackberry. cardboard cut in the shape of a peach with "to inform against," written upon it. peach. two aces (pair). pear. a slip from the daily calendar bearing the date november. date. a bow of cherry colored ribbon. cherry. a bow of blue ribbon and a berry. blueberry. some fluffy easter chickens and a pot. chicken pot pie. a pair of pruning shears. prune. the guests are invited to inspect the pies and guess the contents. each player works for himself and consultations are not allowed. wee note books, having covers decorated in water color, with picturesque thanksgiving scenes, are distributed among the guests, for use in writing down guesses. it is explained that fruits, vegetables and everything of which pies are made, figure in the list. one hour is the usual time limit. the player, who in that time discovers most of the fillings, carries off first honors. there should be a second award and a couple of laughable boobies in the form of jelly tarts. the first prize might be a smart silver pie knife, and the second a pretty china pie dish. smoking hot roasted oysters, jellied tongue with chopped pickle served in spanish peppers, little hot rolls in form of balls, a plain tomato salad and slices of delicious home-made pies are among the good things of the menu. birthday supper. . in the cake put a gold penny, a silver four-leaf clover, and a little image or amulet to drive away bad luck. wrap them in paraffine or waxed paper or coat them with paraffine before putting them in the cake. ask each one to make some birthday wish as the birthday person cuts his slice of cake. place the cake on a table wreathed in greens or flowers or on a flower-trimmed tray. as many prefer scarlet carnations, this flower and red candles will make a pretty party. just after supper pass the loving cup filled with claret, or fruit punch or cider. each guest takes a sip to the health of the host. if your guests enjoy cards, let them play bridge, euchre, cinch, hearts, or the new card games in which figures are involved. if they do not care for cards a short program of old ballads by a good singer is always liked. as a surprise arrange a little series of funny tableaux showing the different birthdays of the guest of honor. to do this darken a room behind the players, and have a big screen for a background. no special stage properties are needed as the more ludicrous this is the more it will be enjoyed. have some one at the piano play appropriate music for the different tableaux. for one year old have a baby in a cradle or in its mother's arms; for seventh birthday, a little boy starting to school with books and apple or candy; for the fourteenth birthday have a youth in sweater with football in arms rushing to the goal; have the twenty-first birthday represented by the young man courting, the twenty-eighth by the wedding; and for the thirty-sixth have someone dressed and made up as nearly like the guest of honor as possible. for decoration have a frieze of ropes or smilax caught with scarlet ribbon. cover the chandeliers with the greens and the shades with scarlet tissue paper. bank the mantels with greens, having a mass of scarlet berries or flowers in the center of each. red candles and shades on the mantels help the effect. if you have a table in the dining-room make the initials of the guest of honor in candles placed in a large wreath tied with scarlet ribbon. at each corner of the table have a single candle in a smaller wreath. for supper serve a hot course, creamed oysters, or creamed sweetbreads and mushrooms, tiny hot buttered rolls and tiny pickles, chopped pickle or spiced peach, quince or pear, or brandied quince; chicken salad, or sweetbread salad on a lettuce leaf with cheese straws, stuffed olives, coffee, ice cream frozen in fancy forms, (leaves being a pretty design), and cakes in tiny squares with little red candies like scarlet berries on green or white icing. birthday supper. . candles may be used for a centerpiece and also to outline the figures representing the number of years. a pretty ceremony, if you use candles on a birthday cake, is to have each guest light a candle with a wish for the guest of honor. when the cake is cut, blow out the candles and lift them off. for the red color scheme, garnish the dishes with radishes, slices of tomatoes, red peppers, beet rings, candied cherries. serve cream of tomato soup, tiny radishes cut in rose forms, wafers, salted almonds. broiled lobster garnished with slices of fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. serve individual chicken pies baked in ramekins and served in red paper cases. in making these pies add mushrooms, potato marbles, white of hard-boiled eggs cut in rings and yolks cut in half. make the cream sauce by using the liquor from the canned mushrooms, strong chicken stock and milk, thickened with flour. with this course serve a relish in red peppers, creamed peas, tiny hot rolls and a slice of sweet cucumber or watermelon pickle with a candied cherry on top. a beet salad garnished with rings of hard-boiled egg whites and the yolk run through a ricer, or chicken salad served in red peppers, tomato, cucumber and celery salad served in tomato shells, fruit salad served in red apples hollowed out. serve wafers with the salad course. a pretty idea for the ice cream is to have it moulded in shape of candles with a little wick to be lighted just as it is brought to the table. serve little square cakes with white icing and red bonbons. this menu gives two hot and two cold courses. serve coffee or tea. at the close of the supper pass a loving cup of fruit punch, grape juice or wine, and ask each one to drink to the health of the guest of honor. birthday party. the guests are requested to represent, in some manner, their birth month. most of them wear the birth stone suitable to the month which, as old legend tells us, is sure to protect against misfortune, the jewel acting as a talisman. some may substitute flowers appropriate to their birth month. a young lady, whose birthday is in january, may wear a string of tiny silver beads which tinkle musically wherever she goes. another claiming january, also, as her birth month, may wear a brooch showing an old man and an infant, representing the old and new year. february's children are decked in red paper hearts, pierced with arrows. a young girl wearing a white apron, with several bars of music on the hem, represents march. april is represented by a paper fool's cap, and may by a pretty spring gown, decorated with violets and lilies of the valley. july, with her tri-colored streamers and numerous flags is easily dressed. august has white organdy and carries a palm leaf fan. september is adorned with golden rod and purple asters. october's daughter, wears a rich yellow gown, nearly covered with glorious autumn leaves, and a cap of the same brilliant leaves. november's costume is most striking, being a poster design, representing thanksgiving. december's is a picturesque suit of white eider down flannel, ornamented with holly berries and running pine. each guest is requested to furnish one dish appropriate to the month in which she was born. in this way the supper is quite out of the ordinary and the only tax on the hostess, with the exception of her one dish, is for coffee, pickles and cake. below is given the menu: _oyster stew,_ _butter wafers,_ _fish souffle,_ _potato balls with cream sauce,_ _cold turkey,_ _currant jelly,_ _salted nuts,_ _olives,_ _salmon sandwiches,_ _orange and nut salad,_ _wafers,_ _strawberries,_ _ice cream and cake,_ _pumpkin pie and cheese,_ _fruit,_ _coffee._ chapter v. miscellaneous suppers--camping parties and clambakes--nutting party--harvest home supper--autumn suppers--dickens supper--boston supper party--yachting party--a butterfly supper--young married couples supper--head dress supper party--quilting supper--wedding supper--waffle supper--the bohemian picnic supper--railroad party--literary supper--peanut party--folk lore supper--cake walk supper--bridge whist supper--after theatre menus--a cold supper menu for hot weather. throughout this broad land of ours, thousands of campers will be folding their white tents into compact rolls, tying gay blankets into portly bundles, investing in mosquito netting and hammocks, packing into boxes their cooking utensils and fishing tackle, and finally loading all into boat or farmer's wagon, to gain health and happiness, and incidentally, to have a royal good time. happy the camper who, taking hint from the big lumber camps, ties to his wagon an iron bean pot, and has always on hand for hungry souls a mess of delicious baked beans. every well-regulated camp should have a bean-hole dug close by the camp fire, and then when guests come out from town, if the camp is near town, a bean bake enlivens things. the bean-hole is dug three feet square and carefully lined with flat stones or boulders, then it is filled with hard wood which makes fine coals. the wood is fired and burned until there glows a bed of hot coals and the stones are at white heat. a place is scooped out in the center for the bean-pot, and it is placed in this little oven, the coals swept back into place, the hot ashes added, and the hot earth around the fire put over it all. then, snugly tucked away in their bed so warm, the beans are left alone for four and twenty hours. when taken out, steaming and fragrant, they are perfect in form, brown and crisp, and of flavor so delicious that the mouth waters at the mere recollection. this with brown bread or cone pone, baked in the ashes, and good strong coffee, makes a meal in itself, and if the beans are served hot, the hungry campers feel they have had a feast fit for a king. those who cling to their bean-pots keep one mess of beans baking all the time and are never without this dish. even city folks have had royal good times at bean bakes given at some home with large yard, and, with an addition to the beans, salads, sandwiches, cakes, and other frills, generally scorned and passed by for the delicious baked beans. naturally digging a hole in the ground and building a fire does not constitute a dish of baked beans; among other things necessary might be mentioned the beans themselves. these are soaked over night and then placed in the iron pot; the best sort is the english kettle with three iron legs and rounding bottom. right in the center of the beans a place should be made for the pork. the pork should be pickled pork of a particular kind--fat on top, lean below and scored across the top. one pound of pork to one pound of beans is the allowance. for flavoring use one cookingspoonful of new orleans molasses; one teaspoonful of mustard, one teaspoonful of salt and one of pepper. stir into the beans and fill even to the top of the pork with water. given twenty-four hours of slow baking, with no chance for the moisture to escape, the result is an ideal dish worth trying. to the camper who comes in when the sun is tinging the western sky with crimson, tired and hungry from carrying a gun or holding a fishing rod all day, there is no dish so appreciated as chowder. this dish is easy of preparation. take peeled potatoes and parboil them, then add fresh water, and put into the kettle the result of the day's chase. the little birds found along the streams, like squabs and sandpipers, are fat and give the chowder a fine flavor. in go the fish, squirrels and other small game, the fish of course, being boned. add green corn cut from the cob, salt and pepper, and perhaps a little salt pork, though the little birds furnish fat enough. serve smoking hot and as you stretch your tired limbs under the camp table, you will thank your stars that some genius invented chowder. the ideal way to cook fish in camp is to first clean the fish and then stuff it, if one chooses (though he need not stuff the fish unless he like) and then make a stiff mortar of clay and encase the fish. lay it on the coals and when the clay cracks and peels off the skin of the fish comes off with it, leaving the pure sweet fresh meat, which retains the juices and delicate aroma of the fish. this way of cooking fish cannot be beaten. this is also a good way to cook corn. just leave on the husks and lay the ears on the coals and by the time the husks have burned off the corn is cooked deliciously. in the regions where shad abounds, there is nothing to be compared with planked shad, and this is the most popular dish. the shad is fastened on an oak shingle and turned before the fire until it is cooked, when it will be found that the fish has absorbed the aroma of the wood and the result is a flavor that delights epicures. clam bake. a clam-bake is a delight wherever and whenever partaken of, but when it is prepared in the piney woods of cape cod by the inimitable skippers of buzzards bay it is something that is not to be forgotten. it is a joy, from the gathering of the first stone to the swallowing of the last possible clam. the skippers of onset are particularly noted for their skill in making clam-bakes. first select the stones, (which must be about the size of large paving blocks,) and arrange them in a circle. then bring wood and chips and brush and lay them in the center, and thoroughly pile on top other blocks which have been collected. the pile of stones and wood being completed, the next thing is to set fire to it, and soon a merry blaze rises up, the flames licking around the stones and forming a pretty picture. the stones once hot enough the real work of the bake begins. the right amount of heat has been obtained, a barrow load of rockweed is brought--rockweed, not seaweed. as soon as the rockweed is thrown on the red hot stones a salty, savory smelling steam begins to rise. first and foremost come two great barrow loads of clams which are spread on the steaming rockweed, then follow great piles of blue fish, each fish being stuffed and wrapped in a piece of cheesecloth to prevent coming into contact with the weed. the blue fish is carefully placed on top of the clams and following that is a heaping load of corn, with a few leaves left on each ear to protect it from the weed. when the corn is piled high a barrow weighed down with live lobsters is brought. be particular over the disposition of the lobsters. each one is placed with care and precision into the precise spot where it will do most good. a milk pail full of fresh eggs follows the lobsters and the whole mass of food is buried in a stack of rockweed, and to complete the process a sail and a tarpaulin are drawn over the top and battened all down so that not a speck of steam can escape. while the guests play games or stroll along the shore, the men heat big, round stones in the oven. this is a deep hole lined with stones, and the fire is built in the hole. when the fire dies down the stones are left red hot. then the chef places dozens of clams in their shells on the hot rocks. then a blue fish wrapped in cheesecloth and then half a dozen chickens prepared for broiling and wrapped in a similar way are placed in the hole. next comes a peck of irish potatoes with their jackets on, and three dozen ears of sweet corn. over it all is packed seaweed and then heavy canvas, and then the guests sit patiently for three-quarters of an hour until the steam has thoroughly cooked the supper. when it is done it is fit for a king, and is served on a long table of boards, on wooden platters, with big watermelons for dessert. nutting party. a nutting party is particularly appropriate to be given during the fall season. the invitation may be written on paper, folded neatly and slipped inside an english walnut shell--which is then glued together and sent in a small box, labeled "a nut to crack." decorations should carry out, as far as possible, the effect of a woodland scene. the walls may be entirely covered with branches of autumn leaves, and mantels and over doorways banked with pine boughs and greenery of all sorts. rustic tables and chairs, if available, are most appropriate, and lights shaded with red or yellow shades. as the guests arrive, each should be given a peanut shell, glued together or tied with ribbons. on a slip of paper inside is written the number of table and partner. to indicate progressions, ribbons may be glued to nuts of different kinds and one given for each game won. or little baskets may be given into which a nut is dropped for each game won. or if tally cards for finding partners are preferred, they may be painted to represent nuts of different kinds, not more than two being alike. the nutting game itself is played similarly to that well known children's game, "jackstraws." on each table is placed a pair of bonbon tongs--the kind that come in candy boxes are best--and a tall tumbler heaped full of nuts--peanuts are best for the purpose--with one gilded nut. for the first game, lady no. at all the tables begins play and after the first game the lady begins who lost in the game preceding. the gentleman opposing the lady who begins play, carefully turns out on the table the peanuts and the players proceed as in jackstraws, getting with the tongs as many peanuts as possible, one at a time, without shaking the others. the winners progress and change partners, after the bell rings at the head table. at the head table, as at the other tables, the winners progress and the losing lady remaining begins play for the next game. at the head table each player has two chances at the peanuts and then the bell is rung. the natural-color peanuts count one each and the gilded one ten. suitable prizes are: for the ladies, a silver english walnut thimble case; a linen centerpiece in chestnut design; a silver almond charm, "philopena," which opens with kernel inside; a silver english walnut, exact size, which opens, containing powder puff, mirror, place for miniature, small scent bottle and pin-cushion, "all in a nut shell"; a real english walnut shell containing a fine lace-betrimmed handkerchief, enclosed in a series of boxes, one fitting within the other; a sterling silver almond set or almond scoop; a silver vinaigrette in exact reproduction of a peanut. for the gentlemen, a burnt wood nut bowl, with nut cracker and set of nut picks; a handsome edition of e. p. roe's "opening of a chestnut burr;" a silver peanut magic pencil, etc. the shops show big paper mache english walnuts, peanuts and almonds, full of sweetmeats in imitation of the real nuts, which make appropriate consolation prizes. french "surprise mottoes" in the shape of walnuts, each containing a hat, make very amusing favors. the refreshments may perfectly carry out the nutting idea: _peanut sandwiches, walnut sandwiches,_ _chicken and nut salad,_ _salted nuts,_ _bisque of almonds or burnt almond ice cream,_ _cocoanut, hickory nut, or pecan cake,_ _nut bonbons, festinos,_ _cheese balls with english walnuts,_ _coffee._ for the peanut sandwiches, use the ready-made peanut butter. for walnut sandwiches, chop meats very fine, mix with mayonnaise and spread on buttered bread. serve salad on lettuce leaf, garnished with a few whole nut meats. in salting mixed nuts, it is not considered necessary to blanch any except almonds and peanuts. the bisque of almonds requires one pound blanched almonds, one heaping cup of sugar and two pints of cream. pound almonds a few at a time, together with a little sugar and rosewater, mix with cream and freeze. for burnt almond ice cream use one quart of cream, one-half pound of sugar, four ounces of shelled almonds, one teaspoon of caramel, one tablespoon of vanilla, tablespoons of sherry. blanch and roast almonds, then pound in a mortar to a smooth paste. put one-half the cream and the sugar on to boil, stir until the sugar is dissolved, then add the remaining pint of cream and the almonds; stand away to cool; when cold, add the caramel, vanilla and sherry. freeze and pack. for the nut cake, use two pounds nuts cut fine, eight eggs, one pound sugar, one pound flour, one teacup butter, two heaping teaspoons baking powder, one cup milk, and juice of one lemon. mould the cheese balls round with the hands, and stick an english walnut meat on either side. harvest home supper. the rooms can be trimmed beautifully with corn, asparagus, hops, jack-o'lanterns, and so on. state in the invitations, which are to be tied in corn husks with grass, that a hay-rack will call for the guests. on each of the gate posts place huge jack-o'lanterns. in fact, have these for illumination wherever one can find places to put them. for decoration use autumnal grasses, wheat, oats and corn, and festoon strings of them wherever possible. make a frieze around the room of ears of corn from which the husks are pulled apart. this will form a festoon from which will hang down like tassels, the ears of white and yellow corn, and if one can find a few red ears so much the better. bank the fire-place and corners with boughs of autumn leaves, and festoon them in garlands wherever there is a vacant place. scrub the bare floors well, put a little wax on them, and engage one or two musicians to dispense old time melodies. carry out the harvest home idea in the dining-room. have most of the decorations, fruits and garlands with graceful sprays of the virginia creeper in the glory of its autumnal colors, festooned from doors to windows and back again, and have the table decorations the same. serve the guests sitting around the room, with delicious turkey, ham, bread, sweet and sour pickles, doughnuts, cider, etc. by all means have pumpkin pie, which would be so much in keeping with the occasion. an autumn supper. just before closing your cottage for the season, send out invitations to friends, asking them to spend an evening with you at your home. the invitations may be written upon scarlet maple leaves. when the evening for entertaining arrives the cottage should reflect the glory of the woods. boughs and branches of silver and sugar maples decorate the hall, "den," dining room and kitchen, and berries, vines and burrs fill jars, vases and cornucopias of birch bark. in the rough stone fire-places, log fires burn. the guests go to the kitchen to make maple sugar creams, and while the candy is hardening, games are played and stories told. each guest, blindfolded, must draw the outline of a maple leaf. next, leaf shaped cards are distributed with the names of different trees written upon them, acrostically arranged. a nut race closes the games, and the prizes are then awarded. then the company may gather around the fire. bundles of lichen covered twigs, of pine cones and of twisted tree roots are selected according to individual fancy and put on the fire, each person telling a story, original or otherwise, until his bundle is burned away; the changing shapes in the fire suggesting many quaint fancies. for table decorations have a garland of leaves encircle the polished top just outside the plates. a large wreath and a low bowl of nut burrs and sprays of bright leaves and berries make a gorgeous centerpiece. have smaller wreaths around the bonbon and nut dishes, and mats of leaves laid under the plates and dishes and used for doilies under the finger bowls. a birch bark cornucopia of maple sugar candy and a droll little nut indian clad in a scarlet blanket by each plate make pretty souvenirs of the feast. leaves can be pasted on the candle shades which are made of stiff-buff paper: _roasted quail on toast,_ _strawed potatoes,_ _salad sandwiches, maple layer cake,_ _waffles,_ _nuts, coffee._ when the frost is on the pumpkin. the hostess who wants to provide a simple, and at the same time a novel entertainment for her friends should call to her aid the glossy, orange coated pumpkins. with pumpkins for the motif, so to speak, an evening full of fun may be enjoyed. decorate square white cards with a huge pumpkin; one who cannot draw can cut a very presentable looking pumpkin from orange paper and paste it on the cards. then write on each: the mighty mammoth pumpkin will be on exhibition at mrs. blanks, from to p. m., next thursday night. you are cordially invited to come and guess its weight. get the largest pumpkin you can find and a goodly collection of shapely, medium-sized ones. make a record of the weight, the length, and the girth of the big pumpkin, then carefully cut open lengthwise and scoop out, and if trouble is no object count the seeds. fill the pumpkin with sawdust and bury in it the souvenirs, simple little trifles, orange hued penwipers, needlebooks, pincushions, etc. wrap them up in paper and bury them deep. set the pumpkin on a mat of leaves on a small table and label "hands off." each guest is given a card with a pencil attached to record his guesses. little leather covered inkstands, the exact counterpart of tiny pumpkins, and pumpkin paper weights equally as natural in appearance are appropriate for the head prizes, while pumpkin emery bags and pumpkin-shaped blotters will please the winners of the boobies. the rest of the evening may be spent in carving jack o' lanterns from, small pumpkins. the guests may be required to write a recipe for pumpkin pie which will bring forth some wonderful flights of fancy. decorate the rooms with pumpkin vases filled with chrysanthemums and have a bowl of orange fruit cup set inside of a large pumpkin for the guests' refreshment during the evening. in setting the table have a pumpkin vase of ferns and yellow and white chrysanthemums for the centerpiece. the supper is served from pumpkin dishes. select round, deep pumpkins with a stem, choosing those of a pretty color and shape. saw off the tops even, so they may be put back on the pumpkins as lids, scoop out and line with parchment paper. as this supper is very informal, sandwiches with various fillings, a rich chicken salad made with walnut meats and chopped celery, cheese and bread sticks and coffee may form the substantial part. stuffed figs and dates, bonbons and macaroons are served for the sweet course and an orange ice or snow pudding in little pumpkin paper cases. a dickens' supper. a happy selection of time for a dickens party is the christmas season, which is so peculiarly connected with so many of dickens' writings. have the rooms brilliantly lighted, and the bright berries of the christmas holly against a background of the "ivy green" which dickens loved. the hostess might dress in a handsome costume of the time of edith dombey. the guests can each represent some character of dickens. betsy trotwood, tall and rigid in stiff gown and tight cap. dora, young and blonde, with infantile manner. peggotty, buxom and tightly compressed into her gown. dick swiveller and the marchioness. mrs. tizziwig, "one vast substantial smile." madame defarge, stolid and plying her ceaseless knitting. joey b., with his swagger, "sly sir; devilish sly." mr. micawber, bland and portly. little nell and her grandfather, and so on with the characters which dickens has made living creatures indeed. gathered in the reception rooms the group will make a quaint, lovely picture to the entering guest. when all the guests have arrived cards are distributed, on each of which is a water colored sketch of some of dickens' characters. an english walnut shell tied with pink ribbon and attached to the corner of the card holds a quotation from dickens, and beneath this nut is the pertinent quotation, "the dickens to crack." a prize can be awarded to the one answering most correctly from which books the different quotations were taken. some of the pathetic scenes from dombey and son can be read by some one whose musical voice and gentle face, as well as intelligent reading, make this part especially effective. the hostess can read an extract from verses headed "the christmas carol" in pickwick papers. "my song i troll out, for xmas stout the hearty, the true and the bold; a bumper i drain and with might and main give three cheers for this christmas old! we'll usher him in with a merry din, that shall gladden his joyous heart, and we'll keep him up while there's bite or sup, and in fellowship good we'll part." pass around small glasses of egg-nog and have toasts of christmas cheer. for refreshments have delicious oyster and mushroom cream soup, cold wild duck, jelly and celery. a frozen salad after this; it is made of tomatoes (canned) cooked a little, strained, and when cold mixed with a thin mayonnaise, then frozen, making a delight for the palate. the ice is a lemon ice frozen in individual molds very hard and covered with a hot chocolate sauce, making a most delicious blending of hot and cold, sweet and sour. a tiny glass of cordial completes the repast. for the prize for the quotations have a handsome copy of christmas stories tied with red ribbons and ornamented with a bunch of holly. for the booby prize have a bag of the buttons peggotty burst from her gown when an exuberance of emotion filled her breast. a boston supper party. when the guests assemble put them in charge of a man with a megaphone and start them through the rooms on a "seeing boston" tour. have fake tablets and different objects to represent the places of interest. these objects could be numbered and turn the "seeing boston" into a guessing contest. give each guest a note book and pencil to enter the correct name opposite the correct number. this can include side trips to lexington, concord, bedford, etc. take the folders and circulars of a trip through boston, cut out the tiny pictures, mount on grey paper, letter with white ink and give them as souvenirs. or remove all lettering and use these pictures as a contest, asking the guests to name the pictures correctly. for amusement have "paul revere's ride" acted in pantomine, or charades on the different names. for supper serve pork and baked beans, boston brown bread, pie, tea, etc. tiny earthen bean-pots, spectacles, handbags, imitation folders--any of these things would do for souvenirs. a yachting party. have a large room fitted up as the deck and after deck of a steam yacht. to reach the room have the guests climb through a hatchway. steamer chairs and nautical paraphernalia fill the deck and a dozen life preservers hang conveniently near. have all the necessary rigging and a flag pole floating the yacht flag. the host and his guests should wear yachting costumes and the souvenirs be tiny red and green lanterns for the men and yacht stickpins for the girls. the menu cards are decorated with the insignia of the yacht and couched in nautical terms. serve the following menu: _oysters in block of ice_ _celery, stuffed olives, salted wafers_ _rum omelet_ _cold ham, cold tongue, olives_ _pate de fois gras sandwiches, rare beef sandwiches_ _roquefort cheese, hard crackers_ _grape fruit salad_ _coffee_ a butterfly supper. under the chandeliers, in corners and doorways, have butterflies fluttering from invisible silver wires. these butterflies are made from delicate hued crepe paper, their wings marked with rings of ruby, green, blue, gold and silver. each guest is offered a butterfly on entering the drawing room; the men wearing them as boutonniers, the women putting them in their hair. the host fastens a large paper butterfly, minus one wing and the antennæ, to a curtain hung across a window. each guest, in turn, blindfolded, tests his idea of distance in trying to pin the wing and antennæ on the butterfly. a set of six paper butterfly princess lamp shades is the woman's head prize. a butterfly whisk holder, containing a silver handled brush, is given the equally lucky man. the "boobies" are a miniature lantern and a toy spy-glass. in the dining room this supper is served. first a fruit drink, lemonade or grape juice. on the plate on which the glass cup rests have a small bunch of purple grapes. decorate fish plates with lemon baskets holding the sauce tartare. with broiled chops serve stuffed tomatoes and corn pudding moulded in cups with white sauce flavored with onion. serve raspberry ice. for salad serve pears and german cherries sweetened. for dessert serve the nutmeg muskmelons filled with ice cream or ice. have a tin-smith make a butterfly shaped cake cutter, four inches across the wings. bake these cakes in a quick oven, ice them white, pink and green and then mark with rings of a contrasting color of icing. the centre scarf and doilies, of fine white linen, for the dining table, have a cut-out butterfly border worked with white silk and gold thread. a fairy rose-tree, trained on a bamboo trellis, the pot dressed in skirts of white and green paper and sash of satin ribbon, makes a most effective centre piece. paper butterflies shade the candles, and a crepe paper covered box of bonbons, with a butterfly hovering over the top, stands beside each plate. decorate the name cards with sketches of butterflies. young married couples' supper. for the young married couples' supper carry out the heart-shape idea. outline large heart in smilax on the table. have the smilax at least three inches wide. dot it with clusters of roses, lilies of the valley or any preferred flower. in the center have a mound of the same flowers and between the center and the smilax place individual candlesticks with white candles and shades to match the flowers. a few single flowers may be scattered over the cloth. for a menu serve a fruit cup in the parlor before asking the guests to the dining room. at the table have first hot bouillon with a bit of lemon in it. have the main course fried chicken and rice with shoestring potatoes, tiny red radishes, creamed cauliflower, pickles and hot rolls. creamed sweetbreads on toast may be used for a course if wished. serve salmon salad on a lettuce leaf and with it reception flakes on which grated cheese has been sprinkled and the wafers put in the oven just long enough to melt the cheese. to serve the chicken take a large chop plate, pile the rice in a snowy mound in the center and place the pieces of chicken around it, serving a spoonful of rice with each piece of chicken. a head-dress supper party. for a head-dress party ask each guest to dress the hair in some fancy way. the men dressing in washington, jefferson and other wigs noted in history, while the ladies fix their locks according to noted beauties, queens, and others. strings of pearls, tiaras, and jewels make a beautiful display. conventional evening dress is worn in most instances, save where a ruff or frill is added to heighten the effect of the headgear. a prize is offered for the best head-dress. the minuet makes a pretty dance to finish the evening. for refreshments serve chicken salad in tomatoes hollowed out or cucumber boats, cheese wafers, stuffed olives, tiny pickles and squares of jelly, strawberries and plain vanilla ice cream, chocolate cake, coffee or chocolate. serve fruit punch during the evening. a quilting supper. build a little log cabin of twigs for the center of the supper table and arrange stick candy, bread sticks, celery, cheesesticks and other viands, log-cabin style, on pretty plates. light the table by candles in old-fashioned candlesticks. serve a hot course, oyster patties, sandwiches, potato salad, hot gingerbread, apple sauce, tea and coffee. wedding supper. first serve an orange or lemon ice. serve this in tall glasses and decorate the top of the glass with a sprig of mint. have the ice served from a tray decorated with a wreath of green or green and white. for the green have mint leaves, lemon verbena or geranium leaves or ferns. then serve chicken salad made of the breast of chicken cut in dice, celery cut coarse, and large nut meats. add sweetbreads and cucumbers to the salad if desired. mix with a white mayonnaise and serve in white head lettuce, using the cup-like outside leaves. use the tiny lettuce heart for a crown, and garnish with white radishes cut into roses, and olives cut in fancy shapes. serve plain white bread and butter sandwiches cut in hearts and rings or salted wafers. have the salad on white plates and passed from a tray trimmed in ferns or white sweet peas. have the ice cream in any fancy shape. pink hearts dotted with pink candied roseleaves makes a very pretty course. lay a pink rose on each plate. if one cannot get fancy shapes from their caterer, use the cone shaped spoon and dish the cream in shape of cones. then surmount each cone with a pink candy heart. for cakes, serve cocoanut balls or squares of white cake covered with pink or green icing. serve these from a tray or platter covered with pink and white sweet peas, putting the cakes in among the flowers. have the wedding cake on a flower trimmed table under a gay little canopy and have the bride cut it the last thing, after coffee is passed. a waffle supper. let us have a waffle party and introduce some of the men to more intimate acquaintance with the mysteries of the cuisine. flat dwellers (the word always reminds me of "cliff dwellers") seem to consider that the propinquity of the kitchen makes entertaining a difficult matter, but if the truth were known, it makes possible many a winter evening's jollity. the invitations are made of cream white satin, fashioned in the exact shape and size of a waffle section, padded with white cotton wadding and tacked to simulate the meeting place of the irons. they are then scorched to the right color with a hot iron and on them is printed in sepia tints "come and eat me;" on the reverse side is printed date "----, at p. m. ---- ave." use the abbreviated forms for this lettering on account of the difficulty encountered from limited space and the writing on satin. before the evening arrives prepare cards about four by six inches, in the center of which print a much praised recipe for waffles, reading as follows: six cups flour; three teaspoonfuls baking powder; four cups milk; three tablespoonfuls butter; one and one-half teaspoonfuls salt; nine eggs beaten separately. mix flour, baking powder and salt, yolks with milk, then melted butter, flour and last the beaten whites. in the upper left hand corner of the card have a small pen and ink sketch of some cooking utensil and in the right hand corner a number. in the center a ribbon for fastening. the utensils are as follows: . waffle irons. . mixing bowl. . milk bottle. . salt box. . eggs. . egg beater. . butter. . flour sieve. it is possible to introduce as many different cooking utensils as there are guests. after half an hour's visit let the guests all repair to the kitchen where the numbered articles are to be found. no. , to whom is apportioned the two waffle irons, lights the gas under them, greases the irons when hot with a square of salt pork on the end of a fork and--later--cooks the first waffle, but that comes later on. each secures his special utensil. the master of ceremonies takes charge and calls off the various ingredients in proper order. number warms the mixing bowl slightly, number unstoppers the milk and measures it, number measures the salt, number breaks the eggs and beats the yolks, number beats the whites, number melts the butter, number measures the flour, number produces and measures the baking powder, etc. finally, when all is ready and the master of ceremonies has superintended the proper mixing, the rest adjourn to the dining room, leaving numbers one and two to bake the first waffles. the master of ceremonies sits at the head and the numbers run consecutively from his right. the swinging doors through the butler's pantry are propped open so as not to isolate the cooks and the supper begins. at one end of the table have a medium sized veal loaf, at the other a mould of tongue jellied with hard boiled eggs. chocolate is poured at one side of the table, coffee at the other. marmalade, pickles and graham bread cut thin and made into sandwiches are placed in small dishes. two large bowls of whipped cream with small bowls of powdered sugar, two pitchers of maple syrup boiled down and beaten until thick as batter, are for service with the waffles. by the time the meats are served, the first sets of waffles are ready and the cooks pass them around. the next couple then pass to the kitchen to bake the next sets and so on until all are served. the bohemian picnic supper. an indoor moonlight picnic is a new diversion. the lights should be hidden by soft white silk shades, giving a moonlight effect, and the rooms decorated with foliage plants. a fishpond with grotesque objects, including a live mermaid, (a man in startling costume), is one feature. in one room is a "merry-go-round." the chairs are placed in a circle and a graphaphone in the center plays popular tunes. at o'clock the doors to the dining room are opened. the table cloth is spread on the floor, surrounded by cushions. in one corner of the room are the baskets containing the supper of sandwiches, olives, pickles, baked beans, cake, pie and other picnic favorites. the girls take the viands from the baskets and arrange them on the floor, while the men serve coffee from a coffee boiler on a small table. during the meal each guest is obliged to describe some picnic he has attended or pay a forfeit. a railroad party. have a "railroad party" if you like the refreshing flavor of informality at your social functions. have the invitations read, "an excursion on the funville, frolictown & featherbrain railway." to begin with, the rapidly gathering guests "getting aboard" are greeted by the hostess and her receiving party, who cover their evening attire with spic-and-span linen dusters and caps. down the line are distributed a miscellaneous collection of peregrinating paraphernalia from the red and white cotton umbrella, which the hostess resolutely grasps in the middle, to the omnipresent hand-box and the traditional bird cage. with a final "all aboard" from a bustling man in regulation railway uniform, accompanied by the clanging of a bell, the trip to interesting cities begins. the conductor, in blue coat and brass buttons, promptly appears, to distribute tickets to the animated tourists. these tickets are in booklet form, inside the covers being an eighteen-inch pink paper ticket. at the top is a space for the excursionist's name, and further down a series of spaces where the excursionist is to write the names of the various stations at which the train is to stop. the name of the station is suggested by a preceding statement. this ticket, including "rules and regulations," as well as correct insertions for the stations, reads as follows: the funville, frolictown & featherbrain railway. _excursion ticket_ _issued to_ ............................................... _tuesday_, ---- ---- _good for one trip only._ rules and regulations. this ticket is not transferable, reversible, or salable. it must be signed by the person to whom it is assigned. the conductor will not punch this ticket. punch is prohibited on this railroad. if you cannot crack these nuts call on the brakeman. do not pull the bell rope; this is not a pullman car. the company will not be responsible for cattle killed by the carelessness of the passengers who throw crackers out of the window. doctors are not provided on this train, but if you have the grip it can be checked by the baggage master. the porter is the car-pet and he has to have his tax. _the first station at which this train stops is:_ that for which our forefathers fought. independence. _the second is:_ a female habiliment. galveston. _the third is:_ a military defense and a paris dressmaker. fort worth. _the fourth is:_ an ancient city whose downfall, after a long siege, avenged the abduction of a woman. troy. _the fifth is:_ an accident which generally gives one a ducking. bath. _the sixth is:_ an opera encore. sing sing. _the seventh is:_ a city whose end and aim is "go." chicago. _the eighth is:_ begins with an exclamation, appeals to maternity, ends with a laugh. omaha. _the ninth is:_ a board of city fathers, in connection with a precipice. council bluffs. _the tenth is:_ where the seat of affection is easily waded. hartford. _the eleventh is:_ one of the apostles. st. paul. _the twelfth is:_ a woman's monday occupation and two thousand pounds. washington. _the thirteenth is:_ an infernal region, a girl's name. helena. _the fourteenth is:_ what a young man called when his sweetheart anna was drowning. savannah. _the fifteenth is:_ an afflicted stream. cripple creek. _the sixteenth is:_ a small geological formation. rock island. _the seventeenth is:_ what most old maids desire to find. manitou. _the eighteenth is:_ a pleasing beverage and a period. wyandotte. _the nineteenth is:_ outward sign of spiritual grace and exclamation. sacramento. _the twentieth is:_ a young miss and a slang term of coin. gallatin. _the twenty-first is:_ the father of democracy and a large town. jefferson city. _the twenty-second is:_ an extinct king of the prairies. buffalo. _the twenty-third is:_ a girl's name, a laugh and a tumble. minnehaha falls. _the twenty-fourth is:_ that upon which we rely. providence. _the twenty-fifth is:_ a bandmaster's staff and a society girl's cheeks. baton rouge. appropriate prizes--leather traveling bags--are awarded to excursionists who have done the most sight seeing--that is, who have guessed the names of most of the stations. in the mean time small boys in uniform pass through the "parlor cars" dispensing to the passengers such train delectables as popcorn and peanuts, while other uniformed youths pass lemonade in the time-honored tin receptacle with glasses in openings at the side. suddenly the station supper gong is sounded and the brisk announcement made, "twenty minutes for refreshments." thereupon the lively excursionists proceed in sections to the dining room where the novel feature of the railroad party is cleverly carried out. along one end of the room is constructed a high lunch counter with every equipment of the metropolitan station. there is the steaming coffee urn, the familiar glass covers under which repose pumpkin pie and doughnuts, old-fashioned cake-stands with fruit, and so on. bright colored placards on the wall announce the eatables, including chicken and ham sandwiches, stuffed eggs, hokey-pokey ice cream, assorted cakes, coffee, chocolate and milk. the floral decorations in this "buffet car" are effective. the white cloth that covers the counter and extends to the floor is festooned with strings of smilax and spotted with sprays of fern. on top of the counter is a huge bowl of scarlet roses, and two immense palms behind the lunch counter make a pleasing background. in all the coaches, in fact, flowers and foliage are used in profusion. literary supper. give each guest a card numbered, and ask him to draw thereon a picture which shall illustrate some well-known novel. when all have finished have them pass the cards and on a second numbered list write the titles of the books illustrated. give a prize for the most perfect list and the best illustration. let the guests vote on the best illustration. or, pin on the back of a guest the name of a character in a book, or the name of an author, and let him by questions discover his own identity. if he fails to guess and has to be told, he sits down. if he guesses correctly, another name is pinned on his back, and another, and so on. the one guessing the greatest number of names receives the prize, which may be simply a bunch of flowers. ask each guest to wear something representing the title of a book. give each a number as he enters and a list of numbers and let all place correct names opposite the numbers on their lists. write a simple love story, leaving blanks to be filled with names of books. this may be written on a large sheet of paper or on a blackboard, the blanks numbered and each guest given a numbered list to place words intended to fill blanks, or enough copies may be made for each guest to have a copy. partners for supper may be found by cutting quotations in half and matching them again. or one guest may be given the name of a book to find his partner in the author; or he may receive a slip containing the name of some man character in fiction, to find his partner in the corresponding woman character, as "david copperfield" would seek "dora," "mr. micawber" would seek "mrs. micawber," etc. serve pressed chicken or veal cut in squares resting on cress; sandwiches of white grapes and nuts, chopped pickle; fruit salad served in white lettuce leaves, cheese crackers, ice cream or ices, cake, coffee or chocolate. make the cheese crackers by spreading a thin layer of cheese on the crackers and toasting them in the oven. a peanut party. write invitations on cards cut out and painted to represent peanuts. have them read, "won't you come next tuesday night at o'clock and help me gather my peanut crop? cordially yours," when the guests assemble the night of the party, give each one a gay calico bag and a large wooden spoon. then explain that they are to hunt for the peanuts on the lower floor of the house, and that the peanuts can only be taken up with the aid of the spoons. half an hour is allowed to gather the peanut crop, and then the bags are marked with the gatherer's name and dropped into a large straw basket--the bag containing the largest number of peanuts receives a prize. this hunt causes much merriment. when the time has expired and the bags are all in the basket, a large bowl of peanuts is put on a table and each guest given a needle and thread and told to make a necklace and pair of bracelets,--the best made set of peanut jewelry to be awarded a prize. the next feature of the evening's fun is making and dressing quaint little chinese figures of peanuts. crepe paper of various hues is provided for the costumes, and black thread for the queues. first the peanuts are strung to form the little manikins, then eyes, nose and mouth are marked on with ink. jackets and trousers are next cut and made, and the little ching-changs are dressed. pigtails are plaited and sewed on to the tops of the heads, then the hats go on and the little celestials are ready to be inspected by the judges. these dolls the guests keep as souvenirs of their skill. in the dining room have a small evergreen tree planted in a china jardiniere in the center of the supper table with little peanut owls perched on the branches of the tree. these owls have wings of light manila paper and are marked with ink to represent feathers. big, staring eyes add a touch of realism. the owls are attached to the branches, singly and in groups, with glue. for supper serve creamed chicken patties, tiny hot rolls, brandied peaches or sweet watermelon pickle; salad of cucumbers and mayonnaise served on lettuce leaves or cress, peanut butter, and chopped smoked tongue sandwiches, ice cream served in sherbet glasses, assorted cakes, coffee or chocolate. folk lore supper. engage real colored singers to give a program of songs of the southland, the old-time plantation melodies. arrange the stage with a log cabin surrounded by sunflowers in the background and a cotton field in foreground, and have the singers costumed as field hands. some of the best known and best liked songs include "old black joe," "swing low, sweet chariot," "nobody knows the trouble i am seeing," "nellie gray," "suawanee river," "way over jordan," "ride up in the chariot," "massa's in the cold, cold ground," "dixie." serve a fried chicken supper with rice, hot biscuits, syrup, cornpone, ice cream and cake and coffee. the program can end with buck and wing dancing, jigs and cakewalks. cake walk supper. at this cake walk there is no walking for the cake. the cakes themselves walk for prizes. ask each guest to dress representing a certain variety of cake, but concealing the name of the particular cake represented. give a prize to the person who discovers the largest number of names. one girl representing wedding cake can come with bridal veil, orange blossom wreath and shower bouquet. fruit cake may be suggested by a girl carrying a graceful basket of fruit which she distributes to the company. in her hair she may wear a crown of artificial grapes and grape leaves. a woman of very diminutive size who might be thought to be almost ineligible for the gathering because she came without insignia of any kind might represent short cake. and these are but a few of the ingenuities. the entire list is too long to give here, but each repetition is sure to call forth new ideas. the winner of the first prize receives a pretty china cake dish, while the second prize is a dainty cake knife in silver. there is a booby, too--a small cook book giving twenty-five choice recipes for cakes. the guessing of the cakes is followed by an informal supper. serve _chicken mousse with lettuce and nut salad_ _brown bread and butter sandwiches_ _olives, salted almonds_ _peach bavarian cream, fancy cakes_ _coffee_ menu and service for bridge supper party. if one wishes a dainty and appetizing menu for a card supper serve sweetbread and celery salad, stuffed olives and tiny pickles, assorted sandwiches and plain vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce, fruit cake, white cake and coffee. while the judges are counting the points for game, have the maid lay a lunch cloth on each table. serve the sweetbread salad either in cucumbers hollowed out or in red or green pepper shells, resting on a wreath of watercress. a pretty effect is secured by using alternate green and red peppers and leaving the tops with the stem for covers. tie the tiniest of red peppers to the stems with narrow green ribbon for decoration. the sweetbread salad is made of cold cooked sweetbreads and celery cut into dice and covered with mayonnaise. if one adds a few sliced almond meats and mushrooms the flavor is improved. serve ham sandwiches cut in shape of playing cards and decorated with bits of pickled beets to simulate card spots, heart shaped sandwiches of chopped green peppers and mayonnaise, cucumbers and watercress mixed with mayonnaise, plain bread and butter sandwiches, using brown and white bread. if one wishes a hot course, serve oyster or cream chicken patties and tiny hot rolls. the fork is brought on the plate with the salad or hot course. serve ice cream in the sherbet glasses with stems. place a lace paper doily on the plate, stand the glass on this and lay a pink rose on the plate. pass the hot chocolate sauce in a silver or pretty china pitcher, or have it poured over the ice cream before it is brought in. pass the coffee in after dinner coffee cups, the maid bringing in a tray full of the cups followed by an assistant with sugar, cream and after dinner coffee spoons. cut the cake into squares and pass in silver basket or handsome plate with doily. "after the theatre" menus. _cold chicken in cranberry jelly cups_ _celery and oyster patties_ _bread and butter sandwiches_ _lemon jelly with whipped cream_ _ice cream, lady fingers, cocoanut_ _macaroons_ _bonbons, coffee_ _mushroom patties_ _turkey and celery salad in lettuce cups_ _cheese and nut sandwiches_ _pineapple jelly with whipped cream_ _vanilla ice cream_ _small sponge cakes_ _coffee with whipped cream_ oyster crabs on steak. since dealers do not sell oyster crabs at reasonable rates where they know their value or have a fashionable trade, if economical, one has to find a modest oyster house where they do not bring a cent and more apiece, but are for sale in bulk. a few dozen at least are needed for the steak. oyster crabs are tiny things and they shrink in cooking. the pan must be hot with plenty of butter in it throw in the crabs whole of course, for they are wee things, clean as an oyster, and let them cook to a turn. salt and pepper them and turn them over the steak which has been broiled exactly right. the oyster crabs must be cooked so as to be ready when the steak is done. a cold supper menu for hot weather. _iced consomme_ _celery, salted wafers_ _lobster en mayonnaise, brown bread sandwiches_ _cold filet of beef_ _saratoga potatoes, jelly, brandied cherries_ _tomatoes stuffed with celery, green peppers and cucumbers_ _chicken salad_ _roquefort cheese, toasted crackers_ _ice cream in canteloupes_ _fruits, crystallized candies_ chapter vi. toasts and stories for suppers. here's to man, god's first thought, here's to woman, god's second thought; as second thoughts are best, "here's to woman." --_detroit free press_. * * * * * a health to the man on trail this night; may his grub hold out; may his dogs keep their legs; may his matches never miss fire. * * * * * to "one of the boys." here's to a jolly fellow, who is one of the boys, and stays till he gets mellow, sharing the drinks and joys. his glass he'll fill to the rim, and dash it out of sight, we can all tie to him, you bet, "he's all right!" * * * * * here's to you, as good as you are, and here's to me, as bad as i am; but as good as you are, and as bad as i am, i'm as good as you are as bad as i am! --_an old scotch toast_ * * * * * here's to the maiden of bashful fifteen here's to the widow of fifty; here's to the flaunting, extravagant queen, and here's to the housewife that's thrifty! let the toast pass; drink to the lass; i'll warrant she'll prove an excuse for the glass. --_sheridan._ * * * * * "the women, god bless them, we toast them alway, lest the women, god bless them, roast us every day." * * * * * while there's life on the lip, while there's warmth in the wine, one deep health i'll pledge, and that health shall be thine. _lucille--owen meredith._ * * * * * crown high the goblets with a cheerful draught; enjoy the present hour; adjourn the future thought. --_dryden's virgil._ * * * * * here's to love, a thing so divine, description makes it but the less; 'tis what we feel but cannot define, 'tis what we know but cannot express. * * * * * "to the salad of life. "with its laughter and tears, its blessings and joys, its mixture of peace and of strife. and may it be seasoned to each man's taste, with plenty of love for its dressing, and when we have eaten the last on the dish, let us hope it has proven a blessing." * * * * * "clink, clink your glasses and drink! why should we trouble borrow? care not for sorrow, a fig for the morrow! tonight let's be merry and drink!" * * * * * here's to the prettiest, here's to the wittiest, here's to the truest of all who are true. here's to the neatest one, here's to the sweetest one, here's to them all in one--here's to you. * * * * * "laugh at all things, great and small things, sick or well, at sea or shore; while we're quaffing, let's have laughing-- who the devil cares for more." --_lord byron._ * * * * * a toast to your hair, my loved one, a toast to your beautiful hair! it rests like a crown of unmatchable brown on your brow so pure and fair. there's a charm in its lightness, an air in its brightness, that tangled my heart in its snare. then pledge me, my fair one, my loved one, my rare one, a toast to your beautiful hair! --_bayard bacon._ * * * * * woman. the fairest work of the great author. the edition is large and no man can afford to be without a copy. * * * * * he is the half part of a blessed man, left to be finished by such as she. --_shakespeare._ * * * * * to friendship--it improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief.--_cicero._ * * * * * ho gentlemen! lift your glasses up-- each gallant, each swain and lover-- a kiss to the beads that brim in the cup a laugh for the foam spilt over! for the soul is a-lift and the heart beats high, and care has unloosened its tether; "now drink," said the sage, "for tomorrow we die!" so let's have a toast together. * * * * * swing the goblet aloft; to the lips let it fall; then bend you the knee to address her; and to drink gentle sirs, to the queen of us all-- to the woman that's good--god bless her!-- and i pledge my last toast, ere i go to my rest-- o fortunate earth to possess her!-- to the dear tender heart in the little white breast of the woman that's good--god bless her! * * * * * here's to the girl that's good and sweet here's to the girl that's true, here's to the girl that rules my heart-- in other words, here's to you. * * * * * here's to the land of the shamrock so green, here's to each lad and his darling coleen here's to the ones we love dearest and most and may god save old ireland,--that's an irishman's toast. * * * * * a toast to thanksgiving, a pæan of praise, a health to our forefathers brave; may we honor the deeds they have done in the past, hold sacred all that they gave. --_estelle foreman._ * * * * * an englishman's frank toast. in cosmopolitan los angeles there are five gentlemen companions, each representing a different nationality, who from frequent association have become intimate friends. one is a russian, one a turk, one a frenchman, one an american and one an englishman. these five frequently assemble together and tell of the comparative merits of the respective countries they represented and thus their companionship is a source of instruction as well as entertainment. recently they gave a champagne supper to which a few friends were invited. during the course of this dinner it was proposed that each of the five give a toast to his native country, the one giving the best toast to be at no expense for the feast. the result was these toasts: the russian--"here's to the stars and bars of russia, that were never pulled down." the turk--"here's to the moons of turkey whose wings were never clipped." the frenchman--"here's to the cock of france, whose feathers were never picked." the american--"here's to the stars and stripes of america, never trailed in defeat." the englishman--"here's to the rampin' roarin' lion of great britain, that tore down the stars and bars of russia, clipped the wings of turkey, picked the feathers off the cock of france, and ran like h--l from the stars and stripes of the united states of america." the englishman was at no expense for the feast. * * * * * "why, patrick, you seem to be in great pain--you have taken something that disagrees with you." "yes, doctor, i swallowed a potato bug be accident, and although i took some paris green a minute after it don't quiet the disgraceful little baste. he's racing up and down and all round inside of me." * * * * * "if you would refuse occasionally when those hateful men ask you to drink," said mrs. booce, "you would not be coming home in this condition. you lack firmness of character." "don't you b'leeve nossin' of the sort," said mr. booce, with much dignity. "the fellers tried to start me home more'n two hours ago." * * * * * guest--"am i the unlucky thirteener?" host--"no, you're the lucky fourteener. you're to fill up the gap." guest--"all right; i've brought it with me." * * * * * "suppose you come and dine with us tomorrow?" "wouldn't the day after do just as well?" inquired the poor relation. "certainly; but where are you going to dine tomorrow?" "oh, here. you see, your wife was kind enough to ask me for that occasion." * * * * * at a dinner given in a home that was marked for the literary acquirements of its members the conversation naturally turned to books and their authors. this was not much to the liking of one young woman, who was more noted for her skill at golf and kindred sports than for her knowledge of romance and history. from time to time she attempted to start a discussion of outdoor games, but to no avail. at last her companion at the table turned to her with the inquiry: "and do you not like kipling?" the fair young thing knitted her brows in thought for a moment, then answered blithely: "kipling? i don't believe it has been introduced in our set yet. how do you kipple, anyway?" * * * * * book agent--"is the lady of the house in?" cook--"we're _all_ ladies here, yez moonkey-faced divil! if yez mane the _mishtress_, say so!" * * * * * a sunday-school teacher recently told her class about the cruelty of docking horses, says our dumb animals. "can any little girl tell me," she said, "of an appropriate verse of scripture referring to such treatment?" a small girl rose and said solemnly, "what god hath joined together, let no man put asunder." * * * * * i am reminded of a sick man who had a talking wife. a doctor was sent for to prescribe for the husband. when he left he said to the wife: "your husband is not dangerously ill. all he needs is rest, so i have prescribed this opiate." "how often shall i give it to him?" she asked. "oh, don't give it to him at all. take it yourself." * * * * * scene: the bar parlour of the prince george, brighton. pipes and beer all round. an old salt saying:-- "i've got a riddle to ask you chaps. if a 'erring and a 'alf cost three farthings 'ow many could you buy for sixpence?" profound silence, and much puffing of pipes. presently a voice from the corner:-- "i say, bill, did you say 'errings?" "yes, i said 'errings." "drat it, i've been a-reckoning of mackerel all this 'ere time!" * * * * * "an' phwat are yez a-doin' wid that pig in the sea?" "shure, an' i'm a makin' salt pork av him afore i kill him." * * * * * a story is told of a man who, having submitted himself to the manipulation of a venerable barber was told: "do you know, sah, you remind me so much of dan'l webster?" "indeed," he said, "shape of my head, i suppose?" this staggered the aged colored man somewhat. he had not expected that there would be a call for an explanatory superstructure. "no, sah," he stammered in reply; "not yo' head, sah, it's yo' breff." * * * * * "speaking of mushrooms and toadstools, gentlemen," chimed in dumley, "a friend of mine not long ago gathered a quantity of what he supposed were mushrooms, and took 'em home. his wife cooked 'em and the whole family ate heartily of 'em." "and did they all die?" inquired the crowd, very much shocked. "no, they happened to be mushrooms, you see," replied dumley with a far-a-away look in his eye, "but it was a narrow escape." * * * * * he was enjoying an ear of corn in the good, old-fashioned way. "you look as if you were playing the flute," his hostess remarked, smiling. "oh, no," was the amiable retort; "it's a cornet i'm playing, by ear." * * * * * london landlady (to shivering lodger).--no, sir, i don't object to your dining at a restorong, nor to taking an 'apenny paper, but i must resent your constant 'abit of locking up your whiskey, thereby himplying that me, a clergyman's daughter, is prone to larceny. * * * * * "pat," said his young wife, "i wish you wouldn't put your knife in your mouth when you eat." "an' phwere would yez hev me put it," said pat, in astonishment, "in me eyes?" * * * * * first lady--"what birthday presents are you going to give to your husband?" second lady--"a hundred cigars." first lady--"and what did you pay for them?" second lady--"oh, nothing! for the last few months i have taken one or two out of his box every day. he hasn't noticed it, and will be pleased with my little present and the fine quality of the cigars." * * * * * arabella (scared)--"oh, mammy! miss smiff say her ole man gits fits eb'ry time he come home drunk an' i's 'fraid i done cotch 'um." mammy--"g'wan, chile; fits ain' ketchin'." arabella--"dey mus' be, kase miss smiff says she give 'em to him herse'f." * * * * * mistress (greatly scandalized)--"is it possible, hannah, you are making bread without having washed your hands?" new kitchen girl--"lor', what's the difference, mum? it's brown bread." * * * * * family physician--"i'm afraid you have been eating too much cake and candy. let me see your tongue." little girl--"oh, you can look at it, but it won't tell." * * * * * "patrick, you told me you needed the alcohol to clean the mirrors with, and here i find you drinking it." "faix, mum, it's drinkin' it and brathin' on the glass oi'm a-doin'." * * * * * a clergyman was being shaved by a barber who had evidently become unnerved by the previous night's dissipation. finally he cut the clergyman's chin. the latter looked up at the artist reproachfully and said, "you see, my man, what comes of hard drinking." "yes, sir," replied the barber, consolingly, "it makes the skin tender." * * * * * they began by making much of his office, and the great qualities necessary to properly fill it. they laid stress upon the decay of the standard of fitness, and congratulated themselves that they had at last met with an instance where the man did honor to the office. the mayor stood it for some time, and then in the blandest manner remarked: "you make me more worthy, gentlemen, than i really am. i am not a genius, nor yet am i a sot or a simpleton, but rather, if you will permit such self measurement, something between the two." * * * * * first quick lunch waitress--"say, but that dude is gone on molly!" second quick lunch waitress (enviously)--"ain't he? when he orders 'beans and draw one and sinkers' from her he puts such love in it that it sounds like 'paddy defoy grass, coffee o'lay and parker house rolls.'" * * * * * "will you have a piece of the pie, mr. goodman?" asked bobby's mother of the minister. "thanks, no," he replied. "will you, bobby," she inquired. "no, i think not," said bobby, rather hesitating. the minister looked at bobby in surprise. "i thought all little boys were fond of pie," he said. "they are," replied bobby. "i could eat that hull pie, but ma said if you didn't take any i mustn't, and she'd save it for tomorrow." the american frugal housewife. by mrs. child, author of "hobomok," "the mother's book," editor of the "juvenile miscellany," &c. dedicated to those who are not ashamed of economy. a fat kitchen maketh a lean will.--franklin. "economy is a poor man's revenue; extravagance a rich man's ruin." [illustration: mutton. . leg. . loin, best end. . do. chump do. . neck, best do. . do scrag do. . shoulder. . breast. saddle, loins.] [illustration: pork. . the sperib. . hand. . belly, or spring. . fore loin. . hind do. . leg.] [illustration: veal. . loin, best end . do chump do . fillet. . knuckle, hind. . do. fore. . neck, best end. . do. scrag do. . blade bone. . breast, best end. . do. brisket.] [illustration: beef. hind quarter. . sir loin. . rump. . aitch bone. . buttock. . mouse do. . veiny piece. . thick flank. . thin do. . leg. fore quarter. . fore rib, ribs. . middle do do. . chuck, do. . shoulder, or leg mutton piece. . brisket. . clod. . neck, or sticking piece. . shin. . cheek.] introductory chapter odd scraps for the economical. soap. simple remedies. gruel. egg gruel. arrow-root jelly. calf's foot jelly. tapioca jelly. sago jelly. beef tea. wine whey. apple water. milk porridge. stewed prunes. vegetables. herbs. cheap dye-stuffs. meat corned, or salted, hams, &c. choice of meat. common cooking. veal. calf's head. beef. alamode beef. mutton and lamb. pork. roast pig. sausages. mince meat. beans and peas. souse. tripe. gravy. poultry. fricasseed chicken, brown. fricasseed chicken, white. to curry fowl. chicken broth. fish. puddings. baked indian pudding. boiled indian pudding. flour or batter pudding. bread pudding. rennet pudding. custard puddings. rice puddings. bird's nest pudding. apple pudding. cherry pudding. cranberry pudding. whortleberry pudding. plum pudding. hasty pudding. cheap custards. common pies. mince pies. pumpkin and squash pie. carrot pie. cherry pie. whortleberry pie. apple pie. custard pie. cranberry pie. rhubarb stalks, or persian apple. pie crust. common cakes. gingerbread. cup cake. tea cake. cider cake. election cake. sponge cake. wedding cake. loaf cake. caraway cakes. dough-nuts. pancakes. fritters. short cake. indian cake. bread, yeast, &c. preserves, &c. currant jelly. currant wine. raspberry shrub. coffee. chocolate. tea. pickles. beer. general maxims for health. hints to persons of moderate fortune [first published in the massachusetts journal.] furniture. education of daughters. travelling and public amusements. philosophy and consistency. reasons for hard times. how to endure poverty. appendix to the american frugal housewife. carving. index. appendix. it has become necessary to change the title of this work to the "_american_ frugal housewife," because there is an _english_ work of the same name, not adapted to the wants of this country. introductory chapter the true economy of housekeeping is simply the art of gathering up all the fragments, so that nothing be lost. i mean fragments of _time_, as well as _materials_. nothing should be thrown away so long as it is possible to make any use of it, however trifling that use may be; and whatever be the size of a family, every member should be employed either in earning or saving money. 'time is money.' for this reason, cheap as stockings are, it is good economy to knit them. cotton and woollen yarn are both cheap; hose that are knit wear twice as long as woven ones; and they can be done at odd minutes of time, which would not be otherwise employed. where there are children, or aged people, it is sufficient to recommend knitting, that it is an _employment_. in this point of view, patchwork is good economy. it is indeed a foolish waste of time to tear cloth into bits for the sake of arranging it anew in fantastic figures; but a large family may be kept out of idleness, and a few shillings saved, by thus using scraps of gowns, curtains, &c. in the country, where grain is raised, it is a good plan to teach children to prepare and braid straw for their own bonnets, and their brothers' hats. where turkeys and geese are kept, handsome feather fans may as well be made by the younger members of a family, as to be bought. the sooner children are taught to turn their faculties to some account, the better for them and for their parents. in this country, we are apt to let children romp away their existence, till they get to be thirteen or fourteen. this is not well. it is not well for the purses and patience of parents; and it has a still worse effect on the morals and habits of the children. _begin early_ is the great maxim for everything in education. a child of six years old can be made useful; and should be taught to consider every day lost in which some little thing has not been done to assist others. children can very early be taught to take all the care of their own clothes. they can knit garters, suspenders, and stockings; they can make patchwork and braid straw; they can make mats for the table, and mats for the floor; they can weed the garden, and pick cranberries from the meadow, to be carried to market. provided brothers and sisters go together, and are not allowed to go with bad children, it is a great deal better for the boys and girls on a farm to be picking blackberries at six cents a quart, than to be wearing out their clothes in useless play. they enjoy themselves just as well; and they are earning something to buy clothes, at the same time they are tearing them. it is wise to keep an exact account of all you expend--even of a paper of pins. this answers two purposes; it makes you more careful in spending money, and it enables your husband to judge precisely whether his family live within his income. no false pride, or foolish ambition to appear as well as others, should ever induce a person to live one cent beyond the income of which he is certain. if you have two dollars a day, let nothing but sickness induce you to spend more than nine shillings; if you have one dollar a day, do not spend but seventy-five cents; if you have half a dollar a day, be satisfied to spend forty cents. to associate with influential and genteel people with an appearance of equality, unquestionably has its advantages; particularly where there is a family of sons and daughters just coming upon the theatre of life; but, like all other external advantages, these have their proper price, and may be bought too dearly. they who never reserve a cent of their income, with which to meet any unforeseen calamity, 'pay too dear for the whistle,' whatever temporary benefits they may derive from society. self-denial, in proportion to the narrowness of your income, will eventually be the happiest and most respectable course for you and yours. if you are prosperous, perseverance and industry will not fail to place you in such a situation as your ambition covets; and if you are not prosperous, it will be well for your children that they have not been educated to higher hopes than they will ever realize. if you are about to furnish a house, do not spend all your money, be it much or little. do not let the beauty of this thing, and the cheapness of that, tempt you to buy unnecessary articles. doctor franklin's maxim was a wise one, 'nothing is cheap that we do not want.' buy merely enough to get along with at first. it is only by experience that you can tell what will be the wants of your family. if you spend all your money, you will find you have purchased many things you do not want, and have no means left to get many things which you do want. if you have enough, and more than enough, to get everything suitable to your situation, do not think you must spend it all, merely because you happen to have it. begin humbly. as riches increase, it is easy and pleasant to increase in hospitality and splendour; but it is always painful and inconvenient to decrease. after all, these things are viewed in their proper light by the truly judicious and respectable. neatness, tastefulness, and good sense, may be shown in the management of a small household, and the arrangement of a little furniture, as well as upon a larger scale; and these qualities are always praised, and always treated with respect and attention. the consideration which many purchase by living beyond their income, and of course living upon others, is not worth the trouble it costs. the glare there is about this false and wicked parade is deceptive; it does not in fact procure a man valuable friends, or extensive influence. more than that, it is wrong--morally wrong, so far as the individual is concerned; and injurious beyond calculation to the interests of our country. to what are the increasing beggary and discouraged exertions of the present period owing? a multitude of causes have no doubt tended to increase the evil; but the root of the whole matter is the extravagance of all classes of people. we never shall be prosperous till we make pride and vanity yield to the dictates of honesty and prudence! we never shall be free from embarrassment until we cease to be ashamed of industry and economy. let women do their share towards reformation--let their fathers and husbands see them happy without finery; and if their husbands and fathers have (as is often the case) a foolish pride in seeing them decorated, let them gently and gradually check this feeling, by showing that they have better and surer means of commanding respect--let them prove, by the exertion of ingenuity and economy, that neatness, good taste, and gentility, are attainable without great expense. the writer has no apology to offer for this cheap little book of economical hints, except her deep conviction that such a book is needed. in this case, renown is out of the question, and ridicule is a matter of indifference. the information conveyed is of a common kind; but it is such as the majority of young housekeepers do not possess, and such as they cannot obtain from cookery books. books of this kind have usually been written for the wealthy: i have written for the poor. i have said nothing about _rich_ cooking; those who can afford to be epicures will find the best of information in the 'seventy-five receipts.' i have attempted to teach how money can be _saved_, not how it can be _enjoyed_. if any persons think some of the maxims too rigidly economical, let them inquire how the largest fortunes among us have been made. they will find thousands and millions have been accumulated by a scrupulous attention to sums 'infinitely more minute than sixty cents.' in early childhood, you lay the foundation of poverty or riches, in the habits you give your children. teach them to save everything,--not for their _own_ use, for that would make them selfish--but for _some_ use. teach them to _share_ everything with their playmates; but never allow them to _destroy_ anything. i once visited a family where the most exact economy was observed; yet nothing was mean or uncomfortable. it is the character of true economy to be as comfortable and genteel with a little, as others can be with much. in this family, when the father brought home a package, the older children would, of their own accord, put away the paper and twine neatly, instead of throwing them in the fire, or tearing them to pieces. if the little ones wanted a piece of twine to play scratch-cradle, or spin a top, there it was, in readiness; and when they threw it upon the floor, the older children had no need to be told to put it again in its place. the other day, i heard a mechanic say, 'i have a wife and two little children; we live in a very small house; but, to save my life, i cannot spend less than twelve hundred a year.' another replied, 'you are not economical; i spend but eight hundred.' i thought to myself,--'neither of you pick up your twine and paper.' a third one, who was present, was silent; but after they were gone, he said, 'i keep house, and comfortably too, with a wife and children, for six hundred a year; but i suppose they would have thought me mean, if i had told them so.' i did not think him mean; it merely occurred to me that his wife and children were in the habit of picking up paper and twine. economy is generally despised as a low virtue, tending to make people ungenerous and selfish. this is true of avarice; but it is not so of economy. the man who is economical, is laying up for himself the permanent power of being useful and generous. he who thoughtlessly gives away ten dollars, when he owes a hundred more than he can pay, deserves no praise,--he obeys a sudden impulse, more like instinct than reason: it would be real charity to check this feeling; because the good he does maybe doubtful, while the injury he does his family and creditors is certain. true economy is a careful treasurer in the service of benevolence; and where they are united respectability, prosperity and peace will follow. * * * * * odd scraps for the economical. if you would avoid waste in your family, attend to the following rules, and do not despise them because they appear so unimportant: 'many a little makes a mickle.' look frequently to the pails, to see that nothing is thrown to the pigs which should have been in the grease-pot. look to the grease-pot, and see that nothing is there which might have served to nourish your own family, or a poorer one. see that the beef and pork are always _under_ brine; and that the brine is sweet and clean. count towels, sheets, spoons, &c. occasionally; that those who use them may not become careless. see that the vegetables are neither sprouting nor decaying: if they are so, remove them to a drier place, and spread them. examine preserves, to see that they are not contracting mould; and your pickles, to see that they are not growing soft and tasteless. as far as it is possible, have bits of bread eaten up before they become hard. spread those that are not eaten, and let them dry, to be pounded for puddings, or soaked for brewis. brewis is made of crusts and dry pieces of bread, soaked a good while in hot milk, mashed up, and salted, and buttered like toast. above all, do not let crusts accumulate in such quantities that they cannot be used. with proper care, there is no need of losing a particle of bread, even in the hottest weather. attend to all the mending in the house, once a week, if possible. never put out sewing. if it be impossible to do it in your own family, hire some one into the house, and work with them. make your own bread and cake. some people think it is just as cheap to buy of the baker and confectioner; but it is not half as cheap. true, it is more convenient; and therefore the rich are justifiable in employing them; but those who are under the necessity of being economical, should make convenience a secondary object. in the first place, confectioners make their cake richer than people of moderate income can afford to make it; in the next place, your domestic, or yourself, may just as well employ your own time, as to pay them for theirs. when ivory-handled knives turn yellow, rub them with nice sand paper, or emery; it will take off the spots, and restore their whiteness. when a carpet is faded, i have been told that it may be restored, in a great measure, (provided there be no grease in it,) by being dipped into strong salt and water. i never tried this; but i know that silk pocket handkerchiefs, and deep blue factory cotton will not fade, if dipped in salt and water while new. an ox's gall will set any color,--silk, cotton, or woollen. i have seen the colors of calico, which faded at one washing, fixed by it. where one lives near a slaughterhouse, it is worth while to buy cheap, fading goods, and set them in this way. the gall can be bought for a few cents. get out all the liquid, and cork it up in a large phial. one large spoonful of this in a gallon of warm water is sufficient. this is likewise excellent for taking out spots from bombazine, bombazet, &c. after being washed in this, they look about as well as when new. it must be thoroughly stirred into the water, and not put upon the cloth. it is used without soap. after being washed in this, cloth which you want to _clean_ should be washed in warm suds, without using soap. tortoise shell and horn combs last much longer for having oil rubbed into them once in a while. indian meal and rye meal are in danger of fermenting in summer; particularly indian. they should be kept in a cool place, and stirred open to the air, once in a while. a large stone, put in the middle of a barrel of meal, is a good thing to keep it cool. the covering of oil-flasks, sewed together with strong thread, and lined and bound neatly, makes useful tablemats. a warming-pan full of coals, or a shovel of coals, held over varnished furniture, will take out white spots. care should be taken not to hold the coals near enough to scorch; and the place should be rubbed with flannel while warm. spots in furniture may usually be cleansed by rubbing them quick and hard, with a flannel wet with the same thing which took out the color; if rum, wet the cloth with rum, &c. the very best restorative for defaced varnished furniture, is rotten-stone pulverized, and rubbed on with linseed oil. sal-volatile, or hartshorn, will restore colors taken out by acid. it may be dropped upon any garment without doing harm. spirits of turpentine is good to take grease-spots out of woollen clothes; to take spots of paint, &c., from mahogany furniture; and to cleanse white kid gloves. cockroaches, and all vermin, have an aversion to spirits of turpentine. an ounce of quicksilver, beat up with the white of two eggs, and put on with a feather, is the cleanest and surest bed-bug poison. what is left should be thrown away: it is dangerous to have it about the house. if the vermin are in your walls, fill up the cracks with _verdigris_-green paint.[ ] [footnote : there are two kinds of green paint; one is of no use in destroying insects.] lamps will have a less disagreeable smell if you dip your wick-yarn in strong hot vinegar, and dry it. those who make candles will find it a great improvement to steep the wicks in lime-water and saltpetre, and dry them. the flame is clearer, and the tallow will not '_run_.' britannia ware should be first rubbed gently with a woollen cloth and sweet oil; then washed in warm suds, and rubbed with soft leather and whiting. thus treated, it will retain its beauty to the last. eggs will keep almost any length of time in lime-water properly prepared. one pint of coarse salt, and one pint of unslacked lime, to a pailful of water. if there be too much lime, it will eat the shells from the eggs; and if there be a single egg cracked, it will spoil the whole. they should be covered with lime-water, and kept in a cold place. the yolk becomes slightly red; but i have seen eggs, thus kept, perfectly sweet and fresh at the end of three years. the cheapest time to lay down eggs, is early in spring, and the middle and last of september. it is bad economy to buy eggs by the dozen, as you want them. new iron should be very gradually heated at first. after it has become inured to the heat, it is not as likely to crack. it is a good plan to put new earthen ware into cold water, and let it heat gradually, until it boils,--then cool again. brown earthen ware, in particular, may be toughened in this way. a handful of rye, or wheat, bran, thrown in while it is boiling, will preserve the glazing, so that it will not be destroyed by acid or salt. clean a brass kettle, before using it for cooking, with salt and vinegar. skim-milk and water, with a bit of glue in it, heated scalding hot, is excellent to restore old, rusty, black italian crape. if clapped and pulled dry, like nice muslin, it will look as well, or better, than when new. wash-leather gloves should be washed in clean suds, scarcely warm. the oftener carpets are shaken, the longer they wear; the dirt that collects under them, grinds out the threads. do not have carpets swept any oftener than is absolutely necessary. after dinner, sweep the crumbs into a dusting-pan with your hearth-brush; and if you have been sewing, pick up the shreds by hand. a carpet can be kept very neat in this way; and a broom wears it very much. buy your woollen yarn in quantities from some one in the country, whom you can trust. the thread-stores make profits upon it, of course. it is not well to clean brass andirons, handles, &c. with vinegar. it makes them very clean at first; but they soon spot and tarnish. rotten-stone and oil are proper materials for cleaning brasses. if wiped every morning with flannel and new england rum, they will not need to be cleaned half as often. if you happen to live in a house which has marble fire-places, never wash them with suds; this destroys the polish, in time. they should be dusted; the spots taken off with a nice oiled cloth, and then rubbed dry with a soft rag. feathers should be very thoroughly dried before they are used. for this reason they should not be packed away in bags, when they are first plucked. they should be laid lightly in a basket, or something of that kind, and stirred up often. the garret is the best place to dry them; because they will there be kept free from dirt and moisture; and will be in no danger of being blown away. it is well to put the parcels, which you may have from time to time, into the oven, after you have removed your bread, and let them stand a day. if feather-beds smell badly, or become heavy, from want of proper preservation of the feathers, or from old age, empty them, and wash the feathers thoroughly in a tub of suds; spread them in your garret to dry, and they will be as light and as good as new. new england rum, constantly used to wash the hair, keeps it very clean, and free from disease, and promotes its growth a great deal more than macassar oil. brandy is very strengthening to the roots of the hair; but it has a hot, drying tendency, which n.e. rum has not. if you wish to preserve fine teeth, always clean them thoroughly after you have eaten your last meal at night. rags should never be thrown away because they are dirty. mop-rags, lamp-rags, &c. should be washed, dried, and put in the rag-bag. there is no need of expending soap upon them: boil them out in dirty suds, after you have done washing. linen rags should be carefully saved; for they are extremely useful in sickness. if they have become dirty and worn by cleaning silver, &c., wash them, and scrape them into lint. after old coats, pantaloons, &c. have been cut up for boys, and are no longer capable of being converted into garments, cut them into strips, and employ the leisure moments of children, or domestics, in sewing and braiding them for door-mats. if you are troubled to get soft water for washing, fill a tub or barrel half full of ashes, and fill it up with water, so that you may have lye whenever you want it. a gallon of strong lye put into a great kettle of hard water will make it as soft as rain water. some people use pearlash, or potash; but this costs something, and is very apt to injure the texture of the cloth. if you have a strip of land, do not throw away suds. both ashes and suds are good manure for bushes and young plants. when a white navarino bonnet becomes soiled, rip it in pieces, and wash it with a sponge and soft water. while it is yet damp, wash it two or three times with a clean sponge dipped into a strong saffron tea, nicely strained. repeat this till the bonnet is as dark a straw color as you wish. press it on the wrong side with a warm iron, and it will look like a new leghorn. about the last of may, or the first of june, the little millers, which lay moth-eggs begin to appear. therefore brush all your woollens, and pack them away in a dark place covered with linen. pepper, red-cedar chips, tobacco,--indeed, almost any strong spicy smell,--is good to keep moths out of your chests and drawers. but nothing is so good as camphor. sprinkle your woollens with camphorated spirit, and scatter pieces of camphor-gum among them, and you will never be troubled with moths. some people buy camphor-wood trunks, for this purpose; but they are very expensive, and the gum answers just as well. the first young leaves of the common currant-bush, gathered as soon as they put out, and dried on tin, can hardly be distinguished from green tea. cream of tartar, rubbed upon soiled white kid gloves, cleanses them very much. bottles that have been used for rose-water, should be used for nothing else; if scalded ever so much, they will kill the spirit of what is put in them. if you have a greater quantity of cheeses in the house than is likely to be soon used, cover them carefully with paper, fastened on with flour paste, so as to exclude the air. in this way they may be kept free from insects for years. they should be kept in a dry, cool place. pulverized alum possesses the property of purifying water. a large spoonful stirred into a hogshead of water will so purify it, that in a few hours the dirt will all sink to the bottom, and it will be as fresh and clear as spring water. four gallons may be purified by a tea-spoonful. save vials and bottles. apothecaries and grocers will give something for them. if the bottles are of good thick glass, they will always be useful for bottling cider or beer; but if they are thin french glass, like claret bottles, they will not answer. woollens should be washed in very hot suds, and not rinsed. lukewarm water shrinks them. on the contrary, silk, or anything that has silk in it, should be washed in water almost cold. hot water turns it yellow. it may be washed in suds made of nice white soap; but no soap should be put upon it. likewise avoid the use of hot irons in smoothing silk. either rub the articles dry with a soft cloth, or put them between two towels, and press them with weights. do not let knives be dropped into hot dish-water. it is a good plan to have a large tin pot to wash them in, just high enough to wash the blades, _without wetting_ the handles. keep your castors covered with blotting-paper and green flannel. keep your salt-spoons out of the salt, and clean them often. do not wrap knives and forks in woollens. wrap them in good, strong paper. steel is injured by lying in woollens. if it be practicable, get a friend in the country to procure you a quantity of lard, butter, and eggs, at the time they are cheapest, to be put down for winter use. you will be likely to get them cheaper and better than in the city market; but by all means put down your winter's stock. lard requires no other care than to be kept in a dry, cool place. butter is sweetest in september and june; because food is then plenty, and not rendered bitter by frost. pack your butter in a clean, scalded firkin, cover it with strong brine, and spread a cloth all over the top, and it will keep good until the jews get into grand isle. if you happen to have a bit of salt-petre, dissolve it with the brine. dairy-women say that butter comes more easily, and has a peculiar hardness and sweetness, if the cream is scalded and strained before it is used. the cream should stand down cellar over night, after being scalded, that it may get perfectly cold. suet and lard keep better in tin than in earthen. suet keeps good all the year round, if chopped and packed down in a stone jar, covered with molasses. pick suet free from veins and skin, melt it in water before a moderate fire, let it cool till it forms into a hard cake, then wipe it dry, and put it in clean paper in linen bags. preserve the backs of old letters to write upon. if you have children who are learning to write, buy coarse white paper by the quantity, and keep it locked up, ready to be made into writing books. it does not cost half as much as it does to buy them at the stationer's. do not let coffee and tea stand in tin. scald your wooden ware often; and keep your tin ware dry. when mattresses get hard and bunchy, rip them, take the hair out, pull it thoroughly by hand, let it lie a day or two to air, wash the tick, lay it in as light and even as possible, and catch it down, as before. thus prepared, they will be as good as new. it is poor economy to buy vinegar by the gallon, buy a barrel, or half a barrel, of really strong vinegar, when you begin house-keeping. as you use it, fill the barrel with old cider, sour beer, or wine-settlings, &c., left in pitchers, decanters or tumblers; weak tea is likewise said to be good: nothing is hurtful, which has a tolerable portion of spirit, or acidity. care must be taken not to add these things in too large quantities, or too often: if the vinegar once gets weak, it is difficult to restore it. if possible, it is well to keep such slops as i have mentioned in a different keg, and draw them off once in three or four weeks, in such a quantity as you think the vinegar will bear. if by any carelessness you do weaken it, a few white beans dropped in, or white paper dipped in molasses, is said to be useful. if beer grows sour, it may be used to advantage for pancakes and fritters. if very sour indeed, put a pint of molasses and water to it, and, two or three days after, put a half pint of vinegar; and in ten days it will be first rate vinegar. barley straw is the best for beds; dry corn husks, slit into shreds, are far better than straw. straw beds are much better for being boxed at the sides; in the same manner upholsterers prepare ticks for feathers. brass andirons should be cleaned, done up in papers, and put in a dry place, during the summer season. if you have a large family, it is well to keep white rags separate from colored ones, and cotton separate from woollen; they bring a higher price. paper brings a cent a pound, and if you have plenty of room, it is well to save it. 'a penny saved is a penny got.' always have plenty of dish-water, and have it hot. there is no need of asking the character of a domestic, if you have ever seen her wash dishes in a little greasy water. when molasses is used in cooking, it is a prodigious improvement to boil and skim it before you use it. it takes out the unpleasant raw taste, and makes it almost as good as sugar. where molasses is used much for cooking, it is well to prepare one or two gallons in this way at a time. in winter, always set the handle of your pump as high as possible, before you go to bed. except in very rigid weather, this keeps the handle from freezing. when there is reason to apprehend extreme cold, do not forget to throw a rug or horse-blanket over your pump; a frozen pump is a comfortless preparation for a winter's breakfast. never allow ashes to be taken up in wood, or put into wood. always have your tinder-box and lantern ready for use, in case of sudden alarm. have important papers all together, where you can lay your hand on them at once, in case of fire. keep an old blanket and sheet on purpose for ironing, and on no account suffer any other to be used. have plenty of holders always made, that your towels may not be burned out in such service. keep a coarse broom for the cellar stairs, wood-shed, yard, &c. no good housekeeper allows her carpet broom to be used for such things. there should always be a heavy stone on the top of your pork, to keep it down. this stone is an excellent place to keep a bit of fresh meat in the summer, when you are afraid of its spoiling. have all the good bits of vegetables and meat collected after dinner, and minced before they are set away; that they may be in readiness to make a little savoury mince meat for supper or breakfast. take the skins off your potatoes before they grow cold. vials, which have been used for medicine, should be put into cold ashes and water, boiled, and suffered to cool before they are rinsed. if you live in the city, where it is always easy to procure provisions, be careful and not buy too much for your daily wants, while the weather is warm. never leave out your clothes-line over night; and see that your clothes-pins are all gathered into a basket. have plenty of crash towels in the kitchen; never let your white napkins be used there. soap your dirtiest clothes, and soak them in soft water over night. use hard soap to wash your clothes, and soft to wash your floors. soft soap is so slippery, that it wastes a good deal in washing clothes. instead of covering up your glasses and pictures with muslin, cover the frames only with cheap, yellow cambric, neatly put on, and as near the color of the gilt as you can procure it. this looks better; leaves the glasses open for use, and the pictures for ornament; and is an effectual barrier to dust as well as flies. it can easily be re-colored with saffron tea, when it is faded. have a bottle full of brandy, with as large a mouth as any bottle you have, into which cut your lemon and orange peel when they are fresh and sweet. this brandy gives a delicious flavor to all sorts of pies, puddings, and cakes. lemon is the pleasantest spice of the two; therefore they should be kept in separate bottles. it is a good plan to preserve rose-leaves in brandy. the flavor is pleasanter than rose-water; and there are few people who have the utensils for distilling. peach leaves steeped in brandy make excellent spice for custards and puddings. it is easy to have a supply of horse-radish all winter. have a quantity grated, while the root is in perfection, put it in bottles, fill it with strong vinegar, and keep it corked tight. it is thought to be a preventive to the unhealthy influence of cucumbers to cut the slices very thin, and drop each one into cold water as you cut it. a few minutes in the water takes out a large portion of the slimy matter, so injurious to health. they should be eaten with high seasoning. where sweet oil is much used, it is more economical to buy it by the bottle than by the flask. a bottle holds more than twice as much as a flask, and it is never double the price. if you wish to have free-stone hearths dark, wash them with soap, and wipe them with a wet cloth; some people rub in lamp-oil, once in a while, and wash the hearth faithfully afterwards. this does very well in a large, dirty family; for the hearth looks very clean, and is not liable to show grease spots. but if you wish to preserve the beauty of a freestone hearth, buy a quantity of free-stone powder of the stone-cutter, and rub on a portion of it wet, after you have washed your hearth in hot water. when it is dry, brush it off, and it will look like new stone. bricks can be kept clean with redding stirred up in water, and put on with a brush. pulverized clay mixed with redding, makes a pretty rose color. some think it is less likely to come off, if mixed with skim milk instead of water. but black lead is far handsomer than anything else for this purpose. it looks very well mixed with water, like redding; but it gives it a glossy appearance to boil the lead in soft soap, with a little water to keep it from burning. it should be put on with a brush, in the same manner as redding; it looks nice for a long time, when done in this way. keep a bag for odd pieces of tape and strings; they will come in use. keep a bag or box for old buttons, so that you may know where to go when you want one. run the heels of stockings faithfully; and mend thin places, as well as holes. 'a stitch in time saves nine.' poke-root, boiled in water and mixed with a good quantity of molasses, set about the kitchen, the pantry, &c. in large deep plates, will kill cockroaches in great numbers, and finally rid the house of them. the indians say that poke-root boiled into a soft poultice is the cure for the bite of a snake. i have heard of a fine horse saved by it. a little salt sprinkled in starch while it is boiling, tends to prevent it from sticking; it is likewise good to stir it with a clean spermaceti candle. a few potatoes sliced, and boiling water poured over them, makes an excellent preparation for cleansing and stiffening old rusty black silk. green tea is excellent to restore rusty silk. it should be boiled in iron, nearly a cup full to three quarts. the silk should not be wrung, and should be ironed damp. lime pulverized, sifted through coarse muslin, and stirred up tolerably thick in white of eggs, makes a strong cement for glass and china. plaster of paris is still better; particularly for mending broken images of the same material. it should be stirred up by the spoonful, as it is wanted.[ ] [footnote : some think it an improvement to make whey of vinegar and milk, and heat it well up with the eggs before the lime is put in. i have heard of iron mended with it.] a bit of isinglass dissolved in gin, or boiled in spirits of wine, is said to make strong cement for broken glass, china, and sea-shells. the lemon syrup, usually sold at fifty cents a bottle, may be made much cheaper. those who use a great quantity of it will find it worth their while to make it. take about a pound of havana sugar; boil it in water down to a quart; drop in the white of an egg, to clarify it; strain it; add one quarter of an oz. of tartaric acid, or citric acid; if you do not find it sour enough, after it has stood two or three days and shaken freely, add more of the acid. a few drops of the oil of lemon improves it. if you wish to clarify sugar and water, you are about to boil, it is well to stir in the white of one egg, while cold; if put in after it boils, the egg is apt to get hardened before it can do any good. those who are fond of soda powders will do well to inquire at the apothecaries for the suitable acid and alkali, and buy them by the ounce, or the pound, according to the size of their families. experience soon teaches the right proportions; and, sweetened with a little sugar or lemon syrup, it is quite as good as what one gives five times as much for, done up in papers. the case is the same with rochelle powders. when the stopper of a glass decanter becomes too tight, a cloth wet with hot water and applied to the neck, will cause the glass to expand, so that the stopper may be easily removed. glass vessels in a cylindrical form, may be cut in two, by tying around them a worsted thread, thoroughly wet with spirits of turpentine, and then setting fire to the thread. court plaster is made of thin silk first dipped in dissolved isinglass and dried, then dipped several times in the white of egg and dried. when plain tortoise-shell combs are defaced, the polish may be renewed by rubbing them with pulverized rotten-stone and oil. the rotten-stone should be sifted through muslin. it looks better to be rubbed on by the hand. the jewellers afterwards polish them by rubbing them with dry _rouge powder_; but sifted magnesia does just as well--and if the ladies had rouge, perhaps they would, _by mistake_, put it upon their cheeks, instead of their combs; and thereby spoil their complexions. the best way to cleanse gold is, to wash it in warm suds made of delicate soap, with ten or fifteen drops of _sal-volatile_ in it. this makes jewels very brilliant. straw carpets should be washed in salt and water, and wiped with a dry, coarse towel. they have a strong tendency to turn yellow; and the salt prevents it. moisture makes them decay soon; therefore they should be kept thoroughly dry. rye paste is more adhesive than any other paste; because that grain is very glutinous. it is much improved by adding a little pounded alum, while it is boiling. this makes it almost as strong as glue. red ants are among the worst plagues that can infest a house. a lady who had long been troubled with them, assured me she destroyed them in a few days, after the following manner. she placed a dish of cracked shagbarks (of which they are more fond than of anything else) in the closet. they soon gathered upon it in troops. she then put some corrosive sublimate in a cup; ordered the dish to be carried carefully to the fire, and all its contents brushed in; while she swept the few that dropped upon the shelf into the cup, and, with a feather, wet all the cracks from whence they came, with corrosive sublimate. when this had been repeated four or five times, the house was effectually cleared. too much care cannot be taken of corrosive sublimate, especially when children are about. many dreadful accidents have happened in consequence of carelessness. bottles which have contained it should be broken, and buried; and cups should be boiled out in ashes and water. if kept in the house, it should be hung up high, out of reach, with poison written upon it in large letters. the neatest way to separate wax from honey-comb is to tie the comb up in a linen or woollen bag; place it in a kettle of cold water, and hang it over the fire. as the water heats, the wax melts, and rises to the surface, while all the impurities remain in the bag. it is well to put a few pebbles in the bag, to keep it from floating. honey may be separated from the comb, by placing it in the hot sun, or before the fire, with two or three colanders or sieves, each finer than the other, under it. * * * * * soap. in the city, i believe, it is better to exchange ashes and grease for soap; but in the country, i am certain, it is good economy to make one's own soap. if you burn wood, you can make your own lye; but the ashes of coal is not worth much. bore small holes in the bottom of a barrel, place four bricks around, and fill the barrel with ashes. wet the ashes well, but not enough to drop; let it soak thus three or four days; then pour a gallon of water in every hour or two, for a day or more, and let it drop into a pail or tub beneath. keep it dripping till the color of the lye shows the strength is exhausted. if your lye is not strong enough, you must fill your barrel with fresh ashes, and let the lye run through it. some people take a barrel without any bottom, and lay sticks and straw across to prevent the ashes from falling through. to make a barrel of soap, it will require about five or six bushels of ashes, with at least four quarts of unslacked stone lime; if slacked, doable the quantity. when you have drawn off a part of the lye, put the lime (whether slack or not) into two or three pails of boiling water, and add it to the ashes, and let it drain through. it is the practice of some people, in making soap, to put the lime near the bottom of the ashes when they first set it tip; but the lime becomes like mortar, and the lye does not run through, so as to get the strength of it, which is very important in making soap, as it contracts the nitrous salts which collect in ashes, and prevents the soap from _coming_, (as the saying is.) old ashes are very apt to be impregnated with it. three pounds of grease should be put into a pailful of lye. the great difficulty in making soap '_come_' originates in want of judgment about the strength of the lye. one rule may be safely trusted--if your lye will bear up an egg, or a potato, so that you can see a piece of the surface as big as ninepence, it is just strong enough. if it sink below the top of the lye, it is too weak, and will never make soap; if it is buoyed up half way, the lye is too strong; and that is just as bad. a bit of quick-lime, thrown in while the lye and grease are boiling together, is of service. when the soap becomes thick and ropy, carry it down cellar in pails and empty it into a barrel. cold soap is less trouble, because it does not need to boil; the sun does the work of fire. the lye must be prepared and tried in the usual way. the grease must be tried out, and strained from the scraps. two pounds of grease (instead of three) must be used to a pailful; unless the weather is very sultry, the lye should be hot when put to the grease. it should stand in the sun, and be stirred every day. if it does not begin to look like soap in the course of five or six days, add a little hot lye to it; if this does not help it, try whether it be grease that it wants. perhaps you will think cold soap wasteful, because the grease must be strained; but if the scraps are boiled thoroughly in strong lye, the grease will all float upon the surface, and nothing be lost. * * * * * simple remedies. cotton wool, wet with sweet oil and paregoric, relieves the ear-ache very soon. a good quantity of old cheese is the best thing to eat, when distressed by eating too much fruit, or oppressed with any kind of food. physicians have given it in cases of extreme danger. honey and milk is very good for worms; so is strong salt water; likewise powdered sage and molasses taken freely. for a sudden attack of quincy or croup, bathe the neck with bear's grease, and pour it down the throat. a linen rag soaked in sweet oil, butter, or lard, and sprinkled with yellow scotch snuff, is said to have performed wonderful cures in cases of croup: it should be placed where the distress is greatest. goose-grease, or any kind of oily grease, is as good as bear's oil. equal parts of camphor, spirits of wine, and hartshorn, well mixed, and rubbed upon the throat, is said to be good for the croup. cotton wool and oil are the best things for a burn. a poultice of wheat bran, or rye bran, and vinegar, very soon takes down the inflammation occasioned by a sprain. brown paper, wet, is healing to a bruise. dipped in molasses, it is said to take down inflammation. in case of any scratch, or wound, from which the lockjaw is apprehended, bathe the injured part freely with lye or pearl-ash and water. a rind of pork bound upon a wound occasioned by a needle, pin, or nail, prevents the lock-jaw. it should be always applied. spirits of turpentine is good to prevent the lock-jaw. strong soft-soap, mixed with pulverized chalk, about as thick as batter, put, in a thin cloth or bag, upon the wound, is said to be a preventive to this dangerous disorder. the chalk should be kept moist, till the wound begins to discharge itself; when the patient will find relief. if you happen to cut yourself slightly while cooking, bind on some fine salt: molasses is likewise good. flour boiled thoroughly in milk, so as to make quite a thick porridge, is good in cases of dysentery. a tablespoonful of w.i. rum, a table-spoonful of sugar-baker's molasses, and the same quantity of sweet oil, well simmered together, is likewise good for this disorder; the oil softens the harshness of the other ingredients. black or green tea, steeped in boiling milk, seasoned with nutmeg, and best of loaf sugar, is excellent for the dysentery. cork burnt to charcoal, about as big as a hazel-nut, macerated, and put in a tea-spoonful of brandy, with a little loaf sugar and nutmeg, is very efficacious in cases of dysentery and cholera-morbus. if nutmeg be wanting, peppermint-water may be used. flannel wet with brandy, powdered with cayenne pepper, and laid upon the bowels, affords great relief in cases of extreme distress. dissolve as much table-salt in keen vinegar, as will ferment and work clear. when the foam is discharged, cork it up in a bottle, and put it away for use. a large spoonful of this, in a gill of boiling water, is very efficacious in cases of dysentery and colic.[ ] [footnote : among the numerous medicines for this disease, perhaps none, after all, is better, particularly where the bowels are inflamed, than the old-fashioned one of english-mallows steeped in milk, and drank freely. everybody knows, of course, that english-mallows and marsh-mallows are different herbs.] whortleberries, commonly called huckleberries, dried, are a useful medicine for children. made into tea, and sweetened with molasses, they are very beneficial, when the system is in a restricted state, and the digestive powers out of order. blackberries are extremely useful in cases of dysentery. to eat the berries is very healthy; tea made of the roots and leaves is beneficial; and a syrup made of the berries is still better. blackberries have sometimes effected a cure when physicians despaired. loaf sugar and brandy relieves a sore throat; when very bad, it is good to inhale the steam of scalding hot vinegar through the tube of a tunnel. this should be tried carefully at first, lest the throat be scalded. for children, it should be allowed to cool a little. a stocking bound on warm from the foot, at night, is good for the sore throat. an ointment made from the common ground-worms, which boys dig to bait fishes, rubbed on with the hand, is said to be excellent, when the sinews are drawn up by any disease or accident. a gentleman in missouri advertises that he had an inveterate cancer upon his nose cured by a strong potash made of the lye of the ashes of red oak bark, boiled down to the consistence of molasses. the cancer was covered with this, and, about an hour after, covered with a plaster of tar. this must be removed in a few days, and, if any protuberances remain in the wound, apply more potash to them, and the plaster again, until they entirely disappear: after which heal the wound with any common soothing salve. i never knew this to be tried. if a wound bleeds very fast, and there is no physician at hand, cover it with the scrapings of sole-leather, scraped like coarse lint. this stops blood very soon. always have vinegar, camphor, hartshorn, or something of that kind, in readiness, as the sudden stoppage of blood almost always makes a person faint. balm-of-gilead buds bottled up in n.e. rum, make the best cure in the world for fresh cuts and wounds. every family should have a bottle of it. the buds should be gathered in a peculiar state; just when they are well swelled, ready to burst into leaves, and well covered with gum. they last but two or three days in this state. plantain and house-leek, boiled in cream, and strained before it is put away to cool, makes a very cooling, soothing ointment. plantain leaves laid upon a wound are cooling and healing. half a spoonful of _citric acid_, (which may always be bought of the apothecaries,) stirred in half a tumbler of water, is excellent for the head-ache. people in general think they must go abroad for vapor-baths; but a very simple one can be made at home. place _strong_ sticks across a tub of water, at the boiling point, and sit upon them, entirely enveloped in a blanket, feet and all. the steam from the water will be a vapor-bath. some people put herbs into the water. steam-baths are excellent for severe colds, and for some disorders in the bowels. they should not be taken without the advice of an experienced nurse, or physician. great care should be taken not to renew the cold after; it would be doubly dangerous. boiled potatoes are said to cleanse the hands as well as common soap; they prevent _chops_ in the winter season, and keep the skin soft and healthy. water-gruel, with three or four onions simmered in it, prepared with a lump of butter, pepper, and salt, eaten just before one goes to bed, is said to be a cure for a hoarse cold. a syrup made of horseradish-root and sugar is excellent for a cold. very strong salt and water, when frequently applied, has been known to cure wens. the following poultice for the throat distemper, has been much approved in england:--the pulp of a roasted apple, mixed with an ounce of tobacco, the whole wet with spirits of wine, or any other high spirits, spread on a linen rag, and bound upon the throat at any period of the disorder. nothing is so good to take down swellings, as a soft poultice of stewed white beans, put on in a thin muslin bag, and renewed every hour or two. the thin white skin, which comes from suet, is excellent to bind upon the feet for chilblains. rubbing with castile soap, and afterwards with honey, is likewise highly recommended. but, to cure the chilblains effectually, they must be attended to often, and for a long time. always apply diluted laudanum to fresh wounds. a poultice of elder-blow tea and biscuit is good as a preventive to mortification. the approach of mortification is generally shown by the formation of blisters filled with _blood_; water blisters are not alarming. burnt alum held in the mouth is good for the canker. the common dark-blue violet makes a slimy tea, which is excellent for the canker. leaves and blossoms are both good. those who have families should take some pains to dry these flowers. when people have a sore mouth, from taking calomel, or any other cause, tea made of low-blackberry leaves is extremely beneficial. tea made of slippery elm is good for the piles, and for humors in the blood; to be drank plentifully. winter evergreen[ ] is considered good for all humors, particularly scrofula. some call it rheumatism-weed; because a tea made from it is supposed to check that painful disorder. [footnote : this plant resembles the poisonous kill-lamb, both in the shape and the glossiness of the leaves: great care should be used to distinguish them.] an ointment of lard, sulphur, and cream-of-tartar, simmered together, is good for the piles. elixir proprietatis is a useful family medicine for all cases when the digestive powers are out of order. one ounce of saffron, one ounce of myrrh, and one ounce of aloes. pulverize them; let the myrrh steep in half a pint of brandy, or n.e. rum, for four days; then add the saffron and aloes; let it stand in the sunshine, or in some warm place, for a fortnight; taking care to shake it well twice a day. at the end of the fortnight, fill up the bottle (a common sized one) with brandy, or n.e. rum, and let it stand a month. it costs six times as much to buy it in small quantities, as it does to make it. the constant use of malt beer, or malt in any way, is said to be a preservative against fevers. black cherry-tree bark, barberry bark, mustard-seed, petty morrel-root, and horseradish, well steeped in cider, are excellent for the jaundice. cotton wool and oil are the best things for a burn. when children are burned, it is difficult to make them endure the application of cotton wool. i have known the inflammation of a very bad burn extracted in one night, by the constant application of brandy, vinegar, and water, mixed together. this feels cool and pleasant, and a few drops of paregoric will soon put the little sufferer to sleep. the bathing should be continued till the pain is gone. a few drops of the oil of cajput on cotton wool is said to be a great relief to the tooth-ache. it occasions a smart pain for a few seconds, when laid upon the defective tooth. any apothecary will furnish it ready dropped on cotton wool, for a few cents. a poultice made of ginger or of common chickweed, that grows about one's door in the country, has given great relief to the tooth-ache, when applied frequently to the cheek. a spoonful of ashes stirred in cider is good to prevent sickness at the stomach. physicians frequently order it in cases of cholera-morbus. when a blister occasioned by a burn breaks, it is said to be a good plan to put wheat flour upon the naked flesh. the buds of the elder bush, gathered in early spring, and simmered with new butter, or sweet lard, make a very healing and cooling ointment. night sweats have been cured, when more powerful remedies had failed, by fasting morning and night, and drinking cold sage tea constantly and freely. lard, melted and cooled five or six times in succession, by being poured each time into a fresh pail-full of water, then simmered with sliced onions, and cooled, is said, by old nurses, to make a salve, which is almost infallible in curing inflammations produced by taking cold in wounds. vinegar curds, made by pouring vinegar into warm milk, put on warm, and changed pretty frequently, are likewise excellent to subdue inflammation. chalk wet with hartshorn is a remedy for the sting of bees; so is likewise table-salt kept moist with water. boil castor-oil with an equal quantity of milk, sweeten it with a little sugar, stir it well, and, when cold, give it to children for drink. they will never suspect it is medicine; and will even love the taste of it. as molasses is often given to children as a gentle physic, it will be useful to know that west india molasses is a gentle cathartic, while sugar-baker's molasses is slightly astringent. if a fellon or run-round appears to be coming on the finger, you can do nothing better than to soak the finger thoroughly in hot lye. it will be painful, but it will cure a disorder much more painful. whiskey, which has had spanish-flies in soak, is said to be good for ring-worms; but i never knew an instance of its being tried. unless too strong, or used in great quantities, it cannot, at least, do any harm. washing the hands frequently in warm vinegar, is good for ring-worms. when the toe nails have a tendency to turn in, so as to be painful, the nail should always be kept scraped _very thin_, and as near the flesh as possible. as soon as the corner of the nail can be raised up out of the flesh, it should be kept from again entering, by putting a tuft of fine lint under it. as this book may fall into the hands of those who cannot speedily obtain a physician, it is worth while to mention what is best to be done for the bite of a rattlesnake:--cut the flesh out, around the bite, _instantly_; that the poison may not have time to circulate in the blood. if caustic is at hand, put it upon the raw flesh; if not, the next best thing is to fill the wound with salt--renewing it occasionally. take a dose of sweet oil and spirits of turpentine, to defend the stomach. if the whole limb swell, bathe it in salt and vinegar freely. it is well to physic the system thoroughly, before returning to usual diet. gruel. gruel is very easily made. have a pint of water boiling in a skillet; stir up three or four large spoonfuls of nicely sifted oat-meal, rye, or indian, in cold water. pour it into the skillet while the water boils. let it boil eight or ten minutes. throw in a large handful of raisins to boil, if the patient is well enough to bear them. when put in a bowl, add a little salt, white sugar, and nutmeg. egg gruel. this is at once food and medicine. some people have very great faith in its efficacy in cases of chronic dysentery. it is made thus: boil a pint of new milk; beat four new-laid eggs to a light froth, and pour in while the milk boils; stir them together thoroughly, but do not let them boil; sweeten it with the best of loaf sugar, and grate in a whole nutmeg; add a little salt, if you like it. drink half of it while it is warm, and the other half in two hours. arrow-root jelly. put about a pint of water in a skillet to boil; stir up a large spoonful of arrow-root powder in a cup of water; pour it into the skillet while the water is boiling; let them boil together three or four minutes. season it with nutmeg and loaf sugar. this is very light food for an invalid. when the system is in a relaxed state, two tea-spoonfuls of brandy may be put in. milk and loaf sugar boiled, and a spoonful of fine flour, well mixed with a little cold water, poured in while the milk is boiling, is light food in cases of similar diseases. calf's foot jelly. boil four feet in a gallon of water, till it is reduced to a quart. strain it, and let it stand, till it is quite cool. skim off the fat, and add to the jelly one pint of wine, half a pound of sugar, the whites of six eggs, and the juice of four large lemons; boil all these materials together eight or ten minutes. then strain into the glasses, or jars, in which you intend to keep it. some lay a few bits of the lemon-peel at the bottom, and let it be strained upon them. tapioca jelly. wash it two or three times, soak it five or six hours; simmer it in the same water with bits of fresh lemon-peel until it becomes quite clear; then put in lemon juice, wine and loaf sugar. sago jelly. the sago should be soaked in cold water an hour, and washed thoroughly; simmered with lemon-peel and a few cloves. add wine and loaf sugar when nearly done; and let it all boil together a few minutes. beef tea. beef tea, for the sick, is made by broiling a tender steak nicely, seasoning it with pepper and salt, cutting it up, and pouring water over it, not quite boiling. put in a little water at a time, and let it stand to soak the goodness out. wine whey. wine whey is a cooling and safe drink in fevers. set half a pint of sweet milk at the fire, pour in one glass of wine, and let it remain perfectly still, till it curdles; when the curds settle, strain it, and let it cool. it should not get more than blood-warm. a spoonful of rennet-water hastens the operation. made palatable with loaf sugar and nutmeg, if the patient can bear it. apple water. this is given as sustenance when the stomach is too weak to bear broth, &c. it may be made thus,--pour boiling water on roasted apples; let them stand three hours, then strain and sweeten lightly:--or it may be made thus,--peel and slice tart apples, add some sugar and lemon-peel; then pour some boiling water over the whole, and let it stand covered by the fire, more than an hour. milk porridge. boil new milk; stir flour thoroughly into some cold milk in a bowl, and pour it into the kettle while the milk is boiling: let it all boil six or eight minutes. some people like it thicker than others; i should think three large spoonfuls of flour to a quart of milk was about right. it should always be seasoned with salt; and if the patient likes, loaf sugar and nutmeg may be put in. in cases of fever, little salt or spice should be put into any nourishment; but in cases of dysentery, salt and nutmeg may be used freely: in such cases too, more flour should be put in porridge, and it should be boiled very thoroughly indeed. stewed prunes. stew them very gently in a small quantity of water, till the stones slip out. physicians consider them safe nourishment in fevers. * * * * * vegetables. parsnips should be kept down cellar, covered up in sand, entirely excluded from the air. they are good only in the spring. cabbages put into a hole in the ground will keep well during the winter, and be hard, fresh, and sweet, in the spring. many farmers keep potatoes in the same way. onions should be kept very dry, and never carried into the cellar except in severe weather, when there is danger of their freezing. by no means let them be in the cellar after march; they will sprout and spoil. potatoes should likewise be carefully looked to in the spring, and the sprouts broken off. the cellar is the best place for them, because they are injured by wilting; but sprout them carefully, if you want to keep them. they never sprout but three times; therefore, after you have sprouted them three times, they will trouble you no more. squashes should never be kept down cellar when it is possible to prevent it. dampness injures them. if intense cold makes it necessary to put them there, bring them up as soon as possible, and keep them in some dry, warm place. cabbages need to be boiled an hour; beets an hour and a half. the lower part of a squash should be boiled half an hour; the neck pieces fifteen or twenty minutes longer. parsnips should boil an hour, or an hour and a quarter, according to size. new potatoes should boil fifteen or twenty minutes; three quarters of an hour, or an hour, is not too much for large, old potatoes; common-sized ones, half an hour. in the spring, it is a good plan to cut off a slice from the seed end of potatoes before you cook them. the seed end is opposite to that which grew upon the vine; the place where the vine was broken off may be easily distinguished. by a provision of nature, the seed end becomes watery in the spring; and, unless cut off, it is apt to injure the potato. if you wish to have potatoes mealy, do not let them stop boiling for an instant; and when they are done, turn the water off, and let them steam for ten or twelve minutes over the fire. see they don't stay long enough to burn to the kettle. in canada, they cut the skin all off, and put them in pans, to be cooked over a stove, by steam. those who have eaten them, say they are mealy and white, looking like large snow-balls when brought upon the table. potatoes boiled and mashed while hot, are good to use in making short cakes and puddings; they save flour, and less shortening is necessary. it is said that a bit of unslacked lime, about as big as a robin's egg, thrown among old, watery potatoes, while they are boiling, will tend to make them mealy. i never saw the experiment tried. asparagus should be boiled fifteen or twenty minutes; half an hour, if old. green peas should be boiled from twenty minutes to sixty, according to their age; string beans the same. corn should be boiled from twenty minutes to forty, according to age; dandelions half an hour, or three quarters, according to age. dandelions are very much improved by cultivation. if cut off, without injuring the root, they will spring up again, fresh and tender, till late in the season. beet-tops should be boiled twenty minutes; and spinage three or four minutes. put in no green vegetables till the water boils, if you would keep all their sweetness. when green peas have become old and yellow, they may be made tender and green by sprinkling in a pinch or two of pearlash, while they are boiling. pearlash has the same effect upon all summer vegetables, rendered tough by being too old. if your well-water is very hard, it is always an advantage to use a little pearlash in cooking. tomatoes should be skinned by pouring boiling water over them. after they are skinned, they should be stewed half an hour, in tin, with a little salt, a small bit of butter, and a spoonful of water, to keep them from burning. this is a delicious vegetable. it is easily cultivated, and yields a most abundant crop. some people pluck them green, and pickle them. the best sort of catsup is made from tomatoes. the vegetables should be squeezed up in the hand, salt put to them, and set by for twenty-four hours. after being passed through a sieve, cloves, allspice, pepper, mace, garlic, and whole mustard-seed should be added. it should be boiled down one third, and bottled after it is cool. no liquid is necessary, as the tomatoes are very juicy. a good deal of salt and spice is necessary to keep the catsup well. it is delicious with roast meat; and a cupful adds much to the richness of soup and chowder. the garlic should be taken out before it is bottled. celery should be kept in the cellar, the roots covered with tan, to keep them moist. green squashes that are turning yellow, and striped squashes, are more uniformly sweet and mealy than any other kind. if the tops of lettuce be cut off when it is becoming too old for use, it will grow up again fresh and tender, and may thus be kept good through the summer. it is a good plan to boil onions in milk and water; it diminishes the strong taste of that vegetable. it is an excellent way of serving up onions, to chop them after they are boiled, and put them in a stewpan, with a little milk, butter, salt, and pepper, and let them stew about fifteen minutes. this gives them a fine flavor, and they can be served up very hot. * * * * * herbs. all herbs should be carefully kept from the air. herb tea, to do any good, should be made _very strong_. herbs should be gathered while in blossom. if left till they have gone to seed, the strength goes into the seed. those who have a little patch of ground, will do well to raise the most important herbs; and those who have not, will do well to get them in quantities from some friend in the country; for apothecaries make very great profit upon them. sage is very useful both as a medicine, for the headache--when made into tea--and for all kinds of stuffing, when dried and rubbed into powder. it should be kept tight from the air. summer-savory is excellent to season soup, broth, and sausages. as a medicine, it relieves the cholic. pennyroyal and tansy are good for the same medicinal purpose. green wormwood bruised is excellent for a fresh wound of any kind. in winter, when wormwood is dry, it is necessary to soften it in warm vinegar, or spirit, before it is bruised, and applied to the wound. hyssop tea is good for sudden colds, and disorders on the lungs. it is necessary to be very careful about exposure after taking it; it is peculiarly opening to the pores. tea made of colt's-foot and flax-seed, sweetened with honey, is a cure for inveterate coughs. consumptions have been prevented by it. it should be drank when going to bed; though it does good to drink it at any time. hoarhound is useful in consumptive complaints. motherwort tea is very quieting to the nerves. students, and people troubled with wakefulness, find it useful. thoroughwort is excellent for dyspepsy, and every disorder occasioned by indigestion. if the stomach be foul, it operates like a gentle emetic. sweet-balm tea is cooling when one is in a feverish state. catnip, particularly the blossoms, made into tea, is good to prevent a threatened fever. it produces a fine perspiration. it should be taken in bed, and the patient kept warm. housekeepers should always dry leaves of the burdock and horseradish. burdocks warmed in vinegar, with the hard, stalky parts cut out, are very soothing, applied to the feet; they produce a sweet and gentle perspiration. horseradish is more powerful. it is excellent in cases of the ague, placed on the part affected. warmed in vinegar, and clapped. succory is a very valuable herb. the tea, sweetened with molasses, is good for the piles. it is a gentle and healthy physic, a preventive of dyspepsy, humors, inflammation, and all the evils resulting from a restricted state of the system. elder-blow tea has a similar effect. it is cool and soothing, and peculiarly efficacious either for babes or grown people, when the digestive powers are out of order. lungwort, maiden-hair, hyssop, elecampane and hoarhound steeped together, is an almost certain cure for a cough. a wine-glass full to be taken when going to bed. few people know how to keep the flavor of sweet-marjoram; the best of all herbs for broth and stuffing. it should be gathered in bud or blossom, and dried in a tin-kitchen at a moderate distance from the fire; when dry, it should be immediately rubbed, sifted, and corked up in a bottle carefully. english-mallows steeped in milk is good for the dysentery. * * * * * cheap dye-stuffs. a few general rules are necessary to be observed in coloring. the materials should be perfectly clean; soap should be rinsed out in soft water; the article should be entirely wetted, or it will spot; light colors should be steeped in brass, tin, or earthen; and if set at all, should be set with alum. dark colors should be boiled in iron, and set with copperas. too much copperas rots the thread. the apothecaries and hatters keep a compound of vitriol and indigo, commonly called 'blue composition.' an ounce vial full may be bought for nine-pence. it colors a fine blue. it is an economical plan to use it for old silk linings, ribbons, &c. the original color should be boiled out, and the material thoroughly rinsed in soft water, so that no soap may remain in it; for soap ruins the dye. twelve or sixteen drops of the blue composition, poured into a quart bowl full of warm soft water, stirred, (and strained, if any settlings are perceptible,) will color a great many articles. if you wish a deep blue, pour in more of the compound. cotton must not be colored; the vitriol destroys it; if the material you wish to color has cotton threads in it, it will be ruined. after the things are thoroughly dried, they should be washed in cool suds, and dried again; this prevents any bad effects from the vitriol; if shut up from the air without being washed, there is danger of the texture being destroyed. if you wish to color green, have your cloth free as possible from the old color, clean, and rinsed, and, in the first place, color it a deep yellow. fustic boiled in soft water makes the strongest and brightest yellow dye; but saffron, barberry bush, peach leaves, or onion skins, will answer pretty well. next take a bowl full of strong yellow dye, and pour in a great spoonful or more of the blue composition. stir it up well with a clean stick, and dip the articles you have already colored yellow into it, and they will take a lively grass green. this is a good plan for old bombazet curtains, dessert cloths, old flannel for covering a desk, &c; it is likewise a handsome color for ribbons. balm blossoms, steeped in water, color a pretty rose-color. this answers very well for the linings of children's bonnets, for ribbons, &c. it fades in the course of one season; but it is very little trouble to recolor with it. it merely requires to be steeped and strained. perhaps a small piece of alum might serve to set the color, in some degree. in earthen or tin. saffron, steeped in earthen and strained, colors a fine straw color. it makes a delicate or deep shade according to the strength of the tea. the dry outside skins of onions, steeped in scalding water and strained, color a yellow very much like 'bird of paradise' color. peach leaves, or bark scraped from the barberry bush, colors a common bright yellow. in all these cases, a little piece of alum does no harm, and may help to fix the color. ribbons, gauze handkerchiefs, &c. are colored well in this way, especially if they be stiffened by a bit of gum-arabic, dropped in while the stuff is steeping. the purple paper, which comes on loaf sugar, boiled in cider, or vinegar, with a small bit of alum, makes a fine purple slate color. done in iron. white maple bark makes a good light-brown slate color. this should be boiled in water, set with alum. the color is reckoned better when boiled in brass, instead of iron. the purple slate and the brown slate are suitable colors for stockings; and it is an economical plan, after they have been mended and cut down, so that they will no longer look decent, to color old stockings, and make them up for children. a pailful of lye, with a piece of copperas half as big as a hen's egg boiled in it, will color a fine nankin color, which will never wash out. this is very useful for the linings of bed-quilts, comforters, &c. old faded gowns, colored in this way, may be made into good petticoats. cheap cotton cloth may be colored to advantage for petticoats, and pelisses for little girls. a very beautiful nankin color may likewise be obtained from birch-bark, set with alum. the bark should be covered with water, and boiled thoroughly in brass or tin. a bit of alum half as big as a hen's egg is sufficient. if copperas be used instead of alum, slate color will be produced. tea-grounds boiled in iron, and set with copperas, make a very good slate color. log-wood and cider, in iron, set with copperas, makes a good black. rusty nails, or any rusty iron, boiled in vinegar, with a small bit of copperas, makes a good black,--black ink-powder done in the same way answers the same purpose. * * * * * meat corned, or salted, hams, &c. when you merely want to corn meat, you have nothing to do but to rub in salt plentifully, and let it set in the cellar a day or two. if you have provided more meat than you can use while it is good, it is well to corn it in season to save it. in summer, it will not keep well more than a day and a half; if you are compelled to keep it longer, be sure and rub in more salt, and keep it carefully covered from cellar-flies. in winter, there is no difficulty in keeping a piece of corned beef a fortnight or more. some people corn meat by throwing it into their beef barrel for a few days; but this method does not make it so sweet. a little salt-petre rubbed in before you apply the common salt, makes the meat tender; but in summer it is not well to use it, because it prevents the other salt from impregnating; and the meat does not keep as well. if you wish to salt fat pork, scald coarse salt in water and skim it, till the salt will no longer melt in the water. pack your pork down in tight layers; salt every layer; when the brine is cool, cover the pork with it, and keep a heavy stone on the top to keep the pork under brine. look to it once in a while, for the first few weeks, and if the salt has all melted, throw in more. this brine, scalded and skimmed every time it is used, will continue good twenty years. the rind of the pork should be packed towards the edge of the barrel. it is good economy to salt your own beef as well as pork. six pounds of coarse salt, eight ounces of brown sugar, a pint of molasses, and eight ounces of salt-petre, are enough to boil in four gallons of water. skim it clean while boiling. put it to the beef cold; have enough to cover it; and be careful your beef never floats on the top. if it does not smell perfectly sweet, throw in more salt; if a scum rises upon it, scald and skim it again, and pour it on the beef when cold. legs of mutton are very good, cured in the same way as ham. six pounds of salt, eight ounces of salt-petre, and five pints of molasses, will make pickle enough for one hundred weight. small legs should be kept in pickle twelve or fifteen days; if large, four or five weeks are not too much. they should be hung up a day or two to dry, before they are smoked. lay them in the oven, on crossed sticks, and make a fire at the entrance. cobs, walnut-bark, or walnut-chips, are the best to use for smoking, on account of the sweet taste they give the meat. the smallest pieces should be smoked forty-eight hours, and large legs four or five days. some people prefer the mutton boiled as soon as it is taken from the pickle, before it is smoked; others hang it up till it gets dry thoroughly, and eat it in thin slices, like hung beef. when legs of meat are put in pickle, the thickest part of the leg should be placed uppermost, that is, standing upright, the same as the creature stood when living. the same rule should be observed when they are hung up to dry; it is essential in order to keep in the juices of the meat. meat should be turned over once or twice during the process of smoking. the old-fashioned way for curing hams is to rub them with salt very thoroughly, and let them lay twenty-four hours. to each ham allow two ounces of salt-petre, one quart of common salt and one quart of molasses. first baste them with molasses; next rub in the salt-petre; and, last of all, the common salt. they must be carefully turned and rubbed every day for six weeks; then hang them in a chimney, or smoke-house, four weeks. they should be well covered up in paper bags, and put in a chest, or barrel, with layers of ashes, or charcoal, between. when you take out a ham to cut for use, be sure and put it away in a dark place, well covered up; especially in summer. some very experienced epicures and cooks, think the old-fashioned way of preparing bacon is troublesome and useless. they say that legs of pork placed upright in pickle, for four or five weeks, are just as nice as those rubbed with so much care. the pickle for pork and hung beef, should be stronger than for legs of mutton. eight pounds of salt, ten ounces of salt-petre and five pints of molasses is enough for one hundred weight of meat; water enough to cover the meat well--probably, four or five gallons. any one can prepare bacon, or dried beef, very easily, in a common oven, according to the above directions. the same pickle that answers for bacon is proper for neat's tongues. pigs' tongues are very nice, prepared in the same way as neat's tongues; an abundance of them are sold for rein-deer's tongues, and, under that name, considered a wonderful luxury. neat's tongue should be boiled full three hours. if it has been in salt long, it is well to soak it over night in cold water. put it in to boil when the water is cold. if you boil it in a small pot, it is well to change the water, when it has boiled an hour and a half; the fresh water should boil before the half-cooked tongue is put in again. it is nicer for being kept in a cool place a day or two after being boiled. nearly the same rules apply to salt beef. a six pound piece of corned beef should boil full three hours; and salt beef should be boiled four hours. the saltier meat is, the longer it should be boiled. if very salt, it is well to put it in soak over night; change the water while cooking; and observe the same rules as in boiling tongue. if it is intended to be eaten when cold, it is a good plan to put it between clean boards, and press it down with heavy weights for a day or two. a small leg of bacon should be boiled three hours; ten pounds four hours; twelve pounds five hours. all meat should boil moderately; furious boiling injures the flavor. buffalo's tongue should soak a day and a night, and boil as much as six hours. * * * * * choice of meat. if people wish to be economical, they should take some pains to ascertain what are the cheapest pieces of meat to buy; not merely those which are cheapest in price, but those which go farthest when cooked. that part of mutton called the rack, which consists of the neck, and a few of the rib bones below, is cheap food. it is not more than four or five cents a pound; and four pounds will make a dinner for six people. the neck, cut into pieces, and boiled slowly an hour and a quarter, in little more than water enough to cover it, makes very nice broth. a great spoonful of rice should be washed and thrown in with the meat. about twenty minutes before it is done, put in a little thickening, and season with salt, pepper, and sifted summer-savory, or sage. the bones below the neck, broiled, make a good mutton chop. if your family be small, a rack of mutton will make you two dinners,--broth once, and mutton chop with a few slices of salt pork, for another; if your family consist of six or seven, you can have two dishes for a dinner. if you boil the whole rack for broth, there will be some left for mince meat. liver is usually much despised; but when well cooked, it is very palatable; and it is the cheapest of all animal food. veal liver is by some considered the best. veal liver is usually two cents a pound; beef liver is one cent. after you have fried a few slices of salt pork, put the liver in while the fat is very hot, and cook it through thoroughly. if you doubt whether it be done, cut into a slice, and see whether it has turned entirely brown, without any red stripe in the middle. season it with pepper and salt, and butter, if you live on a farm, and have butter in plenty. it should not be cooked on furiously hot coals, as it is very apt to scorch. sprinkle in a little flour, stir it, and pour in boiling water to make gravy, just as you would for fried meat. some think liver is better dipped in sifted indian meal before it is fried. it is good broiled and buttered like a steak. it should be cut into slices about as thick as are cut for steaks. the heart, liver, &c. of a pig is good fried; so is that of a lamb. the latter is commonly called lamb-fry; and a dinner may be bought for six or eight cents. be sure and ask for the sweet-bread; for butchers are extremely apt to reserve it for their own use; and therefore lamb-fry is almost always sold without it. fry five or six slices of salt pork; after it is taken out, put in your lamb-fry while the fat is hot. do it thoroughly; but be careful the fire is not too furious, as it is apt to scorch. take a large handful of parsley, see that it is washed clean, cut it up pretty fine; then pour a little boiling water into the fat in which your dinner has been fried, and let the parsley cook in it a minute or two; then take it out in a spoon, and lay it over your slices of meat. some people, who like thick gravies, shake in a little flour into the spider, before pouring in the boiling water. bones from which roasting pieces have been cut, may be bought in the market for ten or twelve cents, from which a very rich soup may be made, besides skimming off fat for shortening. if the bones left from the rump be bought, they will be found full of marrow, and will give more than a pint of good shortening, without injuring the richness of the soup. the richest piece of beef for a soup is the leg and the shin of beef; the leg is on the hind quarter, and the shin is on the fore quarter. the leg rand, that is, the thick part of the leg above the bony parts, is very nice for mince pies. some people have an objection to these parts of beef, thinking they must be stringy; but, if boiled _very tender_, the sinews are not perceived, and add, in fact, to the richness of a soup. the thick part of a thin flank is the most profitable part in the whole ox to buy. it is not so handsome in appearance as some other pieces, but it is thick meat, with very little bone, and is usually two cents less in the pound than more fashionable pieces. it is good for roasting, and particularly for corning and salting. the navel end of the brisket is one of the best pieces for salting or corning, and is very good for roasting. the rattle rand is the very best piece for corning, or salting. a bullock's heart is very profitable to use as a steak. broiled just like beef. there are usually five pounds in a heart, and it can be bought for twenty-five cents. some people stuff and roast it. the chuck, between the neck and the shoulder, is a very good piece for roasting,--for steaks, or for salting. indeed, it is good for almost anything; and it is cheap, being from four to five cents a pound. the richest, tenderest, and most delicate piece of beef for roasting, or for steak, is the rump and the last cut of the sirloin. it is peculiarly appropriate for an invalid, as it is lighter food than any other beef. but if economy be consulted instead of luxury, the round will be bought in preference to the rump. it is heartier food, and, of course, less can be eaten; and it is cheaper in price. the shoulder of veal is the most economical for roasting or boiling. it is always cheap, let veal bear what price it may. two dinners may be made from it; the shoulder roasted, and the knuckle cut off to be boiled with a bit of pork and greens, or to be made into soup. the breast of veal is a favorite piece, and is sold high. the hind-quarter of veal and the loin make two good roasting pieces. the leg is usually stuffed. the line has the kidney upon it; the fore-quarter has the brisket on it. this is a sweet and delicate morsel; for this reason some people prefer the fore-quarter to any other part. always buy a shoulder of pork for economy, for roasting, or coming to boil. cut off the leg to be boiled. many people buy the upper part of the spare-rib of pork thinking it the most genteel; but the lower part of the spare-rib toward the neck is much more sweet and juicy, and there is more meat in proportion to the bone. the breast, or shoulder, of mutton are both nice, either for roasting, boiling or broth. the breast is richer than the shoulder. it is more economical to buy a fore-quarter of mutton than a hind-quarter; there is usually two cents difference per pound. the neck of fat mutton makes a good steak for broiling. lamb brings the same price, either fore-quarter or hind-quarter; therefore it is more profitable to buy a hind-quarter than a fore-quarter; especially as its own fat will cook it, and there is no need of pork or butter in addition. either part is good for roasting or boiling. the loin of lamb is suitable for roasting, and is the most profitable for a small family. the leg is more suitable for boiling than for anything else; the shoulder and breast are peculiarly suitable for broth. the part that in lamb is called the loin, in mutton is called the chop. mutton chop is considered very good for broiling. pig's head is a profitable thing to buy. it is despised, because it is cheap; but when well cooked it is delicious. well cleaned, the tip of the snout chopped off, and put in brine a week, it is very good for boiling: the cheeks, in particular, are very sweet; they are better than any other pieces of pork to bake with beans. the head is likewise very good baked about an hour and a half. it tastes like roast pork, and yields abundance of sweet fat, for shortening. * * * * * common cooking. it is necessary to be very careful of fresh meat in the summer season. the moment it is brought into the house, it should be carefully covered from the flies, and put in the coldest place in the cellar. if it consist of pieces, they should be spread out separate from each other, on a large dish, and covered. if you are not to cook it soon, it is well to sprinkle salt on it. the kidney, and fat flabby parts, should be raised up above the lean, by a skewer, or stick, and a little salt strewn in. if you have to keep it over night, it should be looked to the last thing when you go to bed; and if there is danger, it should be scalded. veal. veal should boil about an hour, if a neck-piece; if the meat comes from a thicker, more solid part, it should boil longer. no directions about these things will supply the place of judgment and experience. both mutton and veal are better for being boiled with a small piece of salt pork. veal broth is very good. veal soup should be slowly stewed for two hours. seasoned the same as above. some people like a little sifted summer-savory. six or seven pounds of veal will roast in an hour and a half. fried veal is better for being dipped in white of egg, and rolled in nicely pounded crumbs of bread, before it is cooked. one egg is enough for a common dinner. calf's head. calf's head should be cleansed with very great care; particularly the lights. the head, the heart, and the lights should boil full two hours; the liver should be boiled only one hour. it is better to leave the wind-pipe on, for if it hangs out of the pot while the head is cooking, all the froth will escape through it. the brains, after being thoroughly washed, should be put in a little bag; with one pounded cracker, or as much crumbled bread, seasoned with sifted sage, and tied up and boiled one hour. after the brains are boiled, they should be well broken up with a knife, and peppered, salted, and buttered. they should be put upon the table in a bowl by themselves. boiling water, thickened with flour and water, with butter melted in it, is the proper sauce; some people love vinegar and pepper mixed with the melted butter; but all are not fond of it; and it is easy for each one to add it for themselves. beef. beef soup should be stewed four hours over a slow fire. just water enough to keep the meat covered. if you have any bones left of roast meat, &c. it is a good plan to boil them with the meat, and take them out half an hour before the soup is done. a pint of flour and water, with salt, pepper, twelve or sixteen onions, should be put in twenty minutes before the soup is done. be careful and not throw in salt and pepper too plentifully; it is easy to add to it, and not easy to diminish. a lemon, cut up and put in half an hour before it is done, adds to the flavor. if you have tomato catsup in the house, a cupful will make soup rich. some people put in crackers; some thin slices of crust, made nearly as short as common shortcake; and some stir up two or three eggs with milk and flour, and drop it in with a spoon. a quarter of an hour to each pound of beef is considered a good rule for roasting; but this is too much when the bone is large, and the meal thin. six pounds of the rump should roast six quarters of an hour; but bony pieces less. it should be done before a quick fire. the quicker beef-steak can be broiled the better. seasoned after it is taken from the gridiron. alamode beef. tie up a round of beef so as to keep it in shape; make a stuffing of grated bread, suet, sweet herbs, quarter of an ounce of nutmeg, a few cloves pounded, yolk of an egg. cut holes in the beef, and put in the stuffing, leaving about half the stuffing to be made into balls. tie the beef up in a cloth, just cover it with water, let it boil an hour and a half; then turn it, and let it boil an hour and a half more; then turn out the liquor, and put some skewers across the bottom of the pot, and lay the beef upon it, to brown; turn it that it may brown on both sides. put a pint of claret, and some allspice and cloves, into the liquor, and boil some balls made of the stuffing in it. mutton and lamb. six or seven pounds of mutton will roast in an hour and a half. lamb one hour. mutton is apt to taste strong; this may be helped by soaking the meat in a little salt and water, for an hour before cooking. however, unless meat is very sweet, it is best to corn it, and boil it. fresh meat should never be put in to cook till the water boils; and it should be boiled in as little water as possible; otherwise the flavor is injured. mutton enough for a family of five or six should boil an hour and a half. a leg of lamb should boil an hour, or little more than an hour, perhaps. put a little thickening into boiling water; strain it nicely; and put sweet butter in it for sauce. if your family like broth, throw in some clear rice when you put in the meat. the rice should be in proportion to the quantity of broth you mean to make. a large table spoonful is enough for three pints of water. seasoned with a very little pepper and salt. summer-savory, or sage, rubbed through a sieve, thrown in. pork. fresh pork should be cooked more than any other meat. a thick shoulder piece should be roasted full two hours and a half; and other pieces less in proportion. the slight sickness occasioned by eating roasted pork may be prevented by soaking it in salt and water the night before you cook it. if called to prepare it on short notice, it will answer to baste it with weak brine while roasting; and then turn the brine off, and throw it away. roast pig. strew fine salt over it an hour before it is put down. it should not be cut entirely open; fill it up plump with thick slices of buttered bread, salt, sweet-marjoram and sage. spit it with the head next the point of the spit; take off the joints of the leg, and boil them with the liver, with a little whole pepper, allspice, and salt, for gravy sauce. the upper part of the legs must be braced down with skewers. shake on flour. put a little water in the dripping-pan, and stir it often. when the eyes drop out, the pig is half done. when it is nearly done, baste it with butter. cut off the head, split it open between the eyes. take out the brains, and chop them fine with the liver and some sweet-marjoram and sage; put this into melted butter, and when it has boiled a few minutes, add it to the gravy in the dripping-pan. when your pig is cut open, lay it with the back to the edge of the dish; half a head to be placed at each end. a good sized pig needs to be roasted three hours. sausages. three tea-spoons of powdered sage, one and a half of salt, and one of pepper, to a pound of meat, is good seasoning for sausages. mince meat. there is a great difference in preparing mince meat. some make it a coarse, unsavory dish; and others make it nice and palatable. no economical house-keeper will despise it; for broken bits of meat and vegetables cannot so well be disposed of in any other way. if you wish to have it nice, mash your vegetables fine, and chop your meat very fine. warm it with what remains of sweet gravy, or roast-meat drippings, you may happen to have. two or three apples, pared, cored, sliced, and fried, to mix with it, is an improvement. some like a little sifted sage sprinkled in. it is generally considered nicer to chop your meat fine, warm it in gravy, season it, and lay it upon a large slice of toasted bread to be brought upon the table without being mixed with potatoes; but if you have cold vegetables, use them. beans and peas. baked beans are a very simple dish, yet few cook them well. they should be put in cold water, and hung over the fire, the night before they are baked. in the morning, they should be put in a colander, and rinsed two or three times; then again placed in a kettle, with the pork you intend to bake, covered with water, and kept scalding hot, an hour or more. a pound of pork is quite enough for a quart of beans, and that is a large dinner for a common family. the rind of the pork should be slashed. pieces of pork alternately fat and lean, are the most suitable; the cheeks are the best. a little pepper sprinkled among the beans, when they are placed in the bean-pot, will render them less unhealthy. they should be just covered with water, when put into the oven; and the pork should be sunk a little below the surface of the beans. bake three or four hours. stewed beans are prepared in the same way. the only difference is, they are not taken out of the scalding water, but are allowed to stew in more water, with a piece of pork and a little pepper, three hours or more. dried peas need not be soaked over night. they should be stewed slowly four or five hours in considerable water, with a piece of pork. the older beans and peas are, the longer they should cook. indeed, this is the case with all vegetables. souse. pigs' feet, ears, &c., should be cleaned after being soaked in water not very hot; the hoofs will then come off easily with a sharp knife; the hard, rough places should be cut off; they should be thoroughly singed, and then boiled as much as four or five hours, until they are too tender to be taken out with a fork. when taken from the boiling water, it should be put into cold water. after it is packed down tight, boil the jelly-like liquor in which it was cooked with an equal quantity of vinegar; salt as you think fit, and cloves, allspice, and cinnamon, at the rate of a quarter of a pound to one hundred weight: to be poured on scalding hot. tripe. tripe should be kept in cold water, or it will become too dry for cooking. the water in which it is kept should be changed more or less frequently, according to the warmth of the weather. broiled like a steak, buttered, peppered, &c. some people like it prepared like souse. gravy. most people put a half a pint of flour and water into their tin-kitchen, when they set meat down to roast. this does very well; but gravy is better flavored, and looks darker, to shake flour and salt upon the meat; let it brown thoroughly, put flour and salt on again, and then baste the meat with about half a pint of hot water (or more, according to the gravy you want.) when the meat is about done, pour these drippings into a skillet, and let it boil. if it is not thick enough, shake in a little flour; but be sure to let it boil, and be well stirred, after the flour is in. if you fear it will be too greasy, take off a cupful of the fat before you boil. the fat of beef, pork, turkeys and geese is as good for shortening as lard. salt gravy to your taste. if you are very particular about dark gravies, keep your dredging-box full of scorched flour for that purpose. poultry. there are various ways of deciding about the age of poultry. if the bottom of the breast bone, which extends down between the legs, is soft, and gives easily, it is a sign of youth; if stiff, the poultry is old. if young, the legs are lighter, and the feet do not look so hard, stiff, and worn. there is more deception in geese than in any other kind of poultry. the above remarks are applied to them; but there are other signs more infallible. in a young goose, the cavity under the wings is very tender; it is a bad sign if you cannot, with very little trouble, push your finger directly into the flesh. there is another means by which you may decide whether a goose be tender, if it be frozen or not. pass the head of a pin along the breast, or sides, and if the goose be young, the skin will rip, like fine paper under a knife. something may be judged concerning the age of a goose by the thickness of the web between the toes. when young, this is tender and transparent; it grows coarser and harder with time. in broiling chickens, it is difficult to do the inside of the thickest pieces without scorching the outside. it is a good plan to parboil them about ten minutes in a spider or skillet, covered close to keep the steam in; then put them upon the gridiron, broil and butter. it is a good plan to cover them with a plate, while on the gridiron. they may be basted with a very little of the water in which they were broiled; and if you have company who like melted butter to pour upon the chicken, the remainder of the liquor will be good use for that purpose. an hour is enough for common sized chickens to roast. a smart fire is better than a slow one; but they must be tended closely. slices of bread, buttered, salted, and peppered, put into the stomach (not the crop) are excellent. chickens should boil about an hour. if old, they should boil longer. in as little water as will cook them. chicken-broth made like mutton-broth. fricasseed chicken, brown. singe the chickens; cut them in pieces; pepper, salt, and flour them; fry them in fresh butter, till they are very brown: take the chickens out, and make a good gravy, into which put sweet herbs (marjoram or sage) according to your taste; if necessary, add pepper and salt; butter and flour must be used in making the gravy, in such quantities as to suit yourself for thickness and richness. after this is all prepared, the chicken must be stewed in it, for half an hour, closely covered. a pint of gravy is about enough for two chickens; i should think a piece of butter about as big as a walnut, and a table-spoonful of flour, would be enough for the gravy. the herbs should, of course, be pounded and sifted. some, who love onions, slice two or three, and brown them with the chicken. some slice a half lemon, and stew with the chicken. some add tomatoes catsup. fricasseed chicken, white. the chickens are cut to pieces, and covered with warm water, to draw out the blood. then put into a stew-pan, with three quarters of a pint of water, or veal broth, salt, pepper, flour, butter, mace, sweet herbs pounded and sifted; boil it half an hour. if it is too fat, skim it a little. just before it is done, mix the yolk of two eggs with a gill of cream, grate in a little nutmeg, stir it up till it is thick and smooth, squeeze in half a lemon. if you like onions, stew some slices with the other ingredients. to curry fowl. fry out two or three slices of salt pork; cut the chicken in pieces, and lay it in the stew-pan with one sliced onion; when the fowl is tender, take it out, and put in thickening into the liquor, one spoonful of flour, and one spoonful of curry-powder, well stirred up in water. then lay the chicken in again, and let it boil up a few minutes. a half a pint of liquor is enough for one chicken. about half an hour's stewing is necessary. the juice of half a lemon improves it; and some like a spoonful of tomatoes catsup. chicken broth. cut a chicken in quarters; put it into three or four quarts of water; put in a cup of rice while the water is cold; season it with pepper and salt; some use nutmeg. let it stew gently, until the chicken falls apart. a little parsley, shred fine, is an improvement. some slice up a small onion and stew with it. a few pieces of cracker may be thrown in if you like. a common sized goose should roast full three quarters of an hour. the oil that drips from it should be nearly all turned off; it makes the gravy too greasy; and it is nice for shortening. it should first be turned into cold water; when hardened, it should be taken off and scalded in a skillet. this process leaves it as sweet as lard. ducks do not need to be roasted more than fifteen or twenty minutes. butter melted in boiling flour and water is proper sauce for boiled lamb, mutton, veal, turkeys, geese, chickens, and fish. some people cut up parsley fine, and throw in. some people like capers put in. others heat oysters through on the gridiron, and take them out of the shells, and throw them into the butter. a good sized turkey should be roasted two hours and a half, or three hours; very slowly at first. if you wish to make plain stuffing, pound a cracker, or crumble some bread very fine, chop some raw salt pork very fine, sift some sage, (and summer-savory, or sweet-marjoram, if you have them in the house, and fancy them,) and mould them all together, seasoned with a little pepper. an egg worked in makes the stuffing cut better; but it is not worth while when eggs are dear. about the same length of time is required for boiling and roasting. pigeons may be either roasted, potted or stewed. potting is the best, and the least trouble. after they are thoroughly picked and cleaned, put a small slice of salt pork, and a little ball of stuffing, into the body of every pigeon. the stuffing should be made of one egg to one cracker, an equal quantity of suet, or butter, seasoned with sweet-marjoram, or sage, if marjoram cannot be procured. flour the pigeons well, lay them close together in the bottom of the pot, just cover them with water, throw in a bit of butter, and let them stew an hour and a quarter if young; an hour and three quarters if old. some people turn off the liquor just before they are done, and brown the pigeons on the bottom of the pot; but this is very troublesome, as they are apt to break to pieces. stewed pigeons are cooked in nearly the same way, with the omission of the stuffing. being dry meat, they require a good deal of butter. pigeons should be stuffed and roasted about fifteen minutes before a smart fire. those who like birds just warmed through, would perhaps think less time necessary. it makes them nicer to butter them well just before you take them off the spit, and sprinkle them with nicely pounded bread, or cracker. all poultry should be basted and floured a few minutes before it is taken up. the age of pigeons can be judged by the color of the legs. when young, they are of a pale delicate brown; as they grow older, the color is deeper and redder. a nice way of serving up cold chicken, or pieces of cold fresh meat, is to make them into a meat pie. the gizzards, livers, and necks of poultry, parboiled, are good for the same purpose. if you wish to bake your meat pie, line a deep earthen or tin pan with paste made of flour, cold water, and lard; use but little lard, for the fat of the meat will shorten the crust. lay in your bits of meat, or chicken, with two or three slices of salt pork; place a few thin slices of your paste here and there; drop in an egg or two, if you have plenty. fill the pan with flour and water, seasoned with a little pepper and salt. if the meat be very lean, put in a piece of butter, or such sweet gravies as you may happen to have. cover the top with crust, and put it in the oven, or bake-kettle, to cook half an hour, or an hour, according to the size of the pie. some people think this the nicest way of cooking fresh chickens. when thus cooked, they should be parboiled before they are put into the pan, and the water they are boiled in should be added. a chicken pie needs to be cooked an hour and a half, if parboiled; two hours, if not. if you wish to make a pot pie instead of a baked pie, you have only to line the bottom of a porridge pot with paste, lay in your meat, season and moisten it in the same way, cover it with paste, and keep it slowly stewing about the same time that the other takes. in both cases, it is well to lift the upper crust, a little while before you take up the pie, and see whether the moisture has dried away; if so, pour in flour and water well mixed, and let it boil up. potatoes should be boiled in a separate vessel. if you have fear that poultry may become musty before you want to cook it, skin an onion, and put in it; a little pepper sprinkled in is good; it should be kept hung up in a dry, cool place. if poultry is injured before you are aware of it, wash it very thoroughly in pearlash and water, and sprinkle pepper inside when you cook it. some people hang up poultry with a muslin bag of charcoal inside. it is a good plan to singe injured poultry over lighted charcoal, and to hold a piece of lighted charcoal inside, a few minutes. many people parboil the liver and gizzard, and cut it up very fine, to be put into the gravy, while the fowls are cooking; in this case, the water they are boiled in should be used to make the gravy. fish. cod has white stripes, and a haddock black stripes; they may be known apart by this. haddock is the best for frying; and cod is the best for boiling, or for a chowder. a thin tail is a sign of a poor fish; always choose a thick fish. when you are buying mackerel, pinch the belly to ascertain whether it is good. if it gives under your finger, like a bladder half filled with wind, the fish is poor; if it feels hard like butter, the fish is good. it is cheaper to buy one large mackerel for ninepence, than two for four pence half-penny each. fish should not be put in to fry until the fat is boiling hot; it is very necessary to observe this. it should be dipped in indian meal before it is put in; and the skinny side uppermost, when first put in, to prevent its breaking. it relishes better to be fried after salt pork, than to be fried in lard alone. people are mistaken, who think fresh fish should be put into cold water as soon as it is brought into the house; soaking it in water is injurious. if you want to keep it sweet, clean it, wash it, wipe it dry with a clean towel, sprinkle salt inside and out, put it in a covered dish, and keep it on the _cellar_ floor until you want to cook it. if you live remote from the seaport, and cannot get fish while hard and fresh, wet it with an egg beaten, before you meal it, to prevent its breaking. fish gravy is very much improved by taking out some of the fat, after the fish is fried, and putting in a little butter. the fat thus taken out will do to fry fish again; but it will not do for any kind of shortening. shake in a little flour into the hot fat, and pour in a little boiling water; stir it up well, as it boils, a minute or so. some people put in vinegar; but this is easily added by those who like it. a common sized cod-fish should be put in when the water is boiling hot, and boil about twenty minutes. haddock is not as good for boiling as cod; it takes about the same time to boil. a piece of halibut which weighs four pounds is a large dinner for a family of six or seven. it should boil forty minutes. no fish put in till the water boils. melted butter for sauce. clams should boil about fifteen minutes in their own water; no other need be added, except a spoonful to keep the bottom shells from burning. it is easy to tell when they are done, by the shells starting wide open. after they are done, they should be taken from the shells, washed thoroughly in their own water, and put in a stewing pan. the water should then be strained through a cloth, so as to get out all the grit; the clams should be simmered in it ten or fifteen minutes; a little thickening of flour and water added; half a dozen slices of toasted bread or cracker; and pepper, vinegar and butter to your taste. salt is not needed. four pounds of fish are enough to make a chowder for four or five people; half a dozen slices of salt pork in the bottom of the pot; hang it high, so that the pork may not burn; take it out when done very brown; put in a layer of fish, cut in lengthwise slices, then a layer formed of crackers, small or sliced onions, and potatoes sliced as thin as a four-pence, mixed with pieces of pork you have fried; then a layer of fish again, and so on. six crackers are enough. strew a little salt and pepper over each layer; over the whole pour a bowl-full of flour and water, enough to come up even with the surface of what you have in the pot. a sliced lemon adds to the flavor. a cup of tomato catsup is very excellent. some people put in a cup of beer. a few clams are a pleasant addition. it should be covered so as not to let a particle of steam escape, if possible. do not open it, except when nearly done, to taste if it be well seasoned. salt fish should be put in a deep plate, with just water enough to cover it, the night before you intend to cook it. it should not be boiled an instant; boiling renders it hard. it should lie in scalding hot water two or three hours. the less water is used, and the more fish is cooked at once, the better. water thickened with flour and water while boiling, with sweet butter put in to melt, is the common sauce. it is more economical to cut salt pork into small bits, and try it till the pork is brown and crispy. it should not be done too fast, lest the sweetness be scorched out. salted shad and mackerel should be put into a deep plate and covered with boiling water for about ten minutes after it is thoroughly broiled, before it is buttered. this makes it tender, takes off the coat of salt, and prevents the strong oily taste, so apt to be unpleasant in preserved fish. the same rule applies to smoked salmon. salt fish mashed with potatoes, with good butter or pork scraps to moisten it, is nicer the second day than it was the first. the fish should be minced very fine, while it is warm. after it has got cold and dry, it is difficult to do it nicely. salt fish needs plenty of vegetables, such as onions, beets, carrots, &c. there is no way of preparing salt fish for breakfast, so nice as to roll it up in little balls, after it is mixed with mashed potatoes; dip it into an egg, and fry it brown. a female lobster is not considered so good as a male. in the female, the sides of the head, or what look like cheeks, are much larger, and jut out more than those of the male. the end of a lobster is surrounded with what children call 'purses,' edged with a little fringe. if you put your hand under these to raise it, and find it springs back hard and firm, it is a sign the lobster is fresh; if they move flabbily, it is not a good omen. fried salt pork and apples is a favorite dish in the country; but it is seldom seen in the city. after the pork is fried, some of the fat should be taken out, lest the apples should be oily. acid apples should be chosen, because they cook more easily; they should be cut in slices, across the whole apple, about twice or three times as thick as a new dollar. fried till tender, and brown on both sides--laid around the pork. if you have cold potatoes, slice them and brown them in the same way. * * * * * puddings. baked indian pudding. indian pudding is good baked. scald a quart of milk (skimmed milk will do,) and stir in seven table spoonfuls of sifted indian meal, a tea-spoonful of salt, a tea-cupful of molasses, and a great spoonful of ginger, or sifted cinnamon. baked three or four hours. if you want whey, you must be sure and pour in a little cold milk, after it is all mixed. boiled indian pudding. indian pudding should be boiled four or five hours. sifted indian meal and warm milk should be stirred together pretty stiff. a little salt, and two or three great spoonfuls of molasses, added; a spoonful of ginger, if you like that spice. boil it in a tight covered pan, or a very thick cloth; if the water gets in, it will ruin it. leave plenty of room; for indian swells very much. the milk with which you mix it should be merely warm; if it be scalding, the pudding will break to pieces. some people chop sweet suet fine, and warm in the milk; others warm thin slices of sweet apple to be stirred into the pudding. water will answer instead of milk. flour or batter pudding. common flour pudding, or batter pudding, is easily made. those who live in the country can beat up five or six eggs with a quart of milk, and a little salt, with flour enough to make it just thick enough to pour without difficulty. those who live in the city, and are obliged to buy eggs, can do with three eggs to a quart, and more flour in proportion. boil about three quarters of an hour. bread pudding. a nice pudding may be made of bits of bread. they should be crumbled and soaked in milk over night. in the morning, beat up three eggs with it, add a little salt, tie it up in a bag, or in a pan that will exclude every drop of water, and boil it little more than an hour. no puddings should be put into the pot, till the water boils. bread prepared in the same way makes good plum-puddings. milk enough to make it quite soft; four eggs; a little cinnamon; a spoonful of rose-water, or lemon-brandy, if you have it; a tea-cupful of molasses, or sugar to your taste, if you prefer it; a few dry, clean raisins, sprinkled in, and stirred up thoroughly, is all that is necessary. it should bake or boil two hours. rennet pudding. if your husband brings home company when you are unprepared, rennet pudding may be made at five minutes' notice; provided you keep a piece of calf's rennet ready prepared soaking in a bottle of wine. one glass of this wine to a quart of milk will make a sort of cold custard. sweetened with white sugar, and spiced with nutmeg, it is very good. it should be eaten immediately; in a few hours, it begins to curdle. custard puddings. custard puddings sufficiently good for common use can be made with five eggs to a quart of milk, sweetened with brown sugar, and spiced with cinnamon, or nutmeg, and very little salt. it is well to boil your milk, and set it away till it gets cold. boiling milk enriches it so much, that boiled skim-milk is about as good as new milk. a little cinnamon, or lemon peel, or peach leaves, if you do not dislike the taste, boiled in the milk, and afterwards strained from it, give a pleasant flavor. bake fifteen or twenty minutes. rice puddings. if you want a common rice pudding to retain its flavor, do not soak it, or put it in to boil when the water is cold. wash it, tie it in a bag, leave plenty of room for it to swell, throw it in when the water boils, and let it boil about an hour and a half. the same sauce answers for all these kinds of puddings. if you have rice left cold, break it up in a little warm milk, pour custard over it, and bake it as long as you should custard. it makes very good puddings and pies. bird's nest pudding. if you wish to make what is called 'bird's nest puddings,' prepare your custard,--take eight or ten pleasant apples, pare them, and dig out the core, but leave them whole, set them in a pudding dish, pour your custard over them, and bake them about thirty minutes. apple pudding. a plain, unexpensive apple pudding may be made by rolling out a bit of common pie-crust, and filling it full of quartered apples; tied up in a bag, and boiled an hour and a half; if the apples are sweet, it will take two hours; for acid things cook easily. some people like little dumplings, made by rolling up one apple, pared and cored, in a piece of crust, and tying them up in spots all over the bag. these do not need to be boiled more than an hour: three quarters is enough, if the apples are tender. take sweet, or pleasant flavored apples, pare them, and bore out the core, without cutting the apple in two pill up the holes with washed rice, boil them in a bag, tied very tight, an hour, or hour and a half. each apple should be tied up separately, in different corners of the pudding bag. cherry pudding. for cherry dumpling, make a paste about as rich as you make short-cake; roll it out, and put in a pint and a half, or a quart of cherries, according to the size of your family. double the crust over the fruit, tie it up tight in a bag, and boil one hour and a half. cranberry pudding. a pint of cranberries stirred into a quart of batter, made like a batter pudding, but very little stiffer, is very nice, eaten with sweet sauce. whortleberry pudding. whortleberries are good both in flour and indian puddings. a pint of milk, with a little salt and a little molasses, stirred quite stiff with indian meal, and a quart of berries stirred in gradually with a spoon, makes a good-sized pudding. leave room for it to swell; and let it boil three hours. when you put them into flour, make your pudding just like batter puddings; but considerably thicker, or the berries will sink. two hours is plenty long enough to boil no pudding should be put in till the water boils. leave room to swell. plum pudding. if you wish to make a really nice, soft, custard-like plum pudding, pound six crackers, or dried crusts of light bread, fine, and soak them over night in milk enough to cover them; put them in about three pints of milk, beat up six eggs, put in a little lemon-brandy, a whole nutmeg, and about three quarters of a pound of raisins which have been rubbed in flour. bake it two hours, or perhaps a little short of that. it is easy to judge from the appearance whether it is done. the surest way of making a light, rich plum pudding, is to spread slices of sweet light bread plentifully with butter; on each side of the slices spread abundantly raisins, or currants, nicely prepared; when they are all heaped up in a dish, cover them with milk, eggs, sugar and spice, well beat up, and prepared just as you do for custards. let it bake about an hour. one sauce answers for common use for all sorts of puddings. flour-and-water stirred into boiling water, sweetened to your taste with either molasses or sugar, according to your ideas of economy; a great spoonful of rose-water, if you have it; butter half as big as a hen's egg. if you want to make it very nice, put in a glass of wine, and grate nutmeg on the top. when you wish better sauce than common, take a quarter of a pound of butter and the same of sugar, mould them well together with your hand, add a little wine, if you choose. make it into a lump, set it away to cool, and grate nutmeg over it. hasty pudding. boil water, a quart, three pints, or two quarts, according to the size of your family; sift your meal, stir five or six spoonfuls of it thoroughly into a bowl of water; when the water in the kettle boils, pour into it the contents of the bowl; stir it well, and let it boil up thick; put in salt to suit your own taste, then stand over the kettle, and sprinkle in meal, handful after handful, stirring it very thoroughly all the time, and letting it boil between whiles. when it is so thick that you stir it with great difficulty, it is about right. it takes about half an hour's cooking. eat it with milk or molasses. either indian meal or rye meal may be used. if the system is in a restricted state, nothing can be better than _rye_ hasty pudding and _west india_ molasses. this diet would save many a one the horrors of dyspepsia. * * * * * cheap custards. one quart of milk, boiled; when boiling, add three table spoonfuls of ground rice, or rice that is boiled, mixed smooth and fine in cold milk, and one egg beaten; give it one boil up, and sweeten to your taste; peach leaves, or any spice you please, boiled in the milk. * * * * * common pies. mince pies. boil a tender, nice piece of beef--any piece that is clear from sinews and gristle; boil it till it is perfectly tender when it is cold, chop it very fine, and be very careful to get out every particle of bone and gristle. the suet is sweeter and better to boil half an hour or more in the liquor the beef has been boiled in; but few people do this. pare, core, and chop the apples fine. if you use raisins, stone them. if you use currants, wash and dry them at the fire. two pounds of beef, after it is chopped; three quarters of a pound of suet; one pound and a quarter of sugar; three pounds of apples; two pounds of currants, or raisins. put in a gill of brandy; lemon-brandy is better, if you have any prepared. make it quite moist with new cider. i should not think a quart would be too much; the more moist the better, if it does not spill out into the oven. a very little pepper. if you use corn meat, or tongue, for pies, it should be well soaked, and boiled very tender. if you use fresh beef, salt is necessary in the seasoning. one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of cloves. two nutmegs add to the pleasantness of the flavor; and a bit of sweet butter put upon the top of each pie, makes them rich; but these are not necessary. baked three quarters of an hour. if your apples are rather sweet, grate in a whole lemon. pumpkin and squash pie. for common family pumpkin pies, three eggs do very well to a quart of milk. stew your pumpkin, and strain it through a sieve, or colander. take out the seeds, and pare the pumpkin, or squash, before you stew it; but do not scrape the inside; the part nearest the seed is the sweetest part of the squash. stir in the stewed pumpkin, till it is as thick as you can stir it round rapidly and easily. if you want to make your pie richer, make it thinner, and add another egg. one egg to a quart of milk makes very decent pies. sweeten it to your taste, with molasses or sugar; some pumpkins require more sweetening than others. two tea-spoonfuls of salt; two great spoonfuls of sifted cinnamon; one great spoonful of ginger. ginger will answer very well alone for spice, if you use enough of it. the outside of a lemon grated in is nice. the more eggs, the better the pie; some put an egg to a gill of milk. they should bake from forty to fifty minutes, and even ten minutes longer, if very deep. carrot pie. carrot pies are made like squash pies. the carrots should be boiled very tender, skinned and sifted. both carrot pies and squash pies should be baked without an upper crust, in deep plates. to be baked an hour, in quite a warm oven. cherry pie. cherry pies should be baked in a deep plate. take the cherries from the stalks, lay them in a plate, and sprinkle a little sugar, and cinnamon, according to the sweetness of the cherries. baked with a top and bottom crust, three quarters of an hour. whortleberry pie. whortleberries make a very good common pie, where there is a large family of children. sprinkle a little sugar and sifted cloves into each pie. baked in the same way, and as long, as cherry pies. apple pie. when you make apple pies, stew your apples very little indeed; just strike them through, to make them tender. some people do not stew them at all, but cut them up in very thin slices, and lay them in the crust. pies made in this way may retain more of the spirit of the apple; but i do not think the seasoning mixes in as well. put in sugar to your taste; it is impossible to make a precise rule, because apples vary so much in acidity. a very little salt, and a small piece of butter in each pie, makes them richer. cloves and cinnamon are both suitable spice. lemon-brandy and rose-water are both excellent. a wine-glass full of each is sufficient for three or four pies. if your apples lack spirit, grate in a whole lemon. custard pie. it is a general rule to put eight eggs to a quart of milk, in making custard pies; but six eggs are a plenty for any common use. the milk should be boiled and cooled before it is used; and bits of stick-cinnamon and bits of lemon-peel boiled in it. sweeten to your taste with clean sugar; a very little sprinkling of salt makes them taste better. grate in a nutmeg. bake in a deep plate. about minutes are usually enough. if you are doubtful whether they are done, dip in the handle of a silver spoon, or the blade of a small knife; if it come out clean, the pie is done. do not pour them into your plates till the minute you put them into the oven; it makes the crust wet and heavy. to be baked with an under crust only. some people bake the under crust a little before the custard is poured in; this is to keep it from being clammy. cranberry pie. cranberry pies need very little spice. a little nutmeg, or cinnamon, improves them. they need a great deal of sweetening. it is well to stew the sweetening with them; at least a part of it. it is easy to add, if you find them too sour for your taste. when cranberries are strained, and added to about their own weight in sugar, they make very delicious tarts. no upper crust. rhubarb stalks, or persian apple. rhubarb stalks, or the persian apple, is the earliest in gradient for pies, which the spring offers. the skin should be carefully stripped, and the stalks cut into small bits, and stewed very tender. these are dear pies, for they take an enormous quantity of sugar. seasoned like apple pies gooseberries, currants, &c., are stewed, sweetened and seasoned like apple pies, in proportions suited to the sweetness of the fruit; there is no way to judge but by your own taste. always remember it is more easy to add seasoning than to diminish it. pie crust. to make pie crust for common use, a quarter of a pound of butter is enough for a half a pound of flour. take out about a quarter part of the flour you intend to use, and lay it aside. into the remainder of the flour rub butter thoroughly with your hands, until it is so short that a handful of it, clasped tight, will remain in a ball, without any tendency to fall in pieces. then wet it with cold water, roll it out on a board, rub over the surface with flour, stick little lumps of butter all over it, sprinkle some flour over the butter, and roll the dough all up; flour the paste, and flour the rolling-pin; roll it lightly and quickly; flour it again; stick in bits of butter; do it up; flour the rolling-pin, and roll it quickly and lightly; and so on, till you have used up your butter. always roll from you. pie crust should be made as cold as possible, and set in a cool place; but be careful it does not freeze. do not use more flour than you can help in sprinkling and rolling. the paste should not be rolled out more than three times; if rolled too much, it will not be flaky. common cakes. in all cakes where butter or eggs are used, the butter should be very faithfully rubbed into the flour, and the eggs beat to a foam, before the ingredients are mixed. gingerbread. a very good way to make molasses gingerbread is to rub four pounds and a half of flour with half a pound of lard and half a pound of butter; a pint of molasses, a gill of milk, tea-cup of ginger, a tea-spoonful of dissolved pearlash stirred together. all mixed, baked in shallow pans twenty or thirty minutes. hard gingerbread is good to have in the family, it keeps so well. one pound of flour, half a pound of butter and sugar, rubbed into it; half a pound of sugar; great spoonful of ginger, or more, according to the strength of the ginger; a spoonful of rose-water, and a handful of caraway seed. well beat up. kneaded stiff enough to roll out and bake on flat pans. bake twenty or thirty minutes. a cake of common gingerbread can be stirred up very quick in the following way. rub in a bit of shortening as big as an egg into a pint of flour; if you use lard, add a little salt; two or three great spoonfuls of ginger; one cup of molasses, one cup and a half of cider, and a great spoonful of dissolved pearlash, put together and poured into the shortened flour while it is foaming; to be put in the oven in a minute. it ought to be just thick enough to pour into the pans with difficulty; if these proportions make it too thin, use less liquid the next time you try. bake about twenty minutes. if by carelessness you let a piece of short-cake dough grow sour, put in a little pearlash and water, warm a little butter, according to the size of the dough, knead in a cup or two of sugar, (two cups, unless it is a very small bit,) two or three spoonfuls of ginger, and a little rose-water knead it up thoroughly, roll it out on a flat pan, and bake it twenty minutes. every thing mixed with pearlash should be put in the oven immediately. cup cake. cup cake is about as good as pound cake, and is cheaper. one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three cups of flour, and four eggs, well beat together, and baked in pans or cups. bake twenty minutes, and no more. tea cake. there is a kind of tea cake still cheaper. three cups of sugar, three eggs, one cup of butter, one cup of milk, a spoonful of dissolved pearlash, and four cups of flour, well beat up. if it is so stiff it will not stir easily, add a little more milk. cider cake. cider cake is very good, to be baked in small loaves. one pound and a half of flour, half a pound of sugar, quarter of a pound of butter, half a pint of cider, one teaspoonful of pearlash; spice to your taste. bake till it turns easily in the pans. i should think about half an hour. election cake. old-fashioned election cake is made of four pounds of flour; three quarters of a pound of butter; four eggs; one pound of sugar; one pound of currants, or raisins if you choose; half a pint of good yeast; wet it with milk as soft as it can be and be moulded on a board. set to rise over night in winter; in warm weather, three hours is usually enough for it to rise. a loaf, the size of common flour bread, should bake three quarters of an hour. sponge cake. the nicest way to make sponge cake, or diet-bread, is the weight of six eggs in sugar, the weight of four eggs in flour, a little rose-water. the whites and yolks should be beaten thoroughly and separately. the eggs and sugar should be well beaten together; but after the flour is sprinkled, it should not be stirred a moment longer than is necessary to mix it well; it should be poured into the pan, and got into the oven with all possible expedition. twenty minutes is about long enough to bake. not to be put in till some other articles have taken off the first few minutes of furious heat. wedding cake. good common wedding cake may be made thus: four pounds of flour, three pounds of butter, three pounds of sugar, four pounds of currants, two pounds of raisins, twenty-four eggs, half a pint of brandy, or lemon-brandy, one ounce of mace, and three nutmegs. a little molasses makes it dark colored, which is desirable. half a pound of citron improves it; but it is not necessary. to be baked two hours and a half, or three hours. after the oven is cleared, it is well to shut the door for eight or ten minutes, to let the violence of the heat subside, before cake or bread is put in. to make icing for your wedding cake, beat the whites of eggs to an entire froth, and to each egg add five teaspoonfuls of sifted loaf sugar, gradually; beat it a great while. put it on when your cake is hot, or cold, as is most convenient. it will dry in a warm room, a short distance from a gentle fire, or in a warm oven. loaf cake. very good loaf cake is made with two pounds of flour, half a pound of sugar, quarter of a pound of butter, two eggs, a gill of sweet emptings, half an ounce of cinnamon, or cloves, a large spoonful of lemon-brandy, or rose-water; if it is not about as thin as goad white bread dough, add a little milk. a common sized loaf is made by these proportions. bake about three quarters of an hour. a handy way to make loaf cake is, to take about as much of your white bread dough, or sponge, as you think your pan will hold, and put it into a pan in which you have already beat up three or four eggs, six ounces of butter warmed, and half a pound of sugar, a spoonful of rose-water, little sifted cinnamon, or cloves. the materials should be well mixed and beat before the dough is put in; and then it should be all kneaded well together, about as stiff as white bread. put in half a pound of currants, or raisins, with the butter, if you choose. it should stand in the pan two or three hours to rise; and be baked about three quarters of an hour, if the pan is a common sized bread-pan. if you have loaf cake slightly injured by time, or by being kept in the cellar, cut off all appearance of mould from the outside, wipe it with a clean cloth, and wet it well with strong brandy and water sweetened with sugar; then put it in your oven, and let the heat strike through it, for fifteen or twenty minutes. unless very bad, this will restore the sweetness. caraway cakes. take one pound of flour, three quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, a glass of rose-water, four eggs, and half a tea-cup of caraway seed,--the materials well rubbed together and beat up. drop them from a spoon on tin sheets, and bake them brown in rather a slow oven. twenty minutes, or half an hour, is enough to bake them. dough-nuts. for dough-nuts, take one pint of flour, half a pint of sugar, three eggs, a piece of butter as big as an egg, and a tea-spoonful of dissolved pearlash. when you have no eggs, a gill of lively emptings will do; but in that case, they must be made over night. cinnamon, rose-water, or lemon-brandy, if you have it. if you use part lard instead of butter, add a little salt. not put in till the fat is very hot. the more fat they are fried in, the less they will soak fat. pancakes. pancakes should be made of half a pint of milk, three great spoonfuls of sugar, one or two eggs, a tea-spoonful of dissolved pearlash, spiced with cinnamon, or cloves, a little salt, rose-water, or lemon-brandy, just as you happen to have it. flour should be stirred in till the spoon moves round with difficulty. if they are thin, they are apt to soak fat. have the fat in your skillet boiling hot, and drop them in with a spoon. let them cook till thoroughly brown. the fat which is left is good to shorten other cakes. the more fat they are cooked in, the less they soak. if you have no eggs, or wish to save them, use the above ingredients, and supply the place of eggs by two or three spoonfuls of lively emptings; but in this case they must be made five or six hours before they are cooked,--and in winter they should stand all night. a spoonful or more of n.e. rum makes pancakes light. flip makes very nice pancakes. in this case, nothing is done but to sweeten your mug of beer with molasses; put in one glass of n.e. rum; heat it till it foams, by putting in a hot poker; and stir it up with flour as thick as other pancakes. fritters. flat-jacks, or fritters, do not differ from pancakes, only in being mixed softer. the same ingredients are used in about the same quantities; only most people prefer to have no sweetening put in them, because they generally have butter, sugar, and nutmeg, put on them, after they are done. excepting for company, the nutmeg can be well dispensed with. they are not to be boiled in fat, like pancakes; the spider or griddle should be well greased, and the cakes poured on as large as you want them, when it is quite hot; when it gets brown on one side, to be turned over upon the other. fritters are better to be baked quite thin. either flour, indian, or rye, is good. sour beer, with a spoonful of pearlash, is good both for pancakes and fritters. if you have any cold rice left, it is nice to break it up fine in warm milk; put in a little salt; after you have put milk enough for the cakes you wish to make, (a half pint, or more,) stir in flour till it is thick enough to pour for fritters. it does very well without an egg; but better with one. to be fried like other flat-jacks. sugar and nutmeg are to be put on when they are buttered, if you like. short cake. if you have sour milk, or butter-milk, it is well to make it into short cakes for tea. rub in a very small bit of shortening, or three table-spoonfuls of cream, with the flour; put in a tea-spoonful of strong dissolved pearlash, into your sour milk, and mix your cake pretty stiff, to bake in the spider, on a few embers. when people have to buy butter and lard, short cakes are not economical food. a half pint of flour will make a cake large enough to cover a common plate. rub in thoroughly a bit of shortening as big as a hen's egg; put in a tea-spoonful of dissolved pearlash; wet it with cold water; knead it stiff enough to roll well, to bake on a plate, or in a spider. it should bake as quick as it can, and not burn. the first side should stand longer to the fire than the last. indian cake. indian cake, or bannock, is sweet and cheap food. one quart of sifted meal, two great spoonfuls of molasses, two tea-spoonfuls of salt, a bit of shortening half as big as a hen's egg, stirred together; make it pretty moist with scalding water, put it into a well greased pan, smooth over the surface with a spoon, and bake it brown on both sides, before a quick fire. a little stewed pumpkin, scalded with the meal, improves the cake. bannock split and dipped in butter makes very nice toast. a richer indian cake may be made by stirring one egg to a half pint of milk, sweetened with two great spoonfuls of molasses; a little ginger, or cinnamon; indian stirred in till it is just about thick enough to pour. spider or bake-kettle well greased; cake poured in, covered up, baked half an hour, or three quarters, according to the thickness of the cake. if you have sour milk, or butter-milk, it is very nice for this kind of cake; the acidity corrected by a tea-spoonful of dissolved pearlash. it is a rule never to use pearlash for indian, unless to correct the sourness of milk; it injures the flavor of the meal. nice suet improves all kinds of indian cakes very much. * * * * * two cups of indian meal, one table-spoonful molasses, two cups milk, a little salt, a handful flour, a little saleratus, mixed up thin, and poured into a buttered bake-kettle, hung over the fire uncovered, until you can bear your finger upon it, and then set down before the fire. bake half an hour. * * * * * bread, yeast, &c. it is more difficult to give rules for making bread than for anything else; it depends so much on judgment and experience. in summer, bread should be mixed with cold water; during a chilly, damp spell, the water should be slightly warm; in severe cold weather, it should be mixed quite warm, and set in a warm place during the night. if your yeast is new and lively, a small quantity will make the bread rise; if it be old and heavy, it will take more. in these things i believe wisdom must be gained by a few mistakes. six quarts of meal will make two good sized loaves of _brown bread_. some like to have it half indian meal and half rye meal; others prefer it one third indian, and two thirds rye. many mix their brown bread over night; but there is no need of it; and it is more likely to sour, particularly in summer. if you do mix it the night before you bake it, you must not put in more than half the yeast i am about to mention, unless the weather is intensely cold. the meal should be sifted separately. put the indian in your bread-pan, sprinkle a little salt among it, and wet it thoroughly with scalding water. stir it up while you are scalding it. be sure and have hot water enough; for indian absorbs a great deal of water. when it is cool, pour in your rye; add two gills of lively yeast, and mix it with water as stiff as you can knead it. let it stand an hour and a half, in a cool place in summer, on the hearth in winter. it should be put into a very hot oven, and baked three or four hours. it is all the better for remaining in the oven over night. _flour bread_ should have a sponge set the night before. the sponge should be soft enough to pour; mixed with water, warm or cold, according to the temperature of the weather. one gill of lively yeast is enough to put into sponge for two loaves. i should judge about three pints of sponge would be right for two loaves. the warmth of the place in which the sponge is set, should be determined by the coldness of the weather. if your sponge looks frothy in the morning, it is a sign your bread will be good; if it does not rise, stir in a little more emptings; if it rises too much, taste of it, to see if it has any acid taste; if so, put in a tea-spoonful of pearlash when you mould in your flour; be sure the pearlash is well dissolved in water; if there are little lumps, your bread will be full of bitter spots. about an hour before your oven is ready, stir in flour into your sponge till it is stiff enough to lay on a well floured board or table. knead it up pretty stiff, and put it into well greased pans, and let it stand in a cool or warm place, according to the weather. if the oven is ready, put them in fifteen or twenty minutes after the dough begins to rise up and crack; if the oven is not ready, move the pans to a cooler spot, to prevent the dough from becoming sour by too much rising. common sized loaves will bake in three quarters of an hour. if they slip easily in the pans, it is a sign they are done. some people do not set a soft sponge for flour bread; they knead it up all ready to put in the pans the night before, and leave it to rise. white bread and pies should not be set in the oven until the brown bread and beans have been in half an hour. if the oven be too hot, it will bind the crust so suddenly that the bread cannot rise; if it be too cold, the bread will fall. flour bread should not be too stiff. some people like one third indian in their flour. others like one third rye; and some think the nicest of all bread is one third indian, one third rye, and one third flour, made according to the directions for flour bread. when indian is used, it should be salted, and scalded, before the other meal is put in. a mixture of other grains is economical when flour is high. _dyspepsia bread_.--the american farmer publishes the following receipt for making bread, which has proved highly salutary to persons afflicted with that complaint, viz:--three quarts unbolted wheat meal; one quart soft water, warm, but not hot; one gill of fresh yeast; one gill of molasses, or not, as may suit the taste; one tea-spoonful of saleratus. this will make two loaves, and should remain in the oven at least one hour; and when taken out, placed where they will cool gradually. dyspepsia crackers can be made with unbolted flour, water and saleratus. _to make rice bread_.--boil a pint of rice soft; add a pint of leaven; then, three quarts of the flour; put it to rise in a tin or earthen vessel until it has risen sufficiently; divide it into three parts; then bake it as other bread, and you will have three large loaves. heating ovens must be regulated by experience and observation. there is a difference in wood in giving out heat; there is a great difference in the construction of ovens; and when an oven is extremely cold, either on account of the weather, or want of use, it must be heated more. economical people heat ovens with pine wood, fagots, brush, and such light stuff. if you have none but hard wood, you must remember that it makes very hot coals, and therefore less of it will answer. a smart fire for an hour and a half is a general rule for common sized family ovens, provided brown bread and beans are to be baked. an hour is long enough to heat an oven for flour bread. pies bear about as much heat as flour bread: pumpkin pies will bear more. if you are afraid your oven is too hot, throw in a little flour, and shut it up for a minute. if it scorches black immediately, the heat is too furious; if it merely browns, it is right. some people wet an old broom two or three times, and turn it round near the top of die oven till it dries; this prevents pies and cake from scorching on the top. when you go into a new house, heat your oven two or three times, to get it seasoned, before you use it. after the wood is burned, rake the coals over the bottom of the oven, and let them lie a few minutes. those who make their own bread should make yeast too. when bread is nearly out, always think whether yeast is in readiness; for it takes a day and night to prepare it. one handful of hops, with two or three handsful of malt and rye bran, should be boiled fifteen or twenty minutes, in two quarts of water, then strained, hung on to boil again, and thickened with half a pint of rye and water stirred up quite thick, and a little molasses; boil it a minute or two, and then take it off to cool. when just about lukewarm, put in a cupful of good lively yeast, and set it in a cool place in summer, and warm place in winter. if it is too warm when you put in the old yeast, all the spirit will be killed. in summer, yeast sours easily; therefore make but little at a time. bottle it when it gets well a working; it keeps better when the air is corked out. if you find it acid, but still spirited, put a little pearlash to it, as you use it; but by no means put it into your bread unless it foams up bright and lively as soon as the pearlash mixes with it. never keep yeast in tin; it destroys its life. there is another method of making yeast, which is much easier, and i think quite as good. stir rye and cold water, till you make a stiff thickening. then pour in boiling water, and stir it all the time, till you make it as thin as the yeast you buy; three or four table spoons heaping full are enough for a quart of water. when it gets about cold, put in half a pint of lively yeast. when it works well, bottle it; but if very lively, do not cork your bottle _very_ tight, for fear it will burst. always think to make new yeast before the old is gone; so that you may have some to work with. always wash and scald your bottle clean after it has contained sour yeast. beware of freezing yeast. milk yeast is made quicker than any other. a pint of new milk with a tea-spoonful of salt, and a large spoon of flour stirred in, set by the fire to keep lukewarm, will make yeast fit for use in an hour. twice the quantity of common yeast is necessary, and unless used soon is good for nothing. bread made of this yeast dries sooner. it is convenient in summer, when one wants to make biscuits suddenly. a species of leaven may be made that will keep any length of time. three ounces of hops in a pail of water boiled down to a quart; strain it, and stir in a quart of rye meal while boiling hot. cool it, and add half a pint of good yeast; after it has risen a few hours, thicken it with indian meal stiff enough to roll out upon a board; then put it in the sun and air a few days to dry. a piece of this cake two inches square, dissolved in warm water, and thickened with a little flour, will make a large loaf of bread. potatoes make very good yeast. mash three large potatoes fine; pour a pint of boiling water over them; when almost cold, stir in two spoonfuls of flour, two of molasses, and a cup of good yeast. this yeast should be used while new. * * * * * preserves, &c. economical people will seldom use preserves, except for sickness. they are unhealthy, expensive, and useless to those who are well. barberries preserved in molasses are very good for common use. boil the molasses, skim it, throw in the barberries, and simmer them till they are soft. if you wish to lay by a few for sickness, preserve them in sugar by the same rule as other preserves. melt the sugar, skim it, throw in the barberries; when done soft, take them out, and throw in others. a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit is the rule for all preserves. the sugar should be melted over a fire moderate enough not to scorch it. when melted, it should be skimmed clean, and the fruit dropped in to simmer till it is soft. plums, and things of which the skin is liable to be broken, do better to be put in little jars, with their weight of sugar, and the jars set in a kettle of boiling water, till the fruit is done. see the water is not so high as to boil into the jars. when you put preserves in jars, lay a white paper, thoroughly wet with brandy, flat upon the surface of the preserves, and cover them carefully from the air. if they begin to mould, scald them by setting them in the oven till boiling hot. glass is much better than earthen for preserves; they are not half as apt to ferment. currant jelly. currant jelly is a useful thing for sickness. if it be necessary to wash your currants, be sure they are thoroughly drained, or your jelly will be thin. break them up with a pestle, and squeeze them through a cloth. put a pint of clean sugar to a pint of juice, and boil it slowly, till it becomes ropy. great care must be taken not to do it too fast; it is spoiled by being scorched. it should be frequently skimmed while simmering. if currants are put in a jar, and kept in boiling water, and cooked before they are strained, they are more likely to keep a long time without fermenting. currant wine. those who have more currants than they have money, will do well to use no wine but of their own manufacture. break and squeeze the currants, put three pounds and a half of sugar to two quarts of juice and two quarts of water. put in a keg or barrel. do not close the bung tight for three or four days, that the air may escape while it is fermenting. after it is done fermenting, close it up tight. where raspberries are plenty, it is a great improvement to use half raspberry juice, and half currant juice. brandy is unnecessary when the above-mentioned proportions are observed. it should not be used under a year or two. age improves it. raspberry shrub. raspberry shrub mixed with water is a pure, delicious drink for summer; and in a country where raspberries are abundant, it is good economy to make it answer instead of port and catalonia wine. put raspberries in a pan, and scarcely cover them with strong vinegar. add a pint of sugar to a pint of juice; (of this you can judge by first trying your pan to see how much it holds;) scald it, skim it, and bottle it when cold. coffee. as substitutes for coffee, some use dry brown bread crusts, and roast them; others soak rye grain in rum, and roast it; others roast peas in the same way as coffee. none of these are very good; and peas so used are considered unhealthy. where there is a large family of apprentices and workmen, and coffee is very dear, it may be worth while to use the substitutes, or to mix them half and half with coffee; but, after all, the best economy is to go without. french coffee is so celebrated, that it may be worth while to tell how it is made; though no prudent housekeeper will make it, unless she has boarders, who are willing to pay for expensive cooking. the coffee should be roasted more than is common with us; it should not hang drying over the fire, but should be roasted quick; it should be ground soon after roasting, and used as soon as it is ground. those who pride themselves on first-rate coffee, burn it and grind it every morning. the powder should be placed in the coffee-pot in the proportions of an ounce to less than a pint of water. the water should be poured upon the coffee boiling hot. the coffee should be kept at the boiling point; but should not boil. coffee made in this way must be made in a biggin. it would not be clear in a common coffee-pot. a bit of fish-skin as big as a ninepence, thrown into coffee while it is boiling, tends to make it clear. if you use it just as it comes from the salt-fish, it will be apt to give an unpleasant taste to the coffee: it should be washed clean as a bit of cloth, and hung up till perfectly dry. the white of eggs, and even egg shells are good to settle coffee. rind of salt pork is excellent. some people think coffee is richer and clearer for having a bit of sweet butter, or a whole egg, dropped in and stirred, just before it is done roasting, and ground up, shell and all, with the coffee. but these things are not economical, except on a farm, where butter and eggs are plenty. a half a gill of cold water, poured in after you take your coffee-pot off the fire, will _usually_ settle the coffee. if you have not cream for coffee, it is a very great improvement to boil your milk, and use it while hot. chocolate. many people boil chocolate in a coffee-pot; but i think it is better to boil it in a skillet, or something open. a piece of chocolate about as big as a dollar is the usual quantity for a quart of water; but some put in more, and some less. when it boils, pour in as much milk as you like and let them boil together three or four minutes. it is much richer with the milk boiled in it. put the sugar in either before or after, as you please. nutmeg improves it. the chocolate should be scraped fine before it is put into the water. tea. young hyson is supposed to be a more profitable tea than hyson; but though the _quantity_ to a pound is greater, it has not so much _strength_. in point of economy, therefore, there is not much difference between them. hyson tea and souchong mixed together, half and half, is a pleasant beverage, and is more healthy than green tea alone. be sure that water boils before it is poured upon tea. a tea-spoonful to each person, and one extra thrown in, is a good rule. steep ten or fifteen minutes. pickles. musk-melons should be picked for mangoes, when they are green and hard. they should be cut open after they have been in salt water ten days, the inside scraped out clean, and filled with mustard-seed, allspice, horseradish, small onions, &c., and sewed up again. scalding vinegar poured upon them. when walnuts are so ripe that a pin will go into them easily, they are ready for pickling. they should be soaked twelve days in very strong cold salt and water, which has been boiled and skimmed. a quantity of vinegar, enough to cover them well, should be boiled with whole pepper, mustard-seed, small onions, or garlic, cloves, ginger, and horseradish; this should not be poured upon them till it is cold. they should be pickled a few months before they are eaten. to be kept close covered; for the air softens them. the liquor is an excellent catsup to be eaten on fish. put peppers into strong salt and water, until they become yellow; then turn them green by keeping them in warm salt and water, shifting them every two days. then drain them, and pour scalding vinegar over them. a bag of mustard-seed is an improvement. if there is mother in vinegar, scald and strain it. cucumbers should be in weak brine three or four days after they are picked; then they should be put in a tin or wooden pail of clean water, and kept slightly warm in the kitchen corner for two or three days. then take as much vinegar as you think your pickle jar will hold; scald it with pepper, allspice, mustard-seed, flag-root, horseradish, &c., if you happen to have them; half of them will spice the pickles very well. throw in a bit of alum as big as a walnut; this serves to make pickles hard. skim the vinegar clean, and pour it scalding hot upon the cucumbers. brass vessels are not healthy for preparing anything acid. red cabbages need no other pickling than scalding, spiced vinegar poured upon them, and suffered to remain eight or ten days before you eat them. some people think it improves them to keep them in salt and water twenty-four hours before they are pickled. if you find your pickles soft and insipid, it is owing to the weakness of the vinegar. throw away the vinegar, (or keep it to clean your brass kettles,) then cover your pickles with strong, scalding vinegar, into which a little allspice, ginger, horseradish and alum have been thrown. by no means omit a pretty large bit of alum. pickles attended to in this way, will keep for years, and be better and better every year. some people prefer pickled nasturtion-seed to capers. they should be kept several days after they are gathered, and then covered with boiling vinegar, and bottled when cold. they are not fit to be eaten for some months. martinoes are prepared in nearly the same way as other pickles. the salt and water in which they are put, two or three days previous to pickling, should be changed every day; because martinoes are very apt to become soft. no spice should be used but allspice, cloves, and cinnamon. the martinoes and the spice should be scalded _in_ the vinegar, instead of pouring the vinegar _over_ the martinoes. beer. beer is a good family drink. a handful of hops, to a pailful of water, and a half-pint of molasses, makes good hop beer. spruce mixed with hops is pleasanter than hops alone. boxberry, fever-bush, sweet fern, and horseradish make a good and healthy diet-drink. the winter evergreen, or rheumatism weed, thrown in, is very beneficial to humors. be careful and not mistake kill-lamb for winter-evergreen; they resemble each other. malt mixed with a few hops makes a weak kind of beer; but it is cool and pleasant; it needs less molasses than hops alone. the rule is about the same for all beer. boil the ingredients two or three hours, pour in a half-pint of molasses to a pailful, while the beer is scalding hot. strain the beer, and when about lukewarm, put a pint of lively yeast to a barrel. leave the bung loose till the beer is done working; you can ascertain this by observing when the froth subsides. if your family be large, and the beer will be drank rapidly, it may as well remain in the barrel; but if your family be small, fill what bottles you have with it; it keeps better bottled. a raw potato or two, cut up and thrown in, while the ingredients are boiling, is said to make beer spirited. ginger beer is made in the following proportions:--one cup of ginger, one pint of molasses, one pail and a half of water, and a cup of lively yeast. most people scald the ginger in half a pail of water, and then fill it up with a pailful of cold; but in very hot weather some people stir it up cold. yeast must not be put in till it is cold, or nearly cold. if not to be drank within twenty-four hours, it must be bottled as soon as it works. table beer should be drawn off into _stone_ jugs, with a lump of white sugar in each, securely corked. it is brisk and pleasant, and continues good several months. potato cheese is much sought after in various parts of europe. i do not know whether it is worth seeking after, or not. the following is the receipt for making:--select good white potatoes, boil them, and, when cold, peel and reduce them to a pulp with a rasp or mortar; to five pounds of this pulp, which must be very uniform and homogeneous, add a pint of sour milk and the requisite portion of salt; knead the whole well, cover it, and let it remain three or four days, according to the season; then knead it afresh, and place the cheeses in small baskets, when they will part with their superfluous moisture; dry them in the shade, and place them in layers in large pots or kegs, where they may remain a fortnight. the older they are, the finer they become. this cheese has the advantage of never engendering worms, and of being preserved fresh for many years, provided it is kept in a dry place, and in well closed vessels. * * * * * general maxims for health. rise early. eat simple food. take plenty of exercise. never fear a little fatigue. let not children be dressed in tight clothes; it is necessary their limbs and muscles should have full play, if you wish for either health or beauty. avoid the necessity of a physician, if you can, by careful attention to your diet. eat what best agrees with your system, and resolutely abstain from what hurts you, however well you may like it. a few days' abstinence, and cold water for a beverage, has driven off many an approaching disease. if you find yourself really ill, send for a good physician. have nothing to do with quacks; and do not tamper with quack medicines. you do not know what they are; and what security have you that they know what they are? wear shoes that are large enough. it not only produces corns, but makes the feet misshapen, to cramp them. wash very often, and rub the skin thoroughly with a hard brush. let those who love to be invalids drink strong green tea, eat pickles, preserves, and rich pastry. as far as possible, eat and sleep at regular hours. wash the eyes thoroughly in cold water every morning. do not read or sew at twilight, or by too dazzling a light. if far-sighted, read with rather less light, and with the book somewhat nearer to the eye, than you desire. if nearsighted, read with a book as far off as possible. both these imperfections may be diminished in this way. clean teeth in pure water two or three times a day; but, above all, be sure to have them clean before you go to bed. have your bed-chamber well aired; and have fresh bed linen every week. never have the wind blowing directly upon you from open windows during the night. it is _not_ healthy to sleep in heated rooms. let children have their bread and milk before they have been long up. cold water and a run in the fresh air before breakfast. too frequent use of an ivory comb injures the hair. thorough combing, washing in suds, or n.e. rum, and thorough brushing, will keep it in order; and the washing does not injure the hair, as is generally supposed. keep children's hair cut close until ten or twelve years old; it is better for health and the beauty of the hair. do not sleep with hair frizzled, or braided. do not make children cross-eyed, by having hair hang about their foreheads, where they see it continually. * * * * * hints to persons of moderate fortune [first published in the massachusetts journal.] * * * * * when clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks.--shakspeare. * * * * * furniture. the prevailing evil of the present day is extravagance. i know very well that the old are too prone to preach about modern degeneracy, whether they have cause or not; but, laugh as we may at the sage advice of our fathers, it is too plain that our present expensive habits are productive of much domestic unhappiness, and injurious to public prosperity. our wealthy people copy all the foolish and extravagant caprice of european fashion, without considering that we have not their laws of inheritance among us; and that our frequent changes of policy render property far more precarious here than in the old world. however, it is not to the rich i would speak. they have an undoubted right to spend their thousands as they please; and if they spend them ridiculously, it is consoling to reflect that they must, in some way or other, benefit the poorer classes. people of moderate fortunes have likewise an unquestioned right to dispose of their hundreds as they please; but i would ask, is it _wise_ to risk your happiness in a foolish attempt to keep up with the opulent? of what _use_ is the effort which takes so much of your time, and _all_ of your income? nay, if any unexpected change in affairs should deprive you of a few yearly hundreds, you will find your expenses have _exceeded_ your income; thus the foundation of an accumulating debt will be laid, and your family will have formed habits but poorly calculated to save you from the threatened ruin. not one valuable friend will be gained by living beyond your means, and old age will be left to comparative, if not to utter poverty. there is nothing in which the extravagance of the present day strikes me so forcibly as the manner in which our young people of moderate fortune furnish their houses. a few weeks since, i called upon a farmer's daughter, who had lately married a young physician of moderate talents, and destitute of fortune. her father had given her, at her marriage, all he ever expected to give her: viz. two thousand dollars. yet the lower part of her house was furnished with as much splendor as we usually find among the wealthiest. the whole two thousand had been expended upon brussels carpets, alabaster vases, mahogany chairs, and marble tables. i afterwards learned that the more useful household utensils had been forgotten; and that, a few weeks after her wedding, she was actually obliged to apply to her husband for money to purchase baskets, iron spoons, clothes-lines, &c.; and her husband, made irritable by the want of money, pettishly demanded why she had bought so many things they did not want. did the doctor gain any patients, or she a single friend, by offering their visiters water in richly-cut glass tumblers, or serving them with costly damask napkins, instead of plain soft towels? no; their foolish vanity made them less happy, and no more respectable. had the young lady been content with kidderminster carpets, and tasteful vases of her own making, she might have put _one_ thousand dollars at interest; and had she obtained six per cent., it would have clothed her as well as the wife of any man, who depends merely upon his own industry, ought to be clothed. this would have saved much domestic disquiet; for, after all, human nature is human nature; and a wife is never better beloved, because she teases for money. * * * * * education of daughters. there is no subject so much connected with individual happiness and national prosperity as the education of daughters. it is a true, and therefore an old remark, that the situation and prospects of a country may be justly estimated by the character of its women; and we all know how hard it is to engraft upon a woman's character habits and principles to which she was unaccustomed in her girlish days. it is always extremely difficult, and sometimes utterly impossible. is the present education of young ladies likely to contribute to their own ultimate happiness, or to the welfare of the country? there are many honorable exceptions; but we do think the general tone of female education is bad. the greatest and most universal error is, teaching girls to exaggerate the importance of getting married; and of course to place an undue importance upon the polite attentions of gentlemen. it was but a few days since, i heard a pretty and sensible girl say, 'did you ever see a man so ridiculously fond of his daughters as mr. ----? he is all the time with them. the other night, at the party, i went and took anna away by mere force; for i knew she must feel dreadfully to have her father waiting upon her all the time, while the other girls were talking with the beaux.' and another young friend of mine said, with an air most laughably serious, 'i don't think harriet and julia enjoyed themselves at all last night. don't you think, nobody but their _brother_ offered to hand them to the supper-room?' that a mother should wish to see her daughters happily married, is natural and proper; that a young lady should be pleased with polite attentions is likewise natural and innocent; but this undue anxiety, this foolish excitement about showing off the attentions of somebody, no matter whom, is attended with consequences seriously injurious. it promotes envy and rivalship; it leads our young girls to spend their time between the public streets, the ball room, and the toilet; and, worst of all, it leads them to contract engagements, without any knowledge of their own hearts, merely for the sake of being married as soon as their companions. when married, they find themselves ignorant of the important duties of domestic life; and its quiet pleasures soon grow tiresome to minds worn out by frivolous excitements. if they remain unmarried, their disappointment and discontent are, of course, in proportion to their exaggerated idea of the eclat attendant upon having a lover. the evil increases in a startling ratio; for these girls, so injudiciously educated, will, nine times out of ten, make injudicious mothers, aunts, and friends; thus follies will be accumulated unto the third and fourth generation. young ladies should be taught that usefulness is happiness, and that all other things are but incidental. with regard to matrimonial speculations, they should be taught nothing! leave the affections to nature and to truth, and all will end well. how many can i at this moment recollect, who have made themselves unhappy by marrying for the sake of the _name_ of being married! how many do i know, who have been instructed to such watchfulness in the game, that they have lost it by trumping their own tricks! one great cause of the vanity, extravagance and idleness that are so fast growing upon our young ladies, is the absence of _domestic education_. by domestic education, i do not mean the sending daughters into the kitchen some half dozen times, to weary the patience of the cook, and to boast of it the next day in the parlor. i mean two or three years spent with a mother, assisting her in her duties, instructing brothers and sisters, and taking care of their own clothes. this is the way to make them happy, as well as good wives; for, being early accustomed to the duties of life, they will sit lightly as well as gracefully upon them. but what time do modern girls have for the formation of quiet, domestic habits? until sixteen they go to school; sometimes these years are judiciously spent, and sometimes they are half wasted; too often they are spent in acquiring the _elements_ of a thousand sciences, without being thoroughly acquainted with any; or in a variety of accomplishments of very doubtful value to people of moderate fortune. as soon as they leave school, (and sometimes before,) they begin a round of balls and parties, and staying with gay young friends. dress and flattery take up all their thoughts. what time have they to learn to be useful? what time have they to cultivate the still and gentle affections, which must, in every situation of life, have such an important effect on a woman's character and happiness? as far as parents can judge what will be a daughter's station, education should be adapted to it; but it is well to remember that it is always easy to know how to spend riches, and always safe to know how to bear poverty. a superficial acquaintance with such accomplishments as music and drawing is useless and undesirable. they should not be attempted unless there is taste, talent, and time enough to attain excellence. i have frequently heard young women of moderate fortune say, 'i have not opened my piano these five years. i wish i had the money expended upon it. if i had employed as much time in learning useful things, i should have been better fitted for the cares of my family.' by these remarks i do not mean to discourage an attention to the graces of life. gentility and taste are always lovely in all situations. but good things, carried to excess, are often productive of bad consequences. when accomplishments and dress interfere with the duties and permanent happiness of life, they are unjustifiable and displeasing; but where there is a solid foundation in mind and heart, all those elegancies are but becoming ornaments. some are likely to have more use for them than others; and they are justified in spending more time and money upon them. but no one should be taught to consider them valuable for mere parade and attraction. making the education of girls such a series of 'man-traps,' makes the whole system unhealthy, by poisoning the motive. * * * * * in tracing evils of any kind, which exist in society, we must, after all, be brought up against the great cause of all mischief--_mismanagement in education_; and this remark applies with peculiar force to the leading fault of the present day, viz. extravagance. it is useless to expend our ingenuity in purifying the stream, unless the fountain be cleansed. if young men and young women are brought up to consider frugality contemptible, and industry degrading, it is vain to expect they will at once become prudent and useful, when the cares of life press heavily upon them. generally speaking, when misfortune comes upon those who have been accustomed to thoughtless expenditure, it sinks them to discouragement, or, what is worse, drives them to desperation. it is true there are exceptions. there are a few, an honorable few, who, late in life, with roman severity of resolution, learn the long-neglected lesson of economy. but how small is the number, compared with the whole mass of the population! and with what bitter agony, with what biting humiliation, is the hard lesson often learned! how easily might it have been engrafted on _early habits_, and naturally and gracefully 'grown with their growth, and strengthened with their strength!' yet it was but lately that i visited a family, not of 'moderate fortune,' but of no fortune at all; one of those people who live 'nobody knows how;' and i found a young girl, about sixteen, practising on the piano, while an elderly lady beside her was darning her stockings. i was told (for the mother was proud of bringing up her child so genteelly) that the daughter had almost forgotten how to sew, and that a woman was hired into the house to do her mending! 'but why,' said i, 'have you suffered your daughter to be ignorant of so useful an employment? if she is poor, the knowledge will be necessary to her; if she is rich, it is the easiest thing in the world to lay it aside, if she chooses; she will merely be a better judge whether her work is well done by others.' 'that is true,' replied the mother; 'and i always meant she should learn; but she never has seemed to have any time. when she was eight years old, she could put a shirt together pretty well; but since that, her music, and her dancing, and her school, have taken up her whole time. i did mean she should learn some domestic habits this winter; but she has so many visiters, and is obliged to go out so much, that i suppose i must give it up. i don't like to say too much about it; for, poor girl! she does so love company, and she does so hate anything like care and confinement! _now_ is her time to enjoy herself, you know. let her take all the comfort she can, while she is single!' 'but,' said i, 'you wish her to marry some time or other; and, in all probability, she will marry. when will she learn how to perform the duties, which are necessary and important to every mistress of a family?' 'oh, she will learn them when she is obliged to,' answered the injudicious mother; 'at all events, i am determined she shall enjoy herself while she is young.' and this is the way i have often heard mothers talk! yet, could parents foresee the almost inevitable consequences of such a system, i believe the weakest and vainest would abandon the false and dangerous theory. what a lesson is taught a girl in that sentence, '_let her enjoy herself all she can, while she is single_!' instead of representing domestic life as the gathering place of the deepest and purest affections; as the sphere of woman's _enjoyments_ as well as of her _duties_; as, indeed, the whole world to her; that one pernicious sentence teaches a girl to consider matrimony desirable because 'a good match' is a triumph of vanity, and it is deemed respectable to be 'well settled in the world;' but that it is a necessary sacrifice of her freedom and her gayety. and then how many affectionate dispositions have been trained into heartlessness, by being taught that the indulgence of indolence and vanity were necessary to their happiness; and that to have this indulgence, they _must_ marry money! but who that marries for money, in this land of precarious fortunes, can tell how soon they will lose the glittering temptation, to which they have been willing to sacrifice so much? and even if riches last as long as life, the evil is not remedied. education has given a wrong end and aim to their whole existence; they have been taught to look for happiness where it never can be found, viz. in the absence of all occupation, or the unsatisfactory and ruinous excitement of fashionable competition. the difficulty is, education does not usually point the female heart to its only true resting-place. that dear english word '_home_,' is not half so powerful a talisman as '_the world_.' instead of the salutary truth, that happiness is _in_ duty, they are taught to consider the two things totally distinct; and that whoever seeks one, must sacrifice the other. the fact is, our girls have no _home education_. when quite young, they are sent to schools where no feminine employments, no domestic habits, can be learned; and there they continue till they 'come out' into the world. after this, few find any time to arrange, and make use of, the mass of elementary knowledge they have acquired; and fewer still have either leisure or taste for the inelegant, every-day duties of life. thus prepared, they enter upon matrimony. those early habits, which would have made domestic care a light and easy task, have never been taught, for fear it would interrupt their happiness; and the result is, that when cares come, as come they must, they find them misery. i am convinced that indifference and dislike between husband and wife are more frequently occasioned by this great error in education, than by any other cause. the bride is awakened from her delightful dream, in which carpets, vases, sofas, white gloves, and pearl earrings, are oddly jumbled up with her lover's looks and promises. perhaps she would be surprised if she knew exactly how _much_ of the fascination of being engaged was owing to the aforesaid inanimate concern. be that as it will, she is awakened by the unpleasant conviction that cares devolve upon her. and what effect does this produce upon her character? do the holy and tender influences of domestic love render self-denial and exertion a bliss? no! they would have done so, had she been _properly educated_; but now she gives way to unavailing fretfulness and repining; and her husband is at first pained, and finally disgusted, by hearing, 'i never knew what care was when i lived in my father's house.' 'if i were to live my life over again, i would remain single as long as i could, without the risk of being an old maid.' how injudicious, how short-sighted is the policy, which thus mars the whole happiness of life, in order to make a few brief years more gay and brilliant! i have known many instances of domestic ruin and discord produced by this mistaken indulgence of mothers. _i never knew but one, where the victim had moral courage enough to change all her early habits._ she was a young, pretty, and very amiable girl; but brought up to be perfectly useless; a rag baby would, to all intents and purposes, have been as efficient a partner. she married a young lawyer, without property, but with good and increasing practice. she meant to be a good wife, but she did not know how. her wastefulness involved him in debt. he did not reproach, though he tried to convince and instruct her. she loved him; and weeping replied, 'i try to do the best i can; but when i lived at home, mother always took care of everything.' finally, poverty came upon him 'like an armed man;' and he went into a remote town in the western states to teach a school. his wife folded her hands, and cried; while he, weary and discouraged, actually came home from school to cook his own supper. at last, his patience, and her real love for him, impelled her to exertion. she promised to learn to be useful, if he would teach her. and she did learn! and the change in her habits gradually wrought such a change in her husband's fortune, that she might bring her daughters up in idleness, had not experience taught her that economy, like grammar, is a very hard and tiresome study, after we are twenty years old. perhaps some will think the evils of which i have been speaking are confined principally to the rich; but i am convinced they extend to all classes of people. all manual employment is considered degrading; and those who are compelled to do it, try to conceal it. a few years since, very respectable young men at our colleges, cut their own wood, and blacked their own shoes. now, how few, even of the sons of plain farmers and industrious mechanics, have moral courage enough to do without a servant; yet when they leave college, and come out into the battle of life, they _must_ do without servants; and in these times it will be fortunate if one half of them get what is called 'a decent living,' even by rigid economy and patient toil. yet i would not that servile and laborious employment should be forced upon the young. i would merely have each one educated according to his probable situation in life; and be taught that whatever is his duty, is honorable; and that no merely external circumstance can in reality injure true dignity of character. i would not cramp a boy's energies by compelling him always to cut wood, or draw water; but i would teach him not to be ashamed, should his companions happen to find him doing either one or the other. a few days since, i asked a grocer's lad to bring home some articles i had just purchased at his master's. the bundle was large; he was visibly reluctant to take it; and wished very much that i should send for it. this, however, was impossible; and he subdued his pride; but when i asked him to take back an empty bottle which belonged to the store, he, with a mortified look, begged me to do it up neatly in a paper, that it might look like a small package. is this boy likely to be happier for cherishing a foolish pride, which will forever be jarring against his duties? is he in reality one whit more respectable than the industrious lad who sweeps stores, or carries bottles, without troubling himself with the idea that all the world is observing his little unimportant self? for, in relation to the rest of the world, each individual is unimportant; and he alone is wise who forms his habits according to his own wants, his own prospects, and his own principles. travelling and public amusements. there is one kind of extravagance rapidly increasing in this country, which, in its effects on our purses and our _habits_, is one of the worst kinds of extravagance; i mean the rage for travelling, and for public amusements. the good old home habits of our ancestors are breaking up--it will be well if our virtue and our freedom do not follow them! it is easy to laugh at such prognostics,--and we are well aware that the virtue we preach is considered almost obsolete,--but let any reflecting mind inquire how decay has begun in all republics, and then let them calmly ask themselves whether we are in no danger, in departing thus rapidly from the simplicity and industry of our forefathers. nations do not plunge _at once_ into ruin--governments do not change _suddenly_--the causes which bring about the final blow, are scarcely perceptible in the beginning; but they increase in numbers, and in power; they press harder and harder upon the energies and virtue of a people; and the last steps only are alarmingly hurried and irregular. a republic without industry, economy, and integrity, is samson shorn of his locks. a luxurious and idle _republic_! look at the phrase!--the words were never made to be married together; every body sees it would be death to one of them. and are not _we_ becoming luxurious and idle? look at our steamboats, and stages, and taverns! there you will find mechanics, who have left debts and employment to take care of themselves, while they go to take a peep at the great canal, or the opera-dancers. there you will find domestics all agog for their wages-worth of travelling; why should they look out for 'a rainy day?' there are hospitals enough to provide for them in sickness; and as for marrying, they have no idea of that, till they can find a man who will support them genteelly. there you will find mothers, who have left the children at home with betsey, while they go to improve their minds at the mountain house, or the springs. if only the rich did this, all would be well. they benefit others, and do not injure themselves. in any situation, idleness is their curse, and uneasiness is the tax they must pay for affluence; but their restlessness is as great a benefit to the community as the motions of prince esterhazy, when at every step the pearls drop from his coat. people of moderate fortune have just as good a right to travel as the wealthy; but is it not unwise? do they not injure themselves and their families? you say travelling is cheap. so is staying at home. besides, do you count _all_ the costs? the money you pay for stages and steamboats is the smallest of the items. there are clothes bought which would not otherwise be bought; those clothes are worn out and defaced twenty times as quick as they would have been at home; children are perhaps left with domestics, or strangers; their health and morals, to say the least, under very uncertain influence; your substance is wasted in your absence by those who have no self-interest to prompt them to carefulness; you form an acquaintance with a multitude of people, who will be sure to take your house in their way, when they travel next year; and finally, you become so accustomed to excitement, that home appears insipid, and it requires no small effort to return to the quiet routine of your duties. and what do you get in return for all this? some pleasant scenes, which will soon seem to you like a dream; some pleasant faces, which you will never see again; and much of crowd, and toil, and dust, and bustle. i once knew a family which formed a striking illustration of my remarks. the man was a farmer, and his wife was an active, capable woman, with more of ambition than sound policy. being in debt, they resolved to take fashionable boarders from boston, during the summer season. these boarders, at the time of their arrival, were projecting a jaunt to the springs; and they talked of lake george crystals, and canadian music, and english officers, and 'dark blue ontario,' with its beautiful little brood of _lakelets_, as wordsworth would call them; and how one lady was dressed superbly at saratoga; and how another was scandalized for always happening to drop her fan in the vicinity of the wealthiest beaux. all this fired the quiet imagination of the good farmer's wife; and no sooner had the boarders departed to enjoy themselves in spite of heat, and dust, and fever-and-ague, than she stated her determination to follow them. 'why have we not as good a right to travel, as they have?' said she; 'they have paid us money enough to go to niagara with; and it really is a shame for people to live and die so ignorant of their own country.' 'but then we want the money to pay for that stock, which turned out unlucky, you know.' 'oh, that can be done next summer; we can always get boarders enough, and those that will pay handsomely. give the man a mortgage of the house, to keep him quiet till next summer.' 'but what will you do with the children?' 'sally is a very smart girl; i am sure she will take as good care of them as if i were at home.' to make a long story short, the farmer and his wife concluded to go to quebec, just to show they had a _right_ to put themselves to inconvenience, if they pleased. they went; spent all their money; had a watch stolen from them in the steamboat; were dreadfully sea-sick off point judith; came home tired, and dusty; found the babe sick, because sally had stood at the door with it, one chilly, damp morning, while she was feeding the chickens; and the eldest girl screaming and screeching at the thoughts of going to bed, because sally, in order to bring her under her authority, had told her a frightful 'raw-head-and-bloody-bones' story; the horse had broken into the garden, and made wretched work with the vegetables; and fifty pounds of butter had become fit for the grease-pot, because the hoops of the firkin had sprung, and sally had so much to do, that she never thought of going to see whether the butter was covered with brine. after six or eight weeks, the children were pretty well restored to orderly habits; and the wife, being really a notable and prudent woman, resolved to make up for her lost butter and vegetables, by doing without help through the winter. when summer came, they should have boarders, she said; and sure enough, they had boarders in plenty; but not profitable ones. there were forty cousins, at whose houses they had stopped; and twenty people who had been very polite to them on the way; and it being such a pleasant season, and _travelling so cheap_, everyone of these people felt they had _a right_ to take a journey; and they could not help passing a day or two with their friends at the farm. one after another came, till the farmer could bear it no longer. 'i tell you what, wife,' said he, 'i am going to jail as fast as a man can go. if there is no other way of putting a stop to this, i'll sell every bed in the house, except the one we sleep on.' and sure enough, he actually did this; and when the forty-first cousin came down on a friendly visit, on account of what her other cousins had told her about the cheapness of travelling, she was told they should be very happy to sleep on the floor, for the sake of accommodating her, for a night or two; but the truth was, they had but one bed in the house. this honest couple are now busy in paying off their debts, and laying by something for their old age. he facetiously tells how he went to new york to have his watch stolen, and his boots blacked like a looking glass; and she shows her lake george diamond ring, and tells how the steamboat was crowded, and how afraid she was the boiler would burst, and always ends by saying, 'after all, it was a toil of pleasure.' however, it is not our farmers, who are in the greatest danger of this species of extravagance; for we look to that class of people, as the strongest hold of republican simplicity, industry, and virtue. it is from adventurers, swindlers, broken down traders,--all that rapidly increasing class of idlers, too genteel to work, and too proud to beg,--that we have most reason to dread examples of extravagance. a very respectable tavern-keeper has lately been driven to establish a rule, that no customer shall be allowed to rise from the table till he pays for his meal. 'i know it is rude to give such orders to honest men,' said he, 'and three years ago i would as soon cut off my hand as have done it; but now, travelling is so cheap, that all sorts of characters are on the move; and i find more than half of them will get away, if they can, without paying a cent.' with regard to public amusements, it is still worse. rope-dancers, and opera-dancers, and all sorts of dancers, go through the country, making thousands as they go; while, from high to low, there is one universal, despairing groan of 'hard times,' 'dreadful gloomy times!' these things ought not to be. people who have little to spend, should partake sparingly of useless amusements; those who are in debt should deny themselves entirely. let me not be supposed to inculcate exclusive doctrines. i would have every species of enjoyment as open to the poor as to the rich; but i would have people consider well how they are likely to obtain the greatest portion of happiness, taking the whole of their lives into view; i would not have them sacrifice permanent respectability and comfort to present gentility and love of excitement; above all, i caution them to beware that this love of excitement does not grow into a habit, till the fireside becomes a dull place, and the gambling table and the bar-room finish what the theatre began. if men would have women economical, they must be so themselves. what motive is there for patient industry, and careful economy, when the savings of a month are spent at one trip to nahant, and more than the value of a much desired, but rejected dress, is expended during the stay of a new set of comedians? we make a great deal of talk about being republicans; if we are so in reality, we shall stay at home, to mind our business, and educate our children, so long as one or the other need our attention, or can suffer by our neglect. * * * * * philosophy and consistency. among all the fine things mrs. barbauld wrote, she never wrote anything better than her essay on the inconsistency of human expectations. 'everything,' says she, 'is marked at a settled price. our time, our labor, our ingenuity, is so much ready money, which we are to lay out to the best advantage. examine, compare, choose, reject; but stand to your own judgment; and do not, like children, when you have purchased one thing, repine that you do not possess another, which you would not purchase. would you be rich? do you think _that_ the single point worth sacrificing everything else to? you may then be rich. thousands have become so from the lowest beginnings by toil, and diligence, and attention to the minutest articles of expense and profit. but you must give up the pleasures of leisure, of an unembarrassed mind, and of a free, unsuspicious temper. you must learn to do hard, if not unjust things; and as for the embarrassment of a delicate and ingenuous spirit, it is necessary for you to get rid of it as fast as possible. you must not stop to enlarge your mind, polish your taste, or refine your sentiments; but must keep on in one beaten track, without turning aside to the right hand or the left. "but," you say, "i cannot submit to drudgery like this; i feel a spirit above it." 'tis well; be above it then; only do not repine because you are not rich. is knowledge the pearl of price in your estimation? that too may be purchased by steady application, and long, solitary hours of study and reflection. "but," says the man of letters, "what a hardship is it that many an illiterate fellow, who cannot construe the motto on his coach, shall raise a fortune, and make a figure, while i possess merely the common conveniences of life." was it for fortune, then, that you grew pale over the midnight lamp, and gave the sprightly years of youth to study and reflection? you then have mistaken your path, and ill employed your industry. "what reward have i then for all my labor?" what reward! a large comprehensive soul, purged from vulgar fears and prejudices, able to interpret the works of man and god. a perpetual spring of fresh ideas, and the conscious dignity of superior intelligence. good heaven! what other reward can you ask! "but is it not a reproach upon the economy of providence that such a one, who is a mean, dirty fellow, should have amassed wealth enough to buy half a nation?" not in the least. he made himself a mean, dirty fellow, for that very end. he has paid his health, his conscience, and his liberty for it. do you envy him his bargain? will you hang your head in his presence, because he outshines you in equipage and show? lift up your brow with a noble confidence, and say to yourself, "i have not these things, it is true; but it is because i have not desired, or sought them; it is because i possess something better. i have chosen my lot! i am content, and satisfied." the most characteristic mark of a great mind is to choose some one object, which it considers important, and pursue that object through life. if we expect the purchase, we must pay the price.' 'there is a pretty passage in one of lucian's dialogues, where jupiter complains to cupid, that, though he has had so many intrigues, he was never sincerely beloved. "in order to be loved," says cupid, "you must lay aside your aegis and your thunder-bolts; you must curl and perfume your hair, and place a garland on your head, and walk with a soft step, and assume a winning, obsequious deportment." "but," replied jupiter, "i am not willing to resign so much of my dignity." "then," returned cupid, "leave off desiring to be loved."' these remarks by mrs. barbauld are full of sound philosophy. who has not observed, in his circle of acquaintance, and in the recesses of his own heart, the same inconsistency of expectation, the same peevishness of discontent. says germanicus, 'there is my dunce of a classmate has found his way into congress, and is living amid the perpetual excitement of intellectual minds, while i am cooped up in an ignorant country parish, obliged to be at the beck and call of every old woman, who happens to feel uneasy in her mind.' 'well, germanicus, the road to political distinction was as open to you as to him; why did you not choose it?' 'oh, i could not consent to be the tool of a party; to shake hands with the vicious, and flatter fools. it would gall me to the quick to hear my opponents accuse me of actions i never committed, and of motives which worlds would not tempt me to indulge.' since germanicus is wise enough to know the whistle costs more than it is worth, is he not unreasonable to murmur because he has not bought it? matrona always wears a discontented look when she hears the praises of clio. 'i used to write her composition for her, when we were at school together,' says she; 'and now she is quite the idol of the literary world; while i am never heard of beyond my own family, unless some one happens to introduce me as the friend of clio.' 'why not write, then; and see if the world will not learn to introduce clio as the friend of matrona?' 'i write! not for the world! i could not endure to pour my soul out to an undiscerning multitude; i could not see my cherished thoughts caricatured by some soulless reviewer, and my favorite fancies expounded by the matter-of-fact editor of some stupid paper.' why does matrona envy what she knows costs so much, and is of so little value? yet so it is, through all classes of society. all of us covet some neighbor's possession, and think our lot would have been happier, had it been different from what it is. yet most of us could obtain worldly distinctions, if our habits and inclinations allowed us to pay the immense price at which they must be purchased. true wisdom lies in finding out all the advantages of a situation in which we _are_ placed, instead of imagining the enjoyments of one in which we are _not_ placed. such philosophy is rarely found. the most perfect sample i ever met was an old woman, who was apparently the poorest and most forlorn of the human species--so true is the maxim which all profess to believe, and which none act upon invariably, viz. that happiness does not depend on outward circumstances. the wise woman, to whom i have alluded, _walks_ to boston, from a distance of twenty-five or thirty miles, to sell a bag of brown thread and stockings; and then patiently foots it back again with her little gains. her dress, though tidy, is a grotesque collection of 'shreds and patches,' coarse in the extreme. 'why don't you come down in a wagon?' said i, when i observed that she was soon to become a mother, and was evidently wearied with her long journey. 'we h'an't got any horse,' replied she; 'the neighbors are very kind to me, but they can't spare their'n; and it would cost as much to hire one, as all my thread will come to.' 'you have a husband--don't he do anything for you.' 'he is a good man; he does all he can; but he's a cripple and an invalid. he reels my yarn, and _specks_ the children's shoes. he's as kind a husband as a woman need to have.' 'but his being a cripple is a heavy misfortune to you,' said i. 'why, ma'am, i don't look upon it in that light,' replied the thread-woman; 'i consider that i've great reason to be thankful he never took to any bad habits.' 'how many children have you?' 'six sons, and five _darters_, ma'am.' 'six sons and five daughters! what a family for a poor woman to support!' 'it's a family, surely, ma'am; but there an't one of 'em i'd be willing to lose. they are as good children as need to be--all willing to work, and all clever to me. even the littlest boy, when he gets a cent now and then for doing a _chore_, will be sure and bring it to ma'am.' 'do your daughters spin your thread?' 'no, ma'am; as soon as they are old enough, they go out to _sarvice_. i don't want to keep them always delving for me; they are always willing to give me what they can; but it is right and fair they should do a little for themselves. i do all my spinning after the folks are abed.' 'don't you think you should be better off, if you had no one but yourself to provide for?' 'why, no, ma'am, i don't. if i hadn't been married, i should always have had to work as hard as i could; and now i can't do more than that. my children are a great comfort to me; and i look forward to the time when they'll do as much for me as i have done for them.' here was true philosophy! i learned a lesson from that poor woman which i shall not soon forget. if i wanted true, hearty, well principled service, i would employ children brought up by such a mother. * * * * * reasons for hard times. perhaps there never was a time when the depressing effects of stagnation in business were so universally felt, all the world over, as they are now.--the merchant sends out old dollars, and is lucky if he gets the same number of new ones in return; and he who has a share in manufactures, has bought a 'bottle imp,' which he will do well to hawk about the street for the lowest possible coin. the effects of this depression must of course be felt by all grades of society. yet who that passes through cornhill at one o'clock, and sees the bright array of wives and daughters, as various in their decorations as the insects, the birds and the shells, would believe that the community was staggering under a weight which almost paralyzes its movements? 'everything is so cheap,' say the ladies, 'that it is inexcusable not to dress well.' but do they reflect _why_ things are so cheap? do they know how much wealth has been sacrificed, how many families ruined, to produce this boasted result? do they not know enough of the machinery of society, to suppose that the stunning effect of crash after crash, may eventually be felt by those on whom they depend for support? luxuries are cheaper now than necessaries were a few years since; yet it is a lamentable fact, that it costs more to live now than it did formerly. when silk was nine shillings per yard, seven or eight yards sufficed for a dress; now it is four or five shillings, sixteen or twenty yards will hardly satisfy the mantuamaker. if this extravagance were confined to the wealthiest classes, it would be productive of more good than evil. but if the rich have a new dress every fortnight, people of moderate fortune will have one every month. in this way, finery becomes the standard of respectability; and a man's cloth is of more consequence than his character. men of fixed salaries spend every cent of their income, and then leave their children to depend on the precarious charity and reluctant friendship of a world they have wasted their substance to please. men who rush into enterprise and speculation, keep up their credit by splendor; and should they sink, they and their families carry with them extravagant habits to corrode their spirits with discontent, perchance to tempt them into crime. 'i know we are extravagant,' said one of my acquaintance, the other day; 'but how can i help it? my husband does not like to see his wife and daughters dress more meanly than those with whom they associate.' 'then, my dear lady, your husband has not as much moral dignity and moral courage as i thought he had. he should be content to see his wife and daughters respected for neatness, good taste, and attractive manners.' 'this all sounds very well in talk,' replied the lady; 'but, say what you will about pleasing and intelligent girls, nobody will attend to them unless they dress in the fashion. if my daughters were to dress in the plain, neat style you recommend, they would see all their acquaintance asked to dance more frequently than themselves, and not a gentleman would join them in cornhill.' 'i do not believe this in so extensive a sense as you do. girls may appear genteelly without being extravagant, and though some fops may know the most approved color for a ribbon, or the newest arrangement for trimming, i believe gentlemen of real character merely notice whether a lady's dress is generally in good taste, or not. but, granting your statement to be true, in its widest sense, of what consequence is it? how much will the whole happiness of your daughter's life be affected by her dancing some fifty times less than her companions, or wasting some few hours less in the empty conversation of coxcombs? a man often admires a style of dress, which he would not venture to support in a wife. extravagance has prevented many marriages, and rendered still more unhappy. and should your daughters fail in forming good connexions, what have you to leave them, save extravagant habits, too deeply rooted to be eradicated. think you those who now laugh at them for a soiled glove, or an unfashionable ribbon, will assist their poverty, or cheer their neglected old age? no; they would find them as cold and selfish as they are vain. a few thousands in the bank are worth all the fashionable friends in christendom.' whether my friend was convinced, or not, i cannot say; but i saw her daughters in cornhill, the next week, with new french hats and blonde veils. it is really melancholy to see how this fever of extravagance rages, and how it is sapping the strength of our happy country. it has no bounds; it pervades all ranks, and characterizes all ages. i know the wife of a pavier, who spends her three hundred a year in 'outward adorning,' and who will not condescend to speak to her husband, while engaged in his honest calling. mechanics, who should have too high a sense of their own respectability to resort to such pitiful competition, will indulge their daughters in dressing like the wealthiest; and a domestic would certainly leave you, should you dare advise her to lay up one cent of her wages. 'these things ought not to be.' every man and every woman should lay up some portion of their income, whether that income be great or small. * * * * * how to endure poverty. that a thorough, religious, _useful_ education is the best security against misfortune, disgrace and poverty, is universally believed and acknowledged; and to this we add the firm conviction, that, when poverty comes (as it sometimes will) upon the prudent, the industrious, and the well-informed, a judicious education is all-powerful in enabling them to _endure_ the evils it cannot always _prevent_. a mind full of piety and knowledge is always rich; it is a bank that never fails; it yields a perpetual dividend of happiness. in a late visit to the alms-house at ----, we saw a remarkable evidence of the truth of this doctrine. mrs. ---- was early left an orphan. she was educated by an uncle and aunt, both of whom had attained the middle age of life. theirs was an industrious, well-ordered, and cheerful family. her uncle was a man of sound judgment, liberal feelings, and great knowledge of human nature. this he showed by the education of the young people under his care. he allowed them to waste no time; every moment must be spent in learning something, or in doing something. he encouraged an entertaining, lively style of conversation, but discountenanced all remarks about persons, families, dress, and engagements; he used to say, parents were not aware how such topics frittered away the minds of young people, and what inordinate importance they learned to attach to them, when they heard them constantly talked about. in his family, sunday was a happy day; for it was made a day of religious instruction, without any unnatural constraint upon the gayety of the young. the bible was the text book; the places mentioned in it were traced on maps; the manners and customs of different nations were explained; curious phenomena in the natural history of those countries were read; in a word, everything was done to cherish a spirit of humble, yet earnest inquiry. in this excellent family mrs. ---- remained till her marriage. in the course of fifteen years, she lost her uncle, her aunt, and her husband. she was left destitute, but supported herself comfortably by her own exertions, and retained the respect and admiration of a large circle of friends. thus she passed her life in cheerfulness and honor during ten years; at the end of that time, her humble residence took fire from an adjoining house in the night time, and she escaped by jumping from the chamber window. in consequence of the injury received by this fall, her right arm was amputated, and her right leg became entirely useless. her friends were very kind and attentive; and for a short time she consented to live on their bounty; but, aware that the claims on private charity are very numerous, she, with the genuine independence of a strong mind, resolved to avail herself of the public provision for the helpless poor. the name of going to the alms-house had nothing terrifying or disgraceful to _her_; for she had been taught that _conduct_ is the real standard of respectability. she is there, with a heart full of thankfulness to the giver of all things; she is patient, pious, and uniformly cheerful. she instructs the young, encourages the old, and makes herself delightful to all, by her various knowledge and entertaining conversation. her character reflects dignity on her situation; and those who visit the establishment, come away with sentiments of respect and admiration for this voluntary resident of the alms-house. * * * * * what a contrast is afforded by the character of the woman who occupies the room next hers! she is so indolent and filthy, that she can with difficulty be made to attend to her own personal comfort; and even the most patient are worn out with her perpetual fretfulness. her mind is continually infested with envy, hatred, and discontent she thinks providence has dealt hardly with her; that all the world are proud and ungrateful; and that every one despises her because she is in the alms-house. this pitiable state of mind is the natural result of her education. her father was a respectable mechanic, and might have been a wealthy one, had he not been fascinated by the beauty of a thoughtless, idle, showy girl, whom he made his wife. the usual consequences followed--he could not earn money so fast as she could spend it; the house became a scene of discord; the daughter dressed in the fashion; learned to play on the piano; was taught to think that being engaged in any useful employment was very ungenteel; and that to be _engaged to be married_ was the chief end and aim of woman; the father died a bankrupt; the weak and frivolous mother lingered along in beggary, for a while, and then died of vexation and shame. the friends of the family were very kind to the daughter; but her extreme indolence, her vanity, pertness, and ingratitude, finally exhausted the kindness of the most generous and forbearing; and as nothing could induce her to personal exertion, she was at length obliged to take shelter in the alms-house. here her misery is incurable. she has so long been accustomed to think dress and parade the necessary elements of happiness, that she despises all that is done for her comfort; her face has settled into an expression which looks like an imbodied growl; every body is tired of listening to her complaints; and even the little children run away, when they see her coming. may not those who have children to educate, learn a good lesson from these women? those who have wealth, have recently had many and bitter lessons to prove how suddenly riches may take to themselves wings; and those who _certainly_ have but little to leave, should indeed beware how they bestow upon their children, the accursed inheritance of indolent and extravagant habits. * * * * * appendix to the american frugal housewife. those sentences marked with a star relate to subjects mentioned in other parts of the book. to preserve green currants.--currants maybe kept fresh for a year or more, if they are gathered when green, separated from the stems, put into dry, clean junk bottles, and corked very carefully, so as to exclude the air. they should be kept in a cool place in the cellar. candles.--very hard and durable candles are made in the following manner: melt together ten ounces of mutton tallow, a quarter of an ounce of camphor, four ounces of beeswax, and two ounces of alum. candles made of these materials burn with a very clear light. *varnished furniture.--if you wish to give a fine soft polish to varnished furniture, and remove any slight imperfections, rub it once or twice a week with pulverized rotten-stone and linseed oil, and afterward wipe clean with a soft silk rag. cream.--the quantity of cream on milk may be greatly increased by the following process: have two pans ready in boiling hot water, and when the new milk is brought in, put it into one of these hot pans and cover it with the other. the quality as well as the thickness of the cream is improved. *teeth.--honey mixed with pure pulverized charcoal is said to be excellent to cleanse the teeth, and make them white. lime-water with a little peruvian bark is very good to be occasionally used by those who have defective teeth, or an offensive breath. tainted butter.--some good cooks say that bad butter may be purified in the following manner: melt and skim it, then put into it a piece of _well-toasted_ bread; in a few minutes the butter will lose its offensive taste and smell; the bread will absorb it all. slices of potato fried in rancid lard will in a great measure absorb the unpleasant taste. tomatoes pie.--tomatoes make excellent pies. skins taken off with scalding water, stewed twenty minutes or more, salted, prepared the same as rich squash pies, only an egg or two more. *it is a great improvement to the flavor of pumpkin pies to boil the milk, stir the sifted pumpkin into it, and let them boil up together once or twice. the pumpkin swells almost as much as indian meal, and of course absorbs more milk than when stirred together cold; but the taste of the pie is much improved. some people cut pumpkin, string it, and dry it like apples. it is a much better way to boil and sift the pumpkin, then spread it out thin in tin plates, and dry hard in a warm oven. it will keep good all the year round, and a little piece boiled up in milk will make a batch of pies. *most people think brass kettles for washing are not as likely to collect verdigris, if they are never cleaned in any other way than by washing in strong soap suds just before they are used. ink spots.--if soaked in warm milk before the ink has a chance to dry, the spot may usually be removed. if it has dried in, rub table-salt upon it, and drop lemon-juice upon the salt. this answers nearly as well as the salts of lemon sold by apothecaries. if a lemon cannot be easily procured, vinegar, or sorrel-juice, will answer. white soap diluted with vinegar is likewise a good thing to take out ink spots. starch.--frozen potatoes yield more flour for starch than fresh ones. the frost may be taken out by soaking them in cold water a few hours before cooking; if frozen very hard, it may be useful to throw a little saltpetre into the water. feathers.--it is said that tumbled plumes may be restored to elasticity and beauty by dipping them in hot water, then shaking and drying them. icy steps.--salt strewed upon the door-steps in winter will cause the ice to crack, so that it can be easily removed. flowers.--flowers may be preserved fresh in tumblers or vases by putting a handful of salt in the water, to increase its coldness. white-washing is said to last longer if the new-slaked lime be mixed with skim-milk. horse-flies.--indigo-weed stuck plentifully about the harness tends to keep flies from horses. some make a decoction of indigo-weed, and others of pennyroyal, and bathe horses with it, to defend them from insects. pine apples will keep much better if the green crown at top be twisted off. the vegetation of the crown takes the goodness from the fruit, in the same way that sprouts injure vegetables. the crown can be stuck on for ornament, if necessary. *the piles.--those who have tried other remedies for this disorder in vain, have found relief from the following medicine: stew a handful of low mallows in about three gills of milk; strain it, and mix about half the quantity of west india molasses with it. as warm as is agreeable. warts.--it is said that if the top of a wart be wet and rubbed two or three times a day with a piece of unslaked lime, it cures the wart soon, and leaves no scar. *cancers.--the indians have great belief in the efficacy of poultices of stewed cranberries, for the relief of _cancers_. they apply them fresh and warm every ten or fifteen minutes, night and day. whether this will effect a cure i know not; i simply know that the indians strongly recommend it. salts, or some simple physic, is taken every day during the process. ear-wax.--nothing is better than ear-wax to prevent the painful effects resulting from a wound by a nail, skewer, &c. it should be put on as soon as possible. those who are troubled with cracked lips have found this remedy successful when others have failed. it is one of those sorts of cures, which are very likely to be laughed at; but i know of its having produced very beneficial results. *burns.--if a person who is burned will _patiently_ hold the injured part in water, it will prevent the formation of a blister. if the water be too cold, it may be slightly warmed, and produce the same effect. people in general are not willing to try it for a sufficiently long time. chalk and hog's lard simmered together are said to make a good ointment for a burn. *bruises.--constant application of warm water is very soothing to bruised flesh, and may serve to prevent bad consequences while other things are in preparation. sore nipples.--put twenty grains of sugar of lead into a vial with one gill of rose-water; shake it up thoroughly; wet a piece of soft linen with this preparation, and put it on; renew this as often as the linen becomes dry. before nursing, wash this off with something soothing; rose-water is very good; but the best thing is quince-seed warmed in a little cold tea until the liquid becomes quite glutinous. this application is alike healing and pleasant. a raw onion is an excellent remedy for the sting of a wasp. corns.--a corn may be extracted from the foot by binding on half a raw cranberry, with the cut side of the fruit upon the foot. i have known a very old and troublesome corn drawn out in this way, in the course of a few nights. heart-burn.--eat magnesia for the heart-burn. chloride of lime.--a room may be purified from offensive smells of any kind by a few spoonsful of chloride of lime dissolved in water. a good-sized saucer, or some similar vessel, is large enough for all common purposes. the article is cheap, and is invaluable in the apartment of an invalid. eggs in winter.--the reason hens do not usually lay eggs in the winter is that the gravel is covered up with snow, and therefore they are not furnished with lime to form the shells. if the bones left of meat, poultry, &c. are pounded and mixed with their food, or given to them alone, they will eat them very eagerly, and will lay eggs the same as in summer. hens fed on oats are much more likely to lay well than those fed on corn. pearls.--in order to preserve the beauty of pearl ornaments, they should be carefully kept from dampness. a piece of paper torn off and rolled up, so as to present a soft, ragged edge, is the best thing to cleanse them with. varnishing gilded frames.--it is said that looking-glass frames may be cleansed with a damp cloth, without injury, provided they are varnished with the _pure white alcoholic varnish_, used for transferred engravings and other delicate articles of fancy-work. this would save the trouble of covering and uncovering picture-frames with the change of the seasons. i never heard how many coats of varnish were necessary, but i should think it would be safe to put on more than one. cologne water.--one pint of alcohol, sixty drops of lavender, sixty drops of bergamot, sixty drops of essence of lemon, sixty drops of orange water. to be corked up, and well shaken. it is better for considerable age. grease spots.--magnesia rubbed upon the spot, covered with clean paper, and a warm iron placed above, will usually draw out grease. where a considerable quantity of oil has been spilled, it will be necessary to repeat the operation a great many times, in order to extract it all. receipt for making excellent bread without yeast.--scald about two handsful of indian meal, into which put a little salt, and as much cold water as will make it rather warmer than new milk; then stir in wheat flour, till it is as thick as a family pudding, and set it down by the fire to rise. in about half an hour, it generally grows thin; you may sprinkle a little fresh flour on the top, and mind to turn the pot round, that it may not bake to the side of it. in three or four hours, if you mind the above directions, it will rise and ferment as if you had set it with hop yeast; when it does, make it up in soft dough, flour a pan, put in your bread, set it before the fire, covered up, turn it round to make it equally warm, and in about half an hour it will be light enough to bake. it suits best to bake in a dutch oven, as it should be put into the oven as soon as it is light. rice jelly.--boil a quarter of a pound of rice flour with half a pound of loaf sugar, in a quart of water, till the whole becomes one glutinous mass, then strain off the jelly and let it stand to cool. this food is very nourishing and beneficial to invalids. apple marmalade.--scald apples till they will pulp from the core; take an equal weight of sugar in large lumps, and boil it in just water enough to dip the lumps well, until it can be skimmed, and is a thick syrup; mix this with the apple pulp, and simmer it on a quick fire for fifteen minutes. keep it in pots covered with paper dipped in brandy. quince marmalade.--to two pounds of quince put three quarters of a pound of nice sugar, and a pint of spring water. boil them till they are tender; then take them up and bruise them; again put them in the liquor, and let them boil three quarters of an hour, then put it into jars, covered as mentioned above. those who like things very sweet put an equal quantity of quince and sugar; but i think the flavor is less delicious. raspberry jam.--take an equal quantity of fruit and sugar. put the raspberries into a pan, boil and stir them constantly till juicy and well broken; add as much sugar, boil and skim it till it is reduced to a fine jam. put it away in the same manner as other preserves. blanc-manger.--boil two ounces of isinglass in one pint and a half of new milk; strain it into one pint of thick cream. sweeten it to your taste, add one cup of rose-water, boil it up once, let it settle, and put it in your moulds. some prefer to boil two ounces of isinglass in three and a half pints of water for half an hour, then strain it to one pint and a half of cream, sweeten it, add a teacup of rose-water, and boil up once. isinglass is the most expensive ingredient in blanc-manger. some decidedly prefer the jelly of calves' feet. the jelly is obtained by boiling four feet in a gallon of water till reduced to a quart, strained, cooled, and skimmed. a pint of jelly to a pint of cream; in other respects done the same as isinglass blanc-manger. some boil a stick of cinnamon, or a grated lemon-peel, in the jelly. the moulds should be made thoroughly clean, and wet with cold water; the white of an egg, dropped in and shook round the moulds, will make it come out smooth and handsomely. pork jelly.--some people like the jelly obtained from a boiled hand of pork, or the feet of pork, prepared in the same way as calf's-foot jelly; for which see page . the cloths, or jelly-bags, through which jelly is strained, should be first wet to prevent waste. cranberry jelly.--mix isinglass jelly, or calf's-foot jelly, with a double quantity of cranberry juice, sweeten it with fine loaf sugar, boil it up once, and strain it to cool. rich custards.--boil a pint of milk with lemon-peel and a stick of cinnamon. while it is boiling, beat up the yolks of five eggs with a pint of cream. when the milk tastes of the spice, pour it to the cream, stirring well; sweeten it to taste. give the custard a simmer, till of a proper thickness, but do not let it boil. stir the whole time one way. season it with a little rose-water, and a few spoonsful of wine or brandy, as you may prefer. when put into cups, grate on nutmeg. to preserve peaches.--scald peaches in boiling water, but do not let them boil; take them out and put them in cold water, then dry them in a sieve, and put them in long, wide-mouthed bottles. to a half dozen peaches put a quarter of a pound of clarified sugar; pour it over the peaches, fill up the bottles with brandy, and stop them close. cocoa-nut cakes.--grate the meat of two cocoa-nuts, after pealing off the dark skin; allow an equal weight of loaf sugar, pounded and sifted, and the rind and juice of two lemons. mix the ingredients well; make into cakes about as big as a nutmeg, with a little piece of citron in each. bake them on buttered tin sheets about twenty minutes, in a moderately hot oven. *to clarify sugar.--put half a pint of water to a pound of sugar; whip up the white of an egg and stir it in, and put it over the fire. when it first boils up, check it with a little cold water; the second time set it away to cool. in a quarter of an hour, skim the top, and turn the syrup off quickly, so as to leave the sediment which will collect at the bottom. *rich wedding cake.--one pound three quarters of flour, one pound one quarter of butter, do. of sugar, one dozen eggs, two pounds of currants, one gill of wine, half a gill of brandy, one pound of citron, cut in slices, a wine-glass of rose-water, three quarters of an ounce of nutmeg, quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of allspice. the rind of two lemons grated in. see page for baking. still richer wedding cake.--three pounds of flour, three pounds of butter, three pounds of sugar, twenty-eight eggs, six pounds of currants, and six pounds of seeded raisins; one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of nutmeg, three quarters of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of mace, one pound of citron, two glasses of brandy, two glasses of rose-water, and one glass of wine. for baking, see page . *frosting for cake.--it is a great improvement to squeeze a little lemon-juice into the egg and sugar prepared for frosting. it gives a fine flavor, and makes it extremely white. for frosting, see directions, page . whip syllabub.--one pint of cream, one pint of wine, the juice and grated peel of a lemon, and the white of two eggs; sweeten it to your taste, put it into a deep vessel, and whip it to a light froth. fill your glasses with the froth as it rises. it is a good plan to put some of the froth in a sieve, over a dish, and have it in readiness to heap upon the top of your glasses after you have filled them. some people put a spoonful of marmalade or jelly at the bottom of the glasses, before they are filled. lobster salad.--the meat of one lobster is extracted from the shell, and cut up fine. have fresh hard lettuce cut up very fine; mix it with the lobster. make a dressing, in a deep plate, of the yolks of four eggs cut up, a gill of sweet oil, a gill of vinegar, half a gill of mustard, half a teaspoonful of cayenne, half a teaspoonful of salt; all mixed well together. to be prepared just before eaten. chicken salad is prepared in the same way, only chicken is used instead of lobster, and celery instead of lettuce. escaloped oysters.--put crumbled bread around the sides and bottom of a buttered dish. put oysters in a skillet, and let the heat just strike them through; then take them out of the shells, and rinse them thoroughly in the water they have stewed in. put half of them on the layer of crumbled bread, and season with mace and pepper; cover them with crumbs of bread and bits of butter; put in the rest of the oysters, season and cover them in the same way. strain their liquor, and pour over. if you fear they will be too salt, put fresh water instead. bake fifteen or twenty minutes. fried oysters.--after they are prepared from the shell, they are dipped in batter, made of eggs and crumbs, seasoned with nutmeg, mace and salt, stirred up well. fried in lard till brown. vegetable oyster.--this vegetable is something like a parsnip; is planted about the same time, ripens about the same time, and requires about the same cooking. it is said to taste very much like real oysters. it is cut in pieces, after being boiled, dipped in batter, and fried in the same way. it is excellent mixed with minced salt fish. partridges should be roasted ten or fifteen minutes longer than chickens, that is, provided they are thick-breasted and plump. being naturally dry, they should be plentifully basted with butter. * * * * * extracts from the _english_ frugal housewife. [it was the intention of the author of the _american_ frugal housewife, to have given an appendix from the _english_ frugal housewife; but upon examination, she found the book so little fitted to the wants of this country, that she has been able to extract but little.] cheese is to be chosen by its moist, smooth coat; if old cheese be rough-coated, ragged, or dry at top, beware of worms. if it be over-full of holes, moist and spongy, it is subject to maggots. if soft or perished places appear, try how deep they go, for the worst part may be hidden. eggs.--to prove whether they are good or bad, hold the large end of the egg to your tongue; if it feels warm, it is new; but if cold, it is bad. in proportion to the heat or cold, is the goodness of the egg. another way to know is to put the egg in a pan of cold water; the fresher the egg, the sooner it will fall to the bottom; if rotten, it will swim. if you keep your eggs in ashes, salt or bran, put the small end downwards; if you turn them endways once a week, they will keep some months. veal.--if the vein in the shoulder look blue or bright red, it is newly killed; but if black, green, or yellow, it is stale. the leg is known to be new by the stiffness of the joint. the head of a calf or a lamb is known by the eyes; if sunk or wrinkled, it is stale; if plump and lively, it is fresh. mutton.--if it be young, the flesh will pinch tender; if old, it will wrinkle and remain so. if young, the fat will easily part from the lean; if old, it will stick by strings and skins. strong, rancid mutton feels spongy, and does not rise again easily, when dented. the flesh of ewe mutton is paler, of a closer grain, and parts more easily. beef.--good beef has an open grain, and a tender, oily smoothness; a pleasant carnation color, and clear white suet, betoken good meat; yellow suet is not so good. pork.--if young, the lean will break in pinching, and if you nip the skin with your nails, it will make a dent; the fat will be soft and pulpy, like lard. if the lean be tough, and the fat flabby and spongy, feeling rough, it is old, especially if the rind be stubborn, and you cannot nip it with your nails. little kernels, like nail-shot, in the fat, are a sign that it is measly, and dangerous to be eaten. to judge of the age of poultry, see page . * * * * * carving. [written for the _american_ frugal housewife.] to carve a turkey.--fix the fork firmly on one side of the thin bone that rises in the centre of the breast; the fork should be placed _parallel_ with the bone, and as close to it as possible. cut the meat from the breast lengthwise, in slices of about half an inch in thickness. then turn the turkey upon the side nearest you, and cut off the leg and the wing; when the knife is passed between the limbs and the body, and pressed outward, the joint will be easily perceived. then turn the turkey on the other side, and cut off the other leg and wing. separate the drum-sticks from the leg-bones, and the pinions from the wings; it is hardly possible to mistake the joint. cut the stuffing in thin slices, lengthwise. take off the neck-bones, which are two triangular bones on each side of the breast; this is done by passing the knife from the back under the blade-part of each neck-bone, until it reaches the end; by raising the knife, the other branch will easily crack off. separate the carcass from the back by passing the knife lengthwise from the neck downward. turn the back upwards, and lay the edge of the knife across the back-bone, about midway between the legs and wings; at the same moment, place the fork within the lower part of the turkey, and lift it up; this will make the back-bone crack at the knife. the croup, or lower part of the back, being cut off, put it on the plate, with the rump from you, and split off the side-bones by forcing the knife through from the rump to the other end. the choicest parts of a turkey are the side-bones, the breast, and the thigh-bones. the breast and wings are called light meat; the thigh-bones and side-bones dark meat. when a person declines expressing a preference, it is polite to help to both kinds. a sirloin of beef.--place the curving bone downward upon the dish. cut the outside lengthwise, separating _each slice_ from the chine-bone, with the point of the knife. some people cut through at the chine, slip the knife under, and cut the meat out in one mass, which they afterward cut in slices; but this is not the best, or the most proper way. the tender loin is on the inside; it is to be cut crosswise. a ham.--begin in the middle of a ham; cut across the bone, and take thin slices from either side. a goose.--a goose is carved nearly as a turkey, only the breast should be cut in slices narrow and nearly square, instead of broad, like that of turkey; and before passing the knife to separate the legs and wings, the fork is to be placed in the small end of the leg-bone or pinion, and the part pressed close to the body, when the separation will be easy. take off the merrythought, the neck-bones, and separate the leg-bones from the legs, and the pinions from the wings. the best parts are the breast, the thigh-bones, and the fleshy parts of the wings. a pig.--if the pig be whole, cut off the head, and split it in halves along the back-bone. separate the shoulders and legs by passing the knife under them in a circular direction. the best parts are the triangular piece of the neck, the ribs, legs and shoulders. a fillet of veal.--this is the thick part of the leg, and is to be cut smooth, round and close to the bone. some prefer the outside piece. a little fat cut from the skirt is to be served to each plate. mutton.--a saddle of mutton is the two loins together, and the back-bone running down the middle to the tail. slices are to be cut out parallel to the back-bone on either side. in a leg of mutton, the knife is to be entered in the thick fleshy part, as near the shank as will give a good slice. cut towards the large end, and always to the bone. index. page advice, general, to alamode beef, apple pie, apple pudding, apple water, arrow-root jelly, ashes, care of, ashes for land, asparagus, balm of gilead, batter pudding, beans and peas, cooked, bed-bug poison, beef, cooked, beef, corned, beef, salted, beef soup, beef tea, beer, bees, sting of, bird's nest pudding, bleeding wounds, blisters of burns broken, bottles of rose-water, bottles, vials, &c., brass andirons, &c., brass kettles, brasses in summer, bread, yeast, &c., to bread pudding, brine, , , britannia ware, brooms, broth, bruises, buffalo's tongue, burdock leaves, burns, butter, cabbages, cakes, to calf's-foot jelly, calf's head, cancers, canker, carpets, carrot pie, castor oil, boiled, catsup, celery, cement, cheapest pieces of meat, to cheeses, , cherry pie, cherry pudding, chickens, chicken broth, chicken fricasseed, chicken pie, chilblains, chocolate, cholera morbus, , chopped hands, chowder, cider cake, clams, clothes line, &c., clothes washed, cockroaches, cod, coffee, colds, , coloring, to combs, , cooling ointments, , corn, coughs, , court plaster, cranberry pie, cranberry pudding, croup, or quincy, cucumbers, cucumbers, pickled, cup cake, currant jelly, currant-leaf tea, currant wine, curry fowl, custards, cheap, custard pie, custard pudding, cut wounds, dandelions, diet bread, dish-water, dough nuts, ducks, dye stuffs, to dysentery, , , dyspepsia, , , dyspepsia bread, ear-ache, earthen ware, education of daughters, eggs, egg gruel, election cake, elixir proprietatis, faded carpets, cloth, &c., feathers, and feather beds, fevers, , fish, fried, fish, salt, , flour pudding, fresh meat in summer, , fresh wounds, fried pork and apples, fritters, or flatjacks, furniture, geese, gingerbread, ginger beer, glass, cut, glass stoppers, gloves, white, , gold cleansed, gravy for fish, gravy for meat, gravy for poultry, green peas, gruel, haddock, , hair, hams, cured, , hasty pudding, head-ache, , hearths, herbs, to honey, horseradish, horseradish leaves, how to endure poverty, icing for cake, indian cakes, , indian puddings, inflamed wounds, inflammation, iron, ironing, jaundice, knife handles, knives, washed, lamb, cooked, lard, , leaven, lemon brandy, lemon syrup, lettuce, loaf cake, lobster, lockjaw, mackerel, , , mangoes, marble fireplaces, martinoes, mats for the table, mattresses, maxims for health, to meal, meat, choice of, to meat, corned and salted, to meat pie, meat in summer, , milk porridge, mince meat, mince pies, molasses, , mortification, moths, mutton, corned and dried, mutton and lamb, cooked, nasturtion-seed, pickled, navarino bonnets, nerves, excited, night sweats, ointment of elder buds, ointment of ground worms, ointment of house leek, ointment of lard, ointment of lard and sulphur, oil, sweet, old clothes, onions, , ovens, heated, pancakes, paper, parsnips, pastry, peas, dry, peas, green, philosophy and consistency, pickles, , pictures, covered, pie crust, pig, roasted, pigeons, piles, , plum puddings, potatoes, potato cheese, pork, cooked, pork, salted, poultry, injured, poultry, young or old, preserves, provisions, prunes, stewed, puddings, to pump handle, pumpkin pie, rags, , raspberry shrub, rattlesnake-bite, reasons for hard times, red ants, rennet pudding, rhubarb or persian apple pie, rice bread, rice pudding, ring-worms, run rounds, rusty crape, rusty silk, rye paste, sage jelly, salt fish, salt fish, warmed, sauces for pudding, sausages, short cake, silk, washed, sinews, contracted, soap, , soda powders, sore mouth, sore throat, soup, souse, sponge cake, spots on furniture, cloth, &c., sprain, squashes, , squash pie, starch, stewed prunes, sting of bees, stockings, straw beds, straw carpets, suet, sweet marjoram, swellings, tapioca jelly, tea, tea cake, teeth, throat distemper, toe nails, tomatoes, tongue, , tooth-ache, tortoise-shell combs, towels, travelling and public amusements, tripe, turkeys, vapor bath, veal, cooked, vegetables, to vials, vinegar, walnuts, pickled, wash-leather gloves, water, purified, water, soft, wax, wedding cake, wens, white kid gloves, , whortleberry pie, whortleberry pudding, wicks of lamps, candles, &c., wine whey, woollens, washed, woollen yarn, worms, yeast, , appendix. apple marmalade, beef, blanc manger, brass kettles, bread without yeast, bruises, burns, butter, tainted, cancers, candles, carving, directions for, , cheese, chloride of lime, cocoa-nut cakes, cologne water, corns, cranberry jelly, cream, currants, green, preserved, custards, rich, ear-wax, eggs, eggs in winter, feathers, flowers, frosting for cake, furniture, grease spots, heart-burn, horse-flies, icy steps, ink spots, lobster salad, mutton, oysters escaloped and fried, oysters, vegetable, partridges, peaches, preserved, pearls, piles, pine apples, pork, pork jelly, pumpkin pies, pumpkin, dried, quince marmalade, raspberry jam, rice jelly, sore nipples, starch, sugar, clarified, , teeth, tomatoes pie, varnishing gilded frames, veal, warts, wasp-sting, wedding cake, rich, , whips, white-washing, none scanned images of public domain material from the google print archive. the fun of cooking [illustration: "such a perfectly lovely picnic!"] the fun of cooking a story for boys and girls by caroline french benton author of "a little cook book for a little girl," "margaret's saturday mornings," etc. with illustrations by sarah k. smith [illustration] new york the century co. copyright, , , by the century co. to dear little katharine the fifth contents chapter page i the day before christmas ii supper at the house in the woods iii jack's school luncheons iv the birthday picnic v sunday night supper vi mildred's school party vii strawberry time viii in camp ix in camp, continued x jams and jelly xi a hallowe'en supper xii when mother blair was sick xiii a doll-and-little-girl party xiv when norah was away xv thanksgiving day supper xvi candy for the fair xvii examination day index list of illustrations "such a lovely picnic" _frontispiece_ jack fried the "cheese dreams" brownie and mildred making "chocolate crackers" making "orange baskets" arranging a small round tray in front of her mother's place she looked carefully in the oven through a tiny crack the refreshments were perfectly delicious, everybody said "here comes jack with the berries, just in time" the first supper in camp jack gets breakfast the next day was perfect for fishing roasting corn over a bed of coals "but, norah, if you can't begin till you know how" "i am so proud i want everybody to see my jam" "this candy ought to be at least a dollar a pound" selling candy at the christmas fair the fun of cooking chapter i the day before christmas the blairs were a particularly nice family. that is what the neighbors always said of them, and, to tell the truth, the blairs believed it. that is, the father and mother thought the children were particularly nice, and the children thought their father and mother and each other particularly nice; and so, of course, they all must have been very nice indeed. saturdays and sundays and vacation days were all holidays to them, and they did such interesting things, and laughed so much as they did them, that everybody said, "what good times those blairs do have!" jack and mildred blair were named after their father and mother, and brownie, whose real name was katharine, was named for her grandmother; so to avoid getting everybody mixed, the children were called the junior blairs by everybody. now it happened that there were ever so many uncles and aunts and cousins who were blairs, too, but most of them lived a long way off, and they were very seldom able to get together for a family party; but this winter, ten of them were coming to spend christmas with the real blairs, and, as five of them were between fourteen and twelve, the ages of mildred and jack, and some more about nine, like brownie, they were all planning to have the very nicest sort of a time, and everybody was as excited as could be. christmas was only two days away, when, suddenly, it began to snow. and how it snowed! the flakes came down steadily hour after hour, and soon the sidewalks were covered, and the steps were buried, and the piles of snow almost covered the gate. everybody said that all the trains were delayed; and it was not long before the little blairs began to whisper, "whatever shall we do if they can't get here in time for christmas?" mother blair guessed what the trouble was, and said cheerfully that, of course, the snow would stop falling before long, and the trains would be on time in the morning. "and a beautiful white christmas is the loveliest thing in the world," she added. but the children looked out of the window and were afraid, deep down in their hearts, that something dreadful might happen. "if we only had something nice to do right now," groaned jack, "so we could forget the snow. but we can't trim the tree till everybody comes to help, and the presents are all tied up, and there isn't anything christmasy to do that _i_ can think of." "why not cook?" suggested mother blair, "there are lots of things to make--christmas things, you know." mildred began to brighten up. "if we could cook things all alone, i'd like that," she said. "boys don't cook," jack said scornfully, still looking out of the window. "boys make pop-corn, though," laughed his mother. "and then suppose you make that up into nice balls, and have them all ready when the cousins come. and, mildred, i think norah would give you and brownie one corner of the kitchen, and let you cook all by yourselves." so jack took the corn-popper and went down to the furnace, and when he opened the door, he found a great bed of red coals waiting for him; and mildred and brownie put on their big gingham aprons and went out into the kitchen. [illustration: the christmas cakes] underneath the large table was a smaller one; this mother blair pulled out and pushed across the room to an empty place. then she wrote out very plainly a little receipt, and under this she explained exactly how to put things together; this she pinned on the wall over the table. "there!" she said. "now you can go right to work." this was what was on the paper: christmas cakes / cup of butter. / cup of sugar. / cup of milk. egg. cup of flour. teaspoonful of baking-powder. / teaspoonful of vanilla. put the butter and sugar in a bowl, and rub them together till smooth and creamy. beat the egg without separating it, and put that in next; beat all together, then add the milk, a little at a time. put a rounded spoonful of baking-powder in the flour and stir it well, and add that slowly, mixing as you do it; and, last, put in the vanilla. grease some little scalloped tins, and fill them half full; bake till brown. mildred rubbed the butter and sugar while brownie beat the egg; they took turns putting in the other things, and, last, norah set the tins in the oven for them. then the two girls rushed into the sitting-room and said, "that's all done, mother blair! now something else to cook, please!" "but don't forget to watch your cakes," said mother blair, as she handed them a second receipt. "open the oven door every little while just enough to peek in at them; if you forget them, they will surely burn." the second receipt was for oatmeal macaroons cups of rolled oats. - / teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / teaspoonful of salt. level tablespoonfuls of butter. cup of sugar. eggs, beaten separately. teaspoonful of vanilla. put the butter and sugar in a bowl and cream them; beat the yolks of the eggs, put them in, and beat again; mix the oatmeal with the baking-powder and salt, and add this next, a little at a time; then put in the vanilla, and, last, the stiff whites of the eggs. have ready a shallow pan, greased, and drop the batter on this in tiny bits, no larger than the end of your thumb, and two inches apart. bake in an oven that is not very hot. when they are brown on the edges, they are done; remove them from the pan while they are still warm. while mildred was mixing these, brownie took a last peep into the oven, and found the cakes were baked. norah helped her take them out, and she herself took them from the pans and put them on a platter to cool. then it was not long before the first panful of macaroons was done, too, and these came out all crisp and delicious. just as they were finishing them, their mother came out into the kitchen. "oh, how lovely!" she exclaimed, "i never, never saw anything so good as those macaroons. perfectly delicious!" "but see the scalloped cakes, mother," said brownie. "aren't they lovely, too?" "lovely? of course they are. and i've such a bright idea about those cakes, too!" "oh, what?" cried both the girls together, because mother blair's bright ideas were always particularly nice, just like herself. "i've been looking over the boxes of christmas candy, and i find we have lots of candied cherries. and, norah, you had some of the citron left from the plum-pudding, hadn't you?" norah said she had a large piece put away. "well, then, suppose we cut the citron into thin slices, and cut those up into little bits of green leaves, and cut some of the cherries into tiny bits to look like berries; then we will ice the little cakes and around each one, right on top, we will make a green holly wreath with holly berries in it. won't those be pretty?" "oh, mother, let me, let me!" brownie begged. "very well, you make the leaves and berries, while mildred ices the cakes," said mother blair. so while mildred mixed the icing, brownie took some small scissors and cut up the citron and the cherries. at first her scissors bothered her by getting sticky, but norah showed her how to dip them in water often and wipe them dry, and after she tried that way, she had no trouble. mildred's rule for icing was this: icing the white of one egg. teaspoonful of cold water. cup of powdered sugar. / teaspoonful of flavoring. put the white of the egg in a bowl, add the water, and beat till light; stir in the sifted sugar and the flavoring, and spread on the cakes while they are still a little warm; smooth over with the blade of a knife. after the cakes were iced, the leaves were laid in a wreath around the edges, with the tiny red berries among them; and they were the prettiest things for christmas anybody ever saw. when, at last, they were put away, norah told them she had some bits of pie-crust left over from her mince-pies that they could have, if they wanted it. brownie dashed into the hall, shouting, "mother, mother! what can we make with pie-crust? norah says we can have some." "tartlets," called mother blair from upstairs. and when brownie ran up for it she gave her this receipt: tartlets flour the pastry board; roll out some pie-crust very thin, and press it into little scalloped tins; prick holes in the bottom to let the air in. cut off the edges smoothly, and bake till light brown. just before you need them fill the shells with jelly. the very moment when the tarts disappeared in the pantry, jack came up with his pans of pop-corn. "real cooking is just for girls," he said, with his mouth full of a stolen macaroon. "it's all right for boys to make pop-corn balls, though. only how do you do it?" his mother told him to wash his hands well, and then gave him this rule: pop-corn balls cup of molasses. / cup of sugar. teaspoonfuls of vinegar. / teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonfuls of butter. boil fifteen minutes, stirring all the time. pour a little over a pan of corn, and take up in your hands all that sticks together, and roll it into a ball. keep the candy hot on the back of the stove, and pour on more till it is all done. this made a great dishful of lovely balls, and they set them away in a cold place; and then norah told them they must run out of the kitchen, because she wanted to get luncheon ready. after lunch, jack had to go and shovel out paths again, because those he had made had all disappeared. mildred and brownie dressed a tiny doll for a cousin they were afraid might not have quite as many as she would want, and when that was done, they said they wanted to cook some more. their mother told them she had one very, very nice receipt meant especially for holidays, which, strangely enough, had brownie's name. "because you are so very, very nice yourself," she said with a hug, "perhaps you can make these all by yourself, too." brownies squares of chocolate. eggs, beaten together. / cup of flour. cups of sugar. / cup of butter. cup of chopped english walnuts. cream the butter and sugar together, and add the eggs, well beaten without separating; then add the flour. melt the chocolate by cutting it up into small bits and putting it in a little dish over the steam of the tea-kettle. put this in next, and, last, the nuts. lay a greased paper on the bottom of a shallow pan, and pour the cake in, in a thin layer. bake twenty-five minutes; mark off into squares while warm, and cut before removing from the pan. these should be as thick as cookies when done. "don't you want me to help you make them, brownie?" mildred asked, as she read the receipt over. "you see, i could beat the eggs for you, and you know how hard it is for you not to tip the bowl over when you beat them!" "well," brownie said slowly, "i might let you do just that one thing, mildred, but mother _said_ i was to make these cakes all alone." "but let me help just a tiny little bit," mildred coaxed; "they do sound so interesting!" so in the end the two made the cakes together, all delicious, and just the thing for company. while they were still fresh from the oven, in came a pretty grown-up neighbor, whom all the blairs, big and little, loved very much, because she always was ready for a good time with them. "fee-fy-fo-fum!" she exclaimed, wrinkling up her little nose. "i smell something good to eat!" "oh, _dear_ miss betty," brownie cried, "it is christmas cooking! come and see it." so miss betty saw all the lovely little holly cakes, and the tartlets, and the macaroons, and the brownies, and ate little crumbs off wherever she could find one. then she said, "i want to cook too! may i, norah?" "sure you may," said norah, who thought miss betty was the nicest young lady in the world. then miss betty wrote out this receipt, and pinned it up, and everybody helped her make: gingerbread men cups of molasses. cup of equal parts of butter and lard, mixed. level tablespoonful of ginger. teaspoonful of soda. flour to mix very stiff. melt the butter, add the molasses and ginger, then the soda, dissolved in a teaspoonful of boiling water; stir in flour till the dough is so stiff you cannot stir it with a spoon; take it out on the floured board, and roll a little at a time, and with a knife cut out a man; press currants in for eyes and for buttons on his coat. bake in a floured pan. [illustration: gingerbread man] "these are going to be santa clauses," said miss betty. "jack, if you will cut me some tiny cedar twigs, we will stick them in the right hands--one in each." so jack whittled down the ends of some little twigs till they were very sharp, and while the men were warm and soft, they put a twig in the right hand of each, and they were as funny as could be. "now, jack, i've something lovely for you to make!" said miss betty. "i came over on purpose to tell you about it." "boys don't cook!" said jack, loftily. "boys would be perfectly wild to make these," laughed miss betty, "if only they knew how; but of course if you don't care to--" "what are they?" "christmas elves, and the cunningest things you ever saw." she opened a box and showed them a dear, droll little figure, brown and fat. it made the children laugh to look at him. "we will make one for each person at the christmas dinner, and stand them at the plates with cards in the hands, to show where everybody is to sit. now, jack, do you want to try?" jack instantly was hard at work. christmas elves take a square of thin wood and drive two long, slender nails through it; these are the legs of the elf. turn it upside down and push two large raisins on each nail, and then a fig on both--these are the legs and the body. take a wire about four inches long, and put two raisins on each end, twisting up the ends to hold them. lay this across the fig body and press it down to hold it firm. put a marshmallow on a wooden toothpick, and put that on top for a head, and half of a fig for a cap. draw eyes, nose, and mouth on the face with pen and ink, and, if you choose, brush a little melted chocolate on the sides of his head, for hair. put a sprig of christmas green in his cap. [illustration: the christmas elves] just as the elves were put in a row on the table. miss betty exclaimed, "children, it's stopped snowing! it will be all clear to-morrow, and everybody will get here in time, after all!" they rushed to the window to look, for sure enough, the storm was over, and everybody was going to have _a merry christmas_! chapter ii supper at the house in the woods when the junior blairs came down to breakfast on new year's morning, there were three good-sized red-covered books lying on the table, one by each plate, and on the cover of each, in gold letters, was the name of mildred, or jack, or brownie. but when they opened them there was nothing inside--only just white paper leaves. "what are they for?" asked mildred, puzzled. "for school, for examples and compositions?" "not a bit of it!" laughed her mother. "they are cook-books, or they will be when you have filled them full of receipts. when you made such delicious things for christmas, i ordered these for you, so you could write down each rule that you used then, and add others as you learned other things. you see, there are little letters all down the edges of the book, and when you want to find gingerbread, for instance, all you have to do is to turn to g; and when you want--" "cake," interrupted brownie, "you turn to k." everybody laughed then, but in a minute jack said soberly: "if you don't mind, mother, i think i'll use mine for school. you see, boys don't cook." "it seems to me i've heard that before," said father blair, nodding at him. "but you just tuck that book away in your bureau drawer and keep it, because i've an idea you may want it yet for a cook-book." jack shook his head energetically, but as norah just then brought in a fresh plate of popovers, he was too busy to say anything more. that afternoon, the girls began their books by copying very neatly the receipts they had already used: brownies, christmas cakes, icing, christmas elves, gingerbread men, oatmeal macaroons, pop-corn balls, and tartlets all went in, each under its own initial. then they said they wanted some more receipts right away, because these looked so lonely. "very well," said their mother; "but first we will have a talk, because i have a bright idea." now it happened that one of the particularly nice things about the blair family was that they owned a little bit of a house not many miles from town, right in the midst of a pine grove. a farmer lived quite close by, but the trees hid his house from sight; and the trolley-cars ran just around the corner, but they could not be seen either; so when the family went there for a day or two, or a week or two, it was just as though they were a long, long distance from everybody in the world. they called this little place the house in the woods, and brownie blair often pretended it was the one in the fairy book, and that goldilocks might come in at any moment to eat a bowl of porridge with the three blairs, instead of the three bears. "you see," mother blair went on, "the snow is still so fresh and lovely, and the sleighing so good, and the full moon is still coming up so very early, that i thought--" "oh, i know!" jack shouted. "a sleighing party!" "yes," said his mother; "to the house in the woods for supper. won't that be fun? and you can cook the supper. only, if you invite seven boys and girls to go with you, we must have plenty of things for them to eat; and of course you will want to cook them all yourselves." "of course," mildred said decidedly. "what shall we have for the supper?" "oh, have cheese dreams!" jack begged. "the fellows think they're great. i'll make 'em myself, if you will. i learned how at the dwights when i was there last week." "you did!" teased his mother. "but i thought boys didn't cook!" jack's face grew decidedly red. "of course boys cook with a chafing-dish," he explained; "so do men, too. in college, lots of them make welsh-rabbit and oysters and things like that for spreads, you know. and you can make the same things in a frying-pan on the stove just as well. so i'll make the dreams up before we go, and cook 'em when we get there." "very well," said his mother; "but i bargain with you that you are to put the receipt in your own cook-book." and jack had to promise. then mildred and her mother planned the rest of the supper. they were to have oyster stew, because that was what everybody wanted at a sleighing party; and then the cheese dreams, and potatoes, and cocoa; and mother blair said they would have a dish of scrambled eggs for anybody who did not like cheese. and, last of all, they would have little hot brown biscuits and honey; farmer dunn always had beautiful honey. "now, let us plan things out," said mildred. "you and brownie and i, mother, can go out to the house in the woods by trolley, and get the fires going and the table all ready; and father and jack can drive out with the others just at supper-time, and then we can all go back together afterward." this seemed the very best way of managing; so early one saturday afternoon they reached the little house, and while mildred and her mother went in and opened the windows and looked all around to see if everything was as they left it, brownie ran off for farmer dunn, who soon brought wood and made up rousing fires in the rooms. by the time the baskets were unpacked on the kitchen table, he was ready to go back to his house and get milk and cream and eggs and butter and honey. as the blairs always left the house ready to open at a moment's notice, they had sugar and flour and salt and things like that in the pantry. mildred and brownie laid the table, putting on plates and cups and glasses, and they rubbed the forks and spoons and made them as bright as the sunshine. when it was all done, they got a beautiful great bunch of feathery pine branches for a centerpiece, and then it looked exactly as though the table knew there was going to be a party. "it is nearly five o'clock," their mother called to them as they finished. "it is time we began to get supper. brownie, here is a receipt for you; do you think you can manage it all alone?" "of course," said brownie, with great dignity. "only you might just tell me how, first." mother blair laughed, and read the receipt over to her, and told her what to do. stuffed baked potatoes take six large potatoes, wash and scrub them well, and bake them for about forty minutes in a hot oven, or till they are done. take one potato at a time, hold it in a towel, and cut it in two, lengthwise. scoop out the inside with a spoon into a hot bowl. when all six are ready, add / teaspoonful of salt and teaspoonful of butter, beating and mashing well till they are light; then fill the potato shells, heaping them full; arrange in a shallow pan, and set it in the oven; bake about ten minutes, or till they are brown. as soon as brownie was busy with the potatoes, mildred said she would make the cocoa, because that could stand and wait while other things cooked. her mother told her to get the double boiler, put some hot water in the outside, and set it on the stove. then she gave her this receipt: cocoa teaspoonfuls of cocoa. - / cups of boiling water. - / cups of boiling milk. tablespoonful of powdered sugar. small pinch of salt. _always measure spoonfuls just a little rounded._ put the powdered cocoa into the double boiler and pour on it the boiling water, a little at first, stirring it until it melts; add the boiling milk, and cook two minutes, stirring all the time; add the sugar, stir a moment longer; add the salt and take from the fire. if not to be used at once, stand the double boiler on the back of the stove till wanted. "but, mother, we will need a great many more cups of cocoa than this," mildred exclaimed, as she read the rule over. "those boys will drink at least two apiece, and the girls may, too; they will all be just starving!" "of course," said mother blair. "but what do you go to school for, if not to learn multiplication? how many times over must you make the rule?" mildred thought two whole minutes, and then said she thought about five times would do; so she very carefully measured everything five times over. "i never thought arithmetic was any good before," she said soberly. "but now i see it is to cook by." "yes, i find it useful myself," her mother said, with a smile. "now, mildred, we might make the biscuits. i think those will not be hurt by standing any more than the cocoa will. but this rule i think you will have to multiply by three." baking-powder biscuits pint of sifted flour. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / cup of milk. tablespoonful of butter. put the salt and baking-powder in the flour and rub the butter into these with a spoon; little by little add the milk, mixing all the time; lift the dough out on the floured board, dust it over with flour, and flour the rolling-pin; roll out lightly, just once, till it is an inch thick. flour your hands and make it into little balls as quickly as you can; put a very little flour on the bottom of a shallow pan, and put the biscuits in it, close together. bake in a hot oven about twenty minutes, or till they are brown. these were great fun to make, and when the very last panful was done, mildred tucked all the little brown biscuits up in a big fresh towel, and put them in a pan in the warming oven to keep hot till they were needed. at that very minute, they heard sleigh-bells, and everybody rushed to throw open the door and let the party in. such shouting and laughing and talking you never heard in all your life! all the boys and girls had been out to the house in the woods often before, and they were so glad to come again, they hardly knew what to do. while they were taking off their wraps, jack slipped out into the kitchen and demanded the frying-pan. "see," he said proudly, opening a box, "here are the cheese dreams, all ready to cook! aren't they fine?" "lovely!" exclaimed his mother, and then added, with a merry twinkle in her eyes, "you'll be a great cook yet, jack!" this was the receipt jack had used to make them: cheese dreams (six large sandwiches) slices of bread, cut half an inch thick. thin slices of cheese. pinch of soda, cayenne pepper, and salt for each slice. put together like sandwiches, and then cut into rounds. heat a frying-pan very hot, melt a teaspoonful of butter in it, and lay in two or three sandwiches; when one side is brown, turn it over and cook the other; take from the pan and lay in the oven in a pan on a paper till all are ready. [illustration: jack fried the "cheese dreams"] of course jack had made more than six sandwiches, for he knew everybody would want two apiece; so he had a great boxful, and it took him quite a little time to fry them all; but it was just as well, for mildred and her mother had to make the oyster stew, which was to be eaten first. oyster stew pint of oysters. / pint of water. quart of rich milk. / teaspoonful of salt. drain the juice off the oysters and examine each to remove any pieces of shell that may still adhere to it; add the water to the oyster juice, and boil one minute; skim this well. heat the milk and add to this, and when it steams, drop in the oysters and simmer just one minute, or till the edges of the oysters begin to curl; add the salt and take up at once; if you choose, add a cup of sifted cracker crumbs. "what is 'simmer?" asked mildred, as she read the rule over. "just letting it boil a tiny little bit," said her mother, "around the edges of the saucepan, but not all over. and here is the receipt for:" scrambled eggs egg for each person. tablespoonfuls of milk to each egg. shakes of salt. shake of pepper. break the eggs in a bowl, beat them twelve times, then add the milk, salt, and pepper; heat a pan, put in a piece of butter the size of a hickory-nut, and when it is melted, pour in the eggs; stir them as they cook, and scrape them off the bottom of the pan; when they are all thick and creamy, they are done. "i have taken the rule for the stew three times over for twelve people, and i don't think it will be a bit too much; but as almost everyone will want the cheese dreams, suppose we scramble only five eggs. "you'd better do that right away, for supper is almost ready. brownie's potatoes are just done, and she can be filling the glasses with water, and putting on the butter and bread, and these two big dishes of honey to eat with the biscuits for the last course." while mildred was cooking the eggs, mother blair put the oysters on the table, with the hot soup-plates and a generous supply of crisp oyster-crackers; the cheese dreams were done and in the oven, and mildred covered the eggs and set the dish in the warming oven, and put the cocoa on the table in a chocolate pot. then everybody sat down and began to eat. after the oyster stew was all gone, they had the hot cheese dreams and scrambled eggs and the stuffed potatoes and cocoa all at once; and when those too had vanished, there were the little biscuits and the beautiful golden clover-honey in the comb, and perhaps that was the very best of all. "never, never, did i eat anything so good as this supper!" father blair said solemnly, as he ate his fourth biscuit. "that oyster stew--those potatoes--the cheese dreams--" "what a greedy father!" said mildred. "and you never said a word about the cocoa--" "nor about the scrambled eggs--" said brownie, eagerly. "but i ate them all," said her father. "i ate everything i was given, and i should like to eat them all again! next time we come, have twice as much of everything, won't you?" but everybody else said that they couldn't have eaten one single crumb more. and they knew perfectly well that father blair couldn't, either. then everybody helped wash the dishes and put things away, and farmer dunn came over to put out the fires and shut the doors; and presently it was all dark in the house in the woods, and so still that, far, far off, you could hear the sound of the singing of the boys and girls as they rode home across the snow. chapter iii jack's school-luncheons "mother," said jack, one evening, "i'd like to take my lunch to school for the next few weeks; all the fellows are going to, so we can have more time for class elections and so on. do you suppose norah could put up one for me every morning?" "why not let mildred put it up? her school is so near that she does not have to start till long after you do; and then, jack, you could easily pay her for her trouble by helping her with her latin; you know she is bothered with that just now." mildred was overjoyed at the suggestion of the bargain. "oh, jack! i'll do you up the most beautiful luncheons in the world if you will only help me with that horrid cæsar. i'm just as stupid as i can be about it. what do you like best to eat in all the world?" jack said he wasn't very particular as long as he had plenty of pie and cake and pickles and pudding and ice-cream; mildred laughed, and said she guessed she could manage to think up a few other things beside. so the very next morning she put up the first luncheon. but, alas, norah had no cold meat to slice--only bits of beefsteak left from dinner; and not a single piece of cake. all she could find for lunch was some plain bread and butter, which she cut rather thick, a hard-boiled egg, and an apple. "pretty poor," she sighed, as she saw him trudge off with the box under his arm. that afternoon, when she came home from school, she went to mother blair for help. "i must give him nice luncheons," she explained. "now what can i have for to-morrow? i can't think of anything at all, except bread and cake, and stupid things like those." "oh, there are lots and lots of things," said her mother. "putting up lunches is just fun! i only wish you would do up some for me, too! and first, dear, you had better see that there is plenty of bread, because it takes a good deal for sandwiches, and it must not be too fresh to slice nicely, nor too stale; day-old bread is best. and if you can find some brown bread as well as white, that will be ever so nice. you will want cake, too, and fruit; you might ask norah what she has on hand." in a moment, mildred came back with the news that, as there was to be fish for dinner, there would be no left-over meat at all in the morning; the bits of steak were still there. "but imagine beefsteak sandwiches!" said she, scornfully. and though there was no cake now, norah was going to make some. "i think we had better learn first how to make all kinds of sandwiches, because that will help you more than anything else in putting up lunches," her mother said, getting out her cook-book. "you will need some paraffin paper for them, too, and paper napkins; suppose you look on the top shelf of the kitchen closet and see if we had any left over from summer picnics." by the time mildred had found these, as well as a box to pack the lunch in, these receipts were all ready for her to copy in her own book: sandwiches use bread that is at least a day old. spread the butter smoothly on the loaf; if it is too cold to spread well, warm it a little; slice thin, with a sharp knife; spread one slice with the filling, lay on another, press together, and trim off the heavy part of the crust; cut in two pieces, or, if the slices are very large, in three. put two or three sandwiches of the same kind together, and wrap in paraffin paper. meat sandwiches take any cold meat, cut off the gristle and fat, and put it through the meat chopper. add a pinch of salt, a pinch of dry mustard, a shake of pepper, and, last, a teaspoonful of melted butter; press into a cup, and put away to grow firm. "now you see the nice thing about this rule is, that any sort of cold meat will do to use, and if you have bits of two or more kinds, you can use them together. there are those beefsteak ends; all you have to do is to follow your rule, and they will make as good sandwiches as anything else." "but, mother, if you had nice roast-beef slices, you would not chop those up, would you?" "no, indeed! i would make sandwiches of plain bread and butter and put the slices of meat in by themselves. but chopped meat makes better sandwiches than slices of meat between bread." "but what do you make sandwiches out of if you don't use meat? i think plain bread and butter is horrid for lunches." "oh, there are plenty of other things to use; see, here are your next rules:" egg sandwiches hard-boiled egg, chopped fine. teaspoonful of oil. drops of vinegar. pinch of salt. shake of pepper. mix well and spread on buttered bread. "and then sometimes you can have:" cheese sandwiches spread thin buttered brown bread with cream cheese; sprinkle with a very little salt and pepper. sometimes add chopped nuts for a change. "or, here are these:" lettuce sandwiches spread some very thin white bread; lay on a leaf of lettuce; sprinkle with a very little oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper, as in the egg sandwiches. sardine sandwiches drain off all the oil from a little tin of sardines; skin each fish, take out the bones, and mash smoothly, adding a teaspoonful of lemon juice; spread on white buttered bread. "and then, when you have no cake or cookies for lunch, you can have two or three sandwiches with meat and two more like these:" sweet sandwiches spread buttered bread with a very little jam or jelly; or with chopped dates or figs; or with scraped maple sugar; or with chopped raisins and nuts; or with a thick layer of brown sugar. "those are just as good as cake, and better, i think," said mother blair, as mildred finished copying them all down. "and now, what comes next in a lunch, after sandwiches?" "cake," said mildred, promptly. "yes, sometimes, but not always. what else can you think of that would be nice?" mildred said she thought gingerbread might be good, or perhaps doughnuts; but she could not think of anything else. "oh, i can think of ever so many things," said her mother. "but we will put down the gingerbread first; and, by the way, what do you think betty calls it? this:" "perfectly lovely" gingerbread cup of molasses. cup of shortening (butter and lard mixed). cups of flour. teaspoonful each of cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and soda. cup of sugar. eggs. cup of milk. cream the butter and sugar, add the eggs, well beaten without separating, then the molasses mixed with the spices and soda, then the flour, then the milk. stir and beat well. put in a shallow tin and bake slowly. "things don't sound as good as they taste, do they?" said mildred, as she read the receipt over. "i just love gingerbread, but butter and lard and soda don't sound appetizing." "well, then, try this," laughed mother blair; "every bit of this sounds good:" peanut wafers cup of sugar. / cup of milk. / teaspoonful of soda. / cup of butter. cups of flour. cup of chopped peanuts. cream the butter and sugar; put the soda in the milk, stir thoroughly, and put in next; then the flour. beat well. grease a shallow pan and spread the mixture evenly over the bottom, and scatter the nuts on top. bake till light brown, and cut in squares while warm. "oh, those _do_ sound good!" mildred exclaimed, as she wrote the last words down. [illustration: brownie and mildred making "chocolate crackers"] "what sounds good?" asked miss betty's voice, as her pretty head popped in the door. so they told her all about the luncheons, and she said she knew some good things, too, and the first one was: chocolate crackers squares of chocolate. teaspoonful of sugar. butter, the size of the tip of your thumb. drops of vanilla. cut the chocolate up into bits and put it in a saucer over the tea-kettle; when it melts, add the sugar and butter and vanilla; stir, and drop in some small crackers, only one at a time, and lay them on a greased paper to dry. [illustration: "i've got to make some this very minute."] "oh, mother, i've just got to stop writing and make some of those this very minute!" mildred exclaimed. miss betty said she had lots of things she wanted to talk over with mother blair while mildred was busy. brownie came running in just then, and the two girls worked so fast they had a whole plateful of crackers done in no time; and after everybody had had one apiece to eat, mildred said: "now, i will learn to make some more things." "let me see," said her mother, slowly. "sandwiches and cake--what else can you think of for luncheons, betty?" "deviled eggs," said miss betty, as quick as a flash. "please let me tell how!" deviled eggs boil three eggs for ten minutes; peel them, cut them in halves, and put the yolks in a bowl; add / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of dry mustard. pinch of pepper. teaspoonful of oil. / teaspoonful of vinegar. mix well, fill the whites, press smooth with a knife, and put two halves together. "but three eggs are too many for jack," complained brownie. "he won't need three; can't i have one for my lunch here?" miss betty laughed, and said it would be easy for mildred to make enough for everybody instead of making three, as the rule said. "if i just made one, i suppose i'd take pinches instead of teaspoonfuls," said mildred, thoughtfully. "i mean, i'd take just a little of everything, enough to make the egg taste good?" "exactly!" said miss betty; "that is just the way a real grown-up cook does. and, mildred, when i had to take my lunch to school, i used to have the best thing--salad. i had it when there were no real sandwiches, only bread and butter; it was put in a little round china jar with a tin top that screwed on, so it never spilled. but perhaps jack doesn't like salad." "he just loves it," said brownie; "he loves every single thing to eat that there is!" "then he will surely 'just love' these things! write them down, mildred." chicken salad / cup of cold chicken, cut in small bits. / a hard boiled egg, cut up. or use celery in place of the egg, or use both. french dressing teaspoonfuls of oil. / teaspoonful vinegar. pinch of salt shakes of pepper (paprika is best). beat the dressing well and mix with the chicken and egg. make more dressing if the salad is too dry. luncheon fruit salad cut a seedless orange in halves; take out the pulp with a spoon; use alone, or mix with bits of banana or other fruit; or use chopped celery and apple together. add the dressing. "there!" said miss betty, triumphantly, as mildred read the receipts aloud when she had copied them. "if jack doesn't like those, he isn't the boy i take him for. and you see, mildred, when you have no salad for him, you can sometimes put in a nice stalk of celery; and when you have had the same fruit over and over, you can just give him a fruit salad. i do believe i'll start on a long journey and take a whole week's supply of lunches along. all these receipts make me feel just like it!" "oh, do let me go too," begged mildred. "so you shall," laughed miss betty. "but before we start, i must tell you one thing more: if you want an ab-so-lute-ly perfect lunch, you must always have a surprise for the very last thing of all." "how do you make one?" asked brownie, curiously. "oh, you don't make them at all, or at least not usually; a surprise is something which has to be eaten last of all, after all the sandwiches and other things are gone, for a sort of dessert; sometimes i had a piece of maple-sugar, or a bit of sweet chocolate, or a couple of marshmallows; sometimes it was a fig or two, or a few dates. but it was always hidden down in the very bottom of the box, and everything had to be finished up before i opened the little paper it was in. honestly, i don't think boys need surprises at all, because they will eat everything up any way, but often girls will skip a sandwich or two, unless they know about the surprise." "when i take my lunch, i shall have one every time," said brownie. "so shall i," laughed mother blair. "i shall certainly give jack one every day, because of cæsar," said mildred. the next morning bright and early, mildred hurried to get jack's luncheon all ready before breakfast, and her mother said she would help her, just for once. first they made three beautiful thin sandwiches out of bread and butter spread with the nice beefsteak filling, and wrapped these up by themselves and put them in one corner of the box; then in the opposite corner went the surprise, this time four little chocolate crackers, all wrapped up carefully; on top of them, to hide them, went three more sandwiches, made of brown bread and butter and cheese; then the deviled egg filled the corner on top of the other pile, and one of norah's cakes was put opposite. "now for the fruit," said mother blair. "what is there?" mildred said there was an orange, but it would not go in the box. "oh, you don't give anybody an orange whole for luncheon! peel it first, then break it carefully in halves, wrap each half up in paper by itself, and you will see how well it fits in and how easy it will be to eat when you have no fruit-knife or orange-spoon to use with it. now that is all, and it's what i call a perfectly delicious luncheon, don't you?" "_perfectly!_" said mildred, rapturously, as she tied up the box. "i guess the other boys will wish they had lunches just exactly like it; and i think it's very interesting to do them up, too." that afternoon, when jack came home from school, he shouted up the stairs: "say, mildred, what will you take to do up lunches for the crowd? they told me to ask you. they said they had never seen anything so good. where is that cæsar? i'll do about ten pages for you if you want me to." when the lesson was over, mildred hugged jack gratefully. "i can do it alone in no time now, because you're such a good teacher," she said, as jack squirmed away. "and, when summer comes, just think of all the picnic lunches i can do up for everybody!" "we won't wait till summer for a picnic," said mother blair. "i've got _such_ a bright idea!" chapter iv the birthday picnic just as mother blair declared that she had "_such_ a bright idea!" a caller came in, and it was dinner-time before mildred had a chance to ask her what it was. and then her mother put her finger on her lip and shook her head; so mildred knew, of course, that it was a secret, and waited till later on to hear what it was. "now i will tell you all about it," mother blair said, after she had read brownie a fairy story and tucked her up for the night. "jack, you can hear, too, and father, if he wants to." so they all drew up around the fire to listen. "you remember how much brownie loved the picnics we had last summer," she began. "she used to say that she would rather eat plain bread and butter out of doors than ice-cream in the dining-room; and whenever we took our supper and went off for the afternoon, she was so happy!" "so she was," said father blair. "brownie is her father's own daughter; i love picnics too." "but, mother, we can't have a picnic at this time of year!" exclaimed mildred. "just listen to the rain and snow coming down together this minute; and the slush on the sidewalk is so deep you have to wade to school." "but this is just where my bright idea comes in! you see, next week will be brownie's birthday, and every year since she was two, she has had some sort of a party; now this year, for a real change, i think it would be fun to have a picnic for her, a lovely in-door picnic, for ten boys and girls; and we'll have it up in the attic!" "isn't that just like mother!" jack exclaimed, laughing. "who else in the world would ever have thought of such a thing!" "but think what fun it will be!" mother blair went on, her cheeks growing pink as she explained all about it. "the attic is nice and large, and empty except for the trunks and old furniture which are tucked away around the eaves. the children will all come in their every-day clothes, and wear their coats and hats, so they won't take cold up there. and we can spread down in the middle of the open space the two old green parlor carpets, for grass; they are all worn out, but nobody will notice that. and then, jack, you can carry up the two palms and the rubber plant, and put them on the edge of the 'grass,' and farmer brown can bring us in some little cedar-and spruce-trees from the woods the next time he drives to town, and we will plant them in sand in big earthen flower-pots, and stand those around, too. can't you see how lovely it will be? just like a little grassy grove!" everybody laughed, but everybody thought it was going to be great fun to make a picnic-place in the attic. "and we will tie a hammock to the rafters," said father blair; "and there is the old ping-pong set to play with, and the ring-toss; and the boys can play ball, if they choose; there's nothing they can hurt." and so it was all arranged; and brownie was told she was going to have a beautiful surprise for her birthday, and she must not ask a single question about it. mother blair asked ten boys and girls to come at twelve on saturday and spend the rest of the day, and, after the notes were sent, she and mildred began to plan the luncheon. "of course all the things must be packed in baskets," said mildred, "exactly like a regular picnic." "of course!" said her mother. "and in one basket we will put a lunch cloth to lay on the 'grass,' and wooden plates, and paper napkins, and glasses, and forks. and they can spread the cloth and arrange everything themselves." "and what will they have to eat? they are sure to be dreadfully hungry." "well, there must be one substantial dish to begin with. we might have cold sliced ham, of course, but i think perhaps they would like something else better. suppose we have veal loaf?" "just the very thing," said mildred. "may i make it?" "of course you may, and everything else as well, if you want to. if you will get your book, you can write down the receipts this minute. here is the first:" veal loaf pounds of veal, chopped fine. / pound of salt pork, chopped with it. / cup of bread crumbs, soaked in milk. egg. teaspoonful of chopped onion. / teaspoonful each of pepper and paprika. level teaspoonful of salt. have the meats chopped together at the market; put the crumbs in a bowl and cover them with milk, and let them stand for fifteen minutes; then squeeze them dry and add to the meat. beat the egg without separating it, and mix that in next, and then the seasoning. stir all together, and put in a bread tin and bake one hour. have on the stove a cup half full of hot water mixed with two tablespoonfuls of butter, and every fifteen minutes open the oven door and pour a quarter of this over the meat. when done, put in a cold place over night. slice thin, and put parsley around it. "you see, this is very easy to make, and it is always good for luncheon for ourselves, and for sunday night supper as well. you can make it friday afternoon, and then, by the time for the picnic, it will be ready to slice." "and what are they to eat with it?" "i think it would be nice to have some sandwiches--hot ones." "hot sandwiches, mother blair! i never heard of them. how do you make them?" "i invented them myself," laughed her mother. "i really did, this very morning, when i was thinking about the picnic. here is the rule." toasted sardine sandwiches tin sardines. slices of toast. / a lemon. large pinch of salt, and as much dry mustard. open a can of sardines, drain off the oil, and spread them on brown paper. scrape off the skin carefully, and open each one on the side and take out the back bone. sprinkle over them all the salt and mustard, and squeeze the lemon on. then make the toast, large brown slices, and butter them a little; lay two together, trim off the crust, and cut them in strips. open the strips, and between each two put one sardine and press together. put them in the oven between two hot plates till needed. "oh, those do sound _so_ good! can't i make some for lunch to-day, mother?" mildred begged. "but they belong to the surprise! let's wait till after the picnic, and then you may make lots of them." "well!" sighed mildred, "then let me have another receipt right away, so i'll forget them. i do want to make them so much." "here is another receipt you will like just as well; part of it is for the picnic, and part of it is for a little bit of a party for you and miss betty and me, while the picnic is going on upstairs." "a party for us? what kind of a party?" "lovely grown-up afternoon tea!" laughed her mother. "you can invite miss betty yourself won't that be nice?" "_perfectly_ lovely! do tell faster!" "well, first you make for the picnic some sweet sandwiches like those we planned for the school lunches; these are simply, to begin with:" orange marmalade sandwiches spread thin white bread and butter with orange marmalade; trim off the crusts and cut into even shapes; a round cooky cutter makes pretty sandwiches. "i've made those for jack, lots of times," said mildred, as she wrote this down, "only i didn't cut them in round shapes, because boys don't care about that." "no," said her mother, smiling, "boys don't, but girls do! so make part of these in rounds, and put them away, and send the square ones upstairs. and when it's time for our party, just toast ours quickly, and you will find them the most delicious things you ever ate, especially with tea; that's what we three will have." "those will be miss betty's surprise!" laughed mildred, as she wrote down the word _toasted_ after the title of the sandwiches. "now what next?" "suppose you try some very easy cookies; those are just the thing for a picnic; you can make them saturday morning, and then they will be fresh. here is the rule:" spicy cookies sprinkle the baking board with flour and rub it smoothly over; do the same to the rolling-pin, and scatter a little flour evenly also over the bottom of some shallow tins. have a panful of sifted flour ready on the table, as you may need to do this several times. / cup of sugar. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of milk. egg. - / cups of flour. / teaspoonful of soda. / teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of hot water. / teaspoonful of cloves. / teaspoonful of cinnamon. melt the butter, add the sugar, and rub together. beat the egg without separating, and put in next. mix the soda and hot water, put the milk with this; put the salt in the flour; add part of the flour to the sugar and other things, and then part of the milk, and so on; then put in the spices and stir all together. put the dough on the board, roll it out thin, and with a cutter mark it all over; then lift out the pieces with a cake turner, very carefully, and arrange them in your pans, but do not let them touch. bake fifteen minutes; take them out of the pans while warm, and spread out on a platter to cool. "dear me, that sounds pretty hard!" said mildred, as she finished. "cookies are not quite as easy to make as some other things, but they are so good, so nice for luncheon and suppers and other times, that i think you will be glad to know how to make them. and father is so fond of cookies!" "so he is. well, mother, i'll try them. and now what comes next?" "some cunning, easy little cakes, so easy that next time brownie can make them herself. they are called:" marguerites round, thin crackers. marshmallows. tablespoonfuls of chopped nuts. teaspoonfuls of butter. butter the crackers on one side, just a little; put a marshmallow on each, a tiny bit of butter on it, and a sprinkle of chopped nuts of any kind. put them in a shallow pan, and bake till they are soft and brown; eat while fresh and warm. "oh, lovely! mother, i must have some of the girls in and have those for myself!" "so you shall, any day you want to. now don't you think that is almost enough for the picnic?" "i think we ought to have something to finish off with--to eat with the cookies and marguerites; don't you think so?" "yes, i do; something in the way of fruit. suppose we give them this--it is much nicer than plain oranges or bananas; write it down, dear." orange baskets large oranges. bananas. tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. cut the oranges in halves; take out the pulp with a spoon, and put it in a bowl. scrape out the inside, leaving nice, clean shells, and then scallop or point the edges with the scissors. peel the bananas, cut them in long, narrow strips, and these into small bits, and mix lightly with the orange, and add the sugar; heap in the baskets and set away to grow cold. [illustration: making "orange baskets"] "if we happened to have any pineapple or white grapes in the house, i should put some of those in too; but these will be delicious just as they are. now anything more?" "something to drink with the lunch. i think pink lemonade would be nice." "perfectly lovely!" laughed mother blair. "we will get a can of raspberries out of the fruit closet, and make something for them that will be ever so good. this is the rule:" picnic lemonade lemons. glasses of water. cups of sugar. cup of raspberry juice. roll the lemons till they are soft; cut them and squeeze the juice out. put the sugar in a little pan with a glass of water, and boil it two minutes; add this to the lemon and raspberry juice, and strain it; add the rest of the water; serve with broken ice in a glass pitcher. "be sure and boil the sugar and water together, mildred, whenever you make any kind of drink like lemonade; it is so much better than if you put in plain sugar. when it is all done, if it is not quite sweet enough, you can add a little powdered sugar without hurting it." "mother, we forgot the surprise! you remember, 'every luncheon must have a surprise,' you said; see, here it is in the book." "dear me, so i did! what shall it be, mildred? i can't seem to think of another thing for that picnic." "neither can i." "stuffed dates!" exclaimed mother blair, presently. "i knew there must be something, and those will be exactly right." stuffed dates wash the dates and wipe them dry. open one side and take out the stone; in its place press in half a pecan or other nut; close the edges, and roll each date in powdered sugar. "i do hope there will be some of those over for us," said mildred, as she put her book away. "those children are going to have a _wonderful_ lunch!" brownie could not imagine what her birthday surprise was to be. she could not help guessing, but she never once was "warm." when saturday came, and the boys and girls arrived in their every-day clothes and even kept on their wraps in the parlor, she did not know what to think; and there was actually no lunch for them in the dining-room! she began to look very sober. but when everybody had come, mother blair said: "won't you go upstairs?" and mildred and jack ushered them up to the attic. it was such a lovely surprise! the big green carpets were spread down on the bare floor, and all around were set little green trees in pots. the canary was hung up out of sight, and he was singing as hard as he could. it was not a bit too cold, for the door had been kept open all day and the sun was shining in at the window. and just then appeared mother blair, and norah, and jack, and mildred, all carrying baskets, which they put down on the floor. then the picnic began! there was first the cloth to spread down on the grass, and paper plates and napkins to be passed around. the veal loaf was found, a platter of it tied up in a large napkin, and hot sandwiches between hot plates, tied up in another napkin, and marmalade sandwiches folded in paraffin paper by themselves. last of all were the orange baskets, each one twisted up in a paper napkin with a funny little frill on top made of the ends of the napkin; and the dates were in little square paper boxes, one box for each child. [illustration: jack and the lemonade] as they began to eat, jack came up with a big, big pitcher of beautiful pink lemonade, and little glasses to drink it out of. oh, such a picnic as it was! such a perfectly lovely picnic! out-of-door picnics were nothing to it and when they had eaten up every crumb and drank up every drop, they played games until the attic grew dark; and then they all went home, and the birthday was over. chapter v sunday night supper one sunday afternoon just as the clock struck three, the blairs' telephone rang; and after she had answered it, mother blair called mildred, who sat reading by the window. "my dear," she said, "do you remember hearing father speak of his old friends the wentworths, whom he used to know so well years ago? well, they have come east, and are in town for a day or two, and they want to come out and see us this very afternoon. now i should love to ask them to stay to supper, but if i do, i shall have to stay with them and visit and can't help you at all; and norah is out. do you suppose you three children could get the supper and serve it all by yourselves?" "why, of course, mother blair," said mildred, reproachfully. "of _course_ we can! you don't know how many things your children can do when they try! now what shall we have? it ought to be something very good, because they have never been here before." "we were going to have canned salmon," said her mother, thoughtfully; "we might scallop that, and have potatoes with it, and perhaps muffins or biscuits." "oh, have muffins, mother! i have seen norah make them lots of times, and i'm sure i could, too, if you give me the receipt." "well, you may try," said her mother, "but i think you had better have some toast ready, too, in case they do not come out right. and what else can we have? preserves, i suppose; but, mildred, all the nice preserves are gone, because it is so late in the spring. but we might have little baked custards." "yes, in the cunning little brown baking dishes; those will be lovely! and i'll make some little cakes to eat with them; norah said there were just cookies for supper." "but do you really think you can do all that? don't you think the cookies will do?" "no, indeed," said mildred, "not for extra nice company! but little cakes are no trouble to make. and isn't it fun to have company come when you don't expect it? it's so much nicer than to specially invite them!" mother blair laughed. "i hope you will always think so," she said. and mildred ran away to call brownie to get her apron and come to the kitchen. "we will lay the table first, even though it is so early," said their mother. "brownie, bring me the pile of the best doilies in the sideboard drawer." "the wheelers always use a regular big cloth for supper," brownie said, as she came over with them to the table. "many people do, but i think the table looks prettier at breakfast and luncheon and supper with the doilies. and then, too, if anybody happens to spill anything--" "jack spilled gravy yesterday, awfully," said brownie, soberly. "well, you see norah had to wash only one little doily because of that; if we had had on a table-cloth, all of it would have had to go into the wash. but if we had no doilies, i should use a lunch cloth that would just cover the top of the table, and that would be pretty, too. put one doily for each person, brownie, and a large one in the middle for the fern dish, and little ones for the tumblers. now for the silver." mildred came with knives, forks, and spoons. "no knives, because there is no meat," said her mother; "but if we were going to use them, which side would you put them on?" "left," said brownie, guessing. "not unless you were left-handed," smiled her mother. "the rule is: put on the right side what you will use with the right hand, and on the left what you will use with the left hand. that is, if there are no knives, all the silver goes on the right, and the fork or spoon you are to use first goes the farthest away from the plate, the next one next to that, and so on; if you remember that, you will never be puzzled as to which fork to use. now the teaspoons--put those on the right, too; and the dessert spoon or fork may go at the top, across the plate if you like, though i prefer it on the dessert plate itself. put the napkin at the left, always; and the tumbler goes at the top to the right, and the bread-and-butter plate and knife at the top too, toward the left. there! doesn't that look pretty?" [illustration: arranging a small round tray in front of her mother's place] mildred had been getting out the best cups and saucers and arranging a small round tray in front of her mother's place with cream and sugar and the tray bowl, and a place left for the tea-pot; the cups she put at the right, arranging them in twos--two cups on two saucers. "mildred, after you pass the salmon, you may put the dish right in front of father; and the potatoes may go on the table too, as norah isn't here, though i like best to have them passed from the sideboard. the muffins may stand at the side of the table, half-way down. now let us carry out all the dishes and begin to cook." so mildred took a pile of plates to heat, and brownie carried a dish for the potatoes, and mother blair brought the little custard cups; they arranged these on the kitchen table where they would not be in the way, and then mother blair told mildred to see that the fire was all right. "always remember to look at that first," she said. "it needs shaking down a little, and to have more coal on; and pull out the dampers so the oven will heat." mildred hunted for the dampers, but could not find any. "i don't believe there are any on this stove," she said, just as jack came in to see what was going on. "no dampers! isn't that just like a girl!" he exclaimed. "see, here they are, tucked under the edge of the stove. you pull them out--so--and then you shut the draft at the top, opposite the coal, and open the one at the bottom, so the air will blow right up through the fire and make it go like everything. and you have to turn the dampers in the pipe, too, to let the heat go up the chimney." "good!" said his mother. "i didn't know you knew so much about stoves. now suppose you shake the fire down and put the coal on--that's a man's work." "all right," said jack; "i don't mind things like that; but boys don't cook, you know." his mother put both hands over her ears. "jack, if i hear you say that once more, i shall believe you are turning into a parrot! and you are all wrong, too, and some day i am going to give you some special lessons myself. but to-day you may just tend the fire and bring us things from the refrigerator as we need them, to save time. now, mildred, we will begin with the custards, because they must be nice and cold. brownie, you bring the spoons and bowls and such things, and, jack, you get the milk and eggs." baked custards quart of milk. yolks of four eggs. teaspoonfuls of sugar. / teaspoonful of vanilla. pinch of salt. / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. put the sugar in the milk; beat the eggs light, and add those, with salt and vanilla. pour into the cups, sprinkle with nutmeg, and arrange the cups in a shallow pan. bake half an hour, or till, when you put the blade of a knife in one, it comes out clean. it took just a few moments to make these, and then came the next rule: currant cakes / cup of butter. cup of sugar. cup of milk. egg. cups of flour. rounded teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / cup of currants. teaspoonful of vanilla. wash the currants and rub them dry in a towel. put the flour in a bowl; take out a large tablespoonful and mix with the currants, and then mix the baking-powder with the rest of it. rub the butter to a cream, add the sugar, then the milk, then the egg, beaten without separating, then the flour mixed with the baking-powder, then the flavoring, and, last, the currants. grease some small tins, fill them half full, and bake in an oven not too hot. "you must always mix some flour with raisins or currants to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake; but do not add any to the rule--just take a little out from what you are going to use in the cake. now, jack, please get me two cans of salmon from the pantry and open them; and we will need butter and milk from the refrigerator, too. it's fine to have a 'handy man' around to help us cook! now, mildred, double this rule, because there will be so many at supper." scalloped salmon good-sized can of salmon, or one pint of any cooked fish. cup of white sauce. cup of cracker crumbs. butter a baking dish, put in a layer of fish, then one of crumbs; sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, and dot the crumbs with butter; then put on a layer of white sauce. repeat till the dish is full, with the crumbs on top; dot with butter and brown well in the oven; it will take about twenty minutes. [illustration: brownie rolled the crackers] brownie rolled the crackers for this, while mildred made the white sauce by the rule she said was so easy it was exactly like learning a b c. "that is so queer," laughed her mother, "because cooks call it just that--the a b c of cooking! it is the rule you use more often than any other." white sauce rounded tablespoonful of butter. rounded tablespoonful of flour. cup of milk. / teaspoonful of salt. shakes of pepper. melt the butter; when it bubbles, put in the flour, stirring it well; when this is smooth, slowly add the milk, salt, and pepper; stir and cook till very smooth; you can make it like thin cream by cooking only one minute, or like thick cream by cooking it two minutes. "sometimes you want it thicker than others," said her mother, "so i just put that in to explain. to-day make it like thin cream. now, mildred, you can put it all together while jack brings in the cold boiled potatoes and brownie cuts them up." creamed potatoes cut eight large boiled potatoes into bits the size of the end of your thumb. put them in a saucepan and cover them with milk; stand them on the back of the stove where they will cook slowly; watch them so they will not burn. in another saucepan make white sauce as before. when the potatoes have drunk up all the milk and are rather dry, drop them in the sauce; do not stir them; sprinkle with pepper. "now for the muffins, for it is after five o'clock. brownie, you find the muffin pans and make them very hot. do you know how to grease them?" "yes, indeed!" said brownie, proudly. "this is the way." she got a clean bit of paper, warmed the pans, and dropped a bit of butter in each, and then with the paper rubbed it all around. muffins cups of flour. cup of milk. rounded tablespoonful of butter. eggs, beaten separately. teaspoonful of baking-powder. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of sugar. beat the egg yolks first; then add the milk; melt the butter and put that in, then the flour, well mixed with the baking-powder, then the salt and sugar. last, add the stiff whites of the eggs. fill the pans half full. "some things, like cake, cannot bear to have the oven door opened while they are baking," said mother blair; "but salmon does not mind if you open quickly; so, mildred, put these in as fast as you can; they will take about twenty minutes to bake. i do believe that is all we have to make except the tea, and that takes only a moment when everything else is ready. i will give you the receipt for it now, and after everybody is here and you have said 'how do you do?' to them, you can slip out and make this, and while it stands you can put the other things on the table. but perhaps you had better make some coffee too; the men may like it." tea fill the kettle with fresh, cold water and let it boil up hard. scald out an earthen tea-kettle, and put in two rounded teaspoonfuls of tea for six people, or more, if you want it quite strong. pour on six cups of boiling water and let the pot stand where it is warm for just two minutes. scald out the pot you are going to send to the table, and strain the tea into that. have a jug of hot water ready to send in with it. coffee rounded tablespoonful of ground coffee for each person; and extra tablespoonful. / cup of cold water. egg shell, washed and broken, with a little bit of the white. mix these in a bowl. then put in a very clean pot and add cup of boiling water for each person and cup more. let it boil up hard just once; stir it, pour in tablespoonful of cold water; let it stand three minutes, strain and put in a hot pot. [illustration: she looked carefully in the oven through a tiny crack] just before the door-bell rang, mildred went to the refrigerator to look at her custards and found them nice and cold. then she looked carefully in the oven through a tiny crack, and found the muffins were done and the salmon beautifully brown; so she took up the potatoes, and put them in the covered dish on the back of the stove where they would keep hot, and asked brownie to lay the hot plates around the table, one for each person. then she went into the parlor and said "how do you do?" to the guests, and after a moment slipped out again, and put everything on the sideboard, made the tea, filled the glasses, and put butter on the bread-and-butter plates. then brownie asked everybody to come to supper. when they had all sat down, mildred passed the dish of salmon, offering it on the left side, of course, just as norah always did; then she put the dish down before her father and passed the potatoes and muffins in the same way, while mother blair poured the tea and handed it around without rising from her seat. and then everybody began to eat, and say, "oh, how good this salmon is!" and "did you ever taste such muffins?" and "did you really, really make all these good things yourselves, children? we don't see how you ever did it!" and they ate at two helpings of everything, and father blair ate three. and when it was time to take the dishes off, there was not a speck of salmon left, nor a spoonful of potato, nor even a single muffin. [illustration: jack served the custards] then brownie quietly took the crumbs off as she had seen norah do, brushing them onto a plate with a folded napkin; and as she was doing this, jack slipped out to the refrigerator and got the custards, all as cold as ice and brown on top, looking as pretty as could be in their cunning cups; each cup was set on a dessert plate and a spoon laid by its side, and the fresh cakes were passed with them. soon after supper the company went home, and then mildred said: "i feel exactly like a toy balloon--so light inside! wasn't that a good supper? and didn't they like the things we had! and isn't it fun to have company! when i am grown up and have a house of my own, i shall have company every day in the week." "i shall make a point of coming every other day at least," said father blair. "i'm so proud of my family to-night! those wentworths may be staying at the very best hotel in town, but i know they don't have such suppers there." "don't you wish you could cook, jack?" inquired his mother, with a twinkle in her eye. and then everybody laughed, and said: "dear me, what good times we blairs do have together!" chapter vi mildred's school party one day early in june, mildred ran up to her mother's room as soon as she came home from school. she tossed her hat on the bed, and dropped her books in an arm-chair. "oh, mother!" she exclaimed, out of breath, "do you suppose i could have twenty girls here some afternoon for a little bit of a party! i do so want to ask them right away, before exams begin. they are my twenty most particular friends, and some of them are going away just as school closes, so, you see, i have to hurry." "of course you may have them," said mother blair. "but only _twenty_ particular friends, mildred? what about the rest of the class?" mildred laughed. "well, i mean these are the girls i happen to know best of all, and i want to have a kind of farewell before summer really comes. what sort of a party shall we have, mother? i mean, what shall we have to eat?" "i should think strawberry ice-cream would be just the thing, with some cake to go with it, and something cold to drink; is that about what you had thought of?" "just exactly, mother. but do you think we can make enough ice-cream here at home for twenty people? wouldn't it be better to buy it?" "oh, i am sure we can easily make it, and home-made ice-cream is so good--better, i think, than we could buy. we can borrow miss betty's freezer, which holds two quarts, and as ours holds three, that will be plenty. we count that a quart will serve about seven,--more cooking arithmetic, mildred! if one quart will be enough for seven people, how many quarts will be needed for twenty?" "the answer is that five quarts will be just about right," laughed mildred. "perhaps some of them will want two helpings. but, mother, if we have the party on saturday, norah will be very busy, and who will make the cream?" "we will all make it together, and jack may pack the freezers and turn them for us. and norah may make the cake for you on friday, so that will be out of the way." so, early on saturday morning, mildred and brownie began to hull strawberries for the party and put them away in bowls on the ice. then they made the table all ready on the porch, putting a pretty little cloth on it, and arranging plates and napkins; glasses, for what brownie called the "nice-cold drinks," were set out too, and little dishes of the candy which father blair had brought home and called his contribution to the party; and in the middle of the table they put a bowl of lovely red roses. after an early luncheon, everybody went at once to the kitchen. the berries were put on the large table, and the cream and milk brought from the refrigerator. the two freezers stood ready in the laundry with a big pail for the broken ice, a heavy bag, a wooden mallet, and a large bag of coarse salt. "come, jack," his mother said, as he stood picking out the biggest berries from the bowl and eating them, "here's some more man's work for you! we want you to break the ice and pack these freezers for us." "what do i get for it?" jack asked, pretending to grumble. "if the girls are going to eat up all the ice-cream, i guess i won't bother freezing it." "no, indeed, they are not going to eat it all up," said mother blair. "i am counting on having ever so much left over for dinner to-night; and you shall have two helpings." "make it three and i'll think about it," said jack, choosing the very biggest berry of all. "three then," said mildred, disgustedly, taking the bowl away. "boys do eat so much!" "this cream is going to be so good that you will want three yourself," laughed mother blair. "now, jack, this rule is for you. some cooks think that all you have to do in packing a freezer is to put in layers of broken ice and salt, and then turn the handle; but there is a right way to do it, and if you follow this, you will find the cream will freeze ever so much more quickly than if you are careless in packing." packing a freezer large bowlfuls of broken ice. bowlful of coarse salt. put the ice in a strong bag and pound with a mallet till it is evenly broken into bits the size of an egg. put the ice in a pail till you have a quantity broken, and then measure; add the salt quickly to the ice and stir it well; then put the empty ice cream tin in the freezer with the cover on, and fasten on the top and handle. pack the ice all around the tin tightly till it is even with the top. then stand it away, covered with a piece of carpet or blanket, in a dark, cool place, for half an hour. there should be a thick coating of frost all over the inside when the cream is put in. while jack was working in the laundry, mildred and brownie were reading the receipt their mother gave them, and getting out the spoons and sugar and other things they would need. "are the berries washed?" asked mother blair. "yes, i see they are; now, brownie, you may put half of them at a time into this big bowl, and crush them with the wooden potato-masher till they are all juicy. and, mildred, here is the rule for making one quart of plain white ice-cream; all you have to do is to add any kind of fruit or flavoring to this, and you can change it into whatever you want." "just like a fairy's receipt!" said brownie. "exactly!" said their mother. "now, mildred, multiply this rule by five." plain ice-cream cups of milk. cup of sugar. cup of cream. flavoring. put the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan on the fire, and stir till the sugar is melted and the milk steams, but does not boil. take it off and beat with the egg beater till it is cold; add the flavoring and freeze. fruit ice-cream quart of fruit, or enough to make a cupful of juice. small cup of sugar. mash the fruit, rub it through a sieve, add the sugar, and stir into the cream just before putting it into the freezer. "you see what an easy rule this is. you can use fresh raspberries or pineapple or peaches in summer-time, and in winter you can use canned fruit. if the fruit is sour, of course you must take a little more sugar than if it is very sweet. and when juice is very sour indeed, like currant or cherry juice, do not use it for ice-cream. and when you want to make chocolate ice-cream you put in--" "do let me write that down, mother, please, because i perfectly love chocolate ice-cream," interrupted mildred. chocolate ice-cream make the plain ice cream as before; while still on the stove add squares of unsweetened chocolate, grated. / cup of sugar. teaspoonfuls of vanilla. put the vanilla in last, just before freezing. it took only a little while to mix the cream and cool it, and then brownie had the berries all ready to go in; so mildred called to jack to know if the two freezers were ready. jack was reading "treasure island" in a corner of the laundry, and it took three calls to rouse him. "the freezers?" he asked; "the freezers--oh, yes, they are all ready. at least i suppose they are, they've been standing so long. i've been having a great time with old _silver_ in the stockade!" "well," said mildred, doubtfully, "if you've been off on one of your treasure trips, i don't know whether the freezers will be ready or not." but when they looked inside, there was the thick frost all over the tin. "perfect!" said mother blair. "now you will see how quickly the cream will freeze. it makes all the difference in the world whether or not it is ice-cold inside." then they poured in the cream and shut the freezer tightly, and jack began to turn the handles, first of one and then of the other, with "treasure island" open before him on an upturned pail, though he very soon found that the freezers needed all his attention. he was devoting himself to his task with grim determination when mildred peeped in at the door and stood watching him for a moment before she asked, mischievously, "and what is old _silver_ doing now, jack? i believe you're really going to deserve those three plates of ice-cream, after all." "come, mildred!" called her mother, "we will make something perfectly delicious to drink," and she handed a fresh receipt to the girls. grape-juice lemonade lemons. quart of water. large cups of sugar. quart of grape-juice. orange. put the water and sugar on the fire and boil them two minutes. roll the lemons and squeeze the juice; when the water is cool, add this and stand it away till you need it. then add the grape-juice, and put it in a large bowl with a good-sized piece of ice; slice the orange very thin and cut into small pieces and add last. serve in glass cups. "that is so easy anybody could make it," said brownie. "i guess i'll make some for us all on the next hot night." "oh, goody!" said mildred. "think how lovely it would taste out on the porch just before bedtime!" "specially if there was a moon," said brownie. "yes, indeed! especially if there was a moon! you won't forget, will you?" brownie promised faithfully she would not. by the time this was done and ready to put away in the refrigerator to get very cold, jack was shouting for somebody to come and see if the cream was frozen. "it turns awfully hard," he complained, rubbing his arms. his mother wiped off the edges of the tin very carefully so no salt could get in, and then lifted the cover, and, sure enough, the cream was firm and smooth, and a beautiful pink color. mildred watched her carefully and took the second freezer, doing exactly what her mother did to the first one. they slowly pulled out the dashers, scraping them off as they did so, and then packed the cream down hard; the covers were put on again, each with a cork where the dasher-top had been. meanwhile jack had been told to break more ice and mix it exactly as he had before. when this was ready, the plug at the side of each freezer was pulled out and the water drained off, and then the cans of cream were buried in the fresh ice so that neither of them could be seen, a piece of carpet was laid over each, and it was put back in its dark corner. "there!" said their mother, when it was all finished. "ice-cream has to stand at least two hours after it is packed before it is quite good enough to eat. thank you, jack! you are really learning lots about cooking, aren't you? and now we will cut the cake and put it on plates in the refrigerator to keep fresh, and then we will all go and dress for the party, because it is three o'clock." [illustration: the refreshments were perfectly delicious, everybody said] the refreshments were perfectly delicious, everybody said, and the girls said the pink ice-cream, and the sponge-cake, and the grape-juice lemonade were "the best ever." when everybody had gone, mildred took a big plateful of ice-cream over to miss betty. "oh, how good that is!" she said as she ate it. "how _beautifully_ good! so good to look at, i mean, as well as to taste. would you like to have some more strawberry ice-cream receipts to go with it?" mildred said she would love to, so miss betty began to write: frozen strawberries quart of water. - / cups of sugar. quarts of berries. juice of lemon. crush the berries and press through a sieve; there should be two cups of juice; if not, add a few more berries. boil the water and sugar one minute, cool, add the berry juice and that of the lemon, cool and freeze; serve in glass cups. "you can see, mildred," went on miss betty, as she finished this, "that a pretty way to serve this is to put each cup on a small plate and lay a few fresh strawberry leaves by it." "sweet!" said mildred, and miss betty began the second receipt ice-cream and strawberries quart of plain ice cream. quart of large strawberries. / cup of powdered sugar. cut the berries in slices and lay them on a dish, and sprinkle the sugar over them. take some tall glasses, put in a layer of ice cream, then a layer of berries; let the cream be on top, and put two or three whole berries on top of all. or, if you can get little wild strawberries, use those whole both in the layers and on top. "those are both just perfect," sighed mildred. "now haven't you one more receipt, dear miss betty? three is a lucky number, you know." miss betty thought a moment "well, here is something i think is just delicious, and it's so easy that brownie could make it alone--or even jack! there is no turning of the freezer at all, only the ice to be broken. but it must be made in good season, for it has to stand awhile, as you will see. and when you turn it out you can put a row of lovely big strawberries all around it and sprinkle them with sugar." parfait cup of sugar. pint of cream. cup of water. whites of eggs. teaspoonful of vanilla. put the sugar and water on the stove and boil gently three minutes without stirring. lift a little of the syrup on the spoon and see if a tiny thread drops from the edge; if it does, it is done; if not, cook a moment longer. then let this stand on the edge of the stove while you beat the whites of the eggs very stiff and slowly pour the syrup into them, beating all the time. while you are doing this, have somebody else beat the cream stiff; when the eggs and syrup are beaten cold, fold the cream into them, add the flavoring, and put in a mold with a tight cover. put this in a pail, cover deeply with ice and salt as before, and let it stand five hours. "you see how easy that is," said miss betty. "that's all the receipts to-day. but, mildred, if you and jack, and brownie will all come to luncheon next saturday, i'll have something else made out of strawberries for you." "oh, miss betty!" cried mildred, rapturously, "we'll come--indeed we will!" "very well; and tell jack he can have three helpings of everything!" chapter vii strawberry time early in the morning of the next saturday came a note from miss betty, which said: dear mildred and dear brownie: just to think that i forgot to tell you i wanted you both to help me cook the luncheon for our party! do come over at about eleven, and bring your aprons. and please tell jack that if he wants to come and help too, i'll find him something perfectly proper for a boy to do. your loving betty. "oh, goody!" exclaimed brownie, as she read the note over mildred's shoulder. "the very best fun of parties is getting ready for them, and i know miss betty will have something nice for us to do." "what do you suppose miss betty wants _me_ to do?" asked jack, curiously. "i just believe it's a joke, and she really means to get me to make cake, or some other kind of girl's cooking. i don't believe i'll go till lunch-time." "oh, it's an invitation!" said brownie, much shocked. "you _have_ to go! and it's miss betty, too!" jack laughed. "well, all right," he said. "miss betty is such fun that perhaps i won't mind." "take your clean apron, jack," said mildred, teasingly. "pshaw!" sniffed jack, with a lordly air. miss betty's house was just across the lawn; when they reached it, she met them at the door and told the girls to go right in and get their aprons on. "now, jack," she said, dimpling, "i'm afraid i've brought you over under false pretenses, for i really don't want you to cook at all. i only hope you won't be too disappointed! but the weeding man who takes care of the garden has not come to-day, and i want some strawberries. would you mind picking some for me?" jack's sober face lighted. "why, i'd love to do it! that's what i call a man's work, miss betty. how many do you want?" "well, i want two kinds; first about a quart of ordinary ones, and the rest the very biggest in the garden; here are two baskets for them, and you may pick in one as you go along, and in the other lay the big berries on the freshest, prettiest strawberry leaves you can find. i want eight berries apiece for us--let me see--eight times four--" but jack was off before she finished. "now, girls," miss betty said, as she tied on her own apron, "we will go right out to the kitchen and begin. but first, brownie, can you lay the table for us?" "cer-tain-ly i can," said brownie, proudly. "you can just tell me what you are going to have to eat, and show me where you keep things, and i can do it all alone." so miss betty gave her a pretty square lunch-cloth to put cornerwise on the round table, and showed her where she kept the napkins and silver and china. "we are going to have creamed chicken, and iced cocoa, and salad, and strawberry shortcakes," she said. "hot plates for the chicken," murmured brownie, counting out four, "and cold plates for salad; tall glasses for cocoa; hot or cold plates for shortcake, miss betty?" "just warm, i think. i'll help you carry all these out to the kitchen so they will be ready when we want them. and are you sure you do not want me to help you put on the silver?" but brownie shook her head, and went on talking to herself as she arranged the forks: "never use knives except to cut up meat with; so forks for creamed chicken, and forks for salad, both on the right, because everybody is right-handed; and the chicken fork farthest away, because that comes first, and the salad fork next the plate, because that comes after. shall i put on a fork or a spoon for the shortcake?" "we shall need both, but i think we will lay those right on the plates when we put them on the table. here are the finger-bowls; we will put them on these small, pretty plates with a little doily under each bowl; and to-day we will stand them at the top of the place, not directly in front." "mother always puts the fruit plate and finger-bowl right down in the middle of the front," said brownie, doubtfully; "not at the top." "that is the way when you are going to eat an orange or peach on the plate; but you will see by and by why it is different to-day. now i know mildred wants me in the kitchen, so i'll leave you to finish the table all by yourself." as soon as miss betty appeared, mildred asked, "now what first?" and pushed up her sleeves. "first we must start the salad. i really ought to have done that long ago, but i waited for you. it is much better when it stands." she brought in three large tomatoes and washed them and cut out the stems. then she put them into a saucepan and poured boiling water over them, and, after they had watched a moment, they saw the skin all around the edge of the stem-hole begin to curl up; then they poured off the water, and miss betty put a fork into one and with a small sharp knife quickly pulled off all the skin; then she gave the fork to mildred, and let her finish the others and put them away on the ice while she washed the lettuce and rolled it up in a towel and put that on ice, too, to make it get crisp. then she read her this rule: plain tomato salad scald and peel the tomatoes, and put them on ice for an hour. wash the lettuce after separating, roll in a towel, and put on ice also. when it is time to use the salad, slice the tomatoes and arrange with the lettuce on plates or in a bowl. make the usual french dressing, and put it in a cream bottle; just before using, shake this very hard and pour over at once. "you know how to make french dressing, don't you, mildred?" "oh, yes, indeed! i learned that long ago, when i was putting up luncheons for jack. but i never put it in a bottle--i just mixed it in a bowl." "my dear, i've only just learned to put it in a bottle! you will be surprised to find how much better it is for a hard shaking, such as you cannot give it in a bowl. it is thick, and so well mixed that it is twice as good. i found that out myself the other day. "and here is a special receipt for you, brownie," continued miss betty, as brownie came into the kitchen; "such a cunning little one!" yellow tomato salad (brownie's) scald and peel little yellow tomatoes; chill, and lay on lettuce leaves; add french dressing just before serving, or mix the yellow tomatoes with little bits of red ones. "oh, that must be lovely!" said brownie. "i'm going to copy that in my book, and put my name after it, as my very own salad!" "now what next?" asked mildred, as she set away the french dressing in the cream bottle. "delicious little strawberry shortcakes; do you remember your rule for biscuits?" "indeed i do! i've made those so often i never even look in my cook-book." "well, then, you may make a panful of those; only remember to roll the dough out very thin--not thicker than half an inch; and do not let the biscuits touch each other in the pan. now, brownie, here is a platter of cold roast chicken, left from dinner last night, for you to pick off the bones and cut up in little, even pieces about the size of the end of your thumb. use the white meat first, because that looks best creamed, and if there is not enough, then use some of the dark. here is the rule:" creamed chicken large cup of thick white sauce. cups of cold chicken in small pieces. / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of chopped parsley. shake of pepper. make the usual white sauce, but use two tablespoonfuls of flour to one of butter, so it will be thick (see your rule). when it is done, add the seasoning and then the chicken; keep very hot, but do not let it boil again. "you can serve this on squares of buttered toast, or just as it is in little dishes, or on one round platter." mildred's biscuits were all ready to go into the oven by this time, and miss betty said they were lovely, but told her to put a bit of butter on top of each one, so they would be brown. "now copy off your rule," she added. strawberry shortcakes make the usual rule for biscuits, but divide it, unless you wish a good many. butter the top of each biscuit; when baked, gently separate them into two layers. put a little butter on each half. crush some ripe strawberries and sweeten them; arrange the lower halves of the biscuits on a dish, or put one on each plate; cover with the berries, put on the tops, sift sugar over them, and add two or three berries to each. pass cream with them. "if some day you want to make one large shortcake, mildred, all you have to do is to make one very large biscuit, and split it open just as you have done these small ones." "shall we make the cocoa now?" mildred asked, as she finished writing her receipt. [illustration: "here comes jack with the berries, just in time!"] "my dear, that had to be very, very cold for luncheon, so ellen made it right after breakfast, and put it on ice; but it doesn't matter, because you know how to make that. however, as we can't put any ice in it--that makes it horrid and watery--you may put a piece of ice in each of these tall glasses to chill them, and that will help make the cocoa cold; we will take it out at the last moment and put the cocoa in. here comes jack with the berries, just in time!" jack had two baskets of them, one of the biggest, loveliest ones, all laid on pretty strawberry leaves. those miss betty washed and dried and put on the ice at once, with the leaves; the smaller ones she gave to brownie to hull after washing. then she read this receipt aloud: strawberries for a first course wash, dry, and chill the berries, but do not hull them. put a little paper doily on a small, pretty plate and arrange the berries on the leaves around the edge in a circle, the points toward the center; in the middle put a little heap of sifted, powdered sugar. to eat them, take them by the hulls and dip in the sugar. "there!" she said, as she and mildred finished arranging them, "don't they look pretty? i think for breakfast or luncheon they are delicious this way. now you see, brownie, why the finger-bowls had to go at the top of the plate; these small plates go right before you on the table, and when ellen takes them off, she can take off the others, too. aren't the biscuits done yet, mildred?" mildred ran to look--she had forgotten all about them, but luckily they were exactly right, a beautiful brown. so she took them out of the pan and carefully opened them at the side, using a knife at first, and then tearing them gently apart so they would not be heavy. when brownie finished the berries, mildred crushed them a little and sweetened them, but did not put them on the biscuits; miss betty said that must be done only just before serving, or the crust would be soaked with the juice. so she helped fill the glasses with water, and put on the bread and butter and cocoa, while miss betty and brownie arranged the salad on plates and put the hot chicken in little dishes, each with a bit of parsley on top. then they all sat down and ate up the luncheon, and nobody could say which was the best thing, the beautiful berries, or the lovely hot chicken, or the ice-cold cocoa, or the salad, or the shortcakes--it was all so good. when they had finished, mildred said there was only one fault to find with the lunch--that they had strawberries only twice. "that's exactly the way i feel!" nodded miss betty. "in strawberry time, i want to have them in the place of meat and potatoes and bread, and everything else, and at least at all three meals a day, and between times, too! now would you like some more strawberry receipts for your cook-book?" "yes, indeed!" said mildred, running to get a pencil. then miss betty gave her these: strawberry cake small cup of sugar. / cup of butter. cup of cold water. egg. cups of flour. rounded teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. put the baking-powder in the flour and mix well. rub the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the egg without separating, and add this; add a little water, then a little of the flour, and so on till all is in. bake in two shallow tins. when done, and just before serving, put a layer of crushed, sweetened berries between the two layers and cover the top with whipped cream dotted with whole berries. or cover with powdered sugar and whole berries and pass plain cream. "this rule makes perfectly delicious raspberry or peach shortcake, too. try it as soon as raspberries come, mildred, for you will love it. now just one more rule, and this is especially for brownie." strawberry russe get a dozen ladyfingers, split them in halves, and cut each one in two. arrange these around the edge of small glasses; fill the centers with berries cut in halves and sweetened, and cover with whipped cream; put one berry on top of each. "oh, miss betty give me one more, please!" begged brownie. "i love special ones, just for me." "very well; here is one of the cunningest ones you ever saw." box shortcakes get from the baker's some small, oblong sponge-cakes; with a sharp knife mark all around the top edge, and then take out the middle part, leaving small, empty boxes. fill these heaping full of sliced berries, or, if you can get them, small field berries, and cover the tops with powdered sugar; pass a pitcher of cream. "of course you can make little cakes at home for these instead of buying them at the baker's, but really, for this particular receipt, the bought ones are better. hark! isn't that your mother calling?" it was, so they called jack, who was reading "kim" in the library, and all went home. chapter viii in camp "i've a nice long vacation ahead of me," announced father blair at breakfast one hot summer morning, "and i've set my heart on going to maine on a camping trip. i don't want any guide to take care of me, yet i do need some one who will help me cook. i had thought of asking you to go, jack, but as 'boys don't cook'--of course--" "oh, but they do camp cooking!" jack exclaimed enthusiastically; "all sorts of things--bacon, and fried eggs, and corn-bread--" "but, you see, you can't make any of those, and my digestion being delicate, i don't feel that i can be experimented upon," said his father, with a twinkle in his eye. "now if only you had taken lessons all these months as the girls have, i might consider taking you." "i'll learn right off, honestly i will! i'll begin this very day. and i can make cheese dreams, and--and boil eggs, now." "how long do you boil them, jack?" "till they're done!" said jack, triumphantly. father blair went off laughing, and said he was afraid he wouldn't be able to stand his son's cooking. jack spent a nervous day. would his father really take him to maine, to the camp in the woods he had always heard about, where his father and his men friends went nearly every year? or would he be left at home merely because he did not know how to cook? at last he consulted his mother. "i think father will surely take you," she said comfortingly; "and he is just pretending about the cooking; he can do all kinds of camp cookery beautifully, and up there he will teach you himself how to make things." so, sure enough, in just a week, jack and his father were off for the woods of maine, to a lake where the fishing was wonderful. they had a little log-cabin to sleep in, with a lean-to for their stores and cooking things, and there was a circle of stones, all blackened from other fires, where they could cook out of doors. the trees ran right down to the water's edge, and it was so still, and cool, and lovely that, if they had not been so hungry they could have sat and looked out at the lake for hours. as it was, as soon as they were settled and the guide had paddled off, they decided to have supper at once. the first thing was to make a fire, and jack brought an armful of twigs and began to lay them in the stone fireplace. "no, that's not the way," said his father. "there are several kinds of camp-fires, and the one we want to-night is the quick one. you must get two green sticks, about three feet long, with crotches at the top, and stick them well into the ground so they will cross at the top; then you can fill the kettle with water and hang it up, two feet from the fire, and under it you arrange loosely some very dry small twigs; have some larger ones at hand to put on as they burn up; that makes a hot, quick fire; some campers call it a 'wigwam' fire, because they build it up in that pointed shape. to-night, however, the first thing to do is to start the coffee; this is the way to make it:" camp coffee pint of cold water. heaping tablespoonfuls of ground coffee. as soon as the water bubbles, and before it really boils, take the kettle off and let it stand for ten minutes where it is hot. pour a tablespoonful of cold water down the spout to settle it. while the coffee was making, they cut a large slice of ham from the whole one they had brought with them, and after the frying-pan was heated on the coals, they put this in it to cook. then jack got out four eggs to have them ready, while father blair gave him this simple rule: ham and eggs cut off the rind; when the pan is hot, put the meat in; turn often; season with pepper. take up, put on a hot dish, and cover; break the eggs into the hot fat, and when they are set, turn each one carefully over and brown it. [illustration: the first supper in camp] "you cook bacon exactly in this way, too; only you must be careful not to cook it too long; you take it up when it is still transparent and before it turns to dry chips. now, if you will get out the cups and sugar and condensed milk, and the bread and butter, supper will be ready." they slept that night rolled up in their blankets in the bunks built on the cabin walls, and woke very early to hear the birds singing at the top of their little lungs. when they had had a dip in the lake and the fire was burning brightly and the kettle was on, jack said he wanted more ham and eggs for breakfast. "not a bit of it!" said his father. "we are too far from civilization to have eggs every day; remember, the guide will not be back for a week with any more, and we must be saving of these. this morning we will have bacon--lots of it--and corn-cakes; by dinner-time, if we have any sort of luck, we shall have some fish to fry." [illustration: jack gets breakfast] as they had two frying-pans, jack used the smaller one on one side of the fire for the bacon, while his father, after mixing the cakes, baked them in the larger one. as the strips of bacon grew a little brown and curly, jack took them up one by one and kept them hot till the cakes and coffee were ready too. "pour out all the bacon fat from the pan and save it," said his father, as jack finished the last piece. "it's the best thing in the world to cook with in camp, for it flavors everything just as you want it. we'll need all we can get of it. and here's your receipt for the cakes." corn-cakes / pint of corn-meal. / pint of flour. rounded teaspoonful of baking-powder. rounded teaspoonful of sugar. / teaspoonful of salt. mix all together, and then gently add cold water and stir till you have a thick batter. have ready a hot frying-pan, well greased, and put the batter in in spoonfuls; they will run together as they bake, but you can cut them apart; turn them over and brown on the under side. after breakfast they heated some water and washed up all the dishes, made their beds, and picked everything up around the cabin. jack hated to waste time doing this, he was in such a hurry to go fishing, but his father would not leave till it was all done. "campers often let things go," he said, "and soon the whole place is full of empty tin cans, and half-burned sticks, and all sorts of rubbish, and it's a horrid place to live in. you'll find it pays to keep everything about a camp in decent shape. but now we will get off." the lake was full of bass, and long before noon they had several fine ones, enough for two meals. "some day soon we will go into the deep woods and fish for trout," said father blair. "this is too easy; trout-fishing is the real sport for us." then jack had his first lesson in scaling and cleaning a fish, and found it no joke; however, after a time it went more easily, and then his father left him, to make a new kind of fire. "this is what i call a lasting fire," he said. "the quick kind we made first goes out too soon to leave a bed of coals which we need to bake with. this is the way i do: i make a little pile of twigs just as before, but close up to a rock; then i stand several large sticks up in front and lean them back so they rest on the rock--so; then, as they burn, they fall down into the twig-fire and make coals. by adding wood from time to time i could keep this for hours. now for my oven!" he dug a hole about eight inches deep and a foot long right under the edge of the fire, and was soon able to fill it with hot coals. "when that is hot, say in ten minutes, i shall take the coals out and put my potatoes in." baked potatoes wash potatoes of even size; put them in the oven under the fire, cover with ashes, and put coals on top; new potatoes will cook in half an hour, old ones in forty minutes. "now how is your fish getting on? luckily you don't have to scale all our fish; some you can skin, and some, like trout, you simply clean and cook just as they are. this is the way you do a good-sized fish:" broiled fish scale or skin, clean, and wipe dry. spread open the broiler and rub the wires with bacon rind or pork; cut the head off and split the fish open down the back, and lay it in; hold the broiler over the coals and turn it often; sprinkle with salt and pepper. it was only a moment before the fish began to sizzle deliciously, and by the time it was done, the potatoes were done too, and white as snow after their black coats had been taken off. together they made a wonderful meal, and there was enough fish left for supper. warmed-over fish pint of fish. pint of hot mashed potato. beaten egg. salt and pepper. use any kind of cooked fish, removing the skin and bones. mix the ingredients, make into little cakes, and fry brown in a little hot fat. boiled potatoes choose those which are the same size, so they will all be done at once. peel them, dropping each one in cold water till all are done, and then put them in a pot of boiling, salted water, and cook gently half an hour. when soft, pour off the water, stand the pot, uncovered, close to the fire, and let them get dry. eat them with salt and butter as they are, or mash them in the kettle, adding the same seasoning. jack cooked these, and mixed the cakes and got them all ready to brown. "what else are we going to have, father blair?" he asked anxiously. "i don't think these will be half enough." "i think i feel just like pancakes," said his father, throwing down the book he had been reading. "i hope there's plenty of that prepared flour, jack. i think i shall want about six cakes; how many will you need?" jack said he thought he could manage with eight, if they were pretty good-sized. pancakes take two cups of prepared flour and mix with water (or use half water and half condensed milk) until it makes a batter like thick cream. have ready a hot, greased frying-pan; pour in the batter from a small pitcher. "sometimes i have these instead of bread to eat with meat, and then we have gravy on them. then sometimes we have maple-syrup, and call them dessert." "syrup for me!" said jack, struggling to turn his fish-cakes without breaking them. "but i didn't know you were so much of a cook, father." "jack, while we are eating, i'll tell you a true story, one of the dark secrets of my eventful life; that will explain to you why i believe a man should know how to cook." so when the pancakes were finished and jack had time to listen, his father told him the story of how, when they were first married, the blairs had taken a trip across the prairie, and had camped a long way from a town; how mother blair had been taken ill and could not do the cooking, and poor father blair had to do everything for her and himself too, and did not know how to cook an egg, or make a cup of tea, or a bit of toast; and what a time it was! "i tell you, jack, after that was over, i went to work and learned how to do a few things; and now, as you say," he added complacently, "i'm quite a cook. and the sooner you learn to cook, the better, for some day you'll need to know how; all men do." "s'pose so," jack murmured thoughtfully. [illustration: the next day was perfect for fishing] the next day was perfect for trout-fishing, so they started early with some lunch, and went back into the deep woods where there was a brown stream all full of little rocks and hollows, and there jack took his first lesson in fly-fishing, and at night he was the proudest of boys when they looked at their basket of speckled beauties, four of which he had caught. it was great fun to cook them too, when they got back to camp. small fish, broiled clean the fish; put them on a green stick, passing it through their gills; put a slice of bacon or salt pork between each two fish; have a hot bed of coals, and hold them over this till done, turning often. several of the larger ones they strung on a string and put away in a dark, cool place among the rocks, and kept them till the next day, when they cooked them in a different way, and had: panned fish clean the fish; cut off the heads and break the spines, to keep them from curling as they cook. put three slices of bacon or pork into a frying-pan, and, when this is done, take it out and put in the fish; cook quickly and turn often. one day a rain-storm came on, so they could not go fishing, but had to stay in and play games and read and write letters. at noon, they went to a sheltered corner of the rocks and made a quick fire, where the rain could not reach it, and cooked their dinner; they had: corned-beef hash can of corned beef. onion. large cups of cold boiled potato. pepper and dry mustard. cook the onion, after slicing it fine, in a little fat. chop the potatoes and beef and add these, with the seasoning; when the under side is brown, turn it like an omelet. for supper they had to go to their stores again; this time they had steamed salmon turn the salmon into a dish; take out the bones and fat, and pour away the juice; season with salt and pepper; put in a covered can and stand in a kettle of boiling water till very hot. "we'll have fried potatoes with the salmon, jack. can you make those all alone?" "yes, indeed!" said jack, who by this time could do a great many things. fried potatoes slice cooked or raw potatoes; heat a frying-pan, put in enough fat to cover the bottom when melted, and cook the potatoes till brown; scrape them up from the bottom often, so they will not burn. the potatoes and salmon made a very good supper, but jack was not sorry to hear that, when the guide made his weekly visit the next day, he would bring eggs and milk and vegetables. "and i'm going to send for a little light sheet-iron stove made especially for campers," said mr. blair. "then we'll have real corn-bread, and baked fish, and biscuits. don't you want to learn to make biscuits like mildred's, jack?" jack grew red all through his tan as he looked at his father's teasing face. "well," he said doubtfully, "i suppose biscuits are all right, and i'll learn to make them if you say so. but, father, you won't want me ever to make cake or desserts, will you? i draw the line there!" "we'll see!" laughed his father. "perhaps you'll change your mind about that, some day." chapter ix in camp (continued) there was a wait of a week before the camp stove could arrive, and during that time, jack took lessons in all sorts of cooking, and learned to make a number of good things; and this was fortunate, for one day two friends of his father surprised them; they were on their way to a camp farther in the woods, and wanted to stay a night and a day with the blairs before going on. this meant that there were four people to cook for instead of two, and it needed all the experience jack had to do his share of the work. the visitors did not come until supper was done, and everything was eaten up; not even a bit of fish was left over. so the blairs had to go to their stores and find something they could get ready quickly, and something very hearty as well. "these fellows are as hungry as hunters," mr. blair said, while the men were washing up in the lake and getting ready for supper. "here's some tinned meat; let's have that, with potatoes in it." "but potatoes take so long to cook--" "not the way i'm going to cook them; only ten minutes. you can peel four and slice them very thin, and put them in cold water, and then peel and slice an onion while i open the meat and boil the kettle for coffee. then i'll show you how to make a:" ten-minute stew potatoes, sliced very thin. onion, sliced thin. can of tinned meat (not corned beef). salt and pepper. rounded tablespoonful of flour. large cup of cold water. put the potatoes on to cook in a saucepan of boiling salted water. then put the onion in a hot frying-pan with a tablespoonful of pork or bacon fat, and fry brown. put the flour in the cold water and stir till it is smooth, and mix this with the onion and stir it up; when the potatoes are done, drain them and add next, and then put in the sliced meat and heat; do not boil. by the time this was done, the coffee was ready too, and the nice hot stew was served with large cups of the coffee and plenty of bread and butter. with a second cup of coffee and crackers and cheese, their guests had made an excellent supper. the next morning, jack got up extra early, because he knew everybody would be anxious to go fishing. so he soon had the kettle boiling and the breakfast started, and cooked it all by himself while the men dressed. the principal dish was: fried salt pork slice thin and put in a frying-pan with enough warm water to cover; stir it around till the water begins to simmer, and turn this all off and drain the pork. then fry till crisp. put this in a hot dish near the fire while you make the gravy. tablespoonful of flour. cups of boiling water. a little pepper. put the flour in the grease in the frying-pan, and rub till smooth and brown; add the water slowly, stirring all the time, and then the pepper; when smooth and a little thick, pour over the fried pork. with this he had pancakes, plenty of them, which were delicious with the pork gravy, and on these, with plenty of coffee, the men said they could get along very comfortably till dinner-time. for dinner they had some of the fish they caught, broiled, with boiled potatoes; and, for dessert, corn-cakes and maple-syrup. for supper jack took the fish left from dinner and made: fish-balls pint of cooked fish, picked up small. quart of hot mashed potato. tablespoonful of butter. a little pepper. beat all together till very light, and make into balls the size of an egg. have ready a pail of very hot fat, and drop in two balls at a time and cook till light brown; take them out; keep hot; and put in two more, and so on. after this, he had something which had taken a long time to make, but he did not mind it. fried corn-meal mush rounded tablespoonful of salt. quart of yellow corn-meal. quarts of water. bring the water to a hard boil in a kettle over the fire; mix the meal with enough cold water to make a thick batter (this is to avoid lumps). drop spoonfuls of the meal into the water gradually, so it does not stop boiling; when all is in, stir steadily for ten minutes. then put a cover on the pot and hang it high over the fire so it will cook slowly for one hour; stir occasionally so it will not burn; then pack tightly in a pan and let it get perfectly cold and firm. (the best plan is to let it stand all night if you can.) when you wish to use it, slice it, and fry in very hot grease in the frying-pan till brown. the next day the men left, after saying they had had a fine visit and had never had such good things to eat in camp. then jack and his father had a quiet time till the guide appeared once more, his boat full of stores and his pockets crammed with newspapers and letters; and in the end of his boat he had a small sheet-iron stove. that they quickly set up under the edge of the lean-to where, if it rained, it would not get wet and rusty. "and now, jack," said his father, rubbing his hands, "you shall taste my baked beans. i may say without boasting that they will be the very best you ever ate in your life. women may be able to cook ordinary food, but it takes a man to cook beans--and i'm the man!" jack laughed, and said he wanted to learn how so he could beat his father making them, and he watched carefully everything that was done. baked beans pick over a pint of beans and throw away all that are shriveled and poor. wash the rest and put them in cold water to cover them, and let them stand all night. the next day, put the beans in fresh water and gently cook them half an hour, skimming them occasionally. in another kettle, put a piece of salt pork as large as a man's fist; cover it with water and let it cook till the beans are done. then drain the water off both, and cut the pork in two pieces; slice each piece part way down, leaving the lower portion solid. put one piece in the bottom of an earthen dish, and pile the beans around and over it, and put the other piece on top. mix / teaspoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. tablespoonful of molasses or sugar. / teaspoonful of dry mustard. pour this all over the beans and cover the pan; put in the oven, and bake at least two hours; uncover and brown during the last twenty minutes. if the beans get very dry, pour on half a cup of boiling water when they are half done. "aha!" said father blair, as he put the pan in the oven when they were ready to bake. "those will be simply fine. now we could have made them by putting them in a kettle over the fire and baking them so, or we could have buried the kettle in a hole in the ashes; but they are really better done in an oven if one happens to have one. and, anyway, i needed a stove to bake biscuit in, so that's why i got one. i think we will make some for supper, too, and put them in when the beans come out. the name of the one big biscuit i'm going to make to-night is:" camper's bread - / pints of flour. - / rounded teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. / teaspoonful of salt. rounded teaspoonfuls of any kind of fat (lard is best). / pint of cold water. put the baking-powder and salt in the flour; mix well and then rub in the lard till there are no lumps left and it does not stick to the pan; add the water, a little at a time, and stir with the spoon till smooth. grease a pan and put the dough in in rather a thin layer; smooth the top and bake, till, when you put in a sliver of wood, it comes out clean. eat while warm; do not cut, but break into pieces. "now i could have cooked this just as i could have cooked the beans, without the oven. i could have put it in the frying-pan in a bed of hot ashes and covered it and put ashes on top and let it cook till done; but it's better to cook it this way if you can, because it's lighter and browner. when you want regular biscuits, all you do is to make the dough into little balls, and be sure you put flour on your hands before you try it, jack, or you'll get into an awful mess. and then you put them in the pan and just bake them till they are done." "i like the big loaf," said jack. "it's more like real camp cooking; biscuits are for a house." "and now we are going to have something extra good to-day--green corn on the cob. i tell you that's a luxury for campers! how will you have it, boiled or roasted?" "both," said jack, who liked corn immensely. "very well, but one way at a time, young man! we will have it boiled this noon, and we will roast it over the coals to-night." boiled corn have a deep kettle full of water boiling hard; take off the husks and silk, and boil the ears hard for twenty minutes; serve with butter and salt. "some campers boil the corn in the husk and think it is better that way, but i find i always burn my fingers taking off the leaves and silk, so i believe in peeling it as we do at home," said jack's father, as he put the ears in the kettle slowly, so as not to stop the boiling of the water. "now for supper, this is the way to fix it:" roast corn take off the husks and silk. put a stick in the end of the ear, and toast it brown over a bed of coals; have ready butter and salt to put on each. [illustration: roasting corn over a bed of coals] the baked beans proved all their cook promised they should be, and almost the best thing about them was that they were just as good cold as hot, and so saved cooking things sometimes when they were in a hurry. one day, they caught a perfectly huge fish, too large to broil well, and then their little stove proved a treasure, for the oven would just hold a baking pan; they cooked it in this way: baked fish clean and scale the fish, but do not take off the head or tail. slice an onion fine, and fry brown in two tablespoonfuls of fat; add to this a cup of fine, dry bread crumbs and a little salt and pepper, and stir till brown. wipe dry the inside of the fish, and put this stuffing in; wind a string around the outside to hold it firmly in place. put in a pan with four slices of salt pork or bacon, and lay three or four more on the top of the fish; shake a little flour, salt, and pepper over all. bake in a hot oven till the skin begins to break open a little; every fifteen minutes open the oven door and baste the fish; that is, pour a spoonful of juice from the pan over the fish; if there is not enough, pour a small cup of boiling water into the pan. with this they had boiled onions peel onions of about the same size, and drop them in a kettle of boiling, salted water; when they have cooked half an hour, throw this water away and put them in fresh boiling water. this will prevent their being too strong. cook for one hour altogether. put melted butter, pepper, and salt over them. before they could possibly think it was time to go home, their vacation was over. for dinner, the last night, father blair made something very good indeed: camp pudding / pound of dried prunes. slices of bread, cut thin and buttered. / cup of sugar. tablespoonful of butter. wash the prunes and cover them with cold water, and let them stand all night. in the morning, put them on the fire in this water, and cook slowly till they are very soft; then take out the stones. line a dish with the bread, cut in pieces, with a layer on the bottom; put on a spoonful of prunes and juice, then a layer of bread, and so on till the dish is full, with bread on top; sprinkle with sugar and bits of butter and bake brown. "my, but we've had a good time!" said jack, thoughtfully rubbing the end of his sunburned nose as he watched the shores of the lake fade away the next day. "i never supposed it was such fun to camp. and i've become quite a cook; now haven't i, father blair?" "i should say you had. too bad your mother and the girls can't know about it. but they will never know!" and his father smiled mischievously. "well, perhaps some day i'll cook something for them," said jack, sheepishly. "i don't mind knowing how to cook as much as i thought i should, now that i know men cook. i guess i'll surprise them some day, father!" chapter x jams and jelly norah was preserving peaches. the fragrant odor filled the house one day, and mildred sniffed it delightedly. "dear me! i wish i could make preserves," she sighed. "norah's always look so lovely in their jars, and they taste so good, too. i wonder if she would let me help her?" but no, norah would not. peaches, she explained, must be done up very carefully, and nobody could do them up unless they knew just how. [illustration: "'but norah, if you can't begin till you know how, how does anybody ever learn?'"] "but, norah, if you can't begin till you know how, how does anybody ever learn? and i want to do them so much! just see how beautiful yours are," and mildred looked longingly at the row of jars on the kitchen table full of yellow peaches in a syrup like golden sunshine. "oh, norah!" she murmured pathetically. but norah was firm. miss mildred couldn't do up peaches; she was too young; and, anyway, she couldn't be bothered teaching her. so mildred sighed and gave it up. but when she told her mother about it, mother blair laughed. "you want to begin at the top," she said, "norah is quite right in saying that peaches are not easy to put up--that is, not the very best, most beautiful peaches, and nobody wants any other kind. but why not make something else to begin with, jams and jellies and other good things? and by the time you know all about those, you will find that peaches will be perfectly easy for you." mildred brightened up. "now that's what i call a good idea, one of your very best, mother blair. can't i make something right away to-day?" "just as soon as norah is all through with her preserving, if she doesn't mind, you may. and perhaps she has something all ready for you to begin on. run and ask her if you may have the parts of the peaches she did not want to use." that puzzled mildred, and as she hurried to the kitchen she thought about it. "norah, mother says you are not going to use all the parts of the peaches, and perhaps i may have what you don't want. but what are they? because if they are just the skins and stones, i don't want them either." norah was just fastening on the last top on her jars of preserves, and she looked very good-natured. "sure, i've got lots left!" she said, and showed mildred a large covered bowl filled with bits of peach pulp. "i won't put any bruised peaches in preserves," she explained, "so i just cut up peaches with soft spots and put 'em in here; and when i'm done, i make a shortcake out of 'em. if i've got enough, sometimes i make 'em into--" "jam!" interrupted mildred. "of course! delicious peach jam that i love. oh, norah, do let me make some; don't use any of those peach bits for shortcake--let's have something else for lunch." "well," said norah, "i guess you can have 'em." so mildred ran for her apron and a receipt, which, when she read it over, proved, strangely enough, to be a rule for making not only peach but all sorts of jams. jam prepare your fruit nicely; strawberries must be washed and hulled, peaches pared and cut up, raspberries looked over for poor ones. when they are ready, measure large cup of fruit to small cup of sugar. mash the fruit and put it in a kettle in layers with the sugar, and press and stir it till it is all wet and juicy. then gently boil it, stirring constantly from the bottom up, so the fruit will not burn. mash with a wooden potato masher till all is smooth. when it has cooked nearly an hour, try a little on a cold saucer and see if it gets firm. when it does, it is done. some jams take longer to cook than others, because some fruits are more juicy. this sounded very easy indeed, and mildred began to mash and measure at once, and soon the jam was over the fire. but it took a long time to cook. norah brought a dishpan full of jelly-glasses and put them in the sink, and mildred washed these and dried them and arranged them on two trays, all ready for the jam; but every moment or two she stirred the jam well. by and by, after more than an hour, the peaches looked transparent, and then norah said they were done; and, sure enough, when she hurriedly put some on a saucer and stood this on the ice in the refrigerator to get it cold quickly, it grew a little stiff and the edges were like jelly. [illustration: "i am so proud, i want everybody to see my jam"] mildred carefully lifted the hot saucepan from the fire and began to dip out the jam with a cup and put it in the glasses; when she finished, there were eight of them, all filled with clear golden-pinky-brownish jam, beautiful to look at, and, oh, so good to taste! mildred ran for her mother and brownie to look at it. "i wish father and jack were here," she sighed, "and miss betty, too. i am so proud, i want everybody to see it." "it really is lovely," said her mother. "i never saw any that was nicer. next winter we will eat it on hot buttered toast, and put it in layer cake, and have it ready for school sandwiches." "but only eight little, little glasses," mourned mildred. "why didn't i make eight dozen of them?" "well, eight dozen is a good many," laughed her mother. "perhaps--just _perhaps_, you know, you might find you got tired even of peach jam before you had eaten all those up. but the beauty of making jams in fruit time is that you can make a few glasses of it any time you want to. peaches are just in season now, and we have them nearly every day, so you can put up more at any time." "of course!" said mildred, delightedly. "i never thought of that. i'll make the rest of my eight dozen yet, mother blair; i'm sure it won't be a bit too much." "why not make some other things that are just as good? grapes are in season too, and plums, and pears--" "i'll make them all! i'll make every single kind of jam that there is!" "you can make jelly too, and compotes, and spiced things; i'll be so glad to have you learn, and they are all as easy as can be." "but, mother, what can _i_ make?" brownie looked very sober. "is mildred going to make everything all alone? i like to make things, too." "of course you do, and you shall certainly help; jams are so easy anybody in the world can make them." "even jack?" laughed mildred. "yes, even jack, if he wanted to. why don't you and brownie together make some nice grape jam to-morrow?" the girls said they would love to; then their mother had them write down a special receipt, because grape jam is the one kind that is different from every other. grape jam wash the grapes; take them off the stems one by one as though you meant to eat them, but press them between your fingers and put the skins in one dish and the pulp in another. when you have finished, heat the pulp and stir it till you can see that the seeds have come out; then put the pulp through the colander. add this to the skins, measure, and follow your regular rule. this seemed like a queer receipt; grape skins in jam! it sounded rather horrid. but they made it, anyway, and when they had finished, though it was a clear, reddish black, it was really delicious. it happened that the grapes grew in their own garden, and so many of them were ripe that, when they had used up quite a large basketful, there were plenty left. norah had been planning to use them in jelly, but she said she could wait a day longer for that, and the girls might have them if they wanted to, and she would show them how to make something very good indeed and very easy. this was: spiced fruit pints of fruit, all prepared. - / small cups of vinegar. - / pints of sugar. teaspoonfuls of powdered cinnamon. teaspoonful of powdered cloves. boil till thick; about an hour and a half. in making spiced grapes, prepare them exactly as for jam, and use pulp and skins. their mother did not know they were making this new kind of preserve, and she was delighted when she was shown all the little glasses of it. "all spiced fruits are especially nice with meat," she said, "and with this rule you can spice almost any kind of fruit; pears, or peaches, or apples, or plums--" "or strawberries, or pineapple, or raspberries," said brownie. "oh, no! i ought to have said any kind of _autumn_ fruit--that is a good way to remember which ones to use. and, mildred, norah divided this rule for you, to make it easier, but when i put up spiced fruit, i take twice as much of everything." "what a pity i'm so stupid about arithmetic!" sighed mildred. "think of having to take twice one and three quarter pints of sugar, and twice one and a half cups of vinegar! i'll never get them right." "mildred, you remind me of a story some one told me the other day, about a girl who had just come home from college; it's a true story too, and the girl lives right in this town. she thought she would like to learn to cook, so she found a rule for cake in the cook-book and read it to herself; it began something like this: three cups of flour, two cups of sugar, three teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, and so on. presently her mother went into the kitchen and found on the table three cups, all filled with flour, two more cups filled with sugar, one cup of milk, another cup of raisins, three teaspoons in a row, all filled with baking-powder, and so on. think of that!" "i s'pose they didn't teach multiplying in that college," said brownie, sympathetically. mildred and her mother laughed. "well, i suppose i'll just have to learn to do fractions in my head!" said mildred. "there isn't any other way, if you are going to be a good cook," her mother replied. "you can't guess at things, or you will spoil them; you have to measure exactly. now that you have finished these grapes, i'll give you some more receipts, if you want them." the girls hastened to bring out their pretty red-covered books. "just see, mother blair," said mildred, turning over the leaves, "how many pages are filled up--with _such_ good things, too!" and she gave a sigh of such complete satisfaction, that her mother laughed. then they settled themselves at the table to write the new receipts. apple conserve pints of apples, measured after they are peeled and cut up in bits. pints of sugar. lemons, juice and grated peel. large pieces of preserved ginger (the kind that comes in little pots). mix all together and cook till thick; about an hour and a half. cranberry conserve - / pints of washed and chopped cranberries. - / pints of sugar. large oranges. pint (or package) seeded raisins, chopped a little, after washing. cut the oranges in halves and take out the pulp with a spoon; then scrape the skins well till they are clean and not very much of the white lining is left; chop the rest. mix all together and cook till thick. "these two conserves are so very nice that we do not put them on the table and eat them up any day in the week, but save them for sunday night supper and other times like that," said mother blair; "and sometimes they can go into sandwiches for afternoon tea. now would you like just a very easy jelly? here is a nice one." apple jelly wash twenty red apples that are not very sweet; cut them up in small pieces without peeling them or taking out the cores. put them in a kettle and just cover them with water; cook slowly till it is all like soft apple-sauce. then put it in a bag--a flour sack is the best--tie up the top, and hang the bag up over night with a large bowl underneath to catch the juice. in the morning measure this. mix pint of juice. small pint of sugar. put on the fire and boil gently twenty minutes, skimming it occasionally; lift off the saucepan and drop into the jelly one large lemon, cut up in quarters, squeezing them a little; then put a small wire strainer over each jelly-glass in turn and pour the jelly into each from a cup. "there! when you can make that kind of jelly, you will almost have learned how to make any other kind. and this is lovely, so pink and delicate, and it always gets just firm enough and not too stiff to be nice. now, mildred, you may try this to-morrow if you like, and, if it's perfect, you shall have a prize." the next day the jam was firm on top, and norah said it ought to be covered and put away at once or it would get too hard. "how shall i cover it, mother?" mildred asked anxiously. "paste on papers or something?" "oh, no, indeed! nobody does that way any more. ask norah if she has any paraffin left over." but no, she had used every bit she had to cover her grape jelly; so brownie had to go to the drug-store and get ten cents' worth. it came in a large cake, so clear and white it looked good enough to eat, but it wasn't, as the little girl found out by tasting. it was just like candles, and only mice like to eat candles. norah said she would show the girls how to cover jams and jellies and spiced things, and everything you put in jelly-glasses. "you take this little saucepan that i keep on purpose for paraffin," she said, "and put the whole cake in it after you cut it in two, and melt it; only be careful and don't let it splash on my clean stove and make it greasy. and while it is melting you can wipe off the jam glasses with a warm, wet dish-cloth and make them all clean and dry." while brownie was washing off the glasses mildred cut some little slips of paper and printed on these the names for the different things they had made; peach on some, and spiced grapes on others, and grape jam or apple jelly on the rest. then she got the pot of paste from the library; by this time the paraffin was melted and all ready to use. norah showed them how to pour a little on top of each glass, right on the jam, and then tip the glasses a little so it would run up the sides toward the top. in a moment it hardened, and was ready for the tin covers to go on so the mice could not get at it, and then they pasted the labels on, and it was done. norah helped carry the trays to the preserve closet and put them away in rows, being very careful not to tip them and slide the paraffin up the sides of the glasses. then they stood and looked at them, and, oh, how proud the girls felt! "i'll make some more to-morrow," said mildred, "and some more after that, and some more after that, and some more after _that_!" chapter xi a hallowe'en supper "hallowe'en next week. wish we could do something nice," jack said to mildred as they put away their books one night at bedtime. "so do i. i'm tired of school already, and here it is only october! of course, i don't mean that i'm dreadfully tired of it, you know, only just a little bit tired. i think, if we could have something very nice indeed to do, i could get on till the christmas vacation--or at least till thanksgiving without making any great fuss." jack laughed. he knew that mildred, like himself, was always ready to have a good time. "let's have a hallowe'en party," he suggested. "not a sheet and pillow-case party, either; we've had those till i can't even think of one without wanting to scream." "and not one where you bob for apples and walk around the house backward. i've done both those till i never want to do them again. i mean some new kind of a party." but they could not think of anything new that seemed exactly what they wanted; so the next day they went in to see miss betty after school and asked her about it. "why, a chafing-dish party, of course," she said. "that's exactly the thing to have. you make a lot of indigestible things to eat and then you go to sleep and dream of ghosts and goblins, and hear shivery noises and groans and such things--just what you want, on hallowe'en! i can think of a lot of awfully good things to have, things warranted to give you nightmares." jack said that suited him exactly, but mildred was not so sure. "don't you think we might have two or three different kinds of things," she suggested doubtfully. "some of them, for the boys, might be pretty bad; and some others for the girls a lot better. _i_ don't want to dream of ghosts!" miss betty was willing to do this, but jack objected. "be a sport, mildred!" he said. "remember it's hallowe'en." "well, we'll see," she said at last. "perhaps i'll eat a few dreadful things just to see what will happen. now what can we have? i can't use a chafing dish at all." "jack can," miss betty said, laughing. jack's cooking never ceased to be a joke. "i? i never cooked in one in my life, except cheese dreams, at the dwights'," jack assured her. "a chafing dish and a frying-pan are just the same sort of thing, and you know you learned all about frying-pans in the summer, so now, of course, you must show what you can do. i'll give you the receipts and tell you just how to make the things, but you must use a chafing-dish; if you won't--then, of course, i won't be able to help with the party at all." so jack reluctantly promised to do his part. "probably i'll spoil things and make a mess," he grumbled. but miss betty refused to let him off. "of course you can cook in a chafing dish," she assured him. "all men can, especially those who can do camp cooking, and you know you're an expert there, jack! now let's see what we can have." "do let's have oysters for one thing; they are just in season now," begged mildred. "of course--they are just the thing; suppose we have pigs in blankets, and jack shall make them, for they are easy and oh, so good! and, mildred, you shall have a chafing dish, too, and make something else; and we can make things to go with them, so there will be plenty of supper for everybody. how many are you going to have?" "oh, we haven't thought about it yet, and we must talk it over with mother and see what she thinks; but i know she will love the party, because she always does." and so, sure enough, their mother did love the plan. a chafing-dish supper was _such_ a bright idea, she said, and so like miss betty. they decided to ask only eight guests, four boys and four girls. in case the food did not turn out to be what they hoped, it was better not to have too many to eat it, jack thought. hallowe'en obligingly came on a saturday, just as though it knew how convenient that day would be for everybody. mildred and brownie and miss betty and mother blair and norah all helped in getting things ready, laying the table, filling the alcohol lamps of the two chafing-dishes,--one borrowed from miss betty,--and preparing the good things for the supper. they decided to have first, the dish of oysters made by jack at one end of the table, and some eggs to go with them, made by mildred at the other. with these were to be some potatoes--a new kind mildred had never heard of--and brownie thought she could make these and send them in nice and hot; she was going to make cocoa, too, to go with the other hot dishes, and she and mildred together were going to make sandwiches in the afternoon. and after these, miss betty said, there was to be something perfectly wonderful--something so good and so new. "oh, what?" they all begged. miss betty's eyes rolled up to the ceiling, and she shook her pretty head. "wait and see," she said solemnly. "i'll bring in the things this afternoon and we will all make it together." and they had to be content with this promise. the table was laid just as they had it at breakfast and luncheon and sunday night supper, with pretty doilies, one for each person and several over for chafing-dishes and piles of plates and sandwiches. in the middle was a big bowl of bright colored autumn leaves mixed with chrysanthemums; and at each place was a dainty card with a picture of a witch riding a broomstick, and the name of the boy or girl who was to sit there. the table looked very pretty when it was all finished, with the glasses and silver and small napkins. brownie did it almost all alone; she loved to get ready for company. then they got out their receipt books and began to put down the different things they were to make for supper. even jack, smiling sheepishly, consented to write down the chafing-dish rules. they might come in handy when he went to college, he said. pigs in blankets very large oysters. slices of thin bacon. a shake or two of pepper. wrap each oyster in one slice of bacon after you have cut off the rind, and pin it with a tiny wooden toothpick. heat the chafing dish very hot by putting the upper pan, the one with the handle, directly over the flame. lay in four or five oysters and cook them till the bacon crisps and the edges of the oysters curl; then take them up and put into a hot covered dish while you cook more. have ready some strips of toast and put the oysters on two or three of these on hot plates. shake a little pepper over them, but no salt, as the bacon will salt them enough. if too much juice comes out in cooking, pour it off and so keep the pan dry. the oysters were all made up into "pigs" in the afternoon, and put in the refrigerator; they looked so funny when they were done--just like tiny pigs, all asleep. but as jack thought twenty oysters for ten people were not enough, they made fifty. then mildred was given her rule: spanish eggs mix in the chafing dish. tablespoonful of butter. / cup of gravy or strong soup. onion, chopped fine. / cupful of thick tomato (canned). green pepper, without the seeds, chopped fine. cook this fifteen minutes, stirring so it will not burn; then put into it: eggs, beaten a little without separating. teaspoonful of salt. if, in cooking the vegetables, they get dry, put in a little more butter and tomato. miss betty said if mildred would stir this often she did not need to use the hot-water pan of the chafing-dish. "it takes so much longer to cook with it that i never use it if i can help it," she explained. "and now for the potatoes, brownie." scalloped potatoes wash and peel six large potatoes, and slice them thin. butter a baking dish and put in a layer; sprinkle with salt and just a little pepper and dot with very little bits of butter. when the dish is full pour over it a cupful of milk and sift fine crumbs over the top, and add some more bits of butter. bake for three quarters of an hour. like the oysters this dish was made ready in the afternoon, all but putting on the milk and crumbs. "you don't need a receipt for cocoa, do you?" miss betty stopped to ask. "no, indeed; we can make that with our eyes shut," laughed mildred. "then we will go on to the sandwiches. here are two kinds which are very good with oysters, and perhaps they may possibly give you ghost-dreams; i hope they will!" tomato and cheese sandwiches scald and peel some tomatoes and put them on ice till firm; then slice very thin indeed, and take out all the soft part and seeds; sprinkle with a little salt. slice some white bread thin and butter it; lay a slice of tomato on a slice of bread and on top put a very thin slice of cheese--just a scraping of it; add the other slice of bread, press together and cut into attractive shape. "i just happened to see the remains of that cold boiled ham you evidently had left over from yesterday, sitting in the refrigerator and looking lonely, so i planned these, which are much better than the common kind:" deviled ham sandwiches put some cold cooked ham through the meat chopper till smooth; add a very little dry mustard, a tiny pinch of black pepper and a very tiny one of red pepper. to a small cupful of the meat add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and press into a cup; when cold spread this on buttered bread. "my, those sound good," murmured jack to himself, "and they sound like hallowe'en, too." "so they do," laughed mother blair, beginning to slice the bread and spread it. "let's make them now and put them on ice, all rolled up in a wet napkin." she and brownie went to work, but mildred said she was not quite ready yet. "i want another chafing-dish rule," she said. "two are not enough, and they are all we have for our books." "well, just one or two more, and then i must fly," said miss betty; "you see i have to get the things for my own special receipt for the party. here is a good one:" panned oysters, creamed take four oysters for each person. make some slices of toast, butter them and cut them into rounds just the size to fit into the bottom of little brown baking dishes, or any small individual dishes which can go to the table. put the oysters on these with a shake of salt and pepper for each and a bit of butter the size of the tip of your little finger. put the dishes into the oven for ten minutes, or till the oysters curl at the edges; then take them out and put two teaspoonfuls of hot, thick, sweet cream on each, and a bit of parsley; stand each dish on a plate and send to the table. "i know you will like that; now here is another:" creamed eggs take one egg for each person; put the lower pan over the flame and fill with hot water from the tea-kettle; put in the eggs and boil for ten minutes with the cover of the pan on. take them out, peel them and wrap them in a napkin to keep them hot. set away the lower pan, and in the upper one put: tablespoonful of butter; melt this and add tablespoonful of flour and rub together until smooth. add / pint of cream or very rich milk, and stir till thick; add / teaspoonful of salt. pinch of cayenne. / teaspoonful paprika. drop the eggs in and turn them over once or twice till they are very hot; serve each one on a round of buttered toast on a hot plate. "now that is positively all i can stop to give you now; i must begin on my own dish," said miss betty, putting on her hat. "but i'll be back again in just two minutes." when she came she was carrying a huge pineapple, the largest the children had ever seen, and in a bag three large oranges and three bananas. "now," she exclaimed as she put them on the kitchen table, "you shall see me make something very nice." this was the way she made it: stuffed pineapple get a large pineapple and cut off the brush at the top, but leave a little slice of the fruit on it, so it will stand. scoop out the inside of the pineapple (and when you find a bit of the hard core do not put it with the rest but throw it away); cut the pieces all up into small dice. cut the oranges in halves and take out the pulp with a spoon and mix with the pineapple; cut up the bananas and add these too. then sweeten with powdered sugar. set this away in a cold place. in serving it, fill the pineapple and put the brush on again and stand the fruit on a round dish with some heavy, stiff green leaves around it. the one who is served first is passed the plate; she takes off the brush and lays it by the side of the pineapple, and with a ladle dips out some of the inside on her dessert plate. it took quite a time to prepare this, but they all liked to do it, and enjoyed the surprise it was going to be when it was first passed. mother blair said she did _so_ hope she might take off the pineapple's cover, and when they came to think of it, as she was always served first, of course she would! well, the hallowe'en supper was a perfect success. jack, though nervous, proved that his camping lessons were not wasted, and mildred's chafing-dish was as easy to manage as could be. but the next day when they all talked it over, not one of the family and not one of the guests had had a single ghost-dream after all! chapter xii when mother blair was sick one day mother blair woke up with a very sore throat, and the doctor said, when he had looked at it, that she must stay in bed for a day or two, and that brownie had better go visiting. "but where can i go, school and all?" the little girl asked mildred very soberly after the doctor had gone. "if i lose my goggerfy lessons now i won't be the top of the class, and i thought i was sure to be; and when i'm the very top of all, you know father gives me a dollar." "perhaps miss betty would like to have you visit her," mildred said; "wouldn't that be fun? you could come in every single day and see how things are going with us, and we could wave at you out of the window--mother could, i mean,--and it would be just lovely. i'll run over and ask her if you may come." miss betty said she would be perfectly delighted to have a visit from brownie, and mother blair said in a very croaky voice that it was a bright idea. so that very morning brownie packed a bag and jack carried it over for her, and she went visiting. mildred found she could be excused from school for a day or two, so she became nurse; and norah said she guessed she could run the house alone after all the years she'd been learning how; so everything was just as smooth as could be. when her mother's room was made all tidy and she had settled down to take a nap, mildred ran across to miss betty's house to ask her what to give her mother to eat. "the doctor said soft things, because her poor throat is so sore. what do you think i'd better give her for lunch, miss betty?" "invalids have to have nourishing things, mildred, strong soups and eggs and cereals with cream, and custards. suppose you plan to have a cream soup for to-day and start a meat soup for to-morrow; it takes two days to make that kind, you know. and--let me see--with cream soup you might have an egg, i think, and perhaps junket; that is the very softest thing in the world. then by night perhaps she can have cream toast; that is perfectly delicious; if my throat feels sore toward night, mildred, will you please make enough for two? i just love it." mildred laughed and promised that she would. "and soft boiled custard in a pretty glass cup; and tea, i suppose. by to-morrow she will be so much better that i think she can have ever so many other things. shall i write out the receipts for you now? here is a good one for the soup." cream soup (this makes one cupful.) / cup milk. / tablespoonful butter. / tablespoonful flour. / teaspoonful salt. shake pepper. tiny slice of onion. / cup of any hot cooked vegetable; measure after thoroughly mashing it scald the milk with the onion in it; then take out the onion and slowly mix the milk and vegetable. melt the butter, rub the flour into it and stir till it is smooth; then pour gradually on the hot milk; add the seasoning, bring it to the point where it almost boils, strain it and put it into a hot cup. "this is one of the rules you have to learn by heart, mildred. it is very easy, you see, almost like a very thin white sauce with vegetable in it. you can use mashed potato, or peas, or corn or celery or carrots, or whatever you happen to have in the house to make it with, and if you multiply it four times you will have enough for a dinner soup." "multiply two-thirds by four--" mildred began. "never mind now, my dear! it makes my head go round to hear you. copy this instead:" chicken broth - / pounds of chicken. pints cold water. tablespoonfuls rice. - / teaspoonfuls salt. shake of pepper. have the chicken cleaned and cut up at the market. take off the skin and fat and wipe each piece with a wet cloth. put it into a kettle with the cold water and let it slowly get hot until it almost boils. (you can tell by looking at the edge of the kettle; when tiny bubbles begin to form it is nearly boiling.) then skim it carefully; let it cook slowly till the meat is very tender; try it with a fork. add the salt and pepper when it is about half done. strain it, and set it away to grow perfectly cold; then there will be a layer of fat on top; take this off, add the rice and put it back on the stove and gently cook it till the rice is done. or, if you have any cooked rice, add a tablespoonful to the soup while it is very hot. serve in a heated cup. "then mildred, you see you will have all the chicken meat left; you can take out a bit of the best white meat and put it away for creamed chicken for your mother's lunch the next day, and have the rest on toast for the family dinner. norah can make a little cream gravy to take the place of the broth you have poured off, and it will be ever so nice." "so it will; father just loves that kind of chicken. now the junket, miss betty." junket custard / cup milk. tablespoonful sugar. / junket tablet (buy at the grocery in a little package). teaspoonful cold water. / teaspoonful vanilla. small pinch of salt. heat the milk till it is just as warm as the tip of your finger; add the sugar, salt and vanilla. stir the junket tablet in the cold water till it melts, and add this. pour it all very quickly into small molds or glasses and set in a cold place at once. when ready to serve, turn out of the mold, or serve in the glass with a little sugar and cream. if you wish to make this in a hurry, use half a tablet of the junket instead of a quarter. "you can change the flavoring of this, mildred, when you get tired of vanilla. try almond sometimes; or, melt half a chocolate square and mix with the hot milk; or put in the vanilla and serve scraped maple sugar with it, with thick cream; they are all good. now for the egg; can you poach that, do you think?" "i suppose i can, really, miss betty, because i've seen norah poach eggs about a hundred times; but i think i'd like a rule for my book." "good idea. here is one, then:" poached eggs put the frying pan on the fire half full of hot water; add half a teaspoonful of salt. butter the inside of a tin muffin ring and put this in the pan. break a fresh egg carefully into a saucer and slip it into the ring; the water should cover the egg. put a cover on the pan and set it on the back of the stove and let it stand till the white of the egg is like firm jelly. while it is cooking make a slice of nice toast; cut it into a circle, butter it and lay it on a hot plate. when the egg is done take a cake turner, butter its edge and slip it under the muffin ring and egg together and hold it over the pan till the water drips away; then take off the ring, slip the egg carefully on the round of toast, add just a sprinkle of salt and one of pepper, and a bit of parsley. cover the plate till you serve it, to keep it hot. "now, mildred, i think you had better run home and get out the things for your tray, and i'll come over just before lunch and help you lay it prettily, if you want me to. see if you can find a pretty, thin cup for the soup, and a plate that looks well with it, and something perfectly _dear_ for the junket. and a little napkin, not a large one. i'll bring a flower; you know you always have to have a flower for a sick-tray." "you do?" mildred's eyes were round. "what for, miss betty? you don't eat a flower!" she giggled. "no, but you can't eat so well without it, if you are sick. just wait till you are, and you'll see." so mildred went home and got out all the things she could think of for her mother's lunch and laid them on one end of the kitchen table. then she tip-toed into the sick room, gave her mother her medicine and a cool drink of water, and turned her pillow over. after that she went out to begin the lunch. she found norah had plenty of junket tablets, so first of all she followed the rule for that. it was very easy indeed, and in just a moment she poured half the junket into a little glass for her mother, and the other half into an egg cup-mold for jack's lunch. she put both of these right on ice so they would be firm, and used half the tablet instead of a quarter as her rule suggested, to be perfectly certain the junket would be firm enough by noon. "you must be sure not to let them stand one minute, miss mildred," said norah as she watched her. "if you do, they'll never set at all." "why not, norah? couldn't i just set the dish on the table for two minutes before i put it away?" norah assured her that it was quite impossible. "junket isn't like gelatine; it won't wait," she said. so mildred hurried just as fast as she could. next she made the soup; she found a cup of spinach in the refrigerator, and used that exactly as the receipt said, and the soup was a lovely pale green color. she put this where it would keep hot, and then boiled the water to poach the egg. before this bubbled miss betty came in with a pink geranium in her hand, and two green leaves. these she put in a very slender clear glass vase she found in the sitting-room, just large enough for them. then she began to help mildred with the tray. "first you cover it with a clean napkin or tray cloth; that's a nice napkin, norah, thank you. then you put on a glass of cold water, only half full so it will not spill. then the plate for the soup cup; and the soup spoon at the side, with the fork for the egg, and the little folded napkin and a cunning little salt and pepper. next you get the egg and toast ready, put them on a hot plate--_hot_, mildred, not just a little warm,--and cover it up with a hot cereal dish turned over it, unless you happen to have a covered china dish that comes on purpose. stand this at the back of the tray. get the little junket ready, too, and put the glass on a small plate; but you need not put this on the tray. let your mother eat the hot things first, and take off the dishes and put the dessert on the tray all by itself. you can get it while she is eating, you know. then, last of all, you put on the vase of flowers. there--doesn't that look sweet?" mildred said it certainly did; then she began to poach the egg, and miss betty went into mother blair's room and put an extra pillow behind her shoulders and a scarf over her and opened the blinds. she drew a little table close beside the bed and laid a fresh white cover over it, and when the door opened and mildred came in carefully carrying the white tray with the good things to eat on it and the pretty geraniums, her mother was delighted. "oh, how good it looks," she exclaimed. "mildred, did you really make that soup? and poach that beautiful egg? and actually make that junket? well, i never did see anything so perfectly lovely. i'm proud to have such a daughter!" then she ate everything, and declared her throat was almost well already. in spite of that, however, the doctor made mrs. blair stay in bed several days, so that mildred learned to make quite a number of new dishes for sick people. for one breakfast she gave her cereal with cream and bits of dates; for one luncheon she had the chicken broth, and for one supper cream toast and baked custard; she had goldenrod eggs, too, when her mother's throat was better, and baked apple. all of these things she wrote down in her book so she would not forget how to make any of them. cereal with dates heaping tablespoonful oatmeal. cup of water. / teaspoonful of salt. mix, put in a double boiler and cook for one hour. five minutes before taking this off the fire stir in dates, washed and cut into small pieces. serve with cream. cream toast slices of nice brown, dry toast. / cup of cream. / teaspoonful butter. / teaspoonful flour. / teaspoonful salt. rub the melted butter and flour; heat the cream till it scalds, or almost boils; mix together and pour slowly over one slice of the toast in a deep dish; then put on the second slice and pour the rest of the cream over that. serve very hot. goldenrod eggs / tablespoonful butter. / tablespoonful flour. / teaspoonful salt. / cup hot milk. rub the butter and flour, and add the milk and salt. have ready hard boiled egg. (boil ten minutes.) slice of toast. cut the egg in half, take off the white part and chop it; stir this into the white sauce. cut the crust off the toast and pour over; then quickly rub the egg yolk through the sieve and sprinkle over all. keep the sauce and toast hot in the oven until you put on the yolk; serve very hot in a covered dish. baked apple peel and core a large sour apple. put in a deep-earthen dish, fill the center with sugar, and just cover the bottom of the dish with water. bake in a hot oven till soft, basting every five minutes with the syrup in the bottom of the dish. (that is, with a spoon pour the juice over the apple.) serve hot or cold, with cream. mildred could already make baked custard, so she did not need a new rule for that. but soft-boiled custard she had to learn. soft custard cup of rich milk. eggs. tablespoonful sugar. / teaspoonful vanilla. put the milk on the fire to heat; beat the yolks of the eggs, add the sugar and beat again; stir this into the hot milk, add the salt and stir till the whole grows thick like cream. then take it off at once; be careful not to let it boil at all or it will be spoiled. let it get very cold; put it in a glass, beat half of the white of one egg and add this just before serving. or, whip one spoonful of thick cream and put this on top of the custard. after mildred had learned to make all these good things, she used to search her cook book for receipts for other things, and as her mother got better she made something new every day. by the time mother blair was perfectly well and strong again, she felt she had grown to be a real sick-cook. and the best thing of all was that the doctor said the reason her mother got well so fast was that she had had such nourishing and delicious things to eat! chapter xiii a doll-and-little-girl party mother blair had an old school friend coming out to spend the day, and she had written that she must bring her little five year old daughter with her. this wasn't a bit convenient for the blairs, because miss betty was to give a luncheon for the older people, and mildred had planned to go to town for the day; and, of course, jack couldn't be bothered to help take care of a child. that, surely, wasn't man's work, he declared. so brownie saw that she must entertain the small helen all by herself, and she sat down to think what she should do for her. "five years old," she said to herself. "that means dolls, i guess. i'm pretty old for dolls, but of course i _could_ get araminta down from the attic, only she's packed up so nicely that i hate to disturb her. i wonder if five year olds play games? mother blair, do you think we could play in the attic with helen's doll and araminta, if i get her out, or what can we do?" "helen has had a bad cough, dear, and i'm afraid her mother would think that she must stay where there were no draughts. why don't you have a little bit of a party for her? we could ask four other children about her age--" "oh, mother, _i_ know! i'll have a dolls' party, and cook cunning things in tiny little dishes just big enough for dolls to eat. that would be perfectly lovely, and i know mildred would help me make some of them the day before." "that would really be ever so much fun," mother blair said. "run and ask norah if she has any very little tins and molds that you can use, and i'll look up some receipts for you. brownie, that dolls' party is what i call a really bright idea." norah was not at all busy just then so she got a kitchen chair and hunted on the top shelf in the tin closet and found several things for brownie. one was a little tumbler of heavy glass, half the size of a small jelly glass; it had been used in traveling one summer when the blairs were younger. then there were six muffin tins fastened together like a pan which were never used because they made muffins so tiny that jack said six were only a bite. and beside these she found a little tin cutter meant to cut vegetables into shapes for soup; this one was a tube with a star on the end, or rather the outline of one. norah said that it would make lovely little cookies, each one the size of a five cent piece. brownie was delighted with it. "but, norah, we won't want muffins," she said. "i remember when i was five, i couldn't have even one for breakfast--not till i was about seven, i guess it was. and mother says mrs. lane is just as partickler as can be about helen." "i know something you can make in 'em," nodded norah. "not muffins. you just wait. you make it out of rice, and rice is awful good for children." so brownie ran into her mother's room to tell her what they had found and plan the meal with her. "suppose you have a really nice luncheon for both the dolls and the girls," she said. "you can have the low sewing table and set it with small plates and little napkins and have low chairs around it; the four children could sit on two sides of the table and helen at one end and you at the other, and the company could all hold their children in their laps and you need not have any doll at all because you are hostess. how would that do?" "perfectly lovely, mother. and now what shall we have to eat?" "how would you like a hot first course--perhaps some kind of chicken and potatoes, with jelly and little cups of cocoa!" "oh, yes, mother; and tiny sandwiches!" "yes, indeed; and then some dessert that children like; will that be enough, do you think?" "well, if they are not so very hungry, i think it will be." mother blair laughed. "i think it is all their mothers would want them to eat for luncheon, anyway. now what did norah find for you?" brownie told about the little muffin tins, and said norah said they could have something made of rice in them; and there was a little star cooky cutter and a little bit of a tumbler. mrs. blair said they were all exactly what would be needed. "i rather think norah meant to use the muffin tins for these, brownie. see how easy they are to make, and so good, too." rice patties heaping tablespoonful of rice. cups of cold water. / teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful butter. / an egg. large cupful of cooked chicken, cut into bits. small cup of thick white sauce. (see your rule.) wash the rice and put it over to cook in the double boiler in the water; add the salt; when it has cooked twenty minutes without stirring, taste it and see if it is soft, and notice if the water has boiled away so it is dry; if it is done, take off the cover and stand the boiler in the oven or on the back of the stove till each grain of rice is full and there is not a drop of water left. then mix with the egg after you have beaten it and divided it, and put a spoonful into each muffin pan after it has been buttered; press this on the sides and bottom like a thick pie crust; warm the butter and put a little on the edges of each and put them in the oven till brown. make the white sauce, heat the chicken in it and fill the patties at the last moment; put a bit of parsley on top of each one. "we used to have these patties often for lunch and norah would put in creamed fish or left-over vegetables, or eggs. we have not had them for ever so long, and we must remember and have them again, they are so good. and brownie, remind me to have chicken for dinner the night before the party, so there will be some to warm up the next day." "wait one minute, mother, please. i want to ask norah if these are what she had thought of for us." strangely enough they were, only she had intended to have the rice shells filled with scrambled eggs. "but the chicken's better," she said. "trust your mother for thinkin' of it." brownie ran back again. "i just wanted to be sure she hadn't thought of anything nicer," she said. "and she hadn't. these are going to be perfectly lovely." "now for the potatoes; what kind do you think you would like?" "i can make nice ones, chopped and fried," said brownie proudly. "i don't believe we had better give those small children anything fried, dear; i'm pretty sure their mothers would not like that. what would you think of the potato puff norah makes out of left-over mashed potato?" "just the thing. i wouldn't have to boil the potatoes and peel them and mash them. left-overs are always _so_ convenient!" "then we must be sure to have mashed potato for dinner the night before the party, or there won't be any left over," said mrs. blair, laughing. "now, write down this receipt; only remember i am making it small for you; for the family you must take two cups or more of potato, and one egg." potato puff cup of mashed potato. / teaspoonful salt. / cup of milk. / of a beaten egg. teaspoonful of butter. mix the potato with the milk and salt and heat it, beating it well. then stir in the butter after warming it till soft, and last the egg. put in a small dish and bake in a hot oven till brown. "i think it would be nice to bake this in one of the small brown earthenware dishes, brownie; they always look well on the table, and a tin or agate pan wouldn't do at all; you know you must serve it right in the pan you bake it in." "isn't it funny, you have one-half an egg in the potato and one-half in the rice patties, mother. do you do that on purpose?" "no, it just happened to be so, but it's an economical thing, brownie, because eggs are so high now-a-days that one has to remember to use them carefully. the sandwiches come next. what kind do you think would be best?" "not cheese, mother; dolls and children don't eat cheese; i know _that_! and not nut; nor ham; nor hard-boiled egg. i can't think of any kind that would do." "white bread and brown bread put together, just with plain butter, you know; i think those would be lovely for children." "so they would; i can make those. and we can cut them out in little, little circles." "i think you could use an egg cup and press it down hard; that would make little circles." "just the thing. now comes the cocoa, and i can make that all alone; may we use the little after dinner coffee cups to drink it out of? we'll be very careful." "well, if you'll be _very_ careful indeed," mother blair said, hesitating. "oh, yes, we'll be just awfully careful. and what about jelly?" "you can have a glass of jelly out of the closet made over for you in this way:" made-over jelly a glass of currant jelly warmed in a saucepan till it melts. teaspoonful of granulated gelatine. / cup of cold water. tablespoonfuls of boiling water. put the gelatine into the cold water, stir it well and let it stand for ten minutes; then stir again and add the boiling water and the hot jelly; stir till it is smooth and strain through a coarse bag into two or more small glasses. put on ice till firm. "while the jelly is melting you get the rest of the things ready and then it takes only a moment to put them all together. norah always has a bag because she washes out and puts away those that the table salt comes in. when you have used it don't forget to wash it out for her, will you, dear?" "no, mother. mildred and i never forget to wash up and put things away ever since she said we couldn't come into the kitchen at all unless we always did that. do you remember how cross she was?" "i don't wonder, brownie. some day when you have a kitchen of your own you will be cross, too, if little girls come in and use your pots and pans and leave them all sticky and messy." "of course i will. it makes me feel real cross now just to think of it. i guess we'd better plan the dessert before i get worse." "perhaps we had," laughed mother blair. "those children must have something very simple, indeed, and i really can't think of anything better for them than cornstarch pudding." "well," said brownie doubtfully, "that certainly won't hurt them." "i know you don't like it very well, and grown people don't care for it either, but it is good for children, and if you learn to make it for them you can easily change the rule a little bit and make it in half a dozen different ways which grown-ups do like. i'll give you two or three rules for your book and you can try them all. here is the first, for your party:" plain cornstarch pudding / cup of scalded milk; put in the double boiler. - / tablespoonfuls of cornstarch. / tablespoonful of sugar. pinch of salt. tablespoonfuls of cold milk. egg. / teaspoonful vanilla. while the milk is heating till it scalds (that is, till the top wrinkles, but it does not quite boil), mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt in the cold milk and then pour slowly into the scalded milk, stirring well all the time till it grows thick; put on the cover and let it cook eight minutes. beat the egg without separating it and stir this in and cook one minute; take it off the stove, add the vanilla, pour it into a mold and let it get firm; serve with cream. "you see that isn't bad at all; but to make it ever so much better try this:" chocolate cornstarch pudding melt a square of unsweetened chocolate by putting it into a saucer over the steam of the tea-kettle; stir this in just before adding the egg. pour into a pretty mold on ice; turn it out and heap whipped cream around it. almond cornstarch pudding use almond flavoring instead of vanilla, and when you take the pudding off the fire, stir in a cup of chopped almonds. serve with whipped cream. "that last one sounds, oh, so good, mother. can't i make that for sunday dinner?" "yes, indeed you can, and father will love it, i know. now, brownie, let me tell you just one thing more about the dessert for the party; put the pudding into egg cups, and fill them just half full; then you see when you turn them out they will be lovely little molds, one for each child; and you can have the cream in the small silver pitcher to pass with them." "what a nice party it will be," sighed brownie. "i'm so glad helen is only five, because if she were older we couldn't have these cunning, cunning things." the party really was lovely. the little table had six low seats around it, a hem-stitched lunch cloth over it and a small vase of flowers in the center. the little girls, each with her best doll in her lap, sat around it, too impressed to talk. first they had rice patties filled with hot creamed chicken on little plates, and spoonfuls of brown potato puff; with these the little round sandwiches were passed, brown on one side and white on the other, and tiny cups of cocoa, and helpings from the little glass of jelly which brownie had turned out in a pretty red mold on a little bit of a glass dish. after they had eaten all they possibly could of these things norah came in with some more small plates and each one had a little mold of delicious cold pudding, with cream to put on it and two small star-shaped cookies to eat with it. oh, it was all so good! and the best thing about it was that brownie really made every single thing they had all by herself, except the cookies. mildred had made those the day before for her. "i'm so sorry i'm too big to come to the party," she said, "but at least i can make doll-cookies." "'doll and little-girl cookies,' you mean," corrected brownie. chapter xiv when norah was away one day a messenger boy went around to the kitchen door with a telegram for norah, telling her that her sister had broken her arm and she must come at once and take care of the children; as there were nine of them, including a tiny baby, norah felt she must take the very first train, and so in only an hour she was off, and the blairs' kitchen was empty. "however, it isn't as though we didn't know how to cook," said brownie, when she came home from school and found out what had happened. "every single one of us can cook--even jack." "_even_ jack," called her brother from the dining-room. "i heard that, brownie blair, and i'll tell you this: i can cook just as well as any one in this family, if i do say it." "prove it, then," laughed his mother, "i got the lunch alone to-day because you were all away; but suppose, instead of having regular dinners while norah is gone, we have hot suppers, and you three get them without me. do you think you could manage it? and i will get lunch and breakfast." "oh, no, mother blair. we will all get breakfast together, and wash the dishes and make the beds before we go to school; we can get up earlier. and every single day we will get supper all alone and you can go out calling or walking or whatever you like." "perhaps you'll let me help once in a while," suggested their mother meekly. "not once. of course if you want to make one thing for supper to surprise us some time and have plenty of time to do it while you are getting lunch, we _might_ let you do that. a cake, i mean, or gingerbread, just to help out at night; none of us can make many kinds of cake." "well, i think most girls know how to make too many kinds of cake and very few kinds of more sensible things, soups and vegetables and so on; and of the two i believe the regular every-day dishes are the more important. you see, you can learn to make cake at any time." "i think this is a rattling good time for mildred to learn," declared jack. "chocolate layer cake and cocoanut cake and fruit cake are great, and she'll never learn younger, mother." "well, she may make a great big cake for you on saturday for sunday night supper, if she wants to; but if she does, i shall expect you to do your share of the cooking every day." "emergency cooking is all right; men ought to know how to do that," jack replied stoutly. "i'm perfectly willing to cook bacon for breakfast, or scramble eggs, or cook fish for supper, or make a stew; anything i cooked in camp i can do with one hand tied behind my back!" "this is your chance then, to show what you learned last summer. perhaps if you do splendidly well father blair will want to take you again," said his mother. "now hurry back to school and i will do these dishes and plan the supper and get it all ready for you--on paper,--and then if you want me to, i'll disappear and you may cook it all alone." "of course, mother blair. don't you pay any attention to us at all; just come in with father at half past six and it will be all ready," mildred said as she hurried away. that afternoon when the kitchen was all tidy mother blair sat down with a pencil and a sheet of paper and wrote out all about the supper. this is what she planned to have, and after each dish she wrote the name of the one who was to make it: cream dried beef (mildred) corn bread (jack) cocoa (brownie) fresh apple-sauce (mildred) cake (see cake box) when the three younger blairs came home and supper time approached, they found this pinned up in the kitchen, and with it the only receipts they needed: creamed dried beef box of shaved dried beef (or / of a pound if you buy it at the butcher's). tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful flour. cup of hot milk. shakes of pepper. cut the beef up into tiny bits; pour boiling water over it and let it stand one minute; pour it off and squeeze the meat dry. put the butter in the frying-pan and let it melt; when it bubbles, add the flour and stir till smooth; add the hot milk and pepper, and last the meat; stir till it thickens like cream; serve on squares of hot buttered toast. "easy!" said mildred as she read the receipt over. "same old white sauce; it's funny how that is used over and over. i think i'll let that wait till just before supper time to make, and get the apple-sauce going. that sounds easy, too." apple sauce large, tart apples. cup of sugar. / cup water. / teaspoonful cinnamon. wipe the apples, cut in quarters, peel and core them. cut up small and put in a saucepan with the water; cook gently till they are soft, and then add the sugar. when they are transparent and rather smooth they are done; take them up, and either serve as they are, or if you wish, put them through the colander. sprinkle with cinnamon. while mildred was making this, brownie laid the table, just as she had learned weeks before; then she got out her receipt-book and made the cocoa by that, while jack made the corn bread by his own camp rule, reciting it aloud as he mixed the different things and shook down the fire and saw that his oven was hot. "you learn a lot of things camping, mildred," he said when he finished and cleared up his mixing bowl and other things and wiped off the table. "i never had any idea how careful you had to be to keep things ship shape till i lived with father up in the woods. he made me clean up after every single thing i made, and wouldn't let me leave a thing around. i thought it was just sort of fussing at first, but after a while i found out it saved time. there weren't half as many dishes to do after a meal, if you cleaned up as you went along, and when you were in an awful hurry to fish or something it helped a lot." "i know; mother always tells brownie and me to do that way. one day we were cooking and i wanted the egg beater; brownie had used it and left it in the dish pan to soak, so i had to stop and wash it. then after i used it i put it back in the pan, and norah needed it and she had to wash it; and that was the way it went all the time till we learned that we must wash up every pot and pan and dish and spoon just the very minute we were through with them. it seems a lot of bother at first but you don't mind after a little. and then, jack, while we have to wash the dishes at night it will save time to do them as we go along now." when the toast was made and buttered, mildred kept it hot while she quickly creamed the dried beef. the cocoa was all ready and so was the brown corn bread, and exactly at half past six o'clock supper was all ready to go right on the table, and everything was as nice as possible. "but then," said father blair complacently, "what else can you expect? this corn bread, jack, tastes to me like that of the good old times." "and this beef, mildred, is exactly right, and so is the cocoa." and so were the apple-sauce and cake, when they came on the table. the cake, especially, seemed particularly good, though it was only the same kind mildred had often made herself,--the one in her own cook book under the title "christmas cake." "i do think nice cake is just as good as can be," said mildred, taking a second piece. "i believe i'll learn to make several kinds right away while norah is gone." "that's the kind of talk i like to hear," said jack appreciatively. in the morning jack made the fire and started the cereal in plenty of time, while the rest finished dressing. this was the very simple rule he used: oatmeal cup of meal. quart of boiling water. teaspoonful salt. when the water boils hard, add the salt and stir in the meal quickly; put it all into the double boiler and let it cook at least half an hour; take off the cover and let it stand till it gets a little dry (about five minutes). serve with cream, and, if you like, sliced bananas and a little sugar. mother blair and mildred laid the table, brownie got the fruit out of the refrigerator and arranged it and put on the finger-bowls, and then they went into the kitchen to see what should be done next. "i'm going to cook bacon," announced jack; "i've got it all ready; you might make the toast, mildred, and mother can make the coffee and we'll be all ready in one jiffy." after breakfast they washed the dishes; or rather jack washed them and brownie wiped them, and they laid the lunch table after taking the crumbs up off the floor and table; meanwhile mother blair and mildred made the beds and put the house in order, and when it was time for school everything was done. "that's easy enough," jack said as they left. "rather fun, i think, too. i don't care if norah stays away quite a while." for supper that night they found their mother had planned this: spanish tomatoes (mildred) stuffed baked potatoes (brownie) biscuits (anybody) pancakes and maple syrup (jack) "spanish tomatoes sounds good," said mildred, reading her easy rule. spanish tomatoes tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or can. chopped green peppers (first cut each in two and take out the seeds). / an onion (chop with the peppers). / teaspoonful salt. shakes pepper. large teaspoonful chopped parsley. mix all together and cook about twenty minutes, slowly, or till they look like a thick paste. pour over buttered toast. mother blair had put a can of tomatoes on the kitchen table and the peppers with it, so it took only a few moments to get this first dish ready; then while it stood waiting to go over the fire and cook, mildred made the biscuits and popped them into the oven. brownie washed and baked the potatoes and when they were done she stuffed them beautifully and just browned them at the last moment, and mildred made the toast to go under the tomatoes. everything was delicious, and while jack made the cakes and brought them in, one plateful after another, all hot and steaming, the family said what fun it all was. "isn't it queer that some girls just hate to cook, and think it's simply dreadful when they have no maid and have to do their own work?" said mildred. "when i'm grown up--i'm going to have a house--no, a flat, i guess, that's cunninger,--and do every single bit of my own work." "do," said brownie enthusiastically; "and i'll come and stay with you and help you." "so will i," laughed their father. "and so will i," said mother blair. "but you'll have to hurry up and learn lots more, mildred; there are just hundreds of things you can learn to cook, and all of them are ever so good." "i'm going to learn every single one," said mildred solemnly. as the week went by, the children found they were really learning ever so many of the "hundreds" of good things their mother spoke of. among them were these, the rules for which they put right in their books with the rest: eggs in ramekins eggs. rounds of buttered toast. sprinkle of salt and pepper. butter any small dishes; put in the toast rounds, break an egg carefully on each, sprinkle with salt and pepper and bake in the oven till the eggs are done. easy meat pie cup chopped cooked meat cup boiling water. teaspoonful chopped parsley. teaspoonful chopped onion. / teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful butter. cups mashed potato. (if the potato is left-over, and so is cold, add / a cup of hot milk to it and beat it up till it is smooth and hot.) mix the meat, water, and seasoning all together in a saucepan and let it cook till it gets rather dry, stirring it often. butter a baking dish and cover the sides and bottom with the potato, half an inch thick. put the meat in the center, and then put the rest of the potato over the top and make it nice and smooth. put bits of butter all over the top and brown in the oven. creamed salmon can of salmon (medium size). large cup of white sauce, well seasoned with salt and pepper. open the can, drain the fish of oil and take out the skin and bones; mix lightly, lay on squares of buttered toast; put slices of lemon and bits of parsley all around the edge of the platter. (you can use any sort of cooked fish instead of salmon.) hot sardines box large sardines. slices of toast juice of / a lemon. sprinkles of salt, pepper and dry mustard. open the sardines and lift them out carefully; drain the oil off. put them on a tin plate in the oven to get very hot while you make toast and cut it into strips; cut the crust off and butter them a little. when the sardines are hot put one on each strip of toast, sprinkle with lemon juice, salt, pepper and mustard (only a tiny bit of mustard), and serve at once on a hot dish with parsley all around. besides these good things the children made all sorts of potatoes and muffins and everything else they had learned, and they really had a beautiful time. but the most fun of all was on saturday when they had the cooking to do for two days and plenty of time in which to do it. chapter xv thanksgiving day supper "mother blair, did you ever think that thanksgiving day has one great defect?" "why, no, mildred, i don't believe i ever did," smiled her mother. "do tell me what it is." "well, we have to have dinner in the afternoon so the littlest cousins can go home early, and so norah can get away in time for her regular party--she always goes to one, you know, that evening; and that leaves us with nothing to do for hours before bedtime. i don't know why it is, but that time always drags." "that is a real defect, mildred, and i'm glad you told me, because we don't want any part of thanksgiving day to drag. it ought to be lovely till the very end. what can you think of that we can do to make it so?" "i think if all the cousins would stay on instead of going home at dark, and if we arranged something interesting, like a little play or charades, first, and then, when we got hungry, about eight o'clock, we had a hot supper, that would be just perfect." "of course! that's a bright idea, mildred. all the cousins are old enough now to spend the evening, and we can have a lovely time together. you arrange the play, and i'll get up the supper for you." "no, indeed, mother blair! we three juniors will get it--that's part of the fun. and don't you think it would be nice to have it in here on the big library table? we could bring the things in on trays and then just help ourselves." "that's another bright idea! of course it would be delightful to have it in here. then afterwards we could have a wood fire in the grate and sit around it to tell stories, and have games, and charades, and sing some songs together, and be just as thankful as possible. what shall we have for supper? i fancy we shall not want anything very heavy after our dinner." "no, of course not; but it can be something awfully good. cold turkey to begin with, and something hot to go with it, and--and what else, mother blair?" "oh, cranberry jelly, and perhaps a salad, and then something sweet to finish with. do you think that would do?" "yes, and some kind of a hot drink, i suppose; coffee for father and uncle and aunt mary and you, and cocoa for the rest of us; only i'm so tired of cocoa, i don't believe i could drink a drop." "we certainly have had it pretty often for lunch lately; i've noticed it myself and meant to speak to norah about it. i think i can find something else for all of us which you will like better--something especially meant for thanksgiving." "what the pilgrim fathers had for their thanksgiving dinner, i suppose," laughed mildred. "i'm sure it will be good, too, and we'll love it." school closed the day before thanksgiving, and that afternoon mildred and brownie began to be thankful, because there would be no more lessons till monday. they put their books away, planned the funny little play they were going to have the next evening, and got together everything they would need for that; then they said it was time to think about the supper in the library. "we will wait till norah has gone out and the kitchen is all in order," said mildred. "then we can get out the things we want to carry into the other room, and put them on two trays; jack and cousin fred can carry them when we are ready. plates, and knives, and forks, and glasses, and napkins; and the platter of turkey--" "and salt," said brownie, "and bread, and butter." "yes; and cranberry jelly. then we will make the hot things and bring them in afterward." "what shall we make to-day, mildred?" "i wonder if norah has made the cranberry jelly for dinner yet; if she hasn't, you and i might make that now, and divide it and put part away for the supper. and we can make the dessert, or whatever mother thinks we had better have. the salad we shall have to make to-morrow." norah was that very minute preparing to make the cranberry jelly, but she said she was in a hurry, and the girls could make it if they would promise not to get in her way. they got the receipt from their mother, and began in a corner as far off from norah as they could get. cranberry jelly quart of cranberries. pick them over and wash them, then chop them a little. - / cups of cold water. cups of sugar. boil five minutes; rub while hot through a sieve, and pour into a pretty mold. this rule, of course, had to be doubled for two molds. they found it was not very easy to get the cranberries through the sieve; by talking turns, however, they were slowly squeezing them through when norah came to their aid and gave them the wooden potato-masher to use instead of the spoon they were working with. the molds were set away to get hard, and then they asked their mother for something else to do. "i've been thinking," she said, "that we ought to have for supper something the men would like very much; they will have had turkey once already, and perhaps they will be tired of it. would you like scalloped oysters?" "mother, we'd perfectly love them!" exclaimed mildred. "but do you think we could make them? i always thought they were very hard to make." "my dear, they are the easiest thing in the world. to save time, you may copy the rule now, and then to-morrow, when everybody is here, i will not have to stop visiting and explain it." scalloped oysters quart of oysters. packages of crackers, or as many loose ones--about half a pound. roll fine. salt, pepper, and butter. small cup of milk. drain the oysters and examine each one carefully to see that it is free from shell; strain and measure the juice; add to it an equal quantity of milk. butter a deep baking-dish and put in a layer of crumbs, and cover these with a layer of oysters; sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with butter; put on another layer of crumbs, then one of oysters, season, and so on till the dish is full, with a layer of crumbs on top; cover with small bits of butter; pour on the oyster juice and milk, and bake about half an hour, or till brown. serve at once--it must not stand. "sometimes, instead of baking these in one large dish, i fill little brown baking-dishes in just the same way; only, of course, i do not bake these so long--only ten or fifteen minutes. and sometimes for a lunch party, i get from the fish-market very large oyster, or clam, or scallop shells, and fill those instead of the little dishes, and they are very pretty." "mother blair, those would be sweet--simply sweet! i think i'll give a luncheon and have them." "do, mildred, and i'll help," said brownie, unselfishly. "or you can have a luncheon and _i'll_ help!" mildred replied. "and now what else can we do to-day, mother? make some sort of dessert?" "yes, i think so; try this; it's simple and very nice." chocolate cream pint of milk. tablespoonfuls of sugar. squares of unsweetened chocolate. tablespoonful of cornstarch. pinch of salt. / teaspoonful of vanilla. / pint of thick, sweet cream. (or this may be omitted.) put the milk in a saucepan after taking out a small half-cupful and mixing it with the cornstarch; put in the sugar and salt. scrape the chocolate (the squares are those marked on the large cake) and put this in next. when it steams and the chocolate is melted and looks brown and smooth, stir up the cornstarch and put it in, stirring till smooth. cool, add the vanilla, and pour into glasses. just before serving put a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each glass. "i do love that," said brownie, as she wrote down the last word. "when i eat it, i always think i'm eating melted chocolate creams." "so do i!" laughed mildred. "perhaps uncle tom and aunt mary won't eat their creams to-morrow night, and then you and i can have them for lunch the next day, brownie." "they'll surely eat them!" sighed brownie. "they're too good to leave." when these were made and safely put away, all but the creamy tops, which were to go on just before supper the next day, jack came strolling in. "smells awfully good!" he said. "turkey, and onions, and mince-pies, and spicy things. got any cooking for a boy to do--proper cooking, i mean?" "i've just thought of something," his mother said quickly, "and i need you to do it right away. the girls are getting up a supper for thanksgiving night, and they really ought to have some cake to eat with the dessert they have just been making." "cake!" ejaculated jack. "i draw the line at cake, mother blair; making cake is not a man's job." "not cake, jack,--only something to go in cake. i want you to crack some nuts and pick them out for the girls. here is what they are going to make now." nut cakes eggs. cup of light brown sugar. cup of nut meats, chopped fine. tablespoonfuls of sifted flour. / teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs without separating them, and stir in the sugar, flour, and salt. add the nuts last, and spread the whole in a thin layer on a well-greased tin; bake ten minutes, or till the top is brown. cut into squares and take quickly from the tin; lay on a platter till cold. jack thought he could crack and even pick out nuts without injuring his dignity, so he went to work on a panful of pecans, and, by the time mildred and brownie were ready to chop them, they were all ready and waiting. before long the little cakes were in the oven and out again, crisp and hot; almost too good to be saved, the girls thought, and so did jack. but they knew there would not be time to-morrow to make any others, so they had to keep these, and when they were cold, shut them up in the cake-box. "now i think you have cooked enough for to-day," said their mother, after she had tasted one small crumb of their cakes and pronounced them perfect. "but, mother, what about the salad?" asked brownie. "oh, do you really think we need salad with all these good things?" "honestly, i don't think we need it at all," said mildred; "but i do think it would be nice to have it, because it's a party." "very well! but what can we have? lettuce, and tomatoes, and other fresh vegetables are really out of season, or, at any rate, we cannot get them in this town; and yet we ought to have a green salad, because, of course, nobody could possibly eat chicken or lobster salad after a thanksgiving dinner." "i could!" called jack, from the next room; but nobody paid any attention. "well, here is an idea--string-bean salad. that is very easy to make, and very good, too, and we can make it out of canned beans and nobody will know it. i will tell you how to make it now, because i'll be so busy to-morrow, and then, in the afternoon, you can get it ready quickly." string-bean salad pint of string beans, cooked and cold. hard-boiled eggs. a little lettuce, if you have it. french dressing. drain the beans well and sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper. if they are canned, let them lie on a platter for at least an hour. arrange them on a few white lettuce leaves on plates, or omit the lettuce and use a few yellow celery leaves; put two strips of hard-boiled egg on the plate, one on each side of the beans, and, just before serving, pour a little french dressing over all. this salad must be very cold. "now, certainly, that is all," said mother blair, as they wrote this down, "and i'm sure nobody will go home hungry after such a supper as that!" "and what hot drink are you going to have, mother?" "oh, i almost forgot that. i planned something which is especially thanksgivingy, too. it is really and truly what the pilgrim fathers are supposed to have made for thanksgiving day out of wild grapes; but i am sure they had no lemons or spices, so it could not have been quite as good as this. we will have this with the turkey and oysters for the supper, and no coffee or cocoa." mulled grape-juice quart of bottled grape-juice. pint of water. cup of sugar. lemons. sticks of cinnamon. dozen cloves. put the spices in a piece of thin cloth and tie this up like a bag; put it in a saucepan with the grape-juice, sugar, and water, and let it slowly heat till it steams; stir well and let it stand on the back of the fire for ten minutes. add the juice of the lemons and the thin yellow rind of one (you can peel this off in a strip and drop it in); bring it all to the boiling-point, take out the lemon-peel, taste it, and, if not sweet enough, add more sugar. serve very hot. the next evening, just as it grew dark, mildred and jack hung a sheet before the double doors of the library, and they, with some of the cousins, gave a funny shadow-play, "young lochinvar," with a rocking-horse for the "steed," and a clothes-basket for a boat, and their father read the poem as they acted it. when everybody had stopped laughing at it, the junior blairs brought in the supper (the oysters had been quietly cooking while they played), and arranged it on the library table. everything was hot and delicious, or cold and delicious, and the mulled grape-juice was almost the best of all. after everything had been eaten up, they all gathered around the fire and told stories. at last, when the visitors had gone and bedtime had come for the blairs, mildred said impressively: "now _that_ was what i call a thanksgiving day without a flaw!" chapter xvi candy for the fair the alcott school, which mildred and brownie attended, was going to give a christmas fair. that is, they were going to have a big, beautiful fair to which everybody in town was to go and buy their christmas presents, and afterward the money was to be given to the children's ward in the new hospital. mildred and brownie were on the candy committee, and, of course, they were much excited. they had to have so much candy for a whole town of people that they did not know where it was to come from. "we could go around and ask for contributions," said mildred to her mother; "but the trouble is that everybody in the school is doing that very thing, asking and asking and _asking_!" "you might make a good deal of candy yourselves, and perhaps other people who would not care to buy quantities to give you, would make some too. home-made candy always sells well." "miss betty makes the loveliest pinoche!" said brownie, thoughtfully. "so she does. suppose we ask her about planning to make candy at home." miss betty had just come in from a meeting of her own committee on the fair, and was as interested as could be in the candy table. "i'll tell you what to do," she said. "get as many people as you can to give you just a little money, fifty cents, or even twenty-five, in place of giving you any candy--they will be glad to do that, you see, because it would save them ever so much which they can spend on the fair in other ways. then we will buy sugar, and nuts, and such things with the money, and get all the girls on your committee to help on the candy-making, either in their own homes--" "oh, at our house, miss betty," begged brownie; "that will be a party!" "very well, if your mother doesn't mind," laughed miss betty. "then, when we see how much we can make in two afternoons, we will beg enough for the rest that we need. and i'll help you. i make awfully good candy!" when the girls told their mother the plan, she said, "that's a bright idea!" and told the girls to ask the eight others on the committee to go to work at once and get the money for materials. the next days were busy ones, and when, three days before the fair, the committee met, they were astonished to see how much money they had collected, enough to buy all the materials and have a good sum over. the girls all promised to help make the candy, and said they would surely be at the blairs' for two whole afternoons, from two o'clock till dark, beginning the next day. jack went down-town and bought everything on the list miss betty gave him. white sugar and brown, flavoring, chocolate and nuts, citron and little rose-leaves, pink and green coloring, paraffin paper, and all kinds of boxes, little and big, covered with holly paper, or plain red paper, or just white paper. when he got home; he cracked nuts and picked them out beautifully, nearly all in perfect halves. miss betty said he was a regular trump. the next day, the blairs had an early lunch, and then norah put the dining-room and kitchen in order, and got out saucepans, spoons, and egg-beaters. mildred and brownie laid lunch-cloths over two small tables in the dining-room, and found scissors and anything else they could think of that would be needed. on the dining-room table, across one end, jack laid a white marble table-top from an old-fashioned table in the attic, and this they washed off and made very clean. mother blair said she was sure some kinds of candy were made on marble, and she meant to be prepared. when the girls had come and their hands and aprons were ready, miss betty said she would take four or five girls into the kitchen to start the candy, and the rest could blanch almonds and get them ready to salt; and when the candy was ready for the finishing touches, she would bring it in and show them what to do with it. so she went off with mildred and three other girls, and mother blair and brownie went to work with the rest on the almonds. they wanted to have quantities of these because they always sold so well at fairs. this was the rule she used: salted almonds pound of jordan almonds. white of one egg. / teaspoonful of salt. put a cupful of shelled almonds into a saucepan of boiling water, enough to well cover them. put on a cover and let them stand two minutes; take out one and see if the skin slips off easily in your hand; if not, pour off the water, pour on more that is boiling, and let them stand again. when they are ready, dip out a few at a time and keep the rest under water; slip off the skins and put them in bowls till all are done. beat the white of the egg till half light, mix with the nuts, and spread them on shallow tins; sprinkle with salt and put them in the oven; stir them every few minutes till they become an even, light brown; then take them out. instead of having one pound of almonds, they had ten pounds, so the girls had plenty to do to keep them busy till the candy came in. meanwhile, miss betty was showing them how to make: coffee candy tablespoonfuls of ground coffee. small cup of boiling water. cups of sugar. cup of chopped nuts. boil the coffee in the water for two minutes; then strain through a very fine sieve. measure one-half a cupful and mix with the sugar; boil without stirring, till it spins a thread when you hold up a little on a spoon. then stand the saucepan in another, half full of very cold water, and beat rapidly till it becomes a cream; stir in the nuts, pour into a shallow pan and cool, cut in squares. miss betty had to show the girls how to see candy "spin a thread," because those words, she said, came in so often in all rules for candy. she just lifted a little up on the spoon and tipped it; at first the candy just dropped off, but as it grew thick it fell more slowly, and at last a tiny thread floated off in the air as the syrup dropped. of course, they made a great deal of this candy, as it was easy. and when it was cool, they took the pans to the girls in the dining-room. two of them left the almonds, and cut it up and packed it carefully in boxes which they lined with paraffin paper, tied each one up with narrow ribbon, labeled them with the name, and then put them aside. meanwhile the girls in the kitchen made: fondant cup of granulated sugar. / cup of milk. put this on the stove to heat, and stir till the sugar is dissolved, but, until then, do not let it boil. when there is no sugar left on the edges or bottom of the saucepan, let it boil without stirring; have ready a cup of cold water, and after three minutes drop in a little bit and see if you can make it into a ball in your fingers; if not, boil again till you can. shake the saucepan occasionally so the sugar will not burn. when you can make a firm but not a hard ball, take it off, and set it in a pan of cold water till it is cool enough to put your finger in without burning. then stir and beat, and, when it begins to get hard, knead it with your hands. add flavoring while still rather soft. "this," miss betty said to the girls, "is the one thing, above all others, that you must learn to make, because it is the beginning of all sorts of cream candies. in part of it we can put almond flavoring and make it into balls and put a half-almond on top; or use vanilla flavoring, and bits of citron on top. or we can add chopped nuts to it, or roll pieces of brazil nuts in, and so on. and of course some of it we will color green, to put green pistachio-nuts on, and pink, to put bits of rose-leaves on. and we can take it while it is still pretty soft, and make little balls of it and dip each one in melted chocolate with the tip of a fork, and make lovely chocolate creams." "oh, miss betty, let me make those!" begged mildred; and "oh, miss betty, let me make pistachio creams!"; and "oh, please, _dear_ miss betty, let me make the nut creams!" begged the girls. miss betty laughed, and shook her head at them all. "the dining-room girls will finish these, all but the chocolate creams--those we will make to-morrow." so she took all the pans of fondant into the dining-room, and mother blair showed the girls there how to turn this plain white candy into colored bonbons, working on the marble slab; they were lovely when they were finished, and packed in boxes like the rest. meanwhile, miss betty said they would make: chocolate cocoanut cakes cup of sugar. / cup of water. white of egg. cup of grated cocoanut from a package. squares of chocolate, melted. let the sugar and water boil till it spins a thread. beat the egg white stiff, and very slowly pour in the syrup while beating all the time; add the cocoanut, and then the melted chocolate. drop on sheets of buttered paper in spoonfuls. "if you want to have these like little biscuits, do not put in the chocolate; just put them on the paper after spreading it in shallow tins, and bake them till they are brown on top. i think it would be nice to make some of each." when these were done and carried into the dining-room, miss betty said: "and now i will show you how i make my very own pinoche. when i have to earn my living, i shall do it by making this candy, and i'm sure in a very short time i'll be a millionaire." the girls laughed, and said they wanted to learn to get rich too. pinoche - / cups of brown sugar. / cup of cream. butter the size of an egg. / cup of chopped walnuts. / cup of chopped almonds. teaspoonful of vanilla. boil the sugar, cream, and butter together twenty minutes; add the nuts and vanilla, and beat well; when smooth and creamy, pour into buttered tins; when cool, cut in squares. "it's just as well we have so many to work," said mildred. "it takes lots of strength to beat this candy." "yes, we need jack's strong arm," said miss betty, smiling. "to-morrow, we must get him to help. now here is another kind of nut candy that is very good indeed, and when you are all done with that pinoche, we will make this next." nut creams cups of light brown sugar. whites of eggs. cup of boiling water. cup of chopped nuts. teaspoonful of vanilla. boil the sugar and water, stirring and beating till the sugar is all dissolved; then let it boil without stirring till it spins a thread. remove from the fire and let it stand on the table for just a moment, to be sure it has stopped boiling; then pour it over the stiff whites of the eggs, beating with a wire beater all the time; put in the vanilla while you are beating. when it is creamy and getting stiff, add the nuts, stir well, and spread on buttered paper. if you prefer, do not use vanilla, but almond flavoring, and add almonds instead of other nuts. "now, girls, just one more kind and that will be enough, i am sure. to-morrow we will change work, and i will teach all this to the other girls while you make salted almonds and tie boxes; i'm sure we shall sell all we can make." [illustration: "this candy ought to be at least a dollar a pound."] "this candy will be worth a dollar a pound!" said mildred. "at least that," said miss betty, laughing; "only we won't ask quite that much, i think. now this is the last receipt." chocolate squares cup of sugar. / cake of chocolate. / cup of molasses. / cup of milk. / cup of butter. mix this all together and boil it twenty minutes; cool it a very little and add teaspoonful of vanilla. pour in pans, and, when cool, mark off in squares. it was dark when all this candy was done and in the boxes. the girls were tired, but delighted with their work, and the next day they came, eager to finish it. those who worked in the kitchen made the same things as the other girls had made before, and, when everybody was done, it was astonishing how many, many boxes they had. they had already decided not to have any two-pound or five-pound boxes, but to make only pound and half-pound ones, as these would sell better. they tied up the boxes which were covered with holly paper with red ribbons, and the red boxes with holly ribbons, and the plain white boxes with red, with a bit of holly tied in each bow. when norah saw them all, she said they were "stylish." certainly they were pretty, and the candy was delicious, and fresh as well, and all the committee and mother blair and miss betty were just as proud as proud could be. [illustration: selling candy at the christmas fair] when the fair was over, the ladies who were in charge of it sent a special little note to the candy committee telling them how well they had done. "next time we will make ever so many more kinds of candy," said mildred, as they talked it all over. "i never knew there were so many. i used to think all you could make at home were molasses candy and peanut brittle, and everybody can make those, so they are not much fun." "when the children get into their ward, we will make some candy for them," said brownie. "i think the children with broken legs, and bad knees, and the not-very-sick children would like some, especially if we put it in white boxes and tie them up with big bows of ribbon." "of course they would," said mildred. "it would be just lovely and would help them to get well ever so much quicker, i know. that's what mother would call a particularly bright idea, brownie blair!" chapter xvii examination day "children," said mother blair on new year's day, "when you have all finished whatever you are doing and have a whole hour to spare, i want you to bring your receipt books into the sitting-room. i'm going to have an examination." jack gave a loud groan. "that's no fair, mother. no exams in vacation!" "yes, it is fair, perfectly fair to have this examination in vacation time, because you never have a moment while school is going on to give me for it; now is my only chance. but it won't be a very long or severe one. i fancy i can find out all _you_ know about cooking in a very short time, jack!" jack laughed and went upstairs for his book, and presently they all gathered in the sitting-room by the fire. the three children sat in a row on the great big sofa with the pillows tucked behind them, and mother blair sat in front, exactly like a teacher. she had three pads and pencils ready, and three packages well wrapped up, in her lap. "it was just a year ago to-day that we got those books," said brownie. "mine has heaps of rules in it, too." "so has mine," said mildred, turning the leaves. "i did not know i had so many. and what fun we had making some of the things! do you remember your cheese dreams at the house-in-the-woods party, jack? and the hallowe'en things in the chafing-dish? and the attic picnic, brownie? i'm sorry we can't have all those parties over again, mother." "we'll have plenty more, dear, and better ones, too. but how many receipts have you, jack?" jack proudly displayed his camping receipts and a few others, principally chafing-dish rules. "lots!" he said. "not half enough. you've done only pretty well, jack; but a beginning is something, after all. but now, children, the examination is going to begin. here is a written question for each of you, and you are to write the answer down on this pad." "dreadful," murmured mildred, accepting her slip of paper and pad with a long sigh. this is what she read: "what would you have for luncheon, if you found in the refrigerator some eggs, a little celery, cold boiled potatoes, a bottle of milk and butter; and beside had in the house cookies and a basket of very poor pears? look up the rule for each dish in your receipt book." "that's easy," said mildred, happily, going to work at once. brownie's slip said: "if you were ordering breakfast to-morrow morning, what would be the nicest things you could think of? and could you make them all?" and when jack opened his folded paper he read: "plan a sunday night supper with nothing but what you can make yourself." "ask me a hard one," jack said, waving his paper around his head. mother blair took a book and began to read to herself while the pencils scratched away on the pads and the receipt books were consulted over and over. it was only a few moments before, "done!" said mildred, and "done!" said brownie. jack was a trifle slower, and they had to wait for him to finish. it was not so easy an examination as he had thought at first. "read the question first and then the answer; you begin, mildred," said mother blair. so mildred read her question, and then taking her pad read what she had put down: "for luncheon i would have first, cream of celery soup, made by the rule i copied under cream soups; i learned how to make those when mother was sick. after that i would have creamed eggs on toast. (you know i can make those, mother; i made them just last week.) and with them i'd have hashed brown potatoes; that rule i know by heart. and then for dessert i'd stew those poor pears, like apple sauce, you know, only i wouldn't cut them up but keep them in halves the way norah does; and i'd have the cookies with them." "good, mildred--splendid! i did not know you could manage so well now let's see what brownie would have for breakfast." "cereal first; see the rule of cereal with dates,--only i'd leave out the dates this time--and then i'd have muffins; of course, i can make those. and coffee, and poached eggs. do you think that is a good breakfast, mother?" "delicious, dear. i only wish it were breakfast time now. and how did you get along, jack?" "you gave me the hardest of all," jack grumbled. "but i did it, all the same. i'd have cheese dreams, and corned beef hash first; then i'd have pigs in blankets on toast; and camp coffee; and then corn cakes and syrup to finish off with." jack smiled complacently. "that's what i call a good, substantial meal." mildred was screaming with laughter as he finished. "cheese dreams and pigs in blankets, and corned beef hash, mother blair! for sunday night supper!" "you'd have regular hallowe'en nightmares after that meal, jack!" said his mother, laughing too. "however, as you know how to make all those, we will let you have them--on paper. only when you get a supper for this family you need not have quite so many things, especially if we have company; they might not appreciate them. now are you ready for the next question?" the examination proved such fun that they kept it up all the morning. they told how to lay a table for breakfast, luncheon and dinner; how to arrange a sick-room tray; what to give a little child who came in to a meal; how to make fudge, and sandwiches, and tea and salads and cake; how to put up jelly, and how to cook eggs in different ways; some of these things brownie and jack did not know, but most of them they wrote down on their papers very well indeed. and they planned all sorts of meals, and that was the most fun of all, family dinners, and company luncheons, and picnic suppers, and party meals for thanksgiving and fourth of july and washington's birthday and other times. it really was not so much of an examination as it was a game. finally mother blair said they had done enough. "you know so much more than i thought you did that i'm satisfied," she said. "really and truly, children, i'm proud of you! you all get a hundred in your examination, and you each have earned a prize beside for standing at the top of your three classes." then she opened the packages she had had in her lap all this time and brought out three books. "before i distribute the prizes i must make a speech," she said. "that's the way it's always done at school, you know. "children: you have done so well in your cooking lessons that i am going to give each of you a real cook book, for you know now how to use one. there are many other dishes beside those you have learned already that i am sure you will want to know how to make, too. all you have to do is to turn to any rule here and follow it carefully, exactly as you do in the books you have made yourselves. mildred, here is your book-- i present it with pride! it's a regular grown-up cook book, only it's a very easy one. and, brownie, yours is a little girl's cook book; you will love it, and i present it with pride, too, my dear child! and jack--" "i do hope mine has plenty of cake in it, mother, and lovely desserts all made with gelatine, and fancy salads with fixings on them; you know those are the things i really like to make," said jack demurely. "i'm sorry to disappoint you," laughed his mother, "but yours is a regular boy's cook book, all about--" "camping!" interrupted jack, as he saw its title. "well, now, that's about the right kind of a book for me, after all. say, mother blair, i think your prizes are great." "so do i," murmured mildred, who was deep in a rule for a perfectly delicious dessert with whipped cream and nuts in it. but brownie did not say a word. she was reading the story in her book about how some children learned to cook. [illustration] index beverages cocoa, coffee, coffee, camp, grape juice, mulled, lemonade, lemonade, grape juice, tea, breads baking powder biscuits, camper's bread, corn cakes, corn meal mush, fried, muffins, pancakes, toast, cream, cake brownies, chocolate crackers, christmas, currant, gingerbread, "perfectly lovely," gingerbread men, macaroons, oatmeal, marguerites, nut, peanut wafers, spicy cookies, candy chocolate cocoanut cakes, chocolate squares, christmas elves, coffee candy, fondant, nut creams, pinoche, pop corn balls, cereal cereal with dates, oatmeal, desserts chocolate cream, custard, baked, custard, soft, custard, junket, puddings: camp, cornstarch, almond, cornstarch, chocolate, cornstarch, plain, strawberries in box, strawberry cake, strawberry russe, strawberry short cake, ice creams: chocolate, fruit, parfait, plain, strawberries, frozen, strawberries and ice cream, eggs deviled, goldenrod, creamed, poached, in ramekins, scrambled, spanish, fish baked, broiled, fish balls, panned, salmon, creamed, salmon, scalloped, salmon, steamed, sardines, hot, small fish, broiled, warmed over, oysters: panned, creamed, pigs in blankets, scalloped, stew, fruit apples, baked, apple sauce, dates, stuffed, orange baskets, pineapple, stuffed, strawberries for first course, jams and jellies conserve: apple, cranberry, jam, grape, jelly: apple, made over, spiced fruit, meats chicken, creamed, corned beef hash, dried beef, creamed, ham and eggs, meat pie, easy, pork, salt fried, stew, ten minute, veal loaf, miscellaneous almonds, salted, covering jellies, icing for cake, laying the table, packing a freezer, sick room tray, white sauce, pastry tartlets, salads chicken, fruit, string bean, tomato, plain, tomato, yellow, french dressing, sandwiches cheese, cheese dreams, egg, ham, deviled, how to make, lettuce, meat, orange marmalade, sardine, sweet, toasted sardine, tomato and cheese, soups chicken broth, cream, vegetables beans, baked, corn, boiled, corn, roasted, onions, boiled, potatoes: baked, baked and stuffed, boiled, creamed, fried, puff, scalloped, rice patties, tomatoes, spanish, generously made available by the internet archive/american libraries.) home pork making _the art of raising and curing pork on the farm_ a complete guide for the farmer, the country butcher and the suburban dweller, in all that pertains to hog slaughtering, curing, preserving and storing pork product--from scalding vat to kitchen table and dining room. by a. w. fulton commercial editor american agriculturist and orange judd farmer, assisted by pork specialists in the united states and england. new york and chicago orange judd company of all the delicacies in the whole _mundus edibiles_, i will maintain roast pig to be the most delicate. there is no flavor comparable, i will contend, to that of the crisp, tawny, well-watched, not over-roasted crackling, as it is well called--the very teeth are invited to their share of the pleasure at this banquet in overcoming the coy, brittle resistance--with the adhesive oleaginous--oh, call it not fat! but an indefinable sweetness growing up to it--the tender blossoming of fat--fat cropped in the bud--taken in the shoot--in the first innocence--the cream and quintessence of the child-pig's yet pure food--the lean, no lean, but a kind of animal manna--or rather fat and lean (if it must be so) so blended and running into each other that both together make but one ambrosian result or common substance.--[charles lamb. copyright by orange judd company table of contents. introduction. pork making on the farm nearly a lost art--general merit of homemade pork--acknowledgments. chapter i.--pork making on the farm. best time for killing--a home market for farm pork--opportunities for profit--farm census of live stock for a series of years. chapter ii.--finishing off hogs for bacon. flesh forming rations--corn as a fat producer--just the quality of bacon wanted--normandy hogs. chapter iii.--slaughtering. methods employed--necessary apparatus--heating water for scalding. chapter iv.--scalding and scraping. saving the bristles--scalding tubs and vats--temperature for scalding--"singeing pigs"--methods of singeing. chapter v.--dressing and cutting. best time for dressing--opening the carcass--various useful appliances--hints on dressing--how to cut up a hog. chapter vi.--what to do with the offal. portions classed as offal--recipes and complete directions for utilizing the wholesome parts, aside from the principal pieces--sausage, scrapple, jowls and head, brawn, head-cheese. chapter vii.--the fine points in making lard. kettle and steam rendered--time required in making--storing. chapter viii.--pickling and barreling. a clean barrel one of the first considerations--the use of salt on pork strips--pickling by covering with brine--renewing pork brine. chapter ix.--care of hams and shoulders. a first-class ham--a general cure for ham and shoulders--pickling preparatory to smoking--westphalian hams. chapter x.--dry salting bacon and sides. proper proportion of salt to meat--other preservatives--applying the salt--best distribution of the salt--time required in curing--pork for the south. chapter xi.--smoking and smokehouses. treatment previous to smoking--simple but effective smokehouses--controlling the fire in smoke formation--materials to produce best flavor--the choice of weather--variety in smokehouses. chapter xii.--keeping hams and bacon. the ideal meat house--best temperature and surroundings--precautions against skippers--to exclude the bugs entirely. chapter xiii.--side lights on pork making. growth of the big packing houses--average weight of live hogs--"net to gross"--relative weights of various portions of the carcass. chapter xiv.--packing house cuts of pork. descriptions of the leading cuts of meat known as the speculative commodities in the pork product--mess pork, short ribs, shoulders and hams, english bacon, varieties of lard. chapter xv.--magnitude of the swine industry. importance of the foreign demand--statistics of the trade--receipts at leading points--prices for a series of years--co-operative curing houses in denmark. chapter xvi.--discovering the merits of roast pig. the immortal charles lamb on the art of roasting--an oriental luxury of luxuries. chapter xvii.--recipes for cooking and serving pork. success in the kitchen--prize methods of best cooks--unapproachable list of especially prepared recipes--roasts, pork pie, cooking bacon, pork and beans, serving chops and cutlets, use of spare ribs, the new england boiled dinner, ham and sausage, etc. introduction. hog killing and pork making on the farm have become almost lost arts in these days of mammoth packing establishments which handle such enormous numbers of swine at all seasons of the year. yet the progressive farmer of to-day should not only provide his own fresh and cured pork for family use, but also should be able to supply at remunerative prices such persons in his neighborhood as appreciate the excellence and general merit of country or "homemade" pork product. this is true, also, though naturally in a less degree, of the townsman who fattens one or two pigs on the family kitchen slops, adding sufficient grain ration to finish off the pork for autumn slaughter. the only popular book of the kind ever published, "home pork making" furnishes in a plain manner just such detailed information as is needed to enable the farmer, feeder, or country butcher to successfully and economically slaughter his own hogs and cure his own pork. all stages of the work are fully presented, so that even without experience or special equipment any intelligent person can readily follow the instructions. hints are given about finishing off hogs for bacon, hams, etc. then, beginning with proper methods of slaughtering, the various processes are clearly presented, including every needful detail from the scalding vat to the kitchen baking dish and dining-room table. the various chapters treat successively of the following, among other branches of the art of pork making: possibilities of profit in home curing and marketing pork; finishing off hogs for bacon; class of rations best adapted, flesh and fat forming foods; best methods of slaughtering hogs, with necessary adjuncts for this preliminary work; scalding and scraping; the construction of vats; dressing the carcass; cooling and cutting up the meat; best disposition of the offal; the making of sausage and scrapple; success in producing a fine quality of lard and the proper care of it. several chapters are devoted to putting down and curing the different cuts of meat in a variety of ways for many purposes. here will be found the prized recipes and secret processes employed in making the popular pork specialties for which england, virginia, kentucky, new england and other sections are noted. many of these points involve the old and well-guarded methods upon which more than one fortune has been made, as well as the newest and latest ideas for curing pork and utilizing its products. among these the subject of pickling and barreling is thoroughly treated, renewing pork brine; care of barrels, etc. the proper curing of hams and shoulders receives minute attention, and so with the work of dry salting bacon and sides. a chapter devoted to smoking and smokehouses affords all necessary light on this important subject, including a number of helpful illustrations; success in keeping bacon and hams is fully described, together with many other features of the work of home curing. the concluding portion of the book affords many interesting details relating to the various cuts of meat in the big packing houses, magnitude of the swine industry and figures covering the importance of our home and foreign trade in pork and pork product. in completing this preface, descriptive of the various features of the book, the editor wishes to give credit to our friends who have added to its value through various contributions and courtesies. a considerable part of the chapters giving practical directions for cutting and curing pork are the results of the actual experience of b. w. jones of virginia; we desire also to give due credit to contributions by p. h. hartwell, rufus b. martin, henry stewart and many other practical farmers; to hately brothers, leading packers at chicago; north packing and provision co. of boston, and to a host of intelligent women on american farms, who, through their practical experience in the art of cooking, have furnished us with many admirable recipes for preparing and serving pork. chapter i. pork making on the farm. during the marvelous growth of the packing industry the past generation, methods of slaughtering and handling pork have undergone an entire revolution. in the days of our fathers, annual hog-killing time was as much an event in the family as the harvesting of grain. with the coming of good vigorous frosts and cold weather, reached in the northern states usually in november, every farmer would kill one, two or more hogs for home consumption, and frequently a considerable number for distribution through regular market channels. nowadays, however, the big pork packing establishments have brought things down to such a fine point, utilizing every part of the animal (or, as has been said, "working up everything but the pig's squeal"), that comparatively few hogs out of all the great number fattened are slaughtered and cut up on the farm. unquestionably there is room for considerable business of this character, and if properly conducted, with a thorough understanding, farmers can profitably convert some of their hogs into cured meats, lard, hams, bacon, sausage, etc., finding a good market at home and in villages and towns. methods now in use are not greatly different from those followed years ago, although of course improvement is the order of the day, and some important changes have taken place, as will be seen in a study of our pages. a few fixtures and implements are necessary to properly cure and pack pork, but these may be simple, inexpensive and at the same time efficient. such important portions of the work as the proper cutting of the throat, scalding, scraping, opening and cleaning the hog should be undertaken by someone not altogether a novice. and there is no reason why every farmer should not advantageously slaughter one or more hogs each year, supplying the family with the winter's requirements and have something left over to sell. the possibilities of profit in the intelligent curing and selling of homemade pork are suggested by the far too general custom of farmers buying their pork supplies at the stores. this custom is increasing, to say nothing of the very large number of townspeople who would be willing to buy home cured pork were it properly offered them. probably it is not practicable that every farmer should butcher his own swine, but in nearly every neighborhood one or two farmers could do this and make good profits. the first to do so, the first to be known as having home cured pork to sell, and the first to make a reputation on it, will be the one to secure the most profit. in the farm census of live stock, hogs are given a very important place. according to the united states census of there were on farms in this country , , hogs. returns covering later years place the farm census of hogs, according to compilations of _american agriculturist_ and _orange judd farmer_, recognized authorities, at , , in , , , in , and , , in . according to these authorities the average farm value of all hogs in was $ . per head. the government report placed the average farm price in at $ . , in ' , $ . , and in , $ . . a traveling pigpen. it is often desirable to change the location of a pigpen, especially where a single pig is kept. it may be placed in the garden at the time when there are waste vegetables to be disposed of, or it may be penned in a grass lot. a portable pen, with an open yard attached, is seen in the accompanying illustrations. figure presents the pen, the engraving showing it so clearly that no description is needed. the yard, seen in fig. , is placed with the open space next to the door of the pen, so that the pig can go in and out freely. the yard is attached to the pen by hooks and staples, and both of them are provided with handles, by which they can be lifted and carried from place to place. both the yard and pen should be floored, to prevent the pig from tearing up the ground. the floors should be raised a few inches from the ground, that they may be kept dry and made durable. [illustration: fig. . portable pen.] [illustration: fig. . yard attachment.] chapter ii. finishing off hogs for bacon. the general subject of feeding and fattening hogs it is not necessary here to discuss. it will suffice to point out the advisability of using such rations as will finish off the swine in a manner best fitted to produce a good bacon hog. an important point is to feed a proper proportion of flesh-forming ration rather than one which will serve to develop fat at the expense of lean. the proper proportion of these will best subserve the interest of the farmer, whether he is finishing off swine for family use or for supplying the market with home cured bacon. a diet composed largely of protein (albuminoids) results in an increased proportion of lean meat in the carcass. on the other hand, a ration made up chiefly of feeds which are high in starchy elements, known as carbohydrates, yields very largely in fat (lard). a most comprehensive chart showing the relative values of various fodders and feeding stuffs has been prepared by herbert myrick, editor of _american agriculturist_, and will afford a good many valuable hints to the farmer who wishes to feed his swine intelligently. this points out the fact that such feeds as oats, barley, cowpea hay, shorts, red clover hay and whole cottonseed are especially rich in flesh-forming properties. corn, which is rich in starch, is a great fat producer and should not be fed too freely in finishing off hogs for the best class of bacon. in addition to the important muscle-producing feeds noted above, there are others rich in protein, such as bran, skim milk, buttermilk, etc. while corn is naturally the standby of all swine growers, the rations for bacon purposes should include these muscle-producing feeds in order to bring the best results. if lean, juicy meat is desired, these muscle forming foods should be continued to the close. in order to get just the quality of bacon that is wanted, feeders must so arrange the ration that it will contain a maximum of muscle and a minimum of fat. this gives the sweet flavor and streaked meat which is the secret of the popularity of the irish and danish bacon. our american meats are as a rule heavy, rich in fat and in marked contrast with the light, mild, sweet flavored pork well streaked with lean, found so generally in the english market and cured primarily in ireland and denmark. what is wanted is a long, lean, smooth, bacon hog something after the irish hog. here is a hint for our american farmers. england can justly boast of her hams and bacon, but for sweet, tender, lean pork the normandy hogs probably have no superior in the world. they are fed largely on meat-producing food, as milk, peas, barley, rye and wheat bran. they are not fed on corn meal alone. they are slaughtered at about six months. the bristles are burned off by laying the carcass on straw and setting it on fire. though the carcasses come out black, they are scraped white and clean, and dressed perfectly while warm. it is believed that hogs thus dressed keep better and that the meat is sweeter. self-closing door for pigpen. neither winter snows nor the spring and summer rains should be allowed to beat into a pigpen. but the difficulty is to have a door that will shut itself and can be opened by the animals whenever they desire. the engraving, fig. , shows a door of this kind that can be applied to any pen, at least any to which a door can be affixed at all. it is hung on hooks and staples to the lintel of the doorway, and swinging either way allows the inmates of the pen to go out or in, as they please,--closing automatically. if the door is intended to fit closely, leather strips two inches wide should be nailed around the frame of the doorway, then as the door closes it presses tightly against these strips. [illustration: fig. . automatic door.] a hog-feeding convenience. the usual hog's trough and the usual method of getting food into it are conducive to a perturbed state of mind on the part of the feeder, because the hog is accustomed to get bodily into the trough, where he is likely to receive a goodly portion of his breakfast or dinner upon the top of his head. the ordinary trough too, is difficult to clean out for a similar reason--the pig usually standing in it. the diagram shown herewith, fig. gives a suggestion for a trough that overcomes some of the difficulties mentioned, as it is easily accessible from the outside, both for pouring in food and for removing any dirt or litter that may be in it. the accompanying sketch so plainly shows the construction that detailed description does not appear to be necessary. [illustration: fig. . protected trough.] chapter iii. slaughtering. whatever may be said as to the most humane modes of putting to death domestic animals intended for food, butchering with the knife, all things considered, is the best method to pursue with the hog. the hog should be bled thoroughly when it is killed. butchering by which the heart is pierced or the main artery leading from it severed, does this in the most effectual way, ridding the matter of the largest percentage of blood, and leaving it in the best condition for curing and keeping well. the very best bacon cannot be made of meat that has not been thoroughly freed from blood, and this is a fact that should be well remembered. expert butchers, who know how to seize and hold the hog and insert the knife at the proper place, are quickly through with the job, and often before the knife can be withdrawn from the incision, the blood will spurt out in a stream and insensibility and death will speedily ensue. it is easy, however, for a novice to make a botch of it; hence the importance that none but an expert be given a knife for this delicate operation. there are some readily made devices by which one man at killing time may do as much as three or four, and with one helper a dozen hogs may be made into finished pork between breakfast and dinner, and without any excitement or worry or hard work. it is supposed that the hogs are in a pen or pens, where they may be easily roped by a noose around one hind leg. this being done, the animal is led to the door and guided into a box, having a slide door to shut it in. the bottom of the box is a hinged lid. as soon as the hog is safely in the box and shut in by sliding down the back door, and fastening it by a hook, the box is turned over, bringing the hog on his back. the bottom of the box is opened immediately and one man seizes a hind foot, to hold the animal, while the other sticks the hog in the usual manner. the box is turned and lifted from the hog, which, still held by the rope is moved to the dressing bench. all this may be done while the previous hog is being scalded and dressed, or the work may be so managed that as soon as one hog is hung and cleaned the next one is ready for the scalding. [illustration: fig. . heating water in kettles.] necessary aids. before the day for slaughter arrives, have everything ready for performing the work in the best manner. there may be a large boiler for scalding set in masonry with a fireplace underneath and a flue to carry off the smoke. if this is not available, a large hogshead may be utilized at the proper time. a long table, strong and immovable, should be fixed close to the boiler, on which the hogs are to be drawn after having been scalded, for scraping. on each side of this table scantlings should be laid in the form of an open flooring, and upon this the farmer and helpers may stand while at work, thus keeping their feet off the ground, out of the water and mud that would otherwise be disagreeable. an appreciated addition on a rainy day would be a substantial roof over this boiler and bench. this should be strong and large enough so that the hog after it is cleaned may be properly hung up. hooks and gambrels are provided, knives are sharpened, a pile of dry wood is placed there, and everything that will be needed on the day of butchering is at hand. heating water for scalding. for heating scalding water and rendering lard, when one has no kettles or cauldrons ready to set in brick or stone, a simple method is to put down two forked stakes firmly, as shown in fig. , lay in them a pole to support the kettles, and build a wood fire around them on the ground. a more elaborate arrangement is shown in fig. , which serves not only to heat the water, but as a scalding tub as well. it is made of two-inch pine boards, six feet long and two feet wide, rounded at the ends. a heavy plate of sheet iron is nailed with wrought nails on the bottom and ends let the iron project fully one inch on each side. the ends, being rounded, will prevent the fire from burning the woodwork. they also make it handier for dipping sheep, scalding hogs, or for taking out the boiled food. the box is set on two walls inches high, and the rear end of the brickwork is built into a short chimney, affording ample draft. [illustration: fig. . practical heating and scalding vat.] chapter iv. scalding and scraping. next comes the scalding and dressing of the carcass. lay the hog upon the table near the boiler and let the scalders who stand ready to handle it place it in the water heated nearly to a boiling point. the scalders keep the hog in motion by turning it about in the water, and occasionally they try the bristles to see if they will come away readily. as soon as satisfied on this point, the carcass is drawn from the boiler and placed upon the bench, where it is rapidly and thoroughly scraped. the bristles or hair that grow along the back of the animal are sometimes sold to brush makers, the remainder of the hair falling beside the table and gathered up for the manure heap. the carcass must not remain too long in the hot water, as this will set the hair. in this case it will not part from the skin, and must be scraped off with sharp knives. for this reason an experienced hand should attend to the scalding. the hair all off, the carcass is hung upon the hooks, head down, nicely scraped and washed with clean water preparatory to disemboweling. [illustration: fig. . tackle for heavy hogs.] scalding tubs and vats. various devices are employed for scalding hogs, without lifting them by main force. for heavy hogs, one may use three strong poles, fastened at the top with a log chain, which supports a simple tackle, fig. . a very good arrangement is shown in fig. . a sled is made firm with driven stakes and covered with planks or boards. at the rear end the scalding cask is set in the ground, its upper edge on a level with the platform and inclined as much as it can be and hold sufficient water. a large, long hog is scalded one end at a time. the more the cask is inclined, the easier will be the lifting. [illustration: fig. . scalding cask on sled.] a modification of the above device is shown in fig. . a lever is rigged like a well sweep, using a crotched stick for the post, and a strong pole for the sweep. the iron rod on which the sweep moves must be strong and stiff. a trace chain is attached to the upper end, and if the end of the chain has a ring instead of a hook, it will be quite convenient. in use, a table is improvised, unless a strong one for the purpose is at hand, and this is set near the barrel. a noose is made with the chain about the leg of the hog, and he is soused in, going entirely under water, lifted out when the bristles start easily, and laid upon the table, while another is made ready. [illustration: fig. . scalding in a hogshead.] figure shows a more permanent arrangement. it is a trough of plank with a sheet iron bottom, which can be set over a temporary fireplace made in the ground. the vat may be six feet long, three feet wide and two and one-half feet deep, so as to be large enough for a good-sized hog. three ropes are fastened on one side, for the purpose of rolling the hog over into the vat and rolling it out on the other side when it is scalded. a number of slanting crosspieces are fitted in, crossing each other, so as to form a hollow bed in which the carcass lies, with the ropes under it, by which it can be moved and drawn out. these crosspieces protect the sheet iron bottom and keep the carcass from resting upon it. a large, narrow fireplace is built up in the ground, with stoned sides, and the trough is set over it. a stovepipe is fitted at one end, and room is made at the front by which wood may be supplied to the fire to heat the water. a sloping table is fitted at one side for the purpose of rolling up the carcass, when too large to handle otherwise, by means of the rope previously mentioned. on the other side is a frame made of hollowed boards set on edge, upon which the hog is scraped and cleaned. the right temperature for scalding a hog is degrees, and with a thermometer there need be no fear of overscalding or a failure from the lack of sufficient heat, while the water can be kept at the right temperature by regulating the fuel under the vat. if a spot of hair is obstinate, cover it with some of the removed hair and dip on hot water. always pull out hair and bristles; shaving any off leaves unpleasant stubs in the skin. singeing pigs. a few years ago, "singers" were general favorites with a certain class of trade wanting a light bacon pig, weighing about lbs., the product being exported to england for bacon purposes. packers frequently paid a small premium for light hogs suitable for this end, but more recently the demand is in other directions. the meat of singed hogs is considered by some to possess finer flavor than that of animals the hair of which has been removed by the ordinary process. instead of being scalded and scraped in the ordinary manner, the singeing process consists in lowering the carcass into an iron or steel box by means of a heavy chain, the receptacle having been previously heated to an exceedingly high temperature. after remaining there a very few seconds the hog is removed and upon being placed in hot water the hair comes off instantly. an old encyclopedia, published thirty years ago, in advocating the singeing process, has this to say: "the hog should be swealed (singed), and not scalded, as this method leaves the flesh firm and more solid. this is done by covering the hog lightly with straw, then set fire to it, renewing the fuel as it is burned away, taking care not to burn the skin. after sufficient singeing, the skin is scraped, but not washed. after cutting up, the flesh side of the cuts is rubbed with salt, which should be changed every four or five days. the flitches should also be transposed, the bottom ones at the top and the top ones at the bottom. some use four ounces saltpetre and one pound coarse sugar or molasses for each hog. six weeks is allowed for thus curing a hog weighing lbs. the flitches before smoking are rubbed with bran or very fine sawdust and after smoking are often kept in clear, dry wood ashes or very dry sand." [illustration: fig. . permanent vat for scalding.] chapter v. dressing and cutting. when the carcasses have lost the animal heat they are put away till the morrow, by which time, if the weather is fairly cold, the meat is stiff and firm and in a condition to cut out better than it does when taken in its soft and pliant state. if the weather is very cold, however, and there is danger that the meat will freeze hard before morning, haste is made to cut it up the same day, or else it is put into a basement or other warm room, or a large fire made near it to prevent it from freezing. meat that is frozen will not take salt, or keep from spoiling if salted. salting is one of the most important of the several processes in the art of curing good bacon, and the pork should be in just the right condition for taking or absorbing the salt. moderately cold and damp weather is the best for this. as the carcass is dressed it is lifted by a hook at the end of a swivel lever mounted on a post and swung around to a hanging bar, placed conveniently. this bar has sliding hooks made to receive the gambrel sticks, which have a hook permanently attached to each so that the carcass is quickly removed from the swivel lever to the slide hook on the bar. the upper edge of the bar is rounded and smoothed and greased to help the hooks to slide on it. this serves to hang all the hogs on the bar until they are cooled. if four persons are employed this work may be done very quickly, as they may divide the work between them; one hog is being scalded and cleaned while another is being dressed. [illustration: fig. . easy method of hanging a carcass.] divested of its coat, the carcass is washed off nicely with clean water before being disemboweled. for opening the hog, the operator needs a sharp butcher's knife, and should know how to use it with dexterity, so as not to cut the entrails. the entrails and paunch, or stomach, are first removed, care being taken not to cut any; then the liver, the "dead ears" removed from the heart, and the heart cut open to remove any clots of blood that it may contain. the windpipe is then slit open, and the whole together is hung upon the gambrel beside the hog or placed temporarily into a tub of water. the "stretcher," a small stick some sixteen inches long, is then placed across the bowels to hold the sides well open and admit the air to cool the carcass, and a chip or other small object is placed in the mouth to hold it open, and the interior parts of the hog about the shoulders and gullet are nicely washed to free them from stains of blood. the carcass is then left to hang upon the gallows in order to cool thoroughly before it is cut into pieces or put away for the night. where ten or twelve hogs are dressed every year, it will pay to have a suitable building arranged for the work. an excellent place may be made in the driveway between a double corncrib, or in a wagon shed or an annex to the barn where the feeding pen is placed. the building should have a stationary boiler in it, and such apparatus as has been suggested, and a windlass used to do the lifting. hog killing made easy. in the accompanying cut, fig. , the hoister represents a homemade apparatus that has been in use many years and it has been a grand success. the frames, _a_, _a_, _a_, _a_, are of x inch scantling, ft. in length; _b_, _b_, are x inch and ft. long with a round notch in the center of the upper surface for a windlass, _d_, to turn in; _c_, _c_ are x and ft. long, or as long as desired, and are bolted to _a_, _a_. ten inches beyond the windlass, _d_, is a x inch piece with arms bolted on the end to turn the windlass and draw up the carcass, which should be turned lengthwise of the hoister until it passes between _c_, _c_. the gambrel should be long enough to catch on each side when turned crosswise, thus relieving the windlass so that a second carcass may be hoisted. the peg, _e_, is to place in a hole of upright, _a_, to hold the windlass. brace the frame in proportion to the load that is to be placed upon it. the longer it is made, the more hogs can be hung at the same time. the sawbuck scaffold. figure shows a very cheap and convenient device for hanging either hogs or beeves. the device is in shape much like an old-fashioned "sawbuck," with the lower rounds between the legs omitted. the legs, of which there are two pairs, should be about ten feet long and set bracing, in the manner shown in the engraving. the two pairs of legs are held together by an inch iron rod, five or six feet in length, provided with threads at both ends. the whole is made secure by means of two pairs of nuts, which fasten the legs to the connecting iron rod. a straight and smooth wooden roller rests in the forks made by the crossing of the legs, and one end projects about sixteen inches. in this two augur holes are bored, in which levers may be inserted for turning the roller. the rope, by means of which the carcass is raised, passes over the rollers in such a way that in turning, by means of the levers, the animal is raised from the ground. when sufficiently elevated, the roller is fastened by one of the levers to the nearest leg. [illustration: fig. . raising a carcass.] proper shape of gambrels. gambrels should be provided of different lengths, if the hogs vary much in size. that shown in fig. is a convenient shape. these should be of hickory or other tough wood for safety, and be so small as to require little gashing of the legs to receive them. [illustration: fig. . a convenient gambrel.] gallows for dressed hogs. the accompanying device, fig. , for hanging dressed hogs, consists of a stout, upright post, six or eight inches square and ten feet long, the lower three feet being set into the ground. near the upper end are two mortises, each x inches, quite through the post, one above the other, as shown in the engraving, for the reception of the horizontal arms. the latter are six feet long and just large enough to fit closely into the mortises. they should be of white oak or hickory. at butchering time the dead hogs are hung on the scaffold by slipping the gambrels upon the horizontal crosspieces. additional hints on dressing. little use of the knife is required to loosen the entrails. the fingers, rightly used, will do most of the severing. small, strong strings, cut in proper lengths, should be always at hand to quickly tie the severed ends of any small intestines cut or broken by chance. an expert will catch the entire offal in a large tin pan or wooden vessel, which is held between himself and the hog. unskilled operators, and those opening very large hogs, need an assistant to hold this. the entrails and then the liver, heart, etc., being all removed, thoroughly rinse out any blood or filth that may have escaped inside. removing the lard from the long intestines requires expertness that can be learned only by practice. the fingers do most of this cleaner, safer and better than a knife. a light feed the night before killing leaves the intestines less distended and less likely to be broken. [illustration: fig. . simple support for dressed hog.] how to cut up a hog. with a sharp ax and a sharp butcher's knife at hand, lay the hog on the chopping bench, side down. with the knife make a cut near the ear clear across the neck and down to the bone. with a dextrous stroke of the ax sever the head from the body. lay the carcass on the back, a boy holding it upright and keeping the forelegs well apart. with the ax proceed to take out the chine or backbone. if it is desired to put as much of the hog into neat meat as possible, trim to the chine very close, taking out none of the skin or outside fat with it. otherwise, the cutter need not be particular how much meat comes away with the bone. what does not go with the neat meat will be in the offal or sausage, and nothing will be lost. lay the chine aside and with the knife finish separating the two divisions of the hog. next, strip off with the hands the leaves or flakes of fat from the middle to the hams. seize the hock of the ham with the left hand and with the knife in the other, proceed to round out the ham, giving it a neat, oval shape. be very particular in shaping the ham. if it is spoiled in the first cutting, no subsequent trimming will put it into a form to exactly suit the fastidious public eye. trim off the surplus lean and fat and projecting pieces of bone. cut off the foot just above the hock joint. the piece when finished should have nearly the form of a regular oval, with its projecting handle or hock. with the ax cut the shoulder from the middling, making the cut straight across near the elbow joint. take off the end ribs or "spare bone" from the shoulder, trim the piece and cut off the foot. for home use, trim the shoulder, as well as the other pieces, very closely, taking off all of both lean and fat that can be spared. if care is taken to cut away the head near the ear, the shoulder will be at first about as wide as long, having a good deal of the neck attached. if the meat is intended for sale and the largest quantity of bacon is the primary object, let the piece remain so. but if it is preferred to have plenty of lard and sausage, cut a smart strip from off the neck side of the shoulder and make the piece assume the form of a parallelogram, with the hock attached to one end. trim a slice of fat from the back for lard, take off the "short ribs," and, if preferred, remove the long ribs from the whole piece. the latter, however, is not often done by the farmers. put the middling in nice shape by trimming it wherever needed, which, when finished, will be very much like a square in form, perhaps a little longer than broad, with a small circular piece cut out from the end next the ham. the six pieces of neat meat are now ready for the salter. the head is next cut open longitudinally from side to side, separating the jowl from the top or "head," so-called. the jawbone of the jowl is cut at the angle or tip and the "swallow," which is the larynx or upper part of the windpipe, is taken out. the headpiece is next cut open vertically and the lobe of the brain is taken out, and the ears and nose are removed. the bone of the chine is cut at several places for the convenience of the cook, and the task of the cutter is finished. besides the six pieces of neat meat, there are the chine, souse, jowl, head, fat, sausage, two spare and two short ribs and various other small bits derived from each hog. a good cutter, with an assistant to carry away the pieces and help otherwise, can cut out from to hogs in a day. chapter vi. what to do with the offal. aside from the pieces of meat into which a hog is usually cut, there will be left as offal the chine or backbone, the jowl, the souse, the liver and lungs, pig's feet, two spareribs and two short ribs or griskins. nearly every housekeeper knows what disposition to make of all this, yet too often these wholesome portions of the hog are not utilized to best advantage. pork sausage. sausage has formed a highly prized article of food for a good many hundred years. formed primarily as now, by chopping the raw meat very fine, and adding salt and other flavoring materials, and often meal or bread crumbs, the favorite varieties of to-day might not be considered any improvement over the recipes of the ancient romans were they to pass judgment on the same. history tells us that these early italian sausages were made of fresh pork and bacon, chopped fine, with the addition of nuts, and flavored with cumin seed, pepper, bay leaves and various pot herbs. italy and germany are still celebrated for their bologna sausages and with many people these smoked varieties are highly prized. like pure lard, sausage is too often a scarce article in the market. most city butchers mix a good deal of beef with the pork, before it is ground, and so have a sausage composed of two sorts of meat, which does not possess that agreeable, sweet, savory taste peculiar to nice fresh pork. the bits of lean, cut off when trimming the pieces of neat meat, the tenderloins, and slices of lean from the shoulders and hams, together with some fat, are first washed nicely, cleared of bone and scraps of skin, then put into the chopper, and ground fine. if a great deal of sausage is wanted, the neat meat is trimmed very close, so as to take all the lean that can be spared from the pieces. sometimes whole shoulders are cut up and ground. the heads, too, or the fleshy part, make good sausage. some housekeepers have the livers and "lights," or lungs, ground up and prepared for sausage, and they make a tolerable substitute. this preparation should be kept separate from the other, however, and be eaten while cold weather lasts, as it will not keep as long as the other kind. after sausage is properly ground, add salt, sage, rosemary, and red or black pepper to suit the taste. the rosemary may be omitted, but sage is essential. all these articles should be made fine before mixing them with the meat. in order to determine accurately whether the sausage contains enough of these ingredients, cook a little and taste it. if sausage is to be kept in jars, pack it away closely in them, as soon as it is ground and seasoned, and set the jars, securely closed, in a cool room. but it is much better to provide for smoking some of it, to keep through the spring and early summer. when the entrails are ready, stuff them full with the meat, after which the ends are tied and drawn together, and the sausage hung up in the smokehouse for smoking. this finishes the process of making pork sausage. put up in this way, it deserves the name of sausage and it makes a dish good enough for any one. it is one of the luxuries of life which may be manufactured at home. bologna sausage. the popular theory is that these familiar sausages originated in the italian city of that name, where the american visitor always stops for a bit of "the original." many formulas are used in the preparation of bologna sausages, or rather many modifications of a general formula. lean, fresh meat trimmings are employed and some add a small proportion of heart, all chopped very fine. while being chopped, spices and seasoning are added, with a sufficient quantity of salt. the meat employed is for the most part beef, to which is added some fresh or salted pork. when almost completed, add gradually a small quantity of potato flour and a little water. the mixture being of the proper consistency, stuff in beef casings, tie the ends together into rings of fair length and smoke thoroughly. this accomplished, boil until the sausages rise to the top, when they are ready for use. some recipes provide for two parts of beef and one part of fat pork and the addition of a little ground coriander seed to the seasoning. westphalian sausages are made in much the same manner as frankforts, chopped not quite so fine, and, after being cased, are smoked about a week. frankfort sausages. clean bits of pork, both fat and lean, are chopped fine and well moistened with cold water. these may be placed in either sheep or hog casings through the use of the homemade filler shown on another page. suabian sausages. chop very finely fat and lean meat until the mass becomes nearly a paste, applying a sprinkling of cold water during the operation. suabian sausages are prepared by either smoking or boiling, and in the latter case may be considered sufficiently cooked when they rise to the surface of the water in which they are boiled. italian pork sausages. the preparation of these requires considerable care, but the product is highly prized by many. for every nine pounds of raw pork add an equal amount of boiled salt pork and an equal amount of raw veal. then add two pounds selected sardines with all bones previously removed. chop together to a fine mass and then add five pounds raw fat pork previously cut into small cubes. for the seasoning take six ounces salt, four ounces ground pepper, eight ounces capers, eight ounces pistachio nuts peeled and boiled in wine. all of these ingredients being thoroughly mixed, add about one dozen pickled and boiled tongues cut into narrow strips. place the sausage in beef casings of good size. in boiling, the sausages should be wrapped in a cloth with liberal windings of stout twine and allowed to cook about an hour. then remove to a cool place about hours. tongue sausage. to every pound of meat used add two pounds of tongues, which have previously been cut into small pieces, mixing thoroughly. these are to be placed in large casings and boiled for about an hour. the flavor of the product may be improved if the tongues are previously placed for a day in spiced brine. pickled tongues are sometimes used, steeped first in cold water for several hours. black forest sausages. this is an old formula followed extensively in years gone by in germany. very lean pork is chopped into a fine mass and for every ten pounds, three pounds of fat bacon are added, previously cut comparatively fine. this is properly salted and spiced and sometimes a sprinkling of blood is added to improve the color. fill into large casings, place over the fire in a kettle of cold water and simmer without boiling for nearly an hour. liver sausage. the germans prepare this by adding to every five pounds of fat and lean pork an equal quantity of ground rind and two and one-half pounds liver. previously partly cook the rind and pork and chop fine, then add the raw liver well chopped and press through a coarse sieve. mix all thoroughly with sufficient seasoning. as the raw liver will swell when placed in boiling water, these sausages should be filled into large skins, leaving say a quarter of the space for expansion. boil nearly one hour, dry, then smoke four or five days. royal cambridge sausages are made by adding rice in the proportion of five pounds to every ten pounds of lean meat and six pounds of fat. previously boil the rice about ten minutes, then add gradually to the meat while being chopped fine, not forgetting the seasoning. the rice may thus be used instead of bread, and it is claimed to aid in keeping the sausages fresh and sweet. brain sausages. free from all skin and wash thoroughly the brain of two calves. add one pound of lean and one pound of fat pork previously chopped fine. use as seasoning four or five raw grated onions, one ounce salt, one-half ounce ground pepper. mix thoroughly, place in beef casings and boil about five minutes. afterward hang in a cool place until ready for use. tomato sausages. add one and one-half pounds pulp of choice ripe tomatoes to every seven pounds of sausage meat, using an addition of one pound of finely crushed crackers, the last named previously mixed with a quart of water and allowed to stand for some time before using. add the mixture of tomato and cracker powder gradually to the meat while the latter is being chopped. season well and cook thoroughly. spanish sausage is made by using one-third each leaf lard, lean and fat pork, first thoroughly boiling and chopping fine the meat. add to this the leaf lard previously chopped moderately fine, mix well and add a little blood to improve the color and moisten the whole. this sausage is to be placed in large casings and tied in links eight to twelve inches long. in an old recipe for spanish sausage seasoning it is made of seven pounds ground white pepper, six ounces ground nutmeg, eight ounces ground pimento or allspice and a sprinkling of bruised garlic. another sausage seasoning. to five pounds salt add two pounds best ground white pepper, three ounces ground mace, or an equal quantity of nutmeg, four ounces ground coriander seed, two ounces powdered cayenne pepper and mix thoroughly. admixture of bread. very often concerns which manufacture sausage on a large scale add considerable quantities of bread. this increases the weight at low cost, thus cheapening the finished product, and is also said to aid in keeping qualities. while this is no doubt thoroughly wholesome, it is not in vogue by our most successful farmers who have long made a business of preparing home-cured sausage. bread used for sausages should have the crust removed, should be well soaked in cold water for some time before required, then pressed to remove the surplus moisture, and added gradually to the pork while being chopped. some sausage manufacturers add to per cent in weight of crushed crackers instead of bread to sausage made during hot weather. this is to render the product firm and incidentally to increase the weight through thoroughly mixing the cracker crumbs or powder with an equal weight or more of water before adding to the meat. sausage in cases. many prefer to pack in sausage casings, either home prepared or purchased of a dealer in packers' supplies. latest improved machines for rapidly filling the cases are admirably adapted to the work, and this can also be accomplished by a homemade device. figure shows a simple bench and lever arrangement to be used with the common sausage filler, which lightens the work so much that even a small boy can use it with ease, and any person can get up the whole apparatus at home with little or no expense. an inch thick pine board one foot wide and four and one-fourth feet long is fitted with four legs, two and one-half feet long, notched into its edges, with the feet spread outward to give firmness. two oak standards eighteen inches high are set thirty-four inches apart, with a slot down the middle of each, for the admission of an oak lever eight feet long. the left upright has three or four holes, one above another, for the lever pin, as shown in the engraving. the tin filler is set into the bench nearer the left upright and projects below for receiving the skins. above the filler is a follower fitting closely into it, and its top working very loosely in the lever to allow full play as it moves up and down. the engraving shows the parts and mode of working. [illustration: fig. . homemade sausage filler.] philadelphia scrapple. this is highly prized in some parts of the country, affording a breakfast dish of great relish. a leading philadelphia manufacturer has furnished us with the following recipe: to make lbs. of scrapple, take about lbs. of good clean pork heads, remove the eyes, brains, snout, etc. put in about gals. of water and cook until it is thoroughly done. then take out, separate the bones and chop the meat fine. take about gals, of the liquor left after boiling the heads, and if the water has boiled down to a quantity less than gals., make up its bulk with hot water; if more than gals. remain, take some of the water out, but be sure to keep some of the good fat liquor. put this quantity of the liquor into a kettle, add the chopped meat, together with oz. pure white pepper, oz. sweet marjoram, lbs. fine salt. stir well until the liquor comes to a good boil. have ready for use at this time lbs. good indian meal and lbs. buckwheat flour. as soon as the liquor begins to boil add the meal and flour, the two being previously mixed dry. be careful to put the meal in a little at a time, scattering it well and stirring briskly, that it may not burn to the kettle. cook until well done, then place in pans to cool. the pans should be well greased, also the dipper used, to prevent the scrapple sticking to the utensils. when cold, the scrapple is cut into slices and fried in the ordinary manner as sausage. serve hot. souse. after being carefully cleaned and soaked in cold water, the feet, ears, nose and sometimes portions of the head may be boiled, thoroughly boned, and pressed into bowls or other vessels for cake souse. but frequently these pieces, instead of being boned, are placed whole in a vessel and covered with a vinegar, and afterwards taken a little at a time, as wanted, and fried. jowls and head. if not made into souse or sausage, these may be boiled unsmoked, with turnips, peas or beans; or smoked and cooked with cabbage or salad. the liver and accompanying parts, if not converted into sausage, may be otherwise utilized. the spareribs and short bones may be cooked in meat pies with a crust, the same as chicken, or they may be fried or boiled. the large end of the chine makes a good piece for baking. the whole chine may be smoked and will keep a long time. cracknels. this is the portion of the fat meat which is left after the lard is cooked, and is used by many as an appetizing food. the cracknels may be pressed and thus much more lard secured. this latter, however, should be used before the best lard put away in tubs. after being pressed the cracknels are worked into a dough with corn meal and together made into cracknel bread. brawn is comparatively little used in this country, though formerly a highly relished dish in europe, where it was often prepared from the flesh of the wild boar. an ancient recipe is as follows: "the bones being taken out of the flitches (sides) or other parts, the flesh is sprinkled with salt and laid on a tray, that the blood may drain off, after which it is salted a little and rolled up as hard as possible. the length of the collar of brawn should be as much as one side of the boar will permit; so that when rolled up the piece may be nine or ten inches in diameter. after being thus rolled up, it is boiled in a copper or large kettle, till it is so tender that you may run a stiff straw through it. then it is set aside till it is thoroughly cold, put into a pickle composed of water, salt, and wheat-bran, in the proportion of two handfuls of each of the latter to every gallon of water, which, after being well boiled together, is strained off as clear as possible from the bran, and, when quite cold, the brawn is put into it." head cheese. this article is made usually of pork, or rather from the meat off the pig's head, skins, and coarse trimmings. after having been well boiled, the meat is cut into pieces, seasoned well with sage, salt, and pepper, and pressed a little, so as to drive out the extra fat and water. some add the meat from a beef head to make it lean. others add portions of heart and liver, heating all in a big pan or other vessel, and then running through a sausage mill while hot. blood puddings are usually made from the hog's blood with chopped pork, and seasoned, then put in casings and cooked. some make them of beef's blood, adding a little milk; but the former is the better, as it is thought to be the richer. spiced puddings. these are made somewhat like head-cheese, and often prepared by the german dealers, some of whom make large quantities. they are also made of the meat from the pig's chops or cheeks, etc., well spiced and boiled. some smoke them. chapter vii. the fine points in making lard. pure lard should contain less than one per cent of water and foreign matter. it is the fat of swine, separated from the animal tissue by the process of rendering. the choicest lard is made from the whole "leaf." lard is also made by the big packers from the residue after rendering the leaf and expressing a "neutral" lard, which is used in the manufacture of oleomargarine. a good quality of lard is made from back-fat and leaf rendered together. fat from the head and intestines goes to make the cheaper grades. lard may be either "kettle" or "steam rendered," the kettle process being usually employed for the choicer fat parts of the animal, while head and intestinal fat furnish the so-called "steam lard." steam lard, however, is sometimes made from the leaf. on the other hand, other parts than the leaf are often kettle rendered. kettle rendered lard usually has a fragrant cooked odor and a slight color, while steam lard often has a strong animal odor. to refine lard, a large iron pot is set over a slow fire of coals, a small quantity of water is put into the bottom of the pot, and this is then filled to the brim with the fat, after it has first been cut into small pieces and nicely washed, to free it from blood and other impurities. if necessary to keep out soot, ashes, etc., loose covers or lids are placed over the vessels, and the contents are made to simmer slowly for several hours. this work requires a careful and experienced hand to superintend it. everything should be thoroughly clean, and the attendant must possess patience and a practical knowledge of the work. it will not do to hurry the cooking. a slow boil or simmer is the proper way. the contents are occasionally stirred as the cooking proceeds, to prevent burning. the cooking is continued until the liquid ceases to bubble and becomes clear. so long as there is any milky or cloudy appearance about the fat, it contains water, and in this condition will not keep well in summer--a matter of importance to the country housekeeper. it requires six to eight hours constant cooking to properly refine a kettle or pot of fat. the time will depend, of course, somewhat upon the size of the vessel containing it and the thickness of the fat, and also upon the attention bestowed upon it by the cook. by close watching, so as to keep the fire just right all the time, it will cook in a shorter period, and vice versa. when the liquid appears clear the pots are set aside for the lard to cool a little before putting it into the vessels in which it is to be kept. the cracknels are first dipped from the pots and put into colanders, to allow the lard to drip from them. some press the cracknels, and thus get a good deal more lard. as the liquid fat is dipped from the pots it is carefully strained through fine colanders or wire sieves. this is done to rid it of any bits of cracknel, etc., that may remain in the lard. some country people when cooking lard add a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme, to impart a pleasant flavor to it. a slight taste of these herbs is not objectionable. nothing else whatever is put into the lard as it is cooked, and if thoroughly done, nothing else is needed. a little salt is sometimes added, to make it firmer and keep it better in summer, but the benefit, if any, is slight, and too much salt is objectionable. leaf lard. in making lard, all the leaf or flake fat, the two leaves of almost solid fat that grow just above the hams on either side about the kidneys, and the choice pieces of fat meat cut off in trimming the pork should be tried or rendered first and separate from the remainder. this fat is the best and makes what is called the leaf lard. it may be put in the bottom of the cans, for use in summer, or else into separate jars or cans, and set away in a cool place. the entrail fat and bits of fat meat are cooked last and put on top of the other, or into separate vessels, to be used during cool weather. this lard is never as good as the other, and will not keep sweet as long; hence the pains taken by careful housewives to keep the two sorts apart. it must be admitted, however, that many persons, when refining lard for market, do not make any distinction, but lump all together, both in cooking and afterward. but for pure, honest "leaf" lard not a bit of entrail fat should be mixed with the flakes. a particularly important point in making lard is to take plenty of time. the cooking must not be hurried in the least. it requires time to thoroughly dry out all the water, and the keeping quality of the lard depends largely upon this. a slow fire of coals only should be placed under the kettle, and great care exercised that no spark snaps into it, to set fire to the hot oil. it is well to have at hand some close-fitting covers, to be put immediately over the kettle, closing it tightly in case the oil should take fire. the mere exclusion of air will put out the fire at once. cook slowly in order not to burn any of the fat in the least, as that will impart a very unpleasant flavor to the lard. the attendants should stir well with a long ladle or wooden stick during the whole time of cooking. it requires several hours to thoroughly cook a vessel of lard, when the cracknels will eventually rise to the top. a cool, dry room, such as a basement, is the best place for keeping lard. large stone jars are perhaps the best vessels to keep it in, but tins are cheaper, and wooden casks, made of oak, are very good. any pine wood, cedar or cypress will impart a taste of the wood. the vessels must be kept closed, to exclude litter, and care should be observed to prevent ants, mice, etc., from getting to the lard. a secret in keeping lard firm and good in hot weather is first to cook it well, and then set it in a cool, dry cellar, where the temperature remains fairly uniform throughout the year. cover the vessels after they are set away in the cellar with closely fitting tops over a layer of oiled paper. chapter viii. pickling and barreling. for salt pork, one of the first considerations is a clean barrel, which can be used over and over again after yearly renovation. a good way to clean the barrel is to place about ten gallons of water and a peck of clean wood ashes in the barrel, then throw in well-heated irons, enough to boil the water, cover closely, and by adding a hot iron occasionally, keep the mixture boiling a couple of hours. pour out, wash thoroughly with fresh water, and it will be as sweet as a new barrel. next cover the bottom of the barrel with coarse salt, cut the pork into strips about six inches wide, stand edgewise in the barrel, with the skin next the outside, until the bottom is covered. cover with a thick coat of salt, so as to hide the pork entirely. repeat in the same manner until the barrel is full, or the pork all in, covering the top thickly with another layer of salt. let stand three or four days, then put on a heavy flat stone and sufficient cold water to cover the pork. after the water is on, sprinkle one pound best black pepper over all. an inch of salt in the bottom and between each layer and an inch and a half on top will be sufficient to keep the pork without making brine. when it is desired to pickle pork by pouring brine over the filled barrel, the following method is a favorite: pack closely in the barrel, first rubbing the salt well into the exposed ends of bones, and sprinkle well between each layer, using no brine until forty-eight hours after, and then let the brine be strong enough to bear an egg. after six weeks take out the hams and bacon and hang in the smokehouse. when warm weather brings danger of flies, smoke a week with hickory chips; avoid heating the air much. if one has a dark, close smokehouse, the meat can hang in it all summer; otherwise pack in boxes, putting layers of sweet, dry hay between. this method of packing is preferred by some to packing in dry salt or ashes. [illustration: fig. . box for salting meats.] renewing pork brine. not infrequently from insufficient salting and unclean barrels, or other cause, pork placed in brine begins to spoil, the brine smells bad, and the contents, if not soon given proper attention, will be unfit for food. as soon as this trouble is discovered, lose no time in removing the contents from the barrel, washing each piece of meat separately in clean water. boil the brine for half an hour, frequently removing the scum and impurities that will rise to the surface. cleanse the barrel thoroughly by washing with hot water and hard wood ashes. replace the meat after sprinkling it with a little fresh salt, putting the purified brine back when cool, and no further trouble will be experienced, and if the work be well done, the meat will be sweet and firm. those who pack meat for home use do not always remove the blood with salt. after meat is cut up it is better to lie in salt for a day and drain before being placed in the brine barrel. a handy salting box. a trough made as shown at fig. is very handy for salting meats, such as hams, bacon and beef, for drying. it is made of any wood which will not flavor the meat; ash, spruce or hemlock plank, one and a half inches thick, being better than any others. a good size is four feet long by two and one-half wide and one and one-half deep. the joints should be made tight with white lead spread upon strips of cloth, and screws are vastly better than nails to hold the trough together. chapter ix. care of hams and shoulders. in too many instances farmers do not have the proper facilities for curing hams, and do not see to it that such are at hand, an important point in success in this direction. a general cure which would make a good ham under proper conditions would include as follows: to each lbs. of ham use seven and a half pounds liverpool fine salt, one and one-half pounds granulated sugar and four ounces saltpeter. weigh the meat and the ingredients in the above proportions, rub the meat thoroughly with this mixture and pack closely in a tierce. fill the tierce with water and roll every seven days until cured, which in a temperature of to degrees would require about fifty days for a medium ham. large hams take about ten days more for curing. when wanted for smoking, wash the hams in water or soak for twelve hours. hang in the smokehouse and smoke slowly forty-eight hours and you will have a very good ham. while this is not the exact formula followed in big packing houses, any more than are other special recipes given here, it is a general ham cure that will make a first-class ham in every respect if proper attention is given it. another method of pickling hams and shoulders, preparatory to smoking, includes the use of molasses. though somewhat different from the above formula, the careful following of directions cannot fail to succeed admirably. to four quarts of fine salt and two ounces of pulverized saltpeter, add sufficient molasses to make a pasty mixture. the hams having hung in a dry, cool place for three or four days after cutting up, are to be covered all over with the mixture, more thickly on the flesh side, and laid skin side down for three or four days. in the meantime, make a pickle of the following proportions, the quantities here named being for lbs. of hams. coarse salt, seven pounds; brown sugar, five pounds; saltpeter, two ounces; pearlash or potash, one-half ounce; soft water, four gallons. heat gradually and as the skim rises remove it. continue to do this as long as any skim rises, and when it ceases, allow the pickle to cool. when the hams have remained the proper time immersed in this mixture, cover the bottom of a clean, sweet barrel with salt about half an inch deep. pack in the hams as closely as possible, cover them with the pickle, and place over them a follower with weights to keep them down. small hams of fifteen pounds and less, also shoulders, should remain in the pickle for five weeks; larger ones will require six to eight weeks, according to size. let them dry well before smoking. westphalian hams. this particular style has long been a prime favorite in certain markets of europe, and to a small extent in this country also. westphalia is a province of germany in which there is a large industry in breeding swine for the express purpose of making the most tender meat with the least proportion of fat. another reason for the peculiar and excellent qualities which have made westphalian hams so famous, is the manner of feeding and growing for the hams, and finally the preserving, curing, and last of all, smoking the hams. the ravensberg cross breed of swine is a favorite for this purpose. they are rather large animals, having slender bodies, flat groins, straight snouts and large heads, with big, overhanging ears. the skin is white, with straight little bristles. a principal part of the swine food in westphalia is potatoes; these are cooked and then mashed in the potato water. the pulp thus obtained is thoroughly mixed with wheat bran in a dry, raw state; little corn is used. in order to avoid overproduction of fat and at the same time further the growth of flesh of young pigs, some raw cut green feed, such as cabbage, is used; young pigs are also fed sour milk freely. in pickling the hams they are first vigorously rubbed with saltpeter and then with salt. the hams are pressed in the pickling vat and entirely covered with cold brine, remaining in salt three to five weeks. after this they are taken out of the pickle and hung in a shady but dry and airy place to "air-dry." before the pickled hams can be put in smoke they are exposed for several weeks to this drying in the open air. as long as the outside of the ham is not absolutely dry, appearing moist or sticky, it is kept away from smoke. smoking is done in special large chambers, the hams being hung from the ceiling. in addition to the use of sawdust and wood shavings in making smoke, branches of juniper are often used, and occasionally beech and alder woods; oak and resinous woods are positively avoided. the smoking is carried on slowly. it is recommended to smoke for a few days cautiously, that is, to have the smoke not too strong. then expose the hams for a few days in the fresh air, repeating in this way until they are brown enough. the hams are actually in smoke two or three weeks, thus the whole process of smoking requires about six weeks. hams are preserved after their smoking in a room which is shady, not accessible to the light, but at the same time dry, cool and airy. the pig and the orchard. the two go together well. the pig stirs up the soil about the trees, letting in the sunshine and moisture to the roots and fertilizing them, while devouring many grubs that would otherwise prey upon the fruit. but many orchards cannot be fenced and many owners of fenced orchards, even, would like to have the pig confine his efforts around the trunk of each tree. to secure this have four fence panels made and yard the pig for a short time in succession about each tree, as suggested in the diagram, fig. . [illustration: fig. . fence for orchard tree.] chapter x. dry salting bacon and sides. for hogs weighing not over or lbs. each, intended for dry curing, one bushel fine salt, two pounds brown sugar and one pound saltpeter will suffice for each lbs. pork before the meat is cut out; but if the meat is large and thick, or weighs from to lbs. per carcass, from a gallon to a peck more of salt and a little more of both the other articles should be taken. neither the sugar nor the saltpeter is absolutely necessary for the preservation of the meat, and they are often omitted. but both are preservatives; the sugar improves the flavor of the bacon, and the saltpeter gives it greater firmness and a finer color, if used sparingly. bacon should not be so sweet as to suggest the "sugar-cure;" and saltpeter, used too freely, hardens the tissues of the meat, and renders it less palatable. the quantity of salt mentioned is enough for the first salting. a little more new salt is added at the second salting and used together with the old salt that has not been absorbed. if sugar and saltpeter are used, first apply about a teaspoonful of pulverized saltpeter on the flesh side of the hams and shoulders, and then taking a little sugar in the hand, apply it lightly to the flesh surface of all the pieces. a tablespoonful is enough for any one piece. if the meat at the time of salting is moist and yielding to the touch, rubbing the skin side with the gloved hand, or the "sow's ear," as is sometimes insisted on, is unnecessary; the meat will take salt readily enough without this extra labor. but if the meat is rigid, and the weather very cold, or if the pieces are large and thick, rubbing the skin side to make it yielding and moist causes the salt to penetrate to the center of the meat and bone. on the flesh side it is only necessary to sprinkle the salt over all the surface. care must be taken to get some salt into every depression and into the hock end of all joints. an experienced meat salter goes over the pieces with great expedition. taking a handful of the salt, he applies it dextrously by a gliding motion of the hand to all the surface, and does not forget the hock end of the bones where the feet have been cut off. only dry salt is used in this method of curing. the meat is never put into brine or "pickle," nor is any water added to the salt to render it more moist. best distribution of the salt. a rude platform or bench of planks is laid down, on which the meat is packed as it is salted. a boy hands the pieces to the packer, who lays down first a course of middlings and then sprinkles a little more salt on all the places that do not appear to have quite enough. next comes a layer of shoulders and then another layer of middlings, until all these pieces have been laid. from time to time a little more salt is added, as appears to be necessary. the hams are reserved for the top layer, the object being to prevent them from becoming too salt. in a large bulk of meat the brine, as it settles down, lodges upon the lower pieces, and some of them get rather more than their quota of salt. too much saltiness spoils the hams for first-class bacon. in fact, it spoils any meat to have it too salt, but it requires less to spoil the hams, because, as a rule, they are mostly lean meat. the jowls, heads and livers, on account of the quantity of blood about them, are put in a separate pile, after being salted. the chines and spareribs are but slightly salted and laid on top of the bulk of neat meat. the drippings of brine and blood from the meat are collected in buckets and sent to the compost heaps. if there are rats, they must be trapped or kept out in some way. cats, also, should be excluded from the house. close-fitting boxes, which some use to keep the rats from the meat, are not the best; the meat needs air. in ten days to three weeks, according to weather and size of the meat, break bulk and resalt, using the old salt again, with just a little new salt added. in four to six weeks more, or sooner, if need be, break up and wash the meat nicely, preparatory to smoking it. some farmers do not wash the salt off, but the meat receives smoke better and looks nicer, if washed. curing pork for the south. this requires a little different treatment. it is dry-salted and smoked. the sides, hams and shoulders are laid on a table and rubbed thoroughly with salt and saltpeter (one ounce to five pounds of salt), clear saltpeter being rubbed in around the ends of the bones. the pieces are laid up, with salt between, and allowed to lie. the rubbing is repeated at intervals of a week until the meat is thoroughly salted through, and it is then smoked. it must afterward be left in the smokehouse, canvased or buried in a box of ashes, to protect it from the flies. chapter xi. smoking and smokehouses. for best quality of bacon, the proper meat is of first importance. withes or strings of basket wood, bear's grass, or coarse, stout twine, one in the hock end of each ham and shoulder, and two in the thick side of each middling, are fastened in the meat by which to suspend it for smoking. before it is hung up the entire flesh surface of the hams and shoulders, and sometimes the middlings also, is sprinkled thickly with fine black pepper, using a large tin pepper box to apply it. sometimes a mixture of about equal parts of black and red pepper helps very much to impart a good flavor to the meat. it was thought formerly that black pepper, applied to meat before smoking it, would keep the bacon bug (dermestes) "skippers" from being troublesome. but it is now known that the skipper skips just as lively where the pepper is. the meat is hung upon sticks or on hooks overhead very close together, without actually touching, and is ready for smoking. the smokehouse. the meat house is of course one with an earth, brick, or cement floor, where the fire for the smoke is made in a depression in the center of the room, so as to be as far as possible from the walls. a few live coals are laid down, and a small fire is made of some dry stuff. as it gets well to burning, the fire is smothered with green hickory or oak wood, and a basket of green chips from the oak or hickory woodpile is kept on hand and used as required to keep the fire smothered so as to produce a great smoke and but little blaze. if the chips are too dry they are kept wet with water. care is taken not to allow the fire to get too large and hot, so as to endanger the meat hung nearest to it. should the fire grow too strong, as it sometimes will, a little water is thrown on, a bucketful of which is kept always on hand. the fire requires constant care and nursing to keep up a good smoke and no blaze. oak and hickory chips or wood impart the best color to meat. some woods, as pine, ailanthus, mulberry and persimmon, are very objectionable, imparting a disagreeable flavor to the bacon. corn cobs make a good smoke for meat, but they must be wet before laying them on the fire. hardwood sawdust is sometimes advantageously used in making a fire for smoking meats. no blaze is formed, and if it burns too freely can be readily checked by sprinkling a little water upon it. this is a popular method in parts of europe, and in that country damp wheat straw is also sometimes used to some extent. combined smokehouse and oven. the oven, shown in fig. , occupies the front and that part of the interior which is represented in our illustration by the dotted lines. the smokehouse occupies the rear, and extends over the oven. the advantages of this kind of building are the perfect dryness secured, which is of great importance in preserving the meat, and the economy in building the two together, as the smoke that escapes from the oven may be turned into the smokehouse. this latter feature, however, will not commend itself to many who prefer the use of certain kinds of fuel in smoking which are not adapted to burning in a bake oven. [illustration: fig. . combination smokehouse and oven.] cloudy and damp days are the best for smoking meat. it seems to receive the smoke more freely in such weather, and there is also less danger of fire. the smoke need not be kept up constantly, unless one is in a hurry to sell the meat. half a day at a time on several days a week, for two or three weeks, will give the bacon that bright gingerbread color which is generally preferred. it should not be made too dark with smoke. it is a good plan, after the meat is smoked nearly enough, to smoke it occasionally for half a day at a time all through the spring until late in may. it is thought that smoke does good in keeping the dermestes out of the house. the work of smoking may be finished up in a week, if one prefers, by keeping up the smoke all day and at night until bedtime. some smoke more, others less, according to fancy as to color. no doubt, the more it is smoked, the better the bacon will keep through the summer. but it need not, and, in fact, should not, be made black with smoke. it is necessary, before the smoking is quite completed, to remove the meat that is in the center just over the fire to one side, and to put the pieces from the sides in the center. the meat directly over the smoke colors faster than that on the sides, although the house is kept full of smoke constantly. some farmers do not care to risk the safety of their meat by having an open fire under it, and so set up an old stove, either in the room or on the outside, in which latter case a pipe lets the smoke into the house. a smoldering fire is then kept up with corn cobs or chips. but there is almost as much danger this way as the other. the stovepipe may become so hot as to set fire to the walls of the house where it enters, or a blaze may be carried within if there is too much fire in the stove. there is some risk either way, but with a properly built smokehouse, there is no great danger from the plan described. the meat is now cured and, if these directions have been observed, the farmer has a supply of bacon as good as the world can show. some may prefer a "shorter cut" from the slaughter pen to the baking pan, and with their pyroligenous acid may scout the old-fashioned smoke as heathenish, and get their bacon ready for eating in two hours after the salt has struck in. but they never can show such bacon by their method as we can by ours. there is but one way to have this first-class bacon and ham, and that way is the one herein portrayed. to make a smokehouse fireproof as far as the stove ashes are concerned, is not necessarily an expensive job; all that is required is to lay up a row of brick across one end, also two or three feet back upon each side, connecting the sides with a row across the building, making it at least two feet high. as those who have a smokehouse use it nearly every year, that part can also be made safe from fire by the little arch built at the point shown in the illustration, fig. . the whole is laid up in mortar, and to add strength to the structure an iron rod or bar may be placed across the center of the bin and firmly imbedded in the mortar, two or three rows of brick from the top. of course, the rear of the arch is also bricked up. in most cases, less than brick will be all that is required. [illustration: fig. . fireproofing a smokehouse.] a well arranged smokehouse. a simple but satisfactory smokehouse is shown in the illustration, fig. , and can be constructed on the farm at small cost. it is so arranged as to give direct action of smoke upon the meat within, and yet free from the annoyance that comes from entering a smoke-filled room to replenish the fire. the house is square, and of a size dependent upon the material one may have yearly to cure by smoke. for ordinary use, a house ten feet square will be ample. there are an entrance door on one side and a small window near the top that can be opened from the outside to quickly free the inside from the smoke when desired. at the bottom of one side is a small door, from which extends a small track to the center of the room. upon this slides a square piece of plank, moved by an iron rod with a hook on one end. on the plank is placed an old iron kettle, fig. , with four or five inches of earth in the bottom, and upon this is the fire to be built. the kettle can be slid to the center of the room with an iron rod and can be drawn to the small door at any time to replenish the fire without entering the smoky room or allowing the smoke to come out. the house has an earthen floor and a tight foundation of stone or brick. the walls should be of matched boarding and the roof shingled. the building is made more attractive in appearance if the latter is made slightly "dishing." [illustration: fig. . farm smokehouse.] [illustration: fig. . fire, kettle and track.] smoking meats in a small way. a fairly good substitute for a smokehouse, where it is desired to improvise something for temporary use in smoking hams or other meat, may be found in a large cask or barrel, arranged as shown in the engraving, fig. . to make this effective, a small pit should be dug, and a flat stone or a brick placed across it, upon which the edge of the cask will rest. half of the pit is beneath the barrel and half of it outside. the head and bottom may be removed, or a hole can be cut in the bottom a little larger than the portion of the pit beneath the cask. the head or cover is removed, while the hams are hung upon cross sticks. these rest upon two cross bars, made to pass through holes bored in the sides of the cask, near the top. the head is then laid upon the cask and covered with sacks to confine the smoke. some coals are put into the pit outside of the cask, and the fire is fed with damp corn cobs, hardwood chips, or fine brush. the pit is covered with a flat stone, by which the fire may be regulated, and it is removed when necessary to add more fuel. [illustration: fig. . a barrel smokehouse.] another barrel smokehouse. for those who have only the hams and other meats from one or two hogs to smoke, a practicable smokehouse, like that shown in fig. , will serve the purpose fairly well. a large barrel or good-sized cask should be used, with both heads removed. a hole about a foot deep is dug to receive it, and then a trench of about the same depth and six or eight feet long, leading to the fireplace. in this trench can be laid old stovepipe and the ground filled in around it. the meat to be smoked is suspended in the barrel and the lid put on, but putting pieces under it, so there will be enough draft to draw the smoke through. by having the fire some distance from the meat, one gets the desired amount of smoke and avoids having the meat overheated. [illustration: fig. . barrel smokehouse with french draft.] chapter xii. keeping bacons and hams. the ideal meat house or smokehouse is a tall frame structure, twelve by fifteen or fifteen by eighteen feet, underpinned solidly with brick set a foot or more into the ground, or with a double set of sills, the bottom set being buried in the soil. this mode of underpinning is designed to prevent thieves from digging under the wall and into the house. stout, inch-thick boards are used for the weatherboarding, and sometimes the studs are placed near enough together to prevent a person from getting through between them. the house is built tall to give more room for meat and to have it farther from the fire while it is being smoked. the weatherboarding and the roof should be tight to prevent too free escape of the smoke. no window, and but one door, is necessary. the floor should be of clay, packed firm, or else laid in cement or brick. indeed, it would be better to have the entire walls built of brick, but this would add considerably to the cost of construction. the room should be large enough to admit of a platform on one or both sides, upon which to pack the pork when salted. there should be a salt barrel, a large wooden tray made of plank, in which to salt the meat, and a short, handy ladder for reaching the upper tier of joists. a large basket for holding chips, a tub for water when smoking meat, a large chopping block and a meat axe, for the convenience of the cook, are necessary articles for the meat house. nothing else should be allowed to cumber the room to afford a harbor for rats or to present additional material for a blaze, in case a spark from the fire should snap out to a distance. the house should be kept neatly swept, and rats should not be allowed to make burrows under anything in the room. the floor of the meat house should always be of some hard material like cement or brick, or else clay pummeled very hard, so that there would be no hiding place for the pupae of the dermestes (parent of the "skipper"). the skipper undergoes one or two moltings while in the meat, and at last drops from the bacon to the floor, where, if the earth is loose, it burrows into the ground and, remaining all winter, comes out a perfect beetle in spring. a hard, impervious floor will prevent it from doing this, and compel it to seek a nesting place elsewhere. the reason why country bacon is sometimes so badly infested with the skipper is that the house and floor afford or become an excellent incubator, as it were, for the dermestes, and the bacon bugs become so numerous that all the meat gets infested with them. in case the floor of the smokehouse is soft and yielding, it becomes necessary each winter, before the meat is packed to salt, to remove about two inches of the soil and put in fresh earth or clay in its place. thus, many of the insects would be carried out, where they would be destroyed. the walls and roof of the room on the interior should also be swept annually to dislodge any pupae that might be hibernating in the cracks and crevices. with these precautions, there should not be many of the pests left within the building, though it is a hard matter when a house once gets badly infested to dislodge them entirely. there are so many hiding places about a plain shingle roof that it is next to impossible not to have some of these insects permanently lodged in the meat house. but with a good, hard floor, frequent sweeping and the use of plenty of black pepper on the meat, the number of the dermestes should be reduced to the minimum. bacon keeps nowhere so well as in the house where it is smoked, and if the bugs do not get too numerous it is decidedly better to allow it to remain hanging there. bacon needs air and a cool, dry, dark room for keeping well in summer. the least degree of dampness is detrimental, causing the bacon to mold. it has been noticed, however, that moldy bacon is seldom infested with the skipper. hence some people, to keep away the skippers, hang their bacon in a cellar where there is dampness, preferring to have it moldy rather than "skippery." some housekeepers preserve hams in close boxes or barrels, in a cool, dark room, and succeed well. others pack in shelled oats or bran, or wrap in old newspapers and lay away on shelves or in boxes. inclosing in cloth sacks and painting the cloth is also practiced. all these plans are more or less successful, but oblige the housekeeper to be constantly on the watch to prevent mice and ants from getting to the bacon. but if anyone should prefer to exclude the bugs entirely from his meat the following contrivance is offered as a cheap and entirely satisfactory arrangement: after the meat is thoroughly smoked, hang all of it close together, or at least all the hams, in the center of the house, and inclose it on all sides with a light frame over which is stretched thin cotton cloth, taking care that there shall be no openings in the cloth or frame through which the bugs might crawl. there let it hang all summer. this contrivance will prevent the bug from getting at the meat to deposit its eggs, and the thin, open fabric of the cloth will at the same time admit plenty of air. the bottom or one side of the frame should be fixed upon hinges, for convenience in getting at the bacon as wanted. as the bacon bug comes out in march, or april farther south, in february it is necessary to get the meat smoked and inclosed under the canvas before the bug leaves its winter quarters. hams may be thus kept in perfect condition as long as may be desirable, and will remain sweet and nice many months. box for storing bacon. if the smokehouse is very dark and close, so that the flies or bugs will not be tempted to or can get in, all that is necessary is to have the meat hung on the pegs; but, if not, even when the meat is bagged, there is still some risk of worms. to provide a box that will be bugproof, ratproof, and at the same time cool, as seen in the illustration, fig. , make a frame one inch thick and two or three inches wide, with a close plank bottom; cover the whole box with wire cloth, such, as is used for screens. let the wire cloth be on the outside, so that the meat will not touch it. the top may be of plank and fit perfectly tight, so that no insect can creep under. of course, the box may be of any size desired. it will be well to have the strips nailed quite closely together, say, about one and a half inches apart. when the meat is put in, lay sticks between, so that the pieces will not touch. if the box is made carefully, it is bugproof and ratproof, affording ventilation at the same time, and so preventing molding. meat should be kept in a dry and cool place. [illustration: fig. . secure box for storing bacon.] chapter xiii. sidelights on pork making. the trade in country dressed hogs varies materially from year to year. since the big packing houses have become so prominent in the industry there is, of course, less done in country dressed hogs, yet a market is always found for considerable numbers. thirty years ago chicago received as many as , dressed hogs in one year. with a growth of the packing industry this business decreased, until , when only were handled at chicago, but since that date there has been a revival of interest, with as many as , received in and an ever changing number since that date. thirty years ago the number of hogs annually packed at chicago was about , . this business has increased since to as many as , , in a year, the industry in other packing centers being in much the same proportion. at all packing centers in the west there are slaughtered annually , , to , , hogs. compared with the enormous numbers fattened and marketed on the hoof, a very small proportion of the hogs turned off the farms each year are sold dressed. yet with many farmers, particularly those who have only a small number to dispose of, it is always a question as to which is the better way to sell hogs, dressed or alive. no individual experience can be taken as a criterion, yet here is a record of what one michigan farmer did in the way of experiment. he had two lots of hogs to sell. one litter of seven weighed a total of lbs. alive, and dressed , lbs., which was three pounds over a one-sixth shrinkage; one litter of five weighed lbs. and dressed lbs., losing exactly one-seventh, they being very fat. the sow weighed lbs. and dressed , dressing away about lbs. to the lbs. he was offered $ . per lbs. live weight, for all the hogs, and $ for the sow. he finally sold the seven hogs, dressed, at $ per lbs., the second lot of five at $ . , and the sow at $ . . he decided that by dressing the hogs before selling, he gained about $ . , aside from lard and trimmings. the experience here noted would not necessarily hold good anywhere and any time. methods employed in packing hogs have been brought down to such a fine point, however, with practically every portion utilized, that unless a farmer has a well-defined idea where he can advantageously sell his dressed pork, it would not pay, as a general thing, to butcher any considerable number of hogs, with a view of thus disposing of them. an easily filled pig trough. to get swill into a pig trough is no easy matter if the hogs cannot be kept out until it is filled. the arrangement shown in fig. will be found of much value and a great convenience. before pouring in the swill, the front end of the pen, in the form of a swinging door suspended from the top, is placed in the position shown at _b_. the trough is filled and the door allowed to assume the position shown at _a_. [illustration: fig. . pig trough attachment.] an aid in ringing hogs. a convenient trap for holding a hog while a ring is placed in its nose consists of a trunk or a box without ends, feet long, inches high and inches wide, inside measure. this trunk has a strong frame at one end, to which the boards are nailed. the upper and lower slats are double, and between them a strong lever has free play. to accommodate large or small pigs, two pins are set in the lower slat, against which the lever can bear. the pins do not go through the lever. this trunk is placed in the door of the pen, and two men are required to hold it and ring the hogs. when a hog enters and tries to go through, one man shoves the lever up, catching him just back of the head, and holds him there. the second man then rings him, and he is freed. fig. exhibits the construction of the trap, in the use of which one can hold the largest hog with ease. [illustration: fig. . trap for holding hog.] average weights of live hogs. the average weight of all hogs received at chicago in was lbs.; in , lbs. the average weight of all hogs received at chicago in was lbs.; in , lbs.; in , lbs. extremes in market price of pork and lard. the highest price of mess pork at chicago during the last forty years, according to the daily trade bulletin, was $ per bbl. in , and the lowest price $ . per bbl., paid in . the highest price of lard was naturally also in war times, c per lb. in ; the lowest price a shade more than c, in . net to gross. good to prime hogs, when cut up into pork, hams, shoulders and lard, will dress out to per cent, according to the testimony of the large packing concerns. that is, for every lbs. live weight, it is fair to estimate to lbs. of product of the classes named. if cut into ribs instead of pork, prime hogs would net to per cent, while those which are not prime run as low as per cent. for comparative purposes, it may be well to note here that good farm-fed cattle will dress to per cent of their live weight in beef, the remainder being hide, fat, offal, etc., and sheep will dress to per cent, per cent being a fair average. relative weights of portions of carcass. to determine the relation of the different parts of the hog as usually cut, to the whole dressed weight, the alabama experiment station reports the following results. the test was made with a number of light hogs having an average dressed weight of lbs. the average weight of head was . lbs.; backbone, . lbs.; the two hams, . lbs.; the two shoulders, . lbs.; leaf lard, . lbs.; ribs, . lbs.; the two "middling" sides, lbs.; tender loin, . lbs.; feet, . lbs. gates for handling hogs. the device shown in the accompanying illustrations for handling hogs when they are to be rung or for other purposes, is very useful on the ordinary farm. fig. represents a chute and gate which will shut behind and before the hog and hold him in position. there is just room enough for him to stick his nose out, and while in this position rings can be inserted. the sides of the chute must be much closer together than shown in the engraving, so that the hog cannot turn about. in fact, the width should be just sufficient to allow the hog to pass through. fig. represents the side view of another gate and pen, so arranged that the door can be opened and shut without getting into the pen. [illustration: fig. . hog chute.] [illustration: fig. . device for opening gate.] chapter xiv. packing house cuts of pork. while considering primarily the proper curing of pork for use on the farm and for home manufacture by farmers, it will not be out of the way to become acquainted with some of the leading cuts of meat as made by the big pork packers at chicago and elsewhere. in the speculative markets, a large business is done in "mess pork," "short ribs" and lard. these are known as the speculative commodities in pork product. the prices established, controlled largely by the amount offered and the character of the demand, regulate to a considerable extent the market for other cuts of pork, such as long clear middles, hams and shoulders. our illustrations of some of the leading cuts of meats, furnished us through the courtesy of hately bros., prominent pork packers in chicago, together with accompanying descriptions, give a very good idea of the shape pork product takes as handled in the big markets of the world. [illustration: fig. . mess pork.] [illustration: fig. . short ribs.] [illustration: fig. . shoulder.] mess pork. this standard cut, fig. , is made from heavy fat hogs. the hog is first split down the back, the backbone being left on one side. ham and shoulders taken off, the sides are then cut in uniform strips of four or five pieces. equal portions of both sides are then packed in barrels, lbs. net, the pieces numbering not more than sixteen nor less than nine. barrels to be filled with a pickle made with lbs. of salt to each barrel. short ribs. these are made from the sides, with the ham and shoulder taken off and backbone removed; haunchbone and breastbone sawed or cut down smooth and level with the face of the side. the pieces (fig. ) are made to average lbs. and over. shoulders. regular shoulders (fig. ), or commonly called dry salted shoulders, are cut off the sides between first and second ribs, so as not to expose forearm joint. shank cut off at knee joint. neck bone taken out and neck trimmed smooth. shoulders butted off square at top. made to average to , to , and to lbs. on the wholesale markets can usually be bought at about the price per pound of live hogs. hams. american cut hams are cut short inside the haunchbone, are well rounded at butt and all fat trimmed off the face of the hams to make as lean as possible. see fig. . cut off above the hock joint. hams are made to average to , to , to , to , and to lbs. picnic hams. this is a contradictory term, for the picnic ham is in truth a shoulder. picnic hams (fig. ) are made from shoulders cut off sides between second and third ribs. shank bone cut off one inch above knee joint, and neck bone taken out. butt taken off through the middle of the blade and nicely rounded to imitate a ham. made to average to , to , to , and to lbs. wiltshire cut bacon. this cut (fig. ) is from hogs weighing about lbs. formerly the hair was removed by singeing, but this method is not so much employed now. the wiltshire bacon is consumed almost entirely in london, bristol and the south of england generally. [illustration: fig. . american cut ham.] [illustration: fig. . picnic ham.] standard lard. the following is the rule in force at chicago for the manufacture of standard prime steam lard: standard prime steam lard shall be solely the product of the trimmings and other fat parts of hogs, rendered in tanks by the direct application of steam and without subsequent change in grain or character by the use of agitators or other machinery, except as such change may unavoidably come from transportation. it must have proper color, flavor and soundness for keeping, and no material which has been salted must be included. the name and location of the renderer and the grade of the lard shall be plainly branded on each package at the time of packing. neutral lard. this is made at the big packing houses from pure leaf lard, which after being thoroughly chilled is rendered in open tanks at a temperature of about degrees. the portion rendered at this temperature is run into packages and allowed to cool before closing tightly. lard stearine is made from the fat of hogs which is rendered and then pressed and the oil extracted. the oil is used for lubricating purposes, and the stearine by lard refiners in order to harden the lard, especially in warm weather. chapter xv. magnitude of the swine industry. were it not for the foreign demand for our pork and pork product there would be much less profit in fattening hogs for market than there is, irrespective of the price of corn and other feeds. england is our best customer, taking by far the larger part of our entire exports of all lard, cured meats and other hog product, but there is an encouraging trade with other foreign countries. the authorities at washington are making every effort to enlarge this foreign outlet. certain european countries, notably france and germany, place irksome embargoes on american pork product. ostensibly, these foreign governments claim the quality and healthfulness of some of the american pork are in question, but in reality back of all this is the demand from the german and french farmers that the competition afforded by american pork must be kept down. it is believed that eventually all such restrictions will be swept away, through international agreement, and that thus our markets may be further extended, greatly benefiting the american farmer. our exports of hog product, including pork, bacon, hams and lard, represent a value annually of about $ , , . the world's supply of bacon is derived chiefly from the united states, which enjoys an enormous trade with foreign consuming countries, notably england and continental europe. irish bacon is received with much favor in the english markets, while wiltshire and other parts of england also furnish large quantities, specially cured, which are great favorites among consumers. some idea of the magnitude of the foreign trade of the united states, so far as hog product is concerned, may be formed by a glance at the official figures showing our exports in a single year. during the twelve months ended june , , the united states exported , , lbs. bacon, , , lbs. ham, , , lbs. pickled pork and , , lbs. lard, a total of , million pounds pork product. on the supposition that live hogs dress out, roughly speaking, per cent product, this suggests the enormous quantity of , million pounds of live hogs taken for the foreign trade in one year. estimating the average weight at lbs., this means nearly , , hogs sent to american slaughterhouses in the course of one year to supply our foreign trade with pork product. the united kingdom is by far our best customer, although we export liberal quantities to belgium, holland, germany, france, canada, brazil, central america and the west indies. total value of our exports of pork product was $ , , . [illustration: fig. . wiltshire cut bacon.] the enormous business of the big packing houses, located chiefly in the west, with a few in the east, can scarcely be comprehended in its extent. chicago continues to hold the prestige of the largest packing center in the world, but other western cities are crowding it. in chicago received , , hogs, the largest on record, most of which were packed in that city, and the product shipped all over the world. in recent years the chicago receipts have averaged smaller, but the proportion going to the packing concerns remains about the same. it is estimated that the hogs received at that city in had a value of $ , , . co-operative curing houses in denmark. about half the pork exported to england from denmark is cured by the co-operative curing houses, established first in and since that date greatly increased in number. enormous quantities of cheap black sea barley have been brought into denmark the last few years, used principally for fodder. the principal advantage of the co-operative system, doing away with the middleman, applies to these establishments. farmers who raise hogs in a given district of say ten to twenty miles' circumference, unite and furnish the money necessary for the construction and operation of the co-operative curing establishment. the farmers bind themselves to deliver all hogs that they raise to the curing house, and severe fines are collected when animals are sold elsewhere. at every curing house there is a shop for the sale of sausage, fat, etc., these as a rule paying well and forming an important part of the profits in this co-operation. hog prices at chicago, per pounds. heavy packing, mixed packing, light bacon. year. to lbs. to lbs. to lbs. $ . @ . $ . @ . $ . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . . @ . total packing and marketing of hogs. [year ended march --cincinnati price current.] receipts. western eastern n. y., phil. packing. packing. and balto. total. - , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , receipts of hogs at leading points by years. [stated in thousands--from american agriculturist year book for .] chicago , , , , , , , kansas city , , , , , , , omaha , , , , , , , st. louis , , , , ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- total , , , , , , , [ ]cincinnati indianapolis , , , , , cleveland .. .. detroit ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- total , , , , , , , new york , , , , , , , boston , , , , , , , buffalo , , , , , , , pittsburg , , , , , , philadelphia ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- total , , , , , , , st. paul sioux city cedar rapids st. joseph, mo ft. worth, tex .. .. .. .. new orleans denver ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- total , , , , , , , montreal toronto ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- total chicago , , , kansas city , , , omaha , , , st. louis ---- ---- ---- total , , , [ ]cincinnati .. .. .. indianapolis , , cleveland .. .. .. detroit ---- ---- ---- total .. .. .. new york , , , boston , , , buffalo , , , pittsburg , , , philadelphia ---- ---- ---- total , , , st. paul .. sioux city .. cedar rapids st. joseph, mo .. ft. worth, tex .. .. .. new orleans .. .. .. denver ---- ---- ---- total , , .. montreal .. toronto ---- ---- ---- total [ ] for year ended march . crate for moving swine or other animals. it is often desirable to move a small animal from one building to another, or from one pasture enclosure to another. the illustration, fig. , shows a crate on wheels, with handles permitting it to be used as a wheelbarrow. into this the pig can be driven, the door closed and the crate wheeled away. it will also be found a very useful contrivance in bringing in calves that have been dropped by their dams in the pasture. [illustration: fig. . handy movable crate.] chapter xvi. discovering the merits of roast pig. by charles lamb. the art of roasting, or rather broiling (which i take to be the elder brother) was accidentally discovered in the manner following. the swineherd, ho-ti, having gone out into the woods one morning, as his manner was, to collect mast for his hogs, left his cottage in the care of his eldest son, bo-bo, a great, lubberly boy, who, being fond of playing with fire, as younkers of his age commonly are, let some sparks escape into a bundle of straw, which, kindling quickly, spread the conflagration over every part of their poor mansion, till it was reduced to ashes. together with the cottage (a sorry, antediluvian makeshift of a building, you may think it), what was of much more importance, a fine litter of new-farrowed pigs, no less than nine in number, perished. china pigs have been esteemed a luxury all over the east, from the remotest periods that we read of. bo-bo was in the utmost consternation, as you may think, not so much for the sake of the tenement, which his father and he could easily build up again with a few dry branches, and the labor of an hour or two, at any time, as for the loss of the pigs. while he was thinking what he should say to his father, and wringing his hands over the smoking remnants of one of those untimely sufferers, an odor assailed his nostrils, unlike any scent which he had before experienced. what could it proceed from?--not from the burnt cottage--he had smelt that smell before--indeed, this was by no means the first accident of the kind which had occurred through the negligence of this unlucky firebrand. much less did it resemble that of any known herb, weed or flower. a premonitory moistening at the same time overflowed his nether lip. he knew not what to think. he next stooped down to feel the pig, if there were any signs of life in it. he burnt his fingers, and to cool them he applied them in his booby fashion to his mouth. some of the crumbs of the scorched skin had come away with his fingers, and for the first time in his life (in the world's life, indeed, for before him no man had known it), he tasted--crackling! again he felt and fumbled at the pig. it did not burn him so much now, still he licked his fingers from a sort of habit. the truth at length broke into his slow understanding, that it was the pig that smelt so, and the pig that tasted so delicious, and, surrendering himself up to the new-born pleasure, he fell to tearing up whole handfuls of the scorched skin with the flesh next it, and was cramming it down his throat in his beastly fashion, when his sire entered amid the smoking rafters, armed with retributory cudgel, and, finding how affairs stood, began to rain blows upon the young rogue's shoulders, as thick as hailstones, which bo-bo headed not any more than if they had been flies. the tickling pleasure, which he experienced in his lower regions, had rendered him quite callous to any inconveniences that he might feel in those remote quarters. his father might lay on, but he could not beat him from his pig till he had made an end of it, when, becoming a little more sensible of his situation, something like the following dialogue ensued: "you graceless whelp, what have you got there devouring? is it not enough that you have burnt me down three houses with your dog's tricks, and be hanged to you! but you must be eating fire, and i know not what--what have you got there, i say?" "o, father, the pig, the pig! do come and taste how nice the burnt pig eats." the ears of ho-ti tingled with horror. he cursed his son, and he cursed himself that ever he should beget a son that should eat burnt pig. bo-bo, whose scent was wonderfully sharpened since morning, soon raked out another pig, and fairly rending it asunder, thrust the lesser half by main force into the fists of ho-ti, still shouting out, "eat, eat, eat the burnt pig, father, only taste--o lord!" with suchlike barbarous ejaculations, cramming all the while as if he would choke. ho-ti trembled in every joint while he grasped the abominable thing, wavering whether he should not put his son to death for an unnatural young monster, when the crackling scorched his fingers, as it had done his son's, and applying the same remedy to them, he in his turn tasted some of its flavor, which, make what sour mouths he would for a pretence, proved not altogether displeasing to him. in conclusion, both father and son fairly sat down to the mess, and never left off till they had dispatched all that remained of the litter. chapter xvii. cooking and serving pork. first prize winners in the american agriculturist contest for best recipes for cooking and serving pork. pork pie. unless you have a brick oven do not attempt this dish, as it requires a long and even baking, which no stove oven can give. make a good pie crust and line a large pan, one holding about quarts; in the bottom put a layer of thin slices of onions, then a layer of lean salt pork, which has been previously browned in the frying pan, next place a layer of peeled apples, which sprinkle with a little brown sugar, using / lb. sugar to lbs. apples; then begin with onions, which sprinkle with pepper, pork and apples again, and so on until the dish is full. wet the edges of the crust, put on the top crust, well perforated, and bake at least four hours, longer if possible. these pies are eaten hot or cold and are a great favorite with the english people. potatoes may be used in place of apples, but they do not give the meat so fine a flavor. pork potpie. three pounds pork (if salt pork is used, freshen it well), cut into inch cubes. fry brown, add a large onion sliced, and a teaspoon each of chopped sage, thyme and parsley. cover with pints of water and boil for two hours, add a large pepper cut small or a pinch of cayenne, and a tablespoon of salt if fresh pork has been used. add also pints vegetables, carrots, turnips and parsnips cut small, boil half an hour longer, when add a pint of potatoes cut into small pieces, and some dumplings. cover closely, boil twenty minutes, when pour out into a large platter and serve. the dumplings are made of pint of flour, teaspoon salt, and teaspoon baking powder, sifted together. add eggs, well beaten and cup of milk. mix out all the lumps and drop by spoonfuls into the stew. serve this potpie with a salad of dandelion leaves, dressed with olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. pork gumbo. cut into small dice lbs. lean pork. (in these recipes where the pork is stewed or baked in tomatoes or water, salt pork may be used, provided it is well freshened.) fry the pork a pale brown, add sliced onions, and when these are brown add bell peppers sliced, and quarts peeled tomatoes, with teaspoons salt. let boil gently, stirring frequently, for - / hours. peel and cut small pint of young tender okra pods, and add. cover again and boil half an hour longer. cook in a lined saucepan, as tin will discolor the okra. with this serve a large dish of rice or hominy. corn may be used in place of okra if the latter is disliked. the corn should be cut from the cobs and added half an hour before dinner time. succotash. boil a piece of lean pork (about lbs. in weight) in quarts water, until the meat is tender. the next day take out the pork, and remove the grease risen on the liquor from the pork during cooking. to pints of the liquor add pint of milk and - / pints lima beans. let them boil until tender--about one hour--when add - / pints corn cut from the cob. let the whole cook for ten minutes, add a teaspoon of salt if necessary, half a teaspoon of pepper, and drop in the pork to heat. when hot, pour into a tureen and serve. pork pillau. take a piece of pork (about lbs.) and lbs. bacon. wash and put to boil in plenty of water, to which add a pepper pod, a few leaves of sage and a few stalks of celery. one hour before dinner, dip out and strain quarts of the liquor in which the pork is boiling, add to it a pint of tomatoes peeled, a small onion cut fine, and salt if necessary; boil half an hour, when add pint of rice well washed. when it comes to a boil draw to the back of stove and steam until the rice is cooked and the liquor absorbed. the pork must boil three or four hours. have it ready to serve with the rice. this makes a good dinner, with a little green salad, bread and butter and a good apple pudding. pork roll. chop fine (a meat chopper will do the work well and quickly) lbs. raw lean pork and / lb. fat salt pork. soak a pint of white bread crumbs in cold water. when soft squeeze very dry, add to the chopped meat with a large onion chopped fine, tablespoon chopped parsley, / teaspoon each of chopped sage and thyme, and / teaspoon black pepper. mix together thoroughly and form into a roll, pressing it closely and compactly together. have ready about a tablespoon of fat in a frying pan, dredge the roll thickly with flour and brown it in the fat, turning it until nicely browned on all sides. then place it in a baking pan, and bake in a hot oven for one hour. baste it every ten minutes with water. do not turn or disturb the meat after it has been put into the oven. half an hour before dinner add or small carrots that have been parboiled in salted boiling water for fifteen minutes. when done, place the roll on a platter, surround it with plain boiled macaroni, dot with the carrots and pour over all a nicely seasoned tomato sauce. pepper pot. cut lbs. rather lean pork into -inch cubes, fry until brown, place in a -quart stone pot (a bean jar is excellent for this purpose) having a close-fitting lid; add large onions sliced, large green peppers (the bell peppers are the best, being fine in flavor and mild), a tablespoon of salt (if fresh pork was used), and large tomatoes peeled and cut small. fill the pot with water and place in the oven or on the back of the stove and allow to simmer five or six hours, or even longer. the longer it is cooked the better it will be. persons who ordinarily cannot eat pork will find this dish will do them no harm. the sauce will be rich and nicely flavored, and the meat tender and toothsome. serve with it plenty of boiled rice or potatoes. pork croquettes (in cabbage leaves). to lb. lean pork chopped fine add teaspoon salt, / teaspoon each of pepper, chopped sage and thyme, teaspoon chopped parsley and a large onion also chopped. mix well and stir in - cup (half-pint cup) of well-washed raw rice. wash a large cabbage, having removed all the defective outer leaves. plunge it whole into a large pot of boiling salted water and boil for five minutes, remove and drain. this will render the leaves pliable. let cool a little, when pull the leaves apart, and wrap in each leaf a tablespoon of the pork and rice. wrap it up securely and neatly as if tying up a parcel and secure with wooden toothpicks or twine. when all are done, lay in a baking dish and cover with a quart of tomatoes peeled and cut fine, mixed with half a pint of water, and a teaspoon of salt. bake one hour in a hot oven, turning the croquettes occasionally. if the sauce becomes too thick, dilute with a little hot water. when done, dish, pour over the sauce and serve with potatoes or hominy. these are very good indeed. if desired the croquettes may be steamed over hot water in a steamer for three hours, or plunged directly into a kettle of boiling water and boiled for one hour. they are not so delicate as when baked. pork with pea pudding (english style). boil the pork as directed above, and do not omit the vegetables, as they flavor the meat and the pudding. use the yellow split peas and soak a pint in cold water over night. drain and tie them loosely in a pudding bag and boil with the pork for three hours. an hour before dinner remove and press through a colander, add a teaspoon salt, half a teaspoon pepper and eggs well beaten. chop enough parsley to make a teaspoonful, add to the peas with a little grated nutmeg. beat up well, sift in half a pint of flour and pour into a pudding bag. the same bag used before will do if well washed. tie it up tightly, drop into the pork water again and boil another hour. remove, let drain in the colander a few minutes, when turn out onto a dish. serve with the pork, and any preferred sauce; mint sauce is good to serve with pork, and a tomato sauce is always good. in fact, it is a natural hygienic instinct which ordains a tart fruit or vegetable to be eaten with pork. the germans, who are noted for their freedom from skin diseases, add sour fruit sauces to inordinately fat meats. pork with sauerkraut (german style). boil a leg of pork for three or four hours, wash quarts sauerkraut, put half of it into an iron pot, lay on it the pork drained from the water in which it was cooking and cover with the remainder of sauerkraut, add quart water in which the pork was cooking, cover closely and simmer gently for one hour. pork chowder. have ready a quart of potatoes sliced, large onions sliced, and lb. lean salt pork. cut the pork into thin slices and fry until cooked, drain off all but tablespoon fat and fry the onions a pale brown. then put the ingredients in layers in a saucepan, first the pork, then onions, potatoes and so on until used, adding to each layer a little pepper. add a pint of water, cover closely and simmer fifteen minutes, then add a pint of rich milk, and cover the top with half a pound of small round crackers. cover again and when the crackers are soft, serve in soup plates. if you live where clams are plentiful, add a quart of cleaved clams when the potatoes are almost done and cook ten minutes. sea pie. make a crust of quart flour, teaspoons baking powder, teaspoon salt, mix well, rub in a tablespoon of fat--pork fat melted or lard--and mix into a smooth paste with a pint of water. line a deep pudding dish with this, put in a layer of onions, then potatoes sliced, then a thin layer of pork in slices, more onions, etc., until the dish is full. wet the edges, put on a top crust. tie a floured cloth over the top and drop into a pot of boiling water. let the water come up two-thirds on the dish, and keep the water boiling for four hours. invert on a dish, remove the mold and serve hot. _for fresh pork only._ corn and pork scallop. cut about lbs. young pork into neat chops and reject all fat and bone. fry them until well cooked and of a pale brown, dust with salt and pepper. cut some green corn from the cob. take a -quart dish, put a layer of corn in the bottom, then a layer of pork, and so on until the dish is full, add pint of water, cover and bake for one hour. remove the cover fifteen minutes before serving, so the top may be nicely browned. serve with potatoes and a lettuce salad. onions and pork may be cooked in the same manner. stuffed shoulder of pork. take a shoulder of pork and bone it. cut out the shoulder blade, and then the leg bone. after the cut made to extract the shoulder blade, the flesh has to be turned over the bone as it is cut, like a glove-finger on the hand; if any accidental cut is made through the flesh it must be sewed up, as it would permit the stuffing to escape. for the stuffing, the following is extra nice: peel apples and core them, chop fine with large onions, leaves of sage, and leaves of lemon thyme. boil some white potatoes, mash them and add pint to the chopped ingredients with a teaspoon of salt and a little cayenne. stuff the shoulder with this and sew up all the openings. dredge with flour, salt and pepper and roast in a hot oven, allowing twenty minutes to the pound. baste frequently, with hot water at first, and then with gravy from the pan. serve with currant jelly, potatoes and some green vegetables. another extra good stuffing for pork is made with sweet potatoes as a basis. boil the potatoes, peel and mash. to a half pint of potato add a quarter pint of finely chopped celery, tablespoons chopped onions, / teaspoon pepper, teaspoon each of salt and chopped parsley and a tablespoon of butter. pork roasted with tomatoes. take a piece for roasting and rub well with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and pour into the pan a pint of hot water, and place in a brisk oven. this must be done two or three hours before dinner, according to the size of roast; baste the meat often. an hour before dinner peel some tomatoes (about a quart), put them into a bowl and mash with the hands till the pulp is in fine pieces, add to them a chopped onion, a teaspoon of chopped parsley and / teaspoon each of sage and thyme. draw the pan containing the roast to the mouth of oven and skim all the fat from the gravy; pour the tomatoes into the pan, and bake for one hour. with this serve a big dish of rice. pork with sweet potatoes. prepare the roast as described above, either stuffed or otherwise. when partly done, peel and cut some sweet potatoes into slices about three inches long. bank these all around the meat, covering it and filling the pan. baste often with the gravy and bake one hour. serve with this a russian salad, made of vegetables. young carrots may be used in place of sweet potatoes. rare old family dishes, described for this work by the best cooks in america. every one of these recipes is a special favorite that has been often tried and never found wanting. none of these recipes has ever before been printed, and all will be found simple, economical and hygienic. _ham._ boiled. wash well a salted, smoked pig's ham, put this in a large kettle of boiling water and boil until tender, remove from the kettle, take off all of the rind, stick in a quantity of whole cloves, place in a baking pan, sprinkle over with a little sugar, pour over it a cup of cider, or, still better, sherry. place in the oven and bake brown. for lunch. mince cold ham fine, either boiled or fried, add a couple of hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, a tablespoon of prepared mustard, a little vinegar and a sprinkling of salt. put in a mold. when cold cut in thin slices or spread on bread for sandwiches. boned. having soaked a well-cured ham in tepid water over night, boil it until perfectly tender, putting it on in warm water; take up, let cool, remove the bone carefully, press the ham again into shape, return to the boiling liquor, remove the pot from the fire and let the ham remain in it till cold. cut across and serve cold. potted. mince left-over bits of boiled ham and to every lbs. lean meat allow / lb. fat. pound all in a mortar until it is a fine paste, gradually adding / teaspoon powdered mace, the same quantity of cayenne, a pinch of allspice and nutmeg. mix very thoroughly, press into tiny jars, filling them to within an inch of the top; fill up with clarified butter or drippings and keep in a cool place. this is nice for tea or to spread picnic sandwiches. stew. a nice way to use the meat left on a ham bone after the frying slices are removed is to cut it off in small pieces, put into cold water to cover and let it come to a boil. pour off the water and add enough hot to make sufficient stew for your family. slice an onion and potatoes into it. with veal. a delicious picnic dish is made of ham and veal. chop fine equal quantities of each and put into a baking dish in layers with slices of hard-boiled eggs between; boil down the water in which the veal was cooked, with the bones, till it will jelly when cold; flavor with celery, pepper and salt and pour over the meat. cover with a piecrust half an inch thick and bake until the crust is done. slice thin when cold. omelet. beat eggs very light, add / teaspoon salt, tablespoons sweet milk, pepper to taste, have frying pan very hot with tablespoon butter in; turn in the mixture, shake constantly until cooked, then put cup finely chopped ham over the top and roll up like jelly cake, cut in slices. baked. most persons boil ham. it is much better baked, if baked right. soak it for an hour in clean water and wipe dry. next spread it all over with thin batter and then put it into a deep dish, with sticks under it to keep it out of the gravy. when it is fully done, take off the skin and batter crusted upon the flesh side, and set away to cool. it should bake from six to eight hours. after removing the skin, sprinkle over with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, some black pepper and powdered crackers. put in pan and return to the oven to brown; then take up and stick cloves through the fat, and dust with powdered cinnamon. with corn meal. take bits of cold boiled ham, cut into fine pieces, put in a frying pan with water to cover, season well. when it boils, thicken with corn meal, stirred in carefully, like mush. cook a short time, pour in a dish to mold, slice off and fry. balls. chop / pint cold boiled ham fine. put a gill of milk in a saucepan and set on the fire. stir in / teacup stale bread crumbs, the beaten yolks of eggs and the ham. season with salt, cayenne and a little nutmeg. stir over the fire until hot, add a tablespoon chopped parsley, mix well and turn out to cool. when cold make into small balls, dip in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs and fry in boiling fat. toast. remove the fat from some slices of cold boiled ham, chop fine. put tablespoonfuls of butter into a saucepan on the stove, add the chopped ham and half a cup of sweet cream or milk. season with pepper and salt; when hot, remove from the stove and stir in quickly well-beaten eggs. pour onto toast and serve at once. flavored with vegetables. take a small ham, as it will be finer grained than a large one, let soak for a few hours in vinegar and water, put on in hot water, then add heads of celery, turnips, onions and a large bunch of savory herbs. a glass of port or sherry wine will improve the flavor of the ham. simmer very gently until tender, take it out and remove the skin, or if to be eaten cold, let it remain in the liquor until nearly cold. patties. one pint of ham which has previously been cooked, mix with two parts of bread crumbs, wet with milk. put the batter in gem pans, break egg over each, sprinkle the top thickly with cracker crumbs and bake until brown. a nice breakfast dish. patties with onions. two cups bread crumbs moistened with a little milk, and two cups cooked ham thoroughly mixed. if one likes the flavor, add a chopped onion. bake in gem pans. either break an egg over each gem or chop cold hard-boiled egg and sprinkle over them. scatter a few crumbs on top. add bits of butter and season highly with pepper and salt, and brown carefully. fried patties. one cup cold boiled ham (chopped fine), cup bread crumbs, egg, salt and pepper to taste, mix to the right thickness with nice meat dressing or sweet milk, mold in small patties and fry in butter. ham sandwiches. mince your ham fine and add plenty of mustard, eggs, tablespoon flour, tablespoon butter and as much chopped cucumber pickles as you have ham. beat this thoroughly together and pour into pint of boiling vinegar, but do not let the mixture boil. when it cools, spread between your sandwiches. _salt pork._ fried with flour. slice the pork thinly and evenly, placing it in a large frying pan of water, and turning it twice while freshening. this prevents it humping in the middle, as pork, unless the slices are perfectly flat, cannot be fried evenly. when freshened sufficiently, drain, throw the water off, and, rolling each slice in flour, return to the frying pan. fry a delicate brown, place on a platter dry, add slices of lemon here and there. drain all the frying fat off, leaving a brown sediment in the pan. pour cup of rich milk on this, and when it thickens (keep stirring constantly until of the consistency of rich, thick cream), pour into a gravy boat, and dust with pepper.--[m. g. fried pork and gravy. cut the rind from a firm piece of fat salt pork that has a few streaks of lean (if preferred). slice thin, scald in hot water, have the frying pan smoking hot, put in the slices of pork and fry (without scorching) until crisp. then pour off nearly all the fat, add some hot water after the slices have been removed from the pan, and stir in some flour moistened with cold water for a thickened gravy.--[farmer's wife. fried in batter or with apples. slice thin and fry crisp in a hot frying pan, then dip in a batter made as follows: one egg well beaten, large spoons rich milk, and flour enough to make a thin batter. fry once more until the batter is a delicate brown, and if any batter remains it may be fried as little cakes and served with the pork. instead of the batter, apples, sliced, may be fried in the fat, with a little water and sugar added, or poor man's cakes, made by scalding spoons granulated (or other) corn meal with boiling water, to which add a pinch of salt and egg, stirred briskly in.--[f. w. sweet fried. take nice slices of pork, as many as you need, and parboil in buttermilk for five minutes, then fry to a golden brown. or parboil the slices in skimmilk, and while frying sprinkle on each slice a little white sugar and fry a nice brown. be watchful while frying, as it burns very easily after the sugar is on.--[i. m. w. to fry in batter. prepare as for plain fried pork, fry without dipping in flour, and when done, dip into a batter made as follows: one egg beaten light, tablespoonfuls of milk and the same of sifted flour, or enough to make a thin batter. stir smooth, salt slightly, dip the fried pork into it and put back into the hot drippings. brown slightly on both sides, remove to a hot platter and serve immediately.--[r. w. fried with sage. freshen the pork in the usual manner with water or soaking in milk, partly fry the pork, then put three or four freshly picked sprigs of sage in the frying pan with the pork. when done, lay the crisp fried sage leaves on platter with the pork.--[mrs. w. l. r. mrs. bisbee's creamed pork. slice as many slices as your frying pan will hold, pour on cold water, place upon the range to freshen; when hot, pour off the water and fry until crispy; take out upon a platter, pour the fat in a bowl. pour some milk, about a pint, in the frying pan, boil, thicken and pour upon the fried pork. serve at once.--[mrs. g. a. b. baked. take a piece of salt pork as large as needed, score it neatly and soak in milk and water half an hour, or longer if very salt; put into a baking pan with water and a little flour sprinkled over the scoring. bake until done. always make a dressing to eat with this, of bread and cracker crumbs, a lump of butter, an egg, salt, pepper and sage to taste; mix with hot milk, pack in a deep dish and bake about twenty minutes. keep water in the baking dish after the meat is taken up, pour off most of the fat and thicken the liquor. tomatoes go well with this dish, also cranberry sauce. boiled. boil or lbs. of pork having streaks of lean in it, in plenty of water, for one and one-half hours. take out, remove skin, cut gashes across the top, sprinkle over powdered sage, pepper and rolled crackers. brown in the oven. slice when cold. creamed in milk and water. freshen or slices of fat pork and fry a nice brown, then take up the pork and arrange on a deep platter. next pour off half the fat from the frying pan and add cup of milk and of boiling water, and tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold milk or water, or else sifted in when the milk and water begin to boil, but then a constant stirring is required to prevent it from being lumpy. next add a pinch of salt and a dust of pepper, let it boil up, and pour over the pork. enough for six. egg pork. take slices of pork and parboil in water, sprinkle a little pepper on the pork and put into the frying pan with a small piece of butter and fry. take egg and a little milk and beat together. when the meat is nearly done, take each slice and dip into the egg, lay back in the pan and cook until done. creamed pork. take slices nice pork, or as many as will fry in the frying pan, and parboil for five minutes, then take out of the water and roll one side of each slice in flour and fry to a golden brown. when fried, turn nearly all of the fat off and set the pan on the stove again and turn on a cup of nice sweet cream; let it boil up, then serve on a platter. _soups, stews, etc._ pork soup. put pork bones in pot of cold salted water. add the following ingredients, in a cheesecloth bag: a few pepper seeds, a bit of horse-radish, mace, and sliced turnip. boil as for beef soup; strain and add a teaspoon of rice flour to each pint, and let come to a boil. serve with crackers. pork stew slice and fry in a kettle from / to / lb. salt pork, drain off the fat and save for shortening, add pints boiling water, or onions sliced thin, quart potatoes sliced and pared, a sprinkling of pepper, large spoon flour mixed in cup of cold water. let the onions boil a few moments before adding the potatoes and flour. five minutes before serving, add dozen crackers, split and moistened with hot water, or make dumplings as for any stew. dry stew. place slices of pork in the frying pan and fill full with chipped potatoes; pour over a little water and cover tightly, and cook until the pork begins to fry, then loosen from the bottom with a wide knife and pour over more water, and so on until done. pepper and salt and a bit of butter. old-fashioned stew. place large slices of pork in the kettle with nearly a quart of water, let it boil half an hour, then add sliced potatoes and sliced onions, and when nearly done add a little flour, pepper and salt, and a lump of butter. chowder. cut slices of salt pork in dice, place in kettle and fry, add good-sized onions chopped fine, let fry while preparing potatoes, then add quart boiling water and the potatoes sliced thin. season with salt and pepper to taste. boil one-half hour. _miscellaneous._ bacon, broiled or fried. the first essential is to have the bacon with a streak of lean and a streak of fat, and to cut or slice it as thin as possible. then lay it in a shallow tin and set it inside a hot stove. it will toast evenly and the slices will curl up and be so dry that they may be taken in the fingers to eat. the lard that exudes may be thickened with flour, a cup of sweet new milk and a pinch of black pepper added, and nice gravy made. or if preferred, the bacon, thinly sliced, may be fried on a hot skillet, just turning it twice, letting it slightly brown on both sides. too long in the hot skillet, the bacon gets hard and will have a burned taste. brains. lay the brains in salt and water for an hour to draw out the blood. pick them over and take out any bits of bone and membrane. cook for half an hour in a small quantity of water. when cooked drain off the water, and to each brain add a little pepper, nearly an even teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of butter and beaten egg. cook until the egg thickens. or when the brains are cooked, drain off the water, season with salt, pepper and sage. pork and beans. pick over and let soak over night quart beans; in the morning wash and drain, and place in a kettle with cold water, with / teaspoon soda, boil about twenty minutes, then drain and put in earthen bean dish with tablespoons molasses, season with pepper. in the center of the beans put lb. well-washed salt pork, with the rind scored in slices or squares, rind side uppermost. cover all with hot water and bake six hours or longer, in a moderate oven. keep covered so they will not burn on the top, but an hour or so before serving remove the pork to another dish and allow it to brown. beans should also brown over the top. boiled dinner. put a piece of salt pork to cook in cold water about o'clock. at o'clock add a few beets, at o'clock a head of cabbage, quartered. one-half hour later add the potatoes. serve very hot. german wick-a-wack. save the rinds of salt pork, boil until tender, then chop very fine, add an equal amount of dried bread dipped in hot water and chopped. season with salt, pepper and summer savory; mix, spread one inch deep in baking dish, cover with sweet milk. bake one-half hour. very nice. broiled pork. soak the pork in cold water over night. wipe dry and broil over coals until crisp. pour over it / pint sweet cream. ham cooked this way is delicious. lunch loaf. chop remnants of cold boiled ham or salt pork, add crushed crackers and from to eggs, according to the amount of your meat. bake in a round baking powder box, and when cold it can be sliced for the table. pork hash. take scraps of cold pork and ham, chop very fine, put in frying pan, add a very little water, let cook a few minutes, then add twice this amount of chopped potato. salt and pepper to taste, fry and serve hot. for sunday luncheon. take the trimmings saved from ribs, backbone, jowl, shanks of ham and shoulder, and all the nice bits of meat too small for ordinary use; place in a kettle with sufficient water to barely cover meat, and boil slowly until quite tender. fit a piece of stout cheesecloth in a flat-bottomed dish and cover with alternate strips of fat and lean meat while hot; sprinkle sparingly with white pepper, add another layer of meat and a few very thin slices of perfectly sound tart apples. repeat until pork is used, then sew up the ends of the cloth compactly, place between agate platters and subject to considerable pressure over night. served cold this makes a very appetizing addition to sunday suppers or luncheon. pork cheese. cut lbs. cold roast pork into small pieces, allowing / lb. fat to each pound of lean; salt and pepper to taste. pound in a mortar a dessert spoon minced parsley, leaves of sage, a very small bunch of savory herbs, blades of mace, a little nutmeg, half a teaspoon of minced lemon peel. mix thoroughly with the meat, put into a mold and pour over it enough well-flavored strong stock to make it very moist. bake an hour and a half and let it cool in the mold. serve cold, cut in thin slices and garnished with parsley or cress. this is a cooking school recipe. for ordinary use the powdered spices, which may be obtained at almost any country store, answer every purpose. use / teaspoon sage, / teaspoon each of summer savory and thyme, and a pinch of mace. pork flour-gravy. take the frying pan after pork has been fried in it, put in a piece of butter half as large as an egg, let it get very hot, then put in a spoonful of flour sprinkled over the bottom of the pan. let this get thoroughly browned, then turn boiling water on it, say about a pint. now take a tablespoon of flour, heaping, wet it up with a cup of sweet milk and stir into the boiling water, add salt and pepper to taste, and a small piece more butter, cook well and serve. pork omelet. cut the slices of pork quite thin, discarding the rind, fry on both sides to a light brown, remove from the spider, have ready a batter made of from or eggs (as the amount of pork may require), beaten up with a little flour and a little sweet milk, pouring half of this batter into the spider. then lay in the pork again, and pour the remaining part of the batter over the pork. when cooked on the one side, cut in squares and turn. serve hot. sometimes the pork is cut in small squares before adding the batter. another omelet. put cup cold fried salt pork (cut in dice) and tablespoons sweet milk on back of stove to simmer, then beat eggs and teaspoon salt until just blended. put tablespoons butter in frying pan. when hot add eggs and shake vigorously until set, then add the hot creamed pork, spread over top, fold, and serve immediately. pig's feet. cut off the feet at the first joint, then cut the legs into as many pieces as there are joints, wash and scrape them well and put to soak over night in cold, slightly salted water; in the morning scrape again and change the water; repeat at night. the next morning put them on to boil in cold water to cover, skim carefully, boil till very tender, and serve either hot or cold, with a brown sauce made of part of the water in which they were boiled, and flavored with tomato or chopped cucumber pickles. if the pig's feet are cooled and then browned in the oven, they will be much nicer than if served directly from the kettle in which they were boiled. save all the liquor not used for the sauce, for pig's feet are very rich in jelly; when cold, remove the fat, which should be clarified, and boil the liquor down to a glaze; this may be potted, when it will keep a long time and is useful for glazing, or it may be used for soups either before or after boiling, down.--[r. w. pickled pig's feet. clean them well, boil until very tender, remove all the bones. chop the meat, add it to the water they were boiled in, salt to taste. add enough vinegar to give a pleasing acid taste, pour into a dish to cool. when firm, cut in slices. or leave out the vinegar and serve catsup of any kind with the meat. or before cooking the feet, wrap each one in cloth and boil seven hours. when cold take off the cloth and cut each foot in two pieces. serve cold with catsup or pepper sauce or horse-radish. or the feet may be put into a jar and covered with cold vinegar, to which is added a handful of whole cloves.--[a. l. n. kidney on toast. cut a kidney in large pieces and soak in cold water an hour. drain and chop fine, removing all string and fiber; also chop separately one onion. put a tablespoonful of butter in a frying pan, and when melted add the chopped kidney and stir till the mixture turns a whitish color, then add the onion. cook five minutes, turn into a small stewpan, season and add a cupful of boiling water. simmer an hour and thicken with a teaspoonful of cornstarch wet with cold water. cook five minutes longer, pour over slices of nicely browned toast and serve. _pork fritters._ corn meal fritters. make a thick batter of corn meal and flour, cut a few slices of pork and fry until the fat is fried out; cut a few more slices, dip them in the batter, and drop them in the bubbling fat, seasoning with salt and pepper; cook until light brown, and eat while hot. fritters with egg. fry slices of freshened fat pork, browning both sides, then make a batter of egg, cup milk, teaspoon baking powder sifted through enough flour to make a rather stiff batter, and a pinch of salt. now remove the pork from the frying pan and drop in large spoonfuls of the batter, and in the center of each place a piece of the fried pork, then cover the pork with batter, and when nicely brown, turn and let the other side brown. currant jelly is nice with them. fricatelle. chop raw fresh pork very fine, add a little salt and plenty of pepper, small onions chopped fine, half as much bread as there is meat, soaked until soft, eggs. mix well together, make into oblong patties and fry like oysters. these are nice for breakfast. if used for supper, serve with sliced lemon. croquettes. raw pork chopped fine, cups, small onion chopped very fine, teaspoon powdered sage, cup bread crumbs rubbed fine, salt and pepper to taste, eggs beaten light. mix thoroughly, make small flat cakes, roll lightly in flour and fry in hot lard. _pork pies, cakes and puddings._ pork pie. cut fresh pork in small inch and half-inch pieces, allowing both fat and lean. boil until done in slightly salted water. lay away in an earthen dish over night. in the morning it will be found to be surrounded with a firm meat jelly. will not soak pie crust. make a rich baking powder biscuit paste. roll out thin, make top and bottom crust, fill with the prepared pork. bake.--[h. m. g. a hint for pork pie. every housekeeper knows how to make pork pie, but not every one knows that if the bottom crust is first baked with a handful of rice to prevent bubbling--the rice may be used many times for the same purpose--and the pork partially cooked before the upper crust is added, the pie will be twice as palatable as if baked in the old way. the crust will not be soggy and the meat juices will not lose flavor by evaporation.--[mrs. o. p. pork pie with apples. line a deep pudding dish with pie crust. place a layer of tart apples in the dish, sprinkle with sugar and a little nutmeg, then place a layer of thin slices of fat salt pork (not cooked), sprinkle lightly with black pepper. continue to add apples and pork until the dish is full. cover with a crust and bake until the apples are cooked, when the pork should be melted. serve as any pie.--[m. c. sparerib pie. chop the small mussy pieces of meat, put in a pudding or bread tin, add some of the gravy and a little water. make a biscuit crust, roll half an inch thick and put over the top and bake. a tasty way is to cut the crust into biscuits, place close together on top of the meat and bake. more dainty to serve than the single crust. a cream gravy or some left from the rib is nice with this pie. any of the lean meat makes a nice pie, made the same as the above. pork cake without lard. over lb. fat salt pork, chopped very fine, pour a pint of boiling water. while it is cooling, sift cups flour with heaping teaspoon soda and of cream tartar, stir in cups sugar and of molasses, eggs, teaspoon of all kinds spice, lbs. raisins, lb. currants and / lb. citron. lastly, thoroughly beat in the pork and water and bake slowly. this will keep a long time. pork cake. take / cup sugar, / cup strong coffee, / cup molasses, / cup chopped salt pork, / cup lard, cup raisins, stoned and chopped, cups flour, eggs, teaspoon soda, dissolved in coffee, teaspoon cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. pork pudding. this is made somewhat after the style of the famous english beefsteak pudding--differs only in two points. cut up the pieces of fresh pork and stew in the skillet, in slightly salted water, till soft. make a rich biscuit dough or plain pie paste. line a quart basin and fill with the stewed pork. add pepper, a few chopped potatoes if desired, cover all with the paste pinched tightly over, tie a small cloth tightly over the basin, then place basin in a larger cloth, gather the corners together and tie snugly over top, boil in a kettle for half an hour. be sure the water is boiling hot before placing the basin in, and keep it boiling, with a tight lid. _roasts._ fresh leg. score the leg with sharp knife in half-inch gashes, fill with a filling made of chopped onion, sage, bread crumbs and mixed with the beaten yolks and whites of eggs, salt; stuff knuckle and gashes also. pepper freely and roast it well. a leg weighing lbs. requires three hours of a steady fire. drain off fat from roasting tin and make a brown gravy. serve with tart apple sauce. with buttermilk. take a piece of pork that is quite lean, soak over night in buttermilk and boil until about half done, then put it in the baking pan, cut through the rind in slices, sprinkle with pepper and sugar and bake to a golden brown. danish pork roast. braise the roast, and between each slit insert a bit of sage--which may be removed before serving; place in a deep stewpan and fill the corners and crevices with prunes that have been previously soaked in water long enough to regain their natural size. roast in moderate oven, basting as usual, taking care not to break the prunes. when half done, take up the prunes, remove pits, crush and add to a dressing made as follows: moisten cups bread crumbs--one-third corn bread is preferable to all wheat--season with salt, pepper and a mere hint of onions. put into a cheesecloth bag--saltbag if at hand--and bake beside the roast for half an hour, taking care to prevent scorching. serve in slices with the roast. sparerib. season well with salt, pepper and a little sage. put in roasting pan with a little water, bake a nice brown. by cracking the ribs twice, you can roll up and fasten with skewers, or tie up with coarse twine. put the stuffing inside, same as turkey. after it is done, take meat from pan. if the water is not all cooked out, set on top of stove until none remains. pour out the grease, leaving about half a cup. set back to cool so as not to cook the gravy too fast at first. stir spoons or more of flour into the grease and let brown. add boiling water to make the required amount of gravy. before removing from fire, add / cup sweet cream. baked or mashed potatoes with cold slaw are in order with sparerib, with currant, cranberry or apple sauce. very nice cold with fried potatoes or chips for supper. _liver._ with bacon. pour salted boiling water over the liver and let it stand a few minutes, drain and slice. crisp thin slices of bacon in a hot frying pan, lay them neatly around the edge of a platter or deep dish, and set the dish where it will keep hot. fry the liver in the drippings from the bacon and put it in the middle of the dish. pour a little boiling water into the frying pan, season to taste with pepper and salt, thicken with browned flour and pour over the liver or serve separately.--[r. f. liver and onions. use two frying pans. in both have a generous supply of fryings or salted lard. cut the liver in thin, even slices, and wash in cold water. wipe each slice dry before placing it in the hot grease; fill the frying pan full, pepper and salt all, cover with lid and set over a brisk fire. slice the onions and place them in the second frying pan of hot grease, pepper, salt and stir frequently. turn the liver once, each slice. when done, place on a platter, with the onions heaped over and around.--[h. m. g. hashed. parboil the liver, chop it fine and put it into a hot frying pan with just enough of the liquor it was boiled in to moisten it so it won't be hard and dry. when hot, season with salt, pepper and butter, and serve with mashed potato. or you can chop cold boiled potatoes with the liver and make a regular hash of it if preferred.--[r. l. _heart._ stuffed. take three hearts, remove the ventricles and dividing wall, wash and wipe out dry. fill with tablespoons chopped ham, tablespoons bread crumbs, a little melted butter, some pepper and salt; beat up an egg and mix the meat, etc., with as much of the egg as is needed to bind it together. tie each heart in a piece of cloth and boil three hours, or till tender, in salt and water. remove the cloths carefully, so as to keep the dressing in place, rub them over with butter and sprinkle with a little flour, and brown in a brisk oven. reduce the liquor and thicken it. serve with mashed potatoes and apple jelly. boiled. make a biscuit dough rather stiff, sprinkle a well-cleaned heart over with a little pepper and salt, roll the heart securely in the biscuit dough, wrap all in a clean white cloth and sew or baste together loosely, then put in a kettle of hot water and boil about four hours. serve hot by removing cloth and slicing. _sausage._ sausage with dried beef. to lbs. meat allow tablespoons salt, of black pepper, of sage, and / tablespoon cayenne. some persons prefer to add a little ginger, thinking that it keeps the sausage from rising on the stomach. mix the spices thoroughly through the meat, which may be put into skins or muslin bags and hung in a cold, dry place, or partly cooked and packed in jars with a covering of lard. every housekeeper uses fried and baked sausages, but sausage and dried beef is a more uncommon dish. cut the sausage into small pieces, put it into a stewpan with water to cover, and put on to cook. slice the dried beef and tear it into small pieces, removing fat and gristle, and put into the stew pan. when done, thicken slightly with flour, season and stir an egg quickly into it. don't get the gravy too thick and don't beat the egg--it wants to show in little flakes of white and yellow.--[rosalie williams. sausage rolls. make a rich pie paste, roll out thin and cut, with a large cooky cutter or a canister lid, large discs of the paste. take a small cooked sausage, and placing it on the edge of the circle of paste, roll it up and pinch the ends together. bake in a quick oven and serve hot or cold. with cabbage. put some pieces of fat and lean pork through the sausage mill; add a finely chopped onion, pepper, salt and a dash of mace. cut a large, sound head of cabbage in two, scoop out the heart of both halves and fill with sausage meat; tie up the head securely with stout twine, put into salted water sufficient to cover the cabbage, and boil one hour and a half. drain thoroughly and save the liquid, which should not exceed one cupful in all. brown a tablespoonful of butter over a hot fire, stir in a teaspoon of browned flour and add the liquid; pour over cabbage and serve hot. good sausage. this sausage recipe has been proved good. take lbs. pork and oz. salt, oz. pepper, oz. sage. put sage in a pan and dry in oven, then sift. you can add two ounces of ground mustard if you wish. add or lbs. sugar, mix all together, salt, pepper, etc., and mix with meat before it is chopped. after it is well mixed, cut to your liking. _fresh pork._ cutlets. cut them from a loin of pork, bone and trim neatly and cut away most of the fat. broil fifteen minutes on a hot gridiron, turning them three or four times, until they are thoroughly done but not dry. dish, season with pepper and salt and serve with tomato sauce or with small pickled cucumbers as a garnish. breaded cutlets. a more elaborate dish is made by dipping the cutlets into beaten egg seasoned to taste with salt, pepper and sage, then into rolled cracker or bread crumbs. fry slowly till thoroughly done, and serve with mashed potatoes. cutlets from cold roast pork. melt an ounce of butter in a saucepan, lay in the cutlets and an onion chopped fine, and fry a light brown; then add a dessertspoon of flour, half a pint of gravy, pepper and salt to taste, and a teaspoon each of vinegar and made mustard. simmer gently a few minutes and serve. pork chops. the white meat along the backbone (between the ribs and ham) is not always sufficiently appreciated, and is often peeled from the fat, cut from the bones and put into sausage, which should never be done, as it is the choicest piece in the hog to fry. leave fat and lean together, saw through the bone, fry or broil. the meat gravy should be served in a gravy boat. breaded pork chops. cut chops about an inch thick, beat them flat with a rolling pin, put them in a pan, pour boiling water over them, and set them over the fire for five minutes; then take them up and wipe them dry. mix a tablespoon of salt and a teaspoon of pepper for each pound of meat; rub each chop over with this, then dip, first into beaten egg, then into crackers, rolled, as much as they will take up. fry in hot lard. barbecued pork. put a loin of pork in a hot oven without water, sprinkle with flour, pepper and salt, baste with butter, cook two or three hours, or until very brown. pour in the gravy half a teacup of walnut catsup. serve with fried apples. _roast pig._ sucking pig. scald carefully and scrape clean, wipe dry, chop off the toes above first joint, remove entrails, and although some cook head entire, it is not advisable. remove brains, eyes, upper and lower jaws, leaving skin semblance of head, with ears thoroughly scraped and cleaned. make a dressing composed of one large boiled onion chopped, powdered sage, salt, pepper, cups stale bread crumbs, a bit of butter, and all mixed with well-beaten eggs. stuff the body part with this. stitch it up. previously boil the heart in salted water and stuff this into the boneless head skin to preserve its shape and semblance. place it down on its feet, head resting on front feet, hind legs drawn out, just as you want it to lie on the platter when served or sent to table. roast three hours, constantly basting. to roast whole. a pig ought not to be under four nor over six weeks old, and ought to be plump and fat. in the city, the butcher will sell you a shoat already prepared, but in the country, we must prepare our own pig for roasting. as soon as the pig is killed, throw it into a tub of cold water to make it tender; as soon as it is perfectly, cold, take it by the hind leg and plunge into scalding water, and shake it about until the hair can all be removed, by the handful at a time. when the hair has all been removed, rub from the tail up to the end of the nose with a coarse cloth. take off the hoofs and wash out the inside of the ears and nose until perfectly clean. hang the pig up, by the hind legs, stretched open so as to take out the entrails; wash well with water with some bicarbonate of soda dissolved in it; rinse again and again and let it hang an hour or more to drip. wrap it in a coarse, dry cloth, when taken down, and lay in a cold cellar, or on ice, as it is better not to cook the pig the same day it is killed. say kill and clean it late in the evening and roast it the next morning. prepare the stuffing of the liver, heart and haslets, stewed, seasoned and chopped fine. mix with these an equal quantity of boiled irish potatoes, mashed, or bread crumbs, and season with hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, parsley and sage, or thyme, chopped fine, pepper and salt. scald the pig on the inside, dry it and rub with pepper and salt, fill with the stuffing and sew up. bend the forelegs under the body, the hind legs forward, and skewer to keep in position. place in a large baking pan and pour over it one quart of boiling water. rub fresh butter all over the pig and sprinkle pepper and salt over it, and put a bunch of parsley and thyme, or sage, in the water. turn a pan down over it and let it simmer in a hot oven till perfectly tender. then take off the pan that covers the pig, rub it with more butter and let brown, basting it frequently with the hot gravy. if the hot water and gravy cook down too much, add more hot water and baste. when of a fine brown, and tender and done all through, cover the edges of a large, flat china dish with fresh green parsley and place the pig, kneeling, in the center of the dish. place in its mouth a red apple, or an ear of green corn, and serve hot with the gravy; or serve cold with grated horse-radish and pickle. roast pig ought to be evenly cooked, through and through, as underdone pork of any kind, size or age is exceedingly unwholesome. it ought also to be evenly and nicely browned on the outside, as the tender skin when cooked is crisp and palatable. it is easily scorched, therefore keep a pig, while roasting, covered till tender and almost done. _tongue._ the tongues should be put into the pickle with the hams; boil after three or four weeks, pickle in vinegar which has been sweetened. add a tablespoon ground mustard to a pint of vinegar. will keep months. they should be pickled whole. also nice when first cooked without pickling. slice cold, to be eaten with or without mayonnaise dressing. sliced thin, and placed between thin slices of bread, make delicious sandwiches. chopped fine, with hard-boiled eggs and mayonnaise, make nice sandwiches. many boil pork and beef tongues fresh. an old brown tongue is an abomination. the saltpeter gives the pink look canned tongues have; the salt and sugar flavor nicely. when fresh, tongues are nice for mince pies. they may be corned with the hams and boiled and skinned and hot vinegar seasoned with salt and pepper poured over them; or are nice sliced with cold potatoes, garnished with cress or lettuce and a cream salad dressing poured over them. cream salad dressing: stir thoroughly together teaspoon sugar, six tablespoons thick sweet cream and tablespoons vinegar, salt and pepper or mustard to taste. the cream and vinegar should be very cold, and the vinegar added to the cream a little at a time, or it will curdle. stir till smooth and creamy. _souse._ take off the horny parts of feet by dipping in hot water and pressing against them with a knife. singe off hair, let soak in cold water for hours, then pour on boiling water, scrape thoroughly, let stand in salt and water a few hours; before boiling wrap each foot in a clean white bandage, cord securely to keep skin from bursting, which causes the gelatine to escape in the water. boil four hours. leave in bandage until cold. if you wish to pickle them, put in a jar, add some of the boiling liquor, add enough vinegar to make a pleasant sour, add a few whole peppers. very nice cold. if you want it hot, put some of the pickle and feet in frying pan. when boiling, thicken with flour and serve hot.--[nina gorton. see that the feet are perfectly clean, the toes chopped off and every particle cleanly scraped, washed and wiped. boil for three hours continually, or until every particle falls apart, drain from liquid, pick out all the bones, chop slightly, return to the liquid, add / cup vinegar, tablespoons sugar, pepper, salt and a dash of nutmeg. (do not have too much liquid.) boil up once more and turn all out into a mold, press lightly, and cut cold.--[h. m. gee. thoroughly clean the pig's feet and knock off the horny part with a hatchet. pour boiling water over them twice and pour it off, then put them on to cook in plenty of water. do not salt the water. boil until very tender, then take out the feet, pack in a jar, sprinkle each layer with salt, whole pepper and whole cloves, and cover with equal portions of vinegar and the broth in which the feet were boiled. put a plate over the top with a weight to keep the souse under the vinegar. if there remains any portion of the broth, strain it and let stand until cold, remove the fat and clarify the broth with a beaten white of egg. it will be then ready for blancmange or lemon jelly and is very delicate. _scrapple._ take hog's tongue, heart, liver, all bones and refuse trimmings (some use ears, snout and lights, i do not), soak all bloody pieces and wash them carefully, use also all clean skins, trimmed from lard. put into a kettle and cover with water, boil until tender and bones drop loose, then cut in sausage cutter while hot, strain liquor in which it was boiled, and thicken with good corn mush meal, boil it well, stirring carefully to prevent scorching. this mush must be well cooked and quite stiff, so that a stick will stand in it. when no raw taste is left, stir in the chopped meat and season to taste with salt, pepper and herb, sage or sweet marjoram, or anything preferred. when the meat is thoroughly mixed all through the mush, and seasoning is satisfactory, dip out into pans of convenient size, to cool. better lift off fire and stir carefully lest it scorch. when cold, serve in slices like cheese, or fry like mush (crisp both sides) for breakfast, serving it with nice tomato catsup. it tastes very much like fried oysters. some prefer half buckwheat meal and half corn. to keep it, do not let it freeze, and if not covered with grease melt some lard and pour over, or it will mold. this ought to be sweet and good for a month or more in winter, but will crumble and fry soft if it freezes.--[mrs. r. e. griffith. _head cheese._ have the head split down the face, remove the skin, ears, eyes and brains, and cut off the snout; wash thoroughly and soak all day in cold salted water; change the water and soak over night, then put on to cook in cold water to cover. skim carefully and when done so the bones will slip out, remove to a hot pan, take out every bone and bit of gristle, and chop the meat with a sharp knife as quickly as possible, to keep the fat from settling in it. for lbs. meat allow tablespoons salt, teaspoon black pepper, a little cayenne, / teaspoon clove and tablespoons sage. stir the meat and seasoning well together and put into a perforated mold or tie in a coarse cloth, put a heavy weight on it and let it stand till cold and firm. the broth in which the meat was cooked may be used for pea soup, and the fat, if clarified, may be used for lard.--[r. w. cut the head up in suitable pieces to fit the receptacle you wish to boil it in, first cutting off all pieces that are not to be used. if too fat, cut off that, too, and put with the lard to be rendered. take out the brains and lay them in a dish of cold water, then put the head on to boil till tender. be sure to skim well. when it begins to boil, cook till the meat is ready to drop off the bones, then take up, remove all bones or gristle and grind or chop, not too fine; put in salt, pepper and cloves to taste, also sage if liked, mix all well together, heat it all together, and pour in a cloth, which is laid in a crock, tie it up tight and put on a weight, to press it. next day remove the cloth and the head cheese is ready for the table. skim the fat off the liquor the head was boiled in and set aside for future use. heat the liquor to a boil and stir in nicely sifted corn meal. after salting, take up in crock and let it get cold, then cut off in slices and fry a nice brown. nice for breakfast.--[mrs. a. joseph. _pig's head._ english brawn: cut off the hearty cheek or jowl, and try it out for shortening. saw the pig's head up in small pieces, carefully removing the brains, snoot, eyes, jawbones or portions of teeth sockets. (it is surprising with saw and a keen, sharp-pointed knife how much of the unpleasant pieces of a pig's head can be removed before it is consigned to the salt bath.) soak all night in salt and water, drain in the morning and set over the fire to boil in slightly salted water. place the tongue in whole also. when the flesh leaves the bone, take out and strip all into a wooden chopping bowl, reserving the tongue whole. skin the tongue while warm. chop the head pieces fine, add pepper, salt, powdered sage to suit taste. pack all in a deep, narrow mold and press the tongue whole into the middle of the mass. weight down and set away all night to cool. keep this always in a cold place until all is used, and, as usual, use a sharp knife to slice.--[aunt ban. _to keep hams and shoulders._ we pack them for a few days with a sprinkle of dry salt, then lift and wipe dry (both barrel and meat), repack and cover with brine, which may be prepared thus: to gals. brine (enough to carry an egg) placed in a kettle to boil add / lb. saltpeter, pts. syrup molasses and a large shovel of hickory ashes tied in a clean saltbag or cloth; boil, skim and cool.--[mrs. r. e. griffith. to prepare smoked ham for summer use: slice the ham and cut off the rind. fill a spider nearly full, putting the fat pieces on top. place in the oven and bake. when partly cooked, pack the slices of hot ham closely in a stone jar and pour the meat juice and fat over the top. every time that any of the meat is taken out, a little of the lard should be heated and poured back into the jar to keep the meat fresh and good. be very careful each time to completely cover the meat with lard.--[marion chandler. index albuminoids, animal heat, average weights of hogs, backbone, average weight of, bacon and hams, and sides, dry salting, box for storing, bug, season for, dampness detrimental, distribution of salt, exports, hogs, prices of, pig, preservatives, quality wanted, second salting, weight of hogs, wiltshire cut, world's supply, black pepper for skippers, bleeding the hog, blood puddings, preparation of, boiler for scalding, box for salting meats, brain sausages, brawn, breeding, brine, purifying, bristles, butchering on joint account, butcher knife in slaughtering, carcass, raising a, care of hams and shoulders, cauldrons, census of hogs, of live stock, chine, chute for handling hogs, control of smoke house, cooling the carcass, co-operative curing houses, corn a fat producer, corn cobs for smoking, country dressed hogs, cracknels, crate for moving swine, crushed crackers in sausage, curing houses, co-operative, cutting up a hog, dermestes, devices for scalding, division of work, dressing and cutting, bench, hints on, the carcass, dry salt for bacon, entrails, exclusion of insects, exports of pork product, value of, farm price of hogs, fat forming foods, producers, feeding chart, for flesh, fence for orchard tree, flesh forming foods, fires in smoke house, fire proof smoke house, foods for flesh and fat, frozen meat, fuel for smoke houses, gallows for dressed hogs, gambrels, gate, device for opening, gates for handling hogs, griskins, hair, removal of, hams, a general cure, american cut, and shoulders, in close boxes, in cloth sacks, in pickling vat, in shelled oats or bran, pickling with molasses, picnic, shaping, westphalian, handy salting box, hanging carcasses, head, average weight of, cheese, for sausage, heavy hogs, handling, hints on dressing, hog feeding convenience, packing for a series of years, prices at chicago, product, exports, product, foreign outlet, product, our best customer, farm price, movement at leading points, normandy, on the farm, receipts at chicago, hoister for carcass, ideal meat house, insects, avoidance of, intestines, jawbone, jowls and head, preparation of, kettle for heating water, knife, use of, , lard, an important point in, boiling, safeguards, cheaper grades, cooking, fine points in making, from back fat, in hot weather, kettle or steam rendered, leaf, , neutral, , standard, stearine, storing, time of cooking, to refine, water in, leading cuts of meat, light packing hogs, lights, use of, liver sausage, meat house, care of, earthen floor, meat packed for home use, meats, box for salting, mess pork, methods now in use, middlings, molasses in curing pork, neat meat, net to gross, neutral lard, normandy hogs, offal, oven and smoke house combined, packing and marketing hogs, at eastern cities, centers, house cuts of pork, western, penetration of salt, pepper in pickled pork, pickling and barreling, picnic hams, pigpen, automatic door, self-closing door, traveling, pigs in orchard, pork, barrel, cleaning, brine, renewing, for the south, making, side lights on, packing in barrels, packing in boxes, pickled without brine, product of commerce, possibilities of profit, potatoes for swine food, prices of hogs at chicago, of pork and lard, prime steam lard, profit in home pork making, protein diet, pyroligenous acid, rations, for bacon purposes, receipts of hogs, relative weights, removing bristles, renewal of pork brine, resalting bacon, ringing hogs, roast pig, merits of, salt penetration, saltpeter in bacon, in curing hams, sausage bench, black forest, bologna, brain, frankfort, homemade filler, in cases, in jars, italian pork, liver, making, of pork and beef, packed in jars, royal cambridge, seasoning, , smoked, spanish, stuffing, suabian, tomato, tongue, westphalian, with bread, with sardines, wrapped for boiling, sawbuck scaffold, scalding, cask on sled, in hogshead, tub, vat, scraping, and washing, scrapple, philadelphia, season for killing, seasoning sausage, shaping the ham, short bones, cut in smoking, ribs, shoulders, shape described, singeing pigs, singers, skippers, slaughtering, best methods, sled and cask for scalding, small hams in pickle, smoked meat, best color, smoke house, and oven combined, barrel, cheap substitute for, fire proof, floors, hardwood sawdust for, objectional fuel, substitute, with french draft, with kettle track, smoking and smoke houses, best color, best days for, best meat for, care of fire, meats in a small way, preparation of meat, use of old stove, souse, preparation of, spanish sausage, spare bone, spareribs, speculative commodities, spice puddings, preparation of, standard cuts of pork, lard, stearine, stretcher, substitute for smoke house, sugar cured hams, swallow, swealed hogs, sweet bacon objectionable, swill, control of, swine industry, magnitude of, tackle for heavy hogs, temperature for scalding, tenderloin, average weight of, tin filled for sausage, trimming for bacon, for lard and sausage, trough for pigs, protected, vat, permanent, for scalding, weather for dressing, weight dressed out, weights of hogs, of portions, relative, wheat straw for smoking, wild boar, wiltshire cut bacon, yard attachment, _recipes_ fresh pork. barbecued pork, breaded cutlets, breaded pork chops, corn and pork scallop, cutlets, cutlets from cold roast pork, pork chops, roasted with sweet potatoes, roasted with tomatoes, stuffed shoulder of pork, ham. baked, balls, boiled, boned, flavored, for lunch, omelet, patties, patties fried, patties with onions, potted, sandwiches, stew, toast, with corn meal, with veal, heart. boiled, stuffed, liver. washed, with bacon, with onions, miscellaneous. bacon, broiled or fried, boiled dinner, brains, broiled pork, english brawn, for sunday luncheon, german wick-a-wack, hams and shoulders, to keep, headcheese, kidney on toast, lunch loaf, omelet, , pepper pot, pickled pigs' feet, pig's feet, pig's head, pork and beans, pork cheese, pork flour-gravy, pork hash, pork roll, pork pillau, pork with pea pudding, pork with sauer kraut, scrapple, souse, tongue, pork fritters. corn meal fritters, croquettes, , fricatelle, fritters with egg, pork pies, cakes and puddings. a hint for pork pie, cake, cake without lard, pork pie, , pork pie with apples, pork potpie, pork pudding, sea pie, sparerib pie, roasts. danish pork roast, fresh leg, sparerib, sucking pig, to roast whole pig, with buttermilk, salt pork. baked, boiled, creamed, creamed in milk and water, creamed, mrs. bisbee's, egg pork, fried in batter, fried with apples, fried with flour, fried with gravy, fried with sage, sweet fried, sausage. good sausage, sausage rolls, with cabbage, with dried beef, soups, stews, etc. chowder, , dry stew, old-fashioned stew, pork gumbo, pork soup, pork stew, succotash, advertisements meats smoked in a few hours with krauser's liquid extract of smoke. made from hickory wood. cheaper, cleaner, sweeter, and surer than the old way. send for circular. e. krauser & bro., milton, pa. best books for swine breeders. coburn's swine husbandry. by f. d. coburn. new, revised and enlarged edition. the breeding, rearing and management of swine, and the prevention and treatment of their diseases. it is the fullest and freshest compendium relating to swine breeding yet offered. cloth, mo. . harris on the pig. by joseph harris. the points of the various english and american breeds are thoroughly discussed, and the great advantage of using thoroughbred males clearly shown. the work is equally valuable to the farmer who keeps but few pigs, and to the breeder on an extensive scale. illustrated. cloth, mo. . horses, cattle, sheep and swine. by geo. w. curtis. the origin, history, improvement, description, characteristics, merits, objections, adaptability, etc., of each of the different breeds, with hints on selection, care and management, including methods of practical breeders in the united states and canada. . diseases of swine. by d. mcintosh, v. s. a text-book for swine growers, veterinary surgeons and students. this is the first work exclusively devoted to the subject published in america. the subjects dealt with are based on science and confirmed by experience, so that the reader will not have to lose time in reading theories which are not confirmed by facts. in the treatment of hog cholera and other diseases which in the majority of cases prove fatal, the author's original and extensive investigations have thrown considerable light on many points hitherto but little understood. cloth, pages, mo. illustrated. . feeding animals. by elliot w. stewart. a valuable and practical work upon the laws of animal growth, specially applied to the rearing and feeding of horses, cattle, dairy cows, sheep and swine. illustrated. cloth, mo. . any of the above books sent postpaid on receipt of price. send for free catalogue. orange judd company, lafayette place, new york. marquette building, chicago. ill. standard books. commended by the greatest educators of germany, england and the united states. endorsed by officials, and adopted in many schools new methods in education art, real manual training, nature study. explaining processes whereby hand, eye and mind are educated by means that conserve vitality and develop a union of thought and action by j. liberty tadd _director of the public school of industrial art, of manual training and art in the r. c. high school, and in several night schools, member of the art club, sketch club, and educational club, and of the academy of natural sciences, philadelphia_ based on twenty-two years' experience with thousands of children and hundreds of teachers. "a method reasonable, feasible and without great cost, adapted to all grades, from child to adult; a plan that can be applied without friction to every kind of educational institution or to the family, and limited only by the capacity of the individual; a method covered by natural law, working with the absolute precision of nature itself; a process that unfolds the capacities of children as unfold the leaves and flowers; a system that teaches the pupils that they are in the plan and part of life, and enables them to work out their own salvation on the true lines of design and work as illustrated in every natural thing." a wealth of illustration-- pictures and full-page plates showing children and teachers practicing these new methods or their work. a revelation to all interested in developing the wonderful capabilities of young or old. the pictures instantly fascinate every child, imbuing it with a desire to do likewise. teachers and parents at once become enthusiastic and delighted over the tadd methods which this book enables them to put into practice. not a hackneyed thought nor a stale picture. fresh, new, practical, scientific, inspiring among those who endorse the work are herbert spencer, dr. w. w. keene, president huey--of the philadelphia board of education. secretary gotze--of the leading pedagogical society of germany (by which the book is being translated into german for publication at berlin). charles h. thurber--professor of pedagogy, university of chicago. talcott williams--editor philadelphia press, book news, etc. r. h. webster--superintendent of schools, san francisco. dr. a. e. winship--editor journal of education. w. f. slocum--president colorado college. frederick winsor--head master the country school for boys of baltimore city, under the auspices of johns hopkins university. g. b. morrison--principal manual training high school, kansas city. dr. edward kirk--dean university of penn. g. e. dawson--(clark university), professor of psychology, bible normal college. roman steiner--baltimore. specifications: size, - / x - / inches, almost a quarto; pages, fine plate paper, beautifully bound in cloth and boards, cover illuminated in gold; weight, - / lbs. boxed, price $ . net, postpaid to any part of the world. orange judd company new york, n. y., - lafayette place. springfield, mass., homestead bdg. chicago, ill., marquette building. [illustration: sent free on application descriptive catalog of-- rural books containing vo. pages, profusely illustrated, and giving full descriptions of the best works on the following subjects: farm and garden fruits, flowers, etc. cattle, sheep and swine dogs, horses, riding, etc. poultry, pigeons and bees angling and fishing boating, canoeing and sailing field sports and natural history hunting, shooting, etc. architecture and building landscape gardening household and miscellaneous publishers and importers orange judd company and lafayette place new york books will be forwarded, postpaid, on receipt of price] greenhouse construction. by prof. l. r. taft. a complete treatise on greenhouse structures and arrangements of the various forms and styles of plant houses for professional florists as well as amateurs. all the best and most approved structures are so fully and clearly described that anyone who desires to build a greenhouse will have no difficulty in determining the kind best suited to his purpose. the modern and most successful methods of heating and ventilating are fully treated upon. special chapters are devoted to houses used for the growing of one kind of plants exclusively. the construction of hotbeds and frames receives appropriate attention. over one hundred excellent illustrations, specially engraved for this work, make every point clear to the reader and add considerably to the artistic appearance of the book. cloth, mo. $ . greenhouse management. by l. r. taft. this book forms an almost indispensable companion volume to greenhouse construction. in it the author gives the results of his many years' experience, together with that of the most successful florists and gardeners, in the management of growing plants under glass. so minute and practical are the various systems and methods of growing and forcing roses, violets, carnations, and all the most important florists' plants, as well as fruits and vegetables described, that by a careful study of this work and the following of its teachings, failure is almost impossible. illustrated. cloth, mo $ . bulbs and tuberous-rooted plants. by c. l. allen. a complete treatise on the history, description, methods of propagation and full directions for the successful culture of bulbs in the garden, dwelling and greenhouse. as generally treated, bulbs are an expensive luxury, while when properly managed, they afford the greatest amount of pleasure at the least cost. the author of this book has for many years made bulb growing a specialty, and is a recognized authority on their cultivation and management. the illustrations which embellish this work have been drawn from nature, and have been engraved especially for this book. the cultural directions are plainly stated, practical and to the point. cloth, mo $ . irrigation farming. by lute wilcox. a handbook for the practical application of water in the production of crops. a complete treatise on water supply, canal construction, reservoirs and ponds, pipes for irrigation purposes, flumes and their structure, methods of applying water, irrigation of field crops, the garden, the orchard and vineyard; windmills and pumps, appliances and contrivances. profusely, handsomely illustrated. cloth, mo $ . landscape gardening. by f. a. waugh, professor of horticulture, university of vermont. a treatise on the general principles governing outdoor art; with sundry suggestions for their application in the commoner problems of gardening. every paragraph is short, terse and to the point, giving perfect clearness to the discussions at all points. in spite of the natural difficulty of presenting abstract principles the whole matter is made entirely plain even to the inexperienced reader. illustrated, mo. cloth. $ . fungi and fungicides. by prof. clarence m. weed. a practical manual concerning the fungous diseases of cultivated plants and the means of preventing their ravages. the author has endeavored to give such a concise account of the most important facts relating to these as will enable the cultivator to combat them intelligently. pp., ill., mo. paper, cents; cloth. $ . talks on manure. by joseph harris, m. s. a series of familiar and practical talks between the author and the deacon, the doctor, and other neighbors, on the whole subject of manures and fertilizers; including a chapter especially written for it by sir john bennet lawes of rothamsted, england. cloth, mo. $ . insects and insecticides. by clarence m. weed, d. sc., prof. of entomology and zoology, new hampshire college of agriculture. a practical manual concerning noxious insects, and methods of preventing their injuries. pages, with many illustrations. cloth, mo. $ . mushrooms. how to grow them. by wm. falconer. this is the most practical work on the subject ever written, and the only book on growing mushrooms published in america. the author describes how he grows mushrooms, and how they are grown for profit by the leading market gardeners, and for home use by the most successful private growers. engravings drawn from nature expressly for this work. cloth. $ . handbook of plants and general horticulture. by peter henderson. this new edition comprises about per cent. more genera than the former one, and embraces the botanical name, derivation, natural order, etc., together with a short history of the different genera, concise instructions for their propagation and culture, and all the leading local or common english names, together with a comprehensive glossary of botanical and technical terms. plain instructions are also given for the cultivation of the principal vegetables, fruits and flowers. cloth, large vo. $ . ginseng, its cultivation, harvesting, marketing and market value. by maurice g. kains, with a short account of its history and botany. it discusses in a practical way how to begin with either seed or roots, soil, climate and location, preparation, planting and maintenance of the beds, artificial propagation, manures, enemies, selection for market and for improvement, preparation for sale, and the profits that may be expected. this booklet is concisely written, well and profusely illustrated, and should be in the hands of all who expect to grow this drug to supply the export trade, and to add a new and profitable industry to their farms and gardens, without interfering with the regular work. mo. $ . land draining. a handbook for farmers on the principles and practice of draining, by manly miles, giving the results of his extended experience in laying tile drains. the directions for the laying out and the construction of tile drains will enable the farmer to avoid the errors of imperfect construction, and the disappointment that must necessarily follow. this manual for practical farmers will also be found convenient for references in regard to many questions that may arise in crop growing, aside from the special subjects of drainage of which it treats. cloth, mo. $ . henderson's practical floriculture. by peter henderson. a guide to the successful propagation and cultivation of florists' plants. the work is not one for florists and gardeners only, but the amateur's wants are constantly kept in mind, and we have a very complete treatise on the cultivation of flowers under glass, or in the open air, suited to those who grow flowers for pleasure as well as those who make them a matter of trade. beautifully illustrated. new and enlarged edition. cloth, mo. $ . tobacco leaf. by j. b. killebrew and herbert myrick. its culture and cure, marketing and manufacture. a practical handbook on the most approved methods in growing, harvesting, curing, packing, and selling tobacco, with an account of the operations in every department of tobacco manufacture. the contents of this book are based on actual experiments in field, curing barn, packing house, factory and laboratory. it is the only work of the kind in existence, and is destined to be the standard practical and scientific authority on the whole subject of tobacco for many years. upwards of pages and original engravings. $ . play and profit in my garden. by e. p. roe. the author takes us to his garden on the rocky hillsides in the vicinity of west point, and shows us how out of it, after four years' experience, he evoked a profit of $ , , and this while carrying on pastoral and literary labor. it is very rarely that so much literary taste and skill are mated to so much agricultural experience and good sense. cloth, mo. $ . forest planting. by h. nicholas jarchow, ll. d. a treatise on the care of woodlands and the restoration of the denuded timberlands on plains and mountains. the author has fully described those european methods which have proved to be most useful in maintaining the superb forests of the old world. this experience has been adapted to the different climates and trees of america, full instructions being given for forest planting of our various kinds of soil and subsoil, whether on mountain or valley. illustrated, mo. $ . soils and crops of the farm. by george e. morrow, m. a., and thomas f. hunt. the methods of making available the plant food in the soil are described in popular language. a short history of each of the farm crops is accompanied by a discussion of its culture. the useful discoveries of science are explained as applied in the most approved methods of culture. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . american fruit culturist. by john j. thomas. containing practical directions for the propagation and culture of all the fruits adapted to the united states. twentieth thoroughly revised and greatly enlarged edition by wm. h. s. wood. this new edition makes the work practically almost a new book, containing everything pertaining to large and small fruits as well as sub-tropical and tropical fruits. richly illustrated by nearly engravings. pp., mo. $ . fertilizers. by edward b. voorhees, director of the new jersey agricultural experiment station. it has been the aim of the author to point out the underlying principles and to discuss the important subjects connected with the use of fertilizer materials. the natural fertility of the soil, the functions of manures and fertilizers, and the need of artificial fertilizers are exhaustively discussed. separate chapters are devoted to the various fertilizing elements, to the purchase, chemical analyses, methods of using fertilizers, and the best fertilizers for each of the most important field, garden and orchard crops. pp. $ . gardening for profit. by peter henderson. the standard work on market and family gardening. the successful experience of the author for more than thirty years, and his willingness to tell, as he does in this work, the secret of his success for the benefit of others, enables him to give most valuable information. the book is profusely illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . herbert's hints to horse keepers. by the late henry william herbert (frank forester). this is one of the best and most popular works on the horse prepared in this country. a complete manual for horsemen, embracing: how to breed a horse; how to buy a horse; how to break a horse; how to use a horse; how to feed a horse; how to physic a horse (allopathy or homoeopathy); how to groom a horse; how to drive a horse; how to ride a horse, etc. beautifully illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . barn plans and outbuildings. two hundred and fifty-seven illustrations. a most valuable work, full of ideas, hints, suggestions, plans, etc., for the construction of barns and outbuildings, by practical writers. chapters are devoted to the economic erection and use of barns, grain barns, house barns, cattle barns, sheep barns, corn houses, smoke houses, ice houses, pig pens, granaries, etc. there are likewise chapters on bird houses, dog houses, tool sheds, ventilators, roofs and roofing, doors and fastenings, workshops, poultry houses, manure sheds, barnyards, root pits, etc. cloth, mo. $ . cranberry culture. by joseph j. white. contents: natural history, history of cultivation, choice of location, preparing the ground, planting the vines, management of meadows, flooding, enemies and difficulties overcome, picking, keeping, profit and loss. cloth, mo. $ . ornamental gardening for americans. by elias a. long, landscape architect. a treatise on beautifying homes, rural districts and cemeteries. a plain and practical work with numerous illustrations and instructions so plain that they may be readily followed. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . grape culturist. by a. s. fuller. this is one of the very best of works on the culture of the hardy grapes, with full directions for all departments of propagation, culture, etc., with excellent engravings, illustrating planting, training, grafting, etc. cloth, mo. $ . turkeys and how to grow them. edited by herbert myrick. a treatise on the natural history and origin of the name of turkeys; the various breeds, the best methods to insure success in the business of turkey growing. with essays from practical turkey growers in different parts of the united states and canada. copiously illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . profits in poultry. useful and ornamental breeds and their profitable management. this excellent work contains the combined experience of a number of practical men in all departments of poultry raising. it is profusely illustrated and forms a unique and important addition to our poultry literature. cloth, mo. $ . how crops grow. by prof. samuel w. johnson of yale college. new and revised edition. a treatise on the chemical composition, structure and life of the plant. this book is a guide to the knowledge of agricultural plants, their composition, their structure and modes of development and growth; of the complex organization of plants, and the use of the parts; the germination of seeds, and the food of plants obtained both from the air and the soil. the book is indispensable to all real students of agriculture. with numerous illustrations and tables of analysis. cloth, mo. $ . coburn's swine husbandry. by f. d. coburn. new, revised and enlarged edition. the breeding, rearing, and management of swine, and the prevention and treatment of their diseases. it is the fullest and freshest compendium relating to swine breeding yet offered. cloth, mo. $ . stewart's shepherd's manual. by henry stewart. a valuable practical treatise on the sheep for american farmers and sheep growers. it is so plain that a farmer or a farmer's son who has never kept a sheep, may learn from its pages how to manage a flock successfully, and yet so complete that even the experienced shepherd may gather many suggestions from it. the results of personal experience of some years with the characters of the various modern breeds of sheep, and the sheep raising capabilities of many portions of our extensive territory and that of canada--and the careful study of the diseases to which our sheep are chiefly subject, with those by which they may eventually be afflicted through unforeseen accidents--as well as the methods of management called for under our circumstances, are carefully described. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . feeds and feeding. by w. a. henry. this handbook for students and stock men constitutes a compendium of practical and useful knowledge on plant growth and animal nutrition, feeding stuffs, feeding animals and every detail pertaining to this important subject. it is thorough, accurate and reliable, and is the most valuable contribution to live stock literature in many years. all the latest and best information is clearly and systematically presented, making the work indispensable to every owner of live stock. pages, vo. cloth. $ . hunter and trapper. by halsey thrasher, an old and experienced sportsman. the best modes of hunting and trapping are fully explained, and foxes, deer, bears, etc., fall into his traps readily by following his directions. cloth, mo. $ . the ice crop. by theron l. hiles. how to harvest, ship and use ice. a complete, practical treatise for farmers, dairymen, ice dealers, produce shippers, meat packers, cold storers, and all interested in ice houses, cold storage, and the handling or use of ice in any way. including many recipes for iced dishes and beverages. the book is illustrated by cuts of the tools and machinery used in cutting and storing ice, and the different forms of ice houses and cold storage buildings. pp., ill., mo. cloth. $ . practical forestry. by andrew s. fuller. a treatise on the propagation, planting and cultivation, with descriptions and the botanical and popular names of all the indigenous trees of the united states, and notes on a large number of the most valuable exotic species. $ . irrigation for the farm, garden and orchard. by henry stewart. this work is offered to those american farmers and other cultivators of the soil who, from painful experience, can readily appreciate the losses which result from the scarcity of water at critical periods. fully illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . market gardening and farm notes. by burnett landreth. experiences and observation for both north and south, of interest to the amateur gardener, trucker and farmer. a novel feature of the book is the calendar of farm and garden operations for each month of the year; the chapters on fertilizers, transplanting, succession and rotation of crops, the packing, shipping and marketing of vegetables will be especially useful to market gardeners. cloth, mo. $ . the fruit garden. by p. barry. a standard work on fruit and fruit trees, the author having had over thirty years' practical experience at the head of one of the largest nurseries in this country. invaluable to all fruit growers. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . the nut culturist. by andrew s. fuller. a treatise on the propagation, planting and cultivation of nut-bearing trees and shrubs adapted to the climate of the united states, with the scientific and common names of the fruits known in commerce as edible or otherwise useful nuts. intended to aid the farmer to increase his income without adding to his expenses or labor. mo. cloth. $ . american grape growing and wine making. by george husmann of california. new and enlarged edition. with contributions from well-known grape growers, giving wide range of experience. the author of this book is a recognized authority on the subject. cloth, mo. $ . treat's injurious insects of the farm and garden. by mrs. mary treat. an original investigator who has added much to our knowledge of both plants and insects, and those who are familiar with darwin's works are aware that he gives her credit for important observation and discoveries. new and enlarged edition. with an illustrated chapter on beneficial insects. fully illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . the dogs of great britain, america and other countries. new, enlarged and revised edition. their breeding, training and management, in health and disease; comprising all the essential parts of the two standard works on dogs by "stonehenge." it describes the best game and hunting grounds in america. contains over one hundred beautiful engravings, embracing most noted dogs in both continents, making, together with chapters by american writers, the most complete dog book ever published. cloth, mo. $ . harris on the pig. by joseph harris. new edition. revised and enlarged by the author. the points of the various english and american breeds are thoroughly discussed, and the great advantage of using thoroughbred males clearly shown. the work is equally valuable to the farmer who keeps but few pigs, and to the breeder on an extensive scale. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . pear culture for profit. by p. t. quinn, practical horticulturist. teaching how to raise pears intelligently, and with the best results, how to find out the character of the soil, the best methods of preparing it, the best varieties to select under existing conditions, the best modes of planting, pruning, fertilizing, grafting, and utilizing the ground before the trees come into bearing, and, finally, of gathering and packing for market. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . the secrets of health, or how not to be sick, and how to get well from sickness. by s. h. platt, a. m., m. d., late member of the connecticut eclectic medical society, the national eclectic medical association, and honorary member of the national bacteriological society of america; our medical editor and author of "talks with our doctor" and "our health adviser." nearly pages. profusely illustrated. an index of pages, so that any topic may be instantly consulted. a new departure in medical knowledge for the people--the latest progress, secrets and practices of all schools of healing made available for the common people--health without medicine, nature without humbug, common sense without folly, science without fraud. mo. pp., illustrations. cloth. $ . gardening for young and old. by joseph harris. a work intended to interest farmers' boys in farm gardening, which means a better and more profitable form of agriculture. the teachings are given in the familiar manner so well known in the author's "walks and talks on the farm." illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . money in the garden. by p. t. quinn. the author gives in a plain, practical style, instructions on three distinct although closely connected branches of gardening--the kitchen garden, market garden and field culture, from successful practical experience for a term of years. illustrated. cloth, mo. $ . the pruning book. by l. h. bailey. this is the first american work exclusively devoted to pruning. it differs from most other treatises on this subject in that the author takes particular pains to explain the principles of each operation in every detail. specific advice is given on the pruning of the various kinds of fruits and ornamental trees, shrubs and hedges. considerable space is devoted to the pruning and training of grapevines, both american and foreign. every part of the subject is made so clear and plain that it can be readily understood by even the merest beginner. cloth, vo, pages. illustrated. $ . transcriber's notes: passages in italics are indicated by _underscore_. the following misprints have been corrected: "english, bacon varieties of lard" corrected to "english bacon, varieties of lard" (table of contents) "acking" corrected to "packing" (page ) "vingar" corrected to "vinegar" (page ) the wide table on page has been split. the left column is repeated in the second half as an aid to the reader. scanned images of public domain material from the google print archive. gala-day luncheons gala-day luncheons _a little book of suggestions_ by caroline benedict burrell [illustration] new york dodd, mead and company _copyright, _ by dodd, mead and company _thanks are due to messrs. harper and brothers for their kind permission to use that part of this book which has already appeared in harper's bazar._ table of contents page luncheon giving a new year's luncheon a musical luncheon a japanese luncheon for children a valentine's day luncheon a washington luncheon a shrove tuesday luncheon a lenten luncheon a saint patrick's day luncheon a christening luncheon an easter luncheon a shakespearian luncheon a may-day luncheon an apple-blossom luncheon a school-girl luncheon a military luncheon a delft luncheon a bridal luncheon a graduates' luncheon a rose luncheon a peony luncheon a fourth of july luncheon a nautical luncheon a traveller's luncheon a yale luncheon a harvard luncheon a princeton luncheon a pond-lily luncheon a fern luncheon a poverty luncheon a golf luncheon a bicycle luncheon an alumni luncheon a labour-day luncheon a tin-wedding luncheon a hallowe'en luncheon an author's luncheon a thanksgiving luncheon a carmen luncheon a horse-show luncheon an indian luncheon a card luncheon a christmas luncheon a snow luncheon an announcement luncheon list of illustrations page for luncheon use another style of doily honiton lace doily table set for a january luncheon musical luncheon favours for a st. valentine's day luncheon a washington's birthday favour also for a february luncheon for a st. patrick's day luncheon potato bonbon for an easter luncheon easter egg easter favour ices in a nest of spun sugar easter lily of ice cream yellow-shaded candle for a mayflower luncheon basket of cherries filled with candied fruits candy basket for a june bridal luncheon for a fourth of july luncheon ices served in drums for a yale luncheon rowing favour for a golf luncheon golf favour for a tin-wedding luncheon for a thanksgiving luncheon for a christmas luncheon luncheon giving to give a luncheon is to indulge one's self in the most charming and satisfying form of entertaining. all the dignity of the stately dinner-party is lacking, it is true, but all the delight of informality is present; one has opportunity and leisure to chat, to laugh, and to discuss the dainty and unsubstantial dishes beloved of women. that hostess is to be congratulated who can and does give her friends luncheons all the year around; whatever day she chooses becomes at once a gala day. but after one has entertained, and entertained no matter how delightfully to her friends and how satisfactorily to herself, there comes a time when for the moment she can think of nothing she has not had. all flowers seem ordinary, all food wearisome. it is for such a day as this that this little book has been prepared. not that new dishes are offered in a long, fascinating series, for all startling novelties or elaborate concoctions have been purposely eschewed: this is not a cook-book; it makes no such ambitious claim; the possession of a good cook-book, a supply of cooking utensils, a few canned goods and flavouring extracts, and access to a market of ordinary capacities, have all been taken for granted. but the ideas are intended to be practical, the food given in season and within reasonable price, and the recipes, whether given, as is sometimes the case, or merely alluded to as easily to be found, are all sufficiently simple to be undertaken by a very ordinary and inexperienced cook. it is assumed that all hostesses are in possession of that priceless commodity which our grandmothers called "faculty," that common-sense which more than anything else helps one over domestic boulders; this will suggest that if whitebait is not to be had, canned salmon is quite within reach, and from that useful fish a toothsome dish may easily be prepared. if pim-olas are an unheard-of relish, home-made pickles are by no means to be despised. if ice-cream in rose forms is entirely out of the question, raspberry ice made from one's own preserves or from the fresh fruit in the garden is fully as delicious. to assist one who is willing to take the second choice if she cannot have the first, a substitute has been offered for any course which it is suspected may prove difficult to procure in different parts of the country; an intelligent hostess will easily be able to think of one that is even better than the one named. rather elaborate menus are given that they may be adapted to one's need. it is easier to shorten a menu than to lengthen one, and two or three courses dropped from a company luncheon will transform it into one suitable for home use with very little trouble. if one menu is not quite what one wants, she can take another; if something more elaborate still is desired than what is given already, she can take a course from some luncheon farther on in the book; as much variety as possible has been sought on purpose, that there may be opportunity for just this choice of dishes. the idea of observing holidays with luncheons is only a suggestion; any one of the luncheons may, with slightly altered decorations, be given at any time during the month. doubtless every hostess can take the fancies given and work them out to her more complete satisfaction; it is intended that she should do so, for this is not meant to be a complete compendium on luncheon given; it is only a "little book of suggestions," nothing more. and now to something practical. the principal factor in a successful luncheon is a pretty table; that remains in one's memory after all the details of the luncheon proper have been forgotten. [illustration: for luncheon use.] [illustration: another style of doily.] [illustration: honiton lace doily.] no cloth is used nowadays, but pretty doilies are laid on the bare surface; where one has been so unfortunate as to have the appearance of her table ruined by the defacing marks of hot dishes, she often refuses to dispense with the table-cloth, yet if she knew what a very simple and inexpensive thing it is to have a fresh polish put on, she would doubtless send for the furniture dealer at once; even without the aid of that individual she can improve matters by applying a purchased polish, rubbing it in well with a flannel cloth; indeed, rubbing is the secret of a handsome table top. then, too, she probably does not consider that when her doilies are in place, very little of the wood is exposed to the critical eye, while in that little is reflected the flowers and lights which give a double brilliance to the decorations. but if one is incorrigible and insists on a cloth in spite of all persuasions, then the next-best thing is to have a pretty one, one with openwork or lace, or at least with a handsome fringe, which will give some effect of elaboration. but doilies are so pretty, so much prettier than any cloth, no matter how beautiful; they come in all sizes and at all prices, from the exquisite honiton lace ones, which are almost too delicate to use, on to the combined linen and lace which are not expensive; from the cobwebs of drawn work from mexico, which look as though they would fall to pieces if handled and which really wear a lifetime, to the plain squares of hemstitched linen, which are pretty enough for any table and can be made at home by the skilful needlewoman. one who can make even simple fancy work to-day can keep herself in lovely things for the luncheon table with small cost except in time. the same thing is to be said of the centrepiece: one can have anything almost, but it should be all in white. there are times when one wishes an embroidered square or circle, but ordinarily white lace is the best choice, for the effect of the flowers is always better if no colour is mingled with their own. as to the flowers themselves, they should not be over-elaborate. of course a woman of unlimited means may expend a vast sum on a basket of orchids or some other fashionable flowers for her table, but while it is desirable to have a pretty effect, all undue gorgeousness is out of harmony with the presumably informal meal. a woman who plans her table decorations herself will probably evolve something more original and more pleasing than the hackneyed result a florist would attain, should she summon him to her aid. a quantity of roses lightly grouped in a bowl or arranged in a basket has a grace which is not found in a merely conventional arrangement. there are artistic bunches of wild flowers which give delight whenever the eye falls on them, and clusters of ferns which on a hot summer's day make one feel cool and comfortable. a pot of growing violets is a simple thing, but it is infinitely better than a "design" from a greenhouse. no one should despair if she cannot have a professional to help her arrange the flowers for her luncheon table; let her give thanks. [illustration] there are combinations of flowers which give prettier effect than does one flower alone, such as jonquils and violets, or white hyacinths, or mignonette and roman hyacinths, or scarlet carnations and white roses. a little study will enable the hostess to plan something unique and attractive. indeed, her personal touch is needed nowhere so much as here, since she can stamp her decorations with her individuality. besides the flowers, a decorative effect is given to the table by the small dishes of silver, or silver-gilt, and cut glass, which stand around the centrepiece and hold salted nuts, bonbons, almonds, candied ginger, crystallised fruits, and often peeled radishes, celery hearts, and jelly as well. these are seen in silver with a stem three inches high for the daintier things, but any pretty bonbon dishes are correct form, whatever they are. after these things are in place, the silver is next to be considered: luckily the fashion of displaying all one happens to own is no longer considered in good taste; it was always rather vulgar and savoured of the shop, and no one can regret that the fancy has gone by. all that is needed now is the oyster fork, or, if fruit is to be the first course, a spoon or fork on the right, then the soup spoon, and either one or two knives as will be needed; on the left either two or three forks; the handsome dessert or ice cream spoon may lie across the top of the plate. there are always changes going on in table silver, yet good things are really never out of date. for instance, bouillon spoons have perfectly circular bowls at present, yet if one does not happen to own a set of these, teaspoons do quite as well to use with small cups or bowls. so with salad forks; the tines grow longer or shorter from season to season, yet any fork may be used for salad, whether intended for that particular course or not. ordinary ice-cream spoons or forks are modified also; sometimes one sees a combination of the two, or a spade-shaped spoon is pronounced the only proper thing. since every year brings out something new, the only safe rule for the housekeeper to observe is to buy things which are not extreme, and then use them with an easy mind, whatever be the fancies of the day. the custom of having a decorated service plate at each place is such a good one that it is likely to remain long in vogue. it is intended to hold the oyster plate, the plate with the bouillon bowl if the latter has no saucer, and the plate with the first hot course, after which it is removed with the one that has been used. when the guests come to the table this service plate holds a roll folded in a napkin. [illustration] small bowls with two handles are used for the bouillon or soup at luncheon, but if one does not have them, an ordinary cup of rather good size is substituted. the plates used are ordinarily of rather smaller size than those seen at dinner, as the dishes are of a lighter character, and the handsomest are reserved for the fingerbowls, which are put on the table with the bonbons and coffee only, unless the meal begins with fruit, when they appear twice. the question of lighting the table is one that often puzzles young housekeepers or novices at entertaining. "shall we use candles at _luncheon_?" they ask, bewildered at the seeming absurdity of the idea. at first thought it may seem that is a foolish thing to do, yet there is good reason for having them at certain times. in the city, especially in winter, the dining-room is apt to be dark and therefore gloomy, and the cheerful glow of candles is both attractive and hospitable. besides, they are extremely decorative: indeed, one sees them unlighted sometimes at formal luncheons when the day is sunny, used entirely for the colour they give the table. on the other hand, they should not be recklessly and indiscriminately used, for there are days when they would be ridiculously out of place, as in the summer, with open windows and a flood of brilliant light in the room. they are also out of place at a very simple meal to which only a few friends sit down, but they are in keeping with a rather elaborate company luncheon, and on a table set for such a meal they are both beautiful and appropriate. there are other pretty ways of lighting the table besides using candles; there are devices to be used where electricity is available, such as lovely little electric candles with rose shades which give the effect of real flowers; then there are varieties of lamps, especially the so-called "fairy lamp," a pretty thing which is very practical as well as attractive; there are also combinations of the lamp and candle, which have in their favour the fact that they do not take fire and destroy their shades. but nothing is ever prettier than the old-fashioned wax candle in white or colour, in silver candlesticks, with or without shades. nothing gives such reflections on the dishes, the silver and glass, and the mirror-like surface of polished wood as their flickering lights. if one owns several of these, she has the foundation for endless variety. she may group them in twos, or stand them singly about the table, or she may buy a branched top and convert one into a candelabrum, or she may arrange several candelabra in the same way. as to shades, a clever woman can always keep herself supplied with prettier ones than the shops can afford, provided she is skilful with the needle and paint brush. she can have them of plain pasteboard with a border in colours and a pattern of painted flowers, or a conventional design. or, she can buy dozens of silk or cotton rose petals and make really beautiful things with them. or, if she has plenty of money and no time to spare, she can buy almost anything, from simple shades of paper roses or chrysanthemums to imported arrangements made by artistic fingers in silk and flowers together. unless, however, she is prepared to buy a new set quite frequently, she will always invest in one or two more than she needs, lest some day she finds one burned and none to match it in the shops. guest cards are really necessary,--primarily, in order to avoid confusion in seating a number of persons in a short time, but with a secondary reason for their existence which is not to be overlooked: they enable the hostess to seat together those who have most in common and who will start the ball of conversation rolling, and keep it going. many a meal has proved stupid and tiresome to some one because she sat by an uncongenial fellow-guest; a hostess shows her tact--or her lack of it--by the way she plans the seats of those who are to surround the table. as to favours, they are in no way essential; they are suggested here merely because they afford some opportunity for originality, and serve to break the ice at the very beginning of a meal. they are not for the older woman, who will doubtless despise them, but for the girl-hostess who is gay enough still to care for whatever raises a laugh. they should depend for their worth not on any intrinsic value, for they should have none, but on their cleverness, their appropriateness; those mentioned are only "suggestions;" every hostess should from these go on to others which have more to them. just a word of warning as to the menu. do not try and transform into a "function" what should be only a light and pleasant luncheon. the moment that is done, and a demand is made for extreme thought and preparation on the part of the hostess, and formality on the part of the guests, that moment the whole affair becomes a weariness to the flesh and spirit, and the charm is gone. there is no limit to the number of courses a hostess may offer if she really sets out to show what she can do if she tries; every year gastronomic possibilities increase, and an ambitious woman may pile patés on croquettes, and salads on sherbets, and creams on top of everything else _ad libitum_, if she so wishes. but a luncheon should be a luncheon, not a cooking-school display. it should be delightful to the eye, delicious to the palate, sufficiently elaborate to show respect to one's guests, and yet simple enough to be in good taste; restraint rather than ostentatious display should give the meal the refining touch which is needed to make it really complete. january by a happy omen our year begins with a gala day; time was when the very mention of new year's day brought to our minds the thought of confusion and fatigue, but all that is past; nowadays we observe the incoming of the year with quiet entertaining of our friends with small receptions, family dinner-parties, and luncheons, more or less elaborate. it is not necessary, however, that all new year luncheons should come on the very day itself, for one can have all the essential features at a meal given during the first half of the month. but whenever it comes, it should be a scarlet luncheon as far as the decorations are concerned, for january days are sure to be gloomy. for a large company a beautiful table can be arranged with a central mass of poinsettias in a gilded basket, scarlet candles, and something scarlet in the menu, just enough to emphasize the idea of the luncheon. if the table is a small one and the poinsettias are too large to be effective, have a bowl of scarlet carnations with asparagus ferns, or put the flowers in a mound of moss. if you have silver candlesticks,--and they are the prettiest of all,--you can group them in twos, provided they are not too large, putting them at either end of an oblong table, or having three pairs if the table is round. it is always in keeping on a dark day to have the candles unshaded, the glow reflected on the polished surfaces giving a peculiarly brilliant and cosy effect; if shades are preferred, of course they should be scarlet, like the candles. put a quantity of small dishes about, containing olives, salted almonds, candied ginger or fruits, and bonbons; they are not only useful, but help to decorate the table. use doilies in preference to a cloth, and a centrepiece of lace, or embroidered linen and lace. [illustration: table set for a january luncheon.] the obvious thing in the way of a guest card is a calendar, in some form; if you sketch you can make one that is prettier and more characteristic than one that is purchased. a tiny calendar may be mounted on a square of cardboard with a small snow scene in the background, or a picture of father time may be placed above a quotation; or there may be an outline of an hour-glass above the calendar and the guest's name and the date of the luncheon below. menu oyster cocktail. green pea bisque. croutons. creamed fish in cucumbers. quail on fried mush. currant jelly. potato puff. french peas. hot rolls. tomato jelly in forms. mayonnaise. pim-olas. cheese straws. snowball ices. snowball cakes. coffee. bonbons. for the cocktail, select small oysters and pour over them a dressing made by mixing two teaspoonfuls of horse-radish with the juice of two lemons, two teaspoonfuls of tomato catsup and one of tabasco sauce. this rule makes enough for five persons. put eight oysters in a tall, shallow glass and cover with this dressing and put on the ice long enough to thoroughly chill them. the cocktail is also prettily served in ice-shells which are to be had of the caterer, or one can make them at home by piling up small, scalloped tins half filled with water and freezing; the tins will separate readily when they are slightly warmed. if one lives where cucumbers are procurable in january, a delicious dish is made by cutting off a slice from each cucumber, scooping out the inside, heating them, filling with a thick creamed fish, replacing the slice and serving hot. the combination of the fish and cucumber flavours is delightful. if one is away from the city markets, however, have a course of lobster cutlets with sauce tartare in the place of this. the salad is one of the best and most attractive for a winter's day. it is made by heating, seasoning, and straining the thick part of canned tomatoes and setting them with gelatine in small individual moulds,--little rings are pretty,--and when they are firm turning them out on the inner leaves of lettuce; the inside of such a circle is to be filled with mayonnaise, or, if the jelly is in mounds, the mayonnaise is to be heaped around each and the whole sprinkled with chopped parsley. the ice cream can be furnished by the caterer in the form of perfect snowballs, which are attractive on a winter's day, especially with the cakes, but if they are not to be had a white cream served with maraschino cherries is delicious. the cakes are made by scooping out rounded spoonfuls from a large angels' food and dipping them first in warm, boiled frosting and then rolling them in grated cocoanut. no sherbet is suggested for this luncheon, as one cold dish is enough for a january meal; still, if you wish to make it rather more elaborate you can introduce a course of orange ice or roman punch after the quail; or you may make a formal luncheon of it by changing it in several ways. menu oysters on the half-shell. green pea bisque. croutons. lobster cutlets. sauce tartare. slices of turkey-breast. currant jelly. french peas. pineapple sherbet. quail on toast. french dressed lettuce. snowball ices. snowball cakes. coffee. bonbons. a musical luncheon the twenty-seventh of january is mozart's birthday, and this anniversary gives opportunity for entertaining a group of friends who have musical tastes, or possibly a musical club. the guests might be asked to come at eleven o'clock, and a musicale might precede the luncheon. [illustration] lay the table very much as for the new year's day luncheon, with red flowers, candles, and other decoration, and if you wish to emphasise the national colours of germany, mozart's home, have red and chocolate bonbons on the table and give each guest a little knot of red and white carnations tied with black ribbons. for cards, go to the printer and have him strike off small cuts of mozart's head on squares of cardboard; all printers have cuts of distinguished people, and they can be reproduced for about a dollar a dozen. just under the cut draw in pen and ink a bar of music from one of the composer's works with his name attached in tiny letters. [illustration: musical luncheon favours.] at each plate may be one of the ingenious favours to be had at the confectioner's in the shape of a violin, a small piano, a banjo, a harp, or a mandolin. the ices may also be in these same shapes. menu grape fruit. clam broth with strips of toast. pigs in blankets. veal cutlets, breaded. sweet potato croquettes. asparagus tips. hot rolls. cream cheese salad. nut sandwiches. ice cream in forms. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the pigs in blankets are made by seasoning large oysters and folding each one in a very thin strip of bacon, pinning it with a small toothpick and browning in the frying-pan. the cutlets are to be cut in strips the size and shape of croquettes, breaded and fried. the asparagus served with this is, of course, canned. the salad is made by adding a little olive oil or cream to cream cheese, colouring it green with fruit colouring and moulding into balls the size of a hickory nut. these are to be laid on lettuce and a spoonful of mayonnaise added. a pretty change from the ordinary mayonnaise may be used with these green balls: a tablespoonful of unsweetened, condensed milk is used in place of the yolk of an egg; it is beaten, the oil and vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning added exactly in the same order and proportion as is usual; the result will be a stiff, foamy white mayonnaise. the sandwiches to serve with this salad are made of chopped english walnuts spread on bread and butter with just enough mayonnaise to moisten them. a japanese luncheon for children [illustration] nothing could give children greater pleasure than a luncheon given for them, especially a japanese luncheon, which affords opportunity for odd and pretty decorations. the dining-room should be darkened and wires drawn across from side to side, fastened to the picture moulding; from these may be hung a dozen or more very small paper lanterns, some over the table and others about the room. in the centre of the table may stand two good-sized japanese dolls, back to back, with a japanese umbrella over them. instead of the usual doilies or table-cloth, the table may be spread with delicate white japanese paper napkins with lace borders, and about it may be scattered small metal trays, purchased at a curio shop, filled with candied ginger, candied orange peel, japanese nuts, and various oriental sweets. at each plate may be a little lacquer box filled with candy, and the ice cream may be either in the forms of japanese children or else a plain cream served in small scarlet tea boxes to be had also at the japanese stores. the china used for this luncheon might be japanese, to keep everything in harmony. the menu for a children's luncheon should be a very simple one if the children are young; in this one the salad may be omitted if it is thought best. menu cream of celery soup. scalloped fish in shells. stewed chicken. potatoes. peas. bread and butter sandwiches. celery salad. crackers. ice cream. cakes. cocoa. japanese nuts. this japanese luncheon is quite pretty enough for children of a larger growth. with a more elaborate menu, decorations of artificial camellias or peach blossoms, and if it is desired to have it really oriental, japanese costumes for both hostess and guests, it might be easily carried out very attractively. a menu which would suggest japanese cooking without actually following it might be something like this:-- menu brown soup with forcemeat balls. fish, baked in shells with chopped pickle over it. chicken and rice stewed with curry. devilled eggs on lettuce. mayonnaise. ice cream in japanese boxes. tea. candied ginger. japanese nuts. another luncheon which small children would enjoy hugely would be one in which everything suggested their friend alice of wonderland. the table should be laid as for an ordinary luncheon, and in the centre should be a mass of green with the hero of the book, the white rabbit himself, standing erect in the middle, dressed as in the familiar frontispiece, in a plaid coat and waistcoat, holding a watch. each child should have a card with its name and a sketch of one of the familiar characters in the story, such as the mock turtle, the dormouse, the march hare, the white queen or humpty dumpty, with one of their famous sayings written beneath. all the candies on the table should be in the shapes of animals; animal crackers should be served with the cocoa, and if possible the ice cream should be in the shape of white rabbits. children's luncheons depend for their success, not so much on an elaborate menu or handsome decoration of flowers, as on small, ingenious devices which appeal to them. anything which seems to their unsophisticated souls novel or beautiful will give infinite pleasure and will never be forgotten. such a decoration as was used for a dinner-party at the white house not many years ago might well be reproduced for a child's luncheon with the assurance that it would be a great success. a long, narrow pan of water stood on an oblong table, the outside completely hidden by small, growing ferns, planted in moss. in the centre of the pan was a miniature rockery, a pile of stones the size of one's fist, with these same ferns planted in all the crevices. but the charming thing was a little flock of china ducks, geese, swans, and tiny yellow goslings which floated on the surface of this small lake, moving somewhat as the table was stirred more or less by the restless guests. this arrangement for a children's party would be irresistible. february this month brings the two most important gala days of the year, and gives therefore the best possible opportunity for entertaining at luncheon. then, too, this is the time when every one is giving teas, dinners, and social affairs of all sorts and the sense of gaiety is inspiring to all hostesses. in cities the spring flowers, fruits, and vegetables begin to come in with this month, and there ample scope is given for a fresh and delicious menu. of course, where one has no access to large markets she must content herself with the usual winter foods, yet with a little ingenuity she can give the impression of a spring-like meal, using the resources at her command. [illustration: for a st. valentine s day luncheon.] a luncheon on valentine's day is one of the prettiest possible, for the profusion of flowers which might be excessive at another time is quite the proper thing now, and the accessories of the occasion, the ribbon bows, the cupids, the heart-shaped cakes and ices all make the table attractive. lay it as daintily as possible with your most elaborate doilies, your prettiest candle-shades, and all your odd little dishes of silver. of course, pink is the colour to choose, and the more pink roses you can have, the better. a very beautiful table which will suggest the day at first sight is set with five tall slender glass vases, one in the centre and four grouped around it at intervals filled with roses. this arrangement really takes no more flowers than is required for one large bunch, but the effect is of far more. the florist will sell or rent to you a large snow-white dove, the emblem of venus, which can be suspended from the ceiling with an invisible wire; you can tie a number of narrow pink ribbons to his feet, or to his bill, and draw them down to the table, fastening two or three by each plate with a pink rose. if you have a large bisque cupid it will do quite as well as the dove, and if you prefer to use vines instead of ribbon, these will form a sort of bower under which the meal is served. put the central vase on a lace centrepiece laid over pink silk, and if your doilies are of lace they, too, may be lined with pink for this one occasion. there are candle-shades made of small paper roses which are very inexpensive and pretty, and these may be used with pink candles in silver sticks. if you fancy the idea, large pink satin bows laid on the corners of the table, if it is a square one, or at intervals if the table is round, add to the colour. fill your bonbon dishes with small heart-shaped candies, pink-iced cakes of the same shape, and candied rose leaves, in addition to those filled with the usual olives and salted almonds. your guest cards will of course be valentines, and you can buy them in any variety and at any price, but the most appropriate are those painted with old-fashioned figures, or with watteau-like groups. of course, if these valentines are on heart-shaped cardboard they are still better; it is easy for one who paints in water-colour to decorate such pieces of board with figures and an appropriate rhyme or a quotation, adding the name of the guest and the date of the luncheon. besides these cards, there are boxes in heart shapes of all prices, from the plain ones which need the addition of sketches, to those of satin which come from paris and cost a small fortune. the plainer boxes may take the place of guest cards, and so serve a double duty; in any case, the boxes may be filled either with tiny candy hearts or with rose leaves such as are in the small dishes. the sandwiches served with the meal are of course to be cut out with a heart-shaped cutter, as are the cakes, and the latter should have small silver arrows stuck through each of them. menu clams on the half-shell. cream of spinach soup with whipped cream. whitebait. brown bread and butter. chicken mousse. stoned olives. chops with peas. bermuda potatoes. grape fruit salad. cheese sandwiches. ice cream hearts. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the cream of spinach soup is made by cooking the vegetable until very tender, pressing it through a sieve and adding hot, thickened milk; a little whipped cream is to be put in the bouillon cups before the soup is poured in. the whitebait is one of the most delicious things in our winter markets; it is a very tiny fish of delicate flavour, and while it is rather expensive at first thought, it is not so in reality, for it is so light that a pound goes a long way. it is cooked after being dredged with flour, by frying for only a moment in a wire basket in hot fat, and served with a bit of lemon on rounds of lace paper; brown bread and butter in thin strips is passed with it. if it is not to be had, and of course outside a city it is difficult to obtain, lobster newburgh, made from the canned fish, is an excellent substitute. about a pint of the meat is needed for eight persons; a half-pint of cream is put on the stove with the yolks of two well-beaten eggs; when it thickens the lobster is added, then the seasoning and last a dash of sherry, and it is served in ramekins or paper cases. the chicken mousse is a cold dish, made by chopping and pounding the cooked white meat of chicken until it is a paste, seasoning, and adding enough chicken stock in which gelatine has been dissolved to thoroughly moisten it; it is then whipped with an egg-beater until light, pressed in a pan, and allowed to harden; sometimes in addition to the stock a half cup of whipped cream is mixed in, and this is an improvement to the ordinary rule for making it. when it is to be used it is sliced and cut out in heart-shaped pieces; two stoned olives are put on the plate with each piece, or, if you prefer it, a spoonful of sauce tartare. the ices may be of strawberry cream or of raspberry ice or a mixture of both, they are to be heart-shaped, as has been said, and each one should have a sugar arrow stuck through it. if you prefer roses to hearts, these should be laid on lace papers. if this course must be prepared at home, the cream can easily be coloured a rose tint with fruit colour, and a spoonful served in a dainty little box made of pasteboard covered with rose crêpe paper, cut to resemble petals of the flower, tied with ribbons to match. washington's birthday luncheon the twenty-second of february suggests that an almost unlimited amount of ingenuity may be spent in preparing a meal in honour of the father of our country. there is opportunity for decoration such as few gala days offer, and this may easily be the prettiest luncheon of the year. if the meal is an informal one a centrepiece may be arranged which will amuse the guests. get at the florist's a small dead plant, such as an azalea, and pick off some of the twigs, making a symmetrical tree of diminutive size. at a japanese shop you can buy the pretty artificial cherry blossoms used to set off the bric-à-brac in the windows, and these can be fastened to the twigs with invisible wire, the little tree may stand in a low pot filled with moss, and at its base may be a small hatchet. with this, your candle-shades should be a sort of rosy white. you might use in preference to this a bunch of the cherry branches in a vase in the centre. [illustration] [illustration] or, if you prefer to have the colonial colours, choose a large dark-blue bowl and fill it with yellow tulips, and have all the dishes, or at least several sets of plates, of dark-blue ware; if one does not own staffordshire of her grandmother's or the beautiful chinese canton china, still she need not despair, for the shops are full of a cheap and pretty imitation of the latter which gives an admirable effect. the candle-shades should be yellow, in tulip pattern preferably, and the candlesticks of old-fashioned silver. [illustration: a washington's birthday favour.] at each plate lay a bonbon box in the form of a paper hatchet with the handle filled with red and white candies, and tie a bunch of artificial cherries to it with narrow ribbon. you can get at the printer's cards with the head of washington which a line of gold paint and a bowknot will transform into a miniature. fold your napkins into little cocked hats, and stand small silk flags in your dishes of almonds and olives. in addition to all this, you can send to mount vernon for small souvenirs in the shape of hatchets, supposably made of the actual historic cherry-tree, which may take the place of the paper hatchets at the plates. should your luncheon be given for the members of some patriotic association, you might add the name of some famous revolutionary battle to your guest cards, or possibly a quotation from some well-known novel which has historic characters, such as "richard carvel" or "the virginians." menu grape fruit with brandied cherries. cream of chicken soup. smelts with sauce tartare. fried sweetbreads. mushroom sauce. carrots in cases. bermuda potatoes. celery and cabbage salad in peppers. ice cream hatchets. cakes. coffee. bonbons. cut the grape fruit in half and remove the seeds and core, loosen the pulp around the sides and put in the cavity in the middle a couple of preserved or brandied cherries, with a little of their juice. the soup is a strong chicken stock to which cream has been added; a spoonful of whipped cream is put on top of each cup as it is served, and hot crackers are passed with it. put a little water-cress on the plate with the smelts as well as the sauce. sweetbreads are especially good with both mushrooms and carrots, though one does not often see the latter vegetable with them, but creamed, in small paper or paste cases, they are by no means to be despised, above all, if they are the new ones which have just come to market. the salad is made by cutting off the tops of green peppers, removing the seeds and filling them with shredded celery and cabbage with stiff mayonnaise, and serving on lettuce; if the peppers are not to be had, the salad may be put directly on the lettuce. the cheese straws are made by sprinkling thin strips of pie-crust with red pepper and grated cheese, twisting a little and browning in the oven. the ice cream hatchets must come from the caterer; they are extremely realistic with the initials gr. w. on their handles, and add greatly to the gaiety of the occasion; but if they are not to be had, the hostess can serve in their place a plain cream in little cocked hats, or have it sliced with a few preserved or brandied cherries on each slice. the bonbons passed with the coffee may be one or more kinds of candied cherries to be found in great variety at the confectioner's. a still more elaborate menu might be this one:-- menu grape fruit with cherries. cream of chicken soup. fried oysters with sauce tartare. chicken croquettes with peas. sweetbreads, mushroom sauce. carrots in cases. bermuda potatoes. cherry sherbet. celery and cabbage salad in green peppers. ice cream hatchets. cakes. coffee. bonbons. [illustration: also for a february luncheon.] the sherbet course is exceedingly pretty. the ice is made from home-made candied cherries and put in glass sherbet cups with a little bunch of artificial cherries tied to the handle with green ribbon the colour of the leaves. a shrove tuesday luncheon shrove tuesday comes the day before lent begins, and there is always much gaiety on hand by way of a temporary farewell to festivities. the old custom of serving pancakes on this day should not be forgotten in planning one's menu for the gala day meal; true, they are certainly an unusual dish for luncheon, but they should by no means be omitted. there is a very beautiful and odd decoration to be made with delicate white flowers and tiny white candles, which can be arranged with little trouble. have a low mound of moss for a foundation with a border of maiden-hair fern; stand roman hyacinths or lilies of the valley in this, not too near together, with the candles between, having first inserted a toothpick in the bottom of each and had them on the ice over night to prevent them from melting too soon. keep all the colour on the table green and white,--the candles, the china, if possible, and the ice cream. the pancakes should be made very large, one covering the whole griddle, spread with jelly, rolled, and sprinkled with sugar. one, or at most two, should serve a tableful of guests. menu bouillon. oysters on skewers. chops and peas. french fried potatoes. asparagus tips with mayonnaise. french pancakes. pistache ice cream. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the oysters are to be rather small, and put on skewers with bits of thin bacon alternating, and fried quickly till crisp; serve on toast with lemon. this is an easily prepared and delicious dish and one which makes a good substitute for any other suggested in any winter luncheon which is not within reach. serve the ice cream in cases of white candy, or white cream in green cases, or use whipped cream as a bed around either ice cream if cases are not to be had. lincoln's birthday comes early in february, and a patriotic luncheon can easily be arranged for that from the suggestions already given for washington's birthday. patriotic affairs admit little variation; red, white, and blue ribbons and flowers, ice cream in paper boxes with red and white stripes, and cards with suitable inscriptions are about all one can have by way of appropriate decoration. march with march comes a lull in the social world. lent holds sway, whether one professes to observe it or not. dinners, receptions, dances, are all postponed for a time, and quiet teas and luncheons are the accepted forms of entertaining. a lenten luncheon gives opportunity for a meal without meat, one which may be a pleasant change from the usual menu, and still will not suggest a fast. a lenten luncheon for this no colour is so appropriate as violet, and luckily this is the month when the flower itself appears most plentifully in market. in arranging the table it may be well to depart for once from the rule of having all the linen in white, and use any violet-embroidered pieces you happen to have. such a centrepiece is especially pretty, under the real flowers, and violet and white china, if you have it, will make an attractive table. in the centre have a basket of rough green straw tied with ribbons of violet, and filled with a mass of the flowers arranged to look like one large, loose bunch, but really in a quantity of small bunches which are to be given to the guests as they leave the table at the close of the meal, unless you prefer to have a knot of the flowers at each place, tied with narrow ribbons. this giving of individual bunches of flowers at the beginning of the meal, although always a graceful and pretty custom, is not seen just now as much as formerly. if you use candles, have them of violet, with plain violet shades edged with the flowers sewed to the paper or silk foundation; or else have plain shades of heavy paper painted with wreaths of the flowers. your cards may match these, being squares of cardboard almost covered with a wreath of violets, with a bowknot painted on it, and the name of the guest written across the flowers. your bonbon dishes may be filled with candied violets and other violet-tinted sweets. menu oysters on the half-shell. bouillon. halibut timbales with lobster sauce. salmon croquettes with peas. shad with roe. new potatoes. cucumbers. violet cabbage salad. brown bread and butter. olives. violet ice cream. cakes. coffee. bonbons. if shad is not in market as yet, though it should be in march, use any broiled fish; if white fish is obtainable, nothing is nicer, especially if it is planked. the salad is an odd one; a head of purple cabbage is taken, the leaves turned back and the centre cut out; a white cabbage is shredded and mixed with as much shredded celery and stiff mayonnaise, and this is put into the purple cabbage head, and it is passed on a round platter to the guests. the ice cream is a plain one coloured violet with fruit colour; it is put in a circular border mould and turned when firm out on a bed of whipped cream; the centre of the mould is heaped with this same whipped cream, and over the whole a quantity of candied violets is sprinkled. on the edge of the platter a wreath of natural violets is arranged with their leaves, making a really beautiful dish. if this seems too elaborate, or if the flowers are not abundant, fill meringue shells with the violet cream and tie two together with narrow violet ribbon and lay on rounds of lace paper on each plate; the cream should rather more than fill the shells. if you prefer a menu with less fish and some meat, this would do:-- menu oranges. bisque of oyster soup. halibut timbales with shrimp sauce. chicken and pim-olas in cases. sliced breast of duck. currant jelly. potato roses. apricot sherbet. sardine salad. mayonnaise. violet ice cream. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the oranges are to be prepared as was the grape fruit; that is, the pulp is loosened from the sides after a thick slice has been cut from the top, the core is taken out, and powdered sugar and sherry, if you use it, put in. the creamed chicken has chopped pim-olas added to it to give a delicious flavour. the salad is an aspic with one sardine embedded in each small mould. the potato roses are made by pressing mashed potato through a tube in spirals, and browning in the oven. sometimes one is moved to give a luncheon "just for fun," on some gala day which suggests that informality will be in keeping with its atmosphere. of course one invites to such a meal only such of one's friends as will appreciate the spirit in which the luncheon is given; nothing is more discouraging than to have one's little jokes fall flat, as they are sure to, unless all are in sympathy. a st. patrick's day luncheon requires kindred spirits to really enjoy it. [illustration: for a st. patrick's day luncheon.] of course the meal should be carried out in green, ireland's colour, and potato salad should be one of the distinctive irish dishes. have a white and green centrepiece, and if you have any green and white china have it conspicuously used, and for decoration get from the florist a wire harp, typical of that which "once thro' tara's halls," and cover its frame and strings with delicate green vines, letting their ends trail on the table. stand small green flags among your candies and olives, and have pistache nuts among the salted almonds. if you use candles, have them green with their shades decorated in shamrock, which is like a small clover. for cards use the same thing, painted in little bunches tied with ribbon, or have a sketch of a typical irish peasant, or of a tiny white-washed cottage with vines as one sees so many in ireland. under the name of the guest put a quotation from moore, the poet of the country, the more familiar the better. have your bonbons in the form of small potatoes, or else give each person one of the bonbon boxes which look exactly like large irish potatoes, and fill it with green candies. [illustration: potato bonbon.] menu grape fruit. cream of green pea soup. shad roe with sauce tartare. chops, with peas and bermuda potatoes. lemon sherbet in lemon baskets. potato salad. lettuce sandwiches. pistache ice cream. cakes. coffee. there is just enough green about this meal to suggest the day, without trying to have the whole in the colour, a thing seldom seen now, though not long ago it was thought a very pretty fancy. this potato salad is a very delicious one, not to be despised because of its plebeian name. it is made by mixing equal parts of cold boiled potatoes cut into cubes with olives in rather large bits and blanched english walnuts, the whole covered with a stiff mayonnaise. the sandwiches passed with this are made by spreading thin slices of bread and butter with leaves of lettuce and mayonnaise, rolling them and tying with a narrow green ribbon. the ice cream may be either a melon mould of french cream covered with a thick layer of pistache, or else a brick of the pistache with a centre of lemon ice. the little cakes should be iced with green. quotations from moore "when friends are nearest, when joys are dearest, oh, then remember me." "here still is the smile that no cloud can o'ercast, and a heart and a hand all thine own to the last." "you may break, you may shatter the vase if you will, but the scent of the roses will hang round it still." "oh, there are looks and tones that dart an instant sunshine through the heart." "there's nothing half so sweet in life as love's young dream." a christening luncheon the day that the baby is christened is surely a gala day, and one that admits a very dainty and beautiful luncheon after the service. of course the colour of the decorations, whether in the parlours or the dining-room, should be white, and the flowers should be the delicate ones suggestive of childhood, such as white violets, roman hyacinths, lilies of the valley, and daisies; these should be mingled with asparagus fern and other airy green, and used as lavishly as one's purse will permit. on the table spread for the luncheon there should be only white decorations. for this occasion it is more appropriate to use a cloth of plain damask or heavy linen and lace rather than the usual doilies, the centrepiece being of lace. if candles are used, they should be white with shades of silver; the appointments of the table should be, as far as possible, of glass, and all the bonbons and other decoration of white, such as candy baskets filled with crystallised fruits. [illustration] the centrepiece may be a wicker cradle painted white and tied with white ribbons, filled with delicate flowers and asparagus ferns, and the ices may be in cradle shape also. menu cream of corn soup. timbale of halibut in melon shape. lobster sauce. chicken breasts with celery sauce. potato balls. orange sherbet. sweetbreads in aspic with white mayonnaise. ices in forms. angels' food. coffee with whipped cream. the fish is prepared by putting a pound and a half of boiled halibut through a sieve, adding a teacup of whipped cream, seasoning, and the whites of five eggs well beaten; the whole is put in a buttered mould and steamed for half an hour, turned out on a round platter with the lobster sauce around it, and passed. the sauce for the chicken is made by pressing stewed celery through a sieve, adding seasoning and thickening. stewed celery may be served with the chicken in place of this sauce. the sweetbreads are cleaned, blanched by throwing in cold water when taken from that in which they have been boiled, and cut in bits; they are then seasoned and put in small moulds and aspic, or melted beef extract, and dissolved gelatine is poured over them. when they are served they are put on lettuce leaves and a white mayonnaise is put by the side of each. the cream may be in the form of cradles, as has been suggested, or a white cream may be served in spun sugar cases, or, if neither of these is to be had, a plain cream may be served in slices with whipped cream around each. the cake should be passed in a large iced loaf, and the coffee should have a spoonful of whipped cream on top. with the last course a large silver tray may be carried around the table with a mass of white roses and asparagus fern on it, which proves to separate readily into individual roses, each one holding a tiny card bearing the name of the newly named baby, which the guests will doubtless like to preserve as souvenirs of the day. to alter this menu a trifle for those who do not fancy a sherbet and a cream in the same luncheon, have for dessert small moulds of whipped cream set with gelatine, filled with chopped almonds and flavoured with sherry; serve a spoonful of whipped cream with each. this is a good dish and one that is easily prepared, and may be substituted in any luncheon for the suggested cream when that is not just what is wanted. april april brings many other good things beside the showers typical of the month; summer now begins to declare itself, and flowers, fruits, and fresh vegetables are in season. easter usually comes in april, and brings not only a religious festival but a gala day as well, for easter monday is holiday time the world over. to keep it hospitably, let us have an easter luncheon [illustration: for an easter luncheon.] for this, no flowers are so appropriate as jonquils, for they are the colour of spring sunshine, and have a suggestion of gaiety all their own. they do not lend themselves to any arrangement other than the massing of them in a bowl, but they do blend well with violets; and if your luncheon is very elaborate, the two may be used, the jonquils in the centre and the violets in a wreath around the bowl, or in smaller bowls about the table. a mahogany table is at its best with yellow flowers, each setting off the other; but whatever the table, lay it with doilies; if you have a yellow and white centrepiece, use it, but if not, choose a white one. candles are not to be used in summer weather, unless, as one sometimes sees them by way of decoration, they are unlighted. [illustration: easter egg.] [illustration: easter favour.] in addition to your little dishes of radishes, almonds, candied ginger, and other relishes on the table, have some filled with easter eggs in candy. each guest may have a tiny, downy chicken at her plate, such as fill the shops at this season, or if you prefer, a box in the shape of an egg, filled with bonbons, or rather candy eggs. these boxes come in all prices, ranging from a few cents for those of plain cardboard to the expensive ones in satin which are imported and cost an alarming sum; one will have no trouble in finding something pretty within her means. the ice cream for an easter luncheon may be very attractive; it comes in various egg forms from the caterer, but the prettiest is that which is in small eggs of ice and cream, in different sizes, served in a nest of spun sugar of a straw colour. there is also a large form in which a hen sits on a larger nest of the same sort with little chickens peeping from under her wings, but this is rather too elaborate for a luncheon. if all caterers' forms are out of reach, the best substitute is made by serving rounded spoonfuls of a very yellow cream as nearly like eggs as possible. the menu for the luncheon should consist principally of chicken and eggs in different styles. menu clams on the half-shell. cream of chicken soup. green peppers filled with creamed salmon. patties of sweetbreads and mushrooms. chicken in rice border. new potatoes. lemon and peppermint ice. egg salad. cheese straws. ice cream in egg forms. cake. coffee. bonbons. the peppers are prepared by cutting off the small end and filling them with creamed salmon, heating them in the oven before serving. the patties are to be purchased at the bakery and filled with a mixture of sweetbreads and canned mushrooms. the chicken in rice is a delicious dish, and one easily prepared, but seldom seen. the white meat of two or if necessary three chickens is stewed until tender, then cut into pieces about four inches by two, and put in the centre of a border of boiled rice which has been turned out on a round platter; a sauce made of the strained chicken stock, thickened and with cream added until it is white in colour, is then poured over the whole. if sherry is used it should be added the last thing. [illustration: ices in a nest of spun sugar.] the sherbet is odd; make a lemon ice and divide it; colour one half light green and flavour with essence of peppermint; serve the two ices together in glass cups, one layer of each. the salad is made by cutting a head of lettuce into strips with the scissors, until it looks like grass, and putting this in a sort of nest shape on the plate with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs in a group in the centre and mayonnaise in a stiff spoonful on top. the cake served with the cream should be what is called sunshine cake, an angels' food to which the yolks of the eggs has been added. [illustration: easter lily of ice cream.] another easter luncheon may be arranged in green and white, which is even more beautiful and stately than this in yellow. for this, have a centrepiece of easter lilies in a tall slender glass vase, or have three such vases down the table, if it is an oblong one, or several grouped around one larger one in the middle if it is round. have guest cards painted with easter lilies, and use only white and green decorations of bonbons on the table,--ribbon candies are pretty, or candy baskets in green filled with white candies. if you use candles on the table, have the shades represent lilies, inverted. the little cakes may be iced in green, and the colours carried out in the ice cream, which may be purchased in beautiful forms of lilies, the flower being of lemon ice and the leaves of pistache cream. or, if the cream must be home-made, you may have it of the pistache and serve it in a bed of whipped cream in rounded spoonfuls. or, by way of still another method, have a plain white cream and serve it with a spray of maiden-hair fern on each plate. a shakespearian luncheon by a curious coincidence, shakespeare's birthday and the day on which he died are the same,--the twenty-third of april; so this date is peculiarly appropriate for a luncheon to a literary club, or a group of literary friends. there is ample scope here for all sorts of shakespearian suggestions, from views of his home, or sketches of anne hathaway's cottage on the cards, to quotations taken from one play, or from many; for reminders of some one heroine, or suggestions of some historic event. one might have a rosalind or juliet luncheon, or carry out in one of half a dozen ways some play which a class has been studying. [illustration] the flowers should certainly be english, either roses or primroses, and the decorations should be rather simple, as in keeping with the classic nature of the presiding genius of the day. the cards might bear a cut of his head, or each guest might have a small plaster bust, preferably one of the odd coloured ones which are sold in stratford; the plain plaster ones are easily coloured; or, if these little busts are not easily procured, get the small japanese masks which are so artistic; they cost but a few cents each, and the expressions will convey the idea of comedy and tragedy. strawberries will be in market in cities by the latter part of april, and these will make a first course. menu strawberries. bouillon. soft-shell crabs. broiled mushrooms on toast. chops. peas. french fried potatoes. chocolate. lemon and peppermint ice. tomato and lettuce salad. french dressing. cheese straws. coffee mousse. cakes. bonbons. the strawberries should be served with their hulls on, with a spoonful of powdered sugar on each plate; this may be moulded in a pyramid by pressing it into a little paper horn of course finger bowls should be placed on the table at each plate. the mousse may be either in a melon form or in slices, as is more convenient, but a little whipped cream served with it is an improvement in either case. having this dessert, coffee is not offered at the close of the meal, as is usually done, but a cup of chocolate is passed with the chop course. the mousse is made by whipping sweetened cream, strongly flavoured with black coffee, until it is perfectly stiff, and packing it in a mould and burying it in ice and salt for at least four hours before it is needed. if a breakfast is desired for this shakespeare celebration, as possibly may be if given for a club or class, this luncheon may be easily transformed into one. breakfasts and luncheons differ principally in the hour at which the meal is served, a breakfast being at twelve and a luncheon at one or half after one. it is also customary to begin a breakfast with fruit, and often, though not always, the meal concludes with cheese and coffee rather than with a sweet. this menu might be altered to cover these requirements, for as it begins with strawberries there need be no change until the final course, except that the chocolate should be omitted. instead of the mousse serve crême gervaise; that is, a slice of cream cheese about one inch by three, with a spoonful of whipped cream on it and a spoonful of gooseberry jam by its side. there is a variety of french preserved gooseberries called bar-le-duc which is particularly delicious. sometimes before serving this dish the cheese is beaten with a little olive oil or cream to make it soft and light, and then it is pressed into shape again before it is cut into pieces for serving. if this is the final course at breakfast, serve coffee with it. there are an unlimited number of shakespearian quotations for the cards, but for a woman's meal they might be taken either from the words of juliet, katharine, portia, rosalind, hermione, ophelia, hero, celia, imogen, and helena, or else the familiar ones which are given below; in case this luncheon or breakfast is given for those interested in study, a guessing contest might be introduced, with or without prizes, as to the context of these quotations:-- "daffodils, that come before the swallow does." "thou shalt not lack the flower that's like the face, pale primrose." "i could wish my best friend at such a feast." "things won, are done. joy's soul lies in the doing." "i have been so well brought up that i can write my name." "you have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful; i never was nor never will be false." "love looks not with the eyes but with the mind, and therefore is winged cupid painted blind." "my heart unto yours is knit so that but one heart we can make of it." "loving goes by haps; some cupid kills with arrows, some with traps." "of good discourse, an excellent musician." "my affection hath an unknown bottom." still another menu may be given for those who cannot obtain some of the articles suggested, such as strawberries, crabs, or fresh mushrooms. menu grape fruit. bouillon. sardines on toast. mushroom patties. chops. peas. french fried potatoes. chocolate. lettuce salad with shredded bananas. french dressing. coffee mousse. cakes. bonbons. in this menu the patties are to be filled with canned mushrooms, cut in bits and creamed. the salad is made by cutting bananas in halves, and then cutting each half into strips no larger than a knitting needle; these are to be arranged on lettuce with french dressing poured over the last thing before serving. [illustration: yellow-shaded candle.] a beautiful decoration for an april luncheon may be arranged with crocuses, flowers seldom or never seen on our tables, and therefore especially desirable by way of novelty. have a large flat basket in the centre of the table filled with moss, and in this stick crocuses of all colours with their leaves, crowding as closely as possible. repeat the colours in your candle-shades, if you use candles, having them delicate lilac with yellow touches on the edges, and use ribbon candy in lilac, yellow, and white. serve yellow ices, or white ones in lilac baskets, and lay some of the crocuses on the plates with the finger bowls which appear with the coffee. [illustration] may the first of may is not always a gala day; to many it means the coming and going of moving vans, and meals eaten in cold comfort from the traditional window-sill. but where one has a permanent home, especially in the country, no day is pleasanter on which to give a luncheon than on may day, with its charming associations of spring. there are several fancies which may serve for suggestions; one of these is the use of the "mayflower" of our early history, and the flowers which bear the same name as the ship, the trailing arbutus of our northern states. the two have no connection, really, but one suggests the other. a may-day luncheon [illustration: for a mayflower luncheon.] the table may be laid with a cloth, by way of a change, one with an open border preferably. the centrepiece may be of lace over pale pink silk, and rows of baby ribbon may be drawn across the table, three or four strands each way, with a bunch of the ribbon where they cross. in the centre may be a large toy ship, all in white, with the word "mayflower" in gilt on the prow. the deck should be heaped with mayflowers, if this loveliest of our spring blossoms is to be had, and around the table at irregular intervals may be shallow bowls of the same flower. the cards may have the monogram of the hostess at the top, and a cluster of the arbutus painted below, if that is fancied. care should be taken to keep all the decorations of the table in a very pale shade of pink, or the effect of the flowers will be spoiled. menu california cherries. clam bouillon. hot crackers. salmon croquettes. sauce tartare. crown roast of lamb. mashed potatoes. peas. hot rolls. mint sherbet. asparagus salad. cheese crackers. pim-olas. strawberry ice cream. cakes. coffee. bonbons. [illustration: basket of cherries.] the first course of cherries may be made very pretty by arranging the fruit in clusters of red and white with a few leaves and fastening them with invisible wire to bits of stem, and arranging them in baskets of rough green straw tied with green ribbons. crown roast of lamb is a rather unusual dish at a luncheon, but it is an attractive one and not too heavy for the meal. it is the whole saddle of lamb, cut down the back, with the two sides carefully trimmed of the meat until the chop bones stand up alone as in french chops. the sides are then put together, bent in a circle, and fastened with skewers to form a crown with the bones standing up. the centre is filled either with mashed potato or with peas before it is served; it should be carved on the table, on a round platter, or, if it is carefully cut between the chops before it is brought in, it may be passed to the guests for each to cut for herself. the sherbet to follow this course is made by adding a handful of crushed mint to boiling hot lemonade, letting it stand till cool, straining, adding a little sherry or rum if you use them, and freezing. a few drops of green colouring improve its appearance. sometimes a sprig of mint is put in the sherbet glass with the ice, a very pretty idea. the salad is made by cooking asparagus until it is tender, and when cold sprinkling with french dressing and allowing it to stand an hour before serving on lettuce with mayonnaise. with this luncheon the ices may be served in beautiful little ships of silver paper with delicate paper sails, or the ingenious caterer has a form for reproducing plymouth rock in caramel cream, so lifelike that even the fissure in the side appears. either of these shapes are certainly delightfully appropriate for a may-day luncheon if they are attainable. if not, the cream may be served in little fluted paper cases decorated with the arbutus, tied on in small bunches with narrow ribbon. an apple-blossom luncheon [illustration: filled with candied fruits.] a hostess living in the country may offer a group of city guests a real delight in may-time by inviting them to luncheon when the orchards are all in bloom. the invitations should bear the word "apple-blossoms" in one corner, and the implied promise should be fulfilled by having the flowers in evidence everywhere in the house and out of it. the rooms should be decorated with bowls of the flowers on the mantels and on the top of the book-cases and on the tables in the halls. the luncheon table should have a bowl of the blossoms in the centre, and the cloth, or rather the table itself, should be strewn with the flowers picked from the stems and showered over it. the same small ribbons suggested for the may-day luncheon may also be used for this one, as the colour should again be pale. the bonbons used might be tiny candy apples. menu strawberries. cream of beet soup. frogs' legs. potato balls. chicken croquettes with asparagus tips. peas. hot rolls. ginger sherbet. cheese soufflÃ�. cherry salad. sandwiches. olives. ice cream in angels' food. coffee. bonbons. the soup is made by stewing chopped beets until they are tender and adding them to hot cream, seasoning, thickening, and straining, and pouring into the bouillon cups onto a spoonful of whipped cream. the beets should be the dark red ones, and only enough should be used to give a pretty pink colour to the soup. frogs' legs, fried and served with a bit of lemon make a very good course for luncheon, and one liked by almost every one. the salad is made by stoning california cherries and covering them with french dressing to which a little chopped parsley has been added, and laying them on a leaf of lettuce. the sherbet is a lemon ice flavoured with the syrup of preserved ginger, with a few bits of the root added. the cheese soufflé, which may be placed before the sherbet, if desired, is made by grating a quarter of a pound of cheese and mixing it with two tablespoonfuls of flour, butter the size of a walnut, salt, and a little red pepper, and the beaten yolks of three eggs. just before putting in the oven add the stiff whites of two eggs, and bake in buttered paper cases, or in small tin moulds. they must be eaten as soon as they are taken from the fire or they will fall. the ice cream is a plain white one, served in a large cake of angels' food which has had the top carefully cut off, the inside scooped out, and the cream packed firmly in. the cover is then put back and the whole iced, or covered with powdered sugar, and decorated on top with candied cherries. it is to be cut exactly as though it were simply an ordinary cake, and served in slices. a school-girl luncheon a luncheon for a young girl should be of the simplest character, both in decorations and menu, but there is no reason why it should not be pretty. the most appropriate flower to use is the primrose; pots of these may stand on the table, one in front of each guest, tied up with crêpe paper and ribbons. if these are of two or more shades of pink, the effect will be more elaborate than if they are all of the same shade. in the centre may be a large pot with a number of the plants closely planted in it. if candles are used, the shades may be of plain cardboard with a wreath of the same flowers on the edge, either artificial ones sewed on, or painted in a simple pattern. or, hyacinths may be used for the flowers, either pink ones or pink and white alternating. if the school-girls are beyond the time when the gift of a pot of flowers gives pleasure,--and there is a period when they would scorn such an offering as undignified,--let the decoration be a long, narrow box of the growing hyacinths in the centre of the table, which will make a beautiful window-box after the luncheon is past. the menu given above might be modified for this meal, as it is unnecessarily elaborate. menu strawberries. cream of beet soup. frogs' legs. potato balls. chicken croquettes with asparagus tips. cherry salad. sandwiches. ice cream in angels' food. chocolate. bonbons. memorial day is anything but an occasion for festivities, but the fact that it is one of our holidays suggests that somewhere about that time one might have a military luncheon [illustration: candy basket.] or one with both military and naval accompaniments. there are so many pretty little decorations nowadays for such a meal that the table may be very pretty. one of the guests may happen to have some special interest in the protectors of our country, and she will especially appreciate a table set with a small encampment of tents made of small napkins folded into the desired shape, or little battalions of toy soldiers presenting arms in companies around the central point of interest, which in this case might be a larger tent, draped with vines. the sherbet or ices might be served in military hats of felt or paper, and the favours might be knapsacks filled with candies. one course should be coffee and hard-tack, suggestive of the frugal fare of the soldier on duty. otherwise the menu would better take its regular course, since bacon and beans and other army rations are not especially appetising. menu mock bisque soup. shad with roe. potato balls. cucumbers. chicken timbales. peas. kidneys and mushrooms in cases. potato puff. string bean salad with mayonnaise. neapolitan ice cream. cakes. coffee with hard-tack. as the course of shad with roe is rather a solid one, the meat course is lighter than usual. the kidneys are cleaned, cut in pieces and stewed until tender, when they are browned in butter to which seasoning and a dash of sherry have been added and mixed with the mushrooms; after a thorough heating they are served in cases either of paste or of paper. a few olives cut into small pieces may be mixed with the whole, if one likes the several flavours. the string bean salad is simply made of cold boiled string beans, young and tender, which have lain in french dressing for a half hour before they are put on lettuce and mayonnaise added; one who has not tried this has no idea how good a salad it is. the neapolitan ice cream is made of alternate layers of cream and ice in contrasting colours; it is too much trouble to make this at home, but another cream can be substituted if desired, such as a rich vanilla with a hot chocolate sauce, or a white cream in which chopped candied fruit has been mixed. the hard-tack is of course a very large thin cracker, perhaps six inches in diameter; it is much better heated in the oven before serving, and if it is wished a cheese, either a cream, or one of the imported ones, such as camembert, may be passed with it. a delft luncheon this is a pretty luncheon to give in a country dining-room furnished in dull blue and white. plaques of real or imitation delft may hang on the walls of the room, and bowls of blue cornflowers and white carnations may stand in window-seats and on shelves as well as on the dining-table. the china should be blue and white or plain white, and the cards squares of pasteboard with sketches of dutch scenes, or blue prints of some native spot of interest. the souvenirs may be small delft plaques, or toy windmills; or they may be little dutch maidens in quaint dresses, which will serve as penwipers after the day of the luncheon. the bonbons may be white ones in little wooden shoes placed in pairs around the table. the small cakes served with the ice cream may each have a tiny windmill cut from white paper standing in the white icing on top, and the cream itself may be a white one in meringue shells tied with blue ribbon. any one of the menus suggested will do to serve, as dutch food alone would hardly seem attractive; however, a course of doughnuts and coffee may take the place of ice cream and cake, if you fancy the idea. june with this month of roses come many gala days; it is the favourite month for weddings, and weddings always bring other festivities in their train. perhaps the bride gives a luncheon for her bridesmaids, or one of the bridal party gives a luncheon for the rest. besides these days of rejoicing, there are those other days when the graduates give parting entertainments of various sorts to each other; and since this is the month of commencements, it is also the time for fraternity meetings and all those delightful reminders of school-days. june luncheons with such backgrounds of interest as these may well be memorable. a bridal luncheon on the wedding-day itself, white should be the colour of the decorations, especially if the day is a warm one, for nothing gives such a sense of coolness as a roomful of white flowers and ferns. even if pink roses are used in the drawing-room and the halls, the dining-room is most attractive all in white. a beautiful background for the table is made by removing all the pictures and hangings, and covering the walls with asparagus fern hung lightly from the ceiling to the floor; where the lines are broken at door and window the vines are to be drawn back and tied at the side with white satin ribbon. [illustration: for a june bridal luncheon.] the table should be covered with a white cloth, as elaborate as one possesses, and the centrepiece should be of lace. on this should be a large mound of white roses and asparagus fern; and if you choose, a canopy of vines from the centre of the ceiling to the edges of the table, fastened wherever they touch the cloth with a white rose. if candles are used they should be white with shades of white rose petals, or else silver openwork. the table should be set with silver and glass as far as possible, and the small dishes which ornament it should be filled with small cakes with white icing, white candies, strawberries covered with white icing, white candied rose petals, and all the other pretty things to be found, such as large white candy baskets filled with crystallised fruits,--those made to represent broad-brimmed hats, bent into odd shapes, are very graceful,--or the simpler mounds of charlotte russe, tied with wide white ribbon. at a wedding luncheon or breakfast the guests of course sit around the room, not at the table, which is used simply to serve from, and the menu is simpler than for a regular meal. menu cream of clam soup. crabs newburgh in cases. sweetbread croquettes with peas. rolls. chicken salad. ice cream in white rose forms. angels' food. cafÃ� frappÃ�. this is a suitable menu for a large and formal wedding; for a smaller and simpler one the crabs may be omitted, and the frappé be replaced by hot coffee; indeed, in any case, hot coffee may be served as well as that which is iced. the crabs are prepared by boiling, removing from their shells, and heating in cream mixed with the yolks of three eggs, seasoning, and a dash of sherry; they are more delicate than the lobster prepared in the same way, but unless one has ample time and a number of workers, it is better to have the lobster, as picking the meat from crab shells is no light undertaking: still, the dish is so delicious it well repays some effort in preparing. if the ice cream cannot be obtained in rose forms, any rich white cream will do, or a mousse, made by whipping stiff cream until solid, sweetening, flavouring, and packing in ice and salt for four or five hours. [illustration] if instead of a wedding breakfast or luncheon one desires a more informal meal to be given a day or two before the wedding itself, the menu may be altered to suit the occasion. the prettiest possible cards may be prepared for this by painting the head of the bride in her veil with the date beneath the guest's name. menu clams on the half-shell. cream of corn soup. halibut timbales. lobster sauce. broiled squabs on toast. currant jelly. creamed potatoes. strawberry sherbet. tomato and nut salad. brown bread and butter. ice cream in white rose forms. cakes. cafÃ� frappÃ�, or black coffee. the sherbet is made by pressing the juice from two quarts of berries, adding a cup of water and the juice of half a lemon with sugar; this is boiled for a few moments, strained, and frozen. the salad is made by blanching english walnuts and adding them to mayonnaise, serving with sliced tomatoes. the ice cream if in rose forms should be passed on a large silver tray with asparagus fern among the ices. the frappé should be in small glass cups, if it is served at all, but unless the weather is very warm, have the coffee hot as usual. a graduates' luncheon [illustration] the prettiest possible decoration for this occasion is made by the lavish use of sweet peas, the flowers which seem to suggest young girlhood. the brilliant pink ones should be chosen, and bowls of them should stand about the table, one large one in the centre and smaller ones around irregularly; or else one large bowl may be in the centre and a quantity of the blossoms with the stems broken off scattered all over the table. this is one of the times when satin bows are not out of place, for girls generally think a table all the more attractive for them, though for most luncheons they are tabooed, as suggestive of the professional decorator who revels in bows. the bonbons should be pink, and the cards should be small sheets of paper rolled up to resemble diplomas, each tied with a rose-coloured ribbon, with the name of the guest written on the outside. menu bouillon. creamed fish in shells. asparagus with cream dressing. broiled spring chicken. peas. potatoes. currant jelly. cherry ice. lettuce and tomato salad with french dressing. cheese straws. individual strawberry shortcakes. chocolate. bonbons. the shortcakes may be either made by baking cakes in small tins, splitting, adding the crushed fruit, and putting whipped cream on top, or else in a fashion which all girls will welcome, by using a very small charlotte russe with a quantity of strawberries heaped about the base and powdered sugar over all. a rose luncheon in this month of roses it is a pretty fancy to have a meal when they shall be especially in evidence. the table may be laid much as for the sweet pea luncheon,--that is, with bowls of the flower scattered over the table or one large bowl, and the flowers themselves, despoiled of their stems, scattered over the cloth. the cards may be of stiff paper, cut out to resemble flat, open roses, coloured pink, with the name of the guest written directly across. a large rose may lie at each plate, or in a pretty fashion they may be laid in a loose wreath around the centrepiece, and at the close of the meal each guest may be asked to take some of those before her plate. the bonbons used should be candied rose leaves. menu pineapple filled with fruits. cream of asparagus soup. soft-shell crabs on toast. fried sweetbreads. peas. potato croquettes. currant sherbet. tomato baskets with cucumber jelly. mayonnaise. frozen strawberries. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the pineapple is to have its bushy top cut off, and the inside scooped out; the core is put aside, the soft part picked up and mixed with a little banana, orange, and small strawberries, sugar, and sherry, if you use it, and the whole put back in the shell and passed, the top lying on one side of the dish; small glass saucers, or nappies, as they are called, are on each plate, and the guest is to put a spoonful in hers. the colder the pineapple is, the better. if soft-shell crabs are not to be had, serve a creamed fish in whole cucumbers, as was suggested for a january luncheon. the tomato baskets are very pretty; they are made by cutting smooth tomatoes in basket shapes, removing the inside with a small spoon, and filling with cucumber jelly mixed with mayonnaise. this latter is made by crushing peeled and sliced cucumbers, adding seasoning and a little onion, and stewing till soft; they are then set with gelatine in a dish and when firm they are broken into pieces small enough to go in the baskets. if you are to have crabs, this course is all right, but if you have substituted the cucumbers with fish, you must again substitute and serve another salad for this. the frozen strawberries are made by crushing the fruit to a paste, adding one-third as much boiled lemonade, sweetening well, straining, and freezing. the cakes served with this should be iced in a rather deep pink. there are so many pretty and appropriate quotations about roses that one may well add one to each guest card. "roses for the blush of youth." "the sweetest rose, where all are roses." "she looks as clear as morning roses newly washed with dew." "mantling on the maiden's cheek, young roses kindled into thoughts." "it was roses, roses, all the way." "the rose is sweetest washed with morning dew." "the red rose cries, 'she is near, she is near!' and the white rose weeps, 'she is late!'" "o beautiful, royal rose, o rose so fair and sweet!" "gather ye roses while ye may, old time is still a-flying." "queen rose in the rose-bud garden of girls." a peony luncheon [illustration] is certainly novel, and if carried out carefully it is extremely pretty, although at first thought one would think the peony too large and coarse a flower to use on the table. in order to get the best effect, the table must be a round one and quite large. then the peonies, pink and white ones mixed, and with plenty of their own foliage, should be piled in a mass in the centre, with the bowl which holds them in place completely concealed. the flowers should lie on the cloth as well as rise in a mound from the table. any one of the menus previously given will do to serve until the final course is reached, when the ice cream is to appear in the peonies themselves. a white cream is chosen, the hearts of the largest pink peonies are cut out, a round of waxed paper laid in the place, and a heaping, rounded spoonful of the cream is placed in the flowers. it is to have a spray of leaves under it as it lies on the plate. july the summer days in the country are apt to seem rather long, if the weather is too hot for vigorous exercise, but entertaining one's friends breaks the time delightfully. if the july noontime is warm, still the heat adds to the pleasure a luncheon of cold and delicious dainties gives, especially if such a meal is served on a cool and shady porch, when it becomes fit for the gods. if one's summer home is unfortunately without this sort of outdoor room, a little ingenuity will serve to provide a substitute. in the early spring, some tall, strong posts may be set in the ground on the north or west side of the house about fourteen feet or more away, and the tops of these joined to the wall by some lighter strips of wood; then a floor may be laid, unless the grassy turf is preferred, and quickly growing vines, such as the morning glory or the moon-vine, planted, and soon one will have a really beautiful arbour room. the first gala day of the month, indeed the only one the calendar recognises, is the fourth of july; this certainly deserves to be celebrated by a luncheon. fourth of july luncheon [illustration: for a fourth of july luncheon] [illustration: in place of a guest card.] stand a toy cannon on your table for a centrepiece, draping it with delicate vines; or, if this proves too expensive to buy, and too difficult to borrow, suspend a large bell from two wooden supports in the middle, with the same vines. at each plate lay a bonbon box which exactly resembles a cannon fire-cracker, filled with small red candies; the name of the guest may be printed on the side and it will serve for a guest card. or you may give the guests small liberty bells instead of the large crackers, and use small crackers for cards. or, instead of either of these things, you may give each one a bunch of real fire-crackers with her name printed on the outside. [illustration] have several vases of flowers on the table, with red and white carnation and blue bachelors' buttons in each; or if you do not like them mixed, alternate vases with red ones alone, white alone, and blue alone. in your little dishes of radishes, almonds, and bonbons, stand tiny american flags; tie the sandwiches with narrow red, white, and blue striped ribbon, and the handles of the currant cups as well; the table may also have little tents and soldiers as in the military luncheon already suggested. menu iced currants. iced bouillon. water-cress sandwiches. cold salmon. sauce tartare. tongue in aspic. tomatoes with french dressing. raspberry shrub. pineapple salad. cheese crackers. ice cream in drums. cakes. bonbons. the currants are to be crushed with a silver fork, sweetened, and put on the ice; just before serving they are put in glass cups and a spoonful of crushed ice put on top. the bouillon is prepared the day before it is needed, and packed in ice and salt for an hour before the luncheon. the sandwiches passed with this are made by spreading very thin bread and butter with chopped water-cress, rolling and tying them, and then inserting a sprig of the cress at either end; it is not absolutely necessary to tie them, but they keep their shape far better if it is done. choose a large smoked tongue, and two days before the luncheon boil it until tender, skin it, and lay it in a long narrow pan. make a bouillon of beef extract, season it highly with red pepper, salt, and lemon juice, and herbs; simmer these together for a few minutes, then add sufficient dissolved gelatine to set the quantity you will need, and strain the whole over the tongue, a little more than covering it. put this on the ice, and the next day you will have what our grandmothers used to call "a sightly dish." it is to be put whole on the table, and sliced with a very sharp knife. the tomatoes served with this are to be on the same plate, not treated as a salad. [illustration: ices served in drums.] the pineapple is to be picked up in rather large bits and placed on lettuce with mayonnaise. the ice cream is to be put into little paper drums, which may be had at the confectioner's or possibly the toy store; if, however, they are not to be had in the country, the cream may be put in meringue shells and tied with ribbons. the raspberry shrub may be served all through the meal, or made a separate course instead of a sherbet. it is to be made some days before it is needed; this is a simple and excellent rule: put two and a half ounces of tartaric acid into a quart of water, and pour over six quarts of red raspberries. after two days stir and strain; add to each pint of juice a pound and a half of powdered sugar, stir till dissolved, let it stand four days, and then bottle. if this is too much trouble to prepare, serve lemonade coloured with raspberry juice, and if you wish to have it very nice, use vichy instead of water in making the lemonade. a fruit sherbet may be introduced if the drink is served all through the meal. for a hot day in summer it is a mistake to have the noon meal too long or too heavy, so in this menu the usual paté or croquette is omitted. [illustration] a nautical luncheon this meal may be served at a seaside cottage, or near a lake or even a river, or it may be used on board a yacht. if it happens to be in a house or on a piazza by the sea, the walls near by may be decorated with fish nets and oars. [illustration] use a table-cloth for the time, and omit any central decoration whatever, even the customary piece of lace. arrange a small fleet of sail-boats all over the table, fastening them to each other by a couple of strands of narrow ribbon, drawn loosely and tied to each central mast. heap the decks with some small flower which will look well with the colour of the ribbon. if buttercups are to be had, they are pretty, with yellow ribbons; or small pansies are lovely, with purple and yellow; or the deck can be heaped with bonbons, and the ribbons used as with the flowers, if this is preferred. it is necessary to cut off the keels of the little boats in order to have them stand securely, and the small unpainted boats which children use will do, and they can easily be painted white if they are unfinished. your cards may be adorned with bits of pressed seaweed, if you are at the seashore, or with little sketches of sail-boats, row-boats, oars, or marine views. a meal of sea food might be fancied for variety. menu cream of clam soup with whipped cream. scalloped lobster. broiled bluefish. potato balls. rolls. shrimp salad. sandwiches. ices in fish forms. cakes. coffee. bonbons. [illustration] the boiled lobster is removed from the shell, seasoned, and mixed with bread crumbs, returned to the shell of the backs and tails, and browned in the oven. the shells may be saved when lobster is used for some time previous to the luncheon, if it is difficult to obtain a number at once. the salad is made by cutting canned shrimps into halves, and after putting them into small individual moulds, pouring over them a lemon jelly made without sweetening, and well seasoned. these moulds are to be turned out on lettuce leaves, and one or two small shrimps placed by each, and stiff mayonnaise passed with them. the ices may be had from the caterer in the form of shells, or fishes, or boats. if these are not to be had, a home-made cream may be served in the large scallop shells which are to be purchased very cheaply. if you are too far inland to obtain sea food, or if you do not fancy it for a whole luncheon, your decoration will sufficiently suggest the idea of the meal, and another menu can be substituted. menu red raspberries. cream of green pea soup. fish cutlets. sauce tartare. fried chicken. potato croquettes. peas. iced tea (or tea sherbet). whole cucumber salad. almonds. pim-olas. caramel ice cream. bonbons. the cutlets, which are simply croquettes moulded into cutlet form, may be made either from any fresh fish, or from canned salmon, or from well-freshened salt codfish; and these last are really delicious. the tea is best made with boiling lemonade instead of boiling water; it is to be served in tall glasses, either as a separate course, or all through the meal as one prefers; in case a sherbet is wished, this iced tea may be frozen with a flavour of rum in addition to the lemon, if one uses it, and served in sherbet cups; and café frappé may be used as a final course if the day is warm, or the coffee may be simply hot and black as usual. the whole cucumber salad is very pretty. rather large and very smooth ones are chosen, a slice is cut from the side lengthwise, the pulp is scooped out, mixed with bits of tomato and french dressing, and the whole put back with the slice put on again so that the cut is concealed. these are served on lettuce leaves with two small cheese balls by the side of each, made by grating american cheese, mixing with a little chopped parsley, salt, red pepper, and enough melted butter to make it moist, and rolling between the hands until you have balls the size of marbles; they are to be dusted with chopped parsley before serving. a traveller's luncheon as so many go abroad as the hot weather begins, a luncheon may be arranged in honour of some friend who is about to sail. the centrepiece may be a large toy steamer with the decks filled with flowers, or a floral piece may be obtained from the florists, who now construct extremely realistic steamers with flowers, green, and moss; but flowers are never at their best under such circumstances, and the toy steamer is to be preferred. very pretty and inexpensive bonbon boxes are to be had in the shapes of steamer trunks, dress-suit cases, travelling bags, trunks ready labelled with the names of foreign cities, and dainty little lunch baskets tied up with ribbon, as well as the more expensive but useful favours made to resemble rugs in shawl straps which are to be used as penwipers after the day is over. the cards may bear the picture of a steamer disappearing in the distance with its trail of smoke curving back to form the name of the guest, or the words "bon voyage." the menu could, of course, consist of foreign dishes such as the traveller is presumably to eat during her absence; but as few of them are as good as our own luncheon dishes this is not altogether to be commended. an attractive menu would be:-- menu clams cocktail in tomato baskets. consommÃ� with hot crackers. devilled crabs. chicken livers on skewers. roast ducklings. jelly. mashed potato. cauliflower salad. nesselrode pudding. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the tomatoes are to be cut into baskets with handles and filled with the clam cocktail just before serving. the crabs are to be boiled, removed from their shells, well seasoned, and wet with a little cream, put back into the shells with bread crumbs and bits of butter over them and browned in the oven. the chicken livers are to be stewed, cut in halves, and put on the small skewers with bits of bacon between the pieces and turned in the frying-pan until they brown in the bacon fat; they are to be sent to the table on strips of toast. the ducklings should be young, and a thick slice of breast or the second joint served to each person before the plates are sent to the table; the potato should be browned in the oven and passed. the salad is made by cooking cauliflower, breaking it into bits, and serving on lettuce with mayonnaise. the nesselrode pudding is made in various ways, most of them very elaborate; probably the simplest is a caramel cream with preserved figs and marrons cut up fine in it, with a flavouring of wine. it is also made by putting marrons into a plain rich white cream, flavouring it with the wine and serving it on whipped cream; in any form it is always a delicious dessert. this menu omits the sherbet and gives a rather solid meat course; it may be varied by substituting chops for the duckling and adding a course of frozen oranges and bananas in lemon ice. august luncheons in this hot month should be served as in july, on the porch or out of doors if possible; if that is out of the question, at least the dining-room should be rather dark, and there should be some suggestion of coolness in the luncheon, either in the decoration or in the menu. during this month, when students are at home for their vacations, one may wish to give a college luncheon. of course, if the guests are all of one mind and can unite in lauding the same alma mater, it is an easy thing to so decorate the table as to give unalloyed pleasure, but where two or more colleges are represented it is not so simple. to take some of the most prominent ones, let us have first a yale luncheon [illustration: for a yale luncheon.] have a large bowl of cornflowers in the centre of the table, and smaller bowls at either end, if the table is oblong; if round or square, have four of the smaller bowls around the central one. if the college men who are present are especially interested in athletics, or if there has been any important victory over some rival, it will be a delicate attention which will be appreciated by the guests if such a fact is remembered. if, for instance, yale has just been victorious in baseball, decorate with bats, stacking them at intervals on the table; they may be purchased at toy shops in any desired size; those about four or five inches high are most easily grouped. the sandwiches may be tied with blue ribbons and the cards can have sketches of caps and gowns, or pipes, or trophies of some sort. the ices may be served in round boxes with covers on which is the college seal, and the outside may be covered with wide blue satin ribbon which will completely hide the cardboard. these can be either purchased or made at home, and they will serve as souvenirs. as the appetites of college men are proverbially vigorous, it will be wise to provide a substantial meal. menu iced muskmelon. cream of carrot soup. whipped cream. cold lobster halved. mayonnaise. spanish omelette. fried chicken. cauliflower au gratin. potato croquettes. grape sherbet. banana salad. nasturtium sandwiches. mousse. cakes. coffee. the spanish omelette is made by stewing tomatoes, green peppers, and onion, all cut in bits, until they are quite thick; then an omelette is made and this mixture is folded in; it is very appetising, and men are sure to like it. the cauliflower is cooked, broken into small pieces, put in paper cases or in one large dish, seasoned well, and grated cheese and cream sauce are put in layers through it, the cheese on top, and the whole is browned in the oven. the sherbet may be made of the juice of any grape that is obtainable, but it is very pretty to use catawbas, and colour the ice slightly green; if it is desired that the sherbet should be darker, use bottled grape juice, adding a little lemon to bring out the flavour. it should be served in sherbet cups with a spray of grape leaves under each on the plate. the salad is made by removing a strip of skin from each banana, scooping out the fruit, cutting it in pieces, adding as much celery or apple and half as much of cut up english walnut meats which have been blanched, and covering the whole with french dressing, and returning to the skins, heaping it a little in them. put one of these on a leaf of lettuce for each person; nasturtium sandwiches are pretty on a plate decorated with their own blossoms. if the boxes are used for the cream it must not be coloured, and a plain mousse may be better than anything else; if the boxes are not used, the mousse may be flavoured with pistache, coloured green and served on a bed of whipped cream, with chopped angelia or pistache nuts scattered over it. for a harvard luncheon [illustration] lay broad crimson satin ribbons across the table at right angles, and then lay the table with doilies over the ribbon as if there were none there. have a bowl of american beauty roses in the centre, or put the flowers in a fancy basket. or, if it should happen that the men present are especially happy over some rowing victory, put the roses in a long narrow boat in the centre, and have oars stacked at intervals on the table. use the same menu as for the yale luncheon. for a princeton luncheon use quantities of the yellow, black-eyed daisies which are common in our fields. a large football might stand in the centre of the table, open at the top, with the daisies filling it, and shallow bowls of them may stand on the table. the bonbon dishes may be filled with yellow and chocolate bonbons, and the same sort of cards used as were suggested for the yale luncheon, unless sketches of princeton buildings are preferred. [illustration: rowing favour.] if the guests are from several colleges, the best plan is to have no distinctively college colours on the table, but to confine one's self to the use of athletic symbols for decoration which are common to all. golden-rod might be in a row-boat, for instance, and oars, base balls, bats, and footballs used as favours. for a hot-weather luncheon, nothing makes a prettier table than a quantity of pond lilies, used in some simple way. as they are common in august, you might give a pond-lily luncheon fill a shallow dish with water, and put several lilies with their leaves on top, but not so closely but that the water will show between them. hide the outside of the dish with an arrangement of the lilies and their leaves, being careful not to have it look stiff. cut your guest-cards in the shape of open lilies, and paint them, writing the name of the guest across their face. have your bonbons all green and white, and use plain white, or green and white china for serving the meal as far as you can, for the sake of preserving the cool look of the table. the ice cream may be in the pond-lily flowers, prepared as were the peonies in the june luncheon. if the lilies are plenty, use them in bowls about the parlours and halls, to carry out the idea of the day. menu clams on the half-shell. cream of spinach soup. croutons. devilled crabs. mushroom patties. braised tongue. potatoes au gratin. frozen tomato salad. mayonnaise. ice cream in water lilies. cakes. cafÃ� frappÃ� or iced tea. the braised tongue is prepared as before, stewed with herbs and seasoning in a baking-pan in the oven, but in this case it is served hot, with a spoonful of its gravy, strained, on each slice. there is no sherbet in this menu, as the frozen salad takes its place. this is made by cutting fresh tomatoes into bits, mashing them, seasoning and freezing them, stirring occasionally to make them smooth; after they are stiff they must be scraped from the dasher, pressed down, and allowed to stand for an hour. they are to be cut in round spoonfuls, laid on a few lettuce leaves, and mayonnaise passed with them. the ice cream may be either a white or a pistache cream, and the water lilies should be treated as were the peonies, the heart of the flower removed and a piece of waxed paper laid in the centre with the cream on it. this same idea of coolness may be also well carried out in a luncheon in which ferns are made to play their part. a fern luncheon [illustration: for a fern luncheon.] the house should be filled with ferns, in the fireplaces, in the window seats, in the parlours, and in the halls. in the dining-room the table may be laid either or without a cloth, and a large shallow pan or tray put in the centre; if a tray is used, it should have a layer of absorbent cotton on it. the edge of this dish must be concealed by tiny growing ferns; in the dish should be large pieces of ice, piled in an irregular mound, and very small ferns put in the crevices. the ice will give out enough coolness to perceptibly affect the atmosphere of the room, and the combination of the ice and ferns is a pretty one. a few days before the luncheon some ferns may be pressed, and these may be laid on the table if it is so large as to admit of more decoration; the cards may also have a little fern pasted on each. an appetising menu might be:-- menu iced peaches. cream of corn soup. filets of flounder. sauce tartare. clams Ã� la newburgh. chops. stuffed tomatoes. iced tea. red raspberry sherbet. almond aspic salad. brown bread and butter. ice cream in melons. the peaches are not to be frozen, but kept on the ice after they are halved, peeled, and sprinkled with sugar, until they are thoroughly chilled. they may have a small spoonful of whipped cream served with them, if that combination is liked. the clams are prepared exactly as is lobster, except that they must be kept for a little longer in the sauce in order to just cook them through. they are to be served in ramekins. the tomatoes are to have the inside removed without breaking the skin, and this is mixed with bread crumbs and seasoning, returned to the tomatoes, and baked. the salad is made by filling small individual moulds with almonds and bouillon jelly made of melted extract of beef, seasoning, and dissolved gelatine; the nuts should be cut into strips and arranged in a pattern with a little of the aspic before the moulds are filled. a stiff mayonnaise is to be served with this. the ice cream is particularly delicious, though it seems very odd to one who is not familiar with it. a very rich cream is made with the yolks of five eggs added to a quart of cream, and when done it is put in large spoonfuls in halved, small, and spicy muskmelons. the two eaten together are a decided improvement on either alone. there is really no reason for having sherbet with such a menu as this, for two cold dishes are already on the bill of fare, but if the day is extremely warm, it may be thought best to have it, even if it is acknowledged to be quite unnecessary. a poverty luncheon poverty luncheons are usually arranged in a series, every one of eight or ten hostesses giving in turn a meal to the rest which must cost exactly a specified price, the smaller the better. usually two dollars and a half is selected as the proper amount for ten persons, and the rivalry between the luncheon-givers as to which one shall have the most elaborate meal for the price makes these luncheons very entertaining. of course, by keeping everything down to the lowest possible sum, one can have any number of courses, but it is better to have less and have it fairly substantial. the prices of all the food, even to the butter, must be written on a card at each plate, and the flowers or other decorations are extras. menu bouillon $ . broiled sardines . chicken patties . chops . potatoes, peas . rolls and butter . tomato and lettuce salad . vanilla mousse with candied fruit . coffee, almonds, peppermint wafers . ----- $ . september as the days begin to grow cooler, and a suspicion of frost in the air in the early morning brings back one's vigour, golf seems the finest game in the world, and long days are spent on the links. a luncheon for golfers will transform any day in the week into a gala day, if only it is not taken too seriously. the guests are to come in their golf suits to be in keeping; the luncheon should be bright and informal rather than stately. [illustration: for a golf luncheon.] [illustration] [illustration: golf favour.] if the company is a large one, seat them in fours at small tables, each of which should have a centrepiece of salvia, or scotch heather, or--just for fun--thistles. the little souvenirs for this luncheon are of great variety, and most ingenious. there are plaid golf bags with sticks, to be filled with bonbons, or small plaid woollen caps to be presented to men afterwards for tobacco pouches, unless the men are present to receive them at the luncheon. there are plaid-covered golf score-books, which are really useful as well as pretty, and a host of other things, such as individual sticks, which are less elaborate. your cards may have sketches of girls in golf costume, or little cuts of such figures may be found in colours in golf catalogues, and cut out and pasted on the cards. the tables may have plaid ribbon drawn down each side, or have bows at the corners. you might have a scotch menu for the sake of variety, although scotch dishes do not compare with american. scotch menu scotch broth. boiled salmon. boiled potatoes. haggis. pheasant. currant jelly. scotch rarebit on toast. plum tart with cream. coffee. the broth is made by stewing mutton with vegetables until it is sufficiently strong; when the whole is strained and cooked, barley is added till the broth is quite thick; just before serving, a little chopped parsley is put in. haggis is usually rather a formidable dish to undertake, as most recipes are very elaborate; this one, however, is simple and the results are good. boil the head, heart, and liver of a sheep with one pound of bacon for an hour; then chop them, season highly, and add sufficient oatmeal to make a thick mush. boil this in a bag for two hours, and serve it in the same bag, rolling it back to look as well as possible; this receptacle is less objectionable than that in which haggis is served in scotland,--the stomach of the sheep. should you fear to venture on this dish, you might substitute for it scotch snipe. for this make a paste of a box of sardines mixed with lemon and a little onion juice; spread on slices of bread and cut in strips half an inch thick. put these in the oven and heat thoroughly, and then pour over them a sauce made of the beaten yolks of two eggs and six tablespoonfuls of cream, to which has been gradually added a tablespoonful of melted butter, and after taking from the fire, a half-teaspoonful of salt, a dash of red pepper, and a little chopped parsley. the strips of toast must be served very hot, and will be found delicious. even if the haggis is used, this dish might be added to the bill of fare. if pheasant is not obtainable, prairie chicken is a perfect substitute for it, or woodcock will do in the place of either. the scotch rarebit is quite different from the welsh, being made by adding to half a pint of white sauce a tablespoonful of anchovy paste and a pinch of red pepper; cook this for a moment and add six hard-boiled eggs cut in rather large bits. simmer the whole for three minutes, and serve on buttered toast. the plum tart is made by cooking large purple or green-gage plums in a deep baking dish with a sprinkling of flour and plenty of sugar, and a cover of pie-crust over the top. tart is always served in what foreigners call dessert plates, but they are exactly like our soup plates, with a dessert spoon and a fork, and thick cream is passed with the dish. coffee is never served on a scotch table as a final course, but is offered with tea in the drawing-room after the meal. however, in this case it may be passed after the tart, or poured on the porch afterwards. should you wish a more conventional luncheon, this menu is a delicious one. menu grapes. chicken bouillon. codfish steaks. lobster sauce. baked spaghetti with oysters. prairie chicken with currant jelly. browned potatoes. tomato and walnut salad. cheese crackers. frozen watermelon. coffee. although this is rather an elaborate menu, there is no sherbet in it on account of the watermelon, which is better if no other frozen dish is used with it. the spaghetti is prepared exactly as when cooked with cheese; that is, it is stewed till tender, washed in cold water to remove the starch, and laid in a dish in layers with seasoning, oysters, and white sauce, and baked till brown. this is more easily managed if bread crumbs are put on top with butter, and small dishes or ramekins are used. the watermelon is to be scooped in large spoonfuls from the rind, the seeds removed, and the melon laid in a freezer with powdered sugar and a little sherry, and the freezer put in a cool place packed with ice and salt for at least five hours. when country houses are rather far apart, it is often convenient to go from one to another on one's wheel, in spite of the fact that bicycling is no longer in high favour. still, so long as wheels are so useful they will continue to be used, and just so long a bicycle luncheon [illustration] will be found appropriate for some occasion. decorate your table with golden-rod or autumn leaves or a mixture of golden-rod and purple asters, the two flowers which are so beautiful together; do not on any account use garden or hot-house flowers for a luncheon, which on its face suggests out-of-door sport. search the magazines for bicycle advertisements, and cut out bicyclers in all sorts of attitudes and dress, and paste these on cards with a brief line commending some one make of wheel for each guest; the more extravagant the praise of each, the better. there are all sorts of pretty little favours to be had of bicycles, tricycles, and tandems, which will serve as souvenirs. this may be transformed into an automobile luncheon by the change of the two conveyances. oysters are again in season, and will be welcomed by the hostess as a first course. menu oysters on the half-shell. tomato soup. creamed lobster in shells. quail on toast. potato croquettes. jelly. hot rolls. grape sherbet. apple salad. water-cress sandwiches. frozen peaches. cake. coffee. bonbons. the salad is made by scooping out the whole inside of a large red apple, after a slice has been carefully cut from the stem end with a sharp knife; this pulp is chopped, mixed with small bits of celery and english walnuts, with stiff mayonnaise, and the whole returned to the apple, the top being put on again so that the cut does not show; this is a very pretty salad, especially if care is taken to choose perfect apples. as college opens again there are always those whose school-days are over, who are "left lamenting" somewhat because the happy days are no more. for such, a luncheon may be arranged which will have special reference to the common past of a group of classmates. alumni luncheon [illustration] lay the table prettily with the usual doilies, bonbon dishes of almonds, radishes, candies, and crystallised fruits. garden asters are now in full bloom and come in great variety of colour, and these will make a beautiful centrepiece, massed in a large bowl. the combination of crimson and pink, of pink and white, or of white and purple is better than the use of one shade alone. the table should be lighted with roman lamps or else with jerusalem candlesticks, as suggestive of classical studies; to be sure, september is one of the sunny months, but this luncheon may be used quite as well at some other time of the year as the fall, if that is desired, so the suggestion of the lamps may stand. the most attractive feature of the luncheon may be the cards, which may well be preserved for years as souvenirs of college as well as of this meal; they are to be photographs of the particular place in the college grounds or dormitories or village with which each guest was most associated. if one has a friend still in college with a kodak (and what college girl does not own one?), she can take and send them to you. the girl who was oftenest in the dean's office for reprimand may have a picture of that interior; the one who was champion at basket ball, a view of the gymnasium with the team at play; the girl who was the best at chemistry, a glimpse of the laboratory; the one who frequented the soda fountain down town, a picture of that. or, if these photographs are too frivolous, pictures of beautiful views about the college grounds may be substituted. the luncheon may suggest in its menu the favourite dishes of some of the class, or one course might be a reminder of something served constantly on the college table; this meal really gives unlimited opportunity for ingenuity. if the weather does not admit of using artificial lights, and yet the table is felt to be incomplete without the small roman lamps, they might be filled with flowers instead of oil and used as decorations, the central group of asters being kept low in a very shallow bowl. menu peaches and grapes. cream of corn soup. creamed oysters. jellied chicken. pim-olas. chops with peas. sweet potato croquettes. lemon sherbet. tomato and lettuce salad. french dressing. sandwiches. maple parfait. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the maple parfait is one of the most delicious of desserts, and one easily prepared as well. the yolks of eight eggs are beaten stiff, a cupful of maple syrup is added, and the whole is heated until it makes a thick coating on the spoon, when it is taken from the fire and beaten until it is cold; a pint of thick cream is then beaten stiff and mixed lightly with the eggs and syrup, and the whole is put in a melon mould and packed in ice and salt for five hours. the bonbons served with the coffee should be those especially fancied by the girls of the college; if there is a fudge named for the institution, that is the sweet to choose. a labour day luncheon as labour day is a national holiday, it must be regarded as a gala day. a luncheon which is in keeping with the occasion must not be elaborate, but, on the contrary, as simple as may be without actually serving the labourer's bill of fare. a good deal may be done to divert the guests without giving a suspicion of making fun of the occasion, which is not in the least contemplated. the table should be laid with a cloth, plain white china used, and the decorations should be wild flowers. the cards should bear a sketch of a labourer, and the favours should be small picks, shovels, spades, and hoes, such as children play with. have a course of cold meat, and one of baked beans, as well as one in which crackers, cheese, and coffee are served at the same time. menu bouillon (in tin cups). baked beans in bean-pots. cold lamb. pickles. bread and butter. potato salad. vanilla ice cream (in small tin dinner-pails). crackers, cheese, and coffee. this is a rather plain meal, but nothing else will be appropriate, and the idea of the day will prove its best sauce. october one of the oddest of luncheons may be given in october on the tin-wedding anniversary, for as this is a favourite month for weddings, anniversaries are sure to be frequent among one's friends; the bride of a decade ago may gather her former bridesmaids for a luncheon served with reminiscences, or a bridesmaid may entertain the group, or possibly a number of october brides of ten years' standing may gather to celebrate on one day the anniversaries scattered through the month. a tin-wedding luncheon [illustration: for a tin-wedding luncheon.] lay the table in pink; have a lace centrepiece over silk, a tin quart measure in the middle filled with pink bridesmaid's roses, and pink candles with pink rose shades, if the day is dark. use small tin plates for the bread and butter, and put the bonbons, almonds, radishes, and candied ginger in little scalloped tins. a souvenir spoon may be given each guest,--of tin, of course,--tied with a white ribbon, with the name of some city the bride did not visit on her wedding trip painted in white letters in the bowl; one is supposed to believe that these spoons were purchased at copenhagen, constantinople, and moscow with a view to this occasion. or, if souvenir spoons seem altogether out of date, though really they would have been quite the thing ten years ago, and are therefore no anachronism, give the guests some small tin utensil such as an apple-corer, or a nutmeg-grater. serve everything in tin; the bouillon in small cups with handles, the sherbet in scalloped tins, the fish, salad, and ice cream on tin plates of medium size, and the chicken on larger ones. the coffee may be in tin timbale moulds. if you use candles, put them in ordinary tin candlesticks. menu peaches. bouillon. broiled oysters on toast. curried eggs in rice border. chicken breasts with italian chestnuts. potato croquettes. rolls. orange sherbet. plum salad. lettuce sandwiches. sunshine ice cream and cake. coffee. bonbons. [illustration] to prepare curried eggs, boil as many as are needed until hard, peel, and put them in a ring of boiled rice which has been turned out of a border mould; this rice should be well seasoned with a little chopped parsley mixed with it. over all should be poured a white sauce flavoured with curry powder, and on the top should be sprinkled grated parmesan cheese, and the whole lightly browned in the oven. the italian chestnuts served with the chicken are to be boiled until the shells can be removed, and then stewed gently in cream until they are tender; the inner skin is not to be removed, as this gives the chestnuts a purple colour and serves to keep them in shape. the salad is made of the largest plums to be found; they are to be peeled, halved, and laid on lettuce with either french dressing or mayonnaise. the ice cream is a rich vanilla cream made with the yolks of the eggs; it is served in a very large sunshine cake,--that is, an angels' food with the yolks of the eggs added,--which has been turned upside down and had the entire centre cut out, leaving only a ring of the cake. the cream is put in this in large rounded spoonfuls, and a slice of the cake is cut and served with each. if any of the wedding cake has been kept, some other cream may be used for the luncheon, and the cake, cut in small pieces, passed with it. hallowe'en luncheon this luncheon should be carried out in yellow and brown, and if one can have autumn leaves for decoration she will feel that she has the really appropriate thing; still, if these are not to be had, or if the colours have vanished from them, there are other things which will do almost as well. a pumpkin might serve as a centrepiece, with the top off and the centre cut out, filled either with fruit or chestnuts or chrysanthemums, or the latter may be used alone in a tall vase. the little dishes on the table should hold chocolates and plenty of marrons, or candied chestnuts. few persons know, until they have tried the experiment, how easily these latter dainties are prepared at home; after boiling, peeling, and simmering them in a thick syrup, they are rolled in sugar and laid on oiled paper; a simple way of making what is usually considered an expensive luxury. your guest cards should be decorated with sketches of witches or brownies, or lighted candles; or you may purchase some small souvenirs, such as stick-pins with witches, or silver crescents with figures with brooms seated at one end. cards of burnt leather are also in keeping with the colours of the table and with the idea of the day. [illustration] darken the room and light the gas, but turn it low; get some of the little bonbon boxes in the shape of oranges, or empty orange skins; through an opening at one end, cut eyes, nose, and mouth, as is done in making jack o' lanterns, drop a little hot wax in the bottom of each, and put in a small lighted candle; the effect is decidedly quaint and pretty when the table is all lighted. if a supper is desired rather than a luncheon, these same suggestions will do for that, and if the menu is too long, the croquettes and sherbet may be omitted. menu white grapes. tomato bisque. fried oysters. sauce tartare. chicken croquettes with peas. quail. currant jelly. french fried potatoes. grape fruit sherbet in skins. sweetbreads in aspic. mayonnaise. wine jelly with cream. cakes. chocolate. the sherbet is delicious, but rather troublesome to prepare. small fruit is selected, the pulp removed in spoonfuls without the breaking the sections, and after sweetening well, it is packed in the freezer to stand four hours; meanwhile the skins of the fruit are cut in basket shapes, and when the luncheon is ready, the frozen fruit is heaped in these. the salad is made by putting cooked sweetbreads in melted beef extract which has been seasoned and had sufficient gelatine added to set it; it is to be put in small moulds and turned out on lettuce with a spoonful of mayonnaise by each. if a simpler salad is wished, one that is surprisingly good is made by putting cold cooked string beans on lettuce, sprinkling with french dressing and serving with mayonnaise. the wine jelly, while still warm, is to be poured over bits of candied fruit laid in a ring mould. when served, the centre is filled with whipped cream and candied fruit scattered over all. an authors' luncheon this luncheon is not intended to be eaten by authors, though they are not necessarily barred from participating in it, but it is arranged for some group of clever women who are sufficiently well read to enter into a guessing contest with interest in the books and authors named; or a girls' club may enjoy a trial of their literary knowledge. the luncheon is capable of infinite variation, and any one with a catalogue of books can alter it to suit the requirements of any especial occasion. cards should lie at each place with the menu written out as in the first one printed below, with the names of the authors omitted, and before each course, or while one is eaten the next dish is to be guessed, and the author named. a prize might be offered for the most numerous guesses which are correct. the hostess would do well to have the key to the menu by her plate. the table decorations may be of an ordinary character, such as a bunch of roses in the middle, or a vase of asters or chrysanthemums, and the usual pretty doilies and odd dishes about, or, if laurel is to be had, either the flowers or the leaves may be used to suggest the crowning of genius. menu . toilers of the sea. (victor hugo.) . a study in scarlet. (doyle.) . the water babies. (kingsley.) . between whiles. (helen hunt jackson.) . the lay of the last minstrel. (scott.) . a dead secret (wilkie collins); and plain tales from the hills. (kipling.) . the desert of ice. (jules verne.) . leaves of grass (walt whitman); and unleavened bread. (grant.) . the snow image. (hawthorne.) . over the teacups. (holmes.) . opening of a chestnut burr. (roe.) . all's well that ends well. (shakespeare.) the culinary key to the luncheon is this:-- . oysters. . tomato soup. . smelts with sauce tartare. . almonds. radishes. celery. . eggs in ramekins. . chicken chartreuse and potatoes. . peach sherbet. . shredded lettuce and crackers. . ice cream in forms. . tea. . and . marrons and bonbons. the eggs are prepared by cutting up those that have been hard boiled, seasoning them well, covering with white sauce, putting in individual baking dishes, covering with grated cheese, and browning. the chicken is minced, seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little sherry or stewed tomato, and put in a melon mould which has been buttered and lined with an inch thickness of boiled rice; then the mould is steamed for three quarters of an hour, and when done the whole is turned out on a round platter, and a tomato sauce is poured around it. the salad is made by cutting a head of lettuce across with the scissors until leaves of grass result; mayonnaise is to be passed with this. the ice cream is to be in forms of any sort, but the figure of a man is the most appropriate. this luncheon may be changed from a gastronomic to a literary guessing game, either by furnishing the guests with a copy of the titles of the books without the authors, making them guess both the writer and the dish which is represented, or by furnishing the actual menu and asking the guests to give a title of a book which will suitably represent the course. in order to give opportunity for some choice in this luncheon, a slightly altered menu is also given:-- menu toilers of the sea. a study in scarlet. the water babies. between whiles. a dead secret, and plain tales from the hills. the desert of ice. wing and wing. leaves of grass, and unleavened bread. the snow image. over the teacups. all's well that ends well. "wing and wing" is by cooper, as doubtless your guests will know, and may be represented by a course of game, either pigeons or duckling. november the principal gala day of this month is toward the last, the historic gala day of our forefathers, thanksgiving; still, it is quite proper to have a luncheon at any time during the month which shall have the characteristics of the time. a thanksgiving luncheon [illustration: for a thanksgiving luncheon.] should remind us of the dress and food of our ancestors, but all of their austerity and asceticism may go without mention; we do not take kindly to these things in our days of luxury and ease. have your guest-cards bear a sketch of a puritan girl, or a man in a tall pointed hat and long cloak with a gun over his shoulder, or some other suggestion of colonial times. have your menu made up largely of dishes said to have been used at the first thanksgiving day meal, judiciously combined with every-day delicacies which are more warmly approved by this generation. let your bonbons be in the shape of candy vegetables; they are odd, and wonderfully accurate, and are to be had in the form of radishes, carrots, potatoes, turnips, beets, and almost everything else; and buy favours in the shape of miniature roasted turkeys. chrysanthemums are the flower of november, and they are beautiful in any shade, but yellow is the most brilliant, and a mass of this splendid color in the centre of the table will make it attractive. if you use candles, have them of yellow, with paper shades of chrysanthemums. [illustration] the puritans are said to have dined on oysters, clams, turkey, succotash, and game, and all these things must be in the menu:-- menu oysters on the half-shell. cream of celery soup. clams newburgh. roast turkey breast in slices. currant jelly. succotash in cases. potato. cranberry sherbet. scallop salad. olives. brown bread and butter. individual mince pies. cheese. vanilla ice cream with hot chocolate sauce. coffee. the salad is made by scalding a pint of scallops, draining them and serving on lettuce with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and a french dressing. the mince-pies may be omitted if they seem too heavy for luncheon, but if you fancy this reminder of a real thanksgiving meal, have them made in small round tins about four inches across, and have the pie-crust as delicate as possible. the hot sauce to serve with the ice cream is made by boiling a pint of water with half a pint of sugar until it hardens in water, and then adding two tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate dissolved in three tablespoonfuls of boiling water, and boiling again until it crisps in water; add vanilla and serve at once. in the place of both the pie and this cream, you may have a sort of combination of both, which might be called mince-pie ice cream, made by adding chopped raisins, spice, and a dash of wine to a rich chocolate ice cream; the slices look and taste like fruit cake, and served with whipped cream are delicious. a carmen luncheon in cities the opera season begins earlier than it did formerly, and this suggests an operatic luncheon, either one served just before a matinée, or given by way of something new, without regard to times and seasons. almost any opera gives scope for decorations and cards in keeping with the idea of its story, but perhaps carmen is the most distinctive. for this, your cards should bear a bar of music,--the famous and easily recognized "toreador" song is the best,--or else a sketch of some scene from the stage. if you can find paper fans with the pictures of bull-fights, such as are to be had at times in our shops, these are certainly appropriate as souvenirs. the decorations must be in the spanish colours, scarlet and yellow, and carnations will give the best results; if you fancy having a corsage bouquet for each guest these may be of alternate colours, yellow tied with red and red tied with yellow, with the flowers in the centre of the table of the two. the bonbons may be of scarlet and yellow also. here is a spanish menu:-- menu oranges. red bean soup. broiled fish with tomato sauce. spaghetti with cheese. spanish chicken. lyonnaise potatoes. olive salad. stuffed cake. coffee. the soup is made of strong stock with red beans, and seasoning in this way: a little onion and garlic are browned in a deep kettle with a spoonful of lard and a pinch of thyme; a stock is poured over this, and two cupfuls of red beans which have been cooked until they are soft are added; the whole is put through a sieve and poured over croutons just before serving. any fish will do for the third course, but bluefish is the best; after it is cooked it is cut in pieces ready to serve, and then a rich tomato sauce is poured over each piece. the chicken is really delicious. a tender fowl is chosen, jointed, and put on to stew. a dozen dry red peppers are cut up and boiled, after the seeds have been removed; they are then moistened with a little chicken broth and put through a sieve; one green pepper and two sliced onions are fried in a little lard, the peppers and chicken added, and the whole covered with the thickened gravy and simmered for fifteen minutes before serving. the salad is one of the commonest spanish dishes. to make it, take a cup of dice made of stale bread, sprinkle with bits of red peppers, add a cup of stoned olives, cut up, and half a cup of chopped cucumber pickles; mix the whole with mayonnaise and serve on lettuce cut in strips; pass a strong cheese with it. the stuffed cake is also a dish frequently seen in spain. a large sponge cake is soaked in mild sherry, stuck full of blanched almonds and stoned raisins, and eaten with a rich boiled custard poured over it. a horse-show luncheon in new york the horse show is the great november event; perhaps in other cities there is something corresponding to it, and certainly in small places there is a great interest taken in the county fair, which comes somewhat earlier in the fall. for any day when a number of friends are to visit a place where the horse is the hero, a luncheon may precede the hour. a large floral horse-shoe may be the decoration of the table, or one may be suspended over the table and the flowers may be of the same variety in the centrepiece, but arranged with more grace. the guest cards may bear a sketch of a horse, or of a horse-shoe, or a whip or some similar device, and the favours may be of the same character, in the shape of little silver pins; or, if the luncheon is sufficiently informal to warrant it, these favours may be chocolate horses, standing at each plate. menu clams on the half-shell. cream of lima bean soup. creamed scallops in ramekins. chicken in green peppers. breaded chops with tomato sauce. potatoes au gratin. hot rolls. lobster salad. cheese straws. ice cream with maple sauce. coffee. the chicken in the peppers is to be ordinary minced white meat, with sufficient white sauce to make it palatable; if it is too wet it will not be good. it is put in raw peppers from which the ends have been cut, and the seeds removed, and the whole thoroughly heated in the oven. the potatoes are baked and served in their own shells after they have been scooped out and seasoned, and cut in half, with grated cheese over them. the ice cream is a rich french cream made with eggs, and the sauce is hot maple syrup with english walnuts broken in pieces in it; it is one of the most delicious of desserts, well worth being used in place of any of the suggested creams at any luncheon during the year. an indian luncheon boys are supposed to scorn luncheon as a purely feminine meal and one which is necessarily frivolous; nevertheless there are occasions when a boy is interested in entertaining his friends at luncheon, perhaps before going to see a football game, or some such athletic contest, and then a meal with indian accessories will delight him. the table should be laid with a cloth rather than with doilies, and the centrepiece may be a birch-bark canoe, planted with ferns. the cards may be of birch bark with quotations from hiawatha, or of cardboard with an indian's head in colours, or a sketch of a wigwam, or a tomahawk, or a pair of snowshoes. [illustration] the bonbons may be in pretty little bead pouches laid at each plate, or else in pairs of small moccasins around on the table, or in tiny birch-bark canoes. the luncheon should be a hearty one without those "frills" which the budding masculine intelligence refuses to admire. the menu, like the one suggested for the thanksgiving luncheon, may have a suggestion of indian dishes in it. menu oyster bisque. creamed fish in shells. slices of turkey breast. peas. creamed potatoes. cranberries. lobster salad. sandwiches. individual mince-pies. vanilla ice cream. cakes. a card luncheon after a morning at whist, one should have an appetite for the noon meal; let it be so delicious that the anxieties and disappointments of the game may be speedily forgotten! the table may be prettily laid with the usual doilies, and the flowers chosen chrysanthemums again, unless you fancy carrying out the red and black colours of the cards, when the plan suggested for the musical luncheon in january may be adopted, and red carnations tied with narrow black ribbons may be laid by each plate, and dark chocolate bonbons may be in the little dishes around a centrepiece of red carnations. at each of the places may be a small box of cardboard in the shape of a heart, a club, a diamond, or a spade alternately, filled with bonbons. there are tin cutters which are in these same shapes, and the cakes and sandwiches may still further carry out the idea. the ices, too, are to be found at the caterer's in slices of white with the figures on them in colours, but you may make a white cream at home and serve it in paper boxes painted with the various figures around the edge, if you choose. any one of the preceding menus may be used, or one may have something different which yet reproduces the best dishes which have been suggested, especially the delightful ice cream which was mentioned for one luncheon, with the maple sauce, one of the delicious things among new dishes. menu oyster bisque. lobster croquettes with tomato sauce. mushroom omelette. hot rolls. fried chicken in cream sauce. potato soufflÃ�. asparagus tips. waldorf salad. cheese sandwiches. french vanilla ice cream with maple sauce. coffee. bonbons. the mushroom omelette is easily prepared by putting a mixture of chopped mushrooms and olives in a delicately browned omelette as it is folded over just before it is served; there is nothing better in an egg dish than this. the salad is made by cutting rather sweet apples in bits and adding as much chopped celery and a stiff mayonnaise and laying on lettuce leaves; if english walnuts are added, the salad is entirely changed from the original, but it is thought quite as good by most persons; the fact that these nuts are to be served in the dessert, however, gives reason for omitting them from the mixture of apple and celery. if it is desired to have a sherbet for this luncheon, add it after the chicken, one of canned pineapple, or grape fruit, and have the final course a cream cheese with bar-le-duc currants and crackers, with the coffee; the mixture of sweet and cheese seems odd to one who has not tried it, but it is warranted to give satisfaction. december one of the charming things about christmas day is the now customary late luncheon for the members of the family and the intimate friends who are afterwards expected to prolong their stay until the lighting of the tree at early candle-light. men as well as women are invited to this holiday celebration, and the occasion is one of the happiest of the happy season. of course the guests are chosen with an especially careful thought as to their congeniality, for christmas is never the time for the payment of social obligations, but rather for the fulfilment of the idea of peace and good-will, and comradeship must mark the keeping of the festival. this christmas luncheon in no way conflicts with the family dinner which comes later in the day, but is a thing apart. the children join in this, even if they are too young to remain out of bed for the later meal, and will hugely enjoy the fun which marks it. a christmas luncheon [illustration: for a christmas luncheon.] the table should be arranged in scarlet, with holly to offset the more brilliant colour; in the centre should stand one of the diminutive christmas trees, such as are to be had in the german toy shops; they are artificial, and do not take fire from the candles, and have the additional advantage of lasting for years, as they fold up like an umbrella and may be tucked out of the way from one season to another. the pot in which this little tree stands is to be surrounded with a broad wreath of holly, lying on the table. the candles on the tree are to be scarlet, and they will sufficiently light the room except for the side lights on the wall. a narrow scarlet ribbon should extend from each plate to a little parcel lying at the foot of the tree, tied up with white tissue paper and scarlet ribbons, with a spray of holly attached, and at the close of the meal these ribbons are to be pulled by each guest and the gift opened; here the fun of the christmas luncheon begins, for these presents should in every case be some small joke on the recipient, and ingenuity and cleverness should be the price paid for them by the giver. if one has the knack of writing jingles,--and it is easily acquired,--the card bearing the verse is to accompany the gift, and the words must be read aloud for the entertainment of all. a young man who is addicted to the bad habit of sunday golf might have a small plaid paper golf-bag, and a card with a picture of a golfer with his sticks,--this can be cut from an advertisement or catalogue,--and a rhyme something like this:-- "behold this young golfer so fit, who his ball (or his caddie) doth hit, when six days in the week and the seventh day eke, to the links he doth eagerly flit." an enthusiastic young housekeeper might be given a set of small tin baking dishes with this jingle:-- "this matron can cook wondrous well; every recipe known she can tell; she can roast, stew, and bake, make marvellous cake, and her jelly will frequently 'jell.'" a pretty girl might have a pasteboard heart with the words written on it, "a heart for the heartless," and this verse below:-- "this maiden's an arrant young flirt; her ways are both subtle and pert. every man that she spies she looks on as a prize, and she cares not a fig for his hurt." a little practice will make perfect in writing similar ridiculous nonsense. the menu for this christmas luncheon should be a very simple one in order not to impair the appetites for the christmas goose, which will appear before many hours. menu bouillon. scalloped salmon. duck croquettes with peas. potato puff. celery salad. wafers. individual plum puddings. coffee. of course if plum pudding is necessary to the christmas dinner it must be dispensed with here, but if this is the one meal of the holiday when the children of the family are present, these small lighted puddings will give the greatest delight; each one is to have a little spray of holly in the top and be sent to the table on fire; as the alcohol is destroyed in the blaze, there can be no objection to its use on this occasion. [illustration] after the final course a sleigh filled with candies may be brought in, with santa claus driving his team of reindeer, and this may be placed in state on one end of the table, or, if the little tree is not to be had for the central decoration, this toy may take its place, and stand in the centre all through the meal. sometimes one wishes to give a formal luncheon for guests who are spending the christmas holidays in the house; the ideas suggested for the tree, the presents, the nonsense jingles, and the holly may all be used with perfect appropriateness, even if this comes either before or after the twenty-fifth. a christmas luncheon speaks for itself, whenever it is given. for this you will need a rather elaborate menu whole pineapple filled with fruits. clam bisque. hot crackers. whitebait. brown bread and butter. boiled chicken. oyster sauce. potatoes creamed. orange sherbet in holly boxes. tongue salad. olive sandwiches. individual plum puddings. coffee. bonbons. pineapple is in market all the year around in our cities, and at a price which varies little from the one in summer; if, however, the fruit is not to be had, serve whole bananas chilled, each one lying on its side on a plate with a strip of skin removed, and lemon juice and powdered sugar over it; it is to be eaten as bananas usually are now, with a spoon. [illustration] the whitebait is a peculiarly delicious fish, and not an expensive one, for as it is very light, a pound will go a long way; it is sprinkled with flour and fried in a wire basket in deep fat and served with a bit of lemon and thin strips of brown bread. smelts or small pan fish may be substituted for it, if it is not in one's market. only the white meat of the chicken is to be used on the table in the next course, with a white sauce with oysters in it. the tongue salad is made by cutting canned lunch tongue into small pieces, covering with french dressing for an hour and laying on lettuce with mayonnaise over it; the sandwiches passed with this are made of chopped olives and a little mayonnaise on thin bread and butter. an ice cream may be used in the place of the puddings if they are not fancied, and the caterer can furnish small figures of santa claus in coloured creams which are very attractive. in december there should be snow on the ground, whether there is or not; certainly except on the sea-coast there is apt to be. a luncheon all in white is appropriate in winter in any case, but if your guests can look out on a white landscape, so much the better. this meal might precede a sleighing or skating party; as one skates in the city on artificial ice oftener than on that which forms naturally, this luncheon may be served, whatever the weather, for a party of skaters. a snow luncheon lay the table all in white, with doilies and lace centrepiece, and white, unshaded candles, whose glow will save the table from looking cold. have your flowers white carnations with just a touch of green among them, and your bonbons and crystallised fruits white also. the radishes are to be peeled, all but the least bit, and mixed with celery hearts in a long glass dish, or served by themselves, as you fancy. the mousse may be in white sugar cases, if you prefer these rather than the melon mould. menu cream of chicken soup. timbales of cod. oyster sauce. sweetbread patties. beefsteak Ã� la stanley. creamed potatoes. celery salad. white mayonnaise. cheese straws. whipped cream mousse. snowball cakes. coffee with whipped cream. the beefsteak à la stanley, said to have been invented by the african discoverer, is an odd dish for luncheon, but it is extremely good, although one who has never eaten it would not be inclined to think so; if served in small pieces is not too heavy for a winter's luncheon. a thick, tender sirloin steak is broiled and laid on a hot platter on a bed of horse-radish sauce made with the grated root, cream, and white bread crumbs; a layer of fried bananas is put on the meat after it has been seasoned, and over all, a thin layer of the sauce; the root is then grated on top to look like long white ribbons, and the dish is served hot. of course for a luncheon the steak must be cut in strips before the sauce is put on, or it will be a difficult matter to prevent its becoming mussy in cutting, but if the plates are prepared in the kitchen, the matter will be simple enough. to one who has never attempted this dish a suggestion might be given,--do not condemn it untried. the mousse is simply whipped cream which has been sweetened, flavoured with sherry, filled with candied fruit and nuts cut in small bits, and packed in a melon mould with ice and salt for four or five hours; it should be served on a bed of whipped cream. the snow-ball cakes have been suggested before; they are very pretty with this luncheon. as this menu is heartier than usual, no sherbet is given, for presumably there is enough to eat without it; if, however, just because it is hearty it is thought necessary to introduce a course of ice to refresh after the meat, an apricot ice made from canned fruit may be added. an announcement luncheon in announcing the engagement of a friend it is customary to do so with her permission at a luncheon given to her most intimate friends; she should indeed make up the list with the hostess, limiting it to those who are entitled to hear the news directly. of course if there are only a few, the luncheon should be an informal one, but if larger, the decorations and menu must be more elaborate. if none of those present have been entertained at a valentine luncheon on the order of the one already suggested, that may be followed almost exactly, as everything except the dove over the table is quite as appropriate for this meal as for that; if the guests are the same, then the decorations are to be altered more or less. [illustration] lay the table with lace doilies over pink silk; have several vases of pink roses on the table, and have all the sandwiches, cakes, and ices in heart shapes. use arrows of stiff silver paper in the ices. give heart-shaped boxes filled with heart-shaped candies to the guests, unless you care to invest in pretty little stick-pins with gold or silver, or coloured enamel hearts on the end. an appetising menu would be:-- menu oysters on the half-shell. bouillon. fillet of flounder. sauce tartare. potato balls. chicken livers on skewers. fillet of beef, sliced, with mushroom sauce. potato croquettes. frozen fruit in candy flowers. devilled eggs on chiccory. mayonnaise. heart sandwiches. ice-cream hearts. cakes. coffee. bonbons. the chicken livers are prepared by putting good-sized pieces of cooked livers on rather small wooden or silver skewers, alternating them with bits of thin bacon, putting them when ready in the frying-pan, and turning them till brown, and serving on toast with lemon. they are what is called _en brochette_ in cook-books, a formidable name for a simple dish. fillet of beef is really a dinner dish, yet it is seen not unfrequently at luncheons, sliced in the kitchen and put on the plates with a spoonful of mushroom sauce. the frozen fruit has been already given,--a mixture of sliced oranges and bananas with a foamy sauce poured over; it is served in sherbet cups, or in candy flowers. [illustration: charles lamb.] a dissertation upon roast pig by charles lamb _illustrated by l. j. bridgman_ boston d. lothrop company franklin and hawley streets copyright, by d. lothrop company. presswork by berwick & smith, boston. [illustration: ye delightful pig.] [illustration: bo-bo playeth with fire.] upon roast pig mankind, says a chinese manuscript, which my friend m. was obliging enough to read and explain to me, for the first seventy thousand ages ate their meat raw, clawing or biting it from the living animal, just as they do in abyssinia to this day. this period is not obscurely hinted at by their great confucius in the second chapter of his mundane mutations, where he designates a kind of golden age by the term cho-fang, literally the cooks' holiday. the manuscript goes on to say, that the art of roasting, or rather broiling (which i take to be the elder brother) was accidentally discovered in the manner following: the swineherd, ho-ti, having gone out in the woods one morning, as his manner was, to collect masts for his hogs, left his cottage in the care of his eldest son bo-bo, a great lubberly boy, who being fond of playing with fire, as younkers of his age commonly are, let some sparks escape into a bundle of straw, which kindling quickly, spread the conflagration over every part of their poor mansion, till it was reduced to ashes. together with the cottage, (a sorry antediluvian makeshift of a building, you may think it), what was of much more importance, a fine litter of new-farrowed pigs, no less than nine in number, perished. china pigs had been esteemed a luxury all over the east, from the remotest periods that we read of. bo-bo was in the utmost consternation, as you may think, not so much for the sake of the tenement, which his father and he could easily build up again with a few dry branches, and the labour of an hour or two, at any time, as for the loss of the pigs. while he was thinking what he should say to his father, and wringing his hands over the smoking remnants of one of those untimely sufferers, an odour assailed his nostrils, unlike any scent which he had before experienced. what could it proceed from?--not from the burnt cottage--he had smelt that smell before--indeed this was by no means the first accident of the kind which had occured through the negligence of this unlucky young firebrand. much less did it resemble that of any known herb, weed, or flower. a premonitory moistening at the same time overflowed his nether lip. he knew not what to think. he next stooped down to feel the pig, if there were any signs of life in it. he burnt his fingers, and to cool them he applied them in his booby fashion to his mouth. some of the crumbs of the scorched skin had come away with his fingers, and for the first time in his life (in the world's life indeed, for before him no man had known it) he tasted--_crackling_! again he felt and fumbled at the pig. it did not burn him so much now, still he licked his finger from a sort of habit. the truth at length broke into his slow understanding, that it was the pig that smelt so, and the pig that tasted so delicious; and surrendering himself up to the newborn pleasure, he fell to tearing up whole handfuls of the scorched skin with the flesh next it, and was cramming it down his throat in his beastly fashion, when his sire entered amid the smoking rafters, armed with retributory cudgel, and finding how affairs stood, began to rain blows upon the young rogue's shoulders, as thick as hailstones, which bo-bo heeded not any more than if they had been flies. the tickling pleasure which he experienced in his lower regions, had rendered him quite callous to any inconveniences he might feel in those remote quarters. his father might lay on, but he could not beat him from his pig, till he had fairly made an end of it, when, becoming a little more sensible of his situation, something like the following dialogue ensued: [illustration: ye first taste.] "you graceless whelp, what have you got there devouring? is it not enough that you have burnt me down three houses with your dog's tricks, and be hanged to you, but you must be eating fire, and i know not what--what have you got there, i say?" "o father, the pig, the pig! do come and taste how nice the burnt pig eats." the ears of ho-ti tingled with horror. he cursed his son, and he cursed himself that ever he should beget a son that should eat burnt pig. bo-bo, whose scent was wonderfully sharpened since morning, soon raked out another pig, and fairly rending it asunder, thrust the lesser half by main force into the fists of ho-ti, still shouting out, "eat, eat, eat the burnt pig, father, only taste--o lord,"--with such-like barbarous ejaculations, cramming all the while as if he would choke. [illustration: ho-ti beateth his son.] ho-ti trembled every joint while he grasped the abominable things wavering whether he should not put his son to death for an unnatural young monster, when the crackling scorching his fingers, as it had done his son's, and applying the same remedy to them, he in his turn tasted some of its flavour, which, make what sour mouths he would for a pretence, proved not altogether displeasing to him. in conclusion (for the manuscript here is a little tedious) both father and son fairly sat down to the mess, and never left off till they had despatched all that remained of the litter. bo-bo was strictly enjoined not to let the secret escape, for the neighbors would certainly have stoned them for a couple of abominable wretches, who could think of improving upon the good meat which god had sent them. nevertheless, strange stories got about. it was observed that ho-ti's cottage was burnt down now more frequently than ever. nothing but fires from this time forward. some would break out in broad day, others in the night-time. as often as the sow farrowed, so sure was the house of ho-ti to be in a blaze; and ho-ti himself, which was the more remarkable, instead of chastising his son, seemed to grow more indulgent to him than ever. at length they were watched, the terrible mystery discovered, and father and son summoned to take their trial at pekin, than an inconsiderable assize town. evidence was given, the obnoxious food itself produced in court, and verdict about to be pronounced, when the foreman of the jury begged that some of the burnt pig, of which the culprits stood accused, might be handed into the box. he handled it, and they all handled it, and burning their fingers, as bo-bo and his father had done before them, and nature prompting to each of them the same remedy, against the face of all the facts, and the clearest charge which judge had ever given,--to the surprise of the whole court, townsfolk, strangers, reporters, and all present--without leaving the box, or any manner of consultation whatever, they brought in a simultaneous verdict of not guilty. [illustration: ye family rejoiceth.] the judge, who was a shrewd fellow, winked at the manifest iniquity of the decision; and, when the court was dismissed, went privily, and bought up all the pigs that could be had for love or money. in a few days his lordship's town house was observed to be on fire. the thing took wing, and now there was nothing to be seen but fires in every direction. fuel and pigs grew enormously dear all over the district. the insurance offices one and all shut up shop. people built slighter and slighter every day, until it was feared that the very science of architecture would in no long time be lost to the world. thus this custom of firing houses continued, till in process of time, says my manuscript, a sage arose, like our locke, who made a discovery, that the flesh of swine, or indeed of any other animal, might be cooked (_burnt_, as they call it) without the necessity of consuming a whole house to dress it. then first began the rude form of a gridiron. roasting by the string, or spit, came in a century or two later, i forget in whose dynasty. by such slow degrees, concludes the manuscript, do the most useful, and seemingly the most obvious arts, make their way among mankind. [illustration: ye mystery is solved.] without placing too implicit faith in the account above given, it must be agreed, that if a worthy pretext for so dangerous an experiment as setting houses on fire (especially in these days) could be assigned in favour of any culinary object, that pretext and excuse might be found in roast pig. of all the delicacies in the whole _mundus edibilis_, i will maintain it to be the most delicate--_princeps obsoniorum_. i speak not of your grown porkers--things between pig and pork--those hobbydehoys--but a young and tender suckling--under a moon old--guiltless as yet of the sty--with no original speck of the _amor immunditiæ_, the hereditary failing of the first parent, yet manifest--his voice as yet not broken, but something between a childish treble, and a grumble--the mild forerunner, or _præludium_, of a grunt. _he must be roasted._ i am not ignorant that our ancestors ate them seethed, or boiled--but what a sacrifice of the exterior tegument! [illustration: ye jury giveth its verdict.] there is no flavour comparable, i will contend, to that of the crisp, tawny, well-watched, not over-roasted, _crackling_, as it is well called--the very teeth are invited to their share of the pleasure at this banquet in overcoming the coy, brittle resistance--with the adhesive oleaginous--o call it not fat--but an indefiable sweetness growing up to it--the tender blossoming of fat--fat cropped in the bud--taken in the shoot--in the first innocence--the cream and quintessence of the child-pig's yet pure food--the lean, no lean, but a kind of animal manna--or, rather, fat and lean (if it must be so) so blended and running into each other, that both together make but one ambrosian result, or common substance. behold him, while he is doing--it seemeth rather a refreshing warmth, then a scorching heat, that he is so passive to. how equably he twirleth round the string!--now he is just done. to see the extreme sensibility of that tender age, he hath wept out his pretty eyes--radiant jellies--shooting stars-- see him in the dish, his second cradle, how meek he lieth!--wouldst thou have had this innocent grow up to the grossness and indocility which too often accompany maturer swinehood? ten to one he would have proved a glutton, a sloven, an obstinate, disagreeable animal--wallowing in all manner of filthy conversation--from these sins he is happily snatched away-- ere sin could blight, or sorrow fade, death came with timely care-- his memory is odoriferous--no clown curseth, while his stomach half rejecteth, the rank bacon--no coalheaver bolteth him in reeking sausages--he hath a fair sepulchre in the grateful stomach of the judicious epicure--and for such a tomb might be content to die. [illustration: ye judge speculateth.] he is the best of sapors. pineapple is great. she is indeed almost too transcendent--a delight, if not sinful, yet so like to sinning, that really a tender-conscienced person would do well to pause--too ravishing for mortal taste, she woundeth and excoriateth the lips that approach her--like lover's kisses, she biteth--she is a pleasure bordering on pain from the fierceness and insanity of her relish--but she stoppeth at the palate--she meddleth not with the appetite--and the coarsest hunger might barter her consistently for a mutton chop. pig--let me speak his praise--is no less provocative of the appetite, than he is satisfactory to the criticalness of the censorious palate. the strong man may batten on him, and the weakling refuseth not his mild juices. unlike to mankind's mixed characters, a bundle of virtues and vices, inexplicably intertwisted, and not to be unravelled without hazard, he is--good throughout. no part of him is better or worse than another. he helpeth, as far as his little means extend, all around. he is the least envious of banquets. he is all neighbors' fare. [illustration: ye sage maketh a discovery.] i am one of those, who freely and ungrudgingly impart a share of the good things of this life which fall to their lot (few as mine are in this kind) to a friend. i protest i take as great an interest in my friend's pleasures, his relishes, and proper satisfactions, as in mine own. "presents," i often say, "endear absents." hares, pheasants, partridges, snipes, barn-door chickens (those "tame villatic fowl"), capons, plovers, brawn, barrels of oysters, i dispense as freely as i receive them. i love to taste them, as it were, upon the tongue of my friend. but a stop must be put somewhere. one would not, like lear, "give everything." i make my stand upon pig. methinks it is an ingratitude to the giver of all good flavours, to extra-domiciliate, or send out of the house, slightingly (under pretext of friendship, or i know not what), a blessing so particularly adapted, predestined, i may say, to my individual palate--it argues an insensibility. [illustration: ye pig twirleth.] i remember a touch of conscience in this kind at school. my good old aunt, who never parted from me at the end of a holiday without stuffing a sweetmeat, or some nice thing, into my pocket, had dismissed me one evening with a smoking plum-cake, fresh from the oven. in my way to school (it was over london bridge) a gray-headed old beggar saluted me (i have no doubt at this time of day that he was a counterfeit). i had no pence to console him with, and in the vanity of self-denial, and the very coxcombry of charity, schoolboy-like, i made him a present of--the whole cake! i walked on a little, buoyed up, as one is on such occasions, with a sweet soothing of self-satisfaction; but before i had got to the end of the bridge, my better feelings returned, and i burst into tears, thinking how ungrateful i had been to my good aunt, to go and give her good gift away to a stranger, that i had never seen before, and who might be a bad man for aught i knew; and then i thought of the pleasure my aunt would be taking in thinking that i--i myself, and not another--would eat her nice cake--and what should i say to her the next time i saw her--how naughty i was to part with her pretty present--and the odour of that spicy cake came back upon my recollection, and the pleasure and the curiosity i had taken in seeing her make it, and her joy when she sent it to the oven, and how disappointed she would feel that i had never had a bit of it in my mouth at last--and i blamed my impertinent spirit of almsgiving, and out-of-place hypocrisy of goodness, and above all i wished never to see the face again of that insiduous, good-for-nothing, old gray impostor. our ancestors were nice in their method of sacrificing these tender victims. we read of pigs whipt to death with something of a shock, as we hear of any other obsolete custom. the age of discipline is gone by, or it would be curious to inquire (in a philosophical light merely) what effect this process might have towards intenerating and dulcifying a substance, naturally so mild and dulcet as the flesh of young pigs. it looks like refining a violet. yet we should be cautious, while we condemn the inhumanity, how we censure the wisdom of the practice. it might impart a gusto-- [illustration: ye aromatic pig.] i remember an hypothesis, argued upon by the young students, when i was at st. omer's, and maintained with much learning and pleasantry on both sides, "whether, supposing that the flavor of a pig who obtained his death by whipping (_per flagellationem extremam_) superadded a pleasure upon the palate of a man more intense than any possible suffering we can conceive in the animal, is man justified in using that method of putting the animal to death?" i forget the decision. his sauce should be considered. decidedly, a few bread crumbs, done up with his liver and brains, and a dash of mild sage. but, banish, dear mrs. cook, i beseech you, the whole onion tribe. barbecue your whole hogs to your palate, steep them in shalots, stuff them out with plantations of the rank and guilty garlic; you cannot poison them, or make them stronger than they are--but consider, he is a weakling--a flower. price d net. paper bag cookery =by vera countess serkoff= [illustration] c. arthur pearson. limited ="the handy suet."= these are some of the great advantages of =shredded "atora" beef suet= no chopping--no waste--in tiny particles ready to mix with the flour, thus saving time. = lb. goes as far as lb. raw suet.= "atora" is extracted from the finest fresh beef suet, refined, sterilised, absolutely pure, sweet, and wholesome. it keeps fresh for months although no preservatives are used. it takes the place of raw suet, lard, and cooking butter, and is more digestible, and does not repeat like many other fats. sold in two forms-- =shredded= for puddings and pastry, and in =blocks= for frying and cooking. obtainable from all grocers, stores, &c., in -lb. and / -lb. boxes. [illustration] =hugon & co., ltd.= pendleton, manchester. paper-bag cookery useful handbooks on home management. small homes and how to furnish them by edith waldemar leverton. with illustrations. _cloth_, =price s.=, _post free_ = s. d.= [illustration] contents:-- choosing the home--the furniture--wall papers--floor coverings--red, blue, green, yellow and pink rooms--the entrance hall--staircase nooks--cosy sitting rooms--the dining room--kitchen scullery--the bedrooms, etc. things a woman wants to know with an illustrated section on =the folding of serviettes=. edited by "isobel," of _home notes_. _cloth_, =price s.=, _post free_ = s. d.= a collection of invaluable household recipes, which no housewife should be without. house taking and house holding by william blair. _cloth_, =price s.=, _post free_ = s. d.= [illustration] this useful volume contains chapters, dealing, amongst other things, with the choice of a house, sub-soils, leases, repairing leases, sanitation, removal, rates and taxes, furnished houses, fixtures, flats, maisonettes, insurance, nuisances, etc., etc. how to keep house on £ a year by mrs. praga. author of "dinners of the day," etc. _crown vo_, _cloth_, =price s.=, _post free_ = s. d.= part i. contains chapters on the choice and management of a home. part ii. contains chapters on how to furnish the home. part iii. contains chapters on household duties and arrangements. how to live well on five shillings a week per head by l. rutherfoord skey. _cloth_, =price s.= _nett_, _post free_, = s. d.= the contents include:--unconsidered trifles--breakfast and supper dishes--meat, what to buy, and how to cook it--substitutes for meat--fish--soups and the stock-pot--fruit and vegetables--puddings--how to spend the five shillings; tables of daily expenditure--five shillings a week in the country--recipes, &c. household hints edited by "isobel," of _home notes_. =price s.=, _post free_ = s. d.= this volume deals with every kind of advice and recipe for keeping a house to perfect condition. plain needlework edited by "isobel," of _home notes_. _cloth_, =price s.=, _post free_ = s. d.= the object of this book is to show, by examples and simple directions, the best way of executing all the most necessary details of what is usually termed plain work. to those who wish to instruct their children or pupils to sew, this book will prove most useful. _may be had of all booksellers, or post free for s. d. from--_ c. arthur pearson, ltd., henrietta st., london, w.c. paper-bag cookery by vera countess serkoff _with nearly two hundred recipes_ london c. arthur pearson ltd. henrietta street she relies on mcdougall's self raising flour it is the secret for all her pastry of success and cake making. [illustration] =mcdougall's self-raising flour= has a reputation of years. it makes delicious pastry. light, flaky and digestible. unequalled for boiled or steamed puddings. needs no yeast or baking powder. sold by all grocers and stores in - / lb., lb. and lb. bags. =refuse substitutes.= always ready! always reliable! try it! introduction "paper-bag cookery" is the method of cooking food in a hot oven, having previously enveloped each article in paper, and thus cooking them in hot air and in the steam generated by their own juices. the method is fully explained and its advantages are clearly and incontestably set out in the following pages, but it may be well to sum up the latter succinctly in their order here that they may be taken in at a glance. the greatest advantage of all is, of course, the great improvement in flavour and the retention in the food of its highest nutritive properties. =( ) food cooked in a paper bag is superior in flavour and of higher nutritive value than that cooked in any other way.= the next advantage is its economy in time, in money, and in labour. =( ) food cooked in a paper bag loses practically nothing in weight.= =( ) by cooking the entire dinner in paper bags in the oven an immense saving in fuel is effected.= =( ) food cooked in a paper bag takes, as a rule, a much shorter time to cook than when cooked by any other method.= =( ) the entire meal may be prepared and placed in the bags overnight, thus saving considerable time during the busy morning hours.= =( ) joints require no basting, and provided care is taken to lower the gas sufficiently to prevent scorching the bags, the food can be left to look after itself until the proper time for dishing up arrives.= a very great advantage both to mistress and maid is the cleanliness of the process. it is undoubtedly an advantage when doing without a servant to have no pots and pans to soil one's fingers, or to roughen one's hands with the necessary strong soda water for cleansing kitchen utensils. =( ) no pots and pans to clean. no blackened saucepans to scour; no dishcloths to wash out, after washing the pots, thus saving soap and soda. the bags used in cooking are merely burned up.= =( ) no constant and expensive renewal of pots, baking dishes, fireproof ware--frequently far from fireproof--tin saucepans burned through in no time--enamelled dishes from which the enamel so soon wears off. an ample supply of paper bags for an average family will cost at the utmost no more than sixpence per week.= =( ) comfort in kitchen and sitting-room. there is absolutely no smell of cooking during the preparation of meals, a very great advantage in houses where the kitchen is not completely shut off from the rest of the house.= =( ) it is possible to cook all sorts of viands at the same time in paper bags. even such articles as fish, onions, etc., can be cooked at the same time as the most delicate foods without impairing their flavour or imparting their own.= =( ) freedom from grease. many dishes which are too rich for the digestion when cooked in the usual way may be put into a paper bag with no more butter than is necessary to grease the bag, and will be found to have gained in savour and delicacy of taste, while so completely free from grease that they will not disagree with the most delicate digestion.= =( ) meat is made tender by being cooked in a paper bag. even if inclined to be tough, the same joint that, put into an oven and cooked in the usual way, would be almost uneatable, will, cooked in a paper bag, turn out surprisingly tender and palatable. the envelope keeps all the juices in, and thus enables the meat to be cooked to perfection.= =( ) the juices which must in some degree run from meat, the syrup which may boil out from the fruit dumpling, the gravy which may exude from the meat pudding, are all preserved in the bag, instead of being lost in the baking dish or the boiling water, as would be the case if the bag were dispensed with.= =( ) no scrubbing out of a greasy oven with dripping clinging to the sides; no washing out of the dripping pan or baking dish. a spotlessly clean oven is left, and when the bags have been burned up and the dishes washed, the cook's labours in connection with the finished meal are over.= =( ) even such articles which for some reason or other must necessarily be put into dishes, are immensely improved in flavour by being afterwards placed in a paper bag, and are also more equally cooked well as saved from all risk of burning.= _a list of prices of papakuk bags will be found on page of the cover._ contents chapter page introduction i. showing the enormous advantages of cooking in paper bags over the present method ii. how to cook fish iii. how to cook meat iv. how to cook vegetables v. puddings and sweets vi. miscellaneous recipes index paper-bag cookery chapter i. showing the enormous advantages of cooking in paper-bags over the present method. when primitive man first ventured on the daring experiment of applying heat to his newly-slain prey, he would most naturally adopt the obvious plan of suspending it on three sticks over a fire. the result, though no doubt to a certain extent tasty, would be smoked, charred on one side, raw on the other, and this, coupled with the frequency of burned fingers gained while rescuing the meat from the fire into which it fell when the sticks burned through, caused primitive man--or, more probably, primitive woman--to evolve the method of cooking known to us to-day as paper-bag cookery. paper not having been discovered, the prehistoric cook could not use the bags now placed at our disposal, but a very fair substitute was always ready to hand in the shape of green leaves, in which the meat was carefully wrapped. a hole was dug in the ground, and partly filled with large stones, on the top of which a fire was kindled. when it had burned out, the stones would be almost red-hot, and the meat, wrapped in the green leaves, was laid in, some of the hot stones being raked over the parcel, and then the hole was filled in with earth, so that neither smoke nor steam could escape. in fifteen minutes or so, or as near that time as primitive man could restrain his hunger, the meat would be done to a turn, and the hungry family would break open their primitive cooking oven, and devour the delicious morsels. from darwin's _voyage of the beagle_ we learn that the tahitians cooked their food at that date ( ) in precisely the same way, and those of us who have revelled in childhood in _bill biddon_, _the trapper_, and other indian stories, must remember the delightful feasts described in those books, where the hunters and their friends gathered round the camp fire at night, and ate buffalo meat and wild prairie birds in the same fashion. how much more delicious to the childish mind than the commonplace roast mutton of nursery dinners. in spite of the condescending explanations given by our elders that it was only the hunger of the hunters that made such cookery palatable, the child still believes in the delights of such a meal--and the child is right! there is no method of cooking by which the flavour is so well brought out, and the juices so well preserved, as by cooking in this way; that is, by hot air surrounding the food, which is thus cooked in its own juices, and by the steam so generated. paper-bag cookery is not a mere craze of the moment; for once its advantages have been discovered, it will become firmly rooted as one of the best and most economical means of preparing food ever invented. why it should have fallen into abeyance among civilised nations (except in the cooking of one or two special dishes) for so many centuries is impossible to surmise. no loss of weight or flavour. one very great advantage of paper-bag cookery which will appeal strongly to the economist is the fact that meat thus treated loses little or nothing of its weight. to the great grief of the thrifty housewife, there is no way of preventing the lordly and expensive sirloin of beef or the dainty leg of lamb losing very considerably in its passage through the cooking process, and when one has paid a good price per pound for the meat, one certainly grudges losing even a few ounces of it. in boiling meat less is lost, but even that little is mourned by the thrifty soul, and stews are recommended, because what is lost in the cooking goes to enrich the gravy and vegetables in the stewpan. but stews, though nourishing and economical, are not savoury, and the thrifty housewife will rejoice to know that by placing her joint in a paper bag, her family may enjoy the savour and tastiness of roast meat, without the waste in the cooking. as the joint goes into the oven, so it comes out, the same weight, or, if in some instances there be some difference, it is so slight as to be infinitesimal. economy, however, is not everything, and paper-bag cookery appeals also to the epicure, who does not consider cost in ordering a meal to his taste. food cooked in a paper bag acquires a richness and a delicacy of flavour imparted by no other means of cooking. all the juices of the meat are preserved; there is no greasiness, no dryness, no risk of burning; even tough meat is made tender. until a joint cooked by this method has been tasted, the epicure has no idea of the exquisite flavour and delicacy which await him. how it helps the housekeeper on small means. quails, puff pastry, turbot, and salmon are all very well in their way, and it is gratifying to the wealthy epicure to know that to cook them in paper bags is to attain perfection; but there are many of us to whose limited incomes these dishes are quite unattainable luxuries, and who are more interested in knowing how to cook simple and cheap articles of food to advantage. it is to these anxious housewives with limited purses that paper-bag cookery specially appeals; kippers, bloaters, and smoked haddocks are simple and cheap food, used every day as breakfast and supper dishes by those whose incomes oblige them to be careful in their expenditure. excellent as these articles are, there are few more easily spoiled. they burn easily, and dry up very much in frying. a moment's neglect, and a burned, unpalatable, tasteless object is all that emerges from the frying-pan. cooked in a paper bag, however, there is no such danger and no one need fear to lose the savoury relish that a well cooked kipper or bloater possesses. they are just as tasty, but have acquired a flavour unsurpassed by any other method of cooking. the juices are preserved, and there is no fear of dryness. place a kipper, bloater, or smoked haddock cooked in a paper bag before a lover of these fish, and he will discover new charms in his favourite dish. no one can deny, however, that appetising as these homely fish are, the smell of frying kippers or bloaters is most aggressive. not content with filling the house, it forces its way into the street, and triumphantly proclaims to our neighbours upon what humble fare we are feasting. but cooked in a "papakuk bag," there is absolutely no smell to reveal the nature of the coming repast, and as many people dislike very much the smell of the food they are about to eat, and, indeed, complain that the smell takes away their appetite completely, this in itself is a great gain. the proper bags to use. red mullet, cutlets, and one or two other dainties have always been cooked in paper (ordinary kitchen paper, thoroughly oiled), and it seems strange that the delicious flavour thus obtained did not earlier stimulate some observant and enterprising chef to apply the principle to other foods. but now that attention has been drawn to the matter, many of our best known chefs are strongly urging the use of paper bags. joints of meat can be cooked by wrapping in sheets of kitchen paper, carefully secured to envelope the meat entirely, and exclude the air, but for other food bags are essential. let no thrifty soul think to economise by saving for this use the bags in which articles have been sent home from grocers, greengrocers, or other tradesmen. this plan would be an excellent illustration of the proverb, "penny wise and pound foolish," for though a few pence might be saved, the spoiling of the food would be a much more serious expense. cooked in these bags, everything would taste unpleasantly of paper, even if the cooking were otherwise successfully carried out. a much graver matter would be the danger to health. the paper, not manufactured for cooking purposes, might have something injurious in its composition, or the paste used in joining the bags might contain some harmful substance, so that a doctor's bill would make the cost of the bags got without payment far in excess of those manufactured for the purpose, and sold for a very small sum. how the bags should be fastened. when the food has been placed in the bags, the openings must, of course, be secured, for the whole essence of this method lies in the complete exclusion of the air, and the sealing up of the juices and flavour of the food that it may cook in its own steam. [illustration: how to fix the clips. once the joint is in the paper-bag, the opening to the bag must be clipped down. first turn the corners down, as in the first fold, then bring the top of the bag over, leaving sloping corners. the clips can then be inserted.] now, the question is, how to fasten the food in the bag in the most secure manner. clips can be obtained with the bags, and these are excellent. safety-pins are not advisable, as they are apt to tear the paper when being adjusted. on no account must ordinary pins be used, for they are easily overlooked when removing the paper, and lying unnoticed on the meat dish, might be conveyed to a plate and be inadvertently swallowed. greasing the bags. there is a great difference of opinion about this, some cooks greasing each bag inside and outside without any regard to what is being cooked; some grease only in special cases, and others do not use grease at all. it is, however, quite necessary to freely grease the inside of the bags containing fish or pudding, otherwise the food will stick to the bag, and although it is not wise to thickly grease one containing a joint, especially a fat joint, yet the meat itself should be lightly rubbed over with a morsel of dripping or vegetable lard to prevent the paper sticking to it. butter should not be used, as it gives meat a bad colour. [illustration: to find out whether the food is cooked, just press the bag with one finger. if it feels tender, it is quite all right.] if the bag containing a joint be thickly greased inside and out, the interior of the oven will be greasy and will smell, thus doing away with two of the benefits of paper-bag cookery--cleanliness and freedom from smell. the cooking of different dishes together. if a joint of meat is being roasted in an oven in the ordinary way, nothing else may be cooked at the same time, unless it be a yorkshire pudding or baked potatoes, which are placed below the meat expressly to catch the dripping and the gravy. if the rash cook ventured to put in several articles of food at once, disaster would be the result. the tart would savour of roast pork, the meat taste of onions, or the baked fish would give its own special flavour to everything else in the oven. apart from this, the heat required to cook the joint would curdle the milk pudding, and the gentle warmth required for the custard would leave the steak in an almost raw condition. then, too, the necessity of hanging the joint from the bar at the top of the gas-cooker leaves very little room for anything else. in paper-bag cookery, the most varied assortment of dishes will lie amicably side by side on the grid supplied with the gas-cookers, and no mingling of flavours or spoiling of one or the other will result. cooking them thus altogether, an immense saving in time and in expense for heating is effected. even the savoury onion will cook placidly by the side of a bag of gooseberries, without imparting its flavour to the fruit. while cooking is going on, the oven door can be freely opened without risk of spoiling anything by the admission of cold air, which, of course, would be fatal to the contents of the oven in ordinary cooking. the cleanliness of paper-bag cookery. when dinner has been successfully cooked, dished up, and eaten, the labours of the cook are by no means ended, for then comes the distasteful business of clearing up. the oven must be cleaned while it is still hot, the interior well scrubbed out with hot water and soda to free it from the grease which will cause such an unpleasant smell next time the oven is used. the baking tin must next be attended to, and then comes the array of saucepans, stewpans, and frying-pans which have been used, and which are often so difficult to scour that one can understand and almost forgive the hard-driven "general" who puts them away in a dirty condition, trusting to be able to clean them some time before they are again required. in this particular, the contrast between paper-bag and ordinary cooking is most striking. the meat having been cooked in a bag, there is no grease to be scrubbed from the oven, and none on the bars of the grid where it has lain; the interior of the cooker is perfectly clean; there is no baking or dripping-pan to be cleansed with hot water and plenty of soda; there are no saucepans to scour. when the paper bags have been disposed of, there remain only the plates, knives, forks, and spoons to wash up, and that over, cook may sit down to rest. this, in itself, is such an immense saving of labour and time, that the mistress who adopts "papakukery" may be said to have gone far towards solving the servant problem. the best oven to use. a gas-cooker is undoubtedly the best for paper-bag cookery, as the ease with which the heat is regulated, and a steady even degree maintained, the little attention it requires while the food is cooking, make it ideal for all ways of preparing food, but especially for the method now under consideration. gas is absolutely perfection for paper-bag cookery. but all houses are not supplied with gas, and even if they are, the economical housewife may prefer to cook by coal fires, at all events in winter, when the kitchen-range is alight all day long, or when it is going for the purpose of getting hot water for baths. an ordinary coal heated kitchen-range will answer very well for paper-bag cookery, if a little care and attention be given to the matter. the cook must firmly impress on her mind that the bags must _not_ be laid on a solid baking sheet, but on a wire grid, which may be cheaply acquired at an ironmonger's; that the oven must be heated to ° fahr. before the food is put into it--a cooking thermometer is not an expensive item; and that, though the heat may be lessened after some twenty minutes, the fire must not be allowed to go down and then be built up again to complete the cookery. if the bags are put on a hot baking sheet, the cooking will be a failure, because it is necessary for the hot air to circulate round the food and completely surround it; besides, the bags will burst as soon as they are laid on a hot solid surface. [illustration] when cooking in a gas oven, it must be remembered that the gas must be lighted and left full on for ten minutes before the food is put in, and also that the lower grid must not be put in the lowest groove, or the bags will catch fire from being too near the flame. the top grid should be put in the groove nearest the top of the oven, if that will allow the bags to lie conveniently on it, and the second grid as near the first as may be convenient. a wire grid from the ironmonger's may be added to the two usually supplied with the gas-cooker; in some ovens there is room for two additional ones. after about ten to fifteen minutes, the gas may be turned half-way down, and this degree of heat steadily maintained till the cooking is completed. sometimes, when people are living in apartments, there is a supply of gas, but no cooker. in such a case, it would be easy to buy a gas ring and tubing to attach it to a gas jet. over the ring a tin oven, such as can be had cheaply from most ironmongers, should be placed, and it will be found that a paper-bag dinner will emerge most successfully from it. even if nothing more than a paraffin stove is to be had, still the paper-bag cook need not despair. longer time will be needed to get the oven placed on top of a paraffin stove to the necessary degree of heat, but by remembering this, and maintaining the same steady heat, paper-bag cookery may be managed much more satisfactorily in such an oven than ordinary cooking could possibly be. a home-made grid. [illustration] as a wire grid in the oven is necessary, and many housewives may not be able to try the new cooking because their ovens are not fitted with a grid, here is a very cheap and simple way of making a grid that will answer perfectly. get a piece of ordinary wire netting, cut it to the width of the oven, then thread through the natural edge on both sides an iron or brass rod--a curtain or stair rod will do--then place in the oven as shown in the sketch. the ends of the rods must rest on the little ledge in the oven which usually supports the iron shelf, and that will give the necessary strength and support to the grid. the total cost should not be more than twopence or threepence. dishing-up. at the end of the specified time, a peep into the oven will reveal the array of paper bags, probably well browned but not burned. if there has been the slightest smell of burning paper, it should at once be looked to and the gas reduced. [illustration: to remove the food from the bag. let the bag lie on a dish, take a pair of scissors and rip up one side of the bag and also one end as shown by the dotted lines. then pull the bag away and the food will remain on the dish.] a large fish-slice should be employed to remove the bag containing the meat from the oven and place it on the hot dish ready for it. a pair of scissors should be at hand to slit open the bag, which must then be dexterously removed, leaving the nicely browned, perfectly cooked joint on the dish. there will be very little gravy, as that, of course, is the juice of the meat, and the claim of the paper-bag cookery is that it seals up the juices _within_ the meat. on no account add water to the few spoonfuls of rich, strong gravy in the dish, for that would completely spoil the delicious flavour. in families where much gravy is desired, it must be made separately with a little stock, browned and thickened. the potatoes can now be turned out of their paper bag into a hot dish, and the same process can be followed with peas or sprouts. cauliflower requires gentler handling. its bag should be slit, and the nicely cooked flower--almost all green must be cut away--suffered to glide gently into a dish filled with hot white sauce ready prepared. the pudding may continue in the oven, the gas turned very low so that it may keep hot, but not cook any longer, till it is required. chapter ii. how to cook fish. there is nothing which is so delicious when cooked in paper bags as fish. boiled fish is light and digestible, but most of the nutriment and flavour are lost in the water; and although less goes to waste when the fish is steamed or cooked in a conservative cooker, there is no comparison between these methods and paper-bag cookery. the flavour is unsurpassed; there is no smell of frying or boiling fat; no risk of burning; no spoiling by overcooking; no trouble or fuss looking out the right saucepan and bringing the fat to just the right degree of heat; in short, it is the perfection of fish cookery. it is an ideal way of cooking small fish or portions of fish. a salmon steak, cooked in a paper bag, is an epicure's dream, and no one who has not eaten one cooked in this way can form any idea of its exquisite flavour. cod cutlet is a revelation, for it acquires a new and delightful flavour, while the cheaper and coarser fish, such as hake, rock salmon, monk-fish, etc., when treated in this way, gain so much in taste as to become real delicacies. skate is particularly nice cooked in a paper bag. this fish, though exceedingly wholesome and easily digested, has a rather strong flavour, which is objected to by many people. oddly enough, this strong flavour entirely disappears when the fish is cooked in a paper bag. skate. a piece weighing about a pound should be soaked for about an hour in strong salt and water, then shaken free from moisture and rubbed over with butter. season with salt and pepper and put into a well greased bag, with one tablespoonful of water and half as much vinegar. cook for about eighteen minutes, and serve on a very hot dish, on which a slice of butter has been melted. this is a capital supper dish. salmon cutlets. take a slice of salmon weighing half a pound. rub it over with butter which has been seasoned with pepper, salt, and a few drops of lemon juice, and put it into a very well greased bag. have the oven very hot, and cook the salmon for fifteen minutes. slit the bag with scissors, and slip the fish on to a very hot dish. this will have all the savour of fried salmon, but with a delicious flavour and aroma peculiarly its own. if the effect of boiled salmon be desired, put a scant half-teacupful of water into the bag with the fish. fresh haddock is particularly dainty when cooked in this fashion. have the fish cleaned and the head taken off. rub both inside and out with butter, put it into a well greased bag with a tablespoonful of water, and cook for fifteen minutes. it will have the appearance of a boiled fish, and the curd-like whiteness and delicacy of its flesh will be extremely tempting, while the flavour will be far superior to that of a boiled haddock. or, if a more savoury dish be preferred, the fish must be well dredged with flour, which has been highly seasoned with salt and pepper, then covered with bits of butter, put without water into a greased paper-bag and placed in a hot oven, the heat being maintained at the same degree for twenty minutes. the paper will become very brown, but must not be allowed to blacken or singe. the fish will then be a rich golden brown, closely resembling fried fish, but much more wholesome and digestible. whiting is very delicate cooked in a paper bag, and can be eaten by the youngest child or most delicate invalid without risk to the digestion. it is skinned, the tail fastened in the mouth, then placed in the greased bag with a tablespoonful of water, and cooked for about ten minutes. it is not so insipid as boiled whiting and is more nutritious. kippers are placed in a well greased bag, and cooked in a hot oven for about ten minutes. they should be very savoury, yet by no means dried up by this means of cooking, and are also not so rich as when fried. bloaters cooked the same way are quite as tasty as when fried, but lighter and more digestible. smoked haddocks acquire a new and delicious flavour when cooked in a paper bag. they should be carefully wiped clean, well buttered, peppered, and put into a greased bag for ten minutes. a very nice variety is obtained by cutting a neat hole in the bag with scissors at the end of this time, carefully dropping in a couple of eggs, and returning to the oven till the eggs are cooked. serve on a very hot dish upon which a good slice of butter has been melted. or, put two or three eggs in a separate bag with a cup of water, and let them cook for six or eight minutes; serve in slices on top of the haddock. fish pudding. take equal quantities of cold mashed potatoes and cold cooked fish. mix very thoroughly with two ounces of butter melted in two tablespoonfuls of milk to each pound of fish and potato, a saltspoonful of salt, half as much pepper, a pinch of dry mustard, and two hard-boiled eggs cut very small. thoroughly grease a paper bag, put in the mixture, place in a hot oven, and cook for ten minutes. russian fish pie. roll out a short crust paste, made by rubbing three ounces of vegetable lard into / lb. of self-raising flour, and adding a well-beaten egg. lay on this paste a thick layer of cooked rice; upon that put a layer of cooked fish, freed from skin and bone and pulled into flakes; upon that lay slices of hard-boiled egg, and another layer of rice. season highly with cayenne pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg or ground mace. just moisten with thick white sauce, nicely flavoured with a few drops of lemon juice, and cover with pastry, pinching the edges well together. slip carefully into a thoroughly greased bag, and bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. this is extremely delicious. fish savoury. this is an original recipe, and is a very great favourite with most people. it requires special care and attention in making, but well repays the cook for any slight trouble it may cause her. it is also a capital way of using up cold fish and stale bread. soak in cold water a little stale bread for an hour or two. then drain and press very dry, beat up very thoroughly with a fork; season nicely with pepper, paprika if possible, salt, a very little ground mace or the zest of a lemon. add cold fish, freed from skin and bone, and a well beaten egg. mix all very thoroughly; have ready some ripe but firm tomatoes, cut off the tops, and scoop out the seeds and pulp. fill the tomatoes with the fish mixture. beat up some cooked rice with the pulp taken from the tomatoes, till it is a pretty red colour. spread this coloured rice thickly on a very well greased paper bag, keeping the opening as wide as possible to admit the stuffed tomatoes, which must be embedded in the rice at equal distances. bits of butter are put on the tops of each, the opening of the bag closed, and the bag very carefully slid into the oven and cooked for twenty minutes. great care must be exercised in dishing up to preserve the appearance and shape of the dish. it is slid cautiously on to a hot dish, the bag slit and removed as dexterously as possible without disturbing the rice. if this is carefully done, the result will be a pretty as well as a remarkably savoury and appetising dish. tinned fish. the usual method of serving tinned salmon or lobster is to put it on a dish just as it is, though perhaps some more ambitious housewife may go the length of surrounding it with parsley, or even handing some salad with it. this is not very appetising; but as the fish is already cooked, it is difficult to warm it up without extracting all the flavour and nourishment left in it. also, whether fried or baked or warmed up in the tin, it falls to pieces and presents a forlorn and unsightly appearance most untempting. now here is the chance of paper-bag cookery. to warm up tinned salmon. open the tin carefully, and drain off all the liquor. if it is in one firm solid piece, it will be best treated as salmon cutlet. dust it lightly with pepper and salt, squeeze a little lemon juice over it, put it into a well buttered bag, fasten up very securely, and cook for six minutes in a very hot oven. slide on to a very hot dish, dexterously remove the paper, and serve with white sauce. in appearance and flavour, it will be equal to fresh salmon. if the contents of the tin are in several pieces, however, it will be best to turn them into:-- salmon croquettes. open a tin of salmon, drain the liquor off, and turn the fish into a basin. add an equal quantity of fine bread-crumbs, a little pepper and salt, a few drops of lemon juice, a tablespoonful of chopped cucumber, if at hand, and a well beaten egg, and mix thoroughly. form into small flat rounds, and lay in rows on the well buttered bag, taking great care not to break them, and to keep them apart, otherwise they may run together in cooking. secure the opening, and keep the bag perfectly flat as it is cautiously slid into the oven. in such dishes, a large fish-slice is of great assistance in putting in and taking out of the bags the cooked food. curried lobster. remove the lobster from the tin and cut it into nice pieces; add an ounce of butter, a finely chopped onion, a dessertspoonful of curry powder, and a small teacupful of stock already browned and thickened. mix all well together, but avoid breaking up the pieces of lobster. put into a thoroughly greased bag, and cook in a hot oven for twenty minutes. turn into a very hot dish and add a squeeze of lemon before sending it to table. serve with boiled rice and chillies. lobster cutlets made from tinned lobster are very nice. take the lobster from the tin, and pound it with an ounce of butter. add half a saltspoonful of salt, the same of white pepper, and of ground mace. beat all into a smooth paste, shape into neat cutlets, and cook in a well greased bag from six to eight minutes. hot lobster can be made from tinned lobster quite as well as from fresh. the lobster must be pounded exactly as in the previous recipe, salt, pepper, and mace being added in the same proportions; mix in about half as much fine bread-crumbs as there is lobster, or rather less, and moisten with two well beaten eggs. beat the mixture thoroughly, make into a shape as nearly resembling a lobster as may be, or into a plain roll if artistic talent is wanting, cover with tiny bits of butter, put into a well greased bag with great care, and cook from eight to ten minutes. in dishing up, be very careful not to let the lobster crumble or break. lobster patties. make some good paste with / lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, and an egg. roll out to medium thickness, and with a pastry cutter cut into small rounds. mix in a basin a tinned lobster cut into pieces, four tablespoonfuls of thick white sauce, a teaspoonful of finely minced parsley, a few drops of anchovy sauce, two or three of lemon juice, and a little cayenne pepper. put small heaps of this mixture on half of the rounds, leaving the other halves to serve as lids to the patties, cover each with a lid, pinching the edges well together, and making them into scallops. place in a buttered bag, prick the top of the bag with a skewer, slide into a hot oven, and bake from fifteen to twenty minutes. the rich golden brown of the pastry will contrast prettily with the lobster mixture, and this dainty dish will be as tempting in appearance as it is appetising in flavour. mackerel has the reputation of being a tasty but very indigestible fish. paper-bagged, however, it retains its savoury nature, but loses its undue richness. it should not be washed, but wiped with a damp cloth, split open, seasoned with a little salt, pepper, and fine oatmeal, sprinkled with a few tiny bits of butter on the inner side, slipped into a greased bag, and cooked from ten to fifteen minutes according to size. sardines are very appetising when cooked in a paper bag. open the tin, and empty it, oil as well, into a bag. do not grease the bag. while the sardines are in the oven, make buttered toast, which, it is perhaps needless to say, is one of the things which cannot be prepared in a paper bag. cut the toast into strips and serve one sardine on each strip. they will take about five minutes in the oven. kedgeree is a splendid breakfast dish on a cold winter's morning, and as it can be entirely prepared over night, saves much time and trouble in preparing breakfast. grease a bag very thoroughly and abundantly; place in it equal quantities of cold cooked fish freed from bone and skin, and cooked rice, pepper and salt to taste, one ounce of butter, one teaspoonful of made mustard, and two chopped hard-boiled eggs. mix very thoroughly. next morning all that remains to be done is to get the oven hot, put in the bag and let it remain for ten minutes, when it will be ready to serve. brill and turbot are both extremely delicate cooked in paper bags. clean the brill, cut off the fins, and rub it over with lemon juice. put it in a well greased bag with half a teacupful of water, and cook it from fifteen to twenty minutes according to size. turbot, of course, must not have the fins cut off, these being a great delicacy, but otherwise it is cooked exactly like brill. cod sounds. these must be soaked for an hour or two in strong salt and water, then very thoroughly washed and dried. they are then put in a paper bag with two tablespoonfuls of milk, and will take forty-five minutes to cook to perfection. salt fish should be soaked for a few hours in water and a little milk, then wiped dry and put into fresh water with a quarter of a pint of vinegar in it, in which it must remain overnight. next day, take it out, wipe it dry, rub it over with butter, and put it into a well greased bag. it will take an hour to cook. eels. small eels, such as are usually boiled, are most suitable for paper-bag cookery. take four small eels, put them into a very well greased bag with one tablespoonful of water and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. put into a hot oven for ten minutes, then turn the gas half-way down, and leave the bag for another twenty minutes. the eels will then be cooked to perfection, and of rich and delicate flavour. they should be served in a small tureen, and covered with parsley sauce. eel pasty is very delicious. a good crust is made from self-raising flour, butter, and an egg. cut the pastry in two, and roll each piece into a pretty oval or round shape. put the eels, cut into inch-long pieces, on the one half of the pastry; sprinkle them with minced parsley, a finely chopped onion, a little grated nutmeg, pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon. cover over with the other piece of pastry, pinching the edges well together, and ornamenting them with a fork. put into a very well buttered paper bag, and cook for an hour in a moderate oven. have ready a very nicely flavoured thick white sauce, and when the pie has been removed from the bag and is on a hot dish, cut a hole in the upper crust and pour in the sauce. fish cake can be made from the remains of any cold fish. pick the fish free from skin and bone, chop it finely, mix it well with equal quantities of bread-crumbs and cold potatoes, finely minced parsley, salt, and pepper. make it into a cake with a well beaten egg, put it into a well greased bag, and cook for about half an hour in a well heated oven. a cod's head and shoulders cannot be better cooked than in a paper bag. cleanse the fish thoroughly, and rub it well over with salt, which improves the flavour very much. then wipe it dry and fill with a stuffing of bread-crumbs, chopped parsley, a small chopped onion, some grated suet, and a beaten egg. rub the fish lightly over with butter, put into a greased bag, and cook forty minutes. the natural juices of the fish will form a sauce impossible to improve upon. a fresh haddock may be stuffed and cooked in the same manner, and is extremely savoury. fresh herrings gain very much in flavour when cooked in a paper bag, and lose their oiliness. they are cleaned, wiped dry, split open, seasoned with salt, pepper, and flour. the bag is lightly greased to prevent the fish from sticking, but no butter or dripping must be put on the herring. fifteen minutes will cook them to a turn. plaice, soles, and flounders are simply brushed over with oiled butter, put into a well greased bag, and cooked for ten to twenty minutes according to size. sea bream. paper-bag cookery is ideal for bream. well wash the fish, but do not have it scaled. open it and fill with the stuffing recommended for cod's head and shoulders. fasten it together again, wipe dry, and put into a greased bag. cook for thirty minutes--longer if very large. turn out on a hot dish, remove paper, scales, and skin; then place the bream on another hot dish on which a large piece of butter has been melted. serve at once. fish stew is an uncommon but very excellent dish. small soles, flounders, dabs, and eels are capital cooked thus. sometimes very small fish of this sort can be bought cheaply, but seem hardly worth cooking, and would be certainly cooked into mere dry scraps in ordinary cookery. prepared in a paper bag, however, a very dainty meal may be made from them. cleanse the fish and wipe them dry. have ready a large bag, which has been sharply inspected and pronounced intact; well grease it both inside and out, put in the fish, cut in halves, or if very tiny, whole, if eels, cut into inch-long pieces. a mixture of the above-mentioned fish is better than if the stew consist of one kind only. add half an onion cut into very thin slices, some finely chopped parsley, two cloves, one blade of mace, two bay leaves, a sprig of thyme, salt and pepper to taste. when this is all safely in the bag, pour in a cupful of stock, fish or meat stock, or if none is at hand, water will do, but whatever it is it must be slightly thickened. a small glass of port wine or claret is a great improvement. close the bag very securely, and put into the oven for thirty-five minutes. chapter iii. how to cook meat. [illustration: putting the joint into the bag. this sketch shows how joints must be placed in the paper bag. the bag should rest on the table; lift the uppermost edge, and your food or joint can be slipped in.] paper-bag cookery should appeal especially to the caterer for a small family. the difficulty of providing suitable joints for households of three or four persons is very great. a small piece of sirloin or half leg of mutton dries up to nothing when cooked in the ordinary way, and loud are the complaints that the flavour and juiciness of a large joint is not to be had under ten to twelve pounds of meat. yet, if the housewife invests in the large, juicy joint desired, she finds it a very expensive business. one day's dinner hot and one cold is all that is really relished. then follow the monotonous hash, the grill, the fried-up pieces, till everybody is tired of the eternal warmed-up dinners. if it is summer, probably a third of the expensive joint goes bad before it can be eaten up. [illustration: taking the bag out of the oven. the nose of the dish should be held about two inches under the grid. this allows the bag to be pulled out on to the dish.] cooked in a paper bag, however, the small joint is full as juicy and savoury as the eighteen-pound sirloin can be, while a dainty piece of loin of lamb is a delicacy which must be tasted to be realised. loin of lamb. two pounds and a half or three pounds of loin of lamb will make a sufficient dinner for a small family of three or four persons, and leave enough cold to serve for supper. wipe the meat over with a cloth dipped in hot water, and then with a clean dry cloth. loin of lamb or mutton, being a fat joint, it is better not to grease the bag. prepare a nice veal stuffing and lay it along the inside of the loin, drawing the flap over and skewering it to keep it in position. put the meat in a good-sized bag; have the oven well heated; place the bag on the grid. ten minutes later turn the gas about half-way down, and let it cook forty minutes longer, when it will be done to a turn, and be a rich golden brown. sirloin. a piece of sirloin weighing between three and four pounds would not be worth eating if cooked in the ordinary way, but cooked in a paper bag it is a morsel for the gods. the bag must be greased and the joint lightly rubbed over with a little dripping. forty-five minutes, ten with the gas fully turned on, should be sufficient for a joint weighing four pounds and under, unless liked very well done, when an extra ten minutes will not be found too much. if liked really underdone, it will be just right in forty minutes. shoulder of lamb. a small shoulder weighing three pounds or very little over is remarkably delicate, just the right size for a small household, and, cooked in a paper bag, is delicious. the butcher should be directed to bone it, and the cavity should be filled with a good forcemeat. grease the joint over, but not the bag, and roast for fifty minutes, the gas being full on for the first fifteen. roast veal is peculiarly adapted for paper-bag cooking, and a small fillet of veal makes a capital dish. the centre bone is taken out and the hole left slightly enlarged. the stuffing to fill this must be rather rich--a breakfastcupful of fine bread-crumbs, one ounce of grated suet, two rashers of fat, streaky bacon, finely minced, two or three oysters chopped coarsely, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, salt and pepper to taste, the zest of a lemon, and a well beaten egg. this must be firmly pushed into the cavity, and the joint then rubbed over with plenty of bacon dripping. grease the bag thickly both inside and out. if the fillet weighs three pounds it will take an hour to cook, the gas fully on for ten minutes, then reduced one-half to finish. roast pork. for a small family, a part of the loin should be purchased, a little stuffing of sage and finely minced onion introduced, and the joint cooked in a slightly greased bag, allowing twenty-five minutes to each pound. a roast leg of pork is also particularly well flavoured cooked in a paper bag. stuffing may be introduced under the knuckle skin, or a savoury pudding (see chapter v.) may be cooked along with it. both joints should be rubbed over with pure salad oil before being put into the bag. roast chicken is a dainty morsel cooked in a paper bag. nicely stuffed, it is rubbed over with butter and put into a well greased bag. forty minutes is sufficient for a chicken. a large fowl will be tender and beautifully cooked in an hour. gravy and dripping. this is a very serious question. many people are so devoted to gravy that, to quote mrs. todgers, in _martin chuzzlewit_, "a whole animal wouldn't supply them," and they will undoubtedly be disappointed in the amount of gravy got from a paper-bagged joint. in this method of cooking, the gravy stays in the meat, and that is what renders it so delicious, so juicy, so full of flavour. the meat which is dry and flavourless in proportion as its rich juices have been extracted, is the meat which yields most gravy. therefore, paper-bagged joints yield very little gravy, and to add any water to the few spoonfuls of rich, strong gravy they do yield would be to spoil the flavour utterly. when the bag is opened, the small quantity of gravy and dripping within must be poured into a basin, the fat skimmed off, and the remaining gravy added to some gravy made from stock, and kept hot in readiness, poured into the gravy-boat and sent to table. there will be very little dripping, for the same reason as there is very little gravy, but the mellowness of fat cooked in a paper bag is quite indescribable, therefore the scanty supply can be no very great drawback. tinned foods. tinned foods fill a very important part in housekeeping. it is a great convenience to have some tins of various preserved foods in the store-room for use in emergencies. the butcher may fail to call, a downpour of rain prevent a shopping expedition, or guests may unexpectedly arrive on a "finish-up" day, that institution so dear to the heart of the thrifty housewife, who so contrives the fragments of the larder that they form a sufficient meal for the household without leaving a crumb over. in all such emergencies it is very comforting to know that the larder is well furnished with tinned foods of reliable brands. then, again, tinned foods are the great stand-by of people living in apartments. there is little accommodation for storing food, and it is not pleasant to keep meat, even for a few hours only, in the room where one sits; in summer it becomes an impossibility. the landlady may be obliging enough to offer the use of her safe, but there are obvious drawbacks to this arrangement. therefore, tinned foods are frequently brought into use, and prove very handy to the lonely woman in lodgings, or the small family living in apartments. still tinned foods are not very appetising. served cold, they neither look tempting nor taste savoury, especially on a winter's day; heated in the tin they acquire an unpleasant "tinny" flavour, re-cooked as stews, or put into a hot oven, they lose all flavour and nutritive value. so utterly do they lose their distinctive taste that it is impossible to tell beef from mutton, rabbit from chicken. it is in such cases that paper-bag cookery proves itself invaluable. a dish specially to be recommended is minced steaks. it is put up in tins costing elevenpence halfpenny each, and one tin will make an ample dinner for four or five persons, or provide several meals for one. the method of cooking is simplicity itself. well grease a good-sized bag, both inside and out, turn the mince out of the tin into the bag, with no additions of any kind. put into a hot oven for fifteen minutes. serve with a border of cooked rice (see chapter iv.), and any vegetable preferred. this is a delicious dish, the flavour and juice so well preserved by the method of cooking that it cannot be distinguished from mince made from rump steak. roast beef is rather insipid served cold from the tin, and is flavourless re-cooked in the tin. turned out, however, thickly spread with roast-beef dripping, put into a thoroughly greased bag, laid in a very hot oven for fifteen minutes, and served on a hot dish with small paper-bagged tomatoes (see chapter iv.), it is exceedingly nice. roast mutton is prepared in the same manner, but small onions cooked in paper bags may be substituted for the tomatoes. tinned rabbit is best served as curry. well grease a paper bag. turn the rabbit out of the tin (it will probably be rather broken and the flesh be separated from the bones), and put into the bag in neat pieces. add two finely minced onions, a cooking apple cut in dice, the juice of half a lemon, and a teacupful of stock, browned and thickened and with a dessertspoonful of curry powder stirred smoothly into it. fifteen minutes in a hot oven will be sufficient for this. tinned chicken is very nice curried like the rabbit. or it may be fricasseed. turn it out of the tin, add a teacupful of white stock, thickened with arrowroot and seasoned with salt, pepper, and a little ground mace or nutmeg, a finely minced onion, a few young carrots, and turnips cut into dice, and a few green peas. put into a well-greased bag and lay in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. baked mutton in crust. this is a particularly delightful way of cooking mutton, for it retains all the juice and flavour of the meat, and is exceedingly light and digestible. choose a nice solid piece of mutton, the fillet end of the leg is the best. make a good suet crust, using beef suet and water; roll it out to about a quarter of an inch in thickness; it must not be too thin. keep it a square shape, and make it large enough to contain the meat and completely cover it. place the meat in the centre of the crust, which neatly fold over it, pinching the opening well together after damping, and sprinkle flour over it. then thickly grease a paper bag large enough to hold it easily, and gently slide it in. if the meat weighs about four pounds it will take about an hour and a half to cook, the oven being very hot at first, and the heat reduced by half after ten minutes. this dish is extremely nice, the meat particularly juicy and tender, and the crust superior in flavour to that cooked in any other way. the homely irish stew is admirable cooked in a paper bag. buy two pounds of small neck of mutton chops, trim nicely and take away excess of bone and fat. cut two or three small onions into rather thin slices, and two pounds of potatoes into thick slices, sprinkle meat, onions, and potatoes with herbs finely rubbed to powder, salt and pepper to taste, add a large breakfastcupful of water. fasten the bag very securely, and cook in a hot oven for one hour. turn into a very hot dish. haricot steak. take a pound and a half of good steak, with no gristle or sinew in it. cut into neat pieces about two inches square. chop an onion finely, cut several tomatoes in slices and add these, also some green peas, and young carrots and turnips cut in dice. rub a teaspoonful of "bisto" smooth with a little water, and add it to a breakfastcupful of water. if any sour milk is at hand, a tablespoonful of this will be a great improvement. tie together a bay leaf, a few sprigs of parsley and thyme, and put this in also. put all the materials into a good-sized paper bag, which has been well greased, fasten very carefully, and cook in a hot oven for forty-five minutes. steaks. it has been said that a steak grilled over an open fire is the perfection of steak, but that is merely because steak cooked in a paper bag has not yet become known. well grease a paper bag, put in a pound of rump steak cut in a thick slice, and put on the grid in a hot oven for about fifteen minutes. chops are daintier and more savoury done in a paper bag than in any other way. choose loin chops, trim them very nicely, and lay side by side in a well greased bag. put in a hot oven and cook for about fifteen minutes. beef olives. a pound of beefsteak cut into neat slices, longer than broad, makes a nice dish of beef olives. mix a nice stuffing of two ounces of grated suet, two of bread-crumbs, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, a little ground mace, pepper and salt to taste, and a well beaten egg. spread each olive with this, roll up, tie with string, lay tidily in a greased bag, put in a hot oven and cook for forty-five minutes. serve on a very hot dish, with a pat of _maître d'hôtel_ butter placed on each olive. beefsteak pudding. make a nice suet crust with finely chopped or shredded suet, self-raising flour, and water. roll it out to a medium thickness, and cut it in two. shape both pieces into a neat round. on the one round lay a pound of steak cut into small pieces rather larger than dice; add two sheep kidneys cut small, season with salt, pepper, a finely minced onion, a tablespoonful of flour; add a teaspoonful of vinegar or lemon juice, and a tablespoonful of water. cover with the other piece of crust, pinching the edges well together. put into a greased bag, and cook in a hot oven for about forty-five minutes. imitation hare. mince one pound of beefsteak with half a pound of raw fat bacon, add half the quantity of bread-crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce and a well beaten egg. form into a neat shape, slide into a greased bag, and cook forty minutes. a carpet bag. this is an uncommon and very delicious dish. choose a large thick steak in one piece and of equal thickness all over. cover it thickly with small plump oysters, roll it up, secure each end, put it into a greased bag, and cook it in a very hot oven for forty-five minutes. indian curry. cut the meat, mutton, steak, or poultry into small pieces; peel and chop an onion very finely, mix with the juice of half a lemon, pepper and salt to taste; add a cup of sour milk, in which a dessertspoonful of curry powder and one of flour have been mixed smooth; put it into a large bag, and cook for forty-five minutes. paper-bagged rabbit. cut the rabbit into neat joints, add a bunch of sweet herbs, two finely chopped onions, three cloves, three whole allspice, half a teaspoonful of black pepper, a thinly cut piece of lemon rind, two tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, and two rashers of fat bacon cut in dice. add a teacupful of stock, thickened and browned, and put into a well greased bag. cook in a hot oven for forty minutes, if the rabbit is young and tender. if not, an hour will not be too much. kidneys are delicious cooked in a paper bag. take four sheep's kidneys, cut in two, take out the core. wrap each kidney in a thin slice of fat bacon. put into a well greased bag, and cook in a hot oven for twelve minutes. kidney stew. skin and trim the kidneys, remove the core, cut into quarters. roll each piece in flour, highly seasoned with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and a little dry mustard. place in a greased bag with a tablespoonful of minced onion, half as much minced parsley, and a teacupful of stock, browned and thickened. thirty minutes in a hot oven will cook this. liver and bacon. cut a pound of sheep's liver into small pieces, dip each in seasoned flour, wrap round with a very thin piece of fat bacon; put into a greased bag with two tablespoonfuls of water and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. cook from fifteen to twenty minutes. mince collops. mince one pound of beefsteak very finely, dust with a little flour and season with salt and pepper. if liked, a finely minced onion may be added. put this in a greased paper bag with half a teacupful of water, and cook for twenty-five minutes. sausages. put a pound of pork sausages into cold water for five minutes. then take them out and strip off the skins. put them in a lightly greased bag, and cook them for twelve minutes. as a pleasant variety, two or three tomatoes, skinned and cut in halves, may be cooked in the same bag, and are excellent. other savoury breakfast dishes are:-- angels on horseback. take some very thin slices of bacon, lay an oyster on each, secure, and put in a well buttered bag. six minutes will cook these nicely. ham and eggs. the national breakfast dish is greatly improved by being cooked in a paper bag. the required number of rashers are put into a bag in a hot oven, and after six minutes a hole is cut in the paper and the eggs dropped carefully in. as soon as they are set, which will be in a few minutes, the dish is ready for serving. eggs. eggs put into a bag with a cup of water, and placed in a hot oven for four to five minutes, are superior to those cooked in a saucepan. dresden patties. take some slices of stale bread and cut out rounds of about two inches in diameter. scoop out the centre to form a deep cavity. dip these in a thick batter. have ready a mixture of minced cooked chicken and ham, stirred to a thick paste with white sauce. fill the rounds with this, put into a buttered bag, and cook ten minutes. savoury eggs. put into a paper bag as many eggs as may be required, add a cupful of water, and put into a hot oven for fifteen minutes. take out and drop into cold water. when cold shell and cut them in halves lengthways; take out the yolks, and pound them with minced ham, minced parsley, salt, pepper, and butter. return the mixture to the whites, press firmly together, brush over with oiled butter, put into a greased bag, and return to the oven for five minutes. scotch eggs. proceed with the eggs as in the previous recipe, but cut the cooked eggs in halves across, not lengthways. have ready sausage-meat mixed with a raw beaten egg. lightly flour the halves of the eggs, and wrap each half in sausage-meat, rolling into the shape of a ball. put into a buttered bag, and cook twelve minutes. potato surprise. take six raw potatoes, wash and peel them, and scoop out a good deal of the inside; fill with nicely minced meat (cooked or raw), chopped parsley, salt, pepper, a little butter, and a tablespoonful of tomato sauce. put into a greased bag, and cook from thirty to forty-five minutes, according to size. scotch woodcock. take a dessertspoonful of yarmouth bloater-paste, a tablespoonful of cream, a piece of butter the size of an egg, the beaten yolks of two eggs, and a little cayenne pepper. mix all very thoroughly, put into a buttered bag, and cook five minutes. have ready hot buttered toast cut in strips. spread each strip with the paste and serve very hot. epigrams. this is a very savoury breakfast dish and easily made. cut neat slices from a cold leg of mutton. spread them with strasbourg meat or any nicely flavoured potted meat that may be at hand. make a very thick batter with four ounces of flour, one tablespoonful of oil (or oiled butter), pepper, salt, a gill of milk, and an egg. press two slices together, thus making a sandwich, dip into the batter, and place in a well buttered bag. do this with all the pieces, arranging them side by side in the bag, but a little apart, that they may not run together in the cooking. slide cautiously on to the hot grid, without disturbing them, and cook fifteen minutes. serve on a very hot dish and immediately, for they lose their lightness very quickly. chapter iv. how to cook vegetables. [illustration: preparing to cook cabbage.] those who have tried the foregoing recipes are unanimous in their approval, but as regards the cooking of vegetables in paper bags, opinions are divided. several noted vegetarians are enthusiastic on the subject, and declare that paper-cooking is the very best possible way of conserving the juices and flavour of all vegetables. others, again, shake doubtful heads, though they admit that some vegetables are improved by this method of cooking, while others are quite decided against it, maintaining that a new and unpleasant flavour is imparted to vegetables so cooked. on investigation, however, it will be found that these last-mentioned critics have not given paper-bag cookery a fair trial. they have probably seized on the homely cabbage as an inexpensive subject on which to experiment, hastily washed it, thrust it into a paper bag, and placed it in the oven for an indefinite period. the result, naturally, is uneatable. shredded very finely, and put into a well buttered bag with a cup of water, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, pepper, and salt, a palatable dish will emerge from the oven. at the same time, cabbage, plainly boiled or cooked in a conservative boilerette, is in many people's estimation a more superior dish. potatoes, again, are a cause of division in the camp. they undoubtedly acquire a new flavour when cooked in a paper bag, and this flavour is not agreeable to every palate. many people prefer new potatoes plainly boiled, for the young, immature vegetable is of so watery a nature that unless the moisture be dispersed by rapid boiling, the potato is too wet and waxy to be palatable. for this reason, new potatoes cooked by steam or in a conservative boilerette are seldom liked, and paper-bagged new potatoes are open to the same objection. it is a different matter, however, with old potatoes, which, when cooked in a paper bag, are very generally liked, and several excellent and proved recipes for cooking old potatoes in paper bags are given further on. asparagus is not always a success cooked in a paper bag. some people complain that the flavour is by no means so delicate when so treated as when simply boiled or cooked by steam or in a conservative boilerette, therefore this vegetable is best put on the black list. other vegetables which have been tried and found wanting are celery, turnip-tops, and artichokes. these, however, when once boiled, can be utilised to make many delightful dishes in paper-bag cookery. it may, too, be worth the while of the ardent paper-bag cook to continue to experiment with them until success crowns her efforts. speaking personally, these vegetables have not met with general approval when cooked in paper bags. but one cannot waste time in lamentations over the few vegetables which are failures cooked in this way, when one considers how many there are which gain so much in flavour as to be a revelation in delicacy and richness of taste to those who have only known them cooked in the ordinary way. green peas gain a perfectly exquisite flavour when cooked in a paper bag, but a certain amount of care is required. too much water will ruin them, and if left too long in the oven they will be hard. one family declared with one voice against paper-bag cookery, because a dish of young, fresh peas emerged from the oven looking like tiny brown bullets, and crackling crisply between the teeth of those who tried to eat them. but this, of course, was the fault of a careless, incompetent cook, not of paper-bag cookery. broad beans are delicious cooked paper-bag fashion; but here, also, care and attention are required, as also with french beans and scarlet runners. tomatoes cooked in this way are infinitely superior to those cooked in any other way, and there are a great variety of delicious tomato dishes to be cooked in paper bags. young carrots and turnips gain in flavour so cooked, and cauliflower paper-bagged is unsurpassed. brussels sprouts are not without merit, and mushrooms, onions, cucumber, and vegetable marrow gain so much in flavour as to almost fulfil the harassed housewife's aspiration for a new discovery in vegetables. potatoes. pare and wash the required number of potatoes and place in the greased bag wet from the washing. put in a hot oven and cook for fifty minutes, reducing the heat after ten minutes. stewed potatoes are a very savoury dish. wash and peel as many potatoes as are wanted, cut each into four thick slices, and put in a greased paper bag, with a finely chopped peeled onion, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, a good piece of roast-beef dripping, salt and pepper to taste, and half a cup of water. in forty minutes turn this savoury and delicious potato mixture into a very hot dish and serve at once. duchess potatoes. this is an excellent way of using up cold mashed potatoes. melt a piece of butter or dripping in a little milk, the quantities being in proportion to the amount of potato; add pepper, salt, a pinch of dry mustard, and beat all very thoroughly up together. butter a bag very thickly, put in the potato, and cook in a hot oven for ten minutes. sliced potatoes. slice the potatoes thickly, wash well, and then dry in a cloth. sprinkle with salt and a little flour. butter a "papakuk" bag very thickly, and cook for thirty minutes. the bag must be shaken now and then to make the potatoes crisp. green peas. shell the peas and to each half peck add a pinch of salt, one lump of sugar, and one leaf of mint; more than one leaf would give too strong a flavour to the peas. add one glass of water, and cook for three-quarters of an hour. the gas should be reduced after five minutes. if the heat is too great, the peas will be hard. broad beans. remove the pods and then shell the beans. this extra trouble is quite worth taking, for it makes all the difference in the delicacy of the flavour, and the skins are very easily removed. put the beans when skinned into a thickly buttered bag, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, into which has been worked a tablespoonful of flour, a little salt, and a teaspoonful of minced onion. add also a cupful of water, and cook three-quarters of an hour, reducing the heat after the first five minutes. duchess green peas. shell the peas and put into a thickly buttered bag with a lettuce cleaned and pulled into very small pieces, a few spring onions, a leaf of mint, a pinch of salt, a little castor sugar, a good slice of butter, and a cupful of water. cook for about three-quarters of an hour, the gas turned down after the first five minutes. french beans and scarlet runners. these are excellent cooked in a paper bag. contrary to the opinion of many cooks, the beans should never be sliced, but cooked whole. if the scarlet runners are very large and coarse, they may be cut into two or three pieces, but otherwise, they should merely have the tops and stringy parts removed and be cooked entire. put them into a well buttered bag, with a slice of butter, a tablespoonful of minced parsley, the same of minced onion, if the flavour is liked, the juice of half a lemon and half a teacupful of water. cook for about thirty minutes. carrots. wash and scrape a bunch of young carrots, and put them into a buttered bag, with half a teacupful of milk and water. cook for twenty minutes. if the carrots are large and no longer young, they should be cut into thick slices. turnips. new turnips are delicious when cooked in a well buttered paper bag. wash and peel them, cut into thick slices, put into a greased bag, with half a cupful of milk and water, a pinch of salt, a pinch of castor sugar, and half a teaspoonful of white pepper. cook for about thirty minutes. mushrooms. these are particularly good cooked in a paper bag. they must be freshly gathered, if they are to be really nice. cut off a portion of the stalk, peel the top, and wipe the mushrooms carefully with a piece of flannel and a little salt. put them into a buttered bag, with a piece of butter on each mushroom. cook for twenty minutes. this method preserves all the aroma and flavour of the mushroom. cauliflower. there is no more delicious way of cooking a cauliflower than by cooking it in a paper bag. cut away all the green, carefully cleanse the cauliflower, cutting the stalk crosswise to secure equal cooking. lightly butter the cauliflower all over, put very carefully into a bag with half a tumbler of water, and cook thirty minutes. parsnips. wash, pare, and cut into slices as many parsnips as may be required, sprinkle with salt and pepper. put them into a greased paper bag, with a cup of water and a little thickened milk. cook for twenty minutes. onions. the onion is rich in nitrogenous matter, induces sleep when taken at night, and is excellent as a remedy for colds. it has a soothing action on the nerves, and is beneficial to the kidneys. take moderate-sized spanish onions, remove the outer skin; cut off the tops to form lids, and hollow out a little of the onion. fill this with sausage-meat, cored and skinned sheep's kidney, or a little minced and seasoned meat. rub over with dripping, put into a well greased bag, and cook for an hour. onions and tomatoes. these two vegetables go particularly well together. one excellent method of cooking them is to take as many tomatoes as there are onions, slice off the tops, scoop out some of the pulp, and carefully fix them in the hollow of onions, which have been steamed till tender and a hollow scooped in each. put a piece of butter in the tomato centres, drop an egg into each, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a tiny bit more butter, replace the top of the tomato, cover with the piece of onion previously cut off, put into a well greased bag, and cook for fifteen minutes. tomato stew. take nice ripe tomatoes. plunge into boiling water for a few seconds, then put into cold water for the same length of time. take them out and pull off the skins, which will now come away readily. cut them up roughly in a basin; add salt and pepper, the grated rind of half a lemon, a bouquet of herbs, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf, and half a teacupful of water, and a piece of butter. mix together, and turn into a well buttered bag. cook for twenty minutes. empty into a hot dish, pick out the bouquet of herbs, and serve immediately. tomato pie. prepare the tomatoes as in the foregoing recipe, and put into a basin roughly cut up. mix in a tablespoonful of chopped onion, salt, and pepper, a teaspoonful of grated lemon rind, half a cupful of weak stock or water, a tablespoonful of fine bread-crumbs, a small piece of butter. have ready macaroni boiled and cut in inch-long pieces. mix with the tomato. thickly butter a "papakuk" bag, put in the pie, and cook for twenty minutes. stuffed tomatoes. this is a very nice supper or breakfast dish. choose ripe but firm tomatoes. cut off the tops, and put them aside. scoop out the seeds from the tomatoes, and fill with a little minced cooked meat, nicely seasoned; or cut a sheep's kidney in four and use it as stuffing; or a pork sausage skinned and made to fit the hollow. put a tiny piece of butter on each, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little minced parsley; fit on the lids, brush over with oiled butter, put into a greased "papakuk" bag, and cook for twenty minutes. vegetable marrows. these are particularly good cooked in "papakuk" fashion. plainly boiled and served with white sauce, it is an insipid vegetable, and even mashed with butter it is not very savoury. prepared, however, in the following method, it is both tasty and satisfying. it is best pared before being cooked, although many vegetarians maintain that by doing so a great deal of the flavour and juice is lost, an assertion made also of the cucumber. this is very true when either vegetable is cooked in the ordinary way, but not so in paper-bag cookery. having peeled the marrow, it must be cut in two, lengthways, and all the seeds and fibres removed. the cavity must be filled with a tasty stuffing of minced onion, cooked meat, finely minced, and half as much bread-crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper, and also some minced parsley, chopped beef suet, and a well-beaten egg. tie the two halves together with thin string, brush over with oiled butter, put carefully into a thickly greased bag, and cook forty-five minutes. sliced vegetable marrow. peel a rather small marrow, and slice it into rings, cutting out all seeds and fibres. sprinkle each ring with salt and pepper. have ready a very thick batter, dip each ring in this, and put it, with as much batter as it will take up, into a very thickly buttered bag, and cook thirty minutes. savoury vegetable marrow. this is a very tasty vegetable dish. peel, cut open right through the middle, not lengthways; take four or five ripe tomatoes, plunge first into boiling, then into cold water, to remove the skins, then cut up roughly in a basin, add two onions, finely minced, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, a slice of butter or some grated suet, any remnants of cold ham or bacon there may be in the house, finely minced, a teaspoonful of minced parsley, half a cupful of fine bread-crumbs. bind the mixture with the yolk of an egg, well beaten, and fill in the two halves of the marrow. carefully put each half in a separate well buttered bag, the mixture side uppermost, and cook for forty-five minutes. cucumber. simply peel one or more cucumbers, brush over with oiled butter, season with salt, pepper, sprinkle over with a little flour, put into a well buttered "papakuk" bag, and cook twenty minutes. cucumber fritters. peel a young cucumber, cut in slices of a medium thickness, season with salt, pepper, the juice of a lemon, and leave them to soak for an hour. have ready a thick batter, dip in the slices, sprinkle with minced parsley and a little minced onion, put into a thickly greased bag and cook fifteen minutes. cucumber stuffed. peel a large thick cucumber, cut off the top, scoop out the seeds, fill with a mixture of minced cold meat, a few bread-crumbs, seasoning, and a little stock to moisten. a very nice stuffing is made with some sausage-meat or some kidneys cut small, flavoured with minced onion and parsley. fix on the top with white of egg, brush over with oiled butter, sprinkle with bread-crumbs, and cook twenty minutes in a thickly greased bag. cereals do not seem very adaptable for paper-bag cookery, but with a little care and attention they lend themselves very fairly to this method of cooking, and gain considerably in flavour thereby. butter beans are extremely nice cooked in paper-bag fashion. they want a great deal of soaking to be really mellow. wash the beans well, and put to soak early in the morning in abundance of water. leave all day. by night the beans will have absorbed most of the water. pour off any that may remain, leaving them quite dry. cover the basin and leave till morning. this gives the beans a much nicer flavour than if they were cooked at once. next day skin them. they are much superior when the outer skin is removed, and the trouble is really trifling. put them into a buttered bag with a cupful of water, a sprinkle of minced parsley, a tablespoonful of minced onion, two rashers of fat bacon, cut into dice, but no salt, which would render them hard. they will be ready in an hour and a half. if the skins are left on, they will take another half-hour. have ready a little butter, just melted over the fire, season with salt and pepper, and pour over the dish of beans before sending to table. if the bacon is omitted, substitute a good slice of butter in the bag. lentils. either egyptian or german lentils are excellent in a paper bag. wash them well, soak all night in abundance of fresh, cold water. next day put them in a well greased "papakuk" bag, with the water in which they have been soaking, a carrot, a turnip, a parsnip, and an onion, chopped up roughly. add neither salt nor pepper. cook two hours, and they will then be tender enough to press through a colander. season the resulting _purée_ with salt and pepper, re-heat, and serve as a vegetable. or add enough boiling stock to make a thick cream, stir in carefully a well beaten egg, and serve as soup. lentil cutlets. cook the lentils as in the recipe already given. when they have been pressed through a colander, add enough bread-crumbs and mashed potato to make a stiff paste, season rather highly with salt, pepper, a little lemon juice, and a tablespoonful of onion juice. mix thoroughly, form into neat cutlets, place in a thickly buttered bag, and cook fifteen minutes. rice. well wash a cup of rice, and put to soak overnight. next day put it with the water in which it has soaked and at least another cupful into a very thoroughly greased bag. if it is not sufficiently greased, the rice will stick to it. cook thirty-five minutes. savoury rice. soak a cup of well washed rice overnight. next day put it into a well greased bag with a sliced onion, two skinned and cut-up tomatoes, pepper, salt, a piece of thinly cut lemon rind, a couple of rashers of streaky bacon cut in dice. add a cupful of stock or water and cook thirty-five minutes. vegetable roll. mash a quarter of a pound each of cooked carrot, turnip, vegetable marrow, haricot beans, and potatoes. season with pepper, salt, grated nutmeg, mixed herbs; mix all well, bind with a beaten egg, form into a shapely roll, put into a greased bag, and cook fifteen minutes. savoury macaroni. cut cold boiled macaroni into convenient lengths, and put into a basin. skin and cut up roughly two or three ripe tomatoes; tinned may be used when fresh ones are expensive. add these to the macaroni; add also a tablespoonful of strong gravy or some made from "lemco" or any good meat extract; pepper, salt, a chopped onion, half a cup of fine bread-crumbs, and the zest of a lemon. put all into a well buttered bag and cook fifteen minutes. ground rice fritters. rub ground rice smooth in a little milk, and add enough to boiling milk to make a thick paste. add to this a tablespoonful of onion juice, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, pepper and salt to taste, and a tablespoonful of grated cheese. mix well and let it get cold. form balls out of the paste, put into a well buttered bag, and cook fifteen minutes. mushroom pudding. roll out a nice short crust, cut it in two. on one half lay small button mushrooms, properly cleansed; sprinkle with a little salt and pepper; put bits of butter over them, cover with the other half of pastry; put into a buttered bag and cook fifteen minutes. turnip cups. take nicely shaped round turnips, cut off the tops and scoop out some of the centres; fill with green peas, put little bits of butter on the tops; put the cups carefully into a well greased bag, so as not to upset them. add cautiously about two tablespoonfuls of water and cook twenty minutes. onion dumplings. take as many onions as may be required, peel them, and make a deep incision across them; put into this cut a piece of butter or dripping, salt, and pepper. make a good short crust, roll it out, and cut into as many pieces as there are onions. put an onion on each, and work up the paste as if making an apple dumpling. put into a well greased bag and cook about an hour. chapter v. puddings and cakes. with the exception of soup, an entire dinner can be cooked in "papakukery" fashion, and, apart from other advantages, it will gain immensely in flavour and nutritive value from being thus cooked. almost all puddings and sweet dishes can be cooked in paper bags, and are much improved in taste and goodness. apple pudding. peel, core, and slice the apples. make a good short paste crust, roll it out to a medium thickness; lay the apples neatly on one half, cover thickly with castor sugar, add the juice of half a lemon, squeezed over the apples; fold over the pastry, pinching the edges well together; put into a well greased bag and cook fifteen minutes. apple puffs. make half a pound of the finest flour perfectly smooth by passing it through a sieve. roll half a pound of fresh butter in a cloth to free from moisture; rub a piece into the flour with the finger-tips very thoroughly till it quite disappears; add a well beaten egg, and roll out the paste on a stone slab with a glass rolling-pin; a clean round bottle will answer if the only household roller is of wood. put more butter in tiny bits over the paste; dredge lightly with flour; fold it up and roll it out; let it stand three or four minutes. repeat this, leaving it a few minutes each time, for four or five times. then roll it out and cut into square pieces. lay a few slices of apple on each, cover with castor sugar and a little ground cinnamon, fold half the paste over, point to point, forming a triangular puff. put the puffs into a buttered "papakuk" bag and cook fifteen minutes. apple dumplings. a plain, not too rich, paste crust is best for these. with a corer extract the core from the whole, unpared apple, which is less likely to break than one which has been peeled. fill the hollow with powdered sugar and a little ground cinnamon, if the flavour is liked; a little ground ginger makes a nice flavour, with the zest of a lemon or a pinch of mixed spice according to taste. divide the paste into as many neat rounds as there are apples, put one apple on each round, work the paste smoothly over, wetting the edges to make them adhere. place them in a well buttered "papakuk" bag and cook in a moderate oven for forty minutes. stewed apples are best cooked in a shallow tin or pie-dish, though they can be cooked placed simply in a well buttered bag. the apples are sliced, add a little lemon juice, sugar to taste, and a small quantity of water. place in a well buttered bag, or put first into a pie dish which is slid into a bag--the last is really the best way. with or without the dish, cook for half an hour. the oven, after the first five minutes, must not be very hot. economical bread pudding. put about a pound of stale bread into a basin and just cover with cold water. leave it for an hour or two; or overnight, if more convenient. drain off the liquid, pressing the bread in a colander or a vegetable presser; or press with the hand until free from moisture. put into a basin, add two ounces of moist sugar, a quarter of a pound of cleaned sultanas or raisins, a teaspoonful of mixed spice, and one well beaten egg. beat very thoroughly, put into a thickly greased bag, and cook forty minutes. bread pudding. this is a richer pudding than the foregoing, but is very light and digestible. put stale bread to soak in just enough cold milk to cover. when quite soft, beat it well up, without pouring off any of the milk which may not have been absorbed by the bread. add a quarter of a pound of sugar. put into a well buttered bag and cook forty minutes. gooseberry pudding. three breakfastcupfuls of bread-crumbs are mixed with half a pint of gooseberries and quarter of a pound of brown sugar. a little spice may be added, if liked. mix in two ounces of butter or grated suet; beat in one or two eggs. put into a well buttered bag and cook forty-five minutes. reduce the gas by one-half after the first five minutes. lemon dumplings are made exactly in the same way as the foregoing, substituting the juice and the grated rind of one large or two small lemons for the gooseberries, and mixing with one egg only. form into balls, adding a little flour if the mixture is not sufficiently firm. place into a buttered bag and cook for about fifteen minutes. jam roly-poly. this favourite nursery pudding is never so dainty as when cooked in a paper bag. in this way there is no risk of the jam "boiling out," to the disappointment of the little people to whom the jam is the chief part of the pudding. make a nice, but not too rich, crust from vegetable lard and self-raising flour. roll it out to an oblong shape, spread over with any kind of jam preferred, leaving a good two inches clear all round. roll up the pudding very carefully, securing the edges by wetting and sifting flour over. put in a thoroughly greased bag and cook thirty minutes. if any jam should chance to ooze out, it will be retained in the bag, and should be poured over the pudding when in the dish. raisin blanket. this is another nursery favourite. roll out a light paste crust, as directed in the foregoing recipe. sprinkle it over with large raisins, stoned and cut in halves; cover with a thick layer of brown sugar; squeeze the juice of a lemon over; roll up, secure the ends, put into a well buttered bag, and cook thirty minutes. rice pudding. for this pudding use flaked rice. bring a pint of milk to the boil, add an ounce of loaf sugar, stir in one and a half or two ounces of flaked rice and boil a few minutes whilst stirring; take from the fire and allow to cook. when nearly cold, add two well beaten eggs, put into a thickly buttered bag, and cook thirty minutes, the heat of the oven being reduced after five minutes to less than half. have ready a dish in which a layer of stewed fruit or jam has been placed, and turn the pudding out on the top of this. tapioca pudding. flaked tapioca should be used for this, and it should be made in exactly the same manner as rice pudding. both these puddings, and also semolina and ground rice, can be poured first into a buttered dish, and the dish put into a "papakuk" bag. this secures a good appearance for the pudding, without losing the advantages of paper-bag cookery. fruit tarts can be made in the ordinary fashion, and the dish containing the tart can be put into a bag to get the full advantages of the method. or they can be made without dishes. either a short crust or puff paste may be used, as may be preferred. the paste is rolled out to a medium thickness and cut into two ovals or rounds. on one is laid the fruit--gooseberries, rhubarb, apples, black currants, red currants, and raspberries, or any suitable fruit in season--sweeten the layer of fruit with castor sugar. a little lemon juice, a pinch of ground ginger, or cinnamon, are considered by many people to improve the flavour of rhubarb and apples, and a very little sherry is thought to bring out the flavour of red currants and raspberries, but much less flavouring of any kind is required in paper-bag cookery, for the bag retains the flavour so perfectly that it is easy to overdo any strong flavour. the fruit is then covered with the other piece of paste, pinch the edges of paste together, and ornament to taste; put into a well buttered bag, bake for about twenty to twenty-five minutes, and serve with castor sugar sifted over. strawberry _gÂteau_. a sixpenny sponge or madeira cake is the foundation of this summer sweet. cut the top neatly off, scoop out a deep hole, saving the cake to be used in making a cabinet pudding. fill the cavity with ripe strawberries, cover with sifted sugar put on the top; pour over the whole a glass of sherry, mixed with a tablespoonful of strawberry syrup, and one of lemon juice. let it stand to soak for a few minutes, then put it into a well buttered "papakuk" bag, and place in a hot oven for ten minutes. take out and serve at once, handing custard or whipped cream with it. cabinet pudding. bring one pint of milk to the boil, stir in a cupful of cake-crumbs. the pieces cut out of the cake used for the strawberry gâteau will be sufficient, finely crumbled. stir for a few minutes, then lift off the fire, and when slightly cooled, add the well beaten yolks of three eggs, a quarter of a pound of raisins, cleaned and stoned, a quarter of a pound of candied peel, two ounces crystallised ginger, and two ounces of butter. beat all together very thoroughly, put into a well buttered bag, and cook forty-five minutes, reducing the heat by half a few minutes after putting in the pudding. beat up the whites of the eggs with a little sifted sugar and a few drops of essence of vanilla. when very stiff, pile it on the top of the pudding and serve at once. plain suet pudding. this pudding, whether intended to be eaten with meat or with jam or treacle, is infinitely superior cooked in a paper bag to the same pudding boiled or steamed. mix one pound of self-raising flour with four ounces of chopped suet, preferably vegetable, and a pinch of salt. mix to a stiff dough with water, put into a buttered bag and cook for forty-five minutes. this has quite a different flavour from a boiled suet pudding. simple plum pudding. two heaped breakfastcupfuls of self-raising flour, one cupful of chopped suet, one cupful of raisins, stoned and cleaned, one of prunes, chopped and stoned, a little finely cut candied peel, one beaten egg, and enough milk to mix to a very stiff dough. put into a well buttered bag and cook for about fifty minutes. robin tartlets. make a short crust paste, roll out, line some little patty pans, and fill with this mixture: one ounce of butter, melted, two ounces of ground rice, three ounces of castor sugar, one well beaten egg, a few drops of almond essence, or a spoonful of minced almonds. put these into a "papakuk" bag and cook fifteen minutes. german gooseberry pudding. two cupfuls of flour, two of bread-crumbs, four ounces of chopped suet, one teaspoonful of ground ginger, one pint gooseberries, washed, topped, and tailed, and two tablespoonfuls of golden syrup; mix all well together, and make into a very stiff dough with a little milk; put into a thoroughly greased bag and cook for an hour. palestine pudding. mix six ounces of self-raising flour, four of sultanas, four of chopped suet, four of brown sugar, one dessertspoonful of ground cinnamon. beat up one egg with two tablespoonfuls of milk, mix to a stiff dough. put into a well buttered "papakuk" bag and cook forty-five minutes. date pudding. mix six ounces of bread-crumbs, four of self-raising flour, three of grated suet, half a pound of dates, stoned and chopped, but no sugar. moisten with a beaten egg, and, if necessary, a little milk, but do not make the mixture liquid. put into a greased bag and cook for an hour. lancashire roly-poly. this is a nice variety of a favourite children's pudding. make a good short crust and roll it out into an oblong shape. cut two apples into small pieces, and mix thoroughly with two ounces of sultana raisins, two tablespoonfuls of golden syrup, a teaspoonful of mixed spice, a little grated lemon rind. spread this mixture on the crust to within an inch of the edge; roll up, pinching the sides well together in the process. put into a greased bag and cook for an hour. pineapple pudding. bring one pint of milk to the boil, sprinkle in enough flaked sago to make a thick batter. cook for a few seconds. when cool, add the beaten yolks of three eggs, an ounce of castor sugar, and a teaspoonful of vanilla essence. butter a "papakuk" bag very thickly, pour in the pudding, and cook gently for thirty minutes. meanwhile, open a tin of pineapple rings and lay them in a dish. empty the pudding on the top of this; have the whites of the eggs whisked very stiff with a little icing sugar and a drop or two of vanilla essence; pile this on the top of the pudding and serve at once. sago plum pudding. soak four tablespoonfuls of fine sago all night in a breakfastcupful of milk. next day add a teacupful of bread-crumbs, two of self-raising flour, one of best raisins, cleaned and stoned, the grated rind of quarter of a lemon, one ounce of butter (melted), and a well-beaten egg. put into a thickly buttered bag and cook one hour. raisins. this simple dish is much liked by children, and is very wholesome and nutritious. choose large, fine raisins, put them in a buttered "papakuk" bag with a cupful of water, and let them cook for about forty minutes. they are excellent for children, eaten with bread and butter, and act as a gentle laxative. prunes. these are also excellent for children. wash the prunes carefully, then let them soak all night in enough water to cover them and the juice of a lemon. next day add two ounces of sugar to a pound of prunes, put them into a greased bag, with the water and lemon juice, and cook forty-five minutes. this is also a pleasant and gentle laxative, and is generally much liked by children. lemon puffs. grate the rind of two fresh lemons, mix with ten ounces of castor sugar. beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth, and whisk all together to a very thick paste. form into dainty balls, and place some distance apart in a thickly buttered "papakuk" bag, and cook fifteen minutes. castle pudding. beat one ounce of butter and half a cupful of castor sugar to a cream; add three well beaten eggs, and beat all well together. then sift in gradually one breakfastcupful of self-raising flour and mix thoroughly. put into a thickly buttered bag and cook for about thirty minutes. quinces. core and cut into slices six quinces, put them into a greased "papakuk" bag with two teacupfuls of sugar and one of water. cook for three hours in a slow oven. they will then be tender and of a beautiful rich colour. they are not often met with, but cooked thus are a delicious fruit. cakes are very dainty, and gain in flavour and richness when cooked in a paper bag. many are cooked simply in the bag, but others must be put into a greased tin and then enclosed in the bag. ladies' fingers are nice little cakes for afternoon tea. beat two eggs very lightly, add one teacupful of sugar and a little essence of lemon. add enough self-raising flour to make a firm dough. roll out, cut into strips, put into a buttered bag, and cook fifteen minutes. golden cakes. beat half a pound of butter to a cream, add six ounces of sugar and the yolks of three eggs, and beat well; then put in three ounces of chopped orange peel and one pound of self-raising flour. mix well, divide into buns, put into a well greased bag, and cook twenty minutes. shortbread is delicious cooked in a paper bag. the following is the recipe of an old ayrshire cook whose shortbread is always considered unsurpassed. it is very rich, however, and the amount of butter may be reduced by one-half if considered extravagant or indigestible; but if the recipe be followed exactly, a very delicious cake will be the result. rub one pound of butter into one pound of flour. rub it until it is like bread-crumbs. then add a quarter of a pound of sugar and gradually work into a dough, which can be rolled out thickly, cut into fancy shapes, put into a buttered bag, and cook for twenty minutes. if half a pound of butter to one pound of flour be used, the dough must be moistened with one beaten egg and two tablespoonfuls of cream. the first recipe, however, is for genuine scotch shortbread. dough cake. get the baker to bring half a quartern of bread dough. beat into it quarter of a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of sultana raisins, two ounces candied peel. let it stand for half an hour, put it into a buttered "papakuk" bag, and cook one hour. tea-cake. mix three-quarters of a pound of self-raising flour, half an ounce of butter, and a cup of milk into a light dough; roll out, cut into round cakes, slip into buttered bags, and cook fifteen minutes. yorkshire tea-cakes. cream the white of one egg in as much butter and sugar together; beat into the white of the egg as much ground rice and self-raising flour; mix to a light dough with one tablespoonful of milk. butter two plates, spread over the mixtures, put each plate into a "papakuk" bag, cook fifteen minutes, spread one cake with warmed jam, put the other on the top, and serve hot. cocoanut buns. beat a quarter of a pound of butter and a quarter of a pound of sugar to a cream, then beat in two eggs, quarter of a pound of desiccated cocoanut, and one gill of milk; stir in a quarter of a teaspoonful of ground ginger and three-quarters of a pound of flour; butter some patty pans, half fill with the mixture, put into "papakuk" bags, and cook twenty minutes. sponge roll. beat four eggs and one cup of sugar together for five minutes, stir in one cup of self-raising flour, put into an oblong greased tin, enclose this in a "papakuk" bag, and cook ten minutes. turn out and spread with heated jam, and roll up at once. american cookies. put four tablespoonfuls of sugar into a basin, pour over it three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, mix well together; beat two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of milk and stir in; add as much self-raising flour as will make a very stiff dough. roll out a quarter of an inch thick, cut with a pastry-cutter into nice rounds, brush each over with milk, sprinkle thickly with sugar, slip into well buttered bags, and cook twenty minutes. lunch buns. beat well together one egg, half a cup of sugar, and one teaspoonful of butter, add one cup of self-raising flour, and mix very thoroughly. form into buns, put into a well greased bag, and cook fifteen minutes. cherry cakes. beat a quarter of a pound of butter and two ounces of sugar together till very light, add one egg, very thoroughly beaten, stir in by degrees half a pound of self-raising flour. turn the dough out on a board; chop two ounces of dried cherries finely, blanch and chop one ounce of sweet almonds. roll out the dough, sprinkle over the cherries and almonds, and fold the dough together; roll it out again and fold it again; roll it out once more to half an inch in thickness; cut into rounds; put into a thickly buttered bag and cook ten minutes. nursery tea-cakes. mix well together half a cup of butter, one of sugar, half a cup of milk, two of self-raising flour, two teaspoonfuls of vanilla essence, two well beaten eggs. shape into buns, put into buttered bags, and cook twenty minutes. cropper cakes. beat three ounces of butter to a cream with three ounces of sugar; put half a pound of self-raising flour into a basin, and add it by slow degrees to the butter and sugar. add a well beaten egg and a few drops of essence of vanilla. make into a smooth dough, form into small cakes, place into a well buttered "papakuk" bag, and cook fifteen minutes. feather cake. beat half a cup of butter to a cream, add two cups of sugar, and beat well; add one cup of milk with one tablespoonful of baking soda dissolved in it; three eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately, one cup of flour with two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar mixed in it; then add two more cups of flour without the cream of tartar. beat very thoroughly. put into a well buttered tin; enclose the tin in a "papakuk" bag and cook forty-five minutes. ginger cake. these are particularly wholesome for children, and are an agreeable laxative. take one pound of self-raising flour, and rub it well together with a quarter of a pound of sugar and half an ounce of ground ginger; then add half a pound of golden syrup and a tablespoonful of honey. melt three ounces of butter in a quarter of a pint of hot milk; dissolve a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda in the milk and add it to the other ingredients. it must be a very stiff dough. form into flat cakes, slide into very thickly buttered "papakuk" bags, and cook forty-five minutes. chapter vi. miscellaneous recipes. for those who still hesitate whether to adopt paper-bag cookery or not, it may be as well to repeat the solid advantages of this method. for one thing, it minimises labour and saves time, thus going far to solve the servant problem. the cook who has not the never-ending labour of cleaning saucepans and baking-tins, who has leisure for reasonable rest and recreation, is a contented being, not likely to give notice at awkward moments. the expense of most labour-saving domestic utensils prevents their adoption in households where means are limited, but the bags necessary for paper-bag cooking cost the merest trifle. only those who live in small houses or flats know the misery of having each meal heralded by a violent smell of cooking, which invades every room, and robs the average person of all appetite; the tenant of those uncomfortable dwelling-places known as "maisonettes" knows only too well what it is to inhale the fragrance of the downstairs burned onion or frying bloater; while the occupants of the lower maisonette suffer from audible and pungent remarks upon the odours from their kitchen, remarks which frequently lead to friction. now, paper-bag cookery does not smell. paper bags are cheap. the young couple setting up modestly in life are spared the outlay of an expensive range of cooking utensils; the occupant of cramped apartments has not to endure the obtrusive little kitchen in bed-or sitting-room, and the thrifty housewife has not the continual necessity of replacing a worn-out saucepan or burnt-out frying-pan. and these things run into money. all that is necessary for the equipment of the up-to-date paper-bag cook is, of course, a kettle for boiling water, a conservative boilerette (welbank) for the cooking of these few dishes not amenable to paper-bag treatment, and an egg saucepan. for though eggs are delicious cooked in a paper bag, it would be an extravagance to light the oven up for that purpose alone. perhaps a frying-pan might also be included, but the rest of the kitchen outfit may consist entirely of "papakuk" bags. doing without a kitchen. with the aid of paper-bag cookery, the up-to-date householder may eliminate the kitchen altogether, thus gaining another room. the small flat at a moderate rent usually consists of one sitting-room, two bedrooms, a kitchen, and a bathroom. it is equally unpleasant to sit in the room in which one has just dined, or to take meals in the room where they have just been cooked. with a little contrivance and ingenuity, the kitchen may be transformed into a neat little dining-room, a gas stove erected in any convenient recess or in the bathroom, and with paper-bag cookery, nothing more elaborate will be needed. bedroom cookery. for the business woman, living in one room, ordinary cooking is out of the question, yet most landladies refuse to cook for their lodgers, except at a high charge, and restaurant living is expensive. ordinary cooking, too, means more or less heat and odours, incompatible with keeping the one room fresh and neat. in this case, too, paper-bag cookery solves the difficulty. "wild west" cookery. paper-bag cookery has been seized upon with thankfulness by a girl who went out to keep house for a brother in the "wild west," and found the toil of cooking with rough and old-fashioned utensils beyond her capacity. so incessant were her labours, so unsatisfactory the results, that she hailed with joy and gratitude a newspaper article and some bags sent her by a compassionate relative, and now writes triumphantly that all her cookery troubles are over. invalid diet. how weary invalids get of the eternal boiled whiting and boiled chicken is well known. the poor invalid who besought his doctor's permission to have his whiting fried, and who, receiving it with the proviso it should be fried in water, burst into tears when the dish was set before him, would have been charmed with the fish cooked in a paper bag. a whiting, a chop, a fillet of chicken thus cooked are all as savoury as if fried, yet as light and digestible as when boiled. invalid's chops. trim every morsel of fat from the chop, and put it without water or seasoning into a very well greased bag. cook it fifteen or twenty minutes according to the thickness, and serve it with any seasoning or sauce the doctor sanctions. invalid's chicken. with a very sharp knife, cut neat fillets from the breast of a plump chicken; brush each fillet over with oiled butter, put into a greased bag, and cook fifteen minutes. invalid's whiting. choose a good-sized but not coarse whiting; have it filleted; roll up each fillet and put them into a thickly buttered bag with one tablespoonful of milk. cook ten minutes. invalid's porridge. this may be cooked in a buttered bag alone, or cooked in a dish enveloped in a bag. both methods are excellent. for the first, take a pint of milk and add when boiling enough rolled oats to make a batter; add salt to taste, and put into a well buttered bag and cook twenty minutes. if a dish be used, the porridge may be made thinner, and must be cooked longer, about thirty minutes. if the ordinary medium oatmeal be used, it must be soaked in cold water overnight, in a pie-dish. next morning, add as much more water as will be needed, add a little salt. put the dish into a greased bag and cook forty-five minutes. this porridge is not suitable for invalids, but is excellent for children. breakfast dishes. there are a great many breakfast dishes, besides ham and eggs which are very much nicer cooked in a paper bag. liver and bacon is one. cut a calf's or sheep's liver into thin slices, flour both sides, sprinkle with salt and pepper; put into a thickly buttered bag and cook for about ten minutes. meanwhile, have ready as many thin rashers of bacon as there are slices of liver and put them in a bag five minutes before the liver is done. dish both together on a very hot dish and serve immediately. broiled kidneys. this is another very savoury breakfast dish. foreign kidneys answer very well; skin them, cut in halves, and wrap each half in a thin rasher of fat bacon. put them on a skewer to keep them in position, place in a buttered bag, and cook fifteen minutes. a german beefsteak is very nice for a hearty breakfast eater. mince finely half a pound of steak, removing skin, gristle, and fat; mix well with a finely minced onion, half a teaspoonful minced parsley, and pepper and salt to taste. flatten into an oblong shape, sprinkle on each side with flour, put into a well greased bag, and cook twenty minutes. then cut a hole in the bag, drop in an egg, and cook three minutes longer. sausage rolls are also very good. take four or five pork sausages, and wrap each when skinned in an oblong piece of pastry, short crust or puff pastry according to taste. put into a well buttered bag and cook twenty minutes. rissoles make a nice change for breakfast, and are easily and quickly made. roll out some light, shortcrust paste. have ready some finely minced cooked meat, nicely seasoned, and mixed to a thick paste with gravy which has been thickened with flour. put a little heap of this at regular intervals on half the pastry, cover with the other half and cut out each rissole with a pastry-cutter, pressing the edges well together. put into a well greased bag, and cook twenty minutes. bacon and mushrooms are a favourite country dish. half a pound of freshly gathered mushrooms should be trimmed, peeled, wiped, and put into a buttered bag with half a dozen thinly cut rashers of bacon, and a piece of butter rubbed together with a dessertspoonful of flour, a little salt and cayenne pepper. cook thirty minutes. surprise sausages. half a pound of sausage-meat is rolled into the shape of an egg, and a cupful of cold mashed potato is mixed with a well beaten egg and a little salt and pepper. cover the sausage-meat completely with the potato mixture, brush over with the beaten yolk of an egg, roll it in fine bread-crumbs, highly seasoned; put the whole into a greased "papakuk" bag and cook fifteen minutes. baked ham take a corner or gammon of bacon, or a small picnic ham; make a paste of flour and water and completely cover the ham with it, rolled out to about half an inch in thickness. put in a greased bag and cook in a moderate oven, allowing thirty minutes to the pound. when done, paste and skin come away easily and the flavour and aroma are exquisite. cod's roe makes a nice breakfast dish. it is first boiled or steamed until thoroughly done. when quite cold, cut in thick, firm slices, brush over with oiled butter, dredge thoroughly on both sides on flour, sprinkle with salt and pepper, put into a well buttered "papakuk" bag, and cook twelve minutes. egg cutlets. chop rather finely three hard-boiled eggs, add two tablespoonfuls of fine bread-crumbs, one of grated cheese and a little pepper and salt; mix well and bind with the beaten yolk of two eggs. shape into cutlets, put into a thickly buttered "papakuk" bag, and cook ten minutes. egg savoury. chop four hard-boiled eggs, mix with two rashers of fat bacon cut in dice, pepper, salt, and a sprinkle of sweet herbs; put a slice of butter in a saucepan, add two tablespoonfuls of flour and stir together. add slowly a gill of milk and stir till it boils. then add the eggs and bacon and stir together till it is a thick mass. turn out on a plate, and when cold form into balls. put these into a thickly buttered bag and cook ten minutes. curried eggs are excellent, and very simply made. hard-boiled eggs are cut in slices and put into a well greased "papakuk" bag; a thick white sauce is made, and a dessertspoonful of curry powder is stirred in. this is added to the eggs, and the bag put into a hot oven for six minutes. creamed eggs are delicious. a shallow tin is well buttered, thickly sprinkled with seasoned bread-crumbs, and two or three eggs carefully broken in. cover with more bread-crumbs, put bits of butter over the top, pour in a tablespoonful of cream, or if cream cannot be afforded, a little milk thickened with cornflour and a morsel of butter. slide this into a well greased bag and cook twenty minutes. cheese savouries are particularly good, cooked paper-bag fashion. one of the most generally approved is cheese straws. mix together four ounces of butter, four ounces of self-raising flour, four ounces of grated cheese, a little cayenne, a pinch of salt, and a well-beaten egg. roll out, cut into thin strips, and into one or two rings. put inside a buttered bag, cook fifteen minutes, and serve with several straws inside each ring. cheese _fondue_. well butter a dish, put into it half a pint of milk, half a cup of fine bread-crumbs, quarter of a pound of dried cheese grated, one ounce of butter, and one well beaten egg; season with salt and pepper, put into a greased bag, and cook forty-five minutes. cheese pastry is a delicious morsel. make a nice flaky paste crust, roll it out and cut into two squares. melt three ounces of grated cheese and one ounce of butter with a teaspoonful of lemon juice. spread this over one half of the paste, cover with the other, brush over with milk, put into a well greased bag, and cook fifteen minutes. fried cheese. cut some slices of cheese, two inches long, one inch wide, and half an inch thick. dry cheese may be used up in this way. pour over the slices a little oiled butter, sprinkle with pepper, and leave for half an hour, turning once during that time. make a thick batter, dip each piece in it; lay in a buttered "papakuk" bag and cook fifteen minutes in a hot oven. cheese biscuits. this is a very simple but a very nice savoury. split open several of crawford's butter puffs, lay a slice of toasted cheese between the halves, put into a greased bag, and cook for ten minutes. cheese puffs. melt one ounce of butter in a small saucepan, add a tablespoonful of water, and when it boils sift in gradually two tablespoonfuls of self-raising flour, and three of grated cheese; season to taste. stir till the mixture leaves the saucepan, and then take off the fire. when cool, stir in a well beaten egg and set aside till quite cold. then shape into balls, put into a buttered bag, and cook fifteen minutes in a fairly hot oven. macaroni and cheese. break half a pound of macaroni into small pieces; put into a greased bag with half a cup of water, and cook for half an hour. then put into another bag which has been thickly buttered; add four ounces of grated cheese and one ounce of butter, a little pepper and salt. cook for ten minutes. many people enjoy a little stewed fruit with breakfast, and all fruits gain in flavour cooked in a "papakuk" bag. prunes, a recipe for which has already been given, are particularly nice cooked in this way and so are other dried fruits. put the fruit into a large basin, and pour boiling water over them, covering them completely. this plumps them up nicely. cover with a plate and leave till cold. then pour off the water, drain the fruit quite dry, and just cover with fresh, cold water. replace the plate and leave till the morning. then place in a large and very thoroughly greased bag, add to each pound of fruit two ounces of sugar and any flavouring preferred, a teaspoonful of lemon juice, one of sherry or of essence of vanilla or almond. cook for forty-five minutes. baked apples are unsurpassed cooked in a paper bag. simply wash the apples, or pare them if preferred, put into a greased bag with a gill of water, and bake forty minutes. add sugar to taste. stewed gooseberries. put into a greased bag with sugar and a gill of water and cook thirty minutes. or they may be first put into a dish and the dish enclosed in a bag. currants and raspberries are best thus cooked. fruit tarts and meat pies when cooked in a dish which is afterwards put into a bag, must have some holes pricked in the bag. yorkshire pudding for eating with meat can be cooked in a "papakuk" bag, but must first be poured into a shallow round tin which has had a slice of roast-beef dripping or of butter melted in it. make the pudding in the usual way; to ozs. of self-raising flour, a pinch of salt, two well beaten eggs, and enough milk or water mixed to make a batter about as thick as cream. put the tin into a bag and cook twenty-five minutes. warming up "leftovers." paper-bag cookery is invaluable as a means of warming up cold meats. apart from the various ways of serving up cold meat in hashes, stews, and other dishes, recipes for which have already been given, it is an excellent means of warming food which is required dished up in the same form as before. re-heating roast leg of mutton. this is merely put into a well-greased "papakuk" bag and placed in the oven to get thoroughly hot, the time depending on its weight; it will then taste exactly as if it had been freshly roasted. if part of the leg has been already consumed, cold mashed potatoes should be pressed into the space left, and shaped so that when heated and browned the leg will appear untouched. devilled mutton. this is never so nice as when cooked in a "papakuk" bag. a cold shoulder of lamb is delicious when devilled. cut over night large gashes in the meat, and fill these gashes with dripping or butter, in which has been mixed plenty of pepper, salt, dry mustard, and a few drops of lemon juice if that flavour is liked. leave the meat until it is nearly dinner-time, then put into a "papakuk" bag and cook fifteen minutes. it is the same with other joints; simply putting them into a greased bag and thoroughly heating them restores the flavour so completely that no one can tell that the meat has been previously cooked and then re-heated. this is possible only in paper-bag cookery; in ordinary cooking reheated meat is always dry and flavourless. the exact time in the oven cannot be given, as it depends on the weight; but as opening the oven door does not injure paper-bag cookery, a watch can be kept. practice and experience are the safest guides, and the paper-bag cook will soon learn the exact time each dish requires. there will not be many failures, for a little too long will not dry up the food in the bags, and if it be underdone, it may be turned into another bag and put back into the oven. always have the bags large enough; they may split when the food is being put in if they are a tight fit. also, unless the bag is full large for the contents, it is somehow awkward in dishing up. some dexterity is required in freeing the food from the bag. if the paper is very brown, it may fall to pieces before it can be removed and bits of paper be found among the gravy. the bags should be intact and scissors used to split them open. if there is any fear of some paper remaining in the food, two hot dishes should be employed, one on which to place the bag while it is being removed, the other into which to turn the food when freed from the bag. many other recipes might be given, but the cook who is interested in paper-bag cookery will be able to experiment for herself in fresh directions. all the recipes in the best-known cookery-books may be worked out in paper-bag cookery, for even those which cannot be put straight into a bag without injuring their appearance--for instance, cakes of the nature of plum cake, pound cake, seed, or madeira--can be put first into tins and then into a "papakuk" bag with the certainty that they will gain immensely in flavour and delicacy of taste. index of recipes page fish-- bloaters, bream (sea), brill, cod's head and shoulders, cod sounds, eels, eel pasty, fish pudding, " pie (russian), " salt, " savoury, " stew, " tinned, " cake, haddock, fresh, " smoked, herrings (fresh), kedgeree, kippers, lobster, curried, " cutlet, " hot, " patties, mackerel, plaice, salmon, croquettes, " cutlets, " tinned, sardines, skate, soles, turbot, whiting, meat-- beef, olives, " roast, beefsteak pudding, carpet bag, chicken, roast, chops, gravy and dripping, hare, imitation, indian curry, irish stew, kidneys, kidney stew, lamb, loin, " shoulder, liver and bacon, mutton, boiled, minced collops, pork, roast, rabbit, sausages, steak, grilled, " haricot, " minced, tinned, beef, " chicken, " mutton, " rabbit, " steak, veal, roast, vegetables and cereals-- beans, broad, " butter, " french, carrots, cauliflowers, cucumber, " fritters, " stuffed, lentils, " cutlets, macaroni, savoury, marrow, vegetable, " savoury, " sliced, mushrooms, " pudding, onions, onion dumpling, " and tomato, parsnips, peas, green, " " duchess, potatoes, boiled, " duchess, " sliced, " stewed, rice, " (ground) fritters, " savoury, tomatoes, " pie, " stew, " stuffed, turnips, " cups, vegetable roll, puddings and sweets-- apples, baked, " dumpling, " pudding, " puffs, " stewed, bread pudding, " " economical, cabinet pudding, castle " , date " , fruit tarts, gooseberry pudding, " " german, jam roly-poly, lancashire roly-poly, lemon dumplings, lemon puffs, palestine pudding, plum " , " " sago, pineapple pudding, prunes, quinces, raisins, raisin blanket, rice pudding, robin tartlets, sago plum pudding, strawberry _gâteau_, suet pudding, tapioca pudding, cakes-- american cookies, cherry cake, cocoanut buns, cropper cakes, dough cake, feather " , ginger " , golden " , ladies' fingers, lunch buns, nursery tea-cakes, shortbread, sponge roll, tea-cake, " yorkshire, invalid dishes-- invalid chicken, " chops, " porridge, " whiting, miscellaneous recipes. angels on horseback, bacon and mushrooms, cheese, biscuits, " _fondue_, " fried, " and macaroni, " pastry, " puffs, " straws, cod's roe, dresden patties, egg savoury, eggs, " creamed, " curried, " cutlets, " savoury, " scotch, " epigrams, german beefsteak, gooseberries (stewed), ham, baked, " and eggs, left-overs (warmed-up dishes--devilled mutton, roast leg of mutton, stews and hashes), liver and bacon, kidneys, " broiled, potato surprise, rissoles, savoury eggs, scotch woodcock, sausages, rolls, " surprise, yorkshire pudding, printed by william brendon and son, ltd. plymouth papakuk bags. these bags, which are essential for the successful cooking of the dishes mentioned in this volume, may be obtained at the following prices:-- prices. sizes . by ins. s. d. s. d. s. d. . - / " - / " s. d. s. d. s. d. . - / " - / " s. d. s. d. s. d. . - / " - / " s. d. s. d. s. d. . - / " - / " s. d. s. d. s. d. and twenty-five of any four different sizes will be supplied at the hundred rate. the most useful sizes, however, are no. and no. . all applications for bags should _be accompanied by a remittance and addressed envelope_. these bags are exclusively made by messrs. lepard and smiths after careful experiments. the paper has been analysed by messrs. clayton, beadle, and stevens, and pronounced to be perfectly pure and free from injurious chemicals, and only white of egg and flour is used in pasting the bags. suitable clips for fastening the bags can be supplied in boxes at d. per hundred clips. _address application to_-- papakuk bag department, henrietta street, london, w.c. "no better food." dr. andrew wilson, f.r.s.e., &c. _fry's_ pure concentrated _cocoa_ ="i have never tasted cocoa that i like so well.="--sir chas. cameron, c.b., m.d., ex-president of the royal college of surgeons, ireland. --ask for-- the "five boys" milk chocolate. "it is a pleasant and pure food confection, and can be consumed with advantage and safety by young or old."--science siftings. * * * * * transcriber's notes: italics and underlining are indicated by _underscores_. bold is indicated by =equal-signs=. small caps are indicated by all caps. variations in capitalization and hyphenation have been retained from the original publication except as noted below. verso of title page: full stop removed (it is the secret of success for all her pastry and cake making.) page (lobster patties): mixed to minced (finely minced parsley) page : "paper-cooking" appears in the original and has been retained page (mushroom pudding): full stop added (cook fifteen minutes.) page : full stop added following chapter v. page : chapter v. is headed "puddings and cakes", and has not been changed to "puddings and sweets" as seen in the table of contents and the index. page (economical bread pudding): over-night to overnight (overnight, if more) page (lemon dumplings): "and the" substituted for "of a" (juice and the grated rind) page (surprise sausages): sausage meat to sausage-meat (the sausage-meat completely) page (potatoes): stoved to "stewed" (" stewed, ) proofreading team. (www.pgdp.net) carving and serving by mrs. d.a. lincoln author of "the boston cook book" boston little, brown, and company _copyright, _, by mrs. d.a. lincoln. university press: john wilson and son, cambridge. contents. page general directions special directions tip of the sirloin, or rib roast sirloin roast the back of the rump fillet of beef or tenderloin round of beef, fillet of veal, or fricandeau of veal beefsteak leg of mutton or lamb, or knuckle of veal leg of venison saddle of mutton saddle of venison haunch of venison or mutton loin of mutton, lamb, veal, pork, or venison shoulder of mutton or veal forequarter of lamb or veal neck of veal breast of veal calf's head roast pig ham tongue corned beef chartreuse, or pressed meat to cut up a chicken for a stew or fricassee boiled fowl or turkey broiled chicken roast turkey roast goose roast duck pigeons partridges larded grouse rabbit sweetbreads, chops, and cutlets fish baked fish scalloped dishes, meat pies, entrÉes, etc. salads vegetables soups tea and coffee pies puddings moulds of pudding, creams, charlotte russe, ice-cream, etc. fruit and nuts the thickness of slices utensils for carving and serving last but not least carving and serving. general directions. "do you teach your pupils how to carve?" "please give us a lecture on carving; my husband says he will come if you will." i have been so frequently addressed in this way that i have decided to publish a manual on the art of carving. instruction in this art cannot be given at a lecture with any profit to my pupils or satisfaction to myself. one cannot learn by simply seeing a person carve a few times. as much as any other art, it requires study; and success is not attainable without much practice. there are certain rules which should be thoroughly understood; if followed faithfully in daily practice, they will help more than mere observation. this manual is not offered as a guide for special occasions, company dinners, etc., nor for those whose experience renders it unnecessary, or whose means allow them to employ one skilled in the art. but it is earnestly hoped that the suggestions here offered will aid those who desire, at their own table in everyday home life, to acquire that ease and perfection of manner which, however suddenly it may be confronted with obstacles, will be equal to every occasion. printed rules for carving are usually accompanied with cuts showing the position of the joint or fowl on the platter, and having lines indicating the method of cutting. but this will not be attempted in this manual, as such illustrations seldom prove helpful; for the actual thing before us bears faint resemblance to the pictures, which give us only the surface, with no hint of what may be inside. it is comparatively a slight matter to carve a solid mass of lean meat. it is the bones, tough gristle, and tendons, that interfere with the easy progress of the knife. to expect any one to carve well without any conception of the internal structure of what may be placed before him is as absurd as to expect one to amputate a limb successfully who has no knowledge of human anatomy. some notion of the relative position of bones, joints, fat, tough and tender muscles, is the first requisite to good carving. all agree that skill in carving may be acquired by practice; and so it may. any one can divide a joint if he cut and hack at it long enough, and so learn after a time just where to make the right cut. but a more satisfactory way is to make a careful study before the material is cooked, and thus learn the exact position of every joint, bone, and muscle. become familiar with a shoulder or a leg of mutton; locate the joints by moving the bones in the joints, or by cutting it into sections, some time when it is to be used for a stew. or remove the bone in the leg by scraping the meat away at either end. learn to distinguish the different cuts of meat. the best way to learn about carving poultry and game is to cut them up for a stew or fricassee, provided care be taken not to chop them, but to disjoint them skilfully. then, when you attempt to carve, do the best you can every time. never allow yourself to be careless about it, even should the only spectators be your wife and children. but do not make your first effort in the art at a company dinner. every lady should learn the art. there is no reason why she may not excel in it, as she has every opportunity to study the joint or fowl before cooking. strength is not required, so much as neatness and care. a firm, steady hand, a cool, collected manner, and confidence in one's ability will help greatly. children also should be taught this accomplishment, and should be taught it as soon as they can handle a knife safely. if parents would allow the children to share their duties at the daily family table, and occasionally when company is present, a graceful manner would soon be acquired. when called upon to preside over their own homes there would less frequently be heard the apology, "father always carved at home, and i have had no practice." the only recollection that i now have of a dinner at a friend's some years ago is the easy and skilful way a young son of my hostess presided at the head of the table, while the father occupied the place of guest at the mother's right hand. one must learn first of all to carve neatly, without scattering crumbs or splashing gravy over the cloth or platter; also to cut straight, uniform slices. this may seem an easy matter; but do we often see pressed beef, tongue, or even bread cut as it should be? be careful to divide the material in such a manner that each person may be served equally well. have you never received all flank, or a hard dry wing, while another guest had all tenderloin, or the second joint? after a little experience you can easily distinguish between the choice portions and the inferior. lay each portion on the plate with the browned or best side up. keep it compact, not mussy; and serve a good portion of meat, not a bone with hardly any meat on it. after all are served, the portion on the platter should not be left jagged, rough, and sprawling, but should look inviting enough to tempt one to desire a second portion. care should be taken to carve in such a way as to get the best effect. a nice joint is often made less inviting from having been cut with the grain, while meat of rather poor quality is made more tender and palatable if divided across the grain. where the whole of the joint is not required, learn to carve economically, that it may be left in good shape for another dinner. after you have learned to do the simplest work neatly and gracefully, much painstaking will be necessary in acquiring the power to accomplish with elegance the more difficult tasks. for to reach the highest degree of excellence in the art, one must be able to carve the most difficult joint with perfect skill and ease. but after all this study and a great amount of practice failure often happens, and blame is laid upon the carver which really belongs to some other person,--the butcher, the cook, the table-girl, or the guest. not all men who sell meat know or practice the best way of cutting up meat. much may be done by the butcher and by the cook to facilitate the work of the carver. these helps will be noticed more particularly under the head of special dishes. an essential aid to easy carving, and one often overlooked, is that the platter be large enough to hold not merely the joint or fowl while whole, but also the several portions as they are detached. the joint should be placed in the middle of the platter, in the position indicated under special directions. there should be sufficient space on either side for the portions of meat as they are carved; that is, space on the bottom, none of the slices being allowed to hang over the edge of the dish. if necessary, provide an extra dish. the persistency with which some housekeepers cling to a small dish for fear the meat will look lost on a larger one often makes successful carving impossible. the platter should be placed near the carver, that he may easily reach any part of the joint. the cook should see that all skewers, strings, etc., be removed before sending the meat or fish to the table. it is extremely awkward to find one's knife impeded by a bit of twine. the carver may stand or sit, as suits his convenience. anything that is done easily is generally done gracefully, but when one works at a disadvantage awkwardness is always the result. a very important matter is the condition of the knife. it should have a handle easy to grasp, a long, thin, sharp, pointed blade, and be of a size adapted to the article to be carved and to the person using it. a lady or a child will prefer a small knife. be as particular to have the knife sharp as to have it bright and clean; and always sharpen it before announcing the dinner. it is very annoying for a person to be obliged to wait and sharpen the knife, or to turn the meat round to get it into the right position. never allow a carving-knife to be used to cut bread, or for any other than its legitimate purpose. the fork should be strong, with long tines, and should have a guard. place the fork deep enough in the meat so that you can hold it firmly in position. hold the knife and fork in an easy, natural way. many persons grasp the fork as if it were a dagger, and stab it into the meat; but such a display of force is unnecessary and clownish. the hand should be over the handle of the fork, the palm down, and the forefinger extended. do not appear to make hard work of carving. avoid all scowling or contortion of the mouth if a difficult spot be touched. don't let your countenance betray the toughness of the joint or your own lack of skill. work slowly but skilfully, and thus avoid the danger of landing the joint in your neighbor's lap. do not be guilty of the discourtesy of asking each guest, before you begin to carve, to choose between roast lamb and warmed-over beef, or between pie and pudding, or whatever you may have, and thus cause a guest who may have chosen the lamb or the pie the discomfort of knowing that it has been cut solely for her. such economy may be excusable in the privacy of one's own family, but not in the presence of invited guests. first divide or carve what you have to serve, and then offer the choice to your guests. "to carve and serve decently and in good order" is indeed mainly the duty of the host; but there is sometimes an unfortunate lack of skill on the part of the hostess in her share of the serving. a certain pride is permitted to her, and is expected of her, in serving neatly her tea, coffee, and soup, in dividing appropriately her pies and puddings, and even in cutting and arranging deftly the bread upon her board. a word to the guest, and then we will proceed to explicit directions. never stare at the carver. remember you are invited to dine, not to take a lesson in carving. appear perfectly unconscious of his efforts; a glance now and then will give you sufficient insight into his method. there often seems to be an irresistible fascination about carving which silences all tongues and draws all eyes to the head of the table. the most skilful carver will sometimes fail if conscious of being watched. with a little tact the hostess can easily engage the attention of her guests, that the carver may not be annoyed. should your preference be asked, and you have any, name it at once, provided there is also enough for others who may prefer the same kind. remember there are only two fillets, or side-bones, or second joints; if you are the first to be served, do not test the skill of the carver by preferring a portion difficult to obtain. many of these cautions may seem uncalled for, but they have been suggested by personal observation of their necessity. people of good breeding would never err in any of these ways; but alas, not all people are well bred, and innate selfishness often crops out in small matters. the following explicit directions have not been taken from books. they were given to the writer a few years ago by one who was an adept in the art, who had received her instruction from a skilful surgeon, and who at her own table gave a practical demonstration of the fact that a lady can not only "carve decently and in good order," but with ease and elegance. special directions. tip of the sirloin, or rib roast. it is easier to carve this joint by cutting across the ribs, parallel with the backbone, but that is cutting with the grain; and meat, especially beef, seems more tender if cut across the grain. place it on the platter with the backbone at the right. if the backbones be not removed before cooking, place the fork in the middle and cut close to the backbone down to the ribs. shave off the thick, gristly cord near the backbone, as this, if left on, interferes with cutting thin slices. then cut, from the side nearest you, thin uniform slices parallel with the ribs. run the knife under and separate them from the bone. many prefer to remove the bone and skewer the meat into a roll before cooking. it may then be laid, flesh down, on the dish, and carved across the top horizontally in thin slices; or if you find it easier, place it with the skin surface up, and carve down from the flesh side nearest you. this style of serving is generally preferred, but there are advantages in retaining the bone; for the thin end when rolled under is not cooked to such a nice degree of crispness, and the slices are usually larger than desired. again, the ribs, by keeping the meat in position, secure for it a clean cut, and not one broken and jagged, and the thin end may be served or not, as you please. sirloin roast. the backbone or thickest end should be at the right end of the dish. carve a sirloin roast by cutting several thin slices parallel with the ribs. then cut down across the ribs near the backbone, and also at the flank end, and separate the slices. the slices should be as thin as possible and yet remain slices, not shavings. turn the meat over and cut out the tenderloin and slice it in the same manner across the grain; or turn the meat over and remove the tenderloin first. many prefer to leave the tenderloin to be served cold. cut slices of the crisp fat on the flank in the same way, and serve to those who wish it. this is a part which many dislike, but some persons consider it very choice. always offer it unless you know the tastes of those whom you are serving. the back of the rump. a roast from the back of the rump, if cooked without removing the bone, should be placed on the platter with the backbone on the farther side. cut first underneath to loosen the meat from the bone. then, if the family be large and all the meat is to be used, the slices may be cut lengthwise; but should only a small quantity be needed, cut crosswise and only from the small end. it is then in better shape for the second day. it is more economical to serve the poorer parts the first day, as they are never better than when hot and freshly cooked. reserve the more tender meat to be served cold. fillet of beef or tenderloin. before cooking, remove all the fat, and every fibre of the tough white membrane. press it into shape again and lard it, or cover it with its own fat. if this fibre be not removed, the sharpest knife will fail to cut through it. place it on the platter with the larger end at the right; or if two short fillets be used, place the thickest ends in the middle. carve from the thickest part, in thin, uniform slices. round of beef, fillet of veal, or fricandeau of veal. these are placed on the platter, flesh side up, and carved in horizontal slices, care being taken to carve evenly, so that the portion remaining may be in good shape. as the whole of the browned outside comes off with the first slices, divide this into small pieces, to be served if desired with the rare, juicy, inside slices. beefsteak. it may seem needless to direct one how to carve a sirloin steak, but it sometimes appears to require more skill than to carve poultry, as those who have been so unfortunate as to receive only the flank can testify. i believe most strongly, as a matter of economy, in removing the bone, and any tough membrane or gristle that will not be eaten, before cooking the steak. if there be a large portion of the flank, cook that in some other way. with a small, sharp knife cut close to the rib on each side, round the backbone, and remove the tough white membrane on the edge of the tenderloin. leave the fat on the upper edge, and the kidney fat also, or a part of it, if it be very thick. there need be no waste or escape of juices if the cutting be done quickly, neatly, and just before cooking. press the tenderloin--that is, the small portion on the under side of the bone--close to the upper part, that the shape may not be changed. in serving place it on the dish with the tenderloin next to the carver. cut in long narrow strips from the fat edge down through the tenderloin. give each person a bit of tenderloin, upper part, and fat. if the bone be not removed before cooking, remove the tenderloin first by cutting close to the bone, and divide it into narrow pieces; then remove the meat from the upper side of the bone and cut in the same manner. a long, narrow strip about as wide as the steak is thick is much more easily managed on one's plate than a square piece. serve small portions, and then, if more be desired, help again. in carving large rump steaks or round steaks, cut always across the grain, in narrow strips. carving-knives are always sharper than table-knives, and should do the work of cutting the fibres of the meat; then the short fibres may easily be separated by one's own knife. there is a choice in the several muscles of a large rump steak, and it is quite an art to serve it equally. leg of mutton or lamb, or knuckle of veal. before cooking, remove the rump-bones at the larger end. for a small family it is more economical to remove all the bones and fill the cavity with stuffing. tie or skewer it into compact shape; there is then less waste, as the meat that is not used at the first dinner does not become dry and hard by keeping. in serving, the thickest part of the leg should be toward the back of the platter. put the fork in at the top, turn the leg toward you to bring the thickest part up, and cut through to the bone. cut several slices of medium thickness, toward the thickest part, then slip the knife under and cut them away from the bone. a choice bit of crisp fat may be found on the larger end, and there is a sweet morsel near the knuckle or lower joint. if more be required, slice from the under side of the bone in the same manner. leg of venison. this is carved in the same way as a leg of mutton,--through the thickest part down to the bone. saddle of mutton. remove the ends of the ribs and roll the flank under before cooking. place it on the platter with the tail end at the left. put the fork in firmly near the centre, and carve down to the ribs in long slices, parallel with the backbone, and the whole length. slip the knife under and separate the slices from the ribs; do the same on the other side of the back. divide the slices if very long. cut the crisp fat from the sides in slanting slices. turn partly over and remove the choice bit of tenderloin and kidney fat under the ribs. carving a saddle of mutton in this way is really cutting with the grain of the meat, but it is the method adopted by the best authorities. it is only the choicest quality of mutton, and that which has been kept long enough to be very tender, that is prepared for cooking in this way. the fibres are not so tough as those of beef; there is no perceptible difference in the tenderness of the meat when cut in this manner, and there is an advantage in obtaining slices which are longer, and yet as thin as those from cutting across the grain. saddle of venison. carve the same as a saddle of mutton. serve some of the dish gravy with each portion. venison and mutton soon become chilled, the fat particularly, thus losing much of their delicacy. send them to the table very hot, on hot platters; carve quickly, and serve at once on warm plates. haunch of venison or mutton. this is the leg and loin undivided, or, as more commonly called, the hind quarter. the butcher should split the whirl-bone, disjoint the backbone, and split the ribs in the flank. the rump-bone and aitch-bone may be removed before cooking. place it on the platter with the loin or backbone nearest the carver. separate the leg from the loin; this is a difficult joint to divide when the bones have not been removed, but it can be done with practice. when the leg has been taken off, carve that as directed on page . carve the loin by first cutting off the flank and dividing it, then divide between each rib in the loin, or cut long slices parallel with the backbone, in the same way as directed for a saddle of mutton. some english authorities recommend cutting perpendicularly through the thickest part of the leg near the knuckle, and then cutting across at right angles with this first cut, in long thin slices, the entire length of the joint; the slices are then separated from the bone and divided as desired. when carved in this way the loin and leg are not divided. this is not so economical as the first method. loin of mutton, lamb, veal, pork, or venison. these should always be divided at the joints in the backbone by the butcher; then it is an easy matter to separate the ribs, serving one to each person, with a portion of the kidney and fat if desired. but if the butcher neglect to do this, and you have no cleaver with which to do it, it is better to cut slices down to the ribs parallel with the backbone, as directed in the saddle of mutton, than to suffer the annoyance of hacking at the joints. before cooking a loin of pork, gash through the fat between the ribs; this will give more of the crisp fat, and will aid in separating the ribs. shoulder of mutton or veal. place it on the platter with the thickest part up. from the thickest part cut thin slices, slanting down to the knuckle; then make several cuts across to the larger end, and remove these slices from the shoulder-blade. separate the blade at the shoulder-joint, and remove it. cut the meat under the blade in perpendicular slices. any part of the forequarter of mutton is more tender and palatable, and more easily carved, if before cooking it be boned and stuffed. or it may be boned, rolled, and corned. forequarter of lamb or veal. this is a difficult joint for a beginner, but after a little study and practice one may manipulate it with dexterity. some time when a lamb stew or fricassee is to be prepared, study the joint carefully and practice cutting it up, and thus become familiar with the position of the shoulder-blade joint,--the only one difficult to reach. the backbone should always be disjointed. the ribs should be divided across the breast and at the junction of the breast-bone, and the butcher should also remove the shoulder-blade and the bone in the leg. unless the joint be very young and tender, it is better to use the breast portion for a stew or fricassee; but when nice and tender the breast may be roasted with the other portions, as the choice gelatinous morsels near the breast-bones are preferred by many. this joint consists of three portions,--the shoulder or knuckle, the breast or brisket, and the ribs. put it on the platter with the backbone up. put the fork in near the knuckle. cut through the flesh clear round the leg and well up on the shoulder, but not too far on the breast. with the fork lift the leg away from the shoulder, cutting in till you come to the joint, after separating which, remove the leg to a separate dish, to be afterward cut into thin slices through the thickest part. cut across from left to right where the ribs have been broken, separating the gristly breast from the upper portion. then remove the blade if it has not been done before cooking. divide each of these portions between the ribs, and serve a piece of the rib, the breast, or a slice from the leg, as preferred. neck of veal. the vertebra should be disjointed, and the ribs cut on the inside through the bone only, on the thin end. place it on the platter with the back up and cut across from left to right, where the ribs were divided, separating the small ends of the ribs from the thicker upper portion; then cut between each short rib. carve from the back down in slanting slices, then slip the knife under close to the ribs and remove the slices. this gives a larger portion than the cutting of the slices straight would give, and yet not so large as if each were helped to a whole rib. serve a short rib with each slice. breast of veal. place it on the dish with the breast-bone or brisket nearest you. cut off the gristly brisket, then separate it into sections. cut the upper part parallel with the ribs, or between each rib if very small. slice the sweetbread, and serve a portion of brisket, rib, and sweetbread to each person. calf's head. calf's head served whole is a favorite dish in england, but seldom seen on american tables. for those who have this preference a few hints about carving may be desirable. place it on the platter with the face toward the right. cut from left to right, through the middle of the cheek down to the bone, in several parallel slices of medium thickness; then separate them from the bone. cut down at the back of the throat and slice the throat sweetbread. with the point of the knife cut out the gelatinous portion near the eye, and serve to those who desire it. there is a small portion of delicate lean meat to be found after removing the jawbone. some are fond of the palate, which lies under the head. the tongue should be sliced, and a portion of this and of the brains offered to each person. roast pig. this is sometimes partly divided before serving. cut off the head and divide it through the middle; then divide through the backbone. place it on the platter back to back, with half the head on each end of the dish. if the pig be very young, it is in better style to serve it whole. before cooking, truss the forelegs forward and the hind legs backward. place the pig on the platter with the head at the left. cut off the head, separating the neck-joint with the point of the knife, then cut through the flesh on either side. take off the shoulders by cutting in a circle from under the foreleg round nearly to the backbone and down again. bend it forward and cut through the joint. cut off the hams in the same way. then split the backbone the entire length and divide between each rib. cut slices from the thickest part of the hams and the shoulders. the ribs are the choice portion, but those who like it at all consider any part of it a delicacy. ham. if the ham is not to be served whole, the simplest and most economical way is to begin near the smaller end and cut in very thin slices, on each side of the bone. divide the slices and arrange them neatly on the dish, one lapping over another, with the fat edge outside. where the whole ham is to appear on the table it should be trimmed neatly, and the end of the bone covered with a paper ruffle. the thickest part should be on the further side of the platter. make an incision through the thickest part, a little way from the smaller end. shave off in very thin slices, cutting toward the larger end and down to the bone at every slice. the knife should be very sharp to make a clean cut, and each slice should have a portion of the fat with the crisp crust. to serve it hot a second day, fill the cavity with a bread stuffing, cover it with buttered crumbs, and brown it in the oven. if it is to be served cold, brown the crumbs first and then sprinkle them over the stuffing. if this be done the edges will not dry and the symmetry of the ham is preserved. carve as before, toward the larger end, and if more be needed, cut also from the other side of the bone. by filling the cavity again with stuffing, a ham may be served as a whole one the third time and look as inviting as when first served. should there be two or three inches of the thickest end left for another serving, saw off the bone, lay the meat flesh side up, with the fat on the further side of the platter, and carve horizontally in thin slices. tongue. the centre of the tongue is the choicest portion. cut across in slices as thin as a wafer. the tip of the tongue is more delicate when cut lengthwise in thin slices, though this is not the usual practice. corned beef. corned beef should be put while hot into a pan or mould, in layers of fat and lean, with the fibres running the long way of the pan. after pressing it, place it on the platter and slice thinly from one end. this gives uniform slices, cut across the grain, each one having a fair proportion of fat and lean. chartreuse, or pressed meat. any moulds of meat, either plain or in jelly or rice, should be cut from one end, or in the middle and toward either end, in uniform slices, the thickness varying with the kind of meat. be careful not to break them in serving. if only a part of a slice be desired, divide it neatly. help also to the rice or jelly. to cut up a chicken for a stew or fricassee. nothing is more unsightly and unappetizing than a portion of chicken with the bones chopped at all sorts of angles, and with splinters of bone in the meat. all bones will separate easily at the joint when the cord or tendon and gristly portion connecting them have been cut. after the chicken has been singed and wiped, and the crop removed from the end of the neck, place it in front of you with the breast up and the neck at the left. with a small sharp knife make an incision in the thin skin between the inside of the legs and the body. cut through the skin only, down toward the right side of the leg, and then on the left. bend the leg over toward you, and you will see where the flesh joins the body and also where the joint is, for the bone will move in the joint. cut through the flesh close to the body, first on the right of the joint and then on the left, and as you bend the leg over, cut the cord and gristle in the joint, and this will free the leg from the body. find the joint in the leg and divide it neatly. work the wing until you see where the joint is, then cut through the flesh on the shoulder, bend the wing up and cut down through the gristle and cord. make a straight clean cut, leaving no jagged edges. divide the wing in the joint, and then remove the leg and wing from the opposite side, and divide in the same way. make an incision in the skin near the vent, cut through the membrane lying between the breast and the tail down to the backbone on each side, remove the entrails, and break off the backbone just below the ribs. separate the side-bones from the back by cutting close to the backbone from one end to the other on each side. this is a little difficult to do; and in your first experiment it would be better not to divide it until after boiling it, as it separates more easily after the connecting gristle has been softened by cooking. take off the neck close to the back by cutting through the flesh and twisting or wringing it until the bone is disjointed. cut off the wish-bone in a slanting direction from the front of the breast-bone down to the shoulder on each side. cut through the cartilage between the end of the collar-bone and the breast. cut between the end of the shoulder-blade and the back down toward the wing-joint, turn the blade over toward the neck, and cut through the joint. this joint in the wing, collar-bone, and shoulder-blade is the hardest to separate. remove the breast from the back by cutting through the cartilage connecting the ribs; this can be seen from the inside. the breast should be left whole and the bone removed after stewing; but if the chicken is to be fried you may remove the bone first. it is not necessary in boiling a chicken to divide it so minutely, for the wings and legs can be disjointed, and the side-bones and breast separated from the back more easily after cooking; but it is valuable practice, and if one learns to do it neatly it will help in carving a boiled fowl or roast turkey. in arranging a fricasseed chicken on the platter, put the neck and ribs at the left end of the dish and the backbone at the right end. put the breast over the ribs, arrange the wings on each side of the breast, the second joints next to the side-bones, and cross the ends of the drumsticks over the tail. boiled fowl or turkey. fowls or turkeys for boiling should be trussed with the ends of the legs drawn into the body through a slit in the skin, and kept in place with a small skewer. turn the tip of the wing over on the back. cut off the neck, not the skin, close to the body, and after putting in the stuffing, fasten the skin of the neck to the back. put strips of cloth round it, or pin it in a cloth, to keep it white and preserve the shape. in carving, place it on the platter with the head at the left. put the fork in firmly across the breast-bone. with the point of the knife cut through the skin near the tail, and lift the legs out from the inside. then cut through the skin between the legs and body, bend the leg over, and cut across through the joint. cut from the top of the shoulder down toward the body until the wing-joint is exposed, then cut through this, separating the wing from the body. remove the leg and wing from the other side. shave off a thin slice on the end of the breast toward each wing-joint, slip the knife under at the top of the breast-bone, and turn back the wish-bone. capons and large fowls may be sliced thinly across the breast in the same manner as a roast turkey. but if the fowl be small, draw the knife along the edge of the breast-bone on each side, and lay the meat away from the bone; the fillets will separate easily. then divide the meat across the grain. separate the collar-bone from the breast. slip the knife under the shoulder-blade, turn it over, and separate at the joint. cut through the cartilage connecting the ribs; this will separate the breast from the back. now remove the fork from the breast, turn the back over, place the knife midway, and with the fork lift up the tail end, separating the back from the body. place the fork in the middle of the backbone, cut close to the backbone from one end to the other on each side, freeing the side-bones. the wing and breast of a boiled fowl are the favorite portions. it is important that the fowl be cooked just right. if underdone, the joints will not separate readily; and if overdone they will fall apart so quickly that carving is impossible. unless the knife be very sharp, and the work done carefully, the skin of the breast will come off with the leg or wing. broiled chicken. split the chicken down the back and remove the backbone. if the chicken be very young and tender--and only such are suitable for broiling--remove the breast-bone before cooking, or cut the bone through the middle, lengthwise and crosswise from the inside, without cutting into the meat. in serving, divide through the breast from the neck down, and serve half to each person; or if a smaller portion be desired, divide each half crosswise through the breast, leaving the wing on one part and the leg on the other. if the chicken be large, break the joints of the legs, thighs, and wings, without breaking through the skin; cut the tendons on the thighs from the inside, cut the membrane on the inside of the collar-bone and wing-joint, and remove the breast-bone. this may all be done before cooking, and will not injure the appearance of the outside. in serving, separate the legs and wings at the joints, then separate the breast from the lower part, and divide the breast lengthwise and crosswise. carving-scissors are convenient for cutting any kind of broiled game or poultry. roast turkey. turkeys should be carefully trussed. the wings and thighs should be brought close to the body and kept in position by skewers. the ends of the drumsticks may be drawn into the body or crossed over the tail and tied firmly. after cooking, free the ends of the drumsticks from the body and trim them with a paper ruffle. this will enable the carver to touch them if necessary without soiling his hands. place the turkey on the platter with the head at the left. unless the platter be very large, provide an extra dish, also a fork for serving. insert the carving-fork across the middle of the breast-bone. cut through the skin between the breast and the thigh. bend the leg over, and cut off close to the body and through the joint. cut through the top of the shoulder down through the wing-joint. shave off the breast in thin slices, slanting from the front of the breast-bone down toward the wing-joint. if the family be small and the turkey is to be served for a second dinner, carve only from the side nearest you. tip the bird over slightly, and with the point of the knife remove the oyster and the small dark portion found on the side-bone. then remove the fork from the breast and divide the leg and wing. cut through the skin between the body and breast, and with a spoon remove a portion of the stuffing. serve light or dark meat and stuffing, as preferred. if carved in this way, the turkey will be left with one half entire, and if placed on a clean platter with the cut side nearest the carver, and garnished with parsley, will present nearly as fine an appearance, to all but the carver, as when first served. when there are many to be served, take off the leg and wing from each side and slice the whole of the breast before removing the fork; then divide as required. it is not often necessary to cut up the whole body of the turkey; but where every scrap of the meat will be needed, or you wish to exercise your skill, proceed to carve in this manner. put the fork in firmly across the middle of the breast-bone. cut through the skin between the leg and body. bend the leg over and cut off at the joint. if the turkey be very tender or overcooked, the side-bone will separate from the back and come away with the second joint, making it more difficult to separate the thigh from the side-bone. cut through the top of the shoulder and separate the wing at the joint. cut off the leg and wing from the other side. carve the breast on each side, in thin slices, slanting slightly toward the wing. be careful to take a portion of crisp outside with each slice. shave off the crisp skin near the neck, in order to reach the stuffing. insert the point of the knife at the front of the breast-bone, turn back the wish-bone and separate it. cut through the cartilage on each side, separating the collar-bones from the breast. tip the body slightly over and slip the knife under the end of the shoulder-blade; turn it over toward the wing. repeat this process on the opposite side. cut through the cartilage which divides the ribs, separating the breast-bone from the back. lay the breast one side and remove the fork from it. take the stuffing from the back. turn the back over, place the knife midway just below the ribs, and with the fork lift up the tail end, separating the back from the body. place the fork in the middle of the backbone, and cut close to the backbone from one end to the other, on each side, freeing the side-bone. then divide the legs and wings at the joints. the joint in the leg is not quite in the middle of the bend, but a trifle nearer the thigh. it requires some practice to strike these joints in the right spot. cut off the meat from each side of the bone in the second joint and leg, as these when large are more than one person requires, and it is inconvenient to have so large bones on one's plate. it is easier to finish the carving before beginning to serve. an expert carver will have the whole bird disjointed and literally in pieces with a very few strokes of the knife. roast goose. a green goose neatly trussed and "done to a turn" looks very tempting on the platter; but there is so little meat in proportion to the size of the bird that unless it be skilfully carved only a small number can be served. the breast of a goose is broader and flatter than that of a turkey. it should be carved in a different manner, although many writers give the same directions for carving both. place it on the platter with the head at the left. insert the fork firmly across the ridge of the breast-bone. begin at the wing and cut down through the meat to the bone, the whole length of the breast. cut down in the same way in parallel slices, as thin as can be cut, until you come to the ridge of the breast-bone. slip the knife under the meat at the end of the breast, and remove the slices from the bone. cut in the same manner on the other side of the breast. cut through the skin below the breast, insert a spoon and help to the stuffing. if more be required, cut the wing off at the joint. then tip the body over slightly and cut off the leg. this thigh-joint is tougher, and requires more skill in separating, than the second joint of a turkey. it lies nearer the backbone. but practice and familiarity with its location will enable one to strike it accurately. the wish-bone, shoulder-blade, and collar-bone may be removed according to the directions given for carving roast turkey. some prefer to remove the wing and leg before slicing the breast. roast duck. place it in the same position and carve in the same way as a goose. begin at the wing, and cut down to the bone in long thin slices, parallel with the breast-bone; then remove them from the bone. the breast is the favorite portion; but the "wing of a flyer and the leg of a swimmer" are esteemed by epicures. the stuffing is not often desired, but if so it may be found by cutting across below the end of the breast. geese and ducks are seldom entirely cut up at the table, as there is very little meat on the back. but often from a seemingly bare carcass enough may be obtained to make a savory entrée. pigeons. these, if small, are served whole. if large, cut through the middle from the neck to the end of the breast and down through the backbone. the bones are thin, and may easily be divided with a sharp knife. when smaller portions are required, cut from the shoulder down below the leg, separating the wing and leg from the body. partridges. cut through above the joint of the wing, down below the leg, and remove the wing and leg in one portion. cut under the breast from the lower end through the ribs to the neck and remove the breast entire. then divide it through the middle, and, if very plump, divide again. when very small they may be divided through the breast and back into two equal parts. larded grouse. turn the legs over and free them from the body. cut slices down to the bone the entire length of the breast; then slip the knife under and remove the slices. cut off the wing and leg, and separate the backbone from the body. there are some morsels on the back which are considered choice by those who like the peculiar flavor of this game. as this is a dry meat, help generously to the bread sauce which should always accompany it. where this is the principal dish, or where a larger portion is required, divide it through the breast, as directed for small pigeons. _woodcock_, _snipe_, and other _small birds_ are usually served whole. but if only a portion be desired, divide them through the breast. rabbit. a rabbit should be trussed, with the forelegs turned toward the back, and the hind legs forward. place it on the platter with the back up and head at the left. remove the shoulders by cutting round between them and the body, carrying the knife up nearly to the backbone. turn them back and cut through the joint. remove the hind legs in the same manner. then place the fork in the middle of the back and cut several slices from each side of the loin parallel with the backbone. the loin is the choicest part. sweetbreads, chops, and cutlets. these are not divided, one being served to each person. fish. a broad silver knife should be used in serving fish. serve as little of the bone as possible, and be careful not to break the flakes. _halibut or salmon_. a middle cut, or thick piece, of halibut or salmon should be placed on the platter with the skin surface up and the back toward the farther side of the dish. carve in thick slices down to the bone, slip the knife under and remove them. then remove the bone, and serve the lower portion in the same manner. a thin slice of halibut should be laid on the platter with the flesh side up. cut next to the bone on each side, divide the fish as required, and leave the bone on the platter. _mackerel, white-fish_, etc. these and other thin fish for broiling should be split down the back before cooking. in serving, divide through the middle lengthwise, and then divide each half into such portions as may be desired. be careful not to break or crumble them. _smelts, perch_, and other small pan-fish are served whole. they should be arranged on the dish with heads and tails alternating, or in a circle round a silver cup placed in the centre of the platter and holding the sauce. or, place two or three on a silver skewer, and serve a skewerful to each person. small slices and rolled fillets of fish are not divided. baked fish. _cod, haddock, cusk, blue-fish, shad, small salmon, and bass_. these when served whole may be carved in a more satisfactory manner if before cooking they are prepared according to the following directions: stuff them and place them upright in the pan instead of on one side. fish that are broad and short like shad may be kept in place by propping with stale bread or pared potatoes; but others that are narrow in proportion to the length may be skewered or tied into the shape of the letter s. thread a trussing needle with strong twine, run it through the head and fasten it there; then bend the head round and draw the needle through the middle of the body. bend the tail in the opposite direction, run the needle through near the tail, draw the string tightly and fasten it. gash the skin two inches apart on each side. fish thus prepared will retain its shape until served. place it on the platter with the head at the left and the outward curve on the farther side of the dish. make an incision along each side of the backbone the entire length of the fish. then cut through the gashes on the side nearest you and lay each portion away from the bone. then remove the fish on the farther side of the bone. raise the bone to reach the stuffing, and serve a little of the fish, stuffing, and sauce to each person. the skeleton should be left entire on the platter. if the fish has been baked in the usual way and placed on the platter on its side, cut across through to the backbone, but not through it, and serve, apportioning as may be desired. slip the knife under and remove the portion from the bone. when the fish is all removed from the top, remove the backbone, and then divide the lower portion. scalloped dishes, meat pies, entrÉes, etc. meats and fish which have the sauce on the same dish require special care in serving, that they may present a neat rather than a sloppy appearance on the plate. a drop of gravy on the edge of the plate will offend a fastidious taste. _scalloped dishes_, or anything with a crust of crumbs, should be served with a spoon. _meat pies_, with a pastry crust, require a broad knife and spoon. put the portion on the plate neatly, with the crust or browned side up. _poached eggs, quails, and other meats on toast._ a broad knife should be used in helping to these dishes. take up the toast carefully, and lay it on the plate without displacing the egg or bird. salads. the most tasteful way of arranging meat-salads or fish-salads is with whole, fresh, lettuce-leaves. put two or more leaves together on the platter, and in the nest or dish thus made lay a spoonful of the salad, with the mayonnaise on the top. in serving, slip the spoon or broad knife under the leaves and keep them in place with the fork. put the salad on the plate carefully, in the same position, not tipped over. or you may have a border of fresh lettuce-leaves in the salad-dish. with the fork lay one or two leaves on the plate, and then put a spoonful of salad on the leaves. in this way each person has the mayonnaise on the top; the lettuce is underneath and fresh and crisp, instead of wilted, as it would be if all of it were mixed with the salad. vegetables. in serving vegetables, take up a neat, rounding spoonful. lay them on the bottom of the plate, not on the rim or edge. where there are several kinds, do not let them touch each other on the plate. serve, on separate dishes, _fritters_ with a sweet sauce, _peas_, _tomatoes_, or any vegetable with much liquid. _asparagus on toast_ is a dish that one often sees served very awkwardly. use a square or rectangular platter rather than one narrow at the ends. the bread for the toast should be cut long and narrow, rather than square, and should be laid, not lengthwise, but across the platter. lay the asparagus in the same direction, the tips all at the farther side. put the knife, which should be broad and long, under the toast, and keep the asparagus in place with the fork. you will find it much easier to serve than when arranged in the usual way. _macaroni_ as often prepared is another dish which it is not easy to serve neatly. always break or cut it into pieces less than two inches long, before cooking, or before it is sent to the table. in serving _sweet corn_ on the cob, provide finger-bowls, or a small doily to use in holding the ear of corn. soups. one ladleful of soup is sufficient for each plate. it is quite an art to take up a ladleful and pour it into the soup-plate without dropping any on the edge of the tureen or plate, and it requires a steady hand to pass the plate without slopping the soup up on the rim. dip the ladle into the soup, take it up, and when the drop has fallen from the bottom of it, lift it over quickly but empty it slowly. croûtons and crackers lose their crispness if put into the tureen with the soup, and should therefore be passed separately. tea and coffee. much has been written on the importance of serving neatly the various drinks for an invalid. but careful service is equally essential at the daily home table. it is mistaken generosity to fill the cup so full that when sugar and cream are added, the liquid will spill over into the saucer. one should never be compelled to clean the bottom of the cup on the edge of the saucer, or on the napkin, to keep the liquid from dripping on the cloth. in serving tea and coffee, ascertain the tastes of those at the table as to sugar and cream. put the cream and sugar in the cup, and an extra block of sugar in the saucer; pour in the liquid until the cup is three fourths full. where there are no servants to wait on the table, this way makes less confusion than to pass the sugar and cream to each person. always provide a pitcher of boiling hot water and a slop-bowl. in cold weather, pour hot water into the cups to warm them; then turn it into the bowl. in serving a second time, rinse the inside of the cup with hot water before filling. pies. it was formerly considered necessary to divide a pie with mathematical exactness into quarters or sixths. a better way is to cut out one piece of the usual size and offer it, and then if less be desired, cut off such portions as may be needed. in serving a pie, always use a fork with the knife. pies with no undercrust are more easily served with a broad knife or a triangular knife made expressly for pies. for serving berry and juicy fruit pies, a spoon also may be needed. where two or three kinds are served, help to very small portions of each, even if it be at a thanksgiving dinner. it is presuming on the capacity of the common-sized plate, and it is an insult to the human stomach, to offer any one three sixths of a pie after a dinner of the usual courses. puddings. hot puddings of a soft consistency should be served with a spoon; sometimes a fork also is needed. with the edge of the spoon cut through the brown crust in a semicircle, slip the spoon under, and take up a spoonful; slip it off on the plate, leaving it right side up. take special case to serve temptingly anything with a meringue. moulds of pudding, creams, charlotte russe, ice-cream, etc. anything stiff enough to be moulded should be cut in slices from three fourths of an inch to an inch thick; the wider slices in oval-shaped moulds may be divided through the middle. a broad silver knife with a raised edge is very convenient to use in serving bavarian cream, ice-creams, and charlottes. fruit and nuts. a pair of grape scissors should be laid on the fruit-dish to use in dividing large bunches of grapes or raisins; but a nut-cracker is too suggestive of hotel life to be acceptable on the home table. crack the nuts before they are sent to the table. salt should be served with the nuts. pass oranges, apples, pears, peaches, and bananas in the fruit-dish, to allow each person the opportunity of choice. _watermelon_. before serving, cut a slice from each end. make incisions through the middle in the form of the letter v, separate the parts, and place each in an upright position. cut through the divisions, and serve one section to each person. cantaloupes, if small, are sometimes served cut in halves. if large, divide from end to end in nature's lines of depression. the thickness of slices. by "very thin slices of meat" we mean slices less than an eighth of an inch thick. "thin slices" are from one eighth of an inch to three sixteenths of an inch in thickness. slices of "medium thickness" are one quarter of an inch. bread for dinner should be cut in slices one inch and a half thick, and each slice should be divided across into three or four long pieces, according to the width of the slice. for tea, cut slices three eighths of an inch thick, and for toast, one quarter of an inch. thick loaves of cake should be cut in slices from three fourths of an inch to an inch thick, and divided once. cut loaves of medium thickness in pieces as broad as the cake is thick, and divide them once. thin sheets of cake should be cut in rectangular pieces twice as broad as the cake is thick. then divide once, or even twice, if the sheet be very wide. layer cakes baked in round pans are usually divided into triangular pieces; but they are less suggestive of baker's washington pie, which is so offensively common, if the edges be trimmed in such a way as to leave a square. then cut this square into smaller squares or rectangles. utensils for carving and serving. in any first-class cutlery store you will find knives for each special kind of carving. if your purse will permit the indulgence, it will be convenient to have a breakfast-carver, a slicer, a jointer, a game-carver, and a pair of game-scissors. but if you can afford to have only one, you will find a medium-sized meat-carver the knife best adapted to all varieties of carving. the blade should be about nine inches long and one inch and a quarter wide, slightly curved, and tapering to a point. the fork should have two slender curving tines about three eighths of an inch apart and two and a half inches long, and should have a guard. a breakfast or steak carver is of the same general shape, but the handle is smaller, and the blade is six or seven inches long. a slicer for roasts has a wide, straight blade, twelve inches long, and rounded instead of pointed at the end. this is especially convenient for carving thin slices from any large roasts, or other varieties of solid meat. the width of the blade helps to steady the meat, and its great length enables one to cut with a single, long, smooth stroke through the entire surface. with a knife having a short blade a sort of sawing motion would be made, and the slice would be jagged. as there are no joints to separate, a point on the blade is unnecessary. a jointer is another form of carver, useful where the joints are so large or so difficult to separate that considerable strength is required. the handle has a crook or guard on the end to enable the carver to grasp it more securely and use all the strength necessary. a game-carver has a small, narrow, pointed blade; but the shape and length of the handle is the distinguishing feature. the handle should be long enough to reach from the tip of the forefinger to an inch beyond the back side of the hand, so that the edge of the hand about an inch above the wrist rests against the handle of the carver. in dividing a difficult joint, the manipulation should be made, not by turning the hand, but by turning the knife with the fingers. in this way the position of the point of the blade can be more easily changed as the joint may require. the handle of the carving-knife supports the hand of the carver. game-scissors have handles like scissors; the two short blades are quite deeply curved, something like the blade of a pruning-knife, making the cutting-power greater. this enables the person using them to cut through quite large bones in tough joints which would otherwise be quite difficult to separate. another form of jointer has two blades, one shorter than the other, and a round handle divided the entire length, with a spring in the end next the blade. when the handle is closed, the blades are together and the outer edge of the longer blade is used like a knife for cutting the meat. by opening the handle the curving edges of the blades are used like scissors for cutting the bones. there are various styles of steels or knife-sharpeners, but the one now in my possession is the best i have ever seen. it is a four-sided bar of steel, about three eighths of an inch wide and thick, and eight inches long, having the four sides deeply grooved, thus making the edges very prominent. these edges are so sharp that but little pressure of the knife on the steel is required. the handle has a large guard to protect the left hand from the edge of the blade. but few people know how to use a steel properly. it is difficult to describe the process,--so easy to a natural mechanic and so awkward to others,--or to instruct one in the knack of it, by mere description. hold the steel firmly in the left hand. let the edge of the knife near the handle rest on the steel, the back of the knife raised slightly at an angle of about °. draw the knife along lightly but steadily, always at the same angle, the entire length of the blade. then pass the knife under the steel and draw the other surface along the opposite edge of the steel, from the handle to the point, at the same angle. repeat these alternate motions the entire length of the blade, not on the point merely, until you have an edge. some persons prefer to turn the knife over, drawing it first from the left hand and then toward it, sharpening each surface alternately on the same edge of the steel. this is more difficult to do, as you cannot so surely keep the blade at the same angle,--and this is the most important point. if held at any other than the proper angle, either no edge is made, or it is taken off as soon as obtained. it is bewildering, if one has any intention of buying, to examine the assortment of spoons, knives, forks, etc., displayed at the silversmith's. there are ladles for soups, sauces, gravy, and cream; shovels for sugar and salt, and scoops for cheese; tongs for sugar, pickles, olives, and asparagus; spoons for sugar, jelly, fruit, sauces, salads, vegetables, and macaroni; slicers for ice-cream, cake, and jelly; knives for fish, pie, cake, and fruit; forks for fish, oysters, pickles, olives, salad, and asparagus; scissors for grapes and raisins; crackers and picks for nuts; and rests for the carving knife and fork. some of these are really useful; some as little so as many of the hundred and one novelties designed particularly for wedding gifts. but in neat and careful serving it is essential to have a soup-ladle, a gravy or sauce ladle, a pair of tongs or shells for block sugar, a slender-tined silver fork for pickles, a plentiful supply of large and medium-sized spoons, a carving-rest, a crumb-scraper, and at least one broad silver knife and fork, which if occasion requires may do duty at several courses. last but not least. in offering a second portion of anything do not remind one that he has already been helped. "can't i give you another piece of meat or pie?" "won't you have some more tea or pudding?" expressions like these are frequently heard. it is in far better taste to say, "will you have some hot coffee?" "may i give you some of the salad?" "let me help you to this choice portion." we trust none of our readers will regard this suggestion as trivial. for, concerning kindness, we know that perfection is no trifle. it is the essence of that second commandment which we are divinely told is like "the first of all the commandments;" and it cannot be attained without assiduous attention to all the minor words and the common acts of life. "_among all the cook-books this will certainly take its place as one of the very best_."--the christian union * * * * * mrs. lincoln's boston cook-book. what to do and what not to do in cooking. by mrs. mary j. lincoln, first principal of the boston cooking school new revised edition, including additional recipes. _with_ _illustrations_. _mo_. _cloth_. _pages_. _price_ $ . . * * * * * a selection from some of the many notices by the press. "mrs. lincoln, nothing daunted by the legion of cook-books already in existence, thinks there is room for one more. her handsome and serviceable-looking volume seems to contain everything essential to a complete understanding of the culinary art. the introduction of thirty-five pages discusses such subjects as cooking in general, fire, fuel, management of a stove, the various processes of boiling, stewing, baking, frying, roasting, and broiling, with full explanation of the chemical theory underlying each and distinguishing them; also hints on measuring and mixing, with tables of weights, measures, and proportions; of time in cooking various articles, and of average cost of material. one who can learn nothing from this very instructive introduction must be well-informed indeed. following this comes an elaborate and exhaustive chapter on bread-making in all its steps and phases. to this important topic some seventy pages are devoted. and so on through the whole range of viands. exactness, plainness, thoroughness, seem to characterize all the author's teachings. no point is neglected, and directions are given for both necessary and luxurious dishes. there are chapters on cooking for invalids, the dining-room, care of kitchen utensils, etc. there is also a valuable outline of study for teachers taking up the chemical properties of food, and the physiological functions of digestion, absorption, nutrition, etc. add the miscellaneous questions for examination, the topics and illustrations for lectures on cookery, list of utensils needed in a cooking-school, an explanation of foreign terms used in cookery, a classified and an alphabetical index,--and you have what must be considered as complete a work of its kind as has yet appeared."--_mirror, springfield, ill_. "in answer to the question, 'what does cookery mean?' mr. ruskin says: 'it means the knowledge of circe and medea, and of calypso and of helen, and of rebekah and of all the queens of sheba. it means knowledge of all fruits and balms and spices, and of all that is healing and sweet in fields and groves, and savory to meals; it means carefulness and inventiveness, and readiness of appliances; it means the economy of your great-grandmothers and the science of modern chemistry; it means much tasting and no wasting; it means english thoroughness, and french art, and american hospitality.' it is not extravagant to say that as far as these mythological, biblical, and practical requirements can be met by one weak woman, they are met by mrs. lincoln. and to the varied and extensive range of knowledge she adds an acquaintance with milton and with confucius, as shown by the apt quotations on her titlepage. the book is intended to satisfy the needs and wants of the experienced housekeeper, the tyro, and of the teacher in a cooking-school. in its receipts, in its tables of time and proportion, in its clear and minute directions about every detail of kitchen and dining-room, it has left unanswered few questions which may suggest themselves to the most or the least intelligent."--_the nation_. "mrs. lincoln's 'boston cook-book' is no mere amateur compilation, much less an _omnium gatherum_ of receipts. its title does scant justice to it, for it is not so much a cook-book as a dietetic and culinary cyclopædia. mrs. lincoln is a lady of culture and practical tastes, who has made the fine art of _cuisine_ the subject of professional study and teaching. in this book she has shown her literary skill and intelligence, as well as her expertness as a practical cook and teacher of cookery. it is full of interest and instruction for any one, though one should never handle a skillet or know the feeling of dough. nothing in the way of explanation is left unsaid. and for a young housekeeper, it is a complete outfit for the culinary department of her duties and domain. there are many excellent side-hints as to the nature, history, and hygiene of food, which are not often found in such books; and the indexes are of the completest and most useful kind. we find ourselves quite enthusiastic over the work, and feel like saying to the accomplished authoress, 'many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.'"--_rev. dr. zabriskie, in christian intelligencer_. "among all the cook-books, mrs. d.a. lincoln's 'boston cook-book' will certainly take its place as one of the very best. it is published and arranged in a very convenient and attractive form, and the style in which it is written has a certain literary quality which will tempt those who are not interested in recipes and cooking to peruse its pages. the recipes are practical, and give just those facts which are generally omitted from books of this sort, to the discouragement of the housekeeper, and frequently to the lamentable disaster and failure of her plans. mrs. lincoln has laid a large number of people under obligation, and puts into her book a large amount of general experience in the difficult and delicate art of cooking. the book is admirably arranged, and is supplied with the most perfect indexes we have ever seen in any work of the kind"--_the christian union_. "mrs. lincoln has written a cook-book; really written one, not made merely a compilation of receipts,--that sort of mechanical work any one can do who has patience enough to search for the rules, and system enough to arrange them. mrs. lincoln's book is written out of the experience of life, both as a housekeeper and a teacher. her long experience as principal of the boston cooking-school has enabled her to find out just what it is that people most want and need to know. i have no hesitation in recommending mrs. lincoln's as the best cook-book, in all respects, of any i have seen. it is exactly fitted for use as a family authority, in that it is the work, not of a theorizer, but of a woman who knows what she is talking about. it is the very common-sense of the science of cookery."--_extracts from sallie joy white's letters in philadelphia and portland papers_. "mrs. lincoln's 'boston cook-book' is a characteristically american, not to say yankee, production. boston productions are nothing if not profound, and even this cookery manual must begin with a definition, a pinch of philology, and the culinary chemistry of heat, cold, water, air, and drying.... but a touch of the blue-stocking has never been harmful to cookery. this book is as deft as it is fundamental. it is so perfectly and generously up to everything culinary, that it cannot help spilling over a little into sciences and philosophy. it is the trimmest, best arranged, best illustrated, most intelligible, manual of cookery as a high art, and as an economic art, that has appeared."--_independent_. "it is a pleasure to be able to give a man or a book unqualified praise. we have no fear in saying that mrs. lincoln's work is the best and most practical cook-book of its kind that has ever appeared. it does not emanate from the _chef_ of some queen's or nobleman's _cuisine_, but it tells in the most simple and practical and exact way those little things which women ought to know, but have generally to learn by sad experience. it is a book which ought to be in every household."--_philadelphia press_. "the 'boston cook-book' has a special recommendation. the author, mrs. lincoln, was early trained to a love for all household work. that precious experience is a thing for which a cooking-school is no manner of substitute, while it is just the thing for professional training to build upon, widen, and correct. mrs. lincoln's book is practical, and though there is much of theory, it gives proof of being based less upon theory and much upon experiment. the book is handsomely gotten up, and will ere long attest its usefulness in better food better prepared, and therefore better digested, in many homes."--_leader_. "it is the embodiment of the actual experience and observation of a woman who has learned and employed superior domestic methods. it is the outcome of mrs. lincoln's conscientious and successful labors for the development of practical cooking. it is to be recommended for its usefulness in point of receipts of moderate cost and quantity, in its variety, its comprehensiveness, and for the excellence of its typographical form."--_boston transcript_. "the instruction given by mrs. lincoln at the boston cooking-school is so widely and favorably known for its thoroughness and attention to scientific and economical principles, that a cook-book embodying these ideas and principles will be considered a great gain to the housekeeping department. in care and excellence, her book illustrates the modern advance in home cooking."--_boston journal_. "the book needs no other _raison d'être_ than its own excellence. every housekeeper in the land would be fortunate to have upon her shelf a copy of mrs. lincoln's work."--_boston courier_. "mrs. lincoln's book contains in one volume what most other cook-books contain in three; and its directions are always terse and to the point. it is a thoroughly practical book, and teaches us all how to live well and wisely every day in the year."--_the beacon_. "the most valuable feature of mrs. lincoln's cook-book is, without doubt, the application of scientific knowledge to the culinary art. mrs. lincoln has the gift of teaching, and its use in this connection is worthy of the warmest commendation. she has made the necessary explanations in a very lucid and succinct manner. to the thousands of intelligent housekeepers who recognize the importance of the art of the kitchen, this book will be a boon."--_eclectic_. "the book, although at first sight it seems no larger than other cook-books, has over five hundred pages, and takes up the minutest details of housekeeping. having examined all the standard cook-books now in the market, this seems superior to all. there is so much in this that is not found in other cook-books, that it is equal to a small library in itself."--_extracts from anna barrow's letters in oxford and portland papers_. "we have at last from boston something better than the emersonian philosophy or the learning of harvard,--something that will contribute more to human health, and consequently to human happiness; and that is, a good, practical cook-book, with illustrations.... we commend mrs. lincoln's volume heartily, and wish it might make a part of every bridal outfit."--_the churchman_. "for plain, practical, and at the same time scientific treatment of a difficult subject, commend us to mrs. lincoln's 'boston cook-book.' no better book has appeared to keep pace with the wholesome advance of culinary art, as practiced in the common-sense cooking-school."--_toledo_. "it combines whatever is best in those which have gone before, with improvements and refinements peculiar to itself. it is so complete and admirable in its various departments, that it seems to fill every requirement. how soon it will be rivalled or superseded it is unsafe to predict; but for the present we may commend it as in every respect unsurpassed."--_the dial_. "the volume is a compound of information on every household matter; well arranged, clearly written, and attractively made up. of the many valuable cook-books, not one better deserves a place, or is more likely to secure and hold it."--_helen campbell_. "the possession of your cook-book has made me quite beside myself. i prize it highly, not only for personal reasons, but because of its real worth. i feel so safe with it as a guide, and if i abide by its rules and laws no harm can befall me."--_adeline miller, a former pupil, atlanta, georgia_. "one need only glance over the pages of mrs lincoln's cook-book to realize the fact of her aptness in scholarship."--_alta, san francisco_. "mrs. lincoln brings not only the fruits of a long experience to the preparation of her work, but a great amount of scientific research, so that the book is really a mine of information in its way."--_the post, washington_. "it is one of the most interesting treatises on cooking and housework that we have ever read. it contains much useful information to the general reader, and is one we would recommend to every housekeeper."--_saratoga sentinel_. * * * * * mrs. lincoln's boston cook-book _is kept on sale by all booksellers everywhere. if you cannot readily obtain it, enclose the amount, $ . , directly to_ mrs. d.a. lincoln, boston, mass., _or to the publishers, who will mail it, postpaid_. little, brown, and company, boston. transcriber's note: this book was written long ago when safety standards were much more fluid. please do not try these at home, or anywhere else. text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). text enclosed by equal signs is in bold face (=bold=). the reader is likely to be confused by the chapter numbering. in the original book, the table of contents listed the foreword and introduction as chapter i, but in the text itself the foreward and introduction has no chapter number, and chapter numbering begins with what is paper bag cookery? (chapter ii in the table of contents but chapter i in the text). the confusion gets worse, because two chapters (pastry and short cakes) are numbered chapter xxi in the text! after that the numbers of the remaining chapters differ from the table of contents by two. standard paper-bag cookery by emma paddock telford adapted to the needs of american housewives now good digestion wait on appetite, and health on both, macbeth iii, . standard paper-bag cookery by emma paddock telford household editor of _the delineator_, _new ideas_, and _the designer_ new york cupples & leon company copyright, , by cupples & leon company contents chapter page i. foreword and introduction ii. what is paper bag cookery iii. general directions iv. time table v. appetizers and relishes vi. soup accessories vii. shell fish viii. fish ix. fish sauce x. poultry and game xi. beef xii. lamb and mutton xiii. pork in varied forms xiv. veal xv. sauces and gravies xvi. recooked dishes xvii. cheese and egg dishes xviii. vegetables xix. warm breads, biscuits, muffins, etc. xx. cakes xxi. fruits xxii. pastry xxiii. short cakes xxiv. paper bag menus xxv. a few of the easiest dishes for beginners index foreword in giving this little book to the public, there has been in mind one thing--practicability. the endeavor has been to make the directions for "paper-bag cookery" so clear and concise that even the inexperienced housekeeper may not be deterred from trying this new-old way of cooking foods delicately, digestibly, economically. no one is advised to try dishes--as for instance soups, omelettes, macaroni and kin,--and many desserts that may better be done by other methods. neither has the author called for strange and divers seasonings and materials that are only to be found in the kitchens of the mighty and their attendant chefs. for the very large family or boarding house, pots and pans need still be called upon; but for the small family, for the woman who does her own work and wishes to minimize labor, or for the epicurean but frugal housewife who looks personally after the details of her own little establishment, this paper-bag cookery is commended. if this little volume points the easiest way for the preparation of nice dishes with a modicum of labor and a saving of time and money, it is all that its author and compiler asks. chapter i. what is paper bag cookery? the principles contained in paper-bag cookery are not new. woodsmen and hunters have known for ages that if they wanted fish or game done to a turn, a jacket of clay outside the meat which was protected from soil by leaves or corn husks, gave, on removing the clay case, the very quintessence of delicate, savory cookery. now within the last two years, a series of experiments has resulted in the perfecting of a system of paper-bag cookery that revolutionizes the old time kitchen drudgery with its unending round of greasy pots and pans to be taken into account. the advantages of this method of cooking are manifold. they may be epitomized thus: i. it makes food more savory and nutritious. ii. it is sanitary. no dust can reach the article being cooked and, the cooking accomplished, the bag can be thrown into the stove or kitchen scrap basket with no temptation for a lazy maid to tuck away a greasy pan in the dish closet for the delectation of "germs" or roaches. iii. it is economical. not only does it save the time and strength of the housewife with no aftermath of dirty cooking dishes to be washed, but it prevents the shrinkage of meats as caused by ordinary cookery. nothing is lost, because there is no evaporation; careful experiments prove that the weight of the cooked food tallies almost exactly with the weight of the raw. there is also a great saving of fuel, some claiming as high as per cent., owing to the less time required in paper-bag cookery. while this may be a generous estimate it is certain that paper-bag cookery takes on the average, one-third less time than other cooking. iv. with ordinary care there is no danger of food burning, and no deterioration in flavor if left in the bag some little time before serving. v. it is odorless; a great thing, this, for the flat-dweller who has to cook in restricted quarters, taking care always that cooking odors do not permeate the house. vi. its price is not prohibitive. indeed, it is most reasonable. paper-bag cookery calls for no big outlay of money, no patent stove oven, no complex apparatus or appliances. all that is necessary is an oven of any sort--coal, gas, electric, wood or oil--a broiler, a paper bag specially and sanitarily prepared,--grease proof and waterproof,--a wood cookery dish if the food contains liquid or a number of separate ingredients, and something to cook therein. another convenience are the wire clips for fastening the mouth and corners of the bag, which can be purchased wherever the bags are sold. the kind of paper bag to use. while a sheet of heavy foolscap paper made into a bag serves for the cooking of a single chop--it is self-evident that for larger proportions, larger bags and bags from strong, absolutely sanitary paper must be used. while there are bags and bags now upon the market, not all fulfill these essential conditions. after much experimenting, the continental paper bag co., of rumford, maine, and new york city, has succeeded in producing the ideal bag which may now be found in varying sizes, at all the large house-furnishing stores, grocers, butchers, etc., or the bags may be ordered direct from headquarters. these bags are put up in bulk in bundle lots, or in sealed packages of assorted sizes. each of the sealed packages contains thirty bags of assorted sizes with the necessary clips and a small book of recipes with full directions. retail price cents a package--fifty packages to a shipping bundle. in order to make paper bag cookery of the greatest value to housewives, both as regards cleanliness and ease of operation, to say nothing of the many cases where the flavor of the food is actually improved, the author heartily recommends the use of specially prepared wood cookery dishes. these dishes are most inexpensive, varying in price from about thirty for ten cents to six for ten cents, depending upon size. they can be purchased wherever the paper bags are sold,--department stores, house furnishing stores, grocery stores, etc., etc., or may be obtained direct from the oval wood dish company, delta, ohio. the food is placed in the wood cookery dish and the dish is put into the bag. the advantage lies in the fact that should the bag break, the food and juices are saved in the dish and the oven will not be soiled by leakage. then again, the food can be removed from the bag when finished with greater ease than when the dish is not used. the dishes are so cheap that they can be thrown away with the bag after the food is prepared. chapter ii. general directions for using the bag. i. select a bag that fits the food to be cooked. when a liquid is used or a number of ingredients are to be cooked together, use a wood cookery dish which holds the food stuffs together and permits their ready removal from the bag. ii. brush over the outside of the bag with a little water to make it pliable. grease the inside except in the case of vegetables or when water is added, using for this another little flat brush (kept for this purpose) and pure vegetable oil, melted butter or drippings. apply the brush with a rotary motion greasing the bottom first and working toward the top; or lay the bag flat on a table, reach inside and grease the lower side of the bag, then press the other side against it until both surfaces are evenly greased. the up-to-date housewife who is adopting the paper-bag culinary cult has also discovered that for greasing the bags, a necessary step, there is nothing that can take the place of the high grade vegetable oils. they are easily applied and absolutely tasteless and odorless, a great point, this, when the bags themselves have sometimes been condemned as imparting a foreign odor to foods cooked in them, when in reality it was the fault of the special fat with which they were greased. now place the bag flat on the table, seam side up and lift the uppermost side while you insert the article to be cooked. press the air out of the bag, fold over the corners and make two folds of the mouth of the bag, fastening firmly with three or four clips, or even pins. no harm is done if the two lower corners of the bag are folded and also fastened with one clip each. iii. now be sure the oven heat is right. if you are using gas for the cooking, light for five minutes before the bag goes into the oven. the average oven heat should be not less than degrees fahrenheit, and may be degrees. when the bag is put into the oven, the heat must be at once reduced to degrees. an inexperienced cook lacking an oven thermometer can test the right degree of heat by placing a bit of paper in the oven and noting the color it assumes. at the end of five minutes it should be a light golden brown. if the heat is too intense the bag will burst. now carefully lay the bag on the grid shelves or wire broilers--never on solid shelves, being careful to _place the seam side of the bag up_. this is imperative, as otherwise the juices of the food being cooked may cause the seam to open, and distribute its contents over the oven. once placed in position, roasts and entrees on the lower shelf, about an inch from the oven floor, fish on the middle shelf, and pastry on the top where heat is most intense,--do not move or open the bags until the schedule time of their cooking is accomplished. in placing the article to be cooked, take care that the bag does not touch the sides of the oven and that it is not too close to the flames. when the time limit of cooking has expired, take up the bag from the shelf by drawing _with_ the wires, not across them, which is apt to tear the bag made tender by charring. slip on to the lid of a pot or flat tin held just beneath the grid and thence to the heated platter. to secure the gravy, stick a pinhole in the bottom of the bag and allow it to drain on to the platter, or serving dish. rip open the bag from the top and throw the charred fragments away at once. if to be served hot, arrange at once on a heated platter or other dish, with its appropriate garnish. pointers for paper bag cookery. i. in the case of a coal-heated oven with solid shelves a wire broiler or "grid" should be substituted as the heat must be allowed to circulate on all sides of the bag. ii. the size of the oven makes no difference but it _must be kept clean_. iii. in the case of a fowl or joint see that there are no rough edges or bones protruding that will be likely to pierce the bag. iv. do not season the article to be cooked too highly as none of the seasonings are dissipated during the cooking as is usually the case in ordinary boiling or roasting. v. for cooking fruit, grease the outside of the bag. vi. in removing the bag from the oven, draw with the wires, not across them. vii. to brown things at the last of the cooking, if necessary, puncture a few holes in the top of the bag. viii. if a bag breaks in the cooking, as it sometimes will if the heat is too intense, do not try to remove the article being cooked from the bag, but slip the whole into a new well-greased bag. the use of two bags is better than one when things require long cooking or for meats with much fat or juicy dishes. while it may cost a bit more, it will save much anxiety lest the bag burst. ix. to avoid having any chance drippings soil the oven floor, slip a thin tin baking sheet or shallow dripper under the broiler, letting it rest flat on the bottom of the oven. put in a little hot water and this steam will keep the bag moist and do much to discourage its breaking. indeed, in baking any kind of fruit cake, which requires slow cooking, quite a little water in the drip-pan underneath is advisable. x. in baking pastry and cake, a few tiny holes should be made in the upper side of the bag before putting in the oven. this will brown the surface of the cake delicately. xi. do not let the bag touch the sides of the oven or the gas flames. xii. wire trivets such as are sold at house-furnishing stores for use in cooling bread and cakes will be found a great convenience. if a bag is laid on a trivet, it can then be easily set in the oven and as easily lifted out when done. xiii. never try to take things from the oven with the gas lighted. matches are cheaper than gas, if the oven has to be relighted, and burned fingers or wrists are more costly than many matches. xiv. use care in opening the oven. a draught from an open door or window might cause the gas flame to ignite the bag. xv. until taught by experience, follow the time table as given in the cookery book. chapter iii. time table. as a general rule less time is required for paper-bag cookery than any other way. while this approximate time table is at your service, experience will enable you to modify the figures to suit your own stove and your family's predilections as to having things rare or well done. fish. lb. minutes lbs. minutes lbs. minutes roasts. beef, lbs. minutes add minutes for each additional pound. veal, lbs. hour and a half. add minutes for each additional pound. pork, lbs. minutes add minutes for each additional pound. mutton, leg pounds an hour and a half mutton, shoulder pounds minutes mutton, chops minutes mutton, cutlets minutes lamb, leg lbs. ¾ hours. lamb, shoulder minutes lamb, chops minutes sausages minutes sliced bacon minutes poultry. turkey (stuffed) lbs. ½ hours turkey (not stuffed) lbs. hours goose (ordinary size) hours goose (green) ½ hours duck (old) hour duck (young) minutes guinea, lbs. hour and minutes chicken (large) hour and a half chicken (young) minutes quail and other small birds minutes stews (meat) medium sized ½ or two hours potatoes (baked) minutes sweet (ten minutes less than by the other methods of cookery). table of measurements. teaspoonfuls of liquid tablespoonful tablespoonfuls of liquid ½ gill or ¼ cupful tablespoonful of liquid ½ ounce pint of liquid pound gills of liquid cupful or ½ pint kitchen cupful ½ pint quart sifted pastry flour pound cupfuls sifted pastry flour quart or pound rounded tablespoonfuls of flour ounce rounded tablespoonful granulated sugar ounce rounded tablespoonfuls of ground spice ounce heaping tablespoonful powdered sugar ounce cupfuls cornmeal pound cupful butter ½ pound pint butter pound tablespoonful butter ounce butter size of an egg ounces eggs pound solid pint chopped meat pound cupfuls granulated sugar pound pint brown sugar ounces ½ cups powdered sugar pound cupful stemmed raisins ounces cupful rice ½ pound cupful stemmed raisins ounces cupful cleaned and dried currants ounces cupful grated bread crumbs ounces rounded tablespoonfuls of flour cupful rounded tablespoonfuls of sugar cupful rounded tablespoonfuls of butter cupful common tumbler cupful tablespoonfuls grated chocolate ounce gills pint pints quart quarts gallon chapter iv. appetizers and relishes. appetizers play a very important part now-a-days in all up-to-date establishments and even in modest homes where they are not only employed as introductory to the course dinner, but as a pleasing accessory to the afternoon tea service. they are supposed to whet the appetite for the heavier dishes that follow. in europe one always finds them. they are considered very "smart" and as they are but little trouble to prepare in paper bag cookery, when one has learned the trick, there is no reason why the hostess who aims to keep abreast of the times should not make frequent use of them. at very formal affairs, they are placed on the service plates after the guests are seated, but usually they are at each place when the meal is announced. canapés (which means "toast cushions" or bouchees, small patties or "bites") with their accompanying spread of appetizing fish, cheese or potted meats, are newer than the cocktails of oyster, clam or grape-fruit that used to lead the feast. =bouchee cases.=--these are usually made from pastry by covering tiny but deep patty pans with rich pastry, cutting narrow strips to make the rim for the cup. put on a tin in a buttered bag and bake. when cool they will slip from the pan. they may be made the day before using if preferred. another way of preparing them is to cut good sized circles of bread; then with a smaller cutter, scrape out a hollow, spread with butter, put in the bag and bake ten minutes until browned. when ready to serve, fill with any mixture desired and serve hot or cold as appetizers or with the salad course. =bonne bouchee.=--make the pastry cases and when ready to serve fill with pate-de-foie gras, made soft with whipped cream, seasoned with salt, cayenne or paprika. decorate each one with an olive or bit of aspic jelly. =bouchees of caviare, olives and mayonnaise.=--spread circles or dominoes of bread with a thin layer of caviare. in the center place a pitted olive, green or black, with its pit removed and the cavity filled with minced red peppers. hold the olive in place with a few drops of mayonnaise, red or the usual yellow, and put tiny dots of the same about the border. =bouchees of sardines.=--pound one or two boned sardines in a mortar, together with a small quantity of cheese. season with salt, pepper and chili vinegar, and add, if you like, a few chopped oysters. spread this mixture on circles of "bagged" bread about the size of a silver dollar, and add a garnish of hard-boiled yoke of egg, rubbed through a sieve and a little finely minced parsley. =bouchees of sausage or tongue.=--cover circles of "bagged" bread with red stars cut from boiled tongue or the red imported sausages. lay on the top of each star, log cabin fashion, several tiny lengths of pickled gherkins and crown with a sprig of watercress. =the making of canapés.=--bread two days old is best for the foundation. trim free from crusts, then cut in uniform oblongs, diamonds, triangles, circles or fingers as desired, using for this the cutters that come on purpose. butter lightly, spread with the prepared mixture and slip into the well-greased paper-bag for five minutes just long enough to brown the toast delicately and heat the savory. =anchovy canapés.=--cut white bread in oblong strips, spread lightly with butter, and anchovy paste, and tuck into the buttered bag. bake five minutes, then serve hot, adding, if liked, to each canapé two strips of boneless anchovy laid across it diagonally and a squeeze of lemon juice. =caviare canapés.=--cut bread in circles and spread with a mixture of three tablespoonfuls caviare paste, one teaspoonful lemon juice, one half teaspoonful paprika, two tablespoonfuls of butter, and a half cupful minced cress. pop in the buttered bag and cook five minutes. =hot cheese canapés.=--take circles or strips of vienna bread, spread lightly with butter, grate a little cheese over them, sprinkle on top a little cayenne pepper and salt and put in bag. cook five minutes. =cheese and cracker canapés.=--split boston crackers and soak ten minutes in cold water. lift out carefully and place on a well-buttered baking tin. drop on each a generous bit of butter, a sprinkling of grated parmesan or american cheese and a dusting of paprika. put in the bag, seal and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. =cheese toast sandwiches.=--cut slices of white bread rather thicker than for sandwiches. chop fine one cupful of american cheese and two green peppers with the seeds removed. season with salt and pepper and work to a paste. spread one slice of bread with butter and its mate with creamed filling. press firmly together, take off the crusts, and put into the buttered bag. bake five minutes and serve very hot. =cracker crisps.=--dip oyster crackers or dinner biscuits in melted butter, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and put in a paper bag. bake ten minutes. =deviled crackers.=--mix three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, one-fourth teaspoon of dry mustard, one teaspoon of anchovy paste, a dash of cayenne and a pinch of butter. spread over the crackers and put in bag in a hot oven to brown. =diables à cheval.=--have ready large french prunes that have been soaked twenty-four hours in water, then cooked and the pits removed. insert almonds in the cavity left by the pit. toss in olive oil or refined cotton seed oil or roll in thin slices of bacon, fastened with a tooth pick, put in the bag, seal and cook eight minutes. serve piping hot. nut appetizers. =salted almonds.=--shell as many nice large nuts as desired. the jordan nuts are best, but the paper-shelled ones will answer. put into a bowl and cover with boiling water. spread a towel over the bowl to retain the steam and let them stand five minutes. pour off the water and replace with cold, then rub off the brown skins between thumb and forefinger. shake in a colander until dry, then put in a shallow dish adding for each cupful of nuts, one tablespoonful melted butter, olive or refined cotton seed oil (preferably either of the oils, which will give the richer glaze). stir well together. let stand an hour, then put into the well-greased paper bag, first sprinkling with dry salt, allowing one tablespoonful to each cupful of nuts. fasten and roast ten minutes, shaking the bag occasionally. you can do this by the aid of two trivets. =deviled almonds.=--to devil them, add a suspicion of cayenne pepper with the salt. =roasted chestnuts.=--make a cross on the shell of the nut using a sharp penknife. put in the oiled bag, dredge lightly with salt, and let cook twenty minutes giving an occasional shake. =salted chestnuts.=--throw into boiling water as many shelled nuts as desired. blanch and dry, patting with a soft towel. then add olive oil or melted butter to the nuts, allowing a teaspoonful to each cup of nuts and let them remain in oil half an hour. dredge with salt, a heaping teaspoonful to each cup, then put in oiled bag and let them brown in the oven from to minutes, shaking the bag frequently to keep them from scorching and make them an even brown. these should be crisp and delicate. to devil them, add a suspicion of cayenne with the salt. serve at dinner after the cheese. =deviled chestnuts.=--shell and blanch a quart of chestnuts. dry thoroughly, then brown in paper bag in hot olive oil or butter. have ready a mixture composed of two tablespoonfuls of chopped mixed pickle, one tablespoonful worcestershire sauce, one quarter teaspoonful salt and a dash of cayenne. turn this over the hot nuts, and serve at once. chapter v. soup accessories. =bread sticks.=--in preparing these, any bread dough may be used, though that with shortening is preferred. after it is kneaded enough to be elastic, cut into pieces half the size of an egg, then roll on the molding board into a stick the size of a pencil and about a foot long. lay these strips in the well-greased paper bag, let them rise a little before putting in the oven, then fasten the bag and bake with a moderate heat, so they will dry without much browning. =croutons toasted.=--slice bread that is stale but not too dry, into pieces about half an inch thick, cut these slices in uniform cubes and put in a well-greased bag. shake occasionally and let toast for ten minutes. =crisped crackers.=--split butter crackers and spread with butter. put into the paper bag buttered side up and bake ten minutes. these are delicious with vegetable soups and in fish chowder and oyster stew. =egg balls.=--drop the yolk of four eggs into a cup and set in a pan of water over the fire. when the yolks are cooked hard and mealy, pound to a paste and season with an even teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of cayenne or a more liberal sprinkling of paprika. mould into balls the size of grapes, by mixing the yolk of a raw egg with the cooked paste, rolling lightly in the white of an egg, then in flour. tuck into a small buttered bag, fasten, and set in oven for five minutes to become firm. =forcemeat balls or quenelles.=--chop very fine any cold meat you have on hand, and season with salt, pepper, chopped parsley and a little onion juice. for one cupful of the prepared meat, beat one egg until light, stir in with hashed meat and add just enough flour to make cohesive. roll in the hands to the size of hickory nuts, put in paper bag and cook ten minutes. chapter vi. shell fish. fish and the paper bag method of cooking, go hand and glove. the thing that every housewife hates most, particularly in a small apartment, or in the winter when it is difficult to get the house thoroughly aired, is the pervasive odor that announces to every one in the house or block just what you are going to have for dinner. bagged, the odor is so minimized as to be entirely inoffensive. ten minutes airing after the bag is opened will be quite sufficient to dissipate every particle of odor. furthermore, the fish itself is much more delicate and digestible with all the flavor of fish and seasoning held in and united in a harmonious whole. of course, this presupposes a fresh fish to start with, or one just out of cold storage, before it has had a chance to thaw and develope ptomaines. in buying fish, look at the eyes and flesh. fish should be firm to the touch. if pressed by the finger the flesh should rise instantly. there should be no impression left. if fish is fresh the eyes are bright and the gills red and the scales not easily rubbed off. never lay fish directly on artificial ice, say the fishermen, as the ammonia used in the freezing affects them injuriously. shell fish are not so apt to spoil as the other fish. the wood cookery dishes will be found of great value in cooking all kinds of fish in paper bags. in many cases the flavor of the fish is improved and the fish can always be taken from the bag with ease and served whole if desired. =clam pies.=--line little tins or moulds with paste and put in a layer of raw clams with a seasoning of butter and pepper. dredge with flour, add a spoonful or two of clam juice, cover with the paste, cut a hole in the top, brush with beaten egg, slip into the bag, fasten and bake twenty minutes. =roast clams.=--scrub the shells clean and slip in the bag. as soon as the shells open, remove carefully and pour off the extra liquor in as many small cups as you have persons to serve. put a cup of the juice to which a bit of butter and dusting of pepper has been added, in the center of a soup dish, and arrange the clams around it. with an oyster fork, the clams may then be removed from the shell, dipped into the liquor and eaten. serve very hot with quarters of lemon. =crabs, soft and hard.=--while soft shell crabs are too expensive for the purse of moderate depth, the hard shell crustacean is always in order and greatly to be desired. crabs, like all other shell fish, are best when fresh from their native waters, and the individual who can do his own crabbing and then eat the fruits of his labor with the flavor of the sea still with them, has nothing more to be desired from a gastronomic standpoint. in most markets crabs may be found both alive and boiled. if alive, keep them in cold water until ready to cook. if already boiled, use them as soon as possible as they do not keep well for more than twenty-four hours. when ready to cook live crabs, take up on a skimmer, handling gingerly so as to avoid a pinch, and drop into a large kettle of boiling salted water. cook gently fifteen minutes, or until a bright red, skim out, and cool, twist off the claws, remove the upper shell from the under, scrape the spongy portions from the sides, remove the green portion and wash free from sand. crack the large claws and remove the meat. if you are to serve the crab meat in the shells, wash and dry as many of the upper ones as desired. these preliminaries attended to, the crabs are ready to use, in any one of a dozen different ways. =creamed crabs.=--remove the meat from a half dozen hard-shelled crabs. cook two tablespoonfuls of butter and a tablespoonful of finely chopped onion until yellow, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and pour in gradually a cup of cream. as soon as blended and smooth, add the crab meat, salt and paprika to season, a tiny grating of nutmeg and a tablespoonful of sherry wine. spread on slices of toast, grate a little cheese on top, put into a bag, seal, set in the oven a moment to heat through, then serve. =crabs deviled à la william penn.=--boil hard-shelled crabs, then remove the under part without breaking the upper shell. take out the crab meat, add about half the quantity of bread crumbs and some chopped hard boiled eggs, with salt, cayenne and lemon juice to season. form into a paste with a little melted butter and fill the shells. sift buttered crumbs over the top, slip in the bag and cook ten minutes in a hot oven. =crab meat au gratin.=--mix the meat from six crabs with a third the amount finely chopped, sweet, green peppers. add the yolks of two eggs beaten with a half cup cream and a little sherry, and toss in a saucepan until hot and creamy. put the mixture into the cleaned crab shells or the little brown ramequins, sprinkle with parmesan cheese and fine crumbs; put in bag and crisp in a hot oven. =crab flakes au gratin.=--add to one pint crab flakes, one-half cupful cream sauce, two tablespoonfuls melted butter and a quarter teaspoonful paprika. mix well together, place in a small wood cookery dish or ramequins, sprinkle the top with toast crumbs and a light sprinkling of roman cheese. put into bags, bake and serve. if any be left over, it makes a delicious salad served on lettuce with mayonnaise. =lobster chops.=--put into a saucepan a heaping tablespoonful of butter and two very heaping ones of flour. as soon as melted and frothed, add one cupful of hot milk or cream, and stir until the mixture is smooth and thick. season with salt and paprika, take from the fire, add two cups of the lobster, cut fine, mix well and turn on to a platter to get as cold as possible. when cold and firm, form into balls, then flatten into chops, roll in egg, then in cracker crumbs and set away on the ice until ready to cook. put in buttered paper bag and cook ten minutes. when ready to serve, tuck one of the little claws in the small end to simulate a chop bone and garnish with lemon and parsley. for sunday night supper these chops may be cooked early in the day, then simply re-bagged and heated in the oven for the meal. =coquilles of lobster.=--cook two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped onion in a tablespoonful butter for fifteen minutes. have ready a cream sauce made by melting together over the fire a tablespoonful each of butter and flour, then thinning with a cupful of white stock that has been cooked with a small bouquet of sweet herbs. salt and pepper to taste, and if you like add half a cupful chopped mushrooms and their liquor. add to the lightly browned onions two cupfuls finely cut lobster meat, a tablespoonful minced parsley, one cupful of the made sauce and salt and paprika. cook together ten minutes, then put the mixture into the shells, pour a little of the sauce over each, sprinkle with buttered bread crumbs, bag, and bake about ten minutes or until they are browned. =lobster in shells.=--cut the meat from two cans of lobster into small pieces. sprinkle a few bread crumbs and a little salt and pepper over it. then put in shells. on each shell put a good sized lump of butter, two teaspoonfuls of wine, some more salt and pepper and some more bread crumbs. put prepared shells in a paper bag, put in a hot oven and cook ten minutes. =mussels au gratin.=--remove and clean the mussels, straining all the liquor thoroughly. then make this sauce: fry two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions in butter for a few minutes, but do not let them brown; add about a teaspoonful of flour, and, while the onions are blending, add the liquor of the mussels, stirring it in slowly. cook this mixture for a few minutes; then add a tablespoonful of vinegar, the same quantity of chopped parsley and pepper and salt to taste. butter a shallow earthen or wooden baking dish; in the bottom spread a layer of the sauce, lay the mussels on top of it and cover them with the balance of the sauce. over all this spread a thin coating of breadcrumbs; butter and bake in bag until they have browned. serve in the same dish in which they were baked. =boxed oysters (virginia style).=--take crusty rolls, cut off the top and scoop out the hearts leaving them each like a box. fill the space with oysters, seasoning with salt, pepper and butter and sprinkling over them some of the crumb of the roll that you have removed. put bits of butter on top, then replace the cover. set the rolls in the buttered bag and pour the strained oyster liquor over them. put into a hot oven and bake for fifteen minutes. serve hot. lemon juice or a little mace is sometimes used for seasoning the oysters. =spindled oysters and bacon.=--for two dozen large oysters have two dozen thin slices bacon, and a half dozen slices crisp toast. have ready a half dozen slender steel skewers. fill these skewers with alternate slices of bacon and oysters, running the skewer crosswise through the eye of the oyster and threading the bacon by one corner, so that each slice blankets an oyster. do not crowd. lay the skewers in a buttered bag, and cook in a quick oven ten minutes. lay each spindle with its contents undisturbed on a slice of toast, pour the drip from the bag over them and serve at once. chapter vii. fish. =filet of bass.=--wash and wipe the filets dry with a clean towel, trimming away the fins with a pair of large scissors close to the filet. dust with salt and lay in a covered dish with a minced onion, the juice of half a lemon and a bit of finely cut parsley and thyme. let them stand half an hour. twenty minutes before serving wipe dry again, dust lightly with flour, dip in well-beaten egg, then roll in fine bread crumbs. when all are prepared, put in greased bag and cook twenty minutes until a delicate brown. arrange on a warm dish and serve with parsley and lemon or sauce tartare. filets of sole may be cooked in the same way. =baked blue fish.=--clean thoroughly, cut off head and tail and fill with a soft bread stuffing. tie up securely, rub over the outside of the fish with sweet vegetable oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add a squeeze of lemon juice and slip into the greased bag. seal and cook from twenty to forty minutes according to weight. serve with sliced lemon rolled in fine cut parsley. =a breakfast dish of bloaters.=--few people know how very nice smoked and dried fish can be when cooked in a paper bag and seasoned in the french fashion. cut off the head and tail of the fish, loosen the skin at the neck with a knife and holding it firmly between the knife and finger, pull it off. split the fish with a sharp knife, remove the backbone and soak in cold water over night, or if you forget to do that, for twenty minutes in water nearly at the boiling point. arrange the filets in a wooden baking dish, cover with milk, dot with bits of butter, put in bag and bake in a hot oven for fifteen minutes. garnish with a little finely chopped parsley or sprigs of water cress and serve with paper-bag baked potatoes. on a cool morning there are few more appetizing breakfast dishes, while its cheapness puts it within the reach of the most impecunious. for a change the filets may be baked in buttered paper cases or cooked au gratin still in paper bags. =cat fish.=--for the small sized cat fish--clean, wash, dry well, salt and pepper inside and out, then grease well with butter or vegetable oil and roll in fine, sifted bread crumbs or corn meal. lay in a well-greased bag on thin sliced bacon, put a few more slices of bacon on top. seal and cook half an hour. =codfish cones.=--"pick up" enough salt codfish to make two cupfuls of the shreds. cover with cold water and let stand for two hours, then drain, make a cream sauce, using two level tablespoonfuls each butter and flour, and one cupful of hot milk. mash and season enough hot boiled potatoes to measure two cupfuls, add sauce and fish and beat well with a fork. shape in small cones, brush with melted butter, dredge with fine bread crumbs and put in a paper bag. cook ten minutes. if desired some thin slices of bacon can be cooked at the same time in a separate bag and be used as a garnish for the cones. =codfish à la crême.=--cook the fish first in boiling salted water which has been very slightly acidulated with vinegar. let it cook until the flesh separates from the bones. after draining thoroughly and removing the skin and bones, break the flesh into large flakes. pour a highly seasoned white sauce over it. it may now be cooked in a wooden baking dish in the bag, or it may be prepared as follows: press it into the form of an oblong mould, using only just enough sauce to hold the flakes together. not as much sauce is needed as when the fish is browned in a baking dish. brush the top liberally with melted butter, sprinkle with rolled cracker crumbs. put the mold in a paper bag in the oven, and let the fish acquire a nutty, crisp crust. send to the table garnished with lemon and parsley or thin slices of tomato and a few sprays of water cress. =paper bagged eels.=--eels may be cooked in a paper bag without growing as hard as they are apt to do as ordinarily treated. allow one-half pound of eels (after they are dressed) to a person. wash them thoroughly, removing all blood from slit in eels. cut in two-inch pieces, put in a dish and sprinkle a teaspoonful of salt to every pound over them. now pour over them boiling water, enough to cover well, and let stand until water is cold. pour water off and leave eels where they will drain until nearly dry. take sufficient indian meal to roll them in, add a little pepper to it and roll each piece until well covered. place in a well-greased bag and cook about twenty minutes, when they will be a rich brown, thoroughly cooked and deliciously juicy. =flounder à la meuniére.=--chop a small shallot and mix with a teaspoonful of anchovy paste, a squeeze of lemon juice, an ounce of butter, a little chopped parsley, a dash of cayenne, salt and pepper to taste. put the fish with the seasoning inside of a well-buttered bag, after dredging the fish with flour. pour a tablespoonful of melted butter over the fish, seal up and cook. a two-pound fish, whole, requires thirty minutes. the same weight of filets cook in eight minutes. =filets of flounder.=--remove the filets from a medium sized flounder and cut each filet in two. season with salt and pepper and a few drops of lemon juice and fold each filet in two or roll up skin side inwards. put a small piece of butter, or a teaspoonful of vegetable oil on top of each and place carefully in the well-greased bag. seal the mouth of the bag, and cook about ten minutes on the wire grid in a hot oven. remove from the bag, lift carefully on to a hot platter, garnish with water cress or parslied lemon slices and serve. =finnan haddie.=--pick out a fish that is thick through the centre, weighing about two pounds. soak in cold water, after washing well, for an hour. brush all over with melted butter, dredge with flour, put in a well-buttered bag, skin side down, dot with butter and pour over it a cup of hot milk. seal securely and bake in a very hot oven twenty minutes. the fish may be served whole, or flaked--free from bones and skin--and served with cream sauce. =finnan haddie.=--prepare in the regular way, lay in wood cookery dish, skin side down, season with bits of butter, add a small cupful of warm milk, put in bag and seal. bake twenty-five minutes and serve from the dish with cream sauce. this eliminates the washing of dishes with the strong fishy odor. =fish cakes.=--use for this two cupfuls cold fish freed from skin and bones and chopped fine, and the same amount of cooked, seasoned and mashed potatoes. mix well, season with salt and pepper, add two tablespoonfuls vegetable oil or melted butter and two tablespoonfuls of milk. whip the mixture until as "light as feathers." shape into small, flat cakes of even size. beat up an egg on a plate, then egg the cakes and roll deftly in the finest of sifted bread crumbs and again shape. put in well-greased bag, seal and put in a hot oven. cook about twenty minutes. =new england fish pie.=--have a pound of cod steak boned and cut in pieces. roll each piece in slightly salted flour, and season with paprika or white pepper. lay in the well-greased bag and put on top of the fish a layer of oysters with their juice and a squeeze of lemon juice. sprinkle with a layer of finely rolled and buttered cracker crumbs, dot with a few bits of butter, seal the bag and bake slowly fifteen minutes. have ready some hot mashed potato well seasoned with cream and butter. take the grid and bag from the oven, tear off the top of the bag, spread the potato over the fish like a crust, brush over with a little milk mixed with a portion of an egg yolk and set back in oven for five minutes to brown and glaze, turning the grid with the bag twice during the cooking. cut open the bag, put the fish balls on a hot platter, garnish and serve plain with a tomato sauce. =fish soufflé.=--one pint of boiled halibut or other delicate fish, freed from bones and skin and mashed to a pulp. season with one small teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and one teaspoonful of onion juice. melt a large tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, and cook in it for three minutes a tablespoonful of flour. add slowly a cupful of milk and the seasoned fish pulp. beat two eggs thoroughly and add the fish to them. pour all into bag, seal and bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven, half an hour. =planked fish bag-cooked.=--planked fish responds beautifully to the paper-bag treatment, and there is no better way of developing the distinctive flavor of any of the delicate white-meated fish. the plank however should not be as thick as that usually required. it must be of hard-wood, hickory, cherry, live oak, cedar or ash--well seasoned and sawed about a half inch in thickness, rounded and tapered at one end like an ironing board. this to accommodate the tail of the fish. if cooking small fish use the oval wood cooking dishes made of maple wood. make it very hot in the oven or under the gas flame, then grease well with vegetable oil, olive or the refined cotton seed, and lay on it the fish cleaned, split down the back, seasoned, oiled all over with the sweetest of vegetable oils or butter and spread out as flat as possible with the skin side next to the hot board. slip into the greased bag and fasten tightly. if you use the gas oven for planking your fish, as most of us do, turn on both burners until the oven is very hot. then set in the fish with a trivet under the bag the same as if you were cooking without the plank. bake from thirty to forty-five minutes, then serve piping hot on the plank which has been taken out of the bag, set on a big japanned tray and garnished with hot mashed potato pressed through a tube in rose fashion at regular intervals, alternating with mounds of peas or carrot dice, sprigs of watercress or parsley and thin slices of lemon rolled in fine minced parsley. accompany with sauce tartare or parsley butter. =halibut à la poulette.=--take two pounds of halibut, arrange in filets, freeing from skin and bone; then cut into narrow strips. season with salt, pepper and lemon juice; cut two onions in slices and lay on the filets, then set away for half an hour. at the end of this time have ready one-third cup melted butter or refined vegetable oil. dip the filets in this, roll, skewer into shape and dredge with flour. arrange in a well-buttered bag, seal and bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve with white sauce and two hard boiled eggs, sliced for a garnish. =herring au gratin.=--soak and filet the herring. butter a bag and strew the bottom with the bread crumbs well-buttered, a layer of grated cheese and a little minced chives or parsley. sprinkle with pepper and lay in the filets of herring, plain or alternately with sliced tomato. cover with more crumbs, parsley, cheese and butter, close the bag, and bake fifteen minutes until a good brown. =herrings with herbs.=--take four dried herrings, bone them, fill the cavities with a little (about half a teaspoonful to each fish) finely minced shallot or chives, and parsley. add a few fresh breadcrumbs and tiny bits of butter. if liked, a tiny grate of nutmeg may be added as well as a good dust of pepper. put into a well-greased bag and bake in the oven for ten minutes. dish up and serve as hot as possible. other dried fish are excellent prepared in the same way. =kedgeree.=--mix one cup of shredded fish with one cupful of boiled rice, tender and well drained. put into a well-buttered wooden baking dish, while you prepare the sauce. put into a saucepan one tablespoonful each of butter and flour and as soon as melted and "bubbly," add one cup of hot milk. stir until smooth and thick, season with salt and pepper, take from the fire, add the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, that have been rubbed through a sieve, pour over the rice and fish. put the dish in a well-buttered bag and set in the oven until thoroughly hot and delicately browned. =kippered mackerel with fine herbs.=--cut salt mackerel into filets, lay them in a deep earthen dish and cover with boiling water. leave in water half a minute. take out, wipe dry, dust with coarse black pepper and put on top of each filet half a teaspoonful of minced parsley and chives or onion and a bit of butter the size of a small walnut. grease a bag well, put in the filets; seal and cook for twenty minutes in a hot oven. serve hot, with brown bread and butter. =salmon loaf.=--mince one can of salmon, removing all bits of bone. add to it a cupful fine, stale bread crumbs, two beaten eggs, a half cupful milk and salt, pepper, parsley and lemon juice to season. put in a wooden mould in a buttered bag and bake or steam for half an hour. turn out and serve hot with a white or hollandaise sauce. =scalloped salmon.=--put a layer of soft grated bread crumbs in the bottom of a wooden baking dish that has been well-buttered. sprinkle the bread crumbs with salt, pepper and bits of butter. cover with a layer of flaked salmon, seasoning with salt and pepper and pouring in some of the oil and liquor from the can. over this spread another layer of the seasoned crumbs, then more salmon and so on until the dish is filled. let the last layer be of buttered crumbs moistening slightly with a little milk. spread a little soft butter over the surface and bake in a buttered bag for half an hour in a hot oven to a rich brown. =salmon soufflé.=--put two tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan and melt without browning. add one tablespoonful of flour, stir until blended, then pour in one cup of warm milk. when thickened and smooth, add the yolk of one egg, one cup of salmon flaked, a tablespoonful of cream and a tiny bit of essence of anchovy and pepper to season. mix carefully and well, fold in the white of one egg beaten until stiff and dry; then fill ramekins or wooden dish three-quarters full. put in a bag and brown in a quick oven. serve very hot. chopped parsley may be added if desired. =baked shad.=--in dressing the fish, cut as small an opening as possible. wash well, dry and fill with a dressing made in this way. pour over one cupful dry bread crumbs enough cold water or milk to moisten. add a teaspoonful melted butter, and a teaspoonful minced parsley. mix thoroughly and fill the fish, sewing or skewering the opening together. use a wood cookery dish and put into a buttered bag two or three slices of wafer-thin salt pork and having salted and peppered the outside of the fish lay carefully on top the sliced pork. lay as many more thin slices on top of the fish, or wipe over with olive oil. seal, set in the oven and bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. serve with sauce tartare or a good brown sauce enriched with a small glass of madeira. =shad roe.=--as soon as the fish comes from the water or market, plunge the roe into boiling salted water to which a tablespoonful of lemon juice or vinegar has been added. cook gently about ten minutes, lift out with a skimmer and slip into a bowl of ice water to become firm. when ready to cook, split lengthwise if plump and full, brush over with olive oil, melted butter or refined cotton seed oil, and tuck at once into the well-greased bag. some cooks prefer to dust the roe with fine bread crumbs, lay into beaten egg, then dust once more with sifted crumbs before "bagging". serve simply with lemon and cress, with sauce tartare or mayonnaise, or with a sauce prepared as follows: put into a saucepan two tablespoonfuls butter or olive oil, one tablespoonful lemon juice, and chopped parsley, and a teaspoonful worcestershire sauce. heat to the boiling point and pour over the roe. =smelts.=--smelts skewered in rings, using a wooden toothpick to hold heads and tails together, dipped in milk, well floured and fried in deep fat, make an attractive fish course. the use of a wood cookery dish here is strongly recommended. the skewer can be removed before serving, as the fish will usually keep its shape. garnish the plate on which the fish are served with cress and slices of lemon rolled in finely minced parsley. if the smelts are to furnish the main part of the meal, pile them in the center of a hot platter and surround with a border of mashed potato, or mound the potato and circle with the fish for a border. =bagged weak fish.=--well grease a bag, with butter or vegetable oil. prepare a weak fish as for frying by seasoning with salt, pepper and dredging well with flour. rub melted butter on both sides, place it in the bag, skin side down, lightly dredge the upper side again with flour and dot with butter. peel and cut an onion in half, put in the bag but not on the fish. close the bag, seal and cook on the wire rack or broiler in a hot oven for twenty-five minutes. =white fish planked.=--remove the head and tail and bone of the fish. wash carefully and place in wooden cookery dish, skin side down. season with salt, pepper, bits of butter and chopped onion. roll a half dozen oysters in cracker crumbs, place on top of fish, and put the dish in the bag. bake forty minutes. set the wooden dish on a hot platter and serve. the skin of the fish and remnants can be left in the dish which can then be thrown away. halibut and mackerel are especially fine when prepared in these wood cookery dishes as it holds them intact in process of cooking and serving. chapter viii. fish sauce. =anchovy sauce.=--pound three anchovies smooth with three spoonfuls of butter, add two teaspoonfuls of vinegar and a quarter of a cupful of water. bring to the boil and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. strain through a sieve and serve hot. =quick bearnaise sauce.=--beat the yolks of four eggs with four tablespoonfuls of oil and four of water. add a cupful of boiling water and cook slowly until thick and smooth. take from the fire and add minced onion, capers, olives, pickles and parsley and a little tarragon vinegar. =bearnaise sauce.=--this calls for four small, chopped shallots, one branch of chopped tarragon, two tablespoonfuls of wine vinegar, two raw egg yolks, two and a half ounces of hot melted butter, half a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a teaspoonful of pepper. put the shallots, vinegar, tarragon and pepper in a saucepan and let it stand on a slow fire until its contents are reduced to one-half their original quantity. squeeze the mixture through a cloth into another saucepan. add the egg yolks and beat the mixture four minutes without allowing it to boil. then add the melted butter very gradually, still keeping the pan where there is no danger of boiling. season with a saltspoonful of salt and a half saltspoonful of cayenne pepper. it is well to make the last an extremely scanty portion, as more may be added if desired, but none can be removed. stir all again quite thoroughly for a minute. add the parsley and serve. =brown sauce.=--brown two tablespoonfuls of flour in butter. add two cupfuls of milk or cream and cook until thick, stirring constantly. =curry sauce.=--fry a tablespoonful of chopped onion in butter and add a tablespoonful of flour, mixed with a teaspoonful of curry powder. mix thoroughly, add one cupful of cold water, and cook until thick, stirring constantly. take from the fire, season with salt and onion juice and serve hot. =egg sauce.=--mix a half cup of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, and a cupful of boiling water and set the sauce pan on the stove. stir until thickened, seasoning with salt and pepper. add two hard boiled eggs, chopped fine, and serve. =sauce hollandaise.=--this is really a warm mayonnaise, using butter instead of vegetable oil. it is the best sauce for serving with salmon or other boiled fish if you desire it hot. it requires a quarter pound butter, half a lemon, the yolks of two eggs, a little salt and a half teaspoonful white pepper. the secret of its successful making is to preserve an even temperature. the sauce should not approach the boiling point, as the eggs would cook and the sauce curdle. put the eggs in a small saucepan and add the butter, gradually stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. it will soon thicken like a mayonnaise. when the butter is all in, add salt and pepper and lastly the lemon juice, stirring until well mixed. if the sauce becomes thick, add a little stock or hot water. surround the fish with parsley and slices of lemon and serve the sauce in a bowl. a few sliced cucumbers should be served with fish. =egg sauce made from the hollandaise.=--egg sauce may be made from the hollandaise by sprinkling with two finely chopped hard boiled eggs and a teaspoonful of parsley. =lobster sauce.=--this is delicious with any white fleshed fish. its foundation is hollandaise sauce, which is also the foundation of most of the fish sauces. to make it, stir together one tablespoonful of butter, a few drops of onion juice, a bit of bay leaf (not too much), pepper to season, and the juice of a half lemon. add a half cup of white stock or hot water and set the bowl containing the mixture in a pan of hot water and stir until the butter melts. as soon as very hot, take from the fire and stir a little of the mixture in the well-beaten yolks of one and one-half eggs, then add the rest of the sauce and return to the fire. stir constantly for five minutes or until thickened. add a teaspoonful of butter, half the pounded coral of a lobster and a tablespoonful of chopped lobster meat. =maitre d'hotel butter.=--this is perhaps the simplest and best sauce to serve on fried or broiled fish. to make it, beat a heaping tablespoonful of butter to a cream in a warm bowl; add the juice of a lemon, a half teaspoonful of salt and two teaspoonfuls of minced parsley. a grating of nutmeg or bit of chives is sometimes added. if placed on the ice this can be kept on hand a week or more. it is also excellent spread over a juicy steak. =sauce for broiled shad à la murray.=--fry the milts, and while hot mash with butter, a tablespoonful minced parsley and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. season lightly with salt and pepper and spread over the fish when removed from the bag. set in the oven one moment, then serve. =parsley butter.=--to make this delectable fish sauce, mix one ounce fresh butter with a teaspoonful each chopped parsley and lemon juice, half teaspoonful chopped mixed tarragon and cress or chervil and salt and pepper to season. spread on a plate, set on the ice until cold then shape into pats. this is nice with any fish. =sauce tartare.=--this is one of the standbys that no housekeeper liable to the unexpected appearance of guests should be without. it can be used in an emergency for so many different things. it is delicious with fish, cold or hot, broiled or deviled chicken, tongue, beef, cauliflower or potato salad. it is easy to make, the only essentials being good materials, everything cold, and the oil added very slowly at first. after that it may be poured in in larger quantities and more frequently. mix in a small bowl one half teaspoonful dry mustard, the same amount each powdered sugar and salt, and a quarter teaspoonful cayenne. add the yolks of two fresh eggs, and stir. measure out a cupful of olive oil and add a few drops at a time, stirring until it thickens. if it begins to thicken too much to stir easily, thin with a little lemon juice, adding oil and lemon alternately until you have used all the oil and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. lastly beat in two tablespoonfuls of tarragon or other vinegar. this gives the regular mayonnaise, which should be smooth and thick. now to make it into sauce tartare, add one teaspoonful finely chopped onion or onion juice, a tablespoonful of chopped pickle, capers, olives and parsley, in any proportion desired. you may use simply the sour cucumber pickle or part pickle and olives, capers, etc. this may be kept for a number of days in cold weather by keeping in glass and in a cool place. chapter ix. poultry and game. =capon.=--capon is the best of all poultry, having been specially treated and fattened for the table. they can be distinguished in the market by the head, tail and wing feathers being left intact. they are always high in price and considered great luxuries. they are cooked the same as chicken. if to be stuffed, choose a delicate dressing like oysters or chestnuts. cut the neck off short and remove the oil bag from the root of the tail. singe carefully, pluck out every lingering pin feather, wash quickly with a rough, clean cloth and warm--not hot--water; dash cold water over it, let drain, then wipe carefully with a soft, damp cloth inside and out. salt lightly inside and dust with pepper, stuff with whatever dressing you elect to have, truss, fasten thin slices of bacon or salt pork over the breast and thighs, grease the entire body liberally with soft butter or vegetable oils, put into a loose fitting well-greased bag, breast down, seal, lay on a trivet, set on broiler in hot oven, let cook till bag corners turn very brown, then slack heat one-half, or even a little more if the heat is fierce, and cook from an hour and a half to an hour and three-quarters. the capon should be a golden brown all over, except on the back where it touches the bag and underneath the bacon slices. but it will be as well done everywhere as in the brown part. cook the liver, gizzard and neck in a small separate bag, wrapping each in a slice of bacon and seasoning them with salt and pepper. add a very little water, seal and put on to cook less than an hour before dinner time. the slow heat will make them very tender. cooked with capon, they would be overdone. serve with sweet potatoes southern style, or baked apples slightly sweetened. =chicken with parsnips.=--wash, parboil and scrape a quart of tender parsnips. split a spring chicken down the back and lay in a buttered bag, skin side up. arrange the sliced parsnips around the chicken, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dot with bits of butter until a half cup has been used, and top with two or three thin slices of fat, salt pork. put a half cup hot water in the bag and bake to a delicate brown. put the chicken on a hot platter and arrange the parsnips around it. make a cream gravy from the drippings in the bag and serve with mashed potatoes, currant jelly and beet greens. =chicken à la baltimore.=--take two small spring chickens, prepare as for broiling, but cut into joints. wipe dry, season well with salt and pepper, dip into beaten egg, then cover well with bread crumbs. place in a well-buttered bag, pour a little melted butter or oil over them and bake in the oven twenty or twenty-five minutes. serve with cream sauce and garnish with thin, crisped slices of bacon and tiny corn oysters. =chicken croquettes.=--this may be made from left-over cooked chicken or from canned chicken. for a dozen croquettes allow one cupful of solid meat chopped fine, a cupful of cream sauce, made by cooking together four tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour, then stirring in a scant cupful of hot milk and cooking until smooth and thick. combine chicken and sauce, season with half a teaspoonful each plain and celery salt, a teaspoonful of onion juice, a little lemon juice and chopped parsley. mix thoroughly, then set the mixture away to cool. when cool and stiff roll in finely powdered bread crumbs so that every bit of the chicken is covered and shape into cones, cutlets or cylinders. have ready a beaten egg to which a scant tablespoonful of milk has been added, dip the croquettes in this, drain well, roll in crumbs again, and again set aside to cool and stiffen. when ready to cook, slip in well-buttered bag and bake in a hot oven twenty minutes. =paper bagged chicken.=--split the chicken down the middle of the back, spread flat, and put a skewer in each side to prevent it from curling. beat up a very fresh egg, with a pinch of salt, black pepper to taste, an ounce of melted butter, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce or something similar and a teaspoonful of made mustard. mix well. with a brush glaze the chicken with the mixture. place in a greased bag with bread crumbs around and over it. be careful that the skewers do not tear the bag. seal up tight and cook from thirty-five to forty minutes in a very hot oven. =chicken pie.=--disjoint two chickens and cook until tender in just enough water to cover. remove all the thick skin and the largest bones. line a baking dish with good paste, pack the chicken in layers and dust each with salt, pepper and flour. pour in enough of the chicken liquor to come nearly to the top; lay on a tablespoon of butter and cover with a crust after cutting out a piece as large as the top of a small cup. moisten the edges and press together, then ornament the top with leaves cut from the trimmings of paste. bag and bake in a quick oven. =paste for chicken pie.=--sift five level teaspoons of baking powder and one level teaspoon of salt with four cups of flour and rub in one cup of butter until like coarse meal. mix with nearly two cups of milk or enough to make a dough that can be rolled out. this makes a more hygienic crust than where no baking powder is used. =chicken rissoles.=--chop fine two cupfuls chicken and dressing or any scraps left. add two spoonfuls mashed potato, the beaten yolk of one egg, salt and pepper to season. roll in balls, dip in beaten egg yolk, then in fine bread crumbs and place in paper bag. bake twenty minutes. =roast chicken.=--cover the breast of the fowl or chicken with butter, drippings, or any refined vegetable oil or tie a piece of fat bacon over it. place in a bag and set on broiler in a hot oven. allow twenty-five minutes for a small spring chicken, thirty-five minutes for a large fowl, forty-five to fifty minutes (according to size) for stuffed poultry in a moderate oven. =saute of chicken with mushrooms.=--cut a young, tender chicken into joints, trim off all projecting bones, season with salt and pepper--not too highly--and brush over with melted butter. put into a well-buttered wooden cook dish, with eight or twelve small mushrooms, cut in slices. add a pinch of herbs, a very small onion, and a half gill of good white stock. seal bag tight, give ten minutes in a very hot oven, then thirty in moderate heat. take up on a hot dish and keep hot, while you make the gravy. take for the gravy the hot liquor from the bag, put it in a bowl with the yolk of an egg beaten up in half a gill of cream. stir hard over hot water, but do not let boil. when thoroughly blended, pour over the chicken, garnish with chopped parsley, a few mushroom heads and half moons of crisp puff paste. serve as hot as possible. =smothered chicken.=--have a good sized broiler cut into joints, taking care not to leave sharp bones projecting. salt and pepper them lightly, dredge with flour and lay in a well-greased bag upon thin slices of bacon. cover the chicken with more bacon slices, taking care to keep the chicken spread rather flat. add a tablespoonful of water or a couple of peeled and sliced tomatoes. shreds of green pepper add somewhat of flavor to the tomatoes. seal in a bag and cook for forty minutes, slacking the heat almost half after the first five minutes. serve on a hot dish with gravy from the bag. =ducks with banana dressing.=--wash with cold salt water inside and out, drain, wipe dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. make a dressing of toasted bread crumbs mixed with an equal quantity of banana. cut in small pieces, well seasoned with chopped celery, salt and pepper. stuff, truss, grease all over and tie slices of bacon over the breast. put in a well-greased bag, add the juice of a lemon, and a wine glass of sherry. seal and put in a very hot oven. at the end of fifteen minutes reduce heat one-half and cook for fifty minutes longer. =canvas backs.=--draw the ducks as soon as they are received, pluck, singe and wipe them with a damp cloth, but under no conditions wash them. when ready to cook, truss, dust lightly with pepper, and salt and spread them thickly with butter or vegetable oil. a very slight dusting of flour should be given when they are put into the oven. after eighteen minutes of intense heat they are ready to serve, accompanied by toasted hominy and black currant jelly. =chicken, italian style.=--chop fine one onion, one small carrot, a stick of celery and a sprig of parsley. place in the bottom of one of the wooden cookery dishes and season with salt, pepper and two tablespoonfuls of olive oil. lay a good sized broiling chicken cut into joints on top of the vegetables, and around the chicken a half dozen dried mushrooms that have been soaked for fifteen minutes in cold water. put in paper bag, seal and bake forty-five minutes. remove chicken to hot platter, add a little tomato sauce to the vegetables and stock remaining in the dish, pour over the chicken and serve. =roast wild duck.=--if these come from salt marshes, and have therefore a fishy taste, pick, dress, scald a moment in boiling salt water, then put in very cold water for half an hour. drain, wipe dry and having cut a lemon in half rub all over inside and out with the juice and pulp. then grease the outside of the duck with vegetable oil or butter, salt very lightly and put in greased bag. seal and roast in a moderate oven for an hour. serve with paper bag baked potatoes, tart jelly and pickles. =roast wild duck no. .=--clean and singe your duck; have a dish with boiling water enough to cover same, in which you put a tablespoonful of salt and a little carrot; parboil for only five minutes; then take out and dry. have apples peeled and cut in quarters; stuff the duck with them. slice bacon and wrap about four slices around it, tied with a string, lay in a buttered bag with a teacupful of water and a little salt and pepper and roast in a very hot oven for an hour. make a gravy from the drippings in bag thickened slightly and seasoned with lemon juice, a little curry powder and any good sauce. =roast wild duck, ohio style.=--dress the duck as usual, then stuff with one quart of sauer kraut mixed with one sweet apple sliced and a few mixed spices to season. place two stalks of celery in one of the wooden cookery dishes, lay the duck on top, place in bag. seal and bake in a moderate oven for an hour and a half. =frogs' legs.=--scald the legs in boiling hot water for a minute or two, drain and wipe them dry, sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in beaten egg, roll in cracker crumbs and put in a well-greased bag. the use of a wood cookery dish is recommended. bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. serve hot with points of toast and slices of lemon placed around the platter. =paper bag roast goose.=--for roasting, a goose should preferably be scarcely passed the gosling period, not more than a year old at the most. its wings should be supple and tender at the pinions, its breast bone soft and pliable. its feet smooth and yellow, and its fat white and soft. before drawing, singe the bird, then give it a thorough bath with soapsuds and a soft scrubbing brush. the skin is so oily that cold water would make no impression, and the skin is bound to be full of dust. when purification is complete, rinse thoroughly in clear cold water, then dry and draw. wash the inside quickly with clear water to which a little baking soda has been added, then rinse and wipe. the germans are partial to a stuffing made of equal parts of bread crumbs, chopped apples, seeded raisins and boiled onions well seasoned with salt, pepper and butter. americans as a rule give the preference to a potato stuffing made of mashed potato highly seasoned with onion, salt, pepper and a little butter and sage. the yolks of two eggs allowed to each pint of potato makes the dressing richer. before trussing the goose, remove all the extra fat. this should be saved and tried out later for that sovereign remedy for croup,--"goose grease." it is of no value, however, in cooking and if left in the bird, gives a coarse, rank flavor. season the goose on the inside with salt and pepper, then stuff and truss it into shape like a turkey. rub over lightly with vegetable oil or butter, or cover the breast with several thin slices of fat salt pork. this keeps the skin moist. put into a well-greased bag of goodly proportions, or better still, two bags, add a tablespoonful of cold water, seal and set in a very hot oven for fifteen minutes. then reduce the heat about half and cook until done, allowing twenty-two minutes to the pound. serve with apples baked in a bag, mashed turnips or squash and hot corn bread that can also be cooked in a bag. =sage and potato stuffing.=--should you give the preference to the old-fashioned potato-and-sage stuffing, such as your grandmother used to make, fashion it in this way: peel and boil for half an hour a half dozen good-sized potatoes. mash well and season with one tablespoonful salt, and a teaspoonful pepper, two tablespoonfuls of white onions minced fine, and cooked in a tablespoonful of butter and a teaspoonful of sage. mix lightly and stuff. =bag roasted young guinea fowl.=--it is but a few years ago comparatively that the excellence of the guinea fowl for the table was duly recognized. most people were afraid to try them. now the guinea is not only being served in all the best restaurants, but in many private homes as well. while the young guineas make the choicest eating, the old birds are not to be despised. in stuffing the guinea any approved turkey stuffing may be used, the accompaniments being as with turkey, giblet gravy and cranberry sauce. in roasting a very little water goes into the bag, instead thin pieces of fat, salt pork are skewered across the breast and around the drum sticks. =bag broiled young guinea hen.=--for bag broiling, split down the back and flatten. brush over with vegetable oil or melted butter, put in buttered bag and bake in gas oven or hot coal oven. lay on a hot platter, season with salt and pepper, spread with a rounding tablespoonful butter stirred with a tablespoonful finely minced parsley, garnish with watercress and little moulds or spoonfuls of cranberry jelly and serve. =quail.=--as for cooking quail there is no better way than to roast them plain, with plenty of red pepper and a little salt. for those who prefer, an excellent way is to serve them with bacon, which supplies the fat which all game birds lack. take a half dozen quail, wipe with a damp cloth, split them and break the leg bones. mix together a teaspoonful of pure olive or cotton seed oil, a dash of cayenne and a tiny bit of salt. brush the birds with this mixture and put in well-greased bag, seal, put in oven and roast fifteen minutes. arrange six slices of delicately browned toast on a hot platter, place the birds on the slices and baste with a mixture of good butter, minced parsley and the juice of a half dozen lemons. garnish with slices of crisped bacon and watercress. =quail no. .=--place four quail in a wooden dish with a link of sausage between the birds and a strip of bacon laid on each. put in bag, seal, and bake twenty-five minutes. =stuffed quail.=--put into each bird a half prune or fat raisin, with a bit of butter and a few well seasoned bread crumbs. wrap each bird in a slice of bacon, fastening with string or tooth picks and put in well-buttered bag. seal and place on broiler and bake about twenty-five minutes, reducing the heat during the last half of the time. =rabbit cookery.=--in selecting a rabbit the principal thing is to find out the age and also how long hung. a rabbit should be ripe but not gamy. unless in cold storage, they should not be kept for more than two or three days. the age of a rabbit may be determined by testing the paw. if there is a little nut there and the paw may be broken readily between the thumb and finger the rabbit is young. if the nut has disappeared and the paw resists pressure, the rabbit is too venerable for anything but a stew. in dressing a rabbit there is a little secret that enables the cook to dispose of the gamy odor that so many object to. if the thin, muscular membrane that extends from the flank over the intestines is carefully removed before cooking, the strong flavor will go with it, leaving the flesh delightfully sweet. the gall bladder in the liver must also be removed with extreme care, so as not to break it. =barbecued rabbit.=--open plump young rabbits all the way down the under side, wash and clean thoroughly. lay out flat in a pan of salt and water for an hour, with a weighted plate or saucer on top to hold under the water. wipe dry and gash across the backbone in eight or ten places and having brushed it over with olive oil or melted butter, bag and bake in a hot oven forty-five minutes. lay on a hot dish, season with salt, pepper and plenty of melted butter, then set in the oven for the butter to soak in. heat in a small cup two tablespoonfuls vinegar with one of made mustard and brush over the rabbit while boiling hot. garnish with parsley and watercress and serve alone or with a currant jelly sauce. =roast rabbit.=--stuff, truss, dredge with flour and rub all over with vegetable oil, soft butter or good drippings. season lightly with salt and paprika or black pepper, place in wood cookery dish in well-greased bag, seal and place in hot oven. allow fifty minutes, reducing the heat at the end of the first twenty minutes. =roast rabbit no. .=--for an older rabbit, put into a stew kettle whole without dividing the pieces from the body. pour in one quart of water, add a little pinch of soda when it starts to boil, and stew gently until tender. when tender take from the broth. meantime mix together three large cupfuls dried bread crumbs, butter the size of a walnut and salt, pepper and sage to taste. pour enough of the broth over this to mix rather soft. stuff the rabbit, spread with butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper, lay in a buttered bag and bake to a rich brown in a moderate oven. it will not take more than a few moments. make a good brown gravy, adding onion browned in butter if desired. a little onion may also be added to the dressing, according to preference. =stewed rabbit.=--cut in eight pieces, salt and pepper and put in buttered wooden dish, set in a buttered bag with a finely chopped onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, a quarter cupful stock or hot water and a tablespoonful of flour stirred smooth with a little cold water, then blended with the hot. seal the bag and bake forty-five minutes in a hot oven. =reed birds.=--most of the reed birds obtained in our markets are in reality nothing but sparrows, and those undrawn. if fed on grain, as they are in chicago, they are really very nice. to bake, wrap each one in a thin slice of bacon or salt pork, put in buttered bag, seal and cook in a quick oven. still more delectable are they cooked en surprise. for a half dozen covers, prepare the same number of birds, six large oval potatoes, six oysters, and some thin slices of bacon. prepare the birds as for roasting, and tuck into each little interior an oyster, seasoned with salt and pepper. then wrap each bird in a slice of bacon. now, having the potatoes well scrubbed, cut off one end, and using a vegetable scoop, cut out a hollow in each large enough to hold a bird. insert the bird, replace the end of the potato, cut off, tie in place, put in buttered bag and bake in a moderate oven. serve as soon as done, removing the string. the flavor of the bird, oysters and potato makes a delicious combination that cannot be surpassed. serve simply with butter, or if preferred, a mushroom or oyster sauce. =squab.=--in cleaning a squab, take care not to break the little sack that holds the entrails. split the birds down the back, rub with salt, pepper and butter or oil. sprinkle with cracker dust and put into well-buttered bag. bake fifteen minutes and serve on slices of crisp, hot, buttered toast with or without a thin, crispy slice of bacon. garnish with cress or parsley. =barbecued squirrel, (southern style.)=--get two fat squirrels, skin and draw. cut the thin skin on each side of the stomach close to the ribs, then wipe with damp cloth. sprinkle with black pepper but use no salt. put a layer of fat bacon in a wooden dish, set in a well-greased bag and lay the squirrels on this bed. cover with more thin slices of bacon pour in the bag a half cupful good broth, seal, and bake an hour in a moderate oven. serve with grape jelly or spiced grapes. =turkey à la bonham.=--pick out a young hen turkey, plump and delicate with small bones. carefully remove all pin feathers and complete the drawing which may have been imperfectly done by the butcher. cut off the neck close to the body which will make the turkey fit in the bag better, and make a proper appearance when placed on the table. wash thoroughly inside and out and wipe dry. for the stuffing make two kinds--one for the body and one for the breast. it is a good plan to make these different so as to suit all tastes. for the body, make a chestnut stuffing. boil and peel one quart of large chestnuts and mash with a fork. season with pepper, salt and a little butter. for the breast, take a pint of bread crumbs free from crusts. fry a half onion cut fine in a very little butter or vegetable oil until tender but not brown. season nicely with chopped parsley and thyme, not too much. salt and pepper and moisten with one beaten egg. fill the breast and sew body and breast neatly, pulling the skin of the breast over the stuffing, and fastening in place with the wings which should be turned back to hold the skin in place. rub the outside of the bird with flour mixed with salt and pepper, cover the breast with slices of fat salt pork tied on. now slip breast down into a thoroughly greased bag or preferably two bags, one outside the other, the outside one also well-greased. lay some of the fat from the turkey or a few strips of bacon over the bag, and put on the grate, seam up. slip under the grid on the bottom of the oven a dripping pan half full of water to keep the bird moist, and prevent any fat leaking through in case the bag should burst. be careful not to let the bag touch the side of the oven. light both burners of the gas stove for five minutes to get the oven hot for the start. turn out one and roast about an hour and three-quarters for a twelve pound bird. lift out carefully, sliding the pancake turner under it to get it out easily and put it on hot platter. for the gravy, clean the giblets thoroughly and put to cook with the neck in water to cover well. add one onion cut up and cook until tender. chop fine and thicken slightly with browned flour or caramel which is simply sugar browned in a pan with a little boiling water. =venison.=--for roasting, the saddle is best. as the meat is naturally dry, it must be well larded with strips of firm fat pork. sprinkle with salt and pepper and rub over with pork drippings. put in large well-greased bag, add two glasses of port or claret, seal and bake in moderate oven. for a roast of three pounds, allow an hour and ten minutes. for an eight pound roast, two hours and a half. serve very hot with red or black currant jelly. =venison steak.=--prepare in the regular way, place in wooden cookery dish and season with salt and pepper. put in bag. seal and cook an hour and twenty minutes. the wooden dishes add to the flavor of all game. chapter x. beef. =bullock's heart.=--this is an inexpensive portion of the beef, but a very tasty one when properly cooked. it should always be served on very hot dishes, both plates and platter. if you elect to roast your heart, put in a basin of warm water and let soak for an hour to draw out the blood. wipe dry, brush with oil or butter and tie or skewer in shape. put in well-greased bag and roast about two hours. serve with a border of carrots sliced and fried. =stewed bullock's heart.=--soak in a basin of warm water for an hour, then drain and wipe dry. cut in halves, rub each side with flour and put in a frying pan with a little hot butter. as soon as browned, transfer to a buttered bag, adding four or five onions sliced and browned lightly in the same butter, together with a sprig of thyme and salt and pepper to season. add a half cupful of water and cook slowly about three hours. =filet of beef.=--cut from the end of a tenderloin of beef, slices about / of an inch thick. flatten down to about / of an inch and trim round. salt lightly on both sides, dust with pepper, and lay in a little hot melted butter, flavored with a tiny scraping of garlic for an hour, turning three or four times in the meantime. take out, put in a well-buttered bag, seal and cook twenty-five minutes. serve on small pieces of toast that have been spread with butter and browned in a bag, pouring over them the juice of the meat that will have collected in the bag. =hamburg steak.=--hamburg steak, which is too often a delusion and a snare as furnished by the inexperienced cook, can be so manipulated in paper bag cookery as to emerge a very delectable and decorative dish. in the first place never telephone for hamburg steak nor buy that already chopped and mounded ostentatiously on a platter with a garnish of parsley. naturally the butcher works up his trimmings and inferior cuts into this comparatively inexpensive and much patronized form. having purchased your cut of round steak in the slice, its lack of natural fat must be made up by the addition of a little beef suet (preferably from the kidney). a piece of suet the size of a butter nut may be allowed to each pound of lean meat. next, if possible, get the butcher to chop it by hand rather than by the easier-to-him method of running it through the meat grinder. now having your good meat at home it may be prepared in any one of a half dozen ways. for the hamburg steaks, press lightly together into cakes about the size of a chop. if onion is desired a little onion juice may be added with discretion, but for most tastes boiled onions served separately, to accompany the steak, will be found preferable, or a few rings of raw onion added to a lettuce salad. the closely packed hamburg steak is bound to be tough and dry. better add a beaten egg to hold the chopped meat together than press the small and delicate particles of meat compactly. season lightly, brush over with oil or melted butter and lay in buttered bag. seal and roast for half an hour. take up on a hot platter, season, add a little melted butter mixed with finely chopped parsley and serve hot with baked or mashed potatoes. a tomato sauce may go with the steaks or a brown gravy made from beef stock. a pleasant change in the appearance of hamburg steak can be effected by shaping it to look like lamb chops. when these are bag broiled with a bit of macaroni in each end to simulate the chop bone they can be arranged to stand on a bed of parsley stacked against a pretty bowl containing tomato sauce or stewed tomato, a spoonful of which is to be served with each portion. the bed on which the chops are to rest may be mashed potato or peas, if preferred to the parsley. =pot roast.=--while this does not eliminate washing the pot, the juices and flavor of the beef are so conserved that instead of the usual dry pot-roast it is moist and tender and so well worth the trouble. peel and slice a good sized onion and brown in a round bottomed iron pot with a piece of beef suet. wash a four or five pound piece of bottom round, place in the pot without any water and brown quickly on all sides, turning it without piercing with a fork. when very brown add a small cup of water, push it back and let simmer for one hour, turning frequently. season and cook for ten minutes longer, then place it in a well-greased bag, seal and put in a hot oven on a broiler, adding about a cupful of the liquid in which it was cooking, before sealing. reduce the heat of the oven after ten minutes and cook an hour and a half to two hours according to size. potatoes may be peeled and browned in the gravy left in the pot. when done, the liquid in the bag should be added to that in the pot and thickened for gravy, first skimming off the fat if too rich. =rib roast of beef.=--grease the roast lightly with drippings or vegetable oil, season with pepper, but not with salt, dust lightly with flour and place in well-greased bag, seal, and place in a hot oven, at the end of fifteen minutes, reduce the heat one-half and continue cooking for half an hour longer in case of a three pound roast or for a seven pound one, a little over an hour. =roast round of beef in paper bag.=--get three or four pounds of beef from top round, asking the butcher for a high chunky piece--not a slab--from the tenderest, juiciest part. have him tie it up securely and add a piece of suet. well grease the bag inside. season and flour the meat, place a small piece of suet on top, insert in bag, fasten with paper clips, and put on a broiler in a hot oven, reducing the heat after about five minutes. allow fifteen minutes for each pound. it will be a rich brown on the outside but rare and juicy. with an exceptionally sharp carving knife the meat should be cut in very thin, appetizingly rare and tender slices. this is a most economical and nutritious roast, having no waste in bones and trimmings, and if cut from good beef is as delicious as a porterhouse roast. =sauer braten.=--rub a solid piece of the round of beef with vinegar, dust lightly with salt and pepper and a bit of bay leaf rubbed to a powder. let the meat stand over night or twelve hours. cut several slashes in the meat, put in two small onions cut in quarters and two carrots cut in strips and the same amount of turnip. dust a pinch of poultry seasoning or sweet herbs over. lay three thin slices of salt pork in the well-greased paper bag, add a half cupful boiling water and if there is room in the bag tuck in a few more carrots or onions. seal and place in a very hot oven for eight minutes, then reduce the heat at least half, and cook about two hours. have a dripping pan with an inch of water in it, set under the oven rack so that if by any mischance the bag should burst, nothing would be lost. the steam from the water in the pan serves the same purpose as wetting the bag before filling, keeping it from becoming too brittle. two bags will be found better than one in this case. =beef steak.=--wipe the meat, trim off extra fat and brush over with oil or butter. season lightly with salt and pepper, put in well-greased bag, seal, place on grid in very hot oven and cook from fifteen to eighteen minutes, according to thickness of steak. at the last, pierce a few holes in the top of the bag, if there is any doubt about the steak being sufficiently browned. take up on hot platter and spread with parsley butter, pouring any gravy remaining in the pan over the meat. =toledo beef steak.=--place a top sirloin steak in a wood cookery dish, season with salt and pepper and place in bag. seal and cook twenty minutes. remove from the oven, open the bag and turn the steak. spread over the top a little dry mustard and season with salt, pepper, two tablespoonfuls of drawn butter and a large tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce. place on the top grate of the oven without the bag, and leave ten or fifteen minutes until crisp and brown. =stuffed roast beef or "mock duck."=--take two flank steaks or one large round steak. if the former, sew together with coarse strong cotton, leaving one side open like a bag to be filled with the dressing. if the latter, place on the meat board and spread with a dressing made from mashed potato, well seasoned, sweet potatoes sliced and seasoned, or a forcemeat made from two cupfuls bread crumbs, a quarter cup butter or vegetable oil, in which a chopped onion has been cooked, with salt, pepper and cloves to season. the germans like a half cupful of seeded raisins or chopped prunes added to this. roll the meat about the filling and tie with strips of cotton cloth, or if you are using the flank steak, stuff the pocket and tie in shape. butter the pocket or roll well on the outside, slip into a large well-buttered bag, add a tablespoonful of broth or hot water, seal, and cook in a hot oven ten minutes. reduce the heat and cook forty or fifty minutes more according to weight of the steak. a second bag over the first is advised here when the roll is heavy. chapter xi. lamb and mutton. the paper bag seems made expressly for lamb and mutton cookery. =breast of lamb with tomato sauce.=--get three pounds breast of lamb, boil until tender, and slip out the bones. this is best done the day before you are to bag it. half an hour before serving, egg, crumb, season and put in a well-greased bag. seal and put in a very hot oven for twenty minutes. serve with tomato sauce. =lamb chops.=--if you use the rib chops have them frenched, saving the trimmings for the stock pot. if you have the loin chops, skewer to keep in shape. season with salt and pepper and brush over with oil or melted butter. put in a well-greased bag, seal, place on the grid shelf in a hot oven, and cook for ten or fifteen minutes according to the thickness of the chop. when done put on a hot platter and spread with parsley or mint butter. =lamb or mutton cutlets with tomatoes.=--cut the best end of the neck into neat cutlets, flatten and trim. season with salt and pepper, brush with melted butter or oil, sprinkle with mint or chopped parsley and chives, and place in a buttered bag, with a tablespoonful of tomato on each chop. seal and cook in hot oven twelve or fifteen minutes. =lamb fry.=--wash thoroughly a pound and a half of lamb's fry and put in a pan of cold water. simmer five minutes, lift out and pat dry on a soft cloth. divide in nice pieces, dip in a batter made of one egg, one tablespoonful of milk, salt and pepper to season and flour to make of the consistency of cream. arrange these pieces in a buttered bag. seal and bake ten minutes. serve with fried parsley. =lamb's kidney.=--skin, split, dip in butter and place on skewer. dust with salt and pepper, and place in buttered bag. seal, place in hot oven and cook eight minutes. =leg of mutton cooked in cider.=--buy the leg of mutton two or three days before you wish to serve it. take off the "woolly" skin that has the strong taste on the outside and wipe carefully with a damp cloth. then rub with a mixture of spices, using half a teaspoonful each of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, pepper and nutmeg. rub thoroughly and hang the mutton in a cool place for two days; then put in a well-greased bag, adding four onions chopped fine, a cupful seedless raisins and a cupful of sweet cider. put in hot oven and bake half an hour, then reduce the heat, and cook an hour and a half. serve with a hot cider sauce. =mutton chops and sausage.=--place two thick chops in a wooden dish with three links of sausage. season lightly with salt and pepper, lay two strips of bacon over the top of the chops and seal in bag. bake from twenty minutes to half an hour in a moderate oven. =ragout of lamb.=--grease the bag well, and lay in a layer of sliced raw potatoes, seasoned lightly. put on top of the potatoes a layer of meat, seasoned with salt, pepper and chopped parsley, and lay thin slices of onion across meat. add one-half cup canned tomato or tomato sauce, cover the whole with another layer of sliced potato, seal, and bake thirty-five minutes. you may use a wooden cooking dish here to advantage. =roast leg of lamb.=--trim nicely and rub over with oil, dredge with a little flour and season with salt, pepper and powdered mint. seal and bake two hours. serve with mint sauce. =a genuine irish stew.=--cut two pounds of chops from the best end of a neck of mutton, and pare away nearly all the fat. a portion of the breast may be cut into squares and used, but a neck of mutton is the best joint for the purpose. take as many potatoes as will amount after peeling to twice the weight of the meat. slice them with eight large onions sliced. put a layer of mixed potatoes and onions at the bottom of the buttered paper bag. place the meat on this and season it plentifully with pepper and lightly with salt. pack closely, and cover the meat with another layer of potato and onion. pour in as much water or stock as will moisten the topmost layer, seal tightly, and let the contents cook gently for two and a half hours. you may use one of the large wooden cooking dishes here. chapter xii. pork in varied forms. =bacon and apples.=--core, but do not peel, well flavored apples and cut in crosswise rings about a quarter of an inch thick. lay on thin slices of streaky bacon in a well-buttered bag, dust lightly with sugar, seal and cook eight minutes in a hot oven. =bacon and bananas.=--peel firm bananas, halve them lengthwise, dust lightly with pepper and wrap each in a thin slice of streaky bacon. put in a well-greased bag, seal and cook in a hot oven ten minutes. =bacon and calf's liver.=--pour boiling water over thin slices of calf's liver and let stand ten minutes. drain, pat dry and dredge with flour, seasoning with pepper and a little salt. lay slices of bacon in a greased bag and on top put a layer of the liver, seal and bake fifteen minutes. serve on hot platter. =baked pork chops.=--season with salt and pepper, then cover each side of the chops with a forcemeat made moist enough to stick to them. place in a well-greased bag, adding a spoonful of water, seal and bake twenty-five minutes. =pork chops and sweet potatoes.=--select six sweet potatoes of uniform size. peel, cut in half lengthwise, brush each piece all over with melted butter and dredge lightly with powdered sugar. place in a thoroughly buttered bag flat side down. on top of them put pork chops, seasoned, rolled in flour and from which the fat has been partly trimmed. seal and bake in hot oven on broiler for twenty-five minutes. pork chops cooked in this way are as tender as chicken, not hard in fibre as they usually are when fried. =ham and scalloped potatoes.=--peel and slice potatoes very thin. put a layer in the bottom of a buttered bag and on top of the potatoes a layer of raw ham sliced very thin, and with the most of the fat trimmed off. sprinkle with a little flour. add little bits of butter rolled in flour and salt and pepper to season. proceed in this way until the desired amount is obtained, having the top layer of potatoes sprinkled with flour and bits of butter. turn in enough sweet milk or cream to come even with the top layer, and bake twenty minutes or until the potatoes are tender. the trimmings from the fat of the ham can be used in place of the butter if preferred. one of the wooden cooking dishes is convenient here. =ham, spinach and lamb chops.=--place two or more slices of ham in a wood cookery dish. spread over it the contents of a small can of spinach and on top of the spinach place frenched lamb chops. put in greased paper bag, and surround by six potatoes prepared for baking. close the bag, and bake minutes in a moderate oven. this makes a very easy dinner--as the whole meal can be cooked in the oven without having to be watched--and the mistress of the house can be ready dressed to entertain guests without danger of spoiling her frock by spattering grease. =stuffed fresh ham or shoulder.=--have the knuckle and bone removed, wash, wipe dry, season with salt and pepper and fill the bone space with a forcemeat to which apples or stewed prunes have been added. sew or skewer into shape, then lay skin side up in a large, well-greased bag. add a half cup of water or cider, a few slices of onion, seal and bake for fifteen minutes in a very hot oven, then reduce the heat one-half and bake an hour. =roast loin of pork.=--sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge lightly with flour and put into a greased bag with a half cup of water or tomato. seal and bake an hour and a half. serve with apples baked in another bag. =roast spare-rib.=--cut the skin of the spare-rib in checks, season with salt and pepper and put in a well-greased bag surrounded by apples or sweet potatoes cut in halves, and bake three-quarters of an hour. =baked sausage with apples.=--put links of sausage or sausage cakes in greased bag, and surround with well flavored apples cored and cut in halves but not peeled. stand the apples flesh side down. seal and bake fifteen minutes. =baked sausage and potato.=--get the best country sausage meat and mould into a little roll. dust lightly with flour and put into a well-greased bag. peel enough potatoes to make a wall about the meat and cut them in halves. they should stand with the cut side against the meat. seal the bag and bake about thirty minutes until the potatoes are tender and brown and the sausage well done. if desired, use the drippings that come from the sausage as the foundation for a cream gravy to serve with the sausage or serve without. sausage cooked in this way is also nice sliced cold and makes appetizing sandwiches for the school lunch basket. =baked sausage with toast.=--put a half dozen link sausages in a well-greased bag, separating them by as many slices of bread cut the same height. add a half cup of good brown sauce and a few mushrooms if desired. seal and bake twelve minutes. serve with the sauce and a little minced parsley sprinkled over the sausage. =baked sausage with tomatoes.=--put into the greased bag sausage cakes or links. chop fine one small onion, a teaspoonful of parsley and two tomatoes, spread over the sausage, seal and cook twenty minutes. =tenderloin of pork.=--get fat, large tenderloins and have them split, but leave connected down the side. fill with a good forcemeat or potato dressing well seasoned, skewer the edges together or tie with string, put in well-greased bag adding a tablespoonful of water and bake twenty minutes. serve with curried apples, made in this way and baked in another bag at the same time. peel and core the apples and fill the cavities with a mixture of curry powder, grated cheese and fine breadcrumbs. for eight apples use four tablespoonfuls and a half of curry powder and eight of the bread crumbs. moisten the mixture with milk. bag, seal and bake. these apples are nice served cold with cold roast pork. chapter xiii. veal. =baked calf's liver.=--one calf's liver washed and dried, slashed and scored inside. have bread dressing ready well seasoned with onions. stuff the liver with this and tie with cord. skewer to liver with toothpicks several pieces of bacon, put a little hot water in the bag and bake at least one hour in a hot oven. send to table hot, with a parsley garnish. =calves' brains in tempting but inexpensive ways.=--carefully prepared few can tell the difference between sweetbreads and calves' brains though the housewife will appreciate the fact that sweetbreads cost about four times as much as the brains. in whichever way one elects to cook the brains, the preliminary treatment is the same. parboil fifteen minutes in water, to which has been added a teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of vinegar. after this, let them lie in cold water a few moments, then remove all membranes and dark streaks. they are now ready to be cooked in any way preferred. =breaded brains.=--separate the lobes of a pair of brains that have been parboiled as directed. then with a sharp knife split each division. beat the yolk of an egg lightly, thin slightly with cold water or milk, dip the brains in this, then into finely rolled crumbs. put in a buttered bag and bake twenty minutes. serve on a hot dish with a garnish of quarters of lemon that have been rolled in finely minced parsley. =sweetbreads.=--the initial treatment of sweetbreads, when they come from the market, is always the same. parboil at once in salted water, from fifteen to thirty minutes, never allowing them to boil. then plunge into ice water and lemon juice or vinegar (a tablespoonful to a quart of water) and leave for an hour to blanch and become firm. after parboiling, the little strings and membranes can be very readily removed. now they are ready for the finishing culinary touch, in anyway the cook may elect. =baked sweetbreads.=--sprinkle with salt and pepper, roll in crumbs then beaten egg to which a spoonful of milk has been added, then in crumbs again, the last time having the crumbs well-buttered. put in greased bag and bake half an hour in a moderately hot oven. serve on toast with the brown gravy poured over the slices. =sweetbreads with bacon.=--slice sweetbreads, roll in seasoned crumbs, then in egg and again in crumbs. put on a skewer, alternating with slices of bacon cut thin, put in a greased bag, and bake twenty minutes in medium oven. =larded sweetbreads.=--lard the boiled sweetbreads with strips of bacon and lemon peel, having the bacon in the centre and peel on the sides. lay in paper bag with brown gravy to half cover, and let them bake for an hour, or until brown. arrange on a hot dish, thicken the gravy with a little flour and season with catsup, lemon juice and spices to taste. pour over the sweetbreads and serve with peas. =sweetbreads straight.=--parboil the sweetbreads, take off the skins, dust each sweetbread with salt and pepper very lightly and pour over each a tablespoonful of cream. slip the sweetbreads into a thickly greased bag and cook in a moderate oven slowly for forty minutes. serve on a hot dish with a border of asparagus or green peas. =vealettes.=--purchase veal cuts from the leg in slices as large as one's hand and about half an inch thick. on each slice lay a large tablespoonful of dressing made from seasoned bread crumbs, a beaten egg and a tablespoonful of melted butter. roll up the slices, pinning with toothpicks to keep the dressing in. put in a well-greased bag, seal and bake about three-quarters of an hour. when done, thicken the gravy, pour over the veal and serve on a hot platter. a variation in vealettes is made by getting from the butcher two slices of veal and a slice of ham the same size. put together like a sandwich with the ham in the center and skewer together. trim the edges evenly and bake in a bag. when the veal is done take up on a hot platter, thicken the drippings remaining in the bag, adding enough hot water to make a good consistency. =veal loaf.=--mince three pounds raw lean veal and a quarter pound of fine fat pork, salt or fresh. season with half an onion, grated fine, a tablespoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful of pepper, a half teaspoonful powdered thyme, quarter of a spoonful sweet marjoram, the same amount summer savory and a saltspoonful celery salt. next mix in two-thirds of a cup of rolled cracker crumbs, a scant cupful veal gravy or hot milk, the yolk of one egg and the whites of two beaten together until light. mix thoroughly and form into a compact loaf. roll it until coated in yolks of the two eggs left over, then in sifted cracker or bread crumbs, and put in buttered bag and bake in a moderate oven. roast two hours and serve cold, cut in very thin slices. =shoulder of veal stuffed and braised.=--buy a shoulder of veal and ask the butcher to bone it and send the bones with the meat. cover the bones with cold water and when it comes to a boil, skim, then add a little onion and carrot, a few seasoning herbs and any spices desired. simmer gently for an hour or so until you have a pint of stock. to make the stuffing, take a stale loaf, cut off the crust and soak in a little cold water until soft. rub the crumb of the loaf as fine as possible in the hands, then add to the soaked and softened crust. chop a half cupful of suet fine, put into a frying pan a tablespoonful of the suet, and when hot add an onion chopped fine. cook until brown, then add to the bread with regular poultry seasoning or else salt, pepper and a bit of thyme. mix well and stuff the cavity in the shoulder, then pull the flaps of the meat over and sew up. put the rest of the suet in the frying pan, and having dusted the meat with flour, salt, pepper and a sprinkling of sugar, brown on all sides in the fat. into the bottom of the bag put a layer of thin sliced onion and carrot, a bit of bay leaf and sprigs of parsley, and on this lay the meat. add two or three cloves, pour the hot stock around it, cover closely and braise in a hot oven for two and a half hours. chapter xiv. sauces and gravies. =bignon's sauce.=--this is a delightful appetizer with meats cold or hot, or with fish. chop fine equal parts, say one tablespoonful of each, capers, parsley, chives, gherkins, tarragon and green chili peppers. mix together; season with salt, pepper and cayenne and cover with tarragon vinegar; let it stand an hour and add three tablespoonfuls of oil and a teaspoonful of french mustard. =bread sauce.=--mince an onion and boil in milk until soft. then strain the milk over one cupful of grated bread crumbs and stand aside, closely covered, for an hour. add the minced onion, two tablespoonfuls of butter, pepper, salt and a bit of mace to season. set over the fire, boil up and serve with roasted or broiled birds. =brown sauce.=--the formula for this is the same as for the white sauce, except that the butter and fat are browned before the flour is added, or browned flour is used for thickening. use a little more flour proportionately, in a brown sauce, as the browning destroys, in a measure, the thickening qualities of the flour. reduce with brown stock or water. with this as foundation, any number of palatable sauces can be invented which will be found useful in disposing of many odds and ends of vegetables, cold meats and left-over fish, that might otherwise "go begging." =celery sauce.=--prepare a smooth, white sauce by blending over the fire two tablespoonfuls each butter, and flour, then reducing with a pint of warm milk. add a dozen stalks of celery that have been minced fine and cooked tender in just enough water to cover. cook two minutes, season with salt and pepper and serve with boiled fowl. =currant jelly sauce.=--this makes a delicious addition to roast venison or mutton. cook together in a saucepan one tablespoonful butter and a teaspoonful minced onion. when the onion is lightly colored, (not blackened) add a teaspoonful of flour and stir until smooth. add gradually a half cupful stock, stirring all the time, and when it boils up add a bit of bay leaf, a teaspoonful vinegar, a half teaspoonful salt, and eighth teaspoonful pepper, one clove, and a tablespoonful of currant jelly. simmer five minutes, strain and serve hot. =curry sauce.=--this is nice with any delicate meat or fish or can be poured over boiled rice for a side dish. put two tablespoonfuls butter in a saucepan, then stir into it two tablespoonfuls flour. add a scant tablespoonful curry powder and a teaspoonful onion juice, and cook a moment or two, but do not allow them to brown. stir in gradually one cupful milk and cook until smooth and thickened. add a cup of cream, season with salt and just before serving, add, if you like, a hard boiled egg chopped fine. =hollandaise sauce.=--put one-half cup of butter into a bowl of cold water and wash it to take out the salt. divide it into three parts and put one-third into the top of a double boiler with the yolks of two eggs and a tablespoon of lemon juice. stir and cook until the butter melts, add another piece of butter and continue stirring. as the sauce thickens stir in the last piece, add one-third cup of boiling water, a speck of cayenne and a saltspoon of salt and cook one minute. =horseradish sauce.=--put a saucepan over the fire with a tablespoonful of butter and a half tablespoonful of flour. stir and cook two minutes, then add a half cupful of strained soup stock and a half cupful of milk, six whole peppers, a bit of bay leaf and an even half teaspoonful of salt. cook five minutes, remove bay leaf and peppers, and add three tablespoonfuls grated horseradish. cook two minutes and serve. =maitre d'hotel butter.=--to make it, rub a quarter cupful of butter to a cream, add a half teaspoonful of salt, a good dash of pepper, white or paprika, a tablespoonful of fine chopped parsley and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. if you are partial to nutmeg, a grating of that is sometimes added. =mexican sauce.=--take four large tomatoes or the equivalent in canned, three green peppers and one onion. chop pepper and onion in a wooden bowl, add the tomato and salt and pepper to season. to one-half cupful of vinegar, add the drippings from four slices fried bacon, pour over the chopped vegetables and serve in individual salad dishes as an accompaniment to meats. =mint sauce for roast lamb.=--put one cup of vinegar and one rounding tablespoon of sugar together and stir in one-quarter cup of finely minced mint. let stand fifteen minutes before it is served. =french mustard sauce, creole style.=--work together three tablespoonfuls mustard and one cupful sugar, then beat in one egg until smooth. add one cupful of vinegar a little at a time, set over the fire and cook three or four minutes stirring constantly. when cold add one tablespoonful olive oil beating all well together. =an excellent mustard sauce for cold meat.=--two teaspoonfuls flour, one teaspoonful sugar, one teaspoonful mustard, a little pepper and salt. mash all together, add boiling water, to make thick paste. beat constantly till lumps are all out. add sufficient vinegar to make it thinner. be sure the water is boiling. =onion sauce.=--prepare a smooth white sauce by blending over the fire two tablespoonfuls of butter and a tablespoonful and a half of flour. when bubbly, turn in two cupfuls of hot milk, and stir until smooth and thickened. add two large boiled onions minced fine, cook a moment, season with salt and pepper and serve with poultry or boiled veal. =spanish sauce.=--for veal, lamb or mutton chops, broiled or fried fish, chicken, etc. one large onion, one full section of garlic, one-half large sweet, green or red pepper. put in two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of olive or vegetable oil. when effervescing stops add a half teaspoonful of salt, and the onion, garlic and green pepper which has been finely grated. when this begins to brown, giving it time to cook rather well, add four good sized tomatoes, skinned and chopped, or the thick part of one can of tomatoes. let all simmer for fifteen to twenty minutes with occasional stirring to prevent burning. add salt and pepper, paprika, or cayenne to taste, two tablespoonfuls tomato ketchup and one dessertspoonful worcestershire sauce, before taking off fire. it should be the consistency of good cream. if too thin, cook down, or if too thick add a sufficient amount of _boiling_ water. use red pepper as a seasoning. =thick tomato sauce.=--blend over the fire two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour; add a little at a time, and stirring all the while, one large cupful of tomato juice. stir until the mixture thickens; then season to taste with sugar, salt and cayenne pepper. the seasoning may sometimes be varied by adding a little chopped parsley or chopped onion or even both. for a thinner tomato sauce--use but one tablespoonful of butter and one of flour to each cupful of liquor. =sauce tartare.=--make first a good mayonnaise, then finish with the addition of a tablespoonful each of chopped gherkins, olives, parsley and capers; mix together in a bowl a half teaspoonful of salt, a half teaspoonful mustard, a half teaspoonful of powdered sugar and a half saltspoonful of pepper; add the yolks of two raw eggs that have been in the ice box long enough to be as cold as possible and beat lightly; measure out a half cupful of olive oil and have this cold also; add the oil slowly at first, then as it begins to thicken it can be poured in more rapidly. when quite thick, add three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, then the chopped ingredients. this will keep several weeks. tarragon vinegar may be used in place of the cider vinegar if preferred. chapter xv. recooked dishes. =beef steak left overs.=--mince fine and for each cup of meat add a tablespoonful of chopped ham and half as much bread crumbs as you have meat. moisten the crumbs with a little hot milk and add to the meat. season highly with salt, pepper and chopped parsley or substitute a little sage or onion juice for the parsley. beat one egg light and add to the other ingredients. make into a brick shaped loaf, grease over with warmed butter or oil, put in paper bag also greased. seal and bake twenty-five minutes. dish on a hot platter, pour tomato sauce about it or serve with horse radish sauce. =chicken croquettes.=--to one solid cupful of meat chopped as fine as powder, add one half teaspoonful of salt, and a half saltspoonful of white pepper. make a pint of thick cream sauce, allowing to two level tablespoonfuls of butter, two heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch cooked together diluted with a pint of hot milk or cream and stirred and cooked until smooth and thick. season with salt and pepper and add enough to the chicken to make stiff enough to handle when cold. when cold shape into balls, roll in fine, dry bread crumbs and beaten egg diluted with a little water, then crumb again and place in well-greased bag. seal and cook ten minutes. =mock fried oysters.=--to two cupfuls cold boiled rice, add one tin of sardines, from which all bone and skin have been removed. roll this coarse paste into flat, circular cakes, put into well-greased bag and bake fifteen minutes in moderate oven. =turkey croquettes.=--chop the fragments of turkey or other left over meats very fine, adding for seasoning a small portion of bologna, ham or tongue together with a bit of fine minced onion or onion juice, salt, pepper and parsley. make a thick cream sauce, allowing for a pint of the chopped and seasoned meat the following portions: put into a saucepan a heaping tablespoonful butter and two level tablespoonfuls of flour. as soon as blended, pour in a cupful of hot milk stirring until thick and smooth. salt to taste. add the meat and beat until well mixed. season more highly if desired, then set away in a cold place until cold and stiffened. form into cones. dip in beaten egg, roll in fine crumbs and place in a cold place again until quite dry. bake in well-greased bag and stick a little sprig of parsley in the end of each cone before serving. =edinboro hot pot.=--you will need for this one pound of cold meat sliced and browned in sweet drippings, one large onion sliced and browned in the same drippings, a half tin of tomatoes, a half dozen cold boiled or baked potatoes sliced and a little good stock made from the bones and seasoning. put a layer of meat in the well-greased bag or in one of the oval wood cookery dishes made specially for the purpose. on top of the meat put some of the onions, tomatoes and potatoes. season with salt, pepper and butter or vegetable shortening and pour over all about a cupful of good stock. seal the bag and bake for a half hour in a moderate oven. =individual meat pies.=--chop fine any cold cooked meat. season highly with mustard, pepper sauce and catsup, salt and pepper; add one egg; moisten with liquor of oysters. make a rich biscuit crust, roll out to a quarter of an inch thickness, and cut in squares. fill half of each square with one tablespoonful of the prepared meat. fold remaining half of square over, first moistening edges with oyster liquor, and press closely together. put in buttered bag and bake twenty minutes in hot oven, reducing the heat after the first ten minutes. =english pasties.=--cut any cold meat up into small pieces, add a cupful of sliced potatoes, raw, and an onion chopped fine, some parsley and pepper and salt to taste. stew this until the potato is done and thicken with flour rubbed in butter. make a crust of flour and salt, using chopped suet and butter in equal quantities for shortening and a teaspoonful of baking powder to each quart of flour. roll the crust out thin and cut into large discs--the cover of a two quart pail makes a good pastie cutter. put two large spoonfuls of the meat mixture on the crust and roll over, pinching edges together like a fruit turnover. bag and bake one-half hour in a hot oven. if there is any of the meat gravy left serve it with the pasties. =olla podrida pie.=--grease one of the oval wood dishes and line with a crust about a quarter of an inch thick. fill with meat scraps of any sort cut small and heated together in a little stock or gravy, well seasoned with tomato and powdered herbs. small leftovers of any vegetable, peas, corn or cauliflower may also be minced and added with good effect. cover with strips of good paste lattice fashion, slip into a well-greased bag and cook half an hour in a moderate oven. =oyster bundles.=--cut generous, uniform slices of cold turkey or veal, lay a slice of bacon on each, then an oyster on each slice of the bacon. roll the three together, fasten with tooth picks and put in buttered bag. bake fifteen minutes and serve with potatoes baked in another bag. chapter xvi. cheese and egg dishes. =cheese ball with tomato sauce.=--mix together two cupfuls grated cheese, a cupful of fine bread crumbs, a quarter teaspoonful of salt and a few grains of cayenne. then add two eggs beaten stiff, shape in small balls, roll in crushed cracker crumbs and lay in well-buttered bag. bake ten minutes and serve on triangles of buttered toast with tomato sauce. =cheese fritters to serve with the salad course.=--beat two eggs, season with salt, pepper and a suspicion of mustard and then lay in this seasoned egg as many thin slices of american cheese as it will hold. have ready tart apples cored and sliced crosswise without peeling. put a slice of cheese between two rounds of apple, sandwich fashion, dip the sandwiches in the egg, lay in a well-greased paper bag seal and cook ten minutes. serve very hot. =pepper cheese.=--take green peppers, scorch slightly in hot oven or over the coals, then remove the outer skin with a sharp knife. split the peppers, remove the seeds, and put in their place a small roll of cream cheese. roll up again, skewer together with a wooden tooth-pick, dip in beaten egg and cracker crumbs and put in well-buttered bag. seal and bake fifteen minutes in hot oven. =cheese ramekins.=--roll out a sheet of pie crust and sprinkle liberally with grated cheese. roll up and roll out again. sprinkle on more cheese and repeat the rolling. stamp out with a biscuit cutter (the pastry should be about a quarter of an inch thick), put in buttered bag and bake in a hot oven. when done, dip both sides in melted butter and serve hot. =cheese and eggs.=--butter the bottom of a baking dish and cover with slices of rich cheese. break several whole eggs over the cheese, taking care that the whites and yolks do not become separated. season with salt and pepper, and pour over all a rich cream, a half tablespoonful to each egg. =baked eggs.=--butter little casseroles or gem pans, and drop an egg in each. season with salt and pepper and put a little cream on the top of each egg. put in bag, seal and bake five minutes. these are exceedingly delicate, as the steam being retained they bake quickly, yet do not become hard. set each on a plate for serving. =baked eggs with cheese.=--break into a buttered pan the number of eggs required. pour over each one tablespoon of rich, sweet cream, sprinkle over all a thin layer of grated cheese and a few fine rolled crumbs. season with salt and pepper, put in bag, seal, and bake about six minutes. =a paper bag omelette.=--beat two eggs for about five minutes. add a dash of salt and pepper and a heaping teaspoonful of flour. beat again until flour is well mixed in and add a small cupful of milk. put a tablespoonful of minced breakfast bacon into a pie tin, when quite hot pour egg mixture over it. put in paper bag, seal, and bake a delicate brown in a quick oven. cut in squares and serve immediately. =cheese omelette.=--a savory of cheese omelette may be made from one egg if the following recipe is used. soak one small cupful grated bread crumbs in two cupfuls of sweet milk into which a pinch of soda has been dissolved. beat one egg very light and add to the softened bread. stir in one teaspoonful of melted butter and a dash of cayenne. beat the whole well, add a small cupful grated cheese and a teaspoonful of salt. beat again, turn into a buttered bag, bake twenty minutes and serve at once. =swiss eggs.=--for swiss eggs spread the bottom of a bag with two ounces of fine american cheese. place four eggs on the cheese, taking care that the yolks are not broken. season with pepper and salt. pour around the eggs two tablespoonfuls of rich cream and cover the top with grated cheese. put in bag, seal and bake for ten minutes. garnish with parsley and serve with fingers of crisp toast. =eggs in tomato cups.=--cut fresh tomatoes in half and scoop out part of the interior. fry the tomato cups until half done. then break into each of them an egg. put then in a buttered bag, seal and cook ten minutes. the tops of the eggs may be sprinkled with minced ham or grated cheese, or they may be served plain. season and serve hot. chapter xvii. vegetables. while no claim is made that all vegetables are improved through paper bag cookery, experiments prove that quite a number can be successfully cooked by the paper bag process. vegetables of strong flavor as a rule are best cooked in a large quantity of water and are not recommended for paper bag cookery; only the more delicate vegetables that need to have their flavors conserved. dried peas, lentils and beans are excellent cooked in paper bags but require a longer preliminary soaking than is usual with other methods of cooking. =asparagus.=--trim and scrape as for boiling; wash very clean. tie in bundles and put into a buttered bag with a little salt and a quarter cupful of water. seal and cook from thirty-five to forty minutes in a hot oven. =asparagus with cheese.=--boil two bunches of asparagus twelve minutes in salted water. drain, but save the water. put the asparagus in a buttered bag or in one of the oval wooden dishes, scattering grated swiss or parmesan cheese between the layers. turn over all a cup of the water in which the asparagus was boiled, sprinkle the top of the scallop with a little cheese and a few buttered bread crumbs. seal the bag and cook fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. =lima beans.=--add to a quart of shelled lima beans three tablespoonfuls of butter or vegetable oil, a quarter pound of diced bacon or ham, a little minced parsley or other seasoning herbs, and a teaspoonful of flour. put in a greased bag with a cupful of water, seal and cook an hour in a moderate oven. =string beans, oriental style.=--string the beans, cut in two lengthwise, then break in inch pieces. to every pint of beans, which should be young and tender, allow one cupful boiling water, two tablespoonfuls vegetable oil, one small onion sliced, and a half cupful tomato. salt and pepper to taste. put all in greased paper bag and cook forty-five minutes. a wooden cookery dish can be employed to advantage. =boston baked bean cakes.=--these are made of left-over baked beans. heat with a little water to moisten, rub through a colander, season with salt, pepper and mustard. put a tablespoonful of pork drippings or butter in a frying pan, and cook in it, when hot, a tablespoonful of minced onion, taking care not to let it blacken. add to the beans, make into cakes and lay in well-greased bag. cook twenty minutes and serve with tomato sauce. =bean croquettes.=--soak one pint white pea beans or the little brown mexican frijoles over night in cold water. in the morning cook until soft in water to which a saltspoonful of soda has been added, changing the water after it first comes to a boil. rub through a colander, then add to the pulp one cup grated bread crumbs, one tablespoonful minced parsley, two tablespoonfuls melted butter, two eggs well beaten, one small onion grated and salt and pepper to season. mix thoroughly, shape into cylinders, dip in beaten egg, then in cracker dust and put in buttered bag. seal and cook ten minutes in hot oven. =german cabbage.=--take two small hard heads of red cabbage and cut in slices half an inch thick, discarding the hard stalk and veins. put onto a greased wooden cookery bowl two rounding tablespoonfuls of melted butter or vegetable oil, then add the cabbage, sprinkle with a level teaspoonful of salt, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar and one onion chopped fine. put in bag, seal, and put in oven. bake one hour with only one burner on after the first ten minutes. =cabbage hot slaw.=--chop a small hard head of cabbage fine and salt it lightly. let stand half an hour then put in wooden bowl with two tablespoonfuls of butter. put in bag, seal, and cook slowly in the oven for twenty minutes. no water is necessary, as the salt will draw out the juices of the cabbage so it will have moisture enough. at the end of twenty minutes take up with a hot dish, add a teaspoonful of flour that has been stirred in a little cold water, then cooked until thick with a half cupful of cream. lastly, add one tablespoonful of pure vinegar and serve at once. =carrots.=--wash and scrape a half dozen tender carrots. slice thin and season with salt, pepper and a good tablespoonful of butter. add a half cupful good stock, put in a well-greased bag, seal and cook thirty-five minutes. =carrot saute.=--scrape and cook young carrots in boiling salted water until tender. cut in halves lengthwise, roll in fine cracker crumbs, then in egg and cracker again, and put in well-greased bag. bake fifteen minutes, sprinkle with fine chopped parsley and serve very hot. =stuffed eggplant.=--select purple fruit and of small size. halve them, sprinkle them with salt, turn them cut side down on a fine sieve, put a heavy plate on them and let them drain for an hour. wipe dry, take from each a tablespoonful of the center, chop it fine and for each tablespoonful allow the same amount of bread crumbs, a teaspoonful of chopped onions, olives and vegetable oil, with a little salt and a dusting of paprika. mound this dressing on each half, arrange the halves in a buttered bag, pour in water to the depth of an inch, add a generous piece of butter, salt and pepper, and place the bag in a hot oven; twenty minutes should be sufficiently long to cook the eggplant thoroughly. =lentil cutlets.=--soak one cupful dried lentils all night with a cupful dried lima beans. in the morning drain, add two quarts of water, a stalk of celery and half an onion sliced. cook until soft, remove the seasonings and rub through a puree sieve. add one cupful stale bread crumbs, one beaten egg, the juice of a half lemon and seasonings to taste. melt a heaping tablespoonful of butter in a small saucepan, add to it a tablespoonful flour and pour on, when blended, a third of a cup of milk. let the mixture cook until thick and smooth, then add to the lentil mixture and set aside to cool. shape into small cutlets, dip in beaten egg, then in fine cracker crumb, put in a well-buttered bag and bake twenty minutes. serve with a tomato sauce. =mushrooms.=--choose fine fat mushrooms, cut the stem close, peel and wipe delicately with a damp cloth. sprinkle lightly with salt and lay in a well-greased bag together with a big tablespoonful of butter rolled in flour and a half cupful of rich cream. seal and cook twelve minutes in a hot oven. =baked onions.=--parboil for fifteen minutes bermuda or spanish onions, chill in cold water, then if very large cut in halves, otherwise, cut a little wedge out of the hearts and fill the cavity with butter or vegetable oil. put in the well-greased bag, adding a little water and more butter or oil, seal and cook twenty minutes. =stuffed baked onions.=--the next time you have a roast leg of lamb or mutton, try baked onions prepared in this way as an accompaniment: take large onions, preferably spanish or bermudas, peel, cut a slice from the top of each, and with a small spoon scoop out about half the pulp. put this in a dish, mix with it an equal quantity of bread crumbs, well flavored with chopped parsley, sweet marjoram, salt and pepper. moisten the whole lightly with cream and a little melted butter; mix well, fill the onion cavities with the stuffing, crown with a slice of bacon for a cover, put in a bag and bake one hour in a moderate oven. =onions with cheese.=--skin large spanish onions and boil until quite soft. press through a sieve and put into a well-buttered wooden baking dish. season with salt, pepper and plenty of butter, add a little stock or milk, grate a little cheese over them, put in bag and bake to a golden brown. =parsnips.=--scrape and parboil some parsnips. cut in two lengthwise. season with pepper and salt, roll in melted butter, dripping or olive oil. flour again and place in a well-greased paper bag. seal up and bake in a hot oven on a wire rack for half an hour. they should be a golden brown. =green peas.=--shell the peas, put into a well-buttered bag with a little salt to season, a little sprig of green mint and a half cupful of water. seal and cook twenty-five minutes. slit open the bag, pour its contents into a hot dish, season well with butter and serve. =stuffed peppers.=--in preparing peppers for stuffing, select those of uniform size, wash and plunge in boiling water for about ten minutes; then drop into cold water to keep them green; cut off the stem ends and scoop out the seeds and inside of the peppers; fill with any of the following stuffings or a combination of your own devising. stuffing no. . wash half a cup of rice; cover with boiling water and cook rapidly for ten minutes; then turn into a sieve to drain. peel three large tomatoes, removing the seeds and cutting the pulp in small pieces. when fresh tomatoes are out of season, their equivalent in canned may be used. mix the rice and tomatoes together; add two tablespoonfuls of olive oil or melted butter and season with salt. fill the drained peppers with the mixture, sprinkling a few buttered crumbs over the top and replace the covers. oil the peppers on the outside, and set in a buttered bag. turn enough stock into the bag to come half way up the sides of the peppers (if you have no stock use hot water in which a tablespoonful of kitchen bouquet has been dissolved and several slices of onion and carrot added), and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. rice that has been left over from dinner may be used, leaving the tomatoes out and seasoning with chopped celery, parsley, salt and pepper. when done, dish on a hot platter and pour a rich brown sauce over them, scattering a little minced parsley over the top. a wooden cookery dish is advised here. stuffing no. . for eight good sized peppers take a pint of chopped meat, veal or chicken, or veal mixed with sausage, a cupful of soft bread crumbs and a cup of stock, gravy or water in which a spoonful of beef extract has been dissolved. season with an even teaspoonful each of salt and pepper and half teaspoonful each summer savory, thyme and sage. mix well, fill the peppers, sprinkle fine buttered bread crumbs over them at the end where the stuffing is exposed, put in a buttered bag and bake until well browned. this will take about a quarter of an hour. serve with chicken or roast beef, and with or without a sauce. =peppers with creamed fish.=--parboil the peppers ten minutes, then fill with creamed fish of any kind, which may be seasoned with a tablespoonful of sherry. then sprinkle with a layer of fine crumbs, dot with butter, bag, and brown lightly in a quick oven. creamed carrots, cauliflower, sprouts, and many other vegetables may be baked in the pepper cups and served either as a vegetable or an entree. filled with potatoes au gratin and browned they are a delicious accompaniment for chops and steaks. =baked irish potatoes.=--scrub thoroughly and rinse as many good sized potatoes as will be required. make a few slits in them but do not peel. place in the paper bag with a tablespoonful of water, close tightly and cook from thirty-five to fifty minutes, according to size. =baked potatoes without their coats or jackets.=--select as many potatoes of the same size as desired. peel and let them stand in salted, cold water for ten minutes. then drain without drying and place in a greased bag,--bacon fat is good for these potatoes--and cook in a hot oven, without disturbing, for forty-five minutes if small, one hour, if large. they will have a crisp, brown coat, every part of which can be eaten. =potatoes en surprise.=--choose potatoes of smooth shape, not too large and of even size. scrape out from the top of each a space large enough to hold the yolk of an egg. salt and pepper the nest, drop in a tiny bit of butter, then the egg yolk, follow with a thin slice of bacon just large enough to cover the egg and set in greased paper bag. if necessary to keep them upright cut a thin slice from the bottom of each potato, add a spoonful of cold water, seal, set in a hot oven and cook for thirty minutes. =potatoes farci.=--a new and very delicious way of serving stuffed potatoes is as follows: wash large potatoes and bake in bag until nearly done; take from the oven and nearly cut off one end, leaving the skin for a hinge and a bit of potato for a lid. pull out the undone heart with a fork and in its place lay shavings of smoked bacon, peppered and tightly rolled after having been laid for an instant on a hot frying pan; close the potato and set in the oven to finish cooking. =sauer kraut.=--put enough to serve six people in one of the largest size wood cookery dishes, salt and season to taste, add a half cupful of water, put in bag, seal, and bake one hour in moderate oven. =waldorf sauer kraut.=--soak the sauer kraut in cold water until just palatably salt. put into greased paper bag on a wooden cookery dish with a little bacon, pickled pork or sausage, add a half cupful of hot water and cook about twenty minutes. drain, put in a hot dish with or without the meat as desired and serve. when boiled sauer kraut is cold it may be chopped and reheated in a buttered bag with butter, gravy or a white sauce. =sweet potatoes and bacon.=--peel boiled sweet potatoes, fasten a slice of bacon around each, using a wooden tooth pick to hold in place. put in buttered bag with a spoonful of water, and bake ten minutes. =sweet potato straws.=--cut potatoes in slices lengthwise, peel, then cut into straws. dip in bacon fat or melted butter, put in buttered bag, seal, and cook fifteen minutes. take out on soft paper to absorb any grease, dust lightly with salt and serve. =sweet potato en brochette.=--peel and cut in half inch, uniform slices. put on skewers in groups of four, place in boiling water and parboil ten minutes. drain, brush over with vegetable oil, sprinkle with brown sugar, put in greased bag and bake twenty minutes in moderate oven. =spinach.=--pick over carefully, thoroughly wash, then put into a bag, leaving the vegetable quite damp. add a little salt, seal and cook thirty minutes. before lifting the bag from the oven slide a pan under it, and prick the bottom of the bag so the water will drain out. dish, adding butter to season and serve. =summer squash in butter.=--cut into narrow strips and season with salt and pepper. put into well-greased bag, add a generous lump of butter and cook about half an hour. =stuffed summer squash.=--boil in lightly salted water until tender. cut off the top and scoop out the inside. mix well with seasoned and buttered crumbs, chopped onion and grated cheese. fill the shell, sprinkle the top with buttered crumbs, put in bag and bake until brown. =stuffed tomatoes with cream.=--mix together three-quarters of a cupful of cold-chopped chicken or veal, three tablespoonfuls of soft bread crumbs, a tablespoonful of melted butter, one teaspoonful of chopped parsley, half a teaspoonful of salt and quarter teaspoonful of paprika. wash and wipe six medium-sized tomatoes, take a small piece from the stem end, carefully remove a portion of the pulp, and fill the hole with the stuffing; place in a buttered bag and cook for thirty minutes in a moderate oven. remove to a hot platter, whip three tablespoonfuls of rich cream, add to it two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, and pour a small portion over each tomato. =turnips.=--peel and slice your turnips and put them in a well-greased bag with a light seasoning of salt, a lump of butter barely dusted with flour, and enough thin stock to half cover them. seal and cook in a moderate oven for an hour more or less according to the tenderness of the vegetable. empty into a hot dish and if not rich enough add more butter, and dust with black pepper and salt. =turnip balls.=--peel fine grained turnips, then cut into balls, using a vegetable scoop. put into a well-greased bag with a light seasoning of salt, a little sugar, a dusting of pepper, a tablespoonful of butter or vegetable oil and a quarter cupful of hot water, seal, and cook half an hour until tender, but not brown. take up, add a half cupful hot cream sauce, stir lightly in it, sprinkle with minced parsley and serve very hot. =stuffed vine leaves or dolmas.=--choose tender vine leaves and scald them, after which roll a little of the following stuffing in each leaf, making it round and firm so that the stuffing will not come out when the balls are boiled. chop three onions, put a teacupful of good salad oil in a stewing-pan, and, when it is boiling hot, throw in the chopped onion. as soon as this begins to cook, add a small cupful of carolina rice, some chopped parsley and mint, salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of currants and mix well on the fire till the rice begins to brown. then take a vine leaf in your left hand and wrong side upward and put a little of this prepared rice into it. put some of the coarse vine leaves at the bottom of the paper bag and arrange each little ball beside its neighbor, packing them rather tightly. when this is done, put in sufficient water just to cover the dolmas, add a little oil, seal the bag and bake till the rice is soft and the water is all absorbed. this is a very delicate and characteristic dish, but will be a failure if the vine leaves are not tender or the oil is rancid. serve with lemon. chapter xviii. warm breads, biscuits, muffins, etc. =baking powder bread.=--sift together, five times over, four quarts of flour, six rounded teaspoonfuls baking powder and four level teaspoonfuls salt. have the oven quite hot. add to the sifted flour enough milk and water in nearly equal proportions, to make a moist, not wet, dough, stiff enough to handle, then divide into four portions, mould lightly into shape and put into brick shaped pans. brush over the tops with milk, put into bags and bake an hour. =bannocks.=--sift together one pint of corn meal, one tablespoonful of sugar and a teaspoonful of salt. pour over the mixture enough milk or milk and water to moisten. let stand until cool, then add three well-beaten eggs, spread half an inch thick in well-greased bag. seal and bake in hot oven. cut into squares, split and serve hot and well-buttered. =baking powder biscuits.=--sift together three times over one quart of flour, two rounded teaspoonfuls baking powder, and a teaspoonful of salt. rub in with the tips of the fingers one rounding tablespoonful vegetable shortening or butter, and when the flour feels mealy, add slowly a cup and a half of milk or milk and water mixed. mix lightly with little handling, turn out on board, roll into a sheet half an inch in thickness, stamp out with small round cutter and lay in greased bag. brush the top of each biscuit with milk. seal and bake twenty minutes in a very hot oven. =egg biscuits.=--to make these delicious biscuits, beat one egg until light, then mix with it two-thirds of a cupful of milk. add to one pint of flour a heaping teaspoonful baking powder and one-half teaspoonful salt, and sift. blend with the mixture one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. add the egg mixture, make into a dough and knead lightly. roll into a sheet a quarter of an inch thick, stamp out with a round cutter, brush over the top of each biscuit with cream, prick with a fork, bag, and bake in a hot oven. =maple biscuits.=--make a very rich baking powder biscuit dough and roll out to half the thickness of biscuits, cut out with a small cutter, sprinkle grated maple sugar over the tops of half of them, moisten the under sides of the others and lay them on top of the sugared ones, pressing them on well. lay close together in a bag, brush over with milk or melted butter, seal and bake in a quick oven. =nut biscuits.=--sift together two cupfuls flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, and a teaspoonful and a half of baking powder. rub in one heaping tablespoonful of butter or vegetable shortening, and add one cupful of nuts, pecans, hickory or english walnuts chopped and a tablespoonful of sugar. mix to a soft dough with milk or milk and water, mould with the hands into small balls, place in a greased bag, brush each biscuit over with milk or melted butter, put a pinch of chopped nuts on each, seal and bake in a hot oven. =raisin biscuits.=--these are excellent for home luncheon or the children's school or picnic lunch. sift together one quart of flour, a half teaspoonful of salt and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. work into the sifted flour a cupful of shortening, then add a cupful each seedless raisins and milk. mix well and roll out on the molding board. cut in small round biscuits, bag, and bake in a quick oven. =hot cross buns.=--sift together one quart of pastry flour, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder and a teaspoonful of salt. rub into the flour a piece of butter the size of an egg. mix together a cupful each of milk and water and add one cupful of sugar. stir into the flour, add two beaten eggs, and mix soft. cut into small biscuits, make the cross on the top of each, bag, and bake in a very hot oven. sift powdered sugar over them as soon as taken from the bag. a half cupful chopped raisins or currants may be added to the dough if desired. =warmed over breads.=--it is a trick worth knowing that cold biscuit, rolls, gems and the like can be brushed over with water, put in a greased paper bag, sealed and set in the oven for eight minutes to emerge as fresh as though just newly baked. chapter xix. cakes. cakes baked in paper bags will be as brown as if baked without the bag and will retain their moisture infinitely better; therefore plain loaf cakes and all fruit cakes are greatly improved by the paper bag cooking. while drop cakes, oatmeal cookies and the like can be baked directly on the bottom of the bag, better results as far as form is concerned, will come from using very thin tin moulds or baking sheets or paper souffle cases. before putting a cake in the oven, particularly if it be a fruit cake, it will be found advisable to set on the bottom of the oven, a shallow pan with a little water in it. put in the bag, close the oven door and leave ten minutes with the gas on, then reduce the heat at least one-half. bag cooking prevents cake crusting over and thereby permits it to rise to its full height. it also saves from burning. midway in the baking the position of cakes can be changed, those on the grid itself set low on the broiler and vice versa so all will cook evenly. to test whether the cake is done or no, make a hole in the bag top and thrust in a clean straw or thin knife blade. if it comes out dry with no stickiness, the cake is done. =cheese cakes.=--these are a modern adaptation of the old "flawns," a favorite eastertide cake. as formerly made, there was a tedious separation of curds and whey; but the housewife of today eliminates that by taking a neufchatel or cream cheese as the foundation. this is crumbled fine and added to the other ingredients, allowing to each neufchatel cheese, one small cupful of sugar, the grated rind and half the juice of one lemon, a half cupful each sifted cracker crumbs and currants, one tablespoonful melted butter, half a nutmeg grated, half a cupful of cream or rich milk, a saltspoonful of salt and four eggs. crumble the cheese and crackers together, beat the eggs and add, together with sugar, salt and spices. next add the butter and cream and lastly the currants, lemon juice and rind. mix thoroughly and fill patty tins lined with puff paste. ornament the top with currants and slender strips of citron, put in buttered bag. seal and bake in a quick oven. =cinnamon cake.=--cream one-quarter cup of butter and one cup of sugar, add one-half cup of milk, one well beaten egg, one and three-quarters cups of flour sifted twice with three even teaspoons of baking powder, and pour in a shallow pan to make a sheet rather than a loaf. just before setting the cake into the oven sprinkle cinnamon and granulated sugar over the top. put into a bag. seal and bake twenty minutes. serve fresh and cut in squares. =english fairy cakes.=--sift together six ounces of flour and a half teaspoonful of baking powder. grate a lemon rind and add to the sifted flour together with three ounces chopped candied cherries. beat to a cream four ounces of butter and four of sugar, then add three eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly. add the flour and cherry mixture and stir lightly. have ready some buttered patty-tins, half fill with the batter, bag, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. =fruit cookies.=--one cupful and one-half of sugar, either white or brown, one cupful of butter and lard or vegetable shortening, (half and half is good) three tablespoonfuls of molasses, the same amount of hot water, three eggs, one cupful of raisins, one teaspoonful each of soda (dissolved in hot water), ginger and cinnamon, a light sprinkling of cloves, and flour to make very stiff. half a cupful or more of chopped nut meats makes a nice addition, but is not necessary. cream the sugar and shortening, as for cake, then add eggs well beaten, molasses and water, spices and soda, then flour, and lastly fruit. when the batter will take up no more flour, lift it up by teaspoonfuls, pat it flat and in shape in the baking pan, which must be well-buttered, put in bag, and bake in fairly hot oven, being careful not to scorch. this will be found much easier than rolling the dough on a board, and will make about forty cookies. =mrs. godfrey's soft gingerbread.=--in a symposium on gingerbreads held one summer afternoon at sunapee inn, new hampshire, this was given as an example of a most delicate inexpensive cake. add to one cupful molasses, one cupful softened butter or lard, filling up the cup in which it is measured with boiling water. add two even teaspoonfuls soda, a small teaspoonful of ginger, a pinch of salt, one beaten egg, and two heaping cupfuls sifted flour. beat lightly (not too much lest it make the ginger bread light colored), put in bag and bake in a moderate oven. =good friday cake.=--this is a simple tea cake, not very sweet, and is served hot or cold as preferred. to make it, beat to a cream a scant cupful of butter and a quarter cupful of sugar. add a teaspoonful of the grated yellow rind of lemon, a half teaspoonful of lemon juice, a pound of flour and enough water to make a stiff paste. divide the dough into two equal parts and roll into large, round cakes about the size of an ordinary pie tin. mark the edges with a "jigger" into some fancy design, or simply pinch with the fingers. cut each cake into quarters, brush over with the white of an egg, lay a strip of candied lemon peel on each, sprinkle with granulated sugar put in bag, and bake. =german honey cakes.=--these are fine for luncheon or the kaffee klatch. put into a saucepan two cupfuls strained honey and one cupful sugar. warm, add a cupful of butter and a half tablespoonful soda dissolved in a little warm water. add a half cupful caraway seed and flour to roll. roll into a rather thick sheet, mark into squares, put in bag, and bake. when done cut in small cakes. =pecan kisses.=--into the whites of six eggs put fourteen little more than level tablespoonfuls white sugar and beat long and thoroughly until stiff enough to stand alone. have ready a small cup pecan kernels having them in as perfect halves as possible. beat in lightly, drop in greased baking sheet, put in bag. seal and bake in a moderate oven. =mrs. kelder's loaf cake.=--beat to a cream one and one-half cupfuls sugar and one-half cupful of butter. add the yolks of three eggs beaten until light and thin. add two and one-half cupfuls flour measured after sifting with two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. lastly fold in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs and flavor to taste. put in light tin, set in paper bag. seal and bake thirty-five minutes. =hickory nut macaroons.=--to one whole egg beaten light, add one cup sugar and beat well. add two tablespoonfuls flour and one cup nut meats and lastly fold in the stiffly whipped whites of three eggs. drop by spoonfuls into a well-greased bag and bake in a moderate oven ten or twelve minutes. =walnut macaroons.=--one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one-third cup of butter, three eggs, three cups of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in water, one teaspoonful of cloves, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one cup of english walnut meats, one cup of chopped dates. do not roll the mixture as in ordinary cookies, but drop into a greased bag with a spoon. seal and bake slowly for thirty minutes. =maple sugar cake.=--add to one cup maple syrup one beaten egg, a pinch of salt, one cup of thick, sour cream, into which has been stirred a teaspoonful (scant) of soda, a teaspoonful of ginger and flour to make a thin batter. bake in a bag and cut in squares. =molasses coffee cake.=--then right here let me give you a recipe for a fruit cake or gingerbread with fruit as you may elect to call it. cream together one cupful of sugar and three-fourths cup of butter. add one cupful black molasses, one cupful strong coffee with a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it, four beaten eggs, one teaspoonful each cinnamon and nutmeg, three-fourths teaspoonful cloves, one half pound shredded citron and three cupfuls sifted flour. do not beat longer than necessary. put in tin, then in bag, and bake in a slow oven. =nut cake.=--to make a light, delicious cake, cream together one cup of sugar and five tablespoons of melted butter. into this beat two well beaten eggs, a pinch of salt and a cup of milk. stir into this two heaping cupfuls of flour, sifted with two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. after this is well beaten, stir in three-quarters of a cup of chopped walnuts. bake in square cake tin in bag. ice when cold with plain pulverized sugar icing. cut in squares, placing a piece of walnut meat on each square. =oatmeal cakes.=--beat to a cream three-fourths cupful vegetable shortening or butter and a cupful and a half of brown sugar. dissolve one teaspoonful of soda in one cupful of boiling water and add to butter and sugar mixture. mix together two cupfuls of dry oatmeal, two cupfuls of flour and a half teaspoonful of salt and add to the other ingredients. flavor to taste. lastly add two well beaten eggs and drop from spoon into greased bag or flat tin and place in bag. seal and bake in moderate oven about fifteen minutes. =german peach cake.=--make a rich baking powder biscuit dough and roll out in sheets to fit a long biscuit pan. it should not be more than a half-inch thick. brush the top with butter and cover with slices of peach arranged in symmetrical overlapping rows, or half peaches with the rounded side up. sprinkle generously with sugar, cover with another tin to prevent the fruit from becoming mushy or hardened, put in bag and bake about half an hour in a hot oven. this is a good substitute for peach pie. =pork cake.=--this is an old new england dish that has been relegated to the background these many years, but is lately coming to the fore. a gray haired new york physician, dining at my house the other night, declared that his old connecticut aunt's pork cake was one of the dearest remembered gustatorial delights of his boyhood. to make it chop one pound of fat pork fine. pour over it a pint of boiling water, then stir in three cupfuls brown sugar, one pound of seeded raisins, eight cupfuls of flour and two rounding teaspoonfuls of soda dissolved in a little water. add a teaspoonful of cinnamon, a half teaspoonful cloves and nutmeg, mix thoroughly and bake in a slow oven like fruit cake. if preferred, two beaten eggs may be added in which case less flour will be required. =potato chocolate cake.=--to two cupfuls of sugar and two-thirds cup butter beaten to a cream, add yolks of four eggs beaten until lemon colored and light and a half cupful of sweet milk. next add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of hot water, one cup mashed potato, two cups of flour, and four squares of chocolate melted, one cup chopped walnuts, a teaspoonful of vanilla. lastly fold in the stiffly beaten whites of four eggs. this may be baked either in a large loaf or in layers in a paper bag. =potato caramel cake.=--beat to a cream two-thirds cup of butter and two cups of sugar, add the yolks of four eggs beaten until light and mix with a half cup of sweet milk and one cup mashed potato. add two squares of bitter chocolate melted, one-half teaspoonful nutmeg, and two cups flour sifted with two teaspoonfuls baking powder. fold in whites of four eggs beaten stiff, a cupful of nut meats, preferably english walnuts, chopped. bake slowly for about an hour in a gingerbread tin in paper bag, making the cake an inch and a half or two inches thick; or else in layer tins together with white icing. this will make four layers. =auburn pound cake.=--beat to a cream three-fourths pounds of butter and one pound fine granulated sugar. add the yolks of nine eggs beaten light and one pound flour measured after sifting and then sifted again with a teaspoonful and a half of baking powder. fold in the stiffly whipped whites and flavor with vanilla, almond or the grated rind and juice of a lemon or a wine glass of sherry. pour into well-buttered thin tin mould and seal in bags. bake an hour and a quarter or an hour and a half in a moderate oven. =raisin nut cakes.=--for raisin nut cakes for afternoon tea, beat six eggs lightly, beating the whites and with an even teaspoon of soda, one teaspoon of sugar creamed with a cupful of butter, a cupful and a half of milk and three cupfuls and a half of flour. add a cupful of chopped walnuts, two pounds of chopped raisins, a wineglass of brandy, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and spice to taste. make into small cakes, put on tin in bag and bake in a moderate oven. =sour cream cake.=--beat together one cup of powdered sugar and one cup of sour cream, add two eggs beaten light, one and one-half cups of flour sifted twice with an even teaspoon of soda twice, one teaspoon of vanilla and one cup of seeded and cut raisins rolled lightly in flour. beat to make the batter creamy and bake at once in a rather shallow pan sealed in a paper bag. chapter xx. fruits. =baked apples.=--wash, but do not peel; cut out specks and bruises, core, fill the bottom of the core-space with a bit of butter, over which pile sugar and add a dusting of cinnamon. a clove stuck in the side may take the place of the cinnamon. seal inside a well-greased bag and bake eighteen to twenty minutes in a fairly hot oven. serve hot with sugar and cream or a hard sauce. =baked apple dumplings.=--make a regular shortcake crust, using one pint of flour, two teaspoonfuls baking powder and a saltspoonful of salt, sifted together three times, one-quarter cup butter rubbed in with the tips of the fingers, and one egg beaten and mixed with three-quarters cup milk. roll out and cut in five-inch squares. have ready three large apples, peeled, cored and halved and lay each piece on a square of the paste. fold the pastry over each apple like a blanket, lapping the four corners at the top and pressing them down firmly. turn the dumplings upside down in a well-buttered bag, dot with bits of butter and sprinkle with sugar. set the bag in a quick oven and bake to a russet brown. this will take about half an hour. serve with any sweet sauce, or rich, sweet cream. =cold baked apples with rum.=--peel, core and bake the apples in a buttered bag, with a teaspoonful of sugar to each apple. put in the serving dish, and while still very hot pour over each a dessertspoonful of rum. let cool and serve with cake or crisped water biscuit. =cinnamon apples.=--peel, core and quarter six good cooking apples, preferably greenings. melt a tablespoonful of butter in a warm bowl and stir the apples in it until coated with the butter. mix a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon with a half cup of granulated sugar, and stir into the apples. have a paper bag thoroughly buttered and put the apples in it. rinse out the bowl with a cup of hot water, add it to the apples, seal carefully, place on a broiler which rests on a pie plate and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes. half a pint of whipped cream over the apples when served is an addition, but they are delicious, cooked in this way, without it. =apples stuffed with figs.=--steam tender as many figs as you desire, chop into dice and roll each piece in powdered sugar seasoned with cinnamon. core large, tart apples and fill the cavities with the figs. bag and bake in a hot oven, adding a little hot water. when tender, remove carefully to the serving dish and pour over them a syrup made by boiling a half cup of sugar with an equal quantity of water. flavor to taste and pour over the apples. serve cold with whipped or plain cream. =baked apples and nuts.=--for a half dozen large apples a good three-fourths cup of nut meats, butternuts, black walnuts or hickory nuts--will be required. chop the meats fine and add a half cup of sugar. core the apples and fill the centres with the nuts and sugar. put in a rather deep pan, with a cupful of boiling water added, bag and bake. when tender remove carefully, place in a pretty dish, pour the juice over the apples, and crown with whipped cream or a meringue made from the whites of two eggs. =raisin apples.=--a simple dessert enjoyed by the children consists of apples, cored and each cavity filled with sugar, nutmeg, a bit of butter and two or three raisins. add one cupful of hot water, put in bag and bake in a slow oven. this may be varied occasionally by placing a meringue on the top of each apple when done, and cooking in a slow oven for seven minutes longer. serve cold. =baked apple sauce.=--peel and core firm apples of good flavor. stick three cloves in each and put bits of mace and cinnamon in the core spaces. put them in a well-buttered bag with two heaping cupfuls of sugar and a half cupful of water. cook thirty minutes. have the oven very hot at first, but slack heat after seven minutes. lemon juice instead of water makes a richer flavored sauce. in that case add a half cupful more sugar at the outset. =baked bananas.=--peel and remove coarse threads, cut the pulp in halves lengthwise, dust with sugar and sprinkle with lemon juice, put in buttered bag and bake fifteen minutes, or roll the bananas in hot marmalade, then bake. =stuffed dates.=--select large, fine fruit, wash quickly and remove the pit. put into the cavity a bit of crystallized ginger or citron, a nut or little candied peel, roll in confectioner's sugar and lay in lightly buttered bag left open at one end. put in coolish oven to harden. =baked gooseberries.=--put into a greased bag a pint of "topped and tailed" gooseberries, add a cupful each sugar and water, seal and cook twenty minutes. =baked peaches.=--pour boiling water over the fruit, then rub off the skins and place in buttered bag without removing the pits. add a teaspoonful of water for each peach, seal and bake about twenty minutes in a hot oven. when done, sweeten to taste and set aside to chill before using. serve with sweet cream. =baked pears.=--select ripe, fine-flavored fruit, snip out the blossom end and stick in a clove. if the skin is thin, do not peel, but if tough, remove, put in buttered bag with a little water, seal and cook from fifteen to thirty minutes according to the quality of the fruit. =baked plums.=--put in buttered bag with a little water and cook twenty or twenty-five minutes. sweeten to taste when done. =baked quinces.=--wash, core and peel, fill the centers with sugar and put in greased bag with two tablespoonfuls of water allowed for each quince. seal and bake slowly for an hour, until the quince is tender but not mushy. serve with the quince syrup and a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each quince. =baked raisins.=--remove stems, clean well, put in a colander and wash thoroughly. put in buttered bag with a cupful of water for each cupful of raisins. seal and cook slowly for half an hour. a mixture of dried apricots, prunes and cherries is nice with the raisins, but these fruits need long soaking in cold water before adding to the raisins and cooking. =chestnut patties.=--beat together, until smooth, one egg and one cupful of pulverized sugar. add one cupful of chestnut meats that have been put through a nut grinder, five tablespoonfuls of flour and one teaspoonful of baking powder. beat lightly, then drop by spoonfuls on buttered tins. dust with pulverized sugar and cinnamon. put in bag and bake in a quick oven. chapter xxi. pastry. use tin or agate pie plates for paper bag cookery. line with a delicate crust, and prick the bottom with a fork. turn in whatever filling you elect to have, and put on top crust or the latticed bars. cut a cross in the center of a solid crust and turn back the points or prick with a fork. any pie can be baked in a paper bag with advantage. cook two pies at once, shifting midway in the cooking from the upper to the lower shelves and vice versa. have the oven hot when the pies go in, but reduce the heat as soon as the bag corners turn brown. average pies require about half an hour for the baking. =plain pie crust.=--for each pie allow a heaping cupful of pastry flour and sift into a cold bowl with a half teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of baking powder. have ready a quarter cupful of butter that has been washed in cold water, then chilled on the ice. work into the sifted flour a quarter cupful of lard or vegetable shortening, using the tips of the fingers or a case knife. as soon as the flour begins to feel like coarse meal, moisten to a dough with cold water. add a little at a time, handling the crust as lightly as possible. it will take about a quarter of a cupful of water to a heaping cupful of flour. toss on a smooth board, dredged lightly with flour, pat and roll a quarter of an inch in thickness, keeping the sheet of paste a little wider than it is long. now place the chilled butter on the center of the lower half of the paste and cover by folding the upper part of the sheet over it. press the edges together so as to inclose as much air as possible. fold the right side of the paste over the inclosed butter and the left side under. turn the paste half way around, pat into shape and roll out lightly having the sheet of paste longer than it is wide, and lifting often to prevent its sticking to the board. dredge slightly with flour when necessary. fold again so as to make three layers, divide in halves, pat and roll out the one intended for the lower crust having it a little larger than the pie plate, to allow for shrinkage. fold back the rolled out crust and readjust in the pie tin letting it come well up over the edge, then pressing back. turn in the filling then roll out the upper crust. when this reaches the required size, fold over and perforate the center, piercing with a fork or using a knife to make any pattern desired, and place in position over the pie. =apple pie.=--peel and slice thin, tart, well flavored apples. put in crust, sprinkle with sugar, dust with cinnamon or nutmeg, cover with latticed or full crust, put in bag, and bake half an hour in a steady oven. =a new apple pie.=--peel and core about eight or ten apples or as many as are wanted. make a rich pastry dough and cut in strips about two inches wide. wind a strip around each apple, but do not cover it. fill the center of each apple with butter, sugar and water. sprinkle with nutmeg, put in bag, then in the oven and bake. serve with or without cream. =deep apple pie with cream cheese.=--bake a nice apple pie about three-quarters of an hour before dinner. have a small cream cheese pressed through a ricer and mixed with a cup of whipped cream and a little salt. press through a pastry tube or tin funnel on top of the pie in a pattern, and serve warm for dessert. the cheese and cream combination may also be used on a two crust apple pie. =cranberry pie.=--line a rather deep pie plate with a plain crust. put on a border of richer paste, fill with cranberries cooked according to directions for stewed cranberries, and put strips of crust over the top, making squares or diamonds as preferred. put in bag and bake. =cranberry and raisin pie.=--allow to each pie a cup and a half cranberries and a half cup of raisins. the latter should be seeded and the berries washed and cut in two. mix with them a cup of sugar, a tablespoon of flour, and a teaspoonful of butter. fill a pie plate lined with crust, heaping up slightly in the middle. cover with an upper crust, bag, and bake in a hot oven. =lemon pie.=--beat the yolks of three eggs lightly, add one cup of sugar slowly and then the juice and grated yellow rind of one lemon. beat hard and stir in two even tablespoons of flour made smooth in one cup of milk. turn into a paste lined plate and bake about half an hour in a paper bag. cool partly and cover with the whites of three eggs beaten stiff with six even tablespoons of powdered sugar. pile roughly and set in a very cool oven to become firm. =mince pie.=--a simple rule for making mince meat by measure, calls for a pint bowl of well cooked beef chopped to the finest mince and measured after chopping, two bowls of tart apples chopped into coarse bits and a half bowl chopped suet. add to this a pound of seeded raisins, also chopped, a pound of currants, a quarter of a pound of citron cut in thin slices, a tablespoonful each of powdered cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. use enough sweet cider to make moist, then add a bowl of sugar and an even teaspoonful salt. scald well and put away in a stone jar. when you make the pies add a few whole raisins, chopped nut meats or any jelly you have on hand. when mince pie is to be reheated for dinner and served hot, grated cheese may be sprinkled over the top just before setting it in the oven to heat. =mock mince pie.=--to four quarts green tomatoes, chopped fine, allow three pounds brown sugar, the juice of two lemons and their yellow rind, grated, a tablespoonful each cinnamon, allspice and salt, half a teaspoonful cloves and a tablespoonful of grated nutmeg. put into a porcelain lined kettle and simmer gently until reduced one half in bulk. now add two pounds and one-half seeded raisins, or part raisins and part currants or chopped prunes and a cup of boiled cider. then cook an hour or two longer until thick. bake as any mince pie. =pecan pie with one crust.=--one cup of sugar, three eggs, one cup of sweet cream, one cup of pecans well mashed. beat very light, pour into two pie pans that are lined with good rich paste, put in bag and bake. =real old fashioned pumpkin pie.=--if you are fortunate enough to get a genuine old fashioned field pumpkin, you may be thankful. if forbidden that privilege, the canned pumpkin or the dried pumpkin flour, or again a hubbard squash or a big yellow one, may be so manipulated as to deceive even a connoisseur on pumpkin pies, into thinking he has the very kind that "mother used to make," and giving thanks accordingly. if the field pumpkin is yours, wash, cut up without peeling, scrape out all the wooly fiber, then put over the fire on the back of the stove. add just a little water to keep it from sticking on the bottom, cover closely and steam gently for six or eight hours. at the end of this time the pumpkin pulp should be thoroughly cooked in its own juices. take up, cool a little, then pull off the skin with a sharp knife. press through a sieve and let it stand overnight in a press so as to remove the superfluous liquid, which should be saved to use in making boston brown bread. when ready to bake, measure the pulp and to every five cupfuls allow one teaspoonful of salt, half a grated nutmeg, a tablespoonful of mace, two teaspoonfuls of ginger and a large cupful of sugar. beat four eggs and stir into the pumpkin pulp, together with four cupfuls of sweet milk and a half cupful cream. beat well and taste to see if it is sweet enough. turn into plates lined with good pastry, bag, and bake three-quarters of an hour until a golden brown and firm in the center. serve with good american cheese. some old-fashioned cooks like their pumpkin pies flavored with a little rose water. in making pies of the canned pumpkin, observe the same proportions. if the pumpkin flour is used, spread on a tin and brown before adding the milk. the english fashion of baking pumpkin as well as mince pies in individual shells, is preferred by many who do not feel the compelling force of tradition. a new wrinkle for the woman who holds to her pumpkin pie for thanksgiving, but wishes to present it in very modern guise is to serve it with cottage cheese balls and strained honey. the combination of flavors is certainly a most happy one. the cheese balls are piled in a pretty dish and the honey served from a glass bowl. =individual english apple tart.=--peel and core tart apples, put into a large saucepan, cover with boiling water, stew gently until the apples are tender but unbroken. sweeten to taste. line the edges of a deep pie tin with crust, then fill the center of the dish with apples, dropping into the center of each a spoonful of orange marmalade. cover the top of the dish with strips of pastry arranged lattice fashion, bag, and bake quickly until brown. serve hot. =colonial pumpkin tartlets.=--to one quart of cooked and sifted pumpkin add one tablespoonful each of butter and flour, six well beaten eggs, a cupful of sugar, a quarter teaspoonful each of mace and nutmeg, four teaspoonfuls of ginger and one gill of milk. bake in patty-pans lined with rich flaky crust, set in paper bag. remove from pans before serving. a touch of novelty is given by topping each tartlet with a generous portion of maple syrup or strained honey. turnovers. =apple and cheese turnovers.=--make a crust, using six heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, three tablespoonfuls lard and butter, half and half, a saltspoonful of salt and just enough water to roll out. mark out into squares of about four inches. have ready some nice tart apples sliced fine, and also cheese sliced very thin. fill each one with apples, sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the apple, put a tiny piece of butter on top, then turn up the edges of the crust, overlapping the upper side about two inches. place in a buttered bag, and having wet the edges of the crust with milk, bake to a nice brown. remove from the oven, raise up the upper crust, put in the cheese, re-cover, turn a tin over the turnovers and stand in the oven again for ten minutes, leaving the oven door open. this softens the cheese. eat while warm. caraway seeds may be used in place of cinnamon if desired. the turnovers may be eaten plain with cream or with a liquid sauce as preferred. =apricot or plum jam turnovers.=--make a good crust and roll out twice. mark a square and spread thickly with jam. fold over two sides first and pinch together, then fold over the other two sides in the same way. brush over with milk and sprinkle with brown sugar. put into well-greased bag and bake thirty minutes. =mince turnovers.=--make the original round of paste about four inches across. put a tablespoonful of mince meat upon it, fold over very neatly and pinch the edges together. flatten and cook inside a buttered bag. chapter xxi. short cakes =banana short cake.=--beat to a cream one-half cupful butter and one of sugar. add two well-beaten eggs, a pinch of salt and a teaspoonful of baking powder sifted with a pint of flour. flavor with vanilla. mix lightly and roll out into a sheet about half an inch thick. cut into rounds about four inches in diameter, and having brushed each one over with melted butter, pile on top of each other and put in buttered bag. bake twelve minutes, separate, and spread between the layers a thick filling of sliced bananas flavored with lemon juice and sweetened to taste. serve with foamy sauce. =peach short cake.=--use for this either fresh peaches or canned and make in one large short cake or individual ones which are really nicer in paper bag cookery. for the latter sift together a pint and a half of flour, two tablespoonfuls of salt. rub in with the tips of the fingers two tablespoonfuls of butter, then add one beaten egg and milk to make a soft dough. cut out like biscuit, bag and bake in a quick oven. when baked, split in two, spread lightly with butter and fill with the sweetened peaches and whipped cream, a layer of peaches first and cream on top. cover the little short cakes in the same way, piling up the whipped cream on top. =rhubarb short cake.=--stew rhubarb and sweeten to taste. make a short cake batter, using one-quarter cupful of butter and a half cupful sugar creamed together, one egg well beaten, one quarter cupful sweet milk and one cupful of flour sifted with one teaspoonful of baking powder. make in two large layers or individual ones, and bake in paper bag. when done, spread with the rhubarb filling and serve with whipped cream or a cream sauce. =old fashioned strawberry short cake.=--the real old-fashioned strawberry short cake may be made with sour cream or rich sour milk and soda, or sweet milk and baking powder. sometimes an egg is added and a tablespoonful of sugar, but it is a far cry from the french strawberry short cake of hotels and restaurants which is really a cake, either sponge or layer, with whole berries between the layers and thick whipped cream or a meringue on top. to make the genuine old-fashioned sour milk biscuit short cake, which is really more tender than that made with sweet milk, put four cups sifted pastry flour in a mixing bowl with a half teaspoonful of salt and mix well. add three tablespoonfuls of butter and chop fine, using a silver knife. dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a little hot water and stir into a large cupful of sour cream or rich sour milk. when it stops "purring" add a tablespoonful of sugar and one well beaten egg to the milk and turn into the sifted flour. mix well together with a spatula or flexible knife, handling as little as possible, then turn out on to a floured board. the dough should be soft enough to roll easily. divide and roll lightly and quickly into two thin sheets. these may be baked separately in well-greased round tins in a paper bag or laid one on top of the other with a thin coating of butter between and baked in one bag. bake in a very hot oven. when done, separate. have ready a quart of ripe berries washed, crushed and sugared. this should have been done before beginning the dough, so that the sugar will have time to draw out the rich juice of the berries. cover the lower half of the short cake with a thick layer of these berries, place the second cake on top and cover with the rest of the crushed and sweetened berries or large whole ones dusted with powdered sugar. serve with thick cream or a crushed berry sauce. puddings. =almond pudding.=--blanche one pound of almonds and grind to a smooth paste with two teaspoonfuls of rose water. add a wine glass of wine and a half cupful of cream thickened with a large spoonful of bread crumbs. add a half pound of sugar, seven well beaten eggs and a half teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. put in a thin walled pudding dish, set in bag, seal and bake half an hour. =apple and fig pudding.=--select large tart baking apples, wash and core. stuff each apple with a fig rolled small as possible or chopped, as preferred. put in buttered bag and bake slowly until tender, but not broken. place in a glass dish and cover with a thick boiled custard. decorate each apple with a candied or maraschino cherry and serve with sweet wafers. =banana pudding.=--beat the yolks of three eggs and whites of two. add a cupful of sugar, a scant half cupful softened butter, a cupful stale cake crumbs and a cupful of milk. beat all together well, then add three bananas sliced thin, and the juice of a half lemon. put into a basin then in a well-buttered bag, seal and bake half an hour, take out, cover with a meringue made from the whipped white of the egg that was left over and a tablespoonful of sugar with a little lemon juice to flavor. strew a little candied peel over the meringue and set in the oven, which should be quite cool for the meringue to rise slowly and stiffen. serve with lemon sauce. =farmer's plum pudding.=--put into a basin two cupfuls of flour sifted with two level teaspoonfuls baking powder, a pinch of salt and a level teaspoonful ginger and cinnamon. add one-half cupful sugar, one cupful chopped suet, one-half cupful each candied peel and currants and raisins. make to batter consistency with one-half cupful each molasses and milk and one beaten egg. put in small buttered molds, set in paper bag, pour in enough cold water to come three parts up the sides, seal and bake two hours, reducing the heat of the oven after the first ten minutes. serve with hard or foamy sauce. =peach betty.=--sprinkle a layer of crumbs in a buttered baking dish and over this a layer of peach quarters. sprinkle with sugar, then repeat a layer of crumbs and peaches and sugar until the dish is filled, having the crumbs on top. put in buttered bag and bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven, and serve with sweetened cream. to prepare the buttered crumbs melt a little butter and pour over the crumbs. =peach cobbler.=--for this the richest and ripest peaches are none too good. some variety of the yellow peach is usually chosen because of its superior richness. for its baking a pudding dish at least three and a half inches deep is chosen. this is lined with a rich crust, a square of the dough being taken from the bottom. now peel enough ripe and luscious peaches to fill the dish, tearing them apart but leaving the pits in to impart their superior flavor. sweeten abundantly, add about two tablespoonfuls water, and a tablespoonful of butter cut in bits. cover with a layer of puff paste, sealing it down carefully on the sides to the border, so as to lose none of the juices. bag and bake in a quick oven for forty-five minutes. when nearly done, draw to the edge of the oven, open the top of the bag, dust with powdered sugar and set back a few moments longer for the crust to glaze. this is perfection, whether eaten hot or cold, serving it alone, with cream or with a hard sauce as preferred. =peach roly poly.=--make a sweet biscuit dough. roll out thin and spread with a layer of sliced or chopped peaches and roll the dough over as for jelly roll. put in buttered bag and bake in a moderate oven. =plum roly poly.=--wash and stew any ripe sound plums and remove the pits. if very juicy, drain away the most of the juice. sweeten to taste. make a good biscuit dough or puff paste as preferred, roll out in long strips, sprinkle sugar on the upper side, then spread thinly with the stewed plums, roll up and pinch the ends tight. put in buttered bag and cook thirty minutes. serve with a sauce made from the extra juice sweetened and slightly thickened with a little cornstarch. =rye bread pudding.=--toast stale rye bread to a golden brown, then roll into fine crumbs. brush small custard cups or a mould with melted butter, sprinkle over a few currants, raisins, prunes (cut fine) or figs, then fill with crumbs. beat three eggs without separating until light, add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pint of milk (with vanilla or nutmeg to flavor) and pour carefully over the bread crumbs. let them stand ten minutes, until the mixture has soaked into the crumbs; then set in a paper bag in a pan of cold water and cook like a custard in the oven. it will take about half an hour. test by slipping the blade of the knife down the side of the bag. if it comes up clear, the pudding is sufficiently baked. serve hot with lemon or egg sauce or fruit syrup. =tapioca apple pudding.=--soak one cupful tapioca in three pints cold water over night. in the morning put on to boil and cook twenty or thirty minutes, until it looks clear. add a quart and a half peeled and quartered apples, one cup of sugar, a teaspoonful salt, and lemon juice or extract to flavor. turn into a buttered dish, put in bag and bake an hour in a moderate oven. when cold serve with cream and sugar. =a white plum pudding.=--beat to a cream a half cup of sugar and three-quarters cup of butter. add four eggs well beaten, a saltspoonful of salt, two cups milk, a quart of flour mixed with one-half cup shredded citron, one-half cup currants, a teaspoonful grated nutmeg and a teaspoonful vanilla. just before turning into the mould stir in two even tablespoonfuls pure baking powder. put in bag, surround with water, steam two hours and serve with any good sauce. pudding sauces. =caramel sauce.=--put one-half cupful of sugar over the fire in a clean, smooth saucepan and stir until it becomes a light brown color. pour in a half cupful of boiling water, simmer ten minutes, add a tablespoonful of butter and serve with pudding or fritters. =cornstarch pudding sauce.=--beat together one tablespoonful cornstarch, two tablespoonfuls of butter and a half cupful of brown sugar. set on the stove until heated, then turn in hot water a little at a time and cook until consistency required. add four tablespoonfuls of grape or apple jelly with spices or other flavoring to taste, and serve hot. =cream sauce.=--mix together two tablespoonfuls each of cornstarch and sugar. add one beaten egg and cook in double boiler until thickened. add a tablespoonful of butter and flavoring to taste. =cream sauce à la hotel astor.=--beat together one cupful each sugar and butter until perfectly blended. add cream until mixture is like thick cream, dust with nutmeg or mace and serve. =delicious fruit sauce for plum pudding.=--boil together one cupful of water and two of sugar for ten minutes. thicken slightly with three level teaspoonfuls arrow root or two teaspoonfuls corn starch mixed with a little cold water, simmer five minutes, then add a half cupful candied cherries, cut in halves and a few pistache nuts quartered. flavor with nutmeg or vanilla as preferred. =hard sauce for plum pudding.=--beat one cupful of butter to a cream. add sugar gradually, two cupfuls in all, beating until very light. add the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff dry foam. arrange on a flat glass dish and grate a little nutmeg over it. =molasses sauce.=--to make molasses sauce, which is an excellent accompaniment to a plain rice or apple pudding, mix together one cupful of molasses, a tablespoonful of vinegar or the juice of one lemon, a saltspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of butter. boil ten minutes. menus and indexes chapter xxii. paper bag menus for winter. breakfast no. . grapefruit cereal sweetbreads with bacon (paper-bagged) scones (paper-bagged) coffee. breakfast no. . oranges cereal spindled oysters with bacon (paper-bagged) water cress warmed over rolls (paper-bagged) coffee. breakfast no. . baked apples (paper-bagged) beefsteak leftovers (paper-bagged) sweet potatoes southern style (in paper-bag) scones (paper-bagged) coffee. luncheon or supper no. . chicken croquettes (bagged) olives pickles hot biscuit (bagged) gingerbread (bagged) cheese tea. luncheon or supper no. . oyster bundles (bagged) baked potatoes (bagged) celery olives pork cake (bagged) baked quinces (bagged) cocoa. luncheon or supper no. . mock fried oysters (bagged) pickles celery sally lunn (bagged) sponge cake (bagged) baked apples tea. dinner no. . grapefruit with maraschino cherries olives pickles smelts milanaise (bagged) roast chicken (bagged) baked potatoes (bagged) currant or cranberry jelly (bagged) baked onions (bagged) lettuce salad plum pudding (bagged) hard sauce demi-tasse. dinner no. . grilled sardines on crackers (bagged) ripe olives celery salted almonds (cooked in bag) ducks (roasted in bag) candied sweet potatoes southern style (in bag) cranberry molds, biscuit (bagged) baked apples stuffed with nuts (bagged) served with cream gingerbread (bagged) tea. dinner no. . anchovy canapés (bagged) olives celery roast veal (bagged) baked potatoes (bagged) spinach (paper bagged) endive and roquefort cheese salad cheese straws (paper-bagged) mince pie (paper bagged) black coffee. paper bag menus for spring. breakfast no. . baked rhubarb and raisins (paper-bagged) cereal omelette (paper-bagged) crisped sweet potatoes (paper-bagged) rolls (reheated in bag) coffee. breakfast no. . strawberries au naturel cereal eggs in cocottes (paper-bagged) scones (paper-bagged) coffee. breakfast no. . baked prunes (paper-bagged) cereal sweetbreads (bagged) water cress baking powder biscuit (bagged) coffee. luncheon or supper no. . rhubarb short cake (paper-bagged) cold veal loaf (paper-bagged) chocolate cake (bagged) tea. luncheon or supper no. . crab meat au gratin (paper-bagged) biscuit (paper-bagged) mrs. kelder's loaf cake (bagged) strawberries cocoa. luncheon or supper no. . chicken croquettes (paper-bagged) biscuit (bagged) pickles olives good friday cake (paper-bagged) custard tea. dinner no. . caviare canapés (bagged) salted nuts (bagged) olives roast leg of lamb (bagged) mint sauce baked potatoes (bagged) stuffed baked onions (bagged) rhubarb pie (bagged) coffee. dinner no. . bouchees of sardines (bagged) deviled almonds (bagged) radishes breast of lamb with tomato sauce (bagged) parsnips (bagged) baked potatoes without their jackets (bagged) lettuce salad rhubarb short cake (bagged) black coffee. dinner no. . strawberries au naturel on orange slices mussels au gratin (bagged) irish stew (bagged) scalloped tomatoes (bagged) lettuce salad lemon pie coffee. paper bag menus for summer. breakfast no. . raspberries cereal creamed mushrooms (bagged) toast (bagged) coffee. breakfast no. . blackberries with cream moulded cereal crisped bacon and liver (bagged) rolls (bagged) radishes coffee. breakfast no. . cantaloupe moulded farina corn fritters (bagged) baked egg in tomato cases (bagged) scones (bagged) coffee. luncheon or supper no. . peach puree potato salad veal loaf (bag-cooked) raspberry short cake (bag-cooked) with cream iced tea. luncheon or supper no. . cold game pie (cooked in bag) hot biscuit (cooked in bag) oatmeal crisps (cooked in bag) blackberries iced tea. luncheon or supper no. . stuffed tomatoes with cream (bag-cooked) baked lamb, sweetbreads (bag-cooked) bread and butter lettuce salad raspberries potato caramel cake (bag-cooked) iced tea. dinner no. . canteloupes radishes olives lamb chops (bagged) mint jelly green peas (bagged) string bean salad lemon ice dinner no. . sardines and lemon olives radishes saute of chicken with mushrooms (bagged) sweet potatoes en brochette (paper-bagged) sliced tomatoes with french dressing fruit syllabub potato chocolate cake (baked in bag) iced tea. dinner no. . watermelon roast lamb (paper-bagged) mint sauce, currant jelly new potatoes (bagged) parsley sauce oriental string beans (paper-bagged) cucumbers (dressed with oil and vinegar) neufchatel cheese and wafers lemon ice chocolate wafers (bag-cooked) iced tea with lemon. paper bag menus for autumn. breakfast no. . peaches and cream cereal fried tomatoes (paper-bagged) cream gravy blueberry biscuit (paper-bagged) coffee. breakfast no. . baked apples (bagged-cooked) with cream cereal eggs baked in tomatoes (paper-bagged) baked potatoes (bagged) biscuit (bagged) coffee. breakfast no. . canteloupe ham with apples (bagged) sweet potatoes (bagged) corn meal gems (bag-cooked) coffee. luncheon or supper no. . cold roast chicken (paper-bagged) baked potatoes (bagged) tomatoes with mayonnaise bread and butter folds baked sweet apples with cream (bagged) chocolate cake (bagged) tea. luncheon or supper no. . corn patties (bagged) scalloped potatoes (bagged) olives pickles farmer's fruit cake (bagged) baked quinces tea. luncheon or supper no. . baked potatoes en surprise (bagged) chicken croquettes (paper-bagged) sliced tomatoes with french dressing baked apples with nuts (bagged) gingerbread (bagged) tea. dinner menu no. . canteloupe caviare canapés (cooked in bag) sauer braten with carrots and onions (bagged) baked potatoes (bagged) lima beans (bagged) sliced tomatoes peach short cake (paper-bagged) coffee. dinner menu no. . caviare canapés (cooked in bag) deviled chestnuts (paper-bagged) roast pork (bagged) sweet potatoes (bagged) baked egg plant (bagged) cucumbers apple pie (paper-bagged) with cream cheese coffee. dinner menu no. . grapes and peaches cream of chestnut soup with croutons (cooked in bag) roast duck (bagged) spiced grapes sweet potatoes (bagged) baked tomatoes (bagged) grape pie (baked in bag) coffee. chapter xxiii. a few of the easiest dishes for beginners baked potatoes in their jackets page baked potatoes without jackets " bacon and apples " sausage and apples " bacon and bananas " sausage with tomatoes " roast loin of pork " hot cheese canapés " caviare canapés " cheese and cracker canapés " cracker crisps " roast clams " lobster in shells " baked blue fish " filets of flounder " lamb chops " roast leg of lamb " roast chicken " vealettes " baked onions " sweet potatoes and bacon " spinach " peas " turnips " baking powder biscuits " baked apples " cinnamon apples " apple dumplings " baked pears " mrs. kelder's loaf cake " oatmeal cakes " pork cake " mince turnovers " individual apple tart " index appetizers and relishes: page bouchee cases bonne bouchee bouchees of caviare, olives and mayonnaise bouchees of sardines bouchees of sausage or tongue canapés, the making of anchovy canapés caviare canapés hot cheese canapés cheese and crackers canapés cheese toast sandwiches cracker crisps deviled crackers diables à cheval nut appetizers salted almonds deviled almonds roasted chestnuts salted chestnuts deviled chestnuts beef: bullock's heart stewed bullock's heart filet of beef hamburg steak pot roast rib roast of beef roast round of beef in paper bag sauer braten beef steak toledo beef steak stuffed roast beef or "mock duck" cakes: cheese cakes cinnamon cake english fairy cakes fruit cookies mrs. godfrey's soft ginger bread good friday cake german honey cakes pecan kisses mrs. kelder's loaf cake hickory nut macaroons walnut macaroons maple sugar cake molasses coffee cake nut cake oatmeal cakes german peach cake pork cake potato chocolate cake potato caramel cake auburn pound cake raisin nut cake sour cream cake cheese and egg dishes: cheese balls with tomato sauce cheese fritters to serve with salad course pepper cheese cheese ramekins cheese and eggs baked eggs baked eggs with cheese a paper bag omelette cheese omelette swiss eggs eggs in tomato cups fish (also see shell fish): filet of bass baked blue fish bloaters, a breakfast dish of cat fish codfish cones codfish à la crême eels, paper bagged flounder à la meuniére filets of flounder finnan haddie fish cakes new england fish pie fish soufflé planked fish bag cooked halibut à la poulette herring au gratin herrings with herbs kedgeree kippered mackerel with fine herbs salmon loaf scalloped salmon salmon soufflé baked shad shad roe smelts bagged weak fish white fish planked fish sauce (also see sauces and gravies): anchovy sauce quick bearnaise sauce bearnaise sauce brown sauce curry sauce egg sauce sauce hollandaise egg sauce made from the hollandaise lobster sauce maitre d'hotel butter sauce for broiled shad à la murray parsley butter sauce tartare fruits: baked apples baked apple dumplings cold baked apples with rum cinnamon apples apples stuffed with figs baked apples and nuts raisin apples baked apple sauce baked bananas stuffed dates baked gooseberries baked peaches baked pears baked plums baked quinces baked raisins chestnut patties game (see poultry and game): lamb and mutton: breast of lamb with tomato sauce lamb chops lamb or mutton cutlets with tomatoes lamb fry lamb's kidney leg of mutton cooked in cider mutton chops and sausage ragout of lamb roast leg of lamb a genuine irish stew pastry: plain pie crust apple pie deep apple pie with cream cheese cranberry pie cranberry and raisin pie lemon pie mince pie mock mince pie pecan pie with one crust real old-fashioned pumpkin pie individual english apple tart colonial pumpkin tartlets apple and cheese turnovers apricot or plum jam turnovers mince turnovers pork in varied forms: bacon and apples bacon and bananas bacon and calf's liver baked pork chops pork chops and sweet potatoes ham and scalloped potatoes ham, spinach and lamb chops stuffed fresh ham or shoulder roast loin of pork roast spare-rib baked sausage with apples baked sausage and potato baked sausage with toast baked sausage with tomatoes tenderloin of pork poultry and game: capon chicken with parsnips chicken à la baltimore chicken croquettes paper bagged chicken chicken pie paste for chicken pie chicken rissoles roast chicken saute of chicken with mushrooms smothered chicken ducks with banana dressing canvas backs chicken, italian style roast wild duck roast wild duck, ohio style frogs' legs paper bag roast goose sage and potato stuffing bag roasted young guinea fowl bag broiled young guinea hen quail stuffed quail rabbit cookery barbecued rabbit roast rabbit stewed rabbit reed birds squab barbecued squirrel, (southern style) turkey à la bonham venison venison steak puddings and pudding sauces: almond pudding apple and fig pudding banana pudding farmer's plum pudding peach betty peach cobbler peach roly-poly plum roly-poly rye bread pudding tapioca apple pudding a white plum pudding caramel sauce cornstarch pudding sauce cream sauce cream sauce à la hotel astor delicious fruit sauce for plum pudding hard sauce for plum pudding molasses sauce recooked dishes: beef steak left overs chicken croquettes mock fried oysters turkey croquettes edinboro hot pot individual meat pies english pasties olla podrida pie oyster bundles sauces and gravies: bignon's sauce bread sauce brown sauce celery sauce currant jelly sauce curry sauce hollandaise sauce horseradish sauce maitre d'hotel butter mexican sauce mint sauce for roast lamb french mustard sauce, creole style mustard sauce for cold meat onion sauce spanish sauce thick tomato sauce sauce tartare shell fish: clam pies roast clams crabs, soft and hard creamed crabs crabs deviled à la william penn crab meat au gratin crab flakes au gratin lobster chops coquilles of lobster lobster in shells mussels au gratin boxed oysters (virginia style) spindled oysters and bacon short cakes: banana short cakes peach short cake rhubarb short cake old-fashioned strawberry short cake soup accessories: bread sticks croutons toasted crisped crackers egg balls forcemeat balls, or quenelles veal: baked calf's liver calves' brains in tempting but inexpensive ways breaded brains sweetbreads baked sweetbreads sweetbreads with bacon larded sweetbreads sweetbreads straight vealettes veal loaf shoulder of veal stuffed and braised vegetables: asparagus asparagus with cheese lima beans string beans, oriental style boston baked bean cakes bean croquettes german cabbage cabbage hot slaw carrots carrot saute dolmas stuffed eggplant lentil cutlets mushrooms baked onions stuffed baked onions onions with cheese parsnips green peas stuffed peppers peppers with cream fish baked irish potatoes baked potatoes without their coats or jackets potatoes en surprise potatoes farci sauer kraut waldorf sauer kraut sweet potatoes and bacon sweet potato straws sweet potato en brochette spinach summer squash in butter stuffed summer squash stuffed tomatoes with cream turnips turnip balls stuffed vine leaves or dolmas warm breads, biscuits, muffins, etc.: baking powder bread bannocks baking powder biscuits egg biscuits maple biscuits nut biscuits raisin biscuits hot cross buns warmed over breads you will find the new cookery easy _if you use only_ continental cookery bags made expressly for paper bag cooking. the perfected product of much investigation and many experiments. continental cookery bags are white, sanitary, strong, waterproof, greaseproof and entirely odorless. in every way they are safe and suitable. packages of bags, conveniently assorted, with special clips and book of directions and recipes, c. a variety of sizes at the same price per package. continental paper bag co. whitehall building, new york oval wood cookery dishes should be used in all paper bag cooking _they are as important as the bags_ because they conserve all the delicate meat and vegetable juices, adding a savory flavor to everything cooked in them. with our cookery dishes you can give to all meats the delicious taste which has heretofore been secured only by planking steaks and fish. the sweet wood--we use sugar-maple only--is always fresh, giving an effect that cannot be maintained permanently by the ordinary plank. everything that can be cooked in a paper bag tastes better if you use our cookery dishes also. ask your dealer about them they are packed in cartons suitable for all purposes, assuring the delivery of clean and sanitary dishes in your kitchen. the oval wood dish company delta, ohio franklin st., new york gravier st., new orleans manufacturers of "o.w.d." butter dishes, picnic plates, and clothes pins refined vegetable oil is recommended by physicians and culinary experts in place of butter and animal fats for all cooking; it is more healthful and economical. wesson snowdrift oil the best refined vegetable oil is unexcelled for greasing paper bags you can buy many different kinds of vegetable oils, but you can't get anything equal to wesson snowdrift oil. it is refined by the wesson process (the only process yet discovered for properly refining vegetable oils) and we control that process. no other manufacturer can use it. ¶wesson snowdrift oil has just the right smoothness and consistency to make rich and delicious salad dressings. at all grocers on request, we will mail you our wesson snowdrift oil book of recipes. please mention your grocer's name. [illustration] the southern cotton oil company dept. b _ broad street, new york, n. y._ savannah chicago new orleans san francisco [illustration: _this illustration shows a bag properly closed with clips._] the cookery bag clip is the only _successful_ device for effectually closing paper cookery bags [illustration] the projecting lips permit the clips to slip on to the bags easily; the free ends projecting outwardly prevent the clips slipping off the bag when in use. made by the oakville company waterbury, conn. makers of _sevran pins_ and the _clinton_ and _damascus_ safety pins. * * * * * transcriber's note: obvious punctuation errors were corrected. page , "amonnia" changed to "ammonia" (as the ammonia used) page , "may" changed to "many" (in as many small) page , "sault" changed to "salt" (with salt, pepper and butter) page , "sesasoned" changed to "seasoned" (mashed potato well seasoned) page , " - " and " - " changed to " / " and " / " respectively ( / of an inch thick) (about / of an inch) page , "marcaroni" changed to "macaroni" (a bit of macaroni) page , "over" changed to "oven" (hour in a hot oven) page , "floor" changed to "flour" (of flour. stir and) page , "desertspoonful" changed to "dessertspoonful" (dessertspoonful worcestershire sauce) page , "chesse" changed to "cheese" (asparagus with cheese) page , "spoonsfuls" changed to "spoonfuls" (spoonfuls into a) page , "capter" changed to "chapter" (chapter xxi) page , "sweeteend" changed to "sweetened" (the extra juice sweetened) page , "balitmore" changed to "balitmore" (chicken à la baltimore) page , "saucees" changed to "sauces" (puddings and pudding sauces) page , "waldrof" changed to "waldorf" (waldorf sauer kraut) everyday foods in war time by mary swartz rose assistant-professor, department of nutrition, teachers college, columbia university new york the time has come, the aggies said, to talk of many things, of what to eat, of calories, of cabbages and kings, of vitamines and sausages, and whether costs have wings. _journal of home economics_, november, . preface "food is fuel for fighters. do not waste it. save wheat, meat, sugars and fats. send more to our soldiers, sailors and allies." the patriotic housewife finds her little domestic boat sailing in uncharted waters. the above message of the food administration disturbs her ordinary household routine, upsets her menus and puts her recipes out of commission. it also renders inoperative some of her usual methods of economy at a time when rising food prices make economy more imperative than ever. to be patriotic and still live on one's income is a complex problem. this little book was started in response to a request for "a war message about food." it seemed to the author that a simple explanation of the part which some of our common foods play in our diet might be both helpful and reassuring. to change one's menu is often trying; to be uncertain whether the substituted foods will preserve one's health and strength makes adjustment doubly difficult. it is hoped that the brief chapters which follow will make it easier to "save wheat, meat, sugars and fats" and to make out an acceptable bill of fare without excessive cost. thanks are due to the webb publishing company, st. paul, minnesota, for permission to reprint three of the chapters, which appeared originally in _the farmer's wife_. teachers college, columbia university, new york city. december , . table of contents chapter i. the milk pitcher in the home ii. cereals we ought to eat iii. the meat we ought to save iv. the potato and its substitutes v. are fruits and vegetables luxuries? vi. fat and vitamines vii. "sugar and spice and everything nice" viii. on being economical and patriotic at the same time appendix--some war time recipes everyday foods in war time chapter i the milk pitcher in the home (reprinted from _the farmer's wife_, by permission of the webb publishing company.) there is a quaint old fairy tale of a friendly pitcher that came and took up its abode in the home of an aged couple, supplying them from its magic depths with food and drink and many other comforts. of this tale one is reminded in considering the place of the milk pitcher in the home. how many housewives recognize the bit of crockery sitting quietly on the shelf as one of their very best friends? how many know that it will cover many of their mistakes in the choice of food for their families? that it contains mysterious substances upon which growth depends? that it stands ready to save them both work and worry in regard to food? that it is really the only indispensable article on the bill of fare? diet is like a house, a definite thing, though built of different kinds of material. for a house we need wall material, floor material, window, ceiling, chimney stuffs and so forth. we may, if we like, make floors, walls, and ceilings all of the same kind of stuff, wood for example, but we should need glass for windows and bricks or tile for chimneys. or, again, we may choose brick for walls, floors, and chimneys but it would not do any better than wood for windows, would be rather unsatisfactory for ceilings, and impossible for doors. in other words, we could not build a modern house from one kind of material only and we really need at least four to carry out even a simple plan. in a similar fashion, diet is constructed from fuel material, body-building material and body-regulating material. no diet is perfect in which these are not all represented. now, foods are like sections of houses. some correspond to single parts, as a floor or a window or perhaps a chimney; others to a house complete except for windows and roof; still others to a house lacking only a door or two. it takes some thought to put them together so that we shall have all kinds of parts without a great many extra ones of certain kinds and not enough of others. milk is unique in that it comes nearest of all foods to being a complete diet in itself. it is like the house with only a door missing. we could be quite comfortable in such a house for a long time though we could make a more complete diet by adding some graham bread or an apple or some spinach. we all associate milk with cows and cows with farms, but how closely is milk associated with the farm table? is it prized as the most valuable food which the farm produces? every drop should be used as food; and this applies to skim milk, sour milk, and buttermilk as well as sweet milk. do we all use milk to the best advantage in the diet? here are a few points which it is well to bear in mind: _milk will take the place of meat._ the world is facing a meat famine. the famine was on the way before the war began but it has approached with tremendous speed this last year. every cow killed and eaten means not only so much less meat available but so much less of an adequate substitute. lean meat contributes to the diet chiefly protein and iron. we eat it primarily for the protein. hence in comparing meat and milk we think first of their protein content. one and one-fourth cups of milk will supply as much protein as two ounces of lean beef. the protein of milk is largely the part which makes cottage cheese. so cottage cheese is a good meat substitute and a practical way of using part of the skim milk when the cream is taken off for butter. one and one-half ounces of cottage cheese (one-fourth cup) are the protein equivalent of two ounces of lean beef. skim milk and buttermilk are just as good substitutes for meat as whole milk. since meat is one of the most expensive items in the food bill, its replacement by milk is a very great financial economy. this is true even if the meat is raised on the farm, as food for cattle is used much more economically in the production of milk than of beef. _milk is the greatest source of calcium (lime)._ lime is one of the components of food that serves two purposes; it is both building material for bones and regulating material for the body as a whole, helping in several important ways to maintain good health. it is essential that everyone have a supply of lime and particularly important that all growing infants, children, and young people have plenty for construction of bones and teeth. there is almost none in meat and bread, none in common fats and sugars, and comparatively few common foods can be taken alone and digested in large enough quantities to insure an adequate supply; whereas a pint of milk (whole, skim, or buttermilk) will guarantee to a grown person a sufficient amount, and a quart a day will provide for the greater needs of growing children. whatever other foods we have, we cannot afford to leave milk out of the diet because of its lime. under the most favorable dietary conditions, when the diet is liberal and varied, an adult should have _at least_ half a pint of milk a day and no child should be expected to thrive with less than a pint. _milk contains a most varied assortment of materials needed in small amounts_ for the body welfare, partly for constructive and partly for regulating purposes. these are rather irregularly distributed in other kinds of food materials. when eggs, vegetables, and cereals are freely used, we are not likely to suffer any lack; but when war conditions limit the number of foods which we can get, it is well to remember that the more limited the variety of foods in the diet the more important milk becomes. _milk will take the place of bread, butter, sugar, and other foods used chiefly for fuel._ the body is an engine which must be stoked regularly in order to work. the more work done the more fuel needed. that is what we mean when we talk about the food giving "working strength." a farmer and his wife and usually all the family need much fuel because they do much physical work. even people whose work is physically light require considerable fuel. a quart of milk will give as much working force as half a pound of bread, one-fourth of a pound of butter, or six ounces of sugar. and this is in addition to the other advantages already mentioned. _milk contains specifics for growth._ experiments with animals have taught us that there are two specific substances, known as vitamines, which must be present in the diet if a young animal is to grow. if either one is absent, growth is impossible. both are to be found in milk, one in the cream and the other in the skim milk or whey. for this reason children should have whole milk rather than skim milk. of course, butter and skim milk should produce the same result as whole milk. eggs also have these requisites and can be used to supplement milk for either one, but as a rule it is more practical to depend upon milk, and usually more economical. for little children, milk is best served as a beverage. but as children grow up, the fluidity of milk makes them feel as if it were not food enough and it is generally better to use it freely in the kitchen first, and then, if there is any surplus, put it on the table as a beverage or serve it thus to those who need an extra supply--the half-grown boys, for instance, who need more food in a day than even a hard-working farmer. a good plan is to set aside definitely, as a day's supply, a quart apiece for each person under sixteen and a pint apiece for each one over this age. then see at night how well one has succeeded in disposing of it. if there is much left, one should consider ways of using it to advantage. the two simplest probably are, first, as cream sauce for vegetables of all sorts; for macaroni or hominy with or without cheese; or for hard cooked eggs or left-over meats; and next in puddings baked a long time in the oven so that much of the water in the milk is evaporated. such puddings are easy to prepare on almost any scale and are invaluable for persons with big appetites because they are concentrated without being unwholesome. the milk pitcher and the vegetable garden are the best friends of the woman wishing to set a wholesome and economical table. vegetables supplement milk almost ideally, since they contain the vegetable fiber which helps to guard against constipation, and the iron which is the lacking door in the "house that milk built." vegetables which are not perfect enough to serve uncooked, like the broken leaves of lettuce and the green and tough parts of celery, are excellent cooked and served with a cream sauce. cream sauce makes it possible also to cook enough of a vegetable for two days at once, sending it to the table simply dressed in its own juices or a little butter the first time and making a scalloped dish with cream sauce and crumbs the next day. vegetables which do not lend themselves to this treatment can be made into cream soups, which are excellent as the hot dish for supper, because they can be prepared in the morning and merely reheated at serving time. finally, the addition of milk in liberal quantities to tea and coffee (used of course only by adults); its use without dilution with water in cocoa; and instead of water in bread when that is made at home, ought to enable a housewife to dispose satisfactorily of her day's quota of milk. if it should accumulate, it can be dispatched with considerable rapidity in the form of ice cream or milk sherbet. when there is much skim milk, the latter is a most excellent way of making it popular, various fruits in their seasons being used for flavor, as strawberries, raspberries, and peaches, with lemons to fall back on when no native fruit is at hand. the world needs milk today as badly as wheat. all that we can possibly spare is needed in europe for starving little ones. in any shortage the slogan must be "children first." but in any limited diet milk is such a safeguard that we should bend our energies to saving it from waste and producing more, rather than learning to do without it. skim milk from creameries is too valuable to be thrown away. everyone should be on the alert to condemn any use of milk except as food and to encourage condensation and drying of skim milk to be used as a substitute for fresh milk. when the milk pitcher is allowed to work its magic for the human race, we shall have citizens of better physique than the records of our recruiting stations show today. even when the family table is deprived of its familiar wheat bread and meat, we may be strong if we invoke the aid of this friendly magician. chapter ii cereals we ought to eat (reprinted from _the farmer's wife_, by permission of the webb publishing company.) "save wheat!" this great slogan of our national food campaign has been echoed and reëchoed for six months, but do we yet realize that it means us? we have had, hitherto, a great deal of wheat in our diet. fully one-third of our calories have come from wheat flour. to ask us to do without wheat is to shake the very foundation of our daily living. how shall we be able to do without it? what shall we substitute for it? these are questions which every housewife must ask and answer before she can take her place in the amazon army of food conservers. is it not strange that out of half a dozen different grains cultivated for human consumption, the demand should concentrate upon wheat? one might almost say that the progress of civilization is marked by raised bread. and wheat has, beyond all other grains, the unique properties that make possible a light, porous yet somewhat tenacious loaf. we like the taste of it, mild but sweet; the feel of it, soft yet firm; the comfort of it, almost perfect digestion of every particle. we have been brought up on it and it is a hardship to change our food habits. it takes courage and resolution. it takes visions of our soldiers crossing the seas to defend us from the greedy eye of militarism and thereby deprived of so many things which we still enjoy. shall we hold back from them the "staff of life" which they need so much more than we? can we live without wheat? certainly, and live well. we must recognize the scientific fact that no one food (with the exception of milk) is indispensable. there are four letters in the food alphabet: _a_, fuel for the body machine; _b_, protein for the upkeep of the machinery; _c_, mineral salts, partly for upkeep and partly for lubrication--to make all parts work smoothly together; _d_, vitamines, subtle and elusive substances upon whose presence depends the successful use by the body of all the others. these four letters, rightly combined, spell health. they are variously distributed in food materials. sometimes all are found in one food (milk for example), sometimes only one (as in sugar), sometimes two or three. the amounts also vary in the different foods. to build up a complete diet we have to know how many of these items are present in a given food and also how much of each is there. now, cereals are much alike in what they contribute to the diet. in comparing them we are apt to emphasize their differences, much as we do in comparing two men. one man may be a little taller, a little heavier, have a different tilt to his nose, but any two men are more alike than a man and a dog. so corn has a little less protein than wheat and considerably less lime, yet corn and wheat are, nutritionally, more alike than either is like sugar. none of the cereals will make a complete diet by itself. if we take white bread as the foundation, we must add to it something containing lime, such as milk or cheese; something containing iron, such as spinach, egg yolk, meat, or other iron-rich food; something containing vitamines, such as greens or other vitamine-rich food; something to reënforce the proteins, as milk, eggs, meat, or nuts. it is not possible to make a perfect diet with only one other kind of food besides white bread. it can be done with three: bread, milk, and spinach, for example. if we substitute whole wheat for white bread, we can make a complete diet with two foods--this and milk. we get from the bran and the germ what in the other case we got from the spinach. _all the cereals can be effectively supplemented by milk and green vegetables._ if green vegetables (or substitutes for them like dried peas and beans or fruit) are hard to get we should give preference to cereals from which the bran coats have not been removed, such as oatmeal and whole wheat. then the diet will not be deficient in iron, which is not supplied in large enough amounts from white bread and milk. oatmeal is the richest in iron of all the cereals. with such knowledge, we may alter our diet very greatly without danger of undernutrition. but we must learn to cook other cereals at least as well as we do wheat. without proper cooking they are unpalatable and unwholesome, and they are not so easy to cook as wheat. they take a longer time and we cannot get the same culinary effects, since with the exception of rye they will not make a light loaf. fortunately we are not asked to deny ourselves wheat entirely, only to substitute other cereals for part of it. let each housewife resolve when next she buys flour to buy at the same time one-fourth as much of some other grain, finely ground, rye, corn, barley, according to preference, and mix the two thoroughly at once. then she will be sure not to forget to carry out her good intentions. bread made of such a mixture will be light and tender, and anything that cannot be made with it had better be dispensed with in these times. besides the saving of wheat for our country's sake, we shall do well to economize in it for our own. compared with other cereals, wheat is expensive. we can get more food, in every sense of the word, from half a pound of oatmeal than we can from a twelve-ounce loaf of white bread, and the oatmeal will not cost one-half as much as the bread. a loaf of boston brown bread made with one cupful each of cornmeal, oatmeal (finely ground), rye flour, molasses, and skim milk will have two and one-half times the food value of a twelve-ounce loaf of white bread and will cost little more. one-half pound of cornmeal, supplemented by a half pint of milk, will furnish more of everything needed by the body than such a twelve-ounce loaf, usually at less cost. it pays at all times to use cereals in other forms than bread, for both health and economy. does your family eat cereal for breakfast? a dish of oatmeal made from one-fourth cupful of the dry cereal will take the place of two slices of white bread, each about half an inch thick and three inches square, and give us iron besides. served with milk, it will make a well-balanced meal. when we add a little fruit to give zest and some crisp corn bread to contrast with the soft mush, we have a meal in which we may take a just pride, _provided the oatmeal is properly cooked_. a good dish of oatmeal is as creditable a product as a good loaf of bread. it cannot be made without taking pains to get the right proportions of meal, water, and salt, and to cook thoroughly, which means at least four hours in a double boiler, over night in a fireless cooker, or half an hour at twenty pounds in a pressure cooker. half-cooked oatmeal is most unwholesome, as well as unpalatable. it is part of our patriotic duty not to give so useful a food a bad reputation. the man who does hard physical labor, especially in the open air, may complain that the oatmeal breakfast does not "stay by" him. this is because it digests rapidly. what he needs is a little fat stirred into the mush before it is sent to the table, or butter as well as milk and sugar served with it. if one must economize, the cereal breakfast should always be the rule. it is impossible in any other way to provide for a family adequately on a small sum, especially where there are growing children. next to oatmeal, hominy is one of the cheapest breakfast foods. it has less flavor and is improved by the addition of a few dates cut into quarters or some small stewed seedless raisins, which also add the iron which hominy lacks. for the adults of the family the staying qualities of hominy and cornmeal can be increased by cutting the molded mush in slices and frying till a crisp crust is formed. this can be obtained more easily if the cereals are cooked in a mixture of milk and water instead of water alone. the milk supplements the cereal as acceptably as in a dish of mush and milk. cornmeal needs even more cooking than oatmeal to develop an agreeable flavor. it can be improved by the addition of an equal amount of farina or cream of wheat. cereals for dinner are acceptable substitutes for such vegetables as potatoes, both for economy and for variety. the whole grains, rice, barley, and hominy, lend themselves best to such use. try a dish of creamed salmon with a border of barley; one of hominy surrounded by fried apples; or a bowl of rice heaped with bananas baked to a turn and removed from their skins just before serving, and be glad that the war has stirred you out of food ruts! cereals combined with milk make most wholesome puddings, each almost a well-balanced meal in itself. they are easier to make than pies, shortcakes, and other desserts which require wheat flour, and they are splendid growing food for boys and girls. for the hard-working man who misses the slowly-digesting pie, serve the puddings with a hard sauce or add a little butter when making them. for the growing children, raisins, dates, and other fruits are welcome additions on account of their iron. from half a cupful to a cupful of almost any cereal pudding made with milk is the equivalent of an ordinary serving of pie. aside from the avoidance of actual waste of food materials, there seems to be no one service so imperative for housewives to render in these critical times as the mastery of the art of using cereals. these must be made to save not only wheat but meat, and for most of us also money. a wholesome and yet economical diet may be built upon a plan wherein we find for an average working man fourteen ounces of cereal food and one pint of milk, from two to four ounces of meat or a good meat substitute, two ounces of fat, three ounces of sugar or other sweeteners, at least one kind of fruit, and one kind of vegetable besides potatoes (more if one has a garden). the cereal may furnish half the fuel value of the diet, partly bread-stuffs and partly in some of the other ways as suggested, without any danger of undernutrition. remember the fable of the farmer who told his sons he had left them a fortune and bade them dig on his farm for it after his death, and how they found wealth not as buried treasure but through thorough tillage of the soil. so one might leave a message to woman to look in the cereal pot, for there is a key to health and wealth, and a weapon to win the greatest war the world has ever seen. chapter iii the meat we ought to save "do not buy a pound of meat until you have bought three quarts of milk" is a "war sign" pointing two ways. on the one hand it tells us that we need to save meat; on the other, that we should encourage the production of that most indispensable food--milk. but what a revolution in some households if this advice is heeded! statisticians tell us that americans have been consuming meat at the rate of pounds per capita per year, which means nearly half a pound apiece every day for each man, woman, child, and infant in arms. now, as mere infants and some older folk have not had any, it follows that many of us have had a great deal more. did we need it? shall we be worse off without it? meat is undeniably popular. in spite of the rising price and the patriotic spirit of conservation, meat consumption goes on in many quarters at much the usual rate. there is probably no other one food so generally liked. it has a decided and agreeable flavor, a satisfactory "chew," and leaves an after-sense of being well fed that many take as the sign of whether they are well nourished or not. it digests well, even when eaten rapidly, and perhaps partly for this reason is favored by the hurried man of affairs. it is easy to prepare and hence is appreciated by the cook, who knows that even with unskillful treatment it will be acceptable and require few accessories to make an agreeable meal. its rich flavor helps to relieve the flatness of foods like rice, hominy, beans, or bread. from this point of view there is no such thing as a "meat substitute." but, nutritionally speaking, meat is only one of many; undeniably a good source of protein, but no better than milk or eggs. a lamb chop is a very nice item on a bill of fare, but the protein it contains can be secured just as well from one large egg, or two level tablespoonfuls of peanut butter, or one and one-fourth ounces of cheese; or a part of the time from a quarter of a cup of dried navy beans or a little less of dried split peas. meat is highly regarded as a source of iron; but, again, it has no monopoly of this important building-stone in the house of diet. the eggs, or peas, or half the beans mentioned above would any one of them furnish more iron than the lamb chop, while a quarter of a cup of cooked spinach or a small dish of string beans would furnish quite as much. besides green vegetables, fruit, and the yolk of egg, cereals are a not inconsiderable source of iron. a man would have adequate nourishment for a day, including a sufficient supply of iron, if he were doing only moderate physical labor, from one pint of milk, one and one-half pounds of whole wheat bread, and three medium-sized apples. beef juice is often used as a source of iron for children and undoubtedly it is one which is palatable and digestible, but it takes a quarter of a pound of beef to get a few tablespoonfuls of juice, and a tablespoonful of juice would hardly contain as much iron as one egg yolk; and it seems probable that the iron of the egg yolk would be better utilized for the making of good red blood. meat is good fuel for the human machine if used in moderate amounts along with other food. but meat is no better fuel than other food. an ordinary lamb chop will furnish no more calories than a dish of oatmeal, a piece of bread an inch thick and three inches square, a large apple or banana, an egg, five ounces (five-eighths of a cup) of milk, or a tablespoonful of peanut butter. the fatter meat is the higher its fuel value (providing the fat is used for food). a tablespoonful of bacon fat or beef drippings has the same fuel value as a tablespoonful of butter or lard, or as the lamb chop mentioned above. the man who insists that he has to have meat for working strength judges by how he feels after a meal and not by the scientific facts. while in the long run appetite serves as a measure of food requirement, we can find plenty of instances where it does not make a perfect measure. some people have too large appetites for their body needs and get too fat from sheer surplus of fuel stored in the body for future needs as fat. if such people have three good meals a day all the time, there never is any future need and the fat stays. other people have too small appetites for their needs and they never seem to get a surplus of fuel on hand. they live, as it were, from hand to mouth. anyone accustomed to eating meat will have an unsatisfied feeling at first after a meal without meat. the same is true of other highly flavored foods. it is well for the cook to bear this in mind and serve a few rather highly seasoned dishes when there is no meat on the bill of fare. a very sweet dessert will often satisfy this peculiar sensation, and it can be allayed, at least in part, by the drinking of water some little time after the meal. such a sensation will pass away when one becomes accustomed to the change in diet. it is probably due to certain highly flavored substances dissolved in the meat juices which are known to be excellent stimulants to the flow of gastric juice and which are stimulating in other ways. these have no food value in themselves, but, nevertheless, we prize meat for them, as is shown by the distaste we have for meat which has its juices removed. "soup meat" has always been a problem for the housewife--hard to make palatable--and yet the greater part of the nourishment of meat is left in the meat itself after soup is made from it. let us frankly recognize then that we eat meat because we like it--for its flavor and texture rather than any peculiar nourishing properties--and that it is only our patriotic self-denial or force of economic circumstances that induces us to forgo our accustomed amounts of a food which is pleasant and (in moderation) wholesome. we must save meat that the babies of the world may have milk to drink. nowhere in europe is there enough milk for babies today. a conservative request for one european city alone was a shipment of one million pounds of condensed milk per month! if cattle are killed for food there will be little milk to send and the babies will perish. we must save meat for our soldiers and sailors, because they need it more than we do. it is not only easily transported, but one of the few things to give zest to their necessarily limited fare. fresh fruits and green vegetables, which may serve us as appetizers, are not to be found on the war fields. dainty concoctions from cheese and nuts may provide for us flavor as well as nutriment, but meat is the alternative to the dull monotony of bread and beans for the soldier--the tonic of appetite, the stimulant to good digestion. we can scarcely send him anything to take its place. we must save meat, too, as a general food economy. meat is produced at the expense of grain, which we might eat ourselves. and the production of meat is a very wasteful process. grains have a fuel value for man approximating , calories per pound. a pound of meat in the form of beef will require the consumption by the animal of some fourteen pounds of grain. the pound of beef will furnish perhaps , calories, while the grain consumed will represent over , calories. the production of milk from grain is only about one-third as expensive, so the purchase of three quarts of milk to one pound of meat is an economy in more ways than one. saving for the rest of the world will not be without some physical advantage to ourselves, if we have been accustomed to indulge in meat freely. among the well-to-do meat eating is apt to be overdone to the extent of affecting the kidneys and the arteries, and some enforced restriction would be a real advantage to health, as has been demonstrated in other than war times. because a food is good is no reason for unlimited quantities; an ounce of sugar a day is wholesome--a pound is likely to result in both indigestion and a badly balanced diet. a quarter of a pound of meat a day is not undesirable for an adult, but a pound a day may result in general overeating or in the special ills which are related directly to a large quantity of meat. one of these is an upsetting of a proper balance of food elements in the diet. diets high in meat are apt to be low in milk and consequently low in calcium. if the income is limited this is almost sure to be the case, since there will not be enough money to provide meat freely and at the same time satisfy other nutritive requirements. such diets are also likely to be low in fuel value and not provide enough working force even while men are declaring that they must have meat to give them strength. they would have more strength and a better diet from every point of view if part of the meat money were spent for milk. so the injunction to buy three quarts of milk to one pound of meat is a good rule for securing a well balanced and ample diet at the lowest cost. another good rule is to spend no more for meat, fish, and eggs than for milk, and as much for fruits and vegetables as for meat, fish, and eggs. families very commonly spend as much as one-third of the food money for meat; and, while they may secure a full third of their protein, iron, and phosphorus in this way, they may not get more than a sixth of their fuel and almost no calcium. three quarts of milk at fourteen cents a quart will yield about , calories. for an expenditure of forty-two cents for beef as free from waste as milk, we would pay perhaps thirty-two cents per pound. a pound and a quarter of lean beef would yield about , calories. so as fuel alone the milk would be twice as cheap as the meat. three quarts of milk would yield almost if not quite as much protein as the meat and a liberal supply of calcium to offset the iron furnished by the meat. everything considered, then, milk is a better investment than meat. the same is true of some of the other foods which supply protein in the diet such as dry peas and beans; cheese and peanut butter are at least twice as valuable nutritionally as beef. the domestic problem is to make palatable dishes from these foods. this requires time and patience. the cook must not get discouraged if the first trial does not bring marked success. the rest of the family should count it their "bit" to eat valiantly until they can eat joyfully. chapter iv the potato and its substitutes never did it seem truer that "blessings brighten as they take their flight" than when the potato went off the market or soaring prices put it out of reach in the winter of . "how shall i plan my meals without it?" was the housewife's cry. "how shall i enjoy my meals without it?" said all the millions of potato eaters who immediately forgot that there was still a large number of foods from which they might extract some modicum of enjoyment. and so the nutrition expert was asked to talk about "potato substitutes" and expected to exercise some necromancy whereby that which was not a potato might become a potato. now, the nutrition expert was very imperturbable--not at all disturbed by the calamity which had befallen our tables. that unfeeling person saw potatoes, not in terms of their hot mealiness and spicy mildness, but in terms of that elusive thing called "diet." the vanishing tuber was bidden to answer the dietary roll-call: "proteins?" "here!" answer somewhat faint but suggesting remarkable worth. "fats?" no answer. "carbohydrates?" loud note from "starch." "mineral salts?" "here!" from a regular chorus, among which "potassium" and "iron" easily distinguishable. "vitamines and "here! here!" especially vociferous, the other accessories?" "anti-scorbutic property." "this is a good showing for any single food material. the potato, as truly as bread, may be called a 'staff of life.' men have lived in health upon it for many months without any other food save oleomargarine. its protein, though small in amount, is most efficient in body-building, its salts are varied in kind and liberal in amount, and it furnishes a large amount of very easily digested fuel besides. it is at its best when cooked in the simplest possible way--baked or boiled in its skin. nevertheless we are not absolutely dependent upon the potato." "alas," said the housewife, "this doesn't tell me what to cook for dinner!" "patience, madam, we shall see about that." the fact that starch is present is what makes the potato seem so substantial. but bread, rice, hominy, in fact, all cereal foods can supply starch just as well. pick out the one you fancy and serve it for your dinner. one good-sized roll or a two-inch cube of corn bread, or three-fourths of a cup of boiled rice will sustain you just as well as a medium-sized potato. a banana, baked or fried, makes an excellent substitute for a potato. an apple is also a very palatable potato equivalent, if you want something more spicy than hominy or corn bread. why mourn over the lost potato? but how about those mineral salts? well, the potato has no monopoly on those, either, though it is ordinarily a very valuable contributor. milk has already been mentioned as one of the great safeguarding sources of so-called ash constituents. others are vegetables and fruits of different kinds. these have been a neglected and sometimes a despised part of the diet: "why spend money for that which is not meat?" is often taken literally. even food specialists have been known to say, "fruits and vegetables are mostly water and indigestible fiber; they have little food value." this is a good deal like saying, "if your coat be long enough you do not need a pair of shoes." a potato has as much iron as an egg yolk or a medium-sized chop. this is one more reason why we should be sorry to take the useful tuber from our tables, but we may feel a certain independence, even when meat and eggs are prohibitive in price, since by canning or drying, if in no other way, we can have green vegetables as a source of iron the whole year through. some people are afraid that canned vegetables will prove unwholesome; but if removed from the can as soon as opened and heated to boiling before they are eaten, we are recently assured that the danger of food poisoning will be materially lessened. even when such vegetables are wanted for salads, boiling and subsequent cooling are advised. the mineral salts of vegetables dissolve into the water in which they stand, and in any shortage of such food, or for the greatest economy, it would seem wise to save the water in the can, which is often thrown away to secure a more delicate flavor. water from the cooking of fresh vegetables which are not protected by skins (among them spinach, peas, carrots, and asparagus), can often be reduced to a small amount by steaming instead of boiling the vegetable, or any drained off can be used in gravy, soup, sauce, or some similar fashion. the strong flavor of some vegetables, however, makes such economy rather impractical. some people discriminate against canned and dried vegetables because they do not taste like fresh ones. this seems rather unreasonable, as we want a variety of flavors in our diet and might welcome the change which comes from this way of treating food as well as that which comes from different methods of cooking. nobody expects a stew to taste like a roast, and yet both may be good and we would not want either one all the time. instead of regretting that canned peas do not taste like those fresh from the garden (incomparable ones!) let us be glad that they taste as good as they do. would we like them any better if they tasted like cornmeal mush? while a potato has about as much phosphorus as an egg yolk, substitutes for it in this respect are not hard to find. five tablespoonfuls of milk or half an ounce of cheese will easily supply as much, while half a cup of cooked string beans will provide all the iron as well as half the phosphorus in a potato, and a teaspoon of butter or other fat added to the beans will make them equal in fuel value. on the other hand, two small slices of whole wheat bread would furnish all the phosphorus, half the iron, and an equal amount of fuel. the potato is conspicuously high in potassium, but it is not likely that in any diet containing one kind of fruit and one kind of vegetable each day there will be any permanent shortage of this substance. spinach, celery, parsnips, lettuce, cabbage, rutabagas, beets, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and turnips are all good sources of potassium and some of them are available all the year round without canning and drying. but what significance has the "anti-scorbutic property"? does that not make potatoes indispensable? scurvy, madam, occurs whenever people live for a long time on a monotonous diet without fresh food. the potato offers good protection against this disease at a low cost, but other foods have long been known to possess the same power, among them oranges, lemons, limes, and other fruits, and cabbage and other green vegetables; in fact, a mixed diet in which fruits and vegetables occur is assurance of freedom from scurvy. just how far the potato will go in providing the specific vitamines essential for growth is still unsettled. it undoubtedly contains one of them in goodly amount, but for the present it is wise to include some green (leaf) vegetable in the diet even when potatoes are plentiful, especially if butter, milk, and eggs cannot be freely used. nutritionally then, we can find substitutes for the potato; practically, too, we can find quite satisfactory alternatives for it in our conventional bills of fare. on the face of things the potato is a bland mealy food which blends well with the high flavor and the firm texture of meat and the softness of many other cooked vegetables. gastronomically, rice or hominy comes about as near to having the same qualities, with hot bread, macaroni, sweet potatoes, and baked bananas (underripe so as not to be too juicy and sweet) close rivals. these are not so easy to cook and serve as the potato and are not likely to supplant it when it is plentiful. it might be worth while, however, to substitute these for potatoes rather often. the latter will be appreciated all the more if not served every day in the week, or at least not more than once a day. we might extend the fashion of baked beans and brown bread to roast pork with rice, ham with baked bananas, roast beef with hominy, and broiled steak with macaroni. why not? you, madam housewife, are always sighing for variety, but does it never occur to you that the greatest secret of variety lies in new combinations? chapter v are fruits and vegetables luxuries? in the house of diet fruits and vegetables may be likened to windows and doors, fire-places and chimneys; we could dispense with them, we could board up our windows and make a fire on a big stone in the middle of the room, letting the smoke escape through a hole in the roof, but such a course would not mean comfort year in and year out. so we may exist without fruits and vegetables, but it is worth while to stop and consider what we gain by their use. we shall have to admit at the outset that if we have to spend money or labor for them, fruits and vegetables are not the cheapest source of fuel for the human machine. some of them are cheaper fuel than butter, eggs, or meat, but not as cheap as cereals, sugar, molasses, syrups, and some of our cheapest fats. this is true of potatoes, parsnips, carrots, dried peas and beans, and such fruits as bananas, prunes, raisins, dates, figs, and possibly a few other dried fruits, but we cannot justify our investment in most fruits and vegetables solely on the plea that they are "filling" in the sense of being of high fuel value; on this ground lettuce, celery, cabbage, tomatoes, lemons, rhubarb, cranberries, and many others would find no place in our domestic economy. remembering that man does not live by fuel alone, we may find ample reasons for spending some of our food money upon things which at first thought seem to give an inadequate return. there is an old adage, "an apple a day keeps the doctor away," which if true means that the apple is a real economy, a kind of health insurance, for an apple costs seldom over five cents--often only one--and a doctor's visit may easily cost a hundred times as much. there is a certain amount of truth in the saying, though the apple does not have a monopoly of the supposed virtue. it is more accurate, if less poetic, to say that an _assortment_ of fruits and vegetables helps to keep us in good health. before the days of modern "cold pack" canning, mothers used to assemble their little home groups in the spring and, in spite of sundry hidings under tables on the part of reluctant johnnies and susies, dutifully portion out herb tea or sulphur in molasses. spring cleaning could never stop short of "cleansing the blood!" and after a monotonous winter of salt pork and fried potatoes no doubt heroic measures were necessary to make up for an ill-chosen diet. nowadays we recognize no such seasonal need. we carry our surplus of fruits and vegetables over from summer to winter and profit not only in the greater daily pleasure of our tables but in clearer skins, brighter eyes, and less "spring fever." how do fruits and vegetables help to keep us well? in the first place, by their wholesome effect upon the bowels. as a rule we associate regular daily movements with health, but do not always recognize the part which diet plays in securing them. if we eat little besides meat and potatoes, bread, butter, and cake or pie, we are very likely to have constipation. this is particularly true for those who work indoors or sit much of the time. now, fruits and vegetables have several properties which help to make them laxative. many have considerable woody fiber. in celery and asparagus we find it in actual "strings"; in cabbage, spinach, lettuce, and other stem or leaf vegetables it may not be so noticeable, but it is certainly present and we should realize that it is useful. the skins of fruit are of this nature and may often be eaten, as in case of prunes, figs, apples, dried peaches and apricots. the outer coats of grains, which serve the same purpose, are frequently removed by milling, but similar coats of peas and beans are not so removed except in the case of dried split peas. in the juices of fruits and vegetables we find a variety of laxative substances. this explains why apple juice (sweet cider), orange juice or diluted lemon juice may be a very desirable morning drink. the effect is partly due to the acid but not wholly. juices which are not acid to the taste, as those of prunes, figs, onions, have laxative properties. so from a great variety of fruits and vegetables, especially those which are fibrous or acid or both, we may obtain the substitute for "pills" in wholesome foods which are generally cheaper than drugs. no diet can be properly built without a suitable supply of mineral salts. the free use of milk is our greatest safeguard against lack of any save iron, but when milk is scarce and has to be saved as now for the babies of the world, it is fortunate that we can make fruits and vegetables take its place in part. some of our very common vegetables are good sources of the calcium (lime) and phosphorus so freely supplied in milk. among these may be taken as an example the carrot, which has not had due recognition in many quarters and in some is even spoken of contemptuously as "cattle food." its cheapness comes from the fact that it is easy to grow and easy to keep through the winter and should not blind us to its merits. a good-sized carrot (weight one-fourth pound) will have only about half the fuel value of a medium-sized potato, but nearly ten times as much calcium as the potato and about one-third more phosphorus. while actual figures show that other vegetables, especially parsnips, turnips, celery, cauliflower, and lettuce, are richer in calcium than the carrot, its cheapness and fuel value make it worthy of emphasis. everyone who has a garden should devote some space to this pretty and palatable vegetable. it is perhaps at its best when steamed till soft without salting and then cut up into a nicely seasoned white sauce; its sweetness will not then be destroyed nor its salts lost in the cooking water. it is not only useful as a hot vegetable, but in salads, in the form of a toothsome marmalade, and as the foundation of a steamed pudding. for little children it is most wholesome and they should make its acquaintance by the time they are a year and a half old, in the form of a cream soup. a dish of carrots and peas (one-half cup peas, one-fourth cup carrot cubes, one-half cup white sauce) will have almost the same food values (for fuel, calcium, phosphorus, and iron) as an equivalent serving of oatmeal, milk, and sugar (three-fourths cup cooked oatmeal, one-half cup milk, one rounding teaspoon sugar) and will add variety to the diet without costing a great deal more unless one pays a fancy price for peas. even when meat and eggs are not prohibitive in price, fruit and green vegetables are an important source of iron in the diet. and when war conditions make the free consumption of meat unpatriotic, it is reassuring to think that we really can get along without meat very well if we know how. two ounces of lean beef will furnish no more iron than a quarter of a cup of cooked spinach or half a cup of cooked string beans or dried beans, or one-sixth of a cup of raisins, or half a dozen good-sized prunes. cabbage, peas, lettuce, dandelion greens, beet tops, turnip tops and other "greens" are well worth including in our bill of fare for their iron alone. by the time children are a year old we begin to introduce special iron-bearing foods into their diet to supplement milk. aside from egg yolk, we give preference for this purpose to green vegetable juice or pulp, especially from peas and spinach or a mixture of both. the substantial character of dry beans is too well known to require comment, but how many realize that they are a most valuable source of iron and other mineral salts? the fact that they are not a "complete diet" in themselves should not disturb anyone who realizes that all diets are built from a variety of foods. we are hardly likely to use beans to the exclusion of everything else except in dire necessity, and then what better could we do than use freely a food which will go so far toward sustaining life at so small a cost? there is a further significance for fruits and vegetables in their contribution to the diet of the growth-promoting, health-protecting vitamines. that the presence of fruits and vegetables in the diet is a safeguard against scurvy is well known, though the full scientific explanation is not yet ours. that the leaf vegetables (spinach, lettuce, cabbage, and the like) contain both the vitamines which are essential to growth in the young and to the maintenance of health in the adult seems assured, and gives us further justification for emphasis on green vegetables in the diet of little children, when properly administered--i.e., always cooked, put through a fine sieve, and fed in small quantities. aside from being valuable for regulation of the bowels, for mineral salts, and vitamines, to say nothing of more or less fuel value, fruits and vegetables give zest to the diet. the pleasant acidity of many fruits, their delicate aroma, their beautiful form and coloring, the ease of preparing them for the table, are qualities for which we may legitimately prize them, though we may not spend money for them until actual nutritive requirements are met. dr. simon patten, in his _new basis for civilisation_, ably expresses the value of appetizers: "tomatoes, the hothouse delicacy of the civil war time, are doing now what many a bloody revolution failed to accomplish; they have relieved the monotony of the salt pork and boiled potatoes upon the poor man's table. the clear acid flavor of the canned vegetable lightens ugly heaviness and adds tonic gratifications for the lack of which men have let each other's blood." as already remarked, those who have plenty of highly flavored meat are apt to be satisfied by it or to demand stronger flavors (coffee, catsup, pickles, and tobacco) than those found in fruits and vegetables. they are also apt to spend so much money on meat that they have none left to buy what seem to them unimportant items in the diet, and to have a much less wholesome diet than they might have for the same money. studies of expenditures in many families show that a good rule to insure a well balanced diet is to spend no more money for meat than one does for fruit and vegetables. also, it is well to remember that vegetables are usually cheaper than fruits and that dried ones may largely take the place of canned or fresh ones. for wholesome and economical living, have fruit of some kind at least once a day and make the main dish of one meal a vegetable dish whenever possible. thick cream soups, souffles, creamed or scalloped vegetables, are all substantial and appetizing. the way to learn to like such foods is to keep trying. one may learn contentment with the proverbial dinner of herbs more easily by realizing that one is building valuable bricks into the house of diet; and in the present emergency one may, by selection of fruits and vegetables of high energy value, save less perishable foods for our soldiers and allies. the knowledge that a banana is equivalent in calories to a large slice of bread or a small pat of butter becomes tremendously significant; that an apple, an orange, four prunes, four dates, or a cup of peas, may not only take the place of bread but actually add something which the bread does not contain, means that we may be the gainers from our own sacrifices, without embarrassment thereat. we shall have reaped a speedy reward for doing our duty. chapter vi fats and vitamines in the days of the ancient romans vegetable oils were prized for food and butter was used for cosmetics. in america today we are asking what is to become of us if we cannot have butter to eat! such are the fashions in food. "june butter" is one of our gastronomic traditions. the sample in the restaurant may have none of the firm creamy texture and delicate aromatic flavor of the product of the old spring house; but as long as it is labeled butter we try to bring our sensations into line with our imaginations. for the real butter flavor there is no more a substitute than there is for the aroma of coffee. but these are matters of esthetic pleasure rather than of nutrition. they depend largely upon habit. whale blubber and seal oil are as much appreciated in some quarters as butter is by us. an american going inland from the atlantic coast is often surprised to find that olive oil, instead, of being served on every table, is exceedingly disliked. for the sustenance of the body we must recognize that fat is fat, whatever its flavor. a calorie from butter yields neither more nor less energy than a calorie from lard or bacon, olive oil or cottonseed oil. the common food fats are all very well digested if judiciously used--not in too large quantities, nor over-heated in cooking, and not "cooked into" things too much as in pastries, rich sauces, and fried foods. whether we spread our bread with butter or beef drippings amounts to the same thing in the long run; the main point is which we are willing to eat. a change is rapidly coming over our food habits. the price of butter has been soaring beyond our reach, and the market for "butterine," "nut margarine," "oleomargarine," or whatever the substitute table fat may be called, has expanded tremendously. it is excellent household economy to buy milk and a butter substitute rather than cream or butter. in these substitutes refined vegetable oils such as cottonseed, cocoanut, and peanut, and oils derived from beef or lard are so combined or treated as to produce the desired hardness, and churned with milk or milk and butter to improve texture and flavor. lard substitutes are similarly made from one or more of these fats, but are harder in texture and no attempt is made to give them a butter flavor by churning with milk. all the fats used are wholesome and efficient sources of energy for the human machine. in the absence of butter some other form of fat is desirable in the diet, because fat is so concentrated a food. there is a limit to the capacity of the human stomach to hold food. people who live on a diet largely of rice, which has almost no fat in its make-up, develop characteristically distended abdomens, because they have to eat such a great quantity of food to get fuel enough for their day's work. when people are for any reason put on a milk diet for a considerable time it is customary to put something into the milk to make it more concentrated, for otherwise they would drink and drink and then hardly get fuel enough. to give a concrete illustration--a man's energy requirement for a day may be met by from four to five quarts of milk (unless he is doing very heavy manual labor), but it would be much more practical to substitute a loaf of bread, which is comparatively dry, for one quart of milk, and three ounces of fat (six tablespoonfuls) for another quart of milk, making the total volume but little over half what it would be if four quarts of milk were taken. for people who are engaged in hard physical toil, fat is exceedingly important for this purpose of gaining in concentration. "fat is fuel for fighters," and it is perfectly reasonable to ask those who are not doing much heavy labor to eat other kinds of food and save fat for those who simply have to have it to do their work well. in the ordinary mixed diet one can easily dispense with an ounce of fat (two tablespoonfuls). each tablespoonful is equalled in energy by an apple, or a banana, a large egg, two half-inch slices of bread about three inches square, four dates, four prunes--and it is no great strain on one's capacity for food to substitute such items for the fat. on account of its concentration, fat is good for transportation; and aside from its energy value it gives the diet "staying" qualities. other things being equal, one feels hungry sooner after a meal without fat than after one in which it is liberally supplied. people doing manual labor, and especially out of doors, feel the pangs of hunger more than sedentary folks and hence need more fat to keep them comfortable. no man can do his best work when all the time thinking how hungry he is. it behooves us all then, as good citizens, to recognize the greater need of our soldiers and sailors and our hard-working laborers for as liberal allowances of fat as we can make. at the same time, we cannot for our own best health dispense with fat altogether. we may consider anything up to two ounces apiece a day legitimate for our own maintenance of efficiency. in departing from food customs there is a natural timidity lest the new food shall in some way be less healthful than the old. recent scientific researches have revealed a hitherto unsuspected property in butter, a discovery which has aroused some concern as to whether we can safely substitute other fats for it. young animals fed on a diet of highly purified food materials in which lard is the only kind of fat may seem fairly well but do not grow normally, while those fed the same diet in every respect except that the lard is replaced by butter grow as young animals should and are more resistant to disease. study of other food fats shows that they may be divided into two groups, one with this growth promoting property and one without it. in general, the vegetable oils do not have it, while butter and beef oil do; on the other hand, lard does not have it, while the oil from corn does. careful analysis of the situation has shown that a fat-soluble vitamine is present which can in the laboratory be separated from the fat. this same vitamine is present in a variety of food materials--in whole milk, in egg yolks, in leaves of plants--but we have not studied it long enough to know just how much spinach we can substitute for a tablespoonful of butter so far as the vitamine is concerned. we must await further investigations. but we may rest assured that with a fairly liberal amount of milk and some green vegetables, possibly some beef fat, we need not fear any disastrous consequences from the substitution of some other fat for butter. where the diet is limited and the entire quantity of fat is not very large, it seems prudent to select oleomargarine made largely from beef oil and, where circumstances permit its use without the sacrifice of any other dietary essential, to use butter in the diet of growing children unless they get a full quart of milk apiece a day. changing our food customs is difficult because it means also changing our cooking customs. but many dishes can be made with less fat than we are accustomed to put in or with different kinds from those we have hitherto preferred. often the fat from frying is left in the pan to be washed out and thrown away. if every cook could say to herself, "every two drops of fat make a calorie and every calorie counts in the world today," it might seem more worth while to hold the pan a minute and drain out the fat for further use. a thousand calories mean a day's life to a baby. it is always more wholesome to cook foods so that they are not coated with fat, and one may get brown products in a frying pan without more than a thin film of fat to keep the food from sticking. it is well to remember in this connection that the unsalted lard substitutes are more satisfactory than the saltier fat foods, in which there may be a trace of milk. the thought that fat is fuel wherever we find it in food will stiffen our resolution to take a little pains with the fats which we have been wont to discard. anyone can get from the department of agriculture suggestions for the practical use of chicken, mutton, beef, and other kinds of meat fats. the main points are to free them from flavor, by melting them with milk or water, possibly using some special absorbent like potato or charcoal too, and then mixing hard and soft together, just as the oleomargarine-makers do, to get such a degree of hardness as suits one's purpose. all this requires time and thought. let no one dream that the patriotic duties of the kitchen are trivial. anything that is worth while costs something; money, thought, labor--perhaps all three. to salvage kitchen fat may not be economical in time and labor (though it generally is more so than one might think), but there is more time and labor than food available today. so it seems the "bit" of the housekeeper to set a standard for her family as to the amount of fat she will purchase per week, which is at least one-fourth lower than their ordinary consumption, and to depend upon special conservation of what may have gone to waste hitherto for any increase in this allowance. chapter vii "sugar and spice and everything nice" "do come and taste how nice the burnt pig eats!" so cried the miscreant son of hati when his attempt to rescue his father's live-stock from utter destruction resulted (at least according to lamb) in adding one more delicacy to the table of civilized man. that the "burnt pig" commended itself instantly to the taste of other men is attested by the recklessness with which they ignited their own houses to secure the new sensation again. not all flavors make an immediate appeal. many persons can mark the time when they learned to like olives, or tomatoes, or tea. the taste for some foods was acquired so early that there is no consciousness of any time when they were not enjoyed, and the impression prevails that the liking for such foods is instinctive. sometimes that is the case, but quite as often not. children have to be taught by patient repetition to like most of the common foods which make the staples of the diet, and likings thus acquired are as strong as those which seem more natural. however taste be accounted for, we have to recognize the fact that food is chosen for flavor more than for ultimate benefit. it is one thing to say that oatmeal is more nutritious than bread and coffee; it is quite another to induce a man to give up the latter for the former! and yet the distinguishing characteristic of man is that he can subjugate his immediate impulses for his future benefit, or find a course that will harmonize the two--take coffee with his oatmeal for instance, or find some way to flavor it, perhaps with sugar. probably no one flavor is so universally enjoyed as sweetness. "sweeter than the honey in the honey comb" is an ancient symbol of appreciation. when the sugar bowl is empty how many things lose zest! tea, coffee, cocoa, breakfast cereals, fruit, might still be acceptable, but cake, pie, and ice cream are unthinkable without sweetness; the soda fountain, the bakery, and the candy shop bear further testimony to our love of sweets. four million tons of sugar a year for the american people--eighty-five pounds apiece, nearly a quarter of a pound apiece daily--this is no inconsiderable amount of flavoring! but is not sugar good food? most assuredly. three lumps of sugar would furnish the extra energy needed to walk a mile; a quarter of a pound represents about one-sixth of a man's daily fuel requirement. but one baked potato would furnish the same energy as the three lumps of sugar; a quarter of a pound of cornstarch would supply the same fuel as the quarter pound of sugar. nutritionally starch and sugar are interchangeable, the advantage as far as digestion is concerned being with the starch rather than the sugar. and yet we put sugar on starch! so much for instinct being a guide to scientific food combinations! the problem of doing without sugar is primarily a problem of flavor--a problem of finding something else which is sweet. hence we turn our cornstarch into glucose (make corn syrup, for example) outside the body instead of inside it, so that we can taste the sweetness as it goes down. the main trouble with this kind of sugar is that it is not sweet enough to satisfy us and we are apt to use too much, thus endangering our digestions by sheer concentration of what would be, in smaller quantities, most wholesome. once more we see that nutrition is largely a question of _how much_; how much glucose or other sugar our stomachs can stand we find out by experience; few stomachs can stand when empty the quantity represented by a lollipop, and yet we frequently see children allowed to suck these between meals. the same amount of sugar diluted with water, as in a glass of lemonade, would do less harm; it might be combined with flour in a cooky with more impunity; better yet, it might be made a part of a whole meal, taking it in several dishes (sauce, dessert, etc.), or, if we must have it as candy, at the end of the meal. used in this way, the advantages of sugar as a food may be had with relatively little disadvantage. honey, "the distilled sweetness of the flower," commands a price commensurate with the exquisiteness of its production, but is not quite as easy of digestion as some other forms of sugar. because of its intense sweetness it may be combined with advantage with less sweet syrups, such as corn syrup. the cook estimates that by measure it will take one and a half times as much corn syrup as cane sugar to get the customary effects in sweet dishes. by using one part of honey to three of corn syrup a sweeter product is obtained, which is free from several of the disadvantages of honey in cookery. maple syrup and sugar are not only prized for their sweetness, due to the presence of ordinary cane sugar, but for the delicate "maple" flavor so difficult to duplicate. nutritionally a tablespoon of maple sugar is equivalent in fuel value to about four-fifths of a tablespoon of cane sugar, while equal volumes of cane molasses, corn syrup, and maple syrup are interchangeable as fuel, though not of equal sweetening power. molasses is a less one-sided food than cane sugar or corn syrup. the latter furnish nothing but fuel, and if used too freely not only disturb digestion but tend to crowd out foods which yield mineral salts. molasses is quite rich in calcium, one tablespoonful yielding as much as five ounces of milk, and is for this reason a better sweet for growing children than ordinary sugar or corn syrup when the amount of milk which they can have is limited, or when fruits and vegetables are hard to get. molasses ginger snaps make, therefore, an excellent sweet for children, much better than candy, but of course to be eaten only at meal time. the aim of good home cooking should be to please the family with what they ought to eat. the chef in a big hotel may have to prove the superiority of his art over that of a rival chef, and vie with him in novelty and elaboration, but the home cooking may be ever so simple provided the result is a happy, well-nourished family. a chocolate layer cake that takes two hours out of a day is no more nourishing than the same materials served as poached eggs, bread and butter, and a cup of chocolate. it is worth while to train a family to enjoy the flavor of simply prepared foods, and to realize that the food is the thing which counts and not the way it is dressed up. on the other hand, if one has to use a few food materials over and over, as one must in many places when the money that can be spent for food is very little, it is by slight changes in their form and flavor that one keeps them from palling on the appetite. if one has to use beans every day, it is a good thing to know a dozen different ways of preparing beans. one may have the plain bean flavor, properly toned up by a suitable amount of salt; the added flavor of onions, of tomatoes, of fat pork, of molasses, or a combination of two or three. one may have plain oatmeal for breakfast (the flavor developed by thorough cooking, at least three or four hours in a double boiler or over night in a fireless cooker); oatmeal flavored with apples in a pudding for dinner; or oatmeal flavored with onions and tomatoes in a soup for supper; the same food but quite different impressions on the palate. herbs and spices have from time immemorial given flavor to man's diet. "leeks and garlic," "anise and cumin," "salt and pepper," "curry and bean cheese," are built into the very life of a people. the more variety of natural foods we have the less dependent we are upon such things. our modern cooks, confronted in the present crisis with restrictions in the number of foods which they may use, may find in bay leaves, nutmeg, allspice, and all their kind, ways of making acceptable the cereals which make a diet economical, the peas and beans which replace at least a part of the meat, and dried fruits and vegetables which save transportation of fresh or canned goods. tea and coffee are both flavors and stimulants. they are used literally by thousands to give flavor to bread or rice. dependence on a single flavor is apt to result in a desire to have it stronger and stronger, and hence less and less wholesome. this is a good reason for some variety of flavor; better tea one meal and coffee another than the same one all the time. too freely used, and made too strong, tea and coffee may have a bad effect upon the nervous as well as the digestive system. they should never be given to children. it is better for adults to get their flavor from something without such effects. because the combination of bread and coffee tastes good, one may be deceived into thinking himself well nourished on a diet consisting of little else. and yet this is a very inadequate diet for anybody, and disastrous to the normal development of children. one must be on guard, then, lest one's desire for flavor be satisfied without the body's real needs being met. the wise cook saves her best flavors for the foods which would be least acceptable without them and does not add them to foods which are good enough by themselves. the latter course marks the insidious beginning of luxury. "once give your family luxuries and you are lost as far as satisfying them economically is concerned," remarked a clever housewife. "even a rat will not taste bread when bacon is nigh," observed a sage physiologist. the demand for flavor grows and grows with pampering, till nothing but humming-birds' tongues and miniature geese floating in a sea of aspic jelly will satisfy the palate of him who eats solely for flavor--who never knows the sauce of hunger, or the deliciousness of a plain crust of bread. we must be on guard, saying, like the little daughter of a classical professor, "if scylla doesn't get me charybdis will." flavor we must have, but not too much, not too many kinds at once, and not applied indiscriminately to foods which need them and foods which do not. the wise cook uses her arts to secure the proper nourishment of the family and not for her fame as "a good cook." chapter viii on being economical and patriotic at the same time who does not sigh for the fairy table that comes at the pressing of a button? it is invariably laden with the most tempting viands, satisfies beyond words, and disappears when the meal is over, leaving behind no problem of leftovers or planning for the next meal! no money, no work, no thought, only sheer enjoyment. alas, how different is the world of fact! even if we have plenty of money we cannot escape from the thought of food today. there is imperative need for saving of food materials; at best there will not be enough to go around, and all the world, ourselves included, will suffer in proportion as we neglect the duty of food conservation. to be economical in the use of food materials according to the program of the food administration may, probably will, demand the spending of more money, time, and thought upon food. if we have the money and time to spend, well and good; but if we have not, how shall we do our share in sending more "wheat, meat, sugar and fats to our soldiers, sailors and allies"? thousands of people had to practice strict economy before the war began. they have no more money than they had then and the cost of food has increased. certainly the first duty of everyone is to secure sufficient nourishment to avoid the undermining of health and strength which is sure to follow inadequate food. but we must all remember that it is possible to make a great many changes in diet without altering food value, and that there are few diets which cannot be so rearranged as to give a better nutritive return on the money spent than is usually secured by our haphazard methods of planning meals. saving of waste is commendable and will go a long way, but this is a kind of passive service; loyal citizens ought to be active participants in the food conservation movement, which is a movement to distribute food in the way which shall promote the efficiency of our allies and ourselves in this world upheaval. to do this without increasing the cost of one's diet requires a careful study of the situation. no one can give precise rules as to how it shall be done, but perhaps a few suggestions as to the underlying principles will help in determining a dietary plan which shall be economical and still in line with the general policy. the same nutritive essentials must be supplied whether the cost of the diet be much or little. a moderately active man needs some , calories per day whether his activity be playing golf or working on a farm; whether his board bill be $ . a day or $ . a week. in both cases there must be suitable kinds and amounts of protein-bearing food, of other "building materials," and those substances which directly or indirectly affect the smooth running of the body machinery; nevertheless, these two diets, closely alike in nutritive value, may be very dissimilar in their superficial appearance. for instance, all the nutritive requirements may be met in a ration composed of three food materials, as milk, whole wheat bread, and apples; on the other hand, by one composed of canvas-back duck, truffles, lettuce, celery, cranberries, white bread and butter, cream, coffee, and perhaps a dozen other items. we love all the various sensations that come from the mingling in a meal of food hot and cold, moist and dry, crisp and soft, sweet and sour, exhibiting the artistic touch as well as the homelier virtues; it is the sacrifice of pleasure of the esthetic sort that food economy and to some extent food conservation entail. the first step in food economy (aside from saving of waste) is to emphasize the use of cereal foods. as much as one-fourth the food money may be invested in grain products without nutritive disadvantage. but this is not the last word on the subject, since cereal foods, while cheap, differ among themselves in cost and somewhat in nutritive value. it is possible to confine one's choice to some which contribute little besides fuel to the diet, such as rice and white flour, or to include those which are rich in other essentials, such as oatmeal. it is difficult to express briefly this difference in foods in any concrete fashion, but recently a method of grading or "scoring" foods has been introduced which may help to make clearer the relationship between nutritive value and general economy. we cannot live exclusively upon foods which furnish nothing but fuel, though fuel is the largest item in the diet and one which in an effort to economize is apt to fall short; hence a food which furnishes nothing but fuel will not have as high a "score" as a food which will at the same time supply certain amounts of other essentials, such as protein, calcium (lime), iron, and the like. by giving definite values to each of the dietary essentials taken into consideration and comparing the yield of these from different foods, we may have such a score as follows:[ ] grain score value products per pound white flour , graham flour , rye flour , white bread , graham bread , cornmeal , oatmeal , cream of wheat , hominy , corn flakes , [ ] for the method of calculation and further data see "the adequacy and economy of some city dietaries" by h.c. sherman and l.h. gillett, published by the new york association for improving the condition of the poor, east twenty-second street, new york city, from which these figures are taken. by comparing the score with the price per pound we can easily see which contributes most to the diet as a whole for the money expended. thus, if hominy and oatmeal cost the same, the oatmeal is more than twice as cheap because we not only get a little more fuel from it but we also get protein, calcium, iron, and phosphorus in considerably larger amounts; that is, we shall need less of other foods with oatmeal than we shall with hominy. this does not mean that hominy is not an excellent and a cheap food, but it does mean that when the strictest economy must be practiced it pays to buy oatmeal. the task of the housewife is to find out how much she can make acceptable to her family; how much she can serve as breakfast food, how much in muffins and bread, how much in soups and puddings. this economy is strictly in harmony with the principles of food conservation--saving of wheat, so hard to do without entirely, so easy to dispense with in part. cornmeal gives as good a nutritive return per pound as cream of wheat, so that as long as the price of cornmeal is not higher than that of the wheat product it is both good economy and good patriotism to use it as far as one can. and, even if cornmeal should be dearer than wheat, one can save money by increasing the proportion of cereals in the diet so as to be able to be patriotic without increasing the food bill. a second measure which generally makes for food economy is to emphasize the use of dried fruits and vegetables. the score of some of these foods almost speaks for itself: dried fruits score value and vegetables per pound beans , peas , apples dates , figs , prunes , raisins , fresh fruits and vegetables beans peas apples bananas oranges peaches pears from the foregoing it is evident that, unless the cost of a pound of fresh apples is less than one-fifth that of dried ones, the dried will be cheaper; that if dates and raisins cost the same per pound they are equally economical to buy. it may be noted, too, that the return on a pound of dried fruit may be quite as good in its way as the return on a pound of a grain product, but they will be equally cheap only when they cost the same per pound in the market. here, again, there is no incompatibility between economy and conservation of special foods. even in the case of beans is this true, for, while certain kinds are wanted for the army and navy, there are dozens of kinds of beans; one may count it as part of one's service to find out where these can be obtained, how they are best cooked and served. soy beans commend themselves for their nutritive value, but how many american housewives have made them a part of their food program? how many have tried to buy them or asked their dealers to secure them? a third step in the program of economy is the reduction of the amount of meat consumed. in many american families at least one-third the food money is spent for meat. that there are adequate substitutes which may be used to reduce the amount of meat bought has been already shown. saving of meat is one of the most important planks in the food conservation program; so here again there is no inevitable conflict between conservation and economy. some meat is desirable for flavor if it can possibly be afforded, but no economically inclined person should set aside more than one-fourth to one-fifth of the food money for it. how much one will get depends upon the kind and cut selected. there is not so much difference in the nutritive value as there is in the cost, as the following examples of "meat scores" will show: meat score value and fish per pound beef, lean round , beef, medium fat rump , beef, porterhouse steak , veal, lean leg , lamb, medium fat leg , fowl , codfish, salt , codfish, fresh[ ] salmon, canned , [ ] the low score of fresh cod is due chiefly to the absence of fat and the presence of water. the great value of milk in the diet has already been discussed. the "score" of milk is about the same as that for sugar (milk, ; sugar, ); hence, if sugar is ten cents a pound and milk eighteen-cents a quart (about nine cents per pound), milk is cheaper than sugar. yet there are people cutting down their milk supply when the cost is only thirteen or fourteen cents per quart on the ground that milk is too expensive! the economical housewife should have no compunctions in spending from one-fifth to one-fourth of her food money for this almost indispensable food. whether the free use of milk will be good food conservation as well as good economy depends upon the supply. if there is not enough to go around, babies and the poor should have the first claim upon it and the rest of the world should try to get along with something less economical. a pound of eggs (eight or nine eggs) gives about the same nutritive return as a pound of medium fat beef, but to be as cheap as beef at thirty cents a pound, eggs must not cost over forty-five cents a dozen. eggs must be counted among the expensive foods, to be used very sparingly indeed in the economical diet. nevertheless the use of eggs as a means of saving meat is a rational food conservation movement, to be encouraged where means permit. the saving of sugar, while a necessary conservation measure, is contrary to general food economy, since sugar is a comparatively cheap fuel food and has the great additional value of popularity. sugar substitutes are not all as cheap as sugar by any means, but molasses, on account of its large amount of mineral salts, especially of calcium, has a score value of , as against for granulated sugar, and may be regarded with favor by those both economically and patriotically inclined. in the case of fats, practical economy consists in paying for fuel value and not for flavor. the score values for butter, lard, olive oil, and cottonseed oil are about the same. the cheapest fat is the one whose face value per pound (or market cost) is the lowest. fats are not as cheap as milk and cereals if they cost over ten cents per pound. the best way to economize is by saving the fat bought with meat, using other fats without much flavor, and cutting the total fat in the diet to a very small amount, not over two ounces per person per day. this is also good food conservation, since fats are almost invaluable in rationing an army, and those with decidedly agreeable flavor are needed to make a limited diet palatable. no program either of economy or food conservation can cater to individual likes and dislikes in the same way that an unrestricted choice of food can. if one does not like cereals it is hard to consume them just to save money, especially to the extent of ten to fifteen ounces of grain products in a day. yet one might as well recognize that in this direction the lowering of the cost of the diet inevitably lies. if one does not like corn, it is hard to substitute corn bread for wheat bread. but one might as well open one's mind to the fact that the only way to put off the day when there will be no white bread to eat is to begin eating cornmeal now. most of us want to eat our cake and keep it too--to enjoy our food and not pay for our pleasure; to do our duty towards our country and not feel any personal inconvenience. but the magic table of the fairy tale is not for a nation at war; food is not going to come at the pressing of a button during this conflict. if we are to escape bankruptcy and win the war we must eat to be nourished and not to be entertained. appendix some war time recipes the following recipes illustrate some of the practical applications of the principles discussed in the foregoing pages. they have been selected from various publications, a list of which is given below. the numbers following the titles of the recipes correspond with the numbers of the publications in this list. . canned salmon: cheaper than meats and why, u.s. department of commerce, bureau of fisheries, economic circular no. . cheese and its economical use in the home, u.s. department of agriculture, farmers' bulletin no. . economical diet and cookery in time of emergency, teachers college, columbia university, technical education bulletin no. . food, bulletin of the life extension institute, west th street, new york city . honey and its uses in the home, u. s. department of agriculture, farmers' bulletin no. . how to select food: foods rich in protein, u.s. department of agriculture, farmers' bulletin no. . meat substitutes, connecticut agricultural college, emergency food series, no. . ninety tested, palatable and economic recipes, teachers college, columbia university, technical educational bulletin no. . recipes of new york city food aid committee, madison avenue, new york city . recipes in the farmer's wife, st. paul, minnesota, september, . some sugar saving sweets for every day, teachers college, columbia university, teachers college record, november, . war economy in food, bulletin of the united states food administration . waste of meat in the home, cornell reading course for the farm home, lesson bread and muffins corn meal and wheat bread ( ) corn meal, cup wheat flour, cups fat, tablespoon corn syrup, tablespoon salt, - / teaspoons cold water, - / cups lukewarm water, / cup yeast, cake pour cold water gradually over corn meal and salt. cook over water for minutes. add fat and syrup. allow to cool to room temperature. add yeast which has been softened in the lukewarm water. add flour gradually, stirring or kneading thoroughly after each addition of flour. knead lightly for or minutes. shape into a loaf. let rise until double in bulk. bake in a moderate oven ( - °) for about an hour. (the amount of corn meal may be reduced if one desires a loaf with the characteristics of wheat bread.) corn meal and rye bread ( ) lukewarm water, cups yeast, cake salt, / tablespoon molasses, / cup rye flour, cup corn meal, cup flour, cups soften yeast cake in water, add remaining ingredients, and mix thoroughly. let rise, shape, let rise again and bake. sour milk corn bread ( ) corn meal, pint soda, / teaspoon baking powder, / teaspoon sour milk, pint salt, / teaspoon egg, lard (melted), / tablespoons slightly beat the egg, add milk, salt, and soda. stir in the meal. beat well. add melted lard and baking powder. bake in hot greased pan. cut in squares and serve. do not have batter too stiff. eggless corn muffins ( ) corn meal, cup pastry flour (sifted), / cup sugar, / cup melted butter, tablespoons salt, teaspoon baking powder, teaspoons milk, cup mix dry ingredients and add milk and melted butter. put in greased muffin pan and bake minutes in a moderate oven. oat bread ( ) boiling water, cups salt, / tablespoon / yeast cake, dissolved in / cup lukewarm water rolled oats (dry), cup molasses, / cup fat, tablespoon flour, - / cups add boiling water to the rolled oats, stir well and let stand for one hour. add molasses, salt, fat, dissolved yeast cake, and flour; let the dough rise to double its bulk, beat well, and turn into greased bread pans, let rise the second time, and bake about one hour in a moderate oven. oatmeal muffins ( ) cooked oatmeal, cup flour, - / cups sugar, tablespoons baking powder, teaspoons salt, / teaspoon milk, / cup egg, melted butterine, tablespoons mix and sift flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. add the egg well beaten and one-half the milk. mix the remainder of the milk with the cereal, and beat in thoroughly. then add the butter. bake in buttered muffin or gem tins about minutes in a moderate oven. war time boston brown bread rye meal, cup corn meal, cup finely ground oatmeal, cup milk, - / cups soda, / teaspoon salt, teaspoon molasses, cup baking powder, teaspoons mix and sift dry ingredients, add molasses and milk, stir until well mixed, turn into a well-greased mold, and steam three and one-half hours. the cover should be greased before being placed on mold. the mold should never be filled more than two-thirds full. a one-pound baking powder box makes the most attractive shaped loaf for steaming; place mold on a trivet in kettle containing boiling water, allowing water to come half-way up around mold; cover closely and steam, adding as needed more boiling water. one cup chopped peanuts and cup of cut dates may be added. rice bread ( ) milk, / cup sugar, tablespoons fat, tablespoons salt, - / teaspoons compressed yeast, / cake, softened in / cup liquid boiled rice, cups flour, cups this proportion makes two loaves of bread. scald the milk with sugar, salt, and fat. let cool until lukewarm and pour over the boiled rice. add yeast which has been softened in one-quarter cupful warm water. stir in flour and knead. let rise until double its bulk. knead again and put into pans. let rise until light and bake minutes to one hour in a moderate oven. _the rice should be boiled in a large quantity of boiling water_, in order to insure a dry rice. at least eight or ten times as much water as rice should be used. eggless rye muffins ( ) rye flour, cups baking powder, teaspoons salt, / teaspoon sugar, teaspoons milk, cup melted butter or other fat, tablespoon mix and sift the dry ingredients; add the milk and melted fat. mix quickly, do not beat. bake in greased muffin pans minutes in a hot oven. rye corn meal muffins ( ) corn meal, / cup rye flour, cup baking powder, teaspoons sugar, tablespoons melted butter, tablespoon salt, teaspoon milk, / cup egg, mix and sift dry ingredients, beat egg, add to it milk and molasses, then stir liquid mixture into dry ingredients. do not beat. place in well-greased muffin tins and bake in moderate oven to minutes. rye rolls ( ) milk, cup water, cup fat, tablespoons sugar, teaspoons salt, teaspoons yeast cakes, water, tablespoons rye flour, cups white flour, cups scald the milk with the salt, sugar, and fat. soften the yeast in the six tablespoonfuls of water. cool the milk by adding the rest of the water cold, stir in the yeast and flour, and knead. let rise until double in bulk. knead again and shape into rolls. let rise until very light and bake. cake and cookies apple sauce cake ( ) sugar, cup butter, tablespoons apple sauce, cup flour, cups raisins, / cup soda, teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon cloves, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon nutmeg, / teaspoon sift together the soda, spices, salt, and flour. cream the butter, add sugar, apple sauce, dry ingredients, and seeded raisins. bake in a moderate oven. buckwheat cookies ( ) butterine, / cup sugar, cup eggs, clove, / teaspoon buckwheat, / cups salt, / teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon beat the eggs, add the sugar and melted butter, and beat until thoroughly mixed. sift the buckwheat, spices, and salt together and add very slowly. mix well; roll on a floured board one-eighth to one-sixteenth inch thick. cut the cookies and bake on a greased baking sheet in a moderate oven about minutes. honey bran cookies ( ) bran, cups sugar, / cup soda, / to / teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon ginger, / teaspoon honey, / cup milk, / cup melted butter, / cup soft honey cake ( ) butter, / cup honey, cup egg, sour milk, / cup soda, teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon ginger, / teaspoon flour, cups rub the butter and honey together; add the egg well beaten, then the sour milk and the flour sifted with the soda and spices. bake in a shallow pan. molasses cakes ( ) sugar, / cup fat, / cup molasses, cup ginger, teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon egg, flour, / cups soda, teaspoons hot water, cup salt, / teaspoon sift together the salt, sugar, flour, soda, and spices. melt butter in hot water, add molasses, egg well beaten, and dry ingredients. mix well. bake in small cup cake tins in a moderate oven for about minutes. molasses cookies ( ) flour, - / cups salt, teaspoon soda, teaspoon ginger, tablespoon molasses, cup hot water, tablespoon hardened vegetable fat, / cup sift together the flour, salt, soda, and ginger. melt fat; add hot water and molasses; stir this liquid gradually into the dry ingredients. chill. roll on floured board to one-eighth inch thickness. cut. bake about minutes in a moderate oven ( - ° f.). nut molasses bars ( ) oleomargarine, / cup hardened vegetable fat, / cup boiling water, / cup brown sugar, / cup molasses, / cup soda, teaspoon flour, - / cups ginger, / teaspoon cloves, / teaspoon salt, teaspoon cocoanut, / cup english walnuts, / cup pour boiling water over fat; add sugar and molasses; add flour, soda, spices, and salt sifted together. chill. roll one-eighth inch thick. cut in strips about three and a half by one inch. sprinkle with cocoanut and english walnuts cut in small pieces. bake about minutes in a moderate oven. oatmeal cookies ( ) egg, sugar, / cup milk, / cup water, / cup flour, cups fine oatmeal, / cup baking powder, teaspoons salt, teaspoon raisins, cup melted fat, tablespoons sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. add the oatmeal. beat the egg add sugar, water, and milk, dry ingredients mixed together, raisins, and melted fat. drop from spoon on greased baking sheet and bake in moderate oven. oatmeal macaroons ( ) fat, tablespoon corn syrup, / cup sugar, tablespoons egg, almond extract if desired, teaspoons oatmeal, / cups salt, / teaspoon baking powder, / teaspoon flour, - / tablespoons combine the melted fat and sugar and syrup, add the beaten egg and stir in the other ingredients. drop from a teaspoon on greased baking sheets or pans and bake in a moderate oven about minutes. potato drop cookies ( ) hot mashed potatoes, - / cups sugar, - / cups beef or mutton fat, cup flour, - / cups baking powder, teaspoons cinnamon, teaspoon cloves, / teaspoon nutmeg, / teaspoon raisins, chopped, / cup nuts, chopped, / cup combine the ingredients in the order given and drop the mixture by spoonfuls on a slightly greased tin. bake the cookies in a moderate oven. spice cake ( ) hardened vegetable fat, - / tablespoons sugar, / cup egg, corn syrup, / cup milk, / cup flour, cup (plus - / tablespoons) baking powder, - / teaspoons chopped citron, tablespoons raisins, cut in half, / cup cinnamon, / teaspoon clove, / teaspoon nutmeg, / teaspoon cream fat; add sugar gradually, syrup, egg well beaten; mix and sift dry ingredients; add alternately with milk to first mixture. add raisins (which have been rolled in a little of the flour), mixing them through the cake thoroughly. bake about minutes in a moderate oven (about ° f.). jams and sandwich fillings banana and nut paste for sandwiches ( ) banana, shelled peanuts, / cup mix the banana with the shelled peanuts, which have been crushed. salt to taste. use as a filling for sandwiches. carrot marmalade ( ) carrots, pounds sugar, pounds lemon, (juice and grated rind) oranges, (juice and grated rind) wash, scrape, and steam carrots until soft; chop fine and mix with fruit and sugar. cook gently one hour. date and cranberry marmalade ( ) cranberries, quart dates, stoned, pound water, pint brown sugar, cups simmer together for minutes cranberries, dates, and water; put through a sieve; add sugar and cook minutes longer. dried apricot conserve ( ) dried apricots, / pound ( - / cups) cold water, cups raisins, cup juice of lemon whole orange, nuts, / cup corn syrup (light), cup soak apricots over night in cold water. when soaked add raisins, lemon juice, orange sliced very thin, with slices cut in small pieces, and corn syrup. bring to boiling point and simmer for about one and one-quarter hours. add nuts minutes before taking from fire. fruit and peanut butter (for sandwiches) ( ) dates, / cup figs, / cup peanut butter, / cup salt, / teaspoon lemon juice, - / tablespoons raisins, / cup corn syrup (light), tablespoons wash figs, raisins, and dates, and put through food chopper. add salt, peanut butter, lemon juice, and corn syrup, and mix well. plum conserve (without sugar) ( ) pitted plums, pound ( dozen plums) raisins, / pound cold water, / cup walnuts, / pound ( / cup) oranges, corn syrup, / cup wash and cut plums in pieces: add chopped raisins, orange pulp and peel, cut very fine; corn syrup and water; boil until it is of the consistency of marmalade (about one and one-half hours of slow cooking). add walnuts five minutes before removing from fire. substantial hot dishes baked barley ( ) barley, / cup boiling water, cups salt, / teaspoon left over gravy, / cup soak barley over night. drain. cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain. add left over gravy and bake for minutes in a moderate oven. if one has a meat bone, or left over bits of meat, these may be boiled with the barley to give it flavor. beef and bean stew ( ) beef, lower round, pound red kidney beans, cup onion, canned tomatoes, cup, or or fresh tomatoes salt pork, ounces wash the beans and soak them over night. cut the pork into small pieces and try out the fat. cut the beef into small pieces and brown it in the pork fat, then add the vegetables with water enough to cover. cook just below the boiling point for about three hours. cheese fondue ( ) milk (hot), - / cups bread crumbs, - / cups butter, tablespoon eggs, cheese, / pound ( - / cups grated or cup cut in pieces) salt, / teaspoon mix the water, bread crumbs, salt, and cheese; add the yolks thoroughly beaten; into this mixture cut and fold the whites of eggs beaten until stiff. pour into a buttered dish and cook minutes in a moderate oven. serve at once. corned beef hash with vegetables ( ) corned beef (cold, left over), - / cups dice potatoes (cooked), - / cups turnips (cooked), cup onion, chopped fine, small carrots (cooked), / cup water, / cup fat, tablespoons cut the meat into small pieces. add cooked vegetables cut into small cubes, onion and water. put fat into hot frying pan, add hash and cook for about minutes, allowing the hash to brown. other left over meat may be added to corned beef, or used instead of corned beef. corn meal scrapple ( ) shin of beef, pounds salt, teaspoon onion, medium pepper, / teaspoon cold water, quarts corn meal, cup cook onion thinly sliced in beef marrow or suet. add to water with meat and bone and cook until meat is tender. let cool, skim off fat, and remove bone. to liquid remaining, add enough water to make one quart. add corn meal and salt and cook one hour. turn into a mold, cool, cut in slices, and fry in pork fat until brown. serve with or without gravy. corn chowder ( ) corn, / can salt pork, - / inch cube potato cut in slices, medium milk, cups boiling water, - / cups butter, tablespoons sliced onion, / sugar, / teaspoon salt and pepper cut the pork into small pieces and try it out. add the onion and cook for about five minutes. strain the fat into a stew pan. cook the potatoes for about five minutes in boiling salted water. drain, and add the potatoes to the fat. add the boiling water and cook until the potatoes are soft. then add corn and milk and heat to the boiling point. add the salt, pepper, sugar, and butter. serve immediately after adding butter. cottage cheese and nut loaf ( ) cottage cheese, cup nut meats (use those locally grown), cup stale bread crumbs, cup juice of / lemon salt, teaspoon pepper, / teaspoon chopped onion, tablespoons oleomargarine, meat drippings or vegetable oils, tablespoon mix the cheese, ground nuts, crumbs, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. cook the onion in the fat and a little water until tender. add to the first mixture the onion and sufficient water or meat stock to moisten. mix well, pour into a baking dish, and brown in the oven. dried fish chowder ( ) salt fish, / pound potatoes, cut in small pieces, cups salt pork, ounces small onion, chopped, skim milk, cups crackers, ounces salt codfish, smoked halibut, or other dried fish may be used in this chowder. pick over and shred the fish, holding it under lukewarm water. let it soak while the other ingredients of the dish are being prepared. cut the pork into small pieces and fry it with the onion until both are a delicate brown; add the potatoes, cover with water, and cook until the potatoes are soft. add the milk and fish and reheat. salt, if necessary. it is well to allow the crackers to soak in the milk while the potatoes are being cooked, then remove them, and finally add to the chowder just before serving. gevech (roumanian recipe) ( ) shredded cabbage, - / cups chopped onion, / cup rice, / cup diced potatoes, / cup / green pepper cut into strips fish, / pound canned tomato, / cup water, tablespoons salt, / teaspoon paprika, / teaspoon pepper, / teaspoon parboil cabbage, onion, rice, potatoes, and green pepper together in salted water for minutes. drain. clean fish, cut into small pieces, and mix with parboiled vegetables, canned tomatoes, water, and seasonings. bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. baste occasionally while cooking. serve with a garnish of sliced lemon. kidney bean stew ( ) kidney beans, cup onion, small rice, tablespoons canned tomatoes, cups fat or drippings, tablespoons flour, tablespoons salt and pepper to taste soak beans over night in cold water to cover. in the morning place beans over fire, adding water to cover if necessary. add onion, rice and tomatoes and cook slowly until beans are soft. if too thick, add water. mix flour and fat, and use to thicken stew. baked oatmeal with cheese ( ) cooked oatmeal, cups grated cheese, cup salt and pepper soft bread crumbs, / cup fat, teaspoon put into an oiled baking dish a layer of left over oatmeal, then a sprinkling of grated cheese, pepper and salt, another layer of oatmeal, then cheese and seasonings; continue until the dish is full. melt the fat and mix with this the bread crumbs. sprinkle over the top of the dish. bake in a moderate oven until the crumbs are golden brown. green pea loaf with white sauce ( ) dried green peas, cup cold water, cups boiling water, quarts soft, stale bread crumbs, - / cups milk, - / cups salt, teaspoon pepper, / teaspoon paprika, / teaspoon grated onion, / teaspoon egg, fat, tablespoons soak peas in cold water over night. cook in boiling water until soft. rub through a sieve. to one cup of this pea pulp add bread crumbs, milk, seasoning, egg (slightly beaten), and melted fat. turn mixture into a small, oiled bread pan. set pan into a second pan, containing water. bake mixture minutes or until firm. remove loaf from pan. serve with white sauce. one-half cup of cheese may be added to one and one-half cups of the sauce. mock sausage ( ) lima beans, dried, / cup bread crumbs, / cup butter, tablespoons egg, pepper, few grains salt, / teaspoon sage, / to / teaspoon pick over and wash beans, cover with water, and let soak over night. drain; cook in boiling salted water until tender, about one and one-half hours. force through a strainer, add remaining ingredients. shape into form of sausages, roll in crumbs, egg, and crumbs again. sauté in fat until brown. it requires about two-thirds cup crumbs and one-half egg for dipping sausage. may be garnished with fried apples. baked soy or togo beans ( ) soy beans, known in the retail market as togo beans, resemble navy beans in some ways. they contain, however, a considerable amount of fat. for this reason neither pork nor other fat is used in cooking them unless it is wanted for flavor. they are considerably richer in protein also. wash and pick over one quart of soy beans. cover with boiling water, boil for minutes, and soak over night in the same water. in the morning pour off and save the water. pour cold water over the beans and rub them between the hands to remove the skins, which will float off in the water. removing the skins in this way takes only two or three minutes and greatly improves the quality of the dish. if a few skins are left on, they will do no harm, unless the dish is being prepared for a person of poor digestion. drain the beans, pour over them the water in which they were soaked, and cook until tender at a temperature just below the boiling point. pour off the water, put the beans into a bean pot, cover with cold water, add one and one-half tablespoonfuls of salt, and bake four or five hours in a covered dish. remove the cover and bake one hour more. peanut loaf ( ) chopped peanuts, cup bread crumbs, cups egg, milk, cup salt, - / teaspoons paprika, / teaspoon melted fat, tablespoon mix dry ingredients, add beaten egg and milk. put into a greased pan, pour the melted fat on top, bake. turn on a hot platter and serve with sauce. sauce for loaf hot water, cup beef cube, juice lemon fat, tablespoons flour, tablespoons salt, / teaspoon paprika, / teaspoon few grains nutmeg melt fat, add flour with seasoning, add hot water in which beef cube has been dissolved. just before serving add lemon juice. this nut loaf with its accompanying sauce is a highly nutritious dish and is excellent for lunch or supper. serve no meat or potatoes with it. peanut butter bean loaf ( ) peanut butter, / cup cooked beans, cup soft bread crumbs (toasted), cup milk, cup salt, teaspoon pepper, / teaspoon the beans should be soaked over night and cooked in fresh water until tender. press through a sieve, add other ingredients, mix well. shape into a loaf, place in pan, and bake about two hours, basting with melted fat and hot water. peanut butter cream soup ( ) milk, quart onion (grated), small flour, tablespoon melted fat, tablespoon peanut butter, cup bay leaf, celery (chopped) stalks celery salt, saltspoon salt, / teaspoon a little white pepper dash of paprika heat milk in a double boiler, add peanut butter, onion, bay leaf, chopped celery, and other seasoning. while the milk is heating, melt fat in a separate sauce pan, stirring in flour as for cream sauce. when smooth add the hot milk, after straining through a sieve. serve at once with croutons or tiny squares of bread browned till crisp. peanut fondue ( ) peanuts, shelled, cup bread crumbs (soft), cup milk, - / cups egg, salt, - / teaspoons cayenne grind peanuts in a meat grinder. mix all ingredients except the white of the egg. beat the egg white stiff and fold in. turn into a buttered pudding dish and bake in a moderate oven to minutes. peanut soup ( ) blanched shelled peanuts, cups onion, / cup celery, / cup carrot, / cup water, - / cups fat, / cup flour, tablespoons salt, teaspoon paprika, / teaspoon milk, cups chop and crush the nuts until very fine; add the vegetables and water; simmer minutes. make a white sauce of the other ingredients, mix the two mixtures thoroughly and serve. potato soup with carrots ( ) potatoes, medium water, cups flour, tablespoons soup greens onion, slices sprigs of parsley milk, - / cups carrot, fat, - / tablespoons salt and pepper stalk of celery wash and pare potatoes. cook in boiling salted water until they are soft. rub through colander. use water in which potatoes were cooked to make up the two cups of water for the soup. cook carrot cut in cubes in boiling water until soft; drain. scald milk with onion, celery, and parsley. add milk and water to potatoes. melt fat in sauce pan, add flour, and cook for three minutes. slowly add soup, stirring constantly. boil for one minute, season with salt and pepper. add cubes of carrots and serve. salmon en casserole ( ) cook one cup of rice. when cold line baking dish. take one can of salmon and flake. beat two eggs, one-third cup of milk, one tablespoon of butter, pinch of salt, dash of paprika. stir into the salmon lightly, cover lightly with rice. steam one hour, serve with white sauce. (this may also be made with barley instead of rice.) scalloped salmon ( ) salmon, can egg, milk, pint flour, rounding tablespoons butter, - / tablespoons put the milk on stove in double boiler, keeping out one-half cup. mix butter and flour to a smooth paste, and add the egg well beaten, then the one-half cup of cold milk. mix well and then stir into the milk, which should be scalding. stir until smooth and thick like gravy. season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool. butter a baking dish and fill with alternate layers of flaked salmon and the cream dressing. the top layer should be of the dressing. sprinkle with cracker crumbs and bake one-half hour in moderate oven. salmon loaf ( ) salmon, small can egg, cracker crumbs, cup sweet milk, tablespoons paprika nutmeg salt remove bones from salmon; break into small pieces, add well beaten egg, seasoning, and cracker crumbs; bake in a well buttered dish for minutes; serve hot for lunch. tamale pie ( ) corn meal, cups salt, / teaspoons boiling water, cups onion, fat, tablespoon hamburger steak, pound tomatoes, cups cayenne pepper, / teaspoon, or chopped sweet pepper, small salt, teaspoon make a mush by stirring the corn meal and one and one-half teaspoons salt into boiling water. cook in a double boiler or over water for minutes. brown the onion in the fat, add the hamburger steak, and stir until the red color disappears. add the tomatoes, pepper, and salt. grease a baking-dish, put in a layer of corn meal mush, add the seasoned meat, and cover with mush. bake minutes. serves six. turkish pilaf ( ) washed rice, cup raw lean beef or lamb, pound salt, teaspoon boiling water, cups small onion or garlic, cloves tomatoes, cups olive oil or any fat, tablespoons fry onion cut in small pieces or the garlic in the fat until slightly brown; add rice, seasonings, water, tomatoes, meat, and cook in a covered dish until the rice is soft. the meat may be omitted, the rice cooked in the tomatoes and water, and the whole covered with grated cheese and baked until cheese is melted. vegetable stew beef, / pound mutton, / pound carrots, diced, / cup potatoes, diced, cups tomatoes, canned, / cup fat, tablespoons carrot, whole onion, sliced, tablespoons cabbage, chopped, cup flour, / cup bay leaf, / leaf cloves, peppercorns, parsley, chopped, tablespoons salt, teaspoons thyme, sprig water, cups cut meat in small pieces, brown with onion in fat, add water, one carrot in which cloves have been imbedded, and other vegetables. tie bay leaf, thyme, and peppercorns together in a piece of cheesecloth and cook with stew about two hours (till vegetables are done). remove bag of seasonings, thicken stew with flour. add more salt if needed. puddings apricot tapioca pudding ( ) apricots, sugar, / cup pearl tapioca, cup salt, / teaspoon boiling water, cups cover the tapioca with cold water and soak for one hour. drain off the cold water, add the boiling water and salt, and cook over water (in a double boiler if you have one) until the tapioca is transparent, and no hard center portion remains. this will require about minutes. place the apricots in a buttered baking dish. add sugar to the tapioca, pour this over the apricots, add apricot juice, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. cool and serve. if dried apricots are to be used, they should be soaked over night or several hours in cold water sufficient to cover them. cook in the water in which they have soaked until they are tender. cereal pudding ( ) left over cereal, - / cups apple sauce, / cup or apple, sugar, tablespoon butter, tablespoon bread crumbs, tablespoons put a layer of cereal in the bottom of a buttered baking dish, then a layer of apples or sauce, then sugar if the sauce has not been sweetened. then put in another layer of cereal, cover with buttered crumbs. bake minutes if it has apple sauce in it, one hour if raw apples are used. serve with cream. cereal date pudding ( ) cereal (half corn meal and half farina), / cup boiling water, cups salt, / teaspoon chopped dates, cup oleomargarine, tablespoon corn syrup (light), / cup egg, stir the cereal mixture gradually into the boiling water, to which the salt has been added. cook directly over the flame for about five minutes, stirring constantly, and then cook over water for one and one-half hours. add oleomargarine, syrup, egg, well beaten, and chopped dates. turn into a greased baking dish and bake for about minutes in a moderate oven ( - ° f.). chocolate bread pudding ( ) bread, broken in small pieces, / cups corn syrup (dark), / cup brown sugar, / cup egg, salt, / teaspoon chocolate, squares milk, / cups hot water, / cups vanilla, / teaspoon soak bread in milk; add syrup, brown sugar, egg, well beaten, and salt. melt chocolate in water; add gradually to bread mixture. add vanilla. bake in custard cups, set in hot water, in a moderate oven. eggless steamed pudding ( ) flour, / cups soda, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon cloves, / teaspoon allspice, / teaspoon nutmeg, / teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon hardened vegetable fat, tablespoons molasses, / cup milk, / cup raisins (seeded and cut in pieces), cup sift together the flour, soda, salt, and spices; add the raisins. to milk add molasses and melted fat; add liquid mixture gradually to dry ingredients. stir thoroughly. turn into greased molds, filling them a little over half full; cover and steam for about two and one-half hours. serve with pudding sauce or milk. (baking powder cans are satisfactory molds for steamed puddings.) honey pudding ( ) honey, / cup bread crumbs, ounces milk, / cup rind of half a lemon ginger, / teaspoon eggs, butter, tablespoons mix the honey and the bread crumbs and add the milk, seasonings, and yolks of the eggs. beat the mixture thoroughly and then add the butter and the whites of the eggs well beaten. steam for about two hours in a pudding mold which is not more than three-quarters full. indian pudding ( ) milk, quart molasses, / cup corn meal, / cup ginger, teaspoons salt, teaspoon cold milk, cup pour milk, scalded, over meal, and cook minutes; add salt, ginger, and molasses. cook slowly in a buttered baking dish two hours. when half done, add the cold milk and finish cooking. baked indian and apple pudding ( ) corn meal, / cup milk, cups salt, / teaspoon ginger, / teaspoon molasses, / cup apple, sift corn meal slowly into the scalded milk, stirring constantly. cook in double boiler minutes, stirring occasionally. add salt, ginger, and molasses. put into greased baking dish and bake one hour in a slow oven, stirring occasionally. slice apple and stir into pudding. bake until apple is tender. prune brown betty ( ) cooked prunes, stoned and cut into halves, - / cups bread crumbs (dry), / cup corn syrup (dark), / cup lemon juice, tablespoons grated rind of / lemon cinnamon, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon oleomargarine, tablespoon prune juice, / cup mix together heated prune juice, fat, salt, corn syrup, lemon juice, lemon rind, and cinnamon. moisten bread crumbs with part of this mixture. into a greased baking dish put alternate layers of bread crumbs and prunes, pouring part of liquid mixture over each layer of prunes. bake in a moderate oven about minutes. rice pudding ( ) rice, / cup milk, / cup corn syrup (light), tablespoons nutmeg, / teaspoon raisins, / cup cook the rice in boiling salted water, until soft. pour off water, add milk, syrup, nutmeg, and raisins. bake in a moderate oven ( - ° f.) for minutes. spiced pudding ( ) browned crusts of bread, cup scalded milk, cups molasses, / cup raisins, / cup salt, / teaspoon nutmeg, / teaspoon cinnamon, / teaspoon cloves, / teaspoon soak the crusts in the milk until soft. add molasses, salt, spices, and raisins. bake in a moderate oven ( - ° f.), stirring occasionally at first. serve with milk or cream. * * * * * the following pages contain advertisements of books by the same author or on kindred subjects. feeding the family by mary swartz rose illustrated, $ . this is a clear and concise account in simple every-day terms of the ways in which modern knowledge of the science of nutrition may be applied in ordinary life. the food needs of the different members of the typical family group--men, women, infants, children of various ages--are discussed in separate chapters, and many concrete illustrations in the form of food plans and dietaries are included. the problems of the housewife in trying to reconcile the needs of different ages and tastes at the same table are also taken up, as are the cost of food and the construction of menus. a final chapter deals with feeding the sick. "the volume is so simply and entertainingly written that it cannot but be enjoyed by anyone interested in the planning or preparation of household meals, and it would be difficult to imagine a more helpful book to put into the hands of a reader desiring information along such lines."--_trained nurse_. the macmillan company publishers - fifth avenue new york * * * * * a laboratory hand-book for dietetics by mary swartz rose, ph.d. assistant professor, department of nutrition, teachers college, columbia university cloth, vo, $ . investigations into the quantitative requirements of the human body have progressed so far as to make dietetics to a certain extent an exact science, and to emphasize the importance of a quantitative study of food materials. this little book explains the problems involved in the calculation of food values and food requirements, and the construction of dietaries, and furnishes reference tables which will minimize the labor involved in such work without limiting dietary study to a few food materials. only brief statements of the conditions affecting food requirements have been made, the reader being referred to general textbooks on the subject of nutrition for fuller information, but such data have been included as seem most useful in determining the amount of food for any normal individual under varying conditions of age and activity. table of contents part i food values and food requirements the composition of food materials. the functions of food. food as a source of energy. food as building material. food in the regulation of body processes. food requirement. the energy requirement of normal adults. the energy requirement of children. the energy requirement of the aged. the protein requirement. the fat and carbohydrate requirement. the ash requirement. part ii problems in dietary calculations studies in weight, measure, and cost of some common food materials. relation between percentage composition and weight. calculation of the fuel value of a single food material. calculation of the weight of a standard or -calorie portion. food value of a combination of food materials. distribution of foodstuffs in a standard portion of a single food material. calculation of a standard portion of a combination of food materials. analysis of a recipe. modification of cow's milk to a required formula. calculation of the percentage composition of a food mixture. the calculation of a complete dietary. scoring of the dietary. reference tables refuse in food materials. conversion tables--grams to ounces. conversion tables--ounces to grams. conversion tables--pounds to grams. food values in terms of standard units of weight. ash constituents in percentages of the edible portion. ash constituents in standard or -calorie portions. appendix the equipment of a dietetics laboratory. the macmillan company publishers - fifth avenue new york * * * * * the food problem by vernon kellogg and alonzo e. taylor. $ . "food is always more or less of a problem in every phase of its production, handling and consumption. it is a problem with every farmer, every transporter and seller, every householder. it is a problem with every town, state and nation. and now very conspicuously, it is a problem with three great groups, namely the allies, the central empires and the neutrals; in a word it is a great international problem." these sentences from the introduction indicate the scope of _the food problem_ by vernon kellogg and alonzo e. taylor. both authors are members of the united states food administration. dr. kellogg is also connected with the commission for relief in belgium and professor in stanford university. mr. taylor is a member of the exports administrative board and professor in the university of pennsylvania. the preface is by herbert hoover, united states food administrator and chairman for the commission of relief in belgium. the food problem of today, of our nation, therefore, has as its most conspicuous phase an international character. some of the questions which the book considers are: what is the problem in detail? what are the general conditions of its solution? what are the immediate and particulars which concern us, and are within our power to affect? and finally, what are we actually doing to meet our problem? table of contents introduction: the international problem. part i. the problem and the solution. chapter i. the food situation of the western allies and the united states. ii. food administration. iii. how england, france and italy are controlling and saving food. iv. food control in germany and its lessons. part ii. the technology of food use. chapter v. the physiology of nutrition. vi. the sociology of nutrition. vii. the sociology of nutrition (continued). viii. grain and alcohol. conclusion: patriotism and food. the macmillan company publishers - fifth avenue new york * * * * * two textbooks of the household arts by helen kinne, professor, and anna m. cooley, associate professor of household arts education, teachers college, columbia university cloth, mo, ill. $ . foods and household management treats specifically of foods, their production, sanitation, cost, nutritive value, preparation, and serving, these topics being closely interwoven with the practical aspects of household management; and they are followed by a study of the household budget and accounts, methods of buying, housewifery, and laundering. it includes about carefully selected and tested recipes, together with a large number of cooking exercises of a more experimental nature designed to develop initiative and resourcefulness. the book is new, practical, and economical. it is well illustrated and attractively bound. shelter and clothing this book takes up fully, but with careful balance, every phase of home-making: location, structure, plan, sanitation, heating, lighting, decorating, and furnishing. the second part is devoted to textiles, sewing, and dressmaking. sewing, drafting, designing, fitting, and cutting are treated in considerable detail as is also the making of the personal budget for clothing. the authors hold that harmony will be the keynote of the home in proportion as the makers of the home regard the plan, the sanitation, the decoration of the house itself, and as they exercise economy and wisdom in the provision of clothing. the macmillan company publishers - fifth avenue new york no animal food and nutrition and diet with vegetable recipes by rupert h. wheldon health culture co. new york--passaic, n. j. preface the title of this book is not ambiguous, but as it relates to a subject rarely thought about by the generality of people, it may save some misapprehension if at once it is plainly stated that the following pages are in vindication of a dietary consisting wholly of products of the vegetable kingdom, and which therefore excludes not only flesh, fish, and fowl, but milk and eggs and products manufactured therefrom. the author. this work is reprinted from the english edition with changes better adapting it to the american reader. the publishers. man's food health and happiness are within reach of those who provide themselves with good food, clean water, fresh air, and exercise. a ceaseless and relentless hand is laid on almost every animal to provide food for human beings. nothing that lives or grows is missed by man in his search for food to satisfy his appetite. natural appetite is satisfied with vegetable food, the basis for highest and best health and development. history of primitive man we know, but the possibilities of perfected and complete man are not yet attained. adequate and pleasant food comes to us from the soil direct, favorable for health, and a preventive against disease. plant food is man's natural diet; ample, suitable, and available; obtainable with least labor and expense, and in pleasing form and variety. animal food will be useful in emergency, also at other times; still, plant substance is more favorable to health, endurance, and power of mind. variety of food is desirable and natural; it is abundantly supplied by the growth of the soil under cultivation. races of intelligence and strength are to be found subsisting and thriving on an exclusive plant grown diet. the health and patience of vegetarians meet the social, mental and physical tests of life with less disease, and less risk of dependence in old age. meat eaters have no advantages which do not belong also to those whose food is vegetable. plant food, the principal diet of the world, has one serious drawback; it is not always savory, or palatable. plant diet to be savory requires fat, or oil, to be added to it; nuts, peanut, and olive oil, supply it to the best advantage. plant diet with butter, cream, milk, cheese, eggs, lard, fat, suet, or tallow added to it, is not vegetarian; it is mixed diet; the same in effect as if meat were used.--elmer lee, m.d., editor, health culture magazine. contents page no animal food i--the urgency of the subject ii--physical considerations iii--ethical considerations iv--the Æsthetic point of view v--economical considerations vi--the exclusion of dairy produce vii--conclusion nutrition and diet i--science of nutrition ii--what to eat iii--when to eat iv--how to eat food table recipes no animal food i urgency of the subject outside of those who have had the good fortune to be educated to an understanding of a rational science of dietetics, very few people indeed have any notion whatever of the fundamental principles of nutrition and diet, and are therefore unable to form any sound opinion as to the merits or demerits of any particular system of dietetic reform. unfortunately many of those who _do_ realise the intimate connection between diet and both physical and mental health, are not, generally speaking, sufficiently philosophical to base their views upon a secure foundation and logically reason out the whole problem for themselves. briefly, the pleas usually advanced on behalf of the vegetable regimen are as follows: it is claimed to be healthier than the customary flesh diet; it is claimed for various reasons to be more pleasant; it is claimed to be more economical; it is claimed to be less trouble; it is claimed to be more humane. many hold the opinion that a frugivorous diet is more natural and better suited to the constitution of man, and that he was never intended to be carnivorous; that the slaughtering of animals for food, being entirely unnecessary is immoral; that in adding our share towards supplying a vocation for the butcher we are helping to nurture callousness, coarseness and brutality in those who are concerned in the butchering business; that anyone of true refinement and delicacy would find in the killing of highly-strung, nervous, sensitive creatures, a task repulsive and disgusting, and that it is scarcely fair, let alone christian, to ask others to perform work which we consider unnecessary and loathsome, and which we should be ashamed to do ourselves. of all these various views there is one that should be regarded as of primary importance, namely, the question of health. first and foremost we have to consider the question of physical health. no system of thought that poses as being concerned with man's welfare on earth can ever make headway unless it recognises this. physical well-being is a moral consideration that should and must have our attention before aught else, and that this is so needs no demonstrating; it is self-evident. now it is not to be denied when we look at the over-flowing hospitals; when we see everywhere advertised patent medicines; when we realise that a vast amount of work is done by the medical profession among all classes; when we learn that one man out of twelve and one woman out of eight die every year from that most terrible disease, cancer, and that over , persons died from tuberculosis during the first seven years of the present century; when we learn that there are over defined diseases prevalent among us and that the list is being continually added to, that the general health of the nation is far different from what we have every reason to believe it ought to be. however much we may have become accustomed to it, we cannot suppose ill-health to be a _normal_ condition. granted, then, that the general health of the nation is far from what it should be, and looking from effects to causes, may we not pertinently enquire whether our diet is not largely responsible for this state of things? may it not be that wrong feeding and mal-nutrition are at the root of most disease? it needs no demonstrating that man's health is directly dependent upon what he eats, yet how few possess even the most elementary conception of the principles of nutrition in relation to health? is it not evident that it is because of this lamentable ignorance so many people nowadays suffer from ill-health? further, not only does diet exert a definite influence upon physical well-being, but it indirectly affects the entire intellectual and moral evolution of mankind. just as a man thinks so he becomes, and 'a science which controls the building of brain-cell, and therefore of mind-stuff, lies at the root of all the problems of life.' from the point of view of food-science, mind and body are inseparable; one reacts upon the other; and though a healthy body may not be essential to happiness, good health goes a long way towards making life worth living. dr. alexander haig, who has done such excellent and valuable work in the study of uric acid in relation to disease, speaks most emphatically on this point: 'diet is the greatest question for the human race, not only does his ability to obtain food determine man's existence, but its quality controls the circulation in the brain, and this decides the trend of being and action, accounting for much of the indifference between depravity and the self-control of wisdom.' the human body is a machine, not an iron and steel machine, but a blood and bone machine, and just as it is necessary to understand the mechanism of the iron and steel machine in order to run it, so is it necessary to understand the mechanism of the blood and bone machine in order to run it. if a person understanding nothing of the business of a _chauffeur_ undertook to run an automobile, doubtless he would soon come to grief; and so likewise if a person understands nothing of the needs of his body, or partly understanding them knows not how to satisfy them, it is extremely unlikely that he will maintain it at its normal standard of efficiency. under certain conditions, of which we will speak in a moment, the body-machine is run quite unconsciously, and run well; that is to say, the body is kept in perfect health without the aid of science. but, then, we do not now live under these conditions, and so our reason has to play a certain part in encouraging, or, as the case may be, in restricting the various desires that make themselves felt. the reason so many people nowadays are suffering from all sorts of ailments is simply that they are deplorably ignorant of their natural bodily wants. how much does the ordinary individual know about nutrition, or about obedience to an unperverted appetite? the doctors seem to know little about health; they are not asked to keep us healthy, but only to cure us of disease, and so their studies relate to disease, not health; and dietetics, a science dealing with the very first principles of health, is an optional course in the curriculum of the medical student. food is the first necessary of life, and the right kind of food, eaten in the right manner, is necessary to a right, that is, healthy life. no doubt, pathological conditions are sometimes due to causes other than wrong feeding, but in a very large percentage of cases there is little doubt that errors in diet have been the cause of the trouble, either directly, or indirectly by rendering the system susceptible to pernicious influences.[ ] a knowledge of what is the right food to eat, and of the right way to eat it, does not, under existing conditions of life, come instinctively. under other conditions it might do so, but under those in which we live, it certainly does not; and this is owing to the fact that for many hundred generations back there has been a pandering to sense, and a quelling and consequent atrophy of the discriminating animal instinct. as our intelligence has developed we have applied it to the service of the senses and at the expense of our primitive intuition of right and wrong that guided us in the selection of that which was suitable to our preservation and health. we excel the animals in the possession of reason, but the animals excel us in the exercise of instinct. it has been said that animals do not study dietetics and yet live healthily enough. this is true, but it is true only as far as concerns those animals which live _in their natural surroundings and under natural conditions_. man would not need to study diet were he so situated, but he is not. the wild animal of the woods is far removed from the civilized human being. the animal's instinct guides him aright, but man has lost his primitive instinct, and to trust to his inclinations may result in disaster. the first question about vegetarianism, then, is this:--is it the best diet from the hygienic point of view? of course it will be granted that diseased food, food containing pernicious germs or poisons, whether animal or vegetable, is unfit to be eaten. it is not to be supposed that anyone will defend the eating of such food, so that we are justified in assuming that those who defend flesh-eating believe flesh to be free from such germs and poisons; therefore let the following be noted. it is affirmed that per cent. of the bovine and other animals that are slaughtered for human food are affected with tuberculosis, or some of the following diseases: cancer, anthrax, pleuro-pneumonia, swine-fever, sheep scab, foot and mouth disease, etc., etc., and that to exclude all suspected or actually diseased carcasses would be practically to leave the market without a supply. one has only to read the literature dealing with this subject to be convinced that the meat-eating public must consume a large amount of highly poisonous substances. that these poisons may communicate disease to the person eating them has been amply proved. cooking does _not_ necessarily destroy all germs, for the temperature at the interior of a large joint is below that necessary to destroy the bacilli there present. although the remark is irrelevant to the subject in hand, one is tempted to point out that, quite apart from the question of hygiene, the idea of eating flesh containing sores and wounds, bruises and pus-polluted tissues, is altogether repulsive to the imagination. let it be supposed, however, that meat can be, and from the meat-eater's point of view, should be and will be under proper conditions, uncontaminated, there yet remains the question whether such food is physiologically necessary to man. let us first consider what kind of food is best suited to man's natural constitution. footnotes: [footnote : it seems reasonable to suppose that granting the organism has such natural needs satisfied as sleep, warmth, pure air, sunshine, and so forth, fundamentally all susceptibility to disease is due to wrong feeding and mal-nutrition, either of the individual organism or of its progenitors. the rationale of nutrition is a far more complicated matter than medical science appears to realise, and until the intimate relationship existing between nutrition and pathology has been investigated, we shall not see much progress towards the extermination of disease. medical science by its curative methods is simply pruning the evil, which, meanwhile, is sending its roots deeper into the unstable organisms in which it grows.] ii physical considerations there are many eminent scientists who have given it as their opinion that anatomically and physiologically man is to be classed as a frugivorous animal. there are lacking in man all the characteristics that distinguish the prominent organs of the carnivora, while he possesses a most striking resemblance to the fruit-eating apes. dr. kingsford writes: 'm. pouchet observes that all the details of the digestive apparatus in man, as well as his dentition, constitute "so many proofs of his frugivorous origin"--an opinion shared by professor owen, who remarks that the anthropoids and all the quadrumana derive their alimentation from fruits, grains, and other succulent and nutritive vegetable substances, and that the strict analogy which exists between the structure of these animals and that of man clearly demonstrates his frugivorous nature. this view is also taken by cuvier, linnæus, professor lawrence, charles bell, gassendi, flourens, and a great number of other eminent writers.' (see _the perfect way in diet_.) linnæus is quoted by john smith in _fruits and farinacea_ as speaking of fruit as follows: 'this species of food is that which is most suitable to man: which is evidenced by the series of quadrupeds, analogy, wild men, apes, the structure of the mouth, of the stomach, and the hands.' sir ray lancaster, k.c.b., f.r.s., in an article in _the daily telegraph_, december, , wrote: 'it is very generally asserted by those who advocate a purely vegetable diet that man's teeth are of the shape and pattern which we find in the fruit-eating, or in the root-eating, animals allied to him. this is true.... it is quite clear that man's cheek teeth do not enable him to cut lumps of meat and bone from raw carcasses and swallow them whole. they are broad, square-surfaced teeth with four or fewer low rounded tubercles to crush soft food, as are those of monkeys. and there can be no doubt that man fed originally like monkeys, on easily crushed fruits, nuts, and roots.' with regard to man's original non-carnivorous nature and omnivorism, it is sometimes said that though man's system may not thrive on a raw flesh diet, yet he can assimilate cooked flesh and his system is well adapted to digest it. the answer to this is that were it demonstrable, and it is _not_, that cooked flesh is as easily digested and contains as much nutriment as grains and nuts, this does not prove it to be suitable for human food; for man (leaving out of consideration the fact that the eating of diseased animal flesh can communicate disease), since he was originally formed by nature to subsist exclusively on the products of the vegetable kingdom, cannot depart from nature's plan without incurring penalty of some sort--unless, indeed, his natural original constitution has changed; but _it has not changed_. the most learned and world-renowned scientists affirm man's present anatomical and physiological structure to be that of a frugivore. disguising an unnatural food by cooking it may make that food more assimilable, but it by no means follows that such a food is suitable, let alone harmless, as human food. that it is harmful, not only to man's physical health, but to his mental and moral health, this book endeavours to demonstrate. with regard to the fact that man has not changed constitutionally from his original frugivorous nature dr. haig writes as follows: 'if man imagines that a few centuries, or even a few hundred centuries, of meat-eating in defiance of nature have endowed him with any new powers, except perhaps, that of bearing the resulting disease and degradation with an ignorance and apathy which are appalling, he deceives himself; for the record of the teeth shows that human structure has remained unaltered over vast periods of time.' according to dr. haig, human metabolism (the process by which food is converted into living tissue) differs widely from that of the carnivora. the carnivore is provided with the means to dispose of such poisonous salts as are contained in and are produced by the ingestion of animal flesh, while the human system is not so provided. in the human body these poisons are not held in solution, but tend to form deposits and consequently are the cause of diseases of the arthritic group, conspicuously rheumatism. there is sometimes some misconception as regards the distinction between a frugivorous and herbivorous diet. the natural diet of man consists of fruits, farinacea, perhaps certain roots, and the more esculent vegetables, and is commonly known as vegetarian, or fruitarian (frugivorous), but man's digestive organs by no means allow him to eat grass as the herbivora--the horse, ox, sheep, etc.--although he is much more nearly allied to these animals than to the carnivora. we are forced to conclude, in the face of all the available evidence, that the natural constitution of man closely resembles that of fruit-eating animals, and widely differs from that of flesh-eating animals, and that from analogy it is only reasonable to suppose that the fruitarian, or vegetarian, as it is commonly called, is the diet best suited to man. this conclusion has been arrived at by many distinguished men of science, among whom are the above mentioned. but the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and to prove that the vegetarian is the most hygienic diet, we must examine the physical conditions of those nations and individuals who have lived, and do live, upon this diet. it might be mentioned, parenthetically, that among animals, the herbivora are as strong physically as any species of carnivora. the most laborious work of the world is performed by oxen, horses, mules, camels, elephants, all vegetable-feeding animals. what animal possesses the enormous strength of the herbivorous rhinoceros, who, travellers relate, uproots trees and grinds whole trunks to powder? again, the frugivorous orang-outang is said to be more than a match for the african lion. comparing herbivora and carnivora from this point of view dr. kingsford writes: 'the carnivora, indeed, possess one salient and terrible quality, ferocity, allied to thirst for blood; but power, endurance, courage, and intelligent capacity for toil belong to those animals who alone, since the world has had a history, have been associated with the fortunes, the conquests, and the achievements of men.' charles darwin, reverenced by all educated people as a scientist of the most keen and accurate observation, wrote in his _voyage of the beagle_, the following with regard to the chilian miners, who, he tells us, live in the cold and high regions of the andes: 'the labouring class work very hard. they have little time allowed for their meals, and during summer and winter, they begin when it is light and leave off at dusk. they are paid £ sterling a month and their food is given them: this, for breakfast, consists of sixteen figs and two small loaves of bread; for dinner, boiled beans; for supper, broken roasted wheat-grain. they scarcely ever taste meat.' this is as good as saying that the strongest men in the world, performing the most arduous work, and living in an exhilarating climate, are practically strict vegetarians. dr. jules grand, president of the vegetarian society of france speaks of 'the indian runners of mexico, who offer instances of wonderful endurance, and eat nothing but tortillas of maize, which they eat as they run along; the street porters of algiers, smyrna, constantinople and egypt, well known for their uncommon strength, and living on nothing but maize, rice, dates, melons, beans, and lentils. the piedmontese workmen, thanks to whom the tunnelling of the alps is due, feed on polenta, (maize-broth). the peasants of the asturias, like those of the auvergne, scarcely eat anything except chick-peas and chestnuts ... statistics prove ... that the most numerous population of the globe is vegetarian.' the following miscellaneous excerpta are from smith's _fruits and farinacea_:-- 'the peasantry of norway, sweden, russia, denmark, poland, germany, turkey, greece, switzerland, spain, portugal, and of almost every country in europe subsist principally, and most of them entirely, on vegetable food.... the persians, hindoos, burmese, chinese, japanese, the inhabitants of the east indian archipelago, and of the mountains of the himalaya, and, in fact, most of the asiatics, live upon vegetable productions.' 'the people of russia, generally, subsist on coarse black rye-bread and garlics. i have often hired men to labour for me. they would come on board in the morning with a piece of black bread weighing about a pound, and a bunch of garlics as big as one's fist. this was all their nourishment for the day of sixteen or eighteen hours' labour. they were astonishingly powerful and active, and endured severe and protracted labour far beyond any of my men. some of these russians were eighty and even ninety years old, and yet these old men would do more work than any of the middle-aged men belonging to my ship. captain c. s. howland of new bedford, mass.' 'the chinese feed almost entirely on rice, confections and fruits; those who are enabled to live well and spend a temperate life, are possessed of great strength and agility.' 'the egyptian cultivators of the soil, who live on coarse wheaten bread, indian corn, lentils, and other productions of the vegetable kingdom, are among the finest people i have even seen. latherwood.' 'the greek boatmen are exceedingly abstemious. their food consists of a small quantity of black bread, made of unbolted rye or wheatmeal, and a bunch of grapes, or raisins, or some figs. they are astonishingly athletic and powerful; and the most nimble, active, graceful, cheerful, and even merry people in the world. judge woodruff, of connecticut.' 'from the day of his irruption into europe the turk has always proved himself to be endowed with singularly strong vitality and energy. as a member of a warlike race, he is without equal in europe in health and hardiness. his excellent physique, his simple habits, his abstinence from intoxicating liquors, and his normal vegetarian diet, enable him to support the greatest hardships, and to exist on the scantiest and simplest food.' 'the spaniards of rio salada in south america,--who come down from the interior, and are employed in transporting goods overland,--live wholly on vegetable food. they are large, very robust, and strong; and bear prodigious burdens on their backs, travelling over mountains too steep for loaded mules to ascend, and with a speed which few of the generality of men can equal without incumbrance.' 'in the most heroic days of the grecian army, their food was the plain and simple produce of the soil. the immortal spartans of thermopylæ were, from infancy, nourished by the plainest and coarsest vegetable aliment: and the roman army, in the period of their greatest valour and most gigantic achievements, subsisted on plain and coarse vegetable food. when the public games of ancient greece--for the exercise of muscular power and activity in wrestling, boxing, running, etc.,--were first instituted, the athletæ in accordance with the common dietetic habits of the people, were trained entirely on vegetable food.' dr. kellogg, an authority on dietetics, makes the following answer to those who proclaim that those nations who eat a large amount of flesh-food, such as the english, are the strongest and dominant nations: "while it is true that the english nation makes large use of animal food, and is at the same time one of the most powerful on the globe, it is also true that the lowest, most miserable classes of human beings, such as the natives of australia, and the inhabitants of terra del fuego, subsist almost wholly upon flesh. it should also be borne in mind that it is only within a single generation that the common people of england have become large consumers of flesh. in former times and when england was laying the foundation of her greatness, her sturdy yeomen ate less meat in a week, than the average englishman of the present consumes in a single day.... the persians, the grecians, and the romans, became ruling nations while vegetarians." in _fruits and farinacea_, professor lawrence is quoted as follows: 'the inhabitants of northern europe and asia, the laplanders, samoiedes, ostiacs, tangooses, burats, kamtschatdales, as well as the natives of terra del fuego in the southern extremity of america, are the smallest, weakest, and least brave people on the globe; although they live almost entirely on flesh, and that often raw.' many athletic achievements of recent date have been won by vegetarians both in this country and abroad. the following successes are noteworthy:--walking: karl mann, dresden to berlin, championship of germany; george allen, land's end to john-o'-groats. running: e. r. voigt, olympic championship, etc.: f. a. knott, , metres belgian record. cycling: g. a. olley, land's end to john-o'-groats record. tennis: eustace miles, m.a., various championships, etc. of especial interest at the present moment are a series of tests and experiments recently carried out at yale university, u.s.a., under professor irving fisher, with the object of discovering the suitability of different dietaries for athletes, and the effect upon the human system in general. the results were surprising. 'one of the most severe tests,' remarks professor fisher, 'was in deep knee-bending, or "squatting." few of the meat-eaters could "squat" more than three to four hundred times. on the other hand a yale student who had been a flesh-abstainer for two years, did the deep knee-bending eighteen hundred times without exhaustion.... one remarkable difference between the two sets of men was the comparative absence of soreness in the muscles of the meat-abstainers after the tests.' the question as to climate is often raised; many people labour under the idea that a vegetable diet may be suitable in a hot climate, but not in a cold. that this idea is false is shown by facts, some of which the above quotations supply. that man can live healthily in arctic regions on a vegetable diet has been amply demonstrated. in a cold climate the body requires a considerable quantity of heat-producing food, that is, food containing a good supply of hydrocarbons (fats), and carbohydrates (starches and sugars). many vegetable foods are rich in these properties, as will be explained in the essay following dealing with dietetics. strong and enduring vegetable-feeding animals, such as the musk-ox and the reindeer, flourish on the scantiest food in an arctic climate, and there is no evidence to show that man could not equally well subsist on vegetable food under similar conditions. in an article entitled _vegetarianism in cold climates_, by captain walter carey, r.n., the author describes his observations during a winter spent in manchuria. the weather, we are told, was exceedingly cold, the thermometer falling as low as minus ° f. after speaking of the various arduous labours the natives are engaged in, captain carey describes the physique and diet of natives in the vicinity of niu-chwang as follows: 'the men accompanying the carts were all very big and of great strength, and it was obvious that none but exceptionally strong and hardy men could withstand the hardships of their long march, the intense cold, frequent blizzards, and the work of forcing their queer team along in spite of everything. one could not help wondering what these men lived on, and i found that the chief article was beans, which, made into a coarse cake, supplied food for both men and animals. i was told by english merchants who travelled in the interior, that everywhere they found the same powerful race of men, living on beans and rice--in fact, vegetarians. apparently they obtain the needful proteid and fat from the beans; while the coarse once-milled rice furnishes them with starch, gluten, and mineral salts, etc. spartan fare, indeed, but proving how easy it is to sustain life without consuming flesh-food.' so far, then, as the physical condition of those nations who are practically vegetarian is concerned, we have to conclude that practice tallies with theory. science teaches that man should live on a non-flesh diet, and when we come to consider the physique of those nations and men who do so, we have to acknowledge that their bodily powers and their health equal, if not excel, those of nations and men who, in part, subsist upon flesh. but it is interesting to go yet further. it has already been stated that mind and body are inseparable; that one reacts upon the other: therefore it is not irrelevant, in passing, to observe what mental powers are possessed by those races and individuals who subsist entirely upon the products of the vegetable kingdom. when we come to consider the mentality of the oriental races we certainly have to acknowledge that oriental culture--ethical, metaphysical, and poetical--has given birth to some of the grandest and noblest thoughts that mankind possesses, and has devised philosophical systems that have been the comfort and salvation of countless millions of souls. anyone who doubts the intellectual and ethical attainments of that remarkable nation of which we in the west know so little--the chinese--should read the panegyric written by sir robert hart, who, for forty years, lived among them, and learnt to love and venerate them as worthy of the highest admiration and respect. others have written in praise of the people of burma. speaking of the burman, a traveller writes: 'he will exercise a graceful charity unheard of in the west--he has discovered how to make life happy without selfishness and to combine an adequate power for hard work with a corresponding ability to enjoy himself gracefully ... he is a philosopher and an artist.' speaking of the indian peasant a writer in an english journal says: 'the ryot lives in the face of nature, on a simple diet easily procured, and inherits a philosophy, which, without literary culture, lifts his spirit into a higher plane of thought than other peasantries know of. abstinence from flesh food of any kind, not only gives him pure blood exempt from civilized diseases but makes him the friend and not the enemy, of the animal world around.' eastern literature is renowned for its subtle metaphysics. the higher types of orientals are endowed with an extremely subtle intelligence, so subtle as to be wholly unintelligible to the ordinary westerner. it is said that pythagoras and plato travelled in the east and were initiated into eastern mysticism. the east possesses many scriptures, and the greater part of the writings of eastern scholars consist of commentaries on the sacred writings. among the best known monumental philosophical and literary achievements maybe mentioned the _tao teh c'hing_; the _zend avesta;_ the _three vedas_; the _brahmanas_; the _upanishads;_ and the _bhagavad-gita_, that most beautiful 'song celestial' which for nearly two thousand years has moulded the thoughts and inspired the aspirations of the teeming millions of india. as to the testimony of individuals it is interesting to note that some of the greatest philosophers, scientists, poets, moralists, and many men of note, in different walks of life, in past and modern times, have, for various reasons, been vegetarians, among whom have been named the following:-- manu zoroaster pythagoras zeno buddha isaiah daniel empedocles socrates plato aristotle porphyry john wesley franklin goldsmith ray paley isaac newton jean paul richter schopenhauer byron gleizes hartley rousseau iamblichus hypatia diogenes quintus sextus ovid plutarch seneca apollonius the apostles matthew james james the less peter the christian fathers clement tertullian origen chrysostom st. francis d'assisi cornaro leonardo da vinci milton locke spinoza voltaire pope gassendi swedenborg thackeray linnæus shelley lamartine michelet william lambe sir isaac pitman thoreau fitzgerald herbert burrows garibaldi wagner edison tesla marconi tolstoy george frederick watts maeterlinck vivekananda general booth mrs. besant bernard shaw rev. prof. john e. b. mayor hon. e. lyttelton rev. r. j. campbell lord charles beresford gen. sir ed. bulwer etc., etc., etc. the following is a list of the medical and scientific authorities who have expressed opinions favouring vegetarianism:-- m. pouchet baron cuvier linnæus professor laurence, f.r.s. sir charles bell, f.r.s. gassendi flourens sir john owen professor howard moore sylvester graham, m.d. john ray, f.r.s. professor h. schaafhausen sir richard owen, f.r.s. charles darwin, ll.d., f.r.s. dr. john wood, m.d. professor irving fisher professor a. wynter blyth, f.r.c.s. edward smith, m.b., f.r.s., ll.b. adam smith, f.r.s. lord playfair, m.d., c.b. sir henry thompson, m.b., f.r.c.s. dr. f. j. sykes, b. sc. dr. anna kingsford professor g. sims woodhead, m.d., f.r.c.p., f.r.s. alexander haig, m.a., m.d., f.r.c.p. dr. w. b. carpenter, c.b., f.r.s. dr. josiah oldfield, d.c.l., m.a., m.r.c.s., l.r.c.p. virchow sir benjamin w. richardson, m.p., f.r.c.s. dr. robert perks, m.d., f.r.c.s. dr. kellogg, m.d. harry campbell, m.d. dr. olsen etc., etc. before concluding this section it might be pointed out that the curious prejudice which is always manifested when men are asked to consider any new thing is as strongly in evidence against food reform as in other innovations. for example, flesh-eating is sometimes defended on the ground that vegetarians do not look hale and hearty, as healthy persons should do. people who speak in this way probably have in mind one or two acquaintances who, through having wrecked their health by wrong living, have had to abstain from the 'deadly decoctions of flesh' and adopt a simpler and purer dietary. it is not fair to judge meat abstainers by those who have had to take to a reformed diet solely as a curative measure; nor is it fair to lay the blame of a vegetarian's sickness on his diet, as if it were impossible to be sick from any other cause. the writer has known many vegetarians in various parts of the world, and he fails to understand how anyone moving about among vegetarians, either in this country or elsewhere, can deny that such people look as healthy and cheerful as those who live upon the conventional omnivorous diet. if a vegetarian, owing to inherited susceptibilities, or incorrect rearing in childhood, or any other cause outside his power to prevent, is sickly and delicate, is it just to lay the blame on his present manner of life? it would, indeed, seem most reasonable to assume that the individual in question would be in a much worse condition had he not forsaken his original and mistaken diet when he did. the writer once heard an acquaintance ridicule vegetarianism on the ground that thoreau died of pulmonary consumption at forty-five! one is reminded of oliver wendell holmes' witty saying:--'the mind of the bigot is like the pupil of the eye: the more it sees the light, the more it contracts.' in conclusion, there is, as we have seen in our review of typical vegetarian peoples and classes throughout the world, the strongest evidence that those who adopt a sensible non-flesh dietary, suited to their own constitution and environment, are almost invariably healthier, stronger, and longer-lived than those who rely chiefly upon flesh-meat for nutriment. iii ethical considerations the primary consideration in regard to the question of diet should be, as already stated, the hygienic. having shown that the non-flesh diet is the more natural, and the more advantageous from the point of view of health, let us now consider which of the two--vegetarianism or omnivorism--is superior from the ethical point of view. the science of ethics is the science of conduct. it is founded, primarily, upon philosophical postulates without which no code or system of morals could be formulated. briefly, these postulates are, (a), every activity of man has as its deepest motive the end termed happiness, (b) the happiness of the individual is indissolubly bound up with the happiness of all creation. the truth of (a) will be evident to every person of normal intelligence: all arts and systems aim consciously, or unconsciously, at some good, and so far as names are concerned everyone will be willing to call the chief good by the term happiness, although there may be unlimited diversity of opinion as to its nature, and the means to attain it. the truth of (b) also becomes apparent if the matter is carefully reflected upon. everything that is _en rapport_ with all other things: the pebble cast from the hand alters the centre of gravity in the universe. as in the world of things and acts, so in the world of thought, from which all action springs. nothing can happen to the part but the whole gains or suffers as a consequence. every breeze that blows, every cry that is uttered, every thought that is born, affects through perpetual metamorphoses every part of the entire cosmic existence.[ ] we deduce from these postulates the following ethical precepts: a wise man will, firstly, so regulate his conduct that thereby he may experience the greatest happiness; secondly, he will endeavour to bestow happiness on others that by so doing he may receive, indirectly, being himself a part of the cosmic whole, the happiness he gives. thus supreme selfishness is synonymous with supreme egoism, a truth that can only be stated paradoxically. applying this latter precept to the matter in hand, it is obvious that since we should so live as to give the greatest possible happiness to all beings capable of appreciating it, and as it is an indisputable fact that animals can suffer pain, _and that men who slaughter animals needlessly suffer from atrophy of all finer feelings_, we should therefore cause no unnecessary suffering in the animal world. let us then consider whether, knowing flesh to be unnecessary as an article of diet, we are, in continuing to demand and eat flesh-food, acting morally or not. to answer this query is not difficult. it is hardly necessary to say that we are causing a great deal of suffering among animals in breeding, raising, transporting, and killing them for food. it is sometimes said that animals do not suffer if they are handled humanely, and if they are slaughtered in abattoirs under proper superintendence. but we must not forget the branding and castrating operations; the journey to the slaughter-house, which when trans-continental and trans-oceanic must be a long drawn-out nightmare of horror and terror to the doomed beasts; we must not forget the insatiable cruelty of the average cowboy; we must not forget that the animal inevitably spends at least some minutes of instinctive dread and fear when he smells and sees the spilt blood of his forerunners, and that this terror is intensified when, as is frequently the case, he witnesses the dying struggles, and hears the heart-rending groans; we must not forget that the best contrivances sometimes fail to do good work, and that a certain percentage of victims have to suffer a prolonged death-agony owing to the miscalculation of a bad workman. most people go through life without thinking of these things: they do not stop and consider from whence and by what means has come to their table the flesh-food that is served there. they drift along through a mundane existence without feeling a pang of remorse for, or even thought of, the pain they are accomplices in producing in the sub-human world. and it cannot be denied, hide it how we may, either from our eyes or our conscience, that however skilfully the actual killing may usually be carried out, there is much unavoidable suffering caused to the beasts that have to be transported by sea and rail to the slaughter-house. the animals suffer violently from sea-sickness, and horrible cruelty (such as pouring boiling oil into their ears, and stuffing their ears with hay which is then set on fire, tail-twisting, etc.,) has to be practised to prevent them lying down lest they be trampled on by other beasts and killed; for this means that they have to be thrown overboard, thus reducing the profits of their owners, or of the insurance companies, which, of course, would be a sad calamity. judging by the way the men act it does not seem to matter what cruelties and tortures are perpetuated; what heinous offenses against every humane sentiment of the human heart are committed; it does not matter to what depths of satanic callousness man stoops provided always that--this is the supreme question--_there is money to be made by it_. a writer has thus graphically described the scene in a cattle-boat in rough weather: 'helpless cattle dashed from one side of the ship to the other, amid a ruin of smashed pens, with limbs broken from contact with hatchway combings or winches--dishorned, gored, and some of them smashed to mere bleeding masses of hide-covered flesh. add to this the shrieking of the tempest, and the frenzied moanings of the wounded beasts, and the reader will have some faint idea of the fearful scenes of danger and carnage ... the dead beasts, advanced, perhaps, in decomposition before death ended their sufferings, are often removed literally in pieces.' and on the railway journey, though perhaps the animals do not experience so much physical pain as travelling by sea, yet they are often deprived of food, and water, and rest, for long periods, and mercilessly knocked about and bruised. they are often so injured that the cattle-men are surprised they have not succumbed to their injuries. and all this happens in order that the demand for _unnecessary_ flesh-food may be satisfied. those who defend flesh-eating often talk of humane methods of slaughtering; but it is significant that there is considerable difference of opinion as to what _is_ the most humane method. in england the pole-axe is used; in germany the mallet; the jews cut the throat; the italians stab. it is obvious that each of these methods cannot be better than the others, yet the advocates of each method consider the others cruel. as lieut. powell remarks, this 'goes far to show that a great deal of cruelty and suffering is inseparable from all methods.' it is hard to imagine how anyone believing he could live healthily on vegetable food alone, could, having once considered these things, continue a meat-eater. at least to do so he could not live his life in conformity with the precept that we should cause no unnecessary pain. how unholy a custom, how easy a way to murder he makes for himself who cuts the innocent throat of the calf, and hears unmoved its mournful plaint! and slaughters the little kid, whose cry is like the cry of a child, or devours the birds of the air which his own hands have fed! ah, how little is wanting to fill the cup of his wickedness! what unrighteous deed is he not ready to commit. * * * * * make war on noxious creatures, and kill them only, but let your mouths be empty of blood, and satisfied with pure and natural repasts. ovid. _metam._, _lib._ xv. that we cannot find any justification for destroying animal life for food does not imply we should never destroy animal life. such a cult would be pure fanaticism. if we are to consider physical well-being as of primary importance, it follows that we shall act in self-preservation 'making war on noxious creatures.' but this again is no justification for 'blood-sports.' he who inflicts pain needlessly, whether by his own hand or by that of an accomplice, not only injures his victim, but injures himself. he stifles what nobleness of character he may have and he cultivates depravity and barbarism. he destroys in himself the spirit of true religion and isolates himself from those whose lives are made beautiful by sympathy. no one need hope for a spiritual heaven while helping to make the earth a bloody hell. no one who asks others to do wrong for him need imagine he escapes the punishment meted out to wrong-doers. that he procures the service of one whose sensibilities are less keen than his own to procure flesh-food for him that he may gratify his depraved taste and love of conformity does not make him less guilty of crime. were he to kill with his own hand, and himself dress and prepare the obscene food, the evil would be less, for then he would not be an accomplice in retarding the spiritual growth of a fellow being. there is no shame in any _necessary_ labour, but that which is unnecessary is unmoral, and slaughtering animals to eat their flesh is not only unnecessary and unmoral; it is also cruel and immoral. philosophers and transcendentalists who believe in the buddhist law of kârma, westernized by emerson and carlyle into the great doctrine of compensation, realize that every act of unkindness, every deed that is contrary to the dictates of our nobler instincts and reason, reacts upon us, and we shall truly reap that which we have sown. an act of brutality brutalizes, and the more we become brutalized the more we attract natures similarly brutal and get treated by them brutally. thus does nature sternly deal justice. 'our acts our angels are, or good or ill, our fatal shadows that walk by us still.' it is appropriate in this place to point out that some very pointed things are said in the bible against the killing and eating of animals. it has been said that it is possible by judiciously selecting quotations to find the bible support almost anything. however this may be, the following excerpta are of interest:-- 'and god said: behold, i have given you every herb bearing seed, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed, to you it shall be for meat.'--gen. i., . 'but flesh with life thereof, which is the blood thereof, ye shall not eat.'--gen. ix., . 'it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwellings, that ye shall eat neither fat nor blood.'--lev. iii., . 'ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl, or beast.'--lev. vii., . 'ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.'--lev. xvii., . 'the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.... they shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain.'--isaiah lxv. 'he that killeth an ox is as he that slayeth a man.'--isaiah lxvi., . 'i desire mercy, and not sacrifice.'--matt. ix., . 'it is good not to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor to do anything whereby thy brother stumbleth.'--romans xiv., . 'wherefore, if meat maketh my brother to stumble i will eat no flesh for evermore, that i make not my brother stumble.'-- cor. viii., . the verse from isaiah is no fanciful stretch of poetic imagination. the writer, no doubt, was picturing a condition of peace and happiness on earth, when discord had ceased and all creatures obeyed nature and lived in harmony. it is not absurd to suppose that someday the birds and beasts may look upon man as a friend and benefactor, and not the ferocious beast of prey that he now is. in certain parts of the world, at the present day--the galapagos archipelago, for instance--where man has so seldom been that he is unknown to the indigenous animal life, travellers relate that birds are so tame and friendly and curious, being wholly unacquainted with the bloodthirsty nature of man, that they will perch on his shoulders and peck at his shoe laces as he walks. it may be said that jesus did not specifically forbid flesh-food. but then he did not specifically forbid war, sweating, slavery, gambling, vivisection, cock and bull fighting, rabbit-coursing, trusts, opium smoking, and many other things commonly looked upon as evils which should not exist among christians. jesus laid down general principles, and we are to apply these general principles to particular circumstances. the sum of all his teaching is that love is the most beautiful thing in the world; that the kingdom of heaven is open to all who really and truly love. the act of loving is the expression of a desire to make others happy. all beings capable of experiencing pain, who have nervous sensibilities similar to our own, are capable of experiencing the effect of our love. the love which is unlimited, which is not confined merely to wife and children, or blood relations and social companions, or one's own nation, or even the entire human race, but is so comprehensive as to include all life, human and sub-human; such love as this marks the highest point in moral evolution that human intelligence can conceive of or aspire to. eastern religions have been more explicit than christianity about the sin of killing animals for food. in the _laws of manu_, it is written: 'the man who forsakes not the law, and eats not flesh-meat like a bloodthirsty demon, shall attain goodness in this world, and shall not be afflicted with maladies.' 'unslaughter is the supreme virtue, supreme asceticism, golden truth, from which springs up the germ of religion.' _the mahabharata._ '_non-killing_, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-receiving, are called yama.' _patanjalis' yoga aphorisms._ 'a yogî must not think of injuring anyone, through thought, word or deed, and this applies not only to man, but to all animals. mercy shall not be for men alone, but shall go beyond, and embrace the whole world.' _commentary of vivekânanda._ 'surely hell, fire, and repentance are in store for those who for their pleasure and gratification cause the dumb animals to suffer pain.' _the zend avesta._ gautama, the buddha, was most emphatic in discountenancing the killing of animals for food, or for any other unnecessary purpose, and zoroaster and confucius are said to have taught the same doctrine. footnotes: [footnote : see _sartor resartus_, book i., chap. xi.: book iii., chap. vii. also an article by prof. w. p. montague, ph.d.: 'the evidence of design in the elements and structure of the cosmos,' in the _hibbert journal_, jan., .] iv the Æsthetic point of view st. paul tells us to think on whatsoever things are pure and lovely (phil. iv., ). the implication is that we should love and worship beauty. we should seek to surround ourselves by beautiful objects and avoid that which is degrading and ugly. let us make some comparisons. look at a collection of luscious fruits filling the air with perfume, and pleasing the eye with a harmony of colour, and then look at the gruesome array of skinned carcasses displayed in a butcher's shop; which is the more beautiful? look at the work of the husbandman, tilling the soil, pruning the trees, gathering in the rich harvest of golden fruit, and then look at the work of the cowboy, branding, castrating, terrifying, butchering helpless animals; which is the more beautiful? surely no one would say a corpse was a beautiful object. picture it (after the axe has battered the skull, or the knife has found the heart, and the victim has at last ceased its dying groans and struggles), with its ghastly staring eyes, its blood-stained head or throat where the sharp steel pierced into the quivering flesh; picture it when the body is opened emitting a sickening odour and the reeking entrails fall in a heap on the gore-splashed floor; picture this sight and ask whether it is not the epitome of ugliness, and in direct opposition to the most elementary sense of beauty. moreover, what effect has the work of a slayer of animals upon his personal character and refinement? can anyone imagine a sensitive-minded, finely-wrought _æsthetic_ nature doing anything else than revolt against the cold-blooded murdering of terrorised animals? it is significant that in some of the states of america butchers are not allowed to sit on a jury during a murder trial. physiognomically the slaughterman carries his trade-mark legibly enough. the butcher does not usually exhibit those facial traits which distinguish a person who is naturally sympathetic and of an æsthetic temperament; on the contrary, the butcher's face and manner generally bear evidence of a life spent amid scenes of gory horror and violence; of a task which involves torture and death. a plate of cereal served with fruit-juice pleases the eye and imagination, but a plate smeared with blood and laden with dead flesh becomes disgusting and repulsive the moment we consider it in that light. cooking may disguise the appearance but cannot alter the reality of the decaying _corpse_; and to cook blood and give it another name (gravy) may be an artifice to please the palate, but it is blood, (blood that once coursed through the body of a highly sensitive and nervous being), just the same. surely a person whose olfactory nerves have not been blunted prefers the delicate aroma of ripe fruit to the sickly smell of mortifying flesh,--or fried eggs and bacon! notice how young children, whose taste is more or less unperverted, relish ripe fruits and nuts and clean tasting things in general. man, before he has become thoroughly accustomed to an unnatural diet, before his taste has been perverted and he has acquired by habit a liking for unwholesome and unnatural food, has a healthy appetite for nature's sun-cooked seeds and berries of all kinds. now true refinement can only exist where the senses are uncorrupted by addiction to deleterious habits, and the nervous system by which the senses act will remain healthy only so long as it is built up by pure and natural foods; hence it is only while man is nourished by those foods desired by his unperverted appetite that he may be said to possess true refinement. power of intellect has nothing whatever to do _necessarily_ with the _æsthetic instinct_. a man may possess vast learning and yet be a boor. refinement is not learnt as a boy learns algebra. refinement comes from living a refined life, as good deeds come from a good man. the nearer we live according to nature's plan, and in harmony with her, the healthier we become physically and mentally. we do not look for refinement in the obese, red-faced, phlegmatic, gluttonous sensualists who often pass as gentlemen because they possess money or rank, but in those who live simply, satisfying the simple requirements of the body, and finding happiness in a life of well-directed toil. * * * * * the taste of young children is often cited by vegetarians to demonstrate the liking of an unsophisticated palate, but the primitive instinct is not wholly atrophied in man. before man became a tool-using animal, he must have depended for direction upon what is commonly termed instinct in the selection of a diet most suitable to his nature. no one can doubt, judging by the way undomesticated animals seek their food with unerring certainty as to its suitability, but that instinct is a trustworthy guide. granting that man could, in a state of absolute savagery, and before he had discovered the use of fire or of tools, depend upon instinct alone, and in so doing live healthily, cannot _what yet remains_ of instinct be of some value among civilized beings? is not man, even now, in spite of his abused and corrupted senses, when he sees luscious fruits hanging within his reach, tempted to pluck them, and does he not eat them with relish? but when he sees the grazing ox, or the wallowing hog, do similar gustatory desires affect him? or when he sees these animals lying dead, or when skinned and cut up in small pieces, does this same natural instinct stimulate him to steal and eat this food as it stimulates a boy to steal apples and nuts from an orchard and eat them surreptitiously beneath the hedge or behind the haystack? very different is it with true carnivora. the gorge of a cat, for instance, will rise at the smell of a mouse, or a piece of raw flesh, but not at the aroma of fruit. if a man could take delight in pouncing upon a bird, tear its still living body apart with his teeth, sucking the warm blood, one might infer that nature had provided him with carnivorous instinct, but the very _thought_ of doing such a thing makes him shudder. on the other hand, a bunch of luscious grapes makes his 'mouth water,' and even in the absence of hunger he will eat fruit to gratify taste. a table spread with fruits and nuts and decorated with flowers is artistic; the same table laden with decaying flesh and blood, and maybe entrails, is not only inartistic--it is disgusting. those who believe in an all-wise creator can hardly suppose he would have so made our body as to make it necessary daily to perform acts of violence that are an outrage to our sympathies, repulsive to our finer feelings, and brutalising and degrading in every detail. to possess fine feelings without the means to satisfy them is as bad as to possess hunger without a stomach. if it be necessary and a part of the divine wisdom that we should degrade ourselves to the level of beasts of prey, then the humanitarian sentiment and the æsthetic instinct are wrong and should be displaced by callousness, and the endeavour to cultivate a feeling of enjoyment in that which to all the organs of sense in a person of intelligence and religious feeling is ugly and repulsive. but no normally-minded person can think that this is so. it would be contrary to all the ethical and æsthetic teachings of every religion, and antagonistic to the feelings of all who have evolved to the possession of a conscience and the power to distinguish the beautiful from the base. when one accustomed to an omnivorous diet adopts a vegetarian régime, a steadily growing refinement in taste and smell is experienced. delicate and subtle flavours, hitherto unnoticed, especially if the habit of thorough mastication be practised, soon convince the neophyte that a vegetarian is by no means denied the pleasure of gustatory enjoyment. further, not only are these senses better attuned and refined, but the mind also undergoes a similar exaltation. thoreau, the transcendentalist, wrote: 'i believe that every man who has ever been earnest to preserve his higher or poetic faculties in the best condition, has been particularly inclined to abstain from animal food, and from much food of any kind.' v economical considerations there is no doubt that the yield of land when utilized for pasturage is less than what it will produce in the hands of the agriculturist. in a thickly populated country, such as england, dependent under present conditions on foreign countries for a large proportion of her food supply, it is foolish, considering only the political aspects, to employ the land for raising unnecessary flesh-food, and so be compelled to apply to foreign markets for the first necessaries of life, when there is, without doubt, sufficient agricultural land in england to support the entire population on a vegetable regimen. as just said, a much larger population can be supported on a given acreage cultivated with vegetable produce than would be possible were the same land used for grazing cattle. lieut. powell quotes prof. francis newman of university college, london, as declaring that-- acres devoted to sheep-raising will support men: proportion . acres devoted to dairy-farming will support men: proportion - / . acres devoted to wheat will support men: proportion . acres devoted to potato will support men: proportion . to produce the same quantity of food yielded by an acre of land cultivated by the husbandman, three or four acres, or more, would be required as grazing land to raise cattle for flesh meat. another point to note is that agriculture affords employment to a very much larger number of men than cattle-raising; that is to say, a much larger number of men are required to raise a given amount of vegetable food than is required to raise the same amount of flesh food, and so, were the present common omnivorous customs to give place to vegetarianism, a very much more numerous peasantry would be required on the land. this would be physically, economically, morally, better for the nation. it is obvious that national health would be improved with a considerably larger proportion of hardy country yeomen. the percentage of poor and unemployed people in large cities would be reduced, their labor being required on the soil, where, being in more natural, salutary, harmonious surroundings the moral element would have better opportunity for development than when confined in the unhealthy, ugly, squalid surroundings of a city slum. it is not generally known that there is often a decided _loss_ of valuable food-material in feeding animals for food, one authority stating that it takes nearly lbs. of barley, which is a good wholesome food, to make lb. of pork, a food that can hardly be considered safe to eat when we learn that tuberculosis was detected in , pigs in berlin abattoirs in one year. as to the comparative cost of a vegetarian and omnivorous diet, it is instructive to learn that it is proverbial in the western states of america that a chinaman can live and support his family in health and comfort on an allowance which to a meat-eating white man would be starvation. it is not to be denied that a vegetarian desirous of living to eat, and having no reason or desire to be economical, could spend money as extravagantly as a devotee of the flesh-pots having a similar disposition. but it is significant that the poor of most european countries are not vegetarians from choice but from necessity. had they the means doubtless they would purchase meat, not because of any instinctive liking for it, but because of that almost universal trait of human character that causes men to desire to imitate their superiors, without, in most cases, any due consideration as to whether the supposed superiors are worthy of the genuflection they get. were king george or kaiser wilhelm to become vegetarians and advocate the non-flesh diet, such an occurrence would do far more towards advancing the popularity of this diet than a thousand lectures from "mere" men of science. carlyle was not far wrong when he called men "clothes worshippers." the uneducated and poor imitate the educated and rich, not because they possess that attitude of mind which owes its existence to a very deep and subtle emotion and which is expressed in worship and veneration for power, whether it be power of body, power of rank, power of mind, or power of wealth. the poor among western nations are vegetarians because they cannot afford to buy meat, and this is plain enough proof as to which dietary is the cheaper. perhaps a few straightforward facts on this point may prove interesting. an ordinary man, weighing lbs. to lbs., under ordinary conditions, at moderately active work, as an engineer, carpenter, etc., could live in comfort and maintain good health on a dietary providing daily lb. bread ( to grs. protein); ozs. potatoes ( grs. protein); ozs. rice, or barley, or macaroni, or maize meal, etc. ( grs. protein); ozs. dates, or figs, or prunes, or bananas, etc., and ozs. shelled nuts ( grs. protein); the cost of which need not exceed c. to c. per day; or in the case of one leading a more sedentary life, such as clerical work, these would be slightly reduced and the cost reduced to c. to c. per day. for one shilling per day, luxuries, such as nut butter, sweet-stuffs, and a variety of fruits and vegetables could be added. it is hardly necessary to point out that the housewife would be 'hard put to' to make ends meet 'living well' on the ordinary diet at c. per head per day. the writer, weighing lbs., who lives a moderately active life, enjoys good health, and whose tastes are simple, finds the cost of a cereal diet comes to c. to c. per week. the political economist and reformer finds on investigation, that the adoption of vegetarianism would be a solution of many of the complex and baffling questions connected with the material prosperity of the nation. here is a remedy for unemployment, drink, slums, disease, and many forms of vice; a remedy that is within the reach of everyone, and that costs only the relinquishing of a foolish prejudice and the adoption of a natural mode of living plus the effort to overcome a vicious habit and the denial of pleasure derived from the gratification of corrupted appetite. nature will soon create a dislike for that which once was a pleasure, and in compensation will confer a wholesome and beneficent enjoyment in the partaking of pure and salutary foods. whether or no the meat-eating nations will awake to these facts in time to save themselves from ruin and extinction remains to be seen. meat-eating has grown side by side with disease in england during the past seventy years, but there are now, fortunately, some signs of abatement. the doctors, owing perhaps to some prescience in the air, some psychical foreboding, are recommending that less meat be eaten. but whatever the future has in store, there is nothing more certain than this--that in the adoption of the vegetable regimen is to be found, if not a complete panacea, at least a partial remedy, for the political and social ills that our nation at the present time is afflicted with, and that those of us who would be true patriots are in duty bound to practise and preach vegetarianism wheresoever and whensoever we can. vi the exclusion of dairy produce it is unfortunate that many flesh-abstainers who agree with the general trend of the foregoing arguments do not realise that these same arguments also apply to abstinence from those animal foods known as dairy produce. in considering this further aspect it is necessary for reasons already given, to place hygienic considerations first. is it reasonable to suppose that nature ever intended the milk of the cow or the egg of the fowl for the use of man as food? can anyone deny that nature intended the cow's milk for the nourishment of her calf and the hen's egg for the propagation of her species? it is begging the question to say that the cow furnishes more milk than her calf requires, or that it does not injure the hen to steal her eggs. besides, it is not true. regarding the dietetic value of milk and eggs, which is the question of first importance, are we correct in drawing the inference that as nature did not intend these foods for man, therefore they are not suitable for him? as far as the chemical constituents of these foods are concerned, it is true they contain compounds essential to the nourishment of the human body, and if this is going to be set up as an argument in favor of their consumption, let it be remembered that flesh food also contains compounds essential to nourishment. but the point is this: not what valuable nutritive compounds does any food-substance contain, but what value, _taking into consideration its total effects_, has the food in question as a wholesome article of diet? it seems to be quite generally acknowledged by the medical profession that raw milk is a dangerous food on account of the fact that it is liable from various causes, sometimes inevitable, to contain impurities. dr. kellogg writes: typhoid fever, cholera infantum, tuberculosis and tubercular consumption--three of the most deadly diseases known; it is very probable also, that diphtheria, scarlet fever and several other maladies are communicated through the medium of milk.... it is safe to say that very few people indeed are fully acquainted with the dangers to life and health which lurk in the milk supply.... the teeming millions of china, a country which contains nearly one-third of the entire population of the globe, are practically ignorant of this article of food. the high-class hindoo regards milk as a loathsome and impure article of food, speaking of it with the greatest contempt as "cow-juice," doubtless because of his observations of the deleterious effect of the use of milk in its raw state. the germs of tuberculosis seem to be the most dangerous in milk, for they thrive and retain their vitality for many weeks, even in butter and cheese. an eminent german authority, hirschberger, is said to have found per cent of the cows in the vicinity of large cities to be affected by tuberculosis. many other authorities might be quoted supporting the contention that a large percentage of cows are afflicted by this deadly disease. other germs, quite as dangerous, find their way into milk in numerous ways. excreta, clinging to the hairs of the udder, are frequently rubbed off into the pail by the action of the hand whilst milking. under the most careful sanitary precautions it is impossible to obtain milk free from manure, from the ordinary germs of putrefaction to the most deadly microbes known to science. there is little doubt but that milk is one of the uncleanest and impurest of all foods. milk is constipating, and as constipation is one of the commonest complaints, a preventive may be found in abstinence from this food. as regards eggs, there is perhaps not so much to be said, although eggs so quickly undergo a change akin to putrefaction that unless eaten fresh they are unfit for food; moreover, (according to dr. haig) they contain a considerable amount of xanthins, and cannot, therefore, be considered a desirable food. dairy foods, we emphatically affirm, are not necessary to health. in the section dealing with 'physical considerations' sufficient was said to prove the eminent value of an exclusive vegetable diet, and the reader is referred to that and the subsequent essay on nutrition and diet for proof that man can and should live without animal food of any kind. such nutritive properties as are possessed by milk and eggs are abundantly found in the vegetable kingdom. the table of comparative values given, exhibits this quite plainly. that man can live a thoroughly healthy life upon vegetable foods alone there is ample evidence to prove, and there is good cause to believe that milk and eggs not only are quite unnecessary, but are foods unsuited to the human organism, and may be, and often are, the cause of disease. of course, it is recognized that with scrupulous care this danger can be minimized to a great extent, but still it is always there, and as there is no reason why we should consume such foods, it is not foolish to continue to do so? but this is not all. it is quite as impossible to consume dairy produce without slaughter as it is to eat flesh without slaughter. there are probably as many bulls born as cows. one bull for breeding purposes suffices for many cows and lives for many years, so what is to be done with the bull calves if our humanitarian scruples debar us from providing a vocation for the butcher? the country would soon be overrun with vast herds of wild animals and the whole populace would have to take to arms for self-preservation. so it comes to the same thing. if we did not breed these animals for their flesh, or milk, or eggs, or labour, we should have no use for them, and so should breed them no longer, and they would quickly become extinct. the wild goat and sheep and the feathered life might survive indefinitely in mountainous districts, but large animals that are not domesticated, or bred for slaughter, soon disappear before the approach of civilisation. the irish elk is extinct, and the buffalo of north america has been wiped out during quite recent years. if leather became more expensive (much of it is derived from horse hide) manufacturers of leather substitutes would have a better market than they have at present. vi conclusion 'however much thou art read in theory, if thou hast no practice thou art ignorant,' says the persian poet sa'di. 'conviction, were it never so excellent, is worthless until it converts itself into conduct. nay, properly, conviction is not possible till then,' says herr teufelsdrockh. it is never too late to be virtuous. it is right that we should look before we leap, but it is gross misconduct to neglect duty to conform to the consuetudes of the hour. we must endeavour in practical life to carry out to the best of our ability our philosophical and ethical convictions, for any lapse in such endeavour is what constitutes immorality. we must live consistently with theory so long as our chief purpose in life is advanced by so doing, but we must be inconsistent when by antinomianism we better forward this purpose. to illustrate: all morally-minded people desire to serve as a force working for the happiness of the race. we are convinced that the slaughter of animals for food is needless, and that it entails much physical and mental suffering among men and animals and is therefore immoral. knowing this we should exert our best efforts to counteract the wrong, firstly, by regulating our own conduct so as not to take either an active or passive part in this needless massacre of sub-human life, and secondly, by making those facts widely known which show the necessity for food reform. now to go to the ultimate extreme as regards our own conduct we should make no use of such things as leather, bone, catgut, etc. we should not even so much as attend a concert where the players use catgut strings, for however far distantly related cause and effect may be, the fact remains that the more the demand, no matter how small, the more the supply. we should not even be guilty of accosting a friend from over the way lest in consequence he take more steps than otherwise he would do, thus wearing out more shoe-leather. he who would practise such absurd sansculottism as this would have to resort to the severest seclusion, and plainly enough we cannot approve of such fanaticism. by turning antinomian when necessary and staying amongst our fellows, making known our views according to our ability and opportunity, we shall be doing more towards establishing the proper relation between man and sub-man than by turning cenobite and refusing all intercourse and association with our fellows. let us do small wrong that we may accomplish great good. let us practise our creed so far as to abstain from the eating of animal food, and from the use of furs, feathers, seal and fox skins, and similar ornaments, to obtain which necessitates the violation of our fundamental principles. with regard to leather, this material is, under present conditions, a 'by-product.' the hides of animals slaughtered for their flesh are made into leather, and it is not censurable in a vegetarian to use this article in the absence of a suitable substitute when he knows that by so doing he is not asking an animal's life, nor a fellow-being to degrade his character by taking it. there is a substitute for leather now on the market, and it is hoped that it may soon be in demand, for even a leather-tanner's work is not exactly an ideal occupation. looking at the question of conviction and consistency in this way, there are conceivable circumstances when the staunchest vegetarian may even turn kreophagist. as to how far it is permissible to depart from the strictest adherence to the principles of vegetarianism that have been laid down, the individual must trust his own conscience to determine; but we can confidently affirm that the eating of animal flesh is unnecessary and immoral and retards development in the direction which the finest minds of the race hold to be good; and that the only time when it would not be wrong to feed upon such food would be when, owing to misfortunes such as shipwreck, war, famine, etc., starvation can only be kept at bay by the sacrifice of animal life. in such a case, man, considering his own life the more valuable, must resort to the unnatural practice of flesh-eating. the reformer may have, indeed must have, to pay a price, and sometimes a big one, for the privilege, the greatest of all privileges, of educating his fellows to a realisation of their errors, to a realisation of a better and nobler view of life than they have hitherto known. seldom do men who carve out a way for themselves, casting aside the conventional prejudices of their day, and daring to proclaim, and live up to, the truth they see, meet with the esteem and respect due to them; but this should not, and, if they are sincere and courageous, does not, deter them from announcing their message and caring for the personal discomfort it causes. it is such as these that the world has to thank for its progress. it often happens that the reformer reaps not the benefit of the reform he introduces. men are slow to perceive and strangely slow to act, yet he who has genuine affection for his fellows, and whose desire for the betterment of humanity is no mere sentimental pseudo-religiosity, bears bravely the disappointment he is sure to experience, and with undaunted heart urges the cause that, as he sees it, stands for the enlightenment and happiness of man. the vegetarian in the west (europe, america, etc.) is often ridiculed and spoken of by appellations neither complimentary nor kind, but this should deter no honorable man or woman from entering the ranks of the vegetarian movement as soon as he or she perceives the moral obligation to do so. it may be hard, perhaps impossible, to convert others to the same views, but the vegetarian is not hindered from living his own life according to the dictates of his conscience. 'he who conquers others is strong, but the man who conquers himself is mighty,' wrote laotze in the _tao teh ch'ing_, or 'the simple way.' when we call to mind some heroic character--a socrates, a regulus, a savonarola--the petty sacrifices our duties entail seem trivial indeed. we do well to remember that it is only by obedience to the highest dictates of our own hearts and minds that we may obtain true happiness. it is only by living in harmony with all living creatures that nobility and purity of life are attainable. as we obey the immediate vision, so do we become able to see yet richer visions: but the _strength of the vision is ours only as we obey its high demands_. nutrition and diet i the science of nutrition the importance of some general knowledge of the principles of nutrition and the nutritive values of foods is not generally realised. ignorance on such a matter is not usually looked upon as a disgrace, but, on the contrary, it would be commonly thought far more reprehensible to lack the ability to conjugate the verb 'to be' than to lack a knowledge of the chemical properties of the food we eat, and the suitability of it to our organism. yet the latter bears direct and intimate relation to man's physical, mental, and moral well-being, while the former is but a 'sapless, heartless thistle for pedantic chaffinches,' as jean paul would say. the human body is the most complicated machine conceivable, and as it is absurd to suppose that any tyro can take charge of so comparatively simple a piece of mechanism as a locomotive, how much more absurd is it to suppose the human body can be kept in fit condition, and worked satisfactorily, without at least some, if only slight, knowledge of the nature of its constitution, and an understanding of the means to satisfy its requirements? only by study and observation comes the knowledge of how best to supply the required material which, by its oxidation in the body, repairs waste, gives warmth and produces energy. considering, then, that the majority of people are entirely ignorant both of the chemical constitution of the body, and the physiological relationship between the body and food, it is not surprising to observe that in respect to this question of caring for the body, making it grow and work and think, many come to grief, having breakdowns which are called by various big-sounding names. indeed, to the student of dietetics, the surprise is that the body is so well able to withstand the abuse it receives. it has already been explained in the previous essay how essential it is if we live in an artificial environment and depart from primitive habits, thereby losing natural instincts such as guide the wild animals, that we should study diet. no more need be said on this point. it may not be necessary that we should have some general knowledge of fundamental principles, and learn how to apply them with reasonable precision. the chemical constitution of the human body is made up of a large variety of elements and compounds. from fifteen to twenty elements are found in it, chief among which are oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and sulphur. the most important compounds are protein, hydrocarbons, carbohydrates, organic mineral matter, and water. the food which nourishes the body is composed of the same elements and compounds. food serves two purposes,--it builds and repairs the body tissues, and it generates vital heat and energy, burning food as fuel. protein and mineral matter serve the first purpose, and hydrocarbons (fats) and carbohydrates (sugars and starches) the second, although, if too much protein be assimilated it will be burnt as fuel, (but it is bad fuel as will be mentioned later), and if too much fat is consumed it will be stored away in the body as reserve supply. most food contains some protein, fat, carbohydrates, mineral matter, and water, but the proportion varies very considerably in different foods. water is the most abundant compound in the body, forming on an average, over sixty per cent. of the body by weight. it cannot be burnt, but is a component part of all the tissues and is therefore an exceedingly, important food. mineral matter forms approximately five or six per cent. of the body by weight. phosphate of lime (calcium phosphate), builds bone; and many compounds of potassium, sodium, magnesium and iron are present in the body and are necessary nutrients. under the term protein are included the principal nitrogenous compounds which make bone, muscle and other material. it forms about per cent. of the body by weight, and, as mentioned above, is burnt as fuel for generating heat and energy. carbohydrates form but a small proportion of the body-tissue, less than one per cent. starches, sugars, and the fibre of plants, or cellulose, are included under this term. they serve the same purpose as fat. all dietitians are agreed that protein is the essential combined in food. deprivation of it quickly produces a starved physical condition. the actual quantity required cannot be determined with perfect accuracy, although estimates can be made approximately correct. the importance of the other nutrient compounds is but secondary. but the system must have all the nutrient compounds in correct proportions if it is to be maintained in perfect health. these proportions differ slightly according to the individual's physical constitution, temperament and occupation. food replenishes waste caused by the continual wear and tear incidental to daily life: the wear and tear of the muscles in all physical exertion, of the brain in thinking, of the internal organs in the digestion of food, in all the intricate processes of metabolism, in the excretion of waste matter, and the secretion of vital fluids, etc. the ideal diet is one which replenishes waste with the smallest amount of suitable material, so that the system is kept in its normal condition of health at a minimum of expense of energy. the value, therefore, of some general knowledge of the chemical constituents of food is obvious. the diet must be properly balanced, that is, the food eaten must provide the nutrients the body requires, and not contain an excess of one element or a deficiency of another. it is impossible to substitute protein for fat, or _vice versa_, and get the same physiological result, although the human organism is wonderfully tolerant of abuse, and remarkably ingenious in its ability to adapt itself to abnormal conditions. it has been argued that it is essentially necessary for a well-balanced dietary that the variety of food be large, or if the variety is to be for any reason restricted, it must be chosen with great discretion. dietetic authorities are not agreed as to whether the variety should be large or small, but there is a concensus of opinion that, be it large or small, it should be selected with a view to supplying the proper nutrients in proper proportions. the arguments, so far as the writer understands them, for and against a large variety of foods, are as follows:-- if the variety be large there is a temptation to over-feed. appetite does not need to be goaded by tasty dishes; it does not need to be goaded at all. we should eat when hungry and until replenished; but to eat when not hungry in order to gratify a merely sensual appetite, to have dishes so spiced and concocted as to stimulate a jaded appetite by novelty of taste, is harmful to an extent but seldom realised. hence the advisability, at least in the case of persons who have not attained self-mastery over sensual desire, of having little variety, for then, when the system is replenished, over-feeding is less likely to occur. in this connection it should be remembered that in some parts of the world the poor, although possessing great strength and excellent health, live upon, and apparently relish, a dietary limited mostly to black bread and garlics, while among ourselves an ordinary person eats as many as fifty different foods in one day.[ ] on the other hand, a too monotonous dietary, especially where people are accustomed to a large variety of mixed foods, fails to give the gustatory pleasure necessary for a healthy secretion of the digestive juices, and so may quite possibly result in indigestion. it is a matter of common observation that we are better able to digest food which we enjoy than that which we dislike, and as we live not upon what we eat, but upon what we digest, the importance of enjoying the food eaten is obvious. also as few people know anything about the nutritive value of foods, they stand a better chance, if they eat a large variety, of procuring the required quantity of different nutrients than when restricted to a very limited dietary, because, if the dietary be very limited they might by accident choose as their mainstay some food that was badly balanced in the different nutrients, perhaps wholly lacking in protein. it is lamentable that there is such ignorance on such an all-important subject. however, we have to consider things as they are and not as they ought to be. perhaps the best way is to have different food at different meals, without indulging in many varieties at one meal. thus taste can be satisfied, while the temptation to eat merely for the sake of eating is less likely to arise. it might be mentioned, in passing, that in the opinion of the best modern authorities the average person eats far more than he needs, and that this excess inevitably results in pathological conditions. voit's estimate of what food the average person requires daily was based upon observation of what people _do_ eat, not upon what they _should_ eat. obviously such an estimate is valueless. as well argue that an ounce of tobacco daily is what an ordinary person should smoke because it is the amount which the average smoker consumes. a vegetarian needs only to consider the amount of protein necessary, and obtained from the food eaten. the other nutrients will be supplied in proportions correct enough to satisfy the body requirements under normal conditions of health. the only thing to take note of is that more fat and carbohydrates are needed in cold weather than hot, the body requiring more fuel for warmth. but even this is not essential: the essential thing is to have the required amount of protein. in passing, it is interesting to observe the following: the fact that in a mixed fruitarian diet the proportion of the nutrient compounds is such as to satisfy natural requirements is another proof of the suitability of the vegetable regimen to the human organism. it is a provision of nature that those foods man's digestive organs are constructed to assimilate with facility, and man's organs of taste, smell, and perception best prefer, are those foods containing chemical compounds in proportions best suited to nourish his body. one of the many reasons why flesh-eating is deleterious is that flesh is an ill-balanced food, containing, as it does, considerable protein and fat, but no carbohydrates or neutralising salts whatever. as the body requires three to four times more carbohydrates than protein, and protein cannot be properly assimilated without organic minerals, it is seen that with the customary 'bread, meat and boiled potatoes' diet, this proportion is not obtained. prof. chittenden holds the opinion that the majority of people partake greatly in excess of food rich in protein. no hard and fast rule can be laid down to different persons require different foods and foods and amounts at different times under different +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ |[transcriber's note: it is regretted that a line has been missed by the| |typesetter.] | +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+ regulate the amount, or proper proportions, of food material for a well-balanced dietary, as amounts, and the same person requires different ferent conditions. professor w. o. atwater, an american, makes the following statement: 'as the habits and conditions of individuals differ, so, too, their needs for nourishment differ, and their food should be adapted to their particular requirements. it has been estimated that an average man at moderately active labor, like a carpenter, or mason, should have (daily) about grams ( grains) or . pound of available protein, and sufficient fuel ingredients in addition to make the fuel value of the whole diet , calories; while a man at sedentary employment would be well nourished with grams ( grains) or . pound of available protein, and enough fat and carbohydrates in addition to yield , calories of energy. the demands are, however, variable, increasing and decreasing with increase and decrease of muscular work, or as other needs of the person change. each person, too, should learn by experience what kinds of food yield him nourishment with the least discomfort, and should avoid those which do not "agree" with him.' it has been stated that unless the body is supplied with protein, hunger will be felt, no matter if the stomach be over-loaded with non-nitrogenous food. if a hungry man ate heartily of _only_ such foods as fresh fruit and green vegetables he might soon experience a feeling of fulness, but his hunger would not be appeased. nature asks for protein, and hunger will continue so long as this want remains unsatisfied. similarly as food is the first necessity of life, so is protein the first necessity in food. if a person were deprived of protein starvation must inevitably ensue. were we (by 'we' is meant the generality of people in this country), to weigh out our food supply, for, say a week, we should soon realise what a large reduction from the usual quantity of food consumed would have to be made, and instead of eating, as is customary, without an appetite, hunger might perhaps once a day make itself felt. there is little doubt but that the health of most people would be vastly improved if food were only eaten when genuine hunger was felt, and the dietary chosen were well balanced, _i.e._, the proportions of protein, fat, carbohydrates and salts being about , , , - . as aforesaid, the mixed vegetarian dietary is, in general, well-balanced. while speaking about too much food, it may be pointed out that the function of appetite is to inform us that the body is in need of nutriment. the appetite was intended by nature for this purpose, yet how few people wait upon appetite! the generality of people eat by time, custom, habit, and sensual desire; not by appetite at all. if we eat when not hungry, and drink when not thirsty, we are doing the body no good but positive harm. the organs of digestion are given work that is unnecessary, thus detracting from the vital force of the body, for there is only a limited amount of potential energy, and if some of this is spent unnecessarily in working the internal organs, it follows that there is less energy for working the muscles or the brain. so that an individual who habitually overfeeds becomes, after a time, easily tired, physically lazy, weak, perhaps if temperamentally predisposed, nervous and hypochondriacal. moreover, over-eating not only adds to the general wear and tear, thus probably shortening life, but may even result in positive disease, as well as many minor complaints such as constipation, dyspepsia, flatulency, obesity, skin troubles, rheumatism, lethargy, etc. just as there is danger in eating too much, so there is much harm done by drinking too much. the evil of stimulating drinks will be spoken of later; at present reference is made only to water and harmless concoctions such as lime-juice, unfermented wines, etc. to drink when thirsty is right and natural; it shows that the blood is concentrated and is in want of fluid. but to drink merely for the pleasure of drinking, or to carry out some insane theory like that of 'washing out' the system is positively dangerous. the human body is not a dirty barrel needing swilling out with a hose-pipe. it is a most delicate piece of mechanism, so delicate that the abuse of any of its parts tends to throw the entire system out of order. it is the function of the blood to remove all the waste products from the tissues and to supply the fresh material to take the place of that which has been removed. swilling the system out with liquid does not in any way accelerate or aid the process, but, on the contrary, retards and impedes it. it dilutes the blood, thus creating an abnormal condition in the circulatory system, and may raise the pressure of blood and dilate the heart. also it dilutes the secretions which will therefore 'act slowly and inefficiently, and more or less fermentation and putrefaction will meanwhile be going on in the food masses, resulting in the formation of gases, acids, and decomposition products.' eating and drinking too much are largely the outcome of sensuality. to see a man eat sensually is to know how great a sensualist he is. sensualism is a vice which manifests itself in many forms. poverty has its blessings. it compels abstinence from rich and expensive foods and provides no means for surfeit. epicurus was not a glutton. socrates lived on bread and water, as did sir isaac newton. mental culture is not fostered by gluttony, but gluttony is indulged in at the expense of mental culture. the majority of the world's greatest men have led comparatively simple lives, and have regarded the body as a temple to be kept pure and holy. we have now to consider (_a_) what to eat, (_b_) when to eat, (_c_) how to eat. first, then, we will consider the nutritive properties of the common food-stuffs. footnotes: [footnote : this is not an exaggeration. 'genoa cake,' for instance, contains ten varieties of food: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, milk, sultanas, orange and lemon peel, almonds, and baking powder.] ii what to eat among the foods rich in protein are the legumes, the cereals, and nuts. those low in protein are fresh fruits, green vegetables, and roots. fat is chiefly found in nuts, olives, and certain pulses, particularly the peanut; and carbohydrates in cereals, pulses, and many roots. fruit and green vegetables consist mostly of water and organic mineral compounds, and in the case of the most juicy varieties may be regarded more as drink than food. we have, then, six distinct classes of food--the pulses, cereals, nuts, fruits, green vegetables, and roots. let us briefly consider the nutritive value of each. pulse foods usually form an important item in a vegetarian dietary. they are very rich in their nutritive properties, and even before matured are equal or superior in value to any other green vegetable. 'the ripened seed shows by analysis a very remarkable contrast to most of the matured foods, as the potato and other tubers, and even to the best cereals, as wheat. this superiority lies in the large amount of nitrogen in the form of protein that they contain.' peas, beans, and lentils should be eaten very moderately, being highly concentrated foods. the removal of the skins from peas and beans, also of the germs of beans, by parboiling, is recommended, as they are then more easily digested and less liable to 'disagree.' these foods, it is interesting to know are used extensively by the vegetarian nations. the mongol procures his supply of protein chiefly from the soya bean from which he makes different preparations of bean cheese and sauce. it is said that the poorer classes of spaniards and the bedouins rely on a porridge of lentils for their mainstay. in india and china where rice is the staple food, beans are eaten to provide the necessary nitrogenous matter, as rice alone is considered deficient in protein. with regard to the pulse foods, dr. haig, in his works on uric acid, states that, containing as they do considerable xanthin, an exceedingly harmful poison, they are not to be commended as healthful articles of diet. he states that he has found the pulses to contain even more xanthin than many kinds of flesh-meat, and as it is this poison in flesh that causes him to so strongly condemn the eating of meat, he naturally condemns the eating of any foods in which this poison exists in any considerable quantity. he writes: 'so far as i know the "vegetarians" of this country are decidedly superior in endurance to those feeding on animal tissues, who might otherwise be expected to equal them; but these "vegetarians" would be still better if they not only ruled out animal flesh, but also eggs, the pulses (peas, beans, lentils and peanuts), eschew nuts, asparagus, and mushrooms, as well as tea, coffee and cocoa, all of which contain a large amount of uric acid, or substances physiologically equivalent to it.' dr. haig attributes many diseases and complaints to the presence of uric acid in the blood and its deposits in the tissues: 'uric acid diseases fall chiefly in two groups: (a) the arthritic group, comprising gout, rheumatism, and similar affections of many fibrous tissues throughout the body; (b) the circulation group including headache, epilepsy, mental depression, anæmia, bright's disease, etc.' speaking with regard to rheumatism met with among the vegetarian natives of india, dr. haig writes: 'i believe it will appear, on investigation, that in those parts of india where rice and fresh vegetables form the staple foods, not only rheumatism, but uric acid diseases generally are little known, whereas in those parts where pulses are largely consumed, they are common--almost universal.' the cereals constitute the mainstay of vegetarians all the world over, and although not superior to nuts, must be considered an exceedingly valuable, and, in some cases, essential food material. they differ considerably in their nutritive properties, so it is necessary to examine the worth of each separately. wheat, though not universally the most extensively used of the cereals, is the most popular and best known cereal in this country. it has been cultivated for ages and has been used by nearly all peoples. it is customary to grind the berries into a fine meal which is mixed with water and baked. there are various opinions about the comparative value of white and whole-wheat flour. there is no doubt but that the whole-wheat flour containing, as it does, more woody fibre than the white, has a tendency to increase the peristaltic action of the intestines, and thus is valuable for persons troubled with constipation.[ ] from a large number of analyses it has been determined that entire wheat flour contains about . per cent. more protein than white flour (all grades), yet experiments have demonstrated that the _available_ protein is less in entire wheat-flour than in white flour.[ ] this is probably due to the fact that the protein which is enclosed in the bran cannot be easily assimilated, as the digestive organs are unable to break up the outer walls of woody fibre and extract the nitrogenous matter they contain. on the other hand whole-wheat flour contains considerably more valuable and available mineral matter than does white flour. the two outer layers contain compounds of phosphorus, lime, iron, and soda. analyses by atwater show entire-wheat flour to contain twice as much mineral matter as white flour. it is affirmed by broadbent and others, that this mineral matter is exceedingly valuable both as a nutrient, and because of its neutralising effect upon proteid wastes, and that it is because of this that flour made from the entire-wheat berry has very superior food value to that made from the berry minus the outer cuticles. many dietetists look upon whole-wheat bread as one of the most salutary of all foods and strongly advise its use in place of white bread. a well-known doctor states that he has known it a cure for many diseases, and thinks that many nervous complaints due to 'saline starvation' can be cured by substituting whole-meal for white bread. but in opposition to these views dr. haig thinks that as the outer brown husk of all cereals contains some xanthin, it should on this account be removed. he therefore recommends white flour, (not superfine, but cheap-grade), in place of the entire-wheat. others, however, are of the opinion that the amount of xanthin present in the bran is so small as not to be considered, especially when, by the removal of the xanthin, valuable mineral matter is also removed. of course, it is difficult for a layman to form an opinion when experts differ. perhaps the best thing to do is to use whole-wheat bread if there is any tendency to constipation. if not, then choose that which is the more palatable, or change from one to the other as inclination dictates. this adds to variety, and as digestion is better when the food is better relished, no doubt, in this case, that which pleases the taste best is the best to eat. at least, we can hold this view tentatively for the present. wheat flour (entire), ranks the highest of all the cereals in protein, excepting oatmeal, averaging per cent. in fat it exceeds rice and rye, is equal with barley and maize, but considerably below oatmeal: averaging about . per cent. in carbohydrates it averages about seventy-two per cent., all the cereals being very much alike in quantity of these nutrients. it is a well-balanced food, as indeed, all cereals are, and is palatable prepared in a variety of ways, although, made into unleavened, unsalted bread, the sweet, nutty flavour of the berry itself is best preserved. oatmeal is not extensively used, comparatively speaking, although it has an excellent reputation. it is decidedly the richest cereal in protein and fat, especially fat, and this is probably why people living in cold climates find it such a sustaining food. in protein it averages . per cent.: in fat . per cent. it is very commonly used as porridge. when well cooked, that is to say, for several hours, this is a good way to prepare it, but a better is to eat it dry in the form of unsweetened oatcakes, scones, etc., these being more easily digested because necessitating thorough mastication. the above remarks regarding the removal of the bran from wheat-flour are precisely as applicable to oatmeal, as well as rye, so no more need be said on that point. rye flour is not unlike wheat, and is used more extensively than wheat in many parts of europe. it has per cent. less protein than wheat and its gluten is darker in colour and less elastic and so does not make as light a loaf; but this does not detract from its nutritive value at all. being more easily cultivated than wheat, especially in cold countries, it is cheaper and therefore more of a poor man's food. indian corn, or maize, or turkish wheat, is one of the finest of cereals. it is used extensively in america, north and south, in parts of the orient, in italy, the balkans, servia, and elsewhere. it is used as a green vegetable and when fully matured is ground into meal and made into bread, porridge, biscuits, johnny-cake, etc., etc. corn compared to wheat is rich in fat, but in protein wheat is the richer by about per cent. sugar corn, cooked and canned, is sold in england by food-reform dealers. it is perhaps the most tasty of all the cereals. rice is the staple of the orientals. the practice of removing the dark inner skin in order to give the uncooked grain a white and polished appearance, is not only an expensive operation, but a very foolish one, for it detracts largely from the nutritive value of the food, as considerable protein and other valuable matter is removed along with the bran. we are told that the burmese and japanese and other nations who use rice as their principal food-stuff, use the entire grain. as compared to undressed rice, the ordinary, or polished rice is deficient per cent. of protein; per cent. of fat; per cent. of mineral matter. 'once milled' rice can be procured in this country, but has to be specially asked for. rice is not nearly so nitrogenous as wheat, but is equal to it in fuel value, this being due to the large amount of starch it contains. it is an excellent food, being easily digested and easily prepared. millet, buckwheat, wild rice, sesame, and kaffir corn, are cereals little known in this country, although where they are raised they are largely used by the natives. however, we need not trouble to consider their food value as they are not easily procurable either in europe or america. nuts are perhaps the best of all foods. there is no doubt but that man in his original wild state lived on nuts and berries and perhaps roots. nuts are rich in protein and fat. they are a concentrated food, very palatable, gently laxative, require no preparation but shelling, keep well, are easily portable, and are, in every sense, an ideal food. they have a name for being indigestible, but this may be due to errors in eating, not to the nuts. if we eat nuts, as is often done, after having loaded the stomach with a large dinner, the work of digesting them is rendered very difficult, for the digestive apparatus tires itself disposing of the meal just previously eaten. most things are indigestible eaten under such conditions. nuts should be looked upon as the essential part of the meal and should be eaten first; bread, salad stuffs and fruit help to supply bulk and can follow as dessert if desired. another cause of nuts not being easily digested is insufficient mastication. they are hard, solid food, and should be thoroughly chewed and insalivated before being swallowed. if the teeth are not good, nuts may be grated in an ordinary nut-mill, and then, if eaten slowly and sparingly, will generally be found to digest. of course with a weak digestion nuts may have to be avoided, or used in very small quantities until the digestion is strengthened; but with a normal, healthy person, nuts are a perfect food and can be eaten all the year round. perhaps it is best not to eat a large quantity at once, but to spread the day's supply over four or five light meals. with some, however, two meals a day seems to work well. pine kernels are very suitable for those who have any difficulty in masticating or digesting the harder nuts, such as the brazil, filbert, etc. they are quite soft and can easily be ground into a soft paste with a pestil and mortar, making delicious butter. they vary considerably in nitrogenous matter, averaging about per cent. and are very rich in fat, averaging about per cent. chestnuts are used largely by the peasants of italy. they are best cooked until quite soft when they are easily digested. chestnut meal is obtainable, and when combined with wheatmeal is useful for making biscuits and breadstuffs. protein in chestnuts averages per cent. walnuts, hazelnuts, filberts, brazils, pecans, hickory nuts, beechnuts, butternuts, pistachio nuts and almonds average per cent. protein; per cent. fat; per cent. carbohydrates; per cent. mineral salts. as each possesses a distinct flavour, one can live on nuts alone and still enjoy the pleasure of variety. a man weighing lbs. would, at moderately active labour, require, to live on almonds alone-- ozs. per day. ozs. of nuts per day together with some fresh fruit or green salad in summer, and in winter, some roots, as potato, carrot, or beetroot, would furnish an ideal diet for one whose taste was simple enough to relish it. fruits are best left alone in winter. they are generally acid, and the system is better without very acid foods in the cold weather. but fruits are health-giving foods in warm and hot weather, and living under natural, primitive conditions, this is the only time of the year we should have them, for nature only provides fruit during the months of summer. the fraction of protein fruit contains, per cent. or less, is too small to be of any account. the nutritive value of fruits consists in their mineral salts, grape-sugar and water. much the same applies to green vegetables. in cooking vegetables care should be taken that the water they are cooked in is not thrown away as it contains nearly all the nutrient properties of the vegetable; that is to say, the various salts in the vegetable become dissolved in the water they are boiled in. this water can be used for soup if desired, or evaporated, and with flour added to thicken, served as sauce to the vegetable. potatoes are a salutary food, especially in winter. they contain alkalies which help to lessen the accumulation of uric acid. they should be cooked with skins on: grains per lb. more of valuable potash salts are thus obtained than when peeled and boiled in the ordinary way. the ideal method, however, of taking most vegetables is in the form of uncooked salads, for in these the health-giving, vitalising elements remain unaltered. if man is to be regarded, as many scientists regard him, as a frugivore, constitutionally adapted and suited to a nut-fruit diet, then to regain our lost original taste and acquire a liking for such simple foods should be our aim. it may be difficult, if not impossible, to make a sudden change after having lived for many years upon the complex concoctions of the chef's art, for the system resents sudden changes, but with proper care, changing discreetly, one can generally attain a desired end, especially when it involves the replacing of a bad habit by a good one. in the recipes that follow no mention is made of condiments, _i.e._, pepper, salt, mustard, spice, _et hoc genus omni_. condiments are not foods in any sense whatever, and the effect upon the system of 'seasoning' foods with these artificial aids to appetite, is always deleterious, none the less because it may at the time be imperceptible, and may eventually result in disease. dr. kellogg writes: 'by contact, they irritate the mucous membrane, causing congestion and diminished secretion of gastric juice when taken in any but quite small quantities. when taken in quantities so small as to occasion no considerable irritation of the mucous membrane, condiments may still work injury by their stimulating effects, when long continued.... experimental evidence shows that human beings, as well as animals of all classes, live and thrive as well without salt as with it, other conditions being equally favorable. this statement is made with a full knowledge of counter arguments and experiments, but with abundant testimony to support the position taken.... all condiments hinder natural digestion.' condiments, together with such things as pickles, vinegar, alcohol, tea, coffee, cocoa, tobacco, opium, are all injurious, and undoubtedly are the cause of an almost innumerable number of minor, and, in some cases, serious, complaints. theine, caffeine, and theobromine, all stimulant drugs, are present in tea, coffee, and cocoa, respectively. tea also contains tannin, a substance which is said to seriously impair digestion. alcohol, tea, coffee, etc., are stimulants. stimulants do not produce force and should never be mistaken for food. they are undoubtedly injurious, as they are the cause, among other evils, of _loss_ of force. they cause an abnormal metabolism which ultimately weakens and exhausts the whole system. while these internal activities are taking place, artificial feelings of well-being, or, at least, agreeable sensations, are produced, which are unfortunately mistaken for signs of benefit. speaking of alcohol dr. haig writes: 'it introduces no albumen or force, it merely affects circulation, nutrition, and the metabolism of the albumens already in the body, and this call on the resources of the body is invariably followed by a corresponding depression or economy in the future.... it has been truly said that the man who relies upon stimulants for strength is lost, for he is drawing upon a reserve fund, which is not completely replaced, and physiological bankruptcy must inevitably ensue. this is what the stimulants such as tea, coffee, alcohol, tobacco, opium and cocaine do for those who trust in them.' he who desires to enjoy life desires to possess good physical health, for a healthy body is almost essential to a happy life; and he who desires to live healthily does not abuse his body with poisonous drugs. it may require courage to reform, but he who reforms in this direction has the satisfaction of knowing that his good health will probably some day excite the envy of his critics. the chemical composition of all the common food materials can be seen from tables of analyses. it would be to the advantage of everyone to spend a little time examining these tables. it is not a difficult matter, and the trouble to calculate the quantity of protein in a given quantity of food, when once the _modus operandi_ is understood, is trifling. as it has not unwisely been suggested, if people would give, say, one-hundredth the time and attention to studying the needs of the body and how to satisfy them as they give to dress and amusement, there is little doubt that there would be more happiness in the world. the amount of protein in any particular prepared food is arrived at in the following manner: in the first place those ingredients containing a noticeable amount of protein are carefully weighed. food tables are then consulted to discover the protein percentage. suppose, for instance, the only ingredient having a noticeable quantity of protein is rice, and lb. is used. the table is consulted and shows rice to contain eight per cent. protein. in lb. avoirdupois there are , grains; eight per cent. of , is . × = grains. therefore, in the dish prepared there are grains of protein. it is as well after cooking to weight the entree or pudding and divide the number of ounces it weighs into , thus obtaining the number of grains per ounce. weighing out food at meals is only necessary at first, say for the first week or so. having decided about how many grains of protein to have daily, and knowing how many grains per ounce the food contains, the eye will soon get trained to estimate the quantity needed. it is not necessary to be exact; a rough approximation is all that is needed, so as to be sure that the system is getting somewhere near the required amount of nutriment, and not suffering from either a large excess or deficiency of protein. footnotes: [footnote : entire-wheat flour averages . per cent. fibre; high-grade white flour, . per cent. fibre.] [footnote : see united states dept. of agriculture, farmer's bulletin, no. , page , obtainable from g. p. o., washington, d. c.] iii when to eat the question of when to eat is of some importance. the orientals eat fewer meals than we do, and in their abstemiousness they set us an example we should do well to follow. sufficient has already been said to show that it is a mistake to imagine a great deal of food gives great strength. when we eat frequently, and especially when we 'live well,' that is, are accustomed to a large variety of food, we are tempted to eat far more than is good for us. little and often may work satisfactorily so long as it does not develop into much and often, which, needless to say, it is very likely to do. most people on this account would probably be much better in their health if they ate but twice daily, at noon, and five or six hours before going to bed. then there is less chance of over-feeding. if, however, we experimentally determine the quantity of food that our particular system requires in order to be maintained in good health, and can trust our self-command in controlling the indulgence of sense, probably the best method is to eat anyway three times daily, and four, five, or even six times, or doing away with set meals altogether, would be a procedure which, judging from analogy of the anthropoids, ought to be a better method than eating a whole day's supply at once, or at two or three meals. it is not wise to sit down to a meal when the body is thoroughly fatigued. a glass of hot or cold water will be found reviving, and then, after a short rest, the system will be far better able to assimilate food. when the body is 'tired out,' it stands to reason it cannot perform digestion as easily and as well as when in fit condition. also it is unwise to eat immediately before undertaking vigorous muscular work. strenuous exercise after meals is often the cause of digestive disorders. starting on exercise after a hearty meal may suspend the gastric digestion, and so prevent the assimilation of protein as to produce a sensation of exhaustion. if, however, rest is taken, the digestive organs proceed with their work, and after a short time recuperation follows, and the exercise can be continued. it is unwise to allow such a suspension of digestion because of the danger of setting up fermentation, or putrefaction, in the food mass awaiting digestion, for this may result in various disorders. for the same reason it is a bad plan to eat late at night. it is unwise to take a meal just before going to bed, for the digestive organs cannot do their work properly, if at all, while the body is asleep, and the food not being digested is liable to ferment and result in dyspepsia. the 'sinking feeling' sometimes complained of if a meal is not eaten late at night and described as a kind of hunger is probably due to an abnormal secretion of acid in the stomach. a glass of hot water will often relieve this discomfort. this feeling is seldom experienced by vegetarians of long standing. the natives of india, it is said, do not experience it at all, which fact leads us to surmise the cause to be in some way connected with flesh-eating. farinaceous foods, however, prepared as soup, porridge, gruel, pultaceous puddings, etc., when eaten, as is customary, without proper insalivation, are liable to be improperly digested and to ferment, giving rise to the sensation described as a 'sinking feeling' and erroneously thought to be hunger. it is an excellent rule that prescribes fasting when without hunger. when there is no appetite do not eat. it is an example of conventional stupidity that we eat because it is 'meal time,' even though there be not the slightest feeling of genuine hunger. leaving out of consideration the necessitous poor and those who for their living engage themselves in hard physical toil, it is safe to say that hardly one person in a thousand has ever felt real hunger. yet no one was ever the worse for waiting upon appetite. no one was ever starved by not eating because of having no appetite. loss of appetite is a sign that the digestive organs require a rest. it is better to go without food for a time than to force oneself to eat against inclination. the forcing of oneself to eat to 'keep up one's strength,' is perhaps the quickest way to bring down one's strength by overworking the system and burdening it with material it does not need. eat by appetite, not by time. eat frequently when the appetite demands frequent satisfaction, and seldom when seldom hungry. these rules hold good at all times and for everyone. loss of appetite during sickness should not be looked upon as anything serious in itself, but as a sign that the system does not require food. a sick man like a well man will feel hunger as soon as food is needed, and the practice of tempting the appetite with rich and costly foods is not only a waste of money but is injurious physiologically. possibly there may be pathological conditions under which hunger cannot make itself felt, but it would seem contrary to nature as far as the writer, a layman, understands the matter. at least, leaving abnormal conditions of health out of consideration, we can say this much affirmatively: if a man is hungry enough to relish dry bread, then, and then only, does he really require nourishment. hunger is always experienced when nutriment is needed, and will be felt a dozen times a day if the food eaten at each of a dozen meals has supplied only sufficient nutriment to produce the force expended between each meal. if the meal is large and supplies sufficient nutriment to produce the force expended in a whole day, then the one meal is all that is required. never eat to be sociable, or conventional, or sensual; eat when hungry. professor pavlov says: 'appetite is juice'; that is to say, the physiological condition existing when the body has run short of food-fuel, produces a psychological effect, the mind thinking of food, thereby causing through reaction a profuse secretion of saliva, and we say 'the mouth waters.' it is true the appetite is amenable to suggestion. thus, though feeling hunger, the smell of, or even thought of, decayed food may completely take away appetite and all inclination to eat. this phenomenon is a provision of nature to protect us from eating impure food. the appetite having thus been taken away will soon return again when the cause of its loss has been removed. therefore the appetite should be an infallible guide when to eat. there is one further point to be noted. food should not be eaten when under the influence of strong emotion. it is true that under such conditions there probably would be no appetite, but when we are so accustomed to consulting the clock that there is danger of cozening ourselves into the belief that we have an appetite when we have not, and so force ourselves to eat when it may be unwise to do so. strong emotions, as anger, fear, worry, grief, judging by analogy, doubtless inhibit digestive activity. w. b. cannon, m.d., speaking of experiments on cats, says: 'the stomach movements are inhibited whenever the cat shows signs of anxiety, rage, or distress.' to thoroughly enjoy one's food, it is necessary to have hunger for it, and if we only eat when we feel hungry, there is little likelihood of ever suffering from dyspepsia. in passing, it is appropriate to point out that as when food is better enjoyed it is better digested, therefore art, environment, mental disposition, indirectly affect the digestive processes. we should, therefore, remembering that simplicity, not complexity, is the essence of beauty, ornament our food and table, and be as cheerful, sociable, and even as merry as possible. iv how to eat the importance of thorough mastication and insalivation cannot be overestimated. the mouth is a part of the digestive apparatus, and in it food is not only broken down, but is chemically changed by the action of the saliva. if buccal (mouth) digestion be neglected, the consequence is that the food passes into the stomach in a condition that renders it difficult for that organ to digest it and any of a great number of disturbances may result. mastication means a thorough breaking up of the food into the smallest particles, and insalivation means the mixing of the small particles with the saliva. the mechanical work is done with the jaws and tongue, and the chemical work is performed by the saliva. when the mechanical work is done thoroughly the chemical work is also thorough, and the test for thoroughness is loss of taste. masticate the food until all taste has disappeared, and then it will be found that the swallowing reflex unconsciously absorbs the food, conscious swallowing, or at least, an effort to swallow, not being called for. it may take some while to get into the habit of thorough mastication after having been accustomed to bolting food, but with a conscious effort at the first, the habit is formed, and then the effort is no longer a laborious exercise, but becomes perfectly natural and is performed unconsciously. this ought to be common knowledge. that such a subject is not considered a necessary part of education is indeed lamentable, for the crass ignorance that everywhere abounds upon the subject of nutrition and diet is largely the cause of the frightful disease and debility so widespread throughout the land, and, as a secondary evil of an enormous waste of labour in the production and distribution of unneeded food. were everyone to live according to nature, hygienically and modestly, health, and all the happiness that comes with it, would become a national asset, and as a result of the decreased consumption of food, more time would be available for education, and the pursuit of all those arts which make for the enlightenment and progress of humanity. to become a convert to this new order, adopting non-animal food and hygienic living, is not synonymous with monastical asceticism, as some imagine. meat eaters when first confronted with vegetarianism often imagine their dietary is going to be restricted to a monotonous round of carrots, turnips, cabbages, and the like; and if their ignorance prevents them from arguing that it is impossible to maintain health and strength on such foods, then it is very often objected that carrots and cabbages are not liked, or would not be cared for _all_ the time. the best way to answer this objection is to cite a few plain facts. from a catalogue of a firm supplying vegetarian specialties, (and there are now quite a number of such firms), most of the following information is derived: of nuts there are twelve varieties, sold either shelled, ground, or in shell. many of these nuts are also mechanically prepared, and in some cases combined, and made into butters, nut-meats, lard, suet, oil, etc. the varieties of nut-butters are many, and the various combinations of nuts and vegetables making potted savouries, add to a long list of highly nutritious and palatable nut-foods. there are the pulses dried and entire, or ground into flour, such as pea-, bean-, and lentil-flour. there are the cereals, barley, corn, oats, rice, rye, wheat, etc., from which the number of preparations made such as breakfast foods, bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries, etc., is legion. (one firm advertises twenty-three varieties of prepared breakfast foods made from cereals.) then there are the fruits, fresh, canned, and preserved, about twenty-five varieties; green vegetables, fresh and canned, about twenty-one varieties; and roots, about eleven varieties. the difficulty is not that there is insufficient variety, but that the variety is so large that there is danger of being tempted beyond the limits dictated by the needs of the body. when, having had sufficient to eat, there yet remain many highly palatable dishes untasted, one is sometimes apt to gratify sense at the expense of health and good-breeding, to say nothing of economy. simplicity and purity in food are essential to physical health as simplicity and purity in art are essential to moral and intellectual progress. 'i may say,' says dr. haig, 'that simple food of not more than two or three kinds at one meal is another secret of health; and if this seems harsh to those whose day is at present divided between anticipating their food and eating, i must ask them to consider whether such a life is not the acme of selfish shortsightedness. in case they should ever be at a loss what to do with the time and money thus saved from feasting, i would point on the one hand to the mass of unrelieved ignorance, sorrow, and suffering, and on the other to the doors of literature and art, which stand open to those fortunate enough to have time to enter them; and from none of these need any turn aside for want of new kingdoms to conquer.' this question of feeding may, by superficial thinkers, be looked upon as unimportant; yet it should not be forgotten that diet has much more to do with health than is commonly realized, and health is intimately connected with mental attitude, and oftentimes is at the foundation of religious and moral development. 'hypochondriacal crotchets' are often the product of dyspepsia, and valetudinarianism and pessimism are not unrarely found together. 'alas,' says carlyle, 'what is the loftiest flight of genius, the finest frenzy that ever for moments united heaven with earth, to the perennial never-failing joys of a digestive apparatus thoroughly eupeptic?' our first duty is to learn to keep our body healthy. naturally, we sooner expect to see a noble character possess a beautiful form than one disfigured by abuse and polluted by disease. we do not say that every sick man is a villain, but we do say that men and women of high character regard the body as an instrument for some high purpose, and believe that it should be cared for and nourished according to its natural requirements. in vegetarianism, _scientifically practised_, is a cure, and better, a preventative, for many physical, mental, and moral obliquities that trouble mankind, and if only a knowledge of this fact were to grow and distil itself into the public mind and conscience, there would be halcyon days in store for future generations, and much that now envelops man in darkness and in sorrow, would be regarded as a nightmare of the past. food table the following table exhibits the percentage chemical composition of the principal vegetable food materials; also of dairy produce and common flesh-foods for comparison. food material protein fat carbo- salts water fuel hydrates value cals. vegetable foods p. ct. p. ct. p. ct. p. ct. p. ct. p. lb. wheat flour (entire) . . . . . , oatmeal . . . . . , rice . . . . . , barley . . . . . , corn meal . . . . . , rye . . . . . , lentils (dried) . . . . . , beans (dried) . . . . . , peas (dried) . . . . . , nuts, various (_aver._) . . . . . , dates . . . . . , figs . . . . . , potatoes . . . . . apples . . . . . bananas . . . . . dairy foods milk, whole (not skim) . . . . . cheese, various (_aver._) . . . . . , hens' eggs (_boiled_) . . . . . flesh foods beef . . . . . , mutton (_medium fat_) . . . . . , ham (_fresh_) . . . . . , fowl . . . . . , white fish (_as purchased_) . . . . . [the amount of heat that will raise one kilogram of water deg. c. is termed a _calorie_. fuel value, or food units, means the number of calories of heat equivalent to the energy it is assumed the body obtains from food when the nutrients thereof are completely digested.] one hundred recipes recipes the following recipes are given as they appear in the english edition of this book and were prepared for english readers. while some of these will be difficult for american readers to follow, we give them as in the original edition, and many of the unusual ingredients called for can be obtained from the large grocers and dealers, and if not in stock will be obtained to order. 'nutter' is a name given a nut butter used for cooking. it is, so far as we know, the only collection of strictly vegetarian recipes published. readers interested in the foreign products referred to, should write to pitman's health food company, aston brook st., birmingham, england, and to mapleton's nut food company, ltd., garston, liverpool, england, for price list and literature. the publishers. soups = .--vegetable soup= large cupful red lentils, turnip, medium onions, potatoes, carrot, leek, small head celery, parsley, lb. tomatoes, - / quarts water. wash and cut up vegetables, but do not peel. boil until tender, then strain through coarse sieve and serve. this soup will keep for several days and can be reheated when required. = .--semolina soup= oz. semolina, chopped onions, tablespoonful gravy essence,[ ] quarts water or vegetable stock.[ ] = .--spinach soup no. = lb. spinach, tablespoonful gravy essence, quart water. cook spinach in its own juices (preferably in double boiler). strain from it, through a hair sieve or colander, all the liquid. add essence and serve. = .--spinach soup no. = lb. spinach, lb. can tomatoes, tablespoonful nut-milk (mapleton's), - / pints water. dissolve nut-milk in little water, cook all ingredients together in double-boiler for - / hours, strain and serve. = .--pea soup= ozs. pea-flour, potatoes, large onion, tablespoonful gravy essence, quarts water. cook potatoes, (not peeled), and onion until soft. skin and mash potatoes and chop onion. mix pea-flour into paste with little water. boil all ingredients together for minutes, then serve. =lentil and haricot soups= these are prepared in the same way as recipe no. substituting lentil, or haricot flour for pea-flour. = .--tomato-pea soup= ozs. pea-flour, lb. tin tomatoes, chopped leek, quart water. mix pea-flour into paste with little water. boil ingredients together minutes, then serve. =tomato-lentil and tomato-bean soups= these are prepared in the same way as recipe no. , substituting lentil-, or bean-flour for pea-flour. = .--rice-vermicelli soup= ozs. rice-vermicelli, tablespoonful nut-milk, dessertspoonful gravy essence, quart water. boil vermicelli in water until soft. dissolve nut-milk in little water. boil all ingredients together minutes, then serve. = .--pea-vermicelli soup= ozs. pea-vermicelli, tablespoonful nut-milk, tablespoonful tomato purée, quart water. boil vermicelli in water until soft, dissolve nut-milk in little water. boil all ingredients together minutes, then serve. = .--pot-barley soup no. = ozs. pot-barley, onion, tablespoonful gravy essence, quarts water, corn flour to thicken. cook barley until quite soft; chop onion finely; mix a little corn flour into paste with cold water. stir into the boiling soup. boil all ingredients together for minutes, then serve. =wheat and rice soups= these are prepared in the same way as recipe no. , substituting wheat or rice grains for barley. = .--pot-barley soup no. = ozs. pot-barley, dessertspoonful nut-milk, chopped onion, dessertspoonful tomato purée, quart water. cook barley until soft; dissolve nut-milk in little water; boil all ingredients together for minutes, then serve. = .--corn soup= lb. tin sugar-corn, / lb. tin tomatoes, chopped onions, ozs. corn flour, quart water. boil onion until soft; mix corn flour into paste with cold water. place sugar-corn, tomatoes, onions, and water into stew pan; heat and add corn flour. boil ingredients together minutes, and serve. footnotes: [footnote : there are several brands of wholly vegetable gravy essence now on the market. the best known are 'vegeton,' 'marmite,' 'carnos,' and pitman's 'vigar gravy essence.'] [footnote : vegetable stock is the water that vegetables have been boiled in; this water contains a certain quantity of valuable vegetable salts, and should never be thrown away.] savory dishes = .--nut rissoles= ozs. mixed grated nuts, ozs. breadcrumbs, oz. nut butter, chopped onion, large cupful canned tomatoes. mix ingredients together; mould into rissoles, dust with flour and fry in 'nutter.' serve with gravy. = .--lentil cakes= ozs. red lentils, ozs. 'grape nuts,' small onion, teaspoonful gravy essence, breadcrumbs. cook lentils until soft in smallest quantity of water; chop onion finely; mix all ingredients, using sufficient breadcrumbs to make into stiff paste; form into cakes and fry in 'nutter.' serve with gravy. = .--marrow roast= vegetable marrow, ozs. grated nuts, onion, oz. 'nutter,' cup breadcrumbs, teaspoonfuls tomato purée. cook marrow, taking care not to allow it to break; when cold, peel, cut off one end and remove seeds with spoon. prepare stuffing:--chop onion finely; melt nut fat and mix ingredients together. then stuff marrow and tie on decapitated end with tape; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake minutes. serve with gravy. = .--stewed celery= head celery, slices whole-meal bread, nut butter. slice celery into suitable lengths, which steam until soft. toast and butter bread, place celery on toast and cover with pea, bean, or lentil sauce, (see recipe no. ). = .--barley entrée= ozs. pot-barley, lb. tin tomatoes, chopped onion, tablespoonfuls olive oil. cook barley until quite soft in smallest quantity of water (in double boiler). then add tomatoes and oil, and cook for minutes. to make drier, cook barley in tomato juice adding only or tablespoonfuls of water. =rice, wheat, macaroni, lentil, bean, split-pea entrées= these are prepared in the same way as recipe no. , substituting one of these cereals or légumes for barley. = .--savory pie= paste (recipe no. ), marrow stuffing (recipe no. ). line sandwich tin with paste; fill interior with stuffing; cover with paste or cooked sliced potatoes; bake in sharp oven. = .--baked bananas= prepare the desired number by washing and cutting off stalk, but do not peel. bake in oven minutes, then serve. = .--barley stew= ozs. pot-barley, onions, parsley. chop onions and parsley finely; cook ingredients together in very small quantity of water in double boiler until quite soft. serve with hot beetroot, or fried tomatoes or potatoes. =corn, rice, frumenty, pea-vermicelli stews= these are prepared in the same way as recipe no. , substituting one of the above cereals or pulses for barley. = .--mexican stew= cupful brown beans, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, oz. sugar, cupful red grape-juice, rind of lemon, water. soak beans overnight; chop vegetables in chunks; boil all ingredients together hour. = .--vegetable pie= ozs. tapioca, potatoes, small onions, paste, (see recipe no. ), tomato purée to flavor. soak tapioca. partly cook potatoes and onions, which then slice. place potatoes, onions, and tapioca in layers in pie-dish; mix purée with a little hot water, which pour into dish; cover with paste and bake. = .--rice rissoles= ozs. unpolished rice, chopped onion, dessertspoonful tomato purée, breadcrumbs. boil rice and onion until soft; add purée and sufficient breadcrumbs to make stiff; mould into rissoles; fry in 'nutter,' and serve with parsley sauce, (recipe no. ). = .--scotch stew= ozs. pot-barley, ozs. rolled oats, carrot, turnip, potatoes, onion, tomatoes, water. wash, peel, and chop vegetables in chunks. stew all ingredients together for hours. dress with squares of toasted bread. = .--plain roasted rice= steam some unpolished rice until soft; then distribute thinly on flat tin and brown in hot oven. = .--nut roast no. = lb. pine kernels (flaked), tablespoonfuls pure olive oil, breakfastcupfuls breadcrumbs, / lb. tomatoes (peeled and mashed). mix ingredients together, place in pie-dish, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, and bake until well browned. = .--nut roast no. = lb. pine kernels (flaked), cooked onion (chopped), / cupful chopped parsley, ozs. cooked potatoes (mashed). mix ingredients together, place in pie-dish and cover with layer of boiled rice. cook until well browned. = .--maize roast= ozs. corn meal, large spanish onion (chopped), tablespoonfuls nut-milk, dessertspoonful gravy essence. cook onion; dissolve nut-milk thoroughly in about / pint water. boil onion, nut-milk, and essence together two minutes, then mix all ingredients together, adding sufficient water to make into very soft batter; bake minutes. = .--plain savory rice= ozs. unpolished rice, lb. tin tomatoes. boil together until rice is cooked. if double boiler be used no water need be added, and thus the rice will be dry and not pultaceous. = .--potato balls= medium sized potatoes, large onion (chopped), dessertspoonful pure olive oil, breadcrumbs. cook onion and potatoes, then mash. mix ingredients, using a few breadcrumbs and making it into a very soft paste. roll into balls and fry in 'nutter,' or nut butter. = .--bean balls= ozs. brown haricot flour, onion (chopped), dessertspoonful pure olive oil, tablespoonful tomato purée, breadcrumbs. cook onion; mix flour into paste with purée and oil; add onion and few breadcrumbs making into soft paste. fry in 'nutter.' = .--lentil and pea balls= these are made in the same way as recipe no. , substituting lentil-or pea-flour for bean-flour. = .--lentil patties= ozs. lentils, small onion (chopped), oz. 'nutter,' or nut butter, teaspoonful gravy essence, paste (see recipe no. ). cook ingredients for filling all together until lentils are quite soft. line patty pans with paste; fill, cover with paste and bake in sharp oven. =barley, bean, corn, rice, and wheat patties= these are prepared in the same way as in recipe no. , substituting one of the above cereals or beans for lentils. = .--lentil paste= ozs. red lentils, onion (chopped), tablespoonfuls pure olive oil, breadcrumbs. boil lentils and onions until quite soft; add oil and sufficient breadcrumbs to make into paste; place in jars; when cool cover with melted nut butter; serve when set. = .--bean paste= ozs. small brown haricots, tablespoonfuls tomato purée, teaspoonful 'vegeton,' ozs. 'nutter' or nut butter, cup breadcrumbs. soak beans over night; flake in dana food flaker; place back in fresh water and add other ingredients; cook one hour; add breadcrumbs, making into paste; place in jars, when cool cover with nut butter; serve when set. = .--spinach on toast= cook lb. spinach in its own juice in double boiler. toast and butter large round of bread. spread spinach on toast and serve. other vegetables may be served in the same manner. gravies and sauces = .--clear gravy= teaspoonful 'marmite,' 'carnos,' 'vegeton,' or 'pitman's vigar gravy essence,' dissolved in / pint hot water. = .--tomato gravy= teaspoonful gravy essence, small tablespoonful tomato purée, / pint water. thicken with flour if desired. = .--spinach gravy= lb. spinach, dessertspoonful nut-milk, / pint water. boil spinach in its own juices in double boiler; strain all liquid from spinach and add it to the nut-milk which has been dissolved in the water. = .--parsley sauce= oz. chopped parsley, tablespoonful olive oil, a little flour to thicken, / pint water. = .--pea, bean, and lentil sauces= teaspoonful pea-, or bean-, or lentil-flour; / teaspoonful gravy essence, / pint water. mix flour into paste with water, dissolve essence, and bring to a boil. puddings, etc. = .--fig pudding= lb. whole-meal flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' or nut butter, / chopped figs, teaspoonful baking powder, water. melt 'nutter,' mix ingredients together with water into stiff batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--date pudding= lb. breadcrumbs, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' / lb. stoned and chopped dates, teaspoonful baking powder, water. melt 'nutter'; mix ingredients together with water into stiff batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. =prune, ginger, and cherry puddings= these are prepared the same way as in recipe no. , or no. , substituting prunes or preserved ginger, or cherries for figs or dates. = .--rich fruit pudding= lb. whole-meal flour, ozs. almond cream, ozs. sugar, ozs. preserved cherries, ozs. stoned raisins, ozs. chopped citron, teaspoonful baking powder, water. mix ingredients together with water into stiff batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--fruit-nut pudding no. = / lb. white flour, / lb. whole meal flour, / lb. mixed grated nuts, ozs. 'nutter' or nut butter, ozs. sugar, ozs. sultanas, ozs. mixed peel (chopped), teaspoonful baking powder, water. melt nut-fat, mix ingredients together with water into stiff batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--fruit-nut pudding no. = / lb. white flour, / lb. ground rice, / lb. corn meal, ozs. chopped dates or figs, ozs. chopped almonds, ozs. almond nut-butter, ozs. sugar, teaspoonful baking powder, water. melt butter, mix ingredients together with water into stiff batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--maize pudding no. = / lb. maize meal, ozs. white flour, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. sugar, / tin pineapple chunks, teaspoonful baking powder. melt fat, cut chunks into quarters; mix ingredients with very little water into batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--maize pudding no. = ozs. corn meal, ozs. white flour, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. sugar, tablespoonfuls marmalade, teaspoonful baking powder, water. melt 'nutter,' mix ingredients together with little water into batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--cocoanut pudding= ozs. whole wheat flour, ozs. cocoanut meat, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. sugar, small teaspoonful baking powder, water. melt fat, mix ingredients together with water into batter; place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--tapioca apple= cup tapioca, large apples, sugar to taste, water. soak tapioca, peel and slice apples; mix ingredients together, place in pie-dish with sufficient water to cover and bake. = .--oatmeal moulds= ozs. rolled oats, ozs. sugar, ozs. sultanas, water. cook oatmeal thoroughly in double boiler, then mix ingredients together; place in small cups, when cold turn out and serve with apple sauce, or stewed prunes. = .--carrot pudding= ozs. breadcrumbs, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. flour, ozs. mashed carrots, ozs. mashed potatoes, ozs. chopped raisins, ozs. brown sugar, dessertspoonful treacle, teaspoonful baking powder. mix ingredients well, place in greased pudding basin and steam hours. = .--sultana pudding= / lb. whole meal flour, breakfastcupful breadcrumbs, ozs. ground pine kernels, pignolias or almonds, / lb. sultanas, ozs. sugar, water. mix ingredients together into a stiff batter; place in greased basin and steam hours. = .--semolina pudding= ozs. semolina, oz. corn flour, ozs. sugar, rind of one lemon, - / pints water. mix corn flour into paste in little water; place ingredients in double boiler and cook for hour, place in pie-dish and brown in sharp oven. = .--rice mould= ozs. ground rice, oz. sugar, / pint grape-juice. cook ingredients in double boiler, place in mould. when cold turn out and serve with stewed fruit. = .--maize mould= ozs. corn meal, ozs. sugar, / pint grape-juice, - / pints water. cook ingredients in double boiler for hour; place in mould. when cold turn out and serve with stewed fruit. = .--lemon sago= ozs. sago, ozs. golden syrup, juice and rind of two lemons, - / pints water. boil sago in water until cooked, then mix in other ingredients. place in mould, turn out when cold. = .--lemon pudding= ozs. breadcrumbs, oz. corn flour, ozs. sugar, rind one lemon, pint water. mix corn flour into paste in little water; mix ingredients together, place in pie-dish, bake in moderate oven. = .--prune mould= lb. prunes, ozs. sugar, juice lemon, / oz. agar-agar, quart water. soak prunes for hours in water, and then remove stones. dissolve the agar-agar in the water, gently warming. boil all ingredients together for minutes, place in mould, when cold turn out and decorate with blanched almonds. = .--lemon jelly= / oz. agar-agar, ozs. sugar, juice lemons, quart water. soak agar-agar in the water for minutes; add fruit-juice and sugar, and heat gently until agar-agar is completely dissolved, pour into moulds, turn out when cold. this jelly can be flavoured with various fruit juices, (fresh and canned). when the fruit itself is incorporated, it should be cut up into small pieces and stirred in when the jelly commences to thicken. the more fruit juice added, the less water must be used. such fruits as fresh strawberries, oranges, raspberries, and canned pine-apples, peaches, apricots, etc., may be used this way. = .--pastry= lb. flour, / lb. nut-butter or nut fat, teaspoonfuls baking powder, water. mix with water into stiff paste. this is suitable for tarts, patties, pie-covers, etc. cakes = .--wheatmeal fruit cake= ozs. entire wheat flour, ozs. nut-butter, ozs. sugar, ozs. almond meal, ozs. sultanas, ozs. lemon peel, teaspoonsful baking powder. rub butter into flour, mix all ingredients together with water into stiff batter; bake in cake tins lined with buttered paper. = .--rice fruit cake= ozs. ground rice, ozs. white flour, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. sugar, ozs. stoned, chopped raisins, large teaspoonful baking powder, water. rub 'nutter' into flour, mix all ingredients together with water into stiff batter; bake in cake tins lined with buttered paper. = .--maize fruit cake= ozs. corn meal, ozs. white flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. nut-butter, ozs. preserved cherries, ozs. lemon peel, teaspoonfuls baking powder, water. rub butter into flour, mix all ingredients together with water into stiff batter; bake in cake tins lined with buttered paper. = .--apple cake= lb. apples, / lb. white flour, / lb. corn meal, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. sugar, small teaspoonfuls baking powder, water. cook apples to a sauce and strain well through colander, rejecting lumps. melt fat and mix all ingredients together with water into stiff batter; bake in cake tins lined with buttered paper. = .--corn cake (plain)= / lb. maize meal, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. sugar, teaspoonful baking powder. melt fat, mix all ingredients together into batter; bake in cake tins lined with buttered paper. = .--nut cake= ozs. white flour, ozs. ground rice, ozs. 'nutter,' or nut butter, ozs. sugar, ozs. mixed grated nuts, teaspoonfuls baking powder. melt fat, mix ingredients together into batter, and place in cake tins lined with buttered paper. = .--mixed fruit salads= sliced bananas, tin pineapple chunks, sliced apples, sliced oranges, / lb. grapes, / lb. raisins, / lb. shelled walnuts, / pint grape-juice. = .--fruit nut salad= lb. picked strawberries, / lb. mixed shelled nuts, / pint grape-juice. sprinkle over with 'granose' or 'toasted corn flakes' just before serving. = .--winter salad= peeled, sliced tomatoes, peeled, sliced apples, small sliced beetroot, small sliced onion, olive oil whisked up with lemon juice for a dressing. = .--vegetable salad= sliced beetroot, sliced potato (cooked), sliced onion, sliced heart of cabbage, olive oil dressing; arrange on a bed of water-cress. biscuits the following biscuits are made thus:--melt the 'nutter,' mix all ingredients with sufficient water to make into stiff paste; roll out and cut into shapes. bake in moderate oven. these biscuits when cooked average grains protein per ounce. = .--plain wheat biscuits= / lb. entire wheat flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' little chopped peel. = .--plain rice biscuits= - lb. ground rice, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' vanilla essence. = .--plain maize biscuits= / lb. maize meal, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter.' (if made into soft batter these can be dropped like rock cakes). = .--banana biscuits= / lb. banana meal, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter.' = .--cocoanut biscuits= / lb. white flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. cocoanut meal. = .--sultana biscuits= - lb. white flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. minced sultanas and peel ozs. almond meal. = .--fig biscuits= / lb. entire wheat flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. minced figs. (if made into soft batter these can be dropped like rock cakes). =date, prune, raisin, and ginger biscuits= these are prepared in the same way as recipe no. , using one of these fruits in place of figs. (use dry preserved ginger). = .--brazil-nut biscuits= ozs. white flour, ozs. ground rice, ozs. sugar, ozs. grated brazil kernels. (if made into a soft batter these can be dropped like rock cakes). = .--fruit-nut biscuits= / lb. white flour, ozs. ground rice, ozs. sugar, ozs. 'nutter,' ozs. mixed grated nuts, ozs. mixed minced fruits, sultanas, peel, raisins. = .--rye biscuits= lb. rye flour, ozs. sugar, ozs. nut butter, ozs. sultanas. = .--xerxes biscuits= / lb. whole wheat flour, ozs. sugar, / breakfastcupful olive oil. breads (unleavened) these are prepared as follows: mix ingredients with water into stiff dough; knead well, mould, place in bread tins, and bake in slack oven for from - / to - / hours (or weigh off dough into / lb. pieces, mould into flat loaves, place on flat tin, cut across diagonally with sharp knife and bake about - / hours). = .--apple bread= lbs. entire wheat meal doughed with lb. apples, cooked in water to a pulp. = .--rye bread= lbs. rye flour, / lb. ground rice. = .--plain wheat bread= lbs. finely ground whole wheat flour. = .--corn wheat bread= lb. whole wheat flour, lb. cornmeal. = .--rice wheat bread= lb. ground rice, lb. whole wheat flour, lb. white flour. = .--date bread= lbs. whole wheat flour, / lb. chopped dates. = .--ginger bread= / lb. whole wheat flour, / lb. white flour, / lb. chopped preserved ginger, a little cane sugar. = .--cocoanut bread= lb. whole wheat flour, lb. white flour, / lb. cocoanut meal, some cane sugar. = .--fig bread= - / lbs. whole wheat flour, / lb. white flour, / lb. chopped figs. = .--sultana bread= / lb. ground rice, / lb. maize meal, / lb. white flour, / lb. sultanas. = .--fancy rye bread= - / lbs. rye flour, / lb. currants and chopped peel, a little cane sugar. porridges = .=--maize, meal, rolled oats, ground rice, etc., thoroughly cooked make excellent porridge. serve with sugar and unfermented fruit-juice. fruit cakes the following uncooked fruit foods are prepared thus: mix all ingredients well together; roll out to / inch, or / inch, thick; cut out with biscuit cutter and dust with ground rice. = .--date cakes= - / lbs. stoned dates minced, / lb. mixed grated nuts. = .--fig cakes= - / lbs. figs minced, / lb. ground almonds. = .--raisin-nut cakes= / lb. stoned raisins minced, ozs. mixed grated nuts. = .--ginger-nut cakes= / lb. preserved ginger (minced), / lb. mixed grated nuts. ozs. 'grape nuts.' = .--prune-nut cakes= / lb. stoned prunes (minced), / lb. grated walnuts. = .--banana-date cakes= ozs. figs (minced); bananas; sufficient 'wheat or corn flakes' to make into stiff paste. = .--cherry-nut cakes= ozs. preserved cherries (minced); / lb. mixed grated nuts; sufficient 'wheat or corn flakes' to make into stiff paste. * * * * * the health culture co. for more than a dozen years the business of the health-culture co. was conducted in new york city, moving from place to place as increased room was needed or a new location seemed to be more desirable. in the business was removed to passaic, n. j., where it is pleasantly and permanently located in a building belonging to the proprietor of the company. there has never been as much interest in the promotion and preservation of personal health as exists to-day. men and women everywhere are seeking information as to the best means of increasing health and strength with physical and mental vigor. health-culture, a monthly publication devoted to practical hygiene and bodily culture, is unquestionably the best publication of its kind ever issued. it has a large circulation and exerts a wide influence, numbering among its contributors the best and foremost writers on the subject. the books issued and for sale by this company are practical and include the very best works published relating to health and hygiene. the health appliances, manufactured and for sale, include dr. forest's massage rollers and developers, dr. wright's colon syringes, the wilhide exhaler, etc. and we are prepared to furnish anything in this line, water-stills, exercisers, etc. circulars and price lists giving full particulars will be sent on application. inquiries as to what books to read or what appliances to procure for any special conditions cheerfully and fully answered. if you have any doubts state your case and we will tell you what will best meet it. if you want books of any kind we can supply them at publisher's prices. dr. forest's massage rollers dr. forest is the inventor and originator of massage rollers, and these are the original and only genuine massage rollers made. the making of others that are infringements on our patents have been stopped or they are inferior and practically worthless. in these each wheel turns separately, and around the centre of each is a band or buffer of elastic rubber. the rollers are made for various purposes, each in a style and size best adapted for its use, and will be sent prepaid on receipt of price. =no. . six wheels, body roller, $ .= the best size for use over the body, and especially for indigestion, constipation, rheumatism, etc. can also be used for reduction. =no. , four wheels, body roller, $ . .= smaller and lighter than no. ; for small women it is the best in size, for use over the stomach and bowels, the limbs, and for cold feet. =no. , three wheels, scalp roller, $ . .= made in fine woods and for use over the scalp, for the preservation of the hair. can be used also over the neck to fill it out and for the throat. =no. , five wheels, bust developer, $ . .= the best developer made. by following the plain physiological directions given, most satisfactory results can be obtained. =no. , twelve wheels, abdominal roller, $ .= for the use of men to reduce the size of the abdomen, and over the back. the handles give a chance for a good, firm, steady, pressure. =no. , three small wheels, facial roller, $ . .= made in ebony and ivory, for use over the face and neck, for preventing and removing wrinkles, and restoring its contour and form. =no. , three wheels, facial massage roller, $ . .= like no. , made in white maple. in other respects the same. =no. , eight wheels, abdominal roller, $ . .= this is the same as no. , except with the less number of wheels. is made for the use of women, for reducing hip and abdominal measure. with each roller is sent dr. forest's manual of massotherapy; containing pages, giving full directions for use. price separately c. the attainment of efficiency rational methods of developing health and personal power by w. r. c. latson m. d., author of "common disorders," "the enlightened life," etc. this work by dr. latson indicates the avenues that lead to efficient and successful living, and should be read by every man and woman who would reach their best and attain to their highest ambitions in business, professional, domestic or social life. something of the scope of this will be seen from the following table of contents. =how to live the efficient life.=--man a production of law--determining factors in health and power--the most wholesome diet--practical exercises for efficiency--influence of thought habits. =mental habits and health.=--all is mind--seen in animals--formative desire in the jungle--mind the great creator--mind the one cause of disease--faulty mental habits. =the conquest of worry.=--effects upon digestion--anarchy of the mind--a curable disorder. =secret of mental supremacy.=--practical methods--the key note--mental power a habit. =the nobler conquest.=--life a struggle--who are the survivors?--the art of conquest--the struggle with the world--effects of opposition. =firmness one secret of power.=--without firmness no real power--how it grows with exercise--gaining the habit of firmness. =self-effacement and personal power.=--growing older in wisdom--the fallacy of identity--self-preservation the first law. =the power of calmness.=--the nervous system--effects of control. =how to be an efficient worker.=--how to work--making drudgery a work of art. =the attainment of personal power.=--an achievement--know yourself--learning from others. =the secret of personal magnetism.=--what is personal magnetism?--effects of the lack of it--how to gain it. =the prime secret of health.=--what is essential?--what to do--how to do it. =how to increase vitality.=--the mark of the master--what is vitality?--possibility of increase--spending vitality. =the attainment of physical endurance.=--essential to success--the secret of endurance--working easily--economizing strength--exercises for promoting endurance. =the attainment of success.=--the secret of success--what to do to acquire it. =the way to happiness.=--a royal road to happiness--the secret of happiness. =how to live long in the land.=--characteristics--essentials--bodily peculiarities. =the gospel of rest.=--all need it--few get it--the secret of rest--its effects. =sleeping as a fine art.=--causes of sleeplessness--the mind. how to control it. =common sense feeding.=--what is proper feeding?--many theories--mental conditions--the kind of food. =grace and how to get it.=--what is grace--hindrances to grace--exercises for grace. =style and how to have it.=--the secret of style--carriage of the body--exercises for stylishness. =how to have a fine complexion.=--what effects the complexion?--the secret of a good complexion--effects of food. =the secret of a beautiful voice.=--what the voice is--easily acquired. =how to cure yourself when sick.=--it is easy--what is disease?--nature's efforts--best remedies. one of the most practical and helpful works published on personal improvement and the acquiring of physical and mental vigor; a key to efficient manhood and womanhood and a long, happy and helpful life. all who are striving for success should read it. artistically bound in ornithoid covers. price c. an extra edition is issued on heavy paper, bound in fine cloth. price $ . . womanly beauty _in form and features._ containing specially written chapters from well-known authorities on the cultivation of personal beauty in women, as based upon health-culture; fully illustrated. edited by albert turner. bound in extra cloth, price; $ . . this is the best and most comprehensive work ever published on beauty culture, covering the entire subject by specialists in each department, thus giving the work a greatly increased value. it is profusely and beautifully illustrated; a handsome volume. some idea of the scope of this may be seen from the table of contents. =introduction.= by ella van poole. =womanly beauty: its requirements.= by dr. jacques. =why it lasts or fades.= by dr. c. h. stratz. =temperamental types.= by sarah c. turner. =breathing and beauty.= by dr. w. r. c. latson. =curative breathing.= by madame donna madixxa. =sleep; its effect on beauty.= by ella van poole. =the influence of thought upon beauty.= by dr. w. r. c. latson. =health and beauty.= by dr. chas. h. shepard. =the home a gymnasium.= by mrs. o. v. sessions. =facial massage.= by ella van poole. =the hair; its care and culture.= by albert turner. =care of the hands and feet.= by stella stuart. =exercising for grace and poise.= illustrated. =a good form, and how to secure it.= from health-culture. =how to have a good complexion.= by susanna w. dodds m. d. =bust development; how to secure it.= =exercise: who needs it; how to take it.= edward b. warman. =perfumes and health.= by felix l. oswald, m. d. =the voice as an element of beauty.= by dr. latson. =how to be beautiful.= by rachel swain, m. d. =the ugly duckling.= a story. by elsie carmichael. =dress and beauty.= by ella van poole. =some secrets about a beautiful neck.= by eleanor wainwright. =hints in beauty culture.= compiled by the editor. it is an encyclopedia on the subject, covering every phase of the question in a practical way, and should be in the hands of every woman who would preserve her health and personal appearance and her influence. agents wanted for the introduction and sale of this great work. sent prepaid on receipt of price, $ . . address publications of the health-culture co., ascension st., passaic, n.j. =health-culture.= the largest and best illustrated monthly magazine published on the preservation and restoration of health, bodily development and physical culture for men, women and children. $ . a year; c. a number. =the enlightened life.= and how to live it. by dr. latson; pages, with portrait of the author. cloth, $ . . this contains the leading editorials from health-culture, many of them revised and enlarged. =common disorders.= with rational methods of treatment. including diet, exercise, baths, massotherapy, etc. by latson. pages, illustrations. $ . . =the attainment of efficiency.= rational methods of developing health and personal power. by dr. latson. paper, c.; cloth, $ . . =the food value of meat.= flesh food not essential to physical or mental vigor. by dr. latson. illustrated. paper, c. =walking for exercise and recreation.= by dr. latson. c. =dr. latson's health chart.= presenting in an attractive and comprehensive form a complete system of physical culture exercises, fully illustrated with poses from life, with special directions for securing symmetrical development, for building up the thin body, for reducing obesity, and for the increase of general vitality. × inches, printed on fine paper, bound with metal, with rings to hang on the wall. c. =uncooked food.= and how to live on them. with recipes for wholesome preparation, proper combinations and menus, with the reason uncooked food is best for the promotion of health, strength and vitality. by mr. and mrs. eugene christian. cloth, $ . . =the new internal bath.= an improved method of flushing the colon or administering an enema. for the relief of acute and chronic diseases. by laura m. wright, m. d. illustrated. c. =womanly beauty.= of form and feature. the cultivation and preservation of personal beauty based upon health and hygiene. by twenty well-known physicians and specialists. with half-tone and other illustrations. edited by albert turner. pages, cloth and gold. price, $ . . in this volume the editor has brought together the teachings of those who have made a study of special features of the subject, and the result is a work that is unique and practical, not filled with a medley of receipts and formulas, so often found in books on beauty. =manhood wrecked and rescued.= how strength and vigor is lost and how it may be restored by self-treatment. a series of chapters to men on social purity and right living. by rev. w. j. hunter, ph. d., d. d. cloth $ . . it contains the following chapters: the wreck--an ancient wreck--a modern wreck--a youthful wreck--a wreck escaped--the rescue begun--the rescue continued--the rescue completed. =illustrated hints upon health and strength for busy people.= text and illustrations by adrian peter schimdt, professor of higher physical culture. price $ . . the best system of physical culture published. =courtship under contract.= the science of selection. a tale of woman's emancipation. by j. h. l. eager pages, with portrait of the author. price, $ . net. by mail, $ . . a novel with a purpose, higher than that of any other ever published, not excepting even "uncle tom's cabin," as it aims to secure more of happiness in marriage and the doing away with the divorce evil. the author presents, in the form of a clean, wholesome love story, some new ideas on the subject of love, courtship, marriage and eugenics. =human nature explained.= a new illustrated treatise on human science for the people. by prof. n. n. riddell. illustrated. pages. extra cloth binding, $ . . men and women differ in character as they do in looks and temperament; no two are just alike. if you would know these "signs of character," read "human nature explained," and you can read men as an open book. it gives the most complete system of reading character ever published. =human nature indexed.= a descriptive chart for use of phrenologists. by n. n. riddle. c. =what shall we eat?= the food question, from the standpoint of health, strength and economy. containing numerous tables showing the constituent elements of over three hundred food products and their relations, cost and nutritious values, time of digestion, etc., indicating best foods for all classes and conditions. by alfred andrews. price, leatherette, c.; cloth binding. c. =the new method.= in health and disease. by w. e. forest, b.s., m.d., fellow of n. y. academy of medicine. sixteenth edition. revised and enlarged by albert turner, publisher of health-culture. pp., clo. binding, $ . it makes the way from weakness to strength so plain that only those who are past recovery (the very few) need to be sick, and the well who will follow its teachings cannot be sick, saving the need of calling a physician and all expenses for medicine. =massotherapy.= or the use of massage rollers and muscle beaters in indigestion, constipation, liver trouble, paralysis, neuralgia and other functional diseases. by w. e. forest, m. d. c. =constipation.= its causes and proper treatment without the use of drugs. by w. e. forest, m. d. the only rational method of cure. c. =hygienic cookery.= or health in the household. by susanna w. dodds, m. d. $ . . it is unquestionably the best work ever written on the healthful preparation of food, and should be in the hands of every housekeeper who wishes to prepare food healthfully and palatably. =the diet question.= giving reasons why--rules of diet. by dr. dodds. c. =the liver and kidneys.= with a chapter on malaria. part i. the liver and its functions, diseases and treatment. part ii. the kidneys, their healthy action and how to secure it. part iii. malarial fever, rational treatment by hygienic methods. by dr. dodds. c. =race culture.= the improvement of the race through mother and child. by susanna w. dodds, m. d. nearly pages, $ . . dr. dodds' experience as a physician, teacher and lecturer has given her the preparation needed for the writing of this book. it is certainly safe to say that every woman, especially the mothers of young children and prospective mothers, should read it. no other work covers so completely the subject of health for women and children as in "race culture." =scientific living.= for prolonging the term of human life. the new domestic science, cooking to simplify living and retaining the life elements in food. by laura nettleton brown. $ . . this work presents new views on the health question, especially as related to food. it treats of the life in food, showing that in the preparation of food by the usual methods the life-giving vitality is destroyed; that is, the organic elements become inorganic. the reason is clearly stated and recipes and directions for cooking, with menus for a balanced dietary, are given. =cooking for health.= or plain cookery, with health hints. by rachel swain, m. d. $ . . this book is the outcome of progress in the kitchen, and provides for the preparation of food with direct reference to health. it is not an invalids' cook book, but for all who believe in eating for strength, and the use of the best foods at all times. =the no-breakfast plan and fasting cure.= by edward hooker dewey, m. d. cloth, $ . . presents his theories in a clear, concise, practical way, together with specific and definite instructions for the carrying out of this method of living and treatment. =experiences of the no-breakfast plan and fasting cure.= a letter in answer to the many questions asking for special details as to methods and result. by dr. dewey, c. =chronic alcoholism:= its radical cure. a new method of treatment for those afflicted with the alcohol habit, without the use of drugs. by dr. dewey. c. =health in the home.= a practical work on the promotion and preservation of health, with illustrated prescriptions of swedish gymnastic exercises for home and club practice. by e. marguerite lindley. $ . . unquestionably the best and most important work ever published for the promotion of the health of women and children. =the temperaments;= or varieties of physical constitution in man in their relations to mental character and the practical affairs of life, etc. by d. h. jacques, m. d. nearly illustrations. $ . . the only work published on this important and interesting subject. the author made it the special subject of study and was thoroughly familiar with all temperamental questions. =the avoidable causes of disease;= insanity and deformity, together with marriage and its violations. by john ellis, m. d. new edition, revised and enlarged by the author, with the collaboration of dr. sarah m. ellis. $ . . this book should be in every library, and if read and its teachings followed nearly all sickness and disease would be avoided with the accompanying suffering and expense--one of the most valuable works ever published. =facial diagnosis.= indications of disease as shown in the face. by dr. louis kuhne. illustrated. $ . . scientific living =for prolonging term of human life= the new domestic science, cooking to simplify living and retaining the life elements in food. by laura nettleton brown. a great truth is emphasized in this book, namely, that in the ordinary processes of cooking the organic elements become inorganic and food values are destroyed. this dietetic idea is most important, and it is claimed by the author that when generally known and made practical it will restore the racial vigor as nothing else can, free woman from the slavery of the cook stove and become a large factor in the solution of the servant problem. the author does more than inform; she arouses and inspires; she also enters into the practical demonstration of the new way; food tables, recipes and menus are numerous and enlightening and will prove exceedingly helpful not only to busy housekeepers, but also to all persons who desire to get the greatest benefit and fullest enjoyment from the daily meals. she refrains from urging the exclusive use of uncooked foods, but shows what kind of cooking can be made useful. a most interesting and practical feature of this work is the clear and discriminating instructions given for the application of heat in preparing food. from the author's point of view it becomes evident that the present mode of preparing food is not only unnecessarily laborious, but that it involves great waste of the raw material and puts a severe tax upon the digestive organs of the consumer. the best thing about the new way to many minds, however, will be that it greatly enhances the appetizing qualities of the viands. it treats of the chemistry of food in a way that is easily understood and made practical. the concluding chapter of the book deals with "associate influences," and gives sound advice upon other factors than diet. the volume is thoroughly sensible and enlightening; original without being cranky; radical without being faddish; withal, practical plain and entirely helpful. no one who is interested in the all-important question of scientific living can afford to be without this book. it will be found of interest to teachers and students of domestic economy. it is very carefully and thoroughly indexed, adding to its usefulness. printed on fine paper. handsomely bound in extra cloth. $ . by mail on receipt of price. if not entirely satisfactory, money will be returned. address the new internal bath the benefits and great importance of properly flushing the colon is now fully recognized and it has led to a large and increasing demand for syringes used for this purpose. the appliances in general use have one very serious fault, the water is discharged into the lower part of the rectum, which is distended, and thus produces an irritation which often proves injurious, causing and aggravating piles and other rectal troubles. it in frequently a cause of constipation and creates a necessity for continuing the use of enemas indefinitely. dr. wright's new colon syringe consists of a strong, well made, four quart rubber bag or reservoir with two long soft rubber flexible tubes, by the use of which the water is easily carried past the rectum and into the sigmoid flexure, and by the use of the longest tube may be carried up to the transverse colon. the water is then discharged where it needed and the cleansing is made much more perfect than it can be in any other way. the tubing and the outlets are extra large, securing a rapid discharge of the water, which reduces the time required to less than one-half that usually taken, which is a very great advantage over other syringes. this new syringe will prove a most important help in the taking of "internal baths" in the "new method" treatment as recommended by dr. forest and others, and will prove curative in many cases when all others fail. dr. wright's manual on the taking of the "internal bath," containing full directions for its use in constipation, diarrhoea, dyspepsia, biliousness, sick headache, kidney troubles, convulsions, jaundice, rheumatism, colds, influenza, la grippe, diseases of women, worms and constipation in children and other diseases, price c., is given free with each syringe. carefully packed in a fine polished wooden case, will be sent prepaid to any address on receipt of price, $ . , with a copy of dr. forest's great work, "the new method," the very best work on health and disease published. (price, $ . ), both for $ . . an infants' flexible rubber tube will be sent for c. extra; new improved vaginal irrigator, $ . ; two hard rubber rectal tubes if desired, c extra. agents wanted to introduce and sell this. health culture appliances =dr. wright's colon syringe=, for taking the new internal bath. this consists of a one-gallon reservoir, one each, long and short flexible rubber colon tube, one box of antiseptic powder, and dr. wright's manual of the new internal bath, all packed in a polished wooden case. price, prepaid, $ . . =the primo ladies' syringe=. price, $ . . the only properly constructed vaginal syringe made. every woman should have a good syringe for use in emergencies and for purposes of cleanliness, which is essential to health, comfort and pleasure. all women, married or single, should have a primo. with each is sent full directions for use in all emergencies. =dr. forest's massage rollers.= these rollers are coming into general use wherever massage is needed and are a cure for many of the functional disorders as dyspepsia, constipation, biliousness, neuralgia, rheumatism, sleeplessness, obesity, and wherever there is a lack of a good circulation of the blood; and the developers and facial rollers are used successfully for building up the form and the prevention of wrinkles and age in the face. the rollers consist of wheels about - / inches in diameter: around the centre is a band or buffer of elastic rubber. =no. , body roller, wheels, $ .=--the best size for use over body, and especially for indigestion, constipation, rheumatism, etc. =no. , body roller, wheels, $ . .=--smaller and lighter than no. , for small women it is best in size for use over the stomach and bowels, the limbs and for cold feet. =no. , scalp roller, $ . .=--made in fine woods, and for use over the scalp, for the preservation of the hair. =no. , bust developer, $ . .=--the best developer made. by following the plain, physiological directions given, most satisfactory results can be obtained. =no. , abdominal roller, wheels, $ .=--for the use of men to reduce the size of the abdomen and over the back. =no. , facial roller, $ . .=--made in ebony; very fine for use over the face and neck, for preventing and removing wrinkles and restoring its contour and form. =no. , facial roller, $ . .=--like no. . made in white maple. in other respects the same. =no. , abdominal boiler, wheels, $ . .=--this is the same as no. , except with the less number of wheels. is made for the use of women, for reducing hip and abdominal measure. =no. massage vibrator, balls, price $ . . no. massage vibrator, balls, price $ . .= dr. forest's manual of massotherapy, containing nearly pages, giving full directions for use, sent with each of the above. =turkish bath cabinets.= no. , a double walled cabinet, the best made, with new and improved heater and manual giving full instructions for using the cabinet for the cure of colds, catarrh, rheumatism, lagrippe, neuralgia, kidney trouble, lumbago, malaria, and many other disorders. price $ . . no. cabinet single walled, with heater and instructions as above. price $ . . =dr. forest's health culture vaseline spray= and bottle of catarrh remedy. price, $ . . =the wilhide exhaler.= price $ . . special descriptive circulars of any of the above sent on application. uncooked foods and how to use them. with recipes for wholesome preparation, proper combinations and menus, with the reason why it is better for the promotion of health, strength and vitality to use uncooked than cooked foods, by mr. and mrs. eugene christian, with an introduction by w. r. c. latson, m. d. it will meet a widespread want filled by no other work that has ever been published, and will do very much to solve the question of how to live for health, strength, and happiness. it will simplify methods of living--help to solve the servant question and financial problems, as well as point the way for many to perfect health. the following chapter headings show something of the scope and value of this. contents. part first-- why this book was written, introduction, the emancipation of women, the functions of foods, food products, selection of foods, raw foods, preparation of foods, preparation of uncooked wood, effects of cooking food, tables giving nutritive values, etc. food combinations, condiments, bread--fermentation, economy and simplicity, as a remedy. part second-- how to begin the use of uncooked foods. recipes for-- soups, salads ( kinds), eggs, meat and vegetables, cereals, bread, crackers and cakes, nuts, fruits and fruit dishes, evaporated fruits, desserts, jellies and ices, drinks, menus, miscellaneous. it is the most important work on the food question ever published. bound in cloth. price, $ . ; with a year's subscription to health-culture, $ . . common disorders including diet, exercise, baths, exercise, massotherapy, etc. by w. r. c. latson. m. d. this is a practical handbook and guide for the home treatment of the sick without the use of drugs, with suggestions for the avoidance of disease and the retaining of health and strength. a book for those who would get well and keep well. contents. introduction.--what the body is. cell life and its construction. circulation of the blood and what it is. what exercise does. massage. principles and practice. how it acts as a remedy. massotherapy. showing how it is applied. special exercises. including those for development and remedial work. tissue building. special diet, with menus. obesity. its cause and treatment instructions for general reduction. indigestion. causes of dyspepsia. what to do to secure good digestion. constipation. its causes. treatment by hygienic measures. rheumatism. muscular and articular. treatment. gout. causes. symptoms. general and local treatment. neuralgia. causes and symptoms. the only rational treatment. sprains and synovitis. symptoms. treatment. varicose veins and swollen glands. the cause and treatment. baldness. treatment for restoring the hair. lung disorders. how to improve breathing. the prevention and treatment of consumption. round shoulders and protruding collar bones. how to overcome them, with special exercises. how to strengthen the back. the cause of spinal weakness. how to strengthen the trunk. the importance of strong bodily muscles. a chair as a gymnasium. how to use a bedroom chair as a complete gymnasium apparatus. the hygiene of the skin. nerves of the skin. sun baths. modern nervousness. the best treatment. smallpox. its nature. prevention. treatment of smallpox. sunstroke. causation and treatment. how to avoid it. what to do when prostrated. in this work the author sets forth the methods he has pursued and found be practical and successful. over pages and illustrations. price $ . . race culture the improvement of the race through mother and child. by susanna w. dodds, m. d. a large mo. volume bound in extra cloth, price, $ . the time has come when parents must consider the responsibilities that rest upon them in relation to their children and make a study of eugenics. this cannot be avoided or shirked and especially should prospective mothers study the subject in all its bearing, and know what you should do and what you should not do to insure the best possible for your unborn child. what conditions will promote the best for health, and afford the highest degree of intellectual and moral development. what limit you shall place upon the number of children. race suicide is not so serious a question as race culture, which may be easily attained by giving proper attention to the subject. the author of "race culture" has made a most careful study of the whole subject, starting from the foundation, taking up pre-natal culture in all its bearings, including the marriage relations and the father's responsibilities. considering the health and the well-being of the prospective mother and her diseases. how childbearing may be made easy, the first care of and the feeding of the babe, all the diseases of infancy and childhood and their treatment without the use of drugs. the avoidable causes of disease in children and adults are fully considered and a voluminous appendix treats of the use of water, massage, exercise, food and drinks, and how to prepare them as remedial agencies. it is safe to say that no greater or more important work on this subject has ever been written. every woman and especially every prospective mother should read it. its cost is as nothing compared to its value. price, $ . by mail. the food value of meat flesh food not essential to mental or physical vigor. by w. r. c. latson, m. d., the most valuable work on practical dietetics that has been published. the food question is considered in its relation to health, strength and long life. some idea of the scope may be seen from the following contents introduction. importance of the subject. influence of foods on the health and morality of the community. the most important question of dietetics. classes of foods. description of proteids. the starches. conversion of starches into sugars. fruit sugar. the fats. salts. effect of cooking upon foods. digestion. definition of the process. saliva. the ptyalin. effect of eating sugar with starchy foods. gastric digestion. the stomach; the gastric juice; peptones; digestion in the intestines; importance of digestion; tabular statement of the digestive process. composition of foods. the four elements of food; proper proportion of each element; selection of balanced foods; table of food analyses; value of cooked vegetables; the reason why many vegetarians fail; fresh fruits; pure water; the grains; the legumes; nuts. food values of flesh meats. the question at issue; biological data, what they indicate; the intestinal tract; the food value of meat; poisons; disease infection; the strongest argument against the use of flesh meat; vigorous vegetarians; intellectual vegetarians; vegetarianism and vigor. combinations of foods. principles; cooked and uncooked foods; model menus; breakfast; luncheon; dinner; advantages of vegetable foods. price by mail, in paper. c, cloth binding, c. common disorders causes, symptoms, and hygienic treatment, by the use of water, massotherapy, and other rational methods. by w. r. latson, m. d. among the diseases considered may be mentioned indigestion, constipation, rheumatism, neuralgia, lung troubles, gout, nervousness and other minor complaints. the work contains nearly pages, profusely illustrated. bound in cloth. price, $ . . sent by mail on receipt of price. the up-to-date woman needs to know something more than simply how to cook and follow recipes brought to her attention in cook books she should know what are the best foods for her family. what foods will keep all well and strong. what is best for the children. what do the men need. what foods are economical and nutritious. what are best food combinations. how often is meat necessary. what are the best meat substitutes. what is the food value of fish. what is the food value of milk. what is the food value of nuts. are beans nutritious and healthful. is nut butter better than cow butter. are tea and coffee injurious. which food digests quickly and which slowly. how to get the most food value for the least money. all these and many other questions are answered in prof. andrews great book what shall we eat? the food question from the standpoint of health, strength and economy. indicating best foods for all classes and conditions. this work covers every phase of the food question in a practical way. shows how food is digested and gives the constituent elements of all food products, their cost, food values, time of digestion, etc., comparative value of beef, mutton, pork, eggs, fish, fowl, oysters, the grains, breads, peas, beans, milk, butter, cheese, sugar, beer, fruits, nuts, etc., which make flesh, bone, nerve; which gives most for least money. tables showing results of nearly food analyses. price in leatherette binding, cents, cloth cents, postpaid. if not satisfied money promptly returned. every man should order this for his wife, or some other woman. send stamps. the enlightened life and how to live it by w. r. c. latson, m. d. author of "common disorders," "the attainment of efficiency," "food value of meat," etc. this work contains a collection of dr. latson's strong editorials that have appeared in health-culture, carefully revised and enlarged, with other matter. the great interest that has been manifested in these leaders will insure a demand for this work. the scope will be seen from the following chapter headings: introduction--the ultimate ideal--the mind and its body--what shall a man take in exchange for his soul?--health as an asset--the waste of life--health as a factor in business success--the causation of disease--are weakness and disease increasing?--the detection of disease--the prevention of disease--heredity and disease--disease: its nature and conquest--methods of healing--drug medication in the treatment of disease--religion and medicine--worry the epidemic of the day--race suicide--"race suicide," pro and con--simplified living--the death-dealing detail--the slaughter of the innocents--crimes against children--sleep and rest--mental and physical effects of music--the common sense of foods and feeding--the mission of pain--drugs--the surgical operation frenzy--vaccination; blessing or curse?--free water drinking as a hygienic measure--evil effects of alcohol--the pinnacles of absurdity. published in large, clear type, handsomely bound in cloth. price, sent prepaid, $ . . the health culture magazine elmer lee., a. m., m. d., editor principles and objects health culture seeks the advancement of humanity by declaring the obvious teachings of nature. health culture aims to educate the people out of superstition, misunderstanding and fear arising from the imperfect interpretation of natural principles. health culture recognizes that health and comfort, happiness and long life are desirable and attainable by the faithful observance of hygiene. that neglect and abuse of natural and simple living inevitably leads to weakness, degeneracy, disease and death. health culture from the scientific sense as well as on grounds of sentiment opposes the taking of life needless to obtain food for man. health culture holds that food products of the vegetable kingdom are ample and favorable for a safe, complete and full development of the kingdom of man. health culture opposes as needless and wasteful of life those research activities known as vivisection, also as contrary to human interest the use of drugs, serums, vaccines and chemicals as medicines or preventives of disease by legal compulsion. health culture is an illustrated monthly, standard magazine size; $ . a year, cents a no., canadian subscriptions $ . , foreign $ . . =address, the health culture co., passaic, n. j.= _armour's monthly cookbook_ [illustration] a monthly magazine of household interest--. vol. ii no. october . [illustration] contents a necessity in the pantry answers to correspondents baked beans--a national dish baking day everyday uses of armour's grape juice from the pantry shelf halloween halloween hints hints for october home dressmaking informal porch suppers little stories by our readers making money for the church prize contest story sautéing and frying small pieces from the whole ham supplying the meat flavor the daily menu , , , the subject of desserts where does your housekeeping money go? why eat fruit? the garden in october october is a fine time to plant every kind of "bulb, root and tuber," also all deciduous plants and shrubs, except those with thin bark or thick, fleshy roots (e.g., birch magnolia). * * * * * clean up and burn diseased plants, manure the garden, plow it and leave it all winter. * * * * * burn asparagus tops and manure the bed. also make new asparagus and rhubarb beds and plant sets of extra early pearl onions for use next march. put some parsley plants in a box and place it in a light cellar or in a shed. * * * * * put some frozen rhubarb roots in a barrel of earth in the cellar where they will produce "pie-plant," for winter use. dig chickory for salad and store in sand in a dry cellar. blanch endive by tying lightly at the tips. * * * * * pull up cabbages, leaving roots on, and stand upside down on shelf in cellar. pick cranberries this month. then cover the bog with a foot of water to drown bugs and to protect from frost. rake up the fallen leaves and use as a mulch for flowers and shrubs. hardwood leaves like oak and chestnut contain more plant food than those from soft wooded trees.--_garden and farm almanac. doubleday, page and company._ every morning a little crystal of thought for every day in the week sunday. most of us could manage to be fairly happy if we really tried to make the best of things. monday. _don't get depressed even if things do seem to be going wrong at the moment. depression will make matters worse rather than better. if you do your duty faithfully, the sun is sure to shine again sometime._ tuesday. many people pride themselves on their plain speaking. an ability to put things pleasantly is really far more valuable. even fault-finding can be pleasantly done. wednesday. _it always seems to me that god is probably less anxious that we should fulfil our tasks in life than that we should do our best._ thursday. of the people who complain most bitterly that they have "no chance" probably a very small proportion would do great things if great opportunities came. "no chance" is a very old excuse. friday. _don't give way to selfishness--that detestable vice that we all find it so difficult to forgive in others._ saturday. even if you don't like your work, try to do it well. it may lead on to your true vocation. for the automobile visitor it is the frequent experience of the housewife living in the country or suburbs these days to receive unexpected visits from friends who are touring in automobiles, and she finds she must have something attractive, dainty and nourishing ready at a moment's notice to supplement the cup of tea or coffee so welcome after a hot, dusty trip. it is a wise plan to keep a variety of summer sausage on hand, as in a very few minutes delicious sandwiches may be prepared with this, these sandwiches having the charm of novelty. it is impossible to deal in a short article with the many varieties of summer sausage, but there are three or four which can be touched upon. to have a thorough understanding of their goodness one must not only read about them but taste them. they are the staple diet in many foreign countries and in the armour brand the native flavoring has been done with remarkable faithfulness--so much so that large quantities are shipped from this country every week to the countries where they originated. cervelat: this sausage is made of finest pork chopped fine, smoked and air dried. it is highly spiced. a very delicious way to serve this is to cut thin slices of white bread in rounds just the size of the sausage. put the meat, cut very thin, between the slices of bread and toast for a minute with a very hot fire. this keeps the exposed sides absolutely dry and the sandwich can be eaten without a fork. german salami: this sausage will be much appreciated by people who like the smoky flavor of ham and bacon. in it the meat is chopped a little coarser than in the cervelat, and the spicing is the same as that used in germany. serve cut very thin, with rye or bran bread. lackschinken: this is a very delicately flavored german titbit. it is made of boneless pork loins cured in mild sweet pickle before smoking. it makes delicious sandwiches with white or brown bread sliced thin and lightly buttered. mortadella, a favorite italian sausage, is made from lean pork ham meat chopped very fine. the flavoring is delicious, the careful blending of spices giving a distinctly foreign touch. in many restaurants throughout the country they serve, as in foreign countries, a slice or two of summer sausage as an appetizer before beginning the meal. this custom is rapidly spreading into the home, and summer sausage now has an established place in the daily bill of fare. armour's monthly cook book copyright, , by armour and company _a magazine devoted to the interests of women_ vol. ii october, no. [illustration: _all true work is sacred; in all work, were it but true hand labour, there is something of divineness._--carlyle.] editorial [illustration] in germany the government maintains a system of education in what is called intensive farming. through instructors who go about the country, the farmers are taught how to get a bigger yield from the same area of soil. the work of these wonderful teachers is supplemented by women domestic science teachers who in the same manner visit the homes in their districts and instruct the good _haus frau_ on how to improve, economize, and systematize in kitchen and household work. the manner in which these women instruct is, i am sure, of especial interest to the cook book readers, inasmuch as the method is in a way practically the same as what the cook book is doing. where they teach by hand and mouth the cook book has taught through its exchange of ideas, contest stories, and recipe contests, the object being the same in both cases that of instruction, education and economy in the kitchen and saving of steps in the housework. it is truly said of germans that they are the most frugal and economical of all people. in the past the usual method has been to exert this frugality with what is already on hand in the larder left-overs, so to speak. one point of the modern instruction of these wandering domestic science teachers, as they go from home to home, is to show the economy of systematic buying of groceries, meats and vegetables. where the practice in the past has been to buy a little, so there is not much expenditure of money, german housewives are now taught the economy of buying in bulk, because it is cheaper, and there is never any waste of food in a german home, no matter how much of it there may be on hand. neither is there any good reason why there should be any waste of food in an american home. economy or frugality comes from knowing how, and not from any stingy purpose, as some ill-advised people think. the methods of these teachers show that this wonderful nation is alive to the fact that the high cost of living is in our own waste and carelessness, that oftentimes we do not make the most of what we have or what we are given to do with. [illustration: mary jane mcclure] the sweet places _i want to go back to the sweet mysterious places, the crook in the creek-bed nobody knew but me, where the roots in the bank thrust out strange knotty faces, scaring the squirrels who stole there timidly._ _i want to lie under the corn and hear it rustle, cool and green in a long, straight, soldierly row, i am tired of white-faced women and men of iron. i want to go back where the country grasses grow._ _to the well-remembered pasture's shadiest corner, where under the trees the wild ferns wove their laces; hearing the whip-poor-will's voice in its strange, rich sadness-- i want to go back to the old beloved places._ * * * * * unafraid sleep lifts the flower-soul with gentle hand, and breathes upon it till the petals close softly and drowsily; and, faint, there grows a melody from some far shining strand. the waking vision's holden to, till, fanned by vagrant winds from distant ports, it blows the singing lips of dreams into the rose. the white night leans to kiss the nodding land. thus, in a kindred way, will brother death at the appointed hour let fall his breath upon my soul, which such kind dreamlessness of pillowing, after life's storm and stress. i shall lie unafraid, my petals furled, to bloom anew within some fairer world. --exchange * * * * * to bleach white silk when either white silk fabric or embroidery has become yellowed from careless washing, it may be bleached in the following manner: dissolve two ounces each of salt and oxalic acid in six quarts of cold water. soak the silk in this until the yellow tinge disappears. this will take about an hour in ordinary cases. rinse immediately in several clear waters. the subject of desserts [illustration] although a meal satisfies your hunger you should have dessert, because the educated palate craves that particular spice as a proper finish. scientists tell us that a dinner digests better because of a tasty dessert, which, they say, gives the final stimulus necessary to dispose of the food previously received. the simple desserts are the best desserts, and none is more pleasing to the eye and the palate or so easily made or so frequently served in an imperfect manner, than custards. with a supply of good eggs in the pantry the housewife need never be at a loss for a tasty custard, and if she is wise enough to buy armour's fancy selects when she orders eggs from her market man their goodness will be reflected in her desserts. aside from their goodness their extra large size will always recommend their use to the wise housewife. they come packed in an extra large carton. custard puddings these being the more easily made may be considered first. they may either be steamed or baked but the mixture is the same in either case. allow two eggs and a teaspoonful of sugar to each half pint of milk. beat the eggs with sugar thoroughly, but do not froth them, as the custard must be as smooth and free from holes as possible. add the milk slowly, also a few drops of flavoring essence--vanilla, almonds or lemon. pour into a buttered mould (or into individual moulds), set in a pan of hot water and bake until firm. chill thoroughly and turn out on serving dish. serve with sugar and cream. a pleasing addition to the above is made by garnishing the sides of the mould with strips of canton ginger before pouring in the custard. coffee custard make an infusion of coffee by pouring half a pint of boiling milk on a heaping tablespoonful of powdered coffee. put it aside to settle, and when cold strain off the milk and use with the eggs as in previous recipe. boiled custard this is also made from milk and eggs and is usually served instead of cream with stewed or preserved fruit. "boiled" custard is rather a misnomer as on no account must the boiling point be reached in cooking, for if the custard bubbles it curdles. as soon as the custard begins to thicken the saucepan must be taken from the fire and the stirring continued for a second or two longer. if the cooking is done in a double boiler the risk of boiling is very much lessened. everyday uses of armour's grape juice give your family armour's grape juice as an everyday beverage and their bodies will be kept healthy without drugs. instead of serving fruit in the morning serve a wineglassful of armour's grape juice undiluted. if taken at the beginning of breakfast do not add ice. for children, water may be added if desired. in moistening mincemeat use armour's grape juice instead of jelly or wine. in making "brown betty" use armour's grape juice instead of water and molasses and you will find it richer and more delicious. in making sauce for all kinds of fruit puddings, use armour's grape juice, hot or cold, thickened when necessary with a little cornstarch. when making fruit salad to be served as a dessert, pour over the mixed fruits, immediately before serving, a cup of armour's grape juice. in serving grape fruit, after carefully removing the white pith, pour over each portion a wineglassful of armour's grape juice. many people find it difficult to take raw eggs when recommended by their doctor. this difficulty is removed by breaking the egg into a glass of armour's grape juice. the egg is swallowed easily and in addition to the nourishment obtained there is the tonic value of the rich fruit from which the grape juice is taken. _veribest canned meats--save work and worry_ informal porch suppers [illustration] if you are fortunate enough to possess a wide porch or a stretch of lawn do not forget your less fortunate friends, and give an occasional informal party there while the weather is still fine. food always tastes so much better in the fresh air and when friends are present it makes the affair nothing more than a kind of glorified picnic. there are few more pleasant ways of entertaining than by giving a porch party. it is very little trouble to arrange an affair of this kind--less than the average picnic indeed--and grown people usually enjoy it more as it is much more comfortable to sit in a chair before a real table than to perch on a log or rock while eating. a porch party is an ideal way of entertaining for the woman who has to do her own work. most of the dishes can be prepared the day before, making the serving easier. if not convenient to have a large table a number of small card tables placed close together will answer the purpose. charming table sets of white crepe paper can be bought for very little and save very materially in the doing up of the linen. prepare as much as possible early in the day. if you have sandwiches wrap them in a damp napkin; if cold drinks are wanted have them well chilled, your glasses and straws handy, have your silver and china ready at hand so that when your guests arrive you may devote your time and attention to them. the following menus are not hard to prepare and the dishes will be found most palatable and suited to every purse: veribest canned meats, the standby of the housewife who combines economy of time with excellence of quality, are used in many of them. there is a wide range of these meats delicious and many ways of using them. every pantry should have at least one shelf devoted to them so that the housewife need never be at a loss for the basis of a good meal. fruit cocktail ham moussÉ, potato chips or creamed chicken, served in roll, or tongue toast, cream sauce or chicken in aspic in individual moulds potatoes au gratin tomato waffles salad rolls chilled cucumbers marshmallow pudding or fig custard coffee frappÉ iced cocoa grape juice. ham moussé one tablespoonful granulated gelatine, one half cup hot water, one can veribest deviled ham, teaspoonful mustard (mixed), one half cup rich cream. dissolve the gelatine in the hot water, and add to the ham; season with the mustard, add the cream beaten stiff and pour into a mould which has been previously wet with cold water. chill. turn out to serve and garnish with parsley. creamed chicken make a plain white sauce of one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful flour and one cup of milk with seasoning of salt and pepper. when this is ready add the contents of a can of veribest boned chicken, gently pulling apart the flakes of meat with a fork. when thoroughly heated serve in a roll which has been hollowed out for the purpose, with a garnish of cooked asparagus stalks. tongue toast remove the contents of a can of veribest lunch tongue and cut in dice. add a little cream and the beaten yolk of one egg. simmer for a few minutes and serve on squares of toast. potatoes au gratin dice enough cold boiled potatoes to measure one pint. put one tablespoonful of butter and the same amount of flour in a saucepan with a little salt and pepper. cook till well mixed, then add one cupful of milk and stir until smooth and thick. add the potatoes and simmer five minutes, then pour into a buttered, shallow baking dish. mix one scant cupful of fine, dry bread crumbs with one tablespoonful of melted butter, spread over the potatoes and place in a hot oven until the crumbs are a golden brown, then serve hot. marshmallow pudding make a plain lemon jelly, adding a little sherry wine if desired. put a layer of sliced marshmallows in the bottom of the mold, and when the jelly has begun to set spread a little of it over them. continue with jelly and marshmallows till the mold is full, then put away to harden. serve with whipped cream. a dainty dessert lemon and grape juice frappé is another cool dessert that is also light. to make it, boil a pint of water with two cupfuls of granulated sugar for ten minutes and cool it. then add a little cinnamon and half a cupful of lemon juice, and lastly a quart of armour's grape juice. freeze and serve in cups, with a little of the grape juice. * * * * * shelving responsibility "i'll ask my husband." "i don't think my husband would allow me to do that." "i'm sure jack would say 'no.'" do you know the wife who, whenever she does not want to do anything, always places the responsibility on her husband's shoulders? she knows quite well that she can do almost anything she likes with her husband, and that there are really precious few things that he _would_ say "no" to her doing, but she finds that to say her husband would never allow her to do this, or that, is a very easy way of saying "no" to people without offending them. but it's not quite fair on the husband really, because, after a time, people begin to think that he really must be rather a bear to be so strict with his wife. and he gets disliked, very often, accordingly. if you don't want to do a thing, _say_ so; don't make your husband the scapegoat. of course the wife who does this kind of thing never dreams that people will blame her husband: it's just a convenient fiction to her. but people are apt to think less of her husband because of it. so you'll be wise to find some other excuse when excuses are necessary.--_exchange._ a necessity in the pantry "how can you get along without a ham in the house?" asked one housewife of another; "to me it is as necessary as anything we ever have in our pantry." this housewife, in saying the above, echoed the sentiments of many others. there is no meat more "necessary" in the house than good ham. not only is the meat there in all its nutriment but it is preserved--that is, cured and smoked--in such a way that there is given to it a piquancy which whets the appetite and gives a stimulus to the gastric juices, thus aiding--so the doctors tell us--the process of digestion. in so many cases of convalescence where the appetite is flagging and the digestion weak, ham and bacon are prescribed, both for their tonic and nutritive value. on the crisp snappy mornings of autumn when a hearty breakfast is necessary and the appetite has not yet recovered from the jading effects of the hot weather what could be more tempting and more nourishing than a slice of broiled ham--broiled just enough to be thoroughly cooked and yet not enough to discolor the delicious appetising pink color of the meat. even the aroma thrown out in the process of cooking sends a tempting appeal to the stomach that is impossible to resist. buying a whole ham at a time is the best and most economical way of buying ham, as experience will prove. it can be boiled or baked whole and sliced for whatever purpose intended. when baked ham is broiled for breakfast it requires to be cooked just long enough to get hot all the way through. it is many years since the curing of ham was first tried and in those years much has been accomplished. today armour's star hams represent perfection in cured ham. in them the highest quality is allied to skillful curing and careful smoking. from many thousand hams those intended for the star brand are chosen; the process of curing is a specialty of armour and company, and careful smoking over green hickory logs gives the final necessary touch. they say "the proof of the pudding is the tasting of it" and this applies to armour's star hams as well. [many ways of using this, to most people, necessary meat, will be found on page .] [illustration: _built in cupboards and shelves economize on space and are especially nice for linens_] halloween hints witch apples bake large apples from which the core has been removed until soft, but not long enough to burst the skin. when cooked, insert a marshmallow into the core space, put a teaspoonful of sugar on top and a few maraschino cherries. when ready to serve turn over each a scant teaspoonful of brandy and light just as the table is reached. the brandy will burn with a ghastly flame and melt the sugar and marshmallows. whipped cream served in a bowl is a delicious addition. witch cake cream one half cupful of butter with one and one half cupfuls of sugar; add three eggs and beat five minutes; add one cupful of milk. sift together one third cupful of cornstarch, and two cupfuls of flour, one and one half teaspoonfuls of ground mixed spices, and three teaspoonfuls of baking powder; then add to the mixture. now add one cupful of seeded floured raisins, also one cupful of chopped nuts. turn into a well greased loaf cake pan and bake in a moderate oven about forty-five minutes. frost with a white boiled icing. melt sweet chocolate to equal one third cupful, flavor with a teaspoonful of lemon juice, add one cupful of boiled chestnuts which have been run through the meat grinder, and enough confectionery sugar to make a paste easily handled. roll and cut (by pasteboard pattern) black cats or any other halloween figure, press them into the icing on the sides of the cake. sautéing and frying [illustration] "what is the difference between sautéing potatoes and frying them?" asks a young housekeeper from south dakota in the day's work, and as the subject is of much importance and deserving of more space than may be given to it in the correspondence columns it is answered here. in a word, to sauté--pronounced sotay--anything, is to cook it in a shallow frying pan with a little fat, turning as one side is browned to let the other color. cooked potatoes are often warmed over this way. to "fry" potatoes, croquettes, etc., is to cook them in deep boiling fat, immersing the object to be fried while the fat is boiling hot. that is the difference between sautéing and frying but there are one or two points about frying--this much abused way of cooking--that must be borne in mind if one would have the best results. in frying, a deep kettle must be used and it is wise to keep one for this purpose only. the one called a scotch bowl is especially made for this purpose and is most satisfactory. use only the best fat for frying--an absolutely pure leaf lard which contains neither water nor salt and have your kettle two thirds full, that is, deep enough to quite cover the article to be fried. once started, this quantity must be kept up, as it reduces slightly with each frying, but the same fat may be used again and again if care be taken to keep it clean and of a good color. after each frying let the fat cool a little and strain to remove crumbs, etc., which would otherwise burn and spoil the fat. if strained when very hot it is apt to unsolder the strainer. wipe the kettle clean, return the strained lard and set aside until wanted again. french fried potatoes are sliced thin or cut lengthwise in strips laid in ice water for half an hour; then dried thoroughly between two towels and plunged into boiling deep fat. as soon as they are delicately browned they are fished out with a split spoon and laid in a hot colander to drain off every drop of fat. serve at once. german fried potatoes are as a rule cooked and cold before they are sautéed. some prefer them to the french. to many minds they never get quite rid of the stale taste that clings to the cold potato. the same may be said of stewed cold, cooked potatoes. the least objectionable way of serving them as left-overs is to sauté them. [illustration: simple furniture of quaint shape and design] "_to have bread excite thankfulness, and a drink of water send the heart to god, is better than sighs for the unattainable. to plough a straight furrow on monday, or dust a room well on tuesday, or kiss a bumped forehead on wednesday, is worth more than the most ecstatic thrill under sunday eloquence. spirituality is seeing god in common things and showing god in common tasks._"--maltbie d. bacock. the school child's sleep the mother who has a child at school may not be able to help him with his lessons, but there is one thing she can do for him which will benefit him even more, and that is to see that he gets enough sleep. insufficient sleep affects the nerves, the temper, the digestion, the mental quickness, and even the morals of children. the child who gets enough sleep is the one who is bright and quick mentally, who grows normally and well, who eats properly and who is not peevish and irritable. an early supper and an early bedtime are the things for the school child. then put him in a well-ventilated bedroom and let him have ten or eleven full hours of slumber and he'll wake up bright and healthy and good, too. many of the little whining nervous children we see are simply suffering from lack of sleep. many small naughtinesses simply come from tired nerves and weariness of mind and body. so many mothers notice such a difference in the behavior of children once they have started to school and are at a loss to understand the reason. it is because the daily nap which the child took before he went to school has been given up, but the bedtime hour has not been changed. consequently the nerves of the child suffer. try giving the school child supper at half past five, a nourishing and easily digested supper, too. then at eight, promptly pack him off to bed. if he doesn't sleep let him sip a cup of hot milk, and sit beside him until he drowses off. sleep is largely a habit and will be easily acquired in a few evenings. and oh, the difference it will make to the child in every way.--_exchange._ * * * * * hints on picture hanging hang the pictures from the ceiling or picture rail by means of a thin cord as nearly as possible the color of the walls. when this is done you may, if you like, fill up the spaces left above the smaller pictures by placing therein a miniature, or an old blue plate, or a little plaster relief. this arrangement gives all the space, above or below, upon which to rest your eyes, and is infinitely preferable to the usual way of hanging pictures one over the other or all up and down the walls. fishing line makes an excellent substitute for picture wire and is much less conspicuous. from the pantry shelf keeping the pantry shelf supplied with foods that are easily prepared and served is one of the things which mark the careful housewife. the veribest list of prepared foods embraces soups, meats, baked beans and many varieties of potted ham, veal, chicken, etc., all of which are perfect. their use means a saving of time, fuel and energy--with satisfaction for the whole family. chicken moussÉ one cup of chicken stock (made from armour's chicken bouillon cubes), one half teaspoon of salt, a pinch of celery salt, one cup of armour's veribest boned chicken, two teaspoons of granulated gelatine, two tablespoons of cold water, one cup of beaten cream, one tablespoon of chopped olives, and whites of two eggs. heat the stock, seasoning and gelatine which has been soaked in cold water. when dissolved, add the chicken finely minced with fork, and the cream. beat well and fold in the well-beaten whites of eggs. pour into buttered molds and chill for two or three hours. serve as salad with mayonnaise.--mrs. a. e. richeson, canal st., mt. vernon, ind. chicken and macaroni put one half package of macaroni in boiling salted water and boil until tender. drain off all but a very little water and add grated cheese. stir well, cover and keep hot until the cheese is melted. have ready a cream sauce made from milk, flour and butter, and when hot add one can of armour's veribest boned chicken. mix the macaroni and creamed chicken lightly, and serve on buttered hot toast.--mrs. h. b. hill, sarver, pa. casserole of rice and beef one can of armour's veribest roast beef, one half teaspoon of salt, one fourth teaspoon of pepper, one egg, one tablespoon of chopped parsley, one fourth cup of fine bread crumbs and three cups of cooked rice. season the meat and mix with crumbs and egg. add just enough stock to bind. make stock of one fourth teaspoon of armour's extract of beef and one half cup of hot water. line a mold with half the rice. fill with the seasoned meat and cover with the remainder of the rice. cover tightly and steam thirty minutes. serve with tomato sauce.--mrs. frank groundwater, elma, wash. jellied veal make a rich gravy by browning one tablespoon of flour in one tablespoon of armour's simon pure leaf lard, and add one large onion cut fine, one fresh tomato or tomato pulp, and one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef. season with salt and pepper and let the gravy simmer until it thickens, then add one can of veribest veal loaf, and mix it thoroughly in the gravy. dissolve a package of gelatine in boiling water and mix it thoroughly with the veal and gravy. put aside to cool and then set it in refrigerator for a few hours. slice and garnish with parsley and a few slices of lemon.--mrs. viola michel bode, fortin street, new orleans, la. macaroni milanaise cook one half package of macaroni in three quarts of salted water (boiling) until tender. drain well and cover with cold water for ten minutes or more. cook one can of tomatoes for fifteen minutes with a bay leaf, a bit of mace, onion, cloves, parsley, salt and pepper. strain and thicken with one fourth cup each of butter and flour blended together. drain macaroni again and mix with the sauce. add one cup of chopped green peppers parboiled, and one can of veribest tongue chopped, and put in baking dish. sprinkle top with grated cheese or buttered cracker crumbs and bake one half hour.--mrs. c. f. franklin, north union avenue, shawnee, okla. creamed chipped beef on toast one half can of armour's veribest chipped beef, two tablespoons of cornstarch, a little paprika, one and one half cups of milk, and three fourths cup of tomato catsup. heat the milk and add the cornstarch which has previously been moistened with cold water, add the paprika, and stir until thickened. then add catsup, stir in the beef and let it become thoroughly heated. serve on hot buttered toast.--edith evelyn runge, th ave. and ray st., spokane, wash. italian tongue slice one veribest canned tongue and pour over it the following sauce: put one half cup of olive oil in a sauce pan and when hot add one pint of tomatoes, a teaspoon of salt, twelve olives pitted and cut in two, one bayleaf, two cloves, one fourth cup of chopped raisins. let boil, then simmer forty-five minutes. pour over the tongue and serve.--mrs. l. r. fink, new ulm, texas. scalloped tongue one cup of brown sauce, made with armour's extract of beef, one can of veribest ox tongue, split, one half cup of buttered crumbs, one tablespoon of catsup, one teaspoon of worcestershire sauce. sprinkle baking dish with crumbs, and arrange the split tongues in dish. pour over them the sauce to which catsup and worcestershire sauce have been added. cover with the remainder of the crumbs and bake in hot oven until the crumbs are brown.--mrs. c. b. colpitts, kansas city, mo. luncheon dish split and broil veribest vienna style sausage and place between hot buttered toast. add a crisp, dry lettuce leaf and a thin spread of mayonnaise. serve in folded napkin with olives and sweet pickles.--mrs. r. f. thurston, th avenue, fruitvale, cal. beef balls two cans of armour's veribest potted meat, one onion minced very fine, three cups of mashed potato, salt and pepper to season, and one egg. beat well and form into balls. roll them in flour and fry in deep hot simon pure leaf lard. garnish with parsley or lettuce leaves and serve hot.--mrs. m. e. bessey, main st., biloxi, miss. hash with spanish sauce with one can of armour's veribest corn beef hash mix one cup of boiled potatoes chopped fine. season to taste and sauté in hot simon pure lard until brown, and pour over the following sauce: boil together for ten minutes one can of armour's veribest tomato soup, one half can of shredded pimentoes, one half can of button mushrooms; season with salt, paprika, butter and a small amount of onion juice.--mrs. j. m. aingell, nueces, austin, texas. calgarian salad chop one tin of armour's veribest boned chicken. to this add one cucumber pared and cubed, one cup of chopped walnuts, one half cup of french peas, one cup of celery washed, scraped and cut into small pieces. moisten with mayonnaise, mold in bowl, mask with dressing. garnish with strips of canned red peppers and celery tips.--mrs. g. b. contts, calgary, alberta, canada. "_kissing don't last; cookery do._"--george meredith. [illustration: prize story] saving steps in the kitchen the kitchen should be characterized by cleanliness, system and order. two maxims that will help save steps are: "a place for everything, and everything in its place;" and "plan your work, then work your plan." . arrange kitchen as conveniently and systematically as possible. walls and floors should be easily cleaned. no superfluous furnishings or worn-out utensils should be tolerated. arrange stove, sink, shelves, table or kitchen cabinet near together and in logical order, so that in preparing a dish one can move from raw material at table or cabinet around to the washed dish at sink. have shelves and hooks within easy reach. have drain-board and shelves for dishes convenient to sink. keep stove lifters and cloths for managing hot dishes upon hooks near stove. arrange those utensils and raw materials in constant use close at hand, placing utensils used in same kind of work together. in storeroom and pantry arrange shelves in certain order, with things seldom used on highest shelves and those used oftener on lower shelves. place together ingredients used for salad-making, as vinegar, mustard, etc.; things used in laundry together, etc. other groups will suggest themselves. keep all groceries possible in air-tight labelled cans or glass jars. . stock your kitchen with as many labor-saving devices as you can afford, making sure they are suited to your needs. keep all utensils and tools in good repair. glass oven-doors, small tables upon rollers which can be wheeled into dining room, indexed cook books and clipping-files are step-savers. . plan each day's work ahead and have materials and utensils for that day's work handy. . do all kitchen work in a certain order, using that routine which experience has proved best. . think before you step. when in storeroom or pantry bring as many needed articles as possible at one time. baskets and waiters are great helps here. in preparing a certain dish first gather together all necessary ingredients and utensils. do not begin work until everything is ready. when possible prepare several things for the stove at once. . clean and straighten as you go, replacing disarranged utensils, etc. have plenty of hot water handy, placing in soak those articles which cannot be washed immediately. while preparing one meal do as much as possible toward getting the next ready. if meals are planned ahead, many things for supper can be cooked with the noon-day meal, also the breakfast cereal. after each meal leave everything ship-shape for the next. mrs. l. h. mcraven, meridian, miss. "_nobody knows the work it takes to keep the home together; nobody knows the steps it takes, nobody knows but mother._" * * * * * _keep a small market basket handy. in it place the things to be taken upstairs when you are going up and when you are making the beds and dusting, the things which are to be brought down._ * * * * * _"make your head save your heels." think, in making trips to pantry, cellar or icebox if you cannot both take things and bring others on the same trip._ * * * * * _keep a chair or revolving stool in the kitchen and whenever possible sit down to work. vegetable paring, cake beating and even washing and ironing may be done sitting._ * * * * * _have a method in your work. occasionally take time to sit down and think over the day's work, and remember how many unnecessary steps you took yesterday._ * * * * * _have your kitchen shelves arranged to suit your own height, so that there is no unnecessary straining to reach up or bending over to reach one set too low._ supplying the meat flavor there are many meat dishes very nourishing and wholesome which are total failures because of their lack of flavor. this lack of flavor seriously impairs their value in nutriment. a little armour's extract of beef will in every case provide that touch of flavor which appeals to the palate and finds ready response from the digestive juices of the stomach. this extract is very highly concentrated, so that only a little is required. rice soup dissolve one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef in one quart of water, add one half cup of cooked rice, and a tablespoon of onion juice. add one teaspoon of celery seed and cover closely. simmer ten minutes and just before serving add one fourth cup of sweet cream or a tablespoon of butter. if too thick, add a little boiling water or milk.---mrs. w. v. copeland, n. lake street, topeka, kans. spinach and sauce after spinach has boiled for twenty minutes in salt water, drain it and serve with this sauce: dissolve one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef in a cup of hot water, add two tablespoons of butter, break in two eggs and use half teaspoon of lemon juice. stir constantly and cook for a few minutes.--mrs. w. i. cole, punta gorda, fla. tomato aspic jelly one fourth teaspoon of armour's extract of beef, one can of veribest tomato soup, one half package of gelatine, three hard-boiled eggs, and chopped olives. heat the soup with an equal amount of water. soak the gelatine in half cup of cold water and dissolve in the soup. add extract of beef dissolved in a little water. let cool. add chopped hard boiled eggs and olives. if there is cold chicken at hand, a half cup of chicken chopped will improve the jelly. pour into mold and put on ice. serve with mayonnaise on lettuce leaves.--mrs. r. m. brumby, anona, fla. stuffed tomatoes remove seeds and centers from six tomatoes. chop three green peppers and one onion and fry in butter until the onions begin to brown. add a small lump of butter, some chopped nuts and dried bread crumbs, salt and pepper to season, and one third cup of hot water in which one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef has been dissolved. put the tomatoes in baking pan and fill with this mixture. sprinkle crumbs over tops and bake fifteen minutes.--mrs. l. c. stump, n. denver ave., kansas city, mo. bread omelet cut one cup of stale bread into tiny bits, beat the yolks of two eggs, add a pint of milk and the crumbs. season with a pinch of salt and pepper and one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef. let stand ten minutes, and then sauté in armour's simon pure leaf lard until a nice brown. add the whites whipped just a moment before taking from the fire.--ella r. stahl, roundup, mont. fried onions into a small amount of hot butter slice six good-sized green onions, tops and all. cook until wilted, add a little water and boil until it has evaporated. scramble in a spoonful of armour's beef extract, three eggs, pepper and salt to taste. cook until creamy and serve hot.--mrs. ollie h. thomas, mansfield, ark. mushroom sauce use the liquor from one can of mushrooms and enough water to make one cupful. chop the mushrooms, add one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef, and slightly thicken with flour blended with water. cook six minutes and serve with broiled steak.--grace m. sears. pea soup one can of peas, one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef, two tablespoons of butter, one tablespoon of flour, one teaspoon of salt and a dash of pepper, one half teaspoon of sugar, one quart of milk or half milk and half cream. rinse the peas, add some water and boil until soft, then rub through a colander. add armour's extract of beef to hot water and peas, making one quart in all. melt the butter and add the flour, then gradually the hot soup. cook until smooth, add the seasoning, and the milk and cream last.--katherine sorlie, buxton, n. dak. corn soup cook in two tablespoons of butter one onion and one sprig of parsley (cut fine) for five minutes. add one cup of chopped corn and a cup of hot water in which has been dissolved one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef. cook fifteen minutes. add salt, pepper, one cup of milk, and bind with two tablespoons of flour and butter blended. serve with toasted croutons.--miss amanda stevens, south lee, n. h. jellied bouillon salad make a clear bouillon, using one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef to one pint of hot water. dissolve one spoon of powdered gelatine and stir into the hot liquid. stir in a few button mushrooms sliced, or some cold veal. add the pulp of one orange, having it peeled, sliced and torn in sections. when cool turn into cups or molds moistened with cold water. stir and divide the material about equal in each cup. set on ice to harden. slice firm tomatoes and lay one each on lettuce leaf. turn the bouillon molds onto these and place a large spoon of dressing over each.--mrs. sadette harrington, elkhorn, wis. egg sandwiches mash six hard-boiled eggs very fine, adding pepper, salt and a small lump of butter. mix with one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water, and one third cup of mayonnaise dressing. add one cup of finely chopped pecans or peanuts. mix well and serve between fresh crackers and thin slices of bread.--nellie toney, west church st., greenwood, miss. potato puffs bake four large potatoes and put them through potato ricer. season with butter, salt and white pepper and add one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef. beat into this the stiffly beaten white of one egg. mold this well and roll out on molding board. cut into cakes and place on buttered sheet. bake in hot oven until a golden brown. serve on platter with meat, garnished with cress or parsley. miss s. may kimball, tahanto st., concord, n. h. wilted lettuce salad wash two heads of lettuce and lay them on ice until wanted, then cut in small bits and lay in salad dish, adding salt. heat two tablespoons of olive oil and pour over the lettuce. to one half cup of white wine vinegar add one teaspoon of sugar, one half teaspoon of armour's extract of beef, one tablespoon of mayonnaise dressing. pour over the lettuce and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs.--louise malloy, bayou st., batesville, ark. _armour's star ham--for half a century the best_ home dressmaking [illustration] this is an age of good ready made clothes and it is also an age of clever amateur dressmaking. with excellent patterns which may be easily handled there is no reason why the woman who can sew should not make her own clothes, and have smart clothes at a reasonable price--that is, provided she has the time to give to sewing. before starting a dress--even before buying--make a tour of the shops and see for yourself what is being worn with a keen eye for the little details which lift a gown from the home made to the professional class. if you live far from town and can not go to the shops look through the magazines which make a feature of dress and study what is best suited to your particular style and requirements. study materials and buy economically, which means paying a little more if necessary rather than have shoddy goods. good patterns are essential and these usually have full directions as to the manner of using. it is a very good plan to have a pattern drafted to your own measure but if you have not this take some finished garment which is satisfactory (unless there is someone at hand to take the measures that a person cannot very well take for herself) and measure the lengths in different places such as front, back and under lengths on a blouse and the width across both back and front where it is broadest. write these down and proceed to take the same measures on the pattern to be used. in taking measures be sure to take a correct position or it will be impossible to get correct measures and you cannot hope for success if this--the initial step--is taken wrongly. for instance, stand erect with the chest raised and the abdomen held in and you will find in taking the width measures across to where the arms and body join the armhole will be straight and even looking instead of pointing in and out in places. make sure of your measures before starting to apply your pattern to the cloth. a careful study of this will save many irreparable mistakes later. halloween the date of this oldtime celebration is always october st, the crucial moment o'clock. to be sure, the original observance of all hallows eve has been considerably distorted during the course of years but the fun it affords the young folks in its present manner of keeping cannot be gainsaid and needs no changing. halloween is the night when a magic spell enthrals the earth. witches, bogies, brownies and elves are all abroad to use their power. superstition proves true, witchery is recognized and the future may be read in a hundred and one ways. no occasion gives more opportunity of enjoyment and no party is gayer than a halloween party. it is not necessary to spend a great deal of money in giving a halloween party. with a little time, some suitable paper and a pair of sharp scissors the witches, pumpkin faces, cats and bats, which are the distinctive features of this decoration, may be easily made at home. yellow, red and black are the colors and the most fascinating crepe paper can be had for a few cents. this is the best material to use, as it lends itself so well to all sorts of schemes. not only is it made in plain colors which may be decorated at will but for every festival and occasion there are special designs which make the work of decoration very easy indeed. for halloween there is a design of witches with brooms, or cats and bats in black on a yellow ground. this is ready to be laid on the table as a cover or around the room in the effect of a frieze. there are napkins to match and a crepe paper rope to finish the edge. a weird effect of lighting is obtained by making lantern boxes from any discarded boxes which may be in the house. cover them with crepe paper, cut eyes, nose, ears and mouth, paste colored tissue paper behind the features and set a lighted candle inside. the wise owl must not be forgotten in the halloween decorations. grey paper is best for him. paste the edges of a square piece of grey crepe paper together lengthwise of the grain and gather in at the bottom. stuff this bag with soft paper or cotton and gather again some distance from the top. shape the top into ears and make two rosettes with black centers for eyes. a beak of black stiff paper protrudes between the eyes. mount the owl on a branch by sewing with heavy black thread in a way to resemble claws. make witches' brooms by tying slashed paper tied on any old sticks or brooms to give the effect. * * * * * how to clean it brass ornaments any brass which is exposed to the air is likely to tarnish very quickly. to obviate this, after i have cleaned and polished my brass vases etc., in the usual way i take a rag, and with this smear just a tiny scrap of vaseline over the brass. this keeps it bright and prevents it from tarnishing. wicker tables or chairs to take stains out of white wicker-work, i get some oxalic acid, and with an old toothbrush dipped in this i brush the stained parts well. then i rinse the article thoroughly, first in clear, warm water, and then in cold. the brush should be destroyed after use, as oxalic acid is poisonous. to wash chiffon to wash chiffon, wind the material round a bottle. make a good lather of soap and water. immerse the bottle, and move backwards and forwards in the lather for about five minutes. rinse in clear, lukewarm water in which has been dissolved a small piece of gum arabic. then unwind the chiffon, spread on the ironing board, lay a clean, thin cloth over it, and iron with a very hot iron. a black hat the very best way to clean a black hat, whether it be chip, mohair, or tagel, real or imitation, is to make some rather strong tea, and, after brushing all dust from the hat, apply this with a small brush. saturate the hat thoroughly, and when dry it will be as perfect in colour and appearance as when first bought. if you want the hat to be stiff, add half a teaspoonful of liquid gum to the tea, and mix well before applying. the hat will then keep its stiffness, but will not have a glossy appearance. real lace real lace should never be washed, but can be cleaned in the following way. put it between layers of tissue paper well sprinkled with calcined magnesia, place between the leaves of a book, and under a heavy weight for three days. then shake the powder out and the lace will be perfectly clean. small pieces from the whole ham the economy of buying a whole ham at once instead of a pound or a slice is apparent to every housewife who studies her weekly bills. the initial cost is less--many trips to the store are saved and the housewife has the chance of using all of the ham--trimmings, skin, bone, etc., etc. ham toast grind or chop enough armour's star ham to make a cupful, using a little of the fat. melt one tablespoon of butter in a sauce pan and add one tablespoon of flour. as soon as blended add one and one third cups of milk. when slightly thickened add the ham and the whites of two hard-boiled eggs which have been mashed with fork. season with salt, pepper, and pour over round slices of toast which have been placed on hot platter. grate the yolks of eggs and sprinkle over the top. garnish with parsley.--mrs. g. f. jones, washington st., portland, maine. ham dumplings cut from a boiled star ham fat and lean in equal proportions and chop fine. season with pepper and minced sage. make a crust of one half pound of armour's butterine and one pound of flour. roll it out thick and divide it into equal portions. put some ham into each and close up the crust. have ready a pot of boiling water and put in the dumplings. boil about forty-five minutes.--miss m. c. green, locust st., huntsville, ala. ham relish one cup of armour's star ham boiled and chopped fine, one half cup of cream, three hard-boiled eggs, salt and pepper to taste. scald the cream. rub the yolks smooth with a little of the cream and add to the cream in the farina boiler with the ham. press the whites of the two eggs through a sieve, add to the mixture and when thoroughly heated put on a hot dish. slice the remaining eggs over the ham and serve.--mrs. r. schroeder, avenue d, birmingham, ala. escalloped ham boil six eggs ten minutes. make a thickening of two tablespoons of flour cooked in two tablespoons of melted butter, and boil it in a pint of milk until thick. season with salt and pepper. cut a cup of armour's star ham (cold boiled) into dice and moisten half a cup of cracker crumbs in melted butter. chop the whites of the eggs fine, sprinkle some crumbs in a buttered dish, then some of the ham, the chopped whites, thickened milk and sifted yolks. then add the remainder of the ham, whites of eggs and milk, cover with buttered crumbs and bake until brown.---alma e. eddy, college city, cal. baked left-overs one cup of armour's star ham chopped fine, one half cup of bread crumbs and one half cup of chopped hard-boiled eggs. season and stir into a thick gravy flavored with armour's extract of beef. bake and serve hot in pepper shells.--mrs. r. p. garig, port arthur, texas. ham mold three pounds of armour's star ham, one cup of sweet milk, fifteen drops of lemon, salt and pepper to taste. cut the meat in small pieces, cover the mold with a layer of slices of hard-boiled egg, then a layer of meat. repeat until the mold is filled, then add cup of milk, one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef, lemon, salt and pepper. stir well and pour over the top. bake a nice brown.--mrs. p. w. pinnell, winder street, henderson, n. c. ham soufflÉ beat three eggs until very light, add one cup of armour's star ham (cooked and chopped), one half cup of bread crumbs, one pint of milk, pepper and salt. mix thoroughly and bake thirty minutes.--mrs. louise mcconnell, carlos ave., wichita, kans. ham loaf two cups of ground boiled star ham, one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef, half a package of gelatine, one pint of water, salt and pepper to taste. dissolve beef extract in one half pint of boiling water, season. dissolve the gelatine in one half pint of cold water. stand the vessel in hot water to dissolve it. mix together with beef extract, set aside to cool. when this begins to harden, beat in the ground boiled ham, set mold in refrigerator. serve in slices with bread and butter, sweet pickle or lettuce salad.--mrs. r. h. west, alamogordo, n. mex. ham potpie take the bone of an armour's star ham after the meat is partly used, and boil slowly until meat is tender. slice three potatoes, take out the bone and put in potatoes while cooking. make dumplings of three pints of flour, a pinch of salt and a big tablespoon of armour's simon pure leaf lard. mix with water, roll thin as pie crust and drop into broth.--mrs. nettie gargan, sherman st., denver, colo. hash with eggs one cup of armour's star ham boiled and chopped fine, one cup of potato mashed, one cup of cracker or bread crumbs. season well and mix all together with water and one fourth teaspoon of armour's extract of beef. pour into a deep plate, smooth it over and make indentations in the top large enough to hold an egg. put into the oven until thoroughly heated, and break an egg into each of the places. return to oven until the eggs are cooked.--e. r. mott, pascoag, r. i. ham croquettes one cup of finely chopped armour's star ham (cooked), one cup of bread crumbs, two of hot mashed potatoes, one large tablespoon of butter, three eggs, a dash of cayenne. beat the ham, seasoning and two of the eggs into the potatoes. let the mixture cool slightly and shape into croquettes. roll in bread crumbs, dip in beaten egg and again in crumbs. put into frying basket and plunge into boiling simon pure leaf lard. cook two minutes, drain and serve.--mrs. e. a. berendsen, green bay, wis. stuffed cabbage one medium cabbage, two ounces of armour's star ham, two tablespoons of armour's simon pure leaf lard, two egg yolks, one teaspoon each of salt, chopped parsley, and chopped onions, one cup of stale bread crumbs, a dash of cayenne, one pimento pepper chopped. parboil cabbage, drain and let cool. open the leaves and scoop out the center. beat the eggs, add bread moistened with melted simon pure leaf lard, add the ham and seasoning and all other ingredients. fill the center, tie cabbage in cheese cloth and boil until tender.--mrs. s. m. fueich, jr., burdette, new orleans. veal and ham pie cut one and one half pounds of veal into thin slices, also one pound of armour's star ham. season the veal highly with pepper and salt, with which cover the bottom of roaster. lay upon this a few slices of ham, then the remainder of the veal and finish with the ham. add one pint of water in which one teaspoon of armour's extract of beef has been dissolved. bake one hour. thirty minutes before serving cover with good paste and bake.--mrs. warren young, lovelady, texas. ham salad one cup of armour's star ham, one third cup of french peas drained from their liquor, one third cup of celery, one third cup of english walnuts or hickory nuts, one pimento, two small sweet pickles, one hard boiled egg. chop all ingredients separately and just before serving, mix with a good mayonnaise dressing.--mrs. a. e. rice, russellville, ky. baking day "baking the way into a man's heart" is a way which has proved successful more than once. but a girl who tried it would be badly handicapped if she did not use the best of materials for the work. armour's simon pure leaf lard is the perfect shortening for all kinds of baking. tea biscuits five heaping kitchenspoonfuls of flour and two of sugar, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. sift these three times. add one level tablespoon of armour's simon pure leaf lard, rub in well and mix with one egg well beaten, and enough cream or milk to make three fourths of a teacup. roll out and bake in quick oven.--b. b. bennett, west north ave., baltimore, md. quick cinnamon rolls one quart of flour, three cups of milk, four tablespoons of armour's simon pure leaf lard, two teaspoons of baking powder, one teaspoon of salt. sift salt and baking powder with flour, chop in the lard, add milk and mix to a soft dough. roll out in a thin sheet, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, add bits of butter and raisins or currants. roll up as for jelly roll and cut into pieces about half an inch thick. place in pan and bake.--miss c. p. lynch, james bldg., chattanooga. spanish bun cake one third cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard and one third cup of butterine, two cups of white sugar, the yolks of four eggs, one cup of cold water, two heaping cups of flour sifted with two teaspoons of baking powder, one cup each of raisins and nuts. fold in the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth. add two teaspoons of ground cinnamon. ice with caramel icing.--miss sophia gordon, columbia, mo. raisin bread to one cup of bread sponge add one cup of sugar, one cup of raisins, one half cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard. sift one cup of flour with one level teaspoon of soda and a level teaspoon of cloves, cinnamon and allspice. add to the first mixture with two well-beaten eggs, and beat all until smooth. bake in a buttered pan in moderate oven.--miss may stone, underwood, minn. nut bread one egg, one half cup of brown sugar, one teaspoon of salt, two cups of milk or water, two tablespoons of armour's simon pure leaf lard, four teaspoons of baking powder sifted in four cups of flour, one cup of broken nut meats. beat well and stand twenty minutes to rise. bake forty-five minutes to one hour.--carrie w. lamb, west nd st., seattle, wash. mother's cake two cups of sugar, three eggs, one half cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard, three cups of flour, three teaspoons of baking powder, one half teaspoon of vanilla extract. icing: one generous cup of xxx sugar, softened with a glass of pineapple marmalade and a few drops of vanilla.--mrs. lloyd r. shuman, thompsontown, pa. caramel pie take the yolks of four eggs, one cup of sugar, four level tablespoons of flour and beat lightly together. add one pint of sweet milk, put into a double boiler and boil until thick. then put one cup of sugar into an iron skillet. when melted to a brown syrup pour into the first mixture, adding two tablespoons of melted butter, two teaspoons of vanilla, and bake in a single crust made with two cups of flour, one cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard, one half cup of water and a pinch of salt.--mrs. c. a. douglas, humboldt, tenn. grandmother's cookies one cup of sugar, one half cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard, one half teaspoon of salt, one egg well beaten, two cups of flour in which two teaspoons of baking powder have been mixed, one cup of sweet milk and one teaspoon of lemon extract. roll the dough, cut with biscuit cutter and bake in moderate oven.--miss stella seiroser, walton, ky. brown cookies boil together for five minutes the following ingredients: one cup of brown sugar, one cup of water, one cup of seeded raisins, one half cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard, one teaspoon of ground cinnamon, one half teaspoon of nutmeg and a pinch of salt. remove from the stove and let cool. when cold add one level teaspoon of soda dissolved in hot water and add three and one half cups of flour and one teaspoon of baking powder. drop from teaspoon on greased pan and bake in moderate oven.--mrs. emmett davison, woodward, okla. whipped cream cake cream together two tablespoons of armour's simon pure leaf lard and one cup of sugar. add a well-beaten egg and half cup of milk. stir in two and one fourth cups of sifted flour to which have been added two teaspoons of baking powder, and vanilla. bake in layers in moderate oven about fifteen minutes. when ready to serve, whip one half pint of cream, add two teaspoons of sugar and a little vanilla. spread between layers and on top layer. serve on dessert plate with fork.--mrs. waldo bogle, east th st., portland, oregon. raisin pie three fourths cup of stoned raisins washed and chopped, one fourth cup of currants washed and chopped, pinch of salt, one tablespoon of vinegar, two tablespoons of butter, one half cup of molasses, one cup of brown sugar, two cups of water. thoroughly mix the above and boil together for ten minutes, then thicken with five tablespoons of flour mixed with water. for the crust take one heaping cup of flour, one half teaspoon of salt, one half teaspoon of baking powder, one third cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard, and enough cold water to make a stiff dough.--mrs. mabel g. warner, peyton st., santa cruz, calif. fruit cake from bread dough rub together until creamy one half cup of butter or glendale butterine, one half cup of armour's simon pure leaf lard and two cups of granulated sugar. add three eggs well beaten, one cup of raisins, one teaspoon of cinnamon, one teaspoon of nutmeg, one half teaspoon of soda dissolved in a little water. add this mixture to three cups of very light sponge and beat well, adding a little more flour if needed. should be as thick as ordinary loaf cake batter. fill greased bread pans half full and let rise one hour. bake in a moderate oven forty-five minutes.--mrs. m. l. curzon, pennsylvania avenue, milwaukee, wis. wine drops two eggs, two cups of sugar, one cup of molasses, three fourths cup of coffee, one small teaspoon of salt, five large tablespoons of armour's simon pure leaf lard melted, two teaspoons of soda dissolved in the coffee, one teaspoon of cloves and one of cinnamon, one cup of raisins and five cups of flour. drop by spoonfuls on buttered tins and bake in quick oven.--mrs. e. w. pine, claresholm, alberta, canada. the daily menu planning the days meals ahead is a big help in systematizing the days work. the following menus--each of which has won a prize of five dollars--show how women in all states of the union have planned nourishing, economical meals. alabama mrs. a. m. crum, morrison ave., florence breakfast--soft peaches halved with whipped cream, oatmeal and cream, french fried potatoes, corn bread sticks, broiled star ham with cream gravy, soft boiled eggs, hot biscuit, butter, coffee. luncheon--veribest tomato soup, bread toasted in small squares, creamed potatoes with shredded star ham and mayonnaise dressing, tomatoes stuffed with chopped celery, sliced sweet potatoes with cream dressing, strawberry jello with whipped cream, marshmallow cake and iced tea. dinner--spiced star ham boiled, veribest pork and beans, rice cakes fried, creamed potatoes, corn pudding, tomatoes stuffed with salad made of veribest potted ham, pineapple cake, sherbet, coffee. arizona mertie r. jones, mesa breakfast--cereal with cream and sugar, broiled star bacon, poached eggs, graham gems, coffee. luncheon--chicken bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), creamed veribest chicken in biscuit cases, french fried potatoes (fried in simon pure leaf lard), brown bread and butterine sandwiches (armour's glendale butterine), cake, armour's grape juice, iced. dinner--cream of veribest tomato soup, veribest roast beef with brown sauce (made from armour's extract of beef), veribest pork and beans, potatoes, creamed onions, armour's grape juice ice, small cakes, coffee. arkansas mrs. w. h. blakely, north th st., fort smith breakfast--oranges, armour's star bacon broiled, poached eggs, toast, coffee. luncheon--sliced veribest tongue, hashed browned potatoes, rolls, individual custards in ramekins, tea. dinner--cream tomato soup (veribest), casserole roast (veribest roast beef), candied sweet potatoes, stuffed green peppers (filling of bread crumbs, onion, veribest deviled ham), pineapple and cheese salad on lettuce, mayonnaise dressing, potato rolls, frozen apricots in tall glasses of whipped cream, angel food cake, coffee. california mrs. edith v. schliemann, susanville breakfast--corn flakes, broiled star ham, poached eggs, fried potatoes, toast, chocolate. luncheon--veribest pork and beans, egg salad, hot biscuits, raspberry shortcake, armour's grape juice lemonade. dinner--veribest consomme, rice curry and veribest veal, creamed peas, french fried potatoes, lettuce salad, plum cake, iced tea. colorado mrs. burton a. smead, south downing st., denver breakfast--rolled oats with hot dates, liver and star bacon skewered and broiled, popovers, coffee. luncheon--creamed veribest chicken in pastry shells, french fried sweet potatoes, bread and butter, orange marmalade, tea. dinner--mock turtle soup (armour's extract of beef), croutons, two-inch slice of star ham braised with tomato sauce, boiled rice, green string beans, jellied celery relish (armour's beef bouillon cubes), bread, snow pudding, sponge cake, coffee. connecticut p. curtin, edson house, plantsville breakfast--fruit, buckwheat cakes with armour's star bacon, rolls, coffee. dinner--armour's star ham soup, veribest roast beef with brown sauce, baked potatoes, creamed onions, veribest mince meat pie, coffee. supper--armour's veribest pork and beans, brown bread, armour's hot chicken bouillon with butter thins. delaware mrs. g. a. smith, edgemoore, route , box a. breakfast--grapefruit, star ham omelet, tomato catsup, hot cakes, coffee. luncheon--cream of onion soup, little pigs in blankets (armour's star bacon), tomato catsup, french fried potatoes, iced tea, peach shortcake. dinner--veribest veal loaf, riced potatoes, tomatoes stuffed with star ham, hot rolls, grape sherbet (armour's grape juice). district of columbia mrs. e. w. sillings, e. st. s. e., washington breakfast--grapefruit with armour's grape juice, star ham croquettes, baked potatoes, buttered toast, cocoa. luncheon--veribest boned chicken, sweet potatoes, gravy, apple sauce, white bread, cookies, milk shake. dinner--split pea soup with crackers, roast star ham with parsnips, stuffed cabbage, sliced tomatoes, brown bread, peach short cake, iced postum. florida ida c. westgaard, buena vista, dade co. breakfast--iced grapes, puffed rice with cream, broiled star bacon, poached eggs on toast, coffee. luncheon--veribest tomato soup, boiled potatoes with cream sauce, cold baked star ham sliced, bread and butter, hot gingerbread, jelly, coffee. dinner--bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), veribest roast beef with mushroom sauce, creamed asparagus, candied sweet potatoes, tomato jelly, salad with mayonnaise, armour's grape juice sherbet, cake, coffee mints. georgia mrs. nellie h. dusenbury, milledge ave., athens breakfast--figs with cream, creamed chipped beef (veribest), saratoga chips, sliced tomatoes, hot rolls, tea, coffee. luncheon--stuffed peppers (force meat made from veribest veal loaf), light bread, veribest pork and beans, pickled beets, armour's grape juice frappe, angel food cake, iced tea. dinner--fruit cocktail, tomato soup (seasoned with armour's extract of beef), baked star ham, creamed onions, squash, tomato and asparagus salad with french dressing, bread sticks, fresh peaches with cream, coffee with cheese wafers. idaho mrs. h. w. zimmerman, payette breakfast--cantaloupe, fried star bacon and eggs, toast with white sauce, oatmeal cookies, coffee. luncheon--veribest pork and beans, hot rolls and honey, sliced tomatoes, potato chips, baked apple with cream sauce, iced tea. dinner--veribest tomato soup, veribest creamed chicken, baked potatoes, cabbage salad, carrots and peas, peaches and cream, cake, coffee. illinois elizabeth m. van huysen, cedar st., quincy breakfast--green gage plums, cereal and cream, armour's star bacon and fried eggs, simon pure parker house rolls, new white clover honey, coffee. luncheon--veribest pork and beans, brown bread and butter sandwiches, tomato salad, simon pure doughnuts, armour's grape juice. dinner--veribest tomato soup with croutons, veribest roast beef with browned sweet potatoes, green corn on cob, beet salad, mashed potatoes, simon pure concord grape pie, coffee, cheese wafers. indiana mrs. l. b. kilmer, burdick breakfast--apple fritters or baked apples, star ham rolls, soft boiled eggs, corn meal mush (fried in simon pure leaf lard), coffee, hot milk. luncheon--hot beef bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), cheese sticks, armour's veribest beef tongue and tomato salad, cream biscuits, apple sauce, grape juice with marshmallows. dinner--veribest soup, ragout of beef (armour's veribest), potatoes and brown gravy flavored with beef extract, escalloped tomatoes, cream of grape pie (made with armour's grape juice and simon pure leaf lard), coffee. iowa mrs. j. c. brandt, le mars breakfast--chilled white grapes in cantaloupe, corn meal and ham mush (fried in bacon grease), broiled star bacon, toast with honey, doughnuts and coffee. luncheon--veribest corned beef au gratin, graham and white bread sandwiches, rhubarb marmalade, cheese, simon pure leaf lard cake, sliced peaches, armour's mulled grape juice. dinner--bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), croutons, casserole of veal, riced potatoes, armour's baked beans, stuffed tomatoes, veribest tongue and egg salad, white bread (butterine in balls and sprig of parsley), armour's mince meat pie, coffee. kansas mrs. j. l. hobbs, wabash ave., wichita breakfast--iced cantaloupe, shredded wheat biscuits with sugar and cream, veribest corned beef hash, baking powder biscuits, apple butter, coffee. luncheon--star ham souffle, creamed potatoes, fresh rolls, blackberry jam, tea. dinner--veribest tomato soup with toast cubes, veribest roast beef with potatoes and brown gravy, creamed cauliflower, veribest chicken salad served in red pepper shells on lettuce leaves, cheese sandwiches, olives, banana shortcake with whipped cream, coffee. kentucky mrs. m. geo. moore, r. , lexington breakfast--bananas with cereal and cream, broiled star bacon, fried apples, creamed hominy, buttermilk biscuit, blackberry jam, coffee. luncheon--cream of (veribest) tomato soup, sweet peppers stuffed with veribest veal loaf, escalloped corn, cottage cheese with cream, sally lunn, tea. dinner--bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), baked star ham, corn pudding, sweet potatoes, green beans, tomatoes with mayonnaise dressing, veribest chicken salad, amber pie (simon pure leaf lard), cheese, coffee. louisiana mrs. t. j. bingham, concordia parish, vidalia breakfast--broiled star ham, poached eggs on toast, hot muffins, butter, coffee. luncheon--chicken bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), veribest veal loaf, raisin bread, butter, cream puffs (made of simon pure leaf lard), iced armour's grape juice. dinner--cream of corn soup, broiled chicken on toast with baked apples, stuffed peppers (using armour's star ham minced), scalloped potatoes, fruit salad with mayonnaise, mince meat pie with hard sauce (veribest mince meat), coffee, mints. maine miss gertrude jones, cottage st., so. portland breakfast--bananas and cream, star ham omelet, rye biscuit, breakfast cake, coffee. luncheon--veribest vegetable soup, simon pure luncheon rolls, creamed potatoes, orange sauce, iced tea. supper--stuffed baked ham, irish potatoes, baked onions, armour's grape juice sherbet, cake, coffee. maryland mrs. geo. e. loane, e. nd st., baltimore breakfast--oranges, grapenuts with cream, armour's star bacon, bread dipped in egg and fried in bacon fat or simon pure leaf lard, corn pone, cloverbloom butter, coffee. dinner--armour's veribest tomato soup, croquettes of veribest chicken, mashed potatoes, lima beans with cream dressing, lettuce salad, ice cream and black coffee. supper--slice boiled star ham, tomato salad, biscuit, cheese, cake, tea. massachusetts miss isabelle m. walker, hovey ave., cambridge breakfast--cracked wheat, corn bread, star ham omelet, coffee. luncheon--extract of beef, croutons, apple turnovers, russian tea. dinner--veribest roast beef, baked sweet potatoes, pickled beets, boiled rice, syrup, tea. michigan mrs. thos. westwood, s. mich. ave., saginaw, w. s. breakfast--wheatena with dates, sugar and cream, french toast, broiled star ham, golden omelet, peach marmalade, fried cakes, coffee. dinner--noodle soup (armour's extract of beef), creamed chicken (armour's veribest) in riced potato border, ginger pears, watermelon pickles, beet and tomato salad, strawberry custard, grape juice moussé, coffee, black tea. supper--english tea cakes, fruit salad, veribest tongue garnished with shoe string potatoes, peanut cookies, cocoa with whipped cream. minnesota lillian hudson, fremont ave. so. minneapolis breakfast--oranges, boiled star ham, oatmeal with sugar and cream, creamed potatoes, popovers, coffee. luncheon--cold sliced armour's star ham, cheese fondue, bread and butter, sliced peaches, cookies, coffee. dinner--tomato soup, braised beef, riced potatoes, squash, refugee stringless bean salad, baking powder biscuits (armour's simon pure leaf lard), cherry pie, coffee. mississippi miss lola perry, th ave., meridian breakfast--baked bananas, creamed veribest corned beef, potato chips, french toast, coffee. luncheon--veribest ox tail soup, armour star ham timbales, deviled eggs, jellied baked apples, parker house rolls, iced tea. dinner--fricassee of veribest roast beef, creamed cauliflower, shrimp salad, spaghetti with tomato sauce, philadelphia potatoes, angel cake, grape nectar (armour's grape juice). missouri miss sophia gordon, r. , columbia breakfast--peaches and cream, broiled star bacon, eggs on toast, graham cakes with maple syrup, coffee. luncheon--tomato soup served with whipped cream, crackers, fish croquettes with sliced lemon, apple and nut salad, baked sweet peppers with tabasco sauce, light rolls, iced tea. dinner--cold boiled star ham, asparagus on toast, french fried potatoes, sliced tomatoes, hot biscuits, armour's grape ice, cake, coffee, mints. montana mrs. geo. sinclair, grande ave., billings breakfast--sliced peaches, cereal, star ham and eggs, toast, coffee. luncheon--veribest veal loaf with white sauce, sliced tomatoes, one egg muffins, cantaloupe with ice cream, iced tea, wafers. dinner--fried chicken with extract of beef sauce, riced potatoes, green corn on the cob, rolls, olives and sweet midgets, stewed pears, sponge cake, tea. nebraska mrs. daisy cannon, burton breakfast--oranges (halved), puffed rice with sugar and cream, star ham and eggs (baked), hot breakfast rolls, strawberry jam, graham wafers, coffee. luncheon--fruit salad, chicken bouillon (armour's), sliced cold star ham, mashed potatoes with border of buttered peas, sliced tomatoes, buns, simon pure marshmallow delights, ice cream with nuts, armour's grape juice. dinner--veribest vegetable soup, beef en casserole, creamed cabbage, veribest bean croquettes with cubes of tomato jelly, cold mashed potato balls, peas, onions with salad dressing, graham and white bread, salted cherries, nuts, fruit cake (made with veribest mince meat), grape juice (armour's), charlotte russe, coffee. nevada mrs. c. e. cady, montello breakfast--puffed wheat, sliced apples and cream, armour's star ham and eggs fried, fried sweet potatoes, young onions, hot cinnamon rolls, buttered toast, coffee. luncheon--combination salad, bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), armour's veribest deviled tongue, sliced cold, veribest pork and beans, cantaloupe a la mode, white bread, iced tea. dinner--veribest vegetable soup, watercress salad, spiced veribest roast beef, cold boiled star ham, stewed carrots, escalloped onions, baked potatoes, hot biscuits, blanc mange, apple pie with cheese, milk. new hampshire mrs. almond smith, new london breakfast--peaches and cream, puffed rice and cream, star bacon and eggs, creamed potatoes, popovers, coffee. dinner--veribest chicken soup with bread sticks, tomato and cucumber salad, veribest roast beef with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes boiled, sweet corn, apple tapioca pudding, grape juice and crackers. supper--creamed veribest chicken, baking powder biscuits, pickled beets, cranberry tarts, mocha cake, tea. new jersey mrs. wm. h. reger, white house sta. breakfast--baked apples, graham mush, eggs shirred on mince of veribest veal, simon pure hasty biscuit, coffee. luncheon--veribest chicken salad sandwiches, fried oysters (simon pure leaf lard), peach shortcake, armour's grape juice. dinner--chicken bouillon (armour's), braised beef heart, mashed potatoes, macaroni, spinach timbales, string bean salad, cocoanut pie. new mexico mrs. d. e. brewer, columbus, box breakfast--fruit, star ham, eggs, hot cakes, doughnuts, coffee. luncheon--musk melon, spiced ham, egg salad, bread and butter sandwiches, marshmallow cake, tea. dinner--french peas and chicken, veribest roast veal, brown potatoes, tomato relish, baked greens, waldorf salad, washington pie, coffee. new york mrs. eleanor everts, eagle st., fredonia breakfast--sliced peaches, cream of wheat, broiled star ham, baked potatoes, graham gems, ginger cookies, coffee. luncheon--veribest beef loaf, fresh rolls, glendale butterine, pear conserve, apple pie, cheese, armour's grape juice. dinner--veribest tomato soup, saltines, veal pocket (extract of beef), mashed potatoes, brown gravy, green corn pudding, red cabbage salad, salt rising bread, blackberry pudding, pumpkin pie, coffee. north carolina mrs. wm. h. bond, cutler st., boylan heights, raleigh breakfast--fresh figs and cream, poached eggs on toast, star brand bacon panned, one-egg muffins, coffee. luncheon--veribest veal loaf with white sauce and pimentos, perfection salad, swedish rolls, sliced peaches and cream, tea. dinner--veribest ox tail soup, escalloped chicken, baked bananas, asparagus vinagrette, potatoes au gratin, stuffed cucumbers, pineapple short cake with whipped cream, coffee, toasted crackers and cheese. north dakota mrs. t. j. tidemanson, wyndmere breakfast--grapefruit, armour's star bacon and eggs, muffins, coffee. luncheon--veribest veal loaf, celery and apple salad, corn bread, maple syrup, tea. dinner--veribest tomato bouillon, armour's star ham baked, creamed potatoes, creamed onions, lettuce salad, apple pie. ohio mrs. e. wiemeyer, colerain ave., cincinnati breakfast--corn fritters, apple sauce, fried star ham and eggs, currant bread, coffee. luncheon--roast beef pie, fried sweet potatoes, stuffed tomatoes, soda wafers, tomato bouillon, grape jelly. dinner--brunswick stew made from veribest beef and chicken, lyonnaise potatoes, sliced tomatoes, custard junket, coffee. oklahoma mrs. e. andrews, w. th st., oklahoma city breakfast--grapefruit with armour's grape juice, cereal, star ham, poached eggs, biscuits, coffee. luncheon--bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), veribest creamed chicken, stuffed tomatoes, rolls, hot tea. dinner--veribest vegetable soup, baked star ham, baked sweet potatoes, escalloped corn, combination salad, apple dumplings, coffee. oregon mrs. dan fisher, brownsville breakfast--cracked wheat mush with dates, mountain trout with star bacon, potato chips, strawberry jam, popovers, coffee. dinner--chicken bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), served with popped corn, baked ham in cider, fried apples, banana and peanut salad, browned potatoes, pineapple cream pie. supper--veal loaf (veribest), tomatoes stuffed with corn, wilted lettuce, rye bread, cantaloupe filled with grape sherbet. pennsylvania mrs. h. c. weinstock, girard ave., philadelphia breakfast--sliced bananas and corn flakes with sugar and cream. veribest sausage on simon pure waffles, rolls, butter, cocoa, coffee. luncheon--veribest tomato soup with croutons, club sandwiches (veribest chicken and star bacon), creamed potatoes, cakes, fruit, tea. dinner--grape fruit salad, beef bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), baked star ham (baked and served with champagne sauce), asparagus on toast, mashed sweet potatoes, sliced tomatoes and lettuce, french dressing (simon pure), peach dumplings, whole wheat crackers and cheese, coffee, mints. rhode island maude e. sears, verndale ave., providence breakfast--bananas, hominy with cream, star ham with fried eggs, french fried potatoes, toast, coffee. luncheon--beef bouillon (armour's bouillon cubes), sliced tongue with tomato sauce, cream of tartar biscuits, sliced peaches, honey gingerbread, armour's grape juice. dinner--veribest tomato soup, milk crackers, veribest creamed chicken en casserole, baked potatoes, apple fritters, stewed tomatoes, celery, ambrosia, sponge cake, coffee. south carolina mrs. s. e. true, st. john st., spartanburg breakfast--iced cantaloupe, cereal and cream poached eggs on toast garnished with crisp star bacon, waffles and maple syrup, coffee. dinner--veribest tomato bouillon, wafers, broiled trout with mashed potatoes, star boiled ham sliced thin, peas in timbales, macaroni au gratin, rolls, sliced tomatoes on lettuce with mayonnaise dressing, caramel ice cream, cake, coffee. supper--veribest chicken sandwiches, celery and nut salad, salted crackers, armour's grape juice sherbet, oatmeal cakes, iced tea. south dakota mrs. walter yorker, box , beresford breakfast--sliced peaches, creamed veribest dried beef, bran muffins, raisin cookies, coffee. luncheon--veribest baked beans, apple sauce, rye bread, angel food cake, cocoa. dinner--veribest tomato soup, veribest roast beef with cream gravy, baked sweet potatoes, pickled pears, rolls, cream pie, coffee, after dinner mints. tennessee miss roberta fry, r. f. d. no. , columbia breakfast--grapefruit, cream of wheat, star bacon, eggs, hot biscuits, blackberry jelly, coffee. luncheon--veribest creamed chicken, tomato and green pepper salad, bread and butter sandwiches, applesauce, doughnuts, iced tea. dinner---veribest tomato soup, mashed potatoes, veribest pork and beans, baked star ham, creamed peas, hot rolls, sweet pickles, armour's grape juice sherbet, cake, coffee. texas mrs. m. e. scovill, kenedy breakfast--fruit, oatmeal with sugar and cream, frizzled star ham and eggs, delmonico potatoes, raised biscuits, coffee. luncheon--cream of tomato soup (veribest), veribest beef loaf, tomato salad, rye bread, butter, nut cake, armour's grape juice punch. dinner--armour's bouillon, roast loin of pork, apple sauce, rice, creamed turnips, celery mayonnaise, wafers, cheese, armour's mince meat tarts, coffee. utah mrs. emma caldwell, murray breakfast--sliced peaches, grape-nuts and cream, star ham fried, poached eggs on toast, graham gems, grapes, postum. luncheon--veribest cold tongue, homemade mustard pickles, sliced tomatoes, luncheon rolls, peach sherbet, feather cake, ice tea. dinner--veribest tomato soup, crackers, veribest chicken creamed, mashed potatoes, browned cabbage, string beans, cream cocoanut pie, watermelon, coffee. vermont mrs. henry j. mcnally, cherry st., burlington breakfast--peaches and cream, broiled star ham, creamed potatoes, poached eggs, triscuit, graham muffins and postum. luncheon--armour's beef bouillon, chicken salad from veribest chicken, brown bread and butter sandwiches, sunshine cookies, armour's grape juice. dinner--stuffed tomatoes on lettuce leaves with mayonnaise dressing, veribest beef loaf with brown sauce flavored with armour's extract of beef, riced potatoes, evergreen corn on cobb, beet pickles, bread and butter, armour's grape juice frappe, chocolate tokens, coffee. virginia miss elsie a. sheetz, e. grace st., richmond breakfast--cereal, fried apples with star bacon, cornmeal muffins, coffee. dinner--bouillon from armour's bouillon cubes, veribest chicken pie, creamed peas and carrots, potato salad, hot rolls, date pudding, coffee. supper--armour's tomato soup with croutons, veribest bean and celery salad, cold sliced tongue, hot biscuits, jelly, tea. washington miss b. e. smith, r. f. d. no. , burton breakfast--iced cantaloupe, armour's fancy select eggs fried with armour's star bacon, corn muffins, coffee. luncheon--veribest pork and beans, cucumber and tomato salad, devil's cake, sliced peaches, tea. dinner--veribest tomato soup, veribest boned chicken in bechamel sauce, french fried potatoes, cauliflower, blackberry pie, cheese, coffee. west virginia mrs. m. l. white, magazine st., charleston breakfast--cream of wheat with maple syrup, fried star ham and eggs, hot biscuits and butter, coffee. luncheon--corn beef hash, baked apples, potato salad, lettuce, cream cake, tea. dinner--tomato soup (veribest), cream potatoes, string bean salad, sliced tomatoes, pickles, sliced star ham, hot rolls, coffee. wisconsin miss genevieve raymond, eagle river breakfast--cereal with dates, broiled star bacon, buttered toast, boiled eggs, coffee. luncheon--veribest vegetable soup with crisp crackers, celery, stewed figs, chocolate marble cake, armour's grape juice. dinner--veribest chicken fricasseed, mashed potatoes, baked squash, creamed turnips, green tomato pickle, watermelon, pumpkin pie, coffee. wyoming mrs. a. m. humphry, summer st., sheridan breakfast--graham porridge with dates, fried star ham and eggs, dry toast and butter, coffee. luncheon--veribest chicken sandwiches, creamed potatoes, tomato and lettuce salad, hot doughnuts (armour's simon pure leaf lard), tea. dinner--veribest vegetable soup with croutons, veribest roast beef, brown sauce, browned potatoes, cauliflower au gratin, rolls, beet pickles, armour's grape juice sherbet, cake, nuts, coffee. canada mrs. g. e. poste, moss st., victoria, b. c. breakfast--oranges, wheat flakes with cream, baked hash (veribest beef), preserved peaches, muffins, coffee. dinner--veribest tomato soup, baked stuffed (star) ham, mashed potatoes, creamed cauliflower, pickled carrots, chocolate pie, tea. supper--sliced meat loaf, potato salad garnished with sliced hard boiled eggs and parsley, raspberry preserve, cheese, lemon tarts, cake, cocoa. little stories by our readers a ham story [illustration] as we are lovers of good ham we always use armour's star brand. i generally buy the ham on saturday as it keeps better than fresh meat. i buy a whole ham (try to get one about ten pounds), then get the dealer to cut two nice slices thick enough to broil, a little beyond the center, leaving two nice ends, the string end the smaller. one slice i use for sunday morning breakfast, the other one i wrap in a moist cloth, place between two plates. this will keep three or four days. i now take the large end, put it on in cold water, let simmer for a couple of hours, then take out and drain; cut off skin, and part of the fat and put it in the oven to finish cooking. the skin i save for use on the griddle, the fat i render and use the dripping for salads. after baking, serve hot or cold, sliced; i still have a small end and one slice left, the small end i boil until thoroughly done, take out and use the water for vegetables, such as cabbage, spinach, beans, etc. the small end does not slice as well as the other so i take all the meat from the bone, and put it through the chopper, grind it fine, and use it for ham loaf, toast filling for tomato cups or for ham omelet. the baked end i serve sliced, also, use for sandwiches. if i have to keep the sandwiches i put them in a moistened napkin; it keeps the ham moist and juicy. * * * * * how i arrange to use a whole ham sunday breakfast: water cress, slice star ham broiled with milk gravy, hot rolls, coffee, home-made peach cake. sunday dinner: beef pot roast, white potatoes whipped, sweet potatoes roasted under the meat, cauliflower boiled in the ham water, cream dressing, fruit sherbet, in which i use armour's grape juice. sunday supper: cold baked star ham sliced thin, or tomato cups on lettuce with mustard dressing, white bread and butter, home-made cake, sliced peaches, and tea. to make tomato cups, take medium size tomatoes, skin them (by pouring boiling water over them first, this is easily done) and put on ice until cold; scoop out the center. make a filling of minced ham, a little chicken, breadcrumbs (equal parts), a seasoning of chopped peppers; fill tomatoes; on top of each put a little mustard dressing. set each cup on a lettuce leaf, and serve. now i still have one slice of ham left, some minced ham, some of the baked ham. the last slice i broil and serve with poached eggs; the baked ham, makes sandwiches. the week i buy a whole ham i don't buy much other meat. trusting this will be of value to some, i remain,--i. m. b., philadelphia. * * * * * milk toast "have kept armour's beef extract always on hand for years and it has helped me out of many a tight place. one day the children teased for milk toast for supper, and to my dismay i found the milk was 'short' that day. not wishing to disappoint them i tried to see what i could do. i made a consommé with armour's beef extract, using a quarter teaspoonful to a cup and seasoning it with salt and pepper, and used this in the same way as i would milk. our 'milk' toast was fit for a king. the children pronounced it the best ever. in these times of high prices, with milk at ten cents per quart, many a family would welcome such an excellent substitute as armour's extract." most useful are the armour's bouillon cubes. i use them in preparing soups, gravies, dissolved and poured over a roast while cooking. i give my husband and children each one in a cup of hot water, every morning for breakfast, the first thing, as it seems to be an appetizer; also serve it to my aged parents in the morning before rising, as it gives them strength to make their toilet. they are both very aged and failing and the effect of the bouillon is wonderful. my husband also takes armour's bouillon cubes with him in his lunch basket to the factory where he holds a clerical position; he keeps his bouillon cup and spoon and there is plenty of boiling water accessible, so it makes a nice, nourishing drink at lunch time.--mrs. e. b., greensburg, pa. * * * * * a red letter for armour's extract we have a friend who derived more benefit (in our estimation) from armour's extract, than any one we have ever heard of. he is an expert machinist and is sent to all parts of the world to put up machines, such as reapers, mowers, etc. the particular trip i write of he was sent to bulgaria, to a small village, where the accommodations were very poor. sleep was almost out of the question and to eat the black bread, which was the principal food, was impossible. the water in all foreign countries was so bad that he always carried jars of the extract with him. this time he not only dissolved it in hot water and drank it, but took his penknife and fed himself the extract raw. he claims it saved his life, as for four days that was all he had with him to eat or drink. he says he felt fine and did his work better than when he had been where the food was palatable and he had eaten heartily. of course he swears by the extract and never takes a trip now without taking a good supply with him.--mrs. h. l., yorktown heights, westchester co., n. y. * * * * * [illustration: a new use for stale bread. the roll is hollowed out to make a serving cup for creamed chicken] don't stint the kiddies on their daily spread--give them armour's glendale butterine making money for the church "besides selling recipes for eggless, butterless cake, we made seasoning bags to sell, for soups and such, using eight peppercorns, four cloves, six mustard seeds, one third teaspoon celery seed, four tiny sprigs each of thyme, summer savory, sweet basil, and parsley in each. this gives a blend pleasant to many tastes, and it is sufficient to flavor a soup for a large family. when the soup seems to have taken enough of the flavor the bag should be removed. to make one bag at a time would be foolish, but when enough are made to last the year out it helps out in fine shape. we also made jelly bags for sale, many ladies not having the right thickness of cloth in the house at jelly-making time." "at christmas time the young girls of our congregation made quite a few dollars for the church by selling boxes of preserved orange. this is their recipe: cut six large navel oranges in slices the long way of the fruit, and boil, until tender, in three waters, pouring off the water each time. make a syrup of five cups of sugar and one cup of water and boil the orange in this until the syrup is almost boiled away. remove with skimmer and let stand half an hour and roll each piece in granulated sugar. the confection was packed in dainty white boxes and covered with paraffin paper. they found a very ready sale."--k. c. b. "it has been our experience that everyday necessities in the household are better sellers than fancy nicknacks," writes a reader, "and when the social club of our church met last winter we decided to stick to them. here are some of the things we made with the result that when we held our sale at easter there was not one article left over and we had the sum of ninety-five dollars in the treasury." ice bags "these bags, made out of ordinary potato sacking, are for covering the cake of ice, and do much to keep down the ice bill. they are twenty-four inches long by twenty-seven inches wide and have a drawstring of common twine. they cost almost nothing and found ready sale at a quarter apiece." wringing bags "this idea we got from a trained nurse who was with us for a time, and it is a very good thing to have on hand when there is sickness. when hot cloths are to be applied it is hard to wring them out by hand as hot as the doctor would like. the bags are made of strong ticking and measure eighteen inches in width and are ten inches deep. at each end a loop the depth of the bag was stitched, through which a piece of broom handle was run when in use. to use, put the flannel into the bag, and set the bag into the pan of boiling water on the stove (first inserting the sticks). when ready, simply lift the bag and wring it by the sticks." carpenter's aprons "there has been a good deal of building done in our small town and one of our members, whose husband is a building contractor, offered to buy half a dozen carpenter's aprons if we would make them. this order has led to our making over two hundred of these aprons, as others hearing of it would want their aprons home-made rather than factory made. they are made of strong ticking, with a strap around the neck and another at the waist. in some, the straps are around the shoulders instead of the neck. pockets are made for a rule, knife, nails, and a strap for a hammer."--mrs. t. g. h. [illustration: clever fingers made this lounge from an old single bed] armour's simon pure leaf lard--the best for all purposes where does your housekeeping money go? housekeeping money to many men means the actual money required for food. not very many husbands realize how many little expenses the housekeeping money has to take care of--little expenses that have nothing to do with food. here are some and the editor will be very glad if the readers will send in their own experiences in this line. [illustration] most men smoke, and most men like to pocket a nice fresh box of matches when starting off for the day. matches don't cost much to be sure but a fresh box each morning cuts quite a hole in the housekeeping money which is used to buy them. * * * * * does your husband like to sit up late reading, playing chess, etc.? that sort of thing increases the light and coal bill quite a bit. * * * * * the pennies given for charity, church collections, etc., are also "extras." * * * * * returning little courtesies--very often to "his" people--such as sending flowers, books, and occasional lunch or matinee, etc., etc., all make quite a hole in the housekeeping money. * * * * * the wear and tear of household utensils, linen, etc., means constant replenishment of one thing or another. a man may realize that his buggy or motor car has to have certain parts replaced once in a while but he is not apt to think of the pots and pans of the household side of things unless reminded. * * * * * it is a good plan to keep a few simple medicines at hand in case of sudden sickness, also a few bandages and the usual dressings required for accidents. does your housekeeping money make provision for this? * * * * * money for the education of the children is not generally included in the housekeeping money, but when the children get old enough to want to have their friends visit them it means little lunches, suppers, entertainments of various kinds, all of which cuts into the housekeeping money. as this is really the social side of their education it is only fair that extra provision should be made for it. why eat fruit? [illustration] it is a very good plan to find out the medicinal and curative properties of the different fruits and to make the fruit your system requires a part of your diet. apples, for instance, have an excellent effect on the health generally. they contain a large proportion of water and a large quantity of potash as well as of malic acid, which has valuable properties, and ether which is beneficial to the liver. plums, too, have certain virtues and lemons are good for several forms of stomach trouble. as for grapes, they are so valuable as to form a distinctive "cure" just in themselves. they possess an enormous quantity of potash and plenty of water and they also contain sugar and salts of tartar. that all means that grapes will do much for the person who is tired and run down, whose nerves are weakened and whose organs are overworked, that they will tone and regulate the system, purify the blood and assist the different organs in performing their functions. the presence of sugar indicates that they can provide fuel for the body--the human engine--whether it be the romping child or the man whose day is filled with hard physical labor. so it follows that grapes are really a very valuable addition to our diet list. unfortunately, it is not always possible to have grapes on our table but wise manufacturers have found a way by which the juice of the grape may be possible at all times of the year and in every corner of the land. they have built large factories right in the very heart of the country where the best grapes grow and there the grapes are taken while the dew is still on them and their luscious fragrant deliciousness is squeezed out, poured into bottles and quickly sealed to prevent any escape of the exquisite bouquet. nothing is added--no water to weaken and adulterate, no sugar to sweeten, no coloring essence to deceive the eye. it is just the pure, natural juice of earth's best offering. this bottled concentration of earth's sweetness and richness with all the life and warmth of the sunshine is armour's grape juice. [illustration: jessie tarbox beals marshmallow cake with decoration of marshmallows and leaves cut out of citron peel] start the day right with devonshire farm sausage baked beans--a national dish to many people baked beans means just one thing--baked beans, served hot or cold. to the woman, however, who is really interested in furnishing variety in diet, and this in a very economical way, baked beans offers boundless possibilities. first of all, she lays in a stock of veribest baked beans--veribest, because she knows that in this particular brand the beans are even more thoroughly cooked than she herself could do them. there are two kinds of veribest baked beans, plain, and with tomato sauce, and with both the mellow richness of the bean is preserved with all its natural flavor, making it a most toothsome dish as well as nutritious and economical. having a good stock to draw from the economical housewife proceeds to serve baked beans to her family every day for a week, varying the dish each day. for monday there is a new england supper--baked beans with hot boston brown bread. drop the can of baked beans into hot water and boil for minutes. turn out, garnish with parsley and serve with mustard pickles. tuesday, for lunch.--bean croquettes. drain veribest pork and beans (without tomato sauce), and pass them through a colander. measure and allow one teaspoon of dry bread crumbs to each cup of beans. season with cayenne pepper and a little minced parsley. for a pint of the mixture, beat one egg. save enough of the egg to dip the croquettes in, and add the remainder to the beans. mix and form into small croquettes, or balls, then roll in fine bread crumbs. dip them in egg and again in the crumbs, and fry in deep boiling simon pure leaf lard. border with slices of dill pickles or sweet green peppers. wednesday, school lunches.--bean sandwiches. cut some thin slices from a loaf of brown bread, butter and put crisp lettuce leaves, with a teaspoon of mayonnaise, on each half of the slices, and on the others spread a layer of armour's veribest pork and beans, which have been mashed until smooth. put the slices together and wrap each sandwich separately in paraffin paper. thursday.--bean celery salad. mix one can of veribest pork and beans, four tablespoons of celery cut in one eighth inch rings, two tablespoons of finely chopped onions, and one fourth cup of good boiled dressing. marinate thoroughly, but stir slightly. rub the salad dish with a cut clove of garlic. arrange lettuce leaves around the salad bowl and in the center make a mound of the salad mixture, to which one fourth cup of whipped cream has been added. garnish with stuffed olives cut in rings. friday.--attractive luncheon dish. heat one can of veribest pork and beans (without tomato sauce), tossing about with fork to prevent breaking or mashing the beans. season to taste. serve in beet shells which have been previously prepared as follows: wash the beets carefully, so as not to break the skins, and boil rapidly until tender. then cover with cold water, and with the hands remove the skins. scoop out the centers and fill the cases with the beans. garnish with young celery leaves. saturday.--puree of beans. to one can of armour's veribest beans and tomato sauce add two cups of milk; boil for a few minutes and pass through a sieve. add salt and pepper to taste, a dash of sage, dry mustard and more water if required. strain over croutons in the tureen and sprinkle with chopped parsley. sunday night supper.--bean loaf. two cups of veribest pork and beans, mashed to a pulp, one fourth cup of chopped nuts, one cup of browned bread crumbs, two teaspoons of grated onion, two eggs, one half cup of cream or rich milk, one teaspoon of salt. mix thoroughly and put into a greased bread pan. brush with the beaten yolk of egg, milk or cream and bake one half hour. serve with tomato sauce. * * * * * [illustration: jessie tarbox beals utilizing a chimney corner for a book case] * * * * * homely virtues "scorn not the homely virtues. we are prone to search through all the world for something new; and yet sometimes old-fashioned things are best-- old-fashioned work, old-fashioned rectitude, old-fashioned honor and old-fashioned prayer, old-fashioned patience that can bide its time, old-fashioned firesides sacred from the world, old-fashioned satisfaction, with enough old-fashioned candour and simplicity, old-fashioned folks that practice what they preach." answers to correspondents _please tell me the proper way to send wedding announcements. in a family where there are several young men and women do i send each a separate one?_ if economy is no object send each a separate card. if you do not care to do this and they are brothers and sisters you may say "the misses brown" and "the messrs. james and john wilson." _i would like very much to be able to help other housekeepers, but i always feel that i only know the simple things of my rather humdrum life in the country._--mrs. d., ohio. what you know is not known to everyone, nor is what any housekeeper knows a matter of everyday use with other housekeepers. everyone has some short cut or recipe, or personal way of doing things that would lighten the way for others. your recommendation of butterine for instance, would carry weight with some housekeepers who had never before thought of trying it and they would be grateful always for being shown how to cut their butter bill. so with the other suggestions in your good letter from which i have taken extracts for the other pages. i want just such letters as yours. we must not forget that the younger generation of housekeepers are starting housekeeping and scanning columns like these for "the things everyone knows." _yellow and white scheme for coming-out party._--h. m. b. many thanks for the nice things you say about the cook book. am very glad you have enjoyed it so long. the color scheme you mention could be carried out further by wearing white dresses with yellow sashes and hair ribbons. have yellow ices and cakes with white and yellow frosting. egg sandwiches, potato salad garnished with hard boiled eggs halved and yellow flowers, which are quite plentiful now would all help to carry out the idea. _what is the seventh anniversary of a wedding called? and is the celebration of these anniversaries out of style?_--e. g. t., boise city. it is perfectly proper to celebrate and you can have a merry time with little expense. have tiny woolly toy sheep for favors and serve lamb salad (made after a chicken salad recipe). wear a woolen dress and your husband white flannels. _i belong to a little card club and have to entertain the other members one afternoon soon. can you suggest something which is easily prepared and can be served as a lap lunch?_--mrs. f. t., huntington, w. va. ham mousse in individual moulds with thin bread and butter sandwiches. ice cream served in cantaloupe. iced tea with a slice of lemon and armour's grape juice, which needs no flavoring. _what can i put with my silverware when packing it away to keep it from tarnishing?_--mrs. s. pack in bags of canton flannel before putting into the drawers or boxes and place with them a few pieces of camphor gum. _please tell me if it is proper to eat cake with the fingers or must a fork be used?_ it depends on the cake. if one with a soft filling, a fork will be necessary. requested recipes for g. h. molasses custard take one cup molasses (ribbon cane is the best; i have never tried corn syrup), add one half cup sugar, stir well and put on fire to boil for at least five minutes. let cool for a short time, than add three well-beaten eggs, stirring constantly to keep the eggs from curdling. add a tablespoonful of cornstarch. bake in pie crust in the regular way but slowly. to keep from browning too quickly i sometimes place a tin in oven over pie. many thanks to mrs. f. a. f., jacksonville, texas. for mrs. t. h., oswego, n. y. boiled bacon place the bacon in a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover it. bring the water to the simmering point and simmer gently until done (time, about half an hour for a pound for large pieces, less for smaller). add to the water an onion with two or three cloves stuck in it, one carrot, one turnip and some sticks of celery. skim carefully several times. when done, remove the skin and cover with browned bread crumbs. found out! when making shells for custard and lemon pies prick the crust all over with a fork before baking. bake the shells over an inverted pie plate, then place them in pie plate as usual before filling.--mrs. d. h., media, pa. if a cake gets scorched on top when baking, grate lightly with a nutmeg grater rather than try to scrape it with a knife. you will have a better surface for frosting.--c. k., hurley, texas. when your tablecloths begin to wear out make napkins out of the best parts and get a new tablecloth. save your old newspapers and when you sweep soak the papers in water in which a tablespoonful of ammonia has been dissolved. squeeze out and throw the paper pulp on the floor you are about to sweep. it will keep the dust from flying and at the same time brighten the carpets. save all soap scraps and put them into an empty baking powder can that you have turned into a soap shaker by the help of a hammer and nail. punch eight or ten small holes in the top and bottom, run a piece of wire from lid to bottom to hang it up by. when washing dishes shake the box in the water and you will have a nice suds. do not throw away the small pieces of paraffin that you take from the tops of jelly glasses. they can be melted and used again. if you do not make jelly, use them to mix with the kindling. they start a fire like coal oil. ends of candles may be used in the same way. if the wick in the lamp is short and you are out of coal oil, fill the lamp with water. the oil will rise to the top and the wick will burn as long as there is oil to burn. put a tablespoonful of salt in your lamp and the blaze will be twice as bright.--c. l. e., dayton. a damp or slightly oily cloth is all that is necessary to polish oak furniture if it is in good condition. marks made by wet glasses should be rubbed with a mixture of nine parts olive oil and one part paraffin.--mrs. w., stilesboro, ga. a very simple, attractive and inexpensive gift may be made by crocheting a simple edge for bath towels of the silk finished crochet cotton, and working the monogram or initial in cross stitch, using the same thread. the washrag should have a tiny edge to match.--mrs. j. h. m., new mexico. my linen dress had a tear and as it was bought ready made there were no left over pieces. i drew a few threads from the under hem and darned it with these and when laundered it could scarcely be seen.--mrs. j. e. f. hints for october a hot drink with the school lunch whether the individual drinking cup is a requirement in all public schools, or not, its use is a habit which should be encouraged. a collapsible cup takes up little room in the lunch basket. with it place one of the armour bouillon cubes. at lunch time this cube dropped into a cup of hot water provides a drink of bouillon that is refreshing, stimulating and healthful. armour's bouillon cubes, chicken and beef flavor, are sold in tins of , and --each cube wrapped separately in tin foil. fruit out of season the tonic value of pure fruit juices makes them desirable all the year around, and the caloric properties of grape juice place it at the head of the list. just now the armour factories, in the heart of the grape-growing sections of new york and michigan, have their presses at work extracting the pure juice from the season's luscious concords. this juice, undiluted, unfermented and unsweetened, is immediately bottled, retaining all the delicious fragrance and flavor of the grape. for household use there are cases of bottles in quarter-pint sizes and larger. armour's grape juice is a splendid flavor for desserts and ices. government inspection housewives realize, more than ever before, their responsibility in selecting for their families foods that are wholesome and healthful. one of the strictest government inspections is on butterine. in using glendale butterine there is a saving of fully one third over the cost of butter, and there is no question about its cleanliness, purity and wholesomeness. armour's glendale butterine is carefully wrapped and sold in paraffined cartons. the family cupboard anyone in the family can serve on short notice a meal that is sure to please,--_if_ the cupboard is well stocked from the extensive variety of veribest soups, meats and food specialties. all are as thoroughly cooked and seasoned as in the home kitchen, and it's a simple matter to heat the contents of the cans and serve. best grocers in all parts of the country sell veribest goods. a simple lesson in soup making the usual process of simmering meats and vegetables is so tedious and troublesome that frequently soup is omitted from the bill of fare when there is good reason for its presence. it is especially beneficial in preparing the way for the easy digestion of heavier foods. veribest soups are scientifically cooked and seasoned. for use, heat the soup and dilute it to the preferred consistency. the choice of the many it is the greatest satisfaction to know of one breakfast dish that is always welcomed by guests. whether they come from north or south, they relish sweet, crisp bacon. armour's star bacon is a mild sugar cure, hickory smoked, and is most delicate. star bacon is sold in glass jars and paper cartons. keeping household accounts buying ham by the single slice is necessarily much more expensive than buying a whole ham, for there is the cost of cutting besides the waste by this method. after slices are cut from the whole ham, considerable meat will be left on the bone. these bits can be used in many ways, and the bone can be boiled with vegetables or for soup. armour's star ham is cured and smoked by special process which has given it the famous flavor. little but efficient no product is better known or more highly appreciated than the little jars of armour's extract of beef. this extract has many uses, and a little goes far in making soup stock, beef tea, flavoring the cheaper cuts of meat, gravies and vegetables. most druggists and grocers can supply armour's extract of beef in two sizes of jars. women who succeed to have light, flakey pastry, doughnuts that are neither heavy nor grease-soaked, and fried dishes that are just right, our successful cooks have found that the first essential is good, old-fashioned pure leaf lard, tried out in open kettles, just as our grandmothers made it. such is armour's simon pure leaf lard, which is sold only in pails. best dealers can supply it. a luncheon innovation a piquant meat filling for sandwiches--one that is already prepared and requires only careful slicing--is armour's summer sausage. each of the several kinds is a careful blending of meats and seasoning. packed in casing, they will keep indefinitely and therefore it is possible to have a supply at hand ready for any emergency. the secret of good cooking is in the flavoring armour's extract of beef is the pure rich flavor of lean beef, in highly concentrated form. its use solves many kitchen problems and makes for economy. being four times stronger than ordinary extract, only one-fourth as much can be used, or your food will be too rich. this extract of beef supplies delicious flavor to the cheaper cuts of meat, enriches vegetable dishes, restores original tastiness to left-overs, and flavors soups and gravies. _always keep a jar at hand. sold by druggists and grocers._ distributed proofreaders the book of household management; comprising information for the mistress, housekeeper, cook, kitchen-maid, butler, footman, coachman, valet, upper and under house-maids, lady's-maid, maid-of-all-work, laundry-maid, nurse and nurse-maid, monthly, wet, and sick nurses, etc. etc. also, sanitary, medical, & legal memoranda; with a history of the origin, properties, and uses of all things connected with home life and comfort. by mrs. isabella beeton. nothing lovelier can be found in woman, than to study household good.--milton. published originally by s. o. beeton in monthly parts - . first published in a bound edition . preface. i must frankly own, that if i had known, beforehand, that this book would have cost me the labour which it has, i should never have been courageous enough to commence it. what moved me, in the first instance, to attempt a work like this, was the discomfort and suffering which i had seen brought upon men and women by household mismanagement. i have always thought that there is no more fruitful source of family discontent than a housewife's badly-cooked dinners and untidy ways. men are now so well served out of doors,--at their clubs, well-ordered taverns, and dining-houses, that in order to compete with the attractions of these places, a mistress must be thoroughly acquainted with the theory and practice of cookery, as well as be perfectly conversant with all the other arts of making and keeping a comfortable home. in this book i have attempted to give, under the chapters devoted to cookery, an intelligible arrangement to every recipe, a list of the _ingredients_, a plain statement of the _mode_ of preparing each dish, and a careful estimate of its _cost_, the _number of people_ for whom it is _sufficient_, and the time when it is _seasonable_. for the matter of the recipes, i am indebted, in some measure, to many correspondents of the "englishwoman's domestic magazine," who have obligingly placed at my disposal their formulas for many original preparations. a large private circle has also rendered me considerable service. a diligent study of the works of the best modern writers on cookery was also necessary to the faithful fulfilment of my task. friends in england, scotland, ireland, france, and germany, have also very materially aided me. i have paid great attention to those recipes which come under the head of "cold meat cookery." but in the department belonging to the cook i have striven, too, to make my work something more than a cookery book, and have, therefore, on the best authority that i could obtain, given an account of the natural history of the animals and vegetables which we use as food. i have followed the animal from his birth to his appearance on the table; have described the manner of feeding him, and of slaying him, the position of his various joints, and, after giving the recipes, have described the modes of carving meat, poultry, and game. skilful artists have designed the numerous drawings which appear in this work, and which illustrate, better than any description, many important and interesting items. the coloured plates are a novelty not without value. besides the great portion of the book which has especial reference to the cook's department, there are chapters devoted to those of the other servants of the household, who have all, i trust, their duties clearly assigned to them. towards the end of the work will be found valuable chapters on the "management of children"----"the doctor," the latter principally referring to accidents and emergencies, some of which are certain to occur in the experience of every one of us; and the last chapter contains "legal memoranda," which will be serviceable in cases of doubt as to the proper course to be adopted in the relations between landlord and tenant, tax-gatherer and tax-payer, and tradesman and customer. these chapters have been contributed by gentlemen fully entitled to confidence; those on medical subjects by an experienced surgeon, and the legal matter by a solicitor. i wish here to acknowledge the kind letters and congratulations i have received during the progress of this work, and have only further to add, that i trust the result of the four years' incessant labour which i have expended will not be altogether unacceptable to some of my countrymen and countrywomen. isabella beeton. general contents chap. i.--the mistress. .--the housekeeper. .--arrangement and economy of the kitchen. .--introduction to cookery. .--general directions for making soups. .--recipes. .--the natural history of fishes. .--recipes. .--sauces, pickles, gravies, and forcemeats.--general remarks. .--recipes. .--various modes of cooking meat. .--general observations on quadrupeds. .--recipes. .--general observations on the sheep and lamb. .--recipes. .--general observations on the common hog. .--recipes. .--general observations on the calf. .--recipes. .--general observations on birds. .--recipes. .--general observations on game. .--recipes. .--general observations on vegetables. .--recipes. .--general observations on puddings and pastry. .--recipes .--general observations on creams, jellies, soufflÉs, omelets, and sweet dishes. --recipes. .--general observations on preserves, confectionery, ices, and dessert dishes. .--recipes. .--general observations on milk, butter, cheese, and eggs. .--recipes. .--general observations on bread, biscuits, and cakes. .--recipes. .--general observations on beverages. .--recipes. .--invalid cookery. .--recipes. .--dinners and dining. .--domestic servants. .--the rearing and management of children, and diseases of infancy and childhood. .--the doctor .--legal memoranda analytical index. note.--where a "_p_" occurs before the number for reference, the _page_, and not the paragraph, is to be sought. accidents, injuries, &c. remarks on agreements - alexanders alkalis allium, the genus allspice almond, the bitter cake cheesecakes flowers icing for cakes paste, for second-course dishes pudding, baked puddings, small puffs soup tree , uses of the sweet almonds, and raisins husks of anchovy, the butter butter or paste paste sauce toast anchovies, fried potted animals, period between birth and maturity quality of the flesh of - saxon names of tails of tongues of apoplexy - apple, the charlotte charlotte aux pommes an easy method of making cheesecakes constituents of the custard, baked dumplings, baked boiled fritters ginger , jam jelly - clear or marmalade pudding, baked, rich more economical very good boiled iced rich, sweet sauce, brown for geese or pork snow snowballs soufflé soup tart, creamed or pie tourte or cake trifle universally popular uses of the - apples, à la portugaise and rice a pretty dish buttered compote of dish of flanc of - ginger ices in red jelly stewed, and custard to preserve in quarters (imitation of ginger) apprentices apricot, cream jam or marmalade pudding qualities of the tart apricots, compote of flanc of arrowroot, biscuits, or drops blancmange arrowroot, manufacture of , pudding, baked or boiled sauce for puddings to make what miss nightingale says of arsenic artichoke, composite or composite flowers of constituent properties of the jerusalem uses of the artichokes, a french mode of cooking a l'italienne fried jerusalem, boiled mashed soup with white sauce to boil asparagus, ancient notion of boiled island medicinal uses of peas pudding sauce soup - aspic, or ornamental savoury jelly attestation to wills bachelor's omelet pudding bacon, boiled broiled rashers of curing of and keeping it free from rust - in the devonshire way in the wiltshire way fried rashers of, and poached eggs bain-marie bakewell pudding, very rich plainer ball suppers _pp._ - bandoline, to make bantam, the barbel, the to dress barberries, in bunches barberry, description of the tart barley, gruel soup sugar water, to make baroness pudding basil baths and fomentations, remarks on cold heat of warm and hot bath batter pudding, baked with fruits boiled orange bay or laurel, varieties of consecrated by priests bean, haricot, the beans, boiled, broad or windsor french broad, à la poulette french mode of cooking haricots and minced onions blancs à la maitre d'hôtel blancs, or white haricots and lentils nutritive properties of origin and varieties of béchamel, or french white sauce maigre, or without meat sauce beef, aitchbone of, boiled to carve an _p._ a la mode - baked - baron of bones, broiled brisket of, à la flamande to carve a _p._ to stew broiled, and mushroom sauce oyster sauce cake carving _p._ collared collops minced curried different seasons for dripping, to clarify - fillet of roast, larded french frenchman's opinion of fricandeau of fried, salt fritters hashed - hung, to prepare hunter's kidney, to dress - marrow-bones boiled minced miriton of names of the several joints olives - palates, to dress pickle for potted - qualities of ragoût of rib bones of ribs of, boned and rolled, roast (joint for a small family) roast to carve _p._ rissoles roast rolled rolls round of, boiled miniature to carve a _p._ round of, to pickle part of a rump of, stewed steak sausages seasons for shin of, stewed sirloin of, roast to carve a _p._ sliced and broiled spiced (to serve cold) steak, a fried rump and kidney pudding oyster sauce broiled pie pudding, baked rolled, roasted, and stuffed stewed, and celery sauce with oysters with fried potatoes tea, baked savoury to make tongue, boiled pickle for to carve a _p._ to cure a - to pickle and dress a, to eat cold to salt dutch way beef-tea, dr. christison's miss nightingale's opinion of beer, table beetroot boiled pickled benton sauce bequests, legacies, &c. - beverages, general observations on , bills of fare, for january _pp._ - february - march - april - may - june - july - august - september - october - november - december - ball supper for persons _p._ ball supper, cold collation, for a summer entertainment for or persons _p._ breakfasts game dinner for persons _p._ luncheons and suppers _p._ menu, service à la russe _pp._ - picnic for persons suppers _p._ birds, general observations on - biscuit powder biscuits, arrowroot cocoa nut crisp dessert lemon macaroons ratafias remarks on - rice rock savoy seed simple, hard soda bites and stings, general remarks on of insects - of snakes of dogs blackcock, heathcock, &c. roast to carve a blancmange arrowroot. cheap lemon rice bleeding, from the nose operation of - blonde, to clean blood, spitting of boar's head, importance of the the westphalian bones, dislocation of fracture of bonnets books of account boots, polish for - bottled fresh fruit - with sugar boudin, à la reine brain, concussion of, stunning brandy, cherry lemon orange varieties of bread, and bread-making - and-butter fritters pudding crumbs, fried fried for borders indian-corn-flour making in spain origin of properties of pudding, baked boiled brown miniature very plain rice sauce - sippets of, fried soda bread, soup to make a peck of good to make good home-made to make yeast for breakfasts _p._ , _par_ - breath, shortness of, or difficult breathing bride-cake, rich bridles brill, the to carve a _pp._ - brilla soup brocoli, boiled broth, calf's-foot chicken eel mutton to make mutton to quickly make brown roux for thickening gravies browning, for sauces and gravies for stock bruises, lacerations, and cuts treatment of brushes, to wash brussels sprouts, boiled bubble-and-squeak bullock's heart, to dress a buns, light plain to make good plain victoria burns and scalds treatment of the first class of treatment of the second class treatment of the third class butler, care of plate and house duties of the, at breakfast, luncheon, dinner, and dessert - luncheon, in the drawing-room lights, attention to wine, bottling - wine, cellar - wine, fining butter, anchovy , antiquity of beurre noir, or brown butter (a french sauce) clarified colouring of curled easily digested fairy general observations on - how to keep how to keep fresh in haste maitre d'hôtel melted - melted (the french sauce blanche) melted made with milk moulds for moulding fresh butter thickened to keep and choose, fresh to preserve and to choose, salt what to do with rancid cabbage, the boiled colewort, or wild green kale, or borecole kohl-rabi, or turnip qualities of the red, pickled red, stewed savoy, and brussels sprouts savoy, description of the soup tribe and their origin turnip tops and greens cabinet, or chancellor's pudding plain, or boiled bread-and-butter pudding café au lait noir cake, almond breakfast, nice bride or christening christmas cocoa-nut economical good holiday honey lemon luncheon nice useful pavini plain plain for children plum, common plum, nice pound queen rice , saucer, for tea savoy , scrap seed, common seed, very good snow - soda sponge - sponge small, to make tea tea to toast tipsy tipsy an easy way of making yeast cakes, hints on making and baking - calf, the birth of the breeding of the fattening the feeding a general observations on the - in america names of the symbol of divine power the golden when it should be killed calf's feet, baked or stewed calf's feet, boiled with parsley and butter calf's feet, broth calf's feet, fricasseed jelly head, à la maitre d'hôtel boiled - collared club fricasseed hashed soup to carve a liver and bacon aux fines herbes larded and roasted udder, for french forcemeats calomel camp-vinegar canary-pudding candlesticks cannelons, or fried puffs caper-sauce, for boiled mutton for fish substitute for capercalzie, the capers capsicums, pickled carbonate of soda carp, the age of the baked stewed carpet sweeping carriages - carrot, the constituents of the jam, to imitate apricot preserve nutritive properties of the origin of the pudding, boiled or baked seed of the soup - varieties of the carrots, boiled sliced stewed to dress in the german way carving, beef _p._ aitchbone of _p._ brisket of _p._ ribs of _p._ round of _p._ sirloin of _p._ blackcock brill _pp._ - calf's head codfish _p._ duck wild fowl - goose grouse ham hare lamb - landrail mutton, haunch of leg of loin of mutton, saddle of shoulder of partridge pheasant pigeon plover pork leg of ptarmigan quail rabbit salmon _p._ snipe soles _p._ sucking-pig teal tongue _p._ turbot _p._ turkey veal breast of fillet of knuckle of loin of venison, haunch of widgeon woodcock cauliflower, description of the properties of the cauliflowers, à la sauce blanche boiled with parmesan cheese cayenne, varieties of vinegar or essence of cayenne celery, indigenous to britain origin of sauce for boiled turkey, poultry, &c. (a more simple recipe) soup stewed à la crême with white sauce - to dress various uses of , vinegar champagne cup chanticleer and his companions chantilly soup char, the charlotte apple, very simple aux pommes, an easy method of making - russe cheese cayenne cream damson decomposed fondue brillat savarin's general observations on - macaroni, as usually served with - mode of serving pork _paragraph_ pounded raisin ramakins, to serve with - sandwiches scotch rarebit smoking stilton toasted, or scotch rarebit welsh cheesecakes, almond apple lemon cherokee or store sauce cherries, dried morello, to preserve to preserve in syrup cherry, brandy jam sauce for sweet puddings tart tree in rome varieties of the chervil, peculiarities of chestnut sauce, brown for fowls or turkey spanish, soup uses of the chicken, boiled broth curried cutlets french fricasseed or fowl patties pie potted pox, or glass-pox - salad chickens, age and flavour of chili vinegar china chilo chocolate, box of cream history of soufflé to make cholera, and autumnal complaints christmas, cake plum-pudding, very good pudding, plain, for children christopher north's sauce for game or meat chub, the churning churns cleaning the cinnamon-tree, the citron, uses of the varieties of the claret cup varieties of cleanings, periodical - cleanliness, advantages of clothes, cleaning clove, derivation of the name tree coach-house and stables coach-house and stables, furniture of the harness-room heat of stables horse, the stalls ventilation of stables coachman, carriages - choosing horses driving duties of the pace of driving whip, the cock-a-leekie cocoa and chocolate, various uses of to make cocoa-nut, the cakes or biscuits soup cod, fecundity of the food of the habitat of the method of preserving season for fishing for the sounds tribe, the codfish, the a la béchamel créme a l'italienne a la maitre d'hôtel curried head and shoulders of to carve _p._ pie - preserving salt, (commonly called salt fish) sounds en poule to choose coffee, café au lait café noir essence of miss nightingale's opinion on nutritious plant simple method of making to make to roast cold-meat cookery:-- beef, baked - bones, broiled broiled, and mushroom sauce oyster sauce bubble-and-squeak cake curried fried salt fritters hashed - minced miriton of olives potted ragoût rissoles rolls sliced and broiled stewed, and celery sauce with oysters calf's head, a la maitre d'hôtel fricasseed hashed chicken, cutlets or fowl patties potted salad duck, hashed stewed and peas turnips wild, hashed ragoût of fish, and oyster pie cake cod, à la béchamel à la crême curried pie - salmon, curried scallop - turbot, à la crême au gratin fillets of, baked à l'italienne fowl, à la mayonnaise boudin, à la reine croquettes of - fricasseed fried - hashed indian fashion indian dish of minced à la béchamel or chicken, curried ragoût scollops sauté, with peas game, hashed goose, hashed hare, broiled hashed lamb, hashed, and broiled bladebone mutton, baked minced broiled and tomato sauce collops curried cutlets dormers haricot hashed hodge-podge pie ragoût of neck toad in hole pork, cheese cutlets hashed turkey, croquettes of fricasseed hashed veal, baked cake collops, scotch - curried fillet of, au béchamel loin of, au béchamel minced - olive pie patties, fried ragout of rissoles rolis tête de veau en tortue venison, hashed cold, to cure a on the chest college pudding collops, cooking scotch scotch white combs, to clean compote of, apples apricots damsons figs, green gooseberries greengages oranges peaches compotes, to make syrup for confectionary, general observations on consommé, or white stock for many sauces constructive notices convulsions or fits - cook, duties of the cook, kitchen, and scullery-maids early rising first duty of the general directions to the duties of the - cookery, cleanliness of utensils used in excellence in the art of explanation of french terms used in introduction to measures used in copper coriander plant, the corks, with wooden tops corrosive sublimate cow, cheese heel, fried stock for jellies pox, or vaccination - or variola cows, cost of keep for cowslip wine crab, hot sauce, for fish to dress tribe, the crape, to make old look like new crayfish, the crayfish, how preserved potted soup cream, à la valois apricot chocolate devonshire ginger italian lemon economical or custards very good noyeau orange, seville sweet peculiarities of raspberry sauce for fish or white dishes stone, of tous les mois swiss to make ice fruit vanilla whipped creams, general observations on croquettes of, fowl - rice croup symptoms of treatment of - crumpets crust, butter, for boiled puddings common, for raised pies dripping, for kitchen puddings and pies for fruit tarts, very good lard or flead pâté brisée, or french, for raised pies short, common good suet, for pies and puddings cucumber, antiquity of the , chate geographical distribution of the indigestible properties and uses of the sauce white soup vinegar (a very nice addition to salads) cucumbers, à la poulette fried for winter use pickled preserving (an excellent way) stewed with onions to dress curds and whey currant, dumplings fritters jam, black red jelly, black red white pudding, black or red boiled red, and raspberry tart currants, iced uses of zante, description of curry powder custard, apple, baked boiled creams, or lemon pudding, baked boiled sauce for sweet puddings or tarts tartlets, or fanchonnettes cutlets, chicken french invalid's lamb mutton italian of cold pheasant pork - salmon sauce for veal à la maintenon cygnet, the dace, the dairy, the butter, colouring of milk washing churning churns cleaning the churn, &c. cows, cost of keep for devonshire system hair sieve maid, charge of dairy produce duties of the milk, dishes general management of pails situation of the dampfnudeln, or german puddings damson, the a very nice preserve cheese jam pudding tart damsons, baked for winter use compote of to preserve, or any other kind of plums darioles, à la vanille date, the debts estate chargeable with decanters, to clean , deer, the fallow roebuck deer, stag delhi pudding dentition dessert, biscuits dishes general remarks on devonshire, cream junket diarrhoea - dilapidations dinners, and dining - a la russe - menu p. bills of fare for, from to persons, from january to december _pp._ - bills of fare for game, for persons _p_. bills of fare for plain family _pp._ , , , , , , , , , , , diseases of infancy and childhood - dishes, a hundred different domestics, general remarks on - dormers downs, the draught, for summer dress and dressing of infants - drink for warm weather, pleasant dripping, to clarify - driving - drowning, treatment after duck, the american mode of capturing the aylesbury bow-bill buenos ayres eggs of the , fattening hashed hatching man and dog, decoy roast to carve a rouen snares in lincolnshire stewed, and peas - and turnips to ragoût a whole varieties of the wild, the , , hashed ragoût of roast to carve a ducklings, cooping and feeding dumplings, baked apple boiled apple currant lemon marrow sussex, or hard yeast dusting dutch flummery sauce, for fish green, or hollandaise verte eel, broth haunts of the pie productiveness of the soup tenacity of life of the the common tribe, the voracity of the eels, à la tartare boiled collared en matelote fried stewed - egg, balls for soups and made dishes sauce for salt fish soup wine eggs, à la maitre d'hôtel a la tripe boiled for breakfast, salads, &c. buttered ducks' for hatching - fried general remarks on - liaison of, for thickening sauces oeufs au plat, or au miroir plovers' poached with cream primitive method of cooking quality of - scotch snow, or oeufs à la neige to choose keep fresh for several weeks pickle veneration for white of will crack if dropped in boiling water elderberry wine emetic, tartar empress pudding endive, à la française genus of plant stewed to dress entrée, beef or rump steak, stewed beef, minced collops boudin à la reine calf's head, fricasseed liver, larded and roasted chicken and rice croquettes - cutlets or fowl, fricasseed fowl, hashed sauté with peas lamb, cutlets sweetbreads and asparagus another way to dress lark pie lobster-curry entrée, lobster cutlets patties oyster patties sweetbreads, baked fried stewed veal cutlets à la maintenon broiled collops fricandeau of - tendons de veau - tête de veau vol au vent epaulettes of gold or silver epicurean sauce espagnole, or brown spanish sauce everton toffee exeter pudding eye, lime in the sore stye in the substances in the eyelids, inflammation of the fairy butter fanchonnettes, or custard tartlets fasting feathers fennel sauce for mackerel fig pudding figs, green, compote of fish, addendum and anecdote of _p_. and oyster pie as an article of human food - average prices cake general directions for carving _p._. - dressing - rule in choosing in season january to december _pp_. - kettle pie with tench and eels sauce , scallop - soup stock supply of, for the london market to smoke at home fishes, natural history of - fits apoplexy - and drunkenness, distinctions between epilepsy, distinctions between hysterics distinctions between poisoning by opium, distinctions between epilepsy fainting hysterics the consequence of dentition - fixtures fleece, the golden floorcloth, to clean flounder, the flounders, boiled fried flour, nutritious qualities of flowers, to preserve cut after packing flummery, dutch fomentations - fondue, brillat savarin's to make food for infants, and its preparation , footgear footman, boot-cleaning boot tops breakfast, laying cloth, &c. - brushing clothes decanters dinner - dinners à la russe dress and livery during dinner early rising furniture-rubbing general duties glass-washing - going out with the carriage knives lamp-trimming letters and messages luncheon, duties at management of work manners, modesty, &c. opening wine pantry patent leather boots politeness receptions and evening parties removal of dishes salt-cellars tea waiting at table where a valet is not kept forcemeat, balls for fish soups boiled calf's udder for french for baked pike cold savoury pies various kinds of fish veal, turkeys, fowls, hare, &c. french - or quenelles, for turtle soup, soyer's receipt for oyster fowl, à la mayonnaise and rice croquettes boiled à la béchamel to carve with oysters rice boudin à la reine broiled and mushroom sauce croquettes curried - fricasseed - fried - hashed an indian dish house, the stocking the indian dish of minced à la béchamel pillau poulet aux cressons à la marengo ragoût of roast stuffed to carve a sauté, with peas scallops to bone for fricassees fowls, à la marengo as food bantam feather-legged best to fatten way to fatten black spanish characteristics of health and power chip in cochin china common, or domestic diseases of, and how to cure dorking eggs for hatching feeding and cooping game guinea hatching moulting season, the obstruction of the crop pencilled hamburg poland scour, or dysentery in serai ta-ook, or fowls of the sultan sir john sebright's bantams sitting skin disease in space for speckled hamburg "turn" in various modes of fattening young freezing apparatus, method of working the french terms used in cookery fritters, apple beef bread-and-butter currant indian orange peach pineapple plain potato rice fruit, dish of mixed summer fresh to bottle - ice creams, to make in season, january to december _pp._ - spots, to remove to bottle with sugar turnovers water ices, to make fuel fungi, analysis of varieties of furniture cleaning , gloss, german polish - furs, feathers, and woollens game, general observations on - hashed in season, january to december _pp._ - garlic geneva wafers genevese sauce german pudding or dampfnudeln gherkins, or young cucumbers pickled giblet pie soup gilt frames, to brighten ginger, apples beer cream preserved pudding qualities of wine gingerbread, nuts, rich sweetmeat sunderland thick white glaize, cold joints to for covering cold hams, tongues, &c kettle godfrey's cordial golden fleece, order of the , pudding goose, brent description of the egyptian hashed roast to carve a stuffing for (soyer's) to dress a green wild gooseberries, compote of gooseberry, the fool indigenous to british isles jam - white or green jelly pudding, baked gooseberry pudding, boiled sauce for boiled mackerel tart trifle vinegar wine, effervescing grapes, qualities of grates , , gravy, a quickly-made beef, for poultry or game (good) brown without meat cheap, for minced veal hashes for roast meat venison general stock for jugged, excellent kettle made without meat, for fowls orange rich, for hashes and ragouts roux, for thickening brown white soup veal, for white sauces, fricassees greengage jam greengages, compote of to preserve dry in syrup green sauce greens, boiled, turnip turnip-tops, and cabbage groom, bridles cleaning fawn or yellow leather duties of the exercising the horses feeding the horses - harness cleaning old - paste shoeing watering horses , wheel-grease grouse, description of the - pie roast salad to carve a gruel, barley to make gudgeon, the habitat of the guinea-fowl, description of the roast guinea-pig, the gurnet, the to dress haddock, habitat of the finnan weight of the haddocks, baked boiled dried - hair-dressing - hair, pomade for - to promote growth of wash for ham, fried and eggs omelet potted - to bake a boil a carve a give it an excellent flavour glaize hams, curing of for curing to cure in the devonshire way sweet, in the westmoreland way pickle salt two smoke at home hare, broiled extreme timidity of the hashed jugged - potted roast soup to carve a the common haricot, beans, and minced onions blancs à la maître d'hôtel mutton - - to boil blancs, or white haricot beans harness, cleaning old - paste room, the heart, palpitation of the henbane, hemlock, nightshade, and foxglove herbs, to dry for winter use powder of, for flavouring sweet heradotus pudding herring, the red herrings, baked, white red, or yarmouth bleaters to choose hessian soup hidden mountain, the hodge-podge , hog, antiquity of the , fossil remains of the general observations on the common - in england not bacon universality of the wild and domestic holly leaves, to frost honey cake hooping cough , symptoms of treatment of - horse, the horses, choosing exercising horses feeding - watering , horseradish, the medical properties of the sauce vinegar hot spice housekeeper, daily duties of the - general duties of the knowledge of cookery necessary qualifications for a housemaid, bedroom, attention to , - bright grates candlestick and lamp-cleaning carpet-sweeping chips broken off furniture cleanings, periodical - dress of the dusting duties after dinner evening general - fire-lighting - furniture-cleaning , general directions to the - hartshorn, for plate-cleaning laying dinner-table - marble, to clean - needlework plate, to clean rags for daily use upper and under waiting at table recipe, brunswick black, to make cement for joining broken glass or china - decanters, to clean floorcloth, to clean furniture gloss, german paste polish - gilt frames, to brighten grates and fire irons, to preserve from rust polish for bright grates hunter's pudding husband and wife - hysterics ice, fruit creams, to make lemon-water to ice, or glaze pastry iced, apple pudding apples, or apple hedgehog currants oranges pudding ices, fruit-water, to make general observations on - icing, for cakes, almond sugar indian, chetney sauce corn-flour bread curry powder fritters mustard pickle trifle infant, the - ink-spots, to remove invalid cookery, rules to be observed in - invalid's cutlet, the jelly lemonade insurance - i. o. u., the irish stew - ironing , - isinglass italian, cream mutton cutlets rusks sauce, brown white jam, apple apricot, or marmalade carrot cherry currant, black red damson gooseberry - white or green greengage omelet plum raspberry rhubarb and orange roly pudding strawberry jaunemange jelly, apple - clear thick, or marmalade bag, how to make bottled, how to mould calf's foot cow-heel, stock for currant, black red white general observations on gooseberry invalid's isinglass or gelatine lemon liqueur moulded with fresh fruit with slices of orange of two colours open with whipped cream orange quince raspberry savoury, for meat pies stock for, and to clarify it strawberry to clarify syrup for jewels john dory, the to dress the joints, injuries to julienne, soup á la junket, devonshire kale brose kegeree ketchup, mushroom oyster walnut - kettles for fish kidney and beefsteak pudding omelet kidneys, broiled fried kitchen, distribution of a essential requirements of the fuel for the ranges - maid, duties of the necessity for cleanliness scullery maid, duties of the utensils, ancient and modern list of for the kitchens of the middle ages knives kohl rabi, or turnip-cabbage lace collars, to clean lady's maid, arranging the dressing room - attention to bonnets chausserie, or foot-gear dressing, remarks on - duties of the , - when from home evening epaulettes of gold or silver fashions, repairs, &c hairdressing lessons in ironing jewels linen, attention to packing rules of conduct recipe, bandoline, to make blonde, to clean brushes, to wash combs, to clean crape, to make old look like new essence of lemon, use of flowers, to preserve cut to revive after packing fruit-spots, to remove furs, feathers, and woollens grease-spots from cotton or woollen materials, to remove from silks or moires, to remove hair, a good pomade for the - hair, a good wash for the to promote the growth of lace collars, to clean moths, preservatives against the ravages of paint, to remove from silk cloth pomatum, an excellent ribbons or silk, to clean scorched linen to restore stains of syrup or preserved fruit, to remove to remove ink-spots wax, to remove lamb, as a sacrifice breast of, and green peas stewed carving chops cutlets and spinach fore quarter, to carve a to roast a fry general observations on the - hashed and broiled blade-bone of leg of, boiled roast loin of, braised saddle of shoulder of stuffed lamb's sweetbreads, larded another way to dress lambswool, or lamasool lamp-cleaning , lamprey, the landlord and tenant, relations of landrail or corn-crake roast to carve lard, to melt larding lark-pie larks, roast laundry, situation of, and necessary apparatus - maid, cleaning and washing utensils general duties of the ironing - mangling and ironing - rinsing soaking linen sorting linen starch, to make - starching washing - coloured muslins, &c flannels greasy cloths satin and silk ribbons silk handkerchiefs silks laurel, or bay law, general remarks on lead, and its preparations leamington sauce lease, breaks in the leases, general remarks on - leek, badge of the welsh soup legacies - bequests, &c - legal memoranda - lemon, anti venomous biscuits blancmange brandy cake cheesecakes cream (economical) creams or custards dumplings essence of fruit of the jelly juice of the mincemeat pudding, baked - boiled plain rind or peel sauce for boiled fowls for sweet puddings sponge syrup thyme to pickle with the peel on without the peel water ice white sauce for fowls or fricassees uses of the wine lemonade for invalids most harmless of acids nourishing lentil, the lettuce, corrective properties of the varieties of the lettuces, to dress leveret, to dress a liaison lightning, treatment after a person has been struck by linen, attention to scorched, to restore soaking sorting liqueur jelly liver, and lemon sauce for poultry and parsley sauce for poultry complaints and spasms lobster, the a la mode française ancient mode of cooking the celerity of the curry (an entrée) cutlets (an entrée) hot how it feeds local attachment of the patties (an entrée) potted salad sauce shell of the soup to boil to dress lumbago luncheon cake luncheons and suppers - lungs, respiration of - macaroni, as usually served with cheese course - manufacture of , pudding, sweet soup sweet dish of macaroons mace macedoine de fruits mackerel, the baked boiled broiled fillets of garum pickled to choose weight of the voracity of the maid-of-all-work, after breakfast dinner - bedrooms, attention to daily work in before retiring to bed breakfast, preparation for cleaning hall cooking dinner early morning duties general duties routine knife-cleaning laying dinner-cloth needlework, time for waiting at table - washing maigre, soup maître d'hôtel butter sauce (hot) maize cobbett a cultivator of or indian wheat, boiled malt wine manchester pudding mangling and ironing - mango chetney, bengal recipe for making manna kroup pudding qualities of mansfield pudding marble, to clean - marjoram, species of , marlborough pudding marmalade, and vermicelli pudding of apricots orange - an easy way of making made with honey quince marrow, bones boiled dumplings pudding, boiled or baked mayonnaise measles - meat, action of salt on bad baking good in season, january to december _pp_ - modes of cooking - pies, savoury jelly for to buy economically meats, preserved medical memoranda - melon, description of the introduced into england uses of the melons meringues military puddings milk, and cream, separation of to keep in hot weather and suckling - excellence of general observations on - or cream, substitute for qualities of soup millet, italian pannicled mince pies minced collops mincemeat, to make excellent lemon mint sauce vinegar mistress, after-dinner invitations charity and benevolence, duties of choice of acquaintances cleanliness indispensable to health conversation, trifling occurrences daily duties - departure of guests - dessert - dinner announced domestics, engaging giving characters to obtaining treatment of yearly wages, table of mistress, dress and fashion of the early rising etiquette of evening parties - the ball room evenings at home family dinner at home friendships should not be hastily formed good temper, cultivation of guests at dinner-table half-hour before dinner home virtues hospitality, excellence of household duties - house-hunting, locality, aspect, ventilation, rent housekeeping account-book introductions invitations for dinner letters of introduction - marketing morning calls and visits - purchasing of wearing apparel retiring for the night mock-turtle soup - morello cherries, to preserve moths, preservatives against muffins mulberries, preserved mulberry, description of the mullagatawny soup mullet, grey red muriatic acid mushroom, the cultivated growth of the how to distinguish the ketchup localities of the nature of the powder sauce, brown very rich and good white - varieties of the mushrooms, baked broiled pickled stewed in gravy to dry preserve procure mustard how to mix indian tartar mutton, baked minced breast of, boiled (excellent way to cook a) broiled, and tomato sauce broth, quickly made to make carving - china chilo mutton, chops, broiled collops curried cutlets, of cold italian with mashed potatoes dormers fillet of, braised haricot - hashed haunch of, roast to carve a hodge-podge irish stew - kidney, broiled fried leg of, boiled boned and stuffed braised roast to carve a loin of, to carve a roast rolled neck of, boiled ragoût of roast pie - pudding qualities of various saddle of, roast to carve a shoulder of, roast to carve a soup, good nasturtium, uses of the nasturtiums, pickled nature and art in nursing - navet, description of the nectar, welsh nectarines, preserved needlework negus, to make nesselrode pudding nitric acid normandy pippins, stewed notice to quit noxious trades noyeau cream homemade nurse, attention to children's dispositions carrying an infant convulsion fits croup dentition general duties of the - habits of cleanliness in children hooping-cough measles and scarlatina - miss nightingale's remarks on children - worms nursemaids, upper and under nurse, monthly, age of nurse, monthly, attention to cleanliness in the patient's room choice of a doctor's instructions must be observed general duties of the infant must not be exposed to light or cold too early nurse, sick, airing the bed attention to food bad smells must be removed cleanliness, necessity of diet suitable to the patient's taste duties of the necessity for pure air in the sick-room night air injurious, a fallacy opening of windows and doors - patient must not be waked quiet in the patient's room ventilation necessary in febrile cases nurse, wet, abstinence from improper food age of the diet of the general remarks on the - health and morality of the spirits, wines, and narcotics to be avoided nutmeg, the nuts, dish of hazel and filbert olive and olive oil omelet, au thon aux confitures, or jam omelet bachelor's ham kidney plain, sweet soufflé the cure's p. to make a plain onion before the christian era history of the origin of the properties of the sauce, brown or soubise, french white soup - onions, burnt, for gravies pickled - spanish, baked pickled stewed open jam tart opium and its preparations orange, and cloves brandy cream - fritters gravy in portugal, the jelly orange, jelly, moulded with slices of orange marmalade - an easy way of making made with honey pudding, baked salad seville tree, the first in france uses of the wine oranges, a pretty dish of compote of iced to preserve ox, the cheek, soup stewed feet, or cowheel, fried tail, broiled soup tails, stewed oxalic acid oyster, and scallop excellence of the english fishery forcemeat ketchup patties sauce season soup - the edible oysters, fried in batter pickled scalloped stewed to keep paint, to remove from silk cloth pan kail panada pancakes, french richer to make parsley, and butter fried how used by the ancients , juice (for colouring various dishes) to preserve through the winter parsnip, description of the , soup parsnips, to boil partridge, the , broiled hashed, or salmi de perdrix pie potted roast soup to carve a paste, almond common, for family pies french puff, or feuilletage paste, medium puff soyer's recipe for puff very good puff pastry, and puddings, general observations on - ramakins to serve with cheese course sandwiches to ice or glaze - patties, chicken or fowl fried lobster oyster pavini cake pea, origin of the soup green winter, yellow sweet and heath or wood varieties of the , peas, green à la française stewed peach, and nectarine description of the fritters peaches, compote of preserved in brandy pear bon chrétien pears, à l'allemande baked moulded preserved stewed pepper, black long plant, growth of the white perch, the boiled fried stewed with wine pestle and mortar petites bouches pheasant, the broiled cutlets height of excellence in the roast brillat savarin's recipe for soup to carve a pickle, an excellent beetroot, to capsicums, to cucumbers, to for tongues or beef gherkins, to indian (very superior) lemons, to with the peel on mixed mushrooms, to nasturtiums, to onions, to - spanish, to oysters, to red cabbage, to universal walnuts, to pickles of the greeks and romans keeping pie, apple, or tart beef-steak chicken or fowl eel fish and oyster giblet grouse lark mince mutton - partridge pigeon pork, raised little poultry or game, raised rabbit sole or cod tench and eel veal and ham raised olive pig, guinea how roast pig was discovered to silence a novel way of recovering a stolen sucking, to carve a roast to scald the learned pig's cheeks, to dry face, collared fry, to dress liver pettitocs pigs, austrian mode of herding english mode of hunting and indian sticking how pastured and fed formerly pigeon, the barb breeding carrier fantail house or dovecot, aspect of jacobin necessity of cleanliness in the nun owl pie pouter rock runt to carve a trumpeter tumbler turbit wood or wild pigeons, broiled roast stewed pike, the baked boiled pineapple , chips fritters in heathendom preserved for present use pippins, stewed, normandy plaice, the fried stewed plate-cleaning - plover, description of the to carve a dress a plovers' eggs plum, an excellent pudding cake, common nice jam pudding, baked pudding sauce tart plums french, box of stewed cultivation of origin of the names of preserved to preserve dry poisonous food mushrooms poisons calomel copper emetic tartar lead, and its preparations opium and its preparations symptoms of having inhaled strong fumes of smelling salts swallowed alkalis arsenic corrosive sublimate muriatic acid nitric acid oxalic acid prussic acid sulphuric acid syrup of poppies and godfrey's cordial treatment after taking henbane hemlock, nightshade, or foxglove polish tartlets pomatum, an excellent pork, carving cheese cutlets cutlets or chops - griskin of, roast hashed leg of, boiled roast to carve a loin of, roast pickled, to boil pies little, raised sausages, to make to pickle portable soup potato, the analysis of as an article of food bread fritters patty properties of the pudding qualities of the rissoles salad snow soup - - starch sugar uses of the varieties of the potatoes, à la maître d'hôtel baked fried, french fashion german way of cooking how to use cold mashed preserving purée de pommes de terre to boil in their jackets new to steam potted beef - chicken or fowl ham hare partridge shrimps veal poulet, à la marengo aux cressons poultry, in season, january to december _pp_. - pound cake pounded cheese prawn, the soup prawns or shrimps, buttered to boil to dress prescriptions, general remarks on blister, an ordinary clyster draught common black drugs, list of, necessary to carry out all instructions liniment lotion goulard opodeldoc mixtures, aperient fever pills compound iron myrrh and aloes poultice abernethy's plan for making a bread-and-water linseed meal mustard powders preserved, and dried greengages cherries in syrup damsons or any other kind of plums ginger greengages in syrup morello cherries mulberries nectarines oranges peaches in brandy pineapple plums pumpkin strawberries in wine whole preserves, general observations on , primitive ages, simplicity of the - prince of wales soup property law - prussic acid ptarmigan, or white grouse to carve a to dress a pudding, alma almond, baked small apple, baked, very good economical rich boiled iced rich sweet apricot, baked arrowroot, baked or boiled asparagus aunt nelly's bachelor's bakewell - baroness batter, baked with dried or fresh fruit boiled beefsteak and kidney baked bread, baked boiled brown bread, miniature very plain bread-and-butter, baked cabinet, or chancellor's plain, or boiled bread-and-butter canary carrot, baked or boiled christmas, for children, plain plum cold college currant, black or red boiled custard, baked boiled damson delhi empress exeter fig staffordshire recipe folkestone pudding pies german or dampfnudeln ginger golden gooseberry, baked boiled half-pay herodotus hunter's iced lemon, baked - boiled plain macaroni, sweet manchester manna kroup mansfield marlborough marmalade and vermicelli marrow, boiled or baked military monday's mutton nesselrode orange, baked batter paradise pease plum, an excellent baked fresh fruit potato pound, plum an unrivalled quickly made raisin, baked boiled rhubarb, boiled rice, baked more economical boiled with dried and fresh fruit - french, or gâteau de riz ground, boiled or baked iced miniature plain, boiled roly-poly jam royal coburg sago semolina, baked somersetshire suet, to serve with roast meat tapioca treacle, rolled toad-in-the-hole of cold meat vermicelli vicarage west indian yorkshire puddings and pastry, directions for making , general observations on - puits d'amour, or puff-paste rings pumpkin, preserved punch to make hot purchasing a house - quadrupeds, general observations on , quail, description of the to carve a to dress a queen-cakes quenelles à tortue veal quince, the jelly marmalade quin's sauce rabbit, à la minute angora boiled common wild curried fecundity of the fried habitat of the hare himalaya house hutch pie ragoût of, or hare roast or baked soup stewed in milk larded to carve a varieties of the rabbits, fancy radish, varieties of the raised pie, of poultry or game pork - veal and ham raisin, the raisins, cheese grape pudding, baked boiled ramakins, pastry to serve with cheese course raspberry, and currant salad tart cream jam jelly vinegar raspberries, red and white ratafias ravigotte, a french salad sauce reading sauce rearing by hand - rearing, management, and diseases of infancy and childhood - receipts regency soup rémoulade, or french salad dressing rent, recovery of - rhubarb, and orange jam description of jam pudding, boiled tart wine ribbons, or silk, to clean rice, and apples biscuits or cakes blancmange boiled for curries bread buttered cake casserole of, savoury sweet croquettes esteemed by the ancients fritters ground boiled iced indian, origin of milk paddy pudding, baked more economical boiled plain with dried or fresh fruit french, or gâteau de riz miniature qualities of snowballs soufflé soup - to boil for curries varieties of ringworm, cure for alterative powders for rinsing rissoles, beef roach, the roasting, age of memoranda in rock biscuits rolls, excellent fluted hot meat, or sausage roux, brown, for thickening sauces white, rusks, italian to make sage and onion stuffing sago, alimentary properties of how procured pudding sauce for sweet puddings soup salad, a poetic recipe for boiled chicken dressing - french grouse lobster orange potato scarcity of, in england summer winter salads salmi de perdrix, or hashed partridge salmon, à la genevese and caper sauce aversion of the boiled collared crimped curried cutlets growth of the habitat of the migratory habits of the pickled potted to carve _p._ choose cure tribe salsify, description of to dress salt, action of on meat common fish meat, soyer's recipe for preserving the gravy in sandwiches, of cheese pastry toast victoria sauce, à l'aurore a la matelote allemande, or german sauce anchovy, for fish sauce, apple, brown for geese or pork aristocratique arrowroot, for puddings asparagus béchamel, or french white sauce maigre benton beurre noir, or browned butter, a french sauce bread - browning for butter, melted - made with milk maitre d'hôtel thickened camp vinegar caper, for boiled mutton for fish a substitute for celery, for boiled turkey, poultry, &c. a more simple recipe cherry, for sweet puddings chestnut, brown for turkey or fowls chili vinegar christopher north's, for game or meat consommé, or white stock for crab, for fish cream, for fish or white dishes cucumber white custard, for sweet puddings or tart dutch, for fish green, or hollandaise verte egg, for salt fish epicurean espagnole, or brown spanish fennel, for mackerel fish for boiled puddings steaks wildfowl genevese, for salmon, trout, &c. gooseberry, for boiled mackerel green, for green geese or ducklings horseradish hot spice indian chetney italian, brown white leamington lemon, for boiled fowls for fowls and fricassees, white for sweet puddings liaison of eggs for thickening liver and lemon, for poultry parsley lobster maigre maître d'hôtel (hot) maître d'hôtel (hot) mango chetney (bengal recipe) mayonnaise melted butter - mint mushroom, a very rich and good brown ketchup white - onion, brown french, or soubise white oyster parsley and butter piquante plum-pudding quin's (an excellent fish-sauce) ravigotte reading robert sago, for sweet puddings shrimp soyer's, for plum-puddings store, or cherokee sweet, for puddings venison thickening for - tomato - tournée vanilla custard wine, excellent for puddings for puddings or brandy white - sauces and gravies, in the middle ages manufacture of pickles, gravies, and forcemeats, remarks on , saucer-cakes, for tea sausage, meat cakes meat stuffing or meat rolls sausages, beef pork, fried to make veal savory savoury jelly for meat pies savoy, the biscuits or cakes cake scarlatina, or scarlet fever - scotch, collops white eggs rarebit, or toasted cheese shortbread woodcock scrap cakes scratches sea-bream, the baked mr. yarrell's recipe kale, description of to boil seed, biscuits cake, common very good semolina, pudding, baked qualities of soup uses of shad, the to dress shalot, or eschalot sheep, the general observations on the , poets on the sheep's brains, en matelote feet, or trotters head, to dress singed shepherd, the ettrick the good shepherds and their flocks sherry pale shortbread, scotch shrimp, the sauce shrimps, or prawns, buttered to boil potted sick-rooms, caution in visiting sirloin, origin of the word skate, the boiled crimped small, fried species of to choose with caper sauce (à la française) smelt, the odour of the smelts, to bake to fry snipe, description of the snipes, to carve to dress snow cake - eggs, or oeufs à la neige snowballs, apple rice soda, biscuits bread cake carbonate of sole, the flavour of the or cod pie soles, a favourite dish of the ancient greeks baked boiled or fried, to carve _p._ filleted, à l'italienne fricasseed fried filleted how caught to choose with cream sauce mushrooms sorrel qualities of soufflé, apple chocolate omelette rice to make a soufflés, general observations on soup, à la cantatrice crecy flamande - julienne reine - solferino almond apple artichoke, jerusalem asparagus - baked barley bread brilla broth and bouillon, general remarks on - cabbage calf's head carrot - celery chantilly chemistry and economy of making , chestnut, spanish cock-a leekie cocoa-nut crayfish cucumber eel egg family, a good fish, stock general directions for making giblet gravy hare hessian hodge-podge in season, january to december _pp._ , kale brose leek lobster macaroni maigre making, the chemistry of - milk mock-turtle - mutton, good ox-cheek ox-tail oyster - pan kail parsnip partridge pea, green inexpensive winter, yellow pheasant portable potage printanier potato - prawn prince of wales rabbit regency rice - sago seasonings for semolina spanish chestnut spinach spring stew - of salt meat tapioca turkey turnip turtle useful for benevolent purposes vegetable - marrow vermicelli - white sow, berkshire chinese cumberland essex price of, in africa yorkshire soy soyer's recipe for goose stuffing spanish onions pickled spiced beef spinach, description of dressed with cream, à la française french mode of dressing green, for colouring dishes soup to boil, english mode varieties of , sponge cake small, to make lemon sprains sprat, the sprats dried fried in batter sprouts boiled, brussels to boil young greens, or stables and coach-house heat of stains of syrup, or preserved fruits, to remove stalls stammering cure for stamp duties starch, to make - starching stew soup - stilton cheese stock, browning for stock, cow-heel economical for gravies, general for jelly medium rich strong to clarify white stomach, digestion - stone cream store sauce, or cherokee strawberry, jam jelly name of, among the greeks origin of the name strawberries, and cream dish of to preserve whole in wine stuffing, for geese, ducks, pork, &c sausage meat for turkey soyer's recipe for sturgeon, the baked estimate of, by the ancients roast stye in the eye substitute for milk and cream sucking-pig, to carve to roast scald suffocation, apparent carbonic acid gas, choke-damp of mines sugar, and beetroot cane french icing for cakes introduction of potato qualities of to boil to caramel sulphuric acid sultana grape suppers - sweetbreads, baked fried stewed sweet dishes, general observations on - swine, flesh of, in hot climates swineherds of antiquity saxon swiss cream syllabub, to make whipped syrup, for compotes, to make lemon of poppies to clarify tails, strange tapioca pudding soup wholesomeness of , tart, apple creamed apricot barberry, cherry damson gooseberry plum raspberry and currant rhubarb strawberry, or any other kind of preserve, open tartlets polish tarragon taxes tea and coffee miss nightingale's opinion on the use of to make teacakes to toast teal, to carve to roast a teething - tenancy, by sufferance general remarks on tench, the and eel-pie matelote of singular quality in the stewed with wine terms used in cookery, french thrush and its treatment - thyme tipsy-cake an easy way of making toad-in-the-hole of cold meat toast, and water, to make sandwiches tea-cakes, to to make dry hot buttered toffee, everton, to make tomato, analysis of the extended cultivation of the immense importance in cookery sauce for keeping - stewed - uses of the , , tomatoes, baked, excellent tongue, boiled pickle for to cure - to pickle and dress to eat cold tongues of animals toothache, cure for the - tourte apple or cake treacle, or molasses, description of pudding, rolled trifle, apple gooseberry indian to make a tripe, to dress trout, the stewed truffle, the common impossibility of regular culture of the uses of the truffles, à l' italienne au naturel italian mode of dressing to dress with champagne where found turbot, the À la crême ancient romans' estimate of the au gratin boiled fillet of, baked a l'italienne garnish for, or other large fish to carve a _p_. to choose turkey, boiled croquettes of difficult to rear the disposition of the english feathers of the fricasseed habits of the hashed hunting native of america or fowl, to bone without opening - poults, roast roast stuffing for soup to carve a roast wild turnip greens boiled or the french navet qualities of the soup uses of the whence introduced turnips, boiled german mode of cooking in white sauce mashed turnovers, fruit turtle, mock - soup, cost of the green valet, cleaning clothes duties of the - , polish for boots - vanilla cream custard sauce vanille or vanilla veal, a la bourgeoise and ham pie baked breast of, roast stewed and peas to carve cake collops scotch veal, collops, scotch, white colour of curried cutlets à la maintenon broiled dinner, a very fillet of, au béchamel roast stewed to carve a frenchman's opinion of fricandeau of - knuckle of, ragoût stewed to carve a loin of au daube au béchamel roast to carve manner of cutting up minced - and macaroni neck of, braised roast olive pie patties, fried pie potted quenelles ragoût of, cold rissoles rolls sausages season and choice of shoulder of stewed tendons de veau - tète de veau en tortue vegetable, a variety of the goard fried marrow, a tropical plant boiled in white sauce soup , - vegetables, acetarious and herbs, various cut for soups general observations on , reduced to purée in season, january to december _pp_. - venison antiquity of, as food hashed haunch of, roast sauce for stewed the new to carve ventilation, necessity of, in rooms lighted with gas of stables vermicelli , pudding soup - vicarage pudding victoria sandwiches vinegar, camp. cayenne celery chili cucumber gooseberry horseradish mint raspberry use of, by the romans vol-au-vent, an entrée of fresh strawberries with whipped cream sweet, with fresh fruit wafers, geneva walnut, the ketchup - walnuts, pickled properties of the to have fresh throughout the season warts washing - coloured muslins, &c. flannels greasy cloths satin and silk ribbons silks water, rate souchy - supply of in rome warm what the ancients thought of wax, to remove welsh, nectar rarebit, or toasted cheese west-indian pudding wheat, diseases of egyptian or mummy polish and pomeranian red varieties of wheatear, the wheatears, to dress whipped, cream syllabubs whisky cordial whitebait to dress whiting, the au gratin, or baked aux fines herbes buckhorn boiled broiled fried pout and pollack to carve a _p_. choose whitlow, to cure a widgeon, to carve a roast will, attestation of a advice in making a witnesses to a , wills - form of - wine, cowslip elder ginger gooseberry, effervescing lemon malt orange rhubarb to mull wire-basket witnesses - woodcock, description of the scotch to carve a woodcock, to roast a woollen manufactures woollens worms wounds incised, or cuts , lacerated or torn , punctured or penetrating , yeast cake, nice dumplings kirkleatham to make, for bread yorkshire pudding engravings. almond and blossom puddings almonds and raisins anchovy apple, and blossom compote of jelly stuck with almonds apples, dish of arrowroot artichoke, cardoon jerusalem artichokes asparagus on toast tongs bacon, boiled for larding, and needles bain marie bantams, black feather-legged barbel barberry barley basil basin, pudding basket, wire bay, the bean, broad french haricot scarlet runner beef, aitchbone of brisket of, to carve a collared ribs of, to carve a round of, to carve a beef, side of, showing the several joints sirloin of " to carve a steak pie tongue " to carve a beetroot birds blackcock roast " to carve a blacking-brush box blancmange mould for , boar, westphalian bread, &c. loaf of, cottage tin brill, the brocoli boiled broom, carpet long hair brush, banister cornice crumb dusting furniture plate scrubbing staircase stove buns butler's tray and stand butter, dish dish of, rolled cabbage, seeding cake-moulds , , calf, side of, showing the several joints calf's-head half a to carve a calves sweetbreads of caper, the capercalzie, the capsicum, the carp, the carpet brooms carrots cauliflower, the boiled celery in glass char, the charlotte aux pommes cheese glass hot-water dish for stilton cherry chervil chestnut chocolate, box of milk christmas pudding, &c. chub, the cinnamon citron, the claret-cup clove, the coal, sections of cocoa-bean nut and blossom " palm cod, the cod's head and shoulders, to carve coffee colander, ancient modern coriander cork, with wooden top cow and bull, alderney galloway long-horn short-horn crab, the crayfish cream-mould crumpets cucumber, the , slice sliced currants zante custards, in glasses cygnet dace, the damson, the deer, the eland, bull and cow fallow, buck and doe roebuck the stag and hind dessert dishes dish, baking pie sussex pudding dripping-pan, ancient modern and basting-ladle duck, aylesbury bowbill buenos ayres call roast " to carve a rouen wild " roast " " to carve a eel, the egg poacher, tin stand for breakfast-table eggs, basket of comparative sizes of fried on bacon poached, on toast elder-berries endive ewe, heath leicester romney-marsh south-down fennel figs, compote of fish flounders flowers and fruit , , , fowl, black bantams black spanish boiled " to carve a cochin-china dorking feather-legged bantams game guinea pencilled hamburgs roast " to carve a sebright bantams spangled polands speckled hamburgs sultans fritter mould, star scroll fruit, dish of, mixed dish of, mixed summer game garlic gherkins ginger gingerbread glass measure, graduated goose, emden roast " to carve a toulouse gooseberry grape, raisin sultana gridiron, ancient modern revolving grouse, red roast " to carve a gudgeon, the gurnet, the haddock, the ham, boiled to carve hare, the common , roast " to carve a herring, the horseradish hotplate housemaid's box ice-pail and spattle ices, dish of jack-bottle jam-pot jar-potting jellies, &c jelly, bag mould , " oval moulded with cherries of two colours open with whipped cream john dory kettle, glaze fish gravy kidneys knife-cleaning machine lamb, fore-quarter of " " to carve a leg of loin of ribs of saddle of side of lamprey, the landrail, the leaf in puff paste pastry leeks lemon, the , cream mould dumplings lentil, the lettuce, the lobster, the macaroni macaroons mace mackerel, the maize, ear of plant marjoram marrow-bones milking cow millet, italian panicled mince pies mint mould, baked pudding or cake blancmange , boiled pudding - cake , , cream for christmas plum-pudding for an open tart iced pudding jelly , " oval lemon cream open , raised pie, closed and open raspberry cream vanilla cream muffins mulberry, the mullet, grey striped red mushroom, the mushrooms broiled mustard mutton, cutlets haunch of " to carve a leg of " to carve a loin of " to carve a neck of saddle of " to carve a side of, showing the several joints shoulder of " to carve a nasturtiums nutmeg, the nuts, dish of olive, the omelet pan onion, the orange, the oranges, compote of oyster, edible pail, house pancakes parsley parsnip, the partridge, the roast " to carve a baste, board and rolling-pin cutter and corner-cutter ornamental cutter pincers and jagger patty-pans, plain and fluted pea, the peach, the pear, bon chrétien pears, stewed peas, green pepper, black long perch, the pestle and mortar pheasant, the roast " to carve a pickle, indian pie, raised pig, guinea roast, sucking " " to carve a pig's face pigs pigeon, barb blue rock carrier fantail jacobin nun owl pouter roast runt to carve a trumpeter tumbler turbit wood pike, the pimento plaice, the plover, the plum, the pork, fore loin of griskin of hind loin of leg of, to carve a " roast side of, showing joints spare rib of pot, boiling potato, the pasty pan rissoles sweet potatoes, baked, served in napkin pound cake prawn, the ptarmigan, or white grouse pudding, boiled fruit cabinet punch-bowl and ladle quadrupeds quail, the quern, or grinding-mill quince, the rabbit, angora boiled " to carve a hare, the himalaya lop-eared roast " to carve a wild radish, long turnip raisin, grape ram, heath leicester romney-marsh and ewe south-down and ewe range, modern raspberry, the cream mould ratafias rhubarb rice, casserole of ears of roach, the rolls rusks sage sago palm salad, in bowl salmon, the to carve a _p._ salt-mine at northwich saucepan, ancient modern sauce tureen, boat, &c. sausages, fried sauté-pan ancient modern scales, ancient and modern screen, meat sea-bream, the sea-kale boiled shad, the shalot, the sheep heath ram " ewe romney-marsh ram and ewe south-down ram and ewe shortbread shrimp, the skate, thornback snipe, the roast " to carve a sole, the sorrel soufflé pan sow, and pigs berkshire chinese cumberland essex yorkshire spinach garnished with croûtons sponge cake sprat, the sprouts, brussels stewpan stock-pot, ancient bronze modern stove, gas family kitchener leamington , pompeiian strawberries, dish of sturgeon, the sugar-cane, the sultana grape, the swans tarragon tart, open open mould for a plum tartlets, dish of tazza and carrot leaves tea teacakes tench, the thyme, lemon tipsy cake tomato, the tomatoes, stewed trifle trout, the truffles turbot, the kettle to carve a tureen, soup turkey, boiled roast " to carve a turnip turnips turret on old abbey kitchen turtle, the urns, loysell's hydrostatic utensils for cooking, ancient and modern - vanilla cream mould veal, breast of " to carve a cutlets fillet of " to carve a knuckle of " to carve a loin of " to carve a vegetable, cutter strips of vegetable marrow in white sauce on toast vegetables cellular development of siliceous cuticles of venison, haunch of " roast " to carve a vermicelli vessels for beverages vol-au-vent small walnut, the wheat egyptian, or mummy polish red winter whitebait whiting, the window and flowers wirebasket woodcock, the roast scotch to carve a yorkshire pudding coloured plates. apples in custard beef, round of, boiled roast sirloin of calf's head, boiled charlotte aux pommes cod's head and shoulders crab, dressed duck, wild ducks, couple of, roast eggs, poached, and spinach fowl, boiled with cauliflower roast, with watercresses fruits, centre dish of various goose, roast grouse ham, cold glazed hare, roast jelly, two colours of lobsters, dressed mackerel, boiled mutton cutlets and mashed potatoes haunch of roast saddle of roast mutton, shoulder of roast oysters, scalloped partridge pheasant pie, raised pig, sucking, roast or baked pigeon plum-pudding, christmas, in mould rabbit, boiled or fowl, curried raspberry cream rissoles salmon, boiled snipe soles, dish of filleted spinach and poached eggs strawberries, au naturel, in ornamental flower-pot tongue, cold boiled trifle turbot, or brill, boiled turkey, roast veal, fricandeau of vol-au-vent whiting, dish of, fried woodcock the book of household management. chapter i. the mistress. "strength, and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. she openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. she looketh well to the ways of her household; and eateth not the bread of idleness. her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her."--_proverbs_, xxxi. - . i. as with the commander of an army, or the leader of any enterprise, so is it with the mistress of a house. her spirit will be seen through the whole establishment; and just in proportion as she performs her duties intelligently and thoroughly, so will her domestics follow in her path. of all those acquirements, which more particularly belong to the feminine character, there are none which take a higher rank, in our estimation, than such as enter into a knowledge of household duties; for on these are perpetually dependent the happiness, comfort, and well-being of a family. in this opinion we are borne out by the author of "the vicar of wakefield," who says: "the modest virgin, the prudent wife, and the careful matron, are much more serviceable in life than petticoated philosophers, blustering heroines, or virago queens. she who makes her husband and her children happy, who reclaims the one from vice and trains up the other to virtue, is a much greater character than ladies described in romances, whose whole occupation is to murder mankind with shafts from their quiver, or their eyes." . pursuing this picture, we may add, that to be a good housewife does not necessarily imply an abandonment of proper pleasures or amusing recreation; and we think it the more necessary to express this, as the performance of the duties of a mistress may, to some minds, perhaps seem to be incompatible with the enjoyment of life. let us, however, now proceed to describe some of those home qualities and virtues which are necessary to the proper management of a household, and then point out the plan which may be the most profitably pursued for the daily regulation of its affairs. . early rising is one of the most essential qualities which enter into good household management, as it is not only the parent of health, but of innumerable other advantages. indeed, when a mistress is an early riser, it is almost certain that her house will be orderly and well-managed. on the contrary, if she remain in bed till a late hour, then the domestics, who, as we have before observed, invariably partake somewhat of their mistress's character, will surely become sluggards. to self-indulgence all are more or less disposed, and it is not to be expected that servants are freer from this fault than the heads of houses. the great lord chatham thus gave his advice in reference to this subject:--"i would have inscribed on the curtains of your bed, and the walls of your chamber, 'if you do not rise early, you can make progress in nothing.'" . cleanliness is also indispensable to health, and must be studied both in regard to the person and the house, and all that it contains. cold or tepid baths should be employed every morning, unless, on account of illness or other circumstances, they should be deemed objectionable. the bathing of _children_ will be treated of under the head of "management of children." . frugality and economy are home virtues, without which no household can prosper. dr. johnson says: "frugality may be termed the daughter of prudence, the sister of temperance, and the parent of liberty. he that is extravagant will quickly become poor, and poverty will enforce dependence and invite corruption." the necessity of practising economy should be evident to every one, whether in the possession of an income no more than sufficient for a family's requirements, or of a large fortune, which puts financial adversity out of the question. we must always remember that it is a great merit in housekeeping to manage a little well. "he is a good waggoner," says bishop hall, "that can turn in a little room. to live well in abundance is the praise of the estate, not of the person. i will study more how to give a good account of my little, than how to make it more." in this there is true wisdom, and it may be added, that those who can manage a little well, are most likely to succeed in their management of larger matters. economy and frugality must never, however, be allowed to degenerate into parsimony and meanness. . the choice of acquaintances is very important to the happiness of a mistress and her family. a gossiping acquaintance, who indulges in the scandal and ridicule of her neighbours, should be avoided as a pestilence. it is likewise all-necessary to beware, as thomson sings, "the whisper'd tale, that, like the fabling nile, no fountain knows;-- fair-laced deceit, whose wily, conscious aye ne'er looks direct; the tongue that licks the dust but, when it safely dares, as prompt to sting." if the duties of a family do not sufficiently occupy the time of a mistress, society should be formed of such a kind as will tend to the mutual interchange of general and interesting information. . friendships should not be hastily formed, nor the heart given, at once, to every new-comer. there are ladies who uniformly smile at, and approve everything and everybody, and who possess neither the courage to reprehend vice, nor the generous warmth to defend virtue. the friendship of such persons is without attachment, and their love without affection or even preference. they imagine that every one who has any penetration is ill-natured, and look coldly on a discriminating judgment. it should be remembered, however, that this discernment does not always proceed from an uncharitable temper, but that those who possess a long experience and thorough knowledge of the world, scrutinize the conduct and dispositions of people before they trust themselves to the first fair appearances. addison, who was not deficient in a knowledge of mankind, observes that "a friendship, which makes the least noise, is very often the most useful; for which reason, i should prefer a prudent friend to a zealous one." and joanna baillie tells us that "friendship is no plant of hasty growth, though planted in esteem's deep-fixed soil, the gradual culture of kind intercourse must bring it to perfection." . hospitality is a most excellent virtue; but care must be taken that the love of company, for its own sake, does not become a prevailing passion; for then the habit is no longer hospitality, but dissipation. reality and truthfulness in this, as in all other duties of life, are the points to be studied; for, as washington irving well says, "there is an emanation from the heart in genuine hospitality, which cannot be described, but is immediately felt, and puts the stranger at once at his ease." with respect to the continuance of friendships, however, it may be found necessary, in some cases, for a mistress to relinquish, on assuming the responsibility of a household, many of those commenced in the earlier part of her life. this will be the more requisite, if the number still retained be quite equal to her means and opportunities. . in conversation, trifling occurrences, such as small disappointments, petty annoyances, and other every-day incidents, should never be mentioned to your friends. the extreme injudiciousness of repeating these will be at once apparent, when we reflect on the unsatisfactory discussions which they too frequently occasion, and on the load of advice which they are the cause of being tendered, and which is, too often, of a kind neither to be useful nor agreeable. greater events, whether of joy or sorrow, should be communicated to friends; and, on such occasions, their sympathy gratifies and comforts. if the mistress be a wife, never let an account of her husband's failings pass her lips; and in cultivating the power of conversation, she should keep the versified advice of cowper continually in her memory, that it "should flow like water after summer showers, not as if raised by mere mechanic powers." in reference to its style, dr. johnson, who was himself greatly distinguished for his colloquial abilities, says that "no style is more extensively acceptable than the narrative, because this does not carry an air of superiority over the rest of the company; and, therefore, is most likely to please them. for this purpose we should store our memory with short anecdotes and entertaining pieces of history. almost every one listens with eagerness to extemporary history. vanity often co-operates with curiosity; for he that is a hearer in one place wishes to qualify himself to be a principal speaker in some inferior company; and therefore more attention is given to narrations than anything else in conversation. it is true, indeed, that sallies of wit and quick replies are very pleasing in conversation; but they frequently tend to raise envy in some of the company: but the narrative way neither raises this, nor any other evil passion, but keeps all the company nearly upon an equality, and, if judiciously managed, will at once entertain and improve them all." . good temper should be cultivated by every mistress, as upon it the welfare of the household may be said to turn; indeed, its influence can hardly be over-estimated, as it has the effect of moulding the characters of those around her, and of acting most beneficially on the happiness of the domestic circle. every head of a household should strive to be cheerful, and should never fail to show a deep interest in all that appertains to the well-being of those who claim the protection of her roof. gentleness, not partial and temporary, but universal and regular, should pervade her conduct; for where such a spirit is habitually manifested, it not only delights her children, but makes her domestics attentive and respectful; her visitors are also pleased by it, and their happiness is increased. . on the important subject of dress and fashion we cannot do better than quote an opinion from the eighth volume of the "englishwoman's domestic magazine." the writer there says, "let people write, talk, lecture, satirize, as they may, it cannot be denied that, whatever is the prevailing mode in attire, let it intrinsically be ever so absurd, it will never _look_ as ridiculous as another, or as any other, which, however convenient, comfortable, or even becoming, is totally opposite in style to that generally worn." . in purchasing articles of wearing apparel, whether it be a silk dress, a bonnet, shawl, or riband, it is well for the buyer to consider three things: i. that it be not too expensive for her purse. ii. that its colour harmonize with her complexion, and its size and pattern with her figure. iii. that its tint allow of its being worn with the other garments she possesses. the quaint fuller observes, that the good wife is none of our dainty dames, who love to appear in a variety of suits every day new, as if a gown, like a stratagem in war, were to be used but once. but our good wife sets up a sail according to the keel of her husband's estate; and, if of high parentage, she doth not so remember what she was by birth, that she forgets what she is by match. to _brunettes_, or those ladies having dark complexions, silks of a grave hue are adapted. for _blondes_, or those having fair complexions, lighter colours are preferable, as the richer, deeper hues are too overpowering for the latter. the colours which go best together are green with violet; gold-colour with dark crimson or lilac; pale blue with scarlet; pink with black or white; and gray with scarlet or pink. a cold colour generally requires a warm tint to give life to it. gray and pale blue, for instance, do not combine well, both being cold colours. . the dress of the mistress should always be adapted to her circumstances, and be varied with different occasions. thus, at breakfast she should be attired in a very neat and simple manner, wearing no ornaments. if this dress should decidedly pertain only to the breakfast-hour, and be specially suited for such domestic occupations as usually follow that meal, then it would be well to exchange it before the time for receiving visitors, if the mistress be in the habit of doing so. it is still to be remembered, however, that, in changing the dress, jewellery and ornaments are not to be worn until the full dress for dinner is assumed. further information and hints on the subject of the toilet will appear under the department of the "lady's-maid." the advice of polonius to his son laertes, in shakspeare's tragedy of "hamlet," is most excellent; and although given to one of the male sex, will equally apply to a "fayre ladye:"-- "costly thy habit as thy purse can buy, but not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy; for the apparel oft proclaims the man." . charity and benevolence are duties which a mistress owes to herself as well as to her fellow-creatures; and there is scarcely any income so small, but something may be spared from it, even if it be but "the widow's mite." it is to be always remembered, however, that it is the _spirit_ of charity which imparts to the gift a value far beyond its actual amount, and is by far its better part. true charity, a plant divinely nursed, fed by the love from which it rose at first, thrives against hope, and, in the rudest scene, storms but enliven its unfading green; exub'rant is the shadow it supplies, its fruit on earth, its growth above the skies. visiting the houses of the poor is the only practical way really to understand the actual state of each family; and although there may be difficulties in following out this plan in the metropolis and other large cities, yet in country towns and rural districts these objections do not obtain. great advantages may result from visits paid to the poor; for there being, unfortunately, much ignorance, generally, amongst them with respect to all household knowledge, there will be opportunities for advising and instructing them, in a pleasant and unobtrusive manner, in cleanliness, industry, cookery, and good management. . in marketing, that the best articles are the cheapest, may be laid down as a rule; and it is desirable, unless an experienced and confidential housekeeper be kept, that the mistress should herself purchase all provisions and stores needed for the house. if the mistress be a young wife, and not accustomed to order "things for the house," a little practice and experience will soon teach her who are the best tradespeople to deal with, and what are the best provisions to buy. under each particular head of fish, meat, poultry, game, &c., will be described the proper means of ascertaining the quality of these comestibles. . a housekeeping account-book should invariably be kept, and kept punctually and precisely. the plan for keeping household accounts, which we should recommend, would be to make an entry, that is, write down into a daily diary every amount paid on that particular day, be it ever so small; then, at the end of the month, let these various payments be ranged under their specific heads of butcher, baker, &c.; and thus will be seen the proportions paid to each tradesman, and any one month's expenses may be contrasted with another. the housekeeping accounts should be balanced not less than once a month; so that you may see that the money you have in hand tallies with your account of it in your diary. judge haliburton never wrote truer words than when he said, "no man is rich whose expenditure exceeds his means, and no one is poor whose incomings exceed his outgoings." when, in a large establishment, a housekeeper is kept, it will be advisable for the mistress to examine her accounts regularly. then any increase of expenditure which may be apparent, can easily be explained, and the housekeeper will have the satisfaction of knowing whether her efforts to manage her department well and economically, have been successful. . engaging domestics is one of those duties in which the judgment of the mistress must be keenly exercised. there are some respectable registry-offices, where good servants may sometimes be hired; but the plan rather to be recommended is, for the mistress to make inquiry amongst her circle of friends and acquaintances, and her tradespeople. the latter generally know those in their neighbourhood, who are wanting situations, and will communicate with them, when a personal interview with some of them will enable the mistress to form some idea of the characters of the applicants, and to suit herself accordingly. we would here point out an error--and a grave one it is--into which some mistresses fall. they do not, when engaging a servant, expressly tell her all the duties which she will be expected to perform. this is an act of omission severely to be reprehended. every portion of work which the maid will have to do, should be plainly stated by the mistress, and understood by the servant. if this plan is not carefully adhered to, domestic contention is almost certain to ensue, and this may not be easily settled; so that a change of servants, which is so much to be deprecated, is continually occurring. . in obtaining a servant's character, it is not well to be guided by a written one from some unknown quarter; but it is better to have an interview, if at all possible, with the former mistress. by this means you will be assisted in your decision of the suitableness of the servant for your place, from the appearance of the lady and the state of her house. negligence and want of cleanliness in her and her household generally, will naturally lead you to the conclusion, that her servant has suffered from the influence of the bad example. the proper course to pursue in order to obtain a personal interview with the lady is this:--the servant in search of the situation must be desired to see her former mistress, and ask her to be kind enough to appoint a time, convenient to herself, when you may call on her; this proper observance of courtesy being necessary to prevent any unseasonable intrusion on the part of a stranger. your first questions should be relative to the honesty and general morality of her former servant; and if no objection is stated in that respect, her other qualifications are then to be ascertained. inquiries should be very minute, so that you may avoid disappointment and trouble, by knowing the weak points of your domestic. . the treatment of servants is of the highest possible moment, as well to the mistress as to the domestics themselves. on the head of the house the latter will naturally fix their attention; and if they perceive that the mistress's conduct is regulated by high and correct principles, they will not fail to respect her. if, also, a benevolent desire is shown to promote their comfort, at the same time that a steady performance of their duty is exacted, then their respect will not be unmingled with affection, and they will be still more solicitous to continue to deserve her favour. . in giving a character, it is scarcely necessary to say that the mistress should be guided by a sense of strict justice. it is not fair for one lady to recommend to another, a servant she would not keep herself. the benefit, too, to the servant herself is of small advantage; for the failings which she possesses will increase if suffered to be indulged with impunity. it is hardly necessary to remark, on the other hand, that no angry feelings on the part of a mistress towards her late servant, should ever be allowed, in the slightest degree, to influence her, so far as to induce her to disparage her maid's character. . the following table of the average yearly wages paid to domestics, with the various members of the household placed in the order in which they are usually ranked, will serve as a guide to regulate the expenditure of an establishment:-- when not found in when found in livery. livery. the house steward from £ to £ -- the valet " to from £ to £ the butler " to -- the cook " to -- the gardener " to -- the footman " to " to the under butler " to " to the coachman -- " to the groom " to " to the under footman -- " to the page or footboy " to " to the stableboy " to -- when no extra when an extra allowance is made for allowance is made for tea, sugar, and beer. tea, sugar, and beer. the housekeeper from £ to £ from £ to £ the lady's-maid " to " to the head nurse " to " to the cook " to " to the upper housemaid " to " to the upper laundry-maid " to " to the maid-of-all-work " to " - / to the under housemaid " to " - / to the still-room maid " to " to the nursemaid " to " to the under laundry-maid " to " to the kitchen-maid " to " to the scullery-maid " to " to these quotations of wages are those usually given in or near the metropolis; but, of course, there are many circumstances connected with locality, and also having reference to the long service on the one hand, or the inexperience on the other, of domestics, which may render the wages still higher or lower than those named above. all the domestics mentioned in the above table would enter into the establishment of a wealthy nobleman. the number of servants, of course, would become smaller in proportion to the lesser size of the establishment; and we may here enumerate a scale of servants suited to various incomes, commencing with-- about £ , a year--a cook, upper housemaid, nursemaid, under housemaid, and a man servant. about £ a year--a cook, housemaid, nursemaid, and footboy. about £ a year--a cook, housemaid, and nursemaid. about £ a year--a maid-of-all-work and nursemaid. about £ or £ a year--a maid-of-all-work (and girl occasionally). . having thus indicated some of the more general duties of the mistress, relative to the moral government of her household, we will now give a few specific instructions on matters having a more practical relation to the position which she is supposed to occupy in the eye of the world. to do this the more clearly, we will begin with her earliest duties, and take her completely through the occupations of a day. . having risen early, as we have already advised (_see_ ), and having given due attention to the bath, and made a careful toilet, it will be well at once to see that the children have received their proper ablutions, and are in every way clean and comfortable. the first meal of the day, breakfast, will then be served, at which all the family should be punctually present, unless illness, or other circumstances, prevent. . after breakfast is over, it will be well for the mistress to make a round of the kitchen and other offices, to see that all are in order, and that the morning's work has been properly performed by the various domestics. the orders for the day should then be given, and any questions which the domestics desire to ask, respecting their several departments, should be answered, and any special articles they may require, handed to them from the store-closet. in those establishments where there is a housekeeper, it will not be so necessary for the mistress, personally, to perform the above-named duties. . after this general superintendence of her servants, the mistress, if a mother of a young family, may devote herself to the instruction of some of its younger members, or to the examination of the state of their wardrobe, leaving the later portion of the morning for reading, or for some amusing recreation. "recreation," says bishop hall, "is intended to the mind as whetting is to the scythe, to sharpen the edge of it, which would otherwise grow dull and blunt. he, therefore, that spends his whole time in recreation is ever whetting, never mowing; his grass may grow and his steed starve; as, contrarily, he that always toils and never recreates, is ever mowing, never whetting, labouring much to little purpose. as good no scythe as no edge. then only doth the work go forward, when the scythe is so seasonably and moderately whetted that it may cut, and so cut, that it may have the help of sharpening." unless the means of the mistress be very circumscribed, and she be obliged to devote a great deal of her time to the making of her children's clothes, and other economical pursuits, it is right that she should give some time to the pleasures of literature, the innocent delights of the garden, and to the improvement of any special abilities for music, painting, and other elegant arts, which she may, happily, possess. . these duties and pleasures being performed and enjoyed, the hour of luncheon will have arrived. this is a very necessary meal between an early breakfast and a late dinner, as a healthy person, with good exercise, should have a fresh supply of food once in four hours. it should be a light meal; but its solidity must, of course, be, in some degree, proportionate to the time it is intended to enable you to wait for your dinner, and the amount of exercise you take in the mean time. at this time, also, the servants' dinner will be served. in those establishments where an early dinner is served, that will, of course, take the place of the luncheon. in many houses, where a nursery dinner is provided for the children and about one o'clock, the mistress and the elder portion of the family make their luncheon at the same time from the same joint, or whatever may be provided. a mistress will arrange, according to circumstances, the serving of the meal; but the more usual plan is for the lady of the house to have the joint brought to her table, and afterwards carried to the nursery. . after luncheon, morning calls and visits may be made and received. these may be divided under three heads: those of ceremony, friendship, and congratulation or condolence. visits of ceremony, or courtesy, which occasionally merge into those of friendship, are to be paid under various circumstances. thus, they are uniformly required after dining at a friend's house, or after a ball, picnic, or any other party. these visits should be short, a stay of from fifteen to twenty minutes being quite sufficient. a lady paying a visit may remove her boa or neckerchief; but neither her shawl nor bonnet. when other visitors are announced, it is well to retire as soon as possible, taking care to let it appear that their arrival is not the cause. when they are quietly seated, and the bustle of their entrance is over, rise from your chair, taking a kind leave of the hostess, and bowing politely to the guests. should you call at an inconvenient time, not having ascertained the luncheon hour, or from any other inadvertence, retire as soon as possible, without, however, showing that you feel yourself an intruder. it is not difficult for any well-bred or even good-tempered person, to know what to say on such an occasion, and, on politely withdrawing, a promise can be made to call again, if the lady you have called on, appear really disappointed. . in paying visits of friendship, it will not be so necessary to be guided by etiquette as in paying visits of ceremony; and if a lady be pressed by her friend to remove her shawl and bonnet, it can be done if it will not interfere with her subsequent arrangements. it is, however, requisite to call at suitable times, and to avoid staying too long, if your friend is engaged. the courtesies of society should ever be maintained, even in the domestic circle, and amongst the nearest friends. during these visits, the manners should be easy and cheerful, and the subjects of conversation such as may be readily terminated. serious discussions or arguments are to be altogether avoided, and there is much danger and impropriety in expressing opinions of those persons and characters with whom, perhaps, there is but a slight acquaintance. (_see_ , , and .) it is not advisable, at any time, to take favourite dogs into another lady's drawing-room, for many persons have an absolute dislike to such animals; and besides this, there is always a chance of a breakage of some article occurring, through their leaping and bounding here and there, sometimes very much to the fear and annoyance of the hostess. her children, also, unless they are particularly well-trained and orderly, and she is on exceedingly friendly terms with the hostess, should not accompany a lady in making morning calls. where a lady, however, pays her visits in a carriage, the children can be taken in the vehicle, and remain in it until the visit is over. . for morning calls, it is well to be neatly attired; for a costume very different to that you generally wear, or anything approaching an evening dress, will be very much out of place. as a general rule, it may be said, both in reference to this and all other occasions, it is better to be under-dressed than over-dressed. a strict account should be kept of ceremonial visits, and notice how soon your visits have been returned. an opinion may thus be formed as to whether your frequent visits are, or are not, desirable. there are, naturally, instances when the circumstances of old age or ill health will preclude any return of a call; but when this is the case, it must not interrupt the discharge of the duty. . in paying visits of condolence, it is to be remembered that they should be paid within a week after the event which occasions them. if the acquaintance, however, is but slight, then immediately after the family has appeared at public worship. a lady should send in her card, and if her friends be able to receive her, the visitor's manner and conversation should be subdued and in harmony with the character of her visit. courtesy would dictate that a mourning card should be used, and that visitors, in paying condoling visits, should be dressed in black, either silk or plain-coloured apparel. sympathy with the affliction of the family, is thus expressed, and these attentions are, in such cases, pleasing and soothing. in all these visits, if your acquaintance or friend be not at home, a card should be left. if in a carriage, the servant will answer your inquiry and receive your card; if paying your visits on foot, give your card to the servant in the hall, but leave to go in and rest should on no account be asked. the form of words, "not at home," may be understood in different senses; but the only courteous way is to receive them as being perfectly true. you may imagine that the lady of the house is really at home, and that she would make an exception in your favour, or you may think that your acquaintance is not desired; but, in either case, not the slightest word is to escape you, which would suggest, on your part, such an impression. . in receiving morning calls, the foregoing description of the etiquette to be observed in paying them, will be of considerable service. it is to be added, however, that the occupations of drawing, music, or reading should be suspended on the entrance of morning visitors. if a lady, however, be engaged with light needlework, and none other is appropriate in the drawing-room, it may not be, under some circumstances, inconsistent with good breeding to quietly continue it during conversation, particularly if the visit be protracted, or the visitors be gentlemen. formerly the custom was to accompany all visitors quitting the house to the door, and there take leave of them; but modern society, which has thrown off a great deal of this kind of ceremony, now merely requires that the lady of the house should rise from her seat, shake hands, or courtesy, in accordance with the intimacy she has with her guests, and ring the bell to summon the servant to attend them and open the door. in making a first call, either upon a newly-married couple, or persons newly arrived in the neighbourhood, a lady should leave her husband's card together with her own, at the same time, stating that the profession or business in which he is engaged has prevented him from having the pleasure of paying the visit, with her. it is a custom with many ladies, when on the eve of an absence from their neighbourhood, to leave or send their own and husband's cards, with the letters p. p. c. in the right-hand corner. these letters are the initials of the french words, "_pour prendre congé_," meaning, "to take leave." . the morning calls being paid or received, and their etiquette properly attended to, the next great event of the day in most establishments is "the dinner;" and we only propose here to make a few general remarks on this important topic, as, in future pages, the whole "art of dining" will be thoroughly considered, with reference to its economy, comfort, and enjoyment. . in giving or accepting an invitation for dinner, the following is the form of words generally made use of. they, however, can be varied in proportion to the intimacy or position of the hosts and guests:-- mr. and mrs. a---- present their compliments to mr. and mrs. b----, and request the honour, [or hope to have the pleasure] of their company to dinner on wednesday, the th of december next. a---- street, _november th, . r. s. v. p._ the letters in the corner imply "_répondez, s'il vous plaît;_" meaning, "an answer will oblige." the reply, accepting the invitation, is couched in the following terms:-- mr. and mrs. b---- present their compliments to mr. and mrs. a---, and will do themselves the honour of, [or will have much pleasure in] accepting their kind invitation to dinner on the th of december next. b---- square, _november th, ._ cards, or invitations for a dinner-party, should be issued a fortnight or three weeks (sometimes even a month) beforehand, and care should be taken by the hostess, in the selection of the invited guests, that they should be suited to each other. much also of the pleasure of a dinner-party will depend on the arrangement of the guests at table, so as to form a due admixture of talkers and listeners, the grave and the gay. if an invitation to dinner is accepted, the guests should be punctual, and the mistress ready in her drawing-room to receive them. at some periods it has been considered fashionable to come late to dinner, but lately _nous avons changé tout cela_. . the half-hour before dinner has always been considered as the great ordeal through which the mistress, in giving a dinner-party, will either pass with flying colours, or, lose many of her laurels. the anxiety to receive her guests,--her hope that all will be present in due time,--her trust in the skill of her cook, and the attention of the other domestics, all tend to make these few minutes a trying time. the mistress, however, must display no kind of agitation, but show her tact in suggesting light and cheerful subjects of conversation, which will be much aided by the introduction of any particular new book, curiosity of art, or article of vertu, which may pleasantly engage the attention of the company. "waiting for dinner," however, is a trying time, and there are few who have not felt-- "how sad it is to sit and pine, the long _half-hour_ before we dine! upon our watches oft to look, then wonder at the clock and cook, * * * * * "and strive to laugh in spite of fate! but laughter forced soon quits the room, and leaves it in its former gloom. but lo! the dinner now appears, the object of our hopes and fears, the end of all our pain!" in giving an entertainment of this kind, the mistress should remember that it is her duty to make her guests feel happy, comfortable, and quite at their ease; and the guests should also consider that they have come to the house of their hostess to be happy. thus an opportunity is given to all for innocent enjoyment and intellectual improvement, when also acquaintances may be formed that may prove invaluable through life, and information gained that will enlarge the mind. many celebrated men and women have been great talkers; and, amongst others, the genial sir walter scott, who spoke freely to every one, and a favourite remark of whom it was, that he never did so without learning something he didn't know before. . dinner being announced, the host offers his arm to, and places on his right hand at the dinner-table, the lady to whom he desires to pay most respect, either on account of her age, position, or from her being the greatest stranger in the party. if this lady be married and her husband present, the latter takes the hostess to her place at table, and seats himself at her right hand. the rest of the company follow in couples, as specified by the master and mistress of the house, arranging the party according to their rank and other circumstances which may be known to the host and hostess. it will be found of great assistance to the placing of a party at the dinner-table, to have the names of the guests neatly (and correctly) written on small cards, and placed at that part of the table where it is desired they should sit. with respect to the number of guests, it has often been said, that a private dinner-party should consist of not less than the number of the graces, or more than that of the muses. a party of ten or twelve is, perhaps, in a general way, sufficient to enjoy themselves and be enjoyed. white kid gloves are worn by ladies at dinner-parties, but should be taken off before the business of dining commences. . the guests being seated at the dinner-table, the lady begins to help the soup, which is handed round, commencing with the gentleman on her right and on her left, and continuing in the same order till all are served. it is generally established as a rule, not to ask for soup or fish twice, as, in so doing, part of the company may be kept waiting too long for the second course, when, perhaps, a little revenge is taken by looking at the awkward consumer of a second portion. this rule, however, may, under various circumstances, not be considered as binding. it is not usual, where taking wine is _en règle_, for a gentleman to ask a lady to take wine until the fish or soup is finished, and then the gentleman honoured by sitting on the right of the hostess, may politely inquire if she will do him the honour of taking wine with him. this will act as a signal to the rest of the company, the gentleman of the house most probably requesting the same pleasure of the ladies at his right and left. at many tables, however, the custom or fashion of drinking wine in this manner, is abolished, and the servant fills the glasses of the guests with the various wines suited to the course which is in progress. . when dinner is finished, the dessert is placed on the table, accompanied with finger-glasses. it is the custom of some gentlemen to wet a corner of the napkin; but the hostess, whose behaviour will set the tone to all the ladies present, will merely wet the tips of her fingers, which will serve all the purposes required. the french and other continentals have a habit of gargling the mouth; but it is a custom which no english gentlewoman should, in the slightest degree, imitate. . when fruit has been taken, and a glass or two of wine passed round, the time will have arrived when the hostess will rise, and thus give the signal for the ladies to leave the gentlemen, and retire to the drawing-room. the gentlemen of the party will rise at the same time, and he who is nearest the door, will open it for the ladies, all remaining courteously standing until the last lady has withdrawn. dr. johnson has a curious paragraph on the effects of a dinner on men. "before dinner," he says, "men meet with great inequality of understanding; and those who are conscious of their inferiority have the modesty not to talk. when they have drunk wine, every man feels himself happy, and loses that modesty, and grows impudent and vociferous; but he is not improved, he is only not sensible of his defects." this is rather severe, but there may be truth in it. in former times, when the bottle circulated freely amongst the guests, it was necessary for the ladies to retire earlier than they do at present, for the gentlemen of the company soon became unfit to conduct themselves with that decorum which is essential in the presence of ladies. thanks, however, to the improvements in modern society, and the high example shown to the nation by its most illustrious personages, temperance is, in these happy days, a striking feature in the character of a gentleman. delicacy of conduct towards the female sex has increased with the esteem in which they are now universally held, and thus, the very early withdrawing of the ladies from the dining-room is to be deprecated. a lull in the conversation will seasonably indicate the moment for the ladies' departure. . after-dinner invitations may be given; by which we wish to be understood, invitations for the evening. the time of the arrival of these visitors will vary according to their engagements, or sometimes will be varied in obedience to the caprices of fashion. guests invited for the evening are, however, generally considered at liberty to arrive whenever it will best suit themselves,--usually between nine and twelve, unless earlier hours are specifically named. by this arrangement, many fashionable people and others, who have numerous engagements to fulfil, often contrive to make their appearance at two or three parties in the course of one evening. . the etiquette of the dinner-party table being disposed of, let us now enter slightly into that of an evening party or ball. the invitations issued and accepted for either of these, will be written in the same style as those already described for a dinner-party. they should be sent out _at least_ three weeks before the day fixed for the event, and should be replied to within a week of their receipt. by attending to these courtesies, the guests will have time to consider their engagements and prepare their dresses, and the hostess will, also, know what will be the number of her party. if the entertainment is to be simply an evening party, this must be specified on the card or note of invitation. short or verbal invitations, except where persons are exceedingly intimate, or are very near relations, are very far from proper, although, of course, in this respect and in many other respects, very much always depends on the manner in which the invitation is given. true politeness, however, should be studied even amongst the nearest friends and relations; for the mechanical forms of good breeding are of great consequence, and too much familiarity may have, for its effect, the destruction of friendship. . as the ladies and gentlemen arrive, each should be shown to a room exclusively provided for their reception; and in that set apart for the ladies, attendants should be in waiting to assist in uncloaking, and helping to arrange the hair and toilet of those who require it. it will be found convenient, in those cases where the number of guests is large, to provide numbered tickets, so that they can be attached to the cloaks and shawls of each lady, a duplicate of which should be handed to the guest. coffee is sometimes provided in this, or an ante-room, for those who would like to partake of it. . as the visitors are announced by the servant, it is not necessary for the lady of the house to advance each time towards the door, but merely to rise from her seat to receive their courtesies and congratulations. if, indeed, the hostess wishes to show particular favour to some peculiarly honoured guests, she may introduce them to others, whose acquaintance she may imagine will be especially suitable and agreeable. it is very often the practice of the master of the house to introduce one gentleman to another, but occasionally the lady performs this office; when it will, of course, be polite for the persons thus introduced to take their seats together for the time being. the custom of non-introduction is very much in vogue in many houses, and guests are thus left to discover for themselves the position and qualities of the people around them. the servant, indeed, calls out the names of all the visitors as they arrive, but, in many instances, mispronounces them; so that it will not be well to follow this information, as if it were an unerring guide. in our opinion, it is a cheerless and depressing custom, although, in thus speaking, we do not allude to the large assemblies of the aristocracy, but to the smaller parties of the middle classes. . a separate room or convenient buffet should be appropriated for refreshments, and to which the dancers may retire; and cakes and biscuits, with wine negus, lemonade, and ices, handed round. a supper is also mostly provided at the private parties of the middle classes; and this requires, on the part of the hostess, a great deal of attention and supervision. it usually takes place between the first and second parts of the programme of the dances, of which there should be several prettily written or printed copies distributed about the ball-room. _in private parties_, a lady is not to refuse the invitation of a gentleman to dance, unless she be previously engaged. the hostess must be supposed to have asked to her house only those persons whom she knows to be perfectly respectable and of unblemished character, as well as pretty equal in position; and thus, to decline the offer of any gentleman present, would be a tacit reflection on the master and mistress of the house. it may be mentioned here, more especially for the young who will read this book, that introductions at balls or evening parties, cease with the occasion that calls them forth, no introduction, at these times, giving a gentleman a right to address, afterwards, a lady. she is, consequently, free, next morning, to pass her partner at a ball of the previous evening without the slightest recognition. . the ball is generally opened, that is, the first place in the first quadrille is occupied, by the lady of the house. when anything prevents this, the host will usually lead off the dance with the lady who is either the highest in rank, or the greatest stranger. it will be well for the hostess, even if she be very partial to the amusement, and a graceful dancer, not to participate in it to any great extent, lest her lady guests should have occasion to complain of her monopoly of the gentlemen, and other causes of neglect. a few dances will suffice to show her interest in the entertainment, without unduly trenching on the attention due to her guests. in all its parts a ball should be perfect,-- "the music, and the banquet, and the wine; the garlands, the rose-odours, and the flowers." the hostess or host, during the progress of a ball, will courteously accost and chat with their friends, and take care that the ladies are furnished with seats, and that those who wish to dance are provided with partners. a gentle hint from the hostess, conveyed in a quiet ladylike manner, that certain ladies have remained unengaged during several dances, is sure not to be neglected by any gentleman. thus will be studied the comfort and enjoyment of the guests, and no lady, in leaving the house, will be able to feel the chagrin and disappointment of not having been invited to "stand up" in a dance during the whole of the evening. . when any of the carriages of the guests are announced, or the time for their departure arrived, they should make a slight intimation to the hostess, without, however, exciting any observation, that they are about to depart. if this cannot be done, however, without creating too much bustle, it will be better for the visitors to retire quietly without taking their leave. during the course of the week, the hostess will expect to receive from every guest a call, where it is possible, or cards expressing the gratification experienced from her entertainment. this attention is due to every lady for the pains and trouble she has been at, and tends to promote social, kindly feelings. . having thus discoursed of parties of pleasure, it will be an interesting change to return to the more domestic business of the house, although all the details we have been giving of dinner-parties, balls, and the like, appertain to the department of the mistress. without a knowledge of the etiquette to be observed on these occasions, a mistress would be unable to enjoy and appreciate those friendly pleasant meetings which give, as it were, a fillip to life, and make the quiet happy home of an english gentlewoman appear the more delightful and enjoyable. in their proper places, all that is necessary to be known respecting the dishes and appearance of the breakfast, dinner, tea, and supper tables, will be set forth in this work. . a family dinner at home, compared with either giving or going to a dinner-party, is, of course, of much more frequent occurrence, and many will say, of much greater importance. both, however, have to be considered with a view to their nicety and enjoyment; and the latter more particularly with reference to economy. these points will be especially noted in the following pages on "household cookery." here we will only say, that for both mistress and servants, as well in large as small households, it will be found, by far, the better plan, to cook and serve the dinner, and to lay the tablecloth and the sideboard, with the same cleanliness, neatness, and scrupulous exactness, whether it be for the mistress herself alone, a small family, or for "company." if this rule be strictly adhered to, all will find themselves increase in managing skill; whilst a knowledge of their daily duties will become familiar, and enable them to meet difficult occasions with ease, and overcome any amount of obstacles. . of the manner of passing evenings at home, there is none pleasanter than in such recreative enjoyments as those which relax the mind from its severer duties, whilst they stimulate it with a gentle delight. where there are young people forming a part of the evening circle, interesting and agreeable pastime should especially be promoted. it is of incalculable benefit to them that their homes should possess all the attractions of healthful amusement, comfort, and happiness; for if they do not find pleasure there, they will seek it elsewhere. it ought, therefore, to enter into the domestic policy of every parent, to make her children feel that home is the happiest place in the world; that to imbue them with this delicious home-feeling is one of the choicest gifts a parent can bestow. light or fancy needlework often forms a portion of the evening's recreation for the ladies of the household, and this may be varied by an occasional game at chess or backgammon. it has often been remarked, too, that nothing is more delightful to the feminine members of a family, than the reading aloud of some good standard work or amusing publication. a knowledge of polite literature may be thus obtained by the whole family, especially if the reader is able and willing to explain the more difficult passages of the book, and expatiate on the wisdom and beauties it may contain. this plan, in a great measure, realizes the advice of lord bacon, who says, "read not to contradict and refute, nor to believe and take for granted, nor to find talk and discourse, but to weigh and consider." . in retiring for the night, it is well to remember that early rising is almost impossible, if late going to bed be the order, or rather disorder, of the house. the younger members of a family should go early and at regular hours to their beds, and the domestics as soon as possible after a reasonably appointed hour. either the master or the mistress of a house should, after all have gone to their separate rooms, see that all is right with respect to the lights and fires below; and no servants should, on any account, be allowed to remain up after the heads of the house have retired. . having thus gone from early rising to early retiring, there remain only now to be considered a few special positions respecting which the mistress of the house will be glad to receive some specific information. . when a mistress takes a house in a new locality, it will be etiquette for her to wait until the older inhabitants of the neighbourhood call upon her; thus evincing a desire, on their part, to become acquainted with the new comer. it may be, that the mistress will desire an intimate acquaintance with but few of her neighbours; but it is to be specially borne in mind that all visits, whether of ceremony, friendship, or condolence, should be punctiliously returned. . you may perhaps have been favoured with letters of introduction from some of your friends, to persons living in the neighbourhood to which you have just come. in this case inclose the letter of introduction in an envelope with your card. then, if the person, to whom it is addressed, calls in the course of a few days, the visit should be returned by you within the week, if possible. any breach of etiquette, in this respect, will not readily be excused. in the event of your being invited to dinner under the above circumstances, nothing but necessity should prevent you from accepting the invitation. if, however, there is some distinct reason why you cannot accept, let it be stated frankly and plainly, for politeness and truthfulness should be ever allied. an opportunity should, also, be taken to call in the course of a day or two, in order to politely express your regret and disappointment at not having been able to avail yourself of their kindness. . in giving a letter of introduction, it should always be handed to your friend, unsealed. courtesy dictates this, as the person whom you are introducing would, perhaps, wish to know in what manner he or she was spoken of. should you _receive_ a letter from a friend, introducing to you any person known to and esteemed by the writer, the letter should be immediately acknowledged, and your willingness expressed to do all in your power to carry out his or her wishes. . such are the onerous duties which enter into the position of the mistress of a house, and such are, happily, with a slight but continued attention, of by no means difficult performance. she ought always to remember that she is the first and the last, the alpha and the omega in the government of her establishment; and that it is by her conduct that its whole internal policy is regulated. she is, therefore, a person of far more importance in a community than she usually thinks she is. on her pattern her daughters model themselves; by her counsels they are directed; through her virtues all are honoured;--"her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband, also, and he praiseth her." therefore, let each mistress always remember her responsible position, never approving a mean action, nor speaking an unrefined word. let her conduct be such that her inferiors may respect her, and such as an honourable and right-minded man may look for in his wife and the mother of his children. let her think of the many compliments and the sincere homage that have been paid to her sex by the greatest philosophers and writers, both in ancient and modern times. let her not forget that she has to show herself worthy of campbell's compliment when he said,-- "the world was sad! the garden was a wild! and man the hermit sigh'd, till _woman_ smiled." let her prove herself, then, the happy companion of man, and able to take unto herself the praises of the pious prelate, jeremy taylor, who says,--"a good wife is heaven's last best gift to man,--his angel and minister of graces innumerable,--his gem of many virtues,--his casket of jewels--her voice is sweet music--her smiles his brightest day;--her kiss, the guardian of his innocence;--her arms, the pale of his safety, the balm of his health, the balsam of his life;--her industry, his surest wealth;--her economy, his safest steward;--her lips, his faithful counsellors;--her bosom, the softest pillow of his cares; and her prayers, the ablest advocates of heaven's blessings on his head." cherishing, then, in her breast the respected utterances of the good and the great, let the mistress of every house rise to the responsibility of its management; so that, in doing her duty to all around her, she may receive the genuine reward of respect, love, and affection! _note_.--many mistresses have experienced the horrors of house-hunting, and it is well known that "three removes are as good (or bad, rather) as a fire." nevertheless, it being quite evident that we must, in these days at least, live in houses, and are sometimes obliged to change our residences, it is well to consider some of the conditions which will add to, or diminish, the convenience and comfort of our homes. although the choice of a house must be dependent on so many different circumstances with different people, that to give any specific directions on this head would be impossible and useless; yet it will be advantageous, perhaps, to many, if we point out some of those general features as to locality, soil, aspect, &c., to which the attention of all house-takers should be carefully directed. regarding the locality, we may say, speaking now more particularly of a town house, that it is very important to the health and comfort of a family, that the neighbourhood of all factories of any kind, producing unwholesome effluvia or smells, should be strictly avoided. neither is it well to take a house in the immediate vicinity of where a noisy trade is carried on, as it is unpleasant to the feelings, and tends to increase any existing irritation of the system. referring to soils; it is held as a rule, that a gravel soil is superior to any other, as the rain drains through it very quickly, and it is consequently drier and less damp than clay, upon which water rests a far longer time. a clay country, too, is not so pleasant for walking exercise as one in which gravel predominates. the aspect of the house should be well considered, and it should be borne in mind that the more sunlight that comes into the house, the healthier is the habitation. the close, fetid smell which assails one on entering a narrow court, or street, in towns, is to be assigned to the want of light, and, consequently, air. a house with a south or south-west aspect, is lighter, warmer, drier, and consequently more healthy, than one facing the north or north-east. great advances have been made, during the last few years, in the principles of sanitary knowledge, and one most essential point to be observed in reference to a house, is its "drainage," as it has been proved in an endless number of cases, that bad or defective drainage is as certain to destroy health as the taking of poisons. this arises from its injuriously affecting the atmosphere; thus rendering the air we breathe unwholesome and deleterious. let it be borne in mind, then, that unless a house is effectually drained, the health of its inhabitants is sure to suffer; and they will be susceptible of ague, rheumatism, diarrhoea, fevers, and cholera. we now come to an all-important point,--that of the water supply. the value of this necessary article has also been lately more and more recognized in connection with the question of health and life; and most houses are well supplied with every convenience connected with water. let it, however, be well understood, that no house, however suitable in other respects, can be desirable, if this grand means of health and comfort is, in the slightest degree, scarce or impure. no caution can be too great to see that it is pure and good, as well as plentiful; for, knowing, as we do, that not a single part of our daily food is prepared without it, the importance of its influence on the health of the inmates of a house cannot be over-rated. ventilation is another feature which must not be overlooked. in a general way, enough of air is admitted by the cracks round the doors and windows; but if this be not the case, the chimney will smoke; and other plans, such as the placing of a plate of finely-perforated zinc in the upper part of the window, must be used. cold air should never be admitted under the doors, or at the bottom of a room, unless it be close to the fire or stove; for it will flow along the floor towards the fireplace, and thus leave the foul air in the upper part of the room, unpurified, cooling, at the same time, unpleasantly and injuriously, the feet and legs of the inmates. the rent of a house, it has been said, should not exceed one-eighth of the whole income of its occupier; and, as a general rule, we are disposed to assent to this estimate, although there may be many circumstances which would not admit of its being considered infallible. [illustration] chapter ii. the housekeeper. . as second in command in the house, except in large establishments, where there is a house steward, the housekeeper must consider herself as the immediate representative of her mistress, and bring, to the management of the household, all those qualities of honesty, industry, and vigilance, in the same degree as if she were at the head of her _own_ family. constantly on the watch to detect any wrong-doing on the part of any of the domestics, she will overlook all that goes on in the house, and will see that every department is thoroughly attended to, and that the servants are comfortable, at the same time that their various duties are properly performed. cleanliness, punctuality, order, and method, are essentials in the character of a good housekeeper. without the first, no household can be said to be well managed. the second is equally all-important; for those who are under the housekeeper will take their "cue" from her; and in the same proportion as punctuality governs her movements, so will it theirs. order, again, is indispensable; for by it we wish to be understood that "there should be a place for everything, and everything in its place." method, too, is most necessary; for when the work is properly contrived, and each part arranged in regular succession, it will be done more quickly and more effectually. . a necessary qualification for a housekeeper is, that she should thoroughly understand accounts. she will have to write in her books an accurate registry of all sums paid for any and every purpose, all the current expenses of the house, tradesmen's bills, and other extraneous matter. as we have mentioned under the head of the mistress (_see_ ), a housekeeper's accounts should be periodically balanced, and examined by the head of the house. nothing tends more to the satisfaction of both employer and employed, than this arrangement. "short reckonings make long friends," stands good in this case, as in others. it will be found an excellent plan to take an account of every article which comes into the house connected with housekeeping, and is not paid for at the time. the book containing these entries can then be compared with the bills sent in by the various tradesmen, so that any discrepancy can be inquired into and set right. an intelligent housekeeper will, by this means, too, be better able to judge of the average consumption of each article by the household; and if that quantity be, at any time, exceeded, the cause may be discovered and rectified, if it proceed from waste or carelessness. . although in the department of the cook, the housekeeper does not generally much interfere, yet it is necessary that she should possess a good knowledge of the culinary art, as, in many instances, it may be requisite for her to take the superintendence of the kitchen. as a rule, it may be stated, that the housekeeper, in those establishments where there is no house steward or man cook, undertakes the preparation of the confectionary, attends to the preserving and pickling of fruits and vegetables; and, in a general way, to the more difficult branches of the art of cookery. much of these arrangements will depend, however, on the qualifications of the cook; for instance, if she be an able artiste, there will be but little necessity for the housekeeper to interfere, except in the already noticed articles of confectionary, &c. on the contrary, if the cook be not so clever an adept in her art, then it will be requisite for the housekeeper to give more of her attention to the business of the kitchen, than in the former case. it will be one of the duties of the housekeeper to attend to the marketing, in the absence of either a house steward or man cook. . the daily duties of a housekeeper are regulated, in a great measure, by the extent of the establishment she superintends. she should, however, rise early, and see that all the domestics are duly performing their work, and that everything is progressing satisfactorily for the preparation of the breakfast for the household and family. after breakfast, which, in large establishments, she will take in the "housekeeper's room" with the lady's-maid, butler, and valet, and where they will be waited on by the still-room maid, she will, on various days set apart for each purpose, carefully examine the household linen, with a view to its being repaired, or to a further quantity being put in hand to be made; she will also see that the furniture throughout the house is well rubbed and polished; and will, besides, attend to all the necessary details of marketing and ordering goods from the tradesmen. the housekeeper's room is generally made use of by the lady's-maid, butler, and valet, who take there their breakfast, tea, and supper. the lady's-maid will also use this apartment as a sitting-room, when not engaged with her lady, or with some other duties, which would call her elsewhere. in different establishments, according to their size and the rank of the family, different rules of course prevail. for instance, in the mansions of those of very high rank, and where there is a house steward, there are two distinct tables kept, one in the steward's room for the principal members of the household, the other in the servants' hall, for the other domestics. at the steward's dinner-table, the steward and housekeeper preside; and here, also, are present the lady's-maid, butler, valet, and head gardener. should any visitors be staying with the family, their servants, generally the valet and lady's-maid, will be admitted to the steward's table. . after dinner, the housekeeper, having seen that all the members of the establishment have regularly returned to their various duties, and that all the departments of the household are in proper working order, will have many important matters claiming her attention. she will, possibly, have to give the finishing touch to some article of confectionary, or be occupied with some of the more elaborate processes of the still-room. there may also be the dessert to arrange, ice-creams to make; and all these employments call for no ordinary degree of care, taste, and attention. the still-room was formerly much more in vogue than at present; for in days of "auld lang syne," the still was in constant requisition for the supply of sweet-flavoured waters for the purposes of cookery, scents and aromatic substances used in the preparation of the toilet, and cordials in cases of accidents and illness. there are some establishments, however, in which distillation is still carried on, and in these, the still-room maid has her old duties to perform. in a general way, however, this domestic is immediately concerned with the housekeeper. for the latter she lights the fire, dusts her room, prepares the breakfast-table, and waits at the different meals taken in the housekeeper's room (_see_ ). a still-room maid may learn a very great deal of useful knowledge from her intimate connection with the housekeeper, and if she be active and intelligent, may soon fit herself for a better position in the household. . in the evening, the housekeeper will often busy herself with the necessary preparations for the next day's duties. numberless small, but still important arrangements, will have to be made, so that everything may move smoothly. at times, perhaps, attention will have to be paid to the breaking of lump-sugar, the stoning of raisins, the washing, cleansing, and drying of currants, &c. the evening, too, is the best time for setting right her account of the expenditure, and duly writing a statement of moneys received and paid, and also for making memoranda of any articles she may require for her storeroom or other departments. periodically, at some convenient time,--for instance, quarterly or half-yearly, it is a good plan for the housekeeper to make an inventory of everything she has under her care, and compare this with the lists of a former period; she will then be able to furnish a statement, if necessary, of the articles which, on account of time, breakage, loss, or other causes, it has been necessary to replace or replenish. . in concluding these remarks on the duties of the housekeeper, we will briefly refer to the very great responsibility which attaches to her position. like "caesar's wife," she should be "above suspicion," and her honesty and sobriety unquestionable; for there are many temptations to which she is exposed. in a physical point of view, a housekeeper should be healthy and strong, and be particularly clean in her person, and her hands, although they may show a degree of roughness, from the nature of some of her employments, yet should have a nice inviting appearance. in her dealings with the various tradesmen, and in her behaviour to the domestics under her, the demeanour and conduct of the housekeeper should be such as, in neither case, to diminish, by an undue familiarity, her authority or influence. _note_.--it will be useful for the mistress and housekeeper to know the best seasons for various occupations connected with household management; and we, accordingly, subjoin a few hints which we think will prove valuable. as, in the winter months, servants have much more to do, in consequence of the necessity there is to attend to the number of fires throughout the household, not much more than the ordinary every-day work can be attempted. in the summer, and when the absence of fires gives the domestics more leisure, then any extra work that is required, can be more easily performed. the spring is the usual period set apart for house-cleaning, and removing all the dust and dirt, which will necessarily, with the best of housewives, accumulate during the winter months, from the smoke of the coal, oil, gas, &c. this season is also well adapted for washing and bleaching linen, &c., as, the weather, not being then too hot for the exertions necessary in washing counterpanes, blankets, and heavy things in general, the work is better and more easily done than in the intense heats of july, which month some recommend for these purposes. winter curtains should be taken down, and replaced by the summer white ones; and furs and woollen cloths also carefully laid by. the former should be well shaken and brushed, and then pinned upon paper or linen, with camphor to preserve them from the moths. furs, &c., will be preserved in the same way. included, under the general description of house-cleaning, must be understood, turning out all the nooks and corners of drawers, cupboards, lumber-rooms, lofts, &c., with a view of getting rid of all unnecessary articles, which only create dirt and attract vermin; sweeping of chimneys, taking up carpets, painting and whitewashing the kitchen and offices, papering rooms, when needed, and, generally speaking, the house putting on, with the approaching summer, a bright appearance, and a new face, in unison with nature. oranges now should be preserved, and orange wine made. the summer will be found, as we have mentioned above, in consequence of the diminution of labour for the domestics, the best period for examining and repairing household linen, and for "putting to rights" all those articles which have received a large share of wear and tear during the dark winter days. in direct reference to this matter, we may here remark, that sheets should be turned "sides to middle" before they are allowed to get very thin. otherwise, patching, which is uneconomical from the time it consumes, and is unsightly in point of appearance, will have to be resorted to. in june and july, gooseberries, currants, raspberries, strawberries, and other summer fruits, should be preserved, and jams and jellies made. in july, too, the making of walnut ketchup should be attended to, as the green walnuts will be approaching perfection for this purpose. mixed pickles may also be now made, and it will be found a good plan to have ready a jar of pickle-juice (for the making of which all information will be given in future pages), into which to put occasionally some young french beans, cauliflowers, &c. in the early autumn, plums of various kinds are to be bottled and preserved, and jams and jellies made. a little later, tomato sauce, a most useful article to have by you, may be prepared; a supply of apples laid in, if you have a place to keep them, as also a few keeping pears and filberts. endeavour to keep also a large vegetable marrow,--it will be found delicious in the winter. in october and november, it will be necessary to prepare for the cold weather, and get ready the winter clothing for the various members of the family. the white summer curtains will now be carefully put away, the fireplaces, grates, and chimneys looked to, and the house put in a thorough state of repair, so that no "loose tile" may, at a future day, interfere with your comfort, and extract something considerable from your pocket. in december, the principal household duty lies in preparing for the creature comforts of those near and dear to us, so as to meet old christmas with a happy face, a contented mind, and a full larder; and in stoning the plums, washing the currants, cutting the citron, beating the eggs, and mixing the pudding, a housewife is not unworthily greeting the genial season of all good things. [illustration] chapter iii. arrangement and economy of the kitchen. . "the distribution of a kitchen," says count rumford, the celebrated philosopher and physician, who wrote so learnedly on all subjects connected with domestic economy and architecture, "must always depend so much on local circumstances, that general rules can hardly be given respecting it; the principles, however, on which this distribution ought, in all cases, to be made, are simple and easy to be understood," and, in his estimation, these resolve themselves into symmetry of proportion in the building and convenience to the cook. the requisites of a good kitchen, however, demand something more special than is here pointed out. it must be remembered that it is the great laboratory of every household, and that much of the "weal or woe," as far as regards bodily health, depends upon the nature of the preparations concocted within its walls. a good kitchen, therefore, should be erected with a view to the following particulars. . convenience of distribution in its parts, with largeness of dimension. . excellence of light, height of ceiling, and good ventilation. . easiness of access, without passing through the house. . sufficiently remote from the principal apartments of the house, that the members, visitors, or guests of the family, may not perceive the odour incident to cooking, or hear the noise of culinary operations. . plenty of fuel and water, which, with the scullery, pantry, and storeroom, should be so near it, as to offer the smallest possible trouble in reaching them. [illustration: _fig_. .] the kitchens of the middle ages, in england, are said to have been constructed after the fashion of those of the romans. they were generally octagonal, with several fireplaces, but no chimneys; neither was there any wood admitted into the building. the accompanying cut, fig. , represents the turret which was erected on the top of the conical roof of the kitchen at glastonbury abbey, and which was perforated with holes to allow the smoke of the fire, as well as the steam from cooking, to escape. some kitchens had funnels or vents below the eaves to let out the steam, which was sometimes considerable, as the anglo-saxons used their meat chiefly in a boiled state. from this circumstance, some of their large kitchens had four ranges, comprising a boiling-place for small boiled meats, and a boiling-house for the great boiler. in private houses the culinary arrangements were no doubt different; for du cange mentions a little kitchen with a chamber, even in a solarium, or upper floor. . the simplicity of the primitive ages has frequently been an object of poetical admiration, and it delights the imagination to picture men living upon such fruits as spring spontaneously from the earth, and desiring no other beverages to slake their thirst, but such as fountains and rivers supply. thus we are told, that the ancient inhabitants of argos lived principally on pears; that the arcadians revelled in acorns, and the athenians in figs. this, of course, was in the golden age, before ploughing began, and when mankind enjoyed all kinds of plenty without having to earn their bread "by the sweat of their brow." this delightful period, however, could not last for ever, and the earth became barren, and continued unfruitful till ceres came and taught the art of sowing, with several other useful inventions. the first whom she taught to till the ground was triptolemus, who communicated his instructions to his countrymen the athenians. thence the art was carried into achaia, and thence into arcadia. barley was the first grain that was used, and the invention of bread-making is ascribed to pan. the use of fire, as an instrument of cookery, must have been coeval with this invention of bread, which, being the most necessary of all kinds of food, was frequently used in a sense so comprehensive as to include both meat and drink. it was, by the greeks, baked under the ashes. . in the primary ages it was deemed unlawful to eat flesh, and when mankind began to depart from their primitive habits, the flesh of swine was the first that was eaten. for several ages, it was pronounced unlawful to slaughter oxen, from an estimate of their great value in assisting men to cultivate the ground; nor was it usual to kill young animals, from a sentiment which considered it cruel to take away the life of those that had scarcely tasted the joys of existence. at this period no cooks were kept, and we know from homer that his ancient heroes prepared and dressed their victuals with their own hands. ulysses, for example, we are told, like a modern charwoman, excelled at lighting a fire, whilst achilles was an adept at turning a spit. subsequently, heralds, employed in civil and military affairs, filled the office of cooks, and managed marriage feasts; but this, no doubt, was after mankind had advanced in the art of living, a step further than _roasting_, which, in all places, was the ancient manner of dressing meat. . the age of roasting we may consider as that in which the use of the metals would be introduced as adjuncts to the culinary art; and amongst these, iron, the most useful of them all, would necessarily take a prominent place. this metal is easily oxidized, but to bring it to a state of fusibility, it requires a most intense heat. of all the metals, it is the widest diffused and most abundant; and few stones or mineral bodies are without an admixture of it. it possesses the valuable property of being welded by hammering; and hence its adaptation to the numerous purposes of civilized life. metallic grains of iron have been found in strawberries, and a twelfth of the weight of the wood of dried oak is said to consist of this metal. blood owes its colour of redness to the quantity of iron it contains, and rain and snow are seldom perfectly free from it. in the arts it is employed in three states,--as _cast_ iron, _wrought_ iron, and _steel_. in each of these it largely enters into the domestic economy, and stoves, grates, and the general implements of cookery, are usually composed of it. in antiquity, its employment was, comparatively speaking, equally universal. the excavations made at pompeii have proved this. the accompanying cuts present us with specimens of stoves, both ancient and modern. fig. is the remains of a kitchen stove found in the house of pansa, at pompeii, and would seem, in its perfect state, not to have been materially different from such as are in use at the present day. fig. is a self-acting, simple open range in modern use, and may be had of two qualities, ranging, according to their dimensions, from £ . s. and £ . s. respectively, up to £ . s. and £ . s. they are completely fitted up with oven, boiler, sliding cheek, wrought-iron bars, revolving shelves, and brass tap. fig. , is called the improved leamington kitchener, and is said to surpass any other range in use, for easy cooking by one fire. it has a hot plate, which is well calculated for an ironing-stove, and on which as many vessels as will stand upon it, may be kept boiling, without being either soiled or injured. besides, it has a perfectly ventilated and spacious wrought-iron roaster, with movable shelves, draw-out stand, double dripping-pan, and meat-stand. the roaster can be converted into an oven by closing the valves, when bread and pastry can be baked in it in a superior manner. it also has a large iron boiler with brass tap and steam-pipe, round and square gridirons for chops and steaks, ash-pan, open fire for roasting, and a set of ornamental covings with plate-warmer attached. it took a first-class prize and medal in the great exhibition of , and was also exhibited, with all the recent improvements, at the dublin exhibition in . fig. is another kitchener, adapted for large families. it has on the one side, a large ventilated oven; and on the other, the fire and roaster. the hot plate is over all, and there is a back boiler, made of wrought iron, with brass tap and steam-pipe. in other respects it resembles fig. , with which it possesses similar advantages of construction. either maybe had at varying prices, according to size, from £ . s. up to £ . s. they are supplied by messrs. richard & john slack , strand, london. [illustration: _fig_. .] [illustration: _fig_. .] [illustration: _fig_. .] [illustration: _fig_. .] . from kitchen ranges to the implements used in cookery is but a step. with these, every kitchen should be well supplied, otherwise the cook must not be expected to "perform her office" in a satisfactory manner. of the culinary utensils of the ancients, our knowledge is very limited; but as the art of living, in every civilized country, is pretty much the same, the instruments for cooking must, in a great degree, bear a striking resemblance to each other. on referring to classical antiquities, we find mentioned, among household utensils, leather bags, baskets constructed of twigs, reeds, and rushes; boxes, basins, and bellows; bread-moulds, brooms, and brushes; caldrons, colanders, cisterns, and chafing-dishes; cheese-rasps, knives, and ovens of the dutch kind; funnels and frying-pans; handmills, soup-ladles, milk-pails, and oil-jars; presses, scales, and sieves; spits of different sizes, but some of them large enough to roast an ox; spoons, fire-tongs, trays, trenchers, and drinking-vessels; with others for carrying food, preserving milk, and holding cheese. this enumeration, if it does nothing else, will, to some extent, indicate the state of the simpler kinds of mechanical arts among the ancients. [illustration: _fig_. .] [illustration: _fig_. .] [illustration: _fig_. .] in so far as regards the shape and construction of many of the kitchen utensils enumerated above, they bore a great resemblance to our own. this will be seen by the accompanying cuts. fig. is an ancient stock-pot in bronze, which seems to have been made to hang over the fire, and was found in the buried city of pompeii. fig. is one of modern make, and may be obtained either of copper or wrought iron, tinned inside. fig. is another of antiquity, with a large ladle and colander, with holes attached. it is taken from the column of trajan. the modern ones can be obtained at all prices, according to size, from s. d. up to £ . s. . in the manufacture of these utensils, bronze metal seems to have been much in favour with the ancients. it was chosen not only for their domestic vessels, but it was also much used for their public sculptures and medals. it is a compound, composed of from six to twelve parts of tin to one hundred of copper. it gives its name to figures and all pieces of sculpture made of it. brass was another favourite metal, which is composed of copper and zinc. it is more fusible than copper, and not so apt to tarnish. in a pure state it is not malleable, unless when hot, and after it has been melted twice it will not bear the hammer. to render it capable of being wrought, it requires lb. of lead to be put to cwt. of its own material. the corinthian brass of antiquity was a mixture of silver, gold, and copper. a fine kind of brass, supposed to be made by the cementation of copper plates with calamine, is, in germany, hammered out into leaves, and is called dutch metal in this country. it is employed in the same way as gold leaf. brass is much used for watchworks, as well as for wire. . the braziers, ladles, stewpans, saucepans, gridirons, and colanders of antiquity might generally pass for those of the english manufacture of the present day, in so far as shape is concerned. in proof of this we have placed together the following similar articles of ancient and modern pattern, in order that the reader may, at a single view, see wherein any difference that is between them, consists. [illustration: _fig_. . modern.] [illustration: _fig_. . ancient.] [illustration: _fig_. . modern.] [illustration: _fig_. . ancient.] [illustration: _fig_. . modern.] [illustration: _fig_. . ancient.] [illustration: _fig_. . modern.] [illustration: _fig_. . modern.] [illustration: _fig_. . ancient.] [illustration: _fig_. . ancient.] _figs_. and are flat sauce or _sauté_ pans, the ancient one being fluted in the handle, and having at the end a ram's head. figs. and are colanders, the handle of the ancient one being adorned, in the original, with carved representations of a cornucopia, a satyr, a goat, pigs, and other animals. any display of taste in the adornment of such utensils, might seem to be useless; but when we remember how much more natural it is for us all to be careful of the beautiful and costly, than of the plain and cheap, it may even become a question in the economy of a kitchen, whether it would not, in the long run, be cheaper to have articles which displayed some tasteful ingenuity in their manufacture, than such as are so perfectly plain as to have no attractions whatever beyond their mere suitableness to the purposes for which they are made. figs. and are saucepans, the ancient one being of bronze, originally copied from the cabinet of m. l'abbé charlet, and engraved in the antiquities of montfaucon. figs. and are gridirons, and and dripping-pans. in all these utensils the resemblance between such as were in use , years ago, and those in use at the present day, is strikingly manifest. . some of the ancient utensils represented in the above cuts, are copied from those found amid the ruins of herculaneum and pompeii. these roman cities were, in the first century, buried beneath the lava of an eruption of vesuvius, and continued to be lost to the world till the beginning of the last century, when a peasant, in digging for a well, gradually discovered a small temple with some statues. little notice, however, was taken of this circumstance till , when the king of naples, desiring to erect a palace at portici, caused extensive excavations to be made, when the city of herculaneum was slowly unfolded to view. pompeii was discovered about , and being easier cleared from the lava in which it had so long been entombed, disclosed itself as it existed immediately before the catastrophe which overwhelmed it, nearly two thousand years ago. it presented, to the modern world, the perfect picture of the form and structure of an ancient roman city. the interior of its habitations, shops, baths, theatres, and temples, were all disclosed, with many of the implements used by the workmen in their various trades, and the materials on which they were employed, when the doomed city was covered with the lavian stream. . amongst the most essential requirements of the kitchen are scales or weighing-machines for family use. these are found to have existed among the ancients, and must, at a very early age, have been both publicly and privately employed for the regulation of quantities. the modern english weights were adjusted by the th chapter of magna charta, or the great charter forced, by the barons, from king john at runnymede, in surrey. therein it is declared that the weights, all over england, shall be the same, although for different commodities there were two different kinds, troy and avoirdupois. the origin of both is taken from a grain of wheat gathered in the middle of an ear. the standard of measures was originally kept at winchester, and by a law of king edgar was ordained to be observed throughout the kingdom. [illustration: _fig_. .] [illustration: _fig_. .] fig. is an ancient pair of common scales, with two basins and a movable weight, which is made in the form of a head, covered with the pileus, because mercury had the weights and measures under his superintendence. it is engraved on a stone in the gallery of florence. fig. represents a modern weighing-machine, of great convenience, and generally in use in those establishments where a great deal of cooking is carried on. . accompanying the scales, or weighing-machines, there should be spice-boxes, and sugar and biscuit-canisters of either white or japanned tin. the covers of these should fit tightly, in order to exclude the air, and if necessary, be lettered in front, to distinguish them. the white metal of which they are usually composed, loses its colour when exposed to the air, but undergoes no further change. it enters largely into the composition of culinary utensils, many of them being entirely composed of tinned sheet-iron; the inside of copper and iron vessels also, being usually what is called _tinned_. this art consists of covering any metal with a thin coating of tin; and it requires the metal to be covered, to be perfectly clean and free from rust, and also that the tin, itself, be purely metallic, and entirely cleared from all ashes or refuse. copper boilers, saucepans, and other kitchen utensils, are tinned after they are manufactured, by being first made hot and the tin rubbed on with resin. in this process, nothing ought to be used but pure grain-tin. lead, however, is sometimes mixed with that metal, not only to make it lie more easily, but to adulterate it--a pernicious practice, which in every article connected with the cooking and preparation of food, cannot be too severely reprobated.--the following list, supplied by messrs. richard & john slack, , strand, will show the articles required for the kitchen of a family in the middle class of life, although it does not contain all the things that may be deemed necessary for some families, and may contain more than are required for others. as messrs. slack themselves, however, publish a useful illustrated catalogue, which may be had at their establishment _gratis_, and which it will be found advantageous to consult by those about to furnish, it supersedes the necessity of our enlarging that which we give:-- s. d. tea-kettle toasting-fork bread-grater pair of brass candlesticks teapot and tray bottle-jack spoons candlesticks candle-box knives and forks sets of skewers meat-chopper cinder-sifter coffee-pot colander block-tin saucepans iron saucepans ditto and steamer large boiling-pot iron stewpans dripping-pan and stand dustpan fish and egg-slice fish-kettles flour-box flat-irons frying-pans gridiron mustard-pot salt-cellar pepper-box pair of bellows jelly-moulds plate-basket cheese-toaster coal-shovel wood meat-screen the set £ . as not only health but life may be said to depend on the cleanliness of culinary utensils, great attention must be paid to their condition generally, but more especially to that of the saucepans, stewpans, and boilers. inside they should be kept perfectly clean, and where an open fire is used, the outside as clean as possible. with a leamington range, saucepans, stewpans, &c., can be kept entirely free from smoke and soot on the outside, which is an immense saving of labour to the cook or scullery-maid. care should be taken that the lids fit tight and close, so that soups or gravies may not be suffered to waste by evaporation. they should be made to keep the steam in and the smoke out, and should always be bright on the upper rim, where they do not immediately come in contact with the fire. soup-pots and kettles should be washed immediately after being used, and dried before the fire, and they should be kept in a dry place, in order that they may escape the deteriorating influence of rust, and, thereby, be destroyed. copper utensils should never be used in the kitchen unless tinned, and the utmost care should be taken, not to let the tin be rubbed off. if by chance this should occur, have it replaced before the vessel is again brought into use. neither soup nor gravy should, at any time, be suffered to remain in them longer than is absolutely necessary, as any fat or acid that is in them, may affect the metal, so as to impregnate with poison what is intended to be eaten. stone and earthenware vessels should be provided for soups and gravies not intended for immediate use, and, also, plenty of common dishes for the larder, that the table-set may not be used for such purposes. it is the nature of vegetables soon to turn sour, when they are apt to corrode glazed red-ware, and even metals, and frequently, thereby, to become impregnated with poisonous particles. the vinegar also in pickles, by its acidity, does the same. consideration, therefore, should be given to these facts, and great care also taken that all _sieves, jelly-bags,_ and tapes for collared articles, be well scalded and kept dry, or they will impart an unpleasant flavour when next used. to all these directions the cook should pay great attention, nor should they, by any means, be neglected by the _mistress of the household_, who ought to remember that cleanliness in the kitchen gives health and happiness to home, whilst economy will immeasurably assist in preserving them. . without fuel, a kitchen might be pronounced to be of little use; therefore, to discover and invent materials for supplying us with the means of domestic heat and comfort, has exercised the ingenuity of man. those now known have been divided into five classes; the first comprehending the fluid inflammable bodies; the second, peat or turf; the third, charcoal of wood; the fourth, pit-coal charred; and the fifth, wood or pit-coal in a crude state, with the capacity of yielding a copious and bright flame. the first may be said seldom to be employed for the purposes of cookery; but _peat_, especially amongst rural populations, has, in all ages, been regarded as an excellent fuel. it is one of the most important productions of an alluvial soil, and belongs to the vegetable rather than the mineral kingdom. it may be described as composed of wet, spongy black earth, held together by decayed vegetables. formerly it covered extensive tracts in england, but has greatly disappeared before the genius of agricultural improvement. _charcoal_ is a kind of artificial coal, used principally where a strong and clear fire is desired. it is a black, brittle, insoluble, inodorous, tasteless substance, and, when newly-made, possesses the remarkable property of absorbing certain quantities of the different gases. its dust, when used as a polishing powder, gives great brilliancy to metals. it consists of wood half-burned, and is manufactured by cutting pieces of timber into nearly the same size, then disposing them in heaps, and covering them with earth, so as to prevent communication with the air, except when necessary to make them burn. when they have been sufficiently charred, the fire is extinguished by stopping the vents through which the air is admitted. of _coal_ there are various species; as, pit, culm, slate, cannel, kilkenny, sulphurous, bovey, jet, &c. these have all their specific differences, and are employed for various purposes; but are all, more or less, used as fuel. the use of coal for burning purposes was not known to the romans. in britain it was discovered about fifty years before the birth of christ, in lancashire, not tar from where manchester now stands; but for ages after its discovery, so long as forests abounded, wood continued to be the fuel used for firing. the first public notice of coal is in the reign of henry iii., who, in , granted a charter to the town of newcastle, permitting the inhabitants to dig for coal. it took some centuries more, however, to bring it into common use, as this did not take place till about the first quarter of the seventeenth century, in the time of charles i. a few years after the restoration, we find that about , chaldrons were consumed in london. although several countries possess mines of coal, the quality of their mineral is, in general, greatly inferior to that of great britain, where it is found mostly in undulating districts abounding with valleys, and interspersed with plains of considerable extent. it lies usually between the _strata_ of other substances, and rarely in an horizontal position, but with a _dip_ or inclination to one side. our cut, fig. , represents a section of coal as it is found in the stratum. [illustration: _fig_. .] . to be acquainted with the periods when things are in season, is one of the most essential pieces of knowledge which enter into the "art of cookery." we have, therefore, compiled the following list, which will serve to show for every month in the year the times when things are in season. january. fish.--barbel, brill, carp, cod, crabs, crayfish, dace, eels, flounders, haddocks, herrings, lampreys, lobsters, mussels, oysters, perch, pike, plaice, prawns, shrimps, skate, smelts, soles, sprats, sturgeon, tench, thornback, turbot, whitings. meat.--beef, house lamb, mutton, pork, veal, venison. poultry.--capons, fowls, tame pigeons, pullets, rabbits, turkeys. game.--grouse, hares, partridges, pheasants, snipe, wild-fowl, woodcock. vegetables.--beetroot, broccoli, cabbages, carrots, celery, chervil, cresses, cucumbers (forced), endive, lettuces, parsnips, potatoes, savoys, spinach, turnips,--various herbs. fruit.--apples, grapes, medlars, nuts, oranges, pears, walnuts, crystallized preserves (foreign), dried fruits, such as almonds and raisins; french and spanish plums; prunes, figs, dates. february. fish.--barbel, brill, carp, cod may be bought, but is not so good as in january, crabs, crayfish, dace, eels, flounders, haddocks, herrings, lampreys, lobsters, mussels, oysters, perch, pike, plaice, prawns, shrimps, skate, smelts, soles, sprats, sturgeon, tench, thornback, turbot, whiting. meat.--beef, house lamb, mutton, pork, veal. poultry.--capons, chickens, ducklings, tame and wild pigeons, pullets with eggs, turkeys, wild-fowl, though now not in full season. game.--grouse, hares, partridges, pheasants, snipes, woodcock. vegetables.--beetroot, broccoli (purple and white), brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, celery, chervil, cresses, cucumbers (forced), endive, kidney-beans, lettuces, parsnips, potatoes, savoys, spinach, turnips,--various herbs. fruit.--apples (golden and dutch pippins), grapes, medlars, nuts, oranges, pears (bon chrétien), walnuts, dried fruits (foreign), such as almonds and raisins; french and spanish plums; prunes, figs, dates, crystallized preserves. march. fish.--barbel, brill, carp, crabs, crayfish, dace, eels, flounders, haddocks, herrings, lampreys, lobsters, mussels, oysters, perch, pike, plaice, prawns, shrimps, skate, smelts, soles, sprats, sturgeon, tench, thornback, turbot, whiting. meat.--beef, house lamb, mutton, pork, veal. poultry.--capons, chickens, ducklings, tame and wild pigeons, pullets with eggs, turkeys, wild-fowl, though now not in full season. game.--grouse, hares, partridges, pheasants, snipes, woodcock. vegetables.--beetroot, broccoli (purple and white), brussels sprouts, cabbages, carrots, celery, chervil, cresses, cucumbers (forced), endive, kidney-beans, lettuces, parsnips, potatoes, savoys, sea-kale, spinach, turnips,--various herbs. fruit.--apples (golden and dutch pippins), grapes, medlars, nuts, oranges, pears (bon chrétien), walnuts, dried fruits (foreign), such as almonds and raisins; french and spanish plums; prunes, figs, dates, crystallized preserves. april. fish.--brill, carp, cockles, crabs, dory, flounders, ling, lobsters, red and gray mullet, mussels, oysters, perch, prawns, salmon (but rather scarce and expensive), shad, shrimps, skate, smelts, soles, tench, turbot, whitings. meat.--beef, lamb, mutton, veal. poultry.--chickens, ducklings, fowls, leverets, pigeons, pullets, rabbits. game.--hares. vegetables.--broccoli, celery, lettuces, young onions, parsnips, radishes, small salad, sea-kale, spinach, sprouts,--various herbs. fruit.--apples, nuts, pears, forced cherries, &e. for tarts, rhubarb, dried fruits, crystallized preserves. may. fish.--carp, chub, crabs, crayfish, dory, herrings, lobsters, mackerel, red and gray mullet, prawns, salmon, shad, smelts, soles, trout, turbot. meat.--beef, lamb, mutton, veal. poultry.--chickens, ducklings, fowls, green geese, leverets, pullets, rabbits. vegetables.--asparagus, beans, early cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, creases, cucumbers, lettuces, pease, early potatoes, salads, sea-kale,--various herbs. fruit.--apples, green apricots, cherries, currants for tarts, gooseberries, melons, pears, rhubarb, strawberries. june. fish.--carp, crayfish, herrings, lobsters, mackerel, mullet, pike, prawns, salmon, soles, tench, trout, turbot. meat.--beef, lamb, mutton, veal, buck venison. poultry.--chickens, ducklings, fowls, green geese, leverets, plovers, pullets, rabbits, turkey poults, wheatears. vegetables.--artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbages, carrots, cucumbers, lettuces, onions, parsnips, pease, potatoes, radishes, small salads, sea-kale, spinach,--various herbs. fruit.--apricots, cherries, currants, gooseberries, melons, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapples, raspberries, rhubarb, strawberries. july. fish.--carp, crayfish, dory, flounders, haddocks, herrings, lobsters, mackerel, mullet, pike, plaice, prawns, salmon, shrimps, soles, sturgeon, tench, thornback. meat.--beef, lamb, mutton, veal, buck venison. poultry.--chickens, ducklings, fowls, green geese, leverets, plovers, pullets, rabbits, turkey poults, wheatears, wild ducks (called flappers). vegetables.--artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbages, carrots, cauliflowers, celery, cresses, endive, lettuces, mushrooms, onions, pease, radishes, small salading, sea-kale, sprouts, turnips, vegetable marrow,--various herbs. fruit.--apricots, cherries, currants, figs, gooseberries, melons, nectarines, pears, pineapples, plums, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts in high season, and pickled. august. fish.--brill, carp, chub, crayfish, crabs, dory, eels, flounders, grigs, herrings, lobsters, mullet, pike, prawns, salmon, shrimps, skate, soles, sturgeon, thornback, trout, turbot. meat.--beef, lamb, mutton, veal, buck venison. poultry.--chickens, ducklings, fowls, green geese, pigeons, plovers, pullets, rabbits, turkey poults, wheatears, wild ducks. game.--leverets, grouse, blackcock. vegetables.--artichokes, asparagus, beans, carrots, cabbages, cauliflowers, celery, cresses, endive, lettuces, mushrooms, onions, pease, potatoes, radishes, sea-bale, small salading, sprouts, turnips, various kitchen herbs, vegetable marrows. fruit.--currants, figs, filberts, gooseberries, grapes, melons, mulberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, pineapples, plums, raspberries, walnuts. september. fish.--brill, carp, cod, eels, flounders, lobsters, mullet, oysters, plaice, prawns, skate, soles, turbot, whiting, whitebait. meat.--beef, lamb, mutton, pork, veal. poultry.--chickens, ducks, fowls, geese, larks, pigeons, pullets, rabbits, teal, turkeys. game.--blackcock, buck venison, grouse, hares, partridges, pheasants. vegetables.--artichokes, asparagus, beans, cabbage sprouts, carrots, celery, lettuces, mushrooms, onions, pease, potatoes, salading, sea-kale, sprouts, tomatoes, turnips, vegetable marrows,--various herbs. fruit.--bullaces, damsons, figs, filberts, grapes, melons, morella-cherries, mulberries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, quinces, walnuts. october. fish.--barbel, brill, cod, crabs, eels, flounders, gudgeons, haddocks, lobsters, mullet, oysters, plaice, prawns, skate, soles, tench, turbot, whiting. meat.--beef, mutton, pork, veal, venison. poultry.--chickens, fowls, geese, larks, pigeons, pullets, rabbits, teal, turkeys, widgeons, wild ducks. game.--blackcock, grouse, hares, partridges, pheasants, snipes, woodcocks, doe venison. vegetables.--artichokes, beets, cabbages, cauliflowers, carrots, celery, lettuces, mushrooms, onions, potatoes, sprouts, tomatoes, turnips, vegetable marrows,--various herbs. fruit.--apples, black and white bullaces, damsons, figs, filberts, grapes, pears, quinces, walnuts. november. fish.--brill, carp, cod, crabs, eels, gudgeons, haddocks, oysters, pike, soles, tench, turbot, whiting. meat.--beef, mutton, veal, doe venison. poultry.--chickens, fowls, geese, larks, pigeons, pullets, rabbits, teal, turkeys, widgeons, wild duck. game.--hares, partridges, pheasants, snipes, woodcocks. vegetables.--beetroot, cabbages, carrots, celery, lettuces, late cucumbers, onions, potatoes, salading, spinach, sprouts,--various herbs. fruit.--apples, bullaces, chestnuts, filberts, grapes, pears, walnuts. december. fish.--barbel, brill, carp, cod, crabs, eels, dace, gudgeons, haddocks, herrings, lobsters, oysters, porch, pike, shrimps, skate, sprats, soles, tench, thornback, turbot, whiting. meat.--beef, house lamb, mutton, pork, venison. poultry.--capons, chickens, fowls, geese, pigeons, pullets, rabbits, teal, turkeys, widgeons, wild ducks. game.--hares, partridges, pheasants, snipes, woodcocks. vegetables.--broccoli, cabbages, carrots, celery, leeks, onions, potatoes, parsnips, scotch kale, turnips, winter spinach. fruit.--apples, chestnuts, filberts, grapes, medlars, oranges, pears, walnuts, dried fruits, such as almonds and raisins, figs, dates, &c.,--crystallized preserves. . when fuel and food are procured, the next consideration is, how the latter may be best preserved, with a view to its being suitably dressed. more waste is often occasioned by the want of judgment, or of necessary care in this particular, than by any other cause. in the absence of proper places for keeping provisions, a hanging safe, suspended in an airy situation, is the best substitute. a well-ventilated larder, dry and shady, is better for meat and poultry, which require to be kept for some time; and the utmost skill in the culinary art will not compensate for the want of proper attention to this particular. though it is advisable that annual food should be hung up in the open air till its fibres have lost some degree of their toughness, yet, if it is kept till it loses its natural sweetness, its flavour has become deteriorated, and, as a wholesome comestible, it has lost many of its qualities conducive to health. as soon, therefore, as the slightest trace of putrescence is detected, it has reached its highest degree of tenderness, and should be dressed immediately. during the sultry summer months, it is difficult to procure meat that is not either tough or tainted. it should, therefore, be well examined when it comes in, and if flies have touched it, the part must be cut off, and the remainder well washed. in very cold weather, meat and vegetables touched by the frost, should be brought into the kitchen early in the morning, and soaked in cold water. in loins of meat, the long pipe that runs by the bone should be taken out, as it is apt to taint; as also the kernels of beef. rumps and edgebones of beef, when bruised, should not be purchased. all these things ought to enter into the consideration of every household manager, and great care should be taken that nothing is thrown away, or suffered to be wasted in the kitchen, which might, by proper management, be turned to a good account. the shank-bones of mutton, so little esteemed in general, give richness to soups or gravies, if well soaked and brushed before they are added to the boiling. they are also particularly nourishing for sick persons. roast-beef bones, or shank-bones of ham, make excellent stock for pea-soup.--when the whites of eggs are used for jelly, confectionary, or other purposes, a pudding or a custard should be made, that the yolks may be used. all things likely to be wanted should be in readiness: sugars of different sorts; currants washed, picked, and perfectly dry; spices pounded, and kept in very small bottles closely corked, or in canisters, as we have already directed ( ). not more of these should be purchased at a time than are likely to be used in the course of a month. much waste is always prevented by keeping every article in the place best suited to it. vegetables keep best on a stone floor, if the air be excluded; meat, in a cold dry place; as also salt, sugar, sweet-meats, candles, dried meats, and hams. rice, and all sorts of seed for puddings, should be closely covered to preserve them from insects; but even this will not prevent them from being affected by these destroyers, if they are long and carelessly kept. [illustration] chapter iv. introduction to cookery. . as in the fine arts, the progress of mankind from barbarism to civilization is marked by a gradual succession of triumphs over the rude materialities of nature, so in the art of cookery is the progress gradual from the earliest and simplest modes, to those of the most complicated and refined. plain or rudely-carved stones, tumuli, or mounds of earth, are the monuments by which barbarous tribes denote the events of their history, to be succeeded, only in the long course of a series of ages, by beautifully-proportioned columns, gracefully-sculptured statues, triumphal arches, coins, medals, and the higher efforts of the pencil and the pen, as man advances by culture and observation to the perfection of his facilities. so is it with the art of cookery. man, in his primitive state, lives upon roots and the fruits of the earth, until, by degrees, he is driven to seek for new means, by which his wants may be supplied and enlarged. he then becomes a hunter and a fisher. as his species increases, greater necessities come upon him, when he gradually abandons the roving life of the savage for the more stationary pursuits of the herdsman. these beget still more settled habits, when he begins the practice of agriculture, forms ideas of the rights of property, and has his own, both defined and secured. the forest, the stream, and the sea are now no longer his only resources for food. he sows and he reaps, pastures and breeds cattle, lives on the cultivated produce of his fields, and revels in the luxuries of the dairy; raises flocks for clothing, and assumes, to all intents and purposes, the habits of permanent life and the comfortable condition of a farmer. this is the fourth stage of social progress, up to which the useful or mechanical arts have been incidentally developing themselves, when trade and commerce begin. through these various phases, _only to live_ has been the great object of mankind; but, by-and-by, comforts are multiplied, and accumulating riches create new wants. the object, then, is not only to _live_, but to live economically, agreeably, tastefully, and well. accordingly, the art of cookery commences; and although the fruits of the earth, the fowls of the air, the beasts of the field, and the fish of the sea, are still the only food of mankind, yet these are so prepared, improved, and dressed by skill and ingenuity, that they are the means of immeasurably extending the boundaries of human enjoyments. everything that is edible, and passes under the hands of the cook, is more or less changed, and assumes new forms. hence the influence of that functionary is immense upon the happiness of a household. . in order that the duties of the cook may be properly performed, and that he may be able to reproduce esteemed dishes with certainty, all terms of indecision should be banished from his art. accordingly, what is known only to him, will, in these pages, be made known to others. in them all those indecisive terms expressed by a bit of this, some of that, a small piece of that, and a handful of the other, shall never be made use of, but all quantities be precisely and explicitly stated. with a desire, also, that all ignorance on this most essential part of the culinary art should disappear, and that a uniform system of weights and measures should be adopted, we give an account of the weights which answer to certain measures. a table-spoonful is frequently mentioned in a recipe, in the prescriptions of medical men, and also in medical, chemical, and gastronomical works. by it is generally meant and understood a measure or bulk equal to that which would be produced by _half an ounce_ of water. a dessert-spoonful is the half of a table-spoonful; that is to say, by it is meant a measure or bulk equal to a _quarter of an ounce_ of water. a tea-spoonful is equal in quantity to a _drachm_ of water. a drop.--this is the name of a vague kind of measure, and is so called on account of the liquid being _dropped_ from the mouth of a bottle. its quantity, however, will vary, either from the consistency of the liquid or the size and shape of the mouth of the bottle. the college of physicians determined the quantity of a drop to be _one grain_, drops making one fluid drachm. their drop, or sixtieth part of a fluid drachm, is called a _minim_. [illustration: _fig_. .] graduated class measures can be obtained at any chemist's, and they save much trouble. one of these, containing a wine pint, is divided into oz., and the oz, into drachms of water; by which, any certain weight mentioned in a recipe can be accurately measured out. home-made measures of this kind can readily be formed by weighing the water contained in any given measure, and marking on any tall glass the space it occupies. this mark can easily be made with a file. it will be interesting to many readers to know the basis on which the french found their system of weights and measures, for it certainly possesses the grandeur of simplicity. the metre, which is the basis of the whole system of french weights and measures, is the exact measurement of one forty-millionth part of a meridian of the earth. . excellence in the art of cookery, as in all other things, is only attainable by practice and experience. in proportion, therefore, to the opportunities which a cook has had of these, so will be his excellence in the art. it is in the large establishments of princes, noblemen, and very affluent families alone, that the man cook is found in this country. he, also, superintends the kitchens of large hotels, clubs, and public institutions, where he, usually, makes out the bills of fare, which are generally submitted to the principal for approval. to be able to do this, therefore, it is absolutely necessary that he should be a judge of the season of every dish, as well as know perfectly the state of every article he undertakes to prepare. he must also be a judge of every article he buys; for no skill, however great it may be, will enable him to, make that good which is really bad. on him rests the responsibility of the cooking generally, whilst a speciality of his department, is to prepare the rich soups, stews, ragouts, and such dishes as enter into the more refined and complicated portions of his art, and such as are not usually understood by ordinary professors. he, therefore, holds a high position in a household, being inferior in rank, as already shown ( ), only to the house steward, the valet, and the butler. in the luxurious ages of grecian antiquity, sicilian cooks were the most esteemed, and received high rewards for their services. among them, one called trimalcio was such an adept in his art, that he could impart to common fish both the form and flavour of the most esteemed of the piscatory tribes. a chief cook in the palmy days of roman voluptuousness had about £ a year, and antony rewarded the one that cooked the supper which pleased cleopatra, with the present of a city. with the fall of the empire, the culinary art sank into less consideration. in the middle ages, cooks laboured to acquire a reputation for their sauces, which they composed of strange combinations, for the sake of novelty, as well as singularity. . the duties of the cook, the kitchen and the scullery maids, are so intimately associated, that they can hardly be treated of separately. the cook, however, is at the head of the kitchen; and in proportion to her possession of the qualities of cleanliness, neatness, order, regularity, and celerity of action, so will her influence appear in the conduct of those who are under her; as it is upon her that the whole responsibility of the business of the kitchen rests, whilst the others must lend her, both a ready and a willing assistance, and be especially tidy in their appearance, and active, in their movements. in the larger establishments of the middle ages, cooks, with the authority of feudal chiefs, gave their orders from a high chair in which they ensconced themselves, and commanded a view of all that was going on throughout their several domains. each held a long wooden spoon, with which he tasted, without leaving his seat, the various comestibles that were cooking on the stoves, and which he frequently used as a rod of punishment on the backs of those whose idleness and gluttony too largely predominated over their diligence and temperance. . if, as we have said ( ), the quality of early rising be of the first importance to the mistress, what must it be to the servant! let it, therefore, be taken as a long-proved truism, that without it, in every domestic, the effect of all things else, so far as _work_ is concerned, may, in a great measure, be neutralized. in a cook, this quality is most essential; for an hour lost in the morning, will keep her toiling, absolutely toiling, all day, to overtake that which might otherwise have been achieved with ease. in large establishments, six is a good hour to rise in the summer, and seven in the winter. . her first duty, in large establishments and where it is requisite, should be to set her dough for the breakfast rolls, provided this has not been done on the previous night, and then to engage herself with those numerous little preliminary occupations which may not inappropriately be termed laying out her duties for the day. this will bring in the breakfast hour of eight, after which, directions must be given, and preparations made, for the different dinners of the household and family. . in those numerous households where a cook and housemaid are only kept, the general custom is, that the cook should have the charge of the dining-room. the hall, the lamps and the doorstep are also committed to her care, and any other work there may be on the outside of the house. in establishments of this kind, the cook will, after having lighted her kitchen fire, carefully brushed the range, and cleaned the hearth, proceed to prepare for breakfast. she will thoroughly rinse the kettle, and, filling it with fresh water, will put it on the fire to boil. she will then go to the breakfast-room, or parlour, and there make all things ready for the breakfast of the family. her attention will next be directed to the hall, which she will sweep and wipe; the kitchen stairs, if there be any, will now be swept; and the hall mats, which have been removed and shaken, will be again put in their places. the cleaning of the kitchen, pantry, passages, and kitchen stairs must always be over before breakfast, so that it may not interfere with the other business of the day. everything should be ready, and the whole house should wear a comfortable aspect when the heads of the house and members of the family make their appearance. nothing, it may be depended on, will so please the mistress of an establishment, as to notice that, although she has not been present to see that the work was done, attention to smaller matters has been carefully paid, with a view to giving her satisfaction and increasing her comfort. . by the time that the cook has performed the duties mentioned above, and well swept, brushed, and dusted her kitchen, the breakfast-bell will most likely summon her to the parlour, to "bring in" the breakfast. it is the cook's department, generally, in the smaller establishments, to wait at breakfast, as the housemaid, by this time, has gone up-stairs into the bedrooms, and has there applied herself to her various duties. the cook usually answers the bells and single knocks at the door in the early part of the morning, as the tradesmen, with whom it is her more special business to speak, call at these hours. . it is in her preparation of the dinner that the cook begins to feel the weight and responsibility of her situation, as she must take upon herself all the dressing and the serving of the principal dishes, which her skill and ingenuity have mostly prepared. whilst these, however, are cooking, she must be busy with her pastry, soups, gravies, ragouts, &c. stock, or what the french call _consommé_, being the basis of most made dishes, must be always at hand, in conjunction with her sweet herbs and spices for seasoning. "a place for everything, and everything in its place," must be her rule, in order that time may not be wasted in looking for things when they are wanted, and in order that the whole apparatus of cooking may move with the regularity and precision of a well-adjusted machine;--all must go on simultaneously. the vegetables and sauces must be ready with the dishes they are to accompany, and in order that they may be suitable, the smallest oversight must not be made in their preparation. when the dinner-hour has arrived, it is the duty of the cook to dish-up such dishes as may, without injury, stand, for some time, covered on the hot plate or in the hot closet; but such as are of a more important or _recherché_ kind, must be delayed until the order "to serve" is given from the drawing-room. then comes haste; but there must be no hurry,--all must work with order. the cook takes charge of the fish, soups, and poultry; and the kitchen-maid of the vegetables, sauces, and gravies. these she puts into their appropriate dishes, whilst the scullery-maid waits on and assists the cook. everything must be timed so as to prevent its getting cold, whilst great care should be taken, that, between the first and second courses, no more time is allowed to elapse than is necessary, for fear that the company in the dining-room lose all relish for what has yet to come of the dinner. when the dinner has been served, the most important feature in the daily life of the cook is at an end. she must, however, now begin to look to the contents of her larder, taking care to keep everything sweet and clean, so that no disagreeable smells may arise from the gravies, milk, or meat that may be there. these are the principal duties of a cook in a first-rate establishment. in smaller establishments, the housekeeper often conducts the higher department of cooking (_see_ , , ), and the cook, with the assistance of a scullery-maid, performs some of the subordinate duties of the kitchen-maid. when circumstances render it necessary, the cook engages to perform the whole of the work of the kitchen, and, in some places, a portion of the house-work also. . whilst the cook is engaged with her morning duties, the kitchen-maid is also occupied with hers. her first duty, after the fire is lighted, is to sweep and clean the kitchen, and the various offices belonging to it. this she does every morning, besides cleaning the stone steps at the entrance of the house, the halls, the passages, and the stairs which lead to the kitchen. her general duties, besides these, are to wash and scour all these places twice a week, with the tables, shelves, and cupboards. she has also to dress the nursery and servants'-hall dinners, to prepare all fish, poultry, and vegetables, trim meat joints and cutlets, and do all such duties as may be considered to enter into the cook's department in a subordinate degree. . the duties of the scullery-maid are to assist the cook; to keep the scullery clean, and all the metallic as well as earthenware kitchen utensils. the position of scullery-maid is not, of course, one of high rank, nor is the payment for her services large. but if she be fortunate enough to have over her a good kitchen-maid and clever cook, she may very soon learn to perform various little duties connected with cooking operations, which may be of considerable service in fitting her for a more responsible place. now, it will be doubtless thought by the majority of our readers, that the fascinations connected with the position of the scullery-maid, are not so great as to induce many people to leave a comfortable home in order to work in a scullery. but we are acquainted with one instance in which the desire, on the part of a young girl, was so strong to become connected with the kitchen and cookery, that she absolutely left her parents, and engaged herself as a scullery-maid in a gentleman's house. here she showed herself so active and intelligent, that she very quickly rose to the rank of kitchen-maid; and from this, so great was her gastronomical genius, she became, in a short space of time, one of the best women-cooks in england. after this, we think, it must be allowed, that a cook, like a poet, _nascitur, non fit_. . modern cookery stands so greatly indebted to the gastronomic propensities of our french neighbours, that many of their terms are adopted and applied by english artists to the same as well as similar preparations of their own. a vocabulary of these is, therefore, indispensable in a work of this kind. accordingly, the following will be found sufficiently complete for all ordinary purposes:-- explanation of french terms used in modern household cookery. aspic.--a savoury jelly, used as an exterior moulding for cold game, poultry, fish, &c. this, being of a transparent nature, allows the bird which it covers to be seen through it. this may also be used for decorating or garnishing. assiette (plate).--_assiettes_ are the small _entrées_ and _hors-d'oeuvres_, the quantity of which does not exceed what a plate will hold. at dessert, fruits, cheese, chestnuts, biscuits, &c., if served upon a plate, are termed _assiettes_.--assiette volante is a dish which a servant hands round to the guests, but is not placed upon the table. small cheese soufflés and different dishes, which ought to be served very hot, are frequently made _assielles volantes_. au-bleu.--fish dressed in such a manner as to have a _bluish_ appearance. bain-marie.--an open saucepan or kettle of nearly boiling water, in which a smaller vessel can be set for cooking and warming. this is very useful for keeping articles hot, without altering their quantity or quality. if you keep sauce, broth, or soup by the fireside, the soup reduces and becomes too strong, and the sauce thickens as well as reduces; but this is prevented by using the _bain-marie_, in which the water should be very hot, but not boiling. bÉchamel.--french white sauce, now frequently used in english cookery. blanch.--to whiten poultry, vegetables, fruit, &c., by plunging them into boiling water for a short time, and afterwards plunging them into cold water, there to remain until they are cold. blanquette.--a sort of fricassee. bouilli.--beef or other meat boiled; but, generally speaking, boiled beef is understood by the term. bouillie.--a french dish resembling hasty-pudding. bouillon.--a thin broth or soup. braise.--to stew meat with fat bacon until it is tender, it having previously been blanched. braisiÈre.--a saucepan having a lid with ledges, to put fire on the top. brider.--to pass a packthread through poultry, game, &c., to keep together their members. caramel (burnt sugar).--this is made with a piece of sugar, of the size of a nut, browned in the bottom of a saucepan; upon which a cupful of stock is gradually poured, stirring all the time a glass of broth, little by little. it may be used with the feather of a quill, to colour meats, such as the upper part of fricandeaux; and to impart colour to sauces. caramel made with water instead of stock may be used to colour _compôtes_ and other _entremets_. casserole.--a crust of rice, which, after having been moulded into the form of a pie, is baked, and then filled with a fricassee of white meat or a purée of game. compote.--a stew, as of fruit or pigeons. consommÉ.--rich stock, or gravy. croquette.--ball of fried rice or potatoes. croutons.--sippets of bread. daubiÈre.--an oval stewpan, in which _daubes_ are cooked; _daubes_ being meat or fowl stewed in sauce. dÉsosser.--to _bone_, or take out the bones from poultry, game, or fish. this is an operation requiring considerable experience. entrÉes.--small side or corner dishes, served with the first course. entremets.--small side or corner dishes, served with the second course. escalopes.--collops; small, round, thin pieces of tender meat, or of fish, beaten with the handle of a strong knife to make them tender. feuilletage.--puff-paste. flamber.--to singe fowl or game, after they have been picked. foncer.--to put in the bottom of a saucepan slices of ham, veal, or thin broad slices of bacon. galette.--a broad thin cake. gÂteau.--a cake, correctly speaking; but used sometimes to denote a pudding and a kind of tart. glacer.--to glaze, or spread upon hot meats, or larded fowl, a thick and rich sauce or gravy, called _glaze_. this is laid on with a feather or brush, and in confectionary the term means to ice fruits and pastry with sugar, which glistens on hardening. hors-d'oeuvres.--small dishes, or _assiettes volantes_ of sardines, anchovies, and other relishes of this kind, served to the guests during the first course. (_see_ assiettes volantes.) lit.--a bed or layer; articles in thin slices are placed in layers, other articles, or seasoning, being laid between them. maigre.--broth, soup, or gravy, made without meat. matelote.--a rich fish-stew, which is generally composed of carp, eels, trout, or barbel. it is made with wine. mayonnaise.--cold sauce, or salad dressing. menu.--the bill of fare. meringue.--a kind of icing, made of whites of eggs and sugar, well beaten. miroton.--larger slices of meat than collops; such as slices of beef for a vinaigrette, or ragout or stew of onions. mouiller.--to add water, broth, or other liquid, during the cooking. paner.--to cover over with very fine crumbs of bread, meats, or any other articles to be cooked on the gridiron, in the oven, or frying-pan. piquer.--to lard with strips of fat bacon, poultry, game, meat, &c. this should always be done according to the vein of the meat, so that in carving you slice the bacon across as well as the meat. poÊlÉe.--stock used instead of water for boiling turkeys, sweetbreads, fowls, and vegetables, to render them less insipid. this is rather an expensive preparation. purÉe.--vegetables, or meat reduced to a very smooth pulp, which is afterwards mixed with enough liquid to make it of the consistency of very thick soup. ragout.--stew or hash. remoulade.--salad dressing. rissoles.--pastry, made of light puff-paste, and cut into various forms, and fried. they may be filled with fish, meat, or sweets. roux.--brown and white; french thickening. salmi.--ragout of game previously roasted. sauce piquante.--a sharp sauce, in which somewhat of a vinegar flavour predominates. sauter.--to dress with sauce in a saucepan, repeatedly moving it about. tamis.--tammy, a sort of open cloth or sieve through which to strain broth and sauces, so as to rid them of small bones, froth, &c. tourte.--tart. fruit pie. trousser.--to truss a bird; to put together the body and tie the wings and thighs, in order to round it for roasting or boiling, each being tied then with packthread, to keep it in the required form. vol-au-vent.--a rich crust of very fine puff-paste, which may be filled with various delicate ragouts or fricassees, of fish, flesh, or fowl. fruit may also be inclosed in a _vol-au-vent_. [illustration] soups. chapter v. general directions for making soups. . lean, juicy beef, mutton, and veal, form the basis of all good soups; therefore it is advisable to procure those pieces which afford the richest succulence, and such as are fresh-killed. stale meat renders them bad, and fat is not so well adapted for making them. the principal art in composing good rich soup, is so to proportion the several ingredients that the flavour of one shall not predominate over another, and that all the articles of which it is composed, shall form an agreeable whole. to accomplish this, care must be taken that the roots and herbs are perfectly well cleaned, and that the water is proportioned to the quantity of meat and other ingredients. generally a quart of water may be allowed to a pound of meat for soups, and half the quantity for gravies. in making soups or gravies, gentle stewing or simmering is incomparably the best. it may be remarked, however, that a really good soup can never be made but in a well-closed vessel, although, perhaps, greater wholesomeness is obtained by an occasional exposure to the air. soups will, in general, take from three to six hours doing, and are much better prepared the day before they are wanted. when the soup is cold, the fat may be much more easily and completely removed; and when it is poured off, care must be taken not to disturb the settlings at the bottom of the vessel, which are so fine that they will escape through a sieve. a tamis is the best strainer, and if the soup is strained while it is hot, let the tamis or cloth be previously soaked in cold water. clear soups must be perfectly transparent, and thickened soups about the consistence of cream. to thicken and give body to soups and gravies, potato-mucilage, arrow-root, bread-raspings, isinglass, flour and butter, barley, rice, or oatmeal, in a little water rubbed well together, are used. a piece of boiled beef pounded to a pulp, with a bit of butter and flour, and rubbed through a sieve, and gradually incorporated with the soup, will be found an excellent addition. when the soup appears to be _too thin_ or _too weak_, the cover of the boiler should be taken off, and the contents allowed to boil till some of the watery parts have evaporated; or some of the thickening materials, above mentioned, should be added. when soups and gravies are kept from day to day in hot weather, they should be warmed up every day, and put into fresh scalded pans or tureens, and placed in a cool cellar. in temperate weather, every other day may be sufficient. . various herbs and vegetables are required for the purpose of making soups and gravies. of these the principal are,--scotch barley, pearl barley, wheat flour, oatmeal, bread-raspings, pease, beans, rice, vermicelli, macaroni, isinglass, potato-mucilage, mushroom or mushroom ketchup, champignons, parsnips, carrots, beetroot, turnips, garlic, shalots, and onions. sliced onions, fried with butter and flour till they are browned, and then rubbed through a sieve, are excellent to heighten the colour and flavour of brown soups and sauces, and form the basis of many of the fine relishes furnished by the cook. the older and drier the onion, the stronger will be its flavour. leeks, cucumber, or burnet vinegar; celery or celery-seed pounded. the latter, though equally strong, does not impart the delicate sweetness of the fresh vegetable; and when used as a substitute, its flavour should be corrected by the addition of a bit of sugar. cress-seed, parsley, common thyme, lemon thyme, orange thyme, knotted marjoram, sage, mint, winter savoury, and basil. as fresh green basil is seldom to be procured, and its fine flavour is soon lost, the best way of preserving the extract is by pouring wine on the fresh leaves. . for the seasoning of soups, bay-leaves, tomato, tarragon, chervil, burnet, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, mace, black and white pepper, essence of anchovy, lemon-peel, and juice, and seville orange-juice, are all taken. the latter imparts a finer flavour than the lemon, and the acid is much milder. these materials, with wine, mushroom ketchup, harvey's sauce, tomato sauce, combined in various proportions, are, with other ingredients, manipulated into an almost endless variety of excellent soups and gravies. soups, which are intended to constitute the principal part of a meal, certainly ought not to be flavoured like sauces, which are only designed to give a relish to some particular dish. soup, broth and bouillon. . it has been asserted, that english cookery is, nationally speaking, far from being the best in the world. more than this, we have been frequently told by brilliant foreign writers, half philosophers, half _chefs_, that we are the _worst_ cooks on the face of the earth, and that the proverb which alludes to the divine origin of food, and the precisely opposite origin of its preparers, is peculiarly applicable to us islanders. not, however, to the inhabitants of the whole island; for, it is stated in a work which treats of culinary operations, north of the tweed, that the "broth" of scotland claims, for excellence and wholesomeness, a very close second place to the _bouillon_, or common soup of france. "_three_ hot meals of broth and meat, for about the price of one roasting joint," our scottish brothers and sisters get, they say; and we hasten to assent to what we think is now a very well-ascertained fact. we are glad to note, however, that soups of vegetables, fish, meat, and game, are now very frequently found in the homes of the english middle classes, as well as in the mansions of the wealthier and more aristocratic; and we take this to be one evidence, that we are on the right road to an improvement in our system of cookery. one great cause of many of the spoilt dishes and badly-cooked meats which are brought to our tables, arises, we think, and most will agree with us, from a non-acquaintance with "common, every-day things." entertaining this view, we intend to preface the chapters of this work with a simple scientific _résumé_ of all those causes and circumstances which relate to the food we have to prepare, and the theory and chemistry of the various culinary operations. accordingly, this is the proper place to treat of the quality of the flesh of animals, and describe some of the circumstances which influence it for good or bad. we will, therefore, commence with the circumstance of _age_, and examine how far this affects the quality of meat. . during the period between the birth and maturity of animals, their flesh undergoes very considerable changes. for instance, when the animal is young, the fluids which the tissues of the muscles contain, possess a large proportion of what is called _albumen_. this albumen, which is also the chief component of the white of eggs, possesses the peculiarity of coagulating or hardening at a certain temperature, like the white of a boiled egg, into a soft, white fluid, no longer soluble, or capable of being dissolved in water. as animals grow older, this peculiar animal matter gradually decreases, in proportion to the other constituents of the juice of the flesh. thus, the reason why veal, lamb, and young pork are _white, and without gravy_ when cooked, is, that the large quantity of albumen they contain hardens, or becomes coagulated. on the other hand, the reason why beef and mutton are _brown, and have gravy_, is, that the proportion of albumen they contain, is small, in comparison with their greater quantity of fluid which is soluble, and not coagulable. . the quality of the flesh of an animal is considerably influenced by the nature of the _food on which it has been fed_; for the food supplies the material which produces the flesh. if the food be not suitable and good, the meat cannot be good either; just as the paper on which these words are printed, could not be good, if the rags from which it is made, were not of a fine quality. to the experienced in this matter, it is well known that the flesh of animals fed on farinaceous produce, such as corn, pulse, &c., is firm, well-flavoured, and also economical in the cooking; that the flesh of those fed on succulent and pulpy substances, such as roots, possesses these qualities in a somewhat less degree; whilst the flesh of those whose food contains fixed oil, as linseed, is greasy, high coloured, and gross in the fat, and if the food has been used in large quantities, possessed of a rank flavour. . it is indispensable to the good quality of meat, that the animal should be _perfectly healthy_ at the time of its slaughter. however slight the disease in an animal may be, inferiority in the quality of its flesh, as food, is certain to be produced. in most cases, indeed, as the flesh of diseased animals has a tendency to very rapid putrefaction, it becomes not only unwholesome, but absolutely poisonous, on account of the absorption of the _virus_ of the unsound meat into the systems of those who partake of it. the external indications of good and bad meat will be described under its own particular head, but we may here premise that the layer of all wholesome meat, when freshly killed, adheres firmly to the bone. . another circumstance greatly affecting the quality of meat, is the animal's treatment _before it is slaughtered_. this influences its value and wholesomeness in no inconsiderable degree. it will be easy to understand this, when we reflect on those leading principles by which the life of an animal is supported and maintained. these are, the digestion of its food, and the assimilation of that food into its substance. nature, in effecting this process, first reduces the food in the stomach to a state of pulp, under the name of chyme, which passes into the intestines, and is there divided into two principles, each distinct from the other. one, a milk-white fluid,--the nutritive portion,--is absorbed by innumerable vessels which open upon the mucous membrane, or inner coat of the intestines. these vessels, or absorbents, discharge the fluid into a common duct, or road, along which it is conveyed to the large veins in the neighbourhood of the heart. here it is mixed with the venous blood (which is black and impure) returning from every part of the body, and then it supplies the waste which is occasioned in the circulating stream by the arterial (or pure) blood having furnished matter for the substance of the animal. the blood of the animal having completed its course through all parts, and having had its waste recruited by the digested food, is now received into the heart, and by the action of that organ it is urged through the lungs, there to receive its purification from the air which the animal inhales. again returning to the heart, it is forced through the arteries, and thence distributed, by innumerable ramifications, called capillaries, bestowing to every part of the animal, life and nutriment. the other principle--the innutritive portion--passes from the intestines, and is thus got rid of. it will now be readily understood how flesh is affected for bad, if an animal is slaughtered when the circulation of its blood has been increased by over-driving, ill-usage, or other causes of excitement, to such a degree of rapidity as to be too great for the capillaries to perform their functions, and causing the blood to be congealed in its minuter vessels. where this has been the case, the meat will be dark-coloured, and become rapidly putrid; so that self-interest and humanity alike dictate kind and gentle treatment of all animals destined to serve as food for man. the chemistry and economy of soup-making. . stock being the basis of all meat soups, and, also, of all the principal sauces, it is essential to the success of these culinary operations, to know the most complete and economical method of extracting, from a certain quantity of meat, the best possible stock or broth. the theory and philosophy of this process we will, therefore, explain, and then proceed to show the practical course to be adopted. . as all meat is principally composed of fibres, fat, gelatine, osmazome, and albumen, it is requisite to know that the fibres are inseparable, constituting almost all that remains of the meat after it has undergone a long boiling. . fat is dissolved by boiling; but as it is contained in cells covered by a very fine membrane, which never dissolves, a portion of it always adheres to the fibres. the other portion rises to the surface of the stock, and is that which has escaped from the cells which were not whole, or which have burst by boiling. . gelatine is soluble: it is the basis and the nutritious portion of the stock. when there is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when cold, to become a jelly. . osmazome is soluble even when cold, and is that part of the meat which gives flavour and perfume to the stock. the flesh of old animals contains more _osmazome_ than that of young ones. brown meats contain more than white, and the former make the stock more fragrant. by roasting meat, the osmazome appears to acquire higher properties; so, by putting the remains of roast meats into your stock-pot, you obtain a better flavour. . albumen is of the nature of the white of eggs; it can be dissolved in cold or tepid water, but coagulates when it is put into water not quite at the boiling-point. from this property in albumen, it is evident that if the meat is put into the stock-pot when the water boils, or after this is made to boil up quickly, the albumen, in both cases, hardens. in the first it rises to the surface, in the second it remains in the meat, but in both it prevents the gelatine and osmazome from dissolving; and hence a thin and tasteless stock will be obtained. it ought to be known, too, that the coagulation of the albumen in the meat, always takes place, more or less, according to the size of the piece, as the parts farthest from the surface always acquire _that degree_ of heat which congeals it before entirely dissolving it. . bones ought always to form a component part of the stock-pot. they are composed of an earthy substance,--to which they owe their solidity,--of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. _two ounces_ of them contain as much gelatine as _one pound_ of meat; but in them, this is so incased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the surface of whole bones. by breaking them, however, you can dissolve more, because you multiply their surfaces; and by reducing them to powder or paste, you can dissolve them entirely; but you must not grind them dry. we have said ( ) that gelatine forms the basis of stock; but this, though very nourishing, is entirely without taste; and to make the stock savoury, it must contain _osmazome_. of this, bones do not contain a particle; and that is the reason why stock made entirely of them, is not liked; but when you add meat to the broken or pulverized bones, the osmazome contained in it makes the stock sufficiently savoury. . in concluding this part of our subject, the following condensed hints and directions should be attended to in the economy of soup-making:-- i. beef makes the best stock; veal stock has less colour and taste; whilst mutton sometimes gives it a tallowy smell, far from agreeable, unless the meat has been previously roasted or broiled. fowls add very little to the flavour of stock, unless they be old and fat. pigeons, when they are old, add the most flavour to it; and a rabbit or partridge is also a great improvement. from the freshest meat the best stock is obtained. ii. if the meat be boiled solely to make stock, it must be cut up into the smallest possible pieces; but, generally speaking, if it is desired to have good stock and a piece of savoury meat as well, it is necessary to put a rather large piece into the stock-pot, say sufficient for two or three days, during which time the stock will keep well in all weathers. choose the freshest meat, and have it cut as thick as possible; for if it is a thin, flat piece, it will not look well, and will be very soon spoiled by the boiling. iii. never wash meat, as it deprives its surface of all its juices; separate it from the bones, and tie it round with tape, so that its shape may be preserved, then put it into the stock-pot, and for each pound of meat, let there be one pint of water; press it down with the hand, to allow the air, which it contains, to escape, and which often raises it to the top of the water. iv. put the stock-pot on a gentle fire, so that it may heat gradually. the albumen will first dissolve, afterwards coagulate; and as it is in this state lighter than the liquid, it will rise to the surface; bringing with it all its impurities. it is this which makes _the scum_. the rising of the hardened albumen has the same effect in clarifying stock as the white of eggs; and, as a rule, it may be said that the more scum there is, the clearer will be the stock. always take care that the fire is very regular. v. remove the scum when it rises thickly, and do not let the stock boil, because then one portion of the scum will be dissolved, and the other go to the bottom of the pot; thus rendering it very difficult to obtain a clear broth. if the fire is regular, it will not be necessary to add cold water in order to make the scum rise; but if the fire is too large at first, it will then be necessary to do so. vi. when the stock is well skimmed, and begins to boil, put in salt and vegetables, which may be two or three carrots, two turnips, one parsnip, a bunch of leeks and celery tied together. you can add, according to taste, a piece of cabbage, two or three cloves stuck in an onion, and a tomato. the latter gives a very agreeable flavour to the stock. if fried onion be added, it ought, according to the advice of a famous french _chef_, to be tied in a little bag: without this precaution, the colour of the stock is liable to be clouded. vii. by this time we will now suppose that you have chopped the bones which were separated from the meat, and those which were left from the roast meat of the day before. remember, as was before pointed out, that the more these are broken, the more gelatine you will have. the best way to break them up is to pound them roughly in an iron mortar, adding, from time to time, a little water, to prevent them getting heated. it is a great saving thus to make use of the bones of meat, which, in too many english families, we fear, are entirely wasted; for it is certain, as previously stated (no. ), that two ounces of bone contain as much gelatine (which is the nutritive portion of stock) as one pound of meat. in their broken state tie them up in a bag, and put them in the stock-pot; adding the gristly parts of cold meat, and trimmings, which can be used for no other purpose. if, to make up the weight, you have received from the butcher a piece of mutton or veal, broil it slightly over a clear fire before putting it in the stock-pot, and be very careful that it does not contract the least taste of being smoked or burnt. viii. add now the vegetables, which, to a certain extent, will stop the boiling of the stock. wait, therefore, till it simmers well up again, then draw it to the side of the fire, and keep it gently simmering till it is served, preserving, as before said, your fire always the same. cover the stock-pot well, to prevent evaporation; do not fill it up, even if you take out a little stock, unless the meat is exposed; in which case a little boiling water may be added, but only enough to cover it. after six hours' slow and gentle simmering, the stock is done; and it should not be continued on the fire, longer than is necessary, or it will tend to insipidity. _note_.--it is on a good stock, or first good broth and sauce, that excellence in cookery depends. if the preparation of this basis of the culinary art is intrusted to negligent or ignorant persons, and the stock is not well skimmed, but indifferent results will be obtained. the stock will never be clear; and when it is obliged to be clarified, it is deteriorated both in quality and flavour. in the proper management of the stock-pot an immense deal of trouble is saved, inasmuch as one stock, in a small dinner, serves for all purposes. above all things, the greatest economy, consistent with excellence, should be practised, and the price of everything which enters the kitchen correctly ascertained. the _theory_ of this part of household management may appear trifling; but its practice is extensive, and therefore it requires the best attention. [illustration] recipes. chapter vi. fruit and vegetable soups. [_it will be seen, by reference to the following recipes, that an entirely original and most intelligible system has been pursued in explaining the preparation of each dish. we would recommend the young housekeeper, cook, or whoever may be engaged in the important task of "getting ready" the dinner, or other meal, to follow precisely the order in which the recipes are given. thus, let them first place on their table all the ingredients necessary; then the modus operandi, or mode of preparation, will be easily managed. by a careful reading, too, of the recipes, there will not be the slightest difficulty in arranging a repast for any number of persons, and an accurate notion will be gained of the time the cooling of each dish will occupy, of the periods at which it is seasonable, as also of its_ average cost. _the addition of the natural history, and the description of the various properties of the edible articles in common use in every family, will be serviceable both in a practical and an educational point of view._ _speaking specially of the recipes for soups, it may be added, that by the employment of the_ best, medium, _or_ common stock, _the quality of the soups and their cost may be proportionately increased or lessened._] stocks for all kinds of soups. rich strong stock. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, lbs. of knuckle of veal, / lb. of good lean ham; any poultry trimmings; small onions, small carrots, turnips (the latter should be omitted in summer, lest they ferment), head of celery, a few chopped mushrooms, when obtainable; tomato, a bunch of savoury herbs, not forgetting parsley; - / oz. of salt, white peppercorns, cloves, small blades of mace, quarts of water. _mode_.--line a delicately clean stewpan with the ham cut in thin broad slices, carefully trimming off all its rusty fat; cut up the beef and veal in pieces about inches square, and lay them on the ham; set it on the stove, and draw it down, and stir frequently. when the meat is equally browned, put in the beef and veal bones, the poultry trimmings, and pour in the cold water. skim well, and occasionally add a little cold water, to stop its boiling, until it becomes quite clear; then put in all the other ingredients, and simmer very slowly for hours. do not let it come to a brisk boil, that the stock be not wasted, and that its colour may be preserved. strain through a very fine hair sieve, or tammy, and it will be fit for use. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. medium stock. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, or lbs. of knuckle of veal, or lbs. of each; any bones, trimmings of poultry, or fresh meat, / a lb. of lean bacon or ham, oz. of butter, large onions, each stuck with cloves; turnip, carrots, / a leek, head of celery, oz. of salt, / a teaspoonful of whole pepper, large blade of mace, small bunch of savoury herbs, quarts and / pint of cold water. _mode_.--cut up the meat and bacon or ham into pieces about inches square; rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; put in / a pint of water, the meat, and all the other ingredients. cover the stewpan, and place it on a sharp fire, occasionally stirring its contents. when the bottom of the pan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance, add quarts of cold water, and simmer very gently for hours. as we have said before, do not let it boil quickly. skim off every particle of grease whilst it is doing, and strain it through a fine hair sieve. this is the basis of many of the soups afterwards mentioned, and will be found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. economical stock. . ingredients.--the liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled, say quarts; trimmings of fresh meat or poultry, shank-bones, &c., roast-beef bones, any pieces the larder may furnish; vegetables, spices, and the same seasoning as in the foregoing recipe. _mode_.--let all the ingredients simmer gently for hours, taking care to skim carefully at first. strain it off, and put by for use. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. white stock. (_to be used in the preparation of white soups_.) . ingredients.-- lbs. of knuckle of veal, any poultry trimmings, slices of lean ham, carrot, onions, head of celery, white peppercorns, oz. of salt, blade of mace, oz. butter, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut up the veal, and put it with the bones and trimmings of poultry, and the ham, into the stewpan, which has been rubbed with the butter. moisten with / a pint of water, and simmer till the gravy begins to flow. then add the quarts of water and the remainder of the ingredients; simmer for hours. after skimming and straining it carefully through a very fine hair sieve, it will be ready for use. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _note_.--when stronger stock is desired, double the quantity of veal, or put in an old fowl. the liquor in which a young turkey has been boiled, is an excellent addition to all white stock or soups. browning for stock. . ingredients.-- oz. of powdered sugar, and / a pint of water. _mode_.--place the sugar in a stewpan over a slow fire until it begins to melt, keeping it stirred with a wooden spoon until it becomes black, then add the water, and let it dissolve. cork closely, and use a few drops when required. _note_.--in france, burnt onions are made use of for the purpose of browning. as a general rule, the process of browning is to be discouraged, as apt to impart a slightly unpleasant flavour to the stock, and, consequently, all soups made from it. to clarify stock. . ingredients.--the whites of eggs, / pint of water, quarts of stock. _mode_.--supposing that by some accident the soup is not quite clear, and that its quantity is quarts, take the whites of eggs, carefully separated from their yolks, whisk them well together with the water, and add gradually the quarts of boiling stock, still whisking. place the soup on the fire, and when boiling and well skimmed, whisk the eggs with it till nearly boiling again; then draw it from the fire, and let it settle, until the whites of the eggs become separated. pass through a fine cloth, and the soup should be clear. _note_.--the rule is, that all clear soups should be of a light straw colour, and should not savour too strongly of the meat; and that all white or brown thick soups should have no more consistency than will enable them to adhere slightly to the spoon when hot. all _purées_ should be somewhat thicker. almond soup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of lean beef or veal, / a scrag of mutton, oz. of vermicelli, blades of mace, cloves, / lb. of sweet almonds, the yolks of eggs, gill of thick cream, rather more than quarts of water. _mode_.--boil the beef, or veal, and the mutton, gently in water that will cover them, till the gravy is very strong, and the meat very tender; then strain off the gravy, and set it on the fire with the specified quantities of vermicelli, mace, and cloves, to quarts. let it boil till it has the flavour of the spices. have ready the almonds, blanched and pounded very fine; the yolks of the eggs boiled hard; mixing the almonds, whilst pounding, with a little of the soup, lest the latter should grow oily. pound them till they are a mere pulp, and keep adding to them, by degrees, a little soup until they are thoroughly mixed together. let the soup be cool when mixing, and do it perfectly smooth. strain it through a sieve, set it on the fire, stir frequently, and serve hot. just before taking it up, add the cream. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_ per quart, s. d. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: almond & blossom.] the almond-tree.--this tree is indigenous to the northern parts of asia and africa, but it is now cultivated in europe, especially in the south of france, italy, and spain. it flowers in spring, and produces its fruit in august. although there are two kinds of almonds, the _sweet_ and the _bitter,_ they are considered as only varieties of the same species. the best sweet almonds brought to england, are called the syrian or jordan, and come from malaga; the inferior qualities are brought from valentia and italy. _bitter_ almonds come principally from magadore. anciently, the almond was much esteemed by the nations of the east. jacob included it among the presents which he designed for joseph. the greeks called it the greek or thasian nut, and the romans believed that by eating half a dozen of them, they were secured against drunkenness, however deeply they might imbibe. almonds, however, are considered as very indigestible. the _bitter_ contain, too, principles which produce two violent poisons,--prussic acid and a kind of volatile oil. it is consequently dangerous to eat them in large quantities. almonds pounded together with a little sugar and water, however, produce a milk similar to that which is yielded by animals. their oil is used for making fine soap, and their cake as a cosmetic. apple soup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of good boiling apples, / teaspoonful of white pepper, cloves, cayenne or ginger to taste, quarts of medium stock. _mode_.--peel and quarter the apples, taking out their cores; put them into the stock, stew them gently till tender. rub the whole through a strainer, add the seasoning, give it one boil up, and serve. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_ per quart, s. _seasonable_ from september to december. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: apple and blossom.] the apple.--this useful fruit is mentioned in holy writ; and homer describes it as valuable in his time. it was brought from the east by the romans, who held it in the highest estimation. indeed, some of the citizens of the "eternal city" distinguished certain favourite apples by their names. thus the manlians were called after manlius, the claudians after claudius, and the appians after appius. others were designated after the country whence they were brought; as the sidonians, the epirotes, and the greeks. the best varieties are natives of asia, and have, by grafting them upon others, been introduced into europe. the crab, found in our hedges, is the only variety indigenous to britain; therefore, for the introduction of other kinds we are, no doubt, indebted to the romans. in the time of the saxon heptarchy, both devon and somerset were distinguished as _the apple country_; and there are still existing in herefordshire some trees said to have been planted in the time of william the conqueror. from that time to this, the varieties of this precious fruit have gone on increasing, and are now said to number upwards of , . it is peculiar to the temperate zone, being found neither in lapland, nor within the tropics. the best baking apples for early use are the colvilles; the best for autumn are the rennets and pearmains; and the best for winter and spring are russets. the best table, or eating apples, are the margarets for early use; the kentish codlin and summer pearmain for summer; and for autumn, winter, or spring, the dowton, golden and other pippins, as the ribstone, with small russets. as a food, the apple cannot be considered to rank high, as more than the half of it consists of water, and the rest of its properties are not the most nourishing. it is, however, a useful adjunct to other kinds of food, and, when cooked, is esteemed as slightly laxative. artichoke (jerusalem) soup. (_a white soup_.) . ingredients.-- slices of lean bacon or ham, / a head of celery, turnip, onion, oz. of butter, lbs. of artichokes, pint of boiling milk, or / pint of boiling cream, salt and cayenne to taste, lumps of sugar, - / quarts of white stock. _mode_.--put the bacon and vegetables, which should be cut into thin slices, into the stewpan with the butter. braise these for / of an hour, keeping them well stirred. wash and pare the artichokes, and after cutting them into thin slices, add them, with a pint of stock, to the other ingredients. when these have gently stewed down to a smooth pulp, put in the remainder of the stock. stir it well, adding the seasoning, and when it has simmered for five minutes, pass it through a strainer. now pour it back into the stewpan, let it again simmer five minutes, taking care to skim it well, and stir it to the boiling milk or cream. serve with small sippets of bread fried in butter. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_ per quart, s. d. _seasonable_ from june to october. _sufficient_ for persons. asparagus soup. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of lean beef, slices of bacon, / pint of pale ale, a few leaves of white beet, spinach, cabbage lettuce, a little mint, sorrel, and marjoram, a pint of asparagus-tops cut small, the crust of french roll, seasoning to taste, quarts of water. _mode_.--put the beef, cut in pieces and rolled in flour, into a stewpan, with the bacon at the bottom; cover it close, and set it on a slow fire, stirring it now and then till the gravy is drawn. put in the water and ale, and season to taste with pepper and salt, and let it stew gently for hours; then strain the liquor, and take off the fat, and add the white beet, spinach, cabbage lettuce, and mint, sorrel, and sweet marjoram, pounded. let these boil up in the liquor, then put in the asparagus-tops cut small, and allow them to boil till all is tender. serve hot, with the french roll in the dish. _time_.--altogether hours. _average cost_ per quart, s. d. _seasonable_ from may to august. _sufficient_ for persons. ii. . ingredients.-- - / pint of split peas, a teacupful of gravy, young onions, lettuce cut small, / a head of celery, / a pint of asparagus cut small, / a pint of cream, quarts of water: colour the soup with spinach juice. _mode_.--boil the peas, and rub them through a sieve; add the gravy, and then stew by themselves the celery, onions, lettuce, and asparagus, with the water. after this, stew altogether, and add the colouring and cream, and serve. _time_.--peas - / hours, vegetables hour; altogether hours. _average cost_ per quart, s. [illustration: asparagus.] asparagus.--the ancients called all the sprouts of young vegetables asparagus, whence the name, which is now limited to a particular species, embracing artichoke, alisander, asparagus, cardoon, rampion, and sea-kale. they are originally mostly wild seacoast plants; and, in this state, asparagus may still be found on the northern as well as southern shores of britain. it is often vulgarly called, in london, _sparrowgrass_; and, in it's cultivated form, hardly bears any resemblance to the original plant. immense quantities of it are raised for the london market, at mortlake and deptford; but it belongs rather to the classes of luxurious than necessary food. it is light and easily digested, but is not very nutritious. baked soup. . ingredients.-- lb. of any kind of meat, any trimmings or odd pieces; onions, carrots, oz. of rice, pint of split peas, pepper and salt to taste, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut the meat and vegetables in slices, add to them the rice and peas, season with pepper and salt. put the whole in a jar, fill up with the water, cover very closely, and bake for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, - / d. per quart. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. _note_.--this will be found a very cheap and wholesome soup, and will be convenient in those cases where baking is more easily performed than boiling. barley soup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, / lb. of pearl barley, a large bunch of parsley, onions, potatoes, salt and pepper, quarts of water. _mode_.--put in all the ingredients, and simmer gently for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, - / d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable for winter. [illustration: barley.] barley.--this, in the order of cereal grasses, is, in britain, the next plant to wheat in point of value, and exhibits several species and varieties. from what country it comes originally, is not known, but it was cultivated in the earliest ages of antiquity, as the egyptians were afflicted with the loss of it in the ear, in the time of moses. it was a favourite grain with the athenians, but it was esteemed as an ignominious food by the romans. notwithstanding this, however, it was much used by them, as it was in former times by the english, and still is, in the border counties, in cornwall, and also in wales. in other parts of england, it is used mostly for malting purposes. it is less nutritive than wheat; and in parts, has of starch , gluten , saccharine matter , husk . it is, however, a lighter and less stimulating food than wheat, which renders a decoction of it well adapted for invalids whose digestion is weak. bread soup. (_economical_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of bread crusts, oz. butter, quart of common stock. _mode_.--boil the bread crusts in the stock with the butter; beat the whole with a spoon, and keep it boiling till the bread and stock are well mixed. season with a little salt. _time_.--half an hour. _average cost_ per quart, d. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this is a cheap recipe, and will be found useful where extreme economy is an object. [illustration: quern, or grinding-mill.] bread.--the origin of bread is involved in the obscurity of distant ages. the greeks attributed its invention to pan; but before they, themselves, had an existence, it was, no doubt, in use among the primitive nations of mankind. the chaldeans and the egyptians were acquainted with it, and sarah, the companion of abraham, mixed flour and water together, kneaded it, and covered it with ashes on the hearth. the scriptures inform us that leavened bread was known to the israelites, but it is not known when the art of fermenting it was discovered. it is said that the romans learnt it during their wars with perseus, king of macedon, and that it was introduced to the "imperial city" about years before the birth of christ. with them it no doubt found its way into britain; but after their departure from the island, it probably ceased to be used. we know that king alfred allowed the unfermented cakes to burn in the neatherd's cottage; and that, even in the sixteenth century, unfermented cakes, kneaded by the women, were the only kind of bread known to the inhabitants of norway and sweden. the italians of this day consume the greater portion of their flour in the form of _polenta_, or soft pudding, vermicelli, and macaroni; and, in the remoter districts of scotland, much unfermented bread is still used. we give a cut of the _quern_ grinding-mill, which, towards the end of the last century, was in use in that country, and which is thus described by dr. johnson in his "journey to the hebrides:"--"it consists of two stones about a foot and half in diameter; the lower is a little convex, to which the concavity of the upper must be fitted. in the middle of the upper stone is a round hole, and on one side is a long handle. the grinder sheds the corn gradually into the hole with one hand, and works the handle round with the other. the corn slides down the convexity of the lower stone, and by the motion of the upper, is ground in its passage." such a primitive piece of machinery, it may safely be said, has entirely disappeared from this country.--in other parts of this work, we shall have opportunities of speaking of bread and bread-making, which, from its great and general use in the nourishment of mankind, has emphatically been called the "staff of life." the necessity, therefore, of having it both pure and good is of the first importance. cabbage soup. . ingredients.-- large cabbage, carrots, onions, or slices of lean bacon, salt and pepper to taste, quarts of medium stock no. . _mode_.--scald the cabbage, exit it up and drain it. line the stewpan with the bacon, put in the cabbage, carrots, and onions; moisten with skimmings from the stock, and simmer very gently, till the cabbage is tender; add the stock, stew softly for half an hour, and carefully skim off every particle of fat. season and serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: cabbage seeding.] the cabbage.--it is remarkable, that although there is no country in the world now more plentifully supplied with fruits and vegetables than great britain, yet the greater number of these had no existence in it before the time of henry viii. anderson, writing under the date of , says, "the english cultivated scarcely any vegetables before the last two centuries. at the commencement of the reign, of henry viii. neither salad, nor carrots, nor cabbages, nor radishes, nor any other comestibles of a like nature, were grown in any part of the kingdom; they came from holland and flanders." the original of all the cabbage tribe is the wild plant _sea-colewort_, which is to be found _wasting_ whatever sweetness it may have on the desert air, on many of the cliffs of the south coast of england. in this state, it scarcely weighs more than half an ounce, yet, in a cultivated state, to what dimensions can it be made to grow! however greatly the whole of the tribe is esteemed among the moderns, by the ancients they were held in yet higher estimation. the egyptians adored and raised altars to them, and the greeks and romans ascribed many of the most exalted virtues to them. cato affirmed, that the cabbage cured all diseases, and declared, that it was to its use that the romans were enabled to live in health and without the assistance of physicians for years. it was introduced by that people into germany, gaul, and, no doubt, britain; although, in this last, it may have been suffered to pass into desuetude for some centuries. the whole tribe is in general wholesome and nutritive, and forms a valuable adjunct to animal food. soup a la cantatrice. (_an excellent soup, very beneficial for the voice_.) . ingredients.-- oz. of sago, / pint of cream, the yolks of eggs, lump of sugar, and seasoning to taste, bay-leaf (if liked), quarts of medium stock no. . _mode_.--having washed the sago in boiling water, let it be gradually added to the nearly boiling stock. simmer for / an hour, when it should be well dissolved. beat up the yolks of the eggs, add to them the boiling cream; stir these quickly in the soup, and serve immediately. do not let the soup boil, or the eggs will curdle. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this is a soup, the principal ingredients of which, sago and eggs, have always been deemed very beneficial to the chest and throat. in various quantities, and in different preparations, these have been partaken of by the principal singers of the day, including the celebrated swedish nightingale, jenny lind, and, as they have always avowed, with considerable advantage to the voice, in singing. carrot soup. i. . ingredients.-- quarts of liquor in which a leg of mutton or beef has been boiled, a few beef-bones, large carrots, large onions, turnip; seasoning of salt and pepper to taste; cayenne. _mode_.--put the liquor, bones, onions, turnip, pepper, and salt, into a stewpan, and simmer for hours. scrape and cut the carrots thin, strain the soup on them, and stew them till soft enough to pulp through a hair sieve or coarse cloth; then boil the pulp with the soup, which should be of the consistency of pea-soup. add cayenne. pulp only the red part of the carrot, and make this soup the day before it is wanted. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_ per quart, - / d. _seasonable_ from october to march. _sufficient_ for persons. ii. . ingredients.-- lbs. of carrots, oz. of butter, seasoning to taste of salt and cayenne, quarts of stock or gravy soup. _mode_.--scrape and cut out all specks from the carrots, wash, and wipe them dry, and then reduce them into quarter-inch slices. put the butter into a large stewpan, and when it is melted, add lbs. of the sliced carrots, and let them stew gently for an hour without browning. add to them the soup, and allow them to simmer till tender,--say for nearly an hour. press them through a strainer with the soup, and add salt and cayenne if required. boil the whole gently for minutes, skim well, and serve as hot as possible. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_ per quart, s. d. [illustration: tazza and carrot leaves.] the carrot.--there is a wild carrot which grows in england; but it is white and small, and not much esteemed. the garden carrot in general use, was introduced in the reign of queen elizabeth, and was, at first, so highly esteemed, that the ladies wore leaves of it in their head-dresses. it is of great value in the culinary art, especially for soups and stews. it can be used also for beer instead of malt, and, in distillation, it yields a large quantity of spirit. the carrot is proportionably valuable as it has more of the red than the yellow part. there is a large red variety much used by the farmers for colouring butter. as a garden vegetable, it is what is called the orange-carrot that is usually cultivated. as a fattening food for cattle, it is excellent; but for man it is indigestible, on account of its fibrous matter. of , parts, consist of sugar, and of starch.--the accompanying cut represents a pretty winter ornament, obtained by placing a cut from the top of the carrot-root in a shallow vessel of water, when the young leaves spring forth with a charming freshness and fullness. celery soup. . ingredients.-- heads of celery, teaspoonful of salt, nutmeg to taste, lump of sugar, / pint of strong stock, a pint of cream, and quarts of boiling water. _mode_.--cut the celery into small pieces; throw it into the water, seasoned with the nutmeg, salt, and sugar. boil it till sufficiently tender; pass it through a sieve, add the stock, and simmer it for half an hour. now put in the cream, bring it to the boiling point, and serve immediately. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to march. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this soup can be made brown, instead of white, by omitting the cream, and colouring it a little. when celery cannot be procured, half a drachm of the seed, finely pounded, will give a flavour to the soup, if put in a quarter of an hour before it is done. a little of the essence of celery will answer the same purpose. celery.--this plant is indigenous to britain, and, in its wild state, grows by the side of ditches and along some parts of the seacoast. in this state it is called _smallaqe_, and, to some extent, is a dangerous narcotic. by cultivation, however, it has been brought to the fine flavour which the garden plant possesses. in the vicinity of manchester it is raised to an enormous size. when our natural observation is assisted by the accurate results ascertained by the light of science, how infinitely does it enhance our delight in contemplating the products of nature! to know, for example, that the endless variety of colour which we see in plants is developed only by the rays of the sun, is to know a truism sublime by its very comprehensiveness. the cause of the whiteness of celery is nothing more than the want of light in its vegetation, and in order that this effect may be produced, the plant is almost wholly covered with earth; the tops of the leaves alone being suffered to appear above the ground. chantilly soup. . ingredients.-- quart of young green peas, a small bunch of parsley, young onions, quarts of medium stock no. . _mode_.--boil the peas till quite tender, with the parsley and onions; then rub them through a sieve, and pour the stock to them. do not let it boil after the peas are added, or you will spoil the colour. serve very hot. _time_.--half an hour. _average_ cost, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from june to the end of august. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--cold peas pounded in a mortar, with a little stock added to them, make a very good soup in haste. parsley.--among the greeks, in the classic ages, a crown of parsley was awarded, both in the nemaean and isthmian games, and the voluptuous anacreon pronounces this beautiful herb the emblem of joy and festivity. it has an elegant leaf, and is extensively used in the culinary art. when it was introduced to britain is not known. there are several varieties,--the _plain_-leaved and the _curled_-leaved, _celery_-parsley, _hamburg_ parsley, and _purslane_. the curled is the best, and, from the form of its leaf, has a beautiful appearance on a dish as a garnish. its flavour is, to many, very agreeable in soups; and although to rabbits, hares, and sheep it is a luxury, to parrots it is a poison. the celery-parsley is used as a celery, and the hamburg is cultivated only for its roots, which are used as parsnips or carrots, to eat with meat. the purslane is a native of south america, and is not now much in use. chestnut (spanish) soup. . ingredients.-- / lb. of spanish chestnuts, / pint of cream; seasoning to taste of salt, cayenne, and mace; quart of stock no. . _mode_.--take the outer rind from the chestnuts, and put them into a large pan of warm water. as soon as this becomes too hot for the fingers to remain in it, take out the chestnuts, peel them quickly, and immerse them in cold water, and wipe and weigh them. now cover them with good stock, and stew them gently for rather more than / of an hour, or until they break when touched with a fork; then drain, pound, and rub them through a fine sieve reversed; add sufficient stock, mace, cayenne, and salt, and stir it often until it boils, and put in the cream. the stock in which the chestnuts are boiled can be used for the soup, when its sweetness is not objected to, or it may, in part, be added to it; and the rule is, that / lb. of chestnuts should be given to each quart of soup. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_ per quart, s. d. _seasonable_ from october to february. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: chestnut.] the chestnut.--this fruit is said, by some, to have originally come from sardis, in lydia; and by others, from castanea, a city of thessaly, from which it takes its name. by the ancients it was much used as a food, and is still common in france and italy, to which countries it is, by some, considered indigenous. in the southern part of the european continent, it is eaten both raw and roasted. the tree was introduced into britain by the romans; but it only flourishes in the warmer parts of the island, the fruit rarely arriving at maturity in scotland. it attains a great age, as well as an immense size. as a food, it is the least oily and most farinaceous of all the nuts, and, therefore, the easiest of digestion. the tree called the _horse chestnut_ is very different, although its fruit very much resembles that of the other. its "nuts," though eaten by horses and some other animals, are unsuitable for human food. cocoa-nut soup. . ingredients.-- oz. of grated cocoa-nut, oz. of rice flour, / a teaspoonful of mace; seasoning to taste of cayenne and salt; / of a pint of boiling cream, quarts of medium stock no. . _mode_.--take the dark rind from the cocoa-nut, and grate it down small on a clean grater; weigh it, and allow, for each quart of stock, oz. of the cocoa-nut. simmer it gently for hour in the stock, which should then be strained closely from it, and thickened for table. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_ per quart, s. d. _seasonable_ in autumn. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: cocoa-nut palm.] [illustration: nut & blossom.] the cocoa-nut.--this is the fruit of one of the palms, than which it is questionable if there is any other species of tree marking, in itself, so abundantly the goodness of providence, in making provision for the wants of man. it grows wild in the indian seas, and in the eastern parts of asia; and thence it has been introduced into every part of the tropical regions. to the natives of those climates, its bark supplies the material for creating their dwellings; its leaves, the means of roofing them; and the leaf-stalks, a kind of gauze for covering their windows, or protecting the baby in the cradle. it is also made into lanterns, masks to screen the face from the heat of the sun, baskets, wicker-work, and even a kind of paper for writing on. combs, brooms, torches, ropes, matting, and sailcloth are made of its fibers. with these, too, beds are made and cushions stuffed. oars are supplied by the leaves; drinking-cups, spoons, and other domestic utensils by the shells of the nuts; milk by its juice, of which, also, a kind of honey and sugar are prepared. when fermented, it furnishes the means of intoxication; and when the fibres are burned, their ashes supply an alkali for making soap. the buds of the tree bear a striking resemblance to cabbage when boiled; but when they are cropped, the tree dies. in a fresh state, the kernel is eaten raw, and its juice is a most agreeable and refreshing beverage. when the nut is imported to this country, its fruit is, in general, comparatively dry, and is considered indigestible. the tree is one of the least productive of the palm tribe. soup a la crecy. . ingredients.-- carrots, sliced onions, cut lettuce, and chervil; oz. butter, pint of lentils, the crumbs of french rolls, half a teacupful of rice, quarts of medium stock no. . _mode_.--put the vegetables with the butter in the stewpan, and let them simmer minutes; then add the lentils and pint of the stock, and stew gently for half an hour. now fill it up with the remainder of the stock, let it boil another hour, and put in the crumb of the rolls. when well soaked, rub all through a tammy. have ready the rice boiled; pour the soup over this, and serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: the lentil.] the lentil.--this belongs to the legumious or _pulse_ kind of vegetables, which rank next to the corn plants in their nutritive properties. the lentil is a variety of the bean tribe, but in england is not used as human food, although considered the best of all kinds for pigeons. on the continent it is cultivated for soups, as well as for other preparations for the table; and among the presents which david received from shobi, as recounted in the scriptures, were beans, lentils, and parched pulse. among the egyptians it was extensively used, and among the greeks, the stoics had a maxim, which declared, that "a wise man acts always with reason, and prepares his own lentils." among the romans it was not much esteemed, and from them the english may have inherited a prejudice against it, on account, it is said, of its rendering men indolent. it takes its name from _lentus_ 'slow,' and, according to pliny, produces mildness and moderation of temper. cucumber soup (french recipe). . ingredients.-- large cucumber, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, a little chervil and sorrel cut in large pieces, salt and pepper to taste, the yolks of eggs, gill of cream, quart of medium stock no. . _mode_.--pare the cucumber, quarter it, and take out the seeds; cut it in thin slices, put these on a plate with a little salt, to draw the water from them; drain, and put them in your stewpan, with the butter. when they are warmed through, without being browned, pour the stock on them. add the sorrel, chervil, and seasoning, and boil for minutes. mix the well-beaten yolks of the eggs with the cream, which add at the moment of serving. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from june to september. _sufficient_ for persons. the cucumber.--the antiquity of this fruit is very great. in the sacred writings we find that the people of israel regretted it, whilst sojourning in the desert; and at the present time, the cucumber, and other fruits of its class, form a large portion of the food of the egyptian people. by the eastern nations generally, as well as by the greeks and romans, it was greatly esteemed. like the melon, it was originally brought from asia by the romans, and in the th century it was common in england, although, in the time of the wars of "the roses," it seems no longer to have been cultivated. it is a cold food, and of difficult digestion when eaten raw. as a preserved sweetmeat, however, it is esteemed one of the most agreeable. egg soup. . ingredients.--a tablespoonful of flour, eggs, small blades of finely-pounded mace, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--beat up the flour smoothly in a teaspoonful of cold stock, and put in the eggs; throw them into boiling stock, stirring all the time. simmer for / of an hour. season and serve with a french roll in the tureen, or fried sippets of bread. _time_. / an hour. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. soup a la flamande (flemish). i. . ingredients.-- turnip, small carrot, / head of celery, green onions shred very fine, lettuce cut small, chervil, / pint of asparagus cut small, / pint of peas, oz. butter, the yolks of eggs, / pint of cream, salt to taste, lump of sugar, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--put the vegetables in the butter to stew gently for an hour with a teacupful of stock; then add the remainder of the stock, and simmer for another hour. now beat the yolks of the eggs well, mix with the cream (previously boiled), and strain through a hair sieve. take the soup off the fire, put the eggs, &c. to it, and keep stirring it well. bring it to a boil, but do not leave off stirring, or the eggs will curdle. season with salt, and add the sugar. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from may to august. _sufficient_ for persons. chervil.--although the roots of this plant are poisonous, its leaves are tender, and are used in salads. in antiquity it made a relishing dish, when prepared with oil, wine, and gravy. it is a native of various parts of europe; and the species cultivated in the gardens of paris, has beautifully frizzled leaves. ii. . ingredients.-- onions, heads of celery, moderate-sized potatoes, oz. butter, / pint of water, / pint of cream, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--slice the onions, celery, and potatoes, and put them with the butter and water into a stewpan, and simmer for an hour. then fill up the stewpan with stock, and boil gently till the potatoes are done, which will be in about an hour. rub all through a tammy, and add the cream (previously boiled). do not let it boil after the cream is put in. _time_.-- - / hours. __average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to may. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this soup can be made with water instead of stock. soup a la julienne. [illustration: strips of vegetable.] . ingredients.-- / pint of carrots, / pint of turnips, / pint of onions, or leeks, / head of celery, lettuce, a little sorrel and chervil, if liked, oz. of butter, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--cut the vegetables into strips of about - / inch long, and be particular they are all the same size, or some will be hard whilst the others will be done to a pulp. cut the lettuce, sorrel, and chervil into larger pieces; fry the carrots in the butter, and pour the stock boiling to them. when this is done, add all the other vegetables, and herbs, and stew gently for at least an hour. skim off all the fat, pour the soup over thin slices of bread, cut round about the size of a shilling, and serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--in summer, green peas, asparagus-tops, french beans, &c. can be added. when the vegetables are very strong, instead of frying them in butter at first, they should be blanched, and afterwards simmered in the stock. sorrel.--this is one of the _spinaceous_ plants, which take their name from spinach, which is the chief among them. it is little used in english cookery, but a great deal in french, in which it is employed for soups, sauces, and salads. in english meadows it is usually left to grow wild; but in france, where it is cultivated, its flavour is greatly improved. kale brose (a scotch recipe). . ingredients.--half an ox-head or cow-heel, a teacupful of toasted oatmeal, salt to taste, handfuls of greens, quarts of water. _mode_.--make a broth of the ox-head or cow-heel, and boil it till oil floats on the top of the liquor, then boil the greens, shred, in it. put the oatmeal, with a little salt, into a basin, and mix with it quickly a teacupful of the fat broth: it should not run into one doughy mass, but form knots. stir it into the whole, give one boil, and serve very hot. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. leek soup. i. . ingredients.--a sheep's head, quarts of water, leeks cut small, pepper and salt to taste, oatmeal to thicken. _mode_.--prepare the head, either by skinning or cleaning the skin very nicely; split it in two; take out the brains, and put it into boiling water; add the leeks and seasoning, and simmer very gently for hours. mix smoothly, with cold water, as much oatmeal as will make the soup tolerably thick; pour it into the soup; continue stirring till the whole is blended and well done, and serve. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. ii. commonly called cock-a-leekie. . ingredients.--a capon or large fowl (sometimes an old cock, from which the recipe takes its name, is used), which should be trussed as for boiling; or bunches of fine leeks, quarts of stock no. , pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--well wash the leeks (and, if old, scald them in boiling water for a few minutes), taking off the roots and part of the heads, and cut them into lengths of about an inch. put the fowl into the stock, with, at first, one half of the leeks, and allow it to simmer gently. in half an hour add the remaining leeks, and then it may simmer for or hours longer. it should be carefully skimmed, and can be seasoned to taste. in serving, take out the fowl, and carve it neatly, placing the pieces in a tureen, and pouring over them the soup, which should be very thick of leeks (a _purée_ of leeks the french would call it). _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart; or, with stock no. , s. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--without the fowl, the above, which would then be merely called leek soup, is very good, and also economical. cock-a-leekie was largely consumed at the burns centenary festival at the crystal palace, sydenham, in . [illustration: leeks.] the leek.--as in the case of the cucumber, this vegetable was bewailed by the israelites in their journey through the desert. it is one of the alliaceous tribe, which consists of the onion, garlic, chive, shallot, and leek. these, as articles of food, are perhaps more widely diffused over the face of the earth than any other _genus_ of edible plants. it is the national badge of the welsh, and tradition ascribes to st. david its introduction to that part of britain. the origin of the wearing of the leek on st. david's day, among that people, is thus given in "beeton's dictionary of universal information:"--"it probably originated from the custom of _cymhortha_, or the friendly aid, practised among farmers. in some districts of south wales, all the neighbours of a small farmer were wont to appoint a day when they attended to plough his land, and the like; and, at such time, it was the custom for each to bring his portion of leeks with him for making the broth or soup." (_see_ st. david.) others derive the origin of the custom from the battle of cressy. the plant, when grown in wales and scotland, is sharper than it is in england, and its flavour is preferred by many to that of the onion in broth. it is very wholesome, and, to prevent its tainting the breath, should be well boiled. macaroni soup. . ingredients.-- oz. of macaroni, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, salt to taste, quarts of clear stock no. . _mode_.--throw the macaroni and butter into boiling water, with a pinch of salt, and simmer for / an hour. when it is tender, drain and cut it into thin rings or lengths, and drop it into the boiling stock. stew gently for minutes, and serve grated parmesan cheese with it. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: macaroni.] macaroni.--this is the favourite food of italy, where, especially among the neapolitans, it may be regarded as the staff of life. "the crowd of london," says mr. forsyth, "is a double line in quick motion; it is the crowd of business. the crowd of naples consists in a general tide rolling up and down, and in the middle of this tide, a hundred eddies of men. you are stopped by a carpenter's bench, you are lost among shoemakers' stalls, and you dash among the _pots of a macaroni stall_." this article of food is nothing more than a thick paste, made of the best wheaten flour, with a small quantity of water. when it has been well worked, it is put into a hollow cylindrical vessel, pierced with holes of the size of tobacco-pipes at the bottom. through these holes the mass is forced by a powerful screw bearing on a piece of wood made exactly to fit the inside of the cylinder. whilst issuing from the holes, it is partially baked by a fire placed below the cylinder, and is, at the same time, drawn away and hung over rods placed about the room, in order to dry. in a few days it is fit for use. as it is both wholesome and nutritious, it ought to be much more used by all classes in england than it is. it generally accompanies parmesan cheese to the tables of the rich, but is also used for thickening soups and making puddings. soup maigre (i.e. without meat). . ingredients.-- oz. butter, onions sliced, heads of celery, lettuces, a small bunch of parsley, handfuls of spinach, pieces of bread-crust, blades of mace, salt and pepper to taste, the yolks of eggs, teaspoonfuls of vinegar, quarts of water. _mode_.--melt the butter in a stewpan, and put in the onions to stew gently for or minutes; then add the celery, spinach, lettuces, and parsley, cut small. stir the ingredients well for minutes. now put in the water, bread, seasoning, and mace. boil gently for - / hour, and, at the moment of serving, beat in the yolks of the eggs and the vinegar, but do not let it boil, or the eggs will curdle. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: lettuce.] the lettuce.--this is one of the acetarious vegetables, which comprise a large class, chiefly used as pickles, salads, and other condiments. the lettuce has in all antiquity been distinguished as a kitchen-garden plant. it was, without preparation, eaten by the hebrews with the paschal lamb; the greeks delighted in it, and the romans, in the time of domitian, had it prepared with eggs, and served in the first course at their tables, merely to excite their appetites. its botanical name is _lactuca_, so called from the milky juice it exudes when its stalks are cut. it possesses a narcotic virtue, noticed by ancient physicians; and even in our day a lettuce supper is deemed conducive to repose. its proper character, however, is that of a cooling summer vegetable, not very nutritive, but serving as a corrective, or diluent of animal food. milk soup (a nice dish for children). . ingredients.-- quarts of milk, saltspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, or more if liked, thin slices of bread, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--boil the milk with the salt, cinnamon, and sugar; lay the bread in a deep dish, pour over it a little of the milk, and keep it hot over a stove, without burning. beat up the yolks of the eggs, add them to the milk, and stir it over the fire till it thickens. do not let it curdle. pour it upon the bread, and serve. _time_.-- / of an hour. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for children. onion soup. . ingredients.-- large onions, oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, / pint of cream, quart of stock no. . _mode_.--chop the onions, put them in the butter, stir them occasionally, but do not let them brown. when tender, put the stock to them, and season; strain the soup, and add the boiling cream. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. cheap onion soup. . ingredients.-- middling-sized onions, oz. of butter, a tablespoonful of rice-flour, salt and pepper to taste, teaspoonful of powdered sugar, thickening of butter and flour, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut the onions small, put them in the stewpan with the butter, and fry them well; mix the rice-flour smoothly with the water, add the onions, seasoning, and sugar, and simmer till tender. thicken with butter and flour, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: onion.] the onion.--like the cabbage, this plant was erected into an object of worship by the idolatrous egyptians , years before the christian era, and it still forms a favourite food in the country of these people, as well as in other parts of africa. when it was first introduced to england, has not been ascertained; but it has long been in use, and esteemed as a favourite seasoning plant to various dishes. in warmer climates it is much milder in its flavour; and such as are grown in spain and portugal, are, comparatively speaking, very large, and are often eaten both in a boiled and roasted state. the strasburg is the most esteemed; and, although all the species have highly nutritive properties, they impart such a disagreeable odour to the breath, that they are often rejected even where they are liked. chewing a little raw parsley is said to remove this odour. pan kail. . ingredients.-- lbs. of cabbage, or savoy greens; / lb. of butter or dripping, salt and pepper to taste, oatmeal for thickening, quarts of water. _mode_.--chop the cabbage very fine, thicken the water with oatmeal, put in the cabbage and butter, or dripping; season and simmer for - / hour. it can be made sooner by blanching and mashing the greens, adding any good liquor that a joint has been boiled in, and then further thicken with bread or pounded biscuit. _time_-- - / hour. _average cost_, - / d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. the savoy.--this is a close-hearted wrinkle-leaved cabbage, sweet and tender, especially the middle leaves, and in season from november to spring. the yellow species bears hard weather without injury, whilst the _dwarf_ kind are improved and rendered more tender by frost. parsnip soup. . ingredients.-- lb. of sliced parsnips, oz. of butter, salt and cayenne to taste, quart of stock no. . _mode_.--put the parsnips into the stewpan with the butter, which has been previously melted, and simmer them till quite tender. then add nearly a pint of stock, and boil together for half an hour. pass all through a fine strainer, and put to it the remainder of the stock. season, boil, and serve immediately. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ from october to april. _sufficient_ for persons. the parsnip.--this is a biennial plant, with a root like a carrot, which, in nutritive and saccharine matter, it nearly equals. it is a native of britain, and, in its wild state, may be found, in many parts, growing by the road-sides. it is also to be found, generally distributed over europe; and, in catholic countries, is mostly used with salt fish, in lent. in scotland it forms an excellent dish, when beat up with butter and potatoes; it is, also, excellent when fried. in ireland it is found to yield, in conjunction with the hop, a pleasant beverage; and it contains as much spirit as the carrot, and makes an excellent wine. its proportion of nutritive matter is parts in , ; being mucilage and sugar. pea soup (green). . ingredients.-- pints of green peas, / lb. of butter, or three thin slices of ham, onions sliced, shredded lettuces, the crumb of french rolls, handfuls of spinach, lump of sugar, quarts of common stock. _mode_.--put the butter, ham, quart of the peas, onions, and lettuces, to a pint of stock, and simmer for an hour; then add the remainder of the stock, with the crumb of the french rolls, and boil for another hour. now boil the spinach, and squeeze it very dry. rub the soup through a sieve, and the spinach with it, to colour it. have ready a pint of _young_ peas boiled; add them to the soup, put in the sugar, give one boil, and serve. if necessary, add salt. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from june to the end of august. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--it will be well to add, if the peas are not quite young, a little sugar. where economy is essential, water may be used instead of stock for this soup, boiling in it likewise the pea-shells; but use a double quantity of vegetables. winter pea soup (yellow). . ingredients.-- quart of split peas, lbs. of shin of beef, trimmings of meat or poultry, a slice of bacon, large carrots, turnips, large onions, head of celery, seasoning to taste, quarts of soft water, any bones left from roast meat, quarts of common stock, or liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled. _mode_.--put the peas to soak over-night in soft water, and float off such as rise to the top. boil them in the water till tender enough to pulp; then add the ingredients mentioned above, and simmer for hours, stirring it occasionally. pass the whole through a sieve, skim well, season, and serve with toasted bread cut in dice. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year round, but more suitable for cold weather. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: pea.] the pea.--it is supposed that the common gray pea, found wild in greece, and other parts of the levant, is the original of the common garden pea, and of all the domestic varieties belonging to it. the gray, or field pea, called _bisallie_ by the french, is less subject to run into varieties than the garden kinds, and is considered by some, perhaps on that account, to be the wild plant, retaining still a large proportion of its original habit. from the tendency of all other varieties "to run away" and become different to what they originally were, it is very difficult to determine the races to which they belong. the pea was well known to the romans, and, probably, was introduced to britain at an early period; for we find peas mentioned by lydgate, a poet of the th century, as being hawked in london. they seem, however, for a considerable time, to have fallen out of use; for, in the reign of queen elizabeth, fuller tells us they were brought from holland, and were accounted "fit dainties for ladies, they came so far and cost so dear." there are some varieties of peas which have no lining in their pods, which are eaten cooked in the same way as kidney-beans. they are called _sugar_ peas, and the best variety is the large crooked sugar, which is also very good, used in the common way, as a culinary vegetable. there is also a white sort, which readily splits when subjected to the action of millstones set wide apart, so as not to grind them. these are used largely for soups, and especially for sea-stores. from the quantity of farinaceous and saccharine matter contained in the pea, it is highly nutritious as an article of food. pea soup (inexpensive). . ingredients.-- / lb. of onions, / lb. of carrots, oz. of celery, / lb. of split peas, a little mint, shred fine; tablespoonful of coarse brown sugar, salt and pepper to taste, quarts of water, or liquor in which a joint of meat has been boiled. _mode_.--fry the vegetables for minutes in a little butter or dripping, previously cutting them up in small pieces; pour the water on them, and when boiling add the peas. let them simmer for nearly hours, or until the peas are thoroughly done. add the sugar, seasoning, and mint; boil for / of an hour, and serve. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, - / d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. potato soup. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of mealy potatoes, boiled or steamed very dry, pepper and salt to taste, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--when the potatoes are boiled, mash them smoothly, that no lumps remain, and gradually put them to the boiling stock; pass it through a sieve, season, and simmer for minutes. skim well, and serve with fried bread. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to march. _sufficient_ for persons. ii. . ingredients.-- lb. of shin of beef, lb. of potatoes, onion, / a pint of peas, oz. of rice, heads of celery, pepper and salt to taste, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut the beef into thin slices, chop the potatoes and onion, and put them in a stewpan with the water, peas, and rice. stew gently till the gravy is drawn from the meat; strain it off, take out the beef, and pulp the other ingredients through a coarse sieve. put the pulp back in the soup, cut up the celery in it, and simmer till this is tender. season, and serve with fried bread cut into it. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to march. _sufficient_ for persons. iii. (_very economical_.) . ingredients.-- middle-sized potatoes well pared, a thick slice of bread, leeks peeled and cut into thin slices as far as the white extends upwards from the roots, a teacupful of rice, a teaspoonful of salt, and half that of pepper, and quarts of water. _mode_.--the water must be completely boiling before anything is put into it; then add the whole of the ingredients at once, with the exception of the rice, the salt, and the pepper. cover, and let these come to a brisk boil; put in the others, and let the whole boil slowly for an hour, or till all the ingredients are thoroughly done, and their several juices extracted and mixed. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ in winter. [illustration: potatoes.] the potato.--humboldt doubted whether this root was a native of south america; but it has been found growing wild both in chili and buenos ayres. it was first brought to spain from the neighbourhood of quito, in the early part of the sixteenth century, first to england from virginia, in , and first planted by sir walter raleigh, on his estate of youghal, near cork, in ireland. thence it was brought and planted in lancashire, in england, and was, at first, recommended to be eaten as a delicate dish, and not as common food. this was in . _nutritious properties_.--of a thousand parts of the potato, sir h. davy found about a fourth nutritive; say, mucilage or starch, sugar, and gluten. prince of wales's soup. . ingredients.-- turnips, lump of sugar, spoonfuls of strong veal stock, salt and white pepper to taste, quarts of very bright stock, no. . _mode_.--peel the turnips, and with a cutter cut them in balls as round as possible, but very small. put them in the stock, which must be very bright, and simmer till tender. add the veal stock and seasoning. have little pieces of bread cut round, about the size of a shilling; moisten them with stock; put them into a tureen and pour the soup over without shaking, for fear of crumbling the bread, which would spoil the appearance of the soup, and make it look thick. _time_.-- hours. _seasonable_ in the winter. _sufficient_ for persons. the prince of wales.--this soup was invented by a philanthropic friend of the editress, to be distributed among the poor of a considerable village, when the prince of wales attained his majority, on the th november, . accompanying this fact, the following notice, which appears in "beeton's dictionary of universal information" may appropriately be introduced, premising that british princes attain their majority in their th year, whilst mortals of ordinary rank do not arrive at that period till their st.--"albert edward, prince of wales, and heir to the british throne, merits a place in this work on account of the high responsibilities which he is, in all probability, destined to fulfil as sovereign of the british empire. on the th of november, , he was gazetted as having been invested with the rank of a colonel in the army. speaking of this circumstance, the _times_ said,--'the significance of this event is, that it marks the period when the heir to the british throne is about to take rank among men, and to enter formally upon a career, which every loyal subject of the queen will pray may be a long and a happy one, for his own sake and for the sake of the vast empire which, in the course of nature, he will one day be called to govern. the best wish that we can offer for the young prince is, that in his own path he may ever keep before him the bright example of his royal mother, and show himself worthy of her name.' there are few in these realms who will not give a fervent response to these sentiments. b. november th, ." potage printanier, or spring soup. . ingredients.-- / a pint of green peas, if in season, a little chervil, shredded lettuces, onions, a very small bunch of parsley, oz. of butter, the yolks of eggs, pint of water, seasoning to taste, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--put in a very clean stewpan the chervil, lettuces, onions, parsley, and butter, to pint of water, and let them simmer till tender. season with salt and pepper; when done, strain off the vegetables, and put two-thirds of the liquor they were boiled in to the stock. beat up the yolks of the eggs with the other third, give it a toss over the fire, and at the moment of serving, add this, with the vegetables which you strained off, to the soup. _time_.-- / of an hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ from may to october. _sufficient_ for persons. rice soup. i. . ingredients.-- oz. of patna rice, salt, cayenne, and mace, quarts of white stock. _mode_.--throw the rice into boiling water, and let it remain minutes; then pour it into a sieve, and allow it to drain well. now add it to the stock boiling, and allow it to stew till it is quite tender; season to taste. serve quickly. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: ears of rice.] rice.--this is a plant of indian origin, and has formed the principal food of the indian and chinese people from the most remote antiquity. both pliny and dioscorides class it with the cereals, though galen places it among the vegetables. be this as it may, however, it was imported to greece, from india, about years before christ, and by the ancients it was esteemed both nutritious and fattening. there are three kinds of rice,--the hill rice, the patna, and the carolina, of the united states. of these, only the two latter are imported to this country, and the carolina is considered the best, as it is the dearest. the nourishing properties of rice are greatly inferior to those of wheat; but it is both a light and a wholesome food. in combination with other foods, its nutritive qualities are greatly increased; but from its having little stimulating power, it is apt, when taken in large quantities alone, to lie long on the stomach. ii. . ingredients.-- oz. of rice, the yolks of eggs, / a pint of cream, rather more than quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--boil the rice in the stock, and rub half of it through a tammy; put the stock in the stewpan, add all the rice, and simmer gently for minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs, mix them with the cream (previously boiled), and strain through a hair sieve; take the soup off the fire, add the eggs and cream, stirring frequently. heat it gradually, stirring all the time; but do not let it boil, or the eggs will curdle. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. sago soup. . ingredients.-- oz. of sago, quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--wash the sago in boiling water, and add it, by degrees, to the boiling stock, and simmer till the sago is entirely dissolved, and forms a sort of jelly. _time_.--nearly an hour. _average cost_, d. per quart. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year. _note_.--the yolks of eggs, beaten up with a little cream, previously boiled, and added at the moment of serving, much improves this soup. [illustration: sago palm.] sago.--the farinaceous food of this name constitutes the pith of the sago tree (the _sagus farinifera_ of linnaeus), which grows spontaneously in the east indies and in the archipelago of the indian ocean. there it forms the principal farinaceous diet of the inhabitants. in order to procure it, the tree is felled and sawn in pieces. the pith is then taken out, and put in receptacles of cold water, where it is stirred until the flour separates from the filaments, and sinks to the bottom, where it is suffered to remain until the water is poured off, when it is taken out and spread on wicker frames to dry. to give it the round granular form in which we find it come to this country, it is passed through a colander, then rubbed into little balls, and dried. the tree is not fit for felling until it has attained a growth of seven years, when a single trunk will yield lbs. weight; and, as an acre of ground will grow of these trees, a large return of flour is the result. the best quality has a slightly reddish hue, and easily dissolves to a jelly, in hot water. as a restorative diet, it is much used. semolina soup. . ingredients.-- oz. of semolina, quarts of boiling stock, no. , or . _mode_.--drop the semolina into the boiling stock, and keep stirring, to prevent its burning. simmer gently for half an hour, and serve. _time_.-- / an hour. _average cost_, d. per quart, or d. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. semolina.--this is the heart of the _grano duro_ wheat of italy, which is imported for the purpose of making the best vermicelli. it has a coarse appearance, and may be purchased at the italian warehouses. it is also called _soojee;_ and _semoletta_ is another name for a finer sort. soup a la solferino (sardinian recipe). . ingredients.-- eggs, / pint of cream, oz. of fresh butter, salt and pepper to taste, a little flour to thicken, quarts of bouillon, no. . _mode_.--beat the eggs, put them into a stewpan, and add the cream, butter, and seasoning; stir in as much flour as will bring it to the consistency of dough; make it into balls, either round or egg-shaped, and fry them in butter; put them in the tureen, and pour the boiling bouillon over them. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this recipe was communicated to the editress by an english gentleman, who was present at the battle of solferino, on june , , and who was requested by some of victor emmanuel's troops, on the day before the battle, to partake of a portion of their _potage_. he willingly enough consented, and found that these clever campaigners had made a most palatable dish from very easily-procured materials. in sending the recipe for insertion in this work, he has, however, anglicised, and somewhat, he thinks, improved it. spinach soup (french recipe). . ingredients.--as much spinach as, when boiled, will half fill a vegetable-dish, quarts of very clear medium stock, no. . _mode_.--make the cooked spinach into balls the size of an egg, and slip them into the soup-tureen. this is a very elegant soup, the green of the spinach forming a pretty contrast to the brown gravy. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ from october to june. [illustration: spinach.] spinach.--this plant was unknown by the ancients, although it was cultivated in the monastic gardens of the continent in the middle of the th century. some say, that it was originally brought from spain; but there is a wild species growing in england, and cultivated in lincolnshire, in preference to the other. there are three varieties in use; the round-leaved, the triangular-leaved, and flanders spinach, known by its large leaves. they all form a useful ingredient in soup; but the leaves are sometimes boiled alone, mashed, and eaten as greens. tapioca soup. . ingredients.-- oz. of tapioca, quarts of stock no. or . _mode_.--put the tapioca into cold stock, and bring it gradually to a boil. simmer gently till tender, and serve. _time_.--rather more than hour. average cost. s. or d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. tapioca.--this excellent farinaceous food is the produce of the pith of the cassava-tree, and is made in the east indies, and also in brazil. it is, by washing, procured as a starch from the tree, then dried, either in the sun or on plates of hot iron, and afterwards broken into grains, in which form it is imported into this country. its nutritive properties are large, and as a food for persons of delicate digestion, or for children, it is in great estimation. "no amylaceous substance," says dr. christison, "is so much relished by infants about the time of weaning; and in them it is less apt to become sour during digestion than any other farinaceous food, even arrowroot not excepted." turnip soup. . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, good-sized turnips, onions, quarts of stock no. , seasoning to taste. _mode_.--melt the butter in the stewpan, but do not let it boil; wash, drain, and slice the turnips and onions very thin; put them in the butter, with a teacupful of stock, and stew very gently for an hour. then add the remainder of the stock, and simmer another hour. rub it through a tammy, put it back into the stewpan, but do not let it boil. serve very hot. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ from october to march. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--by adding a little cream, this soup will be much improved. [illustration: turnip.] the turnip.--although turnips grow wild in england, they are not the original of the cultivated vegetable made use of in this country. in ancient times they were grown for cattle by the romans, and in germany and the low countries they have from time immemorial been raised for the same purpose. in their cultivated state, they are generally supposed to have been introduced to england from hanover, in the time of george i.; but this has been doubted, as george ii. caused a description of the norfolk system to be sent to his hanoverian subjects, for their enlightenment in the art of turnip culture. as a culinary vegetable, it is excellent, whether eaten alone, mashed, or mixed with soups und stews. its nutritious matter, however, is small, being only parts in , . vegetable-marrow soup. . ingredients.-- young vegetable marrows, or more, if very small, / pint of cream, salt and white pepper to taste, quarts of white stock, no. . _mode_.--pare and slice the marrows, and put them in the stock boiling. when done almost to a mash, press them through a sieve, and at the moment of serving, add the boiling cream and seasoning. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ in summer. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: vegetable marrow.] the vegetable marrow.--this is a variety of the gourd family, brought from persia by an east-india ship, and only recently introduced to britain. it is already cultivated to a considerable extent, and, by many, is highly esteemed when fried with butter. it is, however, dressed in different ways, either by stewing or boiling, and, besides, made into pies. vegetable soup. i. . ingredients.-- oz. of carrot, oz. of parsnip, oz. of potato, cut into thin slices; - / oz. of butter, teaspoonfuls of flour, a teaspoonful of made mustard, salt and pepper to taste, the yolks of eggs, rather more than quarts of water. _mode_.--boil the vegetables in the water - / hours; stir them often, and if the water boils away too quickly, add more, as there should be quarts of soup when done. mix up in a basin the butter and flour, mustard, salt, and pepper, with a teacupful of cold water; stir in the soup, and boil minutes. have ready the yolks of the eggs in the tureen; pour on, stir well, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. ii. . ingredients.--equal quantities of onions, carrots, turnips; / lb. of butter, a crust of toasted bread, head of celery, a faggot of herbs, salt and pepper to taste, teaspoonful of powdered sugar, quarts of common stock or boiling water. allow / lb. of vegetables to quarts of stock, no. . _mode_.--cut up the onions, carrots, and turnips; wash and drain them well, and put them in the stewpan with the butter and powdered sugar. toss the whole over a sharp fire for minutes, but do not let them brown, or you will spoil the flavour of the soup. when done, pour the stock or boiling water on them; add the bread, celery, herbs, and seasoning; stew for hours; skim well and strain it off. when ready to serve, add a little sliced carrot, celery, and turnip, and flavour with a spoonful of harvey's sauce, or a little ketchup. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. iii. (_good and cheap, made without meat_.) . ingredients.-- potatoes, turnips, or if very large; carrots, onions; if obtainable, mushrooms; head of celery, large slice of bread, small saltspoonful of salt, / saltspoonful of ground black pepper, teaspoonfuls of harvey's sauce, quarts of water. _mode_.--peel the vegetables, and cut them up into small pieces; toast the bread rather brown, and put all into a stewpan with the water and seasoning. simmer gently for hours, or until all is reduced to a pulp, and pass it through a sieve in the same way as pea-soup, which it should resemble in consistence; but it should be a dark brown colour. warm it up again when required; put in the harvey's sauce, and, if necessary, add to the flavouring. _time_.-- hours, or rather more. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this recipe was forwarded to the editress by a lady in the county of durham, by whom it was strongly recommended. vermicelli soup. i. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of bacon, stuck with cloves; / oz. of butter, worked up in flour; small fowl, trussed for boiling; oz. of vermicelli, quarts of white stock, no. . _mode_.--put the stock, bacon, butter, and fowl into the stewpan, and stew for / of an hour. take the vermicelli, add it to a little of the stock, and set it on the fire, till it is quite tender. when the soup is ready, take out the fowl and bacon, and put the bacon on a dish. skim the soup as clean as possible; pour it, with the vermicelli, over the fowl. cut some bread thin, put in the soup, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, exclusive of the fowl and bacon, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: vermicelli.] vermicelli.--this is a preparation of italian origin, and is made in the same way as macaroni, only the yolks of eggs, sugar, saffron, and cheese, are added to the paste. ii. . ingredients.-- / lb. of vermicelli, quarts of clear gravy stock, no. . _mode_.--put the vermicelli in the soup, boiling; simmer very gently for / an hour, and stir frequently. _time_-- / an hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. white soup. . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, / lb. of cold veal or poultry, a thick slice of stale bread, a piece of fresh lemon-peel, blade of mace, pounded, / pint of cream, the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, quarts of white stock, no. . _mode_.--reduce the almonds in a mortar to a paste, with a spoonful of water, and add to them the meat, which should be previously pounded with the bread. beat all together, and add the lemon-peel, very finely chopped, and the mace. pour the boiling stock on the whole, and simmer for an hour. rub the eggs in the cream, put in the soup, bring it to a boil, and serve immediately. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--a more economical white soup may be made by using common veal stock, and thickening with rice, flour, and milk. vermicelli should be served with it. _average cost_, d. per quart. useful soup for benevolent purposes. . ingredients.--an ox-cheek, any pieces of trimmings of beef, which may be bought very cheaply (say lbs.), a few bones, any pot-liquor the larder may furnish, / peck of onions, leeks, a large bunch of herbs, / lb. of celery (the outside pieces, or green tops, do very well); / lb. of carrots, / lb. of turnips, / lb. of coarse brown sugar, / a pint of beer, lbs. of common rice, or pearl barley; / lb. of salt, oz. of black pepper, a few raspings, gallons of water. _mode_.--cut up the meat in small pieces, break the bones, put them in a copper, with the gallons of water, and stew for / an hour. cut up the vegetables, put them in with the sugar and beer, and boil for hours. two hours before the soup is wanted, add the rice and raspings, and keep stirring till it is well mixed in the soup, which simmer gently. if the liquor reduces too much, fill up with water. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, - / d. per quart. _note_.--the above recipe was used in the winter of by the editress, who made, each week, in her copper, or gallons of this soup, for distribution amongst about a dozen families of the village near which she lives. the cost, as will be seen, was not great; but she has reason to believe that the soup was very much liked, and gave to the members of those families, a dish of warm, comforting food, in place of the cold meat and piece of bread which form, with too many cottagers, their usual meal, when, with a little more knowledge of the "cooking." art, they might have, for less expense, a warm dish, every day. meat, poultry, and game soups. brilla soup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, carrots, turnips, a large sprig of thyme, onions, head of celery, salt and pepper to taste, quarts water. _mode_.--take the beef, cut off all the meat from the bone, in nice square pieces, and boil the bone for hours. strain the liquor, let it cool, and take off the fat; then put the pieces of meat in the cold liquor; cut small the carrots, turnips, and celery; chop the onions, add them with the thyme and seasoning, and simmer till the meat is tender. if not brown enough, colour it with browning. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. thyme.--this sweet herb was known to the romans, who made use of it in culinary preparations, as well as in aromatic liqueurs. there are two species of it growing wild in britain, but the garden thyme is a native of the south of europe, and is more delicate in its perfume than the others. its young leaves give an agreeable flavour to soups and sauces; they are also used in stuffings. calf's-head soup. . ingredients.-- / a calf's head, onion stuck with cloves, a very small bunch of sweet herbs, blades of mace, salt and white pepper to taste, oz. of rice-flour, tablespoonfuls of ketchup, quarts of white stock, no. , or pot-liquor, or water. _mode_.--rub the head with salt, soak it for hours, and clean it thoroughly; put it in the stewpan, and cover it with the stock, or pot-liquor, or water, adding the onion and sweet herbs. when well skimmed and boiled for - / hour, take out the head, and skim and strain the soup. mix the rice-flour with the ketchup, thicken the soup with it, and simmer for minutes. now cut up the head into pieces about two inches long, and simmer them in the soup till the meat and fat are quite tender. season with white pepper and mace finely pounded, and serve very hot. when the calf's head is taken out of the soup, cover it up, or it will discolour. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart, with stock no. . _seasonable_ from may to october. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--force-meat balls can be added, and the soup may be flavoured with a little lemon-juice, or a glass of sherry or madeira. the bones from the head may be stewed down again, with a few fresh vegetables, and it will make a very good common stock. giblet soup. . ingredients.-- sets of goose or duck giblets, lbs. of shin of beef, a few bones, ox-tail, mutton-shanks, large onions, carrots, large faggot of herbs, salt and pepper to taste, / pint of cream, oz. of butter mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour, quarts of water. _mode_.--scald the giblets, cut the gizzards in pieces, and put them in a stewpan with the beef, bones, ox-tail, mutton-shanks, onions, herbs, pepper, and salt; add the quarts of water, and simmer till the giblets are tender, taking care to skim well. when the giblets are done, take them out, put them in your tureen, strain the soup through a sieve, add the cream and butter, mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour, boil it up a few minutes, and pour it over the giblets. it can be flavoured with port wine and a little mushroom ketchup, instead of cream. add salt to taste. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. gravy soup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, a knuckle of veal weighing lbs., a few pieces or trimmings, slices of nicely-flavoured lean, ham; / lb. of butter, onions, carrots, turnip, nearly a head of celery, blade of mace, cloves, a hunch of savoury herb with endive, seasoning of salt and pepper to taste, lumps of sugar, quarts of boiling soft water. it can be flavoured with ketchup, leamington sauce (_see_ sauces), harvey's sauce, and a little soy. _mode_.--slightly brown the meat and ham in the butter, but do not let them burn. when this is done, pour to it the water, and as the scum rises, take it off; when no more appears, add all the other ingredients, and let the soup simmer slowly by the fire for hours without stirring it any more from the bottom; take it off, and let it settle; skim off all the fat you can, and pass it through a tammy. when perfectly cold, you can remove all the fat, and leave the sediment untouched, which serves very nicely for thick gravies, hashes, &c. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. endive.--this plant belongs to the acetarious tribe of vegetables, and is supposed to have originally come from china and japan. it was known to the ancients; but was not introduced to england till about the middle of the th century. it is consumed in large quantities by the french, and in london,--in the neighbourhood of which it is grown in abundance;--it is greatly used as a winter salad, as well as in soups and stews. hare soup. i. . ingredients.--a hare fresh-killed, lb. of lean gravy-beef, a slice of ham, carrot, onions, a faggot of savoury herbs, / oz. of whole black pepper, a little browned flour, / pint of port wine, the crumb of two french rolls, salt and cayenne to taste, quarts of water. _mode_.--skin and paunch the hare, saving the liver and as much blood as possible. cut it in pieces, and put it in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and simmer gently for hours. this soup should be made the day before it is wanted. strain through a sieve, put the best parts of the hare in the soup, and serve. or, ii. proceed as above; but, instead of putting the joints of the hare in the soup, pick the meat from the bones, pound it in a mortar, and add it, with the crumb of two french rolls, to the soup. rub all through a sieve; heat slowly, but do not let it boil. send it to table immediately. _time_.- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to february. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: hare.] the common hare.--this little animal is found throughout europe, and, indeed, in most of the northern parts of the world; and as it is destitute of natural weapons of defence, providence has endowed it with an extraordinary amount of the passion of fear. as if to awaken the vigilance of this passion, too, he has furnished it with long and tubular ears, in order that it may catch the remotest sounds; and with full, prominent eyes, which enable it to see, at one and the same time, both before and behind it. the hare feeds in the evenings, and sleeps, in its form, during the day; and, as it generally lies on the ground, its feet, both below and above, are protected with a thick covering of hair. its flesh, though esteemed by the romans, was forbidden by the druids and by the earlier britons. it is now, though very dark and dry, and devoid of fat, much esteemed by europeans, on account of the peculiarity of its flavour. in purchasing this animal, it ought to be remembered that both hares and rabbits, when old, have their claws rugged and blunt, their haunches thick, and their ears dry and tough. the ears of a young hare easily tear, and it has a narrow cleft in the lip; whilst its claws are both smooth and sharp. hessian soup. . ingredients.--half an ox's head, pint of split peas, carrots, turnips, potatoes, onions, head of celery, bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, blades of mace, a little allspice, cloves, the crumb of a french roll, quarts of water. _mode_.--clean the head, rub it with salt and water, and soak it for hours in warm water. simmer it in the water till tender, put it into a pan and let it cool; skim off all the fat; take out the head, and add the vegetables cut up small, and the peas which have been previously soaked; simmer them without the meat, till they are done enough to pulp through a sieve. add the seasoning, with pieces of the meat cut up; give one boil, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--an excellent hash or _ragoût_ can be made by cutting up the nicest parts of the head, thickening and seasoning more highly a little of the soup, and adding a glass of port wine and tablespoonfuls of ketchup. mock turtle. i. . ingredients.-- / a calf's head, / lb. of butter, / lb. of lean ham, tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, a little minced lemon thyme, sweet marjoram, basil, onions, a few chopped mushrooms (when obtainable), shallots, tablespoonfuls of flour, / bottle of madeira or sherry, force-meat balls, cayenne, salt and mace to taste, the juice of lemon and seville orange, dessert-spoonful of pounded sugar, quarts of best stock, no. . _mode_.--scald the head with the skin on, remove the brain, tie the head up in a cloth, and let it boil for hour. then take the meat from the bones, cut it into small square pieces, and throw them into cold water. now take the meat, put it into a stewpan, and cover with stock; let it boil gently for an hour, or rather more, if not quite tender, and set it on one side. melt the butter in another stewpan, and add the ham, cut small, with the herbs, parsley, onions, shallots, mushrooms, and nearly a pint of stock; let these simmer slowly for hours, and then dredge in as much flour as will dry up the butter. fill up with the remainder of the stock, add the wine, let it stew gently for minutes, rub it through a tammy, and put it to the calf's head; season with cayenne, and, if required, a little salt; add the juice of the orange and lemon; and when liked, / teaspoonful of pounded mace, and the sugar. put in the force-meat balls, simmer minutes, and serve very hot. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart, or s. d. without wine or force-meat balls. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--the bones of the head should be well stewed in the liquor it was first boiled in, and will make good white stock, flavoured with vegetables, etc. ii. (_more economical_.) . ingredients.--a knuckle of veal weighing or lbs., cow-heels, large onions stuck with cloves, bunch of sweet herbs, blades of mace, salt to taste, peppercorns, glass of sherry, force-meat balls, a little lemon-juice, quarts of water. _mode_.--put all the ingredients, except the force-meat balls and lemon-juice, in an earthen jar, and stew for hours. do not open it till cold. when wanted for use, skim off all the fat, and strain carefully; place it on the fire, cut up the meat into inch-and-a-half squares, put it, with the force-meat balls and lemon-juice, into the soup, and serve. it can be flavoured with a tablespoonful of anchovy, or harvey's sauce. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. the calf--the flesh of this animal is called veal, and when young, that is, under two months old, yields a large quantity of soluble extract, and is, therefore, much employed for soups and broths. the essex farmers have obtained a celebrity for fattening calves better than any others in england, where they are plentifully supplied with milk, a thing impossible to be done in the immediate neighbourhood of london. marjoram.--there are several species of this plant; but that which is preferred for cookery is a native of portugal, and is called sweet or knotted marjoram. when its leaves are dried, they have an agreeable aromatic flavour; and hence are used for soups, stuffings, &c. basil.--this is a native of the east indies, and is highly aromatic, having a perfume greatly resembling that of cloves. it is not much employed in english cookery, but is a favourite with french cooks, by whom its leaves are used in soups and salads. mullagatawny soup. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of curry powder, onions, clove of garlic, oz. of pounded almonds, a little lemon-pickle, or mango-juice, to taste; fowl or rabbit, slices of lean bacon; quarts of medium stock, or, if wanted very good, best stock. _mode_.-=slice and fry the onions of a nice colour; line the stewpan with the bacon; cut up the rabbit or fowl into small joints, and slightly brown them; put in the fried onions, the garlic, and stock, and simmer gently till the meat is tender; skim very carefully, and when the meat is done, rub the curry powder to a smooth batter; add it to the soup with the almonds, which must be first pounded with a little of the stock. put in seasoning and lemon-pickle or mango-juice to taste, and serve boiled rice with it. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart, with stock no. . _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this soup can also be made with breast of veal, or calf's head. vegetable mullagatawny is made with veal stock, by boiling and pulping chopped vegetable marrow, cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes, and seasoning with curry powder and cayenne. nice pieces of meat, good curry powder, and strong stock, are necessary to make this soup good. [illustration: coriander.] coriander.--this plant, which largely enters into the composition of curry powder with turmeric, originally comes from the east; but it has long been cultivated in england, especially in essex, where it is reared for the use of confectioners and druggists. in private gardens, it is cultivated for the sake of its tender leaves, which are highly aromatic, and are employed in soups and salads. its seeds are used in large quantities for the purposes of distillation. a good mutton soup. . ingredients.--a neck of mutton about or lbs., carrots, turnips, onions, a large bunch of sweet herbs, including parsley; salt and pepper to taste; a little sherry, if liked; quarts of water. _mode_.--lay the ingredients in a covered pan before the fire, and let them remain there the whole day, stirring occasionally. the next day put the whole into a stewpan, and place it on a brisk fire. when it commences to boil, take the pan off the fire, and put it on one side to simmer until the meat is done. when ready for use, take out the meat, dish it up with carrots and turnips, and send it to table; strain the soup, let it cool, skim off all the fat, season and thicken it with a tablespoonful, or rather more, of arrowroot; flavour with a little sherry, simmer for minutes, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, including the meat, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. the sheep.--this animal formed the principal riches of the patriarchs, in the days of old, and, no doubt, multiplied, until its species were spread over the greater part of western asia; but at what period it was introduced to britain is not known. it is now found in almost every part of the globe, although, as a domestic animal, it depends almost entirely upon man for its support. its value, however, amply repays him for whatever care and kindness he may bestow upon it; for, like the ox, there is scarcely a part of it that he cannot convert to some useful purpose. the fleece, which serves it for a covering, is appropriated by man, to serve the same end to himself, whilst its skin is also applied to various purposes in civilized life. its entrails are used as strings for musical instruments, and its bones are calcined, and employed as tests in the trade of the refiner. its milk, being thicker than that of the cow, yields a greater quantity of butter and cheese, and its flesh is among the most wholesome and nutritive that can be eaten. thomson has beautifully described the appearance of the sheep, when bound to undergo the operation of being shorn of its wool. "behold, where bound, and of its robe bereft by needy man, that all-depending lord, how meek, how patient, the mild creature lies! what softness in his melancholy face, what dumb complaining innocence appears!" ox-cheek soup. . ingredients.--an ox-cheek, oz. of butter, or slices of lean ham or bacon, parsnip, carrots, onions, heads of celery, blades of mace, cloves, a faggot of savoury herbs, bay-leaf, a teaspoonful of salt, half that of pepper, head of celery, browning, the crust of a french roll, quarts of water. _mode_.--lay the ham in the bottom of the stewpan, with the butter; break the bones of the cheek, wash it clean, and put it on the ham. cut the vegetables small, add them to the other ingredients, and set the whole over a slow fire for / of an hour. now put in the water, and simmer gently till it is reduced to quarts; take out the fleshy part of the cheek, and strain the soup into a clean stewpan; thicken with flour, put in a head of sliced celery, and simmer till the celery is tender. if not a good colour, use a little browning. cut the meat into small square pieces, pour the soup over, and serve with the crust of a french roll in the tureen. a glass of sherry much improves this soup. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. the ox.--of the quadrupedal animals, the flesh of those that feed upon herbs is the most wholesome and nutritious for human food. in the early ages, the ox was used as a religious sacrifice, and, in the eyes of the egyptians was deemed so sacred as to be worthy of exaltation to represent taurus, one of the twelve signs of the zodiac. to this day, the hindoos venerate the cow, whose flesh is forbidden to be eaten, and whose fat, supposed to have been employed to grease the cartridges of the indian army, was one of the proximate causes of the great sepoy rebellion of . there are no animals of greater use to man than the tribe to which the ox belongs. there is hardly a part of them that does not enter into some of the arts and purposes of civilized life. of their horns are made combs, knife-handles, boxes, spoons, and drinking-cups. they are also made into transparent plates for lanterns; an invention ascribed, in england, to king alfred. glue is made from their gristles, cartilages, and portions of their hides. their bones often form a substitute for ivory; their skins, when calves, are manufactured into vellum; their blood is the basis of prussian blue; their sinews furnish fine and strong threads, used by saddlers; their hair enters into various manufactures; their tallow is made into candles; their flesh is eaten, and the utility of the milk and cream of the cow is well known. ox-tail soup. . ingredients.-- ox-tails, slices of ham, oz. of butter, carrots, turnips, onions, leek, head of celery, bunch of savoury herbs, bay-leaf, whole peppercorns, cloves, a tablespoonful of salt, tablespoonfuls of ketchup, / glass of port wine, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut up the tails, separating them at the joints; wash them, and put them in a stewpan, with the butter. cut the vegetables in slices, and add them, with the peppercorns and herbs. put in / pint of water, and stir it over a sharp fire till the juices are drawn. fill up the stewpan with the water, and, when boiling, add the salt. skim well, and simmer very gently for hours, or until the tails are tender. take them out, skim and strain the soup, thicken with flour, and flavour with the ketchup and port wine. put back the tails, simmer for minutes, and serve. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. partridge soup. . ingredients.-- partridges, slices of lean ham, shred onions, head of celery, large carrot, and turnip cut into any fanciful shapes, small lump of sugar, oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, quarts of stock no. , or common, no. . _mode_.--cut the partridges into pieces, and braise them in the butter and ham until quite tender; then take out the legs, wings, and breast, and set them by. keep the backs and other trimmings in the braise, and add the onions and celery; any remains of cold game can be put in, and pints of stock. simmer slowly for hour, strain it, and skim the fat off as clean as possible; put in the pieces that were taken out, give it one boil, and skim again to have it quite clear, and add the sugar and seasoning. now simmer the cut carrot and turnip in pint of stock; when quite tender, put them to the partridges, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. or s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to february. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--the meat of the partridges may be pounded with the crumb of a french roll, and worked with the soup through a sieve. serve with stewed celery cut in slices, and put in the tureen. the partridge.--this is a timorous bird, being easily taken. it became known to the greeks and romans, whose tables it helped to furnish with food. formerly, the red was scarce in italy, but its place was supplied by the white, which, at considerable expense, was frequently procured from the alps. the athenians trained this bird for fighting, and severus used to lighten the cares of royalty by witnessing the spirit of its combats. the greeks esteemed its leg most highly, and rejected the other portions as unfashionable to be eaten. the romans, however, ventured a little further, and ate the breast, whilst we consider the bird as wholly palatable. it is an inhabitant of all the temperate countries of europe, but, on account of the geniality of the climate, it abounds most in the ukraine. pheasant soup. . ingredients.-- pheasants, / lb. of butter, slices of ham, large onions sliced, / head of celery, the crumb of two french rolls, the yolks of eggs boiled hard, salt and cayenne to taste, a little pounded mace, if liked; quarts of stock no. . _mode_.--cut up the pheasants, flour and braise them in the butter and ham till they are of a nice brown, but not burnt. put them in a stewpan, with the onions, celery, and seasoning, and simmer for hours. strain the soup; pound the breasts with the crumb of the roll previously soaked, and the yolks of the eggs; put it to the soup, give one boil, and serve. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. per quart, or, if made with fragments of gold game, s. _seasonable_ from october to february. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--fragments, pieces and bones of cold game, may be used to great advantage in this soup, and then pheasant will suffice. portable soup. . ingredients.-- knuckles of veal, shins of beef, large faggot of herbs, bay-leaves, heads of celery, onions, carrots, blades of mace, cloves, a teaspoonful of salt, sufficient water to cover all the ingredients. _mode_.--take the marrow from the bones; put all the ingredients in a stock-pot, and simmer slowly for hours, or more, if the meat be not done to rags; strain it off, and put it in a very cool place; take off all the fat, reduce the liquor in a shallow pan, by setting it over a sharp fire, but be particular that it does not burn; boil it fast and uncovered for hours, and keep it stirred. put it into a deep dish, and set it by for a day. have ready a stewpan of boiling water, place the dish in it, and keep it boiling; stir occasionally, and when the soup is thick and ropy, it is done. form it into little cakes by pouring a small quantity on to the bottom of cups or basins; when cold, turn them out on a flannel to dry. keep them from the air in tin canisters. _average cost_ of this quantity, s. _note_.--soup can be made in minutes with this, by dissolving a small piece, about the size of a walnut, in a pint of warm water, and simmering for minutes. vermicelli, macaroni, or other italian pastes, may be added. the laurel or bay.--the leaves of this tree frequently enter into the recipes of cookery; but they ought not to be used without the greatest caution, and not at all unless the cook is perfectly aware of their effects. it ought to be known, that there are two kinds of bay-trees,--the classic laurel, whose leaves are comparatively harmless, and the cherry-laurel, which is the one whose leaves are employed in cookery. they have a kernel-like flavour, and are used in blanc-mange, puddings, custards &c.; but when acted upon by water, they develop prussic acid, and, therefore, but a small number of the leaves should be used at a time. rabbit soup. . ingredients.-- large rabbits, or small ones; a faggot of savoury herbs, / head of celery, carrots, onion, blade of mace, salt and white pepper to taste, a little pounded mace, / pint of cream, the yolks of eggs boiled hard, the crumb of a french roll, nearly quarts of water. _mode_.--make the soup with the legs and shoulders of the rabbit, and keep the nice pieces for a dish or _entrée_. put them into warm water, and draw the blood; when quite clean, put them in a stewpan, with a faggot of herbs, and a teacupful, or rather more, of veal stock or water. simmer slowly till done through, and add the quarts of water, and boil for an hour. take out the rabbet, pick the meat from the bones, covering it up to keep it white; put the bones back in the liquor, add the vegetables, and simmer for hours; skim and strain, and let it cool. now pound the meat in a mortar, with the yolks of the eggs, and the crumb of the roll previously soaked; rub it through a tammy, and gradually add it to the strained liquor, and simmer for minutes. mix arrowroot or rice-flour with the cream (say dessert-spoonfuls), and stir in the soup; bring it to a boil, and serve. this soup must be very white, and instead of thickening it with arrowroot or rice-flour, vermicelli or pearl barley can be boiled in a little stock, and put in minutes before serving. _time_.--nearly hours. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to march. _sufficient_ for persons. regency soup. . ingredients.--any bones and remains of any cold game, such as of pheasants, partridges, &c.; carrots, small onions, head of celery, turnip, / lb. of pearl barley, the yolks of eggs boiled hard, / pint of cream, salt to taste, quarts of stock no. , or common stock, no. . _mode_.--place the bones or remains of game in the stewpan, with the vegetables sliced; pour over the stock, and simmer for hours; skim off all the fat, and strain it. wash the barley, and boil it in or waters before putting it to the soup; finish simmering in the soup, and when the barley is done, take out half, and pound the other half with the yolks of the eggs. when you have finished pounding, rub it through a clean tammy, add the cream, and salt if necessary; give one boil, and serve very hot, putting in the barley that was taken out first. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. per quart, if made with medium stock, or d. per quart, with common stock. _seasonable_ from september to march. _sufficient_ for persons. soup a la reine. i. . ingredients.-- large fowl, oz. of sweet almonds, the crumb of / french roll, / pint of cream, salt to taste, small lump of sugar, quarts of good white veal stock, no. . _mode_.--boil the fowl gently in the stock till quite tender, which will be in about an hour, or rather more; take out the fowl, pull the meat from the bones, and put it into a mortar with the almonds, and pound very fine. when beaten enough, put the meat back in the stock, with the crumb of the rolls, and let it simmer for an hour; rub it through a tammy, add the sugar, / pint of cream that has boiled, and, if you prefer, cut the crust of the roll into small round pieces, and pour the soup over it, when you serve. _time_.-- hours, or rather more. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--all white soups should be warmed in a vessel placed in another of boiling water. (_see_ bain marie, no. .) ii. (economical.) . ingredients.--any remains of roast chickens, / teacupful of rice, salt and pepper to taste, quart of stock no. . _mode_.--take all the white meat and pound it with the rice, which has been slightly cooked, but not much. when it is all well pounded, dilute with the stock, and pass through a sieve. this soup should neither be too clear nor too thick. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--if stock is not at hand, put the chicken-bones in water, with an onion, carrot, a few sweet herbs, a blade of mace, pepper and salt, and stew for hours. stew soup of salt meat. . ingredients.--any pieces of salt beef or pork, say lbs.; carrots, parsnips, turnips, potatoes, cabbage, oz. of oatmeal or ground rice, seasoning of salt and pepper, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut up the meat small, add the water, and let it simmer for / hours. now add the vegetables, cut in thin small slices; season, and boil for hour. thicken with the oatmeal, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart without the meat. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--if rice is used instead of oatmeal, put it in with the vegetables. stew soup. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of beef, onions, turnips, / lb. of _rice_, a large bunch of parsley, a few sweet herbs, pepper and salt, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut the beef up in small pieces, add the other ingredients, and boil gently for / hours. oatmeal or potatoes would be a great improvement. _time_.- / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. ii. . ingredients.-- / lb. of beef, mutton, or pork; / pint of split peas, turnips, potatoes, onions, oz. of oatmeal or oz. of rice, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut the meat in small pieces, as also the vegetables, and add them, with the peas, to the water. boil gently for hours; thicken with the oatmeal, boil for another / hour, stirring all the time, and season with pepper and salt. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this soup may be made of the liquor in which tripe has been boiled, by adding vegetables, seasoning, rice, &c. turkey soup (a seasonable dish at christmas). . ingredients.-- quarts of medium stock, no. , the remains of a cold roast turkey, oz. of rice-flour or arrowroot, salt and pepper to taste, tablespoonful of harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut up the turkey in small pieces, and put it in the stock; let it simmer slowly until the bones are quite clean. take the bones out, and work the soup through a sieve; when cool, skim well. mix the rice-flour or arrowroot to a batter with a little of the soup; add it with the seasoning and sauce, or ketchup. give one boil, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ at christmas. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--instead of thickening this soup, vermicelli or macaroni may be served in it. the turkey.--the common turkey is a native of north america, and was thence introduced to england, in the reign of henry viii. according to tusser's "five hundred points of good husbandry," about the year it begun to form a dish at our rural christmas feasts. "beef, mutton, and pork, shred pies of the best, pig, veal, goose, and capon, and turkey well dress'd, cheese, apples, and nuts, jolly carols to hear, as then in the country is counted good cheer." it is one of the most difficult birds to rear, of any that we have; yet, in its wild state, is found in great abundance in the forests of canada, where, it might have been imagined that the severity of the climate would be unfavourable to its ever becoming plentiful. they are very fond of the seeds of nettles, and the seeds of the foxglove poison them. turtle soup (founded on m. ude's recipe). . ingredients.--a turtle, slices of ham, knuckles of veal, large bunch of sweet herbs, bay-leaves, parsley, green onions, onion, cloves, blades of mace, / lb. of fresh butter, bottle of madeira, lump of sugar. for the _quenelles à tortue_, lb. of veal, lb. of bread crumbs, milk, eggs, cayenne, salt, spices, chopped parsley, the juice of lemons. _mode_.--to make this soup with less difficulty, cut off the head of the turtle the preceding day. in the morning open the turtle by leaning heavily with a knife on the shell of the animal's back, whilst you cut this off all round. turn it upright on its end, that all the water, &c. may run out, when the flesh should be cut off along the spine, with the knife sloping towards the bones, for fear of touching the gall, which sometimes might escape the eye. when all the flesh about the members is obtained, wash these clean, and let them drain. have ready, on the fire, a large vessel full of boiling water, into which put the shells; and when you perceive that they come easily off, take them out of the water, and prick them all, with those of the back, belly, fins, head, &c. boil the back and belly till the bones can be taken off, without, however, allowing the softer parts to be sufficiently done, as they will be boiled again in the soup. when these latter come off easily, lay them on earthen dishes singly, for fear they should stick together, and put them to cool. keep the liquor in which you have blanched the softer parts, and let the bones stew thoroughly in it, as this liquor must be used to moisten all the sauces. all the flesh of the interior parts, the four legs and head, must be drawn down in the following manner:--lay the slices of ham on the bottom of a very large stewpan, over them the knuckles of veal, according to the size of the turtle; then the inside flesh of the turtle, and over the whole the members. now moisten with the water in which you are boiling the shell, and draw it down thoroughly. it may now be ascertained if it be thoroughly done by thrusting a knife into the fleshy part of the meat. if no blood appears, it is time to moisten it again with the liquor in which the bones, &c. have been boiling. put in a large bunch of all such sweet herbs as are used in the cooking of a turtle,--sweet basil, sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, winter savory, or bay-leaves, common thyme, a handful of parsley and green onions, and a large onion stuck with cloves. let the whole be thoroughly done. with respect to the members, probe them, to see whether they are done, and if so, drain and send them to the larder, as they are to make their appearance only when the soup is absolutely completed. when the flesh is also completely done, strain it through a silk sieve, and make a very thin white _roux;_ for turtle soup must not be much thickened. when the flour is sufficiently done on a slow fire, and has a good colour, moisten it with the liquor, keeping it over the fire till it boils. ascertain that the sauce is neither too thick nor too thin; then draw the stewpan on the side of the stove, to skim off the white scum, and all the fat and oil that rise to the surface of the sauce. by this time all the softer parts will be sufficiently cold; when they must be cut to about the size of one or two inches square, and thrown into the soup, which must now be left to simmer gently. when done, skim off all the fat and froth. take all the leaves of the herbs from the stock,--sweet basil, sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, winter savory, or bay-leaves, common thyme, a handful of parsley and green onions, and a large onion cut in four pieces, with a few blades of mace. put these in a stewpan, with about / lb. of fresh butter, and let it simmer on a slow fire till quite melted, when pour in bottle of good madeira, adding a small bit of sugar, and let it boil gently for hour. when done, rub it through a tammy, and add it to the soup. let this boil, till no white scum rises; then take with a skimmer all the bits of turtle out of the sauce, and put them in a clean stewpan: when you have all out, pour the soup over the bits of turtle, through a tammy, and proceed as follows:-- quenelles À tortue.--make some _quenelles à tortue_, which being substitutes for eggs, do not require to be very delicate. take out the fleshy part of a leg of veal, about lb., scrape off all the meat, without leaving any sinews or fat, and soak in milk about the same quantity of crumbs of bread. when the bread is well soaked, squeeze it, and put it into a mortar, with the veal, a small quantity of calf's udder, a little butter, the yolks of eggs, boiled hard, a little cayenne pepper, salt, and spices, and pound the whole very fine; then thicken the mixture with whole eggs, and the yolk of another. next try this _farce_ or stuffing in boiling-hot water, to ascertain its consistency: if it is too thin, add the yolk of an egg. when the _farce_ is perfected, take half of it, and put into it some chopped parsley. let the whole cool, in order to roll it of the size of the yolk of an egg; poach it in salt and boiling water, and when very hard, drain on a sieve, and put it into the turtle. before you send up, squeeze the juice of or lemons, with a little cayenne pepper, and pour that into the soup. the fins may be served as a _plat d'entrée_ with a little turtle sauce; if not, on the following day you may warm the turtle _au bain marie_, and serve the members entire, with a _matelote_ sauce, garnished with mushrooms, cocks' combs, _quenelles_, &c. when either lemon-juice or cayenne pepper has been introduced, no boiling must take place. _note_.--it is necessary to observe, that the turtle prepared a day before it is used, is generally preferable, the flavour being more uniform. be particular, when you dress a very large turtle, to preserve the green fat (be cautious not to study a very brown colour,--the natural green of the fish is preferred by every epicure and true connoisseur) in a separate stewpan, and likewise when the turtle is entirely done, to have as many tureens as you mean to serve each time. you cannot put the whole in a large vessel, for many reasons: first, it will be long in cooling; secondly, when you take some out, it will break all the rest into rags. if you warm in a _bain marie_, the turtle will always retain the same taste; but if you boil it often, it becomes strong, and loses the delicacy of its flavour. the cost of turtle soup.--this is the most expensive soup brought to table. it is sold by the quart,--one guinea being the standard price for that quantity. the price of live turtle ranges from d. to s. per lb., according to supply and demand. when live turtle is dear, many cooks use the tinned turtle, which is killed when caught, and preserved by being put in hermetically-sealed canisters, and so sent over to england. the cost of a tin, containing quarts, or lbs., is about £ , and for a small one, containing the green fat, s. d. from these about quarts of good soup may be made. [illustration: the turtle.] the green turtle.--this reptile is found in large numbers on the coasts of all the islands and continents within the tropics, in both the old and new worlds. their length is often five feet and upwards, and they range in weight from to or lbs. as turtles find a constant supply of food on the coasts which they frequent, they are not of a quarrelsome disposition, as the submarine meadows in which they pasture, yield plenty for them all. like other species of amphibia, too, they have the power of living many months without food; so that they live harmlessly and peaceably together, notwithstanding that they seem to have no common bond of association, but merely assemble in the same places as if entirely by accident. england is mostly supplied with them from the west indies, whence they are brought alive and in tolerable health. the green turtle is highly prized on account of the delicious quality of its flesh, the fat of the upper and lower shields of the animal being esteemed the richest and most delicate parts. the soup, however, is apt to disagree with weak stomachs. as an article of luxury, the turtle has only come into fashion within the last years, and some hundreds of tureens of turtle soup are served annually at the lord mayor's dinner in guildhall. a good family soup. . ingredients.--remains of a cold tongue, lbs. of shin of beef, any cold pieces of meat or beef-bones, turnips, carrots, onions, parsnip, head of celery, quarts of water, / teacupful of rice; salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--put all the ingredients in a stewpan, and simmer gently for hours, or until all the goodness is drawn from the meat. strain off the soup, and let it stand to get cold. the kernels and soft parts of the tongue must be saved. when the soup is wanted for use, skim off all the fat, put in the kernels and soft parts of the tongue, slice in a small quantity of fresh carrot, turnip, and onion; stew till the vegetables are tender, and serve with toasted bread. _time_.-- hours. __average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. hodge-podge. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, quarts of water, pint of table-beer, onions, carrots, turnips, head of celery; pepper and salt to taste; thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--put the meat, beer, and water in a stewpan; simmer for a few minutes, and skim carefully. add the vegetables and seasoning; stew gently till the meat is tender. thicken with the butter and flour, and serve with turnips and carrots, or spinach and celery. _time_.-- hours, or rather more. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. table beer.--this is nothing more than a weak ale, and is not made so much with a view to strength, as to transparency of colour and an agreeable bitterness of taste. it is, or ought to be, manufactured by the london professional brewers, from the best pale malt, or amber and malt. six barrels are usually drawn from one quarter of malt, with which are mixed or lbs. of hops. as a beverage, it is agreeable when fresh; but it is not adapted to keep long. fish soups. fish stock. . ingredients.-- lbs. of beef or veal (these can be omitted), any kind of white fish trimmings, of fish which are to be dressed for table, onions, the rind of / a lemon, a bunch of sweet herbs, carrots, quarts of water. _mode_.--cut up the fish, and put it, with the other ingredients, into the water. simmer for hours; skim the liquor carefully, and strain it. when a richer stock is wanted, fry the vegetables and fish before adding the water. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, with meat, d. per quart; without, d. _note_.--do not make fish stock long before it is wanted, as it soon turns sour. crayfish soup. . ingredients.-- crayfish, / lb. of butter, anchovies, the crumb of french roll, a little lobster-spawn, seasoning to taste, quarts of medium stock, no. , or fish stock, no. . _mode_.--shell the crayfish, and put the fish between two plates until they are wanted; pound the shells in a mortar, with the butter and anchovies; when well beaten, add a pint of stock, and simmer for / of an hour. strain it through a hair sieve, put the remainder of the stock to it, with the crumb of the rolls; give it one boil, and rub it through a tammy, with the lobster-spawn. put in the fish, but do not let the soup boil, after it has been rubbed through the tammy. if necessary, add seasoning. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. or s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from january to july. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: crayfish.] the crayfish.--this is one of those fishes that were highly esteemed by the ancients. the greeks preferred it when brought from alexandria, and the romans ate it boiled with cumin, and seasoned with pepper and other condiments. a recipe tells us, that crayfish can be preserved several days in baskets with fresh grass, such as the nettle, or in a bucket with about three-eighths of an inch of water. more water would kill them, because the large quantity of air they require necessitates the water in which they are kept, to be continually renewed. eel soup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of eels, onion, oz. of butter, blades of mace, bunch of sweet herbs, / oz. of peppercorns, salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of flour, / pint of cream, quarts of water. _mode_.--wash the eels, cut them into thin slices, and put them in the stewpan with the butter; let them simmer for a few minutes, then pour the water to them, and add the onion, cut in thin slices, the herbs, mace, and seasoning. simmer till the eels are tender, but do not break the fish. take them out carefully, mix the flour smoothly to a batter with the cream, bring it to a boil, pour over the eels, and serve. _time_.-- hour, or rather more. _average cost_, d. per quart. _seasonable_ from june to march. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this soup may be flavoured differently by omitting the cream, and adding a little ketchup or harvey's sauce. lobster soup. . ingredients.-- large lobsters, or small ones; the crumb of a french roll, anchovies, onion, small bunch of sweet herbs, strip of lemon-peel, oz. of butter, a little nutmeg, teaspoonful of flour, pint of cream, pint of milk; forcemeat balls, mace, salt and pepper to taste, bread crumbs, egg, quarts of water. _mode_.--pick the meat from the lobsters, and beat the fins, chine, and small claws in a mortar, previously taking away the brown fin and the bag in the head. put it in a stewpan, with the crumb of the roll, anchovies, onions, herbs, lemon-peel, and the water; simmer gently till all the goodness is extracted, and strain it off. pound the spawn in a mortar, with the butter, nutmeg, and flour, and mix with it the cream and milk. give one boil up, at the same time adding the tails cut in pieces. make the forcemeat balls with the remainder of the lobster, seasoned with mace, pepper, and salt, adding a little flour, and a few bread crumbs; moisten them with the egg, heat them in the soup, and serve. _time_.-- hours, or rather more. _average cost_, s d per quart. _seasonable_ from april to october. _sufficient_ for persons. oyster soup. i. . ingredients.-- dozen of oysters, quarts of white stock, / pint of cream, oz. of butter, - / oz. of flour; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste. _mode_.--scald the oysters in their own liquor; take them out, beard them, and put them in a tureen. take a pint of the stock, put in the beards and the liquor, which must be carefully strained, and simmer for / an hour. take it off the fire, strain it again, and add the remainder of the stock with the seasoning and mace. bring it to a boil, add the thickening of butter and flour, simmer for minutes, stir in the boiling cream, pour it over the oysters, and serve. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to april. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this soup can be made less rich by using milk instead of cream, and thickening with arrowroot instead of butter and flour. ii. . ingredients.-- quarts of good mutton broth, dozen oysters, oz. butter, oz. of flour. _mode_.--beard the oysters, and scald them in their own liquor; then add it, well strained, to the broth; thicken with the butter and flour, and simmer for / of an hour. put in the oysters, stir well, but do not let it boil, and serve very hot. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. per quart. _seasonable_ from september to april. _sufficient_ for persons. season of oysters.--from april and may to the end of july, oysters are said to be sick; but by the end of august they become healthy, having recovered from the effects of spawning. when they are not in season, the males have a black, and the females a milky substance in the gill. from some lines of oppian, it would appear that the ancients were ignorant that the oyster is generally found adhering to rocks. the starfish is one of the most deadly enemies of these bivalves. the poet says:-- the prickly star creeps on with full deceit to force the oyster from his close retreat. when gaping lids their widen'd void display, the watchful star thrusts in a pointed ray, of all its treasures spoils the rifled case, and empty shells the sandy hillock grace. prawn soup. . ingredients.-- quarts of fish stock or water, pints of prawns, the crumbs of a french roll, anchovy sauce or mushroom ketchup to taste, blade of mace, pint of vinegar, a little lemon-juice. _mode_.--pick out the tails of the prawns, put the bodies in a stewpan with blade of mace, / pint of vinegar, and the same quantity of water; stew them for / hour, and strain off the liquor. put the fish stock or water into a stewpan; add the strained liquor, pound the prawns with the crumb of a roll moistened with a little of the soup, rub them through a tammy, and mix them by degrees with the soup; add ketchup or anchovy sauce to taste, with a little lemon-juice. when it is well cooked, put in a few picked prawns; let them get thoroughly hot, and serve. if not thick enough, put in a little butter and flour. _time_.--hour. _average cost_, s. d. per quart, if made with water. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--this can be thickened with tomatoes, and vermicelli served in it, which makes it a very tasteful soup. [illustration: the prawn.] the prawn.--this little fish bears a striking resemblance to the shrimp, but is neither so common nor so small. it is to be found on most of the sandy shores of europe. the isle of wight is famous for shrimps, where they are potted; but both the prawns and the shrimps vended in london, are too much salted for the excellence of their natural flavour to be preserved. they are extremely lively little animals, as seen in their native retreats. [illustration] fish. chapter vii. the natural history of fishes. . in natural history, fishes form the fourth class in the system of linnaeus, and are described as having long under-jaws, eggs without white, organs of sense, fins for supporters, bodies covered with concave scales, gills to supply the place of lungs for respiration, and water for the natural element of their existence. had mankind no other knowledge of animals than of such as inhabit the land and breathe their own atmosphere, they would listen with incredulous wonder, if told that there were other kinds of beings which existed only in the waters, and which would die almost as soon as they were taken from them. however strongly these facts might be attested, they would hardly believe them, without the operation of their own senses, as they would recollect the effect produced on their own bodies when immersed in water, and the impossibility of their sustaining life in it for any lengthened period of time. experience, however, has taught them, that the "great deep" is crowded with inhabitants of various sizes, and of vastly different constructions, with modes of life entirely distinct from those which belong to the animals of the land, and with peculiarities of design, equally wonderful with those of any other works which have come from the hand of the creator. the history of these races, however, must remain for ever, more or less, in a state of darkness, since the depths in which they live, are beyond the power of human exploration, and since the illimitable expansion of their domain places them almost entirely out of the reach of human accessibility. . in studying the conformation of fishes, we naturally conclude that they are, in every respect, well adapted to the element in which they have their existence. their shape has a striking resemblance to the lower part of a ship; and there is no doubt that the form of the fish originally suggested the form of the ship. the body is in general slender, gradually diminishing towards each of its extremities, and flattened on each of its sides. this is precisely the form of the lower part of the hull of a ship; and it enables both the animal and the vessel, with comparative ease, to penetrate and divide the resisting medium for which they have been adapted. the velocity of a ship, however, in sailing before the wind, is by no means to be compared to that of a fish. it is well known that the largest fishes will, with the greatest ease, overtake a ship in full sail, play round it without effort, and shoot ahead of it at pleasure. this arises from their great flexibility, which, to compete with mocks the labours of art, and enables them to migrate thousands of miles in a season, without the slightest indications of languor or fatigue. . the principal instruments employed by fishes to accelerate their motion, are their air-bladder, fins, and tail. by means of the air-bladder they enlarge or diminish the specific gravity of their bodies. when they wish to sink, they compress the muscles of the abdomen, and eject the air contained in it; by which, their weight, compared with that of the water, is increased, and they consequently descend. on the other hand, when they wish to rise, they relax the compression of the abdominal muscles, when the air-bladder fills and distends, and the body immediately ascends to the surface. how simply, yet how wonderfully, has the supreme being adapted certain means to the attainment of certain ends! those fishes which are destitute of the air-bladder are heavy in the water, and have no great "alacrity" in rising. the larger proportion of them remain at the bottom, unless they are so formed as to be able to strike their native element downwards with sufficient force to enable them to ascend. when the air-bladder of a fish is burst, its power of ascending to the surface has for ever passed away. from a knowledge of this fact, the fishermen of cod are enabled to preserve them alive for a considerable time in their well-boats. the means they adopt to accomplish this, is to perforate the sound, or air-bladder, with a needle, which disengages the air, when the fishes immediately descend to the bottom of the well, into which they are thrown. without this operation, it would be impossible to keep the cod under water whilst they had life. in swimming, the _fins_ enable fishes to preserve their upright position, especially those of the belly, which act like two feet. without those, they would swim with their bellies upward, as it is in their backs that the centre of gravity lies. in ascending and descending, these are likewise of great assistance, as they contract and expand accordingly. the _tail_ is an instrument of great muscular force, and largely assists the fish in all its motions. in some instances it acts like the rudder of a ship, and enables it to turn sideways; and when moved from side to side with a quick vibratory motion, fishes are made, in the same manner as the "screw" propeller makes a steamship, to dart forward with a celerity proportioned to the muscular force with which it is employed. . the bodies of fishes are mostly covered with a kind of horny scales; but some are almost entirely without them, or have them so minute as to be almost invisible; as is the case with the eel. the object of these is to preserve them from injury by the pressure of the water, or the sudden contact with pebbles, rocks, or sea-weeds. others, again, are enveloped in a fatty, oleaginous substance, also intended as a defence against the friction of the water; and those in which the scales are small, are supplied with a larger quantity of slimy matter. . the respiration of fishes is effected by means of those comb-like organs which are placed on each side of the neck, and which are called gills. it is curious to watch the process of breathing as it is performed by the finny tribes. it seems to be so continuous, that it might almost pass for an illustration of the vexed problem which conceals the secret of perpetual motion. in performing it, they fill their mouths with water, which they drive backwards with a force so great as to open the large flap, to allow it to escape behind. in this operation all, or a great portion, of the air contained in the water, is left among the feather-like processes of the gills, and is carried into the body, there to perform its part in the animal economy. in proof of this, it has been ascertained that, if the water in which fishes are put, is, by any means, denuded of its air, they immediately seek the surface, and begin to gasp for it. hence, distilled water is to them what a vacuum made by an air-pump, is to most other animals. for this reason, when a fishpond, or other aqueous receptacle in which fishes are kept, is entirely frozen over, it is necessary to make holes in the ice, not so especially for the purpose of feeding them, as for that of giving them air to breathe. . the positions of the teeth of fishes are well calculated to excite our amazement; for, in some cases, these are situated in the jaws, sometimes on the tongue or palate, and sometimes even in the throat. they are in general sharp-pointed and immovable; but in the carp they are obtuse, and in the pike so easily moved as to seem to have no deeper hold than such as the mere skin can afford. in the herring, the tongue is set with teeth, to enable it the better, it is supposed, to retain its food. . although naturalists have divided fishes into two great tribes, the _osseous_ and the _cartilaginous_, yet the distinction is not very precise; for the first have a great deal of cartilage, and the second, at any rate, a portion of calcareous matter in their bones. it may, therefore, be said that the bones of fishes form a kind of intermediate substance between true bones and cartilages. the backbone extends through the whole length of the body, and consists of vertebrae, strong and thick towards the head, but weaker and more slender as it approaches the tail. each species has a determinate number of vertebrae, which are increased in size in proportion with the body. the ribs are attached to the processes of the vertebrae, and inclose the breast and abdomen. some kinds, as the rays, have no ribs; whilst others, as the sturgeon and eel, have very short ones. between the pointed processes of the vertebrae are situated the bones which support the dorsal (back) and the anal (below the tail) fins, which are connected with the processes by a ligament. at the breast are the sternum or breastbone, clavicles or collar-bones, and the scapulae or shoulder-blades, on which the pectoral or breast fins are placed. the bones which support the ventral or belly fins are called the _ossa pelvis_. besides these principal bones, there are often other smaller ones, placed between the muscles to assist their motion. . some of the organs of sense in fishes are supposed to be possessed by them in a high degree, and others much more imperfectly. of the latter kind are the senses of touch and taste, which are believed to be very slightly developed. on the other hand, those of hearing, seeing, and smelling, are ascertained to be acute, but the first in a lesser degree than both the second and third. their possession of an auditory organ was long doubted, and even denied by some physiologists; but it has been found placed on the sides of the skull, or in the cavity which contains the brain. it occupies a position entirely distinct and detached from the skull, and, in this respect, differs in the local disposition of the same sense in birds and quadrupeds. in some fishes, as in those of the ray kind, the organ is wholly encompassed by those parts which contain the cavity of the skull; whilst in the cod and salmon kind it is in the part within the skull. its structure is, in every way, much more simple than that of the same sense in those animals which live entirely in the air; but there is no doubt that they have the adaptation suitable to their condition. in some genera, as in the rays, the external orifice or ear is very small, and is placed in the upper surface of the head; whilst in others there is no visible external orifice whatever. however perfect the _sight_ of fishes may be, experience has shown that this sense is of much less use to them than that of smelling, in searching for their food. the optic nerves in fishes have this peculiarity,--that they are not confounded with one another in their middle progress between their origin and their orbit. the one passes over the other without any communication; so that the nerve which comes from the left side of the brain goes distinctly to the right eye, and that which comes from the right goes distinctly to the left. in the greater part of them, the eye is covered with the same transparent skin that covers the rest of the head. the object of this arrangement, perhaps, is to defend it from the action of the water, as there are no eyelids. the globe in front is somewhat depressed, and is furnished behind with a muscle, which serves to lengthen or flatten it, according to the necessities of the animal. the crystalline humour, which in quadrupeds is flattened, is, in fishes, nearly globular. the organ of _smelling_ in fishes is large, and is endued, at its entry, with a dilating and contracting power, which is employed as the wants of the animal may require. it is mostly by the acuteness of their smell that fishes are enabled to discover their food; for their tongue is not designed for nice sensation, being of too firm a cartilaginous substance for this purpose. . with respect to the food of fishes, this is almost universally found in their own element. they are mostly carnivorous, though they seize upon almost anything that comes in their way: they even devour their own offspring, and manifest a particular predilection for all living creatures. those, to which nature has meted out mouths of the greatest capacity, would seem to pursue everything with life, and frequently engage in fierce conflicts with their prey. the animal with the largest mouth is usually the victor; and he has no sooner conquered his foe than he devours him. innumerable shoals of one species pursue those of another, with a ferocity which draws them from the pole to the equator, through all the varying temperatures and depths of their boundless domain. in these pursuits a scene of universal violence is the result; and many species must have become extinct, had not nature accurately proportioned the means of escape, the production, and the numbers, to the extent and variety of the danger to which they are exposed. hence the smaller species are not only more numerous, but more productive than the larger; whilst their instinct leads them in search of food and safety near the shores, where, from the shallowness of the waters, many of their foes are unable to follow them. . the fecundity of fishes has been the wonder of every natural philosopher whose attention has been attracted to the subject. they are in general oviparous, or egg-producing; but there are a few, such as the eel and the blenny, which are viviparous, or produce their young alive. the males have the _milt_ and the females the _roe_; but some individuals, as the sturgeon and the cod tribes, are said to contain both. the greater number deposit their spawn in the sand or gravel; but some of those which dwell in the depths of the ocean attach their eggs to sea-weeds. in every instance, however, their fruitfulness far surpasses that of any other race of animals. according to lewenhoeck, the cod annually spawns upwards of nine millions of eggs, contained in a single roe. the flounder produces one million; the mackerel above five hundred thousand; a herring of a moderate size at least ten thousand; a carp fourteen inches in length, according to petit, contained two hundred and sixty-two thousand two hundred and twenty-four; a perch deposited three hundred and eighty thousand six hundred and forty; and a female sturgeon seven millions six hundred and fifty-three thousand two hundred. the viviparous species are by no means so prolific; yet the blenny brings forth two or three hundred at a time, which commence sporting together round their parent the moment they have come into existence. . in reference to the longevity of fishes, it is affirmed to surpass that of all other created beings; and it is supposed they are, to a great extent, exempted from the diseases to which the flesh of other animals is heir. in place of suffering from the rigidity of age, which is the cause of the natural decay of those that "live and move and have their being" on the land, their bodies continue to grow with each succeeding supply of food, and the conduits of life to perform their functions unimpaired. the age of fishes has not been properly ascertained, although it is believed that the most minute of the species has a longer lease of life than man. the mode in which they die has been noted by the rev. mr. white, the eminent naturalist of selbourne. as soon as the fish sickens, the head sinks lower and lower, till the animal, as it were, stands upon it. after this, as it becomes weaker, it loses its poise, till the tail turns over, when it comes to the surface, and floats with its belly upwards. the reason for its floating in this manner is on account of the body being no longer balanced by the fins of the belly, and the broad muscular back preponderating, by its own gravity, over the belly, from this latter being a cavity, and consequently lighter. . fishes are either solitary or gregarious, and some of them migrate to great distances, and into certain rivers, to deposit their spawn. of sea-fishes, the cod, herring, mackerel, and many others, assemble in immense shoals, and migrate through different tracts of the ocean; but, whether considered in their solitary or gregarious capacity, they are alike wonderful to all who look through nature up to nature's god, and consider, with due humility, yet exalted admiration, the sublime variety, beauty, power, and grandeur of his productions, as manifested in the creation. fish as an article of human food. . as the nutritive properties of fish are deemed inferior to those of what is called butchers' meat, it would appear, from all we can learn, that, in all ages, it has held only a secondary place in the estimation of those who have considered the science of gastronomy as a large element in the happiness of mankind. among the jews of old it was very little used, although it seems not to have been entirely interdicted, as moses prohibited only the use of such as had neither scales nor fins. the egyptians, however, made fish an article of diet, notwithstanding that it was rejected by their priests. egypt, however, is not a country favourable to the production of fish, although we read of the people, when hungry, eating it raw; of epicures among them having dried it in the sun; and of its being salted and preserved, to serve as a repast on days of great solemnity. the modern egyptians are, in general, extremely temperate in regard to food. even the richest among them take little pride, and, perhaps, experience as little delight, in the luxuries of the table. their dishes mostly consist of pilaus, soups, and stews, prepared principally of onions, cucumbers, and other cold vegetables, mixed with a little meat cut into small pieces. on special occasions, however, a whole sheep is placed on the festive board; but during several of the hottest months of the year, the richest restrict themselves entirely to a vegetable diet. the poor are contented with a little oil or sour milk, in which they may dip their bread. . passing from africa to europe, we come amongst a people who have, almost from time immemorial, occupied a high place in the estimation of every civilized country; yet the greeks, in their earlier ages, made very little use of fish as an article of diet. in the eyes of the heroes of homer it had little favour; for menelaus complained that "hunger pressed their digestive organs," and they had been obliged to live upon fish. subsequently, however, fish became one of the principal articles of diet amongst the hellenes; and both aristophanes and athenaeus allude to it, and even satirize their countrymen for their excessive partiality to the turbot and mullet. so infatuated were many of the greek gastronomes with the love of fish, that some of them would have preferred death from indigestion to the relinquishment of the precious dainties with which a few of the species supplied them. philoxenes of cythera was one of these. on being informed by his physician that he was going to die of indigestion, on account of the quantity he was consuming of a delicious fish, "be it so," he calmly observed; "but before i die, let me finish the remainder." . the geographical situation of greece was highly favourable for the development of a taste for the piscatory tribes; and the skill of the greek cooks was so great, that they could impart every variety of relish to the dish they were called upon to prepare. athenaeus has transmitted to posterity some very important precepts upon their ingenuity in seasoning with salt, oil, and aromatics. at the present day the food of the greeks, through the combined influence of poverty and the long fasts which their religion imposes upon them, is, to a large extent, composed of fish, accompanied with vegetables and fruit. caviare, prepared from the roes of sturgeons, is the national ragout, which, like all other fish dishes, they season with aromatic herbs. snails dressed in garlic are also a favourite dish. . as the romans, in a great measure, took their taste in the fine arts from the greeks, so did they, in some measure, their piscine appetites. the eel-pout and the lotas's liver were the favourite fish dishes of the roman epicures; whilst the red mullet was esteemed as one of the most delicate fishes that could be brought to the table. with all the elegance, taste, and refinement of roman luxury, it was sometimes promoted or accompanied by acts of great barbarity. in proof of this, the mention of the red mullet suggests the mode in which it was sometimes treated for the, to us, _horrible_ entertainment of the _fashionable_ in roman circles. it may be premised, that as england has, rome, in her palmy days, had, her fops, who had, no doubt, through the medium of their cooks, discovered that when the scales of the red mullet were removed, the flesh presented a fine pink-colour. having discovered this, it was further observed that at the death of the animal, this colour passed through a succession of beautiful shades, and, in order that these might be witnessed and enjoyed in their fullest perfection, the poor mullet was served alive in a glass vessel. . the love of fish among the ancient romans rose to a real mania. apicius offered a prize to any one who could invent a new brine compounded of the liver of red mullets; and lucullus had a canal cut through a mountain, in the neighbourhood of naples, that fish might be the more easily transported to the gardens of his villa. hortensius, the orator, wept over the death of a turbot which he had fed with his own hands; and the daughter of druses adorned one that she had, with rings of gold. these were, surely, instances of misplaced affection; but there is no accounting for tastes. it was but the other day that we read in the "_times_" of a wealthy _living_ english hermit, who delights in the companionship of rats! the modern romans are merged in the general name of italians, who, with the exception of macaroni, have no specially characteristic article of food. . from rome to gaul is, considering the means of modern locomotion, no great way; but the ancient sumptuary laws of that kingdom give us little information regarding the ichthyophagous propensities of its inhabitants. louis xii. engaged six fishmongers to furnish his board with fresh-water animals, and francis i. had twenty-two, whilst henry the great extended his requirements a little further, and had twenty-four. in the time of louis xiv. the cooks had attained to such a degree of perfection in their art, that they could convert the form and flesh of the trout, pike, or carp, into the very shape and flavour of the most delicious game. the french long enjoyed a european reputation for their skill and refinement in the preparing of food. in place of plain joints, french cookery delights in the marvels of what are called made dishes, ragouts, stews, and fricassees, in which no trace of the original materials of which they are compounded is to be found. . from gaul we cross to britain, where it has been asserted, by, at least, one authority, that the ancient inhabitants ate no fish. however this may be, we know that the british shores, particularly those of the north sea, have always been well supplied with the best kinds of fish, which we may reasonably infer was not unknown to the inhabitants, or likely to be lost upon them for the lack of knowledge as to how they tasted. by the time of edward ii., fish had, in england, become a dainty, especially the sturgeon, which was permitted to appear on no table but that of the king. in the fourteenth century, a decree of king john informs us that the people ate both seals and porpoises; whilst in the days of the troubadours, whales were fished for and caught in the mediterranean sea, for the purpose of being used as human food. whatever checks the ancient british may have had upon their piscatory appetites, there are happily none of any great consequence upon the modern, who delight in wholesome food of every kind. their taste is, perhaps, too much inclined to that which is accounted solid and substantial; but they really eat more moderately, even of animal food, than either the french or the germans. roast beef, or other viands cooked in the plainest manner, are, with them, a sufficient luxury; yet they delight in living _well_, whilst it is easy to prove how largely their affections are developed by even the prospect of a substantial cheer. in proof of this we will just observe, that if a great dinner is to be celebrated, it is not uncommon for the appointed stewards and committee to meet and have a preliminary dinner among themselves, in order to arrange the great one, and after that, to have another dinner to discharge the bill which the great one cost. this enjoyable disposition we take to form a very large item in the aggregate happiness of the nation. . the general use of fish, as an article of human food among civilized nations, we have thus sufficiently shown, and will conclude this portion of our subject with the following hints, which ought to be remembered by all those who are fond of occasionally varying their dietary with a piscine dish:-- i. fish shortly before they spawn are, in general, best in condition. when the spawning is just over, they are out of season, and unfit for human food. ii. when fish is out of season, it has a transparent, bluish tinge, however much it may be boiled; when it is in season, its muscles are firm, and boil white and curdy. iii. as food for invalids, white fish, such as the ling, cod, haddock, coal-fish, and whiting, are the best; flat fish, as soles, skate, turbot, and flounders, are also good. iv. salmon, mackerel, herrings, and trout soon spoil or decompose after they are killed; therefore, to be in perfection, they should be prepared for the table on the day they are caught. with flat fish, this is not of such consequence, as they will keep longer. the turbot, for example, is improved by being kept a day or two. general directions for dressing fish. . in dressing fish, of any kind, the first point to be attended to, is to see that it be perfectly clean. it is a common error to wash it too much; as by doing so the flavour is diminished. if the fish is to be boiled, a little salt and vinegar should be put into the water, to give it firmness, after it is cleaned. cod-fish, whiting, and haddock, are far better if a little salted, and kept a day; and if the weather be not very hot, they will be good for two days. . when fish is cheap and plentiful, and a larger quantity is purchased than is immediately wanted, the overplus of such as will bear it should be potted, or pickled, or salted, and hung up; or it may be fried, that it may serve for stewing the next day. fresh-water fish, having frequently a muddy smell and taste, should be soaked in strong salt and water, after it has been well cleaned. if of a sufficient size, it may be scalded in salt and water, and afterwards dried and dressed. . fish should be put into cold water, and set on the fire to do very gently, or the outside will break before the inner part is done. unless the fishes are small, they should never be put into warm water; nor should water, either hot or cold, be poured _on_ to the fish, as it is liable to break the skin: if it should be necessary to add a little water whilst the fish is cooking, it ought to be poured in gently at the side of the vessel. the fish-plate may be drawn up, to see if the fish be ready, which may be known by its easily separating from the bone. it should then be immediately taken out of the water, or it will become woolly. the fish-plate should be set crossways over the kettle, to keep hot for serving, and a clean cloth over the fish, to prevent its losing its colour. . in garnishing fish, great attention is required, and plenty of parsley, horseradish, and lemon should be used. if fried parsley be used, it must be washed and picked, and thrown into fresh water. when the lard or dripping boils, throw the parsley into it immediately from the water, and instantly it will be green and crisp, and must be taken up with a slice. when well done, and with very good sauce, fish is more appreciated than almost any other dish. the liver and roe, in some instances, should be placed on the dish, in order that they may be distributed in the course of serving; but to each recipe will be appended the proper mode of serving and garnishing. . if fish is to be fried or broiled, it must be dried in a nice soft cloth, after it is well cleaned and washed. if for frying, brush it over with egg, and sprinkle it with some fine crumbs of bread. if done a second time with the egg and bread, the fish will look so much the better. if required to be very nice, a sheet of white blotting-paper must be placed to receive it, that it may be free from all grease. it must also be of a beautiful colour, and all the crumbs appear distinct. butter gives a bad colour; lard and clarified dripping are most frequently used; but oil is the best, if the expense be no objection. the fish should be put into the lard when boiling, and there should be a sufficiency of this to cover it. . when fish is broiled, it must be seasoned, floured, and laid on a very clean gridiron, which, when hot, should be rubbed with a bit of suet, to prevent the fish from sticking. it must be broiled over a very clear fire, that it may not taste smoky; and not too near, that it may not be scorched. . in choosing fish, it is well to remember that it is possible it may be _fresh_, and yet not _good_. under the head of each particular fish in this work, are appended rules for its choice and the months when it is in season. nothing can be of greater consequence to a cook than to have the fish good; as if this important course in a dinner does not give satisfaction, it is rarely that the repast goes off well. recipes. chapter viii. fish. [_nothing is more difficult than to give the average prices of fish, inasmuch as a few hours of bad weather at sea will, in the space of one day, cause such a difference in its supply, that the same fish--a turbot for instance--which may be bought to-day for six or seven shillings, will, to-morrow, be, in the london markets, worth, perhaps, almost as many pounds. the average costs, therefore, which will be found appended to each recipe, must be understood as about the average price for the different kinds of fish, when the market is supplied upon an average, and when the various sorts are of an average size and quality._ general rule in choosing fish.--_a proof of freshness and goodness in most fishes, is their being covered with scales; for, if deficient in this respect, it is a sign of their being stale, or having been ill-used._] fried anchovies. . ingredients.-- tablespoonful of oil, / a glass of white wine, sufficient flour to thicken; anchovies. _mode_.--mix the oil and wine together, with sufficient flour to make them into a thickish paste; cleanse the anchovies, wipe them, dip them in the paste, and fry of a nice brown colour. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: the anchovy.] the anchovy.--in his book of "british fishes," mr. yarrell states that "the anchovy is a common fish in the mediterranean, from greece to gibraltar, and was well known to the greeks and romans, by whom the liquor prepared from it, called _garum_, was in great estimation. its extreme range is extended into the black sea. the fishing for them is carried on during the night, and lights are used with the nets. the anchovy is common on the coasts of portugal, spain, and france. it occurs, i have no doubt, at the channel islands, and has been taken on the hampshire coast, and in the bristol channel." other fish, of inferior quality, but resembling the real gorgona anchovy, are frequently sold for it, and passed off as genuine. anchovy butter or paste. . ingredients.-- dozen anchovies, / lb. of fresh butter. _mode_.--wash the anchovies thoroughly; bone and dry them, and pound them in a mortar to a paste. mix the butter gradually with them, and rub the whole through a sieve. put it by in small pots for use, and carefully exclude the air with a bladder, as it soon changes the colour of anchovies, besides spoiling them. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. potted anchovies. potted anchovies are made in the same way, by adding pounded mace, cayenne, and nutmeg to taste. anchovy toast. . ingredients.--toast or slices of bread, or, if wanted very savoury, fry them in clarified butter, and spread on them the paste, no. . made mustard, or a few grains of cayenne, may be added to the paste before laying it on the toast. anchovy paste.--"when some delicate zest," says a work just issued on the adulterations of trade, "is required to make the plain english breakfast more palatable, many people are in the habit of indulging in what they imagine to be anchovies. these fish are preserved in a kind of pickling-bottle, carefully corked down, and surrounded by a red-looking liquor, resembling in appearance diluted clay. the price is moderate, one shilling only being demanded for the luxury. when these anchovies are what is termed potted, it implies that the fish have been pounded into the consistency of a paste, and then placed in flat pots, somewhat similar in shape to those used for pomatum. this paste is usually eaten spread upon toast, and is said to form an excellent _bonne bouche_, which enables gentlemen at wine-parties to enjoy their port with redoubled gusto. unfortunately, in six cases out of ten, the only portion of these preserved delicacies, that contains anything indicative of anchovies, is the paper label pasted on the bottle or pot, on which the word itself is printed.... all the samples of anchovy paste, analyzed by different medical men, have been found to be highly and vividly coloured with very large quantities of bole armenian." the anchovy itself, when imported, is of a dark dead colour, and it is to make it a bright "handsome-looking sauce" that this red earth is used. barbel. . ingredients.-- / pint of port wine, a saltspoonful of salt, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, sliced onions, a faggot of sweet herbs, nutmeg and mace to taste, the juice of a lemon, anchovies; or barbels, according to size. _mode_--boil the barbels in salt and water till done; pour off some of the water, and, to the remainder, put the ingredients mentioned above. simmer gently for / hour, or rather more, and strain. put in the fish; heat it gradually; but do not let it boil, or it will be broken. _time_.--altogether hour. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from september to november. [illustration: the barbel.] the barbel,--this fish takes its name from the barbs or wattels at its mouth; and, in england, is esteemed as one of the worst of the fresh-water fish. it was, however, formerly, if not now, a favourite with the jews, excellent cookers of fish. others would boil with it a piece of bacon, that it might have a relish. it is to be met with from two to three or four feet long, and is said to live to a great age. from putney upwards, in the thames, some are found of large size; but they are valued only as affording sport to the brethren of the angle. brill. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water; a little vinegar. _mode_.--clean the brill, cut off the fins, and rub it over with a little lemon-juice, to preserve its whiteness. set the fish in sufficient cold water to cover it; throw in salt, in the above proportions, and a little vinegar, and bring it gradually to boil; simmer very gently till the fish is done, which will be in about minutes; but the time for boiling, of course, depends entirely on the size of the fish. serve it on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon, parsley, horseradish, and a little lobster coral sprinkled over the fish. send lobster or shrimp sauce and plain melted butter to table with it. _time_.--after the water boils, a small brill, minutes; a large brill, to minutes. _average cost_, from s. to s. _seasonable_ from august to april. [illustration: the brill.] the brill.--this fish resembles the sole, but is broader, and when large, is esteemed by many in a scarcely less degree than the turbot, whilst it is much cheaper. it is a fine fish, and is abundant in the london market. to choose brill.--the flesh of this fish, like that of turbot, should be of a yellowish tint, and should be chosen on account of its thickness. if the flesh has a bluish tint, it is not good. codfish. . cod may be boiled whole; but a large head and shoulders are quite sufficient for a dish, and contain all that is usually helped, because, when the thick part is done, the tail is insipid and overdone. the latter, cut in slices, makes a very good dish for frying; or it may be salted down and served with egg sauce and parsnips. cod, when boiled quite fresh, is watery; salting a little, renders it firmer. [illustration: the cod.] the cod tribe.--the jugular, characterized by bony gills, and ventral fins before the pectoral ones, commences the second of the linnaean orders of fishes, and is a numerous tribe, inhabiting only the depths of the ocean, and seldom visiting the fresh waters. they have a smooth head, and the gill membrane has seven rays. the body is oblong, and covered with deciduous scales. the fins are all inclosed in skin, whilst their rays are unarmed. the ventral fins are slender, and terminate in a point. their habits are gregarious, and they feed on smaller fish and other marine animals. cod's head and shoulders. . ingredients.--sufficient water to cover the fish; oz. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--cleanse the fish thoroughly, and rub a little salt over the thick part and inside of the fish, or hours before dressing it, as this very much improves the flavour. lay it in the fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it. be very particular not to pour the water on the fish, as it is liable to break it, and only keep it just simmering. if the water should boil away, add a little by pouring it in at the side of the kettle, and not on the fish. add salt in the above proportion, and bring it gradually to a boil. skim very carefully, draw it to the side of the fire, and let it gently simmer till done. take it out and drain it; serve on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon, horseradish, the roe and liver. (_see_ coloured plate c.) _time_.--according to size, / an hour, more or less. _average cost_, from s. to s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to march. _note_.--oyster sauce and plain melted butter should be served with this. to choose cod.--the cod should be chosen for the table when it is plump and round near the tail, when the hollow behind the head is deep, and when the sides are undulated as if they were ribbed. the glutinous parts about the head lose their delicate flavour, after the fish has been twenty-four hours out of the water. the great point by which the cod should be judged is the firmness of its flesh; and, although the cod is not firm when it is alive, its quality may be arrived at by pressing the finger into the flesh. if this rises immediately, the fish is good; if not, it is stale. another sign of its goodness is, if the fish, when it is cut, exhibits a bronze appearance, like the silver side of a round of beef. when this is the case, the flesh will be firm when cooked. stiffness in a cod, or in any other fish, is a sure sign of freshness, though not always of quality. sometimes, codfish, though exhibiting signs of rough usage, will eat much better than those with red gills, so strongly recommended by many cookery-books. this appearance is generally caused by the fish having been knocked about at sea, in the well-boats, in which they are conveyed from the fishing-grounds to market. salt cod, commonly called "salt-fish." . ingredients.--sufficient water to cover the fish. _mode_.--wash the fish, and lay it all night in water, with a / pint of vinegar. when thoroughly soaked, take it out, see that it is perfectly clean, and put it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it. heat it gradually, but do not let it boil much, or the fish will be hard. skim well, and when done, drain the fish and put it on a napkin garnished with hard-boiled eggs cut in rings. _time_.--about hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ in the spring. _sufficient_ for each person, / lb. _note_.--serve with egg sauce and parsnips. this is an especial dish on ash wednesday. preserving cod.--immediately as the cod are caught, their heads are cut off. they are then opened, cleaned, and salted, when they are stowed away in the hold of the vessel, in beds of five or six yards square, head to tail, with a layer of salt to each layer of fish. when they have lain in this state three or four days, in order that the water may drain from them, they are shifted into a different part of the vessel, and again salted. here they remain till the vessel is loaded, when they are sometimes cut into thick pieces and packed in barrels for the greater convenience of carriage. cod sounds. should be well soaked in salt and water, and thoroughly washed before dressing them. they are considered a great delicacy, and may either be broiled, fried, or boiled: if they are boiled, mix a little milk with the water. cod sounds, en poule. . ingredients.--for forcemeat, chopped oysters, chopped anchovies, / lb. of bread crumbs, oz. of butter, eggs; seasoning of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and mace to taste; cod sounds. _mode_.--make the forcemeat by mixing the ingredients well together. wash the sounds, and boil them in milk and water for / an hour; take them out and let them cool. cover each with a layer of forcemeat, roll them up in a nice form, and skewer them. rub over with lard, dredge with flour, and cook them gently before the fire in a dutch oven. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from november to march. _sufficient_ for persons. the sounds in codfish.--these are the air or swimming bladders, by means of which the fishes are enabled to ascend or descend in the water. in the newfoundland fishery they are taken out previous to incipient putrefaction, washed from their slime and salted for exportation. the tongues are also cured and packed up in barrels; whilst, from the livers, considerable quantities of oil are extracted, this oil having been found possessed of the most nourishing properties, and particularly beneficial in cases of pulmonary affections. cod pie. (_economical_.) i. . ingredients.--any remains of cold cod, oysters, sufficient melted butter to moisten it; mashed potatoes enough to fill up the dish. _mode_.--flake the fish from the bone, and carefully take away all the skin. lay it in a pie-dish, pour over the melted butter and oysters (or oyster sauce, if there is any left), and cover with mashed potatoes. bake for / an hour, and send to table of a nice brown colour. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_ from november to march. ii. . ingredients.-- slices of cod; pepper and salt to taste; / a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, large blade of pounded mace, oz. of butter, / pint of stock no. , a paste crust (_see_ pastry). for sauce, tablespoonful of stock, / pint of cream or milk, thickening of flour or butter; lemon-peel chopped very fine to taste; oysters. _mode_.--lay the cod in salt for hours, then wash it and place it in a dish; season, and add the butter and stock; cover with the crust, and bake for hour, or rather more. now make the sauce, by mixing the ingredients named above; give it one boil, and pour it into the pie by a hole made at the top of the crust, which can easily be covered by a small piece of pastry cut and baked in any fanciful shape--such as a leaf, or otherwise. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, with fresh fish, s. d. _seasonable_ from november to march. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--the remains of cold fish may be used for this pie. curried cod. . ingredients.-- slices of large cod, or the remains of any cold fish; oz. of butter, onion sliced, a teacupful of white stock, thickening of butter and flour, small teaspoonful of curry-powder, / pint of cream, salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--flake the fish, and fry it of a nice brown colour with the butter and onions; put this in a stewpan, add the stock and thickening, and simmer for minutes. stir the curry-powder into the cream; put it, with the seasoning, to the other ingredients; give one boil, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, with fresh fish, s. _seasonable_ from november to march. _sufficient_ for persons. the food of the cod.--this chiefly consists of the smaller species of the scaly tribes, shell-fish, crabs, and worms. their voracity is very great, and they will bite at any small body they see moved by the water, even stones and pebbles, which are frequently found in their stomachs. they sometimes attain a great size, but their usual weight is from to lbs. cod a la creme. . ingredients.-- large slice of cod, oz. of butter, chopped shalot, a little minced parsley, / teacupful of white stock, / pint of milk or cream, flour to thicken, cayenne and lemon-juice to taste, / teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _mode_.--boil the cod, and while hot, break it into flakes; put the butter, shalot, parsley, and stock into a stewpan, and let them boil for minutes. stir in sufficient flour to thicken, and pour to it the milk or cream. simmer for minutes, add the cayenne and sugar, and, when liked, a little lemon-juice. put the fish in the sauce to warm gradually, but do not let it boil. serve in a dish garnished with croûtons. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, with cream, s. _seasonable_ from november to march. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--the remains of fish from the preceding day answer very well for this dish. cod a la bechamel. . ingredients.--any remains of cold cod, tablespoonfuls of béchamel (_see_ sauces), oz. butter; seasoning to taste of pepper and salt; fried bread, a few bread crumbs. _mode_.--flake the cod carefully, leaving out all skin and bone; put the béchamel in a stewpan with the butter, and stir it over the fire till the latter is melted; add seasoning, put in the fish, and mix it well with the sauce. make a border of fried bread round the dish, lay in the fish, sprinkle over with bread crumbs, and baste with butter. brown either before the fire or with a salamander, and garnish with toasted bread cut in fanciful shapes. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the fish, d. the habitat of the cod.--this fish is found only in the seas of the northern parts of the world, between the latitudes of ° and °. its great rendezvous are the sandbanks of newfoundland, nova scotia, cape breton, and new england. these places are its favourite resorts; for there it is able to obtain great quantities of worms, a food peculiarly grateful to it. another cause of its attachment to these places has been said to be on account of the vicinity to the polar seas, where it returns to spawn. few are taken north of iceland, and the shoals never reach so far south as the straits of gibraltar. many are taken on the coasts of norway, in the baltic, and off the orkneys, which, prior to the discovery of newfoundland, formed one of the principal fisheries. the london market is supplied by those taken between the dogger bank, the well bank, and cromer, on the east coast of england. cod a la maitre d'hotel. . ingredients.-- slices of cod, / lb. of butter, a little chopped shalot and parsley; pepper to taste, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, or rather less, when the flavour is not liked; the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--boil the cod, and either leave it whole, or, what is still better, flake it from the bone, and take off the skin. put it into a stewpan with the butter, parsley, shalot, pepper, and nutmeg. melt the butter gradually, and be very careful that it does not become like oil. when all is well mixed and thoroughly hot, add the lemon-juice, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d.; with remains of cold fish, d. _seasonable_ from november to march. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--cod that has been left will do for this. the season for fishing cod.--the best season for catching cod is from the beginning of february to the end of april; and although each fisherman engaged in taking them, catches no more than one at a time, an expert hand will sometimes take four hundred in a day. the employment is excessively fatiguing, from the weight of the fish as well as from the coldness of the climate. cod a l'italienne. . ingredients.-- slices of crimped cod, shalot, slice of ham minced very fine, / pint of white stock, no. ; when liked, / teacupful of cream; salt to taste; a few drops of garlic vinegar, a little lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _mode_.--chop the shalots, mince the ham very fine, pour on the stock, and simmer for minutes. if the colour should not be good, add cream in the above proportion, and strain it through a fine sieve; season it, and put in the vinegar, lemon-juice, and sugar. now boil the cod, take out the middle bone, and skin it; put it on the dish without breaking, and pour the sauce over it. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d., with fresh fish. _seasonable_ from november to march. _sufficient_ for persons. the fecundity of the cod.--in our preceding remarks on the natural history of fishes, we have spoken of the amazing fruitfulness of this fish; but in this we see one more instance of the wise provision which nature has made for supplying the wants of man. so extensive has been the consumption of this fish, that it is surprising that it has not long ago become extinct; which would certainly have been the case, had it not been for its wonderful powers of reproduction. "so early as ," says dr. cloquet, "the inhabitants of amsterdam had dispatched fishermen to the coast of sweden; and in the first quarter of , from the ports of france only, vessels went out to the cod-fisheries. every year, however, upwards of , vessels, of all nations, are employed in this trade, and bring into the commercial world more than , , of salted and dried cod. if we add to this immense number, the havoc made among the legions of cod by the larger scaly tribes of the great deep, and take into account the destruction to which the young are exposed by sea-fowls and other inhabitants of the seas, besides the myriads of their eggs destroyed by accident, it becomes a miracle to find that such mighty multitudes of them are still in existence, and ready to continue the exhaustless supply. yet it ceases to excite our wonder when we remember that the female can every year give birth to more than , , at a time." baked carp. . ingredients-- carp, forcemeat, bread crumbs, oz. butter, / pint of stock no. , / pint of port wine, anchovies, onions sliced, bay-leaf, a faggot of sweet herbs, flour to thicken, the juice of lemon; cayenne and salt to taste; / teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _mode_.--stuff the carp with a delicate forcemeat, after thoroughly cleansing it, and sew it up to prevent the stuffing from falling out. rub it over with an egg, and sprinkle it with bread crumbs, lay it in a deep earthen dish, and drop the butter, oiled, over the bread crumbs. add the stock, onions, bay-leaf, herbs, wine, and anchovies, and bake for hour. put oz. of butter into a stewpan, melt it, and dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up; put in the strained liquor from the carp, stir frequently, and when it has boiled, add the lemon-juice and seasoning. serve the carp on a dish garnished with parsley and cut lemon, and the sauce in a boat. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_. seldom bought. _seasonable_ from march to october. _sufficient_ for or persons. [illustration: the carp.] the carp.--this species of fish inhabit the fresh waters, where they feed on worms, insects, aquatic plants, small fish, clay, or mould. some of them are migratory. they have very small mouths and no teeth, and the gill membrane has three rays. the body is smooth, and generally whitish. the carp both grows and increases very fast, and is accounted the most valuable of all fish for the stocking of ponds. it has been pronounced the queen of river-fish, and was first introduced to this country about three hundred years ago. of its sound, or air-bladder, a kind of glue is made, and a green paint of its gall. stewed carp. . ingredients.-- carp, salt, stock no. , onions, cloves, peppercorns, blade of mace, / pint of port wine, the juice of / lemon, cayenne and salt to taste, a faggot of savoury herbs. _mode_.--scale the fish, clean it nicely, and, if very large, divide it; lay it in the stewpan, after having rubbed a little salt on it, and put in sufficient stock to cover it; add the herbs, onions, and spices, and stew gently for hour, or rather more, should it be very large. dish up the fish with great care, strain the liquor, and add to it the port wine, lemon-juice, and cayenne; give one boil, pour it over the fish, and serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_. seldom bought. _seasonable_ from march to october. _sufficient_ for or persons. _note_.--this fish can be boiled plain, and served with parsley and butter. chub and char may be cooked in the same manner as the above, as also dace and roach. the age of carp.--this fish has been found to live years. the pond in the garden of emmanuel college, cambridge, contained one that had lived there years, and gesner mentions an instance of one years old. they are, besides, capable of being tamed. dr. smith, in his "tour on the continent," says, in reference to the prince of condé's seat at chantilly, "the most pleasing things about it were the immense shoals of very large carp, silvered over with age, like silver-fish, and perfectly tame; so that, when any passengers approached their watery habitation, they used to come to the shore in such numbers as to heave each other out of the water, begging for bread, of which a quantity was always kept at hand, on purpose to feed them. they would even allow themselves to be handled." [illustration: the chub.] [illustration: the char.] the chub.--this fish takes its name from its head, not only in england, but in other countries. it is a river-fish, and resembles the carp, but is somewhat longer. its flesh is not in much esteem, being coarse, and, when out of season, full of small hairy bones. the head and throat are the best parts. the roe is also good. the char.--this is one of the most delicious of fish, being esteemed by some superior to the salmon. it is an inhabitant of the deep lakes of mountainous countries. its flesh is rich and red, and full of fat. the largest and best kind is found in the lakes of westmoreland, and, as it is considered a rarity, it is often potted and preserved. the dace, or dare.--this fish is gregarious, and is seldom above ten inches long; although, according to linnaeus, it grows a foot and a half in length. its haunts are in deep water, near piles of bridges, where the stream is gentle, over gravelly, sandy, or clayey bottoms; deep holes that are shaded, water-lily leaves, and under the foam caused by an eddy. in the warm months they are to be found in shoals on the shallows near to streams. they are in season about the end of april, and gradually improve till february, when they attain their highest condition. in that month, when just taken, scotched (crimped), and broiled, they are said to be more palatable than a fresh herring. the roach.--this fish is found throughout europe, and the western parts of asia, in deep still rivers, of which it is an inhabitant. it is rarely more than a pound and a half in weight, and is in season from september till march. it is plentiful in england, and the finest are caught in the thames. the proverb, "as sound as a roach," is derived from the french name of this fish being _roche_, which also means rock. [illustration: the dace.] [illustration: the roach.] to dress crab. . ingredients.-- crab, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, ditto of oil; salt, white pepper, and cayenne, to taste. _mode_.--empty the shells, and thoroughly mix the meat with the above ingredients, and put it in the large shell. garnish with slices of cut lemon and parsley. the quantity of oil may be increased when it is much liked. (see coloured plate i.) _average cost_, from d. to s. _seasonable_ all the year; but not so good in may, june, and july. _sufficient_ for persons. to choose crab.--the middle-sized crab is the best; and the crab, like the lobster, should be judged by its weight; for if light, it is watery. hot crab. . ingredients.-- crab, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, oz. of butter, / lb. of bread crumbs, tablespoonfuls of vinegar. _mode_.--after having boiled the crab, pick the meat out from the shells, and mix with it the nutmeg and seasoning. cut up the butter in small pieces, and add the bread crumbs and vinegar. mix altogether, put the whole in the large shell, and brown before the fire or with a salamander. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, from d. to s. _seasonable_ all the year; but not so good in may, june, and july. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: the crab.] the crab tribe.--the whole of this tribe of animals have the body covered with a hard and strong shell, and they live chiefly in the sea. some, however, inhabit fresh waters, and a few live upon land. they feed variously, on aquatic or marine plants, small fish, molluscae, or dead bodies. the _black-clawed_ species is found on the rocky coasts of both europe and india, and is the same that is introduced to our tables, being much more highly esteemed as a food than many others of the tribe. the most remarkable feature in their history, is the changing of their shells, and the reproduction of their broken claws. the former occurs once a year, usually between christmas and easter, when the crabs retire to cavities in the rocks, or conceal themselves under great stones. fishermen say that they will live confined in a pot or basket for several months together, without any other food than what is collected from the sea-water; and that, even in this situation, they will not decrease in weight. the _hermit_ crab is another of the species, and has the peculiarity of taking possession of the deserted shell of some other animal, as it has none of its own. this circumstance was known to the ancients, and is alluded to in the following lines from oppian:-- the hermit fish, unarm'd by nature, left helpless and weak, grow strong by harmless theft. fearful they stroll, and look with panting wish for the cast crust of some new-cover'd fish; or such as empty lie, and deck the shore, whose first and rightful owners are no more. they make glad seizure of the vacant room, and count the borrow'd shell their native home; screw their soft limbs to fit the winding case, and boldly herd with the crustaceous race. crayfish. . crayfish should be thrown into boiling water, to which has been added a good seasoning of salt and a little vinegar. when done, which will be in / hour, take them out and drain them. let them cool, arrange them on a napkin, and garnish with plenty of double parsley. _note_.--this fish is frequently used for garnishing boiled turkey, boiled fowl, calf's head, turbot, and all kinds of boiled fish. potted crayfish. . ingredients.-- crayfish; pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, oz. butter. _mode_.--boil the fish in salt and water; pick out all the meat and pound it in a mortar to a paste. whilst pounding, add the butter gradually, and mix in the spice and seasoning. put it in small pots, and pour over it clarified butter, carefully excluding the air. _time_.-- minutes to boil the crayfish. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ all the year. john dory. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--this fish, which is esteemed by most people a great delicacy, is dressed in the same way as a turbot, which it resembles in firmness, but not in richness. cleanse it thoroughly and cut off the fins; lay it in a fish-kettle, cover with cold water, and add salt in the above proportion. bring it gradually to a boil, and simmer gently for / hour, or rather longer, should the fish be very large. serve on a hot napkin, and garnish with cut lemon and parsley. lobster, anchovy, or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter, should be sent to table with it. _time_.--after the water boils, / to / hour, according to size. _average cost_, s. to s. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from september to january. _note_.--small john dorie are very good, baked. [illustration: the john dory.] the doru, or john dory.--this fish is of a yellowish golden colour, and is, in general, rare, although it is sometimes taken in abundance on the devon and cornish coasts. it is highly esteemed for the table, and its flesh, when dressed, is of a beautiful clear white. when fresh caught, it is tough, and, being a ground fish, it is not the worse for being kept two, or even three days before it is cooked. boiled eels. . ingredients.-- small eels, sufficient water to cover them; a large bunch of parsley. _mode_.--choose small eels for boiling; put them in a stewpan with the parsley, and just sufficient water to cover them; simmer till tender. take them out, pour a little parsley and butter over them, and serve some in a tureen. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from june to march. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: the eel.] the eel tribe.--the apodal, or bony-gilled and ventral-finned fish, of which the eel forms the first linnaean tribe, in their general aspect and manners, approach, in some instances, very nearly to serpents. they have a smooth head and slippery skin, are in general naked, or covered with such small, soft, and distant scales, as are scarcely visible. their bodies are long and slender, and they are supposed to subsist entirely on animal substances. there are about nine species of them, mostly found in the seas. one of them frequents our fresh waters, and three of the others occasionally pay a visit to our shores. stewed eels. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of eels, pint of rich strong stock, no. , onion, cloves, a piece of lemon-peel, glass of port or madeira, tablespoonfuls of cream; thickening of flour; cayenne and lemon-juice to taste. _mode_.--wash and skin the eels, and cut them into pieces about inches long; pepper and salt them, and lay them in a stewpan; pour over the stock, add the onion stuck with cloves, the lemon-peel, and the wine. stew gently for / hour, or rather more, and lift them carefully on a dish, which keep hot. strain the gravy, stir to the cream sufficient flour to thicken; mix altogether, boil for minutes, and add the cayenne and lemon-juice; pour over the eels and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from june to march. _sufficient_ for or persons. the common eel.--this fish is known frequently to quit its native element, and to set off on a wandering expedition in the night, or just about the close of clay, over the meadows, in search of snails and other prey. it also, sometimes, betakes itself to isolated ponds, apparently for no other pleasure than that which may be supposed to be found in a change of habitation. this, of course, accounts for eels being found in waters which were never suspected to contain them. this rambling disposition in the eel has been long known to naturalists, and, from the following lines, it seems to have been known to the ancients:-- "thus the mail'd tortoise, and the wand'ring; eel, oft to the neighbouring beach will silent steal." ii. . ingredients.-- lbs. of middling-sized eels, pint of medium stock, no. , / pint of port wine; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste; teaspoonful of essence of anchovy, the juice of / a lemon. _mode_.--skin, wash, and clean the eels thoroughly; cut them into pieces inches long, and put them into strong salt and water for hour; dry them well with a cloth, and fry them brown. put the stock on with the heads and tails of the eels, and simmer for / hour; strain it, and add all the other ingredients. put in the eels, and stew gently for / hour, when serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ from june to march. _sufficient_ for or persons. fried eels. . ingredients.-- lb. of eels, egg, a few bread crumbs, hot lard. _mode_.--wash the eels, cut them into pieces inches long, trim and wipe them very dry; dredge with flour, rub them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs; fry of a nice brown in hot lard. if the eels are small, curl them round, instead of cutting them up. garnish with fried parsley. _time_.-- minutes, or rather less. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from june to march. _note_.--garfish may be dressed like eels, and either broiled or baked. the productiveness of the eel.--"having occasion," says dr. anderson, in the _bee_, "to be once on a visit to a friend's house on dee-side, in aberdeenshire, i frequently delighted to walk by the banks of the river. i, one day, observed something like a black string moving along the edge of the water where it was quite shallow. upon closer inspection, i discovered that this was a shoal of young eels, so closely joined together as to appear, on a superficial view, on continued body, moving briskly up against the stream. to avoid the retardment they experienced from the force of the current, they kept close along the water's edge the whole of the way, following all the bendings and sinuosities of the river. where they were embayed, and in still water, the shoal dilated in breadth, so as to be sometimes nearly a foot broad; but when they turned a cape, where the current was strong, they were forced to occupy less space and press close to the shore, struggling very hard till they passed it. this shoal continued to move on, night and day without interruption for several weeks. their progress might be at the rate of about a mile an hour. it was easy to catch the animals, though they were very active and nimble. they were eels perfectly well formed in every respect, but not exceeding two inches in length. i conceive that the shoal did not contain, on an average, less than from twelve to twenty in breadth; so that the number that passed, on the whole, must have been very great. whence they came or whither they went, i know not; but the place where i saw this, was six miles from the sea." eel pie. . ingredients.-- lb. of eels, a little chopped parsley, shalot; grated nutmeg; pepper and salt to taste; the juice of / a lemon, small quantity of forcemeat, / pint of béchamel (see sauces); puff paste. _mode_.--skin and wash the eels, cut them into pieces inches long, and line the bottom of the pie-dish with forcemeat. put in the eels, and sprinkle them with the parsley, shalots, nutmeg, seasoning, and lemon-juice, and cover with puff-paste. bake for hour, or rather more; make the béchamel hot, and pour it into the pie. _time_.--rather more than hour. _seasonable_ from august to march. collared eel. . ingredients.-- large eel; pepper and salt to taste; blades of mace, cloves, a little allspice very finely pounded, leaves of sage, and a small bunch of herbs minced very small. _mode_.--bone the eel and skin it; split it, and sprinkle it over with the ingredients, taking care that the spices are very finely pounded, and the herbs chopped very small. roll it up and bind with a broad piece of tape, and boil it in water, mixed with a little salt and vinegar, till tender. it may either be served whole or cut in slices; and when cold, the eel should be kept in the liquor it was boiled in, but with a little more vinegar put to it. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to march. haunts of the eel.--these are usually in mud, among weeds, under roots or stumps of trees, or in holes in the banks or the bottoms of rivers. here they often grow to an enormous size, sometimes weighing as much as fifteen or sixteen pounds. they seldom come forth from their hiding-places except in the night; and, in winter, bury themselves deep in the mud, on account of their great susceptibility of cold. eels a la tartare. . ingredients.-- lbs. of eels, carrot, onion, a little flour, glass of sherry; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; bread crumbs, egg, tablespoonfuls of vinegar. _mode_.--rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; cut up the carrot and onion, and stir them over the fire for minutes; dredge in a little flour, add the wine and seasoning, and boil for / an hour. skin and wash the eels, cut them into pieces, put them to the other ingredients, and simmer till tender. when they are done, take them out, let them get cold, cover them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry them of a nice brown. put them on a dish, pour sauce piquante over, and serve them hot. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d., exclusive of the sauce piquante. _seasonable_ from august to march. _sufficient_ for or persons. voracity of the eel.--we find in a note upon isaac walton, by sir john hawkins, that he knew of eels, when kept in ponds, frequently destroying ducks. from a canal near his house at twickenham he himself missed many young ducks; and on draining, in order to clean it, great numbers of large eels were caught in the mud. when some of these were opened, there were found in their stomachs the undigested heads of the quacking tribe which had become their victims. eels en matelote. . ingredients.-- or young onions, a few mushrooms, when obtainable; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; laurel-leaf, / pint of port wine, / pint of medium stock, no. ; butter and flour to thicken; lbs. of eels. _mode_.--rub the stewpan with butter, dredge in a little flour, add the onions cut very small, slightly brown them, and put in all the other ingredients. wash, and cut up the eels into pieces inches long; put them in the stewpan, and simmer for / hour. make round the dish, a border of croutons, or pieces of toasted bread; arrange the eels in a pyramid in the centre, and pour over the sauce. serve very hot. _time_.-- / hour. average cost, s. d. for this quantity. _seasonable_ from august to march. _sufficient_ for or persons. tenacity of life in the eel.--there is no fish so tenacious of life as this. after it is skinned and cut in pieces, the parts will continue to move for a considerable time, and no fish will live so long out of water. [illustration: the lamprey.] the lamprey.--with the romans, this fish occupied a respectable rank among the piscine tribes, and in britain it has at various periods stood high in public favour. it was the cause of the death of henry i. of england, who ate so much of them, that it brought on an attack of indigestion, which carried him off. it is an inhabitant of the sea, ascending rivers, principally about the end of winter, and, after passing a few months in fresh water, returning again to its oceanic residence. it is most in season in march, april, and may, but is, by some, regarded as an unwholesome food, although looked on by others as a great delicacy. they are dressed as eels. fish and oyster pie. . ingredients.--any remains of cold fish, such as cod or haddock; dozen oysters, pepper and salt to taste, bread crumbs sufficient for the quantity of fish; / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley. _mode_.--clear the fish from the bones, and put a layer of it in a pie-dish, which sprinkle with pepper and salt; then a layer of bread crumbs, oysters, nutmeg, and chopped parsley. repeat this till the dish is quite full. you may form a covering either of bread crumbs, which should be browned, or puff-paste, which should be cut into long strips, and laid in cross-bars over the fish, with a line of the paste first laid round the edge. before putting on the top, pour in some made melted butter, or a little thin white sauce, and the oyster-liquor, and bake. _time_.--if made of cooked fish, / hour; if made of fresh fish and puff-paste, / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. _note_.--a nice little dish may be made by flaking any cold fish, adding a few oysters, seasoning with pepper and salt, and covering with mashed potatoes; / hour will bake it. fish cake. . ingredients.--the remains of any cold fish, onion, faggot of sweet herbs; salt and pepper to taste, pint of water, equal quantities of bread crumbs and cold potatoes, / teaspoonful of parsley, egg, bread crumbs. _mode_.--pick the meat from the bones of the fish, which latter put, with the head and fins, into a stewpan with the water; add pepper and salt, the onion and herbs, and stew slowly for gravy about hours; chop the fish fine, and mix it well with bread crumbs and cold potatoes, adding the parsley and seasoning; make the whole into a cake with the white of an egg, brush it over with egg, cover with bread crumbs, and fry of a light brown; strain the gravy, pour it over, and stew gently for / hour, stirring it carefully once or twice. serve hot, and garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. _time_-- / hour, after the gravy is made. boiled flounders. . ingredients.--sufficient water to cover the flounders, salt in the proportion of oz. to each gallon, a little vinegar. _mode_.--pat on a kettle with enough water to cover the flounders, lay in the fish, add salt and vinegar in the above proportions, and when it boils, simmer very gently for minutes. they must not boil fast, or they will break. serve with plain melted butter, or parsley and butter. _time_.--after the water boils, minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ from august to november. [illustration: flounders.] the flounder.--this comes under the tribe usually denominated flat-fish, and is generally held in the smallest estimation of any among them. it is an inhabitant of both the seas and the rivers, while it thrives in ponds. on the english coasts it is very abundant, and the london market consumes it in large quantities. it is considered easy of digestion, and the thames flounder is esteemed a delicate fish. fried flounders. . ingredients.--flounders, egg, and bread crumbs; boiling lard. _mode_.--cleanse the fish, and, two hours before they are wanted, rub them inside and out with salt, to render them firm; wash and wipe them very dry, dip them into egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs; fry them in boiling lard, dish on a hot napkin, and garnish with crisped parsley. _time_.--from to minutes, according to size. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ from august to november. _sufficient_, for each person. gudgeons. . ingredients.--egg and bread crumbs sufficient for the quantity of fish; hot lard. _mode_.--do not scrape off the scales, but take out the gills and inside, and cleanse thoroughly; wipe them dry, flour and dip them into egg, and sprinkle over with bread crumbs. fry of a nice brown. _time_.-- or minutes. _average cost_. seldom bought. _seasonable_ from march to july. _sufficient_, for each person. [illustration: the gudgeon.] the gudgeon.--this is a fresh-water fish, belonging to the carp genus, and is found in placid streams and lakes. it was highly esteemed by the greeks, and was, at the beginning of supper, served fried at rome. it abounds both in france and germany; and is both excellent and numerous in some of the rivers of england. its flesh is firm, well-flavoured, and easily digested. gurnet, or gurnard. . ingredients.-- gurnet, oz. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--cleanse the fish thoroughly, and cut off the fins; have ready some boiling water, with salt in the above proportion; put the fish in, and simmer very gently for / hour. parsley and butter, or anchovy sauce, should be served with it. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_. seldom bought. _seasonable_ from october to march, but in perfection in october. _sufficient_, a middling sized one for persons. _note_.--this fish is frequently stuffed with forcemeat and baked. [illustration: the gurnet.] the gurnet.-"if i be not ashamed of my soldiers, i am a souced gurnet," says falstaff; which shows that this fish has been long known in england. it is very common on the british coasts, and is an excellent fish as food. baked haddocks. . ingredients.--a nice forcemeat (_see_ forcemeats), butter to taste, egg and bread crumbs. _mode_.--scale and clean the fish, without cutting it open much; put in a nice delicate forcemeat, and sew up the slit. brush it over with egg, sprinkle over bread crumbs, and baste frequently with butter. garnish with parsley and cut lemon, and serve with a nice brown gravy, plain melted butter, or anchovy sauce. the egg and bread crumbs can be omitted, and pieces of butter placed over the fish. _time_.--large haddock, / hour; moderate size, / hour. _seasonable_ from august to february. _average cost_, from d. upwards. _note_.--haddocks may be filleted, rubbed over with egg and bread crumbs, and fried a nice brown; garnish with crisped parsley. [illustration: the haddock.] the haddock.--this fish migrates in immense shoals, and arrives on the yorkshire coast about the middle of winter. it is an inhabitant of the northern seas of europe, but does not enter the baltic, and is not known in the mediterranean. on each side of the body, just beyond the gills, it has a dark spot, which superstition asserts to be the impressions of the finger and thumb of st. peter, when taking the tribute money out of a fish of this species. boiled haddock. . ingredients.--sufficient water to cover the fish; / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--scrape the fish, take out the inside, wash it thoroughly, and lay it in a kettle, with enough water to cover it and salt in the above proportion. simmer gently from to minutes, or rather more, should the fish be very large. for small haddocks, fasten the tails in their mouths, and put them into boiling water. to minutes will cook them. serve with plain melted butter, or anchovy sauce. _time_.--large haddock, / hour; small, / hour, or rather less. _average cost_, from d. upwards. _seasonable_ from august to february. weight of the haddock.--the haddock seldom grows to any great size. in general, they do not weigh more than two or three pounds, or exceed ten or twelve inches in size. such are esteemed very delicate eating; but they have been caught three feet long, when their flesh is coarse. dried haddock. i. . dried haddock should be gradually warmed through, either before or over a nice clear fire. hub a little piece of butter over, just before sending it to table. ii. . ingredients.-- large thick haddock, bay-leaves, small bunch of savoury herbs, not forgetting parsley, a little butter and pepper; boiling water. _mode_.--cut up the haddock into square pieces, make a basin hot by means of hot water, which pour out. lay in the fish, with the bay-leaves and herbs; cover with boiling water; put a plate over to keep in the steam, and let it remain for minutes. take out the slices, put them in a hot dish, rub over with butter and pepper, and serve. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ at any time, but best in winter. the finnan haddock.--this is the common haddock cured and dried, and takes its name from the fishing-village of findhorn, near aberdeen, in scotland, where the art has long attained to perfection. the haddocks are there hung up for a day or two in the smoke of peat, when they are ready for cooking, and are esteemed, by the scotch, a great delicacy. in london, an imitation of them is made by washing the fish over with pyroligneous acid, and hanging it up in a dry place for a few days. red herrings, or yarmouth bloaters. . the best way to cook these is to make incisions in the skin across the fish, because they do not then require to be so long on the fire, and will be far better than when cut open. the hard roe makes a nice relish by pounding it in a mortar, with a little anchovy, and spreading it on toast. if very dry, soak in warm water hour before dressing. the red herring.--_red_ herrings lie twenty-four hours in the brine, when they are taken out and hung up in a smoking-house formed to receive them. a brushwood fire is then kindled beneath them, and when they are sufficiently smoked and dried, they are put into barrels for carriage. baked white herrings. . ingredients.-- herrings, bay-leaves, cloves, allspice, small blades of mace, cayenne pepper and salt to taste, sufficient vinegar to fill up the dish. _mode_.--take the herrings, cut off the heads, and gut them. put them in a pie-dish, heads and tails alternately, and, between each layer, sprinkle over the above ingredients. cover the fish with the vinegar, and bake for / hour, but do not use it till quite cold. the herrings may be cut down the front, the backbone taken out, and closed again. sprats done in this way are very delicious. _time_.-- / an hour. _average cost_, d. each. to choose the herring.--the more scales this fish has, the surer the sign of its freshness. it should also have a bright and silvery look; but if red about the head, it is a sign that it has been dead for some time. [illustration: the herring.] the herring.--the herring tribe are found in the greatest abundance in the highest northern latitudes, where they find a quiet retreat, and security from their numerous enemies. here they multiply beyond expression, and, in shoals, come forth from their icy region to visit other portions of the great deep. in june they are found about shetland, whence they proceed down to the orkneys, where they divide, and surround the islands of great britain and ireland. the principal british herring-fisheries are off the scotch and norfolk coasts; and the fishing is always carried on by means of nets, which are usually laid at night; for, if stretched by day, they are supposed to frighten the fish away. the moment the herring is taken out of the water it dies. hence the origin of the common saying, "dead as a herring." kegeree. . ingredients.--any cold fish, teacupful of boiled rice, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of mustard, soft-boiled eggs, salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--pick the fish carefully from the bones, mix with the other ingredients, and serve very hot. the quantities may be varied according to the amount of fish used. _time_.-- / hour after the rice is boiled. _average cost_, d., exclusive of the fish. to boil lobsters. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--buy the lobsters alive, and choose those that are heavy and full of motion, which is an indication of their freshness. when the shell is incrusted, it is a sign they are old: medium-sized lobsters are the best. have ready a stewpan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion; put in the lobster, and keep it boiling quickly from minutes to / hour, according to its size, and do not forget to skim well. if it boils too long, the meat becomes thready, and if not done enough, the spawn is not red: this must be obviated by great attention. hub the shell over with a little butter or sweet oil, which wipe off again. _time_.--small lobster, minutes to / hour; large ditto, / to / hour. _average cost_, medium size, s. d. to s. d. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from march to october. to choose lobsters.--this shell-fish, if it has been cooked alive, as it ought to have been, will have a stiffness in the tail, which, if gently raised, will return with a spring. care, however, must be taken in thus proving it; for if the tail is pulled straight out, it will not return; when the fish might be pronounced inferior, which, in reality, may not be the case. in order to be good, lobsters should be weighty for their bulk; if light, they will be watery; and those of the medium size, are always the best. small-sized lobsters are cheapest, and answer very well for sauce. in boiling lobsters, the appearance of the shell will be much improved by rubbing over it a little butter or salad-oil on being immediately taken from the pot. [illustration: the lobster.] the lobster.--this is one of the crab tribe, and is found on most of the rocky coasts of great britain. some are caught with the hand, but the larger number in pots, which serve all the purposes of a trap, being made of osiers, and baited with garbage. they are shaped like a wire mousetrap; so that when the lobsters once enter them, they cannot get out again. they are fastened to a cord and sunk in the sea, and their place marked by a buoy. the fish is very prolific, and deposits of its eggs in the sand, where they are soon hatched. on the coast of norway, they are very abundant, and it is from there that the english metropolis is mostly supplied. they are rather indigestible, and, as a food, not so nurtritive as they are generally supposed to be. hot lobster. . ingredients.-- lobster, oz. of butter, grated nutmeg; salt, pepper, and pounded mace, to taste; bread crumbs, eggs. _mode_.--pound the meat of the lobster to a smooth paste with the butter and seasoning, and add a few bread crumbs. beat the eggs, and make the whole mixture into the form of a lobster; pound the spawn, and sprinkle over it. bake / hour, and just before serving, lay over it the tail and body shell, with the small claws underneath, to resemble a lobster. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. lobster salad. . ingredients.-- hen lobster, lettuces, endive, small salad (whatever is in season), a little chopped beetroot, hard-boiled eggs, a few slices of cucumber. for dressing, equal quantities of oil and vinegar, teaspoonful of made mustard, the yolks of eggs; cayenne and salt to taste; teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. these ingredients should be mixed perfectly smooth, and form a creamy-looking sauce. _mode_.--wash the salad, and thoroughly dry it by shaking it in a cloth. cut up the lettuces and endive, pour the dressing on them, and lightly throw in the small salad. mix all well together with the pickings from the body of the lobster; pick the meat from the shell, cut it up into nice square pieces, put half in the salad, the other half reserve for garnishing. separate the yolks from the whites of hard-boiled eggs; chop the whites very fine, and rub the yolks through a sieve, and afterwards the coral from the inside. arrange the salad lightly on a glass dish, and garnish, first with a row of sliced cucumber, then with the pieces of lobster, the yolks and whites of the eggs, coral, and beetroot placed alternately, and arranged in small separate bunches, so that the colours contrast nicely. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from april to october; may be had all the year, but salad is scarce and expensive in winter. _note_.--a few crayfish make a pretty garnishing to lobster salad. the shell of the lobster.--like the others of its tribe, the lobster annually casts its shell. previously to its throwing off the old one, it appears sick, languid, and restless, but in the course of a few days it is entirely invested in its new coat of armour. whilst it is in a defenceless state, however, it seeks some lonely place, where it may lie undisturbed, and escape the horrid fate of being devoured by some of its own species who have the advantage of still being encased in their mail. lobster (a la mode francaise). . ingredients.-- lobster, tablespoonfuls of white stock, tablespoonfuls of cream, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; bread crumbs. _mode_.--pick the meat from the shell, and cut it up into small square pieces; put the stock, cream, and seasoning into a stewpan, add the lobster, and let it simmer gently for minutes. serve it in the shell, which must be nicely cleaned, and have a border of puff-paste; cover it with bread crumbs, place small pieces of butter over, and brown before the fire, or with a salamander. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. celerity of the lobster.--in its element, the lobster is able to run with great speed upon its legs, or small claws, and, if alarmed, to spring, tail foremost, to a considerable distance, "even," it is said, "with the swiftness of a bird flying." fishermen have seen some of them pass about thirty feet with a wonderful degree of swiftness. when frightened, they will take their spring, and, like a chamois of the alps, plant themselves upon the very spot upon which they designed to hold themselves. lobster curry (an entree). . ingredients.-- lobster, onions, oz. butter, tablespoonful of curry-powder, / pint of medium stock, no. , the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--pick the meat from the shell, and cut it into nice square pieces; fry the onions of a pale brown in the butter, stir in the curry-powder and stock, and simmer till it thickens, when put in the lobster; stew the whole slowly for / hour, and stir occasionally; and just before sending to table, put in the lemon-juice. serve boiled rice with it, the same as for other curries. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, s. _seasonable_ at any time. lobster cutlets (an entree). . ingredients.-- large hen lobster, oz. fresh butter, / saltspoonful of salt, pounded mace, grated nutmeg, cayenne and white pepper to taste, egg, and bread crumbs. _mode_.--pick the meat from the shell, and pound it in a mortar with the butter, and gradually add the mace and seasoning, well mixing the ingredients; beat all to a smooth paste, and add a little of the spawn; divide the mixture into pieces of an equal size, and shape them like cutlets. they should not be very thick. brush them over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs, and stick a short piece of the small claw in the top of each; fry them of a nice brown in boiling lard, and drain them before the fire, on a sieve reversed; arrange them nicely on a dish, and pour béchamel in the middle, but not over the cutlets. _time_.--about minutes after the cutlets are made. _average cost_ for this dish, s. d. _seasonable_ all the year. _sufficient_ for or persons. ancient mode of cooking the lobster.--when this fish was to be served for the table, among the ancients, it was opened lengthwise, and filled with a gravy composed of coriander and pepper. it was then put on the gridiron and slowly cooked, whilst it was being basted with the same kind of gravy with which the flesh had become impregnated. to dress lobsters. . when the lobster is boiled, rub it over with a little salad-oil, which wipe off again; separate the body from the tail, break off the great claws, and crack them at the joints, without injuring the meat; split the tail in halves, and arrange all neatly in a dish, with the body upright in the middle, and garnish with parsley. (_see_ coloured plate, h.) lobster patties (an entree). . ingredients.--minced lobster, tablespoonfuls of béchamel, drops of anchovy sauce, lemon-juice, cayenne to taste. _mode_.--line the patty-pans with puff-paste, and put into each a small piece of bread: cover with paste, brush over with egg, and bake of a light colour. take as much lobster as is required, mince the meat very fine, and add the above ingredients; stir it over the fire for minutes; remove the lids of the patty-cases, take out the bread, fill with the mixture, and replace the covers. _seasonable_ at any time. local attachment of the lobster.--it is said that the attachment of this animal is strong to some particular parts of the sea, a circumstance celebrated in the following lines:-- "nought like their home the constant lobsters prize, and foreign shores and seas unknown despise. though cruel hands the banish'd wretch expel, and force the captive from his native cell, he will, if freed, return with anxious care, find the known rock, and to his home repair; no novel customs learns in different seas, but wonted food and home-taught manners please." potted lobster. . ingredients.-- lobsters; seasoning to taste, of nutmeg, pounded mace, white pepper, and salt; / lb. of butter, or bay-leaves. _mode_.--take out the meat carefully from the shell, but do not cut it up. put some butter at the bottom of a dish, lay in the lobster as evenly as possible, with the bay-leaves and seasoning between. cover with butter, and bake for / hour in a gentle oven. when done, drain the whole on a sieve, and lay the pieces in potting-jars, with the seasoning about them. when cold, pour over it clarified butter, and, if very highly seasoned, it will keep some time. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--potted lobster may be used cold, or as _fricassee_ with cream sauce. how the lobster feeds.--the pincers of the lobster's large claws are furnished with nobs, and those of the other, are always serrated. with the former, it keeps firm hold of the stalks of submarine plants, and with the latter, it cuts and minces its food with great dexterity. the knobbed, or numb claw, as it is called by fishermen, is sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left, indifferently. baked mackerel. . ingredients.-- middling-sized mackerel, a nice delicate forcemeat (_see_ forcemeats), oz. of butter; pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--clean the fish, take out the roes, and fill up with forcemeat, and sew up the slit. flour, and put them in a dish, heads and tails alternately, with the roes; and, between each layer, put some little pieces of butter, and pepper and salt. bake for / an hour, and either serve with plain melted butter or a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from april to july. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--baked mackerel may be dressed in the same way as baked herrings (_see_ no. ), and may also be stewed in wine. weight of the mackerel.--the greatest weight of this fish seldom exceeds lbs., whilst their ordinary length runs between and inches. they die almost immediately after they are taken from their element, and, for a short time, exhibit a phosphoric light. boiled mackerel. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--cleanse the inside of the fish thoroughly, and lay it in the kettle with sufficient water to cover it with salt as above; bring it gradually to boil, skim well, and simmer gently till done; dish them on a hot napkin, heads and tails alternately, and garnish with fennel. fennel sauce and plain melted butter are the usual accompaniments to boiled mackerel; but caper or anchovy sauce is sometimes served with it. (_see_ coloured plate, f.) _time_.--after the water boils, minutes; for large mackerel, allow more time. _average cost_, from d. _seasonable_ from april to july. _note_.--when variety is desired, fillet the mackerel, boil it, and pour over parsley and butter; send some of this, besides, in a tureen. broiled mackerel. . ingredients.--pepper and salt to taste, a small quantity of oil. _mode_.--mackerel should never be washed when intended to be broiled, but merely wiped very clean and dry, after taking out the gills and insides. open the back, and put in a little pepper, salt, and oil; broil it over a clear fire, turn it over on both sides, and also on the back. when sufficiently cooked, the flesh can be detached from the bone, which will be in about minutes for a small mackerel. chop a little parsley, work it up in the butter, with pepper and salt to taste, and a squeeze of lemon-juice, and put it in the back. serve before the butter is quite melted, with a _maître d'hôtel_ sauce in a tureen. _time_.--small mackerel minutes. _average cost_, from d. _seasonable_ from april to july. [illustration: the mackerel.] the mackerel.--this is not only one of the most elegantly-formed, but one of the most beautifully-coloured fishes, when taken out of the sea, that we have. death, in some degree, impairs the vivid splendour of its colours; but it does not entirely obliterate them. it visits the shores of great britain in countless shoals, appearing about march, off the land's end; in the bays of devonshire, about april; off brighton in the beginning of may; and on the coast of suffolk about the beginning of june. in the orkneys they are seen till august; but the greatest fishery is on the west coasts of england. to choose mackerel.--in choosing this fish, purchasers should, to a great extent, be regulated by the brightness of its appearance. if it have a transparent, silvery hue, the flesh is good; but if it be red about the head, it is stale. fillets of mackerel. . ingredients.-- large mackerel, oz. butter, small bunch of chopped herbs, tablespoonfuls of medium stock, no. , tablespoonfuls of béchamel (_see_ sauces); salt, cayenne, and lemon-juice to taste. _mode_.--clean the fish, and fillet it; scald the herbs, chop them fine, and put them with the butter and stock into a stewpan. lay in the mackerel, and simmer very gently for minutes; take them out, and put them on a hot dish. dredge in a little flour, add the other ingredients, give one boil, and pour it over the mackerel. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from april to july. _sufficient_ for persons. _note_.--fillets of mackerel may be covered with egg and bread crumbs, and fried of a nice brown. serve with _maître d'hôtel_ sauce and plain melted butter. the voracity of the mackerel.--the voracity of this fish is very great, and, from their immense numbers, they are bold in attacking objects of which they might, otherwise, be expected to have a wholesome dread. pontoppidan relates an anecdote of a sailor belonging to a ship lying in one of the harbours on the coast of norway, who, having gone into the sea to bathe, was suddenly missed by his companions; in the course of a few minutes, however, he was seen on the surface, with great numbers of mackerel clinging to him by their mouths. his comrades hastened in a boat to his assistance; but when they had struck the fishes from him and got him up, they found he was so severely bitten, that he shortly afterward expired. pickled mackerel. . ingredients.-- peppercorns, bay-leaves, / pint of vinegar, mackerel. _mode_.--boil the mackerel as in the recipe no. , and lay them in a dish; take half the liquor they were boiled in; add as much vinegar, peppercorns, and bay-leaves; boil for minutes, and when cold, pour over the fish. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. mackerel garum.--this brine, so greatly esteemed by the ancients, was manufactured from various kinds of fishes. when mackerel was employed, a few of them were placed in a small vase, with a large quantity of salt, which was well stirred, and then left to settle for some hours. on the following day, this was put into an earthen pot, which was uncovered, and placed in a situation to get the rays of the sun. at the end of two or three months, it was hermetically sealed, after having had added to it a quantity of old wine, equal to one third of the mixture. grey mullet. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--if the fish be very large, it should be laid in cold water, and gradually brought to a boil; if small, put it in boiling water, salted in the above proportion. serve with anchovy sauce and plain melted butter. _time_.--according to size, / to / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from july to october. [illustration: the grey mullet.] the grey mullet.--this is quite a different fish from the red mullet, is abundant on the sandy coasts of great britain, and ascends rivers for miles. on the south coast it is very plentiful, and is considered a fine fish. it improves more than any other salt-water fish when kept in ponds. red mullet. . ingredients.--oiled paper, thickening of butter and flour, / teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, glass of sherry; cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--clean the fish, take out the gills, but leave the inside, fold in oiled paper, and bake them gently. when done, take the liquor that flows from the fish, add a thickening of butter kneaded with flour; put in the other ingredients, and let it boil for minutes. serve the sauce in a tureen, and the fish, either with or without the paper cases. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, s. each. _seasonable_ at any time, but more plentiful in summer. _note_.--red mullet may be broiled, and should be folded in oiled paper, the same as in the preceding recipe, and seasoned with pepper and salt. they may be served without sauce; but if any is required, use melted _butter_, italian or anchovy sauce. they should never be plain boiled. [illustration: the striped red mullet.] the striped red mullet.--this fish was very highly esteemed by the ancients, especially by the romans, who gave the most extravagant prices for it. those of lbs. weight were valued at about £ each; those of lbs. at £ , and, in the reign of tiberius, three of them were sold for £ . to witness the changing loveliness of their colour during their dying agonies, was one of the principal reasons that such a high price was paid for one of these fishes. it frequents our cornish and sussex coasts, and is in high request, the flesh being firm, white, and well flavoured. fried oysters. . ingredients.-- dozen oysters, oz. butter, tablespoonful of ketchup, a little chopped lemon-peel, / teaspoonful of chopped parsley. _mode_.--boil the oysters for minute in their own liquor, and drain them; fry them with the butter, ketchup, lemon-peel, and parsley; lay them on a dish, and garnish with fried potatoes, toasted sippets, and parsley. this is a delicious delicacy, and is a favourite italian dish. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. _sufficient_ for persons. [illustration: the edible oyster.] the edible oyster:--this shell-fish is almost universally distributed near the shores of seas in all latitudes, and they especially abound on the coasts of france and britain. the coasts most celebrated, in england, for them, are those of essex and suffolk. here they are dredged up by means of a net with an iron scraper at the mouth, that is dragged by a rope from a boat over the beds. as soon as taken from their native beds, they are stored in pits, formed for the purpose, furnished with sluices, through which, at the spring tides, the water is suffered to flow. this water, being stagnant, soon becomes green in warm weather; and, in a few days afterwards, the oysters acquire the same tinge, which increases their value in the market. they do not, however, attain their perfection and become fit for sale till the end of six or eight weeks. oysters are not considered proper for the table till they are about a year and a half old; so that the brood of one spring are not to be taken for sale, till, at least, the september twelvemonth afterwards. scalloped oysters. i. . ingredients.--oysters, say pint, oz. butter, flour, tablespoonfuls of white stock, tablespoonfuls of cream; pepper and salt to taste; bread crumbs, oiled butter. _mode_.--scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out, beard them, and strain the liquor free from grit. put oz. of batter into a stewpan; when melted, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up; add the stock, cream, and strained liquor, and give one boil. put in the oysters and seasoning; let them gradually heat through, but not boil. have ready the scallop-shells buttered; lay in the oysters, and as much of the liquid as they will hold; cover them over with bread crumbs, over which drop a little oiled butter. brown them in the oven, or before the fire, and serve quickly, and very hot. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. ii. prepare the oysters as in the preceding recipe, and put them in a scallop-shell or saucer, and between each layer sprinkle over a few bread crumbs, pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg; place small pieces of butter over, and bake before the fire in a dutch oven. put sufficient bread crumbs on the top to make a smooth surface, as the oysters should not be seen. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. stewed oysters. . ingredients.-- pint of oysters, oz. of butter, flour, / pint of cream; cayenne and salt to taste; blade of pounded mace. _mode_.--scald the oysters in their own liquor, take them out, beard them, and strain the liquor; put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up, add the oyster-liquor and mace, and stir it over a sharp fire with a wooden spoon; when it comes to a boil, add the cream, oysters, and seasoning. let all simmer for or minutes, but not longer, or the oysters would harden. serve on a hot dish, and garnish with croutons, or toasted sippets of bread. a small piece of lemon-peel boiled with the oyster-liquor, and taken out before the cream is added, will be found an improvement. _time_.--altogether minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. _sufficient_ for persons. the oyster and the scallop.--the oyster is described as a bivalve shell-fish, having the valves generally unequal. the hinge is without teeth, but furnished with a somewhat oval cavity, and mostly with lateral transverse grooves. from a similarity in the structure of the hinge, oysters and scallops have been classified as one tribe; but they differ very essentially both in their external appearance and their habits. oysters adhere to rocks, or, as in two or three species, to roots of trees on the shore; while the scallops are always detached, and usually lurk in the sand. oyster patties (an entree). . ingredients.-- dozen oysters, oz. butter, tablespoonfuls of cream, a little lemon-juice, blade of pounded mace; cayenne to taste. _mode_.--scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and cut each one into pieces. put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in sufficient flour to dry it up; add the strained oyster-liquor with the other ingredients; put in the oysters, and let them heat gradually, but not boil fast. make the patty-cases as directed for lobster patties, no. : fill with the oyster mixture, and replace the covers. _time_.-- minutes for the oysters to simmer in the mixture. _average cost_, exclusive of the patty-cases, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. the oyster fishery.--the oyster fishery in britain is esteemed of so much importance, that it is regulated by a court of admiralty. in the month of may, the fishermen are allowed to take the oysters, in order to separate the spawn from the cultch, the latter of which is thrown in again, to preserve the bed for the future. after this month, it is felony to carry away the cultch, and otherwise punishable to take any oyster, between the shells of which, when closed, a shilling will rattle. to keep oysters. . put them in a tub, and cover them with salt and water. let them remain for hours, when they are to be taken out, and allowed to stand for another hours without water. if left without water every alternate hours, they will be much better than if constantly kept in it. never put the same water twice to them. oysters fried in batter. . ingredients.-- / pint of oysters, eggs, / pint of milk, sufficient flour to make the batter; pepper and salt to taste; when liked, a little nutmeg; hot lard. _mode_.--scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and lay them on a cloth, to drain thoroughly. break the eggs into a basin, mix the flour with them, add the milk gradually, with nutmeg and seasoning, and put the oysters in the batter. make some lard hot in a deep frying-pan, put in the oysters, one at a time; when done, take them up with a sharp-pointed skewer, and dish them on a napkin. fried oysters are frequently used for garnishing boiled fish, and then a few bread crumbs should be added to the flour. _time_.-- or minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. _sufficient_ for persons. excellence of the english oyster.--the french assert that the english oysters, which are esteemed the best in europe, were originally procured from cancalle bay, near st. malo; but they assign no proof for this. it is a fact, however, that the oysters eaten in ancient rome were nourished in the channel which then parted the isle of thanet from england, and which has since been filled up, and converted into meadows. boiled perch. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--scale the fish, take out the gills and clean it thoroughly; lay it in boiling water, salted as above, and simmer gently for minutes. if the fish is very large, longer time must be allowed. garnish with parsley, and serve with plain melted butter, or dutch sauce. perch do not preserve so good a flavour when stewed as when dressed in any other way. _time_.--middling-sized perch, / hour. _seasonable_ from september to november. _note_.--tench may be boiled the same way, and served with the same sauces. [illustration: the perch.] the perch.--this is one of the best, as it is one of the most common, of our fresh-water fishes, and is found in nearly all the lakes and rivers in britain and ireland, as well as through the whole of europe within the temperate zone. it is extremely voracious, and it has the peculiarity of being gregarious, which is contrary to the nature of all fresh-water fishes of prey. the best season to angle for it is from the beginning of may to the middle of july. large numbers of this fish are bred in the hampton court and bushy park ponds, all of which are well supplied with running water and with plenty of food; yet they rarely attain a large size. in the regent's park they are also very numerous; but are seldom heavier than three quarters of a pound. fried perch. . ingredients.--egg and bread crumbs, hot lard. _mode_.--scale and clean the fish, brush it over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs. have ready some boiling lard; put the fish in, and fry a nice brown. serve with plain melted butter or anchovy sauce. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ from september to november. _note_.--fry tench in the same way. perch stewed with wine. . ingredients.--equal quantities of stock no. and sherry, bay-leaf, clove of garlic, a small bunch of parsley, cloves, salt to taste; thickening of butter and flour, pepper, grated nutmeg, / teaspoonful of anchovy sauce. _mode_.--scale the fish and take out the gills, and clean them thoroughly; lay them in a stewpan with sufficient stock and sherry just to cover them. put in the bay-leaf, garlic, parsley, cloves, and salt, and simmer till tender. when done, take out the fish, strain the liquor, add a thickening of butter and flour, the pepper, nutmeg, and the anchovy sauce, and stir it over the fire until somewhat reduced, when pour over the fish, and serve. _time_.--about minutes. _seasonable_ from september to november. boiled pike. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water; a little vinegar. _mode_.--scale and clean the pike, and fasten the tail in its mouth by means of a skewer. lay it in cold water, and when it boils, throw in the salt and vinegar. the time for boiling depends, of course, on the size of the fish; but a middling-sized pike will take about / an hour. serve with dutch or anchovy sauce, and plain melted butter. _time_.--according to size, / to hour.--_average cost_. seldom bought. _seasonable_ from september to march. [illustration: the pike.] the pike.--this fish is, on account of its voracity, termed the freshwater shark, and is abundant in most of the european lakes, especially those of the northern parts. it grows to an immense size, some attaining to the measure of eight feet, in lapland and russia. the smaller lakes, of this country and ireland, vary in the kinds of fish they produce; some affording trout, others pike; and so on. where these happen to be together, however, the trout soon becomes extinct. "within a short distance of castlebar," says a writer on sports, "there is a small bog-lake called derreens. ten years ago it was celebrated for its numerous well-sized trouts. accidentally pike effected a passage into the lake from the minola river, and now the trouts are extinct, or, at least, none of them are caught or seen. previous to the intrusion of the pikes, half a dozen trouts would be killed in an evening in derreens, whose collective weight often amounted to twenty pounds." as an eating fish, the pike is in general dry. baked pike. . ingredients.-- or pike, a nice delicate stuffing (_see_ forcemeats), egg, bread crumbs, / lb. butter. _mode_.--scale the fish, take out the gills, wash, and wipe it thoroughly dry; stuff it with forcemeat, sew it up, and fasten the tail in the mouth by means of a skewer; brush it over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and baste with butter, before putting it in the oven, which must be well heated. when the pike is of a nice brown colour, cover it with buttered paper, as the outside would become too dry. if are dressed, a little variety may be made by making one of them green with a little chopped parsley mixed with the bread crumbs. serve anchovy or dutch sauce, and plain melted butter with it. _time_.--according to size, hour, more or less. _average cost_.--seldom bought. _seasonable_ from september to march. _note_.--pike _à la génévese_ may be stewed in the same manner as salmon _à la génévese_. fried plaice. .--ingredients.--hot lard, or clarified dripping; egg and bread crumbs. _mode_.--this fish is fried in the same manner as soles. wash and wipe them thoroughly dry, and let them remain in a cloth until it is time to dress them. brush them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs mixed with a little flour. fry of a nice brown in hot dripping or lard, and garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. send them to table with shrimp-sauce and plain melted butter. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ from may to november. _sufficient_, plaice for persons. _note_.--plaice may be boiled plain, and served with melted butter. garnish with parsley and cut lemon. stewed plaice. . ingredients.-- or plaice, onions, / oz. ground ginger, pint of lemon-juice, / pint water, eggs; cayenne to taste. _mode_.--cut the fish into pieces about inches wide, salt them, and let them remain / hour. slice and fry the onions a light brown; put them in a stewpan, on the top of which put the fish without washing, and add the ginger, lemon-juice, and water. cook slowly for / hour, and do not let the fish boil, or it will break. take it out, and when the liquor is cool, add well-beaten eggs; simmer till it thickens, when pour over the fish, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ from may to november. _sufficient_ for persons; according to size. [illustration: the plaice.] the plaice.--this fish is found both in the baltic and the mediterranean, and is also abundant on the coast of england. it keeps well, and, like all ground-fish, is very tenacious of life. its flesh is inferior to that of the sole, and, as it is a low-priced fish, it is generally bought by the poor. the best brought to the london market are called _dowers plaice_, from their being caught in the dowers, or flats, between hastings and folkstone. to boil prawns or shrimps. . ingredients.-- / lb. salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--prawns should be very red, and have no spawn under the tail; much depends on their freshness and the way in which they are cooked. throw them into boiling water, salted as above, and keep them boiling for about or minutes. shrimps should be done in the same way; but less time must be allowed. it may easily be known when they are done by their changing colour. care should be taken that they are not over-boiled, as they then become tasteless and indigestible. _time_.--prawns, about minutes; shrimps, about minutes. _average cost_, prawns, s. per lb.; shrimps, d. per pint. _seasonable_ all the year. to dress prawns. . cover a dish with a large cup reversed, and over that lay a small white napkin. arrange the prawns on it in the form of a pyramid, and garnish with plenty of parsley. boiled salmon. . ingredients.-- oz. of salt to each gallon of water,--sufficient water to cover the fish. _mode_.--scale and clean the fish, and be particular that no blood is left inside; lay it in the fish-kettle with sufficient cold water to cover it, adding salt in the above proportion. bring it quickly to a boil, take off all the scum, and let it simmer gently till the fish is done, which will be when the meat separates easily from the bone. experience alone can teach the cook to fix the time for boiling fish; but it is especially to be remembered, that it should never be underdressed, as then nothing is more unwholesome. neither let it remain in the kettle after it is sufficiently cooked, as that would render it insipid, watery, and colourless. drain it, and if not wanted for a few minutes, keep it warm by means of warm cloths laid over it. serve on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and parsley, and send lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter to table with it. a dish of dressed cucumber usually accompanies this fish. _time_.-- minutes to each lb. for large thick salmon; minutes for thin fish. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. per lb. _seasonable_ from april to august. _sufficient_, / lb., or rather less, for each person. _note_.--cut lemon should be put on the table with this fish; and a little of the juice squeezed over it is considered by many persons a most agreeable addition. boiled peas are also, by some connoisseurs, considered especially adapted to be served with salmon. to choose salmon.--to be good, the belly should be firm and thick, which may readily be ascertained by feeling it with the thumb and finger. the circumstance of this fish having red gills, though given as a standing rule in most cookery-books, as a sign of its goodness, is not at all to be relied on, as this quality can be easily given them by art. salmon and caper sauce. . ingredients.-- slices of salmon, / lb. batter, / teaspoonful of chopped parsley, shalot; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--lay the salmon in a baking-dish, place pieces of butter over it, and add the other ingredients, rubbing a little of the seasoning into the fish; baste it frequently; when done, take it out and drain for a minute or two; lay it in a dish, pour caper sauce over it, and serve. salmon dressed in this way, with tomato sauce, is very delicious. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. _seasonable_ from april to august. _sufficient_ for or persons. the migratory habits of the salmon.--the instinct with which the salmon revisits its native river, is one of the most curious circumstances in its natural history. as the swallow returns annually to its nest, so it returns to the same spot to deposit its ova. this fact would seem to have been repeatedly proved. m. de lande fastened a copper ring round a salmon's tail, and found that, for three successive seasons, it returned to the same place. dr. bloch states that gold and silver rings have been attached by eastern princes to salmon, to prove that a communication existed between the persian gulf and the caspian and northern seas, and that the experiment succeeded. collared salmon. . ingredients.--a piece of salmon, say lbs., a high seasoning of salt, pounded mace, and pepper; water and vinegar, bay-leaves. _mode_.--split the fish; scale, bone, and wash it thoroughly clean; wipe it, and rub in the seasoning inside and out; roll it up, and bind firmly; lay it in a kettle, cover it with vinegar and water ( / vinegar, in proportion to the water); add the bay-leaves and a good seasoning of salt and whole pepper, and simmer till done. do not remove the lid. serve with melted butter or anchovy sauce. for preserving the collared fish, boil up the liquor in which it was cooked, and add a little more vinegar. pour over when cold. _time_.-- / hour, or rather more. habitat of the salmon.--the salmon is styled by walton the "king of fresh-water fish," and is found distributed over the north of europe and asia, from britain to kamschatka, but is never found in warm latitudes, nor has it ever been caught even so far south as the mediterranean. it lives in fresh as well as in salt waters, depositing its spawn in the former, hundreds of miles from the mouths of some of those rivers to which it has been known to resort. in , great efforts were made to introduce this fish into the australian colonies; and it is believed that the attempt, after many difficulties, which were very skilfully overcome, has been successful. crimped salmon. . salmon is frequently dressed in this way at many fashionable tables, but must be very fresh, and cut into slices or inches thick. lay these in cold salt and water for hour; have ready some boiling water, salted, as in recipe no. , and well skimmed; put in the fish, and simmer gently for / hour, or rather more; should it be very thick, garnish the same as boiled salmon, and serve with the same sauces. _time_.-- / hour, more or less, according to size. _note_.--never use vinegar with salmon, as it spoils the taste and colour of the fish. [illustration: the salmon.] the salmon tribe.--this is the abdominal fish, forming the fourth of the orders of linnaeus. they are distinguished from the other fishes by having two dorsal fins, of which the hindmost is fleshy and without rays. they have teeth both on the tongue and in the jaws, whilst the body is covered with round and minutely striated scales. curried salmon. . ingredients.--any remains of boiled salmon, / pint of strong or medium stock (no. ), onion, tablespoonful of curry-powder, teaspoonful of harvey's sauce, teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, oz. of butter, the juice of / lemon, cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut up the onions into small pieces, and fry them of a pale brown in the butter; add all the ingredients but the salmon, and simmer gently till the onion is tender, occasionally stirring the contents; cut the salmon into small square pieces, carefully take away all skin and bone, lay it in the stewpan, and let it gradually heat through; but do not allow it to boil long. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fish, d. growth of the salmon.--at the latter end of the year--some as soon as november--salmon begin to press up the rivers as far as they can reach, in order to deposit their spawn, which they do in the sand or gravel, about eighteen inches deep. here it lies buried till the spring, when, about the latter end of march, it begins to exclude the young, which gradually increase to four or five inches in length, and are then termed smelts or smouts. about the beginning of may, the river seems to be alive with them, and there is no forming an idea of their numbers without having seen them. a seasonable flood, however, comes, and hurries them to the "great deep;" whence, about the middle of june, they commence their return to the river again. by this time they are twelve or sixteen inches long, and progressively increase, both in number and size, till about the end of july, when they have become large enough to be denominated _grilse_. early in august they become fewer in numbers, but of greater size, haying advanced to a weight of from six to nine pounds. this rapidity of growth appears surprising, and realizes the remark of walton, that "the salmlet becomes a salmon in as short a time as a gosling becomes a goose." recent writers have, however, thrown considerable doubts on this quick growth of the salmon. salmon cutlets. . cut the slices inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt; butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, with their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. when higher seasoning is required, add a few chopped herbs and a little spice. _time_.-- to minutes. salmon a la genevese. . ingredients.-- slices of salmon, chopped shalots, a little parsley, a small bunch of herbs, bay-leaves, carrots, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of madeira, / pint of white stock (no. ), thickening of butter and flour, teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, the juice of lemon, cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--rub the bottom of a stewpan over with butter, and put in the shalots, herbs, bay-leaves, carrots, mace, and seasoning; stir them for minutes over a clear fire, and add the madeira or sherry; simmer gently for / hour, and strain through a sieve over the fish, which stew in this gravy. as soon as the fish is sufficiently cooked, take away all the liquor, except a little to keep the salmon moist, and put it into another stewpan; add the stock, thicken with butter and flour, and put in the anchovies, lemon-juice, cayenne, and salt; lay the salmon on a hot dish, pour over it part of the sauce, and serve the remainder in a tureen. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. pickled salmon. . ingredients.--salmon, / oz. of whole pepper, / oz. of whole allspice, teaspoonful of salt, bay-leaves, equal quantities of vinegar and the liquor in which the fish was boiled. _mode_.--after the fish comes from table, lay it in a nice dish with a cover to it, as it should be excluded from the air, and take away the bone; boil the liquor and vinegar with the other ingredients for minutes, and let it stand to get cold; pour it over the salmon, and in hours this will be fit for the table. _time_.-- minutes. to cure salmon.--this process consists in splitting the fish, rubbing it with salt, and then putting it into pickle in tubs provided for the purpose. here it is kept for about six weeks, when it is taken out, pressed and packed in casks, with layers of salt. potted salmon. . ingredients.--salmon; pounded mace, cloves, and pepper to taste; bay-leaves, / lb. butter. _mode_.--skin the salmon, and clean it thoroughly by wiping with a cloth (water would spoil it); cut it into square pieces, which rub with salt; let them remain till thoroughly drained, then lay them in a dish with the other ingredients, and bake. when quite done, drain them from the gravy, press into pots for use, and, when cold, pour over it clarified butter. _time_.-- / hour. an aversion in the salmon.--the salmon is said to have an aversion to anything red; hence, fishermen engaged in catching it do not wear jackets or caps of that colour. pontoppidan also says, that it has an abhorrence of carrion, and if any happens to be thrown into the places it haunts, it immediately forsakes them. the remedy adopted for this in norway, is to throw into the polluted water a lighted torch. as food, salmon, when in perfection, is one of the most delicious and nutritive of our fish. baked sea-bream. . ingredients.-- bream. seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and cayenne; / lb. of butter. _mode_.--well wash the bream, but do not remove the scales, and wipe away all moisture with a nice dry cloth. season it inside and out with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and lay it in a baking-dish. place the butter, in small pieces, upon the fish, and bake for rather more than / an hour. to stuff this fish before baking, will be found a great improvement. _time_.--rather more than / an hour. _seasonable_ in summer. [illustration: the sea-bream.] _note_.--this fish may be broiled over a nice clear fire, and served with a good brown gravy or white sauce, or it may be stewed in wine. the sea-bream.--this is an abundant fish in cornwall, and it is frequently found in the fish-market of hastings during the summer months, but it is not in much esteem. mr. yarrell's recipe. "when thoroughly cleansed, the fish should be wiped dry, but none of the scales should be taken off. in this state it should be broiled, turning it often, and if the skin cracks, flour it a little to keep the outer case entire. when on table, the whole skin and scales turn off without difficulty, and the muscle beneath, saturated in its own natural juices, which the outside covering has retained, will be of good flavour." to dress shad. . ingredients.-- shad, oil, pepper, and salt. _mode_.--scale, empty and wash the fish carefully, and make two or three incisions across the back. season it with pepper and salt, and let it remain in oil for / hour. broil it on both sides over a clear fire, and serve with caper sauce. this fish is much esteemed by the french, and by them is considered excellent. _time_.--nearly hour. _average cost_.--seldom bought. _seasonable_ from april to june. [illustration: the shad.] the shad.--this is a salt-water fish, but is held in little esteem. it enters our rivers to spawn in may, and great numbers of them are taken opposite the isle of dogs, in the thames. potted shrimps. . ingredients.-- pint of shelled shrimps, / lb. of fresh butter, blade of pounded mace, cayenne to taste; when liked, a little nutmeg. _mode_.--have ready a pint of picked shrimps, and put them, with the other ingredients, into a stewpan; let them heat gradually in the butter, but do not let it boil. pour into small pots, and when cold, cover with melted butter, and carefully exclude the air. _time_.-- / hour to soak in the butter. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. buttered prawns or shrimps. . ingredients.-- pint of picked prawns or shrimps, / pint of stock no. , thickening of butter and flour; salt, cayenne, and nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--pick the prawns or shrimps, and put them in a stewpan with the stock; add a thickening of butter and flour; season, and simmer gently for minutes. serve on a dish garnished with fried bread or toasted sippets. cream sauce may be substituted for the gravy. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. [illustration: the shrimp.] the shrimp.--this shell-fish is smaller than the prawn, and is greatly relished in london as a delicacy. it inhabits most of the sandy shores of europe, and the isle of wight is especially famous for them. boiled skate. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--cleanse and skin the skate, lay it in a fish-kettle, with sufficient water to cover it, salted in the above proportion. let it simmer very gently till done; then dish it on a hot napkin, and serve with shrimp, lobster, or caper sauce. _time_.--according to size, from / to hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to april. crimped skate. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--clean, skin, and cut the fish into slices, which roll and tie round with string. have ready some water highly salted, put in the fish, and boil till it is done. drain well, remove the string, dish on a hot napkin, and serve with the same sauces as above. skate should never be eaten out of season, as it is liable to produce diarrhoea and other diseases. it may be dished without a napkin, and the sauce poured over. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to april. to choose skate.--this fish should be chosen for its firmness, breadth, and thickness, and should have a creamy appearance. when crimped, it should not be kept longer than a day or two, as all kinds of crimped fish soon become sour. [illustration: thornback skate.] the skate.--this is one of the ray tribe, and is extremely abundant and cheap in the fishing towns of england. the flesh is white, thick, and nourishing; but, we suppose, from its being so plentiful, it is esteemed less than it ought to be on account of its nutritive properties, and the ease with which it is digested. it is much improved by crimping; in which state it is usually sold in london. the thornback differs from the true skate by having large spines in its back, of which the other is destitute. it is taken in great abundance during the spring and summer months, but its flesh is not so good as it is in november. it is, in regard to quality, inferior to that of the true skate. skate with caper sauce (a la francaise) . ingredients.-- or slices of skate, / pint of vinegar, oz. of salt, / teaspoonful of pepper, sliced onion, a small bunch of parsley, bay-leaves, or sprigs of thyme, sufficient water to cover the fish. _mode_.--put in a fish-kettle all the above ingredients, and simmer the skate in them till tender. when it is done, skin it neatly, and pour over it some of the liquor in which it has been boiling. drain it, put it on a hot dish, pour over it caper sauce, and send some of the latter to table in a tureen. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to april. _note_.--skate may also be served with onion sauce, or parsley and butter. small skate fried. . ingredients.--skate, sufficient vinegar to cover them, salt and pepper to taste, sliced onion, a small bunch of parsley, the juice of / lemon, hot dripping. _mode_.--cleanse the skate, lay them in a dish, with sufficient vinegar to cover them; add the salt, pepper, onion, parsley, and lemon-juice, and let the fish remain in this pickle for - / hour. then drain them well, flour them, and fry of a nice brown, in hot dripping. they may be served either with or without sauce. skate is not good if dressed too fresh, unless it is crimped; it should, therefore, be kept for a day, but not long enough to produce a disagreeable smell. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to april. other species of skate.--besides the true skate, there are several other species found in our seas. these are known as the _white_ skate, the long-nosed skate, and the homelyn ray, which are of inferior quality, though often crimped, and sold for true skate. to bake smelts. . ingredients.-- smelts, bread crumbs, / lb. of fresh butter, blades of pounded mace; salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--wash, and dry the fish thoroughly in a cloth, and arrange them nicely in a flat baking-dish. cover them with fine bread crumbs, and place little pieces of butter all over them. season and bake for minutes. just before serving, add a squeeze of lemon-juice, and garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. per dozen. _seasonable_ from october to may. _sufficient_ for persons. to choose smelts.--when good, this fish is of a fine silvery appearance, and when alive, their backs are of a dark brown shade, which, after death, fades to a light fawn. they ought to have a refreshing fragrance, resembling that of a cucumber. the odour of the smelt.--this peculiarity in the smelt has been compared, by some, to the fragrance of a cucumber, and by others, to that of a violet. it is a very elegant fish, and formerly abounded in the thames. the _atharine_, or sand smelt, is sometimes sold for the true one; but it is an inferior fish, being drier in the quality of its flesh. on the south coast of england, where the true smelt is rare, it is plentiful. to fry smelts. . ingredients.--egg and bread crumbs, a little flour; boiling lard. _mode_.--smelts should be very fresh, and not washed more than is necessary to clean them. dry them in a cloth, lightly flour, dip them in egg, and sprinkle over with very fine bread crumbs, and put them into boiling lard. fry of a nice pale brown, and be careful not to take off the light roughness of the crumbs, or their beauty will be spoiled. dry them before the fire on a drainer, and servo with plain melted butter. this fish is often used as a garnishing. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. per dozen. _seasonable_ from october to may. [illustration: the smelt.] the smelt.--this is a delicate little fish, and is in high esteem. mr. yarrell asserts that the true smelt is entirety confined to the western and eastern coasts of britain. it very rarely ventures far from the shore, and is plentiful in november, december, and january. baked soles. . ingredients.-- soles, / lb. of butter, egg, and bread crumbs, minced parsley, glass of sherry, lemon-juice; cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--clean, skin, and well wash the fish, and dry them thoroughly in a cloth. brush them over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley, lay them in a large flat baking-dish, white side uppermost; or if it will not hold the two soles, they may each be laid on a dish by itself; but they must not be put one on the top of the other. melt the butter, and pour it over the whole, and bake for minutes. take a portion of the gravy that flows from the fish, add the wine, lemon-juice, and seasoning, give it one boil, skim, pour it _under_ the fish, and serve. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. to s. per pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. to choose soles.--this fish should be both thick and firm. if the skin is difficult to be taken off, and the flesh looks grey, it is good. [illustration: the sole.] the sole.--this ranks next to the turbot in point of excellence among our flat fish. it is abundant on the british coasts, but those of the western shores are much superior in size to those taken on the northern. the finest are caught in torbay, and frequently weigh or lbs. per pair. its flesh being firm, white, and delicate, is greatly esteemed. boiled soles. . ingredients.-- / lb. salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--cleanse and wash the fish carefully, cut off the fins, but do not skin it. lay it in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it, salted in the above proportion. let it gradually come to a boil, and keep it simmering for a few minutes, according to the size of the fish. dish it on a hot napkin after well draining it, and garnish with parsley and cut lemon. shrimp, or lobster sauce, and plain melted butter, are usually sent to table with this dish. _time_.--after the water boils, minutes for a middling-sized sole. _average cost_, s. to s. per pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_,-- middling-sized sole for persons. sole or cod pie. . ingredients.--the remains of cold boiled sole or cod, seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and pounded mace, dozen oysters to each lb. of fish, tablespoonfuls of white stock, teacupful of cream thickened with flour, puff paste. _mode_.--clear the fish from the bones, lay it in a pie-dish, and between each layer put a few oysters and a little seasoning; add the stock, and, when liked, a small quantity of butter; cover with puff paste, and bake for / hour. boil the cream with sufficient flour to thicken it; pour in the pie, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. soles with cream sauce. . ingredients.-- soles; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; the juice of / lemon, salt and water, / pint of cream. _mode_.--skin, wash, and fillet the soles, and divide each fillet in pieces; lay them in cold salt and water, which bring gradually to a boil. when the water boils, take out the fish, lay it in a delicately clean stewpan, and cover with the cream. add the seasoning, simmer very gently for ten minutes, and, just before serving, put in the lemon-juice. the fillets may be rolled, and secured by means of a skewer; but this is not so economical a way of dressing them, as double the quantity of cream is required. _time_.-- minutes in the cream. _average cost_, from s. to s. per pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. this will be found a most delicate and delicious dish. the sole a favourite with the ancient greeks.--this fish was much sought after by the ancient greeks on account of its light and nourishing qualities. the brill, the flounder, the diamond and dutch plaice, which, with the sole, were known under the general name of _passeres_, were all equally esteemed, and had generally the same qualities attributed to them. filleted soles a l'italienne. . ingredients.-- soles; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste; egg and bread crumbs, butter, the juice of lemon. _mode_.--skin, and carefully wash the soles, separate the meat from the bone, and divide each fillet in two pieces. brush them over with white of egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs and seasoning, and put them in a baking-dish. place small pieces of butter over the whole, and bake for / hour. when they are nearly done, squeeze the juice of a lemon over them, and serve on a dish, with italian sauce (see sauces) poured over. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s. per pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. whiting may be dressed in the same manner, and will be found very delicious. the flavour of the sole.--this, as a matter of course, greatly depends on the nature of the ground and bait upon which the animal feeds. its natural food are small crabs and shell-fish. its colour also depends on the colour of the ground where it feeds; for if this be white, then the sole is called the white, or lemon sole; but if the bottom be muddy, then it is called the black sole. small-sized soles, caught in shallow water on the coasts, are the best in flavour. fricasseed soles. . ingredients.-- middling-sized soles, small one, / teaspoonful of chopped lemon-peel, teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a little grated bread; salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste; egg, oz. butter, / pint of good gravy, tablespoonfuls of port wine, cayenne and lemon-juice to taste. _mode_.--fry the soles of a nice brown, as directed in recipe no. , and drain them well from fat. take all the meat from the small sole, chop it fine, and mix with it the lemon-peel, parsley, bread, and seasoning; work altogether, with the yolk of an egg and the butter; make this into small balls, and fry them. thicken the gravy with a dessert-spoonful of flour, add the port wine, cayenne, and lemon-juice; lay in the soles and balls; let them simmer gently for minutes; serve hot, and garnish with cut lemon. _time_.-- minutes to fry the soles. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. how soles are caught.--the instrument usually employed is a trawl net, which is shaped like a pocket, of from sixty to eighty feet long, and open at the mouth from thirty-two to forty feet, and three deep. this is dragged along the ground by the vessel, and on the art of the fisherman in its employment, in a great measure depends the quality of the fish he catches. if, for example, he drags the net too quickly, all that are caught are swept rapidly to the end of the net, where they are smothered, and sometimes destroyed. a medium has to be observed, in order that as few as possible escape being caught in the net, and as many as possible preserved alive in it. fried filleted soles. . soles for filleting should be large, as the flesh can be more easily separated from the bones, and there is less waste. skin and wash the fish, and raise the meat carefully from the bones, and divide it into nice handsome pieces. the more usual way is to roll the fillets, after dividing each one in two pieces, and either bind them round with twine, or run a small skewer through them. brush over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs; fry them as directed in the foregoing recipe, and garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. when a pretty dish is desired, this is by far the most elegant mode of dressing soles, as they look much better than when fried whole. (_see_ coloured plate a.) instead of rolling the fillets, they may be cut into square pieces, and arranged in the shape of a pyramid on the dish. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, from s. to s. per pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_,-- large soles for persons. fried soles. . ingredients.-- middling-sized soles, hot lard or clarified dripping, egg, and bread crumbs. _mode_.--skin and carefully wash the soles, and cut off the fins, wipe them very dry, and let them remain in the cloth until it is time to dress them. have ready some fine bread crumbs and beaten egg; dredge the soles with a little flour, brush them over with egg, and cover with bread crumbs. put them in a deep pan, with plenty of clarified dripping or lard (when the expense is not objected to, oil is still better) heated, so that it may neither scorch the fish nor make them sodden. when they are sufficiently cooked on one side, turn them carefully, and brown them on the other: they may be considered ready when a thick smoke rises. lift them out carefully, and lay them before the fire on a reversed sieve and soft paper, to absorb the fat. particular attention should be paid to this, as nothing is more disagreeable than greasy fish: this may be always avoided by dressing them in good time, and allowing a few minutes for them to get thoroughly crisp, and free from greasy moisture. dish them on a hot napkin, garnish with cut lemon and fried parsley, and send them to table with shrimp sauce and plain melted butter. _time_.-- minutes for large soles; less time for small ones. _average cost_, from s. to s. per pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for or persons. soles with mushrooms. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, pint of water, oz. butter, oz. salt, a little lemon-juice, middling-sized soles. _mode_.--cleanse the soles, but do not skin them, and lay them in a fish-kettle, with the milk, water, butter, salt, and lemon-juice. bring them gradually to boil, and let them simmer very gently till done, which will be in about minutes. take them up, drain them well on a cloth, put them on a hot dish, and pour over them a good mushroom sauce. (_see_ sauces.) _time_.--after the water boils, minutes. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for persons. sprats. . sprats should be cooked very fresh, which can be ascertained by their bright and sparkling eyes. wipe them dry; fasten them in rows by a skewer run through the eyes; dredge with flour, and broil them on a gridiron over a nice clear fire. the gridiron should be rubbed with suet. serve very hot. _time_,-- or minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from november to march. to choose sprats.--choose these from their silvery appearance, as the brighter they are, so are they the fresher. sprats fried in batter. . ingredients.-- eggs, flour, bread crumbs; seasoning of salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--wipe the sprats, and dip them in a batter made of the above ingredients. fry of a nice brown, serve very hot, and garnish with fried parsley. sprats may be baked like herrings. (_see_ no. .) dried sprats. . dried sprats should be put into a basin, and boiling water poured over them; they may then be skinned and served, and this will be found a much better way than boiling them. [illustration: the sprat.] the sprat.--this migratory fish, is rarely found longer than four or five inches, and visits the shores of britain after the herring and other kinds of fish have taken their departure from them. on the coasts of suffolk, essex, and kent, they are very abundant, and from to boats are employed in catching them during the winter season. besides plentifully supplying the london market, they are frequently sold at sixpence a bushel to farmers for manuring purposes. they enter the thames about the beginning of november, and leave it in march. at yarmouth and gravesend they are cured like red herrings. baked sturgeon. . ingredients.-- small sturgeon, salt and pepper to taste, small bunch of herbs, the juice of / lemon, / lb. of butter, pint of white wine. _mode_,--cleanse the fish thoroughly, skin it, and split it along the belly without separating it; have ready a large baking-dish, in which lay the fish, sprinkle over the seasoning and herbs very finely minced, and moisten it with the lemon-juice and wine. place the butter in small pieces over the whole of the fish, put it in the oven, and baste frequently; brown it nicely, and serve with its own gravy. _time_.--nearly hour. _average cost_, s. to s. d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to march. [illustration: the sturgeon.] the sturgeon.--this fish commences the sixth of linnaean order, and all the species are large, seldom measuring, when full-grown, less than three or four feet in length. its flesh is reckoned extremely delicious, and, in the time of the emperor severus, was so highly valued by the ancients, that it was brought to table by servants crowned with coronets, and preceded by a band of music. it is an inhabitant of the baltic, the mediterranean, the caspian, and the black sea, and of the danube, the volga, the don, and other large rivers. it is abundant in the rivers of north america, and is occasionally taken in the thames, as well as in the eske and the eden. it is one of those fishes considered as royal property. it is from its _roe_ that _caviare_, a favourite food of the russians, is prepared. its flesh is delicate, firm, and white, but is rare in the london market, where it sells for s. or s. d. per lb. the sterlet is a smaller species of sturgeon, found in the caspian sea and some russian rivers. it also is greatly prized on account of the delicacy of its flesh. roast sturgeon. . ingredients.--veal stuffing, buttered paper, the tail-end of a sturgeon. _mode_.--cleanse the fish, bone and skin it; make a nice veal stuffing (see forcemeats), and fill it with the part where the bones came from; roll it in buttered paper, bind it up firmly with tape, like a fillet of veal, and roast it in a dutch oven before a clear fire. serve with good brown gravy, or plain melted butter. _time_.--about hour. _average cost_, s. to s. d. per lb. _seasonable_ from august to march. _note_.--sturgeon may be plain-boiled, and served with dutch sauce. the fish is very firm, and requires long boiling. estimate of the sturgeon by the ancients.--by the ancients, the flesh of this fish was compared to the ambrosia of the immortals. the poet martial passes a high eulogium upon it, and assigns it a place on the luxurious tables of the palatine mount. if we may credit a modern traveller in china, the people of that country generally entirely abstain from it, and the sovereign of the celestial empire confines it to his own kitchen, or dispenses it to only a few of his greatest favourites. matelot of tench. . ingredients.-- / pint of stock no. , / pint of port wine, dozen button onions, a few mushrooms, a faggot of herbs, blades of mace, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of minced parsley, thyme, shalot, anchovies, teacupful of stock no. , flour, dozen oysters, the juice of / lemon; the number of tench, according to size. _mode_.--scale and clean the tench, cut them into pieces, and lay them in a stewpan; add the stock, wine, onions, mushrooms, herbs, and mace, and simmer gently for / hour. put into another stewpan all the remaining ingredients but the oysters and lemon-juice, and boil slowly for minutes, when add the strained liquor from the tench, and keep stirring it over the fire until somewhat reduced. rub it through a sieve, pour it over the tench with the oysters, which must be previously scalded in their own liquor, squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve. garnish with croutons. _time_. / hour. _seasonable_ from october to june. [illustration: the tench.] the tench.--this fish is generally found in foul and weedy waters, and in such places as are well supplied with rushes. they thrive best in standing waters, and are more numerous in pools and ponds than in rivers. those taken in the latter, however, are preferable for the table. it does not often exceed four or five pounds in weight, and is in england esteemed as a delicious and wholesome food. as, however, they are sometimes found in waters where the mud is excessively fetid, their flavour, if cooked immediately on being caught, is often very unpleasant; but if they are transferred into clear water, they soon recover from the obnoxious taint. tench stewed with wine. . ingredients.-- / pint of stock no. , / pint of madeira or sherry, salt and pepper to taste, bay-leaf, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--clean and crimp the tench; carefully lay it in a stewpan with the stock, wine, salt and pepper, and bay-leaf; let it stew gently for / hour; then take it out, put it on a dish, and keep hot. strain the liquor, and thicken it with butter and flour kneaded together, and stew for minutes. if not perfectly smooth, squeeze it through a tammy, add a very little cayenne, and pour over the fish. garnish with balls of veal forcemeat. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _seasonable_ from october to june. a singular quality in the tench.--it is said that the tench is possessed of such healing properties among the finny tribes, that even the voracious pike spares it on this account. the pike, fell tyrant of the liquid plain, with ravenous waste devours his fellow train; yet howsoe'er with raging famine pined, the tench he spares, a medicinal kind; for when by wounds distress'd, or sore disease, he courts the salutary fish for ease; close to his scales the kind physician glides, and sweats a healing balsam from his sides. in our estimation, however, this self-denial in the pike may be attributed to a less poetical cause; namely, from the mud-loving disposition of the tench, it is enabled to keep itself so completely concealed at the bottom of its aqueous haunts, that it remains secure from the attacks of its predatory neighbour. stewed trout. . ingredients.-- middling-sized trout, / onion cut in thin slices, a little parsley, cloves, blade of mace, bay-leaves, a little thyme, salt and pepper to taste, pint of medium stock no. , glass of port wine, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--wash the fish very clean, and wipe it quite dry. lay it in a stewpan, with all the ingredients but the butter and flour, and simmer gently for / hour, or rather more, should not the fish be quite done. take it out, strain the gravy, add the thickening, and stir it over a sharp fire for minutes; pour it over the trout, and serve. _time_.--according to size, / hour or more. _average cost_.--seldom bought. _seasonable_ from may to september, and fatter from the middle to the end of august than at any other time. _sufficient_ for persons. trout may be served with anchovy or caper sauce, baked in buttered paper, or fried whole like smelts. trout dressed a la génévese is extremely delicate; for this proceed the same as with salmon, no. . [illustration: the trout.] the trout.--this fish, though esteemed by the moderns for its delicacy, was little regarded by the ancients. although it abounded in the lakes of the roman empire, it is generally mentioned by writers only on account of the beauty of its colours. about the end of september, they quit the deep water to which they had retired during the hot weather, for the purpose of spawning. this they always do on a gravelly bottom, or where gravel and sand are mixed among stones, towards the end or by the sides of streams. at this period they become black about the head and body, and become soft and unwholesome. they are never good when they are large with roe; but there are in all trout rivers some barren female fish, which continue good throughout the winter. in the common trout, the stomach is uncommonly strong and muscular, shell-fish forming a portion of the food of the animal; and it takes into its stomach gravel or small stones in order to assist in comminuting it. boiled turbot. . ingredients.-- oz. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_--choose a middling-sized turbot; for they are invariably the most valuable: if very large, the meat will be tough and thready. three or four hours before dressing, soak the fish in salt and water to take off the slime; then thoroughly cleanse it, and with a knife make an incision down the middle of the back, to prevent the skin of the belly from cracking. rub it over with lemon, and be particular not to cut off the fins. lay the fish in a very clean turbot-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and salt in the above proportion. let it gradually come to a boil, and skim very carefully; keep it gently simmering, and on no account let it boil fast, as the fish would have a very unsightly appearance. when the meat separates easily from the bone, it is done; then take it out, let it drain well, and dish it on a hot napkin. rub a little lobster spawn through a sieve, sprinkle it over the fish, and garnish with tufts of parsley and cut lemon. lobster or shrimp sauce, and plain melted butter, should be sent to table with it. (see coloured plate e.) _time_.--after the water boils, about / hour for a large turbot; middling size, about minutes. _average cost_,--large turbot, from s. to s.; middling size, from s. to s. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_, middling-sized turbot for persons. _note_.--an amusing anecdote is related, by miss edgeworth, of a bishop, who, descending to his kitchen to superintend the dressing of a turbot, and discovering that his cook had stupidly cut off the fins, immediately commenced sewing them on again with his own episcopal fingers. this dignitary knew the value of a turbot's gelatinous appendages. garnish for turbot or other large fish. . take the crumb of a stale loaf, cut it into small pyramids with flat tops, and on the top of each pyramid, put rather more than a tablespoonful of white of egg beaten to a stiff froth. over this, sprinkle finely-chopped parsley and fine raspings of a dark colour. arrange these on the napkin round the fish, one green and one brown alternately. to choose turbot.--see that it is thick, and of a yellowish white; for if of a bluish tint, it is not good. [illustration: the turbot.] the turbot.--this is the most esteemed of all our flat fish. the northern parts of the english coast, and some places off the coast of holland, produce turbot in great abundance, and in greater excellence than any other parts of the world. the london market is chiefly supplied by dutch fishermen, who bring to it nearly , a year. the flesh is firm, white, rich, and gelatinous, and is the better for being kept a day or two previous to cooking it. in many parts of the country, turbot and halibut are indiscriminately sold for each other. they are, however, perfectly distinct; the upper parts of the former being marked with large, unequal, and obtuse tubercles, while those of the other are quite smooth, and covered with oblong soft scales, which firmly adhere to the body. [illustration: turbot-kettle.] fish-kettles are made in an oblong form, and have two handles, with a movable bottom, pierced full of holes, on which the fish is laid, and on which it may be lifted from the water, by means of two long handles attached to each side of the movable bottom. this is to prevent the liability of breaking the fish, as it would necessarily be if it were cooked in a common saucepan. in the list of messrs. richard and john slack (see ), the price of two of these is set down at s. the turbot-kettle, as will be seen by our cut, is made differently from ordinary fish-kettles, it being less deep, whilst it is wider, and more pointed at the sides; thus exactly answering to the shape of the fish which it is intended should be boiled in it. it may be obtained from the same manufacturers, and its price is £ . baked fillets of turbot. . ingredients.--the remains of cold turbot, lobster sauce left from the preceding day, egg, and bread crumbs; cayenne and salt to taste; minced parsley, nutmeg, lemon-juice. _mode_.--after having cleared the fish from all skin and bone, divide it into square pieces of an equal size; brush them over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley and seasoning. lay the fillets in a baking-dish, with sufficient butter to baste with. bake for / hour, and do not forget to keep them well moistened with the butter. put a little lemon-juice and grated nutmeg to the cold lobster sauce; make it hot, and pour over the fish, which must be well drained from the butter. garnish with parsley and cut lemon. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--cold turbot thus warmed in the remains of lobster sauce will be found much nicer than putting the fish again in water. fillets of turbot a l'italienne. . ingredients.--the remains of cold turbot, italian sauce. (see sauces.) _mode_.--clear the fish carefully from the bone, and take away all skin, which gives an unpleasant flavour to the sauce. make the sauce hot, lay in the fish to warm through, but do not let it boil. garnish with croutons. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ all the year. the ancient romans' estimate of turbot.--as this luxurious people compared soles to partridges, and sturgeons to peacocks, so they found a resemblance to the turbot in the pheasant. in the time of domitian, it is said one was taken of such dimensions as to require, in the imperial kitchen, a new stove to be erected, and a new dish to be made for it, in order that it might be cooked and served whole: not even imperial rome could furnish a stove or a dish large enough for the monstrous animal. where it was caught, we are not aware; but the turbot of the adriatic sea held a high rank in the "eternal city." turbot a la creme. . ingredients.--the remains of cold turbot. for sauce, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of cream; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste. _mode_.--clear away all skin and bone from the flesh of the turbot, which should be done when it comes from table, as it causes less waste when trimmed hot. cut the flesh into nice square pieces, as equally as possible; put into a stewpan the butter, let it melt, and add the cream and seasoning; let it just simmer for one minute, but not boil. lay in the fish to warm, and serve it garnished with croutons or a paste border. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the remains of cold salmon may be dressed in this way, and the above mixture may be served in a _vol-au-vent_. turbot au gratin. . ingredients.--remains of cold turbot, béchamel (_see_ sauces), bread crumbs, butter. _mode_.--cut the flesh of the turbot into small dice, carefully freeing it from all skin and bone. put them into a stewpan, and moisten with or tablespoonfuls of béchamel. let it get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil. spread the mixture on a dish, cover with finely-grated bread crumbs, and place small pieces of butter over the top. brown it in the oven, or with a salamander. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. boiled whiting. . ingredients.-- / lb. of salt to each gallon of water. _mode_.--cleanse the fish, but do not skin them; lay them in a fish-kettle, with sufficient cold water to cover them, and salt in the above proportion. bring them gradually to a boil, and simmer gently for about minutes, or rather more should the fish be very large. dish them on a hot napkin, and garnish with tufts of parsley. serve with anchovy or caper sauce, and plain melted butter. _time_.--after the water boils, minutes. _average cost_ for small whitings, d. each. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from october to march. _sufficient_, small whiting for each person. to choose whiting.--choose for the firmness of its flesh and the silvery hue of its appearance. [illustration: the whiting.] the whiting.--this fish forms a light, tender, and delicate food, easy of digestion. it appears in our seas in the spring, within three miles of the shores, where it arrives in large shoals to deposit its spawn. it is caught by line, and is usually between ten and twelve inches long, and seldom exceeding a pound and a half in weight. on the edge of the dogger bank, however, it has been caught so heavy as to weigh from three to seven or eight pounds. when less than six inches long, it is not allowed to be caught. broiled whiting. . ingredients.--salt and water, flour. _mode_.--wash the whiting in salt and water, wipe them thoroughly, and let them remain in the cloth to absorb all moisture. flour them well, and broil over a very clear fire. serve with _maître d'hôtel_ sauce, or plain melted butter (_see_ sauces). be careful to preserve the liver, as by some it is considered very delicate. _time_.-- minutes for a small whiting. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from october to march. _sufficient_, small whiting for each person. buckhorn.--whitings caught in cornwall are salted and dried, and in winter taken to the markets, and sold under the singular name of "buckhorn." fried whiting. . ingredients.--egg and bread crumbs, a little flour, hot lard or clarified dripping. _mode_.--take off the skin, clean, and thoroughly wipe the fish free from all moisture, as this is most essential, in order that the egg and bread crumbs may properly adhere. fasten the tail in the mouth by means of a small skewer, brush the fish over with egg, dredge with a little flour, and cover with bread crumbs. fry them in hot lard or clarified dripping of a nice colour, and serve them on a napkin, garnished with fried parsley. (see coloured plate d.) send them to table with shrimp sauce and plain melted butter. _time_.--about minutes. average cost, d. each. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from october to march. _sufficient_, small whiting for each person. _note_.--large whitings may be filleted, rolled, and served as fried filleted soles (_see_ coloured plato a). small fried whitings are frequently used for garnishing large boiled fish, such as turbot, cod, etc. whiting au gratin, or baked whiting. . ingredients.-- whiting, butter, tablespoonful of minced parsley, a few chopped mushrooms when obtainable; pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg to taste; butter, glasses of sherry or madeira, bread crumbs. _mode_.--grease the bottom of a baking-dish with butter, and over it, strew some minced parsley and mushrooms. scale, empty, and wash the whitings, and wipe them thoroughly dry, carefully preserving the livers. lay them in the dish, sprinkle them with bread crumbs and seasoning, adding a little grated nutmeg, and also a little more minced parsley and mushrooms. place small pieces of butter over the whiting, moisten with the wine, and bake for minutes in a hot oven. if there should be too much sauce, reduce it by boiling over a sharp fire for a few minutes, and pour under the fish. serve with a cut lemon, and no other sauce. _time_.--- minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from october to march. _sufficient_.--this quantity for or persons. whiting aux fine herbes. . ingredients.- bunch of sweet herbs chopped very fine; butter. _mode_.--clean and skin the fish, fasten the tails in the mouths; and lay them in a baking-dish. mince the herbs very fine, strew them over the fish, and place small pieces of butter over; cover with another dish, and let them simmer in a dutch oven for / hour or minutes. turn the fish once or twice, and serve with the sauce poured over. _time_.-- / hour or minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from october to march. _sufficient_, small whiting for each person. the whiting pout, and pollack.--about the mouth of the thames, and generally all round the english coasts, as well as in the northern seas, the pout is plentiful. it bears a striking resemblance to the whiting, and is esteemed as an excellent fish.--the _pollack_ is also taken all round our coasts, and likewise bears a striking resemblance to the whiting; indeed, it is sometimes mistaken by the inexperienced for that fish; its flesh being considered by many equally delicate. to dress whitebait. . ingredients.--a little flour, hot lard, seasoning of salt. _mode_.--this fish should be put into iced water as soon as bought, unless they are cooked immediately. drain them from the water in a colander, and have ready a nice clean dry cloth, over which put good handfuls of flour. toss in the whitebait, shake them lightly in the cloth, and put them in a wicker sieve to take away the superfluous flour. throw them into a pan of boiling lard, very few at a time, and let them fry till of a whitey-brown colour. directly they are done, they must he taken out, and laid before the fire for a minute or two on a sieve reversed, covered with blotting-paper to absorb the fat. dish them on a hot napkin, arrange the fish very high in the centre, and sprinkle a little salt over the whole. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable _from april to august. [illustration: whitebait.] whitebait.--this highly-esteemed little fish appears in innumerable multitudes in the river thames, near greenwich and blackwall, during the month of july, when it forms, served with lemon and brown bread and butter, a tempting dish to vast numbers of londoners, who flock to the various taverns of these places, in order to gratify their appetites. the fish has been supposed be the fry of the shad, the sprat, the smelt, or the bleak. mr. yarrell, however, maintains that it is a species in itself, distinct from every other fish. when fried with flour, it is esteemed a great delicacy. the ministers of the crown have had a custom, for many years, of having a "whitebait dinner" just before the close of the session. it is invariably the precursor of the prorogation of parliament, and the repast is provided by the proprietor of the "trafalgar," greenwich. fish pie, with tench and eels. . ingredients.-- tench, eels, onions, a faggot of herbs, blades of mace, anchovies, pint of water, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of chopped parsley, the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, puff paste. _mode_.--clean and bone the tench, skin and bone the eels, and cut them into pieces inches long, and leave the sides of the tench whole. put the bones into a stewpan with the onions, herbs, mace, anchovies, water, and seasoning, and let them simmer gently for hour. strain it off, put it to cool, and skim off all the fat. lay the tench and eels in a pie-dish, and between each layer put seasoning, chopped parsley, and hard-boiled eggs; pour in part of the strained liquor, cover in with puff paste, and bake for / hour or rather more. the oven should be rather quick, and when done, heat the remainder of the liquor, which pour into the pie. _time_.-- / hour to bake, or rather more if the oven is slow. fish scallop. i. . ingredients.--remains of cold fish of any sort, / pint of cream, / tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, / teaspoonful of made mustard, ditto of walnut ketchup, pepper and salt to taste (the above quantities are for / lb. of fish when picked); bread crumbs. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a stewpan, carefully picking the fish from the bones; set it on the fire, let it remain till nearly hot, occasionally stir the contents, but do not allow it to boil. when done, put the fish into a deep dish or scallop shell, with a good quantity of bread crumbs; place small pieces of butter on the top, set in a dutch oven before the fire to brown, or use a salamander. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fish, d. ii. . ingredients.--any cold fish, egg, milk, large blade of pounded mace, tablespoonful of flour, teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, pepper and salt to taste, bread crumbs, butter. _mode_.--pick the fish carefully from the bones, and moisten with milk and the egg; add the other ingredients, and place in a deep dish or scallop shells; cover with bread crumbs, butter the top, and brown before the fire; when quite hot, serve. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fish, d. water souchy. . perch, tench, soles, eels, and flounders are considered the best fish for this dish. for the souchy, put some water into a stewpan with a bunch of chopped parsley, some roots, and sufficient salt to make it brackish. let these simmer for hour, and then stew the fish in this water. when they are done, take them out to drain, have ready some finely-chopped parsley, and a few roots cut into slices of about one inch thick and an inch in length. put the fish in a tureen or deep dish, strain the liquor over them, and add the minced parsley and roots. serve with brown bread and butter. . supply of fish to the london market.--from mr. mayhew's work on "london labour and the london poor," and other sources, we are enabled to give the following table of the total annual supply of fish to the london market:-- description of fish. number of weight of fish fish in lbs wet fish. salmon and salmon-trout( , boxes, fish per box) , , , turbot, from to lbs. , , , live cod, averaging lbs. each , , , soles, averaging / lbs. each , , , , brill and mullet, averaging lbs. each , , , , whiting, averaging oz. each , , , , haddock, averaging lbs. each , , , , plaice, averaging lb. each , , , , mackerel, averaging lb ach , , , , fresh herrings ( , barrels, fish per barrel) , , , , ditto in bulk , , , , , sprats -- , , eels (from holland principally) england and ireland , , , , flounders , , dabs , , dry fish. barrelled cod( , barrels, fish per barrel) , , , dried salt cod, lbs each , , , , smoked haddock( , barrels, fish per barrel) , , , , bloaters, , baskets( fish per basket) , , , , red herrings, , barrels( fish per barrel) , , , , dried sprats, , large bundles ( fish per bundle) , , shell fish. oysters , , lobsters, averaging lb each , , , , crabs, averaging lb each , , shrimps, to a pint , , whelks, to a half-bushel , , mussels, to ditto , , cockles, to ditto , , periwinkles, to ditto , , the whole of the above may be, in round numbers, reckoned to amount to the enormous number of , , , fish, with a weight of , tons. addendum and anecdote. it will be seen, from the number and variety of the recipes which we have been enabled to give under the head of fish, that there exists in the salt ocean, and fresh-water rivers, an abundance of aliment, which the present state of gastronomic art enables the cook to introduce to the table in the most agreeable forms, and oftentimes at a very moderate cost. less nutritious as a food than the flesh of animals, more succulent than vegetables, fish may be termed a middle dish, suited to all temperaments and constitutions; and one which those who are recovering from illness may partake of with safety and advantage. as to which is the best fish, there has been much discussion. the old latin proverb, however, _de gustibus non disputandum_, and the more modern spanish one, _sobre los gustos no hai disputa_, declare, with equal force, that where _taste_ is concerned, no decision can be arrived at. each person's palate may be differently affected--pleased or displeased; and there is no standard by which to judge why a red mullet, a sole, or a turbot, should be better or worse than a salmon, trout, pike, or a tiny tench. fish, as we have explained, is less nourishing than meat; for it is lighter in weight, size for size, and contains no ozmazome (_see_ no. ). shell-fish, oysters particularly, furnish but little nutriment; and this is the reason why so many of the latter can be eaten without injury to the system. in brillat savarin's [footnote: brillat savarin was a french lawyer and judge of considerable eminence and great talents, and wrote, under the above title, a book on gastronomy, full of instructive information, enlivened with a fund of pleasantly-told anecdote.] clever and amusing volume, "the physiology of taste," he says, that towards the end of the eighteenth century it was a most common thing for a well-arranged entertainment in paris to commence with oysters, and that many guests were not contented without swallowing twelve dozen. being anxious to know the weight of this advanced-guard, he ascertained that a dozen oysters, fluid included, weighed ounces,--thus, the twelve dozen would weigh about lbs.; and there can be no doubt, that the same persons who made no worse a dinner on account of having partaken of the oysters, would have been completely satisfied if they had eaten the same weight of chicken or mutton. an anecdote, perfectly well authenticated, is narrated of a french gentleman (m. laperte), residing at versailles, who was extravagantly fond of oysters, declaring he never had enough. savarin resolved to procure him the satisfaction, and gave him an invitation to dinner, which was duly accepted. the guest arrived, and his host kept company with him in swallowing the delicious bivalves up to the tenth dozen, when, exhausted, he gave up, and let m. laperte go on alone. this gentleman managed to eat thirty-two dozen within an hour, and would doubtless have got through more, but the person who opened them is described as not being very skilful. in the interim savarin was idle, and at length, tired with his painful state of inaction, he said to laperte, whilst the latter was still in full career, "mon cher, you will not eat as many oysters to-day as you meant; let us dine." they dined, and the insatiable oyster-eater acted at the repast as if he had fasted for a week. fish carving. general directions for carving fish. in carving fish, care should be taken to help it in perfect flakes, as, if these are broken, the beauty of the fish is lost. the carver should be acquainted, too, with the choicest parts and morsels; and to give each guest an equal share of these _titbits_ should be his maxim. steel knives and forks should on no account be used in helping fish, as these are liable to impart to it a very disagreeable flavour. where silver fish-carvers are considered too dear to be bought, good electro-plated ones answer very well, and are inexpensive. the prices set down for them by messrs. slack, of the strand, are from a guinea upwards. cod's head and shoulders. (for recipe, see no. ; and for mode of serving, coloured plate c.) [illustration] first run the knife along the centre of the side of the fish, namely, from _d_ to _b_, down to the bone; then carve it in unbroken slices downwards from _d_ to _e_, or upwards from _d_ to _c_, as shown in the engraving. the carver should ask the guests if they would like a portion of the roe and liver. _note_.--of this fish, the parts about the backbone and shoulders are the firmest, and most esteemed by connoisseurs. the sound, which lines the fish beneath the backbone, is considered a delicacy, as are also the gelatinous parts about the head and neck. salmon. (for recipe, see no. ; and for mode of dressing, coloured plate b.) [illustration] first run the knife quite down to the bone, along the side of the fish, from _a_ to _b_, and also from _c_ to _d_. then help the thick part lengthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from _a_ to _b_; and the thin part breadthwise, that is, in the direction of the lines from _e_ to _f_, as shown in the engraving. a slice of the thick part should always be accompanied by a smaller piece of the thin from the belly, where lies the fat of the fish. _note_.--many persons, in carving salmon, make the mistake of slicing the thick part of this fish in the opposite direction to that we have stated; and thus, by the breaking of the flakes, the beauty of its appearance is destroyed. boiled or fried sole. (for recipes, see nos. and .) the usual way of helping this fish is to cut it quite through, bone and all, distributing it in nice and not too large pieces. a moderately-sized sole will be sufficient for three slices; namely, the head, middle, and tail. the guests should be asked which of these they prefer. a small one will only give two slices. if the sole is very large, the upper side may be raised from the bone, and then divided into pieces; and the under side afterwards served in the same way. in helping filleted soles, one fillet is given to each person. (for mode of serving, see coloured plate a.) turbot. (for recipe, see no. ; and for mode of serving, coloured plate e.) first run the fish-slice down the thickest part of the fish, quite through to the bone, from _a_ to _b_, and then cut handsome and regular slices in the direction of the lines downwards, from _c_ to _e_, and upwards from _c_ to _d_, as shown in the engraving. when the carver has removed all the meat from the upper side of the fish, the backbone should be raised, put on one side of the dish, and the under side helped as the upper. a brill and john dory are carved in the same manner as a turbot. [illustration] _note_.--the thick parts of the middle of the back are the best slices in a turbot; and the rich gelatinous skin covering the fish, as well as a little of the thick part of the fins, are dainty morsels, and should be placed on each plate. whiting, &c. whiting, pike, haddock, and other fish, when of a sufficiently large size, may be carved in the same manner as salmon. when small, they may be cut through, bone and all, and helped in nice pieces, a middling-sized whiting serving for two slices. _note_.--the thick part of the eel is reckoned the best; and this holds good of all flat fish. the tail of the lobster is the prime part, and next to that the claws. [illustration: fish carvers.] [illustration] sauces, pickles, gravies, and forcemeats. chapter ix. general remarks. . an anecdote is told of the prince de soubise, who, intending to give an entertainment, asked for the bill of fare. his _chef_ came, presenting a list adorned with vignettes, and the first article of which, that met the prince's eye, was "fifty hams." "bertrand," said the prince, "i think you must be extravagant; fifty hams! do you intend to feast my whole regiment?" "no, prince, there will be but one on the table, and the surplus i need for my espagnole, blondes, garnitures, &c." "bertrand, you are robbing me: this item will not do." "monseigneur," said the _artiste_, "you do not appreciate me. give me the order, and i will put those fifty hams in a crystal flask no longer than my thumb." the prince smiled, and the hams were passed. this was all very well for the prince de soubise; but as we do not write for princes and nobles alone, but that our british sisters may make the best dishes out of the least expensive ingredients, we will also pass the hams, and give a few general directions concerning sauces, &c. . the preparation and appearance of sauces and gravies are of the highest consequence, and in nothing does the talent and taste of the cook more display itself. their special adaptability to the various viands they are to accompany cannot be too much studied, in order that they may harmonize and blend with them as perfectly, so to speak, as does a pianoforte accompaniment with the voice of the singer. . the general basis of most gravies and some sauces is the same stock as that used for soups (_see_ nos. , , , and ); and, by the employment of these, with, perhaps, an additional slice of ham, a little spice, a few herbs, and a slight flavouring from some cold sauce or ketchup, very nice gravies may be made for a very small expenditure. a milt (either of a bullock or sheep), the shank-end of mutton that has already been dressed, and the necks and feet of poultry, may all be advantageously used for gravy, where much is not required. it may, then, be established as a rule, that there exists no necessity for good gravies to be expensive, and that there is no occasion, as many would have the world believe, to buy ever so many pounds of fresh meat, in order to furnish an ever so little quantity of gravy. . brown sauces, generally speaking, should scarcely be so thick as white sauces; and it is well to bear in mind, that all those which are intended to mask the various dishes of poultry or meat, should be of a sufficient consistency to slightly adhere to the fowls or joints over which they are poured. for browning and thickening sauces, &c., browned flour may be properly employed. . sauces should possess a decided character; and whether sharp or sweet, savoury or plain, they should carry out their names in a distinct manner, although, of course, not so much flavoured as to make them too piquant on the one hand, or too mawkish on the other. . gravies and sauces should be sent to table very hot; and there is all the more necessity for the cook to see to this point, as, from their being usually served in small quantities, they are more liable to cool quickly than if they were in a larger body. those sauces, of which cream or eggs form a component part, should be well stirred, as soon as these ingredients are added to them, and must never be allowed to boil; as, in that case, they would instantly curdle. . although pickles may be purchased at shops at as low a rate as they can usually be made for at home, or perhaps even for less, yet we would advise all housewives, who have sufficient time and convenience, to prepare their own. the only general rules, perhaps, worth stating here,--as in the recipes all necessary details will be explained, are, that the vegetables and fruits used should be sound, and not over ripe, and that the very best vinegar should be employed. . for forcemeats, special attention is necessary. the points which cooks should, in this branch of cookery, more particularly observe, are the thorough chopping of the suet, the complete mincing of the herbs, the careful grating of the bread-crumbs, and the perfect mixing of the whole. these are the three principal ingredients of forcemeats, and they can scarcely be cut too small, as nothing like a lump or fibre should be anywhere perceptible. to conclude, the flavour of no one spice or herb should be permitted to predominate. recipes. chapter x. sauces, pickles, gravies, and forcemeats. anchovy sauce for fish. . ingredients.-- anchovies, oz. of butter, / pint of melted butter, cayenne to taste. _mode_.--bone the anchovies, and pound them in a mortar to a paste, with oz. of butter. make the melted butter hot, stir in the pounded anchovies and cayenne; simmer for or minutes; and if liked, add a squeeze of lemon-juice. a more general and expeditious way of making this sauce is to stir in - / tablespoonfuls of anchovy essence to / pint of melted butter, and to add seasoning to taste. boil the whole up for minute, and serve hot. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. for / pint. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a brill, small turbot, or soles, &c. anchovy butter (_see_ no. ). [illustration: the capiscum.] cayenne.--this is the most acrid and stimulating spice with which we are acquainted. it is a powder prepared from several varieties of the capsicum annual east-india plants, of which there are three so far naturalized in this country as to be able to grow in the open air: these are the guinea, the cherry, and the bell pepper. all the pods of these are extremely pungent to the taste, and in the green state are used by us as a pickle. when ripe, they are ground into cayenne pepper, and sold as a condiment. the best of this, however, is made in the west indies, from what is called the _bird_ pepper, on account of hens and turkeys being extremely partial to it. it is imported ready for use. of the capiscum species of plants there are five; but the principal are,-- . _capsicum annuum_, the common long-podded capsicum, which is cultivated in our gardens, and of which there are two varieties, one with red, and another with yellow fruit. . _capsicum baccatum_, or bird pepper, which rises with a shrubby stalk four or five feet high, with its berries growing at the division of the branches: this is small, oval-shaped, and of a bright-red colour, from which, as we have said, the best cayenne is made. . _capsicum grossum_, the bell-pepper: the fruit of this is red, and is the only kind fit for pickling. apple sauce for geese, pork, &c. . ingredients.-- good-sized apples, sifted sugar to taste, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, water. _mode_.--pare, core, and quarter the apples, and throw them into cold water to preserve their whiteness. put them in a saucepan, with sufficient water to moisten them, and boil till soft enough to pulp. beat them up, adding sugar to taste, and a small piece of butter this quantity is sufficient for a good-sized tureen. _time_.--according to the apples, about / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a goose or couple of ducks. brown apple sauce. . ingredients.-- good-sized apples, / pint of brown gravy, cayenne to taste. _mode_. put the gravy in a stewpan, and add the apples, after having pared, cored, and quartered them. let them simmer gently till tender; beat them to a pulp, and season with cayenne. this sauce is preferred by many to the preceding. _time_.--according to the apples, about / hour. _average cost_, d. asparagus sauce. . ingredients.-- bunch of green asparagus, salt, oz. of fresh butter, small bunch of parsley, or green onions, large lump of sugar, tablespoonfuls of sauce tournée. _mode_.--break the asparagus in the tender part, wash well, and put them into boiling salt and water to render them green. when they are tender, take them out, and put them into cold water; drain them on a cloth till all moisture is absorbed from them. put the butter in a stewpan, with the parsley and onions; lay in the asparagus, and fry the whole over a sharp fire for minutes. add salt, the sugar and sauce tournée, and simmer for another minutes. rub all through a tammy, and if not a very good colour, use a little spinach green. this sauce should be rather sweet. _time_.--altogether minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. aspic, or ornamental savoury jelly. . ingredients.-- lbs. of knuckle of veal, cow-heel, or slices of ham, any poultry trimmings, carrots, onion, faggot of savoury herbs, glass of sherry, quarts of water; seasoning to taste of salt and whole white pepper; eggs. _mode_.--lay the ham on the bottom of a stewpan, cut up the veal and cow-heel into small pieces, and lay them on the ham; add the poultry trimmings, vegetables, herbs, sherry, and water, and let the whole simmer very gently for hours, carefully taking away all scum that may rise to the surface; strain through a fine sieve, and pour into an earthen pan to get cold. have ready a clean stewpan, put in the jelly, and be particular to leave the sediment behind, or it will not be clear. add the whites of eggs, with salt and pepper, to clarify; keep stirring over the fire, till the whole becomes very white; then draw it to the side, and let it stand till clear. when this is the case, strain it through a cloth or jelly-bag, and use it for moulding poultry, etc. (see explanation of french terms, page .) tarragon vinegar may be added to give an additional flavour. _time_.--altogether - / hours. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. white pepper.--this is the produce of the same plant as that which produces the black pepper, from which it is manufactured by steeping this in lime and water, and rubbing it between the hands till the coats come off. the best berries only will bear this operation; hence the superior qualities of white pepper fetch a higher price than those of the other. it is less acrid than the black, and is much prized among the chinese. it is sometimes adulterated with rice-flour, as the black is with burnt bread. the berries of the pepper-plant grow in spikes of from twenty to thirty, and are, when ripe, of a bright-red colour. after being gathered, which is done when they are green, they are spread out in the sun, where they dry and become black and shrivelled, when they are ready for being prepared for the market. bechamel, or french white sauce. . ingredients.-- small bunch of parsley, cloves, / bay-leaf, small faggot of savoury herbs, salt to taste; or mushrooms, when obtainable; pints of white stock, pint of cream, tablespoonful of arrowroot. _mode_.--put the stock into a stewpan, with the parsley, cloves, bay-leaf, herbs, and mushrooms; add a seasoning of salt, but no pepper, as that would give the sauce a dusty appearance, and should be avoided. when it has boiled long enough to extract the flavour of the herbs, etc., strain it, and boil it up quickly again, until it is nearly half-reduced. now mix the arrowroot smoothly with the cream, and let it simmer very gently for minutes over a slow fire; pour to it the reduced stock, and continue to simmer slowly for minutes, if the sauce be thick. if, on the contrary, it be too thin, it must be stirred over a sharp fire till it thickens. this is the foundation of many kinds of sauces, especially white sauces. always make it thick, as you can easily thin it with cream, milk, or white stock. _time_.--altogether, hours. _average cost_, s. per pint. [illustration: the clove.] the clove.--the clove-tree is a native of the molucca islands, particularly amboyna, and attains the height of a laurel-tree, and no verdure is ever seen under it. from the extremities of the branches quantities of flowers grow, first white; then they become green, and next red and hard, when they have arrived at their clove state. when they become dry, they assume a yellowish hue, which subsequently changes into a dark brown. as an aromatic, the clove is highly stimulating, and yields an abundance of oil. there are several varieties of the clove; the best is called the _royal clove_, which is scarce, and which is blacker and smaller than the other kinds. it is a curious fact, that the flowers, when fully developed, are quite inodorous, and that the real fruit is not in the least aromatic. the form is that of a nail, having a globular head, formed of the four petals of the corolla, and four leaves of the calyx not expanded, with a nearly cylindrical germen, scarcely an inch in length, situate below. bechamel maigre, or without meat. . ingredients.-- onions, blade of mace, mushroom trimmings, a small bunch of parsley, oz. of butter, flour, / pint of water, pint of milk, salt, the juice of lemon, eggs. _mode_.--put in a stewpan the milk, and / pint of water, with the onions, mace, mushrooms, parsley, and salt. let these simmer gently for minutes. in the mean time, rub on a plate oz. of flour and butter; put it to the liquor, and stir it well till it boils up; then place it by the side of the fire, and continue stirring until it is perfectly smooth. now strain it through a sieve into a basin, after which put it back in the stewpan, and add the lemon-juice. beat up the yolks of the eggs with about dessertspoonfuls of milk; strain this to the sauce, keep stirring it over the fire, but do not let it boil, lest it curdle. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, d. per pint. this is a good sauce to pour over boiled fowls when they are a bad colour. pickled beetroot. . ingredients.--sufficient vinegar to cover the beets, oz. of whole pepper, oz. of allspice to each gallon of vinegar. _mode_.--wash the beets free from dirt, and be very careful not to prick the outside skin, or they would lose their beautiful colour. put them into boiling water, let them simmer gently, and when about three parts done, which will be in - / hour, take them out and let them cool. boil the vinegar with pepper and allspice, in the above proportion, for ten minutes, and when cold, pour it on the beets, which must be peeled and cut into slices about / inch thick. cover with bladder to exclude the air, and in a week they will be fit for use. _average cost_, s. per gallon. [illustration: black pepper.] black pepper.--this well-known aromatic spice is the fruit of a species of climbing vine, and is a native of the east indies, and is extensively cultivated in malabar and the eastern islands of borneo, sumatra, and java, and others in the same latitude. it was formerly confined to these countries, but it has now been introduced to cayenne. it is generally employed as a condiment; but it should never be forgotten, that, even in small quantities, it produces detrimental effects on inflammatory constitutions. dr. paris, in his work on diet, says, "foreign spices were not intended by nature for the inhabitants of temperate climes; they are heating, and highly stimulant. i am, however, not anxious to give more weight to this objection than it deserves. man is no longer the child of nature, nor the passive inhabitant of any particular region. he ranges over every part of the globe, and elicits nourishment from the productions of every climate. nature is very kind in favouring the growth of those productions which are most likely to answer our local wants. those climates, for instance, which engender endemic diseases, are, in general, congenial to the growth of plants that operate as antidotes to them. but if we go to the east for tea, there is no reason why we should not go to the west for sugar. the dyspeptic invalid, however, should be cautious in their use; they may afford temporary benefit, at the expense of permanent mischief. it has been well said, that the best quality of spices is to stimulate the appetite, and their worst to destroy, by insensible degrees, the tone of the stomach. the intrinsic goodness of meats should always be suspected when they require spicy seasonings to compensate for their natural want of sapidity." the quality of pepper is known by rubbing it between the hands: that which withstands this operation is good, that which is reduced to powder by it is bad. the quantity of pepper imported into europe is very great. benton sauce (to serve with hot or cold roast beef). . ingredients.-- tablespoonful of scraped horseradish, teaspoonful of made mustard, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, tablespoonfuls of vinegar. _mode_.--grate or scrape the horseradish very fine, and mix it with the other ingredients, which must be all well blended together; serve in a tureen. with cold meat, this sauce is a very good substitute for pickles. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. bread sauce (to serve with roast turkey, fowl, game, &c.). i. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, / of the crumb of a stale loaf, onion; pounded mace, cayenne, and salt to taste; oz. of butter. _mode_.--peel and quarter the onion, and simmer it in the milk till perfectly tender. break the bread, which should be stale, into small pieces, carefully picking out any hard outside pieces; put it in a very clean saucepan, strain the milk over it, cover it up, and let it remain for an hour to soak. now beat it up with a fork very smoothly, add a seasoning of pounded mace, cayenne, and salt, with oz. of butter; give the whole one boil, and serve. to enrich this sauce, a small quantity of cream may be added just before sending it to table. _time_.--altogether, - / hour. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ to serve with a turkey, pair of fowls, or brace of partridges. [illustration: mace.] mace.--this is the membrane which surrounds the shell of the nutmeg. its general qualities are the same as those of the nutmeg, producing an agreeable aromatic odour, with a hot and acrid taste. it is of an oleaginous nature, is yellowish in its hue, and is used largely as a condiment. in "beeton's dictionary" we find that the four largest of the banda islands produce , lbs. of it annually, which, with nutmegs, are their principal articles of export. ii. . ingredients.--giblets of poultry, / lb. of the crumb of a stale loaf, onion, whole peppers, blade of mace, salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of cream or melted butter, pint of water. _mode_.--put the giblets, with the head, neck, legs, &c., into a stewpan; add the onion, pepper, mace, salt, and rather more than pint of water. let this simmer for an hour, when strain the liquor over the bread, which should be previously grated or broken into small pieces. cover up the saucepan, and leave it for an hour by the side of the fire; then beat the sauce up with a fork until no lumps remain, and the whole is nice and smooth. let it boil for or minutes; keep stirring it until it is rather thick; when add tablespoonfuls of good melted butter or cream, and serve very hot. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. browning for gravies and sauces. . the browning for soups (_see_ no. ) answers equally well for sauces and gravies, when it is absolutely necessary to colour them in this manner; but where they can be made to look brown by using ketchup, wine, browned flour, tomatoes, or any colour sauce, it is far preferable. as, however, in cooking, so much depends on appearance, perhaps it would be as well for the inexperienced cook to use the artificial means (no. ). when no browning is at hand, and you wish to heighten the colour of your gravy, dissolve a lump of sugar in an iron spoon over a sharp fire; when it is in a liquid state, drop it into the sauce or gravy quite hot. care, however, must be taken not to put in too much, as it would impart a very disagreeable flavour. beurre noir, or browned butter (a french sauce). . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, tablespoonful of minced parsley, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--put the butter into a fryingpan over a nice clear fire, and when it smokes, throw in the parsley, and add the vinegar and seasoning. let the whole simmer for a minute or two, when it is ready to serve. this is a very good sauce for skate. _time_.-- / hour. clarified butter. . put the butter in a basin before the fire, and when it melts, stir it round once or twice, and let it settle. do not strain it unless absolutely necessary, as it causes so much waste. pour it gently off into a clean dry jar, carefully leaving all sediment behind. let it cool, and carefully exclude the air by means of a bladder, or piece of wash-leather, tied over. if the butter is salt, it may be washed before melting, when it is to be used for sweet dishes. melted butter. i. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, a dessertspoonful of flour, wineglassful of water, salt to taste. _mode_.--cut the butter up into small pieces, put it in a saucepan, dredge over the flour, and add the water and a seasoning of salt; stir it _one way_ constantly till the whole of the ingredients are melted and thoroughly blended. let it just boil, when it is ready to serve. if the butter is to be melted with cream, use the same quantity as of water, but omit the flour; keep stirring it, but do not allow it to boil. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. ii. _(more economical.)_ . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of flour, salt to taste, / pint of water. _mode_.--mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, which put into a saucepan. add the butter and a seasoning of salt, keep stirring _one way_ till all the ingredients are melted and perfectly smooth; let the whole boil for a minute or two, and serve. _time_.-- minutes to simmer. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. melted butter (the french sauce blanche). . ingredients.-- / lb. of fresh butter, tablespoonful of flour, salt to taste, / gill of water, / spoonful of white vinegar, a very little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--mix the flour and water to a smooth batter, carefully rubbing down with the back of a spoon any lumps that may appear. put it in a saucepan with all the other ingredients, and let it thicken on the fire, but do not allow it to boil, lest it should taste of the flour. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, d. for this quantity. [illustration: the nutmeg.] nutmeg.--this is a native of the moluccas, and was long kept from being spread in other places by the monopolizing spirit of the dutch, who endeavoured to keep it wholly to themselves by eradicating it from every other island. we find it stated in "beeton's dictionary of universal information," under the article "banda islands," that the four largest are appropriated to the cultivation of nutmegs, of which about , lbs. are annually produced. the plant, through the enterprise of the british, has now found its way into penang and bencooleu, where it flourishes and produces well. it has also been tried to be naturalized in the west indies, and it bears fruit all the year round. there are two kinds of nutmeg,--one wild, and long and oval-shaped, the other cultivated, and nearly round. the best is firm and hard, and has a strong aromatic odour, with a hot and acrid taste. it ought to be used with caution by those who are of paralytic or apoplectic habits. thickened butter. .--ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter, no. , the yolks of eggs, a little lemon-juice. _mode_.--make the butter quite hot, and be careful not to colour it. well whisk the yolks of the eggs, pour them to the butter, beating them all the while. make the sauce hot over the fire, but do not let it boil; add a squeeze of lemon-juice. melted butter made with milk. . ingredients.-- teaspoonful of flour, oz. butter, / pint of milk, a few grains of salt. _mode_.--mix the butter and flour smoothly together on a plate, put it into a lined saucepan, and pour in the milk. keep stirring it _one way_ over a sharp fire; let it boil quickly for a minute or two, and it is ready to serve. this is a very good foundation for onion, lobster, or oyster sauce: using milk instead of water makes it look so much whiter and more delicate. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. camp vinegar. . ingredients.-- head of garlic, / oz. cayenne, teaspoonfuls of soy, ditto walnut ketchup, pint of vinegar, cochineal to colour. _mode_.--slice the garlic, and put it, with all the above ingredients, into a clean bottle. let it stand to infuse for a month, when strain it off quite clear, and it will be fit for use. keep it in small bottles well sealed, to exclude the air. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. caper sauce for boiled mutton. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter (no. ), tablespoonfuls of capers or nasturtiums, tablespoonful of their liquor. _mode_.--chop the capers twice or thrice, and add them, with their liquor, to / pint of melted butter, made very smoothly; keep stirring well; let the sauce just simmer, and serve in a tureen. pickled nasturtium-pods are fine-flavoured, and by many are eaten in preference to capers. they make an excellent sauce. _time_.-- minutes to simmer. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ to serve with a leg of mutton. caper sauce for fish. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter no. , dessertspoonfuls of capers, dessertspoonful of their liquor, a small piece of glaze, if at hand (this may be dispensed with), / teaspoonful of salt, ditto of pepper, tablespoonful of anchovy essence. _mode_.--cut the capers across once or twice, but do not chop them fine; put them in a saucepan with / pint of good melted butter, and add all the other ingredients. keep stirring the whole until it just simmers, when it is ready to serve. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ to serve with a skate, or or slices of salmon. [illustration: the caper.] capers.--these are the unopened buds of a low trailing shrub, which grows wild among the crevices of the rocks of greece, as well as in northern africa: the plant, however, has come to be cultivated in the south of europe. after being pickled in vinegar and salt, they are imported from sicily, italy, and the south of france. the best are from toulon. a substitute for caper sauce. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter, no. , tablespoonfuls of cut parsley, / teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of vinegar. _mode_.--boil the parsley slowly to let it become a bad colour; cut, but do not chop it fine. add it to / pint of smoothly-made melted butter, with salt and vinegar in the above proportions. boil up and serve. _time_.-- minutes to simmer. average cost for this quantity, d. pickled capsicums. . ingredients.--vinegar, / oz. of pounded mace, and / oz. of grated nutmeg, to each quart; brine. _mode_.--gather the pods with the stalks on, before they turn red; slit them down the side with a small-pointed knife, and remove the seeds only; put them in a strong brine for days, changing it every morning; then take them out, lay them on a cloth, with another one over them, until they are perfectly free from moisture. boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, with mace and nutmeg in the above proportions; put the pods in a jar, pour over the vinegar when cold, and exclude them from the air by means of a wet bladder tied over. cayenne vinegar, or essence of cayenne. . ingredients.-- / oz. of cayenne pepper, / pint of strong spirit, or pint of vinegar. _mode_.--put the vinegar, or spirit, into a bottle, with the above proportion of cayenne, and let it steep for a month, when strain off and bottle for use. this is excellent seasoning for soups or sauces, but must be used very sparingly. celery sauce, for boiled turkey, poultry, &c. . ingredients.-- heads of celery, pint of white stock, no. , blades of mace, small bunch of savoury herbs; thickening of butter and flour, or arrowroot, / pint of cream, lemon-juice. _mode_.--boil the celery in salt and water, until tender, and cut it into pieces inches long. put the stock into a stewpan with the mace and herbs, and let it simmer for / hour to extract their flavour. then strain the liquor, add the celery and a thickening of butter kneaded with flour, or, what is still better, with arrowroot; just before serving, put in the cream, boil it up and squeeze in a little lemon-juice. if necessary, add a seasoning of salt and white pepper. _time_.-- minutes to boil the celery. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a boiled turkey. this sauce may be made brown by using gravy instead of white stock, and flavouring it with mushroom ketchup or harvey's sauce. [illustration: arrowroot.] arrowroot.--this nutritious fecula is obtained from the roots of a plant which is cultivated in both the east and west indies. when the roots are about a year old, they are dug up, and, after being well washed, are beaten to a pulp, which is afterwards, by means of water, separated from the fibrous part. after being passed through a sieve, once more washed, and then suffered to settle, the sediment is dried in the sun, when it has become arrowroot. the best is obtained from the west indies, but a large quantity of what is sold in london is adulterated with potato-starch. as a means of knowing arrowroot when it is good, it may be as well to state, that the genuine article, when formed into a jelly, will remain firm for three or four days, whilst the adulterated will become as thin as milk in the course of twelve hours. celery sauce (a more simple recipe). . ingredients.-- heads of celery, / pint of melted butter, made with milk (no. ), blade of pounded mace; salt and white pepper to taste. _mode_.--wash the celery, boil it in salt and water till tender, and cut it into pieces inches long; make / pint melted butter by recipe no. ; put in the celery, pounded mace, and seasoning; simmer for three minutes, when the sauce will be ready to serve. _time_.-- minutes to boil the celery. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a boiled fowl. celery vinegar. . ingredients.-- / oz. of celery-seed, pint of vinegar. _mode_.--crush the seed by pounding it in a mortar; boil the vinegar, and when cold, pour it to the seed; let it infuse for a fortnight, when strain and bottle off for use. this is frequently used in salads. chestnut sauce for fowls or turkey. . ingredients.-- / lb. of chestnuts, / pint of white stock, strips of lemon-peel, cayenne to taste, / pint of cream or milk. _mode_.--peel off the outside skin of the chestnuts, and put them into boiling water for a few minutes; take off the thin inside peel, and put them into a saucepan, with the white stock and lemon-peel, and let them simmer for - / hour, or until the chestnuts are quite tender. rub the whole through a hair-sieve with a wooden spoon; add seasoning and the cream; let it just simmer, but not boil, and keep stirring all the time. serve very hot; and quickly. if milk is used instead of cream, a very small quantity of thickening may be required: that, of course, the cook will determine. _time_.--altogether nearly two hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a turkey. brown chestnut sauce. . ingredients.-- / lb. of chestnuts, / pint of stock no. , lumps of sugar, tablespoonfuls of spanish sauce (_see_ sauces). _mode_.--prepare the chestnuts as in the foregoing recipe, by scalding and peeling them; put them in a stewpan with the stock and sugar, and simmer them till tender. when done, add spanish sauce in the above proportion, and rub the whole through a tammy. keep this sauce rather liquid, as it is liable to thicken. _time_.-- - / hour to simmer the chestnuts. _average cost_, d. bengal recipe for making mango chetney. . ingredients.-- - / lbs. of moist sugar, / lb. of salt, / lb. of garlic, / lb. of onions, / lb. of powdered ginger, / lb. of dried chilies, / lb. of mustard-seed, / lb. of stoned raisins, bottles of best vinegar, large unripe sour apples. _mode_.--the sugar must be made into syrup; the garlic, onions, and ginger be finely pounded in a mortar; the mustard-seed be washed in cold vinegar, and dried in the sun; the apples be peeled, cored, and sliced, and boiled in a bottle and a half of the vinegar. when all this is done, and the apples are quite cold, put them into a large pan, and gradually mix the whole of the rest of the ingredients, including the remaining half-bottle of vinegar. it must be well stirred until the whole is thoroughly blended, and then put into bottles for use. tie a piece of wet bladder over the mouths of the bottles, after they are well corked. this chetney is very superior to any which can be bought, and one trial will prove it to be delicious. _note_.--this recipe was given by a native to an english lady, who had long been a resident in india, and who, since her return to her native country, has become quite celebrated amongst her friends for the excellence of this eastern relish. [illustration: garlic.] garlic.--the smell of this plant is generally considered offensive, and it is the most acrimonious in its taste of the whole of the alliaceous tribe. in it was introduced to england from the shores of the mediterranean, where it is abundant, and in sicily it grows naturally. it was in greater repute with our ancestors than it is with ourselves, although it is still used as a seasoning herb. on the continent, especially in italy, it is much used, and the french consider it an essential in many made dishes. chili vinegar. . ingredients.-- fresh red english chilies, pint of vinegar. _mode_.--pound or cut the chilies in half, and infuse them in the vinegar for a fortnight, when it will be fit for use. this will be found an agreeable relish to fish, as many people cannot eat it without the addition of an acid and cayenne pepper. christopher north's sauce for meat or game. . ingredients.- glass of port wine, tablespoonfuls of harvey's sauce, dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, ditto of pounded white sugar, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, ditto of salt. _mode_.--mix all the ingredients thoroughly together, and heat the sauce gradually, by placing the vessel in which it is made in a saucepan of boiling water. do not allow it to boil, and serve directly it is ready. this sauce, if bottled immediately, will keep good for a fortnight, and will be found excellent. consomme, or white stock for many sauces. . consommé is made precisely in the same manner as stock no. , and, for ordinary purposes, will be found quite good enough. when, however, a stronger stock is desired, either put in half the quantity of water, or double that of the meat. this is a very good foundation for all white sauces. crab sauce for fish (equal to lobster sauce). . ingredients.-- crab; salt, pounded mace, and cayenne to taste; / pint of melted butter made with milk (_see_ no. ). _mode_.--choose a nice fresh crab, pick all the meat away from the shell, and cut it into small square pieces. make / pint of melted butter by recipe no. , put in the fish and seasoning; let it gradually warm through, and simmer for minutes. it should not boil. _average cost_, s. d. cream sauce for fish or white dishes. . ingredients.-- / pint of cream, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of flour, salt and cayenne to taste; when liked, a small quantity of pounded mace or lemon-juice. _mode_.--put the butter in a very clean saucepan, dredge in the flour, and keep shaking round till the butter is melted. add the seasoning and cream, and stir the whole till it boils; let it just simmer for minutes, when add either pounded mace or lemon-juice to taste, to give it a flavour. _time_.-- minutes to simmer. _average cost_ for this quantity, d. this sauce may be flavoured with very finely-shredded shalot. cucumber sauce. . ingredients.-- or cucumbers, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of brown gravy. _mode_.--peel the cucumbers, quarter them, and take out the seeds; cut them into small pieces; put them in a cloth, and rub them well, to take out the water which hangs about them. put the butter in a saucepan, add the cucumbers, and shake them over a sharp fire until they are of a good colour. then pour over it the gravy, mix this with the cucumbers, and simmer gently for minutes, when it will be ready to serve. _time_.--altogether, / hour. pickled cucumbers. . ingredients.-- oz. of whole pepper, oz. of bruised ginger; sufficient vinegar to cover the cucumbers. _mode_.--cut the cucumbers in thick slices, sprinkle salt over them, and let them remain for hours. the next day, drain them well for hours, put them into a jar, pour boiling vinegar over them, and keep them in a warm place. in a short time, boil up the vinegar again, add pepper and ginger in the above proportion, and instantly cover them up. tie them down with bladder, and in a few days they will be fit for use. [illustration: long pepper.] long pepper.--this is the produce of a different plant from that which produces the black, it consisting of the half-ripe flower-heads of what naturalists call _piper longum_ and _chaba_. it is the growth, however, of the same countries; indeed, all the spices are the produce of tropical climates only. originally, the most valuable of these were found in the spice islands, or moluccas, of the indian ocean, and were highly prized by the nations of antiquity. the romans indulged in them to a most extravagant degree. the long pepper is less aromatic than the black, but its oil is more pungent. cucumber sauce, white. . ingredients.-- or four cucumbers, / pint of white stock, no. , cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--cut the cucumbers into small pieces, after peeling them and taking out the seeds. put them in a stewpan with the white stock and seasoning; simmer gently till the cucumbers are tender, which will be in about / hour. then add the yolks of the eggs well beaten; stir them to the sauce, but do not allow it to boil, and serve very hot. _time_.--altogether, / hour. cucumber vinegar (a very nice addition to salads). . ingredients.-- large cucumbers, or smaller ones, quart of vinegar, onions, shalots, tablespoonful of salt, tablespoonfuls of pepper, / teaspoonful of cayenne. _mode_.--pare and slice the cucumbers, put them in a stone jar or wide-mouthed bottle, with the vinegar; slice the onions and shalots, and add them, with all the other ingredients, to the cucumbers. let it stand or days, boil it all up, and when cold, strain the liquor through a piece of muslin, and store it away in small bottles well sealed. this vinegar is a very nice addition to gravies, hashes, &e., as well as a great improvement to salads, or to eat with cold meat. german method of keeping cucumbers for winter use. . ingredients.--cucumbers, salt. _mode_.--pare and slice the cucumbers (as for the table), sprinkle well with salt, and let them remain for hours; strain off the liquor, pack in jars, a thick layer of cucumbers and salt alternately; tie down closely, and, when wanted for use, take out the quantity required. now wash them well in fresh water, and dress as usual with pepper, vinegar, and oil. [illustration: the cucumber.] the cucumber.--though the melon is far superior in point of flavour to this fruit, yet it is allied to the cucumber, which is known to naturalists as _cucumia sativus_. the modern egyptians, as did their forefathers, still eat it, and others of its class. cucumbers were observed, too, by bishop heber, beyond the ganges, in india; and burckhardt noticed them in palestine. (see no. .) an excellent way of preserving cucumbers. . ingredients.--salt and water; lb. of lump sugar, the rind of lemon, oz. of ginger, cucumbers. _mode_.--choose the greenest cucumbers, and those that are most free from seeds; put them in strong salt and water, with a cabbage-leaf to keep them down; tie a paper over them, and put them in a warm place till they are yellow; then wash them and set them over the fire in fresh water, with a very little salt, and another cabbage-leaf over them; cover very closely, but take care they do not boil. if they are not a fine green, change the water again, cover them as before, and make them hot. when they are a good colour, take them off the fire and let them cool; cut them in quarters, take out the seeds and pulp, and put them into cold water. let them remain for days, changing the water twice each day, to draw out the salt. put the sugar, with / pint of water, in a saucepan over the fire; remove the scum as it rises, and add the lemon-peel and ginger with the outside scraped off; when the syrup is tolerably thick, take it off the fire, and when _cold_, wipe the cucumbers _dry_, and put them in. boil the syrup once in or days for weeks; strengthen it if required, and let it be quite cold before the cucumbers are put in. great attention must be paid to the directions in the commencement of this recipe, as, if these are not properly carried out, the result will be far from satisfactory. _seasonable_.--this recipe should be used in june, july, or august. [illustration: salt-mine at northwich.] common salt.--by this we mean salt used for cooking purposes, which is found in great abundance both on land and in the waters of the ocean. sea or salt water, as it is often called, contains, it has been discovered, about three per cent, of salt on an average. solid rocks of salt are also found in various parts of the world, and the county of chester contains many of these mines, and it is from there that much of our salt comes. some springs are so highly impregnated with salt, as to have received the name of "brine" springs, and are supposed to have become so by passing through the salt rocks below ground, and thus dissolving a portion of this mineral substance. we here give an engraving of a salt-mine at northwich, cheshire, where both salt-mines and brine-springs are exceedingly productive, and are believed to have been wrought so far back as during the occupation of britain by the romans. custard sauce for sweet puddings or tarts. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, eggs, oz. of pounded sugar, tablespoonful of brandy. _mode_.--put the milk in a very clean saucepan, and let it boil. beat the eggs, stir to them the milk and pounded sugar, and put the mixture into a jug. place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water; keep stirring well until it thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. serve the sauce in a tureen, stir in the brandy, and grate a little nutmeg over the top. this sauce may be made very much nicer by using cream instead of milk; but the above recipe will be found quite good enough for ordinary purposes. _average cost_, d. per pint. _sufficient_, this quantity, for fruit tarts, or pudding. dutch sauce for fish. . ingredients.-- / teaspoonful of flour, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, the yolks of eggs, the juice of / lemon; salt to taste. _mode_.--put all the ingredients, except the lemon-juice, into a stew-pan; set it over the fire, and keep continually stirring. when it is sufficiently thick, take it off, as it should not boil. if, however, it happens to curdle, strain the sauce through a tammy, add the lemon-juice, and serve. tarragon vinegar may be used instead of plain, and, by many, is considered far preferable. _average cost_, d. note.--this sauce may be poured hot over salad, and left to get quite cold, when it should be thick, smooth, and somewhat stiff. excellent salads may be made of hard eggs, or the remains of salt fish flaked nicely from the bone, by pouring over a little of the above mixture when hot, and allowing it to cool. [illustration: the lemon.] the lemon.--this fruit is a native of asia, and is mentioned by virgil as an antidote to poison. it is hardier than the orange, and, as one of the citron tribe, was brought into europe by the arabians. the lemon was first cultivated in england in the beginning of the th century, and is now often to be found in our green-houses. the kind commonly sold, however, is imported from portugal, spain, and the azores. some also come from st. helena; but those from spain are esteemed the best. its juice is now an essential for culinary purposes; but as an antiscorbutic its value is still greater. this juice, which is called _citric acid_, may be preserved in bottles for a considerable time, by covering it with a thin stratum of oil. _shrub_ is made from it with rum and sugar. green dutch sauce, or hollandaise verte. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of béchamel, no. , seasoning to taste of salt and cayenne, a little parsley-green to colour, the juice of / a lemon. _mode_.--put the béchamel into a saucepan with the seasoning, and bring it to a boil. make a green colouring by pounding some parsley in a mortar, and squeezing all the juice from it. let this just simmer, when add it to the sauce. a moment before serving, put in the lemon-juice, but not before; for otherwise the sauce would turn yellow, and its appearance be thus spoiled. _average cost_, d. bÉchamel sauce--this sauce takes its name from a monsieur béchamel, a rich french financier, who, according to borne authorities, invented it; whilst others affirm he only patronized it. be this as it may, it is one of the most pleasant sauces which come to table, and should be most carefully and intelligently prepared. it is frequently used, as in the above recipe, as a principal ingredient and basis for other sauces. to pickle eggs. . ingredients.-- eggs, quart of vinegar, / oz. of black pepper, / oz. of jamaica pepper, / oz. of ginger. _mode_.--boil the eggs for minutes, then dip them into cold water, and take off the shells. put the vinegar, with the pepper and ginger, into a stewpan, and let it simmer for minutes. now place the eggs in a jar, pour over them the vinegar, &c., boiling hot, and, when cold, tie them down with bladder to exclude the air. this pickle will be ready for use in a month. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_.--this should be made about easter, as at this time eggs are plentiful and cheap. a store of pickled eggs will be found very useful and ornamental in serving with many first and second course dishes. [illustration: ginger.] the ginger-plant, known to naturalists as _zingiber officinale_, is a native, of the east and west indies. it grows somewhat like the lily of the valley, but its height is about three feet. in jamaica it flowers about august or september, fading about the end of the year. the fleshy creeping roots, which form the ginger of commerce, are in a proper state to be dug when the stalks are entirely withered. this operation is usually performed in january and february; and when the roots are taken out of the earth, each one is picked, scraped, separately washed, and afterwards very carefully dried. ginger is generally considered as less pungent and heating to the system than might he expected from its effects on the organs of taste, and it is frequently used, with considerable effect, as an anti-spasmodic and carminative. egg balls for soups and made dishes. . ingredients.-- eggs, a little flour; seasoning to taste of salt. _mode_.--boil eggs for minutes, strip off the shells, take the yolks and pound them in a mortar. beat the yolks of the other eggs; add them, with a little flour and salt, to those pounded; mix all well together, and roll into balls. boil them before they are put into the soup or other dish they may be intended for. _time_.-- minutes to boil the eggs. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_, dozen balls for tureen of soup. egg sauce for salt fish. . ingredients.-- eggs, / pint of melted butter, no. ; when liked, a very little lemon-juice. _mode_.--boil the eggs until quite hard, which will be in about minutes, and put them into cold water for / hour. strip off the shells, chop the eggs into small pieces, not, however, too fine. make the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe no. , and, when boiling, stir in the eggs, and serve very hot. lemon-juice may be added at pleasure. _time_.-- minutes to boil the eggs. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_.--this quantity for or lbs. of fish. _note_.--when a thicker sauce is required, use one or two more eggs to the same quantity of melted butter. epicurean sauce for steaks, chops, gravies, or fish. . ingredients.-- / pint of walnut ketchup, / pint of mushroom ditto, tablespoonfuls of indian soy, tablespoonfuls of port wine; / oz. of white pepper, oz. of shalots, / oz. of cayenne, / oz. of cloves, / pint of vinegar. _mode_.--put the whole of the ingredients into a bottle, and let it remain for a fortnight in a warm place, occasionally shaking up the contents. strain, and bottle off for use. this sauce will be found an agreeable addition to gravies, hashes, stews, &c. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. [illustration: shalot.] shalot, or eschalot.--this plant is supposed to have been introduced to england by the crusaders, who found it growing wild in the vicinity of ascalon. it is a bulbous root, and when full grown, its leaves wither in july. they ought to be taken up in the autumn, and when dried in the house, will keep till spring. it is called by old authors the "barren onion," and is used in sauces and pickles, soups and made dishes, and as an accompaniment to chops and steaks. espagnole, or brown spanish sauce. . ingredients.-- slices of lean ham, lb. of veal, - / pint of white stock, no. ; or sprigs of parsley, / a bay-leaf, or sprigs of savoury herbs, green onions, shalots, cloves, blade of mace, glasses of sherry or madeira, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, and put them into a stewpan. moisten these with / pint of the stock no. , and simmer till the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a nicely-coloured glaze, when put in a few more spoonfuls to detach it. add the remainder of the stock, with the spices, herbs, shalots, and onions, and simmer very gently for hour. strain and skim off every particle of fat, and when required for use, thicken with butter and flour, or with a little roux. add the wine, and, if necessary, a seasoning of cayenne; when it will be ready to serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. per pint. _note_.--the wine in this sauce may be omitted, and an onion sliced and fried of a nice brown substituted for it. this sauce or gravy is used for many dishes, and with most people is a general favourite. fennel sauce for mackerel. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter, no. , rather more than tablespoonful of chopped fennel. _mode_.--make the melted butter very smoothly, by recipe no. ; chop the fennel rather small, carefully cleansing it from any grit or dirt, and put it to the butter when this is on the point of boiling. simmer for a minute or two, and serve in a tureen. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to serve with or mackerel. [illustration: fennel.] fennel.--this elegantly-growing plant, of which the latin name is _anethum foeniculum_, grows best in chalky soils, where, indeed, it is often found wild. it is very generally cultivated in gardens, and has much improved on its original form. various dishes are frequently ornamented and garnished with its graceful leaves, and these are sometimes boiled in soups, although it is more usually confined, in english cookery, to the mackerel sauce as here given. fish sauce. . ingredients.-- - / oz. of cayenne, tablespoonfuls of walnut ketchup, tablespoonfuls of soy, a few shreds of garlic and shalot, quart of vinegar. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a large bottle, and shake well every day for a fortnight. keep it in small bottles well sealed, and in a few days it will be fit for use. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. forcemeat balls for fish soups. . ingredients.-- middling-sized lobster, / an anchovy, head of boiled celery, the yolk of a hard-boiled egg; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste; tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, oz. of butter, eggs. _mode_.--pick the meat from the shell of the lobster, and pound it, with the soft parts, in a mortar; add the celery, the yolk of the hard-boiled egg, seasoning, and bread crumbs. continue pounding till the whole is nicely amalgamated. warm the butter till it is in a liquid state; well whisk the eggs, and work these up with the pounded lobster-meat. make into balls of about an inch in diameter, and fry of a nice pale brown. _sufficient_, from to balls for tureen of soup. forcemeat for cold savoury pies. . ingredients.-- lb. of veal, lb. of fat bacon; salt, cayenne, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; a very little nutmeg, the same of chopped lemon-peel, / teaspoonful of chopped parsley, / teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, or eggs. _mode_.--chop the veal and bacon together, and put them in a mortar with the other ingredients mentioned above. pound well, and bind with or eggs which have been previously beaten and strained. work the whole well together, and the forcemeat will be ready for use. if the pie is not to be eaten immediately, omit the herbs and parsley, as these would prevent it from keeping. mushrooms or truffles may be added. _sufficient_ for small pies. [illustration: marjoram.] marjoram.--although there are several species of marjoram, that which is known as the sweet or knotted marjoram, is the one usually preferred in cookery. it is a native of portugal, and when its leaves are used as a seasoning herb, they have an agreeable aromatic flavour. the winter sweet marjoram used for the same purposes, is a native of greece, and the pot-marjoram is another variety brought from sicily. all of them are favourite ingredients in soups, stuffings, &c. forcemeat for pike, carp, haddock, and various kinds of fish. . ingredients.-- oz. of fresh butter, oz. of suet, oz. of fat bacon, small teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, including parsley; a little onion, when liked, shredded very fine; salt, nutmeg, and cayenne to taste; oz. of bread crumbs, egg. _mode_.--mix all the ingredients well together, carefully mincing them very finely; beat up the egg, moisten with it, and work the whole very smoothly together. oysters or anchovies may be added to this forcemeat, and will be found a great improvement. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized haddock or pike. forcemeat for veal, turkeys, fowls, hare, &c. . ingredients.-- oz. of ham or lean bacon, / lb. of suet, the rind of half a lemon, teaspoonful of minced parsley, teaspoonful of minced sweet herbs; salt, cayenne, and pounded mace to taste; oz. of bread crumbs, eggs. _mode_.--shred the ham or bacon, chop the suet, lemon-peel, and herbs, taking particular care that all be very finely minced; add a seasoning to taste, of salt, cayenne, and mace, and blend all thoroughly together with the bread crumbs, before wetting. now beat and strain the eggs, work these up with the other ingredients, and the forcemeat will be ready for use. when it is made into balls, fry of a nice brown, in boiling lard, or put them on a tin and bake for / hour in a moderate oven. as we have stated before, no one flavour should predominate greatly, and the forcemeat should be of sufficient body to cut with a knife, and yet not dry and heavy. for very delicate forcemeat, it is advisable to pound the ingredients together before binding with the egg; but for ordinary cooking, mincing very finely answers the purpose. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a turkey, a moderate-sized fillet of veal, or a hare. _note_.--in forcemeat for hare, the liver of the animal is sometimes added. boil for minutes, mince it very small, and mix it with the other ingredients. if it should be in an unsound state, it must be on no account made use of. [illustration: basil.] sweet herbs.--those most usually employed for purposes of cooking, such as the flavouring of soups, sauces, forcemeats, &c., are thyme, sage, mint, marjoram, savory, and basil. other sweet herbs are cultivated for purposes of medicine and perfumery: they are most grateful both to the organs of taste and smelling; and to the aroma derived from them is due, in a great measure, the sweet and exhilarating fragrance of our "flowery meads." in town, sweet herbs have to be procured at the greengrocers' or herbalists', whilst, in the country, the garden should furnish all that are wanted, the cook taking great care to have some dried in the autumn for her use throughout the winter months. forcemeat for baked pike. . ingredients.-- oz. of bread crumbs, teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, oysters, anchovies (these may be dispensed with), oz. of suet; salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste; tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--beard and mince the oysters, prepare and mix the other ingredients by recipe no. , and blend the whole thoroughly together. moisten with the cream and eggs, put all into a stewpan, and stir it over the fire till it thickens, when put it into the fish, which should have previously been cut open, and sew it up. _time_.-- or minutes to thicken. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized pike. french forcemeat. . it will be well to state, in the beginning of this recipe, that french forcemeat, or quenelles, consist of the blending of three separate processes; namely, panada, udder, and whatever meat you intend using. panada. . ingredients.--the crumb of penny rolls, tablespoonfuls of white stock, no. , oz. of butter, slice of ham, bay-leaf, a little minced parsley, shalots, clove, blades of mace, a few mushrooms (when obtainable), butter, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--soak the crumb of the rolls in milk for about / hour, then take it out, and squeeze so as to press the milk from it; put the soaked bread into a stewpan with the above quantity of white stock, and set it on one side; then put into a separate stewpan oz. of butter, a slice of lean ham cut small, with a bay-leaf, herbs, mushrooms, spices, &c., in the above proportions, and fry them gently over a slow fire. when done, moisten with teacupfuls of white stock, boil for minutes, and strain the whole through a sieve over the panada in the other stewpan. place it over the fire, keep constantly stirring, to prevent its burning, and when quite dry, put in a small piece of butter. let this again dry up by stirring over the fire; then add the yolks of eggs, mix well, put the panada to cool on a clean plate, and use it when required. panada should always be well flavoured, as the forcemeat receives no taste from any of the other ingredients used in its preparation. boiled calf's udder for french forcemeats. . put the udder into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover it; let it stew gently till quite done, when take it out to cool. trim all the upper parts, cut it into small pieces, and pound well in a mortar, till it can be rubbed through a sieve. that portion which passes through the strainer is one of the three ingredients of which french forcemeats are generally composed; but many cooks substitute butter for this, being a less troublesome and more expeditious mode of preparation. [illustration: pestle and mortar.] pestle and mortar.--no cookery can be perfectly performed without the aid of the useful instruments shown in the engraving. for pounding things sufficiently fine, they are invaluable, and the use of them will save a good deal of time, besides increasing the excellence of the preparations. they are made of iron, and, in that material, can be bought cheap; but as these are not available, for all purposes, we should recommend, as more economical in the end, those made of wedgwood, although these are considerably more expensive than the former. veal quenelles. . ingredients.--equal quantities of veal, panada (no. ), and calf's udder (no. ), eggs; seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and pounded mace, or grated nutmeg; a little flour. _mode_.--take the fleshy part of veal, scrape it with a knife, till all the meat is separated from the sinews, and allow about / lb. for an entrée. chop the meat, and pound it in a mortar till reduced to a paste; then roll it into a ball; make another of panada (no. ), the same size, and another of udder (no. ), taking care that these three balls be of the same _size_. it is to be remembered, that equality of _size_, and not of weight, is here necessary. when the three ingredients are properly prepared, pound them altogether in a mortar for some time; for the more quenelles are pounded, the more delicate they are. now moisten with the eggs, whites and yolks, and continue pounding, adding a seasoning of pepper, spices, &c. when the whole is well blended together, mould it into balls, or whatever shape is intended, roll them in flour, and poach in boiling water, to which a little salt should have been added. if the quenelles are not firm enough, add the yolk of another egg, but omit the white, which only makes them hollow and puffy inside. in the preparation of this recipe, it would be well to bear in mind that the ingredients are to be well pounded and seasoned, and must be made hard or soft according to the dishes they are intended for. for brown or white ragoûts they should be firm, and when the quenelles are used very small, extreme delicacy will be necessary in their preparation. their flavour may be varied by using the flesh of rabbit, fowl, hare, pheasant, grouse, or an extra quantity of mushroom, parsley, &c. _time_,--about / hour to poach in boiling water. _sufficient_, / lb. of veal or other meat, with other ingredients in proportion, for entrée. _note_.--the french are noted for their skill in making forcemeats; one of the principal causes of their superiority in this respect being, that they pound all the ingredients so diligently and thoroughly. any one with the slightest pretensions to refined cookery, must, in this particular, implicitly follow the example of our friends across the channel. forcemeat, or quenelles, for turtle soup. (_see no_. .) . soyer's recipe for forcemeats.--take a pound and a half of lean veal from the fillet, and cut it in long thin slices; scrape with a knife till nothing but the fibre remains; put it in a mortar, pound it minutes, or until in a purée; pass it through a wire sieve (use the remainder in stock); then take pound of good fresh beef suet, which skin, shred, and chop very fine; put it in a mortar and pound it; then add oz. of panada (that is, bread soaked in milk and boiled till nearly dry) with the suet; pound them well together, and add the veal; season with a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter one of pepper, half that of nutmeg; work all well together; then add four eggs by degrees, continually pounding the contents of the mortar. when well mixed, take a small piece in a spoon, and poach it in some boiling water; and if it is delicate, firm, and of a good flavour, it is ready for use. fried bread crumbs. . cut the bread into thin slices, place them in a cool oven overnight, and when thoroughly dry and crisp, roll them down into fine crumbs. put some lard, or clarified dripping, into a frying-pan; bring it to the boiling-point, throw in the crumbs, and fry them very quickly. directly they are done, lift them out with a slice, and drain them before the fire from all greasy moisture. when quite crisp, they are ready for use. the fat they are fried in should be clear, and the crumbs should not have the slightest appearance or taste of having been, in the least degree, burnt. fried sippets of bread (for garnishing many dishes). . cut the bread into thin slices, and stamp them out in whatever shape you like,--rings, crosses, diamonds, &c. &c. fry them in the same manner as the bread crumbs, in clear boiling lard, or clarified dripping, and drain them until thoroughly crisp before the fire. when variety is desired, fry some of a pale colour, and others of a darker hue. fried bread for borders. . proceed as above, by frying some slices of bread cut in any fanciful shape. when quite crisp, dip one side of the sippet into the beaten white of an egg mixed with a little flour, and place it on the edge of the dish. continue in this manner till the border is completed, arranging the sippets a pale and a dark one alternately. genevese sauce for salmon, trout, &c. . ingredients.-- small carrot, a small faggot of sweet herbs, including parsley, onion, or mushrooms (when obtainable), bay-leaf, cloves, blade of mace, oz. of butter, glass of sherry, - / pint of white stock, no. , thickening of butter and flour, the juice of half a lemon. _mode_.--cut up the onion and carrot into small rings, and put them into a stewpan with the herbs, mushrooms, bay-leaf, cloves, and mace; add the butter, and simmer the whole very gently over a slow fire until the onion is quite tender. pour in the stock and sherry, and stew slowly for hour, when strain it off into a clean saucepan. now make a thickening of butter and flour, put it to the sauce, stir it over the fire until perfectly smooth and mellow, add the lemon-juice, give one boil, when it will be ready for table. _time_.--altogether hours. _average cost_, s. d per pint. _sufficient_, half this quantity for two slices of salmon. [illustration: sage.] sage.--this was originally a native of the south of europe, but it has long been cultivated in the english garden. there are several kinds of it, known as the green, the red, the small-leaved, and the broad-leaved balsamic. in cookery, its principal use is for stuffings and sauces, for which purpose the red is the most agreeable, and the green the next. the others are used for medical purposes. pickled gherkins. . ingredients.--salt and water, oz. of bruised ginger, / oz. of whole black pepper, / oz. of whole allspice, cloves, blades of mace, a little horseradish. this proportion of pepper, spices, &c., for quart of vinegar. _mode_.--let the gherkins remain in salt and water for or days, when take them out, wipe perfectly dry, and put them into a stone jar. boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, with spices and pepper, &c., in the above proportion, for minutes; pour it, quite boiling, over the gherkins, cover the jar with vine-leaves, and put over them a plate, setting them near the fire, where they must remain all night. next day drain off the vinegar, boil it up again, and pour it hot over them. cover up with fresh leaves, and let the whole remain till quite cold. now tie down closely with bladder to exclude the air, and in a month or two, they will be fit for use. _time_.-- days. _seasonable_ from the middle of july to the end of august. [illustration: gherkins.] gherkins.--gherkins are young cucumbers; and the only way in which they are used for cooking purposes is pickling them, as by the recipe here given. not having arrived at maturity, they have not, of course, so strongly a developed flavour as cucumbers, and, as a pickle, they are very general favourites. gooseberry sauce for boiled mackerel. . ingredients.-- pint of green gooseberries, tablespoonfuls of béchamel, no. (veal gravy may be substituted for this), oz. of fresh butter; seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. _mode_.--boil the gooseberries in water until quite tender; strain them, and rub them through a sieve. put into a saucepan the béchamel or gravy, with the butter and seasoning; add the pulp from the gooseberries, mix all well together, and heat gradually through. a little pounded sugar added to this sauce is by many persons considered an improvement, as the saccharine matter takes off the extreme acidity of the unripe fruit. _time_.--boil the gooseberries from minutes to / hour. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a large dish of mackerel. _seasonable_ from may to july. [illustration: the gooseberry.] the gooseberry.--this useful and wholesome fruit (_ribes grossularia_) is thought to be indigenous to the british isles, and may be occasionally found in a wild state in some of the eastern counties, although, when uncultivated, it is but a very small and inferior berry. the high state of perfection to which it has been here brought, is due to the skill of the english gardeners; for in no other country does it attain the same size and flavour. the humidity of the british climate, however, has doubtless something to do with the result; and it is said that gooseberries produced in scotland as far north as inverness, are of a very superior character. malic and citric acid blended with sugar, produce the pleasant flavour of the gooseberry; and upon the proper development of these properties depends the success of all cooking operations with which they are connected. glaze for covering cold hams, tongues, &c. . ingredients.--stock no. or , doubling the quantity of meat in each. _mode_.--we may remark at the outset, that unless glaze is wanted in very large quantities, it is seldom made expressly. either of the stocks mentioned above, boiled down and reduced very considerably, will be found to produce a very good glaze. put the stock into a stewpan, over a nice clear fire; let it boil till it becomes somewhat stiff, when keep stirring, to prevent its burning. the moment it is sufficiently reduced, and comes to a glaze, turn it out into the glaze-pot, of which we have here given an engraving. as, however, this is not to be found in every establishment, a white earthenware jar would answer the purpose; and this may be placed in a vessel of boiling water, to melt the glaze when required. it should never be warmed in a saucepan, except on the principle of the bain marie, lest it should reduce too much, and become black and bitter. if the glaze is wanted of a pale colour, more veal than beef should be used in making the stock; and it is as well to omit turnips and celery, as these impart a disagreeable bitter flavour. to glaze cold joints, &c.--melt the glaze by placing the vessel which contains it, into the bain marie or saucepan of boiling water; brush it over the meat with a paste-brush, and if in places it is not quite covered, repeat the operation. the glaze should not be too dark a colour. (_see_ coloured cut of glazed ham, p.) [illustration: glaze-kettle.] [illustration: the bain marie.] glaze-kettle.--this is a kettle used for keeping the strong stock boiled down to a jelly, which is known by the name of glaze. it is composed of two tin vessels, as shown in the cut, one of which, the upper,--containing the glaze, is inserted into one of larger diameter and containing boiling water. a brush is put in the small hole at the top of the lid, and is employed for putting the glaze on anything that may require it. the bain marie.--so long ago as the time when emperors ruled in rome, and the yellow tiber passed through a populous and wealthy city, this utensil was extensively employed; and it is frequently mentioned by that profound culinary chemist of the ancients, apicius. it is an open kind of vessel (as shown in the engraving and explained in our paragraph no. , on the french terms used in modern cookery), filled with boiling or nearly boiling water; and into this water should be put all the stewpans containing those ingredients which it is desired to keep hot. the quantity and quality of the contents of these vessels are not at all affected; and if the hour of dinner is uncertain in any establishment, by reason of the nature of the master's business, nothing is so certain a means of preserving the flavour of all dishes as the employment of the bain marie. green sauce for green geese or ducklings. . ingredients.-- / pint of sorrel-juice, glass of sherry, / pint of green gooseberries, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, oz. of fresh butter. _mode_.--boil the gooseberries in water until they are quite tender; mash them and press them through a sieve; put the pulp into a saucepan with the above ingredients; simmer for or minutes, and serve very hot. _time_.-- or minutes. _note_.--we have given this recipe as a sauce for green geese, thinking that some of our readers might sometimes require it; but, at the generality of fashionable tables, it is now seldom or never served. [illustration: sorrel.] sorrel.--we gather from the pages of pliny and apicius, that sorrel was cultivated by the romans in order to give it more strength and flavour, and that they also partook of it sometimes stewed with mustard, being seasoned with a little oil and vinegar. at the present day, english cookery is not much indebted to this plant (_rumex acetosa_), although the french make use of it to a considerable extent. it is found in most parts of great britain, and also on the continent, growing wild in the grass meadows, and, in a few gardens, it is cultivated. the acid of sorrel is very _prononcé_, and is what chemists term a binoxalate of potash; that is, a combination of oxalic acid with potash. general stock for gravies. . either of the stocks, nos. , , or , will be found to answer very well for the basis of many gravies, unless these are wanted very rich indeed. by the addition of various store sauces, thickening and flavouring, the stocks here referred to may be converted into very good gravies. it should be borne in mind, however, that the goodness and strength of spices, wines, flavourings, &c., evaporate, and that they lose a great deal of their fragrance, if added to the gravy a long time before they are wanted. if this point is attended to, a saving of one half the quantity of these ingredients will be effected, as, with long boiling, the flavour almost entirely passes away. the shank-bones of mutton, previously well soaked, will be found a great assistance in enriching gravies; a kidney or melt, beef skirt, trimmings of meat, &c. &c., answer very well when only a small quantity is wanted, and, as we have before observed, a good gravy need not necessarily be so very expensive; for economically-prepared dishes are oftentimes found as savoury and wholesome as dearer ones. the cook should also remember that the fragrance of gravies should not be overpowered by too much spice, or any strong essences, and that they should always be warmed in a _bain marie_, after they are flavoured, or else in a jar or jug placed in a saucepan full of boiling water. the remains of roast-meat gravy should always be saved; as, when no meat is at hand, a very nice gravy in haste may be made from it, and when added to hashes, ragoûts, &c., is a great improvement. [illustration: gravy-kettle.] gravy-kettle.--this is a utensil which will not be found in every kitchen; but it is a useful one where it is necessary to keep gravies hot for the purpose of pouring over various dishes as they are cooking. it is made of copper, and should, consequently, be heated over the hot plate, if there be one, or a charcoal stove. the price at which it can be purchased is set down by messrs. slack at s. gravy for roast meat. . ingredients.--gravy, salt. _mode_.--put a common dish with a small quantity of salt in it under the meat, about a quarter of an hour before it is removed from the fire. when the dish is full, take it away, baste the meat, and pour the gravy into the dish on which the joint is to be served. sauces and gravies in the middle ages.--neither poultry, butcher's meat, nor roast game were eaten dry in the middle ages, any more than fried fish is now. different sauces, each having its own peculiar flavour, were served with all these dishes, and even with the various _parts_ of each animal. strange and grotesque sauces, as, for example, "eggs cooked on the spit," "butter fried and roasted," were invented by the cooks of those days; but these preparations had hardly any other merit than that of being surprising and difficult to make. a quickly-made gravy. . ingredients.-- / lb. of shin of beef, / onion, / carrot, or sprigs of parsley and savoury herbs, a piece of butter about the size of a walnut; cayenne and mace to taste, / pint of water. _mode_.--cut up the meat into very small pieces, slice the onion and carrot, and put them into a small saucepan with the butter. keep stirring over a sharp fire until they have taken a little colour, when add the water and the remaining ingredients. simmer for / hour, skim well, strain, and flavour, when it will be ready for use. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. a hundred different dishes.--modern housewives know pretty well how much care, and attention, and foresight are necessary in order to serve well a little dinner for six or eight persons,--a dinner which will give credit to the _ménage_, and satisfaction and pleasure to the guests. a quickly-made gravy, under some circumstances that we have known occur, will be useful to many housekeepers when they have not much time for preparation. but, talking of speed, and time, and preparation, what a combination of all these must have been necessary for the feast at the wedding of charles vi. of france. on that occasion, as froissart the chronicler tells us, the art of cooking, with its innumerable paraphernalia of sauces, with gravy, pepper, cinnamon, garlic, scallion, brains, gravy soups, milk _potage_, and ragoûts, had a signal triumph. the skilful _chef-de-cuisine_ of the royal household covered the great marble table of the regal palace with no less than a hundred different dishes, prepared in a hundred different ways. a good beef gravy for poultry, game, &c. . ingredients.-- / lb. of lean beef, / pint of cold water, shalot or small onion, / a teaspoonful of salt, a little pepper, tablespoonful of harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup, / a teaspoonful of arrowroot. _mode_.--cut up the beef into small pieces, and put it, with the water, into a stewpan. add the shalot and seasoning, and simmer gently for hours, taking care that it does not boil fast. a short time before it is required, take the arrowroot, and having mixed it with a little cold water, pour it into the gravy, which keep stirring, adding the harvey's sauce, and just letting it boil. strain off the gravy in a tureen, and serve very hot. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per pint. brown gravy. . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, large onions, lbs. of shin of beef, small slices of lean bacon (if at hand), salt and whole pepper to taste, cloves, quarts of water. for thickening, oz. of butter, oz. of flour. _mode_.--put the butter into a stewpan; set this on the fire, throw in the onions cut in rings, and fry them a light brown; then add the beef and bacon, which should be cut into small square pieces; season, and pour in a teacupful of water; let it boil for about ten minutes, or until it is of a nice brown colour, occasionally stirring the contents. now fill up with water in the above proportion; let it boil up, when draw it to the side of the fire to simmer very gently for - / hour; strain, and when cold, take off all the fat. in thickening this gravy, melt oz. of butter in a stewpan, add oz. of flour, and stir till of a light-brown colour; when cold, add it to the strained gravy, and boil it up quickly. this thickening may be made in larger quantities, and kept in a stone jar for use when wanted. _time_.--altogether, hours. _average cost_, d. per pint. cloves.--this very agreeable spice is the unexpanded flower-buds of the _caryophyllus aromaticus_, a handsome, branching tree, a native of the malacca islands. they take their name from the latin word _clavus_, or the french _clou_, both meaning a nail, and to which the clove has a considerable resemblance. cloves were but little known to the ancients, and pliny appears to be the only writer who mentions them; and he says, vaguely enough, that some were brought to rome, very similar to grains of pepper, but somewhat longer; that they were only to be found in india, in a wood consecrated to the gods; and that they served in the manufacture of perfumes. the dutch, as in the case of the nutmeg (_see_ ), endeavoured, when they gained possession of the spice islands, to secure a monopoly of cloves, and, so that the cultivation of the tree might be confined to amboyna, their chief island, bribed the surrounding chiefs to cut down all trees found elsewhere. the amboyna, or royal clove, is said to be the best, and is rare; but other kinds, nearly equally good, are produced in other parts of the world, and they come to europe from mauritius, bourbon, cayenne, and martinique, as also from st. kitts, st. vincent's, and trinidad. the clove contains about per cent. of volatile aromatic oil, to which it owes its peculiar pungent flavour, its other parts being composed of woody fibre, water, gum, and resin. brown gravy without meat. . ingredients.-- large onions, large carrot, oz. of butter, pints of boiling water, bunch of savoury herbs, a wineglassful of good beer; salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--slice, flour, and fry the onions and carrots in the butter until of a nice light-brown colour; then add the boiling water and the remaining ingredients; let the whole stew gently for about an hour; then strain, and when cold, skim off all the fat. thicken it in the same manner as recipe no. , and, if thought necessary, add a few drops of colouring no. . _time_.-- hour. average cost, d. per pint. _note_.--the addition of a small quantity of mushroom ketchup or harvey's sauce very much improves the flavour of this gravy. rich gravy for hashes, ragouts, &c. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, large onion or a few shalots, a little flour, a bunch of savoury herbs, blades of mace, or cloves, whole allspice, / teaspoonful of whole pepper, slice of lean ham or bacon, / a head of celery (when at hand), pints of boiling water; salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--cut the beef into thin slices, as also the onions, dredge them with flour, and fry of a pale brown, but do not allow them to get black; pour in the boiling water, let it boil up; and skim. add the remaining ingredients, and simmer the whole very gently for hours, or until all the juices are extracted from the meat; put it by to get cold, when take off all the fat. this gravy may be flavoured with ketchup, store sauces, wine, or, in fact, anything that may give additional and suitable relish to the dish it is intended for. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. per pint. [illustration: pimento.] allspice.--this is the popular name given to pimento, or jamaica pepper, known to naturalists as _eugenia pimenta_, and belonging to the order of myrtaceae. it is the berry of a fine tree in the west indies and south america, which attains a height of from fifteen to twenty feet: the berries are not allowed to ripen, but, being gathered green, are then dried in the sun, and then become black. it is an inexpensive spice, and is considered more mild and innocent than most other spices; consequently, it is much used for domestic purposes, combining a very agreeable variety of flavours. gravy made without meat for fowls. . ingredients.--the necks, feet, livers, and gizzards of the fowls, slice of toasted bread, / onion, faggot of savoury herbs, salt and pepper to taste, / pint of water, thickening of butter and flour, dessertspoonful of ketchup. _mode_.--wash the feet of the fowls thoroughly clean, and cut them and the neck into small pieces. put these into a stewpan with the bread, onion, herbs, seasoning, livers, and gizzards; pour the water over them and simmer gently for hour. now take out the liver, pound it, and strain the liquor to it. add a thickening of butter and flour, and a flavouring of mushroom ketchup; boil it up and serve. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, d. per pint. a cheap gravy for hashes, &c. . ingredients.--bones and trimmings of the cooked joint intended for hashing, / teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of whole pepper, / teaspoonful of whole allspice, a small faggot of savoury herbs, / head of celery, onion, oz. of butter, thickening, sufficient boiling water to cover the bones. _mode_.--chop the bones in small pieces, and put them in a stewpan, with the trimmings, salt, pepper, spice, herbs, and celery. cover with boiling water, and let the whole simmer gently for - / or hours. slice and fry the onion in the butter till it is of a pale brown, and mix it gradually with the gravy made from the bones; boil for / hour, and strain into a basin; now put it back into the stewpan; flavour with walnut pickle or ketchup, pickled-onion liquor, or any store sauce that may be preferred. thicken with a little butter and flour, kneaded together on a plate, and the gravy will be ready for use. after the thickening is added, the gravy should just boil, to take off the rawness of the flour. _time_.-- hours, or rather more. _average cost_, d., exclusive of the bones and trimmings. jugged gravy (excellent). . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, / lb. of lean ham, onion or a few shalots, pints of water, salt and whole pepper to taste, blade of mace, a faggot of savoury herbs, / a large carrot, / a head of celery. _mode_.--cut up the beef and ham into small pieces, and slice the vegetables; take a jar, capable of holding two pints of water, and arrange therein, in layers, the ham, meat, vegetables, and seasoning, alternately, filling up with the above quantity of water; tie down the jar, or put a plate over the top, so that the steam may not escape; place it in the oven, and let it remain there from to hours; should, however, the oven be very hot, less time will be required. when sufficiently cooked, strain the gravy, and when cold, remove the fat. it may be flavoured with ketchup, wines, or any other store sauce that may be preferred. it is a good plan to put the jar in a cool oven over-night, to draw the gravy; and then it will not require so long baking the following day. _time_.--from to hours, according to the oven. _average cost_, d. per pint. [illustration: celery.] celery.--as in the above recipe, the roots of celery are principally used in england for flavouring soups, sauces, and gravies, and for serving with cheese at the termination of a dinner, and as an ingredient for salad. in italy, however, the green leaves and stems are also employed for stews and soups, and the seeds are also more frequently made use of on the continent than in our own islands. in germany, celery is very highly esteemed; and it is there boiled and served up as a dish by itself, as well as used in the composition of mixed dishes. we ourselves think that this mild aromatic plant might oftener be cooked than it is; for there are very few nicer vegetable preparations brought to table than a well-dressed plate of stewed celery. veal gravy for white sauces, fricassees, &c. . ingredients.-- slices of nicely flavoured lean ham, any poultry trimmings, lbs. of lean veal, a faggot of savoury herbs, including parsley, a few green onions (or large onion may be substituted for these), a few mushrooms, when obtainable; blade of mace, salt to taste, pints of water. _mode_.--cut up the ham and veal into small square pieces, put these in a stewpan, moistening them with a small quantity of water; place them over the fire to draw down. when the bottom of the stewpan becomes covered with a white glaze, fill up with water in the above proportion; add the remaining ingredients, stew very slowly for or hours, and do not forget to skim well the moment it boils. put it by, and, when cold, take off all the fat. this may be used for béchamel, sauce tournée, and many other white sauces. _time_.-- or hours. _average cost_, d. per pint. cheap gravy for minced veal. . ingredients.--bones and trimmings of cold roast or boiled veal, - / pint of water, onion, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, / teaspoonful of salt, blade of pounded mace, the juice of / lemon; thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a stewpan, except the thickening and lemon-juice, and let them simmer very gently for rather more than hour, or until the liquor is reduced to a pint, when strain through a hair-sieve. add a thickening of butter and flour, and the lemon-juice; set it on the fire, and let it just boil up, when it will be ready for use. it may be flavoured with a little tomato sauce, and, where a rather dark-coloured gravy is not objected to, ketchup, or harvey's sauce, may be added at pleasure. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, d. gravy for venison. . ingredients.--trimmings of venison, or mutton shank-bones, salt to taste, pint of water, teaspoonfuls of walnut ketchup. _mode_.--brown the trimmings over a nice clear fire, and put them in a stewpan with the shank-bones and water; simmer gently for hours, strain and skim, and add the walnut ketchup and a seasoning of salt. let it just boil, when it is ready to serve. _time_.-- hours. [illustration: the deer.] venison.--far, far away in ages past, our fathers loved the chase, and what it brought; and it is usually imagined that when isaac ordered his son esau to go out with his weapons, his quiver and his bow, and to prepare for him savoury meat, such as he loved, that it was venison he desired. the wise solomon, too, delighted in this kind of fare; for we learn that, at his table, every day were served the wild ox, the roebuck, and the stag. xenophon informs us, in his history, that cyrus, king of persia, ordered that venison should never be wanting at his repasts; and of the effeminate greeks it was the delight. the romans, also, were devoted admirers of the flesh of the deer; and our own kings and princes, from the great alfred down to the prince consort, have hunted, although, it must be confessed, under vastly different circumstances, the swift buck, and relished their "haunch" all the more keenly, that they had borne themselves bravely in the pursuit of the animal. to dry herbs for winter use. . on a very dry day, gather the herbs, just before they begin to flower. if this is done when the weather is damp, the herbs will not be so good a colour. (it is very necessary to be particular in little matters like this, for trifles constitute perfection, and herbs nicely dried will be found very acceptable when frost and snow are on the ground. it is hardly necessary, however, to state that the flavour and fragrance of fresh herbs are incomparably finer.) they should be perfectly freed from dirt and dust, and be divided into small bunches, with their roots cut off. dry them quickly in a very hot oven, or before the fire, as by this means most of their flavour will be preserved, and be careful not to burn them; tie them up in paper bags, and keep in a dry place. this is a very general way of preserving dried herbs; but we would recommend the plan described in a former recipe. _seasonable_.--from the month of july to the end of september is the proper time for storing herbs for winter use. herb powder for flavouring, when fresh herbs are not obtainable. . ingredients.-- oz. of dried lemon-thyme, oz. of dried winter savory, oz. of dried sweet marjoram and basil, oz. of dried parsley, oz. of dried lemon-peel. _mode_.--prepare and dry the herbs by recipe no. ; pick the leaves from the stalks, pound them, and sift them through a hair-sieve; mix in the above proportions, and keep in glass bottles, carefully excluding the air. this, we think, a far better method of keeping herbs, as the flavour and fragrance do not evaporate so much as when they are merely put in paper bags. preparing them in this way, you have them ready for use at a moment's notice. mint, sage, parsley, &c., dried, pounded, and each put into separate bottles, will be found very useful in winter. [illustration: cork with wooden top.] corks with wooden tops.--these are the best corks to use when it is indispensable that the air should not be admitted to the ingredients contained in bottles which are in constant use. the top, which, as will be seen by the accompanying little cut, is larger than the cork, is made of wood; and, besides effectually covering the whole top of the bottle, can be easily removed and again used, as no corkscrew is necessary to pull it out. savory.--this we find described by columella, a voluminous roman writer on agriculture, as an odoriferous herb, which, "in the brave days of old," entered into the seasoning of nearly every dish. verily, there are but few new things under the sun, and we don't find that we have made many discoveries in gastronomy, at least beyond what was known to the ancient inhabitants of italy. we possess two varieties of this aromatic herb, known to naturalists as _satureja_. they are called summer and winter savory, according to the time of the year when they are fit for gathering. both sorts are in general cultivation throughout england. horseradish sauce, to serve with roast beef. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of pepper, teaspoonfuls of made mustard; vinegar. _mode_.--grate the horseradish, and mix it well with the sugar, salt, pepper, and mustard; moisten it with sufficient vinegar to give it the consistency of cream, and serve in a tureen: or tablespoonfuls of cream added to the above, very much improve the appearance and flavour of this sauce. to heat it to serve with hot roast beef, put it in a bain marie or a jar, which place in a saucepan of boiling water; make it hot, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. _note_.--this sauce is a great improvement on the old-fashioned way of serving cold-scraped horseradish with hot roast beef. the mixing of the cold vinegar with the warm gravy cools and spoils everything on the plate. of course, with cold meat, the sauce should be served cold. [illustration: the horseradish.] the horseradish.--this has been, for many years, a favourite accompaniment of roast beef, and is a native of england. it grows wild in wet ground, but has long been cultivated in the garden, and is, occasionally, used in winter salads and in sauces. on account of the great volatility of its oil, it should never be preserved by drying, but should be kept moist by being buried in sand. so rapidly does its volatile oil evaporate, that even when scraped for the table, it almost immediately spoils by exposure to the air. horseradish vinegar. . ingredients.-- / lb. of scraped horseradish, oz. of minced shalot, drachm of cayenne, quart of vinegar. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a bottle, which shake well every day for a fortnight. when it is thoroughly steeped, strain and bottle, and it will be fit for use immediately. this will be found an agreeable relish to cold beef, &c. _seasonable_.--this vinegar should be made either in october or november, as horseradish is then in its highest perfection. indian curry-powder, founded on dr. kitchener's recipe. . ingredients.-- / lb. of coriander-seed, / lb. of turmeric, oz. of cinnamon-seed, / oz. of cayenne, oz. of mustard, oz. of ground ginger, / ounce of allspice, oz. of fenugreek-seed. _mode_.--put all the ingredients in a cool oven, where they should remain one night; then pound them in a mortar, rub them through a sieve, and mix thoroughly together; keep the powder in a bottle, from which the air should be completely excluded. _note_.--we have given this recipe for curry-powder, as some persons prefer to make it at home; but that purchased at any respectable shop is, generally speaking, far superior, and, taking all things into consideration, very frequently more economical. indian mustard, an excellent relish to bread and butter, or any cold meat. . ingredients.-- / lb. of the best mustard, / lb. of flour, / oz. of salt, shalots, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, tablespoonfuls of ketchup, / bottle of anchovy sauce. _mode_.--put the mustard, flour, and salt into a basin, and make them into a stiff paste with boiling water. boil the shalots with the vinegar, ketchup, and anchovy sauce, for minutes, and pour the whole, _boiling_, over the mixture in the basin; stir well, and reduce it to a proper thickness; put it into a bottle, with a bruised shalot at the bottom, and store away for use. this makes an excellent relish, and if properly prepared will keep for years. [illustration: mustard.] mustard.--before the year , mustard was not known at english tables. about that time an old woman, of the name of clements, residing in durham, began to grind the seed in a mill, and to pass the flour through several processes necessary to free the seed from its husks. she kept her secret for many years to herself, during which she sold large quantities of mustard throughout the country, but especially in london. here it was introduced to the royal table, when it received the approval of george i. from the circumstance of mrs. clements being a resident at durham, it obtained the name of durham mustard. in the county of that name it is still principally cultivated, and the plant is remarkable for the rapidity of its growth. it is the best stimulant employed to impart strength to the digestive organs, and even in its previously coarsely-pounded state, had a high reputation with our ancestors. indian pickle (very superior). . ingredients.--to each gallon of vinegar allow cloves of garlic, shalots, sticks of sliced horseradish, / lb. of bruised ginger, oz. of whole black pepper, oz. of long pepper, oz. of allspice, cloves, / oz. of cayenne, oz. of mustard-seed, / lb. of mustard, oz. of turmeric; a white cabbage, cauliflowers, radish-pods, french beans, gherkins, small round pickling-onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies, &c. _mode_.--cut the cabbage, which must be hard and white, into slices, and the cauliflowers into small branches; sprinkle salt over them in a large dish, and let them remain two days; then dry them, and put them into a very large jar, with garlic, shalots, horseradish, ginger, pepper, allspice, and cloves, in the above proportions. boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, which pour over, and, when cold, cover up to keep them free from dust. as the other things for the pickle ripen at different times, they may be added as they are ready: these will be radish-pods, french beans, gherkins, small onions, nasturtiums, capsicums, chilies, &c. &c. as these are procured, they must, first of all, be washed in a little cold vinegar, wiped, and then simply added to the other ingredients in the large jar, only taking care that they are _covered_ by the vinegar. if more vinegar should be wanted to add to the pickle, do not omit first to boil it before adding it to the rest. when you have collected all the things you require, turn all out in a large pan, and thoroughly mix them. now put the mixed vegetables into smaller jars, without any of the vinegar; then boil the vinegar again, adding as much more as will be required to fill the different jars, and also cayenne, mustard-seed, turmeric, and mustard, which must be well mixed with a little cold vinegar, allowing the quantities named above to each gallon of vinegar. pour the vinegar, boiling hot, over the pickle, and when cold, tie down with a bladder. if the pickle is wanted for immediate use, the vinegar should be boiled twice more, but the better way is to make it during one season for use during the next. it will keep for years, if care is taken that the vegetables are quite covered by the vinegar. this recipe was taken from the directions of a lady whose pickle was always pronounced excellent by all who tasted it, and who has, for many years, exactly followed the recipe given above. __note_.--for small families, perhaps the above quantity of pickle will be considered too large; but this may be decreased at pleasure, taking care to properly proportion the various ingredients. [illustration: india pickle.] keeping pickles.--nothing shows more, perhaps, the difference between a tidy thrifty housewife and a lady to whom these desirable epithets may not honestly be applied, than the appearance of their respective store-closets. the former is able, the moment anything; is wanted, to put her hand on it at once; no time is lost, no vexation incurred, no dish spoilt for the want of "just little something,"--the latter, on the contrary, hunts all over her cupboard for the ketchup the cook requires, or the pickle the husband thinks he should like a little of with his cold roast beef or mutton-chop, and vainly seeks for the embden groats, or arrowroot, to make one of her little boys some gruel. one plan, then, we strenuously advise all who do not follow, to begin at once, and that is, to label all their various pickles and store sauces, in the same way as the cut here shows. it will occupy a little time at first, but there will be economy of it in the long run. vinegar.--this term is derived from the two french words _vin aigre_, 'sour wine,' and should, therefore, be strictly applied to that which is made only from wine. as the acid is the same, however it is procured, that made from ale also takes the same name. nearly all ancient nations were acquainted with the use of vinegar. we learn in _ruth_, that the reapers in the east soaked their bread in it to freshen it. the romans kept large quantities of it in their cellars, using it, to a great extent, in their seasonings and sauces. this people attributed very beneficial qualities to it, as it was supposed to be digestive, antibilious, and antiscorbutic, as well as refreshing. spartianus, a latin historian, tells us that, mixed with water, it was the drink of the soldiers, and that, thanks to this beverage, the veterans of the roman army braved, by its use, the inclemency and variety of all the different seasons and climates of europe, asia, and africa. it is said, the spanish peasantry, and other inhabitants of the southern parts of europe, still follow this practice, and add to a gallon of water about a gill of wine vinegar, with a little salt; and that this drink, with a little bread, enables them, under the heat of their burning sun, to sustain the labours of the field. indian chetney sauce. . ingredients.-- oz. of sharp, sour apples, pared and cored; oz. of tomatoes, oz. of salt, oz. of brown, sugar, oz. of stoned raisins, oz. of cayenne, oz. of powdered ginger, oz. of garlic, oz. of shalots, quarts of vinegar, quart of lemon-juice. _mode_.--chop the apples in small square pieces, and add to them the other ingredients. mix the whole well together, and put in a well-covered jar. keep this in a warm place, and stir every day for a month, taking care to put on the lid after this operation; strain, but do not squeeze it dry; store it away in clean jars or bottles for use, and the liquor will serve as an excellent sauce for meat or fish. _seasonable_.--make this sauce when tomatoes are in full season, that is, from the beginning of september to the end of october. pickles.--the ancient greeks and romans held their pickles in high estimation. they consisted of flowers, herbs, roots, and vegetables, preserved in vinegar, and which were kept, for a long time, in cylindrical vases with wide mouths. their cooks prepared pickles with the greatest care, and the various ingredients were macerated in oil, brine, and vinegar, with which they were often impregnated drop by drop. meat, also, after having been cut into very small pieces, was treated in the same manner. italian sauce (brown). . ingredients.--a few chopped mushrooms and shalots, / pint of stock, no. , / glass of madeira, the juice of / lemon, / teaspoonful of pounded sugar, teaspoonful of chopped parsley. _mode_.--put the stock into a stewpan with the mushrooms, shalots, and madeira, and stew gently for / hour, then add the remaining ingredients, and let them just boil. when the sauce is done enough, put it in another stewpan, and warm it in a _bain marie_. (_see_ no. .) the mushrooms should not be chopped long before they are wanted, as they will then become black. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for a small dish. italian sauce (white). . ingredients.-- / pint of white stock, no. ; tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, dessertspoonful of chopped shalots, slice of ham, minced very fine; / pint of béchamel, no. ; salt to taste, a few drops of garlic vinegar, / teaspoonful of pounded sugar, a squeeze of lemon-juice. _mode_.--put the shalots and mushrooms into a stewpan with the stock and ham, and simmer very gently for / hour, when add the béchamel. let it just boil up, and then strain it through a tammy; season with the above ingredients, and serve very hot. if this sauce should not have retained a nice white colour, a little cream may be added. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized dish. _note_.--to preserve the colour of the mushrooms after pickling, throw them into water to which a little lemon-juice has been added. to pickle lemons with the peel on. . ingredients.-- lemons, quarts of boiling water; to each quart of vinegar allow / oz. of cloves, / oz. of white pepper, oz. of bruised ginger, / oz. of mace and chilies, oz. of mustard-seed, / stick of sliced horseradish, a few cloves of garlic. _mode_.--put the lemons into a brine that will bear an egg; let them remain in it days, stirring them every day; have ready quarts of boiling water, put in the lemons, and allow them to boil for / hour; take them out, and let them lie in a cloth until perfectly dry and cold. boil up sufficient vinegar to cover the lemons, with all the above ingredients, allowing the same proportion as stated to each quart of vinegar. pack the lemons in a jar, pour over the vinegar, &c. boiling hot, and tie down with a bladder. they will be fit for use in about months, or rather sooner. _seasonable_.--this should be made from november to april. the lemon.--in the earlier ages of the world, the lemon does not appear to have been at all known, and the romans only became acquainted with it at a very late period, and then only used it to keep moths from their garments. its acidity would seem to have been unpleasant to them; and in pliny's time, at the commencement of the christian era, this fruit was hardly accepted, otherwise than as an excellent antidote against the effects of poison. many anecdotes have been related concerning the anti-venomous properties of the lemon; athenaeus, a latin writer, telling us, that on one occasion, two men felt no effects from the bites of dangerous serpents, because they had previously eaten of this fruit. to pickle lemons without the peel. . ingredients.-- lemons, lb. of fine salt; to each quart of vinegar, the same ingredients as no. . _mode_.--peel the lemons, slit each one down times, so as not to divide them, and rub the salt well into the divisions; place them in a pan, where they must remain for a week, turning them every other day; then put them in a dutch oven before a clear fire until the salt has become perfectly dry; then arrange them in a jar. pour over sufficient boiling vinegar to cover them, to which have been added the ingredients mentioned in the foregoing recipe; tie down closely, and in about months they will be fit for use. _seasonable_.--the best time to make this is from november to april. _note_.--after this pickle has been made from to months, the liquor may be strained and bottled, and will be found an excellent lemon ketchup. lemon-juice.--citric acid is the principal component part of lemon-juice, which, in addition to the agreeableness of its flavour, is also particularly cooling and grateful. it is likewise an antiscorbutic; and this quality enhances its value. in order to combat the fatal effects of scurvy amongst the crews of ships at sea, a regular allowance of lemon-juice is served out to the men; and by this practice, the disease has almost entirely disappeared. by putting the juice into bottles, and pouring on the top sufficient oil to cover it, it may be preserved for a considerable time. italy and turkey export great quantities of it in this manner. lemon sauce for boiled fowls. . ingredients.-- small lemon, / pint of melted butter, no. . _mode_.--cut the lemon into very thin slices, and these again into very small dice. have ready / pint of melted butter, made by recipe no. ; put in the lemon; let it just simmer, but not boil, and pour it over the fowls. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a pair of large fowls. lemon white sauce, for fowls, fricassees, &c. . ingredients.-- / pint of cream, the rind and juice of lemon, / teaspoonful of whole white pepper, sprig of lemon thyme, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of flour, teacupful of white stock; salt to taste. _mode_.--put the cream into a very clean saucepan (a lined one is best), with the lemon-peel, pepper, and thyme, and let these infuse for / hour, when simmer gently for a few minutes, or until there is a nice flavour of lemon. strain it, and add a thickening of butter and flour in the above proportions; stir this well in, and put in the lemon-juice at the moment of serving; mix the stock with the cream, and add a little salt. this sauce should not boil after the cream and stock are mixed together. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_, this quantity, for a pair of large boiled fowls. _note_.--where the expense of the cream is objected to, milk may be substituted for it. in this case, an additional dessertspoonful, or rather more, of flour must be added. [illustration: lemon thyme.] lemon thyme.--two or three tufts of this species of thyme, _thymus citriodorus_, usually find a place in the herb compartment of the kitchen-garden. it is a trailing evergreen, is of smaller growth than the common kind (_see_ no. ), and is remarkable for its smell, which closely resembles that of the rind of a lemon. hence its distinctive name. it is used for some particular dishes, in which the fragrance of the lemon is desired to slightly predominate. leamington sauce (an excellent sauce for flavouring gravies, hashes, soups, &c.). _(author's recipe.)_ . ingredients.--walnuts. to each quart of walnut-juice allow quarts of vinegar, pint of indian soy, oz. of cayenne, oz. of shalots, / oz. of garlic, / pint of port wine. _mode_.--be very particular in choosing the walnuts as soon as they appear in the market; for they are more easily bruised before they become hard and shelled. pound them in a mortar to a pulp, strew some salt over them, and let them remain thus for two or three days, occasionally stirring and moving them about. press out the juice, and to _each quart_ of walnut-liquor allow the above proportion of vinegar, soy, cayenne, shalots, garlic, and port wine. pound each ingredient separately in a mortar, then mix them well together, and store away for use in small bottles. the corks should be well sealed. _seasonable_.--this sauce should be made as soon as walnuts are obtainable, from the beginning to the middle of july. lemon brandy. . ingredients.-- pint of brandy, the rind of two small lemons, oz. of loaf-sugar, / pint of water. _mode_.--peel the lemons rather thin, taking care to have none of the white pith. put the rinds into a bottle with the brandy, and let them infuse for hours, when they should be strained. now boil the sugar with the water for a few minutes, skim it, and, when cold, add it to the brandy. a dessertspoonful of this will be found an excellent flavouring for boiled custards. lemon rind or peel.--this contains an essential oil of a very high flavour and fragrance, and is consequently esteemed both a wholesome and agreeable stomachic. it is used, as will be seen by many recipes in this book, as an ingredient for flavouring a number of various dishes. under the name of candied lemon-peel, it is cleared of the pulp and preserved by sugar, when it becomes an excellent sweetmeat. by the ancient medical philosopher galen, and others, it may be added, that dried lemon-peel was considered as one of the best digestives, and recommended to weak and delicate persons. liaison of eggs for thickening sauces. . ingredients.--the yolks of eggs, tablespoonfuls of milk or cream. _mode_.--beat up the yolks of the eggs, to which add the milk, and strain the whole through a hair-sieve. when the liaison is being added to the sauce it is intended to thicken, care must be exercised to keep stirring it during the whole time, or, otherwise, the eggs will curdle. it should only just simmer, but not boil. liver and lemon sauce for poultry. . ingredients.--the liver of a fowl, one lemon, salt to taste, / pint of melted butter. no. . _mode_.--wash the liver, and let it boil for a few minutes; peel the lemon very thin, remove the white part and pips, and cut it into very small dice; mince the liver and a small quantity of the lemon rind very fine; add these ingredients to / pint of smoothly-made melted butter; season with a little salt, put in the cut lemon, heat it gradually, but do not allow it to boil, lest the butter should oil. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _sufficient_ to serve with a pair of small fowls. liver and parsley sauce for poultry. . ingredients.--the liver of a fowl, one tablespoonful of minced parsley, / pint of melted butter, no. . _mode_.--wash and score the liver, boil it for a few minutes, and mince it very fine; blanch or scald a small bunch of parsley, of which there should be sufficient when chopped to fill a tablespoon; add this, with the minced liver, to / pint of smoothly-made melted butter; let it just boil; when serve. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _sufficient_ for a pair of small fowls. lobster sauce, to serve with turbot, salmon, brill, &c. (_very good_.) . ingredients.-- middling-sized hen lobster, / pint of melted butter, no. ; tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, / oz. of butter, salt and cayenne to taste, a little pounded mace when liked, or tablespoonfuls of cream. _mode_.--choose a hen lobster, as this is indispensable, in order to render this sauce as good as it ought to be. pick the meat from the shells, and cut it into small square pieces; put the spawn, which will be found under the tail of the lobster, into a mortar with / oz. of butter, and pound it quite smooth; rub it through a hair-sieve, and cover up till wanted. make / pint of melted butter by recipe no. ; put in all the ingredients except the lobster-meat, and well mix the sauce before the lobster is added to it, as it should retain its square form, and not come to table shredded and ragged. put in the meat, let it get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil, as the colour would immediately be spoiled; for it should be remembered that this sauce should always have a bright red appearance. if it is intended to be served with turbot or brill, a little of the spawn (dried and rubbed through a sieve without butter) should be saved to garnish with; but as the goodness, flavour, and appearance of the sauce so much depend on having a proper quantity of spawn, the less used for garnishing the better. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ to serve with a small turbot, a brill, or salmon for persons. _note_.--melted butter made with milk, no. , will be found to answer very well for lobster sauce, as by employing it a nice white colour will be obtained. less quantity than the above may be made by using a very small lobster, to which add only / pint of melted butter, and season as above. where economy is desired, the cream may be dispensed with, and the remains of a cold lobster left from table, may, with a little care, be converted into a very good sauce. maitre d'hotel butter, for putting into broiled fish just before it is sent to table. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, dessertspoonfuls of minced parsley, salt and pepper to taste, the juice of large lemon. _mode_.--work the above ingredients well together, and let them be thoroughly mixed with a wooden spoon. if this is used as a sauce, it may be poured either under or over the meat or fish it is intended to be served with. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. note.-- tablespoonfuls of béchamel, no. , do. of white stock, no. , with oz. of the above maître d'hôtel butter stirred into it, and just allowed to simmer for minute, will be found an excellent hot maître d'hôtel sauce. the maÎtre d'hÔtel.--the house-steward of england is synonymous with the maître d'hôtel of france; and, in ancient times, amongst the latins, he was called procurator, or major-domo. in rome, the slaves, after they had procured the various articles necessary for the repasts of the day, would return to the spacious kitchen laden with meat, game, sea-fish, vegetables, fruit, &c. each one would then lay his basket at the feet of the major-domo, who would examine its contents and register them on his tablets, placing in the pantry contiguous to the dining-room, those of the provisions which need no preparation, and consigning the others to the more immediate care of the cooks. maitre d'hotel sauce (hot), to serve with calf's head, boiled eels, and different fish. . ingredients.-- slice of minced ham, a few poultry-trimmings, shalots, clove of garlic, bay-leaf, / pint of water, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of flour, heaped tablespoonful of chopped parsley; salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste; the juice of / large lemon, / teaspoonful of pounded sugar. _mode_.--put at the bottom of a stewpan the minced ham, and over it the poultry-trimmings (if these are not at hand, veal should be substituted), with the shalots, garlic, and bay-leaf. pour in the water, and let the whole simmer gently for hour, or until the liquor is reduced to a full / pint. then strain this gravy, put it in another saucepan, make a thickening of butter and flour in the above proportions, and stir it to the gravy over a nice clear fire, until it is perfectly smooth and rather thick, care being taken that the butter does not float on the surface. skim well, add the remaining ingredients, let the sauce gradually heat, but do not allow it to boil. if this sauce is intended for an entrée, it is necessary to make it of a sufficient thickness, so that it may adhere to what it is meant to cover. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. per pint. _sufficient_ for re-warming the remains of / calf's head, or a small dish of cold flaked turbot, cod, &c. maigre maitre d'hotel sauce (hot). (made without meat.) . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter, no. ; heaped tablespoonful of chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste, the juice of / large lemon; when liked, minced shalots. _mode_.--make / pint of melted butter, by recipe no. ; stir in the above ingredients, and let them just boil; when it is ready to serve. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, d. per pint. mayonnaise, a sauce or salad-dressing for cold chicken, meat, and other cold dishes. . ingredients.--the yolks of eggs, tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and white pepper to taste, tablespoonful of white stock, no. , tablespoonfuls of cream. _mode_.--put the yolks of the eggs into a basin, with a seasoning of pepper and salt; have ready the above quantities of oil and vinegar, in separate vessels; add them _very gradually_ to the eggs; continue stirring and rubbing the mixture with a wooden spoon, as herein consists the secret of having a nice smooth sauce. it cannot be stirred too frequently, and it should be made in a very cool place, or, if ice is at hand, it should be mixed over it. when the vinegar and oil are well incorporated with the eggs, add the stock and cream, stirring all the time, and it will then be ready for use. for a fish mayonnaise, this sauce may be coloured with lobster-spawn, pounded; and for poultry or meat, where variety is desired, a little parsley-juice may be used to add to its appearance. cucumber, tarragon, or any other flavoured vinegar, may be substituted for plain, where they are liked. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for a small salad. _note_.--in mixing the oil and vinegar with the eggs, put in first a few drops of oil, and then a few drops of vinegar, never adding a large quantity of either at one time. by this means, you can be more certain of the sauce not curdling. patience and practice, let us add, are two essentials for making this sauce good. mint sauce, to serve with roast lamb. . ingredients.-- dessertspoonfuls of chopped mint, dessertspoonfuls of pounded white sugar, / pint of vinegar. _mode_.--wash the mint, which should be young and fresh-gathered, free from grit; pick the leaves from the stalks, mince them very fine, and put them into a tureen; add the sugar and vinegar, and stir till the former is dissolved. this sauce is better by being made or hours before wanted for table, as the vinegar then becomes impregnated with the flavour of the mint. by many persons, the above proportion of sugar would not be considered sufficient; but as tastes vary, we have given the quantity which we have found to suit the general palate. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to serve with a middling-sized joint of lamb. _note_.--where green mint is scarce and not obtainable, mint vinegar may be substituted for it, and will be found very acceptable in early spring. [illustration: mint.] mint.--the common mint cultivated in our gardens is known as the _mentha viridis_, and is employed in different culinary processes, being sometimes boiled with certain dishes, and afterwards withdrawn. it has an agreeable aromatic flavour, and forms an ingredient in soups, and sometimes is used in spring salads. it is valuable as a stomachic and antispasmodic; on which account it is generally served at table with pea-soup. several of its species grow wild in low situations in the country. mint vinegar. . ingredients.--vinegar, mint. _mode_.--procure some nice fresh mint, pick the leaves from the stalks, and fill a bottle or jar with them. add vinegar to them until the bottle is full; _cover closely_ to exclude the air, and let it infuse for a fortnight. then strain the liquor, and put it into small bottles for use, of which the corks should be sealed. _seasonable_.--this should be made in june, july, or august. mixed pickle. (_very good_.) . ingredients.--to each gallon of vinegar allow / lb. of bruised ginger, / lb. of mustard, / lb. of salt, oz. of mustard-seed, - / oz. of turmeric, oz. of ground black pepper, / oz. of cayenne, cauliflowers, onions, celery, sliced cucumbers, gherkins, french beans, nasturtiums, capsicums. _mode_.--have a large jar, with a tightly-fitting lid, in which put as much vinegar as required, reserving a little to mix the various powders to a smooth paste. put into a basin the mustard, turmeric, pepper, and cayenne; mix them with vinegar, and stir well until no lumps remain; add all the ingredients to the vinegar, and mix well. keep this liquor in a warm place, and thoroughly stir every morning for a month with a wooden spoon, when it will be ready for the different vegetables to be added to it. as these come into season, have them gathered on a dry day, and, after merely wiping them with a cloth, to free them from moisture, put them into the pickle. the cauliflowers, it may be said, must be divided into small bunches. put all these into the pickle raw, and at the end of the season, when there have been added as many of the vegetables as could be procured, store it away in jars, and tie over with bladder. as none of the ingredients are boiled, this pickle will not be fit to eat till months have elapsed. whilst the pickle is being made, keep a wooden spoon tied to the jar; and its contents, it may be repeated, must be stirred every morning. _seasonable_.--make the pickle-liquor in may or june, as the season arrives for the various vegetables to be picked. mushroom ketchup. . ingredients.--to each peck of mushrooms / lb. of salt; to each quart of mushroom-liquor / oz. of cayenne, / oz. of allspice, / oz. of ginger, blades of pounded mace. _mode_.--choose full-grown mushroom-flaps, and take care they are perfectly _fresh-gathered_ when the weather is tolerably dry; for, if they are picked during very heavy rain, the ketchup from which they are made is liable to get musty, and will not keep long. put a layer of them in a deep pan, sprinkle salt over them, and then another layer of mushrooms, and so on alternately. let them remain for a few hours, when break them up with the hand; put them in a nice cool place for days, occasionally stirring and mashing them well, to extract from them as much juice as possible. now measure the quantity of liquor without straining, and to each quart allow the above proportion of spices, &c. put all into a stone jar, cover it up very closely, put it in a saucepan of boiling water, set it over the fire, and let it boil for hours. have ready a nice clean stewpan; turn into it the contents of the jar, and let the whole simmer very gently for / hour; pour it into a jug, where it should stand in a cool place till the next day; then pour it off into another jug, and strain it into very dry clean bottles, and do not squeeze the mushrooms. to each pint of ketchup add a few drops of brandy. be careful not to shake the contents, but leave all the sediment behind in the jug; cork well, and either seal or rosin the cork, so as perfectly to exclude the air. when a very clear bright ketchup is wanted, the liquor must be strained through a very fine hair-sieve, or flannel bag, _after_ it has been very gently poured off; if the operation is not successful, it must be repeated until you have quite a clear liquor. it should be examined occasionally, and if it is spoiling, should be reboiled with a few peppercorns. _seasonable_ from the beginning of september to the middle of october, when this ketchup should be made. _note_.--this flavouring ingredient, if genuine and well prepared, is one of the most useful store sauces to the experienced cook, and no trouble should be spared in its preparation. double ketchup is made by reducing the liquor to half the quantity; for example, quart must be boiled down to pint. this goes farther than ordinary ketchup, as so little is required to flavour a good quantity of gravy. the sediment may also be bottled for immediate use, and will be found to answer for flavouring thick soups or gravies. how to distinguish mushrooms from toadstools.--the cultivated mushroom, known as _agaricus campestris_, may be distinguished from other poisonous kinds of fungi by its having pink or flesh-coloured gills, or under-side, and by its invariably having an agreeable smell, which the toadstool has not. when young, mushrooms are like a small round button, both the stalk and head being white. as they grow larger, they expand their heads by degrees into a flat form, the gills underneath being at first of a pale flesh-colour, but becoming, as they stand longer, dark brown or blackish. nearly all the poisonous kinds are brown, and have in general a rank and putrid smell. edible mushrooms are found in closely-fed pastures, but seldom grow in woods, where most of the poisonous sorts are to be found. to dry mushrooms. . _mode_.--wipe them clean, take away the brown part, and peel off the skin; lay them on sheets of paper to dry, in a cool oven, when they will shrivel considerably. keep them in paper bags, which hang in a dry place. when wanted for use, put them into cold gravy, bring them gradually to simmer, and it will be found that they will regain nearly their usual size. [illustration: the mushroom.] the mushroom.--the cultivated or garden mushroom is a species of fungus, which, in england, is considered the best, and is there usually eaten. the tribe, however, is numerous, and a large proportion of them are poisonous; hence it is always dangerous to make use of mushrooms gathered in their wild state. in some parts of europe, as in germany, russia, and poland, many species grow wild, and are used as food; but in britain, two only are generally eaten. these are mostly employed for the flavouring of dishes, and are also dried and pickled. catsup, or ketchup, is made from them by mixing spices and salt with their juice. the young, called buttons, are the best for pickling when in the globular form. brown mushroom sauce, to serve with roast meat, &c. . ingredients.-- / pint of button mushrooms, / pint of good beef gravy, no. , tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup (if at hand), thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--put the gravy into a saucepan, thicken it, and stir over the fire until it boils. prepare the mushrooms by cutting off the stalks and wiping them free from grit and dirt; the large flap mushrooms cut into small pieces will answer for a brown sauce, when the buttons are not obtainable; put them into the gravy, and let them simmer very gently for about minutes; then add the ketchup, and serve. _time_.--rather more than minutes. _seasonable_ from august to october. _note_.--when fresh mushrooms are not obtainable, the powder no. may be used as a substitute for brown sauce. white mushroom sauce, to serve with boiled fowls, cutlets, &c. i. . ingredients.--rather more than / pint of button mushrooms, lemon-juice and water, oz. of butter, / pint of béchamel, no. , / teaspoonful of pounded sugar. _mode_.--turn the mushrooms white by putting them into lemon-juice and water, having previously cut off the stalks and wiped them perfectly free from grit. chop them, and put them in a stewpan with the butter. when the mushrooms are softened, add the béchamel, and simmer for about minutes; should they, however, not be done enough, allow rather more time. they should not boil longer than necessary, as they would then lose their colour and flavour. rub the whole through a tammy, and serve very hot. after this, it should be warmed in a bain marie. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, s. _seasonable_ from august to october. ii. _a more simple method_. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter, made with milk, no. ; / pint of button mushrooms, dessertspoonful of mushroom ketchup, if at hand; cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--make the melted butter by recipe no. , and add to it the mushrooms, which must be nicely cleaned, and free from grit, and the stalks cut off. let them simmer gently for about minutes, or until they are quite tender. put in the seasoning and ketchup; let it just boil, when serve. _time_.--rather more than minutes. _average cost_, d. _seasonable_ from august to october. growth of the mushroom and other fungi.--the quick growth of the mushroom and other fungi is no less wonderful than the length of time they live, and the numerous dangers they resist while they continue in the dormant state. to spring up "like a mushroom in a night" is a scriptural mode of expressing celerity; and this completely accords with all the observations which have been made concerning this curious class of plants. mr. sowerby remarks--"i have often placed specimens of the _phallus caninus_ by a window over-night, while in the egg-form, and they have been fully grown by the morning." mushroom powder (a valuable addition to sauces and gravies, when fresh mushrooms are not obtainable). . ingredients.-- / peck of large mushrooms, onions, cloves, / oz. of pounded mace, teaspoonfuls of white pepper. _mode_.--peel the mushrooms, wipe them perfectly free from grit and dirt, remove the black fur, and reject all those that are at all worm-eaten; put them into a stewpan with the above ingredients, but without water; shake them over a clear fire, till all the liquor is dried up, and be careful not to let them burn; arrange them on tins, and dry them in a slow oven; pound them to a fine powder, which put into small _dry_ bottles; cork well, seal the corks, and keep it in a dry place. in using this powder, add it to the gravy just before serving, when it will merely require one boil-up. the flavour imparted by this means to the gravy, ought to be exceedingly good. _seasonable_.--this should be made in september, or at the beginning of october. _note_.--if the bottles in which it is stored away are not perfectly dry, as, also the mushroom powder, it will keep good but a very short time. pickled mushrooms. . ingredients.--sufficient vinegar to cover the mushrooms; to each quart of mushrooms, blades of pounded mace, oz. of ground pepper, salt to taste. _mode_.--choose some nice young button mushrooms for pickling, and rub off the skin with a piece of flannel and salt, and cut off the stalks; if very large, take out the red inside, and reject the black ones, as they are too old. put them in a stewpan, sprinkle salt over them, with pounded mace and pepper in the above proportion; shake them well over a clear fire until the liquor flows, and keep them there until it is all dried up again; then add as much vinegar as will cover them; just let it simmer for minute, and store it away in stone jars for use. when cold, tie down with bladder and keep in a dry place; they will remain good for a length of time, and are generally considered delicious. _seasonable_.--make this the same time as ketchup, from the beginning of september to the middle of october. nature of the mushroom.--locality has evidently a considerable influence on the nature of the juices of the mushroom; for it has been discovered, after fatal experience, that some species, which are perfectly harmless when raised in open meadows and pasturelands, become virulently poisonous when they happen to grow in contact with stagnant water or putrescent animal and vegetable substances. what the precise nature of the poison in fungi may be, has not been accurately ascertained. a very rich and good mushroom sauce, to serve with fowls or rabbits. . ingredients.-- pint of mushroom-buttons, salt to taste, a little grated nutmeg, blade of pounded mace, pint of cream, oz. of butter, flour to thicken. _mode_.--rub the buttons with a piece of flannel and salt, to take off the skin; cut off the stalks, and put them in a stewpan with the above ingredients, previously kneading together the butter and flour; boil the whole for about ten minutes, stirring all the time. pour some of the sauce over the fowls, and the remainder serve in a tureen. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to serve with a pair of fowls. _seasonable_ from august to october. how to mix mustard. . ingredients.--mustard, salt, and water. _mode_.--mustard should be mixed with water that has been boiled and allowed to cool; hot water destroys its essential properties, and raw cold water might cause it to ferment. put the mustard in a cup, with a small pinch of salt, and mix with it very gradually sufficient boiled water to make it drop from the spoon without being watery. stir and mix well, and rub the lumps well down with the back of a spoon, as well-mixed mustard should be perfectly free from these. the mustard-pot should not be more than half full, or rather less if it will not be used in a day or two, as it is so much better when freshly mixed. tartar mustard. . ingredients.--horseradish vinegar, cayenne, / a teacupful of mustard. _mode_.--have ready sufficient horseradish vinegar to mix with the above proportion of mustard; put the mustard in a cup, with a slight seasoning of cayenne; mix it perfectly smooth with the vinegar, adding this a little at a time; rub down with the back of a spoon any lumps that may appear, and do not let it be too thin. mustard may be flavoured in various ways, with tarragon, shalot, celery, and many other vinegars, herbs, spices, &c.; but this is more customary in france than in england, as there it is merely considered a "vehicle of flavours," as it has been termed. pickled nasturtiums (a very good substitute for capers) . ingredients.--to each pint of vinegar, oz. of salt, peppercorns, nasturtiums. _mode_.--gather the nasturtium-pods on a dry day, and wipe them clean with a cloth; put them in a dry glass bottle, with vinegar, salt, and pepper in the above proportion. if you cannot find enough ripe to fill a bottle, cork up what you have got until you have some more fit: they may be added from day to day. bung up the bottles, and seal or rosin the tops. they will be fit for use in or months; and the best way is to make them one season for the next. _seasonable_.--look for nasturtium-pods from the end of july to the end of august. [illustration: nasturtiums.] nasturtiums.--the elegant nasturtium-plant, called by naturalists _tropoeolum_, and which sometimes goes by the name of indian cress, came originally from peru, but was easily made to grow in these islands. its young leaves and flowers are of a slightly hot nature, and many consider them a good adjunct to salads, to which they certainly add a pretty appearance. when the beautiful blossoms, which may be employed with great effect in garnishing dishes, are off, then the fruit is used as described in the above recipe. french onion sauce, or soubise. . ingredients.-- / pint of béchamel, no. , bay-leaf, seasoning to taste of pounded mace and cayenne, onions, a small piece of ham. _mode_.--peel the onions and cut them in halves; put them in a stewpan, with just sufficient water to cover them, and add the bay-leaf, ham, cayenne, and mace; be careful to keep the lid closely shut, and simmer them until tender. take them out and drain thoroughly; rub them through a tammy or sieve (an old one does for the purpose) with a wooden spoon, and put them to / pint of béchamel; keep stirring over the fire until it boils, when serve. if it should require any more seasoning, add it to taste. _time_.-- / hour to boil the onions. _average cost_, d. for this quantity. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized dish. white onion sauce, for boiled rabbits, roast shoulder of mutton, &c. . ingredients.-- large onions, or middling-sized ones, pint of melted butter made with milk (no. ), / teaspoonful of salt, or rather more. _mode_.--peel the onions and put them into water to which a little salt has been added, to preserve their whiteness, and let them remain for / hour. then put them in a stewpan, cover them with water, and let them boil until tender, and, if the onions should be very strong, change the water after they have been boiling for / hour. drain them thoroughly, chop them, and rub them through a tammy or sieve. make pint of melted butter, by recipe no. , and when that boils, put in the onions, with a seasoning of salt; stir it till it simmers, when it will be ready to serve. if these directions are carefully attended to, this onion sauce will be delicious. _time_.--from / to hour, to boil the onions. _average cost_, d. per pint. _sufficient_ to serve with a roast shoulder of mutton, or boiled rabbit. _seasonable_ from august to march. _note_.--to make this sauce very mild and delicate, use spanish onions, which can be procured from the beginning of september to christmas. or tablespoonfuls of cream added just before serving, will be found to improve its appearance very much. small onions, when very young, may be cooked whole, and served in melted butter. a sieve or tammy should be kept expressly for onions: an old one answers the purpose, as it is liable to retain the flavour and smell, which of course would be excessively disagreeable in delicate preparations. brown onion sauce. . ingredients.-- large onions, rather more than / pint of good gravy, oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--slice and fry the onions of a pale brown in a stewpan, with the above quantity of butter, keeping them well stirred, that they do not get black. when a nice colour, pour over the gravy, and let them simmer gently until tender. now skim off every particle of fat, add the seasoning, and rub the whole through a tammy or sieve; put it back in the saucepan to warm, and when it boils, serve. _time_.--altogether hour. _seasonable_ from august to march. _note_.--where a very high flavouring is liked, add tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, or a small quantity of port wine. history of the onion.--it is not supposed that any variety of the onion is indigenous to britain, as when the large and mild roots imported from warmer climates, have been cultivated in these islands a few years, they deteriorate both in size and sweetness. it is therefore most likely that this plant was first introduced into england from continental europe, and that it originally was produced in a southern climate, and has gradually become acclimatized to a colder atmosphere. (_see_ no. .) pickled onions (a very simple method, and exceedingly good). . ingredients.--pickling onions; to each quart of vinegar, teaspoonfuls of allspice, teaspoonfuls of whole black pepper. _mode_.--have the onions gathered when quite dry and ripe, and, with the fingers, take off the thin outside skin; then, with a silver knife (steel should not be used, as it spoils the colour of the onions), remove one more skin, when the onion will look quite clear. have ready some very dry bottles or jars, and as fast as they are peeled, put them in. pour over sufficient cold vinegar to cover them, with pepper and allspice in the above proportions, taking care that each jar has its share of the latter ingredients. tie down with bladder, and put them in a dry place, and in a fortnight they will be fit for use. this is a most simple recipe and very delicious, the onions being nice and crisp. they should be eaten within or months after being done, as the onions are liable to become soft. _seasonable_ from the middle of july to the end of august. pickled onions. . ingredients.-- gallon of pickling onions, salt and water, milk; to each / gallon of vinegar, oz. of bruised ginger, / teaspoonful of cayenne, oz. of allspice, oz. of whole black pepper, / oz. of whole nutmeg bruised, cloves, / oz. of mace. _mode_.--gather the onions, which should not be too small, when they are quite dry and ripe; wipe off the dirt, but do not pare them; make a strong solution of salt and water, into which put the onions, and change this, morning and night, for days, and save the _last_ brine they were put in. then take the outside skin off, and put them into a tin saucepan capable of holding them all, as they are always better done together. now take equal quantities of milk and the last salt and water the onions were in, and pour this to them; to this add large spoonfuls of salt, put them over the fire, and watch them very attentively. keep constantly turning the onions about with a wooden skimmer, those at the bottom to the top, and _vice versâ_; and let the milk and water run through the holes of the skimmer. remember, the onions must never boil, or, if they do, they will be good for nothing; and they should be quite transparent. keep the onions stirred for a few minutes, and, in stirring them, be particular not to break them. then have ready a pan with a colander, into which turn the onions to drain, covering them with a cloth to keep in the steam. place on a table an old cloth, or times double; put the onions on it when quite hot, and over them an old piece of blanket; cover this closely over them, to keep in the steam. let them remain till the next day, when they will be quite cold, and look yellow and shrivelled; take off the shrivelled skins, when they should be as white as snow. put them in a pan, make a pickle of vinegar and the remaining ingredients, boil all these up, and pour hot over the onions in the pan. cover very closely to keep in all the steam, and let them stand till the following day, when they will be quite cold. put them into jars or bottles well bunged, and a tablespoonful of the best olive-oil on the top of each jar or bottle. tie them down with bladder, and let them stand in a cool place for a month or six weeks, when they will be fit for use. they should be beautifully white, and eat crisp, without the least softness, and will keep good many months. _seasonable_ from the middle of july to the end of august. orange gravy, for wildfowl, widgeon, teal, &c. . ingredients.-- / pint of white stock, no. , small onion, or strips of lemon or orange peel, a few leaves of basil, if at hand, the juice of a seville orange or lemon, salt and pepper to taste, glass of port wine. _mode_.--put the onion, cut in slices, into a stewpan with the stock, orange-peel, and basil, and let them simmer very gently for / hour or rather longer, should the gravy not taste sufficiently of the peel. strain it off, and add to the gravy the remaining ingredients; let the whole heat through, and, when on the point of boiling, serve very hot in a tureen which should have a cover to it. _time_.--altogether / hour. _sufficient_ for a small tureen. oyster forcemeat, for roast or boiled turkey. . ingredients.-- / pint of bread crumbs, - / oz. of chopped suet or butter, faggot of savoury herbs, / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste, eggs, oysters. _mode_.--grate the bread very fine, and be careful that no large lumps remain; put it into a basin with the suet, which must be very finely minced, or, when butter is used, that must be cut up into small pieces. add the herbs, also chopped as small as possible, and seasoning; mix all these well together, until the ingredients are thoroughly mingled. open and beard the oysters, chop them, but not too small, and add them to the other ingredients. beat up the eggs, and, with the hand, work altogether, until it is smoothly mixed. the turkey should not be stuffed too full: if there should be too much forcemeat, roll it into balls, fry them, and use them as a garnish. _sufficient_ for turkey. oyster ketchup. . ingredients.--sufficient oysters to fill a pint measure, pint of sherry, oz. of salt, drachm of cayenne, drachms of pounded mace. _mode_.--procure the oysters very fresh, and open sufficient to fill a pint measure; save the liquor, and scald the oysters in it with the sherry; strain the oysters, and put them in a mortar with the salt, cayenne, and mace; pound the whole until reduced to a pulp, then add it to the liquor in which they were scalded; boil it again five minutes, and skim well; rub the whole through a sieve, and, when cold, bottle and cork closely. the corks should be sealed. _seasonable_ from september to april. _note_.--cider may be substituted for the sherry. pickled oysters. . ingredients.-- oysters; to each / pint of vinegar, blade of pounded mace, strip of lemon-peel, black peppercorns. _mode_.--get the oysters in good condition, open them, place them in a saucepan, and let them simmer in their own liquor for about minutes, very gently; then take them out, one by one, and place them in a jar, and cover them, when cold, with a pickle made as follows:--measure the oyster-liquor; add to it the same quantity of vinegar, with mace, lemon-peel, and pepper in the above proportion, and boil it for minutes; when cold, pour over the oysters, and tie them down very closely, as contact with the air spoils them. _seasonable_ from september to april. _note_.--put this pickle away in small jars; because directly one is opened, its contents should immediately be eaten, as they soon spoil. the pickle should not be kept more than or months. oyster sauce, to serve with fish, boiled poultry, &c. . ingredients.-- dozen oysters, / pint of melted butter, made with milk, no. . _mode_.--open the oysters carefully, and save their liquor; strain it into a clean saucepan (a lined one is best), put in the oysters, and let them just come to the boiling-point, when they should look plump. take them off the fire immediately, and put the whole into a basin. strain the liquor from them, mix with it sufficient milk to make / pint altogether, and follow the directions of no. . when the melted butter is ready and very smooth, put in the oysters, which should be previously bearded, if you wish the sauce to be really nice. set it by the side of the fire to get thoroughly hot, _but do not allow it to boil_, or the oysters will immediately harden. using cream instead of milk makes this sauce extremely delicious. when liked, add a seasoning of cayenne, or anchovy sauce; but, as we have before stated, a plain sauce _should_ be plain, and not be overpowered by highly-flavoured essences; therefore we recommend that the above directions be implicitly followed, and no seasoning added. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. _sufficient_ for persons. never allow fewer than oysters to person, unless the party is very large. _seasonable_ from september to april. a more economical sauce may be made by using a smaller quantity of oysters, and not bearding them before they are added to the sauce: this may answer the purpose, but we cannot undertake to recommend it as a mode of making this delicious adjunct to fish, &c. parsley and butter, to serve with calf's head. boiled fowls, &c. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, / pint of melted butter, no. . _mode_.--put into a saucepan a small quantity of water, slightly salted, and when it boils, throw in a good bunch of parsley which has been previously washed and tied together in a bunch; let it boil for minutes, drain it, mince the leaves very fine, and put the above quantity in a tureen; pour over it / pint of smoothly-made melted butter; stir once, that the ingredients may be thoroughly mixed, and serve. _time_.-- minutes to boil the parsley. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for large fowl; allow rather more for a pair. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--sometimes, in the middle of winter, parsley-leaves are not to be had, when the following will be found an excellent substitute:--tie up a little parsley-seed in a small piece of muslin, and boil it for minutes in a small quantity of water; use this water to make the melted butter with, and throw into it a little boiled spinach, minced rather fine, which will have an appearance similar to that of parsley. [illustration: parsley.] parsley.--if there be nothing new under the sun, there are, at any rate, different uses found for the same thing; for this pretty aromatic herb was used in ancient times, as we learn from mythological narrative, to adorn the head of a hero, no less than hercules; and now--was ever fall so great?--we moderns use it in connection with the head of--a calf. according to homer's "iliad," warriors fed their chariot-steeds on parsley; and pliny acquaints us with the fact that, as a symbol of mourning, it was admitted to furnish the funeral tables of the romans. egypt, some say, first produced this herb; thence it was introduced, by some unknown voyager, into sardinia, where the carthaginians found it, and made it known to the inhabitants of marseilles. (see no. .) fried parsley, for garnishing. . ingredients.--parsley, hot lard or clarified dripping. _mode_.--gather some young parsley; wash, pick, and dry it thoroughly in a cloth; put it into the wire basket of which we have given an engraving, and hold it in boiling lard or dripping for a minute or two. directly it is done, lift out the basket, and let it stand before the fire, that the parsley may become thoroughly crisp; and the quicker it is fried the better. should the kitchen not be furnished with the above article, throw the parsley into the frying-pan, and when crisp, lift it out with a slice, dry it before the fire, and when thoroughly crisp, it will be ready for use. [illustration: wire basket.] wire basket.--for this recipe, a wire basket, as shown in the annexed engraving, will be found very useful. it is very light and handy, and may be used for other similar purposes besides that described above. parsley juice, for colouring various dishes. . procure some nice young parsley; wash it and dry it thoroughly in a cloth; pound the leaves in a mortar till all the juice is extracted, and put the juice in a teacup or small jar; place this in a saucepan of boiling water, and warm it on the _bain marie_ principle just long enough to take off its rawness; let it drain, and it will be ready for colouring. to preserve parsley through the winter. . use freshly-gathered parsley for keeping, and wash it perfectly free from grit and dirt; put it into boiling water which has been slightly salted and well skimmed, and then let it boil for or minutes; take it out, let it drain, and lay it on a sieve in front of the fire, when it should be dried as expeditiously as possible. store it away in a very dry place in bottles, and when wanted for use, pour over it a little warm water, and let it stand for about minutes. _seasonable_.--this may be done at any time between june and october. an excellent pickle. . ingredients.--equal quantities of medium-sized onions, cucumbers, and sauce-apples; - / teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of cayenne, wineglassful of soy, wineglassful of sherry; vinegar. _mode_.--slice sufficient cucumbers, onions, and apples to fill a pint stone jar, taking care to cut the slices very thin; arrange them in alternate layers, shaking in as you proceed salt and cayenne in the above proportion; pour in the soy and wine, and fill up with vinegar. it will be fit for use the day it is made. _seasonable_ in august and september. [this recipe was forwarded to the editress of this work by a subscriber to the "englishwoman's domestic magazine." mrs. beeton, not having tested it, cannot vouch for its excellence; but the contributor spoke very highly in its favour.] soy.--this is a sauce frequently made use of for fish, and comes from japan, where it is prepared from the seeds of a plant called _dolichos soja_. the chinese also manufacture it; but that made by the japanese is said to be the best. all sorts of statements have been made respecting the very general adulteration of this article in england, and we fear that many of them are too true. when genuine, it is of an agreeable flavour, thick, and of a clear brown colour. pickled red cabbage. . ingredients.--red cabbages, salt and water; to each quart of vinegar, / oz. of ginger well bruised, oz. of whole black pepper, and, when liked, a little cayenne. _mode_.--take off the outside decayed leaves of a nice red cabbage, cut it in quarters, remove the stalks, and cut it across in very thin slices. lay these on a dish, and strew them plentifully with salt, covering them with another dish. let them remain for hours, turn into a colander to drain, and, if necessary, wipe lightly with a clean soft cloth. put them in a jar; boil up the vinegar with spices in the above proportion, and, when cold, pour it over the cabbage. it will be fit for use in a week or two, and, if kept for a very long time, the cabbage is liable get soft and to discolour. to be really nice and crisp, and of a good red colour, it should be eaten almost immediately after it is made. a little bruised cochineal boiled with the vinegar adds much to the appearance of this pickle. tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry place. _seasonable_ in july and august, but the pickle will be much more crisp if the frost has just touched the leaves. red cabbage.--this plant, in its growth, is similar in form to that of the white, but is of a bluish-purple colour, which, however, turns red on the application of acid, as is the case with all vegetable blues. it is principally from the white vegetable that the germans make their _sauer kraut_; a dish held in such high estimation with the inhabitants of vaderland, but which requires, generally speaking, with strangers, a long acquaintance in order to become sufficiently impressed with its numerous merits. the large red dutch is the kind generally recommended for pickling. plum-pudding sauce. . ingredients.-- wineglassful of brandy, oz. of very fresh butter, glass of madeira, pounded sugar to taste. _mode_.--put the pounded sugar in a basin, with part of the brandy and the butter; let it stand by the side of the fire until it is warm and the sugar and butter are dissolved; then add the rest of the brandy, with the madeira. either pour it over the pudding, or serve in a tureen. this is a very rich and excellent sauce. _average cost_, s. d. for this quantity. _sufficient_ for a pudding made for persons. quin's sauce, an excellent fish sauce. . ingredients.-- / pint of walnut pickle, / pint of port wine, pint of mushroom ketchup, dozen anchovies, dozen shalots, / pint of soy, / teaspoonful of cayenne. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a saucepan, having previously chopped the shalots and anchovies very small; simmer for minutes, strain, and, when cold, bottle off for use: the corks should be well sealed to exclude the air. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. ravigotte, a french salad sauce. _mons. ude's recipe_. . ingredients.-- teaspoonful of mushroom ketchup, teaspoonful of cavice, teaspoonful of chili vinegar, teaspoonful of reading sauce, a piece of butter the size of an egg, tablespoonfuls of thick béchamel, no. , tablespoonful of minced parsley, tablespoonfuls of cream; salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--scald the parsley, mince the leaves very fine, and add it to all the other ingredients; after mixing the whole together thoroughly, the sauce will be ready for use. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _seasonable_ at any time. reading sauce. . ingredients.-- - / pints of walnut pickle, - / oz. of shalots, quart of spring water, / pint of indian soy, / oz. of bruised ginger, / oz. of long pepper, oz. of mustard-seed, anchovy, / oz. of cayenne, / oz. of dried sweet bay-leaves. _mode_.--bruise the shalots in a mortar, and put them in a stone jar with the walnut-liquor; place it before the fire, and let it boil until reduced to pints. then, into another jar, put all the ingredients except the bay-leaves, taking care that they are well bruised, so that the flavour may be thoroughly extracted; put this also before the fire, and let it boil for hour, or rather more. when the contents of both jars are sufficiently cooked, mix them together, stirring them well as you mix them, and submit them to a slow boiling for / hour; cover closely, and let them stand hours in a cool place; then open the jar and add the bay-leaves; let it stand a week longer closed down, when strain through a flannel bag, and it will be ready for use. the above quantities will make / gallon. _time_.--altogether, hours. _seasonable_.--this sauce may be made at any time. remoulade, or french salad-dressing. . ingredients.-- eggs, / tablespoonful of made mustard, salt and cayenne to taste, tablespoonfuls of olive-oil, tablespoonful of tarragon or plain vinegar. _mode_.--boil eggs quite hard for about / hour, put them into cold water, and let them remain in it for a few minutes; strip off the shells, put the yolks in a mortar, and pound them very smoothly; add to them, very gradually, the mustard, seasoning, and vinegar, keeping all well stirred and rubbed down with the back of a wooden spoon. put in the oil drop by drop, and when this is thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients, add the yolk of a raw egg, and stir well, when it will be ready for use. this sauce should not be curdled; and to prevent this, the only way is to mix a little of everything at a time, and not to cease stirring. the quantities of oil and vinegar may be increased or diminished according to taste, as many persons would prefer a smaller proportion of the former ingredient. green remoulade is made by using tarragon vinegar instead of plain, and colouring with a little parsley-juice, no. . harvey's sauce, or chili vinegar, may be added at pleasure. _time_.-- / hour to boil the eggs. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for a salad made for or persons. [illustration: tarragon.] tarragon.--the leaves of this plant, known to naturalists as _artemisia dracunculus_, are much used in france as a flavouring ingredient for salads. from it also is made the vinegar known as tarragon vinegar, which is employed by the french in mixing their mustard. it originally comes from tartary, and does not seed in france. sage-and-onion stuffing, for geese, ducks, and pork. . ingredients.-- large onions, sage-leaves, / lb. of bread crumbs, - / oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, egg. _mode_.--peel the onions, put them into boiling water, let them simmer for minutes or rather longer, and, just before they are taken out, put in the sage-leaves for a minute or two to take off their rawness. chop both these very fine, add the bread, seasoning, and butter, and work the whole together with the yolk of an egg, when the stuffing will be ready for use. it should be rather highly seasoned, and the sage-leaves should be very finely chopped. many cooks do not parboil the onions in the manner just stated, but merely use them raw. the stuffing then, however, is not nearly so mild, and, to many tastes, its strong flavour would be very objectionable. when made for goose, a portion of the liver of the bird, simmered for a few minutes and very finely minced, is frequently added to this stuffing; and where economy is studied, the egg may be dispensed with. _time_.--rather more than minutes to simmer the onions. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for goose, or a pair of ducks. . soyer's recipe for goose stuffing.--take apples, peeled and cored, onions, leaves of sage, and leaves of lemon thyme not broken, and boil them in a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them; when done, pulp them through a sieve, removing the sage and thyme; then add sufficient pulp of mealy potatoes to cause it to be sufficiently dry without sticking to the hand; add pepper and salt, and stuff the bird. salad dressing (excellent). i. . ingredients.-- teaspoonful of mixed mustard, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, tablespoonfuls of salad oil, tablespoonfuls of milk, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--put the mixed mustard into a salad-bowl with the sugar, and add the oil drop by drop, carefully stirring and mixing all these ingredients well together. proceed in this manner with the milk and vinegar, which must be added very _gradually_, or the sauce will curdle. put in the seasoning, when the mixture will be ready for use. if this dressing is properly made, it will have a soft creamy appearance, and will be found very delicious with crab, or cold fried fish (the latter cut into dice), as well as with salads. in mixing salad dressings, the ingredients cannot be added _too gradually_, or _stirred too much_. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for a small salad. this recipe can be confidently recommended by the editress, to whom it was given by an intimate friend noted for her salads. scarcity of salads in england.--three centuries ago, very few vegetables were cultivated in england, and an author writing of the period of henry viii.'s reign, tells us that neither salad, nor carrots, nor cabbages, nor radishes, nor any other comestibles of a like nature, were grown in any part of the kingdom: they came from holland and flanders. we further learn, that queen catharine herself, with all her royalty, could not procure a salad of english growth for her dinner. the king was obliged to mend this sad state of affairs, and send to holland for a gardener in order to cultivate those pot-herbs, in the growth of which england is now, perhaps, not behind any other country in europe. [illustration: the olive.] the olive and olive oil.--this tree assumes a high degree of interest from the historical circumstances with which it is connected. a leaf of it was brought into the ark by the dove, when that vessel was still floating on the waters of the great deep, and gave the first token that the deluge was subsiding. among the greeks, the prize of the victor in the olympic games was a wreath of wild olive; and the "mount of olives" is rendered familiar to our ears by its being mentioned in the scriptures as near to jerusalem. the tree is indigenous in the north of africa, syria, and greece; and the romans introduced it to italy. in spain and the south of france it is now cultivated; and although it grows in england, its fruit does not ripen in the open air. both in greece and portugal the fruit is eaten in its ripe state; but its taste is not agreeable to many palates. to the italian shepherd, bread and olives, with a little wine, form a nourishing diet; but in england, olives are usually only introduced by way of dessert, to destroy the taste of the viands which have been previously eaten, that the flavour of the wine may be the better enjoyed. there are three kinds of olives imported to london,--the french, spanish, and italian: the first are from provence, and are generally accounted excellent; the second are larger, but more bitter; and the last are from lucca, and are esteemed the best. the oil extracted from olives, called olive oil, or salad oil, is, with the continentals, in continual request, more dishes being prepared with than without it, we should imagine. with us, it is principally used in mixing a salad, and when thus employed, it tends to prevent fermentation, and is an antidote against flatulency. ii. . ingredients.-- eggs, teaspoonful of mixed mustard, / teaspoonful of white pepper, half that quantity of cayenne, salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of cream, vinegar. _mode_.--boil the eggs until hard, which will be in about / hour or minutes; put them into cold water, take off the shells, and pound the yolks in a mortar to a smooth paste. then add all the other ingredients, except the vinegar, and stir them well until the whole are thoroughly incorporated one with the other. pour in sufficient vinegar to make it of the consistency of cream, taking care to add but little at a time. the mixture will then be ready for use. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized salad. _note_.--the whites of the eggs, cut into rings, will serve very well as a garnishing to the salad. iii. . ingredients.-- egg, teaspoonful of salad oil, teaspoonful of mixed mustard, / teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of pounded sugar, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, tablespoonfuls of cream. _mode_.--prepare and mix the ingredients by the preceding recipe, and be very particular that the whole is well stirred. _note_.--in making salads, the vegetables, &c., should never be added to the sauce very long before they are wanted for table; the dressing, however, may always be prepared some hours before required. where salads are much in request, it is a good plan to bottle off sufficient dressing for a few days' consumption, as, thereby, much time and trouble are saved. if kept in a cool place, it will remain good for or days. poetic recipe for salad.--the rev. sydney smith, the witty canon of st. paul's, who thought that an enjoyment of the good things of this earth was compatible with aspirations for things higher, wrote the following excellent recipe for salad, which we should advise our readers not to pass by without a trial, when the hot weather invites to a dish of cold lamb. may they find the flavour equal to the rhyme.-- "two large potatoes, pass'd through kitchen sieve, smoothness and softness to the salad give: of mordent mustard add a single spoon, distrust the condiment that bites too soon; but deem it not, thou man of herbs, a fault. to add a double quantity of salt: four times the spoon with oil of lucca crown, and twice with vinegar procured from 'town; true flavour needs it, and your poet begs, the pounded yellow of two well-boil'd eggs. let onion's atoms lurk within the bowl, and, scarce suspected, animate the whole; and, lastly, in the flavour'd compound toss a magic spoonful of anchovy sauce. oh! great and glorious, and herbaceous treat, 'twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat. back to the world he'd turn his weary soul, and plunge his fingers in the salad-bowl." sauce allemande, or german sauce. . ingredients.-- / pint of sauce tournée (no. ), the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--put the sauce into a stewpan, heat it, and stir to it the beaten yolks of eggs, which have been previously strained. let it just simmer, but not boil, or the eggs will curdle; and after they are added to the sauce, it must be stirred without ceasing. this sauce is a general favourite, and is used for many made dishes. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, d. sauce aristocratique (a store sauce). . ingredients.--green walnuts. to every pint of juice, lb. of anchovies, drachm of cloves, drachm of mace, drachm of jamaica ginger bruised, shalots. to every pint of the boiled liquor, / pint of vinegar, / pint of port wine, tablespoonfuls of soy. _mode_.--pound the walnuts in a mortar, squeeze out the juice through a strainer, and let it stand to settle. pour off the clear juice, and to every pint of it, add anchovies, spices, and cloves in the above proportion. boil all these together till the anchovies are dissolved, then strain the juice again, put in the shalots ( to every pint), and boil again. to every pint of the boiled liquor add vinegar, wine, and soy, in the above quantities, and bottle off for use. cork well, and seal the corks. _seasonable_.--make this sauce from the beginning to the middle of july, when walnuts are in perfection for sauces and pickling. _average cost_, s. d. for a quart. manufacture of sauces.--in france, during the reign of louis xii., at the latter end of the th century, there was formed a company of sauce-manufacturers, who obtained, in those days of monopolies, the exclusive privilege of making sauces. the statutes drawn up by this company inform us that the famous sauce à la cameline, sold by them, was to be composed or "good cinnamon, good ginger, good cloves, good grains of paradise, good bread, and good vinegar." the sauce tence, was to be made of "good sound almonds, good ginger, good wine, and good verjuice." may we respectfully express a hope--not that we desire to doubt it in the least--that the english sauce-manufacturers of the th century are equally considerate and careful in choosing their ingredients for their various well-known preparations. sauce a l'aurore, for trout, soles, &c. . ingredients.--the spawn of lobster, oz. of butter, / pint of béchamel (no. ), the juice of / lemon, a high seasoning of salt and cayenne. _mode_.--take the spawn and pound it in a mortar with the butter, until quite smooth, and work it through a hair sieve. put the béchamel into a stewpan, add the pounded spawn, the lemon-juice, which must be strained, and a plentiful seasoning of cayenne and salt; let it just simmer, but do not allow it to boil, or the beautiful red colour of the sauce will be spoiled. a small spoonful of anchovy essence may be added at pleasure. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _sufficient_ for a pair of large soles. _seasonable_ at any time. sauce a la matelote, for fish. . ingredients.-- / pint of espagnole (no. ), onions, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, / glass of port wine, a bunch of sweet herbs, / bay-leaf, salt and pepper to taste, clove, berries of allspice, a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled, lemon-juice, and anchovy sauce. _mode_.--slice and fry the onions of a nice brown colour, and put them into a stewpan with the espagnole, ketchup, wine, and a little liquor in which the fish has been boiled. add the seasoning, herbs, and spices, and simmer gently for minutes, stirring well the whole time; strain it through a fine hair sieve, put in the lemon-juice and anchovy sauce, and pour it over the fish. this sauce may be very much enriched by adding a few small quenelles, or forcemeat balls made of fish, and also glazed onions or mushrooms. these, however, should not be added to the matelote till it is dished. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--this sauce originally took its name as being similar to that which the french sailor (_matelot_) employed as a relish to the fish he caught and ate. in some cases, cider and perry were substituted for the wine. the norman _matelotes_ were very celebrated. [illustration: the bay.] the bay.--we have already described (see no. ) the difference between the cherry-laurel (_prunus laurus cerasus_) and the classic laurel (_laurus nobilis_), the former only being used for culinary purposes. the latter beautiful evergreen was consecrated by the ancients to priests and heroes, and used in their sacrifices. "a crown of bay" was the earnestly-desired reward for great enterprises, and for the display of uncommon genius in oratory or writing. it was more particularly sacred to apollo, because, according to the fable, the nymph daphne was changed into a laurel-tree. the ancients believed, too, that the laurel had the power of communicating the gift of prophecy, as well as poetic genius; and, when they wished to procure pleasant dreams, would place a sprig under the pillow of their bed. it was the symbol, too, of victory, and it was thought that the laurel could never be struck by lightning. from this word comes that of "laureate;" alfred tennyson being the present poet laureate, crowned with laurel as the first of living bards. sauce piquante, for cutlets, roast meat, &c. . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, small carrot, shalots, small bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, / a bay-leaf, slices of lean ham, cloves, peppercorns, blade of mace, whole allspice, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, / pint of stock (no. or ), small lump of sugar, / saltspoonful of cayenne, salt to taste. _mode_.--put into a stewpan the butter, with the carrot and shalots, both of which must be cut into small slices; add the herbs, bay-leaf, spices, and ham (which must be minced rather finely), and let these ingredients simmer over a slow fire, until the bottom of the stewpan is covered with a brown glaze. keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and put in the remaining ingredients. simmer very gently for / hour, skim off every particle of fat, strain the sauce through a sieve, and serve very hot. care must be taken that this sauce be not made too acid, although it should possess a sharpness indicated by its name. of course the above quantity of vinegar may be increased or diminished at pleasure, according to taste. _time_.--altogether / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a medium-sized dish of cutlets. _seasonable_ at any time. a good sauce for various boiled puddings. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, / lb. of pounded sugar, a wineglassful of brandy or rum. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream, until no lumps remain; add the pounded sugar, and brandy or rum; stir once or twice until the whole is thoroughly mixed, and serve. this sauce may either be poured round the pudding or served in a tureen, according to the taste or fancy of the cook or mistress. _average cost_, d. for this quantity. _sufficient_ for a pudding. sauce robert, for steaks, &c. . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, onions, teaspoonful of flour, tablespoonfuls of gravy, or stock no. , salt and pepper to taste, teaspoonful of made mustard, teaspoonful of vinegar, the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--put the butter into a stewpan, set it on the fire, and, when browning, throw in the onions, which must be cut into small slices. fry them brown, but do not burn them; add the flour, shake the onions in it, and give the whole another fry. put in the gravy and seasoning, and boil it gently for minutes; skim off the fat, add the mustard, vinegar, and lemon-juice; give it one boil, and pour round the steaks, or whatever dish the sauce has been prepared for. _time_.---altogether / hour. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _seasonable_ at any time. _sufficient_ for about lbs. of steak. _note_.--this sauce will be found an excellent accompaniment to roast goose, pork, mutton cutlets, and various other dishes. a good sauce for steaks. . ingredients.-- oz. of whole black pepper, / oz. of allspice, oz. of salt, / oz. grated horseradish, / oz. of pickled shalots, pint of mushroom ketchup or walnut pickle. _mode_.--pound all the ingredients finely in a mortar, and put them into the ketchup or walnut-liquor. let them stand for a fortnight, when strain off the liquor and bottle for use. either pour a little of the sauce over the steaks or mix it in the gravy. _seasonable_.--this can be made at any time. _note_.--in using a jar of pickled walnuts, there is frequently left a large quantity of liquor; this should be converted into a sauce like the above, and will be found a very useful relish. the growth of the pepper-plant.--our readers will see at nos. and , a description, with engravings, of the qualities of black and long pepper, and an account of where these spices are found. we will here say something of the manner of the growth of the pepper-plant. like the vine, it requires support, and it is usual to plant a thorny tree by its side, to which it may cling. in malabar, the chief pepper district of india, the jacca-tree (_artocarpus integrifolia_) is made thus to yield its assistance, the same soil being adapted to the growth of both plants. the stem of the pepper-plant entwines round its support to a considerable height; the flexile branches then droop downwards, bearing at their extremities, as well as at other parts, spikes of green flowers, which are followed by the pungent berries. these hang in large bunches, resembling in shape those of grapes; but the fruit grows distinct, each on a little stalk, like currants. each berry contains a single seed, of a globular form and brownish colour, but which changes to a nearly black when dried; and this is the pepper of commerce. the leaves are not unlike those of the ivy, but are larger and of rather lighter colour; they partake strongly of the peculiar smell and pungent taste of the berry. sauce tournee. . ingredients.-- pint of white stock (no. ), thickening of flour and butter, or white roux (no. ), a faggot of savoury herbs, including parsley, chopped mushrooms, green onions. _mode_.--put the stock into a stewpan with the herbs, onions, and mushrooms, and let it simmer very gently for about / hour; stir in sufficient thickening to make it of a proper consistency; let it boil for a few minutes, then skim off all the fat, strain and serve. this sauce, with the addition of a little cream, is now frequently called velouté. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. _note_.--if poultry trimmings are at hand, the stock should be made of these; and the above sauce should not be made too thick, as it does not then admit of the fat being nicely removed. sweet sauce, for venison. . ingredients.--a small jar of red-currant jelly, glass of port wine. _mode_.--put the above ingredients into a stewpan, set them over the fire, and, when melted, pour in a tureen and serve. it should not be allowed to boil. _time_.-- minutes to melt the jelly. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. sauce for wildfowl. . ingredients.-- glass of port wine, tablespoonful of leamington sauce (no. ), tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, slice of lemon-peel, large shalot cut in slices, blade of mace, cayenne to taste. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a stewpan, set it over the fire, and let it simmer for about minutes; then strain and serve the sauce in a tureen. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, for this quantity, d. sausage-meat stuffing, for turkey. . ingredients.-- oz. of lean pork, oz. of fat pork, both weighed after being chopped (beef suet may be substituted for the latter), oz. of bread crumbs, small tablespoonful of minced sage, blade of pounded mace, salt and pepper to taste, egg. _mode_.--chop the meat and fat very finely, mix with them the other ingredients, taking care that the whole is thoroughly incorporated. moisten with the egg, and the stuffing will be ready for use. equal quantities of this stuffing and forcemeat, no. , will be found to answer very well, as the herbs, lemon-peel, &c. in the latter, impart a very delicious flavour to the sausage-meat. as preparations, however, like stuffings and forcemeats, are matters to be decided by individual tastes, they must be left, to a great extent, to the discrimination of the cook, who should study her employer's taste in this, as in every other respect. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a small turkey. savoury jelly for meat pies. . ingredients.-- lbs. of shin of beef, calf's-foot, lbs. of knuckle of veal, poultry trimmings (if for game pies, any game trimmings), onions stuck with cloves, carrots, shalots, a bunch of savoury herbs, bay-leaves; when liked, blades of mace and a little spice; slices of lean ham, rather more than quarts of water. _mode_.--cut up the meat and put it into a stewpan with all the ingredients except the water; set it over a slow fire to draw down, and, when the gravy ceases to flow from the meat, pour in the water. let it boil up, then carefully take away all scum from the top. cover the stewpan closely, and let the stock simmer very gently for hours: if rapidly boiled, the jelly will not be clear. when done, strain it through a fine sieve or flannel bag; and when cold, the jelly should be quite transparent. if this is not the case, clarify it with the whites of eggs, as described in recipe no. . _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. shrimp sauce, for various kinds of fish. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter (no. ), / pint of picked shrimps, cayenne to taste. _mode_.--make the melted butter very smoothly by recipe no. , shell the shrimps (sufficient to make / pint when picked), and put them into the butter; season with cayenne, and let the sauce just simmer, but do not allow it to boil. when liked, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce may be added. _time_.-- minute to simmer. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. spinach green for colouring various dishes. . ingredients.-- handfuls of spinach. _mode_.--pick and wash the spinach free from dirt, and pound the leaves in a mortar to extract the juice; then press it through a hair sieve, and put the juice into a small stewpan or jar. place this in a bain marie, or saucepan of boiling water, and let it set. watch it closely, as it should not boil; and, as soon as it is done, lay it in a sieve, so that all the water may drain from it, and the green will then be ready for colouring. if made according to this recipe, the spinach-green will be found far superior to that boiled in the ordinary way. hot spice, a delicious adjunct to chops, steaks, gravies, &c. . ingredients.-- drachms each of ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon, cloves, / oz. mace, / oz. of cayenne, oz. grated nutmeg, - / oz. white pepper. _mode_.--pound the ingredients, and mix them thoroughly together, taking care that everything is well blended. put the spice in a very dry glass bottle for use. the quantity of cayenne may be increased, should the above not be enough to suit the palate. [illustration: cinnamon.] cinnamon.--the cinnamon-tree (_laurus cinnamomum_) is a valuable and beautiful species of the laurel family, and grows to the height of or feet. the trunk is short and straight, with wide-spreading branches, and it has a smooth ash-like bark. the leaves are upon short stalks, and are of an oval shape, and to inches long. the flowers are in panicles, with six small petals, and the fruit is about the size of an olive, soft, insipid, and of a deep blue. this incloses a nut, the kernel of which germinates soon after it falls. the wood of the tree is white and not very solid, and its root is thick and branching, exuding a great quantity of camphor. the inner bark of the tree forms the cinnamon of commerce. ceylon was thought to be its native island; but it has been found in malabar, cochin-china, sumatra, and the eastern islands; also in the brazils, the mauritius, jamaica, and other tropical localities. brown roux, a french thickening for gravies and sauces. . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, oz. of flour. _mode_.--melt the butter in a stewpan over a slow fire, and dredge in, very gradually, the flour; stir it till of a light-brown colour--to obtain this do it very slowly, otherwise the flour will burn and impart a bitter taste to the sauce it is mixed with. pour it in a jar, and keep it for use: it will remain good some time. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, d. white roux, for thickening white sauces. . allow the same proportions of butter and flour as in the preceding recipe, and proceed in the same manner as for brown roux, but do not keep it on the fire too long, and take care not to let it colour. this is used for thickening white sauce. pour it into a jar to use when wanted. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_,--a dessertspoonful will thicken a pint of gravy. _note_.--besides the above, sauces may be thickened with potato flour, ground rice, baked flour, arrowroot, &c.: the latter will be found far preferable to the ordinary flour for white sauces. a slice of bread, toasted and added to gravies, answers the two purposes of thickening and colouring them. spanish onions--pickled. . ingredients.--onions, vinegar; salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--cut the onions in thin slices; put a layer of them in the bottom of a jar; sprinkle with salt and cayenne; then add another layer of onions, and season as before. proceeding in this manner till the jar is full, pour in sufficient vinegar to cover the whole, and the pickle will be fit for use in a month. _seasonable_.--may be had in england from september to february. store sauce, or cherokee. . ingredients.-- / oz. of cayenne pepper, cloves of garlic, tablespoonfuls of soy, tablespoonful of walnut ketchup, pint of vinegar. _mode_.--boil all the ingredients _gently_ for about / hour; strain the liquor, and bottle off for use. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_.--this sauce can be made at any time. tomato sauce--hot, to serve with cutlets, roast meats, &c. . ingredients.-- tomatoes, shalots, clove, blade of mace, salt and cayenne to taste, / pint of gravy, no. , or stock no. . _mode_.--cut the tomatoes in two, and squeeze the juice and seeds out; put them in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and let them simmer _gently_ until the tomatoes are tender enough to pulp; rub the whole through a sieve, boil it for a few minutes, and serve. the shalots and spices may be omitted when their flavour is objected to. _time_.-- hour, or rather more, to simmer the tomatoes. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _in full season_ in september and october. [illustration: the tomato.] tomato, or love-apple.--the plant which bears this fruit is a native of south america, and takes its name from a portuguese word. the tomato fruit is about the size of a small potato, and is chiefly used in soups, sauces, and gravies. it is sometimes served to table roasted or boiled, and when green, makes a good ketchup or pickle. in its unripe state, it is esteemed as excellent sauce for roast goose or pork, and when quite ripe, a good store sauce may be prepared from it. tomato sauce for keeping (excellent). i. . ingredients.--to every quart of tomato-pulp allow pint of cayenne vinegar (no. ), / oz. of shalots, / oz. of garlic, peeled and cut in slices; salt to taste. to every six quarts of liquor, pint of soy, pint of anchovy sauce. _mode_.--gather the tomatoes quite ripe; bake them in a slow oven till tender; rub them through a sieve, and to every quart of pulp add cayenne vinegar, shalots, garlic, and salt, in the above proportion; boil the whole together till the garlic and shalots are quite soft; then rub it through a sieve, put it again into a saucepan, and, to every six quarts of the liquor, add pint of soy and the same quantity of anchovy sauce, and boil altogether for about minutes; bottle off for use, and carefully seal or rosin the corks. this will keep good for or years, but will be fit for use in a week. a useful and less expensive sauce may be made by omitting the anchovy and soy. _time_.--altogether hour. _seasonable_.--make this from the middle of september to the end of october. ii. . ingredients.-- dozen tomatoes, teaspoonfuls of the best powdered ginger, dessertspoonful of salt, head of garlic chopped fine, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, dessertspoonful of chili vinegar (a small quantity of cayenne may be substituted for this). _mode_.--choose ripe tomatoes, put them into a stone jar, and stand them in a cool oven until quite tender; when cold, take the skins and stalks from them, mix the pulp with the liquor which is in the jar, but do not strain it; add all the other ingredients, mix well together, and put it into well-sealed bottles. stored away in a cool dry place, it will keep good for years. it is ready for use as soon as made, but the flavour is better after a week or two. should it not appear to keep, turn it out, and boil it up with a little additional ginger and cayenne. for immediate use, the skins should be put into a wide-mouthed bottle with a little of the different ingredients, and they will be found very nice for hashes or stews. _time_.-- or hours in a cool oven. _seasonable_ from the middle of september to the end of october. iii. . ingredients.-- dozen tomatoes; to every pound of tomato-pulp allow pint of chili vinegar, oz. of garlic, oz. of shalot, oz. of salt, large green capsicum, / teaspoonful of cayenne, pickled gherkins, pickled onions, pint of common vinegar, and the juice of lemons. _mode_.--choose the tomatoes when quite ripe and red; put them in a jar with a cover to it, and bake them till tender. the better way is to put them in the oven overnight, when it will not be too hot, and examine them in the morning to see if they are tender. do not allow them to remain in the oven long enough to break them; but they should be sufficiently soft to skin nicely and rub through the sieve. measure the pulp, and to each pound of pulp, add the above proportion of vinegar and other ingredients, taking care to chop very fine the garlic, shalot, capsicum, onion, and gherkins. boil the whole together till everything is tender; then again rub it through a sieve, and add the lemon-juice. now boil the whole again till it becomes as thick as cream, and keep continually stirring; bottle it when quite cold, cork well, and seal the corks. if the flavour of garlic and shalot is very much disliked, diminish the quantities. _time_.--bake the tomatoes in a cool oven all night. _seasonable_ from the middle of september to the end of october. _note_.--a quantity of liquor will flow from the tomatoes, which must be put through the sieve with the rest. keep it well stirred while on the fire, and use a wooden spoon. universal pickle. . ingredients.--to quarts of vinegar allow lb. of salt, / lb. of ginger, oz. of mace, / lb. of shalots, tablespoonful of cayenne, oz. of mustard-seed, - / oz. of turmeric. _mode_.--boil all the ingredients together for about minutes; when cold, put them into a jar with whatever vegetables you choose, such as radish-pods, french beans, cauliflowers, gherkins, &c. &c., as these come into season; put them in fresh as you gather them, having previously wiped them perfectly free from moisture and grit. this pickle will be fit for use in about or months. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_.--make the pickle in may or june, to be ready for the various vegetables. _note_.--as this pickle takes or months to make,--that is to say, nearly that time will elapse before all the different vegetables are added,--care must be taken to keep the jar which contains the pickle well covered, either with a closely-fitting lid, or a piece of bladder securely tied over, so as perfectly to exclude the air. pickled walnuts (very good). . ingredients.-- walnuts, salt and water. to each quart of vinegar allow oz. of whole black pepper, oz. of allspice, oz. of bruised ginger. _mode_.--procure the walnuts while young; be careful they are not woody, and prick them well with a fork; prepare a strong brine of salt and water ( lbs. of salt to each gallon of water), into which put the walnuts, letting them remain days, and changing the brine every third day; drain them off, put them on a dish, place it in the sun until they become perfectly black, which will be in or days; have ready dry jars, into which place the walnuts, and do not quite fill the jars. boil sufficient vinegar to cover them, for minutes, with spices in the above proportion, and pour it hot over the walnuts, which must be quite covered with the pickle; tie down with bladder, and keep in a dry place. they will be fit for use in a month, and will keep good or years. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_.--make this from the beginning to the middle of july, before the walnuts harden. _note_.--when liked, a few shalots may be added to the vinegar, and boiled with it. walnut ketchup. i. . ingredients.-- walnuts, handful of salt, quart of vinegar, / oz. of mace, / oz. of nutmeg, / oz. of cloves, / oz. of ginger, / oz. of whole black pepper, a small piece of horseradish, shalots, / lb. of anchovies, pint of port wine. _mode_.--procure the walnuts at the time you can run a pin through them, slightly bruise, and put them into a jar with the salt and vinegar, let them stand days, stirring every day; then drain the liquor from them, and boil it, with the above ingredients, for about / hour. it may be strained or not, as preferred, and, if required, a little more vinegar or wine can be added, according to taste. when bottled well, seal the corks. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_.--make this from the beginning to the middle of july, when walnuts are in perfection for pickling purposes. ii. . ingredients.-- / sieve of walnut-shells, quarts of water, salt, / lb. of shalots, oz. of cloves, oz. of mace, oz. of whole pepper, oz. of garlic. _mode_.--put the walnut-shells into a pan, with the water, and a large quantity of salt; let them stand for days, then break the shells up in the water, and let it drain through a sieve, putting a heavy weight on the top to express the juice; place it on the fire, and remove all scum that may arise. now boil the liquor with the shalots, cloves, mace, pepper, and garlic, and let all simmer till the shalots sink; then put the liquor into a pan, and, when cold, bottle, and cork closely. it should stand months before using: should it ferment during that time, it must be again boiled and skimmed. _time_.--about / hour. _seasonable_ in september, when the walnut-shells are obtainable. [illustration: the walnut.] the walnut.--this nut is a native of persia, and was introduced into england from france. as a pickle, it is much used in the green state; and grated walnuts in spain are much employed, both in tarts and other dishes. on the continent it is occasionally employed as a substitute for olive oil in cooking; but it is apt, under such circumstances, to become rancid. the matter which remains after the oil is extracted is considered highly nutritious for poultry. it is called _mare_, and in switzerland is eaten under the name of _pain amer_ by the poor. the oil is frequently manufactured into a kind of soap, and the leaves and green husks yield an extract, which, as a brown dye, is used to stain hair, wool, and wood. white sauce (good). . ingredients.-- / pint of white stock (no. ), / pint of cream, dessertspoonful of flour, salt to taste. _mode_.--have ready a delicately-clean saucepan, into which put the stock, which should be well flavoured with vegetables, and rather savoury; mix the flour smoothly with the cream, add it to the stock, season with a little salt, and boil all these ingredients very gently for about minutes, keeping them well stirred the whole time, as this sauce is very liable to burn. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for a pair of fowls. _seasonable_ at any time. white sauce, made without meat. . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, small onions, carrot, / a small teacupful of flour, pint of new milk, salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--cut up the onions and carrot very small, and put them into a stewpan with the butter; simmer them till the butter is nearly dried up; then stir in the flour, and add the milk; boil the whole gently until it thickens, strain it, season with salt and cayenne, and it will be ready to serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a pair of fowls. _seasonable_ at any time. white sauce (a very simple and inexpensive method). . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, - / oz. of rice, strip of lemon-peel, small blade of pounded mace, salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--boil the milk with the lemon-peel and rice until the latter is perfectly tender, then take out the lemon-peel and pound the milk and rice together; put it back into the stewpan to warm, add the mace and seasoning, give it one boil, and serve. this sauce should be of the consistency of thick cream. _time_.--about - / hour to boil the rice. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a pair of fowls. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: the leamington stove, or kitchener.] various modes of cooking meat. chapter xi. general remarks. . in our "introduction to cookery" (_see_ no. ) we have described the gradual progress of mankind in the art of cookery, the probability being, that the human race, for a long period, lived wholly on fruits. man's means of attacking animals, even if he had the desire of slaughtering them, were very limited, until he acquired the use of arms. he, however, made weapons for himself, and, impelled by a carnivorous instinct, made prey of the animals that surrounded him. it is natural that man should seek to feed on flesh; he has too small a stomach to be supported alone by fruit, which has not sufficient nourishment to renovate him. it is possible he might subsist on vegetables; but their preparation needs the knowledge of art, only to be obtained after the lapse of many centuries. man's first weapons were the branches of trees, which were succeeded by bows and arrows, and it is worthy of remark, that these latter weapons have been found with the natives of all climates and latitudes. it is singular how this idea presented itself to individuals so differently placed. . brillat savarin says, that raw flesh has but one inconvenience,--from its viscousness it attaches itself to the teeth. he goes on to say, that it is not, however, disagreeable; but, when seasoned with salt, that it is easily digested. he tells a story of a croat captain, whom he invited to dinner in , during the occupation of paris by the allied troops. this officer was amazed at his host's preparations, and said, "when we are campaigning, and get hungry, we knock over the first animal we find, cut off a steak, powder it with salt, which we always have in the sabretasche, put it under the saddle, gallop over it for half a mile, and then dine like princes." again, of the huntsmen of dauphiny it is said, that when they are out shooting in september, they take with them both pepper and salt. if they kill a very fat bird, they pluck and season it, and, after carrying it some time in their caps, eat it. this, they declare, is the best way of serving it up. . subsequently to the croat mode, which, doubtless, was in fashion in the earlier ages of the world, fire was discovered. this was an accident; for fire is not, although we are accustomed to call it so, an element, or spontaneous. many savage nations have been found utterly ignorant of it, and many races had no other way of dressing their food than by exposing it to the rays of the sun. . the inhabitants of the marian islands, which were discovered in , had no idea of fire. never was astonishment greater than theirs when they first saw it, on the descent of magellan, the navigator, on one of their isles. at first they thought it a kind of animal, that fixed itself to and fed upon wood. some of them, who approached too near, being burnt, the rest were terrified, and durst only look upon it at a distance. they were afraid, they said, of being bit, or lest that dreadful animal should wound with his violent respiration and dreadful breath; for these were the first notions they formed of the heat and flame. such, too, probably, were the notions the greeks originally formed of them. . fire having been discovered, mankind endeavoured to make use of it for drying, and afterwards for cooking their meat; but they were a considerable time before they hit upon proper and commodious methods of employing it in the preparation of their food. . meat, then, placed on burning fuel was found better than when raw: it had more firmness, was eaten with less difficulty, and the ozmazome being condensed by the carbonization, gave it a pleasing perfume and flavour. still, however, the meat cooked on the coal would become somewhat befouled, certain portions of the fuel adhering to it. this disadvantage was remedied by passing spits through it, and placing it at a suitable height above the burning fuel. thus grilling was invented; and it is well known that, simple as is this mode of cookery, yet all meat cooked in this way is richly and pleasantly flavoured. in homer's time, the, art of cookery had not advanced much beyond this; for we read in the "iliad," how the great achilles and his friend patroclus regaled the three grecian leaders on bread, wine, and broiled meat. it is noticeable, too, that homer does not speak of boiled meat anywhere in his poems. later, however, the jews, coming out of their captivity in egypt, had made much greater progress. they undoubtedly possessed kettles; and in one of these, esau's mess of pottage, for which he sold his birthright, must have been prepared. . having thus briefly traced a history of gastronomical progresses, we will now proceed to describe the various methods of cooking meat, and make a few observations on the chemical changes which occur in each of the operations. . in this country, plain boiling, roasting, and baking are the usual methods of cooking animal food. to explain the philosophy of these simple culinary operations, we must advert to the effects that are produced by heat on the principal constituents of flesh. when finely-chopped mutton or beef is steeped for some time in a small quantity of clean water, and then subjected to slight pressure, the juice of the meat is extracted, and there is left a white tasteless residue, consisting chiefly of muscular fibres. when this residue is heated to between ° and ° fahrenheit, the fibres shrink together, and become hard and horny. the influence of an elevated temperature on the soluble extract of flesh is not less remarkable. when the watery infusion, which contains all the savoury constituents of the meat, is gradually heated, it soon becomes turbid; and, when the temperature reaches °, flakes of whitish matter separate. these flakes are _albumen_, a substance precisely similar, in all its properties, to the white of egg (see no. ). when the temperature of the watery extract is raised to °, the colouring matter of the blood coagulates, and the liquid, which was originally tinged red by this substance, is left perfectly clear, and almost colourless. when evaporated, even at a gentle heat, this residual liquid gradually becomes brown, and acquires the flavour of roast meat. . these interesting facts, discovered in the laboratory, throw a flood of light upon the mysteries of the kitchen. the fibres of meat are surrounded by a liquid which contains albumen in its soluble state, just as it exists in the unboiled egg. during the operation of boiling or roasting, this substance coagulates, and thereby prevents the contraction and hardening of the fibres. the tenderness of well-cooked meat is consequently proportioned to the amount of albumen deposited in its substance. meat is underdone when it has been heated throughout only to the temperature of coagulating albumen: it is thoroughly done when it has been heated through its whole mass to the temperature at which the colouring matter of the blood coagulates: it is overdone when the heat has been continued long enough to harden the fibres. . the juice of flesh is water, holding in solution many substances besides albumen, which are of the highest possible value as articles of food. in preparing meat for the table, great care should be taken to prevent the escape of this precious juice, as the succulence and sapidity of the meat depend on its retention. the meat to be cooked should be exposed at first to a quick heat, which immediately coagulates the albumen on and near the surface. a kind of shell is thus formed, which effectually retains the whole of the juice within the meat. . during the operations of boiling, boasting, and baking, fresh beef and mutton, when moderately fat, lose, according to johnston, on an average about-- in boiling. in baking. in roasting. lbs. of beef lose lb. lb. oz. lb. oz. lbs. of mutton lose oz. lb. oz. lb. oz. baking. [illustration: baking dish.] . the difference between roasting meat and baking it, may be generally described as consisting in the fact, that, in baking it, the fumes caused by the operation are not carried off in the same way as occurs in roasting. much, however, of this disadvantage is obviated by the improved construction of modern ovens, and of especially those in connection with the leamington kitchener, of which we give an engraving here, and a full description of which will be seen at paragraph no. , with the prices at which they can be purchased of messrs. r. and j. slack, of the strand. with meat baked in the generality of ovens, however, which do not possess ventilators on the principle of this kitchener, there is undoubtedly a peculiar taste, which does not at all equal the flavour developed by roasting meat. the chemistry of baking may be said to be the same as that described in roasting. . should the oven be very brisk, it will be found necessary to cover the joint with a piece of white paper, to prevent the meat from being scorched and blackened outside, before the heat can penetrate into the inside. this paper should be removed half an hour before the time of serving dinner, so that the joint may take a good colour. . by means of a jar, many dishes, which will be enumerated under their special heads, may be economically prepared in the oven. the principal of these are soup, gravies, jugged hare, beef tea; and this mode of cooking may be advantageously adopted with a ham, which has previously been covered with a common crust of flour and water. . all dishes prepared for baking should be more highly seasoned than when intended to be roasted. there are some dishes which, it may be said, are at least equally well cooked in the oven as by the roaster; thus, a shoulder of mutton and baked potatoes, a fillet or breast of veal, a sucking pig, a hare, well basted, will be received by connoisseurs as well, when baked, as if they had been roasted. indeed, the baker's oven, or the family oven, may often, as has been said, be substituted for the cook and the spit with greater economy and convenience. . a baking-dish, of which we give an engraving, should not be less than or inches deep; so that the meat, which of course cannot be basted, can stew in its own juices. in the recipe for each dish, full explanations concerning any special points in relation to it will be given. boiling. . boiling, or the preparation of meat by hot water, though one of the easiest processes in cookery, requires skilful management. boiled meat should be tender, savoury, and full of its own juice, or natural gravy; but, through the carelessness and ignorance of cooks, it is too often sent to table hard, tasteless, and innutritious. to insure a successful result in boiling flesh, the heat of the fire must be judiciously regulated, the proper quantity of water must be kept up in the pot, and the scum which rises to the surface must be carefully removed. . many writers on cookery assert that the meat to be boiled should be put into cold water, and that the pot should be heated gradually; but liebig, the highest authority on all matters connected with the chemistry of food, has shown that meat so treated loses some of its most nutritious constituents. "if the flesh," says the great chemist, "be introduced into the boiler when the water is in a state of brisk ebullition, and if the boiling be kept up for a few minutes, and the pot then placed in a warm place, so that the temperature of the water is kept at ° to °, we have the united conditions for giving to the flesh the qualities which best fit it for being eaten." when a piece of meat is plunged into boiling water, the albumen which is near the surface immediately coagulates, forming an envelope, which prevents the escape of the internal juice, and most effectually excludes the water, which, by mixing with this juice, would render the meat insipid. meat treated thus is juicy and well-flavoured, when cooked, as it retains most of its savoury constituents. on the other hand, if the piece of meat be set on the fire with cold water, and this slowly heated to boiling, the flesh undergoes a loss of soluble and nutritious substances, while, as a matter of course, the soup becomes richer in these matters. the albumen is gradually dissolved from the surface to the centre; the fibre loses, more or less, its quality of shortness or tenderness, and becomes hard and tough: the thinner the piece of meat is, the greater is its loss of savoury constituents. in order to obtain well-flavoured and eatable meat, we must relinquish the idea of making good soup from it, as that mode of boiling which yields the best soup gives the driest, toughest, and most vapid meat. slow boiling whitens the meat; and, we suspect, that it is on this account that it is in such favour with the cooks. the wholesomeness of food is, however, a matter of much greater moment than the appearance it presents on the table. it should be borne in mind, that the whiteness of meat that has been boiled slowly, is produced by the loss of some important alimentary properties. . the objections we have raised to the practice of putting meat on the fire in cold water, apply with equal force to the practice of soaking meat before cooking it, which is so strongly recommended by some cooks. fresh meat ought never to be soaked, as all its most nutritive constituents are soluble in water. soaking, however, is an operation that cannot be entirely dispensed with in the preparation of animal food. salted and dried meats require to be soaked for some time in water before they are cooked. . for boiling meat, the softer the water is, the better. when spring water is boiled, the chalk which gives to it the quality of hardness, is precipitated. this chalk stains the meat, and communicates to it an unpleasant earthy taste. when nothing but hard water can be procured, it should be softened by boiling it for an hour or two before it is used for culinary purposes. . the fire must be watched with great attention during the operation of boiling, so that its heat may be properly regulated. as a rule, the pot should be kept in a simmering state; a result which cannot be attained without vigilance. . the temperature at which water boils, under usual circumstances, is ° fahr. water does not become hotter after it has begun to boil, however long or with whatever violence the boiling is continued. this fact is of great importance in cookery, and attention to it will save much fuel. water made to boil in a gentle way by the application of a moderate heat is just as hot as when it is made to boil on a strong fire with the greatest possible violence. when once water has been brought to the boiling point, the fire may be considerably reduced, as a very gentle heat will suffice to keep the water at its highest temperature. . the scum which rises to the surface of the pot during the operation of boiling must be carefully removed, otherwise it will attach itself to the meat, and thereby spoil its appearance. the cook must not neglect to skim during the whole process, though by far the greater part of the scum rises at first. the practice of wrapping meat in a cloth may be dispensed with if the skimming be skillfully managed. if the scum be removed as fast as it rises, the meat will be cooked clean and pure, and come out of the vessel in which it was boiled, much more delicate and firm than when cooked in a cloth. . when taken from the pot, the meat must be wiped with a clean cloth, or, what will be found more convenient, a sponge previously dipped in water and wrung dry. the meat should not be allowed to stand a moment longer than necessary, as boiled meat, as well as roasted, cannot be eaten too hot. . the time allowed for the operation of boiling must be regulated according to the size and quality of the meat. as a general rule, twenty minutes, reckoning from the moment when the boiling commences, may be allowed for every pound of meat. all the best authorities, however, agree in this, that the longer the boiling the more perfect the operation. . a few observations on the nutritive value of salted meat may be properly introduced in this place. every housewife knows that dry salt in contact with fresh meat gradually becomes fluid brine. the application of salt causes the fibres of the meat to contract, and the juice to flow out from its pores: as much as one-third of the juice of the meat is often forced out in this manner. now, as this juice is pure extract of meat, containing albumen, osmazome, and other valuable principles, it follows that meat which has been preserved by the action of salt can never have the nutritive properties of fresh meat. . the vessels used for boiling should be made of cast-iron, well tinned within, and provided with closely-fitting lids. they must be kept scrupulously clean, otherwise they will render the meat cooked in them unsightly and unwholesome. copper pans, if used at all, should be reserved for operations that are performed with rapidity; as, by long contact with copper, food may become dangerously contaminated. the kettle in which a joint is dressed should be large enough to allow room for a good supply of water; if the meat be cramped and be surrounded with but little water, it will be stewed, not boiled. . in stewing, it is not requisite to have so great a heat as in boiling. a gentle simmering in a small quantity of water, so that the meat is stewed almost in its own juices, is all that is necessary. it is a method much used on the continent, and is wholesome and economical. [illustration: boiling-pot.] [illustration: stewpan.] two useful culinary vessels are represented above. one is a boiling-pot, in which large joints may be boiled; the other is a stewpan, with a closely-fitting lid, to which is attached a long handle; so that the cover can be removed without scalding the fingers. [illustration: hot-plate.] . the hot-plate is a modern improvement on the old kitchen ranges, being used for boiling and stewing. it is a plate of cast iron, having a closed fire burning beneath it, by which it is thoroughly well heated. on this plate are set the various saucepans, stewpans, &c.; and, by this convenient and economical method, a number of dishes may be prepared at one time. the culinary processes of braising and stewing are, in this manner, rendered more gradual, and consequently the substance acted on becomes more tender, and the gravy is not so much reduced. broiling. [illustration: revolving gridiron.] . generally speaking, small dishes only are prepared by this mode of cooking; amongst these, the beef-steak and mutton chop of the solitary english diner may be mentioned as celebrated all the world over. our beef-steak, indeed, has long crossed the channel; and, with a view of pleasing the britons, there is in every _carte_ at every french restaurant, by the side of _à la marengo_, and _à la mayonnaise,--bifteck d'angleterre_. in order to succeed in a broil, the cook must have a bright, clear fire; so that the surface of the meat may be quickly heated. the result of this is the same as that obtained in roasting; namely, that a crust, so to speak, is formed outside, and thus the juices of the meat are retained. the appetite of an invalid, so difficult to minister to, is often pleased with a broiled dish, as the flavour and sapidity of the meat are so well preserved. . the utensils used for broiling need but little description. the common gridiron, for which see engraving at no. , is the same as it has been for ages past, although some little variety has been introduced into its manufacture, by the addition of grooves to the bars, by means of which the liquid fat is carried into a small trough. one point it is well to bear in mind, viz., that the gridiron should be kept in a direction slanting towards the cook, so that as little fat as possible may fall into the fire. it has been observed, that broiling is the most difficult manual office the general cook has to perform, and one that requires the most unremitting attention; for she may turn her back upon the stewpan or the spit, but the gridiron can never be left with impunity. the revolving gridiron, shown in the engraving, possesses some advantages of convenience, which will be at once apparent. frying. [illustration: sautÉ pan.] . this very favourite mode of cooking may be accurately described as boiling in fat or oil. substances dressed in this way are generally well received, for they introduce an agreeable variety, possessing, as they do, a peculiar flavour. by means of frying, cooks can soon satisfy many requisitions made on them, it being a very expeditious mode of preparing dishes for the table, and one which can be employed when the fire is not sufficiently large for the purposes of roasting and boiling. the great point to be borne in mind in frying, is that the liquid must be hot enough to act instantaneously, as all the merit of this culinary operation lies in the invasion of the boiling liquid, which carbonizes or burns, at the very instant of the immersion of the body placed in it. it may be ascertained if the fat is heated to the proper degree, by cutting a piece of bread and dipping it in the frying-pan for five or six seconds; and if it be firm and of a dark brown when taken out, put in immediately what you wish to prepare; if it be not, let the fat be heated until of the right temperature. this having been effected, moderate the fire, so that the action may not be too hurried, and that by a continuous heat the juices of the substance may be preserved, and its flavour enhanced. . the philosophy of frying consists in this, that liquids subjected to the action of fire do not all receive the same quantity of heat. being differently constituted in their nature, they possess different "capacities for caloric." thus, you may, with impunity, dip your finger in boiling spirits of wine; you would take it very quickly from boiling brandy, yet more rapidly from water; whilst the effects of the most rapid immersion in boiling oil need not be told. as a consequence of this, heated fluids act differently on the sapid bodies presented to them. those put in water, dissolve, and are reduced to a soft mass; the result being _bouillon_, stock, &c. (_see_ no. ). those substances, on the contrary, treated with oil, harden, assume a more or less deep colour, and are finally carbonized. the reason of these different results is, that, in the first instance, water dissolves and extracts the interior juices of the alimentary substances placed in it; whilst, in the second, the juices are preserved; for they are insoluble in oil. . it is to be especially remembered, in connection with frying, that all dishes fried in fat should be placed before the fire on a piece of blotting-paper, or sieve reversed, and there left for a few minutes, so that any superfluous greasy moisture may be removed. . the utensils used for the purposes of frying are confined to frying-pans, although these are of various sizes; and, for small and delicate dishes, such as collops, fritters, pancakes, &c., the _sauté_ pan, of which we give an engraving, is used. cooking by gas. [illustration: gas stove.] . gas-cooking can scarcely now be considered a novelty,--many establishments, both small and large, have been fitted with apparatus for cooking by this mode, which undoubtedly exhibits some advantages. thus the heat may be more regularly supplied to the substance cooking, and the operation is essentially a clean one, because there can be no cinders or other dirt to be provided for. some labour and attention necessary, too, with a coal fire or close stove, may be saved; and, besides this, it may, perhaps, be said that culinary operations are reduced, by this means, to something like a certainty. . there are, however, we think, many objections to this mode of cooking, more especially when applied to small domestic establishments. for instance, the ingenious machinery necessary for carrying it out, requires cooks perfectly conversant with its use; and if the gas, when the cooking operations are finished, be not turned off, there will be a large increase in the cost of cooking, instead of the economy which it has been supposed to bring. for large establishments, such as some of the immense london warehouses, where a large number of young men have to be catered for daily, it may be well adapted, as it is just possible that a slight increase in the supply of gas necessary for a couple of joints, may serve equally to cook a dozen dishes. roasting. . of the various methods of preparing meat, roasting is that which most effectually preserves its nutritive qualities. meat is roasted by being exposed to the direct influence of the fire. this is done by placing the meat before an open grate, and keeping it in motion to prevent the scorching on any particular part. when meat is properly roasted, the outer layer of its albumen is coagulated, and thus presents a barrier to the exit of the juice. in roasting meat, the heat must be strongest at first, and it should then be much reduced. to have a good juicy roast, therefore, the fire must be red and vigorous at the very commencement of the operation. in the most careful roasting, some of the juice is squeezed out of the meat: this evaporates on the surface of the meat, and gives it a dark brown colour, a rich lustre, and a strong aromatic taste. besides these effects on the albumen and the expelled juice, roasting converts the cellular tissue of the meat into gelatine, and melts the fat out of the fat-cells. . if a spit is used to support the meat before the fire, it should be kept quite bright. sand and water ought to be used to scour it with, for brickdust and oil may give a disagreeable taste to the meat. when well scoured, it must be wiped quite dry with a clean cloth; and, in spitting the meat, the prime parts should be left untouched, so as to avoid any great escape of its juices. . kitchens in large establishments are usually fitted with what are termed "smoke-jacks." by means of these, several spits, if required, may be turned at the same time. this not being, of course, necessary in smaller establishments, a roasting apparatus, more economical in its consumption of coal, is more frequently in use. [illustration: bottle-jack, with wheel and hook.] . the bottle-jack, of which we here give an illustration, with the wheel and hook, and showing the precise manner of using it, is now commonly used in many kitchens. this consists of a spring inclosed in a brass cylinder, and requires winding up before it is used, and sometimes, also, during the operation of roasting. the joint is fixed to an iron hook, which is suspended by a chain connected with a wheel, and which, in its turn, is connected with the bottle-jack. beneath it stands the dripping-pan, which we have also engraved, together with the basting-ladle, the use of which latter should not be spared; as there can be no good roast without good basting. "spare the rod, and spoil the child," might easily be paraphrased into "spare the basting, and spoil the meat." if the joint is small and light, and so turns unsteadily, this may be remedied by fixing to the wheel one of the kitchen weights. sometimes this jack is fixed inside a screen; but there is this objection to this apparatus,--that the meat cooked in it resembles the flavour of baked meat. this is derived from its being so completely surrounded with the tin, that no sufficient current of air gets to it. it will be found preferable to make use of a common meat-screen, such as is shown in the woodcut. this contains shelves for warming plates and dishes; and with this, the reflection not being so powerful, and more air being admitted to the joint, the roast may be very excellently cooked. [illustration: dripping-pan and basting-ladle.] . in stirring the fire, or putting fresh coals on it, the dripping-pan should always be drawn back, so that there may be no danger of the coal, cinders, or ashes falling down into it. . under each particular recipe there is stated the time required for roasting each joint; but, as a general rule, it may be here given, that for every pound of meat, in ordinary-sized joints, a quarter of an hour may be allotted. [illustration: heat-screen.] . white meats, and the meat of young animals, require to be very well roasted, both to be pleasant to the palate and easy of digestion. thus veal, pork, and lamb, should be thoroughly done to the centre. . mutton and beef, on the other hand, do not, generally speaking, require to be so thoroughly done, and they should be dressed to the point, that, in carving them, the gravy should just run, but not too freely. of course in this, as in most other dishes, the tastes of individuals vary; and there are many who cannot partake, with satisfaction, of any joint unless it is what others would call overdressed. [illustration] [illustration] quadrupeds. chapter xii. general observations on quadrupeds. . by the general assent of mankind, the empire of nature has been divided into three kingdoms; the first consisting of minerals, the second of vegetables, and the third of animals. the mineral kingdom comprises all substances which are without those organs necessary to locomotion, and the due performance of the functions of life. they are composed of the accidental aggregation of particles, which, under certain circumstances, take a constant and regular figure, but which are more frequently found without any definite conformation. they also occupy the interior parts of the earth, as well as compose those huge masses by which we see the land in some parts guarded against the encroachments of the sea. the vegetable kingdom covers and beautifies the earth with an endless variety of form and colour. it consists of organized bodies, but destitute of the power of locomotion. they are nourished by means of roots; they breathe by means of leaves; and propagate by means of seed, dispersed within certain limits. the animal kingdom consists of sentient beings, that enliven the external parts of the earth. they possess the powers of voluntary motion, respire air, and are forced into action by the cravings of hunger or the parching of thirst, by the instincts of animal passion, or by pain. like the vegetable kingdom, they are limited within the boundaries of certain countries by the conditions of climate and soil; and some of the species prey upon each other. linnaeus has divided them into six classes;--mammalia, birds, fishes, amphibious animals, insects, and worms. the three latter do not come within the limits of our domain; of fishes we have already treated, of birds we shall treat, and of mammalia we will now treat. . this class of animals embraces all those that nourish their young by means of lacteal glands, or teats, and are so constituted as to have a warm or red blood. in it the whale is placed,--an order which, from external habits, has usually been classed with the fishes; but, although this animal exclusively inhabits the water, and is supplied with fins, it nevertheless exhibits a striking alliance to quadrupeds. it has warm blood, and produces its young alive; it nourishes them with milk, and, for that purpose, is furnished with teats. it is also supplied with lungs, and two auricles and two ventricles to the heart; all of which bring it still closer into an alliance with the quadrupedal species of the animal kingdom. . the general characteristics of the mammalia have been frequently noticed. the bodies of nearly the whole species are covered with hair, a kind of clothing which is both soft and warm, little liable to injury, and bestowed in proportion to the necessities of the animal and the nature of the climate it inhabits. in all the higher orders of animals, the head is the principal seat of the organs of sense. it is there that the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the mouth are placed. through the last they receive their nourishment. in it are the _teeth_, which, in most of the mammalia, are used not only for the mastication of food, but as weapons of offence. they are inserted into two movable bones called jaws, and the front teeth are so placed that their sharp edges may easily be brought in contact with their food, in order that its fibres may readily be separated. next to these, on each side, are situated the canine teeth, or tusks, which are longer than the other teeth, and, being pointed, are used to tear the food. in the back jaws are placed another form of teeth, called grinders. these are for masticating the food; and in those animals that live on vegetables, they are flattened at the top; but, in carnivora, their upper surfaces are furnished with sharp-pointed protuberances. from the numbers, form, and disposition of the teeth, the various genera of quadrupeds have been arranged. the _nose_ is a cartilaginous body, pierced with two holes, which are called nostrils. through these the animal is affected by the sense of smell; and in some it is prominent, whilst in others it is flat, compressed, turned upwards, or bent downwards. in beasts of prey, it is frequently longer than the lips; and in some other animals it is elongated into a movable trunk or proboscis, whilst, in the rhinoceros tribe, it is armed with a horn. the _eyes_ of quadrupeds are generally defended by movable lids, on the outer margins of which are fringes of hair, called eyelashes. the opening of the pupil is in general circular; but to some species, as in those of the cat and hare, it is contracted into a perpendicular line, whilst in the horse, the ox, and a few others, it forms a transverse bar. the _ears_ are openings, generally accompanied with a cartilage which defends and covers them, called the external ears. in water-animals the latter are wanting; sound, in them, being transmitted merely through orifices in the head, which have the name of auditory-holes. the most defenceless animals are extremely delicate in the sense of hearing, as are likewise most beasts of prey. most of the mammiferous animals _walk_ on four feet, which, at the extremities, are usually divided into toes or fingers. in some, however, the feet end in a single corneous substance called a hoof. the toes of a few end in broad, flat nails, and of most others, in pointed claws. some, again, have the toes connected by a membrane, which is adapted to those that are destined to pass a considerable portion of their lives in water. others, again, as in the bat, have the digitations of the anterior feet greatly elongated, the intervening space being filled by a membrane, which extends round the hinder legs and tail, and by means of which they are enabled to rise into the air. in man, the hand alone comprises fingers, separate, free, and flexible; but apes, and some other kinds of animals, have fingers both to the hands and feet. these, therefore, are the only animals that can hold movable objects in a single hand. others, such as rats and squirrels, have the fingers sufficiently small and flexible to enable them to pick up objects; but they are compelled to hold them in both hands. others, again, have the toes shorter, and must rest on the fore-feet, as is the case with dogs and cats when they wish to hold a substance firmly on the ground with their paws. there are still others that have their toes united and drawn under the skin, or enveloped in corneous hoofs, and are thereby enabled to exercise no prehensile power whatever. . according to the design and end of nature, mammiferous animals are calculated, when arrived at maturity, to subsist on various kinds of food,--some to live wholly upon flesh, others upon grain, herbs, or fruits; but in their infant state, milk is the appropriate food of the whole. that this food may never fail them, it is universally ordained, that the young should no sooner come into the world, than the milk should flow in abundance into the members with which the mother is supplied for the secretion of that nutritious fluid. by a wonderful instinct of nature, too, the young animal, almost as soon as it has come into life, searches for the teat, and knows perfectly, at the first, how, by the process of suction, it will be able to extract the fluid necessary to its existence. . in the general economy of nature, this class of animals seems destined to preserve a constant equilibrium in the number of animated beings that hold their existence on the surface of the earth. to man they are immediately useful in various ways. some of their bodies afford him food, their skin shoes, and their fleece clothes. some of them unite with him in participating the dangers of combat with an enemy, and others assist him in the chase, in exterminating wilder sorts, or banishing them from the haunts of civilization. many, indeed, are injurious to him; but most of them, in some shape or other, he turns to his service. of these there is none he has made more subservient to his purposes than the common ox, of which there is scarcely a part that he has not been able to convert into some useful purpose. of the horns he makes drinking-vessels, knife-handles, combs, and boxes; and when they are softened by means of boiling water, he fashions them into transparent plates for lanterns. this invention is ascribed to king alfred, who is said to have been the first to use them to preserve his candle time-measures from the wind. glue is made of the cartilages, gristles, and the finer pieces of the parings and cuttings of the hides. their bone is a cheap substitute for ivory. the thinnest of the calf-skins are manufactured into vellum. their blood is made the basis of prussian blue, and saddlers use a fine sort of thread prepared from their sinews. the hair is used in various valuable manufactures; the suet, fat, and tallow, are moulded into candles; and the milk and cream of the cow yield butter and cheese. thus is every part of this animal valuable to man, who has spared no pains to bring it to the highest state of perfection. [illustration: short-horn cow.] [illustration: short-horn bull.] . among the various breeds of the ox, upon which man has bestowed his highest powers of culture, there is now none takes a higher place than that known by the name of short-horns. from the earliest ages, great britain has been distinguished for the excellence of her native breeds of cattle, and there are none in england that have obtained greater celebrity than those which have this name, and which originated, about seventy years ago, on the banks of the tees. thence they have spread into the valleys of the tweed; thence to the lothians, in scotland; and southward, into the fine pastures of england. they are now esteemed the most profitable breed of cattle, as there is no animal which attains sooner to maturity, and none that supplies meat of a superior quality. the value of some of the improved breeds is something enormous. at the sale of mr. charles colling, a breeder in yorkshire, in , his bull "comet" sold for , guineas. at the sale of earl spencer's herd in , cows, heifers, and calves, with nineteen bulls, fetched £ , . s.; being an average of £ . s. apiece. the value of such animals is scarcely to be estimated by those who are unacquainted with the care with which they are tended, and with the anxious attention which is paid to the purity of their breed. a modern writer, well acquainted with this subject, says, "there are now, at least, five hundred herds, large and small, in this kingdom, and from six to seven thousand head registered every alternate year in the herd-book." the necessity for thus recording the breeds is greater than might, at first sight, be imagined, as it tends directly to preserve the character of the cattle, while it sometimes adds to the value and reputation of the animal thus entered. besides, many of the americans, and large purchasers for the foreign market, will not look at an animal without the breeder has taken care to qualify him for such reference. of short-horned stock, there is annually sold from £ , to £ , worth by public auction, independent of the vast numbers disposed of by private contract. the brood is highly prized in belgium, prussia, france, italy, and russia; it is imported into most of the british colonies, and is greatly esteemed both for its meat and its dairy produce, wherever it is known. the quickness with which it takes on flesh, and the weight which it frequently makes, are well known; but we may mention that it is not uncommon to tee steers of from four to five years old realize a weight of from to , lbs. such animals command from the butcher from £ to £ per head, according to the quality; whilst others, of two or three years old, and, of course, of less weight, bring as much as £ apiece. [illustration: long-horn bull.] [illustration: long-horn cow.] . long-horns.--this is the prevailing breed in our midland counties and in ireland; but they are greatly inferior to the short-horns, and are fast being supplanted by them. even where they have been cultivated with the nicest care and brought to the greatest perfection, they are inferior to the others, and must ultimately be driven from the farm. [illustration: alderney cow.] [illustration: alderney bull.] . the alderney.--among the dairy breeds of england, the alderney takes a prominent place, not on account of the quantity of milk which it yields, but on account of the excellent quality of the cream and butter which are produced from it. its docility is marvellous, and in appearance it greatly resembles the ayrshire breed of scotland, the excellence of which is supposed to be, in some degree, derived from a mixture of the alderney blood with that breed. the distinction between them, however, lies both in the quantity and quality of the milk which they severally produce; that of the alderney being rich in quality, and that of the ayrshire abundant in quantity. the merit of the former, however, ends with its milk, for as a grazer it is worthless. [illustration: galloway bull.] [illustration: galloway cow.] . scottish breeds.--of these the kyloe, which belongs to the highlands of scotland; the galloway, which has been called the kyloe without horns; and the ayrshire, are the breeds most celebrated. the first has kept his place, and on account of the compactness of his form, and the excellent quality of his flesh, he is a great favourite with butchers who have a select family trade. it is alike unsuitable for the dairy and the arable farm; but in its native highlands it attains to great perfection, thriving upon the scanty and coarse herbage which it gathers on the sides of the mountains. the galloway has a larger frame, and when fattened makes excellent beef. but it has given place to the short-horns in its native district, where turnip-husbandry is pursued with advantage. the ayrshire is peculiarly adapted for the dairy, and for the abundance of its milk cannot be surpassed in its native district. in this it stands unrivalled, and there is no other breed capable of converting the produce of a poor soil into such fine butter and cheese. it is difficult to fatten, however, and its beef is of a coarse quality. we have chosen these as among the principal representative breeds of the ox species; but there are other breeds which, at all events, have a local if not a general celebrity. [illustration: side of beef, showing the several joints.] . the general mode of slaughtering oxen in this country is by striking them a smart blow with a hammer or poleaxe on the head, a little above the eyes. by this means, when the blow is skilfully given, the beast is brought down at one blow, and, to prevent recovery, a cane is generally inserted, by which the spinal cord is perforated, which instantly deprives the ox of all sensation of pain. in spain, and some other countries on the continent, it is also usual to deprive oxen of life by the operation of pithing or dividing the spinal cord in the neck, close to the back part of the head. this is, in effect, the same mode as is practised in the celebrated spanish bull-fights by the matador, and it is instantaneous in depriving the animal of sensation, if the operator be skilful. we hope and believe that those men whose disagreeable duty it is to slaughter the "beasts of the field" to provide meat for mankind, inflict as little punishment and cause as little suffering as possible. . the manner in which a side of beef is cut up in london, is shown in the engraving on this page. in the metropolis, on account of the large number of its population possessing the means to indulge in the "best of everything," the demand for the most delicate joints of meat is great, the price, at the same time, being much higher for these than for the other parts. the consequence is, that in london the carcass is there divided so as to obtain the greatest quantity of meat on the most esteemed joints. in many places, however, where, from a greater equality in the social condition and habits of the inhabitants, the demand and prices for the different parts of the carcasses are more equalized, there is not the same reason for the butcher to cut the best joints so large. . the meat on those parts of the animal in which the muscles are least called into action, is most tender and succulent; as, for instance, along the back, from the rump to the hinder part of the shoulder; whilst the limbs, shoulder, and neck, are the toughest, driest, and least-esteemed. . the names of the several joints in the hind and fore quarters of a side of beef, and the purposes for which they are used, are as follows:-- hind quarter. . sirloin.--the two sirloins, cut together in one joint, form a baron; this, when roasted, is the famous national dish of englishmen, at entertainments, on occasion of rejoicing. . rump,--the finest part for steaks. . aitch-bone,--boiling piece. . buttock,--prime boiling piece. . mouse-round,--boiling or stewing. . hock,--stewing. . thick flank, cut with the udder-fat,--primest boiling piece. . thin flank,--boiling. fore quarter. . five ribs, called the fore-rib.--this is considered the primest roasting piece. . four ribs, called the middle-rib,--greatly esteemed by housekeepers as the most economical joint for roasting. . two ribs, called the chuck-rib,--used for second quality of steaks. . leg-of-mutton piece,--the muscles of the shoulder dissected from the breast. . brisket, or breast,--used for boiling, after being salted. . neck, clod, and sticking-piece,--used for soups, gravies, stocks, pies, and mincing for sausages. . shin,--stewing. the following is a classification of the qualities of meat, according to the several joints of beef, when cut up in the london manner. _first class_.--includes the sirloin, with the kidney suet ( ), the rump-steak piece ( ), the fore-rib ( ). _second class_.--the buttock ( ), the thick flank ( ), the middle-rib ( ). _third class_.--the aitch-bone ( ), the mouse-round ( ), the thin flank ( ), the chuck ( ), the leg-of-mutton piece ( ), the brisket ( ). _fourth class_.--the neck, clod, and sticking-piece ( ). _fifth class_.--the hock ( ), the shin ( ). recipes. chapter xiii. baked beef (cold meat cookery). i. . ingredients.--about lbs. of cold roast beef, small onions, large carrot or two small ones, turnip, a small bunch of savoury herbs, salt and pepper to taste, tablespoonfuls of gravy, tablespoonfuls of ale, crust or mashed potatoes. _mode_.--cut the beef in slices, allowing a small amount of fat to each slice; place a layer of this in the bottom of a pie-dish, with a portion of the onions, carrots, and turnips, which must be sliced; mince the herbs, strew them over the meat, and season with pepper and salt. then put another layer of meat, vegetables, and seasoning; and proceed in this manner until all the ingredients are used. pour in the gravy and ale (water may be substituted for the former, but it is not so nice), cover with a crust or mashed potatoes, and bake for / hour, or rather longer. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--it is as well to parboil the carrots and turnips before adding them to the meat, and to use some of the liquor in which they were boiled as a substitute for gravy; that is to say, when there is no gravy at hand. be particular to cut the onions in very _thin_ slices. ii. . ingredients.--slices of cold roast beef, salt and pepper to taste, sliced onion, teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs, or tablespoonfuls of gravy or sauce of any kind, mashed potatoes. _mode_.--butter the sides of a deep dish, and spread mashed potatoes over the bottom of it; on this place layers of beef in thin slices (this may be minced if there is not sufficient beef to cut into slices), well seasoned with pepper and salt, and a very little onion end herbs, which should be previously fried of a nice brown; then put another layer of mashed potatoes, and beef, and other ingredients, as before; pour in the gravy or sauce, cover the whole with another layer of potatoes, and bake for / hour. this may be served in the dish, or turned out. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold beef, d. _sufficient_.--a large pie-dish full for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. beef.--the quality of beef depends on various circumstances; such as the age, the sex, the breed of the animal, and also on the food upon which it has been raised. bull beef is, in general, dry and tough, and by no means possessed of an agreeable flavour; whilst the flesh of the ox is not only highly nourishing and digestible, but, if not too old, extremely agreeable. the flesh of the cow is, also, nourishing, but it is not so agreeable as that of the ox, although that of a heifer is held in high estimation. the flesh of the smaller breeds is much sweeter than that of the larger, which is best when the animal is about seven years old. that of the smaller breeds is best at about five years, and that of the cow can hardly be eaten too young. baked beef-steak pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of flour, eggs, not quite pint of milk, salt to taste, - / lb. of rump-steaks, kidney, pepper and salt. _mode_.--cut the steaks into nice square pieces, with a small quantity of fat, and the kidney divide into small pieces. make a batter of flour, eggs, and milk in the above proportion; lay a little of it at the bottom of a pie-dish; then put in the steaks and kidney, which should be well seasoned with pepper and salt, and pour over the remainder of the batter, and bake for - / hour in a brisk but not fierce oven. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. beef a la mode. (_economical_.) . ingredients.--about lbs. of clod or sticking of beef, oz. of clarified dripping, large onion, flour, quarts of water, berries of allspice, bay-leaves, / teaspoonful of whole black pepper, salt to taste. _mode_.--cut the beef into small pieces, and roll them in flour; put the dripping into a stewpan with the onion, which should be sliced thin. let it get quite hot; lay in the pieces of beef, and stir them well about. when nicely browned all over, add _by degrees_ boiling water in the above proportion, and, as the water is added, keep the whole well stirred. put in the spice, bay-leaves, and seasoning, cover the stewpan closely, and set it by the side of the fire to stew very _gently_, till the meat becomes quite tender, which will be in about hours, when it will be ready to serve. remove the bay-leaves before it is sent to table. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. beef a la mode. . ingredients.-- or lbs. of the thick flank of beef, a few slices of fat bacon, teacupful of vinegar, black pepper, allspice, cloves well mixed and finely pounded, making altogether heaped teaspoonful; salt to taste, bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, all finely minced and well mixed; onions, large carrots, turnip, head of celery, - / pint of water, glass of port wine. _mode_.--slice and fry the onions of a pale brown, and cut up the other vegetables in small pieces, and prepare the beef for stewing in the following manner:--choose a fine piece of beef, cut the bacon into long slices, about an inch in thickness, dip them into vinegar, and then into a little of the above seasoning of spice, &c., mixed with the same quantity of minced herbs. with a sharp knife make holes deep enough to let in the bacon; then rub the beef over with the remainder of the seasoning and herbs, and bind it up in a nice shape with tape. have ready a well-tinned stewpan (it should not be much larger than the piece of meat you are cooking), into which put the beef, with the vegetables, vinegar, and water. let it simmer _very gently_ for hours, or rather longer, should the meat not be extremely tender, and turn it once or twice. when ready to serve, take out the beef, remove the tape, and put it on a hot dish. skim off every particle of fat from the gravy, add the port wine, just let it boil, pour it over the beef, and it is ready to serve. great care must be taken that this does not boil fast, or the meat will be tough and tasteless; it should only just bubble. when convenient, all kinds of stews, &c., should be cooked on a hot-plate, as the process is so much more gradual than on an open fire. _time_.-- hours, or rather more. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable for a winter dish. good meat.--the lyer of meat when freshly killed, and the animal, when slaughtered, being in a state of perfect health, adheres firmly to the bones. beef of the best quality is of a deep-red colour; and when the animal has approached maturity, and been well fed, the lean is intermixed with fat, giving it the mottled appearance which is so much esteemed. it is also full of juice, which resembles in colour claret wine. the fat of the best beef is of a firm and waxy consistency, of a colour resembling that of the finest grass butter; bright in appearance, neither greasy nor friable to the touch, but moderately unctuous, in a medium degree between the last-mentioned properties. beef-steaks and oyster sauce. . ingredients.-- dozen oysters, ingredients for oyster sauce (see no. ), lbs. of rump-steak, seasoning to taste of pepper and salt. _mode_.--make the oyster sauce by recipe no. , and when that is ready, put it by the side of the fire, but do not let it keep boiling. have the steaks cut of an equal thickness, broil them over a very clear fire, turning them often, that the gravy may not escape. in about minutes they will be done, then put them on a very hot dish; smother with the oyster sauce, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. serve quickly. _time_.--about to minutes, according to the thickness of the steak. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from september to april. beef-steak pie. . ingredients.-- lbs. of rump-steak, seasoning to taste of salt, cayenne, and black pepper, crust, water, the yolk of an egg. _mode_.--have the steaks cut from a rump that has hung a few days, that they may be tender, and be particular that every portion is perfectly sweet. cut the steaks into pieces about inches long and wide, allowing a _small_ piece of fat to each piece of lean, and arrange the meat in layers in a pie-dish. between each layer sprinkle a seasoning of salt, pepper, and, when liked, a few grains of cayenne. fill the dish sufficiently with meat to support the crust, and to give it a nice raised appearance when baked, and not to look flat and hollow. pour in sufficient water to half fill the dish, and border it with paste (see pastry); brush it over with a little water, and put on the cover; slightly press down the edges with the thumb, and trim off close to the dish. ornament the pie with leaves, or pieces of paste cut in any shape that fancy may direct, brush it over with the beaten yolk of an egg; make a hole in the top of the crust, and bake in a hot oven for about - / hour. _time_.--in a hot oven, - / hour. _average cost_, for this size, s d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. note.--beef-steak pies may be flavoured in various ways, with oysters and their liquor, mushrooms, minced onions, &c. for family pies, suet may be used instead of butter or lard for the crust, and clarified beef-dripping answers very well where economy is an object. pieces of underdone roast or boiled meat may in pies be used very advantageously; but always remove the bone from pie-meat, unless it be chicken or game. we have directed that the meat shall be cut smaller than is usually the case; for on trial we have found it much more tender, more easily helped, and with more gravy, than when put into the dish in one or two large steaks. [illustration: sherry pudding dish.] beef-steak and kidney pudding. . ingredients.-- lbs. of rump-steak, kidneys, seasoning to taste of salt and black pepper, suet crust made with milk (see pastry), in the proportion of oz. of suet to each lb. of flour. _mode_.--procure some tender rump steak (that which has been hung a little time), and divide it into pieces about an inch square, and cut each kidney into pieces. line the dish (of which we have given an engraving) with crust made with suet and flour in the above proportion, leaving a small piece of crust to overlap the edge. then cover the bottom with a portion of the steak and a few pieces of kidney; season with salt and pepper (some add a little flour to thicken the gravy, but it is not necessary), and then add another layer of steak, kidney, and seasoning. proceed in this manner till the dish is full, when pour in sufficient water to come within inches of the top of the basin. moisten the edges of the crust, cover the pudding over, press the two crusts together, that the gravy may not escape, and turn up the overhanging paste. wring out a cloth in hot water, flour it, and tie up the pudding; put it into boiling water, and let it boil for at least hours. if the water diminishes, always replenish with some, hot in a jug, as the pudding should be kept covered all the time, and not allowed to stop boiling. when the cloth is removed, cut out a round piece in the top of the crust, to prevent the pudding bursting, and send it to table in the basin, either in an ornamental dish, or with a napkin pinned round it. serve quickly. _time_.--for a pudding with lbs. of steak and kidneys allow hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable in winter. note.--beef-steak pudding may be very much enriched by adding a few oysters or mushrooms. the above recipe was contributed to this work by a sussex lady, in which county the inhabitants are noted for their savoury puddings. it differs from the general way of making them, as the meat is cut up into very small pieces and the basin is differently shaped: on trial, this pudding will be found far nicer, and more full of gravy, than when laid in large pieces in the dish. bad meat. in the flesh of animals slaughtered whilst suffering acute inflammation or fever, the hollow fibres, or capillaries, as they are called, which form the substance of the lyer, are filled with congested and unassimilated animal fluid, which, from its impurity, gives the lyer a dark colour, and produces a tendency to rapid putrefaction. in a more advanced stage of such disease, serous, and sometimes purulent matter, is formed in the cellular tissues between the muscles of the flesh; and when such is the case, nothing can be more poisonous than such abominable carrion. in the flesh of animals killed whilst under the influence of any disease of an emaciating effect, the lyer adheres but slightly to the bones, with its fibres contracted and dry; and the little fat that there may be is friable, and shrunk within its integuments. the flesh of animals slaughtered whilst under considerable depression of vital energy (as from previous bleeding) has a diminished tendency to stiffen after death, the feebleness of this tendency being in proportion to the degree of depression. it presents, also, an unnatural blue or pallid appearance, has a faint and slightly sour smell, and soon becomes putrid. when an animal has died otherwise than by slaughtering, its flesh is flaccid and clammy, emits a peculiar faint and disagreeable smell, and, it need scarcely be added, spontaneous decomposition proceeds very rapidly. beef-steaks with fried potatoes, or biftek aux pommes-de-terre (a la mode francaise). . ingredients.-- lbs. of steak, potatoes, / lb. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, teaspoonful of minced herbs. _mode_.--put the butter into a frying or _sauté_ pan, set it over the fire, and let it get very hot; peel, and cut the potatoes into long thin slices; put them into the hot butter, and fry them till of a nice brown colour. now broil the steaks over a bright clear fire, turning them frequently, that every part may be equally done: as they should not be thick, minutes will broil them. put the herbs and seasoning in the butter the potatoes were fried in, pour it under the steak, and place the fried potatoes round, as a garnish. to have this dish in perfection, a portion of the fillet of the sirloin should be used, as the meat is generally so much more tender than that of the rump, and the steaks should be cut about / of an inch in thickness. _time_.-- minutes to broil the steaks, and about the same time to fry the potatoes. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year; but not so good in warm weather, as the meat cannot hang to get tender. [illustration: aitch-bone of beef.] boiled aitch-bone of beef. . ingredients.--beef, water. _mode_.--after this joint has been in salt or days, it will be ready for use, and will not take so long boiling: as a round, for it is not so solid. wash the meat, and, if too salt, soak it for a few hours, changing the water once or twice, till the required freshness is obtained. put into a saucepan, or boiling-pot, sufficient water to cover the meat; set it over the fire, and when it boils, plunge in the joint (see no. ), and let it boil up quickly. now draw the pot to the side of the fire, and let the process be very gradual, as the water must only simmer, or the meat will be hard and tough. carefully remove the scum from the surface of the water, and continue doing this for a few minutes after it first boils. carrots and turnips are served with this dish, and sometimes suet dumplings, which may be boiled with the beef. garnish with a few of the carrots and turnips, and serve the remainder in a vegetable-dish. _time_.--an aitch-bone of lbs., - / hours after the water boils; one of lbs., hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_.-- lbs. for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but best from september to march. _note_.--the liquor in which the meat has been boiled may be easily converted into a very excellent pea-soup. it will require very few vegetables, as it will be impregnated with the flavour of those boiled with the meat. the action of salt on meat.--the manner in which salt acts in preserving meat is not difficult to understand. by its strong affinity, it, in the first place, extracts the juices from the substance of meat in sufficient quantity to form a saturated solution with the water contained in the juice, and the meat then absorbs the saturated brine in place of the juice extracted by the salt. in this way, matter incapable of putrefaction takes the places of that portion in the meat which is most perishable. such, however, is not the only office of salt as a means of preserving meat; it acts also by its astringency in contracting the fibres of the muscles, and so excludes the action of air on the interior of the substance of the meat. the last-mentioned operation of salt as an antiseptic is evinced by the diminution of the volume of meat to which it is applied. the astringent action of _saltpetre_ on meat is much greater than that of salt, and thereby renders meat to which it is applied very hard; but, in small quantities, it considerably assists the antiseptic action of salt, and also prevents the destruction of the florid colour of meat, which is caused by the application of salt. thus, it will be perceived, from the foregoing statement, that the application of salt and saltpetre diminishes, in a considerable degree, the nutritive, and, to some extent, the wholesome qualities of meat; and, therefore, in their use, the quantity applied should be as small as possible, consistent with the perfect preservation of the meat. boiled round of beef. . ingredients.--beef, water. _mode_.--as a whole round of beef, generally speaking, is too large for small families, and very seldom required, we here give the recipe for dressing a portion of the silver side of the round. take from to lbs., after it has been in salt about days; just wash off the salt, skewer it up in a nice round-looking form, and bind it with tape to keep the skewers in their places. put it in a saucepan of boiling water, as in the preceding recipe, set it upon a good fire, and when it begins to boil, carefully remove all scum from the surface, as, if this is not attended to, it sinks on to the meat, and when brought to table, presents a very unsightly appearance. when it is well skimmed, draw the pot to the corner of the fire, and let it simmer very gently until done. remove the tape and skewers, which should be replaced by a silver one; pour over a little of the pot-liquor, and garnish with carrots. (_see_ coloured plate .) carrots, turnips, parsnips, and sometimes suet dumplings, accompany this dish; and these may all be boiled with the beef. the pot-liquor should be saved, and converted into pea-soup; and the outside slices, which are generally hard, and of an uninviting appearance, may be out off before being sent to table, and potted. these make an excellent relish for the breakfast or luncheon table. _time_.--part of a round of beef weighing lbs., about hours after the water boils. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable for winter. . soyer's recipe for preserving the gravy in salt meat, when it is to be served cold.--fill two tubs with cold water, into which throw a few pounds of rough ice; and when the meat is done, put it into one of the tubs of ice-water; let it remain minute, when take out, and put it into the other tub. fill the first tub again with water, and continue this process for about minutes; then set it upon a dish, and let it remain until quite cold. when cut, the fat will be as white as possible, besides having saved the whole, of the gravy. if there is no ice, spring water will answer the same purpose, but will require to be more frequently changed. _note_.--the brisket and rump may be boiled by the above recipe; of course allowing more or less time, according to the size of the joint. beef cake. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast beef; to each pound of cold meat allow / lb. of bacon or ham; seasoning to taste of pepper and salt, small bunch of minced savoury herbs, or eggs. _mode_.--mince the beef very finely (if underdone it will be better), add to it the bacon, which must also be chopped very small, and mix well together. season, stir in the herbs, and bind with an egg, or should not be sufficient. make it into small square cakes, about / inch thick, fry them in hot dripping, and serve in a dish with good gravy poured round them. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. broiled beef-steaks or rump-steaks. . ingredients.--steaks, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, salt to taste, tablespoonful of good mushroom ketchup or harvey's sauce. _mode_.--as the success of a good broil so much depends on the state of the fire, see that it is bright and clear, and perfectly free from smoke, and do not add any fresh fuel just before you require to use the gridiron. sprinkle a little salt over the fire, put on the gridiron for a few minutes, to get thoroughly hot through; rub it with a piece of fresh, suet, to prevent the meat from sticking, and lay on the steaks, which should be cut of an equal thickness, about / of an inch, or rather thinner, and level them by beating them as _little_ as possible with a rolling-pin. turn them frequently with steak-tongs (if these are not at hand, stick a fork in the edge of the fat, that no gravy escapes), and in from to minutes they will be done. have ready a very hot dish, into which put the ketchup, and, when liked, a little minced shalot; dish up the steaks, rub them over with butter, and season with pepper and salt. the exact time for broiling steaks must be determined by taste, whether they are liked underdone or well done; more than from to minutes for a steak / inch in thickness, we think, would spoil and dry up the juices of the meat. great expedition is necessary in sending broiled steaks to table; and, to have them in perfection, they should not be cooked till everything else prepared for dinner has been dished up, as their excellence entirely depends on their being served very hot. garnish with scraped horseradish, or slices of cucumber. oyster, tomato, onion, and many other sauces, are frequent accompaniments to rump-steak, but true lovers of this english dish generally reject all additions but pepper and salt. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_.--allow / lb. to each person; if the party consist entirely of gentlemen, / lb. will not be too much. _seasonable_ all the year, but not good in the height of summer, as the meat cannot hang long enough to be tender. different seasons for beef.--we have already stated (see no. ) that the scots breed of oxen, like the south-down in mutton, stands first in excellence. it should be borne in mind, however, that each county has its particular season, and that the london and other large markets are always supplied by those counties whose meat, from local circumstances, is in the best condition at the time. thus, the season in norfolk, from which the scots come (these being the principal oxen bred by the norfolk and suffolk graziers), commences about christmas and terminates about june, when this breed begins to fall off, their place being taken by grass-fed oxen. a large quantity of most excellent meat is sent to the "dead markets" from scotland, and some of the best london butchers are supplied from this source. broiled beef and mushroom sauce. (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- or dozen small button mushrooms, oz. of butter, salt and cayenne to taste, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, mashed potatoes, slices of cold roast beef. _mode_.--wipe the mushrooms free from grit with a piece of flannel, and salt; put them in a stewpan with the butter, seasoning, and ketchup; stir over the fire until the mushrooms are quite done, when pour it in the middle of mashed potatoes, browned. then place round the potatoes slices of cold roast beef, nicely broiled, over a clear fire. in making the mushroom sauce, the ketchup may be dispensed with, if there is sufficient gravy. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ from august to october. broiled beef and oyster sauce (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- dozen oysters, cloves, blade of mace, oz. of butter, / teaspoonful of flour, cayenne and salt to taste, mashed potatoes, a few slices of cold roast beef. _mode_.--put the oysters in a stewpan, with their liquor strained; add the cloves, mace, butter, flour, and seasoning, and let them simmer gently for minutes. have ready in the centre of a dish round walls of mashed potatoes, browned; into the middle pour the oyster sauce, quite hot, and round the potatoes place, in layers, slices of the beef, which should be previously broiled over a nice clear fire. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s, d., exclusive of the cold meat. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to april. broiled beef-bones. . ingredients.--the bones of ribs or sirloin; salt, pepper, and cayenne. _mode_.--separate the bones, taking care that the meat on them is not too thick in any part; sprinkle them well with the above seasoning, and broil over a very clear fire. when nicely browned they are done; but do not allow them to blacken. to dress a bullock's heart. . ingredients.-- heart, stuffing of veal forcemeat, no. . _mode_.--put the heart into warm water to soak for hours; then wipe it well with a cloth, and, after cutting off the lobes, stuff the inside with a highly-seasoned forcemeat (no. ). fasten it in, by means of a needle and coarse thread; tie the heart up in paper, and set it before a good fire, being very particular to keep it well basted, or it will eat dry, there being very little of its own fat. two or three minutes before serving, remove the paper, baste well, and serve with good gravy and red-currant jelly or melted butter. if the heart is very large, it will require hours, and, covered with a caul, may be baked as well as roasted. _time_.--large heart, hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year. _note_.--this is an excellent family dish, is very savoury, and, though not seen at many good tables, may be recommended for its cheapness and economy. bubble-and-squeak (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few thin slices of cold boiled beef; butter, cabbage, sliced onion, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--fry the slices of beef gently in a little butter, taking care not to dry them up. lay them on a flat dish, and cover with fried greens. the greens may be prepared from cabbage sprouts or green savoys. they should be boiled till tender, well drained, minced, and placed, till quite hot, in a frying-pan, with butter, a sliced onion, and seasoning of pepper and salt. when the onion is done, it is ready to serve. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold beef, d. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: collared beef.] collared beef. . ingredients.-- lbs. of the thin end of the flank of beef, oz. of coarse sugar, oz. of salt, oz, of saltpetre, large handful of parsley minced, dessertspoonful of minced sage, a bunch of savoury herbs, / teaspoonful of pounded allspice; salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--choose fine tender beef, but not too fat; lay it in a dish; rub in the sugar, salt, and saltpetre, and let it remain in the pickle for a week or ten days, turning and rubbing it every day. then bone it, remove all the gristle and the coarse skin of the inside part, and sprinkle it thickly with parsley, herbs, spice, and seasoning in the above proportion, taking care that the former are finely minced, and the latter well pounded. roll the meat up in a cloth as tightly as possible, in the same shape as shown in the engraving; bind it firmly with broad tape, and boil it gently for hours. immediately on taking it out of the pot, put it under a good weight, without undoing it, and let it remain until cold. this dish is a very nice addition to the breakfast-table. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--during the time the beef is in pickle, it should be kept cool, and regularly rubbed and turned every day. beef-collops. . ingredients.-- lbs. of rump-steak, / lb. of butter, pint of gravy (water may be substituted for this), salt and pepper to taste, shalot finely minced, / pickled walnut, teaspoonful of capers. _mode_.--have the steak cut thin, and divide it in pieces about inches long; beat these with the blade of a knife, and dredge with flour. put them in a frying-pan with the butter, and let them fry for about minutes; then lay them in a small stewpan, and pour over them the gravy. add a piece of butter, kneaded with a little flour, put in the seasoning and all the other ingredients, and let the whole simmer, but not boil, for minutes. serve in a hot covered dish. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. minced collops (an entree). . ingredients.-- lb. of rump-steak, salt and pepper to taste, oz. of butter, onion minced, / pint of water, tablespoonful of harvey's sauce, or lemon-juice, or mushroom ketchup; small bunch of savoury herbs. _mode_.--mince the beef and onion very small, and fry the latter in butter until of a pale brown. put all the ingredients together in a stewpan, and boil gently for about minutes; garnish with sippets of toasted bread, and serve very hot. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. curried beef (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few slices of tolerably lean cold roast or boiled beef, oz. of butter, onions, wineglassful of beer, dessertspoonful of curry powder. _mode_.--cut up the beef into pieces about inch square, put the butter into a stewpan with the onions sliced, and fry them of a lightly-brown colour. add all the other ingredients, and stir gently over a brisk fire for about minutes. should this be thought too dry, more beer, or a spoonful or two of gravy or water, may be added; but a good curry should not be very thin. place it in a deep dish, with an edging of dry boiled rice, in the same manner as for other curries. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ in winter. to clarify beef dripping. i. . good and fresh dripping answers very well for basting everything except game and poultry, and, when well clarified, serves for frying nearly as well as lard; it should be kept in a cool place, and will remain good some time. to clarify it, put the dripping into a basin, pour over it boiling water, and keep stirring the whole to wash away the impurities. let it stand to cool, when the water and dirty sediment will settle at the bottom of the basin. remove the dripping, and put it away in jars or basins for use. another way. . put the dripping into a clean saucepan, and let it boil for a few minutes over a slow fire, and be careful to skim it well. let it stand to cool a little, then strain it through a piece of muslin into jars for use. beef dripping is preferable to any other for cooking purposes, as, with mutton dripping, there is liable to be a tallowy taste and smell. roast fillet of beef (larded). . ingredients.--about lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin, onion, a small bunch of parsley, salt and pepper to taste, sufficient vinegar to cover the meat, glaze, spanish sauce, no. . _mode_.--lard the beef with bacon, and put it into a pan with sufficient vinegar to cover it, with an onion sliced, parsley, and seasoning, and let it remain in this pickle for hours. roast it before a nice clear fire for about - / hour, and, when done, glaze it. pour some spanish sauce round the beef, and the remainder serve in a tureen. it may be garnished with spanish onions boiled and glazed. _time_.-- - / hour. average cost, exclusive of the sauce, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. fricandeau of beef. . ingredients.--about lbs. of the inside fillet of the sirloin (a piece of the rump may be substituted for this), pepper and salt to taste, cloves, blades of mace, whole allspice, pint of stock no. , or water, glass of sherry, bunch of savoury herbs, shalots, bacon. _mode_.--cut some bacon into thin strips, and sprinkle over them a seasoning of pepper and salt, mixed with cloves, mace, and allspice, well pounded. lard the beef with these, put it into a stewpan with the stock or water, sherry, herbs, shalots, cloves, and more pepper and salt. stew the meat gently until tender, when take it out, cover it closely, skim off all the fat from the gravy, and strain it. set it on the fire, and boil, till it becomes a glaze. glaze the larded side of the beef with this, and serve on sorrel sauce, which is made as follows:--wash and pick some sorrel, and put it into a stewpan with only the water that hangs about it. keep stirring, to prevent its burning, and when done, lay it in a sieve to drain. chop it, and stew it with a small piece of butter and or tablespoonfuls of good gravy, for an hour, and rub it through a tammy. if too acid, add a little sugar; and a little cabbage-lettuce boiled with the sorrel will be found an improvement. _time_.-- hours to gently stew the meat. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. fried salt beef (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few slices of cold salt beef, pepper to taste, / lb. of butter, mashed potatoes. _mode_.--cut any part of cold salt beef into thin slices, fry them gently in butter, and season with a little pepper. have ready some very hot mashed potatoes, lay the slices of beef on them, and garnish with or pickled gherkins. cold salt beef, warmed in a little liquor from mixed pickle, drained, and served as above, will be found good. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. fried rump-steak. . ingredients.--steaks, butter or clarified dripping. _mode_. although broiling is a far superior method of cooking steaks to frying them, yet, when the cook is not very expert, the latter mode may be adopted; and, when properly done, the dish may really look very inviting, and the flavour be good. the steaks should be cut rather thinner than for broiling, and with a small quantity of fat to each. put some butter or clarified dripping into a frying-pan; let it get quite hot, then lay in the steaks. turn them frequently until done, which will be in about minutes, or rather more, should the steaks be very thick. serve on a very hot dish, in which put a small piece of butter and a tablespoonful of ketchup, and season with pepper and salt. they should be sent to table quickly, as, when cold, the steaks are entirely spoiled. _time_.-- minutes for a medium-sized steak, rather longer for a very thick one. _average cost_, s. per lb. _seasonable all the year, but not good in summer, as the meat cannot hang to get tender._ _note_.--where much gravy is liked, make it in the following manner:--as soon as the steaks are done, dish them, pour a little boiling water into the frying-pan, add a seasoning of pepper and salt, a small piece of butter, and a tablespoonful of harvey's sauce or mushroom ketchup. hold the pan over the fire for a minute or two, just let the gravy simmer, then pour on the steak, and serve. a frenchman's opinion of beef. the following is translated from a celebrated modern french work, the production of one who in paris enjoys a great reputation as cook and chemist:--the flesh of the ox, to be in the best condition, should be taken from an animal of from four to six years old, and neither too fat nor too lean. this meat, which possesses in the highest degree the most nutritive qualities, is generally easily digested; stock is made from it, and it is eaten boiled, broiled, roasted, stewed, braised, and in a hundred other different ways. beef is the foundation of stock, gravies, braises, &c.; its nutritious and succulent gravy gives body and flavour to numberless ragoûts. it is an exhaustless mine in the hands of a skilful artist, and is truly the king of the kitchen. without it, no soup, no gravy; and its absence would produce almost a famine in the civilized world! beef fritters (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast beef, pepper and salt to taste, / lb. of flour, / pint of water, oz. of butter, the whites of eggs. _mode_.--mix very smoothly, and by degrees, the flour with the above proportion of water; stir in oz. of butter, which must be melted, but not oiled, and, just before it is to be used, add the whites of two well-whisked eggs. should the batter be too thick, more water must be added. pare down the cold beef into thin shreds, season with pepper and salt, and mix it with the batter. drop a small quantity at a time into a pan of boiling lard, and fry from to minutes, according to the size. when done on one side, turn and brown them on the other. let them dry for a minute or two before the fire, and serve on a folded napkin. a small quantity of finely-minced onions, mixed with the batter, is an improvement. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. hashed beef (cold meat cookery). i. . ingredients.--gravy saved from the meat, teaspoonful of tomato sauce, teaspoonful of harvey's sauce, teaspoonful of good mushroom ketchup, / glass of port wine or strong ale, pepper and salt to taste, a little flour to thicken, onion finely minced, a few slices of cold roast beef. _mode_.--put all the ingredients but the beef into a stewpan with whatever gravy may have been saved from the meat the day it was roasted; let these simmer gently for minutes, then take the stewpan off the fire; let the gravy cool, and skim off the fat. cut the beef into thin slices, dredge them with flour, and lay them in the gravy; let the whole simmer gently for minutes, but not boil, or the meat will be tough and hard. serve very hot, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. . ingredients.--the remains of ribs or sirloin of beef, onions, carrot, bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, / blade of pounded mace, thickening of flour, rather more than pint of water. _mode_.--take off all the meat from the bones of ribs or sirloin of beef; remove the outside brown and gristle; place the meat on one side, and well stew the bones and pieces, with the above ingredients, for about hours, till it becomes a strong gravy, and is reduced to rather more than / pint; strain this, thicken with a teaspoonful of flour, and let the gravy cool; skim off all the fat; lay in the meat, let it get hot through, but do not allow it to boil, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread. the gravy may be flavoured as in the preceding recipe. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--either of the above recipes may be served in walls of mashed potatoes browned; in which case the sippets should be omitted. be careful that hashed meat does not boil, or it will become tough. to prepare hung beef. . this is preserved by salting and drying, either with or without smoke. hang up the beef or days, till it becomes tender, but take care it does not begin to spoil; then salt it in the usual way, either by dry-salting or by brine, with bay-salt, brown sugar, saltpetre, and a little pepper and allspice; afterwards roll it tight in a cloth, and hang it up in a warm, but not hot place, for a fortnight or more, till it is sufficiently hard. if required to have a little of the smoky flavour, it may be hung for some time in a chimney-corner, or smoked in any other way: it will keep a long time. hunter's beef. . ingredients.--for a round of beef weighing lbs. allow oz. of saltpetre, oz. of coarse sugar, oz. of cloves, grated nutmeg, / oz. of allspice, lb. of salt, / lb. bay-salt. _mode_.--let the beef hang for or days, and remove the bone. pound spices, salt, &c. in the above proportion, and let them be reduced to the finest powder. put the beef into a pan, rub all the ingredients well into it, and turn and rub it every day for rather more than a fortnight. when it has been sufficiently long in pickle, wash the meat, bind it up securely with tape, and put it into a pan with / pint of water at the bottom; mince some suet, cover the top of the meat with it, and over the pan put a common crust of flour and water; bake for hours, and, when cold, remove the paste. save the gravy that flows from it, as it adds greatly to the flavour of hashes, stews, &c. the beef may be glazed and garnished with meat jelly. _time_.-- hours. _seasonable_ all the year. _note_.--in salting or pickling beef or pork for family consumption, it not being generally required to be kept for a great length of time, a less quantity of salt and a larger quantity of other matters more adapted to retain mellowness in meat, may be employed, which could not be adopted by the curer of the immense quantities of meat required to be preserved for victualling the shipping of this maritime country. sugar, which is well known to possess the preserving principle in a very great degree, without the pungency and astringency of salt, may be, and is, very generally used in the preserving of meat for family consumption. although it acts without corrugating or contracting the fibres of meat, as is the case in the action of salt, and, therefore, does not impair its mellowness, yet its use in sufficient quantities for preservative effect, without the addition of other antiseptics, would impart a flavour not agreeable to the taste of many persons. it may be used, however, together with salt, with the greatest advantage in imparting mildness and mellowness to cured meat, in a proportion of about one part by weight to four of the mixture; and, perhaps, now that sugar is so much lower in price than it was in former years, one of the obstructions to its more frequent use is removed. to dress beef kidney. i. . ingredients.-- kidney, clarified butter, pepper and salt to taste, a small quantity of highly-seasoned gravy, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _mode_.--cut the kidneys into neat slices, put them into warm water to soak for hours, and change the water or times; then put them on a clean cloth to dry the water from them, and lay them in a frying-pan with some clarified butter, and fry them of a nice brown; season each side with pepper and salt, put them round the dish, and the gravy in the middle. before pouring the gravy in the dish, add the lemon-juice and sugar. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. . ingredients.-- kidney, dessertspoonful of minced parsley, teaspoonful of minced shalot, salt and pepper to taste, / pint of gravy, no. , tablespoonfuls of sherry. _mode_.--take off a little of the kidney fat, mince it very fine, and put it in a frying-pan; slice the kidney, sprinkle over it parsley and shalots in the above proportion, add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and fry it of a nice brown. when it is done enough, dredge over a little flour, and pour in the gravy and sherry. let it just simmer, but not boil any more, or the kidney would harden; serve very hot, and garnish with croûtons. where the flavour of the shalot is disliked, it may be omitted, and a small quantity of savoury herbs substituted for it. _time_.--from to minutes, according to the thickness of the slices. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. iii. _a more simple method_. . cut the kidney into thin slices, flour them, and fry of a nice brown. when done, make a gravy in the pan by pouring away the fat, putting in a small piece of butter, / pint of boiling water, pepper and salt, and a tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. let the gravy just boil up, pour over the kidney, and serve. boiled marrow-bones. . ingredients.--bones, a small piece of common paste, a floured cloth. _mode_.--have the bones neatly sawed into convenient sizes, and cover the ends with a small piece of common crust, made with flour and water. over this tie a floured cloth, and place them upright in a saucepan of boiling water, taking care there is sufficient to cover the bones. boil them for hours, remove the cloth and paste, and serve them upright on a napkin with dry toast. many persons clear the marrow from the bones after they are cooked, spread it over a slice of toast and add a seasoning of pepper; when served in this manner, it must be very expeditiously sent to table, as it so soon gets cold. _time_.-- hours. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--marrow-bones may be baked after preparing them as in the preceding recipe; they should be laid in a deep dish, and baked for hours. [illustration: marrow-bones.] marrow-bones.--bones are formed of a dense cellular tissue of membranous matter, made stiff and rigid by insoluble earthy salts; of which, phosphate of lime is the most abundant. in a large bone, the insoluble matter is generally deposited in such a manner as to leave a cavity, into which a fatty substance, distinguished by the name of marrow, is thrown. hollow cylindrical bones possess the qualities of strength and lightness in a remarkable degree. if bones were entirely solid, they would be unnecessarily heavy; and if their materials were brought into smaller compass, they would be weaker, because the strength of a bone is in proportion to the distance at which its fibres are from the centre. some animals, it must, however, be observed, have no cavities in the centre of their bones; such as the whale tribe, skate, and turtles. minced beef (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- oz. of butter, small onion, tablespoonfuls of gravy left from the meat, tablespoonful of strong ale, / a teaspoonful of flour, salt and pepper to taste, a few slices of lean roast beef. _mode_.--put into a stewpan the butter with an onion chopped fine; add the gravy, ale, and / a teaspoonful of flour to thicken; season with pepper and salt, and stir these ingredients over the fire until the onion is a rich brown. cut, but do not chop the meat _very fine_, add it to the gravy, stir till quite hot, and serve. garnish with sippets of toasted bread. be careful in not allowing the gravy to boil after the meat is added, as it would render it hard and tough. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. miroton of beef. . ingredients.--a few slices of cold roast beef, oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, onions, / pint of gravy. _mode_.--slice the onions and put them into a frying-pan with the cold beef and butter; place it over the fire, and keep turning and stirring the ingredients to prevent them burning. when of a pale brown, add the gravy and seasoning; let it simmer for a few minutes, and serve very hot. this dish is excellent and economical. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. stewed ox-cheek. . ingredients.-- cheek, salt and water, or onions, butter and flour, cloves, turnips, carrots, bay-leaf, head of celery, bunch of savoury herbs, cayenne, black pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter, dessertspoonfuls of flour, tablespoonfuls of chili vinegar, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonfuls of port wine, tablespoonfuls of harvey's sauce. _mode_.--have the cheek boned, and prepare it the day before it is to be eaten, by cleaning and putting it to soak all night in salt and water. the next day, wipe it dry and clean, and put it into a stewpan. just cover it with water, skim well when it boils, and let it gently simmer till the meat is quite tender. slice and fry onions in a little butter and flour, and put them into the gravy; add whole onions, each stuck with cloves, turnips quartered, carrots sliced, a bay-leaf, head of celery, a bunch of herbs, and seasoning to taste of cayenne, black pepper, and salt. let these stew till perfectly tender; then take out the cheek, divide into pieces fit to help at table, skim and strain the gravy, and thicken - / pint of it with butter and flour in the above proportions. add the vinegar, ketchup, and port wine; put in the pieces of cheek; let the whole boil up, and serve quite hot. send it to table in a ragout-dish. if the colour of the gravy should not be very good, add a tablespoonful of the browning, no. . _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. fried ox-feet, or cow-heel. . ingredients.--ox-feet, the yolk of egg, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and cayenne to taste, boiling butter. _mode_.--wash, scald, and thoroughly clean the feet, and cut them into pieces about inches long; have ready some fine bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley, cayenne, and salt; dip the pieces of heel into the yolk of egg, sprinkle them with the bread crumbs, and fry them until of a nice brown in boiling butter. _time_.- hour. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ at any time. note.--ox-feet may be dressed in various ways, stowed in gravy or plainly boiled and served with melted butter. when plainly boiled, the liquor will answer for making sweet or relishing jellies, and also to give richness to soups or gravies. stewed ox-tails. . ingredients.-- ox-tails, onion, cloves, blade of mace, teaspoonful of whole black pepper, teaspoonful of allspice, / a teaspoonful of salt, a small bunch of savoury herbs, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--divide the tails at the joints, wash, and put them into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and set them on the fire; when the water boils, remove the scum, and add the onion cut into rings, the spice, seasoning, and herbs. cover the stewpan closely, and let the tails simmer very gently until tender, which will be in about - / hours. take them out, make a thickening of butter and flour, add it to the gravy, and let it boil for / hour. strain it through a sieve into a saucepan, put back the tails, add the lemon-juice and ketchup; let the whole just boil up, and serve. garnish with croûtons or sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- - / hours to stew the tails. _average cost_, d. to s. d., according to the season. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year. the tails of animals.--in the class mammalia, the vertebral column or backbone presents only slight modifications, and everywhere shows the same characteristics as in man, who stands at the head of this division of the animal kingdom. the length of this column, however, varies much, and the number of vertebrae of which it is composed is far from being uniform. these numerical differences principally depend on the unequal development of the caudal portion, or tail-end, of the column. thus, the tail-forming vertebrae sometimes do not exist at all,--amongst certain bats for example; in other instances we reckon forty, fifty, and even upwards of sixty of these bones. among the greater number of mammals, the tail is of little use for locomotion, except that it acts in many cases as does the rudder of a ship, steadying the animal in his rapid movements, and enabling him to turn more easily and quickly. among some animals, it becomes a very powerful instrument of progression. thus, in the kangaroos and jerboas, the tail forms, with the hind feet, a kind of tripod from which the animal makes its spring. with most of the american monkeys it is prehensile, and serves the animal as a fifth hand to suspend itself from the branches of trees; and, lastly, among the whales, it grows to an enormous size, and becomes the principal instrument for swimming. a pickle for tongues or beef (newmarket recipe). . ingredients.-- gallon of soft water, lbs. of coarse salt, oz. of coarse brown sugar, / oz. of saltpetre. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a saucepan, and let them boil for / hour, clear off the scum as it rises, and when done pour the pickle into a pickling-pan. let it get cold, then put in the meat, and allow it to remain in the pickle from to days, according to the size. it will keep good for months if well boiled once a fortnight. tongues will take month or weeks to be properly cured; and, in salting meat, beef and tongues should always be put in separate vessels. _time_.--a moderate-sized tongue should remain in the pickle about a month, and be turned every day. [illustration: potting-jar.] potted beef. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of lean beef, tablespoonful of water, / lb. of butter, a seasoning to taste of salt, cayenne, pounded mace, and black pepper. _mode_.--procure a nice piece of lean beef, as free as possible from gristle, skin, &c., and put it into a jar (if at hand, one with a lid) with tablespoonful of water. cover it _closely_, and put the jar into a saucepan of boiling water, letting the water come within inches of the top of the jar. boil gently for - / hours, then take the beef, chop it very small with a chopping-knife, and pound it thoroughly in a mortar. mix with it by degrees all, or a portion, of the gravy that will have run from it, and a little clarified butter; add the seasoning, put it in small pots for use, and cover with a little butter just warmed and poured over. if much gravy is added to it, it will keep but a short time; on the contrary, if a large proportion of butter is used, it may be preserved for some time. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. potted beef (cold meat cookery). ii. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast or boiled beef, / lb. of butter, cayenne to taste, blades of pounded mace. _mode_.--as we have stated in recipe no. , the outside slices of boiled beef may, with a little trouble, be converted into a very nice addition to the breakfast-table. cut up the meat into small pieces and pound it well, with a little butter, in a mortar; add a seasoning of cayenne and mace, and be very particular that the latter ingredient is reduced to the finest powder. when all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, put it into glass or earthen potting-pots, and pour on the top a coating of clarified butter. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--if cold roast beef is used, remove all pieces of gristle and dry outside pieces, as these do not pound well. preserved meats.--when an organic substance, like the flesh of animals, is heated to the boiling-point, it loses the property of passing into a state of fermentation and decay. fresh animal milk, as is well known, coagulates, after having been kept for two or three days, into a gelatinous mass; but it may be preserved for an indefinite period, as a perfectly sweet liquid, if it be heated daily to the boiling-point. the knowledge of this effect of an elevated temperature has given rise to a most important branch of industry,--namely, the preparation of preserved meats for the use of the navy and merchant service. at leith, in the neighbourhood of edinburgh, at aberdeen, at bordeaux, at marseilles, and in many parts of germany, establishments of enormous magnitude exist, in which soup, vegetables, and viands of every description are prepared, in such a manner that they retain their freshness for years. the prepared aliments are inclosed in canisters of tinned iron plate, the covers are soldered air-tight, and the canisters exposed to the temperature of boiling water for three or four hours. the aliments thus acquire a stability, which one may almost say is eternal; and when a canister is opened, after the lapse of several years, its contents are found to be unaltered in taste, colour, and smell. we are indebted to the french philosopher gay-lussac for this beautiful practical application of the discovery that boiling checks fermentation. an exclusive salt-meat diet is extremely injurious to the health; and, in former times, thousands of mariners lost their lives for the want of fresh aliments during long voyages. we are sorry to say that the preserved meats are sometimes carelessly prepared, and, though the statement seems incredible, sometimes adulterated. dr. lankester, who has done so much to expose the frauds of trade, that he ought to be regarded as a public benefactor, says that he has seen things which were utterly unfit for food, shipped as preserved meats. surely, as he observes, there ought to be some superintendent to examine the so-called articles of food that are taken on board ship, so that the poor men who have been fighting our battles abroad may run no risk of being starved or poisoned on their way home. rib of beef bones. (_a pretty dish_.) . ingredients.--rib of beef bones, onion chopped fine, a few slices of carrot and turnip, / pint of gravy. _mode_.--the bones for this dish should have left on them a slight covering of meat; saw them into pieces inches long; season them with pepper and salt, and put them into a stewpan with the remaining ingredients. stew gently, until the vegetables are tender, and serve on a flat dish within walls of mashed potatoes. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the bones, d. _seasonable_ at any time. beef rissoles (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast beef; to each pound of meat allow / lb. of bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, a few chopped savoury herbs, / a teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, or eggs, according to the quantity of meat. _mode_.--mince the beef very fine, which should be rather lean, and mix with this bread crumbs, herbs, seasoning, and lemon-peel, in the above proportion, to each pound of meat. make all into a thick paste with or eggs; divide into balls or cones, and fry a rich brown. garnish the dish with fried parsley, and send with them to table some good brown gravy in a tureen. instead of garnishing with fried parsley, gravy may be poured in the dish, round the rissoles: in this case, it will not be necessary to send any in a tureen. _time_.--from to minutes, according to size. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. rolled beef, to eat like hare. . ingredients.--about lbs. of the inside of the sirloin, glasses of port wine, glasses of vinegar, a small quantity of forcemeat (no. ), teaspoonful of pounded allspice. _mode_.--take the inside of a large sirloin, soak it in glass of port wine and glass of vinegar, mixed, and let it remain for days. make a forcemeat by recipe no. , lay it on the meat, and bind it up securely. roast it before a nice clear fire, and baste it with glass each of port wine and vinegar, with which mix a teaspoonful of pounded allspice. serve, with a good gravy in the dish, and send red-currant jelly to table with it. _time_.--a piece of lbs. about - / hour before a brisk fire. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. beef rolls (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast or boiled beef, seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and minced herbs; puff paste. _mode_.--mince the beef tolerably fine with a small amount of its own fat; add a seasoning of pepper, salt, and chopped herbs; put the whole into a roll of puff paste, and bake for / hour, or rather longer, should the roll be very large. beef patties may be made of cold meat, by mincing and seasoning beef as directed above, and baking in a rich puff paste in patty-tins. _time_,-- / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. miniature round of beef. (_an excellent dish for a small family_.) . ingredients.--from to lbs. of rib of beef, sufficient brine to cover the meat. _mode_.--choose a fine rib, have the bone removed, rub some salt over the inside, and skewer the meat up into a nice round form, and bind it with tape. put it into sufficient brine to cover it (the brine should be made by recipe no. ), and let it remain for days, turning the meat every day. when required to be dressed, drain from the pickle, and put the meat into very hot water; let it boil rapidly for a few minutes, when draw the pot to the side of the fire, and let it simmer very gently until done. remove the skewer, and replace it by a plated or silver one. carrots and turnips should be served with this dish, and may be boiled with the meat. _time_.--a small round of lbs., about hours after the water boils; one of lbs., about hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--should the joint be very small, or days will be sufficient time to salt it. brisket of beef, a la flamande. . ingredients.--about or lbs. of the brisket of beef, or slices of bacon, carrots, onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, salt and pepper to taste, cloves, whole allspice, blades of mace. _mode_.--choose that portion of the brisket which contains the gristle, trim it, and put it into a stewpan with the slices of bacon, which should be put under and over the meat. add the vegetables, herbs, spices, and seasoning, and cover with a little weak stock or water; close the stewpan as hermetically as possible, and simmer very gently for hours. strain the liquor, reserve a portion of it for sauce, and the remainder boil quickly over a sharp fire until reduced to a glaze, with which glaze the meat. garnish the dish with scooped carrots and turnips, and when liked, a little cabbage; all of which must be cooked separately. thicken and flavour the liquor that was saved for sauce, pour it round the meat, and serve. the beef may also be garnished with glazed onions, artichoke-bottoms, &c. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. french beef.--it has been all but universally admitted, that the beef of france is greatly inferior in quality to that of england, owing to inferiority of pasturage. m. curmer, however, one of the latest writers on the culinary art, tells us that this is a vulgar error, and that french beef is far superior to that of england. this is mere vaunting on the part of our neighbours, who seem to want _la gloire_ in everything; and we should not deign to notice it, if it had occurred in a work of small pretensions; but m. curmer's book professes to be a complete exposition of the scientific principles of cookery, and holds a high rank in the didactic literature of france. we half suspect that m. curmer obtained his knowledge of english beef in the same way as did the poor frenchman, whom the late mr. mathews, the comedian, so humorously described. mr. lewis, in his "physiology of common life," has thus revived the story of the beef-eating son of france:--"a frenchman was one day blandly remonstrating against the supercilious scorn expressed by englishmen for the beef of france, which he, for his part, did not find so inferior to that of england. 'i have been two times in england,' he remarked, but i nevère find the bif so supérieur to ours. i find it vary conveenient that they bring it you on leetle pieces of stick, for one penny: but i do not find the bif supérieur.' on hearing this, the englishman, red with astonishment, exclaimed, 'good heavens, sir! you have been eating cat's meat.'" no, m. curmer, we are ready to acknowledge the superiority of your cookery, but we have long since made up our minds as to the inferiority of your raw material. beef olives. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of rump-steak, egg, tablespoonful of minced savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, pint of stock, no. , or slices of bacon, tablespoonfuls of any store sauce, a slight thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--have the steaks cut rather thin, slightly beat them to make them level, cut them into or pieces, brush over with egg, and sprinkle with herbs, which should be very finely minced; season with pepper and salt, and roll up the pieces tightly, and fasten with a small skewer. put the stock in a stewpan that will exactly hold them, for by being pressed together, they will keep their shape better; lay in the rolls of meat, cover them with the bacon, cut in thin slices, and over that put a piece of paper. stew them very _gently_ for full hours; for the slower they are done the better. take them out, remove the skewers, thicken the gravy with butter and flour, and flavour with any store sauce that may be preferred. give one boil, pour over the meat, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. per pound. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. (_economical_.) . ingredients.--the remains of underdone cold roast beef, bread crumbs, shalot finely minced, pepper and salt to taste, gravy made from the beef bones, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut some slices of underdone roast beef about half an inch thick; sprinkle over them some bread crumbs, minced shalot, and a little of the fat and seasoning; roll them, and fasten with a small skewer. have ready some gravy made from the beef bones; put in the pieces of meat, and stew them till tender, which will be in about - / hour, or rather longer. arrange the meat in a dish, thicken and flavour the gravy, and pour it over the meat, when it is ready to serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the beef, d. _seasonable_ at any time. broiled ox-tail (an entree). . ingredients.-- tails, - / pint of stock, no. , salt and cayenne to taste, bread crumbs, egg. _mode_.--joint and cut up the tails into convenient-sized pieces, and put them into a stewpan, with the stock, cayenne, and salt, and, if liked very savoury, a bunch of sweet herbs. let them simmer gently for about - / hours; then take them out, drain them, and let them cool. beat an egg upon a plate; dip in each piece of tail, and, afterwards, throw them into a dish of bread crumbs; broil them over a clear fire, until of a brownish colour on both sides, and serve with a good gravy, or any sauce that may be preferred. _time_.--about - / hours. _average cost_, from d. to s. d., according to the season. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--these may be more easily prepared by putting the tails in a brisk oven, after they have been dipped in egg and bread-crumb; and, when brown, they are done. they must be boiled the same time as for broiling. strange tails.--naturalists cannot explain the uses of some of the strange tails borne by animals. in the egyptian and syrian sheep, for instance, the tail grows so large, that it is not infrequently supported upon a sort of little cart, in order to prevent inconvenience to the animal. thin monstrous appendage sometimes attains a weight of seventy, eighty, or even a hundred pounds. to dress beef palates (an entree). . ingredients.-- palates, sufficient gravy to cover them (no. ), cayenne to taste, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonful of pickled-onion liquor, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--wash the palates, and put them into a stewpan, with sufficient water to cover them, and let them boil until perfectly tender, or until the upper skin may be easily peeled off. have ready sufficient gravy (no. ) to cover them; add a good seasoning of cayenne, and thicken with roux, no. , or a little butter kneaded with flour; let it boil up, and skim. cut the palates into square pieces, put them in the gravy, and let them simmer gently for / hour; add ketchup and onion-liquor, give one boil, and serve. _time_.--from to hours to boil the palates. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--palates may be dressed in various ways with sauce tournée, good onion sauce, tomato sauce, and also served in a vol-au-vent; but the above will be found a more simple method of dressing them. beef pickle, which may also be used for any kind of meat, tongues, or hams. . ingredients.-- lbs. of salt, lbs. of fine sugar, oz. of powdered saltpetre, gallons of spring water. _mode_.--boil all the ingredients gently together, so long as any scum or impurity arises, which carefully remove; when quite cold, pour it over the meat, every part of which must be covered with the brine. this may be used for pickling any kind of meat, and may be kept for some time, if boiled up occasionally with an addition of the ingredients. _time_.--a ham should be kept in the pickle for a fortnight; a piece of beef weighing lbs., or days; a tongue, days or a fortnight. _note_.--for salting and pickling meat, it is a good plan to rub in only half the quantity of salt directed, and to let it remain for a day or two to disgorge and effectually to get rid of the blood and slime; then rub in the remainder of the salt and other ingredients, and proceed as above. this rule may be applied to all the recipes we have given for salting and pickling meat. to pickle part of a round of beef for hanging. . ingredients.--for lbs. of a round of beef allow - / lb. of salt, / oz. of powdered saltpetre; or, lb. of salt, / lb. of sugar, oz. of powdered saltpetre. _mode_.--rub in, and sprinkle either of the above mixtures on lbs. of meat. keep it in an earthenware pan, or a deep wooden tray, and turn twice a week during weeks; then bind up the beef tightly with coarse linen tape, and hang it in a kitchen in which a fire is constantly kept, for weeks. pork, hams, and bacon may be cured in a similar way, but will require double the quantity of the salting mixture; and, if not smoke-dried, they should be taken down from hanging after or weeks, and afterwards kept in boxes or tubs, amongst dry oat-husks. _time_.-- or weeks to remain in the brine; to be hung weeks. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the meat may be boiled fresh from this pickle, instead of smoking it. beep ragout (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--about lbs. of cold roast beef, onions, pepper, salt, and mixed spices to taste; / pint of boiling water, tablespoonfuls of gravy. _mode_.--cut the beef into rather large pieces, and put them into a stewpan with the onions, which must be sliced. season well with pepper, salt, and mixed spices, and pour over about / pint of boiling water, and gravy in the above proportion (gravy saved from the meat answers the purpose); let the whole stew very gently for about hours, and serve with pickled walnuts, gherkins, or capers, just warmed in the gravy. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. roast ribs of beef. . ingredients.--beef, a little salt. _mode_.---the fore-rib is considered the primest roasting piece, but the middle-rib is considered the most economical. let the meat be well hung (should the weather permit), and cut off the thin ends of the bones, which should be salted for a few days, and then boiled. put the meat down to a nice clear fire, put some clean dripping into the pan, dredge the joint with a little flour, and keep continually basting the whole time. sprinkle some fine salt over it (this must never be done until the joint is dished, as it draws the juices from the meat); pour the dripping from the pan, put in a little boiling: water slightly salted, and _strain_ the gravy over the meat. garnish with tufts of scraped horseradish, and send horseradish sauce to table with it (_see_ no. ). a yorkshire pudding (_see_ puddings) sometimes accompanies this dish, and, if lightly made and well cooked, will be found a very agreeable addition. _time_.-- lbs. of beef, - / hours; to lbs., from - / to hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_.--a joint of lbs. sufficient for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. memoranda in roasting.--the management of the fire is a point of primary importance in roasting. a radiant fire throughout the operation is absolutely necessary to insure a good result. when the article to be dressed is thin and delicate, the fire may be small; but when the joint is large, the fire must fill the grate. meat must never be put down before a hollow or exhausted fire, which may soon want recruiting; on the other hand, if the heat of the fire becomes too fierce, the meat must be removed to a considerable distance till it is somewhat abated. some cooks always fail in their roasts, though they succeed in nearly everything else. a french writer on the culinary art says that anybody can learn how to cook, but one must be born a roaster. according to liebig, beef or mutton cannot be said to be sufficiently roasted until it has acquired, throughout the whole mass, a temperature of °; but poultry may be well cooked when the inner parts have attained a temperature of from ° to °. this depends on the greater amount of blood which beef and mutton contain, the colouring matter of blood not being coagulable under °. roast ribs of beef, boned and rolled (a very convenient joint for a small family). . ingredients.-- or ribs of beef. _mode_.--choose a fine rib of beef, and have it cut according to the weight you require, either wide or narrow. bone and roll the meat round, secure it with wooden skewers, and, if necessary, bind it round with a piece of tape. spit the beef firmly, or, if a bottle-jack is used, put the joint on the hook, and place it _near_ a nice clear fire. let it remain so till the outside of the meat is set, when draw it to a distance, and keep continually basting until the meat is done, which can be ascertained by the steam from it drawing towards the fire. as this joint is solid, rather more than / hour must be allowed for each lb. remove the skewers, put in a plated or silver one, and send the joint to table with gravy in the dish, and garnish with tufts of horseradish. horseradish sauce, no. , is a great improvement to roast beef. _time_.--for lbs. of the rolled ribs, hours (as the joint is very solid, we have allowed an extra / hour); for lbs., - / hour. average cost, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_.--a joint of lbs. for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year. _note_.--when the weight exceeds lbs., we would not advise the above method of boning and rolling; only in the case of or ribs, when the joint cannot stand upright in the dish, and would look awkward. the bones should be put in with a few vegetables and herbs, and made into stock. roast beef has long been a national dish in england. in most of our patriotic songs it is contrasted with the fricasseed frogs, popularly supposed to be the exclusive diet of frenchmen. "o the roast beef of old england, and o the old english roast beef." this national chorus is appealed to whenever a song-writer wishes to account for the valour displayed by englishmen at sea or on land. roast sirloin of beef. . ingredients.--beef, a little salt. _mode_.--as a joint cannot be well roasted without a good fire, see that it is well made up about / hour before it is required, so that when the joint is put down, it is clear and bright. choose a nice sirloin, the weight of which should not exceed lbs., as the outside would be too much done, whilst the inside would not be done enough. spit it or hook it on to the jack firmly, dredge it slightly with flour, and place it near the fire at first, as directed in the preceding recipe. then draw it to a distance, and keep continually basting until the meat is done. sprinkle a small quantity of salt over it, empty the dripping-pan of all the dripping, pour in some boiling water slightly salted, stir it about, and _strain_ over the meat. garnish with tufts of horseradish, and send horseradish sauce and yorkshire pudding to table with it. for carving, _see_ p. . _time_.--a sirloin of lbs., - / hours; to lbs., about or - / hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_.--a joint of lbs. for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the rump, round, and other pieces of beef are roasted in the same manner, allowing for solid joints; / hour to every lb. _note_.---the above is the usual method of roasting moat; but to have it in perfection and the juices kept in, the meat should at first be laid close to the fire, and when the outside is set and firm, drawn away to a good distance, and then left to roast very slowly; where economy is studied, this plan would not answer, as the meat requires to be at the fire double the time of the ordinary way of cooking; consequently, double the quantity of fuel would be consumed. origin of the word "sirloin."--the loin of beef is said to have been knighted by king charles ii., at friday hall, chingford. the "merry monarch" returned to this hospitable mansion for epping forest literally "as hungry as a hunter," and beheld, with delight, a huge loin of beef steaming upon the table. "a noble joint!" exclaimed the king. "by st. george, it shall have a title!" then drawing his sword, he raised it above the meat, and cried, with mock dignity, "loin, we dub thee knight; henceforward be sir loin!" this anecdote is doubtless apocryphal, although the oak table upon which the joint was supposed to have received its knighthood, might have been seen by any one who visited friday-hill house, a few years ago. it is, perhaps, a pity to spoil so noble a story; but the interests of truth demand that we declare that _sirloin_ is probably a corruption of _surloin_, which signifies the upper part of a loin, the prefix _sur_ being equivalent to _over_ or _above_. in french we find this joint called _surlonge_, which so closely resembles our _sirloin_, that we may safely refer the two words to a common origin. to salt beef. . ingredients.-- / round of beef, oz. of sugar, oz. of powdered saltpetre, oz. of black pepper, / lb. of bay-salt, / lb. of common salt. _mode_.--rub the meat well with salt, and let it remain for a day, to disgorge and clear it from slime. the next day, rub it well with the above ingredients on every side, and let it remain in the pickle for about a fortnight, turning it every day. it may be boiled fresh from the pickle, or smoked. _time_.-- / round of beef to remain in pickle about a fortnight. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the aitch-bone, flank, or brisket may be salted and pickled by any of the recipes we have given for salting beef, allowing less time for small joints to remain in the pickle; for instance, a joint of or lbs. will be sufficiently salt in about a week. the dutch way to salt beef. . ingredients.-- lbs. of lean beef, lb. of treacle, oz. of saltpetre, lb. of common salt. _mode_.--rub the beef well with the treacle, and let it remain for days, turning and rubbing it often; then wipe it, pound the salt and saltpetre very fine, rub these well in, and turn it every day for days. roll it up tightly in a coarse cloth, and press it under a large weight; have it smoked, and turn it upside down every day. boil it, and, on taking it out of the pot, put a heavy weight on it to press it. _time_.-- days. _seasonable_ at any time. beef sausages. . ingredients.--to every lb. of suet allow lbs. of lean beef; seasoning to taste of salt, pepper, and mixed spices. _mode_.--clear the suet from skin, and chop that and the beef as finely as possible; season with pepper, salt, and spices, and mix the whole well together. make it into flat cakes, and fry of a nice brown. many persons pound the meat in a mortar after it is chopped ( but this is not necessary when the meat is minced finely.) _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. beef-steak, rolled, roasted, and stuffed. . ingredients.-- lbs. of rump-steak, forcemeat no. , pepper and salt to taste, clarified butter. _mode_.--have the steaks cut rather thick from a well-hung rump of beef, and sprinkle over them a seasoning of pepper and salt. make a forcemeat by recipe no. ; spread it over _half_ of the steak; roll it up, bind and skewer it firmly, that the forcemeat may not escape, and roast it before a nice clear fire for about - / hour, or rather longer, should the roll be very large and thick. keep it constantly basted with butter, and serve with brown gravy, some of which must be poured round the steak, and the remainder sent to table in a tureen. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but best in winter. sliced and broiled beef--a pretty dish (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few slices of cold roast beef, or potatoes, a thin batter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--pare the potatoes as you would peel an apple; fry the parings in a thin batter seasoned with salt and pepper, until they are of a light brown colour, and place them on a dish over some slices of beef, which should be nicely seasoned and broiled. _time_.-- minutes to broil the meat. _seasonable_ at any time. spiced beef (to serve cold). . ingredients.-- lbs. of the thick flank or rump of beef, / lb. of coarse sugar, oz. of saltpetre, / lb. of pounded allspice, lb. of common salt. _mode_.--rub the sugar well into the beef, and let it lay for hours; then rub the saltpetre and allspice, both of which should be pounded, over the meat, and let it remain for another hours; then rub in the salt. turn daily in the liquor for a fortnight, soak it for a few hours in water, dry with a cloth, cover with a coarse paste, put a little water at the bottom of the pan, and bake in a moderate oven for hours. if it is not covered with a paste, be careful to put the beef into a deep vessel, and cover with a plate, or it will be too crisp. during the time the meat is in the oven it should be turned once or twice. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ at any time. baking meat.--baking exerts some unexplained influence on meat, rendering it less savoury and less agreeable than meat which has been roasted. "those who have travelled in germany and france," writes mr. lewis, one of our most popular scientific authors, "must have repeatedly marvelled at the singular uniformity in the flavour, or want of flavour, of the various 'roasts' served up at the _table-d'hôte_." the general explanation is, that the german and french meat is greatly inferior in quality to that of england and holland, owing to the inferiority of pasturage; and doubtless this is one cause, but it is not the chief cause. the meat is inferior, but the cooking is mainly at fault. the meat is scarcely ever _roasted_, because there is no coal, and firewood is expensive. the meat is therefore _baked;_ and the consequence of this baking is, that no meat is eatable or eaten, with its own gravy, but is always accompanied by some sauce more or less piquant. the germans generally believe that in england we eat our beef and mutton almost raw; they shudder at our gravy, as if it were so much blood. stewed beef or rump steak (an entree). . ingredients.--about lbs. of beef or rump steak, onions, turnips, carrots, or oz. of butter, / pint of water, teaspoonful of salt, / do. of pepper, tablespoonful of ketchup, tablespoonful of flour. _mode_.--have the steaks cut tolerably thick and rather lean; divide them into convenient-sized pieces, and fry them in the butter a nice brown on both sides. cleanse and pare the vegetables, cut the onions and carrots into thin slices, and the turnips into dice, and fry these in the same fat that the steaks were done in. put all into a saucepan, add / pint of water, or rather more should it be necessary, and simmer very gently for - / or hours; when nearly done, skim well, add salt, pepper, and ketchup in the above proportions, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour mixed with of cold water. let it boil up for a minute or two after the thickening is added, and serve. when a vegetable-scoop is at hand, use it to cut the vegetables in fanciful shapes, and tomato, harvey's sauce, or walnut-liquor may be used to flavour the gravy. it is less rich if stewed the previous day, so that the fat may be taken off when cold; when wanted for table, it will merely require warming through. _time_.-- hours. average cost, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. stewed beef and celery sauce (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- roots of celery, pint of gravy, no. , onions sliced, lbs. of cold roast or boiled beef. _mode_.--cut the celery into -inch pieces, put them in a stew-pan, with the gravy and onions, simmer gently until the celery is tender, when add the beef cut into rather thick pieces; stew gently for minutes, and serve with fried potatoes. _time_.--from to minutes to stew the celery. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ from september to january. stewed beef with oysters (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few thick steaks of cold ribs or sirloin of beef, oz. of butter, onion sliced, pepper and salt to taste, / glass of port wine, a little flour to thicken, or dozen oysters, rather more than / pint of water. _mode_.--cut the steaks rather thick, from cold sirloin or ribs of beef; brown them lightly in a stewpan, with the butter and a little water; add / pint of water, the onion, pepper, and salt, and cover the stewpan closely, and let it simmer very gently for / hour; then mix about a teaspoonful of flour smoothly with a little of the liquor; add the port wine and oysters, their liquor having been previously strained and put into the stewpan; stir till the oysters plump, and serve. it should not boil after the oysters are added, or they will harden. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, s. d. _seasonable_ from september to april. stewed brisket of beef. . ingredients.-- lbs. of a brisket of beef, vinegar and salt, carrots, turnips, small onions, blade of pounded mace, whole allspice pounded, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonfuls of ketchup; stock, or water. _mode_.--about an hour before dressing it, rub the meat over with vinegar and salt; put it into a stewpan, with sufficient stock to cover it (when this is not at hand, water may be substituted for it), and be particular that the stewpan is not much larger than the meat. skim well, and when it has simmered very gently for hour, put in the vegetables, and continue simmering till the meat is perfectly tender. draw out the bones, dish the meat, and garnish either with tufts of cauliflower or braised cabbage cut in quarters. thicken as much gravy as required, with a little butter and flour; add spices and ketchup in the above proportion, give one boil, pour some of it over the meat, and the remainder send in a tureen. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the remainder of the liquor in which the beef was boiled may be served as a soup, or it may be sent to table with the meat in a tureen. stewed rump of beef. . ingredients.-- / rump of beef, sufficient stock to cover it (no. ), tablespoonfuls of vinegar, tablespoonfuls of ketchup, large bunch of savoury herbs, onions, cloves, pepper and salt to taste, thickening of butter and flour, glass of port wine. _mode_.--cut out the bone, sprinkle the meat with a little cayenne (this must be sparingly used), and bind and tie it firmly up with tape; put it into a stewpan with sufficient stock to cover it, and add vinegar, ketchup, herbs, onions, cloves, and seasoning in the above proportion, and simmer very gently for or hours, or until the meat is perfectly tender, which may be ascertained by piercing it with a thin skewer. when done, remove the tape, lay it into a deep dish, which keep hot; strain and skim the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, add a glass of port wine and any flavouring to make the gravy rich and palatable; let it boil up, pour over the meat, and serve. this dish may be very much enriched by garnishing with forcemeat balls, or filling up the space whence the bone is taken with a good forcemeat; sliced carrots, turnips, and onions boiled with the meat, are also a great improvement, and, where expense is not objected to, it may be glazed. this, however, is not necessary where a good gravy is poured round and over the meat. _time_.-- / rump stewed gently from to hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--a stock or gravy in which to boil the meat, may be made of the bone and trimmings, by boiling them with water, and adding carrots, onions, turnips, and a bunch of sweet herbs. to make this dish richer and more savoury, half-roast the rump, and afterwards stew it in strong stock and a little madeira. this is an expensive method, and is not, after all, much better than a plainer-dressed joint. the baron of beef.--this noble joint, which consisted of two sirloins not cut asunder, was a favourite dish of our ancestors. it is rarely seen nowadays; indeed, it seems out of place on a modern table, as it requires the grim boar's head and christmas pie as supporters. sir walter scott has described a feast at which the baron of beef would have appeared to great advantage. we will quote a few lines to remind us of those days when "england was merry england," and when hospitality was thought to be the highest virtue. "the fire, with well-dried logs supplied, went roaring up the chimney wide; the huge hall-table's oaken face, scrubb'd till it shone, the day to grace, bore then, upon its massive board, no mark to part the squire and lord. then was brought in the lusty brawn, by old blue-coated serving-man; then the grim boar's head frown'd on high, crested with bays and rosemary. well can the green-garb'd ranger tell how, when, and where the monster fell; what dogs before his death he tore, and all the baiting of the boar; while round the merry wassel bowl, garnish'd with ribbons, blithe did trowl. there the huge sirloin reek'd; hard by plum-porridge stood, and christmas pie; nor fail'd old scotland to produce, at such high tide, her savoury goose." when a lord's son came of age, in the olden time, the baron of beef was too small a joint, by many degrees, to satisfy the retainers who would flock to the hall; a whole ox was therefore generally roasted over a fire built up of huge logs. we may here mention, that an ox was roasted entire on the frozen thames, in the early part of the present century. stewed shin of beef. . ingredients.--a shin of beef, head of celery, onion, a faggot of savoury herbs, / teaspoonful of allspice, / teaspoonful of whole black pepper, carrots, button onions, turnips, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonfuls of port wine; pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--have the bone sawn into or pieces, cover with hot water, bring it to a boil, and remove any scum that may rise to the surface. put in the celery, onion, herbs, spice, and seasoning, and simmer very gently until the meat is tender. peel the vegetables, cut them into any shape fancy may dictate, and boil them with the onions until tender; lift out the beef, put it on a dish, which keep hot, and thicken with butter and flour as much of the liquor as will be wanted for gravy; keep stirring till it boils, then strain and skim. put the gravy back in the stewpan, add the seasoning, port wine, and ketchup, give one boil, and pour it over the beef; garnish with the boiled carrots, turnips, and onions. _time_.--the meat to be stewed about hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. with bone. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. toad-in-the-hole (a homely but savoury dish). . ingredients.-- - / lb. of rump-steak, sheep's kidney, pepper and salt to taste. for the batter, eggs, pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of flour, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--cut up the steak and kidney into convenient-sized pieces, and put them into a pie-dish, with a good seasoning of salt and pepper; mix the flour with a small quantity of milk at first, to prevent its being lumpy; add the remainder, and the eggs, which should be well beaten; put in the salt, stir the batter for about minutes, and pour it over the steak. place it in a tolerably brisk oven immediately, and bake for - / hour. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the remains of cold beef, rather underdone, may be substituted for the steak, and, when liked, the smallest possible quantity of minced onion or shalot may be added. boiled tongue. . ingredients.-- tongue, a bunch of savoury herbs, water. _mode_.--in choosing a tongue, ascertain how long it has been dried or pickled, and select one with a smooth skin, which denotes its being young and tender. if a dried one, and rather hard, soak it at least for hours previous to cooking it; if, however, it is fresh from the pickle, or hours will be sufficient for it to remain in sock. put the tongue in a stewpan with plenty of cold water and a bunch of savoury herbs; let it gradually come to a boil, skim well and simmer very gently until tender. peel off the skin, garnish with tufts of cauliflowers or brussels sprouts, and serve. boiled tongue is frequently sent to table with boiled poultry, instead of ham, and is, by many persons, preferred. if to serve cold, peel it, fasten it down to a piece of board by sticking a fork through the root, and another through the top, to straighten it. when cold, glaze it, and put a paper ruche round the root, and garnish with tufts of parsley. _time_.--a large smoked tongue, to - / hours; a small one, - / to hours. a large unsmoked tongue, to - / hours; a small one, to - / hours. _average cost_, for a moderate sized tongue, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. to cure tongues. i. . ingredients.--for a tongue of lbs., oz. of saltpetre, / oz. of black pepper, oz. of sugar, oz. of juniper berries, oz. of salt. _mode_.--rub the above ingredients well into the tongue, and let it remain in the pickle for days or a fortnight; then drain it, tie it up in brown paper, and have it smoked for about days over a wood fire; or it may be boiled out of this pickle. _time_.--from to days to remain in the pickle; to be smoked days. _average cost_, for a medium-sized uncured tongue, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--if not wanted immediately, the tongue will keep or weeks without being too salt; then it must not be rubbed, but only turned in the pickle. ii. . ingredients.-- lbs. of salt, oz. of sugar, oz. of powdered saltpetre. _mode_.--rub the above ingredients well into the tongues, and keep them in this curing mixture for months, turning them every day. drain them from the pickle, cover with brown paper, and have them smoked for about weeks. _time_.--the tongues to remain in pickle months; to be smoked weeks. _sufficient_.--the above quantity of brine sufficient for tongues, of lbs. each. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: beef tongue.] the tongues of animals.--the tongue, whether in the ox or in man, is the seat of the sense of taste. this sense warns the animal against swallowing deleterious substances. dr. carpenter says, that, among the lower animals, the instinctive perceptions connected with this sense, are much more remarkable than our own; thus, an omnivorous monkey will seldom touch fruits of a poisonous character, although their taste may be agreeable. however this may be, man's instinct has decided that ox-tongue is better than horse-tongue; nevertheless, the latter is frequently substituted by dishonest dealers for the former. the horse's tongue may be readily distinguished by a spoon-like expansion at its end. to pickle and dress a tongue to eat cold. . ingredients.-- oz. of salt, oz. of bay-salt, oz. of saltpetre, oz. of coarse sugar; cloves, mace, and allspice to taste; butter, common crust of flour and water. _mode_.--lay the tongue for a fortnight in the above pickle, turn it every day, and be particular that the spices are well pounded; put it into a small pan just large enough to hold it, place some pieces of butter on it, and cover with a common crust. bake in a slow oven until so tender that a straw would penetrate it; take off the skin, fasten it down to a piece of board by running a fork through the root and another through the tip, at the same time straightening it and putting it into shape. when cold, glaze it, put a paper ruche round the root, which is generally very unsightly, and garnish with tufts of parsley. _time_.--from or hours in a slow oven, according to size. _average cost_, for a medium-sized uncured tongue, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. to dress tripe. . ingredients.--tripe, onion sauce, no. , milk and water. _mode_.--ascertain that the tripe is quite fresh, and have it cleaned and dressed. cut away the coarsest fat, and boil it in equal proportions of milk and water for / hour. should the tripe be entirely undressed, more than double that time should be allowed for it. have ready some onion sauce made by recipe no. s , dish the tripe, smother it with the sauce, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. _time_.-- hour: for undressed tripe, from - / to hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--tripe may be dressed in a variety of ways: it may be cut in pieces and fried in batter, stewed in gravy with mushrooms, or cut into collops, sprinkled with minced onion and savoury herbs, and fried a nice brown in clarified butter. beef carving. aitchbone of beef. a boiled aitch-bone of beef is not a difficult joint to carve, as will be seen on reference to the accompanying engraving. by following with the knife the direction of the line from to , nice slices will be easily cut. it may be necessary, as in a round of beef, to cut a thick slice off the outside before commencing to serve. [illustration] brisket of beef. there is but little description necessary to add, to show the carving of a boiled brisket of beef, beyond the engraving here inserted. the only point to be observed is, that the joint should be cut evenly and firmly quite across the bones, so that, on its reappearance at table, it should not have a jagged and untidy look. [illustration] ribs of beef. this dish resembles the sirloin, except that it has no fillet or undercut. as explained in the recipes, the end piece is often cut off, salted and boiled. the mode of carving is similar to that of the sirloin, viz., in the direction of the dotted line from to . this joint will be the more easily cut if the plan be pursued which is suggested in carving the sirloin; namely, the inserting of the knife immediately between the bone and the moat, before commencing to cut it into slices. all joints of roast beef should be cut in even and thin slices. horseradish, finely scraped, may be served as a garnish; but horseradish sauce is preferable for eating with the beef. [illustration] sirloin of beef. this dish is served differently at various tables, some preferring it to come to table with the fillet, or, as it is usually called, the undercut, uppermost. the reverse way, as shown in the cut, is that most usually adopted. still the undercut is best eaten when hot; consequently, the carver himself may raise the joint, and cut some slices from the under side, in the direction of from to , as the fillet is very much preferred by some eaters. the upper part of the sirloin should be cut in the direction of the line from to , and care should be taken to carve it evenly and in thin slices. it will be found a great assistance, in carving this joint well, if the knife be first inserted just above the bone at the bottom, and run sharply along between the bone and meat, and also to divide the meat from the bone in the same way at the side of the joint. the slices will then come away more readily. [illustration] some carvers cut the upper side of the sirloin across, as shown by the line from to ; but this is a wasteful plan, and one not to be recommended. with the sirloin, very finely-scraped horseradish is usually served, and a little given, when liked, to each guest. horseradish sauce is preferable, however, for serving on the plate, although the scraped horseradish may still be used as a garnish. [illustration] a round of beef. a round of beef is not so easily carved as many other joints of beef, and to manage it properly, a thin-bladed and very sharp knife is necessary. off the outside of the joint, at its top, a thick slice should first be cut, so as to leave the surface smooth; then thin and even slices should be cleverly carved in the direction of the line to ; and with each slice of the lean a delicate morsel of the fat should be served. [illustration] beef tongue. passing the knife down in the direction of from to , a not too thin slice should be helped; and the carving of a tongue may be continued in this way until the best portions of the upper side are served. the fat which lies about the root of the tongue can be served by turning the tongue, and cutting in the direction of from to . [illustration] [illustration] chapter xiv. general observations on the sheep and lamb. . of all wild or domesticated animals, the sheep is, without exception, the most useful to man as a food, and the most necessary to his health and comfort; for it not only supplies him with the lightest and most nutritious of meats, but, in the absence of the cow, its udder yields him milk, cream, and a sound though inferior cheese; while from its fat he obtains light, and from its fleece broadcloth, kerseymere, blankets, gloves, and hose. its bones when burnt make an animal charcoal--ivory black--to polish his boots, and when powdered, a manure for the cultivation of his wheat; the skin, either split or whole, is made into a mat for his carriage, a housing for his horse, or a lining for his hat, and many other useful purposes besides, being extensively employed in the manufacture of parchment; and finally, when oppressed by care and sorrow, the harmonious strains that carry such soothing contentment to the heart, are elicited from the musical strings, prepared almost exclusively from the intestines of the sheep. . this valuable animal, of which england is estimated to maintain an average stock of , , , belongs to the class already indicated under the ox,--the _mammalia_; to the order of _rumenantia_, or cud-chewing animal; to the tribe of _capridae_, or horned quadrupeds; and the genus _ovis_, or the "sheep." the sheep may be either with or without horns; when present, however, they have always this peculiarity, that they spring from a triangular base, are spiral in form, and lateral, at the side of the head, in situation. the fleece of the sheep is of two sorts, either short and harsh, or soft and woolly; the wool always preponderating in an exact ratio to the care, attention, and amount of domestication bestowed on the animal. the generic peculiarities of the sheep are the triangular and spiral form of the horns, always larger in the male when present, but absent in the most cultivated species; having sinuses at the base of all the toes of the four feet, with two rudimentary hoofs on the fore legs, two inguinal teats to the udder, with a short tail in the wild breed, but of varying length in the domesticated; have no incisor teeth in the upper jaw, but in their place a hard elastic cushion along the margin of the gum, on which the animal nips and breaks the herbage on which it feeds; in the lower jaw there are eight incisor teeth and six molars on each side of both jaws, making in all teeth. the fleece consists of two coats, one to keep the animal warm, the other to carry off the water without wetting the skin. the first is of wool, the weight and fineness of which depend on the quality of the pasture and the care bestowed on the flock; the other of hair, that pierces the wool and overlaps it, and is in excess in exact proportion to the badness of the keep and inattention with which the animal is treated. . the great object of the grazier is to procure an animal that will yield the greatest pecuniary return in the shortest time; or, in other words, soonest convert grass and turnips into good mutton and fine fleece. all sheep will not do this alike; some, like men, are so restless and irritable, that no system of feeding, however good, will develop their frames or make them fat. the system adopted by the breeder to obtain a valuable animal for the butcher, is to enlarge the capacity and functions of the digestive organs, and reduce those of the head and chest, or the mental and respiratory organs. in the first place, the mind should be tranquillized, and those spaces that can never produce animal fibre curtailed, and greater room afforded, as in the abdomen, for those that can. and as nothing militates against the fattening process so much as restlessness, the chief wish of the grazier is to find a dull, indolent sheep, one who, instead of frisking himself, leaping his wattles, or even condescending to notice the butting gambols of his silly companions, silently fills his paunch with pasture, and then seeking a shady nook, indolently and luxuriously chows his cud with closed eyes and blissful satisfaction, only rising when his delicious repast is ended, to proceed silently and without emotion to repeat the pleasing process of laying in more provender, and then returning to his dreamy siesta to renew the delightful task of rumination. such animals are said to have a _lymphatic_ temperament, and are of so kindly a nature, that on good pasturage they may be said to grow daily. the leicestershire breed is the best example of this lymphatic and contented animal, and the active orkney, who is half goat in his habits, of the restless and unprofitable. the rich pasture of our midland counties would take years in making the wiry orkney fat and profitable, while one day's fatigue in climbing rocks after a coarse and scanty herbage would probably cause the actual death of the pampered and short-winded leicester. . the more removed from the nature of the animal is the food on which it lives, the more difficult is the process of assimilation, and the more complex the chain of digestive organs; for it must be evident to all, that the same apparatus that converts _flesh_ into _flesh_, is hardly calculated to transmute _grass_ into flesh. as the process of digestion in carnivorous animals is extremely simple, these organs are found to be remarkably short, seldom exceeding the length of the animal's body; while, where digestion is more difficult, from the unassimilating nature of the aliment, as in the ruminant order, the alimentary canal, as is the case with the sheep, is _twenty-seven times the length of the body._ the digestive organ in all ruminant animals consists of _four stomachs_, or, rather, a capacious pouch, divided by doorways and valves into four compartments, called, in their order of position, the paunch, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum. when the sheep nibbles the grass, and is ignorantly supposed to be eating, he is, in fact, only preparing the raw material of his meal, in reality only mowing the pasture, which, as he collects, is swallowed instantly, passing into the first receptacle, the _paunch_, where it is surrounded by a quantity of warm saliva, in which the herbage undergoes a process of maceration or softening, till the animal having filled this compartment, the contents pass through a valve into the second or smaller bag,--the _reticulum_, where, having again filled the paunch with a reserve, the sheep lies down and commences that singular process of chewing the cud, or, in other words, masticating the food he has collected. by the operation of a certain set of muscles, a small quantity of this softened food from the _reticulum_, or second bag, is passed into the mouth, which it now becomes the pleasure of the sheep to grind under his molar teeth into a soft smooth pulp, the operation being further assisted by a flow of saliva, answering the double purpose of increasing the flavour of the aliment and promoting the solvency of the mass. having completely comminuted and blended this mouthful, it is swallowed a second time; but instead of returning to the paunch or reticulum, it passes through another valve into a side cavity,--the _omasum_, where, after a maceration in more saliva for some hours, it glides by the same contrivance into the fourth pouch,--the _abomasum_, an apartment in all respects analogous to the ordinary stomach of animals, and where the process of digestion, begun and carried on in the previous three, is here consummated, and the nutrient principle, by means of the bile, eliminated from the digested aliment. such is the process of digestion in sheep and oxen. . no other animal, even of the same order, possesses in so remarkable a degree the power of converting pasture into flesh as the leicestershire sheep; the south down and cheviot, the two next breeds in quality, are, in consequence of the greater vivacity of the animal's nature, not equal to it in that respect, though in both the brain and chest are kept subservient to the greater capacity of the organs of digestion. besides the advantage of increased bulk and finer fleeces, the breeder seeks to obtain an augmented deposit of tissue in those parts of the carcase most esteemed as food, or, what are called in the trade "prime joints;" and so far has this been effected, that the comparative weight of the hind quarters over the fore has become a test of quality in the breed, the butchers in some markets charging twopence a pound more for that portion of the sheep. indeed, so superior are the hind quarters of mutton now regarded, that very many of the west-end butchers never deal in any other part of the sheep. . the difference in the quality of the flesh in various breeds is a well-established fact, not alone in flavour, but also in tenderness; and that the nature of the pasture on which the sheep is fed influences the flavour of the meat, is equally certain, and shown in the estimation in which those flocks are held which have grazed on the thymy heath of bamstead in sussex. it is also a well-established truth, that the _larger_ the frame of the animal, the _coarser_ is the meat, and that _small bones_ are both guarantees for the fineness of the breed and the delicacy of the flesh. the sex too has much to do in determining the quality of the meat; in the males, the lean is closer in fibre, deeper in colour, harder in texture, less juicy, and freer from fat, than in the female, and is consequently tougher and more difficult of digestion; but probably age, and the character of the pasturage on which they are reared, has, more than any other cause, an influence on the quality and tenderness of the meat. . the numerous varieties of sheep inhabiting the different regions of the earth have been reduced by cuvier to three, or at most four, species: the _ovis amman_, or the argali, the presumed parent stock of all the rest; the _ovis tragelaphus_, the bearded sheep of africa; the _ovis musmon_, the musmon of southern europe; and the _ovis montana_, the mouflon of america; though it is believed by many naturalists that this last is so nearly identical with the indian argali as to be undeserving a separate place. it is still a controversy to which of these three we are indebted for the many breeds of modern domestication; the argali, however, by general belief, has been considered as the most _probable_ progenitor of the present varieties. . the effects produced by change of climate, accident, and other causes, must have been great to accomplish so complete a physical alteration as the primitive argali must have undergone before the musmon, or mouflon of corsica, the _immediate_ progenitor of all our european breeds, assumed his present appearance. the argali is about a fifth larger in size than the ordinary english sheep, and being a native of a tropical clime, his fleece is of hair instead of wool, and of a warm reddish brown, approaching to yellow; a thick mane of darker hair, about seven inches long, commences from two long tufts at the angle of the jaws, and, running _under_ the throat and neck, descends down the chest, dividing, at the fore fork, into two parts, one running down the front of each leg, as low as the shank. the horns, unlike the character of the order generally, have a quadrangular base, and, sweeping inwards, terminate in a sharp point. the tail, about seven inches long, ends in a tuft of stiff hairs. from this remarkable muffler-looking beard, the french have given the species the name of _mouflon à manchettes_. from the primitive stock _eleven_ varieties have been reared in this country, of the domesticated sheep, each supposed by their advocates to possess some one or more special qualities. these eleven, embracing the shetland or orkney; the dun-woolled; black-faced, or heath-bred; the moorland, or devonshire; the cheviot; the horned, of norfolk the ryeland; south-down; the merino; the old leicester, and the teeswater, or new leicester, have of late years been epitomized; and, for all useful and practical purposes, reduced to the following four orders:-- . the south-down, the leicester, the black-faced, and the cheviot. [illustration: south-down ram.] [illustration: south-down ewe.] . south-downs.--it appears, as far as our investigation can trace the fact, that from the very earliest epoch of agricultural history in england, the breezy range of light chalky hills running through the south-west and south of sussex and hampshire, and known as the south-downs, has been famous for a superior race of sheep; and we find the romans early established mills and a cloth-factory at winchester, where they may be said to terminate, which rose to such estimation, from the fineness of the wool and texture of the cloth, that the produce was kept as only worthy to clothe emperors. from this, it may be inferred that sheep have always been indigenous to this hilly tract. though boasting so remote a reputation, it is comparatively within late years that the improvement and present state of perfection of this breed has been effected, the south-down new ranking, for symmetry of shape, constitution, and early maturity, with any stock in the kingdom. the south-down has no horns, is covered with a fine wool from two to three inches long, has a small head, and legs and face of a grey colour. it is, however, considered deficient in depth and breadth of chest. a marked peculiarity of this breed is that its hind quarters stand higher than the fore, the quarters weighing from fifteen to eighteen pounds. [illustration: leicester ram.] [illustration: leicester ewe.] . the leicester.--it was not till the year that mr. robert bakewell directed his attention to the improvement of his stock of sheep, and ultimately effected that change in the character of his flock which has brought the breed to hold so prominent a place. the leicester is regarded as the largest example of the improved breeds, very productive, and yielding a good fleece. he has a small head, covered with short white hairs, a clean muzzle, an open countenance, full eye, long thin ear, tapering neck, well-arched ribs, and straight back. the meat is indifferent, its flavour not being so good as that of the south-down, and there is a very large proportion of fat. average weight of carcase from to lbs. [illustration: heath ram.] [illustration: heath ewe.] . black-faced, on heath-bred sheep.--this is the most hardy of all our native breeds, and originally came from ettrick forest. the face and legs are black, or sometimes mottled, the horns spiral, and on the top of the forehead it has a small round tuft of lighter-coloured wool than on the face; has the muzzle and lips of the same light hue, and what shepherds call a mealy mouth; the eye is full of vivacity and fire, and well open; the body long, round, and firm, and the limbs robust. the wool is thin, coarse, and light. weight of the quarter, from to lbs. . the cheviot.--from the earliest traditions, these hills in the north, like the chalk-ridges in the south, have possessed a race of large-carcased sheep, producing a valuable fleece. to these physical advantages, they added a sound constitution, remarkable vigour, and capability to endure great privation. both sexes are destitute of horns, face white, legs long and clean, carries the head erect, has the throat and neck well covered, the cars long and open, and the face animated. the cheviot is a small-boned sheep, and well covered with wool to the hough; the only defect in this breed, is in a want of depth in the chest. weight of the quarter, from to lbs. [illustration: romney-marsh ram.] [illustration: romney-marsh ewe.] . though the romney marshes, that wide tract of morass and lowland moor extending from the weald (or ancient forest) of kent into sussex, has rather been regarded as a general feeding-ground for any kind of sheep to be pastured on, it has yet, from the earliest date, been famous for a breed of animals almost peculiar to the locality, and especially for size, length, thickness, and quantity of wool, and what is called thickness of stocking; and on this account for ages held pre-eminence over every other breed in the kingdom. so satisfied were the kentish men with the superiority of their sheep, that they long resisted any crossing in the breed. at length, however, this was effected, and from the old romney and new leicester a stock was produced that proved, in an eminent degree, the advantage of the cross; and though the breed was actually smaller than the original, it was found that the new stock did not consume so much food, the stocking was increased, they were ready for the market a _year_ sooner; that the fat formed more on the exterior of the carcase, where it was of most advantage to the grazier, rather than as formerly in the interior, where it went to the butcher as offal; and though the wool was shorter and lighter, it was of a better colour, finer, and possessed of superior felting properties. . the romney marsh breed is a large animal, deep, close, and compact, with white face and legs, and yields a heavy fleece of a good staple quality. the general structure is, however, considered defective, the chest being narrow and the extremities coarse; nevertheless its tendency to fatten, and its early maturity, are universally admitted. the romney marsh, therefore, though not ranking as a first class in respect of perfection and symmetry of breed, is a highly useful, profitable, and generally advantageous variety of the english domestic sheep. . different names have been given to sheep by their breeders, according to their age and sex. the male is called a ram, or tup; after weaning, he is said to be a hog, or hogget, or a lamb-hog, tup-hog, or teg; later he is a wether, or wether-hog; after the first shearing, a shearing, or dinmont; and after each succeeding shearing, a two, three, or four-shear ram, tup, or wether, according to circumstances. the female is called a ewe, or gimmer-lamb, till weaned, when she becomes, according to the shepherd's nomenclature, a gimmer-ewe, hog, or teg; after shearing, a gimmer or shearing-ewe, or theave; and in future a two, three, or four-shear ewe, or theave. . the mode of slaughtering sheep is perhaps as humane and expeditious a process as could be adopted to attain the objects sought: the animal being laid on its side in a sort of concave stool, the butcher, while pressing the body with his knee, transfixes the throat near the angle of the jaw, passing his knife between the windpipe and bones of the neck; thus dividing the jugulars, carotids, and large vessels, the death being very rapid from such a hemorrhage. [illustration: side of mutton, showing the several joints.] . almost every large city has a particular manner of cutting up, or, as it is called, dressing the carcase. in london this process is very simple, and as our butchers have found that much skewering back, doubling one part over another, or scoring the inner cuticle or fell, tends to spoil the meat and shorten the time it would otherwise keep, they avoid all such treatment entirely. the carcase when flayed (which operation is performed while yet warm), the sheep when hung up and the head removed, presents the profile shown in our cut; the small numerals indicating the parts or joints into which one half of the animal is cut. after separating the hind from the fore quarters, with eleven ribs to the latter, the quarters are usually subdivided in the manner shown in the sketch, in which the several joins are defined by the intervening lines and figures. _hind quarter_: no. , the leg; , the loin--the two, when cut in one piece, being called the saddle. _fore quarter_: no. , the shoulder; and the neck; no. being called, for distinction, the scrag, which is generally afterwards separated from , the lower and better joint; no. , the breast. the haunch of mutton, so often served at public dinners and special entertainments, comprises all the leg and so much of the loin, short of the ribs or lap, as is indicated on the upper part of the carcase by a dotted line. . the gentle and timid disposition of the sheep, and its defenceless condition, must very early have attached it to man for motives less selfish than either its fleece or its flesh; for it has been proved beyond a doubt that, obtuse as we generally regard it, it is susceptible of a high degree of domesticity, obedience, and affection. in many parts of europe, where the flocks are guided by the shepherd's voice alone, it is no unusual thing for a sheep to quit the herd when called by its name, and follow the keeper like a dog. in the mountains of scotland, when a flock is invaded by a savage dog, the rams have been known to form the herd into a circle, and placing themselves on the outside line, keep the enemy at bay, or charging on him in a troop, have despatched him with their horns. . the value of the sheep seems to have been early understood by adam in his fallen state; his skin not only affording him protection for his body, but a covering for his tent; and accordingly, we find abel intrusted with this portion of his father's stock; for the bible tells us that "abel was a keeper of sheep." what other animals were domesticated at that time we can only conjecture, or at what exact period the flesh of the sheep was first eaten for food by man, is equally, if not uncertain, open to controversy. for though some authorities maintain the contrary, it is but natural to suppose that when abel brought firstlings of his flock, "and the fat thereof," as a sacrifice, the less dainty portions, not being oblations, were hardly likely to have been flung away as refuse. indeed, without supposing adam and his descendants to have eaten animal food, we cannot reconcile the fact of jubal cain, cain's son, and his family, living in tents, as they are reported to have done, knowing that both their own garments and the coverings of the tents, were made from the hides and skins of the animals they bred; for the number of sheep and oxen slain for oblations only, would not have supplied sufficient material for two such necessary purposes. the opposite opinion is, that animal food was not eaten till after the flood, when the lord renewed his covenant with noah. from scriptural authority we learn many interesting facts as regards the sheep: the first, that mutton fat was considered the most delicious portion of any meat, and the tail and adjacent part the most exquisite morsel in the whole body; consequently, such were regarded as especially fit for the offer of sacrifice. from this fact we may reasonably infer that the animal still so often met with in palestine and syria, and known as the fat-tailed sheep, was in use in the days of the patriarchs, though probably not then of the size and weight it now attains to; a supposition that gains greater strength, when it is remembered that the ram abraham found in the bush, when he went to offer up isaac, was a horned animal, being entangled in the brake by his curved horns; so far proving that it belonged to the tribe of the capridae, the fat-tailed sheep appertaining to the same family. lambs. . though the lambing season in this country usually commences in march, under the artificial system, so much pursued now to please the appetite of luxury, lambs can be procured at all seasons. when, however, the sheep lambs in mid-winter, or the inclemency of the weather would endanger the lives of mother and young, if exposed to its influence, it is customary to rear the lambs within-doors, and under the shelter of stables or barns, where, foddered on soft hay, and part fed on cow's milk, the little creatures thrive rapidly: to such it is customary to give the name of house lamb, to distinguish it from that reared in the open air, or grass-fed. the ewe goes five months with her young, about days, or close on weeks. the weaning season commences on poor lands, about the end of the third month, but on rich pasture not till the close of the fourth--sometimes longer. . from the large proportion of moisture or fluids contained in the tissues of all young animals, the flesh of lamb and veal is much more prone, in close, damp weather, to become tainted and spoil than the flesh of the more mature, drier, and closer-textured beef and mutton. among epicures, the most delicious sorts of lamb are those of the south-down breed, known by their black feet; and of these, those which have been exclusively suckled on the milk of the parent ewe, are considered the finest. next to these in estimation are those fed on the milk of several dams, and last of all, though the fattest, the grass-fed lamb; this, however, implies an age much greater than either of the others. [illustration: side of lamb.] . lamb, in the early part of the season, however reared, is in london, and indeed generally, sold in quarters, divided with eleven ribs to the forequarter; but, as the season advances, these are subdivided into two, and the hind-quarter in the same manner; the first consisting of the shoulder, and the neck and breast; the latter, of the leg and the loin,--as shown in the cut illustrative of mutton. as lamb, from the juicy nature of its flesh, is especially liable to spoil in unfavourable weather, it should be frequently wiped, so as to remove any moisture that may form on it. . in the purchasing of lamb for the table, there are certain signs by which the experienced judgment is able to form an accurate opinion whether the animal has been lately slaughtered, and whether the joints possess that condition of fibre indicative of good and wholesome meat. the first of these doubts may be solved satisfactorily by the bright and dilated appearance of the eye; the quality of the fore-quarter can always be guaranteed by the blue or healthy ruddiness of the jugular, or vein of the neck; while the rigidity of the knuckle, and the firm, compact feel of the kidney, will answer in an equally positive manner for the integrity of the hind-quarter. . mode of cutting up a side of lamb in london.-- , . ribs; . breast; . shoulder; . loin; . leg; , , . fore quarter. recipes. chapter xv. baked minced mutton (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of any joint of cold roast mutton, or onions, bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, blades of pounded mace or nutmeg, tablespoonfuls of gravy, mashed potatoes. _mode_.--mince an onion rather fine, and fry it a light-brown colour; add the herbs and mutton, both of which should be also finely minced and well mixed; season with pepper and salt, and a little pounded mace or nutmeg, and moisten with the above proportion of gravy. put a layer of mashed potatoes at the bottom of a dish, then the mutton, and then another layer of potatoes, and bake for about / hour. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--if there should be a large quantity of meat, use onions instead of . boiled breast of mutton and caper sauce. . ingredients.--breast of mutton, bread crumbs, tablespoonfuls of minced savoury herbs (put a large proportion of parsley), pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut off the superfluous fat; bone it; sprinkle over a layer of bread crumbs, minced herbs, and seasoning; roll, and bind it up firmly. boil _gently_ for hours, remove the tape, and serve with caper sauce, no. , a little of which should be poured over the meat. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year. boiled leg of mutton. . ingredients.--mutton, water, salt. _mode_.--a. leg of mutton for boiling should not hang too long, as it will not look a good colour when dressed. cut off the shank-bone, trim the knuckle, and wash and wipe it very clean; plunge it into sufficient boiling water to cover it; let it boil up, then draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, where it should remain till the finger can be borne in the water. then place it sufficiently near the fire, that the water may gently simmer, and be very careful that it does not boil fast, or the meat will be hard. skim well, add a little salt, and in about - / hours after the water begins to simmer, a moderate-sized leg of mutton will be done. serve with carrots and mashed turnips, which may be boiled with the meat, and send caper sauce (no. ) to table with it in a tureen. _time_.--a moderate-sized leg of mutton of lbs., - / hours after the water boils; one of lbs., hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_.--a moderate-sized leg of mutton for or persons. _seasonable_ nearly all the year, but not so good in june, july, and august. _note_.--when meat is liked very _thoroughly_ cooked, allow more time than stated above. the liquor this joint was boiled in should be converted into soup. the good shepherd.--the sheep's complete dependence upon the shepherd for protection from its numerous enemies is frequently referred to in the bible; thus the psalmist likens himself to a lost sheep, and prays the almighty to seek his servant; and our saviour, when despatching his twelve chosen disciples to preach the gospel amongst their unbelieving brethren, compares them to lambs going amongst wolves. the shepherd of the east, by kind treatment, calls forth from his sheep unmistakable signs of affection. the sheep obey his voice and recognize the names by which he calls them, and they follow him in and out of the fold. the beautiful figure of the "good shepherd," which so often occurs in the new testament, expresses the tenderness of the saviour for mankind. "the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."--_john_, x. . "i am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known by mine."--_john_, x. . "and other sheep i have which are not of this fold: them also i must bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one fold and one shepherd."--_john_, x. . boned leg of mutton stuffed. . ingredients.--a small leg of mutton, weighing or lbs., forcemeat, no. , shalots finely minced. _mode_.--make a forcemeat by recipe no. , to which add finely-minced shalots. bone the leg of mutton, without spoiling the skin, and cut off a great deal of the fat. fill the hole up whence the bone was taken, with the forcemeat, and sew it up underneath, to prevent its falling out. bind and tie it up compactly, and roast it before a nice clear fire for about - / hours or rather longer; remove the tape and send it to table with a good gravy. it may be glazed or not, as preferred. _time_.-- - / hours, or rather longer. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. braised fillet of mutton, with french beans. . ingredients.--the chump end of a loin of mutton, buttered paper, french beans, a little glaze, pint of gravy. _mode_.--roll up the mutton in a piece of buttered paper, roast it for hours, and do not allow it to acquire the least colour. have ready some french beans, boiled, and drained on a sieve; remove the paper from the mutton, glaze it; just heat up the beans in the gravy, and lay them on the dish with the meat over them. the remainder of the gravy may be strained, and sent to table in a tureen. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. various qualities of mutton--mutton is, undoubtedly, the meat most generally used in families; and, both by connoisseurs and medical men, it stands first in favour, whether its the favour, digestible qualifications, or general wholesomeness, be considered. of all mutton, that furnished by south-down sheep is the most highly esteemed; it is also the dearest, on account of its scarcity, and the great demand of it. therefore, if the housekeeper is told by the butcher that he has not any in his shop, it should not occasion disappointment to the purchaser. the london and other markets are chiefly supplied with sheep called half-breeds, which are a cross between the down and lincoln or leicester. these half-breeds make a greater weight of mutton than the true south-downs, and, for this very desirable qualification, they are preferred by the great sheep-masters. the legs of this mutton range from to lbs. in weight; the shoulders, necks, or loins, about to lbs.; and if care is taken not to purchase it; the shoulders, necks, or loins, about to lbs.; and it cure is taken not to purchase it too fat, it will be found the most satisfactory and economical mutton that can be bought. braised leg of mutton. . ingredients.-- small leg of mutton, carrots, onions, faggot of savoury herbs, a bunch of parsley, seasoning to taste of pepper and salt, a few slices of bacon, a few veal trimmings, / pint of gravy or water. _mode_.--line the bottom of a braising-pan with a few slices of bacon, put in the carrots, onions, herbs, parsley, and seasoning, and over these place the mutton. cover the whole with a few more slices of bacon and the veal trimmings, pour in the gravy or water, and stew very gently for hours. strain the gravy, reduce it to a glaze over a sharp fire, glaze the mutton with it, and send it to table, placed on a dish of white haricot beans boiled tender, or garnished with glazed onions. _time_.-- hours. average cost, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the order of the golden fleece.--this order of knighthood was founded by philip the good, duke of burgundy, in , on the day of his marriage with the princess isabella of portugal. the number of the members was originally fixed at thirty-one, including the sovereign, as the head and chief of the institution. in , pope leo x. consented to increase the number to fifty-two, including the head. in the german emperor charles vi. and king philip of spain both laid claim to the order. the former, however, on leaving spain, which he could not maintain by force of arms, took with him, to vienna, the archives of the order, the inauguration of which he solemnized there in , with great magnificence; but philip v. of spain declared himself grand master, and formally protested, at the congress of cambrai ( ), against the pretensions of the emperor. the dispute, though subsequently settled by the intercession of france, england, and holland, was frequently renewed, until the order was tacitly introduced into both countries, and it now passes by the respective names of the spanish or austrian "order of the golden fleece," according to the country where it is issued. an excellent way to cook a breast of mutton. . ingredients.--breast of mutton, onions, salt and pepper to taste, flour, a bunch of savoury herbs, green peas. _mode_.--cut the mutton into pieces about inches square, and let it be tolerably lean; put it into a stewpan, with a little fat or butter, and fry it of a nice brown; then dredge in a little flour, slice the onions, and put it with the herbs in the stewpan; pour in sufficient water _just_ to cover the meat, and simmer the whole gently until the mutton is tender. take out the meat, strain, and skim off all the fat from the gravy, and put both the meat and gravy back into the stewpan; add about a quart of young green peas, and let them boil gently until done. or slices of bacon added and stewed with the mutton give additional flavour; and, to insure the peas being a beautiful green colour, they may be boiled in water separately, and added to the stew at the moment of serving. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from june to august. names of animals saxon, and of their flesh norman.--the names of all our domestic animals are of saxon origin; but it is curious to observe that norman names have been given to the different sorts of flesh which these animals yield. how beautifully this illustrates the relative position of saxon and norman after the conquest. the saxon hind had the charge of tending and feeding the domestic animals, but only that they might appear on the table of his norman lord. thus 'ox,' 'steer,' 'cow,' are saxon, but 'beef' is norman; 'calf' is saxon, but 'veal' norman; 'sheep' is saxon, but 'mutton' norman; so it is severally with 'deer' and 'venison,' 'swine' and 'pork,' 'fowl' and 'pullet.' 'bacon,' the only flesh which, perhaps, ever came within his reach, is the single exception. broiled mutton and tomato sauce (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few slices of cold mutton, tomato sauce, no. . _mode_.--cut some nice slices from a cold leg or shoulder of mutton; season them with pepper and salt, and broil over a clear fire. make some tomato sauce by recipe no. , pour it over the mutton, and serve. this makes an excellent dish, and must be served very hot. _time_.--about minutes to broil the mutton. _seasonable_ in september and october, when tomatoes are plentiful and seasonable. shepherds and their flocks.--the shepherd's crook is older than either the husbandman's plough or the warrior's sword. we are told that abel was a keeper of sheep. many passages in holy writ enable us to appreciate the pastoral riches of the first eastern nations; and we can form an idea of the number of their flocks, when we read that jacob gave the children of hamor a hundred sheep for the price of a field, and that the king of israel received a hundred thousand every year from the king of moab, his tributary, and a like number of rams covered with their fleece. the tendency which most sheep have to ramble, renders it necessary for them to be attended by a shepherd. to keep a flock within bounds, is no easy task; but the watchful shepherd manages to accomplish it without harassing the sheep. in the highlands of scotland, where the herbage is scanty, the sheep-farm requires to be very large, and to be watched over by many shepherds. the farms of some of the great scottish landowners are of enormous extent. "how many sheep have you on your estate?" asked prince esterhazy of the duke of argyll. "i have not the most remote idea," replied the duke; "but i know the shepherds number several thousands." broiled mutton chops. . ingredients.--loin of mutton, pepper and salt, a small piece of butter. _mode_.--cut the chops from a well-hung tender loin of mutton, remove a portion of the fat, and trim them into a nice shape; slightly beat and level them; place the gridiron over a bright clear fire, rub the bars with a little fat, and lay on the chops. whilst broiling, frequently turn them, and in about minutes they will be done. season with pepper and salt, dish them on a very hot dish, rub a small piece of butter on each chop, and serve very hot and expeditiously. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_.--allow chop to each person. _seasonable_ at any time. china chilo. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of leg, loin, or neck of mutton, onions, lettuces, pint of green peas, teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of pepper, / pint of water, / lb. of clarified butter; when liked, a little cayenne. _mode_.--mince the above quantity of undressed leg, loin, or neck of mutton, adding a little of the fat, also minced; put it into a stewpan with the remaining ingredients, previously shredding the lettuce and onion rather fine; closely cover the stewpan, after the ingredients have been well stirred, and simmer gently for rather more than hours. serve in a dish, with a border of rice round, the same as for curry. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from june to august. curried mutton (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of any joint of cold mutton, onions, / lb. of butter, dessertspoonful of curry powder, dessertspoonful of flour, salt to taste, / pint of stock or water. _mode_.--slice the onions in thin rings, and put them into a stewpan with the butter, and fry of a light brown; stir in the curry powder, flour, and salt, and mix all well together. cut the meat into nice thin slices (if there is not sufficient to do this, it may be minced), and add it to the other ingredients; when well browned, add the stock or gravy, and stew gently for about / hour. serve in a dish with a border of boiled rice, the same as for other curries. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ in winter. cutlets of cold mutton (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold loin or neck of mutton, egg, bread crumbs, brown gravy (no. ), or tomato sauce (no. ). _mode_.--cut the remains of cold loin or neck of mutton into cutlets, trim them, and take away a portion of the fat, should there be too much; dip them in beaten egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs, and fry them a nice brown in hot dripping. arrange them on a dish, and pour round them either a good gravy or hot tomato sauce. _time_.--about minutes. _seasonable_.--tomatoes to be had most reasonably in september and october. dormers. . ingredients.-- / lb. of cold mutton, oz. of beef suet, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of boiled rice, egg, bread crumbs, made gravy. _mode_.--chop the meat, suet, and rice finely; mix well together, and add a high seasoning of pepper and salt, and roll into sausages; cover them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry in hot dripping of a nice brown. serve in a dish with made gravy poured round them, and a little in a tureen. _time_.-- / hour to fry the sausages. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. the golden fleece.--the ancient fable of the golden fleece may be thus briefly told:--phryxus, a son of athamus, king of thebes, to escape the persecutions of his stepmother ino, paid a visit to his friend aeetes, king of colchis. a ram, whose fleece was of pure gold, carried the youth through the air in a most obliging manner to the court of his friend. when safe at colchis, phryxus offered the ram on the altars of mars, and pocketed the fleece. the king received him with great kindness, and gave him his daughter chalciope in marriage; but, some time after, he murdered him in order to obtain possession of the precious fleece. the murder of phryxus was amply revenged by the greeks. it gave rise to the famous argonautic expedition, undertaken by jason and fifty of the most celebrated heroes of greece. the argonauts recovered the fleece by the help of the celebrated sorceress medea, daughter of aeetes, who fell desperately in love with the gallant but faithless jason. in the story of the voyage of the argo, a substratum of truth probably exists, though overlaid by a mass of fiction. the ram which carried phryxus to colchis is by some supposed to have been the name of the ship in which he embarked. the fleece of gold is thought to represent the immense treasures he bore away from thebes. the alchemists of the fifteenth century were firmly convinced that the golden fleece was a treatise on the transmutation of metals, written on sheepskin. haricot mutton. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of the middle or best end of the neck of mutton, carrots, turnips, onions, popper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of ketchup or harvey's sauce. _mode_.--trim off some of the fat, cut the mutton into rather thin chops, and put them into a frying-pan with the fat trimmings. fry of a pale brown, but do not cook them enough for eating. cut the carrots and turnips into dice, and the onions into slices, and slightly fry them in the same fat that the mutton was browned in, but do not allow them to take any colour. now lay the mutton at the bottom of a stewpan, then the vegetables, and pour over them just sufficient boiling water to cover the whole. give one boil, skim well, and then set the pan on the side of the fire to simmer gently until the meat is tender. skim off every particle of fat, add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and a little ketchup, and serve. this dish is very much better if made the day before it is wanted for table, as the fat can be so much more easily removed when the gravy is cold. this should be particularly attended to, as it is apt to be rather rich and greasy if eaten the same day it is made. it should be served in rather a deep dish. _time_.-- - / hours to simmer gently. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. . ingredients.--breast or scrag of mutton, flour, pepper and salt to taste, large onion, cloves, a bunch of savoury herbs, blade of mace, carrots and turnips, sugar. _mode_.--cut the mutton into square pieces, and fry them a nice colour; then dredge over them a little flour and a seasoning of pepper and salt. put all into a stewpan, and moisten with boiling water, adding the onion, stuck with cloves, the mace, and herbs. simmer gently till the meat is nearly done, skim off all the fat, and then add the carrots and turnips, which should previously be cut in dice and fried in a little sugar to colour them. let the whole simmer again for minutes; take out the onion and bunch of herbs, and serve. _time_.--about hours to simmer. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. haricot mutton (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold neck or loin of mutton, oz. of butter, onions, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of good gravy, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of port wine, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, carrots, turnips, head of celery. _mode_.--cut the cold mutton into moderate-sized chops, and take off the fat; slice the onions, and fry them with the chops, in a little butter, of a nice brown colour; stir in the flour, add the gravy, and let it stew gently nearly an hour. in the mean time boil the vegetables until _nearly_ tender, slice them, and add them to the mutton about / hour before it is to be served. season with pepper and salt, add the ketchup and port wine, give one boil, and serve. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. hashed mutton. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast shoulder or leg of mutton, whole peppers, whole allspice, a faggot of savoury herbs, / head of celery, onion, oz. of butter, flour. _mode_.--cut the meat in nice even slices from the bones, trimming off all superfluous fat and gristle; chop the bones and fragments of the joint, put them into a stewpan with the pepper, spice, herbs, and celery; cover with water, and simmer for hour. slice and fry the onion of a nice pale-brown colour, dredge in a little flour to make it thick, and add this to the bones, &c. stew for / hour, strain the gravy, and let it cool; then skim off every particle of fat, and put it, with the meat, into a stewpan. flavour with ketchup, harvey's sauce; tomato sauce, or any flavouring that may be preferred, and let the meat gradually warm through, but not boil, or it will harden. to hash meat properly, it should be laid in cold gravy, and only left on the fire just long enough to warm through. _time_.-- - / hour to simmer the gravy. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. hashed mutton.--many persons express a decided aversion to hashed mutton; and, doubtless, this dislike has arisen from the fact that they have unfortunately never been properly served with this dish. if properly done, however, the meat tender (it ought to be as tender as when first roasted), the gravy abundant and well flavoured, and the sippets nicely toasted, and the whole served neatly; then, hashed mutton is by no means to be despised, and is infinitely more wholesome and appetizing than the cold leg or shoulder, of which fathers and husbands, and their bachelor friends, stand in such natural awe. hodge-podge (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--about lb. of underdone cold mutton, lettuces, pint of green peas, or green onions, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, / teacupful of water. _mode_.--mince the mutton, and cut up the lettuces and onions in slices. put these in a stewpan, with all the ingredients except the peas, and let these simmer very gently for / hour, keeping them well stirred. boil the peas separately, mix these with the mutton, and serve very hot. _time_.-- / hour. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from the end of may to august. irish stew. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of the loin or neck of mutton, lbs. of potatoes, large onions, pepper and salt to taste, rather more than pint of water. _mode_.--trim off some of the fat of the above quantity of loin or neck of mutton, and cut it into chops of a moderate thickness. pare and halve the potatoes, and cut the onions into thick slices. put a layer of potatoes at the bottom of a stewpan, then a layer of mutton and onions, and season with pepper and salt; proceed in this manner until the stewpan is full, taking care to have plenty of vegetables at the top. pour in the water, and let it stew very gently for - / hours, keeping the lid of the stewpan closely shut the _whole_ time, and occasionally shaking it to prevent its burning. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--more suitable for a winter dish. ii. . ingredients.-- or lbs. of the breast of mutton, - / pint of water, salt and pepper to taste, lbs. of potatoes, large onions. _mode_.--put the mutton into a stewpan with the water and a little salt, and let it stew gently for an hour; cut the meat into small pieces, skim the fat from the gravy, and pare and slice the potatoes and onions. put all the ingredients into the stewpan in layers, first a layer of vegetables, then one of meat, and sprinkle seasoning of pepper and salt between each layer; cover closely, and let the whole stew very gently for hour of rather more, shaking it frequently to prevent its burning. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, s, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--suitable for a winter dish. _note_.--irish stew may be prepared in the same manner as above, but baked in a jar instead of boiled. about hours or rather more in a moderate oven will be sufficient time to bake it. italian mutton cutlets. . ingredients.--about lbs. of the neck of mutton, clarified butter, the yolk of egg, tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, tablespoonful of minced savoury herbs, tablespoonful of minced parsley, teaspoonful of minced shalot, saltspoonful of finely-chopped lemon-peel; pepper, salt, and pounded mace to taste; flour, / pint of hot broth or water, teaspoonfuls of harvey's sauce, teaspoonful of soy, teaspoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, tablespoonful of port wine. _mode_.--cut the mutton into nicely-shaped cutlets, flatten them, and trim off some of the fat, dip them in clarified butter, and then, into the beaten yolk of an egg. mix well together bread crumbs, herbs, parsley, shalot, lemon-peel, and seasoning in the above proportion, and cover the cutlets with these ingredients. melt some butter in a frying-pan, lay in the cutlets, and fry them a nice brown; take them, out, and keep them hot before the fire. dredge some flour into the pan, and if there is not sufficient butter, add a little more; stir till it looks brown, then pour in the hot broth or water, and the remaining ingredients; give one boil, and pour round the cutlets. if the gravy should not be thick enough, add a little more flour. mushrooms, when obtainable, are a great improvement to this dish, and when not in season, mushroom-powder may be substituted for them. _time_.-- minutes;--rather longer, should the cutlets be very thick. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the downs.--the well-known substance chalk, which the chemist regards as a nearly pure carbonate of lime, and the microscopist as an aggregation of inconceivably minute shells and corals, forms the sub-soil of the hilly districts of the south-east of england. the chalk-hills known as the south downs start from the bold promontory of beachy head, traverse the county of sussex from east to west, and pass through hampshire into surrey. the north downs extend from godalming, by godstone, into kent, and terminate in the line of cliffs which stretches from dover to ramsgate. the downs are clothed with short verdant turf; but the layer of soil which rests upon the chalk is too thin to support trees and shrubs. the hills have rounded summits, and their smooth, undulated outlines are unbroken save by the sepulchral monuments of the early inhabitants of the country. the coombes and furrows, which ramify and extend into deep valleys, appear like dried-up channels of streams and rivulets. from time immemorial, immense flocks of sheep have been reared on these downs. the herbage of these hills is remarkably nutritious; and whilst the natural healthiness of the climate, consequent on the dryness of the air and the moderate elevation of the land, is eminently favourable to rearing a superior race of sheep, the arable land in the immediate neighbourhood of the downs affords the means of a supply of other food, when the natural produce of the hills fails. the mutton of the south-down breed of sheep is highly valued for its delicate flavour, and the wool for its fineness; but the best specimens of this breed, when imported from england into the west indies, become miserably lean in the course of a year or two, and their woolly fleece gives place to a covering of short, crisp, brownish hair. broiled kidneys (a breakfast or supper dish). . ingredients.--sheep kidneys, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--ascertain that the kidneys are fresh, and cut them open very evenly, lengthwise, down to the root, for should one half be thicker than the other, one would be underdone whilst the other would be dried, but do not separate them; skin them, and pass a skewer under the white part of each half to keep them flat, and broil over a nice clear fire, placing the inside downwards; turn them when done enough on one side, and cook them on the other. remove the skewers, place the kidneys on a very hot dish, season with pepper and salt, and put a tiny piece of butter in the middle of each; serve very hot and quickly, and send very hot plates to table. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, - / d. each. _sufficient_.--allow for each person. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--a prettier dish than the above may be made by serving the kidneys each on a piece of buttered toast out in any fanciful shape. in this case a little lemon-juice will be found an improvement. [illustration: kidneys.] fried kidneys. . ingredients.--kidneys, butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut the kidneys open without quite dividing them, remove the skin, and put a small piece of butter in the frying-pan. when the butter is melted, lay in the kidneys the flat side downwards, and fry them for or minutes, turning them when they are half-done. serve on a piece of dry toast, season with pepper and salt, and put a small piece of butter in each kidney; pour the gravy from the pan over them, and serve very hot. _time_.-- or minutes. _average cost_, - / d. each. _sufficient_.--allow kidney to each person. _seasonable_ at any time. roast haunch of mutton. [illustration: haunch of mutton.] . ingredients.--haunch of mutton, a little salt, flour. _mode_.--let this joint hang as long as possible without becoming tainted, and while hanging dust flour over it, which keeps off the flies, and prevents the air from getting to it. if not well hung, the joint, when it comes to table, will neither do credit to the butcher or the cook, as it will not be tender. wash the outside well, lest it should have a bad flavour from keeping; then flour it and put it down to a nice brisk fire, at some distance, so that it may gradually warm through. keep continually basting, and about / hour before it is served, draw it nearer to the fire to get nicely brown. sprinkle a little fine salt over the meat, pour off the dripping, add a little boiling water slightly salted, and strain this over the joint. place a paper ruche on the bone, and send red-currant jelly and gravy in a tureen to table with it. _time_.--about hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for to persons. _seasonable_.--in best season from september to march. how to buy meat economically.--if the housekeeper is not very particular as to the precise joints to cook for dinner, there is oftentimes an opportunity for her to save as much money in her purchases of meat as will pay for the bread to eat with it. it often occurs, for instance, that the butcher may have a superfluity of certain joints, and these he would be glad to get rid of at a reduction of sometimes as much as d. or - / d. per lb., and thus, in a joint of or lbs., will be saved enough to buy quartern loaves. it frequently happens with many butchers, that, in consequence of a demand for legs and loins of mutton, they have only shoulders left, and these they will be glad to sell at a reduction. roast leg of mutton. [illustration: leg of mutton.] . ingredients.--leg of mutton, a little salt. _mode_.--as mutton, when freshly killed, is never tender, hang it almost as long as it will keep; flour it, and put it in a cool airy place for a few days, if the weather will permit. wash off the flour, wipe it very dry, and cut off the shank-bone; put it down to a brisk clear fire, dredge with flour, and keep continually basting the whole time it is cooking. about minutes before serving, draw it near the fire to get nicely brown; sprinkle over it a little salt, dish the meat, pour off the dripping, add some boiling water slightly salted, strain it over the joint, and serve. _time_.--a leg of mutton weighing lbs., about - / or - / hours; one of lbs., about hours, or rather less. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_.--a moderate-sized leg of mutton sufficient for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time, but not so good in june, july, and august. roast loin of mutton. . ingredients.--loin of mutton, a little salt. _mode_.--cut and trim off the superfluous fat, and see that the butcher joints the meat properly, as thereby much annoyance is saved to the carver, when it comes to table. have ready a nice clear fire (it need not be a very wide large one), put down the meat, dredge with flour, and baste well until it is done. make the gravy as for roast leg of mutton, and serve very hot. [illustration: loin of mutton.] _time_.--a loin of mutton weighing lbs., - / hour, or rather longer. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. rolled loin of mutton (very excellent). . ingredients.--about lbs. of a loin of mutton, / teaspoonful of pepper, / teaspoonful of pounded allspice, / teaspoonful of mace, / teaspoonful of nutmeg, cloves, forcemeat no. , glass of port wine, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--hang the mutton till tender, bone it, and sprinkle over it pepper, mace, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg in the above proportion, all of which must be pounded very fine. let it remain for a day, then make a forcemeat by recipe no. , cover the meat with it, and roll and bind it up firmly. half bake it in a slow oven, let it grow cold, take off the fat, and put the gravy into a stewpan; flour the meat, put it in the gravy, and stew it till perfectly tender. now take out the meat, unbind it, add to the gravy wine and ketchup as above, give one boil, and pour over the meat. serve with red-currant jelly; and, if obtainable, a few mushrooms stewed for a few minutes in the gravy, will be found a great improvement. _time_.-- - / hour to bake the meat, - / hour to stew gently. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--this joint will be found very nice if rolled and stuffed, as here directed, and plainly roasted. it should be well basted, and served with a good gravy and currant jelly. boiled neck of mutton. . ingredients.-- lbs. of the middle, or best end of the neck of mutton; a little salt. _mode_.--trim off a portion of the fat, should there be too much, and if it is to look particularly nice, the chine-bone should be sawn down, the ribs stripped halfway down, and the ends of the bones chopped off; this is, however, not necessary. put the meat into sufficient _boiling_ water to cover it; when it boils, add a little salt and remove all the scum. draw the saucepan to the side of the fire, and let the water get so cool that the finger may be borne in it; then simmer very _slowly_ and gently until the meat is done, which will be in about - / hour, or rather more, reckoning from the time that it begins to simmer. serve with turnips and caper sauce, no. , and pour a little of it over the meat. the turnips should be boiled with the mutton; and, when at hand, a few carrots will also be found an improvement. these, however, if very large and thick, must be cut into long thinnish pieces, or they will not be sufficiently done by the time the mutton is ready. garnish the dish with carrots and turnips placed alternately round the mutton. _time_.-- lbs. of the neck of mutton, about - / hour. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the poets on sheep.--the keeping of flocks seems to have been the first employment of mankind; and the most ancient sort of poetry was probably pastoral. the poem known as the pastoral gives a picture of the life of the simple shepherds of the golden age, who are supposed to have beguiled their time in singing. in all pastorals, repeated allusions are made to the "fleecy flocks," the "milk-white lambs," and "the tender ewes;" indeed, the sheep occupy a position in these poems inferior only to that of the shepherds who tend them. the "nibbling sheep" has ever been a favourite of the poets, and has supplied them with figures and similes without end. shakspere frequently compares men to sheep. when gloster rudely drives the lieutenant from the side of henry vi., the poor king thus touchingly speaks of his helplessness;-- "so flies the reckless shepherd from the wolf: so first the harmless sheep doth yield his fleece, and next his throat, unto the butcher's knife." in the "two gentlemen of verona," we meet with the following humorous comparison:-- "_proteus_. the sheep for fodder follow the shepherd, the shepherd for food follows not the sheep: thou for wages followest thy master, thy master for wages follows not thee; therefore, thou art a sheep. "_speed_. such another proof will make me cry _baa_." the descriptive poets give us some charming pictures of sheep. every one is familiar with the sheep-shearing scene in thomson's "seasons:"-- "heavy and dripping, to the breezy brow slow move the harmless race; where, as they spread their dwelling treasures to the sunny ray, inly disturb'd, and wond'ring what this wild outrageous tumult means, their loud complaints the country fill; and, toss'd from rock to rock, incessant bleatings run around the hills." what an exquisite idea of stillness is conveyed in the oft-quoted line from gray's "elegy:"-- "and drowsy tinklings lull the distant fold." from dyer's quaint poem of "the fleece" we could cull a hundred passages relating to sheep; but we have already exceeded our space. we cannot, however, close this brief notice of the allusions that have been made to sheep by our poets, without quoting a couple of verses from robert burns's "elegy on poor mailie," his only "pet _yowe_:"-- "thro' a' the town she troll'd by him; a lang half-mile she could descry him; wi' kindly bleat, when she did spy him. she ran wi' speed; a friend mair faithfu' ne'er cam' nigh him than mailie dead. "i wat she was a sheep o' sense. an' could behave hersel' wi' mense; i'll say't, she never brak a fence, thro' thievish greed. our bardie, lanely, keeps the spence, sin' mailie's dead." mutton collops (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few slices of a cold leg or loin of mutton, salt and pepper to taste, blade of pounded mace, small bunch of savoury herbs minced very fine, or shalots, or oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of gravy, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--cut some very thin slices from a leg or the chump end of a loin of mutton; sprinkle them with pepper, salt, pounded mace, minced savoury herbs, and minced shalot; fry them in butter, stir in a dessertspoonful of flour, add the gravy and lemon-juice, simmer very gently about or minutes, and serve immediately. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: mutton cutlets.] mutton cutlets with mashed potatoes. . ingredients.--about lbs. of the best end of the neck of mutton, salt and pepper to taste, mashed potatoes. _mode_.--procure a well-hung neck of mutton, saw off about inches of the top of the bones, and cut the cutlets of a moderate thickness. shape them by chopping off the thick part of the chine-bone; beat them flat with a cutlet-chopper, and scrape quite clean, a portion of the top of the bone. broil them over a nice clear fire for about or minutes, and turn them frequently. have ready some smoothly-mashed white potatoes; place these in the middle of the dish; when the cutlets are done, season with pepper and salt; arrange them round the potatoes, with the thick end of the cutlets downwards, and serve very hot and quickly. (see coloured plate.) _time_.-- or minutes. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--cutlets may be served in various ways; with peas, tomatoes, onions, sauce piquante, &c. mutton pie (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of a cold leg, loin, or neck of mutton, pepper and salt to taste, blades of pounded mace, dessertspoonful of chopped parsley, teaspoonful of minced savoury herbs; when liked, a little minced onion or shalot; or potatoes, teacupful of gravy; crust. _mode_.--cold mutton may be made into very good pies if well seasoned and mixed with a few herbs; if the leg is used, cut it into very thin slices; if the loin or neck, into thin cutlets. place some at the bottom of the dish; season well with pepper, salt, mace, parsley, and herbs; then put a layer of potatoes sliced, then more mutton, and so on till the dish is full; add the gravy, cover with a crust, and bake for hour. _time_.-- hour. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the remains of an underdone leg of mutton may be converted into a very good family pudding, by cutting the meat into slices, and putting them into a basin lined with a suet crust. it should be seasoned well with pepper, salt, and minced shalot, covered with a crust, and boiled for about hours. mutton pie. . ingredients.-- lbs. of the neck or loin of mutton, weighed after being boned; kidneys, pepper and salt to taste, teacupfuls of gravy or water, tablespoonfuls of minced parsley; when liked, a little minced onion or shalot; puff crust. _mode_.--bone the mutton, and cut the meat into steaks all of the same thickness, and leave but very little fat. cut up the kidneys, and arrange these with the meat neatly in a pie-dish; sprinkle over them the minced parsley and a seasoning of pepper and salt; pour in the gravy, and cover with a tolerably good puff crust. bake for - / hour, or rather longer, should the pie be very large, and let the oven be rather brisk. a well-made suet crust may be used instead of puff crust, and will be found exceedingly good. _time_.-- - / hour, or rather longer. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. mutton pudding. . ingredients.--about lbs. of the chump end of the loin of mutton, weighed after being boned; pepper and salt to taste, suet crust made with milk (see pastry), in the proportion of oz. of suet to each pound of flour; a very small quantity of minced onion (this may be omitted when the flavour is not liked). _mode_.--cut the meat into rather thin slices, and season them with pepper and salt; line the pudding-dish with crust; lay in the meat, and nearly, but do not quite, fill it up with water; when the flavour is liked, add a small quantity of minced onion; cover with crust, and proceed in the same manner as directed in recipe no. , using the same kind of pudding-dish as there mentioned. _time_.--about hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but more suitable in winter. ragout of cold neck of mutton (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of a cold neck or loin of mutton, oz. of butter, a little flour, onions sliced, / pint of water, small carrots, turnips, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut the mutton into small chops, and trim off the greater portion of the fat; put the butter into a stewpan, dredge in a little flour, add the sliced onions, and keep stirring till brown; then put in the meat. when this is quite brown, add the water, and the carrots and turnips, which should be cut into very thin slices; season with pepper and salt, and stew till quite tender, which will be in about / hour. when in season, green peas may be substituted for the carrots and turnips: they should be piled in the centre of the dish, and the chops laid round. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_, with peas, from june to august. roast neck of mutton. [illustration: neck of mutton - . _best end_. - . _scrag_.] . ingredients.--neck of mutton; a little salt. _mode_.--for roasting, choose the middle, or the best end, of the neck of mutton, and if there is a very large proportion of fat, trim off some of it, and save it for making into suet puddings, which will be found exceedingly good. let the bones be cut short and see that it is properly jointed before it is laid down to the fire, as they will be more easily separated when they come to table. place the joint at a nice brisk fire, dredge it with flour, and keep continually basting until done. a few minutes before serving, draw it nearer the the fire to acquire a nice colour, sprinkle over it a little salt, pour off the dripping, add a little boiling water slightly salted, strain this over the meat and serve. red-currant jelly may be sent to table with it. _time_.-- lbs. of the neck of mutton, rather more than hour. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. woollen manufactures.--the distinction between hair and wool is rather arbitrary than natural, consisting in the greater or less degrees of fineness, softness and pliability of the fibres. when the fibres possess these properties so far as to admit of their being spun and woven into a texture sufficiently pliable to be used as an article of dress, they are called wool. the sheep, llama, angora goat, and the goat of thibet, are the animals from which most of the wool used in manufactures is obtained. the finest of all wools is that from the goat of thibet, of which the cashmere shawls are made. of european wools, the finest is that yielded by the merino sheep, the spanish and saxon breeds taking the precedence. the merino sheep, as now naturalized in australia, furnishes an excellent fleece; but all varieties of sheep-wool, reared either in europe or australia are inferior in softness of feel to that grown in india, and to that of the llama of the andes. the best of our british wools are inferior in fineness to any of the above-mentioned, being nearly twelve times the thickness of the finest spanish merino; but for the ordinary purposes of the manufacturer, they are unrivalled. roast saddle of mutton. [illustration: saddle of mutton.] . ingredients.--saddle of mutton; a little salt. _mode_.--to insure this joint being tender, let it hang for ten days or a fortnight, if the weather permits. cut off the tail and flaps and trim away every part that has not indisputable pretensions to be eaten, and have the skin taken off and skewered on again. put it down to a bright, clear fire, and, when the joint has been cooking for an hour, remove the skin and dredge it with flour. it should not be placed too near the fire, as the fat should not be in the slightest degree burnt. keep constantly basting, both before and after the skin is removed; sprinkle some salt over the joint. make a little gravy in the dripping-pan; pour it over the meat, which send to table with a tureen of made gravy and red-currant jelly. _time_.--a saddle of mutton weighing lbs., - / hours; lbs., - / hours. when liked underdone, allow rather less time. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_.--a moderate-sized saddle of lbs. for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year; not so good when lamb is in full season. roast shoulder of mutton. . ingredients.--shoulder of mutton; a little salt. _mode_.--put the joint down to a bright, clear fire; flour it well, and keep continually basting. about / hour before serving, draw it near the fire, that the outside may acquire a nice brown colour, but not sufficiently near to blacken the fat. sprinkle a little fine salt over the meat, empty the dripping-pan of its contents, pour in a little boiling water slightly salted, and strain this over the joint. onion sauce, or stewed spanish onions, are usually sent to table with this dish, and sometimes baked potatoes. _time_.--a shoulder of mutton weighing or lbs., - / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--shoulder of mutton may be dressed in a variety of ways; boiled, and served with onion sauce; boned, and stuffed with a good veal forcemeat; or baked, with sliced potatoes in the dripping-pan. the ettrick shepherd.--james hogg was perhaps the most remarkable man that ever wore the _maud_ of a shepherd. under the garb, aspect, and bearing of a rude peasant (and rude enough he was in most of these things, even after no inconsiderable experience of society), the world soon discovered a true poet. he taught himself to write, by copying the letters of a printed book as he lay watching his flock on the hillside, and believed that he had reached the utmost pitch of his ambition when he first found that his artless rhymes could touch the heart of the ewe-milker who partook the shelter of his mantle during the passing storm. if "the shepherd" of professor wilson's "noctes ambrosianae" may be taken as a true portrait of james hogg, we must admit that, for quaintness of humour, the poet of ettrick forest had few rivals. sir walter scott said that hogg's thousand little touches of absurdity afforded him more entertainment than the best comedy that ever set the pit in a roar. among the written productions of the shepherd-poet, is an account of his own experiences in sheep-tending, called "the shepherd's calender." this work contains a vast amount of useful information upon sheep, their diseases, habits, and management. the ettrick shepherd died in . sheep's brains, en matelote (an entree). . ingredients.-- sheep's brains, vinegar, salt, a few slices of bacon, small onion, cloves, a small bunch of parsley, sufficient stock or weak broth to cover the brains, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, matelote sauce, no. . _mode_.--detach the brains from the heads without breaking them, and put them into a pan of warm water; remove the skin, and let them remain for two hours. have ready a saucepan of boiling water, add a little vinegar and salt, and put in the brains. when they are quite firm, take them out and put them into very cold water. place or slices of bacon in a stewpan, put in the brains, the onion stuck with cloves, the parsley, and a good seasoning of pepper and salt; cover with stock, or weak broth, and boil them gently for about minutes. have ready some croûtons; arrange these in the dish alternately with the brains, and cover with a matelote sauce, no. , to which has been added the above proportion of lemon-juice. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. sheep's feet or trotters (soyer's recipe). . ingredients.-- feet, / lb. of beef or mutton suet, onions, carrot, bay-leaves, sprigs of thyme, oz. of salt, / oz. of pepper, tablespoonfuls of flour, - / quarts of water, / lb. of fresh butter, teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of flour, / teaspoonful of pepper, a little grated nutmeg, the juice of lemon, gill of milk, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--have the feet cleaned, and the long bone extracted from them. put the suet into a stewpan, with the onions and carrot sliced, the bay-leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper, and let these simmer for minutes. add tablespoonfuls of flour and the water, and keep stirring till it boils; then put in the feet. let these simmer for hours, or until perfectly tender, and take them and lay them on a sieve. mix together, on a plate, with the back of a spoon, butter, salt, flour ( teaspoonful), pepper, nutmeg, and lemon-juice as above, and put the feet, with a gill of milk, into a stewpan. when very hot, add the butter, &c., and stir continually till melted. now mix the yolks of eggs with tablespoonfuls of milk; stir this to the other ingredients, keep moving the pan over the fire continually for a minute or two, but do not allow it to boil after the eggs are added. serve in a very hot dish, and garnish with croûtons, or sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to dress a sheep's head. . ingredients.-- sheep's head, sufficient water to cover it, carrots, turnips, or parsnips, onions, a small bunch of parsley, teaspoonful of pepper, teaspoonfuls of salt, / lb. of scotch oatmeal. _mode_.--clean the head well, and let it soak in warm water for hours, to get rid of the blood; put it into a saucepan, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and when it boils, add the vegetables, peeled and sliced, and the remaining ingredients; before adding the oatmeal, mix it to a smooth batter with a little of the liquor. keep stirring till it boils up; then shut the saucepan closely, and let it stew gently for - / or hours. it may be thickened with rice or barley, but oatmeal is preferable. _time_.-- - / or hours. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. singed sheep's head.--the village of dudingston, which stands "within a mile of edinburgh town," was formerly celebrated for this ancient and homely scottish dish. in the summer months, many opulent citizens used to resort to this place to solace themselves over singed sheep's heads, boiled or baked. the sheep fed upon the neighbouring hills were slaughtered at this village, and the carcases were sent to town; but the heads were left to be consumed in the place. we are not aware whether the custom of eating sheep's heads at dudingston is still kept up by the good folks of edinburgh. toad-in-the-hole (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- oz. of flour, pint of milk, eggs, butter, a few slices of cold mutton, pepper and salt to taste, kidneys. _mode_.--make a smooth batter of flour, milk, and eggs in the above proportion; butter a baking-dish, and pour in the batter. into this place a few slices of cold mutton, previously well seasoned, and the kidneys, which should be cut into rather small pieces; bake about hour, or rather longer, and send it to table in the dish it was baked in. oysters or mushrooms may be substituted for the kidneys, and will be found exceedingly good. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ at any time. breast of lamb and green peas. . ingredients.-- breast of lamb, a few slices of bacon, / pint of stock no. , lemon, onion, bunch of savoury herbs, green peas. _mode_.--remove the skin from a breast of lamb, put it into a saucepan of boiling water, and let it simmer for minutes. take it out and lay it in cold water. line the bottom of a stewpan with a few thin slices of bacon; lay the lamb on these; peel the lemon, cut it into slices, and put these on the meat, to keep it white and make it tender; cover with or more slices of bacon; add the stock, onion, and herbs, and set it on a slow fire to simmer very gently until tender. have ready some green peas, put these on a dish, and place the lamb on the top of these. the appearance of this dish may be much improved by glazing the lamb, and spinach may be substituted for the peas when variety is desired. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_,--grass lamb, from easter to michaelmas. the lamb as a sacrifice.--the number of lambs consumed in sacrifices by the hebrews must have been very considerable. two lambs "of the first year" were appointed to be sacrificed daily for the morning and evening sacrifice; and a lamb served as a substitute for the first-born of unclean animals, such as the ass, which could not be accepted as an offering to the lord. every year, also, on the anniversary of the deliverance of the children of israel from the bondage of egypt, every family was ordered to sacrifice a lamb or kid, and to sprinkle some of its blood upon the door-posts, in commemoration of the judgment of god upon the egyptians. it was to be eaten roasted, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, in haste, with the loins girded, the shoes on the feet, and the staff in the hand; and whatever remained until the morning was to be burnt. the sheep was also used in the numerous special, individual, and national sacrifices ordered by the jewish law. on extraordinary occasions, vast quantities of sheep were sacrificed at once; thus solomon, on the completion of the temple, offered "sheep and oxen that could not be told nor numbered for multitude." stewed breast of lamb. . ingredients.-- breast of lamb, pepper and salt to taste, sufficient stock, no. , to cover it, glass of sherry, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--skin the lamb, cut it into pieces, and season them with pepper and salt; lay these in a stewpan, pour in sufficient stock or gravy to cover them, and stew very gently until tender, which will be in about - / hour. just before serving, thicken the sauce with a little butter and flour; add the sherry, give one boil, and pour it over the meat. green peas, or stewed mushrooms, may be strewed over the meat, and will be found a very great improvement. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_,--grass lamb, from easter to michaelmas. lamb chops. . ingredients.--loin of lamb, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--trim off the flap from a fine loin of lamb, aid cut it into chops about / inch in thickness. have ready a bright clear fire; lay the chops on a gridiron, and broil them of a nice pale brown, turning them when required. season them with pepper and salt; serve very hot and quickly, and garnish with crisped parsley, or place them on mashed potatoes. asparagus, spinach, or peas are the favourite accompaniments to lamb chops. _time_.--about or minutes. _average cost_, s. per lb. _sufficient_.--allow chops to each person. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. lamb cutlets and spinach (an entree). . ingredients.-- cutlets, egg and bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste, a little clarified butter. _mode_.--cut the cutlets from a neck of lamb, and shape them by cutting off the thick part of the chine-bone. trim off most of the fat and all the skin, and scrape the top part of the bones quite clean. brush the cutlets over with egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and season with pepper and salt. now dip them into clarified butter, sprinkle over a few more bread crumbs, and fry them over a sharp fire, turning them when required. lay them before the fire to drain, and arrange them on a dish with spinach in the centre, which should be previously well boiled, drained, chopped, and seasoned. _time_.--about or minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. _note_.--peas, asparagus, or french beans, may be substituted for the spinach; or lamb cutlets may be served with stewed cucumbers, soubise sauce, &c. &c. lamb's fry. . ingredients.-- lb. of lamb's fry, pints of water, egg and bread crumbs, teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--boil the fry for / hour in the above proportion of water, take it out and dry it in a cloth; grate some bread down finely, mix with it a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a high seasoning of pepper and salt. brush the fry lightly over with the yolk of an egg, sprinkle over the bread crumbs, and fry for minutes. serve very hot on a napkin in a dish, and garnish with plenty of crisped parsley. _time_.- hour to simmer the fry, minutes to fry it. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. hashed lamb and broiled blade-bone. . ingredients.--the remains of a cold shoulder of lamb, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter, about / pint of stock or gravy, tablespoonful of shalot vinegar, or pickled gherkins. _mode_.--take the blade-bone from the shoulder, and cut the meat into collops as neatly as possible. season the bone with pepper and salt, pour a little oiled butter over it, and place it in the oven to warm through. put the stock into a stewpan, add the ketchup and shalot vinegar, and lay in the pieces of lamb. let these heat gradually through, but do not allow them to boil. take the blade-bone out of the oven, and place it on a gridiron over a sharp fire to brown. slice the gherkins, put them into the hash, and dish it with the blade-bone in the centre. it may be garnished with croutons or sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--altogether / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_,--house lamb, from christmas to march; grass lamb, from easter to michaelmas. [illustration: fore-quarter of lamb.] roast fore-quarter of lamb. . ingredients.--lamb, a little salt. _mode_.--to obtain the flavour of lamb in perfection, it should not be long kept; time to cool is all that it requires; and though the meat may be somewhat thready, the juices and flavour will be infinitely superior to that of lamb that has been killed or days. make up the fire in good time, that it may be clear and brisk when the joint is put down. place it at a sufficient distance to prevent the fat from burning, and baste it constantly till the moment of serving. lamb should be very _thoroughly_ done without being dried up, and not the slightest appearance of red gravy should be visible, as in roast mutton: this rule is applicable to all young white meats. serve with a little gravy made in the dripping-pan, the same as for other roasts, and send to table with it a tureen of mint sauce, no. , and a fresh salad. a cut lemon, a small piece of fresh butter, and a little cayenne, should also be placed on the table, so that when the carver separates the shoulder from the ribs, they may be ready for his use; if, however, he should not be very expert, we would recommend that the cook should divide these joints nicely before coming to table. _time_.--fore-quarter of lamb weighing lbs., - / to hours. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_,--grass lamb, from easter to michaelmas. boiled leg of lamb a la bechamel. . ingredients.--leg of lamb, béchamel sauce, no. . _mode_.--do not choose a very large joint, but one weighing about lbs. have ready a saucepan of boiling water, into which plunge the lamb, and when it boils up again, draw it to the side of the fire, and let the water cool a little. then stew very gently for about - / hour, reckoning from the time that the water begins to simmer. make some béchamel by recipe no. , dish the lamb, pour the sauce over it, and garnish with tufts of boiled cauliflower or carrots. when liked, melted butter may be substituted for the béchamel: this is a more simple method, but not nearly so nice. send to table with it some of the sauce in a tureen, and boiled cauliflowers or spinach, with whichever vegetable the dish is garnished. _time_.-- - / hour after the water simmers. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. roast leg of lamb. . ingredients.--lamb, a little salt. [illustration: leg of lamb.] _mode_.--place the joint at a good distance from the fire at first, and baste well the whole time it is cooking. when nearly done, draw it nearer the fire to acquire a nice brown colour. sprinkle a little fine salt over the meat, empty the dripping-pan of its contents; pour in a little boiling water, and strain this over the meat. serve with mint sauce and a fresh salad, and for vegetables send peas, spinach, or cauliflowers to table with it. _time_.--a leg of lamb weighing lbs., - / hour. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. braised loin of lamb. [illustration: loin of lamb.] . ingredients.-- loin of lamb, a few slices of bacon, bunch of green onions, or young carrots, a bunch of savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, pint of stock, salt to taste. _mode_.--bone a loin of lamb, and line the bottom of a stewpan just capable of holding it, with a few thin slices of fat bacon; add the remaining ingredients, cover the meat with a few more slices of bacon, pour in the stock, and simmer very _gently_ for hours; take it up, dry it, strain and reduce the gravy to a glaze, with which glaze the meat, and serve it either on stewed peas, spinach, or stewed cucumbers. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient for_ or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. [illustration: saddle of lamb. ribs of lamb.] roast saddle of lamb. . ingredients.--lamb; a little salt. _mode_.--this joint is now very much in vogue, and is generally considered a nice one for a small party. have ready a clear brisk fire; put down the joint at a little distance, to prevent the fat from scorching, and keep it well basted all the time it is cooking. serve with mint sauce and a fresh salad, and send to table with it, either peas, cauliflowers, or spinach. _time_.--a small saddle, - / hour; a large one, hours. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. _note_.--loin and ribs of lamb are roasted in the same manner, and served with the same sauces as the above. a loin will take about - / hour; ribs, from to - / hour. roast shoulder of lamb. . ingredients.--lamb; a little salt. _mode_.--have ready a clear brisk fire, and put down the joint at a sufficient distance from it, that the fat may not burn. keep constantly basting until done, and serve with a little gravy made in the dripping-pan, and send mint sauce to table with it. peas, spinach, or cauliflowers are the usual vegetables served with lamb, and also a fresh salad. _time_.--a shoulder of lamb rather more than hour. _average cost_, s. to s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. shoulder of lamb stuffed. . ingredients.--shoulder of lamb, forcemeat no. , trimmings of veal or beef, onions, / head of celery, faggot of savoury herbs, a few slices of fat bacon, quart of stock no. . _mode_.--take the blade-bone out of a shoulder of lamb, fill up its place with forcemeat, and sew it up with coarse thread. put it into a stewpan with a few slices of bacon under and over the lamb, and add the remaining ingredients. stew very gently for rather more than hours. reduce the gravy, with which glaze the meat, and serve with peas, stewed cucumbers, or sorrel sauce. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. lamb's sweetbreads, larded, and asparagus (an entree). . ingredients.-- or sweetbreads, / pint of veal stock, white pepper and salt to taste, a small bunch of green onions, blade of pounded mace, thickening of butter and flour, eggs, nearly / pint of cream, teaspoonful of minced parsley, a very little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--soak the sweetbreads in lukewarm water, and put them into a saucepan with sufficient boiling water to cover them, and let them simmer for minutes; then take them out and put them into cold water. now lard them, lay them in a stewpan, add the stock, seasoning, onions, mace, and a thickening of butter and flour, and stew gently for / hour or minutes. beat up the egg with the cream, to which add the minced parsley and a very little grated nutmeg. put this to the other ingredients; stir it well till quite hot, but do not let it boil after the cream is added, or it will curdle. have ready some asparagus-tops, boiled; add these to the sweetbreads, and serve. _time_.--altogether / hour. _average cost_, s. d. to s. d. each. _sufficient_-- sweetbreads for entrée. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. another way to dress sweetbreads (an entree). . ingredients.--sweetbreads, egg and bread crumbs, / pint of gravy, no. , / glass of sherry. _mode_.--soak the sweetbreads in water for an hour, and throw them into boiling water to render them firm. let them stew gently for about / hour, take them out and put them into a cloth to drain all the water from them. brush them over with egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and either brown them in the oven or before the fire. have ready the above quantity of gravy, to which add / glass of sherry; dish the sweetbreads, pour the gravy under them, and garnish with water-cresses. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, s. d. to s. d. each. _sufficient_-- sweetbreads for entrée. _seasonable_ from easter to michaelmas. mutton and lamb carving. haunch of mutton. [illustration: haunch of mutton.] . a deep cut should, in the first place, be made quite down to the bone, across the knuckle-end of the joint, along the line to . this will let the gravy escape; and then it should be carved, in not too thick slices, along the whole length of the haunch, in the direction of the line from to . [illustration: leg of mutton.] leg of mutton. . this homely, but capital english joint, is almost invariably served at table as shown in the engraving. the carving of it is not very difficult: the knife should be carried sharply down in the direction of the line from to , and slices taken from either side, as the guests may desire, some liking the knuckle-end, as well done, and others preferring the more underdone part. the fat should be sought near the line to . some connoisseurs are fond of having this joint dished with the under-side uppermost, so as to get at the finely-grained meat lying under that part of the meat, known as the pope's eye; but this is an extravagant fashion, and one that will hardly find favour in the eyes of many economical british housewives and housekeepers. loin of mutton. [illustration: loin of mutton.] . there is one point in connection with carving a loin of mutton which includes every other; that is, that the joint should be thoroughly well jointed by the butcher before it is cooked. this knack of jointing requires practice and the proper tools; and no one but the butcher is supposed to have these. if the bones be not well jointed, the carving of a loin of mutton is not a gracious business; whereas, if that has been attended to, it is an easy and untroublesome task. the knife should be inserted at fig. , and after feeling your way between the bones, it should be carried sharply in the direction of the line to . as there are some people who prefer the outside cut, while others do not like it, the question as to their choice of this should be asked. saddle of mutton. [illustration: saddle of mutton.] . although we have heard, at various intervals, growlings expressed at the inevitable "saddle of mutton" at the dinner-parties of our middle classes, yet we doubt whether any other joint is better liked, when it has been well hung and artistically cooked. there is a diversity of opinion respecting the mode of sending this joint to table; but it has only reference to whether or no there shall be any portion of the tail, or, if so, how many joints of the tail. we ourselves prefer the mode as shown in our coloured illustration "o;" but others may, upon equally good grounds, like the way shown in the engraving on this page. some trim the tail with a paper frill. the carving is not difficult: it is usually cut in the direction of the line from to , quite down to the bones, in evenly-sliced pieces. a fashion, however, patronized by some, is to carve it obliquely, in the direction of the line from to ; in which case the joint would be turned round the other way, having the tail end on the right of the carver. shoulder of mutton. [illustration: shoulder of mutton.] . this is a joint not difficult to carve. the knife should be drawn from the outer edge of the shoulder in the direction of the line from to , until the bone of the shoulder is reached. as many slices as can be carved in this manner should be taken, and afterwards the meat lying on either side of the blade-bone should be served, by carving in the direction of to and to . the uppermost side of the shoulder being now finished, the joint should be turned, and slices taken off along its whole length. there are some who prefer this under-side of the shoulder for its juicy flesh, although the grain of the meat is not so fine as that on the other side. fore-quarter of lamb. [illustration: fore-quarter of lamb.] . we always think that a good and practised carver delights in the manipulation of this joint, for there is a little field for his judgment and dexterity which does not always occur. the separation of the shoulder from the breast is the first point to be attended to; this is done by passing the knife lightly round the dotted line, as shown by the figures , , , , and , so as to cut through the skin, and then, by raising with a little force the shoulder, into which the fork should be firmly fixed, it will come away with just a little more exercise of the knife. in dividing the shoulder and breast, the carver should take care not to cut away too much of the meat from the latter, as that would rather spoil its appearance when the shoulder is removed. the breast and shoulder being separated, it is usual to lay a small piece of butter, and sprinkle a little cayenne, lemon-juice, and salt between them; and when this is melted and incorporated with the meat and gravy, the shoulder may, as more convenient, be removed into another dish. the, next operation is to separate the ribs from the brisket, by cutting through the meat on the line to . the joint is then ready to be served to the guests; the ribs being carved in the direction of the lines from to , and the brisket from to . the carver should ask those at the table what parts they prefer-ribs, brisket, or a piece of the shoulder. leg of lamb, loin of lamb, saddle of lamb, shoulder of lamb, are carved in the same manner as the corresponding joints of mutton. (_see_ nos. , , , .) [illustration] chapter xvi. general observations on the common hog. . the hog belongs to the order _mammalia_, the genus _sus scrofa_, and the species _pachydermata_, or thick-skinned; and its generic characters are, a small head, with long flexible snout truncated; teeth, divided into upper incisors, converging, lower incisors, projecting, upper and lower canine, or tusks,--the former short, the latter projecting, formidable, and sharp, and molars in each jaw; cloven feet furnished with toes, and tail, small, short, and twisted; while, in some varieties, this appendage is altogether wanting. . from the number and position of the teeth, physiologists are enabled to define the nature and functions of the animal; and from those of the _sus_, or hog, it is evident that he is as much a _grinder_ as a _biter_, or can live as well on vegetable as on animal food; though a mixture of both is plainly indicated as the character of food most conducive to the integrity and health of its physical system. . thus the pig tribe, though not a ruminating mammal, as might be inferred from the number of its molar teeth, is yet a link between the _herbivorous_ and the _carnivorous_ tribes, and is consequently what is known as an _omnivorous_ quadruped; or, in other words, capable of converting any kind of aliment into nutriment. . though the hoof in the hog is, as a general rule, cloven, there are several remarkable exceptions, as in the species native to norway, illyria, sardinia, and _formerly_ to the berkshire variety of the british domesticated pig, in which the hoof is entire and _un_cleft. . whatever difference in its physical nature, climate and soil may produce in this animal, his functional characteristics are the same in whatever part of the world he may be found; and whether in the trackless forests of south america, the coral isles of polynesia, the jungles of india, or the spicy brakes of sumatra, he is everywhere known for his gluttony, laziness, and indifference to the character and quality of his food. and though he occasionally shows an epicure's relish for a succulent plant or a luscious carrot, which he will discuss with all his salivary organs keenly excited, he will, the next moment, turn with equal gusto to some carrion offal that might excite the forbearance of the unscrupulous cormorant. it is this coarse and repulsive mode of feeding that has, in every country and language, obtained for him the opprobrium of being "an unclean animal." . in the mosaical law, the pig is condemned as an unclean beast, and consequently interdicted to the israelites, as unfit for human food. "and the swine, though he divideth the hoof and be cloven-footed, yet he cheweth not the cud. he is unclean to you."--lev. xi. . strict, however, as the law was respecting the cud-chewing and hoof-divided animals, the jews, with their usual perversity and violation of the divine commands, seem afterwards to have ignored the prohibition; for, unless they ate pork, it is difficult to conceive for what purpose they kept troves of swine, as from the circumstance recorded in matthew xviii. , when jesus was in galilee, and the devils, cast out of the two men, were permitted to enter the herd of swine that were feeding on the hills in the neighbourhood of the sea of tiberias, it is very evident they did. there is only one interpretation by which we can account for a prohibition that debarred the jews from so many foods which we regard as nutritious luxuries, that, being fat and the texture more hard of digestion than other meats, they were likely, in a hot dry climate, where vigorous exercise could seldom be taken, to produce disease, and especially cutaneous affections; indeed, in this light, as a code of sanitary ethics, the book of leviticus is the most admirable system of moral government ever conceived for man's benefit. . setting his coarse feeding and slovenly habits out of the question, there is no domestic animal so profitable or so useful to man as the much-maligned pig, or any that yields him a more varied or more luxurious repast. the prolific powers of the pig are extraordinary, even under the restraint of domestication; but when left to run wild in favourable situations, as in the islands of the south pacific, the result, in a few years, from two animals put on shore and left undisturbed, is truly surprising; for they breed so fast, and have such numerous litters, that unless killed off in vast numbers both for the use of the inhabitants and as fresh provisions for ships' crews, they would degenerate into vermin. in this country the pig has usually two litters, or farrows, in a year, the breeding seasons being april and october; and the period the female goes with her young is about four months,-- weeks or days. the number produced at each litter depends upon the character of the breed; being the average number in the small variety, and in the large; in the mixed breeds, however, the average is between and , and in some instances has reached as many as . but however few, or however many, young pigs there may be to the farrow, there is always one who is the dwarf of the family circle, a poor, little, shrivelled, half-starved anatomy, with a small melancholy voice, a staggering gait, a woe-begone countenance, and a thread of a tail, whose existence the complacent mother ignores, his plethoric brothers and sisters repudiate, and for whose emaciated jaws there is never a spare or supplemental teat, till one of the favoured gormandizers, overtaken by momentary oblivion, drops the lacteal fountain, and gives the little squeaking straggler the chance of a momentary mouthful. this miserable little object, which may be seen bringing up the rear of every litter, is called the tony pig, or the _anthony_; so named, it is presumed, from being the one always assigned to the church, when tithe was taken in kind; and as st. anthony was the patron of husbandry, his name was given in a sort of bitter derision to the starveling that constituted his dues; for whether there are ten or fifteen farrows to the litter, the anthony is always the last of the family to come into the world. . from the grossness of his feeding, the large amount of aliment he consumes, his gluttonous way of eating it, from his slothful habits, laziness, and indulgence in sleep, the pig is particularly liable to disease, and especially indigestion, heartburn, and affections of the skin. . to counteract the consequence of a violation of the physical laws, a powerful monitor in the brain of the pig teaches him to seek for relief and medicine. to open the pores of his skin, blocked up with mud, and excite perspiration, he resorts to a tree, a stump, or his trough--anything rough and angular, and using it as a curry-comb to his body, obtains the luxury of a scratch and the benefit of cuticular evaporation; he next proceeds with his long supple snout to grub up antiscorbutic roots, cooling salads of mallow and dandelion, and, greatest treat of all, he stumbles on a piece of chalk or a mouthful of delicious cinder, which, he knows by instinct, is the most sovereign remedy in the world for that hot, unpleasant sensation he has had all the morning at his stomach. . it is a remarkable fact that, though every one who keeps a pig knows how prone he is to disease, how that disease injures the quality of the meat, and how eagerly he pounces on a bit of coal or cinder, or any coarse dry substance that will adulterate the rich food on which he lives, and by affording soda to his system, correct the vitiated fluids of his body,--yet very few have the judgment to act on what they see, and by supplying the pig with a few shovelfuls of cinders in his sty, save the necessity of his rooting for what is so needful to his health. instead of this, however, and without supplying the animal with what its instinct craves for, his nostril is bored with a red-hot iron, and a ring clinched in his nose to prevent rooting for what he feels to be absolutely necessary for his health; and ignoring the fact that, in a domestic state at least, the pig lives on the richest of all food,--scraps of cooked animal substances, boiled vegetables, bread, and other items, given in that concentrated essence of aliment for a quadruped called wash, and that he eats to repletion, takes no exercise, and finally sleeps all the twenty-four hours he is not eating, and then, when the animal at last seeks for those medicinal aids which would obviate the evil of such a forcing diet, his keeper, instead of meeting his animal instinct by human reason, and giving him what he seeks, has the inhumanity to torture him by a ring, that, keeping up a perpetual "raw" in the pig's snout, prevents his digging for those corrective drugs which would remove the evils of his artificial existence. . though subject to so many diseases, no domestic animal is more easily kept in health, cleanliness, and comfort, and this without the necessity of "ringing," or any excessive desire of the hog to roam, break through his sty, or plough up his _pound_. whatever the kind of food may be on which the pig is being fed or fattened, a teaspoonful or more of salt should always be given in his mess of food, and a little heap of well-burnt cinders, with occasional bits of chalk, should always be kept by the side of his trough, as well as a vessel of clean water: his pound, or the front part of his sty, should be totally free from straw, the brick flooring being every day swept out and sprinkled with a layer of sand. his lair, or sleeping apartment, should be well sheltered by roof and sides from cold, wet, and all changes of weather, and the bed made up of a good supply of clean straw, sufficiently deep to enable the pig to burrow his unprotected body beneath it. all the refuse of the garden, in the shape of roots, leaves, and stalks, should be placed in a corner of his pound or feeding-chamber, for the delectation of his leisure moments; and once a week, on the family washing-day, a pail of warm soap-suds should be taken into his sty, and, by means of a scrubbing-brush and soap, his back, shoulders, and flanks should be well cleaned, a pail of clean warm water being thrown over his body at the conclusion, before he is allowed to retreat to his clean straw to dry himself. by this means, the excessive nutrition of his aliment will be corrected, a more perfect digestion insured, and, by opening the pores of the skin, a more vigorous state of health acquired than could have been obtained under any other system. . we have already said that no other animal yields man so _many_ kinds and varieties of luxurious food as is supplied to him by the flesh of the hog differently prepared; for almost every part of the animal, either fresh, salted, or dried, is used for food; and even those viscera not so employed are of the utmost utility in a domestic point of view. . though destitute of the hide, horns, and hoofs, constituting the offal of most domestic animals, the pig is not behind the other mammalia in its usefulness to man. its skin, especially that of the boar, from its extreme closeness of texture, when tanned, is employed for the seats of saddles, to cover powder, shot, and drinking-flasks; and the hair, according to its colour, flexibility, and stubbornness, is manufactured into tooth, nail, and hairbrushes,--others into hat, clothes, and shoe-brushes; while the longer and finer qualities are made into long and short brooms and painters' brushes; and a still more rigid description, under the name of "bristles," are used by the shoemaker as needles for the passage of his wax-end. besides so many benefits and useful services conferred on man by this valuable animal, his fat, in a commercial sense, is quite as important as his flesh, and brings a price equal to the best joints in the carcase. this fat is rendered, or melted out of the caul, or membrane in which it is contained, by boiling water, and, while liquid, run into prepared bladders, when, under the name of _lard_, it becomes an article of extensive trade and value. . of the numerous varieties of the domesticated hog, the following list of breeds may be accepted as the best, presenting severally all those qualities aimed at in the rearing of domestic stock, as affecting both the breeder and the consumer. _native_--berkshire, essex, york, and cumberland; _foreign_--the chinese. before, however, proceeding with the consideration of the different orders, in the series we have placed them, it will be necessary to make a few remarks relative to the pig generally. in the first place, the _black pig_ is regarded by breeders as the best and most eligible animal, not only from the fineness and delicacy of the skin, but because it is less affected by the heat in summer, and far less subject to cuticular disease than either the white or brindled hog, but more particularly from its kindlier nature and greater aptitude to fatten. . the great quality first sought for in a hog is a capacious stomach, and next, a healthy power of digestion; for the greater the quantity he can eat, and the more rapidly he can digest what he has eaten, the more quickly will he fatten; and the faster he can be made to increase in flesh, without a material increase of bone, the better is the breed considered, and the more valuable the animal. in the usual order of nature, the development of flesh and enlargement of bone proceed together; but here the object is to outstrip the growth of the bones by the quicker development of their fleshy covering. . the chief points sought for in the choice of a hog are breadth of chest, depth of carcase, width of loin, chine, and ribs, compactness of form, docility, cheerfulness, and general beauty of appearance. the head in a well-bred hog must not be too long, the forehead narrow and convex, cheeks full, snout fine, mouth small, eyes small and quick, ears short, thin, and sharp, pendulous, and pointing forwards; neck full and broad, particularly on the top, where it should join very broad shoulders; the ribs, loin, and haunch should be in a uniform line, and the tail well set, neither too high nor too low; at the same time the back is to be straight or slightly curved, the chest deep, broad, and prominent, the legs short and thick; the belly, when well fattened, should nearly touch the ground, the hair be long, thin, fine, and having few bristles, and whatever the colour, uniform, either white, black, or blue; but not spotted, speckled, brindled, or sandy. such are the features and requisites that, among breeders and judges, constitute the _beau idéal_ of a perfect pig. [illustration: berkshire sow.] . the berkshire pig is the best known and most esteemed of all our english domestic breeds, and so highly is it regarded, that even the varieties of the stock are in as great estimation as the parent breed itself. the characteristics of the berkshire hog are that it has a tawny colour, spotted with black, large ears hanging over the eyes, a thick, close, and well-made body, legs short and small in the bone; feeds up to a great weight, fattens quickly, and is good either for pork or bacon. the new or improved berkshire possesses all the above qualities, but is infinitely more prone to fatten, while the objectionable colour has been entirely done away with, being now either all white or completely black. [illustration: essex sow.] . next to the former, the essex takes place in public estimation, always competing, and often successfully, with the berkshire. the peculiar characters of the essex breed are that it is tip-eared, has a long sharp head, is roach-backed, with a long flat body, standing high on the legs; is rather bare of hair, is a quick feeder, has an enormous capacity of stomach and belly, and an appetite to match its receiving capability. its colour is white, or else black and white, and it has a restless habit and an unquiet disposition. the present valuable stock has sprung from a cross between the common native animal and either the white chinese or black neapolitan breeds. [illustration: yorkshire sow.] . the yorkshire, called also the old lincolnshire, was at one time the largest stock of the pig family in england, and perhaps, at that time, the worst. it was long-legged, weak in the loins, with coarse white curly hair, and flabby flesh. now, however, it has undergone as great a change as any breed in the kingdom, and by judicious crossing has become the most valuable we possess, being a very well-formed pig throughout, with a good head, a pleasant docile countenance, with moderate-sized drooping ears, a broad back, slightly curved, large chine and loins, with deep sides, full chest, and well covered with long thickly-set white hairs. besides these qualities of form, he is a quick grower, feeds fast, and will easily make from to stone before completing his first year. the quality of the meat is also uncommonly good, the fat and lean being laid on in almost equal proportions. so capable is this species of development, both in flesh and stature, that examples of the yorkshire breed have been exhibited weighing as much as a scotch ox. [illustration: cumberland sow.] . though almost every country in england can boast some local variety or other of this useful animal, obtained from the native stock by crossing with some of the foreign kinds, cumberland and the north-west parts of the kingdom have been celebrated for a small breed of white pigs, with a thick, compact, and well-made body, short in the legs, the head and back well formed, ears slouching and a little downwards, and on the whole, a hardy, profitable animal, and one well disposed to fatten. . there is no variety of this useful animal that presents such peculiar features as the species known to us as the chinese pig; and as it is the general belief that to this animal and the neapolitan hog we are indebted for that remarkable improvement which has taken place in the breeds of the english pig, it is necessary to be minute in the description of this, in all respects, singular animal. the chinese, in the first place, consists of many varieties, and presents as many forms of body as differences of colour; the best kind, however, has a beautiful white skin of singular thinness and delicacy; the hair too is perfectly white, and thinly set over the body, with here and there a few bristles. he has a broad snout, short head, eyes bright and fiery, very small fine pink ears, wide cheeks, high chine, with a neck of such immense thickness, that when the animal is fat it looks like an elongated carcase,--a mass of fat, without shape or form, like a feather pillow. the belly is dependent, and almost trailing on the ground, the legs very short, and the tail so small as to be little more than a rudiment. it has a ravenous appetite, and will eat anything that the wonderful assimilating powers of its stomach can digest; and to that capability, there seems no limit in the whole range of animal or vegetable nature. the consequence of this perfect and singularly rapid digestion is an unprecedented proneness to obesity, a process of fattening that, once commenced, goes on with such rapid development, that, in a short time, it loses all form, depositing such an amount of fat, that it in fact ceases to have any refuse part or offal, and, beyond the hair on its back and the callous extremity of the snout, _the whole carcase is eatable_. [illustration: chinese sow.] . when judiciously fed on vegetable diet, and this obese tendency checked, the flesh of the chinese pig is extremely delicate and delicious; but when left to gorge almost exclusively on animal food, it becomes oily, coarse, and unpleasant. perhaps there is no other instance in nature where the effect of rapid and perfect digestion is so well shown as in this animal, which thrives on _everything_, and turns to the benefit of its physical economy, food of the most _opposite nature_, and of the most unwholesome and _offensive_ character. when fully fattened, the thin cuticle, that is one of its characteristics, cracks, from the adipose distension beneath, exposing the fatty mass, which discharges a liquid oil from the adjacent tissues. the great fault in this breed is the remarkably small quantity of lean laid down, to the immense proportion of fat. some idea of the growth of this species may be inferred from the fact of their attaining to stone before two years, and when further advanced, as much as stone. in its pure state, except for roasters, the chinese pig is too disproportionate for the english market; but when crossed with some of our lean stock, the breed becomes almost invaluable. [illustration: westphalian boar.] . the wild boar is a much more cleanly and sagacious animal than the domesticated hog; he is longer in the snout, has his ears shorter and his tusks considerably longer, very frequently measuring as much as inches. they are extremely sharp, and are bent in an upward circle. unlike his domestic brother, who roots up here and there, or wherever his fancy takes, the wild boar ploughs the ground in continuous lines or furrows. the boar, when selected as the parent of a stock, should have a small head, be deep and broad in the chest; the chine should be arched, the ribs and barrel well rounded, with the haunches falling full down nearly to the hock; and he should always be more compact and smaller than the female. the colour of the wild boar is always of a uniform hue, and generally of an iron grey; shading off into a black. the hair of the boar is of considerable length, especially about the head and mane; he stands, in general, from to inches in height at the shoulders, though instances have occurred where he has reached inches. the young are of a pale yellowish tint, irregularly brindled with light brown. the boar of germany is a large and formidable animal, and the hunting of him, with a small species of mastiff, is still a national sport. from living almost exclusively on acorns and nuts, his flesh is held in great esteem, and in westphalia his legs are made into hams by a process which, it is said, enhances the flavour and quality of the meat in a remarkable degree. . there are two points to be taken into consideration by all breeders of pigs--to what ultimate use is the flesh to be put; for, if meant to be eaten fresh, or simply salted, the _small_ breed of pigs is host suited for the purpose; if for hams or bacon, the large variety of the animal is necessary. pigs are usually weaned between six and eight weeks after birth, after which they are fed on soft food, such as mashed potatoes in skimmed or butter-milk. the general period at which the small hogs are killed for the market is from to weeks; from to mouths, they are called store pigs, and are turned out to graze till the animal has acquired its full stature. as soon as this point has been reached, the pig should be forced to maturity as quickly as possible; he should therefore be taken from the fields and farm-yard, and shut up on boiled potatoes, buttermilk, and peas-meal, after a time to be followed by grains, oil-cake, wash, barley, and indian meal; supplying his sty at the same time with plenty of water, cinders, and a quantity of salt in every mess of food presented to him. . the estimated number of pigs in great britain is supposed to exceed millions; and, considering the third of the number as worth £ apiece, and the remaining two-thirds as of the relative value of _ s_. each, would give a marketable estimate of over £ , , for this animal alone. . the best and most humane mode of killing all large hogs is to strike them down like a bullock, with the pointed end of a poleaxe, on the forehead, which has the effect of killing the animal at once; all the butcher has then to do, is to open the aorta and great arteries, and laying the animal's neck over a trough, let out the blood as quickly as possible. the carcase is then to be scalded, either on a board or by immersion in a tub of very hot water, and all the hair and dirt rapidly scraped off, till the skin is made perfectly white, when it is hung up, opened, and dressed, as it is called, in the usual way. it is then allowed to cool, a sheet being thrown around the carcase, to prevent the air from discolouring the newly-cleaned skin. when meant for bacon, the hair is singed instead of being scalded off. . in the country, where for ordinary consumption the pork killed for sale is usually both larger and fatter than that supplied to the london consumer, it is customary to remove the skin and fat down to the lean, and, salting that, roast what remains of the joint. pork goes further, and is consequently a more economical food than other meats, simply because the texture is closer, and there is less waste in the cooking, either in roasting or boiling. . in fresh pork, the leg is the most economical family joint, and the loin the richest. . comparatively speaking, very little difference exists between the weight of the live and dead pig, and this, simply because there is neither the head nor the hide to be removed. it has been proved that pork loses in cooking - / , per cent. of its weight. a salted hand weighing lbs. oz. lost in the cooking oz.; after cooking, the meat weighing only lbs. oz., and the bone oz. the original cost was - / d. a pound; but by this deduction, the cost rose to d. per pound with the bone, and - / d. without it. . pork, to be preserved, is cured in several ways,--either by covering it with salt, or immersing it in ready-made brine, where it is kept till required; or it is only partially salted, and then hung up to dry, when the meat is called white bacon; or, after salting, it is hung in wood smoke till the flesh is impregnated with the aroma from the wood. the wiltshire bacon, which is regarded as the finest in the kingdom, is prepared by laying the sides of a hog in large wooden troughs, and then rubbing into the flesh quantities of powdered bay-salt, made hot in a frying-pan. this process is repeated for four days; they are then left for three weeks, merely turning the flitches every other day. after that time they are hung up to dry. the hogs usually killed for purposes of bacon in england average from to stone; on the other hand, the hogs killed in the country for farm-house purposes, seldom weigh less than stone. the legs of boars, hogs, and, in germany, those of bears, are prepared differently, and called hams. . the practice in vogue formerly in this country was to cut out the hams and cure them separately; then to remove the ribs, which were roasted as "spare-ribs," and, curing the remainder of the side, call it a "gammon of bacon." small pork to cut for table in joints, is cut up, in most places throughout the kingdom, as represented in the engraving. the sale is divided with nine ribs to the fore quarter; and the following is an enumeration of the joints in the two respective quarters:-- . the leg. hind quarter . the loin. . the spring, or belly. . the hand. fore quarter . the fore-loin. . the cheek. [illustration: side of a pig, showing the several joints.] the weight of the several joints of a good pork pig of four stone may be as follows; viz.:-- the leg lbs. the loin and spring lbs. the hand lbs. the chine lbs. the cheek from to lbs. of a bacon pig, the legs are reserved for curing, and when cured are called hams: when the meat is separated from the shoulder-blade and bones and cured, it is called bacon. the bones, with part of the meat left on them, are divided into spare-ribs, griskins, and chines. chapter xvii. pork cutlets (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast loin of pork, oz. of butter, onions, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of gravy, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of vinegar and mustard. _mode_.--cut the pork into nice-sized cutlets, trim off most of the fat, and chop the onions. put the butter into a stewpan, lay in the cutlets and chopped onions, and fry a light brown; then add the remaining ingredients, simmer gently for or minutes, and serve. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ from october to march. austrian method of herding pigs.--in the austrian empire there are great numbers of wild swine, while, among the wandering tribes peopling the interior of hungary, and spreading over the vast steppes of that country, droves of swine form a great portion of the wealth of the people, who chiefly live on a coarse bread and wind-dried bacon. in german switzerland, the tyrol, and other mountainous districts of continental europe, though the inhabitants, almost everywhere, as in england, keep one or more pigs, they are at little or no trouble in feeding them, one or more men being employed by one or several villages as swine-herds; who, at a certain hour, every morning, call for the pig or pigs, and driving them to their feeding-grounds on the mountain-side and in the wood, take custody of the herd till, on the approach of night, they are collected into a compact body and driven home for a night's repose in their several sties. the amount of intelligence and docility displayed by the pigs in these mountain regions, is much more considerable than that usually allowed to this animal, and the manner in which these immense herds of swine are collected, and again distributed, without an accident or mistake, is a sight both curious and interesting; for it is all done without the assistance of a dog, or the aid even of the human voice, and solely by the crack of the long-lashed and heavily-loaded whip, which the swine-herd carries, and cracks much after the fashion of the french postilion; and which, though he frequently cracks, waking a hundred sharp echoes from the woods and rocks, he seldom has to use correctionally; the animal soon acquiring a thorough knowledge of the meaning of each crack; and once having felt its leaded thong, a lasting remembrance of its power. at early dawn, the swine-herd takes his stand at the outskirts of the first village, and begins flourishing through the misty air his immensely long lash, keeping a sort of rude time with the crack, crack, crack, crack, crack, crack of his whip. the nearest pigs, hearing the well-remembered sound, rouse from their straw, and rush from their sties into the road, followed by all their litters. as soon as a sufficient number are collected, the drove is set in motion, receiving, right and left, as they advance, fresh numbers; whole communities, or solitary individuals, streaming in from all quarters, and taking their place, without distinction, in the general herd; and, as if conscious where their breakfast lay, without wasting a moment on idle investigation, all eagerly push on to the mountains. in this manner village after village is collected, till the drove not unfrequently consists of several thousands. the feeding-ground has, of course, often to be changed, and the drove have sometimes to be driven many miles, and to a considerable height up the mountain, before the whip gives the signal for the dispersion of the body and the order to feed, when the herdsman proceeds to form himself a shelter, and look after his own comfort for the rest of the day. as soon as twilight sets in, the whip is again heard echoing the signal for muster; and in the same order in which they were collected, the swine are driven back, each group tailing off to its respective sty, as the herd approaches the villages, till the last grunter, having found his home, the drover seeks his cottage and repose. pork cutlets or chops. i. . ingredients.--loin of pork, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut the cutlets from a delicate loin of pork, bone and trim them neatly, and cut away the greater portion of the fat. season them with pepper; place the gridiron on the fire; when quite hot, lay on the chops and broil them for about / hour, turning them or times; and be particular that they are _thoroughly_ done, but not dry. dish them, sprinkle over a little fine salt, and serve plain, or with tomato sauce, sauce piquante, or pickled gherkins, a few of which should be laid round the dish as a garnish. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. for chops. _sufficient_.--allow for persons. _seasonable_ from october to march. ii. (_another way_.) . ingredients.--loin or fore-loin, of pork, egg and bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste; to every tablespoonful of bread crumbs allow / teaspoonful of minced sage; clarified butter. _mode_.--cut the cutlets from a loin, or fore-loin, of pork; trim them the same as mutton cutlets, and scrape the top part of the bone. brush them over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs, with which have been mixed minced sage and a seasoning of pepper and salt; drop a little clarified butter on them, and press the crumbs well down. put the frying-pan on the fire, put in some lard; when this is hot, lay in the cutlets, and fry them a light brown on both sides. take them out, put them before the fire to dry the greasy moisture from them, and dish them on mashed potatoes. serve with them any sauce that may be preferred; such as tomato sauce, sauce piquante, sauce robert, or pickled gherkins. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. for chops. _sufficient_.--allow cutlets for persons. _seasonable_ from october to march. _note_.--the remains of roast loin of pork may be dressed in the same manner. pork cheese (an excellent breakfast dish). . ingredients.-- lbs. of cold roast pork, pepper and salt to taste, dessertspoonful of minced parsley, leaves of sage, a very small bunch of savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, a little nutmeg, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel; good strong gravy, sufficient to fill the mould. _mode_.--cut, but do not chop, the pork into fine pieces, and allow / lb. of fat to each pound of lean. season with pepper and salt; pound well the spices, and chop finely the parsley, sage, herbs, and lemon-peel, and mix the whole nicely together. put it into a mould, fill up with good strong well-flavoured gravy, and bake rather more than one hour. when cold, turn it out of the mould. _time_.--rather more than hour. _seasonable_ from october to march. roast leg of pork. [illustration: roast leg of pork.] . ingredients.--leg of pork, a little oil for stuffing. (see recipe no. .) _mode_.--choose a small leg of pork, and score the skin across in narrow strips, about / inch apart. cut a slit in the knuckle, loosen the skin, and fill it with a sage-and-onion stuffing, made by recipe no. . brush the joint over with a little salad-oil (this makes the crackling crisper, and a better colour), and put it down to a bright, clear fire, not too near, as that would cause the skin to blister. baste it well, and serve with a little gravy made in the dripping-pan, and do not omit to send to table with it a tureen of well-made apple-sauce. (sec no. .) _time_.--a leg of pork weighing lbs., about hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. english mode of hunting, and indian pig-sticking.--the hunting of the wild boar has been in all times, and in all countries, a pastime of the highest interest and excitement, and from the age of nimrod, has only been considered second to the more dangerous sport of lion-hunting. the buried treasures of nineveh, restored to us by mr. layard, show us, on their sculptured annals, the kings of assyria in their royal pastime of boar-hunting. that the greeks were passionately attached to this sport, we know both from history and the romantic fables of the poets. marc antony, at one of his breakfasts with cleopatra, had _eight wild boars_ roasted whole; and though the romans do not appear to have been addicted to hunting, wild-boar fights formed part of their gladiatorial shows in the amphitheatre. in france, germany, and britain, from the earliest time, the boar-hunt formed one of the most exciting of sports; but it was only in this country that the sport was conducted without dogs,--a real hand-to-hand contest of man and beast; the hunter, armed only with a boar-spear, a weapon about four feet long, the ash staff, guarded by plates of steel, and terminating in a long, narrow, and very sharp blade: this, with a hunting-knife, or hanger, completed his offensive arms. thus equipped, the hunter would either encounter his enemy face to face, confront his desperate charge, as with erect tail, depressed head, and flaming eyes, he rushed with his foamy tusks full against him, who either sought to pierce his vitals through his counter, or driving his spear through his chine, transfix his heart; or failing those more difficult aims, plunge it into his flank, and, without withdrawing the weapon, strike his ready hanger into his throat. but expert as the hunter might be, it was not often the formidable brute was so quickly dispatched; for he would sometimes seize the spear in his powerful teeth, and nip it off like a reed, or, coming full tilt on his enemy, by his momentum and weight bear him to the earth, ripping up, with a horrid gash, his leg or side, and before the writhing hunter could draw his knife, the infuriated beast would plunge his snout in the wound, and rip, with savage teeth, the bowels of his victim. at other times, he would suddenly swerve from his charge, and doubling on his opponent, attack the hunter in the rear. from his speed, great weight, and savage disposition, the wild boar is always a dangerous antagonist, and requires great courage, coolness, and agility on the part of the hunter. the continental sportsman rides to the chase in a cavalcade, with music and dogs,--a kind of small hound or mastiff, and leaving all the honorary part of the contest to them, when the boar is becoming weary, and while beset by the dogs, rides up, and drives his lance home in the beast's back or side. boar-hunting has been for some centuries obsolete in england, the animal no longer existing in a wild state among us; but in our indian empire, and especially in bengal, the pastime is pursued by our countrymen with all the daring of the national character; and as the animal which inhabits the cane-brakes and jungles is a formidable foe, the sport is attended with great excitement. the hunters, mounted on small, active horses, and armed only with long lances, ride, at early daylight, to the skirts of the jungle, and having sent in their attendants to beat the cover, wait till the tusked monster comes crashing from among the canes, when chase is immediately given, till he is come up with, and transfixed by the first weapon. instead of flight, however, he often turns to bay, and by more than one dead horse and wounded hunter, shows how formidable he is, and what those polished tusks, sharp as pitch-forks, can effect, when the enraged animal defends his life. to glaze ham.--(see recipe no. .) hashed pork. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast pork, onions, teaspoonful of flour, blades of pounded mace, cloves, tablespoonful of vinegar, / pint of gravy, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--chop the onions and fry them of a nice brown, cut the pork into thin slices, season them with pepper and salt, and add these to the remaining ingredients. stew gently for about / hour, and serve garnished with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ from october to march. fried rashers of bacon and poached eggs. . ingredients.--bacon; eggs. _mode_.--cut the bacon into thin slices, trim away the rusty parts, and cut off the rind. put it into a cold frying-pan, that is to say, do not place the pan on the fire before the bacon is in it. turn it or times, and dish it on a very hot dish. poach the eggs and slip them on to the bacon, without breaking the yolks, and serve quickly. _time_.-- or minutes. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. for the primest parts. _sufficient_.--allow eggs for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--fried rashers of bacon, curled, serve as a pretty garnish to many dishes; and, for small families, answer very well as a substitute for boiled bacon, to serve with a small dish of poultry, &c. broiled rashers of bacon (a breakfast dish). . before purchasing bacon, ascertain that it is perfectly free from rust, which may easily be detected by its yellow colour; and for broiling, the streaked part of the thick flank, is generally the most esteemed. cut it into _thin_ slices, take off the rind, and broil over a nice clear fire; turn it or times, and serve very hot. should there be any cold bacon left from the previous day, it answers very well for breakfast, cut into slices, and broiled or fried. _time_.-- or minutes. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. for the primest parts. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--when the bacon is cut very thin, the slices may be curled round and fastened by means of small skewers, and fried or toasted before the fire. boiled bacon. . ingredients.--bacon; water. [illustration: boiled bacon.] _mode_.--as bacon is frequently excessively salt, let it be soaked in warm water for an hour or two previous to dressing it; then pare off the rusty parts, and scrape the under-side and rind as clean as possible. put it into a saucepan of _cold_ water, let it come gradually to a boil, and as fast as the scum rises to the surface of the water, remove it. let it simmer very gently until it is _thoroughly_ done; then take it up, strip off the skin, and sprinkle over the bacon a few bread raspings, and garnish with tufts of cauliflower or brussels sprouts. when served alone, young and tender broad beans or green peas are the usual accompaniments. _time_.-- lb. of bacon, / hour; lbs., - / hour. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. for the primest parts. _sufficient_.-- lbs., when served with poultry or veal, sufficient for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to cure bacon in the wiltshire way. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of coarse sugar, - / lb. of bay-salt, oz. of saltpetre, lb. of common salt. _mode_.--sprinkle each flitch with salt, and let the blood drain off for hours; then pound and mix the above ingredients well together and rub it well into the meat, which should be turned every day for a month; then hang it to dry, and afterwards smoke it for days. _time_.--to remain in the pickle month, to be smoked days. _sufficient_.--the above quantity of salt for pig. how pigs were formerly pastured and fed.--though unquestionably far greater numbers of swine are now kept in england than formerly, every peasant having one or more of that useful animal, in feudal times immense droves of pigs were kept by the franklings and barons; in those days the swine-herds being a regular part of the domestic service of every feudal household, their duty consisted in daily driving the herd of swine from the castle-yard, or outlying farm, to the nearest woods, chase, or forest, where the frankling or vavasour had, either by right or grant, what was called _free warren_, or the liberty to feed his hogs off the acorns, beech, and chestnuts that lay in such abundance on the earth, and far exceeded the power of the royal or privileged game to consume. indeed, it was the license granted the nobles of free warren, especially for their swine, that kept up the iniquitous forest laws to so late a date, and covered so large a portion of the land with such immense tracts of wood and brake, to the injury of agriculture and the misery of the people. some idea of the extent to which swine were grazed in the feudal times, may be formed by observing the number of pigs still fed in epping forest, the forest of dean, and the new forest, in hampshire, where, for several months of the year, the beech-nuts and acorns yield them so plentiful a diet. in germany, where the chestnut is so largely cultivated, the amount of food shed every autumn is enormous; and consequently the pig, both wild and domestic, has, for a considerable portion of the year, an unfailing supply of admirable nourishment. impressed with the value of this fruit for the food of pigs, the prince consort has, with great judgment, of late encouraged the collection of chestnuts in windsor park, and by giving a small reward to old people and children for every bushel collected, has not only found an occupation for many of the unemployed poor, but, by providing a gratuitous food for their pig, encouraged a feeling of providence and economy. for curing bacon, and keeping it free from rust (cobbett's recipe). . the two sides that remain, and which are called flitches, are to be cured for bacon. they are first rubbed with salt on their insides, or flesh sides, then placed one on the other, the flesh sides uppermost, in a salting-trough which has a gutter round its edges to drain away the brine; for, to have sweet and fine bacon, the flitches must not be sopping in brine, which gives it the sort of vile taste that barrel and sea pork have. every one knows how different is the taste of fresh dry salt from that of salt in a dissolved state; therefore change the salt often,--once in or days; let it melt and sink in, but not lie too long; twice change the flitches, put that at bottom which was first on the top: this mode will cost you a great deal more in salt than the sopping mode, but without it your bacon will not be so sweet and fine, nor keep so well. as for the time required in making your flitches sufficiently salt, it depends on circumstances. it takes a longer time for a thick than a thin flitch, and longer in dry than in damp weather, or in a dry than in a damp place; but for the flitches of a hog of five score, in weather not very dry or damp, about weeks may do; and as yours is to be fat, which receives little injury from over-salting, give time enough, for you are to have bacon until christmas comes again. . the place for salting should, like a dairy, always be cool, but well ventilated; confined air, though cool, will taint meat sooner than the midday day sun accompanied by a breeze. with regard to smoking the bacon, two precautions are necessary: first, to hang the flitches where no rain comes down upon them; and next, that the smoke must proceed from wood, not peat, turf, or coal. as to the time required to smoke a flitch, it depends a good deal upon whether there be a constant fire beneath; and whether the fire be large or small: a month will do, if the fire be pretty constant and rich, as a farmhouse fire usually is; but over-smoking, or rather too long hanging in the air, makes the bacon rust; great attention should therefore be paid to this matter. the flitch ought not to be dried up to the hardness of a board, and yet it ought to be perfectly dry. before you hang it up, lay it on the floor, scatter the flesh side pretty thickly over with bran, or with some fine sawdust, not of deal or fir; rub it on the flesh, or pat it well down upon it: this keeps the smoke from getting into the little openings, and makes a sort of crust to be dried on. . to keep the bacon sweet and good, and free from hoppers, sift fine some clean and dry wood ashes. put some at the bottom of a box or chest long enough to hold a flitch of bacon; lay in one flitch, and then put in more ashes, then another flitch, and cover this with six or eight inches of the ashes. the place where the box or chest is kept ought to be dry, and should the ashes become damp, they should be put in the fireplace to dry, and when cold, put back again. with these precautions, the bacon will be as good at the end of the year as on the first day. . for simple general rules; these may be safely taken as a guide; and those who implicitly follow the directions given, will possess at the expiration of from weeks to months well-flavoured and well-cured bacon. hog not bacon. anecdote of lord bacon.--as lord bacon, on one occasion, was about to pass sentence of death upon a man of the name of hogg, who had just been tried for a long career of crime, the prisoner suddenly claimed to be heard in arrest of judgment, saying, with an expression of arch confidence as he addressed the bench, "i claim indulgence, my lord, on the plea of relationship; for i am convinced your lordship will never be unnatural enough to hang one of your own family." "indeed, replied the judge, with some amazement," i was not aware that i had the honour of your alliance; perhaps you will be good enough to name the degree of our mutual affinity." "i am sorry, my lord," returned the impudent thief, "i cannot trace the links of consanguinity; but the moral evidence is sufficiently pertinent. my name, my lord, is hogg, your lordship's is bacon; and all the world will allow that bacon and hog are very closely allied." "i am sorry," replied his lordship, "i cannot admit the truth of your instance: hog cannot be bacon till it is hanged; and so, before i can admit your plea, or acknowledge the family compact, hogg must be hanged to-morrow morning." to bake a ham. . ingredients.--ham; a common crust. mode.--as a ham for baking should be well soaked, let it remain in water for at least hours. wipe it dry, trim away any rusty places underneath, and cover it with a common crust, taking care that this is of sufficient thickness all over to keep the gravy in. place it in a moderately-heated oven, and bake for nearly hours. take off the crust, and skin, and cover with raspings, the same as for boiled ham, and garnish the knuckle with a paper frill. this method of cooking a ham is, by many persons, considered far superior to boiling it, as it cuts fuller of gravy and has a finer flavour, besides keeping a much longer time good. _time_.--a medium-sized ham, hours. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. by the whole ham. _seasonable_ all the year. to boil a ham. [illustration: boiled ham.] . ingredients.--ham, water, glaze or raspings. _mode_.--in choosing a ham, ascertain that it is perfectly sweet, by running a sharp knife into it, close to the bone; and if, when the knife is withdrawn, it has an agreeable smell, the ham is good; if, on the contrary, the blade has a greasy appearance and offensive smell, the ham is bad. if it has been long hung, and is very dry and salt, let it remain in soak for hours, changing the water frequently. this length of time is only necessary in the case of its being very hard; from to hours would be sufficient for a yorkshire or westmoreland ham. wash it thoroughly clean, and trim away from the under-side, all the rusty and smoked parts, which would spoil the appearance. put it into a boiling-pot, with sufficient cold water to cover it; bring it gradually to boil, and as the scum rises, carefully remove it. keep it simmering very gently until tender, and be careful that it does not stop boiling, nor boil too quickly. when done, take it out of the pot, strip off the skin, and sprinkle over it a few fine bread-raspings, put a frill of cut paper round the knuckle, and serve. if to be eaten cold, let the ham remain in the water until nearly cold: by this method the juices are kept in, and it will be found infinitely superior to one taken out of the water hot; it should, however, be borne in mind that the ham must _not_ remain in the saucepan _all_ night. when the skin is removed, sprinkle over bread-raspings, or, if wanted particularly nice, glaze it. place a paper frill round the knuckle, and garnish with parsley or cut vegetable flowers. (_see_ coloured plate p.) _time_.--a ham weighing lbs., hours to _simmer gently_; lbs., hours; a very large one, about hours. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. by the whole ham. _seasonable_ all the year. how to boil a ham to give it an excellent flavour. . ingredients.--vinegar and water, heads of celery, turnips, onions, a large bunch of savoury herbs. _mode_.--prepare the ham as in the preceding recipe, and let it soak for a few hours in vinegar and water. put it on in cold water, and when it boils, add the vegetables and herbs. simmer very gently until tender, take it out, strip off the skin, cover with bread-raspings, and put a paper ruche or frill round the knuckle. _time_.--a ham weighing lbs., hours. _average cost_, d. to d. per lb. by the whole ham. _seasonable_ at any time. how to silence a pig. anecdote of charles v.--when the emperor charles v. was one day walking in the neighbourhood of vienna, full of pious considerations, engendered by the thoughts of the dominican cloister he was about to visit, he was much annoyed by the noise of a pig, which a country youth was carrying a little way before him. at length, irritated by the unmitigated noise, "have you not learned how to quiet a pig" demanded the imperial traveller, tartly. "noa," replied the ingenuous peasant, ignorant of the quality of his interrogator;--"noa; and i should very much like to know how to do it," changing the position of his burthen, and giving his load a surreptitious pinch of the ear, which immediately altered the tone and volume of his complaining. "why, take the pig by the tail," said the emperor, "and you will see how quiet he will become." struck by the novelty of the suggestion, the countryman at once dangled his noisy companion by the tail, and soon discovered that, under the partial congestion caused by its inverted position, the pig had indeed become silent; when, looking with admiration on his august adviser, he exclaimed,-- "ah, you must have learned the trade much longer than i, for you understand it a great deal better." fried ham and eggs (a breakfast dish). . ingredients.--ham; eggs. _mode_.--cut the ham into slices, and take care that they are of the same thickness in every part. cut off the rind, and if the ham should be particularly hard and salt, it will be found an improvement to soak it for about minutes in hot water, and then dry it in a cloth. put it into a cold frying-pan, set it over the fire, and turn the slices or times whilst they are cooking. when done, place them on a dish, which should be kept hot in front of the fire during the time the eggs are being poached. poach the eggs, slip them on to the slices of ham, and serve quickly. _time_.-- or minutes to broil the ham. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. by the whole ham. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--ham may also be toasted or broiled; but, with the latter method, to insure its being well cooked, the fire must be beautifully clear, or it will have a smoky flavour far from agreeable. potted ham, that will keep good for some time. i. . ingredients.--to lbs. of lean ham allow lb. of fat, teaspoonfuls of pounded mace, / nutmeg grated, rather more than / teaspoonful of cayenne, clarified lard. _mode_.--mince the ham, fat and lean together in the above proportion, and pound it well in a mortar, seasoning it with cayenne pepper, pounded mace, and nutmeg; put the mixture into a deep baking-dish, and bake for / hour; then press it well into a stone jar, fill up the jar with clarified lard, cover it closely, and paste over it a piece of thick paper. if well seasoned, it will keep a long time in winter, and will be found very convenient for sandwiches, &c. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. (_a nice addition to the breakfast or luncheon table_.) . ingredients.--to lbs. of lean ham allow / lb. of fat, teaspoonful of pounded mace, / teaspoonful of pounded allspice, / nutmeg, pepper to taste, clarified butter. _mode_.--cut some slices from the remains of a cold ham, mince them small, and to every lbs. of lean, allow the above proportion of fat. pound the ham in a mortar to a fine paste, with the fat, gradually add the seasoning and spices, and be very particular that all the ingredients are well mixed and the spices well pounded. press the mixture into potting-pots, pour over clarified butter, and keep it in a cool place. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. importance of the boar's head, scottish feuds, &c.--the boar's head, in ancient times, formed the most important dish on the table, and was invariably the first placed on the board upon christmas-day, being preceded by a body of servitors, a flourish of trumpets, and other marks of distinction and reverence, and carried into the hall by the individual of next rank to the lord of the feast. at some of our colleges and inns of court, the serving of the boar's head on a silver platter on christmas-day is a custom still followed; and till very lately, a bore's head was competed for at christmas time by the young men of a rural parish in essex. indeed, so highly was the grizzly boar's head regarded in former times, that it passed into a cognizance of some of the noblest families in the realm: thus it was not only the crest of the nevills and warwicks, with their collateral houses, but it was the cognizance of richard iii., that-- "wretched, bloody, and usurping boar, that spoil'd your summer fields and fruitful vines, swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough in your embowell'd bosoms,"-- and whose nature it was supposed to typify; and was universally used as a _sign_ to taverns. the boar's head in eastcheap, which, till within the last twenty-five years still stood in all its primitive quaintness, though removed to make way for the london-bridge approaches, will live vividly in the mind of every reader of shakspeare, as the resort of the prince of wales, poins, and his companions, and the residence of falstaff and his coney-catching knaves, bardolph, pistol, and nym; and whose sign was a boar's head, carved in stone over the door, and a smaller one in wood on each side of the doorway. the traditions and deeds of savage vengeance recorded in connection with this grim trophy of the chase are numerous in all parts of europe. but the most remarkable connected with the subject in this country, were two events that occurred in scotland, about the th and th centuries. a border family having been dispossessed of their castle and lands by a more powerful chief, were reduced for many years to great indigence, the expelled owner only living in the hope of wreaking a terrible vengeance, which, agreeably to the motto of his house, he was content to "bide his time" for. the usurper having invited a large number of his kindred to a grand hunt in his new domains, and a feast after in the great hall, returned from the chase, and discovering the feast not spread, vented his wrath in no measured terms on the heads of the tardy servitors. at length a menial approached, followed by a line of servants, and placing the boar's head on the table, the guests rushed forward to begin the meal; when, to their horror, they discovered, not a boar's but a bull's head,--a sign of death. the doors were immediately closed, and the false servants, who were the adherents of the dispossessed chief, threw off their disguise, and falling on the usurper and his friends, butchered them and every soul in the castle belonging to the rival faction. a tribe of caterans, or mountain robbers, in the western highlands, having been greatly persecuted by a powerful chief of the district, waylaid him and his retinue, put them all to the sword, and cutting off the chief's head, repaired to his castle, where they ordered the terrified wife to supply them with food and drink. to appease their savage humour, the lady gave order for their entertainment, and on returning to the hall to see her orders were complied with, discovered, in place of the boar's head that should have graced the board, her husband's bleeding head; the savage caterans, in rude derision, as a substitute for the apple or lemon usually placed between the jaws, having thrust a slice of bread in the dead man's mouth. for curing hams (mons. ude's recipe). . ingredients.--for hams weighing about or lbs. each, allow lb. of moist sugar, lb. of common salt, oz. of saltpetre, quart of good vinegar. _mode_.--as soon as the pig is cold enough to be cut up, take the hams and rub them well with common salt, and leave them in a large pan for days. when the salt has drawn out all the blood, drain the hams, and throw the brine away. mix sugar, salt, and saltpetre together in the above proportion, rub the hams well with these, and put them into a vessel large enough to hold them, always keeping the salt over them. let them remain for days, then pour over them a quart of good vinegar. turn them in the brine every day for a month, then drain them well, and rub them with bran. have them smoked over a wood fire, and be particular that the hams are hung as high up as possible from the fire; otherwise the fat will melt, and they will become dry and hard. _time_.--to be pickled month; to be smoked month. _sufficient_ for hams of lbs. each. _seasonable_ from october to march. the price of a sow in africa.--in one of the native states of africa, a pig one day stole a piece of food from a child as it was in the act of conveying the morsel to its mouth; upon which the robbed child cried so loud that the mother rushed out of her hovel to ascertain the cause; and seeing the purloining pig make off munching his booty, the woman in her heat struck the grunter so smart a blow, that the surly rascal took it into his head to go home very much indisposed, and after a certain time resolved to die,--a resolution that he accordingly put into practice; upon which the owner instituted judicial proceedings before the star chamber court of his tribe, against the husband and family of the woman whose rash act had led to such results; and as the pig happened to be a _sow_, in the very flower of her age, the prospective loss to the owner in unnumbered teems of pigs, with the expenses attending so high a tribunal, swelled the damages and costs to such a sum, that it was found impossible to pay them. and as, in the barbarous justice existing among these rude people, every member of a family is equally liable as the individual who committed the wrong, the father, mother, children, relatives,--an entire community, to the number of _thirty-two souls_, were sold as slaves, and a fearful sum of human misery perpetrated, to pay the value of a thieving old sow. to salt two hams, about or lbs. each. . ingredients.-- lbs. of treacle, / lb. of saltpetre, lb. of bay-salt, pounds of common salt. _mode_.--two days before they are put into pickle, rub the hams well with salt, to draw away all slime and blood. throw what comes from them away, and then rub them with treacle, saltpetre, and salt. lay them in a deep pan, and let them remain one day; boil the above proportion of treacle, saltpetre, bay-salt, and common salt for / hour, and pour this pickle boiling hot over the hams: there should be sufficient of it to cover them. for a day or two rub them well with it; afterwards they will only require turning. they ought to remain in this pickle for weeks or a month, and then be sent to be smoked, which will take nearly or quite a month to do. an ox-tongue pickled in this way is most excellent, to be eaten either green or smoked. _time_.--to remain in the pickle weeks or a month; to be smoked about a month. _seasonable_ from october to march. to cure sweet hams in the westmoreland way. . ingredients.-- lbs. of common salt, lbs. of coarse sugar, lb. of bay-salt, quarts of strong beer. _mode_.--before the hams are put into pickle, rub them the preceding day well with salt, and drain the brine well from them. put the above ingredients into a saucepan, and boil for / hour; pour over the hams, and let them remain a month in the pickle. rub and turn them every day, but do not take them out of the pickling-pan; and have them smoked for a month. _time_.--to be pickled month; to be smoked month. _seasonable_ from october to march. to pickle hams (suffolk recipe). . ingredients.--to a ham from to lbs., allow lb. of coarse sugar, / lb. of salt, oz. of saltpetre, / a teacupful of vinegar. _mode_.--rub the hams well with common salt, and leave them for a day or two to drain; then rub well in, the above proportion of sugar, salt, saltpetre, and vinegar, and turn them every other day. keep them in the pickle month, drain them, and send them to be smoked over a wood fire for weeks or a month. _time_.--to remain in the pickle month. to be smoked weeks or month. _sufficient_.--the above proportion of pickle sufficient for ham. _seasonable_.--hams should be pickled from october to march. novel way of recovering a stolen pig.--it is a well-known fact, that in ireland the pig is, in every respect, a domesticated animal, sharing often both the bed and board of the family, and making an outer ring to the domestic circle, as, seated round the pot of potatoes, they partake of the midday meal called dinner. an irishman upon one occasion having lost an interesting member of his household, in the form of a promising young porker, consulted his priest on the occasion, and having hinted at the person he suspected of purloining the "illegant slip of a pig" he was advised to take no further notice of the matter, but leave the issue to his spiritual adviser. next sunday his reverence, after mass, came to the front of the altar-rails, and looking very hard at the supposed culprit, exclaimed, "who stole pat doolan's pig?" to this inquiry there was of course no answer;--the priest did not expect there would be any. the following sunday the same query was propounded a little stronger--"who of you was it, i say, who stole poor pat doolan's pig?" it now became evident that the culprit was a hardened sinner; so on the third sunday, instead of repeating the unsatisfactory inquiry, the priest, after, as usual, eyeing the obdurate offender, said, in a tone of pious sorrow, "mike regan, mike regan, you treat me with contempt!" that night, when the family was all asleep, the latch of the door was noiselessly lifted, and the "illegant slip of a pig" cautiously slipped into the cabin. to smoke hams and fish at home. . take an old hogshead, stop up all the crevices, and fix a place to put a cross-stick near the bottom, to hang the articles to be smoked on. next, in the side, cut a hole near the top, to introduce an iron pan filled with sawdust and small pieces of green wood. having turned the tub upside down, hang the articles upon the cross-stick, introduce the iron pan in the opening, and place a piece of red-hot iron in the pan, cover it with sawdust, and all will be complete. let a large ham remain hours, and keep up a good smoke. to cure bacon or hams in the devonshire way. . ingredients.--to every lbs. of meat, allow oz. of saltpetre, oz. of salt prunella, lb. of common salt. for the pickle, gallons of water, lbs. of common salt, lbs. of coarse sugar, lbs. of bay-salt. _mode_.--weigh the sides, hams, and cheeks, and to every lbs. allow the above proportion of saltpetre, salt prunella, and common salt. pound and mix these together, and rub well into the meat; lay it in a stone trough or tub, rubbing it thoroughly, and turning it daily for successive days. at the end of the second day, pour on it a pickle made as follows:--put the above ingredients into a saucepan, set it on the fire, and stir frequently; remove all the scum, allow it to boil for / hour, and pour it hot over the meat. let the hams, &c., be well rubbed and turned daily; if the meat is small, a fortnight will be sufficient for the sides and shoulders to remain in the pickle, and the hams weeks; if from lbs. and upwards, weeks will be required for the sides, &c., and from to weeks for the hams. on taking the pieces out, let them drain for an hour, cover with dry sawdust, and smoke from a fortnight to weeks. boil and carefully skim the pickle after using, and it will keep good, closely corked, for years. when boiling it for use, add about lbs. of common salt, and the same of treacle, to allow for waste. tongues are excellent put into this pickle cold, having been first rubbed well with saltpetre and salt, and allowed to remain hours, not forgetting to make a deep incision under the thick part of the tongue, so as to allow the pickle to penetrate more readily. a fortnight or weeks, according to the size of the tongue, will be sufficient. _time_--small meat to remain in the pickle a fortnight, hams weeks; to be smoked from a fortnight to weeks. the following is from morton's "cyclopaedia of agriculture," and will be found fully worthy of the high character of that publication. curing of hams and bacon. . the carcass of the hog, after hanging over-night to cool, is laid on a strong bench or stool, and the head is separated from the body at the neck, close behind the ears; the feet and also the internal fat are removed. the carcass is next divided into two sides in the following manner:--the ribs are divided about an inch from the spine on each side, and the spine, with the ends of the ribs attached, together with the internal flesh between it and the kidneys, and also the flesh above it, throughout the whole length of the sides, are removed. the portion of the carcass thus cut out is in the form of a wedge--the breadth of the interior consisting of the breadth of the spine, and about an inch of the ribs on each side, being diminished to about half an inch at the exterior or skin along the back. the breast-bone, and also the first anterior rib, are also dissected from the side. sometimes the whole of the ribs are removed; but this, for reasons afterwards to be noticed, is a very bad practice. when the hams are cured separately from the sides, which is generally the case, they are cut out so as to include the hock-bone, in a similar manner to the london mode of cutting a haunch of mutton. the carcass of the hog thus cut up is ready for being salted, which process, in large caring establishments, is generally as follows. the skin side of the pork is rubbed over with a mixture of fifty parts by weight of salt, and one part of saltpetre in powder, and the incised parts of the ham or flitch, and the inside of the flitch covered with the same. the salted bacon, in pairs of flitches with the insides to each other, is piled one pair of flitches above another on benches slightly inclined, and furnished with spouts or troughs to convey the brine to receivers in the floor of the salting-house, to be afterwards used for pickling pork for navy purposes. in this state the bacon remains a fortnight, which is sufficient for flitches cut from nogs of a carcass weight less than stone ( lbs. to the stone). flitches of a larger size, at the expiration of that time, are wiped dry and reversed in their place in the pile, having, at the same time, about half the first quantity of fresh, dry, common salt sprinkled over the inside and incised parts; after which they remain on the benches for another week. hams being thicker than flitches, will require, when less than lbs. weight, weeks; and when above that weight, weeks to remain under the above-described process. the next and last process in the preparation of bacon and hams, previous to being sent to market, is drying. this is effected by hanging the flitches and hams for or weeks in a room heated by stoves, or in a smoke-house, in which they are exposed for the same length of time to the smoke arising from the slow combustion of the sawdust of oak or other hard wood. the latter mode of completing the curing process has some advantages over the other, as by it the meat is subject to the action of _creosote_, a volatile oil produced by the combustion of the sawdust, which is powerfully antiseptic. the process also furnishing a thin covering of a resinous varnish, excludes the air not only from the muscle but also from the fat; thus effectually preventing the meat from becoming rusted; and the principal reasons for condemning the practice of removing the ribs from the flitches of pork are, that by so doing the meat becomes unpleasantly hard and pungent in the process of salting, and by being more opposed to the action of the air, becomes sooner and more extensively rusted. notwithstanding its superior efficacy in completing the process of curing, the flavour which smoke-drying imparts to meat is disliked by many persons, and it is therefore by no means the most general mode of drying adopted by mercantile curers. a very impure variety of _pyroligneous_ acid, or vinegar made from the destructive distillation of wood, is sometimes used, on account of the highly preservative power of the creosote which it contains, and also to impart the smoke-flavour; in which latter object, however, the coarse flavour of tar is given, rather than that derived from the smoke from combustion of wood. a considerable portion of the bacon and hams salted in ireland is exported from that country packed amongst salt, in bales, immediately from the salting process, without having been in any degree dried. in the process of salting above described, pork loses from eight to ten per cent. of its weight, according to the size and quality of the meat; and a further diminution of weight, to the extent of five to six per cent., takes place in drying during the first fortnight after being taken out of salt; so that the total loss in weight occasioned by the preparation of bacon and hams in a proper state for market, is not less on an average than fifteen per cent. on the weight of the fresh pork. collared pig's face (a breakfast or luncheon dish). . ingredients.-- pig's face; salt. for brine, gallon of spring water, lb. of common salt, / handful of chopped juniper-berries, bruised cloves, bay-leaves, a few sprigs of thyme, basil, sage, / oz. of saltpetre. for forcemeat, / lb. of ham, / lb. bacon, teaspoonful of mixed spices, pepper to taste, / lb. of lard, tablespoonful of minced parsley, young onions. [illustration: pig's face.] _mode_.--singe the head carefully, bone it without breaking the skin, and rub it well with salt. make the brine by boiling the above ingredients for / hour, and letting it stand to cool. when cold, pour it over the head, and let it steep in this for days, turning and rubbing it often. then wipe, drain, and dry it. for the forcemeat, pound the ham and bacon very finely, and mix with these the remaining ingredients, taking care that the whole is thoroughly incorporated. spread this equally over the head, roll it tightly in a cloth, and bind it securely with broad tape. put it into a saucepan with a few meat trimmings, and cover it with stock; let it simmer gently for hours, and be particular that it does not stop boiling the whole time. when quite tender, take it up, put it between dishes with a heavy weight on the top, and when cold, remove the cloth and tape. it should be sent to table on a napkin, or garnished with a piece of deep white paper with a ruche at the top. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. _seasonable_ from october to march. the wild and domestic hog.--the domestic hog is the descendant of a race long since banished from this island; and it is remarkable, that while the tamed animal has been and is kept under surveillance, the wild type whence this race sprung, has maintained itself in its ancient freedom, the fierce denizen of the forest, and one of the renowned beasts of the chase. whatever doubt may exist as to the true origin of the dog, the horse, the ox, and others, or as to whether their original race is yet extant or not, these doubts do not apply to the domestic hog. its wild source still exists, and is universally recognized: like the wolf, however, it has been expelled from our island; but, like that animal, it still roams through the vast wooded tracts of europe and asia. to dress pig's fry (a savoury dish). . ingredients.-- - / lb. of pig's fry, onions, a few sage-leaves, lbs. of potatoes, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--put the lean fry at the bottom of a pie-dish, sprinkle over it some minced sage and onion, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; slice the potatoes; put a layer of these on the seasoning, then the fat fry, then more seasoning, and a layer of potatoes at the top. fill the dish with boiling water, and bake for hours, or rather longer. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from october to march. to melt lard. . melt the inner fat of the pig, by putting it in a stone jar, and placing this in a saucepan of boiling water, previously stripping off the skin. let it simmer gently over a bright fire, and as it melts, pour it carefully from the sediment. put it into small jars or bladders for use, and keep it in a cool place. the flead or inside fat of the pig, before it is melted, makes exceedingly light crust, and is particularly wholesome. it may be preserved a length of time by salting it well, and occasionally changing the brine. when wanted for use, wash and wipe it, and it will answer for making into paste as well as fresh lard. _average cost_, d. per lb. boiled leg of pork. . ingredients.--leg of pork; salt. _mode_.--for boiling, choose a small, compact, well-filled leg, and rub it well with salt; let it remain in pickle for a week or ten days, turning and rubbing it every day. an hour before dressing it, put it into cold water for an hour, which improves the colour. if the pork is purchased ready salted, ascertain how long the meat has been in pickle, and soak it accordingly. put it into a boiling-pot, with sufficient cold water to cover it; let it gradually come to a boil, and remove the scum as it rises. simmer it very gently until tender, and do not allow it to boil fast, or the knuckle will fall to pieces before the middle of the leg is done. carrots, turnips, or parsnips may be boiled with the pork, some of which should be laid round the dish as a garnish, and a well-made pease-pudding is an indispensable accompaniment. _time_.--a leg of pork weighing lbs., hours after the water boils, and to be simmered very gently. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. _note_.--the liquor in which a leg of pork has been boiled, makes excellent pea-soup. antiquity of the hog.--the hog has survived changes which have swept multitudes of pachydermatous animals from the surface of our earth. it still presents the same characteristics, both physical and moral, which the earliest writers, whether sacred or profane, have faithfully delineated. although the domestic has been more or less modified by long culture, yet the wild species remains unaltered, insomuch that the fossil relics may be identified with the bones of their existing descendants. roast griskin of pork. . ingredients.--pork; a little powdered sage. [illustration: spare-rib of pork.] [illustration: griskin of pork.] _mode_.--as this joint frequently comes to table hard and dry, particular care should be taken that it is well basted. put it down to a bright fire, and flour it. about minutes before taking it up, sprinkle over some powdered sage; make a little gravy in the dripping-pan, strain it over the meat, and serve with a tureen of apple sauce. this joint will be done in far less time than when the skin is left on, consequently, should have the greatest attention that it be not dried up. _time_.--griskin of pork weighing lbs., - / hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. _note_.--a spare-rib of pork is roasted in the same manner as above, and would take - / hour for one weighing about lbs. [illustration: bacon for larding, and larding-needle.] larding. . ingredients.--bacon and larding-needle. _mode_.--bacon for larding should be firm and fat, and ought to be cured without any saltpetre, as this reddens white meats. lay it on a table, the rinds downwards; trim off any rusty part, and cut it into slices of an equal thickness. place the slices one on the top of another, and cut them evenly into narrow strips, so arranging it that every piece of bacon is of the same size. bacon for fricandeau, poultry, and game, should be about inches in length, and rather more than one-eighth of an inch in width. if for larding fillets of beef or loin of veal, the pieces of bacon must be thicker. the following recipe of soyer is, we think, very explicit; and any cook, by following the directions here given, may be able to lard, if not well, sufficiently for general use. "have the fricandeau trimmed, lay it, lengthwise, upon a clean napkin across your hand, forming a kind of bridge with your thumb at the part you are about to commence at; then with the point of the larding-needle make three distinct lines across, / inch apart; run the needle into the third line, at the further side of the fricandeau, and bring it out at the first, placing one of the lardoons in it; draw the needle through, leaving out / inch of the bacon at each line; proceed thus to the end of the row; then make another line, / inch distant, stick in another row of lardoons, bringing them out at the second line, leaving the ends of the bacon out all the same length; make the next row again at the same distance, bringing the ends out between the lardoons of the first row, proceeding in this manner until the whole surface is larded in chequered rows. everything else is larded in a similar way; and, in the case of poultry, hold the breast over a charcoal fire for one minute, or dip it into boiling water, in order to make the flesh firm." roast loin of pork. . ingredients.--pork; a little salt. [illustration: fore loin of pork.] [illustration: hind loin of pork.] _mode_.--score the skin in strips rather more than / inch apart, and place the joint at a good distance from the fire, on account of the crackling, which would harden before the meat would be heated through, were it placed too near. if very lean, it should be rubbed over with a little salad oil, and kept well basted all the time it is at the fire. pork should be very thoroughly cooked, but not dry; and be careful never to send it to table the least underdone, as nothing is more unwholesome and disagreeable than underdressed white meats. serve with apple sauce, no. , and a little gravy made in the dripping-pan. a stuffing of sage and onion may be made separately, and baked in a flat dish: this method is better than putting it in the meat, as many persons have so great an objection to the flavour. _time_.--a loin of pork weighing lbs., about hours: allow more time should it be very fat. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. fossil remains of the hog.--in british strata, the oldest fossil remains of the hog which professor owen states that he has examined, were from fissures in the red crag (probably miocene) of newbourne, near woodbridge, suffolk. "they were associated with teeth of an extinct _felis_ about the size of a leopard, with those of a bear, and with remains of a large cervus. these mammalian remains were found with the ordinary fossils of the red crag: they had undergone the same process of trituration, and were impregnated with the same colouring matter as the associated bones and teeth of fishes acknowledged to be derived from the regular strata of the red crag. these mammaliferous beds have been proved by mr. lyell to be older than the fluvio-marine, or norwich crag, in which remains of the mastodon, rhinoceros, and horse have been discovered; and still older than the fresh-water pleistocene deposits, from which the remains of the mammoth, rhinoceros, &c. are obtained in such abundance. i have met," says the professor, in addition, "with some satisfactory instances of the association of fossil remains of a species of hog with those of the mammoth, in the newer pliocene freshwater formations of england." to dry pigs' cheeks. . ingredients.--salt, oz. of saltpetre, oz. of bay-salt, oz. of coarse sugar. _mode_.--cut out the snout, remove the brains, and split the head, taking off the upper bone to make the jowl a good shape; rub it well with salt; next day take away the brine, and salt it again the following day; cover the head with saltpetre, bay-salt, and coarse sugar, in the above proportion, adding a little common salt. let the head be often turned, and when it has been in the pickle for days, smoke it for a week or rather longer. _time_.--to remain in the pickle days; to be smoked week. _seasonable_.--should be made from september to march. _note_.--a pig's check, or bath chap, will take about hours after the water boils. pig's liver (a savoury and economical dish). . ingredients.--the liver and lights of a pig, or slices of bacon, potatoes, large bunch of parsley, onions, sage-leaves, pepper and salt to taste, a little broth or water. _mode_.--slice the liver and lights, and wash these perfectly clean, and parboil the potatoes; mince the parsley and sage, and chop the onion rather small. put the meat, potatoes, and bacon into a deep tin dish, in alternate layers, with a sprinkling of the herbs, and a seasoning of pepper and salt between each; pour on a little water or broth, and bake in a moderately-heated oven for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. pig's pettitoes. . ingredients.--a thin slice of bacon, onion, blade of mace, peppercorns, or sprigs of thyme, pint of gravy, pepper and salt to taste, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--put the liver, heart, and pettitoes into a stewpan with the bacon, mace, peppercorns, thyme, onion, and gravy, and simmer these gently for / hour; then take out the heart and liver, and mince them very fine. keep stewing the feet until quite tender, which will be in from minutes to / hour, reckoning from the time that they boiled up first; then put back the minced liver, thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour, season with pepper and salt, and simmer over a gentle fire for minutes, occasionally stirring the contents. dish the mince, split the feet, and arrange them round alternately with sippets of toasted bread, and pour the gravy in the middle. _time_.--altogether minutes. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. to pickle pork. . ingredients.-- / lb. of saltpetre; salt. _mode_.--as pork does not keep long without being salted, cut it into pieces of a suitable size as soon as the pig is cold. rub the pieces of pork well with salt, and put them into a pan with a sprinkling of it between each piece: as it melts on the top, strew on more. lay a coarse cloth over the pan, a board over that, and a weight on the board, to keep the pork down in the brine. if excluded from the air, it will continue good for nearly years. _average cost_, d. per lb. for the prime parts. _seasonable_.--the best time for pickling meat is late in the autumn. the universality of the hog.--a singular circumstance in the domestic history of the hog, is the extent of its distribution over the surface of the earth; being found even in insulated places, where the inhabitants are semi-barbarous, and where the wild species is entirely unknown. the south-sea islands, for example, were found on their discovery to be well stocked with a small black hog; and the traditionary belief of the people was that these animals were coeval with the origin of themselves. yet they possessed no knowledge of the wild boar, or any other animal of the hog kind, from which the domestic breed might be supposed to be derived. in these islands the hog is the principal quadruped, and the fruit of the bread-tree is its principal food, although it is also fed with yams, eddoes, and other vegetables. this nutritious diet, which it has in great abundance, is, according to foster, the reason of its flesh being so delicious, so full of juice, and so rich in fat, which is not less delicate to the taste than the finest butter. to boil pickled pork. . ingredients.--pork; water. _mode_.--should the pork be very salt, let it remain in water about hours before it is dressed; put it into a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover it, let it gradually come to a boil, then gently simmer until quite tender. allow ample time for it to cook, as nothing is more disagreeable than underdone pork, and when boiled fast, the meat becomes hard. this is sometimes served with boiled poultry and roast veal, instead of bacon: when tender, and not over salt, it will be found equally good. _time_.--a piece of pickled pork weighing lbs., - / hour; lbs., rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. for the primest parts. _seasonable_ at any time. the antiquity of the hog.--by what nation and in what period the hog was reclaimed, is involved in the deepest obscurity. so far back as we have any records of history, we find notices of this animal, and of its flesh being used as the food of man. by some nations, however, its flesh was denounced as unclean, and therefore prohibited to be used, whilst by others it was esteemed as a great delicacy. by the mosaic law it was forbidden to be eaten by the jews, and the mahometans hold it in utter abhorrence. dr. kitto, however, says that there does not appear to be any reason in the law of moses why the hog should be held in such peculiar abomination. there seems nothing to have prevented the jews, if they had been so inclined, to rear pigs for sale, or for the use of the land. in the talmud there are some indications that this was actually done; and it was, probably, for such purposes that the herds of swine mentioned in the new testament were kept, although it is usual to consider that they were kept by the foreign settlers in the land. indeed, the story which accounts for the peculiar aversion of the hebrews to the hog, assumes that it did not originate until about years before christ, and that, previously, some jews were in the habit of rearing hogs for the purposes indicated. pork pies (warwickshire recipe). . ingredients.--for the crust, lbs. of lard to lbs. of flour, milk, and water. for filling the pies, to every lbs. of meat allow oz. of salt, - / oz. of pepper, a small quantity of cayenne, pint of water. _mode_.--rub into the flour a portion of the lard; the remainder put with sufficient milk and water to mix the crust, and boil this gently for / hour. pour it boiling on the flour, and knead and beat it till perfectly smooth. now raise the crust in either a round or oval form, cut up the pork into pieces the size of a nut, season it in the above proportion, and press it compactly into the pie, in alternate layers of fat and lean, and pour in a small quantity of water; lay on the lid, cut the edges smoothly round, and pinch them together. bake in a brick oven, which should be slow, as the meat is very solid. very frequently, the inexperienced cook finds much difficulty in raising the crust. she should bear in mind that it must not be allowed to get cold, or it will fall immediately: to prevent this, the operation should be performed as near the fire as possible. as considerable dexterity and expertness are necessary to raise the crust with the hand only, a glass bottle or small jar may be placed in the middle of the paste, and the crust moulded on this; but be particular that it is kept warm the whole time. _sufficient_.--the proportions for pie are lb. of flour and lbs. of meat. _seasonable_ from september to march. the flesh of swine in hot climates.--it is observed by m. sonini, that the flesh of swine, in hot climates, is considered unwholesome, and therefore may account for its proscription by the legislators and priests of the east. in egypt, syria, and even the southern parts of greece, although both white and delicate, it is so flabby and surcharged with fat, that it disagrees with the strongest stomachs. abstinence from it in general was, therefore, indispensable to health under the burning suns of egypt and arabia. the egyptians were permitted to eat it only once a year,--on the feast of the moon; and then they sacrificed a number of these animals to that planet. at other seasons, should any one even touch a hog, he was obliged immediately to plunge into the river nile, as he stood, with his clothes on, in order to purify himself from the supposed contamination he had contracted by the touch. little raised pork pies. . ingredients.-- lbs. of flour, / lb. of butter, / lb. of mutton suet, salt and white pepper to taste, lbs. of the neck of pork, dessertspoonful of powdered sage. _mode_.--well dry the flour, mince the suet, and put these with the butter into a saucepan, to be made hot, and add a little salt. when melted, mix it up into a stiff paste, and put it before the fire with a cloth over it until ready to make up; chop the pork into small pieces, season it with white pepper, salt, and powdered sage; divide the paste into rather small pieces, raise it in a round or oval form, fill with the meat, and bake in a brick oven. these pies will require a fiercer oven than those in the preceding recipe, as they are made so much smaller, and consequently do not require so soaking a heat. _time_.--if made small, about - / hour. _seasonable_ from september to march. swineherds of antiquity.--from the prejudice against the hog among the ancients, those who tended them formed an isolated class, and were esteemed as the outcasts of society. however much the flesh of the animal was esteemed by the greeks and romans, yet the swineherd is not mentioned by either the classic writers or the poets who, in ancient greece and rome, painted rural life. we have no descriptions of gods or heroes descending to the occupation of keeping swine. the swineherd is never introduced into the idyls of theocritus, nor has virgil admitted him into his eclogues. the eumaeus of homer is the only exception that we have of a swineherd meeting with favour in the eyes of a poet of antiquity. this may be accounted for, on the supposition that the prejudices of the egyptians relative to this class of men, extended to both greece and italy, and imparted a bias to popular opinion. to make sausages. (_author's oxford recipe_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of pork, fat and lean, without skin or gristle; lb. of lean veal, lb. of beef suet, / lb. of bread crumbs, the rind of / lemon, small nutmeg, sage-leaves, teaspoonful of pepper, teaspoonfuls of salt, / teaspoonful of savory, / teaspoonful of marjoram. _mode_.--chop the pork, veal, and suet finely together, add the bread crumbs, lemon-peel (which should be well minced), and a small nutmeg grated. wash and chop the sage-leaves very finely; add these with the remaining ingredients to the sausage-meat, and when thoroughly mixed, either put the meat into skins, or, when wanted for table, form it into little cakes, which should be floured and fried. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. d. _sufficient_ for about moderate-sized sausages. _seasonable_ from october to march. the hog in england.--from time immemorial, in england, this animal has been esteemed as of the highest importance. in the anglo-saxon period, vast herds of swine were tended by men, who watched over their safety, and who collected them under shelter at night. at that time, the flesh of the animal was the staple article of consumption in every family, and a large portion of the wealth of the rich freemen of the country consisted of these animals. hence it was common to make bequests of swine, with lands for their support; and to these were attached rights and privileges in connection with their feeding, and the extent of woodland to be occupied by a given number was granted in accordance with established rules. this is proved by an ancient saxon grant, quoted by sharon turner, in his "history of the anglo-saxons," where the right of pasturage is conveyed in a deed by the following words:--"i give food for seventy swine in that woody allotment which the countrymen call wolferdinlegh." fried sausages. [illustration: fried sausages.] . ingredients.--sausages; a small piece of butter. _mode_.--prick the sausages with a fork (this prevents them from bursting), and put them into a frying-pan with a small piece of butter. keep moving the pan about, and turn the sausages or times. in from to minutes they will be sufficiently cooked, unless they are _very large_, when a little more time should be allowed for them. dish them with or without a piece of toast under them, and serve very hot. in some counties, sausages are boiled and served on toast. they should be plunged into boiling water, and simmered for about or minutes. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_.--good from september to march. _note_.--sometimes, in close warm weather, sausages very soon turn sour; to prevent this, put them in the oven for a few minutes with a small piece of butter to keep them moist. when wanted for table, they will not require so long frying as uncooked sausages. the saxon swineherd.--the men employed in herding swine during the anglo-saxon period of our history were, in general, thralls or born slaves of the soil, who were assisted by powerful dogs, capable even of singly contending with the wolf until his master came with his spear to the rescue. in the "ivanhoe" of sir walter scott, we have an admirable picture, in the character of gurth, an anglo-saxon swineherd, as we also have of his master, a large landed proprietor, a great portion of whose wealth consisted of swine, and whose rude but plentiful board was liberally supplied with the flesh. sausage-meat cakes. . ingredients.--to every lb. of lean pork, add / lb. of fat bacon, / oz. of salt, saltspoonful of pepper, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, teaspoonful of minced parsley. _mode_.--remove from the pork all skin, gristle, and bone, and chop it finely with the bacon; add the remaining ingredients, and carefully mix altogether. pound it well in a mortar, make it into convenient-sized cakes, flour these, and fry them a nice brown for about minutes. this is a very simple method of making sausage-meat, and on trial will prove very good, its great recommendation being, that it is so easily made. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ from september to march. to scald a sucking-pig. . put the pig into cold water directly it is killed; let it remain for a few minutes, then immerse it in a large pan of boiling water for minutes. take it out, lay it on a table, and pull off the hair as quickly as possible. when the skin looks clean, make a slit down the belly, take out the entrails, well clean the nostrils and ears, wash the pig in cold water, and wipe it thoroughly dry. take off the feet at the first joint, and loosen and leave sufficient skin to turn neatly over. if not to be dressed immediately, fold it in a wet cloth to keep it from the air. the learned pig.--that the pig is capable of education, is a fact long known to the world; and though, like the ass, naturally stubborn and obstinate, that he is equally amenable with other animals to caresses and kindness, has been shown from very remote time; the best modern evidence of his docility, however, is the instance of the learned pig, first exhibited about a century since, but which has been continued down to our own time by repeated instances of an animal who will put together all the letters or figures that compose the day, month, hour, and date of the exhibition, besides many other unquestioned evidences of memory. the instance already given of breaking a sow into a pointer, till she became more stanch even than the dog itself, though surprising, is far less wonderful than that evidence of education where so generally obtuse an animal may be taught not only to spell, but couple figures and give dates correctly. roast sucking-pig. . ingredients.--pig, oz. of bread crumbs, sage-leaves, pepper and salt to taste, a piece of butter the size of an egg, salad oil or butter to baste with, about / pint of gravy, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. [illustration: roast sucking-pig.] _mode_.--a sucking-pig, to be eaten in perfection, should not be more than three weeks old, and should be dressed the same day that it is killed. after preparing the pig for cooking, as in the preceding recipe, stuff it with finely-grated bread crumbs, minced sage, pepper, salt, and a piece of butter the size of an egg, all of which should be well mixed together, and put into the body of the pig. sew up the slit neatly, and truss the legs back, to allow the inside to be roasted, and the under part to be crisp. put the pig down to a bright clear fire, not too near, and let it lay till thoroughly dry; then have ready some butter tied up in a piece of thin cloth, and rub the pig with this in every part. keep it well rubbed with the butter the whole of the time it is roasting, and do not allow the crackling to become blistered or burnt. when half-done, hang a pig-iron before the middle part (if this is not obtainable, use a flat iron), to prevent its being scorched and dried up before the ends are done. before it is taken from the fire, cut off the head, and part that and the body down the middle. chop the brains and mix them with the stuffing; add / pint of good gravy, a tablespoonful of lemon-juice, and the gravy that flowed from the pig; put a little of this on the dish with the pig, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. place the pig back to back in the dish, with one half of the head on each side, and one of the ears at each end, and send it to table as hot as possible. instead of butter, many cooks take salad oil for basting, which makes the crackling crisp; and as this is one of the principal things to be considered, perhaps it is desirable to use it; but be particular that it is very pure, or it will impart an unpleasant flavour to the meat. the brains and stuffing may be stirred into a tureen of melted butter instead of gravy, when the latter is not liked. apple sauce and the old-fashioned currant sauce are not yet quite obsolete as an accompaniment to roast pig. _time_.-- - / to hours for a small pig. _average cost_, s. to s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. how roast pig was discovered.--charles lamb, who, in the early part of this century, delighted the reading public by his quaint prose sketches, written under the title of "essays of elia," has, in his own quiet humorous way, devoted one paper to the subject of _roast pig_, and more especially to that luxurious and toothsome dainty known as "crackling;" and shows, in a manner peculiarly his own, _how crackling first came into the world._ according to this erudite authority, man in the golden age, or at all events the primitive age, eat his pork and bacon raw, as, indeed, he did his beef and mutton; unless, as hudibras tells us, he was an epicure, when he used to make a saddle of his saddle of mutton, and after spreading it on his horse's back, and riding on it for a few hours till thoroughly warmed, he sat down to the luxury of a dish cooked to a turn. at the epoch of the story, however, a citizen of some scythian community had the misfortune to have his hut, or that portion of it containing his live stock of pigs, burnt down. in going over the _débris_ on the following day, and picking out all the available salvage, the proprietor touched something unusually or unexpectedly hot, which caused him to shake his hand with great energy, and clap the tips of his suffering fingers to his mouth. the act was simple and natural, but the result was wonderful. he rolled his eyes in ecstatic pleasure, his frame distended, and, conscious of a celestial odour, his nostrils widened, and, while drawing in deep inspirations of the ravishing perfume, he sucked his fingers with a gusto he had never, in his most hungry moments, conceived. clearing away the rubbish from beneath him, he at last brought to view the carcase of one of his pigs, _roasted to death_. stooping down to examine this curious object, and touching its body, a fragment of the burnt skin was detached, which, with a sort of superstitious dread, he at length, and in a spirit of philosophical inquiry, put into his mouth. ye gods! the felicity he then enjoyed, no pen can chronicle! then it was that he--the world--first tasted _crackling_. like a miser with his gold, the scythian hid his treasure from the prying eyes of the world, and feasted, in secret, more sumptuously than the gods. when he had eaten up all his pig, the poor man fell into a melancholy; he refused the most tempting steak, though cooked on the horse's back, and turned every half-hour after his own favourite recipe; he fell, in fact, from his appetite, and was reduced to a shadow, till, unable longer to endure the torments of memory he hourly suffered, he rose one night and secretly set fire to his hut, and once more was restored to flesh and manhood. finding it impossible to live in future without roast-pig, he set fire to his house every time his larder became empty; till at last his neighbours, scandalized by the frequency of these incendiary acts, brought his conduct before the supreme council of the nation. to avert the penalty that awaited him, he brought his judges to the smouldering ruins, and discovering the secret, invited them to eat; which having done, with tears of gratitude, the august synod embraced him, and, with an overflowing feeling of ecstasy, dedicated a statue to the memory of the man who first _instituted roast pork_. pork carving. sucking-pig. [illustration: sucking-pig.] . a sucking-pig seems, at first sight, rather an elaborate dish, or rather animal, to carve; but by carefully mastering the details of the business, every difficulty will vanish; and if a partial failure be at first made, yet all embarrassment will quickly disappear on a second trial. a sucking-pig is usually sent to table in the manner shown in the engraving (and also in coloured plate s), and the first point to be attended to is to separate the shoulder from the carcase, by carrying the knife quickly and neatly round the circular line, as shown by the figures , , ;--the shoulder will then easily come away. the next step is to take off the leg; and this is done in the same way, by cutting round this joint in the direction shown by the figures , , , in the same way as the shoulder. the ribs then stand fairly open to the knife, which should be carried down in the direction of the line to ; and two or three helpings will dispose of these. the other half of the pig is served, of course, in the same manner. different parts of the pig are variously esteemed; some preferring the flesh of the neck; others, the ribs; and others, again, the shoulders. the truth is, the whole of a sucking-pig is delicious, delicate eating; but, in carving it, the host should consult the various tastes and fancies of his guests, keeping the larger joints, generally, for the gentlemen of the party. ham. [illustration: ham.] . in cutting a ham, the carver must be guided according as he desires to practise economy, or have, at once, fine slices out of the prime part. under the first supposition, he will commence at the knuckle end, and cut off thin slices towards the thick part of the ham. to reach the choicer portion, the knife, which must be very sharp and thin, should be carried quite down to the bone, in the direction of the line to . the slices should be thin and even, and always cut down to the bone. there are some who like to carve a ham by cutting a hole at the top, and then slicing pieces off inside the hole, gradually enlarging the circle; but we think this a plan not to be recommended. a ham, when hot, is usually sent to table with a paper ruffle round the knuckle; when cold, it is served in the manner shown by coloured plate p. leg of pork. [illustration: leg of pork.] . this joint, which is such a favourite one with many people, is easy to carve. the knife should be carried sharply down to the bone, clean through the crackling, in the direction of the line to . sago and onion and apple sauce are usually sent to table with this dish,--sometimes the leg of pork is stuffed,--and the guests should be asked if they will have either or both. a frequent plan, and we think a good one, is now pursued, of sending sage and onion to table separately from the joint, as it is not everybody to whom the flavour of this stuffing is agreeable. _note_.--the other dishes of pork do not call for any special remarks as to their carving or helping. chapter xviii. general observations on the calf. . any remarks made on the calf or the lamb must naturally be in a measure supplementary to the more copious observations made on the parent stock of either. as the calf, at least as far as it is identified with veal, is destined to die young,--to be, indeed, cut off in its comparative infancy,--it may, at first sight, appear of little or no consequence to inquire to what particular variety, or breed of the general stock, his sire or dam may belong. the great art, however, in the modern science of husbandry has been to obtain an animal that shall not only have the utmost beauty of form of which the species is capable, but, at the same time, a constitution free from all taint, a frame that shall rapidly attain bulk and stature, and a disposition so kindly that every _quantum_ of food it takes shall, without drawback or procrastination, be eliminated into fat and muscle. the breed, then, is of very considerable consequence in determining, not only the quality of the meat to the consumer, but its commercial value to the breeder and butcher. . under the artificial system adopted in the rearing of domestic cattle, and stock in general, to gratify the arbitrary mandates of luxury and fashion, we can have veal, like lamb, at all seasons in the market, though the usual time in the metropolis for veal to make its appearance is about the beginning of february. . the cow goes with young for nine months, and the affection and solicitude she evinces for her offspring is more human in its tenderness mid intensity than is displayed by any other animal; and her distress when she hears its bleating, and is not allowed to reach it with her distended udders, is often painful to witness, and when the calf has died, or been accidentally killed, her grief frequently makes her refuse to give down her milk. at such times, the breeder has adopted the expedient of flaying the dead carcase, and, distending the skin with hay, lays the effigy before her, and then taking advantage of her solicitude, milks her while she is caressing the skin with her tongue. . in a state of nature, the cow, like the deer, hides her young in the tall ferns and brakes, and the most secret places; and only at stated times, twice or thrice a day, quits the herd, and, hastening to the secret cover, gives suck to her calf, and with the same, circumspection returns to the community. . in some countries, to please the epicurean taste of vitiated appetites, it is the custom to kill the calf for food almost immediately after birth, and any accident that forestalls that event, is considered to enhance its value. we are happy to say, however, that in this country, as far as england and scotland are concerned, the taste for very young veal has entirely gone out, and "staggering bob," as the poor little animal was called in the language of the shambles, is no longer to be met with in such a place. . the weaning of calves is a process that requires a great amount of care and judgment; for though they are in reality not weaned till between the eighth and the twelfth week, the process of rearing them by hand commences in fact from the birth, the calf never being allowed to suck its dam. as the rearing of calves for the market is a very important and lucrative business, the breeder generally arranges his stock so that ten or a dozen of his cows shall calve about the same time; and then, by setting aside one or two, to find food for the entire family, gets the remaining eight or ten with their full fountains of milk, to carry on the operations of his dairy. some people have an idea that skimmed milk, if given in sufficient quantity, is good enough for the weaning period of calf-feeding; but this is a very serious mistake, for the cream, of which it has been deprived, contained nearly all the oleaginous principles, and the azote or nitrogen, on which the vivifying properties of that fluid depends. indeed, so remarkably correct has this fact proved to be, that a calf reared on one part of new milk mixed with five of water, will thrive and look well; while another, treated with unlimited skimmed milk, will be poor, thin, and miserable. . it is sometimes a matter of considerable trouble to induce the blundering calf--whose instinct only teaches him to suck, and that he will do at anything and with anything--acquire the knowledge of imbibition, that for the first few days it is often necessary to fill a bottle with milk, and, opening his mouth, pour the contents down his throat. the manner, however, by which he is finally educated into the mystery of suction, is by putting his allowance of milk into a large wooden bowl; the nurse then puts her hand into the milk, and, by bending her fingers upwards, makes a rude teat for the calf to grasp in his lips, when the vacuum caused by his suction of the fingers, causes the milk to rise along them into his mouth. in this manner one by one the whole family are to be fed three times a day; care being taken, that new-born calves are not, at first, fed on milk from a cow who has some days calved. . as the calf progresses towards his tenth week, his diet requires to be increased in quantity and quality; for these objects, his milk can be thickened with flour or meal, and small pieces of softened oil-cake are to be slipped into his mouth after sucking, that they may dissolve there, till he grows familiar with, and to like the taste, when it may be softened and scraped down into his milk-and-water. after a time, sliced turnips softened by steam are to be given to him in tolerable quantities; then succulent grasses; and finally, hay may be added to the others. some farmers, desirous of rendering their calves fat for the butcher in as short a time as possible, forget both the natural weakness of the digestive powers, and the contracted volume of the stomach, and allow the animals either to suck _ad libitum_, or give them, if brought up at the pail or by hand, a larger quantity of milk than they can digest. the idea of overloading the stomach never suggests itself to their minds. they suppose that the more food the young creature consumes, the sooner it will be fat, and they allow it no exercise whatever, for fear it should denude its very bones of their flesh. under such circumstances, the stomach soon becomes deranged; its functions are no longer capable of acting; the milk, subjected to the acid of the stomach, coagulates, and forms a hardened mass of curd, when the muscles become affected with spasms, and death frequently ensues. . there was no species of slaughtering practised in this country so inhuman and disgraceful as that, till very lately, employed in killing this poor animal; when, under the plea of making the flesh _white_, the calf was bled day by day, till, when the final hour came, the animal was unable to stand. this inhumanity is, we believe, now everywhere abolished, and the calf is at once killed, and with the least amount of pain; a sharp-pointed knife is run through the neck, severing all the large veins and arteries up to the vertebrae. the skin is then taken off to the knee, which is disjointed, and to the head, which is removed; it is then reflected backwards, and the carcase having been opened and dressed, is kept apart by stretchers, and the thin membrane, the caul, extended over the organs left in the carcase, as the kidneys and sweet-bread; some melted fat is then scattered suddenly over the whole interior, giving that white and frosted appearance to the meat, that is thought to add to its beauty; the whole is then hung up to cool and harden. . the manner of cutting up veal for the english market is to divide the carcase into four quarters, with eleven ribs to each fore quarter; which are again subdivided into joints as exemplified on the cut. [illustration: side of a calf, showing the several joints.] _hind quarter_:-- . the loin. . the chump, consisting of the rump and hock-bone. . the fillet. . the hock, or hind knuckle. _fore quarter_:-- . the shoulder. . the neck. . the breast. . the fore knuckle. . the several parts of a moderately-sized well-fed calf, about eight weeks old, are nearly of the following weights:--loin and chump lbs., fillet - / lbs., hind knuckle - / lbs., shoulder lbs, neck lbs., breast lbs., and fore knuckle lbs.; making a total of lbs. weight. the london mode of cutting the carcase is considered better than that pursued in edinburgh, as giving three roasting joints, and one boiling, in each quarter; besides the pieces being more equally divided, as regards flesh, and from the handsomer appearance they make on the table. recipes. chapter xix. baked veal (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- / lb. of cold roast veal, a few slices of bacon, pint of bread crumbs, / pint of good veal gravy, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, blade of pounded mace, cayenne and salt to taste, eggs. _mode_.--mince finely the veal and bacon; add the bread crumbs, gravy, and seasoning, and stir these ingredients well together. beat up the eggs thoroughly; add these, mix the whole well together, put into a dish, and bake from / to hour. when liked, a little good gravy may be served in a tureen as an accompaniment. _time_.--from / to hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. roast breast of veal. [illustration: breast of veal.] . ingredients.--veal; a little flour. _mode_.--wash the veal, well wipe it, and dredge it with flour; put it down to a bright fire, not too near, as it should not be scorched. baste it plentifully until done; dish it, pour over the meat some good melted butter, and send to table with it a piece of boiled bacon and a cut lemon. _time_.--from - / to hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. stewed breast of veal and peas. . ingredients.--breast of veal, oz. of butter, a bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley; blades of pounded mace, cloves, or young onions, strip of lemon-peel, allspice, / teaspoonful of pepper, teaspoonful of salt, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonfuls of sherry, tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, green peas. _mode_.--cut the breast in half, after removing the bone underneath, and divide the meat into convenient-sized pieces. put the butter into a frying-pan, lay in the pieces of veal, and fry until of a nice brown colour. now place these in a stewpan with the herbs, mace, cloves, onions, lemon-peel, allspice, and seasoning; pour over them just sufficient boiling water to cover the meat; well close the lid, and let the whole simmer very gently for about hours. strain off as much gravy as is required, thicken it with butter and flour, add the remaining ingredients, skim well, let it simmer for about minutes, then pour it over the meat. have ready some green peas, boiled separately; sprinkle these over the veal, and serve. it may be garnished with forcemeat balls, or rashers of bacon curled and fried. instead of cutting up the meat, many persons prefer it dressed whole;--in that case it should be half-roasted before the water, &c. are put to it. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. breeding of calves.--the forwarding of calves to maturity, whether intended to be reared for stock, or brought to an early market as veal, is always a subject of great importance, and requires a considerable amount of intelligence in the selection of the best course, to adopt for either end. when meant to be reared as stock, the breeding should be so arranged that the cow shall calve about the middle of may. as our subject, however, has more immediate reference to the calf as _meat_ than as _stock_, we shall confine our remarks to the mode of procedure adopted in the former case; and here, the first process adopted is that of weaning; which consists in separating the calf _entirely_ from the cow, but, at the same time, rearing it on the mother's milk. as the business of the dairy would be suspended if every cow were allowed to rear its young, and butter, cheese, and cream become _desiderata_,--things to be desired, but not possessed, a system of economical husbandry becomes necessary, so as to retain our dairy produce, and yet, for some weeks at least, nourish the calf on its mother's milk, but without allowing the animal to draw that supply for itself: this, with the proper substituted food on which to rear the young animal, is called weaning. veal cake (a convenient dish for a picnic). . ingredients.--a few slices of cold roast veal, a few slices of cold ham, hard-boiled eggs, tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, a little pepper, good gravy. _mode_.--cut off all the brown outside from the veal, and cut the eggs into slices. procure a pretty mould; lay veal, ham, eggs, and parsley in layers, with a little pepper between each, and when the mould is full, get some _strong_ stock, and fill up the shape. bake for / hour, and when cold, turn it out. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. boiled calf's feet and parsley and butter. . ingredients.-- calf's feet, slices of bacon, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, salt and whole pepper to taste, onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, cloves, blade of mace, water, parsley and butter no. . _mode_.--procure white calf's feet; bone them as far as the first joint, and put them into warm water to soak for hours. then put the bacon, butter, lemon-juice, onion, herbs, spices, and seasoning into a stewpan; lay in the feet, and pour in just sufficient water to cover the whole. stew gently for about hours; take out the feet, dish them, and cover with parsley and butter, made by recipe no. . the liquor they were boiled in should be strained and put by in a clean basin for use: it will be found very good as an addition to gravies, &c. &c. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, in full season, d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. when a calf should be killed.--the age at which a calf ought to be killed should not be under four weeks: before that time the flesh is certainly not wholesome, wanting firmness, due development of muscular fibre, and those animal juices on which the flavour and nutritive properties of the flesh depend, whatever the unhealthy palate of epicures may deem to the contrary. in france, a law exists to prevent the slaughtering of calves under _six weeks_ of age. the calf is considered in prime condition at ten weeks, when he will weigh from sixteen to eighteen stone, and sometimes even twenty. fricasseed calf's feet. . ingredients.--a set of calf's feet; for the batter allow for each egg tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonful of bread crumbs, hot lard or clarified dripping, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--if the feet are purchased uncleaned, dip them into warm water repeatedly, and scrape off the hair, first one foot and then the other, until the skin looks perfectly clean, a saucepan of water being kept by the fire until they are finished. after washing and soaking in cold water, boil them in just sufficient water to cover them, until the bones come easily away. then pick them out, and after straining the liquor into a clean vessel, put the meat into a pie-dish until the next day. now cut it down in slices about / inch thick, lay on them a stiff batter made of egg, flour, and bread crumbs in the above proportion; season with pepper and salt, and plunge them into a pan of boiling lard. fry the slices a nice brown, dry them before the fire for a minute or two, dish them on a napkin, and garnish with tufts of parsley. this should be eaten with melted butter, mustard, and vinegar. be careful to have the lard boiling to set the batter, or the pieces of feet will run about the pan. the liquor they were boiled in should be saved, and will be found useful for enriching gravies, making jellies, &e. &e. _time_.--about hours to stew the feet, or minutes to fry them. _average cost_, in full season, d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--this dish can be highly recommended to delicate persons. colour of veal.--as whiteness of flesh is considered a great advantage in veal, butchers, in the selection of their calves, are in the habit of examining the inside of its mouth, and noting the colour of the calf's eyes; alleging that, from the signs they there see, they can prognosticate whether the veal will be white or florid. collared calf's head. . ingredients.--a calf's head, tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, blades of pounded mace, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, white pepper to taste, a few thick slices of ham, the yolks of eggs boiled hard. _mode_.--scald the head for a few minutes; take it out of the water, and with a blunt knife scrape off all the hair. clean it nicely, divide the head and remove the brains. boil it tender enough to take out the bones, which will be in about hours. when the head is boned, flatten it on the table, sprinkle over it a thick layer of parsley, then a layer of ham, and then the yolks of the eggs cut into thin rings and put a seasoning of pounded mace, nutmeg, and white pepper between each layer; roll the head up in a cloth, and tie it up as tightly as possible. boil it for hours, and when it is taken out of the pot, place a heavy weight on the top, the same as for other collars. let it remain till cold; then remove the cloth and binding, and it will be ready to serve. _time_.--altogether hours. _average cost_, s. to s. each. _seasonable_ from march to october. feeding a calf.--the amount of milk necessary for a calf for some time, will be about four quarts a day, though, after the first fortnight, that quantity should be gradually increased, according to its development of body, when, if fed exclusively on milk, as much as three gallons a day will be requisite for the due health and requirements of the animal. if the weather is fine and genial, it should be turned into an orchard or small paddock for a few hours each day, to give it an opportunity to acquire a relish for the fresh pasture, which, by the tenth or twelfth week, it will begin to nibble and enjoy. after a certain time, the quantity of milk may be diminished, and its place supplied by water thickened with meal. hay-tea and linseed-jelly are also highly nutritious substances, and may be used either as adjuncts or substitutes. fricasseed calf's head (an entree). . ingredients.--the remains of a boiled calf's head, - / pint of the liquor in which the head was boiled, blade of pounded mace, onion minced, a bunch of savoury herbs, salt and white pepper to taste, thickening of butter and flour, the yolks of eggs, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, forcemeat balls. _mode_.--remove all the bones from the head, and cut the meat into nice square pieces. put - / pint of the liquor it was boiled in into a saucepan, with mace, onion, herbs, and seasoning in the above proportion; let this simmer gently for / hour, then strain it and put in the meat. when quite hot through, thicken the gravy with a little butter rolled in flour, and, just before dishing the fricassee, put in the beaten yolks of eggs and lemon-juice; but be particular, after these two latter ingredients are added, that the sauce does not boil, or it will curdle. garnish with forcemeat balls and curled slices of broiled bacon. to insure the sauce being smooth, it is a good plan to dish the meat first, and then to add the eggs to the gravy: when these are set, the sauce may be poured over the meat. _time_.--altogether, - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. calf's head a la maitre d'hotel. . ingredients.--the remains of a cold calf's head, rather more than / pint of maitre d'hôtel sauce no. . _mode_.--make the sauce by recipe no. , and have it sufficiently thick that it may nicely cover the meat; remove the bones from the head, and cut the meat into neat slices. when the sauce is ready, lay in the meat; let it _gradually_ warm through, and, after it boils up, let it simmer very gently for minutes, and serve. _time_.--rather more than - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, s. d. _seasonable_ from march to october. the calf in america.--in america, the calf is left with the mother for three or four days, when it is removed, and at once fed on barley and oats ground together and made into a gruel, quart of the meal being boiled for half an hour in quarts of water. one quart of this certainly nutritious gruel, is to be given, lukewarm, morning and evening. in ten days, a bundle of soft hay is put beside the calf, which he soon begins to eat, and, at the same time, some of the dry meal is placed in his manger for him to lick. this process, gradually increasing the quantity of gruel twice a day, is continued for two months, till the calf is fit to go to grass, and, as it is said, with the best possible success. but, in this country, the mode pointed out in no. has received the sanction of the best experience. curried veal (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast veal, onions, apples sliced, tablespoonful of curry-powder, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of broth or water, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--slice the onions and apples, and fry them in a little butter; then take them out, cut the meat into neat cutlets, and fry these of a pale brown; add the curry-powder and flour, put in the onion, apples, and a little broth or water, and stew gently till quite tender; add the lemon-juice, and serve with an edging of boiled rice. the curry may be ornamented with pickles, capsicums, and gherkins arranged prettily on the top. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ from march to october. veal cutlets (an entree). . ingredients.--about lbs. of the prime part of the leg of veal, egg and bread crumbs, tablespoonfuls of minced savoury herbs, salt and popper to taste, a small piece of butter. [illustration: veal cutlets.] _mode_.--have the veal cut into slices about / of an inch in thickness, and, if not cut perfectly even, level the meat with a cutlet-bat or rolling-pin. shape and trim the cutlets, and brush them over with egg. sprinkle with bread crumbs, with which have been mixed minced herbs and a seasoning of pepper and salt, and press the crumbs down. fry them of a delicate brown in fresh lard or butter, and be careful not to burn them. they should be very thoroughly done, but not dry. if the cutlets be thick, keep the pan covered for a few minutes at a good distance from the fire, after they have acquired a good colour: by this means, the meat will be done through. lay the cutlets in a dish, keep them hot, and make a gravy in the pan as follows: dredge in a little flour, add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, brown it, then pour as much boiling water as is required over it, season with pepper and salt, add a little lemon-juice, give one boil, and pour it over the cutlets. they should be garnished with slices of broiled bacon, and a few forcemeat balls will be found a very excellent addition to this dish. _time_.--for cutlets of a moderate thickness, about minutes; if very thick, allow more time. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--veal cutlets may be merely floured and fried of a nice brown; the gravy and garnishing should be the same as in the preceding recipe. they may also be cut from the loin or neck, as shown in the engraving. broiled veal cutlets a l'italienne (an entree). . ingredients.--neck of veal, salt and pepper to taste, the yolk of egg, bread crumbs, / pint of italian sauce no. . _mode_.--cut the veal into cutlets, flatten and trim them nicely; powder over them a little salt and pepper; brush them over with the yolk of an egg, dip them into bread crumbs, then into clarified butter, and, afterwards, in the bread crumbs again; broil or fry them over a clear fire, that they may acquire a good brown colour. arrange them in the dish alternately with rashers of broiled ham, and pour the sauce, made by recipe no. , in the middle. _time_.-- to minutes, according to the thickness of the cutlets. _average cost_, d. per lb. _seasonable_ from march to october. the calf's-head club.--when the restoration of charles ii. took the strait waistcoat off the minds and morose religion of the commonwealth period, and gave a loose rein to the long-compressed spirits of the people, there still remained a large section of society wedded to the former state of things. the elders of this party retired from public sight, where, unoffended by the reigning saturnalia, they might dream in seclusion over their departed utopia. the young bloods of this school, however, who were compelled to mingle in the world, yet detesting the politics which had become the fashion, adopted a novel expedient to keep alive their republican sentiments, and mark their contempt of the reigning family. they accordingly met, in considerable numbers, at some convenient inn, on the th of january in each year,--the anniversary of charles's death, and dined together off a feast prepared from _calves' heads_, dressed in every possible variety of way, and with an abundance of wine drank toasts of defiance and hatred to the house of stuart, and glory to the memory of old holl cromwell; and having lighted a large bonfire in the yard, the club of fast young puritans, with their white handkerchiefs stained _red_ in wine, and one of the party in a mask, bearing an axe, followed by the chairman, carrying a _calf's head_ pinned up in a napkin, marched in mock procession to the bonfire, into which, with great shouts and uproar, they flung the enveloped head. this odd custom was continued for some time, and even down to the early part of this century it was customary for men of republican politics always to dine off calf's head on the th of january. veal cutlets a la maintenon (an entree). . ingredients.-- or lbs. of veal cutlets, egg and bread crumbs, tablespoonfuls of minced savoury herbs, salt and pepper to taste, a little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--cut the cutlets about / inch in thickness, flatten them, and brush them over with the yolk of an egg; dip them into bread crumbs and minced herbs, season with pepper and salt and grated nutmeg, and fold each cutlet in a piece of buttered paper. broil them, and send them to table with melted butter or a good gravy. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. veal a la bourgeoise. (_excellent_.) . ingredients.-- to lbs. of the loin or neck of veal, or young carrots, a bunch of green onions, slices of lean bacon, blades of pounded mace, bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, a few new potatoes, pint of green peas. _mode_.--cut the veal into cutlets, trim them, and put the trimmings into a stewpan with a little butter; lay in the cutlets and fry them a nice brown colour on both sides. add the bacon, carrots, onions, spice, herbs, and seasoning; pour in about a pint of boiling water, and stew gently for hours on a very slow fire. when done, skim off the fat, take out the herbs, and flavour the gravy with a little tomato sauce and ketchup. have ready the peas and potatoes, boiled _separately_; put them with the veal, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from june to august with peas;--rather earlier when these are omitted. scotch collops (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast veal, a little butter, flour, / pint of water, onion, blade of pounded mace, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, tablespoonfuls of sherry, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut the veal the same thickness as for cutlets, rather larger than a crown-piece; flour the meat well, and fry a light brown in butter; dredge again with flour, and add / pint of water, pouring it in by degrees; set it on the fire, and when it boils, add the onion and mace, and let it simmer very gently about / hour; flavour the gravy with lemon-juice, peel, wine, and ketchup, in the above proportion; give one boil, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _seasonable_ from march to october. scotch collops, white (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast veal, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, blades of pounded mace, cayenne and salt to taste, a little butter, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of water, teaspoonful of anchovy sauce, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, teaspoonful of lemon-peel, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonfuls of cream, tablespoonful of sherry. _mode_.--cut the veal into thin slices about inches in width; hack them with a knife, and grate on them the nutmeg, mace, cayenne, and salt, and fry them in a little butter. dish them, and make a gravy in the pan by putting in the remaining ingredients. give one boil, and pour it over the collops; garnish with lemon and slices of toasted bacon, rolled. forcemeat balls may be added to this dish. if cream is not at hand, substitute the yolk of an egg beaten up well with a little milk. _time_.--about or minutes. _seasonable_ from may to october. cooking collops.--dean ramsay, who tells us, in his "reminiscences of scottish life and character," a number of famous stories of the strong-headed, warm-hearted, and plain-spoken old dames of the north, gives, amongst them, the following:--a strong-minded lady of this class was inquiring the character of a cook she was about to hire. the lady who was giving the character entered a little upon the cook's moral qualifications, and described her as a very decent woman; to which the astounding reply--this was years ago, and a dean tells the story--"oh, d--n her decency; can she make good collops?" roast fillet of veal. . ingredients.--veal, forcemeat no. , melted butter. _mode_.--have the fillet cut according to the size required; take out the bone, and after raising the skin from the meat, put under the flap a nice forcemeat, made by recipe no. . prepare sufficient of this, as there should be some left to eat cold, and to season and flavour a mince if required. skewer and bind the veal up in a round form; dredge well with flour, put it down at some distance from the fire at first, and baste continually. about / hour before serving, draw it nearer the fire, that it may acquire more colour, as the outside should be of a rich brown, but not burnt. dish it, remove the skewers, which replace by a silver one; pour over the joint some good melted butter, and serve with either boiled ham, bacon, or pickled pork. never omit to send a cut lemon to table with roast veal. [illustration: fillet of veal.] _time_.--a fillet of veal weighing lbs., about hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. stewed fillet of veal. . ingredients.--a small fillet of veal, forcemeat no. , thickening of butter and flour, a few mushrooms, white pepper to taste, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, blades of pounded mace, / glass of sherry. _mode_.--if the whole of the leg is purchased, take off the knuckle to stew, and also the square end, which will serve for cutlets or pies. remove the bone, and fill the space with a forcemeat no. . roll and skewer it up firmly; place a few skewers at the bottom of a stewpan to prevent the meat from sticking, and cover the veal with a little weak stock. let it simmer very _gently_ until tender, as the more slowly veal is stewed, the better. strain and thicken the sauce, flavour it with lemon-juice, mace, sherry, and white pepper; give one boil, and pour it over the meat. the skewers should be removed, and replaced by a silver one, and the dish garnished with slices of cut lemon. _time_.--a. fillet of veal weighing lbs., hours' very gentle stewing. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. the golden calf.--we are told in the book of genesis, that aaron, in the lengthened absence of moses, was constrained by the impatient people to make them an image to worship; and that aaron, instead of using his delegated power to curb this sinful expression of the tribes, and appease the discontented jews, at once complied with their demand, and, telling them to bring to him their rings and trinkets, fashioned out of their willing contributions a calf of gold, before which the multitude fell down and worshipped. whether this image was a solid figure of gold, or a wooden effigy merely, coated with metal, is uncertain. to suppose the former,--knowing the size of the image made from such trifling articles as rings, we must presuppose the israelites to have spoiled the egyptians most unmercifully: the figure, however, is of more consequence than the weight or size of the idol. that the israelite brought away more from goshen than the plunder of the egyptians, and that they were deeply imbued with egyptian superstition, the golden calf is only one, out of many instances of proof; for a gilded ox, covered with a pall, was in that country an emblem of osiris, one of the gods of the egyptian trinity. besides having a sacred cow, and many varieties of the holy bull, this priest-ridden people worshipped the ox as a symbol of the sun, and offered to it divine honours, as the emblem of frugality, industry, and husbandry. it is therefore probable that, in borrowing so familiar a type, the israelites, in their calf-worship, meant, under a well-understood cherubic symbol, to acknowledge the full force of those virtues, under an emblem of divine power and goodness. the prophet hosea is full of denunciations against calf-worship in israel, and alludes to the custom of kissing these idols, hosea, viii, - . fricandeau of veal (an entree). . ingredients.--a piece of the fat side of a leg of veal (about lbs.), lardoons, carrots, large onions, a faggot of savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, whole allspice, bay-leaves, pepper to taste, a few slices of fat bacon, pint of stock no. . [illustration: fricandeau of veal.] _mode_.--the veal for a fricandeau should be of the best quality, or it will not be good. it may be known by the meat being white and not thready. take off the skin, flatten the veal on the table, then at one stroke of the knife, cut off as much as is required, for a fricandeau with an uneven surface never looks well. trim it, and with a sharp knife make two or three slits in the middle, that it may taste more of the seasoning. now lard it thickly with fat bacon, as lean gives a red colour to the fricandeau. slice the vegetables, and put these, with the herbs and spices, in the _middle_ of a stewpan, with a few slices of bacon at the top: these should form a sort of mound in the centre for the veal to rest upon. lay the fricandeau over the bacon, sprinkle over it a little salt, and pour in just sufficient stock to cover the bacon, &c., without touching the veal. let it gradually come to a boil; then put it over a slow and equal fire, and let it _simmer very_ gently for about - / hours, or longer should it be very large. baste it frequently with the liquor, and a short time before serving, put it into a brisk oven, to make the bacon firm, which otherwise would break when it was glazed. dish the fricandeau, keep it hot, skim off the fat from the liquor, and reduce it quickly to a glaze, with which glaze the fricandeau, and serve with a purée of whatever vegetable happens to be in season--spinach, sorrel, asparagus, cucumbers, peas, &c. _time_.-- - / hours. if very large, allow more time. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_ from march to october. fricandeau of veal (_more economical_.) . ingredients.--the best end of a neck of veal (about - / lbs.), lardoons, carrots, onions, a faggot of savoury herbs, blades of mace, bay-leaves, a little whole white pepper, a few slices of fat bacon. _mode_.--cut away the lean part of the best end of a neck of veal with a sharp knife, scooping it from the bones. put the bones in with a little water, which will serve to moisten the fricandeau: they should stew about - / hour. lard the veal, proceed in the same way as in the preceding recipe, and be careful that the gravy does not touch the fricandeau. stew very gently for hours; glaze, and serve it on sorrel, spinach, or with a little gravy in the dish. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--when the prime part of the leg is cut off, it spoils the whole; consequently, to use this for a fricandeau is rather extravagant. the best end of the neck answers the purpose nearly or quite as well. boiled calf's head (with the skin on). . ingredients.--calf's head, boiling water, bread crumbs, large bunch of parsley, butter, white pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of melted butter, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, or grains of cayenne. _mode_.--put the head into boiling water, and let it remain by the side of the fire for or minutes; take it out, hold it by the ear, and with the back of a knife, scrape off the hair (should it not come off easily, dip the head again into boiling water). when perfectly clean, take the eyes out, cut off the ears, and remove the brain, which soak for an hour in warm water. put the head into hot water to soak for a few minutes, to make it look white, and then have ready a stewpan, into which lay the head; cover it with cold water, and bring it gradually to boil. remove the scum, and add a little salt, which assists to throw it up. simmer it very gently from - / to hours, and when nearly done, boil the brains for / hour; skin and chop them, not too finely, and add a tablespoonful of minced parsley which has been previously scalded. season with pepper and salt, and stir the brains, parsley, &c., into about tablespoonfuls of melted butter; add the lemon-juice and cayenne, and keep these hot by the side of the fire. take up the head, cut out the tongue, skin it, put it on a small dish with the brains round it; sprinkle over the head a few bread crumbs mixed with a little minced parsley; brown these before the fire, and serve with a tureen of parsley and butter, and either boiled bacon, ham, or pickled pork as an accompaniment. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, according to the season, from s. to s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. boiled calf's head (without the skin). . ingredients.--calf's head, water, a little salt, tablespoonfuls of melted butter, tablespoonful of minced parsley, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. [illustration: calf's head.] [illustration: half a calf's head.] _mode_.--after the head has been thoroughly cleaned, and the brains removed, soak it in warm water to blanch it. lay the brains also into warm water to soak, and let them remain for about an hour. put the head into a stewpan, with sufficient cold water to cover it, and when it boils, add a little salt; take off every particle of scum as it rises, and boil the head until perfectly tender. boil the brains, chop them, and mix with them melted butter, minced parsley, pepper, salt, and lemon-juice in the above proportion. take up the head, skin the tongue, and put it on a small dish with the brains round it. have ready some parsley and butter, smother the head with it, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. bacon, ham, pickled pork, or a pig's cheek, are indispensable with calf's head. the brains are sometimes chopped with hard-boiled eggs, and mixed with a little béchamel or white sauce. _time_.--from - / to - / hours. _average cost_, according to the season, from s. to s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--the liquor in which the head was boiled should be saved: it makes excellent soup, and will be found a nice addition to gravies, &c. half a calf's head is as frequently served as a whole one, it being a more convenient-sized joint for a small family. it is cooked in the same manner, and served with the same sauces, as in the preceding recipe. hashed calf's head (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of a cold boiled calf's head, quart of the liquor in which it was boiled, a faggot of savoury herbs, onion, carrot, a strip of lemon-peel, blades of pounded mace, salt and white pepper to taste, a very little cayenne, rather more than tablespoonfuls of sherry, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, forcemeat balls. _mode_.--cut the meat into neat slices, and put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan with the above proportion of liquor that the head was boiled in. add a bunch of savoury herbs, onion, carrot, a strip of lemon-peel, and blades of pounded mace, and let these boil for hour, or until the gravy is reduced nearly half. strain it into a clean stewpan, thicken it with a little butter and flour, and add a flavouring of sherry, lemon-juice, and ketchup, in the above proportion; season with pepper, salt, and a little cayenne; put in the meat, let it _gradually_ warm through, but not boil more than _two_ or _three_ minutes. garnish the dish with forcemeat balls and pieces of bacon rolled and toasted, placed alternately, and send it to table very hot. _time_.--altogether - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the remains of the head, d. _seasonable_ from march to october. veal collops (an entree). . ingredients.--about lbs. of the prime part of the leg of veal, a few slices of bacon, forcemeat no. , cayenne to taste, egg and bread crumbs, gravy. _mode_.--cut the veal into long thin collops, flatten them, and lay on each a piece of thin bacon of the same size; have ready some forcemeat, made by recipe no. , which spread over the bacon, sprinkle over all a little cayenne, roll them up tightly, and do not let them be more than inches long. skewer each one firmly, egg and bread crumb them, and fry them a nice brown in a little butter, turning them occasionally, and shaking the pan about. when done, place them on a dish before the fire; put a small piece of butter in the pan, dredge in a little flour, add / pint of water, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, a seasoning of salt, pepper, and pounded mace; let the whole boil up, and pour it over the collops. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. calf's liver aux fines herbes & sauce piquante. . ingredients.--a calf's liver, flour, a bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley; when liked, minced shalots; teaspoonful of flour, tablespoonful of vinegar, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, pepper and salt to taste, / pint water. _mode_.--procure a calf's liver as white as possible, and cut it into slices of a good and equal shape. dip them in flour, and fry them of a good colour in a little butter. when they are done, put them on a dish, which keep hot before the fire. mince the herbs very fine, put them in the frying-pan with a little more butter; add the remaining ingredients, simmer gently until the herbs are done, and pour over the liver. _time_.--according to the thickness of the slices, from to minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. calf's liver and bacon. . ingredients.-- or lbs. of liver, bacon, pepper and salt to taste, a small piece of butter, flour, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, / pint of water. _mode_.--cut the liver in thin slices, and cut as many slices of bacon as there are of liver; fry the bacon first, and put that on a hot dish before the fire. fry the liver in the fat which comes from the bacon, after seasoning it with pepper and salt and dredging over it a very little flour. turn the liver occasionally to prevent its burning, and when done, lay it round the dish with a piece of bacon between each. pour away the bacon fat, put in a small piece of butter, dredge in a little flour, add the lemon-juice and water, give one boil, and pour it in the _middle_ of the dish. it may be garnished with slices of cut lemon, or forcemeat balls. _time_.--according to the thickness of the slices, from to minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. calf's liver larded and roasted (an entree). . ingredients.--a calf's liver, vinegar, onion, or sprigs of parsley and thyme, salt and pepper to taste, bay-leaf, lardoons, brown gravy. _mode_.--take a fine white liver, and lard it the same as a fricandeau; put it into vinegar with an onion cut in slices, parsley, thyme, bay-leaf, and seasoning in the above proportion. let it remain in this pickle for hours, then roast and baste it frequently with the vinegar, &c.; glaze it, serve under it a good brown gravy, or sauce piquante, and send it to table very hot. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--calf's liver stuffed with forcemeat no. , to which has been added a little fat bacon, will be found a very savoury dish. it should be larded or wrapped in buttered paper, and roasted before a clear fire. brown gravy and currant jelly should be served with it. fillet of veal au bechamel (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a small fillet of veal, pint of béchamel sauce no. , a few bread crumbs, clarified butter. _mode_.--a fillet of real that has been roasted the preceding day will answer very well for this dish. cut the middle out rather deep, leaving a good margin round, from which to cut nice slices, and if there should be any cracks in the veal, fill them up with forcemeat. mince finely the meat that was taken out, mixing with it a little of the forcemeat to flavour, and stir to it sufficient béchamel to make it of a proper consistency. warm the veal in the oven for about an hour, taking care to baste it well, that it may not be dry; put the mince in the place where the meat was taken out, sprinkle a few bread crumbs over it, and drop a little clarified butter on the bread crumbs; put it into the oven for / hour to brown, and pour béchamel round the sides of the dish. _time_.--altogether - / hour. _seasonable_ from march to october. to ragout a knuckle of veal. . ingredients.--knuckle of veal, pepper and salt to taste, flour, onion, head of celery, or a little celery-seed, a faggot of savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, thickening of butter and flour, a few young carrots, tablespoonful of ketchup, tablespoonful of tomato sauce, tablespoonfuls of sherry, the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--cut the meat from a knuckle of veal into neat slices, season with pepper and salt, and dredge them with flour. fry them in a little butter of a pale brown, and put them into a stewpan with the bone (which should be chopped in several places); add the celery, herbs, mace, and carrots; pour over all about pint of hot water, and let it simmer very gently for hours, over a slow but clear fire. take out the slices of meat and carrots, strain and thicken the gravy with a little butter rolled in flour; add the remaining ingredients, give one boil, put back the meat and carrots, let these get hot through, and serve. when in season, a few green peas, _boiled separately_, and added to this dish at the moment of serving, would be found a very agreeable addition. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. to d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. stewed knuckle of veal and rice. . ingredients.--knuckle of veal, onion, blades of mace, teaspoonful of salt, / lb. of rice. [illustration: knuckle of veal.] _mode_.--have the knuckle cut small, or cut some cutlets from it, that it may be just large enough to be eaten the same day it is dressed, as cold boiled veal is not a particularly tempting dish. break the shank-bone, wash it clean, and put the meat into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover it. let it gradually come to a boil, put in the salt, and remove the scum as fast as it rises. when it has simmered gently for about / hour, add the remaining ingredients, and stew the whole gently for - / hours. put the meat into a deep dish, pour over it the rice, &c., and send boiled bacon, and a tureen of parsley and butter to table with it. _time_.--a knuckle of veal weighing lbs., hours' gentle stewing. _average cost_, d. to d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--macaroni, instead of rice, boiled with the veal, will be found good; or the rice and macaroni may be omitted, and the veal sent to table smothered in parsley and butter. roast loin of veal. [illustration: loin of veal.] . ingredients.--veal; melted butter. _mode_.--paper the kidney fat; roll in and skewer the flap, which makes the joint a good shape; dredge it well with flour, and put it down to a bright fire. should the loin be very large, skewer the kidney back for a time to roast thoroughly. keep it well basted, and a short time before serving, remove the paper from the kidney, and allow it to acquire a nice brown colour, but it should not be burnt. have ready some melted butter, put it into the dripping-pan after it is emptied of its contents, pour it over the veal, and serve. garnish the dish with slices of lemon and forcemeat balls, and send to table with it, boiled bacon, ham, pickled pork, or pig's cheek. _time_.--a large loin, hours. _average cost_, - / d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--a piece of toast should be placed under the kidney when the veal is dished. loin of veal au bechamel (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--loin of veal, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, rather more than / pint of béchamel or white sauce. _mode_.--a loin of veal which has come from table with very little taken off, answers very well for this dish. cut off the meat from the inside, mince it, and mix with it some minced lemon-peel; put it into sufficient béchamel to warm through. in the mean time, wrap the joint in buttered paper, and place it in the oven to warm. when thoroughly hot, dish the mince, place the loin above it, and pour over the remainder of the béchamel. _time_.-- - / hour to warm the meat in the oven. _seasonable_ from march to october. loin of veal, a la daube. . ingredients.--the chump end of a loin of veal, forcemeat no. , a few slices of bacon, a bunch of savoury herbs, blades of mace, / teaspoonful of whole white pepper, pint of veal stock or water, or green onions. _mode_.--cut off the chump from a loin of veal, and take out the bone; fill the cavity with forcemeat no. , tie it up tightly, and lay it in a stewpan with the bones and trimmings, and cover the veal with a few slices of bacon. add the herbs, mace, pepper, and onions, and stock or water; cover the pan with a closely-fitting lid, and simmer for hours, shaking the stewpan occasionally. take out the bacon, herbs, and onions; reduce the gravy, if not already thick enough, to a glaze, with which glaze the meat, and serve with tomato, mushroom, or sorrel sauce. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. minced veal, with béchamel sauce (cold meat cookery). (_very good_.) . ingredients.--the remains of a fillet of veal, pint of béchamel sauce no. , / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, forcemeat balls. _mode_.--cut--but do not _chop_--a few slices of cold roast veal as finely as possible, sufficient to make rather more than lb., weighed after being minced. make the above proportion of béchamel, by recipe no. ; add the lemon-peel, put in the veal, and let the whole gradually warm through. when it is at the point of simmering, dish it, and garnish with forcemeat balls and fried sippets of bread. _time_.--to simmer minute. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. minced veal. (_more economical_.) . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fillet or loin of veal, rather more than pint of water, onion, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, salt and white pepper to taste, blade of pounded mace, or young carrots, a faggot of sweet herbs, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonfuls of cream or milk. _mode_.--take about lb. of veal, and should there be any bones, dredge them with flour, and put them into a stewpan with the brown outside, and a few meat trimmings; add rather more than a pint of water, the onion cut in slices, lemon-peel, seasoning, mace, carrots, and herbs; simmer these well for rather more than hour, and strain the liquor. rub a little flour into some butter; add this to the gravy, set it on the fire, and, when it boils, skim well. mince the veal finely by _cutting_, and not chopping it; put it in the gravy; let it get warmed through gradually; add the lemon-juice and cream, and, when it is on the point of boiling, serve. garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread and slices of bacon rolled and toasted. forcemeat balls may also be added. if more lemon-peel is liked than is stated above, put a little very finely minced to the veal, after it is warmed in the gravy. _time_.-- hour to make the gravy. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ from march to october. the calf a symbol of divine power.--a singular symbolical ceremony existed among the hebrews, in which the calf performed a most important part. the calf being a type or symbol of divine power, or what was called the _elohim_,--the almighty intelligence that brought them out of egypt,--was looked upon much in the same light by the jews, as the cross subsequently was by the christians, a mystical emblem of the divine passion and goodness. consequently, an oath taken on either the calf or the cross was considered equally solemn and sacred by jew or nazarene, and the breaking of it a soul-staining perjury on themselves, and an insult and profanation directly offered to the almighty. to render the oath more impressive and solemn, it was customary to slaughter a dedicated calf in the temple, when, the priests having divided the carcase into a certain number of parts, and with intervening spaces, arranged the severed limbs on the marble pavement, the one, or all the party, if there were many individuals, to be bound by the oath, repeating the words of the compact, threaded their way in and out through the different spaces, till they had taken the circuit of each portion of the divided calf, when the ceremony was concluded. to avert the anger of the lord, when jerusalem was threatened by nebuchadnezzar and his babylonian host, the jews had made a solemn to god, ratified by the ceremony of the calf, if he released them from their dreaded foe, to cancel the servitude of their hebrew brethren. after investing the city for some time, and reducing the inhabitants to dreadful suffering and privation, the babylonians, hearing that pharaoh, whom the jews had solicited for aid, was rapidly approaching with a powerful army, hastily raised the siege, and, removing to a distance, took up a position where they could intercept the egyptians, and still cover the city. no sooner did the jews behold the retreat of the enemy, than they believed all danger was past, and, with their usual turpitude, they repudiated their oath, and refused to liberate their oppressed countrymen. for this violation of their covenant with the lord, they were given over to all the horrors of the sword, pestilence, and famine--jeremiah, xxxiv. - . minced veal and macaroni. (_a pretty side or corner dish_.) . ingredients.-- / lb. of minced cold roast veal, oz. of ham, tablespoonful of gravy, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of macaroni, or eggs to bind, a small piece of butter. _mode_.--cut some nice slices from a cold fillet of veal, trim off the brown outside, and mince the meat finely with the above proportion of ham: should the meat be very dry, add a spoonful of good gravy. season highly with pepper and salt, add the grated nutmeg and bread crumbs, and mix these ingredients with or eggs well beaten, which should bind the mixture and make it like forcemeat. in the mean time, boil the macaroni in salt and water, and drain it; butter a mould, put some of the macaroni at the bottom and sides of it, in whatever form is liked; mix the remainder with the forcemeat, fill the mould up to the top, put a plate or small dish on it, and steam for / hour. turn it out carefully, and serve with good gravy poured round, but not over, the meat. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--to make a variety, boil some carrots and turnips separately in a little salt and water; when done, cut them into pieces about / inch in thickness; butter an oval mould, and place these in it, in white and red stripes alternately, at the bottom and sides. proceed as in the foregoing recipe, and be very careful in turning it out of the mould. moulded minced veal (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.-- / lb. of cold roast veal, a small slice of bacon, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, / onion chopped fine, salt, pepper, and pounded mace to taste, a slice of toast soaked in milk, egg. _mode_.--mince the meat very fine, after removing from it all skin and outside pieces, and chop the bacon; mix these well together, adding the lemon-peel, onion, seasoning, mace, and toast. when all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, heat up an egg, with which bind the mixture. butter a shape, put in the meat, and hake for / hour; turn it out of the mould carefully, and pour round it a good brown gravy. a sheep's head dressed in this manner is an economical and savoury dish. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the meat, d. _seasonable_ from march to october. braised neck of veal. . ingredients.--the best end of the neck of veal (from to lbs.), bacon, tablespoonful of minced parsley, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste; onion, carrots, a little celery (when this is not obtainable, use the seed), / glass of sherry, thickening of butter and flour, lemon-juice, blade of pounded mace. _mode_.--prepare the bacon for larding, and roll it in minced parsley, salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg; lard the veal, put it into a stewpan with a few slices of lean bacon or ham, an onion, carrots, and celery; and do not quite cover it with water. stew it gently for hours, or until it is quite tender; strain off the liquor; stir together over the fire, in a stewpan, a little flour and butter until brown; lay the veal in this, the upper side to the bottom of the pan, and let it remain till of a nice brown colour. place it in the dish; pour into the stewpan as much gravy as is required, boil it up, skim well, add the wine, pounded mace, and lemon-juice; simmer for minutes, pour it over the meat, and serve. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. birth of calves.--the cow seldom produces more than a single calf; sometimes, twins, and, very rarely, three. a french newspaper, however,--the "nouveau bulletin des sciences,"--gave a trustworthy but extraordinary account of a cow which produced nine calves in all, at three successive births, in three successive years. the first year, four cow calves; the second year, three calves, two of them females; the third year, two calves, both females. with the exception of two belonging to the first birth, all were suckled by the mother. roast neck of veal. . ingredients.--veal, melted butter, forcemeat balls. _mode_.--have the veal cut from the best end of the neck; dredge it with flour, and put it down to a bright clear fire; keep it well basted; dish it, pour over it some melted butter, and garnish the dish with fried forcemeat balls; send to table with a cut lemon. the scrag may be boiled or stewed in various ways, with rice, onion-sauce, or parsley and butter. _time_.--about hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_.-- or lbs. for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. veal olive pie (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few thin slices of cold fillet of veal, a few thin slices of bacon, forcemeat no. , a cupful of gravy, tablespoonfuls of cream, puff-crust. _mode_.--cut thin slices from a fillet of veal, place on them thin slices of bacon, and over them a layer of forcemeat, made by recipe no. , with an additional seasoning of shalot and cayenne; roll them tightly, and fill up a pie-dish with them; add the gravy and cream, cover with a puff-crust, and bake for to - / hour: should the pie be very large, allow hours. the pieces of rolled veal should be about inches in length, and about inches round. _time_.--moderate-sized pie, to - / hour. _seasonable_ from march to october. fried patties (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--cold roast veal, a few slices of cold ham, egg boiled hard, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, gravy, cream, teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, good puff-paste. _mode_.--mince a little cold veal and ham, allowing one-third ham to two-thirds veal; add an egg boiled hard and chopped, and a seasoning of pounded mace, salt, pepper, and lemon-peel; moisten with a little gravy and cream. make a good puff-paste; roll rather thin, and cut it into round or square pieces; put the mince between two of them, pinch the edges to keep in the gravy, and fry a light brown. they may be also baked in patty-pans: in that case, they should be brushed over with the yolk of an egg before they are put in the oven. to make a variety, oysters may be substituted for the ham. _time_.-- minutes to fry the patties. _seasonable_ from march to october. veal pie. . ingredients.-- lbs. of veal cutlets, or slices of lean bacon or ham, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of minced savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, crust, teacupful of gravy. _mode_.--cut the cutlets into square pieces, and season them with pepper, salt, and pounded mace; put them in a pie-dish with the savoury herbs sprinkled over, and or slices of lean bacon or ham placed at the top: if possible, this should be previously cooked, as undressed bacon makes the veal red, and spoils its appearance. pour in a little water, cover with crust, ornament it in any way that is approved; brush it over with the yolk of an egg, and bake in a well-heated oven for about - / hour. pour in a good gravy after baking, which is done by removing the top ornament, and replacing it after the gravy is added. _time_.--about - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. a very veal dinner.--at a dinner given by lord polkemmet, a scotch nobleman and judge, his guests saw, when the covers were removed, that the fare consisted of veal broth, a roasted fillet of veal, veal cutlets, a veal pie, a calf's head, and calf's-foot jelly. the judge, observing the surprise of his guests, volunteered an explanation.--"oh, ay, it's a' cauf; when we kill a beast, we just eat up ae side, and doun the tither." veal and ham pie. . ingredients.-- lbs. of veal cutlets, / lb. of boiled ham, tablespoonfuls of minced savoury herbs, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, blades of pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, a strip of lemon-peel finely minced, the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, / pint of water, nearly / pint of good strong gravy, puff-crust. _mode_.--cut the veal into nice square pieces, and put a layer of them at the bottom of a pie-dish; sprinkle over these a portion of the herbs, spices, seasoning, lemon-peel, and the yolks of the eggs cut in slices; cut the ham very thin, and put a layer of this in. proceed in this manner until the dish is full, so arranging it that the ham comes at the top. lay a puff-paste on the edge of the dish, and pour in about / pint of water; cover with crust, ornament it with leaves, brush it over with the yolk of an egg, and bake in a well-heated oven for to - / hour, or longer, should the pie be very large. when it is taken out of the oven, pour in at the top, through a funnel, nearly / pint of strong gravy: this should be made sufficiently good that, when cold, it may cut in a firm jelly. this pie may be very much enriched by adding a few mushrooms, oysters, or sweetbreads; but it will be found very good without any of the last-named additions. _time_.-- - / hour, or longer, should the pie be very large. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. potted veal (for breakfast). . ingredients.--to every lb. of veal allow / lb. of ham, cayenne and pounded mace to taste, oz. of fresh butter; clarified butter. _mode_.--mince the veal and ham together as finely as possible, and pound well in a mortar, with cayenne, pounded mace, and fresh butter in the above proportion. when reduced to a perfectly smooth paste, press it into potting-pots, and cover with clarified butter. if kept in a cool place, it will remain good some days. _seasonable_ from march to october. names of calves, &c.--during the time the young male calf is suckled by his mother, he is called a bull-or ox-calf; when turned a year old, he is called a stirk, stot, or yearling; on the completion of his second year, he is called a two-year-old bull or steer (and in some counties a twinter); then, a three-year-old steer; and at four, an ox or a bullock, which latter names are retained till death. it may be here remarked, that the term ox is used as a general or common appellation for neat cattle, in a specific sense, and irrespective of sex; as the british ox, the indian ox. the female is termed cow, but while sucking the mother, a cow-calf; at the age of a year, she is called a yearling quey; in another year, a heifer, or twinter; then, a three-year-old quey or twinter; and, at four years old, a cow. other names, to be regarded as provincialisms, may exist in different districts. ragout of cold veal (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold veal, oz. of butter, / pint of gravy, thickening of butter and flour, pepper and salt to taste, blade of pounded mace, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonful of sherry, dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, forcemeat balls. _mode_.--any part of veal will make this dish. cut the meat into nice-looking pieces, put them in a stewpan with oz. of butter, and fry a light brown; add the gravy (hot water may be substituted for this), thicken with a little butter and flour, and stew gently about / hour; season with pepper, salt, and pounded mace; add the ketchup, sherry, and lemon-juice; give one boil, and serve. garnish the dish with forcemeat balls and fried rashers of bacon. _time_.--altogether / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold meat, d. _seasonable_ from march to october. _note_.--the above recipe may be varied, by adding vegetables, such as peas, cucumbers, lettuces, green onions cut in slices, a dozen or two of green gooseberries (not seedy), all of which should be fried a little with the meat, and then stewed in the gravy. veal rissoles (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--a few slices of cold roast veal, a few slices of ham or bacon, tablespoonful of minced parsley, tablespoonful of minced savoury herbs, blade of pounded mace, a very little grated nutmeg, cayenne and salt to taste, eggs well beaten, bread crumbs. _mode_.--mince the veal very finely with a little ham or bacon; add the parsley, herbs, spices, and seasoning; mix into a paste with an egg; form into balls or cones; brush these over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and fry a rich brown. serve with brown gravy, and garnish the dish with fried parsley. _time_.--about minutes to fry the rissoles. _seasonable_ from march to october. veal rolls (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of a cold fillet of veal, egg and bread crumbs, a few slices of fat bacon, forcemeat no. . _mode_.--cut a few slices from a cold fillet of veal / inch thick; rub them over with egg; lay a thin slice of fat bacon over each piece of veal; brush these with the egg, and over this spread the forcemeat thinly; roll up each piece tightly, egg and bread crumb them, and fry them a rich brown. serve with mushroom sauce or brown gravy. _time_.-- to minutes to fry the rolls. _seasonable_ from march to october. shoulder of veal, stuffed and stewed. . ingredients.--a shoulder of veal, a few slices of ham or bacon, forcemeat no. , carrots, onions, salt and pepper to taste, a faggot of savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, water, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--bone the joint by carefully detaching the meat from the blade-bone on one side, and then on the other, being particular not to pierce the skin; then cut the bone from the knuckle, and take it out. fill the cavity whence the bone was taken with a forcemeat made by recipe no. . roll and bind the veal up tightly; put it into a stew-pan with the carrots, onions, seasoning, herbs, and mace; pour in just sufficient water to cover it, and let it stew _very gently_ for about hours. before taking it up, try if it is properly done by thrusting a larding-needle in it: if it penetrates easily, it is sufficiently cooked. strain and skim the gravy, thicken with butter and flour, give one boil, and pour it round the meat. a few young carrots may be boiled and placed round the dish as a garnish, and, when in season, green peas should always be served with this dish. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to october. the fattening of calves.--the fattening of calves for the market is an important business in lanarkshire or clydesdale, and numbers of newly-dropped calves are regularly carried there from the farmers of the adjacent districts, in order to be prepared for the butcher. the mode of feeding them is very simple; milk is the chief article of their diet, and of this the calves require a sufficient supply from first to last. added to this, they must be kept in a well-aired place, neither too hot nor too cold, and freely supplied with dry litter. it is usual to exclude the light,--at all events to a great degree, and to put within their reach a lump of chalk, which they are very fond of licking. thus fed, calves, at the end of or weeks, often attain a very large size; viz., to stone, exclusive of the offal. far heavier weights have occurred, and without any deterioration in the delicacy and richness of the flesh. this mode of feeding upon milk alone at first appears to be very expensive, but it is not so, when all things are taken into consideration; for at the age of or weeks a calf, originally purchased for shillings, will realize nearly the same number of pounds. for , or even weeks, the milk of one cow is sufficient,--indeed half that quantity is enough for the first fortnight; but after the th or th week it will consume the greater portion of the milk of two moderate cows; but then it requires neither oil-cake nor linseed, nor any other food. usually, however, the calves are not kept beyond the age of weeks, and will then sell for or pounds each: the milk of the cow is then ready for a successor. in this manner a relay of calves may be prepared for the markets from early spring to the end of summer, a plan more advantageous than that of overfeeding one to a useless degree of corpulency. veal sausages. . ingredients.--equal quantities of fat bacon and lean veal; to every lb. of meat, allow teaspoonful of minced sage, salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--chop the meat and bacon finely, and to every lb. allow the above proportion of very finely-minced sage; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, mix the whole well together, make it into flat cakes, and fry a nice brown. _seasonable_ from march to october. stewed veal, with peas, young carrots, and new potatoes. . ingredients.-- or lbs. of the loin or neck of veal, young carrots, a few green onions, pint of green peas, new potatoes, a bunch of savoury herbs, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonfuls of tomato sauce, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--dredge the meat with flour, and roast or bake it for about / hour: it should acquire a nice brown colour. put the meat into a stewpan with the carrots, onions, potatoes, herbs, pepper, and salt; pour over it sufficient boiling water to cover it, and stew gently for hours. take out the meat and herbs, put it in a deep dish, skim off all the fat from the gravy, and flavour it with lemon-juice, tomato sauce, and mushroom ketchup in the above proportion. have ready a pint of green peas boiled; put these with the meat, pour over it the gravy, and serve. the dish may be garnished with a few forcemeat balls. the meat, when preferred, may be cut into chops, and floured and fried instead of being roasted; and any part of veal dressed in this way will be found extremely savoury and good. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_, with peas, from june to august. baked sweetbreads (an entree). . ingredients.-- sweetbreads, egg and bread crumbs, oiled butter, slices of toast, brown gravy. [illustration: sweetbreads.] _mode_.--choose large white sweetbreads; put them into warm water to draw out the blood, and to improve their colour; let them remain for rather more than hour; then put them into boiling water, and allow them to simmer for about minutes, which renders them firm. take them up, drain them, brush over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs; dip them in egg again, and then into more bread crumbs. drop on them a little oiled butter, and put the sweetbreads into a moderately-heated oven, and let them bake for nearly / hour. make pieces of toast; place the sweetbreads on the toast, and pour round, but not over them, a good brown gravy. _time_.--to soak hour, to be boiled minutes, baked minutes. _average cost_, s. to s. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_.--in full season from may to august. fried sweetbreads a la maitre d'hotel (an entree). . ingredients.-- sweetbreads, egg and bread crumbs, / lb. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, rather more than / pint of maître d'hôtel sauce no. . _mode_.--soak the sweetbreads in warm water for an hour; then boil them for minutes; cut them in slices, egg and bread crumb them, season with pepper and salt, and put them into a frying-pan, with the above proportion of butter. keep turning them until done, which will be in about minutes; dish them, and pour over them a maître d'hôtel sauce, made by recipe no. . the dish may be garnished with slices of cut lemon. _time_.--to soak hour, to be broiled minutes, to be fried about minutes. _average cost_, s. to s., according to the season. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_.--in full season from may to august. _note_.--the egg and bread crumb may be omitted, and the slices of sweetbread dredged with a little flour instead, and a good gravy may be substituted for the _maitre d'hôtel_ sauce. this is a very simple method of dressing them. stewed sweetbreads (an entree). . ingredients.-- sweetbreads, pint of white stock no. , thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonfuls of cream, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, blade of pounded mace, white pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--soak the sweetbreads in warm water for hour, and boil them for minutes; take them out, put them into cold water for a few minutes; lay them in a stewpan with the stock, and simmer them gently for rather more than / hour. dish them; thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour; let it boil up, add the remaining ingredients, allow the sauce to get quite _hot_, but _not boil_, and pour it over the sweetbreads. _time_.--to soak hour, to be boiled minutes, stewed rather more than / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s., according to the season. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_.--in full season from may to august. _note_.--a few mushrooms added to this dish, and stewed with the sweetbreads, will be found an improvement. season and choice of veal.--veal, like all other meats, has its season of plenty. the best veal, and the largest supply, are to be had from march to the end of july. it comes principally from the western counties, and is generally of the alderney breed. in purchasing veal, its whiteness and fineness of grain should be considered, the colour being especially of the utmost consequence. veal may be bought at all times of the year and of excellent quality, but is generally very dear, except in the months of plenty. stewed tendrons de veau (an entree). . ingredients.--the gristles from breasts of veal, stock no. , faggot of savoury herbs, blades of pounded mace, cloves, carrots, onions, a strip of lemon-peel. _mode_.--the _tendrons_ or gristles, which are found round the front of a breast of veal, are now very frequently served as an entrée, and when well dressed, make a nice and favourite dish. detach the gristles from the bone, and cut them neatly out, so as not to spoil the joint for roasting or stewing. put them into a stewpan, with sufficient stock, no. , to cover them; add the herbs, mace, cloves, carrots, onions, and lemon, and simmer these for nearly, or quite, hours. they should be stewed until a fork will enter the meat easily. take them up, drain them, strain the gravy, boil it down to a glaze, with which glaze the meat. dish the _tendrons_ in a circle, with croûtons fried of a nice colour placed between each; and put mushroom sauce, or a purée of green peas or tomatoes, in the middle. _time_.-- hours. _sufficient_ for one entrée. _seasonable_.--with peas, from june to august. cow-pox, or variola.--it is to dr. jenner, of berkeley, gloucestershire, who died in , that we owe the practice of vaccination, as a preservative from the attack of that destructive scourge of the human race, the small-pox. the experiments of this philosophic man were begun in , and published the next year. he had observed that cows were subject to a certain infectious eruption of the teats, and that those persons who became affected by it, while milking the cattle, escaped the small-pox raging around them. this fact, known to farmers from time immemorial, led him to a course of experiments, the result of which all are acquainted with. tendrons de veau (an entree). . ingredients.--the gristles from breasts of veal, stock no. , faggot of savoury herbs, blade of pounded mace, cloves, carrots, onions, a strip of lemon-peel, egg and bread crumbs, tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper to taste, tablespoonfuls of sherry, the yolk of egg, tablespoonfuls of cream. _mode_.--after removing the gristles from a breast of veal, stew them for hours, as in the preceding recipe, with stock, herbs, mace, cloves, carrots, onions, and lemon-peel. when perfectly tender, lift them out and remove any bones or hard parts remaining. put them between two dishes, with a weight on the top, and when cold, cut them into slices. brush these over with egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs, and fry a pale brown. take / pint of the gravy they were boiled in, add tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms, a seasoning of salt and pepper, the sherry, and the yolk of an egg beaten with tablespoonfuls of cream. stir the sauce over the fire until it thickens; when it is on the _point of boiling_, dish the tendrons in a circle, and pour the sauce in the middle. tendrons are dressed in a variety of ways,--with sauce à l'espagnole, vegetables of all kinds: when they are served with a purée, they should always be glazed. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_.--usually bought with breast of veal. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_ from march to october. tete de veau en tortue (an entree). . ingredients.--half a calf's head, or the remains of a cold boiled one; rather more than pint of good white stock, no. , glass of sherry or madeira, cayenne and salt to taste, about mushroom-buttons (when obtainable), hard-boiled eggs, gherkins, quenelles or forcemeat balls, no. or , crayfish, croûtons. _mode_.--half a calf's head is sufficient to make a good entrée, and if there are any remains of a cold one left from the preceding day, it will answer very well for this dish. after boiling the head until tender, remove the bones, and cut the meat into neat pieces; put the stock into a stewpan, add the wine, and a seasoning of salt and cayenne; fry the mushrooms in butter for or minutes, and add these to the gravy. boil this quickly until somewhat reduced; then put in the yolks of the hard-boiled eggs _whole_, the whites cut in small pieces, and the gherkins chopped. have ready a few veal quenelles, made by recipe no. or ; add these, with the slices of head, to the other ingredients, and let the whole get thoroughly hot, _without boiling_. arrange the pieces of head as high in the centre of the dish as possible; pour over them the ragout, and garnish with the crayfish and croûtons placed alternately. a little of the gravy should also be served in a tureen. _time_.--about / hour to reduce the stock. _sufficient_ for or persons. _average cost_, exclusive of the calf's head, s. d. _seasonable_ from march to october. a frenchman's opinion of veal.--a great authority in his native paris tells us, that veal, as a meat, is but little nourishing, is relaxing, and sufficiently difficult of digestion. lending itself, as it does, he says, in all the flowery imagery of the french tongue and manner, "to so many metamorphoses, it may be called, without exaggeration, the chameleon of the kitchen. who has not eaten calf's head _au naturel_, simply boiled with the skin on, its flavour heightened by sauce just a little sharp? it is a dish as wholesome as it is agreeable, and one that the most inexperienced cook may serve with success. calf's feet _à la poulette_, _au gratin_, fried, &c.; _les cervelles_, served in the same manner, and under the same names; sweetbreads _en fricandeau_, _piqués en fin_,--all these offer most satisfactory entrées, which the art of the cook, more or less, varies for the gratification of his glory and the well-being of our appetites. we have not spoken, in the above catalogue, either of the liver, or of the _fraise_, or of the ears, which also share the honour of appearing at our tables. where is the man not acquainted with calf's liver _à la bourgeoise_, the most frequent and convenient dish at unpretentious tables? the _fraise_, cooked in water, and eaten with vinegar, is a wholesome and agreeable dish, and contains a mucilage well adapted for delicate persons. calf's ears have, in common with the feet and _cervelles_, the advantage of being able to be eaten either fried or _à la poulette_; and besides, can be made into a _farce_, with the addition of peas, onions, cheese, &c. neither is it confined to the calf's tongue, or even the eyes, that these shall dispute alone the glory of awakening the taste of man; thus, the _fressure_ (which, as is known, comprises the heart, the _mou_, and the _rate_), although not a very recherché dish, lends itself to all the caprices of an expert artist, and may, under various marvellous disguises, deceive, and please, and even awaken our appetite."--verily, we might say, after this rhapsody of our neighbour, that his country's weal will not suffer in him as an able and eloquent exponent and admirer. veal carving. breast of veal. [illustration: breast of veal.] . the carving of a breast of veal is not dissimilar to that of a fore-quarter of lamb, when the shoulder has been taken off. the breast of veal consists of two parts,--the rib-bones and the gristly brisket. these two parts should first be separated by sharply passing the knife in the direction of the lines , ; when they are entirely divided, the rib-bones should be carved in the direction of the lines to ; and the brisket can be helped by cutting pieces in the direction to . the carver should ask the guests whether they have a preference for the brisket or ribs; and if there be a sweetbread served with the dish, as it often is with roast breast of veal, each person should receive a piece. calf's head. [illustration: calf's head.] . this is not altogether the most easy-looking dish to cut when it is put before a carver for the first time; there is not much real difficulty in the operation, however, when the head has been attentively examined, and, after the manner of a phrenologist, you get to know its bumps, good and bad. in the first place, inserting the knife quite down to the bone, cut slices in the direction of the line to ; with each of these should be helped a piece of what is called the throat sweetbread, cut in the direction of from to . the eye, and the flesh round, are favourite morsels with many, and should be given to those at the table who are known to be the greatest connoisseurs. the jawbone being removed, there will then be found some nice lean; and the palate, which is reckoned by some a tit-bit, lies under the head. on a separate dish there is always served the tongue and brains, and each guest should be asked to take some of these. fillet of veal. [illustration: fillet of veal.] . the carving of this joint is similar to that of a round of beef. slices, not too thick, in the direction of the line to are cut; and the only point to be careful about is, that the veal be _evenly_ carved. between the flap and the meat the stuffing is inserted, and a small portion of this should be served to every guest. the persons whom the host wishes most to honour should be asked if they like the delicious brown outside slice, as this, by many, is exceedingly relished. knuckle of veal. [illustration: knuckle of veal.] . the engraving, showing the dotted line from to , sufficiently indicates the direction which should be given to the knife in carving this dish. the best slices are those from the thickest part of the knuckle, that is, outside the line to . loin of veal. [illustration: loin of veal.] . as is the case with a loin of mutton, the careful jointing of a loin of veal is more than half the battle in carving it. if the butcher be negligent in this matter, he should be admonished; for there is nothing more annoying or irritating to an inexperienced carver than to be obliged to turn his knife in all directions to find the exact place where it should be inserted in order to divide the bones. when the jointing is properly performed, there is little difficulty in carrying the knife down in the direction of the line to . to each guest should be given a piece of the kidney and kidney fat, which lie underneath, and are considered great delicacies. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xx. general observations on birds. "birds, the free tenants of land, air, and ocean, their forms all symmetry, their motions grace; in plumage delicate and beautiful; thick without burthen, close as fishes' scales, or loose as full-blown poppies to the breeze." _the pelican island_. . the divisions of birds are founded principally on their habits of life, and the natural resemblance which their external parts, especially their bills, bear to each other. according to mr. vigors, there are five orders, each of which occupies its peculiar place on the surface of the globe; so that the air, the forest, the land, the marsh, and the water, has each its appropriate kind of inhabitants. these are respectively designated as birds of prey, perchers, walkers, waders, and swimmers; and, in contemplating their variety, lightness, beauty, and wonderful adaptation to the regions they severally inhabit, and the functions they are destined to perform in the grand scheme of creation, our hearts are lifted with admiration at the exhaustless ingenuity, power, and wisdom of him who has, in producing them, so strikingly "manifested his handiwork." not only these, however, but all classes of animals, have their peculiar ends to fulfil; and, in order that this may be effectually performed, they are constructed in such a manner as will enable them to carry out their conditions. thus the quadrupeds, that are formed to tread the earth in common with man, are muscular and vigorous; and, whether they have passed into the servitude of man, or are permitted to range the forest or the field, they still retain, in a high degree, the energies with which they were originally endowed. birds, on the contrary, are generally feeble, and, therefore, timid. accordingly, wings have been given them to enable them to fly through the air, and thus elude the force which, by nature, they are unable to resist. notwithstanding the natural tendency of all bodies towards the centre of the earth, birds, when raised in the atmosphere, glide through it with the greatest ease, rapidity, and vigour. there, they are in their natural element, and can vary their course with the greatest promptitude--can mount or descend with the utmost facility, and can light on any spot with the most perfect exactness, and without the slightest injury to themselves. . the mechanism which enables birds to wing their course through the air, is both singular and instructive. their bodies are covered with feathers, which are much lighter than coverings of hair, with which quadrupeds are usually clothed. the feathers are so placed as to overlap each other, like the slates or the tiles on the roof of a house. they are also arranged from the fore-part backwards; by which the animals are enabled the more conveniently to cut their way through the air. their bones are tubular or hollow, and extremely light compared with those of terrestrial animals. this greatly facilitates their rising from the earth, whilst their heads, being comparatively small, their bills shaped like a wedge, their bodies slender, sharp below, and round above,--all these present a union of conditions, favourable, in the last degree, to cutting their way through the aërial element to which they are considered as more peculiarly to belong. with all these conditions, however, birds could not fly without wings. these, therefore, are the instruments by which they have the power of rapid locomotion, and are constructed in such a manner as to be capable of great expansion when struck in a downward direction. if we except, in this action, the slight hollow which takes place on the under-side, they become almost two planes. in order that the downward action may be accomplished to the necessary extent, the muscles which move the wings have been made exceedingly large; so large, indeed, that, in some instances, they have been estimated at not less than a sixth of the weight of the whole body. therefore, when a bird is on the ground and intends to fly, it takes a leap, and immediately stretching its wings, strikes them out with great force. by this act these are brought into an oblique direction, being turned partly upwards and partly horizontally forwards. that part of the force which has the upward tendency is neutralized by the weight of the bird, whilst the horizontal force serves to carry it forward. the stroke being completed, it moves upon its wings, which, being contracted and having their edges turned upwards, obviate, in a great measure, the resistance of the air. when it is sufficiently elevated, it makes a second stroke downwards, and the impulse of the air again moves it forward. these successive strokes may be regarded as so many leaps taken in the air. when the bird desires to direct its course to the right or the left, it strikes strongly with the opposite wing, which impels it to the proper side. in the motions of the animal, too, the tail takes a prominent part, and acts like the rudder of a ship, except that, instead of sideways, it moves upwards and downwards. if the bird wishes to rise, it raises its tail; and if to fall, it depresses it; and, whilst in a horizontal position, it keeps it steady. there are few who have not observed a pigeon or a crow preserve, for some time, a horizontal flight without any apparent motion of the wings. this is accomplished by the bird having already acquired sufficient velocity, and its wings being parallel to the horizon, meeting with but small resistance from the atmosphere. if it begins to fall, it can easily steer itself upward by means of its tail, till the motion it had acquired is nearly spent, when it must be renewed by a few more strokes of the wings. on alighting, a bird expands its wings and tail fully against the air, as a ship, in tacking round, backs her sails, in order that they may meet with all the resistance possible. . in the construction of the eyes of birds, there is a peculiarity necessary to their condition. as they pass a great portion of their lives among thickets and hedges, they are provided for the defence of their eyes from external injuries, as well as from the effects of the light, when flying in opposition to the rays of the sun, with a nictating or winking membrane, which can, at pleasure, be drawn over the whole eye like a curtain. this covering is neither opaque nor wholly pellucid, but is somewhat transparent; and it is by its means that the eagle is said to be able to gaze at the sun. "in birds," says a writer on this subject, "we find that the sight is much more piercing, extensive, and exact, than in the other orders of animals. the eye is much larger in proportion to the bulk of the head, than in any of these. this is a superiority conferred upon them not without a corresponding utility: it seems even indispensable to their safety and subsistence. were this organ in birds dull, or in the least degree opaque, they would be in danger, from the rapidity of their motion, of striking against various objects in their flight. in this case their celerity, instead of being an advantage, would become an evil, and their flight be restrained by the danger resulting from it. indeed we may consider the velocity with which an animal moves, as a sure indication of the perfection of its vision. among the quadrupeds, the sloth has its sight greatly limited; whilst the hawk, as it hovers in the air, can espy a lark sitting on a clod, perhaps at twenty times the distance at which a man or a dog could perceive it." . amongst the many peculiarities in the construction of birds, not the least is the mode by which their respiration is accomplished. this is effected by means of air-vessels, which extend throughout the body, and adhere to the under-surface of the bones. these, by their motion, force the air through the true lungs, which are very small, and placed in the uppermost part of the chest, and closely braced down to the back and ribs. the lungs, which are never expanded by air, are destined to the sole purpose of oxidizing the blood. in the experiments made by mr. john hunter, to discover the use of this general diffusion of air through the bodies of birds, he found that it prevents their respiration from being stopped or interrupted by the rapidity of their motion through a resisting medium. it is well known that, in proportion to celerity of motion, the air becomes resistive; and were it possible for a man to move with the swiftness of a swallow, as he is not provided with an internal construction similar to that of birds, the resistance of the air would soon suffocate him. . birds are distributed over every part of the globe, being found in the coldest as well as the hottest regions, although some species are restricted to particular countries, whilst others are widely dispersed. at certain seasons of the year, many of them change their abodes, and migrate to climates better adapted to their temperaments or modes of life, for a time, than those which they leave. many of the birds of britain, directed by an unerring instinct, take their departure from the island before the commencement of winter, and proceed to the more congenial warmth of africa, to return with the next spring. the causes assigned by naturalists for this peculiarity are, either a deficiency of food, or the want of a secure asylum for the incubation and nourishment of their young. their migrations are generally performed in large companies, and, in the day, they follow a leader, which is occasionally changed. during the night, many of the tribes send forth a continual cry, to keep themselves together; although one would think that the noise which must accompany their flight would be sufficient for that purpose. the flight of birds across the mediterranean was noticed three thousand years ago, as we find it said in the book of numbers, in the scriptures, that "there went forth a wind from the lord, and brought quails from the sea, and let them fall upon the camp, and a day's journey round about it, to the height of two cubits above the earth." . if the beauty of birds were not a recommendation to their being universally admired, their general liveliness, gaiety, and song would endear them to mankind. it appears, however, from accurate observations founded upon experiment, that the notes peculiar to different kinds of birds are altogether acquired, and that they are not innate, any more than language is to man. the attempt of a nestling bird to sing has been compared to the endeavour of a child to talk. the first attempts do not seem to possess the slightest rudiments of the future song; but, as the bird grows older and becomes stronger, it is easily perceived to be aiming at acquiring the art of giving utterance to song. whilst the scholar is thus endeavouring to form his notes, when he is once sure of a passage, he usually raises his tone, but drops it again when he finds himself unequal to the voluntary task he has undertaken. "many well-authenticated facts," says an ingenious writer, "seem decisively to prove that birds have no innate notes, but that, like mankind, the language of those to whose care they have been committed at their birth, will be their language in after-life." it would appear, however, somewhat unaccountable why, in a wild state, they adhere so steadily to the song of their own species only, when the notes of so many others are to be heard around them. this is said to arise from the attention paid by the nestling bird to the instructions of its own parent only, generally disregarding the notes of all the rest. persons; however, who have an accurate ear, and who have given their attention to the songs of birds, can frequently distinguish some which have their notes mixed with those of another species; but this is in general so trifling, that it can hardly be considered as more than the mere varieties of provincial dialects. . in reference to the food of birds, we find that it varies, as it does in quadrupeds, according to the species. some are altogether carnivorous; others, as so many of the web-footed tribes, subsist on fish; others, again, on insects and worms; and others on grain and fruit. the extraordinary powers of the gizzard of the granivorous tribes, in comminuting their food so as to prepare it for digestion, would, were they not supported by incontrovertible facts founded on experiment, appear to exceed all credibility. tin tubes, full of grain, have been forced into the stomachs of turkeys, and in twenty-four hours have been found broken, compressed, and distorted into every shape. twelve small lancets, very sharp both at the point and edges, have been fixed in a ball of lead, covered with a case of paper, and given to a turkey-cock, and left in its stomach for eight hours. after that time the stomach was opened, when nothing appeared except the naked ball. the twelve lancets were broken to pieces, whilst the stomach remained perfectly sound and entire. from these facts, it is concluded that the stones, so frequently found in the stomachs of the feathered tribes, are highly useful in assisting the gastric juices to grind down the grain and other hard substances which constitute their food. the stones, themselves, being also ground down and separated by the powerful action of the gizzard, are mixed with the food, and, no doubt, contribute very greatly to the health, as well as to the nourishment of the animals. . all birds being oviparous, the eggs which they produce after the process of incubation, or sitting for a certain length of time, are, in the various species, different both in figure and colour, as well as in point of number. they contain the elements of the future young, for the perfecting of which in the incubation a bubble of air is always placed at the large end, between the shell and the inside skin. it is supposed that from the heat communicated by the sitting bird to this confined air, its spring is increased beyond its natural tenor, and, at the same time, its parts are put into motion by the gentle rarefaction. by this means, pressure and motion are communicated to the parts of the egg, which, in some inscrutable way, gradually promote the formation and growth of the young, till the time comes for its escaping from the shell. to preserve an egg perfectly fresh, and even fit for incubation, for or months after it has been laid, réaumur, the french naturalist, has shown that it is only necessary to stop up its pores with a slight coating of varnish or mutton-suet. . birds however, do not lay eggs before they have some place to put them; accordingly, they construct nests for themselves with astonishing art. as builders, they exhibit a degree of architectural skill, niceness, and propriety, that would seem even to mock the imitative talents of man, however greatly these are marked by his own high intelligence and ingenuity. "each circumstance most artfully contrived to favour warmth. here read the reason of the vaulted roof; how providence compensates, ever kind, the enormous disproportion that subsists between the mother and the numerous brood which her small bulk must quicken into life." in building their nests, the male and female generally assist each other, and they contrive to make the outside of their tenement bear as great a resemblance as possible to the surrounding foliage or branches; so that it cannot very easily be discovered even by those who are in search of it. this art of nidification is one of the most wonderful contrivances which the wide field of nature can show, and which, of itself, ought to be sufficient to compel mankind to the belief, that they and every other part of the creation, are constantly under the protecting power of a superintending being, whose benign dispensations seem as exhaustless as they are unlimited. [illustration] recipes. chapter xxi. chicken cutlets (an entree). . ingredients.-- chickens; seasoning to taste of salt, white pepper, and cayenne; blades of pounded mace, egg and bread crumbs, clarified butter, strip of lemon-rind, carrots, onion, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, thickening of butter and flour, egg. _mode_.--remove the breast and leg bones of the chickens; cut the meat into neat pieces after having skinned it, and season the cutlets with pepper, salt, pounded mace, and cayenne. put the bones, trimmings, &c., into a stewpan with pint of water, adding carrots, onions, and lemon-peel in the above proportion; stew gently for - / hour, and strain the gravy. thicken it with butter and flour, add the ketchup and egg well beaten; stir it over the fire, and bring it to the simmering-point, but do not allow it to boil. in the mean time, egg and bread-crumb the cutlets, and give them a few drops of clarified butter; fry them a delicate brown, occasionally turning them; arrange them pyramidically on the dish, and pour over them the sauce. _time_.-- minutes to fry the cutlets. _average cost_, s. each. _sufficient_ for an entrée. _seasonable_ from april to july. fowls as food.--brillat savarin, pre-eminent in gastronomic taste, says that he believes the whole gallinaceous family was made to enrich our larders and furnish our tables; for, from the quail to the turkey, he avers their flesh is a light aliment, full of flavour, and fitted equally well for the invalid as for the man of robust health. the fine flavour, however, which nature has given to all birds coming under the definition of poultry, man has not been satisfied with, and has used many means--such as keeping them in solitude and darkness, and forcing them to eat--to give them an unnatural state of fatness or fat. this fat, thus artificially produced, is doubtless delicious, and the taste and succulence of the boiled and roasted bird draw forth the praise of the guests around the table. well-fattened and tender, a fowl is to the cook what the canvas is to the painter; for do we not see it served boiled, roasted, fried, fricasseed, hashed, hot, cold, whole, dismembered, boned, broiled, stuffed, on dishes, and in pies,--always handy and ever acceptable? the common or domestic fowl.--from time immemorial, the common or domestic fowl has been domesticated in england, and is supposed to be originally the offspring of some wild species which abound in the forests of india. it is divided into a variety of breeds, but the most esteemed are, the poland or black, the dorking, the bantam, the game fowl, and the malay or chittagong. the common, or barn-door fowl, is one of the most delicate of the varieties; and at dorking, in surrey, the breed is brought to great perfection. till they are four months old, the term chicken is applied to the young female; after that age they are called pullets, till they begin to lay, when they are called hens. the english counties most productive in poultry are surrey, sussex, norfolk, herts, devon, and somerset. french chicken cutlets (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast or boiled fowl, fried bread, clarified butter, the yolk of egg, bread crumbs, / teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel; salt, cayenne, and mace to taste. for sauce,-- oz. of butter, minced shalots, a few slices of carrot, a small bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, blade of pounded mace, peppercorns, / pint of gravy. _mode_.--cut the fowls into as many nice cutlets as possible; take a corresponding number of sippets about the same size, all cut one shape; fry them a pale brown, put them before the fire, then dip the cutlets into clarified butter mixed with the yolk of an egg, cover with bread crumbs seasoned in the above proportion, with lemon-peel, mace, salt, and cayenne; fry them for about minutes, put each piece on one of the sippets, pile them high in the dish, and serve with the following sauce, which should be made ready for the cutlets. put the butter into a stewpan, add the shalots, carrot, herbs, mace, and peppercorns; fry for minutes or rather longer; pour in / pint of good gravy, made of the chicken bones, stew gently for minutes, strain it, and serve. _time_.-- minutes to fry the cutlets; minutes to make the gravy. _average cost_, exclusive of the chicken, d. _seasonable_ from april to july. eggs for hatching.--eggs intended for hatching should be removed as soon as laid, and placed in bran in a dry, cool place. choose those that are near of a size; and, as a rule, avoid those that are equally thick at both ends,--such, probably, contain a double yolk, and will come to no good. eggs intended for hatching should never be stored longer than a month, as much less the better. nine eggs may be placed under a bantam hen, and as many as fifteen under a dorking. the odd number is considered preferable, as more easily packed. it will be as well to mark the eggs you give the hen to sit on, so that you may know if she lays any more: if she does, you must remove them; for, if hatched at all, they would be too late for the brood. if during incubation an egg should be broken, remove it, and take out the remainder, and cleanse them in luke-warm water, or it is probable the sticky nature of the contents of the broken egg will make the others cling to the hen's feathers; and they, too, may be fractured. hens sitting.--some hens are very capricious as regards sitting; they will make a great fuss, and keep pining for the nest, and, when they are permitted to take to it, they will sit just long enough to addle the eggs, and then they're off again. the safest way to guard against such annoyance, is to supply the hen with some hard-boiled eggs; if she sits on them a reasonable time, and seems steadily inclined, like a good matron, you may then give her proper eggs, and let her set about the business in earnest. chicken or fowl patties. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast chicken or fowl; to every / lb. of meat allow oz. of ham, tablespoonfuls of cream, tablespoonfuls of veal gravy, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel; cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste; tablespoonful of lemon-juice, oz. of butter rolled in flour; puff paste. _mode_.--mince very small the white meat from a cold roast fowl, after removing all the skin; weigh it, and to every / lb. of meat allow the above proportion of minced ham. put these into a stewpan with the remaining ingredients, stir over the fire for minutes or / hour, taking care that the mixture does not burn. roll out some puff paste about / inch in thickness; line the patty-pans with this, put upon each a small piece of bread, and cover with another layer of paste; brush over with the yolk of an egg, and bake in a brisk oven for about / hour. when done, cut a round piece out of the top, and, with a small spoon, take out the bread (be particular in not breaking the outside border of the crust), and fill the patties with the mixture. _time_.-- / hour to prepare the meat; not quite / hour to bake the crust. _seasonable_ at any time. hatching.--sometimes the chick within the shell is unable to break away from its prison; for the white of the egg will occasionally harden in the air to the consistence of joiners' clue, when the poor chick is in a terrible fix. an able writer says, "assistance in hatching must not be rendered prematurely, and thence unnecessarily, but only in the case of the chick being plainly unable to release itself; then, indeed, an addition may probably be made to the brood, as great numbers are always lost in this way. the chick makes a circular fracture at the big end of the egg, and a section of about one-third of the length of the shell being separated, delivers the prisoner, provided there is no obstruction from adhesion of the body to the membrane which lines the shell. between the body of the chick and the membrane of the shell there exists a viscous fluid, the white of the egg thickened with the intense heat of incubation, until it becomes a positive glue. when this happens, the feathers stick fast to the shell, and the chicks remain confined, and must perish, if not released." the method of assistance to be rendered to chicks which have a difficulty in releasing themselves from the shell, is to take the egg in the hand, and dipping the finger or a piece of linen rag in warm water, to apply it to the fastened parts until they are loosened by the gluey substance becoming dissolved and separated from the feathers. the chick, then, being returned to the nest, will extricate itself,--a mode generally to be observed, since, if violence were used, it would prove fatal. nevertheless, breaking the shell may sometimes be necessary; and separating with the fingers, as gently as may be, the membrane from the feathers, which are still to be moistened as mentioned above, to facilitate the operation. the points of small scissors may be useful, and when there is much resistance, as also apparent pain to the bird, the process must be conducted in the gentlest manner, and the shell separated into a number of small pieces. the signs of a need of assistance are the egg being partly pecked and chipped, and the cluck discontinuing its efforts for five of six hours. weakness from cold may disable the chicken from commencing the operation of pecking the shell, which must then be artificially performed with a circular fracture, such as is made by the bird itself. chicken or fowl pie. . ingredients.-- small fowls or large one, white pepper and salt to taste, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, / teaspoonful of pounded mace, forcemeat no. , a few slices of ham, hard-boiled eggs, / pint of water, puff crust. _mode_.--skin and cut up the fowls into joints, and put the neck, leg, and backbones in a stewpan, with a little water, an onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, and a blade of mace; let these stew for about an hour, and, when done, strain off the liquor: this is for gravy. put a layer of fowl at the bottom of a pie-dish, then a layer of ham, then one of forcemeat and hard-boiled eggs cut in rings; between the layers put a seasoning of pounded mace, nutmeg, pepper, and salt. proceed in this manner until the dish is full, and pour in about / pint of water; border the edge of the dish with puff crust, put on the cover, ornament the top, and glaze it by brushing over it the yolk of an egg. bake from - / to - / hour, should the pie be very large, and, when done, pour in, at the top, the gravy made from the bones. if to be eaten cold, and wished particularly nice, the joints of the fowls should be boned, and placed in the dish with alternate layers of forcemeat; sausage-meat may also be substituted for the forcemeat, and is now very much used. when the chickens are boned, and mixed with sausage-meat, the pie will take about hours to bake. it should be covered with a piece of paper when about half-done, to prevent the paste from being dried up or scorched. _time_.--for a pie with unboned meat, - / to - / hour; with boned meat and sausage or forcemeat, - / to hours. _average cost_, with fowls, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the young chicks.--the chicks that are hatched first should be taken from underneath the hen, lest she might think her task at an end, and leave the remaining eggs to spoil. as soon as the young birds are taken from the mother, they must be placed in a basket lined with soft wool, flannel, or hay, and stood in the sunlight if it be summer time, or by the fire if the weather be cold. it is a common practice to cram young chicks with food as soon as they are born. this is quite unnecessary. they will, so long as they are kept warm, come to no harm if they take no food for twenty-four hours following their birth. should the whole of the brood not be hatched by that time, those that are born may be fed with bread soaked in milk, and the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. potted chicken or fowl (a luncheon or breakfast dish). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast chicken; to every lb. of meat allow / lb. of fresh butter, salt and cayenne to taste, teaspoonful of pounded mace, / small nutmeg. _mode_.--strip the meat from the bones of cold roast fowl; when it is freed from gristle and skin, weigh it, and, to every lb. of meat, allow the above proportion of butter, seasoning, and spices. cut the meat into small pieces, pound it well with the fresh butter, sprinkle in the spices gradually, and keep pounding until reduced to a perfectly smooth paste. put it into potting-pots for use, and cover it with clarified butter, about / inch in thickness, and, if to be kept for some time, tie over a bladder: or slices of ham, minced and pounded with the above ingredients, will be found an improvement. it should be kept in a dry place. _seasonable_ at any time. feeding and cooping the chicks.--when all the chicks are hatched, they should be placed along with the mother under a coop in a warm dry spot. if two hens happen to have their broods at the same time, their respective chicks should be carefully kept separate; as, if they get mixed, and so go under the wrong coop, the hens will probably maim and destroy those who have mistaken their dwelling. after being kept snug beneath the coop for a week (the coop should be placed under cover at nightfall), the chicks may be turned loose for an hour or so in the warmest part of the day. they should be gradually weaned from the soaked bread and chopped egg, instead of which grits or boiled barley should be given; in or days their stomachs will be strong enough to receive bruised barley, and at the end of weeks, if your chicks be healthy, they will be able to take care of themselves. it will be well, however, to keep your eye on them a week or so longer, as the elder chickens may drive them from their food. great care should be taken that the very young chicks do not run about the wet ground or on damp grass, as this is the most prominent and fatal cause of disease. while under the coop with their mother, a shallow pan or plate of water should be supplied to the chicks, as in a deeper vessel they are liable to drench themselves and take cold, or possibly to get drowned. chicken or fowl salad. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast or boiled chicken, lettuces, a little endive, cucumber, a few slices of boiled beetroot, salad-dressing no. . _mode_.--trim neatly the remains of the chicken; wash, dry, and slice the lettuces, and place in the middle of a dish; put the pieces of fowl on the top, and pour the salad-dressing over them. garnish the edge of the salad with hard-boiled eggs cut in rings, sliced cucumber, and boiled beetroot cut in slices. instead of cutting the eggs in rings, the yolks may be rubbed through a hair sieve, and the whites chopped very finely, and arranged on the salad in small bunches, yellow and white alternately. this should not be made long before it is wanted for table. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold chicken, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. age and flavour of chickens.--it has been the opinion of the medical faculty of all ages and all countries, that the flesh of the young chicken is the must delicate and easy to digest of all animal food. it is less alkalescent than the flesh of any other animal, and its entire freedom from any irritating quality renders it a fit dish for the ailing, or those whose stomachs are naturally weak. in no animal, however, does age work such a change, in regard to the quality of its flesh, as it does in domestic fowls. in their infancy, cocks and hens are equally tender and toothsome; but as time overtakes them it is the cock whose flesh toughens first. a year-old cock, indeed, is fit for little else than to be converted into soup, while a hen at the same age, although sufficiently substantial, is not callous to the insinuations of a carving-knife. as regards capons, however, the rule respecting age does not hold good. there is scarcely to be found a more delicious animal than a well-fed, well-dressed capon. age does not dry up his juices; indeed, like wine, he seems but to mellow. at three years old, even, he is as tender as a chick, with the additional advantage of his proper chicken flavour being fully developed. the above remarks, however, concerning the capon, only apply to such as are _naturally_ fed, and not crammed. the latter process may produce a handsome-looking bird, and it may weigh enough to satisfy the whim or avarice of its stuffer; but, when before the fire, it will reveal the cruel treatment to which it has been subjected, and will weep a drippingpan-ful of fat tears. you will never find heart enough to place such a grief-worn guest at the head of your table. it should be borne in mind as a rule, that small-boned and short-legged poultry are likely to excel the contrary sort in delicacy of colour, flavour, and fineness of flesh. hashed duck (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast duck, rather more than pint of weak stock or water, onion, oz. of butter, thickening of butter and flour, salt and cayenne to taste, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, / glass of port wine. _mode_.--cut the duck into nice joints, and put the trimmings into a stewpan; slice and fry the onion in a little butter; add these to the trimmings, pour in the above proportion of weak stock or water, and stew gently for hour. strain the liquor, thicken it with butter and flour, season with salt and cayenne, and add the remaining ingredients; boil it up and skim well; lay in the pieces of duck, and let them get thoroughly hot through by the side of the fire, but do not allow them to boil: they should soak in the gravy for about / hour. garnish with sippets of toasted bread. the hash may be made richer by using a stronger and more highly-flavoured gravy; a little spice or pounded mace may also be added, when their flavour is liked. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold duck, d. _seasonable_ from november to february; ducklings from may to august. the duck.--this bird belongs to the order of _natatores_, or swimmers; the most familiar tribes of which are ducks, swans, geese, auks, penguins, petrels, pelicans, guillemots, gulls, and terns. they mostly live in the water, feeding on fish, worms, and aquatic plants. they are generally polygamous, and make their nests among reeds, or in moist places. the flesh of many of the species is eatable, but that of some is extremely rank and oily. the duck is a native of britain, but is found on the margins of most of the european lakes. it is excessively greedy, and by no means a nice feeder. it requires a mixture of vegetable and animal food; but aquatic insects, corn, and vegetables, are its proper food. its flesh, however, is savoury, being not so gross as that of the goose, and of easier digestion. in the green-pea season it is usually found on an english table; but, according to ude, "november is its proper season, when it is plump and fat." to ragout a duck whole. . ingredients.-- large duck, pepper and salt to taste, good beef gravy, onions sliced, sage-leaves, a few leaves of lemon thyme, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--after having emptied and singed the duck, season it inside with pepper and salt, and truss it. roast it before a clear fire for about minutes, and let it acquire a nice brown colour. put it into a stewpan with sufficient well-seasoned beef gravy to cover it; slice and fry the onions, and add these, with the sage-leaves and lemon thyme, both of which should be finely minced, to the stock. simmer gently until the duck is tender; strain, skim, and thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour; boil it up, pour over the duck, and serve. when in season, about, - / pint of young green peas, boiled separately, and put in the ragoût, very much improve this dish. _time_.-- minutes to roast the duck; minutes to stew it. _average cost_, from s. d. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to february; ducklings from april to august. [illustration: buenos ayres ducks.] the buenos ayres duck.--the buenos ayres duck is of east-indian birth, and is chiefly valuable as an ornament; for we suppose one would as soon think of picking a chinese teal for luncheon, or a gold fish for breakfast, as to consign the handsome buenos ayres to the spit. the prevailing colour of this bird is black, with a metallic lustre, and a gleaming of blue steel about its breast and wings. varieties of ducks.--naturalists count nearly a hundred different species of ducks; and there is no doubt that the intending keeper of these harmless and profitable birds may easily take his choice from amongst twenty different sorts. there is, however, so little difference in the various members of the family, either as regards hardiness, laying, or hatching, that the most incompetent fancier or breeder may indulge his taste without danger of making a bad bargain. in connection with their value for table, light-coloured ducks are always of milder flavour than those that are dark-coloured, the white aylesbury's being general favourites. ducks reared exclusively on vegetable diet will have a whiter and more delicate flesh than those allowed to feed on animal offal; while the flesh of birds fattened on the latter food, will be firmer than that of those which have only partaken of food of a vegetable nature. roast ducks. . ingredients.--a couple of ducks; sage-and-onion stuffing no. ; a little flour. _choosing and trussing_.--choose ducks with plump bellies, and with thick and yellowish feet. they should be trussed with the feet on, which should be scalded, and the skin peeled off, and then turned up close to the legs. run a skewer through the middle of each leg, after having drawn them as close as possible to the body, to plump up the breast, passing the same quite through the body. cut off the heads and necks, and the pinions at the first joint; bring these close to the sides, twist the feet round, and truss them at the back of the bird. after the duck is stuffed, both ends should be secured with string, so as to keep in the seasoning. [illustration: roast duck.] _mode_.--to insure ducks being tender, never dress them the same day they are killed; and if the weather permits, they should hang a day or two. make a stuffing of sage and onion sufficient for one duck, and leave the other unseasoned, as the flavour is not liked by everybody. put them down to a brisk clear fire, and keep them well basted the whole of the time they are cooking. a few minutes before serving, dredge them lightly with flour, to make them froth and look plump; and when the steam draws towards the fire, send them to table hot and quickly, with a good brown gravy poured _round_, but not _over_ the ducks, and a little of the same in a tureen. when in season, green peas should invariably accompany this dish. _time_.--full-grown ducks from / to hour; ducklings from to minutes. _average cost_, from s. d. to s. d. each. _sufficient_.--a. couple of ducks for or persons. _seasonable_.--ducklings from april to august; ducks from november to february. _note_.--ducklings are trussed and roasted in the same manner, and served with the same sauces and accompaniments. when in season, serve apple sauce. [illustration: rouen ducks.] the rouen duck.--the rouen, or rhone duck, is a large and handsome variety, of french extraction. the plumage of the rouen duck is somewhat sombre; its flesh is also much darker, and, though of higher flavour, not near so delicate as that of our own aylesbury. it is with this latter breed that the rouen duck is generally mated; and the result is said to be increase of size and strength. in normandy and brittany these ducks, as well as other sorts, greatly abound; and the "duck-liver _pâtés_" are there almost as popular as the _pâté de foie gras_ of strasburg. in order to bring the livers of the wretched duck to the fashionable and unnatural size, the same diabolical cruelty is resorted to as in the case of the strasburg goose. the poor birds are _nailed_ by the feet to a board placed close to a fire, and, in that position, plentifully supplied with food and water. in a few days, the carcase is reduced to a mere shadow, while the liver has grown monstrously. we would rather abstain from the acquaintance of a man who ate _pâté de foie gras_, knowing its component parts. duck's eggs.--the ancient notion that ducks whose beaks have a tendency to curve upwards, are better layers than those whose beaks do not thus point, is, we need hardly say, simply absurd: all ducks are good layers, if they are carefully fed and tended. ducks generally lay at night, or early in the morning. while they are in perfect health, they will do this; and one of the surest signs of indisposition, among birds of this class, is irregularity in laying. the eggs laid will approach nearly the colour of the layer,--light-coloured ducks laying white eggs, and brown ducks greenish-blue eggs; dark-coloured birds laying the largest eggs. one time of day the notion was prevalent that a duck would hatch no other eggs than her own; and although this is not true, it will be, nevertheless, as well to match the duck's own eggs as closely as possible; for we have known instances wherein the duck has turned out of the nest and destroyed eggs differing from her own in size and colour. ducks.--the mallard, or wild duck, from which is derived the domestic species, is prevalent throughout europe, asia, and america. the mallard's most remarkable characteristic is one which sets at defiance the speculations of the most profound ornithologist. the female bird is extremely plain, but the male's plumage is a splendour of greens and browns, and browns and blues. in the spring, however, the plumage of the male begins to fade, and in two months, every vestige of his finery has departed, and he is not to be distinguished from his soberly-garbed wife. then the greens, and the blues, and the browns begin to bud out again, and by october he is once more a gorgeous drake. it is to be regretted that domestication has seriously deteriorated the moral character of the duck. in a wild state, he is a faithful husband, desiring but one wife, and devoting himself to her; but no sooner is he domesticated than he becomes polygamous, and makes nothing of owning ten or a dozen wives at a time. as regards the females, they are much more solicitous for the welfare of their progeny in a wild state than a tame. should a tame duck's duckling get into mortal trouble, its mother will just signify her sorrow by an extra "quack," or so, and a flapping of her wings; but touch a wild duck's little one if you dare! she will buffet you with her broad wings, and dash boldly at your face with her stout beak. if you search for her nest amongst the long grass, she will try no end of manoeuvres to lure you from it, her favourite _ruse_ being to pretend lameness, to delude you into the notion that you have only to pursue _her_ vigorously, and her capture is certain; so you persevere for half a mile or so, and then she is up and away, leaving you to find your way back to the nest if you can. among the ancients, opinion was at variance respecting the wholesomeness and digestibility of goose flesh, but concerning the excellence of the duck all parties were agreed; indeed, they not only assigned to duck-meat the palm for exquisite flavour and delicacy, they even attributed to it medicinal powers of the highest order. not only the roman medical writers of the time make mention of it, but likewise the philosophers of the period. plutarch assures us that cato preserved his whole household in health, in a season when plague and disease were rife, through dieting them on roast duck. stewed duck and peas (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast duck, oz. of butter, or slices of lean ham or bacon, tablespoonful of flour, pints of thin gravy, , or a small bunch of green onions, sprigs of parsley, cloves, pint of young green peas, cayenne and salt to taste, teaspoonful of pounded sugar. _mode_.--put the butter into a stewpan; cut up the duck into joints, lay them in with the slices of lean ham or bacon; make it brown, then dredge in a tablespoonful of flour, and stir this well in before adding the gravy. put in the onion, parsley, cloves, and gravy, and when it has simmered for / hour, add a pint of young green peas, and stew gently for about / hour. season with cayenne, salt, and sugar; take out the duck, place it round the dish, and the peas in the middle. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold duck, s. _seasonable_ from june to august. ducks hatching.--concerning incubation by ducks, a practised writer says, "the duck requires a secret and safe place, rather than any attendance, and will, at nature's call, cover her eggs and seek her food. on hatching, there is not often a necessity for taking away any of the brood; and, having hatched, let the mother retain her young ones upon the nest her own time. on her moving with her brood, let a coop be prepared upon the short grass, if the weather be fine, and under shelter, if otherwise." cooping and feeding ducklings.--brood ducks should be cooped at some distance from any other. a wide and flat dish of water, to be often renewed, should stand just outside the coop, and barley, or any other meal, be the first food of the ducklings. it will be needful, if it be wet weather, to clip their tails, lest these draggle, and so weaken the bird. the period of the duck's confinement to the coop will depend on the weather, and on the strength of the ducklings. a fortnight is usually the extent of time necessary, and they may even be sometimes permitted to enjoy the luxury of a swim at the end of a week. they should not, however, be allowed to stay too long in the water at first; for they will then become ill, their feathers get rough, and looseness of the bowels ensue. in the latter case, let them be closely cooped for a few days, and bean-meal or oatmeal be mixed with their ordinary food. [illustration: aylesbury ducks.] the aylesbury duck.--the white aylesbury duck is, and deservedly, a universal favourite. its snowy plumage and comfortable comportment make it a credit to the poultry-yard, while its broad and deep breast, and its ample back, convey the assurance that your satisfaction will not cease at its death. in parts of buckinghamshire, this member of the duck family is bred on an extensive scale; not on plains and commons, however, as might be naturally imagined, but in the abodes of the cottagers. round the walls of the living-rooms, and of the bedroom even, are fixed rows of wooden boxes, lined with hay; and it is the business of the wife and children to nurse and comfort the feathered lodgers, to feed the little ducklings, and to take the old ones out for an airing. sometimes the "stock" ducks are the cottager's own property, but it more frequently happens that they are intrusted to his care by a wholesale breeder, who pays him so much _per_ score for all ducklings properly raised. to be perfect, the aylesbury duck should be plump, pure white, with yellow feet, and a flesh-coloured beak. stewed duck and peas (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast duck, / pint of good gravy, cayenne and salt to taste, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, oz, of butter rolled in flour, - / pint of green peas. _mode_.--cut up the duck into joints, lay it in the gravy, and add a seasoning of cayenne, salt, and minced lemon-peel; let tins gradually warm through, but not boil. throw the peas into boiling water slightly salted, and boil them rapidly until tender. drain them, stir in the pounded sugar, and the butter rolled in flour; shake them over the fire for two or three minutes, and serve in the centre of the dish, with the duck laid round. _time_.-- minutes to boil the peas, when they are full grown. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold duck, d. _seasonable_ from june to august. fattening ducks.--many duck-keepers give their birds nothing in the shape of food, letting them wander about and pick up a living for themselves; and they will seem to get fat even upon this precarious feeding. unless, however, ducks are supplied with, besides chance food, a liberal feed of solid corn, or grain, morning and evening, their flesh will become flabby and insipid. the simple way to fatten ducks is to let them have as much, substantial food as they will eat, bruised oats and pea-meal being the standard fattening food for them. no cramming is required, as with the turkey and some other poultry: they will cram themselves to the very verge of suffocation. at the same time, plenty of exercise and clean water should be at their service. american mode of capturing ducks.--on the american rivers, the modes of capture are various. sometimes half a dozen artificial birds are fastened to a little raft, and which is so weighted that the sham birds squat naturally on the water. this is quite sufficient to attract the notice of a passing flock, who descend to cultivate the acquaintance of the isolated few when the concealed hunter, with his fowling-piece, scatters a deadly leaden shower amongst them. in the winter, when the water is covered with rubble ice, the fowler of the delaware paints his canoe entirely white, lies flat in the bottom of it, and floats with the broken ice; from which the aquatic inhabitants fail to distinguish it. so floats the canoe till he within it understands, by the quacking, and fluttering, and whirring of wings, that he is in the midst of a flock, when he is up in a moment with the murderous piece, and dying quacks and lamentations rend the still air. [illustration: bow-bill ducks.] bow-bill ducks, &c.--every one knows how awkward are the _anatidae_, waddling along on their unelastic webbed toes, and their short legs, which, being placed considerably backward, make the fore part of the body preponderate. some, however, are formed more adapted to terrestrial habits than others, and notably amongst these may be named _dendronessa sponsa_, the summer duck of america. this beautiful bird rears her young in the holes of trees, generally overhanging the water. when strong enough, the young scramble to the mouth of the hole, launch into the air with their little wings and feet spread out, and drop into their favourite element. whenever their birthplace is at some distance from the water, the mother carries them to it, one by one, in her bill, holding them so as not to injure their yet tender frame. on several occasions, however, when the hole was , , or more yards from a piece of water, audubon observed that the mother suffered the young to fall on the grass and dried leaves beneath the tree, and afterwards led them directly to the nearest edge of the next pool or creek. there are some curious varieties of the domestic duck, which only appear interesting from their singularity, for there does not seem to be anything of use or value in the unusual characteristics which distinguish them; thus, the bow-bill duck, as shown in the engraving, called by some writers the hook-bill, is remarkable for the peculiarly strange distortion of its beak, and the tuft on the top of its head. the penguin duck, again, waddles in an upright position, like the penguin, on account of the unnatural situation of its legs. these odd peculiarities add nothing of value to the various breeds, and may be set down as only the result of accidental malformation, transmitted from generation to generation. stewed duck and turnips (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast duck, / pint of good gravy, shalots, a few slices of carrot, a small bunch of savoury herbs, blade of pounded mace, lb. of turnips, weighed after being peeled, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut up the duck into joints, fry the shalots, carrots, and herbs, and put them, with the duck, into the gravy; add the pounded mace, and stew gently for minutes or / hour. cut about lb. of turnips, weighed after being peeled, into / -inch squares, put the butter into a stewpan, and stew them till quite tender, which will be in about / hour, or rather more; season with pepper and salt, and serve in the centre of the dish, with the duck, &c. laid round. _time_.--rather more than / hour to stew the turnips. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold duck, s. _seasonable_ from november to february. the wild duck.--in many parts of england the wild duck is to be found, especially in those desolate fenny parts where water abounds. in lincolnshire they are plentiful, and are annually taken in the decoys, which consist of ponds situate in the marshes, and surrounded with wood or reeds to prevent the birds which frequent them from, being disturbed. in these the birds sleep during the day; and as soon as evening sets in, the _decoy rises_, and the wild fowl feed during the night. now is the time for the decoy ducks to entrap the others. from the ponds diverge, in different directions, certain canals, at the end of which funnel nets are placed; along these the _decoy ducks_, trained for the purpose, lead the others in search of food. after they have got a certain length, a decoy-man appears, and drives them further on, until they are finally taken in the nets. it is from these decoys, in lincolnshire, that the london market is mostly supplied. the chinese have a singular mode of catching these ducks. a person wades in the water up to the chin, and, having his head covered with an empty calabash, approaches the place where the ducks are. as the birds have no suspicion of the nature of the object which is concealed under the calabash, they suffer its approach, and allow it to move at will among their flock. the man, accordingly, walks about in the midst of his game, and, whenever he pleases, pulls them by the legs under the water, and fixes them to his belt, until he has secured as many as he requires, and then moves off as he went amongst them, without exciting the slightest suspicion of the trick he has been playing them. this singular mode of duck-hunting is also practised on the ganges, the earthen vessels of the hindoos being used instead of calabashes. these vessels, being those in which the inhabitants boil their rice, are considered, after once being used, as defiled, and are accordingly thrown into the river. the duck-takers, finding them suitable for their purpose, put them on their heads; and as the ducks, from seeing them constantly floating down the stream, are familiar with their appearance, they regard them as objects from which no danger is to be expected. [illustration: call-ducks.] duck-snares in the lincolnshire fens.--the following interesting account of how duck-snaring used to be managed in the lincolnshire fens, was published some years ago, in a work entitled the "feathered tribes."--"in the lakes to which they resorted, their favourite haunts were observed, and in the most sequestered part of a haunt, a pipe or ditch was cut across the entrance, decreasing gradually in width from the entrance to the further end, which was not more than two feet wide. the ditch was of a circular form, but did not bend much for the first ten yards. the banks of the lake on each side of the ditch were kept clear of weeds and close herbage, in order that the ducks might get on them to sit and dress themselves. along the ditch, poles were driven into the ground close to the edge on each side, and the tops were bent over across the ditch and tied together. the poles then bent forward at the entrance to the ditch, and formed an arch, the top of which was tea feet distant from the surface of the water; the arch was made to decrease in height as the ditch decreased in width, so that the remote end was not more than eighteen inches in height. the poles were placed about six feet from each other, and connected by poles laid lengthwise across the arch, and tied together. over the whole was thrown a net, which was made fast to a reed fence at the entrance and nine or ten yards up the ditch, and afterwards strongly pegged to the ground. at the end of the ditch furthest from the entrance, was fixed what was called a tunnel-net, of about four yards in length, of a round form, and kept open by a number of hoops about eighteen inches in diameter, placed at a small distance from each other to keep it distended. supposing the circular bend of the ditch to be to the right, when one stands with his back to the lake, then on the left-hand side, a number of reed fences were constructed, called shootings, for the purpose of screening the decoy-man from observation, and, in such a manner, that the fowl in the decoy would not be alarmed while he was driving those that were in the pipe. these shootings, which were ten in number, were about four yards in length and about six feet high. from the end of the last shooting a person could not see the lake, owing to the bend of the ditch; and there was then no further occasion for shelter. were it not for these shootings, the fowl that remained about the mouth of the ditch would have been alarmed, if the person driving the fowl already under the net should have been exposed, and would have become so shy as entirely to forsake the place." the decoy man, dog, and ducks.--"the first thing the decoy-man did, on approaching the ditch, was to take a piece of lighted peat or turf, and to hold it near his mouth, to prevent the birds from smelling him. he was attended by a dog trained to render him assistance. he walked very silently about halfway up the shootings, where a small piece of wood was thrust through the reed fence, which made an aperture just large enough to enable him to see if there were any fowl within; if not, he walked to see if any were about the entrance to the ditch. if there were, he stopped, made a motion to his dog, and gave him a piece of cheese to eat, when the dog went directly to a hole through the reed fence, and the birds immediately flew off the back into the water. the dog returned along the bank between the reed fences, and came out to his master at another hole. the man then gave the dog something more to encourage him, and the dog repeated his rounds, till the birds were attracted by his motions, and followed him into the mouth of the ditch--an operation which was called 'working them.' the man now retreated further back, working the dog at different holes, until the ducks were sufficiently under the net. he then commanded his dog to lie down under the fence, and going himself forward to the end of the ditch next the lake, he took off his hat, and gave it a wave between the shootings. all the birds that were under the net could then see him, but none that were in the lake could. the former flew forward, and the man then ran to the next shooting, and waved his hat, and so on, driving them along until they came into the tunnel-net, into which they crept. when they were all in, the man gave the net a twist, so as to prevent them getting back. he then took the net off from the end of the ditch, and taking out, one by one, the ducks that were in it, dislocated their necks." boiled fowls or chickens. [illustration: boiled fowl.] . ingredients.--a pair of fowls; water. _choosing and trussing_.--in choosing fowls for boiling, it should be borne in mind that those that are not black-legged are generally much whiter when dressed. pick, draw, singe, wash, and truss them in the following manner, without the livers in the wings; and, in drawing, be careful not to break the gall-bladder:--cut off the neck, leaving sufficient skin to skewer back. cut the feet off to the first joint, tuck the stumps into a slit made on each side of the belly, twist the wings over the back of the fowl, and secure the top of the leg and the bottom of the wing together by running a skewer through them and the body. the other side must be done in the same manner. should the fowl be very large and old, draw the sinews of the legs before tucking them in. make a slit in the apron of the fowl, large enough to admit the parson's nose, and tie a string on the tops of the legs to keep them in their proper place. _mode_.--when, they are firmly trussed, put them into a stewpan with plenty of hot water; bring it to boil, and carefully remove all the scum as it rises. _simmer very gently_ until the fowl is tender, and bear in mind that the slower it boils, the plumper and whiter will the fowl be. many cooks wrap them in a floured cloth to preserve the colour, and to prevent the scum from clinging to them; in this case, a few slices of lemon should be placed on the breasts; over these a sheet of buttered paper, and then the cloth; cooking them in this manner renders the flesh very white. boiled ham, bacon, boiled tongue, or pickled pork, are the usual accompaniments to boiled fowls, and they may be served with béchamel, white sauce, parsley and butter, oyster, lemon, liver, celery, or mushroom sauce. a little should be poured over the fowls, after the skewers are removed, and the remainder sent in a tureen to table. _time_.--large fowl, hour; moderate-sized one, / hour; chicken, from minutes to / hour. _average cost_, in full season, s. the pair. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but scarce in early spring. [illustration: game-fowls.] the game fowl.--respecting the period at which this well-known member of the _gallus_ family became domesticated, history is silent. there is little doubt, however, that, like the dog, it has been attached to mankind ever since mankind were attached to civilization. although the social position of this bird is, at the present time, highly respectable, it is nothing to what it was when rome was mistress of the world. writing at that period, pliny says, respecting the domestic cock, "the gait of the cock is proud and commanding; he walks with head erect and elevated crest; alone, of all birds, he habitually looks up to the sky, raising, at the same time, his curved and scythe-formed tail, and inspiring terror in the lion himself, that most intrepid of animals.----they regulate the conduct of our magistrates, and open or close to them their own houses. they prescribe rest or movement to the roman fasces: they command or prohibit battles. in a word, they lord it over the masters of the world." as well among the ancient greeks as the romans, was the cock regarded with respect, and even awe. the former people practised divinations by means of this bird. supposing there to be a doubt in the camp as to the fittest day to fight a battle, the letter of every day in the week would be placed face downwards, and a grain of corn placed on each; then the sacred cock would be let loose, and, according to the letters he pecked his corn from, so would the battle-time be regulated. on one momentous occasion, however, a person inimical to priestly interest officiously examined the grain, and found that those lying on the letters not wanted were made of wax, and the birds, preferring the true grain, left these untouched. it is needless to add that, after this, divination through the medium of cocks and grain fell out of fashion. whether or no the learned fowl above alluded to were of the "game" breed, is unknown; but that the birds were bred for the inhuman sport of fighting many hundred years before the christian era, there can be no doubt. themistocles, the athenian king, who flourished more than two thousand years ago, took advantage of the sight of a pitched battle between two cocks to harangue his soldiers on courage. "observe," said he, "with what intrepid valour they fight, inspired by no other motive than lore of victory; whereas you have to contend for your religion and your liberty, for your wives and children, and for the tombs of your ancestors." and to this day his courage has not degenerated. he still preserves his bold and elegant gait, his sparkling eye, while his wedge-shaped beak and cruel spurs are ever ready to support his defiant crow. it is no wonder that the breed is not plentiful--first, on account of the few eggs laid by the hen; and, secondly, from the incurable pugnacity of the chicks. half fledged broods may be found blind as bats from fighting, and only waiting for the least glimmer of sight to be at it again. without doubt, the flesh of game fowls is every way superior to that of every chicken of the family. broiled fowl and mushroom sauce. . ingredients.--a large fowl, seasoning, to taste, of pepper and salt, handfuls of button mushrooms, slice of lean ham, / pint of thickened gravy, teaspoonful of lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of pounded sugar. _mode_.--cut the fowl into quarters, roast it until three-parts done, and keep it well basted whilst at the fire. take the fowl up, broil it for a few minutes over a clear fire, and season it with pepper and salt. have ready some mushroom sauce made in the following manner. put the mushrooms into a stewpan with a small piece of butter, the ham, a seasoning of pepper and salt, and the gravy; simmer these gently for / hour, add the lemon-juice and sugar, dish the fowl, and pour the sauce round them. _time_.--to roast the fowl, minutes; to broil it, to minutes. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--in full season from may to january. [illustration: black bantams.] the bantam.--no one will dispute that for beauty, animation, plumage, and courage the bantam is entitled to rank next to the game fowl. as its name undoubtedly implies, the bird is of asiatic origin. the choicest sorts are the buff-coloured, and those that are entirely black. a year-old bantam cock of pure breed will not weigh more than sixteen ounces. despite its small size, however, it is marvellously bold, especially in defence of its progeny. a friend of the writer's, residing at kensington, possessed a pair of thorough-bred bantams, that were allowed the range of a yard where a fierce bull-terrier was kennelled. the hen had chicks; and, when about three weeks old, one of them strayed into the dog-kennel. the grim beast within took no notice of the tiny fledgling; but, when the anxious mother ventured in to fetch out the truant, with a growl the dog woke, and nearly snapped her asunder in his great jaws. the cock bird saw the tragic fate of its partner; but, nothing daunted, flew at the dog with a fierce cry, and pecked savagely at its face. the odds, however, were too great; and, when the terrier had sufficiently recovered from the astonishment caused by the sudden and unexpected attack, he seized the audacious bantam, and shook him to death; and, in five minutes, the devoted couple were entombed in _pincher's_ capacious maw. boiled fowl and rice. . ingredients.-- fowl, mutton broth, onions, small blades of pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, / pint of rice, parsley and butter. _mode_.--truss the fowl as for boiling, and put it into a stewpan with sufficient clear well-skimmed mutton broth to cover it; add the onion, mace, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; stew very gently for about hour, should the fowl be large, and about / hour before it is ready put in the rice, which should be well washed and soaked. when the latter is tender, strain it from the liquor, and put it on a sieve reversed to dry before the fire, and, in the mean time, keep the fowl hot. dish it, put the rice round as a border, pour a little parsley and butter over the fowl, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. _time_.--a large fowl, hour. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but scarce in early spring. [illustration: dorkings.] the dorking.--this bird takes its name from that of a town in surrey, where the breed is to be found in greater numbers, and certainly in greater perfection, than elsewhere. it is generally believed that this particular branch of poultry was found in the town above mentioned as long ago as the roman era. the dorking's chief characteristic is that he has five claws on each foot; the extra claw, however, is never of sufficient length to encumber the foot, or to cause it to "drag" its nest, or scratch out the eggs. the colour of the true dorking is pure white; long in the body, short in the legs, and a prolific layer. thirty years ago, there was much controversy respecting the origin of the dorking. the men of sussex declared that the bird belonged to them, and brought birds indigenous to their weald, and possessing all the dorking fine points and peculiarities, in proof of the declaration. others inclined to the belief that the poland bird was the father of the dorking, and not without at least a show of reason, as the former bird much resembles the latter in shape; and, despite its sombre hue, it is well known that the poland cock will occasionally beget thorough white stock from white english hens. the commotion has, however, long ago subsided, and dorking still retains its fair reputation for fowl. curried fowl. . ingredients.-- fowl, oz. of butter, onions sliced, pint of white veal gravy, tablespoonful of curry-powder, tablespoonful of flour, apple, tablespoonfuls of cream, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--put the butter into a stewpan, with the onions sliced, the fowl cut into small joints, and the apple peeled, cored, and minced. fry of a pale brown, add the stock, and stew gently for minutes; rub down the curry-powder and flour with a little of the gravy, quite smoothly, and stir this to the other ingredients; simmer for rather more than / hour, and just before serving, add the above proportion of hot cream and lemon-juice. serve with boiled rice, which may either be heaped lightly on a dish by itself, or put round the curry as a border. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in the winter. _note_.--this curry may be made of cold chicken, but undressed meat will be found far superior. the poland.--this bird, a native of holland, is a great favourite with fowl-keepers, especially those who have on eye to profit rather than to amusement. those varieties known as the "silver spangled" and the "gold spangled" are handsome enough to please the most fastidious; but the common black breed, with the bushy crown of white feathers, is but a plain bird. the chief value of the common poland lies in the great number of eggs they produce; indeed, in many parts, they are as well known as "everlasting layers" as by their proper name. however, the experienced breeder would take good care to send the eggs of his everlasting layers to market, and not use them for home consumption, as, although they may be as large as those laid by other hens, the amount of nutriment contained in them is not nearly so great. mr. mowbray once kept an account of the number of eggs produced by this prolific bird, with the following result:--from the th of october to the th of the following september five hens laid eggs; the average weight of each egg was one ounce five drachms, and the total weight of the whole, exclusive of the shells, - / pounds. taking the weight of the birds at the fair average of five pounds each, we thus see them producing within a year double their weight of egg alone; and, supposing every egg to contain a chick, and allowing the chick to, grow, in less than eighteen months from the laying of the first egg, _two thousand five hundred pounds_ of chicken-meat would be the result. the poland is easily fattened, and its flesh is generally considered juicier and of richer flavour than most others. [illustration: spangled polands.] curried fowl or chicken (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowls, large onions, apple, oz. of butter, dessertspoonful of curry-powder, teaspoonful of flour, / pint of gravy, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--slice the onions, peel, core, and chop the apple, and cut the fowl into neat joints; fry these in the butter of a nice brown; then add the curry-powder, flour, and gravy, and stew for about minutes. put in the lemon-juice, and serve with boiled rice, either placed in a ridge round the dish or separately. two or three shallots or a little garlic may be added, if approved. _time_.--altogether / hour. _av. cost_, exclusive of the cold fowl, d. _seasonable_ in the winter. [illustration: cochin-chinas.] the cochin-china.--about fifteen years ago, the arrival of this distinguished asiatic created in england as great a sensation as might be expected from the landing of an invading host. the first pair that ever made their appearance here were natives of shanghai, and were presented to the queen, who exhibited them at the dublin poultry-show of . then began the "cochin" _furor_. as soon as it was discovered, despite the most strenuous endeavours to keep the tremendous secret, that a certain dealer was possessed of a pair of these birds, straightway the avenues to that dealer's shop were blocked by broughams, and chariots, and hack cabs, until the shy poulterer had been tempted by a sufficiently high sum to part with his treasure. bank-notes were exchanged for cochin chicks, and cochin eggs were in as great demand as though they had been laid by the fabled golden goose. the reign of the cochin china was, however, of inconsiderable duration. the bird that, in , would fetch thirty guineas, is now counted but ordinary chicken-meat, and its price is regulated according to its weight when ready for the spit. as for the precious buff eggs, against which, one time of day, guineas were weighed,--send for sixpenn'orth at the cheesemonger's, and you will get at least five; which is just as it should be. for elegance of shape or quality of flesh, the cochin cannot for a moment stand comparison with our handsome dunghill; neither can the indescribable mixture of growling and braying, peculiar to the former, vie with the musical trumpeting of our own morning herald: yet our poultry-breeders have been immense gainers by the introduction of the ungainly celestial, inasmuch as _new blood_ has been infused into the english chicken family. of this incalculable advantage we may be sure; while, as to the cochin's defects, they are certain to be lost in the process of "cross and cross" breeding. boiled fowls a la bechamel. . ingredients.--a pair of fowls, pint of béchamel, no, , a few bunches of boiled brocoli or cauliflower. _mode_.--truss and boil the fowls by recipe no. ; make a pint of béchamel sauce by recipe no. ; pour some of this over the fowls, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. garnish the dish with bunches of boiled cauliflowers or brocoli, and serve very hot. the sauce should be made sufficiently thick to adhere to the fowls; that for the tureen should be thinned by adding a spoonful or two of stock. _time_.--from / to hour, according to size. _average cost_, in full season, s. a pair. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but scarce in early spring. space for fowls.--we are no advocates for converting the domestic fowl into a cage-bird. we have known amateur fowl-keepers--worthy souls, who would butter the very barley they gave their pets, if they thought they would the more enjoy it--coop up a male bird and three or four hens in an ordinary egg-chest placed on its side, and with the front closely barred with iron hooping! this system will not do. every animal, from man himself to the guinea-pig, must have what is vulgarly, but truly, known as "elbow-room;" and it must be self-evident how emphatically this rule applies to winged animals. it may be urged, in the case of domestic fowls, that from constant disuse, and from clipping and plucking, and other sorts of maltreatment, their wings can hardly be regarded as instruments of flight; we maintain, however, that you may pluck a fowl's wing-joints as bare as a pumpkin, but you will not erase from his memory that he is a fowl, and that his proper sphere is the open air. if he likewise reflects that he is an ill-used fowl--a prison-bird--he will then come to the conclusion, that there is not the least use, under such circumstances, for his existence; and you must admit that the decision is only logical and natural. boiled fowl, with oysters. (_excellent_.) . ingredients.-- young fowl, dozen oysters, the yolks of eggs, / pint of cream. _mode_.--truss a young fowl as for boiling; fill the inside with oysters which have been bearded and washed in their own liquor; secure the ends of the fowl, put it into a jar, and plunge the jar into a saucepan of boiling water. keep it boiling for - / hour, or rather longer; then take the gravy that has flowed from the oysters and fowl, of which there will be a good quantity; stir in the cream and yolks of eggs, add a few oysters scalded in their liquor; let the sauce get quite _hot_, but do not allow it to _boil;_ pour some of it over the fowl, and the remainder send to table in a tureen. a blade of pounded mace added to the sauce, with the cream and eggs, will be found an improvement. _time_.-- - / hour. average cost, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to april. the fowl-house.--in building a fowl-house, take care that it be, if possible, built against a wall or fence that faces the _south_, and thus insure its inmates against many cold winds, driving rains, and sleets they will otherwise suffer. let the floor of the house slope half an inch to the foot from back to front, so as to insure drainage; let it also be close, hard, and perfectly smooth; so that it may be cleanly swept out. a capital plan is to mix a few bushels of chalk and dry earth, spread it over the floor, and pay a paviour's labourer a trifle to hammer it level with his rammer. the fowl-house should be seven feet high, and furnished with perches at least two feet apart. the perches must be level, and not one above the other, or unpleasant consequences may ensue to the undermost row. the perches should be ledged (not fixed--just dropped into sockets, that they may be easily taken out and cleaned) not lower than five feet from the ground, convenient slips of wood being driven into the wall, to render the ascent as easy as possible. the front of the fowl-house should be latticed, taking care that the interstices be not wide enough even to tempt a chick to crawl through. nesting-boxes, containing soft hay, and fitted against the walls, so as to be easily reached by the perch-ladder, should be supplied. it will be as well to keep by you a few portable doors, so that you may hang one before the entrance to a nesting-box, when the hen goes in to sit. this will prevent other hens from intruding, a habit to which some are much addicted. fricasseed fowl or chicken (an entree). . ingredients.-- small fowls or large one, oz. of butter, a bunch of parsley and green onions, clove, blades of mace, shalot, bay-leaf, salt and white pepper to taste, / pint of cream, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--choose a couple of fat plump chickens, and, after drawing, singeing, and washing them, skin, and carve them into joints; blanch these in boiling water for or minutes; take them out, and immerse them in cold water to render them white. put the trimmings, with the necks and legs, into a stewpan; add the parsley, onions, clove, mace, shalot, bay-leaf, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; pour to these the water that the chickens were blanched in, and simmer gently for rather more than hour. have ready another stewpan; put in the joints of fowl, with the above proportion of butter; dredge them with flour, let them get hot, but do not brown them much; then moisten the fricassee with the gravy made from the trimmings, &c., and stew very gently for / hour. lift the fowl into another stewpan, skim the sauce, reduce it quickly over the fire, by letting it boil fast, and strain it over them. add the cream, and a seasoning of pounded mace and cayenne; let it boil up, and when ready to serve, stir to it the well-beaten yolks of eggs: these should not be put in till the last moment, and the sauce should be made _hot_, but must _not boil_, or it will instantly curdle. a few button-mushrooms stewed with the fowl are by many persons considered an improvement. _time_.-- hour to make the gravy, / hour to simmer the fowl. _average cost_, s. the pair. _sufficient_.-- large fowl for one entrée. _seasonable_ at any time. stocking the fowl-house.--take care that the birds with which you stock your house are _young_. the surest indications of old age are fading of the comb and gills from brilliant red to a dingy brick-colour, general paleness of plumage, brittleness of the feathers, length and size of the claws, and the scales of the legs and feet assuming a ragged and _corny_ appearance. your cock and hens should be as near two years old as possible. hens will lay at a year old, but the eggs are always insignificant in size, and the layers giddy and unsteady sitters. the hen-bird is in her prime for breeding at three years old, and will continue so, under favourable circumstances, for two years longer; after which she will decline. crowing hens, and those that have large combs, are generally looked on with mistrust; but this is mere silliness and superstition--though it is possible that a spruce young cock would as much object to a spouse with such peculiar addictions, as a young fellow of our own species would to a damsel who whistled and who wore whiskers. fowls with yellow legs should be avoided; they are generally of a tender constitution, loose-fleshed, and of indifferent flavour. fricasseed fowl (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, strip of lemon-peel, blade of pounded mace, bunch of savoury herbs, onion, popper and salt to taste, pint of water, teaspoonful of flour, / pint of cream, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--carve the fowls into nice joints; make gravy of the trimmings and legs, by stewing them with the lemon-peel, mace, herbs, onion, seasoning, and water, until reduced to / pint; then strain, and put in the fowl. warm it through, and thicken with a teaspoonful of flour; stir the yolks of the eggs into the cream; add these to the sauce, let it get thoroughly hot, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. _time_.-- hour to make the gravy, / hour to warm the fowl. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold chicken, d. _seasonable_ at any time. characteristics of health and power.--the chief characteristics of health in a fowl are brightness and dryness of eye and nostrils, the comb and wattles firm and ruddy, the feathers elastic and glossy. the most useful cock is generally the greatest tyrant, who struts among his hens despotically, with his head erect and his eyes ever watchful. there is likely to be handsomer and stronger chicks in a house where a bold, active--even savage--bird reigns, than where the lord of the hen-house is a weak, meek creature, who bears the abuse and peckings of his wives without a remonstrance. i much prefer dark-coloured cock-birds to those of light plumage. a cock, to be handsome, should be of middling size; his bill should be short, comb bright-red, wattles large, breast broad, and wings strong. his head should be rather small than otherwise, his legs short and sturdy, and his spurs well-formed; his feathers should be short and close, and the more frequently and heartily he crows, the better father he is likely to become. the common error of choosing hens _above_ the ordinary stature of their respective varieties should be avoided, as the best breeding-hens are those of medium size. fried fowls (cold meat cookery). i. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowls, vinegar, salt and cayenne to taste, or minced shalots. for the batter,-- / lb. of flour, / pint of hot water, oz. of butter, the whites of eggs. _mode_.--cut the fowl into nice joints; steep them for an hour in a little vinegar, with salt, cayenne, and minced shalots. make the batter by mixing the flour and water smoothly together; melt in it the butter, and add the whites of egg beaten to a froth; take out the pieces of fowl, dip them in the batter, and fry, in boiling lard, a nice brown. pile them high in the dish, and garnish with fried parsley or rolled bacon. when approved, a sauce or gravy may be served with them. _time_.-- minutes to fry the fowl. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. chanticleer and his companions.--on bringing the male and female birds together for the first time, it will be necessary to watch the former closely, as it is a very common occurrence with him to conceive a sudden and violent dislike for one or more of his wives, and not allow the obnoxious ones to approach within some distance of the others; indeed, i know many cases where the capricious tyrant has set upon the innocent cause of his resentment and killed her outright. in all such cases, the hen objected to should be removed and replaced by another. if the cock should, by any accident, get killed, considerable delicacy is required in introducing a new one. the hens may mope, and refuse to associate with their new husband, clustering in corners, and making odious comparisons between him and the departed; or the cock may have his own peculiar notions as to what a wife should be, and be by no means satisfied with those you have provided him. the plan is, to keep him by himself nearly the whole day, supplying him plentifully with exhilarating food, then to turn him loose among the hens, and to continue this practice, allowing him more of the society of his wives each day, until you suffer him to abide with them altogether. ii. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, vinegar, salt and cayenne to taste, minced shalots, yolk of egg; to every teacupful of bread crumbs allow blade of pounded mace, teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, saltspoonful of salt, a few grains of cayenne. _mode_.--steep the pieces of fowl as in the preceding recipe, then dip them into the yolk of an egg or clarified butter; sprinkle over bread crumbs with which have been mixed salt, mace, cayenne, and lemon-peel in the above proportion. fry a light brown, and serve with or without gravy, as may be preferred. _time_.-- minutes to fry the fowl. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. various modes of fattening fowls.--it would, i think, be a difficult matter to find, among the entire fraternity of fowl-keepers, a dozen whose mode of fattening "stock" is the same. some say that the grand f secret is to give them abundance of saccharine food; others say nothing beats heavy corn steeped in milk; while another breeder, celebrated in his day, and the recipient of a gold medal from a learned society, says, "the best method is as follows:-the chickens are to be taken from the hen the night after they are hatched, and fed with eggs hard-boiled, chopped, and mixed with crumbs of bread, as larks and other small birds are fed, for the first fortnight; after which give them oatmeal and treacle mixed so as to crumble, of which the chickens are very fond, and thrive so fast that, at the end of two months, they will be as large as full-grown fowls." others there are who insist that nothing beats oleaginous diet, and cram their birds with ground oats and suet. but, whatever the course of diet favoured, on one point they seem agreed; and that is, that, while fattening, the fowls _should be kept in the dark_. supposing the reader to be a dealer--a breeder of gross chicken meat for the market (against which supposition the chances are , to ), and beset with as few scruples as generally trouble the huckster, the advice is valuable. "laugh and grow fat" is a good maxim enough; but "sleep and grow fat" is, as is well known to folks of porcine attributes, a better. the poor birds, immured in their dark dungeons, ignorant that there is life and sunshine abroad, tuck their heads under their wings and make a long night of it; while their digestive organs, having no harder work than to pile up fat, have an easy time enough. but, unless we are mistaken, he who breeds poultry for his own eating, bargains for a more substantial reward than the questionable pleasure of burying his carving-knife in chicken grease. tender, delicate, and nutritious flesh is the great aim; and these qualities, i can affirm without fear of contradiction, were never attained by a dungeon-fatted chicken: perpetual gloom and darkness is as incompatible with chicken life as it is with human. if you wish to be convinced of the absurdity of endeavouring to thwart nature's laws, plant a tuft of grass, or a cabbage-plant, in the darkest corner of your coal-cellar. the plant or the tuft may increase in length and breadth, but its colour will be as wan and pale, almost, as would be your own face under the circumstances. poulet a la marengo. . ingredients.-- large fowl, tablespoonfuls of salad oil, tablespoonful of flour, pint of stock no. , or water, about mushroom-buttons, salt and pepper to taste, teaspoonful of powdered sugar, a very small piece of garlic. _mode_.--cut the fowl into or pieces; put them with the oil into a stewpan, and brown them over a moderate fire; dredge in the above proportion of flour; when that is browned, pour in the stock or water; let it simmer very slowly for rather more than / hour, and skim off the fat as it rises to the top; add the mushrooms; season with salt, pepper, garlic, and sugar; take out the fowl, which arrange pyramidically on the dish, with the inferior joints at the bottom. reduce the sauce by boiling it quickly over the fire, keeping it stirred until sufficiently thick to adhere to the back of a spoon; pour over the fowl, and serve. _time_.--altogether minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. a fowl À la marengo.--the following is the origin of the well-known dish poulet à la marengo:--on the evening of the battle the first consul was very hungry after the agitation of the day, and a fowl was ordered with all expedition. the fowl was procured, but there was no butter at hand, and unluckily none could be found in the neighbourhood. there was oil in abundance, however; and the cook having poured a certain quantity into his skillet, put in the fowl, with a clove of garlic and other seasoning, with a little white wine, the best the country afforded; he then garnished it with mushrooms, and served it up hot. this dish proved the second conquest of the day, as the first consul found it most agreeable to his palate, and expressed his satisfaction. ever since, a fowl à la marengo is a favourite dish with all lovers of good cheer. minced fowl a la bechamel. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, tablespoonfuls of béchamel sauce no. , tablespoonfuls of white stock no. , the white of egg, bread crumbs, clarified butter. _mode_.--take the remains of roast fowls, mince the white meat very small, and put it into a stewpan with the béchamel and stock; stir it well over the fire, and just let it boil up. pour the mince into a dish, beat up the white of egg, spread it over, and strew on it a few grated bread crumbs; pour a very little clarified butter on the whole, and brown either before the fire or with a salamander. this should be served in a silver dish, if at hand. _time_.-- or minutes to simmer in the sauce. _seasonable_ at any time. the best way to fatten fowls.--the barn-door fowl is in itself a complete refutation of the cramming and dungeon policy of feeding practised by some. this fowl, which has the common run of the farm-yard, living on dairy-scraps and offal from the stable, begins to grow fat at threshing-time. he has his fill of the finest corn; he has his fill of fresh air and natural exercise, and at last he comes smoking to the table,--a dish for the gods. in the matter of unnaturally stuffing and confining fowls, mowbray is exactly of our opinion. he says: "the london chicken-butchers, as they are termed, are said to be, of all others, the most expeditious and dexterous feeders, putting up a coop of fowls, and making them thoroughly fat within the space of a fortnight, using much grease, and that perhaps not of the most delicate kind, in the food. in this way i have no boasts to make, having always found it necessary to allow a considerable number of weeks for the purpose of making fowls fat in coops. in the common way this business is often badly managed, fowls being huddled together in a small coop, tearing each other to pieces, instead of enjoying that repose which alone can insure, the wished-for object--irregularly fed and cleaned, until they become so stenched and poisoned in their own excrement, that their flesh actually smells and tastes when smoking upon the table." sussex produces the fattest and largest poultry of any county in england, and the fatting process there most common is to give them a gruel made of pot-liquor and bruised oats, with which are mixed hog's grease, sugar, and milk. the fowls are kept very warm, and crammed morning and night. they are put into the coop, and kept there two or three days before the cramming begins, and then it is continued for a fortnight, and the birds are sent to market. ragout of fowl. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowls, shalots, blades of mace, a faggot of savoury herbs, or three slices of lean ham, pint of stock or water, pepper and salt to taste, onion, dessertspoonful of flour, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, / teaspoonful of pounded sugar, oz. of butter. _mode_.--cut the fowls up into neat pieces, the same as for a fricassee; put the trimmings into a stewpan with the shalots, mace, herbs, ham, onion, and stock (water may be substituted for this). boil it slowly for hour, strain the liquor, and put a small piece of butter into a stewpan; when melted, dredge in sufficient flour to dry up the butter, and stir it over the fire. put in the strained liquor, boil for a few minutes, and strain it again over the pieces of fowl. squeeze in the lemon-juice, add the sugar and a seasoning of pepper and salt, make it hot, but do not allow it to boil; lay the fowl neatly on the dish, and garnish with croûtons. _time_.--altogether - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. the best fowls to fatten, &c.--the chicks most likely to fatten well are those first hatched in the brood, and those with the shortest legs. long-legged fowls, as a rule, are by far the most difficult to fatten. the most delicate sort are those which are put up to fatten as soon as the hen forsakes them; for, as says an old writer, "then they will be in fine condition, and full of flesh, which flesh is afterwards expended in the exercise of foraging for food, and in the increase of stature; and it may be a work of some weeks to recover it,--especially with young cocks." but whether you take them in hand as chicks, or not till they are older, the three prime rules to be observed are, sound and various food, warmth, and cleanliness. there is nothing that a fatting fowl grows so fastidious about as his water. if water any way foul be offered him, he will not drink it, but sulk with his food, and pine, and you all the while wondering the reason why. keep them separate, allowing to each bird as much space as you can spare. spread the ground with sharp sandy gravel; take care that they are not disturbed. in addition to their regular diet of good corn, make them a cake of ground oats or beans, brown sugar, milk, and mutton suet. let the cake lie till it is stale, then crumble it, and give each bird a gill-measureful morning and evening. no entire grain should be given to fowls during the time they are fattening; indeed, the secret of success lies in supplying them with the most nutritious food without stint, and in such a form that their digestive mills shall find no difficulty in grinding it. [illustration: roast fowl.] roast fowls. . ingredients.--a pair of fowls; a little flour. _mode_.--fowls to be tender should be killed a couple of days before they are dressed; when the feathers come out easily, then let them be picked and cooked. in drawing them, be careful not to break the gall-bag, as, wherever it touches, it would impart a very bitter taste; the liver and gizzard should also be preserved. truss them in the following manner:--after having carefully picked them, cut off the head, and skewer the skin of the neck down over the back. cut off the claws; dip the legs in boiling water, and scrape them; turn the pinions under, run a skewer through them and the middle of the legs, which should be passed through the body to the pinion and leg on the other side, one skewer securing the limbs on both sides. the liver and gizzard should be placed in the wings, the liver on one side and the gizzard on the other. tie the legs together by passing a trussing-needle, threaded with twine, through the backbone, and secure it on the other side. if trussed like a capon, the legs are placed more apart. when firmly trussed, singe them all over; put them down to a bright clear fire, paper the breasts with a sheet of buttered paper, and keep the fowls well basted. roast them for / hour, more or less, according to the size, and minutes before serving, remove the paper, dredge the fowls with a little fine flour, put a piece of butter into the basting-ladle, and as it melts, baste the fowls with it; when nicely frothed and of a rich colour, serve with good brown gravy, a little of which should be poured over the fowls, and a tureen of well-made bread sauce, no. . mushroom, oyster, or egg sauce are very suitable accompaniments to roast fowl.--chicken is roasted in the same manner. _time_.--a very large fowl, quite hour, medium-sized one / hour, chicken / hour, or rather longer. _average cost_, in full season, s. a pair; when scarce, s. d. the pair. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but scarce in early spring. the diseases of fowls, and how to cure them.--the diseases to which _gallus domesticus_ is chiefly liable, are roup, pip, scouring, and chip. the first-mentioned is the most common of all, and results from cold. the ordinary symptoms,--swollen eyes, running at the nostrils, and the purple colour of the wattles. part birds so affected from the healthy ones, as, when the disease is at its height it is as contagious as glanders among horses. wash out the nostrils with warm water, give daily a peppercorn inclosed in dough; bathe the eyes and nostrils with warm milk and water. if the head is much swollen, bathe with warm brandy and water. when the bird is getting well, put half a spoonful of sulphur in his drinking-water. some fanciers prescribe for this disease half a spoonful of table salt, dissolved in half a gill of water, in which rue has been steeped; others, pills composed of ground rice and fresh butter: but the remedy first mentioned will be found far the best. as there is a doubt respecting the wholesomeness of the eggs laid by roupy hens, it will be as well to throw them away. the pip is a white horny skin growing on the tip of the bird's tongue. it should be removed with the point of a penknife, and the place rubbed with salt. fowl and rice croquettes (an entree). . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, quart of stock or broth, oz. of butter, minced fowl, egg, and bread crumbs. _mode_.--put the rice into the above proportion of cold stock or broth, and let it boil very gently for / hour; then add the butter, and simmer it till quite dry and soft when cold, make it into balls, hollow out the inside, and fill with minced fowl made by recipe no. . the mince should be rather thick. cover over with rice, dip the balls into egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and fry a nice brown. dish them, and garnish with fried parsley. oysters, white sauce, or a little cream, may be stirred into the rice before it cools. _time_.-- / hour to boil the rice, minutes to fry the croquettes. _average cost_, exclusive of the fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. chip.--if the birds are allowed to puddle about on wet soil, or to be much out in the rain, they will get "chip." young chicks are especially liable to this complaint. they will sit shivering in out-of-the-way corners, perpetually uttering a dolorous "chip, chip;" seemingly frozen with cold, though, on handling them, they are found to be in high fever. a wholesale breeder would take no pains to attempt the cure of fowls so afflicted; but they who keep chickens for the pleasure, and not for the profit they yield, will be inclined to recover them if possible. give them none but warm food, half a peppercorn rolled in a morsel of dough every night, and a little nitre in their water. above all, keep them warm; a corner in the kitchen fender, for a day or two, will do more to effect a cure than the run of a druggist's warehouse. croquettes of fowl (an entree). . ingredients.-- or shalots, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of flour, white sauce; pepper, salt, and pounded mace to taste; / teaspoonful of pounded sugar, the remains of cold roast fowls, the yolks of eggs, egg, and bread crumbs. _mode_.--mince the fowl, carefully removing all skin and bone, and fry the shalots in the butter; add the minced fowl, dredge in the flour, put in the pepper, salt, mace, pounded sugar, and sufficient white sauce to moisten it; stir to it the yolks of well-beaten eggs, and set it by to cool. then make the mixture up into balls, egg and bread-crumb them, and fry a nice brown. they may be served on a border of mashed potatoes, with gravy or sauce in the centre. _time_.-- minutes to fry the balls. _seasonable_ at any time. the turn.--what is termed "turrling" with song-birds, is known, as regard fowls, as the "turn." its origin is the same in both cases,--over-feeing and want of exercise. without a moment's warning, a fowl so afflicted will totter and fall from its perch, and unless assistance be at hand, speedily give up the ghost. the veins of the palate should be opened, and a few drops of mixture composed of six parts of sweet nitre and one of ammonia, poured down its throat. i have seen ignorant keepers plunge a bird, stricken with the "turn," into cold water; but i never saw it taken out again alive; and for a good reason: the sudden chill has the effect of driving the blood to the head,--of aggravating the disease indeed, instead of relieving it. hashed fowl--an entree (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, pint of water, onion, or three small carrots, blade of pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, small bunch of savoury herbs, thickening of butter and flour, - / tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut off the best joints from the fowl, and the remainder make into gravy, by adding to the bones and trimmings a pint of water, an onion sliced and fried of a nice brown, the carrots, mace, seasoning, and herbs. let these stew gently for - / hour, strain the liquor, and thicken with a little flour and butter. lay in the fowl, thoroughly warm it through, add the ketchup, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--altogether - / hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. skin-disease in fowls.--skin-disease is, nine times out of ten, caused by the feathers being swarmed by parasites. poor feeding will induce this, even if cleanliness be observed; uncleanliness, however liberal the bill of fare, will be taken as an invitation by the little biting pests, and heartily responded to. mix half a teaspoonful of hydro-oxalic acid with twelve teaspoonfuls of water,--apply to the itching parts with an old shaving-brush. obstruction of the crop.--obstruction of the crop is occasioned by weakness or greediness. you may know when a bird is so afflicted by his crop being distended almost to bursting. mowbray tells of a hen of his in this predicament; when the crop was opened, a quantity of new beans were discovered in a state of vegetation. the crop should be slit from the _bottom_ to the _top_ with a sharp pair of scissors, the contents taken out, and the slit sewed up again with line white thread. minced fowl--an entree (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, hard-boiled eggs, salt, cayenne, and pounded mace, onion, faggot of savoury herbs, tablespoonfuls of cream, oz. of butter, two teaspoonfuls of flour, / teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--cut out from the fowl all the white meat, and mince it finely without any skin or bone; put the bones, skin, and trimmings into a stewpan with an onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, a blade of mace, and nearly a pint of water; let this stew for an hour, then strain the liquor. chop the eggs small; mix them with the fowl; add salt, cayenne, and pounded mace, put in the gravy and remaining ingredients; let the whole just boil, and serve with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--another way to make this is to mince the fowl, and warm it in white sauce or béchamel. when dressed like this, or poached eggs may be placed on the top: oysters, or chopped mushrooms, or balls of oyster forcemeat, may be laid round the dish. the moulting season.--during the moulting season beginning properly at the end of september, the fowls will require a little extra attention. keep them dry and warm, and feed them liberally on warm and satisfying food. if in any fowl the moult should seem protracted, examine it for broken feather-stumps still beaded in the skin: if you find any, extract them carefully with a pair of tweezers. if a fowl is hearty and strong, six weeks will see him out of his trouble; if he is weakly, or should take cold during the time, he will not thoroughly recover in less than three months. it is seldom or ever that hens will lay during the moult; while the cock, during the same period, will give so little of his consideration to the frivolities of love, that you may as well, nay, much better, keep him by himself till he perfectly recovers. a moulting chicken makes but a sorry dish. hashed fowl, indian fashion (an entree). .--ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, or sliced onions, apple, oz. of butter, pounded mace, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of curry-powder, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, tablespoonful of flour, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, pint of gravy. _mode_.--cut the onions into slices, mince the apple, and fry these in the butter; add pounded mace, pepper, salt, curry-powder, vinegar, flour, and sugar in the above proportions; when the onion is brown, put it the gravy, which should be previously made from the bones and trimmings of the fowls, and stew for / hour; add the fowl cut into nice-sized joints, let it warm through, and when quite tender, serve. the dish should be garnished with au edging of boiled rice. _time_.-- hour. average cost, exclusive of the fowl, d. _seasonable_ at any time. the scour or dysentery.--the scour, or dysentery, or diarrhoea, is induced variously. a sudden alteration in diet will cause it, as will a superabundance of green food. the best remedy is a piece of toasted biscuit sopped in ale. if the disease has too tight a hold on the bird to be quelled by this, give six drops of syrup of white poppies and six drops of castor-oil, mixed with a little oatmeal or ground rice. restrict the bird's diet, for a few days, to dry food,--crushed beans or oats, stale bread-crumbs, &c. fowl scollops (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast or boiled fowl, / pint of béchamel, no. , or white sauce, no. or . _mode_.--strip off the skin from the fowl; cut the meat into thin slices, and warm them in about / pint, or rather more, of béchamel, or white sauce. when quite hot, serve, and garnish the dish with rolled ham or bacon toasted. _time_.-- minute to simmer the slices of fowl. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: the feather legged bantam.] the feather legged bantam.--since the introduction of the bantam into europe, it has ramified into many varieties, none of which are destitute of elegance, and some, indeed, remarkable for their beauty. all are, or ought to be, of small size, but lively and vigorous, exhibiting in their movements both grace and stateliness. the variety shown in the engraving is remarkable for the _tarsi_, or beams of the legs, being plumed to the toes, with stiff, long feathers, which brush the ground. owing, possibly, to the little care taken to preserve this variety from admixture, it is now not frequently seen. another variety is often red, with a black breast and single dentated comb. the _tarsi_ are smooth, and of a dusky blue. when this sort of bantam is pure, it yields in courage and spirit to none, and is, in fact, a game-fowl in miniature, being as beautiful and graceful as it is spirited. a pure white bantam, possessing all the qualifications just named, is also bred in the royal aviary at windsor. an indian dish of fowl (an entree). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, or sliced onions, tablespoonful of curry-powder, salt to taste. _mode_.--divide the fowl into joints; slice and fry the onions in a little butter, taking care not to burn them; sprinkle over the fowl a little curry-powder and salt; fry these nicely, pile them high in the centre of the dish, cover with the onion, and serve with a cut lemon on a plate. care must be taken that the onions are not greasy: they should be quite dry, but not burnt. _time_.-- minutes to fry the onions, minutes to fry the fowl. _average cost_, exclusive of the fowl, d. _seasonable_ during the winter month. [illustration: speckled hamburgs.] the speckled hamburg.--of the speckled, or spangled hamburg which is a favourite breed with many persons, there are two varieties,--the golden-speckled and the silver-speckled. the general colour of the former is golden, or orange-yellow, each feather having a glossy dark brown or black tip, particularly remarkable on the hackles of the cock and the wing-coverts, and also on the darker feathers of the breast. the female is yellow, or orange-brown, the feathers in like manner being margined with black. the silver-speckled variety is distinguished by the ground-colour of the plumage being of a silver-white, with perhaps a tinge of straw-yellow, every leather being margined with a semi-lunar mark of glossy black. both of these varieties are extremely beautiful, the hens laying freely. first-rate birds command a high price. fowl saute with peas (an entree). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowl, oz. of butter, pepper, salt, and pounded mace to taste, dessertspoonful of flour, / pint of weak stock, pint of green peas, teaspoonful of pounded sugar. _mode_.--cut the fowl into nice pieces; put the butter into a stew-pan; sautez or fry the fowl a nice brown colour, previously sprinkling it with pepper, salt, and pounded mace. dredge in the flour, shake the ingredients well round, then add the stock and peas, and stew till the latter are tender, which will be in about minutes; put in the pounded sugar, and serve, placing the chicken round, and the peas in the middle of the dish. when liked, mushrooms may be substituted for the peas. _time_.--altogether minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the fowl, d. _seasonable_ from june to august. boudin a la reine (an entree). (m. ude's recipe.) . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast fowls, pint of béchamel no. , salt and cayenne to taste, egg and bread crumbs. _mode_.--take the breasts and nice white meat from the fowls; cut it into small dice of an equal size, and throw them into some good béchamel, made by recipe no. ; season with salt and cayenne, and put the mixture into a dish to cool. when this preparation is quite cold, cut it into equal parts, which should be made into _boudins_ of a long shape, the size of the dish they are intended to be served on; roll them in flour, egg and bread-crumb them, and be careful that the ends are well covered with the crumbs, otherwise they would break in the frying-pan; fry them a nice colour, put them before the fire to drain the greasy moisture from them, and serve with the remainder of the béchamel poured round: this should be thinned with a little stock. _time_.-- minutes to fry the boudins. _average cost_, exclusive of the fowl, s. d. _sufficient_ for entrée. [illustration: sebright bantams.] sir john sebright's bantams.--above all bantams is placed, the celebrated and beautiful breed called sir john sebright's silver bantams. this breed, which sir john brought to perfection after years of careful trials, is very small, with un-feathered legs, and a rose comb and short hackles. the plumage is gold or silver, spangled, every feather being of a golden orange, or of a silver white, with a glossy jet-black margin; the cocks have the tail folded like that of a hen, with the sickle feathers shortened straight, or nearly so, and broader than usual. the term _hen-cocks_ is, in consequence, often applied to them; but although the sickle feathers are thus modified, no bird possesses higher courage, or a more gallant carriage. the attitude of the cock is, indeed, singularly proud; and he is often seen to bear himself so haughtily, that his head, thrown back as if in disdain, nearly touches the two upper feathers--sickles they can scarcely be called--of his tail. half-bred birds of this kind are not uncommon, but birds of the pure breed are not to be obtained without trouble and expense; indeed, some time ago, it was almost impossible to procure either a fowl or an egg. "the finest," says the writer whom we have consulted as to this breed, "we have ever seen, were in sir john's poultry-yard, adjacent to turnham-green common, in the byroad leading to acton." fowl a la mayonnaise. . ingredients.--a cold roast fowl, mayonnaise sauce no. , or young lettuces, hard-boiled eggs, a few water-cresses, endive. _mode_.--cut the fowl into neat joints, lay them in a deep dish, piling them high in the centre, sauce the fowl with mayonnaise made by recipe no. , and garnish the dish with young lettuces cut in halves, water-cresses, endive, and hard-boiled eggs: these may be sliced in rings, or laid on the dish whole, cutting off at the bottom a piece of the white, to make the egg stand. all kinds of cold meat and solid fish may be dressed à la mayonnaise, and make excellent luncheon or supper dishes. the sauce should not be poured over the fowls until the moment of serving. should a very large mayonnaise be required, use fowls instead of , with an equal proportion of the remaining ingredients. _average cost_, with one fowl, s. d. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized dish. _seasonable_ from april to september. [illustration: black spanish.] black spanish.--the real spanish fowl is recognized by its uniformly black colour burnished with tints of green; its peculiar white face, and the large development of its comb and wattle. the hens are excellent layers, and their eggs are of a very large size. they are, however, bad nurses; consequently, their eggs should be laid in the nest of other varieties to be hatched. "in purchasing spanish," says an authority, "blue legs, the entire absence of white or coloured feathers in the plumage, and a large, white face, with a very large high comb, which should be erect in the cock, though pendent in the hens, should be insisted on." the flesh of this fowl is esteemed; but, from the smallness of its body when compared with that of the dorking, it is not placed on an equality with it for the table. otherwise, however, they are profitable birds, and their handsome carriage, and striking contrast of colour in the comb, face, and plumage, are a high recommendation to them as kept fowls. for a town fowl, they are perhaps better adapted than any other variety. fowl pillau, based on m. soyer's recipe (an indian dish). . ingredients.-- lb. of rice, oz. of butter, a fowl, quarts of stock or good broth, cardamum-seeds, / oz. of coriander-seed, / oz. of cloves, / oz. of allspice, / oz. of mace, / oz. of cinnamon, / oz. of peppercorns, onions, thin slices of bacon, hard-boiled eggs. _mode_.--well wash lb. of the best patna rice, put it into a frying-pan with the butter, which keep moving over a slow fire until the rice is lightly browned. truss the fowl as for boiling, put it into a stewpan with the stock or broth; pound the spices and seeds thoroughly in a mortar, tie them in a piece of muslin, and put them in with the fowl. let it boil slowly until it is nearly done; then add the rice, which should stew until quite tender and almost dry; cut the onions into slices, sprinkle them with flour, and fry, without breaking them, of a nice brown colour. have ready the slices of bacon curled and grilled, and the eggs boiled hard. lay the fowl in the form of a pyramid upon a dish, smother with the rice, garnish with the bacon, fried onions, and the hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters, and serve very hot. before taking the rice out, remove the spices. _time_.-- / hour to stew the fowl without the rice; / hour with it. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: sultans.] the serai ta-ook, or fowls of the sultan.--this fowl is the size of our english polands, and is the latest species introduced to england. they have a white and flowing plumage, a full-sized, compact poland tuft on the head, are muffed, have a full flowing tail, short legs well feathered, and five toes upon each foot. their comb consists merely of two little points, and their wattles are very small: their colour is that of a pure white. in january, , they arrived in this country from constantinople; and they take their name from _sarai_, the turkish word for sultan's palace, and _ta-ook_, the turkish for fowl. they are thus called the "fowls of the sultan," a name which has the twofold advantage of being the nearest to be found to that by which they have been known in their own country, and of designating the country whence they come. their habits are described as being generally brisk and happy-tempered, but not so easily kept in as cochin-chinas. they are excellent layers; but they are non-sitters and small eaters: their eggs are large and white. brahmas or cochins will clear the crop of a grass-run long before they will, and, with scattered food, they soon satisfy themselves and walk away. poulet aux cressons. . ingredients.--a fowl, a large bunch of water-cresses, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, / pint of gravy. _mode_.--truss and roast a fowl by recipe no. , taking care that it is nicely frothed and brown. wash and dry the water-cresses, pick them nicely, and arrange them in a flat layer on a dish. sprinkle over a little salt and the above proportion of vinegar; place over these the fowl, and pour over it the gravy. a little gravy should be served in a tureen. when not liked, the vinegar may be omitted. _time_.--from / to hour, according to size. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. roast fowl, stuffed. . ingredients.--a large fowl, forcemeat no. , a little flour. _mode_.--select a large plump fowl, fill the breast with forcemeat, made by recipe no. , truss it firmly, the same as for a plain roast fowl, dredge it with flour, and put it down to a bright fire. roast it for nearly or quite an hour, should it be very large; remove the skewers, and serve with a good brown gravy and a tureen of bread sauce. _time_.--large fowl, nearly or quite hour. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but scarce in early spring. _note_.--sausage-meat stuffing may be substituted for the above: this is now a very general mode of serving fowl. [illustration: pencilled hamburg.] pencilled hamburg.--this variety of the hamburg fowl is of two colours, golden and silver, and is very minutely marked. the hens of both should have the body clearly pencilled across with several bars of black, and the hackle in both, sexes should be perfectly free from dark marks. the cocks do not exhibit the pencillings, but are white or brown in the golden or silver birds respectively. their form is compact, and their attitudes graceful and sprightly. the hens do not sit, but lay extremely well; hence one of their common names, that of dutch every-day layers. they are also known in different parts of the country, as chitteprats, creoles, or corals, bolton bays and grays, and, in some parts of yorkshire, by the wrong name of corsican fowls. they are imported in large numbers from holland, but those bred in this country are greatly superior in size. giblet pie. . ingredients.--a set of duck or goose giblets, lb. of rump-steak, onion, / teaspoonful of whole black pepper, a bunch of savoury herbs, plain crust. _mode_.--clean, and put the giblets into a stewpan with an onion, whole pepper, and a bunch of savoury herbs; add rather more than a pint of water, and simmer gently for about - / hour. take them out, let them cool, and cut them into pieces; line the bottom of a pie-dish with a few pieces of rump-steak; add a layer of giblets and a few more pieces of steak; season with pepper and salt, and pour in the gravy (which should be strained), that the giblets were stewed in; cover with a plain crust, and bake for rather more than - / hour in a brisk oven. cover a piece of paper over the pie, to prevent the crust taking too much colour. _time_.-- - / hour to stew the giblets, about hour to bake the pie. _average cost_, exclusive of the giblets, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. the brent goose.--this is the smallest and most numerous species of the geese which visit the british islands. it makes its appearance in winter, and ranges over the whole of the coasts and estuaries frequented by other migrant geese. mr. selby states that a very large body of these birds annually resort to the extensive sandy and muddy flats which lie between the mainland and holy island, on the northumbrian coast, and which are covered by every flow of the tide. this part of the coast appears to have been a favourite resort of these birds from time immemorial, where they have always received the name of ware geese, no doubt from their continually feeding on marine vegetables. their flesh is very agreeable. hashed goose. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast goose, onions, oz. of butter, pint of boiling water, dessertspoonful of flour, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of port wine, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut up the goose into pieces of the size required; the inferior joints, trimmings, &c., put into a stewpan to make the gravy; slice and fry the onions in the butter of a very pale brown; add these to the trimmings, and pour over about a pint of boiling water; stew these gently for / hour, then skim and strain the liquor. thicken it with flour, and flavour with port wine and ketchup, in the above proportion; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and put in the pieces of goose; let these get thoroughly hot through, but do not allow them to boil, and serve with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--altogether, rather more than hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold goose, d. _seasonable_ from september to march. the wild goose.--this bird is sometimes called the "gray-lag" and is the original of the domestic goose. it is, according to pennant, the only species which the britons could take young, and familiarize. "the gray-lag," says mr. gould, "is known to persia, and we believe it is generally dispersed over asia minor." it is the bird that saved the capitol by its vigilance, and by the romans was cherished accordingly. roast goose. . ingredients.--goose, large onions, sage-leaves, / lb. of bread crumbs, - / oz. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, egg. _choosing and trussing_.--select a goose with a clean white skin, plump breast, and yellow feet: if these latter are red, the bird is old. should the weather permit, let it hang for a few days: by so doing, the flavour will be very much improved. pluck, singe, draw, and carefully wash and wipe the goose; cut off the neck close to the back, leaving the skin long enough to turn over; cut off the feet at the first joint, and separate the pinions at the first joint. beat the breast-bone flat with a rolling-pin, put a skewer through the under part of each wing, and having drawn up the legs closely, put a skewer into the middle of each, and pass the same quite through the body. insert another skewer into the small of the leg, bring it close down to the side bone, run it through, and do the same to the other side. now cut off the end of the vent, and make a hole in the skin sufficiently large for the passage of the rump, in order to keep in the seasoning. [illustration: roast goose.] _mode_.--make a sage-and-onion stuffing of the above ingredients, by recipe no. ; put it into the body of the goose, and secure it firmly at both ends, by passing the rump through the hole made in the skin, and the other end by tying the skin of the neck to the back; by this means the seasoning will not escape. put it down to a brisk fire, keep it well basted, and roast from - / to hours, according to the size. remove the skewers, and serve with a tureen of good gravy, and one of well-made apple-sauce. should a very highly-flavoured seasoning be preferred, the onions should not be parboiled, but minced raw: of the two methods, the mild seasoning is far superior. a ragoût, or pie, should be made of the giblets, or they may be stewed down to make gravy. be careful to serve the goose before the breast falls, or its appearance will be spoiled by coming flattened to table. as this is rather a troublesome joint to carve, a _large_ quantity of gravy should not be poured round the goose, but sent in a tureen. _time_.--a large goose, - / hour; a moderate-sized one, - / to - / hour. _seasonable_ from september to march; but in perfection from michaelmas to christmas. _average cost_, s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _note_.--a teaspoonful of made mustard, a saltspoonful of salt, a few grains of cayenne, mixed with a glass of port wine, are sometimes poured into the goose by a slit made in the apron. this sauce is, by many persons, considered an improvement. [illustration: emden goose.] the goose.--this bird is pretty generally distributed over the face of the globe, being met with in north america, lapland, iceland, arabia, and persia. its varieties are numerous; but in england there is only one species, which is supposed to be a native breed. the best geese are found on the borders of suffolk, and in norfolk and berkshire; but the largest flocks are reared in the fens of lincolnshire and cambridge. they thrive best where they have an easy access to water, and large herds of them are sent every year to london, to be fattened by the metropolitan poulterers. "a michaelmas goose," says dr. kitchener, "is as famous in the mouths of the million as the minced-pie at christmas; yet for those who eat with delicacy, it is, at that time, too full-grown. the true period when the goose is in the highest perfection is when it has just acquired its full growth, and not begun to harden; if the march goose is insipid, the michaelmas goose is rank. the fine time is between both; from the second week in june to the first in september." it is said that the michaelmas goose is indebted to queen elizabeth for its origin on the table at that season. her majesty happened to dine on one at the table of an english baronet, when she received the news of the discomfiture of the spanish armada. in commemoration of this event, she commanded the goose to make its appearance at table on every michaelmas. we here give an engraving of the emden goose. to dress a green goose. . ingredients.--goose, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--geese are called green till they are about four months old, and should not be stuffed. after it has been singed and trussed, the same as in the preceding recipe, put into the body a seasoning of pepper and salt, and the butter to moisten it inside. roast before a clear fire for about / hour, froth and brown it nicely, and serve with a brown gravy, and, when liked, gooseberry-sauce. this dish should be garnished with water-cresses. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. [illustration: toulouse goose.] the egyptian goose.--especial attention has been directed to this bird by herodotus, who says it was held sacred by the ancient egyptians, which has been partially confirmed by modern travellers. mr. salt remarks, "horus apollo says the old geese stay with their young in the most imminent danger, at the risk of their own lives, which i have myself frequently witnessed. vielpanser is the goose of the nile, and wherever this goose is represented on the walls of the temples in colours, the resemblance may be clearly traced." the goose is also said to have been a bird under the care of isis. it has been placed by mr. gould amongst the birds of europe; not from the number of half-reclaimed individuals which are annually shot in britain, but from the circumstance of its occasionally visiting the southern parts of the continent from its native country, africa. the toulouse goose, of which we give an engraving, is a well-known bird. roast guinea-fowl, larded. . ingredients.--a guinea-fowl, lardoons, flour, and salt. _mode_.--when this bird is larded, it should be trussed the same as a pheasant; if plainly roasted, truss it like a turkey. after larding and trussing it, put it down to roast at a brisk fire; keep it well basted, and a short time before serving, dredge it with a little flour, and let it froth nicely. serve with a little gravy in the dish, and a tureen of the same, and one of well-made bread-sauce. _time_.--guinea-fowl, larded, - / hour; plainly roasted, about hour. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ in winter. _note_.--the breast, if larded, should be covered with a piece of paper, and removed about minutes before serving. [illustration: guinea-fowls.] the guinea-fowl.--the bird takes its name from guinea, in africa, where it is found--wild, and in great abundance. it is gregarious in its habits, associating in flocks of two or three hundred, delighting in marshy grounds, and at night perching upon trees, or on high situations. its size is about the same as that of a common hen, but it stands higher on its legs. though domesticated, it retains much of its wild nature, and is apt to wander. the hens lay abundantly, and the eggs are excellent. in their flesh, however, they are not so white as the common fowl, but more inclined to the colour of the pheasant, for which it frequently makes a good substitute at table. the flesh is both savoury and easy of digestion, and is in season when game is out of season. lark pie (an entree). . ingredients.--a few thin slices of beef, the same of bacon, larks, flour; for stuffing, teacupful of bread crumbs, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, teaspoonful of minced parsley, egg, salt and pepper to taste, teaspoonful of chopped shalot, / pint of weak stock or water, puff-paste. _mode_.--make a stuffing of bread crumbs, minced lemon-peel, parsley, and the yolk of an egg, all of which should be well mixed together; roll the larks in flour, and stuff them. line the bottom of a pie-dish with a few slices of beef and bacon; over these place the larks, and season with salt, pepper, minced parsley, and chopped shalot, in the above proportion. pour in the stock or water, cover with crust, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. during the time the pie is baking, shake it or times, to assist in thickening the gravy, and serve very hot. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. a dozen. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--in full season in november. roast larks. . ingredients.--larks, egg and bread crumbs, fresh butter. _mode_.--these birds are by many persons esteemed a great delicacy, and may be either roasted or broiled. pick, gut, and clean them; when they are trussed, brush them over with the yolk of an egg; sprinkle with bread crumbs, and roast them before a quick fire; baste them continually with fresh butter, and keep sprinkling with the bread crumbs until the birds are well covered. dish them on bread crumbs fried in clarified butter, and garnish the dish with slices of lemon. broiled larks are also very excellent: they should be cooked over a clear fire, and would take about minutes or / hour. _time_.-- / hour to roast; minutes to broil. _seasonable_.--in full season in november. _note_.--larks may also be plainly roasted, without covering them with egg and bread crumbs; they should be dished on fried crumbs. broiled pigeons. . ingredients.--pigeons, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--take care that the pigeons are quite fresh, and carefully pluck, draw, and wash them; split the backs, rub the birds over with butter, season them with pepper and salt, and broil them over a moderate fire for / hour or minutes. serve very hot, with either mushroom-sauce or a good gravy. pigeons may also be plainly boiled, and served with parsley and butter; they should be trussed like boiled fowls, and take from / hour to minutes to boil. _time_.--to broil a pigeon, from / hour to minutes; to boil one, the same time. _average cost_, from d. to d. each. _seasonable_ from april to september, but in the greatest perfection from midsummer to michaelmas. the pouter pigeon.--this is a very favourite pigeon, and, without doubt, the most curious of his species. he is a tail strong bird, as he had need be to carry about his great inflated crop, frequently as large and as round as a middling-sized turnip. a perfect pouter, seen on a windy day, is certainly a ludicrous sight: his feathered legs have the appearance of white trousers; his tapering tail looks like a swallow-tailed coat; his head is entirely concealed by his immense windy protuberance; and, altogether, he reminds you of a little "swell" of a past century, staggering under a bale of linen. the most common pouters are the blues, buffs, and whites, or an intermixture of all these various colours. the pouter is not a prolific breeder, is a bad nurse, and more likely to degenerate, if not repeatedly crossed and re-crossed with irish stock, than any other pigeon: nevertheless, it is a useful bird to keep if you are founding a new colony, as it is much attached to its home, and little apt to stray; consequently it is calculated to induce more restless birds to fettle down and make themselves comfortable. if you wish to breed pouters, you cannot do worse than intrust them with the care of their own eggs. roast pigeons. . ingredients.--pigeons, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. _trussing_.--pigeons, to be good, should be eaten fresh (if kept a little, the flavour goes off), and they should be drawn as soon as killed. cut off the heads and necks, truss the wings over the backs, and cut off the toes at the first joint: previous to trussing, they should be carefully cleaned, as no bird requires so much washing. [illustration: roast pigeon.] _mode_.--wipe the birds very dry, season them inside with pepper and salt, and put about / oz. of butter into the body of each: this makes them moist. put them down to a bright fire, and baste them well the whole of the time they are cooking (they will be done enough in from to minutes); garnish with fried parsley, and serve with a tureen of parsley and butter. bread-sauce and gravy, the same as for roast fowl, are exceedingly nice accompaniments to roast pigeons, as also egg-sauce. _time_.--from minutes to / hour. _average cost_, d. to d. each. _seasonable_ from april to september; but in the greatest perfection from midsummer to michaelmas. the pigeon--the pigeon tribe forms a connecting ling between the passerine birds and poultry. they are widely distributed over the world, some of the species being found even in the arctic regions. their chief food is grain, and they drink much; not at intervals, like other birds, but by a continuous draught, like quadrupeds. the wild pigeon, or stockdove, is the parent whence all the varieties of the domestic pigeon are derived. in the wild state it is still found in many parts of this island, making its nest in the holes of rocks, in the hollows of trees, or in old towers, but never, like the ringdove, on branches. the blue house-pigeon is the variety principally reared for the table in this country, and is produced from our farmyards in great numbers. when young, and still fed by their parents, they are most preferable for the table, and are called _squabs_; under six months they are denominated _squeakers_, and at six months they begin to breed. their flesh is accounted savoury, delicate, and stimulating, and the dark-coloured birds are considered to have the highest flavour, whilst the light are esteemed to have the more delicate flesh. the pigeon-house, or dovecot.--the first thing to be done towards keeping pigeons is to provide a commodious place for their reception; and the next is, to provide the pigeons themselves. the situation or size of the dovecot will necessarily depend on convenience; but there is one point which must invariably be observed, and that is, that every pair of pigeons has two holes or rooms to nest in. this is indispensable, as, without it, there will be no security, but the constant prospect of confusion, breaking of eggs, and the destruction of young. the proper place for the pigeon-house is the poultry-yard; but it does very well near dwellings, stables, brewhouses, bakehouses, or such offices. some persons keep pigeons in rooms, and have them making their nests on the floor. the object is to escape the danger of the young falling out; but in such cases, there is a great risk of rats or other vermin getting at the pigeons. aspect of the pigeon-house.--the front of the pigeon-house should have a southwest aspect, and, if a room be selected for the purpose, it is usual to break a hole in the roof of the building for the passage of the pigeons, but which can be closed at convenience. a platform ought to be laid at the entrance for the pigeons to perch upon, with some kind of defence against strange cats, which will frequently depopulate a whole dovecot. yet, although cats are dangerous neighbours for the birds, they are necessary to defend them from the approach of rats and mice, which will not only suck the eggs, but destroy the birds. the platform should be painted white, and renewed as the paint wears off, white being a favourite colour with pigeons, and also most conspicuous as a mark to enable them to find their house. the boxes ought also to be similarly painted, and renewed when necessary, for which purpose lime and water will do very well. the necessity of cleanliness.--as cleanliness in human habitations is of the first importance, so is it in the pigeon-house. there the want of it will soon render the place a nuisance not to be approached, and the birds, both young and old, will be so covered with vermin and filth, that they will neither enjoy health nor comforts, whilst early mortality amongst them will be almost certain. in some cases, the pigeon-house is cleaned daily; but it should always be done, at any rate, once a week, and the floor covered with sifted gravel, frequently renewed. pigeons being exceedingly fond of water, and having a prescience of the coming of rain, they may be seen upon the house-tops waiting upon it until late in the evening, and then spreading their wings to receive the luxury of the refreshing shower. when they are confined in a room, therefore, they should be allowed a wide pan of water, to be often renewed. this serves them for a bath, which cools, refreshes, and assists them to keep their bodies clear of vermin. breeding pigeons.--in breeding pigeons, it is necessary to match a cock and hen, and shut them up together, or place them near to each other, and in the course of a day or two there is little doubt of their mating. various rules have been laid down for the purpose of assisting to distinguish the cock from the hen pigeon; but the masculine forwardness and action of the cock is generally so remarkable, that he is easily ascertained. the pigeon being monogamous, the male attaches and confines himself to one female, and the attachment is reciprocal, and the fidelity of the dove to its mate is proverbial. at the age of six months, young pigeons are termed squeakers, and then begin to breed, when properly managed. their courtship, and the well-known tone of voice in the cock, just then acquired and commencing, are indications of their approaching union. nestlings, while fed by cock and hen, are termed squabs, and are, at that age, sold and used for the table. the dove-house pigeon is said to breed monthly, when well supplied with food. at all events, it may be depended on, that pigeons of almost any healthy and well-established variety will breed eight or nine times in the year; whence it may readily be conceived how vast are the numbers that may be raised. [illustration: carrier pigeons.] the carrier pigeon.--without doubt the carrier is entitled to rank first in the pigeon family, with the exception, perhaps, of the blue-rock pigeons. no domestic fowl can be traced to so remote an antiquity. when greece was in its glory, carrier pigeons were used to convey to distant parts the names of the victors at the olympian games. during the holy war, when acre was besieged by king richard, saladin habitually corresponded with the besieged by means of carrier pigeons. a shaft from an english crossbow, however, happened to bring one of those feathered messengers to the ground, and the stratagem was discovered, the design of the saracens revealed, and so turned against the designers, that acre was in the hands of the christians before the wily saladin dreamt of such a thing. pigeon pie (epsom grand-stand recipe). . ingredients.-- - / lb. of rump-steak, or pigeons, slices of ham, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter, eggs, puff crust. _mode_.--cut the steak into pieces about inches square, and with it line the bottom of a pie-dish, seasoning it well with pepper and salt. clean the pigeons, rub them with pepper and salt inside and out, and put into the body of each rather more than / oz. of butter; lay them on the steak, and a piece of ham on each pigeon. add the yolks of eggs, and half fill the dish with stock; place a border of puff paste round the edge of the dish, put on the cover, and ornament it in any way that may be preferred. clean three of the feet, and place them in a hole made in the crust at the top: this shows what kind of pie it is. glaze the crust,--that is to say, brush it over with the yolk of an egg,--and bake it in a well-heated oven for about - / hour. when liked, a seasoning of pounded mace may be added. _time_.-- - / hour, or rather less. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: tumbler pigeons.] tumbler pigeons.--the smaller the size of this variety, the greater its value. the head should be round and smooth, the neck thin, and the tail similar to that of the turbit. highly-bred birds of this variety will attain an elevation in their flight beyond that of any other pigeons; and it is in seeing these little birds wing themselves so far into the skies that the fanciers take such delight. for four or five hours tumblers have been known to keep on the wing; and it is when they are almost lost to the power of human vision that they exhibit those pantomimic feats which give them their name, and which are marked by a tumbling over-and-over process, which suggests the idea of their having suddenly become giddy, been deprived of their self-control, or overtaken by some calamity. this acrobatic propensity in these pigeons has been ascribed by some to the absence of a proper power in the tail; but is nothing more than a natural habit, for which no adequate reason can be assigned. of this variety, the almond tumbler is the most beautiful; and the greater the variation of the colour in the flight and tail, the greater their value. [illustration: runt pigeons.] the runt pigeon.--this is generally esteemed among the largest of the pigeon varieties, and being possessed of proportionate strength, with a strong propensity to exercise it, they keep the dovecot in a state of almost continual commotion by domineering over the weaker inmates. they breed tolerably well, however, and are valuable for the table. there is both the leghorn and the spanish runt, variously plumaged; but when red, white, or black mottled, are most highly esteemed. one of the great advantages connected with the runt is, that he is not likely to fly away from home. being heavy birds, they find it difficult, when well fed, to mount even to a low housetop. again, they require no loft, or special dwelling-place, but, if properly tended, will be perfectly satisfied, and thrive as well, in a rabbit-hutch as any where. their flavour is very good; and it is not an uncommon thing for a squeaker runt to exceed a pound and a quarter in weight. [illustration: nun pigeons.] the nun pigeon.--the tumbler bears a strong resemblance to this variety, which is characterized by a tuft of feathers rising from the back of the head, and which, on the whole, is an extremely pretty little bird. according to the colour of the head, it is called the red, black, or yellow-headed nun. to be a perfect bird, it should have a small head and beak; and the larger the tuft at the back of his head, the handsomer the bird is esteemed, and proportionately valuable in the eyes of pigeon-fanciers. [illustration: trumpeter pigeons.] the trumpeter pigeon.--from the circumstance of this bird imitating the sound of a trumpet, instead of cooing, like other pigeons, it has received its designation. it is of the middle size, having its legs and feet covered with feathers, and its plumage generally of a mottled black-and-white. it has a tuft springing from the root of its beak, and the larger this topknot is, the higher the estimation in which the breed is held. in their powers of trumpeting some are more expert than others; and whether this has any effect in influencing their own estimate of themselves, we cannot say; but they are rather select in the choice of their company. if two of them are put in a pigeon-house with other doves, it will be found that they confine their association almost entirely to each other. as much as two guineas have been paid for a well-trained docile bird of this kind. [illustration: wood-pigeon.] the wood, or wild pigeon.--buffon enumerates upwards of thirty varieties of the pigeon, which he derives from one root,--viz. the stockdove, or common wild pigeon. all the varieties of colour and form which we witness, he attributes to human contrivance and fancy. nevertheless, there exist essentially specific differences in these birds, which would appear to be attributable rather to the nature of the region, soil, and climate to which they are indigenous, than to the art and ingenuity of man. the stockdove, in its wild state, is still found in some parts of britain, forming its nest in the holes of rocks, old towers, and in the hollows of trees; it never, however, like the ringdove, nestles in the branches. multitudes of wild pigeons still visit our shores in the winter, coming from their more northerly retreats, making their appearance about november, and retiring again in the spring. when forests of beechwood covered large tracts of the ground of this country, these birds used to haunt them in myriads, frequently covering a mile of ground in extent when they went out in the morning to feed. stewed pigeons. . ingredients.-- pigeons, a few slices of bacon, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, sufficient stock no. to cover the pigeons, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonful of port wine. _mode_.--empty and clean the pigeons thoroughly, mince the livers, add to these the parsley and butter, and put it into the insides of the birds. truss them with the legs inward, and put them into a stewpan, with a few slices of bacon placed under and over them; add the stock, and stew gently for rather more than / hour. dish the pigeons, strain the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, add the ketchup and port wine, give one boil, pour over the pigeons, and serve. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, d. to d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from april to september. [illustration: fantail pigeons.] the fantail pigeon.--this curious variety is inferior in point of size to most of the other varieties, and is characterized by having a short, slender bill, pendent wings, and naked legs and feet. it has the power of erecting its tail in the manner of a turkey-cock; during which action, especially when paying court to it's mate, it trembles or shakes, like the peacock when moving about with his train expanded and in full display. this power of erecting and spreading the tail is not confined to the male bird alone: the female possesses the same power to an equal extent, and otherwise resembles the male in every respect. it is not very prolific, and seldom succeeds so well in the aviary or pigeon-house as most of the other kinds. [illustration: jacobin pigeons.] the jacobin pigeon.--this variety, having the power to transmit to posterity a form precisely similar, with all its peculiar characters undiminished, is, among pigeon-fanciers, designated as of a pure or permanent race. it is distinguished by a remarkable ruff or frill of raised feathers, which, commencing behind the head and proceeding down the neck and breast, forms a kind of hood, not unlike that worn by a monk. from this circumstance, it has obtained its gallic name of _nonnain capuchin_. in size it is one of the smallest of the domestic pigeons, and its form is light and elegant. it is a very productive species, and, having its flight considerably impeded by the size and form of its hooded frill, keeps much at home, and is well adapted for the aviary or other buildings where pigeons are confined. [illustration: turbit pigeons.] the turbit pigeon.--this variety bears a strong resemblance to the jacobin, having a kind of frill in the fore part of its neck, occasioned by the breast-feathers lying contrariwise and standing straight out. the species is classed in accordance with the colour of the shoulders, similarly as the nuns are by the colour of their heads. their characteristics of excellence are a full frill, short bill, and small round head. in germany it is called the ruffle pigeon, in allusion to the feathers on its breast; and it has rarely any feathers on its feet. there is a peculiarity connected with this bird, which somewhat lowers it in the estimation of fanciers: it seldom rears more than one at a time, which, therefore, marks it as a bird rather for amusement than profit. [illustration: barb pigeons.] the barb pigeon.--the name of this variety is a contraction of barbary, from which country it originally comes. it is both prolific and has excellent qualities as a nurse. the kind most esteemed is that of one uniform colour, that of blue-black being preferable to any other. speckled or mottled barbs are esteemed the most common of all pigeons. it is not unlike the carrier pigeon, and, at a small distance, might easily be mistaken for the latter. it has a short beak and a small wattle. a spongy, pinky skin round the eyes is its chief characteristic, however, and this increases in size till the bird is three or four years old. this peculiarity is hardly distinguishable in very young birds. [illustration: blue rock-pigeon.] the rock pigeon.--this variety, in its wild state, is found upon the rocky parts of the west of scotland, and the bold shores of the western isles, more abundant than in any other parts of the british islands. as the shores of the mainland are exposed to the muds of the atlantic, and the comparatively small islands are surrounded by that ocean, the low grounds exposed to the west are seldom covered with snow for any length of time, and thus the birds easily find a supply of food. the numbers which there congregate are often very great, and the din of their united cry is sometimes very loud and even alarming. the love of home and the certainty of returning to it is very conspicuous in the rock-pigeon or _biset_, as it is called by the french. flocks from different parts of the coasts often meet on the feeding-grounds; but when the time of returning to rest comes round, each one keeps to its own party. [illustration: owl pigeons.] the owl pigeon.--this pigeon does not seem to be so well known as it formerly was, if we may judge from the fact that few modern writers mention it. like the turbit pigeon, the owl has a remarkable tuft of feathers on the breast, it having been compared by some to the frill of a shirt, and by others to a full-blown white rose. in size, it is not quite so large a pigeon as the jacobin. it is said to be preferred in france, above other varieties, as a bird to rear and kill for the table. in england it is very far from being common; indeed, we have applied to several keepers of pigeons, who have fancied themselves acquainted with all the varieties of this bird, and they have been able to tell us nothing of it. mr. harrison weir, our artist, however, has made his portrait from the life. boiled rabbit. [illustration: boiled rabbit.] . ingredients.--rabbit; water. _mode_.--for boiling, choose rabbits with smooth and sharp claws, as that denotes they are young: should these be blunt and rugged, the ears dry and tough, the animal is old. after emptying and skinning it, wash it well in cold water, and let it soak for about / hour in warm water, to draw out the blood. bring the head round to the side, and fasten it there by means of a skewer run through that and the body. put the rabbit into sufficient hot water to cover it, let it boil very gently until tender, which will be in from / to / hour, according to its size and age. dish it, and smother it either with onion, mushroom, or liver sauce, or parsley-and-butter; the former is, however, generally preferred to any of the last-named sauces. when liver-sauce is preferred, the liver should be boiled for a few minutes, and minced very finely, or rubbed through a sieve before it is added to the sauce. _time_.--a very young rabbit, / hour; a large one, / hour; an old one, hour or longer. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. the rabbit.--though this animal is an inhabitant of most temperate climates, it does not reach so far north as the hare. the wild rabbit is a native of great britain, and is found in large numbers in the sandy districts of norfolk and cambridgeshire. its flesh is, by some, considered to have a higher flavour than that of the tame rabbit, although it is neither so white nor so delicate. the animal, however, becomes larger and fatter in the tame than in the wild state; but it is not desirable to have it so fat as it can be made. curried rabbit. . ingredients.-- rabbit, oz. of butter, onions, pint of stock no. , tablespoonful of curry powder, tablespoonful of flour, teaspoonful of mushroom powder, the juice of / lemon, / lb. of rice. _mode_.--empty, skin, and wash the rabbit thoroughly, and cut it neatly into joints. put it into a stewpan with the butter and sliced onions, and let them acquire a nice brown colour, but do not allow them to blacken. pour in the stock, which should be boiling; mix the curry powder and flour smoothly with a little water, add it to the stock, with the mushroom powder, and simmer gently for rather more than / hour; squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve in the centre of a dish, with an edging of boiled rice all round. where economy is studied, water may be substituted for the stock; in this case, the meat and onions must be very nicely browned. a little sour apple and rasped cocoa-nut stewed with the curry will be found a great improvement. _time_.--altogether / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ in winter. [illustration: wild rabbits.] the common or wild rabbit.--warrens, or inclosures, are frequently made in favourable localities, and some of them are so large as to comprise , acres. the common wild rabbit is of a grey colour, and is esteemed the best for the purposes of food. its skin is valuable as an article of commerce, being used for the making of hats. another variety of the rabbit, however, called the "silver-grey," has been lately introduced to this country, and is still more valuable. its colour is a black ground, thickly interspersed with grey hairs; and its powers as a destroyer and consumer of vegetable food are well known to be enormous, especially by those who have gardens in the vicinity of a rabbit-warren. fried rabbit. . ingredients.-- rabbit, flour, dripping, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of minced shalot, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut the rabbit into neat joints, and flour them well; make the dripping boiling in a fryingpan, put in the rabbit, and fry it a nice brown. have ready a very hot dish, put in the butter, shalot, and ketchup; arrange the rabbit pyramidically on this, and serve as quickly as possible. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. _note_.--the rabbit may be brushed over with egg, and sprinkled with bread crumbs, and fried as above. when cooked in this manner, make a gravy in the pan by recipe no. , and pour it round, but not over, the pieces of rabbit. varieties in rabbits.--almost everybody knows that a rabbit is a furry animal, that lives on plants, and burrows in the ground; that it has its varieties as well as other animals, and that it is frequently an especial favourite with boys. among its varieties, the short-legged, with width and substance of loin, is the most hardy, and fattens the most expeditiously. it has, besides, the soundest liver, rabbits generally being subject to defects of that part. it is also the smallest variety. there is a very large species of the hare-colour, having much bone, length and depth of carcase, large and long ears, with full eyes, resembling those of the hare: it might readily be taken for a hybrid or mule, but for the objection to its breeding. its flesh is high-coloured, substantial, and more savoury than that of the common rabbit; and, cooked like the hare, it makes a good dish. the large white, and yellow and white species, have whiter and more delicate flesh, and, cooked in the same way, will rival the turkey. rabbits are divided into four kinds, distinguished as warreners, parkers, hedgehogs, and sweethearts. the warrener, as his name implies, is a member of a subterranean community, and is less effeminate than his kindred who dwell _upon_ the earth and have "the world at their will," and his fur is the most esteemed. after him, comes the parker, whose favourite resort is a gentleman's pleasure-ground, where he usually breeds in great numbers, and from which he frequently drives away the hares. the hedgehog is a sort of vagabond rabbit, that, tinker like, roams about the country, and would have a much better coat on his back if he was more settled in his habits, and remained more at home. the sweetheart is a tame rabbit, with its fur so sleek, soft, and silky, that it is also used to some extent in the important branch of hat-making. rabbit a la minute. . ingredients.-- rabbit, / lb. of butter, salt and pepper to taste, blades of pounded mace, dried mushrooms, tablespoonfuls of minced parsley, teaspoonfuls of flour, glasses of sherry, pint of water. _mode_.--empty, skin, and wash the rabbit thoroughly, and cut it into joints. put the butter into a stewpan with the pieces of rabbit; add salt, pepper, and pounded mace, and let it cook until three parts done; then put in the remaining ingredients, and boil for about minutes: it will then be ready to serve. fowls or hare may be dressed in the same manner. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. rabbit pie. . ingredients.-- rabbit, a few slices of ham, salt and white pepper to taste, blades of pounded mace, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, a few forcemeat balls, hard-boiled eggs, / pint of gravy, puff crust. _mode_.--cut up the rabbit (which should be young), remove the breastbone, and bone the legs. put the rabbit, slices of ham, forcemeat balls, and hard eggs, by turns, in layers, and season each layer with pepper, salt, pounded mace, and grated nutmeg. pour in about / pint of water, cover with crust, and bake in a well-heated oven for about - / hour. should the crust acquire too much colour, place a piece of paper over it to prevent its burning. when done, pour in at the top, by means of the hole in the middle of the crust, a little good gravy, which may be made of the breast- and leg-bones of the rabbit and or shank-bones, flavoured with onion, herbs, and spices. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. note.--the liver of the rabbit may be boiled, minced, and mixed with the forcemeat balls, when the flavour is liked. fecundity of the rabbit.--the fruitfulness of this animal has been the subject of wonder to all naturalists. it breeds seven times in the year, and generally begets seven or eight young ones at a time. if we suppose this to happen regularly for a period of four years, the progeny that would spring from a single pair would amount to more than a million. as the rabbit, however, has many enemies, it can never be permitted to increase in numbers to such an extent as to prove injurious to mankind; for it not only furnishes man with an article of food, but is, by carnivorous animals of every description, mercilessly sacrificed. notwithstanding this, however, in the time of the roman power, they once infested the balearic islands to such an extent, that the inhabitants were obliged to implore the assistance of a military force from augustus to exterminate them. ragout of rabbit or hare. . ingredients.-- rabbit, teaspoonfuls of flour, sliced onions, oz. of butter, a few thin slices of bacon, pepper and salt to taste, slices of lemon, bay-leaf, glass of port wine. _mode_.--slice the onions, and put them into a stewpan with the flour and butter; place the pan near the fire, stir well as the butter melts, till the onions become a rich brown colour, and add, by degrees, a little water or gravy till the mixture is of the consistency of cream. cut some thin slices of bacon; lay in these with the rabbit, cut into neat joints; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, the lemon and bay-leaf, and let the whole simmer until tender. pour in the port wine, give one boil, and serve. _time_.--about / hour to simmer the rabbit. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. the rabbit-house.--rabbit-keeping is generally practised by a few individuals in almost every town, and by a few in almost every part of the country. forty years ago, there were in the metropolis one or two considerable feeders, who, according to report, kept from , to , breeding does. these large establishments, however, have ceased to exist, and london receives the supply of tame as well as wild rabbits chiefly from the country. where they are kept, however, the rabbit-house should be placed upon a dry foundation, and be well ventilated. exposure to rain, whether externally or internally, is fatal to rabbits, which, like sheep, are liable to the rot, springing from the same causes. thorough ventilation and good air are indispensable where many rabbits are kept, or they will neither prosper nor remain healthy for any length of time. a thorough draught or passage for the air is, therefore, absolutely necessary, and should be so contrived as to be checked in cold or wet weather by the closing or shutting of opposite doors or windows. roast or baked rabbit. . ingredients.-- rabbit, forcemeat no. , buttered paper, sausage-meat. [illustration: roast rabbit.] _mode_.--empty, skin, and thoroughly wash the rabbit; wipe it dry, line the inside with sausage-meat and forcemeat made by recipe no. , and to which has been added the minced liver. sew the stuffing inside, skewer back the head between the shoulders, cut off the fore-joints of the shoulders and legs, bring: them close to the body, and secure them by means of a skewer. wrap the rabbit in buttered paper, and put it down to a bright clear fire; keep it well basted, and a few minutes before it is done remove the paper, flour and froth it, and let it acquire a nice brown colour. take out the skewers, and serve with brown gravy and red-currant jelly. to bake the rabbit, proceed in the same manner as above; in a good oven, it will take about the same time as roasting. _time_.--a young rabbit, minutes; a large one, about / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. the hutch.--hutches are generally placed one above another to the height required by the number of rabbits and the extent of the room. where a large stock is kept, to make the most of room, the hutches may be placed in rows, with a sufficient interval between for feeding and cleaning, instead of being, in the usual way, joined to the wall. it is preferable to rest the hutches upon stands, about a foot above the ground, for the convenience of cleaning under them. each of the hutches intended for breeding should have two rooms,--a feeding and a bed-room. those are single for the use of the weaned rabbits, or for the bucks, which are always kept separate. the floors should be planed smooth, that wet may run off, and a common hoe, with a short handle, and a short broom, are most convenient implements for cleaning these houses. stewed rabbit. . ingredients.-- rabbit, large onions, cloves, small teaspoonful of chopped lemon-peel, a few forcemeat balls, thickening of butter and flour, large tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut the rabbit into small joints; put them into a stewpan, add the onions sliced, the cloves, and minced lemon-peel. pour in sufficient water to cover the meat, and, when the rabbit is nearly done, drop in a few forcemeat balls, to which has been added the liver, finely chopped. thicken the gravy with flour and butter, put in the ketchup, give one boil, and serve. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, s. to s. d each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. [illustration: lop-eared rabbit.] fancy rabbits.--the graceful fall of the ears is the first thing that is looked to by the fancier; next, the dewlap, if the animal is in its prime; then the colours and marked points, and, lastly, the shape and general appearance. the ears of a fine rabbit should extend not less than seven inches, measured from tip to tip in a line across the skull; but even should they exceed this length, they are admitted with reluctance into a fancy stock, unless they have a uniform and graceful droop. the dewlap, which is a fold of skin under the neck and throat, is only seen in fancy rabbits, after they have attained their full growth: it commences immediately under the jaw, and adds greatly to the beauty of their appearance. it goes down the throat and between the fore legs, and is so broad that it projects beyond the chin. the difference between the fancy and common rabbit in the back, independent of the ears, is sufficient to strike the common observer. fancy rabbits fetch a very high price; so much as five and ten guineas, and even more, is sometimes given for a first-rate doe. if young ones are first procured from a good family, the foundation of an excellent stock can be procured for a much smaller sum. sometimes the ears, instead of drooping down, slope backwards: a rabbit with this characteristic is scarcely admitted into a fancy lot, and is not considered worth more than the common variety. the next position is when one ear lops outwards, and the other stands erect: rabbits of this kind possess but little value, however fine the shape and beautiful the colour, although they sometimes breed as good specimens as finer ones. the forward or horn-lop is one degree nearer perfection than the half-lop: the ears, in this case, slope forward and down over the forehead. rabbits with this peculiarity are often perfect in other respects, with the exception of the droop of the ears, and often become the parents of perfect young ones: does of this kind often have the power of lifting an ear erect. in the ear-lop, the ears spread out in an horizontal position, like the wings of a bird in flight, or the arms of a man swimming. a great many excellent does have this characteristic, and some of the best-bred bucks in the fancy are entirely so. sometimes a rabbit drops one ear completely, but raises the other so neatly horizontally as to constitute an ear-lop: this is superior to all others, except the perfect fall, which is so rarely to be met with, that those which are merely ear-lopped are considered as valuable rabbits, if well bred and with other good qualities. "the real lop has ears that hang down by the side of the cheek, slanting somewhat outward in their descent, with the open part of the ear inward, and sometimes either backwards or forwards instead of perpendicular: when the animals stand in an easy position, the tips of the ears touch the ground. the hollows of the ears, in a fancy rabbit of a first-rate kind, should be turned so completely backwards that only the outer part of them should remain in front: they should match exactly in their descent, and should slant outwards as little as possible." the same authority asserts that perfect lops are so rare, that a breeder possessing twenty of the handsomest and most perfect does would consider himself lucky if, in the course of a year, he managed to raise twelve full-lopped rabbits out of them all. as regards variety and purity of colour an experienced breeder says:-- "the fur of fancy rabbits may be blue, or rather lead-colour, and white, or black and white, or tawny and white, that is, tortoiseshell-coloured. but it is not of so much importance what colours the coat of a rabbit displays, as it is that those colours shall be arranged in a particular manner, forming imaginary figures or fancied resemblances to certain objects. hence the peculiarities of their markings have been denoted by distinctive designations. what is termed 'the blue butterfly smut' was, for some time, considered the most valuable of fancy rabbits. it is thus named on account of having bluish or lead-coloured spots on either side of the nose, having some resemblance to the spread wings of a butterfly, what may be termed the groundwork of the rabbit's face being white. a black and white rabbit may also have the face marked in a similar manner, constituting a 'black butterfly smut.' "but a good fancy rabbit must likewise have other marks, without which it cannot be considered a perfect model of its kind. there should be a black or blue patch on its back, called the saddle; the tail must be of the same colour with the back and snout; while the legs should be all white; and there ought to be dark stripes on both sides of the body in front, passing backwards to meet the saddle, and uniting on the top of the shoulders at the part called the withers in a horse. these stripes form what is termed the 'chain' having somewhat the appearance of a chain or collar hanging round the neck." "among thorough-bred fancy rabbits, perhaps not one in a hundred will have all these markings clearly and exactly displayed on the coat; but the more nearly the figures on the coat of a rabbit approach to the pattern described, the greater will be its value, so far, at least, as relates to colour. the beauty and consequent worth of a fancy rabbit, however, depends a good deal on its shape, or what is styled its carriage. a rabbit is said to have a good carriage when its back is finely arched, rising full two inches above the top of its head, which must be held so low as for the muzzle and the points of the ears to reach almost to the ground." stewed rabbit, larded. . ingredients.-- rabbit, a few strips of bacon, rather more than pint of good broth or stock, a bunch of savoury herbs, salt and pepper to taste, thickening of butter and flour, glass of sherry. _mode_.--well wash the rabbit, cut it into quarters, lard them with blips of bacon, and fry them; then put them into a stewpan with the broth, herbs, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; simmer gently until the rabbit is tender, then strain the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, add the sherry, give one boil, pour it over the rabbit, and serve. garnish with slices of cut lemon. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to february. [illustration: the hare-rabbit.] the hare-rabbit.--there has been lately introduced to french tables an animal called the "hare-rabbit," partaking of the nature, characteristics, and qualifications of both the hare and the rabbit. it is highly spoken of, both as regards flesh and flavour; and it is said to be the only hybrid which is able to perpetuate its race. we hope that some enterprising individual will soon secure for english, tables what would seem to be a really valuable addition to our other game and poultry dishes; although it will be rather difficult to exactly assign its proper position, as within or without the meaning of "game," as by law established. only a few specimens have been seen in england at present, but there is no reason to doubt that our rabbit-fanciers will prove equal to the occasion, and cope successfully with our neighbours across the channel in introducing a new animal serviceable in the kitchen. [illustration: angora rabbit.] the angora rabbit.--this is one of the handsomest of all rabbits. it takes its name from being an inhabitant of angora, a city and district of asia minor. like the well-known angora goat and cat, both of which are valuable on account of the fineness of their wool and fur, this rabbit is prized for its long, waved, silky fur, which, as an article of commerce is highly esteemed. we are not aware whether it is eaten by the inhabitants, and but few specimens have been introduced into england, where, doubtless, the beauty of its coat would materially suffer from the more humid and less genial character of the climate. to the rabbits of the ancient and mountainous district of angora the words of the wise man would seem most to apply, "the conies are but feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks." [illustration: himalaya rabbits.] the himalaya rabbit.--amidst the mighty himalaya mountains, whose peaks are the highest on the globe, the pretty rabbit here portrayed is found; and his colour seems to be like the snow, which, above the altitude of from , to , feet, perpetually crowns the summits of these monarchs of the world. it is, at present, a very rare animal in england, but will, doubtless, be more extensively known in the course of a few years. from the earth-tunnelling powers of this little animal, martial declares that mankind learned the art of fortification, mining, and covered roads. boiled turkey. . ingredients.--turkey; forcemeat no. . _choosing and trussing_.--hen turkeys are preferable for boiling, on account of their whiteness and tenderness, and one of moderate size should be selected, as a large one is not suitable for this mode of cooking. they should not be dressed until they have been killed or days, as they will neither look white, nor will they be tender. pluck the bird, carefully draw, and singe it with a piece of white paper, wash it inside and out, and wipe it thoroughly dry with a cloth. cut off the head and neck, draw the strings or sinews of the thighs, and cut off the legs at the first joint; draw the legs into the body, fill the breast with forcemeat made by recipe no. ; run a skewer through the wing and the middle joint of the leg, quite into the leg and wing on the opposite side; break the breastbone, and make the bird look as round and as compact as possible. [illustration: boiled turkey.] _mode_.--put the turkey into sufficient _hot_ water to cover it; let it come to a boil, then carefully remove all the scum: if this is attended to, there is no occasion to boil the bird in a floured cloth; but it should be well covered with the water. let it simmer very gently for about - / hour to - / hour, according to the size, and serve with either white, celery, oyster, or mushroom sauce, or parsley-and-butter, a little of which should be poured over the turkey. boiled ham, bacon, tongue, or pickled pork, should always accompany this dish; and when oyster sauce is served, the turkey should be stuffed with oyster forcemeat. _time_.--a small turkey, - / hour; a large one, - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. to s. d. each, but more expensive at christmas, on account of the great demand. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from december to february. the turkey.--the turkey, for which fine bird we are indebted to america, is certainly one of the most glorious presents made by the new world to the old. some, indeed, assert that this bird was known to the ancients, and that it was served at the wedding-feast of charlemagne. this opinion, however, has been controverted by first-rate authorities, who declare that the french name of the bird, _dindon_, proves its origin; that the form of the bird is altogether foreign, and that it is found in america alone in a wild state. there is but little doubt, from the information which has been gained at considerable trouble, that it appeared, generally, in europe about the end of the th century; that it was first imported into france by jesuits, who had been sent out missionaries to the west; and that from france it spread over europe. to this day, in many localities in france, a turkey is called a jesuit. on the farms of n. america, where turkeys are very common, they are raised either from eggs which have been found, or from young ones caught in the woods: they thus preserve almost entirely their original plumage. the turkey only became gradually acclimated, both on the continent and in england: in the middle of the th century, scarcely out of young turkeys lived; now, generally speaking, out of the same number arrive at maturity. croquettes of turkey (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold turkey; to every / lb. of meat allow oz. of ham or bacon, shalots, oz. of butter, tablespoonful of flour, the yolks of eggs, egg and bread crumbs. _mode_.--the smaller pieces, that will not do for a fricassée or hash, answer very well for this dish. mince the meat finely with ham or bacon in the above proportion; make a gravy of the bones and trimmings, well seasoning it; mince the shalots, put them into a stewpan with the butter, add the flour; mix well, then put in the mince, and about / pint of the gravy made from the bones. (the proportion of the butter must be increased or diminished according to the quantity of mince.) when just boiled, add the yolks of eggs; put the mixture out to cool, and then shape it in a wineglass. cover the croquettes with egg and bread crumbs, and fry them a delicate brown. put small pieces of parsley-stems for stalks, and serve with, rolled bacon cut very thin. _time_.-- minutes to fry the croquettes. _seasonable_ from december to february. the wild turkey.--in its wild state, the turkey is gregarious, going together in extensive flocks, numbering as many as five hundred. these frequent the great swamps of america, where they roost; but, at sunrise, leave these situations to repair to the dry woods, in search of berries and acorns. they perch on the boughs of trees, and, by rising from branch to branch, attain the height they desire. they usually mount to the highest tops, apparently from an instinctive conception that the loftier they are the further they are out of danger. they fly awkwardly, but run with great swiftness, and, about the month of march become so fat as not to be able to take a flight beyond three or four hundred yards, and are then, also, easily run down by a horseman. now, however, it rarely happens that wild turkeys are seen in the inhabited parts of america. it is only in the distant and more unfrequented parts that they are found in great numbers. fricasseed turkey (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast or boiled turkey; a strip of lemon-peel, a bunch of savoury herbs, onion, pepper and salt to taste, pint of water, tablespoonfuls of cream, the yolk of an egg. _mode_.--cut some nice slices from the remains of a cold turkey, and put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan, with the lemon-peel, herbs, onion, pepper, salt, add the water; stew for an hour, strain the gravy, and lay in the pieces of turkey. when warm through, add the cream and the yolk of an egg; stir it well round, and, when getting thick, take out the pieces, lay them on a hot dish, and pour the sauce over. garnish the fricassée with sippets of toasted bread. celery or cucumbers, cut into small pieces, may be put into the sauce; if the former, it must be boiled first. _time_.-- hour to make the gravy. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold turkey, d. _seasonable_ from december to february. the turkey.--this is one of the gallinaceous birds, the principal genera of which are pheasants, turkeys, peacocks, bustards, pintatoes, and grouse. they live mostly on the ground, scraping the earth with their feet, and feeding on seeds and grains, which, previous to digestion, are macerated in their crops. they usually associate in families, consisting of one male and several females. turkeys are particularly fond of the seeds of nettles, whilst the seeds of the foxglove will poison them. the common turkey is a native of north america, and, in the reign of henry viii., was introduced into england. according to tusser's "five hundred points of good husbandry," it began about the year to form a dish at our rural christmas feasts:-- "beefe, mutton, and pork, shred pies of the best, pig, veal, goose, and capon, and turkey well drest; cheese, apples, and nuts, jolly carols to hear, as then in the country is counted good cheer." the turkey is one of the most difficult birds to rear, and its flesh is much esteemed. the disposition of the turkey.--among themselves, turkeys are extremely furious, whilst amongst other animals they are usually both weak and cowardly. the domestic cock frequently makes them keep at a distance, whilst they will rarely attack him but in a united body, when the cock is rather crushed by their weight than defeated by their prowess. the disposition of the female is in general much more gentle than that of the male. when leading forth her young to collect their food, though so large and apparently so powerful a bird, she gives them very slight protection from the attacks of any rapacious animal which may appear against them. she rather warns them of their danger than offers to defend them; yet she is extremely affectionate to her young. hashed turkey. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast turkey, onion, pepper and salt to taste, rather more than pint of water, carrot, turnip, blade of mace, a bunch of savoury herbs, tablespoonful of mushroom ketchup, tablespoonful of port wine, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--cut the turkey into neat joints; the best pieces reserve for the hash, the inferior joints and trimmings put into a stewpan with an onion cut in slices, pepper and salt, a carrot, turnip, mace, herbs, and water in the above proportion; simmer these for an hour, then strain the gravy, thicken it with butter and flour, flavour with ketchup and port wine, and lay in the pieces of turkey to warm through; if there is any stuffing left, put that in also, as it so much improves the flavour of the gravy. when it boils, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- hour to make the gravy. _seasonable_ from december to february. hunting turkeys.--formerly, in canada, hunting turkeys was one of the principal diversions of the natives of that country. when they discovered the retreat of the birds, which was generally near a field of nettles, or where grain of any kind was plentiful, they would send a well-trained dog into the midst of the flock. the turkeys no sooner perceived their enemy than they would run off at full speed, and with such swiftness that they would leave the dog far behind. he, however, would follow in their wake, and as they could not, for a great length of time, continue at their speed, they were at last forced to seek shelter in the trees. there they would sit, spent with fatigue, till the hunters would approach, and, with long poles, knock them down one after the other. roast turkey. . ingredients.--turkey; forcemeat no. . _choosing and trussing_.--choose cock turkeys by their short spurs and black legs, in which case they are young; if the spurs are long, and the legs pale and rough, they are old. if the bird has been long killed, the eyes will appear sunk and the feet very dry; but, if fresh, the contrary will be the case. middling-sized fleshy turkeys are by many persons considered superior to those of an immense growth, as they are, generally speaking, much more tender. they should never be dressed the same day they are killed; but, in cold weather, should hang at least days; if the weather is mild, or days will be found sufficient. carefully pluck the bird, singe it with white paper, and wipe it thoroughly with a cloth; draw it, preserve the liver and gizzard, and be particular not to break the gall-bag, as no washing will remove the bitter taste it imparts where it once touches. wash it _inside_ well, and wipe it thoroughly dry with a cloth; the _outside_ merely requires nicely wiping, as we have just stated. cut off the neck close to the back, but leave enough of the crop-skin to turn over; break the leg-bone close below the knee, draw out the strings from the thighs, and flatten the breastbone to make it look plump. have ready a forcemeat made by recipe no. ; fill the breast with this, and, if a trussing-needle is used, sew the neck over to the back; if a needle is not at hand, a skewer will answer the purpose. run a skewer through the pinion and thigh into the body to the pinion and thigh on the other side, and press the legs as much as possible between the breast and the side bones, and put the liver under one pinion and the gizzard under the other. pass a string across the back of the bird, catch it over the points of the skewer, tie it in the centre of the back, and be particular that the turkey is very firmly trussed. this may be more easily accomplished with a needle and twine than with skewers. [illustration: roast turkey.] _mode_.--fasten a sheet of buttered paper on to the breast of the bird, put it down to a bright fire, at some little distance _at first_ (afterwards draw it nearer), and keep it well basted the whole of the time it is cooking. about / hour before serving, remove the paper, dredge the turkey lightly with flour, and put a piece of butter into the basting-ladle; as the butter melts, baste the bird with it. when of a nice brown and well frothed, serve with a tureen of good brown gravy and one of bread sauce. fried sausages are a favourite addition to roast turkey; they make a pretty garnish, besides adding very much to the flavour. when these are not at hand, a few forcemeat balls should be placed round the dish as a garnish. turkey may also be stuffed with sausage-meat, and a chestnut forcemeat with the same sauce is, by many persons, much esteemed as an accompaniment to this favourite dish.--see coloured plate, a . _time_.--small turkey, - / hour; moderate-sized one, about lbs., hours; large turkey, - / hours, or longer. _average cost_, from s. to s., but expensive at christmas, on account of the great demand. _sufficient_.--a moderate-sized turkey for or persons. _seasonable_ from december to february. english turkeys.--these are reared in great numbers in suffolk, norfolk, and several other counties, whence they were wont to be driven to the london market in flocks of several hundreds; the improvements in our modes of travelling now, however, enable them to be brought by railway. their drivers used to manage them with great facility, by means of a bit of red rag tied to the end of a long stick, which, from the antipathy these birds have to that colour, effectually answered the purpose of a scourge. there are three varieties of the turkey in this country,--the black, the white, and the speckled, or copper-coloured. the black approaches nearest to the original stock, and is esteemed the best. its flesh is white and tender, delicate, nourishing, and of excellent flavour; it greatly deteriorates with age, however, and is then good for little but stewing. roast turkey poults. . ingredients.--turkey poult; butter. _choosing and trussing_.--choose a plump bird, and truss it in the following manner:--after it has been carefully plucked, drawn, and singed, skin the neck, and fasten the head under the wing; turn the legs at the first joint, and bring the feet close to the thighs, as a woodcock should be trussed, _and do not stuff it_. _mode_.--put it down to a bright fire, keep it well basted, and at first place a piece of paper on the breast to prevent its taking too much colour. about minutes before serving, dredge it lightly with flour, and baste well; when nicely frothed, send it to table immediately, with a little gravy in the dish, and some in a tureen. if at hand, a few water-cresses may be placed round the turkey as a garnish, or it may be larded. _time_.--about hour. _average cost_, s. to s. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--in full season from june to october. the future of the turkey.--human ingenuity subjects almost every material to the purposes of ornament or use and the feathers of turkeys have been found adapted for more ends than one. the american indians convert then into an elegant clothing, and, by twisting the inner ribs into a strong double string, with hemp or the inner bark of the mulberry tree, work it like matting. this fabric has a very rich and glossy appearance and is as fine as silk shag. the natives of louisiana used to make fans of the tail; and four of that appendage joined together was formerly constructed into a parasol by the french. to bone a turkey or fowl without opening it. (_miss acton's recipe_.) . after the fowl has been drawn and singed, wipe it inside and out with a clean cloth, but do not wash it. take off the head, cut through the skin all round the first joint of the legs, and pull them from the fowl, to draw out the large tendons. raise the flesh first from the lower part of the backbone, and a little also from the end of the breastbone, if necessary; work the knife gradually to the socket of the thigh; with the point of the knife detach the joint from it, take the end of the bone firmly in the fingers, and cut the flesh clean from it down to the next joint, round which pass the point of the knife carefully, and when the skin is loosened from it in every part, cut round the next bone, keeping; the edge of the knife close to it, until the whole of the leg is done. remove the bones of the other leg in the same manner; then detach the flesh from the back--and breast-bone sufficiently to enable you to reach the upper joints of the wings; proceed with these as with the legs, but be especially careful not to pierce the skin of the second joint: it is usual to leave the pinions unboned, in order to give more easily its natural form to the fowl when it is dressed. the merrythought and neck-bones may now easily be cut away, the back-and side-bones taken out without being divided, and the breastbone separated carefully from the flesh (which, as the work progresses, must be turned back from the bones upon the fowl, until it is completely inside out). after the one remaining bone is removed, draw the wings and legs back to their proper form, and turn the fowl right side outwards. . a turkey is boned exactly in the same manner; but as it requires a very large proportion of forcemeat to fill it entirely, the logs and wings are sometimes drawn into the body, to diminish the expense of this. if very securely trussed, and sewn, the bird may be either boiled, or stewed in rich gravy, as well as roasted, after being boned and forced; but it must be most gently cooled, or it may burst. another mode of boning a turkey or fowl. (_miss acton's recipe_.) . cut through the skin down the centre of the back, and raise the flesh carefully on either side with the point of a sharp knife, until the sockets of the wings and thighs are reached. till a little practice has been gained, it will perhaps be bettor to bone these joints before proceeding further; but after they are once detached from it, the whole of the body may easily be separated from the flesh and taken out entire: only the neck-bones and merrythought will then remain to be removed. the bird thus prepared may either be restored to its original form, by filling the legs and wings with forcemeat, and the body with the livers of two or three fowls, mixed with alternate layers of parboiled tongue freed from the rind, fine sausage-meat, or veal forcemeat, or thin slices of the nicest bacon, or aught else of good flavour, which will give a marbled appearance to the fowl when it is carved; and then be sewn up and trussed as usual; or the legs and wings may be drawn inside the body, and the bird being first flattened on a table, may be covered with sausage-meat, and the various other ingredients we have named, so placed that it shall be of equal thickness in every part; then tightly rolled, bound firmly together with a fillet of broad tape, wrapped in a thin pudding-cloth, closely tied at both ends, and dressed as follows:--put it into a braising-pan, stewpan, or thick iron saucepan, bright in the inside, and fitted as nearly as may be to its size; add all the chicken-bones, a bunch of sweet herbs, two carrots, two bay-leaves, a large blade of mace, twenty-four white peppercorns, and any trimmings or bones of undressed veal which may be at hand; cover the whole with good veal broth, add salt, if needed, and stew it very softly, from an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half; let it cool in the liquor in which it was stewed; and after it is lifted out, boil down the gravy to a jelly and strain it; let it become cold, clear off the fat, and serve it cut into large dice or roughed, and laid round the fowl, which is to be served cold. if restored to its form, instead of being rolled, it must be stewed gently for an hour, and may then be sent to table hot, covered with mushroom, or any other good sauce that may be preferred; or it may be left until the following day, and served garnished with the jelly, which should be firm, and very clear and well-flavoured: the liquor in which a calf's foot has been boiled down, added to the broth, will give it the necessary degree of consistence. to bone fowls for fricassees, curries, & pies. . first carve them entirely into joints, then remove the bones, beginning with the legs and wings, at the head of the largest bone; hold this with the fingers, and work the knife as directed in the recipe above. the remainder of the birds is too easily done to require any instructions. to dress wheatears. . ingredients.--wheatears; fresh butter. _mode_.--after the birds are picked, gutted, and cleaned, truss them like larks, put them down to a quick fire, and baste them well with fresh butter. when done, which will be in about minutes, dish them on fried bread crumbs, and garnish the dish with slices of lemon. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ from july to october. the wheatear.--the wheatear is an annual visitor of england: it arrives about the middle of march and leaves in september. the females come about a fortnight before the males, and continue to arrive till the middle of may. they are in season from july to october, and are taken in large numbers on the south downs, in the neighbourhood of eastbourne, brighton, and other parts of sussex. they are taken by means of snares and nets, and numbers of them are eaten on the spot by the inhabitants. the larger ones are sent to london and potted, where they are by many as much esteemed as the ortolans of the continent. mr. pennant assigns as the reason of their abounding on the downs about eastbourne, the existence of a species of fly which forms their favourite food, and which feeds on the wild thyme on the adjacent hills. [illustration: the guinea-pig.] . the guinea-pig.--this common hutch-companion of the rabbit, although originally a native of brazil, propagates freely in england and other european countries. were it not that they suffer cruelly from cats, and numerous other enemies, and that it is the habit of the males to devour their own offspring, their numbers would soon become overwhelming. rats, however, it is said, carefully avoid them; and for this reason they are frequently bred by rabbit-fanciers, by way of protection for their young stock against those troublesome vermin. the lower tier of a rabbit-hutch is esteemed excellent quarters by the guinea-pig: here, as he runs loose, he will devour the waste food of his more admired companion. home naturalists assert that the guinea-pig will breed at two months old, the litter varying from four to twelve at a time. it is varied in colour,--white, fawn, and black, and a mixture of the three colours, forming a tortoiseshell, which is the more generally admired hue. occasionally, the white ones have red eyes, like those of the ferret and the white rabbit. their flesh, although eatable, is decidedly unfit for food; they have been tasted, however, we presume by some enthusiast eager to advance the cause of science, or by some eccentric epicure in search of a new pleasure for his palate. unless it has been that they deter rats from intruding within the rabbit-hutch, they are as useless as they are harmless. the usual ornament of an animal's hind quarters is denied them; and were it not for this fact, and also for their difference in colour, the shaksperean locution, "a rat without a tail," would designate them very properly. [illustration: the cygnet.] . the cygnet.--the cygnet, or the young swan, was formerly much esteemed; but it has "fallen from its high estate," and is now rarely seen upon the table. we are not sure that it is not still fattened in norwich for the corporation of that place. persons who have property on the river there, take the young birds, and send them to some one who is employed by the corporation, to be fed; and for this trouble he is paid, or was wont to be paid, about half a guinea a bird. it is as the future bird of elegance and grace that the young swan is mostly admired; when it has become old enough to grace the waters, then it is that all admire her, when she with "archèd neck, between her white wings mantling, proudly rows her state with oary feet." poultry carving. roast duck. [illustration: roast duck.] . no dishes require so much knowledge and skill in their carving as do game and poultry; for it is necessary to be well acquainted with the anatomy of the bird and animal in order to place the knife at exactly the proper point. a tough fowl and an old goose are sad triers of a carver's powers and temper, and, indeed, sometimes of the good humour of those in the neighbourhood of the carver; for a sudden tilt of the dish may eventuate in the placing a quantity of the gravy in the lap of the right or left-hand supporter of the host. we will endeavour to assist those who are unacquainted with the "gentle art of carving," and also those who are but slightly acquainted with it, by simply describing the rules to follow, and referring to the distinctly-marked illustrations of each dish, which will further help to bring light to the minds of the uninitiated. if the bird be a young duckling, it may be carved like a fowl, viz., by first taking off the leg and the wing on either side, as described at no. ; but in cases where the duckling is very small, it will be as well not to separate the leg from the wing, as they will not then form too large a portion for a single serving. after the legs and wings are disposed of, the remainder of the duck will be also carved in the same manner as a fowl; and not much difficulty will be experienced, as ducklings are tender, and the joints are easily broken by a little gentle forcing, or penetrated by the knife. in cases where the duck is a large bird, the better plan to pursue is then to carve it like a goose, that is, by cutting pieces from the breast in the direction indicated by the lines marked from to , commencing to carve the slices close to the wing, and then proceeding upwards from that to the breastbone. if more should be wanted than can be obtained from both sides of the breast, then the legs and wings must be attacked, in the same way as is described in connection with carving a fowl. it may be here remarked, that as the legs of a duck are placed far more backward than those of a fowl, their position causing the waddling motion of the bird, the thigh-bones will be found considerably nearer towards the backbone than in a chicken: this is the only difference worth mentioning. the carver should ask each guest if a portion of stuffing would be agreeable; and in order to get at this, a cut should be made below the breast, as shown by the line from to , at the part called the "apron," and the spoon inserted. (as described in the recipe, it is an excellent plan, when a couple of ducks are served, to have one with, and the other without stuffing.) as to the prime parts of a duck, it has been said that "the wing of a flier and the leg of a swimmer" are severally the best portions. some persons are fond of the feet of the duck; and, in trussing, these should never be taken off. the leg, wing, and neckbone are here shown; so that it will be easy to see the shape they should be when cut off. [illustration: leg, wing, and neckbone of duck.] boiled fowl. [illustration: boiled fowl.] [illustration: leg, wing, and neckbone of fowl.] . this will not be found a very difficult member of the poultry family to carve, unless, as may happen, a very old farmyard occupant, useless for egg-laying purposes, has, by some unlucky mischance, been introduced info the kitchen as a "fine young chicken." skill, however, and the application of a small amount of strength, combined with a fine keeping of the temper, will even get over that difficulty. fixing the fork firmly in the breast, let the knife be sharply passed along the line shown from to ; then cut downwards from that line to fig. ; and the wing, it will be found, can be easily withdrawn. the shape of the wing should be like the accompanying engraving. let the fork be placed inside the leg, which should be gently forced away from the body of the fowl; and the joint, being thus discovered, the carver can readily cut through it, and the leg can be served. when the leg is displaced, it should be of the same shape as that shown in the annexed woodcut. the legs and wings on either side having been taken off, the carver should draw his knife through the flesh in the direction of the line to : by this means the knife can be slipped underneath the merrythought, which, being lifted up and pressed backward, will immediately come off. the collar--or neck-bones are the next to consider: these lie on each side of the merrythought, close under the upper part of the wings; and, in order to free these from the fowl, they must also be raised by the knife at their broad end, and turned from the body towards the breastbone, until the shorter piece of the bone, as shown in the cut, breaks off. there will now be left only the breast, with the ribs. the breast can be, without difficulty, disengaged from the ribs by cutting through the latter, which will offer little impediment. the side-bones are now to be taken off; and to do this, the lower end of the back should be turned from the carver, who should press the point of the knife through the top of the backbone, near the centre, bringing it down towards the end of the back completely through the bone. if the knife is now turned in the opposite direction, the joint will be easily separated from the vertebra. the backbone being now uppermost, the fork should be pressed firmly down on it, whilst at the same time the knife should be employed in raising up the lower small end of the fowl towards the fork, and thus the back will be dislocated about its middle. the wings, breast, and merrythought are esteemed the prime parts of a fowl, and are usually served to the ladies of the company, to whom legs, except as a matter of paramount necessity, should not be given. byron gave it as one reason why he did not like dining with ladies, that they always had the wings of the fowls, which he himself preferred. we heard a gentleman who, when he might have had a wing, declare his partiality for a leg, saying that he had been obliged to eat legs for so long a time, that he had at last come to like them better than the other more prized parts. if the fowl is, capon-like, very large, slices maybe carved from its breast in the same manner as from a turkey's. roast fowl. [illustration: roast fowl.] . generally speaking, it is not necessary so completely to cut up a fowl as we have described in the preceding paragraphs, unless, indeed, a large family party is assembled, and there are a number of "little mouths" to be filled, or some other such circumstances prevail. a roast fowl is carved in the same manner as a boiled fowl, no. ; viz., by cutting along the line from. to , and then round the leg between it and the wing. the markings and detached pieces, as shown in the engravings under the heading of "boiled fowl," supersede the necessity of our lengthily again describing the operation. it may be added, that the liver, being considered a delicacy, should be divided, and one half served with each wing. in the case of a fowl being shifted, it will be proper to give each guest a portion, unless it be not agreeable to some one of the party. roast goose. [illustration: roast goose.] [illustration: leg, wing, and neck-bone of goose.] . it would not be fair to say that this dish bodes a great deal of happiness to an inexperienced carver, especially if there is a large party to serve, and the slices off the breast should not suffice to satisfy the desires and cravings of many wholesome appetites, produced, may be, by the various sports in vogue at michaelmas and christmas. the beginning of the task, however, is not in any way difficult. evenly-cut slices, not too thick or too thin, should be carved from the breast in the direction of the line from to ; after the first slice has been cut, a hole should be made with the knife in the part called the apron, passing it round the line, as indicated by the figures , , : here the stuffing is located, and some of this should be served on each plate, unless it is discovered that it is not agreeable to the taste of some one guest. if the carver manages cleverly, he will be able to cut a very large number of fine slices off the breast, and the more so if he commences close down by the wing, and carves upwards towards the ridge of the breastbone. as many slices as can be taken from the breast being carved, the wings should be cut off; and the same process as described in carving boiled fowl, is made use of in this instance, only more dexterity and greater force will most probably be required: the shape of the leg, when disengaged from the body of the goose, should be like that shown in the accompanying engraving. it will be necessary, perhaps, in taking off the leg, to turn the goose on its side, and then, pressing down the small end of the leg, the knife should be passed under it from the top quite down to the joint; the leg being now turned back by the fork, the knife must cut through the joint, loosening the thigh-bone from its socket. the merrythought, which in a goose is not so large as might be expected, is disengaged in the same way as that of a fowl--by passing the knife under it, and pressing it backwards towards the neck. the neck-bones, of which we give a cut, are freed by the same process as are those of a fowl; and the same may be said of all the other parts of this bird. the breast of a goose is the part most esteemed; all parts, however, are good, and full of juicy flavour. pigeon. [illustration: pigeon.] . a very straightforward plan is adopted in carving a pigeon: the knife is carried sharply in the direction of the line as shown from to , entirely through the bird, cutting it into two precisely equal and similar parts. if it is necessary to make three pieces of it, a small wing should be cut off with the leg on either side, thus serving two guests; and, by this means, there will be sufficient meat left on the breast to send to the third guest. rabbits. [illustration: boiled rabbit.] . in carving a boiled rabbit, let the knife be drawn on each side of the backbone, the whole length of the rabbit, as shown by the dotted line to : thus the rabbit will be in three parts. now let the back be divided into two equal parts in the direction of the line from to ; then let the leg be taken off, as shown by the line to , and the shoulder, as shown by the line to . this, in our opinion, is the best plan to carve a rabbit, although there are other modes which are preferred by some. [illustration: roast rabbit.] a roast rabbit is rather differently trussed from one that is meant to be boiled; but the carving is nearly similar, as will be seen by the cut. the back should be divided into as many pieces as it will give, and the legs and shoulders can then be disengaged in the same manner as those of the boiled animal. roast turkey. [illustration: roast turkey.] . a noble dish is a turkey, roast or boiled. a christmas dinner, with the middle classes of this empire, would scarcely be a christmas dinner without its turkey; and we can hardly imagine an object of greater envy than is presented by a respected portly pater-familias carving, at the season devoted to good cheer and genial charity, his own fat turkey, and carving it well. the only art consists, as in the carving of a goose, in getting from the breast as many fine slices as possible; and all must have remarked the very great difference in the large number of people whom a good carver will find slices for, and the comparatively few that a bad carver will succeed in serving. as we have stated in both the carving of a duck and goose, the carver should commence cutting slices close to the wing from, to , and then proceed upwards towards the ridge of the breastbone: this is not the usual plan, but, in practice, will be found the best. the breast is the only part which is looked on as fine in a turkey, the legs being very seldom cut off and eaten at table: they are usually removed to the kitchen, where they are taken off, as here marked, to appear only in a form which seems to have a special attraction at a bachelor's supper-table,--we mean devilled: served in this way, they are especially liked and relished. a boiled turkey is carved in the same manner as when roasted. [illustration] chapter xxii. general observations on game. . the common law of england has a maxim, that goods, in which no person can claim any property, belong, by his or her prerogative, to the king or queen. accordingly, those animals, those _ferae naturae_, which come under the denomination of game, are, in our laws, styled his or her majesty's, and may therefore, as a matter of course, be granted by the sovereign to another; in consequence of which another may prescribe to possess the same within a certain precinct or lordship. from this circumstance arose the right of lords of manors or others to the game within their respective liberties; and to protect these species of animals, the game laws were originated, and still remain in force. there are innumerable acts of parliament inflicting penalties on persons who may illegally kill game, and some of them are very severe; but they cannot be said to answer their end, nor can it be expected that they ever will, whilst there are so many persons of great wealth who have not otherwise the means of procuring game, except by purchase, and who will have it. these must necessarily encourage poaching, which, to a very large extent, must continue to render all game laws nugatory as to their intended effects upon the rustic population. . the object of these laws, however, is not wholly confined to the restraining of the illegal sportsman. even qualified or privileged persons must not kill game at all seasons. during the day, the hours allowed for sporting are from one hour before sunrise till one hour after sunset; whilst the time of killing certain species is also restricted to certain seasons. for example, the season for bustard-shooting is from december to march ; for grouse, or red grouse, from august to december ; heath-fowl, or black-game, from august to december ; partridges from september to february ; pheasants from october to february ; widgeons, wild ducks, wild geese, wild fowls, at any time but in june, july, august, and september. hares may be killed at any time of the year, under certain restrictions defined by an act of parliament of the th of george iii. . the exercise or diversion of pursuing four-footed beasts of game is called hunting, which, to this day, is followed in the field and the forest, with gun and greyhound. birds, on the contrary, are not hunted, but shot in the air, or taken with nets and other devices, which is called fowling; or they are pursued and taken by birds of prey, which is called hawking, a species of sport now fallen almost entirely into desuetude in england, although, in some parts, showing signs of being revived. . in pursuing four-footed beasts, such as deer, boars, and hares, properly termed hunting, mankind were, from the earliest ages, engaged. it was the rudest and the most obvious manner of acquiring human support before the agricultural arts had in any degree advanced. it is an employment, however, requiring both art and contrivance, as well as a certain fearlessness of character, combined with the power of considerable physical endurance. without these, success could not be very great; but, at best, the occupation is usually accompanied with rude and turbulent habits; and, when combined with these, it constitutes what is termed the savage state of man. as culture advances, and as the soil proportionably becomes devoted to the plough or to the sustenance of the tamer or more domesticated animals, the range of the huntsman is proportionably limited; so that when a country has attained to a high state of cultivation, hunting becomes little else than an amusement of the opulent. in the case of fur-bearing animals, however, it is somewhat different; for these continue to supply the wants of civilization with one of its most valuable materials of commerce. . the themes which form the minstrelsy of the earliest ages, either relate to the spoils of the chase or the dangers of the battle-field. even the sacred writings introduce us to nimrod, the first mighty hunter before the lord, and tell us that ishmael, in the solitudes of arabia, became a skilful bow-man; and that david, when yet young, was not afraid to join in combat with the lion or the bear. the greek mythology teems with hunting exploits. hercules overthrows the nemaean lion, the erymanthean boar, and the hydra of lerna; diana descends to the earth, and pursues the stag; whilst aesculapius, nestor, theseus, ulysses, and achilles are all followers of the chase. aristotle, sage as he was, advises young men to apply themselves early to it; and plato finds in it something divine. horace exalts it as a preparative exercise for the path of glory, and several of the heroes of homer are its ardent votaries. the romans followed the hunting customs of the greeks, and the ancient britons were hunters before julius caesar invaded their shores. . although the ancient britons followed hunting, however, they did not confine themselves solely to its pursuit. they bred cattle and tilled the ground, and, to some extent, indicated the rudimentary state of a pastoral and agricultural life; but, in every social change, the sports of the field maintained their place. after the expulsion of the danes, and during the brief restoration of the saxon monarchy, these were still followed: even edward the confessor, who would join in no other secular amusements, took the greatest delight, says william of malmesbury, "to follow a pack of swift hounds in pursuit of game, and to cheer them with his voice." . nor was edward the only english sovereign who delighted in the pleasures of the chase. william the norman, and his two sons who succeeded him, were passionately fond of the sport, and greatly circumscribed the liberties of their subjects in reference to the killing of game. the privilege of hunting in the royal forests was confined to the king and his favourites; and in order that these umbrageous retreats might be made more extensive, whole villages were depopulated, places of worship levelled with the ground, and every means adopted that might give a sufficient amplitude of space, in accordance with the royal pleasure, for the beasts of the chase. king john was likewise especially attached to the sports of the field; whilst edward iii. was so enamoured of the exercise, that even during his absence at the wars in france, he took with him sixty couples of stag-hounds and as many hare-hounds, and every day amused himself either with hunting or hawking. great in wisdom as the scotch solomon, james i., conceited himself to be, he was much addicted to the amusements of hunting, hawking, and shooting. yea, it is oven asserted that his precious time was divided between hunting, the bottle, and his standish: to the first he gave his fair weather, to the second his dull, and to the third his cloudy. from his days down to the present, the sports of the field have continued to hold their high reputation, not only for the promotion of health, but for helping to form that manliness of character which enters so largely into the composition of the sons of the british soil. that it largely helps to do this there can be no doubt. the late duke of grafton, when hunting, was, on one occasion, thrown into a ditch. a young curate, engaged in the same chase, cried out, "lie still, my lord!" leapt over him, and pursued his sport. such an apparent want of feeling might be expected to have been resented by the duke; but not so. on his being helped up by his attendant, he said, "that man shall have the first good living that falls to my disposal: had he stopped to have given me his sympathy, i never would have given him anything." such was the manly sentiment of the duke, who delighted in the exemplification of a spirit similarly ardent as his own in the sport, and above the baseness of an assumed sorrow. . that hunting has in many instances been carried to an excess is well known, and the match given by the prince esterhazy, regent of hungary, on the signing of the treaty of peace with france, is not the least extraordinary upon record. on that occasion, there were killed deer, wild boars, hares, and foxes: this was the achievement of one day. enormous, however, as this slaughter may appear, it is greatly inferior to that made by the contemporary king of naples on a hunting expedition. that sovereign had a larger extent of ground at his command, and a longer period for the exercise of his talents; consequently, his sport, if it can so be called, was proportionably greater. it was pursued during his journey to vienna, in austria, bohemia, and moravia; when he killed bears, , boars, , deer, , does, , roebucks, , rabbits, wolves, badgers, , hares, and foxes. in birds, during the same expedition, he killed , pheasants and , partridges. such an amount of destruction can hardly be called sport; it resembles more the indiscriminate slaughter of a battle-field, where the scientific engines of civilized warfare are brought to bear upon defenceless savages. . deer and hares may be esteemed as the only four-footed animals now hunted in britain for the table; and even those are not followed with the same ardour as they were wont to be. still, there is no country in the world where the sport of hunting on horseback is carried to such an extent as in great britain, and where the pleasures of the chase are so well understood, and conducted on such purely scientific principles. the fox, of all "the beasts of the field," is now considered to afford the best sport. for this, it is infinitely superior to the stag; for the real sportsman can only enjoy that chase when the deer is sought for and found like other game which are pursued with hounds. in the case of finding an outlying fallow-deer, which is unharboured, in this manner, great sport is frequently obtained; but this is now rarely to be met with in britain. in reference to hare-hunting, it is much followed in many parts of this and the sister island; but, by the true foxhunter, it is considered as a sport only fit to be pursued by women and old men. although it is less dangerous and exciting than the fox-chase, however, it has great charms for those who do not care for the hard riding which the other requires. . the art of taking or killing birds is called "fowling," and is either practised as an amusement by persons of rank or property, or for a livelihood by persons who use nets and other apparatus. when practised as an amusement, it principally consists of killing them with a light firearm called a "fowling-piece," and the sport is secured to those who pursue it by the game laws. the other means by which birds are taken, consist in imitating their voices, or leading them, by other artifices, into situations where they become entrapped by nets, birdlime, or otherwise. for taking large numbers of birds, the pipe or call is the most common means employed; and this is done during the months of september and october. we will here briefly give a description of the _modus operandi_ pursued in this sport. a thin wood is usually the spot chosen, and, under a tree at a little distance from the others, a cabin is erected, and there are only such branches left on the tree as are necessary for the placing of the birdlime, and which are covered with it. around the cabin are placed avenues with twisted perches, also covered with birdlime. having thus prepared all that is necessary, the birdcatcher places himself in the cabin, and, at sunrise and sunset, imitates the cry of a small bird calling the others to its assistance. supposing that the cry of the owl is imitated, immediately different kinds of birds will flock together at the cry of their common enemy, when, at every instant, they will be seen falling to the ground, their wings being of no use to them, from their having come in contact with the birdlime. the cries of those which are thus situated now attract others, and thus are large numbers taken in a short space of time. if owls were themselves desired to be taken, it is only during the night that this can be done, by counterfeiting the squeak of the mouse. larks, other birds, and water-fowl, are sometimes taken by nets; but to describe fully the manner in which this is done, would here occupy too much space. . feathered game have from time immemorial given gratification to the palate of man. with the exception of birds of prey, and some other species, moses permitted his people to eat them; and the egyptians made offerings to their priests of their most delicate birds. the ancient greeks commenced their repasts with little roasted birds; and feathered game, amongst the romans, was served as the second course. indeed, several of the ancient _gourmands_ of the "imperial city" were so fond of game, that they brought themselves to ruin by eating flamingoes and pheasants. "some modern nations, the french among others," says monsieur soyer, "formerly ate the heron, crane, crow, stork, swan, cormorant, and bittern. the first three especially were highly esteemed; and laillevant, cook of charles vii., teaches us how to prepare these meagre, tough birds. belon says, that in spite of its revolting taste when unaccustomed to it, the bittern is, however, among the delicious treats of the french. this writer also asserts, that a falcon or a vulture, either roasted or boiled, is excellent eating; and that if one of these birds happened to kill itself in flying after game, the falconer instantly cooked it. lebaut calls the heron a royal viand." . the heron was hunted by the hawk, and the sport of hawking is usually placed at the head of those amusements that can only be practised in the country. this precedency it probably obtained from its being a pastime to generally followed by the nobility, not in great britain only, but likewise on the continent. in former times, persons of high rank rarely appeared in public without their dogs and their hawks: the latter they carried with them when they journeyed from one country to another, and sometimes even took them to battle with them, and would not part with them when taken prisoners, even to obtain their own liberty. such birds were esteemed as the ensigns of nobility, and no action was reckoned more dishonourable in a man of rank than that of giving up his hawk. we have already alluded to the hunting propensities of our own edward iii., and we may also allude to his being equally addicted to hawking. according to froissart, when this sovereign invaded france, he took with him thirty falconers on horseback, who had charge of his hawks, and every day, as his royal fancy inclined him, he either hunted, or went to the river for the purpose of hawking. in the great and powerful, the pursuit of game as a sport is allowable, but in those who have to earn their bread by the sweat of their brow, it is to be condemned. in burton's "anatomy of melancholy" we find a humorous story, told by poggius, the florentine, who reprobates this folly in such persons. it is this. a physician of milan, that cured madmen, had a pit of water in his house, in which he kept his patients, some up to the knees, some to the girdle, some to the chin, _pro modo insaniae_, as they were more or less affected. one of them by chance, that was well recovered, stood in the door, and seeing a gallant pass by with a hawk on his fist, well mounted, with his spaniels after him, would needs know to what use all this preparation served. he made answer, to kill certain fowl. the patient demanded again, what his fowl might be worth which he killed in a year? he replied, five or ten crowns; and when he urged him further, what his dogs, horse, and hawks stood him in, he told him four hundred crowns. with that the patient bade him begone, as he loved his life and welfare; "for if our master come and find thee here, he will put thee in the pit, amongst the madmen, up to the chin." thus reproving the madness of such men as will spend themselves in those vain sports, to the neglect of their business and necessary affairs. . as the inevitable result of social progress is, at least to limit, if not entirely to suppress, such sports as we have here been treating of, much of the romance of country life has passed away. this is more especially the case with falconry, which had its origin about the middle of the fourth century, although, lately, some attempts have been rather successfully made to institute a revival of the "gentle art" of hawking. julius firmicus, who lived about that time, is, so far as we can find, the first latin author who speaks of falconers, and the art of teaching one species of birds to fly after and catch others. the occupation of these functionaries has now, however, all but ceased. new and nobler efforts characterize the aims of mankind in the development of their civilization, and the sports of the field have, to a large extent, been superseded by other exercises, it may be less healthful and invigorating, but certainly more elegant, intellectual, and humanizing. [illustration] recipes. chapter xxiii. roast black-cock. . ingredients.--black-cock, butter, toast. [illustration: roast black-cock.] _mode_.--let these birds hang for a few days, or they will be tough and tasteless, if not well kept. pluck and draw them, and wipe the insides and outsides with a damp cloth, as washing spoils the flavour. cut off the heads, and truss them, the same as a roast fowl, cutting off the toes, and scalding and peeling the feet. trussing them with the head on, as shown in the engraving, is still practised by many cooks, but the former method is now considered the best. put them down to a brisk fire, well baste them with butter, and serve with a piece of toast under, and a good gravy and bread sauce. after trussing, some cooks cover the breast with vine-leaves and slices of bacon, and then roast them. they should be served in the same manner and with the same accompaniments as with the plainly-roasted birds. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, from s. to s. the brace; but seldom bought. _sufficient_,-- or for a dish. _seasonable_ from the middle of august to the end of december. [illustration: the black-cock.] the black-cock, heath-cock, moor-fowl, or heath-poult.--this bird sometimes weighs as much as four pounds, and the hen about two. it is at present confined to the more northern parts of britain, culture and extending population having united in driving it into more desolate regions, except, perhaps, in a few of the more wild and less-frequented portions of england. it may still be found in the new forest, in hampshire, dartmoor, and sedgmoor, in devonshire, and among the hills of somersetshire, contiguous to the latter. it may also be found in staffordshire, in north wales, and again in the north of england; but nowhere so plentiful as in some parts of the highlands of scotland. the males are hardly distinguishable from the females until they are about half-grown, when the black feathers begin to appear, first about the sides and breast. their food consists of the tops of birch and heath, except when the mountain berries are ripe, at which period they eagerly and even voraciously pick the bilberries and cranberries from the bushes. large numbers of these birds are found in norway, almost rivalling the turkey in point of size. some of them have begun to be imported into london, where they are vended in the shops; but the flavour of their flesh is not equal to that of the scotch bird. hashed wild duck. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast wild duck, pint of good brown gravy, tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs, glass of claret, salt, cayenne, and mixed spices to taste; tablespoonful of lemon or seville orange-juice. _mode_.--cut the remains of the duck into neat joints, put them into a stewpan, with all the above ingredients; let them get gradually hot by the side of the fire, and occasionally stir the contents; when on the point of boiling, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--about / hour. _seasonable_ from november to february. ragout of wild duck. . ingredients.-- wild ducks, shalots, pint of stock no. , glass of port wine, oz. of butter, a little flour, the juice of / lemon, cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--ducks that have been dressed and left from the preceding day will answer for this dish. cut them into joints, reserve the legs, wings, and breasts until wanted; put the trimmings into a stewpan with the shalots and stock, and let them simmer for about / hour, and strain the gravy. put the butter into a stewpan; when melted, dredge in a little flour, and pour in the gravy made from the bones; give it one boil, and strain it again; add the wine, lemon-juice, and cayenne; lay in the pieces of duck, and let the whole gradually warm through, but do not allow it to boil, or the duck will be hard. the gravy should not be too thick, and should be very highly seasoned. the squeeze of a seville orange is a great improvement to this dish. _time_.--about / hour to make the gravy; / hour for the duck gradually to warm through. _seasonable_ from november to february. roast wild duck. . ingredients.--wild duck, flour, butter. [illustration: roast wild duck.] _mode_.--carefully pluck and draw them; cut off the heads close to the necks, leaving sufficient skin to turn over, and do not cut off the feet; some twist each leg at the knuckle, and rest the claws on each side of the breast; others truss them as shown in our illustration. roast the birds before a quick fire, and, when they are first put down, let them remain for minutes without basting (this will keep the gravy in); afterwards baste plentifully with butter, and a few minutes before serving dredge them lightly with flour; baste well, and send them to table nicely frothed, and full of gravy. if overdone, the birds will lose their flavour. serve with a good gravy in the dish, or orange gravy, no. ; and send to table with them a cut lemon. to take off the fishy taste which wild fowl sometimes have, baste them for a few minutes with hot water to which have been added an onion and a little salt; then take away the pan, and baste with butter.--see coloured plate, g . _time_.--when liked underdressed, to minutes; well done, to minutes. _average cost_, s. to s. the couple. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from november to february. [illustration: the wild duck.] the wild duck.--the male of the wild dock is called a mallard; and the young ones are called flappers. the time to try to find a brood of these is about the month of july, among the rushes of the deepest and most retired parts of some brook or stream, where, if the old bird is sprung, it may be taken as a certainty that its brood is not far off. when once found, flappers are easily killed, as they attain their full growth before their wings are fledged. consequently, the sport is more like hunting water-rats than shooting birds. when the flappers take wing, they assume the name of wild ducks, and about the month of august repair to the corn-fields, where they remain until they are disturbed by the harvest-people. they then frequent the rivers pretty early in the evening, and give excellent sport to those who have patience to wait for them. in order to know a wild duck, it is necessary only to look at the claws, which should be black. hashed game (cold meat cookery). . ingredients.--the remains of cold game, onion stuck with cloves, a few whole peppers, a strip of lemon-peel, salt to taste, thickening of butter and flour, glass of port wine, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, tablespoonful of ketchup, pint of water or weak stock. _mode_.--cut the remains of cold game into joints, reserve the best pieces, and the inferior ones and trimmings put into a stewpan with the onion, pepper, lemon-peel, salt, and water or weak stock; stew these for about an hour, and strain the gravy; thicken it with butter and flour; add the wine, lemon-juice, and ketchup; lay in the pieces of game, and let them gradually warm through by the side of the fire; do not allow it to boil, or the game will be hard. when on the point of simmering, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--altogether - / hour. _seasonable_ from august to march. _note_.--any kind of game may be hashed by the above recipe, and the flavour may be varied by adding flavoured vinegars, curvy powder, &c.; but we cannot recommend these latter ingredients, as a dish of game should really have a gamy taste; and if too many sauces, essences, &c., are added to the gravy, they quite overpower and destroy the flavour the dish should possess. grouse pie. . ingredients.--grouse; cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste; lb. of rump-steak, / pint of well-seasoned broth, puff paste. _mode_.--line the bottom of a pie-dish with the rump-steak cut into neat pieces, and, should the grouse be large, cut them into joints; but, if small, they may be laid in the pie whole; season highly with salt, cayenne, and black pepper; pour in the broth, and cover with a puff paste; brush the crust over with the yolk of an egg, and bake from / to hour. if the grouse is cut into joints, the backbones and trimmings will make the gravy, by stewing them with an onion, a little sherry, a bunch of herbs, and a blade of mace: this should be poured in after the pie is baked. _time_.-- / to hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the grouse, which are seldom bought, s. d. _seasonable_ from the th of august to the beginning of december. roast grouse. [illustration: roast grouse.] . ingredients.--grouse, butter, a thick slice of toasted bread. _mode_.--let the birds hang as long as possible; pluck and draw them; wipe, but do not wash them, inside and out, and truss them without the head, the same as for a roast fowl. many persons still continue to truss them with the head under the wing, but the former is now considered the most approved method. put them down to a sharp clear fire; keep them well basted the whole of the time they are cooking, and serve them on a buttered toast, soaked in the dripping-pan, with a little melted butter poured over them, or with bread-sauce and gravy.--see coloured plate, l . _time_.-- / hour; if liked very thoroughly done, minutes. _average cost_, s. to s. d. the brace; but seldom bought. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from the th of august to the beginning of december. [illustration: red grouse.] grouse.--these birds are divided into wood grouse, black grouse, red grouse, and white grouse. the wood grouse is further distinguished as the cock of the wood, or capercalzie, and is as large as the turkey, being about two feet nine inches in length, and weighing from twelve to fifteen pounds. the female is considerably less than the male, and, in the colour of her feathers, differs widely from the other. this beautiful species is found principally in lofty, mountainous regions, and is very rare in great britain; but in the pine forests of russia, sweden, and other northern countries, it is very common. in these it has its habitat, feeding on the cones of the trees, and the fruits of various kinds of plants, especially the berry of the jumper. black grouse is also distinguished as black-game, or the black-cock. it is not larger than the common hen, and weighs only about four pounds. the female is about one-third less than the male, and also differs considerably from him in point of colour. like the former, they are found chiefly in high situations, and are common in russia, siberia, and other northern countries. they are also found in the northern parts of great britain, feeding in winter on the various berries and fruits belonging to mountainous countries, and, in summer, frequently descending to the lower lands, to feed upon corn. the red grouse, gorcock, or moor-cock, weighs about nineteen ounces, and the female somewhat less. in the wild heathy tracts of the northern counties of england it is plentiful, also in wales and the highlands of scotland. mr. pennant considered it peculiar to britain, those found in the mountainous parts of spain, france, and italy, being only varieties of the same bird. white grouse, white game, or ptarmigan, is nearly the same size as the red grouse, and is found in lofty situations, where it supports itself in the severest weather. it is to be met with in most of the northern countries of europe, and appears even in greenland. in the hebrides, orkneys, and the highlands of scotland, it is also found; and sometimes, though rarely, among the fells of northumberland and cumberland. in winter they fly in flocks, and are so little familiar with the sight of man, that they are easily shot, and even snared. they feed on the wild produce of the hills, which sometimes imparts to their flesh a bitter but not unpalatable taste. according to buffon, it is dark-coloured, and somewhat flavoured like the hare. grouse salad. (_soyer's recipe_.) . ingredients.-- eggs, butter, fresh salad, or grouse; for the sauce, teaspoonful of minced shalot, teaspoonful of pounded sugar, the yolk of egg, teaspoonful of minced parsley, / oz. of salt, tablespoonfuls of oil, tablespoonfuls of chili vinegar, gill of cream. _mode_.--boil the eggs hard, shell them, throw them into cold water cut a thin slice off the bottom to facilitate the proper placing of them in the dish, cut each one into four lengthwise, and make a very thin flat border of butter, about one inch from the edge of the dish the salad is to be served on; fix the pieces of egg upright close to each other, the yolk outside, or the yolk and white alternately; lay in the centre a fresh salad of whatever is in season, and, having previously roasted the grouse rather underdone, cut it into eight or ten pieces, and prepare the sauce as follows:--put the shalots into a basin, with the sugar, the yolk of an egg, the parsley, and salt, and mix in by degrees the oil and vinegar; when these ingredients are well mixed, put the sauce on ice or in a cool place. when ready to serve, whip the cream rather thick, which lightly mix with it; then lay the inferior parts of the grouse on the salad, sauce over so as to cover each piece, then lay over the salad and the remainder of the grouse, pour the rest of the sauce over, and serve. the eggs may be ornamented with a little dot of radishes or beetroot on the point. anchovy and gherkin, cut into small diamonds, may be placed between, or cut gherkins in slices, and a border of them laid round. tarragon or chervil-leaves are also a pretty addition. the remains of cold black-game, pheasant, or partridge may be used in the above manner, and will make a very delicate dish. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ from the th of august to the beginning of december. [illustration: the capercalzie.] the capercalzie.--this bird was to be met with formerly both in ireland and scotland, but is now extinct. the male lives separate from the females, except in the breeding season. its manners and habits are very like those of black grouse, except that it seems to be wholly confined to forests of pine, on the tender shoots of which it feeds. it is by no means uncommon in the woods of norway, whence we received it. it is also found abundant in russia, siberia, italy, and in some portions of the alps. it was, in , last seen in scotland, in the woods of strathglass. recent attempts have been made to re-introduce it into that country, but without success; principally owing, as we should imagine, to the want of sufficient food suitable for its sustenance. grouse.--under this general term are included several species of game birds, called black, red, woodland, and white grouse. the black is larger than the red (see no. ), and is not so common, and therefore held in higher estimation. the red, however, is a bird of exquisite flavour, and is a native of the mountainous districts of scotland and the north of england. it feeds on the tops of the heath and the berries that grow amongst them: its colour is a rich chestnut, striped with black. the woodland, or cock of the wood, is the largest among the bird tribes which pass under the denomination of game. it is smaller than the turkey, and was originally common in our mountains; but it is now to be found only in the mountains of scotland, though it still abounds in the north of europe, germany, and in the alps. it is esteemed as delicious eating, and its plumage is extremely beautiful. the white grouse, or ptarmigan, is not a plentiful bird in britain; but it is still found in the islands, and weighs about half a pound. the london market is supplied by norway and scotland; those from the former country being esteemed the best. when young, it is held in high estimation, being considered as little different from common grouse. roast hare. . ingredients.--hare, forcemeat no. , a little milk, butter. _choosing and trussing_.--choose a young hare; which may be known by its smooth and sharp claws, and by the cleft in the lip not being much spread. to be eaten in perfection, it must hang for some time; and, if properly taken care of, it may be kept for several days. it is better to hang without being paunched; but should it be previously emptied, wipe the inside every day, and sprinkle over it a little pepper and ginger, to prevent the musty taste which long keeping in the damp occasions, and which also affects the stuffing. after it is skinned, wash it well, and soak for an hour in warm water to draw out the blood; if old, let it lie in vinegar for a short time, but wash it well afterwards in several waters. make a forcemeat by recipe no. , wipe the hare dry, fill the belly with it, and sew it up. bring the hind and fore legs close to the body towards the head, run a skewer through each, fix the head between the shoulders by means of another skewer, and be careful to leave the ears on. pat a string round the body from skewer to skewer, and tie it above the back. [illustration: roast hare.] _mode_.--the hare should be kept at a distance from the fire when it is first laid down, or the outside will become dry and hard before the inside is done. baste it well with milk for a short time, and afterwards with butter; and particular attention must be paid to the basting, so as to preserve the meat on the back juicy and nutritive. when it is almost roasted enough, flour the hare, and baste well with butter. when nicely frothed, dish it, remove the skewers, and send it to table with a little gravy in the dish, and a tureen of the same. red-currant jelly must also not be forgotten, as this is an indispensable accompaniment to roast hare. for economy, good beef dripping may be substituted for the milk and butter to baste with; but the basting, as we have before stated, must be continued without intermission. if the liver is good, it maybe parboiled, minced, and mixed with the stuffing; but it should not be used unless quite fresh.--see coloured plate, e . _time_.--a middling-sized hare, - / hour; a large hare, - / to hours. _average cost_, from s. to s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to the end of february. the hare.--this little animal is found generally distributed over europe, and, indeed, in most parts of the northern world. its extreme timidity is the endowment which providence has bestowed upon it as a means of defence; it is therefore attentive to every sound, and is supplied with ears both long and tubular, with which it can hear with great acuteness. its eyes, also, are so constructed, and placed so prominent in its head, that it can see both before and behind it. it lives entirely upon vegetables, but its flesh is considered dry, notwithstanding that it is deemed, in many respects, superior to that of the rabbit, being more savoury, and of a much higher flavour. its general time of feeding is the evening; but during the day, if not disturbed, it adheres closely to its _form_. [illustration: the hare.] potted hare (a luncheon or breakfast dish). . ingredients.-- hare, a few slices of bacon, a large bunch of savoury herbs, cloves, / teaspoonful of whole allspice, carrots, onions, salt and pepper to taste, pint of water, glasses of sherry. _mode_.--skin, empty, and wash the hare; cut it down the middle, and put it into a stewpan, with a few slices of bacon under and over it; add the remaining ingredients, and stew very gently until the hare is tender, and the flesh will separate easily from the bones. when done enough, take it up, remove the bones, and pound the meat, _with the bacon_, in a mortar, until reduced to a perfectly smooth paste. should it not be sufficiently seasoned, add a little cayenne, salt, and pounded mace, but be careful that these are well mixed with the other ingredients. press the meat into potting-pots, pour over clarified butter, and keep in a dry place. the liquor that the hare was stewed in, should be saved for hashes, soups, &c. &c. _time_.--about / hours to stew the hare. _seasonable_ from september to the end of february. broiled hare (a supper or luncheon dish). . ingredients.--the leg and shoulders of a roast hare, cayenne and salt to taste, a little butter. _mode_.--cut the legs and shoulders of a roast hare, season them highly with salt and cayenne, and broil them over a very clear fire for minutes. dish them on a hot dish, rub over them a little cold butter, and send to table very quickly. _time_.-- minutes. _seasonable_ from september to the end of february. hashed hare. . ingredients.--the remains of cold roast hare, blade of pounded mace, or allspice, pepper and salt to taste, onion, a bunch of savoury herbs, tablespoonfuls of port wine, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup. _mode_.--cut the cold hare into neat slices, and put the head, bones, and trimmings into a stewpan, with / pint of water; add the mace, allspice, seasoning, onion, and herbs, and stew for nearly an hour, and strain the gravy; thicken it with butter and flour, add the wine and ketchup, and lay in the pieces of hare, with any stuffing that may be left. let the whole gradually heat by the side of the fire, and, when it has simmered for about minutes, serve, and garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. send red-currant jelly to table with it. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the cold hare, d. _seasonable_ from september to the end of february. jugged hare. (_very good_.) . ingredients.-- hare, - / lb. of gravy beef, / lb. of butter, onion, lemon, cloves; pepper, cayenne, and salt to taste; / pint of port wine. _mode_.--skin, paunch, and wash the hare, cut it into pieces, dredge them with flour, and fry in boiling butter. have ready - / pint of gravy, made from the above proportion of beef, and thickened with a little flour. put this into a jar; add the pieces of fried hare, an onion stuck with six cloves, a lemon peeled and cut in half, and a good seasoning of pepper, cayenne, and salt; cover the jar down tightly, put it up to the neck into a stewpan of boiling water, and let it stew until the hare is quite tender, taking care to keep the water boiling. when nearly done, pour in the wine, and add a few forcemeat balls, made by recipe no. : these must be fried or baked in the oven for a few minutes before they are put to the gravy. serve with red-currant jelly. _time_,-- - / to hours. if the hare is very old, allow - / hours. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to the end of february. ii. (_a quicker and more economical way_.) . ingredients.-- hare, a bunch of sweet herbs, onions, each stuck with cloves, whole allspice, / teaspoonful of black pepper, a strip of lemon-peel, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, / pint of port wine. _mode._--wash the hare nicely, cut it up into joints (not too large), and flour and brown them as in the preceding recipe; then put them into a stewpan with the herbs, onions, cloves, allspice, pepper, and lemon-peel; cover with hot water, and when it boils, carefully remove all the scum, and let it simmer gently till tender, which will be in about - / hour, or longer, should the hare be very old. take out the pieces of hare, thicken the gravy with flour and butter, add the ketchup and port wine, let it boil for about minutes, strain it through a sieve over the hare, and serve. a few fried forcemeat balls should be added at the moment of serving, or instead of frying them, they may be stewed in the gravy, about minutes before the hare is wanted for table. do not omit to serve red-currant jelly with it. _time_.--altogether hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to the end of february. _note_.--should there be any left, rewarm it the next day by putting the hare, &c. into a covered jar, and placing this jar in a saucepan of boiling water: this method prevents a great deal of waste. roast landrail, or corn-crake. . ingredients.-- or birds, butter, fried bread crumbs. [illustration: landrails.] _mode_.--pluck and draw the birds, wipe them inside and out with damp cloths, and truss them in the following manner:--bring the head round under the wing, and the thighs close to the sides; pass a skewer through them and the body, and keep the legs straight. roast them before a clear fire, keep them well basted, and serve on fried bread crumbs, with a tureen of brown gravy. when liked, bread-sauce may also be sent to table with them. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_,--seldom bought. _sufficient_.--allow-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from august th to the middle of september. [illustration: the landrail.] the landrail, or corn-crake.--this bird is migratory in its habits, yet from its formation, it seems ill adapted for long aërial passages, its wings being short, and placed so forward out of the centre of gravity, that it flies in an extremely heavy and embarrassed manner, and with its legs hanging down. when it alights, it can hardly be sprung a second time, as it runs very fast, and seems to depend for its safety more on the swiftness of its feet than the celerity of its wings. it makes its appearance in england about the same time as the quail, that is, in the months of april and may, and frequents the same places. its singular cry is first heard when the grass becomes long enough to shelter it, and it continues to be heard until the grass is cut. the bird, however, is seldom seen, for it constantly skulks among the thickest portions of the herbage, and runs so nimbly through it, doubling and winding in every direction, that it is difficult to get near it. it leaves this island before the winter, and repairs to other countries in search of its food, which principally consists of slugs, large numbers of which it destroys. it is very common in ireland, and, whilst migrating to this country, is seen in great numbers in the island of anglesea. on its first arrival in england, it is so lean as scarcely to weigh above five or six ounces; before its departure, however, it has been known to exceed eight ounces, and is then most delicious eating. to dress a leveret. . ingredients.-- leverets, butter, flour. _mode_.--leverets should be trussed in the same manner as a hare, but they do not require stuffing. roast them before a clear fire, and keep them well basted all the time they are cooking. a few minutes before serving, dredge them lightly with flour, and froth them nicely. serve with plain gravy in the dish, and send to table red-currant jelly with them. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, in full season, s. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from may to august, but cheapest in july and august. broiled partridge (a luncheon, breakfast, or supper dish). . ingredients.-- partridges, salt and cayenne to taste, a small piece of butter, brown gravy or mushroom sauce. _mode_.--pluck, draw, and cut the partridges in half, and wipe the inside thoroughly with a damp cloth. season them with salt and cayenne, broil them over a very clear fire, and dish them on a hot dish; rub a small piece of butter over each half, and send them to table with brown gravy or mushroom sauce. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. d. to s. a brace. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from the st of september to the beginning of february. partridge pie. . ingredients.-- partridges, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of minced parsley (when obtainable, a few mushrooms), / lb. of veal cutlet, a slice of ham, / pint of stock, puff paste. _mode_.--line a pie-dish with a veal cutlet; over that place a slice of ham and a seasoning of pepper and salt. pluck, draw, and wipe the partridges; cut off the legs at the first joint, and season them inside with pepper, salt, minced parsley, and a small piece of butter; place them in the dish, and pour over the stock; line the edges of the dish with puff paste, cover with the same, brush it over with the yolk of an egg, and bake for / to hour. _time_.-- / to hour. _average cost_, s. d. to s. a brace. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from the st of september to the beginning of february. note.--should the partridges be very large, split them in half; they will then lie in the dish more compactly. when at hand, a few mushrooms should always be added. potted partridge. . ingredients.--partridges; seasoning to taste of mace, allspice white pepper, and salt; butter, coarse paste. _mode_.--pluck and draw the birds, and wipe them inside with a damp cloth. pound well some mace, allspice, white pepper, and salt; mix together, and rub every part of the partridges with this. pack the birds as closely as possible in a baking-pan, with plenty of butter over them, and cover with a coarse flour and water crust. tie a paper over this, and bake for rather more than - / hour; let the birds get cold, then cut them into pieces for keeping, pack them closely into a large potting-pot, and cover with clarified butter. this should be kept in a cool dry place. the butter used for potted things will answer for basting, or for paste for meat pies.--see coloured plate, d . _time_.-- - / hour. _seasonable_ from the st of september to the beginning of february. salmi de perdrix, or hashed partridges. . ingredients.-- young partridges, shalots, a slice of lean ham, carrot, or mushrooms, a bunch of savoury herbs, cloves, whole peppers, / pint of stock, glass of sherry or madeira, a small lump of sugar. _mode_.--after the partridges are plucked and drawn, roast them rather underdone, and cover them with paper, as they should not be browned; cut them into joints, take off the skin from the wings, legs, and breasts; put these into a stewpan, cover them up, and set by until the gravy is ready. cut a slice of ham into small pieces, and put them, with the carrots sliced, the shalots, mushrooms, herbs, cloves, and pepper, into a stewpan; fry them lightly in a little butter, pour in the stock, add the bones and trimming from the partridges, and simmer for / hour. strain the gravy, let it cool, and skim off every particle of fat; put it to the legs, wings, and breasts, add a glass of sherry or madeira and a small lump of sugar, let all gradually warm through by the side of the fire, and when on the point of boiling, serve, and garnish the dish with croûtons. the remains of roast partridge answer very well dressed in this way, although not so good as when the birds are in the first instance only half-roasted. this recipe is equally suitable for pheasants, moor-game, &c.; but care must be taken always to skin the joints. _time_.--altogether hour. _sufficient_.-- or partridges for an entrée. _seasonable_ from the st of september to the beginning of february. roast partridge. . ingredients.--partridge; butter. _choosing and trussing_.--choose young birds, with dark-coloured bills and yellowish legs, and let them hang a few days, or there will be no flavour to the flesh, nor will it be tender. the time they should be kept, entirely depends on the taste of those for whom they are intended, as what some persons would consider delicious, would be to others disgusting and offensive. they may be trussed with or without the head, the latter mode being now considered the most fashionable. pluck, draw, and wipe the partridge carefully inside and out; cut off the head, leaving sufficient skin on the neck to skewer back; bring the legs close to the breast, between it and the side-bones, and pass a skewer through the pinions and the thick part of the thighs. when the head is left on, it should be brought round and fixed on to the point of the skewer. [illustration: roast partridge.] _mode_.--when the bird is firmly and plumply trussed, roast it before a nice bright fire; keep it well basted, and a few minutes before serving, flour and froth it well. dish it, and serve with gravy and bread sauce, and send to table hot and quickly. a little of the gravy should be poured over the bird.--see coloured plate, d . _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, is s. d. to s. a brace. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from the st of september to the beginning of february. [illustration: partridges.] the partridge.--this bird is to be found in nearly all the temperate countries of europe, but is most abundant in the ukraine, although it is unable to bear the extremes of climate, whether hot or cold. it was formerly very common in france, and is considered a table luxury in england. the instinct of this bird is frequently exemplified in a remarkable manner, for the preservation of its young. "i have seen it often," says a very celebrated writer, and an accurate observer of nature, "and once in particular, i saw an extraordinary instance of an old bird's solicitude to save its brood. as i was hunting with a young pointer, the dog ran on a brood of very small partridges; the old bird cried, fluttered, and ran tumbling along just before the dog's nose, till she had drawn him to a considerable distance, when she took wing, and flew still further off, but not out of the field; on this the dog returned to me, near the place where the young ones lay concealed in the grass, which the old bird no sooner perceived than she flew back to us, settled just before the dog's nose again, and by rolling and tumbling about, drew off his attention from her young, and thus preserved her brood a second time. i have also seen, when a kite has been hovering over a covey of young partridges, the old birds fly up at the bird of prey, screaming and fighting with all their might to preserve their brood." partridges should be chosen young; if old, they are valueless. the young ones are generally known by their yellow legs and dark-coloured bills. pheasant cutlets. . ingredients.-- or pheasants, egg and bread crumbs, cayenne and salt to taste, brown gravy. _mode_.--procure young pheasants that have been hung a few days; pluck, draw, and wipe them inside; cut them into joints; remove the bones from the best of these; and the backbones, trimmings, &c., put into a stewpan, with a little stock, herbs, vegetables, seasoning, &c., to make the gravy. flatten and trim the cutlets of a good shape, egg and bread crumb them, broil them over a clear fire, pile them high in the dish, and pour under them the gravy made from the bones, which should be strained, flavoured, and thickened. one of the small bones should be stuck on the point of each cutlet. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. to s. each. _sufficient_ for entrées. _seasonable_ from the st of october to the beginning of february. roast pheasant. . ingredients.--pheasant, flour, butter. _choosing and trussing_.--old pheasants may be known by the length and sharpness of their spurs; in young ones they are short and blunt. the cock bird is generally reckoned the best, except when the hen is with egg. they should hang some time before they are dressed, as, if they are cooked fresh, the flesh will be exceedingly dry and tasteless. after the bird is plucked and drawn, wipe the inside with a damp cloth, and truss it in the same manner as partridge, no. . if the head is left on, as shown in the engraving, bring it round under the wing, and fix it on to the point of the skewer. [illustration: roast pheasant.] _mode_.--roast it before a brisk fire, keep it well basted, and flour and froth it nicely. serve with brown gravy, a little of which should be poured round the bird, and a tureen of bread sauce. or of the pheasant's best tail-feathers are sometimes stuck in the tail as an ornament; but the fashion is not much to be commended.--see coloured plate, f . _time_.-- / to hour, according to the size. _average cost_, s. d. to s. each. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from the st of october to the beginning of february. [illustration: the pheasant.] the pheasant.--this beautiful bird is said to have been discovered by the argonauts on the banks of the phasis, near mount ararat, in their expedition to colchis. it is common, however, in almost all the southern parts of the european continent, and has been long naturalized in the warmest and most woody counties of england. it is very common in france; indeed, so common as to be esteemed a nuisance by the farmers. although it has been domesticated, this is not easily accomplished, nor is its flesh so palatable then as it is in the wild state. mr. ude says--"it is not often that pheasants are met with possessing that exquisite taste which is acquired only by long keeping, as the damp of this climate prevents their being kept as long as they are in other countries. the hens, in general, are the most delicate. the cocks show their age by their spurs. they are only fit to be eaten when the blood begins to run from the bill, which is commonly six days or a week after they have been killed. the flesh is white, tender, and has a good flavour, if you keep it long enough; if not, it is not much different from that of a common fowl or hen." brillat savarin's recipe for roast pheasant, a la sainte alliance. . when the pheasant is in good condition to be cooked (_see_ no. ), it should be plucked, and not before. the bird should then be stuffed in the following manner:--take two snipes, and draw them, putting the bodies on one plate, and the livers, &c., on another. take off the flesh, and mince it finely with a little beef, lard, a few truffles, pepper and salt to taste, and stuff the pheasant carefully with this. cut a slice of bread, larger considerably than the bird, and cover it with the liver, &c., and a few truffles: an anchovy and a little fresh butter added to these will do no harm. put the bread, &c., into the dripping-pan, and, when the bird is roasted, place it on the preparation, and surround it with florida oranges. do not be uneasy, savarin adds, about your dinner; for a pheasant served in this way is fit for beings better than men. the pheasant itself is a very good bird; and, imbibing the dressing and the flavour of the truffle and snipe, it becomes thrice better. broiled pheasant (a breakfast or luncheon dish). . ingredients.-- pheasant, a little lard, egg and bread crumbs, salt and cayenne to taste. _mode_.--cut the legs off at the first joint, and the remainder of the bird into neat pieces; put them into a fryingpan with a little lard, and when browned on both sides, and about half done, take them out and drain them; brush the pieces over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs with which has been mixed a good seasoning of cayenne and salt. broil them over a moderate fire for about minutes, or rather longer, and serve with mushroom-sauce, sauce piquante, or brown gravy, in which a few game-bones and trimmings have been stewed. _time_.--altogether / hour. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from the st of october to the beginning of february. the height of excellence in a pheasant.--things edible have their degrees of excellence under various circumstances: thus, asparagus, capers, peas, and partridges are best when young. perfection in others is only reached when they attain maturity: let us say, for example, melons and nearly all fruits (we must except, perhaps, the medlar), with the majority of those animals whose flesh we eat. but others, again, are not good until decomposition is about to set in; and here we may mention particularly the snipe and the pheasant. if the latter bird be eaten so soon as three days after it has been killed, it then has no peculiarity of flavour; a pullet would be more relished, and a quail would surpass it in aroma. kept, however, a proper length of time,--and this can be ascertained by a slight smell and change of colour,--then it becomes a highly, flavoured dish, occupying, so to speak, the middle distance between chicken and venison. it is difficult to define any exact time to "hang" a pheasant; but any one possessed of the instincts of gastronomical science, can at once detect the right moment when a pheasant should be taken down, in the same way as a good cook knows whether a bird should be removed from the spit, or have a turn or two more. to dress plovers. . ingredients.-- plovers, butter, flour, toasted bread. _choosing and trussing_.--choose those that feel hard at the vent, as that shows their fatness. there are three sorts,--the grey, green, and bastard plover, or lapwing. they will keep good for some time, but if very stale, the feet will be very dry. plovers are scarcely fit for anything but roasting; they are, however, sometimes stewed, or made into a ragoût, but this mode of cooking is not to be recommended. _mode_.--pluck off the feathers, wipe the outside of the birds with a damp cloth, and do not draw them; truss with the head under the wing, put them down to a clear fire, and lay slices of moistened toast in the dripping-pan, to catch the trail. keep them _well basted_, dredge them lightly with flour a few minutes before they are done, and let them be nicely frothed. dish them on the toasts, over which the _trail_ should be equally spread. pour round the toast a little good gravy, and send some to table in a tureen. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. the brace, if plentiful. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_.--in perfection from the beginning of september to the end of january. the plover.--there are two species of this bird, the grey and the green, the former being larger than the other, and somewhat less than the woodcock. it has generally been classed with those birds which chiefly live in the water; but it would seem only to seek its food there, for many of the species breed upon the loftiest mountains. immense flights of these birds are to be seen in the hebrides, and other parts of scotland; and, in the winter, large numbers are sent to the london market, which is sometimes so much glutted with them that they are sold very cheap. previous to dressing, they are kept till they have a game flavour; and although their flesh is a favourite with many, it is not universally relished. the green is preferred to the grey, but both are inferior to the woodcock. their eggs are esteemed as a great delicacy. birds of this kind are migratory. they arrive in england in april, live with us all the spring and summer, and at the beginning of autumn prepare to take leave by getting together in flocks. it is supposed that they then retire to spain, and frequent the sheep-walks with which that country abounds. [illustration: the plover.] to dress the ptarmigan. . ingredients.-- or birds; butter, flour, fried bread crumbs. _mode_.--the ptarmigan, or white grouse, when young and tender, are exceedingly fine eating, and should be kept as long as possible, to be good. pluck, draw, and truss them in the same manner as grouse, no. , and roast them before a brisk fire. flour and froth them nicely, and serve on buttered toast, with a tureen of brown gravy. bread sauce, when liked, may be sent to table with them, and fried bread crumbs substituted for the toasted bread. _time_.--about / hour. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from the beginning of february to the end of april. the ptarmigan, or white grouse.--this bird is nearly the same size as red grouse, and is fond of lofty situations, where it braves the severest weather, and is found in most parts of europe, as well as in greenland. at hudson's bay they appear in such multitudes that so many as sixty or seventy are frequently taken at once in a net. as they are as tame as chickens, this is done without difficulty. buffon says that the ptarmigan avoids the solar heat, and prefers the frosts of the summits of the mountains; for, as the snow melts on the sides of the mountains, it ascends till it gains the top, where it makes a hole, and burrows in the snow. in winter, it flies in flocks, and feeds on the wild vegetation of the hills, which imparts to its flesh a bitter, but not altogether an unpalatable taste. it is dark-coloured, and has something of the flavour of the hare, and is greatly relished, and much sought after by some sportsmen. [illustration: the ptarmigan.] to dress quails. . ingredients.--quails, butter, toast. _mode_.--these birds keep good several days, and should be roasted without drawing. truss them in the same manner as woodcocks, no. ; roast them before a clear fire, keep them well basted, and serve on toast. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_.--seldom bought. _sufficient_ for a dish. _seasonable_ from october to december. [illustration: the quail.] the quail.--quails are almost universally diffused over europe, asia, and africa. being birds of passage, they are seen in immense flocks, traversing the mediterranean sea from europe to africa, in the autumn, and returning again in the spring, frequently alighting in their passage on many of the islands of the archipelago, which, with their vast numbers, they almost completely cover. on the western coasts of the kingdom of naples, they have appeared in such prodigious numbers, that, within the compass of four or five miles, as many as a hundred thousand have been taken in a day. "from these circumstances," says a writer on natural history, "it appears highly probable that the quails which supplied the israelites with food during their journey through the wilderness, were sent thither, on their passage to the north, by a wind from the south-west, sweeping over egypt and ethiopia towards the shores of the red sea." in england they are not very numerous, although they breed in it; and many of them are said to remain throughout the year, changing their quarters from the interior parts of the country for the seacoast. to dress snipes. . ingredients.--snipes, butter, flour, toast. _mode_.--these, like woodcocks, should be dressed without being drawn. pluck, and wipe them outside, and truss them with the head under the wing, having previously skinned that and the neck. twist the legs at the first joint, press the feet upon the thighs, and pass a skewer through these and the body. place four on a skewer, tie them on to the jack or spit, and roast before a clear fire for about / hour. put some pieces of buttered toast into the dripping-pan to catch the trails; flour and froth the birds nicely, dish the pieces of toast with the snipes on them, and pour round, but not over them, a little good brown gravy. they should be sent to table very hot and expeditiously, or they will not be worth eating.--see coloured plate m . [illustration: roast snipe.] _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. d. to s. the brace. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from november to february. _note_.--ortolans are trussed and dressed in the same manner. [illustration: the snipe.] the snipe.--this is a migratory bird, and is generally distributed over europe. it is found in most parts of england, in the high as well as the low lands, depending much on the weather. in very wet seasons it resorts to the hills, but at other times frequents marshes, where it can penetrate the earth with its bill, hunting for worms, which form its principal food. in the hebrides and the orkneys snipes are plentiful, and they are fattest in frosty weather. in the breeding season the snipe changes its note entirely from that which it has in the winter. the male will keep on wing for an hour together, mounting like a lark, and uttering a shrill piping noise; then, with a bleating sound, not unlike that made by an old goat, it will descend with great velocity, especially if the female be sitting in her nest, from which it will not wander far. roast teal. . ingredients.--teal, butter, a little flour. _mode_.--choose fat plump birds, after the frost has set in, as they are generally better flavoured; truss them in the same manner as wild duck, no. ; roast them before a brisk fire, and keep them well basted. serve with brown or orange gravy, water-cresses, and a cut lemon. the remains of teal make excellent hash. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, s. each; but seldom bought. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from october to february. roast haunch of venison. . ingredients.--venison, coarse flour-and-water paste, a little flour. _mode_.--choose a haunch with clear, bright, and thick fat, and the cleft of the hoof smooth and close; the greater quantity of fat there is, the better quality will the meat be. as many people object to venison when it has too much _haut goût_, ascertain how long it has been kept, by running a sharp skewer into the meat close to the bone; when this is withdrawn, its sweetness can be judged of. with care and attention, it will keep good a fortnight, unless the weather is very mild. keep it perfectly dry by wiping it with clean cloths till not the least damp remains, and sprinkle over powdered ginger or pepper, as a preventative against the fly. when required for use, wash it in warm water, and _dry_ it _well_ with a cloth; butter a sheet of white paper, put it over the fat, lay a coarse paste, about / inch in thickness, over this, and then a sheet or two of strong paper. tie the whole firmly on to the haunch with twine, and put the joint down to a strong close fire; baste the venison immediately, to prevent the paper and string from burning, and continue this operation, without intermission, the whole of the time it is cooking. about minutes before it is done, carefully remove the paste and paper, dredge the joint with flour, and baste well with _butter_ until it is nicely frothed, and of a nice pale-brown colour; garnish the knuckle-bone with a frill of white paper, and serve with a good, strong, but unflavoured gravy, in a tureen, and currant jelly; or melt the jelly with a little port wine, and serve that also in a tureen. as the principal object in roasting venison is to preserve the fat, the above is the best mode of doing so where expense is not objected to; but, in ordinary cases, the paste may be dispensed with, and a double paper placed over the roast instead: it will not require so long cooking without the paste. do not omit to send very hot plates to table, as the venison fat so soon freezes: to be thoroughly enjoyed by epicures, it should be eaten on hot-water plates. the neck and shoulder may be roasted in the same manner. [illustration: roast haunch of venison.] _time_.--a large haunch of buck venison, with the paste, to hours; haunch of doe venison, - / to - / hours. allow less time without the paste. _average cost_, s. d. to s. d. per lb. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_.--buck venison in greatest perfection from june to michaelmas; doe venison from november to the end of january. the deer.--this active tribe of animals principally inhabit wild and woody regions. in their contentions, both with each other and the rest of the brute creation, these animals not only use their horns, but strike very furiously with their fore feet. some of the species are employed as beasts of draught, whilst the flesh of the whole is wholesome, and that of some of the kinds, under the name of "venison," is considered very delicious. persons fond of hunting have invented peculiar terms by which the objects of their pursuit are characterized: thus the stag is called, the first year, a _calf_, or _hind-calf_; the second, a _knobber_; the third, a _brock_; the fourth, a _staggard_; the fifth, a _stag_; and the sixth, a _hart_. the female is, the first year, called a _calf_; the second, a _hearse_; and the third, a _hind_. in britain, the stag has become scarcer than it formerly was; but, in the highlands of scotland, herds of four or five hundred may still be seen, ranging over the vast mountains of the north; and some of the stags of a great size. in former times, the great feudal chieftains used to hunt with all the pomp of eastern sovereigns, assembling some thousands of their clans, who drove the deer into the toils, or to such stations as were occupied by their chiefs. as this sport, however, was occasionally used as a means for collecting their vassals together for the purpose of concocting rebellion, an act was passed prohibitory of such assemblages. in the "waverley" of sir walter scott, a deer-hunting scene of this kind is admirably described. venison.--this is the name given to the flesh of some kinds of deer, and is esteemed as very delicious. different species of deer are found in warm as well as cold climates, and are in several instances invaluable to man. this is especially the case with the laplander, whose reindeer constitutes a large proportion of his wealth. there-- "the reindeer unharness'd in freedom can play, and safely o'er odin's steep precipice stray, whilst the wolf to the forest recesses may fly, and howl to the moon as she glides through the sky." in that country it is the substitute for the horse, the cow, the goat, and the sheep. from its milk is produced cheese; from its skin, clothing; from its tendons, bowstrings and thread; from its horns, glue; from its bones, spoons; and its flesh furnishes food. in england we have the stag, an animal of great beauty, and much admired. he is a native of many parts of europe, and is supposed to have been originally introduced into this country from france. about a century back he was to be found wild in some of the rough and mountainous parts of wales, as well as in the forests of exmoor, in devonshire, and the woods on the banks of the tamar. in the middle ages the deer formed food for the not over abstemious monks, as represented by friar tuck's larder, in the admirable fiction of "ivanhoe;" and at a later period it was a deer-stealing adventure that drove the "ingenious" william shakspeare to london, to become a common player, and the greatest dramatist that ever lived. hashed venison. . ingredients.--the remains of roast venison, its own or mutton gravy, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--cut the meat from the bones in neat slices, and, if there is sufficient of its own gravy left, put the meat into this, as it is preferable to any other. should there not be enough, put the bones and trimmings into a stewpan, with about a pint of mutton gravy; let them stew gently for an hour, and strain the gravy. put a little flour and butter into the stewpan, keep stirring until brown, then add the strained gravy, and give it a boil up; skim and strain again, and, when a little cool, put in the slices of venison. place the stewpan by the side of the fire, and, when on the point of simmering, serve: do not allow it to boil, or the meat will be hard. send red-currant jelly to table with it. _time_.--altogether, - / hour. _seasonable_.--buck venison, from june to michaelmas; doe venison, from november to the end of january. _note_.--a small quantity of harvey's sauce, ketchup, or port wine, may be added to enrich the gravy: these ingredients must, however, be used very sparingly, or they will overpower the flavour of the venison. [illustration: fallow-deer (buck). fallow-deer (doe).] the fallow-deer.--this is the domestic or park deer; and no two animals can make a nearer approach to each other than the stag and it, and yet no two animals keep more distinct, or avoid each other with a more inveterate animosity. they never herd or intermix together, and consequently never give rise to an intermediate race; it is even rare, unless they have been transported thither, to find fellow-deer in a country where stags are numerous. he is very easily tamed, and feeds upon many things which the stag refuses: he also browzes closer than the stag, and preserves his venison better. the doe produces one fawn, sometimes two, but rarely three. in short, they resemble the stag in all his natural habits, and the greatest difference between them is the duration of their lives: the stag, it is said, lives to the age of thirty-five or forty years, and the fallow-deer does not live more than twenty. as they are smaller than the stag, it is probable that their growth is sooner completed. stewed venison. . ingredients.--a shoulder of venison, a few slices of mutton fat, glasses of port wine, pepper and allspice to taste, - / pint of weak stock or gravy, / teaspoonful of whole pepper, / teaspoonful of whole allspice. _mode_.--hang the venison till tender; take out the bone, flatten the meat with a rolling-pin, and place over it a few slices of mutton fat, which have been previously soaked for or hours in port wine; sprinkle these with a little fine allspice and pepper, roll the meat up, and bind and tie it securely. put it into a stewpan with the bone and the above proportion of weak stock or gravy, whole allspice, black pepper, and port wine; cover the lid down closely, and simmer, very gently, from - / to hours. when quite tender, take off the tape, and dish the meat; strain the gravy over it, and send it to table with red-currant jelly. unless the joint is very fat, the above is the best mode of cooking it. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. to s. d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--buck venison, from june to michaelmas; doe venison, from november to the end of january. [illustration: the roebuck.] the roebuck.--this is the _certuscapreolus_, or common roe, and is of a reddish-brown colour. it is an inhabitant of asia, as well as of europe. it has great grace in its movements, and stands about two feet seven inches high, and has a length of about three feet nine. the extent of its horns is from six to eight inches. [illustration: the stag. the hind.] the stag.--the stag, or hart, is the male of the red deer, and the hind is the female. he is much larger than the fallow-deer, and his age is indicated by his horns, which are round instead of being palmated, like those of the fallow-deer. during the first year he has no horns, but a horny excrescence, which is short and rough, and covered with a thin hairy skin. the next year, the horns are single and straight; and in the third they have two antlers, three the fourth, four the fifth, and five the sixth year; although this number is not always certain, for sometimes they are more, and often less. after the sixth year, the antlers do not always increase; and, although in number they may amount to six or seven on each side, yet the animal's age is then estimated rather by the size of the antlers and the thickness of the branch which sustains them, than by their variety. large as these horns seem, however, they are shed every year, and their place supplied by new ones. this usually takes place in the spring. when the old horns have fallen off, the new ones do not make their appearance immediately; but the bones of the skull ore seen covered with a transparent periosteum, or skin, which enwraps the bones of all animals. after a short time, however, the skin begins to swell, and to form a sort of tumour. from this, by-and-by, rising from the head, shoot forth the antlers from each side; and, in a short time, in proportion as the animal is in condition, the entire horns are completed. the solidity of the extremities, however, is not perfect until the horns have arrived at their full growth. old stags usually shed their horns first, which generally happens towards the latter end of february or the beginning of march. such as are between five and six years old shed them about the middle or latter end of march; those still younger in the month of april; and the youngest of all not till the middle or latter end of may. these rules, though generally true, are subject to variations; for a severe winter will retard the shedding of the horns.--the hind has no horns, and is less fitted for being hunted than the male. she takes the greatest care of her young, and secretes them in the most obscure thickets, lest they become a prey to their numerous enemies. all the rapacious family of the cat kind, with the wolf, the dog, the eagle, and the falcon, are continually endeavouring to find her retreat, whilst the stag himself is the foe of his own offspring. when she has young, therefore, it would seem that the courage of the male is transferred to the female, for she defends them with the most resolute bravery. if pursued by the hunter, she will fly before the hounds for half the day, and then return to her young, whose life she has thus preserved at the hazard of her own. [illustration: eland (bull). eland (cow).] the new venison.--the deer population of our splendid english parks was, until a few years since, limited to two species, the fallow and the red. but as the fallow-deer itself was an acclimated animal, of comparatively recent introduction, it came to be a question why might not the proprietor of any deer-park in england have the luxury of at least half a dozen species of deer and antelopes, to adorn the hills, dales, ferny brakes, and rich pastures of his domain? the temperate regions of the whole world might be made to yield specimens of the noble ruminant, valuable either for their individual beauty, or for their availability to gastronomic purposes. during the last four or live years a few spirited english noblemen have made the experiment of breeding foreign deer in their parks, and have obtained such a decided success, that it may be hoped their example will induce others to follow in a course which will eventually give to england's rural scenery a new element of beauty, and to english tables a fresh viand of the choicest character. a practical solution of this interesting question was made by viscount hill, at hawkestone park, salop, in january, . on that occasion a magnificent eland, an acclimated scion of the species whose native home is the south african wilderness, was killed for the table. the noble beast was thus described:--"he weighed , lbs. as he dropped; huge as a short-horn, but with bone not half the size; active as a deer, stately in all his paces, perfect in form, bright in colour, with a vast dewlap, and strong sculptured horn. this eland in his lifetime strode majestic on the hill-side, where he dwelt with his mates and their progeny, all english-born, like himself." three pairs of the same species of deer were left to roam at large on the picturesque elopes throughout the day, and to return to their home at pleasure. "here, during winter, they are assisted with roots and hay, but in summer they have nothing but the pasture of the park; so that, in point of expense, they cost no more than cattle of the best description." travellers and sportsmen say that the male eland is unapproached in the quality of his flesh by any ruminant in south africa; that it grows to an enormous size, and lays on fat with as great facility as a true short-horn; while in texture and flavour it is infinitely superior. the lean is remarkably fine, the fat firm and delicate. it was tried in every fashion,--braised brisket, roasted ribs, broiled steaks, filet sauté, boiled aitchbone, &c.,--and in all, gave evidence of the fact, that a new meat of surpassing value had been added to the products of the english park. when we hear such a gratifying account of the eland, it is pleasing to record that lord hastings has a herd of the canadian wapiti, a herd of indian nylghaus, and another of the small indian hog-deer; that the earl of ducie has been successful in breeding the magnificent persian deer. the eland was first acclimated in england by the late earl of derby, between the years - , at his menagerie at knowsley. on his death, in , he bequeathed to the zoological society his breed of elands, consisting of two males and three females. here the animals have been treated with the greatest success, and from the year to the present time, the females have regularly reproduced, without the loss of a single calf. roast widgeon. . ingredients.--widgeons, a little flour, butter. _mode_.--these are trussed in the same manner as wild duck, no. , but must not be kept so long before they are dressed. put them down to a brisk fire; flour, and baste them continually with butter, and, when browned and nicely frothed, send them to table hot and quickly. serve with brown gravy, or orange gravy, no. , and a cut lemon. _time_.-- / hour; if liked well done, minutes. _average cost_, s. each; but seldom bought. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from october to february. [illustration: roast woodcock.] roast woodcock. . ingredients.--woodcocks; butter, flour, toast. _mode_.--woodcocks should not be drawn, as the trails are, by epicures, considered a great delicacy. pluck, and wipe them well outside; truss them with the legs close to the body, and the feet pressing upon the thighs; skin the neck and head, and bring the beak round under the wing. place some slices of toast in the dripping-pan to catch the trails, allowing a piece of toast for each bird. roast before a clear fire from to minutes; keep them well basted, and flour and froth them nicely. when done, dish the pieces of toast with the birds upon them, and pour round a very little gravy; send some more to table in a tureen. these are most delicious birds when well cooked, but they should not be kept too long: when the feathers drop, or easily come out, they are fit for table.--see coloured plate, i . _time_.---when liked underdone, to minutes; if liked well done, allow an extra minutes. _average cost_.--seldom bought. _sufficient_,-- for a dish. _seasonable_ from november to february. [illustration: the woodcock.] the woodcock.--this bird being migratory in its habits, has, consequently, no settled habitation; it cannot be considered as the property of any one, and is, therefore, not game by law. it breeds in high northern latitudes, and the time of its appearance and disappearance in sweden coincides exactly with that of its arrival in and return from great britain. on the coast of suffolk its vernal and autumnal visits have been accurately observed. in the first week of october it makes its appearance in small numbers, but in november and december it appears in larger numbers, and always after sunset, and most gregariously. in the same manner as woodcocks take their leave of us, they quit france, germany, and italy, making the northern and colder climates their summer rendezvous. they visit burgundy in the latter part of october, but continue there only a few weeks, the country being hard, and unable to supply them with such sustenance as they require. in the winter, they are found as far south as smyrna and aleppo, and, during the same season, in barbary, where the africans name them "the ass of the partridge." it has been asserted that they have been seen as far south as egypt, which is the most remote region to which they can be traced on that side of the eastern world; on the other side, they are common in japan. those which resort to the countries of the levant are supposed to come from the mountains of armenia, or the deserts of tartary or siberia. the flesh of the woodcock is held in high estimation; hence the bird is eagerly sought after by the sportsman. game carving. blackcock. [illustration: blackcock.] . skilful carving of game undoubtedly adds to the pleasure of the guests at a dinner-table; for game seems pre-eminently to be composed of such delicate limbs and tender flesh that an inapt practitioner appears to more disadvantage when mauling these pretty and favourite dishes, than larger and more robust _pièces de résistance_. as described at recipe no. , this bird is variously served with or without the head on; and although we do not personally object to the appearance of the head as shown in the woodcut, yet it seems to be more in vogue to serve it without. the carving is not difficult, but should be elegantly and deftly done. slices from the breast, cut in the direction of the dotted line from to , should be taken off, the merrythought displaced and the leg and wing removed by running the knife along from to , and following the directions given under the head of boiled fowl, no. , reserving the thigh, which is considered a great delicacy, for the most honoured guests, some of whom may also esteem the brains of this bird. wild duck. [illustration: wild duck.] . as game is almost universally served as a dainty, and not as a dish to stand the assaults of an altogether fresh appetite, these dishes are not usually cut up entirely, but only those parts are served of each, which are considered the best-flavoured and the primest. of wild-fowl, the breast alone is considered by epicures worth eating, and slices are cut from this, in the direction indicated by the lines, from to ; if necessary, the leg and wing can be taken off by passing the knife from to , and by generally following the directions described for carving boiled fowl, no. . roast hare. [illustration: roast hare.] . the "grand carver" of olden times, a functionary of no ordinary dignity, was pleased when he had a hare to manipulate, for his skill and grace had an opportunity of display. _diners à la russe_ may possibly, erewhile, save modern gentlemen the necessity of learning the art which was in auld lang syne one of the necessary accomplishments of the youthful squire; but, until side-tables become universal, or till we see the office of "grand carver" once more instituted, it will be well for all to learn how to assist at the carving of this dish, which, if not the most elegant in appearance, is a very general favourite. the hare, having its head to the left, as shown in the woodcut, should be first served by cutting slices from each side of the backbone, in the direction of the lines from to . after these prime parts are disposed of, the leg should next be disengaged by cutting round the line indicated by the figures to . the shoulders will then be taken off by passing the knife round from to . the back of the hare should now be divided by cutting quite through its spine, as shown by the line to , taking care to feel with the point of the knife for a joint where the back may be readily penetrated. it is the usual plan not to serve any bone in helping hare; and thus the flesh should be sliced from the legs and placed alone on the plate. in large establishments, and where men-cooks are kept, it is often the case that the backbone of the hare, especially in old animals, is taken out, and then the process of carving is, of course, considerably facilitated. a great point to be remembered in connection with carving hare is, that plenty of gravy should accompany each helping; otherwise this dish, which is naturally dry, will lose half its flavour, and so become a failure. stuffing is also served with it; and the ears, which should be nicely crisp, and the brains of the hare, are esteemed as delicacies by many connoisseurs. partridges. [illustration: roast partridges.] . there are several ways of carving this most familiar game bird. the more usual and summary mode is to carry the knife sharply along the top of the breastbone of the bird, and cut it quite through, thus dividing it into two precisely equal and similar parts, in the same manner as carving a pigeon, no. . another plan is to cut it into three pieces; viz., by severing a small wing and leg on either side from the body, by following the line to in the upper woodcut; thus making helpings, when the breast will remain for a third plate. the most elegant manner is that of thrusting back the body from the legs, and then cutting through the breast in the direction shown by the line to : this plan will give or more small helpings. a little bread-sauce should be served to each guest. grouse. [illustration] . grouse may be carved in the way first described in carving partridge. the backbone of the grouse is highly esteemed by many, and this part of many game birds is considered the finest flavoured. pheasant. [illustration: roast pheasant.] . fixing the fork in the breast, let the carver cut slices from it in the direction of the lines from to : these are the prime pieces. if there be more guests to satisfy than these slices will serve, then let the legs and wings be disengaged in the same manner as described in carving boiled fowl, no. , the point where the wing joins the neckbone being carefully found. the merrythought will come off in the same way as that of a fowl. the most valued parts are the same as those which are most considered in a fowl. snipe. [illustration: snipe.] . one of these small but delicious birds may be given, whole, to a gentleman; but, in helping a lady, it will be better to cut them quite through the centre, from to , completely dividing them into equal and like portions, and put only one half on the plate. haunch of venison. [illustration: haunch of venison.] . here is a grand dish for a knight of the carving-knife to exercise his skill upon, and, what will be pleasant for many to know, there is but little difficulty in the performance. an incision being made completely down to the bone, in the direction of the line to , the gravy will then be able easily to flow; when slices, not too thick, should be cut along the haunch, as indicated by the line to ; that end of the joint marked having been turned towards the carver, so that he may have a more complete command over the joint. although some epicures affect to believe that some parts of the haunch are superior to others, yet we doubt if there is any difference between the slices cut above and below the line. it should be borne in mind to serve each guest with a portion of fat; and the most expeditious carver will be the best carver, as, like mutton, venison soon begins to chill, when it loses much of its charm. woodcock. [illustration: woodcock.] . this bird, like a partridge, may be carved by cutting it exactly into two like portions, or made into three helpings, as described in carving partridge (no. ). the backbone is considered the tit-bit of a woodcock, and by many the thigh is also thought a great delicacy. this bird is served in the manner advised by brillat savarin, in connection with the pheasant, viz., on toast which has received its drippings whilst roasting; and a piece of this toast should invariably accompany each plate. landrail. . landrail, being trussed like snipe, with the exception of its being drawn, may be carved in the same manner.--see no. . ptarmigan. . ptarmigan, being of much the same size, and trussed in the same manner, as the red-bird, may be carved in the manner described in partridge and grouse carving, nos. and . quails. . quails, being trussed and served like woodcock, may be similarly carved.--see no. . plovers. . plovers may be carved like quails or woodcock, being trussed and served in the same way as those birds.--see no. . teal. . teal, being of the same character as widgeon and wild duck, may be treated, in carving, in the same style. widgeon. . widgeon may be carved in the same way as described in regard to wild duck, at no. . [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxiv. general observations on vegetables. "strange there should be found who, self-imprison'd in their proud saloons, renounce the odours of the open field for the unscented fictions of the loom; who, satisfied with only pencilled scenes, prefer to the performance of a god, th' inferior wonders of an artist's hand! lovely, indeed, the mimic works of art, but nature's works far lovelier."--cowper. . "the animal and vegetable kingdoms," says hogg, in his natural history of the vegetable kingdom, "may be aptly compared to the primary colours of the prismatic spectrum, which are so gradually and intimately blended, that we fail to discover where the one terminates and where the other begins. if we had to deal with yellow and blue only, the eye would easily distinguish the one from the other; but when the two are blended, and form green, we cannot tell where the blue ends and the yellow begins. and so it is in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. if our powers of observation were limited to the highest orders of animals and plants, if there were only mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes, and insects in the one, and trees, shrubs, and herbs in the other, we should then be able with facility to define the bounds of the two kingdoms; but as we descend the scale of each, and arrive at the lowest forms of animals and plants, we there meet with bodies of the simplest structure, sometimes a mere cell, whose organization, modes of development and reproduction, are so anomalous, and partake so much of the character of both, that we cannot distinguish whether they are plants or whether they are animals." . whilst it is difficult to determine where the animal begins and the vegetable ends, it is as difficult to account for many of the singularities by which numbers of plants are characterized. this, however, can hardly be regarded as a matter of surprise, when we recollect that, so far as it is at present known, the vegetable kingdom is composed of upwards of , species of plants. of this amazing number the lichens and the mosses are of the simplest and hardiest kinds. these, indeed, may be considered as the very creators of the soil: they thrive in the coldest and most sterile regions, many of them commencing the operations of nature in the growth of vegetables on the barest rocks, and receiving no other nourishment than such as may be supplied to them by the simple elements of air and rain. when they have exhausted their period in such situations as have been assigned them, they pass into a state of decay, and become changed into a very fine mould, which, in the active spontaneity of nature, immediately begins to produce other species, which in their turn become food for various mosses, and also rot. this process of growth and decay, being, from time to time, continued, by-and-by forms a soil sufficient for the maintenance of larger plants, which also die and decay, and so increase the soil, until it becomes deep enough to sustain an oak, or even the weight of a tropical forest. to create soil amongst rocks, however, must not be considered as the only end of the lichen; different kinds of it minister to the elegant arts, in the form of beautiful dyes; thus the _lichen rocella_ is used to communicate to silk and wool, various shades of purple and crimson, which greatly enhance the value of these materials. this species is chiefly imported from the canary islands, and, when scarce, as an article of commerce has brought as much as £ per ton. . in the vicinity of lichens, the musci, or mosses, are generally to be found. indeed, wherever vegetation can be sustained, there they are, affording protection to the roots and seeds of more delicate vegetables, and, by their spongy texture, retaining a moisture which preserves other plants from the withering drought of summer. but even in winter we find them enlivening, by their verdure, the cold bosom of nature. we see them abounding in our pastures and our woods, attaching themselves to the living, and still more abundantly to the dead, trunks and branches of trees. in marshy places they also abound, and become the medium of their conversion into fruitful fields. this is exemplified by the manner in which peat-mosses are formed: on the surface of these we find them in a state of great life and vigour; immediately below we discover them, more or less, in a state of decomposition; and, still deeper, we find their stems and branches consolidated into a light brown peat. thus are extensive tracts formed, ultimately to be brought into a state of cultivation, and rendered subservient to the wants of man. . when nature has found a soil, her next care is to perfect the growth of her seeds, and then to disperse them. whilst the seed remains confined in its capsule, it cannot answer its purpose; hence, when it is sufficiently ripe, the pericardium opens, and lets it out. what must strike every observer with surprise is, how nuts and shells, which we can hardly crack with our teeth, or even with a hammer, will divide of themselves, and make way for the little tender sprout which proceeds from the kernel. there are instances, it is said, such as in the touch-me-not (_impatiens_), and the cuckoo-flower (_cardamine_), in which the seed-vessels, by an elastic jerk at the moment of their explosion, cast the seeds to a distance. we are all aware, however, that many seeds--those of the most composite flowers, as of the thistle and dandelion--are endowed with, what have not been inappropriately called, wings. these consist of a beautiful silk-looking down, by which they are enabled to float in the air, and to be transported, sometimes, to considerable distances from the parent plant that produced them. the swelling of this downy tuft within the seed-vessel is the means by which the seed is enabled to overcome the resistance of its coats, and to force for itself a passage by which it escapes from its little prison-house. [illustration: beeton's book of household management edited by mrs. isabella beeton] [illustration: "the free, fair homes of england."] . birds, as well as quadrupeds, are likewise the means of dispersing the seeds of plants, and placing them in situations where they ultimately grow. amongst the latter is the squirrel, which is an extensive planter of oaks; nay, it may be regarded as having, in some measure, been one of the creators of the british navy. we have read of a gentleman who was walking one day in some woods belonging to the duke of beaufort, near troy house, in monmouthshire, when his attention was arrested by a squirrel, sitting very composedly upon the ground. he stopped to observe its motions, when, in a short time, the little animal suddenly quitted its position, and darted to the top of the tree beneath which it had been sitting. in an instant it returned with an acorn in its mouth, and with its paws began to burrow in the earth. after digging a small hole, it therein deposited an acorn, which it hastily covered, and then darted up the tree again. in a moment it was down with another, which it buried in the same manner; and so continued its labour, gathering and burying, as long as the gentleman had patience to watch it. this industry in the squirrel is an instinct which directs it to lay up a store of provision for the winter; and as it is probable that its memory is not sufficiently retentive to enable it to recollect all the spots in which it deposits its acorns, it no doubt makes some slips in the course of the season, and loses some of them. these few spring up, and are, in time, destined to supply the place of the parent tree. thus may the sons of britain, in some degree, consider themselves to be indebted to the industry and defective memory of this little animal for the production of some of those "wooden walls" which have, for centuries, been the national pride, and which have so long "braved the battle and the breeze" on the broad bosom of the great deep, in every quarter of the civilized globe. as with the squirrel, so with jays and pies, which plant among the grass and moss, horse-beans, and probably forget where they have secreted them. mr. white, the naturalist, says, that both horse-beans and peas sprang up in his field-walks in the autumn; and he attributes the sowing of them to birds. bees, he also observes, are much the best setters of cucumbers. if they do not happen to take kindly to the frames, the best way is to tempt them by a little honey put on the male and female bloom. when they are once induced to haunt the frames, they set all the fruit, and will hover with impatience round the lights in a morning till the glasses are opened. . some of the acorns planted by the squirrel of monmouthshire may be now in a fair way to become, at the end of some centuries, venerable trees; for not the least remarkable quality of oaks is the strong principle of life with which they are endued. in major rooke's "sketch of the forest of sherwood" we find it stated that, on some timber cut down in berkland and bilhaugh, letters were found stamped in the bodies of the trees, denoting the king's reign in which they were marked. the bark appears to have been cut off, and then the letters to have been cut in, and the next year's wood to have grown over them without adhering to where the bark had been cut out. the ciphers were found to be of james i., william and mary, and one of king john. one of the ciphers of james was about one foot within the tree, and one foot from the centre. it was cut down in . the tree must have been two feet in diameter, or two yards in circumference, when the mark was cut. a tree of this size is generally estimated at years' growth; which number being subtracted from the middle year of the reign of james, would carry the year back to , which would be about the period of its being planted. the tree with the cipher of william and mary displayed its mark about nine inches within the tree, and three feet three inches from the centre. this tree was felled in . the cipher of john was eighteen inches within the tree, and rather more than a foot from the centre. the middle year of the reign of that monarch was . by subtracting from this , the number of years requisite for a tree's growth to arrive at the diameter of two feet, the date of its being planted would seem to have been , or about twenty years after the conquest. [illustration: cellular development.] . considering the great endurance of these trees, we are necessarily led to inquire into the means by which they are enabled to arrive at such strength and maturity; and whether it may be considered as a humiliation we will not determine, but, with all the ingenious mechanical contrivances of man, we are still unable to define the limits of the animal and vegetable kingdoms. "plants have been described by naturalists, who would determine the limits of the two kingdoms, as organized living bodies, without volition or locomotion, destitute of a mouth or intestinal cavity, which, when detached from their place of growth, die, and, in decay, ferment, but do not putrefy, and which, on being subjected to analysis, furnish an excess of carbon and no nitrogen. the powers of chemistry, and of the microscope, however, instead of confirming these views, tend more and more to show that a still closer affinity exists between plants and animals; for it is now ascertained that nitrogen, which was believed to be present only in animals, enters largely into the composition of plants also. when the microscope is brought to aid our powers of observation, we find that there are organized bodies belonging to the vegetable kingdom which possess very evident powers of locomotion, and which change about in so very remarkable a manner, that no other cause than that of volition can be assigned to it." thus it would seem that, in this particular at least, some vegetables bear a very close resemblance to animal life; and when we consider the manner in which they are supplied with nourishment, and perform the functions of their existence, the resemblance would seem still closer. if, for example, we take a thin transverse slice of the stem of any plant, or a slice cut across its stem, and immerse it in a little pure water, and place it under a microscope, we will find that it consists principally of cells, more or less regular, and resembling those of a honeycomb or a network of cobweb. the size of these varies in different plants, as it does in different parts of the same plant, and they are sometimes so minute as to require a million to cover a square inch of surface. this singular structure, besides containing water and air, is the repository or storehouse of various secretions. through it, the sap, when produced, is diffused sideways through the plant, and by it numerous changes are effected in the juices which fill its cells. the forms of the cells are various; they are also subject to various transformations. sometimes a number of cylindrical cells are laid end to end, and, by the absorption of the transverse partitions, form a continuous tube, as in the sap-vessels of plants, or in muscular and nervous fibre; and when cells are thus woven together, they are called cellular tissue, which, in the human body, forms a fine net-like membrane, enveloping or connecting most of its structures. in pulpy fruits, the cells may be easily separated one from the other; and within the cells are smaller cells, commonly known as pulp. among the cell-contents of some plants are beautiful crystals, called _raphides_. the term is derived from [greek: rhaphis] a _needle_, on account of the resemblance of the crystal to a needle. they are composed of the phosphate and oxalate of lime; but there is great difference of opinion as to their use in the economy of the plant, and one of the french philosophers endeavoured to prove that crystals are the possible transition of the inorganic to organic matter. the differences, however, between the highest form of crystal and the lowest form of organic life known, viz., a simple reproductive cell, are so manifold and striking, that the attempt to make crystals the bridge over which inorganic matter passes into organic, is almost totally regarded as futile. in a layer of an onion, a fig, a section of garden rhubarb, in some species of aloe, in the bark of many trees, and in portions of the cuticle of the medicinal squill, bundles of these needle-shaped crystals are to be found. some of them are as large as - th of an inch, others are as small as the - th. they are found in all parts of the plant,--in the stem, bark, leaves, stipules, petals, fruit, roots, and even in the pollen, with some few exceptions, and they are always situated in the interior of cells. some plants, as many of the _cactus_ tribe, are made up almost entirely of these needle-crystals; in some instances, every cell of the cuticle contains a stellate mass of crystals; in others, the whole interior is full of them, rendering the plant so exceedingly brittle, that the least touch will occasion a fracture; so much so, that some specimens of _cactus senilis_, said to be a thousand years old, which were sent a few years since to kew, from south america, were obliged to be packed in cotton, with all the care of the most delicate jewellery, to preserve them during transport. [illustration: siliceous cuticle from under-side of leaf of deutzia scabra.] [illustration: siliceous cuticle of grass.] . besides the cellular tissue, there is what is called a vascular system, which consists of another set of small vessels. if, for example, we, early in the spring, cut a branch transversely, we will perceive the sap oozing out from numerous points over the whole of the divided surface, except on that part occupied by the pith and the bark; and if a twig, on which the leaves are already unfolded, be cut from the tree, and placed with its cut end in a watery solution of brazil-wood, the colouring matter will be found to ascend into the leaves and to the top of the twig. in both these cases, a close examination with a powerful microscope, will discover the sap perspiring from the divided portion of the stem, and the colouring matter rising through real tubes to the top of the twig: these are the sap or conducting vessels of the plant. if, however, we examine a transverse section of the vine, or of any other tree, at a later period of the season, we find that the wood is apparently dry, whilst the bark, particularly that part next the wood, is swelled with fluid. this is contained in vessels of a different kind from those in which the sap rises. they are found in the _bark_ only in trees, and may be called returning vessels, from their carrying the sap downwards after its preparation in the leaf. it is believed that the passage of the sap in plants is conducted in a manner precisely similar to that of the blood in man, from the regular contraction and expansion of the vessels; but, on account of their extreme minuteness, it is almost an impossibility to be certain upon this point. numerous observations made with the microscope show that their diameter seldom exceeds a th part of a line, or a , th part of an inch. leuwenhoeck reckoned , vessels in a morsel of oak about one nineteenth of an inch square. . in the vascular system of a plant, we at once see the great analogy which it bears to the veins and arteries in the human system; but neither it, nor the cellular tissue combined, is all that is required to perfect the production of a vegetable. there is, besides, a tracheal system, which is composed of very minute elastic spiral tubes, designed for the purpose of conveying air both to and from the plant. there are also fibres, which consist of collections of these cells and vessels closely united together. these form the root and the stem. if we attempt to cut them transversely, we meet with difficulty, because we have to force our way across the tubes, and break them; but if we slit the wood lengthwise, the vessels are separated without breaking. the layers of wood, which appear in the stem or branch of a tree cut transversely, consist of different zones of fibres, each the produce of one year's growth, and separated by a coat of cellular tissue, without which they could not be well distinguished. besides all these, there is the cuticle, which extends over every part of the plant, and covers the bark with three distinct coats. the _liber_, or inner bark, is said to be formed of hollow tubes, which convey the sap downwards to increase the solid diameter of the tree. . the root and the stem now demand a slight notice. the former is designed, not only to support the plant by fixing it in the soil, but also to fulfil the functions of a channel for the conveyance of nourishment: it is therefore furnished with pores, or spongioles, as they are called, from their resemblance to a sponge, to suck up whatever comes within its reach. it is found in a variety of forms, and hence its adaptation to a great diversity of soils and circumstances. we have heard of a willow-tree being dug up and its head planted where its roots were, and these suffered to spread out in the air like naked branches. in course of time, the roots became branches, and the branches roots, or rather, roots rose from the branches beneath the ground, and branches shot from the roots above. some roots last one year, others two, and others, like the shrubs and trees which they produce, have an indefinite period of existence; but they all consist of a collection of fibres, composed of vascular and cellular tissue, without tracheae, or breathing-vessels. the stem is the grand distributor of the nourishment taken up by the roots, to the several parts of the plant. the seat of its vitality is said to be in the point or spot called the neck, which separates the stem from the root. if the root of a young plant be cut off, it will shoot out afresh; if even the stem be taken away, it will be renewed; but if this part be injured, the plant will assuredly die. . in accordance with the plan of this work, special notices of culinary vegetables will accompany the various recipes in which they are spoken of; but here we cannot resist the opportunity of declaring it as our conviction, that he or she who introduces a useful or an ornamental plant into our island, ought justly to be considered, to a large extent, a benefactor to the country. no one can calculate the benefits which may spring from this very vegetable, after its qualities have become thoroughly known. if viewed in no other light, it is pleasing to consider it as bestowing upon us a share of the blessings of other climates, and enabling us to participate in the luxury which a more genial sun has produced. recipes. chapter xxv. boiled artichokes. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water, allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, a piece of soda the size of a shilling; artichokes. [illustration: artichokes.] _mode_.--wash the artichokes well in several waters; see that no insects remain about them, and trim away the leaves at the bottom. cut off the stems and put them into _boiling_ water, to which have been added salt and soda in the above proportion. keep the saucepan uncovered, and let them boil quickly until tender; ascertain when they are done by thrusting a fork in them, or by trying if the leaves can be easily removed. take them out, let them drain for a minute or two, and serve in a napkin, or with a little white sauce poured over. a tureen of melted butter should accompany them. this vegetable, unlike any other, is considered better for being gathered two or three days; but they must be well soaked and washed previous to dressing. _time_.-- to minutes, after the water boils. _sufficient_,--a dish of or for persons. _seasonable_ from july to the beginning of september. [illustration: cardoon artichoke.] the compositae, or composite flowers.--this family is so extensive, as to contain nearly a twelfth part of the whole of the vegetable kingdom. it embraces about , species, distributed over almost every country; and new discoveries are constantly being made and added to the number. towards the poles their numbers diminish, and slightly, also, towards the equator; but they abound in the tropical and sub-tropical islands, and in the tracts of continent not far from the sea-shore. among esculent vegetables, the lettuce, salsify, scorzonera, cardoon, and artichoke belong to the family. fried artichokes. (entremets, or small dish, to be served with the second course.) . ingredients.-- or artichokes, salt and water: for the batter,-- / lb. of flour, a little salt, the yolk of egg, milk. _mode_.--trim and boil the artichokes by recipe no. , and rub them over with lemon-juice, to keep them white. when they are quite tender, take them up, remove the chokes, and divide the bottoms; dip each piece into batter, fry them in hot lard or dripping, and garnish the dish with crisped parsley. serve with plain melted butter. _time_.-- minutes to boil the artichokes, to minutes to fry them. _sufficient_,-- or for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to the beginning of september. a french mode of cooking artichokes. . ingredients.-- or artichokes; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of pepper, bunch of savoury herbs, oz. of butter. _mode_.--cut the ends of the leaves, as also the stems; put the artichokes into boiling water, with the above proportion of salt, pepper, herbs, and butter; let them boil quickly until tender, keeping the lid of the saucepan off, and when the leaves come out easily, they are cooked enough. to keep them a beautiful green, put a large piece of cinder into a muslin bag, and let it boil with them. serve with plain melted butter. _time_.-- to minutes. _sufficient_,-- or sufficient for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to the beginning of september. artichokes a l'italienne. . ingredients.-- or artichokes, salt and butter, about / pint of good gravy. _mode_.--trim and cut the artichokes into quarters, and boil them until tender in water mixed with a little salt and butter. when done, drain them well, and lay them all round the dish, with the leaves outside. have ready some good gravy, highly flavoured with mushrooms; reduce it until quite thick, and pour it round the artichokes, and serve. _time_.-- to minutes to boil the artichokes. _sufficient_ for one side-dish. _seasonable_ from july to the beginning of september. constituent properties of the artichoke.--according to the analysis of braconnet, the constituent elements of an artichoke are,--starch , albumen , uncrystallizable sugar , gum , fixed oil , woody fibre , inorganic matter , and water . boiled jerusalem artichokes. . ingredients.--to each gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; artichokes. _mode_.--wash, peel, and shape the artichokes in a round or oval form, and put them into a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them, salted in the above proportion. let them boil gently until tender; take them up, drain them, and serve them in a napkin, or plain, whichever mode is preferred; send to table with them a tureen of melted butter or cream sauce, a little of which may be poured over the artichokes when they are _not_ served in a napkin. [illustration: jerusalem artichokes.] _time_.--about minutes after the water boils. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_,-- for a dish for persons. _seasonable_ from september to june. uses of the jerusalem artichoke.--this being a tuberous-rooted plant, with leafy stems from four to six feet high, it is alleged that its tops will afford as much fodder per acre as a crop of oats, or more, and its roots half as many tubers as an ordinary crop of potatoes. the tubers, being abundant in the market-gardens, are to be had at little more than the price of potatoes. the fibres of the stems may be separated by maceration, and manufactured into cordage or cloth; and this is said to be done in some parts of the north and west of france, as about hagenau, where this plant, on the poor sandy soils, is an object of field culture. mashed jerusalem artichokes. . ingredients.--to each gallon of water allow oz. of salt; or artichokes, oz. butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--boil the artichokes as in the preceding recipe until tender; drain and press the water from them, and beat them up with a fork. when thoroughly mashed and free from lumps, put them into a saucepan with the butter and a seasoning of white pepper and salt; keep stirring over the fire until the artichokes are quite hot, and serve. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to june. jerusalem artichokes with white sauce. (entremets, or to be served with the second course as a side-dish.) . ingredients.-- to artichokes, to brussels sprouts, / pint of white sauce, no. . _mode_.--peel and cut the artichokes in the shape of a pear; cut a piece off the bottom of each, that they may stand upright in the dish, and boil them in salt and water until tender. have ready / pint of white sauce, made by recipe no. ; dish the artichokes, pour over them the sauce, and place between each a fine brussels sprout: these should be boiled separately, and not with the artichokes. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, d. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to june. the jerusalem artichoke.--this plant is well known, being, for its tubers, cultivated not only as a garden vegetable, but also as an agricultural crop. by many it is much esteemed as an esculent, when cooked in various ways; and the domesticated animals eat both the fresh foliage, and the tubers with great relish. by some, they are not only considered nourishing, but even fattening. boiled asparagus. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; asparagus. [illustration: asparagus on toast. asparagus tongs.] _mode_.--asparagus should be dressed as soon as possible after it is cut, although it may be kept for a day or two by putting the stalks into cold water; yet, to be good, like every other vegetable, it cannot be cooked too fresh. scrape the white part of the stems, _beginning_ from the _head_, and throw them into cold water; then tie them into bundles of about each, keeping the heads all one way, and cut the stalks evenly, that they may all be the same length; put them into _boiling_ water, with salt in the above proportion; keep them boiling quickly until tender, with the saucepan uncovered. when the asparagus is done, dish it upon toast, which should be dipped in the water it was cooked in, and leave the white ends outwards each war, with the points meeting in the middle. serve with a tureen of melted butter. _time_.-- to minutes after the water boils. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. the heads. _sufficient_.--allow about heads for or persons. _seasonable_.--may be had, forced, from january but cheapest in may, june, and july. [illustration: asparagus.] asparagus.--this plant belongs to the variously-featured family of the order _liliaceae_, which, in the temperate regions of both hemispheres, are most abundant, and, between the tropics, gigantic in size and arborescent in form. asparagus is a native of great britain, and is found on various parts of the seacoast, and in the fens of lincolnshire. at kynarve cove, in cornwall, there is an island called "asparagus island," from the abundance in which it is there found. the uses to which the young shoots are applied, and the manure in which they are cultivated in order to bring them to the highest state of excellence, have been a study with many kitchen-gardeners. asparagus peas. (entremets, or to be served as a side-dish with the second course.) . ingredients.-- heads of asparagus, oz. of butter, a small bunch of parsley, or green onions, flour, lump of sugar, the yolks of eggs, tablespoonfuls of cream, salt. _mode_.--carefully scrape the asparagus, cut it into pieces of an equal size, avoiding that which is in the least hard or tough, and throw them into cold water. then boil the asparagus in salt and water until three-parts done; take it out, drain, and place it on a cloth to dry the moisture away from it. put it into a stewpan with the butter, parsley, and onions, and shake over a brisk fire for minutes. dredge in a little flour, add the sugar, and moisten with boiling water. when boiled a short time and reduced, take out the parsley and onions, thicken with the yolks of eggs beaten with the cream; add a seasoning of salt, and, when the whole is on the point of simmering, serve. make the sauce sufficiently thick to adhere to the vegetable. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, s. d. a pint. _seasonable_ in may, june, and july. medicinal uses of asparagus.--this plant not only acts as a wholesome and nutritious vegetable, but also as a diuretic, aperient, and deobstruent. the chemical analysis of its juice discovers its composition to be a peculiar crystallizable principle, called asparagin, albumen, mannite, malic acid, and some salts. thours says, the cellular tissue contains a substance similar to sage. the berries are capable of undergoing vinous fermentation, and affording alcohol by distillation. in their unripe state they possess the same properties as the roots, and probably in a much higher degree. asparagus pudding. (a delicious dish, to be served with the second course.) . ingredients.-- / pint of asparagus peas, eggs, tablespoonfuls of flour, tablespoonful of _very finely_ minced ham, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, milk. _mode_.--cut up the nice green tender parts of asparagus, about the size of peas; put them into a basin with the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the flour, ham, butter, pepper, and salt. mix all these ingredients well together, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of thick batter; put it into a pint buttered mould, tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, place it in _boiling water_, and let it boil for hours; turn it out of the mould on to a hot dish, and pour plain melted butter _round_, but not over, the pudding. green peas pudding may be made in exactly the same manner, substituting peas for the asparagus. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. per pint. _seasonable_ in may, june, and july. boiled french beans. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, a very small piece of soda. [illustration: scarlet runner.] _mode_.--this vegetable should always be eaten young, as, when allowed to grow too long, it tastes stringy and tough when cooked. cut off the heads and tails, and a thin strip on each side of the beans, to remove the strings. then divide each bean into or pieces, according to size, cutting them lengthways in a slanting direction, and, as they are cut, put them into cold water, with a small quantity of salt dissolved in it. have ready a saucepan of boiling water, with salt and soda in the above proportion; put in the beans, keep them boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, and be careful that they do not get smoked. when tender, which may be ascertained by their sinking to the bottom of the saucepan, take them up, throw them into a colander; and when drained, dish and serve with plain melted butter. when very young, beans are sometimes served whole: when they are thus dressed, their colour and flavour are much better preserved; but the more general way of dressing them is to cut them into thin strips. _time_.--very young beans, to minutes; moderate size, to minutes, after the water boils. _average cost_, in full season, s. d. a peck; but, when forced, very expensive. _sufficient_.--allow / peck for or persons. _seasonable_ from the middle of july to the end of september; but may be had, forced, from february to the beginning of june. french mode of cooking french beans. . ingredients.--a quart of french beans, oz. of fresh butter, pepper and salt to taste, the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--cut and boil the beans by the preceding recipe, and when tender, put them into a stewpan, and shake over the fire, to dry away the moisture from the beans. when quite dry and hot, add the butter, pepper, salt, and lemon-juice; keep moving the stewpan, without using a spoon, as that would break the beans; and when the butter is melted, and all is thoroughly hot, serve. if the butter should not mix well, add a tablespoonful of gravy, and serve very quickly. _time_.--about / hour to boil the beans; minutes to shake them over the fire. _average cost_, in full season, about s. d. a peck. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from the middle of july to the end of september. boiled broad or windsor beans. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water, allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; beans. [illustration: broad bean.] _mode_.--this is a favourite vegetable with many persons, but to be nice, should be young and freshly gathered. after shelling the beans, put them into _boiling_ water, salted in the above proportion, and let them boil rapidly until tender. drain them well in a colander; dish, and serve with them separately a tureen of parsley and butter. boiled bacon should always accompany this vegetable, but the beans should be cooked separately. it is usually served with the beans laid round, and the parsley and butter in a tureen. beans also make an excellent garnish to a ham, and when used for this purpose, if very old, should have their skins removed. _time_.--very young beans, minutes; when of a moderate size, to minutes, or longer. _average cost_, unshelled, d. per peck. _sufficient_.--allow one peck for or persons. _seasonable_ in july and august. nutritive properties of the bean.--the produce of beans in meal is, like that of peas, more in proportion to the grain than in any of the cereal grasses. a bushel of beans is supposed to yield fourteen pounds more of flour than a bushel of oats; and a bushel of peas eighteen pounds more, or, according to some, twenty pounds. a thousand parts of bean flour were found by sir ii. davy to yield parts of nutritive matter, of which were mucilage or starch, gluten, and extract, or matter rendered insoluble during the process. broad beans a la poulette. . ingredients.-- pints of broad beans, / pint of stock or broth, a small bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, a small lump of sugar, the yolk of egg, / pint of cream, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--procure some young and freshly-gathered beans, and shell sufficient to make pints; boil them, as in the preceding recipe, until nearly done; then drain them and put them into a stewpan, with the stock, finely-minced herbs, and sugar. stew the beans until perfectly tender, and the liquor has dried away a little; then beat up the yolk of an egg with the cream, add this to the beans, let the whole get thoroughly hot, and when on the point of simmering, serve. should the beans be very large, the skin should be removed previously to boiling them. _time_.-- minutes to boil the beans, minutes to stew them in the stock. _average cost_, unshelled, d. per peck. _seasonable_ in july and august. origin and varieties of the bean.--this valuable plant is said to be a native of egypt, but, like other plants which have been domesticated, its origin is uncertain. it has been cultivated in europe and asia from time immemorial, and has been long known in britain. its varieties may be included under two general heads,--the white, or garden beans, and the grey, or field beans, of the former, sown in the fields, the mazagan and long-pod are almost the only sorts; of the latter, those known as the horse-bean, the small or ticks, and the prolific of heligoland, are the principal sorts. new varieties are procured in the same manner as in other plants. boiled beetroot. . ingredients,--beetroot; boiling water. _mode_.--when large, young, and juicy, this vegetable makes a very excellent addition to winter salads, and may easily be converted into an economical and quickly-made pickle. (_see_ no. .) beetroot is more frequently served cold than hot: when the latter mode is preferred, melted butter should be sent to table with it. it may also be stewed with button onions, or boiled and served with roasted onions. wash the beets thoroughly; but do not prick or break the skin before they are cooked, or they would lose their beautiful colour in boiling. put them into boiling water, and let them boil until tender, keeping them well covered. if to be served hot, remove the peel quickly, cut the beetroot into thick slices, and send to table melted butter. for salads, pickle, &c., let the root cool, then peel, and cut it into slices. _time_.--small beetroot, - / to hours; large, - / to hours. _average cost_, in full season, d. each. _seasonable_.--may be had at any time. [illustration: beetroot.] beetroot.--the geographical distribution of the order saltworts (_salxolaceae_), to which beetroot belongs, is most common in extra-tropical and temperate regions, where they are common weeds, frequenting waste places, among rubbish, and on marshes by the seashore. in the tropics they are rare. they are characterized by the large quantities of mucilage, sugar, starch, and alkaline salts which are found in them. many of them are used as potherbs, and some are emetic and vermifuge in their medicinal properties. the _root_ of _garden_ or red beet is exceedingly wholesome and nutritious, and dr. lyon playfair has recommended that a good brown bread may be made by rasping down this root with an equal quantity of flour. he says that the average quality of flour contains about per cent. of azotized principles adapted for the formation of flesh, and the average quality of beet contains about per cent. of the same materials. boiled brocoli. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; brocoli. [illustration: boiled brocoli.] _mode_.--strip off the dead outside leaves, and the inside ones cut off level with the flower; cut off the stalk close at the bottom, and put the brocoli into cold salt and water, with the heads downwards. when they have remained in this for about / hour, and they are _perfectly_ free from insects, put them into a saucepan of _boiling_ water, salted in the above proportion, and keep them boiling quickly over a brisk fire, with the saucepan uncovered. take them up with a slice the moment they are done; drain them well, and serve with a tureen of melted butter, a _little_ of which should be poured over the brocoli. if left in the water after it is done, it will break, its colour will be spoiled, and its crispness gone. _time_.--small brocoli, to minutes; large one, to minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_,-- for or persons. _seasonable_ from october to march; plentiful in february and march. [illustration: brocoli.] the kohl-rabi, or turnip-cabbage.--this variety presents a singular development, inasmuch as the stem swells out like a large turnip on the surface of the ground, the leaves shooting from it all round, and the top being surmounted by a cluster of leaves issuing from it. although not generally grown as a garden vegetable, if used when young and tender, it is wholesome, nutritious, and very palatable. boiled brussels sprouts. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda. _mode_.--clean the sprouts from insects, nicely wash them, and pick off any dead or discoloured leaves from the outsides; put them into a saucepan of _boiling_ water, with salt and soda in the above proportion; keep the pan uncovered, and let them boil quickly over a brisk fire until tender; drain, dish, and serve with a tureen of melted butter, or with a maître d'hôtel sauce poured over them. another mode of serving is, when they are dished, to stir in about - / oz. of butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt. they must, however, be sent to table very quickly, as, being so very small, this vegetable soon cools. where the cook is very expeditious, this vegetable, when cooked, may be arranged on the dish in the form of a pineapple, and, so served, has a very pretty appearance. _time_.--from to minutes after the water boils. _average cost_, s. d. per peck. _sufficient_.--allow between and for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to march. savoys and brussels sprouts.--when the green kale, or borecole, has been advanced a step further in the path of improvement, it assumes the headed or hearting character, with blistered leaves; it is then known by the name of savoys and brussels sprouts. another of its headed forms, but with smooth glaucous leaves, is the cultivated cabbage of our gardens (the _borecole oleracea capitula_ of science); and all its varieties of green, red, dwarf, tall, early, late, round, conical, flat, and all the forms into which it is possible to put it. to boil young greens or sprouts. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda. [illustration: brussels sprouts.] _mode_.--pick away all the dead leaves, and wash the greens well in cold water; drain them in a colander, and put them into fast-boiling water, with salt and soda in the above proportion. keep them boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, until tender; and the moment they are done, take them up, or their colour will be spoiled; when well drained, serve. the great art in cooking greens properly, and to have them a good colour, is to put them into _plenty_ of _fast-boiling_ water, to let them boil very quickly, and to take them up the moment they become tender. _time_.--brocoli sprouts, to minutes; young greens, to minutes; sprouts, minutes, after the water boils. _seasonable_.--sprouts of various kinds may be had all the year. green kale, or borecole.--when colewort, or wild cabbage, is brought into a state of cultivation, its character becomes greatly improved, although it still retains the loose open leaves, and in this form it is called green kale, or borecole. the scientific name is _borecole oleracea acephala_, and of it there are many varieties, both as regards the form and colour of the leaves, as well as the height which the plants attain. we may observe, that among them, are included the thousand-headed, and the cow or tree cabbage. boiled cabbage. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; a _very small_ piece of soda. _mode_.--pick off all the dead outside leaves, cut off as much of the stalk as possible, and cut the cabbages across twice, at the stalk end; if they should be very large, quarter them. wash them well in cold water, place them in a colander, and drain; then put them into _plenty_ of _fast-boiling_ water, to which have been added salt and soda in the above proportions. stir them down once or twice in the water, keep the pan uncovered, and let them boil quickly until tender. the instant they are done, take them up into a colander, place a plate over them, let them thoroughly drain, dish, and serve. _time_.--large cabbages, or savoys, / to / hour, young summer cabbage, to minutes, after the water boils. _average cost_, d. each in full season. _sufficient_,-- large ones for or persons. _seasonable_.--cabbages and sprouts of various kinds at any time. the cabbage tribe: their origin.--of all the tribes of the _cruciferae_ this is by far the most important. its scientific name is _brassiceae_, and it contains a collection of plants which, both in themselves and their products, occupy a prominent position in agriculture, commerce, and domestic economy. on the cliffs of dover, and in many places on the coasts of dorsetshire, cornwall, and yorkshire, there grows a wild plant, with variously-indented, much-waved, and loose spreading leaves, of a sea-green colour, and large yellow flowers. in spring, the leaves of this plant are collected by the inhabitants, who, after boiling them in two waters, to remove the saltness, use them as a vegetable along with their meat. this is the _brassica oleracea_ of science, the wild cabbage, or colewort, from which have originated all the varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, greens, and brocoli. stewed red cabbage. . ingredients.-- red cabbage, a small slice of ham, / oz. of fresh butter, pint of weak stock or broth, gill of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, tablespoonful of pounded sugar. _mode_.--cut the cabbage into very thin slices, put it into a stewpan, with the ham cut in dice, the butter, / pint of stock, and the vinegar; cover the pan closely, and let it stew for hour. when it is very tender, add the remainder of the stock, a seasoning of salt and pepper, and the pounded sugar; mix all well together, stir over the fire until nearly all the liquor is dried away, and serve. fried sausages are usually sent to table with this dish: they should be laid round and on the cabbage, as a garnish. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from september to january. the wild cabbage, or colewort.--this plant, as it is found on the sea-cliffs of england, presents us with the origin of the cabbage tribe in its simplest and normal form. in this state it is the true collet, or colewort, although the name is now applied to any young cabbage which has a loose and open heart. boiled carrots. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water, allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; carrots. _mode_.--cut off the green tops, wash and scrape the carrots, and should there be any black specks, remove them. if very large, cut them in halves, divide them lengthwise into four pieces, and put them into boiling water, salted in the above proportion; let them boil until tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork into them: dish, and serve very hot. this vegetable is an indispensable accompaniment to boiled beef. when thus served, it is usually boiled with the beef; a few carrots are placed round the dish as a garnish, and the remainder sent to table in a vegetable-dish. young carrots do not require nearly so much boiling, nor should they be divided: these make a nice addition to stewed veal, &c. _time_.--large carrots, - / to - / hours; young ones, about / hour. _average cost_, d. to d, per bunch of . _sufficient_,-- large carrots for or persons. _seasonable_.--young carrots from april to june, old ones at any time. [illustration: carrots.] origin of the carrot.--in its wild state, this vegetable is found plentifully in britain, both in cultivated lands and by waysides, and is known by the name of birds-nest, from its umbels of fruit becoming incurved from a hollow cup, like a birds-nest. in this state its root is whitish, slender, and hard, with an acrid, disagreeable taste, and a strong aromatic smell, and was formerly used as an aperient. when cultivated, it is reddish, thick, fleshy, with a pleasant odour, and a peculiar, sweet, mucilaginous taste. the carrot is said by naturalists not to contain much nourishing matter, and, generally speaking, is somewhat difficult of digestion. to dress carrots in the german way. . ingredients.-- large carrots, oz. of butter, salt to taste, a very little grated nutmeg, tablespoonful of finely-minced parsley, dessertspoonful of minced onion, rather more than pint of weak stock or broth, tablespoonful of flour. _mode_.--wash and scrape the carrots, and cut them into rings of about / inch in thickness. put the butter into a stewpan; when it is melted, lay in the carrots, with salt, nutmeg, parsley, and onion in the above proportions. toss the stewpan over the fire for a few minutes, and when the carrots are well saturated with the butter, pour in the stock, and simmer gently until they are nearly tender. then put into another stewpan a small piece of butter; dredge in about a tablespoonful of flour; stir this over the fire, and when of a nice brown colour, add the liquor that the carrots have been boiling in; let this just boil up, pour it over the carrots in the other stewpan, and let them finish simmering until quite tender. serve very hot. this vegetable, dressed as above, is a favourite accompaniment of roast pork, sausages, &c. &c. _time_.--about / hour. average cost, d. to d. per bunch of . _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--young carrots from april to june, old ones at any time. constituents of the carrot.--these are crystallizable and uncrystallizable sugar, a little starch, extractive, gluten, albumen, volatile oil, vegetable jelly, or pectin, saline matter, malic acid, and a peculiar crystallizable ruby-red neuter principle, without odour or taste, called carotin. this vegetable jelly, or pectin, so named from its singular property of gelatinizing, is considered by some as another form of gum or mucilage, combined with vegetable acid. it exists more or less in all vegetables, and is especially abundant in those roots and fruits from which jellies are prepared. stewed carrots. . ingredients.-- or large carrots, teacupful of broth, pepper and salt to taste, / teacupful of cream, thickening of butter and flour. _mode_.--scrape the carrots nicely; half-boil, and slice them into a stewpan; add the broth, pepper and salt, and cream; simmer till tender, and be careful the carrots are not broken. a few minutes before serving, mix a little flour with about oz. of butter; thicken the gravy with this; let it just boil up, and serve. _time_.--about / hour to parboil the carrots, about minutes to cook them after they are sliced. _average cost_, d. to d. per bunch of . _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--young carrots from april to june, old ones at any time. nutritive properties of the carrot.--sir h. davy ascertained the nutritive matter of the carrot to amount to ninety-eight parts in one thousand; of which ninety-five are sugar and three are starch. it is used in winter and spring in the dairy to give colour and flavour to butter; and it is excellent in stews, haricots, soups, and, when boiled whole, with salt beef. in the distillery, owing to the great proportion of sugar in its composition, it yields more spirit than the potato. the usual quantity is twelve gallons per ton. sliced carrots. (entremets, or to be served with the second course, as a side-dish.) . ingredients.-- or large carrots, a large lump of sugar, pint of weak stock, oz. of fresh butter, salt to taste. _mode_.--scrape and wash the carrots, cut them into slices of an equal size, and boil them in salt and water, until half done; drain them well, put them into a stewpan with the sugar and stock, and let them boil over a brisk fire. when reduced to a glaze, add the fresh butter and a seasoning of salt; shake the stewpan about well, and when the butter is well mixed with the carrots, serve. there should be no sauce in the dish when it comes to table, but it should all adhere to the carrots. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, d. to d. per bunch of . _sufficient_ for dish. _seasonable_.--young carrots from april to june, old ones at any time. the seed of the carrot.--in order to save the seed of carrots, the plan is, to select annually the most perfect and best-shaped roots in the taking-up season, and either preserve them in sand in a cellar till spring, or plant them immediately in an open airy part of the garden, protecting them with litter during severe frost, or earthing them over, and uncovering them in march following. the seed is in no danger from being injured by any other plant. in august it is fit to gather, and is best preserved on the stalks till wanted. boiled cauliflowers. [illustration: boiled cauliflower.] [illustration: cauliflower.] . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--choose cauliflowers that are close and white; trim off the decayed outside leaves, and cut the stalk off flat at the bottom. open the flower a little in places to remove the insects, which generally are found about the stalk, and let the cauliflowers lie in salt and water for an hour previous to dressing them, with their heads downwards: this will effectually draw out all the vermin. then put them into fast-boiling water, with the addition of salt in the above proportion, and let them boil briskly over a good fire, keeping the saucepan uncovered. the water should be well skimmed; and, when the cauliflowers are tender, take them up with a slice; let them drain, and, if large enough, place them upright in the dish. serve with plain melted butter, a little of which may be poured over the flower. _time_.--small cauliflower, to minutes, large one, to minutes, after the water boils. _average cost_, for large cauliflowers, d. each. _sufficient_.--allow large cauliflower for persons. _seasonable_ from the beginning of june to the end of september. cauliflowers a la sauce blanche. (entremets, or side-dish, to be served with the second course.) . ingredients.-- cauliflowers, / pint of sauce blanche, or french melted butter, no. ; oz. of butter; salt and water. _mode_.--cleanse the cauliflowers as in the preceding recipe, and cut the stalks off flat at the bottom; boil them until tender in salt and water, to which the above proportion of butter has been added, and be careful to take them up the moment they are done, or they will break, and the appearance of the dish will be spoiled. drain them well, and dish them in the shape of a large cauliflower. have ready / pint of sauce, made by recipe no. , pour it over the flowers, and serve hot and quickly. _time_.--small cauliflowers, to minutes, large ones, to minutes, after the water boils. _average cost_,--large cauliflowers, in full season, d. each. _sufficient_,-- large cauliflower for or persons. _seasonable_ from the beginning of june to the end of september. cauliflower and brocoli.--these are only forms of the wild cabbage in its cultivated state. they are both well known; but we may observe, that the purple and white brocoli are only varieties of the cauliflower. cauliflowers with parmesan cheese. (entremets, or side-dish, to be served with the second course.) . ingredients.-- or cauliflowers, rather more than / pint of white sauce no. , tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese, oz. of fresh butter, tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. _mode_.--cleanse and boil the cauliflowers by recipe no. , and drain them and dish them with the flowers standing upright. have ready the above proportion of white sauce; pour sufficient of it over the cauliflowers just to cover the top; sprinkle over this some rasped parmesan cheese and bread crumbs, and drop on these the butter, which should be melted, but not oiled. brown with a salamander, or before the fire, and pour round, but not over, the flowers the remainder of the sauce, with which should be mixed a small quantity of grated parmesan cheese. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, for large cauliflowers, d. each. _sufficient_,-- small cauliflowers for dish. _seasonable_ from the beginning of june to the end of september. celery. [illustration: celery in glass.] . with a good heart, and nicely blanched, this vegetable is generally eaten raw, and is usually served with the cheese. let the roots be washed free from dirt, all the decayed and outside leaves being cut off, preserving as much of the stalk as possible, and all specks or blemishes being carefully removed. should the celery be large, divide it lengthwise into quarters, and place it, root downwards, in a celery-glass, which should be rather more than half filled with water. the top leaves may be curled, by shredding them in narrow strips with the point of a clean skewer, at a distance of about inches from the top. _average cost_, d. per head. _sufficient_.--allow heads for or persons. _seasonable_ from october to april. _note_.--this vegetable is exceedingly useful for flavouring soups, sauces, &c., and makes a very nice addition to winter salad. stewed celery a la creme. . ingredients.-- heads of celery; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, blade of pounded mace, / pint of cream. _mode_.--wash the celery thoroughly; trim, and boil it in salt and water until tender. put the cream and pounded mace into a stewpan; shake it over the fire until the cream thickens, dish the celery, pour over the sauce, and serve. _time_.--large heads of celery, minutes; small ones, to minutes. _average cost_. d. per head. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from october to april. alexanders.--this plant is the _smyrnium olustratum_ of science, and is used in this country in the same way in which celery is. it is a native of great britain, and is found in its wild state near the seacoast. it received its name from the italian "herba alexandrina," and is supposed to have been originally brought from alexandria; but, be this as it may, its cultivation is now almost entirely abandoned. stewed celery (with white sauce). i. . ingredients.-- heads of celery, oz. of butter; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, / pint of white sauce, no. or . _mode_.--have ready sufficient boiling water just to cover the celery, with salt and butter in the above proportion. wash the celery well; cut off the decayed outside leaves, trim away the green tops, and shape the root into a point; put it into the boiling water; let it boil rapidly until tender; then take it out, drain well, place it upon a dish, and pour over about / pint of white sauce, made by either of the recipes no. or . it may also be plainly boiled as above, placed on toast, and melted butter poured over, the same as asparagus is dished. _time_.--large heads of celery, minutes, small ones, to minutes, after the water boils. _average cost_, d. per head. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from october to april. origin of celery.--in the marshes and ditches of this country there is to be found a very common plant, known by the name of smallage. this is the wild form of celery; but, by being subjected to cultivation, it loses its acrid nature, and becomes mild and sweet. in its natural state, it has a peculiar rank, coarse taste and smell, and its root was reckoned by the ancients as one of the "five greater aperient roots." there is a variety of this in which the root becomes turnip-shaped and large. it is called _celeriae_, and is extensively used by the germans, and preferred by them to celery. in a raw state, this plant does not suit weak stomachs; cooked, it is less difficult of digestion, although a large quantity should not he taken. [illustration: celery.]. ii. . ingredients.-- heads of celery, / pint of white stock or weak broth, tablespoonfuls of cream, thickening of butter and flour, blade of pounded mace, a _very little_ grated nutmeg; pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--wash the celery, strip off the outer leaves, and cut it into lengths of about inches. put these into a saucepan, with the broth, and stew till tender, which will be in from to minutes; then add the remaining ingredients, simmer altogether for or minutes, pour into a dish, and serve. it may be garnished with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, d. per head. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from october to april. _note_.--by cutting the celery into smaller pieces, by stewing it a little longer, and, when done, by pressing it through a sieve, the above stew may be converted into a puree of celery. to dress cucumbers. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, salt and pepper to taste; cucumber. _mode_.--pare the cucumber, cut it equally into _very thin_ slices, and _commence_ cutting from the _thick end_; if commenced at the stalk, the cucumber will most likely have an exceedingly bitter taste, far from agreeable. put the slices into a dish, sprinkle over salt and pepper, and pour over oil and vinegar in the above proportion; turn the cucumber about, and it is ready to serve. this is a favourite accompaniment to boiled salmon, is a nice addition to all descriptions of salads, and makes a pretty garnish to lobster salad. [illustration: sliced cucumbers.] [illustration: cucumber.] _average cost_, when scarce, s. to s. d.; when cheapest, may be had for d. each. _seasonable_.--forced from the beginning of march to the end of june; in full season in july, august, and september. geographical distribution of the cucumbers.--this family is not known in the frigid zone, is somewhat rare in the temperate, but in the tropical and warmer regions throughout the world they are abundant. they are most plentiful in the continent of hindostan; but in america are not near so plentiful. many of the kinds supply useful articles of consumption for food, and others are actively medicinal in their virtues. generally speaking, delicate stomachs should avoid this plant, for it is cold and indigestible. cucumbers a la poulette. . ingredients.-- or cucumbers, salt and vinegar, oz. of butter, flour, / pint of broth, teaspoonful of minced parsley, a lump of sugar, the yolks of eggs, salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--pare and cut the cucumbers into slices of an equal thickness, and let them remain in a pickle of salt and vinegar for / hour; then drain them in a cloth, and put them into a stewpan with the butter. fry them over a brisk fire, but do not brown them, and then dredge over them a little flour; add the broth, skim off all the fat, which will rise to the surface, and boil gently until the gravy is somewhat reduced; but the cucumber should not be broken. stir in the yolks of the eggs, add the parsley, sugar, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; bring the whole to the point of boiling, and serve. _time_.--altogether, hour. _average cost_, when cheapest, d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september; but may be had, forced, from the beginning of march. fried cucumbers. . ingredients.-- or cucumbers, pepper and salt to taste, flour, oil or butter. _mode_.--pare the cucumbers and cut them into slices of an equal thickness, commencing to slice from the thick, and not the stalk end of the cucumber. wipe the slices dry with a cloth, dredge them with flour, and put them into a pan of boiling oil or butter; keep turning them about until brown; lift them out of the pan, let them drain, and serve, piled lightly in a dish. these will be found a great improvement to rump-steak: they should be placed on a dish with the steak on the top. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, when cheapest, d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--forced from the beginning of march to the end of june; in full season in july and august. properties and uses of the cucurbits.--the common cucumber is the c. sativus of science, and although the whole of the family have a similar action in the animal economy, yet there are some which present us with great anomalies. the roots of those which are perennial contain, besides fecula, which is their base, a resinous, acrid, and bitter principle. the fruits of this family, however, have in general a sugary taste, and are more or less dissolving and perfumed, as we find in the melons, gourds, cucumbers, vegetable-marrows, and squashes. but these are slightly laxative if partaken of largely. in tropical countries, this order furnishes the inhabitants with a large portion of their food, which, even in the most arid deserts and most barren islands, is of the finest quality. in china, cashmere, and persia, they are cultivated on the lakes on the floating collections of weeds common in these localities. in india they are everywhere abundant, either in a cultivated or wild state, and the seeds of all the family are sweet and mucilaginous. stewed cucumbers. . ingredients.-- large cucumbers, flour, butter, rather more than / pint of good brown gravy. _mode_.--cut the cucumbers lengthwise the size of the dish they are intended to be served in; empty them of the seeds, and put them into boiling water with a little salt, and let them simmer for minutes; then take them out, place them in another stewpan, with the gravy, and let them boil over a brisk fire until the cucumbers are tender. should these be bitter, add a lump of sugar; carefully dish them, skim the sauce, pour over the cucumbers, and serve. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, when cheapest, d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august; but may be had, forced, from the beginning of march. the chate.--this cucumber is a native of egypt and arabia, and produces a fruit of almost the same substance as that of the melon. in egypt it is esteemed by the upper class natives, as well as by europeans, as the most pleasant fruit they have. stewed cucumbers with onions. . ingredients.-- cucumbers, moderate-sized onions, not quite pint of white stock, cayenne and salt to taste, the yolks of eggs, a very little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--pare and slice the cucumbers, take out the seeds, and cut the onions into thin slices; put these both into a stewpan, with the stock, and let them boil for / hour or longer, should the cucumbers be very large. beat up the yolks of eggs; stir these into the sauce; add the cayenne, salt, and grated nutmeg; bring it to the point of boiling, and serve. do not allow the sauce to boil, or it will curdle. this is a favourite dish with lamb or mutton chops, rump-steaks, &c. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, when cheapest, d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september; but may be had, forced, from the beginning of march. the melon.--this is another species of the cucumber, and is highly esteemed for its rich and delicious fruit. it was introduced to this country from jamaica, in ; since which period it has continued to be cultivated. it was formerly called the musk melon. endive. [illustration: endive.] . this vegetable, so beautiful in appearance, makes an excellent addition to winter salad, when lettuces and other salad herbs are not obtainable. it is usually placed in the centre of the dish, and looks remarkably pretty with slices of beetroot, hard-boiled eggs, and curled celery placed round it, so that the colours contrast nicely. in preparing it, carefully wash and cleanse it free from insects, which are generally found near the heart; remove any decayed or dead leaves, and dry it thoroughly by shaking in a cloth. this vegetable may also be served hot, stewed in cream, brown gravy, or butter; but when dressed thus, the sauce it is stewed in should not be very highly seasoned, as that would destroy and overpower the flavour of the vegetable. _average cost_, d. per head. _sufficient_,-- head for a salad for persons. _seasonable_ from november to march. endive.--this is the _c. endivium_ of science, and is much used as a salad. it belongs to the family of the _compositae_, with chicory, common goats-beard, and others of the same genus. withering states, that before the stems of the common goats-beard shoot up the roots, boiled like asparagus, have the same flavour, and are nearly as nutritious. we are also informed by villars that the children in dauphiné universally eat the stems and leaves of the young plant before the flowers appear, with great avidity. the fresh juice of these tender herbs is said to be the best solvent of bile. stewed endive. . ingredients.-- heads of endive, salt and water, pint of broth, thickening of butter and flour, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, a small lump of sugar. _mode_.--wash and free the endive thoroughly from insects, remove the green part of the leaves, and put it into boiling water, slightly salted. let it remain for minutes; then take it out, drain it till there is no water remaining, and chop it very fine. put it into a stewpan with the broth; add a little salt and a lump of sugar, and boil until the endive is perfectly tender. when done, which may be ascertained by squeezing a piece between the thumb and finger, add a thickening of butter and flour and the lemon-juice: let the sauce boil up, and serve. _time_.-- minutes to boil, minutes to simmer in the broth. _average cost_, d. per head. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to march. endive a la francaise. . ingredients.-- heads of endive, pint of broth, oz. of fresh butter; salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--wash and boil the endive as in the preceding recipe; chop it rather fine, and put into a stewpan with the broth; boil over a brisk fire until the sauce is all reduced; then put in the butter, pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg (the latter must be very sparingly used); mix all well together, bring it to the boiling point, and serve very hot. _time_,-- minutes to boil, minutes to simmer in the broth. _average cost_, d. per head. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to march. to boil haricots blancs, or white haricot beans. . ingredients.-- quart of white haricot beans, quarts of soft water, oz. of butter, heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--put the beans into cold water, and let them soak from to hours, according to their age; then put them into cold water, salted in the above proportion, bring them to boil, and let them simmer very slowly until tender; pour the water away from them, let them stand by the side of the fire, with the lid of the saucepan partially off, to allow the beans to dry; then add oz. of butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt. shake the beans about for a minute or two, and serve: do not stir them with a spoon, for fear of breaking them to pieces. _time_.--after the water boils, from to - / hours. _average cost_, d. per quart. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter, when other vegetables are scarce. _note_.--haricots blancs, when new and fresh, should be put into boiling water, and do not require any soaking previous to dressing. haricots and lentils.--although these vegetables are not much used in this country, yet in france, and other catholic countries, from their peculiar constituent properties, they form an excellent substitute for animal food during lent and _maigre_ days. at the time of the prevalence of the roman religion in this country, they were probably much more generally used than at present. as reformations are often carried beyond necessity, possibly lentils may have fallen into disuse, as an article of diet amongst protestants, for fear the use of them might be considered a sign of popery. haricots blancs a la maitre d'hotel. . ingredients.-- quart of white haricot beans, / lb. of fresh butter, tablespoonful of minced parsley, pepper and salt to taste, the juice of / lemon. [illustration: haricot beans.] _mode_.--should the beans be very dry, soak them for an hour or two in cold water, and boil them until perfectly tender, as in the preceding recipe. if the water should boil away, replenish it with a little more cold, which makes the skin of the beans tender. let them be very thoroughly done; drain them well; then add to them the butter, minced parsley, and a seasoning of pepper and salt. keep moving the stewpan over the fire without using a spoon, as this would break the beans; and, when the various ingredients are well mixed with them, squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve very hot. _time_.--from to - / hours to boil the beans. _average cost_, d. per quart. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. haricot beans.--this is the _haricot blanc_ of the french, and is a native of india. it ripens readily, in dry summers, in most parts of britain, but its culture has hitherto been confined to gardens in england; but in germany and switzerland it is grown in fields. it is usually harvested by pulling up the plants, which, being dried, are stacked and thrashed. the haulm is both of little bulk and little use, but the seed is used in making the esteemed french dish called haricot, with which it were well if the working classes of this country were acquainted. there is, perhaps, no other vegetable dish so cheap and easily cooked, and, at the same time, so agreeable and nourishing. the beans are boiled, and then mixed with a little fat or salt butter, and a little milk or water and flour. from , parts of kidney-bean einholff obtained , parts of matter analogous to starch, of vegeto-animal matter, and parts of mucilage. haricot beans and minced onions. . ingredients.-- quart of white haricot beans, middling-sized onions, / pint of good brown gravy, pepper and salt to taste, a little flour. _mode_.--peel and mince the onions not too finely, and fry them in butter of a light brown colour; dredge over them a little flour, and add the gravy and a seasoning of pepper and salt. have ready a pint of haricot beans well boiled and drained; put them with the onions and gravy, mix all well together, and serve very hot. _time_.--from to - / hours to boil the beans; minutes to fry the onions. _average cost_, d. per quart. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. horseradish. . this root, scraped, is always served with hot roast beef, and is used for garnishing many kinds of boiled fish. let the horseradish remain in cold water for an hour; wash it well, and with a sharp knife scrape it into very thin shreds, commencing from the thick end of the root. arrange some of it lightly in a small glass dish, and the remainder use for garnishing the joint: it should be placed in tufts round the border of the dish, with or bunches on the meat. _average cost_, d. per stick. _seasonable_ from october to june. [illustration: horseradish.] the horseradish.--this belongs to the tribe _alyssidae_, and is highly stimulant and exciting to the stomach. it has been recommended in chronic rheumatism, palsy, dropsical complaints, and in cases of enfeebled digestion. its principal use, however, is as a condiment to promote appetite and excite the digestive organs. the horseradish contains sulphur to the extent of thirty per cent, in the number of its elements; and it is to the presence of this quality that the metal vessels in which the radish is sometimes distilled, are turned into a black colour. it is one of the most powerful excitants and antiscorbutics we have, and forms the basis of several medical preparations, in the form of wines, tinctures, and syrups. lettuces. . these form one of the principal ingredients to summer salads; should be nicely blanched, and be eaten young. they are seldom served in any other way, but may be stewed and sent to table in a good brown gravy flavoured with lemon-juice. in preparing them for a salad, carefully wash them free from dirt, pick off all the decayed and outer leaves, and dry them thoroughly by shaking them in a cloth. cut off the stalks, and either halve or cut the lettuces into small pieces. the manner of cutting them up entirely depends on the salad for which they are intended. in france the lettuces are sometimes merely wiped with a cloth and not washed, the cooks there declaring that the act of washing them injuriously affects the pleasant crispness of the plant: in this case scrupulous attention must be paid to each leaf, and the grit thoroughly wiped away. _average cost_, when cheapest, d. each. _sufficient_.--allow lettuces for or persons. _seasonable_ from march to the end of august, but may be had all the year. [illustration: lettuce.] the lettuce.--all the varieties of the garden lettuce have originated from the _lactuca sativa_ of science, which has never yet been found in a wild state. hence it may be concluded that it is merely another form of some species, changed through the effects of cultivation. in its young state, the lettuce forms a well-known and wholesome salad, containing a bland pellucid juice, with little taste or smell, and having a cooling and soothing influence on the system. this arises from the large quantities of water and mucilage it contains, and not from any narcotic principle which it is supposed to possess. during the period of flowering, it abounds in a peculiar milky juice, which flows from the stem when wounded, and which has been found to be possessed of decided medicinal properties. baked mushrooms. (a breakfast, luncheon, or supper dish.) . ingredients.-- to mushroom-flaps, butter, pepper to taste. _mode_.--for this mode of cooking, the mushroom flaps are better than the buttons, and should not be too large. cut off a portion of the stalk, peel the top, and wipe the mushrooms carefully with a piece of flannel and a little fine salt. put them into a tin baking-dish, with a very small piece of butter placed on each mushroom; sprinkle over a little pepper, and let them bake for about minutes, or longer should the mushrooms be very large. have ready a _very hot_ dish, pile the mushrooms high in the centre, pour the gravy round, and send them to table quickly, with very _hot_ plates. _time_.-- minutes; large mushrooms, / hour. _average cost_, d. each for large mushroom-flaps. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--meadow mushrooms in september and october; cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time. fungi.--these are common parasitical plants, originating in the production of copious filamentous threads, called the mycelium, or spawn. rounded tubers appear on the mycelium; some of these enlarge rapidly, burst an outer covering, which is left at the base, and protrude a thick stalk, bearing at its summit a rounded body, which in a short time expands into the pileus or cap. the gills, which occupy its lower surface, consist of parallel plates, bearing naked sporules over their whole surface. some of the cells, which are visible by the microscope, produce four small cells at their free summit, apparently by germination and constriction. these are the sporules, and this is the development of the agarics. broiled mushrooms. (a breakfast, luncheon, or supper dish.) . ingredients.--mushroom-flaps, pepper and salt to taste, butter, lemon-juice. [illustration: broiled mushrooms.] _mode_.--cleanse the mushrooms by wiping them with a piece of flannel and a little salt; cut off a portion of the stalk, and peel the tops: broil them over a clear fire, turning them once, and arrange them on a very hot dish. put a small piece of butter on each mushroom, season with pepper and salt, and squeeze over them a few drops of lemon-juice. place the dish before the fire, and when the butter is melted, serve very hot and quickly. moderate-sized flaps are better suited to this mode of cooking than the buttons: the latter are better in stews. _time_.-- minutes for medium-sized mushrooms. _average cost_, d. each for large mushrooms. _sufficient_.--allow or mushrooms to each person. _seasonable_.--meadow mushrooms in september and october; cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time. [illustration: mushrooms.] varieties of the mushroom.--the common mushroom found in our pastures is the _agaricus campestris_ of science, and another edible british species is _a. georgii;_ but _a. primulus_ is affirmed to be the most delicious mushroom. the morel is _morchella esculenta_, and _tuber cibarium_ is the common truffle. there is in new zealand a long fungus, which grows from the head of a caterpillar, and which forms a horn, as it were, and is called _sphaeria robertsii_. to preserve mushrooms. . ingredients.--to each quart of mushrooms, allow oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, the juice of lemon, clarified butter. _mode_.--peel the mushrooms, put them into cold water, with a little lemon-juice; take them out and _dry_ them very carefully in a cloth. put the butter into a stewpan capable of holding the mushrooms; when it is melted, add the mushrooms, lemon-juice, and a seasoning of pepper and salt; draw them down over a slow fire, and let them remain until their liquor is boiled away, and they have become quite dry, but be careful in not allowing them to stick to the bottom of the stewpan. when done, put them into pots, and pour over the top clarified butter. if wanted for immediate use, they will keep good a few days without being covered over. to re-warm them, put the mushrooms into a stewpan, strain the butter from them, and they will be ready for use. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_.--meadow mushrooms in september and october; cultivated mushrooms may be had at any time. localities of the mushroom.--mushrooms are to be met with in pastures, woods, and marshes, but are very capricious and uncertain in their places of growth, multitudes being obtained in one season where few or none were to be found in the preceding. they sometimes grow solitary, but more frequently they are gregarious, and rise in a regular circular form. many species are employed by man as food; but, generally speaking, they are difficult of digestion, and by no means very nourishing. many of them are also of suspicious qualities. little reliance can be placed either on their taste, smell, or colour, as much depends on the situation in which they vegetate; and even the same plant, it is affirmed, may be innocent when young, but become noxious when advanced in age. stewed mushrooms. . ingredients.-- pint mushroom-buttons, oz. of fresh butter, white pepper and salt to taste, lemon-juice, teaspoonful of flour, cream or milk, teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. _mode_.--cut off the ends of the stalks, and pare neatly a pint of mushroom-buttons; put them into a basin of water, with a little lemon-juice, as they are done. when all are prepared, take them from the water with the hands, to avoid the sediment, and put them into a stewpan with the fresh butter, white pepper, salt, and the juice of / lemon; cover the pan closely, and let the mushrooms stew gently from to minutes; then thicken the butter with the above proportion of flour, add gradually sufficient cream, or cream and milk, to make the sauce of a proper consistency, and put in the grated nutmeg. if the mushrooms are not perfectly tender, stew them for minutes longer, remove every particle of butter which may be floating on the top, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, from d. to s. per pint. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--meadow mushrooms in september and october. to procure mushrooms.--in order to obtain mushrooms at all seasons, several methods of propagation have been had recourse to. it is said that, in some parts of italy, a species of stone is used for this purpose, which is described as being of two different kinds; the one is found in the chalk hills near naples, and has a white, porous, stalactical appearance; the other is a hardened turf from some volcanic mountains near florence. these stones are kept in cellars, and occasionally moistened with water which has been used in the washing of mushrooms, and are thus supplied with their minute seeds. in this country, gardeners provide themselves with what is called _spawn_, either from the old manure of cucumber-beds, or purchase it from those whose business it is to propagate it. when thus procured, it is usually made up for sale in quadrils, consisting of numerous white fibrous roots, having a strong smell of mushrooms. this is planted in rows, in a dry situation, and carefully attended to for five or six weeks, when the bed begins to produce, and continues to do so for several months. stewed mushrooms in gravy. . ingredients.-- pint of mushroom-buttons, pint of brown gravy no. , / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--make a pint of brown gravy by recipe ; cut nearly all the stalks away from the mushrooms and peel the tops; put them into a stewpan, with the gravy, and simmer them gently from minutes to / hour. add the nutmeg and a seasoning of cayenne and salt, and serve very hot. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, d. to s. per pint. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--meadow mushrooms in september and october. analysis of fungi.--the fungi have been examined chemically with much care, both by mm. bracannot and vauquelin, who designate the insoluble spongy matter by the name of fungin, and the soluble portion is found to contain the bolotic and the fungic acids. baked spanish onions. . ingredients.-- or spanish onions, salt, and water. _mode_.--put the onions, with their skins on, into a saucepan of boiling water slightly salted, and let them boil quickly for an hour. then take them out, wipe them thoroughly, wrap each one in a piece of paper separately, and bake them in a moderate oven for hours, or longer, should the onions be very large. they may be served in their skins, and eaten with a piece of cold butter and a seasoning of pepper and salt; or they may be peeled, and a good brown gravy poured over them. _time_.-- hour to boil, hours to bake. _average cost_, medium-sized, d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to january. [illustration: onion.] the genus allium.--the onion, like the leek, garlic, and shalot, belongs to the genus _allium_, which is a numerous species of vegetable; and every one of them possesses, more or less, a volatile and acrid penetrating principle, pricking the thin transparent membrane of the eyelids; and all are very similar in their properties. in the whole of them the bulb is the most active part, and any one of them may supply the place of the other; for they are all irritant, excitant, and vesicant. with many, the onion is a very great favourite, and is considered an extremely nutritive vegetable. the spanish kind is frequently taken for supper, it being simply boiled, and then seasoned with salt, pepper, and butter. some dredge on a little flour, but many prefer it without this. burnt onions for gravies. . ingredients.-- / lb. of onions, / pint of water, / lb. of moist sugar, / pint of vinegar. _mode_.--peel and chop the onions fine, and put them into a stewpan (not tinned), with the water; let them boil for minutes, then add the sugar, and simmer gently until the mixture becomes nearly black and throws out bubbles of smoke. have ready the above proportion of boiling vinegar, strain the liquor gradually to it, and keep stirring with a wooden spoon until it is well incorporated. when cold, bottle for use. _time_.--altogether, hour. properties of the onion.--the onion is possessed of a white, acrid, volatile oil, holding sulphur in solution, albumen, a good deal of uncrystallizable sugar and mucilage; phosphoric acid, both free and combined with lime; acetic acid, citrate of lime, and lignine. of all the species of allium, the onion has the volatile principle in the greatest degree; and hence it is impossible to separate the scales of the root without the eyes being affected. the juice is sensibly acid, and is capable of being, by fermentation, converted into vinegar, and, mixed with water or the dregs of beer, yields, by distillation, an alcoholic liquor. although used as a common esculent, onions are not suited to all stomachs; there are some who cannot eat them either fried or roasted, whilst others prefer them boiled, which is the best way of using them, as, by the process they then undergo, they are deprived of their essential oil. the pulp of roasted onions, with oil, forms an excellent anodyne and emollient poultice to suppurating tumours. stewed spanish onions. --ingredients.-- or spanish onions, pint of good broth or gravy. _mode_.--peel the onions, taking care not to cut away too much of the tops or tails, or they would then fall to pieces; put them into a stewpan capable of holding them at the bottom without piling them one on the top of another; add the broth or gravy, and simmer _very gently_ until the onions are perfectly tender. dish them, pour the gravy round, and serve. instead of using broth, spanish onions may be stewed with a large piece of butter: they must be done very gradually over a slow fire or hot-plate, and will produce plenty of gravy. _time_.--to stew in gravy, hours, or longer if very large. _average cost_.--medium-sized, d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to january. _note_.--stewed spanish onions are a favourite accompaniment to roast shoulder of mutton. origin of the onion.--this vegetable is thought to have originally come from india, through egypt, where it became an object of worship. thence it was transmitted to greece, thence to italy, and ultimately it was distributed throughout europe, in almost every part of which it has, from time immemorial, been cultivated. in warm climates it is found to be less acrid and much sweeter than in colder latitudes; and in spain it is not at all unusual to see a peasant munching an onion, as an englishman would an apple. spanish onions, which are imported to this country during the winter months, are, when properly roasted, perfectly sweet, and equal to many preserves. boiled parsnips. . ingredients.--parsnips; to each gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--wash the parsnips, scrape them thoroughly, and, with the point of the knife, remove any black specks about them, and, should they be very large, cut the thick part into quarters. put them into a saucepan of boiling water salted in the above proportion, boil them rapidly until tender, which may be ascertained by thrusting a fork in them; take them up, drain them, and serve in a vegetable-dish. this vegetable is usually served with salt fish, boiled pork, or boiled beef: when sent to table with the latter, a few should be placed alternately with carrots round the dish, as a garnish. _time_.--large parsnips, to - / hour; small ones, / to hour. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_.--allow for each person. _seasonable_ from october to may. [illustration: the parsnip.] the parsnip.--this vegetable is found wild in meadows all over europe, and, in england, is met with very frequently on dry banks in a chalky soil. in its wild state, the root is white, mucilaginous, aromatic, and sweet, with some degree of acrimony: when old, it has been known to cause vertigo. willis relates that a whole family fell into delirium from having eaten of its roots, and cattle never touch it in its wild state. in domestic economy the parsnip is much used, and is found to be a highly nutritious vegetable. in times of scarcity, an excellent bread has been made from the roots, and they also furnish an excellent wine, resembling the malmsey of madeira and the canaries: a spirit is also obtained from them in as great quantities as from carrots. the composition of the parsnip-root has been found to be . of water, . starch and fibre, . gum, . sugar, and . of albumen. boiled green peas. . ingredients.--green peas; to each / gallon of water allow _small_ teaspoonful of moist sugar, heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--this delicious vegetable, to be eaten in perfection, should be young, and not _gathered_ or _shelled_ long before it is dressed. shell the peas, wash them well in cold water, and drain them; then put them into a saucepan with plenty of _fast-boiling_ water, to which salt and _moist sugar_ have been added in the above proportion; let them boil quickly over a brisk fire, with the lid of the saucepan uncovered, and be careful that the smoke does not draw in. when tender, pour them into a colander; put them into a hot vegetable-dish, and quite in the centre of the peas place a piece of butter, the size of a walnut. many cooks boil a small bunch of mint _with_ the _peas_, or garnish them with it, by boiling a few sprigs in a saucepan by themselves. should the peas be very old, and difficult to boil a good colour, a very tiny piece of soda may be thrown in the water previous to putting them in; but this must be very sparingly used, as it causes the peas, when boiled, to have a smashed and broken appearance. with young peas, there is not the slightest occasion to use it. _time_.--young peas, to minutes; the large sorts, such as marrowfats, &c., to minutes; old peas, / hour. _average cost_, when cheapest, d. per peck; when first in season, s. to s. d. per peck. _sufficient_.--allow peck of unshelled peas for or persons. _seasonable_ from june to the end of august. origin of the pea.--all the varieties of garden peas which are cultivated have originated from the _pisum sativum_, a native of the south of europe; and field peas are varieties of _pisum arvense_. the everlasting pea is _lathyrus latifolius_, an old favourite in flower-gardens. it is said to yield an abundance of honey to bees, which are remarkably fond of it. in this country the pea has been grown from time immemorial; but its culture seems to have diminished since the more general introduction of herbage, plants, and roots. green peas a la francaise. . ingredients.-- quarts of green peas, oz. of fresh butter, a bunch of parsley, green onions, flour, a small lump of sugar, / teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of flour. _mode_.--shell sufficient fresh-gathered peas to fill quarts; put them into cold water, with the above proportion of butter, and stir them about until they are well covered with the butter; drain them in a colander, and put them in a stewpan, with the parsley and onions; dredge over them a little flour, stir the peas well, and moisten them with boiling water; boil them quickly over a large fire for minutes, or until there is no liquor remaining. dip a small lump of sugar into some water, that it may soon melt; put it with the peas, to which add / teaspoonful of salt. take a piece of butter the size of a walnut, work it together with a teaspoonful of flour; and add this to the peas, which should be boiling when it is put in. keep shaking the stewpan, and, when the peas are nicely thickened, dress them high in the dish, and serve. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, d. per peck. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from june to the end of august. varieties of the pea.--the varieties of the pea are numerous; but they may be divided into two classes--those grown for the ripened seed, and those grown for gathering in a green state. the culture of the latter is chiefly confined to the neighbourhoods of large towns, and may be considered as in part rather to belong to the operations of the gardener than to those of the agriculturist. the grey varieties are the early grey, the late grey, and the purple grey; to which some add the marlborough grey and the horn grey. the white varieties grown in fields are the pearl, early charlton, golden hotspur, the common white, or suffolk, and other suffolk varieties. stewed green peas. . ingredients.-- quart of peas, lettuce, onion, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, egg, / teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _mode_.--shell the peas, and cut the onion and lettuce into slices; put these into a stewpan, with the butter, pepper, and salt, but with no more water than that which hangs round the lettuce from washing. stew the whole very gently for rather more than hour; then stir to it a well-beaten egg, and about / teaspoonful of powdered sugar. when the peas, &c., are nicely thickened, serve but, after the egg is added, do not allow them to boil. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d. per peck. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from june to the end of august. [illustration: green pea.] the sweet-pea and the heath or wood-pea.--the well-known sweet-pea forms a fine covering to a trellis, or lattice-work in a flower-garden. its gay and fragrant flowers, with its rambling habit, render it peculiarly adapted for such a purpose. the wood-pea, or heath-pea, is found in the heaths of scotland, and the highlanders of that country are extremely partial to them, and dry and chew them to give a greater relish to their whiskey. they also regard them as good against chest complaints, and say that by the use of them they are enabled to withstand hunger and thirst for a long time. the peas have a sweet taste, somewhat like the root of liquorice, and, when boiled, have an agreeable flavour, and are nutritive. in times of scarcity they have served as an article of food. when well boiled, a fork will pass through them; and, slightly dried, they are roasted, and in holland and flanders served up like chestnuts. baked potatoes. . ingredients.--potatoes. [illustration: baked potatoes served in napkin.] _mode_.--choose large potatoes, as much of a size as possible; wash them in lukewarm water, and scrub them well, for the browned skin of a baked potato is by many persons considered the better part of it. put them into a moderate oven, and bake them for about hours, turning them three or four times whilst they are cooking. serve them in a napkin immediately they are done, as, if kept a long time in the oven, they have a shrivelled appearance. potatoes may also be roasted before the fire, in an american oven; but when thus cooked, they must be done very slowly. do not forget to send to table with them a piece of cold butter. _time_.--large potatoes, in a hot oven - / hour to hours; in a cool oven, to - / hours. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_.--allow to each person. _seasonable_ all the year, but not good just before and whilst new potatoes are in season. potato-sugar.--this sugary substance, found in the tubers of potatoes, is obtained in the form of syrup or treacle, and has not yet been crystallized. it resembles the sugar of grapes, has a very sweet taste, and may be used for making sweetmeats, and as a substitute for honey. sixty pounds of potatoes, yielding eight pounds of dry starch, will produce seven and a half pounds of sugar. in russia it is extensively made, as good, though of less consistency than the treacle obtained from cane-sugar. a spirit is also distilled from the tubers, which resembles brandy, but is milder, and has a flavour as if it were charged with the odour of violets or raspberries. in france this manufacture is carried on pretty extensively, and five hundred pounds of the tubers will produce twelve quarts of spirit, the pulp being given to cattle. to boil potatoes. . ingredients.-- or potatoes; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--choose potatoes of an equal size, pare them, take out all the eyes and specks, and as they are peeled, throw them into cold water. put them into a saucepan, with sufficient cold water to cover them, with salt in the above proportion, and let them boil gently until tender. ascertain when they are done by thrusting a fork in them, and take them up the moment they feel soft through; for if they are left in the water afterwards, they become waxy or watery. drain away the water, put the saucepan by the side of the fire, with the lid partially uncovered, to allow the steam to escape, and let the potatoes get thoroughly dry, and do not allow them to get burnt. their superfluous moisture will evaporate, and the potatoes, if a good sort, should be perfectly mealy and dry. potatoes vary so much in quality and size, that it is difficult to give the exact time for boiling; they should be attentively watched, and probed with a fork, to ascertain when they are cooked. send them to table quickly, and very hot, and with an opening in the cover of the dish, that a portion of the steam may evaporate, and not fall back on the potatoes. _time_.--moderate-sized old potatoes, to minutes after the water boils; large ones, / hour to minutes. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but not good just before and whilst new potatoes are in season. _note_.--to keep potatoes hot, after draining the water from them, put a folded cloth or flannel (kept for the purpose) on the top of them, keeping the saucepan-lid partially uncovered. this will absorb the moisture, and keep them hot some time without spoiling. the potato.--the potato belongs to the family of the _solanaceae_, the greater number of which inhabit the tropics, and the remainder are distributed over the temperate regions of both hemispheres, but do not extend to the arctic and antarctic zones. the whole of the family are suspicious; a great number are narcotic, and many are deleterious. the roots partake of the properties of the plants, and are sometimes even more active. the tubercles of such as produce them, are amylaceous and nutritive, as in those of the potato. the leaves are generally narcotic; but they lose this principle in boiling, as is the case with the _solanum nigrum_, which are used as a vegetable when cooked. to boil potatoes in their jackets. . ingredients.-- or potatoes; to each / gallon of water, allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--to obtain this wholesome and delicious vegetable cooked in perfection, it should be boiled and sent to table with the skin on. in ireland, where, perhaps, the cooking of potatoes is better understood than in any country, they are always served so. wash the potatoes well, and if necessary, use a clean scrubbing-brush to remove the dirt from them; and if possible, choose the potatoes so that they may all be as nearly the same size as possible. when thoroughly cleansed, fill the saucepan half full with them, and just cover the potatoes with cold water, salted in the above proportion: they are more quickly boiled with a small quantity of water, and, besides, are more savoury than when drowned in it. bring them to boil, then draw the pan to the side of the fire, and let them simmer gently until tender. ascertain when they are done by probing them with a fork; then pour off the water, uncover the saucepan, and let the potatoes dry by the side of the fire, taking care not to let them burn. peel them quickly, put them in a very hot vegetable-dish, either with or without a napkin, and serve very quickly. after potatoes are cooked, they should never be entirely covered up, as the steam, instead of escaping, falls down on them, and makes them watery and insipid. in ireland they are usually served up with the skins on, and a small plate is placed by the side of each guest. _time_.--moderate-sized potatoes, with their skins on, to minutes after the water boils; large potatoes, minutes to / hour, or longer; minutes to dry them. _average cost_, s. per bushel. sufficient for persons. _seasonable_ all the year, but not good just before and whilst new potatoes are in season. analysis of the potato.--next to the cereals, the potato is the most valuable plant for the production of human food. its tubers, according to analysis conducted by mr. fromberg, in the laboratory of the agricultural chemical association in scotland, contain the following ingredients:-- . per cent. of water, . starch, o. dextrine, . of impure saccharine matter, and . of fibre with coagulated albumen. in a dried state the tuber contains . per cent, of starch, . of dextrine, . of impure saccharine matter, . of caseine, gluten, and albumen, of fatty matter, and . of fibre with coagulated albumen. to boil new potatoes. . ingredients.--potatoes; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--do not have the potatoes dug long before they are dressed, as they are never good when they have been out of the ground some time. well wash them, rub off the skins with a coarse cloth, and put them into _boiling_ water salted in the above proportion. let them boil until tender; try them with a fork, and when done, pour the water away from them; let them stand by the side of the fire with the lid of the saucepan partially uncovered, and when the potatoes are thoroughly dry, put them into a hot vegetable-dish, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut; pile the potatoes over this, and serve. if the potatoes are too old to have the skins rubbed off, boil them in their jackets; drain, peel, and serve them as above, with a piece of butter placed in the midst of them. _time_.-- / to / hour, according to the size. _average cost_, in full season, d. per lb. _sufficient_.--allow lbs. for or persons. _seasonable_ in may and june, but may be had, forced, in march. potato starch.--this fecula has a beautiful white crystalline appearance, and is inodorous, soft to the touch, insoluble in cold, but readily soluble in boiling water. it is on this starch that the nutritive properties of the tubers depend. as an aliment, it is well adapted for invalids and persons of delicate constitution. it may be used in the form of arrow-root, and eaten with milk or sugar. for pastry of all kinds it is more light and easier of digestion than that made with flour of wheat. in confectionery it serves to form creams and jellies, and in cookery may be used to thicken soups and sauces. it accommodates itself to the chest and stomach of children, for whom it is well adapted; and it is an aliment that cannot be too generally used, as much on account of its wholesomeness as its cheapness, and the ease with which it is kept, which are equal, if not superior, to all the much-vaunted exotic feculae; as, salep, tapioca, sago, and arrow-root. to steam potatoes. . ingredients.--potatoes; boiling water. _mode_.--this mode of cooking potatoes is now much in vogue, particularly where they are wanted on a large scale, it being so very convenient. pare the potatoes, throw them into cold water as they are peeled, then put them into a steamer. place the steamer over a saucepan of boiling water, and steam the potatoes from to minutes, according to the size and sort. when a fork goes easily through them, they are done; then take them up, dish, and serve very quickly. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_.--allow large potatoes to each person. _seasonable_ all the year, but not so good whilst new potatoes are in season. uses of the potato.--potatoes boiled and beaten along with sour milk form a sort of cheese, which is made in saxony; and, when kept in close vessels, may be preserved for several years. it is generally supposed that the water in which potatoes are boiled is injurious; and as instances are recorded where cattle having drunk it were seriously affected, it may be well to err on the safe side, and avoid its use for any alimentary purpose. potatoes which have been exposed to the air and become green, are very unwholesome. cadet de vaux asserts that potatoes will clean linen as well as soap; and it is well known that the berries of the _s. saponaceum_ are used in peru for the same purpose. how to use cold potatoes. . ingredients.--the remains of cold potatoes; to every lb. allow tablespoonfuls of flour, ditto of minced onions, oz. of butter, milk. _mode_.--mash the potatoes with a fork until perfectly free from lumps; stir in the other ingredients, and add sufficient milk to moisten them well; press the potatoes into a mould, and bake in a moderate oven until nicely brown, which will be in from minutes to / hour. turn them out of the mould, and serve. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. potato bread.--the manner in which this is made is very simple. the adhesive tendency of the flour of the potato acts against its being baked or kneaded without being mixed with wheaten flour or meal; it may, however, be made into cakes in the following manner:--a small wooden frame, nearly square, is laid on a pan like a frying-pan and is grooved, and so constructed that, by means of a presser or lid introduced into the groove, the cake is at once fashioned, according to the dimensions of the mould. the frame containing the farina may be almost immediately withdrawn after the mould is formed upon the pan; because, from the consistency imparted to the incipient cake by the heat, it will speedily admit of being safely handled: it must not, however, be fried too hastily. it will then eat very palatably, and might from time to time be soaked for puddings, like tapioca, or might be used like the cassada-cake, for, when well buttered and toasted, it will be found an excellent accompaniment to breakfast. in scotland, cold boiled potatoes are frequently squeezed up and mixed with flour or oatmeal, and an excellent cake, or _scon_, obtained. fried potatoes (french fashion). . ingredients.--potatoes, hot butter or clarified dripping, salt. _mode_.--peel and cut the potatoes into thin slices, as nearly the same size as possible; make some butter or dripping quite hot in a frying-pan; put in the potatoes, and fry them on both sides of a nice brown. when they are crisp and done, take them up, place them on a cloth before the fire to drain the grease from them, and serve very hot, after sprinkling them with salt. these are delicious with rump-steak, and, in france, are frequently served thus as a breakfast dish. the remains of cold potatoes may also be sliced and fried by the above recipe, but the slices must be cut a little thicker. _time_.--sliced raw potatoes, minutes; cooked potatoes, minutes. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_,-- sliced potatoes for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. a german method of cooking potatoes. . ingredients.-- to middling-sized potatoes, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of flour, / pint of broth, tablespoonfuls of vinegar. _mode_.--put the butter and flour into a stewpan; stir over the fire until the butter is of a nice brown colour, and add the broth and vinegar; peel and cut the potatoes into long thin slices, lay them in the gravy, and let them simmer gently until tender, which will be in from to minutes, and serve very hot. a laurel-leaf simmered with the potatoes is an improvement. _time_.-- to minutes. _seasonable_ at any time. preserving potatoes.--in general, potatoes are stored or preserved in pits, cellars, pies, or camps; but, whatever mode is adopted, it is essential that the tubers be perfectly dry; otherwise, they will surely rot; and a few rotten potatoes will contaminate a whole mass. the pie, as it is called, consists of a trench, lined and covered with straw; the potatoes in it being piled in the shape of a house roof, to the height of about three feet. the camps are shallow pits, filled and ridged up in a similar manner, covered up with the excavated mould of the pit. in russia and canada, the potato is preserved in boxes, in houses or cellars, heated, when necessary, to a temperature one or two degrees above the freezing-point, by stoves. to keep potatoes for a considerable time, the best way is to place them in thin layers on a platform suspended in an ice-cellar: there, the temperature being always below that of active vegetation, they will not sprout; while, not being above one or two degrees below the freezing-point, the tubers will not be frostbitten. another mode is to scoop out the eyes with a very small scoop, and keep the roots buried in earth; a third mode is to destroy the vital principle, by kiln-drying, steaming, or scalding; a fourth is to bury them so deep in dry soil, that no change of temperature will reach them; and thus, being without air, they will remain upwards of a year without vegetating. potatoes a la maitre d'hotel. . ingredients.--potatoes, salt and water; to every potatoes allow tablespoonful of minced parsley, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonfuls of gravy, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice. _mode_.--wash the potatoes clean, and boil them in salt and water by recipe no. ; when they are done, drain them, let them cool; then peel and cut the potatoes into thick slices: if these are too thin, they would break in the sauce. put the butter into a stewpan with the pepper, salt, gravy, and parsley; mix these ingredients well together, put in the potatoes, shake them two or three times, that they may be well covered with the sauce, and, when quite hot through, squeeze in the lemon-juice, and serve. _time_.-- / to / hour to boil the potatoes; minutes for them to heat in the sauce. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ all the year. mashed potatoes. . ingredients.--potatoes; to every lb. of mashed potatoes allow oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of milk, salt to taste. _mode_.--boil the potatoes in their skins; when done, drain them, and let them get thoroughly dry by the side of the fire; then peel them, and, as they are peeled, put them into a clean saucepan, and with a large fork beat them to a light paste; add butter, milk, and salt in the above proportion, and stir all the ingredients well over the fire. when thoroughly hot, dish them lightly, and draw the fork backwards over the potatoes to make the surface rough, and serve. when dressed in this manner, they may be browned at the top with a salamander, or before the fire. some cooks press the potatoes into moulds, then turn them out, and brown them in the oven: this is a pretty mode of serving, but it makes them heavy. in whatever way they are sent to table, care must be taken to have them quite free from lumps. _time_.--from / to / hour to boil the potatoes. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_,-- lb. of mashed potatoes for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. puree de pommes de terre, or, very thin-mashed potatoes. . ingredients.--to every lb. of mashed potatoes allow / pint of good broth or stock, oz. of butter. _mode_.--boil the potatoes, well drain them, and pound them smoothly in a mortar, or beat them up with a fork; add the stock or broth, and rub the potatoes through a sieve. put the puree into a very clean saucepan with the butter; stir it well over the fire until thoroughly hot, and it will then be ready to serve. a puree should be rather thinner than mashed potatoes, and is a delicious accompaniment to delicately broiled mutton cutlets. cream or milk may be substituted for the broth when the latter is not at hand. a casserole of potatoes, which is often used for ragoûts instead of rice, is made by mashing potatoes rather thickly, placing them on a dish, and making an opening in the centre. after having browned the potatoes in the oven, the dish should be wiped clean, and the ragout or fricassée poured in. _time_.--about / hour to boil the potatoes; or minutes to warm the purée. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_.--allow lb. of cooked potatoes for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: sweet potato.] varieties of the potato.--these are very numerous. "they differ," says an authority, "in their leaves and bulk of haulm; in the colour of the skin of the tubers; in the colour of the interior, compared with that of the skin; in the time of ripening; in being farinaceous, glutinous, or watery; in tasting agreeably or disagreeably; in cooking readily or tediously; in the length of the subterraneous _stolones_ to which the tubers are attached; in blossoming or not blossoming; and finally, in the soil which they prefer." the earliest varieties grown in fields are,--the early kidney, the nonsuch, the early shaw, and the early champion. this last is the most generally cultivated round london: it is both mealy and hardy. the sweet potato is but rarely eaten in britain; but in america it is often served at table, and is there very highly esteemed. potato rissoles. . ingredients.--mashed potatoes, salt and pepper to taste; when liked, a very little minced parsley, egg, and bread crumbs. [illustration: potato rissoles.] _mode_.--boil and mash the potatoes by recipe no. ; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and, when liked, a little minced parsley. roll the potatoes into small balls, cover them with egg and bread crumbs, and fry in hot lard for about minutes; let them drain before the fire, dish them on a napkin, and serve. _time_,-- minutes to fry the rissoles. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the flavour of these rissoles may be very much increased by adding finely-minced tongue or ham, or even chopped onions, when these are liked. qualities of potatoes.--in making a choice from the many varieties of potatoes which are everywhere found, the best way is to get a sample and taste them, and then fix upon the kind which best pleases your palate. the shaw is one of the most esteemed of the early potatoes for field culture; and the kidney and bread-fruit are also good sorts. the lancashire pink is also a good potato, and is much cultivated in the neighbourhood of liverpool. as late or long-keeping potatoes, the tartan or red-apple stands very high in favour. potato snow. . ingredients.--potatoes, salt, and water. _mode_.--choose large white potatoes, as free from spots as possible; boil them in their skins in salt and water until perfectly tender; drain and _dry them thoroughly_ by the side of the fire, and peel them. put a hot dish before the fire, rub the potatoes through a coarse sieve on to this dish; do not touch them afterwards, or the flakes will fall, and serve as hot as possible. _time_.-- / to / hour to boil the potatoes. _average cost_, s. per bushel. _sufficient_,-- potatoes for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the potato as an article of human food.--this valuable esculent, next to wheat, is of the greatest importance in the eye of the political economist. from no other crop that can be cultivated does the public derive so much benefit; and it has been demonstrated that an acre of potatoes will feed double the number of people that can be fed from an acre of wheat. to dress salsify. . ingredients.--salsify; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice. _mode_.--scrape the roots gently, so as to strip them only of their outside peel; cut them into pieces about inches long, and, as they are peeled, throw them into water with which has been mixed a little lemon-juice, to prevent their discolouring. put them into boiling water, with salt, butter, and lemon-juice in the above proportion, and let them boil rapidly until tender; try them with a fork; and, when it penetrates easily, they are done. drain the salsify, and serve with a good white sauce or french melted butter. _time_.-- to minutes. _seasonable_ in winter. _note_.--this vegetable may be also boiled, sliced, and fried in batter of a nice brown. when crisp and a good colour, they should be served with fried parsley in the centre of the dish, and a little fine salt sprinkled over the salsify. salsify.--this esculent is, for the sake of its roots, cultivated in gardens. it belongs to the composite class of flowers, which is the most extensive family in the vegetable kingdom. this family is not only one of the most natural and most uniform in structure, but there is also a great similarity existing in the properties of the plants of which it is composed. generally speaking, all composite flowers are tonic or stimulant in their medical virtues. boiled sea-kale. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. [illustration: boiled sea-kale.] _mode_.--well wash the kale, cut away any wormeaten pieces, and tie it into small bunches; put it into _boiling_ water, salted in the above proportion, and let it boil quickly until tender. take it out, drain, untie the bunches, and serve with plain melted butter or white sauce, a little of which may be poured over the kale. sea-kale may also be parboiled and stewed in good brown gravy: it will then take about / hour altogether. _time_.-- minutes; when liked very thoroughly done, allow an extra minutes. _average cost_, in full season, d. per basket. _sufficient_.--allow heads for or persons. _seasonable_ from february to june. [illustration: sea-kale.] sea-kale.--this plant belongs to the asparagus tribe, and grows on seashores, especially in the west of england, and in the neighbourhood of dublin. although it is now in very general use, it did not come into repute till . it is easily cultivated, and is esteemed as one of the most valuable esculents indigenous to britain. as a vegetable, it is stimulating to the appetite, easily digestible, and nutritious. it is so light that the most delicate organizations may readily eat it. the flowers form a favourite resort for bees, as their petals contain a great amount of saccharine matter. boiled salad. . ingredients.-- heads of celery, pint of french beans, lettuce, and endive. [illustration: french beans.] [illustration: chervil.] _mode_.--boil the celery and beans separately until tender, and cut the celery into pieces about inches long. put these into a salad-bowl or dish; pour over either of the sauces no. , , or , and garnish the dish with a little lettuce finely chopped, blanched endive, or a few tufts of boiled cauliflower. this composition, if less agreeable than vegetables in their raw state, is more wholesome; for salads, however they may be compounded, when eaten uncooked, prove to some people indigestible. tarragon, chervil, burnet, and boiled onion, may be added to the above salad with advantage, as also slices of cold meat, poultry, or fish. _seasonable_ from july to october. acetarious vegetables.--by the term acetarious vegetables, is expressed a numerous class of plants, of various culture and habit, which are principally used as salads, pickles, and condiments. they are to be considered rather as articles of comparative luxury than as ordinary food, and are more desirable for their coolness, or their agreeable flavour, than for their nutritive powers. cauliflower.--the cauliflower is less indigestible than the cabbage; it possesses a most agreeable flavour, and is sufficiently delicate to be served at the tables of the wealthy. it is a wholesome vegetable, but should be eaten moderately, as it induces flatulence. persons of weak constitutions and delicate stomachs should abstain from cauliflower as much as possible. they may be prepared in a variety of ways; and, in selecting them, the whitest should be chosen; those tinged with green or yellow being of indifferent quality. summer salad. . ingredients.-- lettuces, handfuls of mustard-and-cress, young radishes, a few slices of cucumber. [illustration: salad in bowl.] _mode_.--let the herbs be as fresh as possible for a salad, and, if at all stale or dead-looking, let them lie in water for an hour or two, which will very much refresh them. wash and carefully pick them over, remove any decayed or wormeaten leaves, and drain them thoroughly by swinging them gently in a clean cloth. with a silver knife, cut the lettuces into small pieces, and the radishes and cucumbers into thin slices; arrange all these ingredients lightly on a dish, with the mustard-and-cress, and pour under, but not over the salad, either of the sauces no. , , or , and do not stir it up until it is to be eaten. it may be garnished with hard-boiled eggs, cut in slices, sliced cucumbers, nasturtiums, cut vegetable-flowers, and many other things that taste will always suggest to make a pretty and elegant dish. in making a good salad, care must be taken to have the herbs freshly gathered, and _thoroughly drained_ before the sauce is added to them, or it will be watery and thin. young spring onions, cut small, are by many persons considered an improvement to salads; but, before these are added, the cook should always consult the taste of her employer. slices of cold meat or poultry added to a salad make a convenient and quickly-made summer luncheon-dish; or cold fish, flaked, will also be found exceedingly nice, mixed with it. _average cost_, d. for a salad for or persons; but more expensive when the herbs are forced. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from may to september. cucumbers.--the cucumber is refreshing, but neither nutritious nor digestible, and should be excluded from the regimen of the delicate. there are various modes of preparing cucumbers. when gathered young, they are called gherkins: these, pickled, are much used in seasonings. [illustration: cucumber-slice.] radishes.--this is the common name given to the root of the _raphanus satious_, one of the varieties of the cultivated horseradish. there are red and white radishes; and the french have also what they call violet and black ones, of which the black are the larger. radishes are composed of nearly the same constituents as turnips, that is to say, mostly fibre and nitrogen; and, being generally eaten raw, it is on the last of these that their flavour depends. they do not agree with people, except those who are in good health, and have active digestive powers; for they are difficult of digestion, and cause flatulency and wind, and are the cause of headaches when eaten to excess. besides being eaten raw, they are sometimes, but rarely, boiled; and they also serve as a pretty garnish for salads. in china, the radish may be found growing naturally, without cultivation; and may be occasionally met with in england as a weed, in similar places to where the wild turnip grows; it, however, thrives best in the garden, and the ground it likes best is a deep open loam, or a well-manured sandy soil. [illustration: turnip radishes.] [illustration: long radishes.] winter salad. . ingredients.--endive, mustard-and-cress, boiled beetroot, or hard-boiled eggs, celery. _mode_.--the above ingredients form the principal constituents of a winter salad, and may be converted into a very pretty dish, by nicely contrasting the various colours, and by tastefully garnishing it. shred the celery into thin pieces, after having carefully washed and cut away all wormeaten pieces; cleanse the endive and mustard-and-cress free from grit, and arrange these high in the centre of a salad-bowl or dish; garnish with the hard-boiled eggs and beetroot, both of which should be cut in slices; and pour into the dish, but not over the salad, either of the sauces no. , , or . never dress a salad long before it is required for table, as, by standing, it loses its freshness and pretty crisp and light appearance; the sauce, however, may always be prepared a few hours beforehand, and when required for use, the herbs laid lightly over it. _average cost_, d. for a salad for or persons. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from the end of september to march. salads.--salads are raw vegetables, of which, among us, the lettuce is the most generally used; several others, however, such as cresses, celery, onions, beetroot, &c., are occasionally employed. as vegetables eaten in a raw state are apt to ferment on the stomach, and as they have very little stimulative power upon that organ, they are usually dressed with some condiments, such as pepper, vinegar, salt, mustard, and oil. respecting the use of these, medical men disagree, especially in reference to oil, which is condemned by some and recommended by others. potato salad. . ingredients.-- or cold boiled potatoes, tablespoonfuls of tarragon or plain vinegar, tablespoonfuls of salad-oil, pepper and salt to taste, teaspoonful of minced parsley. _mode_.--cut the potatoes into slices about / inch in thickness; put these into a salad-bowl with oil and vinegar in the above proportion; season with pepper, salt, and a teaspoonful of minced parsley; stir the salad well, that all the ingredients may be thoroughly incorporated, and it is ready to serve. this should be made two or three hours before it is wanted for table. anchovies, olives, or pickles may be added to this salad, as also slices of cold beef, fowl, or turkey. _seasonable_ at any time. chicken salad.--(see no. .) grouse salad.--(see no. .) lobster salad.--(see no. .) to boil spinach (english mode). . ingredients.-- pailfuls of spinach, heaped tablespoonfuls of salt, oz. of butter, pepper to taste. [illustration: spinach garnished with croÛtons.] _mode_.--pick the spinach carefully, and see that no stalks or weeds are left amongst it; wash it in several waters, and, to prevent it being gritty, act in the following manner:--have ready two large pans or tubs filled with water; put the spinach into one of these, and thoroughly wash it; then, _with the hands_, take out the spinach, and put it into the _other tub_ of water (by this means all the grit will be left at the bottom of the tub); wash it again, and, should it not be perfectly free from dirt, repeat the process. put it into a very large saucepan, with about / pint of water, just sufficient to keep the spinach from burning, and the above proportion of salt. press it down frequently with a wooden spoon, that it may be done equally; and when it has boiled for rather more than minutes, or until it is perfectly tender, drain it in a colander, squeeze it quite dry, and chop it finely. put the spinach into a clean stewpan, with the butter and a seasoning of pepper; stir the whole over the fire until quite hot; then put it on a hot dish, and garnish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- to minutes to boil the spinach, minutes to warm with the butter. _average cost_ for the above quantity, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--spring spinach from march to july; winter spinach from november to march. _note_.--grated nutmeg, pounded mace, or lemon-juice may also be added to enrich the flavour; and poached eggs are also frequently served with spinach: they should be placed on the top of it, and it should be garnished with sippets of toasted bread.--see coloured plate u. varieties of spinach.--these comprise the strawberry spinach, which, under that name, was wont to be grown in our flower-gardens; the good king harry, the garden oracle, the prickly, and the round, are the varieties commonly used. the oracle is a hardy sort, much esteemed in france, and is a native of tartary, introduced in . the common spinach has its leaves round, and is softer and more succulent than any of the brassica tribe. spinach dressed with cream, a la francaise. . ingredients.-- pailfuls of spinach, tablespoonfuls of salt, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of cream, small teaspoonful of pounded sugar, a very little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--boil and drain the spinach as in recipe no. ; chop it finely, and put it into a stewpan with the butter; stir over a gentle fire, and, when the butter has dried away, add the remaining ingredients, and simmer for about minutes. previously to adding the cream, boil it first, in case it should curdle. serve on a hot dish, and garnish either with sippets of toasted bread or leaves of puff-paste. _time_.-- to minutes to boil the spinach; minutes to stew with the cream. _average cost_ for the above quantity, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--spring spinach from march to july; winter spinach from november to march. [illustration: spinach.] spinach.--this is a persian plant. it has been cultivated in our gardens about two hundred years, and is the most wholesome of vegetables. it is not very nutritious, but is very easily digested. it is very light and laxative. wonderful properties have been ascribed to spinach. it is an excellent vegetable, and very beneficial to health. plainly dressed, it is a resource for the poor; prepared luxuriantly, it is a choice dish for the rich. spinach.--this vegetable belongs to a sub-order of the _salsolaceae_, or saltworts, and is classified under the head of _spirolobeae_, with leaves shaped like worms, and of a succulent kind. in its geographical distribution it is commonly found in extratropical and temperate regions, where they grow as weeds in waste places, and among rubbish, and in marshes by the seashore. in the tropics the order is rarely found. many of them are used as potherbs, and some of them are emetic and vermifuge in their medicinal properties. french mode of dressing spinach. . ingredients.-- pailfuls of spinach, tablespoonfuls of salt, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of flour, tablespoonfuls of good gravy; when liked, a very little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--pick, wash, and boil the spinach, as in recipe no. , and when quite tender, drain and squeeze it perfectly dry from the water that hangs about it. chop it very fine, put the butter into a stewpan, and lay the spinach over that; stir it over a gentle fire, and dredge in the flour. add the gravy, and let it boil _quickly_ for a few minutes, that it may not discolour. when the flavour of nutmeg is liked, grate some to the spinach, and when thoroughly hot, and the gravy has dried away a little, serve. garnish the dish with sippets of toasted bread. _time_.-- to minutes to boil the spinach; minutes to simmer in the gravy. _average cost_ for the above quantity, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--spring spinach from march to july; winter spinach from october to february. _note_.--for an entremets or second-course dish, spinach, dressed by the above recipe may be pressed into a hot mould; it should then be turned out quickly, and served very hot. baked tomatoes. (_excellent_.) . ingredients.-- or tomatoes, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter, bread crumbs. _mode_.--take off the stalks from the tomatoes; cut them into thick slices, and put them into a deep baking-dish; add a plentiful seasoning of pepper and salt, and butter in the above proportion; cover the whole with bread crumbs; drop over these a little clarified butter; bake in a moderate oven from minutes to / hour, and serve very hot. this vegetable, dressed as above, is an exceedingly nice accompaniment to all kinds of roast meat. the tomatoes, instead of being cut in slices, may be baked whole; but they will take rather longer time to cook. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, in full season, d. per basket. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in august, september, and october; but may be had, forced, much earlier. [illustration: the tomato.] tomatoes.--the tomato is a native of tropical countries, but is now cultivated considerably both in france and england. its skin is of a brilliant red, and its flavour, which is somewhat sour, has become of immense importance in the culinary art. it is used both fresh and preserved. when eaten fresh, it is served as an _entremets_; but its principal use is in sauce and gravy; its flavour stimulates the appetite, and is almost universally approved. the tomato is a wholesome fruit, and digests easily. from july to september, they gather the tomatoes green in france, not breaking them away from the stalk; they are then hung, head downwards, in a dry and not too cold place; and there they ripen. hot tomato sauce, or puree of tomatoes. (see no. .) [illustration: stewed tomatoes.] stewed tomatoes. i. . ingredients.-- tomatoes, pepper and salt to taste, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of vinegar. _mode_.--slice the tomatoes into a _lined_ saucepan; season them with pepper and salt, and place small pieces of butter on them. cover the lid down closely, and stew from to minutes, or until the tomatoes are perfectly tender; add the vinegar, stir two or three times, and serve with any kind of roast meat, with which they will be found a delicious accompaniment. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, in full season, d. per basket. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to october; but may be had, forced, much earlier. analysis of the tomato.--the fruit of the love-apple is the only part used as an esculent, and it has been found to contain a particular acid, a volatile oil, a brown, very fragrant extracto-resinous matter, a vegeto-mineral matter, muco-saccharine, some salts, and, in all probability, an alkaloid. the whole plant has a disagreeable odour, and its juice, subjected to the action of the fire, emits a vapour so powerful as to cause vertigo and vomiting. ii. . ingredients.-- tomatoes, about / pint of good gravy, thickening of butter and flour, cayenne and salt to taste. _mode_.--take out the stalks of the tomatoes; put them into a wide stewpan, pour over them the above proportion of good brown gravy, and stew gently until they are tender, occasionally _carefully_ turning them, that they may be equally done. thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour worked together on a plate; let it just boil up after the thickening is added, and serve. if it be at hand, these should be served on a silver or plated vegetable-dish. _time_.-- to minutes, very gentle stewing. _average cost_, in full season, d. per basket. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in august, september, and october; but maybe had, forced, much earlier. the tomato, or love-apple.--this vegetable is a native of mexico and south america, but is also found in the east indies, where it is supposed to have been introduced by the spaniards. in this country it is much more cultivated than it formerly was; and the more the community becomes acquainted with the many agreeable forms in which the fruit can be prepared, the more widely will its cultivation be extended. for ketchup, soups, and sauces, it is equally applicable, and the unripe fruit makes one of the best pickles. truffles au naturel. . ingredients.--truffles, buttered paper. _mode_.--select some fine truffles; cleanse them, by washing them in several waters with a brush, until not a particle of sand or grit remains on them; wrap each truffle in buttered paper, and bake in a hot oven for quite an hour; take off the paper, wipe the truffles, and serve them in a hot napkin. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_.--not often bought in this country. _seasonable_ from november to march. [illustration: truffles.] the common truffle.--this is the _tuber cibarium_ of science, and belongs to that numerous class of esculent fungi distinguished from other vegetables not only by the singularity of their forms, but by their chemical composition. upon analysis, they are found not only to contain the usual components of the vegetable kingdom, such as carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen, but likewise a large proportion of nitrogen; from which they approach more nearly to the nature of animal flesh. it was long ago observed by dr. darwin, that all the mushrooms cooked at our tables, as well as those used for ketchup, possessed an animal flavour; and soup enriched by mushrooms only has sometimes been supposed to contain meat. to dress truffles with champagne. . ingredients.-- fine black truffles, a few slices of fat bacon, carrot, turnip, onions, a bunch of savoury herbs, including parsley, bay-leaf, cloves, blade of pounded mace, glasses of champagne, / pint of stock. _mode_.--carefully select the truffles, reject those that have a musty smell, and wash them well with a brush, in cold water only, until perfectly clean. put the bacon into a stewpan, with the truffles and the remaining ingredients; simmer these gently for an hour, and let the whole cool in the stewpan. when to be served, rewarm them, and drain them on a clean cloth; then arrange them on a delicately white napkin, that it may contrast as strongly as possible with the truffles, and serve. the trimmings of truffles are used to flavour gravies, stock, sauces, &c.; and are an excellent addition to ragouts, made dishes of fowl, &c. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_.--not often bought in this country. _seasonable_ from november to march. the truffle.--the truffle belongs to the family of the mushroom. it is certain that the truffle must possess, equally with other plants, organs of reproduction; yet, notwithstanding all the efforts of art and science, it has been impossible to subject it to a regular culture. truffles grow at a considerable depth under the earth, never appearing on the surface. they are found in many parts of france: those of périgord magny are the most esteemed for their odour. there are three varieties of the species,--the black, the red, and the white: the latter are of little value. the red are very rare, and their use is restricted. the black has the highest repute, and its consumption is enormous. when the peasantry go to gather truffles, they take a pig with them to scent out the spot where they grow. when that is found, the pig turns up the surface with his snout, and the men then dig until they find the truffles. good truffles are easily distinguished by their agreeable perfume; they should be light in proportion to their size, and elastic when pressed by the finger. to have them in perfection, they should be quite fresh, as their aroma is considerably diminished by any conserving process. truffles are stimulating and beating. weak stomachs digest them with difficulty. some of the culinary uses to which they are subjected render them more digestible; but they should always be eaten sparingly. their chief use is in seasoning and garnitures. in short, a professor has said, "meats with truffles are the most distinguished dishes that opulence can offer to the epicure." the truffle grows in clusters, some inches below the surface of the soil, and is of an irregular globular form. those which grow wild in england are about the size of a hen's egg, and have no roots. as there is nothing to indicate the places where they are, dogs have been trained to discriminate their scent, by which they are discovered. hogs are very fond of them, and frequently lead to their being found, from their rutting up the ground in search of them. italian mode of dressing truffles. . ingredients.-- truffles, / pint of salad-oil, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of minced parsley, a very little finely-minced garlic, blades of pounded mace, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--after cleansing and brushing the truffles, cut them into thin slices, and put them in a baking-dish, on a seasoning of oil, pepper, salt, parsley, garlic, and mace in the above proportion. bake them for nearly an hour, and, just before serving, add the lemon-juice, and send them to table very hot. _time_.--nearly hour. _average cost_.--not often bought in this country. _seasonable_ from november to march. where truffles are found.--in this country, the common truffle is found on the downs of hampshire, wiltshire, and kent; and they abound in dry light soils, and more especially in oak and chestnut forests. in france they are plentiful, and many are imported from the south of that country and italy, where they are much larger and in greater perfection: they lose, however, much of their flavour by drying. truffles have in england been tried to be propagated artificially, but without success. truffles a l'italienne. . ingredients.-- truffles, tablespoonful of minced parsley, minced shalot, salt and pepper to taste, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of good brown gravy, the juice of / lemon, cayenne to taste. _mode_.--wash the truffles and cut them into slices about the size of a penny-piece; put them into a sauté pan, with the parsley, shalot, salt, pepper, and oz. of butter; stir them over the fire, that they may all be equally done, which will be in about minutes, and drain off some of the butter; then add a little more fresh butter, tablespoonfuls of good gravy, the juice of / lemon, and a little cayenne; stir over the fire until the whole is on the point of boiling, when serve. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_.--not often bought in this country. _seasonable_ from november to march. uses of the truffle.--like the morel, truffles are seldom eaten alone, but are much used in gravies, soups, and ragoûts. they are likewise dried for the winter months, and, when reduced to powder, form a useful culinary ingredient; they, however, have many virtues attributed to them which they do not possess. their wholesomeness is, perhaps, questionable, and they should be eaten with moderation. boiled turnips. . ingredients.--turnips; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--pare the turnips, and, should they be very large, divide them into quarters; but, unless this is the case, let them be cooked whole. put them into a saucepan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion, and let them boil gently until tender. try them with a fork, and, when done, take them up in a colander; let them thoroughly drain, and serve. boiled turnips are usually sent to table with boiled mutton, but are infinitely nicer when mashed than served whole: unless nice and young, they are scarcely worth the trouble of dressing plainly as above. _time_.--old turnips, / to - / hour; young ones, about to minutes. _average cost_, d. per bunch. _sufficient_.--allow a bunch of turnips for or persons. _seasonable_.--may be had all the year; but in spring only useful for flavouring gravies, &c. [illustration: turnips.] the turnip.--this vegetable is the _brassica rapa_ of science, and grows wild in england, but cannot be brought exactly to resemble what it becomes in a cultivated state. it is said to have been originally introduced from hanover, and forms an excellent culinary vegetable, much used all over europe, where it is either eaten alone or mashed and cooked in soups and stews. they do not thrive in a hot climate; for in india they, and many more of our garden vegetables, lose their flavour and become comparatively tasteless. the swede is the largest variety, but it is too coarse for the table. mashed turnips. . ingredients.-- or large turnips; to each / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt, oz. of butter, cayenne or white pepper to taste. _mode_.--pare the turnips, quarter them, and put them into boiling water, salted in the above proportion; boil them until tender; then drain them in a colander, and squeeze them as dry as possible by pressing them with the back of a large plate. when quite free from water, rub the turnips with a wooden spoon through the colander, and put them into a very clean saucepan; add the butter, white pepper, or cayenne, and, if necessary, a little salt. keep stirring them over the fire until the butter is well mixed with them, and the turnips are thoroughly hot; dish, and serve. a little cream or milk added after the turnips are pressed through the colander, is an improvement to both the colour and flavour of this vegetable. _time_.--from / to / hour to boil the turnips; minutes to warm them through. _average cost_, d. per bunch. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--may be had all the year; but in spring only good for flavouring gravies. vegetables reduced to purÉe.--persons in the flower of youth, having healthy stomachs, and leading active lives, may eat all sorts of vegetables, without inconvenience, save, of course, in excess. the digestive functions possess great energy during the period of youth: the body, to develop itself, needs nourishment. physical exercise gives an appetite, which it is necessary to satisfy, and vegetables cannot resist the vigorous action of the gastric organs. as old proverb says, "at twenty one can digest iron." but for aged persons, the sedentary, or the delicate, it is quite otherwise. then the gastric power has considerably diminished, the digestive organs have lost their energy, the process of digestion is consequently slower, and the least excess at table is followed by derangement of the stomach for several days. those who generally digest vegetables with difficulty, should eat them reduced to a pulp or purée, that is to say, with their skins and tough fibres removed. subjected to this process, vegetables which, when entire, would create flatulence and wind, are then comparatively harmless. experience has established the rule, that nourishment is not complete without the alliance of meat with vegetables. we would also add, that the regime most favourable to health is found in variety: variety pleases the senses, monotony is disagreeable. the eye is fatigued by looking always on one object, the ear by listening to one sound, and the palate by tasting one flavour. it is the same with the stomach: consequently, variety of food is one of the essentials for securing good digestion. german mode of cooking turnips. . ingredients.-- large turnips, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste, rather more than / pint of weak stock or broth, tablespoonful of flour. _mode_.--make the butter hot in a stewpan, lay in the turnips, after having pared and cut them into dice, and season them with pepper and salt. toss them over the fire for a few minutes, then add the broth, and simmer the whole gently till the turnips are tender. brown the above proportion of flour with a little butter; add this to the turnips, let them simmer another minutes, and serve. boiled mutton is usually sent to table with this vegetable, and may be cooked with the turnips by placing it in the midst of them: the meat would then be very delicious, as, there being so little liquid with the turnips, it would almost be steamed, and consequently very tender. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. per bunch. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_.--may be had all the year. turnips.--good turnips are delicate in texture, firm, and sweet. the best sorts contain a sweet juicy mucilage, uniting with the aroma a slightly acid quality, which is completely neutralized in cooking. the turnip is prepared in a variety of ways. ducks stuffed with turnips have been highly appreciated. it is useful in the regimen of persons afflicted with chronic visceral irritations. the turnip only creates flatulency when it is soft, porous, and stringy. it is then, consequently, bad. turnips in white sauce. (an entremets, or to be served with the second course as a side-dish.) . ingredients.-- or turnips, oz. of butter, / pint of white sauce, no. or . _mode_.--peel and cut the turnips in the shape of pears or marbles; boil them in salt and water, to which has been added a little butter, until tender; then take them out, drain, arrange them on a dish, and pour over the white sauce made by recipe no. or , and to which has been added a small lump of sugar. in winter, when other vegetables are scarce, this will be found a very good and pretty-looking dish: when approved, a little mustard may be added to the sauce. _time_.--about / hour to boil the turnips. _average cost_, d. per bunch. _sufficient_ for side-dish. _seasonable_ in winter. the french navet.--this is a variety of the turnip; but, instead of being globular, has more the shape of the carrot. its flavour being excellent, it is much esteemed on the continent for soups and made dishes. two or three of them will impart as much flavour as a dozen of the common turnips will. accordingly, when stewed in gravy, they are greatly relished. this flavour resides in the rind, which is not cut off, but scraped. this variety was once grown in england, but now it is rarely found in our gardens, though highly deserving of a place there. it is of a yellowish-white colour, and is sometimes imported to the london market. boiled turnip greens. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water, allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; turnip-greens. _mode_.--wash the greens well in two or three waters, and pick off all the decayed and dead leaves; tie them in small bunches, and put them into plenty of boiling water, salted in the above proportion. keep them boiling quickly, with the lid of the saucepan uncovered, and when tender, pour them into a colander; let them drain, arrange them in a vegetable-dish, remove the string that the greens were tied with, and serve. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. for a dish for persons. _seasonable_ in march, april, and may. cabbage, turnip-tops, and greens.--all the cabbage tribe, which comprises coleworts, brocoli, cauliflower, sprouts, and turnip-tops, in order to be delicate, should be dressed young, when they have a rapid growth; but, if they have stood the summer, in order to be tender, they should be allowed to have a touch of frost. the cabbage contains much vegetable albumen, and several parts sulphur and nitrate of potass. cabbage is heavy, and a long time digesting, which has led to a belief that it is very nourishing. it is only fit food for robust and active persons; the sedentary or delicate should carefully avoid it. cabbage may be prepared in a variety of ways: it serves as a garniture to several recherché dishes,--partridge and cabbage for example. bacon and cabbage is a very favourite dish; but only a good stomach can digest it. boiled vegetable marrow. . ingredients.--to each / gallon of water, allow heaped tablespoonful of salt; vegetable marrows. [illustration: vegetable marrow on toast.] _mode_.--have ready a saucepan of boiling water, salted in the above proportion; put in the marrows after peeling them, and boil them until quite tender. take them up with a slice, halve, and, should they be very large, quarter them. dish them on toast, and send to table with them a tureen of melted butter, or, in lieu of this, a small pat of salt butter. large vegetable marrows may be preserved throughout the winter by storing them in a dry place; when wanted for use, a few slices should be cut and boiled in the same manner as above; but, when once begun, the marrow must be eaten quickly, as it keeps but a short time after it is cut. vegetable marrows are also very delicious mashed: they should be boiled, then drained, and mashed smoothly with a wooden spoon. heat them in a saucepan, add a seasoning of salt and pepper, and a small piece of butter, and dish with a few sippets of toasted bread placed round as a garnish. _time_.--young vegetable marrows to minutes; old ones, / to / hour. _average cost_, in full season, s. per dozen. _sufficient_.--allow moderate-sized marrow for each person. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september; but may be preserved all the winter. fried vegetable marrow. . ingredients.-- medium-sized vegetable marrows, egg and bread crumbs, hot lard. _mode_.--peel, and boil the marrows until tender in salt and water; then drain them and cut them in quarters, and take out the seeds. when thoroughly drained, brush the marrows over with egg, and sprinkle with bread crumbs; have ready some hot lard, fry the marrow in this, and, when of a nice brown, dish; sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, and serve. _time_.--about / hour to boil the marrow, minutes to fry it. _average cost_, in full season, s. per dozen. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september. [illustration: vegetable marrow.] the vegetable marrow.--this vegetable is now extensively used, and belongs to the cucurbits. it is the _c. ovifera_ of science, and, like the melon, gourd, cucumber, and squash, is widely diffused in the tropical or warmer regions of the globe. of the nature of this family we have already spoken when treating of the cucumber. cut vegetables for soups, &c. [illustration: vegetable-cutter.] . the annexed engraving represents a cutter for shaping vegetables for soups, ragouts, stews, &c.; carrots and turnips being the usual vegetables for which this utensil is used. cut the vegetables into slices about / inch in thickness, stamp them out with the cutter, and boil them for a few minutes in salt and water, until tender. turnips should be cut in rather thicker slices than carrots, on account of the former boiling more quickly to a pulp than the latter. carrots.--several species of carrots are cultivated,--the red, the yellow, and the which. those known as the crecy carrots are considered the best, and are very sweet. the carrot has been classed by hygienists among flatulent vegetables, and as difficult of digestion. when the root becomes old, it is almost as hard as wood; but the young carrot, which has not reached its full growth, is tender, relishing, nutritious, and digests well when properly cooked. vegetable marrows in white sauce. . ingredients.-- or moderate-sized marrows, / pint of white sauce, no. . [illustration: vegetable marrow in white sauce.] _mode_.--pare the marrows; cut them in halves, and shape each half at the top in a point, leaving the bottom end flat for it to stand upright in the dish. boil the marrows in salt and water until tender; take them up very carefully, and arrange them on a hot dish. have ready / pint of white sauce, made by recipe no. ; pour this over the marrows, and serve. _time_.--from to minutes to boil the marrows. _average cost_, in full season, s. per dozen. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september. boiled indian wheat or maize. . ingredients.--the ears of young and green indian wheat; to every / gallon of water allow heaped tablespoonful of salt. _mode_.--this vegetable, which makes one of the most delicious dishes brought to table, is unfortunately very rarely seen in britain; and we wonder that, in the gardens of the wealthy, it is not invariably cultivated. our sun, it is true, possesses hardly power sufficient to ripen maize; but, with well-prepared ground, and in a favourable position, it might be sufficiently advanced by the beginning of autumn to serve as a vegetable. the outside sheath being taken off and the waving fibres removed, let the ears be placed in boiling water, where they should remain for about minutes (a longer time may be necessary for larger ears than ordinary); and, when sufficiently boiled and well drained, they may be sent to table whole, and with a piece of toast underneath them. melted butter should be served with them. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_.--seldom bought. _sufficient_,-- ear for each person. _seasonable_ in autumn. _note_.--william cobbett, the english radical writer and politician, was a great cultivator and admirer of maize, and constantly ate it as a vegetable, boiled. we believe he printed a special recipe for it, but we have been unable to lay our hands on it. mr. buchanan, the present president of the united states, was in the habit, when ambassador here, of receiving a supply of indian corn from america in hermetically-sealed cases; and the publisher of this work remembers, with considerable satisfaction, his introduction to a dish of this vegetable, when in america. he found it to combine the excellences of the young green pea and the finest asparagus; but he felt at first slightly awkward in holding the large ear with one hand, whilst the other had to be employed in cutting off with a knife the delicate green grains. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxvi. general observations on puddings and pastry. . puddings and pastry, familiar as they may be, and unimportant as they may be held in the estimation of some, are yet intimately connected with the development of agricultural resources in reference to the cereal grasses. when they began to be made is uncertain; but we may safely presume, that a simple form of pudding was amongst the first dishes made after discovering a mode of grinding wheat into flour. traditional history enables us to trace man back to the time of the deluge. after that event he seems to have recovered himself in the central parts of asia, and to have first risen to eminence in the arts of civilization on the banks of the nile. from this region, greece, carthage, and some other parts along the shores of the mediterranean sea, were colonized. in process of time, greece gave to the romans the arts which she had thus received from egypt, and these subsequently diffused them over europe. how these were carried to or developed in india and china, is not so well ascertained; and in america their ancient existence rests only on very indistinct traditions. as to who was the real discoverer of the use of corn, we have no authentic knowledge. the traditions of different countries ascribe it to various fabulous personages, whose names it is here unnecessary to introduce. in egypt, however, corn must have grown abundantly; for abraham, and after him jacob, had recourse to that country for supplies during times of famine. . the habits of a people, to a great extent, are formed by the climate in which they live, and by the native or cultivated productions in which their country abounds. thus we find that the agricultural produce of the ancient egyptians is pretty much the same as that of the present day, and the habits of the people are not materially altered. in greece, the products cultivated in antiquity were the same kinds of grains and legumes as are cultivated at present, with the vine, the fig, the olive, the apple, and other fruits. so with the romans, and so with other nations. as to the different modes of artificially preparing those to please the taste, it is only necessary to say that they arise from the universal desire of novelty, characteristic of man in the development of his social conditions. thus has arisen the whole science of cookery, and thus arose the art of making puddings. the porridge of the scotch is nothing more than a species of hasty pudding, composed of oatmeal, salt, and water; and the "red pottage" for which esau sold his birthright, must have been something similar. the barley-gruel of the lacedaemonians, of the athenian gladiators and common people, was the same, with the exception of the slight seasoning it had beyond the simplicity of scottish fare. here is the ancient recipe for the athenian national dish:--"dry near the fire, in the oven, twenty pounds of barley-flour; then parch it; add three pounds of linseed-meal, half a pound of coriander-seed, two ounces of salt, and the quantity of water necessary." to this sometimes a little millet was added, in order to give the paste greater cohesion and delicacy. . oatmeal amongst the greeks and romans was highly esteemed, as was also rice, which they considered as beneficial to the chest. they also held in high repute the irion, or indian wheat of the moderns. the flour of this cereal was made into a kind of hasty pudding, and, parched or roasted, as eaten with a little salt. the spelt, or red wheat, was likewise esteemed, and its flour formed the basis of the carthaginian pudding, for which we here give the scientific recipe:--"put a pound of red-wheat flour into water, and when it has steeped some time, transfer it to a wooden bowl. add three pounds of cream cheese, half a pound of honey, and one egg. beat the whole together, and cook it on a slow fire in a stewpan." should this be considered unpalatable, another form has been recommended. "sift the flour, and, with some water, put it into a wooden vessel, and, for ten days, renew the water twice each day. at the end of that period, press out the water and place the paste in another vessel. it is now to be reduced to the consistence of thick lees, and passed through a piece of new linen. repeat this last operation, then dry the mass in the sun and boil it in milk. season according to taste." these are specimens of the puddings of antiquity, and this last recipe was held in especial favour by the romans. . however great may have been the qualifications of the ancients, however, in the art of pudding-making, we apprehend that such preparations as gave gratification to their palates, would have generally found little favour amongst the insulated inhabitants of great britain. here, from the simple suet dumpling up to the most complicated christmas production, the grand feature of substantiality is primarily attended to. variety in the ingredients, we think, is held only of secondary consideration with the great body of the people, provided that the whole is agreeable and of sufficient abundance. . although from puddings to pastry is but a step, it requires a higher degree of art to make the one than to make the other. indeed, pastry is one of the most important branches of the culinary science. it unceasingly occupies itself with ministering pleasure to the sight as well as to the taste; with erecting graceful monuments, miniature fortresses, and all kinds of architectural imitations, composed of the sweetest and most agreeable products of all climates and countries. at a very early period, the orientals were acquainted with the art of manipulating in pastry; but they by no means attained to the taste, variety, and splendour of design, by which it is characterized amongst the moderns. at first it generally consisted of certain mixtures of flour, oil, and honey, to which it was confined for centuries, even among the southern nations of the european continent. at the commencement of the middle ages, a change began to take place in the art of mixing it. eggs, butter, and salt came into repute in the making of paste, which was forthwith used as an inclosure for meat, seasoned with spices. this advance attained, the next step was to inclose cream, fruit, and marmalades; and the next, to build pyramids and castles; when the summit of the art of the pastry-cook may be supposed to have been achieved. directions in connection with the making of puddings and pastry. . a few general remarks respecting the various ingredients of which puddings and pastry are composed, may be acceptable as preliminary to the recipes in this department of household management. . _flour_ should be of the best quality, and perfectly dry, and sifted before being used; if in the least damp, the paste made from it will certainly be heavy. . _butter_, unless fresh is used, should be washed from the salt, and well squeezed and wrung in a cloth, to get out all the water and buttermilk, which, if left in, assists to make the paste heavy. . _lard_ should be perfectly sweet, which may be ascertained by cutting the bladder through, and, if the knife smells sweet, the lard is good. . _suet_ should be finely chopped, perfectly free from skin, and quite sweet; during the process of chopping, it should be lightly dredged with flour, which prevents the pieces from sticking together. beef suet is considered the best; but veal suet, or the outside fat of a loin or neck of mutton, makes good crusts; as also the skimmings in which a joint of mutton has been boiled, but _without_ vegetables. . _clarified beef dripping_, directions for which will be found in recipes nos. and , answers very well for kitchen pies, puddings, cakes, or for family use. a very good short crust may be made by mixing with it a small quantity of moist sugar; but care must be taken to use the dripping sparingly, or a very disagreeable flavour will be imparted to the paste. . strict cleanliness must be observed in pastry-making; all the utensils used should be perfectly free from dust and dirt, and the things required for pastry, kept entirely for that purpose. [illustration: paste-board and rolling-pin.] . in mixing paste, add the water very gradually, work the whole together with the knife-blade, and knead it until perfectly smooth. those who are inexperienced in pastry-making, should work the butter in by breaking it in small pieces and covering the paste rolled out. it should then be dredged with flour, and the ends folded over and rolled out very thin again: this process must be repeated until all the butter is used. [illustration: paste-pincers and jagger, for ornamenting the edges of pie-crusts.] . the art of making paste requires much practice, dexterity, and skill: it should be touched as lightly as possible, made with cool hands and in a cool place (a marble slab is better than a board for the purpose), and the coolest part of the house should be selected for the process during warm weather. . to insure rich paste being light, great expedition must be used in the making and baking; for if it stand long before it is put in the oven, it becomes flat and heavy. [illustration: paste-cutter and corner-cutter.] [illustration: ornamental-paste cutter.] . _puff-paste_ requires a brisk oven, but not too hot, or it would blacken the crust; on the other hand, if the oven be too slack, the paste will be soddened, and will not rise, nor will it have any colour. tart-tins, cake-moulds, dishes for baked puddings, pattypans, &c., should all be buttered before the article intended to be baked is put in them: things to be baked on sheets should be placed on buttered paper. raised-pie paste should have a soaking heat, and paste glazed must have rather a slack oven, that the icing be not scorched. it is better to ice tarts, &c. when they are three-parts baked. [illustration: patty-pans, plain and fluted.] [illustration: pie-dish.] [illustration: raised-pie mould.] [illustration: raised-pie mould, open.] . to ascertain when the oven is heated to the proper degree for puff-paste, put a small piece of the paste in previous to baking the whole, and then the heat can thus be judged of. . the freshness of all pudding ingredients is of much importance, as one bad article will taint the whole mixture. . when the _freshness_ of eggs is _doubtful_, break each one separately in a cup, before mixing them altogether. should there be a bad one amongst them, it can be thrown away; whereas, if mixed with the good ones, the entire quantity would be spoiled. the yolks and whites beaten separately make the articles they are put into much lighter. . raisins and dried fruits for puddings should be carefully picked, and, in many cases, stoned. currants should be well washed, pressed in a cloth, and placed on a dish before the fire to get thoroughly dry; they should then be picked carefully over, and _every piece of grit or stone_ removed from amongst them. to plump them, some cooks pour boiling water over them, and then dry them before the fire. . batter pudding should be smoothly mixed and free from lumps. to insure this, first mix the flour with a very small proportion of milk, and add the remainder by degrees. should the pudding be very lumpy, it may be strained through a hair sieve. . _all boiled puddings_ should be put on in _boiling water_, which must not be allowed to stop simmering, and the pudding must always be covered with the water; if requisite, the saucepan should be kept filled up. [illustration: boiled-pudding mould.] . to prevent a pudding boiled in a cloth from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, place a small plate or saucer underneath it, and set the pan _on a trivet_ over the fire. if a mould is used, this precaution is not necessary; but care must be taken to keep the pudding well covered with water. . for dishing a boiled pudding as soon as it comes out of the pot, dip it into a basin of cold water, and the cloth will then not adhere to it. great expedition is necessary in sending puddings to table, as, by standing, they quickly become heavy, batter puddings particularly. [illustration: boiled-pudding mould.] . for baked or boiled puddings, the moulds, cups, or basins, should be always buttered before the mixture is put in them, and they should be put into the saucepan directly they are filled. . scrupulous attention should be paid to the cleanliness of pudding-cloths, as, from neglect in this particular, the outsides of boiled puddings frequently taste very disagreeably. as soon as possible after it is taken off the pudding, it should be soaked in water, and then well washed, without soap, unless it be very greasy. it should be dried out of doors, then folded up and kept in a dry place. when wanted for use, dip it in boiling water, and dredge it slightly with flour. [illustration: pudding-basin.] . the _dry ingredients_ for puddings are better for being mixed some time before they are wanted; the liquid portion should only be added just before the pudding is put into the saucepan. . a pinch of salt is an improvement to the generality of puddings; but this ingredient should be added very sparingly, as the flavour should not be detected. . when baked puddings are sufficiently solid, turn them out of the dish they were baked in, bottom uppermost, and strew over them fine sifted sugar. . when pastry or baked puddings are not done through, and yet the outside is sufficiently brown, cover them over with a piece of white paper until thoroughly cooked: this prevents them from getting burnt. [illustration] recipes. chapter xxvii. very good puff-paste. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow lb. of butter, and not quite / pint of water. _mode_.--carefully weigh the flour and butter, and have the exact proportion; squeeze the butter well, to extract the water from it, and afterwards wring it in a clean cloth, that no moisture may remain. sift the flour; see that it is perfectly dry, and proceed in the following manner to make the paste, using a very _clean_ paste-board and rolling-pin:--supposing the quantity to be lb. of flour, work the whole into a smooth paste, with not quite / pint of water, using a knife to mix it with: the proportion of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the discretion of the cook; if too much be added, the paste, when baked, will be tough. roll it out until it is of an equal thickness of about an inch; break oz. of the butter into small pieces; place these on the paste, sift over it a little flour, fold it over, roll out again, and put another oz. of butter. repeat the rolling and buttering until the paste has been rolled out times, or equal quantities of flour and butter have been used. do not omit, every time the paste is rolled out, to dredge a little flour over that and the rolling-pin, to prevent both from sticking. handle the paste as lightly as possible, and do not press heavily upon it with the rolling-pin. the next thing to be considered is the oven, as the baking of pastry requires particular attention. do not put it into the oven until it is sufficiently hot to raise the paste; for the best-prepared paste, if not properly baked, will be good for nothing. brushing the paste as often as rolled out, and the pieces of butter placed thereon, with the white of an egg, assists it to rise in _leaves_ or _flakes_. as this is the great beauty of puff-paste, it is as well to try this method. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. butter.--about the second century of the christian era, butter was placed by galen amongst the useful medical agents; and about a century before him, dioscorides mentioned that he had noticed that fresh butter, made of ewes' and goats' milk, was served at meals instead of oil, and that it took the place of fat in making pastry. thus we have undoubted authority that, eighteen hundred years ago, there existed a knowledge of the useful qualities of butter. the romans seem to have set about making it much as we do; for pliny tells us, "butter is made from milk; and the use of this element, so much sought after by barbarous nations, distinguished the rich from the common people. it is obtained principally from cows' milk; that from ewes is the fattest; goats also supply some. it is produced by agitating the milk in long vessels with narrow openings: a little water is added." medium puff-paste. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of butter, oz. of lard, not quite / pint of water. _mode_.--this paste may be made by the directions in the preceding recipe, only using less butter and substituting lard for a portion of it. mix the flour to a smooth paste with not quite / pint of water; then roll it out times, the first time covering the paste with butter, the second with lard, and the third with butter. keep the rolling-pin and paste slightly dredged with flour, to prevent them from sticking, and it will be ready for use. _average cost_, s. per lb. butter in haste.--in his "history of food," soyer says that to obtain butter instantly, it is only necessary, in summer, to put new milk into a bottle, some hours after it has been taken from the cow, and shake it briskly. the clots which are thus formed should be thrown into a sieve, washed and pressed together, and they constitute the finest and most delicate butter that can possibly be made. common paste, for family pies. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, rather more than / pint of water. _mode_.--rub the butter lightly into the flour, and mix it to a smooth paste with the water; roll it out or times, and it will be ready for use. this paste may be converted into an excellent short crust for sweet tart, by adding to the flour, after the butter is rubbed in, tablespoonfuls of fine-sifted sugar. _average cost_, d. per lb. to keep butter fresh.--one of the best means to preserve butter fresh is, first to completely press out all the buttermilk, then to keep it under water, renewing the water frequently, and to remove it from the influence of heat and air, by wrapping it in a wet cloth. french puff-paste, or feuilletage. (founded on m. ude's recipe.) . ingredients.--equal quantities of flour and butter--say lb. of each; / saltspoonful of salt, the yolks of eggs, rather more than / pint of water. _mode_.--weigh the flour; ascertain that it is perfectly _dry_, and sift it; squeeze all the water from the butter, and wring it in a clean cloth till there is no moisture remaining. put the flour on the paste-board, work lightly into it oz. of the butter, and then make a hole in the centre; into this well put the yolks of eggs, the salt, and about / pint of water (the quantity of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the cook, as it is impossible to give the exact proportion of it); knead up the paste quickly and lightly, and, when quite smooth, roll it out square to the thickness of about / inch. presuming that the butter is perfectly free from moisture, and _as cool_ as possible, roll it into a ball, and place this ball of butter on the paste; fold the paste over the butter all round, and secure it by wrapping it well all over. flatten the paste by rolling it lightly with the rolling-pin until it is quite thin, but not thin enough to allow the butter to break through, and keep the board and paste dredged lightly with flour during the process of making it. this rolling gives it the _first_ turn. now fold the paste in three, and roll out again, and, should the weather be very warm, put it in a cold place on the ground to cool between the several turns; for, unless this is particularly attended to, the paste will be spoiled. roll out the paste again _twice_, put it by to cool, then roll it out _twice_ more, which will make _turnings_ in all. now fold the paste in two, and it will be ready for use. if properly baked and well made, this crust will be delicious, and should rise in the oven about or inches. the paste should be made rather firm in the first instance, as the ball of butter is liable to break through. great attention must also be paid to keeping the butter very cool, as, if this is in a liquid and soft state, the paste will not answer at all. should the cook be dexterous enough to succeed in making this, the paste will have a much better appearance than that made by the process of dividing the butter into parts, and placing it over the rolled-out paste; but, until experience has been acquired, we recommend puff-paste made by recipe no. . the above paste is used for vols-au-vent, small articles of pastry, and, in fact, everything that requires very light crust. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. what to do with rancid butter.--when butter has become very rancid, it should be melted several times by a moderate heat, with or without the addition of water, and as soon as it has been well kneaded, after the cooling, in order to extract any water it may have retained, it should be put into brown freestone pots, sheltered from the contact of the air. the french often add to it, after it has been melted, a piece of toasted bread, which helps to destroy the tendency of the batter to rancidity. soyer's recipe for puff-paste. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow the yolk of egg, the juice of lemon, / saltspoonful of salt, cold water, lb. of fresh butter. _mode_.--put the flour on to the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the yolk of the egg, the lemon-juice, and salt; mix the whole with cold water (this should be iced in summer, if convenient) into a soft flexible paste, with the right hand, and handle it as little as possible; then squeeze all the buttermilk from the butter, wring it in a cloth, and roll out the paste; place the butter on this, and fold the edges of the paste over, so as to hide it; roll it out again to the thickness of / inch; fold over one third, over which again pass the rolling-pin; then fold over the other third, thus forming a square; place it with the ends, top, and bottom before you, shaking a little flour both under and over, and repeat the rolls and turns twice again, as before. flour a baking-sheet, put the paste on this, and let it remain on ice or in some cool place for / hour; then roll twice more, turning it as before; place it again upon the ice for / hour, give it more rolls, making in all, and it is ready for use when required. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. very good short crust for fruit tarts. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow / lb. of butter, tablespoonful of sifted sugar, / pint of water. _mode_.--rub the butter into the flour, after having ascertained that the latter is perfectly dry; add the sugar, and mix the whole into a stiff paste, with about / pint of water. roll it out two or three times, folding the paste over each time, and it will be ready for use. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. another good short crust. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of butter, the yolks of eggs, oz. of sifted sugar, about / pint of milk. _mode_.--rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar, and mix the whole as lightly as possible to a smooth paste, with the yolks of eggs well beaten, and the milk. the proportion of the latter ingredient must be judged of by the size of the eggs: if these are large, so much will not be required, and more if the eggs are smaller. _average cost_, s. per lb. sugar and beetroot.--there are two sorts of beet,--white and red; occasionally, in the south, a yellow variety is met with. beetroot contains twenty parts sugar. everybody knows that the beet has competed with the sugar-cane, and a great part of the french sugar is manufactured from beet. beetroot has a refreshing, composing, and slightly purgative quality. the young leaves, when cooked, are a substitute for spinach; they are also useful for mixing with sorrel, to lessen its acidity. the large ribs of the leaves are serviceable in various culinary preparations; the root also may be prepared in several ways, but its most general use is in salad. some writers upon the subject have expressed their opinion that beetroot is easily digested, but those who have taken pains to carefully analyze its qualities make quite a contrary statement. youth, of course, can digest it; but to persons of a certain age beet is very indigestible, or rather, it does not digest at all. it is not the sugary pulp which is indigestible, but its fibrous network that resists the action of the gastric organs. thus, when the root is reduced to a puree, almost any person may eat it. french sugar.--it had long been thought that tropical heat was not necessary to form sugar, and, about , it was discovered that many plants of the temperate zone, and amongst others the beet, contained it. towards the beginning of the th century, circumstances having, in france, made sugar scarce, and consequently dear, the government caused inquiries to be instituted as to the possibility of finding a substitute for it. accordingly, it was ascertained that sugar exists in the whole vegetable kingdom; that it is to be found in the grape, chestnut, potato; but that, far above all, the beet contains it in a large proportion. thus the beet became an object of the most careful culture; and many experiments went to prove that in this respect the old world was independent of the new. many manufactories came into existence in all parts of france, and the making of sugar became naturalized in that country. common short crust. . ingredients.--to every pound of flour allow oz. of sifted sugar, oz. of butter, about / pint of boiling milk. _mode_.--crumble the butter into the flour as finely as possible, add the sugar, and work the whole up to a smooth paste with the boiling milk. roll it out thin, and bake in a moderate oven. _average cost_, d. per lb. qualities of sugar.--sugars obtained from various plants are in fact, of the same nature, and have no intrinsic difference when they have become equally purified by the same processes. taste, crystallization, colour, weight, are absolutely identical; and the most accurate observer cannot distinguish the one from the other. butter crust, for boiled puddings. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of butter, / pint of water. _mode_.--with a knife, work the flour to a smooth paste with / pint of water; roll the crust out rather thin; place the butter over it in small pieces; dredge lightly over it some flour, and fold the paste over; repeat the rolling once more, and the crust will be ready for use. it may be enriched by adding another oz. of butter; but, for ordinary purposes, the above quantity will be found quite sufficient. _average cost_, d. per lb. dripping crust, for kitchen puddings, pies, &c. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of clarified beef dripping, / pint of water. _mode_.--after having clarified the dripping, by either of the recipes no. or , weigh it, and to every lb. of flour allow the above proportion of dripping. with a knife, work the flour into a smooth paste with the water, rolling it out times, each time placing on the crust oz. of the dripping, broken into small pieces. if this paste is lightly made, if good dripping is used, and _not too much_ of it, it will be found good; and by the addition of two tablespoonfuls of fine moist sugar, it may be converted into a common short crust for fruit pies. _average cost_, d. per pound. water:--what the ancients thought of it.--all the nations of antiquity possessed great veneration for water: thus, the egyptians offered prayers and homage to water, and the nile was an especial object of their adoration; the persians would not wash their hands; the scythians honoured the danube; the greeks and romans erected altars to the fountains and rivers; and some of the architectural embellishments executed for fountains in greece were remarkable for their beauty and delicacy. the purity of the water was a great object of the care of the ancients; and we learn that the athenians appointed four officers to keep watch and ward over the water in their city. these men had to keep the fountains in order and clean the reservoirs, so that the water might be preserved pure and limpid. like officers were appointed in other greek cities. suet crust, for pies or puddings. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow or oz. of beef suet, / pint of water. _mode_.--free the suet from skin and shreds; chop it extremely fine, and rub it well into the flour; work the whole to a smooth paste with the above proportion of water; roll it out, and it is ready for use. this crust is quite rich enough for ordinary purposes, but when a better one is desired, use from / to / lb. of suet to every lb. of flour. some cooks, for rich crusts, pound the suet in a mortar, with a small quantity of butter. it should then be laid on the paste in small pieces, the same as for puff-crust, and will be found exceedingly nice for hot tarts. oz. of suet to every lb. of flour will make a very good crust; and even / lb. will answer very well for children, or where the crust is wanted very plain. _average cost_, d. per lb. pate brisee, or french crust, for raised pies. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow / saltspoonful of salt, eggs, / pint of water, oz. of butter. _mode_.--spread the flour, which should be sifted and thoroughly dry, on the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the butter; work it lightly into the flour, and when quite fine, add the salt; work the whole into a smooth paste with the eggs (yolks and whites) and water, and make it very firm. knead the paste well, and let it be rather stiff, that the sides of the pie may be easily raised, and that they do not afterwards tumble or shrink. _average cost_, s. per lb. _note_.--this paste may be very much enriched by making it with equal quantities of flour and butter; but then it is not so easily raised as when made plainer. water supply in rome.--nothing in italy is more extraordinary than the remains of the ancient aqueducts. at first, the romans were contented with the water from the tiber. ancus martius was the first to commence the building of aqueducts destined to convey the water of the fountain of piconia from tibur to rome, a distance of some , paces. appius claudius continued the good work, and to him is due the completion of the celebrated appian way. in time, the gigantic waterways greatly multiplied, and, by the reign of nero, there were constructed nine principal aqueducts, the pipes of which were of bricks, baked tiles, stone, lead, or wood. according to the calculation of vigenerus, half a million hogsheads of water were conveyed into rome every day, by upwards of , small pipes not one-third of an inch in diameter. the water was received in large closed basins, above which rose splendid monuments: these basins supplied other subterranean conduits, connected with various quarters of the city, and these conveyed water to small reservoirs furnished with taps for the exclusive use of certain streets. the water which was not drinkable ran out, by means of large pipes, into extensive inclosures, where it served to water cattle. at these places the people wished their linen; and here, too, was a supply of the necessary element in case of fire. common crust for raised pies. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow / pint of water, - / oz. of butter, - / oz. of lard, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--put into a saucepan the water; when it boils, add the butter and lard; and when these are melted, make a hole in the middle of the flour; pour in the water gradually; beat it well with a wooden spoon, and be particular in not making the paste too soft. when it is well mixed, knead it with the hands until quite stiff, dredging a little flour over the paste and board, to prevent them from sticking. when it is well kneaded, place it before the fire, with a cloth covered over it, for a few minutes; it will then be more easily worked into shape. this paste does not taste so nicely as the preceding one, but is worked with greater facility, and answers just as well for raised pies, for the crust is seldom eaten. _average cost_, d, per lb. lard or flead crust. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow / lb. of lard or flead, / pint of water, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--clear the flead free from skin, and slice it into thin flakes; rub it into the flour, add the salt, and work the whole into a smooth paste, with the above proportion of water; fold the paste over two or three times, beat it well with the rolling-pin, roll it out, and it will be ready for use. the crust made from this will be found extremely light, and may be made into cakes or tarts; it may also be very much enriched by adding more flead to the same proportion of flour. _average cost_, d. per lb. nutritious qualities of flour.--the gluten of grain and the albumen of vegetable juices are identical in composition with the albumen of blood. vegetable caseine has also the composition of animal caseine. the finest wheat flour contains more starch than the coarser; the bran of wheat is proportionably richer in gluten. rye and rye-bread contain a substance resembling starch-gum (or dextrine, as it is called) in its properties, which is very easily converted into sugar. the starch of barley approaches in many properties to cellulose, and is, therefore, less digestible. oats are particularly rich in plastic substances; scotch oats are richer than those grown in england or in germany. this kind of grain contains in its ashes, after deduction of the silica of the husks, very nearly the same ingredients as are found in the ashes of the juice of flesh. fine american flour is one of the varieties which is richest in gluten, and is consequently one of the most nutritious. almond cheesecakes. . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, bitter ones, eggs, oz. of butter, the rind of / lemon, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, oz. of sugar. _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds smoothly in a mortar, with a little rose- or spring-water; stir in the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the butter, which should be warmed; add the grated lemon-peel and -juice, sweeten, and stir well until the whole is thoroughly mixed. line some pattypans with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake for minutes, or rather less in a quick oven. _time_.-- minutes, or rather less. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for about cheesecakes. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: almond and blossom.] almonds.--almonds are the fruit of the _amygdalus commenis_, and are cultivated throughout the whole of the south of europe, syria, persia, and northern africa; but england is mostly supplied with those which are grown in spain and the south of france. they are distinguished into sweet and bitter, the produce of different varieties. of the sweet, there are two varieties, distinguished in commerce by the names of jordan and valentia almonds. the former are imported from malaga, and are longer, narrower, more pointed, and more highly esteemed than the latter, which are imported from valentia. bitter almonds are principally obtained from morocco, and are exported from mogador. almond paste, for second-course dishes. . ingredients.-- lb. of sweet almonds, bitter ones, lb. of very finely sifted sugar, the whites of eggs. _mode_.--blanch the almonds, and dry them thoroughly; put them into a mortar, and pound them well, wetting them gradually with the whites of eggs. when well pounded, put them into a small preserving-pan, add the sugar, and place the pan on a small but clear fire (a hot-plate is better); keep stirring until the paste is dry, then take it out of the pan, put it between two dishes, and, when cold, make it into any shape that fancy may dictate. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. for the above quantity. _sufficient_ for small dishes of pastry. _seasonable_ at any time. bitter almonds.--the bitter almond is a variety of the common almond, and is injurious to animal life, on account of the great quantity of hydrocyanic acid it contains, and is consequently seldom used in domestic economy, unless it be to give flavour to confectionery; and even then it should he used with great caution. a single drop of the essential oil of bitter almonds is sufficient to destroy a bird, and four drops have caused the death of a middle-sized dog. baked almond pudding. (_very rich_.) . ingredients.-- / lb. of almonds, bitter ditto, glass of sherry, eggs, the rind and juice of / lemon, oz. of butter, pint of cream, tablespoonfuls of sugar. _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds to a smooth paste with the water; mix these with the butter, which should be melted; beat up the eggs, grate the lemon-rind, and strain the juice; add these, with the cream, sugar, and wine, to the other ingredients, and stir them well together. when well mixed, put it into a pie-dish lined with puff-paste, and bake for / hour. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--to make this pudding more economically, substitute milk for the cream; but then add rather more than oz. of finely grated bread. uses of the sweet almond.--the kernels of the sweet almond are used either in a green or ripe state, and as an article in the dessert. into cookery, confectionery, perfumery, and medicine, they largely enter, and in domestic economy, should always be used in preference to bitter almonds. the reason for advising this, is because the kernels do not contain any hydrocyanic or prussic acid, although it is found in the leaves, flowers, and bark of the tree. when young and green, they are preserved in sugar, like green apricots. they furnish the almond-oil; and the farinaceous matter which is left after the oil is expressed, forms the _pâte d'amandes_ of perfumers. in the arts, the oil is employed for the same purposes as the olive-oil, and forms the basis of kalydor, macassar oil, gowland's lotion, and many other articles of that kind vended by perfumers. in medicine, it is considered a nutritive, laxative, and an emollient. small almond puddings. . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, bitter ones, / lb. of butter, eggs, tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, tablespoonfuls of cream, tablespoonful of brandy. [illustration: almond puddings.] _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds to a smooth paste with a spoonful of water; warm the butter, mix the almonds with this, and add the other ingredients, leaving out the whites of eggs, and be particular that these are well beaten. mix well, butter some cups, half fill them, and bake the puddings from minutes to / hour. turn them out on a dish, and serve with sweet sauce. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. the husks of almonds.--in the environs of alicante, the husks of almonds are ground to a powder, and enter into the composition of common soap, the large quantity of alkaline principle they contain rendering them suitable for this purpose. it is said that in some parts of the south of france, where they are extensively grown, horses and mules are fed on the green and dry husks; but, to prevent any evil consequences arising from this practice, they are mixed with chopped straw or oats. almond puffs. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of flour, oz. of butter, oz. of pounded sugar, oz. of sweet almonds, bitter almonds. _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds in a mortar to a smooth paste; melt the butter, dredge in the flour, and add the sugar and pounded almonds. beat the mixture well, and put it into cups or very tiny jelly-pots, which should be well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes, or longer should the puffs be large. turn them out on a dish, the bottom of the puff upper-most, and serve. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. aunt nelly's pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, / lb. of treacle, / lb. of suet, the rind and juice of lemon, a few strips of candied lemon-peel, tablespoonfuls of cream, eggs. _mode_.--chop the suet finely; mix with it the flour, treacle, lemon-peel minced, and candied lemon-peel; add the cream, lemon-juice, and well-beaten eggs; beat the pudding well, put it into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil from - / to hours. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time, but more suitable for a winter pudding. treacle, or molasses.--treacle is the uncrystallizable part of the saccharine juice drained from the muscovado sugar, and is either naturally so or rendered uncrystallizable through some defect in the process of boiling. as it contains a large quantity of sweet or saccharine principle and is cheap, it is of great use as an article of domestic economy. children are especially fond of it; and it is accounted wholesome. it is also useful for making beer, rum, and the very dark syrups. baked apple dumplings (a plain family dish). . ingredients.-- apples, / lb.. of suet-crust no. , sugar to taste. _mode_.--pare and take out the cores of the apples without dividing them, and make / lb. of suet-crust by recipe no. ; roll the apples in the crust, previously sweetening them with moist sugar, and taking care to join the paste nicely. when they are formed into round balls, put them on a tin, and bake them for about / hour, or longer should the apples be very large; arrange them pyramidically on a dish, and sift over them some pounded white sugar. these may be made richer by using one of the puff-pastes instead of suet. _time_.--from / to / hour, or longer. _average cost_, - / d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from august to march, but flavourless after the end of january. uses of the apple.--it is well known that this fruit forms a very important article of food, in the form of pies and puddings, and furnishes several delicacies, such as sauces, marmalades, and jellies, and is much esteemed as a dessert fruit. when flattened in the form of round cakes, and baked in ovens, they are called beefings; and large quantities are annually dried in the sun in america, as well as in normandy, and stored for use during winter, when they may be stewed or made into pies. in a roasted state they are remarkably wholesome, and, it is said, strengthening to a weak stomach. in putrid and malignant fevers, when used with the juice of lemons and currants, they are considered highly efficacious. apple cheesecakes. . ingredients.-- / lb. of apple pulp, / lb. of sifted sugar, / lb. of butter, eggs, the rind and juice of lemon. _mode_.--pare, core, and boil sufficient apples to make / lb. when cooked; add to these the sugar, the butter, which should be melted; the eggs, leaving out of the whites, and take grated rind and juice of lemon; stir the mixture well; line some patty-pans with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake about minutes. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, for the above quantity, with the paste, s. d. _sufficient_ for about or cheesecakes. _seasonable_ from august to march. [illustration: apple and blossom.] the apple.--the most useful of all the british fruits is the apple, which is a native of britain, and may be found in woods and hedges, in the form of the common wild crab, of which all our best apples are merely seminal varieties, produced by culture or particular circumstances. in most temperate climates it is very extensively cultivated, and in england, both as regards variety and quantity, it is excellent and abundant. immense supplies are also imported from the united states and from france. the apples grown in the vicinity of new york are universally admitted to be the finest of any; but unless selected and packed with great care, they are apt to spoil before reaching england. boiled apple dumplings. . ingredients.-- apples, / lb. of suet-crust no. , sugar to taste. _mode_.--pare and take out the cores of the apples without dividing them; sweeten, and roll each apple in a piece of crust, made by recipe no. ; be particular that the paste is nicely joined; put the dumplings into floured cloths, tie them securely, and put them into boiling water. keep them boiling from / to / hour; remove the cloths, and send them hot and quickly to table. dumplings boiled in knitted cloths have a very pretty appearance when they come to table. the cloths should be made square, just large enough to hold one dumpling, and should be knitted in plain knitting, with _very coarse_ cotton. _time_.-- / to hour, or longer should the dumplings be very large. _average cost_, / d. each. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ from august to march, but flavourless after the end of january. lambswool, or lamasool.--this old english beverage is composed of apples mixed with ale, and seasoned with sugar and spice. it takes its name from _lamaes abhal_, which, in ancient british, signifies the day of apple fruit, from being drunk on the apple feast in autumn. in france, a beverage, called by the parisians _raisinée_, is made by boiling any given quantity of new wine, skimming it as often as fresh scum rises, and, when it is boiled to half its bulk, straining it. to this apples, pared and cut into quarters, are added; the whole is then allowed to simmer gently, stirring it all the time with a long wooden spoon, till the apples are thoroughly mixed with the liquor, and the whole forms a species of marmalade, which is extremely agreeable to the taste, having a slight flavour of acidity, like lemon mixed with honey. rich baked apple pudding. i. . ingredients.-- / lb. of the pulp of apples, / lb. of loaf sugar, oz. of butter, the rind of lemon, eggs, puff-paste. _mode_.--peel, core, and cut the apples, as for sauce; put them into a stewpan, with only just sufficient water to prevent them from burning, and let them stew until reduced to a pulp. weigh the pulp, and to every / lb. add sifted sugar, grated lemon-rind, and well-beaten eggs. beat these ingredients well together; then melt the butter, stir it to the other things, put a border of puff-paste round the dish, and bake for rather more than / hour. the butter should not be added until the pudding is ready for the oven. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march. ii. (_more economical_.) . ingredients.-- large apples, oz. of moist sugar, / lb. of butter, eggs, pint of bread crumbs. _mode_.--pare, core, and cut the apples, as for sauce, and boil them until reduced to a pulp; then add the butter, melted, and the eggs, which should be well whisked. beat up the pudding for or minutes; butter a pie-dish; put in a layer of bread crumbs, then the apple, and then another layer of bread crumbs; flake over these a few tiny pieces of butter, and bake for about / hour. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march. _note_.--a very good economical pudding may be made merely with apples, boiled and sweetened, with the addition of a few strips of lemon-peel. a layer of bread crumbs should be placed above and below the apples, and the pudding baked for / hour. constituents of the apple.--all apples contain sugar, malic acid, or the acid of apples; mucilage, or gum; woody fibre, and water; together with some aroma, on which their peculiar flavour depends. the hard acid kinds are unwholesome if eaten raw; but by the process of cooking, a great deal of this acid is decomposed and converted into sugar. the sweet and mellow kinds form a valuable addition to the dessert. a great part of the acid juice is converted into sugar as the fruit ripens, and even after it is gathered, by natural process, termed maturation; but, when apples decay, the sugar is changed into a bitter principle, and the mucilage becomes mouldy and offensive. old cheese has a remarkable effect in meliorating the apple when eaten; probably from the volatile alkali or ammonia of the cheese neutralizing its acid. rich sweet apple pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of suet, / lb. of currants, / lb. of apples, / lb. of moist sugar, eggs, sweet almonds, / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg, wineglassful of brandy. _mode_.--chop the suet very fine; wash the currants, dry them, and pick away the stalks and pieces of grit; pare, core, and chop the apple, and grate the bread into fine crumbs, and mince the almonds. mix all these ingredients together, adding the sugar and nutmeg; beat up the eggs, omitting the whites of three; stir these to the pudding, and when all is well mixed, add the brandy, and put the pudding into a buttered mould; tie down with a cloth, put it into boiling water, and let it boil for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march. to preserve apples.--the best mode of preserving apples is to carry them at once to the fruit-room, where they should be put upon shelves, covered with white paper, after gently wiping each of the fruit. the room should be dry, and well aired, but should not admit the sun. the finer and larger kinds of fruit should not be allowed to touch each other, but should be kept separate. for this purpose, a number of shallow trays should be provided, supported by racks or stands above each other. in very cold frosty weather, means should be adopted for warming the room. baked apple pudding. (_very good_.) . ingredients.-- moderate-sized apples, tablespoonfuls of finely-chopped suet, eggs, tablespoonfuls of flour, pint of milk, a little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--mix the flour to a smooth batter with the milk; add the eggs, which should be well whisked, and put this batter into a well-buttered pie-dish. wipe the apples clean, but do not pare them; cut them in halves, and take out the cores; lay them in the batter, rind uppermost; shake the suet on the top, over which, also grate a little nutmeg; bake in a moderate oven for an hour, and cover, when served, with sifted loaf sugar. this pudding is also very good with the apples pared, sliced, and mixed with the batter. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. boiled apple pudding. . ingredients.--crust no. , apples, sugar to taste, small teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice. _mode_.--make a butter-crust by recipe no. , or a suet one by recipe no. , using for a moderate-sized pudding from / to lb. of flour, with the other ingredients in proportion. butter a basin; line it with some of the paste; pare, core, and cut the apples into slices, and fill the basin with these; add the sugar, the lemon-peel and juice, and cover with crust; pinch the edges together, flour the cloth, place it over the pudding, tie it securely, and put it into plenty of fast-boiling water. let it boil from - / to - / hours, according to the size; then turn it out of the basin and send to table quickly. apple puddings may also be boiled in a cloth without a basin; but, when made in this way, must be served without the least delay, as the crust so soon becomes heavy. apple pudding is a very convenient dish to have when the dinner-hour is rather uncertain, as it does not spoil by being boiled an extra hour; care, however, must be taken to keep it well covered with the water all the time, and not to allow it to stop boiling. _time_.--from - / to - / hours, according to the size of the pudding and the quality of the apples. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_, made with lb. of flour, for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march; but the apples become flavourless and scarce after february. apple tart or pie. . ingredients.--puff-paste no. or , apples; to every lb. of unpared apples allow oz. of moist sugar, / teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel, tablespoonful of lemon-juice. _mode_.--make / lb. of puff-paste by either of the above-named recipes, place a border of it round the edge of a pie-dish, and fill it with apples pared, cored, and cut into slices; sweeten with moist sugar, add the lemon-peel and juice, and or tablespoonfuls of water; cover with crust, cut it evenly round close to the edge of the pie-dish, and bake in a hot oven from / to / hour, or rather longer, should the pie be very large. when it is three-parts done, take it out of the oven, put the white of an egg on a plate, and, with the blade of a knife, whisk it to a froth; brush the pie over with this, then sprinkle upon it some sifted sugar, and then a few drops of water. put the pie back into the oven, and finish baking, and be particularly careful that it does not catch or burn, which it is very liable to do after the crust is iced. if made with a plain crust, the icing may be omitted. _time_.-- / hour before the crust is iced; to minutes afterwards. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_.--allow lbs. of apples for a tart for persons. _seasonable_ from august to march; but the apples become flavourless after february. _note_.--many things are suggested for the flavouring of apple pie; some say or tablespoonfuls of beer, others the same quantity of sherry, which very much improve the taste; whilst the old-fashioned addition of a few cloves is, by many persons, preferred to anything else, as also a few slices of quince. [illustration: quince.] quinces.--the environs of corinth originally produced the most beautiful quinces, but the plant was subsequently introduced into gaul with the most perfect success. the ancients preserved the fruit by placing it, with its branches and leaves, in a vessel filled with honey or sweet wine, which was reduced to half the quantity by ebullition. quinces may be profitably cultivated in this country as a variety with other fruit-trees, and may be planted in espaliers or as standards. a very fine-flavoured marmalade may be prepared from quinces, and a small portion of quince in apple pie much improves its flavour. the french use quinces for flavouring many sauces. this fruit has the remarkable peculiarity of exhaling an agreeable odour, taken singly; but when in any quantity, or when they are stowed away in a drawer or close room, the pleasant aroma becomes an intolerable stench, although the fruit may be perfectly sound; it is therefore desirable that, as but a few quinces are required for keeping, they should be kept in a high and dry loft, and out of the way of the rooms used by the family. creamed apple tart. . ingredients.--puff-crust no. or , apples; to every lb. of pared and cored apples, allow oz. of moist sugar, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, tablespoonful of lemon-juice, / pint of boiled custard. _mode_.--make an apple tart by the preceding recipe, with the exception of omitting the icing. when the tart is baked, cut out the middle of the lid or crust, leaving a border all round the dish. fill up with a nicely-made boiled custard, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and the pie is ready for table. this tart is usually eaten cold; is rather an old-fashioned dish, but, at the same time, extremely nice. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march. apple snowballs. . ingredients.-- teacupfuls of rice, apples, moist sugar, cloves. _mode_.--boil the rice in milk until three-parts done; then strain it off, and pare and core the apples without dividing them. put a small quantity of sugar and a clove into each apple, put the rice round them, and tie each ball separately in a cloth. boil until the apples are tender; then take them up, remove the cloths, and serve. _time_.-- / hour to boil the rice separately; / to hour with the apple. _seasonable_ from august to march. apple tourte or cake. (_german recipe_.) . ingredients.-- or apples, sugar to taste, the rind of small lemon, eggs, / pint of cream or milk, / lb. of butter, / lb. of good short crust no. , oz. of sweet almonds. _mode_.--pare, core, and cut the apples into small pieces; put sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them into a basin; add the lemon-peel, which should be finely minced, and the cream; stir these ingredients well, whisk the eggs, and melt the butter; mix altogether, add the sliced apple, and let these be well stirred into the mixture. line a large round plate with the paste, place a narrow rim of the same round the outer edge, and lay the apples thickly in the middle. blanch the almonds, cut them into long shreds, and strew over the top of the apples, and bake from / to / hour, taking care that the almonds do not get burnt: when done, strew some sifted sugar over the top, and serve. this tourte may be eaten either hot or cold, and is sufficient to fill large-sized plates. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for large-sized tourtes. _seasonable_ from august to march. apples.--no fruit is so universally popular as the apple. it is grown extensively for cider, but many sorts are cultivated for the table. the apple, uncooked, is less digestible than the pear; the degree of digestibility varying according to the firmness of its texture and flavour. very wholesome and delicious jellies, marmalades, and sweetmeats are prepared from it. entremets of apples are made in great variety. apples, when peeled, cored, and well cooked, are a most grateful food for the dyspeptic. alma pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of fresh butter, / lb. of powdered sugar, / lb. of flour, / lb. of currants, eggs. _mode_.--beat the butter to a thick cream, strew in, by degrees, the sugar, and mix both these well together; then dredge the flour in gradually, add the currants, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well beaten. when all the ingredients are well stirred and mixed, butter a mould that will hold the mixture exactly, tie it down with a cloth, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil for hours; when turned out, strew some powdered sugar over it, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. baked apricot pudding. . ingredients.-- large apricots, / pint of bread crumbs, pint of milk, oz. of pounded sugar, the yolks of eggs, glass of sherry. _mode_.--make the milk boiling hot, and pour it on to the bread crumbs; when half cold, add the sugar, the well-whisked yolks of the eggs, and the sherry. divide the apricots in half, scald them until they are soft, and break them up with a spoon, adding a few of the kernels, which should be well pounded in a mortar; then mix the fruit and other ingredients together, put a border of paste round the dish, fill with the mixture, and bake the pudding from / to / hour. _time_.-- / to / hour. average cost, in full season, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in august, september, and october. apricot tart. . ingredients.-- or apricots, sugar to taste, puff-paste or short crust. _mode_.--break the apricots in half, take out the stones, and put them into a pie-dish, in the centre of which place a very small cup or jar, bottom uppermost; sweeten with good moist sugar, but add no water. line the edge of the dish with paste, put on the cover, and ornament the pie in any of the usual modes. bake from / to / hour, according to size; and if puff-paste is used, glaze it about minutes before the pie is done, and put it into the oven again to set the glaze. short crust merely requires a little sifted sugar sprinkled over it before being sent to table. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, in full season, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in august, september, and october; green ones rather earlier. _note_.--green apricots make very good tarts, but they should be boiled with a little sugar and water before they are covered with the crust. apricots.--the apricot is indigenous to the plains of armenia, but is now cultivated in almost every climate, temperate or tropical. there are several varieties. the skin of this fruit has a perfumed flavour, highly esteemed. a good apricot, when perfectly ripe, is an excellent fruit. it has been somewhat condemned for its laxative qualities, but this has possibly arisen from the fruit having been eaten unripe, or in too great excess. delicate persons should not eat the apricot uncooked, without a liberal allowance of powdered sugar. the apricot makes excellent jam and marmalade, and there are several foreign preparations of it which are considered great luxuries. baked or boiled arrowroot pudding. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, - / pint of milk, oz. of butter, the rind of / lemon, heaped tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, a little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--mix the arrowroot with as much cold milk as will make it into a smooth batter, moderately thick; put the remainder of the milk into a stewpan with the lemon-peel, and let it infuse for about / hour; when it boils, strain it gently to the batter, stirring it all the time to keep it smooth; then add the butter; beat this well in until thoroughly mixed, and sweeten with moist sugar. put the mixture into a pie-dish, round which has been placed a border of paste, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake the pudding from to - / hour, in a moderate oven, or boil it the same length of time in a well-buttered basin. to enrich this pudding, stir to the other ingredients, just before it is put in the oven, well-whisked eggs, and add a tablespoonful of brandy. for a nursery pudding, the addition of the latter ingredients will be found quite superfluous, as also the paste round the edge of the dish. _time_.-- to - / hour, baked or boiled. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _arrowroot_.--in india, and in the colonies, by the process of rasping, they extract from a vegetable (_maranta arundinacea_) a sediment nearly resembling tapioca. the grated pulp is sifted into a quantity of water, from which it is afterwards strained and dried, and the sediment thus produced is called arrowroot. its qualities closely resemble those of tapioca. a bachelor's pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of grated bread, oz. of currants, oz. of apples, oz. of sugar, eggs, a few drops of essence of lemon, a little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--pare, core, and mince the apples very finely, sufficient, when minced, to make oz.; add to these the currants, which should be well washed, the grated bread, and sugar; whisk the eggs, beat these up with the remaining ingredients, and, when all is thoroughly mixed, put the pudding into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march. bakewell pudding. (_very rich_.) i. . ingredients.-- / lb. of puff-paste, eggs, oz. of sugar, / lb. of butter, oz. of almonds, jam. _mode_.--cover a dish with thin paste, and put over this a layer of any kind of jam, / inch thick; put the yolks of eggs into a basin with the white of , and beat these well; add the sifted sugar, the butter, which should be melted, and the almonds, which should be well pounded; beat all together until well mixed, then pour it into the dish over the jam, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. . ingredients.-- / pint of bread crumbs, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of sugar, oz. of butter, oz. of pounded almonds, jam. _mode_.--put the bread crumbs at the bottom of a pie-dish, then over them a layer of jam of any kind that may be preferred; mix the milk and eggs together; add the sugar, butter, and pounded almonds; beat fill well together; pour it into the dish, and bake in a moderate oven for hour. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_. s. d. to s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. baroness pudding. (_author's recipe_.) . ingredients.-- / lb. of suet, / lb. of raisins weighed after being stoned, / lb. of flour, / pint of milk, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--prepare the suet, by carefully freeing it from skin, and chop it finely; stone the raisins, and cut them in halves, and mix both these ingredients with the salt and flour; moisten the whole with the above proportion of milk, stir the mixture well, and tie the pudding in a floured cloth, which has been previously wrung out in boiling water. put the pudding into a saucepan of boiling water, and let it boil, without ceasing, - / hours. serve merely with plain sifted sugar, a little of which may be sprinkled over the pudding. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter, when fresh fruit is not obtainable. _note_.--this pudding the editress cannot too highly recommend. the recipe was kindly given to her family by a lady who bore the title here prefixed to it; and with all who have partaken of it, it is an especial favourite. nothing is of greater consequence, in the above directions, than attention to the time of boiling, which should never be _less_ than that mentioned. barberry tart. . ingredients.--to every lb. of barberries allow / lb. of lump sugar; paste. [illustration: leaf in puff-paste.] _mode_.--pick the barberries from the stalks, and put the fruit into a stone jar; place this jar in boiling water, and let it simmer very slowly until the fruit is soft; then put it into a preserving-pan with the sugar, and boil gently for minutes; line a tartlet-pan with paste, bake it, and, when the paste is cold, fill with the barberries, and ornament the tart with a few baked leaves of paste, cut out, as shown in the engraving. _time_.-- / hour to bake the tart. _average cost_, d. per pint. _seasonable_ in autumn. [illustration: barberry.] barberries (_berberris vulgaris_.)--a fruit of such great acidity, that even birds refuse to eat it. in this respect, it nearly approaches the tamarind. when boiled with sugar, it makes a very agreeable preserve or jelly, according to the different modes of preparing it. barberries are also used as a dry sweetmeat, and in sugarplums or comfits; are pickled with vinegar, and are used for various culinary purposes. they are well calculated to allay heat and thirst in persons afflicted with fevers. the berries, arranged on bunches of nice curled parsley, make an exceedingly pretty garnish for supper-dishes, particularly for white meats, like boiled fowl à la béchamel, the three colours, scarlet, green, and white, contrasting so well, and producing a very good effect. baked batter pudding. . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of flour, oz. of butter, eggs, a little salt. _mode_.--mix the flour with a small quantity of cold milk; make the remainder hot, and pour it on to the flour, keeping the mixture well stirred; add the butter, eggs, and salt; beat the whole well, and put the pudding into a buttered pie-dish; bake for / hour, and serve with sweet sauce, wine sauce, or stewed fruit. baked in small cups, this makes very pretty little puddings, and should be eaten with the same accompaniments as above. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. baked batter pudding, with dried or fresh fruit. . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of flour, eggs, oz. of finely-shredded suet, / lb. of currants, a pinch of salt. _mode_.--mix the milk, flour, and eggs to a smooth batter; add a little salt, the suet, and the currants, which should be well washed, picked, and dried; put the mixture into a buttered pie-dish, and bake in a moderate oven for - / hour. when fresh fruits are in season, this pudding is exceedingly nice, with damsons, plums, red currants, gooseberries, or apples; when made with these, the pudding must be thickly sprinkled over with sifted sugar. boiled batter pudding, with fruit, is made in the same manner, by putting the fruit into a buttered basin, and filling it up with batter made in the above proportion, but omitting the suet. it must be sent quickly to table, and covered plentifully with sifted sugar. _time_.--baked batter pudding, with fruit, - / to - / hour; boiled ditto, - / to - / hour, allowing that both are made with the above proportion of batter. smaller puddings will be done enough in / or hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time, with dried fruits. boiled batter pudding. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of flour, a little salt. _mode_.--put the flour into a basin, and add sufficient milk to moisten it; carefully rub down all the lumps with a spoon, then pour in the remainder of the milk, and stir in the butter, which should be previously melted; keep beating the mixture, add the eggs and a pinch of salt, and when the batter is quite smooth, put it into a well-buttered basin, tie it down very tightly, and put it into boiling water; move the basin about for a few minutes after it is put into the water, to prevent the flour settling in any part, and boil for - / hour. this pudding may also be boiled in a floured cloth that has been wetted in hot water; it will then take a few minutes less than when boiled in a basin. send these puddings very quickly to table, and serve with sweet sauce, wine sauce, stewed fruit, or jam of any kind: when the latter is used, a little of it may be placed round the dish in small quantities, as a garnish. _time_.-- - / hour in a basin, hour in a cloth. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. orange batter pudding. . ingredients.-- eggs, pint of milk, - / oz. of loaf sugar, tablespoonfuls of flour. _mode_.--make the batter with the above ingredients, put it into a well-buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for hour. as soon as it is turned out of the basin, put a small jar of orange marmalade all over the top, and send the pudding very quickly to table. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, with the marmalade, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time; but more suitable for a winter pudding. baked bread pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of grated bread, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of moist sugar, oz. of candied peel, bitter almonds, tablespoonful of brandy. _mode_.--put the milk into a stewpan, with the bitter almonds; let it infuse for / hour; bring it to the boiling point; strain it on to the bread crumbs, and let these remain till cold; then add the eggs, which should be well whisked, the butter, sugar, and brandy, and beat the pudding well until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed; line the bottom of a pie-dish with the candied peel sliced thin, put in the mixture, and bake for nearly / hour. _time_.--nearly / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--a few currants may be substituted for the candied peel, and will be found an excellent addition to this pudding: they should be beaten in with the mixture, and not laid at the bottom of the pie-dish. very plain bread pudding. . ingredients.--odd pieces of crust or crumb of bread; to every quart allow / teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, oz. of moist sugar, / lb. of currants, - / oz. of butter. _mode_.--break the bread into small pieces, and pour on them as much boiling water as will soak them well. let these stand till the water is cool; then press it out, and mash the bread with a fork until it is quite free from lumps. measure this pulp, and to every quart stir in salt, nutmeg, sugar, and currants in the above proportion; mix all well together, and put it into a well-buttered pie-dish. smooth the surface with the back of a spoon, and place the butter in small pieces over the top; bake in a moderate oven for - / hour, and serve very hot. boiling milk substituted for the boiling water would very much improve this pudding. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d., exclusive of the bread. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. boiled bread pudding. . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, / pint of bread crumbs, sugar to taste, eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of currants, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. _mode_.--make the milk boiling, and pour it on the bread crumbs; let these remain till cold; then add the other ingredients, taking care that the eggs are well beaten and the currants well washed, picked, and dried. beat the pudding well, and put it into a buttered basin; tie it down tightly with a cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and boil for - / hour; turn it out of the basin, and serve with sifted sugar. any odd pieces or scraps of bread answer for this pudding; but they should be soaked overnight, and, when wanted for use, should have the water well squeezed from them. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. bread.--bread contains, in its composition, in the form of vegetable albumen and vegetable fibrine, two of the chief constituents of flesh, and, in its incombustible constituents, the salts which are indispensable for sanguification, of the same quality and in the same proportion as flesh. but flesh contains, besides these, a number of substances which are entirely wanting in vegetable food; and on these peculiar constituents of flesh depend certain effects, by which it is essentially distinguished from other articles of food. brown-bread pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of brown-bread crumbs, / lb. of currants, / lb. of suet, / lb. of moist sugar, eggs, tablespoonfuls of brandy, tablespoonfuls of cream, grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--grate / lb. of crumbs from a stale brown loaf; add to these the currants and suet, and be particular that the latter is finely chopped. put in the remaining ingredients; beat the pudding well for a few minutes; put it into a buttered basin or mould; tie it down tightly, and boil for nearly hours. send sweet sauce to table with it. _time_.--nearly hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time; but more suitable for a winter pudding. miniature bread puddings. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, / lb. of bread crumbs, eggs, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, tablespoonfuls of brandy, teaspoonful of finely-minced lemon-peel. _mode_.--make the milk boiling, pour it on to the bread crumbs, and let them soak for about / hour. beat the eggs, mix these with the bread crumbs, add the remaining ingredients, and stir well until all is thoroughly mixed. butter some small cups; rather more than half fill them with the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven from minutes to / hour, and serve with sweet sauce. a few currants may be added to these puddings: about oz. will be found sufficient for the above quantity. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or small puddings. _seasonable_ at any time. baked bread-and-butter pudding. . ingredients.-- thin slices of bread and butter, - / pint of milk, eggs, sugar to taste, / lb. of currants, flavouring of vanilla, grated lemon-peel or nutmeg. _mode_.--cut slices of bread and butter not very thick, and put them into a pie-dish, with currants between each layer and on the top. sweeten and flavour the milk, either by infusing a little lemon-peel in it, or by adding a few drops of essence of vanilla; well whisk the eggs, and stir these to the milk. _strain_ this over the bread and butter, and bake in a moderate oven for hour, or rather longer. this pudding may be very much enriched by adding cream, candied peel, or more eggs than stated above. it should not be turned out, but sent to table in the pie-dish, and is better for being made about hours before it is baked. _time_.-- hour, or rather longer. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. butter.--butter is indispensable in almost all culinary preparations. good fresh butter, used in moderation, is easily digested; it is softening, nutritious, and fattening, and is far more easily digested than any other of the oleaginous substances sometimes used in its place. cabinet or chancellor's pudding. . ingredients.-- - / oz. of candied peel, oz. of currants, dozen sultanas, a few slices of savoy cake, sponge cake, a french roll, eggs, pint of milk, grated lemon-rind, / nutmeg, table-spoonfuls of sugar. [illustration: cabinet pudding.] _mode_.--melt some butter to a paste, and with it, well grease the mould or basin in which the pudding is to be boiled, taking care that it is buttered in every part. cut the peel into thin slices, and place these in a fanciful device at the bottom of the mould, and fill in the spaces between with currants and sultanas; then add a few slices of sponge cake or french roll; drop a few drops of melted butter on these, and between each layer sprinkle a few currants. proceed in this manner until the mould is nearly full; then flavour the milk with nutmeg and grated lemon-rind; add the sugar, and stir to this the eggs, which should be well beaten. beat this mixture for a few minutes; then strain it into the mould, which should be quite full; tie a piece of buttered paper over it, and let it stand for hours; then tie it down with a cloth, put it into boiling water, and let it boil slowly for hour. in taking it up, let it stand for a minute or two before the cloth is removed; then quickly turn it out of the mould or basin, and serve with sweet sauce separately. the flavouring of this pudding may be varied by substituting for the lemon-rind essence of vanilla or bitter almonds; and it may be made much richer by using cream; but this is not at all necessary. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. a plain cabinet or boiled bread-and-butter pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of raisins, a few thin slices of bread and butter, eggs, pint of milk, sugar to taste, / nutmeg. _mode_.--butter a pudding-basin, and line the inside with a layer of raisins that have been previously stoned; then nearly fill the basin with slices of bread and butter with the crust cut off, and, in another basin, beat the eggs; add to them the milk, sugar, and grated nutmeg; mix all well together, and pour the whole on to the bread and butter; let it stand / hour, then tie a floured cloth over it; boil for hour, and serve with sweet sauce. care must be taken that the basin is quite full before the cloth is tied over. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. canary pudding. . ingredients.--the weight of eggs in sugar and butter, the weight of eggs in flour, the rind of small lemon, eggs. _mode_.--melt the butter to a liquid state, but do not allow it to oil; stir to this the sugar and finely-minced lemon-peel, and gradually dredge in the flour, keeping the mixture well stirred; whisk the eggs; add these to the pudding; beat all the ingredients until thoroughly blended, and put them into a buttered mould or basin; boil for hours, and serve with sweet sauce. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. baked or boiled carrot pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of bread crumbs, oz. of suet, / lb. of stoned raisins, / lb. of carrot, / lb. of currants, oz. of sugar, eggs, milk, / nutmeg. _mode_.--boil the carrots until tender enough to mash to a pulp; add the remaining ingredients, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of thick batter. if to be boiled, put the mixture into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for - / hours: if to be baked, put it into a pie-dish, and bake for nearly an hour; turn it out of the dish, strew sifted sugar over it, and serve. _time_.-- - / hours to boil; hour to bake. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. carrots, says liebig, contain the same kind of sugar as the juice of the sugar-cane. royal coburg pudding. . ingredients.-- pint of new milk, oz. of flour, oz. of sugar, oz. of butter, oz. of currants, eggs, brandy and grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--mix the flour to a smooth batter with the milk, add the remaining ingredients _gradually_, and when well mixed, put it into four basins or moulds half full; bake for / hour, turn the puddings out on a dish, and serve with wine sauce. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. cherry tart. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of cherries, small tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, / lb. of short crust, no. or . _mode_.--pick the stalks from the cherries, put them, with the sugar, into a _deep_ pie-dish just capable of holding them, with a small cup placed upside down in the midst of them. make a short crust with / lb. of flour, by either of the recipes or ; lay a border round the edge of the dish; put on the cover, and ornament the edges; bake in a brisk oven from / hour to minutes; strew finely-sifted sugar over, and serve hot or cold, although the latter is the more usual mode. it is more economical to make two or three tarts at one time, as the trimmings from one tart answer for lining the edges of the dish for another, and so much paste is not required as when they are made singly. unless for family use, never make fruit pies in very _large_ dishes; select them, however, as deep as possible. _time_.-- / hour to minutes. _average cost_, in full season, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. _note_.--a few currants added to the cherries will be found to impart a nice piquant taste to them. [illustration: cherry.] cherries.--according to lucullus, the cherry-tree was known in asia in the year of rome . seventy different species of cherries, wild and cultivated, exist, which are distinguishable from each other by the difference of their form, size, and colour. the french distil from cherries a liqueur darned _kirsch-waser_ (_eau de cérises_); the italians prepare, from a cherry called marusca, the liqueur named _marasquin_, sweeter and more agreeable than the former. the most wholesome cherries have a tender and delicate skin; those with a hard skin should be very carefully masticated. sweetmeats, syrups, tarts, entremets, &c., of cherries, are universally approved. cold pudding. . ingredients.-- eggs, pint of milk, sugar to taste, a little grated lemon-rind, oz. of raisins, tablespoonfuls of marmalade, a few slices of sponge cake. _mode_.--sweeten the milk with lump sugar, add a little grated lemon-rind, and stir to this the eggs, which should be well whisked; line a buttered mould with the raisins, stoned and cut in half; spread the slices of cake with the marmalade, and place them in the mould; then pour in the custard, tie the pudding down with paper and a cloth, and boil gently for hour: when cold, turn it out, and serve. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. college puddings. . ingredients.-- pint of bread crumbs, oz. of finely-chopped suet, / lb. of currants, a few thin slices of candied peel, oz. of sugar, / nutmeg, eggs, tablespoonfuls of brandy. _mode_.--put the bread crumbs into a basin; add the suet, currants, candied peel, sugar, and nutmeg, grated, and stir these ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed. beat up the eggs, moisten the pudding with these, and put in the brandy; beat well for a few minutes, then form the mixture into round balls or egg-shaped pieces; fry these in hot butter or lard, letting them stew in it until thoroughly done, and turn them two or three times, till of a fine light brown; drain them on a piece of blotting-paper before the fire; dish, and serve with wine sauce. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or puddings. _seasonable_ at any time. currant dumplings. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, oz. of suet, / lb. of currants, rather more than / pint of water. _mode_.--chop the suet finely, mix it with the flour, and add the currants, which should be nicely washed, picked, and dried; mix the whole to a limp paste with the water (if wanted very nice, use milk); divide it into or dumplings; tie them in cloths, and boil for - / hour. they may be boiled without a cloth: they should then be made into round balls, and dropped into boiling water, and should be moved about at first, to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. serve with a cut lemon, cold butter, and sifted sugar. _time_.--in a cloth, - / hour; without, / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: zante currants.] zante currants.--the dried fruit which goes by the name of currants in grocers' shops is not a currant really, but a small kind of grape, chiefly cultivated in the morea and the ionian islands, corfu, zante, &c. those of zante are cultivated in an immense plain, under the shelter of mountains, on the shore of the island, where the sun has great power, and brings them to maturity. when gathered and dried by the sun and air, on mats, they are conveyed to magazines, heaped together, and left to cake, until ready for shipping. they are then dug out by iron crowbars, trodden into casks, and exported. the fertile vale of "zante the woody" produces about , , lbs. of currants annually. in cakes and puddings this delicious little grape is most extensively used; in fact, we could not make a plum pudding without the currant. boiled currant pudding. (_plain and economical_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of suet, / lb. of currants, milk. _mode_.--wash the currants, dry them thoroughly, and pick away any stalks or grit; chop the suet finely; mix all the ingredients together, and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding into a stiff batter; tie it up in a floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil for - / hours; serve with a cut lemon, cold butter, and sifted sugar. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. black or red currant pudding. . ingredients.-- quart of red or black currants, measured with the stalks, / lb. of moist sugar, suet crust no. , or butter crust no. . _mode_.--make, with / lb. of flour, either a suet crust or butter crust (the former is usually made); butter a basin, and line it with part of the crust; put in the currants, which should be stripped from the stalks, and sprinkle the sugar over them; put the cover of the pudding on; make the edges very secure, that the juice does not escape; tie it down with a floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil from - / to hours. boiled without a basin, allow / hour less. we have allowed rather a large proportion of sugar; but we find fruit puddings are so much more juicy and palatable when _well sweetened_ before they are boiled, besides being more economical. a few raspberries added to red-currant pudding are a very nice addition: about / pint would be sufficient for the above quantity of fruit. fruit puddings are very delicious if, when they are turned out of the basin, the crust is browned with a salamander, or put into a very hot oven for a few minutes to colour it: this makes it crisp on the surface. _time_.-- - / to hours; without a basin, to - / hours. _average cost_, in full season, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. [illustration: currants.] currants.--the utility of currants, red, black, or white, has long been established in domestic economy. the juice of the red species, if boiled with an equal weight of loaf sugar, forms an agreeable substance called _currant jelly_, much employed in sauces, and very valuable in the cure of sore throats and colds. the french mix it with sugar and water, and thus form an agreeable beverage. the juice of currants is a valuable remedy in obstructions of the bowels; and, in febrile complaints, it is useful on account of its readily quenching thirst, and for its cooling effect on the stomach. white and flesh-coloured currants have, with the exception of the fullness of flavour, in every respect, the same qualities as the red species. both white and red currants are pleasant additions to the dessert, but the black variety is mostly used for culinary and medicinal purposes, especially in the form of jelly for quinsies. the leaves of the black currant make a pleasant tea. red-currant and raspberry tart. . ingredients.-- - / pint of picked currants, / pint of raspberries, heaped tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, / lb. of short crust. _mode_.--strip the currants from the stalks, and put them into a deep pie-dish, with a small cup placed in the midst, bottom upwards; add the raspberries and sugar; place a border of paste round the edge of the dish, cover with crust, ornament the edges, and bake from / to / hour: strew some sifted sugar over before being sent to table. this tart is more generally served cold than hot. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. [illustration: raspberry.] raspberries.--there are two sorts of raspberries, the red and the white. both the scent and flavour of this fruit are very refreshing, and the berry itself is exceedingly wholesome, and invaluable to people of a nervous or bilious temperament. we are not aware, however, of its being cultivated with the same amount of care which is bestowed upon some other of the berry tribe, although it is far from improbable that a more careful cultivation would not be repaid by a considerable improvement in the size and flavour of the berry; neither, as an eating fruit, is it so universally esteemed as the strawberry, with whose lusciousness and peculiarly agreeable flavour it can bear no comparison. in scotland, it is found in large quantities, growing wild, and is eagerly sought after, in the woods, by children. its juice is rich and abundant, and to many, extremely agreeable. baked custard pudding. . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, the rind of / lemon, / lb. of moist sugar, eggs. _mode_.--put the milk into a saucepan with the sugar and lemon-rind, and let this infuse for about hour, or until the milk is well flavoured; whisk the eggs, yolks and whites; pour the milk to them, stirring all the while; then have ready a pie-dish, lined at the edge with paste ready baked; strain the custard into the dish, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake in a _very slow_ oven for about / hour, or rather longer. the flavour of this pudding may be varied by substituting bitter almonds for the lemon-rind; and it may be very much enriched by using half cream and half milk, and doubling the quantity of eggs. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--this pudding is usually served cold with fruit tarts. boiled custard pudding. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, tablespoonful of flour, eggs, flavouring to taste. _mode_.--flavour the milk by infusing in it a little lemon-rind or cinnamon; whisk the eggs, stir the flour gradually to these, and pour over them the milk, and stir the mixture well. butter a basin that will exactly hold it; put in the custard, and tie a floured cloth over; plunge it into boiling water, and turn it about for a few minutes, to prevent the flour from settling in one part. boil it slowly for / hour; turn it out of the basin, and serve. the pudding may be garnished with red-currant jelly, and sweet sauce may be sent to table with it. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. damson tart. . ingredients.-- - / pint of damsons, / lb. of moist sugar, / lb. of short or puff crust. _mode_.--put the damsons, with the sugar between them, into a deep pie-dish, in the midst of which, place a small cup or jar turned upside down; pile the fruit high in the middle, line the edges of the dish with short or puff crust, whichever may be preferred; put on the cover, ornament the edges, and bake from / to / hour in a good oven. if puff-crust is used, about minutes before the pie is done, take it out of the oven, brush it over with the white of an egg beaten to a froth with the blade of a knife; strew some sifted sugar over, and a few drops of water, and put the tart back to finish baking: with short crust, a little plain sifted sugar, sprinkled over, is all that will be required. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in september and october. [illustration: damsons.] damsons.--whether for jam, jelly, pie, pudding, water, ice, wine, dried fruit or preserved, the damson, or _damascene_ (for it was originally brought from damascus, whence its name), is invaluable. it combines sugary and acid qualities in happy proportions, when full ripe. it is a fruit easily cultivated; and, if budded nine inches from the ground on vigorous stocks, it will grow several feet high in the first year, and make fine standards the year following. amongst the list of the best sorts of baking plums, the damson stands first, not only on account of the abundance of its juice, but also on account of its soon softening. because of the roughness of its flavour, it requires a large quantity of sugar. damson pudding. . ingredients.-- - / pint of damsons, / lb. of moist sugar, / lb. of suet or butter crust. _mode_.--make a suet crust with / lb. of flour by recipe no. ; line a buttered pudding-basin with a portion of it; fill the basin with the damsons, sweeten them, and put on the lid; pinch the edges of the crust together, that the juice does not escape; tie over a floured cloth, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil from - / to hours. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in september and october. delhi pudding. . ingredients.-- large apples, a little grated nutmeg, teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, large tablespoonfuls of sugar, oz. of currants, / lb. of suet crust no. . _mode_.--pare, core, and cut the apples into slices; put them into a saucepan, with the nutmeg, lemon-peel, and sugar; stir them over the fire until soft; then have ready the above proportion of crust, roll it out thin, spread the apples over the paste, sprinkle over the currants, roll the pudding up, closing the ends properly, tie it in a floured cloth, and boil for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from august to march. empress pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, oz. of butter, eggs, jam, sufficient milk to soften the rice. _mode_.--boil the rice in the milk until very soft; then add the butter boil it for a few minutes after the latter ingredient is put in, and set it by to cool. well beat the eggs, stir these in, and line a dish with puff-paste; put over this a layer of rice, then a thin layer of any kind of jam, then another layer of rice, and proceed in this manner until the dish is full; and bake in a moderate oven for / hour. this pudding may be eaten hot or cold; if the latter, it will be much improved by having a boiled custard poured over it. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. exeter pudding. (_very rich_.) . ingredients.-- oz. of bread crumbs, oz. of sago, oz. of finely-chopped suet, oz. of moist sugar, the rind of / lemon, / pint of rum, eggs, tablespoonfuls of cream, small sponge cakes, oz. of ratafias, / lb. of jam. _mode_.--put the bread crumbs into a basin with the sago, suet, sugar, minced lemon-peel, rum, and eggs; stir these ingredients well together, then add more eggs and the cream, and let the mixture be well beaten. then butter a mould, strew in a few bread crumbs, and cover the bottom with a layer of ratafias; then put in a layer of the mixture, then a layer of sliced sponge cake spread thickly with any kind of jam; then add some ratafias, then some of the mixture and sponge cake, and so on until the mould is full, taking care that a layer of the mixture is on the top of the pudding. bake in a good oven from / to hour, and serve with the following sauce:--put tablespoonfuls of black-currant jelly into a stewpan, add glasses of sherry, and, when warm, turn the pudding out of the mould, pour the sauce over it, and serve hot. _time_.--from to - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. fig pudding. i. . ingredients.-- lbs. of figs, lb. of suet, / lb. of flour, / lb. of bread crumbs, eggs, milk. _mode_.--cut the figs into small pieces, grate the bread finely, and chop the suet very small; mix these well together, add the flour, the eggs, which should be well beaten, and sufficient milk to form the whole into a stiff paste; butter a mould or basin, press the pudding into it very closely, tie it down with a cloth, and boil for hours, or rather longer; turn it out of the mould, and serve with melted butter, wine-sauce, or cream. _time_.-- hours, or longer. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--suitable for a winter pudding. ii. (_staffordshire recipe_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of figs, oz. of suet, / lb. of flour, milk. _mode_.--chop the suet finely, mix with it the flour, and make these into a smooth paste with milk; roll it out to the thickness of about / inch, cut the figs in small pieces, and strew them over the paste; roll it up, make the ends secure, tie the pudding in a cloth, and boil it from - / to hours. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. folkestone pudding-pies. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, oz. of ground rice, oz. of butter, / lb. of sugar, flavouring of lemon-peel or bay-leaf, eggs, puff-paste, currants. _mode_.--infuse laurel or bay leaves, or the rind of / lemon, in the milk, and when it is well flavoured, strain it, and add the rice; boil these for / hour, stirring all the time; then take them off the fire, stir in the butter, sugar, and eggs, and let these latter be well beaten before they are added to the other ingredients; when nearly cold, line some patty-pans with puff-paste, fill with the custard, strew over each a few currants, and bake from to minutes in a moderate oven. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a dozen patty-pans. _seasonable_ at any time. fruit turnovers (suitable for pic-nics). . ingredients.--puff-paste no. , any kind of fruit, sugar to taste. _mode_.--make some puff-paste by recipe no. ; roll it out to the thickness of about / inch, and cut it out in pieces of a circular form; pile the fruit on half of the paste, sprinkle over some sugar, wet the edges and turn the paste over. press the edges together, ornament them, and brush the turnovers over with the white of an egg; sprinkle over sifted sugar, and bake on tins, in a brisk oven, for about minutes. instead of putting the fruit in raw, it may be boiled down with a little sugar first, and then inclosed in the crust; or jam, of any kind, may be substituted for fresh fruit. _time_.-- minutes. _sufficient_-- / lb. of puff-paste will make a dozen turnovers. _seasonable_ at any time. german pudding. . ingredients.-- teaspoonfuls of flour, teaspoonful of arrowroot, pint of milk, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, the rind of / lemon, eggs, tablespoonfuls of brandy. _mode_.--boil the milk with the lemon-rind until well flavoured; then strain it, and mix with it the flour, arrowroot, butter, and sugar. boil these ingredients for a few minutes, keeping them well stirred; then take them off the fire and mix with them the eggs, yolks and whites, beaten separately and added separately. boil some sugar to candy; line a mould with this, put in the brandy, then the mixture; tie down with a cloth, and boil for rather more than hour. when turned out, the brandy and sugar make a nice sauce. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. dampfnudeln, or german puddings. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, eggs, small tablespoonfuls of yeast, tablespoonfuls of finely-pounded sugar, milk, a very little salt. _mode_.--put the flour into a basin, make a hole in the centre, into which put the yeast, and rather more than / pint of warm milk; make this into a batter with the middle of the flour, and let the sponge rise in a warm temperature. when sufficiently risen, mix the eggs, butter, sugar, and salt with a little more warm milk, and knead the whole well together with the hands, beating the dough until it is perfectly smooth, and it drops from the fingers. then cover the basin with a cloth, put it in a warm place, and when the dough has nicely risen, knead it into small balls; butter the bottom of a deep sauté-pan, strew over some pounded sugar, and let the dampfnudeln be laid in, but do not let them touch one another; then pour over sufficient milk to cover them, put on the lid, and let them rise to twice their original size by the side of the fire. now place them in the oven for a few minutes, to acquire a nice brown colour, and serve them on a napkin, with custard sauce flavoured with vanilla, or a _compôte_ of any fruit that may be preferred. _time_.-- / to / hour for the sponge to rise; to minutes for the puddings to rise; minutes to bake them in a brisk oven. _sufficient_ for or dampfnudeln. _seasonable_ at any time. ginger pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, / lb. of suet, / lb. of moist sugar, large teaspoonfuls of grated ginger. _mode_.--shred the suet very fine, mix it with the flour, sugar, and ginger; stir all well together; butter a basin, and put the mixture in _dry_; tie a cloth over, and boil for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. golden pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of suet, / lb. of marmalade, / lb. of sugar, eggs. _mode_.--put the bread crumbs into a basin; mix with them the suet, which should be finely minced, the marmalade, and the sugar; stir all these ingredients well together, beat the eggs to a froth, moisten the pudding with these, and when well mixed, put it into a mould or buttered basin; tie down with a floured cloth, and boil for hours. when turned out, strew a little fine-sifted sugar over the top, and serve. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the mould may be ornamented with stoned raisins, arranged in any fanciful pattern, before the mixture is poured in, which would add very much to the appearance of the pudding. for a plainer pudding, double the quantities of the bread crumbs, and if the eggs do not moisten it sufficiently, use a little milk. baked gooseberry pudding. . ingredients.--gooseberries, eggs, - / oz. of butter, / pint of bread crumbs, sugar to taste. _mode_.--put the gooseberries into a jar, previously cutting off the tops and tails; place this jar in boiling water, and let it boil until the gooseberries are soft enough to pulp; then beat them through a coarse sieve, and to every pint of pulp add well-whisked eggs, - / oz. of butter, / pint of bread crumbs, and sugar to taste; beat the mixture well, put a border of puff-paste round the edge of a pie-dish, put in the pudding, bake for about minutes, strew sifted sugar over, and serve. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from may to july. boiled gooseberry pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of suet crust no. , - / pint of green gooseberries, / lb. of moist sugar. _mode_.--line a pudding-basin with suet crust no. , rolled out to about / inch in thickness, and, with a pair of scissors, cut off the tops and tails of the gooseberries; fill the basin with the fruit, put in the sugar, and cover with crust. pinch the edges of the pudding together, tie over it a floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil from - / to hours; turn it out of the basin, and serve with a jug of cream. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from may to july. gooseberry tart. . ingredients.-- - / pint of gooseberries, / lb. of short crust no. , / lb. of moist sugar. _mode_.--with a pair of scissors cut off the tops and tails of the gooseberries; put them into a deep pie-dish, pile the fruit high in the centre, and put in the sugar; line the edge of the dish with short crust, put on the cover, and ornament the edges of the tart; bake in a good oven for about / hour, and before being sent to table, strew over it some fine-sifted sugar. a jug of cream, or a dish of boiled or baked custards, should always accompany this dish. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from may to july. [illustration: gooseberry.] gooseberries.--the red and the white are the two principal varieties of gooseberries. the red are rather the more acid; but, when covered with white sugar, are most wholesome, because the sugar neutralizes their acidity. red gooseberries make an excellent jelly, which is light and refreshing, but not very nourishing. it is good for bilious and plethoric persons, and to invalids generally who need light and digestible food. it is a fruit from which many dishes might be made. all sorts of gooseberries are agreeable when stewed, and, in this country especially, there is no fruit so universally in favour. in scotland, there is scarcely a cottage-garden without its gooseberry-bush. several of the species are cultivated with the nicest care. half-pay pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of suet, / lb. of currants, / lb. of raisins, / lb. of flour, / lb. of bread crumbs, tablespoonfuls of treacle, / pint of milk. _mode_.--chop the suet finely; mix with it the currants, which should be nicely washed and dried, the raisins, which should be stoned, the flour, bread crumbs, and treacle; moisten with the milk, beat up the ingredients until all are thoroughly mixed, put them into a buttered basin, and boil the pudding for - / hours. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. herodotus pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of good figs, oz. of suet, oz. of moist sugar, / saltspoonful of salt, eggs, nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--mince the suet and figs very finely; add the remaining ingredients, taking care that the eggs are well whisked; beat the mixture for a few minutes, put it into a buttered mould, tie it down with a floured cloth, and boil the pudding for hours. serve with wine sauce. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. hunter's pudding. . ingredients.-- lb. of raisins, lb. of currants, lb. of suet, lb. of bread crumbs, lb. of moist sugar, eggs, tablespoonful of flour, lb. of mixed candied peel, glass of brandy, drops of essence of lemon, drops of essence of almonds, / nutmeg, blades of mace, cloves. _mode_.--stone and shred the raisins rather small, chop the suet finely, and rub the bread until all lumps are well broken; pound the spice to powder, cut the candied peel into thin shreds, and mix all these ingredients well together, adding the sugar. beat the eggs to a strong froth, and as they are beaten, drop into them the essence of lemon and essence of almonds; stir these to the dry ingredients, mix well, and add the brandy. tie the pudding firmly in a cloth, and boil it for hours at the least: or hours would be still better for it. serve with boiled custard, or red-currant jelly, or brandy sauce. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. iced pudding. (_parisian recipe_.) [illustration: iced-pudding mould.] . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, oz. of bitter ones, / lb. of sugar, eggs, - / pint of milk. _mode_.--blanch and dry the almonds thoroughly in a cloth, then pound them in a mortar until reduced to a smooth paste; add to these the well-beaten eggs, the sugar, and milk; stir these ingredients over the fire until they thicken, but do not allow them to boil; then strain and put the mixture into the freezing-pot; surround it with ice, and freeze it as directed in recipe . when quite frozen, fill an iced-pudding mould, put on the lid, and keep the pudding in ice until required for table; then turn it out on the dish, and garnish it with a _compôte_ of any fruit that may be preferred, pouring a little over the top of the pudding. this pudding may be flavoured with vanilla, curaçoa, or maraschino. _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _seasonable_.--served all the year round. iced apple pudding. (_french recipe, after carême_.) . ingredients.-- dozen apples, a small pot of apricot-jam, / lb. of sugar, seville orange, / pint of preserved cherries, / lb. of raisins, oz. of citron, oz. of almonds, gill of curaçoa, gill of maraschino, pint of cream. _mode_.--peel, core, and cut the apples into quarters, and simmer them over the fire until soft; then mix with them the apricot-jam and the sugar, on which the rind of the orange should be previously rubbed; work all these ingredients through a sieve, and put them into the freezing-pot. stone the raisins, and simmer them in a little syrup for a few minutes; add these, with the sliced citron, the almonds cut in dice, and the cherries drained from their syrup, to the ingredients in the freezing-pot; put in the curaçoa and maraschino, and freeze again; add as much whipped cream as will be required, freeze again, and fill the mould. put the lid on, and plunge the mould into the ice-pot; cover it with a wet cloth and pounded ice and saltpetre, where it should remain until wanted for table. turn the pudding out of the mould on to a clean and neatly-folded napkin, and serve, as sauce, a little iced whipped cream, in a sauce-tureen or glass dish. [illustration: ice-spattle.] [illustration: ice-freezing pail.] _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _seasonable_ from august to march. _method of working the freezing apparatus_.--put into the outer pail some pounded ice, upon which strew some saltpetre; then fix the pewter freezing-pot upon this, and surround it entirely with ice and saltpetre. wipe the cover and edges of the pot, pour in the preparation, and close the lid; a quarter of an hour after, begin turning the freezing-pan from right to left, and when the mixture begins to be firm round the sides of the pot, stir it about with the slice or spattle, that the preparation may be equally congealed. close the lid again, keep working from right to left, and, from time to time, remove the mixture from the sides, that it may be smooth; and when perfectly frozen, it is ready to put in the mould; the mould should then be placed in the ice again, where it should remain until wanted for table. roly-poly jam pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb of suet-crust no. , / lb. of any kind of jam. _mode_.--make a nice light suet-crust by recipe no. , and roll it out to the thickness of about / inch. spread the jam equally over it, leaving a small margin of paste without any, where the pudding joins. roll it up, fasten the ends securely, and tie it in a floured cloth; put the pudding into boiling water, and boil for hours. mincemeat or marmalade may be substituted for the jam, and makes excellent puddings. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--suitable for winter puddings, when fresh fruit is not obtainable. lemon cheesecakes. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, lb. of loaf sugar, eggs, the rind of lemons and the juice of . _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a stewpan, carefully grating the lemon-rind and straining the juice. keep stirring the mixture over the fire until the sugar is dissolved, and it begins to thicken: when of the consistency of honey, it is done; then put it into small jars, and keep in a dry place. this mixture will remain good or months. when made into cheesecakes, add a few pounded almonds, or candied peel, or grated sweet biscuit; line some patty-pans with good puff-paste, rather more than half fill them with the mixture, and bake for about / hour in a good brisk oven. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for cheesecakes. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon mincemeat. . ingredients.-- large lemons, large apples, / lb. of suet, lb. of currants, / lb. of sugar, oz. of candied lemon-peel, oz. of citron, mixed spice to taste. _mode_.--pare the lemons, squeeze them, and boil the peel until tender enough to mash. add to the mashed lemon-peel the apples, which should be pared, cored, and minced; the chopped suet, currants, sugar, sliced peel, and spice. strain the lemon-juice to these ingredients, stir the mixture well, and put it in a jar with a closely-fitting lid. stir occasionally, and in a week or days the mincemeat will be ready for use. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for large or small pies. _seasonable_.--make this about the beginning of december. lemon dumplings. . ingredients.-- / lb. of grated bread, / lb. of chopped suet, / lb. of moist sugar, eggs, large lemon. [illustration: lemon dumplings.] _mode_.--mix the bread, suet, and moist sugar well together, adding the lemon-peel, which should be very finely minced. moisten with the eggs and strained lemon-juice; stir well, and put the mixture into small buttered cups. tie them down and boil for / hour. turn them out on a dish, strew sifted sugar over them, and serve with wine sauce. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for dumplings. _seasonable_ at any time. baked lemon pudding. i. . ingredients.--the yolks of eggs, oz. of pounded sugar, lemon, / lb. of butter, puff-crust. _mode_.--beat the eggs to a froth; mix with them the sugar and warmed butter; stir these ingredients well together, putting in the grated rind and strained juice of the lemon-peel. line a shallow dish with puff-paste; put in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven for minutes; turn the pudding out of the dish, strew over it sifted sugar, and serve. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. ii. . ingredients.-- oz. of bread crumbs, pints of milk, oz. of butter, lemon, / lb. of pounded sugar, eggs, tablespoonful of brandy. _mode_.--bring the milk to the boiling point, stir in the butter, and pour these hot over the bread crumbs; add the sugar and very finely-minced lemon-peel; beat the eggs, and stir these in with the brandy to the other ingredients; put a paste round the dish, and bake for / hour. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: lemon.] lemon.--the lemon is a variety of the citron. the juice of this fruit makes one of our most popular and refreshing beverages--lemonade, which is gently stimulating and cooling, and soon quenches the thirst. it may he freely partaken by bilious and sanguine temperaments; but persons with irritable stomachs should avoid it, on account of its acid qualities. the fresh rind of the lemon is a gentle tonic, and, when dried and grated, is used in flavouring a variety of culinary preparations. lemons appear in company with the orange in most orange-growing countries. they were only known to the romans at a very late period, and, at first, were used only to keep the moths from their garments: their acidity was unpleasant to them. in the time of pliny, the lemon was hardly known otherwise than as an excellent counter-poison. iii. (_very rich_.) . ingredients.--the rind and juice of large lemons, / lb. of loaf sugar, / pint of cream, the yolks of eggs, oz. of almonds, / lb. of butter, melted. _mode_.--mix the pounded sugar with the cream, and add the yolks of eggs and the butter, which should be previously warmed. blanch and pound the almonds, and put these, with the grated rind and strained juice of the lemons, to the other ingredients. stir all well together; line a dish with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake for hour. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. boiled lemon pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of chopped suet, / lb. of bread crumbs, small lemons, oz. of moist sugar, / lb. of flour, eggs, milk. _mode_.--mix the suet, bread crumbs, sugar, and flour well together, adding the lemon-peel, which should be very finely minced, and the juice, which should be strained. when these ingredients are well mixed, moisten with the eggs and sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of thick batter; put it into a well-buttered mould, and boil for - / hours; turn it out, strew sifted sugar over, and serve with wine sauce, or not, at pleasure. _time_.-- - / hours. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--this pudding may also be baked, and will be found very good. it will take about hours. plain lemon pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, oz. of lard or dripping, the juice of large lemon, teaspoonful of flour, sugar. _mode_.--make the above proportions of flour and lard into a smooth paste, and roll it out to the thickness of about / inch. squeeze the lemon-juice, strain it into a cup, stir the flour into it, and as much moist sugar as will make it into a stiff and thick paste; spread this mixture over the paste, roll it up, secure the ends, and tie the pudding in a floured cloth. boil for hours. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. manchester pudding (to eat cold). . ingredients.-- oz. of grated bread, / pint of milk, a strip of lemon-peel, eggs, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, puff-paste, jam, tablespoonfuls of brandy. _mode_.--flavour the milk with lemon-peel, by infusing it in the milk for / hour; then strain it on to the bread crumbs, and boil it for or minutes; add the eggs, leaving out the whites of , the butter, sugar, and brandy; stir all these ingredients well together; cover a pie-dish with puff-paste, and at the bottom put a thick layer of any kind of jam; pour the above mixture, cold, on the jam, and bake the pudding for an hour. serve cold, with a little sifted sugar sprinkled over. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. sweet macaroni pudding. . ingredients.-- - / oz. of macaroni, pints of milk, the rind of / lemon, eggs, sugar and grated nutmeg to taste, tablespoonfuls of brandy. _mode_.--put the macaroni, with a pint of the milk, into a saucepan with the lemon-peel, and let it simmer gently until the macaroni is tender; then put it into a pie-dish without the peel; mix the other pint of milk with the eggs; stir these well together, adding the sugar and brandy, and pour the mixture over the macaroni. grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake in a moderate oven for / hour. to make this pudding look nice, a paste should be laid round the edges of the dish, and, for variety, a layer of preserve or marmalade may be placed on the macaroni: in this case omit the brandy. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the macaroni; / hour to bake the pudding. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. macaroni is composed of wheaten flour, flavoured with other articles, and worked up with water into a paste, to which, by a peculiar process, a tubular or pipe form is given, in order that it may cook more readily in hot water. that of smaller diameter than macaroni (which is about the thickness of a goose-quill) is called _vermicelli_; and when smaller still, _fidelini_. the finest is made from the flour of the hard-grained black-sea wheat. macaroni is the principal article of food in many parts of italy, particularly naples, where the best is manufactured, and from whence, also, it is exported in considerable quantities. in this country, macaroni and vermicelli are frequently used in soups. [illustration: macaroni.] manna kroup pudding. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of manna kroup, bitter almonds, pint of milk, sugar to taste, eggs. _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds in a mortar; mix them with the manna kroup; pour over these a pint of boiling milk, and let them steep for about / hour. when nearly cold, add sugar and the well-beaten eggs; mix all well together; put the pudding into a buttered dish, and bake for / hour. _time_.-- / hour. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. manna kroup, semora, or semolina, are three names given to a flour made from ground wheat and rice. the preparation is white when it is made only of these materials; the yellow colour which it usually has, is produced by a portion of saffron and yolks of eggs. next to vermicelli, this preparation is the most useful for thickening either meat or vegetable soups. as a food, it is light, nutritious, wholesome, and easily digested. the best preparation is brought from arabia, and, next to that, from italy. mansfield pudding. . ingredients.--the crumb of rolls, pint of milk, sugar to taste, eggs, tablespoonfuls of brandy, oz. of chopped suet, tablespoonfuls of flour, / lb. of currants, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, tablespoonfuls of cream. _mode_.--slice the roll very thin, and pour upon it a pint of boiling milk; let it remain covered close for / hour, then beat it up with a fork, and sweeten with moist sugar; stir in the chopped suet, flour, currants, and nutmeg. mix these ingredients well together, moisten with the eggs, brandy, and cream; beat the mixture for or minutes, put it into a buttered dish or mould, and bake in a moderate oven for - / hour. turn it out, strew sifted sugar over, and serve. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. marlborough pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, / lb. of powdered lump sugar, eggs, puff-paste, a layer of any kind of jam. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream, stir in the powdered sugar, whisk the eggs, and add these to the other ingredients. when these are well mixed, line a dish with puff-paste, spread over a layer of any kind of jam that may be preferred, pour in the mixture, and bake the pudding for rather more than / hour. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. marmalade and vermicelli pudding. . ingredients.-- breakfastcupful of vermicelli, tablespoonfuls of marmalade, / lb. of raisins, sugar to taste, eggs, milk. _mode_.--pour some boiling milk on the vermicelli, and let it remain covered for minutes; then mix with it the marmalade, stoned raisins, sugar, and beaten eggs. stir all well together, put the mixture into a buttered mould, boil for - / hour, and serve with custard sauce. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_. s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. marrow dumplings, to serve with roast meat, in soup, with salad, &c. (_german recipe_.) . ingredients.-- oz. of beef marrow, oz. of butter, eggs, penny rolls, teaspoonful of minced onion, teaspoonful of minced parsley, salt and grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--beat the marrow and butter together to a cream; well whisk the eggs, and add these to the other ingredients. when they are well stirred, put in the rolls, which should previously be well soaked in boiling milk, strained, and beaten up with a fork. add the remaining ingredients, omitting the minced onion where the flavour is very much disliked, and form the mixture into small round dumplings. drop these into boiling broth, and let them simmer for about minutes or / hour. they may be served in soup, with roast meat, or with salad, as in germany, where they are more frequently sent to table than in this country. they are very good. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or dumplings. _seasonable_ at any time. baked ob boiled marrow pudding. . ingredients.-- / pint of bread crumbs, - / pint of milk, oz. of marrow, eggs, / lb. of raisins or currants, or oz. of each; sugar and grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--make the milk boiling, pour it hot on to the bread crumbs, and let these remain covered for about / hour; shred the marrow, beat up the eggs, and mix these with the bread crumbs; add the remaining ingredients, beat the mixture well, and either put it into a buttered mould and boil it for - / hours, or put it into a pie-dish edged with puff-paste, and bake for rather more than / hour. before sending it to table, sift a little pounded sugar over, after being turned out of the mould or basin. _time_.-- - / hours to boil, / hour to bake. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. military puddings. . ingredients.-- / lb. of suet, / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of moist sugar, the rind and juice of large lemon. _mode_.--chop the suet finely, mix it with the bread crumbs and sugar, and mince the lemon-rind and strain the juice; stir these into the other ingredients, mix well, and put the mixture into small buttered cups, and bake for rather more than / hour; turn them out on the dish, and serve with lemon-sauce. the above ingredients may be made into small balls, and boiled for about / hour; they should then be served with the same sauce as when baked. _time_.--rather more than / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to fill or moderate-sized cups. _seasonable_ at any time. mincemeat. . ingredients.-- lbs. of raisins, lbs. of currants, - / lb. of lean beef, lbs. of beef suet, lbs. of moist sugar, oz. of citron, oz. of candied lemon-peel, oz. of candied orange-peel, small nutmeg, pottle of apples, the rind of lemons, the juice of , / pint of brandy. _mode_.--stone and _cut_ the raisins once or twice across, but do not chop them; wash, dry, and pick the currants free from stalks and grit, and mince the beef and suet, taking care that the latter is chopped very fine; slice the citron and candied peel, grate the nutmeg, and pare, core, and mince the apples; mince the lemon-peel, strain the juice, and when all the ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together, adding the brandy when the other things are well blended; press the whole into a jar, carefully exclude the air, and the mincemeat will be ready for use in a fortnight. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. _seasonable_.--make this about the beginning of december. excellent mincemeat. . ingredients.-- large lemons, large apples, lb. of stoned raisins, lb. of currants, lb. of suet, lbs. of moist sugar, oz. of sliced candied citron, oz. of sliced candied orange-peel, and the same quantity of lemon-peel, teacupful of brandy, tablespoonfuls of orange marmalade. _mode_.--grate the rinds of the lemons; squeeze out the juice, strain it, and boil the remainder of the lemons until tender enough to pulp or chop very finely. then add to this pulp the apples, which should be baked, and their skins and cores removed; put in the remaining ingredients one by one, and, as they are added, mix everything very thoroughly together. put the mincemeat into a stone jar with a closely-fitting lid, and in a fortnight it will be ready for use. _seasonable_.--this should be made the first or second week in december. mince pies. . ingredients.--good puff-paste no. , mincemeat no. . [illustration: mince pies.] _mode_.--make some good puff-paste by recipe no. ; roll it out to the thickness of about / inch, and line some good-sized pattypans with it; fill them with mincemeat, cover with the paste, and cut it off all round close to the edge of the tin. put the pies into a brisk oven, to draw the paste up, and bake for minutes, or longer, should the pies be very large; brush them over with the white of an egg, beaten with the blade of a knife to a stiff froth; sprinkle over pounded sugar, and put them into the oven for a minute or two, to dry the egg; dish the pies on a white d'oyley, and serve hot. they may be merely sprinkled with pounded sugar instead of being glazed, when that mode is preferred. to re-warm them, put the pies on the pattypans, and let them remain in the oven for minutes or / hour, and they will be almost as good as if freshly made. _time_.-- to minutes; minutes to re-warm them. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_-- / lb. of paste for pies. _seasonable_ at christmas time. monday's pudding. . ingredients.--the remains of cold plum-pudding, brandy, custard made with eggs to every pint of milk. _mode_.--cut the remains of a _good_ cold plum-pudding into finger-pieces, soak them in a little brandy, and lay them cross-barred in a mould until full. make a custard with the above proportion of milk and eggs, flavouring it with nutmeg or lemon-rind; fill up the mould with it; tie it down with a cloth, and boil or steam it for an hour. serve with a little of the custard poured over, to which has been added a tablespoonful of brandy. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, exclusive of the pudding, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. nesselrode pudding. (_a fashionable iced pudding--carême's recipe_.) . ingredients.-- chestnuts, lb. of sugar, flavouring of vanilla, pint of cream, the yolks of eggs, glass of maraschino, oz. of candied citron, oz. of currants, oz. of stoned raisins, / pint of whipped cream, eggs. _mode_.--blanch the chestnuts in boiling water, remove the husks, and pound them in a mortar until perfectly smooth, adding a few spoonfuls of syrup. then rub them through a fine sieve, and mix them in a basin with a pint of syrup made from lb. of sugar, clarified, and flavoured with vanilla, pint of cream, and the yolks of eggs. set this mixture over a slow fire, stirring it _without ceasing_, and just as it begins to boil, take it off and pass it through a tammy. when it is cold, put it into a freezing-pot, adding the maraschino, and make the mixture set; then add the sliced citron, the currants, and stoned raisins (these two latter should be soaked the day previously in maraschino and sugar pounded with vanilla); the whole thus mingled, add a plateful of whipped cream mixed with the whites of eggs, beaten to a froth with a little syrup. when the pudding is perfectly frozen, put it into a pineapple-shaped mould; close the lid, place it again in the freezing-pan, covered over with pounded ice and saltpetre, and let it remain until required for table; then turn the pudding out, and serve. _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _seasonable_ from october to february. baked orange pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of stale sponge cake or bruised ratafias, oranges, pint of milk, eggs, / lb. of sugar. _mode_.--bruise the sponge cake or ratafias into fine crumbs, and pour upon them the milk, which should be boiling. rub the rinds of of the oranges on sugar, and add this, with the juice of the remainder, to the other ingredients. beat up the eggs, stir them in, sweeten to taste, and put the mixture into a pie-dish previously lined with puff-paste. bake for rather more than / hour; turn it out of the dish, strew sifted sugar over, and serve. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, s, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to may. [illustration: orange.] orange (_citrus aurantium_).--the principal varieties are the sweet, or china orange, and the bitter, or seville orange; the maltese is also worthy of notice, from its red blood-like pulp. the orange is extensively cultivated in the south of europe, and in devonshire, on walls with a south aspect, it bears an abundance of fruit. so great is the increase in the demand for the orange, and so ample the supply, that it promises to rival the apple in its popularity. the orange-tree is considered young at the age of a hundred years. the pulp of the orange consists of a collection of oblong vesicles filled with a sugary and refreshing juice. the orange blossom is proverbially chosen for the bridal wreath, and, from the same flower, an essential oil is extracted hardly less esteemed than the celebrated ottar of roses. of all marmalades, that made from the seville orange is the best. the peel and juice of the orange are much used in culinary preparations. from oranges are made preserves, comfitures, jellies, glacés, sherbet, liqueurs, and syrups. the juice of the orange in a glass _d'eau sucrée_ makes a refreshing and wholesome drink. from the clarified pulp of the orange the french make a delicious jelly, which they serve in small pots, and call _crême_. the rasped peel of the orange is used in several sweet _entremets_, to which it communicates its perfume. the confectioner manufactures a variety of dainties from all parts of the orange. confections of orange-peel are excellent tonics and stomachics. persons with delicate stomachs should abstain from oranges at dessert, because their acidity is likely to derange the digestive organs. small dishes of pastry for entremets, supper-dishes, &c. fanchonnettes, or custard tartlets. . ingredients.--for the custard, eggs, / pint of milk, oz. of butter, oz. of pounded sugar, dessertspoonfuls of flour, flavouring to taste; the whites of eggs, oz. of pounded sugar. _mode_.--well beat the eggs; stir to them the milk, the butter, which should be beaten to a cream, the sugar, and flour; mix these ingredients well together, put them into a very clean saucepan, and bring them to the simmering point, but do not allow them to boil. flavour with essence of vanilla, bitter almonds, lemon, grated chocolate, or any flavouring ingredient that may be preferred. line some round tartlet-pans with good puff-paste; fill them with the custard, and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes; then take them out of the pans; let them cool, and in the mean time whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth; stir into this the pounded sugar, and spread smoothly over the tartlets a little of this mixture. put them in the oven again to set the icing, but be particular that they do not scorch: when the icing looks crisp, they are done. arrange them, piled high in the centre, on a white napkin, and garnish the dish, and in between the tartlets, with strips of bright jelly, or very firmly-made preserve. _time_.-- minutes to bake the tartlets; minutes after being iced. _average cost_, exclusive of the paste, s. _sufficient_ to fill or tartlets. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the icing may be omitted on the top of the tartlets, and a spoonful of any kind of preserve put at the bottom of the custard instead: this varies both the flavour and appearance of this dish. almond flowers. . ingredients.--puff-paste no. ; to every / lb. of paste allow oz. of almonds, sifted sugar, the white of an egg. _mode_.--roll the paste out to the thickness of / inch, and, with a round fluted cutter, stamp out as many pieces as may be required. work the paste up again, roll it out, and, with a smaller cutter, stamp out some pieces the size of a shilling. brush the larger pieces over with the white of an egg, and place one of the smaller pieces on each. blanch and cut the almonds into strips lengthwise; press them slanting into the paste closely round the rings; and when they are all completed, sift over some pounded sugar, and bake for about / hour or minutes. garnish between the almonds with strips of apple jelly, and place in the centre of the ring a small quantity of strawberry jam; pile them high on the dish, and serve. _time_.-- / hour or minutes. _sufficient_.-- or for a dish. _seasonable_ at any time. fluted rolls. . ingredients.--puff-paste, the white of an egg, sifted sugar, jelly or preserve. _mode_.--make some good puff-paste by recipe no. (trimmings answer very well for little dishes of this sort); roll it out to the thickness of / inch, and, with a round fluted paste-cutter, stamp out as many round pieces as may be required; brush over the upper side with the white of an egg; roll up the pieces, pressing the paste lightly together where it joins; place the rolls on a baking-sheet, and bake for about / hour. a few minutes before they are done, brush them over with the white of an egg; strew over sifted sugar, put them back in the oven; and when the icing is firm and of a pale brown colour, they are done. place a strip of jelly or preserve across each roll, dish them high on a napkin, and serve cold. _time_.-- / hour before being iced; to minutes after. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_.-- / lb. of puff-paste for dishes. _seasonable_ at any time. pastry sandwiches. . ingredients.--puff-paste, jam of any kind, the white of an egg, sifted sugar. _mode_.--roll the paste out thin; put half of it on a baking-sheet or tin, and spread equally over it apricot, greengage, or any preserve that may be preferred. lay over this preserve another thin paste; press the edges together all round; and mark the paste in lines with a knife on the surface, to show where to cut it when baked. bake from minutes to / hour; and, a short time before being done, take the pastry out of the oven, brush it over with the white of an egg, sift over pounded sugar, and put it back in the oven to colour. when cold, cut it into strips; pile these on a dish pyramidically, and serve. these strips, cut about inches long, piled in circular rows, and a plateful of flavoured whipped cream poured in the middle, make a very pretty dish. _time_.-- minutes to hour. _average cost_, with / lb. of paste, s. _sufficient_.-- / lb. of paste will make dishes of sandwiches. _seasonable_ at any time. petites bouchees. . ingredients.-- oz. of sweet almonds, / lb. of sifted sugar, the rind of / lemon, the white of egg, puff-paste. _mode_.--blanch the almonds, and chop them fine; rub the sugar on the lemon-rind, and pound it in a mortar; mix this with the almonds and the white of the egg. roll some puff-paste out; cut it in any shape that may be preferred, such as diamonds, rings, ovals, &c., and spread the above mixture over the paste. bake the bouchées in an oven, not too hot, and serve cold. _time_.-- / hour, or rather more. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for / lb. of puff-paste. _seasonable_ at any time. polish tartlets. . ingredients.--puff-paste, the white of an egg, pounded sugar. _mode_.--roll some good puff-paste out thin, and cut it into - / -inch squares; brush each square over with the white of an egg, then fold down the corners, so that they all meet in the middle of each piece of paste; slightly press the two pieces together, brush them over with the egg, sift over sugar, and bake in a nice quick oven for about / hour. when they are done, make a little hole in the middle of the paste, and fill it up with apricot jam, marmalade, or red-currant jelly. pile them high in the centre of a dish, on a napkin, and garnish with the same preserve the tartlets are filled with. _time_.-- / hour or minutes. _average cost_, with / lb. of puff-paste, s. _sufficient_ for dishes of pastry. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--it should be borne in mind, that, for all dishes of small pastry, such as the preceding, trimmings of puff-pasty, left from larger tarts, answer as well as making the paste expressly. puits d'amour, or puff-paste rings. . ingredients.--puff-paste no. , the white of an egg, sifted loaf sugar. _mode_.--make some good puff-paste by recipe no. ; roll it out to the thickness of about / inch, and, with a round fluted paste-cutter, stamp out as many pieces as may be required; then work the paste up again, and roll it out to the same thickness, and with a smaller cutter, stamp out sufficient pieces to correspond with the larger ones. again stamp out the centre of these smaller rings; brush over the others with the white of an egg, place a small ring on the top of every large circular piece of paste, egg over the tops, and bake from to minutes. sift over sugar, put them back in the oven to colour them; then fill the rings with preserve of any bright colour. dish them high on a napkin, and serve. so many pretty dishes of pastry may be made by stamping puff-paste out with fancy cutters, and filling the pieces, when baked, with jelly or preserve, that our space will not allow us to give a separate recipe for each of them; but, as they are all made from one paste, and only the shape and garnishing varied, perhaps it is not necessary, and by exercising a little ingenuity, variety may always be obtained. half-moons, leaves, diamonds, stars, shamrocks, rings, etc., are the most appropriate shapes for fancy pastry. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, with / lb. of paste, s. _sufficient_ for dishes of pastry. _seasonable_ at any time. paradise pudding. . ingredients.-- eggs, apples, / lb. of bread crumbs, oz. of sugar, oz. of currants, salt and grated nutmeg to taste, the rind of / lemon, / wineglassful of brandy. _mode_.--pare, core, and mince the apples into small pieces, and mix them with the other dry ingredients; beat up the eggs, moisten the mixture with these, and beat it well; stir in the brandy, and put the pudding into a buttered mould; tie it down with a cloth, boil for - / hour, and serve with sweet sauce. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. pease pudding. . ingredients.-- - / pint of split peas, oz. of butter, eggs, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--put the peas to soak over-night, in rain-water, and float off any that are wormeaten or discoloured. tie them loosely in a clean cloth, leaving a little room for them to swell, and put them on to boil in cold rain-water, allowing - / hours after the water has simmered up. when the peas are tender, take them up and drain; rub them through a colander with a wooden spoon; add the butter, eggs, pepper, and salt; beat all well together for a few minutes, until the ingredients are well incorporated; then tie them tightly in a floured cloth; boil the pudding for another hour, turn it on to the dish, and serve very hot. this pudding should always be sent to table with boiled leg of pork, and is an exceedingly nice accompaniment to boiled beef. _time_.-- - / hours to boil the peas, tied loosely in the cloth; hour for the pudding. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to march. baked plum-pudding. . ingredients.-- lbs. of flour, lb. of currants, lb. of raisins, lb. of suet, eggs, pint of milk, a few slices of candied peel. _mode_.--chop the suet finely; mix with it the flour, currants, stoned raisins, and candied peel; moisten with the well-beaten eggs, and add sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of very thick batter. put it into a buttered dish, and bake in a good oven from - / to - / hours; turn it out, strew sifted sugar over, and serve. for a very plain pudding, use only half the quantity of fruit, omit the eggs, and substitute milk or water for them. the above ingredients make a large family pudding; for a small one, half the quantity would be found ample; but it must be baked quite - / hour. _time_.--large pudding, - / to - / hours; half the size, - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. [illustration: raisin-grape.] raisin grape.--all the kinds of raisins have much the same virtues; they are nutritive and balsamic, but they are very subject to fermentation with juices of any kind; and hence, when eaten immoderately, they often bring on colics. there are many varieties of grape used for raisins; the fruit of valencia is that mostly dried for culinary purposes, whilst most of the table kinds are grown in malaga, and called muscatels. the finest of all table raisins come from provence or italy; the most esteemed of all are those of roquevaire; they are very large and very sweet. this sort is rarely eaten by any but the most wealthy. the dried malaga, or muscatel raisins, which come to this country packed in small boxes, and nicely preserved in bunches, are variable in their quality, but mostly of a rich flavour, when new, juicy, and of a deep purple hue. an excellent plum-pudding, made without eggs. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, oz. of raisins, oz. of currants, / lb. of chopped suet, / lb. of brown sugar, / lb. of mashed carrot, / lb. of mashed potatoes, tablespoonful of treacle, oz. of candied lemon-peel, oz. of candied citron. _mode_.--mix the flour, currants, suet, and sugar well together; have ready the above proportions of mashed carrot and potato, which stir into the other ingredients; add the treacle and lemon-peel; but put no liquid in the mixture, or it will be spoiled. tie it loosely in a cloth, or, if put in a basin, do not quite fill it, as the pudding should have room to swell, and boil it for hours. serve with brandy-sauce. this pudding is better for being mixed over-night. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. an unrivalled plum-pudding. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of muscatel raisins, - / lb. of currants, lb. of sultana raisins, lbs. of the finest moist sugar, lbs. of bread crumbs, eggs, lbs. of finely-chopped suet, oz. of mixed candied peel, the rind of lemons, oz. of ground nutmeg, oz. of ground cinnamon, / oz. of pounded bitter almonds, / pint of brandy. _mode_.--stone and cut up the raisins, but do not chop them; wash and dry the currants, and cut the candied peel into thin slices. mix all the dry ingredients well together, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well beaten and strained, to the pudding; stir in the brandy, and, when all is thoroughly mixed, well butter and flour a stout new pudding-cloth; put in the pudding, tie it down very tightly and closely, boil from to hours, and serve with brandy-sauce. a few sweet almonds, blanched and cut in strips, and stuck on the pudding, ornament it prettily. this quantity may be divided and boiled in buttered moulds. for small families this is the most desirable way, as the above will be found to make a pudding of rather large dimensions. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ in winter. _sufficient_ for or persons. _note_.--the muscatel raisins can be purchased at a cheap rate loose (not in bunches): they are then scarcely higher in price than the ordinary raisins, and impart a much richer flavour to the pudding. [illustration: sultana grape.] sultana grape.--we have elsewhere stated that the small black grape grown in corinth and the ionian isles is, when dried, the common currant of the grocers' shops; the white or yellow grape, grown in the same places, is somewhat larger than the black variety, and is that which produces the sultana raisin. it has been called sultana from its delicate qualities and unique growth: the finest are those of smyrna. they have not sufficient flavour and sugary properties to serve alone for puddings and cakes, but they are peculiarly valuable for mixing, that is to say, for introducing in company with the richer sorts of valencias or muscatels. in white puddings, or cakes, too, where the whiteness must be preserved, the sultana raisin should be used. but the greatest value of this fruit in the _cuisine_ is that of its saving labour; for it has no stones. half muscatels and half sultanas are an admirable mixture for general purposes. a plain christmas pudding for children. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of stoned raisins, / lb. of currants, / lb. of suet, or eggs, milk, oz. of candied peel, teaspoonful of powdered allspice, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--let the suet be finely chopped, the raisins stoned, and the currants well washed, picked, and dried. mix these with the other dry ingredients, and stir all well together; beat and strain the eggs to the pudding, stir these in, and add just sufficient milk to make it mix properly. tie it up in a well-floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil for at least hours. serve with a sprig of holly placed in the middle of the pudding, and a little pounded sugar sprinkled over it. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or children. _seasonable_ at christmas. raisins.--raisins are grapes, prepared by suffering them to remain on the vine until they are perfectly ripe, and then drying them in the sun or by the heat of an oven. the sun-dried grapes are sweet, the oven-dried of an acid flavour. the common way of drying grapes for raisins is to tie two or three bunches of them together, whilst yet on the vine, and dip them into a hot lixivium of wood-ashes mixed with a little of the oil of olives: this disposes them to shrink and wrinkle, after which they are left on the vine three or four days, separated, on sticks in a horizontal situation, and then dried in the sun at leisure, after being cut from the tree. christmas plum-pudding. (_very good_.) . ingredients.-- - / lb. of raisins, / lb. of currants, / lb. of mixed peel, / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of suet, eggs, wineglassful of brandy. [illustration: christmas plum-pudding in mould.] _mode_.--stone and cut the raisins in halves, but do not chop them; wash, pick, and dry the currants, and mince the suet finely; cut the candied peel into thin slices, and grate down the bread into fine crumbs. when all these dry ingredients are prepared, mix them well together; then moisten the mixture with the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the brandy; stir well, that everything may be very thoroughly blended, and _press_ the pudding into a buttered mould; tie it down tightly with a floured cloth, and boil for or hours. it may be boiled in a cloth without a mould, and will require the same time allowed for cooking. as christmas puddings are usually made a few days before they are required for table, when the pudding is taken out of the pot, hang it up immediately, and put a plate or saucer underneath to catch the water that may drain from it. the day it is to be eaten, plunge it into boiling water, and keep it boiling for at least hours; then turn it out of the mould, and serve with brandy-sauce. on christmas-day a sprig of holly is usually placed in the middle of the pudding, and about a wineglassful of brandy poured round it, which, at the moment of serving, is lighted, and the pudding thus brought to table encircled in flame. _time_.-- or hours the first time of boiling; hours the day it is to be served. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for a quart mould for or persons. _seasonable_ on the th of december, and on various festive occasions till march. _note_.--five or six of these puddings should be made at one time, as they will keep good for many weeks, and in cases where unexpected guests arrive, will be found an acceptable, and, as it only requires warming through, a quickly-prepared dish. moulds of every shape and size are manufactured for these puddings, and may be purchased of messrs. r. & j. slack, , strand. brandy is the alcoholic or spirituous portion of wine, separated from the aqueous part, the colouring matter, &c., by distillation. the word is of german origin, and in its german form, _brantuein_, signifies burnt wine, or wine that has undergone the action of fire; brandies, so called, however, have been made from potatoes, carrots, beetroot, pears, and other vegetable substances; but they are all inferior to true brandy. brandy is prepared in most wine countries, but that of france is the most esteemed. it is procured not only by distilling the wine itself, but also by fermenting and distilling the _marc_, or residue of the pressings of the grape. it is procured indifferently from red or white wine, and different wines yield very different proportions of it, the strongest, of course, giving the largest quantity. brandy obtained from marc has a more acrid taste than that from wine. the celebrated brandy of cognac, a town in the department of charente, and that brought from andraye, seem to owe their excellence from being made from white wine. like other spirit, brandy is colourless when recently distilled; by mere keeping, however, owing, probably, to some change in the soluble matter contained in it, it acquires a slight colour, which is much increased by keeping in casks, and is made of the required intensity by the addition of burnt sugar or other colouring matter. what is called _british brandy_ is not, in fact, brandy, which is the name, as we have said, of a spirit distilled from _wine;_ but is a spirit made chiefly from malt spirit, with the addition of mineral acids and various flavouring ingredients, the exact composition being kept secret. it is distilled somewhat extensively in this country; real brandy scarcely at all. the brandies imported into england are chiefly from bordeaux, rochelle, and cognac. a pound plum-pudding. . ingredients.-- lb. of suet, lb. of currants, lb. of stoned raisins, eggs, / grated nutmeg, oz. of sliced candied peel, teaspoonful of ground ginger, / lb. of bread crumbs, / lb. of flour, / pint of milk. [illustration: baked pudding or cake-mould.] _mode_.--chop the suet finely; mix with it the dry ingredients; stir these well together, and add the well-beaten eggs and milk to moisten with. beat up the mixture well, and should the above proportion of milk not be found sufficient to make it of the proper consistency, a little more should be added. press the pudding into a mould, tie it in a floured cloth, and boil for hours, or rather longer, and serve with brandy-sauce. _time_.-- hours, or longer. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. _note_.--the above pudding may be baked instead of boiled; it should be put into a buttered mould or tin, and baked for about hours; a smaller one would take about - / hour. citron.--the fruit of the citron-tree (_citrus medica_) is acidulous, antiseptic, and antiscorbutic: it excites the appetite, and stops vomiting, and, like lemon-juice, has been greatly extolled in chronic rheumatism, gout, and scurvy. mixed with cordials, it is used as an antidote to the _machineel poison_. the candied peel is prepared in the same manner as orange or lemon-peel; that is to say, the peel is boiled in water until quite soft, and then suspended in concentrated syrup (in the cold), after which it is either dried in a current of warm air, or in a stove, at a heat not exceeding ° fahrenheit. the syrup must be kept fully saturated with sugar by reboiling it once or twice during the process. it may be dusted with powdered lump sugar, if necessary. the citron is supposed to be the median, assyrian, or persian apple of the greeks. it is described by risso as having a majestic appearance, its shining leaves and rosy flowers being succeeded by fruit whose beauty and size astonish the observer, whilst their odour gratifies his senses. in china there is an enormous variety, but the citron is cultivated in all orange-growing countries. plum-pudding of fresh fruit. . ingredients.-- / lb. of suet crust no. - / pint of orleans or any other kind of plum, / lb. of moist sugar. _mode_.--line a pudding-basin with suet crust rolled out to the thickness of about / inch; fill the basin with the fruit, put in the sugar, and cover with crust. fold the edges over, and pinch them together, to prevent the juice escaping. tie over a floured cloth, put the pudding into boiling water, and boil from to - / hours. turn it out of the basin, and serve quickly. _time_.-- to - / hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_, with various kinds of plums, from the beginning of august to the beginning of october. [illustration: plum.] plums.--almost all the varieties of the cultivated plum are agreeable and refreshing: it is not a nourishing fruit, and if indulged in to excess, when unripe, is almost certain to cause diarrhoea and cholera. weak and delicate persons had better abstain from plums altogether. the modes of preparing plums are as numerous as the varieties of the fruit. the objections raised against raw plums do not apply to the cooked fruit, which even the invalid may eat in moderation. plum tart. . ingredients.-- / lb. of good short crust no. , - / pint of plums, / lb. of moist sugar. [illustration: plum tart.] _mode_.--line the edges of a deep tart-dish with crust made by recipe no. ; fill the dish with plums, and place a small cup or jar, upside down, in the midst of them. put in the sugar, cover the pie with crust, ornament the edges, and bake in a good oven from / to / hour. when puff-crust is preferred to short crust, use that made by recipe no. , and glaze the top by brushing it over with the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth with a knife; sprinkle over a little sifted sugar, and put the pie in the oven to set the glaze. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_, with various kinds of plums, from the beginning of august to the beginning of october. potato pasty. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of rump-steak or mutton cutlets, pepper and salt to taste, / pint of weak broth or gravy, oz. of butter, mashed potatoes. [illustration: potato-pasty pan.] _mode_.--place the meat, cut in small pieces, at the bottom of the pan; season it with pepper and salt, and add the gravy and butter broken, into small pieces. put on the perforated plate, with its valve-pipe screwed on, and fill up the whole space to the top of the tube with nicely-mashed potatoes mixed with a little milk, and finish the surface of them in any ornamental manner. if carefully baked, the potatoes will be covered with a delicate brown crust, retaining all the savoury steam rising from the meat. send it to table as it comes from the oven, with a napkin folded round it. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. potato pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of mashed potatoes, oz. of butter, eggs, / pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of sherry, / saltspoonful of salt, the juice and rind of small lemon, oz. of sugar. _mode_.--boil sufficient potatoes to make / lb. when mashed; add to these the butter, eggs, milk, sherry, lemon-juice, and sugar; mince the lemon-peel very finely, and beat all the ingredients well together. put the pudding into a buttered pie-dish, and bake for rather more than / hour. to enrich it, add a few pounded almonds, and increase the quantity of eggs and butter. _time_.-- / hour, or rather longer. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to ice or glaze pastry. . to glaze pastry, which is the usual method adopted for meat or raised pies, break an egg, separate the yolk from the white, and beat the former for a short time. then, when the pastry is nearly baked, take it out of the oven, brush it over with this beaten yolk of egg, and put it back in the oven to set the glaze. . to ice pastry, which is the usual method adopted for fruit tarts and sweet dishes of pastry, put the white of an egg on a plate, and with the blade of a knife beat it to a stiff froth. when the pastry is nearly baked, brush it over with this, and sift over some pounded sugar; put it back into the oven to set the glaze, and, in a few minutes, it will be done. great care should be taken that the paste does not catch or burn in the oven, which it is very liable to do after the icing is laid on. _sufficient_--allow egg and - / oz. of sugar to glaze tarts. [illustration: sugar canes.] sugar has been happily called "the honey of reeds." the sugar-cane appears to be originally a native of the east indies. the chinese have cultivated it for , years. the egyptians, phoenicians, and jews knew nothing about it. the greek physicians are the first who speak of it. it was not till the year that a venetian discovered the method of purifying brown sugar and making loaf sugar. he gained an immense fortune by this discovery. our supplies are now obtained from barbadoes, jamaica, mauritius, ceylon, the east and west indies generally, and the united states; but the largest supplies come from cuba. sugar is divided into the following classes:--refined sugar, white clayed, brown clayed, brown raw, and molasses. the sugarcane grows to the height of six, twelve, or even sometimes twenty feet. it is propagated from cuttings, requires much hoeing and weeding, giving employment to thousands upon thousands of slaves in the slave countries, and attains maturity in twelve or thirteen months. when ripe, it is cut down close to the stole, the stems are divided into lengths of about three feet, which are made up into bundles, and carried to the mill, to be crushed between rollers. in the process of crushing, the juice runs down into a reservoir, from which, after a while, it is drawn through a siphon; that is to say, the clear fluid is taken from the scum. this fluid undergoes several processes of drying and refining; the methods varying in different manufactories. there are some large establishments engaged in sugar-refining in the neighbourhoods of blackwall and bethnal green, london. the process is mostly in the hands of german workmen. sugar is adulterated with fine sand and sawdust. pure sugar is highly nutritious, adding to the fatty tissue of the body; but it is not easy of digestion. baked raisin pudding. (_plain and economical_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of stoned raisins, / lb. of suet, a pinch of salt, oz. of sugar, a little grated nutmeg, milk. _mode_.--chop the suet finely; stone the raisins and cut them in halves; mix these with the suet, add the salt, sugar, and grated nutmeg, and moisten the whole with sufficient milk to make it of the consistency of thick batter. put the pudding into a buttered pie-dish, and bake for - / hour, or rather longer. turn it out of the dish, strew sifted sugar over, and serve. this is a very plain recipe, and suitable where there is a family of children. it, of course, can be much improved by the addition of candied peel, currants, and rather a larger proportion of suet: a few eggs would also make the pudding richer. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. introduction of sugar.--sugar was first known as a drug, and used by the apothecaries, and with them was a most important article. at its first appearance, some said it was heating; others, that it injured the chest; others, that it disposed persons to apoplexy; the truth, however, soon conquered these fancies, and the use of sugar has increased every day, and there is no household in the civilized world which can do without it. boiled raisin pudding. (_plain and economical_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of stoned raisins, / lb. of chopped suet, / saltspoonful of salt, milk. _mode_.--after having stoned the raisins and chopped the suet finely, mix them with the flour, add the salt, and when these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, moisten the pudding with sufficient milk to make it into rather a stiff paste. tie it up in a floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil for hours: serve with sifted sugar. this pudding may, also, be made in a long shape, the same as a rolled jam-pudding, and will then not require so long boiling;-- - / hours would then be quite sufficient. _time_.--made round, hours; in a long shape, - / hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. boiled rhubarb pudding. . ingredients.-- or sticks of fine rhubarb, / lb. of moist sugar, / lb. of suet-crust no. . _mode_.--make a suet-crust with / lb. of flour, by recipe no. , and line a buttered basin with it. wash and wipe the rhubarb, and, if old, string it--that is to say, pare off the outside skin. cut it into inch lengths, fill the basin with it, put in the sugar, and cover with crust. pinch the edges of the pudding together, tie over it a floured cloth, put it into boiling water, and boil from to - / hours. turn it out of the basin, and serve with a jug of cream and sifted sugar. _time_.-- to - / hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in spring. rhubarb tart. . ingredients.-- / lb. of puff-paste no. , about sticks of large rhubarb, / lb. of moist sugar. _mode_.--make a puff-crust by recipe no. ; line the edges of a deep pie-dish with it, and wash, wipe, and cut the rhubarb into pieces about inch long. should it be old and tough, string it, that is to say, pare off the outside skin. pile the fruit high in the dish, as it shrinks very much in the cooking; put in the sugar, cover with crust, ornament the edges, and bake the tart in a well-heated oven from / to / hour. if wanted very nice, brush it over with the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth, then sprinkle on it some sifted sugar, and put it in the oven just to set the glaze: this should be done when the tart is nearly baked. a small quantity of lemon-juice, and a little of the peel minced, are by many persons considered an improvement to the flavour of rhubarb tart. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in spring. [illustration: rhubarb.] rhubarb.--this is one of the most useful of all garden productions that are put into pies and puddings. it was comparatively little known till within the last twenty or thirty years, but it is now cultivated in almost every british garden. the part used is the footstalks of the leaves, which, peeled and cut into small pieces, are put into tarts, either mixed with apples or alone. when quite young, they are much better not peeled. rhubarb comes in season when apples are going out. the common rhubarb is a native of asia; the scarlet variety has the finest flavour. turkey rhubarb, the well-known medicinal drug, is the root of a very elegant plant (_rheum palmatum_), coming to greatest perfection in tartary. for culinary purposes, all kinds of rhubarb are the better for being blanched. raised pie of poultry or game. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow / lb. of butter, / pint of water, the yolks of eggs, / teaspoonful of salt (these are for the crust); large fowl or pheasant, a few slices of veal cutlet, a few slices of dressed ham, forcemeat, seasoning of nutmeg, allspice, pepper and salt, gravy. [illustration: raised pie.] _mode_.--make a stiff short crust with the above proportion of butter, flour, water, and eggs, and work it up very smoothly; butter a raised-pie mould, as shown in no. , and line it with the paste. previously to making the crust, bone the fowl, or whatever bird is intended to be used, lay it, breast downwards, upon a cloth, and season the inside well with pounded mace, allspice, pepper, and salt; then spread over it a layer of forcemeat, then a layer of seasoned veal, and then one of ham, and then another layer of forcemeat, and roll the fowl over, making the skin meet at the back. line the pie with forcemeat, put in the fowl, and fill up the cavities with slices of seasoned veal and ham and forcemeat; wet the edges of the pie, put on the cover, pinch the edges together with the paste-pincers, and decorate it with leaves; brush it over with beaten yolk of egg, and bake in a moderate oven for hours. in the mean time, make a good strong gravy from the bones, pour it through a funnel into the hole at the top; cover this hole with a small leaf, and the pie, when cold, will be ready for use. let it be remembered that the gravy must be considerably reduced before it is poured into the pie, as, when cold, it should form a firm jelly, and not be the least degree in a liquid state. this recipe is suitable for all kinds of poultry or game, using one or more birds, according to the size of the pie intended to be made; but the birds must always be boned. truffles, mushrooms, &c., added to this pie, make it much nicer; and, to enrich it, lard the fleshy parts of the poultry or game with thin strips of bacon. this method of forming raised pies in a mould is generally called a _timbale_, and has the advantage of being more easily made than one where the paste is raised by the hands; the crust, besides, being eatable. (_see_ coloured plate n .) _time_.--large pie, hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_, with poultry, all the year; with game, from september to march. raised pie of veal and ham. . ingredients.-- or lbs. of veal cutlets, a few slices of bacon or ham, seasoning of pepper, salt, nutmeg, and allspice, forcemeat no. , lbs. of hot-water paste no. , / pint of good strong gravy. _mode_.--to raise the crust for a pie with the hands is a very difficult task, and can only be accomplished by skilled and experienced cooks. the process should be seen to be satisfactorily learnt, and plenty of practice given to the making of raised pies, as by that means only will success be insured. make a hot-water paste by recipe no. , and from the mass raise the pie with the hands; if this cannot be accomplished, cut out pieces for the top and bottom, and a long piece for the sides; fasten the bottom and side-piece together by means of egg, and pinch the edges well together; then line the pie with forcemeat made by recipe no. , put in a layer of veal, and a plentiful seasoning of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and allspice, as, let it be remembered, these pies taste very insipid unless highly seasoned. over the seasoning place a layer of sliced bacon or cooked ham, and then a layer of forcemeat, veal seasoning, and bacon, and so on until the meat rises to about an inch above the paste; taking care to finish with a layer of forcemeat, to fill all the cavities of the pie, and to lay in the meat firmly and compactly. brush the top edge of the pie with beaten egg, put on the cover, press the edges, and pinch them round with paste-pincers. make a hole in the middle of the lid, and ornament the pie with leaves, which should be stuck on with the white of an egg; then brush it all over with the beaten yolk of an egg, and bake the pie in an oven with a soaking heat from to hours. to ascertain when it is done, run a sharp-pointed knife or skewer through the hole at the top into the middle of the pie, and if the meat feels tender, it is sufficiently baked. have ready about / pint of very strong gravy, pour it through a funnel into the hole at the top, stop up the hole with a small leaf of baked paste, and put the pie away until wanted for use. should it acquire too much colour in the baking, cover it with white paper, as the crust should not in the least degree be burnt. mushrooms, truffles, and many other ingredients, may be added to enrich the flavour of these pies, and the very fleshy parts of the meat may be larded. these pies are more frequently served cold than hot, and form excellent dishes for cold suppers or breakfasts. the cover of the pie is sometimes carefully removed, leaving the perfect edges, and the top decorated with square pieces of very bright aspic jelly: this has an exceedingly pretty effect. _time_.--about hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for a very large pie. _seasonable_ from march to october. baked rice pudding. i. . ingredients.-- small teacupful of rice, eggs, pint of milk, oz. of fresh butter, oz. of beef marrow, / lb. of currants, tablespoonfuls of brandy, nutmeg, / lb. of sugar, the rind of / lemon. _mode_.--put the lemon-rind and milk into a stewpan, and let it infuse till the milk is well flavoured with the lemon; in the mean time, boil the rice until tender in water, with a very small quantity of salt, and, when done, let it be thoroughly drained. beat the eggs, stir to them the milk, which should be strained, the butter, marrow, currants, and remaining ingredients; add the rice, and mix all well together. line the edges of the dish with puff-paste, put in the pudding, and bake for about / hour in a slow oven. slices of candied-peel may be added at pleasure, or sultana raisins may be substituted for the currants. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--suitable for a winter pudding, when fresh fruits are not obtainable. rice, with proper management in cooking it, forms a very valuable and cheap addition to our farinaceous food, and, in years of scarcity, has been found eminently useful in lessening the consumption of flour. when boiled, it should be so managed that the grains, though soft, should be as little broken and as dry as possible. the water in which it is dressed should only simmer, and not boil hard. very little water should be used, as the grains absorb a great deal, and, consequently, swell much; and if they take up too much at first, it is difficult to get rid of it. baking it in puddings is the best mode of preparing it. ii. (_plain and economical; a nice pudding for children_.) . ingredients.-- teacupful of rice, tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, quart of milk, / oz. of butter or small tablespoonfuls of chopped suet, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. _mode_.--wash the rice, put it into a pie-dish with the sugar, pour in the milk, and stir these ingredients well together; then add the butter cut up into very small pieces, or, instead of this, the above proportion of finely-minced suet; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake the pudding, in a moderate oven, from - / to hours. as the rice is not previously cooked, care must be taken that the pudding be very slowly baked, to give plenty of time for the rice to swell, and for it to be very thoroughly done. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or children. _seasonable_ at any time. plain boiled rice pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice. _mode_.--wash the rice, tie it in a pudding-cloth, allowing room for the rice to swell, and put it into a saucepan of cold water; boil it gently for hours, and if, after a time, the cloth seems tied too loosely, take the rice up and tighten the cloth. serve with sweet melted butter, or cold butter and sugar, or stewed fruit, jam, or marmalade; any of which accompaniments are suitable for plain boiled rice. _time_.-- hours after the water boils. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. boiled rice pudding. i. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, - / pint of new milk, oz. of butter, eggs, / saltspoonful of salt, large tablespoonfuls of moist sugar, flavouring to taste. _mode_.--stew the rice very gently in the above proportion of new milk, and, when it is tender, pour it into a basin; stir in the butter, and let it stand to cool; then beat the eggs, add these to the rice with the sugar, salt, and any flavouring that may be approved, such as nutmeg, powdered cinnamon, grated lemon-peel, essence of bitter almonds, or vanilla. when all is well stirred, put the pudding into a buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and boil for - / hour. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. varieties of rice.--of the varieties of rice brought to our market, that from bengal is chiefly of the species denominated _cargo_ rice, and is of a coarse reddish-brown cast, but peculiarly sweet and large-grained; it does not readily separate from the husk, but it is preferred by the natives to all the others. _patua_ rice is more esteemed in europe, and is of very superior qualify; it is small-grained, rather long and wiry, and is remarkably white. the _carolina_ rice is considered as the best, and is likewise the dearest in london. ii. (_with dried or fresh fruit; a nice dish for the nursery_.) . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, pint of any kind of fresh fruit that may be preferred, or / lb. of raisins or currants. _mode_.--wash the rice, tie it in a cloth, allowing room for it to swell, and put it into a saucepan of cold water; let it boil for an hour, then take it up, untie the cloth, stir in the fruit, and tie it up again tolerably tight, and put it into the water for the remainder of the time. boil for another hour, or rather longer, and serve with sweet sauce, if made with dried fruit, and with plain sifted sugar and a little cream or milk, if made with fresh fruit. _time_.-- hour to boil the rice without the fruit; hour, or longer, afterwards. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or children. _seasonable_ at any time. note.--this pudding is very good made with apples: they should be pared cored, and cut into thin slices. boiled rice for curries, &c. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, water, salt. _mode_.--pick, wash, and soak the rice in plenty of cold water; then have ready a saucepan of boiling water, drop the rice into it, and keep it boiling quickly, with the lid uncovered, until it is tender, but not soft. take it up, drain it, and put it on a dish before the fire to dry: do not handle it much with a spoon, but shake it about a little with two forks, that it may all be equally dried, and strew over a little salt. it is now ready to serve, and may be heaped lightly on a dish by itself, or be laid round the dish as a border, with a curry or fricassee in the centre. some cooks smooth the rice with the back of a spoon, and then brush it over with the yolk of an egg, and set it in the oven to colour; but the rice well boiled, white, dry, and with every grain distinct, is by far the more preferable mode of dressing it. during the process of boiling, the rice should be attentively watched, that it be not overdone, as, if this is the case, it will have a mashed and soft appearance. _time_.-- to minutes, according to the quality of the rice. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for a large dish of curry. _seasonable_ at any time. rice, in the native rough state, with the husk on, is called _paddy_, both in india and america, and it will keep better, and for a much longer time, in this state, than after the husk has been removed; besides which, prepared rice is apt to become dirty from rubbing about in the voyage on board ship, and in the warehouses. it is sometimes brought to england in the shape of paddy, and the husk detached here. paddy pays less duty than shelled rice. to boil rice for curries, &c. (_soyer's recipe_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of the best carolina rice, quarts of water, - / oz. of butter, a little salt. _mode_.--wash the rice well in two waters; make quarts of water boiling, and throw the rice into it; boil it until three-parts done, then drain it on a sieve. butter the bottom and sides of a stewpan, put in the rice, place the lid on tightly, and set it by the side of the fire until the rice is perfectly tender, occasionally shaking the pan to prevent its sticking. prepared thus, every grain should be separate and white. either dish it separately, or place it round the curry as a border. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for moderate-sized curries. _seasonable_ at any time. buttered rice. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, - / pint of milk, oz. of butter, sugar to taste, grated nutmeg or pounded cinnamon. _mode_.--wash and pick the rice, drain and put it into a saucepan with the milk; let it swell gradually, and, when tender, pour off the milk; stir in the butter, sugar, and nutmeg or cinnamon, and, when the butter is thoroughly melted, and the whole is quite hot, serve. after the milk is poured off, be particular that the rice does not burn: to prevent this, do not cease stirring it. _time_.--about / hour to swell the rice. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. rice was held in great esteem by the ancients: they considered it as a very beneficial food for the chest; therefore it was recommended in cases of consumption, and to persons subject to spitting of blood. savoury casserole of rice. or rice border, for ragouts, fricassees, &c. (an entree). . ingredients.-- - / lb. of rice, pints of weak stock or broth, slices of fat ham, teaspoonful of salt. [illustration: casserole of rice.] _mode_.--a casserole of rice, when made in a mould, is not such a difficult operation as when it is moulded by the hand. it is an elegant and inexpensive entrée, as the remains of cold fish, flesh, or fowl may be served as ragoûts, fricassees, &c., inclosed in the casserole. it requires great nicety in its preparation, the principal thing to attend to being the boiling of the rice, as, if this is not sufficiently cooked, the casserole, when moulded, will have a rough appearance, which would entirely spoil it. after having washed the rice in two or three waters, drain it well, and put it into a stewpan with the stock, ham, and salt; cover the pan closely, and let the rice gradually swell over a slow fire, occasionally stirring, to prevent its sticking. when it is quite soft, strain it, pick out the pieces of ham, and, with the back of a large wooden spoon, mash the rice to a perfectly smooth paste. then well grease a mould (moulds are made purposely for rice borders), and turn it upside down for a minute or two, to drain away the fat, should there be too much; put some rice all round the bottom and sides of it; place a piece of soft bread in the middle, and cover it with rice; press it in equally with the spoon, and let it cool. then dip the mould into hot water, turn the casserole carefully on to a dish, mark where the lid is to be formed on the top, by making an incision with the point of a knife about an inch from the edge all round, and put it into a _very hot_ oven. brush it over with a little clarified butter, and bake about / hour, or rather longer; then carefully remove the lid, which will be formed by the incision having been made all round, and remove the bread, in small pieces, with the point of a penknife, being careful not to injure the casserole. fill the centre with the ragoût or fricassee, which should be made thick; put on the cover, glaze it, place it in the oven to set the glaze, and serve as hot as possible. the casserole should not be emptied too much, as it is liable to crack from the weight of whatever is put in; and in baking it, let the oven be very hot, or the casserole will probably break. _time_.--about / hour to swell the rice. _sufficient_ for moderate-sized casseroles. _seasonable_ at any time. sweet casserole of rice (an entremets). . ingredients.-- - / lb. of rice, pints of milk, sugar to taste, flavouring of bitter almonds, oz. of butter, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--this is made in precisely the same manner as a savoury casserole, only substituting the milk and sugar for the stock and salt. put the milk into a stewpan, with sufficient essence of bitter almonds to flavour it well; then add the rice, which should be washed, picked, and drained, and let it swell gradually in the milk over a slow fire. when it is tender, stir in the sugar, butter, and yolks of eggs; butter a mould, press in the rice, and proceed in exactly the same manner as in recipe no. . when the casserole is ready, fill it with a compôte of any fruit that may be preferred, or with melted apricot-jam, and serve. _time_.--from / to hour to swell the rice, / to / hour to bake the casserole. _average cost_, exclusive of the compôte or jam, s. d. _sufficient_ for casseroles. _seasonable_ at any time. french rice pudding, or gateau de riz. . ingredients.--to every / lb. of rice allow quart of milk, the rind of lemon, / teaspoonful of salt, sugar to taste, oz. of butter, eggs, bread crumbs. _mode_.--put the milk into a stewpan with the lemon-rind, and let it infuse for / hour, or until the former is well flavoured; then take out the peel; have ready the rice washed, picked, and drained; put it into the milk, and let it gradually swell over a very slow fire. stir in the butter, salt, and sugar, and when properly sweetened, add the yolks of the eggs, and then the whites, both of which should be well beaten, and added separately to the rice. butter a mould, strew in some fine bread crumbs, and let them be spread equally over it; then carefully pour in the rice, and bake the pudding in a _slow_ oven for hour. turn it out of the mould, and garnish the dish with preserved cherries, or any bright-coloured jelly or jam. this pudding would be exceedingly nice, flavoured with essence of vanilla. _time_.-- / to hour for the rice to swell; to be baked hour in a slow oven. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. baked or boiled ground rice pudding. . ingredients.-- pints of milk, tablespoonfuls of ground rice, sugar to taste, eggs, flavouring of lemon-rind, nutmeg, bitter almonds or bay-leaf. _mode_.--put - / pint of the milk into a stewpan, with any of the above flavourings, and bring it to the boiling-point, and, with the other / pint of milk, mix the ground rice to a smooth batter; strain the boiling milk to this, and stir over the fire until the mixture is tolerably thick; then pour it into a basin, leave it uncovered, and when nearly or quite cold, sweeten it to taste, and add the eggs, which should be previously well beaten, with a little salt. put the pudding into a well-buttered basin, tie it down with a cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and boil for - / hour. for a baked pudding, proceed in precisely the same manner, only using half the above proportion of ground rice, with the same quantity of all the other ingredients: an hour will bake the pudding in a moderate oven. stewed fruit, or preserves, or marmalade, may be served with either the boiled or baked pudding, and will be found an improvement. _time_.-- - / hour to boil, hour to bake. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. iced rice pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of rice, quart of milk, / lb. of sugar, the yolks of eggs, small teaspoonful of essence of vanilla. _mode_.--put the rice into a stewpan, with the milk and sugar, and let these simmer over a gentle fire until the rice is sufficiently soft to break up into a smooth mass, and should the milk dry away too much, a little more may be added. stir the rice occasionally, to prevent its burning, then beat it to a smooth mixture; add the yolks of the eggs, which should be well whisked, and the vanilla (should this flavouring not be liked, essence of bitter almonds may be substituted for it); put this rice custard into the freezing-pot, and proceed as directed in recipe no. . when wanted for table, turn the pudding out of the mould, and pour over the top, and round it, a _compôte_ of oranges, or any other fruit that may be preferred, taking care that the flavouring in the pudding harmonizes well with the fruit that is served with it. _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _average cost_, s. d.; exclusive of the _compôte_, s. d. _seasonable_.--served all the year round. miniature rice puddings. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, - / pint of milk, oz. of fresh butter, eggs, sugar to taste; flavouring of lemon-peel, bitter almonds, or vanilla; a few strips of candied peel. _mode_.--let the rice swell in pint of the milk over a slow fire, putting with it a strip of lemon-peel; stir to it the butter and the other / pint of milk, and let the mixture cool. then add the well-beaten eggs, and a few drops of essence of almonds or essence of vanilla, whichever may be preferred; butter well some small cups or moulds, line them with a few pieces of candied peel sliced very thin, fill them three parts full, and bake for about minutes; turn them out of the cups on to a white d'oyley, and serve with sweet sauce. the flavouring and candied peel might be omitted, and stewed fruit or preserve served instead, with these puddings. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for puddings. _seasonable_ at any time. arrowroot sauce for puddings. . ingredients.-- small teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, dessert-spoonfuls of pounded sugar, the juice of lemon, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, / pint of water. _mode_.--mix the arrowroot smoothly with the water; put this into a stewpan; add the sugar, strained lemon-juice, and grated nutmeg. stir these ingredients over the fire until they boil, when the sauce is ready for use. a small quantity of wine, or any liqueur, would very much improve the flavour of this sauce: it is usually served with bread, rice, custard, or any dry pudding that is not very rich. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. cherry sauce for sweet puddings. (_german recipe_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of cherries, tablespoonful of flour, oz. of butter, / pint of water, wineglassful of port wine, a little grated lemon-rind, pounded cloves, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice, sugar to taste. _mode_.--stone the cherries, and pound the kernels in a mortar to a smooth paste; put the butter and flour into a saucepan; stir them over the fire until of a pale brown; then add the cherries, the pounded kernels, the wine, and the water. simmer these gently for / hour, or until the cherries are quite cooked, and rub the whole through a hair sieve; add the remaining ingredients, let the sauce boil for another minutes, and serve. this is a delicious sauce to serve with boiled batter pudding, and when thus used, should be sent to table poured over the pudding. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. lemon sauce for sweet puddings. . ingredients.--the rind and juice of lemon, tablespoonful of flour, oz. of butter, large wineglassful of sherry, wineglassful of water, sugar to taste, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--rub the rind of the lemon on to some lumps of sugar; squeeze out the juice, and strain it; put the butter and flour into a saucepan, stir them over the fire, and when of a pale brown, add the wine, water, and strained lemon-juice. crush the lumps of sugar that were rubbed on the lemon; stir these into the sauce, which should be very sweet. when these ingredients are well mixed, and the sugar is melted, put in the beaten yolks of eggs; keep stirring the sauce until it thickens, when serve. do not, on any account, allow it to boil, or it will curdle, and be entirely spoiled. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. soyer's sauce for plum-pudding. . ingredients.--the yolks of eggs, tablespoonful of powdered sugar, gill of milk, a very little grated lemon-rind, small wineglassfuls of brandy. _mode_.--separate the yolks from the whites of eggs, and put the former into a stewpan; add the sugar, milk, and grated lemon-rind, and stir over the fire until the mixture thickens; but do _not_ allow it to _boil_. put in the brandy; let the sauce stand by the side of the fire, to get quite hot; keep stirring it, and serve in a boat or tureen separately, or pour it over the pudding. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. sweet sauce for puddings. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter made with milk, heaped teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, flavouring; of grated lemon-rind, or nutmeg, or cinnamon. _mode_.--make / pint of melted butter by recipe no. , omitting the salt; stir in the sugar, add a little grated lemon-rind, nutmeg, or powdered cinnamon, and serve. previously to making the melted butter, the milk can be flavoured with bitter almonds, by infusing about half a dozen of them in it for about / hour; the milk should then be strained before it is added to the other ingredients. this simple sauce may be served for children with rice, batter, or bread pudding. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. vanilla custard sauce, to serve with puddings. . ingredients.-- / pint of milk, eggs, oz. of sugar, drops of essence of vanilla. _mode_.--beat the eggs, sweeten the milk; stir these ingredients well together, and flavour them with essence of vanilla, regulating the proportion of this latter ingredient by the strength of the essence, the size of the eggs, &c. put the mixture into a small jug, place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir the sauce _one way_ until it thickens; but do not allow it to boil, or it will instantly curdle. serve in a boat or tureen separately, with plum, bread, or any kind of dry pudding. essence of bitter almonds or lemon-rind may be substituted for the vanilla, when they are more in accordance with the flavouring of the pudding with which the sauce is intended to be served. _time_.--to be stirred in the jug from to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. an excellent wine sauce for puddings. . ingredients.--the yolks of eggs, teaspoonful of flour, oz. of pounded sugar, oz. of fresh butter, / saltspoonful of salt, / pint of sherry or madeira. _mode_.--put the butter and flour into a saucepan, and stir them over the fire until the former thickens; then add the sugar, salt, and wine, and mix these ingredients well together. separate the yolks from the whites of eggs; beat up the former, and stir them briskly to the sauce; let it remain over the fire until it is on the point of simmering; but do not allow it to boil, or it will instantly curdle. this sauce is delicious with plum, marrow, or bread puddings; but should be served separately, and not poured over the pudding. _time_.--from to minutes to thicken the butter; about minutes to stir the sauce over the fire. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. wine or brandy sauce for puddings. . ingredients.-- / pint of melted butter no. , heaped teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar; _large_ wineglassful of port or sherry, or / of a _small_ glassful of brandy. _mode_.--make / pint of melted butter by recipe no. , omitting the salt; then stir in the sugar and wine or spirit in the above proportion, and bring the sauce to the point of boiling. serve in a boat or tureen separately, and, if liked, pour a little of it over the pudding. to convert this into punch sauce, add to the sherry and brandy a small wineglassful of rum and the juice and grated rind of / lemon. liqueurs, such as maraschino or curaçoa substituted for the brandy, make excellent sauces. _time_.--altogether, minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. wine sauce for puddings. . ingredients.-- / pint of sherry, / pint of water, the yolks of eggs, oz. of pounded sugar, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel, a few pieces of candied citron cut thin. _mode_.--separate the yolks from the whites of eggs; beat them, and put them into a very clean saucepan (if at hand, a lined one is best); add all the other ingredients, place them over a sharp fire, and keep stirring until the sauce begins to thicken; then take it off and serve. if it is allowed to boil, it will be spoiled, as it will immediately curdle. _time_.--to be stirred over the fire or minutes; but it must not boil. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for a large pudding; allow half this quantity for a moderate-sized one. _seasonable_ at any time. open tart of strawberry or any other kind of preserve. [illustration: open tart.] [illustration: open-tart mould.] . ingredients.--trimmings of puff-paste, any kind of jam. _mode_.--butter a tart-pan of the shape shown in the engraving, roll out the paste to the thickness of / an inch, and line the pan with it; prick a few holes at the bottom with a fork, and bake the tart in a brisk oven from to minutes. let the paste cool a little; then fill it with preserve, place a few stars or leaves on it, which have been previously cut out of the paste and baked, and the tart is ready for table. by making it in this manner, both the flavour and colour of the jam are preserved, which would otherwise be lost, were it baked in the oven on the paste; and, besides, so much jam is not required. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_.-- tart for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. strawberry.--the name of this favourite fruit is said to be derived from an ancient custom of putting straw beneath the fruit when it began to ripen, which is very useful to keep it moist and clean. the strawberry belongs to temperate and rather cold climates; and no fruit of these latitudes, that ripens without the aid of artificial heat, is at all comparable with it in point of flavour. the strawberry is widely diffused, being found in most parts of the world, particularly in europe and america. quickly-made puddings. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, / lb. of sifted sugar, / lb. of flour, pint of milk, eggs, a little grated lemon-rind. _mode_.--make the milk hot; stir in the butter, and let it cool before the other ingredients are added to it; then stir in the sugar, flour, and eggs, which should be well whisked, and omit the whites of ; flavour with a little grated lemon-rind, and beat the mixture well. butter some small cups, rather more than half fill them; bake from minutes to / hour, according to the size of the puddings, and serve with fruit, custard, or wine sauce, a little of which may be poured over them. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for puddings. _seasonable_ at any time. sago pudding. . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of sago, the rind of / lemon, oz. of sugar, eggs, - / oz. of butter, grated nutmeg, puff-paste. _mode_.--put the milk and lemon-rind into a stewpan, place it by the side of the fire, and let it remain until the milk is well flavoured with the lemon; then strain it, mix with it the sago and sugar, and simmer gently for about minutes. let the mixture cool a little, and stir to it the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the butter. line the edges of a pie-dish with puff-paste, pour in the pudding, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and bake from / to hour. _time_.-- / to hour, or longer if the oven is very slow. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the above pudding may be boiled instead of baked; but then allow extra tablespoonfuls of sago, and boil the pudding in a buttered basin from - / to - / hour. sago.--sago is the pith of a species of palm (_cycas circinalis_). its form is that of a small round grain. there are two sorts of sago,--the white and the yellow; but their properties are the same. sago absorbs the liquid in which it is cooked, becomes transparent and soft, and retains its original shape. its alimentary properties are the same as those of tapioca and arrowroot. sago sauce for sweet puddings. . ingredients.-- tablespoonful of sago, / pint of water, / pint of port or sherry, the rind and juice of small lemon, sugar to taste; when the flavour is liked, a little pounded cinnamon. _mode_.--wash the sago in two or three waters; then put it into a saucepan, with the water and lemon-peel; let it simmer gently by the side of the fire for minutes; then take out the lemon-peel, add the remaining ingredients, give one boil, and serve. be particular to strain the lemon-juice before adding it to the sauce. this, on trial, will be found a delicious accompaniment to various boiled puddings, such as those made of bread, raisins, rice, &c. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. baked semolina pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of semolina, - / pint of milk, / lb. of sugar, bitter almonds, oz. of butter, eggs. _mode_.--flavour the milk with the bitter almonds, by infusing them in it by the side of the fire for about / hour; then strain it, and mix with it the semolina, sugar, and butter. stir these ingredients over the fire for a few minutes; then take them off, and gradually mix in the eggs, which should be well beaten. butter a pie-dish, line the edges with puff-paste, put in the pudding, and bake in rather a slow oven from to minutes. serve with custard sauce or stewed fruit, a little of which may be poured over the pudding. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. semolina.--after vermicelli, semolina is the most useful ingredient that can be used for thickening soups, meat or vegetable, of rich or simple quality. semolina is softening, light, wholesome, easy of digestion, and adapted to the infant, the aged, and the invalid. that of a clear yellow colour, well dried and newly made, is the fittest for use. tapioca pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of tapioca, quart of milk, oz. of butter, / lb. of sugar, eggs, flavouring of vanilla, grated lemon-rind, or bitter almonds. _mode_.--wash the tapioca, and let it stew gently in the milk by the side of the fire for / hour, occasionally stirring it; then let it cool a little; mix with it the butter, sugar, and eggs, which should be well beaten, and flavour with either of the above ingredients, putting in about drops of the essence of almonds or vanilla, whichever is preferred. butter a pie-dish, and line the edges with puff-paste; put in the pudding, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. if the pudding is boiled, add a little more tapioca, and boil it in a buttered basin - / hour. _time_.-- hour to bake, - / hour to boil. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. tapioca.--tapioca is recommended to the convalescent, as being easy of digestion. it may be used in soup or broth, or mixed with milk or water, and butter. it is excellent food for either the healthy or sick, for the reason that it is so quickly digested without fatigue to the stomach. tartlets. . ingredients.--trimmings of puff-paste, any jam or marmalade that may be preferred. [illustration: dish of tartlets.] _mode_.--roll out the paste to the thickness of about / inch; butter some small round patty-pans, line them with it, and cut off the superfluous paste close to the edge of the pan. put a small piece of bread into each tartlet (this is to keep them in shape), and bake in a brisk oven for about minutes, or rather longer. when they are done, and are of a nice colour, take the pieces of bread out carefully, and replace them by a spoonful of jam or marmalade. dish them high on a white d'oyley, piled high in the centre, and serve. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_.-- lb. of paste will make dishes of tartlets. _seasonable_ at any time. rolled treacle pudding. . ingredients.-- lb. of suet crust no. , lb. of treacle, / teaspoonful of grated ginger. _mode_.--make, with lb. of flour, a suet crust by recipe no. ; roll it out to the thickness of / inch, and spread the treacle equally over it, leaving a small margin where the paste joins; close the ends securely, tie the pudding in a floured cloth, plunge it into boiling water, and boil for hours. we have inserted this pudding, being economical, and a favourite one with children; it is, of course, only suitable for a nursery, or very plain family dinner. made with a lard instead of a suet crust, it would be very nice baked, and would be sufficiently done in from - / to hours. _time_.--boiled pudding, hours; baked pudding, - / to hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. meat or sausage rolls. . ingredients.-- lb. of puff-paste no. , sausage-meat no. , the yolk of egg. _mode_.--make lb. of puff-paste by recipe no. ; roll it out to the thickness of about / inch, or rather less, and divide it into , , or squares, according to the size the rolls are intended to be. place some sausage-meat on one-half of each square, wet the edges of the paste, and fold it over the meat; slightly press the edges together, and trim them neatly with a knife. brush the rolls over with the yolk of an egg, and bake them in a well-heated oven for about / hour, or longer should they be very large. the remains of cold chicken and ham, minced and seasoned, as also cold veal or beef, make very good rolls. _time_.-- / hour, or longer if the rolls are large. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_.-- lb. of paste for or rolls. _seasonable_, with sausage-meat, from september to march or april. somersetshire puddings. . ingredients.-- eggs, their weight in flour, pounded sugar and butter, flavouring of grated lemon-rind, bitter almonds, or essence of vanilla. _mode_.--carefully weigh the various ingredients, by placing on one side of the scales the eggs, and on the other the flour; then the sugar, and then the butter. warm the butter, and with the hands beat it to a cream; gradually dredge in the flour and pounded sugar, and keep stirring and beating the mixture without ceasing until it is perfectly smooth. then add the eggs, which should be well whisked, and either of the above flavourings that may be preferred; butter some small cups, rather more than half-fill them, and bake in a brisk oven for about / hour. turn them out, dish them on a napkin, and serve custard or wine-sauce with them. a pretty little supper-dish may be made of these puddings cold, by cutting out a portion of the inside with the point of a knife, and putting into the cavity a little whipped cream or delicate preserve, such as apricot, greengage, or very bright marmalade. the paste for these puddings requires a great deal of mixing, as the more it is beaten, the better will the puddings be. when served cold, they are usually called _gâteaux à la madeleine_. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or puddings. _seasonable_ at any time. suet pudding, to serve with roast meat. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, oz. of finely-chopped suet, / saltspoonful of salt, / saltspoonful of pepper, / pint of milk or water. _mode_.--chop the suet very finely, after freeing it from skin, and mix it well with the flour; add the salt and pepper (this latter ingredient may be omitted if the flavour is not liked), and make the whole into a smooth paste with the above proportion of milk or water. tie the pudding in a floured cloth, or put it into a buttered basin, and boil from - / to hours. to enrich it, substitute beaten eggs for some of the milk or water, and increase the proportion of suet. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--when there is a joint roasting or baking, this pudding may be boiled in a long shape, and then cut into slices a few minutes before dinner is served: these slices should be laid in the dripping-pan for a minute or two, and then browned before the fire. most children like this accompaniment to roast meat. where there is a large family of children, and the means of keeping them are limited, it is a most economical plan to serve up the pudding before the meat: as, in this case, the consumption of the latter article will be much smaller than it otherwise would be. sussex, or hard dumplings. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / pint of water, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--mix the flour and water together to a smooth paste, previously adding a small quantity of salt. form this into small round dumplings; drop them into boiling water, and boil from / to / hour. they may be served with roast or boiled meat; in the latter case they may be cooked with the meat, but should be dropped into the water when it is quite boiling. _time_.-- / to / hour. _sufficient_ for or dumplings. _seasonable_ at any time. vermicelli pudding. . ingredients.-- oz. of vermicelli, - / pint of milk, / pint of cream, oz. of butter, oz. of sugar, eggs. _mode_.--boil the vermicelli in the milk until it is tender; then stir in the remaining ingredients, omitting the cream, if not obtainable. flavour the mixture with grated lemon-rind, essence of bitter almonds, or vanilla; butter a pie-dish; line the edges with puff-paste, put in the pudding, and bake in a moderate oven for about / hour. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. without cream. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. vermicelli.--the finest vermicelli comes from marseilles, nimes, and montpellier. it is a nourishing food, and owes its name to its peculiar thread-like form. vermicelli means, little worms. vicarage pudding. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, / lb. of chopped suet, / lb. of currants, / lb. of raisins, tablespoonful of moist sugar, / teaspoonful of ground ginger, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a basin, having previously stoned the raisins, and washed, picked, and dried the currants; mix well with a clean knife; dip the pudding-cloth into boiling water, wring it out, and put in the mixture. have ready a saucepan of boiling water, plunge in the pudding, and boil for hours. turn it out on the dish, and serve with sifted sugar. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--suitable for a winter pudding. vol-au-vent (an entree). . ingredients.-- / to lb. of puff-paste no. , fricasseed chickens, rabbits, ragouts, or the remains of cold fish, flaked and warmed in thick white sauce. [illustration: vol-au-vent.] _mode_.--make from / to lb. of puff-paste, by recipe no. , taking care that it is very evenly rolled out each time, to insure its rising properly; and if the paste is not extremely light, and put into a good hot oven, this cannot be accomplished, and the _vol-au-vent_ will look very badly. roll out the paste to the thickness of about - / inch, and, with a fluted cutter, stamp it out to the desired shape, either round or oval, and, with the point of a small knife, make a slight incision in the paste all round the top, about an inch from the edge, which, when baked, forms the lid. put the _vol-au-vent_ into a good brisk oven, and keep the door shut for a few minutes after it is put in. particular attention should he paid to the heating of the oven, for the paste _cannot_ rise without a tolerable degree of heat when of a nice colour, without being scorched, withdraw it from the oven, instantly remove the cover where it was marked, and detach all the soft crumb from the centre: in doing this, be careful not to break the edges of the _vol-au-vent_; but should they look thin in places, stop them with small flakes of the inside paste, stuck on with the white of an egg. this precaution is necessary to prevent the fricassee or ragoût from bursting the case, and so spoiling the appearance of the dish. fill the _vol-au-vent_ with a rich mince, or fricassee, or ragoût, or the remains of cold fish flaked and warmed in a good white sauce, and do not make them very liquid, for fear of the gravy bursting the crust: replace the lid, and serve. to improve the appearance of the crust, brush it over with the yolk of an egg after it has risen properly.--see coloured plate o . _time_.-- / hour to bake the _vol-au-vent_. _average cost_, exclusive of interior, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: small vol-au-vents.] _note_.--small _vol-au-vents_ may be made like those shown in the engraving, and filled with minced veal, chicken, &c. they should be made of the same paste as the larger ones, and stamped out with a small fluted cutter. sweet vol-au-vent of plums, apples, or any other fresh fruit. . ingredients.-- / lb. of puff-paste no. , about pint of fruit compôte. _mode_.--make / lb. of puff-paste by recipe no. , taking care to bake it in a good brisk oven, to draw it up nicely and make it look light. have ready sufficient stewed fruit, the syrup of which must be boiled down until very thick; fill the _vol-au-vent_ with this, and pile it high in the centre; powder a little sugar over it, and put it back in the oven to glaze, or use a salamander for the purpose: the _vol-au-vent_ is then ready to serve. they may be made with any fruit that is in season, such as rhubarb, oranges, gooseberries, currants, cherries, apples, &c.; but care must be taken not to have the syrup too thin, for fear of its breaking through the crust. _time_.-- / hour to minutes to bake the _vol-au-vent_. _average cost_, exclusive of the compôte, s. d. _sufficient_ for entremets. vol-au-vent of fresh strawberries with whipped cream. . ingredients.-- / lb. of puff-paste no. , pint of freshly-gathered strawberries, sugar to taste, a plateful of whipped cream. _mode_.--make a _vol-au-vent_ case by recipe no. , only not quite so large nor so high as for a savoury one. when nearly done, brush the paste over with the white of an egg, then sprinkle on it some pounded sugar, and put it back in the oven to set the glaze. remove the interior, or soft crumb, and, at the moment of serving, fill it with the strawberries, which should be picked, and broken up with sufficient sugar to sweeten them nicely. place a few spoonfuls of whipped cream on the top, and serve. _time_.-- / hour to minutes to bake the _vol-au-vent_. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for _vol-au-vent_. _seasonable_ in june and july. strawberry.--among the greeks, the name of the strawberry indicated its tenuity, this fruit forming hardly a mouthful. with the latins, the name reminded one of the delicious perfume of this plant. both nations were equally fond of it, and applied the same care to its cultivation. virgil appears to place it in the same rank with flowers; and ovid gives it a tender epithet, which delicate palates would not disavow. neither does this luxurious poet forget the wild strawberry, which disappears beneath its modest foliage, but whose presence the scented air reveals. west-indian pudding. . ingredients.-- pint of cream, / lb. of loaf-sugar, / lb. of savoy or sponge-cakes, eggs, oz. of preserved green ginger. _mode_.--crumble down the cakes, put them into a basin, and pour over them the cream, which should be previously sweetened and brought to the boiling-point; cover the basin, well beat the eggs, and when the cream is soaked up, stir them in. butter a mould, arrange the ginger round it, pour in the pudding carefully, and tie it down with a cloth; steam or boil it slowly for - / hour, and serve with the syrup from the ginger, which should be warmed, and poured over the pudding. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. sufficient for or persons. seasonable at any time. yeast dumplings. . ingredients.-- / quartern of dough, boiling water. mode.--make a very light dough as for bread, using to mix it, milk, instead of water; divide it into or dumplings; plunge them into boiling water, and boil them for minutes. serve the instant they are taken up, as they spoil directly, by falling and becoming heavy; and in eating them do not touch them with a knife, but tear them apart with two forks. they may be eaten with meat gravy, or cold butter and sugar, and if not convenient to make the dough at home, a little from the baker's answers as well, only it must be placed for a few minutes near the fire, in a basin with a cloth over it, to let it rise again before it is made into dumplings. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. yeast consists principally of a substance very similar in composition, and in many of its sensible properties, to gluten; and, when new or fresh, it is inflated and rendered frothy by a large quantity of carbonic acid. when mixed with wort, this substance acts upon the saccharine matter; the temperature rises, carbonic acid is disengaged, and the result is _ale_, which always contains a considerable proportion of alcohol, or spirit. the quantity of yeast employed in brewing ale being small, the saccharine matter is but imperfectly decomposed: hence a considerable portion of it remains in the liquor, and gives it that viscid quality and body for which it is remarkable. the fermenting property of yeast is weakened by boiling for ten minutes, and is entirely destroyed by continuing the boiling. alcohol poured upon it likewise renders it inert; on which account its power lessens as the alcohol is formed during fermentation. yorkshire pudding, to serve with hot roast beef. . ingredients.-- - / pint of milk, _large_ tablespoonfuls of flour, eggs, saltspoonful of salt. [illustration: yorkshire pudding.] _mode_.--put the flour into a basin with the salt, and stir gradually to this enough milk to make it into a stiff batter. when this is perfectly smooth, and all the lumps are well rubbed down, add the remainder of the milk and the eggs, which should be well beaten. beat the mixture for a few minutes, and pour it into a shallow tin, which has been previously well rubbed with beef dripping. put the pudding into the oven, and bake it for an hour; then, for another / hour, place it under the meat, to catch a little of the gravy that flows from it. cut the pudding into small square pieces, put them on a hot dish, and serve. if the meat is baked, the pudding may at once be placed under it, resting the former on a small three-cornered stand. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxviii. general observations on creams, jellies, soufflÉs, omelets, & sweet dishes. . creams.--the yellowish-white, opaque fluid, smooth and unctuous to the touch, which separates itself from new milk, and forms a layer on its surface, when removed by skimming, is employed in a variety of culinary preparations. the analyses of the contents of cream have been decided to be, in parts--butter, . ; curd, or matter of cheese, . ; whey, . . that cream contains an oil, is evinced by its staining clothes in the manner of oil; and when boiled for some time, a little oil floats upon the surface. the thick animal oil which it contains, the well-known _butter_, is separated only by agitation, as in the common process of _churning_, and the cheesy matter remains blended with the whey in the state of _buttermilk_. of the several kinds of cream, the principal are the devonshire and dutch clotted creams, the costorphin cream, and the scotch sour cream. the devonshire cream is produced by nearly boiling the milk in shallow tin vessels over a charcoal fire, and kept in that state until the whole of the cream is thrown up. it is used for eating with fruits and tarts. the cream from costorphin, a village of that name near edinburgh, is accelerated in its separation from three or four days' old milk, by a certain degree of heat; and the dutch clotted cream--a coagulated mass in which a spoon will stand upright--is manufactured from fresh-drawn milk, which is put into a pan, and stirred with a spoon two or three times a day, to prevent the cream from separating from the milk. the scotch "sour cream" is a misnomer; for it is a material produced without cream. a small tub filled with skimmed milk is put into a larger one, containing hot water, and after remaining there all night, the thin milk (called _wigg_) is drawn off, and the remainder of the contents of the smaller vessel is "sour cream." . jellies are not the nourishing food they were at one time considered to be, and many eminent physicians are of opinion that they are less digestible than the flesh, or muscular part of animals; still, when acidulated with lemon-juice and flavoured with wine, they are very suitable for some convalescents. vegetable jelly is a distinct principle, existing in fruits, which possesses the property of gelatinizing when boiled and cooled; but it is a principle entirely different from the gelatine of animal bodies, although the name of jelly, common to both, sometimes leads to an erroneous idea on that subject. animal jelly, or gelatine, is glue, whereas vegetable jelly is rather analogous to gum. liebig places gelatine very low indeed in the scale of usefulness. he says, "gelatine, which by itself is tasteless, and when eaten, excites nausea, possesses no nutritive value; that, even when accompanied by the savoury constituents of flesh, it is not capable of supporting the vital process, and when added to the usual diet as a substitute for plastic matter, does not increase, but, on the contrary, diminishes the nutritive value of the food, which it renders insufficient in quantity and inferior in quality." it is this substance which is most frequently employed in the manufacture of the jellies supplied by the confectioner; but those prepared at home from calves' feet do possess some nutrition, and are the only sort that should be given to invalids. isinglass is the purest variety of gelatine, and is prepared from the sounds or swimming-bladders of certain fish, chiefly the sturgeon. from its whiteness it is mostly used for making blanc-mange and similar dishes. . the white of eggs is perhaps the best substance that can be employed in clarifying jelly, as well as some other fluids, for the reason that when albumen (and the white of eggs is nearly pure albumen) is put into a liquid that is muddy, from substances suspended in it, on boiling the liquid, the albumen coagulates in a flocculent manner, and, entangling with it the impurities, rises with them to the surface as a scum, or sinks to the bottom, according to their weight. . souffles, omelets, and sweet dishes, in which eggs form the principal ingredient, demand, for their successful manufacture, an experienced cook. they are the prettiest, but most difficult of all entremets. the most essential thing to insure success is to secure the best ingredients from an honest tradesman. the entremets coming within the above classification, are healthy, nourishing, and pleasant to the taste, and may be eaten with safety by persons of the most delicate stomachs. recipes. chapter xxix. baked apple custard. . ingredients.-- dozen large apples, moist sugar to taste, small teacupful of cold water, the grated rind of one lemon, pint of milk, eggs, oz. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--peel, cut, and core the apples; put them into a lined saucepan with the cold water, and as they heat, bruise them to a pulp; sweeten with moist sugar, and add the grated lemon-rind. when cold, put the fruit at the bottom of a pie-dish, and pour over it a custard, made with the above proportion of milk, eggs, and sugar; grate a little nutmeg over the top, place the dish in a moderate oven, and bake from to minutes. the above proportions will make rather a large dish. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. buttered apples (sweet entremets). . ingredients.--apple marmalade no. , or good boiling apples, / pint of water, oz. of sugar, oz. of butter, a little apricot jam. _mode_.--pare the apples, and take out the cores without dividing them; boil up the sugar and water for a few minutes; then lay in the apples, and simmer them very gently until tender, taking care not to let them break. have ready sufficient marmalade made by recipe no. , and flavoured with lemon, to cover the bottom of the dish; arrange the apples on this with a piece of butter placed in each, and in between them a few spoonfuls of apricot jam or marmalade; place the dish in the oven for minutes, then sprinkle over the top sifted sugar; either brown it before the fire or with a salamander, and serve hot. _time_.--from to minutes to stew the apples very gently, minutes in the oven. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for entremets. _note_.--the syrup that the apples were boiled in should be saved for another occasion. flanc of apples, or apples in a raised crust. _(sweet entremets.)_ . ingredients.-- / lb. of short crust no. or , moderate-sized apples, the rind and juice of / lemon, / lb. of white sugar, / pint of water, a few strips of candied citron. _mode_.--make a short crust by either of the above recipes; roll it out to the thickness of / inch, and butter an oval mould; line it with the crust, and press it carefully all round the sides, to obtain the form of the mould, but be particular not to break the paste. pinch the part that just rises above the mould with the paste-pincers, and fill the case with flour; bake it for about / hour; then take it out of the oven, remove the flour, put the case back in the oven for another / hour, and do not allow it to get scorched. it is now ready for the apples, which should be prepared in the following manner: peel, and take out the cores with a small knife, or a cutter for the purpose, without dividing the apples; put them into a small lined saucepan, just capable of holding them, with sugar, water, lemon juice and rind, in the above proportion. let them simmer very gently until tender; then take out the apples, let them cool, arrange them in the flanc or case, and boil down the syrup until reduced to a thick jelly; pour it over the apples, and garnish them with a few slices of candied citron. . a more simple flanc may be made by rolling out the paste, cutting the bottom of a round or oval shape, and then a narrow strip for the sides: these should be stuck on with the white of an egg, to the bottom piece, and the flanc then filled with raw fruit, with sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely. it will not require so long baking as in a mould; but the crust must be made everywhere of an equal thickness, and so perfectly joined, that the juice does not escape. this dish may also be served hot, and should be garnished in the same manner, or a little melted apricot jam may be poured over the apples, which very much improves their flavour. _time_.--altogether, hour to bake the flanc from to minutes to stew the apples very gently. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for entremets or side-dish. _seasonable_ from july to march. apple fritters. . ingredients.--for the batter, / lb. of flour, / oz. of butter, / saltspoonful of salt, eggs, milk, apples, hot lard or clarified beef-dripping. _mode_.--break the eggs; separate the whites from the yolks, and beat them separately. put the flour into a basin, stir in the butter, which should be melted to a cream; add the salt, and moisten with sufficient warm milk to make it of a proper consistency, that is to say, a batter that will drop from the spoon. stir this well, rub down any lumps that may be seen, and add the whites of the eggs, which have been previously well whisked; beat up the batter for a few minutes, and it is ready for use. now peel and cut the apples into rather thick whole slices, without dividing them, and stamp out the middle of each slice, where the core is, with a cutter. throw the slices into the batter; have ready a pan of boiling lard or clarified dripping; take out the pieces of apple one by one, put them into the hot lard, and fry a nice brown, turning them--when required. when done, lay them on a piece of blotting-paper before the fire, to absorb the greasy moisture; then dish on a white d'oyley, piled one above the other; strew over them some pounded sugar, and serve very hot. the flavour of the fritters would be very much improved by soaking the pieces of apple in a little wine, mixed with sugar and lemon-juice, for or hours before wanted for table; the batter, also, is better for being mixed some hours before the fritters are made. _time_.--about minutes to fry them; minutes to drain them. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. iced apples, or apple hedgehog. . ingredients.--about dozen good boiling apples, / lb. of sugar, / pint of water, the rind of / lemon minced very fine, the whites of eggs, tablespoonfuls of pounded sugar, a few sweet almonds. _mode_.--peel and core a dozen of the apples without dividing them, and stew them very gently in a lined saucepan with / lb. of sugar and / pint of water, and when tender, lift them carefully on to a dish. have ready the remainder of the apples pared, cored, and cut into thin slices; put them into the same syrup with the lemon-peel, and boil gently until they are reduced to a marmalade: they must be kept stirred, to prevent them from burning. cover the bottom of a dish with some of the marmalade, and over that a layer of the stewed apples, in the insides of which, and between each, place some of the marmalade; then place another layer of apples, and fill up the cavities with marmalade as before, forming the whole into a raised oval shape. whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix with them the pounded sugar, and cover the apples very smoothly all over with the icing; blanch and cut each almond into or strips; place these strips at equal distances over the icing sticking up; strew over a little rough pounded sugar, and place the dish in a very slow oven, to colour the almonds, and for the apples to get warm through. this entremets may also be served cold, and makes a pretty supper-dish. _time_.--from to minutes to stew the apples. _average cost_, s. d. to s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. thick apple jelly or marmalade, for entremets or dessert dishes. . ingredients.--apples; to every lb. of pulp allow / lb. of sugar, / teaspoonful of minced lemon-peel. [illustration: apple jelly stuck with almonds.] _mode_.--peel, core, and boil the apples with only sufficient water to prevent them from burning; beat them to a pulp, and to every lb. of pulp allow the above proportion of sugar in lumps. dip the lumps into water; put these into a saucepan, and boil till the syrup is thick and can be well skimmed; then add this syrup to the apple pulp, with the minced lemon-peel, and stir it over a quick fire for about minutes, or until the apples cease to stick to the bottom of the pan. the jelly is then done, and may be poured into moulds which have been previously dipped in water, when it will turn out nicely for dessert or a side-dish; for the latter a little custard should be poured round, and it should be garnished with strips of citron or stuck with blanched almonds. _time_.--from / to / hour to reduce the apples to a pulp; minutes to boil after the sugar is added. _sufficient._-- - / lb. of apples sufficient for a small mould. _seasonable_ from july to march; but is best in september, october or november. clear apple jelly. . ingredients.-- dozen apples, - / pint of spring-water; to every pint of juice allow / lb. of loaf sugar, / oz. of isinglass, the rind of / lemon. _mode_.--pare, core, and cut the apples into quarters, and boil them, with the lemon-peel, until tender; then strain off the apples, and run the juice through a jelly-bag; put the strained juice, with the sugar and isinglass, which has been previously boiled in / pint of water, into a lined saucepan or preserving-pan; boil all together for about / hour, and put the jelly into moulds. when this jelly is nice and clear, and turned out well, it makes a pretty addition to the supper-table, with a little custard or whipped cream round it: the addition of a little lemon-juice improves the flavour, but it is apt to render the jelly muddy and thick. if required to be kept any length of time, rather a larger proportion of sugar must be used. _time_.--from to - / hour to boil the apples; / hour the jelly. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for a - / -pint mould. _seasonable_ from july to march. a pretty dish of apples and rice. . ingredients.-- oz. of rice, quart of milk, the rind of / lemon, sugar to taste, / saltspoonful of salt, apples, / lb. of sugar, / pint of water, / pint of boiled custard no. . _mode_.--flavour the milk with lemon-rind, by boiling them together for a few minutes; then take out the peel, and put in the rice, with sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely, and boil gently until the rice is quite soft; then let it cool. in the mean time pare, quarter, and core the apples, and boil them until tender in a syrup made with sugar and water in the above proportion; and, when soft, lift them out on a sieve to drain. now put a middling-sized gallipot in the centre of a dish; lay the rice all round till the top of the gallipot is reached; smooth the rice with the back of a spoon, and stick the apples into it in rows, one row sloping to the right and the next to the left. set it in the oven to colour the apples; then, when required for table, remove the gallipot, garnish the rice with preserved fruits, and pour in the middle sufficient custard, made by recipe no. , to be level with the top of the rice, and serve hot. _time_.--from to minutes to stew the apples; / hour to simmer the rice; / hour to bake. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. apples a la portugaise. . ingredients.-- good boiling apples, / pint of water, oz. of sugar, a layer of apple marmalade no. , preserved cherries, garnishing of apricot jam. _mode_.--peel the apples, and, with a vegetable-cutter, push out the cores; boil them in the above proportion of sugar and water, without being too much done, and take care they do not break. have ready a white apple marmalade, made by recipe no. ; cover the bottom of the dish with this, level it, and lay the apples in a sieve to drain, pile them neatly on the marmalade, making them high in the centre, and place a preserved cherry in the middle of each. garnish with strips of candied citron or apricot jam, and the dish is ready for table. _time_.--from to so minutes to stew the apples. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for entremets. _seasonable_ from july to march. apples in red jelly. (_a pretty supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- good-sized apples, cloves, pounded sugar, lemon, teacupfuls of water, tablespoonful of gelatine, a few drops of prepared cochineal. _mode_.--choose rather large apples; peel them and take out the cores, either with a scoop or a small silver knife, and put into each apple cloves and as much sifted sugar as they will hold. place them, without touching each other, in a large pie-dish; add more white sugar, the juice of lemon, and teacupfuls of water. bake in the oven, with a dish over them, until they are done. look at them frequently, and, as each apple is cooked, place it in a glass dish. they must not be left in the oven after they are done, or they will break, and so would spoil the appearance of the dish. when the apples are neatly arranged in the dish without touching each other, strain the liquor in which they have been stewing, into a lined saucepan; add to it the rind of the lemon, and a tablespoonful of gelatine which has been previously dissolved in cold water, and, if not sweet, a little more sugar, and cloves. boil till quite clear; colour with a few drops of prepared cochineal, and strain the jelly through a double muslin into a jug; let it cool _a little_; then pour it into the dish round the apples. when quite cold, garnish the tops of the apples with a bright-coloured marmalade, a jelly, or the white of an egg, beaten to a strong froth, with a little sifted sugar. _time_.--from to minutes to bake the apples. _average cost_, s., with the garnishing. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. apples and rice. _(a plain dish.)_ . ingredients.-- good sized apples, oz. of butter, the rind of / lemon minced very fine, oz. of rice, - / pint of milk, sugar to taste, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, tablespoonfuls of apricot jam. _mode_.--peel the apples, halve them, and take out the cores; put them into a stewpan with the butter, and strew sufficient sifted sugar over to sweeten them nicely, and add the minced lemon-peel. stew the apples very gently until tender, taking care they do not break. boil the rice, with the milk, sugar, and nutmeg, until soft, and, when thoroughly done, dish it, piled high in the centre; arrange the apples on it, warm the apricot jam, pour it over the whole, and serve hot. _time_.--about minutes to stew the apples very gently; about / hour to cook the rice. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. apple snow. (_a pretty supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- good-sized apples, the whites of eggs, the rind of lemon, / lb. of pounded sugar. _mode_.--peel, core, and cut the apples into quarters, and put them into a saucepan with the lemon-peel and sufficient water to prevent them from burning,--rather less than / pint. when they are tender, take out the peel, beat them to a pulp, let them cool, and stir them to the whites of the eggs, which should be previously beaten to a strong froth. add the sifted sugar, and continue the whisking until the mixture becomes quite stiff; and either heap it on a glass dish, or serve it in small glasses. the dish may be garnished with preserved barberries, or strips of bright-coloured jelly; and a dish of custards should be served with it, or a jug of cream. _time_.--from to minutes to stew the apples. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a moderate-sized glass dish. _seasonable_ from july to march. apple souffle. . ingredients.-- oz. of rice, quart of milk, the rind of / lemon, sugar to taste, the yolks of eggs, the whites of , - / oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of apple marmalade no. . _mode_.--boil the milk with the lemon-peel until the former is well flavoured; then strain it, put in the rice, and let it gradually swell over a slow fire, adding sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely. then crush the rice to a smooth pulp with the back of a wooden spoon; line the bottom and sides of a round cake-tin with it, and put it into the oven to set; turn it out of the tin carefully, and be careful that the border of rice is firm in every part. mix with the marmalade the beaten yolks of eggs and the butter, and stir these over the fire until the mixture thickens. take it off the fire; to this add the whites of the eggs, which should be previously beaten to a strong froth; stir all together, and put it into the rice border. bake in a moderate oven for about / hour, or until the soufflé rises very light. it should be watched, and served instantly, or it will immediately fall after it is taken from the oven. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. stewed apples and custard. (_a pretty dish for a juvenile supper_.) . ingredients.-- good-sized apples, the rind of / lemon or cloves, / lb. of sugar, / pint of water, / pint of custard no. . _mode_.--pare and take out the cores of the apples, without dividing them, and, if possible, leave the stalks on; boil the sugar and water together for minutes; then put in the apples with the lemon-rind or cloves, whichever flavour may be preferred, and simmer gently until they are tender, taking care not to let them break. dish them neatly on a glass dish, reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly for a few minutes, let it cool a little; then pour it over the apples. have ready quite / pint of custard made by recipe no. ; pour it round, but not over, the apples when they are quite cold, and the dish is ready for table. a few almonds blanched and cut into strips, and stuck in the apples, would improve their appearance.--see coloured plate q . _time_.--from to minutes to stew the apples. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to fill a large glass dish. _seasonable_ from july to march. apple trifle. (_a supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- good-sized apples, the rind of / lemon, oz. of pounded sugar, / pint of milk, / pint of cream, eggs, whipped cream. _mode_.--peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices, and put them into a saucepan with tablespoonfuls of water, the sugar, and minced lemon-rind. boil all together until quite tender, and pulp the apples through a sieve; if they should not be quite sweet enough, add a little more sugar, and put them at the bottom of the dish to form a thick layer. stir together the milk, cream, and eggs, with a little sugar, over the fire, and let the mixture thicken, but do not allow it to reach the boiling-point. when thick, take it off the fire; let it cool a little, then pour it over the apples. whip some cream with sugar, lemon-peel, &c., the same as for other trifles; heap it high over the custard, and the dish is ready for table. it may be garnished as fancy dictates, with strips of bright apple jelly, slices of citron, &c. _time_.--from to minutes to stew the apples; minutes to stir the custard over the fire. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized trifle. _seasonable_ from july to march. apricot cream. . ingredients.-- to ripe apricots, / lb. of sugar, - / pint of milk, the yolks of eggs, oz. of isinglass. _mode_.--divide the apricots, take out the stones, and boil them in a syrup made with / lb. of sugar and / pint of water, until they form a thin marmalade, which rub through a sieve. boil the milk with the other / lb. of sugar, let it cool a little, then mix with it the yolks of eggs which have been previously well beaten; put this mixture into a jug, place this jug in boiling water, and stir it one way over the fire until it thickens; but on no account let it boil. strain through a sieve, add the isinglass, previously boiled with a small quantity of water, and keep stirring it till nearly cold; then mix the cream with the apricots; stir well, put it into an oiled mould, and, if convenient, set it on ice; at any rate, in a very cool place. it should turn out on the dish without any difficulty. _time_.--from to minutes to boil the apricots. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ in august, september, and october. _note_.--in winter-time, when fresh apricots are not obtainable, a little jam may be substituted for them. flanc of apricots, or compote of apricots in a raised crust. _(sweet entremets.)_ . ingredients.-- / lb. of short crust no. , from to good-sized apricots, / pint of water, / lb. of sugar. _mode_.--make a short crust by recipe no. , and line a mould with it as directed in recipe no. . boil the sugar and water together for minutes; halve the apricots, take out the stones, and simmer them in the syrup until tender; watch them carefully, and take them up the moment they are done, for fear they break. arrange them neatly in the flanc or case; boil the syrup until reduced to a jelly, pour it over the fruit, and serve either hot or cold. greengages, plums of all kinds, peaches, &c., may be done in the same manner, as also currants, raspberries, gooseberries, strawberries, &c.; but with the last-named fruits, a little currant-juice added to them will be found an improvement. _time_.--altogether, hour to bake the flanc, about minutes to simmer the apricots. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for entremets or side-dish. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september. arrowroot blanc-mange. (_an inexpensive supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- heaped tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, - / pint of milk, laurel-leaves or the rind of / lemon, sugar to taste. _mode_.--mix to a smooth batter the arrowroot with / pint of the milk; put the other pint on the fire, with laurel-leaves or lemon-peel, whichever may be preferred, and let the milk steep until it is well flavoured. then strain the milk, and add it, boiling, to the mixed arrowroot; sweeten it with sifted sugar, and let it boil, stirring it all the time, till it thickens sufficiently to come from the saucepan. grease a mould with pure salad-oil, pour in the blanc-mange, and when quite set, turn it out on a dish, and pour round it a compôte of any kind of fruit, or garnish it with jam. a tablespoonful of brandy, stirred in just before the blanc-mange is moulded, very much improves the flavour of this sweet dish. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, d. without the garnishing. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. blanc-mange. (_a supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- pint of new milk, - / oz. of isinglass, the rind of / lemon, / lb. of loaf sugar, bitter almonds, / oz. of sweet almonds, pint of cream. [illustration: blanc-mange mould.] _mode_.--put the milk into a saucepan, with the isinglass, lemon-rind, and sugar, and let these ingredients stand by the side of the fire until the milk is well flavoured; add the almonds, which should be blanched and pounded in a mortar to a paste, and let the milk just boil up; strain it through a fine sieve or muslin into a jug, add the cream, and stir the mixture occasionally until nearly cold. let it stand for a few minutes, then pour it into the mould, which should be previously oiled with the purest salad-oil, or dipped in cold water. there will be a sediment at the bottom of the jug, which must not be poured into the mould, as, when turned out, it would very much disfigure the appearance of the blanc-mange. this blanc-mange may be made very much richer by using - / pint of cream, and melting the isinglass in / pint of boiling water. the flavour may also be very much varied by adding bay-leaves, laurel-leaves, or essence of vanilla, instead of the lemon-rind and almonds. noyeau, maraschino, curaçoa, or any favourite liqueur, added in small proportions, very much enhances the flavour of this always favourite dish. in turning it out, just loosen the edges of the blanc-mange from the mould, place a dish on it, and turn it quickly over; it should come out easily, and the blanc-mange have a smooth glossy appearance when the mould is oiled, which it frequently has not when it is only dipped in water. it may be garnished as fancy dictates. _time_.--about - / hour to steep the lemon-rind and almonds in the milk. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. cheap blanc-mange. . ingredients.-- / lb. of sugar, quart of milk, - / oz. of isinglass, the rind of / lemon, laurel-leaves. [illustration: blanc-mange.] _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a lined saucepan, and boil gently until the isinglass is dissolved; taste it occasionally, to ascertain when it is sufficiently flavoured with the laurel-leaves; then take them out, and keep stirring the mixture over the fire for about minutes. strain it through a fine sieve into a jug, and, when nearly cold, pour it into a well-oiled mould, omitting the sediment at the bottom. turn it out carefully on a dish, and garnish with preserves, bright jelly, or a compote of fruit. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. bread-and-butter fritters. . ingredients.--batter, slices of bread and butter, or tablespoonfuls of jam. _mode_.--make a batter, the same as for apple fritters no. ; cut some slices of bread and butter, not very thick; spread half of them with any jam that may he preferred, and cover with the other slices; slightly press them together, and cut them out in square, long, or round pieces. dip them in the batter, and fry in boiling lard for about minutes; drain them before the fire on a piece of blotting-paper or cloth. dish them, sprinkle over sifted sugar, and serve. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to make the stock for jelly, and to clarify it. . ingredients.-- calf's feet, pints of water. [illustration: jelly-mould.] [illustration: jelly-bag.] _mode_.--the stock for jellies should always be made the day before it is required for use, as the liquor has time to cool, and the fat can be so much more easily and effectually removed when thoroughly set. procure from the butcher's nice calf's feet: scald them, to take off the hair; slit them in two, remove the fat from between the claws, and wash the feet well in warm water; put them into a stewpan, with the above proportion of cold water, bring it gradually to boil, and remove every particle of scum as it rises. when it is well skimmed, boil it very gently for or hours, or until the liquor is reduced rather more than half; then strain it through a sieve into a basin, and put it in a cool place to set. as the liquor is strained, measure it, to ascertain the proportion for the jelly, allowing something for the sediment and fat at the top. to clarify it, carefully remove all the fat from the top, pour over a little warm water, to wash away any that may remain, and wipe the jelly with a clean cloth; remove the jelly from the sediment, put it into a saucepan, and, supposing the quantity to be a quart, add to it oz. of loaf sugar, the shells and well-whisked whites of eggs, and stir these ingredients together cold; set the saucepan on the fire, but _do not stir the jelly after it begins to warm_. let it boil about minutes after it rises to a head, then throw in a teacupful of cold water; let it boil minutes longer, then take the saucepan off, cover it closely, and let it remain / hour near the fire. dip the jelly-bag into hot water, wring it out quite dry, and fasten it on to a stand or the back of a chair, which must be placed near the fire, to prevent the jelly from setting before it has run through the bag. place a basin underneath to receive the jelly; then pour it into the bag, and should it not be clear the first time, run it through the bag again. this stock is the foundation of all _really good_ jellies, which may be varied in innumerable ways, by colouring and flavouring with liqueurs, and by moulding it with fresh and preserved fruits. to insure the jelly being firm when turned out, / oz. of isinglass clarified might be added to the above proportion of stock. substitutes for calf's feet are now frequently used in making jellies, which lessen the expense and trouble in preparing this favourite dish; isinglass and gelatine being two of the principal materials employed; but, although they may _look_ as nicely as jellies made from good stock, they are never so delicate, having very often an unpleasant flavour, somewhat resembling glue, particularly when made with gelatine. _time_.--about hours to boil the feet for the stock; to clarify it,-- / hour to boil, / hour to stand in the saucepan covered. _average cost_.--calf's feet may be purchased for d. each when veal is in full season, but more expensive when it is scarce. _sufficient_.-- calf's feet should make quart of stock. _seasonable_ from march to october, but may be had all the year. how to make a jelly-bag.--the very stout flannel called double-mill, used for ironing-blankets, is the best material for a jelly-bag: those of home manufacture are the only ones to be relied on for thoroughly clearing the jelly. care should be taken that the seam of the bag be stitched twice, to secure it against unequal filtration. the most convenient mode of using the big is to tie it upon a hoop the exact size of the outside of its mouth; and, to do this, strings should be sewn round it at equal distances. the jelly-bag may, of coarse, be made any size; but one of twelve or fourteen inches deep, and seven or eight across the mouth, will be sufficient for ordinary use. the form of a jelly-bag is the fool's cap. cow-heel stock for jellies. (more economical than calf's feet.) . ingredients.-- cow-heels, quarts of water. _mode_.--procure heels that have only been scalded, and not boiled; split them in two, and remove the fat between the claws; wash them well in warm water, and put them into a saucepan with the above proportion of cold water; bring it gradually to boil, remove all the scum as it rises, and simmer the heels gently from to hours, or until the liquor is reduced one-half; then strain it into a basin, measuring the quantity, and put it in a cool place. clarify it in the same manner as calf's-feet stock no. , using, with the other ingredients, about / oz. of isinglass to each quart. this stock should be made the day before it is required for use. two dozen shank-bones of mutton, boiled for or hours, yield a quart of strong firm stock. they should be put on in quarts of water, which should be reduced one-half. make this also the day before it is required. _time_.-- to hours to boil the cow-heels, to hours to boil the shank-bones. _average cost_, from d. to d. each. _sufficient_.-- cow-heels should make pints of stock. _seasonable_ at any time. isinglass or gelatine jelly. (_substitutes for calf's feet_.) . ingredients.-- oz. of isinglass or gelatine, quarts of water. _mode_.--put the isinglass or gelatine into a saucepan with the above proportion of cold water; bring it quickly to boil, and let it boil very fast, until the liquor is reduced one-half. carefully remove the scum as it rises, then strain it through a jelly-bag, and it will be ready for use. if not required very clear, it may be merely strained through a fine sieve, instead of being run through a bag. rather more than / oz. of isinglass is about the proper quantity to use for a quart of strong calf's-feet stock, and rather more than oz. for the same quantity of fruit juice. as isinglass varies so much in quality and strength, it is difficult to give the exact proportions. the larger the mould, the stiffer should be the jelly; and where there is no ice, more isinglass must be used than if the mixture were frozen. this forms a stock for all kinds of jellies, which may be flavoured in many ways. _time_.-- - / hour. _sufficient_, with wine, syrup, fruit, &c., to fill two moderate-sized moulds. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--the above, when boiled, should be perfectly clear, and may be mixed warm with wine, flavourings, fruits, &c., and then run through the bag. isinglass.--the best isinglass is brought from russia; some of an inferior kind is brought from north and south america and the east indies: the several varieties may be had from the wholesale dealers in isinglass in london. in choosing isinglass for domestic use, select that which is whitest, has no unpleasant odour, and which dissolves most readily in water. the inferior kinds are used for fining beer, and similar purposes. isinglass is much adulterated: to test its purity, take a few threads of the substance, drop some into boiling water, some into cold water, and some into vinegar. in the boiling water the isinglass will dissolve, in cold water it will become white and "cloudy," and in vinegar it will swell and become jelly-like. if the isinglass is adulterated with gelatine (that is to say, the commoner sorts of gelatine,--for isinglass is classed amongst gelatines, of all which varieties it is the very purest and best), in boiling water the gelatine will not so completely dissolve as the isinglass; in cold water it becomes clear and jelly-like; and in vinegar it will harden. how to mould bottled jellies. . uncork the bottle; place it in a saucepan of hot water until the jelly is reduced to a liquid state; taste it, to ascertain whether it is sufficiently flavoured, and if not, add a little wine. pour the jelly into moulds which have been soaked in water; let it set, and turn it out by placing the mould in hot water for a minute; then wipe the outside, put a dish on the top, and turn it over quickly. the jelly should then slip easily away from the mould, and be quite firm. it may be garnished as taste dictates. to clarify syrup for jellies. . ingredients.--to every quart of water allow lbs. of loaf sugar; the white of egg. _mode_.--put the sugar and water into a stewpan; set it on the fire, and, when the sugar is dissolved, add the white of the egg, whipped up with a little water. whisk the whole well together, and simmer very gently until it has thrown up all the scum. take this off as it rises, strain the syrup through a fine sieve or cloth into a basin, and keep it for use. calf's-feet jelly. . ingredients.-- quart of calf's-feet stock no. , / lb. of sugar, / pint of sherry, glass of brandy, the shells and whites of eggs, the rind and juice of lemons, / oz. of isinglass. _mode_.--prepare the stock as directed in recipe no. , taking care to leave the sediment, and to remove all the fat from the surface. put it into a saucepan, cold, without clarifying it; add the remaining ingredients, and stir them well together before the saucepan is placed on the fire. then simmer the mixture gently for / hour, _but do not stir it after it begins to warm_. throw in a teacupful of cold water, boil for another minutes, and keep the saucepan covered by the side of the fire for about / hour, but do not let it boil again. in simmering, the head or scum may be carefully removed as it rises; but particular attention must be given to the jelly, that it be not stirred in the slightest degree after it is heated. the isinglass should be added when the jelly begins to boil: this assists to clear it, and makes it firmer for turning out. wring out a jelly-bag in hot water; fasten it on to a stand, or the back of a chair; place it near the fire with a basin underneath it, and run the jelly through it. should it not be perfectly clear the first time, repeat the process until the desired brilliancy is obtained. soak the moulds in water, drain them for half a second, pour in the jelly, and put it in a cool place to set. if ice is at hand, surround the moulds with it, and the jelly will set sooner, and be firmer when turned out. in summer it is necessary to have ice in which to put the moulds, or the cook will be, very likely, disappointed, by her jellies being in too liquid a state to turn out properly, unless a great deal of isinglass is used. when wanted for table, dip the moulds in hot water for a minute, wipe the outside with a cloth, lay a dish on the top of the mould, turn it quickly over, and the jelly should slip out easily. it is sometimes served broken into square lumps, and piled high in glasses. earthenware moulds are preferable to those of pewter or tin, for red jellies, the colour and transparency of the composition being often spoiled by using the latter. [illustration: jelly-mould.] to make this jelly more economically, raisin wine may be substituted for the sherry and brandy, and the stock made from cow-heels, instead of calf's feet. _time_.-- minutes to simmer the jelly, / hour to stand covered. _average cost_, reckoning the feet at d. each, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill two - / -pint moulds. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--as lemon-juice, unless carefully strained, is liable to make the jelly muddy, see that it is clear before it is added to the other ingredients. omit the brandy when the flavour is objected to. sherry.--there are several kinds of sherry, as pale and brown, and there are various degrees of each. sherry is, in general, of an amber-colour, and, when good, has a fine aromatic odour, with something of the agreeable bitterness of the peach kernel. when new, it is harsh and fiery, and requires to be mellowed in the wood for four or five years. sherry has of late got much into fashion in england, from the idea that it is more free from acid than other wines; but some careful experiments on wines do not fully confirm this opinion. cannelons, or fried puffs. (_sweet entremets_.) . ingredients.-- / lb. of puff-paste no. ; apricot, or any kind of preserve that may be preferred; hot lard. _mode_.--cannelons which are made of puff-paste rolled very thin, with jam inclosed, and cut out in long narrow rolls or puffs, make a very pretty and elegant dish. make some good puff-paste, by recipe no. ; roll it out very thin, and cut it into pieces of an equal size, about inches wide and inches long; place upon each piece a spoonful of jam, wet the edges with the white of egg, and fold the paste over _twice;_ slightly press the edges together, that the jam may not escape in the frying; and when all are prepared, fry them in boiling lard until of a nice brown, letting them remain by the side of the fire after they are coloured, that the paste may be thoroughly done. drain them before the fire, dish on a d'oyley, sprinkle over them sifted sugar, and serve. these cannelons are very delicious made with fresh instead of preserved fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, or currants: it should be laid in the paste, plenty of pounded sugar sprinkled over, and folded and fried in the same manner as stated above. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_,-- / lb. of paste for a moderate-sized dish of cannelons. _seasonable_, with jam, at any time. charlotte-aux-pommes. . ingredients.--a few slices of rather stale bread / inch thick, clarified butter, apple marmalade made by recipe no. , with about dozen apples, / glass of sherry. [illustration: charlotte-aux-pommes.] _mode_.--cut a slice of bread the same shape as the bottom of a plain round mould, which has been well buttered, and a few strips the height of the mould, and about - / inch wide; dip the bread in clarified butter (or spread it with cold butter, if not wanted quite so rich); place the round piece at the bottom of the mould, and set the narrow strips up the sides of it, overlapping each other a little, that no juice from the apples may escape, and that they may hold firmly to the mould. brush the _interior_ over with white of egg (this will assist to make the case firmer); fill it with apple marmalade made by recipe no. , with the addition of a little sherry, and cover them with a round piece of bread, also brushed over with egg, the same as the bottom; slightly press the bread down, to make it adhere to the other pieces; put a plate on the top, and bake the _charlotte_ in a brisk oven, of a light colour. turn it out on the dish, strew sifted sugar over the top, and pour round it a little melted apricot jam. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. an easy method of making a charlotte-aux-pommes. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, / lb. of powdered sugar, / teaspoonful of baking-powder, egg, milk, glass of raisin-wine, apple marmalade no. , / pint of cream, dessertspoonfuls of pounded sugar, tablespoonfuls of lemon-juice. _mode_.--make a cake with the flour, butter, sugar, and baking-powder; moisten with the egg and sufficient milk to make it the proper consistency, and bake it in a round tin. when cold, scoop out the middle, leaving a good thickness all round the sides, to prevent them breaking; take some of the scooped-out pieces, which should be trimmed into neat slices; lay them in the cake, and pour over sufficient raisin-wine, with the addition of a little brandy, if approved, to soak them well. have ready some apple marmalade, made by recipe no. ; place a layer of this over the soaked cake, then a layer of cake and a layer of apples; whip the cream to a froth, mixing with it the sugar and lemon-juice; pile it on the top of the _charlotte_, and garnish it with pieces of clear apple jelly. this dish is served cold, but may be eaten hot, by omitting the cream, and merely garnishing the top with bright jelly just before it is sent to table. _time_.-- hour to bake the cake. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. a very simple apple charlotte. . ingredients.-- slices of bread and butter, about good-sized apples, tablespoonful of minced lemon-peel, tablespoonfuls of juice, moist sugar to taste. _mode_.--butter a pie-dish; place a layer of bread and butter, without the crust, at the bottom; then a layer of apples, pared, cored, and cut into thin slices; sprinkle over these a portion of the lemon-peel and juice, and sweeten with moist sugar. place another layer of bread and butter, and then one of apples, proceeding in this manner until the dish is full; then cover it up with the peel of the apples, to preserve the top from browning or burning; bake in a brisk oven for rather more than / hour; torn the charlotte on a dish, sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. charlotte russe. (_an elegant sweet entremets_.) . ingredients.--about savoy biscuits, / pint of cream, flavouring of vanilla, liqueurs, or wine, tablespoonful of pounded sugar, / oz. of isinglass. _mode_.--procure about savoy biscuits, or ladies'-fingers, as they are sometimes called; brush the edges of them with the white of an egg, and line the bottom of a plain round mould, placing them like a star or rosette. stand them upright all round the edge; carefully put them so closely together that the white of the egg connects them firmly, and place this case in the oven for about minutes, just to dry the egg. whisk the cream to a stiff froth, with the sugar, flavouring, and melted isinglass; fill the charlotte with it, cover with a slice of sponge-cake cut in the shape of the mould; place it in ice, where let it remain till ready for table; then turn it on a dish, remove the mould, and serve. tablespoonful of liqueur of any kind, or tablespoonfuls of wine, would nicely flavour the above proportion of cream. for arranging the biscuits in the mould, cut them to the shape required, so that they fit in nicely, and level them with the mould at the top, that, when turned out, there may be something firm to rest upon. great care and attention is required in the turning out of this dish, that the cream does not burst the case; and the edges of the biscuits must have the smallest quantity of egg brushed over them, or it would stick to the mould, and so prevent the charlotte from coming away properly. _time_.-- minutes in the oven. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. _sufficient_ for charlotte. _seasonable_ at any time. cream a la valois. . ingredients.-- sponge-cakes, jam, / pint of cream, sugar to taste, the juice of / lemon, / glass of sherry, - / oz. of isinglass. _mode_.--cut the sponge-cakes into thin slices; place two together, with preserve between them, and pour over them a small quantity of sherry mixed with a little brandy. sweeten and flavour the cream with the lemon-juice and sherry; add the isinglass, which should be dissolved in a little water, and beat up the cream well. place a little in an oiled mould; arrange the pieces of cake in the cream; then fill the mould with the remainder; let it cool, and turn it out on a dish. by oiling the mould, the cream will have a much smoother appearance, and will turn out more easily than when merely dipped in cold water. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a - / pint mould. _seasonable_ at any time. boiled custards. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, eggs, oz. of loaf sugar, laurel-leaves, or the rind of lemon, or a few drops of essence of vanilla, tablespoonful of brandy. [illustration: custards in glasses.] _mode_.--put the milk into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred (the lemon-rind flavours custards most deliciously), and let the milk steep by the side of the fire until it is well flavoured. bring it to the point of boiling, then strain it into a basin; whisk the eggs well, and, when the milk has cooled a little, stir in the eggs, and _strain_ this mixture into a jug. place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire; keep stirring the custard _one way_ until it thickens; but on no account allow it to reach the boiling-point, as it will instantly curdle and be full of lumps. take it off the fire, stir in the brandy, and, when this is well mixed with the custard, pour it into glasses, which should be rather more than three-parts full; grate a little nutmeg over the top, and the dish is ready for table. to make custards look and eat better, ducks' eggs should be used, when obtainable; they add very much to the flavour and richness, and so many are not required as of the ordinary eggs, ducks' eggs to the pint of milk making a delicious custard. when desired extremely rich and good, cream should be substituted for the milk, and double the quantity of eggs used, to those mentioned, omitting the whites. _time_. / hour to infuse the lemon-rind, about minutes to stir the custard. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to fill custard-glasses. _seasonable_ at any time. ginger apples. (_a pretty supper or dessert dish_.) . ingredients.-- - / oz. of whole ginger, / pint of whiskey, lbs. of apples, lbs. of white sugar, the juice of lemons. _mode_.--bruise the ginger, put it into a small jar, pour over sufficient whiskey to cover it, and let it remain for days; then cut the apples into thin slices, after paring and coring them; add the sugar and the lemon-juice, which should he strained; and simmer all together _very gently_ until the apples are transparent, but not broken. serve cold, and garnish the dish with slices of candied lemon-peel or preserved ginger. _time_.-- days to soak the ginger; about / hour to simmer the apples very gently. _average cost_, s, d. _sufficient_ for dishes. _seasonable_ from july to march. french pancakes. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of sifted sugar, oz. of flour, / pint of new milk. _mode_.--beat the eggs thoroughly, and put them into a basin with the butter, which should be beaten to a cream; stir in the sugar and flour, and when these ingredients are well mixed, add the milk; keep stirring and beating the mixture for a few minutes; put it on buttered plates, and bake in a quick oven for minutes. serve with a cut lemon and sifted sugar, or pile the pancakes high on a dish, with a layer of preserve or marmalade between each. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. dutch flummery. . ingredients.-- - / oz. of isinglass, the rind and juice of lemon, pint of water, eggs, pint of sherry, madeira, or raisin-wine; sifted sugar to taste. _mode_.--put the water, isinglass, and lemon-rind into a lined saucepan, and simmer gently until the isinglass is dissolved; strain this into a basin, stir in the eggs, which should be well beaten, the lemon-juice, which should be strained, and the wine; sweeten to taste with pounded sugar, mix all well together, pour it into a jug, set this jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and keep stirring it one way until it thickens; but _take care that it does not boil_. strain it into a mould that has been oiled or laid in water for a short time, and put it in a cool place to set. a tablespoonful of brandy stirred in just before it is poured into the mould, improves the flavour of this dish: it is better if made the day before it is required for table. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the isinglass; about / hour to stir the mixture over the fire. _average cost_, s. d., if made with sherry; less with raisin-wine. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. pale sherries are made from the same grapes as brown. the latter are coloured by an addition of some cheap must, or wine which has been boiled till it has acquired a deep-brown tint. pale sherries were, some time ago, preferred in england, being supposed most pure; but the brown are preferred by many people. the inferior sherries exported to england are often mixed with a cheap and light wine called moguer, and are strengthened in the making by brandy; but too frequently they are adulterated by the london dealers. chocolate souffle. . ingredients.-- eggs, teaspoonfuls of pounded sugar, teaspoonful of flour, oz. of the best chocolate. _mode_.--break the eggs, separating the whites from the yolks, and put them into different basins; add to the yolks the sugar, flour, and chocolate, which should be very finely grated, and stir these ingredients for minutes. then well whisk the whites of the eggs in the other basin, until they are stiff, and, when firm, mix lightly with the yolks, till the whole forms a smooth and light substance; butter a round cake-tin, put in the mixture, and bake in a moderate oven from to minutes. pin a white napkin round the tin, strew sifted sugar over the top of the soufflé, and send it immediately to table. the proper appearance of this dish depends entirely on the expedition with which it is served, and some cooks, to preserve its lightness, hold a salamander over the soufflé until it is placed on the table. if allowed to stand after it comes from the oven, it will be entirely spoiled, as it falls almost immediately. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for a moderate-sized soufflé. _seasonable_ at any time. darioles a la vanille. (_sweet entremets_.) . ingredients.-- / pint of milk, / pint of cream, oz. of flour, oz. of pounded sugar, eggs, oz. of butter, puff-paste, flavouring of essence of vanilla. _mode_.--mix the flour to a smooth batter, with the milk; stir in the cream, sugar, the eggs, which should be well whisked, and the butter, which should be beaten to a cream. put in some essence of vanilla, drop by drop, until the mixture is well flavoured; line some dariole-moulds with puff-paste, three-parts fill them with the batter, and bake in a good oven from to minutes. turn them out of the moulds on a dish, without breaking them; strew over sifted sugar, and serve. the flavouring of the darioles may be varied by substituting lemon, cinnamon, or almonds, for the vanilla. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill or dariole-moulds. _seasonable_ at any time. currant fritters. . ingredients.-- / pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of flour, eggs, tablespoonfuls of boiled rice, tablespoonfuls of currants, sugar to taste, a very little grated nutmeg, hot lard or clarified dripping. _mode_.--put the milk into a basin with the flour, which should previously be rubbed to a smooth batter with a little cold milk; stir these ingredients together; add the well-whisked eggs, the rice, currants, sugar, and nutmeg. beat the mixture for a few minutes, and, if not sufficiently thick, add a little more boiled rice; drop it, in small quantities, into a pan of boiling lard or clarified dripping; fry the fritters a nice brown, and, when done, drain them on a piece of blotting-paper, before the fire. pile them on a white d'oyley, strew over sifted sugar, and serve them very hot. send a cut lemon to table with them. _time_.--from to minutes to fry the fritters. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. chocolate cream. . ingredients.-- oz. of grated chocolate, / lb. of sugar, - / pint of cream, / oz. of clarified isinglass, the yolks of eggs. [illustration: cream-mould.] _mode_.--beat the yolks of the eggs well; put them into a basin with the grated chocolate, the sugar, and pint of the cream; stir these ingredients well together, pour them into a jug, and set this jug in a saucepan of boiling water; stir it one way until the mixture thickens, but _do not allow it to boil_, or it will curdle. strain the cream through a sieve into a basin; stir in the isinglass and the other / pint of cream, which should be well whipped; mix all well together, and pour it into a mould which has been previously oiled with the purest salad-oil, and, if at hand, set it in ice until wanted for table. _time_.--about minutes to stir the mixture over the fire. _average cost_, s. d, with cream at s. per pint. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. geneva wafers. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of flour, oz. of pounded sugar. _mode_.--well whisk the eggs; put them into a basin, and stir to them the butter, which should be beaten to a cream; add the flour and sifted sugar gradually, and then mix all well together. butter a baking-sheet, and drop on it a teaspoonful of the mixture at a time, leaving a space between each. bake in a cool oven; watch the pieces of paste, and, when half done, roll them up like wafers, and put in a small wedge of bread or piece of wood, to keep them in shape. return them to the oven until crisp. before serving, remove the bread, put a spoonful of preserve in the widest end, and fill up with whipped cream. this is a very pretty and ornamental dish for the supper-table, and is very nice and very easily made. _time_.--altogether to minutes. _average cost_, exclusive of the preserve and cream, d. _sufficient_ for a nice-sized dish. _seasonable_ at any time. ginger cream. . ingredients.--the yolks of eggs, pint of cream, oz. of preserved ginger, dessertspoonfuls of syrup, sifted sugar to taste, oz. of isinglass. _mode_.--slice the ginger finely; put it into a basin with the syrup, the well-beaten yolks of eggs, and the cream; mix these ingredients well together, and stir them over the fire for about minutes, or until the mixture thickens; then take it off the fire, whisk till nearly cold, sweeten to taste, add the isinglass, which should be melted and strained, and serve the cream in a glass dish. it may be garnished with slices of preserved ginger or candied citron. _time_.--about minutes to stir the cream over the fire. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. _sufficient_ for a good-sized dish. _seasonable_ at any time. preserved ginger comes to us from the west indies. it is made by scalding the roots when they are green and full of sap, then peeling them in cold water, and putting them into jars, with a rich syrup; in which state we receive them. it should be chosen of a bright-yellow colour, with a little transparency: what is dark-coloured, fibrous, and stringy, is not good. ginger roots, fit for preserving, and in size equal to west indian, have been produced in the royal agricultural garden in edinburgh. to make gooseberry fool. . ingredients.--green gooseberries; to every pint of pulp add pint of milk, or / pint of cream and / pint of milk; sugar to taste. _mode_.--cut the tops and tails off the gooseberries; put them into a jar, with tablespoonfuls of water and a little good moist sugar; set this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it boil until the fruit is soft enough to mash. when done enough, beat it to a pulp, work this pulp through a colander, and stir to every pint the above proportion of milk, or equal quantities of milk and cream. ascertain if the mixture is sweet enough, and put in plenty of sugar, or it will not be eatable; and in mixing the milk and gooseberries, add the former very gradually to these: serve in a glass dish, or in small glasses. this, although a very old-fashioned and homely dish, is, when well made, very delicious, and, if properly sweetened, a very suitable preparation for children. _time_.--from / to hour. _average cost_, d. per pint, with milk. _sufficient_.--a pint of milk and a pint of gooseberry pulp for or children. _seasonable_ in may and june. gooseberry trifle. . ingredients.-- quart of gooseberries, sugar to taste, pint of custard no. , a plateful of whipped cream. _mode_.--put the gooseberries into a jar, with sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them, and boil them until reduced to a pulp. put this pulp at the bottom of a trifle-dish; pour over it a pint of custard made by recipe no. , and, when cold, cover with whipped cream. the cream should be whipped the day before it is wanted for table, as it will then be so much firmer and more solid. the dish may be garnished as fancy dictates. _time_.--about / hour to boil the gooseberries. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for trifle. _seasonable_ in may and june. indian fritters. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of flour, boiling water, the yolks of eggs, the whites of , hot lard or clarified dripping, jam. _mode_.--put the flour into a basin, and pour over it sufficient _boiling_ water to make it into a stiff paste, taking care to stir and beat it well, to prevent it getting lumpy. leave it a little time to cool, and then break into it (_without beating them at first_) the yolks of eggs and the whites of , and stir and beat all well together. have ready some boiling lard or butter; drop a dessertspoonful of batter in at a time, and fry the fritters of a light brown. they should rise so much as to be almost like balls. serve on a dish, with a spoonful of preserve or marmalade dropped in between each fritter. this is an excellent dish for a hasty addition to dinner, if a guest unexpectedly arrives, it being so easily and quickly made, and it is always a great favourite. _time_.--from to minutes to fry the fritters. _average cost_, exclusive of the jam, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. indian trifle. . ingredients.-- quart of milk, the rind of / large lemon, sugar to taste, heaped tablespoonfuls of rice-flour, oz. of sweet almonds, / pint of custard. _mode_.--boil the milk and lemon-rind together until the former is well flavoured; take out the lemon-rind and stir in the rice-flour, which should first be moistened with cold milk, and add sufficient loaf sugar to sweeten it nicely. boil gently for about minutes, and keep the mixture stirred; take it off the fire, let it cool _a little_, and pour it into a glass dish. when cold, cut the rice out in the form of a star, or any other shape that may be preferred; take out the spare rice, and fill the space with boiled custard. blanch and cut the almonds into strips; stick them over the trifle, and garnish it with pieces of brightly-coloured jelly, or preserved fruits, or candied citron. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the milk, minutes after the rice is added. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for trifle. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: the citron.] the citron.--the citron belongs to the same species as the lemon, being considered only as a variety, the distinction between them not being very great. it is larger, and is less succulent, but more acid: with a little artificial heat, the citron comes to as great perfection in england as in spain and italy. the fruit is oblong and about five or six inches in length. the tree is thorny. the juice forms an excellent lemonade with sugar and water; its uses in punch, negus, and in medicine, are well known. the rind is very thick, and, when candied with sugar, forms an excellent sweetmeat. there are several varieties cultivated in england, one of which is termed the forbidden fruit. italian cream. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, pint of cream, sugar to taste, oz. of isinglass, lemon, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--put the cream and milk into a saucepan, with sugar to sweeten, and the lemon-rind. boil until the milk is well flavoured then strain it into a basin, and add the beaten yolks of eggs. put this mixture into a jug; place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and stir the contents until they thicken, but do not allow them to boil. take the cream off the fire, stir in the lemon-juice and isinglass, which should be melted, and whip well; fill a mould, place it in ice if at hand, and, when set, turn it out on a dish, and garnish as taste may dictate. the mixture may be whipped and drained, and then put into small glasses, when this mode of serving is preferred. _time_.--from to minutes to stir the mixture in the jug. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill - / -pint mould. _seasonable_ at any time. the hidden mountain. (_a pretty supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- eggs, a few slices of citron, sugar to taste, / pint of cream, a layer of any kind of jam. _mode_.--beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately; then mix them and beat well again, adding a few thin slices of citron, the cream, and sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten it nicely. when the mixture is well beaten, put it into a buttered pan, and fry the same as a pancake; but it should be three times the thickness of an ordinary pancake. cover it with jam, and garnish with slices of citron and holly-leaves. this dish is served cold. _time_.--about minutes to fry the mixture. _average cost_, with the jam, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. jaunemange. . ingredients.-- oz. of isinglass, pint of water, / pint of white wine, the rind and juice of large lemon, sugar to taste, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--put the isinglass, water, and lemon-rind into a saucepan, and boil gently until the former is dissolved; then add the strained lemon-juice, the wine, and sufficient white sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. boil for or minutes, strain the mixture into a jug, and add the yolks of the eggs, which should be well beaten; place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water; keep stirring the mixture _one way_ until it thickens, _but do not allow it to boil_; then take it off the fire, and keep stirring until nearly cold. pour it into a mould, omitting the sediment at the bottom of the jug, and let it remain until quite firm. _time_.-- / hour to boil the isinglass and water; about minutes to stir the mixture in the jug. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. jelly moulded with fresh fruit, or macedoine de fruits. . ingredients.--rather more than - / pint of jelly, a few nice strawberries, or red or white currants, or raspberries, or any fresh fruit that may be in season. _mode_.--have ready the above proportion of jelly, which must be very clear and rather sweet, the raw fruit requiring an additional quantity of sugar. select ripe, nice-looking fruit; pick off the stalks, unless currants are used, when they are laid in the jelly as they come from the tree. begin by putting a little jelly at the bottom of the mould, which must harden; then arrange the fruit round the sides of the mould, recollecting; that _it will be reversed when turned out;_ then pour in some more jelly to make the fruit adhere, and, when that layer is set, put another row of fruit and jelly until the mould is full. if convenient, put it in ice until required for table, then wring a cloth in boiling water, wrap it round the mould for a minute, and turn the jelly carefully out. peaches, apricots, plums, apples, &c., are better for being boiled in a little clear syrup before they are laid in the jelly; strawberries, raspberries, grapes, cherries, and currants are put in raw. in winter, when fresh fruits are not obtainable, a very pretty jelly may be made with preserved fruits or brandy cherries: these, in a bright and clear jelly, have a very pretty effect; of course, unless the jelly be _very clear_, the beauty of the dish will be spoiled. it may be garnished with the same fruit as is laid in the jelly; for instance, an open jelly with strawberries might have, piled in the centre, a few of the same fruit prettily arranged, or a little whipped cream might be substituted for the fruit. [illustration: jelly moulded with cherries.] _time_.--one layer of jelly should remain hours in a very cool place, before another layer is added. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_, with fruit, to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_, with fresh fruit, from june to october; with dried, at any time. jelly of two colours. . ingredients.-- - / pint of calf's-feet jelly no. , a few drops of prepared cochineal. [illustration: jelly of two colours.] _mode_.--make - / pint of jelly by recipe no. , or, if wished more economical, of clarified syrup and gelatine, flavouring it in any way that may be preferred. colour one-half of the jelly with a few drops of prepared cochineal, and the other half leave as pale as possible. have ready a mould well wetted in every part; pour in a small quantity of the red jelly, and let this set; when quite firm, pour on it the same quantity of the pale jelly, and let this set; then proceed in this manner until the mould is full, always taking care to let one jelly set before the other is poured in, or the colours would run one into the other. when turned out, the jelly should have a striped appearance. for variety, half the mould may be filled at once with one of the jellies, and, when firm, filled up with the other: this, also, has a very pretty effect, and is more expeditiously prepared than when the jelly is poured in small quantities into the mould. blancmange and red jelly, or blancmange and raspberry cream, moulded in the above manner, look very well. the layers of blancmange and jelly should be about an inch in depth, and each layer should be perfectly hardened before another is added. half a mould of blancmange and half a mould of jelly are frequently served in the same manner. a few pretty dishes may be made, in this way, of jellies or blancmanges left from the preceding day, by melting them separately in a jug placed in a saucepan of boiling water, and then moulding them by the foregoing directions. (see coloured plate s .) _time_.-- / hour to make the jelly. _average cost_, with calf's-feet jelly, s.; with gelatine and syrup, more economical. _sufficient_ to fill - / pint mould. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--in making the jelly, use for flavouring a very pale sherry, or the colour will be too dark to contrast nicely with the red jelly. lemon blancmange. . ingredients.-- quart of milk, the yolks of eggs, oz. of ground rice, oz. of pounded sugar, - / oz. of fresh butter, the rind of lemon, the juice of , / oz. of gelatine. [illustration: blancmange mould.] _mode_.--make a custard with the yolks of the eggs and / pint of the milk, and, when done, put it into a basin: put half the remainder of the milk into a saucepan with the ground rice, fresh butter, lemon-rind, and oz. of the sugar, and let these ingredients boil until the mixture is stiff, stirring them continually; when done, pour it into the bowl where the custard is, mixing both well together. put the gelatine with the rest of the milk into a saucepan, and let it stand by the side of the fire to dissolve; boil for a minute or two, stir carefully into the basin, adding oz. more of pounded sugar. when cold, stir in the lemon-juice, which should be carefully strained, and pour the mixture into a well-oiled mould, leaving out the lemon-peel, and set the mould in a pan of cold water until wanted for table. use eggs that have rich-looking yolks; and, should the weather be very warm, rather a larger proportion of gelatine must be allowed. _time_.--altogether, hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill small moulds. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon cream. . ingredients.-- pint of cream, the yolks of eggs, / lb. of white sugar, large lemon, oz. of isinglass. [illustration: lemon-cream mould.] _mode_.--put the cream into a _lined_ saucepan with the sugar, lemon-peel, and isinglass, and simmer these over a gentle fire for about minutes, stirring them all the time. strain the cream into a jug, add the yolks of eggs, which should be well beaten, and put the jug into a saucepan of boiling water; stir the mixture one way until it thickens, _but do not allow it to boil_; take it off the fire, and keep stirring it until nearly cold. strain the lemon-juice into a basin, gradually pour on it the cream, and _stir it well_ until the juice is well mixed with it. have ready a well-oiled mould, pour the cream into it, and let it remain until perfectly set. when required for table, loosen the edges with a small blunt knife, put a dish on the top of the mould, turn it over quickly, and the cream should easily slip away. _time_.-- minutes to boil the cream; about minutes to stir it over the fire in the jug. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, and the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill - / -pint mould. _seasonable_ at any time. economical lemon cream. . ingredients.-- quart of milk, bitter almonds, oz. of gelatine, large lemons, / lb. of lump sugar, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--put the milk into a lined saucepan with the almonds, which should be well pounded in a mortar, the gelatine, lemon-rind, and lump sugar, and boil these ingredients for about minutes. beat up the yolks of the eggs, strain the milk into a jug, add the eggs, and pour the mixture backwards and forwards a few times, until nearly cold; then stir briskly to it the lemon-juice, which should be strained, and keep stirring until the cream is almost cold: put it into an oiled mould, and let it remain until perfectly set. the lemon-juice must not be added to the cream when it is warm, and should be well stirred after it is put in. _time_.-- minutes to boil the milk. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill two - / -pint moulds. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon creams. (_very good_.) . ingredients.-- pint of cream, dozen sweet almonds, glasses of sherry, the rind and juice of lemons, sugar to taste. _mode_.--blanch and chop the almonds, and put them into a jug with the cream; in another jug put the sherry, lemon-rind, strained juice, and sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. pour rapidly from one jug to the other till the mixture is well frothed; then, pour it into jelly-glasses, omitting the lemon-rind. this is a very cool and delicious sweet for summer, and may be made less rich by omitting the almonds and substituting orange or raisin wine for the sherry. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. _sufficient_ to fill glasses. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon creams of custards. . ingredients.-- oz. of loaf sugar, pints of boiling water, the rind of lemon and the juice of , the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--make a quart of lemonade in the following manner:--dissolve the sugar in the boiling water, having previously, with part of the sugar, rubbed off the lemon-rind, and add the strained juice. strain the lemonade into a saucepan, and add the yolks of the eggs, which should be well beaten; stir this _one way_ over the fire until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil, and serve in custard-glasses, or on a glass dish. after the boiling water is poured on the sugar and lemon, it should stand covered for about / hour before the eggs are added to it, that the flavour of the rind may be extracted. _time_.-- / hour to make the lemonade; about minutes to stir the custard over the fire. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to fill to custard-glasses. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon jelly. . ingredients.-- lemons, / lb. of lump sugar, pint of water, - / oz. of isinglass, / pint of sherry. _mode_.--peel of the lemons, pour / pint of boiling water on the rind, and let it infuse for / hour; put the sugar, isinglass, and / pint of water into a lined saucepan, and boil these ingredients for minutes; then put in the strained lemon-juice, the strained infusion of the rind, and bring the whole to the point of boiling; skim well, add the wine, and run the jelly through a bag; pour it into a mould that has been wetted or soaked in water; put it in ice, if convenient, where let it remain until required for table. previously to adding the lemon-juice to the other ingredients, ascertain that it is very nicely strained, as, if this is not properly attended to, it is liable to make the jelly thick and muddy. as this jelly is very pale, and almost colourless, it answers very well for moulding with a jelly of any bright hue; for instance, half a jelly bright red, and the other half made of the above, would have a very good effect. lemon jelly may also be made with calf's-feet stock, allowing the juice of lemons to every pint of stock. _time_.--altogether, hour. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill - / -pint mould. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon sponge. . ingredients.-- oz. of isinglass, - / pint of water, / lb. of pounded sugar, the juice of lemons, the rind of , the whites of eggs. _mode_.--dissolve the isinglass in the water, strain it into a saucepan, and add the sugar, lemon-rind, and juice. boil the whole from to minutes; strain it again, and let it stand till it is cold and begins to stiffen. beat the whites of the eggs, put them to it, and whisk the mixture till it is quite white; put it into a mould which has been previously wetted, and let it remain until perfectly set; then turn it out, and garnish it according to taste. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. liqueur jelly. . ingredients.-- lb. of lump sugar, oz. of isinglass, - / pint of water, the juice of lemons, / pint of liqueur. [illustration: oval jelly-mould.] _mode_.--put the sugar, with pint of the water, into a stewpan, and boil them gently by the side of the fire until there is no scum remaining, which must be carefully removed as fast as it rises. boil the isinglass with the other / pint of water, and skim it carefully in the same manner. strain the lemon-juice, and add it, with the clarified isinglass, to the syrup; put in the liqueur, and bring the whole to the boiling-point. let the saucepan remain covered by the side of the fire for a few minutes; then pour the jelly through a bag, put it into a mould, and set the mould in ice until required for table. dip the mould in hot water, wipe the outside, loosen the jelly by passing a knife round the edges, and turn it out carefully on a dish. noyeau, maraschino, curaçoa, brandy, or any kind of liqueur, answers for this jelly; and, when made with isinglass, liqueur jellies are usually prepared as directed above. _time_.-- minutes to boil the sugar and water. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. a sweet dish of macaroni. . ingredients.-- / lb. of macaroni, - / pint of milk, the rind of / lemon, oz. of lump sugar, / pint of custard no. . _mode_.--put the milk into a saucepan, with the lemon-peel and sugar; bring it to the boiling-point, drop in the macaroni, and let it gradually swell over a gentle fire, but do not allow the pipes to break. the form should be entirely preserved; and, though tender, should be firm, and not soft, with no part beginning to melt. should the milk dry away before the macaroni is sufficiently swelled, add a little more. make a custard by recipe no. ; place the macaroni on a dish, and pour the custard over the hot macaroni; grate over it a little nutmeg, and, when cold, garnish the dish with slices of candied citron. _time_.--from to minutes to swell the macaroni. _average cost_, with the custard, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. meringues. . ingredients.-- / lb. of pounded sugar, the whites of eggs. [illustration: meringues.] _mode_.--whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and, with a wooden spoon, stir in _quickly_ the pounded sugar; and have some boards thick enough to put in the oven to prevent the bottom of the meringues from acquiring too much colour. cut some strips of paper about inches wide; place this paper on the board, and drop a tablespoonful at a time of the mixture on the paper, taking care to let all the meringues be the same size. in dropping it from the spoon, give the mixture the form of an egg, and keep the meringues about inches apart from each other on the paper. strew over them some sifted sugar, and bake in a moderate oven for / hour. as soon as they begin to colour, remove them from the oven; take each slip of paper by the two ends, and turn it gently on the table, and, with a small spoon, take out the soft part of each meringue. spread some clean paper on the board, turn the meringues upside down, and put them into the oven to harden and brown on the other side. when required for table, fill them with whipped cream, flavoured with liqueur or vanilla, and sweetened with pounded sugar. join two of the meringues together, and pile them high in the dish, as shown in the annexed drawing. to vary their appearance, finely-chopped almonds or currants may be strewn over them before the sugar is sprinkled over; and they may be garnished with any bright-coloured preserve. great expedition is necessary in making this sweet dish; as, if the meringues are not put into the oven as soon as the sugar and eggs are mixed, the former melts, and the mixture would run on the paper, instead of keeping its egg-shape. the sweeter the meringues are made, the crisper will they be; but, if there is not sufficient sugar mixed with them, they will most likely be tough. they are sometimes coloured with cochineal; and, if kept well covered in a dry place, will remain good for a month or six weeks. _time_.--altogether, about / hour. _average cost_, with the cream and flavouring, s. _sufficient_ to make dozen meringues. _seasonable_ at any time. noyeau cream. . ingredients.-- - / oz. of isinglass, the juice of lemons, noyeau and pounded sugar to taste, - / pint of cream. _mode_.--dissolve the isinglass in a little boiling water, add the lemon-juice, and strain this to the cream, putting in sufficient noyeau and sugar to flavour and sweeten the mixture nicely; whisk the cream well, put it into an oiled mould, and set the mould in ice or in a cool place; turn it out, and garnish the dish to taste. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint and the best isinglass, s. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. open jelly with whipped cream. (_a very pretty dish_.) . ingredients.-- - / pint of jelly, / pint of cream, glass of sherry, sugar to taste. [illustration: open jelly with whipped cream.] _mode_.--make the above proportion of calf's-feet or isinglass jelly, colouring and flavouring it in any way that may be preferred; soak a mould, open in the centre, for about / hour in cold water; fill it with the jelly, and let it remain in a cool place until perfectly set; then turn it out on a dish; fill the centre with whipped cream, flavoured with sherry and sweetened with pounded sugar; pile this cream high in the centre, and serve. the jelly should be made of rather a dark colour, to contrast nicely with the cream. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill - / -pint mould. _seasonable_ at any time. orange jelly. . ingredients.-- pint of water, - / to oz. of isinglass, / lb. of loaf sugar, seville orange, lemon, about china oranges. [illustration: open mould.] _mode_.--put the water into a saucepan, with the isinglass, sugar, and the rind of orange, and the same of / lemon, and stir these over the fire until the isinglass is dissolved, and remove the scum; then add to this the juice of the seville orange, the juice of the lemon, and sufficient juice of china oranges to make in all pint; from to oranges will yield the desired quantity. stir all together over the fire until it is just on the point of boiling; skim well; then strain the jelly through a very fine sieve or jelly-bag, and when nearly cold, put it into a mould previously wetted, and, when quite set, turn it out on a dish, and garnish it to taste. to insure this jelly being clear, the orange-and lemon-juice should be well strained, and the isinglass clarified, before they are added to the other ingredients, and, to heighten the colour, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added. _time_.-- minutes to boil without the juice; minute after it is added. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ from november to may. orange jelly moulded with slices of orange. . ingredients.-- - / pint of orange jelly no. , oranges, pint of clarified syrup. _mode_.--boil / lb. of loaf sugar with / pint of water until there is no scum left (which must be carefully removed as fast as it rises), and carefully peel the oranges; divide them into thin slices, without breaking the thin skin, and put these pieces of orange into the syrup, where let them remain for about minutes; then take them out, and use the syrup for the jelly, which should be made by recipe no. . when the oranges are well drained, and the jelly is nearly cold, pour a little of the latter into the bottom of the mould; then lay in a few pieces of orange; over these pour a little jelly, and when this is set, place another layer of oranges, proceeding in this manner until the mould is full. put it in ice, or in a cool place, and, before turning it out, wrap a cloth round the mould for a minute or two, which has been wrung out in boiling water. _time_.-- minutes to simmer the oranges. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_, with the slices of orange, to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ from november to may. to make a plain omelet. . ingredients.-- eggs, saltspoonful of salt, / saltspoonful of pepper, / lb. of butter. [illustration: omelet.] _mode_.--break the eggs into a basin, omitting the whites of , and beat them up with the salt and pepper until extremely light; then add oz. of the butter broken into small pieces, and stir this into the mixture. put the other oz. of butter into a frying-pan, make it quite hot, and, as soon as it begins to bubble, whisk the eggs, &c. very briskly for a minute or two, and pour them into the pan; stir the omelet with a spoon one way until the mixture thickens and becomes firm, and when the whole is set, fold the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form; and when it is nicely brown on one side, and quite firm, it is done. to take off the rawness on the upper side, hold the pan before the fire for a minute or two, and brown it with a salamander or hot shovel. serve very expeditiously on a very hot dish, and never cook it until it is just wanted. the flavour of this omelet may be very much enhanced by adding minced parsley, minced onion or eschalot, or grated cheese, allowing tablespoonful of the former, and half the quantity of the latter, to the above proportion of eggs. shrimps or oysters may also be added: the latter should be scalded in their liquor, and then bearded and cut into small pieces. in making an omelet, be particularly careful that it is not too thin, and, to avoid this, do not make it in too large a frying-pan, as the mixture would then spread too much, and taste of the outside. it should also not be greasy, burnt, or too much done, and should be cooked over a gentle fire, that the whole of the substance may be heated without drying up the outside. omelets are sometimes served with gravy; but _this should never be poured over them_, but served in a tureen, as the liquid causes the omelet to become heavy and flat, instead of eating light and soft. in making the gravy, the flavour should not overpower that of the omelet, and should be thickened with arrowroot or rice flour. _time_.--with eggs, in a frying-pan or inches round, to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. ham omelet (_a delicious breakfast dish_.) . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, / saltspoonful of pepper, tablespoonfuls of minced ham. _mode_.--mince the ham very finely, without any fat, and fry it for minutes in a little butter; then make the batter for the omelet, stir in the ham, and proceed as directed in recipe no. . do not add any salt to the batter, as the ham is usually sufficiently salt to impart a flavour to the omelet. good lean bacon, or tongue, answers equally well for this dish; but they must also be slightly cooked previously to mixing them with the batter. serve very hot and quickly, without gravy. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. kidney omelet (_a favourite french dish_.) . ingredients.-- eggs, saltspoonful of salt, / saltspoonful of pepper, sheep's kidneys, or tablespoonfuls of minced veal kidney, oz. of butter. _mode_.--skin the kidneys, cut them into small dice, and toss them in a frying-pan, in oz. of butter, over the fire for or minutes. mix the ingredients for the omelet the same as in recipe no. , and when the eggs are well whisked, stir in the pieces of kidney. make the butter hot in the frying-pan, and when it bubbles, pour in the omelet, and fry it over a gentle fire from to minutes. when the eggs are set, fold the edges over, so that the omelet assumes an oval form, and be careful that it is not too much done: to brown the top, hold the pan before the fire for a minute or two, or use a salamander until the desired colour is obtained, but never turn an omelet in the pan. slip it carefully on to a _very hot_ dish, or, what is a much safer method, put a dish on the omelet, and turn the pan quickly over. it should be served the instant it comes from the fire. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to make a plain sweet omelet. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, oz. of sifted sugar. _mode_.--break the eggs into a basin, omitting the whites of ; whisk them well, adding the sugar and oz. of the butter, which should be broken into small pieces, and stir all these ingredients well together. make the remainder of the butter quite hot in a small frying-pan, and when it commences to bubble, pour in the eggs, &c. keep stirring them until they begin to set; then turn the edges of the omelet over, to make it an oval shape, and finish cooking it. to brown the top, hold the pan before the fire, or use a salamander, and turn it carefully on to a _very hot_ dish: sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. omelette aux confitures, or jam omelet. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, tablespoonfuls of apricot, strawberry, or any jam that may be preferred. _mode_.--make the omelet by recipe no. , only instead of doubling it over, leave it flat in the pan. when quite firm, and nicely brown on one side, turn it carefully on to a hot dish, spread over the middle of it the jam, and fold the omelet over on each side; sprinkle sifted sugar over, and serve very quickly. a pretty dish of small omelets may be made by dividing the batter into or portions, and frying them separately; they should then be spread each one with a different kind of preserve, and the omelets rolled over. always sprinkle sweet omelets with sifted sugar before being sent to table. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. omelette soufflÉ. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of pounded sugar, flavouring of vanilla, orange-flower water, or lemon-rind, oz. of butter, dessert-spoonful of rice-flour. _mode_.--separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs, add to the former the sugar, the rice-flour, and either of the above flavourings that may be preferred, and stir these ingredients well together. whip the whites of the eggs, mix them lightly with the batter, and put the butter into a small frying-pan. as soon as it begins to bubble, pour the batter into it, and set the pan over a bright but gentle fire; and when the omelet is set, turn the edges over to make it an oval shape, and slip it on to a silver dish, which has been previously well buttered. put it in the oven, and bake from to minutes; sprinkle finely-powdered sugar over the soufflé, and _serve it immediately_. _time_.--about minutes in the pan; to bake, from to minutes. _average cost_. s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. bachelor's omelet. . ingredients.-- or eggs, oz. of butter, teaspoonful of flour, / teacupful of milk. _mode_.--make a thin cream of the flour and milk; then beat up the eggs, mix all together, and add a pinch of salt and a few grains of cayenne. melt the butter in a small frying-pan, and, when very hot, pour in the batter. let the pan remain for a few minutes over a clear fire; then sprinkle upon the omelet some chopped herbs and a few shreds of onion; double the omelet dexterously, and shake it out of the pan on to a hot dish. a simple sweet omelet can be made by the same process, substituting sugar or preserve for the chopped herbs. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. orange cream. . ingredients.-- oz. of isinglass, large oranges, lemon, sugar to taste, water, / pint of good cream. [illustration: open mould.] _mode_.--squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemon; strain it, and put it into a saucepan with the isinglass, and sufficient water to make in all - / pint. rub the sugar on the orange and lemon-rind, add it to the other ingredients, and boil all together for about minutes. strain through a muslin bag, and, when cold, beat up with it / pint of thick cream. wet a mould, or soak it in cold water; pour in the cream, and put it in a cool place to set. if the weather is very cold, oz. of isinglass will be found sufficient for the above proportion of ingredients. _time_.-- minutes to boil the juice and water. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ from november to may. orange creams. . ingredients.-- seville orange, tablespoonful of brandy, / lb. of loaf sugar, the yolks of eggs, pint of cream. _mode_.--boil the rind of the seville orange until tender, and beat it in a mortar to a pulp; add to it the brandy, the strained juice of the orange, and the sugar, and beat all together for about minutes, adding the well-beaten yolks of eggs. bring the cream to the boiling-point, and pour it very gradually to the other ingredients, and beat the mixture till nearly cold; put it into custard-cups, place the cups in a deep dish of boiling water, where let them remain till quite cold. take the cups out of the water, wipe them, and garnish the tops of the creams with candied orange-peel or preserved chips. _time_.--altogether, / hour. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. _sufficient_ to make or creams. _seasonable_ from november to may. _note_.--to render this dish more economical, substitute milk for the cream, but add a small pinch of isinglass to make the creams firm. seville orange (_citrus vulgaris_).--this variety, called also _bitter orange_, is of the same species as the sweet orange, and grows in great abundance on the banks of the guadalquiver, in andalusia, whence this fruit is chiefly obtained. in that part of spain there are very extensive orchards of these oranges, which form the chief wealth of the monasteries. the pulp of the bitter orange is not eaten raw. in the yellow rind, separated from the white spongy substance immediately below it, is contained an essential oil, which is an agreeable warm aromatic, much superior for many purposes to that of the common orange. the best marmalade and the richest wine are made from this orange; and from its flowers the best orange-flower water is distilled. seville oranges are also preserved whole as a sweetmeat. orange fritters. . ingredients.--for the batter, / lb. of flour, / oz. of butter, / saltspoonful of salt, eggs, milk, oranges, hot lard or clarified dripping. _mode_.--make a nice light batter with the above proportion of flour, butter, salt, eggs, and sufficient milk to make it the proper consistency; peel the oranges, remove as much of the white skin as possible, and divide each orange into eight pieces, without breaking the thin skin, unless it be to remove the pips; dip each piece of orange in the batter. have ready a pan of boiling lard or clarified dripping; drop in the oranges, and fry them a delicate brown from to minutes. when done, lay them on a piece of blotting-paper before the fire, to drain away the greasy moisture, and dish them on a white d'oyley; sprinkle over them plenty of pounded sugar, and serve quickly. _time_.-- to minutes to fry the fritters; minutes to drain them. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to may. a pretty dish of oranges. . ingredients.-- large oranges, / lb. of loaf sugar, / pint of water, / pint of cream, tablespoonfuls of any kind of liqueur, sugar to taste. _mode_.--put the sugar and water into a saucepan, and boil them until the sugar becomes brittle, which may be ascertained by taking up a small quantity in a spoon, and dipping it in cold water; if the sugar is sufficiently boiled, it will easily snap. peel the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as possible, and divide them into nice-sized slices, without breaking the thin white skin which surrounds the juicy pulp. place the pieces of orange on small skewers, dip them into the hot sugar, and arrange them in layers round a plain mould, which should be well oiled with the purest salad-oil. the sides of the mould only should be lined with the oranges, and the centre left open for the cream. let the sugar become firm by cooling; turn the oranges carefully out on a dish, and fill the centre with whipped cream, flavoured with any kind of liqueur, and sweetened with pounded sugar. this is an exceedingly ornamental and nice dish for the supper-table. _time_.-- minutes to boil the sugar. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for mould. _seasonable_ from november to may. to make pancakes. . ingredients.--eggs, flour, milk; to every egg allow oz. of flour, about gill of milk, / saltspoonful of salt. [illustration: pancakes.] _mode_.--ascertain that the eggs are fresh; break each one separately in a cup; whisk them well, put them into a basin, with the flour, salt, and a few drops of milk, and beat the whole to a perfectly _smooth_ batter; then add by degrees the remainder of the milk. the proportion of this latter ingredient must be regulated by the size of the eggs, &c. &c.; but the batter, when ready for frying, should be of the consistency of thick cream. place a small frying-pan on the fire to get hot; let it be delicately clean, or the pancakes will stick, and, when quite hot, put into it a small piece of butter, allowing about / oz. to each pancake. when it is melted, pour in the batter, about / teacupful to a pan inches in diameter, and fry it for about minutes, or until it is nicely brown on one side. by only pouring in a small quantity of batter, and so making the pancakes thin, the necessity of turning them (an operation rather difficult to unskilful cooks) is obviated. when the pancake is done, sprinkle over it some pounded sugar, roll it up in the pan, and take it out with a large slice, and place it on a dish before the fire. proceed in this manner until sufficient are cooked for a dish; then send them quickly to table, and continue to send in a further quantity, as pancakes are never good unless eaten almost immediately they come from the frying-pan. the batter may be flavoured with a little grated lemon-rind, or the pancakes may have preserve rolled in them instead of sugar. send sifted sugar and a cut lemon to table with them. to render the pancakes very light, the yolks and whites of the eggs should be beaten separately, and the whites added the last thing to the batter before frying. _time_.--from to minutes for a pancake that does not require turning; from to minutes for a thicker one. _average cost_, for persons, d. _sufficient._--allow eggs, with the other ingredients in proportion, for persons. _seasonable_ at any time, but specially served on shrove tuesday. richer pancakes. . ingredients.-- eggs, pint of cream, / lb. of loaf sugar, glass of sherry, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, flour. _mode_.--ascertain that the eggs are extremely fresh, beat them well, strain and mix with them the cream, pounded sugar, wine, nutmeg, and as much flour as will make the batter nearly as thick as that for ordinary pancakes. make the frying-pan hot, wipe it with a clean cloth, pour in sufficient batter to make a thin pancake, and fry it for about minutes. dish the pancakes piled one above the other, strew sifted sugar between each, and serve. _time_.--about minutes. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. _sufficient_ to make pancakes. _seasonable_ at any time, but specially served on shrove tuesday. peach fritters. . ingredients.--for the batter: / lb. of flour, / oz. of butter, / saltspoonful of salt, eggs, milk;--peaches, hot lard or clarified dripping. _mode_.--make a nice smooth, batter in the same manner as directed in recipe no. , and skin, halve, and stone the peaches, which should be quite ripe; dip them in the batter, and fry the pieces in hot lard or clarified dripping, which should be brought to the boiling-point before the peaches are put in. from to minutes will be required to fry them, and, when done, drain them before the fire, and dish them on a white d'oyley. strew over plenty of pounded sugar, and serve. _time_.--from to minutes to fry the fritters, minutes to drain them. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september. [illustration: peach.] peach.--the peach and nectarine are amongst the most delicious of our fruits, and are considered as varieties of the same species produced by cultivation. the former is characterized by a very delicate down, while the latter is smooth; but, as a proof of their identity as to species, trees have borne peaches in one part and nectarines in another; and even a single fruit has had down on one side and the other smooth. the trees are almost exactly alike, as well as the blossoms. pliny states that the peach was originally brought from persia, where it grows naturally, from which the name of persica was bestowed upon it by the romans; and some modern botanists apply this as the generic name, separating them from _amygdalus_, or almond, to which linnaeus had united them. although they are not tropical, they require a great deal of warmth to bring them to perfection: hence they seldom ripen in this country, in ordinary seasons, without the use of walls or glass; consequently, they bear a high price. in a good peach, the flesh is firm, the skin thin, of a deep bright colour next the sun and of a yellowish green next to the wall; the pulp is yellowish, full of highly-flavoured juice, the fleshy part thick, and the stone small. too much down is a sign of inferior quality. this fruit is much used at the dessert, and makes a delicious preserve. pears a l'allemande. . ingredients.-- to pears, water, sugar, oz. of butter, the yolk of an egg, / oz. of gelatine. _mode_.--peel and cut the pears into any form that may be preferred, and steep them in cold water to prevent them turning black; put them into a saucepan with sufficient cold water to cover them, and boil them with the butter and enough sugar to sweeten them nicely, until tender; then brush the pears over with the yolk of an egg, sprinkle them with sifted sugar, and arrange them on a dish. add the gelatine to the syrup, boil it up quickly for about minutes, strain it over the pears, and let it remain until set. the syrup may be coloured with a little prepared cochineal, which would very much improve the appearance of the dish. _time_.--from minutes to / hour to stew the pears; minutes to boil the syrup. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for a large dish. _seasonable_ from august to february. moulded pears. . ingredients.-- large pears or small ones, cloves, sugar to taste, water, a small piece of cinnamon, / pint of raisin wine, a strip of lemon-peel, the juice of / lemon, / oz. of gelatine. _mode_.--peel and cut the pears into quarters; put them into a jar with / pint of water, cloves, cinnamon, and sufficient sugar to sweeten the whole nicely; cover down the top of the jar, and bake the pears in a gentle oven until perfectly tender, but do not allow them to break. when done, lay the pears in a plain mould, which should be well wetted, and boil / pint of the liquor the pears were baked in with the wine, lemon-peel, strained juice, and gelatine. let these ingredients boil quickly for minutes, then strain the liquid warm over the pears; put the mould in a cool place, and when the jelly is firm, turn it out on a glass dish. _time_.-- hours to bake the pears in a cool oven. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for a quart mould. _seasonable_ from august to february pineapple fritters. (_an elegant dish_.) . ingredients.--a small pineapple, a small wineglassful of brandy or liqueur, oz. of sifted sugar; batter as for apple fritters no. . _mode_.--this elegant dish, although it may appear extravagant, is really not so if made when pineapples are plentiful. we receive them now in such large quantities from the west indies, that at times they may be purchased at an exceedingly low rate: it would not, of course, be economical to use the pines which are grown in our english pineries for the purposes of fritters. pare the pine with as little waste as possible, cut it into rather thin slices, and soak these slices in the above proportion of brandy or liqueur and pounded sugar for hours; then make a batter the same as for apple fritters, substituting cream for the milk, and using a smaller quantity of flour; and, when this is ready, dip in the pieces of pine, and fry them in boiling lard from to minutes; turn them when sufficiently brown on one side, and, when done, drain them from the lard before the fire, dish them on a white d'oyley, strew over them sifted sugar, and serve quickly. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, when cheap and plentiful, s. d. for the pine. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in july and august. pineapple.--the pineapple has not been known in europe above two hundred years, and has not been cultivated in england much above a century. it is stated that the first pineapples raised in europe were by m. la cour, of leyden, about the middle of the th century; and it is said to have been first cultivated in england by sir matthew decker, of richmond. in kensington palace, there is a picture in which charles ii. is represented as receiving a pineapple from his gardener rose, who is presenting it on his knees. plain fritters. . ingredients.-- oz. of flour, eggs, / pint of milk. [illustration: star fritter-mould.] _mode_.--mix the flour to a smooth batter with a small quantity of the milk; stir in the eggs, which should be well whisked, and then the remainder of the milk; boat the whole to a perfectly smooth batter, and should it be found not quite thin enough, add two or three tablespoonfuls more milk. have ready a frying-pan, with plenty of boiling lard in it; drop in rather more than a tablespoonful at a time of the batter, and fry the fritters a nice brown, turning them when sufficiently cooked on one side. drain them well from the greasy moisture by placing them upon a piece of blotting-paper before the fire; dish them on a white d'oyley, sprinkle over them sifted sugar, and send to table with them a cut lemon and plenty of pounded sugar. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. potato fritters. . ingredients.-- large potatoes, eggs, tablespoonfuls of cream, ditto of raisin or sweet wine, dessertspoonful of lemon-juice, teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, hot lard. [illustration: scroll fritter-mould.] _mode_.--boil the potatoes, and beat them up lightly with a fork, but do not use a spoon, as that would make them heavy. beat the eggs well, leaving out one of the whites; add the other ingredients, and beat all together for at least minutes, or until the batter is extremely light. put plenty of good lard into a frying-pan, and drop a tablespoonful of the batter at a time into it, and fry the fritters a nice brown. serve them with the following sauce:--a glass of sherry mixed with the strained juice of a lemon, and sufficient white sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. warm these ingredients, and serve the sauce separately in a tureen. the fritters should be neatly dished on a white d'oyley, and pounded sugar sprinkled over them; and they should be well drained on a piece of blotting-paper before the fire previously to being dished. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. raspberry cream. . ingredients.-- / pint of milk, / pint of cream, - / oz. of isinglass, raspberry jelly, sugar to taste, tablespoonfuls of brandy. [illustration: raspberry cream mould.] _mode_.--boil the milk, cream, and isinglass together for / hour, or until the latter is melted, and strain it through a hair sieve into a basin. let it cool a little; then add to it sufficient raspberry jelly, which, when melted, would make / pint, and stir well till the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. if not sufficiently sweet, add a little pounded sugar with the brandy; whisk the mixture well until nearly cold, put it into a well-oiled mould, and set it in a cool place till perfectly set. raspberry jam may be substituted for the jelly, but must be melted, and rubbed through a sieve, to free it from seeds: in summer, the juice of the fresh fruit may be used, by slightly mashing it with a wooden spoon, and sprinkling sugar over it; the juice that flows from the fruit should then be used for mixing with the cream. if the colour should not be very good, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added to improve its appearance. (_see_ coloured plate t .) _time_.-- / hour to boil the cream and isinglass. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, and the best isinglass, s. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_, with jelly, at any time. _note_.--strawberry cream may be made in precisely the same manner, substituting strawberry jam or jelly for the raspberry. rice blancmange. . ingredients.-- / lb. of ground rice, oz. of loaf sugar, oz. of fresh butter, quart of milk, flavouring of lemon-peel, essence of almonds or vanilla, or laurel-leaves. _mode_.--mix the rice to a smooth batter with about / pint of the milk, and the remainder put into a saucepan, with the sugar, butter, and whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred; bring the milk to the boiling-point, quickly stir in the rice, and let it boil for about minutes, or until it comes easily away from the saucepan, keeping it well stirred the whole time. grease a mould with pure salad-oil; pour in the rice, and let it get perfectly set, when it should turn out quite easily; garnish it with jam, or pour round a compôte of any kind of fruit, just before it is sent to table. this blancmange is better for being made the day before it is wanted, as it then has time to become firm. if laurel-leaves are used for flavouring, steep of them in the milk, and take them out before the rice is added: about drops of essence of almonds, or from to drops of essence of vanilla, would be required to flavour the above proportion of milk. _time_.--from to minutes to boil the rice. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. rice croquettes. . ingredients.-- / lb. of rice, quart of milk, oz. of pounded sugar, flavouring of vanilla, lemon-peel, or bitter almonds, egg and bread crumbs, hot lard. _mode_.--put the rice, milk, and sugar into a saucepan, and let the former gradually swell over a gentle fire until all the milk is dried up; and just before the rice is done, stir in a few drops of essence of any of the above flavourings. let the rice get cold; then form it into small round balls, dip them into yolk of egg, sprinkle them with bread crumbs, and fry them in boiling lard for about minutes, turning them about, that they may get equally browned. drain the greasy moisture from them, by placing them on a cloth in front of the fire for a minute or two; pile them on a white d'oyley, and send them quickly to table. a small piece of jam is sometimes introduced into the middle of each croquette, which adds very much to the flavour of this favourite dish. _time_.--from / to hour to swell the rice; about minutes to fry the croquettes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make or croquettes. _seasonable_ at any time. rice fritters. . ingredients.-- oz. of rice, quart of milk, oz. of sugar, oz. of fresh butter oz. of orange marmalade, eggs. _mode_.--swell the rice in the milk, with the sugar and butter, over a slow fire until it is perfectly tender, which will be in about / hour. when the rice is done, strain away the milk, should there be any left, and mix with it the marmalade and well-beaten eggs; stir the whole over the fire until the eggs are set; then spread the mixture on a dish to the thickness of about / inch, or rather thicker. when it is perfectly cold, cut it into long strips, dip them in a batter the same as for apple fritters, and fry them a nice brown. dish them on a white d'oyley, strew sifted sugar over, and serve quickly. _time_.--about / hour to swell the rice; from to minutes to fry the fritters. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make or fritters. _seasonable_ at any time. rice snowballs. (_a pretty dish for juvenile suppers_.) . ingredients.-- oz. of rice, quart of milk, flavouring of essence of almonds, sugar to taste, pint of custard made by recipe no. . _mode_.--boil the rice in the milk, with sugar and a flavouring of essence of almonds, until the former is tender, adding, if necessary, a little more milk, should it dry away too much. when the rice is quite soft, put it into teacups, or _small_ round jars, and let it remain until cold; then turn the rice out on a deep glass dish, pour over a custard made by recipe no. , and, on the top of each ball place a small piece of bright-coloured preserve or jelly. lemon-peel or vanilla may be boiled with the rice instead of the essence of almonds, when either of these is preferred; but the flavouring of the custard must correspond with that of the rice. _time_.--about / hour to swell the rice in the milk. _average cost_, with the custard, s. d. _sufficient_ for or children. _seasonable_ at any time. rice souffle. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of ground rice, pint of milk, eggs, pounded sugar to taste, flavouring of lemon-rind, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, or anything that may be preferred, a piece of butter the size of a walnut. _mode_.--mix the ground rice with tablespoonfuls of the milk quite smoothly, and put it into a saucepan with the remainder of the milk and butter, and keep stirring it over the fire for about / hour, or until the mixture thickens. separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs, beat the former in a basin, and stir to them the rice and sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the soufflé; but add this latter ingredient as sparingly as possible, as, the less sugar there is used, the lighter will be the soufflé. now whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth or snow; mix them with the other preparation, and pour the whole into a soufflé-dish, and put it instantly into the oven; bake it about / hour in a moderate oven; take it out, hold a salamander or hot shovel over the top, sprinkle sifted sugar over it, and send the soufflé to table in the dish it was baked in, either with a napkin pinned round, or inclosed in a more ornamental dish. the excellence of this fashionable dish entirely depends on the proper whisking of the whites of the eggs, the manner of baking, and the expedition with which it is sent to table. soufflés should be served _instantly_ from the oven, or they will sink, and be nothing more than an ordinary pudding. _time_.--about / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to make a souffle. . ingredients.-- heaped tablespoonfuls of potato-flour, rice-flour, arrowroot, or tapioca, pint of milk, eggs, a piece of butter the size of a walnut, sifted sugar to taste, / saltspoonful of salt flavouring. _mode_.--mix the potato-flour, or whichever one of the above ingredients is used, with a little of the milk; put it into a saucepan, with the remainder of the milk, the butter, salt, and sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. stir these ingredients over the fire until the mixture thickens; then take it off the fire, and let it cool a little. separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, beat the latter, and stir them into the soufflé batter. now whisk the whites of the eggs to the firmest possible froth, for on this depends the excellence of the dish; stir them to the other ingredients, and add a few drops of essence of any flavouring that may be preferred; such as vanilla, lemon, orange, ginger, &c. &c. pour the batter into a soufflé-dish, put it immediately into the oven, and bake for about / hour; then take it out, put the dish into another more ornamental one, such as is made for the purpose; hold a salamander or hot shovel over the soufflé, strew it with sifted sugar, and send it instantly to table. the secret of making a soufflé well, is to have the eggs well whisked, but particularly the whites, the oven not too hot, and to send it to table the moment it comes from the oven. if the soufflé be ever so well made, and it is allowed to stand before being sent to table, its appearance and goodness will be entirely spoiled. soufflés may be flavoured in various ways, but must be named accordingly. vanilla is one of the most delicate and recherché flavourings that can be used for this very fashionable dish. _time_.--about / hour in the oven; or minutes to hold the salamander over. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. snow eggs, or oeufs a la neige. (_a very pretty supper dish_.) . ingredients.-- eggs, / pint of milk, pounded sugar to taste, flavouring of vanilla, lemon-rind, or orange-flower water. _mode_.--put the milk into a saucepan with sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely, and the rind of / lemon. let this steep by the side of the fire for / hour, when take out the peel; separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, and whisk the former to a perfectly stiff froth, or until there is no liquid remaining; bring the milk to the boiling-point, and drop in the snow a tablespoonful at a time, and keep turning the eggs until sufficiently cooked. then place them on a glass dish, beat up the yolks of the eggs, stir to them the milk, add a little more sugar, and strain this mixture into a jug; place the jug in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir it one way until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. pour this custard over the eggs, when they should rise to the surface. they make an exceedingly pretty addition to a supper, and should be put in a cold place after being made. when they are flavoured with vanilla or orange-flower water, it is not necessary to steep the milk. a few drops of the essence of either may be poured in the milk just before the whites are poached. in making the custard, a little more flavouring and sugar should always be added. _time_.--about minutes to poach the whites; minutes to stir the custard. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. stone cream of tous les mois. . ingredients.-- / lb. of preserve, pint of milk, oz. of lump sugar, heaped tablespoonful of tous les mois, drops of essence of cloves, drops of almond-flavouring. _mode_.--place the preserve at the bottom of a glass dish; put the milk into a lined saucepan, with the sugar, and make it boil. mix to a smooth batter the tous les mois, with a very little cold milk; stir it briskly into the boiling milk, add the flavouring, and simmer for minutes. when rather cool, but before turning solid, pour the cream over the jam, and ornament it with strips of red-currant jelly or preserved fruit. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. strawberry jelly. . ingredients.--strawberries, pounded sugar; to every pint of juice allow - / oz. of isinglass. _mode_.--pick the strawberries, put them into a pan, squeeze them well with a wooden spoon, add sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten them nicely, and let them remain for hour, that the juice may be extracted; then add / pint of water to every pint of juice. strain the strawberry-juice and water through a bag; measure it, and to every pint allow - / oz. of isinglass, melted and clarified in / pint of water. mix this with the juice; put the jelly into a mould, and set the mould in ice. a little lemon-juice added to the strawberry-juice improves the flavour of the jelly, if the fruit is very ripe; but it must be well strained before it is put to the other ingredients, or it will make the jelly muddy. _time_.-- hour to draw the juice. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. _sufficient_.--allow - / pint of jelly for or persons. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. swiss cream. . ingredients.-- / lb. of macaroons or small sponge-cakes, sherry, pint of cream, oz. of lump sugar, large tablespoonfuls of arrowroot, the rind of lemon, the juice of / lemon, tablespoonfuls of milk. _mode_.--lay the macaroons or sponge-cakes in a glass dish, and pour over them as much sherry as will cover them, or sufficient to soak them well. put the cream into a lined saucepan, with the sugar and lemon-rind, and let it remain by the side of the fire until the cream is well flavoured, when take out the lemon-rind. mix the arrowroot smoothly with the cold milk; add this to the cream, and let it boil gently for about minutes, keeping it well stirred. take it off the fire, stir till nearly cold, when add the lemon-juice, and pour the whole over the cakes. garnish the cream with strips of angelica, or candied citron cut thin, or bright-coloured jelly or preserve. this cream is exceedingly delicious, flavoured with vanilla instead of lemon: when this flavouring is used, the sherry may be omitted, and the mixture poured over the _dry_ cakes. _time_.--about / hour to infuse the lemon-rind; minutes to boil the cream. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to make syllabub. . ingredients.-- pint of sherry or white wine, / grated nutmeg, sugar to taste, - / pint of milk. _mode_.--put the wine into a bowl, with the grated nutmeg and plenty of pounded sugar, and milk into it the above proportion of milk frothed up. clouted cream may be laid on the top, with pounded cinnamon or nutmeg and sugar; and a little brandy may be added to the wine before the milk is put in. in some counties, cider is substituted for the wine: when this is used, brandy must always be added. warm milk may be poured on from a spouted jug or teapot; but it must be held very high. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. tipsy cake. . ingredients.-- moulded sponge-or savoy-cake, sufficient sweet wine or sherry to soak it, tablespoonfuls of brandy, oz. of sweet almonds, pint of rich custard. [illustration: tipsy cake.] _mode_.--procure a cake that is three or four days old,--either sponge, savoy, or rice answering for the purpose of a tipsy cake. cut the bottom of the cake level, to make it stand firm in the dish; make a small hole in the centre, and pour in and over the cake sufficient sweet wine or sherry, mixed with the above proportion of brandy, to soak it nicely. when the cake is well soaked, blanch and cut the almonds into strips, stick them all over the cake, and pour round it a good custard, made by recipe no. , allowing eggs instead of to the pint of milk. the cakes are sometimes crumbled and soaked, and a whipped cream heaped over them, the same as for trifles. _time_.--about hours to soak the cake. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for dish. _seasonable_ at any time. almond.--the almond-tree is a native of warmer climates than britain, and is indigenous to the northern parts of africa and asia; but it is now commonly cultivated in italy, spain, and the south of france. it is not usually grown in britain, and the fruit seldom ripens in this country: it is much admired for the beauty of its blossoms. in the form of its leaves and blossoms it strongly resembles the peach-tree, and is included in the same genus by botanists; but the fruit, instead of presenting a delicious pulp like the peach, shrivels up as it ripens, and becomes only a tough coriaceous covering to the stone inclosing the eatable kernel, which is surrounded by a thin bitter skin. it flowers early in the spring, and produces fruit in august. there are two sorts of almonds,--sweet and bitter; but they are considered to be only varieties of the species; and though the qualities of the kernels are very different, they are not distinguishable by their appearance. an easy way of making a tipsy cake. . ingredients.-- stale small sponge-cakes, raisin wine, / lb. of jam, pint of custard no. . _mode_.--soak the sponge-cakes, which should be stale (on this account they should be cheaper), in a little raisin wine; arrange them on a deep glass dish in four layers, putting a layer of jam between each, and pour round them a pint of custard, made by recipe no. , decorating the top with cut preserved fruit. _time_.-- hours to soak the cakes. average cost, s. d. _sufficient_ for dish. _seasonable_ at any time. to make a trifle. . ingredients.--for the whip, pint of cream, oz. of pounded sugar, the whites of eggs, a small glass of sherry or raisin wine. for the trifle, pint of custard, made with eggs to a pint of milk; small sponge-cakes, or slices of sponge-cake; macaroons, dozen ratafias, oz. of sweet almonds, the grated rind of lemon, a layer of raspberry or strawberry jam, / pint of sherry or sweet wine, tablespoonfuls of brandy. [illustration: trifle.] _mode_.--the whip to lay over the top of the trifle should be made the day before it is required for table, as the flavour is better, and it is much more solid than when prepared the same day. put into a large bowl the pounded sugar, the whites of the eggs, which should be beaten to a stiff froth, a glass of sherry or sweet wine, and the cream. whisk these ingredients well in a cool place, and take off the froth with a skimmer as fast as it rises, and put it on a sieve to drain; continue the whisking till there is sufficient of the whip, which must be put away in a cool place to drain. the next day, place the sponge-cakes, macaroons, and ratafias at the bottom of a trifle-dish; pour over them / pint of sherry or sweet wine, mixed with tablespoonfuls of brandy, and, should this proportion of wine not be found quite sufficient, add a little more, as the cakes should be well soaked. over the cakes put the grated lemon-rind, the sweet almonds, blanched and cut into strips, and a layer of raspberry or strawberry jam. make a good custard by recipe no. , using instead of eggs to the pint of milk, and let this cool a little; then pour it over the cakes, &c. the whip being made the day previously, and the trifle prepared, there remains nothing to do now but heap the whip lightly over the top: this should stand as high as possible, and it may be garnished with strips of bright currant jelly, crystallized sweetmeats, or flowers; the small coloured comfits are sometimes used for the purpose of garnishing a trifle, but they are now considered rather old-fashioned. (see coloured plate, v .) _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. _sufficient_ for trifle. _seasonable_ at any time. vanilla cream. . ingredients.-- pint of milk, the yolks of eggs, oz. of sugar, oz. of isinglass, flavouring to taste of essence of vanilla. [illustration: vanilla-cream mould.] _mode_.--put the milk and sugar into a saucepan, and let it get hot over a slow fire; beat up the yolks of the eggs, to which add gradually the sweetened milk; flavour the whole with essence of vanilla, put the mixture into a jug, and place this jug in a saucepan of boiling water. stir the contents with a wooden spoon one way until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil, or it will be full of lumps. take it off the fire; stir in the isinglass, which should be previously dissolved in about / pint of water, and boiled for or minutes; pour the cream into an oiled mould, put it in a cool place to set, and turn it out carefully on a dish. instead of using the essence of vanilla, a pod may be boiled in the milk instead, until the flavour is well extracted. a pod, or a pod and a half, will be found sufficient for the above proportion of ingredients. _time_.--about minutes to stir the mixture. _average cost_, with the best isinglass, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill a quart mould. _seasonable_ at any time. vanille or vanilla, is the fruit of the vanillier, a parasitical herbaceous plant, which flourishes in brazil, mexico, and peru. the fruit is a long capsule, thick and fleshy. certain species of this fruit contain a pulp with a delicious perfume and flavour. vanilla is principally imported from mexico. the capsules for export are always picked at perfect maturity. the essence is the form in which it is used generally and most conveniently. its properties are stimulating and exciting. it is in daily use for ices, chocolates, and flavouring confections generally. victoria sandwiches. . ingredients.-- eggs; their weight in pounded sugar, butter, and flour; / saltspoonful of salt, a layer of any kind of jam or marmalade. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour and pounded sugar; stir these ingredients well together, and add the eggs, which should be previously thoroughly whisked. when the mixture has been well beaten for about minutes, butter a yorkshire-pudding tin, pour in the batter, and bake it in a moderate oven for minutes. let it cool, spread one half of the cake with a layer of nice preserve, place over it the other half of the cake, press the pieces slightly together, and then cut it into long finger-pieces; pile them in crossbars on a glass dish, and serve. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. whipped cream, for putting on trifles, serving in glasses, &c. . ingredients.--to every pint of cream allow oz. of pounded sugar, glass of sherry or any kind of sweet white wine, the rind of / lemon, the white of egg. [illustration: pastry leaf.] _mode_.--rub the sugar on the lemon-rind, and pound it in a mortar until quite fine, and beat up the white of the egg until quite stiff; put the cream into a large bowl, with the sugar, wine, and beaten egg, and whip it to a froth; as fast as the froth rises, take it off with a skimmer, and put it on a sieve to drain, in a cool place. this should be made the day before it is wanted, as the whip is then so much firmer. the cream should be whipped in a cool place, and in summer, over ice, if it is obtainable. a plain whipped cream may be served on a glass dish, and garnished with strips of angelica, or pastry leaves, or pieces of bright-coloured jelly: it makes a very pretty addition to the supper-table. _time_.--about hour to whip the cream. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, s. d. _sufficient_ for dish or trifle. _seasonable_ at any time. whipped syllabubs. . ingredients.-- / pint of cream, / pint of sherry, half that quantity of brandy, the juice of / lemon, a little grated nutmeg, oz. of pounded sugar, whipped cream the same as for trifle no. . _mode_.--mix all the ingredients together, put the syllabub into glasses, and over the top of them heap a little whipped cream, made in the same manner as for trifle no. . solid syllabub is made by whisking or milling the mixture to a stiff froth, and putting it in the glasses, without the whipped cream at the top. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to fill or glasses. _seasonable_ at any time. the cure's omelet. "every one knows," says brillat savarin, in his "physiology of taste," "that for twenty years madame récamier was the most beautiful woman in paris. it is also well known that she was exceedingly charitable, and took a great interest in every benevolent work. wishing to consult the curé of ---- respecting the working of an institution, she went to his house at five o'clock in the afternoon, and was much astonished at finding him already at his dinner-table. "madame récamier wished to retire, but the curé would not hear of it. a neat white cloth covered the table; some good old wine sparkled in a crystal decanter; the porcelain was of the best; the plates had heaters of boiling water beneath them; a neatly-costumed maid-servant was in attendance. the repast was a compromise between frugality and luxury. the crawfish-soup had just been removed, and there was on the table a salmon-trout, an omelet, and a salad. "'my dinner will tell you,' said the worthy curé, with a smile, 'that it is fast-day, according to our church's regulations.' madame récamier and her host attacked the trout, the sauce served with which betrayed a skilful hand, the countenance of the curé the while showing satisfaction. "and now they fell upon the omelet, which was round, sufficiently thick, and cooked, so to speak, to a hair's-breadth. "as the spoon entered the omelet, a thick rich juice issued from it, pleasant to the eye as well as to the smell; the dish became full of it; and our fair friend owns that, between the perfume and the sight, it made her mouth water. "'it is an _omelette au thon_' (that is to say, a tunny omelet), said the curé, noticing, with the greatest delight, the emotion of madame récamier, 'and few people taste it without lavishing praises on it.' "'it surprises me not at all,' returned the beauty; 'never has so enticing an omelet met my gaze at any of our lay tables.' "'my cook understands them well, i think.' "'yes,' added madame, 'i never ate anything so delightful.'" then came the salad, which savarin recommends to all who place confidence in him. it refreshes without exciting; and he has a theory that it makes people younger. amidst pleasant converse the dessert arrived. it consisted of three apples, cheese, and a plate of preserves; and then upon a little round table was served the mocha coffee, for which france has been, and is, so justly famous. "'i never,' said the curé, 'take spirits; i always offer liqueurs to my guests but reserve the use of them, myself, to my old age, if it should please providence to grant me that.' "finally, the charming madame récamier took her leave, and told all her friends of the delicious omelet which she had seen and partaken of." and brillat savarin, in his capacity as the layard of the concealed treasures of gastronomia, has succeeded in withdrawing from obscurity the details of the preparation of which so much had been said, and which he imagines to be as wholesome as it was agreeable. here follows the recipe:-- omelette au thon. . take, for persons, the roes of carp; [footnote: an american writer says he has followed this recipe, substituting pike, shad, &c., in the place of carp, and can recommend all these also, with a quiet conscience. any fish, indeed, may be used with success.] bleach them, by putting them, for minutes, in boiling water slightly salted. take a piece of fresh tunny about the size of a hen's egg, to which add a small shalot already chopped; hash up together the roe and the tunny, so as to mix them well, and throw the whole into a saucepan, with a sufficient quantity of very good butter: whip it up until the butter is melted! this constitutes the specialty of the omelet. take a second piece of butter, _à discrétion_, mix it with parsley and herbs, place it in a long-shaped dish destined to receive the omelet; squeeze the juice of a lemon over it, and place it on hot embers. beat up eggs (the fresher the better); throw up the sauté of roe and tunny, stirring it so as to mix all well together; then make your omelet in the usual manner, endeavouring to turn it out long, thick, and soft. spread it carefully on the dish prepared for it, and serve at once. this dish ought to be reserved for recherché déjeûners, or for assemblies where amateurs meet who know how to eat well; washed down with a good old wine, it will work wonders. _note_.--the roe and the tunny must be beaten up (sauté) without allowing them to boil, to prevent their hardening, which would prevent them mixing well with the eggs. your dish should be hollowed towards the centre, to allow the gravy to concentrate, that it may be helped with a spoon. the dish ought to be slightly heated, otherwise the cold china will extract all the heat from the omelet. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxx. general observations on preserves, confectionary, ices, and dessert dishes. preserves. . from the nature of vegetable substances, and chiefly from their not passing so rapidly into the putrescent state as animal bodies, the mode of preserving them is somewhat different, although the general principles are the same. all the means of preservation are put in practice occasionally for fruits and the various parts of vegetables, according to the nature of the species, the climate, the uses to which they are applied, &c. some are dried, as nuts, raisins, sweet herbs, &c.; others are preserved by means of sugar, such as many fruits whose delicate juices would be lost by drying; some are preserved by means of vinegar, and chiefly used as condiments or pickles; a few also by salting, as french beans; while others are preserved in spirits. we have, however, in this place to treat of the best methods of preserving fruits. fruit is a most important item in the economy of health; the epicurean can scarcely be said to have any luxuries without it; therefore, as it is so invaluable, when we cannot have it fresh, we must have it preserved. it has long been a desideratum to preserve fruits by some cheap method, yet by such as would keep them fit for the various culinary purposes, as making tarts and other similar dishes. the expense of preserving them with sugar is a serious objection; for, except the sugar is used in considerable quantities, the success is very uncertain. sugar also overpowers and destroys the sub-acid taste so desirable in many fruits: these which are preserved in this manner are chiefly intended for the dessert. fruits intended for preservation should be gathered in the morning, in dry weather, with the morning sun upon them, if possible; they will then have their fullest flavour, and keep in good condition longer than when gathered at any other time. until fruit can be used, it should be placed in the dairy, an ice-house, or a refrigerator. in an icehouse it will remain fresh and plump for several days. fruit gathered in wet or foggy weather will soon be mildewed, and be of no service for preserves. . having secured the first and most important contribution to the manufacture of preserves,--the fruit, the next consideration is the preparation of the syrup in which the fruit is to be suspended; and this requires much care. in the confectioner's art there is a great nicety in proportioning the degree of concentration of the syrup very exactly to each particular case; and they know this by signs, and express it by certain technical terms. but to distinguish these properly requires very great attention and considerable experience. the principal thing to be acquainted with is the fact, that, in proportion as the syrup is longer boiled, its water will become evaporated, and its consistency will be thicker. great care must be taken in the management of the fire, that the syrup does not boil over, and that the boiling is not carried to such an extent as to burn the sugar. . the first degree of consistency is called _the thread_, which is subdivided into the little and great thread. if you dip the finger into the syrup and apply it to the thumb, the tenacity of the syrup will, on separating the finger and thumb, afford a thread, which shortly breaks: this is the little thread. if the thread, from the greater tenacity, and, consequently, greater strength of the syrup, admits of a greater extension of the finger and thumb, it is called the great thread. there are half a dozen other terms and experiments for testing the various thickness of the boiling sugar towards the consistency called _caramel_; but that degree of sugar-boiling belongs to the confectioner. a solution of sugar prepared by dissolving two parts of double-refined sugar (the best sugar is the most economical for preserves) in one of water, and boiling this a little, affords a syrup of the right degree of strength, and which neither ferments nor crystallizes. this appears to be the degree called _smooth_ by the confectioners, and is proper to be used for the purposes of preserves. the syrup employed should sometimes be clarified, which is done in the following manner:--dissolve lbs. of loaf sugar in a pint of water; add to this solution the white of an egg, and beat it well. put the preserving-pan upon the fire with the solution; stir it with a wooden spatula, and, when it begins to swell and boil up, throw in some cold water or a little oil, to damp the boiling; for, as it rises suddenly, if it should boil over, it would take fire, being of a very inflammable nature. let it boil up again; then take it off, and remove carefully the scum that has risen. boil the solution again, throw in a little more cold water, remove the scum, and so on for three or four times successively; then strain it. it is considered to be sufficiently boiled when some taken up in a spoon pours out like oil. . although sugar passes so easily into the state of fermentation, and is, in fact, the only substance capable of undergoing the vinous stage of that process, yet it will not ferment at all if the quantity be sufficient to constitute a very strong syrup: hence, syrups are used to preserve fruits and other vegetable substances from the changes they would undergo if left to themselves. before sugar was in use, honey was employed to preserve many vegetable productions, though this substance has now given way to the juice of the sugar-cane. . the fruits that are the most fit for preservation in syrup are, apricots, peaches, nectarines, apples, greengages, plums of all kinds, and pears. as an example, take some apricots not too ripe, make a small slit at the stem end, and push out the stone; simmer them in water till they are softened and about half done, and afterwards throw them into cold water. when they have cooled, take them out and drain them. put the apricots into the pie-serving-pan with sufficient syrup to cover them; let them boil up three or four times, and then skim them; remove them from the fire, pour them into an earthen pan, and let them cool till next day. boil them up three days successively, skimming each time, and they will then be finished and in a state fit to be put into pots for use. after each bailing, it is proper to examine into the state of the syrup when cold; if too thin, it will bear additional boiling; if too thick, it may be lowered with more syrup of the usual standard. the reason why the fruit is emptied out of the preserving-pan into an earthen pan is, that the acid of the fruit acts upon the copper, of which the preserving-pans are usually made. from this example the process of preserving fruits by syrup will be easily comprehended. the first object is to soften the fruit by blanching or boiling it in water, in order that the syrup by which it is preserved may penetrate through its substance. . many fruits, when preserved by boiling, lose much of their peculiar and delicate flavour, as, for instance, pine-apples; and this inconvenience may, in some instances, be remedied by preserving them without heat. cut the fruit in slices about one fifth of an inch thick, strew powdered loaf sugar an eighth of an inch thick on the bottom of a jar, and put the slices on it. put more sugar on this, and then another layer of the slices, and so on till the jar is full. place the jar with the fruit up to the neck in boiling water, and keep it there till the sugar is completely dissolved, which may take half an hour, removing the scum as it rises. lastly, tie a wet bladder over the mouth of the jar, or cork and wax it. . any of the fruits that have been preserved in syrup may be converted into dry preserves, by first draining them from the syrup, and then drying them in a stove or very moderate oven, adding to them a quantity of powdered loaf sugar, which will gradually penetrate the fruit, while the fluid parts of the syrup gently evaporate. they should be dried in the stove or oven on a sieve, and turned every six or eight hours, fresh powdered sugar being sifted over them every time they are turned. afterwards, they are to be kept in a dry situation, in drawers or boxes. currants and cherries preserved whole in this manner, in bunches, are extremely elegant, and have a fine flavour. in this way it is, also, that orange and lemon chips are preserved. . marmalades, jams, and fruit pastes are of the same nature, and are now in very general request. they are prepared without difficulty, by attending to a very few directions; they are somewhat expensive, but may be kept without spoiling for a considerable time. marmalades and jams differ little from each other: they are preserves of a half-liquid consistency, made by boiling the pulp of fruits, and sometimes part of the rinds, with sugar. the appellation of marmalade is applied to those confitures which are composed of the firmer fruits, as pineapples or the rinds of oranges; whereas jams are made of the more juicy berries, such as strawberries, raspberries, currants, mulberries, &c. fruit pastes are a kind of marmalades, consisting of the pulp of fruits, first evaporated to a proper consistency, and afterwards boiled with sugar. the mixture is then poured into a mould, or spread on sheets of tin, and subsequently dried in the oven or stove till it has acquired the state of a paste. from a sheet of this paste, strips may be cut and formed into any shape that may be desired, as knots, rings, &c. jams require the same care and attention in the boiling as marmalade; the slightest degree of burning communicates a disagreeable empyreumatic taste, and if they are not boiled sufficiently, they will not keep. that they may keep, it is necessary not to be sparing of sugar. . in all the operations for preserve-making, when the preserving-pan is used, it should not be placed on the fire, but on a trivet, unless the jam is made on a hot plate, when this is not necessary. if the pan is placed close on to the fire, the preserve is very liable to burn, and the colour and flavour be consequently spoiled. . fruit jellies are compounds of the juices of fruits combined with sugar, concentrated, by boiling, to such a consistency that the liquid, upon cooling, assumes the form of a tremulous jelly. . before fruits are candied, they must first be boiled in syrup, after which they are taken out and dried on a stove, or before the fire; the syrup is then to be concentrated, or boiled to a candy height, and the fruit dipped in it, and again laid on the stove to dry and candy: they are then to be put into boxes, and kept dry. . conserves consist of fresh vegetable matters beat into a uniform mass with refined sugar, and they are intended to preserve the virtues and properties of recent flowers, leaves, roots, peels, or fruits, unaltered, and as near as possible to what they were when fresh gathered, and to give them an agreeable taste. . the last-mentioned, but not the least-important preparation of fruit, is the _compôte,_ a confiture made at the moment of need, and with much less sugar than would be ordinarily put to preserves. they are most wholesome things, suitable to most stomachs which cannot accommodate themselves to raw fruit or a large portion of sugar: they are the happy medium, and far better than ordinary stewed fruit. confectionary. . in speaking of confectionary, it should be remarked that all the various preparations above named come, strictly speaking, under that head; for the various fruits, flowers, herbs, roots, and juices, which, when boiled with sugar, were formerly employed in pharmacy as well as for sweetmeats, were called _confections_, from the latin word _conficere_, 'to make up;' but the term confectionary embraces a very large class indeed of sweet food, many kinds of which should not be attempted in the ordinary cuisine. the thousand and one ornamental dishes that adorn the tables of the wealthy should be purchased from the confectioner: they cannot profitably be made at home. apart from these, cakes, biscuits, and tarts, &c., the class of sweetmeats called confections may be thus classified:-- . liquid confects, or fruits either whole or in pieces, preserved by being immersed in a fluid transparent syrup; as the liquid confects of apricots, green citrons, and many foreign fruits. . dry confects are those which, after having been boiled in the syrup, are taken out and put to dry in an oven, as citron and orange-peel, &c. . marmalade, jams, and pastes, a kind of soft compounds made of the pulp of fruits or other vegetable substances, beat up with sugar or honey; such as oranges, apricots, pears, &c. . jellies are the juices of fruits boiled with sugar to a pretty thick consistency, so as, upon cooling, to form a trembling jelly; as currant, gooseberry, apple jelly, &c. . conserves are a kind of dry confects, made by beating up flowers, fruits, &c., with sugar, not dissolved. . candies are fruits candied over with sugar after having been boiled in the syrup. dessert dishes. . with moderns the dessert is not so profuse, nor does it hold the same relationship to the dinner that it held with the ancients,--the romans more especially. on ivory tables they would spread hundreds of different kinds of raw, cooked, and preserved fruits, tarts and cakes, as substitutes for the more substantial comestibles with which the guests were satiated. however, as late as the reigns of our two last georges, fabulous sums were often expended upon fanciful desserts. the dessert certainly repays, in its general effect, the expenditure upon it of much pains; and it may be said, that if there be any poetry at all in meals, or the process of feeding, there is poetry in the dessert, the materials for which should be selected with taste, and, of course, must depend, in a great measure, upon the season. pines, melons, grapes, peaches, nectarines, plums, strawberries, apples, pears, oranges, almonds, raisins, figs, walnuts, filberts, medlars, cherries, &c. &c., all kinds of dried fruits, and choice and delicately-flavoured cakes and biscuits, make up the dessert, together with the most costly and _recherché_ wines. the shape of the dishes varies at different periods, the prevailing fashion at present being oval and circular dishes on stems. the patterns and colours are also subject to changes of fashion; some persons selecting china, chaste in pattern and colour; others, elegantly-shaped glass dishes on stems, with gilt edges. the beauty of the dessert services at the tables of the wealthy tends to enhance the splendour of the plate. the general mode of putting a dessert on table, now the elegant tazzas are fashionable, is, to place them down the middle of the table, a tall and short dish alternately; the fresh fruits being arranged on the tall dishes, and dried fruits, bon-bons, &c., on small round or oval glass plates. the garnishing needs especial attention, as the contrast of the brilliant-coloured fruits with nicely-arranged foliage is very charming. the garnish _par excellence_ for dessert is the ice-plant; its crystallized dewdrops producing a marvellous effect in the height of summer, giving a most inviting sense of coolness to the fruit it encircles. the double-edged mallow, strawberry, and vine leaves have a pleasing effect; and for winter desserts, the bay, cuba, and laurel are sometimes used. in town, the expense and difficulty of obtaining natural foliage is great, but paper and composite leaves are to be purchased at an almost nominal price. mixed fruits of the larger sort are now frequently served on one dish. this mode admits of the display of much taste in the arrangement of the fruit: for instance, a pine in the centre of the dish, surrounded with large plums of various sorts and colours, mixed with pears, rosy-cheeked apples, all arranged with a due regard to colour, have a very good effect. again, apples and pears look well mingled with plums and grapes, hanging from the border of the dish in a _négligé_ sort of manner, with a large bunch of the same fruit lying on the top of the apples. a dessert would not now be considered complete without candied and preserved fruits and confections. the candied fruits may be purchased at a less cost than they can be manufactured at home. they are preserved abroad in most ornamental and elegant forms. and since, from the facilities of travel, we have become so familiar with the tables of the french, chocolate in different forms is indispensable to our desserts. ices. . ices are composed, it is scarcely necessary to say, of congealed cream or water, combined sometimes with liqueurs or other flavouring ingredients, or more generally with the juices of fruits. at desserts, or at some evening parties, ices are scarcely to be dispensed with. the principal utensils required for making ice-creams are ice-tubs, freezing-pots, spaddles, and a cellaret. the tub must be large enough to contain about a bushel of ice, pounded small, when brought out of the ice-house, and mixed very carefully with either _salt, nitre,_ or _soda._ the freezing-pot is best made of pewter. if it be of tin, as is sometimes the case, the congelation goes on too rapidly in it for the thorough intermingling of its contents, on which the excellence of the ice greatly depends. the spaddle is generally made of copper, kept bright and clean. the cellaret is a tin vessel, in which ices are kept for a short time from dissolving. the method to be pursued in the freezing process must be attended to. when the ice-tub is prepared with fresh-pounded ice and salt, the freezing-pot is put into it up to its cover. the articles to be congealed are then poured into it and covered over; but to prevent the ingredients from separating and the heaviest of them from falling to the bottom of the mould, it is requisite to turn the freezing-pot round and round by the handle, so as to keep its contents moving until the congelation commences. as soon as this is perceived (the cover of the pot being occasionally taken off for the purpose of noticing when freezing takes place), the cover is immediately closed over it, ice is put upon it, and it is left in this state till it is served. the use of the spaddle is to stir up and remove from the sides of the freezing pot the cream, which in the shaking may have washed against it, and by stirring it in with the rest, to prevent waste of it occurring. any negligence in stirring the contents of the freezing-pot before congelation takes place, will destroy the whole: either the sugar sinks to the bottom and leaves the ice insufficiently sweetened, or lumps are formed, which disfigure and discolour it. . the aged, the delicate, and children should abstain from ices or iced beverages; even the strong and healthy should partake of them in moderation. they should be taken immediately after the repast, or some hours after, because the taking these substances _during_ the process of digestion is apt to provoke indisposition. it is necessary, then, that this function should have scarcely commenced, or that it should be completely finished, before partaking of ices. it is also necessary to abstain from them when persons are very warm, or immediately after taking violent exercise, as in some cases they have produced illnesses which have ended fatally. [do ladies know to whom they are indebted for the introduction of ices, which all the fair sex are passionately fond of?--to catherine de' medici. will not this fact cover a multitude of sins committed by the instigator of st. bartholomew ?] recipes. chapter xxxi. to make syrup for compotes, &c. . ingredients.--to every lb. of sugar allow - / pint of water. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together for / hour, carefully removing the scum as it rises: the syrup is then ready for the fruit. the articles boiled in this syrup will not keep for any length of time, it being suitable only for dishes intended to be eaten immediately. a larger proportion of sugar must be added for a syrup intended to keep. _time_.-- / hour. to clarify sugar or syrup. . ingredients.--to every lb. of sugar allow / pint of water and / the white of an egg. _mode_.--put the sugar, water, and the white of the egg, which should, be well beaten, into a preserving-pan or lined saucepan; and do not put it on the fire till the sugar is dissolved. then place it on the fire, and when it boils, throw in a teacupful of cold water, and do not stir the sugar after this is added. bring it to the boiling-point again, and then place the pan by the side of the fire, for the preparation to settle. remove all the scum, and the sugar will be ready for use. the scum should be placed on a sieve, so that what syrup runs from it may be boiled up again: this must also be well skimmed. _time_.-- minutes for the sugar to dissolve; minutes to boil. _note_.--the above two recipes are those used in the preparation of dishes usually made at home. there are many degrees of boiling sugar, which process requires great care, attention, and experience. caramel sugar, which makes an elegant cover for sweetmeats, is difficult to prepare, and is best left to an experienced confectioner. we give the recipe, for those of our readers who care to attempt the operation. to boil sugar to caramel. . ingredients.--to every lb. of lump sugar allow gill of spring water. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together very quickly over a clear fire, skimming it very carefully as soon as it boils. keep it boiling until the sugar snaps when a little of it is dropped in a pan of cold water. if it remains hard, the sugar has attained the right degree; then squeeze in a little lemon-juice, and let it remain an instant on the fire. set the pan into another of cold water, and the caramel is then ready for use. the insides of well-oiled moulds are often ornamented with this sugar, which with a fork should be spread over them in fine threads or network. a dish of light pastry, tastefully arranged, looks very prettily with this sugar spun lightly over it. the sugar must be carefully watched, and taken up the instant it is done. unless the cook is very experienced and thoroughly understands her business, it is scarcely worth while to attempt to make this elaborate ornament, as it may be purchased quite as economically at a confectioner's, if the failures in the preparation are taken into consideration. compote of apples. _(soyer's recipe,--a dessert dish.)_ . ingredients.-- ripe apples, lemon, / lb. of lump sugar, / pint of water. [illustration: compÔte of apples.] _mode_.--select the apples of a moderate size, peel them, cut them in halves, remove the cores, and rub each piece over with a little lemon. put the sugar and water together into a lined saucepan, and let them boil until forming a thickish syrup, when lay in the apples with the rind of the lemon cut thin, and the juice of the same. let the apples simmer till tender; then take them out very carefully, drain them on a sieve, and reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly for a few minutes. when both are cold, arrange the apples neatly on a glass dish, pour over the syrup, and garnish with strips of green angelica or candied citron. smaller apples may be dressed in the same manner: they should not be divided in half, but peeled and the cores pushed out with a vegetable-cutter. _time_.-- minutes to boil the sugar and water together; from to minutes to simmer the apples. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from july to march. apple ginger. (_a dessert dish_.) ingredients.-- lbs. of any kind of hard apples, lbs. of loaf sugar, - / pint of water, oz. of tincture of ginger. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water until they form a rich syrup, adding the ginger when it boils up. pare, core, and cut the apples into pieces; dip them in cold water to preserve the colour, and boil them in the syrup until transparent; but be careful not to let them break. put the pieces of apple into jars, pour over the syrup, and carefully exclude the air, by well covering them. it will remain good some time, if kept in a dry place. _time_.--from to minutes to boil the syrup; about / hour to simmer the apples. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_.--make this in september, october, or november. apple jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit weighed after being pared, cored, and sliced, allow / lb. of preserving-sugar, the grated rind of lemon, the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--peel the apples, core and slice them very thin, and be particular that they are all the same sort. put them into a jar, stand this in a saucepan of boiling water, and let the apples stew until quite tender. previously to putting the fruit into the jar, weigh it, to ascertain the proportion of sugar that may be required. put the apples into a preserving-pan, crush the sugar to small lumps, and add it, with the grated lemon-rind and juice, to the apples. simmer these over the fire for / hour, reckoning from the time the jam begins to simmer properly; remove the scum as it rises, and when the jam is done, put it into pots for use. place a piece of oiled paper over the jam, and to exclude the air, cover the pots with tissue-paper dipped in the white of an egg, and stretched over the top. this jam will keep good for a long time. _time_.--about hours to stew in the jar; / hour to boil after the jam begins to simmer. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _sufficient._-- or lbs. of apples for pots of jam. _seasonable_.--make this in september, october, or november. apple jelly. i. . ingredients.--to lbs. of apples allow pints of water; to every quart of juice allow lbs. of loaf sugar;--the juice of / lemon. _mode_.--pare, core, and cut the apples into slices, and put them into a jar, with water in the above proportion. place them in a cool oven, with the jar well covered, and when the juice is thoroughly drawn and the apples are quite soft, strain them through a jelly-bag. to every quart of juice allow lbs. of loaf sugar, which should be crushed to small lumps, and put into a preserving-pan with the juice. boil these together for rather more than / hour, remove the scum as it rises, add the lemon-juice just before it is done, and put the jelly into pots for use. this preparation is useful for garnishing sweet dishes, and may be turned out for dessert. _time_.--the apples to be put in the oven over-night, and left till morning; rather more than / hour to boil the jelly. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _sufficient_ for small pots of jelly. _seasonable_,--this should be made in september, october, or november. ii. . ingredients.--apples, water: to every pint of syrup allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--pare and cut the apples into pieces, remove the cores, and put them in a preserving-pan with sufficient cold water to cover them. let them boil for an hour; then drain the syrup from them through a hair sieve or jelly-bag, and measure the juice; to every pint allow / lb. of loaf sugar, and boil these together for / hour, removing every particle of scum as it rises, and keeping the jelly well stirred, that it may not burn. a little lemon-rind may be boiled with the apples, and a small quantity of strained lemon-juice may be put in the jelly just before it is done, when the flavour is liked. this jelly may be ornamented with preserved greengages, or any other preserved fruit, and will turn out very prettily for dessert. it should be stored away in small pots. _time_.-- hour to boil the fruit and water; / hour to boil the juice with the sugar. _average cost_, for lbs. of apples, with the other ingredients in proportion, s. _sufficient_ for small pots of jelly. _seasonable_.--make this in september, october, or november. to preserve apples in quarters, in imitation of ginger. . ingredients.--to every lb. of apples allow / lb. of sugar, - / oz. of the best white ginger; oz. of ginger to every / pint of water. _mode_.--peel, core, and quarter the apples, and put the fruit, sugar, and ginger in layers into a wide-mouthed jar, and let them remain for days; then infuse oz. of ginger in / pint of boiling water, and cover it closely, and let it remain for day: this quantity of ginger and water is for lbs. of apples, with the other ingredients in proportion. put the apples, &c., into a preserving-pan with the water strained from the ginger, and boil till the apples look clear and the syrup is rich, which will be in about an hour. the rind of a lemon may be added just before the apples have finished boiling; and great care must be taken not to break the pieces of apple in putting them into the jars. serve on glass dishes for dessert. _time_.-- days for the apples to remain in the jar with sugar, &c.; day to infuse the ginger; about hour to boil the apples. _average cost_, for lbs. of apples, with the other ingredients in proportion, s. d. _sufficient._-- lbs. should fill moderate-sized jars. _seasonable_.--this should be made in september, october, or november. compote of apricots. (_an elegant dish_.) . ingredients.-- / pint of syrup no. , green apricots. _mode_.--make the syrup by recipe no. , and when it is ready, put in the apricots whilst the syrup is boiling. simmer them very gently until tender, taking care not to let them break; take them out carefully, arrange them on a glass dish, let the syrup cool a little, pour it over the apricots, and, when cold, serve. _time_.--from to minutes to simmer the apricots. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in june and july, with green apricots. apricot jam or marmalade. . ingredients.--to every lb. of ripe apricots, weighed after being skinned and stoned, allow lb. of sugar. _mode_.--pare the apricots, which should be ripe, as thinly as possible, break them in half, and remove the stones. weigh the fruit, and to every lb. allow the same proportion of loaf sugar. pound the sugar very finely in a mortar, strew it over the apricots, which should be placed on dishes, and let them remain for hours. break the stones, blanch the kernels, and put them with the sugar and fruit into a preserving-pan. let these simmer very gently until clear; take out the pieces of apricot singly as they become so, and, as fast as the scum rises, carefully remove it. put the apricots into small jars, pour over them the syrup and kernels, cover the jam with pieces of paper dipped in the purest salad-oil, and stretch over the top of the jars tissue-paper, cut about inches larger and brushed over with the white of an egg: when dry, it will be perfectly hard and air-tight. _time_.-- hours sprinkled with sugar; about / hour to boil the jam. _average cost_.--when cheap, apricots may be purchased for preserving at about s. d. per gallon. _sufficient_,-- lbs. of fruit for pots of jam. _seasonable_.--make this in august or september. barberries in bunches. . ingredients.-- pint of syrup no. , barberries. _mode_.--prepare some small pieces of clean white wood, inches long and / inch wide, and tie the fruit on to these in nice bunches. have ready some clear syrup, made by recipe no. ; put in the barberries, and simmer them in it for successive days, boiling them for nearly / hour each day, and covering them each time with the syrup when cold. when the fruit looks perfectly clear, it is sufficiently done, and should be stored away in pots, with the syrup poured over, or the fruit may be candied. _time_.-- / hour to simmer each day. _seasonable_ in autumn. _note_.--the berries in their natural state make a very pretty garnishing for dishes, and may even be used for the same purpose, preserved as above, and look exceedingly nice on sweet dishes. to make barley-sugar. . ingredients.--to every lb. of sugar allow / pint of water, / the white of an egg. _mode_.--put the sugar into a well-tinned saucepan, with the water, and, when the former is dissolved, set it over a moderate fire, adding the well-beaten egg before the mixture gets warm, and stir it well together. when it boils, remove the scum as it rises, and keep it boiling until no more appears, and the syrup looks perfectly clear; then strain it through a fine sieve or muslin bag, and put it back into the saucepan. boil it again like caramel, until it is brittle, when a little is dropped in a basin of cold water: it is then sufficiently boiled. add a little lemon-juice and a few drops of essence of lemon, and let it stand for a minute or two. have ready a marble slab or large dish, rubbed over with salad-oil; pour on it the sugar, and cut it into strips with a pair of scissors: these strips should then be twisted, and the barley-sugar stored away in a very dry place. it may be formed into lozenges or drops, by dropping the sugar in a very small quantity at a time on to the oiled slab or dish. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or sticks. carrot jam to imitate apricot preserve. . ingredients.--carrots; to every lb. of carrot pulp allow lb. of pounded sugar, the grated rind of lemon, the strained juice of , chopped bitter almonds, tablespoonfuls of brandy. _mode_.--select young carrots; wash and scrape them clean, cut them into round pieces, put them into a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them, and let them simmer until perfectly soft; then beat them through a sieve. weigh the pulp, and to every lb. allow the above ingredients. put the pulp into a preserving-pan with the sugar, and let this boil for minutes, stirring and skimming all the time. when cold, add the lemon-rind and juice, almonds and brandy; mix these well with the jam; then put it into pots, which must be well covered and kept in a dry place. the brandy may be omitted, but the preserve will then not keep: with the brandy it will remain good for months. _time_.--about / hour to boil the carrots; minutes to simmer the pulp. _average cost_, s. d. for lb. of pulp, with the other ingredients in proportion. _sufficient_ to fill pots. _seasonable_ from july to december. to make cherry brandy. . ingredients.--morella cherries, good brandy; to every lb. of cherries allow oz. of pounded sugar. _mode_.--have ready some glass bottles, which must be perfectly dry. ascertain that the cherries are not too ripe and are freshly gathered, and cut off about half of the stalks. put them into the bottles, with the above proportion of sugar to every lb. of fruit; strew this in between the cherries, and, when the bottles are nearly full, pour in sufficient brandy to reach just below the cork. a few peach or apricot kernels will add much to their flavour, or a few blanched bitter almonds. put corks or bungs into the bottles, tie over them a piece of bladder, and store away in a dry place. the cherries will be fit to eat in or months, and will remain good for years. they are liable to shrivel and become tough if too much sugar be added to them. _average cost_, s. to s. d. per lb. _sufficient_.-- lb. of cherries and about / pint of brandy for a quart bottle. _seasonable_ in august and september. dried cherries. . cherries may be put in a slow oven and thoroughly dried before they begin to change colour. they should then be taken out of the oven, tied in bunches, and stored away in a dry place. in the winter, they may be cooked with sugar for dessert, the same as normandy pippins. particular care must be taken that the oven be not too hot. another method of drying cherries is to stone them, and to put them into a preserving-pan, with plenty of loaf sugar strewed amongst them. they should be simmered till the fruit shrivels, when they should be strained from the juice. the cherries should then be placed in an oven, cool enough to dry without baking them. about oz. of sugar would be required for lb. of cherries, and the same syrup may be used again to do another quantity of fruit. cherry jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit, weighed before stoning, allow / lb. of sugar; to every lbs. of fruit allow pint of red-currant juice, and to every pint of juice lb. of sugar. _mode_.--weigh the fruit before stoning, and allow half the weight of sugar; stone the cherries, and boil them in a preserving-pan until nearly all the juice is dried up; then add the sugar, which should be crushed to powder, and the currant-juice, allowing pint to every lbs. of cherries (original weight), and lb. of sugar to every pint of juice. boil all together until it jellies, which will be in from minutes to / hour; skim the jam well, keep it well stirred, and, a few minutes before it is done, crack some of the stones, and add the kernels: these impart a very delicious flavour to the jam. _time_.--according to the quality of the cherries, from / to hour to boil them; minutes to / hour with the sugar. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.-- pint of fruit for a lb. pot of jam. _seasonable_.--make this in july or august. to preserve cherries in syrup. (_very delicious_.) . ingredients.-- lbs. of cherries, lbs. of sugar, pint of white-currant juice. _mode_.--let the cherries be as clear and as transparent as possible, and perfectly ripe; pick off the stalks, and remove the stones, damaging the fruit as little as you can. make a syrup with the above proportion of sugar, by recipe no. ; mix the cherries with it, and boil them for about minutes, carefully skimming them; turn them gently into a pan, and let them remain till the next day; then drain the cherries on a sieve, and put the syrup and white-currant juice into the preserving-pan again. boil these together until the syrup is somewhat reduced and rather thick; then put in the cherries, and let them boil for about minutes; take them off the fire, skim the syrup, put the cherries into small pots or wide-mouthed bottles; pour the syrup over, and when quite cold, tie them down carefully, so that the air is quite excluded. _time_.-- minutes to boil the cherries in the syrup; minutes to boil the syrup and currant-juice; minutes to boil the cherries the second time. _average cost_ for this quantity, s. d. _seasonable_.--make this in july or august. black-currant jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit, weighed before being stripped from the stalks, allow / lb. of loaf sugar, gill of water. _mode_.--let the fruit be very ripe, and gathered on a dry day. strip it from the stalks, and put it into a preserving-pan, with a gill of water to each lb. of fruit; boil these together for minutes; then add the sugar, and boil the jam again for minutes, reckoning from the time when the jam simmers equally all over, or longer, should it not appear to set nicely when a little is poured on to a plate. keep stirring it to prevent it from burning, carefully remove all the scum, and when done, pour it into pots. let it cool, cover the top of the jam with oiled paper, and the top of the jars with a piece of tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg: this, when cold, forms a hard stiff cover, and perfectly excludes the air. great attention must be paid to the stirring of this jam, as it is very liable to burn, on account of the thickness of the juice. _time_.-- minutes to boil the fruit and water; minutes with the sugar, or longer. _average cost_, from d. to d. for a pot capable of holding lb. _sufficient_.--allow from to quarts of currants to make dozen pots of jam, each pot to hold lb. _seasonable_.--make this in july. black-currant jelly. . ingredients.--black currants; to every pint of juice allow / pint of water, lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--strip the currants from the stalks, which may be done in an expeditious manner, by holding the bunch in one hand, and passing a small silver fork down the currants: they will then readily fall from the stalks. put them into a jar, place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer them until their juice is extracted; then strain them, and to every pint of juice allow the above proportion of sugar and water; stir these ingredients together cold until the sugar is dissolved; place the preserving-pan on the fire, and boil the jelly for about / hour, reckoning from the time it commences to boil all over, and carefully remove the scum as it rises. if the jelly becomes firm when a little is put on a plate, it is done; it should then be put into _small_ pots, and covered the same as the jam in the preceding recipe. if the jelly is wanted very clear, the fruit should not be squeezed dry; but, of course, so much juice will not be obtained. if the fruit is not much squeezed, it may be converted into a jam for immediate eating, by boiling it with a little common sugar: this answers very well for a nursery preserve. _time_.--about / hour to extract the juice; / hour to boil the jelly. _average cost_, from d. to d. per / -lb. pot. _sufficient_.--from pints to quarts of fruit should yield a pint of juice. _seasonable_.--make this in july. red-currant jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow / lb. of loaf sugar. [illustration: jam-pot.] _mode_.--let the fruit be gathered on a fine day; weigh it, and then strip the currants from the stalks; put them into a preserving-pan with sugar in the above proportion; stir them, and boil them for about / hour. carefully remove the scum as it rises. put the jam into pots, and, when cold, cover with oiled papers; over these put a piece of tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg; press the paper round the top of the pot, and, when dry, the covering will be quite hard and air-tight. _time_.-- / to / hour, reckoning from the time the jam boils all over. _average cost_, for a lb. pot, from d. to d. _sufficient_.--allow from to quarts of currants to make -lb, pots of jam. _seasonable_.--make this in july. red-currant jelly. . ingredients.--red currants; to every pint of juice allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--have the fruit gathered in fine weather; pick it from the stalks, put it into a jar, and place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and let it simmer gently until the juice is well drawn from the currants; then strain them through a jelly-bag or fine cloth, and, if the jelly is wished very clear, do not squeeze them _too much_, as the skin and pulp from the fruit will be pressed through with the juice, and so make the jelly muddy. measure the juice, and to each pint allow / lb. of loaf sugar; put these into a preserving-pan, set it over the fire, and keep stirring the jelly until it is done, carefully removing every particle of scum as it rises, using a wooden or silver spoon for the purpose, as metal or iron ones would spoil the colour of the jelly when it has boiled from minutes to / hour, put a little of the jelly on a plate, and if firm when cool, it is done. take it off the fire, pour it into small gallipots, cover each of the pots with an oiled paper, and then with a piece of tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. label the pots, adding the year when the jelly was made, and store it away in a dry place. a jam may be made with the currants, if they are not squeezed too dry, by adding a few fresh raspberries, and boiling all together, with sufficient sugar to sweeten it nicely. as this preserve is not worth storing away, but is only for immediate eating, a smaller proportion of sugar than usual will be found enough: it answers very well for children's puddings, or for a nursery preserve. _time_.--from / to hour to extract the juice; minutes to / hour to boil the jelly. _average cost_, from d. to d. per / -lb. pot. _sufficient_.-- quarts of currants will make from to pots of jelly. _seasonable_.--make this in july. _note_.--should the above proportion of sugar not be found sufficient for some tastes, add an extra / lb. to every pint of juice, making altogether lb. white-currant jelly. . ingredients.--white currants; to every pint of juice allow / lb. of good loaf sugar. _mode_.--pick the currants from the stalks, and put them into a jar; place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the juice is well drawn from the fruit, which will be in from / to hour. then strain the currants through a fine cloth or jelly-bag; do not squeeze them too much, or the jelly will not be clear, and put the juice into a very clean preserving-pan, with the sugar. let this simmer gently over a clear fire until it is firm, and keep stirring and skimming until it is done; then pour it into small pots, cover them, and store away in a dry place. _time_.-- / hour to draw the juice; / hour to boil the jelly. _average cost_, from d. to d. per / -lb. pot. _sufficient._--from pints to quarts of fruit should yield pint of juice. _seasonable_ in july and august. baked damsons for winter use. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow oz. of pounded sugar; melted mutton suet. _mode_.--choose sound fruit, not too ripe; pick off the stalks, weigh it, and to every lb. allow the above proportion of pounded sugar. put the fruit into large dry stone jars, sprinkling the sugar amongst it; cover the jars with saucers, place them in a rather cool oven, and bake the fruit until it is quite tender. when cold, cover the top of the fruit with a piece of white paper cut to the size of the jar; pour over this melted mutton suet about an inch thick, and cover the tops of the jars with thick brown paper, well tied down. keep the jars in a cool dry place, and the fruit will remain good till the following christmas, but not much longer. _time_.--from to hours to bake the damsons, in a very cool oven. _seasonable_ in september and october. damson cheese. . ingredients.--damsons; to every lb. of fruit pulp allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--pick the stalks from the damsons, and put them into a preserving-pan; simmer them over the fire until they are soft, occasionally stirring them; then beat them through a coarse sieve, and put the pulp and juice into the preserving-pan, with sugar in the above proportion, having previously carefully weighed them. stir the sugar well in, and simmer the damsons slowly for hours. skim well; then boil the preserve quickly for / hour, or until it looks firm and hard in the spoon; put it quickly into shallow pots, or very tiny earthenware moulds, and, when cold, cover it with oiled papers, and the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. a few of the stones may be cracked, and the kernels boiled with the damsons, which very much improves the flavour of the cheese. _time_.-- hour to boil the damsons without the sugar; hours to simmer them slowly, / hour quickly. _average cost_, from d. to d. per / lb. pot. _sufficient_.-- pint of damsons to make a _very small_ pot of cheese. _seasonable_.--make this in september or october. compote of damsons. . ingredients.-- quart of damsons, pint of syrup no. . _mode_.--procure sound ripe damsons; pick the stalks from them, and put them into boiling syrup, made by recipe no. . simmer them gently until the fruit is tender, but not sufficiently soft to break; take them up, boil the syrup for minutes; pour it over the damsons, and serve. this should be sent to table in a glass dish. _time_.--about / hour to simmer the damsons; minutes to boil the syrup. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in september and october. damson jam. . ingredients.--damsons; to every lb. of fruit allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--have the fruit gathered in dry weather; pick it over, and reject any that is at all blemished. stone the damsons, weigh them, and to every lb. allow / lb. of loaf sugar. put the fruit and sugar into a preserving-pan; keep stirring them gently until the sugar is dissolved, and carefully remove the scum as it rises. boil the jam for about an hour, reckoning from the time it commences to simmer all over alike: it must be well stirred all the time, or it will be liable to burn and stick to the pan, which will cause the jam to have a very disagreeable flavour. when the jam looks firm, and the juice appears to set, it is done. then take it off the fire, put into pots, cover it down, when quite cold, with oiled and egged papers, the same as in recipe no. , and store it away in a dry place. _time_.-- hour after the jam simmers all over. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.-- - / pint of damsons for a lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in september or october. a very nice preserve of damsons. . ingredients.--to every quart of damsons allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--put the damsons (which should be picked from the stalks and quite free from blemishes) into a jar, with pounded sugar sprinkled amongst them in the above proportion; tie the jar closely down, set it in a saucepan of cold water; bring it gradually to boil, and simmer gently until the damsons are soft, without being broken. let them stand till cold; then strain the juice from them, boil it up well, strain it through a jelly-bag, and pour it over the fruit. let it cool, cover with oiled papers, and the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg, and store away in a dry cool place. _time_.--about / hour to simmer the fruit after the water boils; / hour to boil the juice. _seasonable_.--make this in september or october. to preserve damsons, or any kind of plums. (_useful in winter_.) . ingredients.--damsons or plums; boiling water. _mode_.--pick the fruit into clean dry stone jars, taking care to leave out all that are broken or blemished. when full, pour boiling water on the plums, until it stands one inch above the fruit; cut a piece of paper to fit the inside of the jar, over which pour melted mutton-suet; cover down with brown paper, and keep the jars in a dry cool place. when used, the suet should be removed, the water poured off, and the jelly at the bottom of the jar used and mixed with the fruit. _seasonable_ in september and october. compote of green figs. [illustration: compÔte of figs.] . ingredients.-- pint of syrup no. , - / pint of green figs, the rind of / lemon. _mode_.--make a syrup by recipe no. , boiling with it the lemon-rind, and carefully remove all the scum as it rises. put in the figs, and simmer them very slowly until tender; dish them on a glass dish; reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly for minutes; take out the lemon-peel, pour the syrup over the figs, and the compote, when cold, will be ready for table. a little port wine, or lemon-juice, added just before the figs are done, will be found an improvement. _time_.-- to hours to stew the figs. _average cost_, figs, s. to s. per dozen. _seasonable_ in august and september. to bottle fresh fruit. (_very useful in winter_.) i. . ingredients.--fresh fruits, such as currants, raspberries, cherries, gooseberries, plums of all kinds, damsons, &c.; wide-mouthed glass bottles, new corks to fit them tightly. _mode_.--let the fruit be full grown, but not too ripe, and gathered in dry weather. pick it off the stalks without bruising or breaking the skin, and reject any that is at all blemished: if gathered in the damp, or if the skins are cut at all, the fruit will mould. have ready some _perfectly dry_ glass bottles, and some nice new soft corks or bungs; burn a match in each bottle, to exhaust the air, and quickly place the fruit in to be preserved; gently cork the bottles, and put them into a very cool oven, where let them remain until the fruit has shrunk away a fourth part. then take the bottles out; _do not open them,_ but immediately beat the corks in tight, cut off the tops, and cover them with melted resin. if kept in a dry place, the fruit will remain good for months; and on this principally depends the success of the preparation; for if stored away in a place that is in the least damp, the fruit will soon spoil. _time_.--from to hours in a very slow oven. ii. . ingredients.--any kind of fresh fruit, such as currants, cherries, gooseberries, all kinds of plums, &c.; wide-mouthed glass bottles, new corks to fit them tightly. _mode_.--the fruit must be full-grown, not too ripe, and gathered on a fine day. let it be carefully picked and put into the bottles, which must be clean and perfectly dry. tie over the tops of the bottles pieces of bladder; stand the bottles in a large pot, copper, or boiler, with cold water to reach to their necks; kindle a fire under, let the water boil, and as the bladders begin to rise and puff, prick them. as soon as the water boils, extinguish the fire, and let the bottles remain where they are, to become cold. the next day remove the bladders, and strew over the fruit a thick layer of pounded sugar; fit the bottles with corks, and let each cork lie close at hand to its own bottle. hold for a few moments, in the neck of the bottle, two or three lighted matches, and when they have filled the bottle neck with gas, and before they go out, remove them very quickly; instantly cork the bottle closely, and dip it in bottle cement. _time_.--altogether about hours. to bottle fresh fruit with sugar. (_very useful in winter_.) . ingredients.--any kind of fresh fruit; to each quart bottle allow / lb. of pounded sugar. _mode_.--let the fruit be gathered in dry weather. pick it carefully, and drop it into _clean_ and _very dry_ quart glass bottles, sprinkling over it the above proportion of pounded sugar to each quart. put the corks in the bottles, and place them in a copper of cold water up to their necks, with small hay-wisps round them, to prevent the bottles from knocking together. light the fire under, bring the water gradually to boil, and let it simmer gently until the fruit in the bottles is reduced nearly one third. extinguish the fire, _and let the bottles remain in the water until it is perfectly cold;_ then take them out, make the corks secure, and cover them with melted resin or wax. _time_.--about hour from the time the water commences to boil. to frost holly-leaves, for garnishing and decorating dessert and supper dishes. .--ingredients.--sprigs of holly, oiled butter, coarsely-powdered sugar. _mode_.--procure some nice sprigs of holly; pick the leaves from the stalks, and wipe them with a clean cloth free from all moisture; then place them on a dish near the fire, to get thoroughly dry, but not too near to shrivel the leaves; dip them into oiled butter, sprinkle over them some coarsely-powdered sugar, and dry them before the fire. they should be kept in a dry place, as the least damp would spoil their appearance. _time_.--about minutes to dry before the fire. _seasonable_.--these may be made at any time; but are more suitable for winter garnishes, when fresh flowers are not easily obtained. compote of gooseberries. . ingredients.--syrup made by recipe no. ; to pint of syrup allow nearly a quart of gooseberries. _mode_.--top and tail the gooseberries, which should not be very ripe, and pour over them some boiling water; then take them out, and plunge them into cold water, with which has been mixed a tablespoonful of vinegar, which will assist to keep the fruit a good colour. make a pint of syrup by recipe no. , and when it boils, drain the gooseberries and put them in; simmer them gently until the fruit is nicely pulped and tender, without being broken; then dish the gooseberries on a glass dish, boil the syrup for or minutes, pour over the gooseberries, and serve cold. _time_.--about minutes to boil the gooseberries in the syrup; minutes to reduce the syrup. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_,--a quart of gooseberries for or persons. _seasonable_ in june. gooseberry jam. i. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow / lb. of loaf sugar; currant-juice. _mode_.--select red hairy gooseberries; have them gathered in dry weather, when quite ripe, without being too soft. weigh them; with a pair of scissors, cut off the tops and tails, and to every lbs. of fruit have ready / pint of red-currant juice, drawn as for jelly. put the gooseberries and currant-juice into a preserving-pan; let them boil tolerably quickly, keeping them well stirred; when they begin to break, add to them the sugar, and keep simmering until the jam becomes firm, carefully skimming: and stirring it, that it does not burn at the bottom. it should be boiled rather a long time, or it will not keep. put it into pots (not too large); let it get perfectly cold; then cover the pots down with oiled and egged papers, as directed for red-currant jelly no. . _time_.--about hour to boil the gooseberries in the currant-juice; from / to / hour with the sugar. _average cost_, per lb. pot, from d. to d. _sufficient_.--allow - / pint of fruit for a lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in june or july. ii. . ingredients.--to every lbs. of red, rough, ripe gooseberries allow quart of red-currant juice, lbs. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--have the fruit gathered in dry weather, and cut off the tops and tails. prepare quart of red-currant juice, the same as for red-currant jelly no. ; put it into a preserving-pan with the sugar, and keep stirring until the latter is dissolved. keep it boiling for about minutes; skim well; then put in the gooseberries, and let them boil from / to / hour; then turn the whole into an earthen pan, and let it remain for days. boil the jam up again until it looks clear; put it into pots, and when cold, cover with oiled paper, and over the jars put tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg, and store away in a dry place. care must be taken, in making this, to keep the jam well stirred and well skimmed, to prevent it burning at the bottom of the pan, and to have it very clear. _time_.-- minutes to boil the currant-juice and sugar after the latter is dissolved; from / to / hour to simmer the gooseberries the first time, / hour the second time of boiling. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.--allow - / pint of fruit for a lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in june or july. white or green gooseberry jam. . ingredients.--equal weight of fruit and sugar. _mode_.--select the gooseberries not very ripe, either white or green, and top and tail them. boil the sugar with water (allowing / pint to every lb.) for about / hour, carefully removing the scum as it rises; then put in the gooseberries, and simmer gently till clear and firm: try a little of the jam on a plate; if it jellies when cold, it is done, and should then be poured into pots. when cold, cover with oiled paper, and tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the unbeaten white of an egg, and store away in a dry place. _time_.-- / hour to boil the sugar and water, / hour the jam. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.--allow - / pint of fruit for a lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in june. gooseberry jelly. . ingredients.--gooseberries; to every pint of juice allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--put the gooseberries, after cutting off the tops and tails, into a preserving-pan, and stir them over the fire until they are quite soft; then strain them through a sieve, and to every pint of juice allow / lb. of sugar. boil the juice and sugar together for nearly / hour, stirring and skimming all the time; and if the jelly appears firm when a little of it is poured on to a plate, it is done, and should then be taken up and put into small pots. cover the pots with oiled and egged papers, the same as for currant jelly no. , and store away in a dry place. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the gooseberries without the sugar; / hour to boil the juice. _average cost_, from d. to d. per / -lb. pot. _seasonable_ in july. compote of greengages. . ingredients.-- pint of syrup made by recipe no. , quart of greengages. _mode_.--make a syrup by recipe no. , skim it well, and put in the greengages when the syrup is boiling, having previously removed the stalks and stones from the fruit. boil gently for / hour, or until the fruit is tender; but take care not to let it break, as the appearance of the dish would be spoiled were the fruit reduced to a pulp. take the greengages carefully out, place them on a glass dish, boil the syrup for another minutes, let it cool a little, pour over the fruit, and, when cold, it will be ready for use. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the fruit, minutes the syrup. _average cost_, in full season, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in july, august, and september. greengage jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit, weighed before being stoned, allow / lb. of lump sugar. _mode_.--divide the greengages, take out the stones, and put them into a preserving-pan. bring the fruit to a boil, then add the sugar, and keep stirring it over a gentle fire until it is melted. remove all the scum as it rises, and, just before the jam is done, boil it rapidly for minutes. to ascertain when it is sufficiently boiled, pour a little on a plate, and if the syrup thickens and appears firm, it is done. have ready half the kernels blanched; put them into the jam, give them one boil, and pour the preserve into pots. when cold, cover down with oiled papers, and, over these, tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. _time_.-- / hour after the sugar is added. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient._--allow about - / pint of fruit for every lb. pot of jam. _seasonable_.--make this in august or september. to preserve and dry greengages. . ingredients.--to every lb. of sugar allow lb. of fruit, / pint of water. _mode_.--for this purpose, the fruit must be used before it is quite ripe, and part of the stalk must be left on. weigh the fruit, rejecting all that is in the least degree blemished, and put it into a lined saucepan with the sugar and water, which should have been previously boiled together to a rich syrup. boil the fruit in this for minutes, remove it from the fire, and drain the greengages. the next day, boil up the syrup and put in the fruit again, and let it simmer for minutes, and drain the syrup away. continue this process for or days, and the last time place the greengages, when drained, on a hair sieve, and put them in an oven or warm spot to dry; keep them in a box, with paper between each layer, in a place free from damp. _time_.-- minutes the first time of boiling. _seasonable_.--make this in august or september. preserved greengages in syrup. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow lb. of loaf sugar / pint of water. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together for about minutes; divide the greengages, take out the stones, put the fruit into the syrup, and let it simmer gently until nearly tender. take it off the fire, put it into a large pan, and, the next day, boil it up again for about minutes with the kernels from the stones, which should be blanched. put the fruit carefully into jars, pour over it the syrup, and, when cold, cover down, so that the air is quite excluded. let the syrup be well skimmed both the first and second day of boiling, otherwise it will not be clear. _time_.-- minutes to boil the syrup; / hour to simmer the fruit the first day, minutes the second day. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient._--allow about pint of fruit to fill a -lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in august or september. to make fruit ice-creams. . ingredients.--to every pint of fruit-juice allow pint of cream; sugar to taste. _mode_.--let the fruit be well ripened; pick it off the stalks, and put it into a large earthen pan. stir it about with a wooden spoon, breaking it until it is well mashed; then, with the back of the spoon, rub it through a hair sieve. sweeten it nicely with pounded sugar; whip the cream for a few minutes, add it to the fruit, and whisk the whole again for another minutes. put the mixture into the freezing-pot, and freeze in the same manner as directed for ice pudding, no. , taking care to stir the cream, &c., two or three times, and to remove it from the sides of the vessel, that the mixture may be equally frozen and smooth. ices are usually served in glasses, but if moulded, as they sometimes are for dessert, must have a small quantity of melted isinglass added to them, to enable them to keep their shape. raspberry, strawberry, currant, and all fruit ice-creams, are made in the same manner. a little pounded sugar sprinkled over the fruit before it is mashed assists to extract the juice. in winter, when fresh fruit is not obtainable, a little jam may be substituted for it: it should be melted and worked through a sieve before being added to the whipped cream; and if the colour should not be good, a little prepared cochineal or beetroot may be put in to improve its appearance. _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _average cost_, with cream at s. per pint, d. each ice. _seasonable_, with fresh fruit, in june, july, and august. to make fruit-water ices. . ingredients.--to every pint of fruit-juice allow pint of syrup made by recipe no. . [illustration: dish of ices.] _mode_.--select nice ripe fruit; pick off the stalks, and put it into a large earthen pan, with a little pounded sugar strewed over; stir it about with a wooden spoon until it is well broken, then rub it through a hair sieve. make the syrup by recipe no. , omitting the white of the egg; let it cool, add the fruit-juice, mix well together, and put the mixture into the freezing-pot. proceed as directed for ice puddings, no. , and when the mixture is equally frozen, put it into small glasses. raspberry, strawberry, currant, and other fresh-fruit-water ices, are made in the same manner. _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _average cost_, d. to d. each. _seasonable_, with fresh fruit, in june, july, and august. lemon-water ice. . ingredients.--to every pint of syrup, made by recipe no. , allow / pint of lemon-juice; the rind of lemons. _mode_.--rub the sugar on the rinds of the lemons, and with it make the syrup by recipe no. , omitting the white of egg. strain the lemon-juice, add it to the other ingredients, stir well, and put the mixture into a freezing-pot. freeze as directed for ice pudding, no. , and, when the mixture is thoroughly and equally frozen, put it into ice-glasses. _time_.-- / hour to freeze the mixture. _average cost_, d. to d. each. _seasonable_ at any time. iced currants, for dessert. . ingredients.-- / pint of water, the whites of eggs, currants, pounded sugar. _mode_.--select very fine bunches of red or white currants, and well beat the whites of the eggs. mix these with the water; then take the currants, a bunch at a time, and dip them in; let them drain for a minute or two, and roll them in very fine pounded sugar. lay them to dry on paper, when the sugar will crystallize round each currant, and have a very pretty effect. all fresh fruit may be prepared in the same manner; and a mixture of various fruits iced in this manner, and arranged on one dish, looks very well for a summer dessert. _time_.-- / day to dry the fruit. _average cost_, d. for a pint of iced currants. _seasonable_ in summer. melons. .--this fruit is rarely preserved or cooked in any way, and should be sent to table on a dish garnished with leaves or flowers, as fancy dictates. a border of any other kind of small fruit, arranged round the melon, has a pretty effect, the colour the former contrasting nicely with the melon. plenty of pounded sugar should be served with it; and the fruit should be cut lengthwise, in moderate-sized slices. in america, it is frequently eaten with pepper and salt. _average cost_,--english, in full season, s. d. to s. each; when scarce, s. to s.; _seasonable_, june to august. french, s. to s. d. each; _seasonable_, june and july. dutch, d. to s. each; _seasonable_, july and august. melon.--the melon is a most delicious fruit, succulent, cool, and high-flavoured. with us, it is used only at the dessert, and is generally eaten with sugar, ginger, or pepper; but, in france, it is likewise served up at dinner as a sauce for boiled meats. it grows wild in tartary, and has been lately found in abundance on the sandy plains of jeypoor. it was brought originally from asia by the romans, and is said to have been common in england in the time of edward iii., though it is supposed that it was lost again, as well as the cucumber, during the wars of york and lancaster. the best kind, called the _cantaloupe_, from the name of a place near rome where it was first cultivated in europe, is a native of armenia, where it grows so plentifully that a horse-load may be bought for a crown. preserved mulberries. . ingredients.--to lbs. of fruit and pint of juice allow - / lbs. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--put some of the fruit into a preserving-pan, and simmer it gently until the juice is well drawn. strain it through a bag, measure it, and to every pint allow the above proportion of sugar and fruit. put the sugar into the preserving-pan, moisten it with the juice, boil it up, skim well, and then add the mulberries, which should be ripe, but not soft enough to break to a pulp. let them stand in the syrup till warm through, then set them on the fire to boil gently; when half done, turn them carefully into an earthen pan, and let them remain till the next day; then boil them as before, and when the syrup is thick, and becomes firm when cold, put the preserve into pots. in making this, care should be taken not to break the mulberries: this may be avoided by very gentle stirring, and by simmering the fruit very slowly. _time_.-- / hour to extract the juice; / hour to boil the mulberries the first time, / hour the second time. _seasonable_ in august and september. [illustration: mulberry.] mulberry.--mulberries are esteemed for their highly aromatic flavour, and their sub-acid nature. they are considered as cooling, laxative, and generally wholesome. this fruit was very highly esteemed by the romans, who appear to have preferred it to every other. the mulberry-tree is stated to have been introduced into this country in , being first planted at sion house, where the original trees still thrive. the planting of them was much encouraged by king james i. about ; and considerable attempts were made at that time to rear silkworms on a large scale for the purpose of making silk; but these endeavours have always failed, the climate being scarcely warm enough. to preserve morello cherries. . ingredients.--to every lb. of cherries allow - / lb. of sugar, gill of water. _mode_.--select ripe cherries; pick off the stalks, and reject all that have any blemishes. boil the sugar and water together for minutes; put in the cherries, and boil them for minutes, removing the scum as it rises. then turn the fruit, &c. into a pan, and let it remain until the next day, when boil it all again for another minutes, and, if necessary, skim well. put the cherries into small pots; pour over them the syrup, and, when cold, cover down with oiled papers, and the tops of the jars with tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg, and keep in a dry place. _time_.--altogether, minutes to boil. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in july or august. the cherry-tree in rome.--the cherry-tree was introduced into rome by lucullus about seventy years before the christian era; but the capital of the world knew not at first how to appreciate this present as it deserved; for the cherry-tree was propagated so slowly in italy, that more than a century after its introduction it was far from being generally cultivated. the romans distinguished three principal species of cherries--the _apronian_, of a bright red, with a firm and delicate pulp; the _lutatian_, very black and sweet; the _caecilian_, round and stubby, and much esteemed. the cherry embellished the third course in rome and the second at athens. preserved nectarines. . ingredients.--to every lb. of sugar allow / pint of water; nectarines. _mode_.--divide the nectarines in two, take out the stones, and make a strong syrup with sugar and water in the above proportion. put in the nectarines, and boil them until they have thoroughly imbibed the sugar. keep the fruit as whole as possible, and turn it carefully into a pan. the next day boil it again for a few minutes, take out the nectarines, put them into jars, boil the syrup quickly for minutes, pour it over the fruit, and, when cold, cover the preserve down. the syrup and preserve must be carefully skimmed, or it will not be clear. _time_.-- minutes to boil the sugar and water; minutes to boil the fruit the first time, minutes the second time; minutes to boil the syrup. _seasonable_ in august and september, but cheapest in september. stewed normandy pippins. . ingredients.-- lb. of normandy pippins, quart of water, / teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon, / teaspoonful of ground ginger, lb. of moist sugar, lemon. _mode_.--well wash the pippins, and put them into quart of water with the above proportion of cinnamon and ginger, and let them stand hours; then put these all together into a stewpan, with the lemon sliced thinly, and half the moist sugar. let them boil slowly until the pippins are half done; then add the remainder of the sugar, and simmer until they are quite tender. serve on glass dishes for dessert. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_.--suitable for a winter dish. iced oranges. . ingredients.--oranges; to every lb. of pounded loaf sugar allow the whites of eggs. _mode_.--whisk the whites of the eggs well, stir in the sugar, and beat this mixture for / hour. skin the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as possible without injuring the pulp of the fruit; pass a thread through the centre of each orange, dip them into the sugar, and tie them to a stick. place this stick across the oven, and let the oranges remain until dry, when they will have the appearance of balls of ice. they make a pretty dessert or supper dish. care must be taken not to have the oven too fierce, or the oranges would scorch and acquire a brown colour, which would entirely spoil their appearance. _time_.--from / to hour to dry in a moderate oven. _average cost_, - / d. each. _sufficient_.-- / lb. of sugar to ice oranges. _seasonable_ from november to may. the first orange-tree in france.--the first orange-tree cultivated in the centre of france was to be seen a few years ago at fontainebleau. it was called _le connétable_ (the constable), because it had belonged to the connétable de bourbon, and had been confiscated, together with all property belonging to that prince, after his revolt against his sovereign. compote of oranges. . ingredients.-- pint of syrup no. , oranges. _mode_.--peel the oranges, remove as much of the white pith as possible, and divide them into small pieces without breaking the thin skin with which they are surrounded. make the syrup by recipe no. , adding the rind of the orange cut into thin narrow strips. when the syrup has been well skimmed, and is quite clear, put in the pieces of orange, and simmer them for minutes. take them out carefully with a spoon without breaking them, and arrange them on a glass dish. reduce the syrup by boiling it quickly until thick; let it cool a little, pour it over the oranges, and, when cold, they will be ready for table. [illustration: compÔte of oranges.] _time_.-- minutes to boil the syrup; minutes to simmer the oranges; minutes to reduce the syrup. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to may. the orange in portugal.--the orange known under the name of "portugal orange" comes originally from china. not more than two centuries ago, the portuguese brought thence the first scion, which has multiplied so prodigiously that we now see entire forests of orange-trees in portugal. orange and cloves.--it appears to have been the custom formerly, in england, to make new year's presents with oranges stuck full with cloves. we read in one of ben jonson's pieces,--the "christmas masque,"--"he has an orange and rosemary, but not a clove to stick in it." orange marmalade. i. . ingredients.--equal weight of fine loaf sugar and seville oranges; to oranges allow pint of water. _mode_.--let there be an equal weight of loaf sugar and seville oranges, and allow the above proportion of water to every dozen oranges. peel them carefully, remove a little of the white pith, and boil the rinds in water hours, changing the water three times to take off a little of the bitter taste. break the pulp into small pieces, take out all the pips, and cut the boiled rind into chips. make a syrup with the sugar and water; boil this well, skim it, and, when clear, put in the pulp and chips. boil all together from minutes to / hour; pour it into pots, and, when cold, cover down with bladders or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. the juice and grated rind of lemons to every dozen of oranges, added with the pulp and chips to the syrup, are a very great improvement to this marmalade. _time_.-- hours to boil the orange-rinds; minutes to boil the syrup; minutes to / hour to boil the marmalade. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_.--this should be made in march or april, as seville oranges are then in perfection. ii. . ingredients.--equal weight of seville oranges and sugar; to every lb. of sugar allow / pint of water. _mode_.--weigh the sugar and oranges, score the skin across, and take it off in quarters. boil these quarters in a muslin bag in water until they are quite soft, and they can be pierced easily with the head of a pin; then cut them into chips about inch long, and as thin as possible. should there be a great deal of white stringy pulp, remove it before cutting the rind into chips. split open the oranges, scrape out the best part of the pulp, with the juice, rejecting the white pith and pips. make a syrup with the sugar and water; boil it until clear; then put in the chips, pulp, and juice, and boil the marmalade from minutes to / hour, removing all the scum as it rises. in boiling the syrup, clear it carefully from scum before the oranges are added to it. _time_.-- hours to boil the rinds, minutes the syrup, minutes to / hour the marmalade. _average cost_, d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in march or april, when seville oranges are in perfection. an easy way of making orange marmalade. . ingredients.--to every lb. of pulp allow - / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--choose some fine seville oranges; put them whole into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and stew them until they become perfectly tender, changing the water or times; drain them, take off the rind, remove the pips from the pulp, weigh it, and to every lb. allow - / of loaf sugar and / pint of the water the oranges were last boiled in. boil the sugar and water together for minutes; put in the pulp, boil for another minutes; then add the peel cut into strips, and boil the marmalade for another minutes, which completes the process. pour it into jars; let it cool; then cover down with bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. _time_.-- hours to boil the oranges; altogether / hour to boil the marmalade. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_--make this in march or april. orange marmalade made with honey. . ingredients.--to quart of the juice and pulp of seville oranges allow lbs. of honey, lb. of the rind. _mode_.--peel the oranges and boil the rind in water until tender, and cut it into strips. take away the pips from the juice and pulp, and put it with the honey and chips into a preserving-pan; boil all together for about / hour, or until the marmalade is of the proper consistency; put it into pots, and, when cold, cover down with bladders. _time_.-- hours to boil the rind, / hour the marmalade. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_.--make this in march or april. to preserve oranges. . ingredients.--oranges; to every lb. of juice and pulp allow lbs. of loaf sugar; to every pint of water / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--wholly grate or peel the oranges, taking off only the thin outside portion of the rind. make a small incision where the stalk is taken out, squeeze out as much of the juice as can be obtained, and preserve it in a basin with the pulp that accompanies it. put the oranges into cold water; let them stand for days, changing the water twice; then boil them in fresh water till they are very tender, and put them to drain. make a syrup with the above proportion of sugar and water, sufficient to cover the oranges; let them stand in it for or days; then drain them well. weigh the juice and pulp, allow double their weight of sugar, and boil them together until the scum ceases to rise, which must all be carefully removed; put in the oranges, boil them for minutes, place them in jars, pour over them the syrup, and, when cold, cover down. they will be fit for use in a week. _time_.-- days for the oranges to remain in water, days in the syrup; / hour to boil the pulp, minutes the oranges. _seasonable_.--this preserve should be made in february or march, when oranges are plentiful. orange salad. . ingredients.-- oranges, / lb. of muscatel raisins, oz. of pounded sugar, tablespoonfuls of brandy. _mode_.--peel of the oranges; divide them into slices without breaking the pulp, and arrange them on a glass dish. stone the raisins, mix them with the sugar and brandy, and mingle them with the oranges. squeeze the juice of the other orange over the whole, and the dish is ready for table. a little pounded spice may be put in when the flavour is liked; but this ingredient must be added very sparingly. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from november to may. compote of peaches. . ingredients.-- pint of syrup no. , about small peaches. _mode_.--peaches that are not very large, and that would not look well for dessert, answer very nicely for a compôte. divide the peaches, take out the stones, and pare the fruit; make a syrup by recipe no. , put in the peaches, and stew them gently for about minutes. take them out without breaking, arrange them on a glass dish, boil the syrup for or minutes, let it cool, pour it over the fruit, and, when cold, it will be ready for table. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in august and september. peach and nectarine.--the peach and nectarine, which are among the most delicious of our fruits, are considered as varieties of the same species, produced by cultivation. the former is characterized by a very delicate down, while the latter is smooth; but, as a proof of their identity as to species, trees have borne peaches on one part and nectarines on another; and even a single fruit has had down on one side, and on the other none; the trees are almost exactly alike, as well as the blossoms. pliny states that the peach was originally brought from persia, where it grows naturally. at montreuil, a village near paris, almost the whole population is employed in the cultivation of peaches; and this occupation has maintained the inhabitants for ages, and, in consequence, they raise better peaches than anywhere else in france. in maryland and virginia, peaches grow nearly wild in orchards resembling forests; but the fruit is of little value for the table, being employed only in fattening hogs and for the distillation of peach brandy. on the east side of the andes, peaches grow wild among the cornfields and in the mountains, and are dried as an article of food. the young leaves of the peach are sometimes used in cookery, from their agreeable flavour; and a liqueur resembling the fine noyeau of martinique may be made by steeping them in brandy sweetened with sugar and fined with milk: gin may also be flavoured in the same manner. the kernels of the fruit have the same flavour. the nectarine is said to have received its name from nectar, the particular drink of the gods. though it is considered as the same species as the peach, it is not known which of the varieties come from the other; the nectarine, is by some considered as the superior fruit. peaches preserved in brandy. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit weighed before being stoned, allow / lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar; brandy. _mode_.--let the fruit be gathered in dry weather; wipe and weigh it, and remove the stones as carefully as possible, without injuring the peaches much. put them into a jar, sprinkle amongst them pounded loaf sugar in the above proportion, and pour brandy over the fruit. cover the jar down closely, place it in a saucepan of boiling water over the fire, and bring the brandy to the simmering-point, but do not allow it to boil. take the fruit out carefully, without breaking it; put it into small jars, pour over it the brandy, and, when cold, exclude the air by covering the jars with bladders, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. apricots may be done in the same manner, and, if properly prepared, will be found delicious. _time_.--from to minutes to bring the brandy to the simmering-point. _seasonable_ in august and september. baked pears. . ingredients.-- pears, the rind of lemon, cloves, whole allspice; to every pint of water allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--pare and cut the pears into halves, and, should they be very large, into quarters; leave the stalks on, and carefully remove the cores. place them in a clean baking-jar, with a closely-fitting lid; add to them the lemon-rind cut in strips, the juice of / lemon, the cloves, pounded allspice, and sufficient water just to cover the whole, with sugar in the above proportion. cover the jar down closely, put it into a very cool oven, and bake the pears from to hours, but be very careful that the oven is not too hot. to improve the colour of the fruit, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added; but this will not be found necessary if the pears are very gently baked. _time_.--large pears, to hours, in a very slow oven. _average cost_, d. to d. each. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to january. pear.--the pear, like the apple, is indigenous to this country; but the wild pear is a very unsatisfactory fruit. the best varieties were brought from the east by the romans, who cultivated them with care, and probably introduced some of their best sorts into this island, to which others were added by the inhabitants of the monasteries. the dutch and flemings, as well as the french, have excelled in the cultivation of the pear, and most of the late varieties introduced are from france and flanders. the pear is a hardy tree, and a longer liver than the apple: it has been known to exist for centuries. there are now about varieties of this fruit. though perfectly wholesome when ripe, the pear is not so when green; but in this state it is fit for stewing. an agreeable beverage, called perry, is made from pears, and the varieties which are least fit for eating make the best perry. preserved pears. . ingredients.--jargonelle pears; to every lb. of sugar allow / pint of water. _mode_.--procure some jargonelle pears, not too ripe; put them into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and simmer them till rather tender, but do not allow them to break; then put them into cold water. boil the sugar and water together for minutes, skim well, put in the pears, and simmer them gently for minutes. repeat the simmering for successive days, taking care not to let the fruit break. the last time of boiling, the syrup should be made rather richer, and the fruit boiled for minutes. when the pears are done, drain them from the syrup, and dry them in the sun, or in a cool oven; or they may be kept in the syrup, and dried as they are wanted. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the pears in water, minutes in the syrup. _average cost_, d. to d. each. _seasonable_.--most plentiful in september and october. stewed pears. [illustration: stewed pears.] . ingredients.-- large pears, oz. of loaf sugar, cloves, whole allspice, / pint of water, / pint of port wine, a few drops of prepared cochineal. _mode_.--pare the pears, halve them, remove the cores, and leave the stalks on; put them into a _lined_ saucepan with the above ingredients, and let them simmer very gently until tender, which will be in from to hours, according to the quality of the pears. they should be watched, and, when done, carefully lifted out on to a glass dish without breaking them. boil up the syrup quickly for or minutes; allow it to cool a little, pour it over the pears, and let them get perfectly cold. to improve the colour of the fruit, a few drops of prepared cochineal may be added, which rather enhances the beauty of this dish. the fruit must not be boiled fast, but only simmered, and watched that it be not too much done. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ from september to january. the bon chretien pear.--the valuable variety of pear called _bon chrétien_, which comes to our tables in winter, either raw or cooked, received its name through the following incident:--louis xi., king of france, had sent for saint francois de paule from the lower part of calabria, in the hopes of recovering his health through his intercession. the saint brought with him the seeds of this pear; and, as he was called at court le bon chrétien, this fruit obtained the name of him to whom france owed its introduction. pineapple chips. . ingredients.--pineapples; sugar to taste. _mode_.--pare and slice the fruit thinly, put it on dishes, and strew over it plenty of pounded sugar. keep it in a hot closet, or very slow oven, or days, and turn the fruit every day until dry; then put the pieces of pine on tins, and place them in a quick oven for minutes. let them cool, and store them away in dry boxes, with paper between each layer. _time_.-- to days. _seasonable_.--foreign pines, in july and august. preserved pineapple. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit, weighed after being pared, allow lb. of loaf sugar; / pint of water. _mode_.--the pines for making this preserve should be perfectly sound but ripe. cut them into rather thick slices, as the fruit shrinks very much in the boiling. pare off the rind carefully, that none of the pine be wasted; and, in doing so, notch it in and out, as the edge cannot be smoothly cut without great waste. dissolve a portion of the sugar in a preserving-pan with / pint of water; when this is melted, gradually add the remainder of the sugar, and boil it until it forms a clear syrup, skimming well. as soon as this is the case, put in the pieces of pine, and boil well for at least / hour, or until it looks nearly transparent. put it into pots, cover down when cold, and store away in a dry place. _time_.-- / hour to boil the fruit. _average cost_, d. to s. per lb. pot. _seasonable_.--foreign pines, in july and august. the pineapple in heathendom.--heathen nations invented protective divinities for their orchards (such as pomona, vertumnus, priapus, &c.), and benevolent patrons for their fruits: thus, the olive-tree grew under the auspices of minerva; the muses cherished the palm-tree, bacchus the fig and grape, _and the pine and its cone were consecrated to the great cyble_. preserved pineapple, for present use. . ingredients.--pineapple, sugar, water. _mode_.--cut the pine into slices / inch in thickness; peel them, and remove the hard part from the middle. put the parings and hard pieces into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover them, and boil for / hour. strain the liquor, and put in the slices of pine. stew them for minutes, add sufficient sugar to sweeten the whole nicely, and boil again for another / hour; skim well, and the preserve will be ready for use. it must be eaten soon, as it will keep but a very short time. _time_.-- / hour to boil the parings in water; minutes to boil the pine without sugar, / hour with sugar. _average cost_.--foreign pines, s. to s. each; english, from s. to s. per lb. _seasonable_.--foreign, in july and august; english, all the year. plum jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of plums, weighed before being stoned, allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--in making plum jam, the quantity of sugar for each lb. of fruit must be regulated by the quality and size of the fruit, some plums requiring much more sugar than others. divide the plums, take out the stones, and put them on to large dishes, with roughly-pounded sugar sprinkled over them in the above proportion, and let them remain for one day; then put them into a preserving-pan, stand them by the side of the fire to simmer gently for about / hour, and then boil them rapidly for another minutes. the scum must be carefully removed as it rises, and the jam must be well stirred all the time, or it will burn at the bottom of the pan, and so spoil the colour and flavour of the preserve. some of the stones may be cracked, and a few kernels added to the jam just before it is done: these impart a very delicious flavour to the plums. the above proportion of sugar would answer for orleans plums; the impératrice magnum-bonum, and winesour would not require quite so much. _time_.-- / hour to simmer gently, / hour to boil rapidly. _best plums for preserving_.--violets, mussels, orleans, impératrice magnum-bonum, and winesour. _seasonable_ from the end of july to the beginning of october. plums.--the damson, or damascene plum, takes its name from damascus, where it grows in great quantities, and whence it was brought into italy about b.c. the orleans plum is from france. the greengage is called after the gage family, who first brought it into england from the monastery of the chartreuse, at paris, where it still bears the name of reine claude. the magnum-bonum is our largest plum, and greatly esteemed for preserves and culinary purposes. the best sorts of plums are agreeable at the dessert, and, when perfectly ripe, are wholesome; but some are too astringent. they lose much of their bad qualities by baking, and are extensively used, from their cheapness, when in full season, in tarts and preserves; but they are not a very wholesome fruit, and should be eaten in moderation. preserved plums. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow / lb. of loaf sugar; for the thin syrup, / lb. of sugar to each pint of water. _mode_.--select large ripe plums; slightly prick them, to prevent them from bursting, and simmer them very gently in a syrup made with the above proportion of sugar and water. put them carefully into a pan, let the syrup cool, pour it over the plums, and allow them to remain for two days. having previously weighed the other sugar, dip the lumps quickly into water, and put them into a preserving-pan with no more water than hangs about them; and boil the sugar to a syrup, carefully skimming it. drain the plums from the first syrup; put them into the fresh syrup, and simmer them very gently until they are clear; lift them out singly into pots, pour the syrup over, and when cold, cover down to exclude the air. this preserve will remain good some time, if kept in a dry place, and makes a very nice addition to a dessert. the magnum-bonum plums answer for this preserve better than any other kind of plum. greengages are also very delicious done in this manner. _time_.-- / hour to minutes to simmer the plums in the first syrup; minutes to / hour very gentle simmering in the second. _seasonable_ from august to october. to preserve plums dry. . ingredients.--to every lb. of sugar allow / pint of water. _mode_.--gather the plums when they are full-grown and just turning colour; prick them, put them into a saucepan of cold water, and set them on the fire until the water is on the point of boiling. then take them out, drain them, and boil them gently in syrup made with the above proportion of sugar and water; and if the plums shrink, and will not take the sugar, prick them as they lie in the pan; give them another boil, skim, and set them by. the next day add some more sugar, boiled almost to candy, to the fruit and syrup; put all together into a wide-mouthed jar, and place them in a cool oven for nights; then drain the plums from the syrup, sprinkle a little powdered sugar over, and dry them in a cool oven. _time_.-- to minutes to boil the plums in the syrup. _seasonable_ from august to october. plums.--the wild sloe is the parent of the plum, but the acclimated kinds come from the east. the cultivation of this fruit was probably attended to very early in england, as gerrard informs us that, in , he had in his garden, in holborn, threescore sorts. the sloe is a shrub common in our hedgerows, and belongs to the natural order _amygdaleae_; the fruit is about the size of a large pea, of a black colour, and covered with a bloom of a bright blue. it is one of the few indigenous to our island. the juice is extremely sharp and astringent, and was formerly employed as a medicine, where astringents were necessary. it now assists in the manufacture of a red wine made to imitate port, and also for adulteration. the leaves have been used to adulterate tea; the fruit, when ripe, makes a good preserve. stewed french plums. (_a dessert dish_.) . ingredients.-- - / lb. of french plums, / pint of syrup no. , glass of port wine, the rind and juice of lemon. _mode_.--stew the plums gently in water for hour; strain the water, and with it make the syrup. when it is clear, put in the plums with the port wine, lemon-juice, and rind, and simmer very gently for - / hour. arrange the plums on a glass dish, take out the lemon-rind, pour the syrup over the plums, and, when cold, they will be ready for table. a little allspice stewed with the fruit is by many persons considered an improvement. _time_.-- hour to stew the plums in water, - / hour in the syrup. _average cost_,--plums sufficiently good for stewing, s. per lb. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ in winter. preserved pumpkin. . ingredients.--to each lb. of pumpkin allow lb. of roughly pounded loaf sugar, gill of lemon-juice. _mode_.--obtain a good sweet pumpkin; halve it, take out the seeds, and pare off the rind; cut it into neat slices, or into pieces about the size of a five-shilling piece. weigh the pumpkin, put the slices in a pan or deep dish in layers, with the sugar sprinkled between them; pour the lemon-juice over the top, and let the whole remain for or days. boil altogether, adding / pint of water to every lbs. of sugar used until the pumpkin becomes tender; then turn the whole into a pan, where let it remain for a week; then drain off the syrup, boil it until it is quite thick; skim, and pour it, boiling, over the pumpkin. a little bruised ginger and lemon-rind, thinly pared, may be boiled in the syrup to flavour the pumpkin. _time_.--from / to / hour to boil the pumpkin tender. _average cost_, d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_ in september and october; but better when made in the latter month, as the pumpkin is then quite ripe. _note_.--vegetable marrows are very good prepared in the same manner, but are not quite so rich. quince jelly. . ingredients.--to every pint of juice allow lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--pare and slice the quinces, and put them into a preserving-pan with sufficient water to float them. boil them until tender, and the fruit is reduced to a pulp; strain off the clear juice, and to each pint allow the above proportion of loaf sugar. boil the juice and sugar together for about / hour; remove all the scum as it rises, and, when the jelly appears firm when a little is poured on a plate, it is done. the residue left on the sieve will answer to make a common marmalade, for immediate use, by boiling it with / lb. of common sugar to every lb. of pulp. _time_.-- hours to boil the quinces in water; / hour to boil the jelly. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_ from august to october. quince marmalade. . ingredients.--to every lb. of quince pulp allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--slice the quinces into a preserving-pan, adding sufficient water for them to float; place them on the fire to stew, until reduced to a pulp, keeping them stirred occasionally from the bottom, to prevent their burning; then pass the pulp through a hair sieve, to keep back the skin and seeds. weigh the pulp, and to each lb. add lump sugar in the above proportion, broken very small. place the whole on the fire, and keep it well stirred from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until reduced to a marmalade, which may be known by dropping a little on a cold plate, when, if it jellies, it is done. put it into jars whilst hot; let it cool, and cover with pieces of oiled paper cut to the size of the mouths of the jars. the tops of them may be afterwards covered with pieces of bladder, or tissue-paper brushed over on both sides with the white of an egg. _time_.-- hours to boil the quinces without the sugar; / hour to boil the pulp with the sugar. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.--allow pint of sliced quinces for a lb. pot. _seasonable_ in august, september, and october. raisin cheese. . ingredients.--to every lb. of raisins allow a lb. of loaf sugar; pounded cinnamon and cloves to taste. _mode_.--stone the raisins; put them into a stewpan with the sugar, cinnamon, and cloves, and let them boil for - / hour, stirring all the time. let the preparation cool a little, pour it into a glass dish, and garnish with strips of candied lemon-peel and citron. this will remain good some time, if kept in a dry place. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_.-- lb. for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. raspberry jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of raspberries allow lb. of sugar, / pint of red-currant juice. _mode_.--let the fruit for this preserve be gathered in fine weather, and used as soon after it is picked as possible. take off the stalks, put the raspberries into a preserving-pan, break them well with a wooden spoon, and let them boil for / hour, keeping them well stirred. then add the currant-juice and sugar, and boil again for / hour. skim the jam well after the sugar is added, or the preserve will not be clear. the addition of the currant juice is a very great improvement to this preserve, as it gives it a piquant taste, which the flavour of the raspberries seems to require. _time_.-- / hour to simmer the fruit without the sugar; / hour after it is added. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.--allow about pint of fruit to fill a -lb. pot. _seasonable_ in july and august. raspberry jelly. . ingredients.--to each pint of juice allow / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--let the raspberries be freshly gathered, quite ripe, and picked from the stalks; put them into a large jar, after breaking the fruit a little with a wooden spoon, and place this jar, covered, in a saucepan of boiling water. when the juice is well drawn, which will be in from / to hour, strain the fruit through a fine hair sieve or cloth; measure the juice, and to every pint allow the above proportion of loaf sugar. put the juice and sugar into a preserving-pan, place it over the fire, and boil gently until the jelly thickens when a little is poured on a plate; carefully remove all the scum as it rises, pour the jelly into small pots, cover down, and keep in a dry place. this jelly answers for making raspberry cream, and for flavouring various sweet dishes, when, in winter, the fresh fruit is not obtainable. _time_.-- / to hour to draw the juice. _average cost_, from d. to s. per lb. pot. _sufficient._--from pints to quarts of fruit should yield pint of juice. _seasonable_.--this should be made in july or august. rhubarb jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of rhubarb allow lb. of loaf sugar, the rind of / lemon. _mode_.--wipe the rhubarb perfectly dry, take off the string or peel, and weigh it; put it into a preserving-pan, with sugar in the above proportion; mince the lemon-rind very finely, add it to the other ingredients, and place the preserving-pan by the side of the fire; keep stirring to prevent the rhubarb from burning, and when the sugar is well dissolved, put the pan more over the fire, and let the jam boil until it is done, taking care to keep it well skimmed and stirred with a wooden or silver spoon. pour it into pots, and cover down with oiled and egged papers. _time_.--if the rhubarb is young and tender, / hour, reckoning from the time it simmers equally; old rhubarb, - / to - / hour. _average cost_, d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient_.--about pint of sliced rhubarb to fill a lb. pot. _seasonable_ from february to april. rhubarb and orange jam, to resemble scotch marmalade. . ingredients.-- quart of finely-cut rhubarb, oranges, - / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--peel the oranges; remove as much of the white pith as possible, divide them, and take out the pips; slice the pulp into a preserving-pan, add the rind of half the oranges cut into thin strips, and the loaf sugar, which should be broken small. peel the rhubarb, cut it into thin pieces, put it to the oranges, and stir altogether over a gentle fire until the jam is done. remove all the scum as it rises, put the preserve into pots, and, when cold, cover down. should the rhubarb be very old, stew it alone for / hour before the other ingredients are added. _time_.-- / to hour. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _seasonable_ from february to april. raspberry and currant, or any fresh fruit salad. (_a dessert dish_.) . _mode_.--fruit salads are made by stripping the fruit from the stalks, piling it on a dish, and sprinkling over it finely-pounded sugar. they may be made of strawberries, raspberries, currants, or any of these fruits mixed; peaches also make a very good salad. after the sugar is sprinkled over, about large tablespoonfuls of wine or brandy, or tablespoonfuls of liqueur, should be poured in the middle of the fruit; and, when the flavour is liked, a little pounded cinnamon may be added. in helping the fruit, it should be lightly stirred, that the wine and sugar may be equally distributed. _sufficient._-- - / pint of fruit, with oz. of pounded sugar, for or persons. _seasonable_ in summer. strawberries and cream. . ingredients.--to every pint of picked strawberries allow / pint of cream, oz. of finely-pounded sugar. _mode_.--pick the stalks from the fruit, place it on a glass dish, sprinkle over it pounded sugar, and slightly stir the strawberries, that they may all be equally sweetened; pour the cream over the top, and serve. devonshire cream, when it can be obtained, is exceedingly delicious for this dish; and, if very thick indeed, may be diluted with a little thin cream or milk. _average cost_ for this quantity, with cream at s. per pint, s. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ in june and july. strawberry jam. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow / pint of red-currant juice, - / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--strip the currants from the stalks, put them into a jar; place this jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and simmer until the juice is well drawn from the fruit; strain the currants, measure the juice, put it into a preserving-pan, and add the sugar. select well-ripened but sound strawberries; pick them from the stalks, and when the sugar is dissolved in the currant juice, put in the fruit. simmer the whole over a moderate fire, from / to / hour, carefully removing the scum as it rises. stir the jam only enough to prevent it from burning at the bottom of the pan, as the fruit should be preserved as whole as possible. put the jam into jars, and when cold, cover down. _time_.-- / to / hour, reckoning from the time the jam simmers all over. _average cost_, from d. to d. per lb. pot. _sufficient._-- pints of strawberries will make lb. pots of jam. _seasonable_ in june and july. preserved strawberries in wine. . ingredients.--to every quart bottle allow / lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar; sherry or madeira. _mode_.--let the fruit be gathered in fine weather, and used as soon as picked. have ready some perfectly dry glass bottles, and some nice soft corks or bungs. pick the stalks from the strawberries, drop them into the bottles, sprinkling amongst them pounded sugar in the above proportion, and when the fruit reaches to the neck of the bottle, fill up with sherry or madeira. cork the bottles down with new corks, and dip them into melted resin. _seasonable_.--make this in june or july. to preserve strawberries whole. . ingredients.--to every lb. of fruit allow - / lb. of good loaf sugar, pint of red-currant juice. _mode_.--choose the strawberries not too ripe, of a fine large sort and of a good colour. pick off the stalks, lay the strawberries in a dish, and sprinkle over them half the quantity of sugar, which must be finely pounded. shake the dish gently, that the sugar may be equally distributed and touch the under-side of the fruit, and let it remain for day. then have ready the currant-juice, drawn as for red-currant jelly no. ; boil it with the remainder of the sugar until it forms a thin syrup, and in this simmer the strawberries and sugar, until the whole is sufficiently jellied. great care must be taken not to stir the fruit roughly, as it should be preserved as whole as possible. strawberries prepared in this manner are very good served in glasses and mixed with thin cream. _time_.-- / hour to minutes to simmer the strawberries in the syrup. _seasonable_ in june and july. to make everton toffee. . ingredients.-- lb. of powdered loaf sugar, teacupful of water, / lb. of butter, drops of essence of lemon. _mode_.--put the water and sugar into a brass pan, and beat the butter to a cream. when the sugar is dissolved, add the butter, and keep stirring the mixture over the fire until it sets, when a little is poured on to a buttered dish; and just before the toffee is done, add the essence of lemon. butter a dish or tin, pour on it the mixture, and when cool, it will easily separate from the dish. butter-scotch, an excellent thing for coughs, is made with brown, instead of white sugar, omitting the water, and flavoured with / oz. of powdered ginger. it is made in the same manner as toffee. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make a lb. of toffee. dessert dishes. [illustration: dish of nuts.] [illustration: box of french plums.] [illustration: dish of mixed fruit.] . the tazza, or dish with stem, the same as that shown in our illustrations, is now the favourite shape for dessert-dishes. the fruit can be arranged and shown to better advantage on these tall high dishes than on the short flat ones. all the dishes are now usually placed down the centre of the table, dried and fresh fruit alternately, the former being arranged on small round or oval glass plates, and the latter on the dishes with stems. the fruit should always be gathered on the same day that it is required for table, and should be tastefully arranged on the dishes, with leaves between and round it. by purchasing fruits that are in season, a dessert can be supplied at a very moderate cost. these, with a few fancy biscuits, crystallized fruit, bon-bons, &c., are sufficient for an ordinary dessert. when fresh fruit cannot be obtained, dried and foreign fruits, compotes, baked pears, stewed normandy pippins, &c. &c., must supply its place, with the addition of preserves, bon-bons, cakes, biscuits, &c. at fashionable tables, forced fruit is served growing in pots, these pots being hidden in more ornamental ones, and arranged with the other dishes.--(see coloured plate w .) a few vases of fresh flowers, tastefully arranged, add very much to the appearance of the dessert; and, when these are not obtainable, a few paper ones, mixed with green leaves, answer very well as a substitute. in decorating a table, whether for luncheon, dessert, or supper, a vase or two of flowers should never be forgotten, as they add so much to the elegance of the _tout ensemble_. in summer and autumn, ladies residing in the country can always manage to have a few freshly-gathered flowers on their tables, and should never be without this inexpensive luxury. on the continent, vases or epergnes filled with flowers are invariably placed down the centre of the dinner-table at regular distances. ices for dessert are usually moulded: when this is not the case, they are handed round in glasses with wafers to accompany them. preserved ginger is frequently handed round after ices, to prepare the palate for the delicious dessert wines. a basin or glass of finely-pounded lump sugar must never be omitted at a dessert, as also a glass jug of fresh cold water (iced, if possible), and two goblets by its side. grape-scissors, a melon-knife and fork, and nutcrackers, should always be put on table, if there are dishes of fruit requiring them. zests are sometimes served at the close of the dessert; such as anchovy toasts or biscuits. the french often serve plain or grated cheese with a dessert of fresh or dried fruit. at some tables, finger-glasses are placed at the right of each person, nearly half filled with cold spring water, and in winter with tepid water. these precede the dessert. at other tables, a glass or vase is simply handed round, filled with perfumed water, into which each guest dips the corner of his napkin, and, when needful, refreshes his lips and the tips of his fingers. [illustration: box of chocolate.] [illustration: dish of apples.] [illustration: almonds and raisins.] [illustration: dish of strawberries.] after the dishes are placed, and every one is provided with plates, glasses, spoons, &c., the wine should be put at each end of the table, cooled or otherwise, according to the season. if the party be small, the wine may be placed only at the top of the table, near the host. dish of nuts. . these are merely arranged piled high in the centre of the dish, as shown in the engraving, with or without leaves round the edge. filberts should always be served with the outer skin or husk on them; and walnuts should be well wiped with a damp cloth, and then--with a dry one, to remove the unpleasant sticky feeling the shells frequently have. _seasonable_.--filberts from september to march, good; may be had after that time, but are generally shrivelled and dry. walnuts from september to january. hazel nut and filbert.--the common hazel is the wild, and the filbert the cultivated state of the same tree. the hazel is found wild, not only in forests and hedges, in dingles and ravines, but occurs in extensive tracts in the more northern and mountainous parts of the country. it was formerly one of the most abundant of those trees which are indigenous in this island. it is seldom cultivated as a fruit-tree, though perhaps its nuts are superior in flavour to the others. the spanish nuts imported are a superior kind, but they are somewhat oily and rather indigestible. filberts, both the red and the white, and the cob-nut, are supposed to be merely varieties of the common hazel, which have been produced, partly by the superiority of soil and climate, and partly by culture. they were originally brought out of greece to italy, whence they have found their way to holland, and from that country to england. it is supposed that, within a few miles of maidstone, in kent, there are more filberts grown than in all england besides; and it is from that place that the london market is supplied. the filbert is longer than the common nut, though of the same thickness, and has a larger kernel. the cob-nut is a still larger variety, and is roundish. filberts are more esteemed at the dessert than common nuts, and are generally eaten with salt. they are very free from oil, and disagree with few persons. walnuts.--the walnut is a native of persia, the caucasus, and china, but was introduced to this kingdom from france. the ripe kernel is brought to the dessert on account of its agreeable flavour; and the fruit is also much used in the green state, but before the stone hardens, as a pickle. in spain, grated walnuts are employed in tarts and other dishes. the walnut abounds in oil which is expressed and which, being of a highly drying nature, and very limpid, is much employed for delicate painting. this, on the continent, is sometimes used as a substitute for olive-oil in cooking, but is very apt to turn rancid. it is also manufactured into a kind of soap. the mare, or refuse matter after the oil is extracted, proves very nutritious for poultry or other domestic animals. in switzerland, this is eaten by poor people under the name of _pain amer._ box of french plums. . if the box which contains them is exceedingly ornamental, it may be placed on the table; if small, on a glass dish; if large, without one, french plums may also be arranged on a glass plate, and garnished with bright-coloured sweetmeats, which make a very good effect. all fancy boxes of preserved and crystallized fruit may be put on the table or not, at pleasure. these little matters of detail must, of course, be left to individual taste. _seasonable_.--may be purchased all the year; but are in greater perfection in the winter, and are more suitable for that season, as fresh fruit cannot be obtained. dish of mixed fruit. . for a centre dish, a mixture of various fresh fruits has a remarkably good effect, particularly if a pine be added to the list. a high raised appearance should be given to the fruit, which is done in the following manner. place a tumbler in the centre of the dish, and, in this tumbler, the pine, crown uppermost; round the tumbler put a thick layer of moss, and, over this, apples, pears, plums, peaches, and such fruit as is simultaneously in season. by putting a layer of moss underneath, so much fruit is not required, besides giving a better shape to the dish. grapes should be placed on the top of the fruit, a portion of some of the bunches hanging over the sides of the dish in a négligé kind of manner, which takes off the formal look of the dish. in arranging the plums, apples, &c., let the colours contrast well. _seasonable_.--suitable for a dessert in september or october. grapes.--france produces about a thousand varieties of the grape, which is cultivated more extensively in that country than in any other. hygienists agree in pronouncing grapes as among the best of fruits. the grape possesses several rare qualities: it is nourishing and fattening, and its prolonged use has often overcome the most obstinate cases of constipation. the skins and pips of grapes should not be eaten. box of chocolate. . this is served in an ornamental box, placed on a glass plate or dish. _seasonable_.--may be purchased at any time. dish of apples. . the apples should be nicely wiped with a dry cloth, and arranged on a dish, piled high in the centre, with evergreen leaves between each layer. the inferior apples should form the bottom layer, with the bright-coloured large ones at the top. the leaves of the laurel, bay, holly, or any shrub green in winter, are suitable for garnishing dessert dishes. oranges may be arranged in the same manner; they should also be wiped with a dry cloth before being sent to table. dish of mixed summer fruit. . this dish consists of cherries, raspberries, currants, and strawberries, piled in different layers, with plenty of leaves between each layer; so that each fruit is well separated. the fruit should be arranged with a due regard to colour, so that they contrast nicely one with the other. our engraving shows a layer of white cherries at the bottom, then one of red raspberries; over that a layer of white currants, and at the top some fine scarlet strawberries. _seasonable_ in june, july, and august. almonds and raisins. . these are usually served on glass dishes, the fruit piled high in the centre, and the almonds blanched, and strewn over. to blanch the almonds, put them into a small mug or teacup, pour over them boiling water, let them remain for or minutes, and the skins may then be easily removed. figs, dates, french plums, &c., are all served on small glass plates or oval dishes, but without the almonds. _seasonable_ at any time, but more suitable in winter, when fresh fruit is not obtainable. dates.--dates are imported into britain, in a dried state, from barbary and egypt, and, when in good condition, they are much esteemed. an inferior kind has lately become common, which are dried hard, and have little or no flavour. they should be chosen large, softish, not much wrinkled, of a reddish-yellow colour on the outside, with a whitish membrane between the fruit and the stone. dish of strawberries. . fine strawberries, arranged in the manner shown in the engraving, look exceedingly well. the inferior ones should be placed at the bottom of the dish, and the others put in rows pyramidically, with the stalks downwards; so that when the whole is completed, nothing but the red part of the fruit is visible. the fruit should be gathered with rather long stalks, as there is then something to support it, and it can be placed more upright in each layer. a few of the finest should be reserved to crown the top. to have walnuts fresh throughout the season. . ingredients.--to every pint of water allow teaspoonful of salt. _mode_.--place the walnuts in the salt and water for hours at least; then take them out, and rub them dry. old nuts may be freshened in this manner; or walnuts, when first picked, may be put into an earthen pan with salt sprinkled amongst them, and with damped hay placed on the top of them, and then covered down with a lid. they must be well wiped before they are put on table. _seasonable_.--should be stored away in september or october. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxxii. general observations on milk, butter, cheese, and eggs. milk. . milk is obtained only from the class of animals called mammalia, and is intended by nature for the nourishment of their young. the milk of each animal is distinguished by some peculiarities; but as that of the cow is by far the most useful to us in this part of the world, our observations will be confined to that variety. . milk, when drawn from the cow, is of a yellowish-white colour, and is the most yellow at the beginning of the period of lactation. its taste is agreeable, and rather saccharine. the viscidity and specific gravity of milk are somewhat greater than that of water; but these properties vary somewhat in the milk procured from different individuals. on an average, the specific gravity of milk is . , water being . the small cows of the alderney breed afford the richest milk. . milk which is carried to a considerable distance, so as to be much agitated, and cooled before it is put into pans to settle for cream, never throws up so much, nor such rich cream, as if the same milk had been put into pans directly after it was milked. . milk, considered as an aliment, is of such importance in domestic economy as to render all the improvements in its production extremely valuable. to enlarge upon the antiquity of its use is unnecessary; it has always been a favourite food in britain. "lacte et carno vivunt," says caesar, in his commentaries; the english of which is, "the inhabitants subsist upon flesh and milk." the breed of the cow has received great improvement in modern times, as regards the quantity and quality of the milk which she affords; the form of milch-cows, their mode of nourishment, and progress, are also manifest in the management of the dairy. . although milk in its natural state be a fluid, yet, considered as an aliment, it is both solid and fluid: for no sooner does it enter the stomach, than it is coagulated by the gastric juice, and separated into curd and whey, the first of these being extremely nutritive. . milk of the _human subject_ is much thinner than cow's milk; _ass's milk_ comes the nearest to human milk of any other; _goat's milk_ is something thicker and richer than cow's milk; _ewe's milk_ has the appearance of cow's milk, and affords a larger quantity of cream; _mare's milk_ contains more sugar than that of the ewe; _camel's milk_ is used only in africa; _buffalo's milk_ is employed in india. . from no other substance, solid or fluid, can so great a number of distinct kinds of aliment be prepared as from milk; some forming food, others drink; some of them delicious, and deserving the name of luxuries; all of them wholesome, and some medicinal: indeed, the variety of aliments that seems capable of being produced from milk, appears to be quite endless. in every age this must have been a subject for experiment, and every nation has added to the number by the invention of some peculiarity of its own. butter. . beckman, in his "history of inventions," states that butter was not used either by the greeks or romans in cooking, nor was it brought upon their tables at certain meals, as is the custom at present. in england it has been made from time immemorial, though the art of making cheese is said not to have been known to the ancient britons, and to have been learned from their conquerors. . the taste of butter is peculiar, and very unlike any other fatty substance. it is extremely agreeable when of the best quality; but its flavour depends much upon the food given to the cows: to be good, it should not adhere to the knife. . butter, with regard to its dietetic properties, may be regarded nearly in the light of vegetable oils and animal fats; but it becomes sooner rancid than most other fat oils. when fresh, it cannot but be considered as very wholesome; but it should be quite free from rancidity. if slightly salted when it is fresh, its wholesomeness is probably not at all impaired; but should it begin to turn rancid, salting will not correct its unwholesomeness. when salt butter is put into casks, the upper part next the air is very apt to become rancid, and this rancidity is also liable to affect the whole cask. . _epping butter_ is the kind most esteemed in london. _fresh butter_ comes to london from buckinghamshire, suffolk, oxfordshire, yorkshire, devonshire, &c. _cambridge butter_ is esteemed next to fresh; _devonshire butter_ is nearly similar in quality to the latter; _irish butter_ sold in london is all salted, but is generally good. the number of firkins exported annually from ireland amounts to , , equal to a million of money. _dutch butter_ is in good repute all over europe, america, and even india; and no country in the world is so successful in the manufacture of this article, holland supplying more butter to the rest of the world than any country whatever. . there are two methods pursued in the manufacture of butter. in one, the cream is separated from the milk, and in that state it is converted into butter by churning, as is the practice about epping; in the other, milk is subjected to the same process, which is the method usually followed in cheshire. the first method is generally said to give the richest butter, and the latter the largest quantity, though some are of opinion that there is little difference either in quality or quantity. cheese. . cheese is the curd formed from milk by artificial coagulation, pressed and dried for use. curd, called also casein and caseous matter, or the basis of cheese, exists in the milk, and not in the cream, and requires only to be separated by coagulation. the coagulation, however, supposes some alteration of the curd. by means of the substance employed to coagulate it, it is rendered insoluble in water. when the curd is freed from the whey, kneaded and pressed to expel it entirely, it becomes cheese. this assumes a degree of transparency, and possesses many of the properties of coagulated albumen. if it be well dried, it does not change by exposure to the air; but if it contain moisture, it soon putrefies. it therefore requires some salt to preserve it, and this acts likewise as a kind of seasoning. all our cheese is coloured more or less, except that made from skim milk. the colouring substances employed are arnatto, turmeric, or marigold, all perfectly harmless unless they are adulterated; and it is said that arnatto sometimes contains red lead. . cheese varies in quality and richness according to the materials of which it is composed. it is made-- . of entire milk, as in cheshire; . of milk and cream, as at stilton; . of new milk mixed with skimmed milk, as in gloucestershire; . of skimmed milk only, as in suffolk, holland, and italy. . the principal varieties of cheese used in england are the following:--_cheshire cheese_, famed all over europe for its rich quality and fine piquant flavour. it is made of entire new milk, the cream not being taken off. _gloucester cheese_ is much milder in its taste than the cheshire. there are two kinds of gloucester cheese,--single and double. _single gloucester_ is made of skimmed milk, or of the milk deprived of half the cream; _double gloucester_ is a cheese that pleases almost every palate: it is made of the whole milk and cream. _stilton cheese_ is made by adding the cream of one day to the entire milk of the next: it was first made at stilton, in leicestershire. _sage cheese_ is so called from the practice of colouring some curd with bruised sage, marigold-leaves, and parsley, and mixing this with some uncoloured curd. with the romans, and during the middle ages, this practice was extensively adopted. _cheddar cheese_ much resembles parmesan. it has a very agreeable taste and flavour, and has a spongy appearance. _brickbat cheese_ has nothing remarkable except its form. it is made by turning with rennet a mixture of cream and new milk. the curd is put into a wooden vessel the shape of a brick, and is then pressed and dried in the usual way. _dunlop cheese_ has a peculiarly mild and rich taste: the best is made entirely from new milk. _new cheese_ (as it is called in london) is made chiefly in lincolnshire, and is either made of all cream, or, like stilton. by adding the cream of one day's milking to the milk that comes immediately from the cow: they are extremely thin, and are compressed gently two or three times, turned for a few days, and then eaten new with radishes, salad, &c. _skimmed milk cheese_ is made for sea voyages principally. _parmesan cheese_ is made in parma and piacenza. it is the most celebrated of all cheese: it is made entirely of skimmed cow's milk. the high flavour which it has, is supposed to be owing to the rich herbage of the meadows of the po, where the cows are pastured. the best parmesan is kept for three or four years, and none is carried to market till it is at least six months old. _dutch cheese_ derives its peculiar pungent taste from the practice adopted in holland of coagulating the milk with muriatic acid instead of rennet. _swiss cheeses_ in their several varieties are all remarkable for their fine flavour. that from _gruyère_, a bailiwick in the canton of fribourg, is best known in england. it is flavoured by the dried herb of _melilotos officinalis_ in powder. cheese from milk and potatoes is manufactured in thuringia and saxony. _cream cheese_, although so called, is not properly cheese, but is nothing more than cream dried sufficiently to be cut with a knife. eggs. . there is only one opinion as to the nutritive properties of eggs, although the qualities of those belonging to different birds vary somewhat. those of the common hen are most esteemed as delicate food, particularly when "new-laid." the quality of eggs depends much upon the food given to the hen. eggs in general are considered most easily digestible when little subjected to the art of cookery. the lightest way of dressing them is by poaching, which is effected by putting them for a minute or two into brisk boiling water: this coagulates the external white, without doing the inner part too much. eggs are much better when new-laid than a day or two afterwards. the usual time allotted for boiling eggs in the shell is to - / minutes: less time than that in boiling water will not be sufficient to solidify the white, and more will make the yolk hard and less digestible: it is very difficult to _guess_ accurately as to the time. great care should be employed in putting them into the water, to prevent cracking the shell, which inevitably causes a portion of the white to exude, and lets water into the egg. eggs are often beaten up raw in nutritive beverages. . eggs are employed in a very great many articles of cookery, entrées, and entremets, and they form an essential ingredient in pastry, creams, flip, &c. it is particularly necessary that they should be quite fresh, as nothing is worse than stale eggs. cobbett justly says, stale, or even preserved eggs, are things to be run from, not after. . the metropolis is supplied with eggs from all parts of the kingdom, and they are likewise largely imported from various places on the continent; as france, holland, belgium, guernsey, and jersey. it appears from official statements mentioned in mcculloch's "commercial dictionary," that the number imported from france alone amounts to about , , a year; and supposing them on an average to cost fourpence a dozen, it follows that we pay our continental neighbours above £ , a year for eggs. . the eggs of different birds vary much in size and colour. those of the ostrich are the largest: one laid in the menagerie in paris weighed lbs. oz., held a pint, and was six inches deep: this is about the usual size of those brought from africa. travellers describe _ostrich eggs_ as of an agreeable taste: they keep longer than hen's eggs. drinking-cups are often made of the shell, which is very strong. the eggs of the _turkey_ are almost as mild as those of the hen; the egg of the _goose_ is large, but well-tasted. _duck's eggs_ have a rich flavour; the albumen is slightly transparent, or bluish, when set or coagulated by boiling, which requires less time than hen's eggs. _guinea-fowl eggs_ are smaller and more delicate than those of the hen. eggs of _wild fowl_ are generally coloured, often spotted; and the taste generally partakes somewhat of the flavour of the bird they belong to. those of land birds that are eaten, as the _plover, lapwing, ruff_, &c., are in general much esteemed; but those of _sea-fowl_ have, more or less, a strong fishy taste. the eggs of the _turtle_ are very numerous: they consist of yolk only, without shell, and are delicious. recipes. chapter xxxiii. separation of milk and cream. . if it be desired that the milk should be freed entirely from cream, it should be poured into a very shallow broad pan or dish, not more than - / inch deep, as cream cannot rise through a great depth of milk. in cold and wet weather, milk is not so rich as it is in summer and warm weather, and the morning's milk is always richer than the evening's. the last-drawn milk of each milking, at all times and seasons, is richer than the first-drawn, and on that account should be set apart for cream. milk should be shaken as little as possible when carried from the cow to the dairy, and should be poured into the pans very gently. persons not keeping cows, may always have a little cream, provided the milk they purchase be pure and unadulterated. as soon as it comes in, it should be poured into very shallow open pie-dishes, and set by in a very cool place, and in or hours a nice cream should have risen to the surface. milk is one of the most complete of all articles of food: that is to say, it contains a very large number of the elements which enter into the composition of the human body. it "disagrees" with fat, heavy, languid people, of slow circulation; and, at first, with many people of sedentary habits, and stomachs weakened by stimulants of different kinds. but, if exercise can be taken and a little patience shown, while the system accommodates itself to a new regimen, this bland and soothing article of diet is excellent for the majority of thin, nervous people; especially for those who have suffered much from emotional disturbances, or have relaxed their stomachs by too much tea or coffee, taken too hot. milk is, in fact, a nutrient and a sedative at once. stomachs, however, have their idiosyncrasies, and it sometimes proves an unwelcome and ill-digested article of food. as milk, when good, contains a good deal of respiratory material (fat),--material which _must_ either be burnt off, or derange the liver, and be rejected in other ways, it may disagree because the lungs are not sufficiently used in the open air. but it is very probable that there are really "constitutions" which cannot take to it; and _they_ should not be forced. to keep milk and cream in hot weather. . when the weather is very warm, and it is very difficult to prevent milk from turning sour and spoiling the cream, it should be scalded, and it will then remain good for a few hours. it must on no account be allowed to boil, or there will be a skin instead of a cream upon the milk; and the slower the process, the safer will it be. a very good plan to scald milk, is to put the pan that contains it into a saucepan or wide kettle of boiling water. when the surface looks thick, the milk is sufficiently scalded, and it should then be put away in a cool place in the same vessel that it was scalded in. cream may be kept for hours, if scalded without sugar; and by the addition of the latter ingredient, it will remain good double the time, if kept in a cool place. all pans, jugs, and vessels intended for milk, should be kept beautifully clean, and well scalded before the milk is put in, as any negligence in this respect may cause large quantities of it to be spoiled; and milk should never be kept in vessels of zinc or copper. milk may be preserved good in hot weather, for a few hours, by placing the jug which contains it in ice, or very cold water; or a pinch of bicarbonate of soda may be introduced into the liquid. milk, when of good quality, is of an opaque white colour: the cream always comes to the top; the well-known milky odour is strong; it will boil without altering its appearance, in these respects; the little bladders which arise on the surface will renew themselves if broken by the spoon. to boil milk is, in fact, the simplest way of testing its quality. the commonest adulterations of milk are not of a hurtful character. it is a good deal thinned with water, and sometimes thickened with a little starch, or colored with yolk of egg, or even saffron; but these processes have nothing murderous in them. curds and whey. . ingredients.--a very small piece of rennet, / gallon of milk. _mode_.--procure from the butcher's a small piece of rennet, which is the stomach of the calf, taken as soon as it is killed, scoured, and well rubbed with salt, and stretched on sticks to dry. pour some boiling water on the rennet, and let it remain for hours; then use the liquor to turn the milk. the milk should be warm and fresh from the cow: if allowed to cool, it must be heated till it is of a degree quite equal to new milk; but do not let it be too hot. about a tablespoonful or rather more, would be sufficient to turn the above proportion of milk into curds and whey; and whilst the milk is turning, let it be kept in rather a warm place. _time_.--from to hours to turn the milk. _seasonable_ at any time. devonshire cream. . the milk should stand hours in the winter, half that time when the weather is very warm. the milkpan is then set on a stove, and should there remain until the milk is quite hot; but it must not boil, or there will be a thick skin on the surface. when it is sufficiently done, the undulations on the surface look thick, and small rings appear. the time required for scalding cream depends on the size of the pan and the heat of the fire; but the slower it is done, the better. the pan should be placed in the dairy when the cream is sufficiently scalded, and skimmed the following day. this cream is so much esteemed that it is sent to the london markets in small square tins, and is exceedingly delicious eaten with fresh fruit. in devonshire, butter is made from this cream, and is usually very firm. devonshire junket. . ingredients.--to every pint of new milk allow dessertspoonfuls of brandy, dessertspoonful of sugar, and - / dessertspoonful of prepared rennet; thick cream, pounded cinnamon, or grated nutmeg. _mode_.--make the milk blood-warm; put it into a deep dish with the brandy, sugar, and rennet; stir it altogether, and cover it over until it is set. then spread some thick or clotted cream over the top, grate some nutmeg, and strew some sugar over, and the dish will be ready to serve. _time_.--about hours to set the milk. _seasonable_ at any time. to keep and choose fresh butter. . fresh butter should be kept in a dark, cool place, and in as large a mass as possible. mould as much only as is required, as the more surface is exposed, the more liability there will be to spoil; and the outside very soon becomes rancid. fresh butter should be kept covered with white paper. for small larders, butter-coolers of red brick are now very much used for keeping fresh butter in warm weather. these coolers are made with a large bell-shaped cover, into the top of which a little cold water should be poured, and in summer time very frequently changed; and the butter must be kept covered. these coolers keep butter remarkably firm in hot weather, and are extremely convenient for those whose larder accommodation is limited. [illustration: butter-dish.] in choosing fresh butter, remember it should smell deliciously, and be of an equal colour all through: if it smells sour, it has not been sufficiently washed from the buttermilk; and if veiny and open, it has probably been worked with a staler or an inferior sort. to preserve and to choose salt butter. . in large families, where salt butter is purchased a tub at a time, the first thing to be done is to turn the whole of the butter out, and, with a clean knife, to scrape the outside; the tub should then be wiped with a clean cloth, and sprinkled all round with salt, the butter replaced, and the lid kept on to exclude the air. it is necessary to take these precautions, as sometimes a want of proper cleanliness in the dairymaid causes the outside of the butter to become rancid, and if the scraping be neglected, the whole mass would soon become spoiled. to choose salt butter, plunge a knife into it, and if, when drawn out, the blade smells rancid or unpleasant, the butter is bad. the layers in tubs will vary greatly, the butter being made at different times; so, to try if the whole tub be good, the cask should be unhooped, and the butter tried between the staves. it is not necessary to state that butter is extracted from cream, or from unskimmed milk, by the churn. of course it partakes of the qualities of the milk, and winter butter is said not to be so good as spring butter. a word of caution is necessary about _rancid_ butter. nobody eats it on bread, but it is sometimes used in cooking, in forms in which the acidity can be more or less disguised. so much the worse; it is almost poisonous, disguise it as you may. never, under any exigency whatever, be tempted into allowing butter with even a _soupçon_ of "turning" to enter into the composition of any dish that appears on your table. and, in general, the more you can do without the employment of butter that has been subjected to the influence of heat, the better. the woman of modern times is not a "leech;" but she might often keep the "leech" from the door, if she would give herself the trouble to invent _innocent_ sauces. butter-moulds, for moulding fresh butter. [illustration: dish of rolled butter.] . butter-moulds, or wooden stamps for moulding fresh butter, are much used, and are made in a variety of forms and shapes. in using them, let them be kept scrupulously clean, and before the butter is pressed in, the interior should be well wetted with cold water; the butter must then be pressed in, the mould opened, and the perfect shape taken out. the butter may be then dished, and garnished with a wreath of parsley, if for a cheese course; if for breakfast, put it into an ornamental butter-dish, with a little water at the bottom, should the weather be very warm. curled butter. . tie a strong cloth by two of the corners to an iron hook in the wall; make a knot with the other two ends, so that a stick might pass through. put the butter into the cloth; twist it tightly over a dish, into which the butter will fall through the knot, so forming small and pretty little strings. the butter may then be garnished with parsley, if to serve with a cheese course; or it may be sent to table plain for breakfast, in an ornamental dish. squirted butter for garnishing hams, salads, eggs, &c., is made by forming a piece of stiff paper in the shape of a cornet, and squeezing the butter in fine strings from the hole at the bottom. scooped butter is made by dipping a teaspoon or scooper in warm water, and then scooping the butter quickly and thin. in warm weather, it would not be necessary to heat the spoon. butter may be kept fresh for ten or twelve days by a very simple process. knead it well in cold water till the buttermilk is extracted; then put it in a glazed jar, which invert in another, putting into the latter a sufficient quantity of water to exclude the air. renew the water every day. fairy butter. . ingredients.--the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, tablespoonful of orange-flower water, tablespoonfuls of pounded sugar, / lb. of good fresh butter. _mode_.--beat the yolks of the eggs smoothly in a mortar, with the orange-flower water and the sugar, until the whole is reduced to a fine paste; add the butter, and force all through an old but clean cloth by wringing the cloth and squeezing the butter very hard. the butter will then drop on the plate in large and small pieces, according to the holes in the cloth. plain butter may be done in the same manner, and is very quickly prepared, besides having a very good effect. butter.--white-coloured butter is said not to be so good as the yellow; but the yellow colour is often artificially produced, by the introduction of colouring matter into the churn. anchovy butter. . ingredients.--to every lb. of butter allow anchovies, small bunch of parsley. _mode_.--wash, bone, and pound the anchovies well in a mortar; scald the parsley, chop it, and rub through a sieve; then pound all the ingredients together, mix well, and make the butter into pats immediately. this makes a pretty dish, if fancifully moulded, for breakfast or supper, and should be garnished with parsley. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make dishes, with pats each. _seasonable_ at any time. cheese. . in families where much cheese is consumed, and it is bought in large quantities, a piece from the whole cheese should be cut, the larger quantity spread with a thickly-buttered sheet of white paper, and the outside occasionally wiped. to keep cheeses moist that are in daily use, when they come from table a damp cloth should be wrapped round them, and the cheese put into a pan with a cover to it, in a cool but not very dry place. to ripen cheeses, and bring them forward, put them into a damp cellar; and, to check too large a production of mites, spirits may be poured into the parts affected. pieces of cheese which are too near the rind, or too dry to put on table, may be made into welsh rare-bits, or grated down and mixed with macaroni. cheeses may be preserved in a perfect state for years, by covering them with parchment made pliable by soaking in water, or by rubbing them over with a coating of melted fat. the cheeses selected should be free from cracks or bruises of any kind. cheese.--it is well known that some persons like cheese in a state of decay, and even "alive." there is no accounting for tastes, and it maybe hard to show why mould, which is vegetation, should not be eaten as well as salad, or maggots as well as eels. but, generally speaking, decomposing bodies are not wholesome eating, and the line must be drawn somewhere. stilton cheese. [illustration: stilton cheese.] . stilton cheese, or british parmesan, as it is sometimes called, is generally preferred to all other cheeses by those whose authority few will dispute. those made in may or june are usually served at christmas; or, to be in prime order, should be kept from to months, or even longer. an artificial ripeness in stilton cheese is sometimes produced by inserting a small piece of decayed cheshire into an aperture at the top. from weeks to a month is sufficient time to ripen the cheese. an additional flavour may also be obtained by scooping out a piece from the top, and pouring therein port, sherry, madeira, or old ale, and letting the cheese absorb these for or weeks. but that cheese is the finest which is ripened without any artificial aid, is the opinion of those who are judges in these matters. in serving a stilton cheese, the top of it should be cut off to form a lid, and a napkin or piece of white paper, with a frill at the top, pinned round. when the cheese goes from table, the lid should be replaced. mode of serving cheese. [illustration: cheese-glass.] . the usual mode of serving cheese at good tables is to cut a small quantity of it into neat square pieces, and to put them into a glass cheese-dish, this dish being handed round. should the cheese crumble much, of course this method is rather wasteful, and it may then be put on the table in the piece, and the host may cut from it. when served thus, the cheese must always be carefully scraped, and laid on a white d'oyley or napkin, neatly folded. cream cheese is often served in a cheese course, and, sometimes, grated parmesan: the latter should he put into a covered glass dish. rusks, cheese-biscuits, pats or slices of butter, and salad, cucumber, or water-cresses, should always form part of a cheese course. smoking cheeses.--the romans smoked their cheeses, to give them a sharp taste. they possessed public places expressly for this use, and subject to police regulations which no one could evade. a celebrated gourmand remarked that a dinner without cheese is like a woman with one eye. cheese sandwiches. . ingredients.--slices of brown bread-and-butter, thin slices of cheese. _mode_.--cut from a nice fat cheshire, or any good rich cheese, some slices about / inch thick, and place them between some slices of brown bread-and-butter, like sandwiches. place them on a plate in the oven, and, when the bread is toasted, serve on a napkin very hot and very quickly. _time_.-- minutes in a brisk oven. _average cost_, - / d. each sandwich. _sufficient_.--allow a sandwich for each person. _seasonable_ at any time. cheese.--one of the most important products of coagulated milk is cheese. unfermented, or cream-cheese, when quite fresh, is good for subjects with whom milk does not disagree; but cheese, in its commonest shape, is only fit for sedentary people as an after-dinner stimulant, and in very small quantity. bread and cheese, as a meal, is only fit for soldiers on march or labourers in the open air, who like it because it "holds the stomach a long time." cayenne cheeses. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, / lb. of flour, / lb. of grated cheese, / teaspoonful of cayenne, / teaspoonful of salt; water. _mode_.--rub the butter in the flour; add the grated cheese, cayenne. and salt; and mix these ingredients well together. moisten with sufficient water to make the whole into a paste; roll out, and cut into fingers about inches in length. bake them in a moderate oven a very light colour, and serve very hot. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. to make a fondue. . ingredients.-- eggs, the weight of in parmesan or good cheshire cheese, the weight of in butter; pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former in a basin, and grate the cheese, or cut it into _very thin_ flakes. parmesan or cheshire cheese may be used, whichever is the most convenient, although the former is considered more suitable for this dish; or an equal quantity of each may be used. break the butter into small pieces, add it to the other ingredients, with sufficient pepper and salt to season nicely, and beat the mixture thoroughly. well whisk the whites of the eggs, stir them lightly in, and either bake the fondue in a soufflé-dish or small round cake-tin. fill the dish only half full, as the fondue should rise very much. pin a napkin round the tin or dish, and serve very hot and very quickly. if allowed to stand after it is withdrawn from the oven, the beauty and lightness of this preparation will be entirely spoiled. _time_.--from to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. brillat savarin's fondue. (_an excellent recipe_.) . ingredients.--eggs, cheese, butter, pepper and salt. _mode_.--take the same number of eggs as there are guests; weigh the eggs in the shell, allow a third of their weight in gruyère cheese, and a piece of butter one-sixth of the weight of the cheese. break the eggs into a basin, beat them well; add the cheese, which should be grated, and the butter, which should be broken into small pieces. stir these ingredients together with a wooden spoon; put the mixture into a lined saucepan, place it over the fire, and stir until the substance is thick and soft. put in a little salt, according to the age of the cheese, and a good sprinkling of pepper, and serve the fondue on a very hot silver or metal plate. do not allow the fondue to remain on the fire after the mixture is set, as, if it boils, it will be entirely spoiled. brillat savarin recommends that some choice burgundy should he handed round with this dish. we have given this recipe exactly as he recommends it to be made; but we have tried it with good cheshire cheese, and found it answer remarkably well. _time_.--about minutes to set the mixture. _average cost_ for persons, d. _sufficient_.--allow egg, with the other ingredients in proportion, for one person. _seasonable_ at any time. macaroni, as usually served with the cheese course. i. . ingredients.-- / lb. of pipe macaroni, / lb. of butter, oz. of parmesan or cheshire cheese, pepper and salt to taste, pint of milk, pints of water, bread crumbs. _mode_.--put the milk and water into a saucepan with sufficient salt to flavour it; place it on the fire, and, when it boils quickly, drop in the macaroni. keep the water boiling until it is quite tender; drain the macaroni, and put it into a deep dish. have ready the grated cheese, either parmesan or cheshire; sprinkle it amongst the macaroni and some of the butter cut into small pieces, reserving some of the cheese for the top layer. season with a little pepper, and cover the top layer of cheese with some very fine bread crumbs. warm, without oiling, the remainder of the butter, and pour it gently over the bread crumbs. place the dish before a bright fire to brown the crumbs; turn it once or twice, that it may be equally coloured, and serve very hot. the top of the macaroni may be browned with a salamander, which is even better than placing it before the fire, as the process is more expeditious; but it should never be browned in the oven, as the butter would oil, and so impart a very disagreeable flavour to the dish. in boiling the macaroni, let it be perfectly tender but firm, no part beginning to melt, and the form entirely preserved. it may be boiled in plain water, with a little salt instead of using milk, but should then have a small piece of butter mixed with it. _time_.-- - / to - / hour to boil the macaroni, minutes to brown it before the fire. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--riband macaroni may be dressed in the same manner, but does not require boiling so long a time. ii. . ingredients.-- / lb. of pipe or riband macaroni, / pint of milk, / pint of veal or beef gravy, the yolks of eggs, tablespoonfuls of cream, oz. of grated parmesan or cheshire cheese, oz. of butter. _mode_.--wash the macaroni, and boil it in the gravy and milk until quite tender, without being broken. drain it, and put it into rather a deep dish. beat the yolks of the eggs with the cream and tablespoonfuls of the liquor the macaroni was boiled in; make this sufficiently hot to thicken, but do not allow it to boil; pour it over the macaroni, over which sprinkle the grated cheese and the butter broken into small pieces; brown with a salamander, or before the fire, and serve. _time_.-- - / to - / hour to boil the macaroni, minutes to thicken the eggs and cream, minutes to brown. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. iii. . ingredients.-- / lb. of pipe macaroni, / pint of brown gravy no. , oz. of grated parmesan cheese. _mode_.--wash the macaroni, and boil it in salt and water until quite tender; drain it, and put it into rather a deep dish. have ready a pint of good brown gravy, pour it hot over the macaroni, and send it to table with grated parmesan served on a separate dish. when the flavour is liked, a little pounded mace may be added to the water in which the macaroni is boiled; but this must always be sparingly added, as it will impart a very strong flavour. _time_.-- - / to - / hour to boil the macaroni. _average cost_, with the gravy and cheese, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. pounded cheese. . ingredients.--to every lb. of cheese allow oz. of fresh butter. _mode_.--to pound cheese is an economical way of using it, if it has become dry; it is exceedingly good spread on bread, and is the best way of eating it for those whose digestion is weak. cut up the cheese into small pieces, and pound it smoothly in a mortar, adding butter in the above proportion. press it down into a jar, cover with clarified butter, and it will keep for several days. the flavour may be very much increased by adding mixed mustard (about a teaspoonful to every lb.), or cayenne, or pounded mace. curry-powder is also not unfrequently mixed with it. ramakins, to serve with the cheese course. . ingredients.-- / lb. of cheshire cheese, / lb. of parmesan cheese, / lb. of fresh butter, eggs, the crumb of a small roll; pepper, salt, and pounded mace to taste. _mode_.--boil the crumb of the roll in milk for minutes; strain, and put it into a mortar; add the cheese, which should be finely scraped, the butter, the yolks of the eggs, and seasoning, and pound these ingredients well together. whisk the whites of the eggs, mix them with the paste, and put it into small pans or saucers, which should not be more than half filled. bake them from to minutes, and serve them very hot and very quickly. this batter answers equally well for macaroni after it is boiled tender. _time_-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. pastry ramakins, to serve with the cheese course. . ingredients.--any pieces of very good light puff-paste cheshire, parmesan, or stilton cheese. _mode_.--the remains or odd pieces of paste left from large tarts, &c. answer for making these little dishes. gather up the pieces of paste, roll it out evenly, and sprinkle it with grated cheese of a nice flavour. fold the paste in three, roll it out again, and sprinkle more cheese over; fold the paste, roll it out, and with a paste-cutter shape it in any way that may be desired. bake the ramakins in a brisk oven from to minutes, dish them on a hot napkin, and serve quickly. the appearance of this dish may be very much improved by brushing the ramakins over with yolk of egg before they are placed in the oven. where expense is not objected to, parmesan is the best kind of cheese to use for making this dish. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, with / lb. of paste, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. toasted cheese, or scotch rare-bit. . ingredients.--a few slices of rich cheese, toast, mustard, and pepper. [illustration: hot-water cheese-dish.] _mode_.--cut some nice rich sound cheese into rather thin slices; melt it in a cheese-toaster on a hot plate, or over steam, and, when melted, add a small quantity of mixed mustard and a seasoning of pepper; stir the cheese until it is completely dissolved, then brown it before the fire, or with a salamander. fill the bottom of the cheese-toaster with hot water, and serve with dry or buttered toasts, whichever may be preferred. our engraving illustrates a cheese-toaster with hot-water reservoir: the cheese is melted in the upper tin, which is placed in another vessel of boiling water, so keeping the preparation beautifully hot. a small quantity of porter, or port wine, is sometimes mixed with the cheese; and, if it be not very rich, a few pieces of butter may be mixed with it to great advantage. sometimes the melted cheese is spread on the toasts, and then laid in the cheese-dish at the top of the hot water. whichever way it is served, it is highly necessary that the mixture be very hot, and very quickly sent to table, or it will be worthless. _time_.--about minutes to melt the cheese. _average cost_, - / d. per slice. _sufficient_.--allow a slice to each person. _seasonable_ at any time. toasted cheese, or welsh rare-bit. . ingredients.--slices of bread, butter, cheshire or gloucester cheese, mustard, and pepper. _mode_.--cut the bread into slices about / inch in thickness; pare off the crust, toast the bread slightly without hardening or burning it, and spread it with butter. cut some slices, not quite so large as the bread, from a good rich fat cheese; lay them on the toasted bread in a cheese-toaster; be careful that the cheese does not burn, and let it be equally melted. spread over the top a little made mustard and a seasoning of pepper, and serve very hot, with very hot plates. to facilitate the melting of the cheese, it may be cut into thin flakes or toasted on one side before it is laid on the bread. as it is so essential to send this dish hot to table, it is a good plan to melt the cheese in small round silver or metal pans, and to send these pans to table, allowing one for each guest. slices of dry or buttered toast should always accompany them, with mustard, pepper, and salt. _time_.--about minutes to melt the cheese. _average cost_, - / d. each slice. _sufficient_.--allow a slice to each person. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--should the cheese be dry, a little butter mixed with it will be an improvement. "cow cheese."--it was only fifty years after aristotle--the fourth century before christ--that butter began to be noticed as an aliment. the greeks, in imitation of the parthians and scythians, who used to send it to them, had it served upon their tables, and called it at first "oil of milk," and later, _bouturos_, "cow cheese." scotch woodcock. . ingredients.--a few slices of hot buttered toast; allow anchovy to each slice. for the sauce,-- / pint of cream, the yolks of eggs. _mode_.--separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former, stir to them the cream, and bring the sauce to the boiling-point, but do not allow it to boil, or it will curdle. have ready some hot buttered toast, spread with anchovies pounded to a paste; pour a little of the hot sauce on the top, and serve very hot and very quickly. _time_.-- minutes to make the sauce hot. _sufficient_.--allow / slice to each person. _seasonable_ at any time. to choose eggs. . in choosing eggs, apply the tongue to the large end of the egg, and, if it feels warm, it is new, and may be relied on as a fresh egg. another mode of ascertaining their freshness is to hold them before a lighted candle, or to the light, and if the egg looks clear, it will be tolerably good; if thick, it is stale; and if there is a black spot attached to the shell, it is worthless. no egg should be used for culinary purposes with the slightest taint in it, as it will render perfectly useless those with which it has been mixed. eggs that are purchased, and that cannot be relied on, should always be broken in a cup, and then put into a basin: by this means stale or bad eggs may be easily rejected, without wasting the others. eggs contain, for their volume, a greater quantity of nutriment than any other article of food. but it does not follow that they are always good for weak stomachs; quite the contrary; for it is often a great object to give the stomach a large surface to work upon, a considerable volume of _ingesta_, over which the nutritive matter is diffused, and so exposed to the action of the gastric juice at many points. there are many persons who cannot digest eggs, however cooked. it is said, however, that their digestibility decreases in proportion to the degree in which they are hardened by boiling. to keep eggs fresh for several weeks. . have ready a large saucepan, capable of holding or quarts, full of boiling water. put the eggs into a cabbage-net, say at a time, and hold them in the water (which must be kept boiling) _for_ _seconds_. proceed in this manner till you have done as many eggs as you wish to preserve; then pack them away in sawdust. we have tried this method of preserving eggs, and can vouch for its excellence: they will be found, at the end of or months, quite good enough for culinary purposes; and although the white may be a little tougher than that of a new-laid egg, the yolk will be nearly the same. many persons keep eggs for a long time by smearing the shells with butter or sweet oil: they should then be packed in plenty of bran or sawdust, and the eggs not allowed to touch each other. eggs for storing should be collected in fine weather, and should not be more than hours old when they are packed away, or their flavour, when used, cannot be relied on. another simple way of preserving eggs is to immerse them in lime-water soon after they have been laid, and then to put the vessel containing the lime-water in a cellar or cool outhouse. _seasonable_.--the best time for preserving eggs is from july to september. eggs.--the quality of eggs is said to be very much affected by the food of the fowls who lay them. herbs and grain together make a better food than grain only. when the hens eat too many insects, the eggs have a disagreeable flavour. to boil eggs for breakfast, salads, &c. [illustration: egg-stand for the breakfast-table.] . eggs for boiling cannot be too fresh, or boiled too soon after they are laid; but rather a longer time should be allowed for boiling a new-laid egg than for one that is three or four days old. have ready a saucepan of boiling water; put the eggs into it gently with a spoon, letting the spoon touch the bottom of the saucepan before it is withdrawn, that the egg may not fall, and consequently crack. for those who like eggs lightly boiled, minutes will be found sufficient; - / to minutes will be ample time to set the white nicely; and, if liked hard, to minutes will not be found too long. should the eggs be unusually large, as those of black spanish fowls sometimes are, allow an extra / minute for them. eggs for salads should be boiled from minutes to / hour, and should be placed in a basin of cold water for a few minutes; they should then be rolled on the table with the hand, and the shell will peel off easily. _time_.--to boil eggs lightly, for invalids or children, minutes; to boil eggs to suit the generality of tastes, - / to minutes; to boil eggs hard, to minutes; for salads, to minutes. _note_.--silver or plated egg-dishes, like that shown in our engraving, are now very much used. the price of the one illustrated is £ . s., and may be purchased of messrs. r. & j. slack, , strand. eggs.--when fresh eggs are dropped into a vessel _full_ of boiling water, they crack, because the eggs being well filled, the shells give way to the efforts of the interior fluids, dilated by heat. if the volume of hot water be small, the shells do not crack, because its temperature is reduced by the eggs before the interior dilation can take place. stale eggs, again, do not crack, because the air inside is easily compressed. buttered eggs. . ingredients.-- new-laid eggs, oz. of butter. _mode_.--procure the eggs new-laid if possible; break them into a basin, and beat them well; put the butter into another basin, which place in boiling water, and stir till the butter is melted. pour that and the eggs into a lined saucepan; hold it over a gentle fire, and, as the mixture begins to warm, pour it two or three times into the basin, and back again, that the two ingredients may be well incorporated. keep stirring the eggs and butter one way until they are hot, _without boiling_, and serve on hot buttered toast. if the mixture is allowed to boil, it will curdle, and so be entirely spoiled. _time_.--about minutes to make the eggs hot. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_.--allow a slice to each person. _seasonable_ at any time. ducks' eggs. . ducks' eggs are usually so strongly flavoured that, plainly boiled, they are not good for eating; they answer, however, very well for various culinary preparations where eggs are required; such as custards, &c. &c. being so large and highly-flavoured, duck's egg will go as far as small hen's eggs; besides making whatever they are mixed with exceedingly rich. they also are admirable when used in puddings. primitive method of cooking eggs.--the shepherds of egypt had a singular manner of cooking eggs without the aid of fire. they placed them in a sling, which they turned so rapidly that the friction of the air heated them to the exact point required for use. fried eggs. . ingredients.-- eggs, / lb. of lard, butter or clarified dripping. [illustration: fried eggs on bacon.] _mode_.--place a delicately-clean frying-pan over a gentle fire; put in the fat, and allow it to come to the boiling-point. break the eggs into cups, slip them into the boiling fat, and let them remain until the whites are delicately set; and, whilst they are frying, ladle a little of the fat over them. take them up with a slice, drain them for a minute from their greasy moisture, trim them neatly, and serve on slices of fried bacon or ham; or the eggs may be placed in the middle of the dish, with the bacon put round as a garnish. _time_.-- to minutes. average cost, d. each; d. when scarce. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. veneration for eggs.--many of the most learned philosophers held eggs in a kind of respect, approaching to veneration, because they saw in them the emblem of the world and the four elements. the shell, they said, represented the earth; the white, water; the yolk, fire; and air was found under the shell at one end of the egg. eggs a la maitre d'hotel. . ingredients.-- / lb. of fresh butter, tablespoonful of flour, / pint of milk, pepper and salt to taste, tablespoonful of minced parsley, the juice of / lemon, eggs. _mode_.--put the flour and half the butter into a stewpan; stir them over the fire until the mixture thickens; pour in the milk, which should be boiling; add a seasoning of pepper and salt, and simmer the whole for minutes. put the remainder of the butter into the sauce, and add the minced parsley; then boil the eggs hard, strip off the shells, cut the eggs into quarters, and put them on a dish. bring the sauce to the boiling-point, add the lemon-juice, pour over the eggs, and serve. _time_.-- minutes to boil the sauce; the eggs, to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. oeufs au plat, or au miroir, served on the dish in which they are cooked. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--butter a dish rather thickly with good fresh butter; melt it, break the eggs into it the same as for poaching, sprinkle them with white pepper and fine salt, and put the remainder of the butter, cut into very small pieces, on the top of them. put the dish on a hot plate, or in the oven, or before the fire, and let it remain until the whites become set, but not hard, when serve immediately, placing the dish they were cooked in on another. to hasten the cooking of the eggs, a salamander may be held over them for a minute; but great care must be taken that they are not too much done. this is an exceedingly nice dish, and one very easily prepared for breakfast. _time_.-- minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. plovers' eggs. . plovers' eggs are usually served boiled hard, and sent to table in a napkin, either hot or cold. they may also be shelled, and served the same as eggs à la tripe, with a good béchamel sauce, or brown gravy, poured over them. they are also used for decorating salads, the beautiful colour of the white being generally so much admired. poached eggs. [illustration: eggs poached on toast.] [illustration: tin egg-poacher.] . ingredients.--eggs, water. to every pint of water allow tablespoonful of vinegar. _mode_.--eggs for poaching should be perfectly fresh, but not quite new-laid; those that are about hours old are the best for the purpose. if quite new-laid, the white is so milky it is almost impossible to set it; and, on the other hand, if the egg be at all stale, it is equally difficult to poach it nicely. strain some boiling water into a deep clean frying-pan; break the egg into a cup without damaging the yolk, and, when the water boils, remove the pan to the side of the fire, and gently slip the egg into it. place the pan over a gentle fire, and keep the water simmering until the white looks nicely set, when the egg is ready. take it up gently with a slice, cut away the ragged edges of the white, and serve either on toasted bread or on slices of ham or bacon, or on spinach, &c. a poached egg should not be overdone, as its appearance and taste will be quite spoiled if the yolk be allowed to harden. when the egg is slipped into the water, the white should be gathered together, to keep it a little in form, or the cup should be turned over it for minute. to poach an egg to perfection is rather a difficult operation; so, for inexperienced cooks, a tin egg-poacher may be purchased, which greatly facilitates this manner of dressing ecgs. our illustration clearly shows what it is: it consists of a tin plate with a handle, with a space for three perforated cups. an egg should be broken into each cup, and the machine then placed in a stewpan of boiling water, which has been previously strained. when the whites of the eggs appear set, they are done, and should then be carefully slipped on to the toast or spinach, or with whatever they are served. in poaching eggs in a frying-pan, never do more than four at a time; and, when a little vinegar is liked mixed with the water in which the eggs are done, use the above proportion. _time_.-- - / to - / minutes, according to the size of the egg. _sufficient_.--allow eggs to each person. _seasonable_ at any time, but less plentiful in winter. poached eggs, with cream. . ingredients.-- pint of water, teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonfuls of vinegar, fresh eggs, / gill of cream, salt, pepper, and pounded sugar to taste, oz. of butter. _mode_.--put the water, vinegar, and salt into a frying-pan, and break each egg into a separate cup; bring the water, &c. to boil, and slip the eggs gently into it without breaking the yolks. simmer them from to minutes, but not longer, and, with a slice, lift them out on to a hot dish, and trim the edges. empty the pan of its contents, put in the cream, add a seasoning to taste of pepper, salt, and pounded sugar; bring the whole to the boiling-point; then add the butter, broken into small pieces; toss the pan round and round till the butter is melted; pour it over the eggs, and serve. to insure the eggs not being spoiled whilst the cream, &c., is preparing, it is a good plan to warm the cream with the butter, &c., before the eggs are poached, so that it may be poured over them immediately after they are dished. _time_.-- to minutes to poach the eggs, minutes to warm the cream. _average cost_ for the above quantity, d. _sufficient_ for persons. _seasonable_ at any time. . comparative sizes of eggs. [illustration: swan's egg. turkey's egg. duck's egg. plover's egg.] scotch eggs. . ingredients.-- eggs, tablespoonfuls of forcemeat no. , hot lard, / pint of good brown gravy. _mode_.--boil the eggs for minutes; strip them from the shells, and cover them with forcemeat made by recipe no. ; or substitute pounded anchovies for the ham. fry the eggs a nice brown in boiling lard, drain them before the fire from their greasy moisture, dish them, and pour round from / to / pint of good brown gravy. to enhance the appearance of the eggs, they may be rolled in beaten egg and sprinkled with bread crumbs; but this is scarcely necessary if they are carefully fried. the flavour of the ham or anchovy in the forcemeat must preponderate, as it should be very relishing. _time_.-- minutes to boil the eggs, to minutes to fry them. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. eggs a la tripe. . ingredients.-- eggs, / pint of béchamel sauce no. , dessertspoonful of finely-minced parsley. _mode_.--boil the eggs hard; put them into cold water, peel them, take out the yolks whole, and shred the whites. make / pint of béchamel sauce by recipe no. ; add the parsley, and, when the sauce is quite hot, put the yolks of the eggs into the middle of the dish, and the shred whites round them; pour over the sauce, and garnish with leaves of puff-paste or fried croûtons. there is no necessity for putting the eggs into the saucepan with the béchamel; the sauce, being quite hot, will warm the eggs sufficiently. _time_.-- minutes to boil the eggs. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxxiv. general observations on bread, biscuits, and cakes. bread and bread-making. . among the numerous vegetable products yielding articles of food for man, the cereals hold the first place. by means of skilful cultivation, mankind have transformed the original forms of these growths, poor and ill-flavoured as they perhaps were, into various fruitful and agreeable species, which yield an abundant and pleasant supply. classified according to their respective richness in alimentary elements, the cereals stand thus:--wheat, and its varieties, rye, barley, oats, rice, indian corn. everybody knows it is wheat flour which yields the best bread. rye-bread is viscous, hard, less easily soluble by the gastric juice, and not so rich in nutritive power. flour produced from barley, indian corn, or rice, is not so readily made into bread; and the article, when made, is heavy and indigestible. . on examining a grain of corn from any of the numerous cereals [footnote: _cereal,_ a corn-producing plant; from ceres, the goddess of agriculture.] used in the preparation of flour, such as wheat, maize, rye, barley, &c., it will be found to consist of two parts,--the husk, or exterior covering, which is generally of a dark colour, and the inner, or albuminous part, which is more or less white. in grinding, these two portions are separated, and the husk being blown away in the process of winnowing, the flour remains in the form of a light brown powder, consisting principally of starch and gluten. in order to render it white, it undergoes a process called "bolting." it is passed through a series of fine sieves, which separate the coarser parts, leaving behind fine white flour,--the "fine firsts" of the corn-dealer. the process of bolting, as just described, tends to deprive flour of its gluten, the coarser and darker portion containing much of that substance; while the lighter part is peculiarly rich in starch. bran contains a large proportion of gluten; hence it will be seen why brown broad is so much more nutritious than white; in fact, we may lay it down as a general rule, that the whiter the bread the less nourishment it contains. majendie proved this by feeding a dog for forty days with white wheaten bread, at the end of which time he died; while another dog, fed on brown bread made with flour mixed with bran, lived without any disturbance of his health. the "bolting" process, then, is rather injurious than beneficial in its result; and is one of the numerous instances where fashion has chosen a wrong standard to go by. in ancient times, down to the emperors, no bolted flour was known. in many parts of germany the entire meal is used; and in no part of the world are the digestive organs of the people in a better condition. in years of famine, when corn is scarce, the use of bolted flour is most culpable, for from to per cent, is lost in bran. brown bread has, of late years, become very popular; and many physicians have recommended it to invalids with weak digestions with great success. this rage for white bread has introduced adulterations of a very serious character, affecting the health of the whole community. potatoes are added for this purpose; but this is a comparatively harmless cheat, only reducing the nutritive property of the bread; but bone-dust and alum are also put in, which are far from harmless. . bread-making is a very ancient art indeed. the assyrians, egyptians, and greeks, used to make bread, in which oil, with aniseed and other spices, was an element; but this was unleavened. every family used to prepare the bread for its own consumption, the _trade_ of baking not having yet taken shape. it is said, that somewhere about the beginning of the thirtieth olympiad, the slave of an archon, at athens, made leavened bread by accident. he had left some wheaten dough in an earthen pan, and forgotten it; some days afterwards, he lighted upon it again, and found it turning sour. his first thought was to throw it away; but, his master coming up, he mixed this now acescent dough with some fresh dough, which he was working at. the bread thus produced, by the introduction of dough in which alcoholic fermentation had begun, was found delicious by the archon and his friends; and the slave, being summoned and catechised, told the secret. it spread all over athens; and everybody wanting leavened bread at once, certain persons set up as bread-makers, or bakers. in a short time bread-baking became quite an art, and "athenian bread" was quoted all over greece as the best bread, just as the honey of hyamettus was celebrated as the best honey. . in our own times, and among civilized peoples, bread has become an article of food of the first necessity; and properly so, for it constitutes of itself a complete life-sustainer, the gluten, starch, and sugar, which it contains, representing azotized and hydro-carbonated nutrients, and combining the sustaining powers of the animal and vegetable kingdoms in one product. . wheaten bread.--the finest, wholesomest, and most savoury bread is made from wheaten flour. there are, of wheat, three leading qualities,-- the soft, the medium, and the hard wheat; the last of which yields a kind of bread that is not so white as that made from soft wheat, but is richer in gluten, and, consequently, more nutritive. . rye bread.--this comes next to wheaten bread: it is not so rich in gluten, but is said to keep fresh longer, and to have some laxative qualities. . barley bread, indian-corn bread, &c.--bread made from barley, maize, oats, rice, potatoes, &c. "rises" badly, because the grains in question contain but little gluten, which makes the bread heavy, close in texture, and difficult of digestion; in fact, corn-flour has to be added before panification can take place. in countries where wheat is scarce and maize abundant, the people make the latter a chief article of sustenance, when prepared in different forms. bread-making. . panification, or bread-making, consists of the following processes, in the case of wheaten flour. fifty or sixty per cent. of water is added to the flour, with the addition of some leavening matter, and, preferably, of yeast from malt and hops. all kinds of leavening matter have, however, been, and are still used in different parts of the world: in the east indies, "toddy," which is a liquor that flows from the wounded cocoa-nut tree; and, in the west indies, "dunder," or the refuse of the distillation of rum. the dough then undergoes the well-known process called _kneading_. the yeast produces fermentation, a process which may be thus described:--the dough reacting upon the leavening matter introduced, the starch of the flour is transformed into saccharine matter, the saccharine matter being afterwards changed into alcohol and carbonic acid. the dough must be well "bound," and yet allow the escape of the little bubbles of carbonic acid which accompany the fermentation, and which, in their passage, cause the numerous little holes which are seen in light bread. . the yeast must be good and fresh, if the bread is to be digestible and nice. stale yeast produces, instead of vinous fermentation, an acetous fermentation, which flavours the bread and makes it disagreeable. a poor thin yeast produces an imperfect fermentation, the result being a heavy unwholesome loaf. . when the dough is well kneaded, it is left to stand for some time, and then, as soon as it begins to swell, it is divided into loaves; after which it is again left to stand, when it once more swells up, and manifests, for the last time, the symptoms of fermentation. it is then put into the oven, where the water contained in the dough is partly evaporated, and the loaves swell up again, while a yellow crust begins to form upon the surface. when the bread is sufficiently baked, the bottom crust is hard and resonant if struck with the finger, while the crumb is elastic, and rises again after being pressed down with the finger. the bread is, in all probability, baked sufficiently if, on opening the door of the oven, you are met by a cloud of steam which quickly passes away. . one word as to the unwholesomeness of new bread and hot rolls. when bread is taken out of the oven, it is full of moisture; the starch is held together in masses, and the bread, instead of being crusted so as to expose each grain of starch to the saliva, actually prevents their digestion by being formed by the teeth into leathery poreless masses, which lie on the stomach like so many bullets. bread should always be at least a day old before it is eaten; and, if properly made, and kept in a _cool dry_ place, ought to be perfectly soft and palatable at the end of three or four days. hot rolls, swimming in melted butter, and new bread, ought to be carefully shunned by everybody who has the slightest respect for that much-injured individual--the stomach. . aerated bread.--it is not unknown to some of our readers that dr. dauglish, of malvern, has recently patented a process for making bread "light" without the use of leaven. the ordinary process of bread-making by fermentation is tedious, and much labour of human hands is requisite in the kneading, in order that the dough may be thoroughly interpenetrated with the leaven. the new process impregnates the bread, by the application of machinery, with carbonic acid gas, or fixed air. different opinions are expressed about the bread; but it is curious to note, that, as corn is now reaped by machinery, and dough is baked by machinery, the whole process of bread-making is probably in course of undergoing changes which will emancipate both the housewife and the professional baker from a large amount of labour. . in the production of aërated bread, wheaten flour, water, salt, and carbonic acid gas (generated by proper machinery), are the only materials employed. we need not inform our readers that carbonic acid gas is the source of the effervescence, whether in common water coming from a depth, or in lemonade, or any aërated drink. its action, in the new bread, takes the place of fermentation in the old. . in the patent process, the dough is mixed in a great iron ball, inside which is a system of paddles, perpetually turning, and doing the kneading part of the business. into this globe the flour is dropped till it is full, and then the common atmospheric air is pumped out, and the pure gas turned on. the gas is followed by the water, which has been aërated for the purpose, and then begins the churning or kneading part of the business. . of course, it is not long before we have the dough, and very "light" and nice it looks. this is caught in tins, and passed on to the floor of the oven, which is an endless floor, moving slowly through the fire. done to a turn, the loaves emerge at the other end of the apartment,--and the aërated bread is made. . it may be added, that it is a good plan to change one's baker from time to time, and so secure a change in the quality of the bread that is eaten. . mixed breads.--rye bread is hard of digestion, and requires longer and slower baking than wheaten bread. it is better when made with leaven of wheaten flour rather than yeast, and turns out lighter. it should not be eaten till two days old. it will keep a long time. . a good bread may be made by mixing rye-flour, wheat-flour, and rice-paste in equal proportions; also by mixing rye, wheat, and barley. in norway, it is said that they only bake their barley broad once a year, such is its "keeping" quality. . indian-corn flour mixed with wheat-flour (half with half) makes a nice bread; but it is not considered very digestible, though it keeps well. . rice cannot be made into bread, nor can potatoes; but one-third potato flour to three-fourths wheaten flour makes a tolerably good loaf. . a very good bread, better than the ordinary sort, and of a delicious flavour, is said to be produced by adopting the following recipe:--take ten parts of wheat-flour, five parts of potato-flour, one part of rice-paste; knead together, add the yeast, and bake as usual. this is, of course, cheaper than wheaten bread. . flour, when freshly ground, is too glutinous to make good bread, and should therefore not be used immediately, but should be kept dry for a few weeks, and stirred occasionally, until it becomes dry, and crumbles easily between the fingers. . flour should be perfectly dry before being used for bread or cakes; if at all damp, the preparation is sure to be heavy. before mixing it with the other ingredients, it is a good plan to place it for an hour or two before the fire, until it feels warm and dry. . yeast from home-brewed beer is generally preferred to any other: it is very bitter, and, on that account, should be well washed, and put away until the thick mass settles. if it still continues bitter, the process should be repeated; and, before being used, all the water floating at the top must be poured off. german yeast is now very much used, and should be moistened, and thoroughly mixed with the milk or water with which the bread is to be made. . the following observations are extracted from a valuable work on bread-making, [footnote: "the english bread-book." by eliza acton. london: longman.] and will be found very useful to our readers:-- . the first thing required for making wholesome bread is the utmost cleanliness; the next is the soundness and sweetness of all the ingredients used for it; and, in addition to these, there must be attention and care through the whole process. . an almost certain way of spoiling dough is to leave it half-made, and to allow it to become cold before it is finished. the other most common causes of failure are using yeast which is no longer sweet, or which has been frozen, or has had hot liquid poured over it. . too small a proportion of yeast, or insufficient time allowed for the dough to rise, will cause the bread to be heavy. . heavy bread will also most likely be the result of making the dough very hard, and letting it become quite, cold, particularly in winter. . if either the sponge or the dough be permitted to overwork itself, that is to say, if the mixing and kneading be neglected when it has reached the proper point for either, sour bread will probably be the consequence in warm weather, and bad bread in any. the goodness will also be endangered by placing it so near a fire as to make any part of it hot, instead of maintaining the gentle and equal degree of heat required for its due fermentation. . milk or butter.--milk which is not perfectly sweet will not only injure the flavour of the bread, but, in sultry weather, will often cause it to be quite uneatable; yet either of them, if fresh and good, will materially improve its quality. . to keep bread sweet and fresh, as soon as it is cold it should be put into a clean earthen pan, with a cover to it: this pan should be placed at a little distance from the ground, to allow a current of air to pass underneath. some persons prefer keeping bread on clean wooden shelves, without being covered, that the crust may not soften. stale bread may be freshened by warming it through in a gentle oven. stale pastry, cakes, &c., may also be improved by this method. . the utensils required for making bread, on a moderate scale, are a kneading-trough or pan, sufficiently large that the dough may be kneaded freely without throwing the flour over the edges, and also to allow for its rising; a hair sieve for straining yeast, and one or two strong spoons. . yeast must always be good of its kind, and in a fitting state to produce ready and proper fermentation. yeast of strong beer or ale produces more effect than that of milder kinds; and the fresher the yeast, the smaller the quantity will be required to raise the dough. . as a general rule, the oven for baking bread should be rather quick, and the heat so regulated as to penetrate the dough without hardening the outside. the oven door should not be opened after the bread is put in until the dough is set, or has become firm, as the cool air admitted will have an unfavourable effect on it. . brick ovens are generally considered the best adapted for baking bread: these should be heated with wood faggots, and then swept and mopped out, to cleanse them for the reception of the bread. iron ovens are more difficult to manage, being apt to burn the surface of the bread before the middle is baked. to remedy this, a few clean bricks should be set at the bottom of the oven, close together, to receive the tins of bread. in many modern stoves the ovens are so much improved that they bake admirably; and they can always be brought to the required temperature, when it is higher than is needed, by leaving the door open for a time. a few hints respecting the making and baking of cakes. . _eggs_ should always be broken into a cup, the whites and yolks separated, and they should always be strained. breaking the eggs thus, the bad ones may be easily rejected without spoiling the others, and so cause no waste. as eggs are used instead of yeast, they should be very thoroughly whisked; they are generally sufficiently beaten when thick enough to carry the drop that falls from the whisk. . _loaf sugar_ should be well pounded, and then sifted through a fine sieve. . _currants_ should be nicely washed, picked, dried in a cloth, and then carefully examined, that no pieces of grit or stone may be left amongst them. they should then be laid on a dish before the fire, to become thoroughly dry; as, if added damp to the other ingredients, cakes will be liable to be heavy. . _good butter_ should always be used in the manufacture of cakes; and if beaten to a cream, it saves much time and labour to warm, but not melt, it before beating. . less butter and eggs are required for cakes when yeast is mixed with the other ingredients. . the heat of the oven is of great importance, especially for large cakes. if the heat be not tolerably fierce, the batter will not rise. if the oven is too quick, and there is any danger of the cake burning or catching, put a sheet of clean paper over the top. newspaper, or paper that has been printed on, should never be used for this purpose. . to know when a cake is sufficiently baked, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it; draw it quickly out, and if it looks in the least sticky, put the cake back, and close the oven door until the cake is done. . cakes should be kept in closed tin canisters or jars, and in a dry place. those made with yeast do not keep so long as those made without it. biscuits. . since the establishment of the large modern biscuit manufactories, biscuits have been produced both cheap and wholesome, in, comparatively speaking, endless variety. their actual component parts are, perhaps, known only to the various makers; but there are several kinds of biscuits which have long been in use, that may here be advantageously described. . biscuits belong to the class of unfermented bread, and are, perhaps, the most wholesome of that class. in cases where fermented bread does not agree with the human stomach, they may be recommended: in many instances they are considered lighter, and less liable to create acidity and flatulence. the name is derived from the french _bis cuit_, "twice-baked," because, originally, that was the mode of entirely depriving them of all moisture, to insure their keeping; but, although that process is no longer employed, the name is retained. the use of this kind of bread on land is pretty general, and some varieties are luxuries; but, at sea, biscuits are articles of the first necessity. . sea, or ship biscuits, are made of wheat-flour from which only the coarsest bran has been separated. the dough is made up as stiff as it can be worked, and is then formed into shapes, and baked in an oven; after which, the biscuits are exposed in lofts over the oven until perfectly dry, to prevent them from becoming mouldy when stored. . captains' biscuits are made in a similar manner, only of fine flour. recipes. chapter xxxv. to make yeast for bread. . ingredients.-- - / oz. of hops, quarts of water, lb. of bruised malt, / pint of yeast. _mode_.--boil the hops in the water for minutes; let it stand for about minutes, then add it to lb. of bruised malt prepared as for brewing. let the mixture stand covered till about lukewarm; then put in not quite / pint of yeast; keep it warm, and let it work or hours; then put it into small / -pint bottles (ginger-beer bottles are the best for the purpose), cork them well, and tie them down. the yeast is now ready for use; it will keep good for a few weeks, and bottle will be found sufficient for lbs. of flour. when required for use, boil lbs. of potatoes without salt, mash them in the same water in which they were boiled, and rub them through a colander. stir in about / lb. of flour; then put in the yeast, pour it in the middle of the flour, and let it stand warm on the hearth all night, and in the morning let it be quite warm when it is kneaded. the bottles of yeast require very careful opening, as it is generally exceedingly ripe. _time_.-- minutes to boil the hops and water, the yeast to work or hours. _sufficient._-- / pint sufficient for lbs. of flour. kirkleatham yeast. . ingredients.-- oz. of hops, quarts of water, / lb. of flour, / pint of yeast. _mode_.--boil the hops and water for minutes; strain, and mix with the liquid / lb. of flour and not quite / pint of yeast. bottle it up, and tie the corks down. when wanted for use, boil potatoes according to the quantity of bread to be made (about lbs. are sufficient for about a peck of flour); mash them, add to them / lb. of flour, and mix about / pint of the yeast with them; let this mixture stand all day, and lay the bread to rise the night before it is wanted. _time_.-- minutes to boil the hops and water. _sufficient_.-- / pint of this yeast sufficient for a peck of flour, or rather more. to make good home-made bread. (_miss acton's recipe_.) . ingredients.-- quartern of flour, large tablespoonful of solid brewer's yeast, or nearly oz. of fresh german yeast, - / to - / pint of warm milk-and-water. [illustration: cottage loaf.] [illustration: tin bread.] _mode_.--put the flour into a large earthenware bowl or deep pan; then, with a strong metal or wooden spoon, hollow out the middle; but do not clear it entirely away from the bottom of the pan, as, in that case, the sponge (or leaven, as it was formerly termed) would stick to it, which it ought not to do. next take either a large tablespoonful of brewer's yeast which has been rendered solid by mixing it with plenty of cold water, and letting it afterwards stand to settle for a day and night; or nearly an ounce of german yeast; put it into a large basin, and proceed to mix it, so that it shall be as smooth as cream, with / pint of warm milk-and-water, or with water only; though even a very little milk will much improve the bread. pour the yeast into the hole made in the flour, and stir into it as much of that which lies round it as will make a thick batter, in which there must be no lumps. strew plenty of flour on the top; throw a thick clean cloth over, and set it where the air is warm; but do not place it upon the kitchen fender, for it will become too much heated there. look at it from time to time: when it has been laid for nearly an hour, and when the yeast has risen and broken through the flour, so that bubbles appear in it, you will know that it is ready to be made up into dough. then place the pan on a strong chair, or dresser, or table, of convenient height; pour into the sponge the remainder of the warm milk-and-water; stir into it as much of the flour as you can with the spoon; then wipe it out clean with your fingers, and lay it aside. next take plenty of the remaining flour, throw it on the top of the leaven, and begin, with the knuckles of both hands, to knead it well. when the flour is nearly all kneaded in, begin to draw the edges of the dough towards the middle, in order to mix the whole thoroughly; and when it is free from flour and lumps and crumbs, and does not stick to the hands when touched, it will be done, and may again be covered with the cloth, and left to rise a second time. in / hour look at it, and should it have swollen very much, and begin to crack, it will be light enough to bake. turn it then on to a paste-board or very clean dresser, and with a large sharp knife divide it in two; make it up quickly into loaves, and dispatch it to the oven: make one or two incisions across the tops of the loaves, as they will rise more easily if this be done. if baked in tins or pans, rub them with a tiny piece of butter laid on a piece of clean paper, to prevent the dough from sticking to them. all bread should be turned upside down, or on its side, as soon as it is drawn from the oven: if this be neglected, the under part of the loaves will become wet and blistered from the steam, which cannot then escape from them. _to make the dough without setting a sponge_, merely mix the yeast with the greater part of the warm milk-and-water, and wet up the whole of the flour at once after a little salt has been stirred in, proceeding exactly, in every other respect, as in the directions just given. as the dough will _soften_ in the rising, it should be made quite firm at first, or it will be too lithe by the time it is ready for the oven. [illustration: italian millet.] _time_.--to be left to rise an hour the first time, / hour the second time; to be baked from to - / hour, or baked in one loaf from - / to hours. italian millet, or great indian millet, is cultivated in egypt and nubia, where it is called _dhourra_, and is used as human food, as well as for the fermentation of beer. it will grow on poor soils, and is extremely productive. it has been introduced into italy, where they make a coarse bread from it; and it is also employed in pastry and puddings: they also use it for feeding horses and domestic fowls. it is the largest variety, growing to the height of six feet; but it requires a warm climate, and will not ripen in this country. a yellow variety, called golden millet, is sold in the grocers' shops, for making puddings, and is very delicate and wholesome. to make a peck of good bread. . ingredients.-- lbs. of potatoes, pints of cold water, / pint of good yeast, a peck of flour, oz. of salt. _mode_.--peel and boil the potatoes; beat them to a cream while warm; then add pint of cold water, strain through a colander, and add to it / pint of good yeast, which should have been put in water over-night, to take off its bitterness. stir all well together with a wooden spoon, and pour the mixture into the centre of the flour; mix it to the substance of cream, cover it over closely, and let it remain near the fire for an hour; then add the pints of water, milk-warm, with oz. of salt; pour this in, and mix the whole to a nice light dough. let it remain for about hours; then make it into loaves, and bake for about - / hour in a good oven. when baked, the bread should weigh nearly lbs. _time_.--about - / hour. the red varieties of wheat are generally hardier and more easily grown than the white sorts, and, although of less value to the miller, they are fully more profitable to the grower, in consequence of the better crops which they produce. another advantage the red wheats possess is their comparative immunity from the attacks of mildew and fly. the best english wheat comes from the counties of kent and essex; the qualities under these heads always bearing a higher price than others, as will be seen by the periodical lists in the journals. rice bread. . ingredients.--to every lb. of rice allow lbs. of wheat flour, nearly tablespoonfuls of yeast, / oz. of salt. _mode_.--boil the rice in water until it is quite tender; pour off the water, and put the rice, before it is cold, to the flour. mix these well together with the yeast, salt, and sufficient warm water to make the whole into a smooth dough; let it rise by the side of the fire, then form it into loaves, and bake them from - / to hours, according to their size. if the rice is boiled in milk instead of water, it makes very delicious bread or cakes. when boiled in this manner, it may be mixed with the flour without straining the liquid from it. _time_.-- - / to hours. indian-corn-flour bread. . ingredients.--to lbs. of flour allow lbs. of indian-corn flour, tablespoonfuls of yeast, pints of warm water, / oz. of salt. _mode_.--mix the two flours well together, with the salt; make a hole in the centre, and stir the yeast up well with / pint of the warm water; put this into the middle of the flour, and mix enough of it with the yeast to make a thin batter; throw a little flour over the surface of this batter, cover the whole with a thick cloth, and set it to rise in a warm place. when the batter has nicely risen, work the whole to a nice smooth dough, adding the water as required; knead it well, and mould the dough into loaves; let them rise for nearly / hour, then put them into a well-heated oven. if made into loaves, they will require from - / to hours baking. _time_.-- - / to hours. [illustration: maize plant.] [illustration: ear of maize.] maize.--next to wheat and rice, maize is the grain most used in the nourishment of man. in asia, africa, and america, it is the principal daily food of a large portion of the population, especially of the colonists. in some of the provinces of france, too, it is consumed in large quantities. there are eight varieties of the maize; the most productive is the maize of cusco. the flour of maize is yellow, and it contains an oily matter, which, when fresh, gives it an agreeable flavour and odour; but the action of the air on it soon develops rancidity. if carried any distance, it should be stored away in air-tight vessels. an excellent soup is prepared with meat and maize-flour. the inhabitants of some countries, where wheat is scarce, make, with maize and water, or milk and salt, a kind of biscuit, which is pleasant in taste, but indigestible. some of the preparations of maize-flour are very good, and, when partaken in moderation, suitable food for almost everybody. soda bread. . ingredients.--to every lbs. of flour allow teaspoonful of tartaric acid, teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, breakfast-cupfuls of cold milk. _mode_.--let the tartaric acid and salt be reduced to the finest possible powder; then mix them well with the flour. dissolve the soda in the milk, and pour it several times from one basin to another, before adding it to the flour. work the whole quickly into a light dough, divide it into loaves, and put them into a well-heated oven immediately, and bake for an hour. sour milk or buttermilk may be used, but then a little less acid will be needed. _time_.-- hour. polish and pomeranian wheat are accounted by authorities most excellent. large raft-like barges convey this grain down the rivers, from the interior of the country to the seaports. this corn is described as being white, hard, and thin-skinned; and it yields a large quantity of flour, having a small proportion of bran. excellent rolls. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of butter, / pint of milk, large teaspoonful of yeast, a little salt. [illustration: rolls.] _mode_.--warm the butter in the milk, add to it the yeast and salt, and mix these ingredients well together. put the flour into a pan, stir in the above ingredients, and let the dough rise, covered in a warm place. knead it well, make it into rolls, let them rise again for a few minutes, and bake in a quick oven. richer rolls may be made by adding or eggs and a larger proportion of butter, and their appearance improved by brushing the tops over with yolk of egg or a little milk. _time_-- lb. of flour, divided into rolls, from to minutes. hot rolls. . this dish, although very unwholesome and indigestible, is nevertheless a great favourite, and eaten by many persons. as soon as the rolls come from the baker's, they should be put into the oven, which, in the early part of the morning, is sure not to be very hot; and the rolls must not be buttered until wanted. when they are quite hot, divide them lengthwise into three; put some thin flakes of good butter between the slices, press the rolls together, and put them in the oven for a minute or two, but not longer, or the butter would oil; take them out of the oven, spread the butter equally over, divide the rolls in half, and put them on to a very hot clean dish, and send them instantly to table. to make dry toast. . to make dry toast properly, a great deal of attention is required; much more, indeed, than people generally suppose. never use new bread for making any kind of toast, as it eats heavy, and, besides, is very extravagant. procure a loaf of household bread about two days old; cut off as many slices as may be required, not quite / inch in thickness; trim off the crusts and ragged edges, put the bread on a toasting-fork, and hold it before a very clear fire. move it backwards and forwards until the bread is nicely coloured; then turn it and toast the other side, and do not place it so near the fire that it blackens. dry toast should be more gradually made than buttered toast, as its great beauty consists in its crispness, and this cannot be attained unless the process is slow and the bread is allowed gradually to colour. it should never be made long before it is wanted, as it soon becomes tough, unless placed on the fender in front of the fire. as soon as each piece is ready, it should be put into a rack, or stood upon its edges, and sent quickly to table. to make hot buttered toast. . a loaf of household bread about two days old answers for making toast better than cottage bread, the latter not being a good shape, and too crusty for the purpose. cut as many nice even slices as may be required, rather more than / inch in thickness, and toast them before a very bright fire, without allowing the bread to blacken, which spoils the appearance and flavour of all toast. when of a nice colour on both sides, put it on a hot plate; divide some good butter into small pieces, place them on the toast, set this before the fire, and when the butter is just beginning to melt, spread it lightly over the toast. trim off the crust and ragged edges, divide each round into pieces, and send the toast quickly to table. some persons cut the slices of toast across from corner to corner, so making the pieces of a three-cornered shape. soyer recommends that each slice should be cut into pieces as soon as it is buttered, and when all are ready, that they should be piled lightly on the dish they are intended to be served on. he says that by cutting through or slices at a time, all the butter is squeezed out of the upper ones, while the bottom one is swimming in fat liquid. it is highly essential to use good butter for making this dish. muffins. . ingredients.--to every quart of milk allow - / oz. of german yeast, a little salt; flour. [illustration: muffins.] _mode_.--warm the milk, add to it the yeast, and mix these well together; put them into a pan, and stir in sufficient flour to make the whole into a dough of rather a soft consistence; cover it over with a cloth, and place it in a warm place to rise, and, when light and nicely risen, divide the dough into pieces, and round them to the proper shape with the hands; place them, in a layer of flour about two inches thick, on wooden trays, and let them rise again; when this is effected, they each will exhibit a semi-globular shape. then place them carefully on a hot-plate or stove, and bake them until they are slightly browned, turning them when they are done on one side. muffins are not easily made, and are more generally purchased than manufactured at home. _to toast them_, divide the edge of the muffin all round, by pulling it open, to the depth of about an inch, with the fingers. put it on a toasting-fork, and hold it before a very clear fire until one side is nicely browned, but not burnt; turn, and toast it on the other. do not toast them too quickly, as, if this is done, the middle of the muffin will not be warmed through. when done, divide them by pulling them open; butter them slightly on both sides, put them together again, and cut them into halves: when sufficient are toasted and buttered, pile them on a very hot dish, and send them very quickly to table. _time_.--from minutes to / hour to bake them. _sufficient_.--allow muffin to each person. crumpets. [illustration: crumpets.] . these are made in the same manner as muffins; only, in making the mixture, let it be more like batter than dough. let it rise for about / hour; pour it into iron rings, which should be ready on a hot-plate; bake them, and when one side appears done, turn them quickly on the other. _to toast them_, have ready a very _bright clear_ fire; put the crumpet on a toasting-fork, and hold it before the fire, _not too close_, until it is nicely brown on one side, but do not allow it to blacken. turn it, and brown the other side; then spread it with good butter, cut it in half, and, when all are done, pile them on a hot dish, and send them quickly to table. muffins and crumpets should always be served on separate dishes, and both toasted and served as expeditiously as possible. _time_.--from to minutes to bake them. _sufficient_.--allow crumpets to each person. plain buns. . ingredients.--to every lbs. of flour allow oz. of moist sugar, / gill of yeast, / pint of milk, / lb. of butter, warm milk. _mode_.--put the flour into a basin, mix the sugar well with it, make a hole in the centre, and stir in the yeast and milk (which should be lukewarm), with enough of the flour to make it the thickness of cream. cover the basin over with a cloth, and let the sponge rise in a warm place, which will be accomplished in about - / hour. melt the butter, but do not allow it to oil; stir it into the other ingredients, with enough warm milk to make the whole into a soft dough; then mould it into buns about the size of an egg; lay them in rows quite inches apart; set them again in a warm place, until they have risen to double their size; then put them into a good brisk oven, and just before they are done, wash them over with a little milk. from to minutes will be required to bake them nicely. these buns may be varied by adding a few currants, candied peel, or caraway seeds to the other ingredients; and the above mixture answers for hot cross buns, by putting in a little ground allspice; and by pressing a tin mould in the form of a cross in the centre of the bun. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. each. _sufficient_ to make buns. to make good plain buns. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, oz. of good butter, / lb. of sugar, egg, nearly / pint of milk, small teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, a few drops of essence of lemon. _mode_.--warm the butter, without oiling it; beat it with a wooden spoon; stir the flour in gradually with the sugar, and mix these ingredients well together. make the milk lukewarm, beat up with it the yolk of the egg and the essence of lemon, and stir these to the flour, &c. add the baking-powder, beat the dough well for about minutes, divide it into pieces, put them into buttered tins or cups, and bake in a brisk oven from to minutes. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to make buns. _seasonable_ at any time. light buns. [illustration: buns.] . ingredients.-- / teaspoonful of tartaric acid, / teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda, lb. of flour, oz. of butter, oz. of loaf sugar, / lb. of currants or raisins,--when liked, a few caraway seeds, / pint of cold new milk, egg. _mode_.--rub the tartaric acid, soda, and flour all together through a hair sieve; work the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and caraway seeds, when the flavour of them latter is liked. mix all these ingredients well together; make a hole in the middle of the flour, and pour in the milk, mixed with the egg, which should be well beaten; mix quickly, and set the dough, with a fork, on baking-tins, and bake the buns for about minutes. this mixture makes a very good cake, and if put into a tin, should be baked - / hour. the same quantity of flour, soda, and tartaric acid, with / pint of milk and a little salt, will make either bread or teacakes, if wanted quickly. _time_.-- minutes for the buns; if made into a cake, - / hour. _sufficient_ to make about buns. victoria buns. . ingredients.-- oz. of pounded loaf sugar, egg, - / oz. of ground rice, oz. of butter, - / oz. of currants, a few thin slices of candied peel; flour. _mode_.--whisk the egg, stir in the sugar, and beat these ingredients well together; beat the butter to a cream, stir in the ground rice, currants, and candied peel, and as much flour as will make it of such a consistency that it may be rolled into or balls. put these on to a buttered tin, and bake them from / to / hour. they should be put into the oven immediately, or they will become heavy; and the oven should be tolerably brisk. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make or buns. _seasonable_ at any time. italian rusks. . a stale savoy or lemon cake may be converted into very good rusks in the following manner. cut the cake into slices, divide each slice in two; put them on a baking-sheet, in a slow oven, and when they are of a nice brown and quite hard, they are done. they should be kept in a closed tin canister in a dry place, to preserve their crispness. [illustration: pannicled millet.] pannicled millet.--this is the smallest-seeded of the corn-plants, being a true grass; but the number of the seeds in each ear makes up for their size. it grows in sandy soils that will not do for the cultivation of many other kinds of grain, and forms the chief sustenance in the arid districts of arabia, syria, nubia, and parts of india. it is not cultivated in england, being principally confined to the east. the nations who make use of it grind it, in the primitive manner, between two stones, and make it into a diet which, cannot be properly called bread, but rather a kind of soft thin cake half-baked. when we take into account that the arabians are fond of lizards and locusts as articles of food, their _cuisine_, altogether, is scarcely a tempting one. to make rusks. (_suffolk recipe_.) . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of butter, / pint of milk, oz. of loaf sugar, eggs, tablespoonful of yeast. [illustration: rusks.] _mode_.--put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and keep shaking it round until the latter is melted. put the flour into a basin with the sugar, mix these well together, and beat the eggs. stir them with the yeast to the milk and butter, and with this liquid work the flour into a smooth dough. cover a cloth over the basin, and leave the dough to rise by the side of the fire; then knead it, and divide it into pieces; place them in a brisk oven, and bake for about minutes. take the rusks out, break them in half, and then set them in the oven to get crisp on the other side. when cold, they should be put into tin canisters to keep them dry; and, if intended for the cheese course, the sifted sugar should be omitted. _time_.-- minutes to bake the rusks; minutes to render them crisp after being divided. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make dozen rusks. _seasonable_ at any time. almond icing for cakes. . ingredients.--to every lb. of finely-pounded loaf sugar allow lb. of sweet almonds, the whites of eggs, a little rose-water. _mode_.--blanch the almonds, and pound them (a few at a time) in a mortar to a paste, adding a little rose-water to facilitate the operation. whisk the whites of the eggs to a strong froth; mix them with the pounded almonds, stir in the sugar, and beat altogether. when the cake is sufficiently baked, lay on the almond icing, and put it into the oven to dry. before laying this preparation on the cake, great care must be taken that it is nice and smooth, which is easily accomplished by well beating the mixture. sugar icing for cakes. . ingredients.--to every lb. of loaf sugar allow the whites of eggs, oz. of fine starch. _mode_.--beat the eggs to a strong froth, and gradually sift in the sugar, which should be reduced to the finest possible powder, and gradually add the starch, also finely powdered. beat the mixture well until the sugar is smooth; then with a spoon or broad knife lay the icing equally over the cakes. these should then be placed in a very cool oven, and the icing allowed to dry and harden, but not to colour. the icing may be coloured with strawberry or currant-juice, or with prepared cochineal. if it be put on the cakes as soon as they are withdrawn from the oven, it will become firm and hard by the time the cakes are cold. on very rich cakes, such as wedding, christening cakes, &c., a layer of almond icing, no. , is usually spread over the top, and over that the white icing as described. all iced cakes should be kept in a very dry place. biscuit powder, generally used for infants' food. . this powder may be purchased in tin canisters, and may also be prepared at home. dry the biscuits well in a slow oven; roll them and grind them with a rolling-pin on a clean board, until they are reduced to powder; sift it through a close hair sieve, and it is fit for use. it should be kept in well-covered tins, and in a dry place. arrowroot biscuits or drops. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, eggs, / lb. of flour, oz. of arrowroot, / lb. of pounded loaf sugar. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; whisk the eggs to a strong froth, add them to the butter, stir in the flour a little at a time, and beat the mixture well. break down all the lumps from the arrowroot, and add that with the sugar to the other ingredients. mix all well together, drop the dough on a buttered tin, in pieces the size of a shilling, and bake the biscuits about / hour in a slow oven. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make from to dozen biscuits. _seasonable_ at any time. nice breakfast cakes. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / teaspoonful of tartaric acid, / teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, - / breakfast-cupful of milk, oz. of sifted loaf sugar, eggs. _mode_.--these cakes are made in the same manner as the soda bread no. , with the addition of eggs and sugar. mix the flour, tartaric acid, and salt well together, taking care that the two latter ingredients are reduced to the finest powder, and stir in the sifted sugar, which should also be very fine. dissolve the soda in the milk, add the eggs, which should be well whisked, and with this liquid work the flour, &c. into a light dough. divide it into small cakes, put them into the oven immediately, and bake for about minutes. _time_.-- minutes. cocoa-nut biscuits or cakes. . ingredients.-- oz. of sifted sugar, eggs, oz. of grated cocoa-nut. _mode_.--whisk the eggs until they are very light; add the sugar gradually; then stir in the cocoa-nut. roll a tablespoonful of the paste at a time in your hands in the form of a pyramid; place the pyramids on paper, put the paper on tins, and bake the biscuits in rather a cool oven until they are just coloured a light brown. _time_.--about / hour. _seasonable_ at any time. crisp biscuits. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, the yolk of egg, milk. _mode_.--mix the flour and the yolk of the egg with sufficient milk to make the whole into a very stiff paste; beat it well, and knead it until it is perfectly smooth. roll the paste out very thin; with a round cutter shape it into small biscuits, and bake them a nice brown in a slow oven from to minutes. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. _seasonable_ at any time. dessert biscuits, which may be flavoured with ground ginger, cinnamon, &c. &c. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, / lb. of sifted sugar, the yolks of eggs, flavouring to taste. _mode_.--put the butter into a basin; warm it, but do not allow it to oil; then with the hand beat it to a cream. add the flour by degrees, then the sugar and flavouring, and moisten the whole with the yolks of the eggs, which should previously be well beaten. when all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, drop the mixture from a spoon on to a buttered paper, leaving a distance between each cake, as they spread as soon as they begin to get warm. bake in rather a slow oven from to minutes, and do not let the biscuits acquire too much colour. in making the above quantity, half may be flavoured with ground ginger and the other half with essence of lemon or currants, to make a variety. with whatever the preparation is flavoured, so are the biscuits called; and an endless variety may be made in this manner. _time_.-- to minutes, or rather longer, in a very slow oven. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make from to dozen cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon biscuits. --ingredients.-- - / lb. of flour, / lb. of loaf sugar, oz. of fresh butter, eggs, oz. of lemon-peel, dessertspoonfuls of lemon-juice. _mode_.--rub the flour into the butter; stir in the pounded sugar and very finely-minced lemon-peel, and when these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, add the eggs, which should be previously well whisked, and the lemon-juice. beat the mixture well for a minute or two, then drop it from a spoon on to a buttered tin, about inches apart, as the cakes will spread when they get warm; place the tin in the oven, and bake the cakes of a pale brown from to minutes. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. macaroons. . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, / lb. of sifted loaf sugar, the whites of eggs, wafer-paper. [illustration: macaroons.] _mode_.--blanch, skin, and dry the almonds, and pound them well with a little orange-flower water or plain water; then add to them the sifted sugar and the whites of the eggs, which should be beaten to a stiff froth, and mix all the ingredients well together. when the paste looks soft, drop it at equal distances from a biscuit-syringe on to sheets of wafer-paper; put a strip of almond on the top of each; strew some sugar over, and bake the macaroons in rather a slow oven, of a light brown colour when hard and set, they are done, and must not be allowed to get very brown, as that would spoil their appearance. if the cakes, when baked, appear heavy, add a little more white of egg, but let this always be well whisked before it is added to the other ingredients. we have given a recipe for making these cakes, but we think it almost or quite as economical to purchase such articles as these at a good confectioner's. _time_.--from to minutes, in a slow oven. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. ratafias. [illustration: ratafias.] . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, / lb. of bitter ones, / lb. of sifted loaf sugar, the whites of eggs. _mode_.--blanch, skin, and dry the almonds, and pound them in a mortar with the white of an egg; stir in the sugar, and gradually add the remaining whites of eggs, taking care that they are very thoroughly whisked. drop the mixture through a small biscuit-syringe on to cartridge paper, and bake the cakes from to minutes in rather a quicker oven than for macaroons. a very small quantity should be dropped on the paper to form one cake, as, when baked, the ratafias should be about the size of a large button. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. per lb. rice biscuits or cakes. . ingredients.--to every / lb. of rice-flour allow / lb. of pounded lump sugar, / lb. of butter, eggs. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream, stir in the rice-flour and pounded sugar, and moisten the whole with the eggs, which should be previously well beaten. roll out the paste, shape it with a round paste-cutter into small cakes, and bake them from to minutes in a very slow oven. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make about cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. ground rice, or rice-flour, is used for making several kinds of cakes, also for thickening soups, and for mixing with wheaten flour in producing manna kroup. the americans make rice-bread, and prepare the flour for it in the following manner:--when the rice is thoroughly cleansed, the water is drawn off, and the rice, while damp, bruised in a mortar: it is then dried, and passed through a hair sieve. rock biscuits. . ingredients.-- eggs, lb. of sifted sugar, / lb. of flour, a few currants. _mode_.--break the eggs into a basin, beat them well until very light, add the pounded sugar, and when this is well mixed with the eggs, dredge in the flour gradually, and add the currants. mix all well together, and put the dough, with a fork, on the tins, making it look as rough as possible. bake the cakes in a moderate oven from minutes to / hour; when they are done, allow them to get cool, and store them away in a tin canister, in a dry place. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. savoy biscuits or cakes. . ingredients.-- eggs, oz. of pounded sugar, the rind of lemon, oz. of flour. _mode_.--break the eggs into a basin, separating the whites from the yolks; beat the yolks well, mix with them the pounded sugar and grated lemon-rind, and beat these ingredients together for / hour. then dredge in the flour gradually, and when the whites of the eggs have been whisked to a solid froth, stir them to the flour, &c.; beat the mixture well for another minutes, then draw it along in strips upon thick cartridge paper to the proper size of the biscuit, and bake them in rather a hot oven; but let them be carefully watched, as they are soon done, and a few seconds over the proper time will scorch and spoil them. these biscuits, or ladies'-fingers, as they are called, are used for making charlotte russes, and for a variety of fancy sweet dishes. _time_.-- to minutes, in a quick oven. _average cost_, s. d. per lb., or / d. each. seed biscuits. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of sifted sugar, / lb. of butter, / oz. of caraway seeds, eggs. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; stir in the flour, sugar, and caraway seeds; and when these ingredients are well mixed, add the eggs, which should be well whisked. roll out the paste, with a round cutter shape out the biscuits, and bake them in a moderate oven from to minutes. the tops of the biscuits may be brushed over with a little milk or the white of an egg, and then a little sugar strewn over. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to make dozen biscuits. _seasonable_ at any time. simple hard biscuits. . ingredients.--to every lb. of flour allow oz. of butter, about / pint of skimmed milk. _mode_.--warm the butter in the milk until the former is dissolved, and then mix it with the flour into a very stiff paste; beat it with a rolling-pin until the dough looks perfectly smooth. roll it out thin; cut it with the top of a glass into round biscuits; prick them well, and bake them from to minutes. the above is the proportion of milk which we think would convert the flour into a stiff paste; but should it be found too much, an extra spoonful or two of flour must be put in. these biscuits are very nice for the cheese course. _time_.-- to minutes. _seasonable_ at any time. soda biscuits. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of pounded loaf sugar, / lb. of fresh butter, eggs, small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _mode_.--put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin; rub in the butter, add the sugar, and mix these ingredients well together. whisk the eggs, stir them into the mixture, and beat it well, until everything is well incorporated. quickly stir in the soda, roll the paste out until it is about / inch thick, cut it into small round cakes with a tin cutter, and bake them from to minutes in rather a brisk oven. after the soda is added, great expedition is necessary in rolling and cutting out the paste, and in putting the biscuits _immediately_ into the oven, or they will be heavy. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to make about dozen cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. almond cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of sweet almonds, oz. of bitter almonds, eggs, tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, tablespoonfuls of fine flour, the grated rind of lemon, oz. of butter. _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds to a paste; separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs; beat the latter, and add them to the almonds. stir in the sugar, flour, and lemon-rind; add the butter, which should be beaten to a cream; and when all these ingredients are well mixed, put in the whites of the eggs, which should be whisked to a stiff froth. butter a cake-mould, put in the mixture, and bake in a good oven from - / to - / hour. _time_.-- - / to - / hour. _average cost_, s. _seasonable_ at any time. rich bride or christening cake. . ingredients.-- lbs. of the finest flour, lbs. of fresh butter, lbs. of currants, lbs. of sifted loaf sugar, nutmegs, / oz. of mace, half / oz. of cloves, eggs, lb. of sweet almonds, / lb. of candied citron, / lb. each of candied orange and lemon peel, gill of wine, gill of brandy. _mode_.--let the flour be as fine as possible, and well dried and sifted; the currants washed, picked, and dried before the fire; the sugar well pounded and sifted; the nutmegs grated, the spices pounded; the eggs thoroughly whisked, whites and yolks separately; the almonds pounded with a little orange-flower water, and the candied peel cut in neat slices. when all these ingredients are prepared, mix them in the following manner. begin working the butter with the hand till it becomes of a cream-like consistency; stir in the sugar, and when the whites of the eggs are whisked to a solid froth, mix them with the butter and sugar; next, well beat up the yolks for minutes, and, adding them to the flour, nutmegs, mace, and cloves, continue beating the whole together for / hour or longer, till wanted for the oven. then mix in lightly the currants, almonds, and candied peel with the wine and brandy; and having lined a hoop with buttered paper, fill it with the mixture, and bake the cake in a tolerably quick oven, taking care, however, not to burn it: to prevent this, the top of it may be covered with a sheet of paper. to ascertain whether the cake is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it, withdraw it directly, and if the blade is not sticky, and looks bright, the cake is sufficiently baked. these cakes are usually spread with a thick layer of almond icing, and over that another layer of sugar icing, and afterwards ornamented. in baking a large cake like this, great attention must be paid to the heat of the oven; it should not be too fierce, but have a good soaking heat. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, s. per lb. christmas cake. . ingredients.-- teacupfuls of flour, teacupful of melted butter, teacupful of cream, teacupful of treacle, teacupful of moist sugar, eggs, / oz. of powdered ginger, / lb. of raisins, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, tablespoonful of vinegar. _mode_.--make the butter sufficiently warm to melt it, but do not allow it to oil; put the flour into a basin; add to it the sugar, ginger, and raisins, which should be stoned and cut into small pieces. when these dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed, stir in the butter, cream, treacle, and well-whisked eggs, and beat the mixture for a few minutes. dissolve the soda in the vinegar, add it to the dough, and be particular that these latter ingredients are well incorporated with the others; put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, place it in a moderate oven immediately, and bake it from - / to - / hours. _time_.-- - / to - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. common cake, suitable for sending to children at school. . ingredients.-- lbs. of flour, oz. of butter or clarified dripping, / oz. of caraway seeds, / oz. of allspice, / lb. of pounded sugar, lb. of currants, pint of milk, tablespoonfuls of fresh yeast. _mode_.--rub the butter lightly into the flour; add all the dry ingredients, and mix these well together. make the milk warm, but not hot; stir in the yeast, and with this liquid make the whole into a light dough; knead it well, and line the cake-tins with strips of buttered paper; this paper should be about inches higher than the top of the tin. put in the dough; stand it in a warm place to rise for more than an hour; then bake the cakes in a well-heated oven. if this quantity be divided in two, they will take from - / to hours' baking. _time_.-- - / to - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make moderate-sized cakes. economical cake. [illustration: cake-mould.] . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of sugar, / lb. of butter or lard, / lb. of currants, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, the whites of eggs, / pint of milk. _mode_,--in making many sweet dishes, the whites of eggs are not required, and if well beaten and added to the above ingredients, make an excellent cake, with or without currants. beat the butter to a cream, well whisk the whites of the eggs, and stir all the ingredients together but the soda, which must not be added until all is well mixed, and the cake is ready to be put into the oven. when the mixture has been well beaten, stir in the soda, put the cake into a buttered mould, and bake it in a moderate oven for - / hour. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. a nice useful cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, oz. of currants, / lb. of sugar lb. of dried flour, teaspoonfuls of baking-powder, eggs, teacupful of milk, oz. of sweet almonds, oz. of candied peel. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; wash, pick, and dry the currants; whisk the eggs; blanch and chop the almonds, and cut the peel into neat slices. when all these are ready, mix the dry ingredients together; then add the butter, milk, and eggs, and beat the mixture well for a few minutes. put the cake into a buttered mould or tin, and bake it for rather more than - / hour. the currants and candied peel may be omitted, and a little lemon or almond flavouring substituted for them: made in this manner, the cake will be found very good. _time_.--rather more than - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. honey cake. . ingredients.-- / breakfast-cupful of sugar, breakfast-cupful of rich sour cream, breakfast-cupfuls of flour, / teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, honey to taste. _mode_.--mix the sugar and cream together; dredge in the flour, with as much honey as will flavour the mixture nicely; stir it well, that all the ingredients may be thoroughly mixed; add the carbonate of soda, and beat the cake well for another minutes; put it into a buttered tin, bake it from / to / hour, and let it be eaten warm. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for or persons. _seasonable_ at any time. rich sweetmeat gingerbread nuts. . ingredients.-- lb. of treacle, / lb. of clarified butter, lb. of coarse brown sugar, oz. of ground ginger, oz. of candied orange-peel, oz. of candied angelica, / oz. of candied lemon-peel, / oz. of coriander seeds, / oz. of caraway seeds, egg; flour. _mode_.--put the treacle into a basin, and pour over it the butter, melted so as not to oil, the sugar, and ginger. stir these ingredients well together, and whilst mixing, add the candied peel, which should be cut into very small pieces, but not bruised, and the caraway and coriander seeds, which should be pounded. having mixed all thoroughly together, break in an egg, and work the whole up with as much fine flour as may be necessary to form a paste. make this into nuts of any size, put them on a tin plate, and bake in a slow oven from / to / hour. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. per lb. _seasonable_ at any time. thick gingerbread. . ingredients.-- lb. of treacle, / lb. of butter, / lb. of coarse brown sugar, - / lb. of flour, oz. of ginger, / oz. of ground allspice, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, / pint of warm milk, eggs. [illustration: gingerbread.] _mode_.--put the flour into a basin, with the sugar, ginger, and allspice; mix these together; warm the butter, and add it, with the treacle, to the other ingredients. stir well; make the milk just warm, dissolve the carbonate of soda in it, and mix the whole into a nice smooth dough with the eggs, which should be previously well whisked; pour the mixture into a buttered tin, and bake it from / to hour, or longer, should the gingerbread be very thick. just before it is done, brush the top over with the yolk of an egg beaten up with a little milk, and put it back in the oven to finish baking. _time_.-- / to hour. _average cost_, s. per square. _seasonable_ at any time. sunderland gingerbread nuts. (_an excellent recipe_.) . ingredients.-- - / lb. treacle, lb. of moist sugar, lb. of butter, - / lbs. of flour, - / oz. of ground ginger, - / oz. of allspice, - / oz. of coriander seeds. _mode_.--let the allspice, coriander seeds, and ginger be freshly ground; put them into a basin, with the flour and sugar, and mix these ingredients well together; warm the treacle and butter together; then with a spoon work it into the flour, &c., until the whole forms a nice smooth paste. drop the mixture from the spoon on to a piece of buttered paper, and bake in rather a slow oven from minutes to / hour. a little candied lemon-peel mixed with the above is an improvement, and a great authority in culinary matters suggests the addition of a little cayenne pepper in gingerbread. whether it be advisable to use this latter ingredient or not, we leave our readers to decide. _time_.-- minutes to / hour. _average cost_, s. to s. d. per lb. _seasonable_ at any time. white gingerbread. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, / lb. of loaf sugar, the rind of lemon, oz. of ground ginger, nutmeg grated, / teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, gill of milk. _mode_.--rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, which should be finely pounded and sifted, and the minced lemon-rind, ginger, and nutmeg. mix these well together; make the milk just warm, stir in the soda, and work the whole into a nice smooth paste; roll it out, cut it into cakes, and bake in a moderate oven from to minutes. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. good holiday cake. . ingredients.-- - / d. worth of borwick's german baking-powder, lbs. of flour, oz. of butter, / lb. of lard, lb. of currants, / lb. of stoned and cut raisins, / lb. of mixed candied peel, / lb. of moist sugar, eggs, / pint of cold milk. _mode_.--mix the baking-powder with the flour; then rub in the butter and lard; have ready the currants, washed, picked, and dried the raisins stoned and cut into small pieces (not chopped), and the peel cut into neat slices. add these with the sugar to the flour, &c., and mix all the dry ingredients well together. whisk the eggs, stir to them the milk, and with this liquid moisten the cake; beat it up well, that all may be very thoroughly mixed; line a cake-tin with buttered paper, put in the cake, and bake it from - / to - / hours in a good oven. to ascertain when it is done, plunge a clean knife into the middle of it, and if, on withdrawing it, the knife looks clean, and not sticky, the cake is done. to prevent its burning at the top, a piece of clean paper may be put over whilst the cake is soaking, or being thoroughly cooked in the middle. a steamer, such as is used for steaming potatoes, makes a very good cake-tin, if it be lined at the bottom and sides with buttered paper. _time_.-- - / to - / hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. lemon cake. . ingredients.-- eggs, tablespoonfuls of orange-flower water, / lb. of pounded loaf sugar, lemon, / lb. of flour. [illustration: cake-mould.] _mode_.--separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs whisk the former to a stiff froth; add the orange-flower water, the sugar, grated lemon-rind, and mix these ingredients well together. then beat the yolks of the eggs, and add them, with the lemon-juice, to the whites, &c.; dredge in the flour gradually; keep beating the mixture well; put it into a buttered mould, and bake the cake about an hour, or rather longer. the addition of a little butter, beaten to a cream, we think, would improve this cake. _time_.--about hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. luncheon cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, lb. of flour, / oz. of caraway seeds, / lb. of currants, oz. of moist sugar, oz. of candied peel, eggs, / pint of milk, small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _mode_.--rub the butter into the flour until it is quite fine; add the caraway seeds, currants (which should be nicely washed, picked, and dried), sugar, and candied peel cut into thin slices; mix these well together, and moisten with the eggs, which should be well whisked. boil the milk, and add to it, whilst boiling, the carbonate of soda, which must be well stirred into it, and, with the milk, mix the other ingredients. butter a tin, pour the cake into it, and bake it in a moderate oven from / to hour. _time_.-- to hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. carbonate of soda--soda was called the mineral alkali, because it was originally dug up out of the ground in africa and other countries: this state of carbonate of soda is called _natron._ but carbonate of soda is likewise procured from the combustion of marine plants, or such as grow on the sea-shore. pure carbonate of soda is employed for making effervescing draughts, with lemon-juice, citric acid, or tartaric acid. the chief constituent of soda, the alkali, has been used in france from time immemorial in the manufacture of soap and glass, two chemical productions which employ and keep in circulation an immense amount of capital. a small pinch of carbonate of soda will give an extraordinary lightness to puff pastes; and, introduced into the teapot, will extract the full strength of the tea. but its qualities have a powerful effect upon delicate constitutions, and it is not to be used incautiously in any preparation. a nice plain cake. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, teaspoonful of borwick's baking-powder, / lb. of good dripping, teacupful of moist sugar, eggs, breakfast-cupful of milk, oz. of caraway seeds, / lb. of currants. _mode_.--put the flour and baking-powder into a basin; stir those together; then rub in the dripping, add the sugar, caraway seeds, and currants; whisk the eggs with the milk, and beat all together very thoroughly until the ingredients are well mixed. butter a tin, put in the cake, and bake it from / to hours. let the dripping be quite clean before using: to insure this, it is a good plan to clarify it. beef dripping is better than any other for cakes, &c., as mutton dripping frequently has a very unpleasant flavour, which would be imparted to the preparation. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. _seasonable_ at any time. a nice plain cake for children. . ingredients.-- quartern of dough, / lb. of moist sugar, / lb. of butter or good beef dripping, / pint of warm milk, / grated nutmeg or / oz. of caraway seeds. _mode_.--if you are not in the habit of making bread at home, procure the dough from the baker's, and, as soon as it comes in, put it into a basin near the fire; cover the basin with a thick cloth, and let the dough remain a little while to rise. in the mean time, beat the butter to a cream, and make the milk warm; and when the dough has risen, mix with it thoroughly all the above ingredients, and knead the cake well for a few minutes. butter some cake-tins, half fill them, and stand them in a warm place, to allow the dough to rise again. when the tins are three parts full, put the cakes into a good oven, and bake them from / to hours. a few currants might be substituted for the caraway seeds when the flavour of the latter is disliked. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, _ s. d._ _seasonable_ at any time. common plum cake. . ingredients.-- lbs. of flour, oz. of butter or good dripping, oz. of moist sugar, oz. of currants, oz. of pounded allspice, tablespoonfuls of fresh yeast, pint of new milk. _mode_.--rub the butter into the flour; add the sugar, currants, and allspice; warm the milk, stir to it the yeast, and mix the whole into a dough; knead it well, and put it into buttered tins; place them near the fire for nearly an hour for the dough to rise, then bake the cakes in a good oven from to / hour. to ascertain when they are done, plunge a clean knife into the middle, and if on withdrawal it comes out clean, the cakes are done. _time_.-- to - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make small cakes. a nice plum cake. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, / lb. of sugar, / lb. of currants, oz. of candied lemon-peel, / pint of milk, teaspoonful of ammonia or carbonate of soda. _mode_.--put the flour into a basin with the sugar, currants, and sliced candied peel; beat the butter to a cream, and mix all these ingredients together with the milk. stir the ammonia into tablespoonfuls of milk and add it to the dough, and beat the whole well, until everything is thoroughly mixed. put the dough into a buttered tin, and bake the cake from - / to hours. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. pound cake. [illustration: pound cake.] . ingredients.-- lb. of butter, - / lb. of flour, lb. of pounded loaf sugar, lb. of currants, eggs, oz. of candied peel, / oz. of citron, / oz. of sweet almonds; when liked, a little pounded mace. _mode_.--work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar, currants, candied peel, which should be cut into neat slices, and the almonds, which should be blanched and chopped, and mix all these well together; whisk the eggs, and let them be thoroughly blended with the dry ingredients. beat the cake well for minutes, and put it into a round tin, lined at the bottom and sides with a strip of white buttered paper. bake it from - / to hours, and let the oven be well heated when the cake is first put in, as, if this is not the case, the currants will all sink to the bottom of it. to make this preparation light, the yolks and whites of the eggs should be beaten separately, and added separately to the other ingredients. a glass of wine is sometimes added to the mixture; but this is scarcely necessary, as the cake will be found quite rich enough without it. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient._--the above quantity divided in two will make two nice-sized cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. a pavini cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, / lb. of ground rice, / lb. of raisins stoned and cut into small pieces, / lb. of currants, / lb. of butter, oz. of sweet almonds, / lb. of sifted loaf sugar, / nutmeg grated, pint of milk, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _mode_.--stone and cut the raisins into small pieces; wash, pick, and dry the currants; melt the butter to a cream, but without oiling it; blanch and chop the almonds, and grate the nutmeg. when all these ingredients are thus prepared, mix them well together; make the milk warm, stir in the soda, and with this liquid make the whole into a paste. butter a mould, rather more than half fill it with the dough, and bake the cake in a moderate oven from - / to hours, or less time should it be made into cakes. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: cake-mould.] rice cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of ground rice, / lb. of flour, / lb. of loaf sugar, eggs, drops of essence of lemon, or the rind of lemon, / lb. of butter. _mode_.--separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs; whisk them both well, and add to the latter the butter beaten to a cream. stir in the flour, rice, and lemon (if the rind is used, it must be very finely minced), and beat the mixture well; then add the whites of the eggs, beat the cake again for some time, put it into a buttered mould or tin, and bake it for nearly - / hour. it may be flavoured with essence of almonds, when this is preferred. _time_.--nearly - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. queen-cakes. . ingredients.-- lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, / lb. of pounded loaf sugar, eggs, teacupful of cream, / lb. of currants, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda, essence of lemon, or almonds to taste. _mode_.--work the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour, add the sugar and currants, and mix the ingredients well together. whisk the eggs, mix them with the cream and flavouring, and stir these to the flour; add the carbonate of soda, beat the paste well for minutes, put it into small buttered pans, and bake the cake from / to / hour. grated lemon-rind may be substituted for the lemon and almond flavouring, which will make the cakes equally nice. _time_. / to / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. saucer-cake for tea. . ingredients.-- / lb. of flour, / lb. of _tous-les-mois_, / lb. of pounded white sugar, / lb. of butter, eggs, oz. of candied orange or lemon-peel. _mode_.--mix the flour and _tous-les-mois_ together; add the sugar, the candied peel cut into thin slices, the butter beaten to a cream, and the eggs well whisked. beat the mixture for minutes, put it into a buttered cake-tin or mould, or, if this is not obtainable, a soup-plate answers the purpose, lined with a piece of buttered paper. bake the cake in a moderate oven from to - / hour, and when cold, put it away in a covered canister. it will remain good some weeks, even if it be cut into slices. _time_.-- to - / hour. _average cost_, s. _seasonable_ at any time. common seed-cake. . ingredients.-- / quartern of dough, / lb. of good dripping, oz. of moist sugar, / oz. of caraway seeds, egg. _mode_.--if the dough is sent in from the baker's, put it in a basin covered with a cloth, and set it in a warm place to rise. then with a wooden spoon beat the dripping to a liquid; add it, with the other ingredients, to the dough, and beat it until everything is very thoroughly mixed. put it into a buttered tin, and bake the cake for rather more than hours. _time_.--rather more than hours. _average cost_, d. _seasonable_ at any time. a very good seed-cake. . ingredients.-- lb. of butter, eggs, / lb. of sifted sugar, pounded mace and grated nutmeg to taste, lb. of flour, / oz. of caraway seeds, wineglassful of brandy. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour; add the sugar, mace, nutmeg, and caraway seeds, and mix these ingredients well together. whisk the eggs, stir to them the brandy, and beat the cake again for minutes. put it into a tin lined with buttered paper, and bake it from - / to hours. this cake would be equally nice made with currants, and omitting the caraway seeds. _time_.-- - / to hours. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. bread-making in spain.--the bread in the south of spain is delicious: it is white as snow, close as cake, and yet very light; the flavour is most admirable, for the wheat is good and pure, and the bread well kneaded. the way they make this bread is as follows:--from large round panniers filled with wheat they take out a handful at a time, sorting it most carefully and expeditiously, and throwing every defective grain into another basket. this done, the wheat is ground between two circular stones, as it was ground in egypt , years ago (see no. ), the requisite rotary motion being given by a blindfolded mule, which paces round and round with untiring patience, a bell being attached to his neck, which, as long as he is in movement, tinkles on; and when it stops, he is urged to his duty by the shout of "_arre, mula_," from some one within hearing. when ground, the wheat is sifted through three sieves, the last of these being so fine that only the pure flour can pass through it: this is of a pale apricot-colour. the bread is made in the evening. it is mixed with only sufficient water, with a little salt in it, to make it into dough: a very small quantity of leaven, or fermenting mixture is added. the scripture says, "a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump;" but in england, to avoid the trouble of kneading, many put as much leaven or yeast in one batch of household bread as in spain would last them a week for the six or eight donkey-loads of bread they send every night from their oven. the dough made, it is put into sacks, and carried on the donkeys' backs to the oven in the centre of the village, so as to bake it immediately it is kneaded. on arriving there, the dough is divided into portions weighing lbs. each. two long narrow wooden tables on trestles are then placed down the room; and now a curious sight may be seen. about twenty men (bakers) come in and range themselves on one side of the tables. a lump of dough is handed to the nearest, which he commences kneading and knocking about with all his might for about or minutes, and then passes it on to his neighbour, who does the same; and so on successively until all have kneaded it, when it becomes as soft as new putty, and ready for the oven. of course, as soon as the first baker has handed the first lump to his neighbour, another is given to him, and so on till the whole quantity of dough is successively kneaded by them all. the bakers' wives and daughters shape the loaves for the oven, and some of them are very small, and they are baked immediately. the ovens are very large, and not heated by fires _under_ them; but a quantity of twigs of the herbs of sweet marjoram and thyme, which cover the hills in great profusion, are put in the oven and ignited. they heat the oven to any extent required; and, as the bread gets baked, the oven gets gradually colder; so the bread is never burned. they knead the bread in spain with such force, that the palm of the hand and the second joints of the fingers of the bakers are covered with corns; and it so affects the chest, that they cannot work more than two hours at a time. snow-cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of _tous-les-mois_, / lb. of white pounded sugar, / lb. of fresh or washed salt butter, egg, the juice of lemon. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; then add the egg, previously well beaten, and then the other ingredients; if the mixture is not light, add another egg, and beat for / hour, until it turns white and light. line a flat tin, with raised edges, with a sheet of buttered paper; pour in the cake, and put it into the oven. it must be rather slow, and the cake not allowed to brown at all. if the oven is properly heated, to - / hour will be found long enough to bake it. let it cool a few minutes, then with a clean sharp knife cut it into small square pieces, which should be gently removed to a large flat dish to cool before putting away. this will keep for several weeks. _time_.-- to - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _seasonable_ at any time. snow-cake. (_a genuine scotch recipe_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of arrowroot, / lb. of pounded white sugar, / lb. of butter, the whites of eggs; flavouring to taste, of essence of almonds, or vanilla, or lemon. _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream; stir in the sugar and arrowroot gradually, at the same time beating the mixture. whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add them to the other ingredients, and beat well for minutes. put in whichever of the above flavourings may be preferred; pour the cake into a buttered mould or tin and bake it in a moderate oven from to - / hour. _time_.-- to - / hour. _average cost_, with the best bermuda arrowroot, s. d.; with st. vincent ditto, s. d. _sufficient_ to make a moderate-sized cake. _seasonable_ at any time. scrap-cakes. . ingredients.-- lbs. of leaf, or the inside fat of a pig; - / lb. of flour, / lb. of moist sugar, / lb. of currants, oz. of candied lemon-peel, ground allspice to taste. _mode_.--cut the leaf, or flead, as it is sometimes called, into small pieces; put it into a large dish, which place in a quick oven; be careful that it does not burn, and in a short time it will be reduced to oil, with the small pieces of leaf floating on the surface; and it is of these that the cakes should be made. gather all the scraps together, put them into a basin with the flour, and rub them well together. add the currants, sugar, candied peel, cut into thin slices, and the ground allspice. when all these ingredients are well mixed, moisten with sufficient cold water to make the whole into a nice paste; roll it out thin, cut it into shapes, and bake the cakes in a quick oven from to minutes. these are very economical and wholesome cakes for children, and the lard, melted at home, produced from the flead, is generally better than that you purchase. to prevent the lard from burning, and to insure its being a good colour, it is better to melt it in a jar placed in a saucepan of boiling water; by doing it in this manner, there will be no chance of its discolouring. _time_.-- to minutes. _sufficient_ to make or dozen cakes. _seasonable_ from september to march. [illustration: wheat.] wheat is liable to several diseases, which affect the flour made from it, and render it unfit for good bread. the principal of these are the blight, mildew, and smut, which are occasioned by microscopic fungi, which sow themselves and grow upon the stems and ears, destroying the nutritive principles, and introducing matter of a deleterious kind. the farmer is at the utmost pains to keep away these intruders. wheat, as well as all kinds of corn, is also very liable to be injured by being stacked before it is quite dry; in which case it will heat, and become musty in the ricks. in wet harvests it is sometimes impossible to get it sufficiently dried, and a great deal of corn is thus often spoiled. it is generally reckoned that the sweetest bread is made from wheat threshed out before it is stacked; which shows the importance of studying the best modes of preserving it. the erudite are not agreed as to the aboriginal country of corn: some say it is egypt, others tartary; and the learned bailly, as well as the traveller pallas, affirms that it grows spontaneously in siberia. be that as it may, the phocians brought it to marseilles before the romans had penetrated into gaul. the gauls ate the corn cooked or bruised in a mortar: they did not know, for a long time, how to make fermented bread. scotch shortbread. . ingredients.-- lbs. of flour, lb. of butter, / lb. of pounded loaf sugar, / oz. of caraway seeds, oz. of sweet almonds, a few strips of candied orange-peel. [illustration: shortbread.] _mode_.--beat the butter to a cream, gradually dredge in the flour, and add the sugar, caraway seeds, and sweet almonds, which should be blanched and cut into small pieces. work the paste until it is quite smooth, and divide it into six pieces. put each cake on a separate piece of paper, roll the paste out square to the thickness of about an inch, and pinch it upon all sides. prick it well, and ornament with one or two strips of candied orange-peel. put the cakes into a good oven, and bake them from to minutes. _time_.-- to minutes. _average cost_, for this quantity, s. _sufficient_ to make cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--where the flavour of the caraway seeds is disliked, omit them, and add rather a larger proportion of candied peel. soda-cake. . ingredients.-- / lb. of butter, lb. of flour, / lb. of currants, / lb. of moist sugar, teacupful of milk, eggs, teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _mode_.--rub the butter into the flour, add the currants and sugar, and mix these ingredients well together. whisk the eggs well, stir them to the flour, &c., with the milk, in which the soda should be previously dissolved, and beat the whole up together with a wooden spoon or beater. divide the dough into two pieces, put them into buttered moulds or cake-tins, and bake in a moderate oven for nearly an hour. the mixture must be extremely well beaten up, and not allowed to stand after the soda is added to it, but must be placed in the oven immediately. great care must also be taken that the cakes are quite done through, which may be ascertained by thrusting a knife into the middle of them: if the blade looks bright when withdrawn, they are done. if the tops acquire too much colour before the inside is sufficiently baked, cover them over with a piece of clean white paper, to prevent them from burning. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make small cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. savoy cake. . ingredients.--the weight of eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the weight of in flour, a little grated lemon-rind, or essence of almonds, or orange-flower water. _mode_.--break the eggs, putting the yolks into one basin and the whites into another. whisk the former, and mix with them the sugar, the grated lemon-rind, or any other flavouring to taste; beat them well together, and add the whites of the eggs, whisked to a froth. put in the flour by degrees, continuing to beat the mixture for / hour, butter a mould, pour in the cake, and bake it from - / to - / hour. this is a very nice cake for dessert, and may be iced for a supper-table, or cut into slices and spread with jam, which converts it into sandwiches. _time_.-- - / to - / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ for cake. _seasonable_ at any time. sponge-cake. i. [illustration: sponge-cake.] . ingredients.--the weight of eggs in pounded loaf sugar, the weight of in flour, the rind of lemon, tablespoonful of brandy. _mode_.--put the eggs into one side of the scale, and take the weight of in pounded loaf sugar, and the weight of in good _dry_ flour. separate the yolks from the whites of the eggs; beat the former, put them into a saucepan with the sugar, and let them remain over the fire until _milk-warm,_ keeping them well stirred. then put them into a basin, add the grated lemon-rind mixed with the brandy, and stir these well together, dredging in the flour very gradually. whisk the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, stir them to the flour, &c., and beat the cake well for / hour. put it into a buttered mould strewn with a little fine sifted sugar, and bake the cake in a quick oven for - / hour. care must be taken that it is put into the oven immediately, or it will not be light. the flavouring of this cake may be varied by adding a few drops of essence of almonds instead of the grated lemon-rind. _time_.-- - / hour. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ for cake. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration: egyptian wheat.] the egyptian, or mummy wheat, is not grown to any great extent, owing to its inferior quality; but it is notable for its large produce, and is often cultivated on allotment grounds and on small farms, where quantity rather than quality is desired. at wix, in essex, the seed of this wheat has produced, without artificial assistance, four thousandfold; some of the ears have had eleven offshoots, and have contained, altogether, eleven grains in one ear. ii. . ingredients.-- / lb. of loaf sugar, not quite / pint of water, eggs, lemon, / lb. of flour, / teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together until they form a thick syrup; let it cool a little, then pour it to the eggs, which should be previously well whisked; and after the eggs and syrup are mixed together, continue beating them for a few minutes. grate the lemon-rind, mix the carbonate of soda with the flour, and stir these lightly to the other ingredients; then add the lemon-juice, and, when the whole is thoroughly mixed, pour it into a buttered mould, and bake in rather a quick oven for rather more than hour. the remains of sponge or savoy cakes answer very well for trifles, light puddings, &c.; and a very stale one (if not mouldy) makes an excellent tipsy-cake. _time_.--rather more than hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make cake. _seasonable_ at any time. to make small sponge-cakes. . ingredients.--the weight of eggs in flour, the weight of in pounded loaf sugar; flavouring to taste. _mode_.--let the flour be perfectly dry, and the sugar well pounded and sifted. separate the whites from the yolks of the eggs, and beat the latter up with the sugar; then whisk the whites until they become rather stiff, and mix them with the yolks, but do not stir them more than is just necessary to mingle the ingredients well together. dredge in the flour by degrees, add the flavouring; batter the tins well, pour in the batter, sift a little sugar over the cakes, and bake them in rather a quick oven, but do not allow them to take too much colour, as they should be rather pale. remove them from the tins before they get cold, and turn them on their faces, where let them remain until quite cold, when store them away in a closed tin canister or wide-mouthed glass bottle. _time_.-- to minutes in a quick oven. _average cost_, d. each. _seasonable_ at any time. tea-cakes. . ingredients.-- lbs. of flour, / teaspoonful of salt, / lb. of butter or lard, egg, a piece of german yeast the size of a walnut, warm milk. _mode_.--put the flour (which should be perfectly dry) into a basin mix with it the salt, and rub in the butter or lard; then beat the egg well, stir to it the yeast, and add these to the flour with as much warm milk as will make the whole into a smooth paste, and knead it well. let it rise near the fire, and, when well risen, form it into cakes; place them on tins, let them rise again for a few minutes before putting them into the oven, and bake from / to / hour in a moderate oven. these are very nice with a few currants and a little sugar added to the other ingredients: they should be put in after the butter is rubbed in. these cakes should be buttered, and eaten hot as soon as baked; but, when stale, they are very nice split and toasted; or, if dipped in milk, or even water, and covered with a basin in the oven till hot, they will be almost equal to new. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make tea-cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. to toast tea-cakes. [illustration: tea-cakes.] . cut each tea-cake into three or four slices, according to its thickness; toast them on both sides before a nice clear fire, and as each slice is done, spread it with butter on both sides. when a cake is toasted, pile the slices one on the top of the other, cut them into quarters, put them on a very hot plate, and send the cakes immediately to table. as they are wanted, send them in hot, one or two at a time, as, if allowed to stand, they spoil, unless kept in a muffin-plate over a basin of boiling water. a nice yeast-cake. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of flour, / lb. of butter, / pint of milk, - / tablespoonful of good yeast, eggs, / lb. of currants, / lb. of white moist sugar, oz. of candied peel. _mode_.--put the milk and butter into a saucepan, and shake it round over a fire until the butter is melted, but do not allow the milk to get very hot. put the flour into a basin, stir to it the milk and butter, the yeast, and eggs, which should be well beaten, and form the whole into a smooth dough. let it stand in a warm place, covered with a cloth, to rise, and, when sufficiently risen, add the currants, sugar, and candied peel cut into thin slices. when all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, line moderate-sized cake-tins with buttered paper, which should be about six inches higher than the tin; pour in the mixture, let it stand to rise again for another / hour, and then bake the cakes in a brisk oven for about - / hour. if the tops of them become too brown, cover them with paper until they are done through. a few drops of essence of lemon, or a little grated nutmeg, may be added when the flavour is liked. _time_.--from - / to - / hour. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to make moderate-sized cakes. _seasonable_ at any time. [illustration] [illustration] chapter xxxvi. general observations on beverages. . beverages are innumerable in their variety; but the ordinary beverages drunk in the british isles, may be divided into three classes:-- . beverages of the simplest kind not fermented. . beverages, consisting of water, containing a considerable quantity of carbonic acid. . beverages composed partly of fermented liquors. of the first class may be mentioned,--water, toast-and-water, barley-water, eau sucré, lait sucré, cheese and milk whey, milk-and-water, lemonade, orangeade, sherbet, apple and pear juice, capillaire, vinegar-and-water, raspberry vinegar and water. . of the common class of beverages, consisting of water impregnated with carbonic acid gas, we may name soda-water, single and double, ordinary effervescing draughts, and ginger-beer. . the beverages composed partly of fermented liquors, are hot spiced wines, bishop, egg-flip, egg-hot, ale posset, sack posset, punch, and spirits-and-water. . we will, however, forthwith treat on the most popular of our beverages, beginning with the one which makes "the cup that cheers but not inebriates." . the beverage called tea has now become almost a necessary of life. previous to the middle of the th century it was not used in england, and it was wholly unknown to the greeks and romans. pepys says, in his diary,--"september th, .--i sent for a cup of tea (a china drink), of which i had never drunk before." two years later it was so rare a commodity in england, that the english east-india company bought lbs. oz. of it, as a present for his majesty. in it was sold in london for sixty shillings a pound. from that date the consumption has gone on increasing from , lbs. to , , lbs. . linnaeus was induced to think that there were two species of tea-plant, one of which produced the black, and the other the green teas; but later observations do not confirm this. when the leaves of black and green tea are expanded by hot water, and examined by the botanist, though a difference of character is perceived, yet this is not sufficient to authorize considering them as distinct species. the tea-tree flourishes best in temperate regions; in china it is indigenous. the part of china where the best tea is cultivated, is called by us the "tea country." the cultivation of the plant requires great care. it is raised chiefly on the sides of hills; and, in order to increase the quantity and improve the quality of the leaves, the shrub is pruned, so as not to exceed the height of from two to three feet, much in the same manner as the vine is treated in france. they pluck the leaves, one selecting them according to the kinds of tea required; and, notwithstanding the tediousness of the operation, each labourer is able to gather from four to ten or fifteen pounds a day. when the trees attain to six or seven years of age, the produce becomes so inferior that they are removed to make room for a fresh succession, or they are cut down to allow of numerous young shoots. teas of the finest flavour consist of the youngest leaves; and as these are gathered at four different periods of the year, the younger the leaves the higher flavoured the tea, and the scarcer, and consequently the dearer, the article. . the various names by which teas are sold in the british market are corruptions of chinese words. there are about a dozen different kinds; but the principal are bohea, congou, and souchong, and signify, respectively, inferior, middling, and superior. teas are often perfumed and flavoured with the leaves of different kinds of plants grown on purpose. different tea-farms in china produce teas of various qualities, raised by skilful cultivation on various soils. . tea, when chemically analyzed, is found to contain woody fibre, mucilage, a considerable quantity of the astringent principle, or tannin, a narcotic principle, which is, perhaps, connected with a peculiar aroma. the tannin is shown by its striking a black colour with sulphate of iron, and is the cause of the dark stain which is always formed when tea is spilt upon buff-coloured cottons dyed with iron. a constituent called _theine_ has also been discovered in tea, supposed to be identical with _caffeine_, one of the constituents of coffee. liebig says, "theine yields, in certain processes of decomposition, a series of most remarkable products, which have much analogy with those derived from uric acid in similar circumstances. the infusion of tea differs from that of coffee, by containing iron and manganese. we have in tea, of many kinds, a beverage which contains the active constituents of the most powerful mineral springs, and, however small the amount of iron may be which we daily take in this form, it cannot be destitute of influence on the vital processes." . chinese tea has frequently been adulterated in this country, by the admixture of the dried leaves of certain plants. the leaves of the sloe, white thorn, ash, elder, and some others, have been employed for this purpose; such as the leaves of the speedwell, wild germander, black currants, syringa, purple-spiked willow-herb, sweet-brier, and cherry-tree. some of these are harmless, others are to a certain degree poisonous; as, for example, are the leaves of all the varieties of the plum and cherry tribe, to which the sloe belongs. adulteration by means of these leaves is by no means a new species of fraud; and several acts of parliament, from the time of george ii., have been passed, specifying severe penalties against those guilty of the offence, which, notwithstanding numerous convictions, continues to the present time. . in the purchase of tea, that should be chosen which possesses an agreeable odour and is as whole as possible, in order that the leaf may be easily examined. the greatest care should be taken that it has not been exposed to the air, which destroys its flavour. . it would be impossible, in the space at our command, to enumerate the various modes adopted in different countries for "making coffee;" that is, the phrase commonly understood to mean the complete preparation of this delicious beverage for drinking. for performing this operation, such recipes or methods as we have found most practical will be inserted in their proper place; but the following facts connected with coffee will be found highly interesting. . the introduction of coffee into this country is comparatively of recent date. we are assured by bruce that the coffee-tree is a native of abyssinia, and it is said to have been cultivated in that country from time immemorial. . it appears that coffee was first introduced into england by daniel edwards, a turkey merchant, whose servant, pasqua, a greek, understood the manner of roasting it. this servant, under the patronage of edwards, established the first coffee-house in london, in george yard, lombard street. coffee was then sold at four or five guineas a pound, and a duty was soon afterwards laid upon it of fourpence a gallon, when made into a beverage. in the course of two centuries, however, this berry, unknown originally as an article of food, except to some savage tribes on the confines of abyssinia, has made its way through the whole of the civilized world. mahommedans of all ranks drink coffee twice a day; it is in universal request in france; and the demand for it throughout the british isles is daily increasing, the more especially since so much attention has been given to mechanical contrivances for roasting and grinding the berry and preparing the beverage. . of the various kinds of coffee the arabian is considered the best. it is grown chiefly in the districts of aden and mocha; whence the name of our mocha coffee. mocha coffee has a smaller and rounder bean than any other, and likewise a more agreeable smell and taste. the next in reputation and quality is the java and ceylon coffee, and then the coffees of bourbon and martinique, and that of berbice, a district of the colony of british guiana. the jamaica and st. domingo coffees are less esteemed. . a considerable change takes place in the arrangement of the constituents of coffee by the application of heat in roasting it. independently of one of the objects of roasting, namely, that of destroying its toughness and rendering it easily ground, its tannin and other principles are rendered partly soluble in water; and it is to the tannin that the brown colour of the decoction of coffee is owing. an aromatic flavour is likewise developed during torrefaction, which is not perceived in the raw berry, and which is not produced in the greatest perfection until the heat has arrived at a certain degree of temperature; but, if the heat be increased beyond this, the flavour is again dissipated, and little remains but a bitter and astringent matter with carbon. . the roasting of coffee in the best manner requires great nicety, and much of the qualities of the beverage depends upon the operation. the roasting of coffee for the dealers in london and paris has now become a separate branch of business, and some of the roasters perform the operation on a great scale, with considerable skill. roasted coffee loses from to per cent, by sufficient roasting, and the powder suffers much by exposure to the air; but, while raw, it not only does not lose its flavour for a year or two, but improves by keeping. if a cup of the best coffee be placed upon a table boiling hot, it will fill the room with its fragrance; but the coffee, when warmed again after being cold, will be found to have lost most of its flavour. . to have coffee in perfection, it should be roasted and ground just before it is used, and more should not be ground at a time than is wanted for immediate use, or, if it be necessary to grind more, it should be kept closed from the air. coffee readily imbibes exhalations from other substances, and thus often acquires a bad flavour: brown sugar placed near it will communicate a disagreeable flavour. it is stated that the coffee in the west indies has often been injured by being laid in rooms near the sugar-works, or where rum is distilled; and the same effect has been produced by bringing over coffee in the same ships with rum and sugar. dr. moseley mentions that a few bags of pepper, on board a ship from india, spoiled a whole cargo of coffee. . with respect to the quantity of coffee used in making the decoction, much depends upon the taste of the consumer. the greatest and most common fault in english coffee is the too small quantity of the ingredient. count rumford says that to make good coffee for drinking after dinner, a pound of good mocha coffee, which, when roasted and ground, weighs only thirteen ounces, serves to make fifty-six full cups, or a little less than a quarter of an ounce to a coffee-cup of moderate size. recipes. chapter xxxvii. to make chocolate. . ingredients.--allow / oz. of chocolate to each person; to every oz. allow / pint of water, / pint of milk. _mode_.--make the milk-and-water hot; scrape the chocolate into it, and stir the mixture constantly and quickly until the chocolate is dissolved; bring it to the boiling-point, stir it well, and serve directly with white sugar. chocolate prepared with in a mill, as shown in the engraving, is made by putting in the scraped chocolate, pouring over it the boiling milk-and-water, and milling it over the fire until hot and frothy. _sufficient_.--allow / oz. of cake chocolate to each person. [illustration: mill.] chocolate and cocoa.--both these preparations are made from the seeds or beans of the cacao-tree, which grows in the west indies and south america. the spanish, and the proper name, is cacao, not cocoa, as it is generally spelt. from this mistake, the tree from which the beverage is procured has been often confounded with the palm that produces the edible cocoa-nuts, which are the produce of the cocoa-tree (_cocos nucifera_), whereas the tree from which chocolate is procured is very different (the _theobroma cacao_). the cocoa-tree was cultivated by the aboriginal inhabitants of south america, particularly in mexico, where, according to humboldt, it was reared by montezuma. it was transplanted thence into other dependencies of the spanish monarchy in ; and it was so highly esteemed by linnaeus receive from him the name now conferred upon it, of theobroma, a term derived from the greek, and signifying "_food for gods_." chocolate has always been a favourite beverage among the spaniards and creoles, and was considered here as a great luxury when first introduced, after the discovery of america; but the high duties laid upon it, confined it long almost entirely to the wealthier classes. before it was subjected to duty, mr. bryan edwards stated that cocoa plantations were numerous in jamaica, but that the duty caused their almost entire ruin. the removal of this duty has increased their cultivation. (for engraving of cocoa-bean, _see_ no. .) to make essence of coffee. . ingredients.--to every / lb. of ground coffee allow small teaspoonful of powdered chicory, small teacupfuls, or pint, of water. _mode_.--let the coffee be freshly ground, and, if possible, freshly roasted; put it into a percolater, or filter, with the chicory, and pour _slowly_ over it the above proportion of boiling water. when it has all filtered through, warm the coffee sufficiently to bring it to the simmering-point, but do not allow it to boil; then filter it a second time, put it into a clean and dry bottle, cork it well, and it will remain good for several days. two tablespoonfuls of this essence are quite sufficient for a breakfast-cupful of hot milk. this essence will be found particularly useful to those persons who have to rise extremely early; and having only the milk to make boiling, is very easily and quickly prepared. when the essence is bottled, pour another tea-cupfuls of _boiling_ water slowly on the grounds, which, when filtered through, will be a very weak coffee. the next time there is essence to be prepared, make this weak coffee boiling, and pour it on the ground coffee instead of plain water: by this means a better coffee will be obtained. never throw away the grounds without having made use of them in this manner; and always cork the bottle well that contains this preparation, until the day that it is wanted for making the fresh essence. _time_.--to be filtered once, then brought to the boiling-point, and filtered again. _average cost_, with coffee at s. d. per lb., d. _sufficient'_-allow tablespoonfuls for a breakfast-cupful of hot milk. to roast coffee. (_a french recipe_.) . it being an acknowledged fact that french coffee is decidedly superior to that made in england, and as the roasting of the berry is of great importance to the flavour of the preparation, it will be useful and interesting to know how they manage these things in france. in paris, there are two houses justly celebrated for the flavour of their coffee,--_la maison corcellet_ and _la maison royer de chartres_; and to obtain this flavour, before roasting they add to every lbs. of coffee a piece of butter the size of a nut, and a dessert-spoonful of powdered sugar: it is then roasted in the usual manner. the addition of the butter and sugar develops the flavour and aroma of the berry; but it must be borne in mind, that the quality of the butter must be of the very best description. to make coffee. . ingredients.--allow oz., or tablespoonful, of ground coffee to each person; to every oz. of coffee allow / pint of water. _mode_.--to make coffee good, _it should never be boiled_, but the boiling water merely poured on it, the same as for tea. the coffee should always be purchased in the berry,--if possible, freshly roasted; and it should never be ground long before it is wanted for use. there are very many new kinds of coffee-pots, but the method of making the coffee is nearly always the same; namely, pouring the boiling water on the powder, and allowing it to filter through. our illustration shows one of loysel's hydrostatic urns, which are admirably adapted for making good and clear coffee, which should be made in the following, manner:--warm the urn with boiling water, remove the lid and movable filter, and place the ground coffee at the bottom of the urn. put the movable filter over this, and screw the lid, inverted, tightly on the end of the centre pipe. pour into the inverted lid the above proportion of boiling water, and when all the water so poured has disappeared from the funnel, and made its way down the centre pipe and up again through the ground coffee by _hydrostatic pressure_, unscrew screw the lid and cover the urn. pour back direct into the urn, _not through the funnel_, one, two, or three cups, according to the size of the percolater, in order to make the infusion of uniform strength; the contents will then be ready for use, and should run from the tap strong, hot, and clear. the coffee made in these urns generally turns out very good, and there is but one objection to them,--the coffee runs rather slowly from the tap. this is of no consequence where there is a small party, but tedious where there are many persons to provide for. a remedy for this objection may be suggested; namely, to make the coffee very strong, so that not more than / of a cup would be required, as the rest would be filled up with milk. making coffee in filters or percolaters does away with the necessity of using isinglass, white of egg, and various other preparations to clear it. coffee should always be served very hot, and, if possible, in the same vessel in which it is made, as pouring it from one pot to another cools, and consequently spoils it. many persons may think that the proportion of water we have given for each oz. of coffee is rather small; it is so, and the coffee produced from it will be very strong; / of a cup will be found quite sufficient, which should be filled with nice hot milk, or milk and cream mixed. this is the 'cafe au lait' for which our neighbours over the channel are so justly celebrated. should the ordinary method of making coffee be preferred, use double the quantity of water, and, in pouring it into the cups, put in more coffee and less milk. [illustration: loysel's hydrostatic urn.] _sufficient_.--for very good coffee, allow / oz., or tablespoonful, to each person. a very simple method of making coffee. . ingredients.--allow / oz., or tablespoonful, of coffee to each person; to every oz. allow pint of water. _mode_.--have a small iron ring made to fit the top of the coffee-pot inside, and to this ring sew a small muslin bag (the muslin for the purpose must not be too thin). fit the bag into the pot, pour some boiling water in it, and, when the pot is well warmed, put the ground coffee into the bag; pour over as much boiling water as is required, close the lid, and, when all the water has filtered through, remove the bag, and send the coffee to table. making it in this manner prevents the necessity of pouring the coffee from one vessel to another, which cools and spoils it. the water should be poured on the coffee gradually, so that the infusion may be stronger; and the bag must be well made, that none of the grounds may escape through the seams, and so make the coffee thick and muddy. _sufficient_.--allow tablespoonful, or / oz., to each person. [illustration: coffee.] the coffee plant grows to the height of about twelve or fifteen feet, with leaves not unlike those of the common laurel, although more pointed, and not so dry and thick. the blossoms are white, much like those of jasmine, and issue from the angles of the leaf-stalks. when the flowers fade, they are succeeded by the coffee-bean, or seed, which is inclosed in a berry of a red colour, when ripe resembling a cherry. the coffee-beans are prepared by exposing them to the sun for a few days, that the pulp may ferment and throw off a strong acidulous moisture. they are then gradually dried for about three weeks, and put into a mill to separate the husk from the seed. cafe au lait. . this is merely very strong coffee added to a large proportion of good hot milk; about tablespoonfuls of strong coffee being quite sufficient for a breakfast-cupful of milk. of the essence no. , which answers admirably for 'cafe an lait', so much would not be required. this preparation is infinitely superior to the weak watery coffee so often served at english tables. a little cream mixed with the milk, if the latter cannot be depended on for richness, improves the taste of the coffee, as also the richness of the beverage. _sufficient_.-- tablespoonfuls of strong coffee, or tablespoonfuls of the essence, to a breakfast-cupful of milk. tea and coffee.--it is true, says liebig, that thousands have lived without a knowledge of tea and coffee; and daily experience teaches us that, under certain circumstances, they may be dispensed with without disadvantage to the merely animal functions; but it is an error, certainly, to conclude from this that they may be altogether dispensed with in reference to their effects; and it is a question whether, if we had no tea and no coffee, the popular instinct would not seek for and discover the means of replacing them. science, which accuses us of so much in these respects, will have, in the first place, to ascertain whether it depends on sensual and sinful inclinations merely, that every people of the globe have appropriated some such means of acting on the nervous life, from the shore of the pacific, where the indian retires from life for days in order to enjoy the bliss of intoxication with koko, to the arctic regions, where kamtschatdales and koriakes prepare an intoxicating beverage from a poisonous mushroom. we think it, on the contrary, highly probable, not to say certain, that the instinct of man, feeling certain blanks, certain wants of the intensified life of our times, which cannot be satisfied or filled up by mere quantity, has discovered, in these products of vegetable life the true means of giving to his food the desired and necessary quality. cafe noir. . this is usually handed round after dinner, and should be drunk well sweetened, with the addition of a little brandy or liqueurs, which may be added or not at pleasure. the coffee should be made very strong, and served in very small cups, but never mixed with milk or cream. cafe noir may be made of the essence of coffee no. , by pouring a tablespoonful into each cup, and filling it up with boiling water. this is a very simple and expeditious manner of preparing coffee for a large party, but the essence for it must be made very good, and kept well corked until required for use. to make tea. . there is very little art in making good tea; if the water is boiling, and there is no sparing of the fragrant leaf, the beverage will almost invariably be good. the old-fashioned plan of allowing a teaspoonful to each person, and one over, is still practised. warm the teapot with boiling water; let it remain for two or three minutes for the vessel to become thoroughly hot, then pour it away. put in the tea, pour in from / to / pint of boiling water, close the lid, and let it stand for the tea to draw from to minutes; then fill up the pot with water. the tea will be quite spoiled unless made with water that is actually 'boiling', as the leaves will not open, and the flavour not be extracted from them; the beverage will consequently be colourless and tasteless,--in fact, nothing but tepid water. where there is a very large party to make tea for, it is a good plan to have two teapots instead of putting a large quantity of tea into one pot; the tea, besides, will go farther. when the infusion has been once completed, the addition of fresh tea adds very little to the strength; so, when more is required, have the pot emptied of the old leaves, scalded, and fresh tea made in the usual manner. economists say that a few grains of carbonate of soda, added before the boiling water is poured on the tea, assist to draw out the goodness: if the water is very hard, perhaps it is a good plan, as the soda softens it; but care must be taken to use this ingredient sparingly, as it is liable to give the tea a soapy taste if added in too large a quantity. for mixed tea, the usual proportion is four spoonfuls of black to one of green; more of the latter when the flavour is very much liked; but strong green tea is highly pernicious, and should never be partaken of too freely. _time_.-- minutes to warm the teapot, to minutes to draw the strength from the tea. _sufficient_.--allow teaspoonful to each person, and one over. tea.--the tea-tree or shrub belongs to the class and order of monadelphia polyandria in the linnaean system, and to the natural order of aurantiaceae in the system of jussieu. lately it has been made into a new order, the theasia, which includes the camellia and some other plants. it commonly grows to the height of from three to six feet; but it is said, that, in its wild or native state, it reaches twenty feet or more. in china it is cultivated in numerous small plantations. in its general appearance, and the form of its leaf, it resembles the myrtle. the blossoms are white and fragrant, not unlike those of the wild rose, but smaller; and they are succeeded by soft green capsules, containing each from one to three white seeds. these capsules are crushed for oil, which is in general use in china. [illustration: tea.] an excellent substitute for milk or cream in tea or coffee. . ingredients.--allow new-laid egg to every large breakfast-cupful of tea or coffee. _mode_.--beat up the whole of the egg in a basin, put it into a cup (or a portion of it, if the cup be small), and pour over it the tea or coffee very hot. these should be added very gradually, and stirred all the time, to prevent the egg from curdling. in point of nourishment, both these beverages are much improved by this addition. _sufficient_.--allow egg to every large breakfast-cupful of tea or coffee. to make cocoa. . ingredients.--allow teaspoonfuls of the prepared cocoa to breakfast-cup; boiling milk and boiling water. [illustration: cocoa-bean.] _mode_.--put the cocoa into a breakfast-cup, pour over it sufficient cold milk to make it into a smooth paste; then add equal quantities of boiling milk and boiling water, and stir all well together. care must be taken not to allow the milk to get burnt, as it will entirely spoil the flavour of the preparation. the above directions are usually given for making the prepared cocoa. the rock cocoa, or that bought in a solid piece, should be scraped, and made in the same manner, taking care to rub down all the lumps before the boiling liquid is added. _sufficient_-- teaspoonfuls of prepared cocoa for breakfast-cup, or / oz. of the rock cocoa for the same quantity. cowslip wine. . ingredients.--to every gallon of water allow lbs. of lump sugar, the rind of lemons, the juice of , the rind and juice of seville orange, gallon of cowslip pips. to every - / gallons of wine allow bottle of brandy. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together for / hour, carefully removing all the scum as it rises. pour this boiling liquor on the orange and lemon-rinds, and the juice, which should be strained; when milk-warm, add the cowslip pips or flowers, picked from the stalks and seeds; and to gallons of wine tablespoonfuls of good fresh brewers' yeast. let it ferment or days; then put all together in a cask with the brandy, and let it remain for months, when bottle it off for use. _time_.--to be boiled / hour; to ferment or days; to remain in the cask months. _average cost_, exclusive of the cowslips, which may be picked in the fields, s. d. per gallon. _seasonable_.--make this in april or may. elder wine. . ingredients.--to every gallons of water allow peck of elderberries; to every gallon of juice allow lbs. of sugar, / oz. of ground ginger, cloves, lb. of good turkey raisins; / pint of brandy to every gallon of wine. to every gallons of wine or tablespoonfuls of fresh brewer's yeast. _mode_.--pour the water, quite boiling, on the elderberries, which should be picked from the stalks, and let these stand covered for hours; then strain the whole through a sieve or bag, breaking the fruit to express all the juice from it. measure the liquor, and to every gallon allow the above proportion of sugar. boil the juice and sugar with the ginger, cloves, and raisins for hour, skimming the liquor the whole time; let it stand until milk-warm, then put it into a clean dry cask, with or tablespoonfuls of good fresh yeast to every gallons of wine. let it ferment for about a fortnight; then add the brandy, bung up the cask, and let it stand some months before it is bottled, when it will be found excellent. a bunch of hops suspended to a string from the bung, some persons say, will preserve the wine good for several years. elder wine is usually mulled, and served with sippets of toasted bread and a little grated nutmeg. _time_.--to stand covered hours; to be boiled hour. _average cost_, when made at home, s. d. per gallon. _seasonable_.--make this in september. [illustration: elder-berries.] elder-berry wine.--the elder-berry is well adapted for the production of wine; its juice contains a considerable portion of the principle necessary for a vigorous fermentation, and its beautiful colour communicates a rich tint to the wine made from it. it is, however, deficient in sweetness, and therefore demands an addition of sugar. it is one of the very best of the genuine old english wines; and a cup of it mulled, just previous to retiring to bed on a winter night, is a thing to be "run for," as cobbett would say: it is not, however, agreeable to every taste. ginger wine. . ingredients.--to gallons of water allow lbs. of loaf sugar, lemons, oz. of bruised ginger, tablespoonfuls of yeast, lbs. of raisins stoned and chopped, pint of brandy. _mode_.--boil together for hour in a copper (let it previously be well scoured and beautifully clean) the water, sugar, _lemon-rinds_, and bruised ginger; remove every particle of scum as it rises, and when the liquor is sufficiently boiled, put it into a large tub or pan, as it must not remain in the copper. when nearly cold, add the yeast, which must be thick and very fresh, and, the next day, put all in a dry cask with the strained lemon-juice and chopped raisins. stir the wine every day for a fortnight; then add the brandy, stop the cask down by degrees, and in a few weeks it will be fit to bottle. _average cost_, s. per gallon. _sufficient_ to make gallons of wine. _seasonable_.--the best time for making this wine is either in march or september. _note_.--wine made early in march will be fit to bottle in june. gooseberry vinegar. (_an excellent recipe_.) . ingredients.-- pecks of crystal gooseberries, gallons of water, lbs. of foots sugar of the coarsest brown quality. _mode_.--mash the gooseberries (which should be quite ripe) in a tub with a mallet; put to them the water nearly milk-warm; let this stand hours; then strain it through a sieve, and put the sugar to it; mix it well, and tun it. these proportions are for a -gallon cask; and if it be not quite full, more water must be added. let the mixture be stirred from the bottom of the cask two or three times daily for three or four days, to assist the melting of the sugar; then paste a piece of linen cloth over the bunghole, and set the cask in a warm place, _but not in the sun_; any corner of a warm kitchen is the best situation for it. the following spring it should be drawn off into stone bottles, and the vinegar will be fit for use twelve months after it is made. this will be found a most excellent preparation, greatly superior to much that is sold under the name of the best white wine vinegar. many years' experience has proved that pickle made with this vinegar will keep, when bought vinegar will not preserve the ingredients. the cost per gallon is merely nominal, especially to those who reside in the country and grow their own gooseberries; the coarse sugar is then the only ingredient to be purchased. _time_.--to remain in the cask months. _average cost_, when the gooseberries have to be purchased, s. per gallon; when they are grown at home, d. per gallon. _seasonable_.--this should be made the end of june or the beginning of july, when gooseberries are ripe and plentiful. effervescing gooseberry wine. . ingredients.--to every gallon of water allow lbs. of green gooseberries, lbs. of lump sugar. _mode_.--this wine should be prepared from unripe gooseberries, in order to avoid the flavour which the fruit would give to the wine when in a mature state. its briskness depends more upon the time of bottling than upon the unripe state of the fruit, for effervescing wine can be made from fruit that is ripe as well as that which is unripe. the fruit should be selected when it has nearly attained its full growth, and consequently before it shows any tendency to ripen. any bruised or decayed berries, and those that are very small, should be rejected. the blossom and stalk ends should be removed, and the fruit well bruised in a tub or pan, in such quantities as to insure each berry being broken without crushing the seeds. pour the water (which should be warm) on the fruit, squeeze and stir it with the hand until all the pulp is removed from the skin and seeds, and cover the whole closely for hours; after which, strain it through a coarse bag, and press it with as much force as can be conveniently applied, to extract the whole of the juice and liquor the fruit may contain. to every or lbs. of fruit one gallon more of hot water may be passed through the marc, or husks, in order to obtain any soluble matter that may remain, and be again pressed. the juice should be put into a tub or pan of sufficient size to contain all of it, and the sugar added to it. let it be well stirred until the sugar is dissolved, and place the pan in a warm situation; keep it closely covered, and let it ferment for a day or two. it must then be drawn off into clean casks, placed a little on one side for the scum that arises to be thrown out, and the casks kept filled with the remaining "must," that should be reserved for that purpose. when the active fermentation has ceased, the casks should be plugged upright, again filled, if necessary, the bungs be put in loosely, and, after a few days, when the fermentation is a little more languid (which may be known, by the hissing noise ceasing), the bungs should be driven in tight, and a spile-hole made, to give vent if necessary. about november or december, on a clear fine day, the wine should he racked from its lees into clean casks, which may be rinsed with brandy. after a month, it should be examined to see if it is sufficiently clear for bottling; if not, it must be fined with isinglass, which may be dissolved in some of the wine: oz. will be sufficient for gallons. in march or april, or when the gooseberry bushes begin to blossom, the wine must be bottled, in order to insure its being effervescing. _seasonable_.--make this the end of may or beginning of june, before the berries ripen. lemon syrup. . ingredients.-- lbs. of loaf sugar, pints of water, oz. of citric acid, drachm of essence of lemon. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together for / hour, and put it into a basin, where let it remain till cold. beat the citric acid to a powder, mix the essence of lemon with it, then add these two ingredients to the syrup; mix well, and bottle for use. two tablespoonfuls of the syrup are sufficient for a tumbler of cold water, and will be found a very refreshing summer drink. _sufficient_-- tablespoonfuls of syrup to a tumbler-ful of cold water. lemon wine. . ingredients.--to - / gallons of water allow the pulp of lemons, the rind of , lbs. of loaf sugar,-- / oz. of isinglass, bottle of brandy. _mode_.--peel and slice the lemons, but use only the rind of of them, and put them into the cold water. let it stand or days, squeezing the lemons well every day; then strain the water off and put it into a cask with the sugar. let it work some time, and when it has ceased working, put in the isinglass. stop the cask down; in about six months put in the brandy and bottle the wine off. _seasonable_.--the best time to make this is in january or february, when lemons are best and cheapest. malt wine. . ingredients.-- gallons of water, lbs. of sugar, quarts of sweet-wort, quarts of tun, lbs. of raisins, / lb. of candy, pint of brandy. _mode_.--boil the sugar and water together for minutes; skim it well, and put the liquor into a convenient-sized pan or tub. allow it to cool; then mix it with the sweet-wort and tun. let it stand for days, then put it into a barrel; here it will work or ferment for another three days or more; then bung up the cask, and keep it undisturbed for or months. after this, add the raisins (whole), the candy, and brandy, and, in months' time, bottle the wine off. those who do not brew, may procure the sweet-wort and tun from any brewer. sweet-wort is the liquor that leaves the mash of malt before it is boiled with the hops; tun is the new beer after the whole of the brewing operation has been completed. _time_.--to be boiled minutes; to stand days after mixing; to ferment days; to remain in the cask mouths before the raisins are added; bottle months after. _seasonable_.--make this in march or october. home-made noyeau. . ingredients.-- oz. of bitter almonds, oz. of sweet ditto, lb. of loaf sugar, the rinds of lemons, quart of irish whiskey or gin, tablespoonful of clarified honey, pint of new milk. _mode_.--blanch and pound the almonds, and mix with them the sugar, which should also be pounded. boil the milk; let it stand till quite cold; then mix all the ingredients together, and let them remain for days, shaking them every day. filter the mixture through blotting-paper, bottle off for use in small bottles, and seal the corks down. this will be found useful for flavouring many sweet dishes. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make about pints of noyeau. _seasonable_.--may be made at any time. orange brandy. (_excellent_.) . ingredients.--to every gallon of brandy allow / pint of seville orange-juice, - / lb. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--to bring out the full flavour of the orange-peel, rub a few lumps of the sugar on or unpared oranges, and put these lumps to the rest. mix the brandy with the orange-juice, strained, the rinds of of the oranges pared very thin, and the sugar. let all stand in a closely-covered jar for about days, stirring it or times a day. when clear, it should be bottled and closely corked for a year; it will then be ready for use, but will keep any length of time. this is a most excellent stomachic when taken pure in small quantities; or, as the strength of the brandy is very little deteriorated by the other ingredients, it may be diluted with water. _time_.--to be stirred every day for days. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to make quarts. _seasonable_.--make this in march. a very simple and easy method of making a very superior orange wine. . ingredients.-- seville oranges, lbs. of lump sugar, water. _mode_.--break up the sugar into small pieces, and put it into a dry, sweet -gallon cask, placed in a cellar or other storehouse, where it is intended to be kept. have ready close to the cask two large pans or wooden keelers, into one of which put the peel of the oranges pared quite thin, and into the other the pulp after the juice has been squeezed from it. strain the juice through a piece of double muslin, and put it into the cask with the sugar. then pour about - / gallon of cold spring water on both the peels and pulp; let it stand for hours, and then strain it into the cask; add more water to the peels and pulp when this is done, and repeat the same process every day for a week: it should take about a week to fill up the cask. be careful to apportion the quantity as nearly as possible to the seven days, and to stir the contents of the cask each day. on the ''third' day after the cask is full,--that is, the 'tenth' day after the commencement of making,--the cask may be securely bunged down. this is a very simple and easy method, and the wine made according to it will be pronounced to be most excellent. there is no troublesome boiling, and all fermentation takes place in the cask. when the above directions are attended to, the wine cannot fail to be good. it should be bottled in or months, and will be fit for use in a twelve month after the time of making. ginger wine may be made in precisely the same manner, only, with the -gallon cask for ginger wine, lbs. of the best whole ginger, 'bruised', must be put with the sugar. it will be found convenient to tie the ginger loosely in a muslin bag. _time_.--altogether, days to make it. _average cost_, s. d. per gallon. _sufficient_ for gallons. _seasonable_.--make this in march, and bottle it the following january. raspberry vinegar. . ingredients.--to every pints of the best vinegar allow - / pints of freshly-gathered raspberries; to each pint of liquor allow lb. of pounded loaf sugar, wineglassful of brandy. _mode_.--let the raspberries be freshly gathered; pick them from the stalks, and put - / pint of them into a stone jar; pour pints of the best vinegar over them, and let them remain for hours; then strain the liquor over another - / pint of fresh raspberries. let them remain another hours, and the following day repeat the process for the third time; then drain off the liquor without pressing, and pass it through a jelly-bag (previously wetted with plain vinegar), into a stone jar. add to every pint of the liquor lb. of pounded loaf sugar; stir them together, and, when the sugar is dissolved, cover the jar; set it upon the fire in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it boil for an hour, removing the scum as fast as it rises; add to each pint a glass of brandy, bottle it, and seal the corks. this is an excellent drink in cases of fevers and colds: it should be diluted with cold water, according to the taste or requirement of the patient. _time_.--to be boiled hour. average cost, s. per pint. _sufficient_ to make quarts. _seasonable_.--make this in july or august, when raspberries are most plentiful. rhubarb wine. . ingredients.--to every lbs. of rhubarb pulp allow gallon of cold spring water; to every gallon of liquor allow lbs. of loaf sugar, / oz. of isinglass, the rind of lemon. _mode_.--gather the rhubarb about the middle of may; wipe it with a wet cloth, and, with a mallet, bruise it in a large wooden tub or other convenient means. when reduced to a pulp, weigh it, and to every lbs. add gallon of cold spring water; let these remain for days, stirring or times a day; and, on the fourth day, press the pulp through a hair sieve; put the liquor into a tub, and to every gallon put lbs. of loaf sugar; stir in the sugar until it is quite dissolved, and add the lemon-rind; let the liquor remain, and, in , , or days, the fermentation will begin to subside, and a crust or head will be formed, which should be skimmed off, or the liquor drawn from it, when the crust begins to crack or separate. put the wine into a cask, and if, after that, it ferments, rack it off into another cask, and in a fortnight stop it down. if the wine should have lost any of its original sweetness, add a little more loaf sugar, taking care that the cask is full. bottle it off in february or march, and in the summer it should be fit to drink. it will improve greatly by keeping; and, should a very brilliant colour be desired, add a little currant-juice. _seasonable_.--make this about the middle of may. welsh nectar. . ingredients.-- lb. of raisins, lemons, lbs. of loaf sugar, gallons of boiling water. _mode_.--cut the peel of the lemons very thin, pour upon it the boiling water, and, when cool, add the strained juice of the lemons, the sugar, and the raisins, stoned and chopped very fine. let it stand or days, stirring it every day; then strain it through a jelly-bag, and bottle it for present use. _time_.-- or days. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make gallons. claret-cup. [illustration: claret cup.] . ingredients.-- bottle of claret, bottle of soda-water, about / lb. of pounded ice, tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, liqueur-glass of maraschino, a sprig of green borage. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a silver cup, regulating the proportion of ice by the state of the weather: if very warm, a larger quantity would be necessary. hand the cup round with a clean napkin passed through one of the handles, that the edge of the cup may be wiped after each guest has partaken of the contents thereof. _seasonable_ in summer. clarets.--all those wines called in england clarets are the produce of the country round bordeaux, or the bordelais; but it is remarkable that there is no pure wine in france known by the name of claret, which is a corruption of _clairet_, a term that is applied there to any red or rose-coloured wine. round bordeaux are produced a number of wines of the first quality, which pass under the name simply of _vins de bordeaux_, or have the designation of the particular district where they are made; as lafitte, latour, &c. the clarets brought to the english market are frequently prepared for it by the wine-growers by mixing together several bordeaux wines, or by adding to them a portion of some other wines; but in france the pure wines are carefully preserved distinct. the genuine wines of bordeaux are of great variety, that part being one of the most distinguished in france; and the principal vineyards are those of medoc, palus, graves, and blanche, the product of each having characters considerably different. champagne-cup. . ingredients.-- quart bottle of champagne, bottles of soda-water, liqueur-glass of brandy or curaçoa, tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, lb. of pounded ice, a sprig of green borage. _mode_.--put all the ingredients into a silver cup; stir them together, and serve the same as claret-cup no. . should the above proportion of sugar not be found sufficient to suit some tastes, increase the quantity. when borage is not easily obtainable, substitute for it a few slices of cucumber-rind. _seasonable_.--suitable for pic-nics, balls, weddings, and other festive occasions. champagne.--this, the most celebrated of french wines, is the produce chiefly of the province of that name, and is generally understood in england to be a brisk, effervescing, or sparkling white wine, of a very fine flavour; but this is only one of the varieties of this class. there is both red and white champagne, and each of these may be either still or brisk. there are the sparkling wines (mousseux), and the still wines (non-mousseux). the brisk are in general the most highly esteemed, or, at least, are the most popular in this country, on account of their delicate flavour and the agreeable pungency which they derive from the carbonic acid they contain, and to which they owe their briskness. ginger beer. . ingredients.-- - / lbs. of loaf sugar, - / oz. of bruised ginger, oz. of cream of tartar, the rind and juice of lemons, gallons of boiling water, large tablespoonfuls of thick and fresh brewer's yeast. _mode_.--peel the lemons, squeeze the juice, strain it, and put the peel and juice into a large earthen pan, with the bruised ginger, cream of tartar, and loaf sugar. pour over these ingredients gallons of boiling water; let it stand until just warm, when add the yeast, which should be thick and perfectly fresh. stir the contents of the pan well, and let them remain near the fire all night, covering the pan over with a cloth. the next day skim off the yeast, and pour the liquor carefully into another vessel, leaving the sediment; then bottle immediately, and tie the corks down, and in days the ginger beer will be fit for use. for some tastes, the above proportion of sugar may be found rather too large, when it may be diminished; but the beer will not keep so long good. _average cost_ for this quantity, s.; or / d. per bottle. _sufficient_ to fill dozen ginger-beer bottles. _seasonable_.--this should be made during the summer months. lemonade. . ingredients--the rind of lemons, the juice of large or small ones, lb. of loaf sugar, quart of boiling water. _mode_.--rub some of the sugar, in lumps, on of the lemons until they have imbibed all the oil from them, and put it with the remainder of the sugar into a jug; add the lemon-juice (but no pips), and pour over the whole a quart of boiling water. when the sugar is dissolved, strain the lemonade through a fine sieve or piece of muslin, and, when cool, it will be ready for use. the lemonade will be much improved by having the white of an egg beaten up in it; a little sherry mixed with it, also, makes this beverage much nicer. _average cost_, d. per quart. lemonade--"there is a current opinion among women" says brillat savarin "which every year causes the death of many young women,--that acids, especially vinegar, are preventives of obesity. beyond all doubt, acids have the effect of destroying obesity; but they also destroy health and freshness. lemonade is, of all acids, the most harmless; but few stomachs can resist it long. i knew, in , at dijon, a young lady of great beauty, to whom i was attached by bonds of friendship, great, almost as those of love. one day, when she had for some time gradually grown pale and thin (previously she had a slight embonpoint), she told me in confidence, that as her young friends had ridiculed her for being fat, she had, to counteract the tendency, been in the habit every day of drinking a large glass of vinaigre. she died at eighteen years of age, from the effects of these potions." to make negus. . ingredients.--to every pint of port wine allow quart of boiling water, / lb. of sugar, lemon, grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--as this beverage is more usually drunk at children's parties than at any other, the wine need not be very old or expensive for the purpose, a new fruity wine answering very well for it. put the wine into a jug, rub some lumps of sugar (equal to / lb.) on the lemon-rind until all the yellow part of the skin is absorbed, then squeeze the juice, and strain it. add the sugar and lemon-juice to the port wine, with the grated nutmeg; pour over it the boiling water, cover the jug, and, when the beverage has cooled a little, it will be fit for use. negus may also be made of sherry, or any other sweet white wine, but is more usually made of port than of any other beverage. _sufficient_--allow pint of wine, with the other ingredients in proportion, for a party of or children. a pleasant drink for warm weather. . ingredients.--to every - / pint of good ale allow bottle of ginger beer. _mode_.--for this beverage the ginger beer must be in an effervescing state, and the beer not in the least turned or sour. mix them together, and drink immediately. the draught is refreshing and wholesome, as the ginger corrects the action of the beer. it does not deteriorate by standing a little, but, of course, is better when taken fresh. for a summer draught. . ingredients.--the juice of lemon, a tumbler-ful of cold water, pounded sugar to taste, small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. _mode_.--squeeze the juice from the lemon; strain, and add it to the water, with sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. when well mixed, put in the soda, stir well, and drink while the mixture is in an effervescing state. to mull wine. . ingredients.--to every pint of wine allow large cupful of water, sugar and spice to taste. _mode_.--in making preparations like the above, it is very difficult to give the exact proportions of ingredients like sugar and spice, as what quantity might suit one person would be to another quite distasteful. boil the spice in the water until the flavour is extracted, then add the wine and sugar, and bring the whole to the boiling-point, when serve with strips of crisp dry toast, or with biscuits. the spices usually used for mulled wine are cloves, grated nutmeg, and cinnamon or mace. any kind of wine may be mulled, but port and claret are those usually selected for the purpose; and the latter requires a very large proportion of sugar. the vessel that the wine is boiled in must be delicately clean, and should be kept exclusively for the purpose. small tin warmers may be purchased for a trifle, which are more suitable than saucepans, as, if the latter are not scrupulously clean, they will spoil the wine, by imparting to it a very disagreeable flavour. these warmers should be used for no other purposes. to make hot punch. . ingredients.-- / pint of rum, / pint of brandy, / lb. of sugar, large lemon, / teaspoonful of nutmeg, pint of boiling water. [illustration: punch-bowl and ladle.] _mode_.--rub the sugar over the lemon until it has absorbed all the yellow part of the skin, then put the sugar into a punchbowl; add the lemon-juice (free from pips), and mix these two ingredients well together. pour over them the boiling water, stir well together, add the rum, brandy, and nutmeg; mix thoroughly, and the punch will be ready to serve. it is very important in making good punch that all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated; and, to insure success, the processes of mixing must be diligently attended to. _sufficient_.--allow a quart for persons; but this information must be taken _cum grano salis_; for the capacities of persons for this kind of beverage are generally supposed to vary considerably. punch is a beverage made of various spirituous liquors or wine, hot water, the acid juice of fruits, and sugar. it is considered to be very intoxicating; but this is probably because the spirit, being partly sheathed by the mucilaginous juice and the sugar, its strength does not appear to the taste so great as it really is. punch, which was almost universally drunk among the middle classes about fifty or sixty years ago, has almost disappeared from our domestic tables, being superseded by wine. there are many different varieties of punch. it is sometimes kept cold in bottles, and makes a most agreeable summer drink. in scotland, instead of the madeira or sherry generally used in its manufacture, whiskey is substituted, and then its insidious properties are more than usually felt. where fresh lemons cannot be had for punch or similar beverages, crystallized citric acid and a few drops of the essence of lemon will be very nearly the same thing. in the composition of "regent's punch," champagne, brandy, and _veritable martinique_ are required; "norfolk punch" requires seville oranges; "milk punch" may be extemporized by adding a little hot milk to lemonade, and then straining it through a jelly-bag. then there are "wine punch," "tea punch," and "french punch," made with lemons, spirits, and wine, in fantastic proportions. but of all the compounds of these materials, perhaps, for a _summer_ drink, the north-american "mint julep" is the most inviting. captain marryat gives the following recipe for its preparation:--"put into a tumbler about a dozen sprigs of the tender shoots of mint; upon them put a spoonful of white sugar, and equal proportions of peach and common brandy, so as to fill up one third, or, perhaps, a little less; then take rasped or pounded ice, and fill up the tumbler. epicures rub the lips of the tumbler with a piece of fresh pineapple; and the tumbler itself is very often encrusted outside with stalactites of ice. as the ice melts, you drink." the virginians, say captain marryat, claim the merit of having invented this superb compound; but, from a passage in the "comus" of milton, he claims it for his own country. whiskey cordial. . ingredients.-- lb. of ripe white currants, the rind of lemons, / oz. of grated ginger, quart of whiskey, lb. of lump sugar. _mode_.--strip the currants from the stalks; put them into a large jug; add the lemon-rind, ginger, and whiskey; cover the jug closely, and let it remain covered for hours. strain through a hair sieve, add the lump sugar, and let it stand hours longer; then bottle, and cork well. _time_.--to stand hours before being strained; hours after the sugar is added. _seasonable_.--make this in july. [illustration] invalid cookery. chapter xxxviii. a few rules to be observed in cooking for invalids. . let all the kitchen utensils used in the preparation of invalids' cookery be delicately and 'scrupulously clean;' if this is not the case, a disagreeable flavour may be imparted to the preparation, which flavour may disgust, and prevent the patient from partaking of the refreshment when brought to him or her. . for invalids, never make a large quantity of one thing, as they seldom require much at a time; and it is desirable that variety be provided for them. . always have something in readiness; a little beef tea, nicely made and nicely skimmed, a few spoonfuls of jelly, &c. &c., that it may be administered as soon almost as the invalid wishes for it. if obliged to wait a long time, the patient loses the desire to eat, and often turns against the food when brought to him or her. . in sending dishes or preparations up to invalids, let everything look as tempting as possible. have a clean tray-cloth laid smoothly over the tray; let the spoons, tumblers, cups and saucers, &c., be very clean and bright. gruel served in a tumbler is more appetizing than when served in a basin or cup and saucer. . as milk is an important article of food for the sick, in warm weather let it be kept on ice, to prevent its turning sour. many other delicacies may also be preserved good in the same manner for some little time. . if the patient be allowed to eat vegetables, never send them up undercooked, or half raw; and let a small quantity only be temptingly arranged on a dish. this rule will apply to every preparation, as an invalid is much more likely to enjoy his food if small delicate pieces are served to him. . never leave food about a sick room; if the patient cannot eat it when brought to him, take it away, and bring it to him in an hour or two's time. miss nightingale says, "to leave the patient's untasted food by his side, from meal to meal, in hopes that he will eat it in the interval, is simply to prevent him from taking any food at all." she says, "i have known patients literally incapacitated from taking one article of food after another by this piece of ignorance. let the food come at the right time, and be taken away, eaten or uneaten, at the right time, but never let a patient have 'something always standing' by him, if you don't wish to disgust him of everything." . never serve beef tea or broth with the _smallest particle_ of fat or grease on the surface. it is better, after making either of these, to allow them to get perfectly cold, when _all the fat_ may be easily removed; then warm up as much as may be required. two or three pieces of clean whity-brown paper laid on the broth will absorb any greasy particles that may be floating at the top, as the grease will cling to the paper. . roast mutton, chickens, rabbits, calves' feet or head, game, fish (simply dressed), and simple puddings, are all light food, and easily digested. of course, these things are only partaken of, supposing the patient is recovering. . a mutton chop, nicely cut, trimmed, and broiled to a turn, is a dish to be recommended for invalids; but it must not be served _with all the fat_ at the end, nor must it be too thickly cut. let it be cooked over a fire free from smoke, and sent up with the gravy in it, between two very hot plates. nothing is more disagreeable to an invalid than _smoked_ food. . in making toast-and-water, never blacken the bread, but toast it only a nice brown. never leave toast-and-water to make until the moment it is required, as it cannot then be properly prepared,--at least, the patient will be obliged to drink it warm, which is anything but agreeable. . in boiling eggs for invalids, let the white be just set; if boiled hard, they will be likely to disagree with the patient. . in miss nightingale's admirable "notes on nursing," a book that no mother or nurse should be without, she says,--"you cannot be too careful as to quality in sick diet. a nurse should never put before a patient milk that is sour, meat or soup that is turned, an egg that is bad, or vegetables underdone." yet often, she says, she has seen these things brought in to the sick, in a state perfectly perceptible to every nose or eye except the nurse's. it is here that the clever nurse appears,--she will not bring in the peccant article; but, not to disappoint the patient, she will whip up something else in a few minutes. remember, that sick cookery should half do the work of your poor patient's weak digestion. . she goes on to caution nurses, by saying,--"take care not to spill into your patient's saucer; in other words, take care that the outside bottom rim of his cup shall be quite dry and clean. if, every time he lifts his cup to his lips, he has to carry the saucer with it, or else to drop the liquid upon and to soil his sheet, or bedgown, or pillow, or, if he is sitting up, his dress, you have no idea what a difference this minute want of care on your part makes to his comfort, and even to his willingness for food." recipes. chapter xxxix. to make arrowroot. . ingredients.--two teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, tablespoonfuls of cold water, / pint of boiling water. _mode_.--mix the arrowroot smoothly in a basin with the cold water, then pour on it the _boiling_ water, _stirring_ all the time. the water must be _boiling_ at the time it is poured on the mixture, or it will not thicken; if mixed with hot water only, it must be put into a clean saucepan, and boiled until it thickens; but this is more trouble, and quite unnecessary if the water is boiling at first. put the arrowroot into a tumbler, sweeten it with lump sugar, and flavour it with grated nutmeg or cinnamon, or a piece of lemon-peel, or, when allowed, tablespoonfuls of port or sherry. as arrowroot is in itself flavourless and insipid, it is almost necessary to add the wine to make it palatable. arrowroot made with milk instead of water is far nicer, but is not so easily digested. it should be mixed in the same manner, with tablespoonfuls of cold water, the boiling milk then poured on it, and well stirred. when made in this manner, no wine should be added, but merely sugar, and a little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel. _time_.--if obliged to be boiled, minutes. _average cost_, d. per pint. _sufficient_ to make / pint of arrowroot. miss nightingale says, in her "notes on nursing," that arrowroot is a grand dependence of the nurse. as a vehicle for wine, and as a restorative quickly prepared, it is all very well, but it is nothing but starch and water; flour is both more nutritive and less liable to ferment, and is preferable wherever it can be used. barley gruel. . ingredients.-- oz. of scotch or pearl barley, / pint of port wine, the rind of lemon, quart and / pint of water, sugar to taste. _mode_.--after well washing the barley, boil it in / pint of water for / hour; then pour this water away; put to the barley the quart of fresh boiling water, and let it boil until the liquid is reduced to half; then strain it off. add the wine, sugar, and lemon-peel; simmer for minutes, and put it away in a clean jug. it can be warmed from time to time, as required. _time_.--to be boiled until reduced to half. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ with the wine to make - / pint of gruel. to make barley-water. . ingredients.-- oz. of pearl barley, quarts of boiling water, pint of cold water. _mode_.--wash the barley in cold water; put it into a saucepan with the above proportion of cold water, and when it has boiled for about / hour, strain off the water, and add the quarts of fresh boiling water. boil it until the liquid is reduced one half; strain it, and it will be ready for use. it may be flavoured with lemon-peel, after being sweetened, or a small piece may be simmered with the barley. when the invalid may take it, a little lemon-juice gives this pleasant drink in illness a very nice flavour. _time_.--to boil until the liquid is reduced one half. _sufficient_ to make quart of barley-water. to make beef tea. . ingredients.-- lb. of lean gravy-beef, quart of water, saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--have the meat cut without fat and bone, and choose a nice fleshy piece. cut it into small pieces about the size of dice, and put it into a clean saucepan. add the water _cold_ to it; put it on the fire, and bring it to the boiling-point; then skim well. put in the salt when the water boils, and _simmer_ the beef tea _gently_ from / to / hour, removing any more scum should it appear on the surface. strain the tea through a hair sieve, and set it by in a cool place. when wanted for use, remove every particle of fat from the top; warm up as much as may be required, adding, if necessary, a little more salt. this preparation is simple beef tea, and is to be administered to those invalids to whom flavourings and seasonings are not allowed. when the patient is very low, use double the quantity of meat to the same proportion of water. should the invalid be able to take the tea prepared in a more palatable manner, it is easy to make it so by following the directions in the next recipe, which is an admirable one for making savoury beef tea. beef tea is always better when made the day before it is wanted, and then warmed up. it is a good plan to put the tea into a small cup or basin, and to place this basin in a saucepan of boiling water. when the tea is warm, it is ready to serve. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. per pint. _sufficient_.--allow lb. of meat for a pint of good beef tea. miss nightingale says, one of the most common errors among nurses, with respect to sick diet, is the belief that beef tea is the most nutritive of all article. she says, "just try and boil down a lb. of beef into beef tea; evaporate your beef tea, and see what is left of your beef: you will find that there is barely a teaspoonful of solid nourishment to / pint of water in beef tea. nevertheless, there is a certain reparative quality in it,--we do not know what,--as there is in tea; but it maybe safely given in almost any inflammatory disease, and is as little to be depended upon with the healthy or convalescent, where much nourishment is required." savoury beef tea. (_soyer's recipe_.) . ingredients.-- lb. of solid beef, oz. of butter, clove, button onions or / a large one, saltspoonful of salt, quart of water. _mode_.--cut the beef into very small dice; put it into a stewpan with the butter, clove, onion, and salt; stir the meat round over the fire for a few minutes, until it produces a thin gravy; then add the water, and let it simmer gently from / to / hour, skimming off every particle of fat. when done, strain it through a sieve, and put it by in a cool place until required. the same, if wanted quite plain, is done by merely omitting the vegetables, salt, and clove; the butter cannot be objectionable, as it is taken out in skimming. _time_.-- / to / hour. _average cost_, d. per pint. _sufficient_.--allow lb. of beef to make pint of good beef tea. _note_.--the meat loft from beef tea may be boiled a little longer, and pounded, with spices, &c., for potting. it makes a very nice breakfast dish. dr. christison says that "every one will be struck with the readiness with which certain classes of patients will often take diluted meat juice, or beef tea repeatedly, when they refuse all other kinds of food." this is particularly remarkable in case of gastric fever, in which, he says, little or nothing else besides beef tea, or diluted meat juice, has been taken for weeks, or even months; and yet a pint of beef tea contains scarcely / oz. of anything but water. the result is so striking, that he asks, "what is its mode of action? not simple nutriment; / oz. of the most nutritive material cannot nearly replace the daily wear and tear of the tissue in any circumstances." possibly, he says, it belongs to a new denomination of remedies. baked beef tea. . ingredients.-- lb. of fleshy beef, - / pint of water, / saltspoonful of salt. _mode_.--cut the beef into small square pieces, after trimming off all the fat, and put it into a baking-jar, with the above proportion of water and salt; cover the jar well, place it in a warm, but not hot oven, and bake for or hours. when the oven is very fierce in the daytime, it is a good plan to put the jar in at night, and let it remain till the next morning, when the tea will be done. it should be strained, and put by in a cool place until wanted. it may also be flavoured with an onion, a clove, and a few sweet herbs, &c., when the stomach is sufficiently strong to take those. _time_.-- or hours, or to be left in the oven all night. _average cost_, d. per pint. _sufficient_.--allow lb. of meat for pint of good beef tea. baked or stewed calf's foot. . ingredients.-- calf's foot, pint of milk, pint of water, blade of mace, the rind of / lemon, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--well clean the foot, and either stew or bake it in the milk-and-water with the other ingredients from to hours. to enhance the flavour, an onion and a small quantity of celery may be added, if approved; / a teacupful of cream, stirred in just before serving, is also a great improvement to this dish. _time_.-- to hours. _average cost_, in full season, d. each. _sufficient_ for person. _seasonable_ from march to october. calf's-foot broth. . ingredients.-- calf's foot, pints of water, small lump of sugar, nutmeg to taste, the yolk of egg, a piece of butter the size of a nut. _mode_.--stew the foot in the water, with the lemon-peel, very gently, until the liquid is half wasted, removing any scum, should it rise to the surface. set it by in a basin until quite cold, then take off every particle of fat. warm up about / pint of the broth, adding the butter, sugar, and a very small quantity of grated nutmeg; take it off the fire for a minute or two, then add the beaten yolk of the egg; keep stirring over the fire until the mixture thickens, but do not allow it to boil again after the egg is added, or it will curdle, and the broth will be spoiled. _time_.--to be boiled until the liquid is reduced one half. _average cost_, in full season, d. each. _sufficient_ to make - / pint of broth. _seasonable_ from march to october. chicken broth. . ingredients.-- / fowl, or the inferior joints of a whole one; quart of water, blade of mace, / onion, a small bunch of sweet herbs, salt to taste, peppercorns. _mode_.--an old fowl not suitable for eating may be converted into very good broth, or, if a young one be used, the inferior joints may be put in the broth, and the best pieces reserved for dressing in some other manner. put the fowl into a saucepan, with all the ingredients, and simmer gently for - / hour, carefully skimming the broth well. when done, strain, and put by in a cool place until wanted; then take all the fat off the top, warm up as much as may be required, and serve. this broth is, of course, only for those invalids whose stomachs are strong enough to digest it, with a flavouring of herbs, &c. it may be made in the same manner as beef tea, with water and salt only; but the preparation will be but tasteless and insipid. when the invalid cannot digest this chicken broth with the flavouring, we would recommend plain beef tea in preference to plain chicken tea, which it would be without the addition of herbs, onions, &c. _time_.-- - / hour. _sufficient_ to make rather more than pint of broth. nutritious coffee. . ingredients.-- / oz. of ground coffee, pint of milk. _mode_.--let the coffee be freshly ground; put it into a saucepan, with the milk, which should be made nearly boiling before the coffee is put in, and boil both together for minutes; clear it by pouring some of it into a cup, and then back again, and leave it on the hob for a few minutes to settle thoroughly. this coffee may be made still more nutritious by the addition of an egg well beaten, and put into the coffee-cup. _time_.-- minutes to boil, minutes to settle. _sufficient_ to make large breakfast-cupful of coffee. our great nurse miss nightingale remarks, that "a great deal too much against tea is said by wise people, and a great deal too much of tea is given to the sick by foolish people. when you see the natural and almost universal craving in english sick for their 'tea,' you cannot but feel that nature knows what she is about. but a little tea or coffee restores them quite as much as a great deal; and a great deal of tea, and especially of coffee, impairs the little power of digestion they have. yet a nurse, because she sees how one or two cups of tea or coffee restore her patient, thinks that three or four cups will do twice as much. this is not the case at all; it is, however, certain that there is nothing yet discovered which is a substitute to the english patient for his cup of tea; he can take it when he can take nothing else, and he often can't take anything else, if he has it not. coffee is a better restorative than tea, but a greater impairer of the digestion. in making coffee, it is absolutely necessary to buy it in the berry, and grind it at home; otherwise, you may reckon upon its containing a certain amount of chicory, at least. this is not a question of the taste, or of the wholesomeness of chicory; it is, that chicory has nothing at all of the properties for which you give coffee, and, therefore, you may as well not give it." the invalid's cutlet. . ingredients.-- nice cutlet from a loin or neck of mutton, teacupfuls of water, very small stick of celery, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--have the cutlet cut from a very nice loin or neck of mutton; take off all the fat; put it into a stewpan, with the other ingredients; stew _very gently_ indeed for nearly hours, and skim off every particle of fat that may rise to the surface from time to time. the celery should be cut into thin slices before it is added to the meat, and care must be taken not to put in too much of this ingredient, or the dish will not be good. if the water is allowed to boil fast, the cutlet will be hard. _time_.-- hours' very gentle stewing. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ for person. _seasonable_ at any time. eel broth. . ingredients.-- / lb. of eels, a small bunch of sweet herbs, including parsley; / onion, peppercorns, pints of water, cloves, salt and pepper to taste. _mode_.--after having cleaned and skinned the eel, cut it into small pieces, and put it into a stewpan, with the other ingredients; simmer gently until the liquid is reduced nearly half, carefully removing the scum as it rises. strain it through a hair sieve; put it by in a cool place, and, when wanted, take off all the fat from the top, warm up as much as is required, and serve with sippets of toasted bread. this is a very nutritious broth, and easy of digestion. _time_.--to be simmered until the liquor is reduced to half. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make - / pint of broth. _seasonable_ from june to march. egg wine. . ingredients.-- egg, tablespoonful and / glass of cold water, glass of sherry, sugar and grated nutmeg to taste. _mode_.--beat the egg, mixing with it a tablespoonful of cold water; make the wine-and-water hot, but not boiling; pour it on the egg, stirring all the time. add sufficient lump sugar to sweeten the mixture, and a little grated nutmeg; put all into a very clean saucepan, set it on a gentle fire, and stir the contents one way until they thicken, but _do not allow them to boil_. serve in a glass with sippets of toasted bread or plain crisp biscuits. when the egg is not warmed, the mixture will be found easier of digestion, but it is not so pleasant a drink. _sufficient_ for person. to make gruel. . ingredients.-- tablespoonful of robinson's patent groats, tablespoonfuls of cold water, pint of boiling water. _mode_.--mix the prepared groats smoothly with the cold water in a basin; pour over them the boiling water, stirring it all the time. put it into a very clean saucepan; boil the gruel for minutes, keeping it well stirred; sweeten to taste, and serve. it may be flavoured with a small piece of lemon-peel, by boiling it in the gruel, or a little grated nutmeg may be put in; but in these matters the taste of the patient should be consulted. pour the gruel in a tumbler and serve. when wine is allowed to the invalid, tablespoonfuls of sherry or port make this preparation very nice. in cases of colds, the same quantity of spirits is sometimes added instead of wine. _time_.-- minutes. _sufficient_ to make a pint of gruel. invalid's jelly. . ingredients.-- shanks of mutton, quarts of water, a bunch of sweet herbs, pepper and salt to taste, blades of mace, onion, lb. of lean beef, a crust of bread toasted brown. _mode_.--soak the shanks in plenty of water for some hours, and scrub them well; put them, with the beef and other ingredients, into a saucepan with the water, and let them simmer very gently for hours. strain the broth, and, when cold, take off all the fat. it may be eaten either warmed up or cold as a jelly. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, s. _sufficient_ to make from - / to pints of jelly. _seasonable_ at any time. lemonade for invalids. . ingredients.-- / lemon, lump sugar to taste, pint of boiling water. _mode_.--pare off the rind of the lemon thinly; cut the lemon into or thick slices, and remove as much as possible of the white outside pith, and all the pips. put the slices of lemon, the peel, and lump sugar into a jug; pour over the boiling water; cover it closely, and in hours it will be fit to drink. it should either be strained or poured off from the sediment. _time_.-- hours. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make pint of lemonade. _seasonable_ at any time. nourishing lemonade. . ingredients.-- - / pint of boiling water, the juice of lemons, the rinds of , / pint of sherry, eggs, oz. of loaf sugar. _mode_.--pare off the lemon-rind thinly, put it into a jug with the sugar, and pour over the boiling water. let it cool, then strain it; add the wine, lemon-juice, and eggs, previously well beaten, and also strained, and the beverage will be ready for use. if thought desirable, the quantity of sherry and water could be lessened, and milk substituted for them. to obtain the flavour of the lemon-rind properly, a few lumps of the sugar should be rubbed over it, until some of the yellow is absorbed. _time_.--altogether hour to make it. _average cost_, s. d. _sufficient_ to make - / pints of lemonade. _seasonable_ at any time. to make mutton broth. . ingredients.-- lb. of the scrag end of the neck of mutton, onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, turnip, / pints of water, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--put the mutton into a stewpan; pour over the water cold and add the other ingredients. when it boils, skim it very carefully, cover the pan closely, and let it simmer very gently for an hour; strain it, let it cool, take off all the fat from the surface, and warm up as much as may be required, adding, if the patient be allowed to take it, a teaspoonful of minced parsley which has been previously scalded. pearl barley or rice are very nice additions to mutton broth, and should be boiled as long as the other ingredients. when either of these is added, the broth must not be strained, but merely thoroughly skimmed. plain mutton broth without seasoning is made by merely boiling the mutton, water, and salt together, straining it, letting the broth cool, skimming all the fat off, and warming up as much as is required. this preparation would be very tasteless and insipid, but likely to agree with very delicate stomachs, whereas the least addition of other ingredients would have the contrary effect. _time_.-- hour. _average cost_, _ d._ _sufficient_ to make from - / to pints of broth. _seasonable_ at any time. _note_.--veal broth may be made in the same manner; the knuckle of a leg or shoulder is the part usually used for this purpose. it is very good with the addition of the inferior joints of a fowl, or a few shank-bones. mutton broth, quickly made. . ingredients.-- or chops from a neck of mutton, pint of water, a small bunch of sweet herbs, / of an onion, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--cut the meat into small pieces, put it into a saucepan with the bones, but no skin or fat; add the other ingredients; cover the saucepan, and bring the water quickly to boil. take the lid off, and continue the rapid boiling for minutes, skimming it well during the process; strain the broth into a basin; if there should be any fat left on the surface, remove it by laying a piece of thin paper on the top: the greasy particles will adhere to the paper, and so free the preparation from them. to an invalid nothing is more disagreeable than broth served with a quantity of fat floating on the top; to avoid this, it is always better to allow it to get thoroughly cool, the fat can then be so easily removed. _time_.-- minutes after the water boils. _average cost_, d. _sufficient_ to make / pint of broth. _seasonable_ at any time. stewed rabbits in milk. . ingredients.-- very young rabbits, not nearly half grown; - / pint of milk, blade of mace, dessertspoonful of flour, a little salt and cayenne. _mode_.--mix the flour very smoothly with tablespoonfuls of the milk, and when this is well mixed, add the remainder. cut up the rabbits into joints, put them into a stewpan, with the milk and other ingredients, and simmer them _very gently_ until quite tender. stir the contents from time to time, to keep the milk smooth and prevent it from burning. / hour will be sufficient for the cooking of this dish. _time_.-- / hour. _average cost_, from s. to s. d. each. _sufficient_ for or meals. _seasonable_ from september to february. rice-milk. . ingredients.-- tablespoonfuls of rice, quart of milk, sugar to taste; when liked, a little grated nutmeg. _mode_.--well wash the rice, put it into a saucepan with the milk, and simmer gently until the rice is tender, stirring it from time to time to prevent the milk from burning; sweeten it, add a little grated nutmeg, and serve. this dish is also very suitable and wholesome for children; it may be flavoured with a little lemon-peel, and a little finely-minced suet may be boiled with it, which renders it more strengthening and more wholesome. tapioca, semolina, vermicelli, and macaroni, may all be dressed in the same manner. _time_.--from / to hour. _seasonable_ at any time. to make toast-and-water. . ingredients.--a slice of bread, quart of boiling water. _mode_.--cut a slice from a stale loaf (a piece of hard crust is better than anything else for the purpose), toast it of a nice brown on every side, but _do not allow it to burn or blacken_. put it into a jug, pour the boiling water over it, cover it closely, and let it remain until cold. when strained, it will be ready for use. toast-and-water should always be made a short time before it is required, to enable it to get cold: if drunk in a tepid or lukewarm state, it is an exceedingly disagreeable beverage. if, as is sometimes the case, this drink is wanted in a hurry, put the toasted bread into a jug, and only just cover it with the boiling water; when this is cool, cold water may be added in the proportion required,--the toast-and-water strained; it will then be ready for use, and is more expeditiously prepared than by the above method. toast sandwiches. . ingredients.--thin cold toast, thin slices of bread-and-butter, pepper and salt to taste. _mode_.--place a very thin piece of cold toast between slices of thin bread-and-butter in the form of a sandwich, adding a seasoning of pepper and salt. this sandwich may be varied by adding a little pulled meat, or very fine slices of cold meat, to the toast, and in any of these forms will be found very tempting to the appetite of an invalid. . besides the recipes contained in this chapter, there are, in the previous chapters on cookery, many others suitable for invalids, which it would be useless to repeat here. recipes for fish simply dressed, light soups, plain roast meat, well-dressed vegetables, poultry, simple puddings, jelly, stewed fruits, &c. &c., all of which dishes may be partaken of by invalids and convalescents, will be found in preceding chapters. dinners and dining. chapter xl. . man, it has been said, is a dining animal. creatures of the inferior races eat and drink; man only dines. it has also been said that he is a cooking animal; but some races eat food without cooking it. a croat captain said to m. brillat savarin, "when, in campaign, we feel hungry, we knock over the first animal we find, cut off a steak, powder it with salt, put it under the saddle, gallop over it for half a mile, and then eat it." huntsmen in dauphiny, when out shooting, have been known to kill a bird, pluck it, salt and pepper it, and cook it by carrying it some time in their caps. it is equally true that some races of men do not dine any more than the tiger or the vulture. it is not a _dinner_ at which sits the aboriginal australian, who gnaws his bone half bare and then flings it behind to his squaw. and the native of terra-del-fuego does not dine when he gets his morsel of red clay. dining is the privilege of civilization. the rank which a people occupy in the grand scale may be measured by their way of taking their meals, as well as by their way of treating their women. the nation which knows how to dine has learnt the leading lesson of progress. it implies both the will and the skill to reduce to order, and surround with idealisms and graces, the more material conditions of human existence; and wherever that will and that skill exist, life cannot be wholly ignoble. . dinner, being the grand solid meal of the day, is a matter of considerable importance; and a well-served table is a striking index of human, ingenuity and resource. "their table," says lord byron, in describing a dinner-party given by lord and lady amundevillo at norman abbey,-- "their table was a board to tempt even ghosts to pass the styx for more substantial feasts. i will not dwell upon ragouts or roasts, albeit all human history attests that happiness for man--the hungry sinner!-- since eve ate apples, much depends on dinner." and then he goes on to observe upon the curious complexity of the results produced by human cleverness and application catering for the modifications which occur in civilized life, one of the simplest of the primal instincts:-- "the mind is lost in mighty contemplation of intellect expended on two courses; and indigestion's grand multiplication requires arithmetic beyond my forces. who would suppose, from adam's simple ration, that cookery could have call'd forth such resources, as form a science and a nomenclature from out the commonest demands of nature?" and we may well say, who, indeed, would suppose it? the gulf between the croat, with a steak under his saddle, and alexis soyer getting up a great dinner at the reform-club, or even thackeray's mrs. raymond gray giving "a little dinner" to mr. snob (with one of those famous "roly-poly puddings" of hers),--what a gulf it is! . that adam's "ration," however, was "simple," is a matter on which we have contrary judgments given by the poets. when raphael paid that memorable visit to paradise,--which we are expressly told by milton he did exactly at dinner-time,--eve seems to have prepared "a little dinner" not wholly destitute of complexity, and to have added ice-creams and perfumes. nothing can be clearer than the testimony of the poet on these points:-- "and eve within, due at her home prepared for dinner savoury fruits, of taste to please true appetite, and not disrelish thirst of nectarous draughts between.... .... with dispatchful looks in haste she turns, on hospitable thoughts intent, what choice to choose for delicacy best, what order so contrived as not to mix tastes not well join'd, inelegant, but bring taste after taste, upheld with kindliest change-- * * * * * "she _tempers dulcet creams_.... .... _then strews the ground with rose and odours._" it may be observed, in passing, that the poets, though they have more to say about wine than solid food, because the former more directly stimulates the intellect and the feelings, do not flinch from the subject of eating and drinking. there is infinite zest in the above passage from milton, and even more in the famous description of a dainty supper, given by keats in his "eve of saint agnes." could queen mab herself desire to sit down to anything nicer, both as to its appointments and serving, and as to its quality, than the collation served by porphyro in the lady's bedroom while she slept?-- "there by the bedside, where the faded moon made a dim silver twilight, soft he set a table, and, half-anguish'd, threw thereor a cloth of woven crimson, gold, and jet. * * * * * "while he, from forth the closet, brought a heap of candied apple, quince, and plum, and gourd; with jellies smoother than the creamy curd, and lucent syrups tinct with cinnamon; manna and dates, in argosy transferr'd from fez; and spiced dainties, every one, from silken samarcand to cedar'd lebanon." but tennyson has ventured beyond dates, and quinces, and syrups, which may be thought easy to be brought in by a poet. in his idyl of "audley court" he gives a most appetizing description of a pasty at a pic-nic:-- "there, on a slope of orchard, francis laid a damask napkin wrought with horse and hound; brought out a dusky loaf that smelt of home, and, half cut down, a pasty costly made, where quail and pigeon, lark and leveret, lay like fossils of the rock, with golden yolks imbedded and injellied." we gladly quote passages like these, to show how eating and drinking may be surrounded with poetical associations, and how man, using his privilege to turn any and every repast into a "feast of reason," with a warm and plentiful "flow of soul," may really count it as not the least of his legitimate prides, that he is "a dining animal." . it has been said, indeed, that great men, in general, are great diners. this, however, can scarcely be true of any great men but men of action; and, in that case, it would simply imply that persons of vigorous constitution, who work hard, eat heartily; for, of course, a life of action _requires_ a vigorous constitution, even though there may be much illness, as in such cases as william iii. and our brave general napier. of men of thought, it can scarcely be true that they eat so much, in a general way, though even they eat more than they are apt to suppose they do; for, as mr. lewes observes, "nerve-tissue is very expensive." leaving great men of all kinds, however, to get their own dinners, let us, who are not great, look after ours. dine we must, and we may as well dine elegantly as well as wholesomely. . there are plenty of elegant dinners in modern days, and they were not wanting in ancient times. it is well known that the dinner-party, or symposium, was a not unimportant, and not unpoetical, feature in the life of the sociable, talkative, tasteful greek. douglas jerrold said that such is the british humour for dining and giving of dinners, that if london were to be destroyed by an earthquake, the londoners would meet at a public dinner to consider the subject. the greeks, too, were great diners: their social and religious polity gave them many chances of being merry and making others merry on good eating and drinking. any public or even domestic sacrifice to one of the gods, was sure to be followed by a dinner-party, the remains of the slaughtered "offering" being served up on the occasion as a pious _pièce de résistance;_ and as the different gods, goddesses, and demigods, worshipped by the community in general, or by individuals, were very numerous indeed, and some very religious people never let a day pass without offering up something or other, the dinner-parties were countless. a birthday, too, was an excuse for a dinner; a birthday, that is, of any person long dead and buried, as well as of a living person, being a member of the family, or otherwise esteemed. dinners were, of course, eaten on all occasions of public rejoicing. then, among the young people, subscription dinners, very much after the manner of modern times, were always being got up; only that they would be eaten not at an hotel, but probably at the house of one of the _heterae_. a greek dinner-party was a handsome, well-regulated affair. the guests came in elegantly dressed and crowned with flowers. a slave, approaching each person as he entered, took off his sandals and washed his feet. during the repast, the guests reclined on couches with pillows, among and along which were set small tables. after the solid meal came the "symposium" proper, a scene of music, merriment, and dancing, the two latter being supplied chiefly by young girls. there was a chairman, or symposiarch, appointed by the company to regulate the drinking; and it was his duty to mix the wine in the "mighty bowl." from this bowl the attendants ladled the liquor into goblets, and, with the goblets, went round and round the tables, filling the cups of the guests. . the elegance with which a dinner is served is a matter which depends, of course, partly upon the means, but still more upon the taste of the master and mistress of the house. it may be observed, in general, that there should always be flowers on the table, and as they form no item of expense, there is no reason why they should not be employed every day. . the variety in the dishes which furnish forth a modern dinner-table, does not necessarily imply anything unwholesome, or anything capricious. food that is not well relished cannot be well digested; and the appetite of the over-worked man of business, or statesman, or of any dweller in towns, whose occupations are exciting and exhausting, is jaded, and requires stimulation. men and women who are in rude health, and who have plenty of air and exercise, eat the simplest food with relish, and consequently digest it well; but those conditions are out of the reach of many men. they must suit their mode of dining to their mode of living, if they cannot choose the latter. it is in serving up food that is at once appetizing and wholesome that the skill of the modern housewife is severely tasked; and she has scarcely a more important duty to fulfil. it is, in fact, her particular vocation, in virtue of which she may be said to hold the health of the family, and of the friends of the family, in her hands from day to day. it has been said that "the destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they are fed;" and a great gastronomist exclaims, "tell me what kind of food you eat, and i will tell you what kind of man you are." the same writer has some sentences of the same kind, which are rather hyperbolical, but worth quoting:--"the pleasures of the table belong to all ages, to all conditions, to all countries, and to all eras; they mingle with all other pleasures, and remain, at last, to console us for their departure. the discovery of a new dish confers more happiness upon humanity than the discovery of a new star." . the gastronomist from whom we have already quoted, has some aphorisms and short directions in relation to dinner-parties, which are well deserving of notice:--"let the number of your guests never exceed twelve, so that the conversation may be general. [footnote: we have seen this varied by saying that the number should never exceed that of the muses or fall below that of the graces.] let the temperature of the dining-room be about °. let the dishes be few in number in the first course, but proportionally good. the order of food is from the most substantial to the lightest. the order of drinking wine is from the mildest to the most foamy and most perfumed. to invite a person to your house is to take charge of his happiness so long as he is beneath your roof. the mistress of the house should always be certain that the coffee be excellent; whilst the master should be answerable for the quality of his wines and liqueurs." bills of fare. january. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ mock turtle soup, removed by cod's head and shoulders. stewed eels. vase of red mullet. flowers. clear oxtail soup, removed by fried filleted soles. _entrées._ riz de veau aux tomates. ragoût of vase of cotelettes de pore lobster. flowers. à la roberts. poulet à la marengo. _second course._ roast turkey. pigeon pie. boiled turkey and vase of boiled ham. celery sauce. flowers. tongue, garnished. saddle of mutton. _third course._ charlotte pheasants, apricot jam à la parisienne. removed by tartlets. plum-pudding. jelly. cream. vase of cream. flowers. jelly. snipes, removed by pommes à la condé. we have given above the plan of placing the various dishes of the st course, entrées, nd course, and rd course. following this will be found bills of fare for smaller parties; and it will be readily seen, by studying the above arrangement of dishes, how to place a less number for the more limited company. several _menus_ for dinners _à la russe,_ are also included in the present chapter. .--dinner for persons (january). first course. carrot soup à la crécy. oxtail soup. turbot and lobster sauce. fried smelts, with dutch sauce. entrees. mutton cutlets, with soubise sauce. sweetbreads. oyster patties. fillets of rabbits. second course. roast turkey. stewed rump of beef à la jardinière. boiled ham, garnished with brussels sprouts. boiled chickens and celery sauce. third course. roast hare. teal. eggs à la neige. vol-au-vent of preserved fruit. jelly. cream. potatoes à la maître d'hôtel. grilled mushrooms. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (january). first course. soup à la reine. whitings au gratin. crimped cod and oyster sauce. entrees. tendrons de veau. curried fowl and boiled rice. second course. turkey, stuffed with chestnuts, and chestnut sauce. boiled leg of mutton, english fashion, with capers sauce and mashed turnips. third course. woodcocks or partridges. widgeon. charlotte à la vanille. cabinet pudding. orange jelly. blancmange. artichoke bottoms. macaroni, with parmesan cheese. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (january). first course. mulligatawny soup. brill and shrimp sauce. fried whitings. entrees. fricasseed chicken. pork cutlets, with tomato sauce. second course. haunch of mutton. boiled turkey and celery sauce. boiled tongue, garnished with brussels sprouts. third course. roast pheasants. meringues à la crême. compôte of apples. orange jelly. cheesecakes. soufflé of rice. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (january).--i. first course. julienne soup. soles à la normandie. entrees. sweetbreads, with sauce piquante. mutton cutlets, with mashed potatoes. second course. haunch of venison. boiled fowls and bacon, garnished with brussels sprouts. third course. plum-pudding. custards in glasses. apple tart. fondue à la brillat savarin. dessert. .--dinner for persons (january).--ii. first course. vermicelli soup. fried slices of codfish and anchovy sauce. john dory. entrees. stewed rump-steak à la jardinière rissoles. oyster patties. second course. leg of mutton. curried rabbit and boiled rice. third course. partridges. apple fritters. tartlets of greengage jam. orange jelly. plum-pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (january).--iii. first course. pea-soup. baked haddock. soles à la crême. entrees. mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. fricasseed rabbit. second course. roast pork and apple sauce. breast of veal, rolled and stuffed. vegetables. third course. jugged hare. whipped cream, blancmange. mince pies. cabinet pudding. .--dinner for persons (january).--iv. first course. palestine soup. fried smelts. stewed eels. entrees. ragoût of lobster. broiled mushrooms. vol-au-vent of chicken. second course. sirloin of beef. boiled fowls and celery sauce. tongue, garnished with brussels sprouts. third course. wild ducks. charlotte aux pommes. cheesecakes. transparent jelly, inlaid with brandy cherries. blancmange. nesselrode pudding. plain family dinners for january. . _sunday._-- , boiled turbot and oyster sauce, potatoes. . roast leg or griskin of pork, apple sauce, brocoli, potatoes. . cabinet pudding, and damson tart made with preserved damsons. . _monday._-- . the remains of turbot warmed in oyster sauce, potatoes. . cold pork, stewed steak. . open jam tart, which should have been made with the pieces of paste left from the damson tart; baked arrowroot pudding. . _tuesday._-- . boiled neck of mutton, carrots, mashed turnips, suet dumplings, and caper sauce: the broth should be served first, and a little rice or pearl barley should be boiled with it along with the meat. . rolled jam pudding. . _wednesday._-- . roast rolled ribs of beef, greens, potatoes, and horseradish sauce. . bread-and-butter pudding, cheesecakes. . _thursday._-- . vegetable soup (the bones from the ribs of beef should be boiled down with this soup), cold beef, mashed potatoes. . pheasants, gravy, bread sauce. . macaroni. . _friday._-- . fried whitings or soles. . boiled rabbit and onion sauce, minced beef, potatoes. . currant dumplings. . _saturday._-- . rump-steak pudding or pie, greens, and potatoes. . baked custard pudding and stewed apples. * * * * * . _sunday._-- . codfish and oyster sauce, potatoes. . joint of roast mutton, either leg, haunch, or saddle; brocoli and potatoes, red-currant jelly. . apple tart and custards, cheese. . _monday._-- . the remains of codfish picked from the bone, and warmed through in the oyster sauce; if there is no sauce left, order a few oysters and make a little fresh; and do not let the fish boil, or it will be watery. . curried rabbit, with boiled rice served separately, cold mutton, mashed potatoes. . somersetshire dumplings with wine sauce. . _tuesday._-- . boiled fowls, parsley-and-butter; bacon garnished with brussels sprouts, minced or hashed mutton. . baroness pudding. . _wednesday._-- . the remains of the fowls cut up into joints and fricasseed; joint of roast pork and apple sauce, and, if liked, sage-and-onion, served on a dish by itself; turnips and potatoes. . lemon pudding, either baked or boiled. . _thursday._-- . cold pork and jugged hare, red-currant jelly, mashed potatoes. . apple pudding. . _friday._-- . boiled beef, either the aitchbone or the silver side of the round; carrots, turnips, suet dumplings, and potatoes: if there is a marrowbone, serve the marrow on toast at the same time. . rice snowballs. . _saturday._-- . pea-soup made from liquor in which beef was boiled; cold beef, mashed potatoes. . baked batter fruit pudding. february. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ hare soup, removed by turbot and oyster sauce. fried eels. vase of fried whitings. flowers. oyster soup, removed by crimped cod à la maître d'hôtel. _entrées._ lark pudding. lobster patties. vase of filets de perdrix. flowers. fricasseed chicken. _second course._ braised capon. boiled ham, garnished. roast fowls, garnished vase of boiled fowls and with water-cresses. flowers. white sauce. pâté chaud. haunch of mutton. _third course_ ducklings, removed by ice pudding. meringues. coffee cream. cheesecakes. orange jelly. vase of clear jelly. flowers. victoria blancmange. gâteau de sandwiches. pommes. partridges, removed by cabinet pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (february). first course. soup a la reine. clear gravy soup. brill and lobster sauce. fried smelts. entrees. lobster rissoles. beef palates. pork cutlets à la soubise. grilled mushrooms. second course. braised turkey. haunch of mutton. boiled capon and oysters. tongue, garnished with tufts of brocoli. vegetables and salads. third course. wild ducks. plovers. orange jelly. clear jelly. charlotte russe. nesselrode pudding. gâteau de riz. sea-kale. maids of honour. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (february). first course. palestine soup. john dory, with dutch sauce. red mullet, with sauce génoise. entrees. sweetbread cutlets, with poivrade sauce. fowl au béchamel. second course. roast saddle of mutton. boiled capon and oysters. boiled tongue, garnished with brussels sprouts. third course. guinea-fowls. ducklings. pain de rhubarb. orange jelly. strawberry cream. cheesecakes. almond pudding. fig pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (february). first course. mock turtle soup. fillets of turbot a la crême. fried filleted soles and anchovy sauce. entrees. larded fillets of rabbits. tendrons de veau with purée of tomatoes. second course. stewed rump of beef à la jardinière. roast fowls. boiled ham. third course. roast pigeons or larks. rhubarb tartlets. meringues. clear jelly. cream. ice pudding. soufflé. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (february)--i. first course. rice soup. red mullet, with génoise sauce. fried smelts. entrees. fowl pudding. sweetbreads. second course. roast turkey and sausages. boiled leg of pork. pease pudding. third course. lemon jelly. charlotte à la vanille. maids of honour. plum-pudding, removed by ice pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (february).--ii. first course. spring soup. boiled turbot and lobster sauce. entrees. fricasseed rabbit. oyster patties. second course. boiled round of beef and marrow-bones. roast fowls, garnished with water-cresses and rolled bacon. vegetables. third course. marrow pudding. cheesecakes. tartlets of greengage jam. lemon cream. rhubarb tart. dessert. .--dinner for persons (february).--iii. first course. vermicelli soup. fried whitings. stewed eels. entrees. poulet à la marengo. breast of veal stuffed and rolled. second course. roast leg of pork and apple sauce. boiled capon and oysters. tongue, garnished with tufts of brocoli. third course. wild ducks. lobster salad. charlotte aux pommes. pain de rhubarb. vanilla cream. orange jelly. dessert. .--dinner for persons (february).--iv. first course. ox-tail soup. cod à la crême. fried soles. entrees. lark pudding. fowl scollops. second course. roast leg of mutton. boiled turkey and celery sauce. pigeon pie. small ham, boiled and garnished. vegetables. third course. game, when liked. tartlets of raspberry jam. vol-au-vent of rhubarb. swiss cream. cabinet pudding. brocoli and sea-kale. dessert. plain family dinners for february. . _sunday_.-- . ox-tail soup. roast beef, yorkshire pudding, brocoli, and potatoes. . plum-pudding, apple tart. cheese. . _monday_.-- . fried soles, plain melted butter, and potatoes. . cold roast beef, mashed potatoes. . the remains of plum-pudding cut in slices, warmed, and served with sifted sugar sprinkled over it. cheese. . _tuesday_.-- . the remains of ox-tail soup from sunday. . pork cutlets with tomato sauce; hashed beef. . boiled jam pudding. cheese. . _wednesday_.-- . boiled haddock and plain melted butter. . rump-steak pudding, potatoes, greens. . arrowroot, blancmange, garnished with jam. . _thursday_.-- . boiled leg of pork, greens, potatoes, pease pudding. . apple fritters, sweet macaroni. . _friday_.-- . pea-soup made with liquor that the pork was boiled in. . cold pork, mashed potatoes. . baked rice pudding. . _saturday_.-- . broiled herrings and mustard sauce. . haricot mutton. . macaroni, either served as a sweet pudding or with cheese. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . carrot soup. . boiled leg of mutton and caper sauce, mashed turnips, roast fowls, and bacon. . damson tart made with bottled fruit, ratafia pudding. . _monday_.-- . the remainder of fowl curried and served with rice; rump-steaks and oyster sauce, cold mutton. . rolled jam pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . vegetable soup made with liquor that the mutton was boiled in on sunday. . roast sirloin of beef, yorkshire pudding, brocoli, and potatoes. . cheese. . _wednesday_.-- . fried soles, melted butter. . cold beef and mashed potatoes: if there is any cold boiled mutton left, cut it into neat slices and warm it in a little caper sauce. . apple tart. . _thursday_.-- . boiled rabbit and onion sauce, stewed beef and vegetables, made with the remains of cold beef and bones. . macaroni. . _friday_.-- . roast leg of pork, sage and onions and apple sauce; greens and potatoes. . spinach and poached eggs instead of pudding. cheese and water-cresses. . _saturday_.-- . rump-steak-and-kidney pudding, cold pork and mashed potatoes. . baked rice pudding. march. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ turtle or mock turtle soup, removed by salmon and dressed cucumber. red mullet. vase of filets of whitings. flowers. spring soup, removed by boiled turbot and lobster sauce. _entrées_ fricasseed chicken. vol-au-vent. vase of compôte of pigeons. flowers. larded sweetbreads. _second course._ fore-quarter of lamb. braised capon. boiled tongue, vase of ham. garnished. flowers. roast fowls. rump of beef à la jardinière. _third course._ guinea-fowls, larded, removed by cabinet pudding. apricot wine jelly. rhubarb tartlets. tart. custards. vase of jelly in flowers. glasses. italian cream. damson tart. ducklings, cheesecakes. removed by nesselrode pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (march). first course. white soup. clear gravy soup. boiled salmon, shrimp sauce, and dressed cucumber. baked mullets in paper cases. entrees. filet de boeuf and spanish sauce. larded sweetbreads. rissoles. chicken patties. second course. roast fillet of veal and béchamel sauce. boiled leg of lamb. roast fowls, garnished with water-cresses. boiled ham, garnished with carrots and mashed turnips. vegetables--sea-kale, spinach, or brocoli. third course. two ducklings. guinea-fowl, larded. orange jelly. charlotte russe. coffee cream. ice pudding. macaroni with parmesan cheese. spinach, garnished with croutons. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (march). first course. macaroni soup. boiled turbot and lobster sauce. salmon cutlets. entrees. compôte of pigeons. mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. second course. roast lamb. boiled half calf's head, tongue, and brains. boiled bacon-cheek, garnished with spoonfuls of spinach. vegetables. third course. ducklings. plum-pudding. ginger cream. trifle. rhubarb tart. cheesecakes. fondues, in cases. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (march). first course. calf's-head soup. brill and shrimp sauce. broiled mackerel à la maître d'hôtel. entrees. lobster cutlets. calf's liver and bacon, aux fines herbes. second course. roast loin of veal. two boiled fowls à la béchamel. boiled knuckle of ham. vegetables--spinach or brocoli. third course. wild ducks. apple custards. blancmange. lemon jelly. jam sandwiches. ice pudding. potatoes à la maître d'hôtel. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (march).--i. first course. vermicelli soup. soles à la crême. entrees. veal cutlets. small vols-au-vent. second course. small saddle of mutton. half calf's head. boiled bacon-cheek, garnished with brussels sprouts. third course. cabinet pudding. orange jelly. custards, in glasses. rhubarb tart. lobster salad. dessert. .--dinner for persons (march).--ii. first course. julienne soup. baked mullets. entrees. chicken cutlets. oyster patties. second course. roast lamb and mint sauce. boiled leg of pork. pease pudding. vegetables. third course. ducklings. swiss cream. lemon jelly. cheesecakes. rhubarb tart. macaroni. dessert. .--dinner for persons (march).--iii. first course. oyster soup. boiled salmon and dressed cucumber. entrees. rissoles. fricasseed chicken. second course. boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce. roast fowls, garnished with water-cresses. vegetables. third course. charlotte aux pommes. orange jelly. lemon cream. soufflé of arrowroot. sea-kale. dessert. .--dinner for persons (march).--iv. first course. ox-tail soup. boiled mackerel. entrees. stewed mutton kidneys. minced veal and oysters. second course. stewed shoulder of veal. roast ribs of beef and horseradish sauce. vegetables. third course. ducklings. tartlets of strawberry jam. cheesecakes. gateau de riz. carrot pudding. sea-kale. dessert. plain family dinners for march. . _sunday_.-- . boiled / calf's head, pickled pork, the tongue on a small dish with the brains round it; mutton cutlets and mashed potatoes. . plum tart made with bottled fruit, baked custard pudding, baroness pudding. . _monday_.-- . roast shoulder of mutton and onion sauce, brocoli, baked potatoes. . slices of baroness pudding warmed, and served with sugar sprinkled over. cheesecakes. . _tuesday_.-- . mock turtle soup, made with liquor that calf's head was boiled in, and the pieces of head. . hashed mutton, rump-steaks and oyster sauce. . boiled plum-pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . fried whitings, melted butter, potatoes. . boiled beef, suet dumplings, carrots, potatoes, marrow-bones. . arrowroot blancmange, and stewed rhubarb. . _thursday_.-- . pea-soup made from liquor that beef was boiled in. . stewed rump-steak, cold beef, mashed potatoes. . rolled jam pudding. . _friday_.-- . fried soles, melted butter, potatoes. . roast loin of mutton, brocoli, potatoes, bubble-and-squeak. . rice pudding. . _saturday_.-- .--rump-steak pie, haricot mutton made with remains of cold loin. . pancakes, ratafia pudding. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . roast fillet of veal, boiled ham, spinach and potatoes. . rhubarb tart, custards in glasses, bread-and-butter pudding. . _monday_.-- . baked soles, potatoes. . minced veal and rump-steak pie. . somersetshire dumplings with the remains of custards poured round them; marmalade tartlets. . _tuesday_.-- . gravy soup. . boiled leg of mutton, mashed turnips, suet dumplings, caper sauce, potatoes, veal rissoles made with remains of fillet of veal. . cheese. . _wednesday_.-- . stewed mullets. . roast fowls, bacon, gravy, and bread sauce, mutton pudding, made with a few slices of the cold meat and the addition of two kidneys. . baked lemon pudding. . _thursday_.-- . vegetable soup made with liquor that the mutton was boiled in, and mixed with the remains of gravy soup. . roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, brocoli and potatoes. . apple pudding or macaroni. . _friday_.-- . stewed eels, pork cutlets and tomato sauce. . cold beef, mashed potatoes. . plum tart made with bottled fruit. . _saturday_.-- . rump-steak-and-kidney pudding, broiled beef-bones, greens and potatoes. . jam tartlets made with pieces of paste from plum tart, baked custard pudding. april. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ spring soup, removed by salmon and lobster sauce. fillet of mackerel. vase of fried smelts. flowers. soles a la crême. _entrées._ lamb cutlets and asparagus peas. curried lobster. vase of oyster patties. flowers. grenadines de veau. _second course._ roast ribs of lamb. larded capon. stewed beef a la vase of boiled ham. jardinière. flowers. spring chickens. braised turkey. _third course._ ducklings, removed by cabinet pudding. clear jelly. charlotte a la parisienne. orange jelly. raspberry jam turtles. vase of cheese-cakes. victoria sandwiches. flowers. rhubarb tart. raspberry cream. nesselrode pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (april). first course. soup à la reine. julienne soup. turbot and lobster sauce. slices of salmon a la genévése. entrees. croquettes of leveret. fricandeau de veau. vol-au-vent. stewed mushrooms. second course. fore-quarter of lamb. saddle of mutton. boiled chickens and asparagus peas. boiled tongue garnished with tufts of brocoli. vegetables. third course. ducklings. larded guinea-fowls. charlotte a la parisienne. orange jelly. meringues. ratafia ice pudding. lobster salad. sea-kale. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (april). first course gravy soup. salmon and dressed cucumber. shrimp sauce. fillets of whitings. entrees. lobster cutlets. chicken patties. second course. roast fillet of veal. boiled leg of lamb. ham, garnished with brocoli. vegetables. third course. ducklings. compôte of rhubarb. custards. vanilla cream. orange jelly. cabinet pudding. ice pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (april). first course. spring soup. slices of salmon and caper sauce. fried filleted soles. entrees. chicken vol-au-vent. mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. second course. roast loin of veal. boiled fowls à la béchamel. tongue. vegetables. third course. guinea-fowl. sea-kale. artichoke bottoms. cabinet pudding. blancmange. apricot tartlets. rice fritters. macaroni and parmesan cheese. dessert. .--dinner for persons (april). first course. tapioca soup. boiled salmon and lobster sauce. entrees. sweetbreads. oyster patties. second course. haunch of mutton. boiled capon and white sauce. tongue. vegetables. third course. soufflé of rice. lemon cream. charlotte & la parisienne. rhubarb tart. dessert. .--dinner for persons (april).--ii. first course. julienne soup. fried whitings. red mullet. entrees. lamb cutlets and cucumbers. rissoles. second course. roast ribs of beef. neck of veal à la béchamel. vegetables. third course. ducklings. lemon pudding. rhubarb tart. custards. cheesecakes. dessert. .--dinner for persons (april).--iii. first course. vermicelli soup. brill and shrimp sauce. entrees. fricandeau of veal. lobster cutlets. second course. roast fore-quarter of lamb. boiled chickens. tongue. vegetables. third course. goslings. sea-kale. plum-pudding. whipped cream. compôte of rhubarb. cheesecakes. dessert. .--dinner for persons (april).--iv. first course. ox-tail soup. crimped salmon. entrees. croquettes of chicken. mutton cutlets and soubise sauce. second course. roast fillet of veal. boiled bacon-cheek garnished with sprouts. boiled capon. vegetables. third course. sea-kale. lobster salad. cabinet pudding. ginger cream. raspberry jam tartlets. rhubarb tart. macaroni. dessert. plain family dinners for april. . _sunday._-- . clear gravy soup. . roast haunch of mutton, sea-kale, potatoes. . rhubarb tart, custards in glasses. . _monday._-- . crimped skate and caper sauce. . boiled knuckle of veal and rice, cold mutton, mashed potatoes. . baked plum-pudding. . _tuesday._-- . vegetable soup. . toad-in-the-hole, made from remains of cold mutton. . stewed rhubarb and baked custard pudding. . _wednesday._-- . fried soles, anchovy sauce. . boiled beef, carrots, suet dumplings. . lemon pudding. . _thursday._-- . pea-soup made with liquor that beef was boiled in. . cold beef, mashed potatoes, mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. . macaroni. . _friday._-- . bubble-and-squeak, made with remains of cold beef. roast shoulder of veal stuffed, spinach, potatoes. . boiled batter pudding and sweet sauce. . _saturday._-- . stewed veal with vegetables, made from the remains of the shoulder. broiled rump-steaks and oyster sauce. . yeast-dumplings. * * * * * . _sunday._-- . boiled salmon and dressed cucumber, anchovy sauce . roast fore-quarter of lamb, spinach, potatoes, mint sauce. . rhubarb tart, cheesecakes. . _monday._-- . curried salmon, made with remains of salmon, dish of boiled rice. . cold lamb, rump-steak-and-kidney pudding, potatoes. . spinach and poached eggs. . _tuesday._-- . scotch mutton broth with pearl barley. . boiled neck of mutton, caper sauce, suet dumplings, carrots. . baked rice-pudding. . _wednesday._-- . boiled mackerel and melted butter or fennel sauce, potatoes. . roast fillet of veal, bacon, and greens. . fig pudding. . _thursday._-- . flemish soup. . roast loin of mutton, brocoli, potatoes; veal rolls made from remains of cold veal. . boiled rhubarb pudding. . _friday._-- . irish stew or haricot, made from cold mutton, minced veal. . half-pay pudding. . _saturday._-- . rump-steak pie, broiled mutton-chops. . baked arrowroot pudding. may. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ asparagus soup, removed by salmon and lobster sauce. fried filleted vase of fillets of mackerel, soles flowers. à la maître d'hôtel. oxtail soup, removed by brill & shrimp sauce. _entrées._ lamb cutlets and cucumbers. lobster pudding. vase of curried fowl. flowers. veal ragoût. _second course._ saddle of lamb. raised pie. roast fowls. vase of boiled capon flowers. and white sauce. braised ham. roast veal. _third course._ almond goslings, lobster salad. cheesecake removed by college puddings. noyeau jelly. italian vase of charlotte à la cream. flowers. parisienne. inlaid jelly. plovers' ducklings, eggs. removed by tartlets. nesselrode pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (may). first course. white soup. asparagus soup. salmon cutlets. boiled turbot and lobster sauce. entrees. chicken vol-au-vent. lamb cutlets and cucumbers. fricandeau of veal. stewed mushrooms. second course. roast lamb. haunch of mutton. boiled and roast fowls. vegetables. third course. ducklings. goslings. charlotte russe. vanilla cream. gooseberry tart. custards. cheesecakes. cabinet pudding and iced pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (may). first course. spring soup. salmon à la genévése. red mullet. entrees. chicken vol-au-vent. calf's liver and bacon aux fines herbes. second course. saddle of mutton. half calf's head, tongue, and brains. braised ham. asparagus. third course. roast pigeons. ducklings. sponge-cake pudding. charlotte à la vanille. gooseberry tart. cream. cheesecakes. apricot-jam tart. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (may). first course. julienne soup. brill and lobster sauce. fried fillets of mackerel. entrees lamb cutlets and cucumbers. lobster patties. second course. roast fillet of veal. boiled leg of lamb. asparagus. third course. ducklings. gooseberry tart. custards. fancy pastry. soufflé. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (may).--i. first course. vermicelli soup. boiled salmon and anchovy sauce. entrees. fillets of beef and tomato sauce. sweetbreads. second course. roast lamb. boiled capon. asparagus. third course. ducklings. cabinet pudding. compôte of gooseberries. custards in glasses. blancmange. lemon tartlets. fondue. dessert. .--dinner for persons (may).--ii. first course. macaroni soup. boiled mackerel à la maitre d'hôtel. fried smelts. entrees. scollops of fowl. lobster pudding. second course. boiled leg of lamb and spinach. roast sirloin of beef and horseradish sauce. vegetables. third course. roast leveret. salad. soufflé of rice. ramekins. strawberry-jam tartlets. orange jelly. dessert. .--dinner for persons (may).--iii. first course. julienne soup. trout with dutch sauce. salmon cutlets. entrees. lamb cutlets and mushrooms. vol-au-vent of chicken. second course. roast lamb. calf's head à la tortue. vegetables. third course. spring chickens. iced pudding. vanilla cream. clear jelly. tartlets. cheesecakes. dessert. .--dinner for persons (may).--iv. first course. soup à la reine. crimped trout and lobster sauce. baked whitings aux fines herbes. entrees. braised mutton cutlets and cucumbers. stewed pigeons. second course. roast fillet of veal. bacon-cheek and greens. fillet of beef à la jardinière. third course. ducklings. soufflé à la vanille. compôte of oranges. meringues. gooseberry tart. fondue. dessert. plain family dinners for may. . _sunday_.-- . vegetable soup. . saddle of mutton, asparagus and potatoes. . gooseberry tart, custards. . _monday_.-- . fried whitings, anchovy sauce. . cold mutton, mashed potatoes, stewed veal. . fig pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . haricot mutton, made from remains of cold mutton, rump-steak pie. . macaroni. . _wednesday_.-- . roast loin of veal and spinach, boiled bacon, mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. . gooseberry pudding and cream. . _thursday_.-- . spring soup. . roast leg of lamb, mint sauce, spinach, curried veal and rice. . lemon pudding. . _friday_.-- . boiled mackerel and parsley-and-butter. . stewed rump-steak, cold lamb and salad. . baked gooseberry pudding. . _saturday_.-- . vermicelli. . rump-steak pudding, lamb cutlets, and cucumbers. . macaroni. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . boiled salmon and lobster or caper sauce. . roast lamb, mint sauce, asparagus, potatoes. . plum-pudding, gooseberry tart. . _monday_.-- . salmon warmed in remains of lobster sauce and garnished with croûtons. . stewed knuckle of veal and rice, cold lamb and dressed cucumber. . slices of pudding warmed, and served with sugar sprinkled over. baked rice pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . roast ribs of beef, horseradish sauce, yorkshire pudding, spinach and potatoes. . boiled lemon pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . fried soles, melted butter. . cold beef and dressed cucumber or salad, veal cutlets and bacon. . baked plum-pudding. . _thursday_.-- . spring soup. . calf's liver and bacon, broiled beef-bones, spinach and potatoes. . gooseberry tart. . _friday_.-- . roast shoulder of mutton, baked potatoes, onion sauce, spinach. . currant dumplings. . _saturday_.-- . broiled mackerel, fennel sauce or plain melted butter. . rump-steak pie, hashed mutton, vegetables. . baked arrowroot pudding. june. .--dinner for persons. _first course_. asparagus soup, removed by crimped salmon. fillets of garnets. vase of soles aux fines herbes. flowers. vermicelli soup, removed by whitebait. _entrées_. lamb cutlets and peas. lobster patties. vase of tendrons de veau flowers. à la jardinière. larded sweetbreads. _second course_. saddle of lamb. tongue. roast spring vase of boiled capon. chickens. flowers. ham. boiled calf's head. _third course_. prawns. leveret, tartlets. removed by ice pudding. wine jelly. vol-au-vent of straw- vase of custards in berries and cream. flowers. glasses. blancmange. goslings, removed by cheesecake fondues, in cases. plover's eggs. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (june). first course. green-pea soup. rice soup. salmon and lobster sauce. trout à la genévése. whitebait. entrees. lamb cutlets and cucumbers. fricasseed chicken. lobster rissoles. stewed veal and peas. second course. roast quarter of lamb and spinach. filet de boeuf à la jardinière. boiled fowls. braised shoulder of lamb. tongue. vegetables. third course. goslings. ducklings. nesselrode pudding. charlotte à la parisienne. gooseberry tartlets. strawberry cream. raspberry-and-currant tart. custards. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (june). first course. julienne soup. salmon trout and parsley-and-butter. red mullet. entrees. stewed breast of veal and peas. mutton cutlets à la maintenon. second course. roast fillet of veal. boiled leg of lamb, garnished with young carrots. boiled bacon-cheek. vegetables. third course. roast ducks. leveret. gooseberry tart. strawberry cream. strawberry tartlets, meringues. cabinet pudding. iced pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (june). first course. vermicelli soup. trout à la genévése salmon cutlets. entrees. lamb cutlets and peas. fricasseed chicken. second course. roast ribs of beef. half calf's head, tongue, and brains. boiled ham. vegetables. third course. roast ducks. compôte of gooseberries. strawberry jelly. pastry. iced pudding. cauliflower with cream sauce. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (june).--i. first course. spring soup. boiled salmon and lobster sauce. entrees. veal cutlets and endive. ragoût of duck and green peas. second course. roast loin of veal. boiled leg of lamb and white sauce. tongue, garnished. vegetables. third course. strawberry cream. gooseberry tartlets. almond pudding. lobster salad. dessert. .--dinner for persons (june).--ii. first course. calf's-head soup. mackerel à la maître d'hôtel. whitebait. entrees. chicken cutlets. curried lobster. second course. fore-quarter of lamb and salad. stewed beef à la jardinière. vegetables. third course. goslings. green-currant tart. custards, in glasses. strawberry blancmange. soufflé of rice. dessert. .--dinner for persons (june).--iii. first course. green-pea soup. baked soles aux fines herbes. stewed trout. entrees. calf's liver and bacon. rissoles. second course. roast saddle of lamb and salad. calf's head à la tortue. vegetables. third course. roast ducks. vol-au-vent of strawberries and cream. strawberry tartlets. lemon blancmange. baked gooseberry pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (june).--iv. first course. spinach soup. soles à la crême. red mullet. entrees. roast fillet of veal. braised ham and spinach. second course. boiled fowls and white sauce. vegetables. third course. leveret. strawberry jelly. swiss cream. cheesecakes. iced pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for june. . _sunday_.-- . salmon trout and parsley-and-butter, new potatoes. . roast fillet of veal, boiled bacon-cheek and spinach, vegetables. . gooseberry tart, custards. . _monday_.-- . light gravy soup. . small meat pie, minced veal, garnished with rolled bacon, spinach and potatoes. . raspberry-and-currant tart. . _tuesday_.-- . baked mackerel, potatoes. . boiled leg of lamb, garnished with young carrots. . lemon pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . vegetable soup. . calf's liver and bacon, peas, hashed lamb from remains of cold joint. . baked gooseberry pudding. . _thursday_-- . roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding, peas, potatoes. . stewed rhubarb and boiled rice. . _friday_.-- . cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and peas. . boiled gooseberry pudding and baked custard pudding. . _saturday_.-- . rump-steak pudding, broiled beef-bones and cucumber, vegetables. . bread pudding. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . roast fore-quarter of lamb, mint sauce, peas, and new potatoes. . gooseberry pudding, strawberry tartlets. fondue. . _monday_.-- . cold lamb and salad, stewed neck of veal and peas, young carrots, and new potatoes. . almond pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . green-pea soup. . roast ducks stuffed, gravy, peas and new potatoes. . baked ratafia pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . roast leg of mutton, summer cabbage, potatoes. . gooseberry and rice pudding. . _thursday_.-- . fried soles, melted butter, potatoes. . sweetbreads, hashed mutton, vegetables. . bread-and-butter pudding. . _friday_.-- . asparagus soup. . boiled beef, young carrots and new potatoes, suet dumplings. . college puddings. . _saturday_.-- . cold boiled beef and salad, lamb cutlets and green peas. . boiled gooseberry pudding and plain cream. july. .--dinner for persons. _first course_. green-pea soup, removed by salmon and dressed cucumber. whitebait. vase of stewed trout flowers. soup à la reine, removed by mackerel à la maitre d'hôtel. _entrées_ lamb cutlets and peas. lobster curry vase of scollops of en casserole. flowers. chickens. chicken patties. _second course_. haunch of venison. pigeon pie. boiled capons. vase of spring chickens. flowers. braised ham. saddle of lamb. _third course_. prawns. roast ducks, custards. removed by vanilla soufflé. raspberry cream. cherry tart. vase of raspberry-and- flowers. currant tart. strawberry cream. green goose, removed by creams. iced pudding. tartlets. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (july). first course. soup à la jardinière. chicken soup. crimped salmon and parsley-and-butter. trout aux fines herbes, in cases. entrees. tendrons de veau and peas. lamb cutlets and cucumbers. second course. loin of veal à la béchamel. roast fore-quarter of lamb. salad. braised ham, garnished with broad beans. vegetables. third course. roast ducks. turkey poult. stewed peas à la francaise. lobster salad. cherry tart. raspberry-and-currant tart. custards, in glasses. lemon creams. nesselrode pudding. marrow pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (july) first course. green-pea soup. salmon and lobster sauce. crimped perch and dutch sauce. entrees. stewed veal and peas. lamb cutlets and cucumbers. second course. haunch of venison. boiled fowls à la béchamel. braised ham. vegetables. third course. roast ducks. peas à la française. lobster salad. strawberry cream. blancmange. cherry tart. cheesecakes. iced pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (july).--i. first course. soup à la jardinière. salmon trout and parsley-and-butter. fillets of mackerel à la maître d'hôtel. entrees. lobster cutlets. beef palates à la italienne. second course. roast lamb. boiled capon and white sauce. boiled tongue, garnished with small vegetable marrows. bacon and beans. third course. goslings. whipped strawberry cream. raspberry-and-currant tart. meringues. cherry tartlets. iced pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (july).--ii. first course. julienne soup. crimped salmon and caper sauce. whitebait. entrees. croquettes à la reine. curried lobster. second course. roast lamb. rump of beef à la jardinière. third course. larded turkey poult. raspberry cream. cherry tart. custards, in glasses. gâteaux à la genévése. nesselrode pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for july. . _sunday_.-- . salmon trout and parsley-and-butter. . roast fillet of real, boiled bacon-cheek, peas, potatoes. . raspberry-and-currant tart, baked custard pudding. . _monday_.-- . green-pea soup. . roast fowls garnished with water-cresses; gravy, bread sauce; cold veal and salad. . cherry tart. . _tuesday_.-- . john dory and lobster sauce. . curried fowl with remains of cold fowls, dish of rice, veal rolls with remains of cold fillet. . strawberry cream. . _wednesday_.-- . roast leg of mutton, vegetable marrow, and potatoes, melted butter. . black-currant pudding. . _thursday_.-- . fried soles, anchovy sauce. . mutton cutlets and tomato sauce, bashed mutton, peas, potatoes. . lemon dumplings. . _friday_.-- . boiled brisket of beef, carrots, turnips, suet dumplings, peas, potatoes. . baked semolina pudding. . _saturday_.-- . cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and peas. . rolled jam pudding. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . julienne soup. . roast lamb, half calf's head, tongue and brains, boiled ham, peas and potatoes. . cherry tart, custards. . _monday_.-- . hashed calf's head, cold lamb and salad. . vegetable marrow and white sauce, instead of pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . stewed veal, with peas, young carrots, and potatoes. small meat pie. . raspberry-and-currant pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . roast ducks stuffed, gravy, peas, and potatoes; the remains of stewed veal rechauffé. . macaroni served as a sweet pudding. . _thursday_.-- . slices of salmon and caper sauce. . boiled knuckle of veal, parsley-and-butter, vegetable marrow and potatoes. . black-currant pudding. . _friday_.-- . roast shoulder of mutton, onion sauce, peas and potatoes. . cherry tart, baked custard pudding. . _saturday_.-- . minced mutton, rump-steak-and-kidney pudding. . baked lemon pudding. august. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ mock-turtle soup, removed by broiled salmon and caper sauce. red mullet. vase of perch. flowers. soup à la julienne, removed by brill and shrimp sauce. _entrées._ fricandeau de veau à la jardinière. curried lobster. vase of lamb cutlets à la purée flowers. de pommes de terre. fillets of ducks and peas. _second course._ haunch of venison. ham, garnished. capon à la vase of roast fowl. financière flowers. leveret pie. saddle of mutton. _third course._ grouse, removed by cabinet pudding. lobster salad. fruit jelly. cheesecakes. charlotte à la vase of custards. vanille. flowers. raspberry vol-au-vent prawns. tartlets. of pears. larded peahen, removed by iced pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (august) first course. vermicelli soup. soup à la reine. boiled salmon. fried flounders. trout en matelot. entrees. stewed pigeons. sweetbreads. ragoût of ducks. fillets of chickens and mushrooms. second course. quarter of lamb. cotelette de boeuf à la jardinière. roast fowls and boiled tongue. bacon and beans. third course. grouse. wheatears. greengage tart. whipped cream. vol-au-vent of plums. fruit jelly. iced pudding. cabinet pudding. desserts and ices. .--dinner for persons (august). first course. julienne soup. fillets of turbot and dutch sauce. red mullet. entrees. riz de veau aux tomates. fillets of ducks and peas. second course. haunch of venison. boiled capon and oysters. ham, garnished. vegetables. third course. leveret. fruit jelly. compote of greengages. plum tart. custards, in glasses. omelette soufflé. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (august).--i. first course. macaroni soup. crimped salmon and sauce hollandaise. fried fillets of trout. entrees. tendrons de veau and stewed peas. salmi of grouse. second course. roast loin of veal. boiled bacon, garnished with french beans. stewed beef à la jardinière. vegetables. third course. turkey poult. plum tart. custard pudding. vol-au-vent of pears. strawberry cream. ratafia soufflé. dessert. .--dinner for persons (august).--ii. first course. vegetable-marrow soup. stowed mullet. fillets of salmon and ravigotte sauce. entrees. curried lobster. fricandeau de veau à la jardinière. second course. roast saddle of mutton. stewed shoulder of veal, garnished with forcemeat balls. vegetables. third course. roast grouse and bread sauce. vol-au-vent of greengages. fruit jolly. raspberry cream. custards. fig pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for august. . _sunday_.-- . vegetable-marrow soup. . roast quarter of lamb, mint sauce, french beans and potatoes. . raspberry-and-currant tart, custard pudding. . _monday_.-- . cold lamb and salad, small meat pie, vegetable marrow and white sauce. . lemon dumplings. . _tuesday_.-- . boiled mackerel. . stewed loin of veal, french beans and potatoes. . baked raspberry pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . vegetable soup. . lamb cutlets and french beans; the remains of stewed shoulder of veal, mashed vegetable marrow. . black-currant pudding. . _thursday_.-- . roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding, french beans and potatoes. . bread-and-butter pudding. . _friday_.-- . fried soles and melted butter. . cold beef and salad, lamb cutlets and mashed potatoes. . cauliflowers and white sauce instead of pudding. . _saturday_.-- . stewed beef and vegetables, with remains of cold beef; mutton pudding. . macaroni and cheese. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . salmon pudding. . roast fillet of veal, boiled bacon-cheek garnished with tufts of cauliflowers, french beans and potatoes. . plum tart, boiled custard pudding. . _monday_.-- . baked soles. . cold veal and bacon, salad, mutton cutlets and tomato sauce. . boiled currant pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . rice soup. . roast fowls and water-cresses, boiled knuckle of ham, minced veal garnished with croutons; vegetables. . college puddings. . _wednesday_.-- . curried fowl with remains of cold fowl; dish of rice, stewed rump-steak and vegetables. . plum tart. . _thursday_.-- . boiled brisket of beef, carrots, turnips, suet dumplings, and potatoes. . baked bread pudding. . _friday_.-- . vegetable soup, made from liquor that beef was boiled in. . cold beef and dressed cucumber, veal cutlets and tomato sauce. . fondue. . _saturday_.-- . bubble-and-squeak, made from remains of cold beef; cold veal-and-ham pie, salad. . baked raspberry pudding. september. .--dinner for persons. _first course_. julienne soup, removed by brill and shrimp sauce. red mullet & vase of fried eels. italian sauce. flowers. giblet soup, removed by salmon and lobster sauce. _entrées_. lamb cutlets and french beans. fillets of chicken vase of oysters au gratin. and truffles. flowers. sweetbreads and tomata sauce. _second course_. saddle of mutton. veal-and-ham pie. chickens à la vase of braised goose. béchamel. flowers. broiled ham, garnished with cauliflowers. filet of veal. _third course_. custards. partridges, apple tart. removed by plum-pudding. compôte of greengages. noyeau jelly. vase of lemon cream. flowers. pastry sandwiches. grouse & bread sauce, removed by plum tart. nesselrode pudding. custards. desserts and ices. .--dinner for persons (september). first course. mock-turtle soup. soup à la jardinière salmon and lobster sauce. fried whitings. stewed eels. entrees. veal cutlets. scalloped oysters. curried fowl. grilled mushrooms. second course. haunch of mutton. boiled calf's head à la béchamel. braised ham. roast fowls aux cressons. third course. leveret. grouse. cabinet pudding. iced pudding. compôte of plumbs. damson tart. cream. fruit jelly. prawns. lobster salad. desserts and ices. .--dinner for persons (september). first course. flemish soup. turbot, garnished with fried smelts. red mullet and italian sauce. entrees. tendrons de veau and truffles. lamb cutlets and sauce piquante. second course. loin of veal à la béchamel. roast haunch of venison. braised ham. grouse pie. vegetables. third course. roast hare. plum tart. whipped cream. punch jelly. compôte of damsons. marrow pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (september). first course. game soup. crimped skate. slices of salmon a la genévése. entrees. fricasseed sweetbreads. savoury rissoles. second course. sirloin of beef and horseradish sauce. boiled leg of mutton and caper sauce. vegetables. third course. roast partridges. charlotte russe. apricots and rice. fruit jelly. cabinet pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (september).--ii. first course. thick gravy soup. fillets of turbot à la crême. stewed eels. entrees. vol-au-vent of lobster. salmi of grouse. second course. haunch of venison. rump of beef à la jardinière. hare, boned and larded, with mushrooms. third course. roast grouse. apricot blancmange. compôte of peaches. plum tart. custards. plum-pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for september. . _sunday_.-- . julienne soup. . roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding, horseradish sauce, french beans, and potatoes. . greengage pudding, vanilla cream. . _monday_.-- . crimped skate and crab sauce. . cold beef and salad; small veal-and-ham pie. . vegetable marrow and white sauce. . _tuesday_.-- . fried solos, melted butter. . boiled fowls, parsley-and-butter; bacon-check, garnished with french beans; beef rissoles, made from remains of cold beef. . plum tart and cream. . _wednesday_.-- . boiled round of beef, carrots, turnips, and suet dumplings; marrow on toast. . baked damsons and rice. . _thursday_.-- . vegetable soup, made from liquor that beef was boiled in. . lamb cutlets and cucumbers, cold beef and salad. . apple pudding. . _friday_.-- . baked soles. . bubble-and-squeak, made from cold beef; veal cutlets and rolled bacon. . damson tart. . _saturday_.-- . irish stew, rump-steaks and oyster sauce. . somersetshire dumplings. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . fried filleted soles and anchovy sauce. . roast leg of mutton, brown onion sauce, french beans, and potatoes; half calf's head, tongue, and brains. . plum tart; custards, in glasses. . _monday_.-- . vegetable-marrow soup. . calf's head à la maitre d'hôtel, from remains of cold head; boiled brisket of beef and vegetables. . stewed fruit and baked rice pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . roast fowls and water-cresses; boiled bacon, garnished with tufts of cauliflower; hashed mutton, from remains of mutton of sunday. . baked plum-pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . boiled knuckle of veal and rice, turnips, potatoes; small ham, garnished with french beans. . baked apple pudding. . _thursday_.-- . brill and shrimp sauce. . roast hare, gravy, and red-currant jelly; mutton cutlets and mashed potatoes. . scalloped oysters, instead of pudding. . _friday_.-- . small roast loin of mutton; the remains of hare, jugged; vegetable marrow and potatoes. . damson pudding. . _saturday_.-- . rump-steaks, broiled, and oyster sauce, mashed potatoes; veal-and-ham pie,--the ham may be cut from that boiled on wednesday, if not all eaten cold for breakfast. , lemon pudding. october. .--dinner for persons. _first course_ mock-turtle soup, removed by crimped cod and oyster sauce. soles à la vase of red mullet. normandie. flowers. julienne soup, removed by john dory and dutch sauce. _entrées_ sweetbreads and tomata sauce. oyster patties. vase of stewed mushrooms. flowers. fricandeau de veau and celery sauce. _second course._ roast saddle of mutton. grouse pie. roast goose. vase of boiled fowls and flowers. oyster sauce. ham. larded turkey. _third course._ custards. pheasants, prawns. removed by cabinet pudding. italian cream. gâteau de vase of compôte of pommes. flowers. plums. peach jelly. roast hare, removed by lobster salad. iced pudding. apple tart. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (october). first course. carrot soup à la créci. soup à la reine. baked cod. stewed eels. entrees. riz de veau and tomata sauce. vol-au-vent of chicken. pork cutlets and sauce robert. grilled mushrooms. second course. rump of beef à la jardinière. roast goose. boiled fowls and celery sauce. tongue, garnished. vegetables. third course. grouse. pheasants. quince jelly. lemon cream. apple tart. compote of peaches. nesselrode pudding. cabinet pudding. scalloped oysters. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (october). first course. calf's-head soup. crimped cod and oyster sauce. stewed eels. entrees. stewed mutton kidneys. curried sweetbreads. second course. boiled leg of mutton, garnished with carrots and turnips. roast goose. third course. partridges. fruit jelly. italian cream. vol-au-vent of pears. apple tart. cabinet pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (october).--i. first course. hare soup. broiled cod à la maître d'hôtel. haddocks and egg sauce. entrees. veal cutlets, garnished with french beans. haricot mutton. second course. roast haunch of mutton. boiled capon and rice. vegetables. third course. pheasants. punch jelly. blancmange. apples à la portugaise. charlotte à la vanille. marrow pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (october).--ii. first course. mock-turtle soup. brill and lobster sauce. fried whitings. entrees. fowl à la béchamel. oyster patties. second course. roast sucking-pig. stewed hump of beef à la jardinière. vegetables. third course. grouse. charlotte aux pommes. coffee cream. cheesecakes. apricot tart. iced pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for october. . _sunday_.-- . roast sucking-pig, tomata sauce and brain sauce; small boiled leg of mutton, caper sauce, turnips, and carrots. . damson tart, boiled batter pudding. . _monday_.-- . vegetable soup, made from liquor that mutton was boiled in. . sucking-pig en blanquette, small meat pie, french beans, and potatoes. . pudding, pies. . _tuesday_.-- . roast partridges, bread sauce, and gravy; slices of mutton warmed in caper sauce; vegetables. . baked plum-pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . roast ribs of beef, yorkshire pudding, vegetable marrow, and potatoes. . damson pudding. . _thursday_.-- . fried soles, melted butter. . cold beef and salad; mutton cutlets and tomata sauce. . macaroni. . _friday_.-- . carrot soup. . boiled fowls and celery sauce; bacon-check, garnished with greens; beef rissoles, from remains of cold beef. . baroness pudding. . _saturday_.-- . curried fowl, from remains of cold ditto; dish of rice, rump-steak-and-kidney pudding, vegetables. . stewed pears and sponge cakes. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . crimped cod and oyster sauce. . roast haunch of mutton, brown onion sauce, and vegetables. . bullace pudding, baked custards in cups. . _monday_.-- . the remains of codfish, flaked, and warmed in a maître d'hôtel sauce. . cold mutton and salad, veal cutlets and rolled bacon, french beans and potatoes. . arrowroot blancmange and stewed damsons. . _tuesday_.-- . roast hare, gravy, and red-currant jelly; hashed mutton, vegetables. . currant dumplings. . _wednesday_.-- . jugged hare, from remains of roast ditto; boiled knuckle of veal and rice; boiled bacon-cheek. . apple pudding. . _thursday_.-- . roast leg of pork, apple sauce, greens, and potatoes. . rice snowballs. . _friday_.-- . slices of pork, broiled, and tomata sauce, mashed potatoes; roast pheasants, bread sauce, and gravy. . baked apple pudding. . _saturday_.-- . rump-steak pie, sweetbreads. . ginger pudding. november. .--dinner for persons. _first course._ thick grouse soup, removed by crimped cod and oyster sauce. baked whitings. vase of fried smelts. flowers. clear ox-tail soup, removed by fillets of turbot à la crême. _entrées._ poulet à la marengo. fillets of leveret. vase of ragoût of lobster. flowers. mushrooms sautés. _second course._ haunch of mutton. cold game pie. lark pudding. vase of roast fowls. flowers. boiled ham. boiled turkey and celery sauce. _third course._ apple tart. partridges, shell-fish. removed by plum-pudding. wine jelly. pommes à la vase of vol-au-vent condé. flowers. of pears. snipes, removed by prawns. charlotte glacée. apricot tartlets. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (november). first course. hare soup. julienne soup. baked cod. soles à la normandie. entrees. riz de veau aux tomates. lobster patties. mutton cutlets and soubise sauce. croûtades of marrow aux fines herbes. second course. roast sirloin of beef. braised goose. boiled fowls and celery sauce. bacon-cheek, garnished with sprouts. third course. wild ducks. partridges. apples à la portugaise. bavarian cream. apricot-jam sandwiches. cheesecakes. charlotte à la vanille. plum-pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (november). first course. mulligatawny soup. fried slices of codfish and oyster sauce. eels en matelote. entrees. broiled pork cutlets and tomata sauce. tendrons de veau à la jardinière. second course. boiled leg of mutton and vegetables. roast goose. cold game pie. third course. snipes. teal. apple soufflé. iced charlotte. tartlets. champagne jelly. coffee cream. mince pies. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (november). first course. oyster soup. crimped cod and oyster sauce. fried perch and dutch sauce. entrees. pigs' feet à la béchamel. curried rabbit. second course. roast sucking-pig. boiled fowls and oyster sauce. vegetables. third course. jugged hare. meringues à la crême. apple custard. vol-au-vent of pears. whipped cream. cabinet pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (november).--ii. first course. game soup. slices of codfish and dutch sauce. fried eels. entrees. kidneys à la maître d'hôtel. oyster patties. second course. saddle of mutton. boiled capon and rice. small ham. lark pudding. third course. roast hare. apple tart. pineapple cream. clear jelly. cheesecakes. marrow pudding. nesselrode pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for november. . _sunday_.-- . white soup. . roast haunch of mutton, haricot beans, potatoes. . apple tart, ginger pudding. . _monday._-- . stewed eels. . veal cutlets garnished with rolled bacon; cold mutton and winter salad. . baked rice pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . roast fowls, garnished with water-cresses; boiled bacon-cheek; hashed mutton from remains of haunch. . apple pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . boiled leg of pork, carrots, parsnips, and pease-pudding; fowl croquettes made with remainder of cold fowl. . baroness pudding. . _thursday_.-- . cold pork and mashed potatoes; roast partridges, bread sauce and gravy. . the remainder of pudding cut into neat slices, and warmed through, and served with sifted sugar sprinkled over; apple fritters. . _friday_.-- . roast hare, gravy, and currant jelly; rump-steak and oyster sauce; vegetables. . macaroni. . _saturday_.-- . jugged hare; small mutton pudding. . fig pudding. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . crimped cod and oyster sauce. . roast fowls, small boiled ham, vegetables; rump-steak pie. . baked apple pudding, open jam tart. . _monday_.-- . the remainder of cod warmed in maître d'hôtel sauce. . boiled aitchbone of beef, carrots, parsnips, suet dumplings. . baked bread-and-butter pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . pea-soup, made from liquor in which beef was boiled. . cold beef, mashed potatoes; mutton cutlets and tomata sauce. . carrot pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . fried soles and melted butter. . roast leg of pork, apple sauce, vegetables. . macaroni with parmesan cheese. . _thursday_.-- . bubble-and-squeak from remains of cold beef; curried pork. . baked semolina pudding. . _friday_.-- . roast leg of mutton, stewed spanish onions, potatoes. . apple tart. . _saturday_.-- . hashed mutton; boiled rabbit and onion sauce; vegetables. . damson pudding made with bottled fruit. december. .--dinner for persons. _first course_. mock-turtle soup, removed by cod's head and shoulders and oyster sauce. stewed eels. vase of fried whitings. flowers. julienne soup, removed by soles aux fines herbes. _entrées_. fillets of grouse and sauce piquante. curried lobster. vase of mutton cutlets and flowers. soubise sauce. sweetbreads. _second course_. haunch of mutton. ham and brussels sprouts. roast goose. vase of stewed beef à la flowers. jardinière. game pie. boiled turkey and celery sauce. _third course_. apricot torte. pheasants, victoria removed by sandwiches. plum-pudding. vanilla cream. lemon jelly. vase of champagne jelly. flowers. blancmange. wild ducks, removed by tipsy cake. iced pudding. mince pies. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (december). first course. game soup. clear vermicelli soup. codfish au gratin. fillets of whitings à la maître d'hôtel. entrees. filet de boeuf and sauce piquante. fricasseed chicken. oyster patties. curried rabbit. second course. roast turkey and sausages. boiled leg of pork and vegetables. roast goose. stewed beef à la jardinière. third course. widgeon. partridges. charlotte aux pommes. mince pies. orange jelly. lemon cream. apple tart. cabinet pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (december). first course. mulligatawny soup. fried slices of codfish. soles à la crême. entrees. croquettes of fowl. pork cutlets and tomata sauce. second course. roast ribs of beef. boiled turkey and celery sauce. tongue, garnished. lark pudding. vegetables. third course. roast hare. grouse. plum-pudding. mince pies. charlotte à la parisienne. cheesecakes. apple tart. nesselrode pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (december). first course. carrot soup. crimped cod and oyster sauce. baked soles. entrees. mutton kidneys à la française. oyster patties. second course. boiled beef and vegetables. marrow-bones. roast fowls and water-cresses tongue, garnished. game pie. third course. partridges. blancmange. compôte of apples. vol-au-vent of pears. almond cheesecakes. lemon pudding. dessert and ices. .--dinner for persons (december).--i. first course. rabbit soup. brill and shrimp sauce. entrees. curried fowl. oyster patties. second course. roast turkey and sausages. boiled leg of pork. vegetables. third course. hunters' pudding. lemon cheesecakes. apple tart. custards, in glasses. raspberry cream. dessert. .--dinner for, persons (december).--ii. first course. ox-tail soup. crimped cod and oyster sauce. entrees. savoury rissoles. fowl scollops à la béchamel. second course. haunch of mutton. boiled chickens and celery sauce. bacon-cheek, garnished with brussels sprouts. vegetables. third course. snipes. orange jelly. cheesecakes. apples à la portugaise. apricot-jam tartlets. soufflé of rice. dessert. .--dinner for persons (december).--iii. first course. vermicelli soup. soles à la maître d'hôtel. fried eels. entrees. pork cutlets and tomato sauce. ragoût of mutton à la jardinière. second course. roast goose. boiled leg of mutton and vegetables. third course. pheasants. whipped cream. meringues. compôte of normandy pippins. mince pies. plum-pudding. dessert. .--dinner for persons (december).--iv. first course. carrot soup. baked cod. fried smelts. entrees. stewed rump-steak à la jardinière. fricasseed chicken. second course. roast leg of mutton, boned and stuffed. boiled turkey and oyster sauce. vegetables. third course. wild ducks. fancy pastry. lemon cream. damson tart, with bottled fruit. custards, in glasses. cabinet pudding. dessert. plain family dinners for december. . _sunday_.-- . carrot soup. . roast beef, horseradish sauce, vegetables. . plum-pudding, mince pies. . _monday._-- . fried whitings, melted butter. . rabbit pie, cold beef, mashed potatoes. . plum-pudding cut in slices and warmed; apple tart. . _tuesday_.-- . hashed beef and broiled bones, pork cutlets and tomata sauce; vegetables. . baked lemon pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . boiled neck of mutton and vegetables; the broth served first with a little pearl barley or rice boiled in it . bakewell pudding. . _thursday_.-- . roast leg of pork, apple sauce, vegetables. . rice snowballs. . _friday_.-- . soles à la crime. . cold pork and mashed potatoes, broiled rump-steaks and oyster sauce. . rolled jam pudding. . _saturday_.-- . the remains of cold pork curried, dish of rice, mutton cutlets, and mashed potatoes. . baked apple dumplings. * * * * * . _sunday_.-- . roast turkey and sausages, boiled leg of pork, pease pudding, vegetables. . baked apple pudding, mince pies. . _monday_.-- . hashed turkey, cold pork, mashed potatoes. . mince-meat pudding. . _tuesday_.-- . pea-soup made from liquor in which pork was boiled. . boiled fowls and celery sauce, vegetables. . baked rice pudding. . _wednesday_.-- . roast leg of mutton, stewed spanish onions, potatoes. . baked rolled jam pudding. . _thursday_.-- . baked cod's head. . cold mutton, roast hare, gravy and red-currant jelly. . macaroni. . _friday_.-- . hare soup, made with stock and remains of roast hare. . hashed mutton, pork cutlets, and mashed potatoes. . open tarts, rice blancmange. . _saturday_.-- . rump-steak-and-kidney pudding, vegetables. . mince pies, baked apple dumplings. .--bill of fare for a game dinner for persons (november). _first course_. hare soup. purée of grouse. vase of pheasant soup. flowers. soup á la reine. _entrées_. salmi of fillets of hare salmi of widgeon. en chevereuil. woodcock. perdrixaux choux. lark pudding. vase of game patties. flowers. curried rabbit. salmi of fillet of pheasant salmi of woodcock. and truffles. widgeon. _second course_. larded pheasants. leveret, larded and stuffed. cold pheasant pie vase of hot raised pie of á la périgord. flowers. mixed game. grouse. larded partridges. _third course_. snipes. pintails. ortolans. quails. golden vase of widgeon. plovers. flowers. teal. wild duck. woodcock. snipes. _entremets and removes_. apricot boudin à la nesselrode. maids of tart. honour. dantzic jelly. vol-au-vent vase of gâteau. of pears. flowers. génoise glacé. charlotte russe. maids of plum pudding. compôte of honour. apples. _dessert._ olives. strawberry-ice figs. cream. preserved pineapples. dried cherries. fruit. grapes. filberts. pears. walnuts. wafers. biscuits. ginger-ice cream. vase of orange-water ice. flowers. apples. dried grapes. preserved fruit. cherries. pears. figs. lemon-water ice. olives. menu. .--service a la russe (july). julienne soup. vermicelli soup. boiled salmon. turbot and lobster sauce. soles-water souchy. perch-water souchy. matelote d'anguilles à la toulouse. filets de soles à la normandie. red mullet. trout. lobster rissoles. whitebait. riz de veau à la banquière. filets de poulets aux coucombres. canards à la rouennaise. mutton cutlets à la jardinière. braised beef à la flamande. spring chickens. roast quarter of lamb. roast saddle of mutton. tongue. ham and peas. quails, larded. roast ducks. turkey poult, larded. mayonnaise of chicken. tomatas. green peas à la française. suédoise of strawberries. charlotte russe. compôte of cherries. neapolitan cakes. pastry. madeira wine jelly. iced pudding à la nesselrode. dessert and ices. _note._--dinners à la russe differ from ordinary dinners in the mode of serving the various dishes. in a dinner à la russe, the dishes are cut up on a sideboard, and handed round to the guests, and each dish may be considered a course. the table for a dinner à la russe should be laid with flowers and plants in fancy flowerpots down the middle, together with some of the dessert dishes. a menu or bill of fare should be laid by the side of each guest. menu. .--service a la russe (november). ox-tail soup. soup à la jardinière. turbot and lobster sauce. crimped cod and oyster sauce. stewed eels. soles à la normandie. pike and cream sauce. fried filleted soles. filets de boeuf à la jardinière. croquettes of game aux champignons. chicken cutlets. mutton cutlets and tomata sauce. lobster rissoles. oyster patties. partridges aux fines herbes. larded sweetbreads. roast beef. poulets aux cressons. haunch of mutton. roast turkey. boiled turkey and celery sauce. ham. grouse. pheasants. hare. salad. artichokes. stewed celery. italian cream. charlotte aux pommes. compôte of pears. croûtes madrées aux fruits. pastry. punch jelly. iced pudding. dessert and ices. _note._--dinners à la russe are scarcely suitable for small establishments; a large number of servants being required to carve; and to help the guests; besides there being a necessity for more plates, dishes, knives, forks, and spoons, than are usually to be found in any other than a very large establishment. where, however, a service à la russe is practicable, there it, perhaps, no mode of serving a dinner so enjoyable as this. suppers. . much may be done in the arrangement of a supper-table, at a very small expense, provided _taste_ and _ingenuity_ are exercised. the colours and flavours of the various dishes should contrast nicely; there should be plenty of fruit and flowers on the table, and the room should be well lighted. we have endeavoured to show how the various dishes may be placed; but of course these little matters entirely depend on the length and width of the table used, on individual taste, whether the tables are arranged round the room, whether down the centre, with a cross one at the top, or whether the supper is laid in two separate rooms, &c. &c. the garnishing of the dishes has also much to do with the appearance of a supper-table. hams and tongues should be ornamented with cut vegetable flowers, raised pies with aspic jelly cut in dice, and all the dishes garnished sufficiently to be in good taste without looking absurd. the eye, in fact, should be as much gratified as the palate. hot soup is now often served at suppers, but is not placed on the table. the servants fill the plates from a tureen on the buffet, and then hand them to the guests: when these plates are removed, the business of supper commences. . where small rooms and large parties necessitate having a standing supper, many things enumerated in the following bill of fare may be placed on the buffet. dishes for these suppers should be selected which may be eaten standing without any trouble. the following list may, perhaps, assist our readers in the arrangement of a buffet for a standing supper. . beef, ham, and tongue sandwiches, lobster and oyster patties, sausage rolls, meat rolls, lobster salad, dishes of fowls, the latter _all cut up_; dishes of sliced ham, sliced tongue, sliced beef, and galantine of veal; various jellies, blancmanges, and creams; custards in glasses, compôtes of fruit, tartlets of jam, and several dishes of small fancy pastry; dishes of fresh fruit, bonbons, sweetmeats, two or three sponge cakes, a few plates of biscuits, and the buffet ornamented with vases of fresh or artificial flowers. the above dishes are quite sufficient for a standing supper; where more are desired, a supper must then be laid and arranged in the usual manner. .--bill of fare for a ball supper for persons (for winter) boar's head, garnished with aspic jelly. lobster salad lobster salad. fruited jelly. mayonnaise of fowl. charlotte russe. small ham, garnished. small pastry. iced savoy cake. biscuits. vanilla cream epergne, with fruit. fruited jelly. two roast fowls, cut up. two roast fowls, cut up. prawns two boiled fowls, with béchamel prawns sauce. biscuits small pastry tongue, ornamented. custards, trifle, ornamented. custards, in glasses. in glasses. raised chicken pie. tipsy cake lobster salad. lobster salad. fruited jelly. swiss cream. roast pheasant. meringues. epergne, with fruit. meringues. raspberry cream. galantine of veal. fruited jelly. tipsy cake. small pastry. biscuits. raised game pie. custards, trifle, ornamented custards, in glasses. in glasses. two roast fowls, cut up. two roast fowls, cut up. tongue, ornamented. prawns. prawns. two boiled fowls, with béchamel sauce. biscuits. small pastry. epergne, with fruit. lobster salad. lobster salad. fruited jelly. iced savoy cake. blancmange. small ham, garnished. mayonnaise of fowl. charlotte russe. fruited jelly. larded capon. _note:_ when soup is served from the buffet, mock turtle and julienne may be selected. besides the articles enumerated above, ices, wafers, biscuits, tea, coffee, wines and liqueurs will be required. punch a la romaine may also be added to the list of beverages. .--bill of fare for a ball supper, or a cold collation for a summer entertainment, or wedding or christening breakfast for or persons (july). [illustration: containing the following--] [columns and ] blancmanges, to be placed down the table. jellies, to be placed down the table. dishes of small pastry. fruit tarts. cheesecakes. compotes of fruit. english pines. small dishes of various summer fruits. [column ] dish of lobster, cut up. charlotte russe à la vanille. lobster salad pigeon pie. lobster salad. dish of lobster, cut up. larded capon. lobster salad. pigeon pie. dish of lobster, cut up. savoy cake. lobster salad. [column ] tongue. ribs of lamb. two roast fowls. mayonnaise of salmon. epergne, with flowers. mayonnaise of trout. tongue, garnished. boiled fowls and béchamel sauce. collared eel. ham. raised pie. two roast fowls. shoulder of lamb, stuffed. mayonnaise of salmon. epergne, with flowers. mayonnaise of trout. tongue. boiled fowls and béchamel sauce. raised pie. ham, decorated. shoulder of lamb, stuffed. two roast fowls. mayonnaise of salmon. epergne, with flowers. mayonnaise of trout. tongue, garnished. boiled fowls and béchamel sauce. collared eel. [column ] veal-and-ham pie. lobster salad. savoy cake. dish of lobster, cut up. lobster salad. boar's head. pigeon pie. lobster salad. dish of lobster, cut up. lobster salad. charlotte russe à la vanille. veal and ham pie. dish of lobster, cut up. _note_.--the length of the page will not admit of our giving the dishes as they should be placed on the table; they should be arranged with the large and high dishes down the centre, and the spaces filled up with the smaller dishes, fruit, and flowers, taking care that the flavours and colours contrast nicely, and that no two dishes of a sort come together. this bill of fare may be made to answer three or four purposes, placing a wedding cake or christening cake in the centre on a high stand, if required for either of these occasions. a few dishes of fowls, lobster salads, &c. &c., should be kept in reserve to replenish those that are most likely to be eaten first. a joint of cold roast and boiled beef should be placed on the buffet, as being something substantial for the gentlemen of the party to partake of. besides the articles enumerated in the bill of fare, biscuits and wafers will be required, cream-and-water ices, tea, coffee, wines, liqueurs, soda-water, ginger-beer, and lemonade. breakfasts. . it will not be necessary to give here a long bill of fare of cold joints, &c., which may be placed on the side-board, and do duty at the breakfast-table. suffice it to say, that any cold meat the larder may furnish, should be nicely garnished, and be placed on the buffet. collared and potted meats or fish, cold game or poultry, veal-and-ham pies, game-and-rump-steak pies, are all suitable dishes for the breakfast-table; as also cold ham, tongue, &c. &c. . the following list of hot dishes may perhaps assist our readers in knowing what to provide for the comfortable meal called breakfast. broiled fish, such as mackerel, whiting, herrings, dried haddocks, &c.; mutton chops and rump-steaks, broiled sheep's kidneys, kidneys à la maître d'hôtel, sausages, plain rashers of bacon, bacon and poached eggs, ham and poached eggs, omelets, plain boiled eggs, oeufs-au-plat, poached eggs on toast, muffins, toast, marmalade, butter, &c. &c. . in the summer, and when they are obtainable, always have a vase of freshly-gathered flowers on the breakfast-table, and, when convenient, a nicely-arranged dish of fruit: when strawberries are in season, these are particularly refreshing; as also grapes, or even currants. luncheons and suppers. . the remains of cold joints, nicely garnished, a few sweets, or a little hashed meat, poultry or game, are the usual articles placed on the table for luncheon, with bread and cheese, biscuits, butter, &c. if a substantial meal is desired, rump-steaks or mutton chops may he served, as also veal cutlets, kidneys, or any dish of that kind. in families where there is a nursery, the mistress of the house often partakes of the meal with the children, and makes it her luncheon. in the summer, a few dishes of fresh fruit should be added to the luncheon, or, instead of this, a compote of fruit or fruit tart, or pudding. . of suppers we have little to say, as we have already given two bills of fare for a large party, which will answer very well for a smaller number, by reducing the quantity of dishes and by omitting a few. hot suppers are now very little in request, as people now generally dine at an hour which precludes the possibility of requiring supper; at all events, not one of a substantial kind. should, however, a bill of fare be required, one of those under the head of dinners, with slight alterations, will be found to answer for a hot supper. bill of fare for a picnic for persons. . a joint of cold roast beef, a joint of cold boiled beef, ribs of lamb, shoulders of lamb, roast fowls, roast ducks, ham, tongue, veal-and-ham pies, pigeon pies, medium-sized lobsters, piece of collared calf's head, lettuces, baskets of salad, cucumbers. . stewed fruit well sweetened, and put into glass bottles well corked; or dozen plain pastry biscuits to eat with the stewed fruit, dozen fruit turnovers, dozen cheesecakes, cold cabinet puddings in moulds, blancmanges in moulds, a few jam puffs, large cold plum-pudding (this must be good), a few baskets of fresh fruit, dozen plain biscuits, a piece of cheese, lbs. of butter (this, of course, includes the butter for tea), quartern loaves of household broad, dozen rolls, loaves of tin bread (for tea), plain plum cakes, pound cakes, sponge cakes, a tin of mixed biscuits, / lb, of tea. coffee is not suitable for a picnic, being difficult to make. things not to be forgotten at a picnic. . a stick of horseradish, a bottle of mint-sauce well corked, a bottle of salad dressing, a bottle of vinegar, made mustard, pepper, salt, good oil, and pounded sugar. if it can be managed, take a little ice. it is scarcely necessary to say that plates, tumblers, wine-glasses, knives, forks, and spoons, must not be forgotten; as also teacups and saucers, or teapots, some lump sugar, and milk, if this last-named article cannot be obtained in the neighbourhood. take corkscrews. . _beverages_.-- dozen quart bottles of ale, packed in hampers; ginger-beer, soda-water, and lemonade, of each dozen bottles; bottles of sherry, bottles of claret, champagne à discrétion, and any other light wine that may be preferred, and bottles of brandy. water can usually be obtained so it is useless to take it. domestic servants. chapter xli. . it is the custom of "society" to abuse its servants,--_a façon de parler_, such as leads their lords and masters to talk of the weather, and, when rurally inclined, of the crops,--leads matronly ladies, and ladies just entering on their probation in that honoured and honourable state, to talk of servants, and, as we are told, wax eloquent over the greatest plague in life while taking a quiet cup of tea. young men at their clubs, also, we are told, like to abuse their "fellows," perhaps not without a certain pride and pleasure at the opportunity of intimating that they enjoy such appendages to their state. it is another conviction of "society" that the race of good servants has died out, at least in england, although they do order these things better in france; that there is neither honesty, conscientiousness, nor the careful and industrious habits which distinguished the servants of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers; that domestics no longer know their place; that the introduction of cheap silks and cottons, and, still more recently, those ambiguous "materials" and tweeds, have removed the landmarks between the mistress and her maid, between the master and his man. . when the distinction really depends on things so insignificant, this is very probably the case; when the lady of fashion chooses her footman without any other consideration than his height, shape, and _tournure_ of his calf, it is not surprising that she should find a domestic who has no attachment for the family, who considers the figure he cuts behind her carriage, and the late hours he is compelled to keep, a full compensation for the wages he exacts, for the food he wastes, and for the perquisites he can lay his hands on. nor should the fast young man, who chooses his groom for his knowingness in the ways of the turf and in the tricks of low horse-dealers, be surprised if he is sometimes the victim of these learned ways. but these are the exceptional cases, which prove the existence of a better state of things. the great masses of society among us are not thus deserted; there are few families of respectability, from the shopkeeper in the next street to the nobleman whose mansion dignifies the next square, which do not contain among their dependents attached and useful servants; and where these are absent altogether, there are good reasons for it. the sensible master and the kind mistress know, that if servants depend on them for their means of living, in their turn they are dependent on their servants for very many of the comforts of life; and that, with a proper amount of care in choosing servants, and treating them like reasonable beings, and making slight excuses for the shortcomings of human nature, they will, save in some exceptional case, be tolerably well served, and, in most instances, surround themselves with attached domestics. . this remark, which is applicable to all domestics, is especially so to men-servants. families accustomed to such attendants have always about them humble dependents, whose children have no other prospect than domestic service to look forward to; to them it presents no degradation, but the reverse, to be so employed; they are initiated step by step into the mysteries of the household, with the prospect of rising in the service, if it is a house admitting of promotion,--to the respectable position of butler or house-steward. in families of humbler pretensions, where they must look for promotion elsewhere, they know that can only be attained by acquiring the goodwill of their employers. can there be any stronger security for their good conduct,--any doubt that, in the mass of domestic servants, good conduct is the rule, the reverse the exception? . the number of the male domestics in a family varies according to the wealth and position of the master, from the owner of the ducal mansion, with a retinue of attendants, at the head of which is the chamberlain and house-steward, to the occupier of the humbler house, where a single footman, or even the odd man-of-all-work, is the only male retainer. the majority of gentlemen's establishments probably comprise a servant out of livery, or butler, a footman, and coachman, or coachman and groom, where the horses exceed two or three. duties of the butler. . the domestic duties of the butler are to bring in the eatables at breakfast, and wait upon the family at that meal, assisted by the footman, and see to the cleanliness of everything at table. on taking away, he removes the tray with the china and plate, for which he is responsible. at luncheon, he arranges the meal, and waits unassisted, the footman being now engaged in other duties. at dinner, he places the silver and plated articles on the table, sees that everything is in its place, and rectifies what is wrong. he carries in the first dish, and announces in the drawing-room that dinner is on the table, and respectfully stands by the door until the company are seated, when he takes his place behind his master's chair on the left, to remove the covers, handing them to the other attendants to carry out. after the first course of plates is supplied, his place is at the sideboard to serve the wines, but only when called on. . the first course ended, he rings the cook's bell, and hands the dishes from the table to the other servants to carry away, receiving from them the second course, which he places on the table, removing the covers as before, and again taking his place at the sideboard. . at dessert, the slips being removed, the butler receives the dessert from the other servants, and arranges it on the table, with plates and glasses, and then takes his place behind his master's chair to hand the wines and ices, while the footman stands behind his mistress for the same purpose, the other attendants leaving the room. where the old-fashioned practice of having the dessert on the polished table, without any cloth, is still adhered to, the butler should rub off any marks made by the hot dishes before arranging the dessert. . before dinner, he has satisfied himself that the lamps, candles, or gas-burners are in perfect order, if not lighted, which will usually be the case. having served every one with their share of the dessert, put the fires in order (when these are used), and seen the lights are all right, at a signal from his master, he and the footman leave the room. . he now proceeds to the drawing-room, arranges the fireplace, and sees to the lights; he then returns to his pantry, prepared to answer the bell, and attend to the company, while the footman is clearing away and cleaning the plate and glasses. . at tea he again attends. at bedtime he appears with the candles; he locks up the plate, secures doors and windows, and sees that all the fires are safe. . in addition to these duties, the butler, where only one footman is kept, will be required to perform some of the duties of the valet, to pay bills, and superintend the other servants. but the real duties of the butler are in the wine-cellar; there he should be competent to advise his master as to the price and quality of the wine to be laid in; "fine," bottle, cork, and seal it, and place it in the binns. brewing, racking, and bottling malt liquors, belong to his office, as well as their distribution. these and other drinkables are brought from the cellar every day by his own hands, except where an under-butler is kept; and a careful entry of every bottle used, entered in the cellar-book; so that the book should always show the contents of the cellar. . the office of butler is thus one of very great trust in a household. here, as elsewhere, honesty is the best policy: the butler should make it his business to understand the proper treatment of the different wines under his charge, which he can easily do from the wine-merchant, and faithfully attend to it; his own reputation will soon compensate for the absence of bribes from unprincipled wine-merchants, if he serves a generous and hospitable master. nothing spreads more rapidly in society than the reputation of a good wine-cellar, and all that is required is wines well chosen and well cared for; and this a little knowledge, carefully applied, will soon supply. . the butler, we have said, has charge of the contents of the cellars, and it is his duty to keep them in a proper condition, to fine down wine in wood, bottle it off, and store it away in places suited to the sorts. where wine comes into the cellar ready bottled, it is usual to return the same number of empty bottles; the butler has not, in this case, the same inducements to keep the bottles of the different sorts separated; but where the wine is bottled in the house, he will find his account, not only in keeping them separate, but in rinsing them well, and even washing them with clean water as soon as they are empty. . there are various modes of fining wine: isinglass, gelatine, and gum arabic are all used for the purpose. whichever of these articles is used, the process is always the same. supposing eggs (the cheapest) to be used,--draw a gallon or so of the wine, and mix one quart of it with the whites of four eggs, by stirring it with a whisk; afterwards, when thoroughly mixed, pour it back into the cask through the bunghole, and stir up the whole cask, in a rotatory direction, with a clean split stick inserted through the bunghole. having stirred it sufficiently, pour in the remainder of the wine drawn off, until the cask is full; then stir again, skimming off the bubbles that rise to the surface. when thoroughly mixed by stirring, close the bunghole, and leave it to stand for three or four days. this quantity of clarified wine will fine thirteen dozen of port or sherry. the other clearing ingredients are applied in the same manner, the material being cut into small pieces, and dissolved in the quart of wine, and the cask stirred in the same manner. . _to bottle wine_.--having thoroughly washed and dried the bottles, supposing they have been before used for the same kind of wine, provide corks, which will be improved by being slightly boiled, or at least steeped in hot water,--a wooden hammer or mallet, a bottling-boot, and a squeezer for the corks. bore a hole in the lower part of the cask with a gimlet, receiving the liquid stream which follows in the bottle and filterer, which is placed in a tub or basin. this operation is best performed by two persons, one to draw the wine, the other to cork the bottles. the drawer is to see that the bottles are up to the mark, but not too full, the bottle being placed in a clean tub to prevent waste. the corking-boot is buckled by a strap to the knee, the bottle placed in it, and the cork, after being squeezed in the press, driven in by a flat wooden mallet. . as the wine draws near to the bottom of the cask, a thick piece of muslin is placed in the strainer, to prevent the viscous grounds from passing into the bottle. . having carefully counted the bottles, they are stored away in their respective binns, a layer of sand or sawdust being placed under the first tier, and another over it; a second tier is laid over this, protected by a lath, the head of the second being laid to the bottom of the first; over this another bed of sawdust is laid, not too thick, another lath; and so on till the binn is filled. . wine so laid in will be ready for use according to its quality and age. port wine, old in the wood, will be ready to drink in five or six months; but if it is a fruity wine, it will improve every year. sherry, if of good quality, will be fit to drink as soon as the "sickness" (as its first condition after bottling is called) ceases, and will also improve; but the cellar must be kept at a perfectly steady temperature, neither too hot nor too cold, but about ° or °, and absolutely free from draughts of cold air. duties of the footman. . where a single footman, or odd man, is the only male servant, then, whatever his ostensible position, he is required to make himself generally useful. he has to clean the knives and shoes, the furniture, the plate; answer the visitors who call, the drawing-room and parlour bells; and do all the errands. his life is no sinecure; and a methodical arrangement of his time will be necessary, in order to perform his many duties with any satisfaction to himself or his master. . the footman only finds himself in stockings, shoes, and washing. where silk stockings, or other extra articles of linen are worn, they are found by the family, as well as his livery, a working dress, consisting of a pair of overalls, a waistcoat, a fustian jacket, with a white or jean one for times when he is liable to be called to answer the door or wait at breakfast; and, on quitting his service, he is expected to leave behind him any livery had within six months. . the footman is expected to rise early, in order to get through all his dirty work before the family are stirring. boots and shoes, and knives and forks, should be cleaned, lamps in use trimmed, his master's clothes brushed, the furniture rubbed over; so that he may put aside his working dress, tidy himself, and appear in a clean jean jacket to lay the cloth and prepare breakfast for the family. . we need hardly dwell on the boot-cleaning process: three good brushes and good blacking must be provided; one of the brushes hard, to brush off the mud; the other soft, to lay on the blacking; the third of a medium hardness, for polishing; and each should be kept for its particular use. the blacking should be kept corked up, except when in use, and applied to the brush with a sponge tied to a stick, which, when put away, rests in a notch cut in the cork. when boots come in very muddy, it is a good practice to wash off the mud, and wipe them dry with a sponge; then leave them to dry very gradually on their sides, taking care they are not placed near the fire, or scorched. much delicacy of treatment is required in cleaning ladies' boots, so as to make the leather look well-polished, and the upper part retain a fresh appearance, with the lining free from hand-marks, which are very offensive to a lady of refined tastes. . patent leather boots require to be wiped with a wet sponge, and afterwards with a soft dry cloth, and occasionally with a soft cloth and sweet oil, blacking and polishing the edge of the soles in the usual way, but so as not to cover the patent polish with blacking. a little milk may also be used with very good effect for patent leather boots. . top boots are still occasionally worn by gentlemen. while cleaning the lower part in the usual manner, protect the tops, by inserting a cloth or brown paper under the edges and bringing it over them. in cleaning the tops, let the covering fall down over the boot; wash the tops clean with soap and flannel, and rub out any spots with pumice-stone. if the tops are to be whiter, dissolve an ounce of oxalic acid and half an ounce of pumice-stone in a pint of soft water; if a brown colour is intended, mix an ounce of muriatic acid, half an ounce of alum, half an ounce of gum arabic, and half an ounce of spirit of lavender, in a pint and a half of skimmed milk "turned." these mixtures apply by means of a sponge, and polish, when dry, with a rubber made of soft flannel. . knives are now generally cleaned by means of kent's or masters's machine, which gives very little trouble, and is very effective; before, however, putting the knives into the machine, it is highly necessary that they be first washed in a little warm (not hot) water, and then thoroughly wiped: if put into the machine with any grease on them, it adheres to the brushes, and consequently renders them unfit to use for the next knives that may be put in. when this precaution is not taken, the machine must come to pieces, so causing an immense amount of trouble, which may all be avoided by having the knives thoroughly free from grease before using the machine. brushes are also used for cleaning forks, which facilitate the operation. when knives are so cleaned, see that they are carefully polished, wiped, and with a good edge, the ferules and prongs free from dirt, and place them in the basket with the handles all one way. . lamp-trimming requires a thorough acquaintance with the mechanism; after that, constant attention to cleanliness, and an occasional entire clearing out with hot water: when this is done, all the parts should be carefully dried before filling again with oil. when lacquered, wipe the lacquered parts with a soft brush and cloth, and wash occasionally with weak soapsuds, wiping carefully afterwards. brass lamps may be cleaned with oil and rottenstone every day when trimmed. with bronze, and other ornamental lamps, more care will be required, and soft flannel and oil only used, to prevent the removal of the bronze or enamel. brass-work, or any metal-work not lacquered, is cleaned by a little oil and rottenstone made into a paste, or with fine emery-powder and oil mixed in the same manner. a small portion of sal ammoniac, beat into a fine powder and moistened with soft water, rubbed over brass ornaments, and heated over a charcoal fire, and rubbed dry with bran or whitening, will give to brass-work the brilliancy of gold. in trimming moderator lamps, let the wick be cut evenly all round; as, if left higher in one place than it is in another, it will cause it to smoke and burn badly. the lamp should then be filled with oil from a feeder, and afterwards well wiped with a cloth or rag kept for the purpose. if it can be avoided, never wash the chimneys of a lamp, as it causes them to crack when they become hot. small sticks, covered with wash-leather pads, are the best things to use for cleaning the glasses inside, and a clean duster for polishing the outside. the globe of a moderator lamp should be occasionally washed in warm soap-and-water, then well rinsed in cold water, and either wiped dry or left to drain. where candle-lamps are used, take out the springs occasionally, and free them well from the grease that adheres to them. . french polish, so universally applied to furniture, is easily kept in condition by dusting and rubbing with a soft cloth, or a rubber of old silk; but dining-tables can only be kept in order by hard rubbing, or rather by quick rubbing, which warms the wood and removes all spots. . brushing clothes is a very simple but very necessary operation. fine cloths require to be brushed lightly, and with rather a soft brush, except where mud is to be removed, when a hard one is necessary, being previously beaten lightly to dislodge the dirt. lay the garment on a table, and brush it in the direction of the nap. having brushed it properly, turn the sleeves back to the collar, so that the folds may come at the elbow-joints; next turn the lappels or sides back over the folded sleeves; then lay the skirts over level with the collar, so that the crease may fall about the centre, and double one half over the other, so as the fold comes in the centre of the back. . having got through his dirty work, the single footman has now to clean himself and prepare the breakfast. he lays the cloth on the table; over it the breakfast-cloth, and sets the breakfast things in order, and then proceeds to wait upon his master, if he has any of the duties of a valet to perform. . where a valet is not kept, a portion of his duties falls to the footman's share,--brushing the clothes among others. when the hat is silk, it requires brushing every day with a soft brush; after rain, it requires wiping the way of the nap before drying, and, when nearly dry, brushing with the soft brush and with the hat-stick in it. if the footman is required to perform any part of a valet's duties, he will have to see that the housemaid lights a fire in the dressing-room in due time; that the room is dusted and cleaned; that the washhand-ewer is filled with soft water; and that the bath, whether hot or cold, is ready when required; that towels are at hand; that hair-brushes and combs are properly cleansed, and in their places; that hot water is ready at the hour ordered; the dressing-gown and slippers in their place, the clean linen aired, and the clothes to be worn for the day in their proper places. after the master has dressed, it will be the footman's duty to restore everything to its place properly cleansed and dry, and the whole restored to order. . at breakfast, when there is no butler, the footman carries up the tea-urn, and, assisted by the housemaid, he waits during breakfast. breakfast over, he removes the tray and other things off the table, folds up the breakfast-cloth, and sets the room in order, by sweeping up all crumbs, shaking the cloth, and laying it on the table again, making up the fire, and sweeping up the hearth. . at luncheon-time nearly the same routine is observed, except where the footman is either out with the carriage or away on other business, when, in the absence of any butler, the housemaid must assist. . for dinner, the footman lays the cloth, taking care that the table is not too near the fire, if there is one, and that passage-room is left. a tablecloth should be laid without a wrinkle; and this requires two persons: over this the slips are laid, which are usually removed preparatory to placing dessert on the table. he prepares knives, forks, and glasses, with five or six plates for each person. this done, he places chairs enough for the party, distributing them equally on each side of the table, and opposite to each a napkin neatly folded, within it a piece of bread or small roll, and a knife on the right side of each plate, a fork on the left, and a carving-knife and fork at the top and bottom of the table, outside the others, with the rests opposite to them, and a gravy-spoon beside the knife. the fish-slice should be at the top, where the lady of the house, with the assistance of the gentleman next to her, divides the fish, and the soup-ladle at the bottom: it is sometimes usual to add a dessert-knife and fork; at the same time, on the right side also of each plate, put a wine-glass for as many kinds of wine as it is intended to hand round, and a finger-glass or glass-cooler about four inches from the edge. the latter are frequently put on the table with the dessert. . about half an hour before dinner, he rings the dinner-bell, where that is the practice, and occupies himself with carrying up everything he is likely to require. at the expiration of the time, having communicated with the cook, he rings the real dinner-bell, and proceeds to take it up with such assistance as he can obtain. having ascertained that all is in order, that his own dress is clean and presentable, and his white cotton gloves are without a stain, he announces in the drawing-room that dinner is served, and stands respectfully by the door until the company are seated: he places himself on the left, behind his master, who is to distribute the soup; where soup and fish are served together, his place will be at his mistress's left hand; but he must be on the alert to see that whoever is assisting him, whether male or female, are at their posts. if any of the guests has brought his own servant with him, his place is behind his master's chair, rendering such assistance to others as he can, while attending to his master's wants throughout the dinner, so that every guest has what he requires. this necessitates both activity and intelligence, and should be done without bustle, without asking any questions, except where it is the custom of the house to hand round dishes or wine, when it will be necessary to mention, in a quiet and unobtrusive manner, the dish or wine you present. . salt-cellars should be placed on the table in number sufficient for the guests, so that each may help themselves, or, at least, their immediate neighbours. dinners À la russe. . in some houses the table is laid out with plate and glass, and ornamented with flowers, the dessert only being placed on the table, the dinner itself being placed on the sideboard, and handed round in succession, in courses of soup, fish, entries, meat, game, and sweets. this is not only elegant but economical, as fewer dishes are required, the symmetry of the table being made up with the ornaments and dessert. the various dishes are also handed round when hot; but it involves additional and superior attendance, as the wines are also handed round; and unless the servants are very active and intelligent, many blunders are likely to be made. (see p. .) general observations. . while attentive to all, the footman should be obtrusive to none; he should give nothing but on a waiter, and always hand it with the left hand and on the left side of the person he serves, and hold it so that the guest may take it with ease. in lifting dishes from the table, he should use both hands, and remove them with care, so that nothing is spilt on the table-cloth or on the dresses of the guests. . masters as well as servants sometimes make mistakes; but it is not expected that a servant will correct any omissions, even if he should have time to notice them, although with the best intentions: thus it would not be correct, for instance, if he observed that his master took wine with the ladies all round, as some gentlemen still continue to do, but stopped at some one:--to nudge him on the shoulder and say, as was done by the servant of a scottish gentleman, "what ails you at her in the green gown?" it will be better to leave the lady unnoticed than for the servant thus to turn his master into ridicule. . during dinner each person's knife, fork, plate, and spoon should be changed as soon as he has done with it; the vegetables and sauces belonging to the different dishes presented without remark to the guests; and the footman should tread lightly in moving round, and, if possible, should bear in mind, if there is a wit or humorist of the party, whose good things keep the table in a roar, that they are not expected to reach his ears. . in opening wine, let it be done quietly, and without shaking the bottle; if crusted, let it be inclined to the crusted side, and decanted while in that position. in opening champagne, it is not necessary to discharge it with a pop; properly cooled, the cork is easily extracted without an explosion; when the cork is out, the mouth of the bottle should be wiped with the napkin over the footman's arm. . at the end of the first course, notice is conveyed to the cook, who is waiting to send up the second, which is introduced in the same way as before; the attendants who remove the fragments, carrying the dishes from the kitchen, and handing them to the footman or butler, whose duty it is to arrange them on the table. after dinner, the dessert-glasses and wines are placed on the table by the footman, who places himself behind his master's chair, to supply wine and hand round the ices and other refreshments, all other servants leaving the room. . as soon as the drawing-room bell rings for tea, the footman enters with the tray, which has been previously prepared; hands the tray round to the company, with cream and sugar, the tea and coffee being generally poured out, while another attendant hands cakes, toast, or biscuits. if it is an ordinary family party, where this social meal is prepared by the mistress, he carries the urn or kettle, as the case may be; hands round the toast, or such other eatable as may be required, removing the whole in the same manner when tea is over. . after each meal, the footman's place is in his pantry: here perfect order should prevail--a place for everything and everything in its place. a sink, with hot and cold water laid on, is very desirable,--cold absolutely necessary. wooden bowls or tubs of sufficient capacity are required, one for hot and another for cold water. have the bowl three parts full of clean hot water; in this wash all plate and plated articles which are greasy, wiping them before cleaning with the brush. . the footman in small families, where only one man is kept, has many of the duties of the upper servants to perform as well as his own, and more constant occupation; he will also have the arrangement of his time more immediately under his own control, and he will do well to reduce it to a methodical division. all his rough work should be done before breakfast is ready, when he must appear clean, and in a presentable state. after breakfast, when everything belonging to his pantry is cleaned and put in its place, the furniture in the dining and drawing rooms requires rubbing. towards noon, the parlour luncheon is to be prepared; and he must be at his mistress's disposal to go out with the carriage, or follow her if she walks out. . glass is a beautiful and most fragile article: hence it requires great care in washing. a perfectly clean wooden bowl is best for this operation, one for moderately hot and another for cold water. wash the glasses well in the first and rinse them in the second, and turn them down on a linen cloth folded two or three times, to drain for a few minutes. when sufficiently drained, wipe them with a cloth and polish with a finer one, doing so tenderly and carefully. accidents will happen; but nothing discredits a servant in the drawing-room more than continual reports of breakages, which, of course, must reach that region. . decanters and water-jugs require still more tender treatment in cleaning, inasmuch as they are more costly to replace. fill them about two-thirds with hot but not boiling water, and put in a few pieces of well-soaped brown paper; leave them thus for two or three hours; then shake the water up and down in the decanters; empty this out, rinse them well with clean cold water, and put them in a rack to drain. when dry, polish them outside and inside, as far as possible, with a fine cloth. to remove the crust of port or other wines, add a little muriatic acid to the water, and let it remain for some time. . when required to go out with the carriage, it is the footman's duty to see that it has come to the door perfectly clean, and that the glasses, and sashes, and linings, are free from dust. in receiving messages at the carriage door, he should turn his ear to the speaker, so as to comprehend what is said, in order that he may give his directions to the coachman clearly. when the house he is to call at is reached, he should knock, and return to the carriage for orders. in closing the door upon the family, he should see that the handle is securely turned, and that no part of the ladies' dress is shut in. . it is the footman's duty to carry messages or letters for his master or mistress to their friends, to the post, or to the tradespeople; and nothing is more important than dispatch and exactness in doing so, although writing even the simplest message is now the ordinary and very proper practice. dean swift, among his other quaint directions, all of which are to be read by contraries, recommends a perusal of all such epistles, in order that you may be the more able to fulfil your duty to your master. an old lady of forfarshire had one of those odd old caleb balderston sort of servants, who construed the dean of st. patrick more literally. on one occasion, when dispatch was of some importance, knowing his inquiring nature, she called her scotch paul pry to her, opened the note, and read it to him herself, saying, "now, andrew, you ken a' aboot it, and needna' stop to open and read it, but just take it at once." probably most of the notes you are expected to carry might, with equal harmlessness, be communicated to you; but it will be better not to take so lively an interest in your mistress's affairs. . politeness and civility to visitors is one of the things masters and mistresses have a right to expect, and should exact rigorously. when visitors present themselves, the servant charged with the duty of opening the door will open it promptly, and answer, without hesitation, if the family are "not at home," or "engaged;" which generally means the same thing, and might be oftener used with advantage to morals. on the contrary, if he has no such orders, he will answer affirmatively, open the door wide to admit them, and precede them to open the door of the drawing-room. if the family are not there, he will place chairs for them, open the blinds (if the room is too dark), and intimate civilly that he goes to inform his mistress. if the lady is in her drawing-room, he announces the name of the visitors, having previously acquainted himself with it. in this part of his duty it is necessary to be very careful to repeat the names correctly; mispronouncing names is very apt to give offence, and leads sometimes to other disagreeables. the writer was once initiated into some of the secrets on the "other side" of a legal affair in which he took an interest, before he could correct a mistake made by the servant in announcing him. when the visitor is departing, the servant should be at hand, ready, when rung for, to open the door; he should open it with a respectful manner, and close it gently when the visitors are fairly beyond the threshold. when several visitors arrive together, he should take care not to mix up the different names together, where they belong to the same family, as mr., mrs., and miss; if they are strangers, he should announce each as distinctly as possible. . _receptions and evening parties_.--the drawing-rooms being prepared, the card-tables laid out with cards and counters, and such other arrangements as are necessary made for the reception of the company, the rooms should be lighted up as the hour appointed approaches. attendants in the drawing-room, even more than in the dining-room, should move about actively but noiselessly; no creaking of shoes, which is an abomination; watching the lights from time to time, so as to keep up their brilliancy. but even if the attendant likes a game of cribbage or whist himself, he must not interfere in his master or mistress's game, nor even seem to take an interest in it. we once knew a lady who had a footman, and both were fond of a game of cribbage,--john in the kitchen, the lady in her drawing-room. the lady was a giver of evening parties, where she frequently enjoyed her favourite amusement. while handing about the tea and toast, john could not always suppress his disgust at her mistakes. "there is more in that hand, ma'am," he has been known to say; or, "ma'am, you forgot to count his nob;" in fact, he identified himself with his mistress's game, and would have lost twenty places rather than witness a miscount. it is not necessary to adopt his example on this point, although john had many qualities a good servant might copy with advantage. the coachhouse and stables. . the horse is the noblest of quadrupeds, whether we view him in his strength, his sagacity, or his beauty. he is also the most useful to man of all the animal creation; but his delicacy is equal to his power and usefulness. no other animal, probably, is so dependent on man in the state of domestication to which he has been reduced, or deteriorates so rapidly under exposure, bad feeding, or bad grooming. it is, therefore, a point of humanity, not to speak of its obvious impolicy, for the owner of horses to overlook any neglect in their feeding or grooming. his interest dictates that so valuable an animal should be well housed, well fed, and well groomed; and he will do well to acquire so much of stable lore as will enable him to judge of these points himself. in a general way, where a horse's coat is habitually rough and untidy, there is a sad want of elbow-grease in the stable. when a horse of tolerable breeding is dull and spiritless, he is getting ill or badly fed; and where he is observed to perspire much in the stables, is overfed, and probably eats his litter in addition to his regular supply of food. . _stables_.--the architectural form of the stables will be subject to other influences than ours; we confine ourselves, therefore, to their internal arrangements. they should be roomy in proportion to the number of stalls; warm, with good ventilation, and perfectly free from cold draughts; the stalls roomy, without excess, with good and well-trapped drainage, so as to exclude bad smells; a sound ceiling to prevent the entrance of dust from the hayloft, which is usually above them; and there should be plenty of light, coming, however, either from above or behind, so as not to glare in the horse's eye. . _heat_.--the first of these objects is attained, if the stables are kept within a degree or two of ° in winter, and ° in summer; although some grooms insist on a much higher temperature, in the interests of their own labour. . _ventilation_ is usually attained by the insertion of one or more tubes or boxes of wood or iron through the ceiling and the roof, with a sloping covering over the opening, to keep out rain, and valves or ventilators below to regulate the atmosphere, with openings in the walls for the admission of fresh air: this is still a difficulty, however; for the effluvium of the stable is difficult to dispel, and draughts must be avoided. this is sometimes accomplished by means of hollow walls with gratings at the bottom outside, for the exit of bad air, which is carried down through the hollow walls and discharged at the bottom, while, for the admission of fresh air, the reverse takes place: the fresh by this means gets diffused and heated before it is discharged into the stable. . _the stalls_ should be divided by partitions of wood-work eight or nine feet high at the head and six at the heels, and nine feet deep, so as to separate each horse from its neighbour. a hay-rack placed within easy reach of the horse, of wood or iron, occupies either a corner or the whole breadth of the stall, which should be about six feet for on ordinary-sized horse. a manger, formerly of wood, but of late years more generally of iron lined with enamel, occupies a corner of the stall. the pavement of the stall should be nearly level, with a slight incline towards the gutter, to keep the bed dry, paved with hard dutch brick laid on edge, or asphalte, or smithy clinkers, or rubble-stones, laid in strong cement. in the centre, about five feet from the wall, a grating should be firmly fixed in the pavement, and in communication with a well-trapped drain to carry off the water; the gutter outside the stall should also communicate with the drains by trapped openings. the passage between the stall and the hall should be from five to six feet broad at least; on the wall, opposite to each stall, pegs should be placed for receiving the harness and other things in daily use. . _a harness-room_ is indispensable to every stable. it should be dry and airy, and furnished with a fireplace and boiler, both for the protection of the harness and to prepare mashes for the horses when required. the partition-wall should be boarded where the harness goes, with pegs to hang the various pieces of harness on, with saddle-trees to rest the saddles on, a cupboard for the brushes, sponges, and leathers, and a lock-up corn-bin. . _the furniture_ of a stable with coachhouse, consists of coach-mops, jacks for raising the wheels, horse-brushes, spoke-brushes, water-brushes, crest and bit-brushes, dandy-brushes, currycombs, birch and heath brooms, trimming-combs, scissors and pickers, oil-cans and brushes, harness-brushes of three sorts, leathers, sponges for horse and carriage, stable-forks, dung-baskets or wheelbarrow, corn-sieves and measures, horse-cloths and stable pails, horn or glass lanterns. over the stables there should be accommodation for the coachman or groom to sleep. accidents sometimes occur, and he should be at hand to interfere. duties of the coachman, groom, and stable-boy. . _the establishment_ we have in view will consist of coachman, groom, and stable-boy, who are capable of keeping in perfect order four horses, and perhaps the pony. of this establishment the coachman is chief. besides skill in driving, he should possess a good general knowledge of horses; he has usually to purchase provender, to see that the horses are regularly fed and properly groomed, watch over their condition, apply simple remedies to trifling ailments in the animals under his charge, and report where he observes symptoms of more serious ones which he does not understand. he has either to clean the carriage himself, or see that the stable-boy does it properly. . _the groom's_ first duties are to keep his horses in condition; but he is sometimes expected to perform the duties of a valet, to ride out with his master, on occasions, to wait at table, and otherwise assist in the house: in these cases, he should have the means of dressing himself, and keeping his clothes entirely away from the stables. in the morning, about six o'clock, or rather before, the stables should be opened and cleaned out, and the horses fed, first by cleaning the rack and throwing in fresh hay, putting it lightly in the rack, that the horses may get it out easily; a short time afterwards their usual morning feed of oats should be put into the manger. while this is going on, the stable-boy has been removing the stable-dung, and sweeping and washing out the stables, both of which should be done every day, and every corner carefully swept, in order to keep the stable sweet and clean. the real duties of the groom follow: where the horses are not taken out for early exercise, the work of grooming immediately commences. "having tied up the head," to use the excellent description of the process given by old barrett, "take a currycomb and curry him all over the body, to raise the dust, beginning first at the neck, holding the left cheek of the headstall in the left hand, and curry him from the setting-on of his head all over the body to the buttocks, down to the point of the hock; then change your hands, and curry him before, on his breast, and, laying your right arm over his back, join your right side to his left, and curry him all under the belly near the fore-bowels, and so all over from the knees and back upwards; after that, go to the far side and do that likewise. then take a dead horse's tail, or, failing that, a cotton dusting-cloth, and strike that away which the currycomb hath raised. then take a round brush made of bristles, with a leathern handle, and dress him all over, both head, body, and legs, to the very fetlocks, always cleansing the brush from the dust by rubbing it with the currycomb. in the curry-combing process, as well as brushing, it must be applied with mildness, especially with fine-skinned horses; otherwise the tickling irritates them much. the brushing is succeeded by a hair-cloth, with which rub him all over again very hard, both to take away loose hairs and lay his coat; then wash your hands in fair water, and rub him all over while they are wet, as well over the head as the body. lastly, take a clean cloth, and rub him all over again till he be dry; then take another hair-cloth, and rub all his legs exceeding well from the knees and hocks downwards to his hoofs, picking and dressing them very carefully about the fetlocks, so as to remove all gravel and dust which will sometimes lie in the bending of the joints." in addition to the practice of this old writer, modern grooms add wisping, which usually follows brushing. the best wisp is made from a hayband, untwisted, and again doubled up after being moistened with water: this is applied to every part of the body, as the brushing had been, by changing the hands, taking care in all these operations to carry the hand in the direction of the coat. stains on the hair are removed by sponging, or, when the coat is very dirty, by the water-brush; the whole being finished off by a linen or flannel cloth. the horsecloth should now be put on by taking the cloth in both hands, with the outside next you, and, with your right hand to the off side, throw it over his back, placing it no farther back than will leave it straight and level, which will be about a foot from the tail. put the roller round, and the pad-piece under it, about six or eight inches from the fore legs. the horse's head is now loosened; he is turned about in his stall to have his head and ears rubbed and brushed over every part, including throat, with the dusting-cloth, finishing by "pulling his ears," which all horses seem to enjoy very much. this done, the mane and foretop should be combed out, passing a wet sponge over them, sponging the mane on both sides, by throwing it back to the midriff, to make it lie smooth. the horse is now returned to his headstall, his tail combed out, cleaning it of stains with a wet brush or sponge, trimming both tail and mane, and forelock when necessary, smoothing them down with a brush on which a little oil has been dropped. . watering usually follows dressing; but some horses refuse their food until they have drunk: the groom should not, therefore, lay down exclusive rules on this subject, but study the temper and habits of his horse. . _exercise_.--all horses not in work require at least two hours' exercise daily; and in exercising them a good groom will put them through the paces to which they have been trained. in the case of saddle-horses he will walk, trot, canter, and gallop them, in order to keep them up to their work. with draught horses they ought to be kept up to a smart walk and trot. . _feeding_ must depend on their work, but they require feeding three times a day, with more or less corn each time, according to their work. in the fast coaching days it was a saying among proprietors, that "his belly was the measure of his food;" but the horse's appetite is not to be taken as a criterion of the quantity of food under any circumstances. horses have been known to consume lbs. of hay in twenty-four hours, whereas lbs. to lbs. is the utmost which should have been given. mr. croall, an extensive coach proprietor in scotland, limited his horses to - / lbs. cut straw, lbs. bruised oats, and - / lbs. bruised beans, in the morning and noon, giving them at night lbs. of the following; viz., lbs. steamed potatoes, lbs. barley-dust, lbs. cut straw, and lbs. salt, mixed up together: under this the horses did their work well. the ordinary measure given a horse is a peck of oats, about lbs. to the bushel, twice a day, a third feed and a rack-full of hay, which may be about lbs. or lbs., when he is in full work. . you cannot take up a paper without having the question put, "do you bruise your oats?" well, that depends on circumstances: a fresh young horse can bruise its own oats when it can get them; but aged horses, after a time, lose the power of masticating and bruising them, and bolt them whole; thus much impeding the work of digestion. for an old horse, then, bruise the oats; for a young one it does no harm and little good. oats should be bright and dry, and not too new. where they are new, sprinkle them with salt and water; otherwise, they overload the horse's stomach. chopped straw mixed with oats, in the proportion of a third of straw or hay, is a good food for horses in full work; and carrots, of which horses are remarkably fond, have a perceptible effect in a short time on the gloss of the coat. . the water given to a horse merits some attention; it should not be too cold; hard water is not to be recommended; stagnant or muddy water is positively injurious; river water is the best for all purposes; and anything is preferable to spring water, which should be exposed to the sun in summer for an hour or two, and stirred up before using it; a handful of oatmeal thrown into the pail will much improve its quality. . _shoeing_.--a horse should not be sent on a journey or any other hard work immediately after new shoeing;--the stiffness incidental to new shoes is not unlikely to bring him down. a day's rest, with reasonable exercise, will not be thrown away after this operation. on reaching home very hot, the groom should walk him about for a few minutes; this done, he should take off the moisture with the scraper, and afterwards wisp him over with a handful of straw and a flannel cloth: if the cloth is dipped in some spirit, all the better. he should wash, pick, and wipe dry the legs and feet, take off the bridle and crupper, and fasten it to the rack, then the girths, and put a wisp of straw under the saddle. when sufficiently cool, the horse should have some hay given him, and then a feed of oats: if he refuse the latter, offer him a little wet bran, or a handful of oatmeal in tepid water. when he has been fed, he should be thoroughly cleaned, and his body-clothes put on, and, if very much harassed with fatigue, a little good ale or wine will be well bestowed on a valuable horse, adding plenty of fresh litter under the belly. . _bridles_.--every time a horse is unbridled, the bit should be carefully washed and dried, and the leather wiped, to keep them sweet, as well as the girths and saddle, the latter being carefully dried and beaten with a switch before it is again put on. in washing a horse's feet after a day's work, the master should insist upon the legs and feet being washed thoroughly with a sponge until the water flows over them, and then rubbed with a brush till quite dry. . _harness_, if not carefully preserved, very soon gets a shabby tarnished appearance. where the coachman has a proper harness-room and sufficient assistance, this is inexcusable and easily prevented. the harness-room should have a wooden lining all round, and be perfectly dry and well ventilated. around the walls, hooks and pegs should be placed, for the several pieces of harness, at such a height as to prevent their touching the ground; and every part of the harness should have its peg or hook,--one for the halters, another for the reins, and others for snaffles and other bits and metal-work; and either a wooden horse or saddle-trees for the saddles and pads. all these parts should be dry, clean, and shining. this is only to be done by careful cleaning and polishing, and the use of several requisite pastes. the metallic parts, when white, should be cleaned by a soft brush and plate-powder; the copper and brass parts burnished with rottenstone-powder and oil,--steel with emery-powder; both made into a paste with a little oil. . an excellent paste for polishing harness and the leather-work of carriages, is made by melting lbs. of yellow wax, stirring it till completely dissolved. into this pour lb. of litharge of the shops, which has been pounded up with water, and dried and sifted through a sieve, leaving the two, when mixed, to simmer on the fire, stirring them continually till all is melted. when it is a little cool, mix this with - / lb. of good ivory-black; place this again on the fire, and stir till it boils anew, and suffer it to cool. when cooled a little, add distilled turpentine till it has the consistence of a thickish paste, scenting it with any essence at hand, thinning it when necessary from time to time, by adding distilled turpentine. . when the leather is old and greasy, it should be cleaned before applying this polish, with a brush wetted in a weak solution of potass and water, washing afterwards with soft river water, and drying thoroughly. if the leather is not black, one or two coats of black ink may be given before applying the polish. when quite dry, the varnish should be laid on with a soft shoe-brush, using also a soft brush to polish the leather. . when the leather is very old, it may be softened with fish-oil, and, after putting on the ink, a sponge charged with distilled turpentine passed over, to scour the surface of the leather, which should be polished as above. . _for fawn or yellow-coloured leather_, take a quart of skimmed milk, pour into it oz. of sulphuric acid, and, when cold, add to it oz. of hydrochloric acid, shaking the bottle gently until it ceases to emit white vapours; separate the coagulated from the liquid part, by straining through a sieve, and store it away till required. in applying it, clean the leather by a weak solution of oxalic acid, washing it off immediately, and apply the composition when dry with a sponge. . _wheel-grease_ is usually purchased at the shops; but a good paste is made as follows:--melt parts of grease, and stir into it, mixing it thoroughly and smoothly, parts of fine black-lead in powder, and store away in a tin box for use. this grease is used in the mint at paris, and is highly approved. . _carriages_ in an endless variety of shapes and names are continually making their appearance; but the hackney cab or clarence seems most in request for light carriages; the family carriage of the day being a modified form of the clarence adapted for family use. the carriage is a valuable piece of furniture, requiring all the care of the most delicate upholstery, with the additional disadvantage of continual exposure to the weather and to the muddy streets. . it requires, therefore, to be carefully cleaned before putting away, and a coach-house perfectly dry and well ventilated, for the wood-work swells with moisture; it shrinks also with heat, unless the timber has undergone a long course of seasoning: it should also have a dry floor, a boarded one being recommended. it must be removed from the ammoniacal influence of the stables, from open drains and cesspools, and other gaseous influences likely to affect the paint and varnish. when the carriage returns home, it should be carefully washed and dried, and that, if possible, before the mud has time to dry on it. this is done by first well slushing it with clean water, so as to wash away all particles of sand, having first closed the sashes to avoid wetting the linings. the body is then gone carefully over with a soft mop, using plenty of clean water, and penetrating into every corner of the carved work, so that not an atom of dirt remains; the body of the carriage is then raised by placing the jack under the axletree and raising it so that the wheel turns freely; this is now thoroughly washed with the mop until the dirt is removed, using a water-brush for corners where the mop does not penetrate. every particle of mud and sand removed by the mop, and afterwards with a wet sponge, the carriage is wiped dry, and, as soon after as possible, the varnish is carefully polished with soft leather, using a little sweet oil for the leather parts, and even for the panels, so as to check any tendency of the varnish to crack. stains are removed by rubbing them with the leather and sweet oil; if that fails, a little tripoli powder mixed with the oil will be more successful. . in preparing the carriage for use, the whole body should be rubbed over with a clean leather and carefully polished, the iron-work and joints oiled, the plated and brass-work occasionally cleaned,--the one with plate-powder, or with well-washed whiting mixed with sweet oil, and leather kept for the purpose,--the other with rottenstone mixed with a little oil, and applied without too much rubbing, until the paste is removed; but, if rubbed every day with the leather, little more will be required to keep it untarnished. the linings require careful brushing every day, the cushions being taken out and beaten, and the glass sashes should always be bright and clean. the wheel-tires and axletree are carefully seen to, and greased when required, the bolts and nuts tightened, and all the parts likely to get out of order overhauled. . these duties, however, are only incidental to the coachman's office, which is to drive; and much of the enjoyment of those in the carriage depends on his proficiency in his art,--much also of the wear of the carriage and horses. he should have sufficient knowledge of the construction of the carriage to know when it is out of order,--to know, also, the pace at which he can go over the road he has under him, without risking the springs, and without shaking those he is driving too much. . having, with or without the help of the groom or stable-boy, put his horses to the carriage, and satisfied himself, by walking round them, that everything is properly arranged, the coachman proceeds to the off-side of the carriage, takes the reins from the back of the horses, where they were thrown, buckles them together, and, placing his foot on the step, ascends to his box, having his horses now entirely under control. in ordinary circumstances, he is not expected to descend, for where no footman accompanies the carriage, the doors are usually so arranged that even a lady may let herself out, if she wishes it, from the inside. the coachman's duties are to avoid everything approaching an accident, and all his attention is required to guide his horses. . the pace at which he drives will depend upon his orders,--in all probability a moderate pace of seven or eight miles an hour; less speed is injurious to the horses, getting them into lazy and sluggish habits; for it is wonderful how soon these are acquired by some horses. the writer was once employed to purchase a horse for a country friend, and he picked a very handsome gelding out of collins's stables, which seemed to answer to his friend's wants. it was duly committed to the coachman who was to drive it, after some very successful trials in harness and out of it, and seemed likely to give great satisfaction. after a time, the friend got tired of his carriage, and gave it up; as the easiest mode of getting rid of the horse, it was sent up to the writer's stables,--a present. only twelve months had elapsed; the horse was as handsome as ever, with plenty of flesh, and a sleek glossy coat, and he was thankfully enough received; but, on trial, it was found that a stupid coachman, who was imbued with one of their old maxims, that "it's the pace that kills," had driven the horse, capable of doing his nine miles an hour with ease, at a jog-trot of four miles, or four and a half; and now, no persuasion of the whip could get more out of him. after many unsuccessful efforts to bring him back to his pace, in one of which a break-down occurred, under the hands of a professional trainer, he was sent to the hammer, and sold for a sum that did not pay for the attempt to break him in. this maxim, therefore, "that it's the pace that kills," is altogether fallacious in the moderate sense in which we are viewing it. in the old coaching days, indeed, when the shrewsbury "wonder" drove into the inn yard while the clock was striking, week after week and mouth after month, with unerring regularity, twenty-seven hours to a hundred and sixty-two miles; when the "quicksilver" mail was timed to eleven miles an hour between london and plymouth, with a fine of £ to the driver if behind time; when the brighton "age," "tool'd" and horsed by the late mr. stevenson, used to dash round the square as the fifth hour was striking, having stopped at the half-way house while his servant handed a sandwich and a glass of sherry to his passengers,--then the pace was indeed "killing." but the truth is, horses that are driven at a jog-trot pace lose that _élan_ with which a good driver can inspire them, and they are left to do their work by mere weight and muscle; therefore, unless he has contrary orders, a good driver will choose a smart pace, but not enough to make his horses perspire: on level roads this should never be seen. . in choosing his horses, every master will see that they are properly paired,--that their paces are about equal. when their habits differ, it is the coachman's duty to discover how he can, with least annoyance to the horses, get that pace out of them. some horses have been accustomed to be driven on the check, and the curb irritates them; others, with harder mouths, cannot be controlled with the slight leverage this affords; he must, therefore, accommodate the horses as he best can. the reins should always be held so that the horses are "in hand;" but he is a very bad driver who always drives with a tight rein; the pain to the horse is intolerable, and causes him to rear and plunge, and finally break sway, if he can. he is also a bad driver when the reins are always slack; the horse then feels abandoned to himself; he is neither directed nor supported, and if no accident occurs, it is great good luck. . the true coachman's hands are so delicate and gentle, that the mere weight of the reins is felt on the bit, and the directions are indicated by a turn of the wrist rather than by a pull; the horses are guided and encouraged, and only pulled up when they exceed their intended pace, or in the event of a stumble; for there is a strong though gentle hand on the reins. . _the whip_, in the hands of a good driver, and with well-bred cattle, is there, more as a precaution than a "tool" for frequent use; if he uses it, it is to encourage, by stroking the flanks; except, indeed, he has to punish some waywardness of temper, and then he does it effectually, taking care, however, that it is done on the flank, where there is no very tender part, never on the crupper. in driving, the coachman should never give way to temper. how often do we see horses stumble from being conducted, or at least "allowed," to go over bad ground by some careless driver, who immediately wreaks that vengeance on the poor horse which might, with much more justice, be applied to his own brutal shoulders. the whip is of course useful, and even necessary, but should be rarely used, except to encourage and excite the horses. duties of the valet. . _attendants on the person_.-"no man is a hero to his valet," saith the proverb; and the corollary may run, "no lady is a heroine to her maid." the infirmities of humanity are, perhaps, too numerous and too equally distributed to stand the severe microscopic tests which attendants on the person have opportunities of applying. the valet and waiting-maid are placed near the persons of the master and mistress, receiving orders only from them, dressing them, accompanying them in all their journeys, the confidants and agents of their most unguarded moments, of their most secret habits, and of course subject to their commands,--even to their caprices; they themselves being subject to erring judgment, aggravated by an imperfect education. all that can be expected from such servants is polite manners, modest demeanour, and a respectful reserve, which are indispensable. to these, good sense, good temper, some self-denial, and consideration for the feelings of others, whether above or below them in the social scale, will be useful qualifications. their duty leads them to wait on those who are, from sheer wealth, station, and education, more polished, and consequently more susceptible of annoyance; and any vulgar familiarity of manner is opposed to all their notions of self-respect. quiet unobtrusive manners, therefore, and a delicate reserve in speaking of their employers, either in praise or blame, is as essential in their absence, as good manners and respectful conduct in their presence. . some of the duties of the valet we have just hinted at in treating of the duties of the footman in a small family. his day commences by seeing that his master's dressing-room is in order; that the housemaid has swept and dusted it properly; that the fire is lighted and burns cheerfully; and some time before his master is expected, he will do well to throw up the sash to admit fresh air, closing it, however, in time to recover the temperature which he knows his master prefers. it is now his duty to place the body-linen on the horse before the fire, to be aired properly; to lay the trousers intended to be worn, carefully brushed and cleaned, on the back of his master's chair; while the coat and waistcoat, carefully brushed and folded, and the collar cleaned, are laid in their place ready to put on when required. all the articles of the toilet should be in their places, the razors properly set and stropped, and hot water ready for use. . gentlemen generally prefer performing the operation of shaving themselves, but a valet should be prepared to do it if required; and he should, besides, be a good hairdresser. shaving over, he has to brush the hair, beard, and moustache, where that appendage is encouraged, arranging the whole simply and gracefully, according to the age and style of countenance. every fortnight, or three weeks at the utmost, the hair should be cut, and the points of the whiskers trimmed as often as required. a good valet will now present the various articles of the toilet as they are wanted; afterwards, the body-linen, neck-tie, which he will put on, if required, and, afterwards, waistcoat, coat, and boots, in suitable order, and carefully brushed and polished. . having thus seen his master dressed, if he is about to go out, the valet will hand him his cane, gloves, and hat, the latter well brushed on the outside with a soft brush, and wiped inside with a clean handkerchief, respectfully attend him to the door, and open it for him, and receive his last orders for the day. . he now proceeds to put everything in order in the dressing-room, cleans the combs and brushes, and brushes and folds up any clothes that may be left about the room, and puts them away in the drawers. . gentlemen are sometimes indifferent as to their clothes and appearance; it is the valet's duty, in this case, where his master permits it, to select from the wardrobe such things as are suitable for the occasion, so that he may appear with scrupulous neatness and cleanliness; that his linen and neck-tie, where that is white or coloured, are unsoiled; and where he is not accustomed to change them every day, that the cravat is turned, and even ironed, to remove the crease of the previous fold. the coat collar,--which where the hair is oily and worn long, is apt to get greasy--should also be examined; a careful valet will correct this by removing the spots day by day as they appear, first by moistening the grease-spots with a little rectified spirits of wine or spirits of hartshorn, which has a renovating effect, and the smell of which soon disappears. the grease is dissolved and removed by gentle scraping. the grease removed, add a little more of the spirit, and rub with a piece of clean cloth; finish by adding a few drops more; rub it with the palm of the hand, in the direction of the grain of the cloth, and it will be clean and glossy as the rest of the garment. . polish for the boots is an important matter to the valet, and not always to be obtained good by purchase; never so good, perhaps, as he can make for himself after the following recipes:--take of ivory-black and treacle each oz., sulphuric acid oz., best olive-oil spoonfuls, best white-wine vinegar half-pints: mix the ivory-black and treacle well in an earthen jar; then add the sulphuric acid, continuing to stir the mixture; next pour in the oil; and, lastly, add the vinegar, stirring it in by degrees, until thoroughly incorporated. . another polish is made by mixing oz. each of pounded galls and logwood-chips, and lbs. of red french vine (ordinaire). boil together till the liquid is reduced to half the quantity, and pour it off through a strainer. now take / lb. each of pounded gum-arabic and lump-sugar, oz. of green copperas, and lbs. of brandy. dissolve the gum-arabic in the preceding decoction, and add the sugar and copperas: when all is dissolved and mixed together, stir in the brandy, mixing it smoothly. this mixture will yield or lbs. of a very superior polishing paste for boots and shoes. . it is, perhaps, unnecessary to add, that having discharged all the commissions intrusted to him by his master, such as conveying notes or messages to friends, or the tradesmen, all of which he should punctually and promptly attend to, it is his duty to be in waiting when his master returns home to dress for dinner, or for any other occasion, and to have all things prepared for this second dressing. previous to this, he brings under his notice the cards of visitors who may have called, delivers the messages be may have received for him, and otherwise acquits himself of the morning's commissions, and receives his orders for the remainder of the day. the routine of his evening duty is to have the dressing-room and study, where there is a separate one, arranged comfortably for his master, the fires lighted, candles prepared, dressing-gown and slippers in their place, and aired, and everything in order that is required for his master's comforts. female domestics. duties of the lady's-maid. . the duties of a lady's-maid are more numerous, and perhaps more onerous, than those of the valet; for while the latter is aided by the tailor, the hatter, the linen-draper, and the perfumer, the lady's-maid has to originate many parts of the mistress's dress herself: she should, indeed, be a tolerably expert milliner and dressmaker, a good hairdresser, and possess some chemical knowledge of the cosmetics with which the toilet-table is supplied, in order to use them with safety and effect. her first duty in the morning, after having performed her own toilet, is to examine the clothes put off by her mistress the evening before, either to put them away, or to see that they are all in order to put on again. during the winter, and in wet weather, the dresses should be carefully examined, and the mud removed. dresses of tweed, and other woollen materials, may be laid out on a table and brushed all over; but in general, even in woollen fabrics, the lightness of the tissues renders brushing unsuitable to dresses, and it is better to remove the dust from the folds by beating them lightly with a handkerchief or thin cloth. silk dresses should never be brushed, but rubbed with a piece of merino, or other soft material, of a similar colour, kept for the purpose. summer dresses of barège, muslin, mohair, and other light materials, simply require shaking; but if the muslin be tumbled, it must be ironed afterwards. if the dresses require slight repair, it should be done at once: "a stitch in time saves nine." . the bonnet should be dusted with a light feather plume, in order to remove every particle of dust; but this has probably been done, as it ought to have been, the night before. velvet bonnets, and other velvet articles of dress, should be cleaned with a soft brush. if the flowers with which the bonnet is decorated have been crushed or displaced, or the leaves tumbled, they should be raised and readjusted by means of flower-pliers. if feathers have suffered from damp, they should be held near the fire for a few minutes, and restored to their natural state by the hand or a soft brush. . _the chausserie_, or foot-gear of a lady, is one of the few things left to mark her station, and requires special care. satin boots or shoes should be dusted with a soft brush, or wiped with a cloth. kid or varnished leather should have the mud wiped off with a sponge charged with milk, which preserves its softness and polish. the following is also an excellent polish for applying to ladies' boots, instead of blacking them:--mix equal proportions of sweet-oil, vinegar, and treacle, with oz. of lamp-black. when all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated, rub the mixture on the boots with the palm of the hand, and put them in a cool place to dry. ladies' blacking, which may be purchased in d, and s. bottles, is also very much used for patent leather and kid boots, particularly when they are a little worn. this blacking is merely applied with a piece of sponge, and the boots should not be put on until the blacking is dry und hardened. . these various preliminary offices performed, the lady's-maid should prepare for dressing her mistress, arranging her dressing-room, toilet-table, and linen, according to her mistress's wishes and habits. the details of dressing we need not touch upon,--every lady has her own mode of doing so; but the maid should move about quietly, perform any offices about her mistress's person, as lacing stays, gently, and adjust her linen smoothly. . having prepared the dressing-room by lighting the fire, sweeping the hearth, and made everything ready for dressing her mistress, placed her linen before the fire to air, and laid out the various articles of dress she is to wear, which will probably have been arranged the previous evening, the lady's-maid is prepared for the morning's duties. . _hairdressing_ is the most important part of the lady's-maid's office. if ringlets are worn, remove the curl-papers, and, after thoroughly brushing the back hair both above and below, dress it according to the prevailing fashion. if bandeaux are worn, the hair is thoroughly brushed and frizzed outside and inside, folding the hair back round the head, brushing it perfectly smooth, giving it a glossy appearance by the use of pomades, or oil, applied by the palm of the hand, smoothing it down with a small brush dipped in bandoline. double bandeaux are formed by bringing most of the hair forward, and rolling it over frizettes made of hair the same colour as that of the wearer: it is finished behind by plaiting the hair, and arranging it in such a manner as to look well with the head-dress. . lessons in hairdressing may be obtained, and at not an unreasonable charge. if a lady's-maid can afford it, we would advise her to initiate herself in the mysteries of hairdressing before entering on her duties. if a mistress finds her maid handy, and willing to learn, she will not mind the expense of a few lessons, which are almost necessary, as the fashion and mode of dressing the hair is so continually changing. brushes and combs should be kept scrupulously clean, by washing them about twice a week: to do this oftener spoils the brushes, as very frequent washing makes them so very soft. to wash brushes. . dissolve a piece of soda in some hot water, allowing a piece the size of a walnut to a quart of water. put the water into a basin, and, after combing out the hair from the brushes, dip them, bristles downwards, into the water and out again, keeping the backs and handles as free from the water as possible. repeat this until the bristles look clean; then rinse the brushes in a little cold water; shake them well, and wipe the handles and backs with a towel, _but not the bristles_, and set the brushes to dry in the sun, or near the fire; but take care not to put them too close to it. wiping the bristles of a brush makes them soft, as does also the use of soap. to clean combs. . if it can be avoided, never wash combs, as the water often makes the teeth split, and the tortoiseshell or horn of which they are made, rough. small brushes, manufactured purposely for cleaning combs, may be purchased at a trifling cost: with this the comb should be well brushed, and afterwards wiped with a cloth or towel. a good wash for the hair. . ingredients.-- pennyworth of borax, / pint of olive-oil, pint of boiling water. _mode_.--pour the boiling water over the borax and oil; let it cool; then put the mixture into a bottle. shake it before using, and apply it with a flannel. camphor and borax, dissolved in boiling water and left to cool, make a very good wash for the hair; as also does rosemary-water mixed with a little borax. after using any of these washes, when the hair becomes thoroughly dry, a little pomatum or oil should be rubbed in, to make it smooth and glossy. to make pomade for the hair. . ingredients.-- / lb. of lard, pennyworth of castor-oil; scent. _mode_.--let the lard be unsalted; beat it up well; then add the castor-oil, and mix thoroughly together with a knife, adding a few drops of any scent that may be preferred. put the pomatum into pots, which keep well covered to prevent it turning rancid. another recipe for pomatum. . ingredients.-- oz. of olive-oil, oz. of spermaceti, pennyworth of essential oil of almonds, pennyworth of essence of lemon. _mode_.--mix these ingredients together, and store away in jars for use. to make bandoline. . ingredients.-- oz. of gum-tragacanth, / pint of cold water, pennyworth of essence of almonds, teaspoonfuls of old rum. _mode_.--put the gum-tragacanth into a wide-mouthed bottle with the cold water; let it stand till dissolved, then stir into it the essence of almonds; let it remain for an hour or two, when pour the rum on the top. this should make the stock bottle, and when any is required for use, it is merely necessary to dilute it with a little cold water until the desired consistency is obtained, and to keep it in a small bottle, well corked, for use. this bandoline, instead of injuring the hair, as many other kinds often do, improves it, by increasing its growth, and making it always smooth and glossy. an excellent pomatum. . ingredients.-- - / lb. of lard, / pint of olive-oil, / pint of castor-oil, oz. of spermaceti, bergamot, or any other scent; elder-flower water. _mode_.--wash the lard well in the elder-flower water; drain, and beat it to a cream. mix the two oils together, and heat them sufficiently to dissolve the spermaceti, which should be beaten fine in a mortar. mix all these ingredients together with the brandy and whatever kind of scent may be preferred; and whilst warm pour into glass bottles for use, keeping them well corked. the best way to liquefy the pomatum is to set the bottle in a saucepan of warm water. it will remain good for many months. to promote the growth of hair. . ingredients.--equal quantities of olive-oil and spirit of rosemary; a few drops of oil of nutmeg. _mode_.--mix the ingredients together, rub the roots of the hair every night with a little of this liniment, and the growth of it will very soon sensibly increase. . our further remarks on dressing must be confined to some general advice. in putting on a band, see that it is laid quite flat, and is drawn tightly round the waist before it is pinned in front; that the pin is a strong one, and that it is secured to the stays, so as not to slip up or down, or crease in the folds. arrange the folds of the dress over the crinoline petticoats; if the dress fastens behind, put a small pin in the slit to prevent it from opening. see that the sleeves fall well over the arms. if it is finished with a jacket, or other upper dress, see that it fits smoothly under the arms; pull out the flounces, and spread out the petticoat at the bottom with the hands, so that it falls in graceful folds. in arranging the petticoat itself, a careful lady's-maid will see that this is firmly fastened round the waist. . where sashes are worn, pin the bows securely on the inside with a pin, so as not to be visible; then raise the bow with the fingers. the collar is arranged and carefully adjusted with brooch or bow in the centre. . having dressed her mistress for breakfast, and breakfasted herself, the further duties of the lady's-maid will depend altogether upon the habits of the family, in which hardly two will probably agree. where the duties are entirely confined to attendance on her mistress, it is probable that the bedroom and dressing-room will be committed to her care; that, the housemaid will rarely enter, except for the weekly or other periodical cleaning; she will, therefore, have to make her mistress's bed, and keep it in order; and as her duties are light and easy, there can be no allowance made for the slightest approach to uncleanliness or want of order. every morning, immediately after her mistress has left it, and while breakfast is on, she should throw the bed open, by taking off the clothes; open the windows (except in rainy weather), and leave the room to air for half an hour. after breakfast, except her attendance on her mistress prevents it, if the rooms are carpeted, she should sweep them carefully, having previously strewed the room with moist tea-leaves, dusting every table and chair, taking care to penetrate to every corner, and moving every article of furniture that is portable. this done satisfactorily, and having cleaned the dressing-glass, polished up the furniture and the ornaments, and made the glass jug and basin clean and bright, emptied all slops, emptied the water-jugs and filled them with fresh water, and arranged the rooms, the dressing-room is ready for the mistress when she thinks proper to appear. . the dressing-room thoroughly in order, the same thing is to be done in the bedroom, in which she will probably be assisted by the housemaid to make the bed and empty the slops. in making the bed, she will study her lady's wishes, whether it is to be hard or soft, sloping or straight, and see that it is done accordingly. . having swept the bedroom with equal care, dusted the tables and chairs, chimney-ornaments, and put away all articles of dress left from yesterday, and cleaned and put away any articles of jewellery, her next care is to see, before her mistress goes out, what requires replacing in her department, and furnish her with a list of them, that she may use her discretion about ordering them. all this done, she may settle herself down to any work on which she is engaged. this will consist chiefly in mending; which is first to be seen to; everything, except stockings, being mended before washing. plain work will probably be one of the lady's-maid's chief employments. . a waiting-maid, who wishes to make herself useful, will study the fashion-books with attention, so as to be able to aid her mistress's judgment in dressing, according to the prevailing fashion, with such modifications as her style of countenance requires. she will also, if she has her mistress's interest at heart, employ her spare time in repairing and making up dresses which have served one purpose, to serve another also, or turning many things, unfitted for her mistress to use, for the younger branches of the family. the lady's-maid may thus render herself invaluable to her mistress, and increase her own happiness in so doing. the exigencies of fashion and luxury are such, that all ladies, except those of the very highest rank, will consider themselves fortunate in having about them a thoughtful person, capable of diverting their finery to a useful purpose. . among other duties, the lady's-maid should understand the various processes for washing, and cleaning, and repairing laces; edging of collars; removing stains and grease-spots from dresses, and similar processes, for which the following recipes will be found very useful. in washing-- . _blonde_, fine toilet-soap is used; the blonde is soaped over very slightly, and washed in water in which a little fig-blue is dissolved, rubbing it very gently; when clean, dry it. dip it afterwards in very thin gum-water, dry it again in linen, spread it out as flat as it will lie, and iron it. where the blonde is of better quality, and wider, it may be stretched on a hoop to dry after washing in the blue-water, applying the gum with a sponge; or it may be washed finally in water in which a lump of sugar has been dissolved, which gives it more the appearance of new blonde. . lace collars soil very quickly when in contact with the neck; they are cleaned by beating the edge of the collar between the folds of a fine linen cloth, then washing the edges as directed above, and spreading it out on an ironing-board, pinning it at each corner with fine pins; then going carefully over it with a sponge charged with water in which some gum-dragon and fig-blue have been dissolved, to give it a proper consistence. to give the collar the same tint throughout, the whole collar should be sponged with the same water, taking care not to touch the flowers. . a multiplicity of accidents occur to soil and spot dresses, which should be removed at once. to remove-- . _grease-spots_ from cotton or woollen materials of fast colours, absorbent pastes, purified bullock's-blood, and even common soap, are used, applied to the spot when dry. when the colours are not fast, use fuller's-earth or pulverized potter's-clay, laid in a layer over the spot, and press it with a very hot iron. . for silks, moires, and plain or brocaded satins, begin by pouring over the spot two drops of rectified spirits of wine; cover it over with a linen cloth, and press it with a hot iron, changing the linen instantly. the spot will look tarnished, for a portion of the grease still remains: this will be removed entirely by a little sulphuric ether dropped on the spot, and a very little rubbing. if neatly done, no perceptible mark or circle will remain; nor will the lustre of the richest silk be changed, the union of the two liquids operating with no injurious effects from rubbing. . _fruit-spots_ are removed from white and fast-coloured cottons by the use of chloride of soda. commence by cold-soaping the article, then touch the spot with a hair-pencil or feather dipped in the chloride, dipping it immediately into cold water, to prevent the texture of the article being injured. . _ink-spots_ are removed, when fresh applied to the spot, by a few drops of hot water being poured on immediately afterwards. by the same process, iron-mould in linen or calico may be removed, dipping immediately in cold water to prevent injury to the fabric. . _wax_ dropped on a shawl, table-cover, or cloth dress, is easily discharged by applying spirits of wine. . _syrups or preserved fruits_, by washing in lukewarm water with a dry cloth, and pressing the spot between two folds of clean linen. . _essence of lemon_ will remove grease, but will make a spot itself in a few days. to clean silk or ribbons. . ingredients.-- / pint of gin, / lb. of honey, / lb. of soft soap, / pint of water. _mode_.--mix the above ingredients together; then lay each breadth of silk upon a clean kitchen table or dresser, and scrub it well on the soiled side with the mixture. have ready three vessels of cold water; take each piece of silk at two corners, and dip it up and down in each vessel, but do not wring it; and take care that each breadth has one vessel of quite clean water for the last dip. hang it up dripping for a minute or two, then dab it in a cloth, and iron it quickly with a very hot iron. to remove paint-spots from silk cloth. . if the fabric will bear it, sharp rubbing will frequently entirely discharge a newly-made paint-stain; but, if this is not successful, apply spirit of turpentine with a quill till the stains disappear. to make old crape look nearly equal to new. . place a little water in a teakettle, and let it boil until there is plenty of steam from the spout; then, holding the crape in both hands, pass it to and fro several times through the steam, and it will to clean and look nearly equal to new. . linen.--before sending linen to wash, the lady's-maid should see that everything under her charge is properly mended; for her own sake she should take care that it is sent out in an orderly manner, each class of garments by themselves, with a proper list, of which she retains a copy. on its return, it is still more necessary to examine every piece separately, so that all missing buttons be supplied, and only the articles properly washed and in perfect repair passed into the wardrobe. . ladies who keep a waiting-maid for their own persons are in the habit of paying visits to their friends, in which it is not unusual for the maid to accompany them; at all events, it is her duty to pack the trunks; and this requires not only knowledge but some practice, although the improved trunks and portmanteaus now made, in which there is a place for nearly everything, render this more simple than formerly. before packing, let the trunks be thoroughly well cleaned, and, if necessary, lined with paper, and everything intended for packing laid out on the bed or chairs, so that it may be seen what is to be stowed away; the nicer articles of dress neatly folded in clean calico wrappers. having satisfied herself that everything wanted is laid out, and that it is in perfect order, the packing is commenced by disposing of the most bulky articles, the dressing-case and work-box, skirts, and other articles requiring room, leaving the smaller articles to fill up; finally, having satisfied herself that all is included, she should lock and cover up the trunk in its canvas case, and then pack her own box, if she is to accompany her mistress. . on reaching the house, the lady's-maid will be shown her lady's apartment; and her duties here are what they were at home; she will arrange her mistress's things, and learn which is her bell, in order to go to her when she rings. her meals will be taken in the housekeeper's room; and here she must be discreet and guarded in her talk to any one of her mistress or her concerns. her only occupation here will be attending in her lady's room, keeping her things in order, and making her rooms comfortable for her. . the evening duties of a lady's-maid are pretty nearly a repetition of those of the morning. she is in attendance when her mistress retires; she assists her to undress if required, brushes her hair, and renders such other assistance as is demanded; removes all slops; takes care that the fire, if any, is safe, before she retires to rest herself. . ironing is a part of the duties of a lady's-maid, and she should be able to do it in the most perfect manner when it becomes necessary. ironing is often badly done from inattention to a few very simple requirements. cleanliness is the first essential: the ironing-board, the fire, the iron, and the ironing-blanket should all be perfectly clean. it will not be necessary here to enter into details on ironing, as full directions are given in the "duties of the laundry-maid." a lady's-maid will have a great deal of "ironing-out" to do; such as light evening dresses, muslin dresses, &c., which are not dirty enough to be washed, but merely require smoothing out to remove the creases. in summer, particularly, an iron will be constantly required, as also a skirt-board, which should be covered with a nice clean piece of flannel. to keep muslin dresses in order, they almost require smoothing out every time they are worn, particularly if made with many flounces. the lady's-maid may often have to perform little services for her mistress which require care; such as restoring the colour to scorched linen, &c. &c. the following recipe is, we believe, a very good one. to restore whiteness to scorched linen. . ingredients.-- / pint of vinegar, oz. of fuller's-earth, oz. of dried fowls' dung, / oz. of soap, the juice of large onions. _mode._--boil all these ingredients together to the consistency of paste; spread the composition thickly over the damaged part, and if the threads be not actually consumed, after it has been allowed to dry on, and the place has subsequently been washed once or twice, every trace of scorching will disappear. . _furs, feathers, and woollens_ require the constant care of the waiting-maid. furs and feathers not in constant use should be wrapped up in linen washed in lye. from may to september they are subject to being made the depositary of the moth-eggs. they should be looked too, and shaken and beaten, from time to time, in case some of the eggs should have been lodged in them, in spite of every precaution; laying them up again, or rather folding them up as before, wrapping them in brown paper, which is itself a preservative. shawls and cloaks, which would be damaged by such close folds, must be looked to, and aired and beaten, putting them away dry before the evening. preservatives against the ravages of moths. . place pieces of camphor, cedar-wood, russia leather, tobacco-leaves, bog-myrtle, or anything else strongly aromatic, in the drawers or boxes where furs or other things to be preserved from moths are kept, and they will never take harm. . _jewels_ are generally wrapped up in cotton, and kept in their cases; but they are subject to tarnish from exposure to the air, and require cleaning. this is done by preparing clean soap-suds, using fine toilet-soap. dip any article of gold, silver, gilt, or precious stones into this lye, and dry them by brushing with a brush of soft badgers' hair, or a fine sponge; afterwards with a piece of fine cloth, and, lastly, with a soft leather. . _epaulettes_ of gold or silver, and, in general, all articles of jewellery, may be dressed by dipping them in spirits of wine warmed in a _bain marie,_ or shallow kettle, placed over a slow fire or hot-plate. . the valet and lady's-maid, from their supposed influence with their master and mistress, are exposed to some temptations to which other servants are less subjected. they are probably in communication with the tradespeople who supply articles for the toilet; such as batters, tailors, dressmakers, and perfumers. the conduct of waiting-maid and valet to these people should be civil but independent, making reasonable allowance for want of exact punctuality, if any such can be made: they should represent any inconvenience respectfully, and if an excuse seems unreasonable, put the matter fairly to master or mistress, leaving it to them to notice it further, if they think it necessary. no expectations of a personal character should influence them one way or the other. it would be acting unreasonably to any domestic to make them refuse such presents as tradespeople choose to give them; the utmost that can be expected is that they should not influence their judgment in the articles supplied--that they should represent them truly to master or mistress, without fear and without favour. civility to all, servility to none, is a good maxim for every one. deference to a master and mistress, and to their friends and visitors, is one of the implied terms of their engagement; and this deference must apply even to what may be considered their whims. a servant is not to be seated, or wear a hat in the house, in his master's or mistress's presence; nor offer any opinion, unless asked for it; nor even to say "good night," or "good morning," except in reply to that salutation. to preserve cut flowers. . a bouquet of freshly-cut flowers may be preserved alive for a long time by placing them in a glass or vase with fresh water, in which a little charcoal has been steeped, or a small piece of camphor dissolved. the vase should be set upon a plate or dish, and covered with a bell-glass, around the edges of which, when it comes in contact with the plate, a little water should be poured to exclude the air. to revive cut flowers after packing. . plunge the stems into boiling water, and by the time the water is cold, the flowers will have revived. then cut afresh the ends of the stems, and keep them in fresh cold water. upper and under housemaids. . housemaids, in large establishments, have usually one or more assistants; in this case they are upper and under housemaids. dividing the work between them, the upper housemaid will probably reserve for herself the task of dusting the ornaments and cleaning the furniture of the principal apartments, but it is her duty to see that every department is properly attended to. the number of assistants depends on the number in the family, as well as on the style in which the establishment is kept up. in wealthy families it is not unusual for every grown-up daughter to have her waiting-maid, whose duty it is to keep her mistress's apartments in order, thus abridging the housemaid's duties. in others, perhaps, one waiting-maid attends on two or three, when the housemaid's assistance will be more requisite. in fact, every establishment has some customs peculiar to itself, on which we need not dwell; the general duties are the _same in all_, perfect cleanliness and order being the object. duties of the housemaid. . "cleanliness is next to godliness," saith the proverb, and "order" is in the next degree; the housemaid, then, may be said to be the handmaiden to two of the most prominent virtues. her duties are very numerous, and many of the comforts of the family depend on their performance; but they are simple and easy to a person naturally clean and orderly, and desirous of giving satisfaction. in all families, whatever the habits of the master and mistress, servants will find it advantageous to rise early; their daily work will thus come easy to them. if they rise late, there is a struggle to overtake it, which throws an air of haste and hurry over the whole establishment. where the master's time is regulated by early business or professional engagements, this will, of course, regulate the hours of the servants; but even where that is not the case, servants will find great personal convenience in rising early and getting through their work in an orderly and methodical manner. the housemaid who studies her own ease will certainly be at her work by six o'clock in the summer, and, probably, half-past six or seven in the winter months, having spent a reasonable time in her own chamber in dressing. earlier than this would, probably, be an unnecessary waste of coals and candle in winter. . the first duty of the housemaid in winter is to open the shutters of all the lower rooms in the house, and take up the hearth-rugs of those rooms which she is going to "do" before breakfast. in some families, where there is only a cook and housemaid kept, and where the drawing-rooms are large, the cook has the care of the dining-room, and the housemaid that of the breakfast-room, library, and drawing-rooms. after the shutters are all opened, she sweeps the breakfast-room, sweeping the dust towards the fire-place, of course previously removing the fonder. she should then lay a cloth (generally made of coarse wrappering) over the carpet in front of the stove, and on this should place her housemaid's box, containing black-lead brushes, leathers, emery-paper, cloth, black lead, and all utensils necessary for cleaning a grate, with the cinder-pail on the other side. [illustration: carpet-brooms.] . she now sweeps up the ashes, and deposits them in her cinder-pail, which is a japanned tin pail, with a wire-sifter inside, and a closely-fitting top. in this pail the cinders are sifted, and reserved for use in the kitchen or under the copper, the ashes only being thrown away. the cinders disposed of, she proceeds to black-lead the grate, producing the black lead, the soft brush for laying it on, her blacking and polishing brushes, from the box which contains her tools. this housemaid's box should be kept well stocked. having blackened, brushed, and polished every part, and made all clean and bright, she now proceeds to lay the fire. sometimes it is very difficult to get a proper polish to black grates, particularly if they have been neglected, and allowed to rust at all. brunswick black, which is an excellent varnish for grates, may be prepared in the following manner:-- [illustration: stove brushes.] [illustration: housemaid's box.] . ingredients.-- lb. of common asphaltum, / pint of linseed oil, quart of oil of turpentine. _mode._--melt the asphaltum, and add gradually to it the other two ingredients. apply this with a small painter's brush, and leave it to become perfectly dry. the grate will need no other cleaning, but will merely require dusting every day, and occasionally brushing with a dry black-lead brush. this is, of course, when no fires are used. when they are required, the bars, cheeks, and back of the grate will need black-leading in the usual manner. . _fire-lighting,_ however simple, is an operation requiring some skill; a fire is readily made by laying a few cinders at the bottom in open order; over this a few pieces of paper, and over that again eight or ten pieces of dry wood; over the wood, a course of moderate-sized pieces of coal, taking care to leave hollow spaces between for air at the centre; and taking care to lay the whole well back in the grate, so that the smoke may go up the chimney, and not into the room. this done, fire the paper with a match from below, and, if properly laid, it will soon burn up; the stream of flame from the wood and paper soon communicating to the coals and cinders, provided there is plenty of air at the centre. . a new method of lighting a fire is sometimes practised with advantage, the fire lighting from the top and burning down, in place of being lighted and burning up from below. this is arranged by laying the coals at the bottom, mixed with a few good-sized cinders, and the wood at the top, with another layer of coals and some paper over it; the paper is lighted in the usual way, and soon burns down to a good fire, with some economy of fuel, as is said. . bright grates require unceasing attention to keep them in perfect order. a day should never pass without the housemaid rubbing with a dry leather the polished parts of a grate, as also the fender and fire-irons. a careful and attentive housemaid should have no occasion ever to use emery-paper for any part but the bars, which, of course, become blackened by the fire. (some mistresses, to save labour, have a double set of bars, one set bright for the summer, and another black set to use when fires are in requisition.) when bright grates are once neglected, small rust-spots begin to show themselves, which a plain leather will not remove; the following method of cleaning them must then be resorted to:--first, thoroughly clean with emery-paper; then take a large smooth pebble from the road, sufficiently large to hold comfortably in the hand, with which rub the steel backwards and forwards one way, until the desired polish is obtained. it may appear at first to scratch, but continue rubbing, and the result will be success. the following is also an excellent polish for bright stoves and steel articles:-- . ingredients.-- tablespoonful of turpentine, ditto of sweet oil, emery powder. _mode._--mix the turpentine and sweet oil together, stirring in sufficient emery powder to make the mixture of the thickness of cream. put it on the article with a piece of soft flannel, rub off quickly with another piece, then polish with a little dry emery powder and clean leather. . the several fires lighted, the housemaid proceeds with her dusting, and polishing the several pieces of furniture in the breakfast-parlour, leaving no corner unvisited. before sweeping the carpet, it is a good practice to sprinkle it all over with tea-leaves, which not only lay all dust, but give a slightly fragrant smell to the room. it is now in order for the reception of the family; and where there is neither footman nor parlour-maid, she now proceeds to the dressing-room, and lights her mistress's fire, if she is in the habit of having one to dress by. her mistress is called, hot water placed in the dressing-room for her use, her clothes--as far as they are under the house-maid's charge--put before the fire to air, hanging a fire-guard on the bars where there is one, while she proceeds to prepare the breakfast. . in summer the housemaid's work is considerably abridged: she throws open the windows of the several rooms not occupied as bedrooms, that they may receive the fresh morning air before they are occupied; she prepares the breakfast-room by sweeping the carpet, rubbing tables and chairs, dusting mantel-shelf and picture-frames with a light brush, dusting the furniture, and beating and sweeping the rug; she cleans the grate when necessary, and replaces the white paper or arranges the shavings with which it is filled, leaving everything clean and tidy for breakfast. it is not enough, however, in cleaning furniture, just to pass lightly over the surface; the rims and legs of tables, and the backs and legs of chairs and sofas, should be rubbed vigorously daily; if there is a book-case, every corner of every pane and ledge requires to be carefully wiped, so that not a speck of dust can be found in the room. . after the breakfast-room is finished, the housemaid should proceed to sweep down the stairs, commencing at the top, whilst the cook has the charge of the hall, door-step, and passages. after this she should go into the drawing-room, cover up every article of furniture that is likely to spoil, with large dusting-sheets, and put the chairs together, by turning them seat to seat, and, in fact, make as much room as possible, by placing all the loose furniture in the middle of the room, whilst she sweeps the corners and sides. when this is accomplished, the furniture can then be put back in its place, and the middle of the room swept, sweeping the dirt, as before said, towards the fireplace. the same rules should be observed in cleaning the drawing-room grates as we have just stated, putting down the cloth, before commencing, to prevent the carpet from getting soiled. in the country, a room would not require sweeping thoroughly like this more than twice a week; but the housemaid should go over it every morning with a dust-pan and broom, taking up every crumb and piece she may see. after the sweeping she should leave the room, shut the door, and proceed to lay the breakfast. where there is neither footman nor parlour-maid kept, the duty of laying the breakfast-cloth rests on the housemaid. [illustration: banister-broom.] [illustration: staircase-broom.] . before laying the cloth for breakfast, the heater of the tea-urn is to be placed in the hottest part of the kitchen fire; or, where the kettle is used, boiled on the kitchen fire, and then removed to the parlour, where it is kept hot. having washed herself free from the dust arising from the morning's work, the housemaid collects the breakfast-things on her tray, takes the breakfast-cloth from the napkin press, and carries them all on the tray into the parlour; arranges them on the table, placing a sufficiency of knives, forks, and salt-cellars for the family, and takes the tray back to the pantry; gets a supply of milk, cream, and bread; fills the butter-dish, taking care that the salt is plentiful, and soft and dry, and that hot plates and egg-cups are ready where warm meat or eggs are served, and that butter-knife and bread-knife are in their places. and now she should give the signal for breakfast, holding herself ready to fill the urn with hot water, or hand the kettle, and take in the rolls, toast, and other eatables, with which the cook supplies her, when the breakfast-room bell rings; bearing in mind that she is never to enter the parlour with dirty hands or with a dirty apron, and that everything is to be handed on a tray; that she is to hand everything she may be required to supply, on the left hand of the person she is serving, and that all is done quietly and without bustle or hurry. in some families, where there is a large number to attend on, the cook waits at breakfast whilst the housemaid is busy upstairs in the bedrooms, or sweeping, dusting, and putting the drawing-room in order. . breakfast served, the housemaid proceeds to the bed-chambers, throws up the sashes, if not already done, pulls up the blinds, throwing back curtains at the same time, and opens the beds, by removing the clothes, placing them over a horse, or, failing that, over the backs of chairs. she now proceeds to empty the slops. in doing this, everything is emptied into the slop-pail, leaving a little scalding-hot water for a minute in such vessels as require it; adding a drop of turpentine to the water, when that is not sufficient to cleanse them. the basin is emptied, well rinsed with clean water, and carefully wiped; the ewers emptied and washed; finally, the water-jugs themselves emptied out and rinsed, and wiped dry. as soon as this is done, she should remove and empty the pails, taking care that they also are well washed, scalded, and wiped as soon as they are empty. . next follows bedmaking, at which the cook or kitchen-maid, where one is kept, usually assists; but, before beginning, velvet chairs, or other things injured by dust, should be removed to another room. in bedmaking, the fancy of its occupant should be consulted; some like beds sloping from the top towards the feet, swelling slightly in the middle; others, perfectly flat: a good housemaid will accommodate each bed to the taste of the sleeper, taking care to shake, beat, and turn it well in the process. some persons prefer sleeping on the mattress; in which case a feather bed is usually beneath, resting on a second mattress, and a straw paillasse at the bottom. in this case, the mattresses should change places daily; the feather bed placed on the mattress shaken, beaten, taken up and opened several times, so as thoroughly to separate the feathers: if too large to be thus handled, the maid should shake and beat one end first, and then the other, smoothing it afterwards equally all over into the required shape, and place the mattress gently over it. any feathers which escape in this process a tidy servant will put back through the seam of the tick; she will also be careful to sew up any stitch that gives way the moment it is discovered. the bedclothes are laid on, beginning with an under blanket and sheet, which are tucked under the mattress at the bottom. the bolster is then beaten and shaken, and put on, the top of the sheet rolled round it, and the sheet tucked in all round. the pillows and other bedclothes follow, and the counterpane over all, which should fall in graceful folds, and at equal distance from the ground all round. the curtains are drawn to the head and folded neatly across the bed, and the whole finished in a smooth and graceful manner. where spring-mattresses are used, care should be taken that the top one is turned every day. the housemaid should now take up in a dustpan any pieces that may be on the carpet; she should dust the room, shut the door, and proceed to another room. when all the bedrooms are finished, she should dust the stairs, and polish the handrail of the banisters, and see that all ledges, window-sills, &c., are quite free from dust. it will be necessary for the housemaid to divide her work, so that she may not have too much to do on certain days, and not sufficient to fill up her time on other days. in the country, bedrooms should be swept and thoroughly cleaned once a week; and to be methodical and regular in her work, the housemaid should have certain days for doing certain rooms thoroughly. for instance, the drawing-room on monday, two bedrooms on tuesday, two on wednesday, and so on, reserving a day for thoroughly cleaning the plate, bedroom candlesticks, &c. &c., which she will have to do where there is no parlour-maid or footman kept. by this means the work will be divided, and there will be no unnecessary bustling and hurrying, as is the case where the work is done any time, without rule or regulation. [illustration: scrubbing-brush.] . once a week, when a bedroom is to be thoroughly cleaned, the house-maid should commence by brushing the mattresses of the bed before it is made; she should then make it, shake the curtains, lay them smoothly on the bed, and pin or tuck up the bottom valance, so that she may be able to sweep under the bed. she should then unloop the window-curtains, shake them, and pin them high up out of the way. after clearing the dressing-table, and the room altogether of little articles of china, &c. &c., she should shake the toilet-covers, fold them up, and lay them on the bed, over which a large dusting-sheet should be thrown. she should then sweep the room; first of all sprinkling the carpet with well-squeezed tea-leaves, or a little freshly-pulled grass, when this is obtainable. after the carpet is swept, and the grate cleaned, she should wash with soap and water, with a little soda in it, the washing-table apparatus, removing all marks or fur round the jugs, caused by the water. the water-bottles and tumblers must also have her attention, as well as the top of the washing-stand, which should be cleaned with soap and flannel if it be marble: if of polished mahogany, no soap must be used. when these are all clean and arranged in their places, the housemaid should scrub the floor where it is not covered with carpet, under the beds, and round the wainscot. she should use as little soap and soda as possible, as too free a use of these articles is liable to give the boards a black appearance. in the country, cold soft water, a clean scrubbing-brush, and a willing arm, are all that are required to make bedroom floors look white. in winter it is not advisable to scrub rooms too often, as it is difficult to dry them thoroughly at that season of the year, and nothing is more dangerous than to allow persons to sleep in a damp room. the housemaid should now dust the furniture, blinds, ornaments, &c.; polish the looking-glass; arrange the toilet-cover and muslin; remove the cover from the bed, and straighten and arrange the curtains and counterpane. a bedroom should be cleaned like this every week. there are times, however, when it is necessary to have the carpet up; this should be done once a year in the country, and twice a year in large cities. the best time for these arrangements is spring and autumn, when the bed-furniture requires changing to suit the seasons of the year. after arranging the furniture, it should all be well rubbed and polished; and for this purpose the housemaid should provide herself with an old silk pocket-handkerchief, to finish the polishing. [illustration: long hair-broom.] . as modern furniture is now nearly always french-polished, it should often be rubbed with an old silk rubber, or a fine cloth or duster, to keep it free from smears. three or four times a year any of the following polishes may be applied with very great success, as any of them make french-polished furniture look very well. one precaution must be taken,--not to put too much of the polish on at one time, and _to rub, not smear_ it over the articles. furniture polish. . ingredients.-- / pint of linseed-oil, / pint of vinegar, oz. of spirits of salts, / oz. of muriatic antimony. _mode_.--mix all well together, and shake before using. furniture polish. . ingredients.--equal proportions of linseed-oil, turpentine, vinegar, and spirits of wine. _mode_.--when used, shake the mixture well, and rub on the furniture with a piece of linen rag, and polish with a clean duster. vinegar and oil, rubbed in with flannel, and the furniture rubbed with a clean duster, produce a very good polish. furniture paste. . ingredients.-- oz. of common beeswax, oz. of white wax, oz. of curd soap, pint of turpentine, pint of boiled water. [illustration: furniture brush.] _mode_.--mix the ingredients together, adding the water when cold; shake the mixture frequently in the bottle, and do not use it for hours after it is made. it should be applied with a piece of flannel, the furniture polished with a duster, and then with an old silk rubber. . the chambers are finished, the chamber candlesticks brought down and cleaned, the parlour lamps trimmed;--and here the housemaid's utmost care is required. in cleaning candlesticks, as in every other cleaning, she should have cloths and brushes kept for that purpose alone; the knife used to scrape them should be applied to no other purpose; the tallow-grease should be thrown into a box kept for the purpose; the same with everything connected with the lamp-trimming; the best mode of doing which she will do well to learn from the tradesman who supplies the oil; always bearing in mind, however, that without perfect cleanliness, which involves occasional scalding, no lamp can be kept in order. . the drawing and dining-room, inasmuch as everything there is more costly and valuable, require even more care. when the carpets are of the kind known as velvet-pile, they require to be swept firmly by a hard whisk brush, made of cocoanut fibre. . the furniture must be carefully gone over in every corner with a soft cloth, that it may be left perfectly free from dust; or where that is beyond reach, with a brush made of long feathers, or a goose's wing. the sofas are swept in the same manner, slightly beaten, the cushions shaken and smoothed, the picture-frames swept, and everything arranged in its proper place. this, of course, applies to dining as well as drawing-room and morning-room. and now the housemaid may dress herself for the day, and prepare for the family dinner, at which she must attend. . we need not repeat the long instructions already given for laying the dinner-table. at the family dinner, even where no footman waits, the routine will be the same. in most families the cloth is laid with the slips on each side, with napkins, knives, forks, spoons, and wine and finger glasses on all occasions. [illustration: butler's tray and stand.] . she should ascertain that her plate is in order, glasses free from smears, water-bottles and decanters the same, and everything ready on her tray, that she may be able to lay her cloth properly. few things add more to the neat and comfortable appearance of a dinner-table than well-polished plate; indeed, the state of the plate is a certain indication of a well-managed or ill-managed household. nothing is easier than to keep plate in good order, and yet many servants, from stupidity and ignorance, make it the greatest trouble of all things under their care. it should be remembered, that it is utterly impossible to make greasy silver take a polish; and that as spoons and forks in daily use are continually in contact with grease, they must require good washing in soap-and-water to remove it. silver should be washed with a soapy flannel in one water, rinsed in another, and then wiped dry with a dry cloth. the plate so washed may be polished with the plate-rags, as in the following directions:--once a week all the plate should receive a thorough cleaning with the hartshorn powder, as directed in the first recipe for cleaning plate; and where the housemaid can find time, rubbed every day with the plate-rags. . hartshorn, we may observe, is one of the best possible ingredients for plate-powder in daily use. it leaves on the silver a deep, dark polish, and at the same time does less injury than anything else. it has also the advantage of being very cheap; almost all the ordinary powders sold in boxes containing more or less of quicksilver, in some form or another; and this in process of time is sure to make the plate brittle. if any one wishes to be convinced of the effect of quicksilver on plate, he has only to rub a little of it on one place for some time,--on the handle of a silver teaspoon for instance, and he will find it break in that spot with very little pressure. to clean plate. _a very excellent method._ [illustration: plate-brush.] . wash the plate well to remove all grease, in a strong lather of common yellow soap and boiling water, and wipe it quite dry; then mix as much hartshorn powder as will be required, into a thick paste, with cold water or spirits of wine; smear this lightly over the plate with a piece of soft rag, and leave it for some little time to dry. when perfectly dry, brush it off quite clean with a soft plate-brush, and polish the plate with a dry leather. if the plate be very dirty, or much tarnished, spirits of wine will be found to answer better than the water for mixing the paste. plate-rags for daily use. . boil soft rags (nothing is better for the purpose than the tops of old cotton stockings) in a mixture of new milk and hartshorn powder, in the proportion of oz. of powder to a pint of milk; boil them for minutes; wring them as soon as they are taken out, for a moment, in cold water, and dry them before the fire. with these rags rub the plate briskly as soon as it has been well washed and dried after daily use. a most beautiful deep polish will be produced, and the plate will require nothing more than merely to be dusted with a leather or a dry soft cloth, before it is again put on the table. . for waiting at table, the housemaid should be neatly and cleanly dressed, and, if possible, her dress made with closed sleeves, the large open ones dipping and falling into everything on the table, and being very much in the way. she should not wear creaking boots, and should move about the room as noiselessly as possible, anticipating people's wants by handing them things without being asked for them, and altogether be as quiet as possible. it will be needless here to repeat what we have already said respecting waiting at table, in the duties of the butler and footman: rules that are good to be observed by them, are equally good for the parlour-maid or housemaid. . the housemaid having announced that dinner is on the table, will hand the soup, fish, meat, or side-dishes to the different members of the family; but in families who do not spend much of the day together, they will probably prefer being alone at dinner and breakfast; the housemaid will be required, after all are helped, if her master does not wish her to stay in the room, to go on with her work of cleaning up in the pantry, and answer the bell when rung. in this case she will place a pile of plates on the table or a dumbwaiter, within reach of her master and mistress, and leave the room. [illustration: crumb-brush]. . dinner over, the housemaid removes the plates and dishes on the tray, places the dirty knives and forks in the basket prepared for them, folds up the napkins in the ring which indicates by which member of the family it has been used, brushes off the crumbs on the hand-tray kept for the purpose, folds up the table-cloth in the folds already made, and places it in the linen-press to be smoothed out. after every meal the table should be rubbed, all marks from hot plates removed, and the table-cover thrown over, and the room restored to its usual order. if the family retire to the drawing-room, or any other room, it is a good practice to throw up the sash to admit fresh air and ventilate the room. . the housemaid's evening service consists in washing up the dinner-things, the plate, plated articles, and glasses, restoring everything to its place; cleaning up her pantry, and putting away everything for use when next required; lastly, preparing for tea, as the time approaches, by setting the things out on the tray, getting the urn or kettle ready, with cream and other things usually partaken of at that meal. . in summer-time the windows of all the bedrooms, which have been closed during the heat of the day, should be thrown open for an hour or so after sunset, in order to air them. before dark they should be closed, the bedclothes turned down, and the night-clothes laid in order for use when required. during winter, where fires are required in the dressing-rooms, they should be lighted an hour before the usual time of retiring, placing a fire-guard before each fire. at the same time, the night-things on the horse should be placed before it to be aired, with a tin can of hot water, if the mistress is in the habit of washing before going to bed. we may add, that there is no greater preservative of beauty than washing the face every night in hot water. the housemaid will probably be required to assist her mistress to undress and put her dress in order for the morrow; in which case her duties are very much those of the lady's-maid. . and now the fire is made up for the night, the fireguard replaced, and everything in the room in order for the night, the housemaid taking care to leave the night-candle and matches together in a convenient place, should they be required. it is usual in summer to remove all highly fragrant flowers from sleeping-rooms, the impression being that their scent is injurious in a close chamber. . on leisure days, the housemaid should be able to do some needlework for her mistress,--such as turning and mending sheets and darning the house linen, or assist her in anything she may think fit to give her to do. for this reason it is almost essential that a housemaid, in a small family, should be an expert needlewoman; as, if she be a good manager and an active girl, she will have time on her hands to get through plenty of work. . _periodical cleanings_.--besides the daily routine which we have described, there are portions of every house which can only be thoroughly cleaned occasionally; at which time the whole house usually undergoes a more thorough cleaning than is permitted in the general way. on these occasions it is usual to begin at the top of the house and clean downwards; moving everything out of the room; washing the wainscoting or paint with soft soap and water; pulling down the beds and thoroughly cleansing all the joints; "scrubbing" the floor; beating feather beds, mattress, and paillasse, and thoroughly purifying every article of furniture before it is put back in its place. . this general cleaning usually takes place in the spring or early summer, when the warm curtains of winter are replaced by the light and cheerful muslin curtains. carpets are at the same time taken up and beaten, except where the mistress of the house has been worried into an experiment by the often-reiterated question, "why beat your carpets?" in this case she will probably have made up her mind to try the cleaning process, and arranged with the company to send for them on the morning when cleaning commenced. it is hardly necessary to repeat, that on this occasion every article is to be gone over, the french-polished furniture well rubbed and polished. the same thorough system of cleaning should be done throughout the house; the walls cleaned where painted, and swept down with a soft broom or feather brush where papered; the window and bed curtains, which have been replaced with muslin ones, carefully brushed, or, if they require it, cleaned; lamps not likely to be required, washed out with hot water, dried, and cleaned. the several grates are now to be furnished with their summer ornaments; and we know none prettier than the following, which the housemaid may provide at a small expense to her mistress:--purchase two yards and a half of crinoline muslin, and tear it into small strips, the selvage way of the material, about an inch wide; strip this thread by thread on each side, leaving the four centre threads; this gives about six-and-thirty pieces, fringed on each side, which are tied together at one end, and fastened to the trap of the register, while the threads, unravelled, are spread gracefully about the grate, the lower part of which is filled with paper shavings. this makes a very elegant and very cheap ornament, which is much stronger, besides, than those usually purchased. [illustration: cornice-brush.] [illustration: house-pail.] [illustration: dusting-brush.] . as winter approaches, this house-cleaning will have to be repeated, and the warm bed and window curtains replaced. the process of scouring and cleaning is again necessary, and must be gone through, beginning at the top, and going through the house, down to the kitchens. . independently of these daily and periodical cleanings, other occupations will present themselves from time to time, which the housemaid will have to perform. when spots show on polished furniture, they can generally be restored by soap-and-water and a sponge, the polish being brought out by using a little polish, and then well rubbing it. again, drawers which draw out stiffly may be made to move more easily if the spot where they press is rubbed over with a little soap. . chips broken off any of the furniture should be collected and replaced, by means of a little glue applied to it. liquid glue, which is sold prepared in bottles, is very useful to have in the house, as it requires no melting; and anything broken can be so quickly repaired. . breaking glass and china is about the most disagreeable thing that can happen in a family, and it is, probably, a greater annoyance to a right-minded servant than to the mistress. a neat-handed housemaid may sometimes repair these breakages, where they are not broken in very conspicuous places, by joining the pieces very neatly together with a cement made as follows:--dissolve an ounce of gum mastic in a quantity of highly-rectified spirits of wine; then soften an ounce of isinglass in warm water, and, finally, dissolve it in rum or brandy, till it forms a thick jelly. mix the isinglass and gum mastic together, adding a quarter of an ounce of finely-powdered gum ammoniac; put the whole into an earthen pipkin, and in a warm place, till they are thoroughly incorporated together; pour it into a small phial, and cork it down for use. . in using it, dissolve a small piece of the cement in a silver teaspoon over a lighted candle. the broken pieces of glass or china being warmed, and touched with the now liquid cement, join the parts neatly together, and hold in their places till the cement has set; then wipe away the cement adhering to the edge of the joint, and leave it for twelve hours without touching it: the joint will be as strong as the china itself, and if neatly done, it will show no joining. it is essential that neither of the pieces be wetted either with hot or cold water. useful recipes for housemaids. to clean marble. . mix with / pint of soap lees, / gill of turpentine, sufficient pipe-clay and bullock's gall to make the whole into rather a thick paste. apply it to the marble with a soft brush, and after a day or two, when quite dry, rub it off with a soft rag. apply this a second or third time till the marble is quite clean. another method. . take two parts of soda, one of pumice-stone, and one of finely-powdered chalk. sift these through a fine sieve, and mix them into a paste with water. rub this well all over the marble, and the stains will be removed; then wash it with soap-and-water, and a beautiful bright polish will be produced. to clean floorcloth. . after having washed the floorcloth in the usual manner with a damp flannel, wet it all over with milk and rub it well with a dry cloth, when a most beautiful polish will be brought out. some persons use for rubbing a well-waxed flannel; but this in general produces an unpleasant slipperiness, which is not the case with the milk. to clean decanters. . roll up in small pieces some soft brown or blotting paper; wet them, and soap them well. put them into the decanters about one quarter full of warm water; shake them well for a few minutes, then rinse with clear cold water; wipe the outsides with a nice dry cloth, put the decanters to drain, and when dry they will be almost as bright as new ones. to brighten gilt frames. . take sufficient flour of sulphur to give a golden tinge to about - / pint of water, and in this boil or bruised onions, or garlic, which will answer the same purpose. strain off the liquid, and with it, when cold, wash, with a soft brush, any gilding which requires restoring, and when dry it will come out as bright as new work. to preserve bright grates or fire-irons from rust. . make a strong paste of fresh lime and water, and with a fine brush smear it as thickly as possible over all the polished surface requiring preservation. by this simple means, all the grates and fire-irons in an empty house may be kept for months free from harm, without further care or attention. german furniture-gloss. . ingredients.-- / lb. yellow wax, oz. black rosin, oz. of oil of turpentine. _mode_.--cut the wax into small pieces, and melt it in a pipkin, with the rosin pounded very fine. stir in gradually, while these two ingredients are quite warm, the oil of turpentine. keep this composition well covered for use in a tin or earthen pot. a little of this gloss should be spread on a piece of coarse woollen cloth, and the furniture well rubbed with it; afterwards it should be polished with a fine cloth. duties of the maid-of-all-work. . the general servant, or maid-of-all-work, is perhaps the only one of her class deserving of commiseration: her life is a solitary one, and in, some places, her work is never done. she is also subject to rougher treatment than either the house or kitchen-maid, especially in her earlier career: she starts in life, probably a girl of thirteen, with some small tradesman's wife as her mistress, just a step above her in the social scale; and although the class contains among them many excellent, kind-hearted women, it also contains some very rough specimens of the feminine gender, and to some of these it occasionally falls to give our maid-of-all-work her first lessons in her multifarious occupations: the mistress's commands are the measure of the maid-of-all-work's duties. by the time she has become a tolerable servant, she is probably engaged in some respectable tradesman's house, where she has to rise with the lark, for she has to do in her own person all the work which in larger establishments is performed by cook, kitchen-maid, and housemaid, and occasionally the part of a footman's duty, which consists in carrying messages. . the general servant's duties commence by opening the shutters (and windows, if the weather permits) of all the lower apartments in the house; she should then brush up her kitchen-range, light the fire, clear away the ashes, clean the hearth, and polish with a leather the bright parts of the range, doing all as rapidly and as vigorously as possible, that no more time be wasted than is necessary. after putting on the kettle, she should then proceed to the dining-room or parlour to get it in order for breakfast. she should first roll up the rug, take up the fender, shake and fold up the table-cloth, then sweep the room, carrying the dirt towards the fireplace; a coarse cloth should then be laid down over the carpet, and she should proceed to clean the grate, having all her utensils close to her. when the grate is finished, the ashes cleared away, the hearth cleaned, and the fender put back in its place, she must dust the furniture, not omitting the legs of the tables and chairs; and if there are any ornaments or things on the sideboard, she must not dust round them, but lift them up on to another place, dust well where they have been standing, and then replace the things. nothing annoys a particular mistress so much as to find, when she comes down stairs, different articles of furniture looking as if they had never been dusted. if the servant is at all methodical, and gets into a habit of _doing_ a room in a certain way, she will scarcely ever leave her duties neglected. after the rug is put down, the table-cloth arranged, and everything in order, she should lay the cloth for breakfast, and then shut the dining-room door. . the hall must now be swept, the mats shaken, the door-step cleaned, and any brass knockers or handles polished up with the leather. if the family breakfast very early, the tidying of the hall must then be deferred till after that meal. after cleaning the boots that are absolutely required, the servant should now wash her hands and face, put on a clean white apron, and be ready for her mistress when she comes down stairs. in families where there is much work to do before breakfast, the master of the house frequently has two pairs of boots in wear, so that they may be properly cleaned when the servant has more time to do them, in the daytime. this arrangement is, perhaps, scarcely necessary in the summer-time, when there are no grates to clean every morning; but in the dark days of winter it is only kind and thoughtful to lighten a servant-of-all-work's duties as much as possible. [illustration: blacking-brush box.] . she will now carry the urn into the dining-room, where her mistress will make the tea or coffee, and sometimes will boil the eggs, to insure them being done to her liking. in the mean time the servant cooks, if required, the bacon, kidneys, fish, &c.;--if cold meat is to be served, she must always send it to table on a clean dish, and nicely garnished with tufts of parsley, if this is obtainable. . after she has had her own breakfast, and whilst the family are finishing theirs, she should go upstairs into the bedrooms, open all the windows, strip the clothes off the beds, and leave them to air whilst she is clearing away the breakfast things. she should then take up the crumbs in a dustpan from under the table, put the chairs in their places, and sweep up the hearth. . the breakfast things washed up, the kitchen should be tidied, so that it may be neat when her mistress comes in to give the orders for the day: after receiving these orders, the servant should go upstairs again, with a jug of boiling water, the slop-pail, and two cloths. after emptying the slops, and scalding the vessels with the boiling water, and wiping them thoroughly dry, she should wipe the top of the wash-table and arrange it all in order. she then proceeds to make the beds, in which occupation she is generally assisted by the mistress, or, if she have any daughters, by one of them. before commencing to make the bed, the servant should put on a large bed-apron, kept for this purpose only, which should be made very wide, to button round the waist and meet behind, while it should be made as long as the dress. by adopting this plan, the blacks and dirt on servants' dresses (which at all times it is impossible to help) will not rub off on to the bed-clothes, mattresses, and bed furniture. when the beds are made, the rooms should be dusted, the stairs lightly swept down, hall furniture, closets, &c., dusted. the lady of the house, where there is but one servant kept, frequently takes charge of the drawing-room herself, that is to say, dusting it; the servant sweeping, cleaning windows, looking-glasses, grates, and rough work of that sort. if there are many ornaments and knick-knacks about the room, it is certainly better for the mistress to dust these herself, as a maid-of-all-work's hands are not always in a condition to handle delicate ornaments. . now she has gone the rounds of the house and seen that all is in order, the servant goes to her kitchen to see about the cooking of the dinner, in which very often her mistress will assist her. she should put on a coarse apron with a bib to do her dirty work in, which may be easily replaced by a white one if required. . half an hour before dinner is ready, she should lay the cloth, that everything may be in readiness when she is dishing up the dinner, and take all into the dining-room that is likely to be required, in the way of knives, forks, spoons, bread, salt, water, &c. &c. by exercising a little forethought, much confusion and trouble may be saved both to mistress and servant, by getting everything ready for the dinner in good time. . after taking in the dinner, when every one is seated, she removes the covers, hands the plates round, and pours out the beer; and should be careful to hand everything on the left side of the person she is waiting on. . we need scarcely say that a maid-of-all-work cannot stay in the dining-room during the whole of dinner-time, as she must dish up her pudding, or whatever is served after the first course. when she sees every one helped, she should leave the room to make her preparations for the next course; and anything that is required, such as bread, &c., people may assist themselves to in the absence of the servant. . when the dinner things are cleared away, the servant should sweep up the crumbs in the dining-room, sweep the hearth, and lightly dust the furniture, then sit down to her own dinner. [illustration: knife-cleaning machine] . after this, she washes up and puts away the dinner things, sweeps the kitchen, dusts and tidies it, and puts on the kettle for tea. she should now, before dressing herself for the afternoon, clean her knives, boots, and shoes, and do any other dirty work in the scullery that may be necessary. knife-cleaning machines are rapidly taking the place, in most households, of the old knife-board. the saving of labour by the knife-cleaner is very great, and its performance of the work is very satisfactory. small and large machines are manufactured, some cleaning only four knives, whilst others clean as many as twelve at once. nothing can be more simple than the process of machine knife-cleaning; and although, in a very limited household, the substitution of the machine for the board may not be necessary, yet we should advise all housekeepers, to whom the outlay is not a difficulty, to avail themselves of the services of a machine. we have already spoken of its management in the "duties of the footman," no. . . when the servant is dressed, she takes in the tea, and after tea turns down the beds, sees that the water-jugs and bottles are full, closes the windows, and draws down the blinds. if the weather is very warm, these are usually left open until the last thing at night, to cool the rooms. . the routine of a general servant's duties depends upon the kind of situation she occupies; but a systematic maid-of-all-work should so contrive to divide her work, that every day in the week may have its proper share. by this means she is able to keep the house clean with less fatigue to herself than if she left all the cleaning to do at the end of the week. supposing there are five bedrooms in the house, two sitting-rooms, kitchen, scullery, and the usual domestic offices:--on monday she should thoroughly clean the drawing-room; on tuesday, two of the bedrooms; on wednesday, two more; on thursday, the other bedroom and stairs; on friday morning she should sweep the dining-room very thoroughly, clean the hall, and in the afternoon her kitchen tins and bright utensils. by arranging her work in this manner, no undue proportion will fall to saturday's share, and she will then have this day for cleaning plate, cleaning her kitchen, and arranging everything in nice order. the regular work must, of course, be performed in the usual manner, as we have endeavoured to describe. . before retiring to bed, she will do well to clean up glasses, plates, &c. which have been used for the evening meal, and prepare for her morning's work by placing her wood near the fire, on the hob, to dry, taking care there is no danger of it igniting, before she leaves the kitchen for the night. before retiring, she will have to lock and bolt the doors, unless the master undertakes this office himself. . if the washing, or even a portion of it, is done at home, it will be impossible for the maid-of-all-work to do her household duties thoroughly, during the time it is about, unless she have some assistance. usually, if all the washing is done at home, the mistress hires some one to assist at the wash-tub, and sees to little matters herself, in the way of dusting, clearing away breakfast things, folding, starching, and ironing the fine things. with a little management much can be accomplished, provided the mistress be industrious, energetic, and willing to lend a helping hand. let washing-week be not the excuse for having everything in a muddle; and although "things" cannot be cleaned so thoroughly, and so much time spent upon them, as ordinarily, yet the house may be kept tidy and clear from litter without a great deal of exertion either on the part of the mistress or servant. we will conclude our remarks with an extract from an admirably-written book, called "home truths for home peace." the authoress says, with respect to the great wash--"amongst all the occasions in which it is most difficult and glorious to keep muddle out of a family, 'the great wash' stands pre-eminent; and as very little money is now saved by having _everything_ done at home, many ladies, with the option of taking another servant or putting out the chief part of the washing, have thankfully adopted the latter course." she goes on to say--"when a gentleman who dines at home can't bear washing in the house, but gladly pays for its being done elsewhere, the lady should gratefully submit to his wishes, and put out anything in her whole establishment rather than put out a good and generous husband." . a bustling and active girl will always find time to do a little needlework for herself, if she lives with consistent and reasonable people. in the summer evenings she should manage to sit down for two or three hours, and for a short time in the afternoon in leisure days. a general servant's duties are so multifarious, that unless she be quick and active, she will not be able to accomplish this. to discharge these various duties properly is a difficult task, and sometimes a thankless office; but it must be remembered that a good maid-of-all-work will make a good servant in any capacity, and may be safely taken not only without fear of failure, but with every probability of giving satisfaction to her employer. duties of the dairy-maid. . the duties of the dairy-maid differ considerably in different districts. in scotland, wales, and some of the northern counties, women milk the cows. on some of the large dairy farms in other parts of england, she takes her share in the milking, but in private families the milking is generally performed by the cowkeeper, and the dairy-maid only receives the milkpails from him morning and night, and empties and cleans them preparatory to the next milking; her duty being to supply the family with milk, cream, and butter, and other luxuries depending on the "milky mothers" of the herd. . _the dairy._--the object with which gentlemen keep cows is to procure milk unadulterated, and sweet butter, for themselves and families: in order to obtain this, however, great cleanliness is required, and as visitors, as well as the mistress of the house, sometimes visit the dairy, some efforts are usually made to render it ornamental and picturesque. the locality is usually fixed near to the house; it should neither be exposed to the fierce heat of the summer's sun nor to the equally unfavourable frosts of winter--it must be both sheltered and shaded. if it is a building apart from the house and other offices, the walls should be tolerably thick, and if hollow, the temperature will be more equable. the walls inside are usually covered with dutch glazed tiles; the flooring also of glazed tiles set in asphalte, to resist water; and the ceiling, lath and plaster, or closely-jointed woodwork, painted. its architecture will be a matter of fancy: it should have a northern aspect, and a thatched roof is considered most suitable, from the shade and shelter it affords; and it should contain at least two apartments, besides a cool place for storing away butter. one of the apartments, in which the milk is placed to deposit cream, or to ripen for churning, is usually surrounded by shelves of marble or slate, on which the milk-dishes rest; but it will be found a better plan to have a large square or round table of stone in the centre, with a water-tight ledge all round it, in which water may remain in hot weather, or, if some attempt at the picturesque is desired, a small fountain might occupy the centre, which would keep the apartment cool and fresh. round this table the milk-dishes should be ranged; one shelf, or dresser, of slate or marble, being kept for the various occupations of the dairy-maid: it will be found a better plan than putting them on shelves and corners against the wall. there should be a funnel or ventilator in the ceiling, communicating with the open air, made to open and shut as required. double windows are recommended, but of the lattice kind, so that they may open, and with wire-gauze blinds fitted into the opening, and calico blinds, which may be wetted when additional coolness is required. the other apartment will be used for churning, washing, and scrubbing--in fact, the scullery of the dairy, with a boiler for hot water, and a sink with cold water laid on, which should be plentiful and good. in some dairies a third apartment, or, at least, a cool airy pantry, is required for storing away butter, with shelves of marble or slate, to hold the cream-jars while it is ripening; and where cheeses are made, a fourth becomes necessary. the dairy utensils are not numerous,--_churns_, _milk-pails_ for each cow, _hair-sieves_, _slices of tin_, milk-pans, marble dishes for cream for family use, scales and weights, a portable rack for drying the utensils, _wooden bowls_, butter-moulds and butter-patters, and _wooden tubs_ for washing the utensils, comprising pretty nearly everything. . _pails_ are made of maple-wood or elm, and hooped, or of tin, more or less ornamented. one is required for each cow. . the _hair-sieve_ is made of closely-twisted horse-hair, with a rim, through which the milk is strained to remove any hairs which may have dropped from the cow in milking. . _milk-dishes_ are shallow basins of glass, of glazed earthenware, or tin, about inches in diameter at top, and at the bottom, and or inches deep, holding about to quarts each when full. . _churns_ are of all sorts and sizes, from that which churns or gallons by means of a strap from the engine, to the square box in which a pound of butter is made. the churn used for families is a square box, inches by or , and deep, bevelled below to the plane of the _dashers_, with a loose lid or cover. the dasher consists of an axis of wood, to which the four beaters or fanners are attached; these fans are simply four pieces of elm strongly dovetailed together, forming an oblong square, with a space left open, two of the openings being left broader than the others; attached to an axle, they form an axis with four projecting blades; the axle fits into supports at the centre of the box; a handle is fitted to it, and the act of churning is done by turning the handle. . such is the temple in which the dairy-maid presides: it should be removed both from stable and cowhouse, and larder; no animal smells should come near it, and the drainage should be perfect. . the dairy-maid receives the milk from the cowkeeper, each pail being strained through the hair-sieve into one of the milk-basins. this is left in the basins from twenty-four to thirty-six hours in the summer, according to the weather; after which it is skimmed off by means of the slicer, and poured into glazed earthenware jars to "turn" for churning. some persons prefer making up a separate churning for the milk of each cow; in which there is some advantage. in this case the basins of each cow, for two days, would either be kept together or labelled. as soon as emptied, the pails should be scalded and every particle of milk washed out, and placed away in a dry place till next required; and all milk spilt on the floor, or on the table or dresser, cleaned up with a cloth and hot water. where very great attention is paid to the dairy, the milk-coolers are used larger in winter, when it is desirable to retard the cooling down and increase the creamy deposit, and smaller in summer, to hasten it; the temperature required being from ° to °, in summer it is sometimes expedient, in very sultry weather, to keep the dairy fresh and cool by suspending cloths dipped in chloride of lime across the room. . in some dairies it is usual to churn twice, and in others three times a week: the former produces the best butter, the other the greatest quantity. with three cows, the produce should be to quarts a day. the dairy-maid should churn every day when very hot, if they are in full milk, and every second day in more temperate weather; besides supplying the milk and cream required for a large establishment. the churning should always be done in the morning: the dairy-maid will find it advantageous in being at work on churning mornings by five o'clock. the operation occupies from minutes to half an hour in summer, and considerably longer in winter. a steady uniform motion is necessary to produce sweet butter; neither too quick nor too slow. rapid motion causes the cream to heave and swell, from too much air being forced into it: the result is a tedious churning, and soft, bad-coloured butter. . in spring and summer, when the cow has her natural food, no artificial colour is required; but in winter, under stall-feeding, the colour is white and tallowy, and some persons prefer a higher colour. this is communicated by mixing a little finely-powdered arnotto with the cream before putting it into the churn; a still more, natural and delicate colour is communicated by scraping a red carrot into a clean piece of linen cloth, dipping it into water, and squeezing it into the cream. . as soon as the butter comes, the milk is poured off, and the butter put into a shallow wooden tub or bowl, full of pure spring water, in which it is washed and kneaded, pouring off the water, and renewing it until it comes away perfectly free from milk. imperfect washing is the frequent cause of bad butter, and in nothing is the skill of the dairy-maid tested more than in this process; moreover, it is one in which cleanliness of habits and person are most necessary. in this operation we want the aid of phyllis's neat, soft, and perfectly clean hand; for no mechanical operation can so well squeeze out the sour particles of milk or curd. . the operations of churning and butter-making over, the butter-milk is disposed of: usually, in england, it goes to the pigs; but it is a, very wholesome beverage when fresh, and some persons like it; the disposal, therefore, will rest with the mistress: the dairy-maid's duty is to get rid of it. she must then scald with boiling water and scrub out every utensil she has used; brush out the churn, clean out the cream-jars, which will probably require the use of a little common soda to purify; wipe all dry, and place them in a position where the sun can reach them for a short time, to sweeten them. . in devonshire, celebrated for its dairy system, the milk is always scalded. the milk-pans, which are of tin, and contain from to quarts, after standing or hours, are placed on a hot plate of iron, over a stove, until the cream has formed on the surface, which is indicated by the air-bubbles rising through the milk, and producing blisters on the surface-coating of cream. this indicates its approach to the boiling point: and the vessel is now removed to cool. when sufficiently, that is, quite cool, the cream is skimmed off with the slice: it is now the clouted cream for which devonshire is so famous. it is now placed in the churn, and churned until the butter comes, which it generally does in a much shorter time than by the other process. the butter so made contains more _caseine_ than butter made in the usual way, but does not keep so long. . it is a question frequently discussed, how far it is economical for families to keep cows and make their own butter. it is calculated that a good cow costs from may to october , when well but economically kept, £ . s. d; and from october to april , £ . s. d. during that time she should produce lbs. of butter, besides the skimmed milk. of course, if new milk and cream are required, that will diminish the quantity of butter. . besides churning and keeping her dairy in order, the dairy-maid has charge of the whole produce, handing it over to the cook, butler, or housemaid as required; and she will do well to keep an exact account both of what she receives and how and when she disposes of it. duties of the laundry-maid. . the laundry-maid is charged with the duty of washing and getting-up the family linen,--a situation of great importance where the washing is all done at home; but in large towns, where there is little convenience for bleaching and drying, it is chiefly done by professional laundresses and companies, who apply mechanical and chemical processes to the purpose. these processes, however, are supposed to injure the fabric of the linen; and in many families the fine linen, cottons, and muslins, are washed and got-up at home, even where the bulk of the washing is given out. in country and suburban houses, where greater conveniences exist, washing at home is more common,--in country places universal. . the laundry establishment consists of a washing-house, an ironing and drying-room, and sometimes a drying-closet heated by furnaces. the washing-house will probably be attached to the kitchen; but it is better that it should be completely detached from it, and of one story, with a funnel or shaft to carry off the steam. it will be of a size proportioned to the extent of the washing to be done. a range of tubs, either round or oblong, opposite to, and sloping towards, the light, narrower at the bottom than the top, for convenience in stooping over, and fixed at a height suited to the convenience of the women using them; each tub having a tap for hot and cold water, and another in the bottom, communicating with the drains, for drawing off foul water. a boiler and furnace, proportioned in size to the wants of the family, should also be fixed. the flooring should be york stone, laid on brick piers, with good drainage, or asphalte, sloping gently towards a gutter connected with the drain. . adjoining the bleaching-house, a second room, about the same size, is required for ironing, drying, and mangling. the contents of this room should comprise an ironing-board, opposite to the light; a strong white deal table, about twelve or fourteen feet long, and about three and a half feet broad, with drawers for ironing-blankets; a mangle in one corner, and clothes-horses for drying and airing; cupboards for holding the various irons, starch, and other articles used in ironing; a hot-plate built in the chimney, with furnace beneath it for heating the irons; sometimes arranged with a flue for carrying the hot air round the room for drying. where this is the case, however, there should be a funnel in the ceiling for ventilation and carrying off steam; but a better arrangement is to have a hot-air closet adjoining, heated by hot-air pipes, and lined with iron, with proper arrangements for carrying off steam, and clothes-horses on castors running in grooves, to run into it for drying purposes. this leaves the laundry free from unwholesome vapour. . the laundry-maid should commence her labours on monday morning by a careful examination of the articles committed to her care, and enter them in the washing-book; separating the white linen and collars, sheets and body-linen, into one heap, fine muslins into another, coloured cotton and linen fabrics into a third, woollens into a fourth, and the coarser kitchen and other greasy cloths into a fifth. every article should be examined for ink- or grease-spots, or for fruit- or wine-stains. ink-spots are removed by dipping the part into hot water, and then spreading it smoothly on the hand or on the back of a spoon, pouring a few drops of oxalic acid or salts of sorel over the ink-spot, rubbing and rinsing it in cold water till removed; grease-spots, by rubbing over with yellow soap, and rinsing in hot water; fruit- and wine-spots, by dipping in a solution of sal ammonia or spirits of wine, and rinsing. . every article having been examined and assorted, the sheets and fine linen should be placed in one of the tubs and just covered with lukewarm water, in which a little soda has been dissolved and mixed, and left there to soak till the morning. the greasy cloths and dirtier things should be laid to soak in another tub, in a liquor composed of / lb. of unslaked lime to every quarts of water which has been boiled for two hours, then left to settle, and strained off when clear. each article should be rinsed in this liquor to wet it thoroughly, and left to soak till the morning, just covered by it when the things are pressed together. coppers and boilers should now be filled, and the fires laid ready to light. . early on the following morning the fires should be lighted, and as soon as hot water can be procured, washing commenced; the sheets and body-linen being wanted to whiten in the morning, should be taken first; each article being removed in succession from the lye in which it has been soaking, rinsed, rubbed, and wrung, and laid aside until the tub is empty, when the foul water is drawn off. the tub should be again filled with luke-warm water, about °, in which the articles should again be plunged, and each gone over carefully with soap, and rubbed. novices in the art sometimes rub the linen against the skin; more experienced washerwomen rub one linen surface against the other, which saves their hands, and enables them to continue their labour much longer, besides economizing time, two parts being thus cleaned at once. . after this first washing, the linen should be put into a second water as hot as the hand can bear, and again rubbed over in every part, examining every part for spots not yet moved, which require to be again soaped over and rubbed till thoroughly clean; then rinsed and wrung, the larger and stronger articles by two of the women; the smaller and more delicate articles requiring gentler treatment. . in order to remove every particle of soap, and produce a good colour, they should now be placed, and boiled for about an hour and a half in the copper, in which soda, in the proportion of a teaspoonful to every two gallons of water, has been dissolved. some very careful laundresses put the linen into a canvas bag to protect it from the scum and the sides of the copper. when taken out, it should again be rinsed, first in clean hot water, and then in abundance of cold water slightly tinged with fig-blue, and again wrung dry. it should now be removed from the washing-house and hung up to dry or spread out to bleach, if there are conveniences for it; and the earlier in the day this is done, the clearer and whiter will be the linen. . coloured muslins, cottons, and linens, require a milder treatment; any application of soda will discharge the colour, and soaking all night, even in pure water, deteriorates the more delicate tints. when ready for washing, if not too dirty, they should be put into cold water and washed very speedily, using the common yellow soap, which should be rinsed off immediately. one article should be washed at a time, and rinsed out immediately before any others are wetted. when washed thoroughly, they should be rinsed in succession in soft water, in which common salt has been dissolved, in the proportion of a handful to three or four gallons, and afterwards wrung gently, as soon as rinsed, with as little twisting as possible, and then hung out to dry. delicate-coloured articles should not be exposed to the sun, but dried in the shade, using clean lines and wooden pegs. . woollen articles are liable to shrink, unless the flannel has been well shrunk before making up. this liability is increased where very hot water is used: cold water would thus be the best to wash woollens in; but, as this would not remove the dirt, lukewarm water, about °, and yellow soap, are recommended. when thoroughly washed in this, they require a good deal of rinsing in cold water, to remove the soap. . greasy cloths, which have soaked all night in the liquid described, should be now washed out with soap-and-water as hot as the hands can bear, first in one water, and rinsed out in a second; and afterwards boiled for two hours in water in which a little soda is dissolved. when taken out, they should be rinsed in cold water, and laid out or hung up to dry. . silk handkerchiefs require to be washed alone. when they contain snuff, they should be soaked by themselves in lukewarm water two or three hours; they should be rinsed out and put to soak with the others in cold water for an hour or two; then washed in lukewarm water, being soaped as they are washed. if this does not remove all stains, they should be washed a second time in similar water, and, when finished, rinsed in soft water in which a handful of common salt has been dissolved. in washing stuff or woollen dresses, the band at the waist and the lining at the bottom should be removed, and wherever it is gathered into folds; and, in furniture, the hems and gatherings. a black silk dress, if very dirty, must be washed; but, if only soiled, soaking for four-and-twenty hours will do; if old and rusty, a pint of common spirits should be mixed with each gallon of water, which is an improvement under any circumstances. whether soaked or washed, it should be hung up to drain, and dried without wringing. . satin and silk ribbons, both white and coloured, may be cleaned in the same manner. . silks, when washed, should be dried in the shade, on a linen-horse, taking care that they are kept smooth and unwrinkled. if black or blue, they will be improved if laid again on the table, when dry, and sponged with gin, or whiskey, or other white spirit. . the operations should be concluded by rinsing the tubs, cleaning the coppers, scrubbing the floors of the washing-house, and restoring everything to order and cleanliness. . thursday and friday, in a laundry in full employ, are usually devoted to mangling, starching, and ironing. . linen, cotton, and other fabrics, after being washed and dried, are made smooth and glossy by mangling and by ironing. the mangling process, which is simply passing them between rollers subjected to a very considerable pressure, produced by weight, is confined to sheets, towels, table-linen, and similar articles, which are without folds or plaits. ironing is necessary to smooth body-linen, and made-up articles of delicate texture or gathered into folds. the mangle is too well known to need description. . _ironing_.--the irons consist of the common flat-iron, which is of different sizes, varying from to inches in length, triangular in form, and from - / to - / inches in width at the broad end; the oval iron, which is used for more delicate articles; and the box-iron, which is hollow, and heated by a red-hot iron inserted into the box. the italian iron is a hollow tube, smooth on the outside, and raised on a slender pedestal with a footstalk. into the hollow cylinder a red-hot iron is pushed, which heats it; and the smooth outside of the latter is used, on which articles such as frills, and plaited articles, are drawn. crimping- and gauffering-machines are used for a kind of plaiting where much regularity is required, the articles being passed through two iron rollers fluted so as to represent the kind of plait or fold required. . starching is a process by which stiffness is communicated to certain parts of linen, as the collar and front of shirts, by dipping them in a paste made of starch boiled in water, mixed with a little gum arabic, where extra stiffness is required. to make starch. . ingredients.--allow / pint of cold water and quart of boiling water to every tablespoonfuls of starch. _mode_.--put the starch into a tolerably large basin; pour over it the cold water, and stir the mixture well with a wooden spoon until it is perfectly free from lumps, and quite smooth. then take the basin to the fire, and whilst the water is _actually boiling_ in the kettle or boiler, pour it over the starch, stirring it the whole time. if made properly in this manner, the starch will require no further boiling; but should the water not be boiling when added to the starch, it will not thicken, and must be put into a clean saucepan, and stirred over the fire until it boils. take it off the fire, strain it into a clean basin, cover it up to prevent a skin forming on the top, and, when sufficiently cool that the hand may be borne in it, starch the things. many persons, to give a shiny and smooth appearance to the linen when ironed, stir round two or three times in the starch a piece of wax candle, which also prevents the iron from sticking. . when the "things to be starched" are washed, dried, and taken off the lines, they should be dipped into the hot starch made as directed, squeezed out of it, and then just dipped into cold water, and immediately squeezed dry. if fine things be wrung, or roughly used, they are very liable to tear; so too much care cannot be exercised in this respect. if the article is lace, clap it between the hands a few times, which will assist to clear it; then have ready laid out on the table a large clean towel or cloth; shake out the starched things, lay them on the cloth, and roll it up tightly, and let it remain for three or fours, when the things will be ready to iron. . to be able to iron properly requires much practice and experience. strict cleanliness with all the ironing utensils must be observed, as, if this is not the case, not the most expert ironer will be able to make her things look clear and free from smears, &c. after wiping down her ironing table, the laundry-maid should place a coarse cloth on it, and over that the ironing-blanket, with her stand and iron-rubber; and having ascertained that her irons are quite clean and of the right heat, she proceeds with her work. . it is a good plan to try the heat of the iron on a coarse cloth or apron before ironing anything fine: there is then no danger of scorching. for ironing fine things, such as collars, cuffs, muslins, and laces, there is nothing so clean and nice to use as the box-iron; the bottom being bright, and never placed near the fire, it is always perfectly clean; it should, however, be kept in a dry place, for fear of its rusting. gauffering-tongs or irons must be placed in a clear fire for a minute, then withdrawn, wiped with a coarse rubber, and the heat of them tried on a piece of paper, as, unless great care is taken, these will very soon scorch. . the skirts of muslin dresses should be ironed on a skirt-board covered with flannel, and the fronts of shirts on a smaller board, also covered with flannel; this board being placed between the back and front. . after things are mangled, they should also be ironed in the folds and gathers; dinner-napkins smoothed over, as also table-cloths, pillow-cases, and sometimes sheets. the bands of flannel petticoats, and shoulder-straps to flannel waistcoats, must also undergo the same process. upper and under nursemaids. . the nursery is of great importance in every family, and in families of distinction, where there are several young children, it is an establishment kept apart from the rest of the family, under the charge of an upper nurse, assisted by under nursery-maids proportioned to the work to be done. the responsible duties of upper nursemaid commence with the weaning of the child: it must now be separated from the mother or wet-nurse, at least for a time, and the cares of the nursemaid, which have hitherto been only occasionally put in requisition, are now to be entirely devoted to the infant. she washes, dresses, and feeds it; walks out with it, and regulates all its little wants; and, even at this early age, many good qualities are required to do so in a satisfactory manner. patience and good temper are indispensable qualities; truthfulness, purity of manners, minute cleanliness, and docility and obedience, almost equally so. she ought also to be acquainted with the art of ironing and trimming little caps, and be handy with her needle. . there is a considerable art in carrying an infant comfortably for itself and for the nursemaid. if she carry it always seated upright on her arm, and presses it too closely against her chest, the stomach of the child is apt to get compressed, and the back fatigued. for her own comfort, a good nurse will frequently vary this position, by changing from one arm to the other, and sometimes by laying it across both, raising the head a little. when teaching it to walk, and guiding it by the hand, she should change the hand from time to time, so as to avoid raising one shoulder higher than the other. this is the only way in which a child should be taught to walk; leading-strings and other foolish inventions, which force an infant to make efforts, with its shoulders and head forward, before it knows how to use its limbs, will only render it feeble, and retard its progress. . most children have some bad habit, of which they must be broken; but this is never accomplished by harshness without developing worse evils: kindness, perseverance, and patience in the nurse, are here of the utmost importance. when finger-sucking is one of these habits, the fingers are sometimes rubbed with bitter aloes, or some equally disagreeable substance. others have dirty habits, which are only to be changed by patience, perseverance, and, above all, by regularity in the nurse. she should never be permitted to inflict punishment on these occasions, or, indeed, on any occasion. but, if punishment is to be avoided, it is still more necessary that all kinds of indulgences and flattery be equally forbidden. yielding to all the whims of a child,--picking up its toys when thrown away in mere wantonness, would be intolerable. a child should never be led to think others inferior to it, to beat a dog, or even the stone against which it falls, as some children are taught to do by silly nurses. neither should the nurse affect or show alarm at any of the little accidents which must inevitably happen: if it falls, treat it as a trifle; otherwise she encourages a spirit of cowardice and timidity. but she will take care that such accidents are not of frequent occurrence, or the result of neglect. . the nurse should keep the child as clean as possible, and particularly she should train it to habits of cleanliness, so that it should feel uncomfortable when otherwise; watching especially that it does not soil itself in eating. at the same time, vanity in its personal appearance is not to be encouraged by over-care in this respect, or by too tight lacing or buttoning of dresses, nor a small foot cultivated by the use of tight shoes. . nursemaids would do well to repeat to the parents faithfully and truly the defects they observe in the dispositions of very young children. if properly checked in time, evil propensities may be eradicated; but this should not extend to anything but serious defects; otherwise, the intuitive perceptions which all children possess will construe the act into "spying" and "informing," which should never be resorted to in the case of children, nor, indeed, in any case. . such are the cares which devolve upon the nursemaid, and it is her duty to fulfil them personally. in large establishments she will have assistants proportioned to the number of children of which she has the care. the under nursemaid lights the fires, sweeps, scours, and dusts the rooms, and makes the beds; empties slops, and carries up water; brings up and removes the nursery meals; washes and dresses all the children, except the infant, and assists in mending. where there is a nursery girl to assist, she does the rougher part of the cleaning; and all take their meals in the nursery together, after the children of the family have done. . in smaller families, where there is only one nursemaid kept, she is assisted by the housemaid, or servant-of-all-work, who will do the rougher part of the work, and carry up the nursery meals. in such circumstances she will be more immediately under the eye of her mistress, who will probably relieve her from some of the cares of the infant. in higher families, the upper nurse is usually permitted to sup or dine occasionally at the housekeeper's table by way of relaxation, when the children are all well, and her subordinates trustworthy. . where the nurse has the entire charge of the nursery, and the mother is too much occupied to do more than pay a daily visit to it, it is desirable that she be a person of observation, and possess some acquaintance with the diseases incident to childhood, as also with such simple remedies as may be useful before a medical attendant can be procured, or where such attendance is not considered necessary. all these little ailments are preceded by symptoms so minute as to be only perceptible to close observation; such as twitching of the brows, restless sleep, grinding the gums, and, in some inflammatory diseases, even to the child abstaining from crying, from fear of the increased pain produced by the movement. dentition, or cutting the teeth, is attended with many of these symptoms. measles, thrush, scarlatina, croup, hooping-cough, and other childish complaints, are all preceded by well-known symptoms, which may be alleviated and rendered less virulent by simple remedies instantaneously applied. . _dentition_ is usually the first serious trouble, bringing many other disorders in its train. the symptoms are most perceptible to the mother: the child sucks feebly, and with gums hot, inflamed, and swollen. in this case, relief is yielded by rubbing them from time to time with a little of mrs. johnson's soothing syrup, a valuable and perfectly safe medicine. selfish and thoughtless nurses, and mothers too, sometimes give cordials and sleeping-draughts, whose effects are too well known. . _convulsion fits_ sometimes follow the feverish restlessness produced by these causes; in which case a hot bath should be administered without delay, and the lower parts of the body rubbed, the bath being as hot as it can be without scalding the tender skin; at the same time, the doctor should be sent for immediately, for no nurse should administer medicine in this case, unless the fits have been repeated and the doctor has left directions with her how to act. . _croup_ is one of the most alarming diseases of childhood; it is accompanied with a hoarse, croaking, ringing cough, and comes on very suddenly, and most so in strong, robust children. a very hot bath should be instantly administered, followed by an emetic, either in the form of tartar-emetic, croup-powder, or a teaspoonful of ipecacuanha, wrapping the body warmly up in flannel after the bath. the slightest delay in administering the bath, or the emetic, may be fatal; hence, the importance of nurses about very young children being acquainted with the symptoms. . _hooping-cough_ is generally preceded by the moaning noise during sleep, which even adults threatened with the disorder cannot avoid: it is followed by violent fits of coughing, which little can be done to relieve. a child attacked by this disorder should be kept as much as possible in the fresh, pure air, but out of draughts, and kept warm, and supplied with plenty of nourishing food. many fatal diseases flow from this scourge of childhood, and a change to purer air, if possible, should follow convalescence. . _worms_ are the torment of some children: the symptoms are, an unnatural craving for food, even after a full meal; costiveness, suddenly followed by the reverse; fetid breath, a livid circle under the eyes, enlarged abdomen, and picking the nose; for which the remedies must be prescribed by the doctor. . _measles_ and _scarlatina_ much resemble each other in their early stages: headache, restlessness, and fretfulness are the symptoms of both. shivering fits, succeeded by a hot skin; pains in the back and limbs, accompanied by sickness, and, in severe cases, sore throat; pain about the jaws, difficulty in swallowing, running at the eyes, which become red and inflamed, while the face is hot and flushed, often distinguish scarlatina and scarlet fever, of which it is only a mild form. . while the case is doubtful, a dessert-spoonful of spirit of nitre diluted in water, given at bedtime, will throw the child into a gentle perspiration, and will bring out the rash in either case. in measles, this appears first on the face; in scarlatina, on the chest; and in both cases a doctor should be called in. in scarlatina, tartar-emetic powder or ipecacuanha may be administered in the mean time. . in all cases, cleanliness, fresh air, clean utensils, and frequent washing of the person, both of nurse and children, are even more necessary in the nursery than in either drawing-room or sick-room, inasmuch as the delicate organs of childhood are more susceptible of injury from smells and vapours than adults. . it may not be out of place if we conclude this brief notice of the duties of a nursemaid, by an extract from florence nightingale's admirable "notes on nursing." referring to children, she says:-- . "they are much more susceptible than grown people to all noxious influences. they are affected by the same things, but much more quickly and seriously; by want of fresh air, of proper warmth; want of cleanliness in house, clothes, bedding, or body; by improper food, want of punctuality, by dulness, by want of light, by too much or too little covering in bed or when up." and all this in health; and then she quotes a passage from a lecture on sudden deaths in infancy, to show the importance of careful nursing of children:--"in the great majority of instances, when death suddenly befalls the infant or young child, it is an _accident_; it is not a necessary, inevitable result of any disease. that which is known to injure children most seriously is foul air; keeping the rooms where they sleep closely shut up is destruction to them; and, if the child's breathing be disordered by disease, a few hours only of such foul air may endanger its life, even where no inconvenience is felt by grown-up persons in the room." . persons moving in the beat society will see, after perusing miss nightingale's book, that this "foul air," "want of light," "too much or too little clothing," and improper food, is not confined to crown street or st. giles's; that belgravia and the squares have their north room, where the rays of the sun never reach. "a wooden bedstead, two or three mattresses piled up to above the height of the table, a vallance attached to the frame,--nothing but a miracle could ever thoroughly dry or air such a bed and bedding,"--is the ordinary bed of a private house, than which nothing can be more unwholesome. "don't treat your children like sick," she sums up; "don't dose them with tea. let them eat meat and drink milk, or half a glass of light beer. give them fresh, light, sunny, and open rooms, cool bedrooms, plenty of outdoor exercise, facing even the cold, and wind, and weather, in sufficiently warm clothes, and with sufficient exercise, plenty of amusements and play; more liberty, and less schooling, and cramming, and training; more attention to food and less to physic." duties of the sick-nurse. . all women are likely, at some period of their lives, to be called on to perform the duties of a sick-nurse, and should prepare themselves as much as possible, by observation and reading, for the occasion when they may be required to perform the office. the main requirements are good temper, compassion for suffering, sympathy with sufferers, which most women worthy of the name possess, neat-handedness, quiet manners, love of order, and cleanliness. with these qualifications there will be very little to be wished for; the desire to relieve suffering will inspire a thousand little attentions, and surmount the disgusts which some of the offices attending the sick-room are apt to create. where serious illness visits a household, and protracted nursing is likely to become necessary, a professional nurse will probably be engaged, who has been trained to its duties; but in some families, and those not a few let us hope, the ladies of the family would oppose such an arrangement as a failure of duty on their part. there is, besides, even when a professional nurse is ultimately called in, a period of doubt and hesitation, while disease has not yet developed itself, when the patient must be attended to; and, in these cases, some of the female servants of the establishment must give their attendance in the sick-room. there are, also, slight attacks of cold, influenza, and accidents in a thousand forms, to which all are subject, where domestic nursing becomes a necessity; where disease, though unattended with danger, is nevertheless accompanied by the nervous irritation incident to illness, and when all the attention of the domestic nurse becomes necessary. . in the first stage of sickness, while doubt and a little perplexity hang over the household as to the nature of the sickness, there are some things about which no doubt can exist: the patient's room must be kept in a perfectly pure state, and arrangements made for proper attendance; for the first canon of nursing, according to florence nightingale, its apostle, is to "keep the air the patient breathes as pure as the external air, without chilling him." this can be done without any preparation which might alarm the patient; with proper windows, open fireplaces, and a supply of fuel, the room may be as fresh as it is outside, and kept at a temperature suitable for the patient's state. . windows, however, must be opened from above, and not from below, and draughts avoided; cool air admitted beneath the patient's head chills the lower strata and the floor. the careful nurse will keep the door shut when the window is open; she will also take care that the patient is not placed between the door and the open window, nor between the open fireplace and the window. if confined to bed, she will see that the bed is placed in a thoroughly ventilated part of the room, but out of the current of air which is produced by the momentary opening of doors, as well as out of the line of draught between the window and the open chimney, and that the temperature of the room is kept about °. where it is necessary to admit air by the door, the windows should be closed; but there are few circumstances in which good air can be obtained through the chamber-door; through it, on the contrary, the gases generated in the lower parts of the house are likely to be drawn into the invalid chamber. . these precautions taken, and plain nourishing diet, such as the patient desires, furnished, probably little more can be done, unless more serious symptoms present themselves; in which case medical advice will be sought. . under no circumstances is ventilation of the sick-room so essential as in cases of febrile diseases, usually considered infectious; such as typhus and puerperal fevers, influenza, hooping-cough, small- and chicken-pox, scarlet fever, measles, and erysipelas: all these are considered communicable through the air; but there is little danger of infection being thus communicated, provided the room is kept thoroughly ventilated. on the contrary, if this essential be neglected, the power of infection is greatly increased and concentrated in the confined and impure air; it settles upon the clothes of the attendants and visitors, especially where they are of wool, and is frequently communicated to other families in this manner. . under all circumstances, therefore, the sick-room should be kept as fresh and sweet as the open air, while the temperature is kept up by artificial heat, taking care that the fire burns clear, and gives out no smoke into the room; that the room is perfectly clean, wiped over with a damp cloth every day, if boarded; and swept, after sprinkling with damp tea-leaves, or other aromatic leaves, if carpeted; that all utensils are emptied and cleaned as soon as used, and not once in four-and-twenty hours, as is sometimes done. "a slop-pail," miss nightingale says, "should never enter a sick-room; everything should be carried direct to the water-closet, emptied there, and brought up clean; in the best hospitals the slop-pail is unknown." "i do not approve," says miss nightingale, "of making housemaids of nurses,--that would be waste of means; but i have seen surgical sisters, women whose hands were worth to them two or three guineas a week, down on their knees, scouring a room or hut, because they thought it was not fit for their patients: these women had the true nurse spirit." . bad smells are sometimes met by sprinkling a little liquid chloride of lime on the floor; fumigation by burning pastiles is also a common expedient for the purification of the sick-room. they are useful, but only in the sense hinted at by the medical lecturer, who commenced his lecture thus:--"fumigations, gentlemen, are of essential importance; they make so abominable a smell, that they compel you to open the windows and admit fresh air." in this sense they are useful, but ineffectual unless the cause be removed, and fresh air admitted. . the sick-room should be quiet; no talking, no gossiping, and, above all, no whispering,--this is absolute cruelty to the patient; he thinks his complaint the subject, and strains his ear painfully to catch the sound. no rustling of dresses, nor creaking shoes either; where the carpets are taken up, the nurse should wear list shoes, or some other noiseless material, and her dress should be of soft material that does not rustle. miss nightingale denounces crinoline, and quotes lord melbourne on the subject of women in the sick-room, who said, "i would rather have men about me, when ill, than women; it requires very strong health to put up with women." ungrateful man! but absolute quiet is necessary in the sick-room. . never let the patient be waked out of his first sleep by noise, never roused by anything like a surprise. always sit in the apartment, so that the patient has you in view, and that it is not necessary for him to turn in speaking to you. never keep a patient standing; never speak to one while moving. never lean on the sick-bed. above all, be calm and decisive with the patient, and prevent all noises over-head. . a careful nurse, when a patient leaves his bed, will open the sheets wide, and throw the clothes back so as thoroughly to air the bed; she will avoid drying or airing anything damp in the sick-room. . "it is another fallacy," says florence nightingale, "to suppose that night air is injurious; a great authority told me that, in london, the air is never so good as after ten o'clock, when smoke has diminished; but then it must be air from without, not within, and not air vitiated by gaseous airs." "a great fallacy prevails also," she says, in another section, "about flowers poisoning the air of the sick-room: no one ever saw them over-crowding the sick-room; but, if they did, they actually absorb carbonic acid and give off oxygen." cut flowers also decompose water, and produce oxygen gas. lilies, and some other very odorous plants, may perhaps give out smells unsuited to a close room, while the atmosphere of the sick-room should always be fresh and natural. . "patients," says miss nightingale, "are sometimes starved in the midst of plenty, from want of attention to the ways which alone make it possible for them to take food. a spoonful of beef-tea, or arrowroot and wine, or some other light nourishing diet, should be given every hour, for the patient's stomach will reject large supplies. in very weak patients there is often a nervous difficulty in swallowing, which is much increased if food is not ready and presented at the moment when it is wanted: the nurse should be able to discriminate, and know when this moment is approaching." . diet suitable for patients will depend, in some degree, on their natural likes and dislikes, which the nurse will do well to acquaint herself with. beef-tea is useful and relishing, but possesses little nourishment; when evaporated, it presents a teaspoonful of solid meat to a pint of water. eggs are not equivalent to the same weight of meat. arrowroot is less nourishing than flour. butter is the lightest and most digestible kind of fat. cream, in some diseases, cannot be replaced. but, to sum up with some of miss nightingale's useful maxims:--observation is the nurse's best guide, and the patient's appetite the rule. half a pint of milk is equal to a quarter of a pound of meat. beef-tea is the least nourishing food administered to the sick; and tea and coffee, she thinks, are both too much excluded from the sick-room. the monthly nurse. . the choice of a monthly nurse is of the utmost importance; and in the case of a young mother with her first child, it would be well for her to seek advice and counsel from her more experienced relatives in this matter. in the first place, the engaging a monthly nurse in good time is of the utmost importance, as, if she be competent and clever, her services will be sought months beforehand; a good nurse having seldom much of her time disengaged. there are some qualifications which it is evident the nurse should possess: she should be scrupulously clean and tidy in her person; honest, sober, and noiseless in her movements; should possess a natural love for children, and have a strong nerve in case of emergencies. snuff-taking and spirit-drinking must not be included in her habits; but these are happily much less frequent than they were in former days. . receiving, as she often will, instructions from the doctor, she should bear these in mind, and carefully carry them out. in those instances where she does not feel herself sufficiently informed, she should ask advice from the medical man, and not take upon herself to administer medicines, &c., without his knowledge. . a monthly nurse should be between and years of age, sufficiently old to have had a little experience, and yet not too old or infirm to be able to perform various duties requiring strength and bodily vigour. she should be able to wake the moment she is called,--at any hour of the night, that the mother or child may have their wants immediately attended to. good temper, united to a kind and gentle disposition, is indispensable; and, although the nurse will frequently have much to endure from the whims and caprices of the invalid, she should make allowances for these, and command her temper, at the same time exerting her authority when it is necessary. . what the nurse has to do in the way of cleaning and dusting her lady's room, depends entirely on the establishment that is kept. where there are plenty of servants, the nurse, of course, has nothing whatever to do but attend on her patient, and ring the bell for anything she may require. where the number of domestics is limited, she should not mind keeping her room in order; that is to say, sweeping and dusting it every morning. if fires be necessary, the housemaid should always clean the grate, and do all that is wanted in that way, as this, being rather dirty work, would soil the nurse's dress, and unfit her to approach the bed, or take the infant without soiling its clothes. in small establishments, too, the nurse should herself fetch things she may require, and not ring every time she wants anything; and she must, of course, not leave her invalid unless she sees everything is comfortable; and then only for a few minutes. when down stairs, and in company with the other servants, the nurse should not repeat what she may have heard in her lady's room, as much mischief may be done by a gossiping nurse. as in most houses the monthly nurse is usually sent for a few days before her services may be required, she should see that all is in readiness; that there be no bustle and hurry at the time the confinement takes place. she should keep two pairs of sheets thoroughly aired, as well as night-dresses, flannels, &c. &c. all the things which will be required to dress the baby the first time should be laid in the basket in readiness, in the order in which they are to be put on; as well as scissors, thread, a few pieces of soft linen rag, and two or three flannel squares. if a berceaunette is to be used immediately, the nurse should ascertain that the mattresses, pillow, &c. are all well aired; and if not already done before she arrives, she should assist in covering and trimming it, ready for the little occupant. a monthly nurse should be handy at her needle, as, if she is in the house some time before the baby is born, she will require some work of this sort; to occupy her time. she should also understand the making-up of little caps, although we can scarcely say this is one of the nurse's duties. as most children wear no caps, except out of doors, her powers in this way will not be much taxed. . a nurse should endeavour to make her room as cheerful as possible, and always keep it clean and tidy. she should empty the chamber utensils as soon as used, and on no account put things under the bed. soiled baby's napkins should be rolled up and put into a pan, when they should be washed out every morning, and hung out to dry: they are then in a fit state to send to the laundress; and should, on no account, be left dirty, but done every morning in this way. the bedroom should be kept rather dark, particularly for the first week or ten days; of a regular temperature, and as free as possible from draughts, at the same time well ventilated and free from unpleasant smells. . the infant during the month must not be exposed to strong light, or much air; and in carrying it about the passages, stairs, &c., the nurse should always have its head-flannel on, to protect the eyes and ears from the currents of air. for the management of children, we must refer our readers to the following chapters; and we need only say, in conclusion, that a good nurse should understand the symptoms of various ills incident to this period, as, in all cases, prevention is better than cure. as young mothers with their first baby are very often much troubled at first with their breasts, the nurse should understand the art of emptying them by suction, or some other contrivance. if the breasts are kept well drawn, there will be but little danger of inflammation; and as the infant at first cannot take all that is necessary, something must be done to keep the inflammation down. this is one of the greatest difficulties a nurse has to contend with, and we can only advise her to be very persevering, to rub the breasts well, and to let the infant suck as soon and as often as possible, until they get in proper order. the wet-nurse. . we are aware that, according to the opinion of some ladies, there is no domestic theme, during a certain period of their married lives, more fraught with vexation and disquietude than that ever-fruitful source of annoyance, "the nurse;" but, as we believe, there are thousands of excellent wives and mothers who pass through life without even a temporary embroglio in the kitchen, or suffering a state of moral hectic the whole time of a nurse's empire in the nursery or bedroom. our own experience goes to prove, that although many unqualified persons palm themselves off on ladies as fully competent for the duties they so rashly and dishonestly undertake to perform, and thus expose themselves to ill-will and merited censure, there are still very many fully equal to the legitimate exercise of what they undertake; and if they do not in every case give entire satisfaction, some of the fault,--and sometimes a great deal of it,--may be honestly placed to the account of the ladies themselves, who, in many instances, are so impressed with the propriety of their own method of performing everything, as to insist upon the adoption of _their_ system in preference to that of the nurse, whose plan is probably based on a comprehensive forethought, and rendered perfect in all its details by an ample experience. . in all our remarks on this subject, we should remember with gentleness the order of society from which our nurses are drawn; and that those who make their duty a study, and are termed professional nurses, have much to endure from the caprice and egotism of their employers; while others are driven to the occupation from the laudable motive of feeding their own children, and who, in fulfilling that object, are too often both selfish and sensual, performing, without further interest than is consistent with their own advantage, the routine of customary duties. . properly speaking, there are two nurses,--the nurse for the mother and the nurse for the child, or, the monthly and the wet nurse. of the former we have already spoken, and will now proceed to describe the duties of the latter, and add some suggestions as to her age, physical health, and moral conduct, subjects of the utmost importance as far as the charge intrusted to her is concerned, and therefore demanding some special remarks. . when from illness, suppression of the milk, accident, or some natural process, the mother is deprived of the pleasure of rearing her infant, it becomes necessary at once to look around for a fitting substitute, so that the child may not suffer, by any needless delay, a physical loss by the deprivation of its natural food. the first consideration should be as regards age, state of health, and temper. . the age, if possible, should not be less than twenty nor exceed thirty years, with the health sound in every respect, and the body free from all eruptive disease or local blemish. the best evidence of a sound state of health will be found in the woman's clear open countenance, the ruddy tone of the skin, the full, round, and elastic state of the breasts, and especially in the erectile, firm condition of the nipple, which, in all unhealthy states of the body, is pendulous, flabby, and relaxed; in which case, the milk is sure to be imperfect in its organization, and, consequently, deficient in its nutrient qualities. appetite is another indication of health in the suckling nurse or mother; for it is impossible a woman can feed her child without having a corresponding appetite; and though inordinate craving for food is neither desirable nor necessary, a natural vigour should be experienced at meal-times, and the food taken should be anticipated and enjoyed. . besides her health, the moral state of the nurse is to be taken into account, or that mental discipline or principle of conduct which would deter the nurse from at any time gratifying her own pleasures and appetites at the cost or suffering of her infant charge. . the conscientiousness and good faith that would prevent a nurse so acting are, unfortunately, very rare; and many nurses, rather than forego the enjoyment of a favourite dish, though morally certain of the effect it will have on the child, will, on the first opportunity, feed with avidity on fried meats, cabbage, cucumbers, pickles, or other crude and injurious aliments, in defiance of all orders given, or confidence reposed in their word, good sense, and humanity. and when the infant is afterwards racked with pain, and a night of disquiet alarms the mother, the doctor is sent for, and the nurse, covering her dereliction by a falsehood, the consequence of her gluttony is treated as a disease, and the poor infant is dosed for some days with medicines, that can do it but little if any good, and, in all probability, materially retard its physical development. the selfish nurse, in her ignorance, believes, too, that as long as she experiences no admonitory symptoms herself, the child cannot suffer; and satisfied that, whatever is the cause of its screams and plunges, neither she, nor what she had eaten, had anything to do with it, with this flattering assurance at her heart, she watches her opportunity, and has another luxurious feast off the proscribed dainties, till the increasing disturbance in the child's health, or treachery from the kitchen, opens the eyes of mother and doctor to the nurse's unprincipled conduct. in all such cases the infant should be spared the infliction of medicine, and, as a wholesome corrective to herself, and relief to her charge, a good sound dose administered to the nurse. . respecting the diet of the wet-nurse, the first point of importance is to fix early and definite hours for every meal; and the mother should see that no cause is ever allowed to interfere with their punctuality. the food itself should be light, easy of digestion, and simple. boiled or roast meat, with bread and potatoes, with occasionally a piece of sago, rice, or tapioca pudding, should constitute the dinner, the only meal that requires special comment; broths, green vegetables, and all acid or salt foods, must be avoided. fresh fish, once or twice a week, may be taken; but it is hardly sufficiently nutritious to be often used as a meal. if the dinner is taken early,--at one o'clock,--there will be no occasion for luncheon, which too often, to the injury of the child, is made the cover for a first dinner. half a pint of stout, with a reading biscuit, at eleven o'clock, will be abundantly sufficient between breakfast at eight and a good dinner, with a pint of porter at one o'clock. about eight o'clock in the evening, half a pint of stout, with another biscuit, may be taken; and for supper, at ten or half-past, a pint of porter, with a slice of toast or a small amount of bread and cheese, may conclude the feeding for the day. . animal food once in twenty-four hours is quite sufficient. all spirits, unless in extreme cases, should be avoided; and wine is still more seldom needed. with a due quantity of plain digestible food, and the proportion of stout and porter ordered, with early hours and regularity, the nurse will not only be strong and healthy herself, but fully capable of rearing a child in health and strength. there are two points all mothers, who are obliged to employ wet-nurses, should remember, and be on their guard against. the first is, never to allow a nurse to give medicine to the infant on her own authority: many have such an infatuated idea of the _healing excellence_ of castor-oil, that they would administer a dose of this disgusting grease twice a week, and think they had done a meritorious service to the child. the next point is, to watch carefully, lest, to insure a night's sleep for herself, she does not dose the infant with godfrey's cordial, syrup of poppies, or some narcotic potion, to insure tranquillity to the one and give the opportunity of sleep to the other. the fact that scores of nurses keep secret bottles of these deadly syrups, for the purpose of stilling their charges, is notorious; and that many use them to a fearful extent, is sufficiently patent to all. . it therefore behoves the mother, while obliged to trust to a nurse, to use her best discretion to guard her child from the unprincipled treatment of the person she must, to a certain extent, depend upon and trust; and to remember, in all cases, rather than resort to castor-oil or sedatives, to consult a medical man for her infant in preference to following the counsel of her nurse. the rearing, management, and diseases of infancy and childhood. chapter xlii. physiology of life, as illustrated by respiration, circulation, and digestion. . the infantine management of children, like the mother's love for her offspring, seems to be born with the child, and to be a direct intelligence of nature. it may thus, at first sight, appear as inconsistent and presumptuous to tell a woman how to rear her infant as to instruct her in the manner of loving it. yet, though nature is unquestionably the best nurse, art makes so admirable a foster-mother, that no sensible woman, in her novitiate of parent, would refuse the admonitions of art, or the teachings of experience, to consummate her duties of nurse. it is true that, in a civilized state of society, few young wives reach the epoch that makes them mothers without some insight, traditional or practical, into the management of infants: consequently, the cases wherein a woman is left to her own unaided intelligence, or what, in such a case, may be called instinct, and obliged to trust to the promptings of nature alone for the well-being of her child, are very rare indeed. again, every woman is not gifted with the same physical ability for the harassing duties of a mother; and though nature, as a general rule, has endowed all female creation with the attributes necessary to that most beautiful and, at the same time, holiest function,--the healthy rearing of their offspring,--the cases are sufficiently numerous to establish the exception, where the mother is either physically or socially incapacitated from undertaking these most pleasing duties herself, and where, consequently, she is compelled to trust to adventitious aid for those natural benefits which are at once the mother's pride and delight to render to her child. . in these cases, when obliged to call in the services of hired assistance, she must trust the dearest obligation of her life to one who, from her social sphere, has probably notions of rearing children diametrically opposed to the preconceived ideas of the mother, and at enmity with all her sentiments of right and prejudices of position. . it has justly been said--we think by hood--that the children of the poor are not brought up, but _dragged up_. however facetious this remark may seem, there is much truth in it; and that children, reared in the reeking dens of squalor and poverty, live at all, is an apparent anomaly in the course of things, that, at first sight, would seem to set the laws of sanitary provision at defiance, and make it appear a perfect waste of time to insist on pure air and exercise as indispensable necessaries of life, and especially so as regards infantine existence. . we see elaborate care bestowed on a family of children, everything studied that can tend to their personal comfort,--pure air, pure water, regular ablution, a dietary prescribed by art, and every precaution adopted that medical judgment and maternal love can dictate, for the well-being of the parents' hope; and find, in despite of all this care and vigilance, disease and death invading the guarded treasure. we turn to the foetor and darkness that, in some obscure court, attend the robust brood who, coated in dirt, and with mud and refuse for playthings, live and thrive, and grow into manhood, and, in contrast to the pale face and flabby flesh of the aristocratic child, exhibit strength, vigour, and well-developed frames, and our belief in the potency of the life-giving elements of air, light, and cleanliness receives a shock that, at first sight, would appear fatal to the implied benefits of these, in reality, all-sufficient attributes of health and life. . but as we must enter more largely on this subject hereafter, we shall leave its consideration for the present, and return to what we were about to say respecting trusting to others' aid in the rearing of children. here it is that the young and probably inexperienced mother may find our remarks not only an assistance but a comfort to her, in as far as, knowing the simplest and best system to adopt, she may be able to instruct another, and see that her directions are fully carried out. . the human body, materially considered, is a beautiful piece of mechanism, consisting of many parts, each one being the centre of a system, and performing its own vital function irrespectively of the others, and yet dependent for its vitality upon the harmony and health of the whole. it is, in fact, to a certain extent, like a watch, which, when once wound up and set in motion, will continue its function of recording true time only so long as every wheel, spring, and lever performs its allotted duty, and at its allotted time; or till the limit that man's ingenuity has placed to its existence as a moving automaton has been reached, or, in other words, till it has run down. . what the key is to the mechanical watch, air is to the physical man. once admit air into the mouth and nostrils, and the lungs expand, the heart beats, the blood rushes to the remotest part of the body, the mouth secretes saliva, to soften and macerate the food; the liver forms its bile, to separate the nutriment from the digested aliment; the kidneys perform their office; the eye elaborates its tears, to facilitate motion and impart that glistening to the orb on which depends so much of its beauty; and a dewy moisture exudes from the skin, protecting the body from the extremes of heat and cold, and sharpening the perception of touch and feeling. at the same instant, and in every part, the arteries, like innumerable bees, are everywhere laying down layers of muscle, bones, teeth, and, in fact, like the coral zoophyte, building up a continent of life and matter; while the veins, equally busy, are carrying away the _débris_ and refuse collected from where the zoophyte arteries are building,--this refuse, in its turn, being conveyed to the liver, there to be converted into bile. . all these--and they are but a few of the vital actions constantly taking place--are the instant result of one gasp of life-giving air. no subject can be fraught with greater interest than watching the first spark of life, as it courses with electric speed "through all the gates and alleys" of the soft, insensate body of the infant. the effect of air on the new-born child is as remarkable in its results as it is wonderful in its consequence; but to understand this more intelligibly, it must first be remembered that life consists of the performance of _three_ vital functions--respiration, circulation, and digestion. the lungs digest the air, taking from it its most nutritious element, the _oxygen_, to give to the impoverished blood that circulates through them. the stomach digests the food, and separates the nutriment--_chyle_--from the aliment, which it gives to the blood for the development of the frame; and the blood, which is understood by the term circulation, digests in its passage through the lungs the nutriment--_chyle_--to give it quantity and quality, and the _oxygen_ from the air to give it vitality. hence it will be seen, that, speaking generally, the three vital functions resolve themselves into one,--digestion; and that the lungs are the primary and the most important of the vital organs; and respiration, the first in fact, as we all know it is the last in deed, of all the functions performed by the living body. the lungs.--respiration. . the first effect of air on the infant is a slight tremor about the lips and angles of the mouth, increasing to twitchings, and finally to a convulsive contraction of the lips and cheeks, the consequence of sudden cold to the nerves of the face. this spasmodic action produces a gasp, causing the air to rush through the mouth and nostrils, and enter the windpipe and upper portion of the flat and contracted lungs, which, like a sponge partly immersed in water, immediately expand. this is succeeded by a few faint sobs or pants, by which larger volumes of air are drawn into the chest, till, after a few seconds, and when a greater bulk of the lungs has become inflated, the breast-bone and ribs rise, the chest expands, and, with a sudden start, the infant gives utterance to a succession of loud, sharp cries, which have the effect of filling every cell of the entire organ with air and life. to the anxious mother, the first voice of her child is, doubtless, the sweetest music she ever heard; and the more loudly it peals, the greater should be her joy, as it is an indication of health and strength, and not only shows the perfect expansion of the lungs, but that the process of life has set in with vigour. having welcomed in its own existence, like the morning bird, with a shrill note of gladness, the infant ceases its cry, and, after a few short sobs, usually subsides into sleep or quietude. . at the same instant that the air rushes into the lungs, the valve, or door between the two sides of the heart-and through which the blood had previously passed-is closed and hermetically sealed, and the blood taking a new course, bounds into the lungs, now expanded with air, and which we have likened to a wetted sponge, to which they bear a not unapt affinity, air being substituted for water. it here receives the _oxygen_ from the atmosphere, and the _chyle_, or white blood, from the digested food, and becomes, in an instant, arterial blood, a vital principle, from which every solid and fluid of the body is constructed. besides the lungs, nature has provided another respiratory organ, a sort of supplemental lung, that, as well as being a covering to the body, _in_spires air and _ex_pires moisture;--this is the cuticle, or skin; and so intimate is the connection between the skin and lungs, that whatever injures the first, is certain to affect the latter. . _hence the difficulty of breathing experienced after scalds or burns on the cuticle, the cough that follows the absorption of cold or damp by the skin, the oppressed and laborious breathing experienced by children in all eruptive diseases, while the rash is coming to the surface, and the hot, dry skin that always attends congestion of the lungs, and fever._ . the great practical advantage derivable from this fact is, the knowledge that whatever relieves the one benefits the other. hence, too, the great utility of hot baths in all affections of the lungs or diseases of the skin; and the reason why exposure to cold or wet is, in nearly all cases, followed by tightness of the chest, sore throat, difficulty of breathing, and cough. these symptoms are the consequence of a larger quantity of blood than is natural remaining in the lungs, and the cough is a mere effort of nature to throw off the obstruction caused by the presence of too much blood in the organ of respiration. the hot bath, by causing a larger amount of blood to rush suddenly to the skin, has the effect of relieving the lungs of their excess of blood, and by equalizing the circulation, and promoting perspiration from the cuticle, affords immediate and direct benefit, both to the lungs and the system at large. the stomach--digestion. . the organs that either directly or indirectly contribute to the process of digestion are, the mouth, teeth, tongue, and gullet, the stomach, small intestines, the pancreas, the salivary glands, and the liver. next to respiration, digestion is the chief function in the economy of life, as, without the nutritious fluid digested from the aliment, there would be nothing to supply the immense and constantly recurring waste of the system, caused by the activity with which the arteries at all periods, but especially during infancy and youth, are building up the frame and developing the body. in infancy (the period of which our present subject treats), the series of parts engaged in the process of digestion may be reduced simply to the stomach and liver, or rather its secretion,--the bile. the stomach is a thick muscular bag, connected above with the gullet, and, at its lower extremity, with the commencement of the small intestines. the duty or function of the stomach is to secrete from the arteries spread over its inner surface, a sharp acid liquid called the _gastric_ juice; this, with a due mixture of saliva, softens, dissolves, and gradually digests the food or contents of the stomach, reducing the whole into a soft pulpy mass, which then passes into the first part of the small intestines, where it comes in contact with the bile from the gall-bladder, which immediately separates the digested food into two parts, one is a white creamy fluid called chyle, and the absolute concentration of all nourishment, which is taken up by proper vessels, and, as we have before said, carried directly to the heart, to be made blood of, and vitalized in the lungs, and thus provide for the wear and tear of the system. it must be here observed that the stomach can only digest solids, for fluids, being incapable of that process, can only be _absorbed_; and without the result of digestion, animal, at least human life, could not exist. now, as nature has ordained that infantine life shall be supported on liquid aliment, and as, without a digestion the body would perish, some provision was necessary to meet this difficulty, and that provision was found in the nature of the liquid itself, or in other words, the milk. the process of making cheese, or fresh curds and whey, is familiar to most persons; but as it is necessary to the elucidation of our subject, we will briefly repeat it. the internal membrane, or the lining coat of a calf's stomach, having been removed from the organ, is hung up, like a bladder, to dry; when required, a piece is cut off, put in a jug, a little warm water poured upon it, and after a few hours it is fit for use; the liquid so made being called _rennet_. a little of this rennet, poured into a basin of warm milk, at once coagulates the greater part, and separates from it a quantity of thin liquor, called _whey_. this is precisely the action that takes place in the infant's stomach after every supply from the breast. the cause is the same in both cases, the acid of the gastric juice in the infant's stomach immediately converting the milk into a soft cheese. it is gastric juice, adhering to the calf's stomach, and drawn out by the water, forming rennet, that makes the curds in the basin. the cheesy substance being a solid, at once undergoes the process of digestion, is separated into _chyle_ by the bile, and, in a few hours, finds its way to the infant's heart, to become blood, and commence the architecture of its little frame. this is the simple process of a baby's digestion:-milk converted into cheese, cheese into _chyle_, chyle into blood, and blood into flesh, bone, and tegument-how simple is the cause, but how sublime and wonderful are the effects! . we have described the most important of the three functions that take place in the infant's body-respiration and digestion; the third, namely, circulation, we hardly think it necessary to enter on, not being called for by the requirements of the nurse and mother; so we shall omit its notice, and proceed from theoretical to more practical considerations. children of weakly constitutions are just as likely to be born of robust parents, and those who earn their bread by toil, as the offspring of luxury and affluence; and, indeed, it is against the ordinary providence of nature to suppose the children of the hardworking and necessitous to be hardier and more vigorous than those of parents blessed with ease and competence. . all children come into the world in the same imploring helplessness, with the same general organization and wants, and demanding either from the newly-awakened mother's love, or from the memory of motherly feeling in the nurse, or the common appeals of humanity in those who undertake the earliest duties of an infant, the same assistance and protection, and the same fostering care. the infant. . we have already described the phenomena produced on the new-born child by the contact of air, which, after a succession of muscular twitchings, becomes endowed with voice, and heralds its advent by a loud but brief succession of cries. but though this is the general rule, it sometimes happens (from causes it is unnecessary here to explain) that the infant does not cry, or give utterance to any audible sounds, or if it does, they are so faint as scarcely to be distinguished as human accents, plainly indicating that life, as yet, to the new visitor, is neither a boon nor a blessing; the infant being, in fact, in a state of suspended or imperfect vitality,--a state of _quasi_ existence, closely approximating the condition of a _still-birth_. . as soon as this state of things is discovered, the child should be turned on its right side, and the whole length of the spine, from the head downwards, rubbed with all the fingers of the right hand, sharply and quickly, without intermission, till the quick action has not only evoked heat, but electricity in the part, and till the loud and sharp cries of the child have thoroughly expanded the lungs, and satisfactorily established its life. the operation will seldom require above a minute to effect, and less frequently demands a repetition. if there is brandy at hand, the fingers before rubbing may be dipped into that, or any other spirit. . there-is another condition of what we may call "mute births," where the child only makes short ineffectual gasps, and those at intervals of a minute or two apart, when the lips, eyelids, and fingers become of a deep purple or slate colour, sometimes half the body remaining white, while the other half, which was at first swarthy, deepens to a livid hue. this condition of the infant is owing to the valve between the two sides of the heart remaining open, and allowing the unvitalized venous blood to enter the arteries and get into the circulation. . the object in this case, as in the previous one, is to dilate the lungs as quickly as possible, so that, by the sudden effect of a vigorous inspiration, the valve may be firmly closed, and the impure blood, losing this means of egress, be sent directly to the lungs. the same treatment is therefore necessary as in the previous case, with the addition, if the friction along the spine has failed, of a warm bath at a temperature of about °, in which the child is to be plunged up to the neck, first cleansing the mouth and nostrils of the mucus that might interfere with the free passage of air. . while in the bath, the friction along the spine is to be continued, and if the lungs still remain unexpended, while one person retains the child in an inclined position in the water, another should insert the pipe of a small pair of bellows into one nostril, and while the month is closed and the other nostril compressed on the pipe with the hand of the assistant, the lungs are to be slowly inflated by steady puffs of air from the bellows, the hand being removed from the mouth and nose after each inflation, and placed on the pit of the stomach, and by a steady pressure expelling it out again by the mouth. this process is to be continued, steadily inflating and expelling the air from the lungs, till, with a sort of tremulous leap, nature takes up the process, and the infant begins to gasp, and finally to cry, at first low and faint, but with every gulp of air increasing in length and strength of volume, when it is to be removed from the water, and instantly wrapped (all but the face and mouth) in a flannel. sometimes, however, all these means will fail in effecting an utterance from the child, which will lie, with livid lips and a flaccid body, every few minutes opening its mouth with a short gasping pant, and then subsiding into a state of pulseless inaction, lingering probably some hours, till the spasmodic pantings growing further apart, it ceases to exist. . the time that this state of negative vitality will linger in the frame of an infant is remarkable; and even when all the previous operations, though long-continued, have proved ineffectual, the child will often rally from the simplest of means--the application of dry heat. when removed from the bath, place three or four hot bricks or tiles on the hearth, and lay the child, loosely folded in a flannel, on its back along them, taking care that there is but one fold of flannel between the spine and heated bricks or tiles. when neither of these articles can be procured, put a few clear pieces of red cinder in a warming-pan, and extend the child in the same manner along the closed lid. as the heat gradually diffuses itself over the spinal marrow, the child that was dying, or seemingly dead, will frequently give a sudden and energetic cry, succeeded in another minute by a long and vigorous peal, making up, in volume and force, for the previous delay, and instantly confirming its existence by every effort in its nature. . with these two exceptions,--restored by the means we have pointed out to the functions of life,--we will proceed to the consideration of the child healthily born. here the first thing that meets us on the threshold of inquiry, and what is often between mother and nurse not only a vexed question, but one of vexatious import, is the _crying_ of the child; the mother, in her natural anxiety, maintaining that her infant _must be ill_ to cause it to cry so much or so often, and the nurse insisting that _all_ children cry, and that nothing is the matter with it, and that crying does good, and is, indeed, an especial benefit to infancy. the anxious and unfamiliar mother, though not convinced by these abstract sayings of the truth or wisdom of the explanation, takes both for granted; and, giving the nurse credit for more knowledge and experience on this head than she can have, contentedly resigns herself to the infliction, as a thing necessary to be endured for the good of the baby, but thinking it, at the same time, an extraordinary instance of the imperfectibility of nature as regards the human infant; for her mind wanders to what she has observed in her childhood with puppies and kittens, who, except when rudely torn from their nurse, seldom give utterance to any complaining. . we, undoubtedly, believe that crying, to a certain extent, is not only conducive to health, but positively necessary to the full development and physical economy of the infant's being. but though holding this opinion, we are far from believing that a child does not very often cry from pain, thirst, want of food, and attention to its personal comfort; but there is as much difference in the tone and expression of a child's cry as in the notes of an adult's voice; and the mother's ear will not be long in discriminating between the sharp peevish whine of irritation and fever, and the louder intermitting cry that characterizes the want of warmth and sleep. all these shades of expression in the child's inarticulate voice every nurse _should_ understand, and every mother will soon teach herself to interpret them with an accuracy equal to language. . there is no part of a woman's duty to her child that a young mother should so soon make it her business to study, as the voice of her infant, and the language conveyed in its cry. the study is neither hard nor difficult; a close attention to its tone, and the expression of the baby's features, are the two most important points demanding attention. the key to both the mother will find in her own heart, and the knowledge of her success in the comfort and smile of her infant. we have two reasons--both strong ones--for urging on mothers the imperative necessity of early making themselves acquainted with the nature and wants of their child: the first, that when left to the entire, responsibility of the baby, after the departure of the nurse, she may be able to undertake her new duties with more confidence than if left to her own resources and mother's instinct, without a clue to guide her through the mysteries of those calls that vibrate through every nerve of her nature; and, secondly, that she may be able to guard her child from the nefarious practices of unprincipled nurses, who, while calming the mother's mind with false statements as to the character of the baby's cries, rather than lose their rest, or devote that time which would remove the cause of suffering, administer, behind the curtains, those deadly narcotics which, while stupefying nature into sleep, insure for herself a night of many unbroken hours. such nurses as have not the hardihood to dose their infant charges, are often full of other schemes to still that constant and reproachful cry. the most frequent means employed for this purpose is giving it something to suck,--something easily hid from the mother,--or, when that is impossible, under the plea of keeping it warm, the nurse covers it in her lap with a shawl, and, under this blind, surreptitiously inserts a finger between the parched lips, which possibly moan for drink; and, under this inhuman cheat and delusion, the infant is pacified, till nature, balked of its desires, drops into a troubled sleep. these are two of our reasons for impressing upon mothers the early, the immediate necessity of putting themselves sympathetically in communication with their child, by at once learning its hidden language as a delightful task. . we must strenuously warn all mothers on no account to allow the nurse to sleep with the baby, never herself to lay down with it by her side for a night's rest, never to let it sleep in the parents' bed, and on no account keep it, longer than absolutely necessary, confined in on atmosphere loaded with the breath of many adults. . the amount of _oxygen_ required by an infant is so large, and the quantity consumed by mid-life and age, and the proportion of carbonic acid thrown off from both, so considerable, that an infant breathing the same air cannot possibly carry on its healthy existence while deriving its vitality from so corrupted a medium. this objection, always in force, is still more objectionable at night-time, when doors and windows are closed, and amounts to a condition of poison, when placed between two adults in sleep, and shut in by bed-curtains; and when, in addition to the impurities expired from the lungs, we remember, in quiescence and sleep, how large a portion of mephitic gas is given off from the skin. . mothers, in the fullness of their affection, believe there is no harbour, sleeping or awake, where their infants can be so secure from all possible or probable danger as in their own arms; yet we should astound our readers if we told them the statistical number of infants who, in despite of their motherly solicitude and love, are annually killed, unwittingly, by such parents themselves, and this from the persistency in the practice we are so strenuously condemning. the mother frequently, on awaking, discovers the baby's face closely impacted between her bosom and her arm, and its body rigid and lifeless; or else so enveloped in the "head-blanket" and superincumbent bedclothes, as to render breathing a matter of physical impossibility. in such cases the jury in general returns a verdict of "_accidentally overlaid_" but one of "careless suffocation" would be more in accordance with truth and justice. the only possible excuse that can be urged, either by nurse or mother, for this culpable practice, is the plea of imparting warmth to the infant. but this can always be effected by an extra blanket in the child's crib, or, if the weather is particularly cold, by a bottle of hot water enveloped in flannel and placed at the child's feet; while all the objections already urged--as derivable from animal heat imparted by actual contact--are entirely obviated. there is another evil attending the sleeping together of the mother and infant, which, as far as regards the latter, we consider quite as formidable, though not so immediate as the others, and is always followed by more or less of mischief to the mother. the evil we now allude to is that most injurious practice of letting the child _suck_ after the mother has _fallen asleep_, a custom that naturally results from the former, and which, as we hare already said, is injurious to both mother and child. it is injurious to the infant by allowing it, without control, to imbibe to distension a fluid sluggishly secreted and deficient in those vital principles which the want of mental energy, and of the sympathetic appeals of the child on the mother, so powerfully produce on the secreted nutriment, while the mother wakes in a state of clammy exhaustion, with giddiness, dimness of sight, nausea, loss of appetite, and a dull aching pain through the back and between the shoulders. in fact, she wakes languid and unrefreshed from her sleep, with febrile symptoms and hectic flushes, caused by her baby vampire, who, while dragging from her her health and strength, has excited in itself a set of symptoms directly opposite, but fraught with the same injurious consequences--"functional derangement." the milk. . as nature has placed in the bosom of the mother the natural food of her offspring, it must be self-evident to every reflecting woman, that it becomes her duty to study, as far as lies in her power, to keep that reservoir of nourishment in as pure and invigorating a condition as possible; for she must remember that the _quantity_ is no proof of the _quality_ of this aliment. . the mother, while suckling, as a general rule, should avoid all sedentary occupations, take regular exercise, keep her mind as lively and pleasingly occupied as possible, especially by music and singing. her diet should be light and nutritious, with a proper sufficiency of animal food, and of that kind which yields the largest amount of nourishment; and, unless the digestion is naturally strong, vegetables and fruit should form a very small proportion of the general dietary, and such preparations as broths, gruels, arrowroot, &c., still less. tapioca, or ground-rice pudding, made with several eggs, may be taken freely; but all slops and thin potations, such as that delusion called chicken-broth, should be avoided, as yielding a very small amount of nutriment, and a large proportion of flatulence. all purely stimulants should be avoided as much as possible, especially spirits, unless taken for some special object, and that medicinally; but as a part of the dietary they should be carefully shunned. lactation is always an exhausting process, and as the child increases in size and strength, the drain upon the mother becomes great and depressing. then something more even than an abundant diet is required to keep the mind and body up to a standard sufficiently healthy to admit of a constant and nutritious secretion being performed without detriment to the physical integrity of the mother, or injury to the child who imbibes it; and as stimulants are inadmissible, if not positively injurious, the substitute required is to be found in _malt liquor_. to the lady accustomed to her madeira and sherry, this may appear a very vulgar potation for a delicate young mother to take instead of the more subtle and condensed elegance of wine; but as we are writing from experience, and with the avowed object of imparting useful facts and beneficial remedies to our readers, we allow no social distinctions to interfere with our legitimate object. . we have already said that the suckling mother should avoid stimulants, especially spirituous ones; and though something of this sort is absolutely necessary to support her strength during the exhausting process, it should be rather of a _tonic_ than of a stimulating character; and as all wines contain a large percentage of brandy, they are on that account less beneficial than the pure juice of the fermented grape might be. but there is another consideration to be taken into account on this subject; the mother has not only to think of herself, but also of her infant. now wines, especially port wine, very often--indeed, most frequently--affect the baby's bowels, and what might have been grateful to the mother becomes thus a source of pain and irritation to the child afterwards. sherry is less open to this objection than other wines, yet still _it_ very frequently does influence the second participator, or the child whose mother has taken it. . the nine or twelve months a woman usually suckles must be, to some extent, to most mothers, a period of privation and penance, and unless she is deaf to the cries of her baby, and insensible to its kicks and plunges, and will not see in such muscular evidences the griping pains that rack her child, she will avoid every article that can remotely affect the little being who draws its sustenance from her. she will see that the babe is acutely affected by all that in any way influences her, and willingly curtail her own enjoyments, rather than see her infant rendered feverish, irritable, and uncomfortable. as the best tonic, then, and the most efficacious indirect stimulant that a mother can take at such times, there is no potation equal to _porter_ and _stout_, or, what is better still, an equal part of porter and stout. ale, except for a few constitutions, is too subtle and too sweet, generally causing acidity or heartburn, and stout alone is too potent to admit of a full draught, from its proneness to affect the head; and quantity, as well as moderate strength, is required to make the draught effectual; the equal mixture, therefore, of stout and porter yields all the properties desired or desirable as a medicinal agent for this purpose. . independently of its invigorating influence on the constitution, _porter exerts a marked and specific effect on the secretion of milk; more powerful in exciting an abundant supply of that fluid than any other article within the range of the physician's art;_ and, in cases of deficient quantity, is the most certain, speedy, and the healthiest means that can be employed to insure a quick and abundant flow. in cases where malt liquor produces flatulency, a few grains of the "carbonate of soda" may advantageously be added to each glass immediately before drinking, which will have the effect of neutralizing any acidity that may be in the porter at the time, and will also prevent its after-disagreement with the stomach. the quantity to be taken must depend upon the natural strength of the mother, the age and demand made by the infant on the parent, and other causes; but the amount should vary from _one_ to _two_ pints a day, never taking less than half a pint at a time, which should be repeated three or four times a day. . we have said that the period of suckling is a season of penance to the mother, but this is not invariably the case; and, as so much must depend upon the natural strength of the stomach, and its power of assimilating all kinds of food into healthy _chyle_, it is impossible to define exceptions. where a woman feels she can eat any kind of food, without inconvenience or detriment, she should live during her suckling as she did before; but, as a general rule, we are bound to advise all mothers to abstain from such articles as pickles, fruits, cucumbers, and all acid and slowly digestible foods, unless they wish for restless nights and crying infants. . as regards exercise and amusement, we would certainly neither prohibit a mother's dancing, going to a theatre, nor even from attending an assembly. the first, however, is the best indoor recreation she can take, and a young mother will do well to often amuse herself in the nursery with this most excellent means of healthful circulation. the only precaution necessary is to avoid letting the child suck the milk that has lain long in the breast, or is heated by excessive action. . every mother who can, should be provided with a breast-pump, or glass tube, to draw off the superabundance that has been accumulating in her absence from the child, or the first gush excited by undue exertion: the subsequent supply of milk will be secreted under the invigorating influence of a previous healthy stimulus. . as the first milk that is secreted contains a large amount of the saline elements, and is thin and innutritious, it is most admirably adapted for the purpose nature designed it to fulfil,--that of an aperient; but which, unfortunately, it is seldom permitted, in our artificial mode of living, to perform. . so opposed are we to the objectionable plan of physicking new-born children, that, unless for positive illness, we would much rather advise that medicine should be administered _through_ the mother for the first eight or ten weeks of its existence. this practice, which few mothers will object to, is easily effected by the parent, when such a course is necessary for the child, taking either a dose of castor-oil, half an ounce of tasteless salts (the phosphate of soda), one or two teaspoonfuls of magnesia, a dose of lenitive electuary, manna, or any mild and simple aperient, which, almost before it can have taken effect on herself, will exhibit its action on her child. . one of the most common errors that mothers fall into while suckling their children, is that of fancying they are always hungry, and consequently overfeeding them; and with this, the great mistake of applying the child to the breast on every occasion of its crying, without investigating the cause of its complaint, and, under the belief that it wants food, putting the nipple into its crying mouth, until the infant turns in revulsion and petulance from what it should accept with eagerness and joy. at such times, a few teaspoonfuls of water, slightly chilled, will often instantly pacify a crying and restless child, who has turned in loathing from the offered breast; or, after imbibing a few drops, and finding it not what nature craved, throws back its head in disgust, and cries more petulantly than before. in such a case as this, the young mother, grieved at her baby's rejection of the tempting present, and distressed at its cries, and in terror of some injury, over and over ransacks its clothes, believing some insecure pin can alone be the cause of such sharp complaining, an accident that, from her own care in dressing, however, is seldom or ever the case. . these abrupt cries of the child, if they do not proceed from thirst, which a little water will relieve, not unfrequently occur from some unequal pressure, a fold or twist in the "roller," or some constriction round the tender body. if this is suspected, the mother must not be content with merely slackening the strings; the child should be undressed, and the creases and folds of the hot skin, especially those about the thighs and groins, examined, to see that no powder has caked, and, becoming hard, irritated the parts. the violet powder should be dusted freely over all, to cool the skin, and everything put on fresh and smooth. if such precautions have not afforded relief, and, in addition to the crying, the child plunges or draws up its legs, the mother may be assured some cause of irritation exists in the stomach or bowels,--either acidity in the latter or distension from overfeeding in the former; but, from whichever cause, the child should be "opened" before the fire, and a heated napkin applied all over the abdomen, the infant being occasionally elevated to a sitting position, and while gently jolted on the knee, the back should be lightly patted with the hand. . should the mother have any reason to apprehend that the _cause_ of inconvenience proceeds from the bladder--a not unfrequent source of pain,--the napkin is to be dipped in hot water, squeezed out, and immediately applied over the part, and repeated every eight or ten minutes, for several times in succession, either till the natural relief is afforded, or a cessation of pain allows of its discontinuance. the pain that young infants often suffer, and the crying that results from it, is, as we have already said, frequently caused by the mother inconsiderately overfeeding her child, and is produced by the pain of distension, and the mechanical pressure of a larger quantity of fluid in the stomach than the gastric juice can convert into cheese and digest. . some children are stronger in the enduring power of the stomach than others, and get rid of the excess by vomiting, concluding every process of suckling by an emission of milk and curd. such children are called by nurses "thriving children;" and generally they are so, simply because their digestion is good, and they have the power of expelling with impunity that superabundance of aliment which in others is a source of distension, flatulence, and pain. . the length of time an infant should be suckled must depend much on the health and strength of the child, and the health of the mother, and the quantity and quality of her milk; though, when all circumstances are favourable, it should never be less than _nine_, nor exceed _fifteen_ months; but perhaps the true time will be found in the medium between both. but of this we may be sure, that nature never ordained a child to live on suction after having endowed it with teeth to bite and to grind; and nothing is more out of place and unseemly than to hear a child, with a set of twenty teeth, ask for "the breast." . the practice of protracted wet-nursing is hurtful to the mother, by keeping up an uncalled-for, and, after the proper time, an unhealthy drain on her system, while the child either derives no benefit from what it no longer requires, or it produces a positive injury on its constitution. after the period when nature has ordained the child shall live by other means, the secretion of milk becomes thin and deteriorated, showing in the flabby flesh and puny features of the child both its loss of nutritious properties and the want of more stimulating aliment. . though we have said that twelve months is about the medium time a baby should be suckled, we by no means wish to imply that a child should be fed exclusively on milk for its first year; quite the reverse; the infant can hardly be too soon made independent of the mother. thus, should illness assail her, her milk fail, or any domestic cause abruptly cut off the natural supply, the child having been annealed to an artificial diet, its life might be safely carried on without seeking for a wet-nurse, and without the slightest danger to its system. . the advantage to the mother of early accustoming the child to artificial food is as considerable to herself as beneficial to her infant; the demand on her physical strength in the first instance will be less severe and exhausting, the child will sleep longer on a less rapidly digestible aliment, and yield to both more quiet nights, and the mother will be more at liberty to go out for business or pleasure, another means of sustenance being at hand till her return. besides these advantages, by a judicious blending of the two systems of feeding, the infant will acquire greater constitutional strength, so that, if attacked by sickness or disease, it will have a much greater chance of resisting its virulence than if dependent alone on the mother, whose milk, affected by fatigue and the natural anxiety of the parent for her offspring, is at such a time neither good in its properties nor likely to be beneficial to the patient. . all that we have further to say on suckling is an advice to mothers, that if they wish to keep a sound and unchapped nipple, and possibly avoid what is called a "broken breast," never to put it up with a wet nipple, but always to have a soft handkerchief in readiness, and the moment that delicate part is drawn from the child's mouth, to dry it carefully of the milk and saliva that moisten it; and, further, to make a practice of suckling from each breast alternately. dress and dressing, washing, &c. . as respects the dress and dressing of a new-born infant, or of a child in arms, during any stage of its nursing, there are few women who will require us to give them guidance or directions for their instruction; and though a few hints on the subject may not be out of place here, yet most women intuitively "take to a baby," and, with a small amount of experience, are able to perform all the little offices necessary to its comfort and cleanliness with ease and completeness. we shall, therefore, on this delicate subject hold our peace; and only, from afar, _hint_ "at what we would," leaving our suggestions to be approved or rejected, according as they chime with the judgment and the apprehension of our motherly readers. . in these days of intelligence, there are few ladies who have not, in all probability, seen the manner in which the indian squaw, the aborigines of polynesia, and even the lapp and esquimaux, strap down their baby on a board, and by means of a loop suspend it to the bough of a tree, hang it up to the rafters of the hut, or on travel, dangle it on their backs, outside the domestic implements, which, as the slave of her master, man, the wronged but uncomplaining woman carries, in order that her lord may march in unhampered freedom. cruel and confining as this system of "backboard" dressing may seem to our modern notions of freedom and exercise, it is positively less irksome, less confining, and infinitely less prejudicial to health, than the mummying of children by our grandmothers a hundred, ay, fifty years ago: for what with chin-stays, back-stays, body-stays, forehead-cloths, rollers, bandages, &c., an infant had as many girths and strings, to keep head, limbs, and body in one exact position, as a ship has halyards. . much of this--indeed we may say all--has been abolished; but still the child is far from being dressed loosely enough; and we shall never be satisfied till the abominable use of the _pin_ is avoided _in toto_ in an infant's dressing, and a texture made for all the under garments of a child of a cool and elastic material. . the manner in which an infant is encircled in a bandage called the "roller," as if it had fractured ribs, compressing those organs--that, living on suction, must be, for the health of the child, to a certain degree distended, to obtain sufficient aliment from the fluid imbibed--is perfectly preposterous. our humanity, as well as our duty, calls upon us at once to abrogate and discountenance by every means in our power. instead of the process of washing and dressing being made, as with the adult, a refreshment and comfort, it is, by the dawdling manner in which it is performed, the multiplicity of things used, and the perpetual change of position of the infant to adjust its complicated clothing, rendered an operation of positive irritation and annoyance. we, therefore, entreat all mothers to regard this subject in its true light, and study to the utmost, simplicity in dress, and dispatch in the process. . children do not so much cry from the washing as from the irritation caused by the frequent change of position in which they are placed, the number of times they are turned on their face, on their back, and on their side, by the manipulations demanded by the multiplicity of articles to be fitted, tacked, and carefully adjusted on their bodies. what mother ever found her girl of six or seven stand quiet while she was curling her hair? how many times nightly has she not to reprove her for not standing still during the process! it is the same with the unconscious infant, who cannot bear to be moved about, and who has no sooner grown reconciled to one position than it is forced reluctantly into another. it is true, in one instance the child has intelligence to guide it, and in the other not; but the _motitory nerves_, in both instances, resent coercion, and a child cannot be too little handled. . on this account alone, and, for the moment, setting health and comfort out of the question, we beg mothers to simplify their baby's dress as much as possible; and not only to put on as little as is absolutely necessary, but to make that as simple in its contrivance and adjustment as it will admit of; to avoid belly-bands, rollers, girths, and everything that can impede or confine the natural expansion of the digestive organs, on the due performance of whose functions the child lives, thrives, and develops its physical being. rearing by hand. articles necessary, and how to use them,--preparation of foods.-- baths.--advantages of rearing by hand. . as we do not for a moment wish to be thought an advocate for an artificial, in preference to the natural course of rearing children, we beg our renders to understand us perfectly on this head; all we desire to prove is the fact that a child _can_ be brought up as well on a spoon dietary as the best example to be found of those reared on the breast; having more strength, indeed, from the more nutritious food on which it lives. it will be thus less liable to infectious diseases, and more capable of resisting the virulence of any danger that may attack it; and without in any way depreciating the nutriment of its natural food, we wish to impress on the mother's mind that there are many cases of infantine debility which might eventuate in rickets, curvature of the spine, or mesenteric disease, where the addition to, or total substitution of, an artificial and more stimulating aliment, would not only give tone and strength to the constitution, but at the same time render the employment of mechanical means totally unnecessary. and, finally, though we would never--where the mother had the strength to suckle her child--supersede the breast, we would insist on making it a rule to accustom the child as early as possible to the use of an artificial diet, not only that it may acquire more vigour to help it over the ills of childhood, but that, in the absence of the mother, it might not miss the maternal sustenance; and also for the parent's sake, that, should the milk, from any cause, become vitiated, or suddenly cease, the child can be made over to the bottle and the spoon without the slightest apprehension of hurtful consequences. . to those persons unacquainted with the system, or who may have been erroneously informed on the matter, the rearing of a child by hand may seem surrounded by innumerable difficulties, and a large amount of personal trouble and anxiety to the nurse or mother who undertakes the duty. this, however, is a fallacy in every respect, except as regards the fact of preparing the food; but even this extra amount of work, by adopting the course we shall lay down, may be reduced to a very small sum of inconvenience; and as respects anxiety, the only thing calling for care is the display of judgment in the preparation of the food. the articles required for the purpose of feeding an infant are a night-lamp, with its pan and lid, to keep the food warm; a nursing-bottle, with a prepared teat; and a small pap saucepan, for use by day. of the lamp we need hardly speak, most mothers being acquainted with its operation: but to those to whom it is unknown we may observe, that the flame from the floating rushlight heats the water in the reservoir above, in which the covered pan that contains the food floats, keeping it at such a heat that, when thinned by milk, it will be of a temperature suitable for immediate use. though many kinds of nursing-bottles have been lately invented, and some mounted with india-rubber nipples, the common glass bottle, with the calf's teat, is equal in cleanliness and utility to any; besides, the nipple put into the child's mouth is so white and natural in appearance, that no child taken from the breast will refuse it. the black artificial ones of caoutchouc or gutta-percha are unnatural. the prepared teats can be obtained at any chemist's, and as they are kept in spirits, they will require a little soaking in warm water, and gentle washing, before being tied securely, by means of fine twine, round the neck of the bottle, just sufficient being left projecting for the child to grasp freely in its lips; for if left the full length, or over long, it will be drawn too far into the mouth, and possibly make the infant heave. when once properly adjusted, the nipple need never be removed till replaced by a new one, which will hardly be necessary oftener than once a fortnight, though with care one will last for several weeks. the nursing-bottle should be thoroughly washed and cleaned every day, and always rinsed out before and after using it, the warm water being squeezed through the nipple, to wash out any particles of food that might lodge in the aperture, and become sour. the teat can always be kept white and soft by turning the end of the bottle, when not in use, into a narrow jug containing water, taking care to dry it first, and then to warm it by drawing the food through before putting it into the child's mouth. food, and its preparation. . the articles generally employed as food for infants consist of arrowroot, bread, flour, baked flour, prepared groats, farinaceous food, biscuit-powder, biscuits, tops-and-bottoms, and semolina, or manna croup, as it is otherwise called, which, like tapioca, is the prepared pith of certain vegetable substances. of this list the least efficacious, though, perhaps, the most believed in, is arrowroot, which only as a mere agent, for change, and then only for a very short time, should ever be employed as a means of diet to infancy or childhood. it is a thin, flatulent, and innutritious food, and incapable of supporting infantine life with energy. bread, though the universal _régime_ with the labouring poor, where the infant's stomach and digestive powers are a reflex, in miniature, of the father's, should never be given to an infant under three months, and, even then, however finely beaten up and smoothly made, is a very questionable diet. flour, when well boiled, though infinitely better than arrowroot, is still only a kind of fermentative paste, that counteracts its own good by after-acidity and flatulence. . baked flour, when cooked into a pale brown mass, and finely powdered, makes a far superior food to the others, and may be considered as a very useful diet, especially for a change. prepared groats may be classed with arrowroot and raw flour, as being innutritious. the articles that now follow in our list are all good, and such as we could, with conscience and safety, trust to for the health and development of any child whatever. . we may observe in this place, that an occasional change in the character of the food is highly desirable, both as regards the health and benefit of the child; and though the interruption should only last for a day, the change will be advantageous. . the packets sold as farinaceous food are unquestionably the best aliment that can be given from the first to a baby, and may be continued, with the exception of an occasional change, without alteration of the material, till the child is able to take its regular meals of animal and vegetable food. some infants are so constituted as to require a frequent and total change in their system of living, seeming to thrive for a certain time on any food given to them, but if persevered in too long, declining in bulk and appearance as rapidly as they had previously progressed. in such cases the food should be immediately changed, and when that which appeared to agree best with the child is resumed, it should be altered in its quality, and perhaps in its consistency. . for the farinaceous food there are directions with each packet, containing instructions for the making; but, whatever the food employed is, enough should be made at once to last the day and night; at first, about a pint basinful, but, as the child advances, a quart will hardly be too much. in all cases, let the food boil a sufficient time, constantly stirring, and taking every precaution that it does not get burnt, in which case it is on no account to be used. . the food should always be made with water, the whole sweetened at once, and of such a consistency that, when poured out, and it has had time to cool, it will cut with the firmness of a pudding or custard. one or two spoonfuls are to be put into the pap saucepan and stood on the hob till the heat has softened it, when enough milk is to be added, and carefully mixed with the food, till the whole has the consistency of ordinary cream; it is then to be poured into the nursing-bottle, and the food having been drawn through to warm the nipple, it is to be placed in the child's mouth. for the first month or more, half a bottleful will be quite enough to give the infant at one time; but, as the child grows, it will be necessary not only to increase the quantity given at each time, but also gradually to make its food more consistent, and, after the third month, to add an egg to every pint basin of food made. at night the mother puts the food into the covered pan of her lamp, instead of the saucepan--that is, enough for one supply, and, having lighted the rush, she will find, on the waking of her child, the food sufficiently hot to bear the cooling addition of the milk. but, whether night or day, the same food should never be heated twice, and what the child leaves should be thrown away. . the biscuit powder is used in the same manner as the farinaceous food, and both prepared much after the fashion of making starch. but when tops-and-bottoms, or the whole biscuit, are employed, they require soaking in cold water for some time previous to boiling. the biscuit or biscuits are then to be slowly boiled in as much water as will, when thoroughly soft, allow of their being beaten by a three-pronged fork into a fine, smooth, and even pulp, and which, when poured into a basin and become cold, will cut out like a custard. if two large biscuits have been so treated, and the child is six or seven months old, beat up two eggs, sufficient sugar to properly sweeten it, and about a pint of skim milk. pour this on the beaten biscuit in the saucepan, stirring constantly; boil for about five minutes, pour into a basin, and use, when cold, in the same manner as the other. . this makes an admirable food, at once nutritious and strengthening. when tops-and-bottoms or rusks are used, the quantity of the egg may be reduced, or altogether omitted. . semolina, or manna croup, being in little hard grains, like a fine millet-seed, must be boiled for some time, and the milk, sugar, and egg added to it on the fire, and boiled for a few minutes longer, and, when cold, used as the other preparations. . many persons entertain a belief that cow's milk is hurtful to infants, and, consequently, refrain from giving it; but this is a very great mistake, for both sugar and milk should form a large portion of every meal an infant takes. teething and convulsions. fits, &c., the consequence of dentition, and how to be treated.--the number and order of the teeth, and manner in which they are cut.--first and second set. . about three months after birth, the infant's troubles may be said to begin; teeth commence forming in the gums, causing pain and irritation in the mouth, and which, but for the saliva it causes to flow so abundantly, would be attended with very serious consequences. at the same time the mother frequently relaxes in the punctuality of the regimen imposed on her, and, taking some unusual or different food, excites diarrhoea or irritation in her child's stomach, which not unfrequently results in a rash on the skin, or slight febrile symptoms, which, if not subdued in their outset, superinduce some more serious form of infantine disease. but, as a general rule, the teeth are the primary cause of much of the child's sufferings, in consequence of the state of nervous and functional irritation into which the system is thrown by their formation and progress out of the jaw and through the gums. we propose beginning this branch of our subject with that most fertile source of an infant's suffering-- teething. . that this subject may he better understood by the nurse and mother, and the reason of the constitutional disturbance that, to a greater or less degree, is experienced by all infants, may be made intelligible to those who have the care of children, we shall commence by giving a brief account of the formation of the teeth, the age at which they appear in the mouth, and the order in which they pierce the gums. the organs of mastication in the adult consist of distinct teeth, in either jaw; being, in fact, a double set. the teeth are divided into incisors, canine, first and second grinders, and molars; but in childhood the complement or first set consists of only twenty, and these only make their appearance as the development of the frame indicates the requirement of a different kind of food for the support of the system. at birth some of the first-cut teeth are found in the cavities of the jaw, in a very small and rudimentary form; but this is by no means universal. about the third month, the jaws, which are hollow and divided into separate cells, begin to expand, making room for the slowly developing teeth, which, arranged for beauty and economy of space lengthwise, gradually turn their tops upwards, piercing the gum by their edges, which, being sharp, assist in cutting a passage through the soft parts. there is no particular period at which children cut their teeth, some being remarkably early, and others equally late. the earliest age that we have ever ourselves known as a reliable fact was, _six weeks_. such peculiarities are generally hereditary, and, as in this case, common to a whole family. the two extremes are probably represented by six and sixteen months. pain and drivelling are the usual, but by no means the general, indications of teething. . about the sixth month the gums become tense and swollen, presenting a red, shiny appearance, while the salivary glands pour out an unusual quantity of saliva. after a time, a white line or round spot is observed on the top of one part of the gums, and the sharp edge of the tooth may be felt beneath if the finger is gently pressed on the part. through these white spots the teeth burst their way in the following order:-- . two incisors in the lower jaw are first cut, though, in general, some weeks elapse between the appearance of the first and the advent of the second. the next teeth cut are the four incisors of the upper jaw. the next in order are the remaining two incisors of the bottom, one on each side, then two top and two bottom on each side, but not joining the incisors; and lastly, about the eighteenth or twentieth month, the four eye teeth, filling up the space left between the side teeth and the incisors; thus completing the infant's set of sixteen. sometimes at the same period, but more frequently some months later, four more double teeth slowly make their appearance, one on each side of each jaw, completing the entire series of the child's first set of twenty teeth. it is asserted that a child, while cutting its teeth, should either dribble excessively, vomit after every meal, or be greatly relaxed. though one or other, or all of these at once, may attend a case of teething, it by no means follows that any one of them should accompany this process of nature, though there can be no doubt that where the pain consequent on the unyielding state of the gums, and the firmness of the skin that covers the tooth, is severe, a copious discharge of saliva acts beneficially in saving the head, and also in guarding the child from those dangerous attacks of fits to which many children in their teething are liable. . _the symptoms_ that generally indicate the cutting of teeth, in addition to the inflamed and swollen state of the gums, and increased flow of saliva, are the restless and peevish state of the child, the hands being thrust into the mouth, and the evident pleasure imparted by rubbing the finger or nail gently along the gum; the lips are often excoriated, and the functions of the stomach or bowels are out of order. in severe cases, occurring in unhealthy or scrofulous children, there are, from the first, considerable fever, disturbed sleep, fretfulness, diarrhoea, rolling of the eyes, convulsive startings, laborious breathing, coma, or unnatural sleep, ending, unless the head is quickly relieved, in death. . the _treatment_ in all cases of painful teething is remarkably simple, and consists in keeping the body cool by mild aperient medicines, allaying the irritation in the gums by friction with a rough ivory ring or a stale crust of broad, and when the head, lungs, or any organ is overloaded or unduly excited, to use the hot bath, and by throwing the body into a perspiration, equalize the circulation, and relieve the system from the danger of a fatal termination. . besides these, there is another means, but that must be employed by a medical man; namely, scarifying the gums--an operation always safe, and which, when judiciously performed, and at a critical opportunity, will often snatch the child from the grasp of death. . there are few subjects on which mothers have often formed such strong and mistaken opinions as on that of lancing an infant's gums, some rather seeing their child go into fits--and by the unrelieved irritation endangering inflammation of the brain, water on the head, rickets, and other lingering affections--than permit the surgeon to afford instant relief by cutting through the hard skin, which, like a bladder over the stopper of a bottle, effectually confines the tooth to the socket, and prevents it piercing the soft, spongy substance of the gum. this prejudice is a great error, as we shall presently show; for, so far from hurting the child, there is nothing that will so soon convert an infant's tears into smiles as scarifying the gums in painful teething; that is, if effectually done, and the skin of the tooth be divided. . though teething is a natural function, and to an infant in perfect health should be unproductive of pain, yet in general it is not only a fertile cause of suffering, but often a source of alarm and danger; the former, from irritation in the stomach and bowels, deranging the whole economy of the system, and the latter, from coma and fits, that may excite alarm in severe cases; and the danger, that eventuates in some instances, from organic disease of the head or spinal marrow. . we shall say nothing in this place of "rickets," or "water on the head," which are frequent results of dental irritation, but proceed to finish our remarks on the treatment of teething. though strongly advocating the lancing of the gums in teething, and when there are any severe head-symptoms, yet it should never be needlessly done, or before being satisfied that the tooth is fully formed, and is out of the socket, and under the gum. when assured on these points, the gum should be cut lengthwise, and from the top of the gum downwards to the tooth, in an horizontal direction, thus----, and for about half an inch in length. the operation is then to be repeated in a transverse direction, cutting across the gum, in the centre of the first incision, and forming a cross, thus +. the object of this double incision is to insure a retraction of the cut parts, and leave an open way for the tooth to start from--an advantage not to be obtained when only one incision is made; for unless the tooth immediately follows the lancing, the opening reunites, and the operation has to be repeated. that this operation is very little or not at all painful, is evidenced by the suddenness with which the infant falls asleep after the lancing, and awakes in apparently perfect health, though immediately before the use of the gum-lancet, the child may have been shrieking or in convulsions. convulsions, or infantine fits. . from their birth till after teething, infants are more or less subject or liable to sudden fits, which often, without any assignable cause, will attack the child in a moment, and while in the mother's arms; and which, according to their frequency, and the age and strength of the infant, are either slight or dangerous. . whatever may have been the remote cause, the immediate one is some irritation of the nervous system, causing convulsions, or an effusion to the head, inducing coma. in the first instance, the infant cries out with a quick, short scream, rolls up its eyes, arches its body backwards, its arms become bent and fixed, and the fingers parted; the lips and eyelids assume a dusky leaden colour, while the face remains pale, and the eyes open, glassy, or staring. this condition may or may not be attended with muscular twitchings of the mouth, and convulsive plunges of the arms. the fit generally lasts from one to three minutes, when the child recovers with a sigh, and the relaxation of the body. in the other case, the infant is attacked at once with total insensibility and relaxation of the limbs, coldness of the body and suppressed breathing; the eyes, when open, being dilated, and presenting a dim glistening appearance; the infant appearing, for the moment, to be dead. . _treatment._-the first step in either case is, to immerse the child in a hot bath up to the chin; or if sufficient hot water cannot be procured to cover the body, make a hip-bath of what can be obtained; and, while the left hand supports the child in a sitting or recumbent position, with the right scoop up the water, and run it over the chest of the patient. when sufficient water can be obtained, the spine should be briskly rubbed while in the bath; when this cannot be done, lay the child on the knees, and with the fingers dipped in brandy, rub the whole length of the spine vigorously for two or three minutes, and when restored to consciousness, give occasionally a teaspoonful of weak brandy and water or wine and water. . an hour after the bath, it may be necessary to give an aperient powder, possibly also to repeat the dose for once or twice every three hours; in which case the following prescription is to be employed. take of powdered scammony grains. grey powder grains. antimonial powder grains. lump sugar grains. mix thoroughly, and divide into three powders, which are to be taken as advised for an infant one year old; for younger or weakly infants, divide into four powders, and give as the other. for thirst and febrile symptoms, give drinks of barley-water, or cold water, and every three hours put ten to fifteen drops of spirits of sweet nitre in a dessert-spoonful of either beverage. thrush, and its treatment. . this is a disease to which infants are peculiarly subject, and in whom alone it may be said to be a disease; for when thrush shows itself in adult or advanced life, it is not as a disease proper, but only as a symptom, or accessory, of some other ailment, generally of a chronic character, and should no more be classed as a separate affection than the petechae, or dark-coloured spots that appear in malignant measles, may be considered a distinct affection. . thrush is a disease of the follicles of the mucous membrane of the alimentary canal, whereby there are formed small vesicles, or bladders, filled with a thick mucous secretion, which, bursting, discharge their contents, and form minute ulcers in the centre of each vessel. to make this formal but unavoidable description intelligible, we must beg the reader's patience while we briefly explain terms that may appear to many so unmeaning, and make the pathology of thrush fully familiar. . the whole digestive canal, of which the stomach and bowels are only a part, is covered, from the lips, eyes, and ears downwards, with a thin glairy tissue, like the skin that lines the inside of an egg, called the mucous membrane; this membrane is dotted all over, in a state of health, by imperceptible points, called follicles, through which the saliva, or mucous secreted by the membrane, is poured out. . these follicles, or little glands, then, becoming enlarged, and filled with a congealed fluid, constitute thrush in its first stage; and when the child's lips and mouth appear a mass of small pearls, then, as these break and discharge, the second stage, or that of ulceration, sets in. . _symptoms._--thrush is generally preceded by considerable irritation, by the child crying and fretting, showing more than ordinary redness of the lips and nostrils, hot fetid breath, with relaxed bowels, and dark feculent evacuations; the water is scanty and high-coloured; whilst considerable difficulty in swallowing, and much thirst, are the other symptoms, which a careful observation of the little patient makes manifest. . the situation and character of thrush show at once that the cause is some irritation of the mucous membrane, and can proceed only from the nature and quality of the food. before weaning, this must be looked for in the mother, and the condition of the milk; after that time, in the crude and indigestible nature of the food given. in either case, this exciting cause of the disease must be at once stopped. when it proceeds from the mother, it is always best to begin by physicking the infant through the parent; that is to say, let the parent first take the medicine, which will sufficiently affect the child through the milk: this plan has the double object of benefiting the patient and, at the same time, correcting the state of the mother, and improving the condition of her milk. in the other case, when the child is being fed by hand, then proceed by totally altering the style of aliment given, and substituting farinaceous food, custards, blanc-mange, and ground-rice puddings. . as an aperient medicine for the mother, the best thing she can take is a dessert-spoonful of carbonate of magnesia once or twice a day, in a cup of cold water; and every second day, for two or three times, an aperient pill. . as the thrush extends all over the mouth, throat, stomach, and bowels, the irritation to the child from such an extent of diseased surface is proportionately great, and before attempting to act on such a tender surface by opening medicine, the better plan is to soothe by an emollient mixture; and, for that purpose, let the following be prepared. take of castor oil drachms. sugar drachm. mucilage, or powdered gum arabic half a drachm. triturate till the oil is incorporated, then add slowly-- mint-water one ounce and a half laudanum ten drops half a teaspoonful three times a day, to an infant from one to two years old; a teaspoonful from two to three years old; and a dessertspoonful at any age over that time. after two days' use of the mixture, one of the following powders should be given twice a day, accompanied with one dose daily of the mixture:-- grey powder grains. powdered rhubarb grains. scammony grains. mix. divide into twelve powders, for one year; eight powders, from one to two; and six powders, from two to six years old. after that age, double the strength, by giving the quantity of two powders at once. . it is sometimes customary to apply borax and honey to the mouth for thrush; but it is always better to treat the disease constitutionally rather than locally. the first steps, therefore, to be adopted are, to remove or correct the exciting cause--the mother's milk or food; allay irritation by a warm bath and the castor-oil mixture, followed by and conjoined with the powders. . to those, however, who wish to try the honey process, the best preparation to use is the following:-rub down one ounce of honey with two drachms of tincture of myrrh, and apply it to the lips and mouth every four or six hours. . it is a popular belief, and one most devoutly cherished by many nurses and elderly persons, that everybody must, at some time of their life, between birth and death, have an attack of thrush, and if not in infancy, or prime of life, it will surely attack them on their death-bed, in a form more malignant than if the patient had been affected with the malady earlier; the black thrush with which they are then reported to be affected being, in all probability, the petechae or purple spots that characterize the worst form, and often the last stage, of typhoid fever. . in general, very little medicine is needed in this disease of the thrush--an alterative powder, or a little magnesia, given once or twice, being all, with the warm bath, that, in the great majority of cases, is needed to restore the mucous membrane to health. as thrush is caused by an excess of heat, or over-action in the lining membrane of the stomach and bowels, whatever will counteract this state, by throwing the heat on the surface, must materially benefit, if not cure, the disease: and that means every mother has at hand, in the form of a _warm bath_. after the application of this, a little magnesia to correct the acidity existing along the surface of the mucous membrane, is often all that is needed to throw the system into such a state as will effect its own cure. this favourable state is indicated by an excessive flow of saliva, or what is called "dribbling," and by a considerable amount of relaxation of the bowels-a condition that must not be mistaken for diarrhoea, and checked as if a disease, but rather, for the day or two it continues, encouraged as a critical evacuant. . should there be much debility in the convalescence, half a teaspoonful of stee wine, given twice a day in a little barley-water, will be found sufficient for all the purposes of a tonic. this, with the precaution of changing the child's food, or, when it lives on the mother, of correcting the quality of the milk by changing her own diet, and, by means of an antacid or aperient, improving the state of the secretion. such is all the treatment that this disease in general requires. . the class of diseases we are now approaching are the most important, both in their pathological features and in their consequences on the constitution, of any group or individual disease that assails the human body; and though more frequently attacking the undeveloped frame of childhood, are yet by no means confined to that period. these are called eruptive fevers, and embrace chicken-pox, cow-pox, small-pox, scarlet fever, measles, milary fever, and erysipelas, or st. anthony's fire. . the general character of all these is, that they are contagious, and, as a general rule, attack a person only once in his lifetime; that their chain of diseased actions always begins with fever, and that, after an interval of from one to four days, the fever is followed by an eruption of the skin. chicken-pox, or glass-pox; and cow-pox, or vaccination. . chicken-pox, or glass-pox, may, in strict propriety, be classed as a mild variety of small-pox, presenting all the mitigated symptoms of that formidable disease. among many physicians it is, indeed, classed as small-pox, and not a separate disease; but as this is not the place to discuss such questions, and as we profess to give only facts, the result of our own practical experience, we shall treat this affection of glass-pox or chicken-pox, as we ourselves have found it, as a distinct and separate disease. . chicken-pox is marked by all the febrile symptoms presented by small-pox, with this difference, that, in the case of chicken-pox, each symptom is particularly slight. the heat of body is much less acute, and the principal symptoms are difficulty of breathing, headache, coated tongue, and nausea, which sometimes amounts to vomiting. after a term of general irritability, heat, and restlessness, about the fourth day, or between the third and fourth, an eruption makes its appearance over the face, neck, and body, in its first two stages closely resembling small-pox, with this especial difference, that whereas the pustules in small-pox have _flat_ and _depressed_ centres--an infallible characteristic of small-pox--the pustules in chicken-pox remain _globular_, while the fluid in them changes from a transparent white to a straw-coloured liquid, which begins to exude and disappear about the eighth or ninth day, and, in mild cases, by the twelfth desquamates, or peels off entirely. . there can be no doubt that chicken-pox, like small-pox, is contagious, and under certain states of the atmosphere becomes endemic. parents should, therefore, avoid exposing young children to the danger of infection by taking them where it is known to exist, as chicken-pox, in weakly constitutions, or in very young children, may superinduce small-pox, the one disease either running concurrently with the other, or discovering itself as the other declines. this, of course, is a condition that renders the case very hazardous, as the child has to struggle against two diseases at once, or before it has recruited strength from the attack of the first. . _treatment_.--in all ordinary cases of chicken-pox--and it is very seldom it assumes any complexity--the whole treatment resolves itself into the use of the warm bath, and a course of gentle aperients. the bath should be used when the oppression of the lungs renders the breathing difficult, or the heat and dryness of the skin, with the undeveloped rash beneath the surface, shows the necessity for its use. . as the pustules in chicken-pox very rarely run to the state of suppuration, as in the other disease, there is no fear of _pitting_ or disfigurement, except in very severe forms, which, however, happen so seldom as not to merit apprehension. when the eruption subsides, however, the face may be washed with elder-flower water, and the routine followed which is prescribed in the convalescent state of small-pox. . cow-pox, properly speaking, is an artificial disease, established in a healthy body as a prophylactic, or preventive agent, against the more serious attack of small-pox, and is merely that chain of slight febrile symptoms and local irritation, consequent on the specific action of the lymph of the vaccination, in its action on the circulating system of the body. this is not the place to speak of the benefits conferred on mankind by the discovery of vaccination, not only as the preserver of the human features from a most loathsome disfigurement, but as a sanitary agent in the prolongation of life. . fortunately the state has now made it imperative on all parents to have their children vaccinated before, or by the end of, the twelfth week; thus doing away, as far as possible, with the danger to public health proceeding from the ignorance or prejudice of those parents whose want of information on the subject makes them object to the employment of this specific preventive; for though vaccination has been proved _not_ to be _always_ an infallible guard against small-pox, the attack is always much lighter, should it occur, and is seldom, if indeed _ever_, fatal after the precaution of vaccination. the best time to vaccinate a child is after the sixth and before the twelfth week, if it is in perfect health, but still earlier if small-pox is prevalent, and any danger exists of the infant taking the disease. it is customary, and always advisable, to give the child a mild aperient powder one or two days before inserting the lymph in the arm; and should measles, scarlet fever, or any other disease arise during the progress of the pustule, the child, when recovered, should be _re-vaccinated_, and the lymph taken from its arm on no account used for vaccinating purposes. . the disease of cow-pox generally takes twenty days to complete its course; in other words, the maturity and declension of the pustule takes that time to fulfil its several changes. the mode of vaccination is either to insert the matter, or lymph, taken from a healthy child, under the cuticle in several places on both arms, or, which is still better, to make three slight scratches, or abrasions, with a lancet on one arm in this manner, ,,",, and work into the irritated parts the lymph, allowing the arm to dry thoroughly before putting down the infant's sleeve; by this means absorption is insured, and the unnecessary pain of several pustules on both arms avoided. no apparent change is observable by the eye for several days; indeed, not till the fourth, in many cases, is there any evidence of a vesicle; about the fifth day, however, a pink areola, or circle, is observed round one or all of the places, surrounding a small pearly vesicle or bladder. this goes on deepening in hue till the seventh or eighth day, when the vesicle is about an inch in diameter, with a depressed centre; on the ninth the edges are elevated, and the surrounding part hard and inflamed. the disease is now at its height, and the pustule should be opened, if not for the purpose of vaccinating other children, to allow the escape of the lymph, and subdue the inflammatory action. after the twelfth day the centre is covered by a brown scab, and the colour of the swelling becomes darker, gradually declining in hardness and colour till the twentieth, when the scab falls, off, leaving a small pit, or cicatrix, to mark the seat of the disease, and for life prove a certificate of successful vaccination. . in some children the inflammation and swelling of the arm is excessive, and extremely painful, and the fever, about the ninth or tenth day, very high; the pustule, therefore, at that time, should sometimes be opened, the arm fomented every two hours with a warm bread poultice, and an aperient powder given to the infant. measles and scarlet fever, with the treatment of both. measles. . this much-dreaded disease, which forms the next subject in our series of infantine diseases, and which entails more evils on the health of childhood than any other description of physical suffering to which that age of life is subject, may be considered more an affection of the venous circulation, tending to general and local congestion, attended with a diseased condition of the blood, than either as a fever or an inflammation; and though generally classed before or after scarlet fever, is, in its pathology and treatment, irrespective of its after-consequences, as distinct and opposite as one disease can well be from another. . as we have already observed, measles are always characterized by the running at the nose and eyes, and great oppression of breathing; so, in the mode of treatment, two objects are to be held especially in view; first, to unload the congested state of the lungs,--the cause of the oppressed breathing; and, secondly, to act vigorously, both during the disease and afterwards, on the bowels. at the same time it cannot be too strongly borne in mind, that though the patient in measles should on no account be kept unduly hot, more care than in most infantine complaints should be taken to guard the body from _cold_, or any abrupt changes of temperature. with these special observations, we shall proceed to give a description of the disease, as recognized by its usual-- . _symptoms_, which commence with cold chills and flushes, lassitude, heaviness, pain in the head, and drowsiness, cough, hoarseness, and extreme difficulty of breathing, frequent sneezing, deduction or running at the eyes and nose, nausea, sometimes vomiting, thirst, a furred tongue; the pulse throughout is quick, and sometimes full and soft, at others hard and small, with other indications of an inflammatory nature. . on the third day, small red points make their appearance, first on the face and neck, gradually extending over the upper and lower part of the body. on the fifth day, the vivid red of the eruption changes into a brownish hue; and, in two or three days more, the rash entirely disappears, leaving a loose powdery desquamation on the skin, which rubs off like dandriff. at this stage of the disease a diarrhoea frequently comes on, which, being what is called "critical," should never be checked, unless seriously severe. measles sometimes assume a typhoid or malignant character, in which form the symptoms are all greatly exaggerated, and the case from the first becomes both doubtful and dangerous. in this condition the eruption comes out sooner, and only in patches; and often, after showing for a few hours, suddenly recedes, presenting, instead of the usual florid red, a dark purple or blackish hue; a dark brown fur forms on the gums and mouth, the breathing becomes laborious, delirium supervenes, and, if unrelieved, is followed by coma; a fetid diarrhoea takes place, and the patient sinks under the congested state of the lungs and the oppressed functions of the brain. . the unfavourable symptoms in measles are a high degree of fever, the excessive heat and dryness of the skin, hurried and short breathing, and a particularly hard pulse. the sequels, or after-consequences, of measles are, croup, bronchitis, mesenteric disease, abscesses behind the ear, ophthalmia, and glandular swellings in other parts of the body. . _treatment_.--in the first place, the patient should be kept in a cool room, the temperature of which must be regulated to suit the child's feelings of comfort, and the diet adapted to the strictest principles of abstinence. when the inflammatory symptoms are severe, bleeding, in some form, is often necessary, though, when adopted, it must be in the _first stage_ of the disease; and, if the lungs are the apprehended seat of the inflammation, two or more leeches, according to the age and strength of the patient, must be applied to the upper part of the chest, followed by a small blister; or the blister may be substituted for the leeches, the attendant bearing in mind, that the benefit effected by the blister can always be considerably augmented by plunging the feet into very hot water about a couple of hours after applying the blister, and kept in the water for about two minutes. and let it further be remembered, that this immersion of the feet in hot water may be adopted at any time or stage of the disease; and that, whenever the _head_ or _lungs_ are oppressed, relief will _always_ accrue from its sudden and brief employment. when the symptoms commence with much shivering, and the skin early assumes a hot, dry character, the appearance of the rash will be facilitated, and all the other symptoms rendered milder, if the patient is put into a warm bath, and kept in the water for about three minutes. or, where that is not convenient, the following process, which will answer quite as well, can be substituted:--stand the child, naked, in a tub, and, having first prepared several jugs of sufficiently warm water, empty them, in quick succession, over the patient's shoulders and body; immediately wrap in a hot blanket, and put the child to bed till it rouses from the sleep that always follows the effusion or bath. this agent, by lowering the temperature of the skin, and opening the pores, producing a natural perspiration, and unloading the congested state of the lungs, in most cases does away entirely with the necessity both for leeches and a blister. whether any of these external means have been employed or not, the first internal remedies should commence with a series of aperient powders and a saline mixture, as prescribed in the following formularies; at the same time, as a beverage to quench the thirst, let a quantity of barley-water be made, slightly acidulated by the juice of an orange, and partially sweetened by some sugar-candy; and of which, when properly made and cold, let the patient drink as often as thirst, or the dryness of the mouth, renders necessary. . _aperient powders_.--take of scammony and jalap, each grains; grey powder and powdered antimony, each grains. mix and divide into powders, if for a child between two and four years of age; into powders, if for a child between four and eight years of ago; and into powders for between eight and twelve years. one powder to be given, in a little jelly or sugar-and-water, every three or four hours, according to the severity of the symptoms. . _saline mixture_.--take of mint-water, ounces; powdered nitre, grains; antimonial wine, drachms; spirits of nitre, drachms; syrup of saffron, drachms. mix. to children under three years, give a teaspoonful every two hours; from that age to six, a dessertspoonful at the same times; and a tablespoonful every three or four hours to children between six and twelve. . the object of these aperient powders is to keep up a steady but gentle action on the bowels; but, whenever it seems necessary to administer a stronger dose, and effect a brisk action on the digestive organs,--a course particularly imperative towards the close of the disease,--two of these powders given at once, according to the age, will be found to produce that effect; that is, two of the twelve for a child under four years, and two of the eight, and two of the six, according to the age of the patient. . when the difficulty of breathing becomes oppressive, as it generally does towards night, a hot bran poultice, laid on the chest, will be always found highly beneficial. the diet throughout must be light, and consist of farinaceous food, such as rice and sago puddings, beef-tea and toast; and not till convalescence sets in should hard or animal food be given. . when measles assume the malignant form, the advice just given must be broken through; food of a nutritious and stimulating character should be at once substituted, and administered in conjunction with wine, and even spirits, and the disease regarded and treated as a case of typhus. but, as this form of measles is not frequent, and, if occurring, hardly likely to be treated without assistance, it is unnecessary to enter on the minutiae of its practice here. what we have prescribed, in almost all cases, will be found sufficient to meet every emergency, without resorting to a multiplicity of agents. . the great point to remember in measles is, not to give up the treatment with the apparent subsidence of the disease, as the _after-consequences_ of measles are too often more serious, and to be more dreaded, than the measles themselves. to guard against this danger, and thoroughly purify the system, after the subsidence of all the symptoms of the disease, a corrective course of medicine, and a regimen of exercise, should be adopted for some weeks after the cure of the disease. to effect this, an active aperient powder should be given every three or four clays, with a daily dose of the subjoined tonic mixture, with as much exercise, by walking, running after a hoop, or other bodily exertion, as the strength of the child and the state of the atmosphere will admit, the patient being, wherever possible, removed to a purer air as soon as convalescence warrants the change. . _tonic mixture_.--take of infusion of rose-leaves, ounces; quinine, grains; diluted sulphuric acid, drops. mix. dose, from half a teaspoonful up to a dessertspoonful, once a day, according to the ago of the patient. scarlatina, or scarlet fever. . though professional accuracy has divided this disease into several forms, we shall keep to the one disease most generally mot with, the common or simple scarlet fever, which, in all cases, is characterized by an excessive heat on the skin, sore throat, and a peculiar speckled appearance of the tongue. . _symptoms_.--cold chills, shivering, nausea, thirst, hot skin, quick pulse, with difficulty of swallowing; the tongue is coated, presenting through its fur innumerable specks, the elevated papillae of the tongue, which gives it the speckled character, that, if not the invariable sign of scarlet fever, is only met with in cases closely analogous to that disease. between the _second_ and __third_ day, but most frequently on the _third_, a bright red efflorescence breaks out in patches on the face, neck, and back, from which it extends over the trunk and extremities, always showing thicker and deeper in colour wherever there is any pressure, such as the elbows, back, and hips; when the eruption is well out, the skin presents the appearance of a boiled lobster-shell. at first, the skin is smooth, but, as the disease advances, perceptible roughness is apparent, from the elevation of the rash, or, more properly, the pores of the skin. on the _fifth_ and _sixth_ days the eruption begins to decline, and by the _eighth_ has generally entirely disappeared. during the whole of this period, there is, more or less, constant sore throat. . the _treatment_ of scarlet fever is, in general, very simple. where the heat is great, and the eruption comes out with difficulty, or recedes as soon as it appears, the body should be sponged with cold vinegar-and-water, or tepid water, as in measles, poured over the chest and body, the patient being, as in that disease, wrapped in a blanket and put to bed, and the same powders and mixture ordered in measles administered, with the addition of a constant hot bran poultice round the throat, which should be continued from the first symptom till a day or two after the declension of the rash. the same low diet and cooling drink, with the same general instructions, are to be obeyed in this as in the former disease. . when the fever runs high in the first stage, and there is much nausea, before employing the effusions of water, give the patient an emetic, of equal, parts of ipecacuanha and antimonial wine, in doses of from a teaspoonful to a tablespoonful, according to age. by these means, nine out of every ten cases of scarlatina may be safely and expeditiously cured, especially if the temperature of the patient's room is kept at an even standard of about sixty degrees. hooping-cough, croup, and diarrhoea, with their mode of treatment. hooping-cough. . this is purely a spasmodic disease, and is only infectious through the faculty of imitation, a habit that all children are remarkably apt to fall into; and even where adults have contracted hooping-cough, it has been from the same cause, and is as readily accounted for, on the principle of imitation, as that the gaping of one person will excite or predispose a whole party to follow the same spasmodic example. if any one associates for a few days with a person who stammers badly, he will find, when released from his company, that the sequence of his articulation and the fluency of his speech are, for a time, gone; and it will be a matter of constant vigilance, and some difficulty, to overcome the evil of so short an association. the manner in which a number of school-girls will, one after another, fall into a fit on beholding one of their number attacked with epilepsy, must be familiar to many. these several facts lead us to a juster notion of how to treat this spasmodic disease. every effort should, therefore, be directed, mentally and physically, to break the chain of nervous action, on which the continuance of the cough depends. . _symptoms._--hooping-cough comes on with a slight oppression of breathing, thirst, quick pulse, hoarseness, and a hard, dry cough. this state may exist without any change from one to two or three weeks before the peculiar feature of the disease-the _hoop_-sets in. as the characteristics of this cough are known to all, it is unnecessary to enter here, physiologically, on the subject. we shall, therefore, merely remark that the frequent vomiting and bleeding at the mouth or nose are favourable signs, and proceed to the . _treatment_, which should consist in keeping up a state of nausea and vomiting. for this purpose, give the child doses of ipecacuanha and antimonial wines, in equal parts, and quantities varying from half to one and a half teaspoonful once a day, or, when the expectoration is hard and difficult of expulsion, giving the following cough mixture every four hours. take of syrup of squills / ounce. antimonial wine ounce. laudanum drops. syrup of toulou drachms. water - / ounce. mix. the dose is from half a spoonful to a dessertspoonful. when the cough is urgent, the warm bath is to be used, and either one or two leeches applied over the breastbone, or else a small blister laid on the lower part of the throat. . such is the medical treatment of hooping-cough; but there is a moral regimen, based on the nature of the disease, which should never be omitted. and, on the principle that a sudden start or diversion of the mind will arrest a person in the act of sneezing or gaping, so the like means should be adopted with the hooping-cough patient; and, in the first stage, before the _hooping_ has been added, the parent should endeavour to break the paroxysm of the cough by abruptly attracting the patient's attention, and thus, if possible, preventing the cough from reaching that height when the ingulp of air gives the hoop or crow that marks the disease; but when once that symptom has set in, it becomes still more necessary to endeavour, by even measures of intimidation, to break the spasmodic chain of the cough. exercise in the open air, when dry, is also requisite, and charge of scene and air in all cases is of absolute necessity, and may be adopted at any stage of the disease. croup. . this is by far the most formidable and fatal of all the diseases to which infancy and childhood are liable, and is purely an inflammatory affection, attacking that portion of the mucous membrane lining the windpipe and bronchial tubes, and from the effect of which a false or loose membrane is formed along the windpipe, resembling in appearance the finger of a glove suspended in the passage, and, consequently, terminating the life of the patient by suffocation; for, as the lower end grows together and becomes closed, no air can enter the lungs, and the child dies choked. all dull, fat, and heavy children are peculiarly predisposed to this disease, and those with short necks and who make a wheezing noise in their natural breathing. croup is always sudden in its attack, and rapid in its career, usually proving fatal within three days; most frequently commences in the night, and generally attacking children between the ages of three and ten years. mothers should, therefore, be on their guard who have children predisposed to this disease, and immediately resort to the means hereafter advised. . _symptoms_.--languor and restlessness, hoarseness, wheezing, and short, dry cough, with occasional rattling in the throat during sleep, the child often plucking at its throat with its fingers; difficulty of breathing, which quickly becomes hard and laboured, causing great anxiety of the countenance, and the veins of the neck to swell and become knotted; the voice in speaking acquires a sharp, crowing, or croupy sound, while the inspirations have a harsh, metallic intonation. after a few hours, a quantity of thick, ropy mucus is thrown out, hanging about the mouth, and causing suffocating fits of coughing to expel. . treatment.--place the child immediately in a hot bath up to the throat; and, on removal from the water, give an emetic of the antimonial or ipecacuanha wine, and, when the vomiting has subsided, lay a long blister down the front of the throat, and administer one of the following powders every twenty minutes to a child from three to six years of age. . take of calomel, grains; tartar emetic, grains; lump sugar, grains. mix accurately, and divide into powders. for a child from six to twelve years, divide into powders, and give one every half-hour. . should the symptoms remain unabated after a few hours, apply one or two leeches to the throat, and put mustard poultices to the foot and thighs, retaining them about eight minutes; and, in extreme cases, a mustard poultice to the spine between the shoulders, and at the same time rub mercurial ointment into the armpits and the angles of the jaws. . such is a vigorous and reliable system of treatment in severe cases of croup; but, in the milder and more general form, the following abridgment will, in all probability, be all that will be required:--first, the hot bath; second, the emetic; third, a mustard plaster round the throat for five minutes; fourth, the powders; fifth, another emetic in six hours, if needed, and the powders continued without intermission while the urgency of the symptoms continues. when relief has been obtained, these are to be discontinued, and a dose of senna tea given to act on the bowels. diarrhoea. . the diarrhoea with which children are so frequently affected, especially in infancy, should demand the nurse's immediate attention, and when the secretion, from its clayey colour, indicates an absence of bile, a powder composed of grains of grey powder and grain of rhubarb, should be given twice, with an interval of four hours between each dose, to a child from one to two years, and, a day or two afterwards, an aperient powder containing the same ingredients and quantities, with the addition of or grains of scammony. for the relaxation consequent on an overloaded stomach, or acidity in the bowels, a little magnesia dissolved in milk should be employed two or three times a day. . when much griping and pain attend the diarrhoea, half a teaspoonful of dalby's carminative (the best of all patent medicines) should be given, either with or without a small quantity of castor oil to carry off the exciting cause. . for any form of diarrhoea that, by excessive action, demands a speedy correction, the most efficacious remedy that can be employed in all ages and conditions of childhood is the tincture of kino, of which from to drops, mixed with a little sugar and water in a spoon, are to be given every two or three hours till the undue action has been checked. often the change of diet to rice, milk, eggs, or the substitution of animal for vegetable food, or _vice versa_, will correct an unpleasant and almost chronic state of diarrhoea. . a very excellent carminative powder for flatulent infants may be kept in the house, and employed with advantage, whenever the child is in pain or griped, by dropping grains of oil of aniseed and of peppermint on half an ounce of lump sugar, and rubbing it in a mortar, with a drachm of magnesia, into a fine powder. a small quantity of this may be given in a little water at any time, and always with benefit. the doctor. chapter xliii. . "time," according to the old proverb, "is money;" and it may also, in many cases, and with equal truthfulness, be said to be life; for a few moments, in great emergencies, often turn the balance between recovery and death. this applies more especially to all kinds of poisoning, fits, submersion in water, or exposure to noxious gases; and many accidents. if people knew how to act during the interval that must necessarily elapse from the moment that a medical man is sent for until he arrives, many lives might be saved, which now, unhappily, are lost. generally speaking, however, nothing is done--all is confusion and fright; and the surgeon, on his arrival, finds that death has already seized its victim, who, had his friends but known a few rough rules for their guidance, might have been rescued. we shall, therefore, in a series of papers, give such information as to the means to be employed in event of accidents, injuries, &c., as, by the aid of a gentleman of large professional experience, we are warranted in recommending. list of drugs, &c., necessary to carry out all instructions. . we append at once a list of drugs, &c., and a few prescriptions necessary to carry out all the instructions given in this series of articles. it will be seen that they are few--they are not expensive; and by laying in a little stock of them, our instructions will be of instant value in all cases of accident, &c.--the drugs are--antimonial wine. antimonial powder. blister compound. blue pill. calomel. carbonate of potash. compound iron pills. compound extract of colocynth. compound tincture of camphor. epsom salts. goulard's extract. jalap in powder. linseed oil. myrrh and aloes pills. nitre. oil of turpentine. opium, powdered, and laudanum. sal ammoniac. senna leaves. soap liniment, opodeldoc. sweet spirits of nitre. turner's cerate.--to which should be added: common adhesive plaster. isinglass plaster. lint. a pair of small scales with weights. an ounce and a drachm measure-glass. a lancet. a probe. a pair of forceps, and some curved needles. . the following prescriptions may be made up for a few shillings; and, by keeping them properly labelled, and by referring to the remarks on the treatment of any particular case, much suffering, and, perhaps, some lives, may be saved. . _draught_.--twenty grains of sulphate of zinc in an ounce and a half of water. this draught is to be repeated in a quarter of an hour if vomiting does not take place. . _clyster_.--two tablespoonfuls of oil of turpentine in a pint of warm gruel. . _liniments_.-- . equal parts of lime-water and linseed-oil well mixed together. [lime-water is made thus: pour pints of boiling water upon / lb. of lime; mix well together, and when cool, strain the liquid from off the lime which has fallen to the bottom, taking care to get it as clear as possible.] . compound camphor liniment. . _lotions_.-- . mix a dessert-spoonful of goulard's extract and tablespoonfuls of vinegar in a pint of water.-- . mix / oz. of sal-ammoniac, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and the same quantity of gin or whisky, in half a pint of water. . _goulard lotion_.-- drachm of sugar of lead, pints of rain-water, teaspoonfuls of spirits of wine. for inflammation of the eyes or elsewhere:--the better way of making goulard lotion, if for the eyes, is to add to oz. of distilled water, or water that has been well boiled, drachm of the extract of lead. . _opodeldoc_.--this lotion being a valuable application for sprains, lumbago, weakness of joints, &c., and it being difficult to procure either pure or freshly made, we give a recipe for its preparation. dissolve oz. of camphor in a pint of rectified spirits of wine; then dissolve oz. of hard white spanish soap, scraped thin, in oz. of oil of rosemary, and mix them together. . _the common black draught_.--infusion of senna drachms; epsom salts drachms; tincture of senna, compound tincture of cardamums, compound spirit of lavender, of each drachm. families who make black draught in quantity, and wish to preserve it for some time without spoiling, should add about drachms of spirits of hartshorn to each pint of the strained mixture, the use of this drug being to prevent its becoming mouldy or decomposed. a simpler and equally efficacious form of black draught is made by infusing / oz. of alexandrian senna, oz. of epsom salts, and drachms of bruised ginger and coriander-seeds, for several hours in a pint of boiling water, straining the liquor, and adding either drachms of sal-volatile or spirits of hartshorn to the whole, and giving tablespoonfuls for a dose to an adult. . _mixtures_-- . _aperient_.--dissolve an ounce of epsom salts in half a pint of senna tea: take a quarter of the mixture as a dose, and repeat it in three or four hours if necessary. . . _fever mixture_.--mix a drachm of powdered nitre, drachms of carbonate of potash, teaspoonfuls of antimonial wine, and a tablespoonful of sweet spirits of nitre, in half a pint of water. . . _myrrh and aloes pills_.--ten grains made into two pills are the dose for a full-grown person. . . _compound iron pills_.--dose for a full-grown person: grains made into two pills. . _pills_.-- . mix grains of calomel and the same quantity of antimonial powder with a little bread-crumb, and make into two pills. dose for a full-grown person: two pills.-- . mix grains of blue pill and the same quantity of compound extract of colocynth together, and make into two pills, the dose for a full-grown person. . _powders_.--mix a grain of calomel and grains of powdered jalap together. . in all cases, the dose of medicines given is to be regulated by the age of the patient. . _abernethy's plan for making a bread-and-water poultice_.--first scald out a basin; then having put in some boiling water, throw in coarsely-crumbled bread, and cover it with a plate. when the bread has soaked up as much water as it will imbibe, drain off the remaining water, and there will be left a light pulp. spread it a third of an inch thick on folded linen, and apply it when of the temperature of a warm bath. to preserve it moist, occasionally drop warm water on it. . _linseed-meal poultice_.--"scald your basin, by pouring a little hot water into it; then put a small quantity of finely-ground linseed-meal into the basin, pour a little hot water on it, and stir it round briskly until you have well incorporated them; add a little more meal and a little more water; then stir it again. do not let any lumps remain in the basin, but stir the poultice well, and do not be sparing of your trouble. what you do next, is to take as much of it out of the basin as you may require, lay it on a piece of soft linen, and let it be about a quarter of an inch thick."--_abernethy_. . _mustard poultice_.--mix equal parts of dry mustard and linseed-meal in warm vinegar. when the poultice is wanted weak, warm water may be used for the vinegar; and when it is required very strong, mustard alone, without any linseed-meal, is to be mixed with warm vinegar. . _an ordinary blister_.--spread a little blister compound on a piece of common adhesive plaster with the right thumb. it should be put on just thickly enough to conceal the appearance of the plaster beneath. the part from which a blister has been taken should be covered till it heals over with soft linen rags smeared with lard. baths and fomentations. . all fluid applications to the body are exhibited either in a hot or cold form; and the object for which they are administered is to produce a stimulating effect over the entire, or a part, of the system; for the effect, though differently obtained, and varying in degree, is the same in principle, whether procured by hot or cold water. . _heat_.--there are three forms in which heat is universally applied to the body,--that of the tepid, warm, and vapour bath; but as the first is too inert to be worth notice, and the last dangerous and inapplicable, except in public institutions, we shall confine our remarks to the really efficacious and always attainable one--the . _warm and hot bath_.--these baths are used whenever there is congestion, or accumulation of blood in the internal organs, causing pain, difficulty of breathing, or stupor, and are employed, by their stimulating property, to cause a rush of blood to the surface, and, by unloading the great organs, produce a temporary inflammation in the skin, and so equalize the circulation. the effect of the hot bath is to increase the fulness of the pulse, accelerate respiration, and excite perspiration. in all inflammations of the stomach and bowels, the hot bath is of the utmost consequence; the temperature of the warm bath varies from ° to °, and may be obtained by those who have no thermometer to test the exact heat, by mixing one measure of boiling with two of cold water. . _fomentations_ are generally used to effect, in a part, the benefit produced on the whole body by the bath; to which a sedative action is occasionally given by the use of roots, herbs, or other ingredients; the object being to relieve the internal organ, as the throat, or muscles round a joint, by exciting a greater flow of blood to the skin _over_ the affected part. as the real agent of relief is heat, the fomentation should always be as hot as it can comfortably be borne, and, to insure effect, should be repeated every half-hour. warm fluids are applied in order to render the swelling which accompanies inflammation less painful, by the greater readiness with which the skin yields, than when it is harsh and dry. they are of various kinds; but the most simple, and oftentimes the most useful, that can be employed, is "warm water." another kind of fomentation is composed of dried poppyheads, oz. break them to pieces, empty out the seeds, put them into pints of water, boil for a quarter of an hour, then strain through a cloth or sieve, and keep the water for use. or, chamomile flowers, hemlock, and many other plants, may be boiled, and the part fomented with the hot liquor, by means of flannels wetted with the decoction. . _cold_, when applied in excess to the body, drives the blood from the surface to the centre, reduces the pulse, makes the breathing hard and difficult, produces coma, and, if long continued, death. but when medicinally used, it excites a reaction on the surface equivalent to a stimulating effect; as in some cases of fever, when the body has been sponged with cold water, it excites, by reaction, increased circulation on the skin. cold is sometimes used to keep up a repellent action, as, when local inflammation takes place, a remedy is applied, which, by its benumbing and astringent effect, causes the blood, or the excess of it in the part, to recede, and, by contracting the vessels, prevents the return of any undue quantity, till the affected part recovers its tone. such remedies are called _lotions_, and should, when used, be applied with the same persistency as the fomentation; for, as the latter should be renewed as often as the heat passes off, so the former should be applied as often as the heat from the skin deprives the application of its cold. . _poultices_ are only another form of fomentation, though chiefly used for abscesses. the ingredient best suited for a poultice is that which retains heat the longest; of these ingredients, the best are linseed--meal, bran, and bread. bran sewed into a bag, as it can be reheated, will be found the cleanest and most useful; especially for sore throats. how to bleed. . in cases of great emergency, such as the strong kind of apoplexy, and when a surgeon cannot possibly be obtained for some considerable time, the life of the patient depends almost entirely upon the fact of his being bled or not. we therefore give instructions how the operation of bleeding is to be performed, but caution the reader only to attempt it in cases of the greatest emergency. place a handkerchief or piece of tape rather but not too tightly round the arm, about three or four inches above the elbow. this will cause the veins below to swell and become very evident. if this is not sufficient, the hand should be constantly and quickly opened and shut for the same purpose. there will now be seen, passing up the middle of the fore-arm, a vein which, just below the bend of the elbow, sends a branch inwards and outwards, each branch shortly joining another large vein. it is from the _outer_ branch--that the person is to be bled. the right arm is the one mostly operated on. the operator should take the lancet in his right hand, between the thumb and first finger, place the thumb of his left hand on the vein below the part where he is going to bleed from, and then gently thrust the tip of the lancet into the vein, and, taking care not to push it too deeply, cut in a gently curved direction, thus and bring it out, point upwards, at about half an inch from the part of the vein into which he had thrust it. the vein must be cut lengthways, and not across. when sufficient blood has been taken away, remove the bandage from above the elbow, and place the thumb of the left hand firmly over the cut, until all the bleeding ceases. a small pad of lint is then to be put over the cut, with a larger pad over it, and the two kept in their places by means of a handkerchief or linen roller bound pretty tightly over them and round the arm. . when a person is bled, he should always be in the standing, or at any rate in the sitting, position; for if, as is often the case, he should happen to faint, he can, in, most eases at least, easily be brought to again by the operator placing him flat on his back, and stopping the bleeding. _this is of the greatest importance._ it has been recommended, for what supposed advantages we don't know, to bleed people when they are lying down. should a person, under these circumstances, faint, what could be done to bring him to again? the great treatment of lowering the body of the patient to the flat position cannot be followed here. it is in that position already, and cannot be placed lower than it at present is--except, as is most likely to be the case, under the ground. . bleeding from the nose.--many children, especially those of a sanguineous temperament, are subject to sudden discharges of blood from some part of the body; and as all such fluxes are in general the result of an effort of nature to relieve the system from some overload or pressure, such discharges, unless in excess, and when likely to produce debility, should not be rashly or too abruptly checked. in general, these discharges are confined to the summer or spring months of the year, and follow pains in the head, a sense of drowsiness, languor, or oppression; and, as such symptoms are relieved by the loss of blood, the hemorrhage should, to a certain extent, be encouraged. when, however, the bleeding is excessive, or returns too frequently, it becomes necessary to apply means to subdue or mitigate the amount. for this purpose the sudden and unexpected application of cold is itself sufficient, in most cases, to arrest the most active hemorrhage. a wet towel laid suddenly on the back, between the shoulders, and placing the child in a recumbent posture, is often sufficient to effect the object; where, however, the effusion resists such simple means, napkins wrung out of cold water must be laid across the forehead and nose, the hands dipped in cold water, and a bottle of hot water applied to the feet. if, in spite of these means, the bleeding continues, a little fine wool or a few folds of lint, tied together by a piece of thread, must be pushed up the nostril from which the blood flows, to act as a plug and pressure on the bleeding vessel. when the discharge has entirely ceased, the plug is to be pulled out by means of the thread. to prevent a repetition of the hemorrhage, the body should be sponged every morning with cold water, and the child put under a course of steel wine, have open-air exercise, and, if possible, salt-water bathing. for children, a key suddenly dropped down the back between the skin and clothes, will often immediately arrest a copious bleeding. . spitting of blood, or hemorrhage from the lungs, is generally known from blood from the stomach by its being of a brighter colour, and in less quantities than that, which is always grumous and mixed with the half-digested food. in either case, rest should be immediately enjoined, total abstinence from stimulants, and a low, poor diet, accompanied with the horizontal position, and bottles of boiling water to the feet. at the same time the patient should suck through a quill, every hour, half a wine-glass of water in which or drops of the elixir of vitriol has been mixed, and, till further advice has been procured, keep a towel wrung out of cold water on the chest or stomach, according to the seat of the hemorrhage. bites and stings. . bites and stings may be divided into three kinds:-- . those of insects. . those of snakes. . those of dogs and other animals. . . _the bites or stings of insects_, such as gnats, bees, wasps, &c., need cause very little alarm, and are, generally speaking, easily cured. they are very serious, however, when they take place on some delicate part of the body, such as near the eye, or in the throat. _the treatment_ is very simple in most cases; and consists in taking out the sting, if it is left behind, with a needle, and applying to the part a liniment made of finely-scraped chalk and olive-oil, mixed together to about the thickness of cream. . bathing the part bitten with warm turpentine or warm vinegar is also of great use. if the person feels faint, he should lie quietly on his back, and take a little brandy-and-water, or sal-volatile and water. when the inside of the throat is the part stung, there is great danger of violent inflammation taking place. in this case, from eight to twelve leeches should be immediately put to the outside of the throat, and when they drop off, the part to which they had been applied should be well fomented with warm water. the inside of the throat is to be constantly gargled with salt and water. bits of ice are to be sucked. rubbing the face and hands well over with plain olive-oil, before going to bed, will often keep gnats and musquitoes from biting during the night. strong scent, such as eau-de-cologne, will have the same effect. . . _bites of snakes_.--these are much more dangerous than the preceding, and require more powerful remedies. the bites of the different kinds of snakes do not all act alike, but affect people in different ways.--_treatment of the part bitten_. the great thing is to prevent the poison getting into the blood; and, if possible, to remove the whole of it at once from the body. a pocket-handkerchief, a piece of tape or cord, or, in fact, of anything that is at hand, should be tied tightly round the part of the body bitten; if it be the leg or arm, immediately _above_ the bite, and between it and the heart. the bite should then be sucked several times by any one who is near. there is no danger in this, provided the person who does it has not got the skin taken off any part of his mouth. what has been sucked into the mouth should be immediately spit out again. but if those who are near have sufficient nerve for the operation, and a suitable instrument, they should cut out the central part bitten, and then bathe the wound for some time with warm water, to make it bleed freely. the wound should afterwards be rubbed with a stick of lunar caustic, or, what is better, a solution of this-- grains of lunar caustic dissolved in an ounce of water--should be dropped into it. the band should be kept on the part during the whole of the time that these means are being adopted. the wound should afterwards be covered with lint dipped in cold water. the best plan, however, to be adopted, if it can be managed, is the following:--take a common wine-glass, and, holding it upside down, put a lighted candle or a spirit-lamp into it for a minute or two. this will take out the air. then clap the glass suddenly over the bitten part, and it will become attached, and hold on to the flesh. the glass being nearly empty, the blood containing the poison will, in consequence, flow into it from the wound of its own accord. this process should be repeated three or four times, and the wound sucked, or washed with warm water, before each application of the glass. as a matter of course, when the glass is removed, all the blood should be washed out of it before it is applied again.--_constitutional treatment_. there is mostly at first great depression of strength in these cases, and it is therefore requisite to give some stimulant; a glass of hot brandy-and-water, or twenty drops of sal-volatile, is the best that can be given. when the strength has returned, and if the patient has not already been sick, a little mustard in hot water should be given, to make him so. if, on the other hand, as is often the case, the vomiting is excessive, a large mustard poultice should be placed over the stomach, and a grain of solid opium swallowed in the form of a pill, for the purpose of stopping it. only one of these pills should be given by a non-professional person. in all cases of bites from snakes, send for a surgeon as quickly as possible, and act according to the above directions until he arrives. if he is within any reasonable distance, content yourself by putting on the band, sucking the wound, applying the glass, and, if necessary, giving a little brandy-and-water. . . _bites of dogs_.--for obvious reasons, these kinds of bites are more frequently met with than those of snakes. _the treatment_ is the same as that for snake-bites, more especially that of the bitten part. the majority of writers on the subject are in favour of keeping the wound open as long as possible. this may be done by putting a few beans on it, and then by applying a large linseed-meal poultice over them. injuries and accidents to bones. . _dislocation of bones_.--when the end of a bone is pushed out of its natural position, it is said to be dislocated. this may be caused by violence, disease, or natural weakness of the parts about a joint.--_symptoms_. deformity about the joint, with unnatural prominence at one part, and depression at another. the limb may be shorter or longer than usual, and is stiff and unable to be moved, differing in these last two respects from a broken limb, which is mostly shorter, never longer, than usual, and which is always more movable.--_treatment_. so much practical science and tact are requisite in order to bring a dislocated bone into its proper position again, that we strongly advise the reader never to interfere in these cases; unless, indeed, it is altogether impossible to obtain the services of a surgeon. but because any one of us may very possibly be placed in that emergency, we give a few rough rules for the reader's guidance. in the first place make the joint, from which the bone has been displaced, perfectly steady, either by fixing it to some firm object or else by holding it with the hands; then pull the dislocated bone in a direction towards the place from which it has been thrust, so that, if it moves at all from its unnatural position, it may have the best chance of returning to its proper place. do not, however, pull or press against the parts too violently, as you may, perhaps, by doing so, rupture blood-vessels, and produce most serious consequences. when you _do_ attempt to reduce a dislocated bone, do it as quickly as possible after the accident has taken place, every hour making the operation more difficult. when the patient is very strong, he may be put into a warm bath until he feels faint, or have sixty drops of antimonial wine given him every ten minutes until he feels sickish. these two means are of great use in relaxing the muscles. if the bone has been brought back again to its proper place, keep it there by means of bandages; and if there is much pain about the joint, apply a cold lotion to it, and keep it perfectly at rest. the lotion should be, a dessert-spoonful of goulard's extract, and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, mixed in a pint of water. leeches are sometimes necessary. unless the local pain, or general feverish symptoms, are great, the patient's diet should be the same as usual. dislocations may be reduced a week, or even a fortnight, after they have taken place. as, therefore, although the sooner a bone is reduced the better, there is no very great emergency, and as the most serious consequences may follow improper or too violent treatment, it is always better for people in these cases to do too little than too much; inasmuch as the good which has not yet may still be done, whereas the evil that _has_ been done cannot so easily be undone. . fractures of bones.--_symptoms_. . deformity of the part. . unnatural looseness. . a grating sound when the two ends of the broken bone are rubbed together. . loss of natural motion and power. in some cases there is also shortening of the limb.--fracture takes place from several causes, as a fall, a blow, a squeeze, and sometimes from the violent action of muscles.--_treatment_. in cases where a surgeon cannot be procured immediately after the accident, the following general rules are offered for the reader's guidance:--the broken limb should be placed and kept as nearly as possible in its natural position. this is to be done by first pulling the two portions of the bone in opposite directions, until the limb becomes as long as the opposite one, and then by applying a splint, and binding it to the part by means of a roller. when there is no deformity, the pulling is of course unnecessary. if there is much swelling about the broken part, a cold lotion is to be applied. this lotion (_which we will call lotion no. _) may be thus made:--mix a dessert-spoonful of goulard's extract and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar in a pint of water. when the leg or arm is broken, always, if possible, get it to the same length and form as the opposite limb. the broken part should be kept perfectly quiet. when a broken limb is deformed, and a particular muscle is on the stretch, place the limb in such a position as will relax it. this will in most cases cure the deformity. brandy-and-water, or sal-volatile and water, are to be given when the patient is faint. surgical aid should, of course, be procured as soon as possible. . joints, injuries to.--all kinds of injuries to joints, of whatever description, require particular attention, in consequence of the violent inflammations which are so liable to take place in these parts of the body, and which do so much mischief in a little time. the joint injured should always be kept perfectly at rest; and when it is very painful, and the skin about it red, swollen, hot, and shining, at the same time that the patient has general feverish symptoms, such as great thirst and headache--leeches, and when they drop off, warm poppy fomentations, are to be applied; the no. pills above-mentioned are to be given (two are a dose for a grown person) with a black draught three hours afterwards. give also two tablespoonfuls of the fever-mixture every four hours, and keep the patient on low diet. when the injury and swelling are not very great, warm applications, with rest, low diet, and a dose of aperient medicine, will be sufficient. when a joint has received a penetrating wound, it will require the most powerful treatment, and can only be properly attended to by a surgeon. the patient's friends will have to use their own judgment to a great extent in these and in many other cases, as to when leeches, fever-mixture, &c., are necessary. a universal rule, however, without a single exception, _is always to rest a joint well_ after it has been injured in any way whatever, to purge the patient, and to keep him on low diet, without beer, unless he has been a very great drinker indeed, in which case he may still be allowed to take a little; for if the stimulant that a person has been accustomed to in excess be all taken away at once, he is very likely to have an attack of delirium tremens. the quantity given should not, however, be much--say a pint, or, at the most, a pint and a half a day. rubbing the joint with opodeldoc, or the application of a blister to it, is of great service in taking away the thickenings, which often remain after all heat, pain, and redness have left an injured joint. great care should be observed in not using a joint too quickly after it has been injured. when the shoulder-joint is the one injured, the arm should be bound tightly to the body by means of a linen or flannel roller, and the elbow raised; when the elbow, it should be kept raised in the straight position, on a pillow; when the wrist, it should be raised on the chest, and suspended in a sling; when the knee, it should be kept in the straight position; and, lastly, when the ankle, it should be a little raised on a pillow. . bruises, lacerations, and cuts.--wherever the bruise may be, or however swollen or discoloured the skin may become, two or three applications of the _extract of lead_, kept to the part by means of lint, will, in an hour or little more, remove all pain, swelling, and tenderness. simple or clean cuts only require the edges of the wound to be placed in their exact situation, drawn close together, and secured there by one or two slips of adhesive plaster. when the wound, however, is jagged, or the flesh or cuticle lacerated, the parts are to be laid as smooth and regular as possible, and a piece of lint, wetted in the _extract of lead_, laid upon the wound, and a piece of greased lint placed above it to prevent the dressing sticking; the whole covered over to protect from injury, and the part dressed in the same manner once a day till the cure is effected. . bruises and their treatment.--the best application for a bruise, be it large or small, is moist warmth; therefore, a warm bread-and-water poultice in hot moist flannels should be put on, as they supple the skin. if the bruise be very severe, and in the neighbourhood of a joint, it will be well to apply ten or a dozen leeches over the whole bruised part, and afterwards a poultice. but leeches should not be put on young children. if the bruised part be the knee or the ankle, walking should not be attempted till it can be performed without pain. inattention to this point often lays the foundation for serious mischief in these joints, especially in the case of scrofulous persons. in all conditions of bruises occurring in children, whether swellings or abrasions, no remedy is so quick or certain of effecting a cure as the pure extract of lead applied to the part. burns and scalds. . burns and scalds being essentially the same in all particulars, and differing only in the manner of their production, may be spoken of together. as a general rule, scalds are less severe than burns, because the heat of water, by which scalds are mostly produced, is not, even when it is boiling, so intense as that of flame; oil, however, and other liquids, whose boiling-point is high, produce scalds of a very severe nature. burns and scalds have been divided into three classes. the first class comprises those where the burn is altogether superficial, and merely reddens the skin; the second, where the injury is greater, and we get little bladders containing a fluid (called serum) dotted over the affected part; in the third class we get, in the case of burns, a charring, and in that of scalds, a softening or pulpiness, perhaps a complete and immediate separation of the part. this may occur at once, or in the course of a little time. the pain from the second kind of burns is much more severe than that in the other two, although the danger, as a general rule, is less than it is in the third class. these injuries are much more dangerous when they take place on the trunk than when they happen on the arms or legs. the danger arises more from the extent of surface that is burnt than from the depth to which the burn goes. this rule, of course, has certain exceptions; because a small burn on the chest or belly penetrating deeply is more dangerous than a more extensive but superficial one on the arm or leg. when a person's clothes are in flames, the best way of extinguishing them is to wind a rug, or some thick material, tightly round the whole of the body. . _treatment of the first class of burns and scalds_.--_of the part affected_.--cover it immediately with a good coating of common flour, or cotton-wool with flour dredged well into it. the great thing is to keep the affected surface of the skin from the contact of the air. the part will shortly get well, and the skin may or may not peel off.--_constitutional treatment_. if the burn or scald is not extensive, and there is no prostration of strength, this is very simple, and consists in simply giving a little aperient medicine--pills (no. ), as follows:--mix grains of blue pill and the same quantity of compound extract of colocynth, and make into two pills--the dose for a full-grown person. three hours after the pills give a black draught. if there are general symptoms of fever, such as hot skin, thirst, headache, &c. &c., two tablespoonfuls of fever-mixture are to be given every four hours. the fever-mixture, we remind our readers, is made thus:-mix a drachm of powdered nitro, drachms of carbonate of potash, teaspoonfuls of antimonial wine, and a tablespoonful of sweet spirits of nitro, in half a pint of water. . _second class. local treatment_.--as the symptoms of these kinds of burns are more severe than those of the first class, so the remedies appropriate to them are more powerful. having, as carefully as possible, removed the clothes from the burnt surface, and taking care not to break the bladders, spread the following liniment (no. ) on a piece of linen or lint--not the _fluffy_ side--and apply it to the part: the liniment should be equal parts of lime-water and linseed-oil, well mixed. if the burn is on the trunk of the body, it is better to use a warm linseed-meal poultice. after a few days dress the wound with turner's cerate. if the burn is at the bend of the elbow, place the arm in the _straight_ position; for if it is _bent_, the skin, when healed, will be contracted, and the arm, in all probability, always remain in the same un natural position. this, indeed, applies to all parts of the body; therefore, always place the part affected in the most _stretched_ position possible.--_constitutional treatment_. the same kind of treatment is to be used as for the first class, only it must be more powerful. stimulants are move often necessary, but must be given with great caution. if, as is often the case, there is great irritability and restlessness, a dose of opium (paregoric, in doses of from sixty to a hundred drops, according to age, is best) is of great service. the feverish symptoms will require aperient medicines and the fever mixture. a drink made of about a tablespoonful of cream of tartar and a little lemon-juice, in a quart of warm water, allowed to cool, is a very nice one in these cases. the diet throughout should not be too low, especially if there is much discharge from the wound. after a few days it is often necessary to give wine, ammonia, and strong beef-tea. these should be had recourse to when the tongue gets dry and dark, and the pulse weak and frequent. if there should be, after the lapse of a week or two, pain over one particular part of the belly, a blister should be put on it, and a powder of mercury and chalk-grey powder, and dover's powder (two grains of the former and five of the latter) given three times a day. affections of the head and chest also frequently occur as a consequence of these kinds of burns, but no one who is not a medical man can treat them. . _third class_.--these are so severe as to make it impossible for a non-professional person to be of much service in attending to them. when they occur, a surgeon should always be sent for. until he arrives, however, the following treatment should be adopted:--place the patient full-length on his back, and keep him warm. apply fomentations of flannels wrung out of boiling water and sprinkled with spirits of turpentine to the part, and give wine and sal-volatile in such quantities as the prostration of strength requires; always bearing in mind the great fact that you have to steer between two quicksands--death from present prostration and death from future excitement, which will always be increased in proportion to the amount of stimulants given. give, therefore, only just as much as is absolutely necessary to keep life in the body. . concussion of brain--stunning.--this may be caused by a blow or a fall.--_symptoms_. cold skin; weak pulse; almost total insensibility; slow, weak breathing; pupil of eye sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller, than natural; inability to move; unwillingness to answer when spoken to. these symptoms come on directly after the accident.--_treatment_. place the patient quietly on a warm bed, send for a surgeon, _and do nothing else for the first four or six hours_. after this time the skin will become hot, the pulse full, and the patient feverish altogether. if the surgeon has not arrived by the time these symptoms have set in, shave the patient's head, and apply the following lotion (no. ): mix half an ounce of sal-ammoniac, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and the same quantity of gin or whisky, in half a pint of water. then give this pill (no. ); mix five grains of calomel and the same quantity of antimonial powder with a little bread-crumb, and make into two pills. give a black draught three hours after the pill, and two tablespoonfuls of the above-mentioned fever-mixture every four hours. keep on low diet. leeches are sometimes to be applied to the head. these cases are often followed by violent inflammation of the brain. they can, therefore, only be attended to properly throughout by a surgeon. the great thing for people to do in these cases is--nothing; contenting themselves with putting the patient to bed, and waiting the arrival of a surgeon. . the cholera and autumnal complaints.--to oppose cholera, there seems no surer or better means than cleanliness, sobriety, and judicious ventilation. where there is dirt, that is the place for cholera; where windows and doors are kept most jealously shut, there cholera will find easiest entrance; and people who indulge in intemperate diet during the hot days of autumn are actually courting death. to repeat it, cleanliness, sobriety, and free ventilation almost always defy the pestilence; but, in case of attack, immediate recourse should be had to a physician. the faculty say that a large number of lives have been lost, in many seasons, solely from delay in seeking medical assistance. they even assert that, taken early, the cholera is by no means a fatal disorder. the copious use of salt is recommended on very excellent authority. other autumnal complaints there are, of which diarrhoea is the worst example. they come on with pain, flatulence, sickness, with or without vomiting, followed by loss of appetite, general lassitude, and weakness. if attended to at the first appearance, they may soon be conquered; for which purpose it is necessary to assist nature in throwing off the contents of the bowels, which may be one by means of the following prescription:--take of calomel grains, rhubarb grains; mix and take it in a little honey or jelly, and repeat the dose three times, at the intervals of four or five hours. the next purpose to be answered is the defence of the lining membrane of the intestines from their acrid contents, which will be best effected by drinking copiously of linseed tea, or of a drink made by pouring boiling water on quince-seeds, which are of a very mucilaginous nature; or, what is still better, full draughts of whey. if the complaint continue after these means have been employed, some astringent or binding medicine will be required, as the subjoined:--take of prepared chalk drachms, cinnamon-water oz., syrup of poppies oz.; mix, and take tablespoonfuls every four hours. should this fail to complete the cure, / oz. of tincture of catechu, or of kino, may be added to it, and then it will seldom fail; or a teaspoonful of the tincture of kino alone, with a little water, every three hours, till the diarrhoea is checked. while any symptoms of derangement are present, particular attention must be paid to the diet, which should be of a soothing, lubricating, and light nature, as instanced in veal or chicken broth, which should contain but little salt. rice, batter, and bread puddings will be generally relished, and be eaten with advantage; but the stomach is too much impaired to digest food of a more solid nature. indeed, we should give that organ, together with the bowels, as little trouble as possible, while they are so incapable of acting in their accustomed manner. much mischief is frequently produced by the absurd practice of taking tincture of rhubarb, which is almost certain of aggravating that species of disorder of which we have now treated; for it is a spirit as strong as brandy, and cannot fail of producing harm upon a surface which is rendered tender by the formation and contact of vitiated bile. but our last advice is, upon the first appearance of such symptoms as are above detailed, have _immediate_ recourse to a doctor, where possible. . to cure a cold.--put a large teacupful of linseed, with / lb. of sun raisins and oz. of stick liquorice, into quarts of soft water, and let it simmer over a slow fire till reduced to one quart; add to it / lb. of pounded sugar-candy, a tablespoonful of old rum, and a tablespoonful of the best white-wine vinegar, or lemon-juice. the rum and vinegar should be added as the decoction is taken; for, if they are put in at first, the whole soon becomes flat and less efficacious. the dose is half a pint, made warm, on going to bed; and a little may be taken whenever the cough is troublesome. the worst cold is generally cured by this remedy in two or three days; and, if taken in time, is considered infallible. . cold on the chest.--a flannel dipped in boiling water, and sprinkled with turpentine, laid on the chest as quickly as possible, will relieve the most severe cold or hoarseness. . substances in the eye.--to remove fine particles of gravel, lime, &c., the eye should be syringed with lukewarm water till free from them. be particular not to worry the eye, under the impression that the substance is still there, which the enlargement of some of the minute vessels makes the patient believe is actually the case. . sore eyes.--incorporate thoroughly, in a glass mortar or vessel, one part of strong citron ointment with three parts of spermaceti ointment. use the mixture night and morning, by placing a piece of the size of a pea in the corner of the eye affected, only to be used in cases of chronic or long-standing inflammation of the organ, or its lids. . lime in the eye.--bathe the eye with a little weak vinegar-and-water, and carefully remove any little piece of lime which may be seen, with a feather. if any lime has got entangled in the eyelashes, carefully clear it away with a bit of soft linen soaked in vinegar-and-water. violent inflammation is sure to follow; a smart purge must be therefore administered, and in all probability a blister must be applied on the temple, behind the ear, or nape of the neck. . stye in the eye.--styes are little abscesses which form between the roots of the eyelashes, and are rarely larger than a small pea. the best way to manage them is to bathe them frequently with warm water, or in warm poppy-water, if very painful. when they have burst, use an ointment composed of one part of citron ointment and four of spermaceti, well rubbed together, and smear along the edge of the eyelid. give a grain or two of calomel with or grains of rhubarb, according to the age of the child, twice a week. the old-fashioned and apparently absurd practice of rubbing the stye with a ring, is as good and speedy a cure as that by any process of medicinal application; though the number of times it is rubbed, or the quality of the ring and direction of the strokes, has nothing to do with its success. the pressure and the friction excite the vessels of the part, and cause an absorption of the effused matter under the eyelash. the edge of the nail will answer as well as a ring. . inflammation of the eyelids.--the following ointment has been found very beneficial in inflammations of the eyeball and edges of the eyelids:--take of prepared calomel, scruple; spermaceti ointment, / oz. mix them well together in a glass mortar; apply a small quantity to each corner of the eye every night and morning, and also to the edges of the lids, if they are affected. if this should not eventually remove the inflammation, elder-flower water may be applied three or four times a day, by means of an eye-cup. the bowels should be kept in a laxative state, by taking occasionally a quarter of an ounce of the cheltenham or epsom salts. . fasting.--it is said by many able physicians that fasting is a means of removing incipient disease, and of restoring the body to its customary healthy sensations. howard, the celebrated philanthropist (says a writer), used to fast one day in every week. napoleon, when he felt his system unstrung, suspended his wonted repast, and took his exercise on horseback. fits. . fits come on so suddenly, often without even the slightest warning, and may prove fatal so quickly, that all people should be acquainted at least with their leading symptoms and treatment, as a few moments, more or less, will often decide the question between life and death. the treatment, in very many cases at least, to be of the slightest use, should be _immediate_, as a person in a fit (of apoplexy for instance) may die while a surgeon is being fetched from only the next street. we shall give, as far as the fact of our editing a work for non-professional readers will permit, the peculiar and distinctive symptoms of all kind of fits, and the immediate treatment to be adopted in each case. . apoplexy.--these fits may be divided into two kinds--the _strong_ and the _weak_. . . _the strong kind_.--these cases mostly occur in stout, strong, short-necked, bloated-faced people, who are in the habit of living well.--_symptoms_. the patient may or may not have had headache, sparks before his eyes, with confusion of ideas and giddiness, for a day or two before the attack. when it takes place, he falls down insensible; the body becomes paralyzed, generally more so on one side than the other; the face and head are hot, and the blood-vessels about them swollen; the pupils of the eyes are larger than natural, and the eyes themselves are fixed; the mouth is mostly drawn down at one corner; the breathing is like loud snoring; the pulse full and hard.--_treatment_. place the patient immediately in bed, with his head well raised; take off everything that he has round his neck, and bleed freely and at once from the arm. if you have not got a lancet, use a penknife or anything suitable that may be at hand. apply warm mustard poultices to the soles of the feet and the insides of the thighs and legs; put two drops of castor oil, mixed up with eight grains of calomel, on the top of the tongue, as far back as possible; a most important part of the treatment being to open the bowels as quickly and freely as possible. the patient cannot swallow; but these medicines, especially the oil, will be absorbed into the stomach altogether independent of any voluntary action. if possible, throw up a warm turpentine clyster (two tablespoonfuls of oil of turpentine in a pint of warm gruel), or, if this cannot be obtained, one composed of about a quart of warm salt-and-water and soap. cut off the hair, and apply rags dipped in weak vinegar-and-water, or weak gin-and-water, or even simple cold water, to the head. if the blood-vessels about the head and neck are much swollen, put from eight to ten leeches on the temple opposite to the paralyzed side of the body. always send for a surgeon immediately, and act according to the above rules, doing more or less, according to the means at hand, and the length of time that must necessarily elapse until he arrives. a pint, or even a quart of blood in a very strong person, may be taken away. when the patient is able to swallow, give him the no. pills, and the no. mixture directly. [the no. pills are made as follows:--mix grains of calomel and the same quantity of antimonial powder with a little bread-crumb: make into two pills, the dose for a full-grown person. for the no. mixture, dissolve on ounce of epsom salts in half a pint of senna tea: take a quarter of the mixture as a dose] repeat these remedies if the bowels are not well opened. keep the patient's head well raised, and cool as above. give very low diet indeed: gruel, arrowroot, and the like. when a person is recovering, he should have blisters applied to the nape of the neck, his bowels should be kept well open, light diet given, and fatigue, worry, and excess of all kinds avoided. . . _the weak kind_.--_symptoms_. these attacks are more frequently preceded by warning symptoms than the first kind. the face is pale, the pulse weak, and the body, especially the hands and legs, cold. after a little while, these symptoms sometimes alter to those of the first class in a mild degree.--_treatment._ at first, if the pulse is _very feeble indeed_, a little brandy-and-water or sal-volatile must be given. mustard poultices are to be put, as before, to the soles of the foot and the insides of the thighs and legs. warm bricks, or bottles filled with warm water, are also to be placed under the armpits. when the strength has returned, the body become warmer, and the pulse fuller and harder, the head should be shaved, and wet rags applied to it, as before described. leeches should be put, as before, to the temple opposite the side paralyzed; and the bowels should be opened as freely and as quickly as possible. bleeding from the arm is often necessary in these cases, but a non-professional person should never have recourse to it. blisters may be applied to the nape of the neck at once. the diet in those cases should not be so low as in the former--indeed, it is often necessary, in a day or so after one of these attacks, to give wine, strong beef-tea, &c., according to the condition of the patient's strength. . _distinctions between apoplexy and epilepsy_.-- . apoplexy mostly happens in people over _thirty_, whereas epilepsy generally occurs under that ago; at any rate for the first time. a person who has epileptic fits over thirty, has generally suffered from them for some years. . again, _in apoplexy_, the body is paralyzed; and, therefore, has not _the convulsions which take place in epilepsy_. . the peculiar _snoring_ will also distinguish apoplexy from epilepsy. . _distinctions between apoplexy and drunkeness_.-- . the known habits of the person. . the fact of a person who was perfectly sober and sensible a little time before, being found in a state of insensibility. . the absence, in apoplexy, of the _smell of drink_ on applying the nose to the mouth. . a person in a fit of apoplexy cannot be roused at all; in drunkenness he mostly can, to a certain extent. . _distinction between apoplexy and hysteria_.--hysterics mostly happen in young, nervous, unmarried women; and are attended with convulsions, sobbing, laughter, throwing about of the body, &c. &c. . _distinction between apoplexy and poisoning by opium_.--it is exceedingly difficult to distinguish between these two cases. in poisoning by opium, however, we find the particular smell of the drug in the patient's breath. we should also, in forming our opinion, take into consideration the person's previous conduct--whether he has been low and desponding for some time before, or has ever talked about committing suicide. . epilepsy.--_falling sickness_.--those fits mostly happen, at any rate for the first time, to young people, and are more common in boys than girls. they are produced by numerous causes.--_symptoms_. the fit may be preceded by pains in the head, palpitations, &c. &c.; but it mostly happens that the person falls down insensible suddenly, and without any warning whatever. the eyes are distorted, so that only their whites can be seen; there is mostly foaming from the mouth; the fingers are clinched; and the body, especially on one side, is much agitated; the tongue is often thrust out of the mouth. when the fit goes off, the patient feels drowsy and faint, and often sleeps soundly for some time.--_treatment_. during the fit, keep the patient flat on his back, with his head slightly raised, and prevent him from doing any harm to himself; dash cold water into his face, and apply smelling-salts to his nose; loosen his shirt collar, &c.; hold a piece of wood about as thick as a finger--the handle of a tooth-brush or knife will do as well--between the two rows of teeth, at the back part of the mouth. this will prevent the tongue from being injured. a teaspoonful of common salt thrust into the patient's mouth, during the fit, is of much service. the after-treatment of these fits is various, and depends entirely upon their causes. a good general rule, however, is always to keep the bowels well open, and the patient quiet, and free from fatigue, worry, and excess of all kinds. . _fainting fits_ are sometimes very dangerous, and at others perfectly harmless; the question of danger depending altogether upon the causes which have produced them, and which are exceedingly various. for instance, fainting produced by disease of the heart is a very serious symptom indeed; whereas, that arising from some slight cause, such as the sight of blood, &c., need cause no alarm whatever. the symptoms of simple fainting are so well known that it would be quite superfluous to enumerate them here. the _treatment_ consists in laying the patient at full length upon his back, with his head upon a level with the rest of his body, loosening everything about the neck, dashing cold water into the face, and sprinkling vinegar and water about the mouth; applying smelling-salts to the nose; and, when the patient is able to swallow, in giving a little warm brandy-and-water, or about drops of sal-volatile in water. . _hysterics_.--these fits take place, for the most part, in young, nervous, unmarried women. they happen much less often in married women; and even (in some rare cases indeed) in men. young women, who are subject to these fits, are apt to think that they are suffering from "all the ills that flesh is heir to;" and the false symptoms of disease which they show are so like the true ones, that it is often exceedingly difficult to detect the difference. the fits themselves are mostly preceded by great depression of spirits, shedding of tears, sickness, palpitation of the heart, &c. a pain, as if a nail were being driven in, is also often felt at one particular part of the head. in almost all cases, when a fit is coming on, pain is felt on the left side. this pain rises gradually until it reaches the throat, and then gives the patient a sensation as if she had a pellet there, which prevents her from breathing properly, and, in fact, seems to threaten actual suffocation. the patient now generally becomes insensible, and faints; the body is thrown about in all directions, froth issues from the mouth, incoherent expressions are uttered, and fits of laughter, crying, or screaming, take place. when the fit is going off, the patient mostly cries bitterly, sometimes knowing all, and at others nothing, of what has taken place, and feeling general soreness all over the body. _treatment during the fit_. place the body in the same position as for simple fainting, and treat, in other respects, as directed in the article on epilepsy. _always well loosen the patient's stays_; and, when she is recovering, and able to swallow, give drops of sal volatile in a little water. the _after-treatment_ of these cases is very various. if the patient is of a strong constitution, she should live on plain diet, take plenty of exercise, and take occasional doses of castor oil, or an aperient mixture, such as that described as "no. ," in previous numbers. if, as is mostly the case, the patient is weak and delicate, she will require a different mode of treatment altogether. good nourishing diet, gentle exercise, cold baths, occasionally a dose of no. myrrh and aloes pills at night, and a dose of compound iron pills twice a day. [as to the myrrh and aloes pills (no. ), grains made into two pills are a dose for a full-grown person. of the compound iron pills (no. ), the dose for a full grown person is also grains, made into two pills.] in every case, amusing the mind, and avoiding all causes of over-excitement, are of great service in bringing about a permanent cure. . liver complaint and spasms.--a very obliging correspondent recommends the following, from personal experience:--take oz. of dried dandelion root, oz. of the best ginger, / oz. of columba root; braise and boil all together in pints of water till it is reduced to a quart: strain, and take a wine-glassful every four hours. our correspondent says it is a "safe and simple medicine for both liver complaint and spasms." . lumbago.--a "new and successful mode" of treating lumbago, advocated by dr. day, is a form of counter-irritation, said to have been introduced into this country by the late sir anthony carlisle, and which consists in the instantaneous application of a flat iron button, gently heated in a spirit-lamp, to the skin. dr. corrigan published, about three years ago, an account of some cases very successfully treated by nearly similar means. dr. corrigan's plan was, however, to touch the surface of the part affected, at intervals of half an inch, as lightly and rapidly as possible. dr. day has found greater advantages to result from drawing the flat surface of the heated button lightly over the affected part, so as to act on a greater extent of surface. the doctor speaks so enthusiastically of the benefit to be derived from this practice, that it is evidently highly deserving attention. . palpitation of the heart.--where palpitation occurs as symptomatic of indigestion, the treatment must be directed to remedy that disorder; when it is consequent on a plethoric state, purgatives will be effectual. in this case the patient should abstain from every kind of diet likely to produce a plethoric condition of body. animal food and fermented liquor must be particularly avoided. too much indulgence in sleep will also prove injurious. when the attacks arise from nervous irritability, the excitement must be allayed by change of air and a tonic diet. should the palpitation originate from organic derangement, it must be, of course, beyond domestic management. luxurious living, indolence, and tight-lacing often produce this affection: such cases are to be conquered with a little resolution. . poisons shall be the next subject for remark; and we anticipate more detailed instructions for the treatment of persons poisoned, by giving a simple list of the principal poisons, with their antidotes or remedies. oil of vitriol ...............\ aquafortis ................... magnesia, chalk, soap-and-water. spirit of salt .............../ emetic tartar................. oily drinks, solution of oak-bark. salt of lemons, or............ chalk, whiting, lime or magnesia and acid of sugar................. water. sometimes an emetic draught. pump on back, smelling-salts to nose, prussic acid................... artificial breathing, chloride of lime to nose. pearlash ......................\ soap-lees...................... \ smelling-salts................. \ nitre.......................... lemon-juice and vinegar-and-water hartshorn...................... / sal-volatile.................../ arsenic........................\ fly-powder, or................. emetics, lime-water, soap-and-water, white arsenic.................. sugar and water, oily drinks. kings yellow, or............... / yellow arsenic................./ mercury........................\ corrosive sublimate............ whites of eggs, soap-and-water. calomel......................../ opium.......................... emetic draught, vinegar-and-water, laudanum....................... dashing cold water on chest and face, walking up and down two or three hours. lead...........................\ white lead..................... epsom salts, castor oil, emetics. sugar of lead................../ goulard's extract............./ copper blue-stone .................... whites of eggs, sugar-and-water, verdigris...................... castor oil, gruel. zinc .......................... lime-water, chalk-and-water, soap-and-water. iron .......................... magnesia, warm water. henbane........................\ hemlock........................ emetics and castor oil; nightshade..................... brandy-and-water, if necessary. foxglove......................./ poisonous food................. emetics and castor oil. . the symptoms of poisoning may be known for the most part from those of some diseases, which they are very like, from the fact of their coming on _immediately_ after eating or drinking something; whereas those of disease come on, in most cases at least, by degrees, and with warnings. in most cases where poison is known, or suspected, to have been taken, the first thing to be done is to empty the stomach, well and immediately, by means of mustard mixed in warm water, or plain warm salt-and-water, or, better, this draught, which we call no. :--twenty grains of sulphate of zinc in an ounce and a half of water. this draught to be repeated in a quarter of an hour if vomiting does not ensue. the back part of the throat should be well tickled with a feather, or two of the fingers thrust down it, to induce vomiting. the cases where vomiting must not be used are those where the skin has been taken off, and the parts touched irritated and inflamed by the poison taken, and where the action of vomiting would increase the evil. full instructions are given in the article on each particular poison as to where emetics are or are not to be given. the best and safest way of emptying the stomach is by means of the stomach-pump, as in certain cases the action of vomiting is likely to increase the danger arising from the swollen and congested condition of the blood-vessels of the head, which often takes place. in the hands, however, of any one else than a surgeon, it would be not only useless, but harmful, as a great deal of dexterity, caution, and experience are required to use it properly. after having made these brief introductory remarks, we shall now proceed to particulars. . _sulphuric acid, or oil of vitriol_ (a clear, colourless liquid, of an oily appearance).--_symptoms in those who have swallowed it_. when much is taken, these come on immediately. there is great burning pain, extending from the mouth to the stomach; vomiting of a liquid of a dark coffee-colour, often mixed with shreds of flesh and streaks of blood; the skin inside the mouth is taken off; and the exposed surface is at first white, and after a time becomes brownish. there are sometimes spots of a brown colour round the lips and on the neck, caused by drops of the acid falling on these parts. there is great difficulty of breathing, owing to the swelling at the back part of the mouth. after a time there is much depression of strength, with a quick, weak pulse, and cold, clammy skin. the face is pale, and has a very anxious look. when the acid swallowed has been greatly diluted in water, the same kind of symptoms occur, only in a milder degree.--_treatment_. give a mixture of magnesia in milk-and-water, or, if this cannot be obtained, of finely powdered chalk, or whiting, or even of the plaster torn down from the walls or ceiling, in milk-and-water. the mixture should be nearly as thick as cream, and plenty of it given. as well as this, simple gruel, milk, or thick flour-and-water, are very useful, and should be given in large quantities. violent inflammation of the parts touched by the acid is most likely to take place in the coarse of a little time, and can only be properly attended to by a surgeon; but if one cannot be obtained, leeches, the fever-mixtures (the recipe for which appears repeatedly in previous paragraphs), thick drinks, such as barley-water, gruel, arrowroot, &c., must be had recourse to, according to the symptoms of each particular case and the means at hand. the inflamed condition of the back part of the mouth requires particular attention. when the breathing is very laboured and difficult in consequence, from fifteen to twenty leeches are to be immediately applied to the outside of the throat, and when they drop off, warm poppy fomentations constantly kept to the part. when the pain over the stomach is very great, the same local treatment is necessary; but if it is only slight, a good mustard poultice will be sufficient without the leeches. in all these cases, two tablespoonfuls of the fever-mixture should be given every four hours, and only gruel or arrowroot allowed to be eaten for some days. . _nitric acid_, commonly known as _aqua fortis_, or _red spirit of nitre_ (a straw-coloured fluid, of the consistence of water, and which gives off dense white fumes on exposure to the air).--_symptoms produced in those who have swallowed it._ much the same as in the case of sulphuric acid. in this case, however, the surface touched by the acid becomes _yellowish_. the tongue is mostly much swollen.--_treatment_. the same as for sulphuric acid. . _muriatic acid, spirit of salt_ (a thin yellow fluid, emitting dense white fumes on exposure to the air).--this is not often taken as a poison. the _symptoms_ and _treatment_ are much the same as those of _nitric acid_. n.b.--_in no case of poisoning by these three acids should emetics ever be given_. . _oxalic acid_, commonly called _salt of lemons_.--this poison may be taken by mistake for epsom salts, which it is a good deal like. it may be distinguished from them by its very acid taste and its shape, which is that of needle-formed crystals, each of which, if put into a drop of ink, will turn it to a reddish brown, whereas epsom salts will not change its colour at all. when a large dose of this poison has been taken, death takes place very quickly indeed.--_symptoms produced in those who have swallowed it_. a hot, burning, acid taste is felt in the act of swallowing, and vomiting of a _greenish-brown_ fluid is produced, sooner or later, according to the quantity and strength of the poison taken. there is great tenderness felt over the stomach, followed by clammy perspirations and convulsions; the legs are often drawn up, and there is generally stupor, from which the patient, however, can easily be roused, and always great prostration of strength. the pulse is small and weak, and the breathing faint.--_treatment_. chalk or magnesia, made into a cream with water, should be given in large quantities, and afterwards the emetic draught above prescribed, or some mustard-and-water, if the draught cannot be got. the back part of the throat to be tickled with a feather, to induce vomiting. arrowroot, gruel, and the like drinks, are to be taken. when the prostration of strength is very great and the body cold, warmth is to be applied to it, and a little brandy-and-water, or sal-volatile and water, given. . _prussic acid_ (a thin, transparent, and colourless liquid, with a peculiar smell, which greatly resembles that of bitter almonds).--_symptoms produced in those who have swallowed it_. these come on _immediately_ after the poison has been taken, and may be produced by merely _smelling_ it. the patient becomes perfectly insensible, and falls down in convulsions--his eyes are fixed and staring, the pupils being bigger than natural, the skin is cold and clammy, the pulse scarcely perceptible, and the breathing slow and gasping.--_treatment_. very little can be done in these cases, as death takes place so quickly after the poison has been swallowed, when it takes place at all. the best treatment--which should always be adopted in all cases, even though the patient appears quite dead-is to dash quantities of cold water on the back, from the top of the neck downwards. placing the patient under a pump, and pumping on him, is the best way of doing this. smelling-salts are also to be applied to the nose, and the chest well rubbed with a camphor liniment. . alkalis: _potash, soda_, and _ammonia_, or common _smelling-salts_, with their principal preparations--_pearlash, soap lees, liquor potassae, nitre, sal prunella, hartshorn_, and _sal--volatile._--alkalis are seldom taken or given with the view of destroying life. they may, however, be swallowed by mistake.--_symptoms produced in those who have swallowed them_. there is at first a burning, acrid taste in, and a sensation of tightness round, the throat, like that of strangling; the skin touched is destroyed; retching mostly followed by actual vomiting, then sets in; the vomited matters often containing blood of a dark brown colour, with little shreds of flesh here and there, and always changing vegetable blue colours green. there is now great tenderness over the whole of the belly. after a little while, great weakness, with cold, clammy sweats, a quick weak pulse, and purging of bloody matters, takes place. the brain, too, mostly becomes affected.--_treatment_. give two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon-juice in a glassful of water every few minutes until the burning sensation is relieved. any kind of oil or milk may also be given, and will form soap when mixed with the poison in the stomach. barley-water, gruel, arrowroot, linseed-tea, &c., are also very useful, and should be taken constantly, and in large quantities. if inflammation should take place, it is to be treated by applying leeches and warm poppy fomentations to the part where the pain is most felt, and giving two tablespoonfuls of the fever mixture every four hours. the diet in all these cases should only consist of arrowroot or gruel for the first few days, and then of weak broth or beef-tea for some time after. . when very strong fumes of smelling-salts have in any way been inhaled, there is great difficulty of breathing, and alarming pain in the mouth and nostrils. in this case let the patient inhale the steam of warm vinegar, and treat the feverish symptoms as before. . _arsenic_.--mostly seen under the form of white arsenic, or fly-powder, and yellow arsenic, or king's yellow.--_symptoms produced in those who have swallowed it_. these vary very much, according to the form and dose in which the poison has been taken. there is faintness, depression, and sickness, with an intense burning pain in the region of the stomach, which gets worse and worse, and is increased by pressure. there is also vomiting of dark brown matter, sometimes mixed with blood; and mostly great thirst, with a feeling of tightness round, and of burning in, the throat. purging also takes place, the matters brought away being mixed with blood. the pulse is small and irregular, and the skin sometimes cold and clammy, and at others hot. the breathing is painful. convulsions and spasms often occur.--_treatment_. give a couple of teaspoonfuls of mustard in a glass of water, to bring on or assist vomiting, and also use the other means elsewhere recommended for the purpose. a solution, half of lime-water and half of linseed-oil, well mixed, may be given, as well as plenty of arrowroot, gruel, or linseed-tea. simple milk is also useful. a little castor-oil should be given, to cleanse the intestines of all the poison, and the after-symptoms treated on general principles. . _corrosive sublimate_.--mostly seen in the form of little heavy crystalline masses, which melt in water, and have a metallic taste. it is sometimes seen in powder. this is a most powerful poison.--_symptoms_. these mostly come on immediately after the poison has been taken. there is a coppery taste experienced in the act of swallowing, with a burning heat, extending from the top of the throat down to the stomach; and also a feeling of great tightness round the throat. in a few minutes great pain is felt over the region of the stomach, and frequent vomiting of long, stringy white masses, mixed with blood, takes place. there is also mostly great purging. the countenance is generally pale and anxious; the pulse always small and frequent; the skin cold and clammy, and the breathing difficult. convulsions and insensibility often occur, and are very bad symptoms indeed. the inside of the mouth is more or less swollen.--_treatment_. mix the whites of a dozen eggs in two pints of cold water, and give a glassful of the mixture every three or four minutes, until the stomach can contain no more. if vomiting does not now come on naturally, and supposing the mouth is not very sore or much swollen, an emetic draught, no. , may be given, and vomiting induced. (the no. draught, we remind our readers, is thus made:--twenty grains of sulphate of zinc in an ounce and a half of water; the draught to be repeated if vomiting does not take place in a quarter of an hour.) after the stomach has been well cleaned out, milk, flour-and-water, linseed-tea, or barley-water, should be taken in large quantities. if eggs cannot be obtained, milk, or flour-and-water, should be given as a substitute for them at once. when the depression of strength is very great indeed, a little warm brandy-and-water must be given. in the course of an hour or two the patient should take two tablespoonfuls of castor-oil, and if inflammation comes on, it is to be treated as directed in the article on acids and alkalis. the diet should also be the same. if the patient recovers, great soreness of the gums is almost certain to take place. the simplest, and at the same time one of the best modes of treatment, is to wash them well three or four times a day with brandy-and-water. . _calomel_.--a heavy white powder, without taste, and insoluble in water. it has been occasionally known to destroy life.--_symptoms_. much the same as in the case of corrosive sublimate.--_treatment_. the same as for corrosive sublimate. if the gums are sore, wash them, as recommended in the case of corrosive sublimate, with brandy-and-water three or four times a day, and keep the patient on _fluids_, such as arrowroot, gruel, broth, or beef-tea, according to the other symptoms. eating hard substances would make the gums more sore and tender. . _copper_.--the preparations of this metal which are most likely to be the ones producing poisonous symptoms, are _blue-stone_ and _verdigris_. people are often taken ill after eating food that has been cooked in copper saucepans. when anything has been cooked in one of these vessels, _it should never be allowed to cool in it_.--_symptoms_. headache, pain in the stomach, and purging; vomiting of green or blue matters, convulsions, and spasms.--_treatment_. give whites of eggs, sugar-and-water, castor-oil, and drinks, such as arrowroot and gruel. . _emetic tartar_.--seen in the form of a white powder, or crystals, with a slightly metallic taste. it has not often been known to destroy life.--_symptoms_. a strong metallic taste in the act of swallowing, followed by a burning pain in the region of the stomach, vomiting, and great purging. the pulse is small and rapid, the skin cold and clammy, the breathing difficult and painful, and the limbs often much cramped. there is also great prostration of strength.--_treatment_. promote the vomiting by giving plenty of warm water, or warm arrowroot and water. strong tea, in large quantities, should be drunk; or, if it can be obtained, a decoction of oak bark. the after-treatment is the same as that for acids and alkalis; the principal object in all these cases being to keep down the inflammation of the parts touched by the poison by means of leeches, warm poppy fomentations, fever-mixtures, and very low diet. . _lead_, and its preparations, _sugar of lead, goulard's extract, white lead._--lead is by no means an active poison, although it is popularly considered to be so. it mostly affects people by being taken into the system slowly, as in the case of painters and glaziers. a newly-painted house, too, often affects those living in it.--_symptoms produced when taken in a large dose_. there is at first a burning, pricking sensation in the throat, to which thirst, giddiness, and vomiting follow. the belly is tight, swollen, and painful; _the pain being relieved by pressure_. the bowels are mostly bound. there is great depression of strength, and a cold skin.--treatment. give an emetic draught (no. , see above) at once, and shortly afterwards a solution of epsom salts in large quantities. a little brandy-and-water must be taken if the depression of strength is very great indeed. milk, whites of eggs, and arrowroot are also useful. after two or three hours, cleanse the stomach and intestines well out with two tablespoonfuls of castor-oil, and treat the symptoms which follow according to the rules laid down in other parts of these articles.--_symptoms when it is taken into the body slowly_. headache, pain about the navel, loss of appetite and flesh, offensive breath, a blueness of the edges of the gums; the belly is tight, hard, and knotty, and the pulse slow and languid. there is also sometimes a difficulty in swallowing.--_treatment_. give five grains of calomel and half a grain of opium directly, in the form of a pill, and half an ounce of epsom salts in two hours, and repeat this treatment until the bowels are well opened. put the patient into a warm bath, and throw up a clyster of warmish water when he is in it. fomentations of warm oil of turpentine, if they can be obtained, should be put over the whole of the belly. the great object is to open the bowels as freely and as quickly as possible. when this has been done, a grain of pure opium may be given. arrowroot or gruel should be taken in good large quantities. the after-treatment must depend altogether upon the symptoms of each particular case. . _opium_, and its preparations, _laudanum, &c_.--solid opium is mostly seen in the form of rich brown flattish cakes, with little pieces of leaves sticking on them here and there, and a bitter and slightly warm taste. the most common form in which it is taken as a poison, is that of laudanum.--_symptoms_. these consist at first in giddiness and stupor, followed by insensibility, the patient, however, being roused to consciousness by a great noise, so as to be able to answer a question, but becoming insensible again almost immediately. the pulse is now quick and small, the breathing hurried, and the skin warm and covered with perspiration. after a little time, these symptoms change; the person becomes _perfectly insensible_, the breathing slow and _snoring_, as in apoplexy, the skin cold, and the pulse slow and full. the pupil of the eye is mostly smaller than natural. on applying his nose to the patient's mouth, a person may smell the poison very distinctly.--_treatment_. give an emetic draught (no. , see above) directly, with large quantities of warm mustard-and-water, warm salt-and-water, or simple warm water. tickle the top of the throat with a feather, or put two fingers down it to bring on vomiting, which rarely takes place of itself. dash cold water on the head, chest, and spine, and flap these parts well with the ends of wet towels. give strong coffee or tea. walk the patient up and down in the open air for two or three hours; the great thing being to keep him from sleeping. electricity is of much service. when the patient is recovering, mustard poultices should be applied to the soles of the feet and the insides of the thighs and legs. the head should be kept cool and raised. . the following preparations, which are constantly given to children by their nurses and mothers, for the purpose of making them sleep, often prove fatal:--_syrup of poppies_, and _godfrey's cordial_. the author would most earnestly urge all people caring for their children's lives, never to allow any of these preparations to be given, unless ordered by a surgeon. . the treatment in the case of poisoning by _henbane_, _hemlock_, _nightshade_, and _foxglove_, is much the same as that for opium. vomiting should be brought on in all of them. . _poisonous food_.--it sometimes happens that things which are in daily use, and mostly perfectly harmless, give rise, under certain unknown circumstances, and in certain individuals, to the symptoms of poisoning. the most common articles of food of this description are _mussels_, _salmon_, and certain kinds of _cheese_ and _bacon_. the general symptoms are thirst, weight about the stomach, difficulty of breathing, vomiting, purging, spasms, prostration of strength, and, in the case of mussels more particularly, an eruption on the body, like that of nettle-rash.--_treatment_. empty the stomach well with no. draught and warm water, and give two tablespoonfuls of castor-oil immediately after. let the patient take plenty of arrowroot, gruel, and the like drinks, and if there is much depression of strength, give a little warm brandy-and-water. should symptoms of fever or inflammation follow, they must be treated as directed in the articles on other kinds of poisoning. . _mushrooms_, and similar kinds of vegetables, often produce poisonous effects. the symptoms are various, sometimes giddiness and stupor, and at others pain in and swelling of the belly, with vomiting and purging, being the leading ones. when the symptoms come on quickly after taking the poison, it is generally the head that is affected.--the treatment consists in bringing on vomiting in the usual manner, as quickly and as freely as possible. the other symptoms are to be treated on general principles; if they are those of depression, by brandy-and-water or sal-volatile; if those of inflammation, by leeches, fomentations, fever-mixtures, &c. &c. . for cure of ringworm.--take of subcarbonate of soda drachm, which dissolve in / pint of vinegar. wash the head every morning with soft soap, and apply the lotion night and morning. one teaspoonful of sulphur and treacle should also be given occasionally night and morning. the hair should be cut close, and round the spot it should be shaved off, and the part, night and morning, bathed with a lotion made by dissolving a drachm of white vitriol in oz. of water. a small piece of either of the two subjoined ointments rubbed into the part when the lotion has dried in. no, .--take of citron ointment drachm; sulphur and tar ointment, of each / oz.: mix thoroughly, and apply twice a day. no. .--take of simple cerate oz.; creosote drachm; calomel grains: mix and use in the same manner as the first. concurrent with these external remedies, the child should take an alterative powder every morning, or, if they act too much on the bowels, only every second day. the following will be found to answer all the intentions desired. . alterative powders for ringworm.--take of sulphuret of antimony, precipitated . grains. grey powder . . . . . grains. calomel . . . . . . grains. jalap powder . . . . . grains. mix carefully, and divide into powders for a child from to years old; into powders for a child from to years; and into powders for a child from to years. where the patient is older, the strength may be increased by enlarging the quantities of the drugs ordered, or by giving one and a half or two powders for one dose. the ointment is to be well washed off every morning with soap-and-water, and the part bathed with the lotion before re-applying the ointment. an imperative fact must be remembered by mother or nurse,--never to use the same comb employed for the child with ringworm, for the healthy children, or let the affected little one sleep with those free from the disease; and, for fear of any contact by hands or otherwise, to keep the child's head enveloped in a nightcap, till this eruption is completely cured. . scratches.--trifling as scratches often seem, they ought never to be neglected, but should be covered and protected, and kept clean and dry until they have completely healed. if there is the least appearance of inflammation, no time should be lost in applying a large bread-and-water poultice, or hot flannels repeatedly applied, or even leeches in good numbers may be put on at some distance from each other. . for shortness of breath, or difficult breathing.--vitriolated spirits of ether oz., camphor grains: make a solution, of which take a teaspoonful during the paroxysm. this is found to afford instantaneous relief in difficulty of breathing, depending on internal diseases and other causes, where the patient, from a very quick and laborious breathing, is obliged to be in an erect posture. . sprains.--a sprain is a stretching of the leaders or ligaments of a part through some violence, such as slipping, falling on the hands, pulling a limb, &c. &c. the most common are those of the ankle and wrist. these accidents are more serious than people generally suppose, and often more difficult to cure than a broken log or arm. the first thing to be done is to place the sprained part in the straight position, and to raise it a little as well. some recommend the application of cold lotions at first. the editress, however, is quite convinced that warm applications are, in most cases, the best for for the first three or four days. these fomentations are to be applied in the following manner:--dip a good-sized piece of flannel into a pail or basin full of hot water or hot poppy fomentation,--six poppy heads boiled in one quart of water for about a quarter of an hour; wring it almost dry, and apply it, as hot as the patient can bear, right round the sprained part. then place another piece of flannel, quite dry, over it, in order that the steam and warmth may not escape. this process should be repeated as often as the patient feels that the flannel next to his skin is getting cold--the oftener the better. the bowels should be opened with a black draught, and the patient kept on low diet. if he has been a great drinker, he may be allowed to take a little beer; but it is better not to do so. a little of the cream of tartar drink, ordered in the case of burns, may be taken occasionally if there is much thirst. when the swelling and tenderness about the joint are very great, from eight to twelve leeches may be applied. when the knee is the joint affected, the greatest pain is felt at the inside, and therefore the greater quantity of the leeches should be applied to that part. when the shoulder is sprained, the arm should be kept close to the body by means of a linen roller, which is to be taken four or five times round the whole of the chest. it should also be brought two or three times underneath the elbow, in order to raise the shoulder. this is the best treatment for these accidents during the first three or four days. after that time, supposing that no unfavourable symptoms have taken place, a cold lotion, composed of a tablespoonful of sal-ammoniac to a quart of water, or vinegar-and-water, should be constantly applied. this lotion will strengthen the part, and also help in taking away any thickening that may have formed about the joint. in the course of two or three weeks, according to circumstances, the joint is to be rubbed twice a day with flannel dipped in opodeldoc, a flannel bandage rolled tightly round the joint, the pressure being greatest at the lowest part, and the patient allowed to walk about with the assistance of a crutch or stick. he should also occasionally, when sitting or lying down, quietly bend the joint backwards and forwards, to cause its natural motion to return, and to prevent stiffness from taking place. when the swelling is very great immediately after the accident has occurred, from the breaking of the blood-vessels, it is best to apply cold applications at first. if it can be procured, oil-silk may be put over the warm-fomentation flannel, instead of the dry piece of flannel. old flannel is better than new. . cure for stammering.--where there is no malformation of the organs of articulation, stammering may be remedied by reading aloud with the teeth closed. this should be practised for two hours a day, for three or four months. the advocate of this simple remedy says, "i can speak with certainty of its utility." . stammering.--at a recent meeting of the boston society of natural history, dr. warren stated, "a simple, easy, and effectual cure of stammering." it is, simply, at every syllable pronounced, to tap at the same time with the finger; by so doing, "the most inveterate stammerer will be surprised to find that he can pronounce quite fluently, and, by long and constant practice, he will pronounce perfectly well." . suffocation, apparent.--suffocation may arise from many different causes. anything which prevents the air getting into the lungs will produce it. we shall give the principal causes, and the treatment to be followed in each case. . . _carbonic acid gas. choke-damp of mines_.--this poisonous gas is met with in rooms where charcoal is burnt, and where there is not sufficient draught to allow it to escape; in coalpits, near limekilns, in breweries, and in rooms and houses where a great many people live huddled together in wretchedness and filth, and where the air in consequence becomes poisoned. this gas gives out no smell, so that we cannot know of its presence. a candle will not burn in a room which contains much of it.--_effects_. at first there is giddiness, and a great wish to sleep; after a little time, or where there is much of it present, a person feels great weight in the head, and stupid; gets by degrees quite unable to move, and snores as if in a deep sleep. the limbs may or may not be stiff. the heat of the body remains much the same at first.--_treatment_. remove the person affected into the open air, and, even though it is cold weather, take off his clothes. then lay him on his back, with his head slightly raised. having done this, dash vinegar-and-water over the whole of the body, and rub it hard, especially the face and chest, with towels dipped in the same mixture. the hands and feet also should be rubbed with a hard brush. apply smelling-salts to the nose, which may be tickled with a feather. dashing cold water down the middle of the back is of great service. if the person can swallow, give him a little lemon-water, or vinegar-and-water to drink. the principal means, however, to be employed in this, as, in fact, in most cases of apparent suffocation, is what is called _artificial breathing_. this operation should be performed by three persons, and in the following manner:--the first person should put the nozzle of a common pair of bellows into one of the patient's nostrils; the second should push down, and then thrust back, that part of the throat called "adam's apple;" and the third should first raise and then depress the chest, one hand being placed over each side of the ribs. these three actions should be performed in the following order:--first of all, the throat should be drawn down and thrust back; then the chest should be raised, and the bellows gently blown into the nostril. directly this is done, the chest should be depressed, so as to imitate common breathing. this process should be repeated about eighteen times a minute. the mouth and the other nostril should be closed while the bellows are being blown. persevere, if necessary, with this treatment for seven or eight hours--in fact, till absolute signs of death are visible. many lives are lost by giving it up too quickly. when the patient becomes roused, he is to be put into a warm bed, and a little brandy-and-water, or twenty drops of sal-volatile, given cautiously now and then. this treatment is to be adopted in all cases where people are affected from breathing bad air, smells, &c. &c. . . _drowning_.--this is one of the most frequent causes of death by suffocation.--treatment. many methods have been adopted, and as some of them are not only useless, but hurtful, we will mention them here, merely in order that they may be avoided. in the first place, then, never hang a person up by his heels, as it is an error to suppose that water gets into the lungs. hanging a person up by his heels would be quite as bad as hanging him up by his neck. it is also a mistake to suppose that rubbing the body with salt and water is of service.--_proper treatment_. directly a person has been taken out of the water, he should be wiped dry and wrapped in blankets; but if these cannot be obtained, the clothes of the bystanders must be used for the purpose. his head being slightly raised, and any water, weeds, or froth that may happen to be in his mouth, having been removed, he should be carried as quickly as possible to the nearest house. he should now be put into a warm bath, about as hot as the hand can pleasantly bear, and kept there for about ten minutes, artificial breathing being had recourse to while he is in it. having been taken out of the bath, he should be placed flat on his back, with his head slightly raised, upon a warm bed in a warm room, wiped perfectly dry, and then rubbed constantly all over the body with warm flannels. at the same time, mustard poultices should be put to the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands, and the inner surface of the thighs and legs. warm bricks, or bottles filled with warm water, should be placed under the armpits. the nose should be tickled with a feather, and smelling-salts applied to it. this treatment should be adopted while the bath is being got ready, as well as when the body has been taken out of it. the bath is not absolutely necessary; constantly rubbing the body with flannels in a warm room having been found sufficient for resuscitation. sir b. brodie says that warm air is quite as good as warm water. when symptoms of returning consciousness begin to show themselves, give a little wine, brandy, or twenty drops of sal-volatile and water. in some cases it is necessary, in about twelve or twenty-four hours after the patient has revived, to bleed him, for peculiar head-symptoms which now and then occur. bleeding, however, even in the hands of professional men themselves, should be very cautiously used--non-professional ones should never think of it. the best thing to do in these cases is to keep the head well raised, and cool with a lotion such as that recommended above for sprains; to administer an aperient draught, and to abstain from giving anything that stimulates, such as wine, brandy, sal-volatile, &c. &c. as a general rule, a person dies in three minutes and a half after he has been under water. it is difficult, however, to tell how long he has actually been _under_ it, although we may know well exactly how long he has been _in_ it. this being the case, always persevere in your attempts at resuscitation until actual signs of death have shown themselves, even for six, eight, or ten hours. dr. douglas, of glasgow, resuscitated a person who had been under water for fourteen minutes, by simply rubbing the whole of his body with warm flannels, in a warm room, for eight hours and a half, at the end of which time the person began to show the _first_ symptoms of returning animation. should the accident occur at a great distance from any house, this treatment should be adopted as closely as the circumstances will permit of. breathing through any tube, such as a piece of card or paper rolled into the form of a pipe, will do as a substitute for the bellows. to recapitulate: rub the body dry; take matters out of mouth; cover with blankets or clothes; slightly raise the head, and place the body in a warm bath, or on a bed in a warm room; apply smelling-salts to nose; employ artificial breathing; rub well with warm flannels; put mustard poultices to feet, hands, and insides of thighs and legs, with warm bricks or bottles to armpits. _don't bleed_. give wine, brandy, or sal-volatile when recovering, and _persevere till actual signs of death are seen._ . briefly to conclude what we have to say of suffocation, let us treat of _lightning_. when a person has been struck by lightning, there is a general paleness of the whole body, with the exception of the part struck, which is often blackened, or even scorched.--_treatment_. same as for drowning. it is not, however, of much use; for when death takes place at all, it is generally instantaneous. . cure for the toothache.--take a piece of sheet zinc, about the size of a sixpence, and a piece of silver, say a shilling; place them together, and hold the defective tooth between them or contiguous to them; in a few minutes the pain will be gone, as if by magic. the zinc and silver, acting as a galvanic battery, will produce on the nerves of the tooth sufficient electricity to establish a current, and consequently to relieve the pain. or smoke a pipe of tobacco and caraway-seeds. again-- . a small piece of the pellitory root will, by the flow of saliva it causes, afford relief. creosote, or a few drops of tincture of myrrh, or friar's balsam, on cotton, put on the tooth, will often subdue the pain. a small piece of camphor, however, retained in the mouth, is the most reliable and likely means of conquering the paroxysms of this dreaded enemy. . warts.--eisenberg says, in his "advice on the hand," that the hydrochlorate of lime is the most certain means of destroying warts; the process, however, is very slow, and demands perseverance, for, if discontinued before the proper time, no advantage is gained. the following is a simple cure:--on breaking the stalk of the crowfoot plant in two, a drop of milky juice will be observed to hang on the upper part of the stem; if this be allowed to drop on a wart, so that it be well saturated with the juice, in about three or four dressings the warts will die, and may be taken off with the fingers. they may be removed by the above means from the teats of cows, where they are sometimes very troublesome, and prevent them standing quiet to be milked. the wart touched lightly every second day with lunar caustic, or rubbed every night with blue-stone, for a few weeks, will destroy the largest wart, wherever situated. . to cure a whitlow.--as soon as the whitlow has risen distinctly, a pretty large piece should be snipped out, so that the watery matter may readily escape, and continue to flow out as fast as produced. a bread-and-water poultice should be put on for a few days, when the wound should be bound up lightly with some mild ointment, when a cure will be speedily completed. constant poulticing both before and after the opening of the whitlow, is the only practice needed; but as the matter lies deep, when it is necessary to open the abscess, the incision must be made _deep_ to reach the suppuration. . wounds.--there are several kinds of wounds, which are called by different names, according to their appearance, or the manner in which they are produced. as, however, it would be useless, and even hurtful, to bother the reader's head with too many nice professional distinctions, we shall content ourselves with dividing wounds into three classes. . . _incised wounds or cuts_--those produced by a knife, or some sharp instrument. . . _lacerated, or torn wounds_--those produced by the claws of an animal, the bite of a dog, running quickly against some projecting blunt object, such as a nail, &c. . . _punctured or penetrating wounds_--those produced by anything running deeply into the flesh; such as a sword, a sharp nail, a spike, the point of a bayonet, &c. . class . _incised wounds or cuts_.--the danger arising from these accidents is owing more to their position than to their extent. thus, a cut of half an inch long, which goes through an artery, is more serious than a cut of two inches long, which is not near one. again, a small cut on the head is more often followed by dangerous symptoms than a much larger one on the legs.--_treatment_. if the cut is not a very large one, and no artery or vein is wounded, this is very simple. if there are any foreign substances left in the wound, they must be taken out, and the bleeding must be quite stopped before the wound is strapped up. if the bleeding is not very great, it may easily be stopped by raising the cut part, and applying rags dipped in cold water to it. all clots of blood must be carefully removed; for, if they are left behind, they prevent the wound from healing. when the bleeding has been stopped, and the wound perfectly cleaned, its two edges are to be brought closely together by thin straps of common adhesive plaster, which should remain on, if there is not great pain or heat about the part, for two or three days, without being removed. the cut part should be kept raised and cool. when the strips of plaster are to be taken off, they should first be well bathed with lukewarm water. this will cause them to come away easily, and without opening the lips of the wound; which accident is very likely to take place, if they are pulled off without having been first moistened with the warm water. if the wound is not healed when the strips of plaster are taken off, fresh ones must be applied. great care is required in treating cuts of the head, as they are often followed by erysipelas taking place round them. they should be strapped with isinglass plaster, which is much less irritating than the ordinary adhesive plaster. only use as many strips as are actually requisite to keep the two edges of the wound together; keep the patient quite quiet, on low diet, for a week or so, according to his symptoms. purge him well with the no. pills (five grains of blue pill mixed with the same quantity of compound extract of colocynth; make into two pills, the dose for an adult). if the patient is feverish, give him two tablespoonfuls of the fever-mixture three times a day. (the fever-mixture, we remind our readers, is thus made: mix a drachm of powdered nitre, drachms of carbonate of potash, teaspoonfuls of antimonial wine, and a tablespoonful of sweet spirits of nitre in half a pint of water.) a person should be very careful of himself for a month or two after having had a bad cut on the head. his bowels should be kept constantly open, and all excitement and excess avoided. when a vein or artery is wounded, the danger is, of course, much greater. those accidents, therefore, should always be attended to by a surgeon, if he can possibly be procured. before he arrives, however, or in case his assistance cannot be obtained at all, the following treatment should be adopted:--raise the cut part, and press rags dipped in cold water firmly against it. this will often be sufficient to stop the bleeding, if the divided artery or vein is not dangerous. when an artery is divided, the blood is of a bright red colour, and comes away in jets. in this case, and supposing the leg or arm to be the cut part, a handkerchief is to be tied tightly round the limb _above_ the cut; and, if possible, the two bleeding ends of the artery should each be tied with a piece of silk. if the bleeding is from a vein, the blood is much darker, and does not come away in jets. in this case, the handkerchief is to be tied _below_ the cut, and a pad of lint or linen pressed firmly against the divided ends of the vein. let every bad cut, especially where there is much bleeding, and even although it may to all appearance have been stopped, be attended to by a surgeon, if one can by any means be obtained. . class . _lacerated or torn wounds_.--there is not so much bleeding in these cases as in clean cuts, because the blood-vessels are torn across in a zigzag manner, and not divided straight across. in other respects, however, they are more serious than ordinary cuts, being often followed by inflammation, mortification, fever, and in some cases by locked-jaw. foreign substances are also more likely to remain in them.--_treatment_. stop the bleeding, if there is any, in the manner directed for cuts; remove all substances that may be in the wound; keep the patient quite quiet, and on low diet--gruel, arrowroot, and the like; purge with the no. pills and the no. mixture. (the no. pill: mix grains of calomel and the same quantity of antimonial powder, with a little bread-crumb, and make into two pills, which is the dose for an adult. the no. mixture: dissolve an ounce of epsom salts in half a pint of senna tea. a quarter of the mixture is a dose.) if there are feverish symptoms, give two tablespoonfuls of fever-mixture (see above) every four hours. if possible, bring the two edges of the wound together, _but do not strain the parts to do this_. if they cannot be brought together, on account of a piece of flesh being taken clean out, or the raggedness of their edges, put lint dipped in cold water over the wound, and cover it with oiled silk. it will then fill up from the bottom. if the wound, after being well washed, should still contain any sand, or grit of any kind, or if it should get red and hot from inflammation, a large warm bread poultice will be the best thing to apply until it becomes quite clean, or the inflammation goes down. when the wound is a very large one, the application of warm poppy fomentations is better than that of the lint dipped in cold water. if the redness and pain about the part, and the general feverish symptoms, are great, from eight to twelve leeches are to be applied round the wound, and a warm poppy fomentation or warm bread poultice applied after they drop off. . class . _punctured or penetrating wounds_.--these, for many reasons, are the most serious of all kinds of wounds.--_treatment_. the same as that for lacerated wounds. pus (matter) often forms at the bottom of these wounds, which should, therefore, be kept open at the top, by separating their edges every morning with a bodkin, and applying a warm bread poultice immediately afterwards. they will then, in all probability, heal up from the bottom, and any matter which may form will find its own way out into the poultice. sometimes, however, in spite of all precautions, collections of matter (abscesses) will form at the bottom or sides of the wound. those are to be opened with a lancet, and the matter thus let out. when matter is forming, the patient has cold shiverings, throbbing pain in the part, and flushes on the face, which come and go. a swelling of the part is also often seen. the matter in the abscesses may be felt to move backwards and forwards, when pressure is made from one side of the swelling to the other with the first and second fingers (the middle and that next the thumb) of each hand. medical memoranda. . advantages of cleanliness.--health and strength cannot be long continued unless the skin--_all_ the skin--is washed frequently with a sponge or other means. every morning is best; after which the skin should be rubbed very well with a rough cloth. this is the most certain way of preventing cold, and a little substitute for exercise, as it brings blood to the surface, and causes it to circulate well through the fine capillary vessels. labour produces this circulation naturally. the insensible perspiration cannot escape well if the skin is not clean, as the pores get choked up. it is said that in health about half the aliment we take passes out through the skin. . the tomato medicinal.--to many persons there is something unpleasant, not to say offensive, in the flavour of this excellent fruit. it has, however, long been used for culinary purposes in various countries of europe. dr. bennett, a professor of some celebrity, considers it an invaluable article of diet, and ascribes to it very important medicinal properties. he declares:-- . that the tomato is one of the most powerful deobstruents of the _materia medica_; and that, in all those affections of the liver and other organs where calomel is indicated, it is probably the most effective and least harmful remedial agent known in the profession. . that a chemical extract can be obtained from it, which will altogether supersede the use of calomel in the cure of diseases. . that he has successfully treated diarrhoea with this article alone. . that when used as an article of diet, it is almost a sovereign remedy for dyspepsia and indigestion. . warm water.--warm water is preferable to cold water, as a drink, to persons who are subject to dyspeptic and bilious complaints, and it may be taken more freely than cold water, and consequently answers better as a diluent for carrying off bile, and removing obstructions in the urinary secretion, in cases of stone and gravel. when water of a temperature equal to that of the human body is used for drink, it proves considerably stimulant, and is particularly suited to dyspeptic, bilious, gouty, and chlorotic subjects. . cautions in visiting sick-rooms.--never venture into a sick-room if you are in a violent perspiration (if circumstances require your continuance there), for the moment your body becomes cold, it is in a state likely to absorb the infection, and give you the disease. nor visit a sick person (especially if the complaint be of a contagious nature) with _an empty stomach_; as this disposes the system more readily to receive the contagion. in attending a sick person, place yourself where the air passes from the door or window to the bed of the diseased, not betwixt the diseased person and any fire that is in the room, as the heat of the fire will draw the infectious vapour in that direction, and you would run much danger from breathing it. . necessity of good ventilation in rooms lighted with gas.--in dwelling-houses lighted by gas, the frequent renewal of the air is of great importance. a single gas-burner will consume more oxygen, and produce more carbonic acid to deteriorate the atmosphere of a room, than six or eight candles. if, therefore, when several burners are used, no provision is made for the escape of the corrupted air and for the introduction of pure air from without, the health will necessarily suffer. legal memoranda. chapter xliv. . humorists tell us there is no act of our lives which can be performed without breaking through some one of the many meshes of the law by which our rights are so carefully guarded; and those learned in the law, when they do give advice without the usual fee, and in the confidence of friendship, generally say, "pay, pay anything rather than go to law;" while those having experience in the courts of themis have a wholesome dread of its pitfalls. there are a few exceptions, however, to this fear of the law's uncertainties; and we hear of those to whom a lawsuit is on agreeable relaxation, a gentle excitement. one of this class, when remonstrated with, retorted, that while one friend kept dogs, and another horses, he, as he had a right to do, kept a lawyer; and no one had a right to dispute his taste. we cannot pretend, in these few pages, to lay down even the principles of law, not to speak of its contrary exposition in different courts; but there are a few acts of legal import which all men--and women too--must perform; and to these acts we may be useful in giving a right direction. there is a house to be leased or purchased, servants to be engaged, a will to be made, or property settled, in all families; and much of the welfare of its members depends on these things being done in proper legal form. . purchasing a house.--few men will venture to purchase a freehold, or even a leasehold property, by private contract, without making themselves acquainted with the locality, and employing a solicitor to examine the titles,; but many do walk into an auction-room, and bid for a property upon the representations of the auctioneer. the conditions, whatever they are, will bind him; for by one of the legal fictions of which we have still so many, the auctioneer, who is in reality the agent for the vendor, becomes also the agent for the buyer, and by putting down the names of bidders and the biddings, he binds him to whom the lot is knocked down to the sale and the conditions,--the falling of the auctioneer's hammer is the acceptance of the offer, which completes the agreement to purchase. in any such transaction you can only look at the written or printed particulars; any verbal statement of the auctioneer, made at the time of the sale, cannot contradict them, and they are implemented by the agreement, which the auctioneer calls on the purchaser to sign after the sale. you should sign no such contract without having a duplicate of it signed by the auctioneer, and delivered to you. it is, perhaps, unnecessary to add, that no trustee or assignee can purchase property for himself included in the trust, even at auction; nor is it safe to pay the purchase money to an agent of the vendor, unless he give a written authority to the agent to receive it, besides handing over the requisite deeds and receipts. . the laws of purchase and sale of property are so complicated that lord st. leonards devotes five chapters of his book on property law to the subject. the only circumstances strong enough to vitiate a purchase, which has been reduced to a written contract, is proof of fraudulent representation as to an encumbrance of which the buyer was ignorant, or a defect in title; but every circumstance which the purchaser might have learned by careful investigation, the law presumes that he did know. thus, in buying a leasehold estate or house, all the covenants of the original lease are presumed to be known. "it is not unusual," says lord st. leonards, "to stipulate, in conditions of sale of leasehold property, that the production of a receipt for the last year's rent shall be accepted as proof that all the lessor's covenants were performed up to that period. never bid for one clogged with such a condition. there are some acts against which no relief can be obtained; for example, the tenant's right to insure, or his insuring in an office or in names not authorized in the lease. and you should not rely upon the mere fact of the insurance being correct at the time of sale: there may have been a prior breach of covenant, and the landlord may not have waived his right of entry for the forfeiture." and where any doubt of this kind exists, the landlord should be appealed to. . interest on a purchase is due from the day fixed upon for completing: where it cannot be completed, the loss rests with the party with whom the delay rests; but it appears, when the delay rests with the seller, and the money is lying idle, notice of that is to be given to the seller to make him liable to the loss of interest. in law, the property belongs to the purchaser from the date of the contract; he is entitled to any benefit, and must bear any loss; the seller may suffer the insurance to drop without giving notice; and should a fire take place, the loss falls on the buyer. in agreeing to buy a house, therefore, provide at the same time for its insurance. common fixtures pass with the house, where nothing is said about them. . there are some well-recognized laws, of what may be called good-neighbourhood, which affect all properties. if you purchase a field or house, the seller retaining another field between yours and the highway, he must of necessity grant you a right of way. where the owner of more than one house sells one of them, the purchaser is entitled to benefit by all drains leading from his house into other drains, and will be subject to all necessary drains for the adjoining houses, although there is no express reservation as to drains. thus, if his happens to be a leading drain, other necessary drains may be opened into it. in purchasing land for building on, you should expressly reserve a right to make an opening into any sewer or watercourse on the vendor's land for drainage purposes. . constructions.--among the cautions which purchasers of houses, land, or leaseholds, should keep in view, is a not inconsiderable array of _constructive_ notices, which are equally binding with actual ones. notice to your attorney or agent is notice to you; and when the same attorney is employed by both parties, and he is aware of an encumbrance of which you are ignorant, you are bound by it; even where the vendor is guilty of a fraud to which your agent is privy, you are responsible, and cannot be released from the consequences. . the relations of landlord and tenant are most important to both parties, and each should clearly understand his position. the proprietor of a house, or house and land, agrees to let it either to a tenant-at-will, a yearly tenancy, or under lease. a tenancy-at-will may be created by parol or by agreement; and as the tenant may be turned out when his landlord pleases, so he may leave when he himself thinks proper; but this kind of tenancy is extremely inconvenient to both parties. where an annual rent is attached to the tenancy, in construction of law, a lease or agreement without limitation to any certain period is a lease from year to year, and both landlord and tenant are entitled to notice before the tenancy can be determined by the other. this notice must be given at least six months before the expiration of the current year of the tenancy, and it can only terminate at the end of any whole year from the time at which it began; so that the tenant entering into possession at midsummer, the notice must be given to or by him, so as to terminate at the same term. when once he is in possession, he has a right to remain for a whole year; and if no notice be given at the end of the first half-year of his tenancy, he will have to remain two years, and so on for any number of years. . tenancy by sufferance.--this is a tenancy, not very uncommon, arising out of the unwillingness of either party to take the initiative in a more decided course at the expiry of a lease or agreement. the tenant remains in possession, and continues to pay rent as before, and becomes, from sufferance, a tenant from year to year, which can only be terminated by one party or the other giving the necessary six months' notice to quit at the term corresponding with the commencement of the original tenancy. this tenancy at sufferance applies also to an under-tenant, who remains in possession and pays rent to the reversioner or head landlord. a six months' notice will be insufficient for this tenancy. a notice was given (in right v. darby, i.t.r. ) to quit a house held by plaintiff as tenant from year to year, on the th june, , requiring him "to quit the premises on the th october following, or such other day as his said tenancy might expire." the tenancy had commenced on the th october in a former year, but it was held that this was not a good notice for the year ending october , . a tenant from year to year gave his landlord notice to quit, ending the tenancy at a time within the half-year; the landlord acquiesced at first, but afterwards refused to accept the notice. the tenant quitted the premises; the landlord entered, and even made some repairs, but it was afterwards held that the tenancy was not determined. a notice to quit must be such as the tenant may safely act on at the time of receiving it; therefore it can only be given by an agent properly authorized at the time, and cannot be made good by the landlord adopting it afterwards. an unqualified notice, given at the proper time, should conclude with "on failure whereof, i shall require you to pay me double the former rent for so long as you retain possession." . leases.--a lease is an instrument in writing, by which one person grants to another the occupation and use of lands or tenements for a term of years for a consideration, the lessor granting the lease, and the lessee accepting it with all its conditions. a lessor may grant the lease for any term less than his own interest. a tenant for life in an estate can only grant a lease for his own life. a tenant for life, having power to grant a lease, should grant it only in the terms of the power, otherwise the lease is void, and his estate may be made to pay heavy penalties under the covenant, usually the only one onerous on the lessor, for quiet enjoyment. the proprietor of a freehold--that is, of the possession in perpetuity of lands or tenements--may grant a lease for years, for years, or for years. in the latter case, the lease may be either verbal or in writing, no particular form and no stamps being necessary, except the usual stamp on agreements; so long as the intention of the parties is clearly expressed, and the covenants definite, and well understood by each party, the agreement is complete, and the law satisfied. in the case of settled estates, the court of chancery is empowered to authorize leases under the & vict. c. , and & vict. c. , as follows:-- years for agriculture or occupation. years for water-power. years for building-leases. years for repairing-leases. . a lessor may also grant an under-lease for a term less than his own: to grant the whole of his term would be an assignment. leases are frequently burdened with a covenant not to underlet without the consent of the landlord: this is a covenant sometimes very onerous, and to be avoided, where it is possible, by a prudent lessee. . a lease for any term beyond three years, whether an actual lease or an agreement for one, must be in the form of a deed; that is, it must be "under seal;" and all assignments and surrenders of leases must be in the same form, or they are _void at law_. thus an agreement made by letter, or by a memorandum of agreement, which would be binding in most cases, would be valueless when it was for a lease, unless witnessed, and given under hand and seal. the last statute, & vict. c. , under which these precautions became necessary, has led to serious difficulties. "the judges," says lord st. leonards, "feel the difficulty of holding a lease in writing, but not by deed, to be altogether void, and consequently decided, that although such a lease is void under the statute, yet it so far regulates the holding, that it creates a tenancy from year to year, terminable by half a year's notice; and if the tenure endure for the term attempted to be created by the void lease, the tenant may be evicted at the end of the term without any notice to quit." an agreement for a lease not by deed has been construed to be a lease for a term of years, and consequently void under the statute; "and yet," says lord st. leonards, "a court of equity has held that it may be specifically enforced as an agreement upon the terms stated." the law on this point is one of glorious uncertainty; in making any such agreement, therefore, we should be careful to express that it is an agreement, and not a lease; and that it is witnessed and under seal. . agreements.--it is usual, where the lease is a repairing one, to agree for a lease to be granted on completion of repairs according to specification. this agreement should contain the names and designation of the parties, a description of the property, and the term of the intended lease, and all the covenants which are to be inserted, as no verbal agreement can be made to a written agreement. it should also declare that the instrument is an agreement for a lease, and not the lease itself. the points to be settled in such an agreement are, the rent, term, and especially covenants for insuring and rebuilding in the event of a fire; and if it is intended that the lessor's consent is to be obtained before assigning or underleasing, a covenant to that effect is required in the agreement. in building-leases, usually granted for years, the tenant is to insure the property; and even where the agreement is silent on that point, the law decides it so. it is otherwise with ordinary tenements, when the tenant pays a full, or what the law terms rack-rent; the landlord is then to insure, unless it is otherwise arranged by the agreement. . it is important for lessee, and lessor, also, that the latter does not exceed his powers. a lease granted by a tenant for life before he is properly in possession, is void in law; for, although a court of equity, according to lord st. leonards, will, "by force of its own jurisdiction, support a _bonâ fide_ lease, granted under a power which is merely erroneous in form or ceremonies," and the & vict. c. , and & vict. c. , compel a new lease to be granted with the necessary variations, while the lessor has no power to compel him to accept such a lease, except when the person in remainder is competent and willing to confirm the original lease without variations, yet all these difficulties involve both delay, costs, and anxieties. . in husbandry leases, a covenant to cultivate the land in a husbandlike manner, and according to the custom of the district, is always implied; but it is more usual to prescribe the course of tillage which is to be pursued. in the case of houses for occupation, the tenant would have to keep the house in a tenantable state of repair during the term, and deliver it up in like condition. this is not the case with the tenant at will, or from year to year, where the landlord has to keep the house in tenantable repair, and the tenant is only liable for waste beyond reasonable wear and tear. . insurance.--every lease, or agreement for a lease, should covenant not only who is to pay insurance, but how the tenement is to be rebuilt in the event of a fire; for if the house were burnt down, and no provision made for insurance, the tenant, supposing there was the ordinary covenant to repair in the lease, would not only have to rebuild, but to pay rent while it was being rebuilt. more than this, supposing, under the same lease, the landlord had taken the precaution of insuring, he is not compelled to lay out the money recovered in rebuilding the premises. sir john leach lays it down, that "the tenant's situation could not be changed by a precaution, on the part of the landlord, with which he had nothing to do." this decision lord campbell confirmed in a more recent case, in which an action was brought against a lessee who was not bound to repair, and neither he nor the landlord bound to insure; admitting an equitable defence, the court affirmed sir john leach's decision, holding that the tenant was bound to pay the rent, and could not require the landlord to lay out the insurance money in rebuilding. this is opposed to the opinion of lord st. leonards, who admits, however, that the decision of the court must overrule his _dictum_. such being the state of the law, it is very important that insurance should be provided for, and that the payment of rent should be made to depend upon rebuilding the house in the event of a fire. care must be taken, however, that this is made a covenant of the lease, as well as in the agreement, otherwise the tenant must rebuild the house. . the law declares that a tenant is not bound to repair damages by tempest, lightning, or other natural casualty, unless there is a special covenant to that effect in the lease; but if there is a general covenant to repair, the repair will fall upon the tenant. lord kenyon lays it down, in the case of a bridge destroyed by a flood, the tenant being under a general covenant to repair, that, "where a party, by his own contract, creates a duty or charge upon himself, he is bound to make it good, because he might have guarded against it in the contract." the same principle of law has been applied to a house destroyed by lightning. it is, therefore, important to have this settled in the insurance clause. . lord st. leonards asserts that "his policies against fire are not so framed as to render the company _legally_ liable." generally the property is inaccurately described with reference to the conditions under which you insure. they are framed by companies who, probably, are not unwilling to have a legal defence against any claim, as they intend to pay what they deem just claim without taking advantage of any technical objection, and intending to make use of their defence only against what they believe to be a fraud, although they may not be able to prove it. "but," says his lordship, "do not rely upon the moral feelings of the directors. ascertain that your house falls strictly within the conditions. even having the surveyor of the company to look over your house before the insurance will not save you, unless your policy is correct." this is true; but probably his lordship's legal jealousy overshoots the mark here. assurance companies only require an honest statement of the facts, and that no concealment is practised with their surveyor; and the case of his own, which he quotes, in which a glass door led into a conservatory, rendering it, according to the view of the company, "hazardous," and consequently voiding the policy, when a fire did occur, the company paid, rather than try the question; but even after the fire they demurred, when called upon, to make the description correct and indorse on the policy the fact that the drawing-room opened through a glass door into conservatories. one of two inferences is obvious here; either his lordship has overcoloured the statement, or the company could not be the respectable one represented. the practice with all reputable offices is to survey the premises before insurance, and to describe them as they appear; but no concealment of stoves, or other dangerous accessories or inflammable goods, should be practised. this certainly binds the office so long as no change takes place; but the addition of any stove, opening, or door through a party wall, the introduction of gunpowder, saltpetre, or other inflammable articles into the premises without notice, very properly "voids the policy." the usual course is to give notice of all alterations, and have them indorse on the policy, as additions to the description of the property: there is little fear, where this is honestly done, that any company would adopt the sharp practice hinted at in lord st. leonards' excellent handy book. . breaks in the lease.--where a lease is for seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years, the option to determine it at the end of the first term is in the tenant, unless it is distinctly agreed that the option shall be mutual, according to lord st. leonards. . noxious trades.--a clause is usually introduced prohibiting the carrying on of any trade in some houses, and of noxious or particular trades in others. this clause should be jealously inspected, otherwise great annoyance may be produced. it has been held that a general clause of this description prohibited a tenant from keeping a school, for which he had taken it, although a lunatic asylum and public-house have been found admissible; the keeping an asylum not being deemed a trade, which is defined as "conducted by buying and selling." it is better to have the trades, or class of trades objected to, defined in the lease. . fixtures.--in houses held under lease, it has been the practice with landlords to lease the bare walls of the tenement only, leaving the lessee to put in the stoves, cupboards, and such other conveniences as he requires, at his own option. those, except under particular circumstances, are the property of the lessee, and may either be sold to an incoming tenant, or removed at the end of his term. the articles which may not be removed are subject to considerable doubt, and are a fruitful source of dispute. mr. commissioner fonblanque has defined as tenants' property all goods and chattels; ndly, all articles "slightly connected one with another, and with the freehold, but capable of being separated without materially injuring the freehold;" rdly, articles fixed to the freehold by nails and screws, bolts or pegs, are also tenants' goods and chattels; but when sunk in the soil, or built on it, they are integral parts of the freehold, and cannot be removed. thus, a greenhouse or conservatory attached to the house by the tenant is not removable; but the furnace and hot-water pipes by which it is heated, may be removed or sold to the in-coming tenant. a brick flue does not come under the same category, but remains. window-blinds, grates, stoves, coffee-mills, and, in a general sense, everything he has placed which can be removed without injury to the freehold, he may remove, if they are separated from the tenement during his term, and the place made good. it is not unusual to leave the fixtures in their place, with an undertaking from the landlord that, when again let, the in-coming tenant shall pay for them, or permit their removal. in a recent case, however, a tenant having held over beyond his term and not removed his fixtures, the landlord let the premises to a new tenant, who entered into possession, and would not allow the fixtures to be removed--it was held by the courts, on trial, that he was justified. a similar case occurred to the writer: he left his fixtures in the house, taking a letter from the landlord, undertaking that the in-coming tenant should pay for them by valuation, or permit their removal. the house was let; the landlord died. his executors, on being applied to, pleaded ignorance, as did the tenant, and on being furnished with a copy of the letter, the executors told applicant that if he was aggrieved, he knew his remedy; namely, an action at law. he thought the first loss the least, and has not altered his opinion. . taxes.--land-tax, sewers-rate, and property-tax, are landlord's taxes; but by geo. ii. c. , the occupier is required to pay all rates levied, and deduct from the rent such taxes as belong to the landlord. many landlords now insert a covenant, stipulating that land-tax and sewers-rate are to be paid by the tenants, and not deducted: this does not apply to the property-tax. all other taxes and rates are payable by the occupier. . water-rate, of course, is paid by the tenant. the water-companies, as well as gas-companies, have the power of cutting off the supply; and most of them have also the right of distraining, in the same manner as landlords have for rent. . notice to quit.--in the case of leasing for a term, no notice is necessary; the tenant quits, as a matter of course, at its termination; or if, by tacit consent, he remains paying rent as heretofore, he becomes a tenant at sufferance, or from year to year. half a year's notice now becomes necessary, as we have already seen, to terminate the tenancy; except in london, and the rent is under forty shillings, when a quarter's notice is sufficient. either of these notices may be given verbally, if it can be proved that the notice was definite, and given at the right time. form of notice is quite immaterial, provided it is definite and clear in its purport. . tenancy for less than a year may be terminated according to the taking. thus, when taken for three months, a three months' notice is required; when monthly, a month's notice; and when weekly, a week's notice; but weekly tenancy is changed to a quarterly tenure if the rent is allowed to stand over for three months. when taken for a definite time, as a month, a week, or a quarter, no notice is necessary on either side. . dilapidations.--at the termination of a lease, supposing he has not done so before, a landlord can, and usually does, send a surveyor to report upon the condition of the tenement, and it becomes his duty to ferret out every defect. a litigious landlord may drag the outgoing tenant into an expensive lawsuit, which he has no power to prevent. he may even compel him to pay for repairing improvements which he has effected in the tenement itself, if dilapidations exist. when the lessor covenants to do all repairs, and fails to do so, the lessee may repair, and deduct the cost from the rent. . recovery of rent.--the remedies placed in the hands of landlords are very stringent. the day after rent falls due, he may proceed to recover it, by action at law, by distress on the premises, or by action of ejectment, if the rent is half a year in arrear. distress is the remedy usually applied, the landlord being authorized to enter the premises, seize the goods and chattels of his tenant, and sell them, on the fifth day, to reimburse himself for all arrears of rent and the charges of the distress. there are a few exceptions; but, generally, all goods found on the premises may be seized. the exceptions are--dogs, rabbits, poultry, fish, tools and implements of a man's trade actually in use, the books of a scholar, the axe of a carpenter, wearing apparel on the person, a horse at the plough, or a horse he may be riding, a watch in the pocket, loose money, deeds, writings, the cattle at a smithy forge, corn sent to a mill for grinding, cattle and goods of a guest at an inn; but, curiously enough, carriages and horses standing at livery at the same inn may be taken. distress can only be levied in the daytime, and if made after the tender of arrears, it is illegal. if tender is made after the distress, but before it is _impounded_, the landlord must abandon the distress and bear the cost himself. nothing of a perishable nature, which cannot be restored in the same condition--as milk, fruit, and the like, must be taken. . the law does not regard a day as consisting of portions. the popular notion that a notice to quit should be served before noon is an error. although distraint is one of the remedies, it is seldom advisable in a landlord to resort to distraining for the recovery of rent. if a tenant cannot pay his rent, the sooner he leaves the premises the better. if he be a rogue and won't pay, he will probably know that nine out of ten distresses are illegal, through the carelessness, ignorance, or extortion of the brokers who execute them. many, if not most, of the respectable brokers will not execute distresses, and the business falls into the hands of persons whom it is by no means desirable to employ. . powers to relieve landlords of premises, by giving them legal possession, are given by & vict., cap. , to the county courts, in cases where the rent does not exceed £ per annum, and under the circumstances hereinafter mentioned; i.e.:-- . where the term has expired, or been determined by notice to quit. . where there is one half-year's rent in arrear, and _the landlord shall have right by law to enter for the nonpayment thereof_. as proof of this power is required, the importance of including such a power in the agreement for tenancy will be obvious. in the county courts the amount of rent due may be claimed, as well as the possession of the premises, in one summons. . when a tenant deserts premises, leaving one half-year's rent in arrear, possession may be recovered by means of the police-court. the rent must not exceed £ per annum, and must be at least three-fourths of the value of the premises. in cases in which the tenant has not deserted the premises, and where notice to quit has been given and has expired, the landlord must give notice to the tenant of his intended application. the annual rent in this case, also, must not exceed £ . . the i. o. u.--the law is not particular as to orthography; in fact, it distinctly refuses to recognize the existence of that delightful science. you may bring your action against mr. jacob phillips, under the fanciful denomination of jaycobb fillipse, if you like, and the law won't care, because the law goes by ear; and, although it insists upon having everything written, things written are only supposed in law to have any meaning when read, which is, after all, a common-sense rule enough. so, instead of "i owe you," persons of a cheerful disposition, so frequently found connected with debt, used to write facetiously i. o. u., and the law approved of their so doing. an i. o. u. is nothing more than a written admission of a debt, and may run thus:-- th october, . to mr. w. brown. i. o. u. ten pounds for coals. £ . john jones. if to this you add the time of payment, as "payable in one month from this date," your i. o. u. is worthless and illegal; for it thus ceases to be a mere acknowledgment, and becomes a promissory note. now a promissory note requires a stamp, which an i. o. u. does not. many persons, nevertheless, stick penny stamps upon them, probably for ornamental effect, or to make them look serious and authoritative. if for the former purpose, the postage-stamp looks better than the receipt stamp upon blue paper. if you are w. brown, and you didn't see the i. o. u. signed, and can't find anybody who knows jones's autograph, and jones won't pay, the i. o. u. will be of no use to you in the county court, except to make the judge laugh. he will, however, allow you to prove the consideration, and as, of course, you won't be prepared to do anything of the sort, he will, if you ask him politely, adjourn the hearing for a week, when you can produce the coalheavers who delivered the article, and thus gain a glorious victory. . apprentices.--by the statute eliz. cap. , it is enacted that, in cases of ill-usage by masters towards apprentices, or of neglect of duty by apprentices, the complaining party may apply to a justice of the peace, who may make such order as equity may require. if, for want of conformity on the part of the master, this cannot be done, then the master may be bound to appear at the next sessions. authority is given by the act to the justices in sessions to discharge the apprentice from his indentures. they are also empowered, on proof of misbehaviour of the apprentice, to order him to be corrected or imprisoned with hard labour. . husband and wife.--contrary to the vulgar opinion, second cousins, as well as first, may legally marry. when married, a husband is liable for his wife's debts contracted before marriage. a creditor desirous of suing for such a claim should proceed against both. it will, however, be sufficient if the husband be served with process, the names of both appearing therein, thus:--john jones and ann his wife. a married woman, if sued alone, may plead her marriage, or, as it is called in law, coverture. the husband is liable for debts of his wife contracted for necessaries while living with him. if she voluntarily leaves his protection, this liability ceases. he is also liable for any debts contracted by her with his authority. if the husband have abjured the realm, or been transported by a sentence of law, the wife is liable during his absence, as if she were a single woman, for debts contracted by her. . in civil cases, a wife may now give evidence on behalf of her husband in criminal cases she can neither be a witness for or against her husband. the case of assault by him upon her forms an exception to this rule. . the law does not at this day admit the ancient principle of allowing moderate correction by a husband upon the person of his wife. although this is said to have been anciently limited to the use of "a stick not bigger than the thumb," this barbarity is now altogether exploded. he may, notwithstanding, as has been recently shown in the famous agapemone case, keep her under restraint, to prevent her leaving him, provided this be effected without cruelty. . by the divorce and matrimonial causes act, , a wife deserted by her husband may apply to a magistrate, or to the petty sessions, for an order to protect her lawful earnings or property acquired by her after such desertion, from her husband and his creditors. in this case it is indispensable that such order shall, within ten days, be entered at the county court of the district within which she resides. it will be seen that the basis of an application for such an order is _desertion_. consequently, where the parties have separated by common consent, such an order cannot be obtained, any previous cruelty or misconduct on the husband's part notwithstanding. . when a husband allows his wife to invest money in her own name in a savings-bank, and he survives her, it is sometimes the rule of such establishments to compel him to take out administration in order to receive such money, although it is questionable whether such rule is legally justifiable. widows and widowers pay no legacy-duty for property coming to them through their deceased partners. . receipts for sums above £ should now be given upon penny stamps. a bill of exchange may nevertheless be discharged by an indorsement stating that it has been paid, and this will not be liable to the stamp. a receipt is not, as commonly supposed, conclusive evidence as to a payment. it is only what the law terms _primâ facie_ evidence; that is, good until contradicted or explained. thus, if a sends wares or merchandise to b, with a receipt, as a hint that the transaction is intended to be for ready money, and b detain the receipt without paying the cash, a will be at liberty to prove the circumstances and to recover his claim. the evidence to rebut the receipt must, however, be clear and indubitable, as, after all, written evidence is of a stronger nature than oral testimony. . books of account.--a tradesman's books of account cannot be received as evidence in his own behalf, unless the entries therein be proved to have been brought under the notice of, and admitted to be correct by the other party, as is commonly the case with the "pass-books" employed backwards and forwards between bakers, butchers, and the like domestic traders, and their customers. the defendant may, however, compel the tradesman to produce his books to show entries adverse to his own claim. . wills.--the last proof of affection which we can give to those left behind, is to leave their worldly affairs in such a state as to excite neither jealousy, nor anger, nor heartrendings of any kind, at least for the immediate future. this can only be done by a just, clear, and intelligible disposal of whatever there is to leave. without being advocates for every man being his own lawyer, it is not to be denied that the most elaborately prepared wills have been the most fruitful sources of litigation, and it has even happened that learned judges left wills behind them which could not be carried out. except in cases where the property is in land or in leases of complicated tenure, very elaborate details are unnecessary; and we counsel no man to use words in making his will of which he does not perfectly understand the meaning and import. . all men over twenty-one years of age, and of sound mind, and all unmarried women of like age and sanity, may by will bequeath their property to whom they please. infants, that is, all persons under twenty-one years of age, and married women, except where they have an estate to their "own separate use," are incapacitated, without the concurrence of the husband; the law taking the disposal of any property they die possessed of. a person born deaf and dumb cannot make a will, unless there is evidence that he could read and comprehend its contents. a person convicted of felony cannot make a will, unless subsequently pardoned; neither can persons outlawed; but the wife of a felon transported for life may make a will, and act in all respects as if she were unmarried. a suicide may bequeath real estate, but personal property is forfeited to the crown. . except in the case of soldiers on actual service, and sailors at sea, every will must be made in writing. it must be signed by the testator, or by some other person in his presence, and at his request, and the signature must be made or acknowledged in the presence of two or more witnesses, who are required to be present at the same time, who declare by signing that the will was signed by the testator, or acknowledged in their presence, and that they signed as witnesses in testator's presence. . by the act of it was enacted that no will shall be valid unless signed at the foot or end thereof by the testator, or by some person in his presence, and by his direction; but a subsequent act proceeds to say that every will shall, as far only as regards the position of the signature of the testator, or of the person signing for him, be deemed valid if the signature shall be so placed at, or after, or following, or under, or beside, or opposite to the end of the will, that it shall be apparent on the face of it that the testator intended to give it effect by such signature. under this clause, a will of several sheets, all of which were duly signed, except the last one, has been refused probate; while, on the other hand, a similar document has been admitted to probate where the last sheet only, and none of the other sheets, was signed. in order to be perfectly formal, however, each separate sheet should be numbered, signed, and witnessed, and attested on the last sheet. this witnessing is an important act: the witnesses must subscribe it in the presence of the testator and of each other; and by their signature they testify to having witnessed the signature of the testator, he being in sound mind at the time. wills made under any kind of coercion, or even importunity may become void, being contrary to the wishes of the testator. fraud or imposition also renders a will void, and where two wills made by the same person happen to exist, neither of them dated, the maker of the wills is declared to have died intestate. . a will may always be revoked and annulled, but only by burning or entirely destroying the writing, or by adding a codicil, or making a subsequent will duly attested; but as the alteration of a will is only a revocation to the extent of the alteration, if it is intended to revoke the original will entirely, such intention should be declared,--no merely verbal directions can revoke a written will; and the act of running the pen through the signatures, or down the page, is not sufficient to cancel it, without a written declaration to that effect signed and witnessed. . a will made before marriage is revoked thereby. . a codicil is a supplement or addition to a will, either explaining or altering former dispositions; it may be written on the same or separate paper, and is to be witnessed and attested in the same manner as the original document. . witnesses.--any persons are qualified to witness a will who can write their names; but such witness cannot be benefitted by the will. if a legacy is granted to the persons witnessing, it is void. the same rule applies to the husband or wife of a witness; a bequest made to either of these is void. . form of wills.--form is unimportant, provided the testator's intention is clear. it should commence with his designation; that is, his name and surname, place of abode, profession, or occupation. the legatees should also be clearly described. in leaving a legacy to a married woman, if no trustees are appointed over it, and no specific directions given, "that it is for her sole and separate use, free from the control, debts, and incumbrances of her husband," the husband will be entitled to the legacy. in the same manner a legacy to an unmarried woman will vest in her husband after marriage, unless a settlement of it is made on her before marriage. . in sudden emergencies a form may be useful, and the following has been considered a good one for a death-bed will, where the assistance of a solicitor could not be obtained; indeed, few solicitors can prepare a will on the spur of the moment: they require time and legal forms, which are by no means necessary, before they can act. i, a.b., of no. , ----, street, in the city of ---- [gentleman, builder, or grocer, as the case may be,] being of sound mind, thus publish and declare my last will and testament. revoking and annulling all former dispositions of my property, i give and bequeath as follows:--to my son j.b., of ----, i give and bequeath the sum of ---; to my daughter m., the wife of j., of ----, i give and bequeath the sum of ---- [if intended for her own use, add "to her sole and separate use, free from the control, debts, and incumbrances of her husband"], both in addition to any sum or sums of money or other property they have before had from me. all the remaining property i die possessed of i leave to my dear wife m. b., for her sole and separate use during her natural life, together with my house and furniture, situate at no. , ---- street, aforesaid. at her death, i desire that the said house shall be sold, with all the goods and chattels therein [or, i give and bequeath the said house, with all the goods and chattels therein, to ----], and the money realized from the sale, together with that in which my said wife had a life-interest, i give and bequeath in equal moieties to my son and daughter before named. i appoint my dear friend t.s., of ----, and t.b., of ----, together with my wife m.b., as executors to this my last will and testament. signed by a.b., this th day of october, , in our presence, both being present together, and both having signed as witnesses, in the presence of the testator:--a.b. t.s., witness. f.m., witness. it is to be observed that the signature of the testator after this attestation has been signed by the witnesses, is not a compliance with the act; he must sign first. . stamp-duties.--in the case of persons dying intestate, when their effects are administered to by their family, the stamp-duty is half as much more as it would have been under a will. freehold and copyhold estates are now subject to a special impost on passing, by the stamp act of . . the legacy-duty only commences when it amounts to £ and upwards; and where it is not directed otherwise, the duty is deducted from the legacy. . you cannot compound for past absence of charity by bequeathing land or tenements, or money to purchase such, to any charitable use, by your last will and testament; but you may devise them to the british museum, to either of the two universities of oxford and cambridge, to eton, winchester, and westminster; and you may, if so inclined, leave it for the augmentation of queen anne's bounty. you may, however, order your executors to sell land and hand over the money received to any charitable institution. . in making provision for a wife, state whether it is in lieu of, or in addition to, dower. . if you have advanced money to any child, and taken an acknowledgment for it, or entered it in any book of account, you should declare whether any legacy left by will is in addition to such advance, or whether it is to be deducted from the legacy. . a legacy left by will to any one would be cancelled by your leaving another legacy by a codicil to the same person, unless it is stated to be in addition to the former bequest. . your entire estate is chargeable with your debts, except where the real estate is settled. let it be distinctly stated out of which property, the real or personal, they are paid, where it consists of both. . whatever is _devised_, let the intention be clearly expressed, and without any condition, if you intend it to take effect. . attestation is not necessary to a will, as the act of witnessing is all the law requires, and the will itself declares the testator to be of sound mind in his own estimation; but, wherever there are erasures or interlineations, one becomes necessary. no particular form is prescribed; but it should state that the testator either signed it himself, or that another signed it by his request, or that he acknowledged the signature to be his in their presence, both being present together, and signed as witnesses in his presence. when there are erasures, the attestation must declare that--the words interlined in the third line of page , and the erasure in the fifth line of page , having been first made. these are the acts necessary to make a properly executed will; and, being simple in themselves and easily performed, they should be strictly complied with, and always attested. . a witness may, on being requested, sign for testator; and he may also sign for his fellow-witness, supposing he can only make his mark, declaring that he does so; but a husband cannot sign for his wife, either as testator or witness, nor can a wife for her husband. proofreading team. for luncheon and supper guests * * * * * ten menus more than one hundred recipes * * * * * suitable for company luncheons sunday night suppers, afternoon parties automobile picnics, evening spreads and for tea rooms, lunch rooms coffee shops, and motor inns * * * * * by alice bradley principal of miss farmer's school of cookery author of "the candy cook book" and "cooking for profit" * * * * * whitcomb & barrows boston, * * * * * dedicated to the thousands of women who like to entertain their friends and prepare for them something new and delicious to eat * * * * * introduction meals of many courses are neither practical nor popular with the modern hostess. for a company luncheon or supper it is not necessary to serve more than a hot dish, a salad, a biscuit or sandwich, a dessert and a beverage. a first course and a relish may be provided if desired. sunday night suppers the following menus were arranged especially as sunday night suppers, but they are equally suitable for midday luncheons or high teas. many of the dishes will be found desirable for afternoon teas or evening spreads, and for use in tea and lunch rooms, and for automobile picnics. preliminary preparations preparations for sunday night suppers should be made on saturday as far as possible. for a luncheon it is a help to have some things done the day before. for picnics and parties much must be done in advance. as an aid to the hostess we have listed after each menu what these preliminary preparations may be. cooking at the table many of the hot dishes may be prepared in a chafing dish or on an electric grill. for these, much of the measuring may be done in advance, the ingredients being put in small dishes on a tray. coffee and tea may be made at the table with electric appliances. sandwiches and biscuits sandwiches may be made and wrapped first in dry cheesecloth, then in damp cheesecloth, and placed in a covered crock some hours before a meal. the hot biscuits may be replaced by rolls or bread and butter if desired. automobile picnics for picnics the beverages and hot dishes may be prepared at home and carried in thermos food jars. the cold dishes may be packed in a small portable refrigerator. the biscuits, sandwiches, cakes, and cookies should be carefully wrapped in wax paper and packed in boxes. ice creams may be taken in the freezer. hot sandwiches and bacon may be cooked over the coals or on a portable oil or alcohol stove. in some menus it may be desirable to omit or modify a few of the dishes, if food is to be carried several miles. market orders supplies for use on sunday evening should, of course, be purchased on saturday. to prevent any mistakes in ordering we have listed under each menu the foodstuffs that will be required. supplies that are usually kept on hand are not listed, as baking powder cayenne cornstarch bread flour pastry flour molasses mustard paprika pepper rock salt table salt granulated sugar soda spices, whole and ground table sauce vanilla vinegar how to buy some things are listed in the market orders that many people always have on hand. this is for the benefit of those who do not prepare all their meals and have little space for seldom used supplies. as far as feasible the amounts of material in the market orders are such as could be purchased. they may differ somewhat from the amounts called for in the recipes, thus leaving some foodstuff on hand. in many cases it may be more economical to purchase in larger quantities than those given. in some cases smaller amounts are called for than can be purchased, as one-half can, or one-fourth cup, in case supplies on hand are adequate without purchasing more than required. butter only is given in the market orders. in cooking, margarine, lard, and other shortenings may be used instead, if preferred. measurements in all recipes measurements are made level. measuring cups, divided into thirds and quarters, are used, and tea and table measuring spoons. cups of dry material are filled to overflowing by putting the material into the cup with a tablespoon, and are then leveled off with a knife. tea and tablespoons are filled heaping with dry material, and then leveled off with a knife. flour should be sifted once before measuring. recipes and menus the recipes are planned to serve eight persons. most of them may be divided for a smaller party. the average cost of the menus is fifty cents per person. some of the dishes may be made less expensive and rich by substituting milk for cream, and by other substitutions and omissions that will suggest themselves to the resourceful hostess. many types of dishes are given. many variations are possible. in some menus a choice of dishes is suggested. a few recipes are given that are not called for in the menus. these are usually to show how to utilize in a different way something for which a recipe is given or to use in another meal some foodstuff left from a recipe. these recipes and menus have all been tested at miss farmer's school of cookery. the author wishes to express here her appreciation of the painstaking work of all the members of the staff of the school who have assisted in making this little book possible. boston, mass., august, . * * * * * menu i fruit cup hot ham sandwich currant or grape jelly tomato salad with cheese dressing cocoa ice cream fig marguerites tea with candied mint leaves preliminary preparations fruit cup ready to chill ham prepared for the sandwiches tomatoes peeled and placed in ice box salad dressing made fig marguerites made candied mint leaves prepared ice cream ready to freeze jelly made market order pound cooked ham cream cheese (roquefort flavor if desired) quart milk pint cream / pound butter eggs / pound white grapes or oranges lemons pound ( small) tomatoes green pepper head lettuce bunch mint / can sliced pineapple maraschino cherries tablespoons mayonnaise dressing / pint raspberry or strawberry syrup / pound figs ounces walnut meats ounce tea / pound cocoa loaf sandwich bread / pint grape or currant jelly or juice oil of spearmint package small round crackers ounce marshmallow cream cup salad oil loaf sugar fruit cup remove skin and seeds from / pound white grapes. if grapes are firm, boiling water may be poured over them and allowed to stand minute, when skins will come off easily. pare oranges, removing white part with the skin, and remove sections free from membrane. cut slices canned pineapple in dice. mix the fruit with / cup sugar tablespoon lemon juice / cup orange juice / cup syrup from canned pineapple, and few grains salt. put into ice cream freezer, surround with ice and salt, and stir occasionally until juice begins to freeze. serve in cocktail glasses, garnishing each glass with a maraschino cherry. [illustration: fruit cup] hot ham sandwiches put pound cooked ham through food chopper. add tablespoons creamed butter, teaspoon mustard and teaspoon paprika, and mix well. cut bread in sixteen / -inch slices, spread eight slices bread with the ham mixture, cover with remaining bread and press slices firmly together. cut each sandwich in three strips. beat eggs slightly and add cups milk. dip sandwiches, one at a time, in this mixture, and sauté in butter, cooking on one side until browned, and then turning and browning the other side. serve very hot. other meat, or marmalade or jam may be used in sandwiches in place of ham. [illustration: hot ham sandwiches] grape or currant jelly wash and pick over fruit. crush in kettle one layer at a time and boil, stirring frequently, until juice is extracted from pulp. let drip through double piece of cheesecloth, rinsed in cold water, over night or till juice no longer drips. do not squeeze. to tablespoon juice add tablespoon alcohol; stir and let stand minutes. if / of the mixture is cloudy use / cup sugar to each cup juice. if all is cloudy use equal parts sugar and juice. (this is called the pectin test.) be sure that juice mixed with alcohol is discarded immediately. measure remaining juice into kettle, bring to boiling point, add required amount of sugar and cook to degrees f. or until mixture will show two distinct, firm drops when dripped from side of spoon, or when small amount will become firm when dropped on very cold saucer. then skim and pour into sterilized glasses. _second extraction_ return fruit pulp to kettle, add barely enough cold water to cover it, bring slowly to boiling point, stirring to prevent burning on; cook minutes, drain and finish as for first extraction, boiling minutes before adding the sugar. _third extraction_ proceed as for second extraction. oftentimes the juice from second and third extractions may be combined before being made up into jelly. by making three extractions the amount of jelly obtainable from a given amount of fruit may be almost doubled. tomato salad with cheese dressing cut tomatoes in halves in such a way that they come apart in points. arrange each half in a nest of lettuce leaves. in the center of tomato pile cream cheese forced through a coarse strainer. in center of cheese put a few bits of green pepper finely chopped. serve with cheese dressing. [illustration: tomato salad] cheese dressing mix tablespoons mayonnaise dressing with tablespoons cream cheese. add / teaspoon salt / teaspoon table sauce / teaspoon paprika and add very slowly / cup salad oil, beating with egg beater until very thick. add slowly / tablespoons vinegar. keep in cool place till ready to serve. cream cheese with roquefort flavor is desirable in both the above recipes, but the usual cottage or cream cheese may be used if preferred. cocoa ice cream mix very thoroughly / cup dry powdered cocoa few grains salt cup sugar and tablespoon cornstarch. add slowly cups milk, scalded, and cook over boiling water minutes, stirring until thickened and occasionally afterward. pour over eggs well beaten, chill, and add cups cream beaten stiff teaspoon vanilla and cup syrup drained from canned raspberries or strawberries, and freeze. if frozen in a vacuum freezer, put mixture in center can of freezer; cover, invert freezer, and fill outer compartment with finely crushed ice mixed with half the amount of rock salt. open the freezer occasionally, scrape cream from sides and mix well, using a long-bladed knife. if frozen in an ordinary freezer, it is not necessary to beat the cream. put mixture in can of ice cream freezer, surround with three parts ice and one part salt. let mixture stand minutes, then turn crank slowly until mixture is stiff. when frozen drain off ice water and repack, using four parts ice and one part salt. fig marguerites put in top of double boiler / cup sugar and tablespoons water. stir until sugar is dissolved as much as possible. there will still be small sugar crystals remaining. wash sugar crystals from inside of double boiler with pastry brush dipped in cold water. add egg white, unbeaten. place over hot water and cook, beating constantly with egg beater for to minutes or until mixture will hold its shape. add tablespoon marshmallow cream and / teaspoon vanilla, and fold over and over until again stiff enough to hold its shape. add / cup ( ) figs cut in small pieces and / cup nut meats cut in small pieces. pile on small round crackers and bake at degrees f. for minutes or until delicately brown. this rule will cover dozen small crackers. should frosting be too soft to hold its shape after adding marshmallow cream, it may be again placed over hot water, and folded gently over and over, until it becomes slightly granular around the edges. remove from hot water, and continue folding over gently until of the desired stiffness. marshmallow frosting use above mixture with or without figs and nuts as a cake filling or frosting. it need not be baked. candied mint leaves wipe fresh mint leaves, remove from stems and rub each leaf gently with the finger dipped in egg white slightly beaten. mix tablespoons granulated sugar with drops oil of spearmint, and sift over each side of the mint leaves. lay close together on a cake rack covered with wax paper and leave in a warm but not a hot place until crisp and dry. serve in tea with sliced lemon and loaf sugar. tea half fill a perforated tea spoon or tea ball with orange pekoe, or other preferred tea. place in cup, add fresh boiling water, until cup is two-thirds full. remove tea spoon as soon as tea is of the desired strength. two or three cups of tea can usually be made without emptying and refilling the tea spoon. * * * * * menu ii grapefruit baskets with mints open cheese and bacon sandwich mixed sweet pickles crab meat and tomato jelly salad egg biscuits orange layer cake iced coffee with vanilla preliminary preparations grapefruit prepared and put on ice cheese grated (or chopped) for sandwiches bacon cut same length as bread slices pickles may be made at any time tomato jelly and mayonnaise dressing made eggs, hard cooked celery (or endive) cut and put in cold water crab meat picked over and put on ice lettuce washed and put on ice in cheesecloth cake baked and one layer frosted cake filling made, except the whipped cream dry ingredients and shortening for biscuits combined market order / pound crab meat / pound bacon / pound cheese / pint milk pint cream / pound butter dozen eggs / pint salad oil grapefruit head lettuce roots celery or / pound endive oranges lemons green pepper onion / can ( / pint) tomatoes ounces ( ) cream peppermints / pound cluster raisins loaf bread / pound candied cherries / doz. small sweet cucumber pickles yards narrow ribbon small fresh flowers or fresh mint leaves / package gelatin / pound finely ground coffee grapefruit baskets cut in two grapefruit. insert two toothpicks opposite each other on each half. from one-half inch on each side of toothpick cut through the skin around the grapefruit one-fourth inch from the top of each half, leaving skin whole where toothpicks are inserted. loosen pulp and remove and discard seeds, membrane and toothpicks. sprinkle pulp of each half with cream peppermint, broken in pieces, and chill. bring the two strips of skin together above the grapefruit and tie together with narrow ribbon, for the handle. insert in the knot a sprig of flowers, berries or mint, and place on doily on individual serving plates. [illustration: grapefruit basket] open cheese and bacon sandwich beat eggs until light, add / pound soft cheese grated or put through food chopper / teaspoons table sauce / teaspoon salt / teaspoon paprika few grains cayenne. mix well and spread on slices bread cut one-third inch thick. cut / pound bacon in very thin slices the length of the slice of bread. make bacon still thinner by pressing each strip on a board with a broad knife. cover cheese with bacon and bake or minutes under gas flame, or in hot oven. mixed sweet pickles put in small agate or enamel saucepan cup vinegar / cup sugar / teaspoon peppercorns / teaspoon blades of mace / teaspoon whole cloves, and cook minutes. add / cup candied cherries, cook minutes; skim out, add / cup large malaga raisins in clusters of two or three. cook minutes, remove raisins and add small sweet cucumber pickles and cook minutes. arrange in glass jar in closely packed layers, putting raisins in first, then cherries, then pickles; repeat until jar is full. strain hot syrup into jar, and seal. [illustration: mixed sweet pickles] crab meat and tomato jelly salad in a salad bowl lined with lettuce leaves, arrange separate piles of / pound crab meat hard-cooked eggs, chopped (use silver knife so white will not discolor) roots celery or / pound endive cut in small pieces, and tomato jelly cut in cubes. between piles place green pepper free from seeds and cut in strips. make a nest of heart leaves of lettuce in center and fill with mayonnaise dressing. the salad ingredients may be mixed lightly together, when salad is being served, or only those ingredients that are desired may be served to each person. tomato jelly heat to boiling point in agate saucepan cup tomato juice and pulp tablespoons mild vinegar tablespoon gelatin / tablespoon sugar bit of bay leaf slice onion tablespoon lemon juice, and leaves from stalk celery. stir until gelatin is dissolved, strain through fine strainer, and mold in small bread pan that measures about / inches by inches. cut in / inch cubes for serving. mayonnaise dressing sift into a bowl / teaspoon mustard / teaspoon sugar / teaspoon salt and few grains cayenne. add egg yolk, mix well and add tablespoon vinegar, stirring constantly. measure / cup salad oil and add teaspoons of the oil a drop at a time, beating constantly. then while beating, add it teaspoon at a time till mixture begins to thicken. when very thick, add tablespoon lemon juice and add remaining oil rapidly. the whole process should take about minutes. egg biscuits sift together cups bread flour, measured after sifting once teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt and tablespoon sugar. work in with fingers tablespoons shortening. add egg yolk, slightly beaten, mixed with / cup milk, cutting it in with a knife. toss on floured cloth or board and knead minutes. shape in any way suggested below. bake minutes at degrees f. brush with milk or melted butter just before removing from the oven. biscuit shapes make in small round balls and bake in muffin pans. bake round balls in each muffin pan, brushing between with melted butter. bake round balls in each muffin pan. roll / inch thick, spread with butter, roll up like a jelly roll, cut in pieces inch thick, and bake in muffin pans. prepare as above, sprinkling with sugar and cinnamon before rolling. prepare as above, sprinkling with chopped nuts and maple sugar before rolling. roll / inch thick, spread with butter, fold in layers, cut off strips inch wide, twist and coil. when baked spread with confectioners' frosting. shape and roll in strips inches long and about as large around as a lead pencil and bake. roll / inch thick, cut with small oval cutter, brush with butter, double over and place close together and bake. orange layer cake beat together until thick egg yolks / teaspoon grated orange rind tablespoons orange juice and / tablespoon lemon juice. add / cup sugar gradually, continuing to beat with egg beater. fold in egg whites, beaten stiff and cup pastry flour, sifted times with / teaspoon soda and / teaspoon salt. grease an angel cake or deep round tin and line bottom with greased paper. pour in cake mixture and bake minutes at degrees f. split, put orange cream filling between layers, and frost top with boiled orange frosting. orange cream filling melt tablespoons butter, add tablespoons cornstarch, and when mixed add grated rind orange cup orange juice and cup sugar. bring to boiling point, stirring all the time. cook minutes over boiling water. add / teaspoon salt and / tablespoons lemon juice. cool and fold in cup cream beaten stiff. boiled orange frosting put cup sugar and / cup water in a small saucepan. stir until sugar is dissolved and boiling point is reached. do not stir after it boils. wash down sides of saucepan with pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent formation of crystals. cook until syrup spins a inch thread when dropped from spoon held at least inches above pan. pour slowly onto egg yolks beaten until thick and lemon colored, beating constantly with egg beater until mixture will hold its shape, then add few gratings orange rind and / tablespoon orange juice and spread on cake egg whites may be used instead of egg yolks if preferred. iced coffee with vanilla add to cups cold boiled or percolated coffee / teaspoon vanilla cup cream and sugar to taste. serve in tall glasses with cracked ice. [illustration: iced coffee] * * * * * menu iii tomato consommé with pearls cream muffins club sandwich with sweetbreads pickled ripe cucumber rings apricots with cream and nut brittle ginger puffs spiced tea preliminary preparations pickled ripe cucumber rings prepared in the fall or purchased in bottles, or other sweet pickle or olives consommé ready to reheat sweetbreads cooked, cucumber sliced into ice water, and lettuce washed dry ingredients for cream muffins mixed apricots cooked in syrup and nut brittle made ginger puffs made and frosted if tea is to be served iced, it may be prepared market order pair sweetbreads / pound bacon / pint cream pint milk / pound butter eggs head lettuce cucumber ounces nut meats quart can tomatoes pint chicken stock or chicken bouillon cubes can apricots loaf bread pickles or olives / cup pearl tapioca / pint mayonnaise dressing cream cheese / pound confectioners' sugar ounce tea lemons tomato consommÉ with pearls soak / cup pearl tapioca over night in quart cold water. cook in same water until tender and clear. drain liquor from quart can tomatoes, add teaspoon salt teaspoon paprika pint chicken stock or chicken bouillon cubes dissolved in pint water. wash eggs, slightly beat the whites and add whites and shells to the soup. stir until soup boils, boil minutes, remove from heat and let stand minutes. strain through double cheesecloth, add tapioca drained from water and rinsed. reheat and serve in bouillon cups. a bit of red coloring may be added to intensify the color. cream muffins sift together cups pastry flour tablespoon baking powder teaspoons sugar and / teaspoon salt. with fingers rub in / cup butter or margarine, add eggs well beaten and / cup thin cream. mix thoroughly, pour into greased muffin pans or small fancy shaped tins and bake minutes at degrees f., and minutes at degrees f. makes small muffins. club sandwich with sweetbreads when brought from market soak pair sweetbreads hour in water with tablespoon vinegar. parboil minutes in cup milk. cool in cold water, drain and cut in slices. on serving plate for each person place slice toast spread to the edges with butter worked until creamy. cut in two diagonally and cover with or washed and dried lettuce leaves, and with mayonnaise dressing. on lettuce place a layer of sweetbread slices, cover with slices of cucumber which have been dipped in mayonnaise dressing and with slices bacon free from rind, cooked until crisp. cover with slice buttered toast, cut in two diagonally. place a small lettuce leaf on the toast and fill with mayonnaise dressing. sprinkle with paprika. place on side of plate sweet pickled cucumber rings or olives, plain or stuffed. [illustration: club sandwich] pickled ripe cucumber rings pare rind from quarts ripe cucumbers, cut in slices crosswise, and then stamp out centers, making rings. cover with cold water, add teaspoon soda and let stand over night. next morning drain, cover with cold water in which tablespoons alum have been dissolved and boil minutes. strain, cover again with cold water, add tablespoon ginger, boil minutes. drain, measure water and discard. measure as much vinegar as there was water and to each quart vinegar add pounds granulated sugar / cup whole cloves and / cup stick cinnamon. add fruit and boil until clear. watermelon rind, cut in strips, may be used instead of cucumber. apricots with cream and nut brittle drain can apricots, cook syrup minutes, add fruit and cook to minutes, or until tender. cool and pour into serving dish. sprinkle with one-half the nut brittle. beat / cup cream until stiff, add slowly / cup sugar / teaspoon vanilla few grains salt and half remaining brittle. pile cream on the apricots, sprinkle with remaining brittle and serve as cold as possible. other canned fruit or orange sections may be used instead of apricots. nut brittle put / cup sugar and / cup water in saucepan and boil quickly until syrup is a golden brown. remove from fire, add / cup chopped nut meats and turn into lightly greased pan. cool and pound until broken into very small pieces. ginger puffs beat egg until light, add / cup sugar / cup molasses and / cup shortening melted in / cup warm water. add cups pastry flour sifted with teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon ginger teaspoon soda and / teaspoon salt. combine mixtures and bake in small greased tins for to minutes at degrees f. frost if desired with cheese frosting. cheese frosting with wooden spoon work cream cheese until creamy and add gradually / cups confectioners' sugar. beat / egg white until stiff and gradually beat in the cheese mixture. this frosting may be put on cookies or cake by forcing through a pastry bag and fine tube or paper cone, making lines or other decorations. it may be colored if desired. spiced syrup for tea put in small saucepan cup water and / cup sugar. heat to boiling point and when sugar is dissolved add tablespoon whole cloves, crushed and a inch piece stick cinnamon broken in pieces, tied together very loosely in a piece of cheesecloth. boil gently to degrees f. or to a thin syrup. when cool add juice of lemons. serve in small bowl, using tablespoon syrup in each cup of tea. * * * * * menu iv rose apples en surprise mock lobster à la newburg in timbale cases bacon salad or potato and egg salad corn meal rolls orange mousse sour cream drop cookies south american chocolate preliminary preparations cookies made lettuce washed and put on ice dry ingredients and shortening for rolls mixed tins greased filling mixed for rose apples and rose apples chilled timbale cases made. may be reheated while cooking newburg dressing made, all but bacon fat south american chocolate prepared mousse made and packed, to hours in advance dry ingredients measured for newburg fish cooked and flaked bacon cut in small pieces or materials prepared for potato salad and dressing made market order / pound bacon pounds haddock quarts milk / cup sour cream / cup sour milk / pints cream eggs / pound butter green, pepper onion lemons head lettuce parsley oranges rose apples (small can) or small tomatoes anchovies (or small bottle) pimientos brown sugar ounces candied cherries ounce pistachio nuts ounces raisins ounce nut meats / pound vanilla sweet chocolate / cup mayonnaise dressing pint salad oil / ounce coffee / pound corn meal teaspoon gelatin pickles if potato and egg salad is selected omit bacon and add pound potatoes roots celery or small cabbage / cup cream, sweet or sour rose apples en surprise hard cook eggs. reserve / yolk. chop remainder fine and mix with tablespoons green pepper chopped tablespoons pimiento chopped anchovies chopped / teaspoon salt few grains pepper and few drops onion juice. moisten with mayonnaise dressing. fill rose apples or small tomatoes from which centers have been removed. cover with mayonnaise and garnish with strips of anchovy, laid crosswise. serve each rose apple or tomato on a small plate sprinkled with chopped parsley mixed with reserved egg yolk, rubbed through a strainer. [illustration: rose apples en surprise] mock lobster À la newburg wipe a pound haddock, remove skin and bones, sprinkle with salt and steam minutes over boiling water. cool and separate in flakes. melt / cup butter, add tablespoon flour mixed with / teaspoon salt teaspoon paprika few grains cayenne and slight grating nutmeg. then add / cup milk gradually. cook and stir until sauce boils. add haddock flakes and pimiento cut in strips and place over hot water. just before serving add egg yolks beaten slightly with / cup cream and tablespoons lemon juice. as soon as it is hot serve in timbale cases. [illustration: mock lobster À la newburg] timbale cases sift together / cup bread flour / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar. add gradually / cup water egg slightly beaten tablespoon salad oil. strain mixture into a cup and let stand hours or over night. put timbale iron in deep saucepan and cover with fat or oil. heat fat until it browns a piece of bread in seconds. drain iron, dip in timbale mixture until two-thirds covered. then immerse in hot fat and fry until crisp and a delicate brown. drain cases on brown paper. a rosette iron may be used instead of a timbale iron if desired. corn meal rolls sift together / cups bread flour / teaspoon soda / cup corn meal teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt and tablespoon sugar. cut in tablespoons shortening with a case knife. beat egg, add / cup sour milk and combine mixtures. roll / inch thick, cut with oval cutter, brush with melted butter, double over and place on greased baking sheet. bake minutes at degrees f. bacon salad cut / pound bacon in tiny squares or force through food chopper, and cook until crisp. reserve both bacon fat and dice. mix teaspoons brown sugar few grains pepper / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon mustard. add tablespoons vinegar. stir until smooth. add to / cup of the bacon fat and bring to boiling point. sprinkle lettuce with the dice of cooked bacon and just before serving pour dressing over or pass it at the table. potato and egg salad mix cups cold boiled potatoes cut in cubes cup celery or cabbage cut in small pieces or hard cooked eggs chopped fine tablespoons chopped pickle tablespoons chopped green pepper or pimiento tablespoon chopped parsley and few drops onion juice. moisten with cream dressing and serve in nests of lettuce or cabbage leaves. cream dressing mix in double boiler teaspoons flour teaspoon salt teaspoon mustard / teaspoons powdered sugar and a few grains cayenne; add teaspoon butter and / cup vinegar. cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until mixture thickens; add egg yolk, and stir and cook minute. cool and just before serving add / cup heavy cream, sweet or sour, beaten until stiff. [illustration: orange mousse] orange mousse put in saucepan / cup sugar, add grated rind of orange and / cup cold water. stir and boil minute. soak teaspoon gelatin in tablespoons cold water and dissolve in the hot syrup. add / cup orange juice and tablespoons lemon juice. place on ice, and when it begins to thicken, fold in / cups cream beaten stiff, / cup pistachio nuts, shredded, / cup candied cherries cut in pieces. fill ring mold or baking powder boxes with mixture. cover with greased paper and tin covers. surround with two parts ice mixed with one part salt and let stand hours. unmold and serve cut in slices. molds may be decorated with pistachio nuts and candied cherries, before filling with mixture. sour cream drop cookies cream / cup butter or margarine. add gradually / cup sugar and egg, well beaten. dissolve / teaspoon soda in / cup rich sour cream. add to first mixture alternately with / cups pastry flour sifted with / teaspoon salt and teaspoons baking powder. add / teaspoon vanilla / cup raisins cut in pieces and / cup nut meats cut in pieces. drop by spoonfuls on greased tin sheet, and bake in a moderate oven. double the amount of flour may be used, nuts and raisins omitted, and mixture chilled and rolled out and cut in any desired shape, before baking. south american chocolate melt / pound ( cake) vanilla sweet chocolate over hot water, add slowly cup strong hot coffee and boil minute. add to cups scalded milk, beat until a thick froth forms on top, and leave over hot water minutes. serve with whipped cream sweetened and flavored, or chill and serve in tall glasses with cracked ice. * * * * * menu v apple ball cocktail sautéd oysters with celery sauce or celery cheese toast california lettuce with russian or thousand island dressing orange biscuits molasses pie iced tea with ginger ale preliminary preparations molasses pie made celery cooked for celery sauce mayonnaise and russian dressing made dry ingredients and shortening mixed for biscuits lettuce washed fruit prepared for cocktail cheese grated tea made market order pint selected oysters or / pound cheese eggs cup milk / cup cream / pound butter roots celery large or small heads california lettuce orange lemons apples (perfect in shape and uniform in size) / pound white or tokay grapes loaf bread / cup chili sauce / pound demi-tasse sugar / cups molasses / pound walnuts individual tea bags quart ginger ale / cup maraschino cherries / pound common crackers chicken bouillon cube or chicken stock pimiento green pepper / cup mayonnaise dressing parsley apple ball cocktail cut tops from stem end of choice apples. remove inside of apples with a french ball cutter, putting balls in cups cold water with juice of lemon. reserve tops of apples, cores, and small pieces for apple sauce. put apple shells in quart cold water to which is added teaspoon salt. remove skins and seeds from / lb. ( cup) white grapes. just before serving drain apple shells. remove apple balls from the water. drain and mix with the white grapes and with / cup maraschino cherries and fill apple shells. mix tablespoons syrup from maraschino cherries with juice of / orange and put over the apple balls. serve apple shells in individual dishes or cocktail glasses surrounded with crushed ice. apple may be removed in small oval shapes with a coffee spoon, if a french ball cutter is not available. grapes may be bought in cans if fresh grapes are not in market. apple sauce put in saucepan tops, cores, and small pieces of apple removed in the making of apple shells. add / cup water in which apple balls were soaked and cook gently until apple is soft. rub through a strainer. add / cup sugar, and stir and cook until sugar is dissolved and sauce is of the proper consistency. this may be used at another meal. sautÉd oysters put pint oysters in strainer over a bowl and over them pour tablespoons cold water, reserving liquid. pick over oysters, removing any bits of shell that may adhere to tough muscle. crush common crackers on board with rolling pin or put through food chopper, and sift the crumbs. there should be / cup. coat each oyster with the cracker crumbs. sauté in tablespoons melted butter or cooking oil. when brown on one side turn and brown the other side. cover slices of toast, cut in three strips each, with celery sauce, and serve an oyster on each piece of toast. celery sauce separate stalks from roots celery and wash thoroughly. cut lengthwise and crosswise in small pieces. there should be / cups. put in saucepan with cups water and teaspoon salt and cook minutes or until tender. drain, reserving both liquid and celery. to liquid add chicken stock to make cups or water to make cups and chicken bouillon cube. melt in saucepan, chafing dish or electric grill tablespoons butter. add tablespoons flour mixed with / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper. stir until smooth and add the cups celery water and chicken stock. stir and boil minute. add cooked celery and bring to boiling point. mix egg yolk and / cup cream. add to first mixture and cook minutes over hot water, stirring constantly. celery cheese toast make above recipe for celery sauce, adding cup grated cheese when celery is added. stir until cheese is melted. add / teaspoon table sauce, then add egg yolk and / cup cream as above and cook over hot water minutes, stirring constantly. serve on toast or crackers. egg white beaten stiff may be added just before serving. lettuce with russian dressing use california lettuce if obtainable. remove outside leaves and cut lettuce in halves and cut each half in two or four pieces according to the size of the head. let stand in ice water until crisp. place in cheesecloth on the ice or in a covered pail until needed. serve on salad plates with russian dressing or with thousand island dressing. dressing may be passed separately if preferred. russian dressing measure / cup mayonnaise dressing, add / cup chili sauce tablespoon pimiento cut in small pieces tablespoon green pepper cut in small pieces and tablespoon celery cut in small pieces, and mix thoroughly. thousand island dressing add to russian dressing just before serving / cup cream, beaten stiff. chili sauce force through food chopper green bell peppers red bell pepper and large onions. put in saucepan with large tomatoes or quart canned tomato quart vinegar cup sugar / teaspoon oil of clove / teaspoon oil of cinnamon tablespoons salt / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon mustard / teaspoon soda and tablespoon table sauce. cook until soft and rub through purée sieve, getting through as much as possible of the vegetables. cook again until thick and of the desired consistency. orange biscuits sift together cups bread flour teaspoons baking powder and teaspoon salt. with tips of fingers rub in tablespoons shortening. twenty minutes before the meal is to be served add / cup milk, mixing with a knife. roll out / inch thick and cut with round cutter inch in diameter. place close together on a greased tin sheet. break lumps demi-tasse loaf sugar in halves and squeeze the juice of / orange. dip pieces of sugar one at a time in the orange juice and push a piece down in the center of each biscuit. grate orange rind over the biscuits and bake minutes in a hot oven or at degrees f. plain pastry put in mixing bowl tablespoons shortening tablespoons ice water and / teaspoon salt, and work until creamy, using wooden spoon. add cup pastry flour and mix by cutting with a knife. sprinkle pastry cloth or board with tablespoons flour. pat with rolling pin and roll the pastry to fit a large pie plate. line the plate with the pastry and build up a fluted rim. molasses pie put in mixing bowl / cup sugar / cup flour and teaspoon salt and mix well. add / cups molasses egg yolks slightly beaten tablespoons melted butter / cup nut meats cut in fine pieces. when well mixed pour into the unbaked crust. bake minutes in a hot oven, degrees f., to cook the crust and set the rim. then reduce the heat to degrees f. and bake minutes. cover with meringue. bake minutes. cool before serving. [illustration: molasses pie] meringue beat egg whites until stiff and dry. beat in gradually / cup powdered sugar / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon vanilla. remove egg beater and fold in / cup powdered sugar. put on pie, making rough with a spoon, or using pastry bag and rose tube, and bake minutes at degrees f. iced tea with ginger ale bring to boiling point quart fresh cold water. add individual tea bags or heaping teaspoons orange pekoe tea. cover and let stand minutes. strain over a large piece of ice. just before serving add quart ginger ale. serve with sugared lemon slices. sugared lemon slices cut in slices large lemons and lay on a plate. sprinkle with tablespoons sugar. turn over and sprinkle with tablespoons sugar. just before serving arrange lemon on lemon plate with lemon fork. put any extra syrup into the tea. use one or more slices lemon in each glass of tea. * * * * * menu vi chow mein or chop suey pepper jam sandwiches frozen fruit salad crackers and cheese cream caramel layer cake percolated coffee preliminary preparations cream caramel layer cake made, filled and frosted pepper jam filling made materials prepared for chow mein or chop suey fruit (except banana) ready for salad mayonnaise dressing made lettuce washed market order / pounds pork chops or large broiler cream cheese pint cream / pint milk / pound butter eggs onion bunch celery / pound dried mushrooms red peppers or small can pimientos lemon banana head lettuce / loaf dark graham bread / loaf white bread chicken stock soyu sauce / cup canned apricots / cup pineapple and syrup / cup maraschino cherries and syrup package small round crackers stuffed olives package confectioners' sugar / pound coffee cups salad oil ounces chocolate / cup mayonnaise dressing teaspoon gelatin for chop suey chinese water chestnuts / pound bean sprouts / pound ( can) bamboo shoots note: dried mushrooms, soyu sauce, bean sprouts, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots are for sale by chinese grocers. chow mein cut in -inch strips pound fresh pork or white meat of chicken, or lobster or crab meat, and cook in frying pan minutes with tablespoons fat. add cup water or stock mixed with teaspoon cornstarch. simmer minutes or until, meat is tender. in another frying pan put tablespoons fat, add onion cut lengthwise in very fine pieces. cook minutes, add bunch celery cut in very fine strips inches long, and / pound dried mushrooms soaked hours in cold water, drained and cut in thin slices. cook minutes, stirring constantly. combine mixtures, add teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper and few grains cayenne. pour over fried noodles. if desired / pound bean sprouts may be cooked with the celery, and served in the chow mein. with chow mein pass soyu sauce. boiled rice may be served with chow mein or chop suey. fried noodles beat egg slightly, add / teaspoon salt and flour enough to make a very stiff dough. knead, toss on a floured cloth or board, roll as thin as possible, sprinkle with flour, fold in layers about inches wide, slice very thin, shake strips apart, and fry until delicately brown in pint salad oil. drain on soft paper. chop suey cut in -inch strips pound white meat of chicken, or pork, veal, crab or lobster meat, and cook minutes in frying pan in tablespoons chicken or other fat. cut cup celery in thin slices crosswise, add onion peeled and cut in thin slices mushroom caps peeled and sliced chinese water chestnuts peeled and sliced. cook vegetables minutes in tablespoons chicken fat or butter. add / pound bean sprouts / pound bamboo shoots cut in diamond-shaped pieces teaspoon soyu sauce cups chicken stock or water and the cooked meat, and simmer gently until bean sprouts and meat are thoroughly cooked. season with salt and few grains pepper. pepper jam sandwiches cut an equal number of slices of dark graham bread and white bread, remove crusts, and spread bread with creamed butter. on one slice of white bread spread pepper jam, cover with slice of graham bread, spread with butter and pepper jam and cover with a slice of white bread. make other sandwiches with graham bread on the outside and white bread for the center layer. wrap in damp cheesecloth, press under a light weight, and leave in a cool place until serving time. trim edges, cut in slices, and arrange on doily-covered plate. pepper jam drain small can pimientos and force through food chopper. put in saucepan, add / cup sugar and / cup vinegar, stir until sugar is dissolved and boil gently to degrees f. or until mixture is the consistency of jam. pour in small sterilized glasses and when cool cover with melted paraffin. if preferred, use sweet red peppers in place of pimientos. remove seeds, force through food chopper, sprinkle with salt and let stand or hours. drain, rinse, and finish as above. frozen fruit salad beat / cup heavy cream until stiff, and gradually beat in / cup mayonnaise dressing teaspoon gelatin soaked in tablespoons pineapple syrup and dissolved over hot water teaspoon powdered sugar tablespoons lemon juice and tablespoon maraschino syrup. fold in / cup canned apricots, cut in small pieces banana, cut lengthwise and crosswise in small pieces / cup pineapple, cut in dice / cup maraschino cherries, cut in slices. freeze like ice cream. remove with round ice cream scoop, and serve on heart leaves of lettuce. cut maraschino cherries in pieces lengthwise and put on top of each salad. [illustration: crackers and cheese] crackers and cheese moisten cream cheese with milk to make of consistency to spread easily. spread on small round crackers. put thin slice stuffed olive in center of each cracker and a tiny cheese ball sprinkled with paprika in hole of olive. do not spread crackers till ready to serve. cheese balls may be made in advance. cream caramel layer cake beat until thick / cup heavy cream cup sugar and / cup water. add cup bread flour sifted with teaspoons baking powder and / teaspoon salt. add egg yolks and whole egg, well beaten, and tablespoons chocolate caramel syrup. bake minutes at degrees f. in layer cake pans inches square, and put together with chocolate caramel frosting between and on top. chocolate caramel syrup melt squares bitter chocolate over hot water. in a saucepan put / cup sugar and / cup water, and cook until it forms a dark brown syrup. add / cup boiling water and cook until thick. add slowly to the melted chocolate and stir until smooth. chocolate caramel frosting for frosting boil chocolate caramel syrup remaining from cake and cook to soft-ball stage. beat egg whites until stiff and continue beating while slowly adding the syrup. then add, a little at a time, enough sifted confectioners' sugar to make of right consistency to spread. chocolate caramel milk shake add to / glass iced milk to tablespoons chocolate caramel syrup. mix well and strain into glass. percolated coffee i put cup finely ground coffee in upper part of glass coffee pot, put cups hot water in lower part. light alcohol lamp. when water begins to boil and enters upper receptacle leave minute. remove light, while water runs back to lower receptacle, then put light back until water again boils and has risen to top. remove and extinguish light, remove upper globe, and coffee is ready to serve. * * * * * menu vii anchovy canapé shellfish à la queen stuffed celery sandwich butterscotch biscuits orange and grapefruit salad chocolate float cocoanut cakes orange opera fudge preliminary preparations salad dressing made dry ingredients and shortening mixed for biscuits butter and sugar mixed for spreading the biscuits cocoanut cakes made filling for sandwiches made custard for frozen chocolate made two eggs hard cooked orange opera fudge made market order / pint oysters / pint scallops / pound lobster, boiled cream cheese quarts milk pint cream eggs pound butter carrot small onion lemon oranges grapefruit pressed figs root celery head lettuce stuffed olives can condensed milk / pound shredded cocoanut anchovy paste pimiento / pound brown sugar / pound chocolate loaf bread maraschino cherries truffle or ripe olives / tablespoon white corn syrup ounces shelled almonds vegetable or beef extract anchovy canapÉ put eggs in top of double boiler, cover with boiling water and cook over boiling water or on back of stove for minutes. chop the whites (with silver knife to prevent discoloring), and rub yolks through a coarse strainer. cut slices bread in pieces - / inches long by / inches wide and / inch thick. sauté in butter on one side only. spread other side with anchovy paste. divide diagonally into sections, having end sections half a square. sprinkle end sections of the bread with egg yolk and the center with egg white. separate sections with narrow strips of pimiento. serve as an appetizer. [illustration: anchovy canapÉ] shellfish À la queen force through food chopper enough carrot to make / cup. put into saucepan with tablespoons butter and teaspoon scraped onion, and cook minutes or until brown, stirring frequently. add tablespoons flour and when smooth add cup boiling water in which is dissolved teaspoon vegetable or beef extract, and stir until sauce boils. add / teaspoons salt teaspoon pepper tablespoon lemon juice and a few grains cayenne. remove meat from a / pound lobster and cut in pieces the size of scallops. place / pint oysters in strainer over bowl and rinse with tablespoons cold water, reserving all liquor. pick over oysters to be sure that there are no pieces of shell adhering to them, add oysters to liquor, and cook them until the edges curl. drain, reserving both liquor and oysters, and in the liquor cook / pint scallops minutes or until tender. to the oyster liquor add cream to make cup; add to the sauce and bring to boiling point. add oysters, scallops, and lobster and serve very hot, garnished with bits of pimiento and truffles or ripe olives. stuffed celery sandwich mix cream cheese with tablespoons celery chopped fine tablespoon chopped, stuffed olives / teaspoon salt / teaspoon paprika and enough milk to make it the right consistency to spread. cut bread in circles / inch thick. cut centers from one-half the pieces of bread. spread bread with creamed butter and with sandwich filling. place a ring of bread on a whole circle of bread. garnish each sandwich with a slice of stuffed olive in the center. butterscotch biscuits sift together cups bread flour teaspoons baking powder and / teaspoon salt. work in with tips of fingers tablespoons shortening, add / cup milk, stirring with a knife. roll thin, spread with / cup butter, creamed and mixed with / cup brown sugar. roll up like a jelly roll, cut off pieces inch thick, put in greased muffin pans cut side up, and bake minutes at degrees f. this makes biscuits. [illustration: butterscotch biscuits] orange and grapefruit salad pare oranges and grapefruit, removing membrane with the skin, then remove sections free from membrane. arrange on lettuce leaves on individual plates in the form of stars, outlining the sections of the fruit with figs cut in narrow strips. put a spoonful of salad dressing in the center of each star and garnish, if desired, with maraschino cherries. any preferred salad dressing may be used. dates may be used instead of figs. the fruit may be arranged on slices of pineapple if desired. chopped nuts may be sprinkled over the salad. condensed milk salad dressing beat egg until thick and lemon colored, and add / teaspoon mustard / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper and / teaspoon paprika, then add / cup vinegar / cup condensed milk and / cup melted butter. beat thoroughly, but do not cook. chill before serving. chocolate float put tablespoons chocolate syrup in tall glass and fill with ice-cold rich milk. shake thoroughly, add a spoonful of frozen chocolate and serve immediately. chocolate syrup melt squares unsweetened chocolate over boiling water, add / cup sugar and few grains salt and stir until well mixed. pour on gradually / cup boiling water and stir until smooth. boil minutes, cool, turn into a jar and keep in ice box or cold place. four times this amount may be made and kept on hand for use with hot or iced milk. frozen chocolate put in double boiler pint milk and / squares chocolate. when milk is scalded and chocolate melted pour gradually onto / cup sugar, mixed with egg yolk and few grains salt. return to double boiler and cook and stir for minute. chill, and just before freezing add / cup cream, beaten stiff, and / tablespoon vanilla. freeze, using three parts ice to one part salt. cocoanut cakes mix thoroughly / cups shredded cocoanut / cup condensed milk and teaspoon vanilla. beat egg whites until stiff, combine mixtures, shape into cakes, using a knife and spoon, and allowing rounding tablespoon mixture to each cake. place on greased tin sheets inch apart. bake in moderate oven or at degrees f. for minutes. orange opera fudge cover / cup shelled almonds with boiling water, boil minute; drain, cover with cold water, remove skins and roast in hot oven until delicately brown, then chop them. put in saucepan / cups sugar / tablespoon white corn syrup and / cup cream. cook to degrees f. or until a soft ball is formed in cold water, stirring constantly to prevent burning. pour out onto marble slab or large platter which has been wiped with cheesecloth wrung out of cold water. when cool add grated rind of / orange, bit of orange color paste, if convenient, and few grains salt. work with broad spatula until candy begins to get firm, add chopped almonds and pack into greased tin or between bars. cut in cubes for serving. * * * * * menu viii creamed eggs and mushrooms with bacon curls marmalade biscuits pineapple salad cooked mayonnaise dressing butterscotch parfait arcadia cakes coffee preliminary preparations orange marmalade made at any time cakes made salad dressing made dry ingredients and shortening for biscuits mixed eggs hard cooked bacon rolled ready to fry butterscotch parfait up to point where egg whites and cream are added. these may be added and mixture frozen to hours in advance lettuce washed pineapple and nuts cut market order / pound bacon / pints cream quart milk eggs / pound butter or margarine / pound fresh mushrooms / cup orange marmalade head lettuce can sliced pineapple ounces pistachio nuts ripe olives / pound brown sugar / pound walnuts / pound coffee tablespoon cocoa package confectioners' sugar / tablespoon corn syrup / pint salad oil creamed eggs and mushrooms with bacon curls put eggs in top of double boiler. cover with hot water, bring to boiling point, place over boiling water or on back of range and let stand minutes. remove shells and cut eggs in eighths lengthwise. remove skins and stems from / pound mushroom caps and cut in slices lengthwise. cover stems and skins with / cups cold water, heat slowly to boiling point, simmer gently minutes and strain. melt / cup butter, add / cup flour mixed with / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper. when smooth add stock strained from mushroom skins, with enough top milk or thin cream to make cups. stir until sauce boils. sauté mushroom caps in tablespoon butter for minutes. add to sauce with the hard cooked eggs. when thoroughly heated turn out on a platter and arrange bacon curls over the top. small cooked potatoes cut in pieces or cup cooked macaroni or small can asparagus cut in pieces may be used instead of mushrooms. bacon curls place thin strips of bacon on a board and with a broad-bladed knife press strips out as thin as possible. roll each slice into a curl and fasten with a wooden toothpick. cook until crisp and delicately brown in hot bacon fat deep enough to cover the curls of bacon. drain on brown paper and remove toothpicks. marmalade biscuits sift together cups bread flour teaspoons baking powder and teaspoon salt. with tips of fingers work in tablespoons shortening. add / cup milk, stirring with a knife. toss on a floured cloth or board and roll out / inch thick. cut in oval shapes inches long and inches wide with round ends. lay on tin sheet. make / -inch cuts inch from and parallel with the ends. put teaspoon of orange marmalade in the center. bring one end of dough through hole in other end. press edges together and bake in hot oven or at degrees f. for minutes. pastry may be used instead of baking powder biscuit dough for these turnovers. quick orange marmalade remove skins in quarters from oranges and lemon, close to the pulp. break up pulp and remove seeds. add / cup water and simmer in covered saucepan for minutes. boil rind from oranges and lemons with cups water in covered saucepan for minutes. drain and discard water. with sharp-edged spoon scrape out and discard white part of skins, leaving only yellow rind. with sharp knife shred yellow rinds just as thin as possible in pieces about inch long. simmer shredded rinds again in / cups water in covered saucepan for minutes. drain and discard water. mix cooked pulp with rinds. measure cups of mixed rind and pulp, adding water if necessary to make up this amount. add / cups sugar and mix well. stir constantly and bring to vigorous boil over hot fire. boil hard for minutes, stirring constantly. remove from fire, add / cup commercial pectin. stir well. let stand minutes only, stirring occasionally. pour into glasses. pineapple salad drain juice from can sliced pineapple and cut fruit in / -inch cubes. pile in centers of nests of lettuce leaves. cover / cup pistachio nuts with boiling water and boil minute. remove skins and cut in fine shreds. sprinkle over the pineapple. cut ripe olives in narrow strips and sprinkle over the nuts. serve cooked mayonnaise dressing separately. cooked mayonnaise dressing mix in top of double boiler tablespoons flour / teaspoons salt / teaspoon paprika and / teaspoon mustard. add / cup vinegar and tablespoons salad oil. stir until smooth. add / cup hot water and cook minutes in double boiler, stirring occasionally. cool and add egg yolk slightly beaten, then add / cup oil gradually while beating constantly, and fold in egg white, beaten stiff. butterscotch parfait put in small saucepan / cups brown sugar tablespoons butter and / cup water; stir until sugar is melted and boil without stirring to degrees f. or until syrup forms a soft ball when tried in cold water. pour slowly onto egg yolks well beaten, and beat until cold and thick. (this mixture may be made the day before and kept in a cool place, if desired.) fold in egg whites beaten stiff teaspoon vanilla / cups heavy cream beaten stiff and / cup nut meats broken in pieces. put in paper cases, sprinkle with nuts and place in can of ice cream freezer with waxed paper and cardboard between the layers. surround can with ice and salt, allowing quarts ice mixed with quart salt, using more ice and salt mixture, if necessary. leave hours or until frozen. mixture may be frozen in small baking powder boxes or ice cream molds instead of in the paper cases. [illustration: butterscotch parfait] arcadia cakes scald and dry a small mixing bowl, put in tablespoons butter and rub until creamy. add slowly / cup sugar; when smooth and light add egg yolk and tablespoons milk. sift in / cup pastry flour and / teaspoon baking powder. mix well, then add egg white beaten stiff. bake in greased and floured muffin tins not more than inches in diameter. the finished cakes should be not more than three-fourths of an inch thick. remove soft centers from cakes, taking them out from the top; fill cakes with cocoa butter cream, put cakes together in pairs with the filling inside, cover with white butter cream and cover entire cake with thin coffee frosting. decorate with reserved cream forced through a very small pastry tube of paper or tin. the butter cream may be omitted and cakes be merely frosted on top if preferred. butter cream, cocoa and white work / cup washed or fresh sweet butter until very light and creamy, add cup sifted confectioners' sugar and / teaspoon vanilla very gradually, and beat until very light. reserve tablespoons mixture for decoration. divide remainder in two portions. to one portion add tablespoon dry cocoa. whip tablespoons cream and add two-thirds of it to the white butter cream and fold remainder into that which contains the cocoa. use as filling for cakes. coffee frosting mix / tablespoon corn syrup with tablespoons strong hot coffee; add / cups sifted confectioners' sugar a tablespoon at a time, beating constantly and occasionally setting over hot water to keep it lukewarm. percolated coffee ii put in upper part of percolator coffee pot cup finely ground coffee. pour in pints boiling water and percolate about minutes. put cream and sugar in the cups. pour in the coffee and serve. one-half cup cream left from making the parfait may be diluted with / cup milk and used for the coffee. * * * * * menu ix chicken and clam bouillon with pimiento cream chicken terrapin waffles spiced figs or star chicken salad quick parker house rolls little chocolate cakes pineapple smash preliminary preparations chicken and clam bouillon made ready to reheat pimientos ready to be added to cream ingredients prepared for chicken terrapin or salad made spiced figs prepared at any time dry ingredients mixed for waffles or rolls baked or ready to bake pineapple mixture cooked cakes made market order pound fowl quarts clams in shell quart milk / pint sour cream / cup cream / pound butter eggs onion green pepper lemons carrot bunch mint / pound pulled figs / pound mushrooms roots celery head lettuce chicken stock can pimientos ripe olives / bottle commercial pectin pound brazil nuts can grated pineapple / pints ginger ale pint mayonnaise dressing maraschino cherries / pound chocolate yeast cake color pastes parsley tablespoons salad oil / package gelatin / pound confectioners' sugar chicken and clam bouillon with pimiento cream wash and scrub quarts soft-shell clams in shell, put in kettle with cup cold water, cover and cook till shells open. strain liquor through double cheesecloth. add enough chicken stock, well seasoned, to make quart. add more seasonings if needed and serve in bouillon cups with pimiento cream. clams may be used as steamed clams, if desired. [illustration: chicken and clam bouillon] pimiento cream mix / cup cream few grains salt and tablespoons pimiento, rubbed through a sieve. beat until stiff and serve on bouillon or on any cream soup. chicken terrapin mash yolks of hard-cooked eggs, add tablespoons flour teaspoon mustard / teaspoons salt / teaspoon white pepper and tablespoons melted butter. add to cups scalded milk and cook until thick. add whites of hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped / cups cooked chicken or fowl cut in cubes or tablespoons pimiento cut in strips or tablespoons green pepper cut in strips tablespoons ripe olives cut in strips, and juice of lemon. keep hot over hot water or electric grill and serve in patty shells reheated in the oven, or on toast. serve with spiced figs. boiled fowl clean a pound fowl and cook slowly for / hours, or until tender, in quart boiling water with slices carrot stalks celery slices onion sprig of parsley teaspoons salt and / teaspoon pepper. cool in the stock. fowl cooked in pressure cooker under pounds pressure will become tender in from to minutes. fowl, if nearly covered with boiling water and boiled minutes, will become tender if cooked in fireless cooker for or hours. spiced figs wash / pound pulled figs, and soak hour in cold water to cover. drain, put in saucepan with cup vinegar and / cups sugar. put in a cheesecloth bag tablespoon whole cloves and a -inch stick of cinnamon broken in pieces, and cook all for minutes or until figs are tender. spiced jelly put in saucepan cup syrup strained from spiced figs or other spiced or sweet pickled fruit. bring to boiling point, add / cup commercial pectin, boil / minute and turn into glasses or individual molds. waffles sift together / cups pastry flour / teaspoon salt teaspoon sugar / teaspoon soda; add slowly / cups sour cream or rich sour milk or a mixture of the two, and egg yolks, well beaten. fold in egg whites, beaten stiff. use large spoonful of mixture for each waffle. cook on hot waffle iron. an aluminum electric waffle iron should not be greased. an iron one should be well greased. star chicken salad mix together cup white meat of cooked chicken or fowl cut in dice whites hard-cooked eggs cut in dice, and marinate with tablespoons salad oil tablespoon vinegar / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper. cook cup peeled white mushroom caps in white stock until tender, then drain, chill and cut in small pieces. add cup celery cut lengthwise and crosswise in small pieces and cup shelled brazil nuts, peeled and cut in small pieces. soak tablespoon gelatin in / cup cold water, dissolve over hot water and add slowly to cup mayonnaise dressing. mix with other ingredients and pack in star-shaped mold. chill, turn out on bed of lettuce leaves. fill center and cover outside with mayonnaise dressing and sprinkle with yolks hard-cooked eggs rubbed through strainer. the stock in which mushrooms are cooked may be used in chicken and clam bouillon or in a sauce for another meal. quick parker house rolls sift together / cups bread flour tablespoon sugar and teaspoon salt. with tips of fingers work in tablespoons shortening. add yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water and / cup milk. beat well, let rise, turn out on floured cloth or board and roll lightly / inch thick. shape in long ovals, dip lower half in melted butter, fold double, buttered side up, and place in pans close together. let rise and bake in hot oven minutes at degrees f. and minutes at degrees f. brush with melted butter just before removing from oven. little chocolate cakes put in double boiler squares chocolate, broken in small pieces / cup milk and egg yolks. cook, stirring constantly until thick and smooth. remove from fire and add cup sugar and tablespoons butter and / cups bread flour, alternately with / cup milk in which / teaspoon soda is dissolved. beat well and fold in egg whites beaten stiff and / teaspoon vanilla. pour into greased individual tins and bake minutes at degrees f. cover with cream frosting in different colors. cream frosting beat egg white until stiff, add teaspoons cream / teaspoon vanilla and, slowly, / cup confectioners' sugar, and more if needed to make of right consistency to spread. divide into several portions, and color with a bit of color paste, pale yellow, pink, green, or lavender. pineapple smash boil together for minutes cups water and cup sugar. add pint can grated pineapple and juice of lemons. to cup of mixture add / cup ice water and freeze until firm. cool remainder and strain over block of ice. add just before serving / pints ginger ale and serve in tall glasses with a ball of the pineapple sherbet in each glass. garnish with sprigs of mint and maraschino cherries. [illustration: pineapple smash] * * * * * menu x cream of mushroom soup tuna fish à la king in patty cases cabbage and carrot salad thousand island french dressing bran muffins maple charlotte with maple pecan sauce and sponge cake coffee with honey and whipped cream preliminary preparations sponge cake made maple charlotte made salad dressing made except for the addition of cream dry ingredients and shortening mixed for bran muffins peppers cooked tuna fish flaked cabbage shredded ingredients measured for tuna fish à la king patty cases made and baked. market order pound can tuna fish quart milk pint cream pound butter eggs onion lemon apple / pound fresh mushrooms small cabbage carrot head lettuce large green pepper / cups chicken stock or chicken bouillon cubes pimiento cup bran / cup chili sauce / cups maple syrup / pound shelled pecans / pound coffee / pint honey / cup salad oil ounces graham flour ounces seedless raisins / package gelatin cream of mushroom soup chop stems from / pound mushrooms, add skins from mushrooms slice onion and cups chicken stock or cups water in which carrots have been cooked, or cups hot water in which chicken bouillon cubes have been dissolved. simmer minutes and strain. melt tablespoons butter or margarine, add tablespoons flour mixed with / teaspoons salt and / teaspoon pepper. add the strained stock and stir until soup boils. add cups scalded milk, and when soup again boils, serve in bouillon cups. this may be served at another meal if preferred. tuna fish À la king in patty cases cook large green pepper minutes in boiling salted water to which has been added / teaspoon soda. drain and cut in strips. cook minutes in / tablespoons butter; remove pepper and to butter add tablespoon cornstarch and tablespoon flour; then add / cup highly seasoned chicken stock and / cup cream. stir until sauce boils, add the peppers pound can tuna fish separated in flakes pimiento cut in strips salt to taste and few drops onion juice. peel / pound mushroom caps, sauté in tablespoons butter, and add to tuna fish. serve from the chafing dish or in patty cases. two cups cooked chicken, cut in strips, or two cups crab meat may be used instead of tuna fish. [illustration: tuna fish À la king] puff paste wash cup butter, shape in circular piece, reserve tablespoon, and put remainder in pan between two pans of ice. work the reserved butter into / cups bread flour, mix to a dough with / cup ice water, knead minutes, cover and let stand minutes. pat and roll / inch thick, keeping corners square. place butter in center of one side of pastry, fold other side over butter, fold one end over butter, other end under butter, pressing edges together. turn / way round, pat, lift, roll / inch thick, fold in layers and turn. repeat times, chilling between pans of ice when necessary, and folding the last time in layers. chill, roll out, shape, chill again and bake in hot oven, reducing heat after pastry has risen. patty cases after puff paste has been rolled times and chilled, roll to / inch thickness, shape with patty cutter, cut halfway through with a small cutter, chill again, and bake in oven at degrees f. at first, reducing heat after or minutes to degrees f., and turning often that patties may rise evenly. cabbage and carrot salad mix cups shredded cabbage with / cup grated carrot and apple cut in dice. serve in nests of lettuce or cabbage leaves with thousand island french dressing. thousand island french dressing put in small jar / teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper few grains cayenne / cup salad oil tablespoons vinegar / cup chili sauce / teaspoon table sauce. just before serving add / cup cream beaten stiff, and shake thoroughly. bran muffins beat egg until light, add tablespoons molasses or sugar cup milk cup bran / cup graham flour or entire wheat flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder and / cup seedless raisins. mix well and bake in greased and floured muffin pans minutes at degrees f. maple charlotte soak tablespoon gelatin in tablespoons cold water. boil / cup maple syrup until it spins a thread. add gelatin and stir until dissolved. pour slowly onto egg whites, beaten stiff. put in a cool place and when it begins to stiffen fold in / cup heavy cream beaten stiff. add / cup pecan nut meats broken in pieces. fill center of sponge cake box with charlotte mixture and serve with maple pecan sauce. [illustration: maple charlotte] maple pecan sauce boil / cup maple syrup and tablespoons butter to degrees f. or until syrup forms a very soft ball when tried in cold water. remove from fire, and add slowly / cup cream. keep hot over hot water until ready to serve, then add / cup pecan nut meats. mary ann sponge cake beat egg whites until stiff and dry, and add / cup sugar slowly while beating. beat egg yolks, add / cup sugar teaspoon vinegar and teaspoons water and beat until light. combine mixtures, and fold in gently / cup pastry flour sifted with / teaspoon baking powder. cream tablespoon lard with tablespoon flour and spread inside of rim of mary ann cake pan. cover center with greased paper. put in cake mixture. bake at degrees f. for minutes. remove carefully from pan, remove paper and fill with maple charlotte or whipped cream. if a mary ann cake pan is not available, bake twice this mixture in a bread pan or deep round cake pan. cool and remove center leaving a box. coffee with honey and whipped cream tie cup ground coffee very loosely in small cheesecloth bag. put into coffee pot with cups cold water and several egg shells. let stand hour. bring to boiling point and boil minutes. add / cup cold water and let stand minutes. serve coffee with honey to sweeten instead of sugar, and cream whipped. michigan state university libraries note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/ / / / / / -h.zip) images of the original pages are available through the michigan state university libraries. see http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbooks/books/sciencekitchen/scie.pdf science in the kitchen. a scientific treatise on food substances and their dietetic properties, together with a practical explanation of the principles of healthful cookery, and a large number of original, palatable, and wholesome recipes. by mrs. e. e. kellogg, a.m. superintendent of the sanitarium school of cookery and of the bay view assembly school of cookery, and chairman of the world's fair committee on food supplies, for michigan preface. the interest in scientific cookery, particularly in cookery as related to health, has manifestly increased in this country within the last decade as is evidenced by the success which has attended every intelligent effort for the establishment of schools for instruction in cookery in various parts of the united states. while those in charge of these schools have presented to their pupils excellent opportunities for the acquirement of dexterity in the preparation of toothsome and tempting viands, but little attention has been paid to the science of dietetics, or what might be termed the hygiene of cookery. a little less than ten years ago the sanitarium at battle creek mich., established an experimental kitchen and a school of cookery under the supervision of mrs. dr. kellogg, since which time, researches in the various lines of cookery and dietetics have been in constant progress in the experimental kitchen, and regular sessions of the school of cookery have been held. the school has gradually gained in popularity, and the demand for instruction has become so great that classes are in session during almost the entire year. during this time, mrs. kellogg has had constant oversight of the cuisine of both the sanitarium and the sanitarium hospital, preparing bills of fare for the general and diet tables, and supplying constantly new methods and original recipes to meet the changing and growing demands of an institution numbering always from to inmates. these large opportunities for observation, research, and experience, have gradually developed a system of cookery, the leading features of which are so entirely novel and so much in advance of the methods heretofore in use, that it may be justly styled, _a new system of cookery_. it is a singular and lamentable fact, the evil consequences of which are wide-spread, that the preparation of food, although involving both chemical and physical processes, has been less advanced by the results of modern researches and discoveries in chemistry and physics, than any other department of human industry. iron mining, glass-making, even the homely art of brick-making, and many of the operations of the farm and the dairy, have been advantageously modified by the results of the fruitful labors of modern scientific investigators. but the art of cookery is at least a century behind in the march of scientific progress. the mistress of the kitchen is still groping her way amid the uncertainties of mediæval methods, and daily bemoaning the sad results of the "rule of thumb." the chemistry of cookery is as little known to the average housewife as were the results of modern chemistry to the old alchemists; and the attempt to make wholesome, palatable, and nourishing food by the methods commonly employed, is rarely more successful than that of those misguided alchemists in transmuting lead and copper into silver and gold. the new cookery brings order from out the confusion of mixtures and messes, often incongruence and incompatible, which surrounds the average cook, by the elucidation of the principles which govern the operations of the kitchen, with the same certainty with which the law of gravity rules the planets. those who have made themselves familiar with mrs. kellogg's system of cookery, invariably express themselves as trebly astonished: first, at the simplicity of the methods employed; secondly, at the marvelous results both as regards palatableness, wholesomeness, and attractiveness; thirdly, that it had never occurred to them "to do this way before." this system does not consist simply of a rehash of what is found in every cook book, but of new methods, which are the result of the application of the scientific principles of chemistry and physics to the preparation of food in such a manner as to make it the most nourishing, the most digestible, and the most inviting to the eye and to the palate. those who have tested the results of mrs. kellogg's system of cookery at the sanitarium tables, or in their own homes through the instruction of her pupils, have been most enthusiastic in their expressions of satisfaction and commendation. hundreds of original recipes which have appeared in her department in _good health_, "science in the household", have been copied into other journals, and are also quite largely represented in the pages of several cook books which have appeared within the last few years. the great success which attended the cooking school in connection with the bay view assembly (the michigan chautauqua), as well as the uniform success which has met the efforts of many of the graduates of the sanitarium school of cookery who have undertaken to introduce the new system through the means of cooking classes in various parts of the united states, has created a demand for a fuller knowledge of the system. this volume is the outgrowth of the practical and experimental work, and the popular demand above referred to. its preparation has occupied the entire leisure time of the author during the last five or six years. no pains or expense has been spared to render the work authoritative on all questions upon which it treats, and in presenting it to the public, the publishers feel the utmost confidence that the work will meet the highest expectations of those who have waited impatiently for its appearance during the months which have elapsed since its preparation was first announced. publishers. table of contents. foods properties of food food elements uses of food elements proper combinations of food proper proportion of food elements condiments relation of condiments to intemperance variety in food table topics. the digestion of foods the digestive organs the digestion of a mouthful of bread salivary digestion stomach digestion intestinal digestion other uses of the digestive fluids absorption liver digestion time required for digestion dr. beaumont's table made from experiments on alexis st. martin hygiene of digestion hasty eating drinking freely at meals eating between meals simplicity in diet eating when tired eating too much how much food is enough excess of certain food elements deficiency of certain food elements food combinations table topics. cookery evils of bad cookery the principles of scientific cookery fuels making fires care of fires methods of cooking roasting broiling or grilling baking the oven thermometer boiling the boiling point of water how to raise the boiling point of water action of hot and cold water upon foods steaming stewing frying evaporation adding foods to boiling liquids measuring comparative table of weights and measures mixing the material stirring beating kneading temperature cooking utensils porcelain ware granite ware galvanized iron ware tests for lead adulterated tin table topics. the household workshop description of a convenient kitchen the kitchen furniture cupboards a convenient kitchen table the kitchen sink drainpipes stoves and ranges oil and gas stoves the "aladdin cooker" kitchen utensils the tin closet the dish closet the pantry the storeroom the refrigerator the water supply test for pure water filters cellars kitchen conveniences the steam cooker the vegetable press-the lemon drill the handy waiter the wall cabinet the percolater holder kneading table dish-towel rack kitchen brushes vegetable brush table topics. the grains, or cereals, and their preparation general properties of grains cooking of grains the double boiler table showing amount of liquid, and time required for cooking different grains grains for breakfast-grains an economical food wheat description of a grain of wheat preparation and cooking _recipes_: pearl wheat cracked wheat rolled wheat boiled wheat wheat with raisins wheat with fresh fruit molded wheat finer mill products of wheat _recipes_: farina farina with fig sauce farina with fresh fruit molded farina graham grits graham mush graham mush no. graham mush no. graham mush with dates plum porridge graham apple mush granola mush granola fruit mush granola peach mush bran jelly the oat, description of oatmeal brose budrum flummery preparation and cooking of oats _recipes_: oatmeal mush oatmeal fruit mush oatmeal blancmange oatmeal blancmange no. jellied oatmeal mixed mush rolled oats oatmeal with apple oatmeal porridge barley, description of gofio scotch milled or pot barley pearl barley suggestions for cooking barley _recipes_: baked barley pearl barley with raisins pearl barley with lemon sauce rice, description of rice paddy preparation and cooking of rice _recipes_: steamed rice boiled rice rice with fig sauce orange rice rice with raisins rice with peaches browned rice rye, description of rye meal rye flour _recipes_: rolled rye rye mush maize, or indian corn, description of suggestions for cooking corn _recipes_: corn meal mush corn meal mush with fruit corn meal cubes browned mush samp cerealine flakes hulled corn coarse hominy fine hominy or grits popped corn macaroni, description of semolina spaghetti vermicelli to select macaroni to prepare and cook macaroni _recipes_: homemade macaroni boiled macaroni macaroni with cream sauce macaroni with tomato sauce macaroni baked with granola eggs and macaroni table topics. breadstuffs and bread-making the origin of bread chestnut bread peanut bread breadstuffs qualities necessary for good bread superiority of bread over meat graham flour wheat meal whole-wheat or entire wheat flour how to select flour to keep flour deleterious adulterations of flour tests for adulterated flour chemistry of bread-making bread made light by fermentation the process of fermentation fermentative agents yeast homemade yeasts how to keep yeast bitter yeast tests for yeast starting the bread proportion of materials needed utensils when to set the sponge temperature for bread-making how to set the sponge lightness of the bread kneading the dough how to manipulate the dough in kneading how many times shall bread be kneaded dryness of the surface size of loaves proper temperature of the oven how to test the heat of an oven care of bread after baking best method of keeping bread test of good fermented bread whole-wheat and graham breads toast steamed bread liquid yeast _recipes_: raw potato yeast raw potato yeast no. hop yeast boiled potato yeast boiled potato yeast no. fermented breads _recipes_: milk bread with white flour vienna bread water bread fruit roll fruit loaf potato bread pulled bread whole-wheat bread whole-wheat bread no. miss b's one-rising bread potato bread with whole-wheat flour rye bread graham bread graham bread no. graham bread no. raised biscuit rolls imperial rolls french rolls crescents parker house rolls braids brown bread date bread fruit loaf with graham and whole-wheat flour raised corn bread corn cake oatmeal bread milk yeast bread graham salt rising bread unfermented breads passover cakes tortillas evils of chemical bread raising rochelle salts in baking powders general directions gem irons perforated sheet-iron pan for rolls unfermented batter breads unfermented dough breads _recipes_: whole-wheat puffs whole-wheat puffs no. whole-wheat puffs no. graham puffs graham puffs no. currant puffs graham gems crusts rye puffs rye puffs no. rye gems blueberry gems hominy gems sally lunn gems corn puffs corn puffs no. corn puffs no corn puffs no. corn dodgers corn dodgers no. cream corn cakes hoe cakes oatmeal gems snow gems pop overs granola gems bean gems breakfast rolls sticks cream graham rolls corn mush rolls fruit rolls cream mush rolls beaten biscuit cream crisps cream crisps no. graham crisps oatmeal crisps graham crackers fruit crackers table topics. fruits: chemical constituents of value as nutrients structure of fruits the jelly-producing principle digestibility of fruits unripe fruits table of fruit analysis ripe fruit and digestive disorders over-ripe and decayed fruits dangerous bacteria on unwashed fruit free use of fruit lessens desire for alcoholic stimulants beneficial use of fruits in disease apples the pear the quince the peach the plum the prune the apricot the cherry the olive; its cultivation and preservation the date, description and uses of the orange the lemon the sweet lemon or bergamot the citron the lime the grape-fruit the pomegranate, its antiquity the grape zante currants the gooseberry the currant the whortleberry the blueberry the cranberry the strawberry the raspberry the blackberry the mulberry the melon the fig, its antiquity and cultivation the banana banana meal the pineapple fresh fruit for the table selection of fruit for the table directions for serving fruits apples bananas cherries currants goosberries grapes melons oranges peaches and pears peaches and cream pineapples plums pressed figs raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, blueberries and whortlberries frosted fruit keeping fresh fruit directions for packing, handling, and keeping fruits _recipes_: to keep grapes to keep lemons and oranges to keep cranberries cooked fruit general suggestions for cooking fruit _recipes_: baked apples citron apples lemon apples baked pears baked quince pippins and quince baked apple sauce baked apple sauce no. apples stewed whole steamed apples compote of apples apple compote no. stewed pears stewed apple sauce boiled apples with syrup stewed apples stewed crab apples sweet apple sauce with condensed apple juice apples with raisins apples with apricots peaches, pears, cherries, berries, and other small fruits baked apples baked pears baked peaches cranberries cranberries with raisins cranberries with sweet apples oranges and apples stewed raisins dried apples dried apples with other dried fruit dried apricots and peaches evaporated peach sauce dried pears small fruits prunes prune marmalade canning fruit selection of cans how to test and sterilize cans selection of fruit directions for preparing fruit cooking fruit for canning storing of canned fruit mold on canned fruit opening of canned fruit rules for selecting canned fruit _recipes_: to can strawberries to can raspberries, blackberries and other small fruit to can gooseberries to can peaches to can pears to can plums to can cherries to can mixed fruit quinces and apples plums with sweet apples to can grapes to can crab apples to can apples to can pineapples fruit jellies _recipes_: apple jelly apple jelly without sugar berry and currant jellies cherry jelly crab apple jelly cranberry jelly grape jelly orange jelly peach jelly quince jelly plum jelly fruit in jelly fruit juices, value of how to prepare fruit juices _recipes:_ grape juice or unfermented wine grape juice no. another method fruit syrup currant syrup orange syrup lemon syrup lemon syrup no blackberry syrup fruit ices nuts composition and nutritive value of the almond almond bread the brazil nut the cocoanut, its uses in tropical countries the chestnut chestnut flour the acorn the hazel nut the filbert the cobnut the walnut the butternut the hickory nut the pecan the peanut or ground nut _recipes:_ to blanch almonds boiled chestnuts mashed chestnuts baked chestnuts to keep nuts fresh table topics. the legumes composition and nutritive value legumes as a substitute for animal food legumin, or vegetable casein chinese cheese legumes the "pulse" of scripture diet of the pyramid builders digestibility of legumes a fourteenth century recipe the green legumes suggestions for cooking slow cooking preferable soaking the dry seeds effects of hard water upon the legumes temperature of water for cooking amount of water required addition of salt to legumes peas, description of buying votes with peas a commemorative dinner peas bainocks peas sausages peas pudding time required for cooking _recipes:_ stewed split peas peas puree mashed peas peas cakes dried green peas beans, description of mention of beans in scripture beans in mythology time required for digestion method of cooking experiment of an english cook parboiling beans time required to cook _recipes:_ baked beans boiled beans beans boiled in a bag scalloped beans stewed beans mashed beans stewed lima beans succotash pulp succotash lentils, description of use of lentils by the ancients lentil meal preparation for cooking _recipes:_ lentil puree lentils mashed with beans lentil gravy with rice table topics. vegetables composition and nutritive value of vegetables exclusive diet of vegetables not desirable to select vegetables poison in potato sprouts stale vegetables a cause of illness keeping vegetables to freshen withered vegetables storing winter vegetables preparation and cooking to clean vegetables for cooking methods of cooking time required for cooking various vegetables irish potato, description of the chemistry of cooking digestibility of the potato new potatoes preparation and cooking _recipes_: potatoes boiled in "jackets" boiled potatoes without skins steamed potatoes roasted potatoes baked potatoes stuffed potatoes stuffed potatoes no. mashed potatoes new potatoes cracked potatoes creamed potatoes scalloped potatoes stewed potatoes potatoes stewed with celery potato snow balls potato cakes potato cakes with egg potato puffs browned potatoes ornamental potatoes broiled potatoes warmed-over potatoes vegetable hash the sweet potato, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: baked sweet potatoes baked sweet potatoes no boiled sweet potatoes steamed sweet potatoes browned sweet potatoes mashed sweet potatoes potato hash roasted sweet potatoes turnips, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: boiled turnips baked turnips creamed turnips chopped turnips mashed turnips scalloped turnips steamed turnips stewed turnips turnips in juice turnips with cream sauce parsnips, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: baked parsnips baked parsnips no. boiled parsnips browned parsnips creamed parsnips mashed parsnips parsnips with cream sauce parsnips with egg sauce parsnips with potatoes stewed parsnips stewed parsnips with celery carrots, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: boiled carrots carrots with egg sauce stewed carrots beets, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: baked beets baked beets no. beets and potatoes beet hash beet greens beet salad or chopped beets beet salad no boiled beets stewed beets cabbage, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: baked cabbage boiled cabbage cabbage and tomatoes cabbage and celery cabbage hash chopped cabbage or cabbage salad mashed cabbage stewed cabbage cauliflower and broccoli, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: boiled cauliflower browned cauliflower cauliflower with egg sauce with tomato sauce stewed cauliflower scalloped cauliflower spinach, description of preparation and cooking celery to keep celery fresh _recipes_: celery salad stewed celery stewed celery no. celery with tomato sauce celery and potato hash asparagus, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: asparagus and peas asparagus points asparagus on toast asparagus with cream sauce asparagus with egg sauce stewed asparagus sea-kale, description of lettuce and radish, description of _recipes:_ lettuce radishes cymling description preparation and cooking _recipes:_ mashed squash squash with egg sauce stewed squash winter squash preparation and cooking time required for cooking _recipes_: baked squash steamed squash the pumpkin, description of _recipes_: baked pumpkin stewed pumpkin dried pumpkin tomato, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: baked tomatoes baked tomatoes no. scalloped tomatoes stewed corn and tomatoes tomato gravy tomato salad tomato salad no. broiled tomatoes tomato pudding stewed tomatoes tomato with okra egg plant, description of nutritive value _recipes_: scalloped egg plant baked egg plant cucumber, description of digestibility preparation and cooking salsify or vegetable oyster, description of preparation and cooking _recipes_: scalloped vegetable oysters stewed vegetable oysters green corn, peas, and beans, description of general suggestions for selecting and cooking _recipes for corn_: baked corn baked corn no. boiled green corn stewed corn pulp corn cakes corn pudding roasted green corn stewed green corn summer succotash dried corn _recipe for peas_: stewed peas _recipes for beans_: lima beans shelled beans string beans canning vegetables _recipes_: canned corn canned corn and tomatoes canned peas canned tomatoes canned tomatoes no. string beans canned pumpkin and squash table topics. soups value of soup as an article of diet superiority of soups made from grain and legumes economical value of such soups digestibility of soups cooking of material for soups use of a colander in preparing soups quantity of salt required flavoring soups seasoning of soup chinese soup strainer whole grains, macaroni, shredded vegetables, etc., for soups milk in the preparation of soups consistency of soups preparation of soups from left-over fragments croutons _recipes_: asparagus soup baked bean soup bean and corn soup bean and hominy soup bean and potato soup bean and tomato soup black bean soup black bean soup no. bran stock brown soup canned green pea soup canned corn soup carrot soup celery soup chestnut soup combination soup combination soup no. another another cream pea soup cream barley soup green corn soup green pea soup green bean soup kornlet soup kornlet and tomato soup lentil soup lentil and parsnip soup lima bean soup macaroni soup oatmeal soup parsnip soup parsnip soup no. pea and tomato soup plain rice soup potato and rice soup potato soup potato and vermicelli soup sago and potato soup scotch broth split pea soup sweet potato soup swiss potato soup swiss lentil soup tomato and macaroni soup tomato cream soup tomato and okra soup tomato soup with vermicelli vegetable oyster soup vegetable soup vegetable soup no. vegetable soup no. vegetable soup no. velvet soup vermicelli soup no. white celery soup table topics. breakfast dishes importance of a good breakfast requirements for a good breakfast pernicious custom of using fried and indigestible foods for breakfast use of salted foods an auxiliary to the drink habit the ideal breakfast use of fruit for breakfast grains for breakfast an appetizing dish preparation of zwieback preparation of toast _recipes_: apple toast apricot toast asparagus toast banana toast berry toast berry toast no. celery toast cream toast cream toast with poached egg cherry toast gravy toast dry toast with hot cream grape toast lentil toast prune toast peach toast snowflake toast tomato toast vegetable oyster toast _miscellaneous breakfast dishes:_ brewis blackberry mush dry granola frumenty macaroni with raisins macaroni with kornlet peach mush rice with lemon table topics. desserts appropriate and healthful desserts objections to the use of desserts the simplest dessert general suggestions importance of good material preparation of dried fruit for dessert molded desserts _suggestions for flavoring:_ to prepare almond paste cocoanut flavor orange and lemon flavor to color sugar fruit desserts _recipes:_ apple dessert apple meringue dessert. apple rose cream apple snow baked apples with cream baked sweet apple dessert bananas in syrup baked bananas fresh fruit compote grape apples peach cream prune dessert desserts made of fruit with grains, bread, etc. _recipes:_ apple sandwich apple sandwich no. baked apple pudding barley fruit pudding barley fig pudding blackberry cornstarch pudding cocoanut and cornstarch blancmange cornstarch blancmange cornstarch with raisins cornstarch with apples cornstarch fruit mold cornstarch fruit mold no. cracked wheat pudding cracked wheat pudding no. farina blancmange farina fruit mold fruit pudding jam pudding plain fruit pudding or brown betty prune pudding rice meringue rice snowball rice fruit dessert rice dumpling rice cream pudding rice pudding with raisins red rice mold rice and fruit dessert rice and tapioca pudding rice flour mold rice and stewed apple dessert rice and strawberry dessert stewed fruit pudding strawberry minute pudding sweet apple pudding whortleberry pudding desserts with tapioca, sago, manioca, and sea moss _recipes_: apple tapioca apple tapioca no. banana dessert blackberry tapioca cherry pudding fruit tapioca molded tapioca with fruit pineapple tapioca prune and tapioca pudding tapioca and fig pudding peach tapioca tapioca jelly apple sago pudding red sago mold sago fruit pudding sago pudding manioca with fruit raspberry manioca mold sea moss blancmange desserts made with gelatin gelatine an excellent culture medium dangers in the use of gelatine quantity to be used _recipes_: apples in jelly apple shape banana dessert clear dessert fruit foam dessert fruit shape gelatine custard layer-pudding lemon jelly jelly with fruit orange dessert; oranges in jelly orange jelly snow pudding desserts with crusts _recipes_: apple tart gooseberry tart cherry tart strawberry and other fruit shortcakes banana shortcake lemon shortcake berry shortcake with prepared cream cream raised pie baked apple loaf custard puddings importance of slow cooking best utensils for cooking custard desserts in cups to stir beaten eggs into heated milk to flavor custards and custard puddings _recipes_: apple custard apple custard no. apple custard no. apple cornstarch custard apple and bread custard almond cornstarch pudding almond cream apple charlotte banana custard boiled custard boiled custard bread pudding bread and fruit custard bread custard pudding bread and fig pudding bread and apricot pudding caramel custard carrot pudding cocoanut cornstarch pudding cocoanut custard cocoanut rice custard corn meal pudding corn meal pudding no. corn meal and fig pudding cornstarch meringue cracked wheat pudding cup custard farina custard farina pudding floating island fruit custard graham grits pudding ground rice pudding lemon pudding lemon cornstarch pudding lemon cornstarch pudding no. macaroni pudding molded rice or snowballs orange float orange custard orange pudding peach meringue picnic pudding plain cornstarch pudding plain custard prune pudding prune whip rice apple custard pudding rice custard pudding rice snow rice snow with jelly rice with eggs snow pudding steamed custard strawberry charlotte pop corn pudding sago custard pudding sago and fruit custard pudding snowball custard tapioca custard tapioca pudding vermicelli pudding white custard white custard no. steamed pudding precautions to be observed in steaming puddings _recipes:_ batter pudding bread and fruit custard date pudding rice balls steamed bread custard steamed fig pudding pastry and cake deleterious effects from the use of reasons for indigestibility general directions for making pies _recipes_ paste for pies corn meal crust granola crust paste for tart shells cream filling grape tart lemon filling tapioca filling apple custard pie banana pie bread pie carrot pie cocoanut pie cocoanut pie no. cream pie cranberry pie dried apple pie dried apple pie with raisins dried apricot pie farina pie fruit pie grape jelly pie jelly custard pie lemon pie lemon meringue custard one crust peach pie orange pie peach custard pie prune pie pumpkin pie pumpkin pie no. pumpkin pie without eggs simple custard pie squash pie squash pie without eggs sweet apple custard pie sweet potato pie cake general suggestions for preparation of cake made light with yeast cake made light with air _recipes:_ apple cake cocoanut custard cake cream cake delicate cup cake fig layer cake fruit jelly cake gold and silver cake icing for cakes orange cake fruit cake loaf cake pineapple cake plain buns sponge cake sugar crisps variety cake table topics. gravies and sauces importance of proper preparation accuracy of measurement proportion of material necessary the double boiler for cooking gravies flavoring of gravies for vegetables gravies and sauces for vegetables _recipes:_ brown sauce cream and white sauce celery sauce egg sauce pease gravy tomato gravy tomato cream gravy sauces for desserts and puddings _recipes:_ almond sauce caramel sauce cocoanut sauce cream sauce cranberry pudding sauce custard sauce egg sauce egg sauce no. foamy sauce fruit cream fruit sauce fruit sauce no. lemon pudding sauce mock cream molasses sauce orange sauce peach sauce plain pudding sauce red sauce rose cream sago sauce whipped cream sauce table topics. beverages large quantities of fluid prejudicial to digestion wholesome beverages the cup that cheers but not inebriates harmful substances contained in tea theine tannin use of tea a cause of sleeplessness and nervous disorders tea a stimulant tea not a food coffee, cocoa, and chocolate caffein adulteration of tea and coffee substitutes for tea and coffee _recipes:_ beet coffee caramel coffee caramel coffee no. caramel coffee no. caramel coffee no. mrs. t's caramel coffee parched grain coffee wheat, oats, and barley coffee _recipes for cold beverages:_ blackberry beverage fruit beverage fruit beverage no. fruit cordial grape beverage lemonade mixed lemonade oatmeal drink orangeade pineapple beverage pineapple lemonade pink lemonade sherbet tisane table topics. milk, cream, and butter milk, chemical composition of proportion of food elements microscopic examination of milk casein casein coagulated by the introduction of acid spontaneous coagulation or souring of milk adulteration of milk quality of milk influenced by the food of the animal diseased milk kinds of milk to be avoided distribution of germs by milk proper utensils for keeping milk where to keep milk dr. dougall's experiments on the absorbent properties of milk washing of milk dishes treatment of milk for cream rising temperature at which cream rises best importance of sterilizing milk to sterilize milk for immediate use to sterilize milk to keep condensed milk cream, composition of changes produced by churning skimmed milk, composition of buttermilk, composition of digestibility of cream sterilized cream care of milk for producing cream homemade creamery butter, the composition of rancid butter tests of good butter flavor and color of butter artificial butter test for oleomargarine butter in ancient times butter making best conditions for the rising of cream upon what the keeping qualities of butter depend cheese tyrotoxicon _recipes_: hot milk devonshire or clotted cream cottage cheese cottage cheese from buttermilk cottage cheese from sour milk french butter shaken milk emulsified butter table topics. eggs eggs a concentrated food composition of the egg how to choose eggs quality of eggs varied by the food of the fowl stale eggs test for eggs how to keep eggs to beat eggs albumen susceptible to temperature left-over eggs _recipes_: eggs in shell eggs in sunshine eggs poached in tomatoes eggs in cream poached or dropped eggs poached eggs with cream sauce quickly prepared eggs scrambled eggs steamed eggs whirled eggs omelets _recipes_: plain omelets foam omelets fancy omelets soft omelets table topics. meats character of meat nutritive value excrementitious elements flesh food a stimulant diseased meats jewish customs in regard to meat trichina tapeworm and other parasites meat unnecessary for health the excessive use of meat tending to develop the animal propensities objections to its use pork calves' brains and other viscera meat pies scallops pates comparative nutritious value variation and flavor composition and digestibility selection of meats preservation of meats jerked beef pemmican preparation and cooking of meat frozen beef best methods of cooking boiling stewing steaming roasting broiling beef, economy and adaptability in selection of _recipes_: broiled beef cold meat stew pan-broiled steak pan-broiled steak no. roast beef smothered beef vegetables with stewed beef stewed beef mutton cause of strong flavor of _recipes_: boiled leg of mutton broiled chops pot roast lamb roast mutton stewed mutton stewed mutton chop stewed mutton chop no. veal and lamb poultry and game to dress poultry and birds to truss a fowl or bird to stuff a fowl or bird _recipes_: birds baked in sweet potatoes boiled fowl broiled birds broiled fowl corn and chicken pigeons quails and partridges roast chicken roast turkey smothered chicken steamed chicken stewed chicken fish, two classes of difference in nutritive value flavor and wholesomeness poison fish parasites in fish fish as a brain food salted fish shellfish (oysters, clams, lobsters, crabs) not possessed of high nutritive value natural scavengers poisonous mussels how to select and prepare fish frozen fish methods of cooking _recipes_: baked fish broiled fish meat soup preparation of stock selection of material for stock quantity of materials needed uses of scraps extracting the juice temperature of the water to be used correct proportion of water time required for cooking straining the stock to remove the fat simple stock or broth compound stock or double broth to clarify soup stock _recipes_: asparagus soup barley rice sago or tapioca soup caramel for coloring soup brown julienne soup tomato soup white soup vermicelli or macaroni soup puree with chicken tapioca cream soup table topics. food for the sick need of care in the preparation of food for the sick what constitutes proper food for the sick knowledge of dietetics an important factor in the education of every woman no special dishes for all cases hot buttered toast and rich jellies objectionable the simplest food the best scrupulous neatness in serving important to coax a capricious appetite a "purple" dinner a "yellow" dinner to facilitate the serving of hot foods cooking utensils gruel long-continued cooking needed use of the double boiler in the cooking of gruels gruel strainer _recipes_: arrowroot gruel barley gruel egg gruel egg gruel no. farina gruel flour gruel gluten gruel gluten gruel no. gluten cream gluten meal gruel graham gruel graham grits gruel gruel of prepared flour indian meal gruel lemon oatmeal gruel milk oatmeal gruel milk porridge oatmeal gruel oatmeal gruel no. oatmeal gruel no. peptonized' gluten gruel raisin gruel rice water preparations of milk milk diet advantages of quantity of milk needed digestibility of milk _recipes_: albumenized milk hot milk junket, or curded milk koumiss milk and lime water peptonized milk for infants beef tea, broths, etc. nutritive value testimony of dr. austin flint _recipes_: beef extract beef juice beef tea beef tea and eggs beef broth and oatmeal bottled beef tea chicken broth mutton broth vegetable broth vegetable broth no. mixed vegetable broth _recipes for panada_: broth panada chicken panada egg panada milk panada raisin panada grains for the sick _recipes_: gluten mush tomato gluten tomato gluten no. meats for the sick importance of simple preparation _recipes_: broiled steak chicken chicken jelly minced chicken mutton chop minced steak scraped steak eggs for the sick _recipes_: floated egg gluten meal custard gluten custard steamed eggs soft custard raw egg white of egg white of egg and milk refreshing drinks and delicacies for the sick nature's delicacies how to serve fruit juices _recipes_: acorn coffee almond milk apple beverage apple beverage no. apple toast water baked milk barley lemonade barley and fruit drinks barley milk cranberry drink currantade crust coffee egg cream egg cream no. egg cream no. egg lemonade flaxseed coffee gum arabic water hot water hot lemonade irish moss lemonade orangeade plain lemonade slippery elm tea toast water tamarind water bread _recipes_; diabetic biscuit diabetic biscuit no. gluten meal gems jellies and other desserts for the side _recipes_: arrowroot jelly arrowroot blancmange currant jelly iceland moss jelly iceland moss blancmange orange whey white custard table topics. food for the aged and the very young requisites of food for the aged stimulating diet not necessary flesh food unsuitable bill of fare quantity of food for the aged heavy meals a tax upon digestion cornaro's testimony diet for the young causes of mortality among young children best artificial food use of sterilized milk. difference between cows' milk and human milk common method of preparing cows' milk artificial human milk artificial human milk no. artificial human milk no. peptonized milk mucilaginous food excellent in gastro-enteritis preparation of food for infants time required for digestion of artificial food quantity of food for infants rules for finding the amount of food needed table for the feeding of infants interval between feeding intervals for feeding at different ages manner of feeding artificial foods danger from unclean utensils diet of older children an abundance of nitrogenous material important flesh food unnecessary experiments of dr. camman testimony of dr. clouston candy and similar sweets eating between meals education of the appetite inherited appetites and tendencies table topics. fragments and left-over foods preserving and utilizing the left-over fragments precautions to be observed uses of stale bread to insure perfect preservation of fragments preparation of zwieback and croutons left-over grains left-over vegetables left-over meats left-over milk table topics. the art of dining pleasant accessories essential the dining room neatness an essential care of the dining room furnishings of the dining room table talk a pleasant custom table manners suggestions for table etiquette the table its appearance and appointments the table an educator in the household a well ordered table an incentive to good manners ostentation not necessary setting the table the sub-cover napkins the center piece arrangement of dishes "dishing up" setting the table over night warming the dishes the service of meals a capital idea fruit as the first course at breakfast to keep the food hot a employed general suggestions for waiters suggestions concerning dinner parties proper form of invitation arrangement and adornment of table a pleasing custom the _menu_ card service for a company dinner etiquette of dinner parties table topics. after mealtime clearing the table washing the dishes _papier-maché_ tubs ammonia, uses of clean dishes not evolved from dirty dishwater washing all dishes of one kind together washing milk dishes uses of the dish mop cleaning of grain boilers and mush kettles washing of tin dishes to clean iron ware to wash wooden ware care of steel knives and forks draining the dishes dishcloths and towels to make a dish mop the care of glass and silver to keep table cutlery from rusting to wash trays and japanned ware care of the table linen to remove stains to dry table linen to iron table linen washing colored table linen the garbage table topics. a year's breakfasts and dinners a perplexing problem requisites for a well arranged _menu_ suggestions for preparing bills of fare table of food analyses fifty-two weeks' breakfasts and dinners average cost analysis of various bills of fare table topics. a batch of dinners holiday dinners holiday feasting holiday dinners opposed to temperance thanksgiving _menus_ holiday _menus_ picnic dinners the lunch basket, provision for fruit sandwiches egg sandwiches picnic biscuit fig wafers suitable beverages school lunches deficiency of food material in the ordinary school lunch why the after dinner session of school drags wearily simple lunches desirable suggestions for putting up the lunch creamy rice neatness and daintiness essential the lunch basket sabbath dinners a needed reform feasting on the sabbath, deleterious results of simple meals for the sabbath a sabbath bill of fare table topics. list of illustrations. the alimentary canal an oven thermometer convenient kitchen table a double boiler compartment sink for dish-washing open compartment sink for dish-washing closed the steam cooker vegetable press lemon drill the handy waiter wall cabinet percolater holder kneading table dish towel rack vegetable brush a double boiler sectional view of wheat kernel measuring cups bread pan mexican women making tortillas stone metate gem irons perforated sheet iron pan for rolls making unfermented bread canning utensils bain marie chinese soup strainer creamery oriental butter making arrangements for straining stock gruel strainer extension strainer wire dishcloth a picnic dinner introduction. no one thing over which we have control exerts so marked an influence upon our physical prosperity as the food we eat; and it is no exaggeration to say that well-selected and scientifically prepared food renders the partaker whose digestion permits of its being well assimilated, superior to his fellow-mortals in those qualities which will enable him to cope most successfully with life's difficulties, and to fulfill the purpose of existence in the best and truest manner. the brain and other organs of the body are affected by the quality of the blood which nourishes them, and since the blood is made of the food eaten, it follows that the use of poor food will result in poor blood, poor muscles, poor brains, and poor bodies, incapable of first-class work in any capacity. very few persons, however, ever stop to inquire what particular foods are best adapted to the manufacture of good blood and the maintenance of perfect health; but whatever gratifies the palate or is most conveniently obtained, is cooked and eaten without regard to its dietetic value. far too many meals partake of the characteristics of the one described in the story told of a clergyman who, when requested to ask a blessing upon a dinner consisting of bread, hot and tinged with saleratus, meat fried to a crisp, potatoes swimming in grease, mince pie, preserves, and pickles, demurred on the ground that the dinner was "not worth a blessing." he might with equal propriety have added, "and not worth eating." the subject of diet and its relation to human welfare, is one deserving of the most careful consideration. it should be studied as a science, to enable us to choose such materials as are best adapted to our needs under the varying circumstances of climate growth, occupation, and the numerous changing conditions of the human system; as an art, that we may become so skilled in the preparation of the articles selected as to make them both appetizing and healthful. it is an unfortunate fact that even among experienced housekeepers the scientific principles which govern the proper preparation of food, are but little understood, and much unwholesome cookery is the result. the mechanical mixing of ingredients is not sufficient to secure good results; and many of the failures attributed to "poor material," "bad luck," and various other subterfuges to which cooks ignorance of scientific principles. the common method of blindly following recipes, with no knowledge of "the reason why," can hardly fail to be often productive of unsatisfactory results, which to the uninformed seem quite inexplicable. cookery, when based upon scientific principles, ceases to be the difficult problem it so often appears. cause and effect follow each other as certainly in the preparation of food as in other things; and with a knowledge of the underlying principles, and faithfulness in carrying out the necessary details, failure becomes almost an impossibility. there is no department of human activity where applied science offers greater advantages than in that of cookery, and in our presentation of the subjects treated in the following pages, we have endeavored, so far as consistent with the scope of this work, to give special prominence to the scientific principles involved in the successful production of wholesome articles of food. we trust our readers will find these principles so plainly elucidated and the subject so interesting, that they will be stimulated to undertake for themselves further study and research in this most important branch of household science. we have aimed also to give special precedence of space to those most important foods, the legumes, and grains and their products, which in the majority of cook books are given but little consideration or are even left out altogether, believing that our readers will be more interested in learning the many palatable ways in which these especially nutritious and inexpensive foods may be prepared, than in a reiteration of such dishes as usually make up the bulk of the average cook book. for reasons stated elsewhere (in the chapter on milk, cream, and butter), we have in the preparation of all recipes made use of cream in place of other fats; but lest there be some who may suppose because cream occupies so frequent a place in the recipes, and because of their inability to obtain that article, the recipes are therefore not adapted to their use, we wish to state that a large proportion of the recipes in which it is mentioned as seasoning, or for dressing, will be found to be very palatable with the cream omitted, or by the use of its place of some one of the many substitutes recommended. we ought also to mention in this connection, that wherever cream is recommended, unless otherwise designated, the quality used in the preparation of the recipes is that of single or twelve hour cream sufficiently diluted with milk, so that one fourth of each quart of milk is reckoned as cream. if a richer quality than this be used, the quantity should be diminished in proportion; otherwise, by the excess of fat, a wholesome food may become a rich, unhealthful dish. in conclusion, the author desires to state that no recipe has been admitted to this work which has not been thoroughly tested by repeated trials, by far the larger share of such being original, either in the combination of the materials used, the method employed, or both materials and method. care has been taken not to cumber the work with useless and indifferent recipes. it is believed that every recipe will be found valuable, and that the variety offered is sufficiently ample, so that under the most differing circumstances, all may be well served. we trust therefore that those who undertake to use the work as a guide in their culinary practice, will not consider any given recipe a failure because success does not attend their first efforts. perseverance and a careful study of the directions given, will assuredly bring success to all who possess the natural or acquired qualities essential for the practice of that most useful of the arts,--"healthful cookery." ella e. kellogg. _battle creek, april , ._ foods the purposes of food are to promote growth, to supply force and heat, and to furnish material to repair the waste which is constantly taking place in the body. every breath, every thought, every motion, wears out some portion of the delicate and wonderful house in which we live. various vital processes remove these worn and useless particles; and to keep the body in health, their loss must be made good by constantly renewed supplies of material properly adapted to replenish the worn and impaired tissues. this renovating material must be supplied through the medium of food and drink, and the best food is that by which the desired end may be most readily and perfectly attained. the great diversity in character of the several tissues of the body, makes it necessary that food should contain a variety of elements, in order that each part may be properly nourished and replenished. the food elements.--the various elements found in food are the following: starch, sugar, fats, albumen, mineral substances, indigestible substances. the digestible food elements are often grouped, according to their chemical composition, into three classes; _vis._, carbonaceous, nitrogenous, and inorganic. the carbonaceous class includes starch, sugar, and fats; the nitrogenous, all albuminous elements; and the inorganic comprises the mineral elements. _starch_ is only found in vegetable foods; all grains, most vegetables, and some fruits, contain starch in abundance. several kinds of _sugar_ are made in nature's laboratory; _cane_, _grape_, _fruit_, and _milk_ sugar. the first is obtained from the sugar-cane, the sap of maple trees, and from the beet root. grape and fruit sugars are found in most fruits and in honey. milk sugar is one of the constituents of milk. glucose, an artificial sugar resembling grape sugar, is now largely manufactured by subjecting the starch of corn or potatoes to a chemical process; but it lacks the sweetness of natural sugars, and is by no means a proper substitute for them. _albumen_ is found in its purest, uncombined state in the white of an egg, which is almost wholly composed of albumen. it exists, combined with other food elements, in many other foods, both animal and vegetable. it is found abundant in oatmeal, and to some extent in the other grains, and in the juices of vegetables. all natural foods contain elements which in many respects resemble _albumen_, and are so closely allied to it that for convenience they are usually classified under the general name of "albumen." the chief of these is _gluten_, which is found in wheat, rye, and barley. _casein_, found in peas, beans, and milk, and the _fibrin_ of flesh, are elements of this class. _fats_ are found in both animal and vegetable foods. of animal fats, butter and suet are common examples. in vegetable form, fat is abundant in nuts, peas, beans, in various of the grains, and in a few fruits, as the olive. as furnished by nature in nuts, legumes, grains, fruits, and milk, this element is always found in a state of fine subdivision, which condition is the one best adapted to its digestion. as most commonly used, in the form of free fats, as butter, lard, etc., it is not only difficult of digestion itself, but often interferes with the digestion of the other food elements which are mixed with it. it was doubtless never intended that fats should be so modified from their natural condition and separated from other food elements as to be used as a separate article of food. the same may be said of the other carbonaceous elements, sugar and starch, neither of which, when used alone, is capable of sustaining life, although when combined in a proper and natural manner with other food elements, they perform a most important part in the nutrition of the body. most foods contain a percentage of the _mineral_ elements. grains and milk furnish these elements in abundance. the cellulose, or woody tissue, of vegetables, and the bran of wheat, are examples of _indigestible_ elements, which although they cannot be converted into blood in tissue, serve an important purpose by giving bulk to the food. with the exception of gluten, none of the food elements, when used alone, are capable of supporting life. a true food substance contains some of all the food elements, the amount of each varying in different foods. uses of the food elements.--concerning the purpose which these different elements serve, it has been demonstrated by the experiments of eminent physiologists that the carbonaceous elements, which in general comprise the greater bulk of the food, serve three purposes in the body; . they furnish material for the production of heat; . they are a source of force when taken in connection with other food elements; . they replenish the fatty tissues of the body. of the carbonaceous elements,--starch, sugar, and fats,--fats produce the greatest amount of heat in proportion to quantity; that is, more heat is developed from a pound of fat than from an equal weight of sugar or starch; but this apparent advantage is more than counterbalanced by the fact that fats are much more difficult of digestion than are the other carbonaceous elements, and if relied upon to furnish adequate material for bodily heat, would be productive of much mischief in overtaxing and producing disease of the digestive organs. the fact that nature has made a much more ample provision of starch and sugars than of fats in man's natural diet, would seem to indicate that they were intended to be the chief source of carbonaceous food; nevertheless, fats, when taken in such proportion as nature supplies them, are necessary and important food elements. the nitrogenous food elements especially nourish the brain, nerves, muscles, and all the more highly vitalized and active tissues of the body, and also serve as a stimulus to tissue change. hence it may be said that a food deficient in these elements is a particularly poor food. the inorganic elements, chief of which are the phosphates, in the carbonates of potash, soda, and lime, aid in furnishing the requisite building material for bones and nerves. proper combinations of foods.--while it is important that our food should contain some of all the various food elements, experiments upon both animals and human beings show it is necessary that these elements, especially the nitrogenous and carbonaceous, be used in certain definite proportions, as the system is only able to appropriate a certain amount of each; and all excess, especially of nitrogenous elements, is not only useless, but even injurious, since to rid the system of the surplus imposes an additional task upon the digestive and excretory organs. the relative proportion of these elements necessary to constitute a food which perfectly meets the requirements of the system, is six of carbonaceous to one of nitrogenous. scientists have devoted much careful study and experimentation to the determination of the quantities of each of the food elements required for the daily nourishment of individuals under the varying conditions of life, and it has come to be commonly accepted that of the nitrogenous material which should constitute one sixth of the nutrients taken, about _three ounces_ is all that can be made use of in twenty-four hours, by a healthy adult of average weight, doing a moderate amount of work. many articles of food are, however, deficient in one or the other of these elements, and need to be supplemented by other articles containing the deficient element in superabundance, since to employ a dietary in which any one of the nutritive elements is lacking, although in bulk it may be all the digestive organs can manage, is really starvation, and will in time occasion serious results. it is thus apparent that much care should be exercised in the selection and combination of food materials. the table on page , showing the nutritive values of various foods, should be carefully studied. such knowledge is of first importance in the education of cooks and housekeepers, since to them falls the selection of the food for the daily needs of the household; and they should not only understand what foods are best suited to supply these needs, but how to combine them in accordance with physiological laws. condiments.--by condiments are commonly meant such substances as are added to season food, to give it "a relish" or to stimulate appetite, but which in themselves possess no real food value. to this category belong mustard, ginger, pepper, pepper sauce, worcestershire sauce, cloves, spices, and other similar substances. that anything is needed to disguise or improve the natural flavor of food, would seem to imply either that the article used was not a proper alimentary substance, or that it did not answer the purpose for which the creator designed it. true condiments, such as pepper, pepper sauce, ginger, spice, mustard, cinnamon, cloves, etc., are all strong irritants. this may be readily demonstrated by their application to a raw surface. the intense smarting and burning occasioned are ample evidence of the irritating character. pepper and mustard are capable of producing powerfully irritating effects, even when applied to the healthy skin where wholly intact. it is surprising that it does not occur to the mother who applies a mustard plaster to the feet of her child, to relieve congestion of the brain, that an article which is capable of producing a blister upon the external covering of the body, is quite as capable of producing similar effects when applied to the more sensitive tissues within the body. the irritating effects of these substances upon the stomach are not readily recognized, simply because the stomach is supplied with very few nerves of sensation. that condiments induce an intense degree of irritation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, was abundantly demonstrated by the experiments of dr. beaumont upon the unfortunate alexis st. martin. dr. beaumont records that when st. martin took mustard, pepper, and similar condiments with his food, the mucous membrane of his stomach became intensely red and congested, appearing very much like an inflamed eye. it is this irritating effect of condiments which gives occasion for their extended use. they create an artificial appetite, similar to the incessant craving of the chronic dyspeptic, whose irritable stomach is seldom satisfied. this fact with regard to condiments is a sufficient argument against their use, being one of the greatest causes of gluttony, since they remove the sense of satiety by which nature says, "enough." to a thoroughly normal and unperverted taste, irritating condiments of all sorts are very obnoxious. it is true that nature accommodates herself to their use with food to such a degree that they may be employed for years without apparently producing very grave results; but this very condition is a source of injury, since it is nothing more nor less than the going to sleep of the sentinels which nature has posted at the portal of the body, for the purpose of giving warning of danger. the nerves of sensibility have become benumbed to such a degree that they no longer offer remonstrance against irritating substances, and allow the enemy to enter into the citadel of life. the mischievous work is thus insidiously carried on year after year until by and by the individual breaks down with some chronic disorder of the liver, kidneys, or some other important internal organ. physicians have long observed that in tropical countries where curry powder and other condiments are very extensively used, diseases of the liver, especially acute congestion and inflammation, are exceedingly common, much more so that in countries and among nations where condiments are less freely used. a traveler in mexico, some time ago, described a favorite mexican dish as composed of layers of the following ingredients: "pepper, mustard, ginger, pepper, potato, ginger; mustard, pepper, potato, mustard, ginger, pepper." the common use of such a dish is sufficient cause for the great frequency of diseases of the liver among the mexicans, noted by physicians traveling in that country. that the use of condiments is wholly a matter of habit is evident from the fact that different nations employ as condiments articles which would be in the highest degree obnoxious to people of other countries. for example, the garlic so freely used in russian cookery, would be considered by americans no addition to the natural flavors of food; and still more distasteful would be the asafetida frequently used as a seasoning in the cuisine of persia and other asiatic countries. the use of condiments is unquestionably a strong auxiliary to the formation of a habit of using intoxicating drinks. persons addicted to the use of intoxicating liquors are, as a rule, fond of stimulating and highly seasoned foods; and although the converse is not always true, yet it is apparent to every thoughtful person, that the use of a diet composed of highly seasoned and irritating food, institutes the conditions necessary for the acquirement of a taste for intoxicating liquors. the false appetite aroused by the use of food that "burns and stings," craves something less insipid than pure cold water to keep up the fever the food has excited. again, condiments, like all other stimulants, must be continually increased in quantity, or their effect becomes diminished; and this leads directly to a demand for stronger stimulants, both in eating and drinking, until the probable tendency is toward the dram-shop. a more serious reason why high seasonings leads to intemperance, is in the perversion of the use of the sense of taste. certain senses are given us to add to our pleasure as well as for the practical, almost indispensable, use they are to us. for instance, the sense of sight is not only useful, but enables us to drink in beauty, if among beautiful surroundings, without doing us any harm. the same of music and other harmonics which may come to us through the sense of hearing. but the sense of taste and was given us to distinguish between wholesome and unwholesome foods, and cannot be used for merely sensuous gratification, without debasing and making of it a gross thing. an education which demands special enjoyment or pleasure through the sense of taste, is wholly artificial; it is coming down to the animal plane, or below it rather; for the instinct of the brute creation teaches it merely to eat to live. yet how wide-spread is this habit of sensuous gratification through the sense of taste! if one calls upon a neighbor, he is at once offered refreshments of some kind, as though the greatest blessing of life came from indulging the appetite. this evil is largely due to wrong education, which begins with childhood. when johnnie sits down to the table, the mother says, "johnnie, what would you like?" instead of putting plain, wholesome food before the child, and taking it as a matter of course that he will eat it and be satisfied. the child grows to think that he must have what he likes, whether it is good for him or not. it is not strange that an appetite thus pampered in childhood becomes uncontrollable at maturity; for the step from gormandizing to intoxication is much shorter than most people imagine. the natural, unperverted taste of a child will lead him to eat that which is good for him. but how can we expect the children to reform when the parents continually set them bad examples in the matter of eating and drinking? the cultivation of a taste for spices is a degradation of the sense of taste. nature never designed that pleasure should be divorced from use. the effects of gratifying the sense of taste differ materially from those of gratifying the higher senses of sight and hearing. what we see is gone; nothing remains but the memory, and the same is true of the sweetest sounds which may reach us through the ears. but what we taste is taken into the stomach and what has thus given us brief pleasure through the gratification of the palate, must make work in the alimentary canal for fourteen hours before it is disposed of. variety in food.--simplicity of diet should be a point of first consideration with all persons upon whom falls the responsibility of providing the family bills of fare, since the simplest foods are, as a rule, the most healthful. variety is needed; that is, a judicious mingling of fruits, grains, and vegetables; but the general tendency is to supply our tables with too many kinds and to prepare each dish in the most elaborate manner, until, in many households, the cooking of food has come to be almost the chief end of life. while the preparation of food should be looked upon as of so much importance as to demand the most careful consideration and thought as to its suitability, wholesomeness, nutritive qualities, and digestibility, it should by no means be made to usurp the larger share of one's time, when simpler foods and less labor would afford the partakers equal nourishment and strength. a great variety of foods at one meal exerts a potent influence in creating a love of eating, and is likewise a constant temptation to overeat. let us have well-cooked, nutritious, and palatable food, and plenty of it; variety from day to day, but not too great a variety at each meal. the prevalent custom of loading the table with a great number of viands, upon occasions when guests are to be entertained in our homes, is one to be deplored, since it is neither conducive to good health nor necessary to good cheer, but on the contrary is still laborious and expensive a practice that many are debarred from social intercourse because they cannot afford to entertain after the fashion of their neighbors. upon this subject a well-known writer has aptly said: "simplify cookery, thus reducing the cost of living, and how many longing individuals would thereby be enabled to afford themselves the pleasure of culture and social intercourse! when the barbarous practice of stuffing one's guests shall have been abolished, a social gathering will not then imply, as it does now, hard labor, expensive outlay, and dyspepsia. perhaps when that time arise, we shall be sufficiently civilized to demand pleasures of a higher sort. true, the entertainments will then, in one sense, be more costly, as culture is harder to come by than cake. the profusion of viands now heaped upon the table, betrays poverty of the worst sort. having nothing better to offer, we offer victuals; and this we do with something of that complacent, satisfied air with which some more northern tribes present their tidbits of whale and walrus." table topics. "let appetite wear reason's golden chain, and find in due restrain its luxury." a man's food, when he has the means and opportunity of selecting it, suggests his moral nature. many a christian is trying to do by prayer that which cannot be done except through corrected diet.--_talmage._ our pious ancestors enacted a law that suicides should be buried where four roads meet, and that a cart-load of stones should be thrown upon the body. yet, when gentlemen or ladies commit suicide, not by cord or steel, but by turtle soup or lobster salad, they may be buried on consecrated ground, and the public are not ashamed to read an epitaph upon their tombstones false enough to make the marble blush.--_horace mann._ it is related by a gentleman who had an appointment to breakfast with the late a.t. stewart, that the butler placed before them both an elaborate bill of fare; the visitor selected a list of rare dishes, and was quite abashed when mr. stewart said, "bring me my usual breakfast,--oatmeal and boiled eggs." he then explained to his friend that he found simple food a necessity to him, otherwise he could not think clearly. that unobscured brain applied to nobler ends would have won higher results, but the principle remains the same.--_sel._ study simplicity in the number of dishes, and a variety in the character of the meals.--_sel._ i have come to the conclusion that more than half the disease which embitters life is due to avoidable errors in diet, ... and that more mischief, in the form of actual disease, of impaired vigor, and of shortened life, accrues to civilized man from erroneous habits of eating than from the habitual use of alcoholic drink, considerable as i know that evil to be.--_sir henry thompson._ the ancient gauls, who were a very brave, strong, and hearty race, lived very abstemiously. their food was milk, berries, and herbs. they made bread of nuts. they had a very peculiar fashion of wearing a metal ring around the body, the size of which was regulated by act of parliament. any man who outgrew in circumference his metal ring was looked upon as a lazy glutton, and consequently was disgraced. to keep in health this rule is wise: eat only when you need, and relish food, chew thoroughly that it may do you good, have it well cooked, unspiced, and undisguised. --_leonardo da vinci_ the digestion of foods. it is important that the housekeeper not only understand the nature and composition of foods, but she should also know something of their digestive properties, since food, to be serviceable, must be not only nutritious, but easily digested. digestion is the process by which food rendered soluble, and capable of being absorbed for use in carrying on the various vital processes. the digestive apparatus consists of a long and tortuous tube called the alimentary canal, varying in length from twenty-five to thirty feet, along which are arranged the various digestive organs,--the mouth, the stomach, the liver, and the pancreas,--each of which, together with the intestines, has an important function to perform. in these various organs nature manufactures five wonderful fluids for changing and dissolving the several food elements. the mouth supplies the saliva; in the walls of the stomach are little glands which produce the gastric juice; the pancreatic juice is made by the pancreas; the liver secretes bile; while scattered along the small intestines are minute glands which make the intestinal juice. each of these fluids has a particular work to do in transforming some part of the food into suitable material for use in the body. the saliva acts upon the starch of the food, changing it into sugar; the gastric juice digests albumin and other nitrogenous elements; the bile digests fat, and aids in the absorption of other food elements after they are digested; the pancreatic juice is not confined in its action to a single element, but digests starch, fats, and the albuminous elements after they have been acted upon by the gastric juice; the intestinal juice is capable of acting upon all digestible food elements. [illustration: the alimentary canal, _a._ esophagus; _b._ stomach; _c._ cardiac orifice; _d._ pylorus; _e._ small intestine; _f._ bile duct; _g._ pancreatic duct; _h._ ascending colon; _i._ transverse colon; _j._ descending colon; _k._ rectum.] the digestion of a mouthful of bread.--a mouthful of bread represents all, or nearly all, the elements of nutrition. taking a mouthful of bread as a representative of food in general, it may be said that its digestion begins the moment that it enters the mouth, and continues the entire length of the alimentary canal, or until the digestible portion of the food has been completely digested and absorbed. we quote the following brief description of the digestive process from dr. j.h. kellogg's second book in physiology[a]:-- [footnote a: good health pub. co., battle creek, mich.] "_mastication._--the first act of the digestive process is mastication, or chewing the food, the purpose of which is to crush the food and divide it into small particles, so that the various digestive fluids may easily and promptly come into contact with every part of it. "_salivary digestion._--during the mastication of the food, the salivary glands are actively pouring out the saliva, which mingles with the food, and by softening it, aids in its division and prepares it for the action of the other digestive fluids. it also acts upon the starch, converting a portion of it into grape-sugar. "_stomach digestion._--after receiving the food, the stomach soon begins to pour out the gastric juices, which first makes its appearance in little drops, like beads of sweat upon the face when the perspiration starts. as the quantity increases, the drops run together, trickle down the side of the stomach, and mingle with the food. the muscular walls of the stomach contract upon the food, moving it about with a sort of crushing action, thoroughly mixing the gastric juice with the food. during this process both the openings of the stomach are closed tightly. the gastric juice softens the food, digests albumen, and coagulates milk. the saliva continues its action upon starch for sometime after the food reaches the stomach. "after the food has remained in the stomach from one to three hours, or even longer, if the digestion is slow, or indigestible foods have been eaten, the contractions of the stomach become so vigorous that the more fluid portions of the food are squeezed out through the pylorus, the lower orifice of the stomach, thus escaping into the intestine. the pylorus does not exercise any sort of intelligence in the selection of food, as was once supposed. the increasing acidity of the contents of the stomach causes its muscular walls to contract with increasing vigor, until finally those portions of the food which may be less perfectly broken up, but which the stomach has been unable to digest, are forced through the pylorus. "_intestinal digestion._--as it leaves the stomach, the partially digested mass of food is intensely acid, from the large quantity of gastric juices which it contains. intestinal digestion cannot begin until the food becomes alkaline. the alkaline bile neutralizes the gastric juice, and renders the digesting mass slightly alkaline. the bile also acts upon the fatty elements of the food, converting them into an emulsion. the pancreatic juice converts the starch into grape-sugar, even acting upon raw starch. it also digest fats and albumem. the intestinal juice continues the work begun by the other digestive fluids, and, in addition, digests cane-sugar, converting it into grape-sugar. "_other uses of the digestive fluids._--in addition to the uses which we have already stated, several of the digestive fluids possess other interesting properties. the saliva aids the stomach by stimulating its glands to make gastric juice. the gastric juice and the bile are excellent antiseptics, by which the food is preserved from fermentation while undergoing digestion. the bile also stimulates the movements of the intestines by which the food is moved along, and aids absorption. it is remarkable and interesting that a fluid so useful as the bile should be at the same time composed of waste matters which are being removed from the body. this is an illustration of the wonderful economy shown by nature in her operations. "the food is moved along the alimentary canal, from the stomach downward, by successive contractions of the muscular walls of the intestines, known as peristaltic movements, which occur with great regularity during digestion. "_absorption_.--the absorption of the food begins as soon as any portion has been digested. even in the mouth and the esophagus a small amount is absorbed. the entire mucous membrane lining the digestive canal is furnished with a rich supply of blood-vessels, by which the greater part of the digestive food is absorbed. "_liver digestion._--the liver as well as the stomach is a digestive organ, and in a double sense. it not only secretes a digestive fluid, the bile, but it acts upon the food brought to it by the portal vein, and regulates the supply of digested food to the general system. it converts a large share of the grape-sugar and partially digested starch brought to it into a kind of liver starch, termed glycogen, which it stores up in its tissues. during the interval between the meals, the liver gradually redigests the glycogen, reconverting it into sugar, and thus supplying it to the blood in small quantities, instead of allowing the entire amount formed in digestion to enter the circulation at once. if too large an amount of sugar entered the system at once, it would be unable to use it all, and would be compelled to get rid of a considerable portion through the kidneys. the liver also completes the digestion of albumen and other food elements." time required for digestion.--the length of time required for stomach digestion varies with different food substances. the following table shows the time necessary for the stomach digestion of some of the more commonly used foods:-- min rice sago tapioca barley beans, pod, boiled bread, wheaten bread, corn apples, sour and raw apples, sweet and raw parsnips, boiled beets, boiled potatoes, irish, boiled potatoes, irish, baked cabbage, raw cabbage, boiled milk, boiled milk, raw eggs, hard boiled eggs, soft boiled eggs, fried eggs, raw eggs, whipped salmon, salted, boiled oysters, raw oysters, stewed beef, lean, rare roasted beefsteak, boiled beef, lean, fried beef, salted, boiled pork, roasted pork, salted, fried mutton, roasted mutton, broiled veal, broiled veal, fried fowls, boiled duck, roasted butter, melted cheese soup, marrowbone soup, bean soup, mutton chicken, boiled the time required for the digestion of food also depends upon the condition under which the food is eaten. healthy stomach digestion requires at least five hours for its completion, and the stomach should have an hour for rest before another meal. if fresh food is taken before that which preceded it is digested, the portion of food remaining in the stomach is likely to undergo fermentation, thus rendering the whole mass of food unfit for the nutrition of the body, besides fostering various disturbances of digestion. it has been shown by recent observations that the length of time required for food to pass through the entire digestive process to which it is subjected in the mouth, stomach, and small intestines, is from twelve to fourteen hours. hygiene of digestion.--with the stomach and other digestive organs in a state of perfect health, one is entirely unconscious of their existence, save when of feeling of hunger calls attention to the fact that food is required, or satiety warns us that a sufficient amount or too much has been eaten. perfect digestion can only be maintained by careful observance of the rules of health in regard to habits of eating. on the subject of hygiene of digestion, we again quote a few paragraphs from dr. kellogg's work on physiology, in which is given a concise summary of the more important points relating to this:-- "the hygiene of digestion has to do with the quality and quantity of food eaten, in the manner of eating it. "_hasty eating._--if the food is eaten too rapidly, it will not be properly divided, and when swallowed in coarse lumps, the digestive fluids cannot readily act upon it. on account of the insufficient mastication, the saliva will be deficient in quantity, and, as a consequence, the starch will not be well digested, and the stomach will not secrete a sufficient amount of gastric juice. it is not well to eat only soft or liquid food, as we are likely to swallow it without proper chewing. a considerable proportion of hard food, which requires thorough mastication, should be eaten at every meal. "_drinking freely at meals_ is harmful, as it not only encourages hasty eating, but dilutes the gastric juice, and thus lessens its activity. the food should be chewed until sufficiently moistened by saliva to allow it to be swallowed. when large quantities of fluid are taken into the stomach, digestion does not begin until a considerable portion of the fluid has been absorbed. if cold foods or drinks are taken with the meal, such as ice-cream, ice-water, iced milk or tea, the stomach is chilled, and a long delay in the digestive process is occasioned. "the indians of brazil carefully abstain from drinking when eating, and the same custom prevails among many other savage tribes. "_eating between meals._--the habit of eating apples, nuts, fruits, confectionery, etc., between meals is exceedingly harmful, and certain to produce loss of appetite and indigestion. the stomach as well as the muscles and other organs of the body requires rest. the frequency with which meals should be taken depends somewhat upon the age and occupation of an individual. infants take their food at short intervals, and owing to its simple character, are able to digest it very quickly. adults should not take food oftener than three times a day; and persons whose employment is sedentary say, in many cases at least, adopt with advantage the plan of the ancient greeks, who ate but twice a day. the latter custom is quite general among the higher classes in france and spain, and in several south american countries. "_simplicity in diet._--taking too many kinds of food at a meal is a common fault which is often a cause of disease of the digestive-organs. those nations are the most hardy and enduring whose dietary is most simple. the scotch peasantry live chiefly upon oatmeal, the irish upon potatoes, milk, and oatmeal, the italian upon peas, beans, macaroni, and chestnuts; yet all these are noted for remarkable health and endurance. the natives of the canary islands, an exceedingly well-developed and vigorous race, subsist almost chiefly upon a food which they call gofio, consisting of parched grain, coarsely ground in a mortar and mixed with water. "_eating when tired._--it is not well to eat when exhausted by violent exercise, as the system is not prepared to do the work of digestion well. sleeping immediately after eating is also a harmful practice. the process of digestion cannot well be performed during sleep, and sleep is disturbed by the ineffective efforts of the digestive organs. hence the well-known evil effects of late suppers. "_eating too much._--hasty eating is the greatest cause of over-eating. when one eats too rapidly, the food is crowded into the stomach so fast that nature has no time to cry, 'enough,' by taking away the appetite before too much has been eaten. when an excess of food is taken, it is likely to ferment or sour before it can be digested. one who eats too much usually feels dull after eating. "_how much food is enough?_--the proper quantity for each person to take is what he is able to digest and utilize. this amount of various with each individual, at different times. the amount needed will vary with the amount of work done, mental or muscular; with the weather or the season of the year, more food being required in cold than in warm weather: with the age of an individual, very old and very young persons requiring less food than those of middle age. an unperverted appetite, not artificially stimulated, is a safe guide. drowsiness, dullness, and heaviness at the stomach are indications of an excess of eating, and naturally suggest a lessening of the quantity of food, unless the symptoms are known to arise from some other cause. "_excess of certain food elements._--when sugar is too freely used, either with food or in the form of sweetmeats or candies, indigestion, and even more serious disease, is likely to result. fats, when freely used, give rise to indigestion and 'biliousness.' an excess of albumen from the too free use of meat is harmful. only a limited amount of this element can be used; an excess is treated as waste matter, and must be removed from the system by the liver and the kidneys. the majority of persons would enjoy better health by using meat more moderately than is customary in this country. "_deficiency of certain food elements._--a diet deficient in any important food element is even more detrimental to health than a diet in which certain elements are in excess. "the popular notion that beef-tea and meat extracts contain the nourishing elements of meat in a concentrated form, is a dangerous error. undoubtedly many sick persons have been starved by being fed exclusively upon these articles, which are almost wholly composed of waste substances. prof. paule bernard, of paris, found that dogs fed upon meat extracts died sooner than those which received only water." food combinations.--some persons, especially those of weak digestive powers, often experience inconvenience in the use of certain foods, owing to their improper combinations with other articles. many foods which are digested easily when partaken of alone or in harmonious combinations, create much disturbance when eaten at the same meal with several different articles of food, or with some particular article with which they are especially incompatible. the following food combinations are among the best, the relative excellence of each being indicated by the order in which they are named: milk and grains; grains and eggs; grains and vegetables or meats; grains and fruits. persons with sound stomachs and vigorous digestion will seldom experience inconvenience in making use of other and more varied combinations, but dyspeptics and persons troubled with slow digestion will find it to their advantage to select from the bill of fare such articles as best accord with each other, and to avoid such combinations as fruits and vegetables, milk and vegetables, milk and meats, sugar and milk, meat or vegetables, fats with fruits, meats, or vegetables, or cooked with grains. table topics. now good digestion waits on appetite, and health on both--_shakespeare._ we live not upon what we eat, but upon what we digest.--_abernethy._ if we consider the amount of ill temper, despondency, and general unhappiness which arises from want of proper digestion and assimilation of our food, it seems obviously well worth while to put forth every effort, and undergo any sacrifice, for the purpose of avoiding indigestion, with its resulting bodily ills; and yet year after year, from the cradle to the grave, we go on violating the plainest and simplest laws of health at the temptation of cooks, caterers, and confectioners, whose share in shortening the average term of human life is probably nearly equal to that of the combined armies and navies of the world.--_richardson._ almost every human malady is connected, either by highway or byway, with the stomach.--_sir francis head._ it is a well-established fact that a leg of mutton caused a revolution in the affairs of europe. just before the battle of leipsic, napoleon the great insisted on dining on boiled mutton, although his physicians warned him that it would disagree with him. the emperor's brain resented the liberty taken with its colleague, the stomach; the monarch's equilibrium was overturned, the battle lost, and a new page opened in history.--_sel._ galloping consumption at the dinner table is one of the national disorders.--_sel._ the kitchen (that is, your stomach) being out of order, the garret (the head) cannot be right, and every room in the house becomes affected. remedy the evil in the kitchen, and all will be right in parlor and chamber. if you put improper food into the stomach, you play the mischief with it, and with the whole machine besides.--_abernethy._ cattle know when to go home from grazing, but a foolish man never knows his stomachs measures.--_scandinavian proverb._ enough is as good as a feast. simplicity of diet is the characteristic of the dwellers in the orient. according to niebuhr, the sheik of the desert wants only a dish of pillau, or boiled rice, which he eats without fork or spoon. notwithstanding their frugal fare, these sons of the desert are among the most hearty and enduring of all members of the human family. a traveler tells of seeing one of them run up to the top of the tallest pyramid and back in six minutes. one fourth of what we eat keeps us, and the other three fourths we keep at the peril of our lives.--_abernethy._ cookery. it is not enough that good and proper food material be provided; it must have such preparation as will increase and not diminish its alimentary value. the unwholesomeness of food is quite as often due to bad cookery as to improper selection of material. proper cookery renders good food material more digestible. when scientifically done, cooking changes each of the food elements, with the exception of fats, in much the same manner as do the digestive juices, and at the same time it breaks up the food by dissolving the soluble portions, so that its elements are more readily acted upon by the digestive fluids. cookery, however, often fails to attain the desired end; and the best material is rendered useless and unwholesome by a improper preparation. it is rare to find a table, some portion of the food upon which is not rendered unwholesome either by improper preparatory treatment, or by the addition of some deleterious substance. this is doubtless due to the fact that the preparation of food being such a commonplace matter, its important relations to health, mind, and body have been overlooked, and it has been regarded as a menial service which might be undertaken with little or no preparation, and without attention to matters other than those which relate to the pleasure of the eye and the palate. with taste only as a criterion, it is so easy to disguise the results of careless and improper cookery of food by the use of flavors and condiments, as well as to palm off upon the digestive organs all sorts of inferior material, that poor cookery has come to be the rule rather than the exception. another reason for this prevalence of bad cookery, is to be found in the fact that in so many homes the cooking is intrusted to an ignorant class of persons having no knowledge whatever of the scientific principles involved in this most important and practical of arts. an ethical problem which we have been unable to solve is the fact that women who would never think of trusting the care of their fine china and bric-a-brac to unskilled hands, unhesitatingly intrust to persons who are almost wholly untrained, the preparation of their daily food. there is no department of life where superior intelligence is more needed than in the selection and preparation of food, upon which so largely depend the health and physical welfare of the family circle. the evils of bad cookery and ill-selected food are manifold, so many, in fact, that it has been calculated that they far exceed the mischief arising from the use of strong drink; indeed, one of the evils of unwholesome food is its decided tendency to create a craving for intoxicants. bad cookery causes indigestion, indigestion causes thirst, and thirst perpetuates drunkenness. any one who has suffered from a fit of indigestion, and can recollect the accompanying headache and the lowness of spirits, varying in degree from dejection or ill-humor to the most extreme melancholy, until the intellectual faculties seemed dazed, and the moral feelings blunted, will hardly wonder that when such a condition becomes chronic, as is often the case from the use of improperly prepared food, the victim is easily led to resort to stimulants to drown depression and enliven the spirits. a thorough practical knowledge of simple, wholesome cookery ought to form a part of the education of every young woman, whatever her station in life. no position in life is more responsible than that of the person who arranges the bills of fare and selects the food for the household; and what higher mission can one conceive than to intelligently prepare the wherewithal to make shoulders strong to bear life's burdens and heads clear to solve its intricate problems? what worthier work than to help in the building up of bodies into pure temples fit for guests of noble thoughts and high purposes? surely, no one should undertake such important work without a knowledge of the principles involved. the principles of scientific cookery. cookery is the art of preparing food for the table by dressing, or by the application of heat in some manner. fuels.--artificial heat is commonly produced by combustion, caused by the chemical action of the oxygen of the air upon the hydrogen and carbon found in fuel. the different fuels in common use for cooking purposes are hard wood, soft wood, charcoal, anthracite coal, bituminous coal, coke, lignite, kerosene oil, gasoline, and gas. as to their respective values, much depends upon the purpose for which they are to be used. wood charcoal produces a greater amount of heat than an equal weight of any other fuel. soft wood burns quicker and gives a more intense heat than hard wood, and hence is best for a quick fire. hard wood burns slowly, produces a larger mass of coals, and is best where long-continued heat is desired. anthracite coal kindles slowly, and burns with little flame or smoke, but its vapor is sulphurous, and on that account it should never be burned in an open stove, nor in one with an imperfect draft. its heat is steady and intense. bituminous coal ignites readily, burns with considerable flame and smoke, and gives a much less intense heat than anthracite, lignite, or brown coal, is much less valuable as fuel. coke is useful when a short, quick fire is needed. kerosene and gas are convenient and economical fuels. making fires.--if coal is the fuel to be used, first clean out the stove by shaking the grate and removing all ashes and cinders. remove the stove covers, and brush the soot and ashes out of all the flues and draft holes into the fire-box. place a large handful of shavings or loosely twisted or crumpled papers upon the grate, over which lay some fine pieces of dry kindling-wood, arranged crosswise to permit a free draft, then a few sticks of hard wood, so placed as to allow plenty of air spaces. be sure that the wood extends out to both ends of the fire-box. replace the covers, and if the stove needs blacking, mix the polish, and apply it, rubbing with a dry brush until nearly dry, then light the fuel, as a little heat will facilitate the polishing. when the wood is burning briskly, place a shovelful or two of rather small pieces of coal upon the wood, and, as they ignite, gradually add more, until there is a clear, bright body of fire, remembering, however, never to fill the stove above the fire bricks; then partly close the direct draft. when wood or soft coal is used, the fuel may be added at the same time with the kindling. care of fires.--much fuel is wasted through the loss of heat from too much draft. only just enough air should be supplied to promote combustion. a coal fire, when well kindled, needs only air enough to keep it burning. when the coal becomes red all through, it has parted with the most of its heat, and the fire will soon die unless replenished. to keep a steady fire, add but a small amount of fuel at a time, and repeat often enough to prevent any sensible decrease of the degree of heat. rake the fire from the bottom, and keep it clear of ashes and cinders. if a very hot fire is needed, open the drafts; at other times, keep them closed, or partially so, and not waste fuel. there is no economy in allowing a fire to get low before fuel is added; for the fresh fuel cools the fire to a temperature so low that it is not useful, and thus occasions a direct waste of all fuel necessary to again raise the heat to the proper degree, to say nothing of the waste of time and patience. the addition of small quantities of fuel at short intervals so long as continuous heat is needed, is far better than to let the fuel burn nearly out, and then add a larger quantity. the improper management of the drafts and dampers has also much to do with waste of fuel. as stoves are generally constructed, it is necessary for the heat to pass over the top, down the back, and under the bottom of the oven before escaping into the flue, in order to properly heat the oven for baking. in order to force the heat to make this circuit, the direct draft of the stove needs to be closed. with this precaution observed, a quick fire from a small amount of fuel, used before its force is spent, will produce better results than a fire-box full under other circumstances. an item of economy for those who are large users of coal, is the careful sifting of the cinders from the ashes. they can be used to good advantage to put first upon the kindlings, when building the fire, as they ignite more readily than fresh coal, and give a greater, quicker heat, although much less enduring. methods of cooking.--a proper source of heat having been secured, the next step is to apply it to the food in some manner. the principal methods commonly employed are roasting, broiling, baking, boiling, stewing, simmering, steaming, and frying. _roasting_ is cooking food in its own juices before an open fire. a clear fire with intense heat is necessary. _broiling_, or _grilling_, is cooking by radiant heat over glowing coals. this method is only adapted to thin pieces of food with a considerable amount of surface. larger and more compact foods should be roasted or baked. roasting and broiling are allied in principle. in both, the work is chiefly done by the radiation of heat directly upon the surface of the food, although some heat is communicated by the hot air surrounding the food. the intense heat applied to the food soon sears its outer surfaces, and thus prevents the escape of its juices. if care be taken frequently to turn the food so that its entire surface will be thus acted upon, the interior of the mass is cooked by its own juices. _baking_ is the cooking of food by dry heat in a closed oven. only foods containing a considerable degree of moisture are adapted for cooking by this method. the hot, dry air which fills the oven is always thirsting for moisture, and will take from every moist substance to which it has access a quantity of water proportionate to its degree of heat. foods containing but a small amount of moisture, unless protected in some manner from the action of the heated air, or in some way supplied with moisture during the cooking process, come from the oven dry, hard, and unpalatable. proper cooking by this method depends greatly upon the facility with which the heat of the oven can be regulated. when oil or gas is the fuel used, it is an easy matter to secure and maintain almost any degree of heat desirable, but with a wood or coal stove, especial care and painstaking are necessary. it is of the first importance that the mechanism of the oven to be used, be thoroughly understood by the cook, and she should test its heating capacity under various conditions, with a light, quick fire and with a more steady one; she should carefully note the kind and amount of fuel requisite to produce a certain degree of heat; in short, she should thoroughly know her "machine" and its capabilities before attempting to use it for the cooking of food. an oven thermometer is of the utmost value for testing the heat, but unfortunately, such thermometers are not common. they are obtainable in england, although quite expensive. it is also possible at the present time to obtain ranges with a very reliable thermometer attachment to the oven door. [illustration: an oven thermometer] a cook of good judgment by careful observation and comparison of results, can soon learn to form quite a correct idea of the heat of her oven by the length of time she can hold her hand inside it without discomfort, but since much depends upon the construction of stoves and the kind of fuel used, and since the degree of heat bearable will vary with every hand that tries it, each person who depends upon this test must make her own standard. when the heat of the oven is found to be too great, it may be lessened by placing in it a dish of cold water. _boiling_ is the cooking of food in a boiling liquid. water is the usual medium employed for this purpose. when water is heated, as its temperature is increased, minute bubbles of air which have been dissolved by it are given off. as the temperature rises, bubbles of steam will begin to form at the bottom of the vessel. at first these will be condensed as they rise into the cooler water above, causing a simmering sound; but as the heat increases, the bubbles will rise higher and higher before collapsing, and in a short time will pass entirely through the water, escaping from its surface, causing more or less agitation, according to the rapidity with which they are formed. water boils when the bubbles thus rise to the surface, and steam is thrown off. if the temperature is now tested, it will be found to be about ° f. when water begins to boil, it is impossible to increase its temperature, as the steam carries off the heat as rapidly as it is communicated to the water. the only way in which the temperature can be raised, is by the confinement of the steam; but owing to its enormous expansive force, this is not practicable with ordinary cooking utensils. the mechanical action of the water is increased by rapid bubbling, but not the heat; and to boil anything violently does not expedite the cooking process, save that by the mechanical action of the water the food is broken into smaller pieces, which are for this reason more readily softened. but violent boiling occasions an enormous waste of fuel, and by driving away in the steam the volatile and savory elements of the food, renders it much less palatable, if not altogether tasteless. the solvent properties of water are so increased by heat that it permeates the food, rendering its hard and tough constituents soft and easy of digestion. the liquids mostly employed in the cooking of foods are water and milk. water is best suited for the cooking of most foods, but for such farinaceous foods as rice, macaroni, and farina, milk, or at least part milk, is preferable, as it adds to their nutritive value. in using milk for cooking purposes, it should be remembered that being more dense than water, when heated, less steam escapes, and consequently it boils sooner than does water. then, too, milk being more dense, when it is used alone for cooking, a little larger quantity of fluid will be required than when water is used. the boiling point for water at the sea level is °. at all points above the sea level, water boils at a temperature below °, the exact temperature depending upon the altitude. at the top of mt. blanc, an altitude of , feet, water boils at °. the boiling point is lowered one degree for every feet increase in altitude. the boiling point may be increased by adding soluble substances to the water. a saturated solution of common baking soda boils at °. a saturated solution of chloride of sodium boils at °. a similar solution of sal-ammoniac boils at °. of course such solutions cannot be used advantageously, except as a means of cooking articles placed in hermetically sealed vessels and immersed in the liquid. different effects upon food are produced by the use of hard and soft water. peas and beans boiled in hard water containing lime or gypsum, will not become tender, because these chemical substances harden vegetable casein, of which element peas and beans are largely composed. for extracting the juices of meat and the soluble parts of other foods, soft water is best, as it more readily penetrates the tissue; but when it is desired to preserve the articles whole, and retain their juices and flavors, hard water is preferable. foods should be put to cook in cold or boiling water, in accordance with the object to be attained in their cooking. foods from which it is desirable to extract the nutrient properties, as for broths, extracts, etc., should be put to cook in cold water. foods to be kept intact as nearly as may be, should be put to cook in boiling water. hot and cold water act differently upon the different food elements. starch is but slightly acted upon by cold water. when starch is added to several times its bulk of hot water, all the starch granules burst on approaching the boiling point, and swell to such a degree as to occupy nearly the whole volume of the water, forming a pasty mess. sugar is dissolved readily in the either hot or cold water. cold water extracts albumen. hot water coagulates it. _steaming_, as its name implies, is the cooking of food by the use of steam. there are several ways of steaming, the most common of which is by placing the food in a perforated dish over a vessel of boiling water. for foods not needing the solvent powers of water, or which already contain a large amount of moisture, this method is preferable to boiling. another form of cooking, which is usually termed steaming, is that of placing the food, with or without water, as needed, in a closed vessel which is placed inside another vessel containing boiling water. such an apparatus is termed a double boiler. food cooked in its own juices in a covered dish in a hot oven, is sometimes spoken of as being _steamed_ or _smothered_. _stewing_ is the prolonged cooking of food in a small quantity of liquid, the temperature of which is just below the boiling point. stewing should not be confounded with simmering, which is slow, steady boiling. the proper temperature for stewing is most easily secured by the use of the double boiler. the water in the outer vessel boils, while that in the inner vessel does not, being kept a little below the temperature of the water from which its heat is obtained, by the constant evaporation at a temperature a little below the boiling point. _frying_, which is the cooking of food in hot fat, is a method not to be recommended--unlike all the other food elements, fat is rendered less digestible by cooking. doubtless it is for this reason that nature has provided those foods which require the most prolonged cooking to fit them for use with only a small proportion of fat, and it would seem to indicate that any food to be subjected to a high degree of heat should not be mixed and compounded largely of fats. the ordinary way of frying, which the french call _sauteing_, is by the use of only a little fat in a shallow pan, into which the food is put and cooked first on one side and then the other. scarcely anything could be more unwholesome than food prepared in this manner. a morsel of food encrusted with fat remains undigested in the stomach because fat is not acted upon by the gastric juice, and its combination with the other food elements of which the morsel is composed interferes with their digestion also. if such foods are habitually used, digestion soon becomes slow and the gastric juice so deficient in quantity that fermentation and putrefactive changes are occasioned, resulting in serious disturbance of health. in the process of frying, the action of the heat partially decomposes the fat; in consequence, various poisonous substances are formed, highly detrimental to the digestion of the partaker of the food. adding foods to boiling liquids.--much of the soddenness of improperly cooked foods might be avoided, if the following facts were kept in mind:-- when vegetables, or other foods of ordinary temperature, are put into boiling water, the temperature of the water is lowered in proportion to the quantity and the temperature of the food thus introduced, and will not again boil until the mass of food shall have absorbed more heat from the fire. the result of this is that the food is apt to become more or less water-soaked before the process of cooking begins. this difficulty may be avoided by introducing but small quantities of the food at one time, so as not to greatly lower the temperature of the liquid, and then allowing the latter to boil between the introduction of each fresh supply, or by heating the food before adding it to the liquid. evaporation is another principle often overlooked in the cooking of food, and many a sauce or gravy is spoiled because the liquid, heated in a shallow pan, from which evaporation is rapid, loses so much in bulk that the amount of thickening requisite for the given quantity of fluid, and which, had less evaporation occurred, would have made it of the proper consistency, makes the sauce thick and unpalatable. evaporation is much less, in slow boiling, than in more rapid cooking. measuring.--one of the most important principles to be observed in the preparation of food for cooking, is accuracy in measuring. many an excellent recipe proves a failure simply from lack of care in this respect. measures are generally more convenient than weights, and are more commonly used. the common kitchen cup, which holds a half pint, is the one usually taken as the standard; if any other size is used, the ingredients for the entire recipe should be measured by the same. the following points should be observed in measuring:-- . the teaspoons and tablespoons to be used in measuring, are the silver spoons in general use. . any material like flour, sugar, salt, that has been packed, should either be sifted or stirred up lightly before measuring. . a cupful of dry material is measured level with the top of the cup, without being packed down. . a cupful of liquid is all the cup will contain without running over. hold the cup in a saucer while measuring, to prevent spilling the liquid upon the floor or table. comparative table of weights and measures.--the following comparative table of weights and measurements will aid in estimating different materials:-- one heaping tablespoonful of sugar weighs one ounce. two round tablespoonfuls of flour weigh one ounce. two cupfuls of granulated sugar weigh one pound. two cupfuls of meal weigh one pound. four cupfuls of sifted flour weigh one pound. one pint of oatmeal, cracked wheat, or other coarse grains, weighs about one pound. one pint of liquid weighs one pound. one pint of meat chopped and packed solid weighs one pound. seven heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar = one cupful. five heaping tablespoonfuls of flour = one cupful. two cupfuls of liquid or dry material = one pint four cupfuls of liquid or dry material = one quart. mixing materials.--in the compounding of recipes, various modes are employed for mingling together the different ingredients, chief of which are _stirring_, _beating_, and _kneading_. by _stirring_ is meant a continuous motion round and round with a spoon, without lifting it from the mixture, except to scrape occasionally from the sides of the dish any portion of the material that may cling to it. it is not necessary that the stirring should be all in one direction, as many cooks suppose. the object of the stirring is to thoroughly blend the ingredients, and this may be accomplished as well by stirring--in one direction as in another. _beating_ is for the purpose of incorporating as much air in the mixture as possible. it should be done by dipping the spoon in and out, cutting clear through and lifting from the bottom with each stroke. the process must be continuous, and must never be interspersed with any stirring if it is desired to retain the air within the mixture. _kneading_ is the mode by which materials already in the form of dough are more thoroughly blended together; it also serves to incorporate air. the process is more fully described in the chapter on "bread," temperature.--many a cook fails and knows not why, because she does not understand the influence of temperature upon materials and food. flour and liquids for unfermented breads cannot be too cold, while for bread prepared with yeast, success is largely dependent upon a warm and equable temperature throughout the entire process. cooking utensils.--the earliest cookery was probably accomplished without the aid of any utensils, the food being roasted by burying it in hot ashes or cooked by the aid of heated stones; but modern cookery necessitates the use of a greater or less variety of cooking utensils to facilitate the preparation of food, most of which are so familiar to the reader as to need no description. (a list of those needed for use will be found on page .) most of these utensils are manufactured from some kind of metal, as iron, tin, copper, brass, etc. all metals are dissolvable in certain substances, and some of those employed for making household utensils are capable of forming most poisonous compounds when used for cooking certain foods. this fact should lead to great care on the part of the housewife, both in purchasing and in using utensils for cooking purposes. iron utensils, although they are, when new, apt to discolor and impart a disagreeable flavor to food cooked in them, are not objectionable from a health standpoint, if kept clean and free from rust. iron rust is the result of the combination of the iron with oxygen, for which it has so great an affinity that it will decompose water to get oxygen to unite with; hence it is that iron utensils rust so quickly when not carefully dried after using, or if left where they can collect moisture. this is the reason why a coating of tallow, which serves to exclude the air and moisture, will preserve ironware not in daily use from rusting. "porcelain ware" is iron lined with a hard, smooth enamel, and makes safe and very desirable cooking utensils. german porcelain ware is unexcelled for culinary purposes. "granite ware" is a material quite recently come into use, the composition of which is a secret, although pronounced by eminent chemists to be free from all injurious qualities. utensils made from it are light in weight, easily kept clean, and for most cooking purposes, are far superior to those made from any other material. what is termed "galvanized iron" is unsuitable for cooking utensils, it being simply sheet iron coated with zinc, an exceedingly unsafe metal to be used for cooking purposes. tin, which is simply thin sheet iron coated with tin by dipping several times into vats of the melted metal, is largely employed in the manufacture of cooking utensils. tinware is acted upon by acids, and when used for holding or cooking any acid foods, like sour milk, sour fruits, tomatoes, etc., harmful substances are liable to be formed, varying in quantity and harmfulness with the nature of the acid contained in the food. in these days of fraud and adulteration, nearly all the cheaper grades of tinware contain a greater or less amount of lead in their composition, which owing to its greater abundance and less price, is used as an adulterant of tin. lead is also used in the solder with which the parts of tinware are united. the action of acids upon lead form very poisonous compounds, and all lead-adulterated utensils should be wholly discarded for cooking purposes. _test for lead-adulterated tin._--place upon the metal a small drop of nitric acid, spreading it to the size of a dime, dry with gentle heat, apply a drop of water, then add a small crystal of iodide of potash. if lead is present, a yellowish color will be seen very soon after the addition of the iodide. lead glazing, which is frequently employed on crockery and ironware in the manufacture of cooking utensils, may also be detected in the same manner. cooking utensils made of copper are not to be recommended from the point of healthfulness, although many cooks esteem them because copper is a better conductor of heat than iron or tin. the acids of many fruits combine with copper to form extremely poisonous substances. fatty substances, as well as salt and sugar, act upon copper to a greater or less degree, also vegetables containing sulfur in their composition and produce harmful compounds. utensils made of brass, which is a compound of copper and zinc, are not safe to use for cooking purposes. table topics. bad cooking diminishes happiness and shortens life.--_wisdom of ages._ says mrs. partington: "many a fair home has been desiccated by poor cooking, and a man's table has been the rock on which his happiness has split." significant fact.--_lady_--"have you had much experience as a cook?" _applicant_--"oh, indeed i have. i was the cook of mr. and mrs. peterby for three years." _l._--"why did you leave them?" _a._--"i didn't leave them. they left me. they both died." _l._--"what of?" _a._--"dyspepsia." cooking is generally bad because people falling to routine; habit dulls their appreciation, and they do not think about what they are eating.--_didsbury._ _lilly_ (secretary of the cooking class)--"now girls, we've learned nine cakes, two kinds of angel food, and seven pies. what next?" _susie_ (engaged)--"dick's father says i must learn to bake bread." _indignant chorus_--"bread? how absurd! what are bakers for?" it is told of philip hecgnet, a french, physician who lived in the th, century, that when calling upon his wealthy patients, he used often to go to the kitchen and pantry, embrace the cooks and butlers, and exhort them to do their duty well. "i owe you so much gratitude, my dear friends," he would say; "you are so useful to us doctors; for if you did not keep on poisoning the people, we should all have to go to the poorhouse." there are innumerable books of recipes for cooking, but unless the cook is master of the principles of his art, and unless he knows the why and the wherefore of its processes, he cannot choose a recipe intelligently and execute it successfully.--_richard estcourt._ they who provide the food for the world, decide the health of the world. you have only to go on some errands amid the taverns and hotels of the united states and great britain, to appreciate the fact that a vast multitude of the human race are slaughtered by incompetent cookery. though a young woman may have taken lessons in music, and may have taken lessons in painting, and lessons in astronomy, she is not well educated unless she has taken lessons in dough!--_talmage._ household workshop it is a mistake to suppose that any room, however small and unpleasantly situated, is "good enough" for a kitchen. this is the room where housekeepers pass a great portion of their time, and it should be one of the brightest and most convenient rooms in the house; for upon the results of no other department of woman's domain depend so greatly the health and comfort of the family as upon those involved in this "household workshop." the character of a person's work is more or less dependent upon his surroundings, hence is it to be greatly wondered at that a woman immured in a small, close, dimly-lighted room, whose only outlook may be the back alley or the woodshed, supplies her household with products far below the standard of health and housewifely skill? every kitchen should have windows on two sides of the room, and the sun should have free entrance through them; the windows should open from the top to allow a complete change of air, for light and fresh air are among the chief essentials to success in all departments of the household. good drainage should also be provided, and the ventilation of the kitchen ought to be even more carefully attended to than that of a sleeping room. the ventilation of the kitchen should be so ample as to thoroughly remove all gases and odors, which, together with steam from boiling and other cooking processes, generally invade and render to some degree unhealthful every other portion of the house. it is the steam from the kitchen which gives a fusty odor to the parlor air and provides a wet-sheet pack for the occupant of the "spare bed." the only way of wholly eradicating this evil, is the adoption of the suggestion of the sanitary philosopher who places the kitchen at the top of the house. to lessen to discomforts from heat, a ventilator may be placed above the range, that shall carry out of the room all superfluous heat, and aid in removing the steam and odors from cooking food. the simplest form of such a ventilator this inverted hopper of sheet iron fitted above the range, the upper and smaller end opening into a large flue adjacent to the smoke flue for the range. care must be taken, however, to provide an ample ventilating shaft for this purpose, since a strong draft is required to secure the desired results. there should be ample space for tables, chairs, range, sink, and cupboards, yet the room should not be so large as to necessitate too many steps. a very good size for the ordinary dwelling is x feet. undoubtedly much of the distaste for, and neglect of, "housework," so often deplored in these days, arises from unpleasant surroundings. if the kitchen be light, airy, and tidy, and the utensils bright and clean, the work of compounding those articles of food which grace the table and satisfy the appetite will be a pleasant task, and one entirely worthy of the most intelligent and cultivated woman. it is desirable, from a sanitary standpoint, that the kitchen floor be made impervious to moisture; hence, concrete or tile floors are better than wooden floors. if wooden floors are used, they should be constructed of narrow boards of hard wood, carefully joined and thoroughly saturated with hot linseed oil, well rubbed in to give polish to the surface. cleanliness is the great _desideratum_, and this can be best attained by having all woodwork in and about the kitchen coated with varnish; substances which cause stain and grease spots, do not penetrate the wood when varnished, and can be easily removed with a damp cloth. paint is preferable to whitewash or calcimine for the walls, since it is less affected by steam, and can be more readily cleaned. a carpet on a kitchen floor is as out of place as a kitchen sink would be in a parlor. the elements of beauty should not be lacking in the kitchen. pictures and fancy articles are inappropriate; but a few pots of easily cultivated flowers on the window ledge or arranged upon brackets about the window in winter, and a window box arranged as a jardiniere, with vines and blooming plants in summer, will greatly brighten the room, and thus serve to lighten the task of those whose daily labor confines them to the precincts of the kitchen. the kitchen furniture.--the furniture for a kitchen should not be cumbersome, and should be so made and dressed as to be easily cleaned. there should be plenty of cupboards, and each for the sake of order, should be devoted to a special purpose. cupboards with sliding doors are much superior to closets. they should be placed upon casters so as to be easily moved, as they, are thus not only more convenient, but admit of more thorough cleanliness. cupboards used for the storage of food should be well ventilated; otherwise, they furnish choice conditions for the development of mold and germs. movable cupboards may be ventilated by means of openings in the top, and doors covered with very fine wire gauze which will admit the air but keep out flies and dust. all stationary cupboards and closets should have a ventilating flue connected with the main shaft by which the house is ventilated, or directly communicating with the outer air. no kitchen can be regarded as well furnished without a good timepiece as an aid to punctuality and economy of time. an eight-day clock with large dial and plain case is the most suitable. every kitchen should also be provided with a slate, with sponge and pencil attached, on one side of which the market orders and other memoranda may be jotted down, and on the other the bills of fare for the day or week. in households where servants are kept, the slate will save many a vexatious blunder and unnecessary call to the kitchen, while if one is herself mistress, cook, and housekeeper, it may prove an invaluable aid and time-saver if thus used. [illustration: a convenient kitchen table.] lack of sufficient table room is often a great source of inconvenience to the housekeeper. to avoid this, arrange swinging tables or shelves at convenient points upon the wall, which may be put up or let down as occasion demands. for ordinary kitchen uses, small tables of suitable height on easy-rolling casters, and with zinc tops, are the most convenient and most easily kept clean. it is quite as well that they be made without drawers, which are too apt to become receptacles for a heterogeneous mass of rubbish. if desirable to have some handy place for keeping articles which are frequently required for use, an arrangement similar to that represented in the accompanying cut may be made at very small expense. it may be also an advantage to arrange small shelves about and above the range, on which may be kept various articles necessary for cooking purposes. one of the most indispensable articles of furnishing for a well-appointed kitchen, is a sink; however, a sink must be properly constructed and well cared for, or it is likely to become a source of great danger to the health of the inmates of the household. earthen-ware is the best material for kitchen sinks. iron is very serviceable, but corrodes, and if painted or enameled, this soon wears off. wood is objectionable from a sanitary standpoint. a sink made of wood lined with copper answers well for a long time if properly cared for. the sink should if possible stand out from the wall, so as to allow free access to all sides of it for the sake of cleanliness, and under no circumstances should there be any inclosure of woodwork or cupboards underneath to serve as a storage place for pots and kettles and all kinds of rubbish, dust, and germs. it should be supported on legs, and the space below should be open for inspection at all times. the pipes and fixtures should be selected and placed by a competent plumber. great pains should be taken to keep the pipes clean and well disinfected. refuse of all kinds should be kept out. thoughtless housekeepers and careless domestics often allow greasy water and bits of table waste to find their way into the pipes. drain pipes usually have a bend, or trap, through which water containing no sediment flows freely; but the melted grease which often passes into the pipes mixed with hot water, becomes cooled and solid as it descends, adhering to the pipes, and gradually accumulating until the drain is blocked, or the water passes through very slowly. a grease-lined pipe is a hotbed for disease germs. water containing much grease should be cooled and the grease removed before being turned into the kitchen sink, while bits of refuse should be disposed of elsewhere, since prevention of mischief is in this case, as in most others, far easier than cure. it is customary for housekeepers to pour a hot solution of soda or potash down the sink pipes occasionally, to dissolve any grease which may tend to obstruct the passage; but this is only a partial safeguard, as there is no certainty that all the grease will be dissolved, and any particles adhering to the pipes very soon undergo putrefaction. a frequent flushing with hot water is important; besides which the pipes should be disinfected two or three times a week by pouring down a gallon of water holding in solution a pound of good chloride of lime. stoves and ranges.--the furnishing of a modern kitchen would be quite incomplete without some form of stove or range. the multiplicity of these articles, manufactured each with some especial merit of its own, renders it a somewhat difficult task to make a choice among them. much must, however, depend upon the kind of fuel to be used, the size of the household, and various other circumstances which make it necessary for each individual housekeeper to decide for herself what is best adapted to her wants. it may be said, in brief, that economy of fuel, simplicity of construction, and efficiency in use are the chief points to be considered in the selection of stoves and ranges. a stove or range of plain finish is to be preferred, because it is much easier to keep clean, and will be likely to present a better appearance after a few months' wear than one of more elaborate pattern. but whatever stove or range is selected, its mechanism should be thoroughly understood in every particular, and it should be tested with dampers open, with dampers closed, and in every possible way, until one is perfectly sure she understands its action under all conditions. oil and gas stoves.--in many households, oil, gas, and gasoline stoves have largely taken the place of the kitchen range, especially during the hot weather of summer. they can be used for nearly every purpose for which a wood or a coal range is used; they require much less labor and litter, and can be instantly started into full force and as quickly turned out when no longer required, while the fact that the heat can be regulated with exactness, makes them superior for certain processes of cooking to any other stove. but while these stoves are convenient and economical, especially in small families, they should be used with much care. aside from the danger from explosion, which is by no means inconsiderable in the use of gasoline and oil stoves, they are not, unless well cared for altogether healthful. unless the precaution is taken to use them in well-ventilated rooms or to connect them with a chimney, they vitiate the atmosphere to a considerable extent with the products of combustion. oil stoves, unless the wicks are kept well trimmed, are apt to smoke, and this smoke is not only disagreeable, but extremely irritating to the mucous membrane of the nose and throat. oil stoves are constructed on the same principle as ordinary oil lamps, and require the same care and attention. quite recently there has been invented by prof. edward atkinson a very unique apparatus for cooking by means of the heat of an ordinary kerosene lamp, called the "aladdin cooker." the food to be cooked is placed in a chamber around which hot water, heated by the flame of the lamp, circulates. the uniform heat thus obtained performs the process of cooking, slowly, but most satisfactorily and economically, the result being far superior to that obtained by the ordinary method of cooking by quick heat. the cooker is only used for stewing and steaming; but mr. atkinson has also invented an oven in which the heat is conveyed to the place where it is needed by a column of hot air instead of hot water. with this oven, which consists of an outer oven made of non-conducting material, and an inner oven made of sheet iron, with an intervening space between, through which the hot air circulates, no smoke or odor from the lamp can reach the interior. kitchen. utensils.--the list of necessary kitchen utensils must of course be governed somewhat by individual circumstances, but it should not be curtailed for the sake of display in some other department, where less depends upon the results. a good kitchen outfit is one of the foundation-stones of good housekeeping. the following are some of the most essential:-- two dish pans; two or more _papier-maché_ tubs for washing glassware; one kneading board; one bread board; one pair scales, with weights; scrubbing and stove brushes; brooms; dustpans; roller for towel; washbowl; soap dish; vegetable brushes. [illustration: a double boiler.] for the tin closet.-one dipper; one egg-beater; one two-quart pail; one four-quart pail; six brick-loaf bread pans; three shallow tins; three granite-ware pie tins; two perforated sheet iron pans for rolls, etc.; one set of measures, pint, quart, and two quart; two colanders; two fine wire strainers; one flour sifter; one apple corer; one set patty pans; two dripping pans; two sets gem irons; one set muffin rings; one toaster; one broiler; the six saucepans, different sizes; two steamers; six milk-pans; one dozen basins, different sizes; one chopping bowl and knife; six double boilers; two funnels, large and small; one can opener; griddle; kettles, iron and granite ware; two water baths. for the dish closet.--one half dozen iron-stone china cups; three quart bowls; three pint bowls; two large mixing bowls; two quart bowls with lip; six deep plates; three kitchen pitchers; one glass rolling pin; six wooden and six iron spoons, assorted sizes; six kitchen teaspoons; one stone baking pot; glass jars for stores; crocks and jars. the pantry.--the pantry and china closet should have direct light and good ventilation. the dark, dingy places sometimes used for this purpose are germ breeders. there should be plenty of shelf room and cupboards for the fine glass and china-ware, with a well-arranged sink for washing the dishes. the sink for this purpose is preferably one lined with tinned or planished copper; for dishes will be less liable to become injured and broken then when washed in an iron or earthen-ware sink. extension or folding shelves are a great convenience, and can be arranged for the sink if desired. the accompanying cuts illustrate a sink of four compartments for dish-washing, devised by the writer for use in the sanitarium domestic economy kitchen, which can be closed and used as a table. two zinc trays fit the top, upon which to place the dish drainers. if preferred, the top might be arranged as a drainer, by making it of well-seasoned hard wood, with a number of inclined grooves to allow the water to run into the sink. if the house be heated by steam, a plate-warmer is an important part of the pantry furnishing. [illustration: compartment sink for dish-washing. open.] the storeroom.--if possible to do so, locate the room for the keeping of the kitchen supplies on the cool side of the house. plenty of light, good ventilation, and absolute cleanliness are essential, as the slightest contamination of air is likely to render the food supply unfit for use. the refrigerator should not be connected with the kitchen drain pipe, and the greatest care should be taken to keep it clean and sweet. it should be thoroughly scrubbed with borax or sal-soda and water, and well aired, at least once a week. strongly flavored foods and milk should not be kept in the same refrigerator. the ice to be used should always be carefully washed before putting in the refrigerator. care should also be taken to replenish it before the previous supply is entirely melted, as the temperature rises when the ice becomes low, and double the quantity will be required to cool the refrigerator that would be necessary to keep it of uniform temperature if added before the ice was entirely out. the water supply.--the water used for drinking and cooking purposes should receive equal consideration with the food supply, and from whatever source obtained, it should be frequently tested for impurities, since that which looks the most refreshing may be contaminated with organic poison of the most treacherous character. [illustration: compartment sink for dish-washing. closed.] a good and simple test solution, which any housewife can use, may be prepared by dissolving twelve grains of caustic potash and three of permanganate of potash in an ounce of distilled water, or filtered soft water. add a drop of this solution to a glass of the water to be tested. if the pink color imparted by the solution disappears at once, add another drop of the solution, and continue adding drop by drop until the pink color will remain for half an hour or more. the amount of the solution necessary to security permanent color is very fair index to the quality of the water. if the color imparted by the first one or two drops disappears within a half hour, the water should be rejected as probably dangerous. water which is suspected of being impure may be rendered safe by boiling. filters are only of service in removing suspended particles and the unpleasant taste of rain water; a really dangerous water is not rendered safe by filtering in the ordinary manner. cellars.--sanitarians tell us that cellars should never be built under dwelling houses. because of improper construction and neglect, they are undoubtedly the cause of much disease and many deaths. a basement beneath the house is advantageous, but the greatest of care should be given to construct it in accord with sanitary laws. it should be thoroughly drained that there may be no source of dampness, but should not be connected with a sewer or a cesspool. it should have walls so made as to be impervious to air and water. an ordinary brick or stone wall is inefficient unless well covered with good portland cement polished smooth. the floors should likewise be covered with cement, otherwise the cellar is likely to be filled with impure air derived from the soil, commonly spoken of as "ground air," and which offers a constant menace to the health of those who live over cellars with uncemented walls and floors. light and ventilation are quite as essential to the healthfulness of a cellar as to other rooms of the dwelling. constantly during warm weather, and at least once a day during the winter season, windows should be opened wide, thus effecting a free interchange of air. all mold and mustiness should be kept out by thorough ventilation and frequent coats of whitewash to the walls. vegetables and other decomposable articles, if stored in the basement, should be frequently sorted, and all decaying substances promptly removed. this is of the utmost importance, since the germs and foul gases arising from decomposing food stuffs form a deadly source of contamination through every crack and crevice. kitchen conveniences. in these days of invention and progress, much thought and ingenuity have been expended in making and perfecting labor-saving articles and utensils, which serve to make housework less of a burden and more of a delight. the steam-cooker.--one of the most unique of these conveniences is the steam-cooker, one kind of which is illustrated by the accompanying cut. steaming is, for many foods, a most economical and satisfactory method of cooking. especially is this true respecting fruits, grains, and vegetables, the latter of which often have the larger proportion of their best nutritive elements dissolved and thrown away in the water in which they are boiled. in the majority of households it is, however, the method least depended upon, because the ordinary steamer over a pot of boiling water requires too much attention, takes up too much stove room, and creates too much steam in the kitchen, to prove a general favorite. the steam-cooker has an escape-steam tube through which all excess of steam and odors passes into the fire, and thus its different compartments may contain and cook an entire dinner, if need be, and over one stove hole or one burner of an oil or gasoline stove. [illustration: the steam-cooker.] the vegetable press.--the accompanying cut represents this handy utensil, which is equally useful as a potato and vegetable masher; as a sauce, gruel, and gravy strainer; as a fruit press, and for many other purposes for which a colander or strainer is needed, while it economizes both time and labor. [illustration: vegetable press.] lemon drill.--this little article for extracting the juice of the lemon, and which can be purchased of most hardware dealers, is quite superior to the more commonly used lemon squeezer. being made of glass, its use is not open to the danger that the use of metal squeezer is are from poisonous combinations of the acid and metal, while the juice extracted is free from pulp, seeds, and the oil of the skin. [illustration: lemon drill.] a handy waiter.--in many households where no help is employed, a labor-saving device like the one represented in the accompanying illustration, will be found of great service. it is a light double table on easy-rolling casters, and can be readily constructed by anyone handy in the use of tools. if preferred, the top may be covered with zinc. in setting or clearing the table, the dishes may be placed on the lower shelf, with the food on the top, and the table rolled from pantry to dining room, and from dining room to kitchen; thus accomplishing, with one trip, what is ordinarily done with hundreds of steps by the weary housewife. if desirable to reset the table at once after a meal, the waiter will be found most serviceable as a place whereon the glassware and silverware may be washed. it is equally serviceable for holding the utensils and material needed when cooking; being so easily moved, they can be rolled to the stove and is always convenient. [illustration: the handy waiter.] wall cabinet.--where cupboard space is limited, or where for convenience it is desirable to have some provision for supplies and utensils near the range and baking table, a wall cabinet offers a most convenient arrangement. it may be made of a size to fit in any convenient niche, and constructed plainly or made as ornamental as one pleases, with doors to exclude the dust, shelves on which to keep tin cans filled with rice, oatmeal, cracked wheat, and other grains; glass jars of raisins, sugar, citron, cornstarch, etc.; hooks on which may hang the measures, egg-beater, potato masher, and such frequently needed utensils; and with drawers for paring knives, spoons, and similar articles, the wall cabinet becomes a _multum in parvo_ of convenience which would greatly facilitate work in many households. [illustration: wall cabinet.] percolate holder.--the accompanying cut illustrates an easily-constructed device for holding a jelly bag or percolate. it may be so made as to be easily screwed to any ordinary table, and will save the housekeeper far more than its cost in time and patience. kneading table.--much of the tiresome labor of bread-making can be avoided if one is supplied with some convenient table similar to the one represented in the cut, wherein the needed material and utensils may be kept in readiness at all times. the table illustrated has two large tin drawers, each divided into two compartments, in which may be kept corn meal, entire wheat, and graham and white flours. two drawers above provide a place for rolling-pin, bread mallet, gem irons, spoons, etc., while a narrow compartment just beneath the hardwood top affords a place for the kneading board. the table being on casters is easily moved to any part of the kitchen for use. [illustration: percolater holder.] [illustration: kneading table.] dish-towel rack.--nothing adds more to the ease and facility with which the frequent dish-washings of the household may be accomplished than clean, well-dried towels. for quick drying,--an item of great importance if one would keep the towels fresh and sweet,--the towel rack represented in the cut, and which can be made by any carpenter, is a most handy device. when not in use, it can be turned up against the wall as illustrated. it is light, affords sufficient drying space so that no towel need be hung on top of another, and projecting out from the wall as it does, the free circulation of air between the towels soon dries them. [illustration: dish-towel rack.] kitchen brushes.--these useful little articles can be put to such a variety of uses that they are among the chiefest of household conveniences. they are also so inexpensive, costing but five cents apiece without handles and seven cents with handles, that no housewife can afford to be without a supply of them. for the washing of dishes with handles, the outside of iron kettles, and other cooking utensils made of iron, they are especially serviceable. the smaller sizes are likewise excellent for cleaning cut glass ware, majolica ware,--in fact, any kind of ware with raised figures or corrugated surfaces. for cleaning a grater, nothing is superior to one of these little brushes. such a brush is also most serviceable for washing celery, as the corrugated surface of the stalk makes a thorough cleaning with the hands a difficult operation. then if one uses a brush with handle, ice water, which adds to the crispness of the celery, may be used for the cleaning, as there will be no necessity for putting the hands in the water. a small whisk broom is also valuable for the same purpose. such vegetables as potatoes, turnips, etc., are best cleaned with a brush. it makes the work less disagreeable, as the hands need not be soiled by the process, and in no other way can the cleaning be so well and thoroughly done. [illustration: vegetable brush.] all brushes after being used should be carefully scalded and placed brush downward in a wire sponge basket, or hung up on hooks. if left around carelessly, they soon acquire the musty smell of a neglected dishcloth. table topics. the kitchen is a chemical laboratory, in which are conducted a number of chemical processes by which our food is converted from its crudest state to condition more suitable for digestion and nutrition, and made more agreeable to the palate.--_prof. matthew williams._ half the trouble between mistresses and maids arises from the disagreeable surroundings to which servants are confined. there is no place more dismal than the ordinary kitchen in city dwellings. it is half underground, ill-lighted, and unwholesome. what wonder, then, in the absence of sunlight, there is a lack of sunny temper and cheerful service? an ill-lighted kitchen is almost sure to be a dirty one, where germs will thrive and multiply. let sanitary kitchens be provided, and we shall have more patient mistresses and more willing servants.--_sel._ a sluggish housemaid exclaimed, when scolded for the uncleanliness of her kitchen, "i'm sure the room would be clean enough if it were not for the nasty sun, which is always showing the dirty corners."--_sel._ if we would look for ready hands and willing hearts in our kitchens, we should make them pleasant and inviting for those who literally bear the "burden and heat of the day" in this department of our homes, where, emphatically, "woman's work is never done." we should no longer be satisfied to locate our kitchens in the most undesirable corner of the house. we should demand ample light,--sunshine if possible,--and justly too; for the very light itself is inspiring to the worker. it will stir up cheer and breed content in the minds of those whose lot is cast in this work-a-day room.--_sel._ any invention on the part of the housekeeper intended to be a substitute for watchfulness, will prove a delusion and a snare.--_sel._ "the first wealth is health," says emerson. a knowledge of sanitary principles should be regarded as an essential part of every woman's education, and obedience to sanitary laws should be ranked, as it was in the mosaic code, as a religious duty.--_sel._ much of the air of the house comes from the cellar. a heated house acts like a chimney. a german experimenter states that one half of the cellar air makes its way into the first story, one third into the second, and one fifth into the third. cereals and their preparation for the table cereal is the name given to those seeds used as food (wheat, rye, oats, barley, corn, rice, etc.), which are produced by plants belonging to the vast order known as the grass family. they are used for food both in the unground state and in various forms of mill products. the grains are pre-eminently nutritious, and when well prepared, easily digested foods. in composition they are all similar, but variations in their constituent elements and the relative amounts of these various elements, give them different degrees of alimentary value. they each contain one or more of the nitrogenous elements,--gluten, albumen, caseine, and fibrin,--together with starch, dextrine, sugar, and fatty matter, and also mineral elements and woody matter, or cellulose. the combined nutritive value of the grain foods is nearly three times that of beef, mutton, or poultry. as regards the proportion of the food elements necessary to meet the various requirements of the system, grains approach more nearly the proper standard than most other foods; indeed, wheat contains exactly the correct proportion of the food elements. being thus in themselves so nearly perfect foods, and when properly prepared, exceedingly palatable and easy of digestion, it is a matter of surprise that they are not more generally used; yet scarcely one family in fifty makes any use of the grains, save in the form of flour, or an occasional dish of rice or oatmeal. this use of grains is far too meager to adequately represent their value as an article of diet. variety in the use of grains is as necessary as in the use of other food material, and the numerous grain preparations now to be found in market render it quite possible to make this class of foods a staple article of diet, if so desired, without their becoming at all monotonous. in olden times the grains were largely depended upon as a staple food, and it is a fact well authenticated by history that the highest condition of man has always been associated with wheat-consuming nations. the ancient spartans, whose powers of endurance are proverbial, were fed on a grain diet, and the roman soldiers who under caesar conquered the world, carried each a bag of parched grain in his pocket as his daily ration. other nationalities at the present time make extensive use of the various grains. rice used in connection with some of the leguminous seeds, forms the staple article of diet for a large proportion of the human race. rice, unlike the other grain foods, is deficient in the nitrogenous elements, and for this reason its use needs to be supplemented by other articles containing an excess of the nitrogenous material. it is for this reason, doubtless, that the hindoos use lentils, and the chinese eat peas and beans in connection with rice. we frequently meet people who say they cannot use the grains,--that they do not agree with them. with all deference to the opinion of such people, it may be stated that the difficulty often lies in the fact that the grain was either not properly cooked, not properly eaten, or not properly accompanied. a grain, simply because it is a grain, is by no means warranted to faithfully fulfil its mission unless properly treated. like many another good thing excellent in itself, if found in bad company, it is prone to create mischief, and in many cases the root of the whole difficulty may be found in the excessive amount of sugar used with the grain. sugar is not needed with grains to increase their alimentary value. the starch which constitutes a large proportion of their food elements must itself be converted into sugar by the digestive processes before assimilation, hence the addition of cane sugar only increases the burden of the digestive organs, for the pleasure of the palate. the asiatics, who subsist largely upon rice, use no sugar upon it, and why should it be considered requisite for the enjoyment of wheat, rye, oatmeal, barley, and other grains, any more than it is for our enjoyment of bread or other articles made from these same grains? undoubtedly the use of grains would become more universal if they were served with less or no sugar. the continued use of sugar upon grains has a tendency to cloy the appetite, just as the constant use of cake or sweetened bread in the place of ordinary bread would do. plenty of nice, sweet cream or fruit juice, is a sufficient dressing, and there are few persons who after a short trial would not come to enjoy the grains without sugar, and would then as soon think of dispensing with a meal altogether as to dispense with the grains. even when served without sugar, the grains may not prove altogether healthful unless they are properly eaten. because they are made soft by the process of cooking and on this account do not require masticating to break them up, the first process of digestion or insalivation is usually overlooked. but it must be remembered that grains are largely composed of starch, and that starch must be mixed with the saliva, or it will remain undigested in the stomach, since the gastric juice only digests the nitrogenous elements. for this reason it is desirable to eat the grains in connection with some hard food. whole-wheat wafers, nicely toasted to make them crisp and tender, toasted rolls, and unfermented zwieback, are excellent for this purpose. break two or three wafers into rather small pieces over each individual dish before pouring on the cream. in this way, a morsel of the hard food may be taken with each spoonful of the grains. the combination of foods thus secured, is most pleasing. this is a specially advantageous method of serving grains for children, who are so liable to swallow their food without proper mastication. cooking of grains.--all grains, with the exception of rice, and the various grain meals, require prolonged cooking with gentle and continuous heat, in order to so disintegrate their tissues and change their starch into dextrine as to render them easy of digestion. even the so-called "steam-cooked" grains, advertised to be ready for use in five or ten minutes, require a much longer cooking to properly fit them for digestion. these so-called quickly prepared grains are simply steamed before grinding, which has the effect to destroy any low organisms contained in the grain. they are then crushed and shredded. bicarbonate of soda and lime is added to help dissolve the albuminoids, and sometimes diastase to aid the conversion of the starch into sugar; but there is nothing in this preparatory process that so alters the chemical nature of the grain as to make it possible to cook it ready for easy digestion in five or ten minutes. an insufficiently cooked grain, although it may be palatable, is not in a condition to be readily acted upon by the digestive fluids, and is in consequence left undigested to act as a mechanical irritant. [illustration: a double boiler.] for the proper cooking of grains the double boiler is the best and most convenient utensil for ordinary purposes. if one does not possess a double boiler, a very fair substitute may be improvised by using a covered earthen crock placed within a kettle of boiling water, or by using two pails, a smaller within a larger one containing boiling water. a closed steamer or steam-cooker is also valuable for the cooking of grains. grains may be cooked in an ordinary kettle, but the difficulties to be encountered, in order to prolong the cooking sufficiently and prevent burning, make it the least desirable utensil for this purpose. water is the liquid usually employed for cooking grains, but many of them are richer and finer flavored when milk is mixed with the water,--one part to two of water. especially is this true of rice, hominy, and farina. when water is used, soft water is preferable to hard. no salt is necessary, but if used at all, it is generally added to the water before stirring in the grain or meal. the quantity of liquid required varies with the different grains, the manner in which they are milled, the method by which they are cooked, and the consistency desired for the cooked grain, more liquid being required for a porridge than for a mush. the following table gives the time necessary for cooking and the quantity of liquid required for the various grains, with the exception of rice, when cooked in a double boiler or closed steamer, to produce a mush of ordinary consistency. if an ordinary kettle is used for cooking the grains, a larger quantity of water will be needed:-- table showing proportion of grain and liquid required, with approximate time, when a double boiler is used. quantity of water hours to grain. required. cook. graham grits part parts to rolled wheat " " to cracked " " - / " to pearl " " " to whole " " " to rolled oats " " to coarse oatmeal " " to rolled rye " " to pearl barley " " to coarse hominy " " to fine hominy " " to cerealine " part / all grains should be carefully looked over before being put to cook. in the cooking of grains, the following points should be observed:-- . measure both liquid and grain accurately with the same utensil, or with two of equal size. . have the water boiling when the grain is introduced, but do not allow it to boil for a long time previous, until it is considerably evaporated, as that will change the proportion of water and grain sufficiently to alter the consistency of the mush when cooked. introduce the grain slowly, so as not to stop the sinking to the bottom, and the whole becomes thickened. if the grain is cooked in a double boiler, this first boiling should be done with the inner dish directly over the fire, and when the grain has thickened or become "set," as it is termed, the dish should at once be placed in the outer boiler, the water in which should be boiling. it will then require no further care during the entire cooking, safe to keep the outer boiler filled and the water boiling. if the grain is to be cooked in a steam-cooker, as soon as set it may be turned into a china or an earthen dish, suitable for use on the table, and placed at once in the steamer to complete the cooking. if an ordinary kettle is used, it is well to place it upon an iron ring or brick on some part of the range were it will just simmer, for the remainder of the cooking. . stir the grain continuously until it has set, but not at all afterward. grains are much more appetizing if, while properly softened, they can still be made to retain their original form. stirring renders the preparation pasty, and destroys its appearance. grains cooked in a double boiler will require no stirring, and there will be little danger of their being lumpy, underdone on top, and scorched at the bottom, as is so often the case when cooked in a single boiler. . cook continuously. if it be necessary to replenish the water in the outer boiler at anytime, let it be done with water of boiling temperature. if it is desired to have the mush quite thick and dry, the boiler should be left uncovered during the latter part of the cooking. if preferred moist, keep the cover on. in the preparation of all mushes with meal or flour, it is a good plan to make the material into a batter with a portion of the liquid retained from the quantity given, before introducing it into the boiling water. this prevents the tendency to cook in lumps, so frequent when dry meal is scattered into boiling liquid. care must be taken, however, to add the moistened portion very slowly, stirring vigorously meantime, so that the boiling will not be checked. use warm water for moistening. the other directions given for the whole or broken grains are applicable to the ground products. grains for breakfast.--since hasty preparation will not suffice for the grains, they cannot be conveniently cooked in the morning in time for breakfast. this difficulty may be obviated by cooking the day previous, and reheating in the following way:-- place the grain, when sufficiently cooked, in the refrigerator or in some place where it will cool quickly (as slow cooling might cause fermentation), to remain overnight. if cooked in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware double boiler, it may be left undisturbed, if uncovered. if cooked in tin or iron, turn the grain into a large earthen or china dish. to heat in the morning, fill the outer boiler with boiling water, place the inner dish containing the grain therein, and steam until thoroughly heated. no stirring and no additional liquid will be necessary, and if placed upon the stove when beginning the preparations for breakfast, it will be ready for serving in good season. if the grain has been kept in an earthen dish, it may best be reheated by placing that inside the steam cooker or an ordinary steamer over a kettle of boiling water. cracked wheat, pearl wheat, oatmeal, and other course grain preparations to be reheated, require for cooking a half cup of water in addition to the quantity given in the table. for rolled wheat, rolled oats, rolled rye, and other crushed grains, no more is needed. grains may be used for breakfast without reheating, if served with hot milk or cream. if one has an aladdin oven, the problem of grains for breakfast may be easily solved by cooking them all night, and if started late in the evening, they may be thus cooked over a single burner oil stove with the flame turned low. grains an economical food.--while grains are pre-eminently among the most nutritious of foods, they are also among the most economical, the average price being from five to seven cents a pound, and even less when purchased in bulk. if it be objected that they require much fuel to secure the prolonged cooking necessary, we would say that a few cents' worth of oil a week and a small lamp stove will accomplish the cooking in a most efficient manner. for a hot-weather food there are few articles which give greater satisfaction and require less time and labor on the part of the housewife than grains, cooked by the aid of a small lamp stove. wheat. description.--wheat is the most important of the grain foods. it is probably a native of southwestern asia, though like most grains cultivated from the earliest periods, its history is extremely obscure. wheat is of two principal kinds, characterized as soft and hard wheat, though there are hundreds of named varieties of the grain. the distinction between many of these is due to variation in the relative proportions of starch and nitrogenous matter. some contain not more than eight per cent of nitrogenous elements, while others contain eighteen or twenty per cent, with a corresponding decrease in carbonaceous elements. this difference depends upon the soil, cultivation, season, climate, and other conditions under which the grain is produced. the structure of the wheat grain consists of an external tegument of a hard, woody nature, so coherent that it appears in the form of scales or bran when the wheat is ground, and an inner portion, more soft and friable, consisting of several cellular layers. the layer nearest the outer husk contains vegetable fibrin and fatty matter. the second layer is largely composed of gluten cells; while the center comprising the bulk of the grain, is chiefly made up of starch granules with a small proportion of gluten. the structure of a wheat kernel is well illustrated in the accompanying cut. as will be seen, the different food elements are situated in different parts of the grain, and not uniformly distributed throughout its structure. the outer husk of the berry is composed wholly of innutritious and indigestible matter, but the thin layers which lie next this outer covering contain the larger proportion of the nitrogenous elements to be found in the entire kernel. the central portion consists almost wholly of farinaceous matter. [illustration: sectional view of wheat kernel.] phosphates and other mineral matter are present to some extent throughout the entire grain, but preponderates in the external part. here is also found a peculiar, soluble, active principle called diastase, which possesses the power of converting starch into sugar. the dark color and marked flavor of graham bread is undoubtedly due to the influence of this element. until within a few years the unground grain was rarely used as an article of food, but people are beginning to appreciate its wholesomeness, and cracked, rolled, and pearled wheats are coming rapidly into favor. cracked wheat is the grain cleaned and then cut into two or more pieces; in rolled wheat the grains are mashed between rollers, by which process they are thoroughly softened in every part, and are then easily cooked. pearl wheat is the whole grain cleaned and dressed. the whole grain is also cooked sometimes in its natural state. preparation and cooking.--few articles of food show greater difference between good and poor cooking than the various grains. dry, harsh, or underdone, they are as unwholesome as unpalatable. like most of the grains, wheat, with the exception of new wheat boiled whole, should be put into boiling water and allowed to cook continuously but slowly until done. any of the unground preparations require prolonged cooking. the average length of time and the approximate amount of water needed in cooking _one cupful_ of the various wheat preparations in a double boiler is stated on page . _recipes._ pearl wheat.--heat a quart of water to boiling in the inner dish of a double boiler, and stir into it one cup or one-half pint of pearl wheat. let it boil rapidly until thickened and the wheat has ceased settling, then place in the outer boiler, in which the water should be boiling, and cook continuously from three to four hours. cracked wheat.--cracked wheat may be cooked in the same manner as pearl wheat, by using four and one-half parts of water to one of grain. the length of time required to cook it thoroughly is about the same as for pearl wheat. rolled wheat.--this preparation of wheat requires only three parts water to one of wheat. it should be cooked in the same way as pearled wheat, but requires only three hours' cooking. boiled wheat (sometimes called frumenty).--select newly-cut wheat, well rubbed or threshed out. look it over carefully, wash, and put to cook in five times its measure of cold water. let it come to a boil, and cook gently until the grains burst open, and it can be readily mashed between the thumb and finger. this will require from four to ten hours, depending upon the age and variety of the wheat used. when done, it should be even full of a rich, thick liquor. if necessary, add more boiling water, but stir as little as possible. it may be served with cream, the same as other wheat preparations. it is also excellent served with lemon and other fruit sauces. wheat with raisins.--raisins or zante currants may be added to any of the foregoing recipes, if desired. the raisins or currants should be well steamed previously, however, and stirred in lightly and evenly just before dishing. if cooked with the grain, they become soft, broken, and insipid. figs, well steamed and chopped, may be added in the same way. wheat with fresh fruit.--fresh whortleberries, blueberries, and blackberries stirred into any of the well-cooked wheat preparations just before serving, make a very desirable addition. a most delicious dish may be prepared by stirring into well-cooked cracked wheat a few spoonfuls of rather thick cream and some fresh wild blackberries. serve hot. molded wheat.--cracked wheat, rolled wheat, or pearl wheat, cooked according to the foregoing recipes, and turned into molds until cold, makes a very palatable dessert, and may be served with sugar and cream or with fruit juice. bits of jelly placed on top of the molds in the form of stars or crosses, add to the appearance. molded grains are also very nice served with fresh berries, either mashed or whole, arranged around the mold. finer mill products of wheat. the grain of wheat is inclosed in a woody envelope. the cellular layers just beneath contain the largest proportion of nitrogenous matter, in the form of gluten, and are hard of pulverization, while the starchy heart of the grain is easily crumbled into fine dust. thus it will be readily understood that when the grain is subjected to an equal pulverizing force, the several portions will be likely to be crushed into particles of different sizes. the outer husk being toughest, will be the least affected, the nitrogenous or glutenous portion will be much finer, while the brittle starch will be reduced to powder. this first simple product of grinding is termed wheat meal, unbolted, or graham flour, and of course contains all the elements of the grain. in ordinary milling, however, this is subjected to various siftings, boltings, or dressings, to separate the finer from the coarser particles, and then subdivided into various grades of flour, which vary much in composition and properties. the coarser product contains the largest proportion of nutrients, while in the finer portions there is an exclusion of a large part of the nitrogenous element of the grain. the outer portions of the wheat kernel, which contain the greater part of the nitrogenous element, are darker in color than the central, starchy portion. it will be apparent, then, that the finer and whiter the flour, the less nutriment it is likely to contain, and that in the use of superfine white flour the eye is gratified at the expense of the body. a preparation called farina, is made from the central portion of wheat, freed from bran, and crushed into granules. another preparation, called graham grits, is prepared by granulating the outer layers of the kernel together with the germ of the wheat. this preparation, comparatively a new one, includes the most nutritious properties of the grain, and its granular form renders it excellent for mushes as well as for other purposes. farina is scarcely more nutritious than white flour, and should not be used as a staple food. graham grits contains the best elements of the wheat grain in good proportion, and is one of the best preparations of wheat. other preparations of wheat somewhat similar in character are farinose, germlet, etc. _recipes._ farina.--heat a pint of milk and one of water, or if preferred, a quart of milk, in the inner cup of a double boiler; and when boiling, stir in five tablespoonfuls of farina, moistened evenly with a little milk. let it boil rapidly until well set, which will be in about five or eight minutes; then place in the outer boiler, and cook one hour. serve cold or hot with a dressing of cream or fruit juices. farina may be cooked in water alone, but on account of its lack of nutritive elements, it is more valuable if prepared with milk. farina with fig sauce.--cook the farina as in the foregoing recipe, and serve hot with a fig sauce prepared as follows:-- carefully look over, washed, and chop or cut quite finally, enough good figs to make a cupful. stew in a pint of water, to which has been added a tablespoonful of sugar, until they are one homogeneous mass. if the figs are not of the best quality and do not readily soften, it is well, after stewing for a time, to rub them through a colander or vegetable press to break up the tough portions and make a smooth sauce. put a spoonful of the hot fig sauce on each individual dish of farina, and serve with cream or without dressing. farina with fresh fruit.--cook the farina as previously directed. have some sliced yellow peaches, mellow sweet apples, or bananas in a dish, turn the farina over them, stir up lightly with a fork, and serve hot with cream. molded farina.--farina to be used cold may be cooked in the same manner as before described, with two or three tablespoonfuls of sugar added at the same time with the farina, and when done, molded in cups previously wet with a little cold water. serve with a dressing of fruit juice, whipped cream flavored with lemon, or mock cream flavored with cocoanut. graham grits.--to four parts of water boiling in the inner dish of a double boiler add slowly, so as not to stop the boiling of the water, one part of graham grits. stir until thickened, then place in the outer boiler, and steam from three to five hours. serve hot with cream, or mold in cups previously dipped in cold water, and serve with a dressing of fruit juice. the fig sauce prepared as previously directed, is also excellent with graham grits. graham mush no. .--good flour is the first requisite for making good graham mush. poor graham flour cannot be made into first-class mush. flour made from the best white winter wheat is perhaps the best. it may be used either sifted or unsifted, as preferred. the proportion of flour and liquid to be used will necessarily vary somewhat with the quality of the flour, but in general, three parts water to one of flour will be needed. too much flour not only makes the mush too thick, but gives it an underdone taste. stir the dried flour rapidly into boiling water, (which should not cease to boil during the process), until a thick porridge is obtained. it is well to have it a little thinner at first than is desirable for serving, as it will thicken by cooking. cook slowly at least one hour. a longer time makes it more digestible. left-over graham mush is nice spread on rather shallow tins, and simply heated quickly in a hot oven. graham mush no. .--moisten one pint of good graham flour with a pint of warm water, or enough to make a batter thin enough to pour. (the quantity of water needed will vary a little with the fineness and quality of the flour.) pour this batter into a quart of water boiling in the inner cup of a double boiler. remember to add the batter sufficiently slow, so as not to stop the boiling of the water. when thickened, put into the outer boiler, and cook for one hour. graham mush no. .--prepare in the same way as above, using milk or part milk in the place of water. left-over graham mush at breakfast, which has been prepared with water, is very nice if, while it is still warm, a small quantity of hot milk is well stirred into it, and it is then set by to be reheated in a double boiler for dinner. graham mush with dates.--prepare a mush as for graham mush no. . when done, place in the dish in which the mush is to be served, some nice, fresh dates from which the stones have been removed. pour the mush over them, and stir up lightly, taking care not to break the fruit, and serve. raisins previously steamed, or figs steamed and cut into pieces, may be used instead of dates. serve hot with cream, or mold, and serve cold. plum porridge.--prepare a graham mush as previously directed, and when done, add to it a cup of well-steamed raisins and sufficient rich milk to thin it to the consistency of porridge. graham apple mush.--prepare a smooth apple sauce of rather tart apples. sweeten it slightly, and thin with boiling water. have this mixture boiling, and add to it graham flour, either sprinkled in dry or moistened with water, sufficient to make a well-thickened mush. cook, and serve hot with cream. granola mush.--granola, a cooked preparation of wheat and oats, manufactured by the sanatarium food co., makes a most appetizing and quickly prepared breakfast dish. into a quart of boiling water sprinkle a pint of granola. cook for two or three minutes, and serve hot with cream. granola fruit mush.--prepare the mush as directed, and stir into it, when done, a large cupful of nicely-steamed, seedless raisins. serve hot with cream. milk may be used instead of water, if preferred. granola peach mush.--instead of the raisins as directed in the foregoing recipe, add to the mush, when done, a pint of sliced yellow peaches. finely-cut, mellow sweet apples, sliced bananas, and blueberries may be used in a similar way. bran jelly.--select some clean wheat bran, sprinkle it slowly into boiling water as for graham mush, stirring briskly meanwhile with a wooden spoon, until the whole is about the consistency of thick gruel. cook slowly in a double boiler for two hours. strain through a fine wire sieve placed over the top of a basin. when strained, reheat to boiling. then stir into it a spoonful or so of sifted graham flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold water. boil up once; turn into molds previously wet in cold water, and when cool, serve with cream or fruit juice. the oat, or avena. description.--the native country of the plant from which our common varieties of the oat are derived, is unknown. oat grains have been found among the remains of the lake-dwellers in switzerland, and it is probable that this plant was cultivated by the prehistoric inhabitants of central europe. the ancient greeks and romans used oats, ranking them next in value to barley, which they esteemed above all other cereals. although principally grown as food for horses, the oat, when divested of its husk and broken by a process of milling, is an exceedingly nutritious and valuable article of diet for human beings; and there is no article of food that has increased in general favor more rapidly in the last few years than this grain. the scotch have long been famed for their large consumption of oatmeal. it forms the staple article of diet for the peasantry, to which fact is generally attributed the fine physique and uniform health for which they, as a race, are particularly noted. it is related that dr. johnson, of dictionary fame, who never lost an opportunity to disparage the scotch, on one occasion defined oats as, "in scotland, food for men; in england, food for horses." he was well answered by an indignant scotchman who replied, "yes; and where can you find such fine men as in scotland, or such horses as in england?" oatmeal justly ranks high as an alimentary substance. it contains about the same proportion of nitrogenous elements as wheat, and with the exception of maize, is richer in fatty matter than any other of the cultivated cereals. in general structure the oat resembles wheat. to prepare oats for food, the husk, which is wholly indigestible in character, must be thoroughly removed. to accomplish this, the grain is first kiln-dried to loosen the husk, and afterward submitted to a process of milling. denuded of its integument, the nutritive part of the grain is termed groats; broken into finer particles, it constitutes what is known as oatmeal; rolled oats, or avena, is prepared by a process which crushes the kernels. oatmeal varies also in degrees of trituration, some kinds being ground much finer than others. the more finely-ground products are sometimes adulterated with barley meal, which is cheaper than oatmeal and less nutritious. the black specks which are sometimes found in oatmeal are particles of black oats which have been ground in connection with the other. oatmeal lacks the tenacity of wheaten flour, and cannot, without the addition of some other flour, be made into light bread. it is, however, largely consumed by the inhabitants of scotland and the north of england, in the form of oatcakes. the oatmeal is mixed with water, kneaded thoroughly, then rolled into very thin cakes, and baked on an iron plate or griddle suspended over a fire. so much, however, depends upon the kneading, that it is said that the common inquiry before the engagement of a domestic servant in scotland, is whether or not she is a good kneader of oatcakes. the most common use of oatmeal in this country is in the form of mush or porridge. for this the coarser grades of meal are preferable. for people in health, there is no more wholesome article of diet than oatmeal cooked in this way and eaten with milk. for growing children, it is one of the best of foods, containing, as it does, a large proportion of bone and muscle-forming material, while to almost all persons who have become accustomed to its use, it is extremely palatable. the time required for its digestion is somewhat longer than that of wheaten meal prepared in the same manner. it is apt to disagree with certain classes of dyspeptics, having a tendency to produce acidity, though it is serviceable as an article of diet in some forms of indigestion. the manner of its preparation for the table has very much to do with its wholesomeness. indeed, many objectionable dishes are prepared from it. one of these, called _brose_, much used in scotland, is made by simply stirring oatmeal into some hot liquid, as beef broth, or the water in which a vegetable has been boiled. the result is a coarse, pasty mass of almost raw oatmeal, an extremely indigestible compound, the use of which causes water brash. a preparation called _sowens_, or flummery, made by macerating the husks of the oats in water from twenty-four to thirty-six hours, until the mixture ferments, then boiling down to the consistency of gruel, is a popular article of food among the scotch and welsh peasantry. when boiled down still more, so it will form a firm jelly when cold, the preparation is called _budrum_. preparation and cooking.--oatmeal requires much cooking in order to break its starch cells; and the coarser the meal, the longer it should be allowed to cook. a common fault in the use of oatmeal is that it is served in an underdone state, which makes a coarse, indigestible dish of what, with more lengthy preparation, would be an agreeable and nutritious food. like most of the grains, it is best put into boiling soft water, and allowed to cook continuously and slowly. it is greatly injured by stirring, and it is therefore preferably cooked in a double boiler or closed steamer. if it is necessary to use an ordinary kettle, place it on some part of the range where the contents will only simmer; or a hot brick may be placed under it to keep it from cooking too fast. it may be cooked the day previous, and warmed for use the same as other grains. recipes. oatmeal mush.--heat a quart of water to boiling in the inner dish of a double boiler, sift into it one cup of coarse oatmeal, and boil rapidly, stirring continuously until it sets; then place in the outer boiler, the water in which should be boiling, and cook three hours or longer. serve with cream. oatmeal fruit mush.--prepare the oatmeal as directed above, and stir in lightly, when dishing for the table, some sliced mellow and juicy raw sweet apples. strawberry apples and other slightly tart apples are likewise excellent for the purpose. well-ripened peaches and bananas may also be used, if care is taken to preserve the slices whole, so as to present an appetizing appearance. both this and the plain oatmeal mush are best eaten with toasted whole-wheat wafers or some other hard food. oatmeal blancmange no. .--soak a cupful of coarse oatmeal over night in a pint and a half of water. in the morning, beat the oatmeal well with a spoon, and afterwards pass all the soluble portion through a fine strainer. place the liquid in the inner dish of a double boiler, and cook for half an hour. turn into cups, cool fifteen or twenty minutes, and serve warm with cream and sugar, or a dressing of fruit juice. a lemon sauce prepared as directed on page likewise makes an excellent dressing. oatmeal blancmange no. .--take a pint of well-cooked oatmeal, add to it a pint of milk, part cream if obtainable. beat well together, and strain through a fine wire sieve. turn the liquid into a saucepan, and boil for a few moments, until it is thick enough to drop from the point of a spoon; then turn into cups previously wet in cold water, and mold. serve with a dressing of fruit juice or whipped cream slightly sweetened and flavored with lemon. jellied oatmeal.--cook oatmeal or rolled oats with an additional cup or cup and a half of water, and when done, turned into cups and mold. serve cold with hot cream. mixed mush.--a cup and a half of rolled wheat, mixed with one-half cup of coarse oatmeal, and cooked the same as oatmeal, forms a mush preferred by some to oatmeal alone. rolled oats.--this preparation of oats should be cooked the same as oatmeal, but requires only three parts water to one of rolled oats, when cooked in a double boiler. oatmeal with apple.--cold oatmeal which has been left over may be made into an appetising dish by molding in alternate layers with nicely-steamed tart apple, sprinkled lightly with sugar. serve with cream. other cooked fruit, such as cherries, evaporated peaches, and apricots may be used in the same way. a very pleasing dish is made by using between the layers ripe yellow peaches and plums sliced together, and lightly sprinkled with sugar. oatmeal porridge.--into a quart and a half of water, which should be boiling in the inner dish of a double boiler, sprinkle one cup of rather coarse oatmeal. boil rapidly, stirring meanwhile until the grain is set; then place in the outer boiler, and cook continuously for three hours or longer. a half cup of cream added just before serving, is a desirable addition. barley. description.--barley is stated by historians to be the oldest of all cultivated grains. it seems to have been the principal bread plant among the ancient hebrews, greeks, and romans. the jews especially held the grain in high esteem, and sacred history usually uses it interchangeably with wheat, when speaking of the fruits of the earth. among the early greeks and romans, barley was almost the only food of the common people and the soldiers. the flour was made into gruel, after the following recipe: "dry, near the fire or in the oven, twenty pounds of barley flour, then parch it. add three pounds of linseed meal, half a pound of coriander seeds, two ounces of salt, and the water necessary." if an especially delectable dish was desired, a little millet was also added to give the paste more "cohesion and delicacy." barley was also used whole as a food, in which case it was first parched, which is still the manner of preparing it in some parts of palestine and many districts of india, also in the canary islands, where it is known as _gofio_. of this custom a lady from palestine writes: "the reapers, during barley harvest, take bunches of the half-ripe grain, and singe, or parch, it over a fire of thorns. the milk being still in the grain, it is very sweet, and is considered a delicacy." in the time of charles i, barley meal took the place of wheat almost entirely as the food of the common people in england. in some parts of europe, india, and other eastern countries, it is still largely consumed as the ordinary farinaceous food of the peasantry and soldiers. the early settlers of new england also largely used it for bread making. at the present day only a very insignificant quantity of barley is used for food purposes in this country, and most of this in the unground state. barley is less nutritious than wheat, and to many people is less agreeable in flavor. it is likewise somewhat inferior in point of digestibility. its starch cells being less soluble, they offer more resistance to the gastric juice. there are several distinct species of barley, but that most commonly cultivated is designated as two-rowed, or two-eared barley. in general structure, the barley grain resembles wheat and oats. simply deprived of its outer husk, the grain is termed _scotch milled_ or _pot barley_. subjected still further to the process by which the fibrous outer coat of the grain is removed, it constitutes what is known as _pearl barley_. pearl barley ground into flour is known as _patent barley_. barley flour, owing to the fact that it contains so small a proportion of gluten, needs to be mixed with wheaten flour for bread-making purposes. when added in small quantity to whole-wheat bread, it has a tendency to keep the loaf moist, and is thought by some to improve the flavor. the most general use made of this cereal as a food, is in the form of pearl, or scotch, barley. when well boiled, barley requires about two hours for digestion. general suggestions for cooking barley.--the conditions requisite for cooking barley are essentially the same as for oatmeal. it is best cooked slowly. four parts of water to one of grain will be needed for steaming or cooking in a double boiler, and from four to five hours' time will be required, unless the grain has been previously soaked for several hours, in which case three hours will do. if the strong flavor of the grain is objected to, it may be soaked over night and cooked in fresh water. this method will, however, be a sacrifice of some of the nutriment contained in the grain. barley thus soaked will require only three parts water to one of barley for cooking. _recipes._ baked barley.--soak six tablespoonfuls of barley in cold water over night. in the morning, turn off the water, and put the barley in an earthen pudding dish, and pour three and one half pints of boiling water over it; add salt if desired, and bake in a moderately quick oven about two and one half hours, or till perfectly soft, and all the water is absorbed. when about half done, add four or five tablespoonfuls of sugar mixed with grated lemon peel. it may be eaten warm, but is very nice molded in cups and served cold with cream. pearl barley with raisins.--carefully look over and wash a cupful of pearl barley. cook in a double boiler in five cups of boiling water for four hours. just before serving, add a cupful of raisins which have been prepared by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to stand until swollen. serve hot, with cream. pearl barley with lemon sauce.--pearl barley cooked in the same manner, but without the addition of the raisins, is excellent served with cream or with a lemon sauce prepared as directed on page . rice. description.--rice is one of the most abundantly used and most digestible of all the cereals. it grows wild in india, and it is probable that this is its native home. it is, however, now cultivated in most tropical and sub-tropical climates, and is said to supply the principal food for nearly one third of the human race. it is mentioned in history several hundred years before christ. according to soyer, an old writer on foods, the greeks and romans held rice in high esteem, believing it to be a panacea for chest and lung diseases. the grain is so largely grown and used by the chinese that "fan," their word for rice, has come to enter into many compound words. a beggar is called a "tou-fan-tee," that is, "the rice-seeking one." the ordinary salutation, "che-fan," which answers to our "how do you do?" means, "have you eaten your rice?" rice requires a wet soil, and the fields in which the grain is raised, sometimes called "paddy" fields, are periodically irrigated. before ripening, the water is drained off, and the crop is then cut with a sickle, made into shocks, stacked, threshed, and cleaned, much like wheat. the rice kernel is inclosed within two coverings, a course outer husk, which is easily removed, and an inner, reddish, siliceous coating. "paddy" is the name given in india to the rice grain when inclosed in its husk. the same is termed "rough rice" in this country. the outer husk of the rice is usually removed in the process of threshing, but the inner red skin, or hull, adheres very closely, and is removed by rubbing and pounding. the rough rice is first ground between large stones, and then conveyed into mortars, and pounded with iron-shod pestles. thence, by fanning and screening, the husk is fully removed, and the grain divided into three different grades, whole, middlings, and small whole grains, and polished ready for market. the middlings consist of the larger broken pieces of the grain; the small rice, of the small fragments mixed with the chit of the grain. the broken rice, well dried, is sometimes ground into flour of different degrees of fineness. the small rice is much sweeter and somewhat superior in point of nutritive value to the large or head rice usually met with in commerce. rice is characterized by a large percentage of starch, and is so deficient in other food elements that if used alone, unless consumed in very large quantities, it will not furnish the requisite amount of nitrogenous material necessary for a perfect health food. for this reason, it is necessary to supplement its use with some other food containing an excess of nitrogenous elements, as peas, beans, milk, etc. associated with other articles rich in albuminous elements, rice is exceedingly valuable, and one of the most easily digested foods. boiled or steamed rice requires but a little over one hour for digestion. preparation and cooking.--rice needs to be thoroughly washed to remove the earthy taste it is so apt to have. a good way to do this is to put it into a colander, in a deep pan of water. rub the rice well with the hands, lifting the colander in and out the water, and changing the water until it is clear; then drain. in this way the grit is deposited in the water, and the rice left thoroughly clean. the best method of cooking rice is by steaming it. if boiled in much water, it loses a portion of its already small percentage of nitrogenous elements. it requires much less time for cooking than any of the other grains. like all the dried grains and seeds, rice swells in cooking to several times its original bulk. when cooked, each grain of rice should be separate and distinct, yet perfectly tender. recipes. steamed rice.--soak a cup of rice in one and a fourth cups of water for an hour, then add a cup of milk, turn into an earthen dish suitable for serving it from at table, and place in a steam-cooker or a covered steamer over a kettle of boiling water, and steam for an hour. it should be stirred with a fork occasionally, for the first ten or fifteen minutes. boiled rice (japanese method).--thoroughly cleanse the rice by washing in several waters, and soak it overnight. in the morning, drain it, and put to cook in an equal quantity of boiling water, that is, a pint of water for a pint of rice. for cooking, a stewpan with tightly fitting cover should be used. heat the water to boiling, then add the rice, and after stirring, put on the cover, which is not again to be removed during the boiling. at first, as the water boils, steam will puff out freely from under the cover, but when the water has nearly evaporated, which will be in eight to ten minutes, according to the age and quality of the rice, only a faint suggestion of steam will be observed, and the stewpan must then be removed from over the fire to some place on the range, where it will not burn, to swell and dry for fifteen or twenty minutes. rice to be boiled in the ordinary manner requires two quarts of boiling water to one cupful of rice. it should be boiled rapidly until tender, then drained at once, and set in a moderate oven to become dry. picking and lifting lightly occasionally with a fork will make it more flaky and dry. care must be taken, however, not to mash the rice grains. rice with fig sauce.--steam a cupful of best rice as directed above, and when done, serve with a fig sauce prepared as directed on page . dish a spoonful of the fig sauce with each saucer of rice, and serve with plenty of cream. rice served in this way requires no sugar for dressing, and is a most wholesome breakfast dish. orange rice.--wash and steam the rice according to directions already given. prepare some oranges by separating into sections and cutting each section in halves, removing the seeds and all the white portion. sprinkle the oranges lightly with sugar, and let them stand while the rice is cooking. serve a portion of the orange on each saucerful of rice. rice with raisins.--carefully wash a cupful of rice, soak it, and cook as directed for steamed rice. after the rice has began to swell, but before it has softened, stir into it lightly, using a fork for the purpose, a cupful of raisins, or zante currents. serve with cream. rice with peaches.--steam the rice as previously directed, and when done, serve with cream and a nicely ripened peach pared and sliced on each individual dish. browned rice.--spread a cupful of rice on a shallow baking tin, and put into a moderately hot oven to brown. it will need to be stirred frequently to prevent burning and to secure a uniformity of color. each rice kernel, when sufficiently browned, should be of a yellowish brown, about the color of ripened wheat. steam the same as directed for ordinary rice, using only two cups of water for each cup of browned rice, and omitting the preliminary soaking. when properly cooked, each kernel will be separated, dry, and mealy. rice prepared in this manner is undoubtedly more digestible than when cooked without browning. rye. description.--rye is much more largely grown and used in european countries that in america. in appearance it closely resembles wheat, although somewhat darker in color and smaller in size. bread made from rye constitutes the staple food of the people in many parts of europe. in nutritive value such bread nearly equals that made from wheat, but it has an acid taste not relished by persons unaccustomed to its use. rye is found in market deprived of its husk and crushed or rolled, and also in the form of meal and flour. _recipes._ rolled rye.--into three parts water boiling in the inner dish of a double boiler, stir one part rolled rye. boil rapidly until set, stirring meanwhile, then place in the outer boiler, and cook for three or more hours. rye mush.--stir a cupful of rye meal to a smooth batter with a cupful of water, then turn it slowly into three cupfuls of water, which should be boiling on the range, in the inner dish of a double boiler. stir until thickened, then place in the outer boiler, and cook for an hour or longer. maize, or indian corn. description.--there can be little doubt that maize is of american origin. the discoverers of the new world found it cultivated by the aborigines, and from the fact that corn was the generic term then largely used to designate grain (in old english, "corn" means grain), they named it "indian corn." since that time it has been carried to nearly every part of the globe, and probably it is more extensively used than any other one of the cereals, with the exception of rice. this is undoubtedly due to the fact that it is the most prolific of the grains, and is adapted to the widest range of climate. maize was the chief food of the slaves of brazil, as it used to be of those in our own southern states, and is very largely consumed in mexico and peru. it was used very little in europe until the irish famine in ; since then, it has become a staple food with the poorer classes. the varieties of corn are almost too numerous to be counted. for general purposes, however, they may be classified as field corn, sweet corn, and pop corn. corn is characterized by an excess of fatty matter, containing upwards of three times the amount of that element to be found in wheat. corn requires stronger powers of digestion than wheat, and is unsuited to some stomachs. the skin of the corn kernel is thin, and when subjected to milling processes, is included in the grinding. when well ground, it can be digested, with the exception of the siliceous coating. sweet corn and some of the field varieties, form a nutritious and favorite food while green. the mature grain is used in many forms. the whole grain, hulled, is an agreeable food. hulled, broken, or split to various degrees of fineness, it is known according to the size to which the grain has been reduced as hominy, fine hominy, or grits; or, if finer still, as samp. subjected to a process of still finer trituration, it forms meal. cornstarch consists of the farinaceous portions of the grain. on account of the large proportion of fatty matter contained in maize, it acquires, if kept for some time and unpleasant, rancid taste, occasioned by the usual change which takes place in fat when exposed to the atmosphere. the new process granular meal, which is prepared from corn dried for a long period before grinding, becomes rank less quickly than that ground in the old way. maize meal is very largely consumed in the form of mush or porridge. this, in ireland, is termed "stirabout;" in italy it is called "polenta;" and in british honduras it is known as "corn lob." general suggestions for cooking.--most of the various preparations from maize require prolonged cooking to render them wholesome; this is equally true respecting mushes prepared from samp or meal, a dish which unfortunately some cook in bygone days saw fit to term "hasty pudding." unthinking people since, supposing it to have been so named because of the little time required to cook it, have commonly prepared it in fifteen or twenty minutes, whereas from one to two hours, or even longer, are necessary to cook it properly. hulled corn, hominy, and grits, all require prolonged cooking. the time for cooking these preparations may be somewhat lessened if they are previously soaked over night. they should, however, be cooked in the same water in which they are soaked. _recipes._ corn meal mush.--stir together one pint of cornmeal, one tablespoonful of flour, and one pint of cold milk. turn this slowly, stirring well meanwhile, into one quart of boiling water, which should not cease to boil during the introduction of the batter. cook three or four hours. if milk is not obtainable, water alone may be used, in which case two tablespoonfuls of flour will be needed. cook in a double boiler. corn meal mush with fruit.--mush prepared in the above manner may have some well-steamed raisins or chopped figs added to it just before serving. corn meal cubes.--left-over corn meal mush may be made into an appetizing dish by first slicing into rather thick slices, then cutting into cubes about one inch squares. put the cubes into a tureen and turn over them a quantity of hot milk or cream. cover the dish, let them stand until thoroughly heated through, then serve. browned mush.--slice cold corn meal mush rather thin, brush each slice with thick, sweet cream, and brown in a moderate oven until well heated through. samp.--use one part of samp to four and one half parts of boiling water. it is the best plan to reserve enough of the water to moisten the samp before adding it to the boiling water, as it is much less likely to cook in lumps. boil rapidly, stirring continuously, until the mush has well set, then slowly for from two to three hours. cerealine flakes.--into one measure of boiling liquid stir an equal measure of cerealine flakes, and cook in a double boiler from one half to three fourths of an hour. hulled corn.--_to hull the corn._--put enough wood ashes into a large kettle to half fill it; then nearly fill with hot water, and boil ten minutes. drain off the water from the ashes, turn it into a kettle, and pour in four quarts of clean, shelled field corn, white varieties preferred. boil till the hulls rub off. skim the corn out of the lye water, and put it into a tub of fresh cold water. to remove the hulls, scrub the corn well with a new stiff brush broom kept for the purpose, changing the water often. put through half a dozen or more waters, and then take the corn out by handfuls, rubbing each well between the hands to loosen the remaining hulls, and drop again into clear water. pick out all hulls. cleanse the corn through several more waters if it is to be dried and kept before using. well hulled corn is found in the markets. _to cook._--if it is to be cooked at once, it should be parboiled in clear water twice, and then put into new water and cooked till tender. it should be nearly or quite dry when done. it may be served with milk or cream. coarse hominy.--for coarse hominy use four parts of water or milk and water to one of grain. it is best steamed or cooked in a double boiler, though it may be boiled in a kettle over a slow fire. the only objection to this method is the need of frequent stirring to prevent sticking, which breaks and mashes the hominy. from four to five hours' slow cooking will be necessary, unless the grain has been previously soaked; then about one hour less will be required. fine hominy or grits.--this preparation is cooked in the same manner as the foregoing, using three and one half or four parts of water to one of the grain. four or five hours will be necessary for cooking the unsoaked grits. popped corn.--the small, translucent varieties of maize known as "pop corn," possessed the property, when gently roasted, of bursting open, or turning inside out, a process which is owing to the following facts: corn contains an excess of fatty matter. by proper means this fat can be separated from the grain, and it is then a thick, pale oil. when oils are heated sufficiently in a vessel closed from the air, they are turned into gas, which occupies many times the bulk of the oil. when pop corn is gradually heated, and made so hot that the oil inside of the kernel turns to gas, being unable to escape through the hull of the kernel, the pressure finally becomes strong enough to burst the grain, and the explosion is so violent as to shatter it in a most curious manner. popped corn forms an excellent food, the starch of the grain being will cooked. it should, however, be eaten in connection with other food at mealtime, and not as a delicacy between meals. ground pop corn is considered a delectable dish eaten with milk or cream; it also forms the base of several excellent puddings. to pop the corn, shell and place in a wire "popper" over a bed of bright coals, or on the top of a hot stove; stir or shake continuously, so that each kernel may be subjected to the same degree of heat on all sides, until it begins to burst open. if a popper is not attainable, a common iron skillet covered tightly, and very lightly oiled on the bottom, may be used for the purpose. the corn must be very dry to begin with, and if good, nearly every kernel will pop open nicely. it should be used within twenty-four hours after popping. macaroni. description.--macaroni is a product of wheat prepared from a hard, clean, glutenous grain. the grain is ground into a meal called _semolina_, from which the bran is excluded. this is made into a tasty dough by mixing with hot water in the proportion of two thirds _semolina_ to one third water. the dough after being thoroughly mixed is put into a shallow vat and kneaded and rolled by machinery. when well rolled, it is made to assume varying shapes by being forced by a powerful plunger through the perforated head of strong steel or iron cylinders arranged above a fire, so that the dough is partially baked as it issues from the holes. it is afterwards hung over rods or laid upon frames covered with cloth, and dried. it is called by different names according to its shape. if in the shape of large, hollow cylinders, it is _macaroni;_ if smaller in diameter, it is _spaghetti;_ if fine, _vermicelli;_ if the paste is cut into fancy patterns, it is termed _pasta d'italia_. macaroni was formerly made only in italy, but at present is manufactured to a considerable extent in the united states. the product, however, is in general greatly inferior to that imported from italy, owing to the difference in the character of the wheat from which it is made, the italian macaroni being produced from a hard, semi-translucent wheat, rich in nitrogenous elements, and which is only grown successfully in a hot climate. like all cereal foods, macaroni should be kept in a perfectly dry storeroom. to select macaroni.--good macaroni will keep in good condition for years. it is rough, elastic, and hard; while the inferior article is smooth, soft, breaks easily, becomes moldy with keeping. inferior macaroni contains a large percentage of starch, and but a small amount of gluten. when put into hot water, it assumes a white, pasty appearance, and splits in cooking. good macaroni when put into hot water absorbs a portion of the water, swells to nearly double its size, but perfectly retains its shape. inferior macaroni is usually sold a few cents cheaper per pound than the genuine article. it contains a much smaller amount of gluten. the best quality of any shape one pleases can be bought in most markets for ten or fifteen cents a pound. to prepare and cook macaroni.--do not wash macaroni. if dusty, wipe with a clean, dry cloth. break into pieces of convenient size. always put to cook in boiling liquid, taking care to have plenty of water in the saucepan (as it absorbs a large quantity), and cook until tender. the length of time required may vary from twenty minutes, if fresh, to one hour if stale. when tender, turn into a colander and drain, and pour cold water through it to prevent the tubes from sticking together. the fluid used for cooking may be water, milk, or a mixture of both; also soup stock, tomato juice, or any preferred liquid. macaroni serves as an important adjunct to the making of various soups, and also forms the basis of other palatable dishes. _recipes._ home-made macaroni.--to four cupfuls of flour, add one egg well beaten, and enough water to make a dough that can be rolled. roll thin on a breadboard and cut into strips. dry in the sun. the best arrangement for this purpose is a wooden frame to which a square of cheese-cloth has been tightly tacked, upon which the macaroni may be laid in such a way as not to touch, and afterwards covered with a cheese-cloth to keep off the dust during the drying. boiled macaroni.--break sticks of macaroni into pieces about an inch in length, sufficient to fill a large cup; put it into boiling water and cook until tender. when done, drained thoroughly, then add a pint of milk, part cream if it can be afforded, a little salt and one well-beaten egg; stir over the fire until it thickens, and serve hot. macaroni with cream sauce.--cook the macaroni as directed in the proceeding, and serve with a cream sauce prepared by heating a scant pint of rich milk to boiling, in a double boiler. when boiling, add a heaping tablespoonful of flour, rubbed smoothed in a little milk and one fourth teaspoonful of salt. if desired, the sauce may be flavored by steeping in the milk before thickening for ten or fifteen minutes, a slice of onion or a few bits of celery, and then removing with a fork. macaroni with tomato sauce.--break a dozen sticks of macaroni into two-inch lengths, and drop into boiling milk and water, equal parts. let it boil for an hour, or until perfectly tender. in the meantime prepare the sauce by rubbing a pint of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander to remove all seeds and fragments. heat to boiling, thicken with a little flour; a tablespoonful to the pint will be about the requisite proportion. add salt and if desired, a half cup of very thin sweet cream. dish the macaroni into individual dishes, and serve with a small quantity of the sauce poured over each dish. macaroni baked with granola.--break macaroni into pieces about an inch in length sufficient to fill a large cup, and cook until tender in boiling milk and water. when done, drain and put a layer of the macaroni in the bottom of an earthen pudding dish, and sprinkle over it a scant teaspoonful of granola. add a second and third layer and sprinkle each with granola; then turn over the whole a custard sauce prepared by mixing together a pint of milk, the well beaten yolks of two eggs or one whole egg, and one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt. care should be taken to arrange the macaroni in layers loosely, so that the sauce will readily permeate the whole. bake for a few minutes only, until the custard has well set, and serve. eggs and macaroni.--break fifteen whole sticks of macaroni into two-inch lengths, and put to cook in boiling water. while the macaroni is cooking, boil the yolks of four eggs until mealy. the whole egg may be used if caught so the yolks are mealy in the whites simply jellied, not hardened. when the macaroni is done, drain and put a layer of it arranged loosely in the bottom of an earthen pudding dish. slice the cooked egg yolks and spread a layer of them over the macaroni. fill the dish with alternate layers of macaroni and egg, taking care to have the top layer of macaroni. pour over the whole a cream sauce prepared as follows: heat one and three fourths cup of rich milk to boiling, add one fourth teaspoonful of salt and one heaping spoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. cook until thickened, then turn over the macaroni. sprinkle the top with grated bread crumbs, and brown in a hot oven for eight or ten minutes. serve hot. table topics. sir isaac newton, when writing his grail work, "principia," lived wholly upon a vegetable, diet. robert collyer once remarked; "one great reason why i never had a really sick day in my life was that as boy i lived on oatmeal and milk and brown bread, potatoes and a bit of meat when i could get it, and then oatmeal again." hot-weather diet.--the sultry period of our summer, although comparatively slight and of short duration, is nevertheless felt by some people to be extremely oppressive, but this is mainly due to the practice of eating much animal food or fatty matters, conjoined as it often is with the habit of drinking freely of fluids containing more or less alcoholics. living on cereals, vegetables, and fruits, and abstaining from alcoholic drinks, the same persons would probably enjoy the temperature, and be free from the thirst which is the natural result of consuming needlessly heating food.--_sir henry thompson._ _mistress_ (arranging for dinner)--"didn't the macaroni come from the grocer's, bridget?" _bridget_--"yis, mum, but oi sint it back. every won av thim leetle stims wuz impty." some years since, a great railroad corporation in the west, having occasion to change the gauge of its road throughout a distance of some five hundred miles, employed a force of , workmen upon the job, who worked from very early in the morning until late at night. alcoholic drinks were strictly prohibited, but a thin gruel made of oatmeal and water was kept on hand and freely partaken of by the men to quench their thirst. the results were admirable; not a single workmen gave out under the severe strain, and not one lost a day from sickness. thus this large body of men were kept well and in perfect strength and spirits, and the work was done in considerably less time than that counted on for its completion. in scotch households oatmeal porridge is as inevitable as breakfast itself, except perhaps on sundays, as this anecdote will illustrate. a mother and child were passing along a street in glasgow, when this conversation was overheard:-- "what day is the morn, mither?" "sabbath, laddie." "an' will wi hae tea to breakfast, mither?" "aye, laddie, gin we're spared." "an' gin we're no spared, will we hae parrich?" breadstuffs and breadmaking although the grains form most nutritious and palatable dishes when cooked in their unground state, this is not always the most convenient way of making; use of them. mankind from earliest antiquity has sought to give these wonderful products of nature a more portable and convenient form by converting them into what is termed bread, a word derived from the verb _bray_, to pound, beat, or grind small, indicative of the ancient manner of preparing the grain for making bread. probably the earliest form of bread was simply the whole grain moistened and then exposed to heat. afterward, the grains were roasted and ground, or pounded between stones, and unleavened bread was made by mixing this crude flour with water, and baking in the form of cakes. among the many ingenious arrangements used by the ancients for baking this bread, was a sort of portable oven in shape something like a pitcher, in the inside of which a fire was made. when the oven was well heated, a paste made of meal and water was applied to the outside. such bread was baked very quickly and taken off in small, thin sheets like wafers. a flat cake was the common form in which most of the bread of olden times was baked; being too brittle to be cut with a knife, the common mode of dividing it was by breaking and hence the expression "breaking bread" so common in scripture. various substances have been and are employed for making this needful article. until the last few decades, barley was the grain most universally used. chestnuts, ground to a flour, are made into bread in regions where these nuts abound. quite recently, an immense peanut crop in the southern states was utilized for bread-making purposes. in ancient times, the thracians made to bread from a flour made from the _water coltran_, a prickly root of triangular form. in syria, mulberries were dried and grounded to flour. rice, moss, palm tree piths, and starch producing roots are used by different nationalities in the preparation of bread. in many parts of sweden, bread is made from dried fish, using one half fish flour and one half barley flour; and in winter, flour made from the bark of trees is added. desiccated tomatoes, potatoes, and other vegetables are also mixed with the cereals for bread-making. in india, the lower classes make their bread chiefly from millet. moss bread is made in iceland from the reindeer moss, which toward autumn becomes soft, tender, and moist, with a taste like wheat bran. it contains a large quantity of starch, and the icelanders gather, dry, pulverize it, and thus prepare it for bread-making. the ancient egyptians often made their bread from equal parts of the whole grain and meal. the breadstuff's most universally used among civilized nations at the present time are barley, rye, oats, maize, buckwheat, rice, and wheat, of which the last has acquired a decided preference. if made in the proper manner and from suitable material, bread is, with the exception of milk, the article best fitted for the nourishment of the body, and if need be, can supply the place of all other foods. good bread does not cloy the appetite as do many other articles of food, and the simplest bill of fare which includes light, wholesome bread, is far more satisfying than an elaborate meal without it. were the tables of our land supplied with good, nutritious, well-baked bread, there would be less desire for cake, pastry, and other indigestible particles, which, under the present system of cookery, are allowed to compensate for the inferior quality and poor preparation of more wholesome foods. bread has been proverbially styled the "staff of life." in nearly all ancient languages the entomology of the word "bread" signifies all, indicating; that the bread of earlier periods was in truth what it should be at the present time,--a staff upon which all the functions of life might with safety depend. notwithstanding the important part bread was designed to play in the economy of life, it would be hardly possible to mention another aliment which so universally falls below the standard either through the manner of its preparation or in the material used. bread, to answer the requirements of a good, wholesome article of food, beside being palatable, must be light, porous, and friable, so that it can be easily insalivated and digested. it should not contain ingredients which will in any way be injurious if taken into the system, but should contain as many as possible of the elements of nutrition. wheat, the substance from which bread is most generally made, contains all the necessary food elements in proper proportions to meet the requirements of nutrition, and bread should also contain them. the flour, however, must be made from the whole grain of the wheat, with the exception of the outer husk. what is ordinarily termed fine flour has a large part of the most nutritive properties of the grain left out, and unless this deficiency is made up by other foods, the use of bread made from such material will leave the most vital tissues of the body poorly nourished, and tend to produce innumerable bad results. people who eat bread made from fine white flour naturally crave the food elements which have been eliminated from the wheat, and are thus led to an excessive consumption of meat, and the nerve-starvation and consequent irritability thus induced may also lead to the use of alcoholic drinks. we believe that one of the strongest barriers women could erect against the inroads of intemperance would be to supply the tables of the land with good bread made from flour of the entire wheat. the superiority of bread made from the entire wheat or unbolted meal has been attested by many notable examples in history. in england, under the administration of william pitt, there was for several years such a scarcity of wheat that to make it hold out longer, a law was passed by parliament that the army should be supplied with bread made of unbolted flour. this occasioned much murmuring on the part of the soldiers, but nevertheless the health of the army improved so greatly as to be a subject of surprise. the officers and the physicians at last publicly declared that the soldiers had never before been so robust and healthy. according to the eminent prof. liebig, whole-wheat bread contains per cent more of the phosphate or bone forming material than does meat, and per cent more gluten than white bread. to the lack of these elements in a food so generally used as white flour bread, is undoubtedly due the great prevalence of early decaying teeth, rickets, and other bone diseases. indeed, so many are the evils attendant upon a continued use of fine flour bread that we can in a great measure agree with a writer of the last century who says, in a quaint essay still to be seen at the british museum, that "fine flour, spirituous liquors, and strong ale-house beer are the foundations of almost all the poverty and all the evils that affect the labouring part of mankind." bread made from the entire wheat is looked upon with far more favor than formerly, and it is no longer necessary to use the crude products of the grain for its manufacture, since modern invention has worked such a revolution in milling processes that it is now possible to obtain a fine flour containing all the nutritious elements of the grain. the old-time millstone has been largely superceded by machinery with which the entire grain may be reduced to fine flour without the loss of any of its valuable properties. to be sure, the manufacture of fine white flour of the old sort, is still continued, and doubtless will be continued so long as color takes precedence over food value. the improved processes of milling have, however, enabled the millers to utilize a much larger proportion of the nutritious elements of the grain than formerly, and still preserve that whiteness is so pleasing to many consumers. although it is true that there are brands of white flour which possess a large percentage of the nutrient properties of the wheat, it is likewise true that flour which contains _all_ the nutritive elements is _not_ white. of flours made from the entire grain there are essentially two different varieties, that which is termed _unbolted wheat meal_ or _graham_ flour, and that called _wheat-berry, whole-wheat_, or _entire-wheat_ flour. the principal difference between the two consists in the preliminary treatment of the wheat kernel before reduction, graham flour containing more or less of the flinty bran, which is wholly innutritious and to a sensitive stomach somewhat irritating. in the manufacture of _whole_ or _entire_-wheat flour, the outer, flinty bran is first removed by special machinery, and then the entire grain pulverized, by some of approved method, to different grades of fineness. the absence of the indigestible bran renders the entire-wheat flour superior in this respect to graham, though for many persons the latter is to preferred. how to select flour.--the first requisite in the making of good bread is good flour. the quality of a brand of flour will of course depend much upon the kind of grain from which it is prepared--whether new or old, perfect, or deteriorated by rust, mold, or exposure, and also upon the thoroughness with which it has been cleansed from dust, chaff, and all foreign substances, as well as upon the method by which it is ground. it is not possible to judge with regard to all these particulars by the appearance of the flour, but in general, good flour will be sweet, dry, and free from any sour or musty smell or taste. take up a handful, and if it falls from the hand light and elastic, it is pretty sure to be good. if it will retain the imprint of the fingers and falls and a compact mass or a damp, clammy, or sticky to the touch, it is by no means the best. when and knead a little of it between the fingers; if it works soft and sticky, it is poor. good flour, when made into dough, is elastic, and will retain its shape. this elastic property of good flour is due to the gluten which it contains. the more gluten and the stronger it is, the better the flour. the gluten of good flour will swell to several times its original bulk, while that of poor flour will not. in buying white flour, do not select that which is pure white with a bluish tinge, but that which is of a creamy, yellowish-white tint. while the kinds of flour that contain the entire nutritive properties of the wheat will necessarily be darker in color, we would caution the reader not to suppose that because flour is dark in color it is for that reason good, and rich in nutritive elements. there are many other causes from which flour may be dark, such as the use of uncleansed or dark varieties of wheat, and the large admixture of bran and other grains; many unscrupulous millers and flour dealers make use of this fact to palm off upon their unsuspecting customers an inferior article. much of the so-called graham flour is nothing more than poor flour mixed with bran, and is in every way inferior to good white flour. fine flour or made from the entire wheat may generally be distinguished from a spurious article by taking a small portion into the mouth and chewing it. raw flour made from the entire grain has a sweet taste, and a rich, nutty flavor the same as that experienced in chewing a whole grain of wheat, and produces a goodly quantity of gum or gluten, while a spurious article tastes flat and insipid like starch, or has a bitter, pungent taste consequent upon the presence of impurities. this bitter taste is noticeable in bread made from such flour. a given quantity of poor flour will not make as much bread as the same quantity of good flour, so that adulteration may also be detected in this way. doubtless much of the prejudice against the use of whole-wheat flour has arisen from the use of a spurious article. as it is not always possible to determine accurately without the aid of chemistry and a microscope whether flour is genuine, the only safe way is to purchase the product of reliable mills. it is always best to obtain a small quantity of flour first, and put it to the test of bread-making; then, if satisfactory, purchase that brand so long as it proves good. it is true economy to buy a flour known to be good even though it may cost more than some others. it is not wise to purchase too large a quantity at once unless one has exceptionally good facilities for storage, as flour is subject to many deteriorating influences. it is estimated that a barrel of good flour contains sufficient bread material to last one person one year; and from this standard it can be easily estimated in what proportion it is best to purchase. to keep flour.--flour should always be kept in a tight receptacle, and in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place. it should not be allowed to remain in close proximity to any substances of strong odor, as it very readily absorbs odors and gaseous impurities. a damp atmosphere will cause it to absorb moisture, and as a result the gluten will lose some of its tenacity and become sticky, and bread made from the flour will be coarser and inferior in quality. flour which has absorbed dampness from any cause should be sifted into a large tray, spread out thin and exposed to the hot sun, or placed in a warming oven for a few hours. deleterious adulterations of flour.--besides the fraud frequently practiced of compounding whole-wheat flour from inferior mill products, white flour is sometimes adulterated--more commonly, however, in european countries that in this--with such substances as alum, ground rice, plaster of paris, and whiting. alum is doubtless the most commonly used of all these substances, for the reason that it gives the bread a whiter color and causes the flour to absorb and retain a larger amount of water than it would otherwise hold. this enables the user to make, from an inferior brand of flour, bread which resembles that made from a better quality. such adulteration is exceedingly injurious, as are other mineral substances used for a similar purpose. the presence of alum in flour or bread may be detected in the following way: macerate a half slice of bread in three or four tablespoonfuls of water; strain off the water, and add to it twenty drops of a strong solution of logwood, made either from the fresh chips or the extract. then add a large teaspoonful of a strong solution of carbonate of ammonium. if alum is present, the mixture will change from pink to lavender blue. the _journal of trade_ gives the following simple mode of testing for this adulterant: "persons can test the bread they buy for themselves, by taking a piece of it and soaking it in water. take this water and mix it with an equal part of fresh milk, and if the bread contains alum, the mixture will coagulate. if a better test is required, boil the mixture, and it will form perfect clot." whiting can be detected by dipping the ends of the thumb and forefinger in sweet oil and rubbing the flour between them. if whiting is present, the flour will become sticky like putty, and remain white; whereas pure flour, when so rubbed, becomes darker in color, but not sticky. plaster of paris, chalk, and other alkaline adulterants may be detected by a few drops of lemon juice: if either be present, effervescence will take place. chemistry of bread-making.--good flour alone will not insure good bread. as much depends upon its preparation as upon the selection of material; for the very best of flour may be transformed into the poorest of bread through improper or careless preparation. good bread cannot be produced at random. it is not the fruit of any luck or chance, but the practical result of certain fixed laws and principles to which all may conform. the first step in the conversion of flour into bread is to incorporate with it a given amount of fluid, by which each atom of flour is surrounded with a thin film of moisture, in order to hydrate the starch, to dissolve the sugar and albumen, and to develop the adhesiveness of the gluten, thus binding the whole into one coherent mass termed _dough_, a word from a verb meaning to wet or moisten. if nothing more be done, and this simple form of dough be baked, the starch granules will be ruptured by the heat and thus properly prepared for food; but the moistening will have developed the glue-like property of the gluten to the extent of firmly cementing the particles of flour together, so that the mass will be hard and tough, and almost incapable of mastication. if, however, the dough be thoroughly kneaded, rolled very thin, made into small cakes, and then quickly baked with sufficient heat, the result will be a brittle kind of bread termed unleavened bread, which, although it requires a lengthy process of mastication, is more wholesome and digestible than soft bread, which is likely to be swallowed insufficiently insalivated. the gluten of wheat flour, beside being adhesive, is likewise remarkably elastic. this is the reason why wheat flour is much more easily made into light bread than the product of other cereals which contain less or a different quality of gluten. now if while the atoms of flour are supplied with moisture, they are likewise supplied with some form of gaseous substance, the elastic walls of the gluten cells will become distended, causing the dough to "rise," or grow in bulk, and at the same time become light, or porous, in texture. this making of bread light is usually accomplished by the introduction of air into the dough, or by carbonic acid gas generated within the mass, either before or during the baking, by a fermentative or chemical process. when air is the agency used, the gluten, by its glue-like properties, catches and retains the air for a short period; and if heat is applied before the air, which is lighter than the dough, rises and escapes, it will expand, and in expanding distend the elastic glutinous mass, causing it to puff up or rise. if the heat is sufficient to harden the gluten quickly, so that the air cells throughout the whole mass become firmly fixed before the air escapes, the result will be a light, porous bread. if the heat is not sufficient, the air does not properly expand; or if before a sufficient crust is formed to retain the air and form a framework of support for the dough, the heat is lessened or withdrawn, the air will escape, or contract to its former volume, allowing the distended glutinous cell walls to collapse; in either case the bread will be heavy. if carbonic acid gas, generated within the dough by means of fermentation or by the use of chemical substances, be the means used to lighten the mass, the gluten by virtue of its tenacity holds the bubbles of gas as they are generated, and prevents the large and small ones from uniting, or from rising to the surface, as they seek to do, being lighter than the dough. being thus caught where they are generated, and the proper conditions supplied to expand them, they swell or raise the dough, which is then termed a loaf. (this word "loaf" is from the anglo-saxon _hlifian_, to raise or lift up.) the structure is rendered permanent by the application of heat in baking. bread made light by fermentation. for general use, the most convenient form of bread is usually considered to be that made from wheat flour, raised or made light by some method of fermentation, although in point of nutritive value and healthfulness, it does not equal light, unfermented, or aërated bread made without the aid of chemicals. the process of fermentation.--fermentation is a process of decomposition, and hence more or less destructive to the substances subjected to its influence. when animal and vegetable substances containing large amounts of nitrogenous elements are in a moist state and exposed to air, they very soon undergo a change, the result of which is decomposition or decay. this is occasioned by the action of germs, which feed upon nitrogenous substances, as do the various species of fungi. meat, eggs, milk, and other foods rich in nitrogenous elements can be preserved but a short time if exposed to the atmosphere. the carbonaceous elements are different in this respect. when pure starch, sugar, or fat is exposed to the air in a moistened state, they exhibit the very little tendency to change or decay. yet if placed in contact with decomposing substances containing nitrogen, they soon begin to change, and are themselves decomposed and destroyed. this communication of the condition of change from one class of substances to another, is termed fermentation. if a fermenting substance be added to a watery solution containing sugar, the sugar will be changed or decomposed, and two new substances, alcohol and carbonic acid gas, are produced. the different stages of fermentation are noted scientifically as alcoholic, acetous, and putrefactive. the first is the name given to the change which takes place in the saccharine matter of the dough, which results in the formation of alcohol and carbonic acid gas. this same change takes place in the saccharine matter of fruits under the proper with conditions of warmth, air, and moisture, and is utilized in the production of wines and fermented liquors. in bread-making, the alcohol and carbonic acid gas produced during the fermentation, are formed from sugar,--that originally contained in the flour and the additional quantity formed from starch during the fermenting process. it is evident, therefore, that bread cannot be fermented without some loss in natural sweetness and nutritive value, and bread made after this method should be managed so as to deteriorate the material as little as possible. if this fermentation continues long enough, the acetous fermentation is set up, and _acetic_ acid, the essential element of vinegar, is formed and the dough becomes sour. if the process of fermentation is very much prolonged, the putrefactive change is set up, and the gluten is more or less decomposed. if the dough be baked during the alcoholic and carbonic-acid stage of fermentation, the gas will render the loaf light and porous. the alcohol will be dissipated by the heat during the baking, or evaporated shortly afterward, provided the baking be thorough. if the fermentation is allowed to proceed until the acetous fermentation has begun, the loaf, when baked, will be "sad" and heavy, since there is no longer any gas to puff it up. if, however, during the first or alcoholic stage of fermentation, new material be added, the same kind of fermentation will continue for a certain period longer. these facts serve to show that great care and attention are necessary to produce good bread by a fermentative process. if the fermentation has not been allowed to proceed far enough to generate a sufficient amount of gas to permeate the whole mass, the result will be a heavy loaf; and if allowed to proceed too far, acid fermentation begins, the gas escapes, and we have sour as well as heavy bread. it is not enough, however, to prevent bread from reaching the acetous or sour stage of fermentation. bread may be over-fermented when there is no appreciable sourness developed. fermentation may be carried so far as to destroy much of the richness and sweetness of the loaf, and yet be arrested by the baking process just before the acetous stage begins, so that it will be light and porous, but decidedly lacking in flavor and substance. over-fermentation also develops in the bread various bitter substances which obscure the natural sweetness of the bread and give to it an unpleasant flavor. many of these substances are more or less harmful in character, and include many poisons known as ptomaines, a class of chemical compounds produced by germs whenever fermentation or decomposition of organic matter takes place. much skill is required to determine at what point to arrest the fermentation, in order to save the sweetness and richness of the bread. fermentative agents.--fermentation in vegetable matter is always accompanied by the growth of living organisms. the development of these minute organisms is the exciting cause of fermentation and putrefaction. the germs or spores of some of these fermenting agents are always present in the air. it is well known to housekeepers that if a batter of flour and water and a little salt be kept in a jar of water at a temperature of from ° to °, it will ferment in the course of five or six hours. scientists assure us that this fermentation is occasioned by the introduction of the spores of certain species of fungi which are continually floating in the atmosphere, and the proper conditions of warmth and moisture being supplied, they at once begin to grow and multiply. this method of securing fermentation is utilized by housewives in making what is termed salt-rising bread. the raising of dough by this process is lengthy and uncertain, and a far more convenient method is to accelerate the fermentation by the addition of some active ferment. the ancient method of accomplishing this was by adding to the dough a leaven, a portion of old dough which had been kept until it had begun to ferment; but since the investigations of modern chemistry have made clear the properties of yeast, that has come to be considered the best agent for setting up the process of alcoholic fermentation in bread. the use of leaven is still practiced to somewhat in some european countries. the bread produced with leaven, although light and spongy in texture, has an unpleasant, sour taste, and is much less wholesome than that produced with fresh yeast. yeast is a collection of living organisms or plants belonging to the family of fungi, which, like all other plants, require warmth, moisture, and food, in order to promote growth, and when properly supplied with these, they begin to grow and multiply rapidly. fermentation will not take place at a temperature below °, it proceeds slowly at °, but from ° to ° it goes on rapidly. fermentation may be arrested by the exhaustion of either the fermenting agent or the food supply, or by exposure to heat at the temperature of boiling water. this latter fact enables the housewife to arrest the process of fermentation, when the loaf has become sufficiently light, by baking it in a hot oven. heat destroys most of the yeast cells; a few, however, remain in the loaf unchanged, and it is for this reason that yeast bread is considered less wholesome for dyspeptics than light unleavened bread. it is apparent, then, that the more thoroughly fermented bread is baked, the more wholesome it will be, from the more complete destruction of the yeast germs which it contains. yeast.--next to good flour, the most important requisite in the manufacture of fermented bread is good yeast. the best of flour used in conjunction with poor yeast will not produce good bread. the most convenient and reliable kind of marketable yeast, when fresh, is the compressed yeast. the dry though they are always ready for use, the quality of the bread they produce is generally inferior to that made with either compressed yeast or good liquid yeast. if this sort of yeast must be depended upon, the cakes known as "yeast foam" are the best of any with which we are acquainted. of homemade yeasts there are almost as many varieties as there are cooks. their comparative value depends mainly upon the length of time they will keep good, or the facility with which they can be prepared. essentially the same principles are involved in the making of them all; viz., the introduction of a small quantity of fresh, lively yeast into a mixture of some form of starch (obtained from flour, potato, or a combination of both) and water, with or without the addition of such other substances as will promote fermentation, or aid in preventing the yeast from souring. under proper conditions of warmth, the small amount of original yeast begins to supply itself with food at once by converting the starch into dextrine, and then into grape sugar, and multiplies itself with great rapidity, and will continue to do so as long as there is material to supply it with the means of growth. while its growth is rapid, its decay is equally so; and unless some means of preservation be employed, the yeast will die, and the mixture become sour and foul. ordinarily it can be kept good for several days, and under the best conditions, even three or four weeks. after it has been kept from four to six hours, it should be placed in some receptacle as nearly air-tight as possible and set in the cellar or refrigerator, where it can be kept at a temperature not conducive to fermentation. thus the little yeast organisms will remain in a quiescent state, but yet alive and capable of multiplying themselves when again surrounded with favorable conditions. the yeast should be kept in glass or glazed earthen ware. the vessel containing it should be washed and scalded with scrupulous care before new yeast is put in, since the smallest particle of sour or spoiled yeast will ruin the fresh supply in a very short time. it is generally conceded that yeast will keep longer if the material of which it is made be mixed with liquid of a boiling temperature, or cooked for a few minutes at boiling heat before adding the yeast. the reason for this undoubtedly lies in the fact that the boiling kills foreign germs, and thus prevents early souring or putrefaction. the yeast must not be added, however, until the liquid has cooled to a little more than blood heat, as too great heat will kill the yeast cells. the starch of the potato is thought to furnish better material for the promotion of yeast growth than that of wheat flour; but whether the potato be first cooked, mashed, and then combined with the other ingredients, or grated raw and then cooked in boiling water, makes little difference so far as results are concerned, though the latter method may have the advantage of taking less time. if potatoes are used for this purpose, they should be perfectly mature. new ones will not answer. sugar assists in promoting the growth of the yeast plant, and a small amount is usually employed in making yeast. hops serve to prevent the yeast from souring, and an infusion of them is frequently used for this purpose. while it is essential that the water used should be boiling, it is also necessary that the mixture should cooled to a lukewarm temperature before the introduction of the original yeast, as intense heat will kill the yeast plant. freezing cold will likewise produced the same result. while a cool temperature is one of the requisites for keeping yeast fresh, care must be taken, especially in winter, that it does not get chilled. when yeast is needed for bread, it is always the best plan to take a cup to the cellar or refrigerator for the desired quantity, and re-cover the jar as quickly as possible. a half hour in a hot kitchen would be quite likely to spoiled it. always shake or stir the whole well before measuring out the yeast. in making yeast, used earthen bowls for mixing, porcelain-lined or granite-ware utensils for boiling, and silver or wooden spoons for stirring. bitter yeast.--it sometimes happens that an excessive use of hops in the making of yeast gives to it so bitter a flavor as to communicate a disagreeable taste to the bread. to correct this bitterness, mix with the yeast a considerable quantity of water, and let it stand for some hours, when the thickest portion will have settled at the bottom. the water, which will have extracted much of the bitterness, can then be turned off and thrown away. yeast also sometimes becomes a bitter from long keeping. freshly burnt charcoal thrown into the yeast is said to absorb the odors and offensive matter and render the yeast more sweet; however, we do not recommend the use of any yeast so stale as to need sweetening or purifying. yeast that is new and fresh is always best; old and stale yeast, even though it may still possess the property of raising the dough, will give an unpleasant taste to the bread, and is much less wholesome. tests for yeast.--liquid yeast, when good, is light in color and looks foamy and effervescent; it has a pungent odor somewhat similar to weak ammonia, and if tasted will have a sharp, biting flavor. yeast is poor when it looks dull and watery, and has a sour odor. compressed yeast, if good, breaks off dry and looks white; if poor, it appears moist and stringy. if there is any question as to the quality of yeast, it is always best to test it before use by adding a little flour to a small quantity and setting it in a warm place. if it begins to ferment in the course of fifteen or twenty minutes, it is good. starting the bread.--having secured good yeast, it is necessary in some way to diffuse it through the bread material so that it will set up an active fermentation, which, by the evolution of gas, will render the whole mass light and porous. as fermentation is more sure, more rapid, and requires less yeast to start it when set in action in a thin mixture than when introduced into stiff dough, the more common method of starting fermented bread is by "setting a sponge;" viz., preparing a batter of flour and liquid, to which potato is sometimes added, and into which the yeast is introduced. some cooks, in making the batter, use the whole amount of liquid needed for the bread, and as the sponge rises, add flour in small quantities, beating it back, and allowing it to rise a second, third, or even fourth time, until sufficient flour has been added to knead; others use only half the liquid in preparing the sponge, and when it has well risen, prepare a second one by adding the remainder of the liquid and fresh flour, in which case the fermented batter acts as a double portion of yeast and raises the second sponge very quickly. the requisite amount of flour is then added, the dough kneaded, and the whole allowed to rise a third time in the loaf. other cooks dispense altogether with the sponge, adding to the liquid at first the requisite amount of flour, kneading it thoroughly and allowing it to rise once in mass and again after molding into loaves. as to the superiority of one method over another, much depends upon their adaptability to the time and convenience of the user; light bread can be produced by either method. less yeast but more time will be required when the bread is started with a sponge. the end to be attained by all is a complete and equal diffusion of gas bubbles generated during fermentation throughout the whole mass of dough. the preferable method of combining the materials needed for the batter is by first mingling the yeast with the water or milk. if condensed or dry yeast is used, previously dissolve it well in a half cupful or less of lukewarm water. stir the flour slowly into the liquid mixture and beat it _very thoroughly_ so that the yeast shall be evenly distributed throughout the whole. proportion of materials needed.--the material needed for making: the bread should all be carefully measured out beforehand and the flour well sifted. many housekeepers fail in producing good bread, because they guess at the quantity of material to be used, particularly the flour, and with the same quantity of liquid will one time use much more flour that at another, thus making the results exceedingly variable. with this same brand of flour, this same quantity should always be used to produce a given amount of bread. this amount will depend upon the quality of the material used. good flour will absorb a larger quantity of liquids than that of an inferior quality, and the amount of liquid a given quantity of flour will take up determines the quantity of bread that can be produced from it. this amount is chiefly dependent upon the proportion of gluten contained in the flour. one hundred pounds of good flour will absorb sufficient water to produce one hundred and fifty pounds of bread. one reason why bread retains so much water is that during the baking a portion of starch is converted into gum, which holds water more strongly than starch. again: the gluten, when wet, is not easily dried, while the dry crust which forms around the bread in baking is merely impervious to water, and, like the skin of a baking potato, prevents the moisture from escaping. kinds of flour vary so considerably in respect to their absorbent properties that it is not possible to state the exact proportions of flour and liquid required; approximately, three heaping measures of flour for one scant measure of liquid, including the yeast, will in general be found a good proportion. bread made from the entire wheat will require from one half to one cupful less flour than that made of white flour. a quart of liquid, including the yeast, is sufficient for three ordinary-sized loaves. one half or two thirds of a cup of homemade yeast, according to its strength, or one half a cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a half cup of lukewarm water, will be sufficient for one quart of liquid. it is a common mistake to use too much yeast. it lessens the time required, but the result is less satisfactory. bread to be set over night requires less yeast. whether water or milk should be used for bread-making, depends upon taste and convenience. bread retains more nearly the natural flavor of the grain if made with water, and is less apt to sour; at the same time, bread made with milk is more tender than that made with water. bread made with milk requires from one half to one cupful less of flour. potatoes are sometimes used in conjunction with flour for bread-making. they are by no means necessary when good flour is used, but bread made from inferior flour is improved by their use. only potatoes that are fully matured should be used for this purpose, and they should be well cooked and smoothly mashed. neither sugar nor salt is essential for the production of good bread, though most cook books recommend the use of one or both. the proportion of the former should not exceed one even tablespoonful to three pints of flour, and the very smallest amount of salt, never more than a half teaspoonful, and better less. no butter or other free fat is required; the tenderness of texture produced by its use can be secured as well by the use of unskimmed milk and thorough kneading. utensils.--for bread-making purposes, earthen or china ware is preferable to either tin or wooden utensils: being a poor conductor, it protects the sponge from the cold air much more effectually than tin, and is much more easily kept clean and sweet than wood. the utensil should be kept exclusively for the purpose of bread-making, and should never be allowed to contain any sour substance. the bowl should be thoroughly scalded before and after each using. use silver or granite-ware spoons for stirring the bread. iron and tin discolor the sponge. for measuring the material, particularly the liquid and the yeast, half-pint cups, divided by marks into thirds and fourths, as shown in the cut, are especially serviceable. [illustration: measuring cup] [illustration: measuring cup] when to set the sponge.--the time to set the sponge for bread-making is a point each housekeeper must determine for herself. the fact before stated, that temperature controls the activity of fermentation, and that it is retarded or accelerated according to the conditions of warmth, enables the housewife, by keeping the bread-mixture at a temperature of about ° f., to set her bread in the evening, if desired, and find it light and ready for further attention in the morning. in winter, the sponge will need to be prepared early in the evening and kept during the night at as even a temperature as possible. a good way to accomplish this is to cover the bowl with a clean napkin and afterwards wrap it about very closely with several folds of a woolen blanket. in extremely cold weather bottles of hot water may be placed around the bowl outside the wrappings. in case this plan is employed, care must be taken to have sufficient wrappings between the bread and the bottles to prevent undue heat, and the bottles should be covered with an additional blanket to aid in retaining the heat as long as possible. if the sponge is set in the evening, if in very warm weather, it should be started as late as practicable, and left in a rather cool place. cover closely to exclude the air, but do not wrap in flannel as in winter. it will be likely to need attention early in the morning. temperature for bread-making.--except in very warm weather, the ferment or sponge should be started with liquid at a lukewarm temperature. the liquid should never be so cold as to chill the yeast. milk, if used, should be first sterilized by scalding, and then cooled before using. after the sponge is prepared, the greatest care must be taken to keep it at an equable temperature. from ° to ° is the best range of temperature, ° being considered the golden mean throughout the entire fermentative process of bread-making. after fermentation has well begun, it will continue, but much more slowly if the temperature be gradually lowered to ° or °. if it is necessary to hasten the rising, the temperature can be raised to ° or °, but it will necessitate careful watching, as it will be liable to over-ferment, and become sour. cold arrests the process of fermentation, while too great heat carries forward the work too rapidly. too much stress cannot be laid upon the importance of an equable temperature. the housewife who permits the fermentation to proceed very slowly one hour, forces it rapidly by increased heat the next, and perhaps allows it to subside to a chilling temperature the third, will never be sure of good bread. putting the bowl containing the sponge into a dish of warm (not hot) water, or keeping it in the warming oven, or on the back of the range, are all methods which may bring about good results, provided the same degree of heat can be maintained continuously; but if the fire is one which must be increased or diminished to suit the exigencies of household details, nothing but the closest and most careful attention will keep the sponge at uniform temperature. the better way is to cover the bowl with a napkin, and in cold weather wrap closely in several thicknesses of flannel, and place on a stand behind the stove, or in some place not exposed to draughts. a bread-raiser purposely arranged for keeping the bread at proper temperature is a great convenience. two small and rather thick earthen ware crocks of the same size, serve very well for this purpose. scald both with hot water, and while still warm, put the sponge in one, invert the other for a cover, and leave in a warm room. all flour used in the bread should be warm when added. lightness of the bread.--the time required for bread in its different stages to grow light will vary according to the quantity and strength of the yeast used and the amount of warmth supplied. a thin batter is light enough when in appearance it resembles throughout a mass of sea foam. it will not greatly increase in bulk, but will be in the state of constant activity, sending up little bubbles of gas and emitting a sharp, pungent odor like fresh yeast. when the thicker batter or second sponge is sufficiently light, it will have risen to nearly double its original bulk and become cracked over the top like "crazed" china. it should never be allowed to rise to the point of sinking or caving in, and should be kneaded as soon as ready. if for any reason it is not possible to knead the bread at once when it has arrived at this stage, do not allow it to stand, but take a knife or spoon and gently beat it back a little. this dissipates some of the gas and reduces the volume somewhat. let it rise again, which it will do in a short time, if it has not been allowed to become too light. if dough that has been kneaded and allowed to rise in mass, becomes sufficiently light at some inopportune moment for shaping into loaves, it may be kept from becoming too light and souring, by taking a knife and cutting it away from the sides of the bowl and gradually working it over toward the center. re-cover and put in a warm place. it will soon assume its former bulk. this "cutting down" may be repeated several times if necessary, provided the bread has not been allowed to become too light at any time, and some cook's recommend it as a uniform practice. we do not, however, except in case of necessity; since, though it may possibly make the bread more light, the long-continued fermentation destroys more than is necessary of the food elements of the flour, and develops an unnecessary amount of the products of fermentation. lightness is not the only requisite for bread, and should be secured with as little deterioration of the flour as possible. an important point in the preparation of bread is to decide when it is sufficiently light after having been molded and placed in pans. the length of time cannot be given, because it will vary with the temperature, the quality of the flour, and the quantity added during the kneading. at a temperature of °, an hour or an hour and a half is about the average length of time needed. a loaf should nearly double its size after being placed in a pan, before baking; when perfectly risen, the bread feels light when lifted and weighed upon the hand. it is better to begin the baking before it has perfectly risen them to wait until it has become so light as to commence to fall, since if the fermentation proceeds too far, the sweetness of the grain will be destroyed, and the bread will be tasteless and innutritious, even if it does not reach the acetous stage. the exercise of a little judgment and careful attention to detail will soon enable a person successfully to determine the proper degree of lightness of bread in its various stages. bread which passes the extreme point of fermentation, or in common phrase gets "too light," will have a strong acid odor, and will pull away from the bowl in a stringy mass, having a watery appearance very different from the fine, spongy texture of properly risen dough. the acidity of such dough may be neutralized by the addition of an alkali, and housewives who through carelessness and inattention have allowed their bread to become "sour," often resort to saleratus or soda to neutralize the acid. the result of such treatment is unwholesome bread, wholly unfit for food. it is better economy to throw away bread material which needs to be sweetened with soda than to run the risk of injury to health by using it. kneading the dough.--as fresh flour is added during the bread-making, it is necessary to mix it in thoroughly. as long as the batter is thin, this can be done by thoroughly beating the mixture with the addition of material; but when it is a thick dough, some other method must be adopted to bring about the desired result. the usual way is by mixing the dough to a proper consistency, and working it with the hands. this is termed _kneading_. much of the excellence of bread depends upon the thoroughness of this kneading, since if the yeast is not intimately and equally mixed with every particle of flour, the bread will not be uniform; some portions will be heavy and compact, while others will be full of large, open cavities, from the excessive liberation of gas. the length of time required for kneading depends upon the perfection with which the yeast cells have been previously diffused throughout the sponge, and upon the quality of the flour used in preparing the bread, much less time being required for kneading dough made from good flour. some consider an hour none too long to knead bread. such a lengthy process may be advantageous, since one of the objects of kneading is to render the glutinous parts of the flour so elastic that the dough may be capable of expanding to several times its bulk without cracking or breaking, but excellent results can be obtained from good flour with less labor. bread has been kneaded all that is necessary when it will work clean of the board, and when, after a smart blow with the fist in the center of the mass, it will spring back to its original shape like an india rubber ball. its elasticity is the surest test of its goodness; and when dough has been thus perfectly kneaded, it can be molded into any shape, rolled, twisted, or braided with ease. chopping, cutting, stretching, and pulling--the dough are other methods for accomplishing the same end. if a large mass is to be kneaded, it is better to divide it into several portions and knead each separately. it is less laborious and more likely to result in an equal diffusion of the yeast. bread is often spoiled by the addition of too much flour during kneading. dough should always be kneaded as soft as it can be handled, and only sufficient flour added to prevent its sticking to the board. stiff bread is close in texture, and after a day or two becomes dry and hard. how to manipulate the dough in kneading.--sprinkle the board well with flour, and scrape the dough from the bowl with a knife. dust the hands with flour, and then draw the dough with a rolling motion from the farthest side toward you, using the finger tips for the purpose, but pressing firmly down upon the mass with the palm of the hands. reach forward again with the finger tips, and again press the ball of the hands upon the dough. continue this process of manipulation until the mass is very much elongated; then turn at right angles and repeat the process, taking care that the finger tips do not break through the light film which will form upon the outside of soft dough when well managed. _keep the dough constantly in motion_ until it is smooth, elastic, and fine-grained. the hands and the board may need a light dusting of flour at frequent intervals. if the dough sticks, lift it quickly, and clean the board, that it may be kept smooth. the dough will not stick if kept in constant motion. do not rub off little wads of dough either from the hands or the board and keep kneading them into the loaf; they will seriously injure the uniform texture of the bread. how many times shall bread be kneaded?--as the objects to be attained in kneading dough are to render the gluten more elastic and thoroughly to diffuse the yeast, it will be seen that there has been sufficient kneading when all the flour necessary for the bread has been added. furthermore, it must be apparent that continued manipulation of the dough at this stage will dissipate and press out the little vesicles of gas held in place by the elastic gluten, and thus lose in part what so much pains has been taken to secure. at whatever stage the requisite amount of flour be added, the dough should then be thoroughly kneaded once for all. if allowed to rise in bulk, when light it should be shaped into loaves with the greatest care, handled lightly, and worked as little as possible, and if at all diminished, allowed to rise again before baking. dryness of the surface.--bread in all stages should be covered over the top, since it rises much more evenly, and does not have a stiff, dried surface, as when placed in a warm place exposed to air. it sometimes happens that this precaution is forgotten or not sufficiently attended to, and a dry crust forms and over the dough, which, if kneaded into the loaves, leaves hard, dry spots in the bread. in case of such a mishap, take the dry crust off, dissolve it in a little warm water, add flour enough to mold, make it into a small loaf, and raise it separately. size of loaves.--the lightness of the bread after baking depends upon the perfection with which the little air-cells, formed during the fermenting process, have become fixed by the heat during the baking. the heat expands the carbonic acid gas contained within the open spaces in the dough, and at the same time checks further development of gas by destroying the yeast plant. the sooner, then, that the cells can be made permanent after the arrest of fermentation, the more light and porous the bread will be. although this fixing of the cells is largely dependent upon the degree of heat maintained, it likewise in a measure depends upon the size of the loaf, as the heat will penetrate and fix the cells of a small loaf throughout much sooner than, those of a large one. therefore, bake in small loaves, and have a separate pan for each, as that admits of an equal degree of heat to all sides. this aids in a more rapid fixing of the air-cells and likewise gives more crust, which is the sweetest and most digestible part of the bread. sheet-iron pans, about eight inches in length, four in width, and five in depth, are the most satisfactory. after the dough is molded, divide it into loaves which will fill such pans to the depth of two inches. let them rise until double their first volume, and then put them in the oven. in baking, the loaves will rise still higher, and if about five inches high when done, will have expanded to about the right proportions. [illustration: bread pan] proper temperature of the oven.--the objects to be attained in the baking of bread are to break up the starch and gluten cells of the sour so as to make them easily digestible, to destroy the yeast plant, and render permanent the cells formed by the action of the carbonic acid gas. to accomplish well these ends, the loaf must be surrounded by a temperature ranging from ° to °. the oven should be one in which the heat is equal in all parts, and which can be kept at a steady, uniform heat. old-fashioned brick ovens were superior in this respect to most modern ranges. the fire for baking bread should be of sufficient strength to keep the oven heated for at least an hour. if the oven has tendency to become too hot upon the bottom, a thin, open grate, broiler, or toasting rack, should be placed underneath the tins to allow a circulation of air and avoid danger of burning. if the heat be insufficient, fermentation will not cease until the bread has become sour; the cells will be imperfectly fixed or entirely collapsed; too little of the moisture will have evaporated, and the result will be a soft, wet, and pasty or sour loaf. if the heat be too great, the bread will be baked before it has perfectly risen, or a thick, burned crust will be produced, forming a non-conducting covering to the loaf, which will prevent the heat from permeating the interior, and thus the loaf will have an overdone exterior, but will be raw and doughy within. if, however, the temperature of the oven be just right, the loaf will continue for a little time to enlarge, owing to the expansion of the carbonic acid gas, the conversion of the water into steam, and the vaporizing of the alcohol, which rises in a gaseous form and is driven off by the heat; a nicely browned crust will be formed over the surface, the result of the rapid evaporation of water from the surface and consequent consolidation of the dough of this portion of the loaf, and a chemical change caused by the action of the heat upon the starch by which is converted into dextrine, finally assuming a brown color due to the production of a substance known to the chemist as _assama_. bread is often spoiled in the baking. the dough may be made of the best of flour and yeast, mixed and kneaded in the most perfect manner, and may have risen to the proper degree of lightness' before going to the oven, yet if the oven is either too hot or not hot enough, the bread will be of an inferior quality. without an oven thermometer, there is no accurate means of determining the temperature of the oven; but housekeepers resort to various means to form a judgment about it. the baker's old-fashioned method is to throw a handful of flour on the oven bottom. if it blackens without igniting, the heat is deemed sufficient. since the object for which the heat is desired is to cook the flour, not to burn it, it might be supposed that this would indicate too high a temperature; but the flour within the loaf to be baked is combined with a certain amount of moisture, the evaporation of which lowers the temperature of the bread considerably below that of the surrounding heated atmosphere. the temperature of the inner portion of the loaf cannot exceed ° so long as it continues moist. bread might be perfectly cooked at this temperature by steam, but it would lack that most digestible portion of the loaf, the crust. a common way of ascertaining if the heat of the oven is sufficient, is to hold the bare arm inside it for a few seconds. if the arm cannot be held within while thirty is counted, it is too hot to begin with. the following test is more accurate: for rolls, the oven should be hot enough to brown a teaspoonful of flour in _one_ minute, and for loaves in _five_ minutes. the temperature should be high enough to arrest the fermentation, which it will do at a point considerably below the boiling point of water, and at the same time to form a shell or crust, which will so support the dough as to prevent it from sinking or collapsing when the evolution of carbonic acid gas shall cease; but it should not be hot enough to brown the crust within ten or fifteen minutes. the heat should increase for the first fifteen minutes, remain steady for the next fifteen minutes, and may then gradually decrease during the remainder of the baking. if by any mischance the oven be so hot as to brown the crust too soon, cover the loaf with a clean paper for a few minutes. be careful that no draught reaches the bread while baking; open the oven door very seldom, and not at all for the first ten minutes. if it is necessary to turn the loaf, try to do so without bringing it to the air. from three fourths of an hour to an hour is usually a sufficient length of time to bake an ordinary sized loaf. be careful not to remove the bread from the oven until perfectly done. it is better to allow it to bake ten minutes too long than not long enough. the crust of bread, when done, should be equally browned all over. the common test for well-baked bread is to tap it on the bottom with the finger; if it is light and well done, it will sound hollow; heavy bread will have a dull sound. a thoroughly baked loaf will not burn the hand when lifted upon it from the pan. care of bread after baking.--when done, remove the loaves from the tins, and tilt them upon edge so that the air may circulate freely on all sides of them to prevent "sweating." do not, however, lay them on a pine shelf or table to absorb the odor of the wood. a large tin dripping pan turned over upon the table does very well to tilt them on. if they are turned often, so that they will not soften on one side, but a fine wire bread cooler is the best thing. if this is not obtainable, a fair substitute can be easily improvised by tacking window-screen wire to a light frame of sufficient size to hold the requisite number of loaves. if the bread is left exposed to the air until cold, the crust will be crisp; if a soft crust is desired, it can be secured by brushing the top of the loaf while hot, with tepid water, and covering with several thicknesses of a clean bread cloth. if by accident any portion of the crust is burnt, grate it away as soon as cold; this is preferable to cutting or clipping it off. best method of keeping bread.--when the bread is quite cold, put it away in a bread box, which should be of tin, or of wood lined with tin, convenient in form and supplied with a well-fitting cover. never use an unlined wooden box of any kind, as it cannot easily be kept fresh and free from musty odors, which bread so readily absorbs. stone and earthen ware are not open to this objection, but they are likely to collect moisture, and hence are not equal to a tin receptacle. do not keep bread in the cellar or any other damp place, nor in a close closet, where there are other foods from which it can absorb odors. the bread box should be kept well covered, and free from crumbs and stale bits. it should be carefully washed in boiling soapsuds, scalded, and dried, every two or three days. if cloths are used to wrap or cover the bread, they too should be washed and scalded every week, and oftener if at any time the loaf about which they are wrapped becomes moldy or musty. test of good fermented bread.--a loaf of good bread, well risen and perfectly baked, may be taken in the hands, and, with the thumb on the top crust and fingers upon the bottom of the loaf, pressed to less than half its thickness, and when the pressure is removed, it will immediately expand like a sponge, to its former proportions. good yeast bread, while it should be firm and preserve a certain amount of moisture, will, when cold, crumble easily when rubbed between the fingers. if, instead, it forms a close, soggy mass, it may be regarded as indigestible. this is one reason why hot, new yeast bread and biscuit are so indigestible. in demonstration of this, take a small lump of new bread, gently roll it into a ball, and put into a glass of water, adding a similar quantity of stale bread of the same kind also. the latter will crumble away very soon, while the former will retain its form for hours, reminding one of its condition in the stomach, "as hard as a bullet," for a long time resisting the action of the gastric juice, although, meanwhile, the yeast germs which have not been killed in the oven are converting the mass into a lump of yeast, by which the whole contents of the stomach are soured. a soluble article like salt or sugar in fine powdered form is much more easily and quickly dissolved than the same article in solid lumps, and so it is with food. the apparent dryness of stale bread is not caused by its loss of moisture; for if carefully weighed, stale bread will be found to contain almost exactly the same proportion of water as new bread that has become cold. the moisture has only passed into a state of concealment, as may be demonstrated by subjecting a stale loaf inclosed in a tightly-sealed receptacle to a temperature equal to boiling heat in an oven for half an hour, when it will again have the appearance of new bread. hot bread eaten with butter is still more unwholesome, for the reason that the melted grease fills up the pores of the bread, and further interferes with the action of the digestive fluids. whole-wheat and graham breads.--the same general principles are involved in the making of bread with whole-wheat and graham flours as in the production of bread from white flour. good material and good care are absolutely essential. whole-wheat flour ferments more readily and rises more quickly than does white flour, hence bread made with it needs more careful management, as it is more liable to sour. the novice in bread-making should not undertake the preparation of bread with whole-wheat flour, until she has thoroughly mastered all the details of the art by practical experience, and can produce a perfect loaf from white flour. breads from whole-wheat and graham flours require less yeast and less flour than bread prepared from white flour. a slower process of fermentation is also advantageous. such breads will be lighter if at least one third white flour be employed in their manufacture. when the bread is made with a sponge, this white flour may be utilised for the purpose. thus the length of time the whole-wheat flour will be undergoing fermentation will be somewhat lessened, and its liability to become sour diminished. this plan is a preferable one for beginners in bread-making. graham and whole-wheat flour breads must be kneaded longer than white-flour bread, and require a hotter oven at first and a longer time for baking. much graham and whole-wheat bread is served insufficiently baked, probably owing to the fact that, being dark in color, the crust appears brown very soon, thus deluding the cook into supposing that the loaf is well baked. for thorough baking, from one to one and a half hours are needed, according to the size of the loaf and the heat of the oven. toast.--toasting, if properly done, renders bread more digestible, the starch being converted into dextrine by the toasting process; but by the ordinary method of preparing toast, that of simply browning each side, only the surfaces of the slices are really toasted, while the action of the heat upon the interior of the slice, it is rendered exactly in the condition of new bread, and consequently quite as indigestible. if butter is added while the toast is hot, we have all the dyspepsia-producing elements of new bread and butter combined. although considered to be the dish _par excellence_ for invalids, nothing could be more unwholesome than such toast. to properly toast the bread, the drying and browning should extend throughout the entire thickness of the slice. bread may be thus toasted before an open fire, but the process would be such a lengthy and troublesome one, it is far better to secure the same results by browning the bread in a moderate oven. such toast is sometimes called _zwieback_ (twice baked), and when prepared from good whole-wheat bread, is one of the most nourishing and digestible of foods. directions for its preparation and use will be found in the chapter on "breakfast dishes." steamed bread.--steaming stale bread is as open to objection as the surface toasting of bread, if steamed so as to be yielding and adhesive. it is not, perhaps, as unwholesome as new bread, but bread is best eaten in a condition dry and hard enough to require chewing, that its starch may be so changed by the action of the saliva as to be easily digested. liquid yeast. _recipes._ raw potato yeast.--mix one fourth of a cup of flour, the same of white sugar, and a teaspoonful of salt to a paste with a little water. pare three medium-size, fresh, and sound potatoes, and grate them as rapidly as possible into the paste; mix all quickly together with a silver spoon, then pour three pints of boiling water slowly over the mixture, stirring well at the same time. if this does not rupture the starch cells of the flour and potatoes so that the mixture becomes thickened to the consistency of starch, turn it into a granite-ware kettle and boil up for a minute, stirring well to keep it from sticking and burning. if it becomes too much thickened, add a little more boiling water. it is impossible to give the exact amount of water, since the quality of the flour will vary, and likewise the size of the potatoes; but three pints is an approximate proportion. strain the mixture through a fine colander into an earthen bread bowl, and let it cool. when lukewarm, add one cup of good, lively yeast. cover with a napkin, and keep in a moderately warm place for several hours, or until it ceases to ferment. as it begins to ferment, stir it well occasionally, and when well fermented, turn into a clean glass or earthen jar. the next morning cover closely, and put in the cellar or refrigerator, not, however, in contact with the ice. it is best to reserve enough for the first baking in some smaller jar, so that the larger portion need not be opened so soon. always shake the yeast before using. raw potato yeast no. .--this is made in the same manner as the preceding, with this exception, that one fourth of a cup of loose hops tied in a clean muslin bag, is boiled in the water for five minutes before pouring it into the potato and flour mixture. many think the addition of the hops aids in keeping the yeast sweet for a longer period. but potato yeast may be kept sweet for two weeks without hops, if cared for, and is preferred by those who dislike the peculiar flavor of the bread made from hop yeast. hop yeast.--put half a cup of loose hops, or an eighth of an ounce of the pressed hops (put up by the shakers and sold by druggists), into a granite-ware kettle; pour over it a quart of boiling water, and simmer about five minutes. meanwhile stir to a smooth paste in a tin basin or another saucepan, a cup of flour, and a little cold water. line a colander with a thin cloth, and strain the boiling infusion of hops through it onto the flour paste, stirring continually. boil this thin starch a few minutes, until it thickens, stirring constantly that no lumps be formed. turn it into a large earthen bowl, add a tablespoonful of salt and two of white sugar, and when it has cooled to blood heat, add one half cup of lively yeast, stirring all well together. cover the bowl with a napkin, and let it stand in some moderately warm place twenty-four hours, or until it ceases to ferment or send up bubbles, beating back occasionally as it rises; then put into a wide-mouthed glass or earthen jar, which has been previously scalded and dried, cover closely, and set in a cool place. yeast made in this manner will keep sweet for two weeks in summer and longer in winter. boiled potato yeast.--peel four large potatoes, and put them to boil in two quarts of cold water. tie two loose handfuls of hops securely in a piece of muslin, and place in the water to boil with the potatoes. when the potatoes are tender, remove them with a perforated skimmer, leaving the water still boiling. mash them, and work in four tablespoons of flour and two of sugar. over this mixture pour gradually the boiling hop infusion, stirring constantly, that it may form a smooth paste, and set it aside to cool. when lukewarm, add a gill of lively yeast, and proceed as in the preceding recipe. boiled potato yeast no. .--to one teacupful of very smoothly mashed, mealy potato, add three teaspoonfuls of white sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, and one cup of lively yeast, or one cake of yeast foam, dissolved in a very little water. the potatoes should be warm, but not hot enough to destroy the yeast. allow this to stand until light, when it is ready for use. fermented breads. in the preparation of breads after the following recipes, the measure of flour should be heaping. _recipes._ milk bread with white flour.--scald and cool on pint of unskimmed milk. add to the milk when lukewarm, one fourth of a cup, or three tablespoonfuls, of liquid yeast, and three cups of flour. give the batter a vigorous beating, turn it into a clean bread bowl or a small earthen crock, cover, and let it rise over night. in the morning, when well risen, add two or three cupfuls of warm flour, or sufficient to knead. knead well until the dough is sufficiently elastic to rebound when struck forcibly with the fist. allow it to rise again in mass; then shape into loaves; place in pans; let it stand until light, and bake. if undesirable to set the bread over night, and additional tablespoonfuls or two of cheese may be used, to facilitate the rising. vienna bread.--into a pint of milk sterilized by scalding, turn a cup and a half of boiling water. when lukewarm, add one half cup of warm water, in which has been dissolved a cake of compressed yeast, and a quart of white flour. beat the batter thus made very thoroughly, and allow it to rise for one hour; then add white flour until the dough is of a consistency to knead. knead well, and allow it to rise again for about three hours, or until very light. shape into four loaves, handling lightly. let it rise again in the pans, and bake. during the baking, wash the tops of the loaves with a sponge dipped in milk, to glaze them. water bread.--dissolve a tablespoonful of sugar in a pint of boiling water. when lukewarm, add one fourth of a cup full of liquid yeast, and sufficient flour to make a batter thick enough to drop from the spoon. beat vigorously for ten minutes, turn into a clean, well-scalded bread bowl, cover (wrapping in a blanket if in cold weather), and let it rise over night. in the morning, when well risen, add flour to knead. knead well for half an hour, cover, and let it become light in mass. when light, shape into loaves, allow it to rise again, and bake. fruit roll.--take some bread dough prepared as for milk bread, which has been sufficiently kneaded and is ready to mold, and roll to about one inch in thickness. spread over it some dates which have been washed, dried, and stoned, raisins, currants, or chopped figs. roll it up tightly into a loaf. let and it rise until very light, and bake. fruit loaf.--set a sponge with one pint of rich milk, one fourth cup of yeast, and a pint of flour, over night. in the morning, add two cups of zante currents, one cup of sugar, and three cups of flour, or enough to make a rather stiff dough. knead well, and set to rise; when light, mold into loaves; let it rise again, and bake. potato bread.--cook and mash perfectly smooth, potatoes to make a cupful. add a teaspoonful of best white sugar, one cup and a half of warm water, and when the mixture is lukewarm, one half cup of yeast, prepared as directed for boiled potato yeast no. , and flour to make a very thick batter. allow it to rise over night. in the morning, add a pint of warm water and flour enough to knead. the dough will need to be considerably stiffer than when no potato is used, or the result will be a bread too moist for easy digestion. knead well. let it rise, mold into four loaves, and when again light, bake. pulled bread.--remove a loaf from the oven when about half baked, and lightly pull the partially set dough into pieces of irregular shape, about half the size of one's fist. do not smooth or mold the pieces; bake in a slow oven until browned and crisp throughout. whole wheat bread.--the materials needed for the bread are: one pint of milk, scalded and cooled, one quart of wheat berry flour, one pint minnesota spring wheat flour, one third cup of a soft yeast, or one fourth cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in one third cup of cold water. stir enough flour into the milk to make a stiff batter, put in the yeast, and let it rise until foamy. have the milk so warm that, when the flour is put in, the batter will be of a lukewarm temperature. wrap in a thick blanket, and keep at an equable temperature. when light, stir in, slowly, warm flour to make a soft dough. knead for fifteen minutes, and return to the bowl (which has been washed and oiled) to rise again. when risen to double its size, form into two loaves, place in separate pans, let rise again, and bake from three fourths to one and one half hours, according to the heat of the oven. whole-wheat bread no. .--scald one pint of unskimmed milk; when lukewarm, add one half cup of liquid yeast, or one fourth cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in one half cup of warm water, and a pint of pillsbury's best white flour. beat this batter thoroughly, and allow it to rise. when well risen, add three and two thirds cups of wheat berry flour. knead thoroughly, and allow it to become light in mass; then shape into two loaves, allow it to rise again, and bake. miss. b's one-rising bread.--sift and measure three and three fourths cups of wheat berry flour. scald and cool a pint of unskimmed milk. when lukewarm, add one tablespoonful of lively liquid yeast. by slow degrees add the flour, beating vigorously until too stiff to use a spoon, then knead thoroughly for half an hour, shape into a loaf, place in a bread pan, cover with a napkin in warm weather, wrap well with blankets in cold weather, and let rise over night. in the morning, when perfectly light, pat in a well heated oven, and bake. potato bread with whole wheat flour.--take a half gill of liquid yeast made as for boiled potato yeast no. , and add milk, sterilised and cooled to lukewarm, to make a pint. and one cup of well-mashed, mealy potato and one cup of white flour, or enough to make a rather thick batter beat thoroughly, cover, and set to rise. when well risen, add sufficient whole-wheat flour to knead. the quantity will vary somewhat with the brand of flour used, but about four and one fourth cupfuls will in general be needed. knead well, let it rise in mass and again in the loaf, and bake. rye bread.--prepare a sponge over night with white flour as for water bread. in the morning, when light, add another tablespoonful of sugar, and rye flour to knead. proceed as directed for the water bread, taking care to use only enough rye flour to make the dough just stiff enough to mold. use white flour for dusting than kneading board, as the rye flour is sticky. graham bread.--take two tablespoonfuls of lively liquid yeast, or a little less than one fourth cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in a little milk, and add new milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm, to make one pint. add one pint of white flour, beat very thoroughly, and set to rise. when very light, add three find one half cupfuls of sifted graham flour, or enough to make a dough that can be molded. knead well for half an hour. place in a clean, slightly oiled bread bowl, cover, and allow it to rise. when light, shape into a loaf: allow it to rise again, and bake. graham bread no. .--mix well one pint of white and two pints of best graham flour. prepare a batter with a scant pint of milk, scalded and cooled, two table spoonfuls of liquid yeast, or a little less than one fourth of a cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in two table spoonfuls of milk, and a portion of the mixed flour. give it a vigorous beating, and put it in a warm place to rise. when well risen, add more flour to make a dough sufficiently stiff to knead. there will be some variation in the amount required, dependent upon the brands of flour used, but in general, two and one half pints of the flour will be enough for preparing the sponge and kneading the dough. knead thoroughly for twenty-five or thirty minutes. put into a clean and slightly oiled bread bowl, cover, and set to rise again. when double its first bulk, mold into a loaf; allow it to rise again, and bake. graham bread no. .--mix three pounds each of graham and minnesota spring wheat flour. make a sponge of one and a half pints of warm water, one half cake compressed yeast, well dissolved in the water, and flour to form a batter. let this rise. when well risen, add one and a half pints more of warm water, one half cup full of new orleans molasses, and sufficient flour to knead. work the bread thoroughly, allow it to rise in mass; then mold, place in pans, and let it rise again. the amount of material given is sufficient for four loaves of bread. raised biscuit.--these may be made from dough prepared by any of the preceding recipes for bread. they will be more tender if made with milk, and if the dough is prepared expressly for biscuits, one third cream may be used. when the dough has been thoroughly kneaded the last time, divide into small, equal-sized pieces. a quantity of dough sufficient for one loaf of bread should be divided into twelve or sixteen such portions. shape into smooth, round biscuits, fit closely into a shallow pan, and let them rise until very light. biscuit should be allowed to become lighter than bread before putting in the oven, since, being so much smaller, fermentation is arrested much sooner, and they do not rise as much in the oven as does bread. rolls.--well kneaded and risen bread dough is made into a variety of small forms termed rolls, by rolling with the hands or with a rolling-pin, and afterward cutting or folding into any shape desired, the particular manner by which they are folded and shaped giving to the rolls their characteristic names. dough prepared with rich milk or part cream makes the best rolls. it may be divided into small, irregular portions, about one inch in thickness, and shaped by taking each piece separately in the left hand, then with the thumb and first finger of the right hand, slightly stretch one of the points of the piece and draw it over the left thumb toward the center of the roll, holding it there with the left thumb. turn the dough and repeat the operation until you have been all around the dough, and each point has been drawn in; then place on the pan to rise. allow the rolls to become very light, and bake. rolls prepared in this manner are termed _imperial rolls_, and if the folding has been properly done, when well baked they will be composed of a succession of light layers, which can be readily separated. _french rolls_ may be made by shaping each portion of dough into small oval rolls quite tapering at each end, allowing them to become light, and baking far enough apart so that one will not touch another. if, when the dough is light and ready to shape, it be rolled on the board until about one eighth of an inch in thickness, and cut into five-inch squares, then divided through the center into triangles, rolled up, beginning with the wide side, and placed in the pan to rise in semicircular shape, the rolls are called _crescents_. what are termed _parker house rolls_ may be made from well-risen dough prepared with milk, rolled upon the board to a uniform thickness of about one forth inch; cut into round or oval shapes with the cutter; folded, one third over the other two thirds; allowed to rise until very light, and baked. the light, rolled dough, may be formed into a _braid_ by cutting into strips six inches in length and one in width, joining the ends of each three, and braiding. the heat of the oven should be somewhat greater for roils and biscuit than for bread. the time required will depend upon the heat and the size of the roll, but it will seldom exceed one half hour. neither rolls nor biscuits should be eaten hot, as they are then open to the same objections as other new yeast bread. brown bread.--to one and one fourth cups of new milk which has been scalded and cooled, add one fourth of a cup of lively yeast, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one cup each of white flour, rye flour or sifted rye meal, and yellow corn meal. with different brands of flour there may need to be some variation in the quantity of liquid to be used. the mixture should be thick enough to shape. allow it to rise until light and cracked over the top; put into a bread pan, and when again well risen, bake for an hour and a half or two hours in an oven sufficiently hot at first to arrest fermentation and fix the bread cells, afterwards allowing the heat to diminish somewhat, to permit a slower and longer baking. graham flour may be used in place of rye, if preferred. date bread.--take a pint of light white bread sponge prepared with milk, add two tablespoons of sugar, and graham flour to make a very stiff batter. and last a cupful of stoned dates. turn into a bread pan. let it rise, and bake. fruit loaf with graham and whole-wheat flour.--dissolve one fourth cake of compressed yeast in a pint of sterilized milk; and a pint of white flour; heat thoroughly, and set to rise. when well risen, add three and one fourth cups of flour (graham and whole-wheat, equal proportions, thoroughly mixed), or sufficient to knead. knead well for half an hour, and just at the last add a cup of raisins, well washed, dried, and dusted with flour. let the loaf rise in mass; then shape, put in the pan, allow it to become light again, and bake. raised corn bread.--into two cupfuls of hot mush made from white granular corn meal, stir two cupfuls of cold water. beat well, and add one half cup of liquid yeast, or one half cake of compressed yeast, dissolved in one half cup of warm water, and two teaspoonfuls of granulated sugar. stir in white or sifted graham flour to make it stiff enough to knead. knead very thoroughly, and put in a warm place to rise. when light, molded into three loaves, put into pans, and allow it to rise again. when well risen, bake at least for three fourths of an hour. corn cake.--sterilise a cupful of rich milk or thin cream. cool to lukewarm, and dissolve in it half a cake of compressed yeast add two small cupfuls of white flour; beat very thoroughly, and put in a warm place to rise. when light, add a cup of lukewarm water or milk, and two cups of best yellow cornmeal. turn into a shallow square pan, and leave until again well risen. bake in a quick oven. a tablespoonful of sugar may be added with the corn meal, if desired. oatmeal bread.--mix a quart of well-cooked oatmeal mush with a pint of water, beating it perfectly smooth; add a cupful of liquid yeast and flour to make a stiff batter. cover, and let it rise. when light, add sufficient flour to mold; knead as soft as possible, for twenty or thirty minutes; shape into four or more loaves, let it rise again, and bake. milk yeast bread.--prepare the yeast the day before by scalding three heaping teaspoonfuls of fresh cornmeal with boiling milk. set in a warm place until light (from seven to ten hours); then put in a cool place until needed for use. start the bread by making a rather thick batter with one cupful of warm water, one teaspoonful of the prepared yeast, and white flour. put in a warm place to rise. when light, add to it a cupful of flour scalded with a cupful of boiling milk, and enough more flour to make the whole into a rather stiff batter. cover, and allow it to rise. when again well risen, add flour enough to knead. knead well; shape into a loaf; let it rise, and bake. three or four cupfuls of white flour will be needed for all purposes with the amount of liquid given; more liquid and flour may be added in forming the second sponge if a larger quantity of bread is desired. in preparing both yeast and bread, all utensils used should first be sterilized by scalding in hot sal-soda water. graham salt-rising bread.--put two tablespoonfuls of milk into a half-pint cup, add boiling water to fill the cup half full, one half teaspoonful of sugar, one fourth teaspoonful of salt, and white flour to make a rather stiff batter. let it rise over night. in the morning, when well risen, add a cup and a half of warm water, or milk scalded and cooled, and sufficient white flour to form a rather stiff batter. cover, and allow it again to rise. when light, add enough sifted graham flour to knead. when well kneaded, shape into a loaf; allow it to become light again in the pan, and bake. all utensils used should be first well sterilized by scalding in hot sal-soda water. unfermented breads. the earliest forms of bread were made without fermentation. grain was broken as fine as possible by pounding on smooth stones, made into dough with pure water, thoroughly kneaded, and baked in some convenient way. such was the "unleavened breads" or "passover cakes" of the israelites. in many countries this bread is the only kind used. unleavened bread made from barley and oats is largely used by the irish and scotch peasantry. in sweden an unleavened bread is made of rye meal and water, flavored with anise seed, and baked in large, thin cakes, a foot or more in diameter. [illustration: mexican woman making tortillas] some savage tribes subsists chiefly upon excellent corn bread, made simply of meal and water. unleavened bread made of corn, called _tortillas_, forms the staple diet of the mexican indians. the corn, previously softened by soaking in lime water, is ground to a fine paste between a stone slab and roller called a _metate_, then patted and tossed from hand to hand until flattened into thin, wafer-like cakes, and baked over a quick fire, on a thin iron plate or a flat stone. unquestionably, unleavened bread, well kneaded and properly baked, is the most wholesome of all breads, but harder to masticate than that made light by fermentation, but this is an advantage; for it insures more thorough mixing with that important digestive agent, the saliva, than is usually given to more easily softened food. [illustration: stone metate.] what is usually termed unfermented bread, however, is prepared with flour and liquid, to which shortening--of some kind is added, and the whole made light by the liberation of gas generated within the dough during the process of baking. this is brought about either by mixing with the flour certain chemical substances, which, when wet and brought into contact, act upon each other so as to set free carbonic acid gas, which expands and puffs up the loaf; or by introducing into the dough some volatile substance as carbonate of ammonia, which the heat during baking will, cause to vaporize, and which in rising produces the same result. carbonic acid gas maybe for this purpose developed by the chemical decomposition of bicarbonate of potassa (saleratus), or bicarbonate of soda, by some acid such as sour milk, hydrochloric acid, tartaric acid, nitrate of potassa, or the acid phosphate of lime. the chemical process of bread-raising originally consisted in adding to the dough definite proportions of muriatic acid and carbonate of soda, by the union of which carbonic acid gas and common salt were produced. this process was soon abandoned, however, on account of the propensity exhibited by the acid for eating holes in the fingers of the baker as well as in his bread pans; and a more convenient one for hands and pans, that of using soda or salaratus with cream of tartar or sour milk, was substituted. when there is an excess of soda, a portion of it remains in the loaf uncombined, giving to the bread a yellow color and an alkaline taste, and doing mischief to the delicate coating of the stomach. alkalies, the class of chemicals to which soda and salaratus belong, when pure and strong, are powerful corrosive poisons. the acid used with the alkali to liberate the carbonic-acid gas in the process of bread-making, if rightly proportioned, destroys this poisonous property, and unites with it to form a new compound, which, although not a poison, is yet unwholesome. we can hardly speak too strongly in condemnation of the use of chemicals in bread-making, when we reflect that the majority of housewives who combine sour milk and salaratus, or cream of tartar and soda, more frequently than otherwise _guess_ at the proportions, or measure them by some "rule of thumb," without stopping to consider that although two cups of sour milk may at one time be sufficiently acid to neutralize a teaspoonful of saleratus, milk may vary in degree of acidity to such an extent that the same quantity will be quite insufficient for the purpose at another time; or that though a teaspoonful of some brand of cream of tartar will neutralize a half teaspoonful of one kind of soda, similar measures will not always bring about the same result. very seldom, indeed, will the proportions be sufficiently exact to perfectly neutralise the alkali, since chemicals are subject to variations in degree of strength, both on account of the method by which they are manufactured and the length of time they have been kept, to say nothing of adulterations to which they may have been subjected, and which are so common that it is almost impossible to find unadulterated cream of tartar in the market. baking powders are essentially composed of bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar, mixed in the proper proportions to exactly neutralize each other, and if they were always pure, would certainly be as good as soda and cream of tartar in any form, and possess the added advantage of perfect proportions; but as was demonstrated not long ago by the government chemist, nearly every variety of baking powder in the market is largely adulterated with cheaper and harmful substances. alum, a most frequent constituent of such baking powders, is exceedingly injurious to the stomach. out of several hundred brands of baking powder examined, only one was found pure. even when in their purest state, these chemicals are not harmless, as is so generally believed. it is a very prevalent idea that when soda is neutralized by an acid, both chemical compounds are in some way destroyed or vaporized in the process, and in some occult manner escape from the bread during the process of baking. this is altogether an error. the alkali and acid neutralize each other chemically, but they do not destroy each other. their union forms a salt, exactly the same as the rochelle salts of medicine, a mild purgative, and if we could collected from the bread and weigh or measure it, we would find nearly as much of it as there was of the baking powder in the first place. if two teaspoonfuls of baking powder to the quart of flour be used, we have remaining in the bread made with that amount of flour grains of crystallized rochelle salts, or grains more than this to be found in a seidlitz powder. it may be sometimes useful to take a dose of salts, but the daily consumption of such chemical substances in bread can hardly be considered compatible with the conditions necessary for the maintenance of health. these chemical substances are unusable by the system, and must all be removed by the liver and excretory organs, thus imposing upon them an extra and unnecessary burden. it has also been determined by scientific experimentation that the chemicals found in baking powders in bread retard digestion. these substances are, fortunately, not needed for the production of good light bread. the purpose of their use is the production of a gas; but air is a gas much more economical and abundant than carbonic-acid gas, and which, when introduced into bread and subjected to heat, has the property of expanding, and in doing, puffing up the bread and making it light. bread made light with air is vastly superior to that compounded with soda or baking powder, in point of healthfulness, and when well prepared, will equal it in lightness and palatableness. the only difficulty lies in catching and holding the air until it has accomplished the desired results. but a thorough understanding of the necessary conditions and a little practice will soon enable one to attain sufficient skill in this direction to secure most satisfactory results. [illustration: gem irons] general directions.--all materials used for making aërated bread should be of the very best quality. poor flour will not produce good bread by this or by any other process. aërated breads are of two kinds: those baked while in the form of a batter, and such as are made into a dough before baking. [illustration: perforated sheet iron pan for rolls.] all breads, whether fermented or unfermented, are lighter if baked in some small form, and this is particularly true of unfermented breads made light with air. for this reason, breads made into a dough are best baked in the form of rolls, biscuits, or crackers, and batter breads in small iron cups similar to those in the accompanying illustration. these cups or "gem irons" as they are sometimes called, are to be obtained in various shapes and sizes, but for this purpose the more shallow cups are preferable. for baking the dough breads a perforated sheet of russia iron or heavy tin, which any tinner can make to fit the oven, is the most serviceable, as it permits the hot air free access to all sides of the bread at once. if such is not obtainable, the upper oven grate, carefully washed and scoured, may be used perforated pie tins also answer very well for this purpose. [illustration: making unfermented bread.] the heat of the oven for baking should be sufficient to form a slight crust over all sides of the bread before the air escapes, but not sufficient to brown it within the first fifteen minutes. to aid in forming the crust on the sides and bottom of batter breads, the iron cups should be heated previous to introducing the batter. the degree of heat required for baking will be about the same as for fermented rolls and biscuit, and the fire should be so arranged as to keep a steady but not greatly increasing heat. air is incorporated into batter breads by brisk and continuous agitating and beating; into dough breads by thorough kneading, chopping, or pounding. whatever the process by which the air is incorporated, it must be _continuous_. for this reason it is especially essential in making aërated bread that every thing be in readiness before commencing to put the bread together. all the materials should be measured out, the utensils to be used in readiness, and the oven properly heated. success is also dependent upon the dexterity with which the materials when ready are put together. batter bread often proves a failure although the beating is kept up without cessation, because it is done slowly and carelessly, or interspersed with stirring, thus permitting the air to escape between the strokes. if the bread is to be baked at once, the greater the dispatch with which it can be gotten into a properly-heated oven the lighter it will be. crackers, rolls and other forms of dough breads often lack in lightness because they were allowed to stand some time before baking. the same is true of batter breads. if, for any reason, it is necessary to keep such breads for any length of time after being prepared, before baking, set the dish containing them directly on ice. the lightness of aërated bread depends not only upon the amount of air incorporated in its preparation, but also upon the expansion of the air during the baking. the colder the air, the greater will be its expansion upon the application of heat. the colder the materials employed, then, for the bread-making, the colder will be the air confined within it, and the lighter will be the bread. for this reason, in making batter bread, it will be found a good plan, when there is time, to put the materials together, and place the dish containing the mixture on ice for an hour or two, or even over night. when ready to use, beat thoroughly for ten or fifteen minutes to incorporate air, and bake in heated irons. rolls and other breads made into a dough, may be kneaded and shaped and put upon ice to become cold. thus treated, less kneading is necessary than when prepared to be baked at once. many of the recipes given for the batter breads include eggs. the yolk is not particularly essential, and if it can be put to other uses, may be left out. the white of an egg, because of its viscous nature, when beaten, serves as a sort of trap to catch and hold air, and added to the bread, aids in making it light. very nice light bread may be made without eggs, but the novice in making aërated breads will, perhaps, find it an advantage first to become perfectly familiar with the processes and conditions involved, by using the recipes with eggs before attempting those without, which are somewhat more dependent for success upon skill and practice. when egg is used in the bread, less heating of the irons will be necessary, and not so hot an oven as when made without. if the bread, when baked, appears light, but with large holes in the center, it is probable that either the irons or the oven was too hot at first. if the bread after baking, seems sticky or dough-like in the interior, it is an indication that either it was insufficiently baked, or that not enough flour in proportion to the liquid has been used. it should be stated, that although the recipes given have been prepared with the greatest care, and with the same brands of flour, careful measurement, and proper conditions, prove successful every time, yet with different brands of flour some variation in quantity may needed,--a trifle more or less,--dependent upon the absorbent properties of the flour, and if eggs are used, upon the size of the eggs. a heavy bread may be the result of the use of poor flour, too much flour, careless or insufficient beating, so that not enough air was incorporated, or an oven not sufficiently hot to form a crust over the bread before the air escaped. breads made into a dough, if moist and clammy, require more flour or longer baking. too much flour will make them stiff and hard. the length of time requisite for baking aërated breads made with whole-wheat, wheat berry, or graham flours, will vary from forty minutes to one hour, according to the kind and form in which the bread is baked, and the heat of the oven. the irons in which batter breads are to be baked should not be smeared with grease; if necessary to oil them at all, they should only be wiped out lightly with a clean, oiled cloth. irons well cared for, carefully washed, and occasionally scoured with sapolio to keep them perfectly smooth, will require no greasing whatever. in filling the irons, care should be taken to fill each cup at first as full as it is intended to have; it, as the heat of the irons begins the cooking of the batter as soon as it is put in, and an additional quantity added has a tendency to make the bread less light. _recipes._ whole-wheat puffs.--put the yolk of an egg into a basin, and beat the white in a separate dish to a stiff froth. add to the yolk, one half a cupful of rather thin sweet cream and one cupful of skim milk. beat the egg, cream, and milk together until perfectly mingled and foamy with air bubbles; then add, gradually, beating well at the same time, one pint of wheat berry flour. continue the beating vigorously and without interruption for eight or ten minutes; then stir in, lightly, the white of the egg. do not beat again after the white of the egg is added, but turn at once into heated, shallow irons, and bake for an hour in a moderately quick oven. if properly made and carefully baked, these puffs will be of a fine, even texture throughout, and as light as bread raised by fermentation. whole-wheat puffs no. .--make a batter by beating together until perfectly smooth the yolk of one egg, one and one half cups of new or unskimmed milk, and one pint of whole-wheat flour. place the dish containing it directly upon ice, and leave for an hour or longer. the bread may be prepared and left on the ice over night, if desired for breakfast. when ready to bake the puffs, whip the white of the egg to a stiff froth, and after vigorously beating the batter for ten minutes, stir in lightly the white of the egg; turn at once into heated irons, and bake. if preferred, one third white flour and two thirds sifted graham flour may be used in the place of the wheat berry flour. whole-wheat puffs no. .--take one cupful of sweet cream (twelve-hour cream), one half cupful of soft ice water, and two slightly rounded cupfuls of wheat berry flour. beat the material well together, and set the dish containing it on ice for an hour or more before using. when ready to bake, beat the mixture vigorously for ten minutes, then turn into heated iron cups (shallow ones are best), and bake for about an hour in a quick oven. graham puffs.--beat together vigorously until full of air bubbles, one pint of unskimmed milk, the yolk of one egg, and one pint and three or four tablespoonfuls of graham flour, added a little at a time. when the mixture is light and foamy throughout, stir in lightly and evenly the white of the egg, beaten to a stiff froth; turn into heated irons, and bake in a rather quick oven. instead of all graham, one third white flour may be used if preferred. graham puffs no. .--beat the yolks of two eggs in two cupfuls of ice water; then add gradually, beating well meantime, three and one fourth cupfuls of graham flour. continue the beating, after all the flour is added, until the mixture is light and full of air bubbles. add last the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and bake at once in heated irons. currant puffs.--prepare the puffs as directed in any of the foregoing recipes with the addition of one cup of zante currants which have been well washed, dried, and floured. graham gems.--into two cupfuls of unskimmed milk which has been made very cold by standing on ice, stir gradually, sprinkling it from the hand, three and one fourth cupfuls of graham flour. beat vigorously for ten minutes or longer, until the batter is perfectly smooth and full of air bubbles. turn at once into hissing hot gem irons, and bake in a hot oven. if preferred, the batter may be prepared, and the dish containing it placed on ice for an hour or longer; then well beaten and baked. graham gems may be made in this manner with soft water instead of milk, but such, in general, will need a little more flour than when made with milk. with some ovens, it will be found an advantage in baking these gems to place them on the upper grate for the first ten minutes or until the top has been slightly crusted, and then change to the bottom of the oven for the baking. crusts.--beat together very thoroughly one cupful of ice-cold milk, and one cupful of graham flour. when very light and full of air bubbles, turn into hot iron cups, and bake twenty-five or thirty minutes. the best irons for this purpose are the shallow oblong, or round cups of the same size at the bottom as at the top. only a very little batter should be put in each cup. the quantity given is sufficient for one dozen crusts. rye puffs.--beat together the same as for whole-wheat puffs one cupful of milk, one tablespoonful of sugar, and the yolk of an egg. add one cupful of good rye flour, mixed with one half cupful of graham flour, and stir in lastly the well beaten white of the egg. bake at once, in heated gem-irons. rye puffs no. .--beat together until well mingled one pint of thin cream and the yolk of one egg. add gradually, beating meanwhile, four cups of rye flour. continue to beat vigorously for ten minutes, then add the stiffly-beaten white of the egg, and bake in heated irons. rye gems.--mix together one cupful of corn meal and one cupful of rye meal. stir the mixed meal into one and a half cupfuls of ice water. beat the batter vigorously for ten or fifteen minutes, then turn into hot irons, and bake. blueberry gems.--to one cupful of rich milk add one tablespoonful of sugar, and the yolk of an egg. beat well till full of air bubbles; then add gradually one cupful of graham flour, and one cupful of white flour, or white corn meal. beat vigorously until light; stir in the beaten white of the egg, and one cupful of fresh, sound blueberries. bake in heated irons, in a moderately quick oven. chopped or sour apples may be used in place of the berries. hominy gems.--beat one egg until very light, add to it one tablespoonful of thick sweet cream, a little salt if desired, and two cupfuls of cooked hominy (fine). thin the mixture with one cupful or less of boiling water until it will form easily, beat well, and bake in heated irons. sally lunn gems.--beat together the yolk of one egg, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one cupful of thin, ice-cold, sweet cream. add slowly, beating at the same time, one cup and two tablespoonfuls of sifted graham flour. beat vigorously, until full of air bubbles, add the white of the egg beaten stiffly, and bake in heated irons. corn puffs.--mingle the yolk of one egg with one cupful of rich milk. add to the liquid one cupful of flour, one-half cupful of fine, yellow corn meal, and one-fourth cupful of sugar, all of which have previously been well mixed together. place the batter on ice for an hour, or until very cold. then beat it vigorously five or ten minutes, till full of air bubbles; stir in lightly the stiffly beaten white of the egg, and put at once into heated irons. bake in a moderately quick oven, thirty or forty minutes. corn puffs no. .--scald two cupfuls of fine white corn meal with boiling water. when cold, add three tablespoonfuls of thin sweet cream, and the yolk of one egg. beat well, and stir in lastly the white of the egg, beaten to a stiff froth. the batter should be sufficiently thin to drop easily from a spoon, but not thin enough to pour. bake in heated irons, in a moderately quick oven. corn puffs no. .--take one cupful of cold mashed potato, and one cupful of milk, rubbed together through a colander to remove all lumps. add the yolk of one well beaten, egg, and then stir in slowly, beating vigorously meantime, one cupful of good corn meal. lastly, stir in the white of the egg beaten to a stiff froth, and bake in heated irons, in a rather quick oven. corn puffs no. .--beat together one and one-half cupfuls of unskimmed milk and the yolks of two eggs, until thoroughly blended. add two cupfuls of flour, and one cupful best granular corn meal. beat the batter thoroughly; stir in lightly the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, turn into heated irons, and bake. corn dodgers.--scald one cupful of best granular corn meal, with which a tablespoonful of sugar has been sifted, with one cup of boiling milk. beat until smooth, and drop on a griddle, in cakes about one inch in thickness, and bake slowly for an hour. turn when brown. corn dodgers no. .--mix one tablespoonful of sugar with two cups best corn meal. scald with one cup of boiling water. add rich milk to make a batter thin enough to drop from a spoon. lastly, add one egg, yolk and white beaten separately, and bake on a griddle in the oven from three fourth of an hour to one hour. cream corn cakes.--into one cup of thin cream stir one and one half cups of granular corn meal, or enough to make a stiff batter; beat well, drop into heated irons, and bake. hoe cakes.--scald one pint of white corn meal, with which, if desired, a tablespoonful of sugar, and one half teaspoonful of salt have been mixed, with boiling milk, or water enough to make a batter sufficiently thick not to spread. drop on a hot griddle, in large or small cakes, as preferred, about one half inch in thickness. cook slowly, and when well browned on the under side, turn over. the cake may be cooked slowly, until well done throughout, or, as the portion underneath becomes well browned the first browned crust may be peeled off with a knife, and the cake again turned. as rapidly as a crust becomes formed and browned, one may be removed, and the cake turned, until the whole is all browned. the thin wafer-like crusts are excellent served with hot milk or cream. oatmeal gems.--to one cupful of well-cooked oatmeal add one half cupful of rich milk or thin cream, and the yolk of one egg. beat all together thoroughly; then add, continuing to beat, one and one third cupfuls of graham flour, and lastly the stiffly beaten white of the egg. bake in heated irons. if preferred, one cupful of white flour may be used in place of the graham. snow gems.--beat together lightly but thoroughly two parts clean, freshly fallen, dry snow, and one part best granular corn meal. turn into hot gem irons and bake quickly. the snow should not be packed in measuring, and the bread should be prepared before the snow melts. pop overs.--for the preparation of these, one egg, one cupful of milk, and one scant cupful of white flour are required. beat the egg, yolk and white separately. add to the yolk, when well beaten, one half of the milk, and sift in the flour a little at a time, stirring until the whole is a perfectly smooth paste. add the remainder of the milk gradually, beating well until the whole is an absolutely smooth, light batter about the thickness of cream. stir in the stiffly beaten white of the egg, and bake in hot earthen cups or muffin rings, and to prevent them from sticking, sift flour into the rings after slightly oiling, afterward turning them upside down to shake off all of the loose flour. granola gems.--into three fourths of a cup of rich milk stir one cup of granola (prepared by the sanitarium food co.). drop into heated irons, and bake for twenty or thirty minutes. bean gems.--prepare the gems in the same manner as for whole-wheat puffs, using one half cup of milk, one egg, one cup of cooked beans which have been rubbed through a colander and salted, and one cup and one tablespoonful of white flour. a little variation in the quantity of the flour may be necessary, dependent upon the moisture contained in the beans, although care should be taken to have them quite dry. breakfast rolls.--sift a pint and a half of graham flour into a bowl, and into it stir a cupful of very cold thin cream or unskimmed milk. pour the liquid into the flour slowly, a few spoonfuls at a time, mixing each spoonful to a dough with the flour as fast as poured in. when all the liquid has been added, gather the fragments of dough together, knead thoroughly for ten minutes or longer, until perfectly smooth and elastic. the quantity of flour will vary somewhat with the quality, but in general, the quantity given will be quite sufficient for mixing the dough and dusting the board. when well kneaded, divide into two portions; roll each over and over with the hands, until a long roll about once inch in diameter is formed; cut this into two-inch lengths, prick with a fork and place on perforated tins, far enough apart so that one will not touch another when baking. each roll should be as smooth and perfect as possible, and with no dry flour adhering. bake at once, or let stand on ice for twenty minutes. the rolls should not be allowed to stand after forming, unless on ice. from thirty to forty minutes will be required for baking. when done, spread on the table to cool, but do not pile one on top of another. very nice rolls may be made in the same manner, using for the wetting ice-cold soft water. they requite a longer kneading, are more crisp, but less tender than those made with cream. with some brands of graham flour the rolls will be much lighter if one third white flour be used. whole-wheat flour may be used in place of graham, if preferred. sticks.--prepare, and knead the dough the same as for rolls. when ready to form, roll the dough much smaller; scarcely larger than one's little finger, and cut into three or four-inch lengths. bake the same as rolls, for about twenty minutes. cream graham rails.--to one half cup cold cream add one half cup of soft ice water. make into a dough with three cups of graham flour, sprinkling in slowly with the hands, beating at the same time, so as to incorporate as much air as possible, until the dough is too stiff to be stirred; then knead thoroughly, form into rolls, and bake. corn mush rolls.--make a dough of one cup of corn meal mush, one half cup of cream, and two and one half cups of white flour; knead thoroughly, shape into rolls, and bake. fruit rolls.--prepare the rolls as directed in the recipe for breakfast rolls, and when well kneaded, work into the dough a half cupful of zante currants which have been well washed, dried, and floured. form the rolls in the usual manner, and bake. cream mush rolls.--into a cupful of cold graham mush beat thoroughly three tablespoonfuls of thick, sweet cream. add sufficient graham flour to make a rather stiff dough, knead thoroughly, shape into roils, and bake. corn meal, farina, and other mushes may be used in the place of the graham mush, if preferred. beaten biscuit.--into a quart of whole-wheat flour mix a large cup of must be very stiff, and rendered soft and pliable by thorough kneading and afterward pounding with a mallet for at least half an hour in the following manner: pound the dough oat flat, and until of the same thickness throughout; dredge lightly with flour; double the dough over evenly and pound quickly around the outside, to fasten the edges together and thus retain the air within the dough. when well worked, the dough will appear flaky and brittle, and pulling a piece off it quickly will cause a sharp, snapping sound. mold into small biscuits, making an indenture in the center of each with the thumb, prick well with a fork, and place on perforated sheets, with a space between, and put at once into the oven. the oven should be of the same temperature as for rolls. if they are "sad" inside when cold, they were not well baked, as they should be light and tender. if preferred, use one third white flour, instead of all whole-wheat. excellent results are also obtained by chopping instead of pounding the dough. cream crisps.--make a dough of one cupful of thin cream, and a little more than three cups of graham flour. knead until smooth, then divide the dough into several pieces, and place in a dish on ice for an hour, or until ice cold. roll each piece separately and quickly as thin as brown paper. cut with a knife into squares, prick with a fork, and bake on perforated tins, until lightly browned on both sides. cream crisps no. .--into two and one half cups of cold cream or rich milk, sprinkle slowly with the hands, beating meanwhile to incorporate air, four cups of best graham flour, sifted with one half cup of granulated sugar. add flour to knead; about two and one fourth cups will be required. when well kneaded, divide into several portions, roll each as thin as a knife blade, cut into squares, prick well with a fork, and bake. graham crisps.--into one half cupful of ice-cold soft water, stir slowly, so as to incorporate as much air as possible, enough graham flour to make a dough stiff enough to knead. a tablespoonful of sugar may be added to the water before stirring in the flour, if desired. after kneading fifteen minutes, divide the dough into six portions; roll each as thin as brown paper, prick with a fork, and bake on perforated tins, turning often until both sides are a light, even brown. break into irregular pieces and serve. oatmeal crisps.--make a dough with one cupful of oatmeal porridge and graham flour. knead thoroughly, roll very thin, and bake as directed for graham crisps. a tablespoonful of sugar may be added if desired. graham crackers.--make a dough of one cup of cream and graham flour sufficient to make a soft dough. knead thoroughly, and place on ice for half an hour; then roll thin, cut into small cakes with a cookie-cutter, prick with a fork, and bake on floured pans, in a brisk oven. a tablespoonful of sugar may be added if desired. fruit crackers.--prepare a dough with one cup of cold sweet cream and three cups of graham flour, knead well, and divide into two portions. roll each quite thin. spread one thickly with dates or figs seeded and chopped; place the other one on top and press together with the rolling pin. cut into squares and bake. an additional one fourth of a cup of flour will doubtless be needed for dusting the board and kneading. table topics. behind the nutty loaf is the mill wheel; behind the mill is the wheat field; on the wheat field rests the sunlight; above the sun is god.--_james russell lowell._ bread forms one of the most important parts of the ration of the german soldier. in time of peace, the private soldier is supplied day by day with one pound and nine ounces of bread; when fighting for the fatherland, every man is entitled to a free ration of over two pounds of bread, and field bakery trains and steam ovens for providing the large amount of bread required, form a recognized part of the equipment of the german army. the wandering arab lives almost entirely upon bread, with a few dates as a relish. according to count rumford, the bavarian wood-chopper, one of the most hardy and hard-working men in the world, receives for his weekly rations one large loaf of rye bread and a small quantity of roasted meal. of the meal he makes an infusion, to which he adds a little salt, and with the mixture, which he calls burned soup, he eats his rye bread. no beer, no beef, no other food than that mentioned, and no drink but water; and yet he can do more work and enjoys a better digestion and possesses stronger muscles than the average american or englishman, with their varied dietary. the following truthful bit of scandinavian history well illustrates the influence of habits of frugality upon national character: "the danes were approaching, and one of the swedish bishops asked how many men the province of dalarna could furnish. "'at least twenty thousand,' was the reply; 'for the old men are just as strong and brave as the young ones.' "'but what do they live upon?' "'upon bread and water. they take little account of hunger and thirst, and when corn is lacking, they make their bread out of tree bark.' "'nay,' said the bishop, 'a people who eat tree bark and drink water, the devil himself could not vanquish!' and neither were they vanquished. their progress was one series of triumphs, till they placed gustavus vasa on the throne of sweden." the word _biscuit_ embodies the process by which this form of bread was made from time immemorial down to within the last century. _bis_ (twice), and _coctus_ (cooked), show that they were twice baked. fragments of unfermented bread were discovered in the swiss lake-dwellings, which belong to the neolithic age. fermented bread is seldom seen in northern europe and asia except among the rich or the nobility. at one time, the captain of an english vessel requested a baker of gottenburg to bake a large quantity of loaves of raised bread. the baker refused to undertake an order of such magnitude, saying it would be quite impossible to dispose of so much, until the captain agreed to take and pay for it all. i made a study of the ancient and indispensable art of bread-making, consulting such authorities as offered, going back to the primitive days and first invention of the unleavened kind, and traveling gradually down in my studies through that accidental souring of the dough which it is supposed taught the leavening process, and through the various fermentations thereafter till i came to "good, sweet, wholesome bread,"--the staff of life. leaven, which some deemed the soul of bread, the _spiritus_ which fills its cellular tissues, which is religiously preserved like the vestal fire,--some precious bottleful, i suppose, brought over in the mayflower, did the business for america, and its influence is still rising, swelling, spreading in cerulean billows over the land,--this seed i regularly and faithfully procured from the village, until one morning i forgot the rules and scalded my yeast; by which accident i discovered that even this was not indispensable, and i have gladly omitted it ever since. neither did i put any soda or other acid or alkali into my bread. it would seem that i made it according to the recipe which marcus porcius cato gave about two centuries before christ: "make kneaded bread thus: wash your hands and trough well. put the meal into the trough, add water gradually, and knead it thoroughly. when you have needed it well, mold it, and bake it under a cover," that is in a baking kettle.--_thoreau in walden._ fruits of all the articles which enter the list of foods, none are more wholesome and pleasing than the fruits which nature so abundantly provides. their delicate hues and perfect outlines appeal to our sense of beauty, while their delicious flavors gratify our appetite. our markets are supplied with an almost unlimited variety of both native and tropical fruits, and it might be supposed that they would always appear upon the daily bill of fare; yet in the majority of homes this is rarely the case. people are inclined to consider fruit, unless the product of their own gardens, a luxury too expensive for common use. many who use a plentiful supply, never think of placing it upon their tables, unless cooked. ripe fruit is a most healthful article of diet when partaken of at seasonable times; but to eat it, or any other food, between meals, is a gross breach of the requirements of good digestion. fruits contain from seventy-five to ninety-five per cent of water, and a meager proportion of nitrogenous matter; hence their value as nutrients, except in a few instances, is rather small; but they supply a variety of agreeable acids which refresh and give tone to the system, and their abundant and proper use does much to keep the vital machinery in good working order. aside from the skin and seeds, all fruits consist essentially of two parts,--the cellulose structure containing the juice, and the juice itself. the latter is water, with a small proportion of fruit sugar (from one to twenty per cent in different varieties), and vegetable acids. these acids are either free, or combined with potash and lime in the form of acid salts. they are mallic, citric, tartaric, and pectic acids. the last-named is the jelly-producing principle. while the juice, as we commonly find it, is readily transformable for use in the system, the cellular structure of the fruit is not so easily digested. in some fruits, as the strawberry, grape, and banana, the cell walls are so delicate as to be easily broken up; but in watermelons, apples, and oranges, the cells are coarser, and form a larger bulk of the fruit, hence are less easily digested. as a rule, other points being equal, the fruits which yield the richest and largest quantity of juices, and also possess a cellular framework the least perceptible on mastication, are the most readily digested. a certain amount of waste matter is an advantage, to give bulk to our food; but persons with weak stomachs, who cannot eat certain kinds of fruit, are often able to digest the juice when taken alone. unripe fruits differ from ripe fruits in that they contain, starch, which during ripening is changed into sugar, and generally some proportion of tannic acid, which gives them their astringency. the characteristic constituent of unripe fruit, however, is pectose, an element insoluble in water, but which, as maturation proceeds, is transformed into pectic and pectosic acids. these are soluble in boiling water, and upon cooling, yield gelatinous solutions. their presence makes it possible to convert the juice of ripe fruits into jelly. raw starch in any form is indigestible, hence unripe fruit should never be eaten uncooked. as fruit matures, the changes it undergoes are such as best fit for consumption and digestion. the following table shows the composition of the fruits in common use:-- analysis. water. albumen. sugar. free acid. pectose. cellulose mineral matter. apples . . . . . . . pears . . . . . . . peaches . . . . . . . grapes . . glucose. tartaric. . . . . . plums . . . . . ... . gooseberries . . . . . . . strawberries . . . . . ... . raspberries .+ . . . . ... . currants . . . . . ... . blackberries . . . . . ... . cherries . . . . . ... . apricots . . . ... . ... . oranges . [a] to ... ... ... ... dates . . . fat. . . . . bananas . . . [b] fat. ... . . . turkey figs . . . fat. . [c] . . . [table note a: small quantities of albumen, citric acid, citrate of potash, cellulose, etc.] [table note b: sugar and pectose.] [table note c: starch, pectose, etc.] there is a prevailing notion that the free use of fruits, especially in summer, excites derangement of the digestive organs. when such derangement occurs, it is far more likely to have been occasioned by the way in which the fruit was eaten than by the fruit itself. perhaps it was taken as a surfeit dish at the end of a meal. it may have been eaten in combination with rich, oily foods, pastry, strong coffee, and other indigestible viands, which, in themselves, often excite an attack of indigestion. possibly it was partaken of between meals, or late at night, with ice cream and other confections, or it was swallowed without sufficient mastication. certainly, it is not marvelous that stomach and bowel disorders do result under such circumstances. the innocent fruit, like many other good things, being found in "bad company," is blamed accordingly. an excess of any food at meals or between meals, is likely to prove injurious, and fruits present no exception to this rule. fruit taken at seasonable times and in suitable quantities, alone or in combination with proper foods, gives us one of the most agreeable and healthful articles of diet. fruit, fats, and meats do not affiliate, and they are liable to create a disturbance whenever taken together. partially decayed, stale, and over-ripe, as well as unripe fruit, should never be eaten. according to m. pasteur, the french scientist, all fruits and vegetables, when undergoing even incipient decay, contain numerous germs, which, introduced into the system, are liable to produce disturbances or disease. perfectly fresh, ripe fruit, with proper limitations as to quantity and occasion, may be taken into a normal stomach with impunity at any season. it is especially important that all fruits to be eaten should not only be sound in quality, but should be made perfectly clean by washing if necessary, since fruit grown near the ground is liable to be covered with dangerous bacteria (such as cause typhoid fever or diphtheria), which exist in the soil or in the material used in fertilizing it. most fruits, properly used, aid digestion either directly or indirectly. the juicy ones act as dilutents, and their free use lessens the desire for alcohol and other stimulants. according to german analysts, the apple contains a larger percentage of phosphorus than any other fruit, or than any vegetable. in warm weather and in warm climates, when foods are not needed for a heat-producing purpose, the diet may well consist largely of fruits and succulent vegetables, eaten in combination with bread and grains. in case of liver and kidney affections, rheumatism, and gout, the use of fruit is considered very beneficial by many scientific authorities. to serve its best purpose, raw fruit should be eaten without sugar or other condiments, or with the addition of as small a quantity as possible. it is a disputed question whether fruits should begin or end the meal; but it is generally conceded by those who have given the matter attention, that fruit eaten at the beginning of a meal is itself the more readily digested, and aids in the digestion of other foods, since fruits, like soups, have the property of stimulating the flow of the digestive juices. something, however, must depend upon the character of the fruit; oranges, melons, and like juicy fruits, are especially useful as appetizers to begin the meal, while bananas and similar fruits agree better if taken with other food, so as to secure thorough mixture with saliva. this is true of all fruits, except such pulpy fruits as strawberries, peaches, melons, grapes, and oranges. it is often erroneously asserted that fruit as dessert is injurious to digestion. for those people, however, who regulate their bill of fare in accordance with the principles of hygiene, a simple course of fruit is not only wholesome, but is all that is needed after a dinner; and much time, labor, and health will be saved when housekeepers are content to serve desserts which nature supplies all ready for use, instead of those harmful combinations in the preparing of which they spend hours of tiresome toil. description.--for convenience, fruits may be grouped together; as, _pomaceous_ fruits, including the apple, quince, pear, etc.; the _drupaceous_ fruits, those provided with a hard stone surrounded by a fleshy pulp, as the peach, apricot, plum, cherry, olive, and date; the orange or citron group, including the orange, lemon, lime, citron, grape fruit, shaddock, and pomegranate; the _baccate_ or berry kind, comprising the grape, gooseberry, currant, cranberry, whortleberry, blueberry, and others; the _arterio_ group, to which belong raspberries, strawberries, dewberries, and blackberries; the fig group; the gourd group, including--melons and cantaloupes; and foreign fruits. it is impossible, in the brief scope of this work, to enumerate the infinite varieties of fruit; but we will briefly speak of some of the most common found in the gardens and markets of this latitude. apples.--the origin and first home of the apple, is unknown. if tradition is to be believed, it was the inauspicious fruit to which may be traced all the miseries of mankind. in pictures of the temptation in the garden of eden, our mother eve is generally represented as holding an apple in her hand. we find the apple mentioned in the mythologies of the greeks, druids, and scandinavians. the thebans offered apples instead of sheep as a sacrifice to hercules, a custom derived from the following circumstance:-- "at one time, when a sacrifice was necessary, the river asopus had so inundated the country that it was impossible to take a sheep across it for the purpose, when some youths, recollecting that the greek word _melon_ signified both sheep and an apple, stuck wooden pegs into the fruit to represent legs, and brought this vegetable quadruped as a substitute for the usual offering. after this date, the apple was considered as especially devoted to hercules." in ancient times, greece produced most excellent apples. they were the favorite dessert of phillip of macedon and alexander the great, the latter causing them to be served at all meals. doubtless they came to be used to excess; for it is recorded of the athenian lawgiver, solon, that he made a decree prohibiting a bridegroom from partaking of more than one at his marriage banquet, a law which was zealously kept by the greeks, and finally adopted by the persians. in homer's time the apple was regarded as one of the precious fruits. it was extensively cultivated by the romans, who gave to new varieties the names of many eminent citizens, and after the conquest of gaul, introduced its culture into southwestern europe, whence it has come to be widely diffused throughout all parts of the temperate zone. apples were introduced into the united states by the early settlers, and the first trees were planted on an island in boston harbor, which still retains the name of apple island. the wild crab tree is the parent of most of the cultivated varieties. the pear.--the origin of the pear, like that of the apple, is shrouded in obscurity, though egypt, greece, and palestine dispute for the honor of having given birth to the tree which bears this prince of fruits. theophrastus, a greek philosopher of the fourth century, speaks of the pear in terms of highest praise; and galen, the father of medical science, mentions the pear in his writings as possessing "qualities which benefit the stomach." the pear tree is one of the most hardy of all fruit trees, and has been known to live several hundred years. the quince.--this fruit appears to have been a native of crete, from whence it was introduced into ancient greece; and was largely cultivated by both greeks and romans. in persia, the fruit is edible in its raw state; but in this country it never ripens sufficiently to be palatable without being cooked. the fruit is highly fragrant and exceedingly acid, and for these reasons it is largely employed to flavor other fruits. the peach.--this fruit, as its botanical name, _prinus persica_, indicates, is a native of persia, and was brought from that country to greece, from whence it passed into italy. it is frequently mentioned by ancient writers, and was regarded with much esteem by the people of asia. the romans, however, had the singular notion that peaches gathered in persia contained a deadly poison, but if once transplanted to another soil, this injurious effect was lost. in composition, the peach is notable for the small quantity of saccharine matter it contains in comparison with other fruits. the plum.--the plum is one of the earliest of known fruits. thebes, memphis, and damascus were noted for the great number of their plum trees in the early centuries. plum trees grow wild in asia, america, and the south of europe, and from these a large variety of domestic plum fruits have been cultivated. plums are more liable than most other fruits to produce disorders of digestion, and when eaten raw should be carefully selected, that they be neither unripe nor unripe. cooking renders them less objectionable. the prune.--the plum when dried is often called by its french cognomen, _prune_. the larger and sweeter varieties are generally selected for drying, and when good and properly cooked, are the most wholesome of prepared fruits. the apricot.--this fruit seems to be intermediate between the peach and the plum, resembling the former externally, while the stone is like that of the plum. the apricot originated in armenia, and the tree which bears the fruit was termed by the romans "the tree of armenia." it was introduced into england in the time of henry viii. the apricot is cultivated to some extent in the united states, but it requires too much care to permit of its being largely grown, except in certain sections. the cherry.--the common garden cherry is supposed to have been derived from the two species of wild fruit, and historians tell us that we are indebted to the agricultural experiments of mithridates, the great king of ancient pontus, for this much esteemed fruit. it is a native of asia minor, and its birthplace. the olive.--from time immemorial the olive has been associated with history. the scriptures make frequent reference to it, and its cultivation was considered of first importance among the jews, who used its oil for culinary and a great variety of other purposes. ancient mythology venerated the olive tree above all others, and invested it with many charming bits of fiction. grecian poets sang its praises, and early roman writers speak of it with high esteem. in appearance and size the fruit is much like the plum; when ripe, it is very dark green, almost black, and possesses a strong, and, to many people, disagreeable flavor. the pulp abounds in a bland oil, for the production of which it is extensively cultivated in syria, egypt, italy, spain, and southern france. the fruit itself is also pickled and preserved in various ways, but, like all other similar commodities when thus prepared, it is by no means a wholesome article of food. the date.--the date is the fruit of the palm tree so often mentioned in the sacred writings, and is indigenous to africa and portions of asia. the fruit grows in bunches which often weigh from twenty to twenty-five pounds, and a single tree will bear from one to three thousand pounds in a season. the date is very sweet and nutritious. it forms a stable article of diet for the inhabitants of some parts of egypt, arabia, and persia, and frequently forms the chief food of their horses, dogs, and camels. the arabs reduce dried dates to a meal, and make therefrom a bread, which often constitutes their sole food on long journeys through the great desert. the inhabitants of the countries where the date tree flourishes, put its various productions to innumerable uses. from its leaves they make baskets, bags, mats, combs, and brushes; from its stalks, fences for their gardens; from its fibers, thread, rope, and rigging; from its sap, a spirituous liquor; from its fruit, food for man and beast; while the body of the tree furnishes them with fuel. the prepared fruit is largely imported to this country. that which is large, smooth, and of a soft reddish yellow tinge, with a whitish membrane between the flesh and stone, is considered the best. the orange.--according to some authors, the far-famed "golden fruit of the hesperides," which hercules stole, was the orange; but it seems highly improbable that it was known to writers of antiquity. it is supposed to be indigenous to central and eastern asia. whatever its nativity, it has now spread over all the warmer regions of the earth. the orange tree is very hardy in its own habitat, and is one of the most prolific of all fruit-bearing trees, a single tree having been known to produce twenty thousand good oranges in a season. orange trees attain great age. there are those in italy and spain which are known to have flourished for six hundred years. numerous varieties of the orange are grown, and are imported to our markets from every part of the globe. florida oranges are among the best, and when obtained in their perfection, are the most luscious of all fruits. the lemon.--this fruit is supposed to be a native of the north of india, although it is grown in nearly all sub-tropical climates. in general, the fruit is very acid, but in a variety known as the sweet lemon, or bergamot (said to be a hybrid of the orange and lemon), the juice is sweet. the sour lemon is highly valued for its antiscorbutic properties, and is largely employed as a flavoring ingredient in culinary preparations, and in making a popular refreshing beverage. the citron.--the citron is a fruit very similar to the lemon, though larger in size and less succulent. it is supposed to be identical with the hebrew _tappuach_, and to be the fruit which is mentioned in the english version of the old testament as "apple." the citron is not suitable for eating in its raw state, though its juice is used in connection with water and sugar to form an excellent acid drink. its rind, which is very thick, with a warty and furrowed exterior, is prepared in sugar and largely used for flavoring purposes. the lime.--the fruit of the lime is similar to the lemon, though much smaller in size. it is a native of eastern asia, but has long been cultivated in the south of europe and other sub-tropical countries. the fruit is seldom used except for making acidulous drinks, for which it is often given the preference over the lemon. the grape fruit.--this fruit, a variety of shaddock, belongs to the great _citrus_ family, of which there are one hundred and sixty-nine known varieties. the shaddock proper, however, is a much larger fruit, frequently weighing from ten to fourteen pounds. although a certain quantity of grape fruit is brought from the west indies, our principal supply is derived from florida. it is from two to four times the size of an ordinary orange, and grows in clusters. it is rapidly gaining in favor with fruit lovers. its juice has a moderately acid taste and makes a pleasing beverage. the pulp, carefully separated, is also much esteemed. the pomegranate.--this fruit has been cultivated in asia from earliest antiquity, and is still quite generally grown in most tropical climes. in the scriptures it is mentioned with the vine, fig, and olive, among the pleasant fruits of the promised land. it is about the size of a large peach, of a fine golden color, with a rosy tinge on one side. the rind is thick and leathery. the central portion is composed of little globules of pulp and seeds inclosed in a thin membrane, each seed being about the size of a red currant. it is sub-acid, and slightly bitter in taste. the rind is strongly astringent, and often used as a medicine. the grape.--undoubtedly the grape was one of the first fruits eaten by mankind, and one highly valued from antiquity down to the present time. although this fruit is often sadly perverted in the manufacture of wine, when rightly used it is one of the most excellent of all fruits. the skins and seeds are indigestible and should be rejected, but the fresh, juicy pulp is particularly wholesome and refreshing. several hundred varieties of the grape are cultivated. some particularly sweet varieties are made into raisins, by exposure to the sun or to artificial heat. sun-dried grapes make the best raisins. the so-called english or zante currant belongs to the grape family, and is the dried fruit of a vine which grows in the ionian islands and yields a very small berry. the name _currant_, as applied to these fruits, is a corruption of the word _corinth_, where the fruit was formerly grown. the gooseberry.--the gooseberry probably derives its name from gorse or goss, a prickly shrub that grows wild in thickets and on hillsides in europe, asia, and america. it was known to the ancients, and is mentioned in the writings of theocritus and pliny. gooseberries were a favorite dish with some of the emperors, and were extensively cultivated in gardens during the middle ages. the gooseberry is a wholesome and agreeable fruit, and by cultivation may be brought to a high state of perfection in size and flavor. the currant.--this fruit derives its name from its resemblance to the small grapes of corinth, sometimes called corinthus, and is indigenous to america, asia, and europe. the fruit is sharply acid, though very pleasant to the taste. cultivation has produced white currants from the red, and in a distinct species of the fruit grown in northern europe and russia, the currants are black or yellow. the whortleberry and blueberry.--these are both species of the same fruit, which grows in woods and waste places in the north of europe and america. of the latter species there are two varieties, the high-bush and the low-bush, which are equally palatable. the fruit is very sweet and pleasant to the taste, and is one of the most wholesome of all berries. the cranberry.--a german writer of note insists that the original name of this fruit was cram-berry, because after dinner, when one was filled with other food, such was its pleasant and seductive flavor that he could still "cram" quite a quantity thereof, in defiance of all dietetic laws. other writers consider the name a corruption of craneberry, so called because it is eagerly sought after by the cranes and other birds which frequent the swamps and marshes where it chiefly grows. the fruit is extremely acid, and is highly valued for sauces and jellies. cranberries are among the most convenient fruits for keeping. freezing does not seem to hurt them, and they may be kept frozen all winter, or in water without freezing, in the cellar, or other cool places, for a long period. the strawberry.--the flavor of antiquity rests upon the wild strawberry. its fruit was peddled by itinerant dealers about the streets of ancient grecian and roman cities. virgil sings of it in pastoral poems, and ovid mentions it in words of praise. the name by which the fruit was known to the greeks indicates its size; with the latins its name was symbolic of its perfume. the name _strawberry_ probably came from the old saxon _streawberige_, either from some resemblance of the stems to straw, of from the fact that the berries have the appearance when growing of being strewn upon the ground. in olden times, children strung the berries upon straws, and sold so many "straws of berries" for a penny, from which fact it is possible the name may have been derived. the strawberry is indigenous to the temperate regions of both the eastern and western hemispheres, but it seems to have been matured in gardens, only within the last two centuries. the raspberry.--this fruit grows in both a wild and a cultivated state. it derives its name from the rough rasps or spines with which the bushes are covered. among the ancients it was called "the bramble of mt. ida," because it was abundant upon that mountain. it is a hardy fruit, found in most parts of the world, and is of two special varieties, the black and the red. the blackberry.--this fruit is a native of america and the greater part of europe. there are one hundred and fifty-one named species, although the high-blackberry and the low-blackberry, or dewberry, are said to have furnished the best cultivated varieties. the mulberry.--different varieties of the mulberry tree produce white, red, and black mulberries of fine aromatic flavor, and acidulous or sweet taste. persia is supposed to be the native home of this fruit, from whence it was carried, at an early date, to asia minor and to greece. the hebrews were evidently well acquainted with it. it was also cultivated by the farmers of attica and peloponnesus. the ancient mulberry was considered the wisest and most prudent of trees, because it took care not to put forth the smallest bud until the cold of winter had disappeared, not to return. then, however, it lost no time, but budded and blossomed in a day. several varieties are found in the united states. the melon.--this is the generic name for all the members of the gourd tribe known as cantaloupes, muskmelons, and watermelons. the fruit varies greatly in size and color, and in the character of the rind. when fresh and perfectly ripe, melons are among the most delicious of edible fruits. the fig.--in the most ancient histories, the fig tree is referred to as among the most desirable productions of the earth. it was the only tree in the garden of eden of which the sacred writings make particular mention. among the inhabitants of ancient syria and greece, it formed one of the principal articles of food. its cultivation was, and is still, extensively carried on in nearly all eastern countries; also in spain, southern france, and some portions of the united states. the fruit is pear-shaped, and consists of a pulpy mass full of little seeds. dried and compressed figs are largely imported, and are to be found in all markets. those brought from smyrna are reputed to be the best. the banana.--this is essentially a tropical fruit growing very generally in the east, the west indies, south american countries, and some of the southern states. the plant is an annual, sending up stems to the height of ten or fifteen feet, while drooping from the top are enormous leaves three or four feet in length, and looking, as one writer has aptly said, like "great, green quill pens." it is planted in fields like corn, which in its young growth it much resembles. each plant produces a single cluster of from eighty to one hundred or more bananas, often weighing in the aggregate as high as seventy pounds. the banana is exceedingly productive. according to humboldt, a space of , feet, which will yield only pounds of wheat, or pounds of potatoes, will produce , pounds of bananas, and in a much shorter period of time. it is more nutritious than the majority of fruits, and in tropical countries is highly valued as a food, affording in some localities the chief alimentary support of the people. its great importance as a food product is shown by the fact that three or four good sized bananas are equal in nutritive value to a pound of bread. the amount of albumen contained in a pound of bananas is about the same as that found in a pound of rice, and the total nutritive value of one pound of bananas is only a trifle less than that of an equal quantity of the best beefsteak. the unripe fruit, which contains a considerable percentage of starch, is often dried in the oven and eaten as bread, which, in this state, it considerably resembles in taste and appearance. thus prepared, it may be kept for a long time, and is very serviceable for use on long journeys. the variety of the banana thus used is, however, a much larger kind than any of those ordinarily found in our northern markets, and is known as the plantain. the dried plantain, powdered, furnishes a meal of fragrant odor and bland taste, not unlike common wheat flour. it is said to be easy of digestion, and two pounds of the dry meal or six pounds of the fruit is the daily allowance for a laborer in tropical america. the pineapple.--this delicious fruit is a native of south america, where it grows wild in the forests. it is cultivated largely in tropical america, the west indies, and some portions of europe. the fruit grows singly from the center of a small plant having fifteen or more long, narrow, serrated, ridged, sharp-pointed leaves, seemingly growing from the root. in general appearance it resembles the century plant, though so much smaller that twelve thousand pineapple plants may be grown on one acre. from the fibers of the leaves is made a costly and valuable fabric called _pina_ muslin. nothing can surpass the rich, delicate flavor of the wild pineapple as found in its native habitat. it is in every way quite equal to the best cultivated variety. the most excellent pineapples are imported from the west indies, but are seldom found in perfection in out northern markets. fresh fruit for the table. all fruit for serving should be perfectly ripe and sound. immature fruit is never wholesome, and owing to the large percentage of water in its composition, fruit is very prone to change; hence over-ripe fruit should not be eaten, as it is liable to ferment and decompose in the digestive tract. fruit which has begun, however slightly, to decay, should be rejected. juice circulates through its tissues in much the same manner as the blood circulates through animal tissues, though not so rapidly and freely. the circulation is sufficient, however, to convey to all parts the products of decomposition, when only a small portion has undergone decay, and although serious results do not always follow the use of such fruit, it certainly is not first-class food. if intended to be eaten raw, fruit should be well ripened before gathering, and should be perfectly fresh. fruit that has stood day after day in a dish upon the table, in a warm room, is far less wholesome and tempting than that brought fresh from the storeroom or cellar. all fruits should be thoroughly cleansed before serving. such fruit as cherries, grapes, and currants may be best washed by placing in a colander, and dipping in and out of a pan of water until perfectly clean, draining and drying before serving. _directions for serving fruits._ apples.--in serving these, the "queen of all fruits," much opportunity is afforded for a display of taste in their arrangement. after wiping clean with a damp towel, they may be piled in a fruit basket, with a few sprigs of green leaves here and there between their rosy cheeks. the feathery tops of carrots and celery are pretty for this purpose. oranges and apples so arranged, make a highly ornamental dish. raw mellow sweet apples make a delicious dish when pared, sliced, and served with cream. bananas.--cut the ends from the fruit and serve whole, piled in a basket with oranges, grapes, or plums. another way is to peel, slice, and serve with thin cream. bananas are also very nice sliced, sprinkled lightly with sugar, and before it had quite dissolved, covered with orange juice. sliced bananas, lightly sprinkled with sugar, alternating in layers with sections of oranges, make a most delicious dessert. cherries.--serve on stems, piled in a basket or high dish, with bits of green leaves and vines between. rows of different colored cherries, arranged in pyramidal form, make also a handsome dish. currants.--large whole clusters may be served on the stem, and when it is possible to obtain both red and white varieties, they make a most attractive dish. put them into cold water for a little time, cool thoroughly, and drain well before using. currants, if picked from the stems after being carefully washed and drained, may be served lightly sprinkled with sugar. currants and raspberries served together, half and half, or one third currants two thirds raspberries, are excellent. only the ripest of currants should be used. gooseberries.--when fresh and ripe, the gooseberry is one of the most delicious of small fruits. serve with stems on. drop into cold water for a few moments, drain, and pile in a glass dish for the table. grapes.--grapes need always to be washed before serving. drop the bunches into ice water, let them remain ten of fifteen minutes, then drain and serve. an attractive dish may be made by arranging bunches of different colored grapes together on a plate edged with grape leaves. melons.--watermelons should be served very cold. after being well washed on the outside, put on ice until needed. cut off a slice at the ends, that each half may stand upright on a plate, and then cut around in even slices. instead of cutting through the center into even halves, the melon may be cut in points back and forth around the entire circumference, so that when separated, each half will appear like a crown. another way is to take out the central portion with a spoon, in cone-shaped pieces, and arrange on a plate with a few bits of ice. other melons may be served in halves, with the seeds removed. the rough skin of the cantaloupe should be thoroughly scrubbed with a vegetable brush, then rinsed and wiped, after which bury the melon in broken ice till serving time; divide into eighths or sixteenths, remove the seeds, reconstruct the melon, and serve surrounded with ice, on a folded napkin, or arranged on a bed of grape leaves. do not cool the melon by placing ice upon the flesh, as the moisture injures the delicate flavor. oranges.--serve whole or cut the skin into eighths, halfway down, separating it from the fruit, and curling it inward, thus showing half the orange white and the other half yellow; or cut the skin into eighths, two-thirds down, and after loosening from the fruit, leave them spread open like the petals of a lily. oranges sliced and mixed with well ripened strawberries, in the proportion of three oranges to a quart of berries, make--a palatable dessert. peaches and pears.--pick out the finest, and wipe the wool from the peaches. edge a plate with uniform sized leaves of foliage plant of the same tints as the fruit, and pile the fruit artistically upon it, tucking sprays or tips of the plant between. bits of ice may also be intermingled. yellow bartlett pears and rosy-cheeked peaches arranged in this way are most ornamental. peaches and cream.--pare the peaches just as late as practicable, since they become discolored by standing. always use a silver knife, as steel soon blackens and discolors the fruit. if sugar is to be used, do not add it until the time for serving, as it will start the juice, and likewise turn the fruit brown, destroying much of its rich flavor. keep on ice until needed for the table. add cream with each person's dish. pineapples.--the pineapple when fresh and ripened to perfection, is as mellow and juicy as a ripe peach, and needs no cooking to fit it for the table. of course it must be pared, and have the eyes and fibrous center removed. then it may be sliced in generous pieces and piled upon a plate, or cut into smaller portions and served in saucers. no condiments are necessary; even the use of sugar detracts from its delicate flavor. pineapples found in our northern markets are, however, generally so hard and tough as to require cooking, or are valuable only for their juice, which may be extracted and used for flavoring other fruits. when sufficiently mellow to be eaten raw, they are usually so tart as to seem to require a light sprinkling of sugar to suit most tastes. pineapples pared, cut into dice or small pieces, lightly sprinkled with sugar, to which just before serving, a cup of orange juice is added, form a delicious dish. plums.--plums make a most artistic fruit piece, served whole and arranged with bunches of choice green grapes, in a basket or glass dish. a fine edge may be made from the velvety leaves of dark purple foliage plants. pressed figs.--look over carefully, and select only such as are perfectly good. they may be served dry, mixed with bunches of raisins, or steamed over a kettle of boiling water. steamed figs make an excellent breakfast dish, and are considered much more wholesome then when used dry. steamed raisins are likewise superior to dried raisins. raspberries, blackberries, dewberries, blueberries and whortleberries, require careful looking over to remove all insects, stems, and over-ripe fruit. blueberries and whortleberries frequently need to be washed. they are then drained by spreading on a sieve or colander. perfectly ripe, they are more healthful without condiments; but sugar and cream are usually considered indispensable. if necessary to wash strawberries, they should be put into cold water, a few at a time, pushed down lightly beneath the water several times until entirely clean, then taken out one by one, hulled, and used at once. like all other small fruits and berries they are more wholesome served without cream, but if cream is used, each person should be allowed to add it to his own dish, as it quickly curdles and renders the whole dish unsightly; if allowed to stand, it also impairs the flavor of the fruit. frosted fruit.--prepare a mixture of the beaten white of egg, sugar, and a very little cold water. dip nice bunches of clean currants, cherries, or grapes into the mixture; drain nearly dry, and roll lightly in powdered sugar. lay them on white paper to dry. plums, apricots, and peaches may be dipped in the mixture, gently sprinkled with sugar, then allowed to dry. this method of preparing fruit is not to be commended for its wholesomeness, but it is sometimes desirable for ornament. keeping fresh fruit. of the numerous varieties of fruits grown in this country, apples and pears are about the only ones that can be kept for any length of time without artificial means. as soon as fruit has attained its maturity, a gradual change or breaking down of tissues begins. in some fruits this process follows rapidly; in other it is gradual. there is a certain point at which the fruits are best suited for use. we call it mellowness, and say that the fruit is in "good eating condition." when this stage has been reached, deterioration and rotting soon follow. in some fruits, as the peach, plum, and early varieties of apples and pears, these changes occur within a few days after maturity, and it is quite useless to attempt to keep them; in others, like the later varieties of apples and pears, the changes are slow but none the less certain. to keep such fruits we must endeavor to retard or prolong the process of change, by avoiding all conditions likely to hasten decay. even with ordinary care, sound fruit will keep for quite a length of time; but it can be preserved in better condition and for a longer period by careful attention to the following practical points:-- . if the fruit is of a late variety, allow it to remain on the tree as long as practicable without freezing. . always pick and handle the fruit with the greatest care. . gather the fruit on a dry, cool day, and place in heaps or bins for two or three weeks. . carefully sort and pack in barrels, placing those most mellow and those of different varieties in different barrels; head the barrels, label, and place in a cool, dry place where the temperature will remain equable. some consider it better to keep fruit in thin layers upon broad shelves in a cool place. this plan allows frequent inspection and removal of all affected fruit without disturbance of the remainder. . warmth and moisture are the conditions most favorable to decomposition, and should be especially guarded against. . the best temperature for keeping fruit is about ° f., or ° above freezing. another method which is highly recommended is to sprinkle a layer of sawdust on the bottom of a box, and then put in a layer of apples, not allowing them to tough each other. upon this pack more sawdust; then another layer of apples, and so on until the box is filled. after packing, place up from the ground, in a cellar or storeroom, and they will keep perfectly, retaining their freshness and flavor until brought out. the _practical farmer_ gives the following rough but good way to store and keep apples: "spread plenty of buckwheat chaff on the barn floor, and on this place the apples, filling the interstices with the chaff. cover with the chaff and then with straw two or three feet deep. the advantage of this is that covering and bedding in chaff excludes cold, prevents air currents, maintains a uniform temperature, absorbs the moisture of decay, and prevents the decay produced by moisture." the ordinary cellar underneath the dwelling house is too warm and damp for the proper preservation of fruit, and some other place should be provided if possible. a writer in the _american agriculturist_ thus calls attention to an additional reason why fruit should not be stored beneath living-rooms: "after late apples are stored for the winter, a gradual change begins within the fruit. it absorbs oxygen from the air of the room, and gives off carbonic acid gas. another change results in the formation of water, which is given off as moisture. the taking up of oxygen by the fruit and the giving off of carbonic acid, in a short time so vitiates the atmosphere of the room in which the fruit is kept, that it will at once extinguish a candle, and destroy animal life. an atmosphere of this kind tends to preserve the fruit. there being little or no oxygen left in the air of the room, the process of decay is arrested. hence it is desirable that the room be air tight, in order to maintain such an atmosphere." the production of carbonic acid shows that a cellar in or under a dwelling, is an improper place for storing fresh fruit. when the gas is present in the air in sufficient proportion, it causes death, and a very small quantity will cause headache, listlessness, and other unpleasant effects. no doubt many troubles attributed to malaria, are due to gases from vegetables and fruits stored in the cellar. a fruit cellar should be underneath some other building rather than the dwelling, or a fruit house may be built entirely above the ground. a house to keep fruit properly must be built upon the principle of a refrigerator. its walls, floor, and ceiling should be double, and the space between filled with sawdust. the doors and windows should be double; and as light is undesirable, the windows should be provided with shutters. there should be a small stove for use if needed to keep a proper temperature in severe weather. to keep grapes.--select such bunches as are perfect, rejecting all upon which there are any bruised grapes, or from which a grape has fallen. spread them upon shelves in a cool place for a week or two. then pack in boxes in sawdust which has been recently well dried in an oven. bran which has been dried may also be used. dry cotton is employed by some. keep in a cool place. some consider the following a more efficient method: select perfect bunches, and dip the broken end of the stems in melted paraffine or sealing wax. wrap separately in tissue paper, hang in a cool place, or pack in sawdust. to keep lemons and oranges.--lemons may be kept fresh for weeks by placing them in a vessel of cold water in a very cool cellar or ice house. change the water every day. oranges may be kept in the same way. the usual method employed by growers for keeping these fruits is to wrap each one separately in tissue paper, and put in a cool, dry place. to keep cranberries.--put them in water and keep in a cool place where they will not freeze. change the water often, and sort out berries which may have become spoiled. cooked fruit. perfectly ripe fruit is, as a rule, more desirable used fresh than in any other way. fruits which are immature, require cooking. stewing and baking are the simplest methods of preparation. general suggestions for cooking fruit.--the utensils for stewing should be porcelain-lined, or granite ware. fruit cooked in tin loses much of its delicate flavor; while if it be acid, and the tin of poor quality, there is always danger that the acid of the fruit acting upon the metal will form a poisonous compound. cover with a china plate or granite-ware cover, never with a tin one, as the steam will condense and run down into the kettle, discoloring the contents. use only silver knives for preparing the fruit, and silver or wooden spoons for stirring. prepare just before cooking, if you would preserve the fruit perfect in flavor, and unimpaired by discoloration. in preparing apples, pears, and quinces for stewing, it is better to divide the fruit into halves or quarters before paring. the fruit is more easily handled, can be pared thinner and cored more quickly. peaches, apricots, and plums, if divided and stoned before paring, can be much more easily kept whole. cook in a small quantity of boiling water, and if economy is a point to be considered, do not add sugar until the fruit is done. sugar boiled with an acid will be converted into glucose, two and one half pounds of which only equal one pound of cane sugar in sweetening properties. it will require a much larger amount of sugar to sweeten fruit if added before the cooking process is completed. fruit should be cooked by stewing, or by gentle simmering; hard boiling will destroy the fine flavor of all fruits, and especially of berries and other small fruits. cinnamon, cloves, or other spices, should not be added, as their stronger flavors deaden or obliterate the natural flavor, which should always be preserved as perfectly as possible. if desirable to add some foreign flavor, let it be the flavor of another fruit, or the perfume of flowers. for instance, flavor apple with lemon, pineapple, quince, or rose water. unripe fruit is improved by making the cooking quite lengthy, which acts in the place of the ripening process, changing the starchy matter to saccharine elements. in cooking fruit, try to preserve its natural form. the more nearly whole it is, the better it looks, and the more natural will be its flavor. apples are best cooked by baking. pears and quinces are also excellent baked. the oven should be only moderately hot; if the heat is too great, they brown on the outside before they are done throughout. in cooking fruit by any method, pains should be taken to cook together such as are of the same variety, size, and degree of hardness; if it is to be cut in pieces, care should be taken to have the pieces of uniform size. _recipes._ baked apples.--moderately tart apples or very juicy sweet ones are best for baking. select ripe apples, free from imperfections, and of nearly equal size. wipe carefully and remove the blossom ends. water sufficient to cover bottom of the baking dish, should be added if the fruit is not very juicy. if the apples are sour and quite firm, a good way is to pare them before baking, and then place them in an earthen pie dish with a little hot water. if they incline to brown too quickly, cover the tops with a granite-ware pie dish. if the syrup dries out, add a little more hot water. when done, set them away till nearly cold, then transfer to a glass dish, pour the syrup, which should be thick and amber colored, over them. sour apples are excellent pared, cored, and baked with the centers filled with sugar, jelly, or a mixture or chopped raisins and dates. they should be put into a shallow earthen dish with water sufficient to cover the bottom, and baked in a quick oven, basting often with the syrup. sweet apples are best baked without paring. baked apples are usually served as a relish, but with a dressing of cream they make a most delicious dessert. citron apples.--select a few tart apples of the same degree of hardness, and remove the cores. unless the skins are very tender, it is better to pare them. fill the cavities with sugar, first placing in each apple a few bits of chopped citron. if the skins have been removed, place the stuffed apples on a flat earthen dish with a tablespoonful of water on the bottom; cover closely, and bake till perfectly tender, but not till they have fallen to pieces. if the skins are left on, they may be baked without covering. when cold, serve in separate dishes, with or without a spoonful or two of whipped cream on each apple. lemon apples.--prepare tart apples the same as for citron apples. fill the cavities made by removing the cores with a mixture of grated lemon and sugar, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice over each apple, and bake. serve with or without whipped cream. baked pears.--hard pears make an excellent dessert when baked. pare, halve, remove seeds, and place in a shallow earthen dish, with a cup of water to each two quarts of fruit. if the pears are sour, a little sugar may be added. bake, closely covered, in a moderate oven until tender. serve with sugar and cream. tart pears are the best for baking, as the sweet varieties are often tasteless. baked quinces.--pare and remove the cores. fill the cavities with sugar, put in a shallow earthen dish, and add water to cover the bottom; bake till soft, basting often with the syrup. if the syrup dries out before the fruit is perfectly tender, add a little more hot water. pippins and quince.--pare and quarter nice golden pippins, and cook in boiling water until reduced to a jelly. add two or three quinces sliced, and simmer slowly in the jelly until the quince is tender. add sugar to taste. serve cold. baked apple sauce.--pare, core, and quarter apples to fill an earthen crock or deep pudding dish, taking care to use apples of the same degree of hardness, and pieces of the same size. for two quarts of fruit thus prepared, add a cup of water, and if the apples are sour, a cup of sugar. cover closely, and bake in a moderate oven several hours, or until of a dark red color. sweet apples and quinces in the proportion of two parts of apple to one of quince, baked in this way, are also good. cut the apples into quarters, but slice the quinces much thinner, as they are more difficult to cook. put a layer of quince on the bottom of the dish, alternating with a layer of apple, until the dish is full. add cold water to half cover the fruit, and stew in the oven well covered, without stirring, until tender. pears may be cooked in a similar way, and both apples and pears thus cooked may be canned while hot and kept for a long period. baked apple sauce no. .--prepare nice tart apples as for no. . bake, with a small quantity of water, in a covered pudding dish, in a moderate oven, until soft. mash with a spoon, add sugar, and when cold, a little grated orange rind. apples stewed whole.--take six large red apples, wash carefully, and put in a fruit kettle with just enough boiling water to cover. cover the kettle, and cook slowly until the apples are soft, with the skins broken and the juice a rich red color. after removing the apples, boil the juice to a syrup, sweeten, and pour over the apples. steamed apples.--select pound sweets of uniform size, wipe, cut out the blossom-ends, and pack in a large pudding dish. pour in a cupful of water, cover the dish closely, set in a moderate oven, and steam till the apples are tender. remove from the dish, and pour the liquor over them frequently as they cool. compote of apples.--pare and extract the cores from moderately tart, juicy apples. place them in a deep pudding dish with just enough water to cover them. cover, place in a moderate oven, and stew until they are tender. remove the apples and place in a deep dish to keep hot. measure the juice and pour it into a saucepan, add a few bits of lemon rind, and boil up until thickened almost like a jelly. while the juice is boiling, heat some sugar, one tablespoonful to each cup of juice, in the oven, and add to the juice when thickened. pour scalding hot over the apples, and cover until cold. apple compote no. .--pare eight or ten rather tart, finely flavored and easy-cooking apples, carefully removing the cores, and put them into a broad, shallow, granite-ware saucepan with just enough hot water to cover the bottom. cover tightly and place over the fire. the steam will cook the apples tender in a short time. do not allow them to fall to pieces. make a syrup by dissolving one cup of sugar in a pint of hot water. add three teaspoonfuls of the juice of canned pineapple, and pour over the apples while both are hot. stewed pears.--select some fine bartlett pears which are ripe, but have hardly begun to soften; remove the skins, cut in halves or quarters, and take out the seeds. put loosely in a granite-ware kettle, and add a pint of water for three and a half quarts of fruit. cover closely, and when it begins to boil, set it where it will just simmer until the top pieces are tender. serve cold. sugar will not be necessary if the fruit is of good quality. smooth apple sauce.--if fruit is not sufficiently perfect to be cut into uniform quarters, a good way to prepare it is to pare, core, and slice into thin slices. cook in as small a quantity of water as possible, the fruit covered closely, so that the top portion will steam tender as soon as the bottom, and when done rub through a colander, or beat smooth with a wooden spoon or an egg beater. let it cool before adding sugar. a little lemon peel may be added to the fruit just long enough before it is done to flavor it, if desired. boiled apples with syrup.--halve and remove the cores of a half dozen nice apples, leaving the skins on. boil till tender in sufficient water to cover them. take out with a fork into a glass dish. add to the juice three or four slices of a large lemon; boil for ten or fifteen minutes; sweeten to taste; then pour over the apples, and cool. stewed apples.--select fine fruit of a sub-acid flavor and not over-ripe. pare, remove the cores and all blemishes, and divide into sixths if large, into quarters if small. put into a porcelain or granite-ware kettle with enough boiling water to cook and leave a good liquor. cover, and simmer gently, without stirring, from one to two hours. do not add sugar till cold. be careful not to break the fruit in serving. stewed crab apples.--select perfect fruit. wash and stew in but little water until they are very soft. rub through a coarse sieve or colander to remove the seeds and skins. sweeten to taste. sweet apple sauce with condensed apple juice.--for the juice, wash, divide, and core rather tart apples and cook until softened with one cup of water for every six pounds of fruit. when soft, put into a percolater and drain off the juice or extract it with a fruit press. boil until it is reduced one half. skim if needed while boiling, and if not perfectly clear allow it to settle before using. a considerable quantity of the juice may be thus prepared and put into stone jars, to be used as needed. for the sauce, pare, core, and quarter sweet apples. put into a porcelain kettle with enough of the condensed juice to cover. cook slowly until tender. apples with raisins.--pare, core, and quarter a dozen or more medium sized sour apples. clean thoroughly one fourth as many raisins as apples, and turn over them a quart of boiling water. let them steep until well swollen, then add the apples, and cook until tender. sugar to sweeten may be added if desired, although little will be needed unless the apples are very tart. dried apples soaked over night may be made much more palatable by stewing with raisins or english currants, in the same way. apples with apricots.--pare, core, and quarter some nice, sour apples. put them to cook with two halves of dried apricot for each apple. when tender, make smooth by beating or rubbing through a colander, and sweeten. dried apples may be used in place of fresh ones. peaches, plums, cherries, berries, and all small fruits may be cooked for sauce by stewing in a small amount of water, adding sugar to sweeten when done. baked apples.--take any good tart apples; peel, cut in halves, and remove the cores. scatter a few spoonfuls of sugar in the bottom of a dish, and lay the apples in, flat side down; add a teacupful of cold water, and bake till tender. let stand in the dish till cold, then take up the pieces in a vegetable dish, and poor over them what juice remains. sweet apples are good baked in this way without sugar. baked pears.--peel ripe pears; cut in halves, and pack in layers in a stone ware jar. strew a little sugar over each layer, and add a small cupful of water, to prevent burning. cover tightly, and bake three or four hours in a well-heated oven. let them get very cold, and serve with sweet cream. baked peaches.--peaches which are ripe but too hard for eating, are nice baked. pare, remove the stones, and place in loose layers in a shallow, earthen pudding dish with a little water. sprinkle each layer lightly with sugar, cover and bake. cranberries.--cranberries make an excellent sauce, but the skins are rather hard of digestion, and it is best to exclude them. stew in the proportion of a quart of berries to a pint of water, simmering gently until the skins have all burst, and the quantity is reduced to a pint. put through a colander to remove the skins, and when nearly cool, add for the quart of berries two thirds of a cup of sugar. cranberries with raisins.--cook the cranberries as in the preceding recipe, and when rubbed through the colander, add for every pound of cranberries before cooking, one fourth pound of raisins which have been steeped for half an hour in just sufficient boiling water to cover. a little less sugar will be needed to sweeten than when served without the raisins. cranberries and sweet apples.--stew equal parts of cranberries and sweet apples together. mash, rub through a fine sieve or colander to remove the skins and make the whole homogeneous. this makes a very palatable sauce without the addition of sugar. california prunes and cranberries stewed together in equal proportion, in a small quantity of water, also make a nice sauce without sugar. oranges and apples.--the mild, easy cooking, tart varieties of apples make an excellent sauce stewed with one third sliced oranges from which the seeds have been removed. pare, core, and slice the apples, and cook gently so as to preserve the form of both fruits until the apples are tender. add sugar to sweeten, and if desired a very little of the grated yellow of the orange rind. stewed raisins.--soak a pint of good raisins, cleaned and freed from stems, in cold water for several hours. when ready to cook, put them, with the water in which they were soaked, in a fruit kettle and simmer until the skins are tender. three or four good-sized figs, chopped quite fine, cooked with the raisins, gives an additional richness and thickness of juice. no sugar will be needed. dried apples.--good apples properly dried make a very palatable sauce; but unfortunately the fruit generally selected for drying is of so inferior a quality that if cooked in its fresh state it would not be good. the dried fruit in most of our markets needs to be looked over carefully, and thoroughly washed before using. put into a granite-ware kettle, cover with boiling water, and cook gently until tender. fresh steam-dried or evaporated apples will cook in from one half to three fourths of an hour; if older, they may require from one to two more hours. add boiling water, as needed, during the cooking. if when tender they are lacking in juice, add a little boiling water long enough before lifting from the fire to allow it to boil up once. if the fruit is very poor, a few very thin slices of the yellow portion of lemon or orange rind added a half hour before it is done, will sometimes be an improvement. dried apples with other dried fruit.--an excellent sauce may be made by cooking a few dried plums with dried or evaporated apples. only enough of the plums to give a flavor to the apples will be needed; a handful of the former to a pound of apples will be sufficient. dried cherries, raisins, english currants, dried apricots, prunelles, and peaches are also excellent used in combination with dried apples. dried apricots and peaches.--these fruits, if dried with the skins on, need, in addition to the preparation for cooking recommended for dried apples, a thorough rubbing with the fingers, while being washed, to remove the down. put into boiling water in about the proportion of two parts of fruit to three of water. if the fruit was pared before drying, a little more water will be required. cook quickly, but gently, until just tender, and take from the fire as soon as done. if too soft, they will be mushy and insipid. evaporated peach sauce.--soak the peaches over night in just enough water to cover. in the morning put to cook in boiling water. when tender, sweeten and beat perfectly smooth with an egg beater. dried pears.--these may be treated in the same way as dried apples. small fruits.--these when dried must be carefully examined, thoroughly washed, and then cooked rather quickly in boiling water. they swell but little, do not require much water, and usually cook in a few minutes. they should be taken from the fire as soon as soft, as long standing makes them insipid. prunes.--use only the best selected prunes. clean by putting them into warm water; let them stand a few minutes, rubbing them gently between the hands to make sure that all dust and dirt is removed; rinse, and if rather dry and hard, put them into three parts of water to one of prunes; cover closely, and let them simmer for several hours. if the prunes are quite easily cooked, less water may be used. they will be tender, with a thick juice. the sweet varieties need no sugar whatever. many persons who cannot eat fruit cooked with sugar, can safely partake of sweet prunes cooked in this way. a slice of lemon added just before the prunes are done, is thought an improvement. prune marmalade.--cook sweet california prunes as directed above. when well done, rub through a colander to remove the skins and stones. no sugar is necessary. if the pulp is too thin when cold, it may be covered in an earthen pudding dish and stewed down by placing in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven. the preservation of fruit. fresh fruit is so desirable, while at the same time the season during which most varieties can be obtained is so transient, that various methods are resorted to for preserving it in as nearly a natural state as possible. the old-fashioned plans of pickling in salt, alcohol, or vinegar, or preserving in equal quantities of sugar, are eminently unhygienic. quite as much to be condemned is the more modern process of keeping fruit by adding to it some preserving agent, like salicylic acid or other chemicals. salicylic acid is an antiseptic, and like many other substances, such as carbolic acid, creosote, etc., has the power of preventing the decay of organic substances. salicylic acid holds the preference over other drugs of this class, because it imparts no unpleasant flavor to the fruit. it is nevertheless a powerful and irritating drug, and when taken, even in small doses, produces intense burning in the stomach, and occasions serious disturbances of the heart and other organs. its habitual use produces grave diseases. what is sold as antifermentive is simply the well-known antiseptic, salicylate of soda. it should be self-evident to one at all acquainted with the philosophy of animal existence, that an agent which will prevent fermentation and decay must be sufficiently powerful in its influence to prevent digestion also. the fermentation and decay of fruits as well as that of all other organic substances, is occasioned by the action of those minute living organisms which scientists call germs, and which are everywhere present. these germs are very much less active in a dry, cold atmosphere, and fruit may be preserved for quite a long period by refrigeration, an arrangement whereby the external air is excluded, and the surrounding atmosphere kept at an equal temperature of about ° f. the most efficient and wholesome method of preserving fruit, however, is destruction of the germs and entire exclusion from the air. the germs are destroyed at a boiling temperature; hence, if fruit be heated to boiling, and when in this condition sealed in air-tight receptacles, it will keep for an unlimited period. canning fruit. canning consists in sealing in air-tight cans or jars, fruit which has been previously boiled. it is a very simple process, but requires a thorough understanding of the scientific principles involved, and careful management, to make it successful. the result of painstaking effort is so satisfactory, however, it is well worth all the trouble, and fruit canning need not be a difficult matter if attention is given to the following details:-- select self-sealing glass cans of some good variety. tin cans give more trouble filling and sealing, are liable to affect the flavor of the fruit, and unless manufactured from the best of material, to impair its wholesomeness. glass cans may be used more than once, and are thus much more economical. those with glass covers, or porcelain-lined covers, are best. test the cans to see if they are perfect, with good rubbers and covers that fit closely, by partly filling them with cold water, screwing on the tops, and placing bottom upward upon the table for some time before using. if none of the water leaks out, they may be considered in good condition. if the cans have been previously used, examine them with special care to see that both cans and covers have been carefully cleaned, then thoroughly sterilize them, and fit with new rubbers when necessary. cans and covers should be sterilized by boiling in water for half an hour, or by baking in an oven, at a temperature sufficient to scorch paper, for two hours. the cans should be placed in the water or oven when cold, and the temperature allowed to rise gradually, to avoid breaking. they should be allowed to cool gradually, for the same purpose. select only the best of fruit, such as is perfect in flavor and neither green nor over-ripe. fruit which has been shipped from a distance, and which is consequently not perfectly fresh, contains germs in active growth, and if the least bit musty, it will be almost sure to spoil, even though the greatest care may be taken in canning. poor fruit will not be improved by canning; over-ripe fruit will be insipid and mushy; and though cooking will soften hard fruit, it cannot impart to it the delicate flavors which belong to that which is in its prime. the larger varieties of fruit should not be quite soft enough for eating. choose a dry day for gathering, and put up at once, handling as little as possible. try to keep it clean enough to avoid washing. if the fruit is to be pared, use a silver knife for the purpose, as steel is apt to discolor the fruit. if the fruit is one needing to be divided or stoned, it will be less likely to become broken if divided before paring. cook the fruit slowly in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware kettle, using as little water as possible. it is better to cook only small quantities at a time in one kettle. steaming in the cans is preferable to stewing, where the fruit is at all soft. to do this, carefully fill the cans with fresh fruit, packing it quite closely, if the fruit is large, and set the cans in a boiler partly filled with cold water, with something underneath them to prevent breaking,--muffin rings, straw, or thick cloth, or anything to keep them from resting on the bottom of the boiler (a rack made by nailing together strips of lath is very convenient); screw the covers on the cans so the water cannot boil into them, but not so tightly as to prevent the escape of steam; heat the water to boiling, and steam the fruit until tender. peaches, pears, crab apples, etc., to be canned with a syrup, may be advantageously cooked by placing on a napkin dropped into the boiling syrup. fruit for canning should be so thoroughly cooked that every portion of it will have been subjected to a sufficient degree of heat to destroy all germs within the fruit, but overcooking should be avoided. the length of time required for cooking fruits for canning, varies with the kind and quality of fruit and the manner of cooking. fruit is more frequently spoiled by being cooked an insufficient length of time, than by overcooking. prolonged cooking at a boiling temperature is necessary for the destruction of certain kinds of germs capable of inducing fermentation. fifteen minutes may be considered as the shortest time for which even the most delicate fruits should be subjected to the temperature of boiling water, and thirty minutes will be required by most fruits. fruits which are not perfectly fresh, or which have been shipped some distance, should be cooked not less than thirty minutes. the boiling should be very slow, however, as hard, rapid boiling will break up the fruit, and much of its fine flavor will be lost in the steam. cooking the sugar with the fruit at the time of canning, is not to be recommended from an economical standpoint; but fruit thus prepared is more likely to keep well than when cooked without sugar; not, however, because of the preservative influence of the sugar, which is too small in amount to prevent the action of germs, as in the case of preserves, but because the addition of sugar to the water or fruit juice increases its specific gravity, and thus raises the boiling point. from experiments made, i have found that the temperature of the fruit is ordinarily raised about ° by the addition of the amount of sugar needed for sweetening sub-acid fruit. by the aid of this additional degree of heat, the germs are more certainly destroyed, and the sterilization of the fruit will be accomplished in a shorter time. another advantage gained in cooking sugar with the fruit at the time of canning, is that the fruit may be cooked for a longer time without destroying its form, as the sugar abstracts the juice of the fruit, and thus slightly hardens it and prevents its falling in pieces. the temperature to which the fruit is subjected may also be increased by the same method as that elsewhere described for sterilizing milk, the covers of the cans being screwed down tightly before they are placed in the sterilizer, or as soon as the boiling point is approached, so that the steam issues freely from the can. see page . if this method is employed, it must be remembered that the cans should not be removed from the sterilizer until after they have become cold, or nearly so, by being allowed to stand over night. use the best sugar, two tablespoonfuls to a quart of fruit is sufficient for most sub-acid fruits, as berries and peaches; plums, cherries, strawberries, and currants require from five to eight tablespoonfuls of sugar to a quart. have the sugar hot, by spreading it on tins and heating in the oven, stirring occasionally. see that; it does not scorch. add it when the fruit is boiling. pears, peaches, apples, etc., which contain a much smaller quantity of juice than do berries, may be canned in a syrup prepared by dissolving a cup of sugar in two or three cups of water. perfect fruit, properly canned, will keep without sugar, and the natural 'flavor of the fruit is more perfectly retained when the sugar is left out, adding the necessary amount when opened for use. if the fruit is to be cooked previous to being put in the cans, the cans should be heated before the introduction of the fruit, which should be put in at a boiling temperature. various methods are employed for this purpose. some wrap the can in a towel wrung out of hot water, keeping a silver spoon inside while it is being filled; others employ dry heat by keeping the cans in a moderately hot oven while the fruit is cooking. another and surer way is to fill a large dishpan nearly full of scalding (not boiling) water, then gradually introduce each can, previously baked, into the water, dip it full of water, and set it right side up in the pan. repeat the process with other cans until four or five are ready. put the covers likewise into boiling water. have in readiness for use a granite-ware funnel and dipper, also in boiling water; a cloth for wiping the outside of the cans, a silver fork or spoon, a dish for emptyings, and a broad shallow pan on one side of the range, half filled with boiling water, in which to set the cans while being filled. when everything is in readiness, the fruit properly cooked, and _at a boiling temperature,_ turn one of the cans down in the water, roll it over once or twice, empty it, and set in the shallow pan of hot water; adjust the funnel, and then place first in the can a quantity of juice, so that when the fruit is put in, no vacant places will be left for air, which is sometimes quite troublesome if this precaution is not taken; then add the fruit. if any bubbles of air chance to be left, work them out with a fork or spoon handle, which first dip in boiling water, and then quickly introduce down the sides of the jar and through the fruit in such a way that not a bubble will remain. fill the can to overflowing, remembering that any vacuum invites the air to enter; use boiling water or syrup when there is not enough juice. skim all froth from the fruit, adding more juice if necessary; wipe the juice from the top of the can, adjust the rubber, put on the top, and screw it down as quickly as possible. if the fruit is cooked in the cans, as soon as it is sufficiently heated, fill the can completely full with boiling juice, syrup, or water; run the handle of a silver spoon around the inside of the can, to make sure the juice entirely surrounds every portion of fruit, and that no spaces for air remain, put on the rubbers, wipe off all juice, and seal quickly. [illustration: canning utensils.] as the fruit cools, the cover can be tightened, and this should be promptly done again and again as the glass contracts, so that no air may be allowed to enter. if convenient to fill the cans directly from the stove, the fruit may be kept at boiling heat by placing the kettle on a lamp stove on the table, on which the other utensils are in readiness. many failures in fruit canning are due to neglect to have the fruit boiling hot when put into the cans. when the cans are filled, set them away from currents of air, and not on a very cold surface, to avoid danger of cracking. a good way is to set the cans on a wet towel, and cover with a woolen cloth as a protection from draughts. after the cans have cooled, and the tops have been screwed down tightly, place them in a cool place, bottom upward, and watch closely for a few days. if the juice begins to leak out, or any appearance of fermentation is seen, it is a sign that the work has failed, and the only thing to do is to open the can immediately, boil the fruit, and use as quickly as possible; recanning will not save it unless boiled a long time. if no signs of spoiling are observed within two or three weeks, the fruit may be safely stored away in a dark, cool place. if one has no dark storeroom, it is an advantage to wrap each can in brown paper, to keep out the light. sometimes the fruit will settle so that a little space appears at the top. if you are perfectly sure that the can is tight, do not open to refill, as you will be unable to make it quite as tight again, unless you reheat the fruit, in which case you would be liable to have the same thing occur again. air is dangerous because it is likely to contain germs, though in itself harmless. if mold is observed upon the top of a can, it should be opened, and the fruit boiled and used at once, after carefully skimming out all the moldy portions. if there is evidence of fermentation, the fruit should be thrown away, as it contains alcohol. if care be taken to provide good cans, thoroughly sterilized, and with perfectly fitting covers; to use only fruit in good condition; to have it thoroughly cooked, and at boiling temperature when put into the can; to have the cans well baked and heated, filled completely and to overflowing, and sealed at once while the fruit is still near boiling temperature, there will be little likelihood of failure. opening canned fruit.--canned fruit is best opened a short time before needed, that is may be will aërated; and if it has been canned without sugar, it should have the necessary quantity added, so that it may be well dissolved before using. fruit purchased in tin cans should be selected with the utmost care, since unscrupulous dealers sometimes use cans which render the fruit wholly--unfit for food. the following rules which we quote from a popular scientific journal should be 'carefully observed in selecting canned fruit:-- "reject every can that does not have the name of the manufacturer or firm upon it, as well as the name of the company and the town where manufactured. all 'standards' have this. when the wholesale dealer is ashamed to have his name on the goods, be shy of him. "reject every article of canned goods which does not show the line of resin around the edge of the solder of the cap, the same as is seen on the seam at the side of the can. "press up the bottom of the can; if decomposition is beginning, the tin will rattle the same as the bottom of your sewing-machine oil can does. if the goods are sound, it will be solid, and there will be no rattle to the tin. "reject every can that show any rust around the cap on the inside of the head of the can. old and battered cans should be rejected; as, if they have been used several times, the contents are liable to contain small amounts of tin or lead" _recipes._ to can strawberries.--these are generally considered more difficult to can than most other berries. use none but sound fruit, and put up the day they are picked, if possible. heat the fruit slowly to the boiling point, and cook fifteen minutes or longer, adding the sugar hot, if any be used, after the fruit is boiling. strawberries, while cooking, have a tendency to rise to the top, and unless they are kept poshed down, will not be cooked uniformly, which is doubtless one reason they sometimes fail to keep well. the froth should also be kept skimmed off. fill the cans as directed on page , taking special care to let out every air bubble, and to remove every particle of froth from the top of the can before sealing. if the berries are of good size, the may be cooked in the cans, adding a boiling syrup prepared with one cup of water and one of sugar for each quart can of fruit. if after the cans are cold, the fruit rises to the top, as it frequently does, take the cans and gently shake until the fruit is well saturated with the juice and falls by its own weight to the bottom, or low enough to be entirely covered with the liquid. to can raspberries, blackberries, and other small fruits.--select none but good, sound berries; those freshly picked are best; reject any green, over-ripe, mashed, or worm-eaten fruit. if necessary to wash the berries, do so by putting a quart at a time in a colander, and dipping the dish carefully into a pan of clean water, letting it stand for a moment. if the water is very dirty, repeat the process in a second water. drain thoroughly, and if to be cooked previous to putting in the cans, put into a porcelain kettle with a very small quantity of water, and heat slowly to boiling. if sugar is to be used, have it hot, but do not add it until the fruit is boiling; and before doing so, if there is much juice, dip out the surplus, and leave the berries with only a small quantity, as the sugar will have a tendency to draw out more juice, thus furnishing plenty for syrup. raspberries are so juicy that they need scarcely more than a pint of water to two quarts of fruit. the fruit may be steamed in the cans if preferred. when thoroughly scalded, if sugar is to be used, fill the can with a boiling syrup made by dissolving the requisite amount of sugar in water; if to be canned without sugar, fill up the can with boiling water or juice. seal the fruit according to directions previously given. to can gooseberries.--select such as are smooth and turning red, but not fully ripe; wash and remove the stems and blossom ends. for three quarts of fruit allow one quart of water. heat slowly to boiling; cook fifteen minutes, add a cupful of sugar which has been heated dry in the oven: boil two or three minutes longer, and can. to can peaches.--select fruit which is perfectly ripe and sound, but not much softened. free-stone peaches are the best. put a few at a time in a wire basket, and dip into boiling water for a moment, and then into cold water, to cool fruit sufficiently to handle with comfort. the skins may then be rubbed or peeled off easily, if done quickly, and the fruit divided into halves; or wipe with a clean cloth to remove all dirt and the wool, and with a silver knife cut in halves, remove the stone, and then pare each piece, dropping into cold water at once to prevent discoloration. peaches cut before being pared are less likely to break in pieces while removing the stones. when ready, pour a cupful of water in the bottom of the kettle, and fill with peaches, scattering sugar among the layers in the proportion of a heaping tablespoonful to a quart of fruit. heat slowly, boil fifteen minutes or longer till a silver fork can be easily passed through the pieces; can in the usual way and seal; or, fill the cans with the halved peaches, and place them in a boiler of warm water with something underneath to avoid breaking; cook until perfectly tender. have ready a boiling syrup prepared with one half cup of sugar and two cups of water, and pour into each can all that it will hold, remove air bubbles, cover and seal. a few of the pits may be cooked in the syrup, and removed before adding to the fruit, when their special flavor is desired. another method.--after paring and halving the fruit, lay a clean napkin in the bottom of a steamer; fill with fruit. steam until a fork will easily penetrate the pieces. have ready a boiling syrup prepared as directed above, put a few spoonfuls in the bottom of the hot cans, and dip each piece of fruit gently in the hot syrup; then as carefully place it in the jars. fill with the syrup, and finish in the usual way. peaches canned without sugar, retain more nearly their natural flavor. to prepare in this way, allow one half pint of water to each pound of fruit. cook slowly until tender, and can in the usual manner. when wanted for the table, open an hour before needed, and sprinkle lightly with sugar. to can pears.--the pears should be perfectly ripened, but not soft. pare with a silver knife, halve or quarter, remove the seeds and drop into a pan of cold water to prevent discoloration. prepare a syrup, allowing a cup of sugar and a quart of water to each two quarts of fruit. when the syrup boils, put the pears into it very carefully, so as not to bruise or break them, and cook until they look clear and can be easily pierced with a fork. have the cans heated, and put in first a little of the syrup, then pack in the pears very carefully; fill to overflowing with the scalding syrup, and finish as previously directed. the tougher and harder varieties of pears must be cooked till nearly tender in hot water, or steamed over a kettle of boiling water, before adding to the syrup, and may then be finished as above. if it is desirable to keep the pears whole, cook only those of a uniform size together; or if of assorted sizes, put the larger ones into the syrup a few minutes before the smaller ones. some prefer boiling the kins of the pears in the water of which the syrup is to be made, and skimming them out before putting in the sugar. this is thought to impart a finer flavor. pears which are very sweet, or nearly tasteless, may be improved by using the juice of a large lemon for each quart of syrup. pears may be cooked in the cans, if preferred. to can plums.--green gages and damsons are best for canning. wipe clean with a soft cloth. allow a half cup of water and the same of sugar to every three quarts of fruit, in preparing a syrup. pick each plum with a silver fork to prevent it from bursting, and while the syrup is heating, turn in the fruit, and boil until thoroughly done. dip carefully into hot jars, fill with syrup, and cover immediately. to can cherries.--these may be put up whole in the same way as plums, or pitted and treated as directed for berries, allowing about two quarts of water and a scant pint of sugar to five quarts of solid fruit, for the tart varieties, and not quite half as much sugar for the sweeter ones. to can mixed fruit.--there are some fruits with so little flavor that when cooked they are apt to taste insipid, and are much improved by canning with some acid or strongly flavored fruits. blackberries put up with equal quantities of blue or red plums, or in the proportion of one to three of the sour fruit, are much better than either of these fruits canned separately. black caps are much better if canned with currants, in the proportion of one part currants to four of black caps. red and black raspberries, cherries and raspberries, are also excellent combinations. quinces with apples.--pare and cut an equal quantity of firm sweet apples and quinces. first stew the quinces till they are tender in sufficient water to cover. take them out, and cook the apples in the same water. lay the apples and quinces in alternate layers in a porcelain kettle or crock. have ready a hot syrup made with one part sugar to two and a half parts water, pour over the fruit, and let it stand all night. the next day reheat to boiling, and can. quinces and sweet apples may be canned in the same way as directed below for plums and sweet apples, using equal parts of apples and quinces, and adding sugar when opened. plums with sweet apples.--prepare the plums, and stew in water enough to cover. when tender, skim out, add to the juice an equal quantity of quartered sweet apples, and stew until nearly tender. add the plumbs again, boil together for a few minutes, and can. when wanted for the table, open, sprinkle with sugar if any seems needed, let stand awhile and serve. to can grapes.--grapes have so many seeds that they do not form a very palatable sauce when canned entire. pick carefully from the stems, wash in a colander the same as directed for berries, and drain. remove the skins, dropping them into one earthen crock and the pulp into another. place both crocks in kettles of hot water over the stove, and heat slowly, stirring the pulp occasionally until the seeds will come out clean. then rub the pulp through a colander, add the skins to it, and a cupful of sugar for each quart of pulp. return to the fire, boil twenty minutes until the skins are tender, and can; or, if preferred, the whole grapes may be heated, and when well scalded so that the seeds are loosened, pressed through a colander, thus rejecting both seeds and skins, boiled, then sweetened if desired, and canned. to can crab apples.--these may be cooked whole, and canned the same way as plums. to can apples.--prepare and can the same as pears, when fresh and fine in flavor. if old and rather tasteless, the following is a good way:--several thin slices of the yellow part of the rind, four cups of sugar, and three pints of boiling water. pare and quarter the apples, or if small, only halve them, and cook gently in a broad-bottomed closely-covered saucepan, with as little water as possible, till tender, but not broken; then pour the syrup over them, heat all to boiling, and can at once. the apples may be cooked by steaming over a kettle of hot water, if preferred. care must be taken to cook those of the same degree of hardness together. the slices of lemon rind should be removed from the syrup before using. to can pineapples.--the writer has had no experience in canning this fruit, but the following method is given on good authority: pare very carefully with a silver knife, remove all the "eyes" and black specks; then cut the sections in which the "eyes" were, in solid pieces clear down to the core. by doing this all the valuable part of the fruit is saved, leaving its hard, woody center. as, however, this contains considerable juice, it should be taken in the hands and wrung as one wrings a cloth, till the juice is extracted, then thrown away. prepare a syrup with one part sugar and two parts water, using what juice has been obtained in place of so much water. let it boil up, skim clean, then add the fruit. boil just as little as possible and have the fruit tender, as pineapples loses its flavor by overcooking more readily than any other fruit. put into hot cans, and seal. fruit jellies. the excess of sugar commonly employed in preparing jellies often renders them the least wholesome of fruit preparations, and we cannot recommend our readers to spend a great amount of time in putting up a large stock of such articles. the juice of some fruits taken at the right stage of maturity may be evaporated to a jelly without sugar, but the process is a more lengthy one, and requires a much larger quantity of juice than when sugar is used. success in the preparation of fruit jellies depends chiefly upon the amount of pectose contained in the fruit. such fruits as peaches, cherries, and others containing but a small proportion of pectose, cannot be made into a firm jelly. all fruit for jelly should, if possible, be freshly picked, and before it is over-ripe, as it has then a much better flavor. the pectose, the jelly-producing element, deteriorates with age, so that jelly made from over-ripe fruit is less certain to "form." if the fruit is under-ripe, it will be too acid to give a pleasant flavor. examine carefully, as for canning, rejecting all wormy, knotty, unripe, or partially decayed fruit. if necessary to wash, drain very thoroughly. apples, quinces, and similar fruits may require to be first cooked in a small amount of water. the juice of berries, currants, and grapes, may be best extracted by putting the fruit in a granite-ware double boiler, or a covered earthen crock placed inside a kettle of boiling water, mashing as much as possible with a spoon, and steaming without the addition of water until the fruit is well scalded and broken. for straining the juice, have a funnel-shaped bag made of coarse flannel or strong, coarse linen crash. the bag will be found more handy if a small hoop of wire is sewn around the top and two tapes attached to hang it by while the hot juice is draining, or a wooden frame to support the bag may be easily constructed like the one shown on page . a dish to receive the juice should be placed underneath the bag, which should first be wrung out of hot water, and the scalded fruit, a small quantity at a time, turned in; then with two large spoons press the sides of the bag well, moving the fruit around in the bag to get out all the juice, and removing the pressed pulp and skins each time before putting in a fresh supply of the hot fruit. if a very clear jelly is desired, the juice must be allowed to drain out without pressing or squeezing. the juice of berries, grapes, and currants may be extracted without the fruit being first scalded, if preferred, by putting the fruit into an earthen or granite-ware dish, and mashing well with a wooden potato masher, then putting into a jelly bag and allowing the juice to drain off for several hours. when strained, if the jelly is to be prepared with sugar, measure the juice and pour it into a granite or porcelain fruit kettle with a very broad bottom, so that as much surface can be on the stove possible. it is better to boil the juice in quantities of not more than two or three quarts at a time, unless one has some utensil in which a larger quantity can be cooked with no greater depth of liquid than the above quantity would give in a common fruit kettle. the purpose of the boiling is to evaporate the water from the juice, and this can best be accomplished before the sugar is added. the sugar, if boiled with the juice, also darkens the jelly. the average length of time required for boiling the juice of most berries, currants, and grapes, extracted as previously directed, before adding the sugar, is twenty minutes from the time it begins to bubble all over its surface. it is well to test the jelly occasionally, however, by dropping a small quantity on a plate to cool, since the quantity of juice and the rapidity with which it is boiled, may necessitate some variation in time. in wet season, fruits of all kinds absorb more moisture and a little longer boiling may be necessary. the same is true of the juice of fruits gathered after a heavy rain. jellies prepared with sugar are generally made of equal measures of juice, measured before boiling, and sugar; but a very scant measure of sugar is sufficient, and a less amount will suffice for many fruits. white granulated sugar is best for all jellies. while the juice is heating, spread the sugar evenly on shallow tins, and heat in the oven, stirring occasionally to keep it from scorching. if portions melt, no great harm will be done, as the melted portions will form in lumps when turned into the juice, and can be removed with a spoon. when the juice has boiled twenty minutes, turn in the sugar, which should be so hot that the hand cannot be borne in it with comfort, stirring rapidly until it is all dissolved. let the syrup boil again for three or four minutes, then take immediately from the fire. heat the jelly glasses (those with glass covers are best), by rolling in hot water, and place them in a shallow pan partially filled with hot water, or stand them on a wet, folded towel while filling. if it is desired to have the jelly exceptionally clear and nice, it may be turned through a bag of cheese cloth, previously wrung out of hot water, into the jelly glasses. if the covers of the glasses are not tight fitting, a piece of firm paper should be fitted over the top before putting on the cover, to make it air tight. pint self-sealing fruit cans are excellent for storing jelly, and if it is sealed in them in the same manner as canned fruit, will keep perfectly, and obviate any supposed necessity for the use of brandied paper as a preservative measure. label each variety, and keep in some cool, dry place. if the jelly is not sufficiently firm when first made, set the glasses in the sunshine for several days, until the jelly becomes more firm. this is better than reheating and boiling again, as it destroys less of the flavor of the fruit. _recipes._ apple jelly.--cut nice tart apples in quarters, but unless wormy, do not peel or core. put into a porcelain kettle with a cup of water for each six pounds of fruit, and simmer very slowly until the apples are thoroughly cooked. turn into a jelly-bag, and drain off the juice. if very tart, allow three fourths of a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. if sub-acid, one half pound will be sufficient. put the sugar into the oven to heat. clean the kettle, and boil the juice therein twenty minutes after it begins to boil thoroughly. add the sugar, stirring until well dissolved, let it boil up once again, and remove from the fire. the juice of one lemon may be used with the apples, and a few bits of lemon rind, the yellow portion only, cooked with them to give them a flavor, if liked. one third cranberry juice makes a pleasing combination. apple jelly without sugar.--select juicy, white fleshed, sub-acid fruit, perfectly sound and mature but not mellow. the snow apple is one of the best varieties for this purpose. wash well, slice, and core without removing the skins, and cook as directed in the preceding recipe. drain off the juice, and if a very clear jelly is desired, filter it through a piece of cheese cloth previously wrung out of hot water. boil the juice,--rapidly at first, but more gently as it becomes thickened,--until of the desired consistency. the time required will vary with the quantity of juice, the shallowness of the dish in which it is boiled, and the heat employed. one hour at least, will be required for one or two quarts of juice. when the juice has become considerably evaporated, test it frequently by dipping a few drops on a plate to cool; and when it jellies sufficiently, remove at once from the fire. a much larger quantity of juice will be needed for jelly prepared in this manner than when sugar is used, about two quarts of juice being required for one half pint of jelly. such jelly, however, has a most delicious flavor, and is excellent served with grains. diluted with water, it forms a most pleasing beverage. berry and currant jellies.--express the juice according to the directions already given. for strawberries, red raspberries, and currants, allow three fourths of a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. black raspberries, if used alone, need less sugar. strawberry and black raspberry juice make better jelly if a little lemon juice is used. the juice of one lemon to each pint of fruit juice will be needed for black raspberries. two parts red or black raspberries with one part currants, make a better jelly than either alone. boil the juice of strawberries, red raspberries, and currants twenty minutes, add the sugar, and finish, as previously directed. black raspberry juice is much thicker, and requires less boiling. cherry jelly.--jelly may be prepared from cherries by using with the juice of cherries an equal amount of apple juice, which gives an additional amount of pectose to the juice and does not perceptibly change the flavor. crab apple jelly.--choose the best siberian crab apples; cut into pieces, but do not pare or remove seeds. place in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware double boiler, with a cup of water for each six pounds of fruit, and let them remain on the back of the range, with the water slowly boiling, seven or eight hours. leave in the boiler or turn into a large china bowl, and keep well covered, all night. in the morning drain off the juice and proceed as for apple jelly, using from one half to three fourths of a pound of sugar to one of juice. cranberry jelly.--scald the berries and express the juice for other jellies. measure the juice, and allow three fourths of a pound of sugar to one of juice. boil twenty minutes, add the sugar hot, and finish as directed for other jellies. grape jelly.--jelly from ripe grapes may be prepared in the same manner as that made from the juice of berries. jelly from green grapes needs one half measure more of sugar. orange jelly.--express the juice of rather tart oranges, and use with it an equal quantity of the juice of sub-acid apples, prepared in the manner directed for apple jelly. for each pint of the mixed juice, use one half pound of sugar and proceed as for other jellies. peach jelly.--stone, pare, and slice the peaches, and steam them in a double boiler. express the juice, and add for each pint of peach juice the juice of one lemon. measure the juice and sugar, using three fourths of a pound of sugar for each pint of juice, and proceed as already directed. jelly prepared from peaches will not be so firm as many fruit jellies, owing to the small amount of pectose contained in their composition. a mixture of apples and peaches, in the proportion of one third of the former to two thirds of the latter, makes a firmer jelly than peaches alone. the apples should be pared and cored, so that their flavor will not interfere with that of the peaches. quince jelly.--clean thoroughly good sound fruit, and slice thin. put into a double boiler with one cup of water for each five pounds of fruit, and cook until softened. express the juice, and proceed as with other jellies, allowing three fourths of a pound of sugar to each pint of juice. tart or sweet apples may be used with quinces, in equal proportions, and make a jelly of more pleasant flavor than quinces used alone. the seeds of quinces contain considerable gelatinous substance, and should be cooked with the quince for jelly making. plum jelly.--use damsons or green gages. stone, and make in the same way as for berry and other small fruit jellies. fruit in jelly.--prepare some apple jelly without sugar. when boiled sufficiently to form, add to it, as it begins to cool, some nice, stoned dates or seeded raisins. orange jelly may be used instead of the apple jelly, if preferred. fruit juices. as sauces for desserts and for summer beverages for sick or well, the pure juices of fruits are most wholesome and delicious. so useful are they and so little trouble to prepare, that no housewife should allow the fruit season to pass by without putting up a full stock. strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, currants, grapes, and cherries are especially desirable. in preparing them, select only the best fruit, ripe, but not over-ripe. extract the juice by mashing the fruit and slowly heating in the inner cup of a double boiler, till the fruit is well scalded; too long heating will injure its color. strain through a jelly bag and let it drain slowly for a long time, but do not squeeze, else some of the pulp will be forced through. reheat slowly to boiling and can the same as fruit. it may be put up with or without sugar. if sugar is to be used, add it hot as for jelly, after the juice is strained and reheated to boiling. for strawberries and currants, raspberries and cherries, use one cup of sugar to a quart of juice. black raspberries and grapes require less sugar, while blueberries and blackberries require none at all, or not more than a tablespoonful to the quart. a mixed juice, of one part currants and two parts red or black raspberries, has a very superior flavor. _recipes._ grape juice, or unfermented wine.--take twenty-five pounds of some well ripened very juicy variety of grapes, like the concord. pick them from the stems, wash thoroughly, and scald without the addition of water, in double boilers until the grapes burst open; cool, turn into stout jelly bags, and drain off the juice without squeezing. let the juice stand and settle; turn off the top, leaving any sediment there may be. add to the juice about four pounds of best granulated sugar, reheat to boiling, skim carefully, and can the same as fruit. keep in a cool, dark place. the wine, if to be sealed in bottles, will require a corker, and the corks should first be boiled in hot water and the bottles well sterilized. grape juice no. .--take grapes of the best quality, picked fresh from the vines. wash well after stripping from the stems, rejecting any imperfect fruit. put them in a porcelain or granite fruit kettle with one pint of water to every three quarts of grapes, heat to boiling, and cook slowly for fifteen minutes or longer, skimming as needed. turn off the juice and carefully filter it through a jelly bag, putting the seeds and skins into a separate bag to drain, as the juice from them will be less clear. heat again to boiling, add one cupful of hot sugar to each quart of juice, and seal in sterilized cans or bottles. the juice from the skins and seeds should be canned separately. another method.--wash the grapes, and express the juice without scalding the fruit. strain the juice three or four times through muslin or cheese cloth, allowing it to stand and settle for some time between each filtering. to every three pints of juice add one of water and two cupfuls of sugar. heat to boiling, and keep at that temperature for fifteen minutes, skim carefully, and bottle while at boiling heat. set away in a cool, dark place. fruit syrup.--prepare the juice expressed from strawberries, raspberries, currants, or grapes, as directed above for fruit juices. after it has come to a boil, add one pound of sugar to every quart of juice. seal in pint cans. it may be diluted with water to form a pleasing beverage, and is especially useful in flavoring puddings and sauces. currant syrup.--boil together a pint of pure currant juice and one half pound of best white sugar for ten minutes, and can or bottle while at boiling temperature. one or two spoonfuls of the syrup in a glass of water makes a most refreshing drink. two parts currants and one of red raspberries may be used in place of all currants, if preferred. orange syrup.--select ripe and thin-skinned fruit. to every pint of the juice add one pound of sugar, the juice of one lemon, and a little of the grated rind. boil for fifteen minutes, removing all scum as it rises. if the syrup is not clear, strain through a piece of cheese cloth, and reheat. can and seal while boiling hot. lemon syrup.--grate the yellow portion of the rind of six lemons, and mix with three pounds of best granulated white sugar. add one quart of water and boil until it thickens. strain, add the juice of the six lemons, carefully leaving out the pulp and seeds; boil ten minutes, and bottle. diluted with two thirds cold water, it forms a delicious and quickly prepared lemonade. lemon syrup no. .--to every pint of lemon juice add one pound of sugar; boil, skim, and seal in cans like fruit. blackberry syrup.--crush fresh, well-ripened blackberries, and add to them one fourth as much boiling water as berries; let them stand for twenty-four hours, stirring frequently. strain, add a cup of sugar to each quart of juice, boil slowly for fifteen minutes, and can. fruit ices.--express the juice from a pint of stoned red cherries, add the juice of two lemons, one cup of sugar and a quart of cold water. stir well for five minutes, an freeze in an ice cream freezer. equal parts currant and red raspberry juice may be used instead of cherry, if preferred. drying fruit. this method of preserving fruit, except in large establishments where it is dried by steam, is but little used, since canning is quicker and superior in every way. success in drying fruits is dependent upon the quickness with which, they can be dried, without subjecting them to so violent a heat as to burn them or injure their flavor. pulpy fruits, such as berries, cherries, plums, etc., should be spread on some convenient flat surface without contact with each other, and dried in the sun under glass, or in a moderate oven. they should be turned daily. they will dry more quickly if first scalded in a hot oven. cherries should be first stoned and cooked until well heated through and tender, then spread on plates, and the juice (boiled down to a syrup) poured over them. when dried, they will be moist. pack in jars. large fruit, such as apples, pears, and peaches, should be pared, divided, and the seeds or stones removed. if one has but a small quantity, the best plan is to dry by mean of artificial heat; setting it first in a hot oven until heated through, which process starts the juice and forms a film or crust over the cut surfaces, thus holding the remaining: quantity of juice inside until it becomes absorbed in the tissues. the drying process may be finished in a warming oven or some place about the range where the fruit will get only moderate heat. if a larger quantity of fruit is to be dried, after being heated in the oven, it may be placed in the hot sun out of doors, under fine wire screens, to keep off the flies; or may be suspended for the ceiling in some way, or placed upon a frame made to stand directly over the stove. as the drying proceeds, the fruit should be turned occasionally, and when dry enough, it should be thoroughly heated before it is packed away, to prevent it from getting wormy. nuts. the nuts, or shell fruits, as they are sometimes termed, form a class of food differing greatly from the succulent fruits. they are more properly seeds, containing, in general, no starch, but are rich in fat and nitrogenous elements in the form of vegetable albumen and casein. in composition, the nuts rank high in nutritive value, but owing to the oily matter which they contain, are difficult of digestion, unless reduced to a very minutely divided state before or during mastication. the fat of nuts is similar in character to cream, and needs to be reduced to the consistency of cream to be easily digested. those nuts, such as almonds, filberts, and pecans, which do not contain an excess of fat, are the most wholesome. nuts should be eaten, in moderation, at the regular mealtime, and not partaken of as a tidbit between meals. it is likewise well to eat them in connection with some hard food, to insure their thorough mastication. almonds and cream crisps thus used make a pleasing combination. most of the edible nuts have long been known and used as food. the _almond_ was highly esteemed by the ancient nations of the east, its native habitat, and is frequently referred to in sacred history. it is grown extensively in the warm, temperate regions of the old world. there are two varieties, known as the bitter and the sweet almond. the kernel of the almond yields a fixed oil; that produced from the bitter almond is much esteemed for flavoring purposes, but it is by no means a safe article to use, at it possesses marked poisonous qualities. fresh, sweet almonds are a nutritive, and, when properly eaten, wholesome food. the outer brown skin of the kernel is somewhat bitter, rough, and irritating to the stomach but it can be easily removed by blanching. blanched almonds, if baked for a short time, become quite brittle, and may be easily pulverized, and are then more easily digested. bread made from almonds thus baked and pulverized, is considered an excellent food for persons suffering with diabetes. _brazil nuts_ are the seeds of a gigantic tree which grows wild in the valleys of the amazon, and throughout tropical america. the case containing these seeds is a hard, woody shell, globular in form, and about the size of a man's head. it is divided into four cells, in each of which are closely packed the seeds which constitute the so-called nuts, of commerce. these seeds are exceedingly rich in oil, one pound of them producing about nine ounces of oil. the _cocoanut_ is perhaps the most important of all the shell fruits, if we may judge by the variety of uses to which the nut and the tree which bears it can be put. it has been said that nature seldom produces a tree so variously useful to man as the cocoanut palm. in tropical countries, where it grows abundantly, its leaves are employed for thatching, its fibers for manufacturing many useful articles, while its ashes produce potash in abundance. the fruit is eaten raw, and in many ways is prepared for food; it also yields an oil which forms an important article of commerce. the milk of the fruit is a cooling beverage, and the woody shell of the nut answers very well for a cup from which to drink it. the saccharine juice of the tree also affords an excellent drink; and from the fresh young stems is prepared a farinaceous substance similar to sago. the cocoanuts grow in clusters drooping from the tuft of long, fringed leaves which crown the branchless trunk of the stately palm. the cocoanut as found in commerce is the nut divested of its outer sheath, and is much smaller in size than when seen upon the tree. picked fresh from the tree, the cocoanut consists first of a green outer covering; next of a fibrous coat, which, if the nut is mature, is hairy-like in appearance; and then of the woody shell, inside of which is the meat and milk. for household purposes the nuts are gathered while green, and before the inner shell has become solidified; the flesh is then soft like custard, and can be easily eaten with a teaspoon, while a large quantity of delicious, milk-like fluid is obtainable from each nut. as found in our northern markets, the cocoanut is difficult of digestion, as is likewise the prepared or desiccated cocoanut. the cocoanut contains about seventy per cent of oil. the _chestnut_ is an exception to most nuts in its composition. it contains starch, and about fifteen per cent of sugar. no oil can be extracted from the chestnut. in italy, and other parts of southern europe, the chestnut forms an important article of food. it is sometimes dried and ground into flour, from which bread is prepared. the chestnut is a nutritious food, but owing to the starch it contains, is more digestible when cooked. the same is true of the _acorn_, which is similar in character to the chestnut. in the early ages, acorns were largely used for food, and are still used as a substitute for bread in some countries. the _hazelnut_, with the _filbert_ and _cobnut_, varieties of the same nut obtained by cultivation, are among the most desirable nuts for general consumption. the _walnut_, probably a native of persia, where in ancient times it was so highly valued as to be considered suited only for the table of the king, is now found very commonly with other species of the same family, the _butternut_ and _hickory nut_, in most temperate climates. the _pecan_, a nut allied to the hickory nut, and grown extensively in the mississippi valley and texas, is one of the most easily digested nuts. the _peanut_ or _groundnut_ is the seed of an annual, cultivated extensively in most tropical and sub-tropical countries. after the plant has blossomed, the stalk which produced the flower has the peculiarity of bending down and forcing itself under ground so that the seeds mature some depth beneath the surface. when ripened, the pods containing the seeds are dug up and dried. in tropical countries the fresh nuts are largely consumed, and are thought greatly to resemble almonds in flavor. in this country they are more commonly roasted. they are less easily digested than many other nuts because of the large amount of oily matter which they contain. _recipes._ to blanch almonds.--shell fresh, sweet almonds, and pour boiling water over them; let them stand for two or three minutes, skim out, and drop into cold water. press between the thumb and finger, and the kernels will readily slip out of the brown covering. dry between clean towels. blanched almonds served with raisins make an excellent dessert. boiled chestnuts.--the large variety, knows as the italian chestnut, is best for this purpose. remove the shells, drop into boiling water, and boil for ten minutes, take out, drop into cold water, and rub off the brown skin. have some clean water boiling, turn the blanched nuts into it, and cook until they can be pierced with a fork. drain thoroughly, put into a hot dish, dry in the oven for a few minutes, and serve. a cream sauce or tomato sauce may be served with them if liked. mashed chestnuts.--prepare and boil the chestnuts as in the preceding recipe. when tender, mash through a colander with a potato masher. season with cream and salt if desired. serve hot. to keep nuts fresh.--chestnuts and other thin-shelled nuts may be kept from becoming too dry by mixing with an equal bulk of dry sand and storing in a box or barrel in some cool place. table topics. who lives to eat, will die by eating.--_sel._ fruit bears the closest relation to light. the sun pours a continuous flood of light into the fruits, and they furnish the best portion of food a human being requires for the sustenance of mind and body.--_alcott._ the famous dr. john hunter, one of the most eminent physicians of his time, and himself a sufferer from gout, found in apples a remedy for this very obstinate and distressing malady. he insisted that all of his patients should discard wine and roast beef, and make a free use of apples. do not too much for your stomach, or it will abandon you.--_sel._ the purest food is fruit, next the cereals, then the vegetables. all pure poets have abstained almost entirely from animal food. especially should a minister take less meat when he has to write a sermon. the less meat the better sermon.--_a. bronson alcott._ there is much false economy: those who are too poor to have seasonable fruits and vegetables, will yet have pie and pickles all the year. they cannot afford oranges, yet can afford tea and coffee daily.--_health calendar._ what plant we in the apple tree? fruits that shall dwell in sunny june, and redden in the august moon, and drop, when gentle airs come by, that fan the blue september sky, while children come, with cries of glee, and seek there when the fragrant grass betrays their bed to those who pass at the foot of the apple tree. --_bryant._ legumes the legumes, to which belong peas, beans, and lentils, are usually classed among vegetables; but in composition they differ greatly from all other vegetable foods, being characterized by a very large percentage of the nitrogenous elements, by virtue of which they possess the highest nutritive value. indeed, when mature, they contain a larger proportion of nitrogenous matter than any other food, either animal or vegetable. in their immature state, they more nearly resemble the vegetables. on account of the excess of nitrogenous elements in their composition, the mature legumes are well adapted to serve as a substitute for animal foods, and for use in association with articles in which starch or other non-nitrogenous elements are predominant; as, for example, beans or lentils with rice, which combinations constitute the staple food of large populations in india. the nitrogenous matter of legumes is termed _legumin_, or vegetable casein, and its resemblance to the animal casein of milk is very marked. the chinese make use of this fact, and manufacture cheese from peas and beans. the legumes were largely used as food by the ancient nations of the east. they were the "pulse" upon which the hebrew children grew so fair and strong. according to josephus, legumes also formed the chief diet of the builders of the pyramids. they are particularly valuable as strength producers, and frequently form a considerable portion of the diet of persons in training as athletes, at the present day. being foods possessed of such high nutritive value, the legumes are deserving of a more extended use than is generally accorded them in this country. in their mature state they are, with the exception of beans, seldom found upon the ordinary bill of fare, and beans are too generally served in a form quite difficult of digestion, being combined with large quantities of fat, or otherwise improperly prepared. peas and lentils are in some respects superior to beans, being less liable to disagree with persons of weak digestion, and for this reason better suited to form a staple article of diet. all the legumes are covered with a tough skin, which is in itself indigestible, and which if not broken by the cooking process or by thorough mastication afterward, renders the entire seed liable to pass through the digestive tract undigested, since the digestive fluids cannot act upon the hard skin. even when the skins are broken, if served with the pulp, much of the nutritive material of the legume is wasted, because it is impossible for the digestive processes to free it from the cellulose material of which the skins are composed. if, then, it be desirable to obtain from the legumes the largest amount of nutriment and in the most digestible form, they must be prepared in some manner so as to reject the skins. persons unable to use the legumes when cooked in the ordinary way, usually experience no difficulty whatever in digesting them when divested of their skins. the hindrance which even the partially broken skins are to the complete digestion of the legume, is well illustrated by the personal experiments of prof. strümpell, a german scientist, who found that of beans boiled with the skins on he was able to digest only per cent of the nitrogenous material they contained. when, however, he reduced the same quantity of beans to a fine powder previous to cooking, he was enabled to digest . per cent of it. the fact that the mature legumes are more digestible when prepared in some manner in which the skins are rejected, was doubtless understood in early times, for we find in a recipe of the fourteenth century, directions given "to dry legumes in an oven and remove the skins away before using them." the green legumes which are more like a succulent vegetable are easily digested with the skins on, if the hulls are broken before being swallowed. there are also some kinds of beans which, in their mature state, from having thinner skins, are more readily digested, as the haricot variety. suggestions for cooking.--the legumes are best cooked by stewing or boiling, and when mature, require prolonged cooking to render them tender and digestible. slow cooking, when practicable, is preferable. dry beans and peas are more readily softened by cooking if first soaked for a time in cold water. the soaking also has a tendency to loosen the skins, so that when boiled or stewed, a considerable portion of them slip off whole, and being lighter, rise to the top during the cooking, and can be removed with a spoon; it likewise aids in removing the strong flavor characteristic of these foods, which is considered objectionable by some persons. the length of time required for soaking will depend upon the age of the seed, those from the last harvest needing only a few hours, while such as have been kept for two or more years require to be soaked twelve or twenty-four hours. for cooking, soft water is best. the mineral elements in hard water have a tendency to harden the casein, of which the legumes a largely composed, thus rendering it often very difficult to soften them. the dry, unsoaked legumes are generally best put to cook in cold water, and after the boiling point is reached, allowed to simmer gently until done. boiling water may be used for legumes which have been previously soaked. the amount of water required will vary somewhat with the heat employed and the age and condition of the legume, as will also the time required for cooking, but as a general rule two quarts of soft water for one pint of seeds will be quite sufficient. salt should not be added until the seeds are nearly done, as it hinders the cooking process. peas. description.--the common garden pea is probably a native of countries bordering on the black sea. a variety known as the gray pea (_pois chiche_) has been used since a very remote period. the common people of greece and rome, in ancient times made it an ordinary article of diet. it is said that peas were considered such a delicacy by the romans that those who coveted public favor distributed them gratuitously to the people in order to buy votes. peas were introduced into england from holland in the time of elizabeth, and were then considered a great delicacy. history tells us that when the queen was released from her confinement in the tower, may , , she went to staining to perform her devotions in the church of allhallows, after which she dined at a neighboring inn upon a meal of which the principal dish was boiled peas. a dinner of the same kind, commemorative of the event, was for a long time given annually at the same tavern. peas, when young, are tender and sweet, containing a considerable quantity of sugar. the nitrogenous matter entering into their composition, although less in quantity when unripe, is much more easily digested than when the seeds are mature. when quite ripe, like other leguminous seeds, they require long cooking. when very old, no amount of boiling will soften them. when green, peas are usually cooked and served as a vegetable; in their dried state, they are put to almost every variety of use in the different countries where they are cultivated. in the southeast of scotland, a favorite food is made of ground peas prepared in thick cakes and called peas-bainocks. in india and southern europe, a variety of the pea is eaten parched or lightly roasted, or made into cakes, puddings, and sweetmeats. in germany, in combination with other ingredients, peas are compounded into sausages, which, during the franco-prussian war, served as rations for the soldiers. dried peas for culinary use are obtainable in two forms; the split peas, which have had the tough envelope of the seed removed, and the green or scotch peas. the time required for cooking will vary from five to eight hours, depending upon the age of the seed and the length of time it has been soaked previous to cooking. _recipes._ stewed split peas.--carefully examine and wash the peas, rejecting any imperfect or worm-eaten ones. put into cold water and let them come to a boil; then place the stewpan back on the range and simmer gently until tender, but not mushy. season with salt and a little cream if desired. peas puree.--soak a quart of scotch peas in cold water over night. in the morning, drain and put them to cook in boiling water. cook slowly until perfectly tender, allowing them to simmer very gently toward the last until they become as dry as possible. put through a colander to render them homogeneous and remove the skins. many of the skins will be loosened and rise to the top during the cooking, and it is well to remove these with a spoon so as to make the process of rubbing through the colander less laborious. season with salt if desired, and a cup of thin cream. serve hot. mashed peas.--soak and cook a quart of peas as for peas _puree_ when well done, if the scotch peas, rub through a colander to remove the skins. if the split peas are used, mash perfectly smooth with a potato masher. season with a teaspoonful of salt and a half cup of sweet cream, if desired. beat well together, turn into an earthen or granite-ware pudding dish, smooth the top, and bake in a moderate oven until dry and mealy throughout, and nicely browned on top. serve hot like mashed potato, or with a tomato sauce prepared as follows: heat a pint of strained, stewed tomato, season lightly with salt, and when boiling, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. peas cakes.--cut cold mashed peas in slices half an inch in thickness, brush lightly with cream, place on perforated tins, and brown in the oven. if the peas crumble too much to slice, form them into small cakes with a spoon or knife, and brown as directed. serve hot with or without a tomato sauce. a celery sauce prepared as directed in the chapter on sauces, is also excellent. dried green peas.--gather peas while young and tender and carefully dry them. when needed for use, rinse well, and put to cook in cold water. let them simmer until tender. season with cream the same as fresh green peas. beans. description.--some variety of the bean family has been cultivated and used for culinary purposes from time immemorial. it is frequently mentioned in scripture; king david considered it worthy of a place in his dietary, and the prophet ezekiel was instructed to mix it with the various grains and seeds of which he made his bread. among some ancient nations the bean was regarded as a type of death, and the priests of jupiter were forbidden to eat it, touch it, or even pronounce its name. the believer in the doctrine of transmigration of souls carefully avoided this article of food, in the fear of submitting beloved friends to the ordeal of mastication. at the present day there is scarcely a country in hot or temperate climates where the bean is not cultivated and universally appreciated, both as a green vegetable and when mature and dried. the time required to digest boiled beans is two and one half hours, and upwards. in their immature state, beans are prepared and cooked like other green vegetables. dry beans may be either boiled, stewed, or baked, but whatever the method employed, it must be very slow and prolonged. beans to be baked should first be parboiled until tender. we mention this as a precautionary measure lest some amateur cook, misled by the term "bake," should repeat the experiment of the little english maid whom we employed as cook while living in london, a few years ago. in ordering our dinner, we had quite overlooked the fact that baked beans are almost wholly an american dish, and failed to give any suggestions as to the best manner of preparing it. left to her own resources, the poor girl did the best she knew how, but her face was full of perplexity as she placed the beans upon the table at dinner, with, "well, ma'am, here are the beans, but i don't see how you are going to eat them." nor did we, for she had actually baked the dry beans, and they lay there in the dish, as brown as roasted coffee berries, and as hard as bullets. beans to be boiled or stewed do not need parboiling, although many cooks prefer to parboil them, to lessen the strong flavor which to some persons is quite objectionable. from one to eight hours are required to cook beans, varying with the age and variety of the seed, whether it has been soaked, and the rapidity of the cooking process. _recipes._ baked beans.--pick over a quart of best white beans and soak in cold water over night. put them to cook in fresh water, and simmer gently till they are tender, but not broken. let them be quite juicy when taken from the kettle. season with salt and a teaspoonful of molasses. put them in a deep crock in a slow oven. let them bake two or three hours, or until they assume a reddish brown tinge, adding boiling water occasionally to prevent their becoming dry. turn, into a shallow dish, and brown nicely before sending to the table. boiled beans.--pick over some fresh, dry beans carefully, and wash thoroughly. put into boiling water and cook gently and slowly until tender, but not broken. they should be moderately juicy when done. serve with lemon juice, or season with salt and a little cream as preferred. the colored varieties, which are usually quite strong in flavor, are made less so by parboiling for fifteen or twenty minutes and then pouring the water off, adding more of boiling temperature, and cooking slowly until tender. beans boiled in a bag.--soak a pint of white beans over night. when ready to cook, put them into a clean bag, tie up tightly, as the beans have already swelled, and if given space to move about with the boiling of the water will become broken and mushy. boil three or four hours. serve hot. scalloped beans.--soak a pint of white beans over night in cold water. when ready to cook, put into an earthen baking dish, cover well with new milk, and bake in a slow oven for eight or nine hours; refilling the dish with milk as it boils away, and taking care that the beans do not at any time get dry enough to brown over the top till they are tender. when nearly done, add salt to taste, and a half cup of cream. they may be allowed to bake till the milk is quite absorbed, and the beans dry, or may be served when rich with juice, according to taste. the beans may be parboiled in water for a half hour before beginning to bake, and the length of time thereby lessened. they should be well drained before adding the milk, however. stewed beans.--soak a quart of white beans in water over night. in the morning drain, turn hot water over them an inch deep or more, cover, and place on the range where they will only just simmer, adding boiling water if needed. when nearly tender, add salt to taste, a tablespoonful of sugar if desired, and half a cup of good sweet cream. cook slowly an hour or more longer, but let them be full of juice when taken up, never cooked down dry and mealy. mashed beans.--soak over night in cold water, a quart of nice white beans. when ready to cook, drain, put into boiling water, and boil till perfectly tender, and the water nearly evaporated. take up, rub through a colander to remove the skins, season with salt and a half cup of cream, put in a shallow pudding dish, smooth the top with a spoon, and brown in the oven. stewed lima beans.--put the beans into boiling water, and cook till tender, but not till they fall to pieces. fresh beans should cook an hour or more, and dry ones require from two to three hours unless previously soaked. they are much better to simmer slowly than to boil hard. they should be cooked nearly dry. season with salt, and a cup of thin cream, to each pint of beans. simmer for a few minutes after the cream is turned in. should it happen that the beans become tender before the water is sufficiently evaporated, do not drain off the water, but add a little thicker cream, and thicken the whole with a little flour. a little flour stirred in with the cream, even when the water is nearly evaporated may be preferred by some. succotash.--boil one part lima beans and two parts sweet corn separately until both are nearly tender. put them together, and simmer gently till done. season with salt and sweet cream. fresh corn and beans may be combined in the same proportions, but as the beans will be likely to require the most time for cooking, they should be put to boil first, and the corn added when the beans are about half done, unless it is exceptionally hard, in which case it must be added sooner. pulp succotash.--score the kernels of some fresh green corn with a sharp knife blade, then with the back of a knife scrape out all the pulp, leaving the hulls on the cob. boil the pulp in milk ten or fifteen minutes, or until well done. cook some fresh shelled beans until tender, and rub them through a colander. put together an equal quantity of the beans thus prepared and the cooked corn pulp, season with salt and sweet cream, boil together for a few minutes, and serve. kornlet and dried lima beans may be made into succotash in a similar manner. _lentils._ description.--several varieties of the lentil are cultivated for food, but all are nearly alike in composition and nutritive value. they have long been esteemed as an article of diet. that they were in ordinary use among the hebrews is shown by the frequent mention of them in scripture. it is thought that the red pottage of esau was made from the red variety of this legume. the ancient egyptians believed that a diet of lentils would tend to make their children good tempered, cheerful, and wise, and for this reason constituted it their principal food. a gravy made of lentils is largely used with their rice by the natives of india, at the present day. the meal which lentils yield is of great richness, and generally contains more casein than either beans or peas. the skin, however, is tough and indigestible, and being much smaller than peas, when served without rejecting the skins, they appear to be almost wholly of tough, fibrous material; hence they are of little value except for soups, _purees_, toasts, and other such dishes as require the rejection of the skin. lentils have a stronger flavor than any of the other legumes, and their taste is not so generally liked until one has become accustomed to it. lentils are prepared and cooked in the same manner as dried peas, though they require somewhat less time for cooking. the large dark variety is better soaked for a time previous to cooking, or parboiled for a half hour and then put into new water, to make them less strong in flavor and less dark in color. _recipes._ lentil puree.--cook the lentils and rub through a colander as for peas _puree_. season, and serve in the same manner. lentils mashed with beans.--lentils may be cooked and prepared in the same manner as directed for mashed peas, but they are less strong in flavor if about one third to one half cooked white beans are used with them. lentil gravy with rice.--rub a cupful of cooked lentils through a colander to remove the skins, add one cup of rich milk, part cream if it can be afforded, and salt if desired. heat to boiling, and thicken with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. serve hot on nicely steamed or boiled rice, or with well cooked macaroni. table topics. the men who kept alive the flame of learning and piety in the middle ages were mainly vegetarians.--_sir william axon._ according to xenophon, cyrus, king of persia, was brought up on a diet of water, bread, and cresses, till his fifteenth year, when honey and raisins were added; and the family names of fabii and lentuli were derived from their customary diet. thomson, in his poem, "the seasons," written one hundred and sixty years ago, pays the following tribute to a diet composed of seeds and vegetable products:--#/ "with such a liberal hand has nature flung these seeds abroad, blown them about in winds-- ... but who their virtues can declare? who pierce, with vision pure, into those secret stores of health and life and joy--the food of man, while yet he lived in innocence and told a length of golden years, unfleshed in blood? a stranger to the savage arts of life-- death, rapine, carnage, surfeit, and disease-- the _lord_, and not the _tyrant_ of the world." most assuredly i do believe that body and mind are much influenced by the kind of food habitually depended upon. i can never stray among the village people of our windy capes without now and then coming upon a human being who looks as if he had been split, salted, and dried, like the salt fish which has built up his arid organism. if the body is modified by the food which nourishes it, the mind and character very certainly will be modified by it also. we know enough of their close connection with each other to be sure of what without any statistical observation to prove it.--_oliver wendell holmes._ the thoughts and feelings which the food we partake of provokes, are not remarked in common life, but they, nevertheless, have their significance. a man who daily sees cows and calves slaughtered, or who kills them himself, hogs "stuck," hens "plucked," etc., cannot possibly retain any true feeling for the sufferings of his own species....doubtless, the majority of flesh-eaters do not reflect upon the manner in which this food comes to them, but this thoughtlessness, far from being a virtue, is the parent of many vices....how very different are the thoughts and sentiments produced by the non-flesh diet!--_gustav von struve._ that the popular idea that beef is necessary for strength is not a correct one, is well illustrated by xenophon's description of the outfit of a spartan soldier, whose dietary consisted of the very plainest and simplest vegetable fare. the complete accoutrements of the spartan soldier, in what we would call heavy marching order, weighed seventy-five pounds, exclusive of the camp, mining, and bridge-building tools and the rations of bread and dried fruit which were issued in weekly installments, and increased the burden of the infantry soldier to ninety, ninety-five, or even to a full hundred pounds. this load was often carried at the rate of four miles an hour for twelve hours _per diem_, day after day, and only when in the burning deserts of southern syria did the commander of the grecian auxiliaries think prudent to shorten the usual length of the day's march. diet of trainers.--the following are a few of the restrictions and rules laid down by experienced trainers:-- little salt. no course vegetables. no pork or veal. two meals a day; breakfast at eight and dinner at two. no fat meat is allowed, no butter or cheese, pies or pastry. vegetables vegetables used for culinary purposes comprise roots and tubers, as potatoes, turnips, etc.; shoots and stems, as asparagus and sea-kale; leaves and inflorescence, as spinach and cabbage; immature seeds, grains, and seed receptacles, as green peas, corn, and string-beans; and a few of the fruity products, as the tomato and the squash. of these the tubers rank the highest in nutritive value. vegetables are by no means the most nutritious diet, as water enters largely into their composition; but food to supply perfectly the needs of the vital economy, must contain water and indigestible as well as nutritive elements. thus they are dietetically of great value, since they furnish a large quantity of organic fluids. vegetables are rich in mineral elements, and are also of service in giving bulk to food. an exclusive diet of vegetables, however, would give too great bulk, and at the same time fail to supply the proper amount of food elements. to furnish the requisite amount of nitrogenous material for one day, if potatoes alone were depended upon as food, a person would need to consume about nine pounds; of turnips, sixteen pounds; of parsnips, eighteen pounds; of cabbage, twenty-two pounds. hence it is wise to use them in combination with other articles of diet--grains, whole-wheat bread, etc.--that supplement the qualities lacking in the vegetables. to select vegetables.--all roots and tubers should be plump, free from decay, bruises, and disease, and with fresh, unshriveled skins. they are good from the time of maturing until they begin to germinate. sprouted vegetables are unfit for food. potato sprouts contain a poison allied to belladonna. all vegetables beginning to decay are unfit for food. green vegetables to be wholesome should be freshly gathered, crisp, and juicy; those which have lain long in the market are very questionable food. in paris, a law forbids a market-man to offer for sale any green vegetable kept more than one day. the use of stale vegetables is known to have been the cause of serious illness. keeping vegetables.--if necessary to keep green vegetables for any length of time, do not put them in water, as that will dissolve and destroy some of their juices; but lay them in a cool, dark place,--on a stone floor is best,--and do not remove their outer leaves until needed. they should be cooked the day they are gathered, if possible. the best way to freshen those with the stems when withered is to cut off a bit of the stem or stem-end, and set only the cut part in water. the vegetables will then absorb enough water to replace what has been lost by evaporation. peas and beans should not be shelled until wanted. if, however, they are not used as soon as shelled, cover them with pods and put in a cool place. winter vegetables can be best kept wholesome by storing in a cool, dry place of even temperature, and where neither warmth, moisture, nor light is present to induce decay or germination. they should be well sorted, the bruised or decayed, rejected, and the rest put into clean bins or boxes; and should be dry and clean when stored. vegetables soon absorb bad flavors if left near anything odorous or decomposing, and are thus rendered unwholesome. they should be looked over often, and decayed ones removed. vegetables, to be kept fit for food, should on no account be stored in a cellar with barrels of fermenting pickle brine, soft soap, heaps of decomposing rubbish, and other similar things frequently found in the dark, damp vegetable cellars of modern houses. preparation and cooking.--most vegetables need thorough washing before cooking. roots and tubers should be well cleaned before paring. a vegetable brush or a small whisk broom is especially serviceable for this purpose. if necessary to wash shelled beans and peas, it can best be accomplished by putting them in a colander and dipping in and out of large pans of water until clean. spinach, lettuce, and other leaves may be cleaned the same way. vegetables admit of much variety in preparation for the table, and are commonly held to require the least culinary skill of any article of diet. this is a mistake. though the usual processes employed to make vegetables palatable are simple, yet many cooks, from carelessness or lack of knowledge of their nature and composition, convert some of the most nutritious vegetables into dishes almost worthless as food or almost impossible of digestion. it requires no little care and skill to cook vegetables so that they will neither be underdone nor overdone, and so that they will retain their natural flavors. a general rule, applicable to all vegetables to be boiled or stewed, is to cook them in as little water as may be without burning. the salts and nutrient juices are largely lost in the water; and if this needs to be drained off, much of the nutriment is apt to be wasted. many cooks throw away the true richness, while they serve the "husks" only. condiments and seasonings may cover insipid taste, but they cannot restore lost elements. vegetables contain so much water in their composition that it is not necessary to add large quantities for cooking, as in the case of the grains and legumes, which have lost nearly all their moisture in the ripening process. some vegetables are much better cooked without the addition of water. vegetables to be cooked by boiling should be put into boiling water; and since water loses its goodness by boiling, vegetables should be put in as soon as the boiling begins. the process of cooking should be continuous, and in general gentle heat is best. remember that when water is boiling, the temperature is not increased by violent bubbling. keep the cooking utensil closely covered. if water is added, let it also be boiling hot. vegetables not of uniform size should be so assorted that those of the same size may be cooked together, or large ones may be divided. green vegetables retain their color best if cook rapidly. soda is sometimes added to the water in which the vegetables are cooked, for the purpose of preserving their colors, but this practice is very harmful. vegetables should be cooked until they are perfectly tender but not overdone. many cooks spoil their vegetables by cooking them too long, while quite as many more serve them in an underdone state to preserve their form. either plan makes them less palatable, and likely to be indigestible. steaming or baking is preferable for most vegetables, because their finer flavors are more easily retained, and their food value suffers less diminution. particularly is this true of tubers. the time required for cooking depends much upon the age and freshness of the vegetables, as well as the method of cooking employed. wilted vegetables require a longer time for cooking than fresh ones. time required for cooking.--the following is the approximate length of time required for cooking some of the more commonly used vegetables:-- potatoes, baked, to minutes. potatoes, steamed, to minutes. potatoes, boiled (in jackets), to minutes after the water is fairly boiling. potatoes, pared, about minutes if of medium size; if very large, they will require from to minutes. green corn, young, from to minutes. peas, to minutes. asparagus, to minutes, young; to if old. tomatoes, to hours. string beans and shelled beans, to minutes or longer. beets, boiled, hour if young; old, to hours. beets, baked, to hours. carrots, to hours. parsnips, minutes, young; old, to hours. turnips, young, minutes; old, - / to hours. winter squash, hour. cabbage, young, hour; old, to hours. vegetable oysters, to hours. celery, to minutes. spinach, to minutes or more. cauliflower, to minutes. summer squash, to minutes. if vegetables after being cooked cannot be served at once, dish them up as soon as done, and place the dishes in a _bain marie_ or in pans of hot water, where they will keep of even temperature, but not boil. vegetables are never so good after standing, but they spoil less kept in this way than any other. the water in the pans should be of equal depth with the food in the dishes. stewed vegetables and others prepared with a sauce, may, when cold, be reheated in a similar manner. [illustration: bain marie.] if salt is to be used to season, one third of a teaspoonful for each pint of cooked vegetables is an ample quantity. the irish potato. description.--the potato, a plant of the order _solanaceae_, is supposed to be indigenous to south america. probably it was introduced into europe by the spaniards early in the sixteenth century, but cultivated only as a curiosity. to sir walter raleigh, however, is usually given the credit of its introduction as a food, he having imported it from virginia to ireland in , where its valuable nutritive qualities were first appreciated. the potato has so long constituted the staple article of diet in ireland, that it has come to be commonly, though incorrectly, known as the irish potato. the edible portion of the plant is the tuber, a thick, fleshy mass or enlarged portion of an underground stem, having upon its surface a number of little buds, or "eyes," each capable of independent growth. the tuber is made up of little cells filled with starch granules, surrounded and permeated with a watery fluid containing a small percentage of the albuminous or nitrogenous elements. in cooking, heat coagulates the albumen within and between the cells, while the starch granules absorb the watery portion, swell, and distend the cells. the cohesion between these is also destroyed, and they easily separate. when these changes are complete, the potato becomes a loose, farinaceous mass, or "mealy." when, however, the liquid portion is not wholly absorbed, and the cells are but imperfectly separated, the potato appears waxen, watery, or soggy. in a mealy state the potato is easily digested; but when waxy or water-soaked, it is exceedingly trying to the digestive powers. it is obvious, then, that the great _desideratum_ in cooking the potato, is to promote the expansion and separation of its cells; in other words, to render it mealy. young potatoes are always waxy, and consequently less wholesome than ripe ones. potatoes which have been frozen and allowed to thaw quickly are much sweeter and more watery, because in thawing the starch changes into sugar. frozen potatoes should be thawed in cold water and cooked at once, or kept frozen until ready for use. preparation and cooking.--always pare potatoes very thin. much of the most nutritious part of the tuber lies next its outer covering; so care should be taken to waste as little as possible. potatoes cooked with the skins on are undoubtedly better than those pared. the chief mineral element contained in the potato is potash, an important constituent of the blood. potash salts are freely soluble in water, and when the skin is removed, there is nothing to prevent these salts from escaping into the water in which the potato is boiled. if the potato is cooked in its "jacket," the skin, which does not in general burst open until the potato is nearly done, serves to keep this valuable element largely inside the potato while cooking. for the same reason it is better not to pare potatoes and put them in water to soak over night, as many cooks are in the habit of doing, to have them in readiness for cooking for breakfast. potatoes to be pared should be first washed and dried. it is a good plan to wash quite a quantity at one time, to be used as needed. after paring, drop at once into cold water and rinse them thoroughly. it is a careless habit to allow pared potatoes to fall among the skins, as in this way they become stained, and appear black and discolored after cooking. scrubbing with a vegetable brush is by far the best means for cleaning potatoes to be cooked with the skins on. when boiled in their skins, the waste, according to letheby, is about three per cent, while without them it is not less than fourteen per cent, or more than two ounces in every pound. potatoes boiled without skins should be cooked very gently. steaming, roasting, and baking are much better methods for cooking potatoes than boiling, for reasons already given. very old potatoes are best stewed or mashed. when withered or wilted, they are freshened by standing in cold water for an hour or so before cooking. if diseased or badly sprouted, potatoes are wholly unfit for food. _recipes._ boiled potatoes (in jackets).--choose potatoes of uniform size, free from specks. wash and scrub them well with a coarse cloth or brush; dig out all eyes and rinse in cold water; cook in just enough water to prevent burning, till easily pierced with a fork, not till they have burst the skin and fallen in pieces. drain thoroughly, take out the potatoes, and place them in the oven for five minutes, or place the kettle back on the range; remove the skins, and cover with a cloth to absorb all moisture, and let them steam three or four minutes. by either method they will be dry and mealy. in removing the skins, draw them off without cutting the potatoes. boiled potatoes (without skins).--pare very thin, and wash clean. if not of an equal size, cut the larger potatoes in two. cook in only sufficient water to prevent burning until a fork will easily pierce their center; drain thoroughly, place the kettle back on the range, cover with a cloth to absorb the moisture, and let them dry four or five minutes. shake the kettle several times while they are drying, to make them floury. steamed potatoes.--potatoes may be steamed either with or without the skin. only mature potatoes can be steamed. prepare as for boiling; place in a steamer, over boiling water, and steam until tender. if water is needed to replenish, let it always be boiling hot, and not allow the potatoes to stop steaming, or they will be watery. when done, uncover, remove the potatoes to the oven, and let them dry a few minutes. if peeled before steaming, shake the steamer occasionally, to make them floury. roasted potatoes.--potatoes are much more rich and mealy roasted than cooked in any other way. wash them very carefully, dry with a cloth, and wrap in tissue paper; bury in ashes not too hot, then cover with coals and roast until tender. the coals will need renewing occasionally, unless the roasting is done very close to the main fire. baked potatoes.--choose large, smooth potatoes as near the same size as possible; wash and scrub with a brush until perfectly clean; dry with a cloth, and bake in a moderately hot oven until a fork will easily pierce them, or until they yield to pressure between the fingers. they are better turned about occasionally. in a slow oven the skins become hardened and thickened, and much of the most nutritious portion is wasted. when done, press each one till it bursts slightly, as that will allow the steam to escape, and prevent the potatoes from becoming soggy. they should be served at once, in a folded napkin placed in a hot dish. cold baked potatoes may be warmed over by rebaking, if of good quality and not overdone the first time. stuffed potato.--prepare and bake large potatoes of equal size, as directed in the preceding recipe. when done, cut them evenly three fourths of an inch from the end, and scrape out the inside, taking care not to break the skins. season the potato with salt and a little thick sweet cream, being careful not to have it too moist, and beat thoroughly with a fork until light; refill the skins with the seasoned potato, fit the broken portions together, and reheat in the oven. when hot throughout, wrap the potatoes in squares of white tissue paper fringed at both ends. twist the ends of the paper lightly together above the fringe, and stand the potatoes in a vegetable dish with the cut end uppermost. when served, the potatoes are held in the hand, one end of the paper untwisted, the top of the potato removed, and the contents eaten with a fork or spoon. stuffed potatoes no. .--prepare large, smooth potatoes, bake until tender, and cut them in halves; scrape out the inside carefully, so as not to break the skins; mash smoothly, mix thoroughly with one third freshly prepared cottage cheese; season with nice sweet cream, and salt if desired. fill the shells with the mixture, place cut side uppermost, in a pudding dish, and brown in the oven. mashed potatoes.--peel and slice potatoes enough to make two quarts; put into boiling water and cook until perfectly tender, but not much broken; drain, add salt to taste; turn into a hot earthen dish, and set in the oven for a few moments to dry. break up the potatoes with a silver fork; add nearly a cup of cream, and beat hard at least five minutes till light and creamy; serve at once, or they will become heavy. if preferred, the potatoes may be rubbed through a hot sieve into a hot plate, or mashed with a potato beetle, but they are less light and flaky when mashed with a beetle. if cream for seasoning is not obtainable, a well-beaten egg makes a very good substitute. use in the proportion of one egg to about five potatoes. for mashed potatoes, if all utensils and ingredients are first heated, the result will be much better. new potatoes.--when potatoes are young and freshly gathered, the skins are easiest removed by taking each one in a coarse cloth and rubbing it; a little coarse salt used in the cloth will be found serviceable for this purpose. if almost ripe, scrape with a blunt knife, wash very clean, and rinse in cold water. boiling is the best method of cooking; new potatoes are not good steamed. use only sufficient water to cover, and boil till tender. drain thoroughly, cover closely with a clean cloth, and dry before serving. cracked potatoes.--prepare and boil new potatoes as in the preceding recipe, and when ready to serve, crack each by pressing lightly upon it with the back of a spoon, lay them in a hot dish, salt to taste, and pour over them a cup of hot thin cream or rich milk. creamed potatoes.--take rather small, new potatoes and wash well; rub off all the skins; cut in halves, or if quite large, quarter them. put a pint of divided potatoes into a broad-bottomed, shallow saucepan; pour over them a cup of thin sweet cream, add salt if desired; heat just to the boiling point, then allow them to simmer gently till perfectly tender, tossing them occasionally in the stewpan to prevent their burning on the bottom. serve hot. scalloped potatoes.--pare the potatoes and slice thin; put them in layers in an earthen pudding dish, dredge each layer lightly with flour, and salt, and pour over all enough good, rich milk to cover well. cover, and bake rather slowly till tender, removing the cover just long enough before the potatoes are done, to brown nicely. if preferred, a little less milk may be used, and a cup of thin cream added when the potatoes are nearly done. stewed potato.--pare the potatoes and slice rather thin. put into boiling water, and cook until nearly tender, but not broken. have some rich milk boiling in the inner dish of a double boiler, add to it a little salt, then stir in for each pint of milk a heaping teaspoonful of corn starch or rice flour, rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. stir until it thickens. drain the potatoes, turn them into the hot sauce, put the dish in the outer boiler, and cook for a half hour or longer. cold boiled potatoes may be sliced and used in the same way. cold baked potatoes sliced and stewed thus for an hour or more, make a particularly appetizing dish. potatoes stewed with celery.--pare and slice the potatoes, and put them into a stewpan with two or three tablespoonfuls of minced celery. use only the white part of the celery and mince it finely. cover the whole with milk sufficient to cook and prevent burning, and stew until tender. season with cream and salt. potato snowballs.--cut largo potatoes into quarters; if small, leave them undivided; boil in just enough water to cover. when tender, drain and dry in the usual way. take up two or three pieces at a time in a strong, clean cloth, and press them compactly together in the shape of balls. serve in a folded napkin on a hot dish. potato cakes.--make nicely seasoned, cold mashed potato into small round cakes about one half an inch thick. put them on a baking tin, brush them over with sweet cream, and bake in a hot oven till golden brown. potato cakes with egg.--bake nice potatoes till perfectly tender; peel, mash thoroughly, and to each pint allow the yolks of two eggs which have been boiled until mealy, then rubbed perfectly smooth through a fine wire sieve, and one half cup of rich milk. add salt to taste, mix all well together, form the potato into small cakes, place them on oiled tins, and brown ten or fifteen minutes in the oven. potato puff.--mix a pint of mashed potato (cold is just as good if free from lumps) with a half cup of cream and the well-beaten yolk of an egg; salt to taste and beat till smooth; lastly, stir in the white of the egg beaten to a stiff froth. pile up in a rocky form on a bright tin dish, and bake in a quick oven until heated throughout and lightly browned. serve at once. browned potatoes.--slice cold potatoes evenly, place them on an oiled tin, and brown in a very quick oven; or slice lengthwise and lay on a wire broiler or bread-toaster, and brown over hot coals. sprinkle with a little salt if desired, and serve hot with sweet cream as dressing. ornamental potatoes.--no vegetable can be made palatable in so many ways as the potato, and few can be arranged in such pretty shapes. mashed potatoes made moist with cream, can easily be made into cones, pyramids, or mounds. cold mashed potatoes may be cut into many fancy shapes with a cookie-cutter, wet with a little cold water, and browned in the oven. mounds of potatoes are very pretty smoothed and strewn with well-cooked vermicelli broken into small bits, and then lightly browned in the oven. scoring the top of a dish of mashed potato deeply in triangles, stars, and crosses, with the back of a carving knife, and then browning lightly, gives a very pretty effect. broiled potato.--mashed potatoes, if packed firmly while warm into a sheet-iron bread tin which has been dipped in cold water, may be cut into slices when cold, brushed with cream, and browned on a broiler over hot coals. warmed-over potatoes.--cut cold boiled potatoes into very thin slices; heat a little cream to boiling in a saucepan; add the potato, season lightly with salt if desired, and cook until the cream is absorbed, stirring occasionally so as to prevent scorching or breaking the slices. vegetable hash.--with one quart finely sliced potato, chop one carrot, one red beet, one white turnip, all boiled, also one or two stalks of celery. put all together in a stewpan, cover closely, and set in the oven; when hot, pour over them a cup of boiling cream, stir well together, and serve hot. the sweet potato. description.--the sweet potato is a native of the malayan archipelago, where it formerly grew wild; thence it was taken to spain, and from spain to england and other parts of the globe. it was largely used in europe as a delicacy on the tables of the rich before the introduction of the common potato, which has now taken its place and likewise its name. the sweet potato is the article referred as potato by shakespeare and other english writers, previous to the middle of the seventeenth century. preparation and cooking.--what has been said in reference to the common potato, is generally applicable to the sweet potato; it may be prepared and cooked in nearly all the ways of the irish potato. in selecting sweet potatoes, choose firm, plump roots, free from any sprouts; if sprouted they will have a poor flavor, and are likely to be watery. the sweet potato is best cooked with the skin on; but all discolored portions and the dry portion at each end, together with all branchlets, should be carefully removed, and the potato well washed, and if to be baked or roasted, well dried with a cloth before placing in the oven. the average time required for boiling is about fifty minutes; baking, one hour; steaming, about one hour; roasting, one and one half hours. _recipes._ baked sweet potatoes.--select those of uniform size, wash clean, cutting out any imperfect spots, wipe dry, put into moderately hot oven, and bake about one hour, or until the largest will yield to gentle pressure between the fingers. serve at once without peeling. small potatoes are best steamed, since if baked, the skins will take up nearly the whole potato. baked sweet potato no. .--select potatoes of medium size, wash and trim but do not pare, and put on the upper grate of the oven. for a peek of potatoes, put in the lower part of the oven in a large shallow pan a half pint of hot water. the water may be turned directly upon the oven bottom if preferred. bake slowly, turning once when half done. serve in their skins, or peel, slice, and return to the oven until nicely browned. boiled sweet potatoes.--choose potatoes of equal size; do not pare, but after cleaning them well and removing any imperfect spots, put into cold water and boll until they can be easily pierced with a fork; drain thoroughly, and lay them on the top grate in the oven to dry for five or ten minutes. peel as soon as dry, and send at once to the table, in a hot dish covered with a folded napkin. sweet potatoes are much better baked than boiled. steamed sweet potatoes.--wash the potatoes well, cut out any discolored portions, and steam over a kettle of boiling water until they can be easily pierced with a fork, not allowing the water in the pot to cease boiling for a moment. steam only sufficient to cook them, else they will be watery. browned sweet potatoes.--slice cold, cooked sweet potatoes evenly, place on slightly oiled tins in a hot oven, and brown. mashed sweet potatoes.--either bake or steam nice sweet potatoes, and when tender, peel, mash them well, and season with cream and salt to taste. they may be served at once, or made into patties and browned in the oven. potato hash.--take equal parts of cold irish and sweet potatoes; chop fine and mix thoroughly; season with salt if desired, and add sufficient thin cream to moisten well. turn into a stewpan, and heat gently until boiling, tossing continually, that all parts become heated alike, and serve at once. roasted sweet potatoes.--wash clean and wipe dry, potatoes of uniform size, wrap with tissue paper, cover with hot ashes, and then with coals from a hardwood fire; unless near the main fire, the coals will need renewing a few times. this will require a longer time than by any other method, but they are much nicer. the slow, continuous heat promotes their mealiness. when tender, brush the ashes off with a broom, and wipe with a dry cloth. send to the table in their jackets. to dry sweet potatoes.--carefully clean and drop them into boiling water. let them remain until the skins can be easily slipped off; then cut into slices and spread on racks to dry. to prepare for cooking, soak over night, and boil the next day. turnips. description.--the turnip belongs to the order _cruciferæ_, signifying "cross flowers," so called because their four petals are arranged in the form of a cross. it is a native of europe and the temperate portions of asia, growing wild in borders of fields and waste places. the ancient roman gastronomists considered the turnip, when prepared in the following manner, a dish fit for epicures: "after boiling, extract the water from them, and season with cummin, rue or benzoin, pounded in a mortar; afterward add honey, vinegar, gravy, and boiled grapes. allow the whole to simmer, and serve." under cultivation, the turnip forms an agreeable culinary esculent; but on account of the large proportion of water entering into its composition, its nutritive value is exceedingly low. the swedish, or rutabaga, variety is rather more nutritive than the white, but its stronger flavor renders it less palatable. unlike the potato, the turnip contains no starch, but instead, a gelatinous substance called pectose, which during the boiling process is changed into a vegetable jelly called pectine. the white lining just inside the skin is usually bitter; hence the tuber should be peeled sufficiently deep to remove it. when well cooked, turnips are quite easily digested. preparation and cooking.--turnips are good for culinary purposes only from the time of their ripening till they begin to sprout. the process of germination changes their proximate elements, and renders them less fit for food. select turnips which are plump and free from disease. a turnip that is wilted, or that appears spongy, pithy, or cork-like when cut, is not fit for food. prepare turnips for cooking by thoroughly washing and scraping, if young and tender, or by paring if more mature. if small, they may be cooked whole; if large, they should be cut across the grain into slices a half inch in thickness. if cooked whole, care must be taken to select those of uniform size; and if sliced, the slices must be of equal thickness. _recipes._ boiled turnips.--turnips, like other vegetables, should be boiled in as small an amount of water as possible. great care must be taken, however, that the kettle does not get dry, as scorched turnip is spoiled. an excellent precaution, in order to keep them from scorching in case the water becomes low, is to place an inverted saucer or sauce-dish in the bottom of the kettle before putting in the turnips. put into boiling water, cook rapidly until sufficiently tender to pierce easily with a fork; too much cooking discolors and renders them strong in flavor. boiled turnips should be drained very thoroughly, and all water pressed out before preparing for the table. the age, size, and variety of the turnip will greatly vary the time necessary for its cooking. the safest rule is to allow plenty of time, and test with a fork. young turnips will cook in about forty-five minutes; old turnips, sliced, require from one and a quarter to two hours. if whole or cut in halves, they require a proportionate length of time. white turnips require much, less cooking than yellow ones. baked turnips.--select turnips of uniform size; wash and wipe, but do not pare; place on the top grate of a moderately hot oven; bake two or more hours or until perfectly tender; peel and serve at once, either mashed or with cream sauce. turnips are much sweeter baked than when cooked in any other way. creamed turnips.--pare, but do not cut, young sweet white turnips; boil till tender in a small quantity of water; drain and dry well. cook a tablespoonful of flour in a pint of rich milk or part cream; arrange the turnips in a baking dish, pour the sauce over them, add salt if desired, sprinkle the top with grated bread crumbs, and brown in a quick oven. chopped turnips.--chop well-boiled white turnips very fine, add salt to taste and sufficient lemon juice to moisten. turn into a saucepan and heat till hot, gently lifting and stirring constantly. cold boiled turnip may be used advantageously in this way. mashed turnips.--wash the turnips, pare, and drop into boiling water. cook until perfectly tender; turn into a colander and press out the water with a plate or large spoon; mash until free from lumps, season with a little sweet cream, and salt if desired. if the turnips are especially watery, one or two hot, mealy potatoes mashed with them will be an improvement. scalloped turnips.--prepare and boil whole white turnips until nearly tender; cut into thin slices, lay in an earthen pudding dish, pour over them a white sauce sufficient to cover, made by cooking a tablespoonful of flour in a pint of milk, part cream if preferred, until thickened. season with salt, sprinkle the top lightly with grated bread crumbs, and bake in a quick oven until a rich brown. place the baking dish on a clean plate, and serve. rich milk or cream may be used instead of white sauce, if preferred. steamed turnips.--select turnips of uniform size, wash, pare, and steam rapidly till they can be easily pierced with a fork; mash, or serve with lemon juice or cream sauce, as desired. stewed turnips.--prepare and slice some young, fresh white turnips, boil or steam about twenty minutes, drain thoroughly, turn into a saucepan with a cup of new milk for each quart of turnips; simmer gently until tender, season with salt if desired, and serve. turnips in juice.--wash young white turnips, peel, and boil whole in sufficient water to keep them from burning. cover closely and cook gently until tender, by which time the water in the kettle should be reduced to the consistency of syrup. serve at once. turnips with cream sauce.--wash and pare the turnips, cut them into half-inch dice, and cook in boiling water until tender. meanwhile prepare a cream sauce as directed for scalloped turnips, using thin cream in place of milk. drain the turnips, pour the cream sauce over them, let them boil up once, and serve. parsnips. description.--the common garden parsnip is derived by cultivation from the wild parsnip, indigenous to many parts of europe and the north of asia, and cultivated since roman times. it is not only used for culinary purposes, but a wine is made from it. in the north of ireland a table beer is brewed from its fermented product and hops. the percentage of nutritive elements contained in the parsnip is very small; so small, indeed, that one pound of parsnips affords hardly one fifth of an ounce of nitrogenous or muscle-forming material. the time required for its digestion, varies from two and one half to three and one half hours. preparation and cooking.--wash and trim off any rough portions: scrape well with a knife to remove the skins, and drop at once into cold water to prevent discoloration. if the parsnips are smooth-skinned, fresh, and too small to need dividing, they need only be washed thoroughly before cooking, as the skins can be easily removed by rubbing with a clean towel. reject those that are wilted, pithy, coarse, or stringy. large parsnips should be divided, for if cooked whole, the outside is likely to become soft before the center is tender. they may be either split lengthwise or sliced. parsnips may be boiled, baked, or steamed; but like all other vegetables containing a large percentage of water, are preferable steamed or baked. the time required for cooking young parsnips, is about forty-five minutes; when old, they require from one to two hours. _recipes._ baked parsnips.--wash, thoroughly, but do not scrape the roots; bake the same as potatoes. when tender, remove the skins, slice, and serve with cream or an egg sauce prepared as directed for parsnips with egg sauce. they are also very nice mashed and seasoned with cream. baked and steamed parsnips are far sweeter than boiled ones. baked parsnips no. .--wash, scrape, and divide; drop into boiling water, a little more than sufficient to cook them, and boil gently till thoroughly tender. there should remain about one half pint of the liquor when the parsnips are done. arrange on an earthen plate or shallow pudding dish, not more than one layer deep; cover with the juice, and bake, basting frequently until the juice is all absorbed, and the parsnips delicately browned. serve at once. boiled parsnips.--clean, scrape, drop into a small quantity of boiling water, and cook until they can be easily pierced, with a fork. drain thoroughly, cut the parsnips in slices, and mash or serve with a white sauce, to which a little lemon juice may be added if desired. browned parsnips.--slice cold parsnips into rather thick pieces, and brown as directed for browned potatoes. creamed parsnips.--bake or steam the parsnips until tender; slice, add salt if desired, and a cup of thin sweet cream. let them stew slowly until nearly dry, or if preferred, just boil up once and serve. mashed parsnips.--wash and scrape, dropping at once into cold water to prevent discoloration. slice thinly and steam, or bake whole until perfectly tender. when done, mash until free from lumps, removing all hard or stringy portions; add salt to taste and a few spoonfuls of thick sweet cream, and serve. parsnips with cream sauce.--bake as previously directed. when tender, slice, cut into cubes, and pour over them a cream sauce prepared as for turnips with cream sauce. boil up together once, and serve. parsnips with egg sauce.--scrape, wash, and slice thinly, enough parsnips to make three pints; steam, bake, or boil them until very tender. if boiled, turn into a colander and drain well. have ready an egg sauce, for preparing which heat a pint of rich milk or very thin cream to boiling, stir into it a level tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little milk. let this boil a few minutes, stirring constantly until the flour is well cooked and the sauce thickened; then add slowly the well-beaten yolk of one egg, stirring rapidly so that it shall be well mingled with the whole; add salt to taste; let it boil up once, pour over the parsnips, and serve. the sauce should be of the consistency of thick cream. parsnips with potatoes.--wash, scrape, and slice enough parsnips to make two and a half quarts. pare and slice enough potatoes to make one pint. cook together in a small quantity of water. when tender, mash smoothly, add salt, the yolks of two eggs well beaten, and a cup of rich milk. beat well together, put into an earthen or china dish, and brown lightly in the oven. stewed parsnips.--prepare and boil for a half hour; drain, cover with rich milk, add salt if desired, and stew gently till tender. stewed parsnips with celery.--prepare and steam or boil some nice ones until about half done. if boiled, drain thoroughly; add salt if desired, and a tablespoonful of minced celery. turn rich boiling milk over them, cover, and stew fifteen or twenty minutes, or till perfectly tender. carrots. description.--the garden carrot is a cultivated variety of a plant belonging to the _umbettiferæ_, and grows wild in many portions of europe. the root has long been used for food. by the ancient greeks and romans it was much esteemed as a salad. the carrot is said to have been introduced into england by flemish refugees during the reigns of elizabeth and james i. its feathery leaves were used by the ladies as an adornment for their headdresses, in place of plumes. carrots contain sugar enough for making a syrup from them; they also yield by fermentation and distillation a spirituous liquor. in germany they are sometimes cut into small pieces, and roasted as a substitute for coffee. starch does not enter into the composition of carrots, but a small portion of pectose is found instead. carrots contain more water than parsnips, and both much cellulose and little nutritive material. carrots when well cooked form a wholesome food, but one not adapted to weak stomachs, as they are rather hard to digest and tend to flatulence. preparation and cooking.--the suggestions given for the preparation of parsnips are also applicable to carrots; and they may be boiled, steamed, or browned in the same manner. from one to two hours time will be required, according to age, size, variety, and method of cooking. _recipes._ boiled carrots.--clean, scrape, drop into boiling water, and cook till tender; drain thoroughly, slice, and serve with a cream sauce. varieties with strong flavor are better parboiled for fifteen or twenty minutes, and put into fresh boiling water to finish. carrots with egg sauce.--wash and scrape well; slice and throw into boiling water, or else steam. when tender, drain thoroughly, and pour over them a sauce prepared the same as for parsnips (page ), with the addition of a tablespoonful of sugar. let them boil up once, and serve. stewed carrots.--prepare young and tender carrots, drop into boiling water, and cook for fifteen or twenty minutes. drain, slice, and put into a stewpan with rich milk or cream nearly to cover; simmer gently until tender; season with salt and a little chopped parsley. beets. description.--the beet is a native of the coasts of the mediterranean, and is said to owe its botanical name, _beta_, to a fancied resemblance to the greek letter b. two varieties are in common use as food, the white and the red beet; while a sub-variety, the sugar beet, is largely cultivated in france, in connection with the beet-sugar industry in that country. the same industry has recently been introduced into this country. it is grown extensively in germany and russia, for the same pose, and is also used there in the manufacture of alcohol. the beet root is characterized by its unusual amount of sugar. it is considered more nutritive than any other esculent tuber except the potato, but the time required for its digestion exceeds that of most vegetables, being three and three fourths hours. preparation and cooking.--beets, like other tubers, should be fresh, unshriveled, and healthy. wash carefully, scrubbing with a soft brush to remove all particles of dirt; but avoid scraping, cutting, or breaking, lest the sweet juices escape. in handling for storage, be careful not to bruise or break the skins; and in purchasing from the market, select only such as are perfect. beets may be boiled, baked, or steamed. in boiling, if the skin is cut or broken, the juice will escape in the water, and the flavor will be injured; for this reason, beets should not be punctured with a fork to find if done. when tender, the thickest part will yield readily to pressure of the fingers. beets should be boiled in just as little water as possible, and they will be much better if it has all evaporated by the time they are cooked. young beets will boil in one hour, while old beets require from three to five hours; if tough, wilted, and stringy, they cannot be boiled tender. baked beets require from three to six hours. _recipes._ baked beets.--beets are far better baked than boiled, though it takes a longer time to cook properly. french cooks bake them slowly six hours in a covered dish, the bottom of which is lined with well-moistened rye straw; however, they may be baked on the oven grate, like potatoes. wipe dry after washing, and bake slowly. they are very nice served with a sauce made of equal quantities of lemon juice and whipped cream, with a little salt. baked beets no. .--wash young and tender beets, and place in an earthen baking dish with a very little water; as it evaporates, add more, which must be of boiling temperature. set into a moderate oven, and according to size of the beets, bake slowly from two to three hours. when tender, remove the skins and dress with lemon juice or cream sauce. beets and potatoes.--boil newly matured potatoes and young beets separately till tender; then peel and slice. put thorn in alternate layers in a vegetable dish, with salt to taste, and enough sweet cream nearly to cover. brown in the oven, and serve at once. beet hash.--chop quite finely an equal quantity of cold boiled or baked beets and boiled or baked potatoes. put into a shallow saucepan, add salt and sufficient hot cream to moisten. toss frequently, and cook until well heated throughout. serve hot. beet greens.--take young, tender beets, clean thoroughly without separating the tops and roots. examine the leaves carefully, and pick off inferior ones. put into boiling water, and cook for nearly an hour. drain, press out all water, and chop quite fine. serve with a dressing of lemon juice or cream, as preferred. beet salad, or chopped beets.--cold boiled or baked beets, chopped quite fine, but not minced, make a nice salad when served with a dressing of lemon juice and whipped cream in the proportion of three tablespoonfuls of lemon juice to one half cup of whipped cream, and salt if desired. beet salad no. .--chop equal parts of boiled beets and fresh young cabbage. mix thoroughly, add salt to taste, a few tablespoonfuls of sugar, and cover with diluted lemon juice. equal quantities of cold boiled beets and cold boiled potatoes, chopped fine, thoroughly mixed, and served with a dressing of lemon juice and whipped cream, make a palatable salad. care should be taken in the preparation of these and the preceding salad, not to chop the vegetables so fine as to admit of their being eaten without mastication. boiled beets.--wash carefully, drop into boiling water, and cook until tender. when done, drop into cold water for a minute, when the skins can be easily rubbed off with the hand. slice, and serve hot with lemon juice or with a cream sauce. stewed beets.--bake beets according to recipe no. . peel, cut in slices, turn into a saucepan, nearly cover with thin cream, simmer for ten or fifteen minutes, add salt if desired, and thicken the gravy with a little corn starch or flour. cabbage. description.--the common white garden cabbage is one of the oldest of cultivated vegetables. a variety of the plant known as red cabbage was the delight of ancient gourmands more than eighteen centuries ago. the egyptians adored it, erected altars to it, and made it the first dish at their repasts. in this they were imitated by the greeks and romans. hippocrates, the father of medicine, considered the cabbage one of the most valuable of remedies, and often prescribed a dish of boiled cabbage to be eaten with salt for patients suffering with violent colic. erasistratus looked upon it as a sovereign remedy against paralysis, while cato in his writings affirmed it to be a panacea for all diseases, and believed the use the romans made of it to have been the means whereby they were able, during six hundred years, to do without the assistance of physicians, whom they had expelled from their territory. the learned philosopher, pythagoras, composed books in which he lauded its wonderful virtues. the germans are so fond of cabbage that it enters into the composition of a majority of their culinary products. the cabbage was first raised in england about , by sir anthony ashley. that this epoch, important to the english horticultural and culinary world, may never be forgotten, a cabbage is represented upon sir anthony's monument. the nutritive value of the cabbage is not high, nearly ninety per cent being water; but it forms an agreeable variety in the list of vegetable foods, and is said to possess marked antiscorbutic virtue. it is, however, difficult of digestion, and therefore not suited to weak stomachs. it would be impossible to sustain life for a lengthened period upon cabbage, since to supply the body with sufficient food elements, the quantity would exceed the rate of digestion and the capacity of the stomach. m. chevreul, a french scientist, has ascertained that the peculiar odor given off during the boiling of cabbage is due to the disengagement of sulphureted hydrogen. cabbage is said to be more easily digested raw than cooked. preparation and cooking.--a good cabbage should have a well-developed, firm head, with fresh, crisp leaves, free from worm-holes and decayed portions. to prepare for cooking, stalk, shake well to free from dirt, and if there are any signs of insects, lay in cold salted water for an hour or so to drive them out. rinse away the salt water, and if to be boiled, drop into a small quantity of boiling water. cover closely and boil vigorously until tender. if cooked slowly, it will be watery and stringy, while overdone cabbage is especially insipid and flavorless. if too much water has been used, remove the cover, that evaporation may go on more rapidly; if too little, replenish with boiling water. cabbage should be cooked in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware sauce pan or a very clean iron kettle. cabbage may also be steamed, but care must be taken to have the process as rapid as possible. fresh young cabbage will cook in about one hour; old cabbage requires from two to three hours. _recipes._ baked cabbage.--prepare and chop a firm head of young white cabbage, boil until tender, drain, and set aside until nearly cold. then add two well-beaten eggs, salt to taste, and a half cup of thin cream or rich milk. mix and bake in a pudding dish until lightly browned. boiled cabbage.--carefully clean a nice head of cabbage, divide into halves, and with a sharp knife slice very thin, cutting from the center of the head outward. put into boiling water, cover closely, and cook rapidly until tender; then turn into a colander and drain, pressing gently with the back of a plate. return to the kettle, add salt to taste, and sufficient sweet cream to moisten well, heat through if at all cooled, dish, and serve at once. if preferred, the cream may be omitted, and the cabbage served with tomato sauce or lemon juice as a dressing. cabbage and tomatoes.--boil finely chopped cabbage in as little water as possible. when tender, add half the quantity of hot stewed tomatoes, boil together for a few minutes, being careful to avoid burning, season with salt if desired, and serve. if preferred, a little sweet cream may be added just before serving. cabbage celery.--a firm, crisp head of cabbage cut in slices half an inch or an inch thick, and then again into pieces four or five inches long and two or three inches wide, makes a quite appetizing substitute for celery. cabbage hash.--chop fine, equal parts of cold boiled potatoes and boiled cabbage, and season with salt. to each quart of the mixture add one half or three fourths of a cup of thin cream; mix well and boil till well heated. chopped cabbage or cabbage salad.--take one pint of finely chopped cabbage; pour over it a dressing made of three tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a half cup of whipped cream, thoroughly beaten together in the order named; or serve with sugar and diluted lemon juice. mashed cabbage.--cut a fine head of cabbage into quarters, and cook until tender. a half hour before it is done, drop in three good-sized potatoes. when done, take all up in a colander together, press out the water, and mash very fine. season with cream, and salt if desired. stewed cabbage. chop nice cabbage quite fine, and put it into boiling water, letting it boil twenty minutes. turn into a colander and drain thoroughly; return to the kettle, cover with milk, and let it boil till perfectly tender; season with salt and cream to taste. the beaten yolk of an egg, stirred in with the cream, is considered an improvement by some. cauliflower and broccoli. description.--these vegetables are botanically allied to the cabbage, and are similar in composition. they are entirely the product of cultivation, and constitute the inflorescence of the plant, which horticultural art has made to grow into a compact head of white color in the cauliflower, and of varying shades of buff, green, and purple in the broccoli. there is very little difference between the two aside from the color, and they are treated alike for culinary purposes. they were known to the greeks and romans, and highly appreciated by connoisseurs. they are not as nutritious as the cabbage, but have a more delicate and agreeable flavor. preparation and cooking.--the leaves should be green and fresh, and the heads of cauliflower creamy white; when there are dark spots, it is wilted. the color of broccoli will depend upon the variety, but the head should be firm, with no discolorations. to prepare, pick off the outside leaves, cut the stalk squarely across, about two inches below the flower, and if very thick, split and wash thoroughly in several waters; or better still, hold it under the faucet, flower downward, and allow a constant stream of water to fall over it for several minutes; then place top downward in a pan of lukewarm salted water, to drive out any insects which may be hidden in it; examine carefully for worms just the color of the stalk; tie in a net (mosquito netting, say) to prevent breaking, or place the cauliflower on a plate in a steamer, and boil, or steam, as is most convenient. the time required for cooking will vary from twenty to forty minutes. _recipes._ (the recipes given are applicable to both broccoli and cauliflower.) boiled cauliflower.--prepare, divide into neat branches, and tie securely in a net. put into boiling milk and water, equal quantities, and cook until the main stalks are tender. boil rapidly the first five minutes, afterward more moderately, to prevent the flower from becoming done before the stalks. serve on a hot dish with cream sauce or diluted lemon juice. browned cauliflower.--beat together two eggs, a little salt, four tablespoonfuls of sweet cream, and a small quantity of grated bread crumbs well moistened with a little milk, till of the consistency of batter. steam the cauliflower until tender, separate it into small bunches, dip each top in the mixture, and place in nice order in a pudding dish; put in the oven and brown. cauliflower with egg sauce.--steam the cauliflower until tender, separate into small portions, dish, and serve with an egg sauce prepared as directed for parsnips on page . cauliflower with tomato sauce.--boil or steam the cauliflower until tender. in another dish prepare a sauce with a pint of strained stewed smooth in a little water, and salted to taste. when the cauliflower is tender, dish, and pour over it the hot tomato sauce. if preferred, a tablespoonful of thick sweet cream may be added to the sauce before using. stewed cauliflower.--boil in as little water as possible, or steam until tender; separate into small portions, add milk, cream and salt to taste; stew together for a few minutes, and serve. scolloped cauliflower.--prepare the cauliflower, and steam or boil until tender. if boiled, use equal quantities of milk and water. separate into bunches of equal size, place in a pudding dish, cover with a white or cream sauce, sprinkle with grated bread crumbs, and brown in the oven. spinach. description.--this plant is supposed to be a native of western arabia. there are several varieties which are prepared and served as "greens." spinach is largely composed of water. it is considered a wholesome vegetable, with slightly laxative properties. preparation and cooking.--use only tender plants or the tender leaves of the older stalks, and be sure to have enough, as spinach shrinks greatly. a peck is not too much for a family of four or five. pick it over very carefully, trim off the roots and decayed leaves, and all tough, stringy stalks, and the coarse fibers of the leaves, as those will not cook tender until the leaves are overdone. wash in several waters, lifting grit. shake each bunch well. spinach is best cooked in its own juices; this may be best accomplished by cooking it in a double boiler, or if placed in a pot and slowly heated, it will however, be stirred frequently at first, to prevent burning; cover closely and cook until tender. the time required will vary from twenty minutes to half an hour or more. if water is used in the cooking, have a half kettleful boiling when the spinach is put in, and continue to boil rapidly until the leaves are perfectly tender; then drain in a colander, press with the back of a plate to extract all water, chop very fine, and either serve with lemon juice as a dressing, or add a half cup of sweet cream with or without a teaspoonful of sugar. boil up once, stirring constantly, and serve very hot. a garnish of sliced boiled eggs is often employed with this vegetable. celery. description.--the common celery is a native of great britain. in its wild state it has a strong, disagreeable taste and smell, and is known as _smallage_. by cultivation it becomes more mild and sweet. it is usually eaten uncooked as a salad herb, or introduced into soups as a flavouring. in its raw state, it is difficult of digestion. celery from the market may be kept fresh for some time by wrapping the bunches in brown paper, sprinkling them with water, then wrapping in a damp cloth and putting in some cool, dark place. _recipes_ celery salad.--break the stems apart, cut off all green portions, and after washing well put in cold water for an hour or so before serving. stewed celery.--cut the tender inner parts of celery heads into pieces about a finger long. the outer and more fibrous stalks may be saved to season soups. put in a stewpan, and add sufficient water to cover; then cover the pan closely, and set it where it will just simmer for an hour, or until the celery is perfectly tender. when cooked, add a pint of rich milk, part cream if you have it, salt to taste, and when boiling, stir in a tablespoon of flour rubbed smooth in a little milk. boil up once and serve. stewed celery no. .--cut the white part of fine heads of celery into small pieces, blanch in boiling water, turn into a colander, and drain. heat a cup and a half of milk to boiling in a stewpan; add the celery, and stew gently until tender. remove the celery with a skimmer, and stir into the milk the beaten yolks of two eggs and one half cup of cream. cook until thickened; pour over the celery, and serve. celery with tomato sauce.--prepare the celery as in the preceding recipe, and cook until tender in a small quantity of boiling water. drain in a colander, and for three cups of stewed celery prepare a sauce with a pint of strained stewed tomato, heated to boiling and thickened with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. if desired, add a half cup of thin cream. turn over the celery, and serve hot. celery and potato hash.--to three cups of cold boiled or baked potato, chopped rather fine, add one cup of cooked celery, minced. put season. heat to boiling, tossing and stirring so that the whole will be heated throughout, and serve hot. asparagus. description.--the asparagus is a native of europe, and in its wild state is a sea-coast plant. the young shoots form the edible portion. the plant was known to the ancient greeks and romans, who not only used it as a table delicacy but considered it very useful in the treatment of internal diseases. roman cooks provided themselves with a supply of the vegetable for winter use by cutting fine heads and drying them. when wanted, they were put into hot water and gently cooked. the asparagus is remarkable as containing a crystalline alkaloid called _asparagin_, which is thought to possess diuretic properties. preparation and cooking.--select fresh and tender asparagus. those versed in its cultivation, assert that it should be cut at least three times a week, and barely to the ground. if it is necessary to keep the bunches for some time before cooking, stand them, tops uppermost, in water about one half inch deep, in the cellar or other cool place. clean each stalk separately by swashing back and forth in a pan of cold water till perfectly free from sand, then break off all the tough portions, cut in equal lengths, tie in bunches of half a dozen or more with soft tape, drop into boiling water barely sufficient to cover, and simmer gently until perfectly tender. if the asparagus is to be stewed, break: (not cut) into small pieces; when it will not snap off quickly, the stalk is too tough for use. asparagus must be taken from the water just as soon as tender, while yet firm in appearance. if boiled soft, it loses its flavor and is uninviting. it is a good plan when it is to be divided before cooking, if the stalks are not perfectly tender, to boil the hardest portions first. asparagus cooked in bunches is well done, if, when held by the thick end in a horizontal position between the fingers, it only bends lightly and does not fall heavily down. the time required for boiling asparagus depends upon its freshness and age. fresh, tender asparagus cooks in a very few minutes, so quickly, indeed, that the roman emperor augustus, intimating that any affair must be concluded without delay, was accustomed to say, "let that be done quicker than you can cook asparagus." fifteen or twenty minutes will suffice if young and fresh; if old, from thirty to fifty minutes will be required. _recipes._ asparagus and peas.--asparagus and green peas make a nice dish served together, and if of proportionate age, require the same length of time to cook. wash the asparagus, shell and look over the peas, put together into boiling water, cook, and serve as directed for stewed asparagus. asparagus points.--cut of enough heads in two-inch lengths to make three pints. put into boiling water just sufficient to cover. when tender, drain off the water, add a half cup of cream, and salt if desired. serve at once. asparagus on toast.--cook the asparagus in bunches, and when tender, drain and place on slices of nicely browned toast moistened in the asparagus liquor. pour over all a cream sauce prepared as directed below. asparagus with cream sauce.--thoroughly wash, tie in small bunches, and put into boiling water; boil till perfectly tender. drain thoroughly, untie the bunches, place the stalks all the same way upon a hot plate, with a dressing prepared as follows: let a pint of sweet cream (about six hours old is best) come to the boiling point, and stir into it salt to taste and a level tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth with a little cold cream. asparagus with egg sauce.--prepare and cook asparagus as directed above. when tender, drain thoroughly, and serve on a hot dish or on slices of nicely browned toast, with an egg sauce prepared in the following manner: heat a half cup of rich milk to boiling, add salt, and turn into it very slowly the well-beaten yolk of an egg, stirring constantly at the same time. let the whole just thicken, and remove from the fire at once. stewed asparagus.--wash, break into inch pieces, simmer till tender in water just to cover, add sufficient rich milk, part cream if convenient, to make a gravy, thicken slightly with flour, a teaspoonful to a pint of milk; add salt if desired, boil up together once, and serve. sea-kale. description.--this plant, a native of britain, and much esteemed as a vegetable in england and on the continent, is also in its wild state a sea-coast plant. when properly cooked, it is nutritious and easy of digestion. in appearance and flavor it greatly resembles asparagus, and the suggestions for cooking and recipes given for that vegetable are applicable to sea-kale. lettuce and radish. description.--these two vegetables, although wholly different, the one being the leaf of a plant, the other the root, are both so commonly served as relishes that we will speak of them together. both have long been known and used. wild lettuce is said to be the bitter herb which the hebrews ate with the paschal lamb. the ancient greek and roman epicures valued lettuce highly, and bestowed great care upon its cultivation, in some instances watering the plants with sweet wine instead of water, in order to communicate to them a delicate perfume and flavor. the common garden lettuce of the present day is a hardy plant, which supplies an agreeable, digestible, and, when served with a wholesome dressing, unobjectionable salad. the common radish is supposed to be indigenous to china. ancient writers on foods mention the radish as used by the early greeks and romans, who fancied that at the end of three years its seed would produce cabbages. they had also the singular custom of making the radish the ignominious projectile with which in times of tumult the mob pursued persons whose political opinions had made them obnoxious. when quiet was restored, the disgraced vegetable was boiled and eaten with oil and vinegar. common garden radishes are of different shapes and of various colors on the outside, there being black, violet, red, and white radishes. the inside portion of all, however, is white. they are sometimes cooked, but more commonly served raw. a dish of crisp, coral radishes adds beauty to the appearance of the table, but they are not possessed of a high nutritive value, being very similar to the turnip in composition, and unless very young, tender, and when eaten thoroughly masticated, are quite difficult of digestion. _recipes._ lettuce.--wash well, put into cold water, and set on ice or on the cellar bottom for an hour or more before using. dry the leaves with a soft towel and use whole or tear into convenient pieces with a silver fork; never cut with a knife. serve with a dressing prepared of equal quantities of lemon juice and sugar, diluted with a little ice water; or, with a dressing of cream and sugar, in the proportion of three or four tablespoonfuls of thin cream to a teaspoonful of sugar. the dressing may be prepared, and after the sugar is dissolved, a very little lemon juice (just enough to thicken the cream slightly, but not sufficient to curdle it) may be added if desired. radishes.--wash thoroughly young and tender radishes, and arrange in a glass dish with the taper ends meeting. scatter bits of cracked ice among them. an inch of the stem, if left on, serve as a convenience in handling. cymling, summer squash, or vegetable marrow. description.--the vegetable marrow (sometimes called cymling) is thought to be a variety of the common gourd, from which also the pumpkin and winter squash appear to have been derived. it is easily digested, but on account of the abundance of water in its composition, its nutritive value is very low. preparation and cooking.--when very young, most varieties need no preparation for cooking, aside from washing thoroughly. after cooking, the skin can be easily rubbed off and the seeds removed. if more mature, pare thinly, and if large, divide into halves or quarters and scoop out the seeds. summer squashes are better steamed than boiled. if boiled, they should be cooked in so little water that it will be quite evaporated when they are tender. from twenty to sixty minutes will be required for cooking. _recipes._ mashed squash.--wash, peel, remove seeds, and steam until tender. place the squash in a clean cloth, mash thoroughly, squeeze until the squash is quite dry, or rub through a fine colander and afterward simmer until neatly dry; season with cream, and a little salt if desired, and heat again before serving. a teaspoonful of sugar may be added with the cream, if desired. squash with egg sauce.--prepare, steam till tender, cut into pieces, and serve with an egg sauce made the same as directed for asparagus, page . stewed squash.--prepare, cut into pieces, and stew until tender in a small quantity of boiling water; drain, pressing out all the water; serve on toast with cream or white sauce. or, divide in quarters, remove the seeds, cook in a double boiler, in its own juices, which when done may be thickened with a little flour. season with salt if desired, and serve hot. winter squashes. the winter squash and pumpkin are allied in nature to the summer squash. preparation and cooking.--select squashes of a firm texture, wash, break in pieces with a hatchet if hard-shell, or if the shell is soft, divide with a knife; remove all seeds, and boil, stew, steam, or bake, as preferred. to boil or steam, from thirty minutes to one hour's time will be needed; to bake, one to two hours. _recipes._ baked squash..--the hard-shell varieties are best for baking. wash, divide, and lay, shells downward, on the top grate of the oven, or place in a shallow baking dish with a little boiling water. boil until tender, serve in the shell, or scrape out the soft part, mash and serve with two largo tablespoonful of cream to a pint of squash. if preferred, the skins may be removed before baking, and the squash served the same as sweet potato, for which it makes a good substitute. steamed squash.--prepare the squash, and steam until tender. mash and season as for baked squash. the pumpkin. description.--when our forefathers came to this country, they found the pumpkin growing in the indian cornfields, and at once made use of it. although as food it did not supply what its handsome exterior promised, yet in the absence of other fruits and relishes, of which the exigencies of a new country deprived them, they soon found the pumpkin quite palatable; and the taste, cultivated through necessity, has been handed down through generations, until the pumpkin stewed and baked in pies, has become an established favorite. _recipes._ baked pumpkin.--wash the pumpkin well on the outside, divide into quarters if small, into sixths or eighths if large; remove the seeds but not the rind. bake as directed for squash. serve in the rind, dishing it out by spoonfuls. stewed pumpkin.--select a good, ripe pumpkin, and cut in halves; remove the seeds, slice halfway around, pare, cut into inch pieces, put over the fire in a kettle containing a small quantity of boiling water, and stew gently, stirring frequently until it breaks to pieces. cool, rub through a colander, and place where it will just simmer, but not burn, until the water is all evaporated and the pumpkin dry. pumpkin for pies is much richer baked like squash, and rubbed through a colander after the skin has been removed. dried pumpkin.--pumpkin may be dried and kept for future use. the best way is first to cut and stew the pumpkin, then spread on plates, and dry quickly in the oven. dried in this manner, it is easily softened, when needed, by soaking in a small quantity of water, and is considered nearly as good as that freshly stewed. tomato. description.--the tomato, or "love apple," as it was called in the early part of the century, is a native of south america and mexico. it was formerly regarded as poisonous, and though often planted and prized as a curiosity in the flower garden, it has only within the last half century come to be considered as a wholesome article of diet. botanically, it is allied to the potato. it is an acid fruit, largely composed of water, and hence of low nutritive value; but it is justly esteemed as a relish, and is very serviceable to the cook in the preparation of soups and various mixed dishes. preparation and cooking.--tomatoes to be served in an uncooked state should be perfectly ripe and fresh. the medium-sized, smooth ones are the best. to peel, pour scalding water over them; let them remain for half a minute, plunge into cold water, allow them to cool, when the skins can be easily rubbed off. tomatoes should always be cooked in porcelain or granite ware; iron makes them look dark, and being slightly acid in character, they are not wholesome cooked in tin vessels. tomatoes require cooking a long time; one hour is needed, and two are better. _recipes._ baked tomatoes.--fill a pudding dish two thirds full of stewed tomatoes; season with salt, and sprinkle grated crumbs of good whole-wheat or graham bread over it until the top looks dry. brown in the oven, and serve with a cream dressing. baked tomatoes no. . wash and wipe a quantity of smooth, even-sized tomatoes; remove the stems with a sharp-pointed knife. arrange on an earthen pudding or pie dish, and bake whole in a moderate oven. serve with cream. scalloped tomatoes.--take a pint of stewed tomatoes, which have been rubbed through a colander, thicken with one and one fourth cups of lightly picked crumbs of graham or whole-wheat bread, or a sufficient quantity to make it quite thick, add salt if desired, and a half cup of sweet cream, mix well, and bake for twenty minutes. or, fill a pudding dish with alternate layers of peeled and sliced tomatoes and bread crumbs, letting the topmost layer be of tomatoes. cover, and bake in a moderate oven for an hour or longer, according to depth. uncover, and brown for ten or fifteen minutes. stewed corn and tomatoes.--boil dried or fresh corn until perfectly tender, add to each cup of corn two cups of stewed, strained tomatoes, either canned or freshly cooked. salt to taste, boil together for five or ten minutes, and serve plain or with a little cream added. tomato gravy.--heat to boiling one pint of strained stewed tomatoes, either canned or fresh, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little water; add salt and when thickened, if desired, a half cup of hot cream. boil together for a minute or two and serve at once. tomato salad.--select perfectly ripe tomatoes, and peel at least an hour before using. slice, and place on ice or in a cool place. serve plain or with lemon juice or sugar as preferred. tomato salad no. .--use one half small yellow tomatoes and one half red. slice evenly and lay in the dish in alternate layers. powder lightly with sugar, and turn over them a cupful of orange juice to a pint of tomato, or if preferred, the juice of lemons may be used instead. set on ice and cool before serving. broiled tomatoes.--choose perfectly ripened but firm tomatoes of equal size. place them on a wire broiler, and broil over glowing coals, from three to eight minutes, according to size, then turn and cook on the other side. broil the stem end first. serve hot with salt to season, and a little cream. tomato pudding.--fill an earthen pudding dish with alternate layers of stale bread and fresh tomatoes, peeled, sliced, and sprinkled lightly with sugar. cover the dish and bake. stewed tomatoes.--peel and slice the tomatoes. put them into a double boiler, without the addition of water, and stew for an hour or longer. when done, serve plain with a little sugar added, or season with salt and a tablespoonful of rather thick sweet cream to each pint of tomatoes. if the tomatoes are thin and very juicy, they may be thickened with a little flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. they are much better, however, to stew a longer time until the water they contain is sufficiently evaporated to make them of the desired consistency. the stew may also be thickened, if desired, by the addition of bread crumbs, rice, or macaroni. tomato with okra.--wash the okra, cut off the stem and nibs, and slice thin. for a quart of sliced okra, peel and slice three large tomatoes. stew the tomatoes for half an hour, then add the okra, and simmer together for half an hour longer. season with salt and a little cream. egg plant. description.--the egg plant, a vegetable indigenous to the east indies, is somewhat allied in character to the tomato. in shape, it resembles an egg, from which fact it doubtless derives its name. it ranks low in nutritive value. when fresh, the plant is firm and has a smooth skin. _recipes._ scalloped egg plant.--pare a fresh egg plant. if large, divide in quarters, if small, in halves, and put to cook in boiling water. cook until it can be easily pierced with a straw, and drain in a colander. turn into a hot dish, and beat with a silver fork until finely broken. measure the egg plant, and add to it an equal quantity of graded bread crumbs, a little salt, and a tablespoonful of thick sweet cream. lastly, add one well beaten egg. put in an earthen pudding dish, and brown in the oven until the egg is set, and the whole is heated throughout but not dry. baked egg plant.--wash and cook whole in boiling water until tender. divide in halves, remove the inside with a spoon, taking care not to break the skin. beat the egg plant smooth with a fork. season with salt and cream, and if desired, a stalk of celery or a small slice of onion very finely minced, for flavor. put back in the skin, sprinkle the top with bread crumbs, and brown the outside uppermost in the oven. cucumber. description.--the cucumber is a native of southern asia, although it is quite commonly cultivated in most civilized countries. it formed a part of the dietary of the israelites when in egypt, where it grew very plentifully. the ancient greeks held the cucumber in high esteem, and attributed to it wonderful properties. the cucumber is not a nutritious vegetable, and when served in its raw state, as it so generally is, dressed with salt, vinegar, pepper, and similar condiments, it is an exceedingly indigestible article. if it is to be eaten at all, it should first be cooked. it may be pared, divided in quarters, the seeds removed, and cooked in a small quantity of water until perfectly tender, and served on toast with an egg sauce or a cream sauce; or it may be prepared the same as directed for escalloped egg plant. salsify, or vegetable oyster. description.--the vegetable oyster plant, sometimes called purple goat's-beard, or salsify, is indigenous to some portions of great britain. the long, slender root becomes fleshy and tender under cultivation, with a flavor, when cooked, somewhat resembling that of the mollusk for which it is named. on this account, it is much esteemed for soups. a variety of the plant grows near the line of perpetual snow, and forms the principal article of fresh vegetable food in the dietary of kurdistan. preparation and cooking.--select fresh and unshriveled roots, wash and scrape well, dropping into cold water as soon as cleaned, to prevent discoloration. if the roots are covered with cold water for a half hour or more before scraping, they can be cleaned much easier. use a porcelain-lined kettle, for cooking, as an iron one will discolor it and injure its flavor. from twenty minutes to one hour, according to age, is required to cook it tender. _recipes._ scalloped vegetable oysters.--boil two quarts of sliced vegetable oysters in about two quarts of water until very tender. skim them out, and fill a pudding dish with alternate layers of crumbs and oysters, having a layer of crumbs for the top. to the water in which they were boiled, add a pint and a half of thin cream, salt to taste, boil up, and thicken with a heaping tablespoonful or two of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold cream. pour this over the oysters and crumbs, and bake a half hour. if this is not enough to cover well, add more cream or milk. stewed tomatoes are a nice accompaniment for escalloped vegetable oysters. stewed vegetable oysters.--wash, scrape, and cut into slices not more than one half inch in thickness. put into a small quantity of boiling water and cook until tender. if a large quantity of water is used, the savory juices escape, and leave the roots very insipid. when tender, pour in a cup of rich milk and simmer for five or ten minutes; add a little flour rubbed smooth in milk, and salt if desired; boil up once, and serve as a vegetable or on slices of nicely browned toast. if preferred, a well-beaten egg may be used in the place of flour. green corn, peas, and beans. description.--corn, peas, and beans in their immature state are so nearly allied to vegetables, that we give in this connection recipes for cooking green corn, green beans, and green peas. a general rule applicable to all is that they should, when possible, be cooked and eaten the day they are gathered, as otherwise they lose much of their sweetness and flavor. for corn, select young, tender, well-filled ears, from which the milk will spurt when the grain is broken with the finger nail. beans and peas are fresh only when the pods are green, plump, snap crisply when broken, and have unshriveled stems. if the pods bend and appear wilted, they are stale. corn, peas, and beans are wholesome and nutritious foods when thoroughly cooked and sufficiently masticated, but they are almost indigestible unless the hull, or skin, of each pea, bean, or grain of corn, be broken before being swallowed. _recipes for corn._ baked corn.--select nice fresh ears of tender corn of as nearly equal size as possible. open the husks and remove all the silk from the corn; replace and tie the husks around the ears with a thread. put the corn in a hot oven, and bake thirty minutes or until tender. remove the husks before serving. baked corn no. .--scrape enough corn from the cob (as directed below for corn pulp) to make one and a half quarts. put into a baking dish, season with salt if desired, add enough milk, part cream if convenient, barely to cover the corn, and bake in a hot oven twenty-five or thirty minutes. boiled green corn.--remove the husks and every thread of the silk fiber. place in a kettle, the larger ears at the bottom, with sufficient boiling water nearly to cover. cover with the clean inner husks, and cook from twenty to thirty minutes, according to the age of the corn; too much cooking hardens it and detracts from its flavor. try a kernel, and when the milk has thickened, and a raw taste is no longer apparent, it is sufficiently cooked. green corn is said to be sweeter, boiled with the inner husks on. for cooking in this way, strip off all outer husks, and remove the silk, tying the inner husk around the ear with a bit of thread, and boil. remove from the kettle, place in a heated dish, cover with a napkin and serve at once on the cob. some recommend scoring or splitting the corn by drawing a sharp knife through each row lengthwise. this is a wise precaution against insufficient mastication. stewed corn pulp.--take six ears of green corn or enough to make a pint of raw pulp; with a sharp knife cut a thin shaving from each row of kernels or score each kernel, and with the back of the knife scrape out the pulp, taking care to leave the hulls on the cob. heat a cup and a half of rich milk--part cream if it can be afforded--to boiling, add the corn, cook twenty or thirty minutes; season with salt and a teaspoonful of sugar if desired. corn cakes.--to a pint of corn pulp add two well-beaten eggs and two tablespoonfuls of flour; season with salt if desired, and brown on a griddle. canned corn finely chopped can be used, but two tablespoonfuls of milk should be added, as the corn is less moist. corn pudding.--one quart of corn pulp prepared as for stewing, one quart of milk, three eggs, and a little salt. mix the corn with a pint of the milk, and heat it to boiling. break the eggs into the remainder of the milk, and add it to the corn, turn all into an oiled pudding dish, and bake slowly until the custard is well set. roasted green corn.--remove the husks and silk, and place the corn before an open grate or in a wire broiler over hot coals until the kernels burst open, or bury in hot ashes without removing the husks. score the grains, and serve from the cob. stewed green corn.--cut the corn from the cob and with the back of the knife scrape off all the pulp, being careful to leave the hull on the cob. put into a stewpan with half as much water as corn, cover closely and stew gently until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently to prevent the corn from sticking to the pan; add cream or milk to make the requisite amount of juice, and season with salt if desired. a teaspoonful of white sugar may be added if desired. cold boiled corn cut from the cob and stewed a few minutes in a little milk, makes a very palatable dish. summer succotash.--this maybe made by cooking equal quantities of shelled beans and corn cut from the cob, separately until tender, and then mixing them; or the beans may be cooked until nearly soft, an equal quantity of shaved corn added, and the whole cooked fifteen or twenty minutes or longer. season with cream, and salt if desired. dried corn.--the sweet varieties of corn taken when young and tender and properly dried, furnish an excellent material for nearly all purposes to which green corn is put. take green corn, just right for eating, have it free from silk; cut the fleshy portion from the cob with a sharp knife, then with the back of the knife gently press the remaining pulp from the cob. spread thinly on plates and put into an oven hot enough to scald, not scorch it. watch closely for a half hour or more, turning and stirring frequently with a fork. when thus thoroughly scalded, the corn may be left without further attention if placed in a moderate oven, save an occasional stirring to prevent its sticking to the plate, until the drying is complete, which ought to be in about forty-eight hours; however, if one can spend the time to watch closely and stir very frequently, the drying may be completed in a single afternoon in a rather hot oven. be careful that it does not scorch. when needed for use, soak over night and cook in accordance with recipes for stewed corn, succotash, etc., pages , , only remembering to allow a longer time. _recipes for peas._ stewed peas.--if from the garden, pick and shell the peas with clean hands; if from the market, wash the pods before shelling, so that the peas will not require washing, as they are much better without. when shelled, put into a colander and sift out the fine particles and undeveloped blossoms. if not of equal growth, sort the peas and put the older ones to cook ten minutes before the others. use a porcelain kettle, with one half pint of boiling water for each quart of peas, if young and tender; older ones, which require longer stewing, need more. cover closely, and simmer gently till tender. the time required for young peas is from twenty-five to thirty minutes; older ones require forty to fifty minutes. serve without draining, season with salt and enough sweet cream to make them as juicy as desired. if preferred, the juice may be thickened with a little flour. the peas may be purposely stewed in a larger quantity of water, and served in their own juices thickened with a little flour and seasoned with salt. _recipes for beans._ lima beans.--lima beans are not good until they are full grown and have turned white. shell, wash, cover with boiling water, and cook about one hour or until tender. let the water nearly evaporate, and add milk or cream thickened with a little flour. season with salt to taste, boil up once, and serve. shelled beans.--shell, wash, drop into boiling water sufficient to cover, and cook until tender. let the water boil nearly away, and serve without draining. season with thin cream, and salt if desired. string beans.--wash well in cold water. remove the strong fiber, or strings, as they are called, by paring both edges with a sharp knife; few cooks do this thoroughly. break off stems and points, carefully rejecting any imperfect or diseased pods. lay a handful evenly on a board and cut them all at once into inch lengths. put in a porcelain kettle, cover with boiling water, and cook from one to three hours, according to age and variety, testing frequently, as they should be removed from the kettle just as soon as done. when very young and tender, only water sufficient to keep them from burning will be needed. when done, add a half cup of thin cream, and salt to taste. if the quantity of juice is considerable, thicken with a little flour. the onion. the onion belongs to a class of foods containing an acrid oil of a strongly irritating character, on which account it cannot be considered a wholesome food when eaten raw, as it so generally is. the essential oil is, however, quite volatile, so that when cooked, after being first parboiled in two or three waters, its irritating properties are largely removed. the varieties grown in warm climates are much milder and sweeter than those grown in colder countries. the onion is valuable for flavoring purposes. it may also be boiled and served whole with a cream sauce, or cut in quarters and prepared as directed for scalloped turnips, page . canning vegetables. most housekeepers experience more difficulty in canning and keeping vegetables than fruit. this is frequently owing to lack of care to secure perfect cans, covers, and rubbers, and to cook the vegetables thoroughly. whatever is to be canned must be cooked sufficiently to be eaten, and must be boiling at the time it is put into the cans. care as to the cleanliness of the cans and their sterilization is also important, and after the canning process is completed, all vegetables put up in glass should be kept in a cool, dark place. the general directions given for canning fruits should be followed in canning vegetables. _recipes._ canned corn.--select corn just ripe enough for table use, and prepare as directed for stewed corn. it will require from twelve to fifteen ears to fill sufficiently each quart can. to insure success, the cans should be so full that when the corn is shrunken by the cooking, the can will still be well filled. pack the corn in the cans, working it down closely by means of the small end of a potato masher, so the milk will cover the corn and completely fill the can; heap a little more corn loosely on the top, and screw the covers on sufficiently tight to prevent water from getting into the can. place the cans in a boiler, on the bottom of which has been placed some straw or a rack; also take care not to let the cans come in contact with each other, by wrapping each in a cloth or by placing a chip between them. a double layer of cans may be placed in the boiler, one on top of the other, if desirable, provided there is some intervening substance. fill the boiler with cold water so as completely to cover the cans; place over the fire, bring gradually to a boil, and keep boiling steadily for four hours. remove the boiler from the fire, and allow the cans to cool gradually, tightening the covers frequently as they cool. if the corn in the can shrinks, do not open to refill. if cooked thoroughly, and due care is taken in other particulars, there need be no failure. wrap closely in brown paper, and put away in a dark, cool, dry place. canned corn and tomatoes.--use about one third corn and two thirds tomatoes, or in equal portions if preferred. cook the tomatoes in a double boiler for an hour and a half or longer; and in another double boiler, when the tomatoes are nearly done, cook the corn in its own juices until thoroughly done. turn them together, heat to boiling, and can at once. canned peas.--select peas which are fresh, young, and tender. shell, pack into perfect cans, shaking and filling as full as possible, add sufficient cold water to fill them to overflowing, screw on the covers, and cook and seal the same as directed for canning corn. canned tomatoes.--tomatoes for canning should be freshly gathered, ripe, but not at all softened. as they are best cooked in their own juices, peel, slice, put into a double boiler or a porcelain fruit-kettle set inside a dish filled with boiling water, and cook from one to two hours. cooked in the ordinary way, great care will be required to keep the fruit from burning. when thoroughly cooked--simple scalding will not do--put into cans, and be sure that all air bubbles are expelled before sealing. wrap in dark brown paper, and put in a cool, dry, dark place. canned tomatoes no. .--cut the fruit into thick slices, let it stand and drain until a large portion of the juice has drained off; then pack solid in new or perfect cans. allow them to stand a little time, then again drain off the juice; fill up a second time with sliced tomatoes, and screw on the top of the cans without the rubbers. pack into a wash boiler as directed for canning corn, and boil for two hours, then put on the rubbers and seal. when cold, tighten the covers and put away. string beans.--select young and tender beans, string them, and cut into pieces about one half inch in length. pack the cans as full as possible, and fill with water until every crevice between the beans is full. screw on the covers and can in the same manner as corn. shelled beans may be canned in the same way. canned pumpkin and squash.--these fruits when canned are quite as desirable for pies as the fresh material. the same general rules should be followed as in canning other vegetables and fruits. table topics. the word "vegetarian" is not derived from "vegetable," but from the latin, _homo vegetus_, meaning among the romans a strong, robust, thoroughly healthy man. an intellectual feast.--professor louis agassiz in his early manhood visited germany to consult oken, the transcendentalist in zoölogical classification. "after i had delivered to him my letter of introduction," he once said to a friend, "oken asked me to dine with him, and you may suppose with what joy i accepted the invitation. the dinner consisted only of potatoes, boiled and roasted; but it was the best dinner i ever ate; for there was oken. never before were such potatoes grown on this planet; for the mind of the man seemed to enter into what we ate sociably together, and i devoured his intellect while munching his potatoes." dr. abernethy's recipe for using cucumbers: "peel the cucumber, slice it, pepper it, put vinegar to it, then throw it out the window." a green son of the emerald isle was eating sweet corn from the cob for the first time. he handed the cob to the waiter, and asked, "will you plaze put some more beans on my shtick?" a french physician styles spinach, _le balai de l'estomac_ (broom of the stomach). an ox is satisfied with the pasture of an acre or two; one wood suffices for several elephants. man alone supports himself by the pillage of the whole earth and sea. what? has nature indeed given us so insatiable a stomach, while she has given us so insignificant bodies? no; it is not the hunger of our stomachs, but insatiable covetousness which costs so much.--_seneca._ the oftener we go to the vegetable world for our food, the oftener we go to the first and therefore the cheapest source of supply. the tendencies of all advanced scholars in thrift should be to find out plans for feeding all the community, as far as possible, direct from the lap of earth; to impress science into our service so that she may prepare the choicest viands minus the necessity of making a lower animal the living laboratory for the sake of what is just a little higher than cannibal propensities. _--dr. b.w. richardson._ a voice from the corn. i was made to be eaten, not to be drank, to be husked in a barn, not soaked in a tank; i come as a blessing when put in a mill, as a blight and a curse when run through a still. make me up into loaves, and your children are fed; but made into drink, i will starve them instead. in bread i'm a servant the eater shall rule, in drink i'm a master, the drinker a fool. then remember my warning; my strength i'll employ, if eaten, to strengthen, if drunk, to destroy. --_sel._ soups soup is an easily made, economical, and when properly prepared from healthful and nutritious material, very wholesome article of diet, deserving of much more general use than is commonly accorded it. in general, when soup is mentioned, some preparation of meat and bones is supposed to be meant; but we shall treat in this chapter of a quite different class of soups, viz., those prepared from the grains, legumes, and vegetables, without the previous preparation of a "stock." soups of this character are in every way equal, and in many points superior to those made from meat and bones. if we compare the two, we shall find that soups made from the grains and legumes rank much higher in nutritive value than do meat soups. for the preparation of the latter, one pound of meat and bones, in about equal proportion, is required for each quart of soup. in the bone, there is little or no nourishment, it being valuable simply for the gelatine it contains, which gives consistency to the soup; so in reality there is only one half pound of material containing nutriment, for the quart of soup. suppose, in comparison we take a pea soup. one half pound of peas will be amply enough for a quart. as we take an equal amount of material as basis for each soup, we can easily determine their relative value by comparing the amount of nutritive material contained in peas with that of beef, the most commonly used material for meat soups. as will be seen by reference to the table of food analyses on page , peas contain . parts nutritive material, while lean beef contains only parts in one hundred. thus the pea soup contains more than three times as much nourishment as does the beef soup. soups prepared from grains and legumes are no more expensive than meat soups, and many kinds cost much less, while they have the added advantage of requiring less time and no more labor to prepare. the greater bulk of all meat soups is water, holding in solution the essence of meat, the nutritive value of which is of very doubtful character. when properly prepared, the solid matter which enters into the composition of vegetable soups, is so broken up in the process of cooking, that it is more easily digested than in any other form. taken hot at the beginning of a meal, soup stimulates the flow of the digestive juices, and on account of the bulk, brings a sense of satiety before an excessive quantity of food has been taken. in preparing soups from grains, legumes, and vegetables, the material should be first cooked in the ordinary manner, using as small an amount of water as practicable, so as the more thoroughly to disintegrate or break it up. if the material be legumes or grains, the cooking should be slow and prolonged. the purpose to be attained in the cooking of all foods is the partial digestion of the food elements; and in general, with these foods, the more slowly (if continuous) the cooking is done, the more completely will this be brought about. when the material is cooked, the next step is to make it homogeneous throughout, and to remove any skins or cellulose material it may contain. to do this, it should be put through a colander. the kind of colander depends upon the material. peas and beans require a fine colander, since the skins, of which we are seeking to rid them, would easily go through a coarse one. to aid in this sifting process, if the material be at all dry, a small quantity of liquid may be added from time to time. when the colander process is complete, a sufficient amount of milk or other liquid may be added to make the whole of the consistency of rather thick cream. [illustration: chinese soup strainer.] if the material is now cold, it must be reheated, and the salt, if any is to be used, added. the quantity of salt will depend somewhat upon the taste of the consumer; but in general, one half teaspoonful to the pint of soup will be an ample supply. if any particular flavor, as of onion or celery, is desired, it may be imparted to the soup by adding to it a slice of onion or a few stalks of celery, allowing them to remain during the reheating. by the time the soup is well heated, it will be delicately flavored, and the pieces of onion or celery may be removed with a fork or a skimmer. it is better, in general, to cook the soup all that is needed before flavoring, since if allowed to boil, all delicate flavors are apt to be lost by evaporation. when reheated, add to the soup a quantity of cream as seasoning, in the proportion of one cup of thin cream for every quart or three pints of soup. to avoid the possibility of any lumps or fragments in the soup, pour it again through a colander or a chinese soup strainer into the soup tureen, and serve. it is well to take the precaution first to heat the strainer and tureen, that the soup be not cooled during the process. if it is desired to have the soup especially light and nice, beat or whip the cream before adding, or beat the hot soup with an egg beater for a few minutes after adding the cream. the well-beaten yolk of an egg for every quart or three pints of soup, will answer as a very fair substitute for cream in potato, rice, and similar soups. it should not be added to the body of the soup, but a cupful of the hot soup may be turned slowly onto the egg, stirring all the time, in order to mix it well without curdling, and then the cupful stirred into the whole. soups made from legumes are excellent without cream. the consistency of the soup when done should be about that of single cream, and equal throughout, containing no lumps or fragments of material. if it is too thick, it may be easily diluted with hot milk or water; if too thin, it will require the addition of more material, or may be thickened with a little flour or cornstarch rubbed to a cream with a small quantity of milk, used in the proportion of one tablespoonful for a quart of soup,--heaping, if flour; scant, if cornstarch,--and remembering always to boil the soup five or ten minutes after the flour is added, that there may be no raw taste. the addition of the flour or cornstarch gives a smoothness to their consistency which is especially desirable for some soups. a few spoonfuls of cooked oatmeal or cracked wheat, added and rubbed through the colander with the other material, is valuable for the same purpose. browned flour prepared by spreading a cupful thinly on shallow tins, and placing in a moderately hot oven, stirring frequently until lightly and evenly browned, is excellent to use both for thickening and flavoring certain soups. if whole grains, macaroni, vermicelli, or shredded vegetables are to be used in the soup, cook them separately, and add to the soup just before serving. the nutritive value of soup depends of course upon its ingredients, and these should be so chosen and combined as to produce the best possible food from the material employed. milk is a valuable factor in the preparation of soups. with such vegetables as potatoes, parsnips, and others of the class composed largely of starch, and containing but a small proportion of the nitrogenous food elements, its use is especially important as an addition to their food value, as also to their palatableness. very good soups may, however, be made from legumes, if carefully cooked with water only. soups offer a most economical way of making use of the "left-over" fragments which might otherwise be consigned to the refuse bucket. a pint of cold mashed potatoes, a cupful of stewed beans, a spoonful or two of boiled rice, stewed tomatoes, or other bits of vegetables and grains, are quite as good for soup purposes as fresh material, provided they have been preserved fresh and sweet. to insure this it is always best to put them away in clean dishes; if retained in the dish from which they were served, the thin smears and small crumbs on the sides which spoil much sooner than the larger portion, will help to spoil the rest. one may find some difficulty in rubbing them through the colander unless they are first moistened. measure the cold food, and then determine how much liquid will be needed, and add a part of this before attempting to put through the colander. it is difficult to give specific directions for making soups of fragments, as the remnants to be utilized will vary so much in character as to make such inapplicable, but the recipes given for combination soups will perhaps serve as an aid in this direction. where a sufficient amount of one kind of food is left over to form the basis of a soup or to serve as a seasoning, it can be used in every way the same as fresh material. when, however, there is but a little of various odds and ends, the general rule to be observed is to combine only such materials as harmonize in taste. soups prepared from the grains, legumes, and vegetables, are so largely composed of food material that it is important that they be retained in the mouth long enough for proper insalivation; and in order to insure this, it is well to serve with the soup _croutons_, prepared by cutting stale bread into small squares or cubes, and browning thoroughly in a moderate oven. put a spoonful or two of the _croutons_ in each plate, and turn the hot soup over them. this plan also serves another purpose,--that of providing a means whereby the left-over bits of stale bread may be utilized to advantage. _recipes._ asparagus soup.--wash two bunches of fresh asparagus carefully, and cut into small pieces. put to cook in a quart of boiling water, and simmer gently till perfectly tender, when there should remain about a pint of the liquor. turn into a colander, and rub all through except the hard portion. to a pint of asparagus mixture add salt and one cup of thin cream and a pint of milk; boil up for a few minutes, and serve. baked bean soup.--soak a half pint of white beans over night. in the morning turn off the water, and place them in an earthen dish with two or two and one half quarts of boiling water; cover and let them simmer in a moderate oven four or five hours. also soak over night a tablespoonful of pearl tapioca in sufficient water to cover. when the beans are soft, rub through a colander, after which add the soaked tapioca, and salt if desired; also as much powdered thyme as can be taken on the point of a penknife and sufficient water to make the soup of proper consistency if the water has mostly evaporated. return to the oven, and cook one half hour longer. a little cream may be added just before serving. bean and corn soup.--cold boiled or stewed corn and cold baked beans form the basis of this soup. take one pint of each, rub through a colander, add a slice of onion, three cups of boiling water or milk, and boil for ten minutes. turn through the colander a second time to remove the onion and any lumps or skins which may remain. season with salt and a half cup of cream. if preferred, the onion may be omitted. bean and hominy soup.--soak separately in cold water over night a cupful each of dry beans and hominy. in the morning, boil them together till both are perfectly tender and broken to pieces. rub through a colander, and add sufficient milk to make three pints. season with salt, and stir in a cup of whipped cream just before serving. cold beans and hominy may be utilized for this soup. bean and potato soup.--soak a half pint of dry white beans over night; in the morning drain and put to cook in boiling water. when tender, rub through a colander. prepare sliced potato sufficient to make one quart, cook in as small a quantity of water as possible, rub through a colander, and add to the beans. add milk or water sufficient to make two quarts, and as much prepared thyme as can be taken on the point of a penknife, with salt to season. boil for a few minutes, add a teacup of thin cream, and serve. bean and tomato soup.--take one pint of boiled or a little less of mashed beans, one pint of stewed tomatoes, and rub together through a colander. add salt, a cup of thin cream, one half a cup of nicely steamed rice, and sufficient boiling water to make a soup of the proper consistency. reheat and serve. black bean soup.--soak a pint of black beans over night in cold water. when ready to cook, put into two and one half quarts of fresh water, which should be boiling, and simmer until completely dissolved, adding more boiling water from time to time if needed. there should be about two quarts of all when done. rub through a colander, add salt, a half cup of cream, and reheat. when hot, turn through a soup strainer, add two or more teaspoonfuls of lemon juice, and serve. black bean soup no. .--soak a pint of black beans in water over night. cook in boiling water until tender, then rub through a colander. add sufficient boiling water to make about two quarts in all. add salt, and one half a small onion cut in slices to flavor. turn into a double boiler and reheat. when sufficiently flavored, remove the onion with a skimmer, thicken the soup with two teaspoonfuls of browned flour, turn through the soup strainer and serve. if desired, a half cup of cream may be added, and the onion flavor omitted. bran stock.--for every quart of stock desired, boil a cup of good wheat bran in three pints of water for two or three hours or until reduced one third. this stock may be made the base of a variety of palatable and nutritious soups by flavoring with different vegetables and seasoning with salt and cream. an excellent soup may be prepared by flavoring the stock with celery, or by the addition of a quantity of strained stewed tomato sufficient to disguise the taste of the stock. it is also valuable in giving consistence to soups, in the preparation of some of which it may be advantageously used in place of other liquid. brown soup.--simmer together two pints of sliced potatoes and one third as much of the thin brown shavings (not thicker than a silver dime) from the top of a loaf of whole-wheat bread, in one quart of water. the crust must not be burned or blackened, and must not include any of the soft portion of the loaf. when the potatoes are tender, mash all through a colander. flavor with a cup of strained, stewed tomatoes, a little salt, and return to the fire; when hot, add a half cup of cream, and boiling water to make the soup of proper consistency, and serve at once. if care has been taken to prepare the crust as directed, this soup will have a brown color and a fine, pungent flavor exceedingly pleasant to the taste. canned green pea soup.--rub a can of green peas through a colander to remove the skins. add a pint of milk and heat to boiling. if too thin, thicken with a little flour rubbed smooth in a very little cold milk. season with salt and a half cup of cream. a small teaspoonful of white sugar may be added if desired. green peas, instead of canned, may be used when procurable. when they have become a little too hard to serve alone, they can be used for soup, if thoroughly cooked. canned corn soup.--open a can of green corn, turn it into a granite-ware dish, and thoroughly mash with a potato-masher until each kernel is broken, then rub through a colander to remove the skins. add sufficient rich milk to make the soup of the desired consistency, about one half pint for each pint can of corn will be needed. season with salt, reheat, and serve. if preferred, a larger quantity of milk and some cream may be used, and the soup, when reheated, thickened with a little corn starch or flour. it may be turned through the colander a second time or not, as preferred. carrot soup.--for a quart of soup, slice one large carrot and boil in a small quantity of water for two hours or longer, then rub it through a colander, add a quart of rich milk, and salt to season. reheat, and when boiling, thicken with two teaspoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. celery soup.--chop quite fine enough fresh, crisp celery to make a pint, and cook it until tender in a very little boiling water. when done, heat three cupfuls of rich milk, part cream if it can be afforded, to boiling, add the celery, salt to season, and thicken the whole with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk; or add to the milk before heating a cupful of mashed potato, turn through a colander to remove lumps, reheat, add salt and the celery, and serve. celery soup no. .--cook in a double boiler a cupful of cracked wheat in three pints of water for three or four hours. rub the wheat through a colander, add a cup of rich milk, and if needed, a little boiling water, and a small head of celery cut in finger lengths. boil all together for fifteen or twenty minutes, until well flavored, remove the celery with a fork, add salt, and serve with or without the hard-boiled yolk of an egg in each soup plate. chestnut soup.--shell and blanch a pint of italian chestnuts, as directed on page , and cook in boiling milk until tender. rub the nuts through a colander, add salt and sufficient milk and cream to make a soup of the proper consistency, reheat and serve. combination soup.--this soup is prepared from material already cooked, and requires two cups of cracked wheat, one and one half cups of lima beans, one half cup of black beans, and one cup of stewed tomato. rub the material together through a colander, adding, if needed, a little hot water to facilitate the sifting. add boiling water to thin to the proper consistency, season with salt and if it can be afforded a little sweet cream,--the soup is, however, very palatable without the cream. combination soup no. .--take three and one half cups of mashed (scotch) peas, one cup each of cooked rice, oatmeal, and hominy, and two cups of stewed tomato. rub the material through a colander, add boiling water to thin to the proper consistency, season with salt, reheat, and add, just before serving, two cups of cooked macaroni. if preferred, a cup of cream may be used in place of the tomato, or both may be omitted. another.--one half cup of cold mashed potato, one cup each of cooked pearl wheat, barley and dried peas. rub all through a colander, add boiling milk to thin to the proper consistency, season with salt and a half cup of cream. another.--take three cups of cooked oatmeal, two of mashed white beans, and one of stewed tomato. rub the ingredients through a colander, add boiling milk to thin to the proper consistency, season with salt and a little cream. cream pea soup.--soak three fourths of a pint of dried scotch peas over night in a quart of water. in the morning put to cook in boiling water, cover closely and let them simmer gently four or five hours, or until the peas are very tender and well disintegrated; then rub through a colander to remove the skins. if the peas are very dry, add a little water or milk occasionally, to moisten them and facilitate the sifting. just before the peas are done, prepare potatoes enough to make a pint and a half, after being cut in thin slices. cook the potatoes until tender in a small amount of water, and rub them through a colander. add the potatoes thus prepared to the sifted peas, and milk enough to make three and one half pints in all. return to the fire, and add a small head of celery cut finger lengths, and let the whole simmer together ten or fifteen minutes, until flavored. remove the celery with a fork, add salt and a cup of thin cream. this should make about two quarts of soup. if preferred, the peas may be cooked without soaking. it will, however, require a little longer time. cream barley soup.--wash a cup of pearl barley, drain and simmer slowly in two quarts of water for four or five hours, adding boiling water from time to time as needed. when the barley is tender, strain off the liquor, of which there should be about three pints; add to it a portion of the cooked barley grains, salt, and a cup of whipped cream, and serve. if preferred, the beaten yolk of an egg may be used instead of cream. green corn soup.--take six well-filled ears of tender green corn. run a sharp knife down the rows and split each grain; then with the back of a knife, scraping from the large to the small end of the ear, press out the pulp, leaving the hulls on the cob. break the cobs if long, put them in cold water sufficient to cover, and boil half an hour. strain off the water, of which there should be at least one pint. put the corn water on again, and when boiling add the corn pulp, and cook fifteen minutes, or until the raw taste is destroyed. rub through a rather coarse colander, add salt and a pint of hot unskimmed milk; if too thin, thicken with a little cornstarch or flour, boil up, and serve. if preferred, a teaspoonful of sugar may be added to the soup. a small quantity of cooked macaroni, cut in rings, makes a very pretty and palatable addition to the soup. the soup is also excellent flavored with celery. green pea soup.--gently simmer two quarts of shelled peas in sufficient water to cook, leaving almost no juice when tender. rub through a colander, moistening if necessary with a little cold milk. add to the sifted peas an equal quantity of rich milk and a small onion cut in halves. boil all together five or ten minutes until the soup is delicately flavored, then remove the onion with a skimmer; add salt if desired, and serve. if preferred, a half cup of thin cream may be added just before serving. celery may be used in place of the onion, or both may be omitted. green bean soup.--prepare a quart of fresh string beans by pulling off ends and strings and breaking into small pieces. boil in a small quantity of water. if the beans are fresh and young, three pints will be sufficient; if wilted or quite old, more will be needed, as they will require longer cooking. there should be about a teacupful and a half of liquid left when the beans are perfectly tender and boiled in pieces. rub through a colander, return to the kettle, and for each cup of the bean pulp add salt, a cup and a half of unskimmed milk; boil together for a few minutes, thicken with a little flour, and serve. the quart of beans should be sufficient for three pints of soup. kornlet soup.--kornlet or canned green corn pulp, may be made into a most appetizing soup in a few minutes by adding to a pint of kornlet an equal quantity of rich milk, heating to boiling, and thickening it with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. kornlet and tomato soup.--put together equal quantities of kornlet and strained stewed tomato, season with salt and heat to boiling; add for each quart one fourth to one half cup of hot thin cream, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little water, and serve. cooked corn rubbed through a colander may also be used for this soup. lentil soup.--simmer a pint of lentils in water until tender. if desired to have the soup less dark in color and less strong in flavor, the lentils may be first parboiled for a half hour, and then drained and put into fresh boiling water. much valuable nutriment is thus lost, however. when perfectly tender, mash through a colander to remove all skins; add salt and a cup of thin cream, and it too thick, sufficient boiling milk or water to thin to the proper consistency, heat again to boiling, and serve. if preferred, an additional quantity of liquid may be added and the soup slightly thickened with browned flour. lentil and parsnip soup.--cook together one pint of lentils and one half a small parsnip, sliced, until tender in a small quantity of boiling water. when done, rub through a colander, and add boiling water to make a soup of the proper consistency. season with salt and if desired a little cream. lima bean soup.--simmer a pint of lima beans gently in just sufficient water to cook and not burn, until they have fallen to pieces. add more boiling water as needed. when done, rub the beans through a colander. add rich milk or water to make of the proper consistency, and salt to season; reheat and serve. white beans may be used in place of lima beans, but they require more prolonged cooking. a heaping tablespoonful of pearl tapioca or sago previously soaked in cold water, may be added to the soup when it is reheated, if liked, and the whole cooked until the sago is transparent. macaroni soup.--heat a quart of milk, to which has been added a tablespoonful of finely grated bread crust (the brown part only, from the top of the loaf) and a slice of onion to flavor, in a double boiler. when the milk is well flavored, remove the onion, turn through a colander, add salt, and thicken with two teaspoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. lastly add one cupful of cooked macaroni, and serve. oatmeal soup.--put two heaping tablespoonfuls of oatmeal into a quart of boiling water, and cook in a double boiler for two hours or longer. strain as for gruel, add salt if desired, and two or three stalks of celery broken into finger lengths, and cook again until the whole is well flavored with the celery, which may then be removed with a fork; add a half cup of cream, and the soup is ready to serve. cold oatmeal mush may be thinned with milk, reheated, strained, flavored, and made into soup the same as fresh material. a slice or two of onion may be used with the celery for flavoring the soup if desired, or a cup of strained stewed tomato may be added. parsnip soup.--take a quart of well scraped, thinly sliced parsnips, one cup of bread crust shavings (prepared as for brown soup), one head of celery, one small onion, and one pint of sliced potatoes. the parsnips used should be young and tender, so that they will cook in about the same length of time as the other vegetables. use only sufficient water to cook them. when done, rub through a colander and add salt and sufficient rich milk, part cream if desired, to make of the proper consistency. reheat and serve. parsnip soup no. .--wash, pare, and slice equal quantities of parsnips and potatoes. cook, closely covered, in a small quantity of water until soft. if the parsnips are not young and tender, they must be put to cook first, and the potatoes added when they are half done. mash through a colander. add salt, and milk to make of the proper consistency, season with cream, reheat and serve. pea and tomato soup.--soak one pint of scotch peas over night. when ready to cook, put into a quart of boiling water and simmer slowly until quite dry and well disintegrated. rub through a colander to remove the skins. add a pint of hot water, one cup of mashed potato, two cups of strained stewed tomato, and one cup of twelve-hour cream. turn into a double-boiler and cook together for a half hour or longer; turn a second time through a colander or soup strainer and serve. the proportions given are quite sufficient for two quarts of soup. there may need to be some variation in the quantity of tomato to be used, depending upon its thickness. if very thin, a larger quantity and less water will be needed. the soup should be a rich reddish brown in color when done. the peas may be cooked without being first soaked, if preferred. plain rice soup.--wash and pick over four tablespoonfuls of rice, put it in an earthen dish with a quart of water, and place in a moderate oven. when the water is all absorbed, add a quart of rich milk, and salt if desired; turn into a granite kettle and boil ten minutes, or till the rice is done. add a half cup of sweet cream and serve. a slice of onion or stalk of celery can be boiled with the soup after putting in the kettle, and removed before serving, if desired to flavor. potato and rice soup.--cook a quart of sliced potatoes in as little water as possible. when done, rub through a colander. add salt, a quart of rich milk, and reheat. if desired, season with a slice of onion, a stalk of celery, or a little parsley. just before serving, add a half cup of cream and a cup and a half of well-cooked rice with unbroken grains. stir gently and serve at once. potato soup.--for each quart of soup required, cook a pint of sliced potatoes in sufficient water to cover them. when tender, rub through a colander. return to the fire, and add enough rich, sweet milk, part cream if it can be afforded to make a quart in all, and a little salt. let the soup come to a boil, and add a teaspoonful of flour or corn starch, rubbed to a paste with a little water; boil a few minutes and serve. a cup and a half of cold mashed potato or a pint of sliced baked potato can be used instead of fresh material; in which case add the milk and heat before rubbing through the colander. a slice of onion or a stalk of celery may be simmered in the soup for a few minutes to flavor, and then removed with a skimmer or a spoon. a good mixed potato soup is made by using one third sweet and two thirds irish potatoes, in the same manner as above. potato and vermicelli soup.--breakup a cupful of vermicelli and drop into boiling water. let it cook for ten or fifteen minutes, and then turn into a colander to drain. have ready a potato soup prepared the same as in the proceeding; stir the vermicelli lightly into it just before serving. sago and potato soup.--prepare the soup as directed for potato soup, from fresh or cold mashed potato, using a little larger quantity of milk or cream, as the sago adds thickness to the soap. when seasoned and ready to reheat, turn a second time through the colander, and add for each quart of soup, one heaping tablespoonful of sago which has been soaked for twenty minutes in just enough water to cover. boil together five or ten minutes, or until the sago is transparent, and serve. scotch broth.--soak over night two tablespoonfuls of pearl barley and one of coarse oatmeal, in water sufficient to cover them. in the morning, put the grains, together with the water in which they were soaked, into two quarts of water and simmer for several hours, adding boiling water as needed. about an hour before the soup is required, add a turnip cut into small dice, a grated carrot, and one half cup of fine pieces of the brown portion of the crust of a loaf of whole-wheat bread. rub all through a colander, and add salt, a cup of milk, and a half cup of thin cream. this should make about three pints of soup. split pea soup.--for each quart of soup desired, simmer a cupful of split peas very slowly in three pints of boiling water for six hours, or until thoroughly dissolved. when done, rub through a colander, add salt and season with one half cup of thin cream. reheat, and when boiling, stir into it two teaspoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. boil up until thickened, and serve. if preferred, the cream may be omitted and the soup flavored with a little celery or onion. sweet potato soup.--to a pint of cold mashed sweet potato add a pint and a half of strained stewed tomato, rub together through a colander, add salt to season, and half a cup of cream. reheat and serve. swiss potato soup.--pare and cut up into small pieces, enough white turnips to fill a pint cup, and cook in a small quantity of water. when tender, add three pints of sliced potatoes, and let them boil together until of the consistency of mush. add hot water if it has boiled away so that there is not sufficient to cook the potatoes. when done, drain, rub through a colander, add a pint and a half of milk and a cup of thin cream, salt if desired, and if too thick, a little more milk or a sufficient quantity of hot water to make it of the proper consistency. this should be sufficient for two and a half quarts of soup. swiss lentil soup.--cook a pint of brown lentils in a small quantity of boiling water. add to the lentils when about half done, one medium sized onion cut in halves or quarters. when the lentils are tender, remove the onion with a fork, and rub the lentils through a colander. add sufficient boiling water to make three pints in all. season with salt, reheat to boiling, and thicken the whole with four table spoonfuls of browned flour, rubbed to a cream in a little cold water. tomato and macaroni soup.--break a half dozen sticks of macaroni into small pieces, and drop into boiling water. cook for an hour, or until perfectly tender. rub two quarts of stewed or canned tomatoes through a colander, to remove all seeds and fragments. when the macaroni is done, drain thoroughly, cut each piece into tiny rings, and add it to the strained tomatoes. season with salt, and boil for a few minutes. if desired, just before serving add a cup of thin cream, boil up once, and serve immediately. if the tomato is quite thin, the soup should be slightly thickened with a little flour before adding the macaroni. tomato cream soup.--heat two quarts of strained, stewed tomatoes to boiling; add four tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. let the tomatoes boil until thickened, stirring constantly that no lumps form; add salt to season. have ready two cups of hot rich milk or thin cream. add the cream or milk hot, and let all boil together for a minute or two, then serve. tomato and okra soup.--take one quart of okra thinly sliced, and two quarts of sliced tomatoes. simmer gently from one to two hours. rub through a colander, heat again to boiling, season with salt and cream if desired, and serve. canned okra and tomatoes need only to be rubbed through a colander, scalded and seasoned, to make a most excellent soup. if preferred, one or two potatoes may be sliced and cooked, rubbed through a colander, and added. tomato soup with vermicelli.--cook a cupful of broken vermicelli in a pint of boiling water for ten minutes. turn into a colander to drain. have boiling two quarts of strained, stewed tomatoes, to which add the vermicelli. if preferred, the tomato may be thickened slightly with a little cornstarch rubbed smooth in cold water before adding the vermicelli. salt to taste, and just before serving turn in a cup of hot, thin cream. let all boil up for a moment, then serve at once. vegetable oyster soup.--scrape all the outer covering and small rootlets from vegetable oysters, and lay them in a pan of cold water to prevent discoloration. the scraping can be done much easier if the roots are allowed first to stand in cold water for an hour or so. slice rather thin, enough to make one quart, and put to cook in a quart of water. let them boil slowly until very tender. add a pint of milk, a cup of thin cream, salt, and when boiling, a tablespoonful or two of flour, rubbed to a cream with a little milk. let the soup boil a few minutes until thickened, and serve. vegetable soup.--simmer together slowly for three or four hours, in five quarts of water, a quart of split peas, a slice of carrot, a slice of white turnip, one cup of canned tomatoes, and two stalks of celery cut into small bits. when done, rub through a colander, add milk to make of proper consistency, reheat, season with salt and cream, and serve. vegetable soup no. .--prepare and slice a pint of vegetable oysters and a pint and a half of potatoes. put the oysters to cook first, in sufficient water to cook both. when nearly done, add the potatoes and cook all till tender. rub through a colander, or if preferred, remove the pieces of oysters, and rub the potato only through the colander, together with the water in which the oysters were cooked, as that will contain all the flavor. return to the fire, and add salt, a pint of strained, stewed tomatoes, and when boiling, the sliced oysters if desired, a cup of thin cream and a cup of milk, both previously heated; serve at once. vegetable soup no. .--soak a cupful of white beans over night in cold water. when ready to cook, put into fresh boiling water and simmer until tender. when nearly done, add three large potatoes sliced, two or three slices of white turnip, and one large parsnip cut in slices. when done, rub through a colander, add milk or water to make of proper consistency, season with salt and cream, reheat and serve. this quantity of material is sufficient for two quarts of soup. vegetable soup no. .--prepare a quart of bran stock as previously directed. heat to boiling, and add to it one teaspoonful of grated carrot, a slice of onion, and a half cup of tomato. cook together in a double boiler for half an hour. remove the slice of onion, and add salt and a half cup of turnip previously cooked and cut in small dice. velvet soup.--pour three pints of hot potato soup, seasoned to taste, slowly over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, stirring briskly to mix the egg perfectly with the soup. it must not be reheated after adding the egg. plain rice or barley soup may be used in place of potato soup, if preferred. vermicelli soup.--lightly fill a cup with broken vermicelli. turn it into a pint of boiling water, and cook for ten or fifteen minutes. drain off all the hot water and put into cold water for a few minutes. turn into a colander and drain again; add three pints of milk, salt to taste, and heat to boiling. have the yolks of three eggs well beaten, and when the soup is boiling, turn it gradually onto the eggs, stirring briskly that they may not curdle. return to the kettle, reheat nearly to boiling, and serve at once. vermicelli soup no. .--cook a cupful of sliced vegetable oysters, a stalk or two of celery, two slices of onion, a parsnip, and half a carrot in water just sufficient to cover well. meanwhile put a cupful of vermicelli in a quart of milk and cook in a double boiler until tender. when the vegetables are done, strain off the broth and add it to the vermicelli when cooked. season with salt and a cup of cream. beat two eggs light and turn the boiling soup on the eggs, stirring briskly that they may not curdle. reheat if not thickened, and serve. white celery soup.--cut two heads of celery into finger lengths, and simmer in a quart of milk for half an hour. remove the pieces of celery with a skimmer. thicken the soup with a tablespoonful of cornstarch braided with a little milk, add salt if desired, and a teacup of whipped cream. table topics. soup rejoices the stomach, and disposes it to receive and digest other food.--_brillat savarin._ to work the head, temperance must be carried into the diet.--_beecher._ to fare well implies the partaking of such food as does not disagree with body or mind. hence only those fare well who live temperately.--_socrates._ the aliments to which the cook's art gives a liquid or semi-liquid form, are in general more digestible.--_dictionaire de medicine._ in the most heroic days of the grecian army, their food was the plain and simple produce of the soil. when the public games of ancient greece were first instituted, the _athleta_, in accordance with the common dietetic habits of the people, were trained entirely on vegetable food. the eating of much flesh fills us with a multitude of evil diseases and multitudes of evil desires.--_perphyrises, a.d._ no flocks that range the valley free to slaughter i condemn; taught by the power that pities me, i learn to pity them. but from the mountain's grassy side a guiltless feast i bring; a scrip with herbs and fruits supplied and water from the spring. --_goldsmith._ breakfast dishes a good breakfast is the best capital upon which people who have real work to do in the world can begin the day. if the food is well selected and well cooked, it furnishes both cheer and strength for their daily tasks. poor food, or good food poorly prepared, taxes the digestive powers more than is due, and consequently robs brain and nerves of vigor. good food is not rich food, in the common acceptation of the term; it is such food as furnishes the requisite nutriment with the least fatigue to the digestive powers. it is of the best material, prepared in the best manner, and with pleasant variety, though it may be very simple. "what to get for breakfast" is one of the most puzzling problems which the majority of housewives have to solve. the usually limited time for its preparation requires that it be something easily and quickly prepared; and health demands that the bill of fare be of such articles as require but minimum time for digestion, that the stomach may have chance for rest after the process of digestion is complete, before the dinner hour. the custom of using fried potatoes or mushes, salted fish or meats, and other foods almost impossible of digestion, for breakfast dishes, is most pernicious. these foods set completely at variance all laws of breakfast hygiene. they are very difficult of digestion, and the thirst-provoking quality of salted foods makes them an important auxiliary to the acquirement of a love of intoxicating drinks. we feel very sure that, as a prominent temperance writer says, "it very often happens that women who send out their loved ones with an agony of prayer that they may be kept from drink for the day, also send them with a breakfast that will make them almost frantic with thirst before they get to the first saloon." the foods composing the breakfast _menu_ should be simple in character, well and delicately cooked, and neatly served. fruits and grains and articles made from them offer the requisites for the ideal breakfast. these afford ample provision for variety, are easily made ready, and easily digested, while at the same time furnishing excellent nutriment in ample quantity and of the very best quality. meats, most vegetables, and compound dishes, more difficult of digestion, are better reserved for the dinner bill of fare. no vegetable except the potato is especially serviceable as a breakfast food, and it is much more readily digested when baked than when prepared in any other manner. stewing requires less time for preparation, but about one hour longer for digestion. as an introduction to the morning meal, fresh fruits are most desirable, particularly the juicy varieties, as oranges, grape fruit, melons, grapes, and peaches, some one of which are obtainable nearly the entire year. other fruits; such as apples, bananas, pears, etc., though less suitable, may be used for the same purpose. they are, however, best accompanied with wafers or some hard food, to insure their thorough mastication. for the second course, some of the various cereals, oatmeal, rye, corn, barley, rice, or one of the numerous preparations of wheat, well cooked and served with cream, together with one or more unfermented breads (recipes for which have been given in a previous chapter), cooked fruits, and some simple relishes, are quite sufficient for a healthful and palatable breakfast. if, however, a more extensive bill of fare is desired, numerous delicious and appetizing toasts may be prepared according to the recipes given in this chapter, and which, because of their simple character and the facility with which they can be prepared, are particularly suitable as breakfast dishes. the foundation of all these toasts is _zwieback_, or twice-baked bread, prepared from good whole-wheat or graham fermented bread cut in uniform slices not more than a half inch thick, each slice being divided in halves, placed on tins, or what is better, the perforated sheets recommended for baking rolls, and baked or toasted in a slow oven for a half hour or longer, until it is browned evenly throughout the entire slice. the zwieback may be prepared in considerable quantity and kept on hand in readiness for use. it will keep for any length of time if stored in a dry place. stale bread is the best for making zwieback, but it should be good, light bread; that which is sour, heavy, and not fit to eat untoasted, should never be used. care must be taken also not to scorch the slices, as once scorched, it is spoiled. properly made, it is equally crisp throughout, and possesses a delicious, nutty flavor. its preparation affords an excellent opportunity for using the left-over slices of bread, and it may be made when the oven has been heated for other purposes, as after the baking of bread, or even during the ordinary cooking, with little or no additional heat. if one possesses an aladdin oven, it can be prepared to perfection. zwieback may also be purchased in bulk, all ready for use, at ten cents a pound, from the sanitarium food co., battle creek, mich., and it is serviceable in so many ways that it should form a staple article of food in every household. for the preparation of toasts, the zwieback must be first softened with some hot liquid, preferably thin cream. heat the cream (two thirds of a pint of cream will be sufficient for six half slices) nearly to boiling in some rather shallow dish. put the slices, two or three at a time, in it, dipping the cream over them and turning so that both sides will become equally softened. keep the cream hot, and let the slices remain until softened just enough so that the center can be pierced with a fork, but not until at all mushy or broken. with two forks or a fork and a spoon, remove each slice from the hot cream, draining as thoroughly as possible, and pack in a heated dish, and repeat the process until as much zwieback has been softened as desired. cover the dish, and keep hot until ready to serve. special care should be taken to drain the slices as thoroughly as possible, that none of them be wet and mushy. it is better to remove them from the cream when a little hard than to allow them to become too soft, as they will soften somewhat by standing after being packed in the dish. prepare the sauce for the toast at the same time or before softening the slices, and pour into a pitcher for serving. serve the slices in individual dishes, turning a small quantity of the hot sauce over each as served. _recipes._ apple toast.--fresh, nicely flavored apples stewed in a small quantity of water, rubbed through, a colander, sweetened, then cooked in a granite-ware dish in a slow oven until quite dry, make a nice dressing for toast. baked sweet or sour apples rubbed through a colander to remove cores and skins, are also excellent. soften slices of zwieback in hot cream, and serve with a spoonful or two on each slice. if desired, the apple may be flavored with a little pineapple or lemon, or mixed with grape, cranberry, or apricot, thus making a number of different toasts. apricot toast.--stew some nice dried apricots as directed on page . when done, rub through a fine colander to remove all skins and to render them homogeneous. add sugar to sweeten, and serve as a dressing on slices of zwieback which have been previously softened in hot cream. one half or two thirds fresh or dried apples may be used with the apricots, if preferred. asparagus toast.--prepare asparagus as directed on page . when tender, drain off the liquor and season it with a little cream, and salt if desired. moisten nicely browned zwieback in the liquor and lay in a hot dish; unbind the asparagus, heap it upon the toast, and serve. banana toast.--peel and press some nice bananas through a colander. this may be very easily done with a potato masher, or if preferred a vegetable press may be used for the purpose. moisten slices of zwieback with hot cream and serve with a large spoonful of the banana pulp on each slice. fresh peaches may be prepared and used on the toast in the same way. berry toast.--canned strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries may be made into an excellent dressing for toast. turn a can of well-kept berries into a colander over an earthen dish, to separate the juice from the berries. place the juice in a porcelain kettle and heat to boiling. thicken to the consistency of cream with flour rubbed smooth in a little water; a tablespoonful of flour to the pint of juice will be about the right proportion. add the berries and boil up just sufficiently to cook the flour and heat the berries; serve hot. if cream for moistening the zwieback is not obtainable, a little juice may be reserved without thickening, and heated in another dish to moisten the toast; of if preferred, the fruit may be heated and poured over the dry zwieback without being thickened, or it may be rubbed through a colander as for apricot toast. berry toast no. .--take fresh red or black raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries, and mash well with a spoon. add sugar to sweeten, and serve as a dressing on slices of zwieback previously moistened with hot cream. celery toast.--cut the crisp white portion of celery into inch pieces, simmer twenty minutes or half an hour, or until tender, in a very little water; add salt and a cup of rich milk. heat to boiling, and thicken with a little flour rubbed smooth in a small quantity of milk--a teaspoonful of flour to the pint of liquid. serve hot, poured over slices of zwieback previously moistened with cream or hot water. cream toast.--for this use good graham or whole-wheat zwieback. have a pint of thin sweet cream scalding hot, salt it a little if desired, and moisten the zwieback in it as previously directed packing it immediately into a hot dish; cover tightly so that the toast may steam, and serve. the slices should be thoroughly moistened, but not soft and mushy nor swimming in cream; indeed, it is better if a little of the crispness still remains. cream toast with poached egg.--prepare the cream toast as previously directed, and serve hot with a well-poached egg on each slice. cherry toast.--take a quart of ripe cherries; stem, wash and stew (if preferred the stones may be removed) until tender but not broken; add sugar to sweeten, and pour over slices of well-browned dry toast or zwieback. serve cold. gravy toast.--heat a quart and a cupful of rich milk to boiling, add salt, and stir into it three scant tablespoonfuls of flour which has been rubbed to a smooth paste in a little cold milk. this quantity will be sufficient for about a dozen slices of toast. moisten slices of zwieback with hot water and pack in a heated dish. when serving, pour a quantity of the cream cause over each slice. dry toast with hot cream.--nicely prepared zwieback served in hot saucers with hot cream poured over each slice at the table, makes a most delicious breakfast dish. grape toast.--stem well-ripened grapes, wash well, and scald without water in a double boiler until broken; rub through a colander to remove sends and skins, and when cool, sweeten to taste. if the toast is desired for breakfast, the grapes should be prepared the day previous. soften the toast in hot cream, as previously directed, and pack in a tureen. heat the prepared grapes and serve, pouring a small quantity over each slice of toast. canned grapes may be used instead of fresh ones, if desired. lentil toast.--lentils stewed as directed for lentil gravy on page served as a dressing on slices of zwieback moistened with hot cream or water, makes a very palatable toast. browned flour may be used to thicken the dressing if preferred. prune toast.--cook prunes as directed on page , allowing them to simmer very slowly for a long time. when done, rub through a colander, and if quite thin, they should be stewed again for a time, until they are about the consistency of marmalade. moisten slices of zwieback with hot cream, and serve with a spoonful or two of the prune dressing on each. one third dried apple may be used with the prune, if preferred. peach toast.--stew nice fresh peaches in a small quantity of water; when tender, rub through a colander, and if quite juicy, place on the back of the range where they will cook very slowly until nearly all the water has evaporated, and the peach is of the consistency of marmalade. add sugar to sweeten, and serve the same as prunes, on slices of zwieback previously moistened with hot cream. canned peaches may be drained from their juice and prepared in the same manner. dried or evaporated peaches may also be used. toast with dried-peach dressing will be more delicate in flavor if one third dried apples be used with the peaches. snowflake toast.--heat to boiling a quart of milk to which a half cup of cream, and a little salt have been added. thicken with a tablespoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. have ready the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth; and when the sauce is well cooked, turn a cupful of it on the beaten egg, stirring well meanwhile so that it will form a light, frothy mixture, to which add the remainder of the sauce. if the sauce is not sufficiently hot to coagulate the albumen, it may be heated again almost to the boiling point, but should not be allowed to boil. the sauce should be of a light, frothy consistency throughout. serve as dressing on nicely moistened slices of zwieback. tomato toast.--moisten slices of zwieback in hot cream, and serve with a dressing prepared by heating a pint of strained stewed tomato to boiling, and thickening with a tablespoonful of corn starch or flour rubbed smooth in a little cold water. season with salt and a half cupful of hot cream. the cream may be omitted, if preferred. vegetable oyster toast.--cook a quart of cleaned, sliced vegetable oysters in a quart of water until very tender; add a pint and a half of rich milk, salt to taste, and thicken the whole with two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed to a smooth paste with a little milk. let it boil for a few minutes, and serve as a dressing on slices of well-browned toast previously moistened with hot water or cream. _miscellaneous breakfast dishes._ brewis.--heat a pint of rich milk to boiling, remove from fire, and beat into it thoroughly and quickly a cup of very fine stale rye or graham bread crumbs. serve at once with cream. blackberry mush.--rub a pint of canned or fresh stewed and sweetened blackberries, having considerable juice, through a fine colander or sieve to remove the seeds. add water to make a pint and a half cupful in all, heat to boiling, and sprinkle into it a cupful of sifted graham flour, or sufficient to make a mush of desired thickness. cook as directed for graham mush, page . serve hot with cream. dry granola.--this prepared food, made from wheat, corn, and oats, and obtainable from the sanitarium food co., battle creek, mich., forms an excellent breakfast dish eaten with cold or hot milk and cream. wheatena, prepared wholly from wheat; avenola, made from oats and wheat; and gofio, made from parched grains, all obtainable from the same firm, are each delicious and suitable foods for the morning meal. frumenty.--wash well a pint of best wheat, and soak for twenty-four hours in water just sufficient to cover. put the soaked wheat in a covered earthen baking pot or jar, cover well with water, and let it cook in a very slow oven for twelve hours. this may be done the day before it is wanted, or if one has a coal range in which a fire may be kept all night, or an aladdin oven, the grain may be started in the evening and cooked at night. when desired for use, put in a saucepan with three pints of milk, a cupful of well-washed zante currants, and one cup of seeded raisins. boil together for a few minutes, thicken with four tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and serve. macaroni with raisins.--break macaroni into inch lengths sufficient to fill a half-pint cup. heat four cups of milk, and when actively boiling, put in the macaroni and cook until tender. pour boiling water over a half cup of raisins, and let them stand until swelled. ten or fifteen minutes before the macaroni is done, add the raisins. serve hot with or without the addition of cream. macaroni cooked in the various ways as directed in the chapter on grains, is also suitable for breakfast dishes. macaroni with kornlet.--break macaroni into inch lengths and cook in boiling milk and water. prepare the kornlet by adding to it an equal quantity of rich milk or thin cream, and thickening with a little flour, a tablespoonful to the pint. when done, drain the macaroni, and add the kornlet in the proportion of a pint of kornlet mixture to one and one half cups of macaroni. mix well, turn into an earthen dish, and brown in a moderate oven. left-over kornlet soup, if kept on ice, may be utilized for this breakfast dish, and the macaroni may be cooked the day before. green corn pulp may be used in place of the kornlet. peach mush.--prepare the same as blackberry mush using very thin peach sauce made smooth by rubbing through a colander. freshly stewed or canned peaches or nicely cooked dried peaches are suitable for this purpose. apples and grapes may be likewise used for a breakfast mush. rice with lemon.--wash a cup of rice and turn it into three pints of boiling water, let it boil vigorously until tender, and turn into a colander to drain. while still in the colander and before the rice has become at all cold, dip quickly in and out of a pan of cold water several times to separate the grains, draining well afterward. all should be done so quickly that the rice will not become too cold for serving; if necessary to reheat, place for a few moments in a dish in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water. serve with a dressing of lemon previously prepared by cutting two fresh lemons in thin, wafer-like slices, sprinkling each thickly with sugar, and allowing them to stand for an hour or more until a syrup is formed. when the rice is ready to serve, lay the slices of lemon on top of it, pouring the syrup over it, and serve with a slice or two of the lemon for each dish. table topics. the lightest breakfast is the best.--_oswald._ a new name for breakfast.--"tum, mamma, leth's go down to tupper," said a little toddler to her mother, one morning, recently. "why, we don't have supper in the morning," replied the mother. "den leth's do down to dinner," urged the little one. "but we don't have dinner in the morning," corrected the mother. "well, den, leth's do down any way," pleaded the child. "but try and think what meal we have in the morning," urged mamma. "i know," said the toddler, brightening up. "what meal do we have in the morning?" "oatmeal. tum on; leth's do."--_sel._ seneca, writing to a friend of his frugal fare which he declares does not cost a sixpence a day, says:-- "do you ask if that can supply due nourishment? yes; and pleasure too. not indeed, that fleeting and superficial pleasure which needs to be perpetually recruited, but a solid and substantial one. bread and polenta certainly is not a luxurious feeding, but it is no little advantage to be able to receive pleasure from a simple diet of which no change of fortune can deprive one." breakfast: come to breakfast! little ones and all,-- how their merry footsteps patter at the call! break the bread; pour freely milk that cream-like flows; a blessing on their appetites and on their lips of rose. dinner may be pleasant so may the social tea, but yet, methinks the breakfast is best of all the three. with its greeting smile of welcome, its holy voice of prayer, it forgeth heavenly armor to foil the hosts of care. --_mrs. sigourney._ health is not quoted in the markets because it is without price.--_sel._ it is a mistake to think that the more a man eats, the fatter and stronger he will become.--_sel._ desserts custom has so long established the usage of finishing the dinner with a dessert of some kind, that a _menu_ is considered quite incomplete without it; and we shall devote the next few pages to articles which may be deemed appropriate and healthful desserts, not because we consider the dessert itself of paramount importance, for indeed we do not think it essential to life or even to good living, but because we hope the hints and suggestions which our space permits, may aid the housewife in preparing more wholesome, inexpensive dishes in lieu of the indigestible articles almost universally used for this purpose. we see no objection to the use of a dessert, if the articles offered are wholesome, and are presented before an abundance has already been taken. as usually served, the dessert is but a "snare and delusion" to the digestive organs. compounded of substances "rich," not in food elements, but in fats, sweets, and spices, and served after enough has already been eaten, it offers a great temptation to overeat; while the elements of which it is largely composed, serve to hamper the digestive organs, to clog the liver, and to work mischief generally. at the same time it may be remarked that the preparation of even wholesome desserts requires an outlay of time and strength better by far expended in some other manner. desserts are quite unnecessary to a good, healthful, nutritious dietary. the simplest of all desserts are the various nuts and delicious fruits with which nature has so abundantly supplied us, at no greater cost than their harmful substitutes, and which require no expenditure of time or strength in their preparation. if, however, other forms of dessert are desired, a large variety may be prepared in a simple manner, so as to be both pleasing and appetizing. general suggestions. in the preparation of desserts, as in that of all other foods it is essential that all material used shall be thoroughly good of its kind. if bread is to be used, the crumbs should be dry and rather stale, but on no account use that which is sour or moldy. some housekeepers imagine that if their bread happens to spoil and become sour, although it is hardly palatable enough for the table, it may be advantageously used to make puddings. it is indeed quite possible to combine sour bread with other ingredients so as to make a pudding agreeable to the palate; but disguising sour bread makes sweets and flavors by no means changes it into a wholesome food. it is better economy to throw sour bread away at once than to impose it upon the digestive organs at the risk of health and strength. bread which has begun to show appearance of mold should never be used; for mold is a poison, and very serious illness has resulted from the eating of puddings made from moldy bread. eggs, to be used for desserts, should always be fresh and good. cooks often imagine that an egg too stale to be eaten in any other way will do very well for use in cakes and puddings, because it can be disguised so as not to be apparent to the taste; but stale eggs are unfit for food, either alone or in combination with other ingredients. their use is often the occasion of serious disturbances of the digestive organs. most desserts in which eggs are used will be much lighter if the yolks and whites are beaten separately. if in winter, and eggs are scarce, fewer may be used, and two tablespoonfuls of dry snow for each omitted egg stirred in the last thing before baking. milk, likewise, should always be sweet and fresh. if it is to be heated, use a double boiler, so that there will be no danger of scorching. if fresh milk is not available, the condensed milk found at the grocer's is an excellent substitute. dissolve according to directions, and follow the recipe the same as with fresh milk, omitting one half or two thirds the given amount of sugar. if dried sweet fruits, raisins, or currants are to be used, look them over carefully, put them in a colander, and placing it in a pan of warm water, allow the currants to remain until plump. this will loosen the dirt which, while they are shriveled, sticks in the creases, and they may then be washed by dipping the colander in and out of clean water until they are free from sediment; rinse in two waters, then spread upon a cloth, and let them get perfectly dry before using. it is a good plan, after purchasing raisins and currants, to wash and dry a quantity, and store in glass cans ready for use. to facilitate the stoning of raisins, put them into a colander placed in a dish of warm water until plump; then drain, when the seeds can be easily removed. for desserts which are to be molded, always wet the molds in cold water before pouring in the desserts. _suggestions for flavoring, etc._ to prepare almond paste.--blanch the nuts according to directions given on page . allow them to dry thoroughly, and pound in a mortar to a smooth paste. they can be reduced much easier if dried for a day or two after blanching. during the pounding, sprinkle with a few drops of cold water, white of egg, rose water, or lemon juice, to prevent them from oiling. cocoanut flavor.--cocoanut, freshly grated or desiccated, unless in extremely fine particles, is a very indigestible substance, and when its flavor is desired for custards, puddings, etc., it is always better to steep a few tablespoonfuls in a pint of milk for twenty minutes or a half hour, and strain out the particles. the milk should not be allowed to boil, as it will be likely to curdle. one tablespoonful of freshly grated cocoanut or two of the desiccated will give a very pleasant and delicate flavor; and if a more intense flavor is desired, use a larger quantity. orange and lemon flavor.--orange or lemon flavor may be obtained by steeping a few strips of the yellow part of the rind of lemon or orange in milk for twenty minutes. skim out the rind before using for desserts. care should be taken to use only the yellow part, as the white will impart a bitter flavor. the grated rind may also be used for flavoring, but in grating the peel, one must be careful to grate very lightly, and thus use only the outer yellow portion, which contains the essential oil of the fruit. grate evenly, turning and working around the lemon, using as small a surface of the grater as possible, in order to prevent waste. generally, twice across the grater and back will be sufficient for removing all the yellow skin from one portion of a lemon. a well-grated lemon should be of exactly the same shape as before, with no yellow skin remaining, and no deep scores into the white. remove the yellow pulp from the grater with a fork. to color sugar.--for ornamenting the meringues of puddings and other desserts, take a little of the fresh juice of cranberries, red raspberries, currants, black raspberries, grapes, or other colored juices of fruits, thicken it stiff with the sugar, spread on a plate to dry, or use at one. it may be colored yellow with orange peel strained through a cloth, or green with the juice of spinach. sugar prepared in this manner is quite as pretty and much more wholesome than the colored sugars found in market, which are often prepared with poisonous chemicals. fruit desserts. _recipes._ apple dessert.--pare some large tart apples, remove the cores, put into the cavities a little quince jelly, lemon flavored sugar, or grated pineapple and sugar, according to the flavor desired. have as many squares of bread with the crust taken off as there are apples, and place a filled apple on each piece of bread, on earthen pie plates; moisten well with a little quince jelly dissolved in water, lemon juice, or pineapple juice, according to the filling used. cover closely, and bake in a rather quick oven till the apples are tender. serve with whipped cream and sugar. apple meringue dessert.--pare and core enough tart, easy-cooking apples to make a quart when stewed. cover closely and cook slowly till perfectly tender, when they should be quite dry. mash through a colander, add a little sugar and a little grated pineapple or lemon peel. beat light with a silver fork, turn into a pudding dish, and brown in a moderate oven ten or fifteen minutes. then cover with a meringue made with two tablespoonfuls of sugar and the beaten whites of two eggs, and return to the oven for a moment to brown. serve cold. apple rose cream.--wash, core, slice, and cook without paring, a dozen fresh snow apples until very dry. when done, rub through a colander to remove the skins, add sugar to sweeten, and the whites of two eggs; beat vigorously with an egg beater until stiff, add a teaspoonful of rose water for flavoring, and serve at once, or keep on ice. it is especially important that the apples be very dry, otherwise the cream will not be light. if after rubbing through the colander, there is still much juice, they should be cooked again until it has evaporated; or they may be turned into a jelly bag and drained. other varieties of apple may be used, and flavored with pineapple or vanilla. made as directed of snow apples or others with white flesh and red skins, the cream should be of a delicate pink color, making a very dainty as well as delicious dessert. apple snow.--pare and quarter some nice tart apples. those that when cooked will be whitest in color are best. put them into a china dish, and steam until tender over a kettle of boiling water. when done, rub through a colander or beat with a fork until smooth, add sugar to sweeten and a little grated lemon rind, and beat again. for every cup and a half of the prepared apple allow the white of one egg, which beat to a stiff froth, adding the apple to it a little at a time, beating all together until, when taken up in a spoon, it stands quite stiff. serve cold, with or without a simple custard prepared with a pint of hot milk, a tablespoonful of sugar, and the yolks of two eggs. baked apples with cream.--pare some nice juicy sweet apples, and remove the cores without dividing. bake until tender in a covered dish with a spoonful or two of water on the bottom. serve with whipped cream. or, bake the apples without paring and when done, remove the skins, and serve in the same manner. the cream may be flavored with a little lemon or rose if desired. lemon apples and citron apples, prepared as directed on pages and , make a most delicious dessert served with whipped cream and sugar, or with mock cream flavored with cocoanut. baked sweet apple dessert.--wash and remove the cores from a dozen medium-sized sweet apples, and one third as many sour ones, and bake until well done. mash through a colander to make smooth and remove the skins. put into a granite-ware dish, smooth the top with a knife, return to the oven and bake very slowly until dry enough to keep its shape when cut. add if desired a meringue made by heating the white of one egg with a tablespoonful of sugar. cut into squares, and serve in individual dishes. the meringue may be flavored with lemon or dotted with bits of colored sugar. bananas in syrup.--heat in a porcelain kettle a pint of currant and red raspberry juice, equal parts, sweetened to taste. when boiling, drop into it a dozen peeled bananas, and simmer very gently for twenty minutes. remove the bananas, boil the juice until thickened to the consistency of syrup, and pour over the fruit. serve cold. baked bananas.--bake fresh, firm, yelow bananas with the skins on fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot. fresh fruit compote.--flavor three tablespoonfuls of sugar by mixing with it a little of the grated yellow rind of an orange, or by rubbing it over the orange to extract the oil. if the latter method is used, the square lump sugar will be preferable. pare, quarter, and slice three medium-sized tart apples. peel, remove the seeds, and cut in quite fine pieces three oranges. put the fruit in alternate layers in a glass dish. sweeten a cupful of fresh or canned raspberry juice with the flavored sugar, and turn it over the fruit. put the dish on ice to cool for a half hour before serving. grape apples.--sweeten a pint of fresh grape juice with a pint of sugar, and simmer gently until reduced one third. pare and core without dividing, six or eight nice tart apples, and stew very slowly in the grape juice until tender, but not broken. remove the apples and boil the juice (if any remain) until thickened to the consistency of syrup. serve cold with a dressing of whipped cream. canned grape pulp or juice may be utilized for this purpose. sweet apples may be used instead of tart ones, and the sugar omitted. peach cream.--pare and stone some nice yellow peaches, and mash with a spoon or press through a colander with a potato masher. allow equal quantities of the peach pulp and cream, add a little sugar to sweeten, and beat all together until the cream is light. serve in saucers or glasses with currant buns. a banana cream may be prepared in the same manner. prune dessert.--prepare some prune marmalade as directed on page . put in a square granite-ware dish, which place inside another dish containing hot water, and cook it in a slow oven until the marmalade is dry enough to retain its shape when cut with a knife. if desired add a meringue as for baked sweet apple dessert, dotting the top with pink sugar. serve in squares in individual dishes. desserts made of fruit with grains, bread, etc. _recipes._ apple sandwich.--mix half a cup of sugar with the grated yellow rind of half a lemon. stir half a cup of cream into a quart of soft bread crumbs; prepare three pints of sliced apples, sprinkled with the sugar; fill a pudding dish with alternate layers of moistened crumbs and sliced apples, finishing with a thick layer of crumbs. unless the apples are very juicy, add half a cup of cold water, and unless quite tart, have mixed with the water the juice of half a lemon. cover and bake about one hour. remove the cover toward the last, that the top may brown lightly. serve with cream. berries or other acid fruits may be used in place of apples, and rice or cracked wheat mush substituted for bread crumbs. apple sandwich no. .--prepare and stew some apples as for sauce, allowing them to become quite dry; flavor with lemon, pineapples, quince, or any desired flavor. moisten slices of zwieback in hot cream as for toast. spread a slice with the apple mixture, cover with a second slice of the moistened zwieback, then cut in squares and serve, with or without a dressing of mock cream. if desired to have the sandwiches particularly dainty, cut the bread from which the zwieback is prepared in rounds, triangles, or stars before toasting. baked apple pudding.--pour boiling water over bread crumbs; when soft, squeeze out all the water, and line the bottom and sides of an oiled earthen pudding dish with the crumbs. fill the interior with sliced apples, and cover with a layer of bread crumbs. bake in a covered dish set in a pan of hot water, until the apples are tender; then remove the cover and brown. loosen the pudding with a knife, invert on a plate, and it will turn out whole. serve with sugar and cream. barley fruit pudding.--mix together a pint of cold, well steamed pearl barley, a cup of finely minced tart apples, three fourths of a cup of chopped and seeded raisins, a third of a cup of sugar, and a cup of boiling water and turn into a pudding dish; cover, and place the dish in the oven in a pan of hot water, and bake slowly an hour and a half, or until the water has become quite absorbed and the fruit tender. serve warm with a water, adding sugar to taste, and thickening with a half teaspoonful of cornstarch. any tart fruit jelly may be used, or the pudding may be served with cream and sugar flavored with a little grated lemon rind. barley fig pudding.--one pint of well-steamed pearl barley, two cups of finely chopped best figs, one half cup of sugar, one half cup of thin sweet cream, and one and one half cups of fresh milk. mix all thoroughly, turn into an earthen pudding dish; place it in the oven in a pan half full of hot water, and bake slowly till the milk is nearly absorbed. the pudding should be stirred once or twice during the baking, so that the figs will be distributed evenly, instead of rising to the top. blackberry cornstarch pudding.--take two quarts of well-ripened blackberries which have been carefully looked over, put them into a granite-ware boiler with half a cup of water, and stew for twenty minutes. add sugar to sweeten, and three heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed to a cream with a little cold water. cook until thickened, pour into molds, and cool. serve cold with milk or cream. other fresh or canned berries may be used in the same way. cocoanut and cornstarch blancmange.--simmer two tablespoonfuls of desiccated cocoanut in a pint of milk for twenty minutes, and strain through a fine sieve. if necessary, add more cold milk to make a full pint. add a tablespoonful of sugar, heat to boiling, and stir in gradually two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a very little cold milk. cook five minutes, turn into cups, and serve cold with fruit sauce or cream. cornstarch blancmange.--stir together two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, half a cup of sugar, the juice and a little of the grated rind of one lemon; braid the whole with cold water enough to dissolve well. then pour boiling water over the mixture, stirring meanwhile, until it becomes transparent. allow it to bubble a few minutes longer, pour into molds, and serve cold with cream and sugar. cornstarch with raisins.--measure out one pint of rich milk. rub two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch perfectly smooth with a little of the milk, and heat the remainder to boiling, adding to it a tablespoonful of sugar. add the braided cornstarch, and let it cook until it thickens, stirring constantly. then add a half cup of raisins which have been previously steamed. this may be served hot with sugar and cream, or turned into cups and molded, and served cold with lemon, orange, or other fruit sauce for dressing. cornstarch with apples.--prepare the cornstarch as in the preceding recipe, omitting the raisins. place in a pudding dish some lemon apple sauce, without juice, about two inches deep. pour the cornstarch over it, and serve hot or cold with cream. cornstarch fruit mold.--heat a quart of strawberry, raspberry, or currant juice, sweetened to taste, to boiling. if the pure juice of berries is used, it may be diluted with one cup of water to each pint and a half of juice. stir in four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch well braided with a little of the juice reserved for this purpose. boil until the starch is well cooked, stirring constantly. pour into molds previously wet with cold water, and cool. serve with cream and sugar. a circle of fresh berries around the mold when served adds to its appearance. cornstarch fruit mold no. .--wash, stone, and stew some nice french prunes, add sugar to sweeten, and if there is not an abundance of juice, a little boiling water. for every one fourth pound of prunes there should be enough juice to make a pint in all, for which add two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, rubbed smooth in a little cold water, and boil three or four minutes. pour into cups previously wet in cold water, and mold. serve cold with whipped cream. other dried or canned fruits, as apricots, peaches, cherries, etc., may be used in place of prunes, if preferred. cracked-wheat pudding.--a very simple pudding may be made with two cups of cold, well-cooked cracked wheat, two and a half cups of milk, and one half cup of sugar. let the wheat soak in the milk till thoroughly mixed and free from lumps, then add the sugar and a little grated lemon peel, and bake about three fourths of an hour in a moderate oven. it should be of a creamy consistency when cold, but will appear quite thin when taken from the oven. by flavoring the milk with cocoanut, a different pudding may be produced. rolled or pearl wheat may be used for this pudding. a cupful of raisins may be added if desired. cracked-wheat pudding no. .--four and one half cups of milk, a very scant half cup of cracked wheat, one half cup of sugar; put together in a pudding dish, and bake slowly with the dish covered and set in a pan of hot water for three or four hours, or until the wheat is perfectly tender, as may be ascertained by dipping a few grains with a spoon out from the side of the dish. farina blancmange.--heat a quart of milk, reserving one half cup, to boiling. then add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and four heaping tablespoonfuls of farina, previously moistened with the reserved half cup of milk. let all boil rapidly for a few minutes till the farina has well set, then place in a double boiler, or a dish set in a pan of boiling water, to cook an hour longer. mold in cups previously wet with cold water. serve with sugar and cream flavored with vanilla or a little grated lemon rind, mock cream, or cocoanut sauce. much variety may be given this simple dessert by serving it with a dressing of fruit juices; red raspberry, strawberry, grape, current, cranberry, cherry, and plum are all very good. if desired, the milk with which the blancmange is prepared may be first flavored with cocoanut, thus making a different blancmange. fresh fruit, as sliced banana, blueberries, or strawberries, lightly stirred in just before molding, make other excellent varieties. farina fruit mold.--put a quart of well-sweetened red raspberry juice into the inner cup of a double boiler. heat to boiling, and stir in four heaping tablespoonfuls of farina first moistened with a little of the juice. boil up until thickened, then set into the outer boiler, the water in which should be boiling, and cook for one hour. pour into molds previously wet in cold water, and cool. serve with whipped cream or mock cream. currant, strawberry, cherry, or blackberry juice may be used instead of raspberry. if water be added to dilute the juice, a little more farina will be needed. fruit pudding.--measure out one quart of rich new milk, reserving half a pint to wet five large rounded tablespoonfuls of sifted flour. add to the milk one even cup of sugar, turn in the flour mixture and heat to boiling in a farina kettle, stirring all the while to prevent lumps, and cook till it thickens, which will be about ten minutes after it begins to boil. remove from the stove, and beat while it is cooling. when cool, add sliced bananas or whole strawberries, whortleberries, raspberries, blackberries, sliced apricots, or peaches. serve cold. jam pudding.--make a jam by mashing well some fresh raspberries or blueberries and sweetening to taste. spread over slices of fresh, light bread or buns, and pile in layers one above another in a pudding dish. pour over the layers enough rich milk or thin cream heated to scalding, to moisten the whole. turn a plate over the pudding, place a weight upon it, and press lightly till cold. cut in slices, and serve with or without a cream dressing. plain fruit pudding or brown betty.--chop together one part seeded raisins and two parts good tart apples. fill a pudding dish with alternate layers of the fruit and bread crumbs, finishing with the bread crumbs on top. unless the apples are very juicy, moisten the whole with a tablespoonful of lemon juice in a cup of cold water, for a pudding filling a three-pint dish. cover the dish and place it in a moderate oven in a pan of hot water, and bake nearly an hour; then remove from the pan, uncover, and brown nicely. serve warm with cream and sugar, or with an orange or lemon sauce. seeded cherries may be used in place of the apples and raisins. in that case, each layer of fruit should be sprinkled lightly with sugar, and the water omitted. prune pudding.--moisten rather thin slices of stale bread in hot milk and place in a pudding dish with alternate layers of stewed prunes from which the stones have been removed, finishing with bread on top. pour over the whole a little more hot milk or pure juice or both, and bake in a moderate over three fourths of an hour. serve hot or cold with orange or lemon sauce. rice meringue.--steam a cupful of rice as directed on page until tender and dry. heap it loosely on a glass dish, and dot with squares of cranberry or currant jelly. beat with the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth with one third cup of sugar, and pile it roughly over the rice. serve with cream. rice snowball.--wash a cupful of good rice and steam until half done. have pared and cored without dividing, six large, easy cooking tart apples. put a clean square of cheese cloth over a plate, place the apples on it, and fill them and all the interstices between with rice. put the remainder of the rice over and around the apples; tie up the cloth, and cook in a kettle of boiling water until the apples are tender. when done, lift from the water and drain well, untie the cloth, invert the pudding upon a plate and remove the cloth. serve hot with cream and sugar or cocoanut sauce. rice fruit dessert.--cold boiled rice, molded so that it can be sliced, may be utilized in making a variety of delicious desserts. a nice pudding may be prepared by filling a dish with alternate layers of half-inch slices of molded rice and grated tart raw apples the same thickness. grate a little lemon rind over each layer. cover, and place in the oven in a pan of boiling water, and bake for an hour. serve with sugar and cream. stoned cherries or peaches may be used instead of the apple. rice dumpling.--steam a teacup of rice until tender, and line an oiled earthen pudding dish, pressing it up around the sides and over the bottom. fill the crust thus made with rather tart apples cut in small slices; cover with rice, and steam until the apples are tender, which may be determined by running a broom-straw through them. let stand until cold, then turn from the dish, and serve with sugar and cream. any easy cooking tart fruit, as stoned cherries, gooseberries, etc., may be used in place of the apples when preferred. rice cream pudding.--take one cup of good well-washed rice, one scant cup of sugar, and eight cups of new milk, with a little grated lemon rind for flavoring. put all into an earthen pudding dish, and place on the top of the range. heat very slowly until the milk is boiling, stirring frequently, so that the rice shall not adhere to the bottom of the dish. then put into a moderately hot oven, and bake without stirring, till the rice is perfectly tender, which can be ascertained by dipping a spoon in one side and taking out a few grains. it should be, when cold, of a rich, creamy consistency, with each grain of rice whole. serve cold. it is best if made the day before it is needed. if preferred, the milk may be first flavored with cocoanut, according to the directions given on page . rice pudding with raisins.--wash thoroughly one half cup of rice, and soak for two hours in warm water. drain off the water, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one half cup of raisins, and four cups of milk. put in an earthen pudding dish and cook for two hours in a moderate oven, stirring once or twice before the rice begins to swell, then add a cup of hot milk, and cook for an hour longer. red rice mold.--take one and one half pints of red currants and one half pint of red raspberries, and follow directions on page for extracting their juice. the juice may be diluted with one part water to two of juice if desired. sweeten to taste, and for each pint when boiling stir in two tablespoonfuls of ground rice or rice flour rubbed smooth in a little of the juice which may be retained for the purpose. pour into molds, cool, and serve with whipped cream. rice and fruit dessert.--steam a cup of good well-washed rice in milk till tender. prepare some tart apples by paring, dividing midway between the stem and blow ends, and removing the cores. fill the cavities with quince or pineapple jelly; put the apples in a shallow stewpan with a half cup of water, cover, and steam till nearly tender. put the rice, which should be very moist, around the bottom and sides of a pudding dish; place the apples inside, cover, and bake ten minutes. serve with cream flavored with quince or lemon. rice and tapioca pudding.--soak one half cup of tapioca over night in a cup of water; in the morning drain off the water if any remains. add to the tapioca half a cup of rice, one cup of sugar, one cup of raisins, and eight cups of new milk, with a little grated lemon rind for flavoring. put all in an earthen pudding dish on the top of the range, where it will heat very gradually to the boiling point, stirring frequently. when the milk boils, put the pudding in the oven, and bake till the rice grains are perfectly tender but not broken and mushy. from twenty minutes to half an hour is usually sufficient. when taken from the oven, it will appear quite thin, but after cooling will be of a delicious, creamy consistency. serve cold. rice-flour mold.--braid two tablespoonfuls of rice flour with a little milk and stir the mixture into a pint of boiling milk to which has been added three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a little salt if desired. let this boil until it thickens, then mold, and serve with cream and sugar or with lemon, orange, or other fruit sauce. rice and stewed apple dessert.--steam or bake some rice in milk until tender, sweeten slightly and spread a layer of the rice half an inch thick on the bottom of a pudding dish, then a layer of lemon-flavored apple sauce, which has been rubbed through a colander and afterward simmered on the range until stiff. if preferred, the sauce may be prepared by first baking the apples, and then rubbing the pulp through a colander. add another layer of rice, then one of sauce, and so on until the dish is full. bake in a moderate oven and serve hot. if the apples are not very tart, part stewed and sifted cranberries may be used with them. rice and strawberry dessert.--soak a cup of rice in one and a half cups of new milk; place all in an earthen dish, and steam an hour, or until dry and tender, stirring occasionally for the first fifteen minutes. when the rice is done, place in the bottom of cups previously moistened with cold water, five nice hulled strawberries in the shape of a star. carefully fill the interstices between the berries with the cooked rice, and put in a layer of rice. add next a layer of strawberries, then another of rice. press firmly into the cups, and set away to cool. when well molded, turn into saucers, and pile whipped cream around each mold; sprinkle with sugar and serve. a little care in forming the stars and filling the molds makes this a delicious and pretty dessert. if preferred, the dessert may be prepared in one large mold, and a larger number of berries arranged in the form of a cross in the bottom of the dish, covering with rice, and adding as many alternate layers of berries and rice as desired. stewed fruit pudding.--take a deep, square or oblong granite-ware or earthen dish; cut strips of stale bread uniformly an inch in width and three fourths of an inch in thickness, and place them in the mold with spaces between them equal to their width. or, fit the strips around the bottom of a round, earthen pudding dish, like the spokes of a wheel, with stewed or canned fruit, sweetened to taste; whortleberries are best, but apricots, cherries, currants, strawberries, and gooseberries may all be used. separate the juice from the berries by turning them into a colander. fill the interstices between the bread with hot fruit, using just as little juice as possible. cover with another layer, this time placing the strips of bread over the fruit in the first layer, and leaving the spaces for fruit over the bread in the first layer. fill the dish with these layers of fruit and bread, and when full, pour over all the hot fruit juice. put a plate with a weight on it on the top to press it firmly. dip off any juice that may be pressed out, and set the pudding in the refrigerator to cool and press. when cold, it will turn out whole, and can be cut in slices and served with whipped cream or cocoanut sauce. strawberry minute pudding.--cook a quart of ripe strawberries in a pint of water till well scalded. add sugar to taste. skim out the fruit, and into the boiling juice stir a scant cup of granulated wheat flour previously rubbed to a paste with a little cold water; cook fifteen or twenty minutes, pour over the fruit, and serve cold with cream sauce. sweet apple pudding.--pare, core, and slice enough ripe, juicy sweet apples to fill a pint bowl. heat a quart of new milk to scalding in a double boiler. pour it hot over one cup of good granulated cornmeal, and beat very thoroughly to remove all lumps. return to the double boiler, and cook until the meal is set. the batter then should be about the consistency of corn mush. remove from the fire, add a pint of cold milk, stir in the sliced apples, one third of a cup of sugar or molasses, and a teaspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a very little milk. turn all into a deep earthen crock or pudding dish, and bake slowly from three to four hours, stirring frequently the first hour. it should be moderately browned on top when done. serve warm or cold. whortleberry pudding.--one quart of new milk, one quart of fine bread crumbs, two quarts of fresh whortleberries, one or two tablespoonfuls of sugar. heat the milk to boiling; fill a pudding dish with alternate layers of bread crumbs and berries, beginning and ending with crumbs. add the sugar to the milk, let it dissolve, and pour the whole over the pudding. cover closely, and bake in a slow oven within a pan of hot water nearly an hour. serve warm with cream or cocoanut sauce. desserts with tapioca, sago, monica, and sea moss. both pearl and flake tapioca are suitable for these desserts. they should be soaked for some hours before using, and it is always best to soak over night if convenient. the flake tapioca requires longer soaking and cooking than the pearl tapioca. for soaking, use one and a half cups of water for each cup of flake tapioca, and one pint of water for a cup of pearl tapioca. for cooking, three or four additional cups of water will be required for each cup of tapioca, depending upon, the articles used with it. a double boiler should be used for the cooking. _recipes._ apple tapioca.--soak a cupful of pearl tapioca over night. in the morning simmer in a quart of boiling water until transparent and thickened. arrange in the bottom of a pudding dish four or five good-sized tart apples, which have been pared, cored, and the cavities filled with sugar. squeeze the juice of a lemon and grate a very little of the rind over the apples. pour the tapioca over the fruit. set the dish inside a pan filled with hot water, cover, and bake one hour, or until the apples are done. serve with sugar and cream. it is best nearly cold. fresh peaches, pared and stewed, may be used in place of apples, if preferred. apple tapioca no. .--soak a half cup of tapioca in a cap of tepid water, for at least three hours. pare, core, and quarter nice tart apples to fill a two-quart pudding dish nearly half full. add four cups of water and one of sugar to the soaked tapioca, pour it over the apples, and bake two or three hours in a slow oven. serve with whipped cream. banana dessert.--soak a cup of tapioca over night. in the morning cook in a double boiler in a quart of water until transparent. when done, add a cup of sugar and three or four sliced bananas. serve cold with cream. blackberry tapioca.--soak a cup of tapioca over night. when ready to cook, add three cups of boiling water and cook in a double boiler until transparent and smooth. sprinkle a quart of fresh blackberries with sugar, and stir lightly into the tapioca. pour into molds and serve cold with cream and sugar. other fresh berries may be used in the same way. cherry pudding.--soak and cook a half cup of tapioca in a pint of water until transparent. have a pint of fresh pitted cherries in an earthen pudding dish. sprinkle them well with sugar, pour over them the cooked tapioca, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. serve hot with or without cream. fruit tapioca.--cook three fourths of a cup of tapioca in four cups of water until smooth and transparent stir into it lightly a pint of fresh strawberries, raspberries, currants, or any small fruit, adding sugar as required. for variety a cup of canned quinces or apricots may be substituted for fresh fruit. serve warm or cold with whipped cream or mock cream. molded tapioca with fruit.--simmer one half cup of desiccated cocoanut in a pint of milk for twenty minutes. strain out the cocoanut, and add milk to make a full pint. add one half cup of sugar and one half cup of tapioca previously soaked over night. let the whole simmer until the tapioca is transparent. dip some cups in cold water, drain, and lay fresh strawberries, currants, or cherries in the bottom of each in the form of a star or cross. pour the tapioca into the molds gently, so as not to displace the fruit. when cold, turn out and serve with whipped cream or fruit sauce. raisins may be substituted for fresh fruit, or bits of jelly may be placed around the mold after it has cooled, if preferred. pineapple tapioca.--soak one cup of tapioca over night in one and one half cups of water. add two and one half cups of water and cook in a double boiler until transparent, then add one cup of sugar and one juicy pineapple minced fine with a sharp knife. mold, and serve cold with or without cream. prune and tapioca pudding.--soak one half cup of tapioca over night. in the morning cook until transparent in two cups of water. stew two cups of well-washed and stoned prunes in a quart of water till perfectly tender; then add the juice of a good lemon and two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and boil till the syrup becomes thick and rich. turn the prunes into a pudding dish, cover with the cooked tapioca, and add a little grated lemon rind. bake lightly. serve without dressing or with sugar and cream or almond sauce. if preferred, the prunes and tapioca may be placed in the dish in alternate layers, having the top one of tapioca. tapioca and fig pudding.--cook three fourths of a cup of tapioca as for apple tapioca. have ready two cups of finely sliced or chopped tart apples, and one cup of chopped figs, which have first been lightly steamed. if preferred, raisins may be used in place of half the figs. put the fruit in the bottom of the pudding dish, turn the tapioca over it, and bake till the fruit is very soft. if the apples are not very tart, sprinkle the juice of a lemon over them before adding the figs and tapioca. a nice fruit pudding can also be made by using half canned pears and half apples, or canned quinces may be substituted for figs. peach tapioca.--for this will be needed a quart of nicely canned peaches, a cup of tapioca, and from one half to three fourths of a cup of sugar, according to the sweetness of the peaches. soak the tapioca over night in just enough water to cover. when ready to cook, put in a double boiler with three cups of water, and cook for an hour. remove from the fire and add to it the juice from the peaches, of which there should be a cup and a half, which has been secured by draining the peaches in a colander, and stir it well into the tapioca. place a layer of this mixture in an oiled pudding dish, add the peaches, cover with the remainder of the tapioca, and bake for an hour in a moderate oven. tapioca jelly.--soak a cup of tapioca in a pint of water over night. add another pint and cook until transparent and smooth. add three tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and four tablespoonfuls of sugar; beat well together and tun into molds. serve cold. no dressing is required. this may be varied by using unsweetened currant, grape, or other acid fruit juice in place of lemon. fruit jelly may be used if the juice is not easily obtained. add when the tapioca is well cooked, and stir until dissolved. apple sago pudding.--soak one cup of sago in six cups of water; stew ten small apples, mix with the sago, and bake three quarters of an hour. serve with cream and sugar. it is better warm than cold, but acceptable either way. red sago mold.--take a quart of red raspberry juice, pure or diluted with one third water, and sweeten to taste. have ready one half cup of best sago which has soaked for twenty minutes in just enough water to cover. drain off any water that may remain. add the sago to the juice, and cook until the sago is transparent, then turn into molds. serve cold with cream. cranberry or strawberry juice may be used in place of the raspberry, if preferred. sago fruit pudding.--soak a small cup of sago an hour in just enough water to cover. drain off any water that may not be absorbed. mix two thirds of a cup of sugar with this sago, and stir all into a quart of boiling water. let it boil until the sago is perfectly transparent and pour in a pint of nicely hulled strawberries. turn into molds to cool, or serve warm with cream, as preferred. tapioca can be used instead of sago, but needs longer soaking. raspberries, stoned cherries, or currants can be used in place of strawberries. sago pudding.--soak a cupful of sago for twenty minutes in a cup of cold water; then pour over it a quart and a cup of boiling water, add a cup of sugar and one half cup of raisins. cook till the sago is perfectly transparent, flavor with vanilla, and set away to cool. serve with whipped cream. manioca with fruit.--pare, core, and quarter six medium-sized tart apples, and put them to cook in a quart of boiling water. add a cup of sugar, and cook without stirring until softened, then sprinkle into the water in which they are cooking five tablespoonfuls of manioca, and cook until it is transparent, which will be in about ten minutes. flavor with a little grated lemon rind, and serve hot with sugar and cream, or mold, as preferred. canned peaches, apricots, or cherries may be used in a similar manner, adding boiling water if there is not sufficient juice to properly cook the manioca. or the manioca may be first cooked in boiling water, using four scant tablespoonfuls for a pint of water, and when transparent, turning it over sliced bananas, pineapples, or oranges, molding and serving with cream and sugar. raspberry manioca mold.--heat a pint of water, and when boiling, sprinkle into it four scant tablespoonfuls of manioca and cook for ten minutes or until transparent, stirring continually. when transparent and thickened, remove from the fire and add a tablespoonful of lemon juice and one cup of sugar. place a layer of the cooked manioca in the bottom of a pudding dish, add a layer of freshly picked red raspberries, then another of the manioca, filling the dish in alternate layers with one of manioca for the top. set away in some cool place until well molded. serve in slices with cream flavored with rose. other fresh berries may be used instead of raspberries. sea moss blancmange.--wash the moss well in several waters, and soak in a very little cold water for an hour before using. it is hardly possible to give exact directions for making this blancmange, owing to the difficulty of accurately measuring the moss, but in general, a small handful will be ample for a quart of milk. add the moss, when washed, to the milk, and cook in a double boiler until the milk has become thickened and glutinous. add sugar to sweeten, flavor with vanilla or rose water, and strain through a fine sieve into cups previously wet in cold water, and mold. this may be varied by using boiling water instead of milk for cooking, adding the juice of one or two lemons and a little grated rind to flavor. desserts made with gelatine. gelatine is an article largely employed in making delicate and dainty dishes. it is economical and convenient, because the dessert can be prepared several hours before needed; but it must be stated that it has in itself little or no food value, and there is great liability of its being unwholesome. a writer in the _anti-adulteration journal_, a short time since, speaking of the use of gelatine, says:-- "the nutritive value of pure gelatine has been shown to be very low in the scale of foods. the beef gelatine of the markets that is used by bakers, is far from being pure gelatine. it frequently has a very disagreeable, fetid odor, and has evidently begun to decompose during the process of manufacture. after a thorough drying, putrefaction does not take place as long as it remains dry. but suppose that gelatine which has thus begun to decompose during the drying process, containing, perhaps, putrefactive germs in the dried state, be dissolved in water, and in hot weather, kept in this condition for a few hours previous to being used; the result would be rapid putrefaction. the putrefaction would be checked by freezing; but the bacteria causing it are not killed by the low temperature. as soon as the dessert is melted or eaten, they resume their activity in the body, and may cause sickness. it is a well-known fact that gelatine is an excellent medium in which to cultivate various kinds of micro-organisms; and if the conclusions here mentioned be correct, it seems that gelatine should be used with great care in connection with food preparations. when used carelessly, it may do a great deal of harm. i wish to impress those who use it with the importance of guarding against its dangers. gelatine should not be allowed to remain in solution for many hours before using, especially in hot weather. "when used at all, the best varieties should be employed, and such as are free from putrefactive odor." a "box" of gelatine is used to signify a two-ounce package. if half a box is called for, divide it by cutting the box and its contents in halves rather than by emptying the box and then attempting to make a division. to prepare gelatine for desserts, first soak it till soft in a small quantity of cold water (a cupful to one box of gelatine is sufficient); fifteen minutes will suffice if it is stirred frequently; then dissolve in boiling liquid. do not cook the gelatine, and after it is dissolved, always strain through a cloth strainer before using. in winter, a two-ounce package will solidify two quarts of liquid, including the water in which the gelatine is soaked. in summer, a little less liquid should be used. gelatine desserts must be left on ice or in a cool place until hardened, but they should not be served at the table so cold as to interfere with the digestion of other foods. _recipes._ apples in jelly.--pare and core without cutting open, a half dozen medium-sized tart apples of the same degree of hardness. fill the centers with a little grated lemon rind and sugar. steam until tender but not broken. have ready half a package of gelatine which has been soaked for an hour in just enough water to cover. prepare a syrup with one cup of sugar and a pint of water. when boiling, turn the syrup over the gelatine, stirring well to dissolve it, and add the juice of half a lemon. strain, place the apples in a deep dish with a little space between each; turn the mixture over them, and set in the ice box to cool. serve with or without a little whipped cream. apple shape.--steam some nice tart apples. when tender, rub through a colander. have two thirds of a box of gelatine soaked in just enough water to cover; pour over it a cup and a half of boiling water; when well dissolved, strain and add a pint of the sifted apples sweetened to taste, and one half cup of grated fresh or canned pineapple, or if preferred, one half cup of the juice of canned pineapple. turn into cups previously wet in cold water, and mold. serve with a little cream. canned peaches, apricots, and other fruit may be used the same as apples, if preferred. rub the fruit with but little juice through a colander, and proceed as above. banana dessert.--dissolve half a box of gelatine in a half cup of warm water. heat three cups of rich milk to boiling, and add to it one cup of sugar and turn over the well-dissolved gelatine and strain. let it partly cool, and mix in three or four bananas, sliced thin or chopped fine. turn all into a mold previously wet with cold water, and leave till hardened, which may require several hours unless the mold be placed on ice. when well molded, turn into a glass dish, serve with whipped cream flavored with vanilla or lemon. clear dessert.--soak a box of gelatine in a large bowl with half a cup of cold water. when soft, pour over it three pints of boiling water, add the juice of three large lemons and two cups of sugar. stir well, strain, and pour into molds previously wet with cold water. put into the refrigerator until hardened. serve with whipped cream. quince, apricot, orange, or pineapple juice may be substituted for lemon, and thus a variety of desserts may be made. fruit foam dessert.--soak half a package of gelatine in half a cup of cold water until soft. heat to boiling two and one half cups of red raspberry, currant, strawberry, or grape juice, sweetened to taste, and pour over the soaked gelatine. stir until perfectly dissolved, then strain, and set the dish in ice water to cool. when it is cold and beginning to thicken, beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth and stir into the thickening gelatine. beat thoroughly for fifteen minutes with an egg beater, or whip till the whole is of a solid foam stiff enough to retain its shape. turn into molds previously wet with cold water, or pile roughly in large spoonfuls in a glass dish. set away in the refrigerator until needed. serve with a little whipped cream piled lightly around it. fruit shape.--take a quart of nicely canned red raspberries, sweetened to taste; turn into a colander and drain off the juice, taking care to keep the fruit as perfect as possible. put two thirds of a box of gelatine to soak in just enough of the juice to cover. when the gelatine is ready, heat the remainder of the juice to boiling and pour over it. when well dissolved, add the fruit, turn into cups, and mold. serve with cream. peaches, strawberries, apricots, and other canned fruit may be used in place of the raspberries, if preferred. gelatine custard.--soak a quarter of a box of gelatine in one fourth of a cup of cold water till soft; then pour over it three fourths of a cup of boiling water, and stir until dissolved. beat the yolks of two eggs and three tablespoonfuls of sugar to a cream; pour over it slowly, stirring continuously, a pint of boiling milk, and cook in a double boiler until it thickens. then add the gelatine mixture, which should first be strained, the whites of the two eggs beaten stiff, and a little vanilla for flavoring. beat all well together, turn into molds previously wet in cold water, and place on ice to harden. serve with fruit sauce. layer pudding.--divide a package of gelatine into three portions, and put each to soak in one third of a cup of cold water. heat one and one fourths cups of water to boiling, add the juice of one lemon and two thirds of a cup of sugar. turn this slowly, stirring well meanwhile, over the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. cook in a double boiler five minutes, or until the mixture thickens. pour the hot custard over one portion of the soaked gelatine, and stir it until dissolved. strain, add a little grated lemon rind for flavoring, and turn into a broad, shallow dish to mold. a square granite-ware baking tin is admirable for this purpose. take one and one half cups of raspberry, strawberry, grape, or currant juice, sweetened to taste; heat to boiling and pour over the second portion of the soaked gelatine. stir till well dissolved, strain, and turn into a shallow mold like that containing the first portion. heat one and one half cups of rich milk to boiling, add one half cup of sugar, and pour over the third portion of soaked gelatine. strain and cool a little, flavor with vanilla or a few chopped bananas; or, if preferred, flavor the milk with cocoanut before using, as directed on page . pour into a third mold like the others to cool. when all are cold, arrange in layers, the yellow at the bottom and the white at the top. the whites of the eggs may be used for meringue, or for making a whipped cream sauce to serve with the pudding. lemon jelly.--soak one half box of gelatine in a scant cup of cold water until soft. then pour over it one pint of boiling water and stir until well dissolved. add one cup of sugar, the yellow rind of one lemon, and one half cup of lemon juice. strain, put into molds previously wet in cold water, and place in the ice chest to harden. if preferred, the above may be cooled in a shallow dish and cut into irregular shapes to be served with a custard sauce. use only the yolks of eggs in making the custard, that it may have a rich color, using two yolks in place of one whole egg. jelly with fruit.--soak a package of gelatine in a cup of cold water until soft; then pour over it one quart and a cup of boiling water. strain, add the juice of four lemons and twelve tablespoonfuls of sugar. cool a little of the gelatine in a mold, and as soon as set, scatter in some nice currants or seedless raisins; add another layer of gelatine, and when set, scatter in more fruit; continue until the mold is full, having gelatine at the top. fresh fruit, currants, grapes, cherries, plums, peaches, etc., may be used in place of raisins, if preferred. orange dessert.--soak one third of a cup of gelatine in one third of a cup of cold water until soft; then pour over it one third of a cup of boiling water. add a scant cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon, and a cupful of orange juice and pulp. set the dish containing the mixture in a pan of ice water until it begins to harden. have ready the whites of three eggs well whipped, add to the jelly, and beat all together until light and stiff enough to drop. pour into molds wet in cold water, and lined with sections of oranges, from which seeds and white fiber have been removed. oranges in jelly.--pare divide, and take out the seeds from four or five sweet oranges, being careful to remove all the white rind and shreds. place in a deep dish and pour over them a syrup prepared as for apples in jelly, using the juice of a whole lemon. set in the ice box over night. a very little orange peel may be grated into the syrup if liked; and if the oranges are very sweet, less sugar will be required. if one can afford to use orange juice in place of the water in making the syrup, the dessert will be greatly improved. orange jelly.--soak one quarter of a box of gelatine until soft in just enough cold water to cover. then pour over it one half cup of boiling water. stir until well dissolved, add the juice of one small lemon, one cupful of orange juice, and one half cup of sugar. strain, turn into molds previously wet in cold water, and set on ice to harden. strawberry, raspberry, and other fruit juices may be used in a similar manner. snow pudding.--soak one fourth of a box of gelatine until soft in an equal measure of cold water. then pour over it one cup of boiling water, and add one fourth of a cup of strained lemon juice and one cup of sugar; stir till the sugar is all dissolved. strain into a large china dish, and set in ice water to cool. let it stand until cold and beginning to thicken. have ready the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and add to the gelatine as it begins to thicken; beat all together for fifteen or twenty minutes, until it is of a solid foam and stiff enough to hold its shape. turn into molds and keep in a cool place till needed. a half dozen finely sliced or chopped bananas stirred in toward the last, makes a nice variation. serve with custard sauce made with the yolks of the eggs and flavored with rose or vanilla. orange, quince, or pineapple juice may be substituted for lemon, for a change. this dessert is best if made several hours before it is needed and set in the refrigerator to keep cold. desserts with crusts. _recipes._ apple tart.--pare and slice some quick-cooking, tart apples, and place them in the bottom of a pudding dish, with a tablespoonful of water. cover with a crust prepared in the following manner: into a cup of thin cream stir a gill of yeast and two cups of flour; let this become very light, then add sufficient flour to mix soft. knead for fifteen or twenty minutes very thoroughly, roll evenly, and cover the apples; put all in a warm place until the crust has become very light, then bake. if the apples do not bake easily, they may be partially cooked before putting on the crust. dish so that the fruit will be uppermost, and serve cold with cream and sugar, cocoanut sauce, or mock cream. gooseberry tart.--fill a pudding dish with well prepared green gooseberries, adding a tablespoonful or two of water. cover with a crust as for apple tart, and when light, bake in a moderately quick oven. cut the crust into the required number of pieces, and dish with gooseberries heaped on top. serve cold with sugar and cream. cherry tart.--prepare the same as for apple tart, with stoned cherries, only omitting the water, as the cherries will be sufficiently juicy of themselves. if the fruit is very juicy, sprinkle a tablespoonful of flour over it before putting on the crust. plum and peach tart may be made in the same manner, and are both very nice. strawberry and other fruit shortcakes.--beat together one cup of thin cream, slightly warmed, a tablespoonful of yeast, and two small cups of flour. set in a warm place till very light. add sufficient warm flour to mix soft, and knead thoroughly for fifteen or twenty minutes. divide into two equal portions, and roll into sheets about one half inch in thickness, making the center a very little thinner than the edges, so that when risen, the center will not be highest. place in tins, and set in a warm place until perfectly risen, or until they have doubled their first thickness. bake quickly. when cold, spread one cake with fruit, and cover with the other. if the fruit is large, it may be chopped fine with a knife, or mashed with a spoon. a little lemon juice added to peaches is an addition for shortcake. banana shortcake.--prepare the crust as previously directed. fill with sliced bananas, for every three of which add the juice of one orange, a little of the grated rind, and a half cup of sugar. lemon shortcake.--prepare the crust as for fruit shortcake. for the filling, grate the yellow portion only of the lemon, and squeeze the juice into a bowl; add a cupful of sugar. braid a tablespoonful of flour smooth with two tablespoonfuls of water, add enough boiling water, stirring well meanwhile, to make a teacupful. add this to the other ingredients, beat well together, and place the bowl in a basin of boiling water or over the teakettle. cook until about as thick as boiled custard. fill this between the shortcakes and serve. berry shortcake with prepared cream.--prepare the shortcake as previously directed. sweeten the berries and spread on the lower crust, then pour over them a "cream" prepared as follows, and add top crust:-- cream.--heat one half cup of milk and the same of thin cream to boiling, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and thicken with one teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. turn the hot sauce over the beaten white of two eggs, stirring rapidly meanwhile, until the egg is thoroughly mingled with the whole. allow it to become cold before using. raised pie.--prepare the dough as for shortcake. divide in two portions, spread one on the tin, and cover with a layer of easy-cooking tart apples sliced in eighths. put two or three spoonfuls of rather thick sweet cream over the apples, and cover with the top crust. let the crusts rise until very light, and bake. peaches may be used in the same manner. baked apple loaf.--prepare some dough as for buns on page , leaving out the sugar, and when ready for the last melding, cut it into three portions. put some flour on the bread board, mold the dough well, and roll as thin as pie crust in such shape as will fit a shallow baking tin. spread over the tin, and cover the dough with a layer of easy-cooking, sour apples sliced very thin, or with very stiff apple marmalade. cover this with a second layer of dough, then add another layer of apples, and cover with the third portion of the dough. pinch the edges of the dough well together, let the loaf rise till very light, then bake. eat cold with sugar and cream. if the apples will not cook quickly, they may be first steamed until nearly tender. if the crust appears too hard when taken from the oven, cover with a wet napkin and allow it to steam for a little time until softened. custard puddings. very much depends upon the baking in all puddings made with milk and eggs. a custard pudding made with one egg, and slowly baked, will be much thicker and nicer than one made with more eggs, baked in too hot an oven. a custard pudding baked too quickly or too long will have the eggs mixed with the farinaceous substance and the milk turned to whey, while one more carefully baked will have eggs and milk formed into a thick custard on the top. custard puddings and all other baked puddings which require to be cooked slowly, are best cooked in an earthen dish set in the oven in a pan of hot water, and baked only till the pudding is set. if it is desirable to use with eggs any ingredient which requires a lengthy cooking, it is much better to cook it partially before adding the eggs. many custard desserts are much more dainty and more easily served when cooked in cups than when baked in a large dish. the blue willow pattern stoneware cups and the blue and white japanese ware are very suitable for this purpose. when cooking, set the cups, allowing one for each person, in the oven in a dripping pan containing hot water, and bake. serve without removing from the cups. if desired to stir beaten eggs into heated milk, add a few spoonfuls of cold milk to the eggs, and pour the mixture, a little at a time, into the hot milk, taking care to stir it constantly. a nice way to flavour custards and meringues for custard puddings is to beat fruit jelly with the whites of the eggs; red raspberry, quince, and pineapple jellies give especially nice flavours. _recipes._ apple custard.--bake good tart apples; when done, remove the pulp, and rub through a sieve; sweeten, and flavour with grated pineapple or grated orange or lemon rind. put in a glass dish, and cover with a plain custard prepared as directed on page . bits of jelly may be scattered over the top of the custard. apple custard no. .--peel, halve, and core eight or ten medium-sized sour apples. have prepared a syrup made with a cup of water, the juice of one lemon, a little grated rind, and a half cup of sugar. when the sugar is dissolved, add the fruit, and simmer till tender but not fallen to pieces. skim out the apples, draining thoroughly, and lay them in a glass dish. boil up the syrup until thick, and poor it over the apples. make a soft boiled custard with a pint of milk, yolks of three eggs, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. when cold, spread over the apples; whip the whites to a stiff froth, flavor with lemon, and pile irregularly upon the top. brown lightly in the oven. apple custard no. .--pare and remove the cores from a dozen tart apples, and fill the cavities with black raspberry, quince, or grape jelly. put them in a covered baking dish with a tablespoonful of water, and steam in the oven till tender but not fallen to pieces. then cover the apples with a raw custard made by cooking two tablespoonfuls of flour rubbed smooth with a little milk, in a quart of milk, till just thickened, and adding, when cold, the yolks of two eggs well beaten with two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, and lastly the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth. bake in a dish set in a pan of hot water, until the custard has set, but not till it separates. apple cornstarch custard.--cover the bottom of a small earthen-ware pudding dish an inch or more in depth with apples stewed until very dry, sweetened and flavored with a teaspoonful of rose water. heat a cup of milk to boiling, and stir into it a tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and one fourth cup of sugar; cook until thickened, then add the yolk of one egg, and pour the whole over the apple. meringue the top with the white of the egg beaten stiff with a tablespoonful of sugar, and flavored with a little rose water. apple and bread custard.--for this is required one cup of finely rolled bread crumbs, two eggs, one half cup of sugar, one cup minced sour apples, and one quart of milk. beat the sugar and yolks together, add the milk, bread, and fruit, and lastly the well-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a dish set in a pan of hot water till firm but not dry. almond cornstarch pudding.--blanch one and one half ounces of sweet almonds, and reduce them to a paste as directed on page ; or if obtainable, almondine may be used instead of the prepared almonds. heat a quart of milk, and while boiling, stir into it four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch which has been braided smooth with a little cold milk; let it thicken over the fire, stirring all the time. then add two tablespoonfuls of thick, sweet cream. lastly, stir in two or three well-beaten eggs and a tablespoonful of rose water. let it come just to the boiling point, and remove from the stove. keep in a cold place till needed. serve with hot mock cream or with grape pulp as dressing. almond cream.--heat a pint of milk, and when boiling stir into it two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, also one fourth cup of sugar and three tablespoonfuls of almondine. cook until thickened, and pour it, stirring constantly meanwhile, over the beaten whites of two eggs. set on ice to cool, and serve with grape pulp as dressing. a cupful of blanched and chopped almonds may be used instead of almondine if that is not obtainable. the pudding will then require an additional one fourth cup of sugar. apple charlotte.--take three cups of nicely stewed tart apples which have been beaten smooth or rubbed through a colander and sweetened to taste. if the sauce is thin and very juicy, place it upon the range, and simmer slowly till it is of the consistency of thick marmalade or jelly. add to the apples four tablespoonfuls of grated fresh or canned pineapple for flavoring. remove the hard crusts from slices of light whole-wheat bread, spread them quite thickly with the prepared apple, and pack in layers in a pudding mold. cover with a simple custard made of a quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two eggs. let it stand half an hour, then bake. do not press the bread or beat it after the custard is turned on, as that will be likely to make the pudding heavy. other fruit marmalade may be used in place of the apple preparation if preferred. banana custard.--prepare a custard as directed for plain custard with a quart of milk, two well-beaten eggs, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one of cornstarch. when the custard is cool, pour it over four thinly sliced yellow bananas, over which a tablespoonful of sugar and a teaspoonful of water have been sprinkled. serve cold. boiled custard.--beat thoroughly together one pint of milk, two eggs, and a tablespoonful or two of sugar, until thoroughly mingled. turn the mixture into a double boiler, and cook until the custard is set. boiled custard bread pudding.--crumble enough of the soft portion of stale whole-wheat bread to lightly fill a pint bowl. heat a pint of milk to boiling. stir into it, as soon as it boils, two eggs, yolks and whites well beaten separately, two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar, a little grated lemon rind, and the light bread crumbs; stir rapidly till the whole thickens, pour into a deep dish, and when cold, dot the top with bits of currant or cranberry jelly. bread and fruit custard.--take for this, two cups of grated bread crumbs, two cups of finely chopped tart apples, one cup of english currants or stoned raisins, mixed with a very little chopped citron for flavor, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, three cups of milk, and two eggs. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together, then add the milk, bread, fruit, and lastly the well-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a dish set within a pan of hot water, until the custard is set. bread custard pudding.--take one cup of finely powdered bread crumbs, one half cup of sugar, one quart of milk, and the beaten yolks of three eggs and whites of two. mix the bread and milk, and when well softened, add the beaten yolks, sugar, and lastly the well-beaten whites; beat all together thoroughly, season with a little grated lemon rind; place the pudding dish in the oven in a pan of hot water, and bake till firm and lightly brown. take from the oven, cover the top with a layer of apple marmalade made without sugar, or with some tart fruit jelly; add to this a meringue made of the white of the remaining egg and a tablespoonful of sugar, beaten to a stiff froth, and place in the oven a moment to brown lightly. fresh fruit, strawberries, raspberries, chopped peaches, currants, cherries, or shredded oranges are equally as good as the marmalade or jelly for the top dressing, and may be used to vary this pudding in a number of different ways. canned fruits, if well drained from juice, especially apricots and peaches, are excellent for this purpose. a cocoanut custard pudding may be made of the above by flavoring the milk before using, with two tablespoonfuls of desiccated cocoanut another variety still may be made by adding to the first recipe half a cup of zante currants and the same of seedless raisins, or a half cup of finely shredded, tender citron. bread and fig pudding.--put together two cups of finely grated bread crumbs, two cups of milk, one cup of finely chopped figs previously steamed or cooked, one fourth cup of sugar, and lastly, two well-beaten eggs. bake in a moderate oven till the custard is set. bread and apricot pudding.--fill a pudding dish with alternate layers of bread crumbs and canned apricots well drained from juice. pour over it a custard made with two eggs, one half cup of sugar, and a pint of milk. bake one half hour, or only until the custard is set. canned peaches, to which a teaspoonful of lemon juice has been added after draining, may be used in place of apricots. caramel custard.--turn one fourth of a cup of sugar into a stewpan, and stir it over the fire until it becomes liquid and brown. scald a cup and a half of milk, and add the browned sugar. beat two eggs thoroughly, add to them one half cup cold milk, and turn the mixture slowly, stirring constantly that no lumps form, into the scalding milk; continue to stir until the custard thickens. set away to cool, and serve in glasses. carrot pudding.--take two cups of carrots, boiled tender and rubbed through a colander, one pint of milk, two thirds of a cup of sugar, and two well beaten eggs. flavor with vanilla, and having beaten all well together, turn into an earthen pudding dish, set the dish in a pan of hot water, and place in the oven. bake only till the custard sets. cocoanut cornstarch pudding.--simmer a cupful of grated cocoanut in a quart of milk for twenty minutes. strain the milk to remove the cocoanut, adding enough more milk to make a full quart. with a small portion of it braid smoothly one and one half tablespoonfuls of cornstarch or rice flour, and put the remainder in a saucepan over the fire. when the milk is boiling, add the cornstarch, stirring constantly until it thickens; then remove from the fire and cool. next add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and two well-beaten eggs. bake in a moderate oven, in a dish set in a pan of hot water, until the custard is well set. cocoanut custard.--flavor a pint of milk with cocoanut, add a tablespoonful of sugar and two well-beaten eggs, and boil till set in a double boiler or a bowl set in a dish of boiling water. richer custards may be made by using three or four eggs, but the richer the custard the more likely it is to curdle and become watery, as well as being less wholesome. coconut rice custard.--flavor one quart of milk quite strongly with coconut, as previously directed. add to it one and one half cups of boiled rice, one cup of raisins, one half cup of sugar, and lastly three well-beaten eggs. set the pudding dish in a pan of hot water, and bake till the custard is well set. corn meal pudding.--heat a quart of milk lacking two thirds of a cupful, to boiling. moisten three tablespoonfuls of nice granulated corn meal with the two thirds of a cup of milk, and stir gradually into the boiling milk. let it boil up until set, turn into a double boiler, and cook for an hour. then add a tablespoonful of thick sweet cream, one half a cup of molasses or sugar, a quart of cold milk, a little salt if desired, and lastly, two well-beaten eggs. mix thoroughly. pour into a pudding dish and bake one hour. a cup of currants or seeded raisins may be used to give variety. corn meal pudding no. .--crumble cold corn puffs or corn cake to make a cupful; add a pint of sweet milk, three teaspoonfuls of sugar, the yolks of two eggs and the white of one, and bake slowly in a dish set inside a pan of hot water for an hour. corn meal and fig pudding.--beat together a scant cup of best sifted corn meal with a cupful of molasses, and stir the mixture gradually into a quart of boiling milk. cook ten or twelve minutes, or until well thickened, then set aside to cool. add a cupful of finely chopped figs, one and two thirds cups of cold milk, part cream if it can be afforded, and when the mixture is cool, add two well-beaten eggs. pour into a pudding dish and bake in a moderate, steady oven for three or more hours; the longer the better. when the pudding has baked an hour, pour over it a cupful of cold milk. do not stir the pudding, but allow the milk to soak in gradually, a pint of finely sliced or chopped sweet apples may be used in place of figs for variety, or if preferred, both may be omitted. cornstarch meringue.--heat one and one half pints of milk to boiling, and then stir in gradually two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch which has been previously rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. when the starch has thickened, allow it partially to cool, and then add, stirring continuously meanwhile, the yolks of two eggs which have been previously well beaten with three table spoonfuls of sugar. let the whole simmer for a minute or two longer, turn into a dish, meringue with the whites of the eggs, and when cold, dot with lumps of strawberry jelly. cracked wheat pudding.--beat two cups of cold steamed cracked wheat in two cups of rich milk until so thoroughly mingled that no lumps remain. add one cup of canned sweet cherries well drained from juice, one half cup of sugar, and two eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately. bake in a slow oven till the custard is set. cup custard.--into four cups of milk stir the yolks of three eggs and one whole one well beaten. add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and strain the mixture into cups; place these in a dripping pan full of hot water, grate a little lemon rind over the top of each, and bake in a moderate oven. if preferred, the milk may be first flavoured with cocoanut. it is also better to have the milk nearly hot when stirring in the egg. half a cupful of the milk should be reserved to add to the egg before turning into the heated portion. farina custard.--flavor a quart of milk with cocoanut as directed on page . cook two tablespoonfuls of farina in the flavored milk for twenty minutes, in a double boiler; then set aside to cool. when nearly cold, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. beat all together very thoroughly, and lastly stir in the whites of the eggs which have been previously beaten to a stiff froth. bake in one dish set inside another filled with hot water, just long enough to set the custard. serve cold. farina pudding.--take a cup of cold cooked farina and soak it in four cups of milk until there are no lumps, or rub through a colander; add two well-beaten eggs, one scant cup of sugar and one cup of raisins; bake in a moderate oven until the custard is well set. floating island.--make a custard of a pint of milk flavored with cocoanut, and the yolks of three eggs; sweeten to taste, and steam in a double boiler. when done, turn into a glass dish. have the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and drop for a few seconds on the top of a pan of scalding hot water, turning so that both sides may be alike coagulated but not hardened; skim off, and put in islands on the top of the custard. when quite cold, drop bits of different colored jellies on the islands, and keep in a cool place till needed. or put a spoonful of fruit jelly in the bottom of small glasses, and fill with the custard with a spoonful of the white on top. fruit custard.--heat a pint of red raspberry, strawberry, or currant juice to boiling, and stir into it two tablespoonfuls or cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold water. stir constantly until thickened, then add half a cup of sugar, or less if the fruit juice has been sweetened; take from the fire and stir in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs, stirring all the time so that the hot mixture will coagulate the egg. make a custard of a pint of milk, the yolks of the three eggs, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. when done, set on the ice to cool. dish in a glass dish when cold, placing the fruit mixture by spoonfuls on top, and serve. graham grits pudding.--heat two cups of milk in a double boiler. when boiling, stir in one cup of graham grits moistened with one cup of cold milk. cook for an hour and a half in a double boiler, then remove from the fire and cool. add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, three fourths of a cup of finely chopped apples, and one fourth of a cup of chopped raisins, and two well-beaten eggs. bake three fourths of an hour in a moderate oven. ground rice pudding.--simmer a few pieces of thinly cut lemon rind or half a cup of cocoanut, very slowly in a quart of milk for twenty minutes, or until the milk is well flavored. strain the milk through a fine strainer to remove the lemon rind or cocoanut, and put into a saucepan to boil. mix four large tablespoonfuls of ground rice smooth with a little cold milk, and add to the boiling milk. cook until the whole has thickened, then set aside to cool. when nearly cold, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and two well-beaten eggs. bake in a gentle oven in a dish placed in a pan of hot water, until the whole is lightly browned. lemon pudding.--grate the rind of one lemon; soften one pint of bread crumbs in one quart of sweet milk, add the yolks of two eggs, and half a cup of sugar mixed with grated lemon rind. bake twenty minutes. beat to a froth the whites of the eggs, the juice of the lemon, and half a cup of sugar. spread over the top, and return to the oven for five minutes. this may be baked in cups if preferred. lemon cornstarch pudding.--beat the yolks of two eggs in a pudding dish; add a cupful of sugar; dissolve four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch in a little cold water, stir it into two teacupfuls of actively boiling water; when thickened, add the juice of two lemons with a little grated peel; turn over the eggs and sugar, beating well to mix all together, and bake about fifteen minutes. if desired, the beaten whites of the eggs may be used to meringue the top. serve either cold or hot. lemon cornstarch pudding no. .--mix together one half cup of cornstarch, one half cup of sugar, the juice and a portion of the grated rind of one medium-sized lemon. add to these ingredients just enough cold water to dissolve thoroughly, then pour boiling water over the mixture until it becomes thickened and looks transparent. stir continuously and boil for a few minutes until the starch is cooked. take from the fire, and add gradually, with continuous stirring, the well-beaten yolks of three eggs. whip the whites of the eggs with a teaspoonful of quince jelly to a stiff froth, and pour over the pudding; then brown in the oven. orange juice with a very little of the grated rind, or pineapple juice may be substituted for the lemon, if preferred. macaroni pudding.--break sufficient macaroni to make a pint in inch lengths, put into a double boiler, turn over it three pints of milk, and cook until tender. turn into a pudding dish, add a pint of cold milk, two thirds of a cup of sugar, one egg, and the yolks of two others well beaten. bake from twenty minutes to one half hour. when done, cool a little, spread the top with some mashed fresh berries or grape marmalade, and meringue with the whites of the eggs and a tablespoonful of sugar. molded rice or snow balls.--steam a pint of well-cleaned rice until tender, as directed on page , and tarn into cups previously wet in cold water, to mold. when perfectly cold, place in a glass dish, and pour over them a cold custard made of a pint of milk, half a cup of sugar, a teaspoonful of cornstarch, and one egg. or, if preferred, the rice balls may be served in individual dishes with the custard sauce, or with a dressing of fruit juice. orange float.--heat one quart of water, the juice of two lemons, and one and one half cupfuls of sugar. when boiling, stir into it four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a very little water. cook until the whole is thickened and clear. when cool, stir into the mixture five nice oranges which have been sliced, and freed from seeds and all the white portions. meringue, and serve cold. orange custard.--turn a pint of hot milk over two cups of stale bread crumbs and let them soak until well softened: add the yolks of two eggs, and beat all together until perfectly smooth; add a little of the grated rind and the juice of three sweet oranges, and sugar to taste. lastly add the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, turn into cups, which place into a moderate oven in a pan of hot water, and bake twenty minutes, or until the custard is well set but not watery. orange pudding.--pare and slice six sweet florida oranges, removing the seeds and all the white skin and fibers. place in the bottom of a glass dish. make a custard by stirring two table spoonfuls of cornstarch braided with a little milk into a pint of boiling milk, and when thickened, adding gradually, stirring constantly meanwhile, one egg and the yolk of a second egg well beaten with one fourth cup of sugar. when partially cool, pour over the oranges. whip the white of the second egg to a stiff froth with one fourth cup of sugar which has been flavored by rubbing over some orange peel, and meringue the top of the pudding. fresh strawberries, raspberries, or peaches may be substituted for oranges in making this dessert, if preferred. peach meringue.--to every pint of stewed or canned peaches, sweetened to taste, stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. bake in a deep pudding dish fifteen minutes, then cover with the whites of the two eggs beaten till very light with two tablespoonfuls of sugar. brown in the oven, and serve cold with whipped cream. for peaches, substitute any other stewed fruit desired. picnic pudding.--thicken a pint of strawberry or raspberry juice, sweetened to taste, with two tablespoonfuls of corn starch, as for fruit custard. turn into the bottom of cups previously wet with cold water, or a large mold, as preferred. in a second dish heat to boiling a pint of milk, flavored with cocoanut, to which a tablespoonful of sugar has been, added. stir into it two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and cook thoroughly. when done, cool slightly and turn into the molds on the top of the pink portion, which should be sufficiently cool so that it will not mix. a third layer may be added by cooking two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch and one of sugar, rubbed smooth in a little milk, in a pint of boiling milk, and stirring in, just as it is taken from the stove, the well-beaten yolks of two eggs. plain cornstarch pudding.--heat to boiling a pint and a half of milk, with a few bits of the yellow rind of a lemon to flavor it. while the milk is heating, rub four large spoonfuls of cornstarch to a cream with half a cup of cold milk; beat well together the yolks of three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and half a cup of cold milk, and whip the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth. when the milk is actively boiling, remove the bits of lemon rind with a skimmer, and stir in the starch mixture; stir constantly and boil three or four minutes--until the starch is well cooked; then add gradually, stirring well meanwhile, the yolks and sugar. remove from the fire, and stir the beaten whites lightly through the whole. serve with a dressing of fruit juice or fruit syrup; if in the season of fresh berries, the pudding may be dressed with a few spoonfuls of mashed strawberries, raspberries, or currants. plain custard.--heat a pint of milk to boiling, and stir in a tablespoonful of cornstarch nabbed smooth in a little milk; let the milk and starch boil together till they thicken; then cool and add one well-beaten egg and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. cook in the oven in a dish set inside another filled with hot water, or in a double boiler. the milk may be previously flavored with orange, lemon, or cocoanut. prune pudding.--heat two and one half cups of milk to boiling, then stir in gradually a heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch which has been rubbed smooth in a little cold milk; let this boil and thicken for a minute, then remove from the fire. when cool, add three well-beaten eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a cupful of prunes which have been stewed, then drained of all juice, the stones removed, and the prunes chopped fine. pour into a pudding dish and bake twenty minutes. serve with or without cream. prime whip.--sift through a colander some stewed sweet california prunes which have been thoroughly drained from juice, and from which the stones have been removed. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and add two cups of the sifted prunes; beat all together thoroughly; turn into a pudding dish, and brown in the oven fifteen minutes. serve cold, with a little cream or custard for dressing. almond sauce also makes an excellent dressing. rice apple custard pudding.--pare, and remove the cores without dividing from a sufficient number of apples to cover the bottom of a two-quart pudding dish. fill the cavities of the apples with a little grated lemon rind and sugar, and put them into the oven with a tablespoon of water on the bottom of the dish. cover, and steam till the apples are tender, but not fallen to pieces. then pour over them a custard made with two cups of boiled rice, a quart of milk, half a cup of sugar, and two eggs. rice custard pudding.--take one and one half cups of nicely steamed rice, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a pint of milk; heat to boiling in a saucepan. then stir in very carefully the yolk of one egg and one whole egg, previously well beaten together with a few spoonfuls of milk reserved for the purpose. let the whole boil up till thickened, but not longer, as the custard will whey and separate. when partly cool, flavor with a little vanilla or lemon, turn into a glass dish, and meringue with the white of the second egg beaten to a stiff froth. cold steamed rice may be used by soaking it in hot milk until every grain is separate. rice snow.--into a quart of milk heated to boiling, stir five tablespoonfuls of rice flour previously braided with a very little cold milk; add one half cup of sugar. let the whole boil up together till well cooked and thickened; then remove from the stove, and stir in lightly the beaten whites of four eggs. mold, and serve cold with foam sauce. rice snow with jelly.--steam or bake a teacupful of best rice in milk until the grains are tender. pile it up on a dish roughly. when cool, lay over it squares of jelly. beat the whites of two eggs and one third of a cup of sugar to a stiff froth, and pile like snow over the rice. serve with cream sauce. rice with eggs.--steam rice as previously directed, and when sufficiently cooked, stir into half of it while hot, the yolks of one or two eggs well beaten with a little sugar. into the other half, the whites of the eggs, sweetened and beaten to a stiff froth, may be lightly stirred while the rice is still hot enough to set the eggs. serve with the yellow half in the bottom of the dish, and the white part piled on top covered with whipped cream flavored with lemon or vanilla. snow pudding.--heat one half pint each of water and milk together, to boiling, stir into this a tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and cook for five minutes. cool partially and add the whites of two well-beaten eggs. turn into molds and set in the ice box to cool. serve with a cream made by stirring into a half pint of boiling milk the yolks of two eggs, a teaspoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk, and half a cup of sugar. cook until well thickened. cool and flavor with a little lemon or vanilla. or, if preferred, serve with a dressing of fruit juice. steamed custard.--heat a pint of milk, with which has been well beaten two eggs and one third of a cup of sugar, in a double boiler until well thickened. when done, turn into a glass dish, and grate a little of the yellow rind of lemon over the top to flavor. if desired to have the custard in cups, remove from the fire when it begins to thicken, turn into cups, and finish in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water. strawberry charlotte.--fit slices of nice plain buns (those made according to recipe on page are nice for this) in the bottom of a pudding dish, and cover with a layer of hulled strawberries; add another layer of the buns cut in slices, a second layer of strawberries, and then more slices of buns. make a custard in the following manner: heat a scant pint of milk to boiling in the inner cup of a double boiler, and stir into it gradually, beating thoroughly at the same time, an egg which has been previously well beaten with half a cup of sugar, a teaspoonful of cornstarch, and a spoonful or two of milk until perfectly smooth. cook together in the double boiler until well set. cool partially, and pour over the buns and strawberries. place a plate with a weight upon it on the top of the charlotte, and set away to cool. pop corn pudding.--take a scant pint of the pop corn which is ground and put up in boxes, or if not available, freshly popped corn, rolled fine, is just as good. add to it three cups of new milk, one half cup of sugar, two whole eggs and the yolk of another, well beaten. bake in a pudding dish placed inside another filled with hot water, till the custard is set. cover with a meringue made of the remaining white of egg, a teaspoonful of sugar, and a sprinkling of the pop corn. sago custard pudding.--put one half cup of sago and a quart of rich milk into the inner cup of a double boiler, or a basin set inside a pan of boiling water, and let it simmer until the sago has thickened the milk and become perfectly transparent. allow it to cool, then add a cup of sugar, two well-beaten eggs, and a little of the grated rind of a lemon. turn into a pudding dish, and bake only till the custard has set. sago and fruit custard pudding.--soak six table spoonfuls of sago in just enough water to cover it, for twenty minutes. meanwhile pare and remove the cores from half a dozen or more tart apples, and fill the cavities with a mixture of grated lemon rind and sugar. place the apples in the bottom of a pudding dish, with a tablespoonful of water; cover, and set in the oven to bake. put the soaked sago with a quart of milk into a double boiler. let it cook until the sago is clear and thick; then add three fourths of a cup of sugar and two well-beaten eggs. pour the sago custard over the apples, which should be baked tender but not mushy. put the pudding dish in the oven in a pan of hot water, and bake till the custard is well set. serve cold. snowball custard.--flavor a pint of milk by sleeping in it three or four slices of the yellow rind of a lemon for twenty minutes or more. skim out the rind; let the milk come to the boiling point, and drop into it the well-beaten whites of two eggs, in tablespoonfuls, turning each one over carefully, allowing them to remain only long enough to become coagulated but not hardened, and then place the balls upon a wire sieve to drain. afterward stir into the scalding milk the yolks of the eggs and one whole one well beaten, together with two tablespoonfuls of sugar. stir until it thickens. pour this custard into a glass dish, and lay the white balls on top. tapioca custard.--soak a cup of pearl tapioca over night in sufficient water to cover. when ready to prepare the custard, drain off the water if any remain, and add one quart of milk to the tapioca; place in a double boiler and cook until transparent; then add the well-beaten yolks of three eggs or the yolks of two and one whole one, mixed with three fourths of a cup of sugar. let it cook a few minutes, just long enough for the custard to thicken and no more, or it will whey and be spoiled; flavor with a little vanilla and turn into a glass dish. cover the top with the whites beaten stiffly with a tablespoonful of sugar, and dot with bits of jelly, or colored sugar prepared by mixing sugar with cranberry or raspberry juice and allowing it to dry. for variety, the custard may be flavored with grated lemon rind and a tablespoonful of lemon juice whipped up with the whites of the eggs, or other flavor may be dispensed with, and the meringue flavored by beating with a tablespoonful of quince jelly with the whites of the eggs. tapioca pudding.--soak a cupful of tapioca over night in just enough water to cover. in the morning, add to it one quart of milk, and cook in a double boiler until transparent. add three eggs well beaten, one half cup of sugar, one half cup of chopped raisins, and a very little chopped citron. bake till the custard is set. serve warm or cold as preferred. vermicelli pudding.--flavor two and one half cups of milk with lemon as directed on page . drop into it, when boiling, four ounces of vermicelli, crushing it lightly with one hand while sprinkling it in, and stir to keep it from gathering in lumps. let it cook gently in a double boiler, stirring often until it is tender and very thick. then pour it into a pudding dish, let it cool, and add a tablespoonful of rather thick sweet cream if you have it (it does very well without), half a cup of sugar, and lastly, two well-beaten eggs. bake in a moderately hot oven till browned over the top. white custard.--beat together thoroughly one cup of milk, the whites of two eggs, one tablespoonful of sugar, and one and one half tablespoonfuls of almondine. turn into cups and steam or bake until the custard is set. white custard no. .--cook a half cup of farina in a quart of milk in a double boiler, for an hour. remove from the stove, and allow it to become partially cool, then add one half cup of sugar, the whites of two eggs, and one half the yolk of one egg. turn into a pudding dish, and bake twenty minutes or until the custard is well set. steamed pudding. the following precautions are necessary to be observed in steaming puddings or desserts of any sort:-- . have the water boiling rapidly when the pudding is placed in the steamer, and keep it constantly boiling. . replenish, if needed, with boiling water, never with cold. . do not open the steamer and let in the air upon the pudding, until it is done. _recipes._ batter pudding.--beat four eggs thoroughly; add to them a pint of milk, and if desired, a little salt. sift a teacupful of flour and add it gradually to the milk and eggs, beating lightly the while. then pour the whole mixture through, a fine wire strainer into a small pail with cover, in which it can be steamed. this straining is imperative. the cover of the pail should be tight fitting, as the steam getting into the pudding spoils it. place the pail in a kettle of boiling water, and do not touch or move it until the pudding is done. it takes exactly an hour to cook. if moved or jarred during the cooking, it will be likely to fall. slip it out of the pail on a hot dish, and serve with cream sauce. a double boiler with tightly fitting cover is excellent for cooking this pudding. bread and fruit custard.--soak a cupful of finely grated bread crumbs in a pint of rich milk heated to scalding. add two thirds of a cup of sugar, and the grated yellow rind of half a lemon. when cool, add two eggs well beaten. also two cups of canned apricots or peaches drained of juice, or, if preferred, a mixture of one and one half cups of chopped apples, one half cup of raisins, and a little citron. turn into a pudding dish, and steam in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water for two hours. the amount of sugar necessary will vary somewhat according to the fruit used. date pudding.--turn a cup of hot milk over two cups of stale bread crumbs, and soak until softened; add one half cup of cream and one cup of chopped and stoned dates. mix all thoroughly together. put in a china dish and steam for three hours. serve hot with lemon sauce. rice balls.--steam one cup of rice till tender. wring pudding cloths about ten inches square out of hot water, and spread the rice one third of an inch over the cloth. put a stoned peach or apricot from which the skin has been removed, in the center, filling the cavity in each half of the fruit with rice. draw up the cloth until the rice smoothly envelops the fruit, tie, and steam ten or fifteen minutes. remove the cloth carefully, turn out into saucers, and serve with sauce made from peach of apricot juice. easy-cooking tart apples may also be used. steam them thirty minutes, and serve with sugar and cream. steamed bread custard.--cut stale bread in slices, removing hard crusts. oil a deep pudding mold, and sprinkle the bottom and sides with zante currants; over these place a layer of the slices of bread, sprinkled with currants; add several layers, sprinkling each with the currants in the same manner. cover with a custard made by beating together three or four eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and one quart of milk. put the pudding in a cool place for three hours; at the end of that time, steam one and a quarter hours. serve with mock cream flavored with vanilla. apple marmalade may be used to spread between the slices in place of currants, if preferred. steamed fig pudding.--moisten two cupfuls of finely grated graham bread crumbs with half a cup of thin sweet cream. mix into it a heaping cupful of finely chopped fresh figs, and a quarter of a cup of sugar. add lastly a cup of sweet milk. turn all into a pudding dish, and steam about two and one half hours. serve as soon as done, with a little cream for dressing, or with orange or lemon sauce. pastry and cake. so much has been said and written about the dietetic evils of these articles that their very names have been almost synonymous with indigestion and dyspepsia. that they are prolific causes of this dire malady cannot be denied, and it is doubtless due to two reasons; first, because they are generally compounded of ingredients which are in themselves unwholesome, and rendered doubly so by their combination; and secondly, because tastes have become so perverted that an excess of these articles is consumed in preference to more simple and nutritious food. as has been elsewhere remarked, foods containing an excess of fat, as do most pastries and many varieties of cake, are exceedingly difficult of digestion, the fat undergoing in the stomach no changes which answer to the digestion of other elements of food, and its presence interferes with the action of the gastric juice upon other elements. in consequence, digestion proceeds very slowly, if at all, and the delay often occasions fermentative and putrefactive changes in the entire contents of the stomach. it is the indigestibility of fat, and this property of delaying the digestion of other foods, chiefly that render pastry and cakes so deleterious to health. we do not wish to be understood as in sympathy with that class of people who maintain that dyspepsia is a disciplinary means of grace, when, after having made the previous statement, we proceed to present recipes for preparing the very articles we have condemned. pie and cake are not necessarily utterly unwholesome; and if prepared in a simple manner, may be partaken of in moderation by persons with good digestion. nevertheless, they lack the wholesomeness of more simple foods, and we most fully believe that would women supply their tables with perfectly light, sweet, nutritious bread would cease. however, if pies and cakes must needs be, make them as simple as possible. general suggestions for making pies.--always prepare the filling for pies before making the crust, if the filling is to be cooked in the crust. have all the material for the crust on the table, measured and in readiness, before beginning to put together. follow some of the simple recipes given in these pages. have all the material cold, handle the least possible to make it into a mass, and do not knead at all. when the crust is ready, roll it out quickly to about one half inch in thickness, then fold up like a jelly roll, and cut from the end only sufficient for one crust at a time. lay this, the flat side upon the board, and roll evenly in every direction, until scarcely more than an eighth of an inch in thickness, and somewhat larger than the baking plate, as it will shrink when lifted from the board. turn one edge over the rolling pin, and carefully lift it onto the plate. if there is to be an upper crust, roll that in the same manner, make a cut in the center to allow the steam to escape, fill the pie, slightly rounding it in the center, and lift on the upper crust; press both edges lightly together; then, lifting the pie in the left hand, deftly trim away all overhanging portions of crust with a sharp knife; ornament the edge if desired, and put at once into the oven, which should be in readiness at just the right temperature, a rather moderate oven being best for pies. the under crust of lemon, pumpkin, custard, and very juicy fruit pies, filled before baking, is apt to become saturated and softened with the liquid mixture, if kept for any length of time after baking. this may be prevented in a measure by glazing the crust, after it is rolled and fitted on the plate, with the beaten white of an egg, and placing in the oven just a moment to harden the egg before filling; or if the pie is one of fruit, sprinkle the crust with a little flour and sugar, brushing the two together with the hand before; adding the filling. during the baking, the flour and melted sugar will adhere together, tending to keep the juice from contact with the crust. pies are more wholesome if the crusts are baked separately and filled for use as needed. this is an especially satisfactory way to make pies of juicy fruit, as it does away largely with the saturated under crusts, and the flavor of the fruit can be retained much more perfectly. pies with one crust can be made by simply fitting the crust to the plate, pricking it lightly with a fork to prevent its blistering while baking, and afterward filling when needed for the table. for pies with two crusts, fit the under crust to the plate, and fill with clean pieces of old white linen laid in lightly to support the upper crust. when baked, slip the pie on a plate, lift off the upper crust, take out the pieces of cloth, and just before serving, fill with fruit, which should be previously prepared. canned peaches filled into such a crust make a delicious pie. strawberries, cherries, gooseberries, and other juicy fruits, that lose so much of their flavor in baking, may be lightly scalded, the juice thickened a little with flour if desired, sweetened to taste, and filled into such a crust. an excellent pie may be made in this manner from apples, stewed carefully so as to keep the slices whole, sweetened to taste, and flavored with lemon, orange, or grated pineapple. one pineapple will be sufficient for four pies. fresh fruit for filling may be used without cooking, if desired. if desired, several crusts may be baked and put away unfilled. when needed, the crusts may be placed for a few minutes in a hot oven until heated through, then filled with freshly prepared fruit. in preparing material for custard or pumpkin pies, if the milk used be hot, the pies will be improved and the time of baking be considerably shortened. tin or granite-ware plates are preferable to earthen ones for pies, as they bake better on the bottom. the perforated pans are superior in some respects. no greasing is needed; simply rub them well with flour. the time required for baking pies varies from one half to three fourths of an hour. the dampers should be so adjusted as to bake the bottom crust first. after baking, remove at once to heated earthen plates, or set the tins upon small supports, so that the air can circulate underneath them. _recipes._ paste for pies.--sift together equal parts of graham grits and white flour (graham flour will do if the grits are not obtainable, but the grits will produce a more crisp and tender crust), and wet with very cold, thin sweet cream. have the flour also as cold as possible, since the colder the material, the more crisp the paste; mix together very quickly into a rather stiff dough. do not knead at all, but gather the fragments lightly together, roll out at once, fill and bake quickly, since much of the lightness of the crust depends upon the dispatch with which the pie is gotten into the oven after the materials are thrown together. if for any reason it is necessary to defer the baking, place the crust in the ice-chest till needed. corn meal crust.--equal parts of sifted white corn meal and flour, mixed together lightly with rather thin sweet cream which has been set in the ice-chest until very cold, makes a very good crust. granola crust.--for certain pies requiring an under crust only, the prepared granola manufactured by the sanitarium food co. makes a superior crust. to prepare, moisten with thin sweet cream--one half cup of cream for every two thirds cup of granola is about the right proportion, and will make sufficient crust for one pie. flour the board, and lift the moistened granola onto it, spreading it as much as possible with the hands. dredge lightly with flour over the top, and roll out gently to the required size without turning. the material, being coarse and granular, will break apart easily, but may be as easily pressed together with the fingers. change the position of the rolling pin often, in order to shape the crust without moving it. when well roiled, carefully slip a stiff paper under it, first loosening from the board with a knife if necessary, and lift it gently onto the pan. press together any cracks, trim the edges, fill, and bake at once. use the least flour possible in preparing this crust, and bake as soon as made, before the moisture has become absorbed. such a crust is not suited for custard or juicy fruit pies, but filled with prune, peach, or apple marmalade, it makes a most delicious and wholesome pie. a cooked custard may be used in such a crust. paste for tart shells.--take one half cup of rather thin sweet cream, which has been placed on ice until very cold; add to it the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, and whip all together briskly for ten minutes. add sufficient white flour to roll. cut into the required shape, bake quickly, but do not brown. fill after baking. this paste, rolled thin and cut into shapes with a cookie-cutter, one half of them baked plain for under crusts, the other half ornamented for tops by cutting small holes with a thimble or some fancy mold, put together with a layer of some simple fruit jelly between them, makes a most attractive looking dessert. it is likewise very nice baked in little patty pans, and afterward filled with apple or peach marmalade, or any of the following fillings:-- cream filling.--one cup of rich milk (part cream if it can be afforded) heated to boiling. into this stir one scant tablespoonful of flour previously braided smooth with a little cold milk. add to this the well-beaten yolk of one egg and one tablespoonful of sugar. turn this mixture into the hot milk and stir until it thickens. flavor with a little grated lemon rind, vanilla, or, if preferred, flavor the milk with cocoanut before using. fill the tart shells, and meringue with the white of the egg beaten stiff with a tablespoonful of sugar. grape tart.--into one pint of canned or fresh grape juice, when boiling, stir two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch braided with a little water, and cook for five minutes. sweeten to taste, and fill a baked crust. lemon filling.--into one cup of boiling water stir one tablespoonful of cornstarch previously braided smooth with the juice of a large lemon. cook until it thickens, then add one half cup of sugar and a little grated yellow rind of the lemon. tapioca filling.--soak one tablespoonful of tapioca over night in one cup of water; mash and stir the tapioca, simmer gently until clear and thick, adding enough water to cook it well; add half a cup of white sugar and a tablespoonful each of lemon and orange juice. if desired, a little raspberry or currant juice may be added to make the jelly of a pink color. apple custard pie.--stew good dried apples till perfectly tender and there remains but very little juice. rub through a colander. for each pie use one cup of the sifted apples, one and a half cups of rich milk, two eggs, five tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a little grated lemon rind for flavoring. bake with under crust only. stewed fresh apples, beaten smooth or rubbed through a colander, can be used if preferred. the eggs may be omitted, and one half cup more of the sifted apples, with more sugar, may be used instead. banana pie.--for each pie required prepare a custard with one and one half cups of milk, the yolks of two eggs, and two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar. mash two large bananas through a colander, strain the custard over them, and beat well together. bake in an under crust only, and meringue the top with the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth with two tablespoonfuls of sugar. bread pie.--soak a slice of very light bread in a pint of rich milk. when it is quite soft, rub through a colander and afterward beat well through the milk. add one well-beaten egg, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a little grated lemon rind for flavor. bake with under crust only, till the custard is set. this is sufficient for one pie. carrot pie.--boil, drain, and rub the carrots through a colander. for each pie required, use two large tablespoonfuls of carrot thus prepared, two eggs, two cups of milk, a little salt if desired, four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and lemon or vanilla for flavoring. bake with under crust only. cocoanut pie.--flavor a pint of milk with two tablespoonfuls of desiccated, or finely grated fresh cocoanut according to directions on page ; strain, and add enough fresh milk to make a pint in all. add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, heat, and as the milk comes to a boil, add a tablespoonful of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. boil for a minute or two till the cornstarch thickens the milk; then remove from the stove. allow it to get cold, and then stir in one well-beaten egg; bake in an under crust. tie a tablespoonful of desiccated cocoanut in a clean cloth, and pound it as fine as flour; mix it with a tablespoonful of sugar and the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth. when the pie is done, spread this over the top, and brown in the oven for a moment only. cocoanut pie no. .--steep one half cup of cocoanut in a pint of milk for one half hour. strain out the cocoanut and add sufficient fresh milk to make a pint. allow it to become cold, then add a quarter of a cup of sugar and two well-beaten eggs. bake with an under crust only. when done, the top may be covered with a meringue the same as in the preceding recipe. cream pie.--for one pie beat together one egg, one half cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of flour, and two cups of rich milk. bake in one crust. cranberry pie.--stew a quart of cranberries until broken in a pint of boiling water. rub through a colander to remove the skins, add two cups of sugar and one half cup of sifted flour. bake with under crust only. dried apple pie.--stew good dried apples till perfectly tender in as small a quantity of water as possible. when done, rub through a colander; they should be about the consistency of fruit jam; if not, a little flour may be added. sweeten to taste, fill under crusts with the mixture, and bake. if lemon flavor is liked, a few pieces of the yellow rind may be added to the apples a little while before they are tender. if the apples are especially tasteless, lemon juice or some sour apple jelly should be added after rubbing through the colander. the crusts may first be baked, and filled with the mixture when needed; in which case the sauce should be simmered lightly till of the desired consistency. the top may be ornamented with strips or rings of crust, if desired. dried apple pie with raisins.--rub a quart of well-stewed dried apples through a colander, add a cupful of steamed raisins, sugar to sweeten, and bake with two crusts. this is sufficient for two pies. dried apricot pie.--stew together one third dried apricots and two thirds dried apples or peaches. when soft, rub through a colander, add sugar to sweeten, and if very juicy, stew again until the juice is mostly evaporated; then beat until light and bake in a granola crust. farina pie.--cook one fourth cup of farina in a double boiler for an hour in three cups of rich milk. allow it to become cool, then add one half cup of sugar, the yolks of two eggs, and a little grated lemon rind. bake with under crust only. meringue the top with the white of the egg beaten to a stiff froth with one tablespoonful of sugar and a little grated lemon rind for flavoring. the quantity given is sufficient for two small pies. fruit pies.--apples, peaches, and all small fruits and berries may be made into palatable pies without rich crusts or an excess of sugar, or the addition of unwholesome spices and flavorings. bake the crust separately, and fill when needed with prepared fruit; or, fill with the fruit, using only sufficient sugar to sweeten; add no spices, and bake quickly. prepare apples for pies by paring, coring, and dividing in eighths. peaches are best prepared in a similar manner. fill crusts in which the fruit is to be baked quite full and slightly heaping in the center. if flavoring is desired, let it be that of some other fruit. for apple pies, a teaspoonful or two of pineapple juice, a little grated lemon or orange peel, or a little strawberry or quince syrup, may be used for flavoring. for pies made of apples, peaches, and fruits which are not very juicy, add a tablespoonful or so of water or fruit juice; but for very juicy fruits and berries, dredge the under crust with a tablespoonful of sugar and a little flour mixed together before filling, or stir a spoonful of flour into the fruit so that each berry or piece may be separately floured. grape jelly pie.--cook perfectly ripe, purple grapes; rub them through a colander to remove the seeds and skins. return the pulp to the fire and thicken with rice flour or cornstarch, to the consistency of thick cream or jelly, and sweeten to taste. fill an under crust with the mixture, and bake. the top may be ornamented with pastry cut in fancy shapes if desired. jelly custard pie.--dissolve three tablespoonfuls of nice, pure fruit jelly in very little warm water, add one and one half cups of milk and two well-beaten eggs, stirring the whites in last. bake with under crust only. jellies are usually so sweet that no sugar is needed. apple, raspberry, currant, strawberry, and quince jellies all make nice pies, prepared in this way. lemon pie.--take four tablespoonfuls of lemon juice (one large lemon or two small ones will yield about this quantity), the grated yellow portion only of the rind of half a lemon, and two thirds of a cup of sugar. beat the lemon juice and sugar together. braid a slightly heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch with as little water as possible, and pour over it, stirring constantly, one half pint of boiling water, to thicken the starch. add the lemon and sugar to the starch, and let it cool; then stir in the yolks of two eggs and half the white of one, well beaten together. beat thoroughly, pour into a deep crust, and bake. when done, cover with the remaining whites of the eggs, beaten with one and a half tablespoonfuls of sugar, and brown lightly in the oven. lemon meringue custard.--heat two cups of milk to boiling, add a tablespoonful of cornstarch well braided with a little cold milk; let the whole simmer till thickened, stirring constantly. allow it to cool, add one third of a cup of sugar and the beaten yolks of two eggs. bake in an under crust, and cover with a meringue made of the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth with two tablespoonfuls of sugar mixed with grated lemon peel. if liked, a spoonful of lemon juice may be added, a few drops at a time, during the beating of the meringue. one-crust peach pie.--pare and remove the stones from ripe, nice flavored peaches; stew till soft in the smallest quantity of water possible without burning. rub through a colander, or beat smooth with a large spoon. add sugar as required. bake with one crust. if the peach sauce is evaporated until quite dry, it is very nice baked in a granola crust. when done, meringue with the whites of two eggs whipped stiff with two tablespoonfuls of sugar. the flavor is improved by adding by degrees to the egg while whipping, a tablespoonful of lemon juice. return to the oven and brown lightly. serve cold. canned peaches or stewed dried peaches may be used in place of the fresh ones. in using the dried peaches, carefully examine and wash; soak them over night in cold water, and stew them in the same water until soft enough to rub through the colander. for each pie, add two tablespoonfuls of sweet cream, and sufficient sugar to sweeten; too much, sugar destroys the flavor of the fruit. evaporated peaches, soaked over night and stewed carefully until tender, then removed from the syrup, which may be sweetened and boiled until thick and rich and afterward turned over the peaches, makes a delicious pie. bake in one crust, with or without a meringue. orange pie.--rub smooth a heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch in three tablespoonfuls of water; pour over it a cup of boiling water, and cook until clear, stirring frequently that no lumps form. add one cupful of sour orange juice, a little grated rind, and the juice of one lemon, with two eggs. bake with under crust only. meringue the top when baked, with the whites of the eggs well beaten with a tablespoonful of sugar, and a very little grated orange peel sprinkled over it. peach custard pie.--cover a pie plate with an under crust. take fresh peaches, pare, halve, and stone them, and place a layer, hollow side up, in the pie. prepare a custard with one egg, one cup of milk, and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. pour the custard over the peaches, and bake. if the quantity given will not entirely cover the peaches, a little more must be prepared. canned peaches which are not broken can be used instead of fresh ones. the pieces should be drained free from juice, and less sugar used. prune pie.--prepare and cook sweet california prunes as directed for prune marmalade. fill an under crust and bake. the top may be ornamented with strips of crust or pastry leaves; or if desired, may be meringued with the whites of two eggs beaten to a stiff froth with two tablespoonfuls of sugar and a little grated lemon peel. this pie is excellent baked in a granola crust. pumpkin pie.--to prepare the pumpkin, cut into halves, remove the seeds, divide into moderately small pieces, and bake in the oven until thoroughly done. then scrape from the shell, rub through a colander, and proceed as follows: for one and one third pints of the cooked pumpkin use one quart of hot, rich, sweet milk. add one half cup of sugar and the well-beaten yolks of three eggs, beat well together, add the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and beat thoroughly. line the tins with a stiff cream paste, fill, and bake in a moderate oven till the pies are barely firm in the center, or till the custard is well set. pumpkin pie no. .--for each pie desired, take one half pint of baked pumpkin, a pint of rich milk, one third of a cup of sugar, and two eggs. mix the sugar and eggs, add the pumpkin, and lastly the milk, which should be hot, and beat all together with an egg beater until very light. fill the crust, and bake slowly. pumpkin pie without eggs.--prepare the pumpkin as previously directed. for two medium-sized pies, heat a pint and a half of milk in a farina kettle, and when scalding, stir into it two scant tablespoonfuls of white flour rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. cook, stirring often, until it thickens. add half a cup of sugar, or a little less of syrup, to a pint and a half of the sifted pumpkin, and after beating well together, stir this into the hot milk. bake in an under crust; or, for three pies, take one quart and a cupful of pumpkin, three fourths of a cup of sugar, two thirds of a cup of best new orleans molasses, and three pints of hot milk. beat all together thoroughly. line deep plates with a cream crust, and bake an hour and a half in a moderate oven. simple custard pie.--for one pie, take one pint of milk, two well-beaten eggs, one third of a cup of sugar, and a little grated lemon rind for flavor. bake in an under crust. if eggs are scarce, a very good pie can be made by using only one egg, and a tablespoonful of cornstarch, with the above proportions of milk and sugar; in which case, heat the milk to scalding, stir in the cornstarch, and cook till thickened; cool, and then add the well-beaten egg. if preferred, the crust may be baked before filling, and the custard steamed, meanwhile. squash pie.--squash prepared as directed for pumpkin, and flavored with rose water, makes an excellent pie. or, for each pie desired, take one pint of rich milk (part cream if it can be afforded), add one cup of nicely baked mealy squash which has been rubbed through a colander, one third of a cup of sugar, and two well-beaten eggs. beat all together thoroughly. bake in a deep pan slowly and carefully until firm. squash pie without eggs.--bake the squash in the shell; when done, remove with a spoon and mash through a colander. for one pie, take eight tablespoonfuls of the squash, half a cup of sugar, and one and one third cups of boiling milk. pour the milk slowly over the squash, beating rapidly meanwhile to make the mixture light. bake in one crust. sweet-apple custard pie.--into one pint of new milk, grate three ripe sweet apples (golden sweets are excellent); add two well-beaten eggs, and sugar to taste. bake with under crust only. sweet potato pie.--bake sufficient sweet potatoes to make a pint of pulp when rubbed through a colander; add a pint of rich milk, a scant cup of sugar, salt if desired, the yolks of two eggs, and a little grated lemon rind for flavor. bake with under crust. when done, meringue with the whites of the eggs beaten up with a tablespoonful of sugar. cake. general suggestions.--always sift the flour for cake before measuring out the amount required. use the best granulated white sugar. eggs for use in cake are better to have the yolks and whites beaten separately. beat the former until they cease to froth and begin to thicken as if mixed with flour. beat the whites until stiff enough to remain in the bowl if inverted. have the eggs and dishes cool, and if practicable, beat in a cool room. use earthen or china bowls to beat eggs in. if fruit is to be used, it should be washed and dried according to directions given on page , and then dusted with flour, a dessertspoonful to the pound of fruit. for use in cup cake or any other cake which requires a quick baking, raisins should be first steamed. if you have no patent steamer, place them in a close covered dish within an ordinary steamer, and cook for an hour over a kettle of boiling water. this should be done the day before they are to be used. use an earthen or granite-ware basin for mixing cake. be very accurate in measuring the materials, and have them all at hand and all utensils ready before beginning to put the cake together. if it is to be baked at once, see that the oven also is at just the right temperature. it should be less hot for cake than for bread. thin cakes require a hotter oven than those baked in loaves. they require from fifteen to twenty minutes to bake; thicker loaves, from thirty to sixty minutes. for loaf cakes the oven should be at such a temperature that during the first half of the time the cake will have risen to its full height and just begun to brown. the recipes given require neither baking powder, soda, nor saleratus. yeast and air can be made to supply the necessary lightness, and their use admits of as great a variety in cakes as will be needed on a hygienic bill of fare. in making cake with yeast, do not use very thick cream, as a rich, oily batter retards fermentation and makes the cake slow in rising. if the cake browns too quickly, protect it by a covering of paper. if necessary to move a cake in the oven, do it very gently. do not slam the oven door or in any way jar a cake while baking, lest it fall. line cake tins with paper to prevent burning the bottom and edges. oil the paper, not the tins, very lightly. cake is done when it shrinks from the pan and stops hissing, or when a clean straw run into the thickest part comes up clean. as soon as possible after baking, remove from the pan, as, if allowed to remain in the pan, it is apt to become too moist. _recipes._ apple cake.--scald a cup of thin cream and cool to blood heat, add one and a half cups of sifted white flour, one fourth of a cup of sugar, and a gill of liquid yeast or one half cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a gill of thin cream. beat well together, set in a warm place, and let it rise till perfectly light. when well risen, add one half cup of sugar mixed with one half cup of warm flour. beat well and set in a warm place to rise again. when risen a second time, add two eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, and about one tablespoonful of flour. turn the whole into three round shallow baking tins, which have been previously oiled and warmed, and place where it will rise again for an hour, or until it is all of a foam. bake quickly in a moderately hot oven. make this the day before it is needed, and when ready to use prepare a filling as follows: beat together the whites of two eggs, one half cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon, and two large tart apples well grated. heat in a farina kettle until all are hot; cool, and spread between the layers of cake. this should be eaten the day the filling is prepared. cocoanut custard cake.--make the cake as directed in the preceding recipe. for the filling, prepare a soft custard by heating just to the boiling point one pint of rich milk previously flavored with cocoanut; into which stir a tablespoonful of cornstarch braided with a little milk, and let it boil until thickened. beat together an egg and one third of a cup of sugar, and turn the hot mixture slowly over it, stirring constantly till the custard thickens. when cold, spread between the layers of raised cake. cream cake.--prepare the cake as above. spread between the layers when cold a cream made as follows: stir into one half pint of boiling milk two teaspoonfuls of cornstarch rubbed smooth in a little cold milk. take with two tablespoonfuls of sugar; return to the rest of the custard and cook, stirring constantly until quite thick. cool and flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla or rose water. delicate cup cake.--this cake contains no soda or baking powder, and to make it light requires the incorporation of as much air as possible. in order to accomplish this, it should be put together in the same manner as directed for batter breads (page ). have all material measured and everything in readiness before beginning to put the cake together, then beat together the yolk of one egg, one cup of sugar, and one cup of very cold sweet cream, until all of a foam; add a little grated lemon rind for flavoring; stir in slowly, beating briskly all the time, two cups of granular white flour (sometimes termed gluten flour) or graham meal. when all the flour is added, add lastly the beaten whites of two eggs, stirring just enough to mix them well throughout the whole; turn at once into slightly heated gem irons which have been previously oiled, and bake in a moderately quick oven. if made according to directions, this cake will be very light and delicate. it will not puff up much above its first proportions, but will be light throughout. a nice cake may be prepared in the same manner with graham meal or even white flour, by the addition of a heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch sifted into the flour, in the way in which baking powder is ordinarily mixed with flour before using. fig layer cake.--prepare the cake as directed for apple cake. chop one half pound of figs very fine, add one half cup of sugar, one cup of water and boil in a farina kettle until soft and homogeneous. cool, and spread between the cakes. or chop steamed figs very fine, mix with an equal quantity of almondine, and use. fruit jelly cake.--prepare the cake as in the foregoing, using fruit jelly between the layers. gold and silver cake.--prepare the cake as for apple cake. when it has risen the second time, measure out one third of it, and add the yolks of the eggs to that portion with a little grated lemon rind for flavoring; add the whites with some very finely pulverized desiccated cocoanut to the other two thirds. make two sheets of the white and one of the yellow. allow them to become perfectly light before baking. when baked, place the yellow portion between the two white sheets, binding them together with a little frosting or white currant jelly. icing for cakes.--since icing adds to the excess of sugar contained in cakes, it is preferable to use them without it except when especially desired for ornament. an icing without eggs may be prepared by boiling a cup of granulated sugar in five tablespoonfuls of sweet milk for five minutes, then beating until cool enough to spread. one with egg may be easily made of six tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, the white of one egg, and one teaspoonful of boiling water mixed without beating. a colored icing may be made by using a teaspoonful of boiling cranberry juice or other red fruit juice instead of water. the top of the icing may be ornamented with roasted almonds, bits of colored sugar or frosted fruits, directions for the preparation of all of which have already been given. orange cake.--prepare the cake as for apple cake, and bake in two layers. for the filling, take two good-sized, juicy oranges. flavor two tablespoonfuls of sugar by rubbing it over the skin of the oranges, then peel, remove the white rind, and cut into small pieces, discarding the seeds and the central pith. put the orange pulp in a china bowl, and set in a dish of boiling water. when it is hot, stir in a heaping teaspoonful of cornstarch which has been braided smooth in two spoonfuls of water. stir constantly until the starch has cooked, and the whole becomes thickened. beat the yolk of one egg to a cream with two tablespoonfuls of sugar. stir this very gradually, so as not to lump, into the orange mixture, and cook two or three minutes longer. remove from the fire, and when cool, spread between the cakes. if the oranges are not very tart, a little lemon juice is an improvement. meringue the top of the cake with the white of the egg beaten up with the two tablespoonfuls of sugar flavored with orange. fruit cake.--make a sponge of one pint of thin cream which has been scalded and cooled to lukewarm, one gill of liquid yeast or one half cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a gill of cream, one half cup of sugar, and two and one half cups of flour. beat all together very thoroughly and let rise until light. when light, add another half cup of sugar, one half cup of rather thick cream which has been scalded and cooled, one cup of warm flour, and after beating well together, set away to rise again. when well risen, add one cup of seeded raisins, one fourth cup of citron chopped fine, one half cup of zante currants, two well-beaten eggs, and about one and one third cups of flour. turn into a brick loaf bread pan, let it rise until very light, and bake. when done, remove from the pan and set away until at least twenty-four hours old before using. loaf cake.--scald a cup of rather thin cream, and cool to blood heat. add one and one half cups of warm flour, one half a cup of sugar, and one fourth cake of compressed yeast dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of thin cream or as much of liquid yeast. beat well, and let rise until perfectly light; then add one half cup more of sugar mixed with one half cup of warm flour. beat well, and set away to rise a second time. when again well risen, add the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one half cup of warm flour, and a little grated lemon rind, or two teaspoonfuls of rose water to flavor. turn into a brick loaf bread pan lined with oiled paper, allow it to become perfectly light again, and bake. this cake, like other articles made with yeast, should not be eaten within at least twenty-four hours after baking. pineapple cake.--prepare as for orange cake, using grated pineapple in place of oranges. plain buns.--these are the simplest of all cakes. dissolve half a small cake of compressed yeast in a cup of thin cream which has been previously warmed to blood heat, add two cups of warm flour, and beat thoroughly together. put in a warm place, and let it rise till very light. add three tablespoonfuls of sugar mixed well with a half cup of warm flour, one half cup of zante currants, and sufficient flour to make of the consistency of dough. buns should be kneaded just as soft as possible, and from fifteen to twenty minutes. shape into biscuits a little larger than an english walnut, place them on tins far enough apart so they will not touch each other when risen. put in a warm place till they have risen to twice their first size, then bake in a moderately quick oven. if desired, the currants may be omitted and a little grated lemon rind for flavoring added with the sugar, or a bit of citron may be placed in the top of each bun when shaping. when taken from the oven, sprinkle the top of each with moist sugar if desired, or glace by brushing with milk while baking. sponge cake.--for this will be required four eggs, one cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of lemon juice with a little of the grated rind, and one cup of white flour. success in the making of sponge cake depends almost wholly upon the manner in which it is put together. beat the yolks of the eggs until very light and thick, then add the sugar little by little, beating it in thoroughly; add the lemon juice and the grated rind. beat the whites of the eggs until perfectly stiff and firm, and fold or chop them very lightly into the yolk mixture. sift the flour with a sifter little by little over the mixture and fold it carefully in. on no account stir either the white of the eggs or the flour in, since stirring will drive out the air which has been beaten into the eggs. do not beat after the flour is added. the cake, when the flour is all in, should be stiff and spongy. if it is liquid in character, it will be apt to be tough and may be considered a failure. bake in a shallow pan in a rather hot oven fifteen or twenty minutes. sugar crisps.--make a soft dough of two and one fourth cups of graham flour, one half cup of granulated white sugar, and one cup of rather thick sweet cream. knead as little as possible, roll out very thinly, cut in rounds or squares, and bake in a quick oven. variety cake.--make the same as gold and silver cake, and mix a half cup of zante currants and chopped raisins with the yellow portion. the white portion may be flavored by adding a very little chopped citron instead of the cocoanut, if preferred. table topics. if families could be induced to substitute the apple--sound, ripe, and luscious--for the pies, cakes, candies, and other sweetmeats with which children are too often stuffed, there would be a diminution of doctors' bills, sufficient in a single year to lay up a stock of this delicious fruit for a season's use.--_prof. faraday._ food for repentance--mince pie eaten late at night. _young student_--"this cook book says that pie crust needs plenty of shortening. do you know what that means, pa?" _father_--"it means lard." "but why is lard called shortening, pa?" "because it shortens life." the health journals and the doctors all agree that the best and most wholesome part of the new england country doughnut is the hole. the larger the hole, they say, the better the doughnut. an old gentleman who was in the habit of eating a liberal slice of pie or cake just before retiring, came home late one evening after his wife had gone to bed. after an unsuccessful search in the pantry, he called to his wife, "mary, where is the pie?" his good wife timidly acknowledged that there was no pie in the house. said her husband, "then where is the cake?" the poor woman meekly confessed that the supply of cake was also exhausted; at which the disappointed husband cried out in a sharp, censorious tone, "why, what would you do if somebody should be sick in the night?" _woman_ (to tramp)--"i can give you some cold buckwheat cakes and a piece of mince pie." _tramp_--(frightened) "what ye say?" _woman_--"cold buckwheat cakes and mince pie." _tramp_--(heroically) "throw in a small bottle of pepsin, madam, and i'll take the chances." gravies and sauces gravies for vegetables, sauces for desserts, and similar foods thickened with flour or cornstarch, are among the most common of the poorly prepared articles of the _cuisine_, although their proper preparation is a matter of considerable importance, since neither a thin, watery sauce nor a stiff, paste-like mixture is at all palatable. the preparation of gravies and sauces is a very simple matter when governed by that accuracy of measurement and carefulness of detail which should be exercised in the preparation of all foods. in consistency, a properly made sauce should mask the back of the spoon; that is to say, when dipped into the mixture and lifted out, the metal of the spoon should not be visible through it as it runs off. the proportion of material necessary to secure this requisite is one tablespoonful of flour, slightly rounded, for each half pint of water or stock. if the sauce be made of milk or fruit juice, a little less flour will be needed. if cornstarch be used, a scant instead of a full tablespoonful will be required. the flour, or cornstarch should be first braided or rubbed perfectly smooth in a very small amount of the liquid reserved for the purpose (salt or sugar, if any is to be used, being added to the flour before braiding with the liquid), and then carefully added to the remaining liquid, which should be actively boiling. it should then be continuously stirred until it has thickened, when it should be allowed to cook slowly for five or ten minutes until the starch or flour is well done. if through any negligence to observe carefully these simple details, there should be lumps in the sauce, they must be removed before serving by turning the whole through a fine colander or wire strainer. the double boiler is the best utensil for the preparation of sauces and gravies, since it facilitates even cooking and renders them less liable to become scorched. the inner cup should be placed on the top of the range until the sauce has become thickened, as in the cooking of grains, and afterwards placed in the outer boiler to continue the cooking as long as needed. cream gravies for vegetables may be delicately flavored with celery, by steeping a few bits of celery in the milk for a few minutes, and removing with a fork before adding the thickening. sauces for puddings may be similarly flavored, by steeping cocoanut or bits of orange or lemon rind in the milk. gravies and sauces for vegetables. _recipes._ brown sauce.--heat a pint of thin cream, and when boiling, add half a teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of flour browned in the oven as directed on page , and rubbed to a smooth paste with a little cold milk. allow it to boil rapidly, stirring constantly until thickened; then cook more slowly, in a double boiler, for five or ten minutes. if desired, the milk may be flavored with onion before adding the flour. this makes a good dressing for potatoes. cream or white sauce.--heat a pint of rich milk, part cream if it can be afforded, to boiling, and stir into it one tablespoonful of flour previously rubbed smooth in a little milk. season with salt, and cook in a double boiler five or ten minutes, stirring frequently that no lumps be formed. if lumps are found in the sauce, turn it quickly through a fine, hot colander into the dish in which it is to be served. celery sauce.--cut half a dozen stalks of celery into finger-lengths, and simmer in milk for ten or fifteen minutes. skim out the celery, add a little cream to the milk, salt to taste, and thicken with flour as for white sauce. this is very nice for potatoes and for toast. egg sauce.--heat a pint of milk to boiling, and stir in a dessertspoonful of flour rubbed smooth in a little milk. stir constantly until the sauce is well thickened; add the well-beaten yolk of an egg, turning it in very slowly and stirring rapidly so that it shall be well mingled. boil up once only, add a very little salt, and serve. the egg makes an excellent substitute for cream. pease gravy.--a gravy prepared either of dried or green peas as directed for lentil gravy on page , makes a suitable dressing for baked potatoes. lentil gravy is also good for the same purpose. the addition of a little lemon juice to the lentil gravy makes another variety. tomato gravy.--a gravy made of tomatoes as directed on page , is excellent to use on baked or boiled sweet potatoes. tomato cream gravy.--prepare a gravy as for cream sauce, using a slightly heaping measure of flour. when done, add, just before serving, for each quart of the cream sauce, one cup of hot, stewed tomato which has been put through a fine colander to remove all seeds. beat it thoroughly into the sauce and serve on boiled or baked potato. sauces for desserts and puddings. _recipes._ almond sauce.--heat a pint of rich milk in the inner cup of a double boiler, placed directly upon the stove. when the milk is boiling, stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour which has been rubbed to a cream in a little cold milk. boil rapidly until thickened, stirring constantly; then add three tablespoonfuls of almondine; place in the outer boiler, and cook for five or ten minutes longer. caramel sauce.--stir a cup of sugar in a saucepan over the fire until melted and lightly browned. add one cup of boiling water, and simmer ten minutes. cocoanut sauce.--flavor a pint of new milk with cocoanut, as directed on page . skim out the cocoanut, and add enough fresh milk to make one pint. heat the milk to boiling, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, thicken with two even spoonfuls of cornstarch, and proceed in the same manner as for mock cream. cream sauce.--beat together two thirds of a cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of thick, sweet cream, and one egg. wet half a teaspoonful of cornstarch with a little milk, and stir in with the mixture; then add five tablespoonfuls of boiling milk, stirring rapidly all the time. pour into the inner cup of a double boiler; have the water in the outer cup boiling, and cook five minutes. flavor to taste. cranberry pudding sauce.--to a quart of boiling water add two cups of sugar, and when well dissolved, one quart of carefully sorted cranberries. mash the berries as much as possible with a silver spoon, and boil just seven minutes. turn through a colander to remove skins, cool and serve. custard sauce.--rub two teaspoonfuls of flour to a smooth paste with half a cup of new milk. heat two and a half cups of fresh milk in a double boiler to scalding, then stir in the braided flour; heat again, stirring constantly till just to the boiling point, but no longer; remove from the stove and cool a little. beat together one egg, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a little lemon rind for flavoring. turn the hot milk over this, a little at a time, stirring briskly meanwhile. return the whole to the double boiler, and cook, stirring frequently, until when a spoon is dipped into the custard a coating remains upon it. then remove at once from the fire. if the spoon comes out clean, the custard is not sufficiently cooked. egg sauce.--separate the yolks and whites of three eggs. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and stir in very gently, so as not to let the air out of the beaten whites, one cup of powdered sugar and a teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon flavoring powder. lastly, stir in carefully the beaten yolks of the eggs, and serve at once. egg sauce no. .--beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth with one half cup of sugar. add three tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and one of water. serve at once. foamy sauce.--beat one egg or the whites of two very thoroughly with one half cup of sugar and a little grated lemon rind. pour on this very slowly, stirring constantly to make it smooth, one cup of boiling milk, part cream if it can be afforded. if the whites alone are used, they should not be beaten stiff. if preferred, the lemon may be omitted and a tablespoonful or two of currant juice or quince jelly added last as flavoring. fruit cream.--take the juice pressed from a cupful of fresh strawberries, red raspberries, or black caps, add to it one third of a cup of sugar, and place in the ice chest till chilled. set a cup of sweet cream also on ice till very cold. when thoroughly cold, whip with an egg beater till the froth begins to rise, then add to it the cold fruit juice and beat again. have ready the white of one egg beaten to a stiff froth, which add to the fruit cream, and whip till no more froth will rise. this makes a delicious dressing for simple grain molds and blancmanges, but is so rich it should be used rather sparingly. serve as soon as possible after being prepared. fruit syrup, in the proportion of two or three tablespoonfuls to the pint of cream, may be used in the same manner when the fresh juice is not available. the juice of orange, quince, and pineapple may also be used in the same manner as that of berries. fruit sauce.--heat a pint of red raspberry, currant, grape, strawberry, apricot, or any other fruit juice to scalding, and stir in a tablespoonful of cornstarch previously rubbed to a cream with a little cold water. cook till it thickens; then add sugar according to the acidity of the fruit. strain and cool before using. if fruit juice is not available, two or three tablespoonfuls of pure fruit jelly may be dissolved in a pint of hot water and used instead of the juice. a mixture of red and black raspberry juice, or currant and raspberry, will be found acceptable for variety. fruit sauce no. .--mash a quart of fresh berries, add one cup of sugar, beat very thoroughly together, and set away until needed. just before it is wanted for serving, turn into a granite fruit kettle and heat nearly to boiling, stirring constantly to avoid burning. serve hot with hot or cold puddings, or molded desserts. lemon pudding sauce.--heat to boiling, in a double boiler, a pint of water in which are two slices of lemon, and stir into it a dessertspoonful of cornstarch; cook four to five minutes, or until it thickens. squeeze the juice from one large lemon, and mix it with two thirds of a cup of sugar. add this to the cornstarch mixture, and allow the whole to boil up once, stirring constantly; then take from the fire. leave in the double boiler, surrounded by the hot water, for ten minutes. cool to blood heat before serving. mock cream.--heat a pint of fresh, unskimmed milk in a double boiler. when the milk is boiling, stir in two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two even tablespoonfuls of cornstarch which has first been rubbed smooth in a very little cold milk. bring just to a boil, stirring constantly; then pour the hot mixture, a little at a time, beating thoroughly all the while, over the well-beaten white of one egg. put again into the double boiler, return to the fire, and stir till it thickens to the consistency of cream. molasses sauce.--to one half cup of molasses, add one half cup of water, and heat to boiling. thicken with a teaspoonful of flour rubbed to a cream with a little cold water. serve hot. orange sauce.--squeeze a cupful of juice from well-flavored, sour oranges. heat a pint of water, and when boiling, thicken with a tablespoonful of cornstarch. add the orange juice, strain, and sweeten to taste with sugar that has been flavored by rubbing over the yellow rind of an orange until mixed with the oil in the rind. if a richer sauce is desired, the yolk of an egg may be added lastly, and the sauce allowed to cook until thickened. peach sauce.--strain the juice from a well-kept can of peaches. dilute with one half as much water, heat to boiling, and thicken with cornstarch, a scant tablespoonful to the pint of liquid. plain pudding sauce.--thicken one and one half cups of water with one tablespoonful of cornstarch; boil a few minutes, then stir in two thirds of a cup of sugar, and one half cup of sweet cream. take off the stove, and flavor with a little rose, vanilla, or lemon. red sauce.--pare and slice a large red beet, and simmer gently in three cups of water for twenty minutes, or until the water is rose colored, then add two cups of sugar, the thin yellow rind and juice of one lemon, and boil until the whole is thick syrup. strain, add a teaspoonful of rose water or vanilla, and serve. rose cream.--remove the thick cream from the top of a pan of cold milk, taking care not to take up any of the milk. add sugar to sweeten and a teaspoonful or two of rose water. beat with an egg beater until the whole mass is thick. good thick cream, beaten in this manner, makes nearly double its original quantity. sago sauce.--wash one tablespoonful of sago in two or three waters, then put it into a saucepan with three fourths of a cup of hot water, and some bits of lemon peel. simmer gently for ten minutes, take out the lemon peel, add half a cup of quince or apricot juice; and if the latter, the strained juice of half a lemon, and sugar to taste. beat together thoroughly. whipped cream sauce.--beat together with an egg beater until of a stiff froth one cup of sweet cream which has been cooled to a temperature of ° or less, one teaspoonful of vanilla or a little grated lemon rind, and one half cup of powdered white sugar, and the whites of one or two eggs. the sauce may be variously flavored with a little fruit jelly beaten with the egg, before adding to the cream. table topics. whether or not life is worth living, all depends upon the liver.--_sel._ diet cures mair than doctors.--_scotch proverb._ according to the ancient hindu scriptures, the proper amount of food is half of what can be conveniently eaten. every hour you steal from digestion will be reclaimed by indigestion.--_oswald._ "very few nations in the world," says a sagacious historian, "produce better soldiers than the russians. they will endure the greatest fatigues and sufferings with patience and calmness. and it is well know that the russian soldiers are from childhood nourished by simple and coarse vegetable food. the russian grenadiers are the finest body of men i ever saw,--not a man is under six feet high. their allowance consists of eight pounds of black bread, and four pounds of oil per man for eight days." colonel fitzgibbon was, many years ago, colonial agent at london for the canadian government, and wholly dependent upon remittances from canada for his support. on one occasion these remittances failed to arrive, and it being before the day of cables, he was obliged to write to his friends to ascertain the reason of the delay. meanwhile he had just one sovereign to live upon. he found he could live upon a sixpence a day,--four pennyworth of bread, one pennyworth of milk, and one pennyworth of sugar. when his remittances arrived a month afterward, he had five shillings remaining of his sovereign, and he liked his frugal diet so well that he kept it up for several years. an hour of exercise to every pound of food.--_oswald._ some eat to live, they loudly cry; but from the pace they swallow pie and other food promiscuously, one would infer they eat to die. --_sel._ beverages the use of beverages in quantities with food at mealtime is prejudicial to digestion, because they delay the action of the gastric juice upon solid foods. the practice of washing down food by copious draughts of water, tea, or coffee is detrimental, not only because it introduces large quantities of fluid into the stomach, which must be absorbed before digestion can begin, but also because it offers temptation to careless and imperfect mastication, while tea and coffee also serve as a vehicle for an excessive use of sugar, thus becoming a potent cause of indigestion and dyspepsia. it is best to drink but sparingly, if at all, at mealtimes. consideration should also be given to the nature of the beverage, since many in common use are far from wholesome. very cold fluids, like iced water, iced tea, and iced milk, are harmful, because they cool the contents of the stomach to a degree at which digestion is checked. if drunk at all, they should be taken only in small sips and retained in the mouth until partly warmed. tea is often spoken of as the "cup that cheers but not inebriates." "the cup that may cheer yet does injury" would be nearer the truth, for there is every evidence to prove that this common beverage is exceedingly harmful, and that the evils of its excessive use are second only to those of tobacco and alcohol. tea contains two harmful substances, theine and tannin,--from three to six per cent of the former and more than one fourth its weight of the latter. theine is a poison belonging to the same class of poisonous alkaloids, and is closely allied to cocaine. it is a much more powerful poison than alcohol, producing death in less than one hundredth part the deadly dose of alcohol; and when taken in any but the smallest doses, it produces all the symptoms of intoxication. tannin is an astringent exercising a powerful effect in delaying salivary and stomach digestion, thus becoming one of the most common causes of digestive disorders. it is also a matter of frequent observation that sleeplessness, palpitation of the heart, and various disorders of the nervous system frequently follow the prolonged use of tea. both theine and tannin are more abundant in green than in black tea. the dependence of the habitual tea-drinker upon the beverage, and the sense of loss experienced when deprived of it, are among the strongest proofs of its evil effects, and should be warnings against its use. no such physical discomfort is experienced when deprived of any article of ordinary food. the use of tea makes one feel bright and fresh when really exhausted; but, like all other stimulants, it is by exciting vital action above the normal without supplying extra force to support the extra expenditure. the fact that a person feels tired is evidence that the system demands rest, that his body is worn and needs repair; but the relief experienced after a cup of tea is not recuperation. instead, it indicates that his nerves are paralyzed so that they are insensible to fatigue. some people suppose the manner of preparing tea has much to do with its deleterious effects, and that by infusion for two or three minutes only, the evils resulting from the tannin will be greatly lessened. this, however, is a delusion, if the same amount of tea be used proportionate to the water; for tannin in its free state, the condition in which it is found in tea is one of the most readily soluble of substances; and tea infused for two minutes is likely to hold nearly as much tannin in solution as that infused for a longer period. tea is not a food, and it can in no wise take the place of food, as so many people attempt to make it, without detriment to health in every respect. coffee, cocoa, and chocolate rank in the same category with tea, as beverages which are more or less harmful. coffee contains caffein, a principle identical with theine and a modified form of tannin, though in less quantity than tea. cocoa and chocolate contain substances similar to theine and equally harmful, though usually present in much less proportion than in tea. custom has made the use of these beverages so common that most people seldom stop to inquire into their nature. doubtless the question arises in many minds; if these beverages contain such poisons, why do they not more commonly produce fatal results?--because a tolerance of the poison is established in the system by use, as in the case of tobacco and other narcotics and stimulants; but that the poisons surely though insidiously are doing their work is attested by the prevalence of numerous disorders of the digestive and nervous systems, directly attributable to the use of these beverages. both tea and coffee are largely adulterated with other harmful substances, thus adding another reason why their use should be discarded. it is stated on good authority that it is almost impossible to obtain unadulterated ground coffee. in view of all these facts, it certainly seems wisest if a beverage is considered essential, to make use of one less harmful. hot milk, hot water, hot lemonade, caramel coffee, or some of the various grain coffees, recipes for which are give in the following pages, are all excellent substitutes for tea and coffee, if a hot drink is desired. _recipes_ beet coffee.--wash best beets thoroughly, but do not scrape; slice, and brown in a moderate oven, taking care not to burn. when brown, break in small pieces and steep the same as ordinary coffee. caramel coffee.--take three quarts best bran, one quart corn meal, three tablespoonfuls of molasses; mix and brown in the oven like ordinary coffee. for every cup of coffee required, use one heaping tablespoonful of the caramel. pour boiling water over it, and steep, not boil, for fifteen or twenty minutes. caramel coffee no. .--take one cup each of white flour, corn meal, unsifted graham flour, and molasses. mix well, and form into cakes half an inch thick and a little larger around than a silver dollar. if the molasses is not thin enough to take up all the dry material, one fourth or one half a cup of cold water may be added for that purpose. bake the cakes in the oven until very dark brown, allowing them to become slightly scorched. when desired for use, take one cake for each cup of coffee required, pour sufficient water over them, and steep, not boil, twenty minutes. caramel coffee no. .--to three and one half quarts of bran and one and one half quarts of corn meal, take one pint of new orleans molasses and one half pint of boiling water. put the water and molasses together and pour them over the bran and corn meal which have been previously mixed. rub all well together, and brown slowly in the oven, stirring often, until a rich dark brown. use one heaping tablespoonful of coffee to each small cup of boiling water, let it just boil up, then steep on the back of the stove for five or ten minutes. caramel coffee no. .--beat together four eggs and one pint of molasses, and mix thoroughly with four quarts of good wheat bran. brown in the oven, stirring frequently. prepare for use the same as the preceding. mrs. t's caramel coffee.--make a rather thick batter of graham grits or graham meal and milk, spread it in shallow pans and bake in a moderate oven until evenly done throughout. cut the cake thus prepared into thin strips, which break into small uniform pieces and spread on perforated tins or sheets and brown in the oven. each piece should be very darkly and evenly browned, but not burned. for each cup of coffee required, steep a small handful in boiling water for ten or fifteen minutes, strain and serve. parched grain coffee.--brown in the oven some perfectly sound wheat, sweet corn, barley, or rice, as you would the coffee berry. if desired, a mixture of grains may be used. pound or grind fine. mix the white of an egg with three tablespoonfuls of the ground grain, and pour over it a quart of boiling water. allow it to come just to the boiling point, steep slowly for twelve or fifteen minutes, and serve. wheat, oats and barley coffee.--mix together equal quantities of these grains, brown in the oven like ordinary coffee, and grind. to one quart of boiling water take three tablespoonfuls of the prepared coffee mixed with the white of an egg, and steep in boiling water ten or fifteen minutes. _recipes for cold beverages._ blackberry beverage.--crush a quart of fresh blackberries, and pour over them a quart of cold water; add a slice of lemon and a teaspoonful of orange water, and let it stand three or four hours. strain through a jelly bag. sweeten to taste with a syrup prepared by dissolving white sugar in hot water, allowing it to become cold before using. serve at once with bits of broken ice in the glasses, or place the pitcher on ice until ready to serve. fruit beverage.--a great variety of pleasant, healthful drinks may be made by taking equal quantities of water and the juice of currants, strawberries, raspberries, cherries, or a mixture of two kinds, as raspberries and currants, sweetening to taste, and putting into each glass a small lump of ice. directions for the preparation of fruit juices will be found on page . fruit beverage no. .--mash a pint of red raspberries, add one cup of canned pineapple or half a fresh one chopped fine; pour over all three pints of water. stir frequently, and let the mixture stand for two hours. strain, add the juice of six lemons, and sugar or syrup to sweeten. another.--extract the juice from three lemons and as many sour oranges, add a quart of cold water, sugar or syrup to sweeten, half a teaspoonful of rose water, and a cup of pure grape juice; or the rose water and grape juice may be omitted and two tablespoonfuls of strawberry, raspberry, or cherry juice used instead, and the whole poured over half a dozen slices of pineapple, and allowed to stand until well flavored before using. fruit cordial.--crush a pint of blackberries, raspberries, grapes, currants, or cherries, adding the juice of two sour oranges, and a sliced lemon; pour over all a quart of cold water. stir the mixture frequently and let it stand for two hours, then strain and add a syrup made by dissolving white sugar in boiling water, sufficient to sweeten. cool on ice and serve. grape beverage.--crush two pounds of perfectly ripened purple grapes and strain the juice through a jelly bag. add to the juice three tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar or syrup, and dilute with cold water to suit the taste. lemonade.--use three large or four medium-sized lemons for each quart of water, and from six to eight tablespoonfuls of sugar. rub or squeeze the lemons till soft. cut a slice or two from each, and extract the juice with a lemon drill; strain the juice through a fine wire strainer to remove the seeds and bits of pulp, and pour it over the sugar. add the slices of lemon, and pour over all a very little boiling water to thoroughly dissolve the sugar; let it stand ten or fifteen minutes, then add the necessary quantity of cold water, and serve. or rub the sugar over the outside of the lemons to flavor it, and make it into a syrup by adding sufficient boiling water to dissolve it. extract and strain the lemon juice, add the prepared syrup and the requisite quantity of cold water, and serve. mixed lemonade.--a very pleasant, cooling summer drink is made from the juice of six oranges and six lemons, with sugar to taste; add to this some pounded ice and the juice of a small can of pineapple, and lastly pour over the whole two quarts of water. oatmeal drink.--boil one fourth of a pound of oatmeal in three quarts of water for half an hour, then add one and one half tablespoonfuls of sugar, strain and cool. it may be flavored with a little lemon or raspberry syrup if desired; or the sugar may be omitted and a quart of milk added. cool on ice and serve. orangeade.--pare very thin from one orange a few bits of the yellow rind. slice three well-peeled sour oranges, taking care to remove all the white portion and all seeds. add the yellow rind and a tablespoonful of sugar; pour over all a quart of boiling water. cover the dish, and let it remain until the drink is cold. or, if preferred, the juice of the oranges may be extracted with a lemon drill and strained as for lemonade. pineapple beverage.--pare and chop quite fine one fresh pineapple; add a slice or two of lemon, and cover with three pints of boiling water. let it stand for two hours or more, stirring frequently; then strain and add the juice of five lemons, and sugar or syrup to sweeten. pineapple lemonade.--lemonade made in the usual manner and flavored with a few spoonfuls of canned pineapple juice, is excellent for variety. pink lemonade.--add to a pint of lemonade prepared in the usual manner half a cup of fresh or canned strawberry, red raspberry, currant, or cranberry juice. it gives a pretty color besides adding a pleasing flavor. sherbet.--mash a quart of red raspberries, currants, or strawberries, add the juice of a lemon, and pour over all three pints of cold water. stir frequently, and let it stand for two or three hours. strain through a jelly bag, sweeten to taste, and serve. tisane.--this is a favorite french beverage, and is prepared by chopping fine a cupful of dried fruits, such as prunes, figs, or prunelles, and steeping for an hour in a quart of water, afterward straining, sweetening to taste, and cooling on ice before using. table topics. the nervousness and peevishness of our times are chiefly attributable to tea and coffee. the digestive organs of confirmed coffee drinkers are in a state of chronic derangement which reacts on the brain, producing fretful and lachrymose moods. the snappish, petulant humor of the chinese can certainly be ascribed to their immoderate fondness for tea.--_dr. bock._ dr. ferguson, an eminent physician who has carefully investigated the influence of tea and coffee upon the health and development of children, says he found that children who were allowed these beverages gained but four pounds a year between the ages of thirteen and sixteen, while those who had been allowed milk instead, gained fifteen pounds in weight during the same period. dr. richardson, the eminent english physician and scientist, asserts that the misery of the women of the poorer classes of the population in england is more than doubled by the use of tea, which only soothes or stimulates to intensify the after-coming depression and languor. a physician recommended a lady to abandon the use of tea and coffee. "o, but i shall miss it so," said she. "very likely," replied her medical adviser, "but you are missing health now, and will soon lose it altogether if you do not." dr. stenhouse, of liverpool, once made a careful analysis of a sample package of black tea, which was found to contain "some pure congo tea leaves, also siftings of pekoe and inferior kinds, weighing together twenty-seven per cent of the whole. the remaining seventy-three per cent was composed of the following substances; iron, plumbago, chalk, china-clay, sand, prussian-blue, tumeric, indigo, starch, gypsum, catechu, gum, the leaves of the camelia, sarangna, _chlorantes officinalis_, elm, oak, willow, poplar, elder, beach, hawthorn, and sloe." milk cream butter milk. chemically considered, the constituents of milk are nitrogenous matter (consisting of casein and a small proportion of albumen), fat, sugar of milk, mineral matter, and water, the last constituting from sixty-five to ninety per cent of the whole. the proportion of these elements varies greatly in the milk of different animals of the same species and of the same animals at different times, so that it is not possible to give an exact analysis. the analysis of an average specimen of cow's milk, according to letheby, is:-- nitrogenous matter....................................... . fat...................................................... . sugar of milk............................................ . mineral matter........................................... . water................................................... . if a drop of milk be examined with a microscope, it will be seen as a clear liquid, holding in suspension a large number of minute globules, which give the milk its opacity or white color. these microscopic globules are composed of fatty matter, each surrounded by an envelope of casein, the principal nitrogenous element found in milk. they are lighter than the surrounding liquid, and when the milk remains at rest, they gradually rise to the top and form cream. casein, unlike albumen, is not coagulated by heat; hence when milk is cooked, it undergoes no noticeable change, save the coagulation of the very small amount of albumen it contains, which, as it solidifies, rises to the top, carrying with it a small portion of the sugar and saline matter and some of the fat globules, forming a skin-like scum upon the surface. casein, although not coagulable by heat, is coagulated by the introduction into the milk of acids or extract of rennet. the curd of cheese is coagulated casein. when milk is allowed to stand for some time exposed to warmth and air, a spontaneous coagulation occurs, caused by fermentative changes in the sugar of milk, by which it is converted into lactic acid through the action of germs. milk is sometimes adulterated by water, the removal of more or less of the cream, or the addition of some foreign substance to increase its density. the quality of milk is more or less influenced by the food upon which the animal is fed. watery milk may be produced by feeding a cow upon sloppy food. the milk of diseased animals should never be used for food. there is no way by which such milk can invariably be detected, but prof. vaughan, of michigan university, notes the following kinds of milk to be avoided: . milk which becomes sour and curdles within a few hours after it has been drawn, and before any cream forms on its surface. this is known in some sections as 'curdly' milk, and it comes from cows with certain inflammatory affections of the udder, or digestive diseases, or those which have been overdriven or worried. . "bitter-sweet milk" has cream of a bitter taste, is covered with 'blisters,' and frequently with a fine mold. butter and cheese made from such milk cannot be eaten on account of the disagreeable taste. . 'slimy milk' can be drawn out into fine, ropy fibers. it has an unpleasant taste, which is most marked in the cream. the causes which lead to the secretion of this milk are not known. . 'blue milk' is characterized by the appearance on its surface, eighteen or twenty-four hours after it is drawn, of small, indigo-blue spots, which rapidly enlarge until the whole surface is covered with a blue film. if the milk be allowed to stand a few days, the blue is converted into a greenish or reddish color. this coloration of the milk is due to the growth of microscopic organisms. the butter made from 'blue milk' is dirty-white, gelatinous, and bitter. . 'barnyard milk' is a term used to designate milk taken from unclean animals, or those which have been kept in filthy, unventilated stables. the milk absorbs and carries the odors, which are often plainly perceptible. such milk may not be poisonous, but it is repulsive. there is no doubt that milk often serves as the vehicle for the distribution of the germs of various contagious diseases, like scarlet fever, diphtheria, and typhoid fever, from becoming contaminated in some way, either from the hands of milkers or from water used as an adulterant or in cleansing the milk vessels. recent investigations have also shown that cows are to some extent subject to scarlet fever, the same as human beings, and that milk from infected cows will produce the same disease in the consumer. milk should not be kept in brass or copper vessels or in earthen-ware lined with lead glazing; for if the milk becomes acid, it is likely to unite with the metal and form a poisonous compound. glass and granite ware are better materials in which to keep milk. milk should never be allowed to stand uncovered in an occupied room, especially a sitting-room or bedroom, as its dust is likely to contain disease-germs, which falling into the milk, may become a source of serious illness to the consumer. indeed it is safest to keep milk covered whenever set away, to exclude the germs which are at all times present in the air. a good way is to protect the dishes containing milk with several layers of cheese-cloth, which will permit the air but not the germs to circulate in and out of the pans. neither should it be allowed to stand where there are strong odors, as it readily takes up by absorption any odors to which it is exposed. a few years ago dr. dougall, of glasgow, made some very interesting experiments on the absorbent properties of milk. he inclosed in jars a portion of substances giving off emanations, with a uniform quantity of milk, in separate vessels, for a period of eight hours, at the end of which time samples of the milk were drawn off and tested. the result was that milk exposed to the following substances retained odors as described:-- coal gas, distinct; paraffine oil, strong; turpentine, very strong; onions, very strong; tobacco smoke, very strong; ammonia, moderate; musk, faint; asafetida, distinct; creosote, strong; cheese (stale), distinct; chloroform, moderate; putrid fish, very bad; camphor, moderate; decayed cabbage, distinct. these facts clearly indicate that if the emanations to which milk is exposed are of a diseased and dangerous quality, it is all but impossible that the milk can remain free from dangerous properties. too much pains cannot be taken in the care of milk and vessels containing it. contact with the smallest quantity of milk which has undergone fermentation will sour the whole; hence the necessity for scrupulous cleanliness of all vessels which have contained milk before they are used again for that purpose. in washing milk dishes, many persons put them first into scalding water, by which means the albumen in the milk is coagulated; and if there are any crevices or seams in the pans or pails, this coagulated portion is likely to adhere to them like glue, and becoming sour, will form the nucleus for spoiling the next milk put into them. a better way is first to rinse each separately in cold water, not pouring the water from one pan to another, until there is not the slightest milky appearance in the water, then wash in warm suds, or water containing sal-soda, and afterward scald thoroughly; wipe perfectly dry, and place if possible where the sun will have free access to them until they are needed for further use. if sunshine is out of the question, invert the pans or cans over the stove, or place for a few moments in a hot oven. the treatment of milk varies with its intended use, whether whole or separated from the cream. cream rises best when the milk is quite warm or when near the freezing-point. in fact, cream separates more easily from milk at the freezing-point than any other, but it is not thick and never becomes so. an intermediate state seems to be unfavorable to a full rising of the cream. a temperature of ° to °f. is a good one. milk to be used whole should be kept at about ° and stirred frequently. all milk obtained from city milkmen or any source not certainly known to be free from disease-germs, should be sterilized before using. indeed, it is safest always to sterilize milk before using, since during the milking or in subsequent handling and transportation it is liable to become infected with germs. to sterilize milk for immediate use.--put the milk as soon as received into the inner dish of a double boiler, the outer vessel of which should be filled with boiling water. cover and heat the milk rapidly to as near the boiling point as possible. allow it to remain with the water in the outer boiler actively boiling for half an hour, then remove from the stove and cool very quickly. this may be accomplished by pouring into shallow dishes, and placing these in cold water, changing the water as frequently as it becomes warm, or by using pieces of ice in the water. it is especially important to remember that the temperature of the milk should be raised as rapidly as possible, and when the milk is sufficiently cooked, cooled very quickly. either very slow heating or slow cooling may prove disastrous, even when every other precaution is taken. or, well-cleaned glass fruit cans may be nearly filled with milk, the covers screwed on loosely, then placed in a kettle of cold water, gradually heated to boiling and kept at that temperature for a half hour or longer, then gradually cooled. or, perfectly clean bottles may be filled with milk to within two inches of the top, the neck tightly closed with a wad of cotton, and the bottles placed in a steam cooker, the water in which should be cold at the start, and steamed for half an hour. this cooking of milk, while it destroys many of the germs contained in milk, particularly the active disease-germs which are liable to be found in it, thus rendering it more wholesome, and improving its keeping qualities somewhat, does not so completely sterilize the milk that it will not undergo fermentative changes. under varying conditions some thirty or forty different species of germs are to be found in milk, some of which require to be subjected to a temperature above that of boiling water, in order to destroy them. the keeping quality of the milk may be increased by reboiling it on three successive days for a half hour or longer, and carefully sealing after each boiling. to sterilize milk to keep.--this is a somewhat more difficult operation, but it may be done by boiling milk sealed in very strong bottles in a saturated solution of salt. the milk used should be perfectly fresh. it is best, when possible, to draw the milk from the cow directly into the bottles. fill the bottles to within two inches of the top, cork them immediately and wire the corks down firmly and place them in the cold salt solution. boil fifteen minutes or half an hour. allow the solution to cool before removing them. if the bottles are removed from the solution while hot, they will almost instantly break. when cold, remove the bottles, and cover the tops with sealing wax. store in a cool place, shake thoroughly once or twice a week. milk sterilized in this manner will keep indefinitely. condensed milk.--condensed milk is made by evaporating milk in a vacuum to one fifth its original volume; it is then canned like any other food by sealing at boiling temperature in air-tight cans. when used, it should be diluted with five times its bulk of warm water. condensed milk, when not thoroughly boiled in the process of condensation, is liable to harbor disease-germs the same as any other milk. cream. cream varies in composition according to the circumstances under which it rises. the composition of an average specimen as given by letherby is:-- nitrogenous matter............................................ . fat.......................................................... . sugar of milk................................................. . mineral matter................................................ . water........................................................ . in the process of churning; the membranes of casein which surround each of the little globules constituting the cream are broken, and the fat of which they are composed becomes a compact mass known as butter. the watery looking residue containing casein, sugar of milk, mineral matter, and a small proportion of fat, comprises the buttermilk. skim-milk, or milk from which the cream has been removed, and buttermilk are analogous in chemical composition. the composition of each, according to dr. edward smith, is:-- skim-milk nitrogenous matter......................................... . sugar...................................................... . fat........................................................ . mineral matter............................................. . water...................................................... . buttermilk nitrogenous matter.......................................... . sugar....................................................... . fat......................................................... . mineral matter.............................................. . water...................................................... . skim-milk and buttermilk, when the butter is made from sweet cream and taken fresh, are both excellent foods, although lacking the fat of new milk. cream is more easily digested than butter, and since it contains other elements besides fat, is likewise more nutritious. in cream the fat is held in the form of an emulsion which allows it to mingle freely with water. as previously stated, each atom of fat is surrounded with a film of casein. the gastric juice has no more power to digest casein than it has free fat, and the little particles of fat thus protected are carried to the small intestines, where the pancreatic juice digests them, and on their way they do not interfere with the stomach digestion of other foods, as the presence of butter and other free fats may do. it is because of its greater wholesomeness that in the directions for the preparation of foods given in this work we have given preference to the use of cream over that of butter and other free fats. the usual objection to its use is its expense, and the difficulty of obtaining it from city dealers. the law of supply and cost generally corresponds with that of demand, and doubtless cream would prove no exception if its use were more general. [illustration: creamery.] cream may be sterilized and preserved in a pure state for some time, the same as milk. milk requires especial care to secure a good quality and quantity of cream. scrupulous cleanliness, good ventilation, and an unvarying temperature are absolute essentials. the common custom of setting milk in pans is objectionable, not only because of the dust and germs always liable to fall into the milk, but also from the difficulty of keeping milk thus set at the proper temperature for cream-rising. every family using milk in any quantity ought to have a set of creameries of large or small capacity according to circumstances, in which the milk supply can be kept in a pure, wholesome condition, and so arranged as to facilitate the full rising of the cream if desired. a very simple and satisfactory creamery, with space for ice around the milk, similar to that represented in the accompanying cut, may be constructed by any tinman. the plan of scalding milk to facilitate the rising of the cream is excellent, as it not only secures a more speedy rising, but serves to destroy the germs found in the milk, thus lessening its tendency to sour. the best way to do this is to heat the milk in a double boiler, or a dish set inside another containing hot water, to a temperature of ° to °f. as indicated by wrinkles upon its surface. the milk must not, however, be allowed to come to a boil. when scalded, it should be cooled at once to a temperature of about ° f. and kept thus during the rising of the cream. butter. of all foods wholly composed of fat, good fresh butter is the most wholesome. it should, however, be used unmelted and taken in a finely divided state, and only in very moderate quantities. if exposed to great heat, as on hot buttered toast, meats, rich pastry, etc., it is quite indigestible. we do not recommend its use either for the table or for cooking purposes when cream can be obtained, since butter is rarely found in so pure a state that it is not undergoing more or less decomposition, depending upon its age and the amount of casein retained in the butter through the carelessness of the manufacturer. casein, on exposure to air in a moist state, rapidly changes into a ferment, which, acting upon the fatty matter of the butter, produces rancidity, rendering the butter more or less unwholesome. poor, tainted, or rancid butter should not be used as food in any form. good butter is pale yellow, uniform throughout the whole mass, and free from rancid taste or odor. white lumps in it are due to the incorporation of sour milk with the cream from which it was produced. a watery, milk-like fluid exuding from the freshly cut surface of butter, is evidence that insufficient care was taken to wash out all the buttermilk, thus increasing its liability to spoil. the flavor and color of butter vary considerably, according to the breed and food of the animal from which the milk was obtained. an artificial color is often given to butter by the use of a preparation of annatto. both salt and saltpeter are employed as preservatives for butter; a large quantity of the former is often used to increase the weight of the butter. artificial butter.--various fraudulent preparations are sold as butter. oleomargarine, one of the commonest, is made from tallow or beef-fat, cleaned and ground like sausage, and heated, to separate the oil from the membranes. it is then known as "butter-oil," is salted, cooled, pressed, and churned in milk, colored with annatto, and treated the same as butter. butterine, another artificial product, is prepared by mixing butter-oil and a similar oil obtained from lard, then churning them with milk. an eminent analyst gives the following excellent way of distinguishing genuine butter from oleomargarine:--"when true butter is heated over a clear flame, it 'browns' and gives out a pleasant odor,--that of browned butter. in heating there is more or less sputtering, caused by minute particles of water retained in washing the butter. on the bottom of the pan or vessel in which true butter is heated, a yellowish-brown crust is formed, consisting of roasted or toasted casein. when oleomargarine is heated under similar circumstances, it does not 'brown,' but becomes darker by overheating, and when heated to dryness, gives off a grayish steam, smelling of tallow. there is no 'sputtering' when it is being heated, but it boils easily. if a pledget of cotton or a wick saturated with oleomargarine be set on fire and allowed to burn a few moments before being extinguished, it will give out fumes which are very characteristic, smelling strongly of tallow, while true butter behaves very differently." butter in ancient times.--two kinds of butter seem to have been known to the ancient jews, one quite like that of the present day, except that it was boiled after churning, so that it became in that warm climate practically an oil; the other, a sort of curdled milk. the juice of the jerusalem artichoke was mixed with the milk, when it was churned until a sort of curd was separated. the oriental method of churning was by putting the milk into a goat-skin and swinging and shaking the bag until the butter came, as illustrated in the accompanying cut. [illustration: oriental butter-making.] an article still sold as butter in athens is made by boiling the milk of goats, allowing it to sour, and then churning in a goat-skin. the result is a thick, white, foamy substance appearing more like cream than butter. butter-making.--the manufacture of good butter is dependent upon good cows and the care given them, as well as most careful treatment of the milk and cream. the milk to be used for butter making, as indeed for all purposes, should be most carefully strained through a wire strainer covered with three or four thicknesses of perfectly clean cheese cloth. the following points given by an experienced dairyman will be found worthy of consideration by all who have to do with the manufacture of this article:-- "milk is almost as sensitive to atmospheric changes as mercury itself. it is a question among many as to what depth milk should be set to get the most cream. it does not make so much difference as to the depth as it does the protection of the milk from acid or souring. as soon as the milk begins to sour, the cream ceases to rise. "with a clear, dry atmosphere the cream will rise clean in the milk; but in that condition of the atmosphere which readily sours the milk, the cream will not rise clean, but seems to hang in the milk, and this even when the milk is protected by being set in water. "the benefit of setting milk in cold water is that the water protects the milk from becoming acid until the cream has time to rise. for cream to rise readily on milk set in cold water, the atmosphere in the room should be warmer than the water. as much cream will rise on milk set in cold water in one hour as on milk not set in water in twenty-four hours. the milk should be skimmed while sweet, and the cream thoroughly stirred at each skimming. "cream skimmed from different milkings, if churned at the same time in one churn, should be mixed eight to ten hours before churning; then the cream will all come alike. "the keeping qualities of butter depend principally upon two things: first, the buttermilk must be all gotten out; and secondly, the grain of the butter should be kept as perfect as possible. butter should not be allowed to be churned after it has fairly come, and should not be gathered compactly in the churn in taking out, but the buttermilk should be drained from the butter in the churn, through a hair sieve, letting the butter remain in the churn. then take water and turn it upon the butter with sufficient force to pass through the butter, and in sufficient quantity to rinse the buttermilk all out of the butter. with this process of washing the butter the grain is not injured or mashed, and is thus far kept perfect. and in working in the salt the ladle or roll or worker, whatever it is, should never be allowed to slip on the butter,--if it does, it will destroy the grain,--but it should go upon the butter in a pressing or rolling motion." test the temperature of the cream with a thermometer, and churn it at ° in summer and ° in winter. if the butter is soft, it may be hardened by pouring onto it while working a brine made by dissolving a pint of salt in ten quarts of water. the salt used in the butter should be carefully measured, three fourths of an ounce of salt to the pound being the usual allowance. butter, like milk, absorbs odors readily, and should never be allowed to remain in occupied rooms or any place exposed to strong or foul odors, but be kept covered in a cold place. cheese. cheese is a product of milk prepared by separating the casein, with more or less of the cream, according to the manner in which it has been prepared, from the other ingredients of the milk. it is an article, which, although possessing a large proportion, of nutritive material, is very difficult of digestion, and the use of which is very questionable, not only for this reason, but because it is very liable to contain a poison called tyrotoxicon, capable of producing most violent and indeed fatal results, according to the remarkable researches of prof. vaughan of michigan university. this poison is sometimes found in ice cream and custards, cream-puffs, etc., made from stale milk or cream. it is much better to use milk in its fresh, natural state than in any of its products. made into either butter or cheese, we lose some of its essential elements, so that what is left is not a perfect food. _recipes_ hot milk.--milk is more easily digested when used hot. this is not due to any marked chemical change in the milk, but to the stimulating effect of heat upon the palate and stomach. to prepare hot milk, heat it in a double boiler until a wrinkled skin appears upon the surface. in the double boiler it may be kept at the proper temperature for a long time without difficulty, and thus prepared, it forms one of the most healthful of foods. milk, either cold or hot, should be taken a few sips only at a time, and not be drank in copious draughts when used in connection with other foods at mealtime. it will then coagulate in the stomach in small flakes much more easily digested than the large mass resulting when a large quantity is swallowed at a time. devonshire or clotted cream.--this is prepared as follows: strain the milk as it comes fresh from the cow into a deep pan which will fit tightly over a kettle in which water can be boiled, and set away in a cool well-ventilated place, where it should be allowed to remain undisturbed from eight to twelve hours or longer. then take the pan up very carefully so as not to disturb the cream, place over a kettle of water, heat to near the boiling point, or until a rim of bubbles half an inch wide forms all around the dish of milk. it must not, however, be allowed to boil, or the cream will be injured. now lift the pan again with equal care back to a cool place and allow it to stand from twelve to twenty-four hours longer. the cream should be a compact mass of considerable thickness, and may be divided with a knife into squares of convenient size before skimming. it is delicious for use on fruit and grains. cottage cheese.--this dish is usually prepared from milk which has curdled from lack of proper care, or from long standing exposed to the air, and which is thus in some degree decomposing. but the fact that the casein of the milk is coagulated by the use of acids makes it possible to prepare this dish in a more wholesome manner without waiting for decomposition of the milk. add to each four quarts of milk one cupful of lemon juice; let it stand until coagulated, then heat slowly, but do not boil, until the curd has entirely separated from the whey. turn the whole into a colander lined with a square of clean cheese cloth, and drain off the whey. add to the curd a little salt and cream, mix all together with a spoon or the hands, and form into cakes or balls for the table. the use of lemon gives a delicious flavor, which may be intensified, if desired, by using a trifle of the grated yellow rind. cottage cheese from buttermilk.--place a pail of fresh buttermilk in a kettle of boiling water, taking care to have sufficient water to come up even with the milk in the pail. let the buttermilk remain until it is heated throughout to about °, which can be determined by keeping a thermometer in the milk and stirring it frequently. when it is sufficiently heated, empty the curd into strong muslin bags and hang up to drain for several hours. if properly scalded and drained, the curd will be quite dry and may be seasoned and served the same as other cottage cheese. if scalded too much, it will be watery. cottage cheese with sour milk.--take a pan of newly-loppered thick sour milk, and place it over a kettle of boiling water until the whey separates from the curd, breaking and cutting the curd as the milk becomes warmed, so as to allow the whey to settle. the milk should be well scalded, but not allowed to boil, as that will render the curd tough and leathery. have ready a clean piece of cheese cloth spread inside a colander, dip the curd into it, and leave it to drain. if preferred, the corners of the cloth may be tied with a string, thus forming a bag in which the cheese may be hung up to drain. when well drained, remove the dry curd to a dish, rub it fine with the hands, add salt, and season with sweet cream, beating it well through the curd with a silver fork. it may be shaped into balls with the hands or pressed in large cups or bowls. french butter.--fill a large, wide-mouthed glass bottle or jar about half full of thick sweet cream. cork tightly, and with one end of the bottle in each hand shake it vigorously back and forth until the butter has separated from the milk, which it will generally do in a few minutes. work out the buttermilk, make into small pats, and place on ice until ready to serve. as a rule this butter is not washed or salted, as it is intended for immediate use. shaken milk.--fit a conical tin cup closely over a glass of milk and shake it vigorously until all of a foam, after which it should be slowly sipped at once; or a glass of milk may be put into a quart fruit can, the cover tightly screwed on, and then shaken back and forth until the milk is foamy. emulsified butter.--boil the butter with water for half an hour to destroy any germs it may contain; use plenty of water and add the butter to it while cold. when boiled, remove from the fire and allow it to become nearly cold, when the butter will have risen to the top and may be removed with a skimmer, or it may be separated from the water by turning the whole after cooling into a clean strainer cloth placed inside a colander. the butter may be pressed in the cloth if any water still remains. if hardened, reheat just sufficient to soften, and add to it, while still liquid, but cooled to about blood heat, the yolk of one egg for each tablespoonful of butter, and stir until very thoroughly mingled. or, add to each tablespoonful of the liquid butter two level tablespoonfuls of flour, rub together thoroughly, and cook until thickened in a half cupful of boiling water. if cream is not obtainable and butter must be used for seasoning, it is preferable to prepare it in one of the above ways for the purpose, using the quantity given as an equivalent of one cupful of thin cream. it will be evident, however, that these preparations will not only season but thicken whatever they are used in, and that additional liquid should be used on that account. table topics. a little six-year-old boy went into the country visiting. about the first thing he got was a bowl of bread and milk. he tasted it, and then hesitated a moment, when his mother asked if he didn't like it; to which he replied, smacking his lips, "yes, ma'am. i was only wishing that our milkman in town would keep a cow!" when horace greeley was candidate for the presidency, he at one time visited new orleans, whose old creole residents gave him a dinner; and to make it as fine an affair as possible, each of the many guests was laid under contribution for some of the rarest wines in his cellar. when dinner was announced, and the first course was completed, the waiter appeared at mr. greeley's seat with a plate of shrimp. "you can take them away," he said to the waiter, and then added to the horrified french creole gentleman who presided, "i never eat insects of any kind." later on, soup was served, and at the same time a glass of white wine was placed at mr. greeley's right hand. he pushed it quietly away, but not unobserved by the chief host. "do you not drink wine?" he asked. "no," answered mr. greeley; "i never drink any liquors." "is there anything you would like to drink with your soup?" the host then asked, a little disappointed. "if you've got it," answered mr. greeley, "and it isn't any trouble, i'd like a glass of fresh buttermilk." said the host afterward in his broken english, "ze idea of electing to ze presidency a man vot drink buttermilk vis his soup!" old friendships are often destroyed by toasted cheese, and hard salted meat has often led to suicide.--_sydney smith._ a german sitting beside a spanish officer on board a havana steamer, was munching limberger cheese with evident satisfaction when it occurred to him that he ought to offer some to his neighbor, who very coolly declined. "you think it unhealthful to eat that?" inquired the german in polite astonishment. "_unhealthful?_" exclaimed the hidalgo, with a withering look and a gasp for a more adequate word; "no, sir: i think it an unnatural crime!"--_oswald._ good for dyspepsia.--"really, don't you think cheese is good for dyspepsia?" said an advocate of the use of this common article of food. "why, my uncle had dyspepsia all his life, and he took a bit of cheese at the close of every meal!" mattieu williams tells us, "when common sense and true sentiment supplant mere unreasoning prejudice, vegetables oils and vegetable fats will largely supplant those of animal origin in every element of our dietary." eggs as will be seen from the analysis given below, an egg is particularly rich in nitrogenous elements. it is indeed one of the most highly concentrated forms of nitrogenous food, about one third of its weight being solid nutriment, and for this reason is often found serviceable in cases of sickness where it is desirable to secure a large amount of nourishment in small bulk. composition of the white of an ordinary hen's egg. nitrogenous matter..................... . fatty matter........................... . mineral matter......................... . water.................................. . composition of the yolk. nitrogenous matter..................... . fatty matter........................... . mineral matter......................... . water.................................. . the white of egg is composed mainly of albumen in a dissolved state, inclosed in layers of thin membrane. when beaten, the membranes are broken, and the liberated albumen, owing to its viscous or glutinous nature, entangles and retains a large amount of air, thus increasing to several times its original bulk. the yolk contains all the fatty matter, and this, with a modified form of albumen called vitellin, forms a kind of yellow emulsion. it is inclosed in a thin membrane, which separates it from the surrounding white. the yolk, being lighter than the white, floats to that portion of the egg which is uppermost, but is held in position by two membranous cords, one from each end of the egg. the average weight of an egg is about two ounces, of which ten per cent consists of shell, sixty of white, and thirty of yolk. how to choose eggs.--the quality of eggs varies considerably, according to the food upon which the fowls are fed. certain foods communicate distinct flavors, and it is quite probable that eggs may be rendered unwholesome through the use of filthy or improper food; hence it is always best, when practicable, to ascertain respecting the diet and care of the fowls before purchasing eggs. on no account select eggs about the freshness of which there is any reason to doubt. the use of stale eggs may result in serious disturbances of the digestive organs. an english gentleman who has investigated the subject quite thoroughly, finds upon careful microscopical examination that stale eggs often contain cells of a peculiar fungoid growth, which seems to have developed from that portion of the egg which would have furnished material for the flesh and bones of the chick had the process of development been continued. experiments with such eggs upon dogs produce poisonous effects. there are several ways of determining with tolerable accuracy respecting the freshness of an egg. a common test is to place it between the eye and a strong light. if fresh, the white will appear translucent, and the outline of the yolk can be distinctly traced. by keeping, eggs become cloudy, and when decidedly stale, a distinct, dark, cloud-like appearance may be discerned opposite some portion of the shell. another test is to shake the egg gently at the ear; if a gurgle or thud is heard, the egg is bad. again, eggs may be tested by dropping into a vessel containing a solution of salt and water, in the proportion of a tablespoonful to a quart. newly laid eggs will sink; if more than six days old, they will float in the liquid; if bad, they will be so light as to ride on the surface of the brine. the shell of a freshly laid egg is almost full; but owing to the porous character of the shell, with age and exposure to air a portion of the liquid substance of which the egg is composed evaporates, and air accumulates in its place at one of the extremities of the shell. hence an egg loses in density from day to day, and the longer the egg has been kept, the lighter it becomes, and the higher it will rise in the liquid. an egg that will float on the surface of the liquid is of too questionable a character to be used without breaking, and is apt to be unfit for use at all. how to keep eggs.--to preserve the interior of an egg in its natural state, it is necessary to seal the pores of the shell air-tight, as the air which finds its way into the egg through the pores of the shell causes gradual decomposition. various methods are devised to exclude the air and thus preserve the egg. a good way is to dip perfectly fresh eggs into a thick solution of gum-arabic,--equal parts of gum and water,--let the eggs dry and dip them again, taking care that the shells are entirely covered with the solution each time. when dry, wrap separately in paper and pack in a box of sawdust, bran, salt, or powdered charcoal, and cover tightly to keep out the air. there is a difference of opinion as to which end should be placed down in packing; most authorities recommend the smaller end. however, an experienced poultryman offers the following reasons for packing with the larger end down: "the air-chamber is in the larger end, and if that is placed down, the yolk will not break through and touch the shell and thereby spoil. another thing: if the air-chamber is down, the egg is not so liable to shrink away." it would be well for housekeepers to make the test by packing eggs from the same lot each way and noting the result. melted wax or suet may be used to coat the shells. eggs are sometimes immersed and kept in a solution of lime water, a pound of lime to a gallon of cold water, or simply packed in bran or salt, without a previous coating of fat or gum. by any of these methods they will keep for several weeks. eggs, however, readily absorb flavors from surrounding substances, and for that reason lime water or salt solution are somewhat objectionable. nothing of a disagreeable odor should be placed near eggs. eggs for boiling may be preserved by placing in a deep pan, and pouring scalding water over them. let them stand half a minute, drain off the water, and repeat the process two or three times. wipe dry, and when cool, pack in bran. eggs should be kept in a cool, not cold, place and handled carefully, as rough treatment may cause the mingling of the yolk and white by rupturing the membrane which separates them; then the egg will spoil quickly. the time required for the digestion of a perfectly cooked egg varies from three to four hours. it is generally conceded that eggs lightly cooked are most readily digested. what is generally termed a hard-boiled egg is not easily acted upon by the digestive juices, and any other manner of cooking by which the albumen becomes hardened and solid offers great resistance to digestion. to beat eggs.--this may seem trivial, but no dish requiring eggs can be prepared in perfection, unless they are properly beaten, even if every other ingredient is the best. an egg-beater or an egg-whip is the most convenient utensil for the purpose; but if either of these is not to be had, a silver fork will do very well, and with this the beating should be done in sharp, quick strokes, dipping the fork in and out in rapid succession, while the egg should grow firmer and stiffer with every stroke. when carelessly beaten, the result will be a coarse and frothy instead of a thick and cream-like mass. use a bowl in beating eggs with an egg-beater, and a plate when a fork or egg-whip is employed. if the white and yolk are used separately, break the shells gently about the middle, opening slowly so as to let the white fall into the dish, while retaining the yolk in one half of the shell. if part of the white remains, turn the yolk from the one half to the other till the white has fallen. beat the yolks until they change from their natural orange color to a much lighter yellow. the whites should be beaten until firm and dry enough not to fall from the bowl if turned upside down. the yolk should always be beaten first, since, if the white is left to stand after being beaten, a portion of the air, which its viscous nature allows it to catch up, escapes and no amount of beating will render it so firm a second time. eggs which need to be washed before breaking should always be wiped perfectly dry, that no water may become mingled with the egg, as the water may dilute the albumen sufficiently to prevent the white from becoming firm and stiff when beaten. in cold weather, it is sometimes difficult to beat the whites as stiff as desirable. albumen is quite susceptible to temperature, and this difficulty may be overcome by setting the dish in which the eggs are beaten into warm water--not hot by any means--during the process of beating. in very hot weather it is often advantageous to leave the eggs in cold or ice water for a short time before beating. when a number of eggs are to be used, always break each by itself into a saucer, so that any chance stale egg may not spoil the whole. if the white or yolk of an egg--is left over, it may be kept for a day or two if put in a cool place, the yolk thoroughly beaten, the white unbeaten. _recipes._ eggs in shell.--the usual method of preparing eggs for serving in this way is to put them into boiling water, and boil or simmer until they are considered sufficiently cooked. albumen, of which the white of the egg is composed, is easiest digested when simply coagulated. the yolk, if cooked at all, is easiest digested when dry and mealy. albumen coagulates at °, and when the boiling point is reached, it becomes hardened, tough, and leathery, and very difficult of digestion. if the egg were all albumen, it might be easily and properly cooked by dropping into boiling water, allowing it to remain for a few seconds, and removing it, since the shell of the egg would prevent its becoming sufficiently heated in so short a time as to become hardened; but the time necessary to cook properly the white of the egg would be insufficient for the heat to penetrate to and cook the yolk; and if it is desirable to cook the yolk hard, the cooking process should be carried on at a temperature below the boiling point, subjecting the egg to a less degree of heat, but for a longer time. the most accurate method is to put the eggs into water of a temperature of °, allowing them to remain for twenty minutes and not permitting the temperature of the water to go above °. cooked in this way, the white will be of a soft, jelly-like consistency throughout, while the yolks will be hard. if it is desired to have the yolks dry and mealy, the temperature of the water must be less, and the time of cooking lengthened. we have secured the most perfect results with water at a temperature of °, and seven hours' cooking. the temperature of the water can be easily tested by keeping in it an ordinary thermometer, and if one possesses a kerosene or gas stove, the heat can be easily regulated to maintain the required temperature. another method, although less sure, is to pour boiling water into a saucepan, draw it to one side of the range where it will keep hot, but not boil, put in the eggs, cover, and let stand for twenty minutes. if by either method it is desired to have the yolk soft-cooked, lessen the time to ten minutes or so, according to the hardness desired. eggs are best served as soon as done, as the white becomes more solid by being kept in a hot shell. it should be remarked that the time necessary to cook eggs in the shell will vary somewhat with the firmness of the shell, the size of the eggs, and the number cooked together. eggs in sunshine.--take an earthen-ware dish which will stand heat and also do to use in serving the eggs. oil it and break therein as many eggs as desired; sprinkle lightly with salt, and put into the oven for two or more minutes till the eggs are set. have ready some hot tomato sauce prepared as for tomato toast; pour the sauce over them, and serve. eggs poached in tomatoes.--take a pint of stewed tomatoes, cooked until they are homogeneous or which have been rubbed through a colander; season with salt if desired, and heat. when just beginning to boil, slip in gently a half dozen eggs, the shells of which have been so carefully broken that the yolks are intact. keep the tomato just below the boiling point until the eggs are cooked. lift the whites carefully with a fork as they cook, until they are firm, then prick them and let the yellow mix with the tomato and the whites. the whole should be quite soft when done, but showing the red of the tomatoes and the white and yellow of the eggs quite distinctly. serve on toast. if the flavor is agreeable, a little onion. eggs in cream.--put a half cupful or more of cream into a shallow earthen dish, and place the dish in a kettle or pan of boiling water. when the cream is hot, break in as many eggs as the bottom of the dish will hold, and cook until well set, basting them occasionally over the top with the hot cream. or, put a spoonful or two of cream into individual egg or vegetable dishes, break a fresh egg in each, and cook in the oven or in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water until the white of the egg is well set. poached or dropped eggs.--break each egg into a saucer by itself. have a shallow pan half filled with scalding, not boiling, water on the stove. if desired, a little salt and a tablespoonful of lemon juice may be added. slip the eggs gently from the saucer upon the top of the water, holding the edge of the saucer under water to prevent the eggs from scattering; dip the water over them with a spoon and let them stand five minutes, or until the yolk is covered with a film, and the white is firm but not hardened; keep the water just below the boiling point. take out the eggs one by one on a skimmer, and serve in egg-saucers, or on slices of nicely browned toast moistened with a little sweet cream, as preferred. if one is especially particular to keep the shape of the eggs, an egg poacher should be used, or a set of muffin-rings may be laid in the bottom of the pan, and the eggs turned into the rings. poached eggs with cream sauce.--poach eggs as in the foregoing, and pour over them a sauce made according to direction on page . quickly prepared eggs.--a good way to cook quickly a large number of eggs, is to use a large-bottomed earthen dish, which will stand the heat and in which the eggs may be served. oil it well; break the requisite number of eggs separately, and turn each carefully into the dish; sprinkle lightly with salt; set the dish in the oven or in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water for a few minutes until the eggs are set, then serve. scrambled eggs.--beat four eggs lightly, add a little salt if desired, and half a cup of milk or cream. have ready a hot, oiled saucepan; turn the eggs in and cook quickly, stirring constantly until firm, but soft. steamed eggs.--break eggs into egg or vegetable dishes or patty-pans, salt very lightly, and set in a steamer over a kettle of boiling water until the whites are set and a film has formed over the yolk. serve the same as poached eggs, with or without toast. whirled eggs.--have a small kettle of water heated almost to boiling, and with a wooden spoon, stir it rapidly round and round in the same direction until a miniature whirlpool is produced. have ready some eggs broken in separate cups, and drop them carefully one at a time into the whirling water, the stirring of which must be kept up until the egg is a soft round ball. remove with a skimmer, and serve on cream toast. omelets. _recipes._ plain omelet.--beat the yolks of three eggs to a cream and beat the whites to a stiff froth. add to the yolks three tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, one tablespoonful of finely grated bread crumbs, and season lightly with salt; lastly, fold, not stir, the whites lightly in. an omelet pan is the best utensil for cooking, but if that is not to be had, an earthen-ware pudding dish which will stand the heat is good; an iron spider will do, but a larger omelet would need to be prepared. a tin saucepan is apt to cook the omelet so rapidly as to burn it in spots. whatever the utensil used, it should be hot, the fire clear and steady, and all in readiness by the time the eggs are beaten. oil the dish well and gently pour in the omelet mixture; cover, and place the pan on the range where the heat will be continuous. do not stir, but carefully, as the egg sets, lift the omelet occasionally by slipping a broad-bladed knife under it, or with a fork by dipping in here and there. it should cook quickly, but not so quickly as to burn. from three to five minutes will generally be ample time. when the middle of the omelet is set, it may be put into a hot oven to dry the top. as soon as the center is dry, it should be removed immediately, as it will be hard and indigestible if overdone. to dish, loosen from the pan by running a knife under it, lay a hot platter, bottom upward, over the pan, and invert the latter so as to shake out the omelet gently, browned side uppermost; or if preferred, double one part over the other before dishing. serve at once, or it will fall. an omelet of three eggs is sufficient for two or three persons; if more is desired, a second omelet of three eggs may be made. larger ones are not so light nor so easily prepared. the dish used should be reserved for that purpose alone, and should be kept as smooth and dry as possible. it is better to keep it clean by wiping with a coarse towel than by washing; if the omelet comes from the pan perfectly whole and leaving no fragments behind. foam omelet.--prepare as above, leaving out the white of one egg, which must be beaten to a stiff froth and spread over the top of the omelet after it is well set. let this white just heat through by the time the omelet is done. fold the omelet together, and dish. the whites will burst out around the edges like a border of foam. fancy omelets.--various fancy omelets may be made by adding other ingredients and preparing the same as for plain omelets. two or three tablespoonfuls of orange juice instead of milk, with a little grated rind for flavor and three tablespoonfuls of sugar, may be combined with the eggs and called an orange omelet. a little cold cauliflower or cooked asparagus chopped very fine and mixed in when the omelet is ready for the pan, may be denominated a vegetable omelet. soft omelet.--beat together thoroughly one quart of milk and six eggs. season with salt. pour into a shallow earthen pudding dish, and bake in the oven until well set. table topics. the candidates for ancient athletic games were dieted on boiled grain, with warm water, cheese, dried figs, but no meat. an unpleasant reminder.--(scene, thanksgiving dinner, everybody commenting on the immense size of the turkey.) an appalling silence fell upon the crowd when tommy cried out, "mamma, is that the old sore-headed turkey?" the eminent prof. wilder was reared a vegetarian, having passed his earlier years without even knowing that flesh food was ever eaten by human beings. when six years old, he saw on the table for the first time, a roasted chicken, at which he gazed for some moments in great bewilderment, when he seemed to make a discovery, and in his astonishment burst out with the remark, "i'll bet that's a dead hen!" a story is told of a minister who was spending the day in the country, and was invited to dine. there was chicken for dinner, much to the grief of a little boy of the household, who had lost his favorite hen to provide for the feast. after dinner, prayer was proposed, and while the preacher was praying, a poor little lonesome chicken came running under the house, crying for its absent mother. the little boy shouted, "peepy! peepy! i didn't kill your mother! they killed her for that big preacher's dinner!" the "amen" was said very suddenly. meats this is the term usually applied to the flesh and various organs of such animals, poultry, and game as are used for food. this class of foods contains representatives of all nutritive elements, but is especially characterized by as excess of albuminous matter. but in actual nutritive value flesh foods do not exceed various other food materials. a comparison of the food grains with beefsteak and other flesh foods, shows, in fact, that a pound of grain is equivalent in food value to two or three pounds of flesh. at present time there is much question in the minds of many intelligent, thinking people as to the propriety of using foods of this class, and especially of their frequent use. besides being in no way superior to vegetable substances, they contain elements of an excrementitious character, which cannot be utilized, and which serve only to clog and impede the vital processes, rendering the blood gross, filling the body with second-hand waste material which was working its way out of the vital domain of the animal when slaughtered. to this waste matter, consisting of unexpelled excretions, are added those produced by the putrefactive processes which so quickly begin in flesh foods exposed to air and warmth. that flesh foods are stimulating has been shown by many observations and experiments. flesh foods are also specially liable to be diseased and to communicate to the consumer the same disease. the prevalence of disease among animals used for food is known to be very great, and their transmission to man is no longer a matter of dispute. it has been abundantly proved that such diseases as the parasitic, tuberculous, erysipelatous, and foot and mouth diseases are most certainly communicable to man by infected flesh. all stall and sty fed animals are more or less diseased. shut up in the dark, cut off from exercise, the whole fattening process is one of progressive disease. no living creature could long retain good health under such unnatural and unwholesome conditions. add to this the exhaustion and abuse of animals before slaughtering; the suffering incident to long journeys in close cars, often without sufficient food and water; and long drives over dusty roads under a burning sun to the slaughter house, and it will be apparent to all thoughtful persons that such influences are extremely liable to produce conditions of the system that render the flesh unfit for food. thousands of animals are consumed each year which were slaughtered just in time to save them from dying a natural death. it is a common thing for cattle owners, as soon as an animal shows symptoms of decline, to send it to the butcher at once; and when epidemics of cattle diseases are prevalent, there can be no doubt that the meat markets are flooded with diseased flesh. there are few ways in which we can more effectually imperil our health than in partaking freely of diseased animal food. this is no new theory. the jews have for ages recognized this danger, and their laws require the most careful examination of all animals to be used as food, both before and after slaughtering. their sanitary regulations demand that beast or fowl for food must be killed by bleeding through the jugular vein, and not, according to custom, by striking on the head, or in some violent way. prior to the killing, the animal must be well rested and its respiration normal; after death the most careful dissection and examination of the various parts are made by a competent person, and no flesh is allowed to be used for food which has not been inspected and found to be perfectly sound and healthy. as a result, it is found in many of our large cities that only about one in twenty of the animals slaughtered is accepted as food for a jew. the rejected animals are sold to the general public, who are less scrupulous about the character of their food, and who are in consequence more subject to disease and shorter-lived than are jews. trichinæ, tapeworms, and various other parasites which infest the flesh of animals, are so common that there is always more or less liability to disease from these sources among consumers of flesh foods. meat is by no means necessary for the proper maintenance of life or vigorous health, as is proved by the fact that at least "four tenths of the human race," according to virey, "subsist exclusively upon a vegetable diet, and as many as seven tenths are practically vegetarians." some of the finest specimens of physical development and mental vigor are to be found among those who use very little or no animal food. says st. pierre, a noted french author, "the people living upon vegetable foods are of all men the handsomest, the most vigorous, the lease exposed to disease and passion; and they are those whose lives last longest." the use of large quantities of animal food, however free from disease germs, has a tendency to develop the animal propensities to a greater or less degree, especially in the young, whose characters are unformed. among animals we find the carnivorous the most vicious and destructive, while those which subsist upon vegetable foods are by nature gentle and tractable. there is little doubt that this law holds good among men as well as animals. if we study the character and lives of those who subsist largely upon animal food, we are apt to find them impatient, passionate, fiery in temper, and in other respects greatly under the dominion of their lower natures. there are many other objections to the use of this class of foods--so many in fact that we believe the human race would be far healthier, better, and happier if flesh foods were wholly discarded. if, however, they are to be used at all, let them be used sparingly and prepared in the simplest and least harmful manner. let them be cooked and served in their own juices, not soaked in butter or other oils, or disguised by the free use of pepper, mustard, catsup, and other pungent sauces. salt also should be used only in the smallest possible quantities, as it hardens the fiber, rendering it more difficult of digestion. we can conceive of no possible stretch of hygienic laws which admits the use of pork; so we shall give it and its products no consideration in our pages. such offal as calves' brains, sheep's kidneys, beef livers, and other viscera, is not fit food for any one but a scavenger. the liver and kidneys are depurating organs, and their use as food is not only unwholesome but often exceedingly poisonous. meat pies, scallops, sauces, fricassees, _pâtés_, and other fancy dishes composed of a mixture of animal foods, rich pastry, fats, strong condiments, etc., are by no means to be recommended as hygienic, and will receive no notice in these pages. in comparative nutritive value, beef ranks first among the flesh foods. mutton, though less nutritive, is more easily digested than beef. this is not appreciable to a healthy person, but one whose digestive powers are weak will often find that mutton taxes the stomach less than beef. veal or lamb is neither so nutritious nor so easily digested as beef or mutton. flesh from different animals, and that from various parts of the same animal, varies in flavor, composition, and digestibility. the mode of life and the food of animals influence in a marked manner the quality of the meat. turnips give a distinctly recognizable flavor to mutton. the same is true of many fragrant herbs found by cattle feeding in pastures. the selection of meat.--good beef is of a reddish-brown color and contains no clots of blood. a pale-pink color indicates that the animal was diseased; a dark-purple color that the animal has suffered from some acute febrile affection or was not slaughtered, but died with the blood in its body. good beef is firm and elastic to the touch; when pressed with the finger, no impression is left. it should be so dry upon the surface as scarcely to moisten the fingers. meat that is wet, sodden, and flabby should not be eaten. good beef is marbled with spots of white fat. the suet should be dry and crumble easily. if the fat has the appearance of wet parchment or is jelly-like, the beef is not good. yellow fat is an indication of old, lean animals. good beef has little or no odor. if any odor is perceptible, it is not disagreeable. diseased meat has a sickly odor, resembling the breath of feverish persons. when such meat is roasted, it emits a strong, offensive smell. the condition of a piece of beef may be ascertained by dipping a knife in hot water, drying it, and passing it through the meat. apply to the nose on withdrawal, and if the meat is not good, a disagreeable odor will be quite perceptible. good beef will not shrink greatly in cooking. in boiling or stewing, the shrinkage is computed to be about one pound in four; in baking, one and one fourth pounds in four. beef of a close, firm fiber shrinks less than meat of coarse fiber. good veal is slightly reddish or pink, and the fat should be white and clear. avoid veal without fat, as such is apt to be too young to be wholesome. good mutton should be firm and compact, the flesh, fine-grained and bright-red, with an accumulation of very hard and clear white fat along the borders of the muscles. meat should not be kept until decomposition sets in, as by the putrefaction of the albuminous elements certain organic poisons are generated, and flesh partaken of in this condition is liable to result in serious illness. meat containing white specks is probably infested by parasites and should not be used as food. preservation of meat.--the tendency of flesh foods to rapid decomposition has led to the use of various antiseptic agents and other methods for its preservation. one of the most common methods is that of immersion in a brine made of a solution of common salt to which a small portion of saltpeter has been added. this abstracts the juice from the meat and also lessens the tendency to putrefaction. salt is used in various other ways for preserving meat. it should be remarked, however, that cured and dried meats are much more difficult to digest than fresh meat, and the nature of the meat itself is so changed by the process as to render its nutritive value much less. meat is sometimes packed in salt and afterward dried, either in the sun or in a current of dry air. both salting and smoking are sometimes employed. by these means the juices are abstracted by the salt, and at the same time the flesh is contracted and hardened by the action of creosote and pyroligneous acid from the smoke. what is termed "jerked" beef is prepared by drying in a current of warm air at about °. this dried meat, when reduced to a powder and packed in air-tight cans, may be preserved for a long time. when mixed with fat, it forms the pemmican used by explorers in arctic voyages. meat is also preserved by cooking and inclosing in air-tight cans after the manner of canning fruit. this process is varied in a number of ways. the application of cold has great influence in retarding decomposition, and refrigeration and freezing are often employed for the preservation of flesh foods. all of these methods except the last are open to the objection that while they preserve the meat, they greatly lessen its nutritive value. it should also be understood that the decomposition of its flesh begins almost the moment an animal dies, and continues at a slow rate even when the flesh is kept at a low temperature. the poisons resulting from this decomposition are often deadly, and are always detrimental to health. the preparation and cooking of meat.--meat, when brought from the market, should be at once removed from the paper in which it is wrapped, as the paper will absorb the juices of the meat; and if the wrapping is brown paper, the meat is liable to taste of it. joints of meat should not be hung with the cut surface down, as the juices will be wasted. meat kept in a refrigerator should not be placed directly on the ice, but always upon plates or shelves, as the ice will freeze it or else draw out its juices. if meat is accidentally frozen, it should be thoroughly thawed in cold water before cutting. meat should not be cleaned by washing with water, as that extracts the nutritive juices, but by thoroughly wiping the outside with a damp cloth. the inside needs no cleaning. meat may be cooked by any of the different methods of cookery,--boiling, steaming, stewing, roasting, broiling, baking, etc.,--according as the object is to retain the nutriment wholly within the meat; to draw it all out into the water, as in soups or broths; or to have it partly in the water and partly in the meat, as in stews. broiling is, however, generally conceded to be the most wholesome method, but something will necessarily depend upon the quality of the meat to be cooked. meat which has a tough, hard fiber will be made tenderest by slow, continuous cooking, as stewing. such pieces as contain a large amount of gelatine--a peculiar substance found in the joints and gristly parts of meat, and which hardens in a dry heat--are better stewed than roasted. boiling.--the same principles apply to the boiling of all kinds of meats. the purpose to be attained by this method is to keep the nutritive juices so far as possible intact within the meat; consequently, the piece to be cooked should be left whole, so that only a small amount of surface will be exposed to the action of the water. since cold water extracts albumen, of which the juices of the meat are largely composed, while hot water coagulates it, meat to be boiled should be plunged into boiling water sufficient to cover it and kept there for five or ten minutes, by which time the albumen over the entire surface will have become hardened, thus forming a coat through which the juices cannot escape. afterward the kettle, closely covered, may be set aside where the water will retain a temperature of about °. a small portion of albumen from the outer surface will escape into the water in the form of scum, and should be removed. meat cooked in this way will require a longer time than when the water is kept boiling furiously, but it is superior in every respect and more digestible. something depends upon the shape of the piece cooked, thin pieces requiring less time than a thick, cubical cut; but approximately, first allowing fifteen or twenty minutes for the heat to penetrate the center of the meat, at which time the real process of cooking begins, it will require from twelve to fifteen minutes for every pound cooked. stewing.--while the object in boiling is to preserve the juices within the meat as much as possible, in stewing, the process is largely reversed; the juices are to be partly extracted. some of the juices exist between the fibers, and some are found within the fibers. the greater the surface exposed, the more easily these juices will be extracted; hence meat for stewing should be cut into small pieces and cooked in a small quantity of water. since cold water extracts the albuminous juices, while boiling water hardens them into a leathery consistency, water used for stewing should be neither cold nor boiling, but of a temperature which will barely coagulate the albumen and retain it in the meat in as tender a condition as possible; _i.e.,_ about ° to °. to supply this temperature for the prolonged process of cooking necessary in stewing, a double boiler of some form is quite necessary. put the pieces of meat to be stewed in the inner dish, add hot water enough to cover, fill the outer boiler with hot water, and let this outer water simmer very gently until the meat is perfectly tender. the length of time required will be greater than when meat is stewed directly in simmering water, but the result will be much more satisfactory. the juices should be served with the meat. steaming.--meat is sometimes steamed over boiling water until it is made very tender and afterward browned in the oven. another method of steaming, sometimes called smothering, is that of cooking meat in a tightly covered jar in a moderate oven for an hour (the moderate heat serves to draw out the juice of the meat), after which the heat is increased, and the meat cooked in its own juices one half hour for each pound. roasting.--this method, which consists in placing meat upon a revolving spit and cooking it before an open fire, is much less employed now than formerly, when fireplaces were in general use. what is ordinarily termed roasting is in reality cooking meat it in own juices in a hot oven. in cooking meat by this method it is always desirable to retain the juices entirely within the meat, which can be best accomplished by first placing the clean-cut sides of the meat upon a smoking-hot pan over a quick fire; press the meat close to the pan until well scared and slightly browned, then turn over and sear the opposite side in the same manner. this will form a coating of hardened albumen, through which the interior juices cannot escape. put at once into the oven, arrange the fire so that the heat will be firm and steady but not too intense, and cook undisturbed until tender. basting is not necessary if the roast is carefully seared and the oven kept at proper temperature. when the heat of the oven is just right, the meat will keep up a continuous gentle sputtering in the pan. if no sputtering can be heard, the heat is insufficient. the heat is too great when the drippings burn and smoke. broiling.--this is the method employed for cooking thin cuts of meat in their own juices over glowing coals. when properly done, broiled meat contains a larger amount of uncoagulated albumen than can be secured by cooking in any other manner; hence it is the most wholesome. for broiling, a bed of clear, glowing coals without flame is the first essential. coke, charcoal, or anthracite coal serves best for securing this requisite. in an ordinary stove, the coals should be nearly to the top of the fire-box, that the meat may be held so as almost to touch the fire. no utensil is better for ordinary purposes than a double wire broiler. first, rub it well with a bit of suet, then put in the meat with the thickest part in the center. wrap a coarse towel around the hand to protect it from the heat, hold the meat as near the fire as possible, so as to sear one side instantly, slowly count ten, then turn and sear the other side. continue the process, alternating first one side and then the other, slowly counting ten before each turning, until the meat is sufficiently done. successful broiling is largely dependent upon frequent turning. the heat, while it at once sears the surface, starts the flow of the juices, and although they cannot escape through the hardened surface, if the meat were entirely cooked on one side before turning, they would soon come to the top, and when it was turned over, would drip into the fire. if the meat is seared on both sides, the juices will be retained within, unless the broiling is too prolonged, when they will ooze out and evaporate, leaving the meat dry and leathery. salt draws out the juices, and should not be added until the meat is done. as long as meat retains its juices, it will spring up instantly when pressed with a knife; when the juices have begun to evaporate, it will cease to do this. broiled meats should be served on hot dishes. beef. economy and adaptability in selection.--while the greatest care should be exercised in the selection of beef as regards its soundness and wholesomeness, it must likewise be selected with reference to economy and adaptability for cooking purposes, pieces from different portions of the animal being suitable for cooking only in certain ways. ox beef is said to be best. that beef is most juicy and tender which has fine streaks of fat intermingled with the lean. beef which is coarse-grained and hard to cut is apt to be tough. an economical piece of beef to purchase is the back of the rump. it is a long piece with only a small portion of bone, and weighs about ten pounds. the thickest portion may be cut into steaks, the thin, end with bone may be utilized for soups and stews, while the remainder will furnish a good roast. only a small portion of choice tender lean meat is to be found in one animal, and these are also the most expensive; but the tougher, cheaper parts, if properly cooked, are nearly as nutritious. _recipes._ broiled beef.--beef for broiling should be juicy and have a tender fiber. steaks cut from three parts of the beef are in request for this purpose,--tenderloin, porterhouse, and round steak. the last-named is the more common and economical, yet it is inferior in juice and tenderness to the other two. steak should be cut three fourths of an inch or more in thickness. if it is of the right quality, do not pound it; if very tough, beat with a steak-mallet or cut across it several times on both sides with a sharp knife. wipe, and remove any bone and superfluous fat. have the fire in readiness, the plates heating, then proceed as directed on page . cold-meat stew.--cut pieces of cold roast beef into thick slices and put into a stewpan with six or eight potatoes, a good-sized bunch of celery cut into small pieces; and a small carrot cut in dice may be added if the flavor is liked. cover with hot water, and simmer for three fourths of an hour. thicken with a little browned flour. pan-broiled steak.--in the absence of the necessary appliances for broiling over coals, the following method may be employed. heat a clean skillet to blue heat, rub it with a bit of suet, just enough to keep the meat from sticking, but leave no fat in the pan. lay in the steak, pressing it down to the pan, and sear quickly on one side; turn, and without cutting into the meat, sear upon the other. keep the skillet hot but do not scorch; cook from five to ten minutes, turning frequently, so as not to allow the juices to escape. add no salt until done. serve on hot plates. this method is not frying, and requires the addition of no water, butter, or stock. pan-broiled steak no. .--take a smooth pancake-griddle, or in lieu of anything better, a clean stove-griddle may be used; heat very hot and sear each side of the steak upon it. when well seared, lift the steak into a hot granite-ware or sheet-iron pan, cover, and put into a hot oven for two or three minutes, or until sufficiently cooked. roast beef.--the sirloin and rib and rump pieces are the best cuts for roasting. wipe, trim, and skewer into shape. sear the cut surfaces and proceed as directed on page , cooking twenty minutes to the pound if it is to be rare, less half an hour deducted on account of soaring. the application of salt and water has a tendency to toughen the meat and draw out its juices; so if it is desired to have the meat juicy and tender, it is better to cook without basting. unless the heat of the oven is allowed to become too great, when meat is cooked after this manner there will be a quantity of rich, jelly-like material in the pan, which with the addition of a little water and flour may be made into a gravy. smothered beef.--portions from the round, middle, or face of the rump are generally considered best for preparing this dish. wipe with a clean wet cloth, put into a smoking-hot skillet, and carefully sear all cut surfaces. put into a kettle, adding for a piece of beef weighing about six pounds, one cup of hot water. cover closely and cook at a temperature just below boiling, until the meat is tender but not broken. as the water boils away, enough more boiling water may be added to keep the meat from burning. another method of securing the same results is to cut the beef into small pieces and put into a moderate oven inside a tightly covered jar for an hour. afterward increase the heat and cook closely covered until the meat is tender. thicken and season the juice, and serve as a gravy. vegetables with stewed beef.--prepare the beef as directed for stewed beef, and when nearly tender, add six or eight potatoes. just before serving, thicken the gravy with a little browned flour braided in cold water, and add a cup of strained, stewed tomato and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. stewed beef.--the aitch-bone and pieces from the shin, the upper part of the chuck-rib and neck of beef, are the parts most commonly used for stewing. all meat for stews should be carefully dressed and free from blood. those portions which have bone and fat, as well as lean beef, make much better-flavored stews than pieces which are wholly lean. the bones, however, should not be crushed or splintered, but carefully sawed or broken, and any small pieces removed before cooking. it is generally considered that beef which has been previously browned makes a much more savory stew, and it is quite customary first to brown the meat by frying in hot fat. a much more wholesome method, and one which will have the same effect as to flavor, is to add to the stew the remnants of roasts or steak. it is well when selecting meat for a stew to procure a portion, which, like the aitch-bone, has enough juicy meat upon it to serve the first day as a roast for a small family. cut the meat for a stew into small pieces suitable for serving, add boiling water, and cook as directed on page . remove all pieces of bone and the fat before serving. if the stew is made of part cooked and part uncooked meat, the cooked meat should not be added until the stew is nearly done. the liquor, if not of the proper consistency when the meat is tender, may be thickened by adding a little flour braided in cold water, cooking these after four or five minutes. mutton. the strong flavor of mutton is said to be due to the oil from the wool, which penetrates the skin, or is the result, through heedlessness or ignorance of the butcher, in allowing the wool to come in contact with the flesh. there is a quite perceptible difference in the flavor of mutton from a sheep which had been for some time sheared of its woolly coat and that from one having a heavy fleece. the smallest proportion of both fat and bone to muscle is found in the leg; consequently this is the most valuable portion for food, and is likewise the most economical, being available for many savory dishes. on account of the disagreeable adhesive qualities of its fat when cold, mutton should always be served hot. _recipes._ boiled leg of mutton.--wipe carefully, remove the fat, and put into boiling water. skim, and cook as directed on page , twelve minutes for each pound. broiled chops.--the best-flavored and most tender chops are those from the loins. remove carefully all the pink skin above the fat, scraping it off if possible without cutting into the lean. wipe with a wet cloth, and broil in the same manner as beefsteak over hot coals or in a hot skillet, turning frequently until done; five or eight minutes will suffice to cook. sprinkle salt on each side, drain on paper, and serve hot. pot-roast lamb.--for this purpose a stone jar or pot is best, although iron or granite-ware will do; wipe the meat well and gash with a sharp knife. if crowded closely in the pot, all the better; cover with a lid pressed down firmly with a weight to hold it if it does not fit tightly. no water is needed, and no steam should be allowed to escape during the cooking. roast four or five hours in a moderate oven. roast mutton.--the best pieces for this purpose are those obtained from the shoulder, and saddle, loin, and haunches. wipe carefully, sear the cut surfaces, and proceed as directed for roasting beef. cook slowly without basting, and unless desired rare, allow twenty-five or thirty minutes to the pound. a leg of mutton requires a longer time to roast than a shoulder. when sufficiently roasted, remove from the pan and drain off all the grease. stewed mutton.--pieces from the neck and shoulder are most suitable for this purpose. prepare the meat, and stew as directed for beef, although less time is usually required. stewed mutton chop.--wipe, trim off the fat, and remove the bone from two or three pounds of chops. put into the inner dish of a double boiler with just enough hot water to cover; add a minced stalk of celery, a carrot, and a white turnip cut in dice; cover, and cook until the chops are tender. sliced potato may be added if liked, when the meat is nearly done. remove the grease and thicken the liquor with a little browned flour braided with thin cream. stewed mutton chop no. .--prepare the chops as in the preceding. place a layer of meat in a deep baking dish, and then a layer of sliced potato, sprinkled with a little minced celery. add two or more layers of meat, alternating with layers of potatoes. cover with boiling water and bake closely covered in a very moderate oven two and a half hours. veal and lamb.--both veal and lamb should be thoroughly cooked; otherwise they are not wholesome. they may be prepared for the tale in the same way as beef or mutton, but will require longer time for cooking. poultry and game. poultry and game differ from other animal foods in the relative quantity of fat and the quality of their juices. the fat of birds is laid up underneath the skin and in various internal parts of the body, while but a small proportion is mingled with the fibers or the juices of the flesh. the flesh of the chicken, turkey, and guinea-fowl is more delicately flavored, more tender and easy to digest, than that of geese and ducks. chickens broiled require three hours for digestion; when boiled or roasted, four hours are needed. the flesh of poultry is less stimulating than beef, and is thus considered better adapted for invalids. the flesh of wild fowl contains less fat than that of poultry; it is also tender and easy of digestion. different birds and different parts of the same bird, vary considerably in color and taste. the breed, food, and method of fattening, influence the quality of this class of foods. fowls poorly fed and allowed wide range are far from cleanly in their habits of eating; in fact, they are largely scavengers, and through the food they pick up, often become infested with internal parasites, and affected with tuberculosis and other diseases which are liable to be communicated to those who eat their flesh. suggestions for the selection of poultry and game.--the first care in the selection of poultry should be its freedom from disease. birds deprived of exercise, shut up in close cages, and regularly stuffed with as much corn or soft food as they can swallow, may possess the requisite fatness, but it is of a most unwholesome character. when any living creature ceases to exercise, its excretory organs cease to perform their functions thoroughly, and its body becomes saturated with retained excretions. a stall-fed fowl may be recognized by the color of its fat, which is pale white, and lies in thick folds beneath the skin along the lower half of the backbone. the entire surface of the body presents a more greasy, uninviting appearance than that of fowls permitted to live under natural conditions. never purchase fowls which have been sent to the market undrawn. all animals intended for use as food should be dressed as quickly as possible after killing. putrefactive changes begin very soon after death, and the liver and other viscera, owing to their soft texture and to the quantity of venous blood they retain, advance rapidly in decomposition. when a fowl or animal is killed, even if the large arteries at the throat are cut, a large quantity of blood remains in and around the intestines, owing to the fact that only through the capillaries of the liver can the blood in the portal system find its way into the large vessels which convey it to the heart, and which at death are cut off from the general circulation at both ends by a capillary system. this leaves the blood-vessels belonging to the portal circulation distended with venous blood, which putrefies very quickly, forming a virulent poison. the contents of the intestines of all creatures are always in a more or less advanced state of putrescence, ready to undergo rapid decomposition as soon as the preservative action of the intestinal fluids ceases. it will readily be seen, then, that the flesh of an undrawn fowl must be to a greater or less degree permeated with the poisonous gases and other products of putrefaction, and is certainly quite unfit for food. young fowls have soft, yellow feet, a smooth, moist skin, easily torn with a pin, wings which will spring easily, and a breastbone which will yield to pressure. pinfeathers are an indication of a young bird; older fowls are apt to have sharp scales, long hairs, long, thin necks, and flesh with a purplish tinge. poultry should be entirely free from disagreeable odors. methods are employed for sweetening fowls which have been kept too long in market, but if they need such attention, bury them decently rather than cook them for the table. turkeys should have clear, full eyes, and soft, loose spurs. the legs of young birds are smooth and black; those of older ones, rough and reddish. geese and ducks, when freshly killed, have supple feet. if young, the windpipe and beak can be easily broken by pressure of the thumb and forefinger. young birds also have soft, white fat, tender skin, yellow feet, and legs free from hairs. the legs of young pigeons are flesh-colored. when in good condition, the breast should be full and plump, and if young, it is of a light reddish color. old pigeons have dark flesh; squabs always have pinfeathers. partridges, when young, have dark bills and yellow legs. the breast of all birds should be full and plump. birds which are diseased always fall away on the breast, and the bone feels sharp and protrudes. to dress poultry and birds.--first strip off the feathers a few at a time, with a quick, jerking motion toward the tail. remove pinfeathers with a knife. fowls should be picked, if possible, while the body retains some warmth, as scalding is apt to spoil the skin and parboil the flesh. when all the feathers but the soft down have been removed, a little hot water may be poured on, when the down can be easily rubbed off with the palm of the hand. wipe dry, and singe the hairs off by holding the bird by the legs over the flame of a candle, a gas-jet, or a few drops of alcohol poured on a plate and lighted. to dress a bird successfully, one should have some knowledge of its anatomy, and it is well for the amateur first to dress one for some dish in which it is not to be cooked whole, when the bird may be opened, and the position of its internal organs studied. remove the head, slip the skin back from the neck, and cut it off close to the body, take out the windpipe and pull out the crop from the end of the neck. make an incision through the skin a little below the leg-joint, bend the leg at this point and break off the bone. if care has been taken to cut only through the skin, the tendons of the leg may now be easily removed with the fingers. if the bird is to be cut up, remove the legs and wings at the joints. then beginning near the vent, cut the membrane down between the breastbone and tail to the backbone on each side, and separate just below the ribs. the internal organs can now been seen and easily removed, and the body of the bird divided at its joints. if desired to keep the fowl whole, after removing the windpipe and crop, loosen the heart, liver, and lungs by introducing the forefinger at the neck; cut off the oil-sack, make a slit horizontally under the tail, insert the first and middle fingers, and after separating the membranes which lie close to the body, press them along within the body until the heart and liver can be felt. the gall bladder lies directly under the left lobe of the liver, and if the fingers are kept up, and all adhesions loosened before an effort is made to draw the organs out, there will be little danger of breaking it. remove everything which can be taken out, then hold the, fowl under the faucet and cleanse thoroughly. to truss a fowl or bird.--twist the tips of the wings back under the shoulder and bend the legs as far up toward the breast as possible, securing them in that position by putting a skewer through one thigh into the body and out through the opposite thigh. then bring the legs down and fasten close to the vent. to stuff a fowl.--begin at the neck, stuff the breast full, draw the neck skin together, double it over on the back and fasten with a darning needle threaded with fine twine. put the remainder of the stuffing into the body at the other opening. _recipes._ birds baked in sweet potatoes.--small birds, of which the breast is the only suitable portion for eating, may be baked in the following manner: cut a sweet potato lengthwise; make a cavity in each half. place the breast of the bird therein; fit, and tie together carefully; bake until the potato is soft. serve in the potato. boiled fowl.--after cleaning and dividing the fowl, put into boiling water, and proceed as directed on page . broiled birds.--pluck and wipe clean with a damp cloth. split down the middle of the back, and carefully draw the bird. proceed as directed below. broiled fowl.--a young bird well dressed and singed is best for this purpose. split down the middle of the back, wipe clean with a damp cloth, twist the top of the wings from the second joint; spread out flat, and with a rolling pin break the projecting breastbone so that the bird will lie flat upon the broiler. when ready to cook, place it skin uppermost and sear the under side by pressing it on a hot pan; then broil the same as beefsteak over glowing coals. corn and chicken.--clean and divide a chicken in joints. stew in milk or part milk and water until nearly tender; then add the grains and juice from a dozen ears of corn. cook slowly until the corn is done; season lightly with salt, and serve with dry toast. pigeons, quails, and partridges may be half baked, then cooked as directed for smothered chicken until tender. roast chicken.--dress carefully, singe, wash, and wipe dry. put into a pan of the proper size, add a cup of boiling water, and cook very slowly for the first half hour, then increase the heat, baste frequently, turn occasionally so that no portion will brown too fast. cook from one to two hours according to size and age of the bird. it is usually considered essential to stuff a fowl for roasting, but a dressing compounded of melted fat and crumbs seasoned with herbs and strong condiments is not to be recommended. if a dressing is considered necessary, it may be made of a quart of crumbs of rather stale whole-wheat bread, moistened with cream, to which add a small handful of powdered and sifted sage leaves which have been dried in the oven until crisp. add salt as desired, a well-beaten egg, and a little chopped celery. roast turkey.--pluck, singe, and dress the turkey; wash thoroughly and wipe with a dry cloth. if dressing is to be used, stuff the body full, sew up, and truss. place in a dripping-pan, add a pint of boiling water, and put in an oven so moderate that the turkey will not brown for the first hour; afterward the heat may be somewhat increased, but at no time should the oven be very hot. after the bird becomes brown, baste it occasionally with the water in the pan, dredging lightly with flour. cook until the legs will separate from the body; three or four hours will be necessary for a small turkey. one half hour to the pound is the usual rule. when tender, remove the stuffing and serve it hot, placing the turkey on a large hot platter to be carved. it may be garnished with parsley or celery leaves and served with cranberry sauce. ducks and geese may be prepared and roasted in the same manner, but less time will suffice for cooking, about one and one third hours for ducks of ordinary size, and about three hours for a young goose. a stuffing of mashed potato seasoned with onion, sage, and salt is considered preferable for a goose. equal parts of bread crumbs and chopped apples moistened in a little cream are also used for this purpose. smothered chicken.--cut two chickens into joints and put in a closely covered kettle with a pint of boiling water. heat very slowly to boiling, skim, keep covered, and simmer until tender and the water evaporated; add salt, turn the pieces, and brown them in their own juices. steamed chicken.--prepare the chicken as for roasting, steam until nearly tender, dredge with flour and a little salt; put into a dripping-pan and brown in the oven. other birds and fowls may be prepared in the same way. stewed chicken.--divide a chicken into pieces suitable for serving, and stew as directed for beef on page . old fowls left whole and stewed in this manner for a long time and afterward roasted, are much better than when prepared in any other way. if a gravy is desired, prepare as for stewed beef. other poultry may be stewed likewise. fish. fish is a less stimulating article of food than other meats. edible fish are generally divided into two classes, those of white flesh and those more or less red. the red-fleshed fish, of which the salmon is a representative, have their fat distributed throughout the muscular tissues, while in white fish the fat is stored up in the liver; hence the latter class is much easier of digestion, and being less stimulating, is to be recommended as more wholesome. different kinds of fish have different nutritive values. their flavor and wholesomeness are greatly influenced by the nature of their food and the condition of the water in which they are caught; those obtained in deep water with strong currents are considered superior to those found in shallow water. fish are sometimes poisonous, owing no doubt to the food they eat. like all animal foods, fish are subject to parasites, some of which take up their abode in the human body when fish infected with them are eaten. an eminent scientist connected with the smithsonian institution, contributed an article to _forest and stream_ a few years ago, in which he stated that in the salmon no less than sixteen kinds of parasitic worms have been discovered, and undoubtedly many others remain unknown; four species were tapeworms, and four, roundworms. the yellow perch is known to be infested with twenty-three species of parasitic worms. the pike carries with him at least twenty kinds, while many other varieties of fish are equally infested. fish have been highly lauded as a food particularly suited to the development of the brain and nervous system. this no doubt has arisen from the fact that fish contain a considerable amount of phosphorus. phosphorus is also present in the human brain, and for this reason it has been supposed that fish must be excellent nutriment for the brain; but the truth is, there is no such thing as any special brain or nerve food. what is good to build up one part of the body is good for the whole of it; a really good food contains the elements to nourish every organ of the body. salted fish, like salted meat, is deprived of most of its nutriment during the curing process, and being rendered much more difficult of digestion, possesses very little value as a food. shell-fish (oysters, clams, scallops, lobsters, crabs, etc.)--although considered a luxury by epicures, shellfish are not possessed of a high nutritive value. the whole class are scavengers by nature and according to recent researches it appears that they are not altogether safe articles of diet. many cases of severe and extensive sickness have been traced to the use of clams and oysters. investigations made to ascertain the cause show the poisonous part of the mussel to be the liver. rabbits and other small animals inoculated with the poison died in one or two minutes. not all mussels are thus poisonous, but inasmuch as there is an abundance of wholesome food, it would certainly seem the part of wisdom to discard shellfish altogether. how to select and prepare fish.--the flesh of good, fresh fish is firm and hard, and will respond at once to pressure with the fingers. if the flesh feels soft and flabby, the fish is not fresh. the eyes should be full and bright and the gills of a clear red color. fish should be cleaned as soon as possible after being caught. to do this, lay the fish upon a board, and holding it by the tail, scrape off the scales with a dull knife held nearly flat, working from the tail toward the head. scrape slowly, and rinse the knife frequently in cold water. cut off the head and fins, make an opening from the gills halfway down the lower part of the body, scrape out the entrails and every particle of blood. remove the white part that lies along the backbone, then thoroughly rinse and wipe dry. keep in a cool place until ready to cook, but do not place directly on ice, as that will have a tendency to soften the flesh. fresh fish should never be allowed to soak in water. if salt fish is to be used, it should be freshened by placing it skin-side up in cold water, and soaking for several hours, changing the water frequently. frozen fish should be placed in cold water to thaw, and when thawed, should be cooked immediately. fish is cooked by nearly all methods, but retains more nourishment when broiled or baked. it should be thoroughly cooked, being both indigestible and unpalatable when underdone. boiled fish is usually dependent for flavor upon some kind of rich sauce so incompatible with healthy digestion that we do not recommend this method. _recipes._ baked fish.--select a perfectly fresh, properly dressed fish. rinse thoroughly and wipe dry. fold it together and place in a dripping pan with a cup of boiling water. cook slowly and steadily until tender. a fish weighing three or four pounds will require at least two hours. if desired, the fish may be lightly dredged with flour, toward the last, as it begins to brown. broiled fish.--thoroughly clean the fish, and if small, split down the back. fish of larger size should be cut into inch slices. use a double wire broiler well oiled with a bit of suet. lay the fish, with its thickest part next the center of the broiler, skin uppermost, and broil over a bed of clear coals until the flesh-side is of an even brown. the time required will vary, according to the size of the fish, from five to twenty minutes; then turn and brown on the other side. if the fish be very thick, when both sides are browned, put the broiler in the oven over a dripping pan and cook until done. meat soup. soups made from meat require first the preparation of a special material called _stock_, a liquid foundation upon which to begin the soup. beef, veal, mutton, and poultry are all made into stock in the same manner, so that general rules for its preparation will be sufficient for all meat soups. the principal constituents of meat and bones, the material from which stock is compounded, are fiber, albuminous elements, gelatinous substances, and flavoring matters. the albuminous elements are found only in the flesh. the gelatinous substance found in bones, skin, and tendons, is almost devoid of nutriment. in selecting material for stock, therefore, it is well to remember that the larger the proportion of lean meat used, the more nutritious will be the soup. but little else than gelatine is obtained from the bones, and although serviceable in giving consistency, a soup made principally from bones is not valuable as a food. the amount of bone used for soup should never exceed the flesh material in weight. the bones, trimmings, and remnants of steaks, chops, and roasts may be advantageously utilized for soups. bits of roast meat and roast gravies are especially serviceable material, since they are rich in the flavoring elements of meat. it should be remembered, however, that these flavoring matters are chiefly excrementitious or waste substances, derived from the venous blood of the animal. the greatest care must be observed to keep the scraps perfectly sweet and fresh until needed, as stale meat is exceedingly unwholesome. if the scraps are mostly cooked meats and bones, a small portion of raw, lean meat should be used with them; it need not be of the choicest quality; tough, coarse meat, when fresh and good, can be advantageously used for soup stock. if fresh material is to be procured, select for beef soups a piece from the shin or lower round; the same choice of pieces may be made of veal; of mutton, pieces from the forequarter and neck are best. in preparing meat for soup, if it is soiled, scrub the outside thoroughly with a clean cloth wet in cold water, or cut away the soiled portion. break the bones into as small pieces as convenient; cut the meat into inch dice, remove the marrow from the bones, and put it aside. if added to the stock, it will make it greasy. having selected proper material and prepared it for use, the next step is to extract the juices. to do this put it into cold water, bring very gradually to the boiling point,--an hour is not too long for this,--then cook slowly but continuously. in the observation of these simple measures lies the secret of success in stock-making. the albuminous elements of the meat, which are similar in character to the white of an egg, are readily dissolved in cold or tepid water, but boiling water coagulates them. if the meat is put into boiling water, the albumen coagulates, or hardens, forming a sort of crust on the outside of the meat, which prevents the inner juices from escaping; on the contrary, if the meat is put to cook in cold water, and is gradually raised to the boiling point, the soaking and simmering will easily extract and dissolve the juices. salt likewise hinders the extraction of the meat juices, and should not be added to stock during its preparation. the best utensil for use in the preparation of stock is a soup digester. this is a porcelain-lined kettle, resting on standards, with a cover fitting closely into a groove, so that no steam can escape except through a valve in the top of the cover. in this the meat can be placed and allowed to cook for hours without burning. an ordinary granite-ware kettle with tightly fitting cover set on a stove ring or brick, answers quite well. it should, however, be kept entirely for this purpose. a double boiler is also suitable. the correct proportion of water is to be used is about one quart to each pound of meat and bones, though this will vary somewhat with the material and the length of time required for cooking. the scum which is thrown to the surface of the water during the cooking process is composed of blood and other impurities, and should be removed as rapidly as it rises. if allowed to remain after the water reaches the boiling point, it will become incorporated into the stock and injure it in flavor and wholesomeness. if the meat and bones are well cut and broken, the juices ought to be all extracted, with proper cooking, in three or four hours. longer cooking will render the stock thicker and more gelatinous but not more nutritious, and too long cooking will detract from its flavor. as soon as the meat will fall from the bones, the stock should be removed from the pot and strained at once. a good way to strain stock is to place a colander over an earthen crock or jar (the colander should fit inside the jar), with a cloth strainer within the colander. then dip the contents of the stock kettle into the colander, and leave it there to drain for fifteen or twenty minutes. do not squeeze the cloth, and when well drained, throw the scraps away. [illustration: arrangement for straining stock.] french cooks, with their propensity for economy, sometimes select a good quality of beef, cook it so as to retain a portion of the juices in the meat, and make it serve both for preparing the soup and for boiled beef on the bill of fare. the meat is not cut up, but is heated quickly and removed as soon as tender, so that only part of the juices are extracted. set the stock where it will become cold. the more rapidly it cools, the more delicate will be its flavor, and the better it will keep. the fat will rise to the surface, and can be easily removed when desired. if the quantity of fat in the material used was considerable, a solid cake will cover the top. this fat, by excluding the air, helps keep the stock sweet, and should not be removed until the stock is needed. if only a portion is to be used at one time, the remainder with the fat should be reheated and cooled, that a new crust may be formed. in winter, stock may be kept several days, if care is thus taken to reheat it. in summer, unless kept in a very cold place, it will spoil in a few hours. soup should never be greasy, and hence, before using the stock, every particle of the fat should be removed. to accomplish this, loosen the cake of fat from the dish with a knife, and if solid, it will sometimes come off whole; if soft, remove all that is possible without cutting into the stock, and afterwards wipe the top of the jellied stock with a cloth wrung out of very hot water, which will readily absorb any lingering portion of fat. if the stock is not jellied, skim off all the fat possible, and then turn the stock through a napkin wrung out of ice water. this will harden the grease, which will adhere to the napkin. it is always better to prepare stock long enough before it is needed to allow it to become perfectly cold; if, however, it is necessary to use the stock very soon after it is prepared, the fat may be quickly hardened by turning the stock into a dripping pan or some other shallow dish, and placing it on ice in a cool place; if there is no time for this, strain several times through a napkin wrung out of ice-cold water, removing the particles of fat each time and wringing the cloth anew before straining again. a little cold water poured into hot stock will also cause the grease to rise so that it can be easily skimmed off; but this method weakens the stock. stock may be prepared from one kind of meat only, or from two or more different kinds mixed together. chicken stock is generally conceded to be better if a small portion of beef is combined with the fowl. beef and veal are largely used together; but mutton on account of its strong flavor is better used alone. stock, when prepared from a single kind of meat, is termed simple stock or broth. when prepared from two or more kinds of flesh cooked together, or when stock prepared separately from different kinds of meat are mixed together, the result is termed compound stock or double broth. with either of these stocks as a foundation, an innumerable variety of soups may be prepared, either by serving them as plain broth or by the addition of some of the various grains and vegetables, the distinctive name of each soup being given it according to its principal solid ingredient. to clarify soup stock.--having removed all the fat from the stock, add to it before reheating, the shell of an egg, and the whole of one egg well beaten, with a little cold water, for every three pints of soup. place the soup over the fire and stir it constantly to keep the egg from setting until it is hot. simmer for fifteen minutes, removing the scum as it rises, and strain through a flannel cloth or napkin laid in a colander. it is also a good plan to place a fine wire strainer on the napkin to catch the shells and scum. do not squeeze the cloth or stir the liquid with a spoon to hasten the straining process. if the cloth is clogged so that the stock does not run through well, carefully change it in the colander so that the liquid will run down upon a clean portion. when strained, it may be reheated, seasoned, and served as clear soup. _recipes._ asparagus soup.--this soup is prepared in every way like the one on page , except that while stock made from veal is used instead of milk. green pea soup, celery soup, green corn soup, and green bean soup may be prepared according to the recipes already given for these soups by substituting for milk the same quantity of the stock of veal or chicken. barley, rice, sago, or tapioca soup.--any kind of stock may be used in making these soups, though chicken and mutton stock are generally considered preferable. prepare the grains, the sago, or the tapioca, by steaming or boiling till well cooked, and add to the stock, which should be at boiling temperature. season and serve. caramel for coloring soup brown.--melt a half pint of sugar and one tablespoonful of water in a saucepan over the fire; stir constantly until it is of a dark brown color; then add a half pint of boiling water, simmer ten minutes, strain, and put into an air-tight can or bottle. when needed, mix such a quantity with the soup as will give the desired degree of color. julienne soup.--take an equal proportion of carrot, parsnip, turnip, celery, and string beans, cut into thin pieces of inch lengths, sufficient to make one pint. simmer the vegetables gently in a small quantity of water until tender, but not long enough to destroy their shape. heat a quart of clear stock to boiling, add vegetables, salt to taste, and serve. other vegetables, as peas, asparagus, etc. may be used in the season. sometimes the vegetables are cut into dice or fancy shapes with a vegetable cutter. it makes little difference about the shape, so that the pieces are small and uniform in size. such vegetables as potatoes, carrots, or turnips, when used for soups, are easiest cut, after paring in the usual manner, by taking the vegetable in the left hand, holding it on the table or board between thumb and finger, and with the right hand cutting downward in even slices not over one third of an inch wide, to within a quarter of an inch of the bottom. turn the vegetable and repeat the process, cutting across the first slices. again lay the vegetable on its side, and make a third series of cuts, which will divide it into cubes. if several kinds of vegetables are used, those which require a longer time for cooking should be cut into smaller pieces. tomato soup.--into two quarts of boiling beef stock stir a teaspoonful of cornstarch well braided with a little cold water, and a pint of strained, stewed tomatoes. boil a few minutes, and serve. a teaspoonful of sugar may also be added, if desired. white soup.--white soups are made from veal or chicken stock, seasoned with cream, flavored with onion or celery, and thickened with cornstarch or flour. vermicelli or macaroni soups.--drop into boiling water and cook the macaroni about one hour, the vermicelli ten minutes. drain well, dash cold water through them to separate the pieces, which are apt to stick together, and add to boiling stock (beef and veal are preferable) in the proportion of a pint of cooked macaroni or vermicelli to a quart of soup. salt to taste and serve. puree with chicken.--take a quart of chicken stock from which the fat has been removed. add a stalk or two of celery cut into finger-lengths, and a slice of onion, and put to boil. beat together the mashed yolk of two hard boiled eggs, and a half cup of sweet cream. chop the white meat of the chicken until fine as meal and beat with the egg mixture. add slowly a cup and a half of hot milk. remove the celery and onion from the hot stock, and stir all together. boil up, salt to taste, and serve. if too thick, a little more stock or milk can be added. tapioca cream soup.--soak two tablespoonfuls of tapioca over night. heat a quart of stock prepared from the white meat of chicken, to boiling, in a saucepan. then stir the tapioca in gradually. move the saucepan to the side of the range where it will simmer till the tapioca is transparent. have ready in a large dish a mixture prepared by beating together very thoroughly the yolks of three eggs and four tablespoonfuls of sweet cream. when the tapioca is clear, remove the stock from the range and pour it very gradually onto the egg mixture, stirring briskly all the time, so that the egg will not curdle. season with salt if desired. the soup may be returned to the stove and warmed before serving if necessary, but it must not be boiled or allowed to stand a long time. table topics. animal food is one of the greatest means by which the pure sentiment of the race is depressed.--_alcott._ an english medical author says, "it is no doubt true that the constant use of animal food disqualifies the mind for literary application. we can scarcely imagine a philosopher living on horse flesh like a tartar, or on buffalo meat like an indian; and it is a fact that these tribes appear incapable of civilization until they acquire the habit of using a less stimulating diet, and begin to cultivate the fruits of the earth for their own use. the difference, in the success of christian missions, between such people and those whose chief sustenance is farinaceous food, is very striking and worthy of especial notice. in the east, and in polynesia, literature and christian doctrines are seized upon with avidity. but in vain were the most earnest labors of the best men to introduce reading and writing among the american indians until they had first been taught to grow corn and to eat bread." an american gentleman traveling in the east met a brahmin priest, who refused to shake hands with him for fear of pollution. the reason he assigned was that americans eat hogs. said the priest, "why, i have heard that in america they put hogs' flesh in barrels and eat it after it has been dead six months! horrible!" pork is by no means a favorite food in scotland. king james is said to have abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco. he said, "if i were to give a banquet to the devil, i would provide a loin of pork and a poll of ling, with a pipe of tobacco for digestion!" --_scott._ the hindu would as soon think of becoming a cannibal as of eating swine's flesh. it is stated that the indian mutiny so frightful in its results originated in a fear among the sepoys that they would be forced to eat pork. a lady in india had an amusing experience which illustrates the hindu sentiment on the subject of pig. arriving late at a grand dinner, she and her husband saw the first course being carried in as they went down the hall. a row of khitmutgars was drawn up, waiting to follow the dish into the dining-room, and serve their respective employers; as a dish of ham was carried by, each man gravely and deliberately spat upon it! needless to say, mrs. b. and her lord waited for the second course. both the ancient syrians and egyptians abstained from flesh-eating out of dread and abhorrence, and when the latter would represent any thing as odious or disagreeable by hieroglyphics, they painted a fish. yes, agassiz does recommend authors to eat fish because the phosphorus in it makes brains. so far you are correct. but i cannot help you to a decision about the amount you need to eat--at least with certainty. if the specimen composition you send is about your fair usual average, i should judge that perhaps a couple of whales would be all you want for the present; not the largest kind, but simply good, middling-sized whales!--_mark twain's letter to a young author._ food for the sick [illustration: food for the sick] there is no branch of the culinary art which requires more skill than that of preparing food for the sick and feeble. the purpose of food at all times is to supply material for repairing--the waste which is constantly be chosen with reference to its nutritive value. but during illness and convalescence, when the waste is often much greater and the vital powers less active, it is of the utmost importance that the food should be of such a character as will supply the proper nutrition. nor is this all; an article of food may contain all the elements of nutrition in such proportions as to render it a wholesome food for those in health, and not be a proper food for the sick, for the reason that its conversion into blood and tissue lays too great a tax upon the digestive organs. food for the sick should be palatable, nutritious and easily assimilated. to discriminate as to what food will supply these requisites, one must possess some knowledge of dietetics and physiology, as well as of the nature of the illness with which the patient is suffering; and such a knowledge ought to be part of the education of every woman, no matter to what class of society she belongs. there are no special dishes suitable alike for all cases. hot buttered toast, tea, rich jellies, and other dainties so commonly served to the sick, are usually the very worst articles of diet of which they could partake. as a general rule, elaborate dishes are not suitable. well-cooked gruel, a nicely broiled steak, a glass of milk, or some refreshing drink often serve far better than foods which combine a greater variety of ingredients, and require more extensive preparation. the simplest foods are always the best, because the most readily assimilated. scrupulous neatness and care in all the minute particulars of the cooking and serving of food for invalids, will add much to its palatableness. the clean napkin on the tray, the bright silver, and dainty china plate, with perhaps a sprig of leaves and flowers beside it, thinly sliced bread, toast or cracker, and the light cup partly filled with hot gruel, are far more appetizing to the invalid than coarse ware, thickly cut bread, and an overflowing cup of gruel, though the cooking may be just as perfect. anything that suggests excess or weight fatigues the sick. the appearance of milk served in a bowl, water in a mug, beef-tea in a saucer, though seemingly a trivial thing, is often sufficient to remove all desire for food. so far as practicable, the wants of the patient should be anticipated, and the meal served, a surprise. the capricious appetite of an invalid may sometimes be coaxed by arranging his simple food upon a tray so planned that in the napery and service-ware used, some one particular color predominates, and if this color be selected to accord or harmonize as far as possible with the food allowed, the _tout ensemble_ presents a pleasing fancy, which will tempt the eye, and through its influence, the appetite of the patient. for example: an invalid whose dietary must consist of fruit and grains, might be served to a "purple" dinner, with bill of fare including a fresh, cool bunch of purple grapes, a glass of unfermented grape juice, a saucer of blackberry mush, a plate of nicely toasted wafers, graham puffs or zwieback, with stewed prunes, or a slice of prune toast served on dishes decorated with purple. tie the napkin with a bow of purple ribbon, and place a bunch of purple pansies just within its folds. the monotonous regimen of a poor dyspeptic which poached eggs, beaten biscuit, wheat gluten, eggnog, with, perhaps, stewed peaches or an orange, are served on gilt-band china with a spray of goldenrod, a bunch of marigolds, or a water-lily to give an additional charm. foods which are ordered to be served hot, should be _hot,_ not merely warm, when they reach the patient. to facilitate this, let the dish in which the food is to be served, stand in hot water for a few moments; take out, wipe dry, turn in the hot food, place on the tray, and serve. an oil stove, alcohol lamp, or a pocket stove is very convenient for warming gruels, broths and other similar foods, as either can be made ready for use in a moment, and will heat the small quantity of food necessary for an invalid in one fourth the time in which it could be accomplished over the range, if necessary to reduce the fire. in the preparation of food for the sick, a scrupulously clean dish for cooking is of the first importance. it is a good plan in every household to reserve one or two cooking utensils for this purpose, and not be obliged to depend upon those in daily use. utensils used for the cooking of fruits, vegetables, meat, etc., unless cleaned with the utmost call will sometimes impart a sufficiently unpleasant flavor to the food to render it wholly unpalatable to an invalid whose senses are preternaturally acute. gruels these simple foods, the base of which is usually some one of the grains, play an important part in the dietary for the sick, if properly prepared; but the sloppy messes sometimes termed gruel, the chief merit of which appears to be that they "are prepared in ten minutes," are scarcely better than nothing at all. like other dishes prepared from the grains, gruel needs a long, continuous cooking. when done, it should be the very essence of the grain, possessing all its nutritive qualities, but in such form as to be readily assimilated. for the making of gruels, as for the cooking of grains for any other purpose, the double boiler is the best utensil. [illustration: gruel strainer.] if it is desirable to strain the gruel before serving, have a fine wire strainer of a size to stand conveniently within a large bowl or basin, turn the gruel into this, and rub it through with a wooden or silver spoon, using a second spoon, if necessary, to remove that which hangs beneath the sieve. on no account use the first spoon for the latter operation, as by so doing one is apt to get some of the hulls into the gruel and destroy its smoothness. when as much of the gruel as possible has been rubbed through the sieve, pour the strained liquid into a clean dish, reheat to boiling, and season as desired before serving. an extension strainer which can be fitted over any sized dish is also serviceable for straining gruels. [illustration: extension strainer.] gruels, like all other foods, should be retained in the mouth for proper insalivation, and it is well to eat them with wafers or some hard food, when solid food is allowed. _recipes._ arrowroot gruel.--rub a dessertspoonful of _pure_ arrowroot to a thin paste in two tablespoonfuls of cold water, and stir it into a half pint of boiling water, or, if preferred, a cup and a third of boiling milk, and stir rapidly until thickened and clear. if desired, a little lemon peel for flavoring may be infused in the water or milk, before adding the arrowroot. sweeten, if allowed, and serve. barley gruel.--wash three heaping tablespoonfuls of pearl barley, drop it into a pint of boiling water, and parboil five minutes. pour this water off and add a quart of fresh boiling water. let it simmer gently for three hours. strain, season, and serve. a small piece of lemon rind added to the gruel a half hour before it is done, gives it a very agreeable flavor. equal quantities of milk and barley gruel make a very nourishing drink; the milk, however, should not be added to the gruel until needed, as in a warm atmosphere it undergoes quite rapid change, and is likely to ferment. a little lemon juice, with sugar to sweeten to taste, is sometimes preferred as seasoning for barley gruel. egg gruel.--heat a cup of milk to boiling, and stir into it one well-beaten egg mixed with one fourth cup of cold milk. stir constantly for a few minutes till thickened, but do not allow it to boil again. season with a little salt, or if preferred and allowed, a little loaf sugar. egg gruel no. .--boil the yolks of three eggs until dry and mealy, mash perfectly smooth, then add a cup of boiling milk. season with salt, and serve. farina gruel.--moisten two table spoonfuls of farina with a very little cold milk, and stir it into a cupful of boiling water. boil until it thickens, add a cupful of new milk, turn into a double boiler, and cook again for twenty or thirty minutes. strain if necessary, season with salt or sugar, and serve. flour gruel.--rub one heaping tablespoonful of whole-wheat flour to a thin paste with three tablespoonfuls of cold milk, and stir it into a pint of boiling milk. cook for ten or twelve minutes. season with salt, strain if necessary, and while hot, stir in the beaten white of one egg. the egg may be omitted if preferred; or the yolk of the egg and a little sugar may be used instead, if the patient's condition will allow it. gluten gruel.--stir two and one half tablespoonfuls of the wheat gluten prepared by the sanitarium food co., battle creek, mich., into a pint of boiling milk; boil until thickened, when it is ready to serve. gluten gruel no. .--into a pint of boiling water stir three heaping tablespoonfuls of the prepared gluten. boil until thickened, and add a half cup of thin cream. gluten cream.--heat a pint of thin cream to boiling, and stir into it three tablespoonfuls of wheat gluten. when thickened, it is ready to serve. gluten meal gruel.--into a cup and a half of boiling water stir four tablespoonfuls of gluten meal (prepared by the sanitarium food co.), let it boil for a moment, add six tablespoonfuls of rather thin, sweet cream, and serve. graham gruel.--heat three cups of water in the inner dish of a double boiler, and when vigorously boiling stir into it carefully, a little at a time, so as not to check the boiling, one scant cup of graham flour which has been rubbed perfectly smooth in a cup of warm, not hot, water. stir until thickened, then place in the outer boiler and cook for an hour or longer. when done, strain if necessary, season with salt if desired, and a half cup of sweet cream. graham grits gruel.--cook three heaping tablespoonfuls of graham grits in a quart of boiling water, as directed in the chapter on grains, for three hours. turn through a soup strainer to remove any lumps, season with half a cup of cream, and salt if desired. well cooked graham grits may be made into gruel by thinning with water or milk, straining and seasoning as above. gruel of prepared flour.--knead a pint of flour with water into a ball, and tie firmly in a linen cloth; put it into a granite-ware basin or kettle, cover with boiling water, and boil slowly, replenishing with boiling water as needed, for twelve hours. put it before the fire to dry. afterward remove the cloth, and also a thick skin which will have formed over the ball. dry the interior again. when needed for use, rub a tablespoonful of the prepared flour smooth with three spoonfuls of cold milk, and stir it into a pint of boiling milk. cook from three to five minutes. season with salt if desired. indian meal gruel.--make a thin paste of one teaspoonful of flour, two tablespoonfuls of best cornmeal, and a little water. stir this into a quart of boiling water, or milk and water in equal proportions, as preferred. boil until the meal has set, stirring constantly; then turn into a double boiler and cook for an hour and half or two hours. season with salt, and strain. if too thick, thin with milk or cream. lemon oatmeal gruel.--the united states dispensary recommends the following method of preparing oatmeal gruel for fever patients; "rub one heaping tablespoonful of fine oatmeal smooth in a little cold water; stir this into three pints of boiling water. cook until the quantity is reduced to two pints; then strain, and let it cool and settle. when it is quite cold, pour the clear gruel from the sediment, add the juice of a lemon, and sugar to sweeten slightly. if desirable to serve it warm, reheat before adding the lemon juice." freshly cooked oatmeal may be thinned with boiling water, strained and seasoned in the same manner. milk oatmeal gruel.--take a pint of milk and one of water, and heat to boiling. stir in three heaping table spoonfuls of oatmeal, and cook in a double boiler for two or three hours. milk porridge.--take one pint of milk and the same quantity of water, and heat to boiling. stir in two heaping tablespoonfuls of cornmeal or graham grits, boil, stirring continuously, until the meal has set, then turn into a double boiler and cook for two hours or longer. season with salt, and a tablespoonful of sweet cream if allowed. oatmeal gruel.--into one quart of boiling water stir two heaping tablespoonfuls of fine oatmeal; let it boil until it thickens, stirring all the time; then turn into a double boiler and cook for three and a half or four hours. strain before serving. a little cream may also be added, unless contra-indicated by the patient's condition. oatmeal gruel no. .--pound one half cup of coarse oatmeal until it is mealy. the easiest way to do this is to tie the oatmeal in a coarse cloth and pound it with a wooden mallet. put it in a pint bowl, and fill the bowl with cold water. stir briskly for a few moments until the water is white, then allow the meal to settle. pour off the water, being careful to get none of the sediment. fill the bowl a second time with cold water, stir thoroughly, let settle, and pour off the water as before. do this the third time. boil the liquid one half hour, strain, and serve hot. if very thick, a little cream or milk may be added. oatmeal gruel no, .--add to one cup of well-cooked oatmeal while hot two cups of hot milk, or one cup of hot milk and one of hot water. beat all thoroughly together, add a little salt if desired, strain, and serve. peptonized gluten gruel.--prepare the gruel as directed for gluten gruel no. . strain if needed, cook to lukewarm, and turn it into a pitcher, which place in a dish containing hot water even in depth with the gruel in the pitcher; add the peptonizing fluid or powder, stir well, and let it stand in the hot water bath for ten minutes. the temperature must not be allowed to rise over °. put into a clean dish and serve at once, or place on ice till needed. other well-cooked gruels maybe peptonized in the same way. raisin gruel.--stone and quarter two dozen raisins and boil them twenty minutes in a small quantity of water. when the water has nearly boiled away, add two cups of new milk. when the milk is boiling, add one heaping tablespoonful of graham or whole-wheat flour which has been rubbed to a thin paste with a little cold milk. boil until thickened, stirring all the time; then turn into a double boiler and cook for twenty minutes or half an hour. season with salt and serve. rice water.--wash half a cup of rice very thoroughly in several waters. put it into a saucepan with three cups of cold water and boil for half an hour. strain off the rice water, season with salt if desired, and serve. preparations of milk. milk diet.--an almost exclusive milk diet is sometimes a great advantage in cases of sickness. it is usually necessary to begin the use of the milk in moderate quantities, gradually withdrawing the more solid food and increasing the quantity of milk. in the course of a week, all other food should be withdrawn, and the quantity of milk increased to three or four quarts a day. milk is easily digested, and hence may be taken at more frequent intervals than other food. _recipes._ albuminized milk.--shake together in a well-corked bottle or glass fruit can, a pint of fresh milk and the well-beaten whites of two eggs, until thoroughly mixed. serve at once. hot milk.--hot milk is an excellent food for many classes of invalids. the milk should be fresh, and should be heated in a double boiler until the top is wrinkled over the entire surface. junket, or milk curd.--heat a cup of fresh milk to °, add one teaspoonful of the essence of pepsin, and stir just enough to mix thoroughly. let it stand until firmly curded, and serve. koumiss.--dissolve one fourth of a two-cent cake of compressed yeast, and two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, in three tablespoonfuls of lukewarm water. pour this into a quart bottle and add sufficient fresh, sweet milk to nearly fill. shake well, and place in a room of the temperature of ° to ° f., and allow it to ferment about six hours. cork tightly and tie the cork in. put in a cool place, act above ° and let it remain a week, when it will be ready for use. in making koumiss be sure that the milk is pure, the bottle sound, and the yeast fresh. open the bottle with a champagne tap. if there is any curd or thickening resembling cheese, the fermentation has been prolonged beyond the proper point, and the koumiss should not be used. milk and lime water.--in cases where milk forms large curds, or sours in the stomach, lime water prepared in the following manner may be added to the milk before using:-- into a gallon jar of water, put a piece of lime the size of one's fist. cover the jar and let the lime settle over night. in the morning, draw the water off the top with a syphon, being careful not to move the jar so as to mix again the particles of lime with the water. two tablespoonfuls of the lime water is usually sufficient for a pint of milk. peptonized milk for infants.--one gill of cows' milk, fresh and unskimmed; one gill of pure water; two tablespoonfuls of rich, sweet cream; two hundred grains of milk sugar, one and one fourth grains of _extractum pancreatis_; four grains of sodium bicarbonate. put the above in a clean nursing bottle, and place the bottle in water so warm that the whole hand cannot be held in it longer for one minute without pain. keep the milk at this temperature for exactly twenty minutes. prepare fresh just before using. beef-tea, broths, etc. beef tea and meat broths are by no means so useful as foods for the sick as is generally supposed. the late dr. austin flint used to say of these foods, that "the valuation by most persons outside of the medical profession, and by many within it, of beef tea or its analogues, the various solutions, most of the extracts, and the expressed juice of meat, is a delusion and a snare which has led to the loss of many lives by starvation. "the quantity of nutritive material in these preparations is insignificant or nil, and it is vastly important that they should be reckoned as of little or no value, except as indirectly conducive to nutrition by acting as stimulants for the secretion of the digestive fluids, or as vehicles for the introduction of the nutritive substances. furthermore, it is to be considered that water and pressure not only fail to extract the alimentary principles of meat, but that the excrementitious principles, or the products of destructive assimilation, _are_ thereby extracted." vegetable broths prepared from grains and legumes possess a much higher nutritive value, while they lack the objectionable features of meat broths. _recipes._ beef extract.--take a pound of lean beef, cut it up into small dice, and put into a glass fruit jar. screw on the cover tightly, put the jar into a vessel filled with cold water to a depth sufficient to come to the top of contents of the jar, and set over a slow fire. as soon as the water boils, set where it will keep just boiling, but no more; and cook for an hour or an hour and a quarter. then strain, season, and serve. if preferred, a double boiler may be used for the preparation of the extract. beef juice.--cut a thick slice of round steak, trim off every particle of fat, and broil it over a clear fire just long enough to heat it throughout. next gash it in many places with a sharp knife, and with the aid of a beef-juice press or lemon squeezer, press out all the juice into a bowl set in hot water, salt but very slightly, remove all globules of fat, and serve. this may also be frozen and given the patient in small lumps, if so ordered. beef tea.--take a pound of fresh, lean, juicy beef of good flavor,--the top of the round and the back and middle of the rump are the best portions for the purpose,--from which all fat, bones, and sinews have been carefully removed; cut into pieces a quarter of an inch square, or grind in a sausage-cutter. add a quart of cold water, and put into a clean double boiler. place over the fire, and heat very slowly, carefully removing all scum as it rises. allow it to cook gently for two or three hours, or until the water has been reduced one half. strain, and put away to cool. before using, remove all fat from the surface, and season. in reheating, a good way is to place a quantity in a cup, and set the cup into hot water until the tea is sufficiently hot. this prevents waste, and if the patient is not ready for the tea, it can be easily kept hot. beef tea and eggs.--beat the yolk of an egg thoroughly in a teacup and fill the cup with boiling beef tea, stirring all the while. season with a little salt if desired. beef broth and oatmeal.--rub two tablespoonfuls of oatmeal smooth in an equal quantity of cold water, and stir into a quart of boiling beef broth. cook in a double broiler for two hours, strain, and season with salt and a little cream if allowed. or, thin well-cooked oatmeal mush with beef-tea; strain, reheat, season, and serve. bottled beef tea.--cut two pounds of round steak into small dice, rejecting all skin and fat. put it into a glass fruit jar with one cup of cold water. cover the can sufficiently tight to prevent any water from boiling in, and place it on a wisp of straw or a muffin ring in a kettle of cold water. heat very gradually, and keep it just below the boiling point for two or more hours; or, place the can in a deep dish of hot water, and cook in a moderate oven for three hours. allow the meat to cook thus four or five hours, or until it appears white, by which time it will have discharged all its juice. turn the liquor off, strain through a piece of muslin or cheese cloth laid in a colander, and cool; then if any fat has been left, it will harden on the top, and can be removed. when needed for use, reheat, season, and serve. chicken broth.--take a well dressed, plump spring chicken, cut it into half-inch pieces, cracking well all the bones; add cold water,--a quart to the pound of meat and bones,--and cook the same as beef-tea. allow the broth to cool before using, and carefully skim off all particles of fat before reheating. if allowed, a tablespoonful of steamed rice may be added to the broth, or a well-beaten egg may be stirred in while hot just before serving. heat until the whole becomes thickened, but do not boil. if preferred, the broth may be prepared by using only the white portion of the chicken in connection with lean beef. this is liked better by some to whom the strong flavor of the chicken is not pleasant. or, prepare equal quantity of rich milk, season with salt, reheat, and serve. the broth may be flavored with celery if allowed. mutton broth.--cut a pound of perfectly fresh, lean mutton or lamb--the scrags of neck are best--into small dice. add a quart of cold water, and simmer gently for two or three hours. strain, and when cold skim off all fat. reheat when needed for use. if preferred, a tablespoonful of rice which has been soaked for an hour in a little warm water, or a tablespoonful of cooked barley, may be simmered in the broth for a half hour before serving. season with salt as desired. vegetable broth.--put a cupful of well washed white beans into a quart of cold water in a double boiler, and cook slowly until but a cupful of the liquor remains. strain off the broth, add salt, and serve hot. if preferred, a few grains of powdered thyme may be added as flavoring. vegetable broth no. .--pick over and wash a cup of dried scotch peas, and put to cook in a quart of cold water, cook slowly in a double boiler or in a kettle placed on the range where they will just simmer, until but a cupful of liquid remains. strain off the broth, add salt and one third of a cupful of the liquor, without pulp, from well-stewed tomatoes. serve hot. mixed vegetable broths.--broths may be prepared as directed from both black and white beaus, and combined in the proportion of one third of the former to two thirds of the latter; or a broth of lentils may be used instead of the black bean. _recipes for panada._ broth panada.--use beef or chicken broth in place of water, and proceed the same as in egg panada, omitting the egg. chicken panada.--take a cupful of the white meat of chicken, pounded to a paste in a mortar, and half a cup of whole-wheat crust or zwieback crumbs. add sufficient chicken broth to make a thick gruel. season with salt, boil up for a few minutes, and serve hot. egg panada.--put two ounces of light, whole-wheat crusts into a pint of cold water in a granite-ware stewpan; simmer gently for three quarters of an hour, stirring occasionally. season with a spoonful of sweet cream and a little salt, then stir in the well-beaten yolk of an egg, and serve. milk panada.--heat a pint of milk to boiling, then allow it to cool. add two ounces of nice, light, whole-wheat crusts, and simmer for half an hour, stirring frequently. season with a little sugar, if allowed. granola may be used in place of the crusts, if preferred. raisin panada.--boil a half cup of raisins in a half pint of water. break a slice of zwieback into fragments in a bowl. add a well-beaten egg and a teaspoonful of sugar. pour in the raisins, water and all, and beat very thoroughly. grains for the sick. for invalids able to digest solid food, rice, cracked wheat, graham grits, oatmeal, barley, farina and other grains may be prepared and cooked as previously directed in the chapter on grains. the various cooked preparations of grains--granola, wheatena, avenola, wheat gluten and gluten meal--manufactured by the sanitarium food co., battle creek, mich., form excellent articles of diet for many invalids, when served with hot milk or cream, or prepared in the form of mush. several recipes for their use have already been given in preceding chapters; the following are a few additional ones:-- _recipes._ gluten mush.--heat together a cup of thin cream and three cups of water; when boiling, sift in lightly with the fingers, stirring continuously meanwhile, enough wheat gluten to make a mush of the desired consistency. boil up once and serve. a few blanched or roasted almonds may be stirred in just before serving, if desired. tomato gluten.--heat a pint of stewed tomato, which has been rubbed through a fine colander to remove the seeds, to boiling, add salt to season, and three tablespoonfuls of gluten meal. boil together for a moment until thickened, and serve hot. tomato gluten no. .--prepare the same as the preceding, using five tablespoonfuls of the gluten meal, and seasoning with two tablespoonfuls of rather thick, sweet cream. meats for the sick. all meats for the sick should be prepared in the very simplest way, served with the plainest possible dressing, and without the use of condiments other than salt. _recipes._ broiled steak.--take a half pound of round steak and a slice of tenderloin; wipe well with a clean, wet cloth. have a clear fire; place the meat in an open wire broiler or on a gridiron over the coals, and cook, turning as often as you can count ten, for four or five minutes, if the slices are about one inch thick; then with a lemon squeezer squeeze the juice from the round steak over the tenderloin, season with a little salt, and serve at once on a hot plate. chicken.--for an invalid, the breast of a tender chicken broiled quickly over hot coals is best. for directions for broiling chicken see page . chicken jelly.--dress a small chicken. disjoint, break or pound the bones, and cut the meat into half-inch pieces. remove every particle of fat possible. cover with cold water, heat very slowly, and simmer gently until the meat is in rags, and the liquid reduced about one half. strain off the liquor, cool, and remove all the fat. to make the broth more clear, add the shell and white of an egg, then reheat slowly, stirring all the time until hot. strain through a fine cloth laid inside of a colander. salt and a little lemon may be added as seasoning. pour into small cups, and cool. minced chicken.--stew the breast of a young chicken until tender; mince fine with a sharp knife. thicken the liquor in which it was stewed with a little flour, add salt and a little cream if allowed, then the minced chicken, and serve hot on zwieback, softened with cream as directed in the chapter on breakfast dishes. mutton chop.--select a chop containing a large tenderloin: cut thick, and broil for eight or ten minutes as directed for beef steak. season lightly with salt, and serve hot. minced steak.--mince some nice, juicy steak with a chopping knife, or in a sausage-cutter, rejecting as much of the fiber as possible; make into small cakes and broil the same as steak. salt lightly when done, and for dressing use a little beef juice prepared as directed on page . it may be thickened with a little flour as for gravy, if preferred. scraped steak.--take a small piece of nice, juicy steak, and with a blunt case-knife or tablespoon, scrape off all the pulp, being careful to get none of the fibers. press the pulp together in the form of patties, and broil quickly over glowing coals. salt lightly, and serve hot. it is better to be as rare as the patient can take it. instead of butter, turn a spoonful or two of thick, hot beef juice over the steak, if any dressing other than salt is required. eggs for the sick. _recipes._ floated egg.--separate the white from the yolk, and drop the yolk, taking great care not to break it, into boiling, salted water. cook until hard and mealy. in the meantime, beat the white of the egg until stiff and firm. when the yolk is cooked, remove it from the water with a skimmer. let the water cease to boil, then dip the beaten white in spoonfuls on the top of the scalding water, allowing it to remain for a second or two until coagulated, but not hardened. arrange the white in a hot egg saucer, and place the cooked yolk in the center, or serve on toast. this makes a very pretty, as well as appetising dish, if care is taken to keep the yolk intact. gluten meal custard.--beat together thoroughly, one pint of rich milk, one egg, and four tablespoonfuls of gluten meal. add a little salt if desired, and cook with the dish set in another containing boiling water, until the custard has set. or, turn the custard into cups, which place in a dripping pan partly filled with hot water, and cook in a moderate oven until the custard is set. gluten custard.--into a quart of boiling milk stir four tablespoonfuls of wheat gluten moistened with a little of the milk, which may be reserved for the purpose. allow it to cook until thickened. cool to lukewarm temperature, and add three well-beaten eggs, and a trifle of salt, if desired. turn into cups, and steam over a kettle of boiling water until the custard is set. steamed eggs.--break an egg into an egg saucer, sauce-dish, or patty pan, salt very slightly, and steam until the white has just set. in this way, it will retain its shape perfectly, and not be mixed with the few drops of water so annoying to invalids, and so hard to avoid in dishing a poached egg from water. soft custard.--boil some milk, then cool it to °, add three whipped eggs to each quart of milk, and keep at the temperature of ° for fifteen or twenty minutes. the object is to coagulate the eggs without producing the bad effect of exposure to a high temperature. raw eggs.--break a fresh egg into a glass, add a tablespoonful of sugar, and heat to a stiff froth; a little cold water may be added if liked. white of egg.--stir the white of an egg into a glass of cold water, or water as warm as it can be without coagulating the egg, and serve. white of egg and milk.--the white of an egg beaten to a stiff froth and stirred into a glass of milk, forms a nourishing food for persons of weak digestion. refreshing drinks and delicacies for the sick. in many fevers and acute diseases, but little food is required, and that of a character which merely appeases hunger and quenches thirst, without stimulation and without affording much nourishment. preparations from sago, tapioca, and other farinaceous substances are sometimes serviceable for this purpose. oranges, grapes, and other perfectly ripened and juicy fruits are also most excellent. they are nature's own delicacies, and serve both for food and drink. they should not, however, be kept in the sick room, but preserved in some cool place, and served when needed, as fresh and in as dainty a manner as possible. like all food provided for the sick, they should be arranged to please the eye as well as the palate. the capricious appetite of an invalid will often refuse luscious fruit from the hand of a nurse, which would have been gladly accepted had it been served on dainty china, with a clean napkin and silver. the juice of the various small fruits and berries forms a basis from which may be made many refreshing drinks especially acceptable to the dry, parched mouth of a sick person. fruit juices can be prepared with but little trouble. for directions see page . beverages from fruit juices are prepared by using a small quantity of the juice, and sufficient cold water to dilute it to the taste. if it is desirable to use such a drink for a sick person in some household where fruit juices have not been put up for the purpose, the juice may be obtained from a can of strawberries, raspberries, or other small fruit, by turning the whole into a coarse cloth and straining off the juice; or a tablespoonful of currant or other jelly may be dissolved in a tumbler of warm water, and allowed to cool. either will make a good substitute for the prepared fruit juice, though the flavor will be less delicate. the hot beverages and many of the cold ones given in the chapter on beverages will be found serviceable for the sick, as will also the following additional ones:-- _recipes._ acorn coffee.--select plump, round, sweet acorns. shell, and brown in an oven; then grind in a coffee-mill, and use as ordinary coffee. almond milk.--blanch a quarter of a pound of shelled almonds by pouring over them a quart of boiling water, and when the skins soften, rubbing them off with a coarse towel. pound the almonds in a mortar, a few at a time, adding four or five drops of milk occasionally, to prevent their oiling. about one tablespoonful of milk in all will be sufficient. when finely pounded, mix the almonds with a pint of milk, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a little piece of lemon rind. place the whole over the fire to simmer for a little time. strain, if preferred, and serve cold. apple beverage.--pare and slice very thin a juicy tart apple into a china bowl. cover with boiling water, put a saucer over the bowl, and allow the water to get cold. strain and drink. crab apples may be used in the same way. apple beverage no. .--bake two large, sour apples, and when tender, sprinkle a tablespoonful of sugar over them, and return to the oven until the sugar is slightly browned. break and mash the apples with a silver spoon, pour over them a pint of boiling water; cover and let stand until cold; then strain and serve. apple toast water.--break a slice of zwieback into small pieces, and mix with them two or three well-baked tart apples. pour over all a quart of boiling water, cover, and let stand until cold, stirring occasionally. when cold, strain, add sugar to sweeten if desired, and serve. baked milk.--put a quart of new milk in a stone jar, tie a white paper over it, and let it stand in a moderately heated oven eight or ten hours. it becomes of a creamy consistency. barley lemonade.--put a half cup of pearl barley into a quart of cold water, and simmer gently until the water has become mucilaginous and quite thick. this will take from an hour to an hour and a half. the barley will absorb most of the water, but the quantity given should make a teacupful of good, thick barley water. add to this two teaspoonfuls of lemon juice and a tablespoonful of sugar. let it get cold before serving. by returning the barley to the stewpan with another quart of cold water, and simmering for an hour or an hour and a half longer, a second cap of barley water may be obtained, almost as good as the first. barley and fruit drink.--prepare a barley water as above, and add to each cupful a tablespoonful or two of cranberry, grape, raspberry, or any tart fruit syrup. the pure juice sweetened will answer just as well; or a little fruit jelly may be dissolved and added. barley milk.--wash two tablespoonfuls of pearl barley in cold water until the water is clear. put it to cook in a double boiler, with a quart of milk, and boil till the milk is reduced to a pint. strain off the milk, and sweeten if desired. cranberry drink.--mash carefully selected, ripe cranberries thoroughly in an earthen dish, and pour boiling water over them. let the mixture stand until cold, strain off the water, and sweeten to taste. barberries prepared in the same manner make a nice drink. currantade.--mash thoroughly a pint of ripe, red currants, and one half the quantity of red raspberries; add sugar to sweeten and two quarts of cold water. stir, strain, cool on ice, and serve. crust coffee.--brown slices of graham bread in a slow oven until very ark in color. break in pieces and roll fine with a rolling pin. a quantity of this material may be prepared at one time and stored in glass fruit cans for use. when needed, pour a cupful of actively boiling water over a dessertspoonful of the prepared crumbs, let it steep for a few moments, then strain and serve. egg cream.--beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, add one tablespoonful of white sugar, then beat again. next add the yolk, and beat; then a tablespoonful of milk, one of cold water, and one of any fruit juice desired. egg cream no. .--prepare as above, using two tablespoonfuls of water instead of one of water and one of milk, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice in place of other fruit juice. egg cream no. .--beat the yolk of a freshly laid egg with a tablespoonful of sugar until it is light and creamy; add to this, one half cup of hot milk and stir in lightly the stiffly beaten white of the egg. serve at once. egg lemonade.--beat the white of an egg to a stiff froth, then mix with it the juice of a small lemon, and one tablespoonful of sugar. add a half pint of cold water. or, beat together with an egg beater a tablespoonful of lemon juice, a teaspoonful of sugar, the white of an egg and a cup of cold water, until thoroughly mingled, then serve at once. flaxseed tea.--take an ounce of whole flaxseed, half an ounce of crushed licorice root, an ounce of refined sugar, and four tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. pour a quart of boiling water over them; keep near the fire for four hours, and then strain off the liquid. the flaxseed should not be crushed, as the mucilage is in the outer part of the kernel, and if braised, the boiling water will extract the oil of the seed, and render the decoction nauseous. make fresh daily. gum arabic water.--pour a pint of boiling water over an ounce of clean gum arabic. when dissolved, add the juice of one lemon and a teaspoonful of sugar, and strain. hot water.--put good, fresh water into a perfectly clean granite-ware kettle, already warmed; let it come to a boil very quickly, and use at once. do not leave it to simmer until it has become insipid through the loss of the air which it contains. hot lemonade.--put in a glass a thin slice of lemon and the juice of half a small lemon, being careful to remove all seeds; mix with it one dessertspoonful of white sugar, and fill the glass with boiling water. or, remove the peel of a lemon in very thin parings, turn one pint of boiling water over them, letting it stand for a few moments covered. remove the peel, add the juice of a lemon and one tablespoonful of sugar, and serve. irish moss lemonade.--soak one fourth of a cup of irish moss in cold water until it begins to soften; then work it free from sand and tiny shells likely to be on it, and thoroughly wash. put it in a granite-ware basin, and pour over it two cups of boiling water. leave on the back of the range where it will keep hot, but not boil, for half an hour; strain, add the juice of one lemon, and sugar to taste. drink hot or cold, as preferred. orangeade.--rub lightly two ounces of lump sugar on the rind of two nice, fresh oranges, to extract the flavor; put this sugar into a pitcher, to which add the juice expressed from the oranges, and that from one lemon. pour over all one pint of cold water, stir thoroughly, and serve. plain lemonade.--for one glass of lemonade squeeze the juice of half a small lemon into the glass; carefully remove all seeds and particles. add a dessertspoonful of sugar, and fill the glass with cold water. slippery elm tea.--pour boiling water over bits of slippery elm bark or slippery elm powder, cool, and strain, if desired, a little lemon juice and sugar may be added to flavor. toast water.--toast a pint of whole-wheat or graham bread crusts very brown, but do not burn. cover with a pint of cold water. let it stand an hour, strain, and use. sugar and a little cream may be added if allowed. tamarind water.--boil four ounces of tamarinds and the same of raisins slowly, in three quarts of water, for fifteen or twenty minutes, or until the water is reduced nearly one fourth; strain while hot into a bowl with a small slice of lemon peel in it. set away until cold before using. bread. for invalids who are able to partake of solid foods, the breakfast rolls, whole-wheat puffs, beaten biscuit, crisps, and other unfermented breads, directions for the preparation of which are given in the chapter on bread, will be found excellent. the various crackers, wafers, and invalid foods manufactured by the sanitarium food co., battle creek, mich., are also to be recommended. zwieback, prepared as directed on page , will be found serviceable and wholesome to be used with broths and gruels. it may be prepared so as to look especially tempting by cutting off the crust of the bread, and cutting the slice into fancy shapes with a cookie-cutter before toasting. in cases where their use is allowable, many of the various toasts given under the head of breakfast dishes will be relished. _recipes._ diabetic biscuit.--make a stiff dough of graham or entire-wheat flour and water. knead thoroughly, and let it stand three hours; then place on a sieve under a faucet, turn a stream of water over the dough, and wash out the starch, kneading and working with the hands so that all portions of the dough will be equally washed. when the starch has been all washed out, as will be indicated by the water running off clear, the dough will be a rubber-like, glutinous mass. it may then be cut into long strips, and these divided into equal-sized pieces or cubes. place the pieces on shallow baking pans in a rather hot oven, which, after a short time, should be allowed to cool to moderate heat, and bake for two hours, when they should be of a dark, rich brown color and light and crisp throughout. if tough, they need rebaking. if the oven is too hot, the pieces will puff up, becoming mere hollow shells; if not sufficiently hot, they will not rise properly. diabetic biscuit no. .--prepare a dough and wash out the starch as in the preceding. add coarse middlings so that the dough can be rolled into thin cakes, and bake. gluten meal gems.--beat together one half cup of ice water, one half cup of thick, sweet cream, and one egg; then add one cup and a tablespoonful of the gluten meal prepared by the sanitarium food co. turn into slightly heated gem irons, and bake in a moderately hot oven from one half to three fourths of an hour. jellies and other simple desserts for the sick. invalids whose digestion will allow of other than the plainest foods will find most of the desserts made with fruits and those with fruits and grains given in the chapter on desserts, excellent for their use. the following are a few additional recipes of a similar character:-- _recipes._ arrowroot jelly.--rub two heaping teaspoonfuls of arrowroot smooth in a very little cold water, and stir it into a cupful of boiling water, in which should be dissolved two teaspoonfuls of sugar. stir until clear, allowing it to boil all the time; lastly, add a teaspoonful of lemon juice. serve cold, with cream and sugar if allowed. arrowroot blancmange.--rub two and a half tablespoonfuls of best arrowroot smooth in half a cup of cold milk, and stir slowly into two and one half cups of boiling new milk. when it begins to thicken, add three fourths of a cup of sugar, and cook, stirring constantly for several minutes. turn into molds and cool. serve with fruit juice or fruit sauces. currant jelly.--soak an ounce of cox's gelatine in half a pint of cold water for fifteen minutes, then pour over it a teacupful of boiling water; strain, and add one pint at currant juice, one tablespoonful of sugar, and set on ice to cool. iceland moss jelly.--wash about four ounces of moss very clean in lukewarm water. boil slowly in a quart of cold water. when quite dissolved, strain it onto a tablespoonful of currant or raspberry jelly, stirring so as to blend the jelly perfectly with the moss. turn into a mold, and cool. iceland moss blancmange.--substitute milk for the water, and proceed as in the foregoing. flavor with lemon or vanilla. strain through a muslin cloth, turn into a mold, and let stand till firm and cold. orange whey.--add the juice of one sour orange to a pint of sweet milk. heat very slowly until the milk is curded, then strain and cool. white custard.--beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, add a little salt if desired, and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. a bit of grated lemon rind may also be used for flavoring. add lastly a pint of new milk, little by little, beating thoroughly all the while. bake in cups set in a pan of hot water. when firm in the center, take out and set in a cool place. table topics. regimen is better than physic.--_voltaire._ many dishes have induced many diseases.--_seneca._ dr. lyman beecher tells the following story of his aunt, which well illustrates a popular notion that sick people should be fed with all sorts of dainties, no matter what the nature of the disease. when a boy eight or nine years of age, he was one day suffering in the throes of indigestion, as the result of having swallowed a large amount of indigestible mince pie. his kind-hearted aunt noticed the pale and distressed look on his face, and said to him, with genuine sympathy in her voice, "lyman, you look sick. you may go into the pantry and help yourself to a nice piece of fruit cake just warm from the oven." fix on that course of life which is the most excellent, and custom will render it the most delightful.--_pythagoras._ a mere indigestion can temporarily metamorphose the character. the eel stews of mohammed ii. kept the whole empire in a state of nervous excitement, and one of the meat-pies which king philip failed to digest caused the revolt of the netherlands.--_oswald._ few seem conscious that there is such a thing as physical morality. man's habitual words and acts imply that they are at liberty to treat their bodies as they please. the fact is, that all breaches of the laws of health are physical sins.--_herbert spencer._ practical right and good conduct are much more dependent on health of body than on health of mind.--_prof. schneider._ dr. abernathy's reply to the duke of york when consulted about his health was, "cut off the supplies and the enemy will soon leave the citadel." food for the aged and the very young. food for the aged one of the first requisites of food for the aged is that it shall be easy of digestion, since with advancing age and decreasing physical energy, digestion and assimilation may be taken with impunity at an earlier period of life, overtax the enfeebled organs and prove highly injurious. the fact that the vital machinery is worn and weakened with age has led to the popular notion that old people require a stimulating diet as a "support" for their declining forces. that this is an error is apparent from the fact that stimulation either by drink or food lessens instead of reinforces vital strength, thus defeating the very purpose desired. flesh food in quantities is a peculiarly unsuitable diet for the aged, not alone because it is stimulating, but because it produces a tendency to plethora, a condition which is especially inimical to the health of old persons. eminent authorities on diet also reason that the loss of the teeth at this period, whereby thorough mastication of flesh food is done with difficulty, even with the best artificial aids, should be considered a sign that nature intends such foods to be discarded by the old. a milk, grain, and fruit diet is undoubtedly the one best suited to the average person in old age. vegetables and legumes in well-prepared soups may also be used to advantage. directions for such soups, as also for cooking grains and grain products, will be found in the preceding pages. the following bills of fare, one for each season of the year, will perhaps serve to illustrate how a varied and appetizing regimen may be provided without the use of flesh foods:-- breakfast fresh fruits graham grits and cream prune toast graham puffs cream crisps strawberries caramel coffee or hot milk dinner vegetable broth with toasted rolls baked potato with pease gravy stewed asparagus cracked wheat and cream whole-wheat bread canned berries manioca with fruit caramel coffee or hot milk breakfast fresh fruits rolled oats and cream baked sweet apples macaroni with cream sauce whole-wheat puffs stewed peaches caramel coffee or hot milk dinner lentil soup baked potato with cream sauce escalloped tomato green corn pulp browned rice and cream fruit bread lemon apple sauce prune pie caramel coffee or hot milk breakfast fresh fruits blackberry mush and cream cream toast graham crusts blueberries caramel coffee or hot milk dinner green pea soup mashed potato macaroni with tomato sauce pearl barley and cream cream rolls blackberries stewed fruit pudding caramel coffee or hot milk breakfast fresh fruits rolled wheat and cream tomato toast corn bread graham gems stewed prunes caramel coffee or hot milk dinner vegetable oyster soup baked sweet potato mashed peas steamed rice with fig sauce graham bread stewed dried fruit apples caramel coffee or hot milk in the selection of a dietary for elderly persons, much must depend upon their physical condition, the daily amount of exercise to which they are accustomed, their habits in earlier life, and a variety of other circumstances. the quantity as well as quality of food for the aged should receive consideration. diminished bodily activity and the fact that growth has ceased, render a smaller amount of food necessary to supply needs; and a decrease in the amount taken, in proportion to the age and the activity of the subject, must be made or health will suffer. the system will become clogged, the blood filled with imperfectly elaborated material, and gout, rheumatism, apoplexy, or other diseased conditions will be the inevitable result. the digestion of heavy meals is a tax upon vital powers at any time of life, but particularly so as age advances; and for him who has passed his first half-century, over-feeding is fraught with great danger. cornaro, an italian of noble family, contemporary with titian in the sixteenth century, after reaching his eighty-third year wrote several essays upon diet and regimen for the aged, in one of which he says: "there are old lovers of feeding who say that it is necessary that they should eat and drink a great deal to keep up their natural heat, which is constantly diminishing as they advance in years; and that it is therefore their duty to eat heartily and of such things as please their palate, be they hot, cold, or temperate, and that if they were to lead a sober life, it would be a short one. to this i answer; our kind mother nature, in order that old men may live to still greater age, has contrived matters so that they may be able to subsist on little, as i do; for large quantities of food cannot be digested by old and feeble stomachs." cornaro lived to be one hundred years old, doubtless owing largely to his simple, frugal habits. diet for the young. a very large share of the mortality among young children results from dietetic errors which proper knowledge and care on the part of those who have them in charge might commonly avoid. from infancy to the age of twelve or eighteen months, milk is the natural and proper food. milk contains all the food elements except starch, which cannot be digested by very young children, owing to the insufficient formation of digestive elements of the salivary secretion during the first few months. if the child is deprived of the milk provided by nature, the best artificial food is cow's milk; it, however, requires very careful selection and intelligent preparation. the animal from which the milk comes, should be perfectly healthy and well cared for. the quality of her food should also receive attention, as there is little doubt that disease is often communicated to infants by milk from cows improperly fed and cared for. an eminent medical authority offers the following important points on this subject:-- "the cow selected for providing the food for an infant should be between the ages of four and ten years, of mild disposition, and one which has been giving milk from four to eight weeks. she should be fed on good, clean grain, and hay free from must. roots, if any are fed, should be of good quality, and she should have plenty of good clean water from a living spring or well. her pasture should be timothy grass or native grass free from weeds; clover alone is bad. she should be cleaned and cared for like a carriage horse, and milked twice a day by the same person and at the same time. some cows are unfit by nature for feeding infants." milk from the same animal should be used if possible. changing from one cow's milk to another, or the use of such milk as is usually supplied by city milkmen, often occasions serious results. the extraction of the heat from the milk immediately after milking and before it is used or carried far, especially in hot weather, is essential. while the milk itself should be clean and pure, it should also be perfectly fresh and without any trace of decomposition. to insure all these requisites, besides great care in its selection, it must be sterilized, and if not intended for immediate use, bottled and kept in a cool place until needed. it is not safe to feed young children upon unsterilized milk that has stood a few hours. even fresh milk from the cleanest cows, unless drawn into bottles and sealed at once, contains many germs. these little organisms, the cause of fermentation and decomposition, multiply very rapidly in milk, and as they increase, dangers from the use of the milk increase. there is no doubt that cholera infantum and other digestive disturbances common among young children would be greatly lessened by the use of properly sterilized milk. directions for sterilizing milk, and additional suggestions respecting points to be considered in its selection, are to be found in the chapter on milk, etc. cow's milk differs from human milk in that it contains nearly three times as much casein, but only two thirds as much fat and three fourths as much sugar. cow's milk is usually slightly acid, while human milk is alkaline. the casein of cow's milk forms large, hard curds, while that of breast milk forms fine, soft curds. these facts make it important that some modification be made in cow's milk to render it acceptable to the feeble stomach of an infant. cases are rare where it is safe to feed a child under nine months of age on pure, undiluted cow's milk. a common method of preparing cow's milk so as to make it suitable for infant feeding, is to dilute it with pure water, using at first only one third or one fourth milk, the proportion of milk being gradually increased as the child's stomach becomes accustomed to the food and able to bear it, until at the age of four months the child should be taking equal parts of milk and water. when sterilized milk is to be thus diluted, the water should be first boiled or added before sterilizing. a small amount of fine white sugar, or what is better, milk sugar, should be added to the diluted milk. barley water, and thin, well-boiled, and carefully strained oatmeal gruel thoroughly blended with the milk are also used for this purpose. a food which approximates more nearly the constituents of mother's milk may be prepared as follows:-- artificial human milk no. .--blend one fourth pint of fresh, sweet cream and three fourths of a pint of warm water. add one half ounce of milk sugar and from two to ten ounces of milk, according to the age of the infant and its digestive capacity. artificial human milk no. .--meigs's formula: take two tablespoonfuls of cream of medium quality, one tablespoonful of milk, two of lime water, and three of water to which sugar of milk has been added in the proportion of seventeen and three fourths drams to the pint. this saccharine solution must be prepared fresh every day or two and kept in a cool place. a child may be allowed from half a pint to three pints of this mixture, according to age. artificial human milk no. .--prepare a barley water by adding one pint boiling water to a pint of best pearl barley. allow it to cool, and strain. mix together one third of a pint of this barley water, two thirds of a pint of fresh, pure milk, and a teaspoonful of milk sugar.--_medical news._ peptonized milk, a formula for the preparation of which may be found on page , is also valuable as food for infants, especially for those of weak digestion. mucilaginous food excellent in gastro-enteritis.--wheat, one tablespoonful; oatmeal, one half tablespoonful; barley, one half tablespoonful; water, one quart. boil to one pint, strain, and sweeten.--_dietetic gazette._ prepared foods for infants.--of prepared infant foods we can recommend that manufactured by the sanitarium food co., battle creek, mich., as thoroughly reliable. there are hundreds of prepared infant foods in the market, but most of them are practically worthless in point of food value, being often largely composed of starch, a substance which the immature digestive organs of a young child are incapable of digesting. hundreds of infants are yearly starved to death upon such foods. all artificial foods require longer time for digestion than the food supplied by nature; and when making use of such, great care should be taken to avoid too frequent feeding. it is absolutely essential for the perfect health of an infant as well as of grown people, that the digestive organs shall enjoy a due interval of rest between the digestion of one meal and the taking of another. as a rule, a new-born infant may be safely fed, when using human milk, not oftener than once in every three or four hours. when fed upon artificial food, once in five or six hours is often enough for feeding. the intervals between meals in either case should be gradually prolonged as the child grows older. quantity of food for infants.--dr. j.h. kellogg gives the following rules and suggestions for the feeding of infants:-- "during the first week of a child's life, the weight of the food given should be / of the weight of the infant at birth. the daily additional amount of food required for a child amounts to about one fourth of a dram, or about one ounce at the end of each month. a child gains in weight from two thirds of an ounce to one ounce per day during the first five months of its life, and an average of one half as much daily during the balance of the first year. "from a series of tables which have been prepared, as the result of experiments carefully conducted in large lying-in establishments, we have devised this rule:-- "to find the amount of food required by a child at each feeding during the first year of life, divide the weight of the child at birth by and add to this amount / of the gain which the child has made since birth. take, for example, a child which weighs - / lbs--at birth, or ounces. dividing by we have . oz. estimating the weight according to the rule above given, the child at the end of nine months will have gained oz. dividing this by and multiplying by , we have . oz. adding to this our previous result, . , we have . oz, as the amount of food required at each feeding at the end of nine months by a child which weighed - / lbs. at birth. to save mothers the trouble of making these calculations, we have prepared the following table, which will be found to hold good for the average child weighing - / lbs. at birth. this is rather more than the ordinary child weighs, but we have purposely chosen a large child for illustration, as it is better that the child should have a slight excess of food than too little. age of child. | w.| m. | m.| m.| m.| m.| m.| m amount of each feeding in ounces...| | ½- | | | | | ½ | number of feedings.................| | | | | | | | amount of food daily, in ounces....| | - | | | | | ½| interval between feedings, in hours| | ½ | | | | | ½ | ½ "in the above table the first column represents quantities for the first week, the second for the end of the second month, the third for the end of the third month, etc. it need not be mentioned that the change in quantity should be even more gradual than represented in the table. "attention should also be called to the fact that the time mentioned as the interval for feeding at different ages, does not apply to the whole twenty-four hours. even during the first week, the child is expected to skip two feedings during the night, making the interval four hours instead of two. by the end of the second month, the interval between the feedings at night becomes six hours, and at the end of the ninth month, six and one half hours. "from personal observation we judge that in many cases children will do equally well if allowed a longer interval between feedings at night. the plan of feeding five times daily instead of six, may be begun at as early an age as six months in many instances." manner of feeding artificial foods.--all artificial foods are best fed with a teaspoon, as by this method liability to over-feeding and danger from unclean utensils are likely to be avoided. if a nursing-bottle is used, it should be of clear flint glass so that the slightest foulness may be easily detected, and one simple in construction, which can be completely taken apart for cleaning. those furnished with conical black rubber caps are the best. each time after using, such a bottle should have the cap removed, and both bottle and cap should be thoroughly cleansed, first with cold water, and then with warm water in which soda has been dissolved in the proportion of a teaspoonful to a pint of water. they should then be kept immersed in weak soda solution until again needed, when both bottle and cap should be thoroughly rinsed in clean boiled water before they are used. neglect to observe these precautions is one of the frequent causes of stomach disturbances in young children. it is well to keep two bottles for feeding, using them alternately. diet for older children.--no solid food or table-feeding of any kind should be given to a child until it has the larger share of its first, or milk teeth. even then it must not be supposed that because a child has acquired its teeth, it may partake of all kinds of food with impunity. it is quite customary for mothers to permit their little ones to sit at the family table and be treated to bits of everything upon the bill of fare, apparently looking upon them as miniature grown people, with digestive ability equal to persons of mature growth, but simply lacking in, stomach capacity to dispose of as much as older members of the family. the digestive apparatus of a child differs so greatly from that of an adult in its anatomical structure and in the character and amount of the digestive fluids, that it is by no means proper to allow a child to eat all kinds of wholesome foods which a healthy adult stomach can consume with impunity, to say nothing of the rich, highly seasoned viands, sweetmeats, and epicurean dishes which seldom fail to form some part of the bill of fare. it is true that many children are endowed with so much constitutional vigor that they do live and seemingly thrive, notwithstanding dietetic errors; but the integrity of the digestive organs is liable to be so greatly impaired by continued ill-treatment that sooner or later in life disease results. till the age of three years, sterilized milk, whole-wheat bread in its various forms, such of the grains as contain a large share of gluten, prepared in a variety of palatable ways, milk and fruit toasts, and the easily digested fruits, both raw and cooked, form the best dietary. strained vegetable soups may be occasionally added for variety. for from three to six years the same simple regimen, with easily digested and simply prepared vegetables, macaroni, and legumes prepared without skins, will be all-sufficient. if desserts are desirable, let them be simple in character and easily digestible. tea, coffee, hot bread and biscuit, fried foods of all kinds, salted meats, preserves, rich puddings, cake, and pastries should be wholly discarded from the children's bill of fare. it is especially important that a dietary for children should contain an abundance of nitrogenous material. it is needed not only for repairs, but must be on deposit for the purpose of food. milk, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, barley, and preparations of wheat, contain this element in abundance, and should for this reason be given great prominence in the children's dietary. flesh foods are in no way necessary for children, since the food elements of which they are composed can be supplied from other and better sources, and many prominent medical authorities unite in the opinion that such foods are decidedly deleterious, and should not be used at all by children under eight or ten years of age. experiments made by dr. camman, of new york, upon the dietary of nearly two hundred young children in an orphan's home, offer conclusive evidence that the death rate among children from gastro-intestinal troubles is greatly lessened by the exclusion of meat from their dietary. dr. clouston, of edinburgh, an eminent medical authority, states that in his experience, those children who show the greatest tendencies to instability of the brain, insanity, and immoral habits are, as a rule, those who use animal food in excess; and that he has seen a change of diet to milk and farinaceous food produce a marked change in their nervous irritability. scores of other authorities corroborate. dr. clouston's observation, and assert that children fed largely on flesh foods have capricious appetites, suffer more commonly from indigestion in its various forms, possess an unstable nervous system, and have less resisting power in general. candy and similar sweets generally given to children as a matter of course, may be excluded from their dietary with positive benefit in every way. it is true, as is often stated in favor of the use of these articles, that sugar is a food element needed by children; but the amount required for the purpose of growth and repair is comparatively small, and is supplied in great abundance in bread, grains, fruits, and other common articles of food. if an additional quantity is taken, it is not utilized by the system, and serves only to derange digestion, impair appetite, and indirectly undermine the health. children are not likely to crave candy and other sweets unless a taste for such articles has been developed by indulgence in them; and their use, since they are seldom taken at mealtime, helps greatly to foster that most pernicious habit of childhood--eating between meals. no food, except at their regular mealtimes, should be the universal rule for children from babyhood up; and although during their earliest years they require food at somewhat shorter intervals than adults, their meal hours should be arranged for the same time each day, and no piecing permitted. parents who follow the too common practice of giving their little ones a cracker or fruit between meals are simply placing them under training for dyspepsia, sooner or later. uninterrupted digestion proceeds smoothly and harmoniously in a healthy stomach; but interruptions in the shape of food sent down at all times and when the stomach is already at work, are justly resented, and such disturbances, if long continued, are punished by suffering. the appetite of a child is quite as susceptible of education, in both a right and wrong direction, as are its mental or moral faculties; and parents in whose hands this education mainly rests should give the subject careful consideration, since upon it the future health and usefulness of their children not a little devolve. we should all be rulers of our appetites instead of subject to them; but whether this be so or not, depends greatly upon early dietetic training. many a loving mother, by thoughtless indulgence of her child, in season and out of season, in dainties and tidbits that simply serve to gratify the palate, is fostering a "love of appetite" which may ruin her child in years to come. there are inherited appetites and tendencies, it is true; but even these may be largely overcome by careful early training in right ways of eating and drinking. it is possible to teach very young children to use such food as is best for them, and to refrain from the eating of things harmful; and it should be one of the first concerns of every mother to start her children on the road to manhood and womanhood, well trained in correct dietetic habits. table topics. "the wanton taste no flesh nor fowl can choose, for which the grape or melon it would lose, though all th' inhabitants of earth and air be listed in the glutton's bill of fare." --_cowley._ jean jacques rousseau holds that intemperate habits are mostly acquired in early boyhood, when blind deference to social precedents is apt to overcome our natural antipathies, and that those who have passed that period in safety, have generally escaped the danger of temptation. the same holds good of other dietetic abuses. if a child's natural aversion to vice has never been wilfully perverted, the time will come when his welfare may be intrusted to the safe-keeping of his protective instincts. you need not fear that he will swerve from the path of health when his simple habits, sanctioned by nature and inclination, have acquired the additional strength of long practice. when the age of blind deference is past, vice is generally too unattractive to be very dangerous.--_oswald._ that a child inherits certain likes and dislikes in the matter of food cannot be questioned, and does not in the least forbid the training of the child's taste toward that which is healthful and upbuilding; it merely adds an element to be considered in the training.--_sel._ prevention is better than cure. it is worth a life effort to lift a man from degradation. to prevent his fall is better.--_gough._ a cynical french writer of the last century intending a satire upon the principles of vegetarianism adopted by phillippe hecquet, puts into the mouth of one of the characters in his book what, in the grossly voluptuous life of that country and time, the author no doubt imagined to be the greatest absurdities conceivable in reference to diet, but which, in the light of present civilization are but the merest hygienic truths. a doctor had been called to a gouty and fever-stricken patient. "pray what is your ordinary diet?" asked the physician. "my usual food," replied the patient, "is broth and juicy meat." "broth and juicy meat!" cried the doctor, alarmed. "i do not wonder to find you sick; such dishes are poisoned pleasures and snares that luxury spreads for mankind, so as to ruin them the more effectually.... how old are you, pray?" "i am in my sixty-ninth year," replied the patient. "exactly," ... said the physician; "if you had drunk nothing else than pure water all your life, and had been satisfied with simple nourishment,--such as boiled apples for example,--you would not now be tormented with the gout, and all your limbs would perform their functions with ease." dr. horace bushnell says: "the child is taken when his training begins in a state of naturalness as respects all the bodily tastes and tempers, and the endeavour should be to keep him in that key, to let no stimulation of excess or delicacy disturb the simplicity of nature, and no sensual pleasure in the name of food become a want or expectation of his appetite. any artificial appetite begun is the beginning of distemper, disease, and a general disturbance of natural proportion. nine tenths of the intemperate drinking begins, not in grief and destitution, as we so often hear, but in vicious feeding." always let the food be simply for nourishment--never more, never less. never should food be taken for its own sake, but for the sake of promoting bodily and mental activity. still less should the peculiarities of food, its taste or delicacy ever become an object in themselves, but only a means to make it good, pure, wholesome nourishment; else in both cases the food destroys health.--_froebel._ since what need mortals, save twain things alone, crushed grain (heaven's gift), and steaming water-draught? food nigh at hand, and nature's aliment-- of which no glut contents us. pampered taste hunts out device of other eatables. --_euripides._ fragments & left-over foods economy, one of the cardinal principles of success in the details of housekeeping, as in all other occupations in life, consists not alone in making advantageous use of fresh material, but in carefully preserving and utilizing the "left-over" fragments and bits of food which accrue in every household. few cooks can make such perfect calculation respecting the desires and needs of their families as to provide just enough and no more, and the improvident waste of the surplus thus prepared, is in many homes fully equal to one half the first cost of the meal. scarcely anything need ever be wasted--certainly nothing which was at first well cooked. there are ways of utilizing almost every kind of cooked food so that it will be quite as appetizing and nutritious as when first prepared. all left-over foods, as grains, vegetables, or others of a moist character, should be removed to clean dishes before putting away. unless this precaution is observed, the thin smears and tiny bits about the edges of the dish, which become sour or moldy much sooner than the larger mass, are apt to spoil the whole. they should also be set on ice or be kept in a cool, dry place until needed. left-over foods of any kind, to be suitable again for use, must be well preserved. sour or moldy fragments are not fit for food. uses of stale bread.--if properly made from wholesome and nutritious material and well preserved, there are few other foods that can be combined into more varied and palatable dishes than left-over bread. to insure the perfect preservation of the fragments, the loaf itself should receive good care. perfectly sweet, light, well-baked bread has not the same propensity to mold as a poorer loaf; but the best of bread is likely to become musty if its surroundings are not entirely wholesome. the receptacle used for keeping the loaves should be frequently washed, scalded, and well dried. crumbs and fragments should be kept in a separate receptacle and as thoroughly cared for. it is well in cutting bread not to slice more than will be needed, and to use one loaf before beginning on another. bread grows stale much faster after being cut. whole or half slices of bread which have become too dry to be palatable may be utilized for making zwieback, directions for the use and preparation of which are given on page . broken pieces of bread not suitable for zwieback, crusts, and trimmings of the loaf make excellent _croutons_, a most palatable accompaniment for soups, gruels, hot milk, etc. to prepare the _croutons_ cut the fragments as nearly uniform in size as possible,--half-inch cubes are convenient,--and place them on tins in a warming oven to dry. let them become crisply dry, and lightly browned, but not scorched. they are preferable to crackers for use in soups, and require so little work to prepare, and are so economical withal, that one who has once tried them will be likely to keep a supply on hand. the crumbs and still smaller fragments may be utilized for thickening soups and for various dressings and puddings, recipes for many of which are given in preceding chapters. if crumbs and small bits of bread accumulate more rapidly than they can be used, they may be carefully dried, not browned, in a warming oven, after which put them in a mortar and pound them, or spread them upon an old bread board, fold in a clean cloth and roll them with a rolling pin until fine. prepared thus, stored in glass fruit cans and put away in a dry place, they will keep almost indefinitely, and can be used when needed. for preparing escalloped vegetables of all kinds, these prepared crumbs are excellent; they give a fine, nutty flavor to the dish, which fresh crumbs do not possess. left-over grains.--left-over grains, if well kept, may be reheated in a double boiler without the addition of water, so as to be quite as palatable as when freshly cooked. small quantities of left-over grains can be utilized for preparing various kinds of desserts, where the ingredients require previous cooking. rice, barley, pearl wheat, and other whole grains can be satisfactorily used in soups in which a whole grain is required; oatmeal, rolled oats, corn meal, grits, etc., with the addition of a little milk and cream, may be made into delicious gruels; they may also be used advantageously in the preparation of vegetable soups, many of which are even improved by the addition of a few spoonfuls of well-kept cooked oatmeal or rolled oats. the left-over grains may also be utilized in a variety of breads, directions for the preparation of which are given in the chapter on bread. left-over vegetables.--left-over portions of most varieties of vegetables can be best utilized for soups as stated on page . cold mashed potato may be made into potato cakes as directed on page of the chapter on vegetables, where will also be found many other recipes, suited to the use of these left-over foods. left-over meats.--most cook books offer numerous recipes for croquettes, hashes, and fried dishes prepared from remnants of meat and fish, which, although they serve the purpose of using up the fragments, are not truly economical, because they are generally far from wholesome. most fragments of this character are more digestible served cold as a relish, or utilized for soups and stews, than compounded into fancy dishes requiring to be fried and highly seasoned or served with rich sauces. left-over milk.--small quantities of unsterilized milk or cream left over should always be carefully scalded, then cooled at once to a temperature of ,° and put in a cool place, in order to keep it sweet and fresh until the next meal. table topics. "care preserves what industry gains. he who attends to his business diligently, but _not_ carefully, throws away with one hand what he gathers with the other."--_colton._ "what does cookery mean?" it means the knowledge of all fruits and herbs and balms and spices--it means carefulness, and inventiveness, and watchfulness, and willingness, and readiness of appliance. it means the economy of your great grandmothers and the science of modern chemists,--it means much tasting and no wasting.--_ruskin._ a penny saved is two pence clear a pin a day's a groat a year. --_franklin._ bad cooking is waste--waste of money and loss of comfort. whom god has joined in matrimony, ill-cooked joints and ill-boiled potatoes have very often put asunder.--_smiles._ never sacrifice the more precious things--time, health, temper, strength--in attempting to save the less precious--money. --_sel._ learn by how little life may be sustained and how much nature requires. the gifts of cerea and water are sufficient nourishment for all peoples.--_pharsalia._ the art of dining human nature is so susceptible to externals, while good digestion is so dependent upon interior conditions, that all the accessories of pleasant surroundings--neatness, cheeriness, and good breeding--should be brought into requisition for the daily gathering of the family at mealtime. the dining room should be one of the airiest, choicest rooms in the house, with a pleasant outlook, and, if possible, with east windows, that the morning sun may gladden the breakfast hour with its cheering rays. let plants, flowers, birds, and pictures have a place in its appointments, that the association with things bright and beautiful may help to set the keynote of our own lives in cheerful accord. a dark, gloomy, ill-ventilated room brings depression of spirits, and will make the most elaborate meal unsatisfactory; while the plainest meal may seem almost a feast when served amid attractive surroundings. neatness is an important essential; any home, however humble, may possess cleanliness and order, and without these, all charms of wealth and art are of little account. a thorough airing each morning and opening of the windows a few minutes after each meal to remove the odor of food, are important items in the care of the dining room. the furnishing may be simple and inexpensive,--beauty in a home is not dependent upon expense,--but let it be substantial, tasteful, harmonious in color and soft in tone, nothing gaudy or showy. use no heavy draperies, and have no excess of ornament and bric-a-brac to catch dust and germs. a hard-finished wood floor is far superior to a carpet in point of healthfulness, and quite as economical and easy to keep clean. the general furnishing of the room, besides the dining table and chairs, should include a sideboard, upon which may be arranged the plate and glassware, with drawers for cutlery and table linen; also a side-table for extra dishes needed during the service of a meal. an open fireplace, when it can be afforded, aids in ventilation as well as increases the cheerful aspect of the room. a moveable china closet with glass encasements for keeping the daintier china, glass, or silver ware not in common use is often a desirable article of furniture in small homes; or a shallow closet may be built in the wall of the dining-room for this purpose. a good size for such a closet is twelve inches deep and three feet wide. four shelves, with one or more drawers below, in which may be kept the best table napery, afford ample space in general. the appearance of the whole may be made very pleasing by using doors of glass, and filling in the back and sides of the shelves with velvet paper in dark-brown, dull-red, or any shade suitable for background, harmonizing with the general furnishing of the room. the shelves should be of the same material and have the same finish as the woodwork of the room. the upper side may be covered with felt if desired; and such artistic taste may be displayed in the arrangement of the china as to make the closet ornamental as well as convenient. table-talk.--a sullen, silent meal is a direct promoter of dyspepsia. "laugh and grow fat" is an ancient adage embodying good hygienic doctrine. it has long been well understood that food digests better when seasoned with agreeable conversation, and it is important that unpleasant topics should be avoided. mealtime should not be made the occasion to discuss troubles, trials, and misfortunes, which rouse only gloomy thoughts, impair digestion, and leave one at the close of the meal worried and wearied rather than refreshed and strengthened. let vexatious questions be banished from the family board. fill the time with bright, sparkling conversation, but do not talk business or discuss neighborhood gossip. do not let the food upon the table furnish the theme of conversation; neither praise nor apology are in good taste. parents who make their food thus an especial topic of conversation are instilling into their children's minds a notion that eating is the best part of life, whereas it is only a means to a higher end, and should be so considered. of all family gatherings the meals should be the most genial and pleasant, and with a little effort they may be made most profitable to all. it is said of dr. franklin that he derived his peculiarly practical turn of mind from his father's table talk. let themes of conversation be of general interest, in which all may take a part. if there are children, a pleasant custom for the breakfast hour is to have each in turn relate something new and instructive, that he or she has read or learned in the interval since the breakfast hour of the previous day. this stimulates thought and conversational power, while music, history, adventure, politics, and all the arts and sciences offer ample scope for securing interesting items. another excellent plan is the selection of a special topic for conversation for each meal or for the meals of a day or a week, a previous announcement of the topic being made, that all, even the youngest, may have time to prepare something to say of it. the benefits from such social intercourse around the board can hardly be over-estimated; and if thus the mealtime is prolonged, and too much appears to be taken out of the busy day, be sure it will add to their years in the end, by increasing health and happiness. table manners.--good breeding and true refinement are nowhere more apparent than in manners at table. these do not relate alone to the proper use of knife and fork, napkin and spoon, but to habits of punctuality, neatness, quietness, order, and that kind thoughtfulness and courteous attention which spring from the heart--"in honor preferring one another." the purpose of eating should not be merely the appeasement of hunger or the gratification of the palate, but the acquiring of strength for labor or study, that we may be better fitted for usefulness in the world. consequently, we should eat like responsible beings, and not like the lower orders of animals. good table manners cannot be put on for special occasions and laid aside like a garment. persons not wont to observe the rules of politeness in the every-day life of their own households can never deceive others into thinking them well bred on "company" occasions. ease and refinement of manners are only acquired by habitual practice, and parents should early accustom their children by both precept and example to observe the requirements of good behavior and politeness at table. elaborate details are not necessary. we subjoin a few of the more simple rules governing table etiquette:-- . eat slowly, never filling the mouth very full and avoiding all appearance of greediness. . masticate thoroughly, keeping the lips closed. eating and drinking should be noiseless. . never speak with the mouth full, nor interrupt another when talking. any remark worthy of utterance will keep. . do not express a choice for any particular portion or dish, unless requested to do so; and do not find fault with the food. if by chance anything unpleasant is found in it, do not call the attention of others to the fact by either remark or manner. . sit conveniently near the table, but not crowded up close against it; and keep the hands, when not in use to convey food to the mouth, in the lap, beneath the table, never resting upon the table, toying with knife, fork, or spoon. . do not tilt back your chair, or lean upon the table with the elbow, or drum with the fingers. . it is contrary to good breeding to shovel one's food into the mouth with a knife. everything which can be eaten with a fork should be taken with that utensil alone. if necessary, use the knife for dividing the food, and afterward the fork to convey it to the mouth. use a spoon for soups and juicy foods. . bread should be broken, not cut. in eating large fruits, like apples or pears, divide with a knife, and take in small portions, holding the knife by the handle rather than the blade. . soup is eaten from the side of the spoon, which is filled without noisily touching the plate. . seeds or stones to be rejected should be taken from the lips with a spoon, never with the fingers. the mouth should not go to the food, but the food to the mouth. . do not crumble food about your plate, nor in any avoidable way soil the table linen. . do not hang the napkin about the neck like a bib, but unfold and lay across the lap in such a manner that it will not slide to the floor. carefully wipe the mouth before speaking, and as often at other times as may keep the lips perfectly clean of food and drink. at the close of a meal, if at home, fold the napkin neatly and place it in the ring. if at a hotel or away from home, leave the napkin unfolded by your plate. . do not appear impatient to be served, and ordinarily at the home meals wait until all are served before commencing to eat. at a public table where waiters are provided, it is proper to begin eating as soon as the food is served. this is admissible because the wants of other guests are supposed to be similarly looked after. . never reach across a neighbor's plate for anything. if something beyond him is needed, ask to have it passed to you. . do not tilt your plate or scrape it for the last atom of food. . drink very sparingly, if at all, while eating, and then do not pour the liquid down the throat like water turned from a pitcher. . children should not be allowed to use their fingers to aid themselves in eating. if their hands are too small or too awkward to use a fork, a piece of bread or cracker may be held in the left hand to aid in pushing the food upon the fork or spoon. . to help one's self to butter or any other food from a common dish with one's own knife or spoon is a gross breach of table etiquette. . never use the handkerchief unnecessarily at the table, and do not cough or sneeze if avoidable. . it is not considered proper to pick the teeth at table. if this becomes absolutely necessary, a napkin should be held before the mouth. . when a meal or course is finished, lay the knife and fork side by side upon the plate. . except at a hotel or boarding house, it is not proper to leave the table before the rest of the family or guests, without asking the hostess to excuse you. . if a guest declines a dish, he need give no reason. "no, i thank you," is quite sufficient. the host or hostess should not insist upon guests' partaking of particular dishes, nor put anything upon their plates which they have declined. the table.--none will deny that the appearance of the table affects one's enjoyment of the food upon it. a well-appointed table with its cloth, though coarse in texture, perfectly clean and neatly laid, its glass and china bright and shining, and the silver showing by its glistening surface evidence of frequent polishings, gives far more comfort and enjoyment than one where little attention is given to neatness, order, or taste. in many families, effort is made to secure all these important accessories when guests have been invited; but for common use, anything is considered "good enough for just one's own folks." this ought not to be, and mothers who permit such a course, need not be surprised if their children exhibit a lack of self-respect and genuineness as well as awkwardness and neglect of manners. the table around which the family meals are taken, ought to be at all times the model of what it should be when surrounded by guests. as a writer has well said, "there is no silent educator in the household that has higher rank than the table. surrounded each day by the family who are eager for refreshment of body and spirit, its impressions sink deep; and its influences for good or ill form no mean part of the warp and woof of our lives. its fresh damask, bright silver, glass, and china, give beautiful lessons in neatness, order, and taste; its damask soiled, rumpled, and torn, its silver dingy, its glass cloudy, and china nicked, annoy and vex us at first, and then instill their lessons of carelessness and disorder. an attractive, well-ordered table is an incentive to good manners, and being a place where one is incited to linger, it tends to control the bad habits of fast eating; while, on the contrary, an uninviting, disorderly table gives license to bad manners, and encourages the haste which is proverbial among americans. the woman, then, who looks after her table in these particulars, is not doing trivial work, for it rests with her to give silently these good or bad lessons in manners and morals to her household as they surround the daily board." a well-appointed table requires very little time and labor. no pretense or ostentation is necessary; neatness and simplicity are far more pleasing. setting the table.--lay a piece of double-faced canton flannel underneath the tablecloth. even coarse napery will present a much better appearance with a sub-cover than if spread directly upon the table. it will likewise lessen noise in changing courses and the likelihood of injury to the table from hot dishes. spread the tablecloth evenly, without wrinkles, and so that the center fold shall be exactly in the middle, parallel with the sides of the table. mats, if used, should be placed exactly straight and with regularity. if meat is served, spread a large napkin with points toward the center of the table at the carver's place, to protect the tablecloth. place the plates upon the table, right side up, at even distances from each other and straight with the cloth and the edge of the table. lay the napkins directly in front or at the right of each plate. place the fork at the left, the knife on the right with the edge toward the plate, beyond this the soup spoon and two teaspoons, and at the front of these set the glass, cream glass, and individual butter plate if these are used. a center piece consisting of a vase of freshly cut flowers, a pot of ferns, a jar of small plants in bloom, a dish of well-polished red apples, peaches, or other seasonable fruit, will add a touch of beauty and attractiveness. if the serving is to be done from the table by members of the family, place large spoons near dishes to be served, also the proper number and kind of separate dishes for the purpose. if fruit is to be served, a finger bowl should be placed for each person. if the service is by course, the extra dishes, knives, forks, and spoons needed, also the finger bowls, water service, and cold foods in reserve for a renewed supply or for other courses, should be made ready and arranged upon the sideboard. the soup ladle should be placed in front of the lady of the house, who always serves the soup; and if meat is served, the carving knife and fork must, of course, be placed before the carver's place. the necessary dishes for each course should be brought on with the food, those for the first course being placed upon the table just a moment before dinner is announced. the arrangement of all dishes and foods upon the table should be uniform, regular, and tasteful, so as to give an orderly appearance to the whole. the "dishing up" and arranging of the food are matters of no small importance, as a dull appetite will often be sharpened at the sight of a daintily arranged dish, while the keenest one may have its edge dulled by the appearance of a shapeless mass piled up with no regard to looks. even the simplest food is capable of looking its best, and the greatest care should be taken to have all dishes served neatly and tastefully. the table should not be set for breakfast the night before nor kept so from one meal to another, unless carefully covered with a cloth thick enough to prevent the dust from accumulating upon the dishes. the plates and glasses should then be placed bottom-side up and turned just before mealtime. no food of any kind should ever be allowed to remain uncovered upon the table from one meal to another. the cloth for covering the table should be carefully shaken each time before using, and always used the same side up until washed. plates and individual meat dishes should be warmed, especially in winter; but the greatest care should be taken that no dish becomes hot, as that not only makes it troublesome to handle, but is ruinous to the dishes. the service of meals.--there are few invariable rules for either table-setting or service. we will offer a few suggestions upon this point, though doubtless other ways are equally good. a capital idea for the ordinary home meal, when no servant is kept, especially if in the family there are older children, is to make different members of the family responsible for the proper service of some dish or course. the fruit, which should be the first course at breakfast, may be prepared and placed upon fruit plates with the proper utensils for eating--napkins and finger bowls at each place before the meal is announced. if apples or bananas are served, a cracker should be placed upon each plate to be eaten in connection with the fruit. oranges and grapes are, however, to be preferred when obtainable; the former may be prepared as directed on page . the hot foods may be dished, and the dishes placed on a side table in a _bain marie_, the hot water in which should be as deep as the food within the dishes. the foods will thus be in readiness, and will keep much better than if placed upon the table at the beginning of the meal. when the fruit is eaten, some member of the family may remove the fruit plates, and bring the hot grains, toasts, and other foods, placing them, together with the necessary individual dishes, before those who have their serving in charge. one member may be selected to pass the bread, another to dish the sauce, etc.; and thus each child, whether boy or girl--even those quite young--may contribute to the service, and none be overburdened, while at the same time it will be a means of teaching a due regard for the comfort and enjoyment of others. if the meal is dinner, usually consisting of three courses, after the soup has been eaten, it may be the duty of some member of the family to remove the soup plates and place the vegetables, grains, and meats if any are to served, before those chosen to serve them. at the close of this course, another may remove the dishes and food, crumb the cloth, and place the dessert, with the proper dishes for serving, before the lady of the house or her oldest daughter, one of whom usually serves it. if a servant is employed, the following is an excellent plan of service: the soup plates or bowls should be placed hot upon the table, with the tureen of soup before the lady of the house, and the glasses filled before the dinner is announced. grace having been said, the servant removes the cover of the soup tureen, and standing at the left of the lady, takes up with her left hand a soup plate, which she changes to the palm of her right hand and holds at the edge of the soup tureen until the lady has filled it, then carries it, still holding it upon the palm of the hand, and places it before the head of the table. in the same manner all are served to soup. if bowls instead of plates are used, a small silver or lacquered tray may be used on which to carry the bowl. while the soup is being eaten, the servant goes to the kitchen and brings in the hot dishes and foods for the next course, and places them upon the side table. when the soup has been finished, beginning with the one who sits at the head of the table, the servant places before each person in turn a hot dinner plate, at the same time removing his soup plate to the sideboard or pantry. after changing all the plates, she removes the soup tureen, and if meat is to be served, places that before the carver with the individual plates, which, when he has placed a portion thereon, she serves to each in turn; then she takes the potato and other vegetables upon her tray, and serves them, going to the left of each person when passing them a dish, but placing individual dishes at the right; next she passes the bread, refills the glasses, taking each one separately to the sideboard, and then serves the grains. when every one has finished the course, she begins the clearing of the table by first removing all large dishes of food; after that the plates and all soiled dishes, mats, and all table furniture except the glasses, napkin rings, and center-pieces. lastly she removes all crumbs with a brush or napkin. when done, she places in front of each person a plate with a doily and finger bowl upon it, and then brings the dessert and dessert dishes, placing them before the lady of the house, and passes these for her as in the other courses. if the dessert is pudding, a spoon or fork should be placed on the plate at one side of the finger bowl. if the dessert is fruit, a fruit napkin may be used in place of the doily, the real purpose of which is to prevent the bowl from sliding about the plate in moving it. a fork and silver knife, or knife and spoon as the fruit may require, should be served with it. general suggestions for waiters.--in serving a dish from which people are expected to help themselves, always go to the left side. soup, food in individual dishes, clean plates, and finger bowls should be set down before people at their right hand. when removing soiled dishes after a course, always exchange them for clean ones, remembering that the only time when it is allowable to leave the table without plates is when it is being cleared for the dessert. in serving grains either dish them in small dishes before serving or pass clean saucers at the same time for each to help himself, and in all cases see that each person is served to cream, sugar, and a teaspoon, with grains. pass the bread two or three times during each meal, and keep careful watch that all are well supplied. pour hot milk and all beverages on the side table; fill only three fourths full, and serve the same as anything else in individual dishes, placing the glass at each person's right hand. waiters should be noiseless and prompt, and neatly attired in dress suitable to their occupation. suggestions concerning dinner parties.--much of the success of a dinner party depends upon the guests selected; and the first point for consideration by the lady who decides upon entertaining her friends thus, should be the congeniality of those whom she desires to invite, remembering that after the first greetings the guests see very little of their hostess, and consequently their enjoyment must largely depend upon each other. it is customary to issue invitations in the name of the host and hostess, from five to ten days in advance of the occasion. printed or written invitations may be used. the following is a proper form:-- _mr. and mrs. george brown_ _request the pleasure_ _of_ _mr. and mrs. henry clark's company_ _at dinner_ _december th, at four o'clock._ _ maple avenue._ if the dinner is given in especial honor to some stranger, a second card is inclosed on which is written:-- _to meet_ _mrs. harold brooks of philadelphia._ invitations to a dinner should be promptly accepted or declined, and if accepted, the engagement should on no account be lightly broken. unless one has a large establishment, and is very sure of good service, the bill of fare selected should not be an elaborate one, and the choice of dishes should be confined to those which one is used to preparing, and which in cost will not exceed one's means. it is the quality of the dinner which pleases, and not the multiplicity of dishes. small dinners for not less than six or more than ten guests are always the most pleasant, and for those of moderate means or those unaccustomed to dinner-giving are by far the most suitable. the arrangement and adornment of the table afford an opportunity for the display of much artistic taste and skill. an expensive outlay is by no means necessary, as highly pleasing effects may be produced by the addition of a few choice, well-arranged flowers or blossoming plants to a table already well laid with spotless linen, bright silver, and clean glass and china ware. a profusion of ornament should be avoided, large pieces of plate, and high, elaborate designs of flowers or fruit should not be used, as they obstruct the intercourse of the guests. a center piece of flowers, with a small bouquet tied with ribbon for each guest, is quite sufficient. low dishes filled with violets or pansies; a basket filled with oranges, mingled with orange leaves and blossoms; bowls of ferns and roses; a block of ice wreathed in ferns, with an outer circle of water lilies; dishes of vari-colored grapes resting amid the bright leaves of the foliage plant, are some of many pleasing designs which may be employed for the adornment of the dinner table. the amount of space occupied with decorations must depend upon the style of service employed. if no calculation need be made for placing the different dishes composing the dinner, a strip of colored plush or satin bordered with ivy, smilax, or some trailing vine, is quite frequently used for the decoration of a long table. a very pleasing custom consists in selecting some especial color for the decorations with which the table napery, dishes, and even the food to be served shall accord; as, for example, a "pink" dinner, with roses as the chief flower, strawberries, pink lemonade, and other pink attractions; or a "yellow" luncheon, served on napery etched with yellow, with vases of goldenrod for center pieces, and dainty bouquets of the same tied with yellow ribbon at each plate, while yellow tapers in golden candlesticks cast a mellow light over all, during the serving of a bill of fare which might include peaches and cream, oranges, pumpkin pie, and other yellow comestibles. the menu cards afford much opportunity for adding attractiveness to a company dinner. if one possesses artistic skill, a floral decoration or a tiny sketch, with an appropriate quotation, the guest's name, and date of the dinner, make of the cards very pleasing souvenirs. a proper quotation put after each dish is much in vogue as a means of promoting conversation. the quotations are best selected from one author. there are no absolute rules for the service of company dinners, much depending upon social conditions and established customs. two modes are in general use,--placing the dishes upon the table to be dished by the host and hostess, and placing all food upon the side table to be dished and served by a waiter. when the latter method is used, it is quite customary to place the plates of soup upon the table before dinner is announced. as many knives, forks, and spoons as will be needed for the courses may be placed beside each plate, or they may be brought in with the course, as preferred. clean plates are necessary for every course. the manner of serving is essentially like that already described. care should be taken to have the dining room at an agreeable temperature, neither too warm nor too cold. at large dinner parties, each gentleman, as he enters, receives a card upon which is written the name of the lady he is to take in to dinner, to whom the hostess at once presents him. when dinner is announced, the host leads the way with the oldest or most distinguished lady or the one to whom the dinner is given, while the hostess follows last, with the most honored gentleman. the host places the lady whom he escorts on his right. if the number is small, the host indicates the places the guests should occupy as they enter the room; if the party is large, the menu card at each plate bears the name of the guest for whom it is designed. the lady escorted by the host should be the first one served. soup is always taken and tasted, whether liked or not; after the first course, it is proper to accept or refuse a dish, as preferred. no well-bred hostess ever apologizes for the food upon her table or urges anything upon her guests when once declined. no orders should be given to servants during the meal; everything that will contribute to the proper serving of the dinner should be arranged beforehand, and all necessary instructions given. at the close of the dinner, the hostess gives the sign for retiring. table topics. a meal--what is it? just enough of food to renovate and well refresh the frame, so that with spirits lightened, and with strength renewed, we turn with willingness to work again. --_sel._ do not bring disagreeable things to the table in your conversation any more than you would in your dishes.--_sel._ courtesy in the mistress of the house consists in feeding conversation; never in usurping it.--_mme. swetchine_ good humor and good health follow a good meal; and by a good meal we mean anything, however simple, well dressed in its way.--_smiles._ unquiet meals make ill digestion.--_shakespeare._ eat slowly and do not season your food with care.--_sel._ to rise from the table _able_ to eat a little more is a proverbially good rule for every one. there is nothing more idiotic than forcing down a few mouthfuls, because they happen to remain on one's plate after hunger is satisfied, and because they may be "wasted" if left. it is the most serious waste to overtax the stomach with even half an ounce more than it can take care of.--_sel._ i pray you, o excellent wife! cumber not yourself and me to get a curiously rich dinner for this man and woman who have just alighted at our gate.... these things, if they are desirous of them, they can get for a few shillings at any village inn; but rather let that stranger see, if he will, in your looks, accents, and behavior, your heart and earnestness, your thought and will, that which he cannot buy at any price in any city, and which he may travel miles and dine sparely and sleep hardly to behold.--_emerson._ after meal time to no other department of domestic work perhaps is so little thought given or so little science applied as to the routine work of clearing the table and washing the dishes after mealtime. any way to accomplish the object, seems to be the motto in very many households. but even for these prosaic tasks there is a best way, which, if employed, may make of an otherwise irksome service a really pleasurable one. clearing the table.--first of all, put back the chairs, and brush up the crumbs from the floor, then collect all untouched foods and store them away in clean dishes; next gather the silver, place it handles upward in pitchers or other deep dishes, and pour hot water over it. for gathering the silver a compartment tray in which knives, forks, and spoons may be placed separately is important. many of the scratches and marks on their silver ware, which housekeepers deplore, come from the careless handling together of forks, knives, and spoons. now in a deep basin upon a tray, collect all the refuse and partly eaten foods, carefully emptying cups, glasses, finger bowls, etc., and scraping all dishes which contained food as clean as possible; for no crumbs or particles of food should be introduced into the dishwater. pile the dishes as fast as cleaned upon a second tray in readiness for washing. it saves much liability of breakage in transferring from the dining room to the kitchen, if each kind of soiled dishes is packed by itself. wipe carefully, if not needing to be washed, and replenish all salts, granola cups, and sugar bowls before putting away. gather the soiled napkins for the laundry, and put those clean enough to be used again in their proper places. especial care must be taken, however, so to designate those reserved for future use that each shall receive the same again, as nothing is more disgusting to a sensitive person than to be tendered a napkin which has been used by some one else. some form of napkin holder should be considered an essential part of the table furnishing. if rings cannot be afforded, ordinary clothes pins, gilded and decorated with a bit of ribbon, make very pretty substitutes. brush the tablecloth, fold in its creases, also the sub-cover of canton flannel, and lay both away until again needed. _washing the dishes._--plenty of hot water and clean towels are the essential requisites for expeditious and thorough dish-washing. a few drops of crude ammonia added to the water will soften it and add to the luster of the silver and china. soap may be used or not according to circumstances; all greasy dishes require a good strong suds. there should also be provided two dish drainers or trays, unless there is a stationary sink with tray on which to drain the dishes. for washing glassware and fine china, _papier-maché_ tubs are preferable to anything else, as they are less liable to occasion breakage of the ware. if many dishes are to be washed, frequent changes of water will be necessary as the first becomes either cold or dirty. perfectly sweet, clean dishes are not evolved from dirty dishwater. the usual order given for the washing of dishes is, glasses, silver, fine china, cups, saucers, pitchers, plates and other dishes. this is, however, based upon the supposition that cups and saucers are used for beverages, and plates are soiled by the use of various greasy foods; but in families where tea and coffee and animal foods are dispensed with, and saucers are used for grains with cream dressing, the plates are often cleaner than the saucers and should be washed first. the general rule to be followed is always to wash the dishes least soiled first, and all of one kind together. the latter item is specially important, since much of the nicking of dishes and breaking of handles from cups, covers, and pitchers is the result of piling dishes promiscuously together while washing. it is quite as easy to finish washing one kind before beginning on another as to do it in any less safe and systematic way, and if wiped in the same order, it does away with the need of sorting when putting the dishes away. if for any reason the dishes must wait for a time before being washed, the best plan is to pack them carefully into large pans, cover with warm water, and let them soak. when ready to wash them, prepare hot suds and clear water for rinsing in additional pans. do not use too hot water, as a high temperature will break glass and "check" the enamel of ordinary ware. the law of expansion holds good with both china and glassware, and all glass and glazed wares should be dipped into hot water in such a manner that all its surfaces may receive the heat and expand together. all dishes used for milk should be first thoroughly rinsed in cold water before being washed in hot water or suds. be sure that the inside of all cups and pitchers is thoroughly clean. it is a good plan to have a mop made by fastening finger-lengths of coarse cotton twin to a suitable handle, for washing the inside of pitchers. in cleaning forks, spoons, or cups, which have been employed in beating or eating eggs, rinse them in cold water before putting them into hot suds, as hot water cooks the egg and causes it to adhere. common table salt is said to be excellent for removing the egg tarnish from silver. clean dover egg beaters by beating a dish of cold water, or by holding under a stream of cold water from the faucet, then carefully rinse and wipe perfectly dry. do not put the upper part of the beater into hot water, as it will remove the oil from the wheels so that they will not work easily. grain-boilers and mush-kettles should be allowed to cool, then filled with cold water and allowed to soak during the meal hour, when they can be easily cleaned. tin dishes should be washed with hot suds as soon as possible after using. [illustration: wire dishcloth] for cleaning; iron pots, use soft water and soap or washing-soda with a wire dishcloth or kettle scraper. if the food adheres to the sides, fill with cold water and soak. kettles and all dishes placed over a fire should be cleaned on the outside as well as the inside. to remove the soot, rub first with pieces of dry paper and afterward with damp paper; then wash with hot suds and a cloth. kettles and saucepans burned on the inside may he cleaned by putting a little cold water and ashes in them and allowing them to soak on the range until the water is warm. porcelain-lined and granite-ware utensils stained from food burning on, may be cleaned after soaking for a time in a solution of sal-soda, which may be prepared by pouring boiling water over the soda in the proportion of two pints of water to one pound of sal-soda, and stirring until dissolved. it may be prepared in quantity and stored in a stone jar until needed. wash wooden ware and bread boards with cold water and sand soap. in scraping dough from the bread board, always scrape with the grain of the wood and be careful not to roughen the surface. steel knives and forks with ivory or wooden handles should not be put into dishwater. hot water will expand the steel and cause the handles to crack. wash them thoroughly with the dishcloth, scour with bath brick, and wipe dry. all tin and iron dishes should be thoroughly dried before putting away, to prevent rusting. if draining is considered preferable to wiping dishes, a good plan, if one has not a patent dish drainer, is to fold an old tablecloth in several thicknesses and spread upon the table. wash the dishes carefully and rinse in hot water. place a cup or bowl bottom upward, lay a plate on each side, then one between and above them, with two more on the outside, and so on, not permitting them to touch more than necessary. dishcloths and towels.--no dishes or utensils can be well cared for without good, clean dishcloths and towels, and plenty of them. an excellent dishcloth may be either knit or crocheted in some solid stitch of coarse cotton yarn. ten or twelve inches square is a good size. several thicknesses of cheese-cloth basted together make good dishcloths, as do also pieces of old knitted garments and turkish toweling. if a dish mop is preferred, it may be made as follows: cut a groove an inch from the end of a stick about a foot in length and of suitable shape for a handle; cut a ball of coarse twine, into nine-inch lengths, and lay around the stick with the middle of the strands against the groove; wind a fine wire or cord around the twine to fasten it in the groove; then shake down the twine, so it will lie all one way like a mop, and fasten it to the handle by tying a second cord around it on the outside. towels for drying dishes should be of three different grades,--fine ones without lint for glass, silver, and fine china; coarser ones for the ordinary table ware, and still another quality for pans, kettles, and other kitchen ware. the right size is a yard in length and half as wide, with the ends hemmed. as to material, fine checked linen is usually employed for glass and silver towels, and crash for ordinary dishes, for iron and tinware towels which have become somewhat worn, or a coarse bag opened and hemmed, may be used. old, half-worn tablecloths may be cut into excellent dish towels. it is of the greatest importance that all dishcloths, mops, and towels be kept perfectly sweet and clean. greasy dishcloths and sour towels are neither neat nor wholesome and are a most fertile source of germs, often breeding disease and death. after each dish washing, the dishcloth, towels, and mops should be thoroughly washed in hot water with plenty of soap, well rinsed and hung up to dry either upon a line out of doors or a rack made for the purpose near the kitchen range. if care is always taken to clean the dishes as much as possible before washing and to change the suds as often as they become dirty, the towels will not be hard to keep clean and sweet-smelling. those used during the week should go into the wash as regularly as other household articles. dish towels are also much better for being ironed. it gives them a "surface" which facilitates the drying operation. the care of silver, glass, etc.--if silver is well washed in hot water containing a few drops of ammonia, and carefully dried with a fine, soft towel, it will keep bright for a long time without other cleaning. if special cleaning is necessary, try the following: place the silver in a pan of hot water, then with a soft cloth, soaped and sprinkled with powdered borax, scour the silver well; afterward rinse in clear cold water, and dry with a clean cloth. if a more thorough cleaning is needed, apply moistened spanish whiting with a silver brush and soft flannel, afterward polishing with dry whiting and chamois skin. frequent scouring should be avoided by careful washing, as too much rubbing wears out plated ware and dulls the best of silver. silver ware and plate which is not in ordinary use can be kept from tarnishing by varnishing with collodion, a solution of gun-cotton in ether. the articles should be carefully brushed in this colorless varnish with an elastic brush, taking care that the entire surface is covered. the film of collodion will protect the underlying metal from the action of the sulphurous vapors to which is due the blackening of silver. tinware which has become blackened may be made to look bright and shining again by rubbing with a damp cloth dipped in sal-soda. afterward wipe dry. sand soap or sapolio may be used for the same purpose. cut-glass ware which has become in any way blurred or tarnished can be restored by polishing it with a soft piece of newspaper. first rub well with a piece slightly moistened and afterward repeat the process with dry paper. rubbing with a soft brush dipped in fine, soft whiting is another method often employed for the same purpose. cut-glass water-bottles dim or stained on the inside are best cleaned by rinsing with dilute muriatic acid, then carefully rinsing several times in clear cold water to remove all trace of the acid, which is a poison. all fine china should be handled carefully in washing and drying. there will be less danger of breakage if the china is gradually heated by allowing it to stand in a pan of warm water before being put into hot water. the same is true of all table ware, and is of especial importance in cold weather. brass faucets and other brass or copper articles may be cleaned by rubbing with whiting wet with aqua ammonia. yellowed ivory handles may be restored to their original whiteness by rubbing with sandpaper and emery; mineral soap or pumice stone may be used for the same purpose. nice table cutlery packed away for a season may be kept from rusting by covering the metal portion with a thin coating of paraffine. rust may be removed from steel by scouring with emery and oil; but if there is much corrosion, some weak muriatic acid will be needed. this, however, will take some of the metal with the rust, and must be washed off quickly. trays and japanned goods should never have boiling water poured over them, as it will make the varnish crack and peel. if a tray is badly soiled, wet with a sponge moistened in warm water and soap, and rub with a dry cloth; if it looks smeary, dust on a little flour and rub again. marks and scratches may sometimes be removed by rubbing with a flannel cloth dipped in sweet oil. care of the table linen.--much of the attractiveness of the table depends upon the linen used; if this is not well cared for, the finest table ware cannot make up for the defect. stains upon table linen made by acids and vinegar may be removed by simply washing in clear water; berry stains are easily taken out by pouring boiling water over them; peach stains are best removed by soaking for some time in cold water and then washing with soap before allowing warm water to touch them. chlorine water or a solution of chloride of lime will remove fruit stains, and vegetable colors. coffee stains rubbed with a mixture of warm water and the yolk of egg, are said to disappear when the mixture is washed off with clean warm water. sour buttermilk well rubbed into the material, dried in, and afterward washed out in several waters, is said to be effectual in removing tea stains. all stains should be removed as soon as possible after being made, and always before putting the linen into the wash. in washing table linen, housekeepers should remember that hard rubbing is the worst wear which it can receive. if soaked over night, a gentle squeezing will usually be quite sufficient to remove all soil, or if a little borax (a handful to ten gallons of water) or household ammonia in the proportion of two tablespoonfuls to a pail of water be added, two or three hours' soaking will suffice. care should also be taken in hanging and fastening properly upon the line. fold the cloth over the line six or eight inches at least, and in such a manner as to keep the thread straight, and fasten with three or more clothes pins. table linen is often sadly frayed at the corners by being pinned so that all strain comes upon the corners, and if left to whip in the wind, is soon ruined. napkins in summer are much nicer if dried upon the grass. only the merest trifle of starch, if any, should be used for table linen. table linen should be taken from the line while still damp, folded evenly lengthwise with the selvage together, then folded lengthwise again, rolled tight, and wrapped in damp towels so that the outside will not become dry, and ironed the same day. the irons should be heavy and as hot as possible without danger of scorching, and the board should be well padded with several thicknesses of flannel. iron the linen in single folds, keeping a damp cloth over portions which will not be immediately reached. when the entire surface has been ironed, fold evenly lengthwise and with the selvage edges toward the ironer, again go over the entire upper side; then fold with the just completed portion inside, iron again, and so continue until the whole is ironed and folded. both napkins and tablecloths are ironed in this way. they should be thoroughly dried with the iron and well aired before being laid away, in order to bring out the patterns well and to give them the desirable glossy finish. colored table linen should be washed in tepid water containing a little powdered borax, which serves to set the color. very little, if any, soap should be used. rinse in tepid water containing a small quantity of boiled starch; dry in the shade, and iron while yet damp. table linen should be carefully darned at once when it begins to wear and become thin, and may thus be preserved for a long time. when new, it should be washed before being made up, and the threads raveled or drawn, so as to make the ends exactly straight. napkins should be washed before being cut apart. when not required for regular use, the linen should be folded loosely, and laid away without ironing in some place where it will not be subjected to pressure. when needed, it can be quickly dampened and ironed. the garbage.--what to do with the waste accumulating from preparation of foods is a question of no small importance. the too frequent disposition of such material is to dump it into a waste-barrel or garbage box near the back door, to await the rounds of the scavenger. unless more than ordinary precautions in regard to cleanliness are observed, such a proceeding is fraught with great danger. the bits of moist food, scraps of meat, vegetables, and other refuse, very quickly set up a fermentative process, which, under the sun's rays, soon breeds miasm and germs; especially is this true if the receptacle into which the garbage is thrown is not carefully cleaned after each emptying. a foul-smelling waste-barrel ought never to be permitted under any circumstances. the best plan is to burn all leavings and table refuse as fast as made, which may be done without smell or smoke by opening all the back drafts of the kitchen range, and placing them on the hot coals to dry and burn. some housekeepers keep in one end of the sink a wire dish drainer into which all fruit and vegetable parings are put. if wet, the water quickly drains from them, and they are ready to be put into the stove, where a very little fire soon reduces them to ashes. all waste products which cannot well be burned, may be buried at a distance from the house, but not too much in one spot, and the earth should be carefully covered over afterward. under no circumstances should it be scattered about on the surface of the ground near the back door, as heedless people are apt to do. if the table refuse must be saved and fed to animals, it should be carefully sorted, kept free from all dishwater, sour milk, etc., and used as promptly as possible. it is a good plan to have two tightly covered waste pails of heavy tin to be used on alternate days. when one is emptied, it may be thoroughly cleansed and left to purify in the air and sunshine while the other is in use. any receptacle for waste should be entirely emptied and thoroughly disinfected each day with boiling suds and an old broom. this is especially imperative if the refuse is to be used as food for cows, since the quality of the milk is more or less affected by that of the food. table topics. a woman cannot work at dressmaking, tailoring, or any other sedentary employment, ten hours a day, year in and out, without enfeebling her constitution, impairing her eyesight, and bringing on a complication of complaints; but she can sweep, cook, wash, and do the duties of a well-ordered house, with modern arrangements, and grow healthier every year. the times in new england when all women did housework a part of every day, were the times when all women were healthy.--_harriet beecher stowe._ the best ways are commonly the easiest ways and those that give most comfort to the household. _know how_ is a great labor-saving invention, on which there is no patent.--_sel._ who sweeps a room as for god's law makes that and th' action fine. --_george herbert._ a year's breakfasts & dinners what to get for the family meals is frequently a most perplexing problem, especially when one remembers the many important points that should enter into the arrangement of the daily bill of fare. a well-arranged menu should be composed of articles which supply the requisite amount of food elements for proper nutrition, palatably prepared. these should be adapted to the season and also to the family purse. there should be an agreeable and pleasing change from day to day, with never too great variety at one meal, and no incongruous association of foods that do not harmonize, upon the same bill of fare. the amount of time and strength available for the preparation of the meal must also receive consideration. the problem would be easier of solution could one select her menu wholly from fresh material each time; but in most households the odds and ends and "left-over" foods must be utilized, and if possible compounded into dishes that will not have the savor of yesterday's breakfast or dinner. the making of a bill of fare offers opportunity for thought and study under all circumstances; but it is often particularly difficult for the housewife long accustomed to the use of foods of a different character, to make up a menu of hygienic dishes properly adapted to all requirements. for such of our readers as need aid in this direction, we give in this chapter bills of fare for fifty-two weeks' breakfasts and dinners. not that we presume to have arranged a model dietary which every one can adopt,--individual preferences, resources, and various other conditions would preclude that,--but we have endeavored to prepare a list of menus suitable for use should circumstances admit, and which we trust may be found helpfully suggestive of good, hygienic living. we have given meats no place upon these bills of fare, as we wished particularly to illustrate how good, substantial menus of appetizing variety can be provided without their use; but such of our readers as desire this class of foods will have no difficulty in supplementing the bills we have arranged by adding such meats as accord with their tastes and purses, while our chapter on meats will give them all needed information as to their preparation. in arranging the bills of fare it has been presupposed that the housewife has provided herself with at least a moderate allowance of canned or dried vegetables and fruits during their season, for use throughout the year. effort has also been made to suggest an ample variety of seasonable and wholesome articles and to make provision for any probable left-over foods; and to illustrate how by planning and thinking beforehand the same material may be used to form the base of two different dishes for successive days, enough of which for both may often be cooked at the same time, thus economizing in time and fuel. no particular year has been taken, as we desired the menus to be adapted to all years, and as no dates could be given, we have taken even weeks, ending each with a sabbath menu, beginning with the first month of the year. a third meal, if desired, whether it be luncheon or supper, should, for health's sake, be so simple in character that we have not deemed it necessary to give bills of fare. breads, fruits, and grains, with milk, cream, and some simple relish, tastefully served, offer ample provision for a healthful and nourishing repast. no mention has been made of beverages upon the bills of fare. if any are used, hot milk or caramel coffee are to be preferred. cooked fruit, either fresh, dried, or canned, is desirable for every meal, but the kind--as also of the fresh fruit upon the breakfast bill--may be arranged according to individual preferences and resources. the use of cream, sugar, and other accessories should be suited to circumstances. it is intended that croutons be served with the soups, and in arranging the variety of breads, an effort has been made to provide one of harder texture for use with grains and other soft foods. the wafers mentioned are the whole-wheat and gluten wafers manufactured by the sanitarium food co., which by many families are considered more convenient for general use as a hard bread than the crisps, sticks, etc., which upon some of the menus are designed for the same purpose. less variety may be used, and changes made to suit the taste and circumstances of those providing and partaking of the meals; but whatever is subtracted should still leave upon the bill of fare the more nutritious articles, like grains, whole-wheat bread, and other foods rich in nerve and muscle forming elements. whether the housewife follows the bills of fare given with such modifications as are best suited to the needs of her household, or provides some of her own choosing, she will find it a great saving of vexation and trouble to make them out for several days or a week ahead, at one time, rather than from day to day or from meal to meal. she can then plan her work and her resources so as the more nearly to make "both ends meet," and can provide a more varied fare, while if changes are needed, they can be easily made by substituting one article for another, as circumstances demand. in the arrangement of her menus she will find it well to select first the grain and breads to be used, since being among the most nutritious of all foods, they may well form the chief and staple food, around which all other articles upon the bill of fare are grouped. if the grain chosen be rice, farina, or one largely composed of starch, the remainder of the menu should include some foods rich in nitrogenous elements, such as macaroni, whole-wheat or graham breads, the legumes, eggs, etc. if the choice of grain be one containing a high percentage of nitrogenous material, less of this element will be required in the accompanying foods. as an aid in determining the nutritive value of any given food substance, the following table, presenting the results of the chemical analysis of the more common articles used as food, which we have compiled from the most recent scientific authorities, will be found helpful:-- table showing the nutritive values of common food substances. ( )water. ( )albuminous elements. ( )starch. ( )grape sugar. ( )cane sugar. ( )free fat. ( )free acid. grains. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) wheat, poland . . . x . x mich. white . . . x . x " diehle . . . x x x japanese . . . x . x rye, winter . . . x . x german . . . x x x barley . . . x . x so. russian . . . x x x oats . . . x . x corn, flint . . . x . x dent . . . x . x sweet . . . x . x rice . . . x . x millet . . . x . x buckwheat . . . x . x iceland moss . . . x . x flour. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) graham . . . x . x wheat . . . x . x rye . . . x . x barley . . . x . x oat . . . x . x corn . . . x . x buckwheat . . . x . x bean . . . x . x pea . . . x . x banana . . . x . x arrowroot . x . x x x breads. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) barley . . . . . x whole wheat . . . . . x white . . . . . x rye . . . . . x swedish speise . . . . . x brod zwieback, white . . . . . x rye . . . . . x macaroni . . . x . x manna . . . .[ ] x x fresh fruits. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) apple . . x . x . apricot . . x . x . blackberry . . x . x . banana . . x x . x cherry . . x . x . cranberry . . x . x . currant . . x . x . grape . . x . x . gooseberry . . x . x . pear . . x . x . prune . . x . x . plum . . x . x . peach . . x . x . raspberry . . x . x . strawberry . . x . . . whortleberry . . x . x . dried fruits. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) prune . . . . . x . pear . . . . . x . apple . . . . . x . cherry . . x . x . x raisin . . x . x . x fig . . x . x x x date . . x x . x x nuts. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) chestnut . . . x x . x walnut . . . x x . x hazelnut . . . x x . x sweet almond . . . x x . x peanut . . . x x . x cocoanut . . . x x . x syrup . x x . . x x honey . . x . . x x vegetables. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) carrot . . x x . x winter cabbage . . x . . x red cabbage . . x . . x white cabbage . . x . . x spinach . . x . . x celery . . x . . x head lettuce . . x x . x potato . . x x . x white turnip . . x x . x beet . . x x . x sugar beet . . x . . x parsnip . . x x . x sweet potato . . x x . x cucumber . . x . x x asparagas . . x . . x cauliflower . . x . . x melon . . x . . x squash . . x . . x onion . . x . . x pumpkin . . . . . x tomato . . x . . . peas, green, garden . . . x x . x small . . . x . x african . . . x . x green shelled . . . x . x beans, field . . . x . x french or kidney . . . x . x white . . . x . x lima . . . x . x string beans . . . . . x lentils . . . x . x german . . . x . x milk and butter. milk food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) sug. ( ) ( ) mother's milk . . x x . . x cows' " . . x x . . x cream . . x x . . x swedish butter . . x x . . x french " . x x x . . x cheese, stilton . . x x . . x skimmed milk . . x x . . x buttermilk . . x x . . x milk of cow . . x . x . x tree meats. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) lean beef . . x x x . x lean mutton . . x x x . x veal . . x x x . x pork . . x x x . x poultry . . x x x . x white fish . . x x x . x salmon . . x x x . x entire egg . . x x x . x white of egg . . x x x x x yolk of egg . . x x x . x ( )pectose. ( )non-nitrog. substances. ( )salts. ( )cellulose. ( )propor. carbon to nitrogenous. ( )total nutritive value. grains. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) wheat, poland x x . x . . mich. white x x . . . . " diehle x x . x . . japanese x x . . . . rye, winter x x . . . . german x x x x . . barley x x . . . . so. russian x x . x . . oats x x . . . . corn, flint x x . . . . dent x x . . . . sweet x x . . . . rice x x . . . . millet x x . . . . buckwheat x x . . . . iceland moss x x . . . . flour. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) graham x x . . . . wheat x x . . . . rye x x . . . . barley x x . . . . oat x x . . . . corn x x . . . . buckwheat x x . . . . bean x x . . . . pea x x . . . . banana x x . . . . arrowroot x x x x . . breads. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) barley x x . . . . whole wheat x x . . . . white x x . x . . rye x x . . . . swedish speise x x x . . . brod zwieback, white x x . . . . rye x x . . . . macaroni x x . x . . manna x . x . . . fresh fruits. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) apple . x . . . . apricot . x . . . . blackberry . x . . . . banana x . . . . . cherry . x . . . . cranberry x x . . . . currant . x . . . . grape . x . . . . gooseberry . x . . . . pear . x . . . . prune . x . . . . plum . x . . . . peach . x . . . . raspberry . x . . . . strawberry . x . . . . whortleberry . x . . . . dried fruits. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) prune . . . . . . pear . . . . . . apple . . . . . . cherry x . . . . . raisin x . . . . . fig x x . . . . date x x x x . . nuts. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) chestnut x x . . . . walnut x x . . . . hazelnut x x . . . . sweet almond x x . . . . peanut x x . . . . cocoanut x x . . . . syrup x . . x . . honey x . . x . . vegetables. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) carrot x . . . . . winter cabbage x . . . . . red cabbage x . . . . . white cabbage x . . . . . spinach x . . . . . celery x . . . . . head lettuce x . . . . . potato x . . . . . white turnip x . . . . . beet x . . . . . sugar beet x . . . . . parsnip x . . . . . sweet potato x . . . . . cucumber x . . . . . asparagas x . . . . . cauliflower x . . . . . melon x . . . . . squash x . . . . . onion x . . . . . pumpkin x x . . . . tomato x x . . . . peas, green, garden x x . . . . small x x . . . . african x x . . . . green shelled x x . . . . beans, field x x . . . . french or kidney x x . . . . white x x . . . . lima x x . . . . string beans x x . . . . lentils x x . . . . german x x . . . . milk and butter. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) mother's milk x x . x x x cows' " x x . x . . cream x x . x . . swedish butter x x . x . . french " x x . x . . cheese, stilton x x . x . . skimmed milk x x . x . . buttermilk x x . x . . milk of cow x x . x . . tree meats. food substances ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) lean beef x x . x . . lean mutton x x . x . . veal x x . x . . pork x x . x . . poultry x x . x . . white fish x x . x . . salmon x x . x . . entire egg x x . x . . white of egg x x . x x . yolk of egg x x . x . . [footnote : chiefly sugar and starch.] [footnote : mannite] bills of fare for every day in the year. in the following pages will be found a breakfast and dinner bill of fare for every day in the year, beginning with january . we would particularly recommend a trial of their use by the young and inexperienced matron just entering upon housekeeping, whose desire should be to begin right--provide simple and healthful as well as palatable food for her family. to many such we trust that our "year's breakfasts and dinners" may come like the grateful suggestions of a helpful friend. an explanation of the bills of fare has been given in the preceding pages, and need not be repeated here. first week first day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats gravy toast corn puffs breakfast rolls stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup baked potato with tomato cream sauce mashed peas baked squash rolled rye whole-wheat bread cream crisps stewed fruit pop corn pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup baked potato and pease gravy macaroni with kornlet stewed lima beans pearl barley corn cake cream crisps stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce cream toast breakfast rolls whole-wheat bread baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup mashed potato scalloped vegetable oysters hominy graham puffs oatmeal bread toasted wafers stewed fruit simple custard pie fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat dry toast with hot cream hominy gems toasted wafers baked sweet potatoes with tomato gravy celery stewed fruit dinner tomato cream soup boiled potatoes with cream sauce mashed peas baked chestnuts whole-wheat puffs graham bread rice stewed fruit stewed fruit pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit mixed mush browned sweet potato macaroni with cream sauce baked sweet apples graham bread corn puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed potatoes baked cabbage stewed corn pearl wheat zwieback current puffs graham bread stewed fruit apple tart sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits toasted wafers celery toast raised biscuit whole-wheat puffs baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner corn soup baked squash mashed beans rolled rye beaten biscuit graham bread stewed fruit apple meringue desert sabbath breakfast oranges oatmeal prune toast baked sour apples breakfast rolls fruit bread stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup canned green peas scalloped potato steamed rice whole-wheat bread plain buns zwieback stewed fruit fresh fruit and nuts second week. first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates cream toast toasted rolls fruit bread whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit dinner combination soup boiled potato with cream sauce pease cakes stewed celery cracked wheat whole-wheat bread sally lunn gems zwieback stewed fruit apple tapioca second day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge strawberry toast whole-wheat bread graham crisps pop overs baked apples stewed fruit dinner celery soup no. . mashed squash mashed potato chopped turnip rolled wheat graham crisps rye gems stewed fruit cream rice pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush corn cake toasted wafers graham puffs boiled macaroni stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup baked sweet potato boiled beets, sliced succotash graham grits graham bread toasted rolls stewed fruit cornstarch meringue fourth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal snowflake toast toasted wafers currant puffs graham bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup mashed sweet potato scalloped tomatoes farina graham fruit bread crusts zwieback stewed fruit apple pie fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham apple mush gravy toast breakfast rolls graham fruit bread macaroni with kornlet stewed fruit dinner vegetable soup mashed potato cabbage salad mashed peas with tomato sauce pearl barley toasted wafers vienna bread whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit rice mold with fruit sauce sixth day breakfast fresh fruit orange rice blackberry toast currant puffs graham crisps baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup potato puffs baked beets stewed corn and tomatoes pearl wheat parker house rolls zwieback corn puffs stewed fruit prune pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats grape toast toasted wafers fruit bread whole-wheat puffs cup custard stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup stewed potato canned okra and tomato browned rice beaten biscuits graham crackers fruit bread stewed fruit prune pie with granola crust third week. first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with raisins gravy toast toasted beaten biscuit whole-wheat puffs baked potato with celery sauce stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup steamed potatoes with pease gravy scalloped vegetable oysters mashed parsnip graham grits whole-wheat bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit bread custard pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats peach toast cottage cheese hoe cake graham wafers graham puffs stewed fruit dinner lentil and parsnip soup mashed potato celery hulled corn scalloped tomato macaroni with raisins raised corn bread cream crisps stewed fruit farina blancmange third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge celery toast potato cakes cream rolls whole-wheat bread zwieback baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner cream rice soup boiled potato with brown sauce stewed cabbage mashed split peas boiled wheat whole-wheat bread toasted rolls currant puffs stewed fruit corn meal pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye apricot toast crusts toasted wafers corn puffs granola baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed potato cabbage hash stewed vegetable oysters graham mush graham puffs buns toasted wafers stewed fruit cornstarch with raisins fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce graham gruel lentil toast beaten biscuits graham gems zwieback baked potato with cream gravy stewed fruit dinner mixed potato soup macaroni with kornlet baked beans graham grits toasted beaten biscuit whole-wheat bread sally lunn gems stewed fruit fig pudding with orange sauce sixth day breakfast fresh fruit brewis blackberry toast toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs graham bread macaroni with tomato sauce stewed fruit dinner canned green pea soup boiled potato corn and tomato mashed lentils and beans farina graham crusts zwieback cream crisps stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush grape toast graham fruit bread beaten biscuit baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner canned corn soup creamed potatoes mashed peas cold boiled beets, sliced steamed rice graham bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit raised jelly cake fresh fruit fourth week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes snowflake toast toasted beaten biscuit whole-wheat bread corn puffs steamed figs stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup baked potatoes with brown sauce cabbage salad parsnips with egg sauce cracked wheat whole-wheat bread rye gems sticks stewed fruit rice and stewed apple dessert second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal prune toast pop overs whole-wheat bread cream rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup boiled potato with lentil gravy turnips in juice celery with tomato cracked wheat toasted rolls raised biscuit oatmeal gems stewed fruit tapioca and fig pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates gravy toast hoe cake graham sticks whole-wheat bread boiled macaroni baked chestnuts stewed fruit dinner celery soup no. mashed sweet potato chopped beets succotash graham grits toasted wafers graham bread currant puffs stewed fruit banana dessert fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat apple toast graham puffs zwieback graham bread baked bananas stewed fruit dinner parsnip soup no. scalloped potatoes stewed lima beans macaroni with egg sauce farina graham crisps crescents whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit prune dessert fifth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine cakes gravy toast bean gems graham crisps fruit bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner vegetable soup baked potato with tomato cream sauce stewed parsnip with celery mashed peas pearl wheat toasted wafers fruit bread graham gems stewed fruit lemon pie sixth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge cream toast breakfast rolls whole-wheat bread corn puffs macaroni with raisins stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup stewed potato hulled corn chopped turnip rolls toasted wafers graham gems stewed fruit molded cracked wheat with fruit sauce sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye prune toast pulled bread fruit rolls toasted wafers citron apples stewed fruit dinner lentil soup macaroni with tomato sauce stewed corn steamed rice cream crisps whole-wheat bread stewed fruit caramel custards fruit and nuts fifth week first day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge tomato toast whole-wheat puffs whole-wheat bread toasted rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner canned okra and tomato soup baked sweet potatoes mashed cabbage pease cakes boiled wheat oatmeal crisps graham gems whole-wheat bread stewed fruit carrot pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge banana toast whole-wheat puffs zwieback rye bread browned sweet potato baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner bean and potato soup potatoes stewed with celery egg macaroni stewed carrots hominy rye bread sticks currant buns stewed fruit prune whip third day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush snowflake toast hominy gems sticks whole-wheat bread baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup baked potato with cream sauce scalloped turnip mashed chestnuts lentil puree with lemon graham grits graham bread beaten biscuit rye gems stewed fruit cream rice pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham apple mush blackberry toast toasted wafers graham bread whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit dinner black bean soup mashed potato scalloped tomatoes stewed vegetable oysters pearl wheat sally lemon gems graham bread zwieback stewed fruit apple tart fifth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal vegetable oyster toast graham bread toasted wafers corn cake baked sweet potato stewed fruit dinner vegetable soup baked potato stewed beans kornlet chopped beets browned rice rye gems toasted wafers whole-wheat bread stewed fruit orange pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit boiled oats strawberry toast graham gems hoe cakes toasted wafers macaroni with kornlet stewed fruit dinner tomato and vermicelli soup browned potato cabbage salad baked squash mashed peas rice whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit baked corn meal pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit lemon rice dry toast with hot cream fruit bread beaten biscuit graham crackers baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner canned pea soup chopped sweet potatoes stewed lima beans celery boiled wheat beaten biscuit whole-wheat bread toasted wafers stewed fruit squash pie sixth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates poached eggs on toast corn cakes toasted beaten biscuit whole-wheat bread stewed fruit dinner bean and hominy soup potato rice turnips with cream sauce mashed parsnips baked barley whole-wheat bread cream graham rolls stewed fruit plain fruit pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce gravy toast toasted rolls whole-wheat puffs crescents baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner swiss lentil soup baked potato boiled beets stewed cabbage mashed squash cracked wheat graham raised biscuit cream crisps stewed fruit farina blancmange with mock cream third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat bread cream crisps graham puffs lemon apples macaroni with cream sauce stewed fruit dinner velvet soup mashed potato mashed peas vegetable hash graham grits graham bread sticks toasted wafers stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush gravy toast toasted wafers currant puffs baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup boiled potato with cream sauce browned parsnips baked turnip pearl wheat whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit almond cornstarch pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal porridge cream toast zwieback whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers macaroni with egg sauce stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup potato snowballs carrots with egg sauce mashed beans rolled wheat fruit loaf crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit apple tart sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast graham rolls fruit bread bean gems stewed fruit dinner vegetable broth baked potato scalloped vegetable oysters hulled corn pearl barley toasted wafers zwieback whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit floating islands oranges sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat with raisins blackberry toast graham raised biscuit toasted wafers breakfast rolls stewed fruit baked sour apples dinner canned green corn soup stewed potato macaroni with tomato sauce rice buns toasted wafers beaten biscuit stewed fruit bread custard almonds seventh week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup steamed potatoes with cream sauce baked parsnips scalloped beans browned rice toasted wafers whole wheat puffs graham crisps stewed fruit. cocoanut blancmange or fresh fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit rice with lentil gravy snowflake toast crusts toasted wafers corn puffs baked apples stewed fruit dinner combination soup baked potato mashed squash turnips in juice graham grits graham crisps whole-wheat bread zwieback stewed fruit orange float third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat lentil toast granola toasted wafers graham puffs creamed potatoes celery stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup mashed potatoes scalloped vegetable oysters macaroni with tomato sauce cracked wheat corn bread whole-wheat puffs graham crackers stewed fruit apples or bananas fourth day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush apple toast rye bread pop overs toasted wafers roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner brown soup baked potatoes carrots with egg sauce mashed peas corn meal cubes with hot cream rye bread graham sticks stewed fruit farina fruit mold fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats dry toast with hot cream corn puffs toasted wafers rye bread steamed figs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup boiled potato with brown sauce baked cabbage stewed corn rolled rye currant puffs toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit date pudding with lemon sauce sixth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge snowflake toast zwieback whole-wheat puffs crescents boiled macaroni baked apples stewed fruit dinner corn soup steamed potatoes with cream sauce stewed lima beans baked beets pearl wheat vienna bread graham crisps oatmeal gems stewed fruit apple manioca or fresh fruit sabbath breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast currant buns toasted wafers citron apples stewed fruit dinner canned pea soup stewed potato succotash graham grits whole-wheat bread toasted wafers graham rolls with fruit jelly stewed fruit bananas eighth week first day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge peach toast whole-wheat puffs whole-wheat bread granola toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner vegetable soup potato rice scalloped tomatoes mashed parsnips boiled wheat zwieback whole-wheat bread sally lunn gems stewed fruit oranges and nuts second day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce gravy toast hoe cake toasted wafers whole-wheat bread stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup boiled potatoes mashed turnips canned green peas pearl barley fruit loaf beaten biscuit farina blancmange with fruit sauce stewed fruit third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal banana toast corn puffs toasted beaten biscuit baked apples stewed fruit dinner lentil and parsnip soup scalloped potato chopped cabbage hulled corn graham apple mash graham puffs fruit bread toasted wafers stewed fruit grape apples fourth day breakfast fresh fruit brewis cream toast macaroni with cream sauce corn puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dates dinner tomato and macaroni soup potato puffs stewed split peas sliced beets crusts graham bread fruit rolls molded cracked wheat with fruit juice stewed fruit bananas fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits prune toast peas puree fruit rolls rye gems baked apples stewed fruit dinner potato soup with vermicelli boiled potato with brown sauce mashed squash baked beans pearl wheat graham bread toasted wafers granola gems stewed fruit apple tart sixth day breakfast fresh fruit wheat porridge gravy toast graham puffs hoe cake toasted wafers lemon apples stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup steamed potato stewed corn macaroni baked with granola graham grits whole-wheat bread bean gems toasted wafers stewed fruit orange custard sabbath breakfast fresh fruit orange rice strawberry toast beaten biscuit fruit bread roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner creamed corn soup creamed potatoes macaroni with tomato baked wheat beaten biscuit fruit bread toasted wafers stewed fruit cocoanut layer cake california grapes ninth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates gravy toast graham gems toasted beaten biscuit whole-wheat bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup mashed potato stewed lima beans baked beets graham grits graham gems whole-wheat bread graham crackers stewed fruit snowball custard or fresh fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gruel, with croutons apple and prune toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers lemon apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean and tapioca soup beet hash stewed vegetable oysters mashed peas with tomato sauce rice with raisins raised biscuit cream crisps stewed fruit apple rose cream third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast raised biscuits crusts toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner scalloped potatoes cabbage celery stewed tomato baked squash pearl wheat whole-wheat bread graham crackers whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit rice fruit pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat apple toast breakfast rolls whole-wheat bread steamed figs stewed fruit dinner black bean soup mashed potato scalloped potato baked parsnips rolled rye toasted rolls whole-wheat bread currant puffs stewed fruit baked apple loaf fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs date bread toasted wafers granola stewed fruit dinner parsnip soup baked potato with cream sauce mashed lentils with beans boiled macaroni farina whole-wheat bread cream crisps stewed fruit apple and fig tapioca sixth day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush lentil toast cream crisps date bread graham puffs baked apples stewed fruit dinner macaroni soup stewed split peas scalloped turnip browned rice corn meal mush rolls whole-wheat bread toasted wafers stewed fruit farina custard or fresh fruit sabbath breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush prune toast graham fruit bread toasted rolls baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner tomato cream soup potato cakes stewed corn steamed rice beaten biscuits buns stewed fruit apple pie or fresh fruit tenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes dry toast with hot cream toasted beaten biscuits corn cakes granola stewed fruit dinner potato soup scalloped beans macaroni baked with granola graham grits graham crisps pop overs whole-wheat bread stewed fruit stewed fruit pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal strawberry toast french rolls toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner combination soup scalloped potato browned parsnips hulled corn graham apple mush rye bread zwieback whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit cocoanut cornstarch pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gravy toast graham gems rye bread toasted wafers steamed figs stewed fruit dinner parsnip soup no. . boiled potatoes with tomato cream sauce mashed peas chopped cabbage pearl barley crusts corn dodgers graham crackers stewed fruit cream rice pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats blackberry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup potato rice succotash stewed tomato cracked wheat with raisins rye bread sticks graham puffs stewed fruit bread pudding or fresh fruit fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye cream toast graham gems hoe cake toasted wafers baked potato with cream gravy roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner lentil soup steamed potato with brown sauce cabbage celery carrots with egg sauce macaroni with kornlet farina graham bread toasted wafers currant puffs stewed fruit baked apples with whipped cream sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat with dates boiled macaroni graham biscuits breakfast rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner carrot soup baked potatoes mashed turnips baked squash hominy graham bread toasted rolls whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit banana shortcake nuts sabbath breakfast fresh fruit boiled wheat grape toast fruit bread beaten biscuits citron apples stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup browned potatoes canned green peas steamed rice fruit bread toasted wafers beaten biscuit stewed fruit almond cream eleventh week first day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuits macaroni with raisins steamed figs stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup scalloped potatoes mashed parsnips hulled corn mixed mush rye gems corn bread toasted wafers stewed fruit apple custard or fresh fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush apricot toast graham gems corn bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup mashed potato scalloped turnip stewed split peas farina fruit mush whole-wheat bread sally lunn gems zwieback stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit parched farinose tomato toast whole-wheat bread toasted wafers pop overs browned corn meal mush baked apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup stewed potatoes chopped beets mashed lima beans pearl wheat pulled bread toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit bread and fruit custard fourth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup boiled potato cabbage and tomato mashed peas rice cream rolls whole-wheat bread stewed fruit tapioca lemon jelly fifth day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal gruel with croutons boiled macaroni graham gems rolls whole-wheat bread baked potato with gravy cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup mashed potato carrots with egg sauce scalloped tomato graham grits graham bread buns cream crisps stewed fruit dried apple pie or fresh fruit sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye graham bread breakfast rolls potato cakes peas puree baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup boiled potato with cream sauce succotash macaroni with tomato sauce rolled wheat with raisins graham puffs whole-wheat bread toasted wafers stewed fruit graham grits pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast fruit rolls graham biscuit baked apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup stewed potato cold sliced beets kornlet steamed rice graham bread toasted wafers fruit rolls stewed fruit fresh fruit and nuts twelfth week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers baked potato with cream sauce steamed eggs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed potatoes scalloped tomatoes stewed cabbage pearl barley cream crisps graham bread stewed fruit farina blancmange with cocoanut sauce second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal apple and apricot toast cream rolls graham bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup potato rice creamed parsnips chopped turnip graham mush crusts graham bread cream rolls stewed fruit prune and tapioca pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush with fruit cream toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers parker house rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner vegetable broth baked potato and brown sauce boiled beets corn and tomato graham grits mush rolls whole-wheat bread sally lunn gems stewed fruit cream rice pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge prune toast toasted rolls whole-wheat bread citron apples stewed fruit dinner tomato and vermicelli soup beet hash mashed peas macaroni with kornlet orange rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers currant puffs stewed fruit apple sago pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed potatoes pease cakes with tomato sauce stewed fruit dinner black bean soup no. . mashed potato mashed parsnips stewed corn rolled rye corn bread toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit banana dessert sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats blackberry toast macaroni with raisins pop overs toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner potato soup potato puff scalloped tomato baked beans cracked wheat graham bread sticks currant puffs stewed fruit malaga grapes sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat tomato toast buns beaten biscuit baked apples cup custard stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup stewed potato canned string beans boiled wheat whole-wheat bread toasted wafers buns lemon shortcake nuts thirteenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates cream toast breakfast rolls with fruit jelly toasted wafers whole-wheat bread stewed fruit dinner bean and potato soup mashed potato beets with cream sauce macaroni baked with granola pearl barley with raisins toasted rolls whole-wheat bread rye gems stewed fruit lemon apples with whipped cream second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge poached eggs on toast graham puffs toasted wafers potato cakes cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner swiss lentil soup mashed potato cabbage salad mashed turnip graham grits graham bread cream crisps stewed fruit baked apple dessert third day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush snowflake toast oatmeal gems toasted wafers fruit bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner potato soup baked potatoes with tomato cream sauce mashed or stewed peas canned corn graham mush pulled bread fruit bread graham crackers stewed fruit apple tart fourth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge dry toast with hot cream graham bread toasted wafers corn puffs creamed potatoes stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup potato rice tomato and macaroni hulled corn rice graham bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit raised pie or fresh fruit fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat apple toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers breakfast rolls baked bananas stewed fruit dinner brown soup creamed potatoes chopped turnips parsnips with cream sauce cracked wheat toasted rolls date bread whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit rice cream pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes prune toast macaroni with egg sauce date bread toasted wafers graham gems baked apples stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup boiled potatoes macaroni and lentil gravy stewed carrots graham grits cream crisps rye gems stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats gravy toast breakfast rolls toasted wafers fruit bread cup custard baked apples stewed fruit dinner tomato soup with vermicelli warmed-over potato canned green peas cold sliced beets rolled wheat whole-wheat bread beaten biscuit stewed fruit prune pie fruit fourteenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit rice with steamed figs cream toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls fruit bread granola stewed fruit dinner canned corn soup baked potatoes with cream sauce scalloped tomatoes mashed peas browned rice whole-wheat bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit stewed fruit pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal peach toast cream rolls whole-wheat bread graham gems dates stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup creamed potatoes baked cabbage macaroni with tomato sauce hominy toasted rolls corn puffs whole-wheat bread stewed fruit fruit cornstarch pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers parker house rolls lemon apples stewed fruit dinner bean and hominy soup mashed potatoes mashed lentils turnips with cream sauce farina vienna bread sally lunn gems toasted wafers stewed fruit banana dessert or fresh fruit fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats lentil toast currant puffs breakfast rolls graham bread potato cakes granola stewed fruit dinner tomato cream soup scalloped potatoes baked or stewed beans macaroni baked with granola rice vienna bread toasted rolls whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit prune dessert nuts fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat gravy toast graham bread breakfast rolls rice and corn cakes baked apples roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup mashed potato mashed parsnips succotash graham grits raised corn bread graham gems toasted rolls stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gruel with croutons strawberry toast macaroni with raisins cream rolls corn bread graham puffs stewed fruit dinner swiss lentil soup potato cakes chopped cabbage stewed corn and tomatoes pearl barley toasted rolls graham bread pop overs stewed fruit bread pudding or fresh fruit sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast currant buns beaten biscuit toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit white custard in cups dinner cream barley soup baked potatoes with tomato cream sauce stewed lima beans rice graham bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit apple pie oranges fifteenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham fruit mush dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuit graham bread baked bananas stewed fruit dinner bean and potato soup mashed potato cabbage celery scalloped tomato lentil puree cerealine graham bread corn puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread macaroni with cream sauce granola stewed fruit dinner canned corn soup broiled potato stewed parsnips mashed peas farina with maple syrup graham puffs cream crisps stewed fruit lemon apples with almond sauce third day breakfast fresh fruit rice with lentil gravy poached egg on toast whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls granola stewed fruit dinner cream rice soup boiled potato mashed turnip pease cakes with tomato sauce graham grits rye bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit oatmeal blancmange nuts fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat apple and apricot toast macaroni with tomato sauce breakfast rolls rye bread graham puffs roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup baked potatoes with tomato cream sauce hulled corn boiled beets boiled wheat with lemon sauce toasted rolls currant puffs rye bread stewed fruit tapioca custard fifth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner carrot soup scalloped potato mashed beans cold boiled beets, sliced rolled rye graham bread whole-wheat puffs graham crackers stewed fruit cornstarch with raisins sixth day breakfast fresh fruit frumenty blueberry toast breakfast rolls corn puffs toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner combination soup mashed potatoes stewed split peas cabbage salad cracked wheat with raisins toasted rolls currant puffs graham bread stewed fruit rice snowball sabbath breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal blackberry toast raised corn bread crescents fruit rolls citron apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup canned string beans or kornlet macaroni, tomato sauce rice with oranges fruit rolls graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit nuts sixteenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush cream toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls graham bread steamed figs stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup potato rice chopped beets egg and macaroni pearl wheat graham bread sally lunn gems toasted wafers stewed fruit cottage cheese nuts second day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes grape toast graham bread whole-wheat puffs cream rolls stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup baked potatoes stewed cabbage stewed dried corn rolled wheat graham bread rye gems toasted rolls stewed fruit rice meringue third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers fruit bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner corn soup cabbage hash stewed split peas scalloped tomato steamed rice graham bread cream crisps oatmeal gems stewed fruit prune dessert fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast breakfast rolls whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers cottage cheese baked apples stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup baked potatoes succotash macaroni baked with granola farina with maple syrup graham bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit lemon apples with cocoanut sauce fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat prune toast corn puffs graham bread toasted wafers plain omelet stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup potato snowballs baked turnips lentil puree with lemon browned rice graham crisps currant puffs stewed fruit corn meal pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye gravy toast macaroni with egg sauce whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner lentil and parsnip soup boiled potatoes with brown sauce chopped beets mashed peas graham grits toasted rolls graham puffs stewed fruit farina custard sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce peach toast sticks fruit crackers graham bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner canned pea soup stewed potato canned okra and tomatoes boiled wheat toasted wafers graham raised biscuit stewed fruit pineapple tapioca nuts seventeenth week. first day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice strawberry toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup mashed potato scalloped beans macaroni with tomato rolled rye graham bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit bread custard second day breakfast fresh fruit graham apple mush tomato toast whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner brown soup boiled potatoes with cream sauce chopped cabbage mashed lentils pearl wheat with raisins graham bread toasted wafers granola gems stewed fruit apple custard third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal lentil toast toasted rolls graham crackers currant puffs stewed potatoes cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner black bean soup mashed potatoes canned green peas boiled macaroni pearl wheat oatmeal crisps whole-wheat puffs graham bread stewed fruit cornstarch meringue or fresh fruit fourth day breakfast fresh fruit wheat porridge with croutons banana toast molded rice with custard sauce whole-wheat puffs sticks stewed fruit dinner potato soup baked potatoes with brown sauce mashed turnips stewed split peas pearl barley with raisins whole-wheat bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit prune and tapioca pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls granola roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner split pea soup creamed potatoes scalloped tomatoes chopped beets graham grits pop overs toasted wafers graham fruit bread stewed fruit rice cream pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit mixed mush snowflake toast macaroni with tomato sauce toasted rolls fruit bread corn puffs stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup mashed potato macaroni with kornlet stewed carrots rolled rye whole-wheat bread mush rolls graham gems stewed fruit cornstarch blancmange with fruit sauce sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast graham raised biscuits toasted rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner tomato soup with vermicelli broiled potato canned corn whole-wheat bread beaten biscuit rolled wheat stewed fruit custard pie eighteenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit granola banana mush gravy toast macaroni with egg sauce whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuits stewed fruit dinner corn soup mashed potatoes spinach stewed lima beans graham grits whole-wheat bread toasted wafers crusts stewed fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal apricot toast toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs cream rolls lettuce stewed fruit dinner bean soup steamed potatoes stewed asparagus scalloped tomato pearl wheat whole-wheat bread sticks graham puffs stewed fruit graham grits pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge with croutons blueberry toast macaroni with cream sauce toasted rolls whole-wheat puffs steamed figs stewed fruit dinner macaroni soup potato rice stewed cabbage pearl barley whole-wheat bread oatmeal crisps currant puffs egg sandwich cottage cheese stewed fruit molded tapioca fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers granola lettuce stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup cabbage hash asparagus points boiled macaroni browned rice graham bread sally lunn gems mush rolls stewed fruit fig pudding with orange sauce fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast macaroni with kornlet whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls graham bread stewed fruit dinner potato soup boiled potatoes with tomato cream sauce mashed peas spinach graham bread crusts toasted wafers rolled rye stewed fruit nuts sixth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge snowflake toast rye puffs toasted wafers breakfast rolls almonds stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed potatoes lettuce egg and macaroni farina whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers oatmeal bread stewed fruit prune whip sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat prune toast plain buns oatmeal bread cream rolls toasted wafers cup custard stewed fruit dinner canned green pea soup creamed potato mashed lima beans steamed rice oatmeal bread fruit rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit banana dessert nineteenth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mash with dates cream toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls baked potato with cream sauce lettuce stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup scalloped potatoes stewed asparagus egg sandwich granola fruit mush rice and corn cakes cream rolls toasted wafers almond cornstarch pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats asparagus toast toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner potato soup boiled potato mashed peas scalloped tomato pearl wheat sally lunn gems graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit custard pie third day breakfast fresh fruit steamed rice lentil toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers lettuce stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup mashed potatoes radishes asparagus with cream sauce macaroni baked with granola cracked wheat whole-wheat bread zwieback graham puffs stewed fruit rice cream pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat tomato toast whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner asparagus soup baked potato with cream sauce mashed beans lettuce farina whole-wheat bread oatmeal crisps graham gems stewed fruit molded wheat with fruit sauce fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush peach toast whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls toasted wafers steamed figs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potatoes spinach succotash rolled rye toasted wafers graham bread currant puffs stewed fruit farina fruit mold sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gravy toast macaroni with cream sauce cream rolls graham bread rye gems lettuce stewed fruit dinner corn and bean soup boiled potatoes fresh or canned green peas scalloped tomatoes cracked wheat with raisins toasted wafers cream rolls whole-wheat bread stewed fruit plain custard sabbath breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal prune toast beaten biscuit toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner asparagus soup stewed potato macaroni with tomato fruit bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers rice stewed fruit pineapple twentieth week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted beaten biscuit lettuce stewed fruit dinner potato soup baked potatoes with tomato cream sauce stewed split peas spinach boiled wheat whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers fruit bread stewed fruit cocoanut cornstarch pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits asparagus toast macaroni with egg sauce whole-wheat puffs cream crisps stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup scalloped potatoes hulled corn asparagus with egg sauce graham grits whole-wheat bread graham puffs cream crisps stewed fruit banana custard third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats snowflake toast breakfast rolls rye gems toasted wafers steamed figs stewed fruit dinner tomato and rice soup mashed potatoes lettuce stewed lima beans hominy graham bread toasted wafers crusts stewed fruit snowball custard fourth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge berry toast macaroni with cream sauce graham crisps hominy gems lettuce stewed fruit dinner asparagus soup baked potatoes scalloped tomatoes stewed corn graham grits graham bread bean gems toasted wafers stewed fruit prune dessert fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with raisins tomato toast graham gems toasted wafers cream rolls cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner corn and tomato soup creamed potatoes mashed peas spinach cracked wheat toasted wafers sally lunn gems stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat asparagus toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers toasted rolls cup custard stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup mashed potatoes stewed asparagus lettuce macaroni with tomato sauce baked barley whole-wheat bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit molded rice with fruit sauce sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye prune toast cream rolls fruit bread toasted wafers roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner kornlet soup canned okra and tomato mashed peas rice fruit bread beaten biscuit stewed fruit pineapple tapioca twenty-first week first day breakfast fresh fruit farina with fig sauce snowflake toast corn puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner kornlet and tomato soup stuffed potato stewed beans macaroni with egg sauce cracked wheat with raisins graham bread whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit cornstarch blancmange second day breakfast fresh fruit frumenty dry toast with hot cream pease paree breakfast rolls graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner bean and tapioca soup baked potato with pease gravy stewed dried corn scalloped tomato browned rice graham bread rolls rye gems stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit granola mush dried apple and apricot toast raised biscuit breakfast rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner macaroni soup mashed potato succotash canned green peas whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers fruit roll stewed fruit lemon cornstarch pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit jellied oatmeal lentil toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers lettuce stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup boiled potato with tomato cream sauce mashed lentils with beans macaroni with tomato sauce hominy fruit rolls graham crisps stewed fruit rice snowball fifth day breakfast fresh fruit orange rice gravy toast macaroni with cream sauce graham crisps whole-wheat puffs graham bread stewed fruit dinner bean and hominy soup potato puff stewed split peas stewed asparagus pearl barley with lemon sauce graham bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit orange float sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rye mush prune toast graham bread corn puffs toasted wafers cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner black bean soup stewed potato spinach stewed corn and tomato graham grits raised corn bread toasted wafers graham puffs stewed fruit farina fruit mold sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats grape toast currant buns beaten biscuit toasted wafers lettuce stewed fruit dinner canned green pea soup stewed potato macaroni with kornlet rice beaten biscuit graham bread stewed fruit loaf cake bananas twenty-second week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuit steamed figs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed potatoes spinach stewed dried corn rolled wheat graham bread rye gems sticks bread custard stewed fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal dry toast with hot cream macaroni with raisins graham gems toasted wafers steamed figs stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup boiled potatoes scalloped tomato mashed lima beans boiled wheat graham bread rye puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit macaroni pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge prune toast breakfast rolls whole-wheat puffs graham crackers lettuce stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup mashed potatoes stewed split peas radishes asparagus with cream sauce rolled wheat whole-wheat bread currant puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit fresh fruit fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce gravy toast toasted rolls graham bread crusts stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup broiled potato lettuce hominy egg and macaroni oatmeal bread sally lunn gems graham crisps stewed fruit molded wheat with fruit sauce fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits poached egg on toast hominy gems graham crisps toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner macaroni soup mashed potato stewed asparagus scalloped beans cracked wheat oatmeal bread cream rolls graham gems stewed fruit stewed fruit pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham gruel with croutons asparagus toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls potato cakes lettuce stewed fruit dinner potato soup baked potatoes spinach succotash granola fruit mush currant puffs sticks graham bread stewed fruit tapioca jelly sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat prune toast fruit bread cream rolls graham crisps lettuce stewed fruit dinner tomato with vermicelli soup mashed peas creamed potato lettuce browned rice fruit bread beaten biscuit stewed fruit custard pie twenty-third week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes banana toast beaten biscuit graham puffs lettuce stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potato with brown sauce scalloped tomato asparagus with egg sauce graham grits fruit bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit banana shortcake second day breakfast fresh fruit jellied oatmeal asparagus toast graham gems cream mush rolls stewed fruit dinner cream rice soup baked beans stewed dried corn lettuce cracked wheat with raisins crusts toasted wafers raised biscuit stewed fruit almond cream third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush snowflake toast whole-wheat bread toasted wafers currant puffs cup custard stewed fruit dinner bean and tapioca soup mashed potato green peas macaroni baked with granola rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers crusts stewed fruit floating islands fourth day breakfast fresh fruit mixed mush tomato toast whole-wheat bread graham puffs toasted wafers lettuce stewed fruit dinner split pea soup potato cakes spinach macaroni with tomato sauce rolled rye sally lunn gems cream mush rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit cocoanut rice custard fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat prune toast whole-wheat bread toasted rolls graham gems stewed fruit dinner brown soup baked potato stewed asparagus mashed lentils with beans graham grits whole-wheat bread cream crisps stewed fruit farina pie sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits porridge with croutons asparagus toast whole-wheat puffs cream crisps crescents stewed fruit white custard in cups dinner cream barley soup steamed potato green peas stewed corn and tomato granola fruit mush graham gems cream crisps graham bread stewed fruit banana dessert sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye grape toast macaroni with cream sauce crescents fruit rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner tomato soup with vermicelli stewed asparagus mashed peas rice with raisins graham biscuit fruit rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit nuts twenty-fourth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with figs gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls graham bread roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner vegetable broth with croutons baked potato asparagus points cauliflower with tomato sauce rolled rye whole-wheat bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit rice meringue second day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush cream toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers fruit crackers fresh strawberries dinner asparagus soup scalloped potatoes spinach with cream stewed corn cottage cheese pearl barley sticks graham gems whole-wheat bread stewed fruit farina custard third day breakfast fresh fruit graham gruel with croutons snowflake toast graham puff toasted wafers breakfast rolls strawberries dinner cream barley soup stewed potatoes asparagus with green peas scalloped tomato graham bread toasted wafers currant puffs stewed or fresh berries oatmeal blancmange with fruit sauce fourth day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice tomato toast boiled macaroni whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls lettuce stewed fruit dinner lentil soup mashed potatoes green peas macaroni baked with granola graham grits whole-wheat bread whole-wheat puffs graham crisps fresh or stewed berries bread custard fifth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls strawberries dinner plain rice soup potato cakes mashed split peas stewed corn and tomato pearl wheat whole-wheat bread toasted rolls graham gems stewed fruit strawberry shortcake sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats fresh berry toast whole-wheat bread graham crusts toasted wafers lettuce fresh or stewed berries dinner corn and bean soup baked potato boiled macaroni asparagus with egg sauce rolled wheat whole-wheat bread toasted wafers rye gems strawberries lemon cornstarch pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat prune toast graham raised biscuit toasted wafers cream rolls cup custard strawberries dinner green pea soup canned okra and tomato stewed asparagus rice fruit rolls graham bread toasted wafers strawberries sliced pineapple twenty-fifth week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes fresh berry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls graham bread lettuce stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup mashed potato mashed peas macaroni with tomato sauce rolled wheat graham bread sally lunn gems sticks stewed fruit gooseberry tart second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye dry toast with hot cream lettuce whole-wheat puffs sticks toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries dinner cream pea soup potato cakes spinach scalloped tomato boiled wheat whole-wheat bread rye puffs toasted wafers strawberries molded rice with strawberry sauce third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush prune toast cream rolls fruit bread toasted wafers lettuce strawberries dinner swiss potato soup boiled potato with tomato cream sauce green peas macaroni with kornlet molded wheat with fruit sauce fruit bread whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers cherries on stems fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gruel with croutons gravy toast rice with lentil gravy whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup baked potato string beans asparagus with egg sauce baked barley currant puffs graham bread toasted wafers strawberries slice pineapple fifth day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice grape toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers cream rolls lettuce fresh or stewed berries dinner swiss lentil soup baked potato green peas summer squash farina with bananas whole-wheat bread toasted rolls graham gems strawberry shortcake sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats cream toast macaroni with tomato sauce graham gems toasted wafers cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner green pea soup mashed potato scalloped cauliflower stewed lima beans graham grits toasted wafers currant puffs oatmeal bread stewed fruit farina blancmange with cocoanut sauce sabbath breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush snowflake toast beaten biscuit date bread toasted wafers strawberries dinner canned corn soup potato cakes string beans rice date bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit strawberry pie twenty-sixth week first day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush strawberry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuit stewed fruit dinner string bean soup mashed potato mashed peas chopped cabbage boiled wheat whole-wheat bread cream crisps toasted wafers stewed fruit tapioca dessert with strawberries second day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge gravy toast whole-wheat bread cream crisps lettuce breakfast rolls and currant jelly dinner pea and tomato soup baked potato summer squash browned cauliflower pearl wheat crusts white bread toasted wafers stewed fruit strawberry sandwich third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush cherry toast whole-wheat puffs white bread graham crackers strawberries dinner potato soup green peas mashed lentils lettuce browned rice whole-wheat bread rye gems graham crisps stewed fruit cherry tart fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits fresh berry toast graham crisps graham bread french rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner bean and potato soup mashed potato cauliflower with tomato sauce macaroni baked with granola cracked wheat with raisins graham bread cream mush rolls whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit farina blancmange fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls graham bread lettuce stewed fruit dinner tomato and vermicelli soup broiled potato succotash summer squash pearl barley cream rolls crusts zwieback graham bread rice cream pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes prune toast cottage cheese cream rolls toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup boiled potato mashed split peas scalloped tomato farina with banana toasted wafers graham puffs stewed fruit strawberry minute pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat banana toast currant buns toasted wafers breakfast rolls strawberries dinner cream pea soup stewed potato string beans rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers cream rolls stewed fruit fresh cherries banana dessert twenty-seventh week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush cream toast boiled macaroni whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls fresh or stewed berries dinner potato soup with vermicelli mashed potato beet greens pease cakes with tomato sauce pearl wheat white bread graham crisps currant puffs stewed fruit prune whip second day breakfast fresh fruit boiled wheat fresh berry toast whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls toasted wafers roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup broiled potatoes summer squash cauliflower with tomato sauce graham grits graham bread crusts fruit crackers toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries fruit shape third day breakfast fresh fruit rice snowflake toast graham gems toasted wafers fruit rolls fresh berries dinner lentil soup mashed potato green peas scalloped tomatoes browned rice fruit rolls toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit fresh cherries fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat tomato toast toasted fruit rolls graham puffs lettuce stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup beets and potato string beans pearl barley pop overs graham bread toasted wafers fresh or stewed fruit gooseberry tart fifth day breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat porridge with croutons macaroni with raisins whole-wheat puffs breakfast rolls graham crackers lettuce stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup baked potato spinach green peas cracked wheat rye puffs oatmeal bread graham crisps fruit foam sixth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine fresh berry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls graham crisps roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner green pea soup mashed potato stewed lima beans stewed dried or fresh corn rice oatmeal bread whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit strawberry shortcake sabbath breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush gravy toast fruit rolls raised biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit baked bananas dinner tomato and vermicelli soup broiled potato macaroni with cream sauce browned rice beaten biscuit fruit rolls strawberries nuts twenty-eighth week first day breakfast fresh fruit rice with raisins cherry toast toasted beaten biscuit graham puffs stewed or fresh berries dinner cream barley soup baked potatoes with tomato cream sauce summer squash green peas cracked wheat graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit rice and strawberry dessert second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread lettuce stewed fruit dinner green pea soup macaroni baked with granola string beans lettuce boiled wheat cream rolls graham bread stewed fruit berry sandwich (prepared like apple sandwich) third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye fresh berry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread cup custard stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup creamed potato mashed peas cottage cheese pearly wheat graham bread toasted wafers crusts stewed fruit farina fruit mold fourth day breakfast fresh fruit molded rice with fresh berries dry toast with hot cream graham raised biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup mashed potato beet greens stewed dried corn graham grits graham puffs toasted wafers vienna bread stewed fruit fruit tapioca fifth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge snowflake toast vienna bread crusts toasted wafers lettuce stewed or fresh berries dinner potato and sago soup stewed lima beans radishes boiled macaroni hominy cream rolls graham bread stewed fruit berry shortcake with prepared cream sixth day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush tomato toast french rolls graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner lentil soup mashed potato string beans canned kornlet cream rolls graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit red sago mold sabbath breakfast fresh fruit cerealine prune toast fruit bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers steamed figs cottage cheese stewed or fresh berries dinner string bean soup macaroni with egg sauce new beets with lemon dressing rice beaten biscuit toasted wafers plain buns stewed fruit fruit and nuts twenty-ninth week first day breakfast fresh fruit brewis tomato toast whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuit lettuce stewed fruit dinner potato soup mashed peas beet greens pearl wheat whole-wheat bread buns toasted wafers stewed fruit banana dessert second day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine dry toast with hot cream fresh tomato salad graham crisps whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup steamed potato string beans baked cabbage graham grits graham crisps whole-wheat bread pop overs stewed fruit cream rice pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush strawberry toast graham crisps whole-wheat puffs molded rice with currant sauce dinner lentil soup new beets and potato summer squash green peas farina crusts graham bread toasted wafers fresh berries stewed fruit pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit snowflake toast rice with lentil gravy graham raised biscuits breakfast rolls toasted wafers fresh or stewed berries dinner cream barley soup mashed potato scalloped egg plant cauliflower with tomato sauce molded wheat with fruit sauce cream rolls graham puffs toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries raspberry manioca pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat gravy toast cream rolls currant puffs toasted wafers radishes stewed fruit dinner string bean soup scalloped potato baked beets spinach boiled wheat with lemon sauce whole-wheat bread toasted rolls graham gems fresh berries prune dessert sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham gruel with croutons fresh berry toast fruit crackers breakfast rolls graham bread stewed or fresh berries dinner green pea soup creamed potato cabbage salad macaroni baked with granola rolled rye whole-wheat bread toasted wafers beaten biscuit berry pie sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats fresh black raspberry toast graham bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit cup custard dinner tomato and macaroni soup stewed potato string beans boiled wheat with raisins fruit rolls toasted wafers graham bread fresh berries bananas thirtieth week first day breakfast fresh fruit farina with bananas gravy toast whole-wheat bread fruit rolls toasted beaten biscuit stewed or fresh berries dinner baked bean soup stewed potato green peas lettuce graham grits graham puffs cream crisps black raspberries rice custard shape second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats banana toast graham gems sticks toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries dinner velvet soup baked potato mashed peas macaroni with tomato pearl wheat currant puffs toasted wafers vienna bread stewed fruit farina blancmange with raspberry juice third day breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat fresh raspberry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers parker house rolls lettuce stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup browned potatoes chopped cabbage green corn rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers graham gems stewed fruit black raspberry shortcake fourth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs graham crisps cup custard fresh berries dinner black bean soup mashed potato mashed turnip string beans graham mush graham bread cream rolls pop overs stewed fruit raspberry tapioca fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits cream toast fresh tomatoes whole-wheat bread toasted wafers cream rolls stewed fruit dinner celery soup no. broiled potato beet greens scalloped cauliflower pearl wheat whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham fruit bread fresh berries snow pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge prune toast cottage cheese cream rolls fruit bread toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries dinner lima bean soup steamed potato boiled beets scalloped egg plant cracked what fruit bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye fresh berry toast beaten biscuit graham puffs cup custard stewed fruit dinner green corn soup mashed peas cold boiled beets, sliced rice with raisins buns beaten biscuit toasted wafers nuts fresh or stewed fruit thirty-first week first day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice snowflake toast macaroni with raisins graham crackers graham puffs buns stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup potato rice baked corn celery graham grits currant puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed or fresh fruit red rice mold second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat gravy toast boiled macaroni with cottage cheese graham bread rye puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner brown soup baked potatoes green peas beet greens boiled wheat graham biscuit crusts toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries rice custard pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates cream toast graham puffs sticks pulled bread stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup mashed potato string beans summer squash cracked wheat with whortleberries pulled bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit watermelon fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast toasted wafers graham bread stewed or fresh berried cream graham rolls with raspberry jelly dinner string bean soup stewed split peas beets and potato pearl wheat graham bread toasted rolls rye gems stewed fruit whortleberry pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits celery toast graham gems cream rolls toasted wafers fresh berries dinner swiss potato soup stewed lima beans lettuce boiled macaroni whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls fruit crackers fresh berries fruit tapioca sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with lemon fresh berry toast cream mush rolls graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner bean and potato soup green corn pulp stewed potato chopped turnip graham grits pop overs graham bread toasted wafers fresh berries cream rice pudding stewed fruit sabbath breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat with blueberries prune toast graham crisps raised biscuit stewed fruit dinner green or canned pea soup creamed potato kornlet celery graham grits whole-wheat bread fruit rolls stewed fruit fresh fruit thirty-second week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush fresh black raspberry toast fresh tomatoes whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers fruit rolls stewed or fresh berries dinner cream rice soup boiled potato with brown sauce green corn pulp string beans pearl wheat with whortleberries graham gems cream crisps stewed fruit raspberry manioca pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gravy toast lettuce breakfast rolls whortleberry gems toasted wafers fresh or stewed berries dinner green corn soup beets and potato scalloped egg plant boiled wheat graham bread toasted wafers crusts stewed or fresh berries whortleberry pie third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal dry toast with hot cream fresh tomatoes graham puffs breakfast rolls stewed or fresh berries raspberry jelly dinner tomato cream soup potato rice stewed lima beans radishes green corn pudding graham mush with berries graham gems oatmeal crisps graham bread stewed fruit cream rice pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat tomato toast oatmeal crisps graham bread baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup mashed potato scalloped cauliflower mashed peas graham grits graham bread toasted wafers whortleberry gems stewed or fresh fruit molded tapioca fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits gruel with croutons fresh berry toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread breakfast rolls lettuce baked sweet apples fresh berries dinner cream pea soup cracked potato scalloped turnip beet greens cracked wheat with blackberries graham bread toasted rolls crusts fresh or stewed fruit banana dessert sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with blueberries gravy toast fresh tomatoes french rolls toasted wafers graham puffs fresh or stewed fruit dinner vegetable broth baked potato summer squash boiled beets, sliced, with cream sauce pearl barley graham bread whortleberry gems toasted wafers fresh berries damsons sabbath breakfast fresh fruit blackberry mush prune toast crusts toasted wafers graham bread baked sweet apples fresh berries dinner tomato and vermicelli soup stewed potato cold sliced beets green corn pulp rice graham bread toasted wafers beaten biscuit stewed fruit blackberry pie thirty-third week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes snowflake toast beaten biscuit graham bread toasted wafers fresh berries dinner green pea soup scalloped potato boiled corn cauliflower with egg sauce graham grits graham puffs toasted wafers sliced peaches nuts second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye cream toast whortleberry gems toasted wafers cream rolls fresh blackberries dinner pea and tomato soup baked potato string beans macaroni with tomato sauce farina with banana cream rolls toasted wafers graham puffs stewed fruit plums and peaches third day breakfast fresh fruit rice with peaches blackberry toast fresh tomatoes whole-wheat puffs sticks toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner string bean soup mashed potato baked green corn scalloped egg plant graham grits whole-wheat bread graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit fresh fruit fourth day breakfast fresh fruit blackberry mush tomato toast baked sweet apples graham gems toasted wafers raised graham biscuit fresh berries dinner celery soup no. boiled potato macaroni baked with granola succotash browned rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers graham puffs stewed fruit blackberry cornstarch pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge berry toast beaten biscuit graham bread toasted wafers baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup scalloped potato chopped cabbage mashed peas rice graham bread sticks stewed or fresh berries bread custard sixth day breakfast fresh fruit granola apple mush gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham fruit rolls stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup boiled potatoes green corn sliced tomatoes cracked wheat with blackberries graham bread fruit rolls rye gems sliced peaches pears sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast sliced tomatoes fruit bread cream crisps stewed or sliced peaches dinner green corn soup boiled macaroni stewed tomatoes rice fruit bread cream crisps toasted wafers stewed or fresh fruit blackberry or peach pie thirty-fourth week first day breakfast fresh fruit blackberry mush gravy toast graham puffs fruit bread toasted wafers baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner tomato cream soup potato snowballs stewed corn stewed lima beans rolled wheat rye puffs cream rolls graham bread sliced peaches nuts second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge cream toast sliced tomato graham crisps graham bread rye gems stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup mashed potato summer squash baked beets with lemon dressing pearl barley graham bread crusts toasted wafers stewed or fresh berries peach tapioca third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat tomato toast cottage cheese whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup broiled potato scalloped tomatoes green corn pulp graham grits french rolls cream crisps fresh fruit sliced sweet apples and cream fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye peach toast macaroni with corn pulp fresh tomatoes cream rolls vienna bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner string bean soup mashed potato scalloped egg plant cabbage and tomato pearl wheat toasted wafers beaten biscuit vienna bread stewed fruit fruit shape fifth day breakfast fresh fruit granola peach mush dry toast with hot cream celery whole-wheat puffs cream rolls graham crackers stewed fruit dinner white celery soup steamed potato chopped beets mashed peas farina with bananas whole-wheat bread cream rolls rye puffs sliced peaches baked apple dessert sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits berry toast baked sweet apples fresh tomatoes currant puffs toasted rolls stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potato stewed celery cauliflower with tomato sauce boiled wheat whole-wheat puffs graham crackers crescents stewed fruit sago fruit pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit steamed rice tomato toast fruit bread toasted wafers breakfast rolls baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup creamed potato green peas pearl wheat fruit bread rolls graham crackers sliced peaches nuts tapioca custard thirty-fifth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates sliced tomatoes macaroni with egg sauce whole-wheat puffs cream rolls stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup steamed potato stewed tomato mashed split peas rolled rye graham bread graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit peach shortcake second day breakfast fresh fruit granola peach mush cream toast sliced tomatoes graham bread graham crisps stewed fruit dinner celery soup no. . boiled potato shelled beans cauliflower with tomato sauce graham grits graham bread oatmeal gems toasted wafers stewed fruit baked sweet apples with whipped cream third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast macaroni baked with corn pulp whole-wheat bread graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner cream rice soup mashed potato stewed celery mashed lentils and beans rolled wheat whole-wheat bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit peach meringue fourth day breakfast fresh fruit peach mush snowflake toast whole-wheat puffs sticks date bread baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner black bean soup potato snowballs corn and tomatoes scalloped egg plant cracked wheat date bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit grapes fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats peach toast whole-wheat bread breakfast rolls graham gems baked pears stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup boiled potato baked corn celery pearl barley whole-wheat bread graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit peach shortcake sixth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes strawberry toast macaroni with cream sauce sliced tomato graham puffs parker house rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner potato soup baked sweet potato mashed peas cauliflower with egg sauce graham grits granola fruit rolls graham puffs stewed fruit rice cream pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat with blackberries and cream prune toast fruit rolls raised graham biscuit toasted wafers fresh tomatoes stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed sweet potato string beans pearl wheat with peaches and cream buns cream rolls toasted wafers nuts thirty-sixth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush blackberry toast sliced tomato currant puffs cream rolls toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner sweet potato soup steamed potato boiled beets stewed lima beans rolled wheat buns graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit peach sandwich second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat apricot toast zwieback graham puffs breakfast rolls lemon apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup potato stewed with celery mashed squash scalloped tomatoes farina whole-wheat bread toasted rolls graham gems sliced peaches bran jelly with fruit sauce third day breakfast fresh fruit granola apple mush blueberry toast cream rolls whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers sliced tomatoes stewed fruit dinner corn and bean soup baked potato stewed tomato scalloped cauliflower pearl wheat whole-wheat bread toasted rolls corn puffs stewed fruit farina custard fourth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner tomato and rice soup baked sweet potato mashed beans green peas graham grits oatmeal bread graham puffs toasted wafers sliced peaches red rice fifth day breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat banana toast baked sweet apples oatmeal bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner celery soup mashed potato baked tomato baked green corn graham grits graham bread sticks rye puffs stewed fruit baked apple dessert sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rice cream toast whole-wheat puffs corn cakes sticks sliced tomatoes stewed fruit dinner potato and rice soup macaroni baked with granola mashed cabbage string beans pearl wheat pop overs cream crisps graham bread stewed fruit almonds sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast toasted wafers fruit rolls raised biscuit baked pears stewed fruit dinner green corn soup tomato and macaroni stewed potato rolled wheat fruit bread cream crisps stewed fruit peach pie grapes thirty-seventh week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes toast with egg sauce fruit bread breakfast rolls toasted wafers baked sweet apples sliced peaches dinner green bean soup mashed potato baked squash corn pudding graham grits graham bread currant puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit peach shortcake second day breakfast fresh fruit peach mush tomato toast macaroni with kornlet graham bread cream mush rolls stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potato shelled beans cauliflower with tomato sauce browned rice toasted rolls graham bread whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit jam pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge peach toast sliced tomato graham crisps graham gems stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup scalloped potato beet salad macaroni with tomato sauce rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers graham gems stewed fruit molded wheat with grape sauce fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits dry toast with tomato gravy whole-wheat bread crusts breakfast rolls baked pears stewed fruit dinner white celery soup baked sweet potato mashed peas scalloped tomatoes pearl wheat whole-wheat bread beaten biscuit graham crackers stewed fruit cocoanut rice custard fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats macaroni with apple sauce sliced tomato whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner lentil soup mashed potato baked squash string beans rolled rye whole-wheat bread crusts graham crisps stewed fruit peach pudding or fresh fruit sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with fruit gravy toast whole-wheat puffs crescents toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner split pea soup baked potato baked tomato green corn pulp rice fruit loaf graham gems sticks stewed fruit sweet apple pie or fresh fruit sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat peach toast sliced tomato baked pears fruit bread beaten biscuit stewed fruit dinner green corn soup stewed lima beans mashed sweet potato rice with peaches beaten biscuit currant buns stewed fruit pears thirty-eighth week first day breakfast fresh fruit peach mush dry toast with hot cream macaroni with tomato sauce toasted beaten biscuit fruit bread stewed fruit dinner bean and tapioca soup mashed potato stewed celery baked squash rolled wheat whole-wheat bread currant puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit peach tapioca second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye lentil toast sliced tomato cream rolls graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner lentil soup potato snowballs stewed tomato egg and macaroni browned rice whole-wheat bread toasted rolls crusts stewed fruit plain fruit pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal sweet apple toast cottage cheese whole-wheat puffs french rolls graham crisps stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup baked potato with celery sauce shelled beans baked corn farina with fresh fruit graham puffs oatmeal crisps stewed fruit fresh fruit, or sweet apple pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with peaches tomato toast whole-wheat puffs oatmeal crisps breakfast rolls sliced peaches dinner shelled bean soup mashed sweet potato scalloped tomatoes celery pearl wheat toasted rolls buns graham puffs stewed fruit apple manioca fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats strawberry toast graham bread toasted wafers rye gems baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup mashed potato mashed squash boiled macaroni browned rice graham bread beaten biscuit fruit crackers stewed fruit cup custard sixth day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine macaroni with raisins slice tomatoes cream rolls whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner brown soup boiled potato stewed celery pease cakes with tomato sauce graham grits raised biscuit graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit grape tart sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice grape toast fruit bread beaten biscuit baked apples stewed fruit dinner tomato and vermicelli soup mashed sweet potato stewed corn boiled wheat fruit bread beaten biscuits stewed fruit farina blancmange with grape sauce thirty-ninth week first day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup mashed potato boiled green corn string beans rolled wheat toasted wafers whole-wheat bread corn puffs stewed fruit stewed fruit pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit peach mush snowflake toast graham puffs cream rolls baked pears stewed fruit dinner green bean soup potato cakes stewed tomato baked beets cracked wheat pop overs toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit bread custard third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast graham bread corn puffs graham crisps baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner mixed potato soup baked potato chopped beets succotash graham grits graham bread toasted wafers rye gems stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge cream toast cottage cheese whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup mashed potato stewed celery corn pudding rolled wheat graham puffs toasted wafers buns stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast whole-wheat puffs raised biscuit toasted wafers baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner green corn soup steamed potato mashed squash scalloped turnip rolled wheat crusts toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit lemon cornstarch pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal gruel with croutons grape toast macaroni with kornlet cream rolls graham puffs stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup creamed potato celery macaroni with tomato sauce cracked wheat graham bread toasted rolls fruit crackers stewed fruit snowball custard sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice with peaches apricot toast toasted wafers fruit rolls whole-wheat bread stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup chopped sweet potato sliced tomato rice whole-wheat bread fruit rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit grape pie fortieth week first day breakfast fresh fruit grape mush cream toast graham gems toasted rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner potato and vermicelli soup boiled macaroni stewed lima beans boiled corn cracked wheat whole-wheat puffs corn cakes toasted wafers stewed fruit cornstarch meringue second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats celery toast baked sweet potatoes whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread tomato salad dinner lima bean soup mashed potato scalloped tomatoes green corn cakes mixed mush sally lunn gems graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit rice snow third day breakfast fresh fruit rice tomato toast graham crisps raised biscuit grape apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup potato snowballs stewed split peas scalloped cauliflower graham grits whole-wheat bread graham crisps corn puffs stewed fruit farina blancmange with grape sauce fourth day breakfast fresh fruit granola apple mush grape toast cream rolls rye gems whole-wheat bread cup custard stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup baked potato baked squash boiled beets with cream sauce pearl wheat whole-wheat puffs sticks raised corn bread stewed fruit nuts fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye gravy toast oatmeal crisps corn bread whole-wheat puffs baked apples stewed fruit dinner vegetable soup mashed potato scalloped egg plant macaroni with tomato sauce rolls toasted wafers graham bread farina stewed fruit almond cornstarch pudding with grape sauce sixth day breakfast fresh fruit grape mush cream toast fruit bread graham puffs toasted wafers granola baked apples stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup potato rice mashed squash boiled green corn graham mush fruit bread toasted wafers graham puffs stewed fruit apple sandwich sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce peach toast sliced tomato fruit bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner tomato and vermicelli soup mashed sweet potato green corn pulp boiled wheat fruit bread beaten biscuit grape tarts stewed fruit forty-first week first day breakfast fresh fruit browned rice grape toast toasted beaten biscuit graham puffs baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner corn and tomato soup sweet potato cakes shelled beans macaroni baked with granola farina graham puffs zwieback cream rolls stewed fruit fresh fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit granola apple mush gravy toast sliced tomato toasted rolls corn dodgers stewed fruit dinner shelled bean soup baked potato with brown sauce chopped cabbage baked tomato pearl barley graham puffs sticks rye bread stewed fruit rice cream pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge dry toast with hot cream rye bread toasted wafers graham puffs baked sour apples stewed fruit dinner tomato and rice soup steamed potato with cream sauce baked squash mashed peas graham apple mush rye bread zwieback graham gems stewed fruit fresh fruit fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates gravy toast rye bread toasted wafers corn puffs lemon apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup scalloped potato chopped turnip macaroni baked with kornlet steamed rice toasted wafers currant puffs rye bread stewed fruit cornmeal pudding fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye tomato toast graham bread breakfast rolls baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup baked beans boiled macaroni boiled wheat graham bread toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit rice and tapioca pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with lentil gravy gravy toast sliced tomato graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner corn and bean soup mashed potato scalloped tomato stewed celery cracked wheat graham bread zwieback crusts stewed fruit graham grits pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats grape toast graham raised biscuit toasted wafers breakfast rolls baked sweet apples cup custard stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup broiled potato stewed corn browned rice graham biscuit beaten biscuit stewed fruit apple pie forty-second week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes gravy toast caked peas whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuit stewed fruit dinner celery soup boiled potato with tomato cream sauce baked cauliflower shelled beans graham grits currant puffs cream rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit tapioca grape jelly second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast whole-wheat puffs toasted rolls bakes apples stewed fruit dinner potato soup mashed peas mashed cabbage cracked wheat whole-wheat puffs graham crisps stewed fruit rice cream pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush grape toast cream rolls toasted wafers graham gems baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup steamed potato boiled beets celery tomato and macaroni rice parker house rolls graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit steamed rice with grape sauce prune toast graham bread toasted wafers crusts baked pears stewed fruit dinner swiss lentil soup baked potato baked squash chopped cabbage boiled wheat graham bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit rice snowballs fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats lentil toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers graham bread stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup baked sweet potato stewed celery boiled green corn rolled rye graham bread currant puffs sticks stewed fruit molded wheat with grape sauce sixth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal gruel with croutons tomato toast graham crisps graham bread pop overs stewed fruit dinner green corn soup chopped potato baked beans mashed squash farina cream mush rolls vienna bread stewed fruit stewed fruit pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat with raisins prune toast vienna bread beaten biscuit toasted rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner bean and potato soup stewed corn boiled macaroni granola fruit mush buns beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit nuts fresh fruit forty-third week first day breakfast fresh fruit stewed fruit granola apple mush dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat puffs toasted beaten biscuit baked apples stewed fruit dinner celery soup mashed potato scalloped tomato mashed peas graham grits corn puffs cream crisps graham gems stewed fruit fresh fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat tomato toast cream rolls whole-wheat bread graham gems grape apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potatoes with brown sauce shelled beans corn and tomato graham grits toasted rolls whole-wheat bread currant puffs stewed fruit bake sweet apples with whipped cream third day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge with croutons grape toast whole-wheat puffs sticks fruit crackers bake sweet apples stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup baked potatoes with celery sauce mashed beans parsnip with cream sauce graham grits corn bread whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit apple tart fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats gravy toast cream rolls whole-wheat bread toasted wafers baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup mashed potato chopped beets macaroni baked with granola rice whole-wheat bread graham gems cream crisps stewed fruit farina blancmange fifth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal blancmange with grape sauce sweet apple toast corn meal gruel with croutons whole-wheat puffs cream crisps french rolls stewed fruit dinner tomato cream soup mashed potato mashed squash baked turnip pearl wheat with raisins whole-wheat bread graham crisps toasted wafers stewed fruit rice custard sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye peach toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers baked pears stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup scalloped potato succotash scalloped tomato graham grits graham puffs graham bread sticks stewed fruit plain fruit pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush prune toast beaten biscuit buns toasted wafers baked chestnuts cup custard stewed fruit dinner corn soup canned green peas tomato and macaroni graham grits fruit bread toasted wafers stewed fruit squash pie forty-fourth week first day breakfast almonds with wafers cerealine steamed eggs baked potato toasted beaten biscuit graham gems stewed fruit dinner potato soup macaroni with cream sauce mashed beans baked corn browned rice graham bread cream crisps graham gems stewed fruit baked sweet apple pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats cream toast whole-wheat puffs cream crisps fruit rolls baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup potato rice mashed squash stewed celery cracked wheat graham puffs fruit rolls toasted wafers stewed fruit macaroni pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit granola peach mush snowflake toast macaroni with kornlet cream mush rolls fruit loaf graham crackers stewed fruit dinner oatmeal soup potato cakes celery cauliflower with tomato sauce hominy fruit loaf toasted rolls graham puffs stewed fruit snow pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat dry toast with hot cream hominy gems toasted wafers graham bread cottage cheese stewed fruit dinner black bean soup potato snowballs scalloped tomato parsnip with egg sauce rolled wheat corn puffs whole-wheat bread cream crisps stewed fruit farina blancmange fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits berry toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers crescents granola baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup mashed potato carrots with egg sauce scalloped beans rice graham bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit prune and tapioca pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat with baked apples gravy toast toasted wafers graham bread cream rolls and crab apple jelly stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup baked sweet potato stewed celery shelled beans pearl barley with raisins graham bread corn cake toasted wafers stewed fruit tapioca custard sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats blackberry toast beaten biscuits fruit bread lemon apples stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup warmed-over sweet potato stewed corn boiled wheat graham bread beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit nuts forty-fifth week first day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge dry toast with hot cream corn puffs toasted wafers fruit loaf roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner vegetable soup steamed potatoes with tomato cream sauce stewed cabbage mashed squash pearl wheat graham bread crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit sago pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit samp and milk gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers hoe cake baked apples stewed fruit dinner swiss lentil soup mashed potatoes celery and tomato turnip with cream sauce oatmeal crisps graham bread toasted wafers graham grits stewed fruit baked corn meal pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats banana toast breakfast rolls toasted wafers graham bread granola baked sweet apples stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup mashed potato mashed peas broccoli with egg sauce cracked wheat with raisins toasted rolls graham puffs stewed fruit nuts fourth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge berry toast graham crackers hoe cake whole-wheat puffs baked apples stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup boiled potato with celery sauce baked beets stewed lima beans farina raised corn cake toasted wafers cream rolls stewed fruit apple tart fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce cream toast currant puffs graham bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup browned potatoes succotash steamed squash graham grits graham bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit farina custard sixth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal lentil toast macaroni with tomato sauce cream rolls rye bread toasted wafers stewed fruit roasted almonds dinner potato soup potato puff browned parsnips celery mashed peas rolled wheat rye bread whole-wheat puffs graham crisps apple rose cream sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat prune toast fruit bread beaten biscuit white custard in cups stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup stewed potato kornlet and tomato rice rye bread buns toasted wafers stewed fruit apple pie fresh fruit forty-sixth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates gravy toast rye bread toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs steamed figs stewed fruit dinner canned green pea soup scalloped potatoes baked beans macaroni with egg farina pop overs toasted wafers rye bread stewed fruit rice cream pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits blackberry toast rice with lentil gravy graham puffs toasted wafers rye bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner bean and hominy soup boiled potatoes stewed celery creamed parsnips pearl wheat raised corn bread toasted wafers graham gems stewed fruit third day breakfast fresh fruit samp and milk dry toast with hot cream corn puffs toasted wafers breakfast rolls baked apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup scalloped potatoes beet salad mashed turnips boiled wheat hoe cake toasted rolls graham bread stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding fourth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast rice and corn puffs graham bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner potato soup macaroni baked with granola succotash baked squash pearl barley pulled bread oatmeal crisps graham puffs stewed fruit apple tart fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat celery toast baked potato with cream sauce corn cakes pulled bread oatmeal crisps stewed fruit dinner cream barley soup baked sweet potato scalloped tomatoes celery pearl wheat rye gems graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit bread custard sixth day breakfast fresh fruit mixed mush snowflake toast graham bread cream rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner tomato cream soup potatoes stewed with celery parsnips with egg sauce mashed peas oatmeal blancmange with cranberry sauce graham bread toasted wafers raised corn cake stewed fruit nuts sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce cream toast whole-wheat puffs buns toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner canned corn soup canned peas macaroni with egg sauce cracked wheat toasted wafers beaten biscuit fruit bread stewed fruit cranberry pie forty-seventh week first day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush and milk gravy toast whole-wheat puffs fruit bread toasted beaten biscuit baked chestnuts stewed fruit dinner combination soup baked potato with brown sauce scalloped turnips mashed squash graham grits raised corn cake graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit apple tapioca second day breakfast fresh fruit graham gruel with toasted wafers blueberry toast breakfast rolls corn bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup baked sweet potato mashed beans stewed sweet corn cracked wheat toasted rolls pulled bread graham puffs stewed fruit rice cream pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat with raisins banana toast hoe cake toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup boiled potatoes with tomato cream sauce mashed parsnips mashed lentils graham grits whole-wheat bread bean gems toasted wafers stewed fruit almonds fourth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal cream toast potato cakes celery corn bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner parsnip soup scalloped potatoes mashed peas macaroni with tomato sauce steamed rice whole-wheat bread graham gems toasted wafers stewed fruit cup custards fifth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal porridge with toasted wafers gravy toast whole-wheat puffs hoe cakes steamed figs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potato boiled macaroni stewed cabbage and tomato graham grits zwieback graham bread corn puffs stewed fruit apple rose cream sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats tomato toast macaroni with kornlet whole-wheat bread toasted wafers rye gems stewed fruit dinner plain rice soup mashed potatoes baked squash scalloped beans graham mush whole-wheat bread oatmeal crisps graham crusts stewed fruit baked apple loaf sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye prune toast beaten biscuit whole-wheat bread graham crackers grape apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup mashed sweet potatoes scalloped tomato rice fruit bread beaten biscuit stewed fruit farina blancmange forty-eighth week first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mash with dates blackberry toast whole-wheat puffs fruit bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner green pea soup boiled potato with cream sauce mashed lima beans stewed vegetable oysters graham grits corn puffs toasted wafers graham crusts stewed fruit rice custard pudding second day breakfast baked chestnuts samp and milk vegetable oyster toast creamed potatoes toasted wafers graham bread whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit dinner bean and tomato soup mashed potato stewed split peas macaroni with egg cracked wheat parker house rolls sticks corn puffs stewed fruit prune tapioca third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast graham sticks fruit loaf baked apples roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner swiss potato soup baked potato boiled beets with cream sauce macaroni with tomato sauce rolled wheat fruit loaf rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit baked apples with whipped cream fourth day breakfast fresh fruit steamed rice lentil toast whole-wheat puffs graham crisps fruit bread dinner vegetable oyster soup mashed potato parsnips with egg sauce succotash boiled wheat with lemon sauce graham crisps beaten biscuit whole-wheat puffs cocoanut blancmange cranberry jelly fifth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal gruel with croutons tomato toast macaroni with raisins whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers beaten biscuit stewed fruit baked apples dinner cream barley soup mashed sweet potato mashed peas stewed celery hominy cream crisps corn cake graham bread stewed fruit apple tart sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham apple mush tomato toast cream crisps graham bread hominy gems baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup boiled potato scalloped tomatoes mashed squash cracked wheat with raisins graham bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit baked apples with cream sauce sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice with raisins prune toast toasted wafers crescents graham bread baked apples cup custards stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup canned sweet corn cold boiled beets, sliced graham grits beaten biscuit graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit prune pie forty-ninth week. first day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with chopped figs gravy toast cream rolls corn gems baked chestnuts stewed fruit dinner canned corn soup mashed potato chopped beets stewed parsnips with celery rolled wheat toasted rolls whole-wheat puffs graham bread stewed fruit fig pudding with orange sauce second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal cracker toast graham sticks currant puff graham bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup potato rice chopped cabbage scalloped vegetable oysters browned rice graham sticks raised corn cake stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit granola fruit mush cream toast boiled macaroni hoe cake whole-wheat bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup steamed potato with cream sauce stewed corn and tomatoes mashed squash mixed mush pop overs toasted wafers cream rolls stewed fruit cornstarch blancmange fourth day breakfast fresh fruit graham grits strawberry toast whole-wheat puffs graham bread cream rolls baked chestnuts stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup mashed potato stewed pumpkin macaroni baked with granola pearl barley graham bread sally lunn gems toasted rolls stewed fruit molded tapioca fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush tomato toast potato cakes graham bread rye gems toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup potato snow stewed parsnips chopped turnip rolled rye graham bread toasted wafers graham crusts stewed fruit prune dessert sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats gravy toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers hoe cake baked apples stewed fruit dinner mixed potato soup macaroni with cream sauce stewed beans scalloped tomato pearl wheat pulled bread corn cakes stewed fruit farina custard sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats prune toast fruit bread cream rolls toasted wafers steamed figs cup custard stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup macaroni with kornlet canned string beans steamed rice graham fruit bread cream rolls cranberry jelly fresh fruit fiftieth week. first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes baked potato with cream gravy toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs hoe cake baked chestnuts stewed fruit dinner velvet soup broiled potato succotash baked squash cracked wheat toasted rolls graham bread crusts stewed fruit rice cream pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush cream toast cream rolls granola gems graham bread baked apples stewed fruit dinner brown soup baked potato stewed celery mashed peas with tomato sauce graham grits french rolls rye bread toasted wafers stewed fruit apple snow third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat grape toast graham crisps rye bread graham puffs lemon apples stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup mashed potato mashed parsnips macaroni with egg pearl wheat with raisins rye bread toasted wafers currant puffs stewed fruit california grapes fourth day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal tomato toast whole-wheat puffs graham sticks corn cakes granola baked apples stewed fruit dinner parsnip soup potato rice steamed squash baked beans cracked wheat raised biscuit toasted wafers graham gems stewed fruit farina blancmange with cranberry dressing fifth day breakfast fresh fruit graham apple mush blackberry toast macaroni with cream sauce whole-wheat puffs graham bread toasted wafers stewed fruit dinner baked bean soup potato cakes scalloped tomatoes stewed vegetable oysters rice graham bread oatmeal crisps beaten biscuit stewed fruit tapioca jelly sixth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled rye snowflake toast toasted wafers graham bread corn puffs citron apples stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup baked sweet potato mashed peas boiled beets with lemon dressing graham grits pulled bread graham crusts stewed fruit sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rice with fig sauce gravy toast fruit bread toasted wafers cream rolls grape apples stewed fruit dinner kornlet soup mashed sweet potato pease cakes browned rice buns pulled bread cream rolls stewed fruit bananas fifty-first week first day breakfast fresh fruit cerealine flakes cream toast graham puffs fruit bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner swiss lentil soup boiled potatoes with cream sauce scalloped tomato stewed vegetable oysters pearl barley graham bread rye gems toasted wafers lemon apples stewed fruit second day breakfast fresh fruit oatmeal vegetable oyster toast lentil puree toasted wafers corn puffs graham bread stewed fruit dinner pea and tomato soup mashed potato mashed turnip parsnip with egg sauce graham grits raised corn cake graham sticks stewed fruit ground rice pudding third day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with raisins tomato toast graham bread toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs stewed fruit dinner parsnip soup baked potato mashed squash stewed lima beans cracked wheat graham bread cream crisps pop overs stewed fruit bread custard fourth day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge dry toast with hot cream whole-wheat bread cream crisps hoe cake granola baked apples stewed fruit dinner vermicelli soup baked potato with pease gravy boiled beets stewed tomatoes graham grits whole-wheat bread toasted wafers beaten biscuit cranberry tarts fifth day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats gravy toast baked sweet potato whole-wheat bread toasted wafers graham puffs stewed fruit dinner tomato and macaroni soup baked potatoes with brown sauce mashed peas stewed dried corn rice whole-wheat bread toasted wafers rye gems stewed fruit nuts and oranges sixth day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush apricot toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers breakfast rolls steamed figs stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup boiled potato stewed carrots celery mashed chestnuts cracked wheat raised corn cake toasted wafers fruit bread stewed fruit rice cream pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats grape toast beaten biscuit roasted almonds stewed fruit dinner tomato and vermicelli soup boiled macaroni canned string beans steamed rice beaten biscuit fruit bread toasted wafers stewed fruit fresh fruit fifty-second week first day breakfast fresh fruit plum porridge strawberry toast toasted wafers hoe cake graham puffs baked chestnuts stewed fruit dinner vegetable oyster soup baked potato cabbage and tomato hulled corn or hominy graham grits whole-wheat puffs graham sticks fruit bread stewed fruit snow pudding second day breakfast fresh fruit corn meal mush tomato toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner lentil soup mashed potato boiled macaroni canned okra and tomato corn bread graham puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit fresh fruit and nuts third day breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats dry toast with hot cream currant puffs rye bread toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner lima bean soup scalloped potato mashed peas baked squash celery rice with raisins rye bread graham crusts toasted wafers stewed fruit apple manioca fourth day breakfast baked chestnuts rolled wheat gravy toast baked sweet potato with tomato sauce cream rolls graham puffs granola stewed fruit dinner cream pea soup baked potato stewed tomatoes scalloped vegetable oysters graham grits graham bread toasted wafers buns stewed fruit apple tart fifth day breakfast fresh fruit cracked wheat vegetable oyster toast graham bread crusts toasted wafers baked apples stewed fruit dinner potato soup baked beans stewed parsnips pearl wheat graham bread currant puffs toasted wafers stewed fruit rice cream pudding sixth day breakfast fresh fruit graham mush with dates snowflake toast graham bread toasted wafers whole-wheat puffs baked apples stewed fruit dinner black bean soup mashed potato kornlet and tomato macaroni baked with granola farina graham bread crescents cream rolls stewed fruit cracked wheat pudding sabbath breakfast fresh fruit rolled oats blackberry toast pulled bread buns beaten biscuit baked chestnuts citron apples stewed fruit dinner canned green pea soup broiled potato macaroni with egg sauce steamed rice with raisins buns beaten biscuit toasted wafers stewed fruit farina pie counting the cost. the expense of the menus given will vary somewhat with the locality and the existing market prices. the following analysis of several similar bills of fare used in widely different localities will serve to show something of the average cost. the first of these were taken at random from the daily menus, during the month of january, of a michigan family of seventeen persons, grown persons and hearty, growing children, none younger than six years. in the estimates made of the cost of material, wherever fractions occurred, the next higher whole number was taken. no butter was used, a small pitcher of cream for each individual supplying its place. the milk used for cooking was not counted, since in this case most of the cream had been removed, and its cost reckoned at the entire cost of the milk itself, or twenty cents a quart, allowing four quarts of milk at five cents a quart for one quart of cream. bills of fare. breakfast fresh apples toasted whole-wheat wafers rolled wheat with cream grape toast whole-wheat puffs toasted wafers baked sweet apples stewed prunes cream hot milk _cost:_ apples (fresh and baked), one half peck, c.; one lb. rolled wheat, c.; one and one half lbs. zwieback for toast, c.; one pint of canned grape pulp for toast, c.; puffs (for which beside milk, three eggs at c. per doz., and one and one half lbs. whole-wheat flour at c. per lb. were used), c.; two and one half lbs. of california prunes, c.; two qts. cream, an amount quite sufficient for moistening the toast and supplying a small cream cup for each individual, c.; two lbs. of toasted whole-wheat wafers, c. --making the entire cost of breakfast $ . , or exactly nine cents per person. dinner lima bean soup baked potato with cream sauce scalloped vegetable oysters graham grits whole-wheat bread whole-wheat wafers, toasted canned cherries citron apples with whipped cream cream hot milk _cost:_ one and one fourth lbs. lima beans, c.; one half peck of potatoes, c.; one lb. graham grits, c.; loaf whole-wheat bread, c.; - / lbs. whole-wheat wafers, c.; canned cherries, c.; apples and citron, c.; bunches vegetable oysters, c.; cream ( cup for the soup, one for the cream sauce, and one for whipped cream, beside three and one fourth pints for individual use), c.; flour and sugar for cooking, c. total, $ . --a little less than ten cents each. breakfast no. bananas oatmeal gravy toast graham gems toasted wafers apple sauce cream hot milk _cost:_ / doz. bananas, c.; toast, c.; cream for gravy, c.; material for gems (graham flour, milk, and a small portion of cream), c.; apple sauce, c.; wafers, c.; cream for individual use, c.; sugar, c. total, $ . , or a trifle more than cents apiece. dinner no. tomato and macaroni soup boiled potato with gravy mashed peas pearl barley with raisins whole-wheat bread toasted wafers canned berries apple tapioca with cream cream hot milk _cost:_ for the soup was required two cans of tomatoes at c. each, oz. macaroni at c. per lb., and one cup of cream, c.; / peck of potatoes, c.; / lbs. peas, c.; lb. pearl barley, c.; / lb. raisins, c.; / lb. tapioca, c.; apples, c.; cream, c.; canned fruit, c.; flour and sugar, c. total, $ . --ten cents apiece for each member of the household. the following bills of fare were used by an iowa family of six persons. the prices given were those current in that locality in the month of march. breakfast apples rolled oats tomato toast toasted wafers graham gems patent flour bread dried apple sauce cream hot milk _cost:_ one sixth peck of apples, / c.; one third lb. rolled oats, / c.; three fourths lb. whole-wheat wafers, / c.; one half can tomatoes, c.; bread for table and for toast, c.; material for gems, / c.; dried apples, c.; sugar, c.; cream and milk, c. average cost for each person, / cents. dinner canned corn soup with croutons scalloped tomato parsnip with egg sauce graham mush buns whole-wheat bread cup custard cream hot milk _cost:_ one can of corn, c.; tomatoes (using the half can left over from breakfast), c.; bread for the table, for the scalloped tomatoes, and for croutons for the soup, c.; parsnips, c.; buns, c.; four eggs, / c.; milk and cream, c.; sugar, c.; graham flour, c. average cost, cents apiece. the material for the bills of fare given on the next page was reckoned at prices current in a city in northern west virginia, in the autumn, and was for a family of six persons. breakfast browned rice graham crisps whole-wheat puffs dried peach sauce cream hot milk _cost:_ one half doz. bananas, c.; one half lb. rice, c.; puffs, c; crisps - / c.; one lb. dried peaches, c.; qts. milk, c.; sugar, - / c. total, cents, or cents for each individual. dinner tomato soup with croutons baked potatoes mashed peas rolled wheat whole-wheat bread orange rice cream hot milk _cost:_ one half peck tomatoes, - / c.; one fourth peck potatoes, c.; one half lb. rolled wheat, - / c.; one fourth loaf of bread to make croutons, - / c,; whole-wheat bread, c.; one half doz. oranges, - / c.; one half lb. rice, c.; two qts. milk, c. total, cents, or exactly cents apiece. the following four days' bills of fare,--the first two served by a michigan lady to her family of four persons, the second used by an illinois family of eight,--although made up of much less variety, serve to show how one may live substantially even at a very small cost. breakfast no. apples graham mush with dates toasted wafers bread dried apples stewed with cherries milk cream _cost:_ apples, c.; graham mush and dates, c.; toasted wafers, c.; bread, c.; sauce, c.; milk and cream, c. total, cents, or cents apiece. dinner no. baked potatoes with gravy mashed peas oatmeal blancmange whole-wheat bread stewed fruit milk cream _cost:_ mashed peas, c.; baked potato and gravy, c.; whole-wheat bread, c.; milk and cream, c.; oatmeal blancmange, c.; sauce, c. total cost, cents, or cents apiece. breakfast no. apples graham grits zwieback cream milk _cost:_ apples, c.; graham grits, c.; graham gems, c.; zwieback, c.; cream and milk, c. total, cents, or cents per person. dinner no. pea and tomato soup scalloped potatoes graham rolls rice custard milk cream _cost:_ soup, c.; potatoes, c.; rolls c.; milk and cream, c.; rice custard, c. total, cents, or cents each. breakfast no. baked apples graham grits with cream cream toast graham gems graham and whole-wheat wafers stewed prunes breakfast no. oatmeal with cream blueberry toast breakfast rolls graham and whole-wheat wafers stewed apples dinner no. bean soup with croutons mashed potatoes pearl wheat macaroni with tomato sauce oatmeal crackers patent flour bread fresh apples dinner no. rice soup baked potatoes with cream gravy baked beans graham crackers whole-wheat bread fresh apples farina with cream material necessary to furnish these four meals for eight persons,-- six lbs. flour, c.; two lbs. crackers, different varieties, c.; pearl wheat, oatmeal, graham grits, and farina, one half lb. each, c.; one peck apples, c.; prunes, c.; one half lb. rice, - / c.; two lbs. beans, c.; one can tomatoes, .; one half peck of potatoes, c.; blueberries, c.; eight qts. milk, c.; macaroni, c.; sugar, - / c. total, $ . , or cost to each individual, - / cents a meal. table topics. the food on which the man who would be healthy should live must be selected so as to ensure variety without excess.--_dr. richardson._ hearty foods are those in which there is an abundance of potential energy.--_prof. atwater._ an old-fashioned recipe for a little home comfort.--take of thought for self one part, two parts of thought for family; equal parts of common sense and broad intelligence, a large modicum of the sense of fitness of things, a heaping measure of living above what your neighbors think of you, twice the quantity of keeping within your income, a sprinkling of what tends to refinement and aesthetic beauty, stirred thick with the true brand of christian principle, and set it to rise.--_sel._ for all things have an equal right to live. 't is only just prerogative we have; but nourish life with vegetable food, and shun the sacrilegious taste of blood.--_ovid._ a batch of dinners holiday dinners, a special dinner for a holiday celebration has so long been a time-honored custom in most families, that the majority of housewives consider it indispensable. while we admire the beautiful custom of gathering one's friends and neighbors around the hospitable board, and by no means object to a special dinner on holiday occasions, yet we are no wise in sympathy with the indiscriminate feastings so universally indulged in at such dinners, whereby stomachs are overloaded with a decidedly unhealthful quality of food, to be followed by dull brains and aching heads for days to come. and this is not the extent of the evil. holiday feasting undoubtedly has much to do with the excessive use of intoxicants noticeable at such times. tempted to overeat by the rich and highly seasoned viands which make up the bill of fare, the heaviness resulting from a stomach thus overburdened creates a thirst not readily satisfied. a person who has noted how frequently one is called upon to assuage thirst after having eaten too heartily of food on any occasion, will hardly doubt that indigestible holiday dinners are detrimental to the cause of total abstinence. then, for the sake of health and the cause of temperance, while an ample repast is provided, let not the bill of fare be so lavish as to tempt to gormandizing; and let the viands be of the most simple and wholesome character practicable, although, of course, inviting. as an aid in this direction, we offer the following bills of fare;-- thanksgiving menus. no. tomato soap with pasta d'italia stuffed potatoes canned asparagus pulp succotash celery graham grits fruit rolls graham puffs buns canned peaches pumpkin pie baked chestnuts grape apples fresh fruits no. vegetable oyster soup potato puff roasted sweet potatoes parsnip stewed with celery beet salad boiled wheat with raisins cream crisps whole-wheat bread crescents with peach jelly canned fruit cranberry tarts almonds and pecans holiday menus. no. canned corn soup mashed sweet potato macaroni with tomato sauce canned wax beans or cabbage salad steamed rice graham puffs fruit bread toasted wafers canned strawberries malaga grapes loaf cake with roasted almonds bananas in syrup no. pea and tomato soup ornamental potatoes scalloped vegetable oysters egg and macaroni farina with fig sauce sally lunn gems beaten biscuit graham bread apply jelly canned gooseberries prune pie with granola crust citron apples pop corn [illustration: a picnic dinner] picnic dinners a picnic, to serve its true end, ought to be a season of healthful recreation; but seemingly, in the general acceptation of the term, a picnic means an occasion for a big dinner composed of sweets and dainties, wines, ices, and other delectable delicacies, which tempt to surfeiting and excess. the preparation necessary for such a dinner usually requires a great amount of extra and wearisome labor, while the eating is very apt to leave results which quite overshadow any benefit derived from the recreative features of the occasion. it is generally supposed that a picnic is something greatly conducive to health; but where everything is thus made subservient to appetite, it is one of the most unhygienic things imaginable. the lunch basket should contain ample provision for fresh-air-sharpened appetites, but let the food be as simple as possible, and of not too great variety. good whole-wheat or graham bread in some form, with well sterilized milk and cream, or a soup previously prepared from grains or legumes, which can be readily heated with the aid of a small alcohol or kerosene stove, and plenty of fruit of seasonable variety, will constitute a very good bill of fare. if cake is desirable, let it be of a very simple kind, like the buns or raised cake for which directions are given in another chapter. beaten biscuits, rolls, and crisps are also serviceable for picnic dinners. fruit sandwiches--made by spreading slices of light whole-wheat or graham bread with a little whipped cream and then with fresh fruit jam lightly sweetened, with fig sauce or steamed figs chopped, steamed prunes or sliced bananas--are most relishable. these should be made on the ground, just before serving, from material previously prepared. an egg sandwich may be prepared in the same manner by substituting for the fruit the hard-boiled yolks of eggs chopped with a very little of the whitest and tenderest celery, and seasoned lightly with salt. two pleasing and palatable picnic breads may be made as follows:-- _recipes._ picnic biscuit.--prepare a dough as for raised biscuit, page , and when thoroughly kneaded the last time, divide, and roll both portions to about one fourth of an inch in thickness. spread one portion with stoned dates, or figs that have been chopped or cut fine with scissors, cover with the second portion, and cut into fancy shapes. let the biscuits rise until very light, and bake. wash the tops with milk to glace before baking. fig wafers.--rub together equal quantities of graham meal, and figs that have been chopped very fine. make into a dough with cold sweet cream. roll thin, cut in shape, and bake. if provision can be made for the reheating of foods, a soup, or grain, macaroni with tomato sauce, or with egg or cream sauce, or some similar article which can be cooked at home, transported in sealed fruit cans, and reheated in a few moments on the grounds, is a desirable addition to the picnic bill of fare. recipes for suitable beverages for such occasions will be found in the chapter on beverages. school lunches. mothers whose children are obliged to go long distances to school, are often greatly perplexed to know what to put up for the noonday lunch which shall be both appetizing and wholesome. the conventional school lunch of white bread and butter, sandwiches, pickles, mince or other rich pie, with a variety of cake and cookies, is scarcely better than none at all; since on the one hand there is a deficiency of food material which can be used for the upbuilding of brains, muscles, and nerves; while on the other hand it contains an abundance of material calculated to induce dyspepsia, headache, dullness of intellect, and other morbid conditions. left in an ante-room, during the school session, until, in cold weather, it becomes nearly frozen, and then partaken of hurriedly, that there may be more time for play, is it to be wondered at that the after-dinner session drags so wearily, and that the pupils feel sleepy, dull, and uninterested? our brains are nourished by blood made from the food we eat; and if it be formed of improper or unwholesome food, the result will be a disordered organ, incapable of first-class work. again, the extra work imposed upon the digestive organs and the liver in getting rid of the excess of fats and sugar in rich, unwholesome foods, continually overtaxes these organs. it can hardly be doubted that a large majority of the cases of so-called overwork from which school children suffer, are caused by violation of hygienic laws regarding food and diet rather than by an excess of brain work; or in other words, had the brain been properly nourished by an abundance of good, wholesome food, the same amount of work could have been easily accomplished with no detriment whatever. whenever practicable, children should return to their homes for the midday lunch, since under the oversight of a wise mother there will be fewer violations of hygienic laws, and the walk back to the school room will be far more conducive to good digestion than the violent exercise or the sports so often indulged in directly after eating. when this is impracticable, let the lunch be as simple as possible, and not so ample as to tempt the child to overeat. good whole-wheat or graham bread of some kind, rolls, crisps, beaten biscuit, sticks, fruit rolls, and wafers, with a cup of canned fruit or a bottle of rich milk as an accompaniment, with plenty of nice, fresh fruits or almonds or a few stalks of celery, is as tempting a lunch as any child need desire. it would be a good plan to arrange for the heating of a portion of the milk to be sipped as a hot drink. in many school rooms the ordinary heating stove will furnish means for this, or a little alcohol stove or a heating lamp may be used for the purpose, under the supervision of the teacher. furnish the children with apples, oranges, bananas, pears, grapes, filberts, and almonds in place of rich pie and cake. they are just as cheap as the material used for making the less wholesome sweets, and far easier of digestion. an occasional plain fruit or grain pudding, cup custard, or molded dessert may be substituted for variety. fruit sandwiches, or a slice of stewed fruit pudding prepared as directed on page are also suitable for this purpose. rice prepared as directed below makes a wholesome and appetizing article for the lunch basket:-- creamy rice.--put a pint of milk, one quarter of a cup of best carolina rice, a tablespoonful of sugar, and a handful of raisins into an earthen-ware dish, and place on the top of the range where it will heat very slowly to boiling temperature. stir frequently, so that the rice will not adhere to the bottom of the dish. when boiling, place in the oven, and bake till the rice is tender, which can be ascertained by dipping a spoon into one side and taking out a few grains. twenty minutes will generally be sufficient. much care should be used in putting up the lunch to have it as neat and dainty as possible. a basket of suitable size covered with a clean white napkin is better for use than the conventional dinner pail, in which air-tight receptacle each food is apt to savor of all the others, making the entire contents unappetizing, if not unwholesome. sabbath dinners. one of the most needed reforms in domestic life is a change to more simple meals on the sabbath. in many households the sabbath is the only day in the week when all the members of the family can dine together, and with an aim to making it the most enjoyable day of all, the good housewife provides the most elaborate dinner of the week, for the preparation of which she must either spend an unusual amount of time and labor the day previous or must encroach upon the sacred rest day to perform the work. real enjoyment ought not to be dependent upon feasting and gustatory pleasures. plain living and high thinking should be the rule at all times, and especially upon the sabbath day. nothing could be more conducive to indigestion and dyspepsia than this general custom of feasting on the sabbath. the extra dishes and especial luxuries tempt to over-indulgence of appetite; while the lack of customary exercise and the gorged condition of the stomach incident upon such hearty meals, fosters headaches and indigestion and renders brain and mind so inactive that the participants feel too dull for meditation and study, too sleepy to keep awake during service, too languid for anything but dozing and lounging, and the day that should have fostered spiritual growth is worse than thrown away. nor is this all; the evil effects of the indigestion occasioned are apt to be felt for several succeeding days, making the children irritable and cross, and the older members of the family nervous and impatient,--most certainly an opposite result from that which ought to follow a sacred day of rest. physiologically such feasting is wrong. the wear and consequent repair incident upon hard labor, calls for an equivalent in food; but when no labor is performed, a very moderate allowance--is all that is necessary, and it should be of easy digestibility. let the sabbath meals be simple, and served with abundant good cheer and intelligent thought as an accompaniment. let as much as possible of the food be prepared and the necessary work be done the day previous, so that the cook may have ample opportunity with the other members of the family to enjoy all sabbath privileges. this need by no means necessitate the use of cold food nor entail a great amount of added work in preparation. to illustrate, take the following-- sabbath bill of fare. breakfast fresh fruit rolled wheat with cream prune toast whole-wheat bread toasted waters buns fresh strawberries dinner canned green corn soup creamed potato green peas tomato and macaroni rice toasted wafers beaten biscuit buns canned peaches fruit and nuts both the rolled wheat and rice may be prepared the day previous, as may also the prune sauce for the toast, the buns, bread, and nearly all the other foods. the potatoes can be boiled and sliced, the corn for the soup rubbed through the colander and placed in the ice chest, the green peas boiled but not seasoned, and the macaroni cooked and added to the tomato but not seasoned. the berries may be hulled, the nuts cracked, and the canned fruit opened. if the table is laid over night and covered with a spread to keep off dust, a very short time will suffice for getting the sabbath breakfast. heat the rolled wheat in the inner dish of a double boiler. meanwhile moisten the toast; and heat the prune sauce. to prepare the dinner, all that is necessary is to add to the material for soup the requisite amount of milk and seasoning, and heat to boiling; heat and season the peas and macaroni; make a cream sauce and add the potatoes; reheat the rice, which should have been cooked by steaming after the recipe given on page . all may be done in half an hour, while the table is being laid, and with very little labor. table topics. water. to the days of the aged it addeth length; to the might of the strong it addeth strength; it freshens the heart, it brightens the sight; 't is like quaffing a goblet of morning light. --_sel._ it is said that worcester sauce was first introduced as a medicine, the original formula having been evolved by a noted physician to disguise the assafetida which it contains, for the benefit of a noble patient whose high living had impaired his digestion. the turnpike road to people's hearts i find lies through their mouth, or i mistake mankind.--_dr. wolcott._ a good dinner sharpens wit, while it softens the heart.--_daran._ small cheer and great welcome make a merry feast.--_shakespeare._ index. absorption acetic acid acetic fermentation acorn coffee a fourteenth century recipe after mealtime aladdin cooker albumen , , , , albumenized milk alcoholic fermentation almond cornstarch pudding cream paste, to prepare sauce almonds blanched , alum, how to detect in flour ancient recipe for cooking barley animal food anti-fermentatives appetite, education of apple, the and bread custard beverage cake charlotte compote custard , custard pie dessert jelly jelly without sugar meringue dessert pudding, baked rose cream sago pudding apple sandwich shape snow tapioca tart toast toast water apples, directions for serving in jelly sour, raw, digestion of stewed whole sweet, raw, digestion of with apricots with raisins apricots apricot toast arrowroot blancmange gruel jelly artificial butter feeding foods, digestibility of human milk art of dining, the asparagus and peas on toast points preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking soup , stewed toast with cream sauce with egg sauce assama avena avenola baccate fruits or berries bacteria in gelatine bad cookery, evils of bad cooking the ally of intemperance bain marie , baked apples , apple loaf apple pudding apple sauce apples with cream bananas barley bean soup beets cabbage corn egg plant fish milk parsnips peaches pears potatoes quinces sweet apple dessert sweet potatoes turnips vegetables baking powders banana custard dessert dessert with gelatine pie shortcake toast bananas directions for serving in syrup barley and fruit drink antiquity of bread description of digestibility of digestion of fig pudding fruit pudding general suggestions for cooking grain, structure of gruel lemonade meal in the time of charles i milk milk for infants nutritive value of patent pearl pot recipes for cooking scotch milled soup used for bread making batter for bread, test for lightness of pudding beans boiled in a bag green, description of green, recipes for cooking lima pod, digestion of preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking shelled string time required for cooking time required for digestion bean and corn soup and hominy soup and potato soup and tomato soup bean gems beaten biscuit beating beaumont's experiments beef, broiled broth and oatmeal comparative food value of digestion of economy and adaptability in selection of jerked juice liver of recipes for cooking selection of smothered soups stewed tea , , tea and egg tea in bottles tea, nutritive value of beet coffee greens hash salad or chopped beets sugar beets baked preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking stewed with potatoes berries berry shortcake toast beverages cold, recipes for for the sick, recipes for from fruit juices for the sick recipes for bile bills of fare for weeks - bills of fare birds baked in sweet potatoes black bean soup blackberry, the beverage cornstarch pudding mush syrup tapioca blackberries, directions for serving boiled apples with syrup boiled beans beets cabbage carrots cauliflower custard custard bread pudding leg of mutton macaroni parsnips potatoes in jackets potatoes without skins potato yeast rice rice, digestion of sweet potatoes turnips wheat boiling , of vegetables violent, result of bottled beef tea bran stock brass utensils bray brazil nuts bread and apricot pudding and fig pudding and fruit custard articles from which prepared care after baking corn corn, digestion of custard, steamed custard pudding dryness of early forms of entire wheat , for the sick graham heavy, cause of how to knead keeping of perfectly risen to detect alum in to detect whiting in in desserts fermented flour, amount of required made light with air making, chemistry of materials, how to combine milk moldy necessary qualities of of mulberries overfermentation of pans pie pulled rye sour , stale stale, use of steamed test of the rising of unfermented, general directions for making unfermented, time required for baking unleavened vienna water white, injurious effects of whole-wheat , whole-wheat, proportion of phosphates in breads, fermented breadstuffs and bread-making breakfast dishes miscellaneous breakfast, grains for rolls breakfasts and dinners, a year's the ideal use of fruits for breaking bread brewis broccoli recipes broiled beef broiled birds fish mutton chop potato steak broiling , brose broth panada vegetable brown betty bread sauce soup browned cauliflower flour in soups mush parsnips rice sweet potatoes budrum buns, plain butter , absorbent properties of artificial digestion of emulsified french good, test for in ancient times in bread keeping qualities of making butterine buttermilk, composition of butternut 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sugar mashed cabbage beans peas parsnips potatoes sweet potatoes mashed turnips mastication materials, mixing of meals, drinking at eating between service of measures and weights, comparative table of measuring dry materials flour liquids salt sugar meat broth diseased extracts for children importance of simple cooking of nutritive value of pies preparation and cooking of preservation of soup, recipes for soup, preparation and cooking of soup selection of meats for the sick, recipes for left over melon, the directions for serving menu cards metate micro-organisms in gelatine milk, absorbent properties of adulteration of albumenized and contagious diseases and lime water baked bread bread with white flour care of composition of condensed cream and butter diet diet for the young digestion of dishes, washing of diseased for cooking purposes hot , left over oatmeal gruel panada porridge preparations of recipes for , sugar to sterilize for immediate use to sterilize to keep use of in soups utensils for keeping yeast bread minced chicken steak mineral elements , soap miss b's salt-rising bread mixed lemonade fruits, to can mush vegetable broths mock cream molasses sauce molded farina rice, or snow balls tapioca with fruit wheat mrs. t's caramel coffee mulberry, the mush, rye mutton broth chop chops, stewed comparative nutritive value of digestion of recipes for cooking rules for selection of stewed new potatoes nitrogenous elements, importance in dietary for children nursing bottles nuts recipes for serving to keep fresh oatcakes oatmeal blancmange bread character of crisps drink for children fruit mush gems gruel in soups mush porridge preparation and cooking of proportion of nitrogenous element in recipes for cooking of soup time required for the digestion of with apple oat, the ancient use of a staple article of diet with the scotch peasantry description of dr. johnson's definition of how prepared for food nutritive value of oil and gas stoves oleomargarine olive, the omelet, foam plain soft omelets, fancy recipes for making one-crust peach pie onions orangeade , oranges and apples cake custard dessert directions for serving flavor float in jelly pie , pudding rice sauce syrup whey ornamental potatoes oven, heat of for baking unfermented bread proper temperature of test for heating of , thermometer oysters digestion of paddy fields paint for kitchen walls panada, recipes for pan broiled steak pantry, the parched grain coffee parker house rolls parsnip beer boiled boiled, digestion of browned creamed description of mashed preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking of soup , stewed stewed with celery with cream sauce with egg sauce with potato partridges , to dress passover bread pasta d'italia pastry and cake indigestibility of paste for pies for tart shells pates patent barley pea and tomato soup peach, the cream custard pie digestion of jelly mush meringue sauce tapioca toast peaches and cream, directions for serving and pears, directions for serving to can peanut bread the, or ground nut pear, the pearl barley barley with lemon sauce barley with raisins wheat pearled wheats pears, to can peas bainock cake canned description of gravy green, description of green, recipes for cooking of pudding puree recipes for cooking sausage stewed the history pecan, the pectic acid pemmican peptonized gruel milk for infants percolater holder perforated sheet iron pans for rolls phosphates in wheat picnic biscuit dinners pudding pie, fresh fruit crust, raised with one crust pies, general suggestions for making paste for recipes for making pigeons to select pineapple, the beverage cake directions for serving lemonade tapioca pineapples, to cane pink dinners lemonade pippins and quinces plain cornstarch pudding custard fruit pudding omelets pudding sauce rice soup plaster of paris in flour plum, the jelly porridge plums to can with sweet apples poached eggs with cream sauce poisonous mussels substances produced in fried foods polenta 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to serve raised biscuit corn bread pie crust raisin gruel panada range ventilator raspberries, blackberries and other small fruits directions for serving raspberry, the manioca mold raw eggs potato yeast recipes for canning fruit for cooking rye for steamed pudding for unfermented bread for yeast red rice mold sago mold sauce refrigerator rice and fruit dessert and strawberry dessert and stewed apple dessert and tapioca pudding and apple custard pudding balls best methods of cooking cream pudding custard pudding description of digestibility of digestion of division in food elements dumpling fruit dessert flour flour mold history of kernel, structure of meringue preparation and cooking of pudding with raisins recipes for cooking of requisites for cultivation of snow snowball snow with jelly soup time required for digestion of to clean water with eggs with fig sauce with lemon with peaches with raisins roast beef chicken mutton turkey roasted potatoes sweet potatoes roasting , rochelle salts roll, fruit rolled oats rye wheat , rolls rose cream rough rice rust, to remove rye, appearance of bread description of flour meal nutritive value of puffs sabbath bill of fare dinners sago and fruit custard pudding and potato soup custard pudding digestion of fruit pudding pudding sauce soup saleratus salicylic acid, in fruit saliva, the sally lunn gems salmon, digestion of salsify, description of preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking of salted fish salted meats salt, measuring of samp sanitary customs among the jews sauce for desserts and puddings, recipes for sauteing scalloped beans cauliflower egg plant potatoes turnips vegetable oyster scallops school lunches scientific cookery, principles of scotch broth milled barley scrambled eggs scraped steak sea kale sea moss blancmange seasonings semolina setting the sponge shaken milk sheep's kidneys shell fish sherbet shortcake, banana lemon strawberry silver, care of to remove egg tarnish from simmering simple custard pie stock, or broth sink in kitchen skim milk, composition of slippery elm tea small fruits smoked meats smooth apple sauce smothered beef chicken snowball custard snowballs snowflake toast snow gems snow pudding , snow, use of in place of eggs soda use of in cooking vegetables soft custard omelet soup, digestion of digestibility of , seasoning of soups economical value of from grains and legumes, to prepare recipes for making selection for material for to flavor to thicken sour bread sowens spaghetti spice and flavorings spinach description of preparation and cooking of split pea soup sponge cake how to secure the best temperature when sufficiently light spoons, kind to be used in measuring squash, baked canned mashed pie pie without eggs summer winter stains, removal of stale bread starch , action of cold water upon action of hot water upon steak, pan broiled steam cooker , cooker for grains steamed apples chicken custard eggs , potatoes prunes pudding rice rice, digestion of squash sweet potatoes turnips steaming , different methods of vegetables steel knives, to clean sterilized milk for infants stewed apples asparagus beans beef beef with vegetables beets cabbage carrots cauliflower celery , chicken corn and tomatoes crab apples fruit pudding lima beans mutton mutton chop parsnips pears potato squash raisins turnips stewing , proper temperature for sticks st. martin, alexis; experiments on stock preparation of to clarify to cool to strain stomach digestion storeroom stoves and ranges strawberry, the charlotte minute pudding shortcake strawberries, to can string beans, canned stirabout stirring of grains stuffed potatoes succotash sugar amount of required, in canning cane crisps excess of in fruit jelly fruit grape in canned fruit measuring of milk to color summer squash squash, preparation and cooking of squash, recipes for cooking succotash swedish bread sweet apple custard pie pudding sauce with condensed apple juice sweet corn sweet potato pie soup to dry swiss lentil soup swiss potato soup table, the appointments of arrangement of for estimating the amount of food required for infants in kitchen linen, care of linen, colored linen, washing of manners of nutritive values of foods - refuse setting the the setting of over night topics , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , tamarind water tapeworm tapioca and fig pudding cream soup custard digestion of filling jelly pudding soup tartaric acid tea and coffee, adulteration of and coffee, substitutes for not a food use of, detrimental temperature for bread-making test for bad water testimony of st. pierre thanksgiving menus theine tin closet, list of utensils for utensils tinware, action upon by acids adulterated with lead tisane toast apple apricot asparagus banana berry celery cherry cream for the sick grape gravy lentil peach prune preparation of recipes for snowflake tomato vegetable oyster water tomato and macaroni soup and okra soup and rice soup cream gravy cream soup description of gluten gravy , preparation and cooking of pudding recipes for salad soup soup with vermicelli toast with okra tomatoes, baked canned scalloped stewed tortillas trays for invalids, suggestions for preparing trichinæ turkey, roast suggestions for selection of turnips, baked boiled chopped composition of description of digestion of scalloped in juice mashed preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking steamed stewed with cream sauce tyrotoxicon unfermented batter bread bread recipes for wine unleavened bread unripe fruits utensils for bread-making variety cake veal comparative nutritive value of rules for selection of vegetable broth , brush casein casein hardened by the use of hard water hash marrow marrow, description of oyster, description of oyster, preparation and cooking of oysters, recipes for cooking oyster soup oyster toast press vegetable soup vegetables canning of composition of decayed dietetic value of fresh, value of keeping of left over overdone preparation and cooking of recipes for canning shredded in soups sprouted stale storing of time required for cooking to keep after cooking to select underdone velvet soup ventilation of china closet of cupboards of kitchen of pantry ventilator vermicelli pudding in soups soup , , vienna bread vitellin waiters, general suggestions for waiter, the handy walnut, the wall cabinet warmed-over potatoes washing the dishes waste barrel, the water, action of upon food elements amount of for cooking vegetables boiling point at different altitudes boiling point at sea level boiling, temperature of bread , comparative value of use of hot and cold in cookery rice supplies supplies, tests for tamarind to increase the boiling point of wheat-berry flour cracked description of wheatena wheat, finer mill products of flour, nutritive elements of gluten meal molded oats and barley coffee pearled preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking relative proportion of food elements in rolled structure of with fresh fruit with raisins whipped cream sauce whirled eggs white celery soup custard , , of egg of egg and milk soup whiting in flour, how to detect whole-wheat bread , puffs whortleberry pudding whortleberries and blueberries directions for serving window box winter squash preparation and cooking of recipes for cooking of wire dishcloth wooden ware, to wash yeast amount required for bread-making bitter boiled potato cells, effect of heat upon compressed effects of freezing upon foam homemade how to keep how to promote the growth of liquid raw potato recipes for test for the most convenient kind the stirring of yellow luncheon zwieback , , , preparation of this file was produced from images generously made available by the digital & multimedia center, michigan state university libraries. seventy-five receipts for pastry cakes, and sweetmeats by miss leslie, of philadelphia. preface. the following receipts for pastry, cakes, and sweetmeats, are original, and have been used by the author and many of her friends with uniform success. they are drawn up in a style so plain and minute, as to be perfectly intelligible to servants, and persons of the most moderate capacity. all the ingredients, with their proper quantities, are enumerated in a list at the head of each receipt, a plan which will greatly facilitate the business of procuring and preparing the requisite articles. there is frequently much difficulty in following directions in english and french cookery books, not only from their want of explicitness, but from the difference in the fuel, fire-places, and cooking utensils, generally used in europe and america; and many of the european receipts are, so complicated and laborious, that our female cooks are afraid to undertake the arduous task of making any thing from them. the receipts in this little book are, in every sense of the word, american; but the writer flatters herself that (if exactly followed) the articles produced from them will not be found inferior to any of a similar description made in the european manner. experience has proved, that pastry, cakes, &c. prepared _precisely_ according to these directions will not fail to be excellent: but where economy is expedient, a portion of the seasoning, that is, the spice, wine, brandy, rosewater, essence of lemon, &c. may be omitted without any essential deviation of flavour, or difference of appearance; retaining, however, the given proportions of eggs, butter, sugar, and flour. but if done at home, and by a person that can be trusted, it will be proved, on trial, that any of these articles may be made in the best and most liberal manner at _one half_ of the cost of the same articles supplied by a confectioner. and they will be found particularly useful to families that live in the country or in small towns, where nothing of the kind is to be purchased. contents. part the first. preliminary remarks puff paste common paste mince pies plum pudding lemon pudding orange pudding cocoa nut pudding almond pudding a cheesecake sweet potato pudding pumpkin pudding gooseberry pudding baked apple pudding fruit pies oyster pie beef steak pie indian pudding batter pudding bread pudding rice pudding boston pudding fritters fine custards plain custards rice custard cold custards curds and whey a trifle whipt cream floating island ice cream calf's feet jelly blanc-mange part the second general directions queen cake pound cake black cake, or plum cake sponge cake almond cake french almond cake maccaroons apees jumbles kisses spanish buns rusk indian pound cake cup cake loaf cake sugar biscuits milk biscuits butter biscuits gingerbread nuts common gingerbread la fayette gingerbread a dover cake crullers dough nuts waffles soft muffins indian batter cakes flannel cakes rolls part the third general directions apple jelly red currant jelly black currant jelly gooseberry jelly grape jelly peach jelly preserved quinces preserved pippins preserved peaches preserved crab-apples preserved plums preserved strawberries preserved cranberries preserved pumpkin preserved pine-apple raspberry jam appendix. miscellaneous receipts as all families are not provided with scales and weights, referring to the ingredients generally used in cakes and pastry, we subjoin a list of weights and measures. weight and measure wheat flour one pound is one quart. indian meal one pound, two ounces, is one quart. butter--when soft one pound is one quart. loaf-sugar, broken one pound is one quart. white sugar, powdered one pound, one ounce, is one quart. eggs ten eggs are one pound. liquid measure sixteen large table-spoonfuls are half a pint. eight large table-spoonfuls are one gill. four large table-spoonfuls are half a gill. a common-sized tumbler holds half a pint. a common-sized wine-glass half a gill. allowing for accidental differences in the quality, freshness, dryness, and moisture of the articles, we believe this comparison between weight and measure, to be nearly correct as possible. part the first. pastry the eggs should not be beaten till after all the other ingredients are ready, as they will fail very soon. if the whites and yolks are to be beaten separately, do the whites first, as they will stand longer. eggs should be beaten in a broad shallow pan, spreading wide at the top. butter and sugar should be stirred in a deep pan with straight sides. break every egg by itself, in a saucer, before you put it into the pan, that in case there should be any bad ones, they may not spoil the others. eggs are beaten most expeditiously with rods. a small quantity of white of egg may be beaten with a knife, or a three-pronged fork. there can be no positive rules as to the exact time of baking each article. skill in baking is the result of practice, attention, and experience. much, of course, depends on the state of the fire, and on the size of the things to be baked, and something on the thickness of the pans or dishes. if you bake in a stove, put some bricks in the oven part to set the pans or plates on, and to temper the heat at the bottom. large sheets of iron, without sides, will be found very useful for small cakes, and to put under the pans or plates. puff paste. half a pound and two ounces of sifted flour. half a pound of the best fresh butter--washed. a little cold water. _this will make puff-paste for two puddings, or for one soup-plate pie, or for four small shells_. weigh half a pound and two ounces of flour, and sift it through a hair-sieve into a large deep dish. take out about one fourth of the flour, and lay it aside on one corner of your pasteboard, to roll and sprinkle with. wash, in cold water, half a pound of the best fresh butter. squeeze it hard with your hands and make it up into a round lump. divide it in four equal parts; lay them on one side of your paste-board, and have ready a glass of cold water. cut one of the four pieces of butter into the pan of flour. cut it as small as possible. wet it gradually with a very little water (too much water will make it tough) and mix it well with the point of a large case-knife. do not touch it with your hands. when the dough gets into a lump, sprinkle on the middle of the board some of the flour that you laid aside, and lay the dough upon it, turning it out of the pan with the knife. rub the rolling-pin with flour, and sprinkle a little on the lump of paste. roll it out thin, quickly, and evenly, pressing on the rolling-pin very lightly. then take the second of the four pieces of butter, and, with the point of your knife, stick it in little bits at equal distances all over the sheet of paste. sprinkle on some flour, and fold up the dough. flour the paste-board and rolling-pin again; throw a little flour on the paste and roll it out a second time. stick the third piece of butter all over it in little bits. throw on some flour, fold up the paste, sprinkle a little more flour on the dough, and on the rolling-pin, and roll it out a third time, always pressing on it lightly. stick it over with the fourth and last piece of butter. throw on a little more flour, fold up the paste and then roll it out in a large round sheet. cut off the sides, so as to make the sheet of a square form, and lay the slips of dough upon the square sheet. fold it up with the small pieces of trimmings, in the inside. score or notch it a little with the knife; lay it on a plate and set it away in a cool place, but not where it can freeze, as that will make it heavy. having made the paste, prepare and mix your pudding or pie. when the mixture is finished, bring out your paste, flour the board and rolling-pin, and roll it out with a short quick stroke, and pressing the rolling-pin rather harder than while you were putting the butter in. if the paste rises in blisters, it will be light, unless spoiled in baking. then cut the sheet in half, fold up each piece and roll them out once more, separately, in round sheets the size of your plate. press on rather harder, but not too hard. roll the sheets thinnest in the middle and thickest at the edges. if intended for puddings, lay them in buttered soup-plates, and trim them evenly round the edges. if the edges do not appear thick enough, you may take the trimmings, put them all together, roll them out, and having cut them in slips the breadth of the rim of the plate, lay them all round to make the paste thicker at the edges, joining them nicely and evenly, as every patch or crack will appear distinctly when baked. notch the rim handsomely with a very sharp knife. fill the dish with the mixture of the pudding, and bake it in a moderate oven. the paste should be of a light brown colour. if the oven is too slow, it will be soft and clammy; if too quick, it will not have time to rise as high as it ought to do. in making the best puff-paste, try to avoid using more flour to sprinkle and roll with, than the small portion which you have laid aside for that purpose at the beginning. if you make the dough too soft at first, by using too much water, it will be sticky, and require more flour, and will eventually be tough when baked. do not put your hands to it, as their warmth will injure it. use the knife instead. always roll from you rather than to you, and press lightly on the rolling-pin, except at the last. it is difficult to make puff-paste in the summer, unless in a cellar, or very cool room, and on a marble table. the butter should, if possible, be washed the night before, and kept covered with ice till you use it next day. the water should have ice in it, and the butter should be iced as it sets on the paste-board. after the paste is mixed, it should be put in a covered dish, and set in cold water till you are ready to give it the last rolling. with all these precautions to prevent its being heavy, it will not rise as well, or be in any respect as good as in cold weather. the handsomest way of ornamenting the edge of a pie or pudding is to cut the rim in large square notches, and then fold over triangularly one corner of every notch. common paste for pies. a pound and a half of sifted flour. three quarters of a pound of butter--washed. _this will make one large pie or two small ones_. sift the flour into a pan. cut the butter into two equal parts. cut one half of the butter into the flour, and cut it up as small as possible. mix it well with the flour, wetting it gradually with a little cold water. spread some flour on your paste-board, take the lump of paste out of the pan, flour your rolling-pin, and roll out the paste into a large sheet. then stick it over with the remaining half of the butter in small pieces, and laid at equal distances. throw on a little flour, fold up the sheet of paste, flour it slightly, and roll it out again. then fold it up, and cut it in half or in four, according to the size of your pies. roll it out into round sheets the size of your pie-plates, pressing rather harder on the rolling-pin. butter your pie-plates, lay on your under crust, and trim the edge. fill the dish with the ingredients of which the pie is composed, and lay on the lid, in which you must prick some holes, or cut a small slit in the top. crimp the edges with a sharp knife. heap up the ingredients so that the pie will be highest in the middle. some think it makes common paste more crisp and light, to beat it hard on both sides with the rolling-pin, after you give it the first rolling, when all the butter is in. if the butter is very fresh, you may mix with the flour a salt-spoonful of salt. mince pies one pound and a half of boiled beef's heart, or fresh tongue--chopped when cold. two pounds of beef suet, chopped fine. four pounds of pippin apples, chopped. two pounds of raisins, stoned and chopped. two pounds of currants, picked, washed, and dried. two pounds of powdered sugar. one quart of white wine. one quart of brandy. one wine-glass of rose-water. two grated nutmegs. half an ounce of powdered cinnamon a quarter of an ounce of powdered cloves a quarter of an ounce of powdered mace a teaspoon of salt. two large oranges. half a pound of citron, cut in slips. parboil a beef's heart, or a fresh tongue. after you have taken off the skin and fat, weigh a pound and a half. when it is cold, chop it very fine. take the inside of the suet; weigh two pounds, and chop it as fine as possible. mix the meat and suet together, adding the salt. pare, core, and chop the apples, and then stone and chop the raisins. having prepared the currants, add them to the other fruit, and mix the fruit with the meat and suet. put in the sugar and spice, and the grated peel and juice of the oranges. wet the whole with the rose water and liquor, and mix all well together. make the paste, allowing for each pie, half a pound of butter and three quarters of a pound of sifted flour. make it in the same manner as puff-paste, but it will not be quite so rich. lay a sheet of paste all over a soup-plate. fill it with mince-meat, laying slips of citron on the top. roll out a sheet of paste, for the lid of the pie. put it on, and crimp the edges with a knife. prick holes in the lid. bake the pies half an hour in a brisk oven. keep your mince meat in a jar tightly covered. set it in a dry, cool place, and occasionally add more brandy to it. instead of the heart or tongue, you may, if you choose, use part of a round of fresh beef. plum pudding one pound of raisins, stoned and cut in half. one pound of currants, picked, washed and dried. one pound of beef suet chopped fine. one pound of grated stale bread, or, half a pound of flour and half a pound of bread. eight eggs. a quarter of a pound of sugar. a glass of brandy. a pint of milk. a glass of wine. two nutmegs, grated. a table-spoonful of mixed cinnamon and mace. a salt-spoonful of salt. you must prepare all your ingredients the day before (except beating the eggs) that in the morning you may have nothing to do but to mix them, as the pudding will require six hours to boil. beat the eggs very light, then put to them half the milk and beat both together. stir in gradually the flour and grated bread. next add the sugar by degrees. then the suet and fruit alternately. the fruit must be well sprinkled with flour, lest it sink to the bottom. stir very hard. then add the spice and liquor, and lastly the remainder of the milk. stir the whole mixture very well together. if it is not thick enough, add a little more grated bread or flour. if there is too much bread or flour, the pudding will be hard and heavy. dip your pudding-cloth, in boiling water, shake it out and sprinkle it slightly with flour. lay it in a pan and pour the mixture into the cloth. tie it up carefully, allowing room for the pudding to swell. boil it six hours, and turn it carefully out of the cloth. before you send it to table, have ready some blanched sweet almonds cut in slips, or some slips of citron, or both. stick them all over the outside of the pudding. eat it with wine, or with a sauce made of drawn butter, wine and nutmeg. the pudding will be improved if you add to the other ingredients, the grated rind of a large lemon or orange. lemon pudding one small lemon, with a smooth thin rind. three eggs. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. a quarter of a pound of fresh butter--washed. a table-spoonful of white wine and brandy, mixed. a tea-spoonful of rose-water. five ounces of sifted flour, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter for the paste. grate the yellow part of the rind of a small lemon. then cut the lemon in half, and squeeze the juice into the plate that contains the grated rind, carefully taking out all the seeds. mix the juice and rind together. put a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar into a deep earthen pan, and cut up in it a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter. if the weather is very cold, set the pan near the fire, for a few minutes, to soften the butter, but do not allow it to melt or it will be heavy. stir the butter and sugar together, with a stick or wooden spoon, till it is perfectly light and of the consistence of cream. put the eggs in a shallow broad pan, and beat them with an egg-beater or rods, till they are quite smooth, and as thick as a boiled custard. then stir the eggs, gradually, into the pan of butter and sugar. add the liquor and rose water by degrees, and then stir in, gradually, the juice and grated rind of the lemon. stir the whole very hard, after all the ingredients are in. have ready a puff-paste made of five ounces of sifted flour, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. the paste must be made with as little water as possible. roll it out in a circular sheet, thin in the centre, and thicker towards the edges, and just large enough to cover the bottom, sides, and edges of a soup-plate. butter the soup-plate very well, and lay the paste in it, making it neat and even round the broad edge of the plate. with a sharp knife, trim off the superfluous dough, and notch the edges. put in the mixture with a spoon, and bake the pudding about half an hour, in a moderate oven. it should be baked of a very light brown. if the oven is too hot, the paste will not have time to rise well. if too cold, it will be clammy. when the pudding is cool, grate loaf-sugar over it. before using lemons for any purpose, always roll them awhile with your hand on a table. this will cause them to yield a larger quantity of juice. orange pudding. one large orange, of a deep colour, and smooth thin rind. one lime. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. three eggs. a table-spoonful of mixed wine and brandy. a tea-spoonful of rose-water. grate the yellow rind of the orange and lime, and squeeze the juice into a saucer or soup-plate, taking out all the seeds. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the eggs as light as possible, and then stir them by degrees into the pan of butter and sugar. add, gradually, the liquor and rose-water, and then by degrees, the orange and lime. stir all well together. have ready a sheet of puff-paste made of five ounces of sifted flour, and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. lay the paste in a buttered soup-plate. trim and notch the edges, and then put in the mixture. bake it about half an hour, in a moderate oven. grate loaf-sugar over it, before you send it to table. cocoa-nut pudding a quarter of a pound of cocoa-nut, grated. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. three ounces and a half of fresh butter. the whites only of six eggs. a table-spoonful of wine and brandy mixed. half a tea-spoonful of rose-water. break up a cocoa-nut, and take the thin brown skin carefully off, with a knife. wash all the pieces in cold water, and then wipe them dry, with a clean towel. weigh a quarter of a pound of cocoa-nut, and grate it very fine, into a soup-plate. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, and add the liquor and rose-water gradually to them. beat the whites only, of six eggs, till they stand alone on the rods; and then stir the beaten white of egg, gradually, into the butter and sugar. afterwards, sprinkle in, by degrees, the grated cocoa-nut, stirring hard all the time. then stir all very well at the last. have ready a puff-paste, sufficient to cover the bottom, sides, and edges of a soup-plate. put in the mixture, and bake it in a moderate oven, about half an hour. grate loaf-sugar over it, when cool. almond pudding. half a pound of sweet almonds, which will be reduced to a quarter of a pound, when shelled and blanched. an ounce of blanched bitter almonds or peach-kernels. the whites only, of six eggs. a quarter of a pound of butter. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. a table-spoonful of mixed brandy, wine, and rose-water. shell half a pound of sweet almonds, and pour scalding water over them, which will make the skins peal off. as they get cool, pour more boiling water, till the almonds are all blanched. blanch also the bitter almonds. as you blanch the almonds, throw them into a bowl of cold water. then take them out, one by one, wipe them dry in a clean towel, and lay them on a plate. pound them one at a time to a fine paste, in a marble mortar, adding, as you pound them, a few drops of rose-water to prevent their oiling. pound the bitter and sweet almonds alternately, that they may be well mixed. they must be made perfectly fine and smooth, and are the better for being prepared the day before they are wanted for the pudding. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, and add to it, gradually, the liquor. beat the whites of six eggs till they stand alone. stir the almonds and white of eggs, alternately, into the butter and sugar; and then stir the whole well together. have ready a puff-paste sufficient for a soup-plate. butter the plate, lay on the paste, trim and notch it. then put in the mixture. bake it about half an hour in a moderate oven. grate loaf-sugar over it. a cheesecake. four eggs. a gill of milk. a quarter of a pound of butter. a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. two ounces of grated bread. a table-spoonful of mixed brandy and wine. a tea-spoonful of rose-water. a tea-spoonful of mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mixed. a quarter of a pound of currants. pick the currants very clean. wash them through a colander, wipe them in a towel, and then dry them on a dish before the fire. when dry take out a few to scatter over the top of the cheesecake, lay them aside, and sprinkle the remainder of the currants with the flour. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. grate the bread, and prepare the spice. beat the eggs very light. boil the milk. when it comes to a boil, add to it half the beaten egg, and boil both together till it becomes a curd, stirring it frequently with a knife. then throw the grated bread on the curd, and stir all together. then take the milk, egg, and bread off the fire and stir it, gradually, into the butter and sugar. next, stir in the remaining half of the egg. add, by degrees, the liquor and spice. lastly, stir in, gradually, the currants. have ready a puff-paste, which should be made before you prepare the cheesecake, as the mixture will become heavy by standing. before you put it into the oven, scatter the remainder of the currants over the top. bake it half an hour in rather a quick oven. do not sugar the top. you may bake it either in a soup-plate, or in two small tin patty-pans, which, for cheesecakes, should be of a square shape. if baked in square patty-pans, leave at each side a flap of paste in the shape of a half-circle. cut long slits in these flaps and turn them over, so that they will rest on the top of the mixture. you can, if you choose, add to the currants a few raisins stoned, and cut in half. sweet potato pudding. a quarter of a pound of boiled sweet potato. three eggs. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. a glass of mixed wine and brandy. a half-glass of rose-water. a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. pound the spice, allowing a smaller proportion of mace than of nutmeg and cinnamon. boil and peal some sweet potatoes, and when they are cold, weigh a quarter of a pound. mash the sweet potato very smooth, and rub it through a sieve. stir the sugar and butter to a cream. beat the eggs very light, and stir them into the butter and sugar, alternately with the sweet potato. add by degrees the liquor, rose-water and spice. stir all very hard together. spread puff-paste on a soup-plate. put in the mixture, and bake it about half an hour in a moderate oven. grate sugar over it. pumpkin pudding. half a pound of stewed pumpkin. three eggs. a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, or a pint of cream. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. half a glass of wine and brandy mixed. half a glass of rose-water. a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. stew some pumpkin with as little water as possible. drain it in a colander, and press it till dry. when cold, weigh half a pound, and pass it through a sieve. prepare the spice. stir together the sugar, and butter, to cream, till they are perfectly light. add to them, gradually, the spice and liquor. beat three eggs very light, and stir them into the butter and sugar alternately with the pumpkin. cover a soup-plate with puff-paste, and put in the mixture. bake it in a moderate oven about half an hour. grate sugar over it when cool. instead of the butter, you may boil a pint of milk or cream, and when cold, stir into it in turn the sugar, eggs, and pumpkin. gooseberry pudding. a pint of stewed gooseberries, with all their juice. a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. two ounces of fresh butter. two ounces of grated bread. three eggs. stew the gooseberries till quite soft. when they are cold, mash them fine with the back of a spoon, and stir into them two ounces of sugar. take two ounces more of sugar, and stir it to a cream with two ounces of butter. grate very fine as much stale bread as will weigh two ounces. beat three eggs, and stir them into the butter and sugar, in turn with the gooseberries and bread. lay puff-paste in a soup plate. put in the mixture, and bake it half an hour. do not grate sugar over it. baked apple pudding. a pint of stewed apples. half a pint of cream, or two ounces of butter. a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. a nutmeg grated. a table-spoonful of rose-water. a tea-spoonful of grated lemon-peel. stew your apple in as little water as possible, and not long enough for the pieces to break and lose their shape. put them in a colander to drain, and mash them with the back of a spoon. if stewed too long, and in too much water, they will lose their flavour. when cold, mix with them the nutmeg, rose-water, and lemon-peel, and two ounces of sugar. stir the other two ounces of sugar, with the butter or cream, and then mix it gradually with the apple. bake, it in puff-paste, in a soup-dish, about half an hour in a moderate oven. do not sugar the top. fruit pies. fruit pies for family use, are generally made with common paste, allowing three quarters of a pound of butter to a pound and a half of flour. peaches and plums for pies, should be cut in half, and the stones taken out. cherries also should be stoned, and red cherries only should be used for pies. apples should be cut into very thin slices, and are much improved by a little lemon peel. sweet apples are not good for pies, as they are very insipid when baked, and seldom get thoroughly done. if green apples are used, they should first be stewed in as little water as possible; and made very sweet. apples, stewed previous to baking, should not be done till they break, but only till they are tender. they should then be drained in a colander, and chopped fine with a knife or the edge of a spoon. in making pies of juicy fruit, it is a good way to set a small tea-cup on the bottom crust, and lay the fruit all round it. the juice will collect under the cup, and not run out at the edges or top of the pie. the fruit should be mixed with a sufficient quantity of sugar, and piled up in the middle, so as to make the pie highest in the centre. the upper crust should be pricked with a fork, or have a slit cut in the middle. the edges should be nicely crimped with a knife. dried peaches, dried apples, and cranberries should be stewed with a very little water, and allowed to get quite cold before they are put into the pie. if stewed fruit is put in warm, it will make the paste heavy. if your pies are made in the form of shells, or without lids, the fruit should always be stewed first, or it will not be sufficiently done, as the shells (which should be of puff paste) must not bake so long as covered pies. shells intended for sweetmeats, must be baked empty, and the fruit put into them before they go to table. fruit pies with lids, should have loaf-sugar grated over them. if they have been baked the day before, they should be warmed in the stove, or near the fire, before they are sent to table, to soften the crust, and make them taste fresh. raspberry and apple-pies are much improved by taking off the lid, and pouring in a little cream just before they go to table. replace the lid very carefully. oyster pie. a hundred large fresh oysters, or more if small. the yolks of six eggs boiled hard. a large slice of stale-bread, grated. a tea-spoonful of salt. a table-spoonful of pepper. a table-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. take a large round dish, butter it and spread a rich paste over the sides, and round the edge, but not at the bottom. salt oysters will not do for pies. they should be fresh, and as large and fine as possible. drain off part of the liquor from the oysters. put them into a pan, and season them with pepper, salt and spice. stir them well with the seasoning. have ready the yolks of eggs, chopped fine, and the grated bread. pour the oysters (with as much of their liquor as you please) into the dish that has the paste in it. strew over them the chopped egg and grated bread. roll out the lid of the pie, and put it on, crimping the edges handsomely. take a small sheet of paste, cut it into a square and roll it up. cut it with a sharp knife into the form of a double tulip. make a slit in the centre of the upper crust, and stick the tulip in it. cut out eight large leaves of paste, and lay them on the lid. bake the pie in a quick oven. if you think the oysters will be too much done by baking them in the crust, you can substitute for them pieces of bread, to keep up the lid of the pie. put the oysters with their liquor and the seasoning, chopped egg, grated bread, &c. into a pan. cover them closely, and let them just come to a boil, taking them off the fire, and stirring them frequently. when the crust is baked, take the lid neatly off (loosening it round the edge with a knife) take out the pieces of bread, and put in the oysters. lay the lid on again very carefully. for oyster patties, the oysters are prepared in the same manner. they may be chopped if you choose. they must be put in small shells of puff-paste. beef-steak pie. butter a deep dish, and spread a sheet of paste all over the bottom, sides, and edge. cut away from your beef-steak all the bone, fat, gristle, and skin. cut the lean in small thin pieces, about as large, generally, as the palm of your hand. beat the meat well with the rolling-pin, to make it juicy and tender. if you put in the fat, it will make the gravy too greasy and strong, as it cannot be skimmed. put a layer of meat over the bottom-crust of your dish, and season it to your taste, with pepper, salt, and, if you choose, a little nutmeg. a small quantity of mushroom ketchup is an improvement; so, also, is a little minced onion. have ready some cold boiled potatoes sliced thin. spread over the meat, a layer of potatoes, and a small piece of butter; then another layer of meat, seasoned, and then a layer of potatoes, and so on till the dish is full and heaped up in the middle, having a layer of meat on the top. pour in a little water. cover the pie with a sheet of paste, and trim the edges. notch it handsomely with a knife; and, if you choose, make a tulip of paste, and stick it in the middle of the lid, and lay leaves of paste round it. fresh oysters will greatly improve a beef-steak pie. so also will mushrooms. any meat pie may be made in a similar manner. indian pudding. a pound of beef-suet, chopped very fine. a pint of molasses. a pint of rich milk. four eggs. a large tea-spoonful of powdered nutmeg and cinnamon. a little grated or chipped lemon-peel. indian meal sufficient to make a thick batter. warm the milk and molasses, and stir them together. beat the eggs, and stir them gradually into the milk and molasses, in turn with the suet and indian meal. add the spice and lemon-peel and stir all very hard together. take care not to put too much indian meal, or the pudding will be heavy and solid. dip the cloth in boiling water. shake it out, and flour it slightly. pour the mixture into it, and tie it up, leaving room for the pudding to swell. boil it three hours. serve it up hot, and eat it with sauce made of drawn butter, wine and nutmeg. when cold, it is good cut in slices and fried. batter pudding. six eggs. eight table-spoonfuls of sifted flour. one quart of milk. a salt-spoonful of salt. stir the flour, gradually, into the milk, carefully dissolving all the lumps. beat the eggs very light, and add them by degrees to the milk and flour. put in the salt, and stir the whole well together. take a very thick pudding-cloth. dip it in boiling water, and flour it. pour into it the mixture and tie it up, leaving room for it to swell. boil it hard, one hour, and keep it in the pot, till it is time to send it to table. serve it up with wine-sauce. a square cloth, which when tied up will make the pudding of a round form, is better than a bag. apple batter pudding is made by pouring the batter over a dish of pippins, pared, cored, and sweetened, either whole or cut in pieces. bake it, and eat it with butter and sugar. bread pudding. a quarter of a pound of grated stale bread. a quart of milk, boiled with two or three sticks of cinnamon, slightly broken. eight eggs. a quarter of a pound of sugar. a little grated lemon-peel. boil the milk with the cinnamon, strain it, and set it away till quite cold. grate as much crumb of stale bread as will weigh a quarter of a pound. beat the eggs, and when the milk is cold, stir them into it in turn with the bread and sugar. add the lemon-peel, and if you choose, a table spoonful of rosewater. bake it in a buttered dish, and grate nutmeg over it when done. do not send it to table hot. baked puddings should never be eaten till they have become cold, or at least cool. rice pudding. a quarter of a pound of rice. a quarter of a pound of butter. a quarter of a pound of sugar. a pint and a half of milk, or cream and milk. six eggs. a tea-spoonful of mixed spice, mace, nutmeg and cinnamon. a half wine-glass of rose-water. wash the rice. boil it till very soft. drain it and set it away to get cold. put the butter and sugar together in a pan, and stir them till very light. add to them the spice and rose-water. beat the eggs very light, and stir them, gradually, into the milk. then stir the eggs and the milk into the butter and sugar, alternately with the rice. bake it and grate nutmeg over the top. currants or raisins, floured, and stirred in at the last, will greatly improve it. it should be eaten cold, or quite cool. boston pudding. make a good common paste with a pound and a half of flour, and three quarters of a pound of butter. [footnote: or three quarters of a pound of beef suet, chopped very fine. mix the suet at once with the flour, knead it with cold water into a stiff dough, and then roll it out into a large thin sheet. fold it up and roll it again.] when you roll it out the last time, cut off the edges, till you get the sheet of paste of an even square shape. have ready some fruit sweetened to your taste. if cranberries, gooseberries, dried peaches, or damsons, they should be stewed, and made very sweet. if apples, they should be stewed in a very little water, drained, and seasoned with nutmeg, rosewater and lemon. if currants, raspberries, or blackberries, they should be mashed with sugar, and put into the pudding raw. spread the fruit very thick, all over the sheet of paste, (which must not be rolled out too thin.) when it is covered all over with the fruit, roll it up, and close the dough at both ends, and down the last side. tie the pudding in a cloth and boil it. eat it with sugar. it must not be taken out of the pot till just before it is brought to table. fritters. seven eggs. half a pint of milk. a salt-spoonful of salt. sufficient flour to make a thick batter. beat the eggs well and stir them gradually into the milk. add the salt, and stir in flour enough to make a thick batter. fry them in lard, and serve them up hot. eat them with wine and sugar. they are improved by stirring in a table-spoonful of yeast. these are excellent with the addition of cold stewed apple, stirred into the mixtures in which case use less flour. fine custards. a quart of milk or cream. the yoke only, of sixteen eggs. six ounces of powdered white sugar. a large handful of peach-leaves or half an ounce of peach kernels or bitter almonds, broken in pieces. a table-spoonful of rose-water. a nutmeg. boil in the milk the cinnamon, and the peach-leaves, or peach-kernels. when it has boiled, set it away to get cold. as soon as it is cold, strain it through a sieve, to clear it from the cinnamon, peach-leaves, &c. and stir into it gradually, the sugar, spice, and rose-water. beat the yolks of sixteen eggs very light, and stir them by degrees into the milk, which must be quite cold or the eggs will make it curdle. put the custards into cups, and set them in a baking pan, half filled with water. when baked, grate some nutmeg over each and ice them. make the icing of the whites of eight eggs, a large tea-spoonful of powdered loaf sugar, and six drops of essence of lemon, beaten all together till it stands alone. pile up some of the icing on the top of each custard, heaping it high. put a spot of red nonpareils on the middle of the pile of icing. if the weather be damp, or the eggs not new-laid, more than eight whites will be required for the icing. plain custards. a quart of rich milk. eight eggs. a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. a handful of peach-leaves, or half an ounce of peach-kernels, broken in pieces. a nutmeg. boil the peach-leaves or kernels in the milk, and set it away to cool. when cold, strain out the leaves or kernels, and stir in the sugar. beat the eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the milk when it is quite cold. bake it in cups, or in a large white dish. when cool, grate nutmeg over the top. rice custards. half a pound of rice. half a pound of raisins or currants. eight yolks of eggs or six whole eggs. six ounces of powdered sugar. a quart of rich milk. a handful of peach-leaves, or half an ounce of peach-kernels, broken in pieces. half an ounce of cinnamon, broken in pieces. boil the rice with the raisins or currants, which must first be floured. butter some cups or a mould, and when the rice is quite soft, drain it, and put it into them. set it away to get cold. beat the eggs well. boil the milk with the cinnamon and peach-leaves, or kernels. as soon as it has come to a boil, take it off and strain it through a sieve. then set it again on the fire, stir into it alternately, the egg and sugar, taking it off frequently and stirring it hard, lest it become a curd. take care not to boil it too long, or it will be lumpy and lose its flavour. when done, set it away to cool. turn out the rice from the cups or mould, into a deep dish. pour some of the boiled custard over it, and send up the remainder of the custard in a sauce-boat. you may, if you choose, ornament the lumps of rice, (after the custard is poured round them) by making a stiff froth of white of egg (beaten till it stands alone) and a few drops of essence of lemon, with a very little powdered loaf-sugar. heap the froth on the top of each lump of rice. cold custards. a quart of new milk, and a half a pint of cream, mixed. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. a large glass of white wine, in which an inch of washed rennet has been soaked. a nutmeg. mix together the milk, cream, and sugar. stir the wine into it, and pour the mixture into your custard-cups. set them in a warm place near the fire, till they become a firm curd. then set them on ice, or in a very cold place. grate nutmeg over them. curds and whey. take a small piece of rennet about two inches square. wash it very clean in cold water, to get all the salt off, and wipe it dry. put it in a tea-cup, and pour on it just enough of lukewarm water to cover it. let it set all night, or, for several hours. then take out the rennet, and stir the water in which it was soaked, into a quart of milk, which should be in a broad dish. set the milk in a warm place, till it becomes a firm curd. as soon as the curd is completely made, set it in a cool place, or on ice (if in summer) for two or three hours before you want to use it. eat it with wine, sugar, and nutmeg. the whey, drained from the curd, is an excellent drink for invalids. a trifle. a quart of cream. a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, powdered. half a pint of white wine and half a gill of brandy mixed. eight maccaroons, or more if you choose. four small sponge-cakes or naples biscuit. two ounces of blanched sweet almonds, pounded in a mortar. one ounce of blanched bitter almonds or peach-kernels. the juice and grated peel of two lemons. a nutmeg, grated. a glass of noyau. a pint of rich baked custard, made of the yolks of eggs. pound the sweet and bitter almonds to a smooth paste, adding a little rose-water as you pound them. grate the yellow peels of the lemons, and squeeze the juice into a saucer. break the sponge cake and maccaroons into small pieces, mix them with the almonds, and lay them in the bottom of a large glass bowl. grate a nutmeg over them, and the juice and peel of the lemons. add the wine and brandy, and let the mixture remain untouched, till the cakes are dissolved in the liquor. then stir it a little. mix the cream and sugar with a glass of noyau, and beat it with a whisk or rods, till it stands alone. as the froth rises, take it off with a spoon, and lay it on a sieve (with a large dish under it) to drain. the cream, that drains into the dish, must be poured back into the pan with the rest, and beaten over again. when the cream is finished, set it in a cool place. when the custard is cold, poor it into the glass bowl upon the dissolved cakes, &c. and when the cream is ready, fill up the bowl with it, heaping it high in the middle. you may ornament it with nonpareils. if you choose, you can put in, between the custard and the frothed cream, a layer of fruit jelly, or small fruit preserved. whipt cream. a quart of cream. the whites of four eggs. half a pint of white wine. a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. tea drops of strong essence of lemon, or two lemons cut in thin slices, or the juice of a large lemon. mix together, in a broad pan, all the ingredients, unless you use slices of lemon, and then they must be laid at intervals among the froth, as you heap it in the bowl. with a whisk or rods, beat the cream to a strong froth. have beside your pan a sieve (bottom upwards) with a large dish under it. as the froth rises, take it lightly off with a spoon, and lay it on the sieve to drain. when the top of the sieve is full, transfer the froth to a large glass or china bowl. continue to do this till the bowl is full. the cream which has dropped through the sieve into the dish, must be poured into the pan, and beaten over again. when all the cream is converted into froth, pile it up in the bowl, making it highest in the middle. if you choose, you may ornament it with red and green nonpareils. if you put it in glasses, lay a little jelly in the bottom of each glass, and pile the cream on it. keep it in a cool place till you want to use it. floating island. six whites of eggs. six large table-spoonfuls of jelly. a pint of cream. put the jelly and white of egg into a pan, and beat it together with a whisk, till it becomes a stiff froth and stands alone. have ready the cream, in a broad shallow dish. just before you send it to table, pile up the froth in the centre of the cream. ice cream. a quart of rich cream. half a pound of powdered loaf sugar. the juice of two large lemons, or a pint of strawberries or raspberries. put the cream into a broad pan. then stir in the sugar by degrees, and when all is well mixed, strain it through a sieve. put it into a tin that has a close cover, and set it in a tub. fill the tub with ice broken into very small pieces, and strew among the ice a large quantity of salt, taking care that none of the salt gets into the cream. scrape the cream down with a spoon as it freezes round the edges of the tin. while the cream is freezing, stir in gradually the lemon-juice, or the juice of a pint of mashed strawberries or raspberries. when it is all frozen, dip the tin in lukewarm water; take out the cream, and fill your glasses; but not till a few minutes before you want to use it, as it will very soon melt. you may heighten the colour of the red fruit, by a little cochineal. if you wish to have it in moulds, put the cream into them as soon as it has frozen in the tin. set the moulds in a tub of ice and salt. just before you want to use the cream, take the moulds out of the tub, wipe or wash the salt carefully from the outside, dip the moulds in lukewarm water, and turn out the cream. you may flavour a quart of ice-cream with two ounces of sweet almonds and one ounce of bitter almonds, blanched and beaten in a mortar with a little rose-water to a smooth paste. stir in the almonds gradually while the cream is freezing. another kind of ice-cream. a pint and a half of rich cream. a quart and a half-pint of morning's milk. one pound of loaf sugar. two eggs. one table-spoonful of flour. two lemons. or half a vanilla bean, split into small pieces. or two ounces of sweet almonds and once ounce of bitter almonds, blanched and split into pieces. take half of the milk and put in the ingredient that is to flavour it, either the vanilla, the almonds, or the grated rind of the lemons. boil it, stirring in gradually the sugar. having beaten the eggs well, add to them two table-spoonfuls of cold milk, and pour them into the boiling milk. let them simmer two or three minutes, stirring them all the time. then take the mixture off the fire and strain it through book-muslin into a pan. add the cream and the remainder of the milk, and put the whole into the tin freezer, which must be set in a tub filled with ice, among which must be scattered a great deal of salt. squeeze the juice from the two lemons and stir it into the cream, by degrees, while it is freezing. when it is all frozen, turn it out, first dipping the tin for a moment in warm water. if you wish to flavour it with strawberry or raspberry juice, that, like the lemon-juice, must be stirred gradually in while the cream is freezing. in places where cream is not abundant, this receipt (though inferior in richness) will be found more economical than the preceding one. it is, however, less easy and expeditious. calf's-feet jelly. eight calf's feet. three quarts of water. a pint of white wine. three lemons. the whites of six eggs. half an ounce of cinnamon. half a pound of loaf-sugar, broken into lumps. endeavour to procure calf's-feet, that have been nicely singed, but not skinned, as the skin being left on, makes the jelly much firmer. the day before you want to use the jelly, boil the eight calf's-feet in three quarts of water, till the meat drops from the bone. when sufficiently done, put it into a collender or sieve, and let the liquid drain from the meat, into a broad pan or dish. skim off the fat. let the jelly stand till next day, and then carefully scrape off the sediment from the bottom. it will be a firm jelly, if too much water has not been used, and if it has bolted long enough. if it is not firm at first, it will not become so afterwards when boiled with the other ingredients. there should on no account be more than three quarts of water. early next morning, put the jelly into a tin kettle, or covered tin pan; set it on the fire, and melt it a little. take it off, and season it with the cinnamon slightly broken, a pint of madeira wine, three lemons cut in thin slices, and half a pound of loaf-sugar, broken up. if you wish it high-coloured, add two table-spoonfuls of french brandy. mix all well together. beat, slightly, the whites of six eggs (saving the egg-shell) and stir the whites into the jelly. break up the egg-shells into very small pieces, and throw them in also. stir the whole very well together. set it on the fire, and boil it hard five minutes, but do not stir it, as that will prevent its clearing. have ready a large white flannel bag, the top wide, and the bottom tapering to a point. tie the bag to the backs of two chairs, or to the legs of a table, and set a while dish or a mould under it. after the jelly has boiled five minutes, pour it hot into the bag, and let it drip through into the dish. do not squeeze the bag, as that will make the jelly dull and cloudy. if it is not clear the first time it passes through the bag, empty out all the ingredients, wash the bag, suspend it again, put another white dish under-it, pour the jelly back into the bag, and let it drip through again. repeat this six or eight times, or till it is clear, putting a clean dish under it every time. if it does not drip freely, move the bag into a warmer place. when the jelly has all dripped through the bag, and is clear, set it in a cool place to congeal. it will sometimes congeal immediately, and sometimes not for several hours, particularly if the weather is warm and damp. if the weather is very cold you must take care not to let it freeze. when it is quite firm, which perhaps it will not be till evening, fill your glasses with it, piling it up very high. if you make it in a mould, you must either set the mould under the bag while it is dripping, or pour it from the dish into the mould while it is liquid. when it is perfectly congealed, dip the mould for an instant in boiling water to loosen the jelly. turn it out on a glass dish. this quantity of ingredients will make a quart of jelly when finished. in cool weather it may be made a day or two before it is wanted. you may increase the seasoning, (that is, the wine, lemon, and cinnamon,) according to your taste, but less than the above proportion will not be sufficient to flavour the jelly. ice jelly is made in the same manner, only not so stiff. four calves-feet will be sufficient. freeze it as you would ice-cream, and serve it up in glasses. blancmange. four calf's-feet a pint and a half of thick cream. half a pound of loaf-sugar, broken up. a glass of wine. half a glass of rose-water. a tea-spoonful of mace, beaten and sifted. get four calf's-feet; if possible some that have been singed, and not skinned. scrape, and clean them well, and boil them in three quarts of water till all the meat drops off the bone. drain the liquid through a colander or sieve, and skim it well. let it stand till next morning to congeal. then clean it well from the sediment, and put it into a tin or bell-metal kettle. stir into it, the cream, sugar, and mace. boil it hard for five minutes, stirring it several times. then strain it through a linen cloth or napkin into a large bowl, and add the wine and rose-water. set it in a cool place for three or four hours, stirring it very frequently with a spoon, to, prevent the cream from separating from the jelly. the more it is stirred the better. stir it till it is cool. wash your moulds, wipe them dry, and then wet them with cold water. when the blancmange becomes very thick, (that is, in three or four hours, if the weather is not too damp) put it into your moulds. when it has set in them till it is quite firm, loosen it carefully all round with a knife, and turn it out on glass or china plates. if you wish to make it with almonds, take an ounce of blanched bitter almonds, and two ounces of sweet. beat them in a mortar to a fine paste, pouring in occasionally a little rose-water. when the mixture is ready to boil, add the almonds to it gradually, stirring them well in. or you may stir them in, while it is cooling in the bowl. if it inclines to stick to the moulds, set them an instant in hot water. it will then turn out easily. if you choose to make it without calf's feet, you can substitute an ounce of the best and dearest isinglass (or, if in summer, an ounce and a quarter) boiled with the other ingredients. if made with isinglass, you must use two ounces of sweet, and an ounce of bitter almonds, with the addition of the grated rind of a large lemon, and a large stick of cinnamon, broken up, a glass of wine, and half a glass of rose-water. those ingredients must be all mixed together, with a quart of cream, and boiled hard for five minutes. the mixture must then be strained through a napkin, into a large bowl. set it in a cool place, and stir it frequently till nearly cold. it must then be put into the moulds. you may substitute for the almonds, half a gill of noyau, in which case, omit the wine. part the second. cakes. general directions. in making cakes it is particularly necessary that the eggs should be well beaten. they are not sufficiently light till the surface looks smooth and level, and till they get so thick as to be of the consistence of boiled custard. white of egg should always be beaten till it becomes a heap of stiff froth, without any liquid at the bottom; and till it hangs from the rods or fork without dropping. eggs, become light soonest when new-laid, and when beaten near the fire or in warm dry weather. butter and sugar should be stirred till it looks like thick cream, and till it stands up in the pan. it should be kept cool. if too warm, it will make the cakes heavy. large cakes should be baked in tin or earthen pans with straight sides, that are as nearly perpendicular as possible. they cut into handsomer slices, and if they are to be iced, it will be found very inconvenient to put on the icing, if the cake slopes in towards the bottom. before you ice a cake dredge it all over with flour, and then wipe the flour off. this will enable you to spread on the icing more evenly. before you cut an ice cake, cut the icing by itself with a small sharp penknife. the large knife with which you divide the cake, will crack and break the icing. large gingerbread, as it burns very easily, may be baked in an earthen pan. so also may black cake or pound cake. tin pans or moulds, with a hollow tube in the middle, are best for cakes. if large cakes are baked in tin pans, the bottom and sides should be covered with sheets of paper, before the mixture is put in. the paper must be well buttered. sponge cakes, and almond cakes should be baked in pans that are as thin as possible. if the cakes should get burnt, scrape them with a knife or grater, as soon as they are cool. always be careful to butter your pans well. should the cakes stick, they cannot be got out without breaking. for queen-cakes, &c. the small tins of a round or oval shape are most convenient. fill them but little more than half. after the mixture is completed, set it in a cool place till all the cakes are baked, in rolling out cakes made of dough, use as little flour as possible. when you lay them in the pans, do not place them too close together, lest they run into each other. when you are cutting them out, dip the cutter frequently in flour, to prevent its slicking. queen cake. one pound of powdered white sugar. one pound of fresh butter--washed. fourteen ounces of sifted flour. ten eggs. one wine-glass of wine and brandy, mixed. half a glass of rose-water, or twelve drops of essence of lemon. one tea-spoonful of mace and cinnamon, mixed. one nutmeg, beaten or grated. pound the spice to a fine powder, in a marble mortar, and sift it well. put the sugar into a deep earthen pan, and cut the butter into it. stir them together, till very light. beat the eggs in a broad shallow pan, till they are perfectly smooth and thick. stir into the butter and sugar a little of the beaten egg, and then a little flour, and so on alternately, a little egg and a little flour, till the whole is in; continuing all the time to beat the eggs, and stirring the mixture very hard. add by degrees, the spice, and then the liquor, a little at a time. finally, put in the rose-water, or essence of lemon. [footnote: in buying essence or oil of lemon, endeavour to get that which is white, it being much the strongest and best. when it looks greenish, it is generally very weak, so that when used, a double or treble quantity is necessary.] stir the whole very hard at the last. take about two dozen little tins, or more, if you have room for them in the oven. rub them very well with fresh butter. with a spoon, put some of the mixture in each tin, but do not fill them to the top as the cakes will rise high in baking. bake them in a quick oven, about a quarter of an hour. when they are done, they will shrink a little from the sides of the tins. before you fill your tins again, scrape them well with a knife, and wash or wipe them clean. if the cakes are scorched by too hot a fire, do not scrape off the burnt parts till they have grown cold. make an icing with the whites of three eggs, beaten till it stands alone, and twenty-four tea-spoonfuls of the best loaf-sugar, powdered, and beaten gradually into the white of egg. flavour it with a tea-spoonful of rose-water or eight drops of essence of lemon, stirred in at the last. spread it evenly with a broad knife, over the top of each queen-cake, ornamenting them, (while the icing is quite wet) with red and green nonpareils, or fine sugar-sand, dropped on, carefully, with the thumb and finger. when the cakes are iced, set them in a warm place to dry; but not too near the fire, as that will cause the icing to crack. [footnote: you may colour icing of a fine pink, by mixing with it a few drops of liquid cochineal; which is prepared by boiling very slowly in an earthen or china vessel twenty grains of cochineal powder, twenty grains of cream of tartar, and twenty grains of powdered alum, all dissolved in a gill of soft water, and boiled till reduced to one half. strain it and cork it up in a small phial. pink icing should be ornamented with white nonpareils.] pound cake. one pound of flour, sifted. one pound of white sugar, powdered and sifted. one pound of fresh butter. ten eggs. half a glass of wine \ half a glass of brandy }mixed. half a glass of rose-water / twelve drops of essence of lemon. a table-spoonful of mixed mace and cinnamon. a nutmeg, powdered. pound the spice and sift it. there should be twice as much cinnamon as mace. mix the cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg together. sift the flour in a broad pan, or wooden bowl. sift the powdered sugar into a large deep pan, and cut the butter into it, in small pieces. if the weather is very cold, and the butter hard, set the pan near the fire for a few minutes; but if the butter is too warm, the cake will be heavy. stir the butter and sugar together, with a wooden stick, till they are very light, and white, and look like cream. beat the eggs in a broad shallow pan with a wood egg-beater or whisk. they must be beaten till they are thick and smooth, and of the consistence of boiled custard. pour the liquor and rose-water, gradually, into the butter and sugar, stirring all the time. add, by degrees, the essence of lemon and spice. stir the egg and flour alternately into the butter and sugar, a handful of flour, and about two spoonfuls of the egg (which you must continue to beat all the time,) and when all is in, stir the whole mixture very hard, for near ten minutes. butter a large tin pan, or a cake mould with an open tube rising from the middle. put the mixture into it as evenly as possible. bake it in a moderate oven, for two, or three, or four hours, in proportion to its thickness, and to the heat of the fire. when you think it is nearly done, thrust a twig or wooden skewer into it, down to the bottom. if the stick come out clean and dry, the cake is almost baked. when quite done, it will shrink from she sides of the pan, and cease making a noise. then withdraw the coals (if baked in a dutch oven), take off the lid, and let the cake remain in the oven to cool gradually. you may ice it either warm or cold. before you put the icing on a large cake, dredge the cake all over with flour, and then wipe the flour off; this will make the icing stick on better--if you have sufficient time, the appearance of the cake will be much improved by icing it twice. put on the first icing soon after the cake is taken out of the oven, and the second the next day when the first is perfectly dry. while the last icing is wet, ornament it with coloured sugar-sand or nonpareils. black cake, or plum cake. one pound of flour sifted. one pound of fresh butter. one pound of powdered white sugar. twelve eggs. two pounds of the best raisins. two pounds of currants. two table-spoonfuls of mixed spice, mace and cinnamon. two nutmegs powdered. a large glass of wine \ a large glass of brandy }mixed together. half a glass of rose-water / a pound of citron. pick the currants very clean, and wash them, draining them through a colander. wipe them in a towel. spread them out on a large dish, and set them near the fire, or in the hot sun, to dry, placing the dish in a slanting position. having stoned the raisins, cut them in half, and, when all are done, sprinkle them well with sifted flour, to prevent their sinking to the bottom of the cake. when the currants are dry, sprinkle them also with flour. pound the spice, allowing twice as much cinnamon as mace. sift it, and mix the mace, nutmeg, cinnamon together. mix also the liquor and rose-water in a tumbler or cup. cut the citron in slips. sift the flour into a broad dish. sift the sugar into a deep earthen pan, and cut the butter into it. warm it near the fire, if the weather is too cold for it to mix easily. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the eggs as light as possible. stir them into the butter and sugar, alternately with the flour. stir very hard. add gradually the spice and liquor. stir the raisins and currants alternately into the mixture, taking care that they are well floured. stir the whole as hard as possible, for ten minutes after the ingredients are in. cover the bottom and sides of a large tin or earthen pan, with sheets of white paper well buttered, and put into it some of the mixture. then spread on it some of the citron, which must not be cut too small. next put a layer of the mixture, and then a layer of citron, and so on till it is all in, having a layer of the mixture at the top. this cake is always best baked in a baker's oven, and will require four or five hours, in proportion to its thickness. [footnote: after this cake is done, it will be the better for withdrawing the fire (if baked in an iron oven) and letting it stay in the oven all night, or till it gets quite cold.] ice it the next day. sponge cake. twelve eggs. ten ounces of sifted flour, dried near the fire. a pound of loaf sugar, powdered and sifted. twelve drops of essence of lemon. a grated nutmeg. a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon and mace, mixed. beat the eggs as light as possible. eggs for sponge or almond cakes require more beating than for any other purpose. beat the sugar, by degrees, into the eggs. beat very hard, and continue to beat some time after the sugar is all in. no sort of sugar but loaf will make light sponge-cake. stir in, gradually, the spice and essence of lemon. then, by degrees, put in the flour, a little at a time, stirring round the mixture very slowly with a knife. if the flour is stirred in too hard, the cake will be tough. it must be done lightly and gently, so that the top of the mixture will be covered with bubbles. as soon as the flour is all in, begin to bake it, as setting will injure it. put it in small tins, well buttered, or in one large tin pan. the thinner the pans, the better for sponge-cake. fill the small tins about half full. grate loaf-sugar over the top of each, before you set them in the oven. sponge-cake requires a very quick oven, particularly at the bottom. it should be baked as fast as possible, or it will be tough and heavy, however light it may have been before it went into the oven. it is of all cakes the most liable to be spoiled in baking. when taken out of the tins, the cakes should be spread on a sieve to cool. if baked in one large cake, it should be iced. a large cake of twelve eggs, should be baked at least an hour in a quick oven. for small cakes, ten minutes is generally sufficient. if they get very much out of shape in baking, it is a sign that the oven is too slow. some think that sponge-cakes and almond cakes are lighter, when the yolks and whites of the eggs are beaten in separate pans, and mixed gently together before the sugar is beaten into them. if done separately from the yolks, the whites should be beaten till they stand alone. almond cake two ounces of blanched bitter almonds, pounded very fine. seven ounces of flour, sifted and dried. ten eggs. one pound of loaf sugar, powdered and sifted. two table-spoonfuls of rose-water. take two ounces of shelled bitter almonds or peach-kernels. scald them in hot water, and as you peel them, throw them into a bowl of cold water, then wipe them dry, and pound them one by one in a mortar, till they are quite fine and smooth. break ten eggs, putting the yolks in one pan and the whites in another. beat them separately as light as possible, the whites first, and then the yolks. add the sugar, gradually, to the yolks, beating it in very hard. then by degrees, beat in the almonds, and then add the rose-water. stir-half the whites of the eggs into the yolks and sugar. divide the flour into two equal parts, and stir in one half, slowly and lightly, till it bubbles on the top. then the other half of the white of egg, and then the remainder of the flour very lightly. butter a large square tin pan, or one made of paste-board which will be better. put in the mixture, and set immediately in a quick oven, which must be rather hotter at the bottom than at the top. bake it according to the thickness. if you allow the oven to get slack, the cake will be spoiled. make an icing with the whites of three eggs, twenty-four tea-spoonfuls of loaf-sugar, and eight drops of essence of lemon. when the cake is cool, mark it in small squares with a knife. cover it with icing, and ornament it while wet, with nonpareils dropped on in borders, round each square of the cake. when the icing is dry, cut the cake in squares, cutting through the icing very carefully with a penknife. or you may cat it in squares first, and then ice and ornament each square separately. french almond cake. six ounces of shelled sweet almonds. three ounces of shelled bitter almonds, or peach-kernels. three ounces of sifted flour, dried near the fire. fourteen eggs. one pound of powdered loaf-sugar. twelve drops of essence of lemon. blanch the almonds, by scalding them in hot water. put them in a bowl of cold water, and wipe them dry, when you take them out. pound them, one at a time, in a mortar, till they are perfectly smooth. mix the sweet and bitter almonds together. prepare them, if possible the day before the cake is made. [footnote: while pounding the almonds, pour in occasionally a little rose-water. it makes them much lighter.] put the whites and yolks of the eggs, into separate pans. beat the whites till they stand alone, and then the yolks till they are very thick. put the sugar, gradually, to the yolks, beating it in very hard. add, by degrees, the almonds, still beating very hard. then put in the essence of lemon. next, beat in, gradually, the whites of the eggs, continuing to beat for some time after they are all in. lastly, stir in the flour, as slowly and lightly, as possible. butter a large tin mould or pan. put the cake in and bake it in a very quick oven, an hour or more according to its thickness. the oven must on no account be hotter at the top, than at the bottom. when done, set it on a sieve to cool. ice it, and ornament it with nonpareils. these almond cakes are generally baked in a turban-shaped mould, and the nonpareils put on, in spots or sprigs. a pound of almonds in the shells (if the shells are soft and thin,) will generally yield half a pound when shelled. hard, thick-shelled almonds, seldom yield much more than a quarter of a pound, and should therefore never be bought for cakes or puddings. bitter almonds and peach-kernels can always be purchased with the shells off. families should always save their peach-kernels, as they can be used in cakes, puddings and custards. maccaroons. half a pound of shelled sweet almonds. a quarter of a pound of shelled bitter almonds. the whites of three eggs. twenty-four large tea-spoonfuls of powdered loaf-sugar. a tea-spoonful of rose-water. a large tea-spoonful of mixed spice, nutmeg, mace and cinnamon. blanch and pound your almonds, beat them very smooth, and mix the sweet and bitter together; do them, if you can, the day before you make the maccaroons. pound and sift your spice. beat the whites of three eggs till they stand alone; add to them, very gradually, the powdered sugar, a spoonful at a time, beat it in very hard, and put in, by degrees, the rose-water and spice. then stir in, gradually, the almonds. the mixture must be like a soft dough; if too thick, it will be heavy; if too thin, it will run out of shape. if you find your almonds not sufficient, prepare a few more, and stir them in. when it is all well mixed and stirred, put some flour in the palm of your hand, and taking up a lump of the mixture with a knife, roll it on your hand with the flour into a small round ball; have ready an iron or tin pan, buttered, and lay the maccaroons in it, as you make them up. place them about two inches apart, in case of their spreading. bake them about eight or ten minutes in a moderate oven; they should be baked of a pale brown colour. if too much baked, they will lose their flavour; if too little, they will be heavy. they should rise high in the middle, and crack on the surface. you may, if you choose, put a larger proportion of spice. [footnote: cocoa-nut cakes may be made in a similar manner, substituting for the pounded almonds half a pound of finely-grated cocoa-nut. they mast be made into small round balls with a little flour laid on the palm of the hand, and baked a few minutes. they are very fine.] apees. a pound of flour, sifted. half a pound of butter. half a glass of wine, and a table-spoon of rose-water mixed. half a pound of powdered white sugar. a nutmeg, grated. a tea-spoonful of beaten cinnamon and mace. three table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. sift the flour into a broad pan, and cut up the butter in it. add the carraways, sugar, and spice, and pour in the liquor by degrees, mixing it well with a knife; add enough of cold water to make it a stiff dough. spread some flour on your pasteboard, take out the dough, and knead it very well with your hands. cut it into small pieces, and knead each separately, then put them all together, and knead the whole in one lump. roll it out in a sheet about a quarter of an inch thick. cut it out in round cakes, with the edge of a tumbler, or a tin of that size. butter an iron pan, and lay the cakes in it, not too close together. bake them a few minutes in a moderate oven, till they are very slightly coloured, but not brown. if too much baked, they will entirely lose their flavour. do not roll them out too thin. jumbles. three eggs. half a pound of flour, sifted. half a pound of butter. half a pound of powdered loaf-sugar. a table-spoonful of rose-water. a nutmeg grated. a tea-spoonful of mixed mace and cinnamon. stir the sugar and butter to a cream. beat the eggs very light. throw them, all at once, into the pan of flour. put in, at once, the butter and sugar, and then add the spice and rose-water. if you have no rose-water, substitute six or seven drops of strong essence of lemon, or more if the essence is weak. stir the whole very hard, with a knife. spread some flour on your paste-board, and flour your hands well. take up with your knife, a portion of the dough, and lay it on the board. roll it lightly with your hands, into long shin rolls, which must be cut into equal lengths, curled up into rings, and laid gently into an iron or tin pan, buttered, not too close to each other, as they spread in baking. bake them in a quick oven about five minutes, and grate loaf-sugar over them when cool. kisses. one pound of the best loaf sugar, powdered and sifted. the whites of four eggs. twelve drops of essence of lemon. a tea-cup of currant jelly. beat the whites of four eggs till they stand alone. then heat in, gradually, the sugar, a tea-spoonful at a time. add the essence of lemon, and beat the whole very hard. lay a wet sheet of paper on the bottom of a square tin pan. drop on it, at equal distances, a small tea-spoonful of stiff currant jelly. [footnote: it is better to put a little of the beaten white of egg and sugar at first under the currant jelly.] with a large spoon, pile some of the beaten white of egg and sugar, on each lump of jelly, so as to cover it entirely. drop on the mixture as evenly as possible, so as to make the kisses of a round smooth shape. set them in a cool open, and as soon as they are coloured, they are done. then take them out and place them two bottoms together. lay them lightly on sieve, and dry them in a cool oven, till the two bottoms stick fast together, so as to form one ball or oval. spanish buns. four eggs. three quarters of a pound of flour, sifted. half a pound of powdered white sugar. two wine-glasses and a half of rich milk. six ounces of fresh butter. a wine-glass and a half of the best yeast. a table-spoonful of rose-water. a grated nutmeg. a large tea-spoonful of powdered mace and cinnamon. sift half a pound of flour into a broad pan, and sift a quarter of a pound, separately, into a deep plate, and set it aside. put the milk into a soup-plate, cut up the butter, and set it on the stove or near the fire to warm, but do not let it get too hot. when the butter is very soft, stir it all through the milk with a knife, and set it away to cool. beat the eggs very light, and mix the milk and butter with them, all at once; then pour all into the pan of flour. put in the spice, and the rose-water, or if you prefer it, eight drops of essence of lemon. add the yeast, of which an increased quantity will be necessary, if it is not very strong and fresh. stir the whole very hard, with a knife. add the sugar gradually. if the sugar is not stirred in slowly, a little at a time, the buns will be heavy. then, by degrees, sprinkle in the renaming quarter of a pound of flour. stir all well together; butter a square iron pan, and put in the mixture. cover it with a cloth, and set it near the fire to rise. it will probably not be light in less than five hours. when it is risen very high, and is covered with bubbles, bake it in a moderate oven, about a quarter of an hour or more in proportion to its thickness. when it is quite cool, cut it in squares, and grate loaf-sugar over them. this quantity will make twelve or fifteen buns. they are best the day they are baked. you may, if you choose, bake them separately, in small square tins, adding to the baiter half a pound of currants or chopped raisins, well floured, and stirred in at the last. in making buns, stir the yeast well before you put it in, having first poured off the beer or thin part from the top. if your yeast is not good, do not attempt to make buns with it, as they will never be light. buns may be made in a plainer way, with the following ingredients, mixed in the above manner. half a pound of flour, sifted into a pan. a quarter of a pound of flour, sifted in a plate, and set aside to sprinkle in at the last. three eggs, well beaten. a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. three wine-glasses of milk. a wine-glass and a half of the best yeast. a quarter of a pound of butter, cut up, and warmed in the milk. rusk. a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar. a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. one pound of flour sifted. one egg. three wine-glasses of milk. a wine-glass and a half of the best yeast. a table-spoonful of rose-water. a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. sift your flour into a pan. cut up the butter in the milk, and warm them a little, so as to soften the butter, but not to melt it entirely. beat your egg; pour the milk and butter into your pan of flour, then the egg, then the rose-water and spice, and lastly the yeast. stir all well together with a knife. spread some flour on your paste-board: lay the dough on it, and knead it well. then divide it into small pieces of an equal size, and knead each piece into a little thick round cake. butter an iron pan, lay the cakes in it, and set them in a warm place to rise. prick the tops with a fork. when they are quite light, bake them in a moderate oven. indian pound cake. eight eggs. one pint of powdered sugar. one pint of indian meal, sifted, and half a pint of wheat-flour. half a pound of butter. one nutmeg, grated,--and a tea-spoonful of cinnamon. half a glass of mixed wine and brandy. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the eggs very light. stir the meal and eggs, alternately, into the butter and sugar. add the spice and liquor. stir all well. butter a tin pan, put in the mixture, and bake it in a moderate oven. this cake should be eaten while fresh. cup cake. five eggs. two large tea-cups full of molasses. the same of brown sugar rolled fine. the same of fresh butter. one cup of rich milk. five cups of flour sifted. half a cup of powdered allspice and cloves. half a cup of ginger. cut up the butter in the milk, and warm them slightly. warm also the molasses, and stir it into the milk and butter: then stir in, gradually, the sugar, and set it away to get cool. beat the eggs very light, and stir them into the mixture alternately with the flour. add the ginger and other spice, and stir the whole very hard. butter small tins, nearly fill them with the mixture, and bake the cakes in a moderate oven. loaf cake. two pounds of sifted flour, setting aside half a pound to sprinkle in at the last. one pound of fresh butter. one pound of powdered sugar. four eggs. one pound of raisins, stoned, and cut in half. one pound of currants, washed and dried. half a pint of milk. half a glass of wine. half a glass of brandy. a tablespoon of mixed spice, mace, nutmeg, and cinnamon. half a pint of the best brewer's yeast; or more, if the yeast is not very strong. cut up the butter in the milk, and warm it till the butter is quite soft; then stir it together, and set it away to cool. it must not be made too warm. after you have beaten the eggs, mix them with the butter and milk, and stir the whole into the pan of flour. add the spice and liquor, and stir in the sugar gradually. having poured off the thin part from the top, stir the yeast, and pour it into the mixture. then sprinkle in the remainder of the flour. have ready the fruit, which must be well floured, stir it gradually into the mixture. butter a large tin pan, and put the cake into it. cover it, and set in a warm place for five or six hours to rise. when quite light, bake it in a moderate oven. sugar biscuits. three pounds of flour, sifted. one pound of butter. a pound and a half of powdered sugar. half a pint of milk. two table-spoonfuls of brandy. a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in water. four table-spoonfuls of carraway seeds. cut the butter into the flour. add the sugar and carraway seeds. pour in the brandy, and then the milk. lastly, put in the pearl-ash. stir all well with a knife, and mix it thoroughly, till it becomes a lump of dough. flour your paste-board, and lay the dough on it. knead it very well. divide it into eight or ten pieces, and knead each piece separately. then put them all together, and knead them very well in one lump. cut the dough in half, and roll it out into sheets, about half an inch thick. beat the sheets of dough very hard, on both sides, with the rolling-pin. cut them out into round cakes with the edge of a tumbler. butter iron pans, and lay the cakes in them. bake them a very pale brown. if done too much, they will lose their taste. these cakes kept in a stone jar, closely covered from the air, will continue perfectly good for several months. milk biscuits. two pounds of flour, sifted. half a pound of butter. two eggs. six wine-glasses of milk. two wine-glasses of the best brewer's yeast, or three of good home-made yeast. cut the butter into the milk, and warm it slightly on the top of the stove, or near the fire. sift the flour into a pan, and pour the milk and butter into it. beat the eggs, and pour them in also. lastly the yeast. mix all well together with a knife. flour your paste-board, put the lump of dough on it, and knead it very hard. then cut the dough in small pieces, and knead them into round balls. stick the tops of them with a fork. lay them in buttered pans and set them to rise. they will probably be light in an hour. when they are quite light, put them in a moderate oven and bake them. they are best when quite fresh. butter biscuits. half a pound of butter. two pounds of flour, sifted half a pint of milk, or cold water. a salt-spoonful of salt. cut up the butter in the flour, and put the salt to it. wet it to a stiff dough with the milk or water. mix it well with a knife. throw some flour on the paste-board, take the dough out of the pan, and knead it very well. roll it out into a large thick sheet, and beat it very hard on both sides with the rolling-pin. beat it a long time. cut it out with a tin, or cup, into small round thick cakes. beat each cake on both sides, with the rolling-pin. prick them, with a fork. put them in buttered pans, and bake them of a light brown in a slow oven. gingerbread nuts two pounds of flour, sifted. one pound of fresh butter. one quart of sugar-house molasses. two ounces of ginger, or more, if it is not very strong. twelve dozen grains of allspice, powdered and sifted six dozen cloves, powdered and sifted. half an ounce of cinnamon, powdered and sifted. a half tea-spoonful of pearl-ash or salaeratus, dissolved in a little vinegar. cut up the butter in the flour, and mix it with the ginger and other spice. wet the whole with the molasses, and stir all well together with a knife. then add the dissolved pearl-ash or salaeratus. throw some flour on your paste-board, take the dough (a large handful at a time) and knead it in separate cakes. then put all together, and knead it very hard for a long time, in one large lump. cut the lump in half, roll it out in two even sheets, about half an inch thick, and cut it out in little cakes, with a very small tin, about the size of a cent. lay them in buttered pans, and bake them in a moderate oven, taking care they do not scorch, as gingerbread is more liable to burn than any other cake, you may, if you choose, shape the gingerbread nuts, by putting flour in your hand, taking a very small piece of the dough, and rolling it into a little round ball. common gingerbread. a pint of molasses. one pound of fresh butter. two pounds and a half of flour, sifted. a pint of milk, a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, or less if it is strong. a tea-cup full of ginger. cut the butter into the flour. add the ginger. having dissolved the pearl-ash in a little vinegar, stir it with the milk and molasses alternately into the other ingredients. stir it very hard for a long lime, till it is quite light. put some flour on your paste-board, take out small portions of the dough, and make it with your hand into long rolls. then curl up the rolls into round cakes, or twist two rolls together, or lay them in straight lengths or sticks side by side, and touching each other. put them carefully in buttered pans, and bake them in a moderate oven, not hot enough to burn them. if they should get scorched, scrape off with a knife, or grater, all the burnt parts, before you put the cakes away. you can, if you choose, cut out the dough with tins, in the shape of hearts, circles, ovals, &c. or you may bake it all in one, and cut it in squares when cold. if the mixture appears to be too thin, add, gradually, a little more sifted flour. lafayette gingerbread five eggs. half a pound of brown sugar. half a pound of fresh butter. a pint of sugar-house molasses a pound and a half of flour. four table-spoonfuls of ginger. two large sticks of cinnamon, powered and sifted. three dozen grains of allspice, powdered and sifted. three dozen of cloves, powdered and sifted. the juice and grated peel of two large lemons. a little pearl-ash or salaeratus. stir the butter and sugar to a cream. beat the eggs very well. pour the molasses, at once, into the butter and sugar. add the ginger and other spice, and stir all well together. put in the egg and flour alternately, stirring all the time. stir the whole very hard, and put in the lemon at the last. when the whole is mixed, stir it till very light. butter an earthen pan, or a thick tin or iron one, and put the gingerbread in it. bake it in a moderate oven, an hour or more, according to its thickness. take care that it do not burn. or you may bake it in small cakes, or little tins. its lightness will be much improved by a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash dissolved in a tea-spoonful of vinegar, and stirred lightly in at the last. [footnote: if the pearl-ash is strong, half a tea-spoonful will be sufficient, or less even will do. it is better stir the pearl-ash in, a little at a time, and you can tell by the taste of the mixture, when there is enough.] too much pearl-ash, will give it an unpleasant taste. if you use pearl-ash, you must omit the lemon, as its taste will be entirely destroyed by the pearl-ash. you may substitute for the lemon, some raisins and currants, well floured to prevent their sinking. this is the finest of all gingerbread, but should not be kept long, as in a few days it becomes very hard and stale. a dover cake. half a pint of milk. a half tea-spoonful of pearl-ash, dissolved in a little vinegar. one pound of sifted flour. one pound of powdered white sugar. half a pound of butter. six eggs. one glass of brandy. half a glass of rose-water. one grated nutmeg. a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. dissolve the pearl-ash in vinegar. stir the sugar and butter to a cream, and add to it gradually, the spice and liquor. beat the eggs very light, and stir them into the butter and sugar, alternately, with the flour. add, gradually, the milk, and stir the whole very hard. butter a large tin pan, and put in the mixture. bake it two hours or more, in a moderate oven. if not thick, an hour or an hour and a half will be sufficient. wrap it in a thick cloth, and keep it from the air, and it will continue moist and fresh for two weeks. the pearl-ash will give it a dark colour. it will be much improved by a pound of raisins, stoned and cut in half, and a pound of currants, well washed and dried. flour the fruit well, and stir it in at the last. crullers. half a pound of butter. three quarters of a pound of powdered white sugar. six eggs, or seven if they are small. two pounds of flour, sifted. a grated nutmeg. a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. a table-spoonful of rose-water. cut the butter into the flour, add the sugar and spice, and mix them well together. beat the eggs and pour them into the pan of flour, &c. add the rose water, and mix the whole into a dough. if the eggs and rose-water are not found sufficient to wet it, add a very little cold water. mix the dough very well with a knife. spread some flour on your paste-board, take the dough out of the pan, and knead it very well. cut it into small pieces, and knead each separately. put all the pieces together, and knead the whole in one lump. roll it out into a large square sheet, about half an inch thick. take a jagging-iron, or, if you have not one, a sharp knife; run it along the sheet, and cut the dough into long narrow slips. twist them up in various forms. have ready an iron pan with melted lard. lay the crullers lightly in it, and fry them of a light brown, turning them with a knife and fork, so as not to break them, and taking care that both sides are equally done. when sufficiently fried, spread them on a large dish to cool, and grate loaf-sugar over them. crullers may be made in a plainer way, with the best brown sugar, (rolled very fine.) and without spice or rose-water. they can be fried, or rather boiled, in a deep iron pot. they should be done in a large quantity of lard, and taken out with a skimmer that has holes in it, and held on the skimmer till the lard drains from them. if for family use, they can be made an inch thick. dough-nuts. three pounds of sifted flour. a pound of powdered sugar. three quarters of a pound of butter. four eggs. half a large tea-cup full of best brewer's yeast. a pint and a half of milk. a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. a grated nutmeg. a table-spoonful of rose-water. cut up the butter in the flour. add the sugar, spice, and rose-water. beat the eggs very light, and pour them into the mixture. add the yeast, (half a tea-cup or two wine-glasses full,) and then stir in the milk by degrees, so as to make it a soft dough. cover it, and set it to rise. when quite light, cut it in diamonds with a jagging-iron or a sharp knife, and fry them in lard. grate loaf sugar over them when done. waffles. six eggs. a pint of milk. a quarter of a pound of butter. a quarter of a pound of powdered white sugar. a pound and a half of flour, sifted. a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon. warm the milk slightly. cut up the butter in it and stir it a little. beat the eggs well, and pour them into the butter and milk. sprinkle in half the flour, gradually. stir in the sugar, by degrees, and add the spice. stir in, gradually, the remainder of the flour, so that it becomes a thick batter. heat your waffle-iron; then grease it well, and pour in some of the butter. shut the iron tight, and bake the waffle on both sides, by turning the iron. as the waffles are baked, spread them out separately on a clean napkin. when enough are done for a plate-full, lay them on a plate in two piles, buttering them, and sprinkling each with beaten cinnamon. soft muffins. five eggs. a quart of milk. two ounces of butter. a tea-spoonful of salt. two large table-spoonfuls of brewer's yeast or four made of home-made yeast. enough of sifted flour to make a stiff batter. warm the milk and butter together, and add to them the salt. beat the eggs very light and stir them into the milk and butter. then stir in the yeast, and lastly, sufficient flour to make a thick batter. cover the mixture, and set it to rise, in a warm place, about three hours. when it is quite light, grease your baking-iron, and your muffin rings. set the rings on the iron, and pour the batter into them. bake them a light brown. when you split them to put on the butter, do not cut them with a knife, but pull them open with your hands. cutting them while hot will make them heavy. indian batter cakes. a quart of sifted indian meal. \ a handful of wheat flour sifted. }mixed. three eggs, well beaten. / two table-spoonfuls of fresh brewer's yeast, or four of home-made yeast. a tea-spoonful of salt. a quart of milk. make the milk quite warm, and then put into it the yeast and salt, stirring them well. beat the eggs, and stir them into the mixture. then, gradually stir in the flour and indian meal. cover the batter, and set it to rise four or five hours. or if the weather is cold, and you want the cakes for breakfast, you may mix the batter late the night before. should you find it sour in the morning, dissolve a small tea-spoonful of pearl-ash in as much water as will cover it, and stir it into the batter, letting it set afterwards at least half an hour. this will take off the acid. grease your baking-iron, and pour on it a ladle-full of the batter. when brown on one side, turn the cake on the other. [footnote: indian batter cakes may be made in a plain and expeditious way, by putting three pints of cold water or cold milk into a pan, and gradually sifting into it (stirring all the time) a quart of indian meal mixed with half a pint of wheat-flour, and a small spoonful of salt. stir it very hard, and it may be baked immediately, as it is not necessary to set it to rise.] flannel cakes or crumpets. two pounds of flour, sifted. four eggs. three table-spoonfuls of the best brewer's yeast, or four and a half of home-made yeast. a pint of milk. mix a tea-spoonful of salt with the flour, and set the pan before the fire. then warm the milk, and stir into it the flour so as to make a stiff batter. beat the eggs very light, and stir them into the yeast. add the eggs and yeast to the batter, and beat all well together. if it is too stiff, add a little more warm milk. cover the pan closely and set it to rise near the fire. bake it, when quite light. have your baking-iron hot. grease it, and pour on a ladle-full of batter. let it bake slowly, and when done on one side, turn it on the other. butter the cakes, cut them across, and send them to table hot. rolls. three pints of flour, sifted. two tea-spoonfuls of salt. four table-spoonfuls of the best brewer's yeast, or six of home-made yeast. half a pint more of warm water, and a little more flour to mix in before the kneading. mix the salt with the flour, and make a deep hole in the middle. stir the warm water into the yeast, and pour it into the hole in the flour. stir it with a spoon just enough to make a thin batter, and sprinkle some flour over the top. cover the pan, and set it in a warm place for several hours. when it is light, add half a pint more of lukewarm water; and make its with a little more flour, into a dough. knead it very well for ten minutes. then divide it into small pieces, and knead each separately. make them into round cakes or rolls. cover them, and set them to rise about an hour and a half. bake them, and when done, let them remain in the oven, without the lid, for about ten minutes. part the third sweetmeats. general directions. in preparing sugar for sweetmeats, let it be entirely dissolved, before you put it on the fire. if you dissolve it in water, allow about half a pint of water to a pound of sugar. if you boil the sugar before you add the fruit to it, it will be improved in clearness by passing it through a flannel bag. skim off the brown scum, all the time it is boiling. if sweetmeats are boiled too long, they lose their flavour and become of a dark colour. if boiled too short a time, they will not keep well. you may ascertain when jelly is done, by dropping a small spoonful into a glass of water. if it spreads and mixes with the water, it requires more boiling. if it sticks in a lump to the bottom, it is sufficiently done. this trial must be made after the jelly is cold. raspberry jelly requires more boiling than any other sort. black currant jelly less. apple jelly. take the best pippin, or bell-flower apples. no others will make good jelly. pare, core, and quarter them. lay them in a preserving kettle, and put to them as much water only, as will cover them, and as much lemon-peel as you choose. boil them till they are soft, but not till they break. drain off the water through a colander, and mash the apples with the hack of a spoon. put them into a jelly bag, set a deep dish or pan under it, and squeeze out the juice. to every pint of juice, allow a pound of loaf-sugar, broken up, and the juice of two lemons. put the apple-juice, the sugar, and the lemon-juice into the preserving kettle. boil it twenty minutes, skimming it well. take it immediately from the kettle, and pour it warm into your glasses, but not so hot as to break them. when cold, cover each glass with white paper dipped in brandy, and tie it down tight with another paper. keep them in a cool place. quince jelly is made in the same manner, but do not pare the quinces. quarter them only. red currant jelly. wash your currants, drain them, and pick them from the stalks. mash them with the back of a spoon. put them in a jelly-bag, and squeeze it till all the juice is pressed out. to every pint of juice, allow a pound of the best loaf-sugar. put the juice and the sugar into your kettle, and boil them twenty minutes, skimming all the while. pour it warm into your glasses, and when cold, tie it up with brandy paper. jellies should never be allowed to get cold in the kettle. if boiled too long, they will lose their flavour, and become of a dark colour. strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, and grape jelly may be made in the same manner, and with the same proportion of loaf-sugar. red currant jelly may also be made in a very simple manner, by putting the currants whole into the kettle, with the sugar; allowing a pound of sugar to a pound of currants. boil them together twenty minutes, skimming carefully. then pour them into a sieve, with a pan under it. let them drain through the sieve into the pan, pressing them down with the back of a spoon. take the jelly, while warm, out of the pan, and put it into your glasses. tie it up with brandy paper when cold. black currant jelly. pick the currants from the stalks, wash and drain them. mash them soft with a spoon, put them in a bag, and squeeze out the juice. to each pint of juice, allow three quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar, put the juice and sugar into a preserving kettle, and boil them about ten minutes, skimming them well. take it immediately out of the kettle. put it warm into your glasses. tie it up with brandy paper. the juice of black currants is so very thick, that it requires less sugar and less boiling than any other jelly. gooseberry jelly cut the gooseberries in half, (they must be green) and put them in a jar closely covered. set the jar in an oven, or pot filled with boiling water. keep the water boiling round the jar till the gooseberries are soft, take them out, mash them with a spoon, and put them into a jelly bag to drain. when all the juice is squeezed out, measure it, and to a pint of juice, allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put the juice and sugar into the preserving kettle, and boil them twenty minutes, skimming carefully. put the jelly warm into your glasses. tie them up with brandy paper. cranberry jelly is made in the same manner. grape jelly. pick the grapes from the stems, wash and drain them. mash them with a spoon. put them in the preserving kettle, and cover them closely with a large plate. boil them ten minutes. then pour them into your jelly bag, and squeeze out the juice. allow a pint of juice to a pound of sugar. put the sugar and juice into your kettle, and boil them twenty minutes, skimming them well. fill your glasses while the jelly is warm, and tie them up with brandy papers. peach jelly wipe the wool off your peaches, (which should be free-stones and not too ripe) and cut them in quarters, crack the stones, and break the kernels small. put the peaches and the kernels into a covered jar, set them in boiling water, and let them boil till they are soft. strain them through a jelly-bag, till all the juice is squeezed out. allow a pound of loaf-sugar to a pint of juice. put the sugar and juice into a preserving kettle, and boil them twenty minutes, skimming carefully. put the jelly warm into your glasses, and when cold, tie them up with brandy paper. plum, and green-gage jelly may be made in the same manner, with the kernels, which greatly improve the flavour. preserved quinces pare and core your quinces, carefully taking out the parts that are knotty and defective. cut them into quarters, or into round slices. put them into a preserving kettle and cover them with the parings and a very little water. lay a large plate over them to keep in the steam, and boil them till they are tender. take out the quinces, and strain the liquor through a bag. to every pint of liquor, allow a pound of loaf-sugar. boil the juice and sugar together, about ten minutes, skimming it well. then put in the quinces, and boil them gently twenty minutes. when the sugar seems to have completely penetrated them, take them out, put them in a glass jar, and pour the juice over them warm. tie them up, when cold, with brandy paper. in preserving fruit that is boiled first without the sugar, it is generally better (after the first boiling) to let it stand till next day before you put the sugar to it. preserved pippins. pare and core some of the largest and finest pippins. put them in your preserving kettle, [footnote: the use of brass or bell-metal kettles is now most entirely superseded by the enamelled kettles of iron lined with china, called preserving kettles; brass and bell-metal having always been objectionable on account of the verdigris which collects in them.] with some lemon-peel, and all the apple-parings. add a very little water, and cover them closely. boil them till they are tender, taking care they do not burn. take out the apples, and spread them on a large dish to cool. poor the liquor into a bag, and strain it well. put it into your kettle with a pound of loaf-sugar to each pint of juice, and add lemon juice to your taste. boil it five minutes, skimming it well. then put in the whole apples, and boil them slowly half an hour, or till they are quite soft and clear. put them with the juice, into your jars, and when quite cold, tie them up with brandy paper. preserved apples are only intended for present use, as they will not keep long. pears may be done in the same way, either whole or cut in half. they may be flavoured either with lemon or cinnamon, or both. the pears for preserving should be green. preserved peaches. take the largest and finest free-stone peaches, before they are too ripe. pare them, and cut them in halves or in quarters. crack the stones, and take out the kernels, and break them in pieces. put the peaches, with the parings and kernels, into your preserving kettle, with a very little water. boil them till they are tender. take out the peaches and spread them on a large dish to cool. strain the liquor through a bag or sieve. next day, measure the juice, and to each pint allow a pound of loaf-sugar. put the juice and sugar into the kettle with the peaches, and boil them slowly half an hour, or till they are quite soft, skimming all the time. take the peaches out, put them into your jars, and pour the warm liquor over them. when cold, tie them up with brandy paper. if boiled too long, they will look dull, and be of a dark colour. [footnote: to preserve peaches whole, pare them and thrust out the stones with a skewer. then proceed as above, only blanch the kernels and keep them whole. when the peaches are done, stick a kernel into the hole of every peach, before you put them into the jars. large fruit will keep best in broad shallow stone pots.] if you do not wish the juice to be very thick, do not put it on to boil with the sugar, but first boil the sugar alone, with only as much water as will dissolve it, and skim it well. let the sugar, in all cases, be entirely melted before it goes on the fire. having boiled the sugar and water, and skimmed it to a clear syrup, then put in your juice and fruit together, and boil them till completely penetrated with the sugar. preserved crab apples wash your fruit. cover the bottom of your preserving kettle with grape leaves. put in the apples. hang them over the fire, with a very little water, and cover them closely. do not allow them to boil, but let them simmer gently till they are yellow. take them out, and spread them on a large dish to cool. pare and core them. put them again into the kettle, with fresh vine-leaves under and over them, and a very little water. hang them over the fire till they are green. do not let them boil. take them out, weigh them, and allow a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of crab-apples. put to the sugar just water enough to dissolve it. when it is all melted, put it on the fire, and boil and skim it. then put in your fruit, and boil the apples till they are quite clear and soft. put them in jars, and pour the warm liquor over them. when cold, tie them up with brandy paper. preserved plums. cut your plums in half, (they must not be quite ripe,) and take am the stones. weigh the plums and allow a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of fruit. crack the stones, take out the kernels and break them in pieces. boil the plums and kernels very slowly for about fifteen minutes, in as little water as possible. then spread them on a large dish to cool, and strain the liquor. next day make your syrup. melt the sugar in as little water as will suffice to dissolve it, (about half a pint of water to a pound of sugar) and boil it a few minutes, skimming it till quite clear. then put in your plums with the liquor, and boil them fifteen minutes. put them in jars, pour the juice over them warm, and tie them up, when cold, with brandy paper. [footnote: plums for common use, are very good done in molasses. put your plums into an earthen vessel that holds a gallon, having first slit each plum with a knife. to three quarts of plums put a pint of molasses. cover them and set them on hot coals in the chimney corner. let them stew for twelve hours or more, occasionally stirring them, and renewing the coals. next day put them up in jars. done in this manner they will keep till the next spring.] syrups may be improved in clearness, by adding to the dissolved sugar and water, some white of egg very well beaten, allowing the white of one egg to each pound of sugar. boil it very hard, and skim it well, that it may be quite clear before you put in your fruit. preserved strawberries. weigh the strawberries after you have picked off the stems. to each pound of fruit allow a pound of loaf-sugar, which must be powdered. strew half of the sugar over the strawberries, and let them stand in a cold place two or three hours. then put them in a preserving kettle over a slow fire, and by degrees strew on the rest of the sugar. boil them fifteen or twenty minutes, and skim them well. put them in wide-mouthed bottles, and when cold, seal the corks. if you wish to do them whole, take them carefully out of the syrup, (one at a time) while boiling. spread them to cool on large dishes, not letting the strawberries touch each other, and when cool, return them to the syrup, and boil them a little longer. repeat this several times. keep the bottles in dry sand, in a place that is cool and not damp. gooseberries, currants, raspberries, cherries and grapes may be done in the same manner. the stones must be taken from the cherries (which should be morellas, or the largest and best red cherries;) and the seeds should be extracted from the grapes with the sharp point of a penknife. gooseberries, grapes, and cherries, require longer boiling than strawberries, raspberries or currants. preserved cranberries wash your cranberries, weigh them, and to each pound allow a pound of loaf-sugar. dissolve the sugar in a very little water, (about half a pint of water to a pound of sugar) and set it on the fire in a preserving kettle. boil it nearly ten minutes, skimming it well. then put in your cranberries, and boil them slowly, till they are quite soft, and of a fine colour. put them warm into your jars or glasses, and tie them up with brandy paper, when cold. all sorts of sweetmeats keep better in glasses, than in stone of earthen jars. when opened for use, they should be tied up again immediately, as exposure to the air spoils them. common glass tumblers are very convenient for jellies, and preserved small fruit. white jars are better than stone or earthen, for large fruit. preserved pumpkin. cut slices from a fine high-coloured pumpkin, and cut the slices into chips about the thickness of a dollar. the chips should be of an equal size, six inches in length and an inch broad. weigh them and allow to each pound of pumpkin chips, a pound of loaf-sugar. have ready a sufficient number of fine lemons, pare off the yellow rind, and lay it aside. cut the lemons in half, and squeeze the juice into a bowl. allow a gill of juice to each pound of pumpkin. put the pumpkin into a broad pan laying the sugar among it. pour the lemon-juice over it, cover the pan, and let the pumpkin chips, sugar and lemon-juice, set all night. early in the morning put the whole into a preserving pan, and boil all together (skimming it well) till the pumpkin becomes clear and crisp, but not till it breaks. it should have the appearance of lemon-candy. you may if you choose, put some lemon-peel with it, cut in very small pieces. half an hour's boiling (or a little more) is generally sufficient. when it is done, take out the pumpkin, spread it on a large dish, and strain the syrup through a bag. put the pumpkin into your jars or glasses, pour the syrup over it, and tie it up with brandy paper. if properly done, this is a very fine sweetmeat. the taste of the pumpkin will be lost in that of the lemon and sugar, and the syrup is particularly pleasant. it is eaten without cream, like preserved ginger. it may be laid on puff-paste shells, after they are baked. preserved pine-apple, pare your pine-apples, and cut them in thick slices. weigh the slices and to each pound allow a pound of loaf-sugar. dissolve the sugar in a very small quantity of water, stir it, and set it over the fire in a preserving-kettle. boil it ten minutes, skimming it well. then put in it the pine-apple slices, and boil them till they are clear and soft, but not till they break. about half an hour (or perhaps less time) will suffice. let them cool in a large dish or pan, before you put them into your jars, which you must do carefully, lest they break. pour the syrup over them. tie them up with brandy paper. raspberry jam. allow a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. mash the raspberries and put them with the sugar into your preserving kettle. boll it slowly for an hour skimming it well. tie it up with brandy paper. all jams are made in the same manner. appendix. miscellaneous receipts. contents. a-la-mode beef chicken pudding a boned turkey collared pork spiced oysters stewed oysters oyster soup fried oysters baked oysters oyster patties oyster sauce pickled oysters chicken salad lobster salad stewed mushrooms peach cordial cherry bounce raspberry cordial blackberry cordial ginger beer jelly cake rice cakes for breakfast ground rice pudding tomata ketchup yeast a-la-mode beef a pound of fresh beef weighing from eighteen to twenty pounds. a pound of the fat of bacon or corned pork. the marrow from the bone of the beef, \ chopped together a quarter of a pound of beef-suet, / two bundles of pot herbs, parsley, thyme, small onions, &c. chopped fine. two large bunches of sweet marjoram,\sufficient when powdered to make two bunches of sweet basil, /make four table-spoonfuls of each. two large nutmegs, \ half an ounce of cloves } beaten to a powder. half an ounce of mace, / one table-spoonful of salt. one table-spoonful of pepper. two glasses of madeira wine. if your a-la-mode beef is to be eaten cold, prepare it three days before it is wanted. take out the bone. fasten up the opening with skewers, and tie the meat all round with tape. rub it all over on both sides with salt. a large round of beef will be more tender than a small one. chop the marrow and suet together. pound the spice. chop the pot-herbs very fine. pick the sweet-marjoram and sweet-basil clean from the stalks, and rub the leaves to a powder. you must have at least four table-spoonfuls of each. add the pepper and salt, and mix well together all the ingredients that compose the seasoning. cut the fat of the bacon or pork into pieces about a quarter of an inch thick and two inches long. with a sharp knife make deep incisions all over the round of beef and very near each other. put first a little of the seasoning into each hole, then a slip of the bacon pressed down hard and covered with more seasoning. pour a little wine into each hole. when you have thus stuffed the upper side of the beef, turn it over and stuff in the same manner the under side. if the round is very large, you will require a larger quantity of seasoning. put it in a deep baking dish, pour over it some wine, cover it, and let it set till next morning. it will be much the better for lying all night in the seasoning. next day put a little water in the dish, set it in a covered oven, and bake or stew it gently for twelve hours at least, or more if it is a large round. it will be much improved by stewing it in lard. let it remain all night in the oven. if it is to be eaten hot at dinner, put it in to stew the evening before, and let it cook till dinner-time next day. stir some wine and a beaten egg into the gravy. if brought to table cold, cover it all over with green parsley, and stick a large bunch of something green in the centre. what is left will make an excellent hash the next day. chicken pudding cut up a pair of young chickens, and season them with pepper and salt and a little mace and nutmeg. put them into a pot with two large spoonfuls of butter, and water enough to cover them. stew them gently; and when about half cooked, take them out and set them away to cool. pour off the gravy, and reserve it to be served up separately. in the mean time, make a batter as if for a pudding, of eight table-spoonfuls of sifted flour stirred gradually into a quart of milk, six eggs well beaten and added by degrees to the mixture, and a very little salt. put a layer of chicken in the bottom of a deep dish, and pour over it some of the batter; then another layer of chicken, and then some more batter; and so on till the dish is full, having a cover of batter at the top. bake it till it is brown. then break an egg into the gravy which you have set away, give it a boil, and send it to table in a sauce-boat to eat with the pudding. a boned turkey. a large turkey. three sixpenny loaves of stale bread. one pound of fresh butter. four eggs. one bunch of pot-herbs, parsley, thyme, and little onions. two bunches of sweet marjoram. two bunches of sweet basil. two nutmegs. \ half an ounce of cloves. } pounded fine. a quarter of an ounce of mace. / a table-spoonful of salt. a table-spoonful of pepper. skewers, tape, needle, and coarse thread will be wanted. grate the bread, and put the crusts in water to soften. then break them up small into the pan of crumbled bread. cut up a pound of butter in the pan of bread. rub the herbs to powder, and have two table-spoonfuls of sweet-marjoram and two of sweet basil, or more of each if the turkey is very large. chop the pot-herbs, and pound the spice. then add the salt and pepper, and mix all the ingredients well together. beat slightly four eggs, and mix them with the seasoning and bread crumbs. after the turkey is drawn, take a sharp knife and, beginning at the wings, carefully separate the flesh from the bone, scraping it down as you go; and avoid tearing or breaking the skin. next, loosen the flesh from the breast and back, and then from the thighs. it requires great care and patience to do it nicely. when all the flesh is thus loosened, take the turkey by the neck, give it a pull, and the skeleton will come out entire from the flesh, as easily as you draw your hand out of a glove. the flesh will then be a shapeless mass. with a needle and thread mend or sew up any holes that may be found in the skin. take up a handful of the seasoning, squeeze it hard and proceed to stuff the turkey with it, beginning at the wings, next to the body, and then the thighs. if you stuff it properly, it will again assume its natural shape. stuff it very hard. when all the stuffing is in, sew up the breast, and skewer the turkey into its proper form, so that it will look as if it had not been boned. tie it round with tape and bake it three hours or more. make a gravy of the giblets chopped, and enrich it with some wine and an egg. if the turkey is to be eaten cold, drop spoonfuls of red currant jelly all over it, and in the dish round it. a large fowl may be boned and stuffed in the same manner. collared pork. a leg of fresh pork, not large. two table-spoonfuls of powdered sage. two table-spoonfuls of sweet marjoram, \ powdered. one table-spoonful of sweet basil, / a quarter of an ounce of mace, \ half an ounce of cloves, } powdered. two nutmegs, / a bunch of pot-herbs, chopped small. a sixpenny loaf of stale bread, grated. half a pound of butter, cut into the bread. two eggs. a table-spoonful of salt. a table-spoonful of black pepper. grate the bread, and having softened the crust in water, mix it with the crumbs. prepare all the other ingredients, and mix them well with the grated bread and egg, take the bone out of a leg of pork, and rub the meat well on both sides with salt. spread the seasoning thick all over the meat. then roll it up very tightly and tie it round with tape. put it into a deep dish with a little water, and bake it two hours. if eaten hot, put an egg and some wine into the gravy. when cold, cut it down into round slices. spiced oysters. two hundred large fresh oysters. four table-spoonfuls of strong vinegar. a nutmeg, grated. three dozen of cloves, whole. eight blades of mace, whole. two tea-spoonfuls of salt if the oysters are fresh. two tea-spoonfuls of whole allspice. as much cayenne pepper as will lie on the point of a knife. put the oysters, with their liquor, into a large earthen pitcher. add to them the vinegar and all the other ingredients. stir all well together. set them in the stove, or over a slow fire, keeping them covered. take them off the fire several times, and stir them to the bottom. as soon as they boil completely they are sufficiently done; if they boil too long they will be hard. pour them directly out of the pitcher into a pan, and set them away to cool. they must not be eaten till quite cold, or indeed till next day. if you wish to keep them a week, put a smaller quantity of spice, or they will taste too much of it by setting so long. let them be well covered. oysters in the shell may be kept all winter by laying them in a heap in the cellar, with the concave side upwards to hold in the liquor. sprinkle them every day with strong salt and water, and then with indian meal. cover them with matting or an old carpet. stewed oysters. open the oysters and strain the liquor. put to the liquor some grated stale bread, and a little pepper and nutmeg, adding a glass of white wine. boil the liquor with these ingredients, and then pour it scalding hot over the dish of raw oysters. this will cook them sufficiently. have ready some slices of buttered toast with the crust cut off. when the oysters are done, dip the toast in the liquor, and lay the pieces round the sides and in the bottom of a deep dish. pour the oysters and liquor upon the toast, and send them to table hot. oyster soup three pints of large fresh oysters. two table-spoonfuls of butter, rolled in flour. a bunch of sweet herbs. a saucer full of chopped celery. a quart of rich milk. pepper to your taste. take the liquor of three pints of oysters. strain it, and set it on the fire. put into it, pepper to your taste, two table-spoonfuls of butter rolled in flour, and a bunch of sweet marjoram and other pot-herbs, with a saucer full of chopped celery. when it boils, add a quart of rich milk-and as soon as it boils again, take out the herbs, and put in the oysters just before you send it to table. boiling them in the soup will shrivel them and destroy their taste. fried oysters for frying, choose the largest and finest oysters. beat some yolks of eggs and mix with them grated bread, and a small quantity of beaten nutmeg and mace and a little salt. having stirred this batter well, dip your oysters into it, and fry them in lard, till they are of a light brown colour. take care not to do them too much. serve them up hot. for grated bread, some substitute crackers pounded to a powder, and mixed with yolk of egg and spice. baked or scolloped oysters. grate a small loaf of stale-bread. butter a deep dish well, and cover the sides and bottom with bread crumbs. put in half the oysters with a little mace and pepper. cover them with crumbs and small bits of butter strewed over them. then put in the remainder of the oysters. season them. cover them as before with crumbs and butter. if the oysters are fresh, pour in a little of the liquor. if they are salt, substitute a little water. bake them a very short time. you may cook them in the small scolloped dishes made for the purpose. oyster patties. make some rich puff-paste, and bake it in very small tin patty pans. when cool, turn them out upon a large dish. stew some large fresh oysters with a few cloves, a little mace and nutmeg, some yolk of egg boiled hard and grated, a little butter, and as much of the oyster liquor as will cover them. when they have stewed a little while, take them out of the pan, and set them away to cool. when quite cold, lay two or three oysters in each shell of puff-paste. oyster-sauce. when your oysters are opened, take care of all the liquor, and give them one boil in it. then take the oysters out, and put to the liquor three or four blades of mace. add to it some melted butter, and some thick cream or rich milk. put in your oysters and give them a boil. as soon as they come to a boil, take them of the fire. pickled oysters. four hundred large fresh oysters. a pint of vinegar. eight spoonfuls of salt. a pint of white wine. six table-spoonfuls of whole black pepper. eight blades of mace. strain the liquor of the oysters and boil it. then pour it hot over the oysters, and let them lie in it about ten minutes. then take them out, and cover them. boil the liquor with the salt, pepper, mace, vinegar and wine. when cold, put the oysters in a close jar, and pour the liquor over them. cover the jar very tight, and the oysters will keep a long time. if the oysters are salt, put no salt to the liquor. chicken salad. two large cold fowls, either boiled or roasted. the yolks of nine hard-boiled eggs. half a pint of sweet oil. half a pint of vinegar. a gill of mixed mustard. a small tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper. a small tea-spoonful of salt. two large heads, or four small ones, of fine celery. cut the meat of the fowls from the bones, in pieces not exceeding an inch in size. cut the white part of the celery into pieces about an inch long. mix the chicken and celery well together. cover them and set them away. with the back of a wooden spoon, mash the yolks of eggs till they are a perfectly smooth paste. mix them with the oil, vinegar, mustard, cayenne, and salt. stir them for a long time, till they are thoroughly mixed and quite smooth. the longer they are stirred the better. when this dressing is sufficiently mixed, cover it, and set it away. five minutes before the salad is to be eaten pour the dressing over the chicken and celery, and mix all well together. if the dressing is put on long before it is wanted, the salad will be tough and hard. this salad is very excellent made of cold turkey instead of chicken. lobster salad. take two large boiled lobsters. extract all the meat from the shell, and cut it up into very small pieces. for lobster salad, you must have lettuce instead of celery. cut up the lettuce as small as possible. make a dressing as for a chicken-salad, with the yolks of nine hard-boiled eggs, half a pint of sweet oil, half a pint of vinegar, a gill of mustard, a tea-spoonful of cayenne, and a tea-spoonful of salt. mix all well together with a wooden spoon. a few minutes before it is to be eaten, pour the dressing over the lobster and lettuce and mix it very well. stewed mushrooms. take a quart of fresh mushrooms. peel them and cut off the stems. season them with pepper and salt. put them in a sauce-pan or skillet, with a lump of fresh butter the size of an egg, and sufficient cream or rich milk to cover them. put on the lid of the pan, and stew the mushrooms about a quarter of an hour, keeping them well covered or the flavour will evaporate. when you take them off the fire, have ready one or two beaten eggs. stir the eggs gradually into the stew, and send it to table in a covered dish. peach cordial. take a peck of cling-stone peaches; such as come late in the season, and are very juicy. pare them, and cut them from the stones. crack about half the stones and save the kernels. leave the remainder of the stones whole, and mix them with the cut peaches; add also the kernels. put the whole into a wide-mouthed demi-john, and pour on them two gallons of double-rectified whiskey. add three pounds of rock-sugar candy. cork it tightly, and set it away for three months: then bottle it, and it will be fit for use. this cordial is as clear as water, and nearly equal to noyau. cherry bounce. take a peck of morella cherries, and a peck of black hearts. stone the morellas and crack the stones. put all the cherries and the cracked stones into a demi-john, with three pounds of loaf-sugar slightly pounded or beaten. pour in two gallons of double-rectified whiskey. cork the demi-john, and in six months the cherry-bounce will be fit to pour off and bottle for use; but the older it is, the better. raspberry cordial. to each quart of raspberries allow a pound of loaf-sugar. mash the raspberries and strew the sugar over them, having first pounded it slightly, or cracked it with the rolling-pin. let the raspberries and sugar set till next day, keeping them well covered, then put them in a thin linen bag and squeeze out the juice with your hands. to every pint of juice allow a quart of double-rectified whiskey. cork it well, and set it away for use. it will be ready in a few days. raspberry vinegar (which, mixed with water, is a pleasant and cooling beverage in warm weather) is made exactly in the same manner as the cordial, only substituting the best white vinegar for the whiskey. blackberry cordial. take the ripest blackberries. mash them, put them in a linen bag and squeeze out the juice. to every quart of juice allow a pound of beaten loaf-sugar. put the sugar into a large preserving kettle, and pour the juice on it. when it is all melted, set it on the fire, and boil it to a thin jelly. when cold, to every quart of juice allow a quart of brandy. stir them well together, and bottle it for use. it will be ready at once. ginger beer. put into a kettle, two ounces of powdered ginger,(or more if it is not very strong,) half an ounce of cream of tartar, two large lemons cut in slices, two pounds of broken loaf-sugar, and one gallon of soft water. simmer them over a slow fire for half an hour. when the liquor is nearly cold, stir into it a large table-spoonful of the best yeast. after it has fermented, bottle for use. jelly cake. stir together till very light, half a pound of fresh butter and half a pound of powdered white sugar. beat twelve eggs very light, and stir them into the butter and sugar, alternately with a pound of sifted flour. add a beaten nutmeg, and half a wine-glass of rose-water. have ready a flat circular plate of tin, which must be laid on your griddle, or in the oven of your stove, and well greased with butter. pour on it a large ladle-full of the batter, and bake it as you would a buck-wheat cake, taking care to have it of a good shape. it will not require turning. bake as many of these cakes as you want, laying each on a separate plate. then spread jelly or marmalade all over the top of each cake, and lay another upon it. spread that also with jelly, and so on till you have a pile of five or six, looking like one large thick cake. trim the edge nicely with a penknife, and cover the top with powdered sugar. or you may ice it; putting on the nonpareils or sugar-sand in such a manner as to mark out the cake in triangular divisions. when it is to be eaten, cut it in three-cornered slices as you would a pie. colouring for icing, &c. _to make a red colouring for icing_. take twenty grains of cochineal powder, twenty grains of cream of tartar, and twenty grains of powdered alum. put them into gill of cold soft water, and boil it very slowly till reduced to one half. strain it through thin muslin, and cork it up for use. a very small quantity of this mixture will colour icing of a beautiful pink. with pink icing, white nonpareils should be used. rice cakes for breakfast. put half a pound of rice in soak over night. early in the morning boil it very soft, drain it from the water, mix with it a quarter of a pound of butter, and set it away to cool. when it is cold, stir it into a quart of milk, and add a very little salt. beat six eggs, and sift half a pint of flour. stir the egg and flour alternately into the rice and milk. having beaten the whole very well, bake it on the griddle in cakes about the size of a small dessert-plate. butter them, and send them to table hot. ground rice puodijvg. take five table-spoonfuls of ground rice and boil it in a quart of new milk, with a grated nutmeg or a tea-spoonful of powdered cinnamon, stirring it all the time. when it has boiled, pour it into a pan and stir in a quarter of a pound of butter, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, a nutmeg and half a pint of cream. set it away to get cold. then heat eight eggs, omitting the whites of four. have ready a pound of dried currants well cleaned, and sprinkled with flour; stir them into the mixture alternately with the beaten egg. add half a glass of rose-water, or half a glass of mixed wine and brandy. butter a deep dish, put in the mixture, and hake it of a pale brown. or you may bake it in saucers. tomata ketchup. slice the tomatas. put them in layers into a deep earthen pan, and sprinkle every layer with salt. let them stand in this state for twelve hours. then put them over the fire in a preserving kettle, and simmer them till they are quite soft. pour them into a linen bag, and squeeze the juice from them. season the liquor to your taste, with grated horse-radish, a little garlic, some mace, and a few cloves. boil it well with these ingredients--and, when cold, bottle it for use. yeast have ready two quarts of boiling water; put into it a large handful of hops, and let them boil twenty minutes. sift into a pan a pound and a half of flour. strain the liquor from the hops, and pour half of it over the flour. let the other half of the liquid stand till it is cool, and then pour it gradually into the pan of flour, mixing it well. stir into it a large tea-cup full of good yeast,(brewer's yeast if you can get it.) put it immediately into bottles, and cork it tightly. it will be fit for use in an hour. it will be much improved and keep longer, by putting into each bottle a tea-spoonful of pearl-ash. finis transcriber's note: inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. obvious typographical errors have been corrected. italic text is denoted by _underscores_. on page , the phrase starting "the over-night" may be missing words. on page , the phrase "half a cup of water" may be missing words. index spellings were made consistent with the text. [illustration: cook preparing fowl in kitchen] housekeeping in old virginia. containing contributions from two hundred and fifty ladies in virginia and her sister states, _distinguished for their skill in the culinary art and other branches of domestic economy._ edited by marion cabell tyree. "who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.... she looketh well to the ways of her household and eateth not the bread of idleness." _prov., chap. , verses and ._ john p. morton & co., _louisville, ky._ . copyright by marion cabell tyree. . _dedicated_ to the sister housekeepers, whose kind assistance and contributions have so much lightened the labors of the writer and enhanced the value of her work. general contents. page _preface_ _list of contributors_ bread coffee, tea, and chocolate milk and butter soup oysters and other shell fish fish game meats beef and veal mutton and lamb poultry salads sauces brunswick stews, gumbo, and side dishes eggs vegetables pickles and catsups cake icing gingerbread small cakes puddings pudding sauces pastry fritters and pancakes jelly, blanc-mange, charlotte russe, baked custard, creams, and miscellaneous desserts ice cream and frozen custard fruit desserts preserves and fruit jellies confectionery wines beverages, cordials, etc. the sick-room--diet and remedies for the sick house-cleaning, etc. recipes for restoring old clothes, setting colors, removing stains, etc. miscellaneous recipes preface. virginia, or the old dominion, as her children delight to call her, has always been famed for the style of her living. taught by the example of her royal colonial governors, and the numerous adherents of king charles, who brought hither in their exile the graces and luxuriousness of his brilliant court, she became noted among the colonies for the princely hospitality of her people and for the beauty and richness of their living. but when at length her great son in the house of burgesses sounded the cry of war, and her people made haste to gird themselves for the long struggle, her daughters, not to be outdone either in services or patriotism, set about at once the inauguration of a plan of rigid retrenchment and reform in the domestic economy, while at the same time exhibiting to their sisters a noble example of devotion and self-sacrifice. tearing the glittering arms of king george from their sideboards, and casting them, with their costly plate and jewels, as offerings into the lap of the continental congress, they introduced in their homes that new style of living in which, discarding all the showy extravagance of the old, and retaining only its inexpensive graces, they succeeded in perfecting that system which, surviving to this day, has ever been noted for its beautiful and elegant simplicity. this system, which combines the thrifty frugality of new england with the less rigid style of carolina, has been justly pronounced, by the throngs of admirers who have gathered from all quarters of the union around the generous boards of her illustrious sons, as the very perfection of domestic art. it is the object of the compiler of this book, for she does not claim the title of author, to bring within the reach of every american housekeeper who may desire it, the domestic principles and practices of these famous virginia homes. in doing this she has not sought to pursue the plan adopted by so many authors of such books--to depend upon her own _authorship_ for her rule. she confesses that in this matter her labors have been largely editorial. through a long life it has been her good fortune to be a frequent visitor, and often the intimate guest and kinswoman, at many of these homes; and she has sought, by the opportunities thus afforded, and guided by her own extensive experience as a housekeeper, to gather and select from these numerous sources those things which seemed to her best and most useful to the practical housewife, and which, carefully observed, would bring the art within reach of all who have the ambition to acquire it. it will be seen that she is indebted to near contributors to her book. among these will be found _many names famous_ _through the land_. associated with them will be discovered others of less national celebrity, but who have acquired among their neighbors an equally merited distinction for the beautiful order and delightful cuisine of their homes. the labors of the writer have been greatly lightened by the kindness of these contributors. and she desires in this public way to renew her thanks for the aid which they have given her, but even more for the goodness which prompts them, at cost of their sensitiveness, to allow her to append their names to the recipes which they furnish. the book, after great care in its preparation, is now offered to the public with much confidence. all that is here presented has been so thoroughly tested, and approved by so many of the best housekeepers in virginia, that she feels it must meet with a cordial and very general reception at the hands of all accomplished housewives throughout the land, and will supply a long-felt and real need. if she shall thus succeed in disseminating a knowledge of the practice of the _most admirable system of domestic art known in our country_; if she shall succeed in lightening the labors of the housewife by placing in her reach a guide which will be found _always trusty and reliable_; if she shall thus make her tasks lighter and home-life sweeter; if she shall succeed in contributing something to the health of american children by instructing their mothers in the art of preparing light and wholesome and palatable food; _if she, above all, shall succeed in making american homes more attractive to american husbands, and spare_ _them a resort to hotels and saloons for those simple luxuries which their wives know not how to provide_; if she shall thus add to the comfort, to the health and happy contentment of these, she will have proved in some measure a public benefactor, and will feel amply repaid for all the labor her work has cost. marion cabell tyree. lynchburg, va., january, . list of contributors. mrs. robert alexander fredericksburg, va. mrs. john j. ambler lynchburg. mrs. judge anderson lexington. mrs. charlotte armstrong richmond. miss nannie averett amherst co. "mozis addums." richmond. mrs. r. t. h. adams lynchburg. mrs. john t. anderson virginia. mrs. john thompson brown nelson co. mrs. benjamin j. barbour orange co. mrs. judge barton fredericksburg. miss mary bella beale richmond. mrs. orville bell liberty. mrs. c. s. bliss lynchburg. mrs. s. brady wheeling, west va. mrs. emma breckenridge fincastle. mrs. julia breckenridge " mrs. brinckerhoff fredericksburg. mrs. john brooke lexington. mrs. m. b. warrenton, fauquier co. mrs. bruce virginia. mrs. marcus b. buck front royal, warren co. mrs. armstead burwell franklin co. mrs. charles w. burwell ellicot city, md. mrs. wm. burwell georgia. mrs. charles button lynchburg. dr. burney montgomery, ala. mrs. george a. burks lynchburg. mrs. broaddus mecklenburg co. mrs. byrd virginia. mrs. william cameron petersburg. mrs. clara cabell nelson co. mrs. louis w. cabell buckingham co. mrs. margaret c. cabell " " mrs. h. coalter cabell richmond. mrs. mary c. campbell baltimore, md. mrs. thos. campbell bedford co. mrs. wm. campbell " " mrs. eliza h. carrington halifax co. mrs. paul carrington " " mrs. fannie carrington charlotte co. mrs. henry carrington " " mrs. theo. m. carson lynchburg. mr. edward camm " mrs. fannie chalmers " mrs. addison cobbs charleston, west va. mrs. alice coleman halifax co. mrs. dr. coleman williamsburg. mrs. john l. coles northumberland co. mrs. peyton coles albemarle co. mrs. tucker coles " " mrs. raleigh colston richmond. mrs. h. p. chew fredericksburg. mrs. camillus christian lynchburg. dr. e. a. craighill " mrs. d. cone warren co. mrs. davis chesterfield co. mrs. robert j. davis lynchburg. mrs. mary m. dame danville. mrs. john b. dangerfield alexandria. mrs. addison m. davies lynchburg. mrs. horatio davis pittsylvania co. mrs. frank deane lynchburg. mrs. jos. deans gloucester co. mrs. judge asa dickinson prince edward co. mrs. melville dunn richmond. mrs. andrew dunn petersburg. mrs. duke suffolk co. miss d. d. norfolk. miss didlake lynchburg. mrs. maria edmonds prince edward co. mrs. john t. edwards lynchburg. mrs. dr. early " mrs. early " mrs. j. d. ewing harrisonburg. mrs. elam virginia. mrs. fitz hugh " mrs. f. b. ficklin fredericksburg. mrs. f. f. fitzgerald farmville. mrs. j. h. figgat fincastle. mrs. col. forsberg lynchburg. mrs. graves kentucky. mrs. caroline garland lynchburg. mrs. mary l. garland " mrs. john f. gardner nelson co. mrs. judge geo. h. gilmer pittsylvania co. mrs. f. d. goodwin wytheville. mrs. judge goolrick fredericksburg. mrs. jane v. goolrick " mrs. e. p. goggin lynchburg. mrs. susan goggin bedford co. mrs. newton gordon lynchburg. mrs. isabella gilmer " mrs. isabella harrison charles city co. mrs. elvira henry charlotte co. mrs. e. winston henry " " mrs. mary g. harding staunton. mrs. fred. hickey lynchburg. mrs. john w. holt " mrs. ann holt liberty. mrs. ferdinand c. hutter lynchburg. mrs. j. p. hubbard shepherdstown, west va. mrs. wm. l. hyland parkersburg, west va. mrs. edward ingle roanoke co. mrs. j. j. irby new orleans, la. mrs. joseph m. jones kentucky. mrs. dr. jones bedford co. mrs. arthur johns northampton co. mrs. col. johnson lexington. mrs. j. johnson abingdon. mrs. thomas l. johnson lynchburg. mrs. david kent pulaski co. mrs. d. b. kinckle lynchburg. mrs. kinsolving halifax co. mrs. knox fredericksburg. mrs. dr. henry latham lynchburg. mrs. k. norfolk. mrs. l. d. leighton petersburg. mrs. col. augustine leftwich lynchburg. mrs. gen. robert e. lee "arlington," westmoreland co. miss mildred c. lee lexington. mrs. gov. john letcher " mrs. dr. robert t. lemmon campbell co. mrs. andrew lewis harrisonburg. mrs. james langhorne lynchburg. mrs. john a. langhorne montgomery co. mrs. nannie a. langhorne lynchburg. mrs. richard t. lacy " mrs. m. l. " mrs. geo. d. lawrence mis. mrs. wm. h. little fredericksburg. mrs. j. d. l. lynchburg. l. d. l. albemarle co. mrs. gov. marye fredericksburg. mrs. john mason " mrs. o. massie brooklyn, n. y. mrs. patrick massie nelson co. mrs. sarah meem abingdon. mrs. john f. miller lynchburg. mrs. charles l. c. minor blacksburg. mrs. c. c. mcphail charlotte co. mrs. john r. mcdaniel lynchburg. mrs. mary mcnutt prince edward co. mrs. r. k. meade petersburg. mrs. wm. h. mosby amherst co. mrs. alice murrel lynchburg. mrs. wm. mcfarland missouri. mrs. c. v. mcgee ala. mrs. mcgavock pulaski co. gen. m. virginia. mrs. james j. moore richmond. mrs. geo. newton norfolk. miss fannie nelson yorktown. mrs. geo. nichols bedford co. mrs. gen. f. t. nichols new orleans, la. mrs. charles norvell lynchburg. miss norwood richmond. mrs. robert l. owen lynchburg. mrs. geo. w. palmer saltville. mrs. r. l. page norfolk. mrs. david pierce wytheville. mrs. john d. powell portsmouth. mrs. wm. ballard preston montgomery co. mrs. gen. robert preston " " mrs. jas. preston " " mrs. preston virginia. mrs. annis e. preston lynchburg. mrs. richard pollard " mrs. james f. payne " miss eliza payne " mrs. annie phillips fredericksburg. mrs. edmund h. pendleton cincinnati, ohio. mrs. price charlotte co. mrs. john h. parker chesterfield co. mrs. reid norfolk. mrs. mattie reid winchester. mrs. david s. read roanoke co. mrs. wm. c. rives albemarle co. mrs. j. henry rives lynchburg. mrs. roane " mrs. j. h. robinson " mrs. w. russell robinson richmond. mrs. dr. edward t. robinson " mrs. john roberts fredericksburg. mrs. e. m. ruggles " mrs. dr. sale liberty. mrs. geo. d. saunders buckingham co. mrs. ann saunders lynchburg. mrs. james a. seddon goochland co. mrs. dr. semple ala. mrs. h. h. service alexandria. mrs. j. w. shields richmond. mrs. jas. w. shields king geo. co. mrs. h. t. silverthorn lynchburg. mrs. wm. a. strother " mr. wm. a. strother " mrs. john w. stone " mrs. john f. slaughter " miss lillie slaughter " mrs. kate slaughter " mrs. judge spence " mrs. henderson suter liberty. mrs. harriet stansbury new orleans, la. mrs. shannon miss. miss ellen shute new orleans, la. miss rebecca smith norfolk. mrs. charles sharp " mrs. sparks virginia. mrs. col. smith pittsylvania co. mrs. a. h. m. taliaferro orange co. mrs. mary w. taylor campbell co. mrs. major thos. l. taylor campbell c. h. miss julia thompson williamsburg. mrs. c. l. thompson richmond. mrs. j. hanson thomas baltimore, md. mrs. eli tutwiler lexington. mrs. samuel tyree lynchburg. mrs. john h. tyree " mrs. jas. taylor fredericksburg. miss edmonia taylor orange co. mrs. tucker virginia. mrs. judge watson abingdon. mrs. dr. thos. walker lynchburg. mrs. col. w. " mrs. col. robert e. withers wytheville. mrs. philip t. withers lynchburg. mrs. dr. r. w. withers campbell co. mrs. edmund withers nelson co. mrs. dr. wingfield maryland. mrs. r. m. c. wingfield portsmouth. mrs. j. c. wheat winchester. mrs. judge wharton liberty. miss emily whitehead norfolk. mrs. robert whitehead nelson co. mrs. john m. warwick lynchburg. mrs. wm. n. welford " mr. philip withers " miss kate wilson " dr. thos. l. walker " miss nannie s. langhorne " housekeeping in old virginia. bread. bread is so vitally important an element in our nourishment that i have assigned to it the first place in my work. truly, as frederika bremer says, "when the bread rises in the oven, the heart of the housewife rises with it," and she might have added that the heart of the housewife sinks in sympathy with the sinking bread. i would say to housewives, be not daunted by one failure, nor by twenty. resolve that you _will_ have good bread, and never cease striving after this result till you have effected it. if persons without brains can accomplish this, why cannot you? i would recommend that the housekeeper acquire the practice as well as the theory of bread-making. in this way, she will be able to give more exact directions to her cook and to more readily detect and rectify any blemish in the bread. besides, if circumstances should throw her out of a cook for a short time, she is then prepared for the emergency. in this country fortunes are so rapidly made and lost, the vicissitudes of life are so sudden, that we know not what a day may bring forth. it is not uncommon to see elegant and refined women brought suddenly face to face with emergencies which their practical knowledge of household economy and their brave hearts enable them to firmly meet and overcome. to return to the bread question, however. good flour is an indispensable requisite to good bread. flour, whether old or new, should always be sunned and aired before being used. in the morning, get out the flour to be made up at night for next morning's breakfast. sift it in a tray and put it out in the sun, or, if the day is damp, set it near the kitchen fire. only experience will enable you to be a good judge of flour. one test is to rub the dry flour between your fingers, and if the grains feel round, it is a sign that the flour is good. if after trying a barrel of flour twice, you find it becomes wet and sticky, after being made up of the proper consistency, you had better then return it to your grocer. the best flour is worthless without good yeast. yeast made up in the morning ought to be fit for use at night. it should be foamy and frothy, with a scent slightly like ammonia. after closely following the directions for yeast-making, given in the subsequent pages, the bread will be apt to succeed, if the flour employed is good. there is a great art in mixing bread, and it is necessary to observe a certain rotation in the process. to make a small quantity of bread, first sift one quart of flour; into that sift a teaspoonful of salt, next rub in an irish potato, boiled and mashed fine, then add a piece of lard the size of a walnut, and next a half teacup of yeast in which three teaspoonfuls of white sugar have been stirred. (under no circumstances use soda or saleratus in your light dough.) then make into a soft dough with cold water in summer, and lukewarm in winter. knead without intermission for half an hour, _by the clock_. otherwise five minutes appear to be a half hour when bread is being kneaded or beaten. then place it in a stone crock, greased with lard at the bottom, and set it to rise. in summer, apply no artificial heat to it, but set it in a cool place. as bread rises much more quickly in summer than in winter, you must make allowance for this difference, during the respective seasons. the whole process, including both the first and second rising, may be accomplished in seven or eight hours in summer, though this will be regulated partly by the flour, as some kinds of flour rise much more quickly than others. in summer you may make it up at nine o'clock p.m., for an eight o'clock breakfast next morning, but in winter, make it up at seven p.m., and then set it on a shelf under which a lighted coal-oil lamp is placed. if you can have a three-cornered shelf of slate or sheet-iron, placed in a corner of the kitchen, just above the bread block, it will be all the better, though a common wooden shelf, made very thin, will answer, where you cannot get the other. the coal-oil lamp underneath without running the risk of burning the shelf (if wooden), will keep the bread gently heated all night, and will answer the double purpose of keeping a light burning, which most persons like to do at night, and which they can do with scarcely any expense, by using a coal-oil lamp. never knead bread a second time in the morning, as this ruins it. handle lightly as possible, make into the desired shapes and put into the moulds in which it is to be baked. grease your hands before doing this, so as to grease the loaf or each roll as you put it in, or else dip a feather in lard and pass lightly over the bread just before putting it in the oven to bake. let it be a little warmer during the second rise than during the first. always shape and put in the moulds two hours before breakfast. if hot bread is desired for dinner, reserve part of the breakfast dough, keeping it in the kitchen in winter, and in the refrigerator in summer till two hours before dinner. in baking, set the bread on the floor of the stove or range, never on the shelf. always turn up the damper before baking any kind of bread. as you set the bread in the stove, lay a piece of stiff writing paper over it to keep it from browning before heating through. leave the door ajar a few minutes, then remove the paper and shut the door. when the top of the loaf is a light amber color, put back the paper that the bread may not brown too much while thoroughly baking. turn the mould around so that each part may be exposed to equal heat. have an empty baking-pan on the shelf above the bread, to prevent it from blistering: some persons fill the pan with water, but i think this is a bad plan, as the vapor injures the bread. when thoroughly done, wrap the bread a few moments in a clean, thick, bread towel and send to the table with a napkin over it, to be kept on till each person has taken his seat at table. i would suggest to housekeepers to have made at a tinner's, a sheet-iron shape for bread, eight inches long, four and one-half inches wide, and five and one-half deep. this is somewhat like a brickbat in shape, only deeper, and is very desirable for bread that is to be cut in slices, and also for bread that is to be pulled off in slices. a quart of flour will make eight large rolls, six inches high, for this mould, and three or four turnovers. it is a nice plan after making out the eight rolls to roll them with greased hands till each one will reach across the pan (four and one-half inches), making eight slices of bread which will pull off beautifully when well done, and thus save the task of slicing with a knife. it requires an hour to bake this bread properly. do not constantly make bread in the same shapes: each morning, try to have some variation. plain light bread dough may be made into loaves, rolls, twist, turnovers, light biscuit, etc., and these changes of shape make a pleasant and appetizing variety in the appearance of the table. the addition of three eggs to plain light bread dough will enable you to make french rolls, muffins, or sally-lunn of it. as bread is far more appetizing, baked in pretty shapes, i would suggest the snow-ball shape for muffins and egg bread. very pretty iron shapes (eight or twelve in a group, joined together) may be procured from almost any tinner. if you should have indifferent flour of which you cannot get rid, bear in mind that it will sometimes make excellent beaten biscuit when it will not make good light bread. in making beaten biscuit, always put one teaspoonful of salt, a piece of lard the size of an egg, and a teacup of milk to a quart of flour, adding enough cold water to make a stiff dough: no other ingredients are admissible. make the dough much stiffer than for other breads, beat steadily a half hour, _by the clock_. cut with a biscuit cutter or shape by hand, being careful to have the shape of each alike and perfect. make them not quite half an inch thick, as they rise in baking. do not let them touch each other in the pan, and let the oven be very hot. it is well not to have beaten biscuit and light bread baked at the same time, as they require different degrees of heat. when two kinds of bread are required, try to have two such as require the same amount of heat. egg bread and corn muffins require the same degree of heat as beaten biscuit, while sally-lunn and muffins need the same as light bread. there is no reason why the poor man should not have as well prepared and palatable food as the wealthy, for, by care and pains, the finest bread may be made of the simplest materials, and surely the loving hands of the poor man's wife and daughter will take as much pains to make his bread nice and light as hirelings will do for the wealthy. the mistake generally made by persons in restricted circumstances is to make too great a use of soda bread, which is not only less wholesome, but is more expensive than light bread or beaten biscuit, as it requires more ingredients. the bread, coffee and meat, which constitute the poor man's breakfast, properly cooked, furnish a meal fit for a prince. the furnishing of the kitchen is so important that i must here say a few words on the subject. first, the housekeeper must have a good stove or range, and it is well for her to have the dealer at hand when it is put up, to see that it draws well. besides the utensils furnished with the range or stove, she must provide every kitchen utensil needed in cooking. she must have a kitchen safe,--a bread block in the corner, furnished with a heavy iron beater; trays, sifters (with iron rims) steamers, colanders, a porcelain preserving kettle, perforated skimmers and spoons, ladles, long-handled iron forks and spoons, sharp knives and skewers, graters, egg beaters (the dover is the best), plenty of extra bread pans, dippers and tins of every kind, iron moulds for egg bread and muffins, wash pans, tea towels, bread towels, and hand towels, plates, knives, forks and spoons for use of the servants, a pepper box, salt box and dredge box (filled), a match safe, and last, but not least, a clock. try as far as possible to have the utensils of metal, rather than of wood. in cases where you cannot have cold and hot water conveyed into the kitchen, always keep on the stove a kettle of hot water, with a clean rag in it, in which all greasy dishes and kitchen utensils may be washed before being rinsed in the kitchen wash pan. always keep your cook well supplied with soap, washing mops and coarse linen dish rags. i have noticed that if you hem the latter, servants are not so apt to throw them away. insist on having each utensil cleaned immediately after being used. have shelves and proper places to put each article, hooks to hang the spoons on, etc. if you cannot have an oilcloth on your kitchen floor, have it oiled and then it may be easily and quickly wiped over every morning. once a week, have the kitchen and every article in it thoroughly cleaned. first clean the pipe of the stove, as the dust, soot and ashes fly over the kitchen and soil everything. then take the stove to pieces, as far as practicable, cleaning each part, especially the bottom, as neglect of this will prevent the bread from baking well at the bottom. after the stove is thoroughly swept out,--oven and all, apply stove polish. i consider "crumbs of comfort" the best preparation for this purpose. it comes in small pieces, each one of which is sufficient to clean the stove once, and is thus less apt to be wasted or thrown away by servants than stove polish that comes in a mass. next remove everything from the kitchen safe and shelves, which must be scoured before replacing the utensils belonging to them, and these too must first be scoured, scalded, and wiped dry. then wash the windows, and lastly the floor, scouring the latter unless it is oiled, in which case, have it merely wiped over. never let a servant take up ashes in a wooden vessel. keep a sheet-iron pan or scuttle for the purpose. at night, always have the water buckets filled with water and also the kettles, setting the latter on the stove or range, in case of sickness or any emergency during the night. have kindling wood at hand also, so that a fire may be quickly made, if needed. sometimes a discoloration is observable in iron kettles or other iron vessels. this may be avoided by filling them with hay before using them. pour water over the hay, set the vessel on the fire and let it remain till the water boils. after this, scour in sand and ashes--then wash in hot soap-suds, after which process, there will be no danger of discoloration. household measures. wheat flour. lb. is quart. indian meal. lb. oz. are quart. butter, when soft, lb. is pint. loaf sugar, broken, lb. is quart. white sugar, powdered, lb. oz. are quart. best brown sugar, lb. oz. are quart. ten eggs are lb. flour. quarts are peck. " pecks are bushel. large tablespoonfuls are ½ pint. large tablespoonfuls are gill. gills are ½ pint. a common sized tumbler holds ½ pint. a tablespoonful is ½ oz. drops are equal to a teaspoonful. teaspoonfuls are equal to tablespoonful. yeast. boil one quart of irish potatoes in three quarts of water. when done, take out the potatoes, one by one, on a fork, peel and mash them fine, in a tray, with a large iron spoon, leaving the boiling water on the stove during the process. throw in this water a handful of hops, which must scald, not boil, as it turns the tea very dark to let the hops boil. add to the mashed potatoes a heaping teacupful of powdered white sugar and half a teacupful of salt; then slowly stir in the strained hop tea, so that there will be no lumps. when milk-warm add a teacupful of yeast and pour into glass fruit jars, or large, clear glass bottles, to ferment, being careful not to close them tightly. set in a warm place in winter, a cool one in summer. in six hours it will be ready for use, and at the end of that time the jar or bottle must be securely closed. keep in a cold room in winter, and in the refrigerator in summer. this yeast will keep two weeks in winter and one week in summer. bread made from it is always sweet.--_mrs. s. t._ irish potato yeast. quart of potatoes, boiled and mashed fine. teaspoonful of salt. ½ teacup of sugar. put two cups of flour in a bowl, and pour over it three cups of strong hop-water, scalding hot, and stir it briskly. then put all the ingredients in a jar together, and when cool enough, add a cup of yeast, or leaven. set it by the fire to rise. it will be ready for use in five or six hours.--_mrs. e._ _another recipe for yeast._ large potatoes, boiled and mashed fine. teacup of brown sugar. teacup of salt. gallon of hop tea. mix the ingredients well, and when milk-warm, add a pint of yeast. set it in a warm place to rise. put one teacupful of this yeast, when risen, to two quarts of flour.--_mrs. dr. s._ _yeast that never fails._ boil twelve potatoes in four quarts of water till reduced to three quarts. then take out and mash the potatoes, and throw into the water three handfuls of hops. when the hops have boiled to a good tea, strain the water over the potatoes, a small quantity at a time, mixing them well together. add one teacup of brown sugar. teacup of salt. tablespoonful of ground ginger. when milk-warm, add yeast of the same sort to make it rise. put it in bottles, or a jug, leaving it uncorked for a day. set it in a cool place. put two large tablespoonfuls of it to a quart of flour, and when making up, boil a potato and mix with it. this yeast never sours, and is good as long as it lasts.--_mrs. a. f._ alum yeast. on one pint of flour pour enough boiling water to make a thick batter, stirring it until perfectly smooth, and then let it stand till milk-warm. then add a teaspoonful of powdered alum. teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of sugar. half a teacup of yeast. after it ferments, add enough meal to make it a stiff dough. let it stand till it works, and then spread it in the shade to dry. to a quart of flour put a tablespoonful of crumbs.--_mrs. p._ leaven. tablespoonfuls of flour. tablespoonful of lard or butter. tablespoonfuls of yeast. eggs. potato. teaspoonfuls of sugar. make the leaven soon after breakfast in winter, and at one o'clock p.m. in summer. let it be of the consistency of batter. put it in a small bucket, in a warm place, to rise till four o'clock p.m. this amount of leaven is sufficient for two quarts of flour. if for loaf bread, leave out the eggs and butter.--_mrs. m._ excellent bread for breakfast. quart of flour. lard the size of a walnut. small irish potato, boiled and mashed fine. heaping teaspoonful of salt. half a teacup of good yeast, into which put a tablespoonful of white sugar. make up a soft dough with cold water in summer and milk-warm water in winter. this must be kneaded for thirty minutes, and then set to rise, in a cool place in summer, and a warm one in winter; must never be kept more than milk-warm. two hours before breakfast, make the dough into the desired shapes, handling it lightly, _without kneading it_, first rubbing lard over the hands, and taking especial care to grease the bread on top. then set it to rise again. thirty minutes are sufficient for baking it, unless it be in the form of a loaf or rolls, in which case, it must be baked fifteen minutes longer. excellent muffins may be made by the above receipt, adding two eggs well beaten, so that from the same batch of dough both plain bread and muffins may be made. iron moulds are best for baking. for those who prefer warm bread for dinner, it is a good plan to reserve a portion of the breakfast dough, setting it away in a cool place till two hours before dinner, then make into turnovers or twist, set it to rise and bake it for dinner, as for breakfast. very nice on a cold day, and greatly preferable to warmed-over bread.--_mrs. s. t._ recipe for family bread. quarts of flour. tablespoonfuls of lard or butter. teaspoonfuls of salt. enough sponge for a two-quart loaf of bread. mix with one pint of sweet milk. make into rolls and bake with very little fire under the oven.--_mrs. a. c._ loaf bread. first make a batter of the following ingredients. pint of flour. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of sugar. a cup of water. a cup of good yeast. set this to rise and when risen work in two pints of flour, or, if the batter is not sufficient to work up this flour, add a little water. work it smoothly and set it to rise. when risen, add a small piece of lard, work it well again, let it stand an hour and then bake it slowly.--_mrs. p. w._ old virginia loaf bread. sponge for the same. boil one large irish potato, until well done, then peel and mash it fine, adding a little cold water to soften it. stir into it teaspoonful of brown sugar. tablespoonful of sweet lard. then add three tablespoonfuls of good hop yeast. mix the ingredients thoroughly, then put the sponge in a mug with a close-fitting top, and let it stand several hours to rise. sift into the tray three pints of the best family flour, to which add a teaspoonful of salt. then pour in the sponge and add enough cold water to the flour to work it up into a rather stiff dough. knead it till the dough is smooth, then let it stand all night to rise. work it over in the morning, using just enough flour to keep it from sticking to the hands. allow it one hour to rise before baking and one hour to bake in a moderate oven. then it will be thoroughly done and well dried. use a little lard on the hands when making out the loaf, as it keeps the crust from being too hard.--_mrs. s._ _another recipe for loaf bread._ good flour is the first requisite, and next, good yeast and sufficient kneading. for a loaf of ordinary size, use lbs. of flour. lard the size of a hen's egg. a saltspoonful of salt. gills of yeast. mix up these ingredients into a moderately stiff dough, using for the purpose, from three gills to a pint of water. some flour being more adhesive than others, you have to learn by experience the exact amount of water required. knead the dough till perfectly smooth, then set it to rise, in a cool place, in summer, but in a warm place, free from draughts, in winter. in the latter season it is better to keep a blanket wrapped around it. this amount of flour will rise to the top of a gallon and a half jar or bucket. if it is ready before time, stir it down and set it in a cooler place. when you put it in the baking-pan (in which it will be in an inch of the top, if the pan be of a suitable size for the amount of flour) cover it well, or a hard crust will form from the effects of the atmosphere. keep it a little warmer during the second rise than during the first. when ready for baking, set it in the oven and bake it for three-quarters of an hour with a moderate fire, evenly kept up. it will then come out without sticking, if the pans are well cared for.--_mrs. j. j. a._ light bread. quarts of flour. teaspoonful of sugar. teaspoonful of salt. half a teacup of yeast. one egg, well beaten. pint of water. sift the flour and divide it into three parts. mix one third in the batter, one third in the jar to rise in, and pour the other third over the batter. let it stand two hours and then work it well, adding a small piece of lard before baking.--_mrs. dr. s._ recipe for hot rolls or cold loaf bread. mix the following ingredients. four pints of flour. pint of fresh milk. eggs, well beaten. large tablespoonful of melted lard. large tablespoonful of hop yeast. set it to rise at eleven o'clock in the morning, for early tea. make into rolls at five o'clock p.m., and bake as soon as risen. in cool weather, set before the fire, both before and after making it into rolls.--_mrs. s._ french rolls. quart of flour. teaspoonful of salt. eggs. large tablespoonful of lard. tablespoonfuls of yeast. work and knead it well at night, and in the morning work it well again, make it into rolls, put them in the oven to take a second rise, and when risen, bake them.--_mrs. col. w._ _another recipe for french rolls._ pints of flour. gill of yeast. egg (beaten up). tablespoonful of butter. mix up with milk and warm water and set to rise.--_mrs. dr. e._ _another recipe for french rolls or twist._ quart of lukewarm milk. teaspoonful of salt. teacup of yeast. enough flour to make a stiff batter. when very light, add one beaten egg and two teaspoonfuls of butter, and knead in the flour till stiff enough to roll. let it rise a second time, and, when very light, roll out, cut in strips and braid it. bake thirty minutes, on buttered tins.--_mrs. s._ velvet rolls. three pints of flour. two eggs. one teacup of sweet milk. one teacup of yeast. tablespoonful of lard, and the same of butter. mix well and beat the dough till it blisters. let it rise, work in a small quantity of flour, beat as before and make into rolls. after the second rising, bake quickly.--_mrs. dr. s._ pocketbook rolls. quart of flour. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of sugar. tablespoonfuls of lard. tablespoonfuls of yeast. eggs. mix up these ingredients with warm water, making up the dough at ten a.m. in summer and eight a.m. in winter. put in half the lard when it is first worked up, and at the second working put in the rest of the lard and a little more flour. roll out the dough in strips as long and wide as your hand, spread with butter and roll up like a pocketbook. put them in buttered tins, and, when they are light, bake them a light brown--_mrs. l. c. c._ turnovers. quart of flour. large irish potato, boiled and mashed. eggs. tablespoonful of butter or lard. tablespoonfuls of yeast. teacup of milk. rub the potato in the flour, then the lard and other ingredients, making it into a soft dough. then set it to rise, at night if you wish it for breakfast next morning. early in the morning, take off a piece of dough, the size of a biscuit, roll it out, about five inches long, then turn it about half over. when you have made up all the dough, in shapes like this, place them on a dish or board, cover with a napkin and set aside for a second rising. when ready to bake, dip a feather in water and pass over them to prevent the crust being too hard. if the dough should be sour, knead in a little soda, which will correct it--_mrs. a. c._ _another recipe for turnovers._ quart of flour. eggs. tablespoonful of lard or butter. tablespoonful of yeast. set it to rise, then make them up round and flat, greasing the upper side with lard and turning over one side. when well risen the second time, bake--_mrs. i._ twist. from the dough of loaf bread or french rolls, reserve enough to make two long strips or rolls, say, fifteen inches long and one inch in diameter. rub lard well between the hands before handling and shaping these strips. pinch the two ends so as to make them stick together. twist them, pressing the other ends together to prevent unrolling.--_mrs. s. t._ pockets. quart of flour. eggs. cup of butter. cup of yeast. large irish potato, boiled and mashed into the flour. add the yeast, butter and eggs, after mashing the potato in the flour. knead all together and set to rise. sally-lunn. quart of flour. teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of white sugar. rub in a heaping tablespoonful of butter and lard in equal parts, then rub in an irish potato, mashed fine. half a teacup of yeast. eggs well beaten. make up the dough to the consistency of light bread dough, with warm water in winter, and cold in summer. knead half an hour. when it has risen light, handle lightly, put into a cake-mould and bake without a second kneading.--_mrs. s. t._ _another recipe for sally-lunn._ quart of flour. tablespoonful of yeast. eggs well beaten. oz. of butter or lard. pint of milk. set it to rise in the pan in which it is to be baked.--_mrs. a. c._ _another recipe for sally-lunn._ pints of flour. tablespoonful of butter and the same of lard. eggs. light teacup of yeast. large tablespoonfuls of sugar. use as much milk in mixing as will make a soft dough. work this well, as it gets only one working. then grease it, put it in a greased pan, and set it in a warm place to rise. bake about an hour.--_mrs. dr. t._ _recipe for the same._ quart of flour. tablespoonfuls of yeast. eggs. saltspoonful of salt. butter the size of an egg. make up with new milk into a tolerably stiff batter. set it to rise and when risen pour into a mould and set to rise again, as light bread. bake quickly.--_mrs. l._ quick sally-lunn. quart of flour. half cup of butter. eggs. cups of milk. two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar. teaspoonful of soda. tablespoonfuls of sugar. saltspoonful of salt. bake fifteen minutes.--_mrs. dr. s._ muffins. quart of flour. eggs, beaten very light. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of yeast.--_mrs. dr. e._ sweet spring muffins. sift three good pints of flour. beat well six eggs, leaving out one and a half of the whites. then beat into them as much flour as they will take in; then add milk and flour alternately (beating all the while) till all the flour is used. add five tablespoonfuls of yeast, and when this batter is well beaten, stir into it two ounces of melted butter, cooled but liquid. the batter must be as stiff as can be beaten with an iron spoon. bake in a hot oven.--_mrs. l._ salt sulphur muffins. work together, about twelve o'clock in the day, one pint of yeast, half a pint of water, six eggs, one pound of butter and enough flour to make a dough just stiff enough not to stick to the fingers. after the dough is risen, make it out in biscuit and allow half an hour or more for them to rise before baking.--_mrs. l._ superior muffins. quart of flour. teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful of white sugar. rub in one heaping tablespoonful of butter and lard mixed, and one tablespoonful of irish potato, mashed free from lumps. pour in three well beaten eggs and a half teacup of yeast. make into a soft dough with warm water in winter and cold in summer. knead well for half an hour. set to rise where it will be milk-warm, in winter, and cool in summer. if wanted for an eight o'clock winter breakfast, make up at eight o'clock the night before. at six o'clock in the morning, make out into round balls (without kneading again), and drop into snow-ball moulds that have been well greased. take care also to grease the hands and pass them over the tops of the muffins. set them in a warm place for two hours and then bake. these are the best muffins i ever ate.--_mrs. s. t._ parker house muffins. boil one quart of milk. when nearly cool stir in one quart sifted flour, one teaspoonful salt, one half cup of yeast. then stir in three well beaten eggs. let it rise in a warm place in winter and a cool one in summer, eight or ten hours. when risen light, stir in one tablespoonful melted butter and bake in iron muffin moulds.--_mrs. w. h. m._ muffins. quart of flour. pint milk. eggs. heaping tablespoonful lard. " " butter. ½ cup yeast. teaspoonful sugar. mix and beat till perfectly light.--_mrs. w. s._ _another recipe for muffins._ one quart of milk, one dozen eggs, one pound of butter. beat the butter and yolks together. beat the whites to a stiff froth. make the batter the consistency of pound cake, and bake in snow-ball cups as soon as made.--_mrs. c. w. b._ muffin bread. pints of flour. eggs. pint of milk. large tablespoonful of butter. gill of yeast. a little salt. make up at night. this makes two loaves.--_mrs. a. f._ soda muffins. quart of flour. eggs. teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar. teaspoonful of soda. add enough buttermilk to make a stiff batter, and bake immediately. white egg muffins. pint of flour. whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. add enough milk to make it into a thin batter. put in a little salt. very nice.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ cream muffins. beat the whites and yolks of four eggs separately. when well beaten, mix them and add to them a half pint of cream, a lump of melted butter half the size of an egg. then mix in slowly one pint of flour and bake it quickly, in small tins, without any further beating. a delicious breakfast bread.--_mrs. mcg., ala._ _miscellaneous yeast breads._ bunns. pint of potato yeast. ounces of sugar. ounces of butter. egg and as much flour as will make a soft dough. make as sally-lunn and bake in rolls.--_mrs. dr. s._ cottage loaf. quart of flour. tablespoonful of sugar. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of yeast. eggs, and a little salt. make up at night for breakfast, mixing it with water. bake in a quart tin pan.--_mrs. a. b._ potato bread. quart of flour. eggs. good sized irish potatoes, boiled, mashed and strained through a colander. ounces of butter. as much yeast as is needed to make it rise. to be made up with water, not so stiff as light bread dough. bake in a loaf or rolls.--_mrs. j. h. f._ old maids. made at night like common light bread. roll out the size of saucers in the morning, for the second rising. bake on a hoe, turning over as a hoe cake. then toast the sides, in front of a fire. a very nice, old-fashioned bread.--_mrs. dr. e._ graham bread. the night before baking, make a sponge of white flour, using half new milk and half cold water, with a teacup two thirds full of home-made yeast. in the morning, put four tablespoonfuls of this sponge in a separate dish, adding three tablespoonfuls of molasses, a little milk or water, and stirring in as much graham flour as you can with a spoon. then let it rise and mould the same as white bread. brown bread. one quart of light bread sponge, one-half teacup of molasses. stir into the above, with a large spoon, unbolted wheat meal, until it is a stiff dough. grease a deep pan, put the mixture in; when light, put the pan over a kettle of hot water (the bread well covered), and steam for half an hour. then put in the oven and bake until done. especially good for dyspeptics.--_mrs. d. cone._ box bread. one quart of flour, one teacup of yeast, one teacup of melted lard or butter, four eggs, one teaspoonful of salt. let it rise as light bread, and, when risen, make it into square rolls, without working it a second time. let it rise again and then bake it.--_mrs. r. e. w._ rusks. cup of yeast. cup of sugar. cup of cream. eggs. enough flour to make a batter, mixed with the other ingredients. let it rise; then add enough flour to make rolls, and also add a teacup of lard and butter mixed. bake as rolls after they have risen.--_mrs. h._ egg rusks. melt three ounces of butter in a pint of milk. beat six eggs into one-fourth of a pound of sugar. mix these ingredients with enough flour to make a batter, adding a gill of yeast and half a teaspoonful of salt. when light, add flour to make a dough stiff enough to mould. make into small cakes and let them rise in a warm place while the oven is heating.--_mrs. dr. s._ german rusks. quart of flour. eggs. cups of sugar. cups of lard and butter mixed. cups of potato yeast. cups of milk. nutmeg. put all the ingredients in the middle of the flour, work well together and set to rise as loaf bread. wash the rolls over with butter and sugar.--_mrs. c. l. t._ french biscuit. quart of flour. teaspoonful of salt. rub in one tablespoonful of butter and lard mixed. pour in half a teacup of yeast, two well beaten eggs, and enough water to make a soft dough. knead half an hour. then set to rise; when well risen, roll out, without kneading again. handle lightly, first greasing the hands with butter. cut with a biscuit cutter, greasing one biscuit and placing another on it. set to rise a second time before baking.--_mrs. s. t._ vanity biscuit. one pint of flour, one of milk, three eggs beaten well together. bake in cups.--_miss d._ beaten biscuit. one quart of flour, lard the size of a hen's egg, one teaspoonful of salt. make into a moderately stiff dough with sweet milk. beat for half an hour. make out with the hand or cut with the biscuit cutter. stick with a fork and bake in a hot oven, yet not sufficiently hot to blister the biscuit.--_mrs. s. t._ _another recipe for beaten biscuit._ quart of flour. teaspoonful of salt. egg. tablespoonful of butter and the same of lard. mix up these ingredients with skimmed milk, work them well together and beat fifteen minutes. stick with a fork and bake quickly.--_mrs. e. b._ soda biscuit. quart of flour. heaping teaspoonful of cream of tartar, the same of soda, and the same of salt. sift these together, then rub in a tablespoonful of lard and make up the dough with milk and water.--_mrs. e. b._ cream biscuit. quart of sifted flour. four teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and two teaspoonfuls of fine table salt, which must be well diffused through the flour. then add two ounces of fresh, good butter. take one pint of pure, sweet cream, put in it two even teaspoonfuls of soda and then add it to the flour. the dough ought to be very soft; but should it be too soft, add a little more flour. work it well, roll it out half an inch thick, cut with a biscuit cutter and bake in a quick oven five minutes.--_mrs. j. h. f._ excellent light biscuit. boil four large irish potatoes. while hot, mash them with a piece of lard the size of an egg. add one teacup of milk and one of yeast. stir in enough flour to make a good batter and set it to rise. it will take about two quarts of flour. when light, make up the dough. you generally have to add more water or milk. roll thick, let them rise slowly, but bake them quickly.--_mrs. m. g. h._ light biscuit. two quarts flour, one large tablespoonful lard, and the same of butter. salt to the taste. one teaspoonful soda and enough buttermilk to make a soft dough. bake quickly.--_mrs. dr. s._ thick biscuit. one quart flour, one large tablespoonful lard and butter mixed, one teaspoonful salt, enough morning's milk to make a stiff dough. work well and beat with a rolling-pin or iron pestle, at least half an hour. make into small biscuit and bake in a quick oven. this will make sixteen biscuit.--_mrs. m. a. p._ thin biscuit or crackers. one quart of flour, one tablespoonful lard and butter mixed, a little salt. make a stiff paste with water. beat the dough till it blisters. roll thin, stick, and bake quickly.--_mrs. a. c._ soda crackers. quart of flour. tablespoonful of lard and butter mixed. egg; a little salt. teaspoonful of soda, sifted into the flour. make a stiff paste with buttermilk, beat until light, roll tolerably thin, cut in squares, prick, and bake quickly.--_mrs. a. c._ huntsville crackers. take a lump of risen dough, as large as your double fist, a heaping teaspoonful of loaf sugar, beaten with the yolk of an egg. mix with the dough a lump of butter the size of a hen's egg and an equal quantity of lard, a tablespoonful of soda, dissolved in a cup of cream. beat a long time, stirring in flour all the while, till quite stiff. roll out, cut in square cakes and bake in a brisk oven.--_miss e. p._ water crackers. lb. of flour. teaspoonful of salt and the same of soda. tablespoonful of lard. make up with sweet milk, beat well, roll thin, and bake quickly. wafers. quart flour. yolk of one egg. heaping tablespoonful lard. a little salt. mix with milk, as stiff as you would for biscuit. beat well with the biscuit beater, roll out thin and put in the wafer irons. put in the fire and bake.--_mrs. w. s._ nun's puffs. boil one pint of milk with half a pound of butter. stir them into three-quarters of a pound of flour and let them cool. then add nine eggs, yolks and whites to be beaten separately, and whites to be added last. fill cups or tins half full and bake. when done, sprinkle with white sugar while hot. very nice for tea.--_mrs. a. d._ _miscellaneous flour breads._ lapland bread. quart of flour. quart of cream. teaspoonful of salt. twelve eggs (whites and yolks beaten separately and very light). put the whites in the batter the last thing, beat very light, bake in a quick oven, in small tins, which must be perfectly dry and sprinkled with a little flour before being greased. a delicious bread.--_mrs. dr. j._ _a plainer recipe for the same._ pint of flour. pint of milk. eggs. beat the eggs well and stir in the flour and milk. bake in little pans. new bread. quart of flour. dessertspoonful of lard and the same of butter. teaspoonful of soda. work the lard and butter in the flour, and sprinkle in the soda, with salt to taste. mix with buttermilk or clabber to the consistency of biscuit. roll it round to the size of a teaplate. made just before eating.--_mrs. f._ henrietta bread. pint of flour. pint of sweet milk. eggs, beaten separately. tablespoonful of lard or butter. make the consistency of poor man's pudding. bake in cups.--_mrs. k._ jenny lind bread. quart of sifted flour. a lump of butter the size of an egg. teacups of milk. eggs. ½ teaspoonfuls of soda. teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar. bake twenty minutes.--_mrs. l._ lunch bread. pint of flour. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonfuls of sugar. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. eggs. cup of milk and a little salt. bake in a flat pan in a quick oven. to be eaten hot with butter.--_mrs. i. h._ breakfast puffs. one tumbler of flour, one tumbler of milk, and one egg. beat the yolk and milk together, then add the flour, and lastly the white of the egg. bake a few minutes in a hot oven.--_mrs. i. h._ _another recipe for the same._ take two eggs well beaten and stir into a pint of milk; add a little salt, two spoonfuls of melted butter, one and one-half pints of flour. stir thoroughly, so as to avoid lumps. grease the cups in which you pour the batter, and fill them two-thirds full. salt-risen bread. make into a thin batter: pint of flour. tablespoonful of corn meal. half-teaspoonful salt. set in a warm place to rise. after it has risen, pour into it two quarts of flour, with sufficient warm water to make up a loaf of bread. work it well, set it to rise again, and when risen sufficiently, bake it.--_mrs. t. l. j._ _another recipe for the same._ into a pitcher, put one teacup of milk fresh from the cow, two teacups of boiling water, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt. into this stir thoroughly a little less than a quart of flour. set the pitcher in a kettle of moderately warm water and keep it at a uniform temperature. keep a towel fastened over the mouth of the pitcher. set the kettle in front of the fire to keep the water warm. let it stand three hours, then beat it up well, after which do not interrupt it. if in two hours it does not begin to rise, put in a large slice of apple. as soon as it rises sufficiently, have ready two quarts of flour, half a tablespoonful of lard and more salt, and make up immediately. should there not be yeast enough, use warm water. put into an oven and set before a slow fire to rise, after which bake slowly. the yeast must be made up at seven o'clock in the morning.--_miss n. c. a._ waffles. pint milk. tablespoonfuls flour. tablespoonful corn meal. tablespoonful melted butter. light teaspoonful salt. three eggs, beaten separately, the whites added last. to have good waffles, the batter must be made thin. add another egg and a teacup of boiled rice to the above ingredients, if you wish to make rice waffles.--_mrs. s. t._ waffles. quart of flour. quart of sour cream (or buttermilk, if you have no cream). eggs. ½ teaspoonful of soda. half a tablespoonful of melted lard, poured in after the batter is mixed. this may be baked as flannel cakes or muffins.--_mrs. h. d._ _another recipe for waffles._ quart of flour. eggs beaten very light, ½ pint of new milk. teaspoonfuls of salt. tablespoonfuls of yeast. set it to rise at night, and stir with a spoon, in the morning, just before baking. when you want them for tea, make them up in the morning, in winter, or directly after dinner, in summer.--_mrs. dr. j._ soda waffles. pint of flour. pint of milk. teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in the milk. teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, mixed in the flour. eggs. tablespoonful of butter. beat up and bake quickly. _another recipe for waffles._ quart of flour, with a kitchen-spoonful of corn meal added. eggs beaten separately. quart of milk. teacup of water. teaspoonful of salt. lump of butter large as a walnut, melted and poured in. bake in hot irons. one secret of having good waffles is to have the batter thin.--_miss r. s._ superior rice waffles. quart flour. eggs. cup boiled rice, beaten into the flour. light teaspoonful soda. make into a batter with buttermilk. bake quickly in waffle irons. batter made as above and baked on a griddle makes excellent breakfast cakes.--_mrs. d. b. k._ rice waffles. pint of flour. pint of new milk. the yolks of three eggs. lump of butter the size of an egg. half teacup of boiled rice. a pinch of salt and a pinch of soda, sprinkled in the flour and sifted with it. beat well.--_mrs. f._ _another recipe for the same._ two gills of rice, mixed with three ounces of butter, three eggs, three gills of flour, a little salt, and cream enough to make the batter. beat till very light.--_mrs. dr. s._ mush waffles. with one pint of milk, make corn mush. when cool, add a tablespoonful of butter, a little salt, and thicken with flour to a stiff batter. bake quickly in irons.--_mrs. c. l. t._ breakfast cakes. in the morning take the dough of a pint of flour. beat two eggs light and mix them with a half pint of milk, then add these ingredients to the dough, let it stand an hour to rise, and then bake as buckwheat cakes.--_mrs. dr. j._ madison cakes. two pounds of flour, two eggs, two ounces of lard, three tablespoonfuls of yeast. make up with new milk, the consistency of roll dough, at night. flour the biscuit board and roll out the dough in the morning about three quarters of an inch thick, cutting the cakes with a dredging-box top. let them rise, covered with a cloth, till fifteen minutes before breakfast.--_mrs. l._ orange cakes. quart of flour. teacup of butter. eggs. tablespoonful of yeast. make into a stiff batter with milk, the over-night. next morning, add a teacup of indian meal. beat well and put in cups to rise before baking.--_mrs. a. c._ velvet cakes. quart of flour. quart of milk. tablespoonful of yeast. tablespoonful of melted butter. eggs. bake in muffin rings.--_mrs. a. c._ flannel cakes. quart of flour. pint of meal. teacup of milk. teacup of yeast. eggs. teaspoonfuls of salt. beat well together and let it rise till usual time in a warm place. excellent.--_mrs. w. b._ _another recipe for flannel cakes._ quart of flour. eggs. ½ pint boiled milk (used cold). teaspoonfuls of salt. tablespoonfuls of yeast (added after the other ingredients have been mixed). beat light, and set to rise till morning. bake on a griddle.--_mrs. dr. j._ _another recipe for the same._ eggs. quart of milk. half teacup of butter or lard. tablespoonfuls of yeast. teaspoonful of salt. flour to make the batter like pound cake.--_mrs. s._ buckwheat cakes. quart buckwheat flour. pint sifted corn meal. half teacup of yeast. teaspoonful of salt. enough water to make a stiff batter. after rising, stir in a half teacup of butter or lard. let it rise a second time, grease the griddle, dip the spoon in lightly, and cook quickly.--_mrs. p. w._ _another recipe for buckwheat cakes._ pint of buckwheat flour. tablespoonful of meal. tablespoonful of yeast. teaspoonful of salt. make up with water the over-night, and beat till it bubbles. in the morning beat again, and just before baking stir in a pinch of soda dissolved in milk or water.--_mrs. col. w._ buckwheat cakes. quart buckwheat flour. pint wheat flour. ½ teacup yeast. a pinch of salt. make into a batter with warm water. set to rise. thin the batter with a cup of milk (to make them brown well). add a pinch of soda and bake quickly on a griddle. butter and send to the table hot.--_mrs. d. b. k._ _another recipe for the same._ pint buckwheat. ½ pint sifted meal. teaspoonfuls of salt. tablespoonfuls of yeast. ½ pint lukewarm water. beat well and set to rise till morning.--_mrs. dr. j._ cream cakes. pint of flour. pint of cream (or milk). eggs, well beaten. lump of butter size of an egg. put the milk and butter on the fire till it boils. mix and bake quickly in pans. salt to taste. _another recipe for cream cakes._ quart of cream (sour is preferable). eggs. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful of salt. flour for a thick batter.--_mrs. g._ _another recipe for the same._ quart of flour. eggs. tablespoonful of lard. pint of cream. teaspoonful of salt. bake in tins.--_mrs. a. c._ boston cream cakes. cups of flour. ½ cups of water. cup of butter. eggs. boil the butter and water together, stir in the flour while boiling; after it is cool, add the eggs, well beaten. put a large spoonful in muffin rings, and bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. the cream for them is made as follows: put over the fire one cup of milk and not quite a cup of sugar, one egg, mixed with three teaspoonfuls of corn starch and one tablespoonful of butter. boil a few moments only. when cool, add vanilla to the taste. open the cakes and fill them with this cream.--_m. h. k._ buttermilk cakes. quart of flour. eggs, well beaten. ½ pint of buttermilk. teaspoonful of salt. beat very light, after mixing the ingredients. just before baking, stir in a little soda, mixed in a little of the buttermilk. bake on a griddle, free from grease.--_mrs. l._ sour milk cakes. pint sour milk. pint flour. butter size of a small egg. tablespoonful of sugar. saltspoonful of salt. half teaspoonful of soda. bake in hot and well greased iron clads. farina cakes. melt together one pint of milk and one tablespoonful of butter. then add four tablespoonfuls of farina and boil till quite thick. set aside to cool. when ready to bake, add three well beaten eggs, a few spoonfuls of flour, and salt to your taste.--_mrs. s._ rice cakes. put one pound of rice in soak the over-night. boil very soft in the morning, drain the water from it and mix with it, while hot, a quarter of a pound of butter. after it has cooled, add to it one quart of milk, a little salt, and six eggs. sift over it and stir into it gradually a half pound of flour. beat the whole well and bake on a griddle like other batter cakes.--_mrs. w._ _another recipe for rice cakes._ one cup of cold boiled rice, rubbed in a quart of milk, one pint of flour, a teaspoonful of salt, two eggs beaten light. beat all till free from lumps. bake as soon as made, on a well greased griddle. batter cakes. two eggs beaten separately. pour into the yolks a pint of buttermilk, then put in two handfuls of meal and one of flour, then the whites of the eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda and a little salt. fry with very little grease, or with egg shells. put two spoonfuls of batter to a cake.--_mrs. c. l. t._ _another recipe for batter cakes._ quart of flour. pint of meal. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful of salt. eggs. make up with buttermilk.--_mrs. dr. j._ _batter cakes made of stale bread._ put a loaf of stale bread to stand all day in a pint of milk. just before tea add three eggs and one large spoonful of butter. if too thin, add a little flour.--_mrs. r._ _old virginia batter cakes._ beat two eggs very light in a bowl. add one teacup of clabber, one of water, one of corn meal, a teacup of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt. just before baking, sift in half a teaspoonful of soda and stir well. it is better to grease the griddle with fat bacon than with lard. the above proportions will make enough batter cakes for two or three persons.--_mrs. s. t._ _another recipe for the same._ quart sweet milk. heaping pint corn meal. eggs. teaspoonful of salt. half teaspoonful of soda. tablespoonful of warmed butter or fresh lard. break the eggs, whites and yolks together, beat slightly, then add the milk, stir in the meal and beat until it looks light. bake on a griddle.--_mrs. j. p._ _cheap recipe for batter cakes._ pint of sour milk. teaspoonful of soda. tablespoonful of flour. enough meal to make a good batter. bake on a hoe.--_miss e. p._ indian griddle cakes. quart of sour milk. large tablespoonful of butter, melted after measuring. eggs. teaspoonful of soda. half a teaspoonful of salt. make a thin batter, with two-thirds indian meal, and one-third flour. a small bag made of coarse but thin linen or cotton, and filled with common salt, is much better to rub over the griddle than lard, when cakes are to be fried or baked. batter bread. break two eggs into a bowl. beat to a stiff froth. pour in one teacup of clabber or butter-milk, one of water, one of corn meal, one of flour, half teaspoonful of salt, a heaping teaspoonful of butter melted. beat all well together. have already heated on the stove or range, iron-clad muffin moulds (eight or ten in a group). grease them well with a clean rag, dipped in lard. fill each one nearly full with the batter, first sifting in half a teaspoonful soda. set in a hot oven and bake a nice brown. oblong shapes are the nicest. if preferred, sweet milk may be used instead of sour milk and water. in this case add another egg and dispense with the soda.--_mrs. s. t._ batter bread. four cups of meal, two cups sweet milk, four eggs, two tablespoonfuls flour, one tablespoonful lard, one teaspoonful salt, half teaspoonful soda.--_mrs. f._ batter bread. one cup meal, one cup sweet milk, one cup butter-milk, two eggs, one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful flour, half teaspoonful of salt, and same of soda. bake in cups.--_mrs. g._ corn muffins. eggs, beaten light. pint of buttermilk (if very sour, use less). teacup of cream or milk. small teaspoonful of soda. lard or butter size of an egg. meal enough to make the batter of the consistency of pound-cake batter.--_mrs. i._ corn meal waffles. one pint of corn meal scalded. while hot add to it, two tablespoonfuls of lard or butter, three well beaten eggs, a cup of boiled rice, a pint of flour, a teaspoonful of salt. thin to the proper consistency with milk.--_mrs. dr. s._ st. nicholas' pone. quart of meal. quart of milk. eggs. tablespoonful of melted butter. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. teaspoonful of soda.--_mrs. c. c._ grit or hominy bread. eggs, beaten separately. pint of milk. small piece of butter. add enough meal and hominy to make a batter, and bake quickly.--_mrs. c. l. t._ hominy bread. mix with two teacups of hot hominy a very large spoonful of butter. beat two eggs very light and stir into the hominy. next add a pint of milk, gradually stirring it in. lastly, add half a pint of corn meal. the batter should be of the consistency of rich boiled custard. if thicker, add a little more milk. bake with a good deal of heat at the bottom, but not so much at the top. bake in a deep pan, allowing space for rising. when done, it looks like a baked batter pudding.--_mrs. f. d._ corn cake. pint of corn meal. pint of sweet milk. eggs. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. teaspoonful of salt. boil the milk and pour it over the meal, flour, and butter. beat light. when cool, add eggs well beaten. bake in a buttered pan.--_mrs. g. w. p._ mush bread. make a thin mush of corn meal and milk (or hot water, if milk is scarce). cook till perfectly done, stirring all the time to keep it smooth. then add a good lump of butter; and, after it cools a little, two eggs, one at a time. beat in a very small pinch of soda and a little salt. butter a yellow dish and bake slowly till brown.--_mrs. c. l. t._ light corn bread. pour one quart of boiled milk over one pint of corn meal. add a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half teaspoonful of soda, three well beaten eggs, four tablespoonfuls of flour, a little butter.--_miss e. p._ soft egg bread. quart of milk. half pint of meal. eggs. large spoonful of butter. make in a pudding dish. rice is an improvement to the above.--_mrs. p._ old-fashioned egg bread. pint of meal. eggs well beaten. teaspoonful of salt. tablespoonful melted butter. add enough sweet milk to make a rather thin batter. bake quickly.--_mrs. s. t._ _another recipe for egg bread._ quart of milk. eggs. tablespoonful of butter. pint of corn meal. teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs very light and add to the other ingredients. bake in a pan or dish. add a little soda dissolved in milk, if you desire it.--_mrs. i. h._ indian bread. beat two eggs very light, mix alternately with them one pint of sour milk or buttermilk, and one pint of fine corn meal. melt one tablespoonful of butter, and add to the mixture. dissolve one teaspoonful of soda in a small portion of the milk, and add to the other ingredients, last of all. beat hard and bake in a pan, in a hot oven. rice bread. pint sweet milk. teacup boiled rice. teacups sifted corn meal, ½ teacup melted butter. eggs, beaten separately, ½ teaspoonful salt. bake in a very hot oven, using buttered iron muffin moulds.--_mrs. s. t._ cracklin bread. take one quart sifted corn meal and a teacup of cracklins. rub the latter in the meal as fine as you can. add a teaspoonful of salt and make up with warm water into a stiff dough. make into pones, and eat hot.--_mrs. p. w._ virginia ash cake. add a teaspoonful of salt to a quart of sifted corn meal. make up with water and knead well. make into round, flat cakes. sweep a clean place on the hottest part of the hearth. put the cake on it and cover it with hot wood ashes. wash and wipe it dry, before eating it. sometimes a cabbage leaf is placed under it, and one over it, before baking, in which case it need not be washed.--_mrs. s. t._ plain corn bread. pint sifted meal. teaspoonful salt. cold water sufficient to make a stiff dough. work well with the hands, pat out in long, narrow pones, six or seven inches long and as wide as the wrist. bake quickly in a hot pan.--_mrs. p. w._ coffee, tea, and chocolate. to toast coffee. wash and pick the coffee, put it in a very large stove-pan in a hot oven. stir often, giving constant attention. it must be toasted the darkest brown, yet not one grain must be burned. it should never be glazed, as this destroys the aroma. two pints of coffee become three pints after toasting.--_mrs. s. t._ boiled coffee. to one quart of boiling water (poured in after scalding the pot) stir in three gills of coffee, not ground too fine. boil twenty minutes, scraping from the sides and stirring occasionally. five minutes before breakfast, scrape from the spout, pour out half a teacupful, and return to the pot. do this a second time. set it with the side of the pot to the fire, so that it will be just at the boiling point. do not let it boil, however. serve in the same coffee-pot. coffee should never be glazed. have a liberal supply of thick, sweet cream, also of boiled milk, to serve with the coffee. if the members of the family drop in at intervals, it is well to keep the coffee over a round iron weight, heated just enough to keep the coffee hot, without boiling it. this answers better than a spirit lamp for keeping coffee hot.--_mrs. s. t._ coffee. take equal quantities of mocha, java, laguayra and rio coffee. have the coffee roasted a chestnut brown. to every twelve cups of coffee to be drawn, use eighteen heaping tablespoons of the ground coffee. have the water boiling hot, scald the biggin or percolator, put the ground coffee in the upper part, then pour on some boiling water for it to draw--about two teacups if you are to make twelve cups of coffee. let it stand a few moments and pour again into the upper part of the percolator the first drawn coffee. then add, one by one, the cups of boiling water required. it will take ten minutes for the coffee to be ready for the table. use the best white sugar, and in winter let the milk stand twenty-four hours for the cream to rise. use together with rich cream, a cream jug of boiling sweet milk.--_mrs. m. c. c._ _coffee._ buy java and laguayra mixed, two-thirds java and one-third laguayra, which will give a delightful aroma to the java. scald the pot. then put in a teacup of coarsely ground coffee, parched a light brown and mixed with cold water till it forms a paste, to six cups of boiling water. before you put in the boiling water, add to the grounds one or more egg-shells or whites of eggs, to keep it clear. let it boil ten or fifteen minutes. before taking it off the fire, drop in about a teaspoonful of cold water, which will settle all the floating grounds.--_mrs. j. p._ dripped or filtered coffee. if one quart of coffee is desired, grind three gills of coffee, put it in the filterer and pour boiling water over it. if not sufficiently strong, pour out and return to the filterer. then set on the fire and boil up, taking from the fire immediately.--_mrs. s. t._ dripped coffee. one-half pint java coffee ground and put in the dripper. pour over it two and one-half pints boiling water. if not strong enough, pass through the dripper a second time.--_mrs. j. r. mcd._ cafÃ� au lait. cup german chiccory. cups ground coffee. put in three pints boiling water with a pinch of isinglass, boil five minutes and allow it to settle, or, if made in a percolator it will be better. use three-quarters of a cup boiling milk and one-quarter of strong coffee, with sugar to suit the taste.--_mrs. j. w. s._ green tea. scald the teapot, and add one-half pint boiling water to two teaspoonfuls of the best green tea. set it where it will keep hot, but not boil. when it has drawn fifteen or twenty minutes, add boiling water till it has the strength desired.--_mrs. j. r. mcd._ _green tea._ scald the teapot. if you wish a pint of tea, put in one heaping teaspoonful tea after putting in a pint boiling water. set this where it will keep hot, but not quite boil.--_mrs. s. t._ _a good cup of green tea._ before putting in any water, set the teapot with the tea in it before the fire and let it get thoroughly hot. then fill the pot with boiling water and let it stand five minutes.--_mrs. m. e. l. w._ black tea. if you wish a quart of tea, put that quantity of boiling water into the teapot, after scalding it. add four teaspoonfuls of tea. boil twenty minutes. it is a great improvement to put in a little green tea.--_mrs. s. t._ _black tea._ add one and one-half pint boiling water to a half-teacupful of the best black tea. boil gently for ten or fifteen minutes. if too strong, weaken with boiling water.--_mrs. j. r. mcd._ iced tea. after scalding the teapot, put into it one quart of boiling water and two teaspoonfuls green tea. if wanted for supper, do this at breakfast. at dinner time, strain, without stirring, through a tea-strainer into a pitcher. let it stand till tea time and then pour into decanters, leaving the sediment in the bottom of the pitcher. fill the goblets with ice, put two teaspoonfuls granulated sugar in each, and pour the tea over the ice and sugar. a squeeze of lemon will make this delicious and healthful, as it will correct the astringent tendency.--_mrs. s. t._ chocolate. scrape fine one square of baker's chocolate (which will be an ounce). put it in a pint of boiling water and milk, mixed in equal parts. boil it ten minutes, and during this time mill it or whip it with a dover egg-whip (one with a wheel), which will make it foam beautifully. sweeten to the taste, at table.--_mrs. s. t._ cocoa. to one pint milk and one pint cold water add three tablespoonfuls grated cocoa. boil fifteen or twenty minutes, milling or whipping as directed in foregoing recipe. sweeten to taste, at the table. some persons like a piece of orange-peel boiled with it.--_mrs. s. t._ broma. dissolve one large tablespoonful broma in one tablespoonful warm water. pour on it one pint boiling milk and water (equal parts). boil ten minutes, milling or whipping as above directed. sweeten to the taste.--_mrs. s. t._ a cream-pitcher of whipped cream should always accompany chocolate or any preparation of it, such as cocoa or broma.--_mrs. s. t._ milk and butter. the most exquisite nicety and care must be observed in the management of milk and butter. a housekeeper should have two sets of milk vessels (tin or earthenware, never stoneware, as this is an absorbent). she should never use twice in succession the same milk vessels without having them scalded and aired. in warm weather, sweet milk should be set on ice, if practicable, or if not, in a spring-house. never put ice in sweet milk, as this dilutes it. one pan of milk should always be set aside to raise cream for coffee. a bucket with a close-fitting lid should be filled with milk and set aside for dinner, one for supper, one for breakfast, and a fourth for cooking purposes. for making butter, strain unskimmed milk into a scalded churn, where the churning is done daily. this will give sweeter butter and nicer buttermilk than when cream is skimmed and kept for churning, as this sometimes gives a cheesy taste to the butter. do not let the milk in the churn exceed blood heat. if overheated, the butter will be white and frothy, and the milk thin and sour. churn as soon as the milk is turned. in summer try to churn early in the morning, as fewer flies are swarming then, and the butter can be made much firmer. a stone churn is in some respects more convenient than a wooden churn; but no matter which you use, the most fastidious neatness must be observed. have the churn scalded and set out to sun as soon as possible after churning. use your last made butter for buttering bread, reserving the staler for cookery. butter should be printed early in the morning, while it is cool. a plateful for each of the three meals should be placed in the refrigerator ready for use. do not set butter in a refrigerator with anything else in it but milk, or in a safe with anything but milk. it readily imbibes the flavor of everything near it. after churning, butter should be taken up in what is called "a piggin," first scalded and then filled with cold water. with an old-fashioned butter-stick (scalded) wash and press the butter till no water is left. then add a little salt, finely beaten. beat again in a few hours, and make up in half-pound prints. i would advise all housekeepers (even those who do not make their own butter) to keep a piggin, a butter-stick, and a pretty butter-print. _to secure nice butter for the table in winter._ in october and november, engage butter to be brought weekly, fresh from the churn in rolls. wrap each roll in a piece of old table cloth, and put in a sweet firkin or stone jar which has been washed with soda water, scalded and sunned for a month before using. pour over it a clear strong brine, which also must have been prepared at least a week beforehand, by pouring off the settlings and repeated strainings. have a nice flat rock washed and weight the butter down with it, being careful to keep it always under the brine.--_mrs. s. t._ _recipe for putting up butter._ quarts best common salt. ounce pulverized saltpetre. ounce white sugar. work the butter over three times, the last time adding an ounce of the above mixture to every pound butter. of course, the butter is salted, when first made. make the butter into rolls and wrap in cloths or pack in jars, within four inches of the top of each jar. if the latter is done, fill the jars with brine and tie up closely. if the former is preferred, drop the rolls into brine, prepared as follows: to every gallon brine that will bear an egg, add one pound white sugar and one-half ounce saltpetre. boil well and skim. keep the brine closely covered. i have used butter on my table in may, put up in this way, and it tasted as well as when put up in october.--_mrs. r. c._ clabber. to have clabber in perfection, place in small glass dishes or bowls enough milk to make clabber for each person. after it has turned, set it in the refrigerator, if in summer, till called for. by the way, refrigerators (as well as water-coolers) should be washed every morning with water in which a tablespoonful of common soda has been dissolved. they should then be aired before filling with ice for the day.--_mrs. s. t._ cottage cheese. when the tea-kettle boils, pour the water into a pan of "loppered" milk. it will curd at once. stir it and turn it into a colander, pour a little cold water over it, salt it and break it up. a better way is to put equal parts of buttermilk and thick milk in a kettle, over the fire, heat it almost boiling hot, pour into a linen bag and let it drain till next day. then take it out, salt it, put in a little cream or butter, as it may be thick or not, and make it up into balls the size of an orange. soup. as making soup is a tedious process, it is best to make enough at once to last several days. beef shank is most generally used in making nutritious soup. it is best to get this the day before using it, and soak it all night in cold, clear water. if you cannot do this, however, get it as early in the morning as you can. break the bones, wash it, soak it a few minutes in weak salt and water, and put it in a large boiler of cold water. as soon as it begins to simmer, remove the dark scum that rises on top. keep the boiler closely covered, and boil very slowly till an hour or two before dinner. then, with a ladle, remove all the fat from the top, as it is this element that makes soup unwholesome. strain and season, or, if you prefer, season just enough for one meal, reserving the rest as foundation for another sort of soup. it is well always to keep some of this stock on hand in cold weather, as by the addition of a can of tomatoes, or other ingredients, a delicious soup may be quickly made of it. never throw away water in which any sort of meat has been boiled, as it is much better to simmer hash or a stew in this liquor than in water, and it is also invaluable for basting fowls or meats that have not been parboiled. directions for soup making are so fully given in the following pages that it is needless for me to say anything further on the subject here. oyster soup. oysters. teaspoonful salt. tablespoonful black pepper. ¼ pound butter. yolks of eggs. pint rich milk, perfectly fresh. tablespoonfuls flour. separate the oysters from the liquor: put the liquor to boil, when boiled add salt, pepper and butter, then the flour, having previously made it into a batter. stir all the time. when it comes to a boil, add the eggs well beaten, then the milk, and when the mixture reaches a boil, put in the oysters; let them also just boil, and the soup is done. stir all the time to prevent curdling.--_mrs. judge m._ economical oyster soup. quart oysters. quarts water. boil with salt and pepper. cut up one tablespoonful butter with flour and put in while boiling; beat the yolks of four eggs light, mix them with one-half pint milk. when the oysters are well cooked, pour on the milk and eggs, stirring all the time. let it boil up, and take off quickly, and pour into the tureen, over toasted bread cut into dice--if preferred rich, leave out some of the water.--_mrs. lt.-gov. m._ oyster soup. empty the oysters into a colander and drain off all the liquor; then strain the liquor through a very coarse cloth to rid it of all scum, etc. to a whole can of oysters take a quart of milk. put the milk, oyster liquor, one level tablespoonful flour rubbed very smooth with one heaping tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful pepper, all on the fire together in a farina-boiler (or put a skillet one-third filled with boiling water under the saucepan, to prevent the milk burning). when it comes to a boil, put in the oysters and let them stew for twenty minutes or till the gill of the oyster turns and begins to ruffle and crimp at the edge. serve immediately, for if they are cooked too long, they become hard, dark and tasteless. if you put the salt in last, it will not curdle the soup. some add one level teaspoonful whole cloves and same of mace, tied up in a net bag, but they are little improvement.--_mrs. r._ purÃ�e of oysters. for fifty oysters. put the oysters on in their own liquor--let them come to a boil--take them out and mince them; skim the liquor when nearly done. beat well together: egg. dessertspoonful butter. ½ pint milk. cracker sifted. salt, pepper (mace, also, if liked). pour this into boiling liquor and then add the minced oysters. when done, the soup is smooth. the milk must be fresh or it will curdle.--_mrs. john walker, alabama._ oyster soup. take two quarts of oysters, wash them, and add, quarts water. a bundle of herbs. small onion sliced. let it boil until all the substance is out of the oysters. strain the liquor from the ingredients and put it back in the pot. add a large spoonful butter mixed with flour. have ready two dozen oysters to throw in just as it is ready to be dished--at the same time stir up two yolks of eggs with a cup of cream. cayenne pepper is an improvement.--_mrs. e. w._ turtle soup. kill the turtle at daylight in summer, the night before in winter, and hang it up to bleed. after breakfast, scald it well and scrape the outer skin off the shell; open it carefully, so as not to break the gall. break both shells to pieces and put them into the pot. lay the fins, the eggs and some of the more delicate parts by--put the rest into the pot with a quantity of water to suit the size of your family. add two onions, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, cloves and allspice to suit your taste. about half an hour before dinner thicken the soup with brown flour and butter rubbed together. an hour before dinner, take the parts laid by, roll them in brown flour, fry them in butter, put them and the eggs in the soup; just before dinner add a glass of claret or madeira wine.--_mrs. n._ _turtle soup._ to one turtle that will weigh from four to five pounds, after being dressed, add one-half gallon water, and boil until the turtle will drop to pieces, then add: tablespoonfuls allspice. tablespoonful black pepper. tablespoonfuls butter, and salt to the taste. when nearly done, put in a small handful pot marjoram, thyme and parsley tied together, and two large onions; when ready to come off, add two sliced lemons, one pint good wine, and a small quantity of curry powder; thicken with flour.--_mrs. d._ _turtle soup._ to ½ quarts soup add: ounce mace. dessertspoonful allspice. teaspoonful cloves. pepper, black and cayenne, and salt to your taste. tie up a bunch of parsley, thyme, and onion in a cloth, and throw into soup when boiling. when nearly done, thicken with two tablespoonfuls flour. to give it a good color, take one tablespoonful brown sugar and burn it; when burnt, add a wineglass of water. of this coloring, put two tablespoonfuls in soup, and just before serving, add half a pint madeira wine.--_miss e. w._ mock turtle soup. put on beef and boil very tender; take out, chop fine, and put back to boil. put potatoes, mace, cloves, cinnamon, parsley, thyme, spice, celery seed, and ten hard-boiled eggs; pepper and salt to your taste. thicken with flour and add brandy and wine.--_miss e. p._ mock terrapin soup. cut up two pounds roast or boiled beef in small pieces. put one large teacup new milk, one large teacup of wine, a piece of butter size of an egg (rolled in flour), a little nutmeg, two or three spoonfuls mixed mustard--all in a stewpan, and cook ten or fifteen minutes. good way to use up cold meats.--_mrs. s. m._ clam soup. boil half a peck of clams fifteen minutes; then take them from the shells, clean and wash them. have ready the stew-kettle; strain the water, in which clams have been boiled; chop up clams, and put in with three or four slices of salt pork, some mashed potatoes, salt and pepper to taste. thicken with grated cracker, and add two spoonfuls butter rolled in flour. let it boil twenty minutes and serve.--_mrs. c._ _clam soup._ open the clams and chop them up fine. to twenty clams, add: ½ gallon water. good onions. tablespoonfuls butter. a small bunch of parsley and thyme. just before taking off, add one quart rich milk and thicken with flour.--_mrs. d._ crab soup. open, and cleanse of the deadman's fingers and sandbag, twelve small fat crabs raw. cut the crabs into two parts. parboil and extract the meat from the claws, and simply extract the fat from the back shells of the crabs. scald eighteen ripe tomatoes, skin them and squeeze the pulp from the seeds through a colander. chop them fine and pour boiling water over the seeds and juice, and strain them. stew a short time in the soup-pot one large onion, one clove of garlic, in one spoonful butter and two spoonfuls lard, and put them in the tomatoes. after stewing a few minutes, add the meat from the claws, then the crabs, and lastly the fat from the back shells. season with salt, cayenne and black pepper, parsley, sweet marjoram and thyme, one-half teaspoonful lemon juice, and peel of one lemon. pour in the water with which the seeds were scalded, adding more should there not be the quantity of soup required. boil moderately one hour. about a quarter of an hour before serving, sift in grated bread crumbs or pounded crackers as a thickening. any firm fish prepared by this recipe is excellent.--_mrs. j. i._ _crab soup._ one dozen crabs to one gallon water. take off top shell; clear body of crabs. cut through the middle, put them into a kettle, mix with some butter, and brown them. then add one gallon water, and simmer for half an hour. skim slightly, and add the hock of an old ham, and strained tomato juice one pint. boil two hours. season with pepper, spice if liked, and half-pint wine. the claws are to be cracked and divested of the jaws. a hampton recipe.--_miss e. w._ beef soup. crack the bone of a shin of beef, and put it on to boil in one quart water. to every pound meat add one large teaspoonful salt to each quart water. let it boil two hours and skim it well. then add: turnips, pared and cut into quarters. onions, pared and sliced. carrots, scraped and sliced. root of celery, cut into small pieces. when the vegetables are tender, add a little parsley chopped fine, with salt and pepper to the taste. serve hot.--_mrs. p. mcg._ _another recipe for beef soup._ one shin beef in one-half gallon water, put on before breakfast and boiled until dinner. thicken with brown flour two or three hours before dinner. put in one carrot, two turnips, one onion, thyme, cabbage, and celery-seed.--_mrs. h. p. c._ _to prepare a beef's head as stock for soup._ cut up the head into small pieces, and boil in a large quantity of water until it is all boiled to pieces. take out all the bones as for souse cheese, and boil again until thick. then while hot, season very highly with pepper, salt, catsup, allspice, and onions chopped fine. put into a mould to get cold. for a small family cut a thick slice, say five inches square, whenever you want soup in a hurry, adding about a quart of water. it need cook for a few minutes only, and is valuable as keeping well and being ready in times of emergency. by adding a few slices of hard-boiled egg and a gill of good cooking wine, this soup may have very nearly the flavor of mock turtle.--_mrs. a. m. d._ calf's head soup. take one-half liver and the head of a mutton, veal or beef, and boil until the meat drops from the bone. cut up fine and add one-half the brains; then: onion. spoonful spice. ½ spoonful cloves. spoonful black pepper and a piece of mace. tablespoonfuls flour. tablespoonfuls flour, and salt to the taste. put in enough water at first, as adding it makes the soup thin. cut up three hard boiled eggs, and add, when done, one glass of wine. a little brandy and walnut catsup, with more eggs, will improve it, though it is a delightful soup as it is.--_mrs. w. a. c._ _calf's head soup._ clean the head, laying aside the brains. put the head in a gallon of water, with pepper and salt. boil to pieces and take out bones; return to the pot with-- teacup of mushroom or tomato catsup. teaspoonful allspice. lemon rind, grated. grated nutmeg. tablespoonful butter. teacup of browned flour. fry, and add the brains when nearly ready for the table. about five minutes before serving, add: teacup of wine. teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful mace. when sent to the table have two hard-boiled eggs sliced and floating on top.--_mrs. j. d._ _calf's head soup._ take a large calf's head and boil it with four gallons water and a little salt; when tender, bone and chop it fine, keeping out the brains, and put the meat back in the pot and boil down to a tureenful. half an hour before serving the soup, add: tablespoonful mustard. teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonful powdered cloves. teaspoonful mace. teaspoonful nutmeg. brown a cup of flour to thicken and just as the soup is dished, add one cup walnut catsup, and one cup port or claret wine. the brains must be beaten up with an egg, fried in little cakes, and dropped in the tureen.--_miss n._ calf's head soup. take the head, split it open and take out the brains; then put the head, brains, and haslet in salt water--let them soak one hour. put on to boil at eight o'clock; after boiling four hours, take it up and chop up the head and haslet, removing all the bones; return to the soup, with a small pod of pepper. thicken it with one pint browned flour with one tablespoonful butter rubbed in it. have-- tablespoonful mace. tablespoonful allspice. ½ doz. cloves. beat all together and put in the tureen with, teacup of tomato catsup. teacup of cooking wine. pour the soup on them. have the brains fried, and two hard boiled eggs sliced and dropped in the soup.--_mrs. t. c._ _brown calf's head soup._ scald and clean the head, and put it to boil in two gallons water, with a shank of veal. carrots. onions. a small piece of bacon. a bunch of sweet herbs. when they have boiled half an hour, take out the head and shank, and cut all the meat off the bone in pieces two inches square. let the soup boil half an hour longer, then strain it and put in the meat, and season with salt, black and cayenne pepper (and a few cloves, if you like them). thicken with butter and brown flour. let it now boil nearly an hour longer, and just before serving it, stir in one tablespoonful sugar browned in a frying-pan, and half a pint wine. a good substitute for turtle soup.--_mrs. col. a. f._ _calf's head soup._ have a head nicely cleaned, the brains taken out and the head put to soak. put it on with, gallon water. piece of fat ham. thyme, parsley, pepper and salt. boil together until the flesh is tender; take out and chop--strain the water--two tablespoonfuls brown flour, four ounces butter--returning the "dismembered" fragments; let it boil till reduced to two quarts. season with one-half pint wine, one gill catsup, nutmeg, mace, allspice. cut up the liver, and fry; beat the brains up with an egg, pepper and salt; fry in cakes and lay in the soup when served up, and hard boiled eggs sliced up and put in.--_miss b. l._ _ox-tail soup._ wash and soak three tails; pour on them one gallon cold water; let them be brought gradually to boil, throw in one and a half ounce salt, and clear off the scum carefully as soon as it forms on the surface. when it ceases to rise, add: moderate sized carrots. or onions. large bunch savory herbs. head celery. turnips. or cloves, and ½ teaspoonful peppercorns. stew these gently from three hours to three and a half hours. if the tails be very large, lift them out, strain the liquor and strain off all the fat. cut the meat from the tails and put it in two quarts or more of the stock. stir in, when this begins to boil, a thickening of arrow-root or of rice flour, mixed with as much cayenne and salt as may be required to flavor the soup, and serve very hot.--_mrs. p._ chicken soup. put on the chickens with about three quarts water and some thin slices bacon. let it boil well, then put in: a spoonful butter. pint milk. egg, well beaten. pepper, salt, and celery or celery-seed or parsley. let all boil up. some dumplings made like biscuits are very nice in it.--_mrs. w._ _roast veal and chicken-bone soup._ boil the veal and chicken bones with vegetables, and add one handful maccaroni, broken up fine. boil the soup half an hour. color with a little soy or catsup.--_mrs. s._ _chicken soup._ put on the fire a pot with two gallons water and a ham bone, if you have it; if not, some slices of good bacon. boil this two hours, then put in the chickens and boil until done: add one-half pint milk and a little thickening; pepper and salt to the taste. after taking off the soup, put in a piece of butter size of an egg. squirrel soup is good made the same way, but takes much longer for a squirrel to boil done.--_mrs. p. w._ giblet soup. pint dried green english peas. pound giblets. dozen cloves. small piece red pepper. nearly gallon water. boil peas slowly seven hours. add giblets, spices, and salt to taste, two hours before dinner. when peas are dissolved, strain through sieve; cut giblets into dice and return to soup; boil up and serve. will be enough for six or eight persons.--_mrs. r. r._ okra soup. ½ gallons water. quarts young okra, cut very fine. quarts tomatoes. onions, prepared as for pea soup. pepper; salt. large spoonful butter. add the tomatoes about twelve o'clock. put the soup on early in the morning.--_mrs. i._ gumbo soup. fried chicken. quart okra, cut up. onion. bunch parsley. few celery tops--fry all together. put in one quart skinned tomatoes. ½ gallons water, boil to ½ gallon. teacup of wine after taking from the fire.--_mrs. r. a._ _gumbo soup._ fry two fowls, old or young, with parsley, pepper, salt, onion, lard or bacon. put it in the pot with water sufficient for the soup. one quart sliced okra, scrap of ham or fried sausage to boil with it. sassafras gumbo is made in the same way, except after the fowl has boiled until the flesh has left the bone, just before taking off the fire, stir in one tablespoonful sassafras flour. oysters are a great improvement to sassafras gumbo. gather the sassafras leaves green, and dry in the shade, as sage; when thoroughly dry, rub through a sieve and bottle and cork tightly. it is nice in beef soup instead of okra.--_mrs. t._ fine vegetable soup. put on two pounds of fresh beef, or a good-sized chicken, or ham bone if you have it, early in the morning. put your boiler on filled with water. keep boiling, and when boiled down, about one hour or more before dinner, add: grated lemon peel. ears corn. dozen good tomatoes. beans. small head of cabbage. a few irish potatoes. sweet herbs, pepper and salt to the taste. a few leaves of dried sassafras rubbed up will improve the taste. serve hot with toast, a small quantity of sugar and vinegar. boil till thick.--_mrs. dr. l._ vegetable soup. before breakfast, wash a beef shank in several waters, break the bone, and put it in a large pot of cold water. keep it steadily boiling until one hour before dinner, when the following vegetables, previously prepared, must be added to the soup after it has been carefully skimmed of all grease, and strained. quart peeled and chopped tomatoes. pint lima or butter beans. pint grated corn. pint chopped cabbage. pint sliced irish potatoes. sliced turnip. carrot. a little minced onion. parsley. tablespoonful pepper sauce. heaping tablespoonful flour rubbed into-- teacup milk. teacup brown sugar. teaspoonful black pepper. boil an hour: thicken with mixed milk and flour, and serve. a piece of middling, bacon, or any other kind of meat, may be used instead of the beef shank. the best meat of the shank may be freed from gristle, chopped fine and made into a nice stew by adding grated turnip. mashed potato. tablespoonful pepper sauce. tablespoonful made mustard. tablespoonful butter. teaspoonful celery seed. teaspoonful fruit jelly. teacup milk. minced onion and parsley. boil up and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ tomato soup. take one quart ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped up, or a three-pound can of same, put in an earthenware baking dish with pint grated corn (or, if in winter, dried corn prepared as if for the table), and add-- teacup sugar. teacup grated cracker. teacup butter. teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonfuls salt. set this in a hot oven with a tin plate over it to prevent browning. have ready, in a porcelain kettle or pan, two quarts new milk boiling hot. when the tomatoes and corn are thoroughly done, stir in one large irish potato mashed smooth, a little minced onion and parsley, and pour into the boiling milk and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ _tomato soup._ a shin of beef, season to your taste with all kinds of vegetables: tomatoes, turnips, carrots, potatoes, cabbage cut fine, corn, butter beans and celery. when nearly done, take vegetables out and mash them well, and also cut the beef up fine. it is best to season with salt and pepper when you first put it on. the beef should be put on very early.--_mrs. j. l._ _clear tomato soup._ large can tomatoes. beef shin. bunch soup herbs. gallon water. boil eight hours, stir and skim several times. strain through wire sieve, add one tablespoonful worcester sauce and same of brown sugar. serve with dice of toasted bread; pepper and salt to taste.--_mrs. r. r._ asparagus soup. cut the asparagus into small pieces and put on to boil in salt water, with slices of middling; just before dinner, taking it off, beat four eggs and stir in one pint milk or cream, a piece of butter. a piece of veal may be boiled with it, if you wish meat.--_mrs. h._ _asparagus soup._ parboil the asparagus with as much water as will cover them; then pour the water and asparagus into milk, then add butter, pepper and salt, also bread crumbs, and boil until the asparagus is done.--_mrs. s._ pea soup. soak one pint of split peas in water for twelve hours; drain off the water, put the peas into a saucepan with three pints cold water, one-half pound bacon, two sprigs of dried mint, a bay leaf, some parsley, an onion stuck with one or two cloves, some whole pepper, and salt to taste. let the whole boil three hours, then pass the purée through a hair sieve; make it hot again and serve with dice of bread fried in butter.--_mrs. a._ green pea soup. boil one quart peas in two quarts water, and two thin slices bacon. when done mash through a colander; then put back in the same water, throwing away the slices of bacon. season with pepper, salt, spoonful butter rolled in flour. boil well again. toast some bread and cut in slices, and put in the tureen when the soup is served. the hulls of green peas will answer; boil them well with a few peas, then season as above and boil. two hours will be enough to boil green pea soup.--_mrs. w._ _green pea soup._ boil half a peck of peas in one and a half gallons water, till perfectly done. take out, mash and strain through a colander, then pour a little of the water well boiled over them, to separate the pulp from the hull. return it to the water they were boiled in; chop up one large or two small onions; fry them in smallest quantity of lard, not to brown them. add this with chopped thyme, parsley, pepper and salt. just before taking off the fire stir in one tablespoonful butter. if the soup is too thin, cream a little butter with flour to thicken.--_mrs. i._ potato soup. mash potatoes, pour on them one teacup cream, one large spoonful butter. pour boiling water on them till you have the desired quantity. boil until it thickens; season with salt, parsley, and pepper to your taste.--_mrs. r. e._ _potato soup._ pour two quarts water on six or seven large peeled potatoes, adding two or three slices of middling; boil thoroughly done. take them out, mash the potatoes well and return all to the same water, together with pepper, salt, one spoonful butter, and one quart milk, as for chicken soup.--_mrs. w._ oysters and other shell fish. stewed oysters. put butter, salt and pepper in a stew-pan, and put the oysters to the butter and stew until perfectly done.--_mrs. d._ _stewed oysters._ take one-quarter pound nice butter, put it in a pan and melt, then pepper and salt, add a small piece of cheese. when it is all melted add one pint of oyster liquor, and boil; when hot, strain and put back in pan, then add oysters and boil five minutes.--_mr. k. n._ _stewed oysters._ pour into a stew-pan ½ gallon oysters. tablespoonfuls pepper vinegar. teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonful salt. let them simmer until the oysters are plump; take them out with a fork and drop them into a tureen, on a handful of crackers and three heaping tablespoonfuls fresh butter. pour one pint milk to the liquor, let it boil up and strain it on the oysters. rinse out the stew-pan and pour the oysters, liquor, etc., back into it, and set it on the fire. when it comes to a boil, serve. this method deprives the oysters of the bits of shell.--_mrs s. t._ _to stew oysters._ put into the kettle one pint liquor, one-half pound butter, and pepper. let it boil, then put in the oysters, after draining them in a colander. they will be done as soon as they boil up, or when they curl right well. when ready to take up, add half teacup cracker crumbs and a little salt in the stew.--_mrs. p. w._ _to stew oysters._ put into a shallow stew-pan the oysters. as soon as the gills begin to open pour off all the liquor. continue to cook them, stirring all the time until done. the liquor that was poured off must be thickened with a good lump of butter rubbed up with flour, and seasoned with pepper and salt, and poured boiling-hot onto the oysters. the advantage of this way of cooking is that the oysters become large and plump.--_mrs. dr. e. r._ _to cook oysters._ ½ gallon oysters. quart fresh milk. ½ pound butter. tablespoonful flour. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful pepper. egg. rub the egg and flour together and thin with a little of the milk. mix the oysters, pepper and salt, and let them come to a boil; then add the milk, and when this boils add the egg and flour with the butter. let the whole boil three minutes.--_miss n. s. l._ scalloped oysters. do not drain the liquor from the oysters, but fork them out of it as you use them; in that way as much liquor as you require adheres to them. use stale bread, and do not crumb it too fine, or it will be clammy. ½ teacupful cream. great spoonfuls butter. salt and pepper. oysters part with a great deal of moisture in cooking, and if the mixture is too wet it is not as good; it should be rather dry when done. cover the bottom of a well-buttered dish with a layer of very dry bread crumbs, dust over a little salt and pepper, and stick little bits of butter all over the crumbs; then, with a spoon, moisten it with cream. next, place a layer of oysters, alternating with bread crumbs, until the dish is filled, finishing with butter and cream; invert a plate over it to keep in the flavor. bake three-quarters of an hour, or until the juice bubbles to the top. remove the plate, and brown on the upper shelf of the oven for two or three minutes only.--_mrs. r._ _scalloped oysters._ those who are fond of oysters prepared in this way will find them much more delicate when cooked entirely by reflected heat. have your tinner make you an old-fashioned "tin-kitchen" with _sloping_ sides. take small oblong dishes, such as are in general use at hotels, fill them with alternate layers of oysters and rolled crackers, and lay lumps of fresh butter liberally on top of each dish. arrange them in the "kitchen," set the open dish in front of a bright fire or very warm grate, and in fifteen or twenty minutes you will find the oysters delicious.--_mrs. d. p._ _scalloped oysters._ put on the oysters with just enough liquor to keep from burning, and parboil slightly. season the rest of the liquor as for stewed oysters with butter, pepper, salt, and a little flour, and boil until done. put the parboiled oysters in a baking-dish, with a piece of butter and a grated cracker or stale bread and pepper, and pour as much of the gravy as the dish will hold. put a little of the grated cracker on top, and set it in the oven to brown.--_mrs. w._ _oysters scalloped in the shell._ open the shells, setting aside for use the deepest ones. have ready some melted butter, not hot, seasoned with minced parsley and pepper. roll each oyster in this, letting it drip as little as may be, and lay in the shell, which should be arranged in a baking-pan. add to each a little lemon juice, sift bread crumbs over it, and bake in a quick oven till done. serve in the shells.--_mrs. s._ _scalloped oysters._ put in the scallop shells as many oysters as each will hold. season with butter, salt and pepper; a few bread crumbs. cook until well done; add a piece of butter just before they are served.--_mrs. r. l. o._ devilled oysters. put a layer of raw oysters in a pan, and then a layer of breadcrumbs, black and red pepper, salt, butter, mustard, and a little vinegar mixed together. put alternate layers of each until full, and then bake.--_mrs. duke._ _devilled oysters._ drain one quart oysters; chop thoroughly and season with cayenne pepper, lemon-juice, salt, and yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, and yolks of two raw eggs beaten and stirred in; one-half as much bread crumbs as you have oysters, and one large tablespoonful butter. have ready one dozen deep shells, nicely cleaned, and fill them with the oysters; sprinkle with bread crumbs, and bake in a few minutes.--_mrs. h. s._ _to cook oysters._ put into a baking-bowl a layer of cracker-crumbs, pepper, and butter. if the butter is salty do not use any salt. then a layer of oysters, after they have been drained from their liquor; do this alternately till the dish is full. be sure and put the cracker crumbs at the top of the dish, and bits of butter, also pepper: this makes it brown nicely. set it in a hot oven; as soon as browned it will be ready for the table.--_mrs. p. w._ fried oysters. take each oyster separately and put salt and pepper on them; then roll them in equal portions of meal and flour. fry them in hot lard until a light brown.--_mrs. d._ oyster fritters. beat two eggs very light; then stir in two tablespoonfuls cream or milk, three tablespoonfuls sifted flour, a pinch of salt; dip the oysters in this and fry them in hot lard.--_mrs. b._ _oyster fritters._ wipe the oysters dry. beat eggs light, and stir into them: tablespoonfuls flour. ½ pint rich milk. beat to smooth batter. have in a pan some butter and lard; when it begins to froth, put a small ladleful of the batter, with an oyster in the middle, into it to fry. if too thin, add flour; if too thick, milk.--_mrs. r._ to fry oysters. drain the oysters through a sieve; sprinkle a little salt and pepper over them. dip each oyster into meal. have the pan hot, and drop in an equal portion of lard and butter; when boiling, put in the oysters and fry. do not let them stand, but serve hot.--_mrs. e._ fried oysters. drain the oysters through a sieve. beat up two or three eggs. have ready some grated bread crumbs. sprinkle some salt and a little pepper over the oysters; then dip each oyster into the egg and bread crumbs. have the pan hot and clean; put equal portions of butter and lard into the pan. be careful to keep the fat of oysters from burning.--_mrs. r._ _to fry oysters._ wash them and dry them on a clean napkin; dip in beaten egg and pounded crackers sifted, and let them lie several hours before frying, and they will not shrink.--_mrs. p._ _to fry oysters._ drain the oysters dry. three eggs beaten, and grated crackers. dip the oyster first in the egg and then in the crackers; do this twice. grease the pan with butter or lard. add pepper and salt to taste, and fry.--_mrs. p. w._ _clam or oyster fritters._ chop up the clam very fine (when of oysters, leave them whole); put them in a batter and fry them.--_mrs. d._ broiled oysters. select the largest oysters, examining each one, to see that no particle of shell adheres to it. dry with a nice linen cloth; then pepper and salt them, and sift over a little finely-powdered cracker. place them on an oyster gridiron over a quick fire. as soon as plump, dip each one in a cup of melted fresh butter; lay on a hot dish garnished with scraped horseradish and parsley, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ steamed oysters. wash shell oysters perfectly clean; lay them on a steamer, so the juice will not escape from the shells when opened. it is best to lay the upper shells down. cover the lid of the steamer with a coarse towel and press closely on. set this over a pot of water boiling hard. in from twenty minutes to half an hour, the shells will have opened. have ready a hot dish, on which lay the oysters; sprinkle over them a little salt and pepper with a bit of fresh butter on each oyster. serve immediately.--_mrs. s. t._ to roast oysters. wash and wipe one peck large shell oysters. put in a hot oven, taking care to put the upper shell downward, so the juice will not escape. as soon as the shells open, lay on a hot dish and serve with horseradish or pepper-sauce, after sprinkling on them a little salt, and putting a bit of fresh butter on each oyster.--_mrs. s. t._ pickled oysters. gallon oysters. tablespoonful salt. " unground black pepper. " allspice. blades mace. small piece cayenne pepper. pick oysters out from the juice with a fork; stew until gills are opened well, then lay on flat dishes until cold; put in a jar, and cover with equal parts of stewed juice and vinegar. let stand two days.--_mrs. r. r._ _pickled oysters._ take two hundred oysters of largest size, rinse them in their own liquor and put them in a stew-pan. strain the liquor to them, let them come to a boil, and _no more_. take them out of the liquor; have ready one quart or more of pure cider vinegar, with which boil whole pepper, a little salt, mace, cloves, and nutmeg. when it is cool, pour over the oysters. before serving add a few raw cranberries and thin slices of lemon.--_mrs. s. t._ _pickled oysters._ take one gallon oysters and cook them in their own liquor till nearly done. then skim out the oysters and add to the liquor one teaspoonful whole black pepper, one teaspoonful allspice, one teaspoonful mace, a little red pepper and half a pint of strong vinegar. let it boil a few minutes and then pour over the oysters. when nearly cool, slice in them a large fresh lemon.--_mrs. col. a. f._ oyster pie. stew the oysters, not entirely done, with butter, pepper and one tablespoonful pepper-sauce, and salt. make a paste of one pound flour and one-half pound butter. line the dish and put in the oysters, grate bread crumbs over top, and bake.--_mrs. t._ _oyster pie._ put a paste in a deep dish. wash the oysters, drain and put them in the dish, seasoning with butter, pepper, salt, and a little mace, if liked; then put in a layer of grated cracker. when the dish is full, cover with paste and slips of paste laid across; then bake.--_mrs. w----._ oyster pÃ�tÃ�s. stew some large oysters with a little nutmeg, a few cloves, some yolk of egg boiled hard and grated, a little butter and as much liquor from the oysters as will cover them. when stewed a few minutes, take them out of the pan to cool. have shells of puff paste, previously baked in patty pans, and lay two or three oysters in each.--_mrs. d._ oyster short cake. quart flour. teaspoonfuls baking powder. tablespoonful butter. a pinch of salt. enough sweet milk to moisten well. roll about one inch thick and bake on tin pie plates quickly. while it is baking, take one quart oysters and one-half cup water and put on the stove; then take one-half cup milk, and one-half cup butter mixed with one tablespoonful flour, and a little salt or pepper; add all together and boil up once. when the cakes are done, split them open and spread the oysters between them, and some on the top. put the oysters that are left in a gravy-dish and replenish when needed.--_mrs. k._ oyster sausage. chop one pint oysters, with one-quarter pound veal, and one-quarter pound suet. mix with bread crumbs, and pound all in a mortar. season with salt and pepper, adding an egg, well beaten. make into cakes like pork sausage.--_mrs. e._ raw oysters. take each oyster separately on a fork and drain from the liquor. place on the table in an oyster tureen or salad bowl; have near a pile of small oblong dishes; scraped horseradish, pepper sauce, and worcestershire sauce, etc., so that after being helped, each guest may season to taste. when oysters are transported some distance, it is well to boil the liquor from which they have been taken and pour over them: this makes them plump and prevents them from being slimy.--_mrs. s. t._ to keep oysters alive and fatten. mix one pint of salt with thirty pints of water. put the oysters in a tub that will not leak, with their mouths upwards and feed them with the above, by dipping in a broom and frequently passing over their mouths. it is said that they will fatten still more by mixing fine meal with the water.--_mrs. r----._ to cook crabs. take live crabs and put them in cool water, let them remain for half an hour. then put them in a vessel, pour boiling water on them sufficient to cover them; boil ten minutes. take them off and wipe them clean, first removing the dead men, and proceed to remove the meat. take the upper shell, clean it. season the meat with pepper, salt, mustard, and plenty of butter; put all in the shell again and bake half an hour.--_mrs. k. norfolk._ crab stew. one peck live crabs, steam twenty minutes, bone and pick the claws and bodies. stew with one pint milk or cream, the flesh and eggs of the crabs, fifteen minutes. flavor with salt and cayenne pepper.--_mrs. r. l. o._ devilled crab. after crabs are picked, season with mustard, pepper, salt, and catsup to taste. add olive oil or butter. cover with bread crumbs moistened with milk and lumps of butter (put a little milk in the crab also). bake in the shells or in a pan.--_miss e. w._ devilled crabs. to the flesh of one dozen crabs boiled fifteen minutes and picked free from shell, add: tablespoonfuls of stale bread crumbs. ½ wine glass of cream. yolks of eggs. a little chopped parsley. tablespoonful butter. salt and pepper to the taste. put them in the shell and bake in a quick oven.--_mrs. m. e. l. w._ soft crabs. turn up the ends of the shells and take out the dead man's fingers and take off the flap, and cut out the sand-bag; lay them in cold water until ready to fry. then dust flour over them, a little salt, and fry them in hot lard.--_mrs. d._ devilled crabs. after the crabs are boiled, pick them up fine and add one third the quantity of crab, in cracker dust or bread crumbs, mustard, red and black pepper, salt, and butter. return them to the top shells, and bake.--_mrs. d._ to devil hard crabs. take them while alive, put them in very little water and steam them till perfectly done and brown, set them away till cold, take all out of the shell. mix with eggs, bread crumbs, butter, and pepper. either put back in the _top_ shell and bake, or bake in pans.--_mrs. j. c._ lobster curry. put the meat of a large lobster into a stewpan with one blade of mace. large cup of meat stock, or gravy. tablespoonful corn starch, mixed smooth, with a little milk or cream. add salt. small piece of butter. dessertspoonful curry powder. juice of one lemon. simmer for an hour and serve hot.--_mrs. c._ turtle or terrapin stew. after they are well cleaned, parboil the meat, then pick it to pieces. season highly with pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, hard-boiled egg, spices, lemon, and champagne or other wine. stew until well done. stewed turtle. make a stew of the turtle and add all the ingredients used in the turtle-soup, except wine and lemons.--_mrs. d._ terrapin. first cut up the head and put it in the pot to boil with the shell on; when done enough to remove the under shell, take it up and pick to pieces. clean the top shell well; add a few crackers, onions, parsley, allspice, black pepper, butter, and wine. return it to the shell, put sliced lemon on and bake it.--_mrs. d._ turtle or terrapin steaks. cut the turtle or terrapin in thin slices; broil or fry them with pepper, salt, and butter. turtle or terrapin in batter. smother the steaks in an egg-batter. season with pepper, salt, butter, and with a little bread crumbs; fry or broil. to cook turtles. drop four turtles into boiling water, and boil one hour; then take them out and remove the skin from the legs and feet, and replace them in fresh boiling water, where they should continue to boil one and one-half hour and then be taken out to cool. when cold, clean them thoroughly, removing the round liver which contains the gall. cut them into small bits and place them in a stewpan, adding pepper, salt, the eggs that are found within, one quart water, one-half pound butter, and two tablespoonfuls flour mixed with a little cold water. stir the flour and water well into the other ingredients, and stew about twenty minutes. as you remove them from the fire, pour in one-half pint madeira wine.--_mrs. a. d._ fish. in selecting fish, notice if the flesh is firm and hard, the eyes full and prominent, the scales bright, the fins stiff, and the gills red, as all these indications denote their being fresh. wash the fish, rub it with salt and pepper, and lay it on a dish, or hang it up till ready to cook. never keep it lying in water, either in preparing it for cooking, or in trying to keep it till the next day. in boiling fish, put it in boiling water, and simmer very slowly. it will require an hour to boil a large fish, and about twenty minutes for a small one. every housekeeper should have a fish-kettle for fish. be careful to have boiling-hot lard in the frying-pan when you go to fry fish. first rub salt and pepper and flour or meal on the fish, then keep it well covered while frying, as you should do to every thing that is being fried. doing this will enable you to fry the fish (or other article of food) a pretty amber color, while at the same time it will be perfectly done. always have a tin sheet for lifting boiled fish and for turning broiled fish. before broiling, rub with pepper and salt, and then grease with fresh butter. lay the fish on a gridiron well greased with sweet lard and lay the tin sheet over it. when you wish to turn, take the gridiron from the fire, holding the tin sheet on top the fish. hold them together, then lay them on a table with the tin sheet down and the gridiron uppermost. carefully raise the gridiron, leaving the fish lying unbroken on the tin sheet. the cook may now easily slide the fish on the gridiron, put it again on the fire and brown the other side, putting the tin sheet back on top of it. every thing should be covered while being broiled. when done, lay it on a dish and pour over it melted butter in which has been stirred pepper, salt, and minced parsley. if devilled fish is desired, add to this dressing, one tablespoonful pepper vinegar, one of celery vinegar, one of walnut catsup, one of made mustard, one wine-glassful of acid fruit jelly. in making sauces for fish, never use the water in which the fish has been boiled. full directions for stewing fish are to be found in the subsequent pages. fish Ã� la crÃ�me. boil a firm fish, remove the bones, pick it to pieces. mix one pint cream or milk with two tablespoonfuls flour, one onion, one-half pound butter (or less), and salt. set it on the fire and stir until it is as thick as custard. fill a baking-dish alternately with fish, cracker, and cream. bake for thirty minutes, use four crackers.--_mrs. w. c. r._ halibut. boil one pound halibut, then chop it very fine and add eight eggs well beaten; pepper and salt to taste, then one cup butter. put it in a stewpan and cook until the eggs are done sufficiently. serve very hot on toast.--_miss f. n._ _halibut._ halibut should be cut in slices of four pounds each. if to be boiled, cover with salt water, and skim often; drain off and serve with butter sauce. if baked or fried, garnish with horseradish and serve with melted butter. fish chowder. fry a few slices of salt pork, cut the fish in small pieces, pare and slice the potatoes, add a little onion chopped fine. place all in layers in the kettle; season with salt and pepper. stew over a slow fire thirty minutes. cat-fish chowder. to be made of new river cat-fish. wash the fish in warm water, put it on in just water enough to cover it, boil until tender or until the bones will slip out; take out the largest bones, chop up the fish, put it in a stewpan with a pint of water, a large lump of butter. cup of cream, pepper and not much salt. onion, one teaspoonful mustard, one-half teacupful walnut catsup. stew until quite thick, garnish with sliced lemon and serve hot.--_mrs. p. w._ cat-fish chowder or hog-fish. take two cat-fish, skin, and boil till thoroughly done; pick very fine and add: good sized onions. ¼ pound butter. tablespoonful salt. tablespoonful pepper. tablespoonfuls worcestershire sauce. add a little celery or celery-seed, a little thyme, a little parsley. pour over all about one quart of boiling water and cook fast about half an hour.--_miss f. n._ fish chowder. take any large fish, and cut in thin slices, lay some slices of fat bacon at the bottom of the pot and then a layer of fish, onions, cracker dust, red and black pepper, salt, and butter. then more layers, until you have used all the fish. cover the whole with water and cook until well done.--_mrs. d._ boiled sheep's-head. clean the fish and boil well done. serve hot with butter and egg sauce. to bake a sheep's-head. put two tablespoonfuls butter and two tablespoonfuls lard in a skillet; also, with that, two tablespoonfuls flour, a little parsley, one pint boiling water, a little wine, catsup, salt, and cayenne pepper. boil a few minutes; then take four eggs, half a pint cream or butter; beat well together. lay the fish in a large deep dish, pour gravy from skillet over it; spread butter over top of fish. the bottom of the oven to be quite hot, top slow.--_miss e. w._ boiled sheep's-head or rock. lay the fish in a fish boiler, in a cloth, to prevent breaking. throw into the water a handful parsley, and when the fish is done, lay some sprigs on it in the dish.--_mrs. d._ baked sheep's-head. put the fish in a pan and cover with water; put a little parsley, onions, and fat bacon, chopped up together, black pepper and salt, in the fish and over it, and when nearly done, beat up one egg and a little flour, and pour over it to thicken the gravy. rock or shad may be cooked the same way.--_mrs. d._ _baked sheep's-head._ when ready for cooking, salt and pepper well, gash the sides in three or four places. cut four onions very fine, to which add one pint bread crumbs, fat meat minced very fine, as it suits better than lard, cayenne pepper, thyme, a little salt, and the yolks of two eggs, all mashed together, with which stuff the fish inside and gashes on the outside. then sprinkle over with flour and black pepper; put into a large pan with one quart cold water. bake two hours, slowly. serve with or without sauce, according to taste.--_miss f. n._ boiled rock-fish. clean the fish nicely, rub well with salt and pepper. put into a large deep pan, that it may lie at full length; cover with cold water, adding salt and pepper. boil steadily for three-quarters of an hour; dish and serve with melted butter and sauce or catsup.--_miss f. n._ _boiled rock-fish._ clean nicely and hang it up; do not lay it in water, but wash it when ready for cooking. put on in boiling water, seasoning with salt to taste. it takes two hours to boil, if large. serve with egg sauce, and send to the table in a napkin to keep hot.--_mrs. w._ to stew rock-fish. take a rock, clean and season with parsley, sweet marjoram, onions, one-half pint water, salt to taste, one pint port wine, one-half pound butter, and a little flour. put them in a dish, and set in a stewpan. one hour is sufficient for cooking.--_mrs. j. t._ baked rock. boil the fish and take out the bones. season with cream, butter, pepper, and salt, and grated bread crumbs over the top. bake slightly in a flat dish or scollop shells.--_mrs. r._ to pickle rock. cut a rock-fish into pieces and put in a kettle with sufficient water to cover it. put in a handful of salt, some white pepper, one tablespoonful allspice, a few cloves and mace. when the fish is nearly done, add a quart of vinegar. in putting away, use as much liquor as will cover it.--_mrs. j. w. s._ baked shad. open the shad down the back, wash well and salt it; wipe dry and rub inside and out with a little cayenne pepper. prepare a stuffing of bread, seasoned with pepper, salt, thyme, or parsley, celery-seed, a little chopped onion, piece of butter, size of a walnut. tie up the fish and put in a baking pan with one pint water (to a good sized fish) and butter, size of a hen's egg. sprinkle with flour, baste well and bake slowly an hour and a half.--_mrs. j. h. f._ to fry shad. clean and hang in a cool place. when ready to use wash thoroughly, cut up and sprinkle lightly with flour, pepper, salt, and fry with lard.--_mrs. r----._ to roast shad. fill the inside with forcemeat, sew it up and tie it on a board, not pine, cover with bread crumbs, a little salt, and pepper, and place before the fire. when done one side, turn it; when sufficiently done, pull out the thread; dish and serve with drawn butter and parsley.--_mrs. d._ to broil shad. clean, wash, and split the shad, and wipe it dry. sprinkle with pepper and salt, and place it over a clear, slow fire, with the skin down so as to retain the juice; put on a clean gridiron, rubbed with lard. turn it when nearly done; take up, and season with a generous piece of butter, salt, and pepper to taste.--_mrs. s._ potted shad. cut the fish as for frying; pack in a stone jar with layers of mixed spices, seasoning with salt; after the jar is filled, pour vinegar over; cover tightly with a cloth. put the jar in a large pot of water and boil until the fish is thoroughly done. a nice relish for tea.--_mrs. c. l. t._ to barbecue a shad. split the back of the fish, pepper and salt it, and put on the gridiron with the skin down. baste the upper side of the fish with butter; brown a little piece of butter with a small quantity of flour, and when brown add pepper, salt, and a little water. dish in a tureen.--_mrs. j. w. s._ scolloped sturgeon. four pounds sturgeon, boiled; when cold, pick to pieces and then wash and squeeze out the water. make a mayonnaise dressing, using celery, cayenne pepper instead of black pepper, and salt. serve on white lettuce leaves.--_mrs. r. r._ sturgeon cutlet. remove all the fat from the fish; cut it into steak pieces. beat up the yolks of eggs enough to moisten the pieces well; dip them into the beaten egg. have ready a dish of grated bread crumbs (stale bread is best), then roll them in the bread crumbs and pepper them well. prepare a vessel of melted lard, have it boiling hot, but not burnt; lay in the pieces of fish and cover with a lid. turn them over as they brown and remove the lid when they are nearly done.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ sturgeon or drum. slice it like beefsteak, and roll in a thin egg batter, and fry in hot lard. chopped parsley and black pepper may be added, if liked.--_mrs. d., suffolk._ baked sturgeon. wash the skin _well_, put in a pan and bake for three-quarters of an hour. then take it out on a dish; pierce it with a knife in several places. make a stuffing of pot-meat, bread crumbs, onions, parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt, all chopped well together. stuff the holes with the mixture and put the rest in the gravy; return to the pan and bake until done.--_mrs. d._ to fry perch. sprinkle with salt and dredge with flour; after a while dredge with flour the other side. when the lard boils hard, skim it well and put in the fish. serve hot.--_mrs. w._ to fry trout. split the fish down the back, insert a thin slice of fat pork. squeeze lemon juice over it and fry brown.--_mrs. j. i., la._ boiled cod-fish. boil over a slow fire and skim frequently. season with salt. garnish with parsley and rings of hard boiled eggs, and serve with butter and egg-sauce. cod-fish balls. one-fourth fish, to three-fourths potatoes, eggs enough to moisten. season with pepper and salt, and fry brown. nantucket cod-fish. cut the thick part out of a firm, white dried codfish, and soak it over night, then cut into very small pieces and parboil for a few minutes, changing the water until the fish remains but slightly salted. drain off the water, leaving the fish in the saucepan. pour over a little more milk than will cover it; when it becomes heated, add a little butter and pepper, thicken with flour stirred smooth in milk. stir constantly for a few minutes. to dress salt cod-fish. take one-third of a large fish; soak it from three to four hours; next, boiling it till thoroughly done, pick the meat fine, taking out all the bones. then add: hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine. to irish potatoes, boiled and mashed. mix all well together in a stewpan, with-- teacup of hot water. salt and mustard to the taste. boil half an hour, and add a liberal supply of butter just before serving. if preferred, the salt and mustard need not be put in until during the cooking.--_mrs. a. c._ boiled mackerel. well wash the fish, put it into nearly boiling water with one tablespoonful salt in it; boil up quickly, then let it simmer gently for a quarter of an hour, and if the fish be very large, a few minutes longer. serve in a hot dish.--_mrs. b._ to broil mackerel. if the mackerel is fresh, after it is nicely scaled and cleaned, dry it; pepper and salt and broil it on a gridiron; baste it with fresh butter. after it is broiled, put it on a hot dish, pour melted butter over it, and serve. if the fish is salt, pour boiling water over it, soak it several hours; butter and pepper, and broil; serve in the same way as the fresh.--_mrs. r._ to cook salt mackerel. soak the fish over night in fresh water. in the morning drain off the water and place on a gridiron to broil, dressing with hot butter.--_mrs. t._ baked salmon. when washed and dried, sprinkle over pepper and salt. have ready in a baking-pan a small grating; lay the fish on this, with bits of butter over it; set in a hot oven, basting often and freely with butter. when nicely browned, butter a sheet of white paper and lay over it, to prevent its getting too dry; when done and tender, place on a hot dish. add to the gravy one teacupful milk, one tablespoonful pepper vinegar, pepper, salt, and a mashed irish potato smoothly mixed in; boil, and pour over the fish. sift over all browned cracker. garnish with bleached tops of celery and curled parsley alternately.--_mrs. t._ boiled salmon. after the fish has been cleaned and washed, dry it and sew it up in a cloth; lay it in a fish-kettle, cover with warm water, and simmer until done and tender. meanwhile have ready in a saucepan one pint cream, two tablespoonfuls fresh butter, salt, pepper, minced parsley, and thyme; let it boil up once, not too quickly. take the fish from the kettle, carefully unwrap it, lay it for a moment on a folded napkin to dry. have ready a hot dish, lay the fish on it carefully, without breaking it, pour over the cream. slice some hard-boiled eggs, and lay over the fish alternately with sliced lemon. border the edges of the dish with curled parsley.--_mrs. s. t._ salmon steak. when well dried, pepper and salt, sift over powdered cracker, and lay upon a gridiron, which has been first greased with butter or lard, over hot coals. as soon as the side next to the fire is brown, turn it by carefully slipping under it a batter-cake turner and holding the fish on it with the other hand, lest it should break. when both sides are of a light brown, lay in a hot dish; pepper and salt again; pour over melted butter; place the cover on, and serve.--_mrs. t._ pickled salmon. soak the salmon twenty-four hours, changing the water. put it in boiling water, with a little vinegar. when done and cold, boil your vinegar with spice and pour on the fish.--_mrs. a. p._ german fish stew. put the fish in a kettle to boil. stew together in a saucepan one onion chopped fine and a wine-glass of sweet oil; when well done, pour them in with the fish. then mix yolks of three eggs, juice of two lemons strained, one tablespoonful sifted flour. beat these well together, and pour upon the fish when nearly done. then add ginger, pepper, and salt to taste; stew three or four minutes, after mixing all the ingredients. oysters may be cooked by the same receipt, only substituting one quart oysters for the fish.--_mrs. a. d._ game. haunch of venison. rub the venison over with pepper, salt, and butter. repeat the rubbing. after it has been put in the oven, put in as much cold water as will prevent burning and draw the gravy. stick five or six cloves in different parts of the venison. add enough water to make sufficient gravy. just before dinner, put in a glass of red wine and a lump of butter rolled in flour, and let it stew a little longer.--_mrs. t._ venison haunch. prepare the venison as you would mutton. put in a baking-pan, lard with a little bacon, add a pint of water, a gill of red wine, salt, and a little cayenne pepper. bake quickly, and serve with or without gravy. stewed venison. cut in tolerably thick slices. put in an oven with two spoonfuls of water and a piece of lard. cook till nearly done, then pour off the gravy and baste it well with a large spoonful of butter, pepper, and salt. _stewed venison._ slice cold venison in a chafing dish and add-- a cup of water. a small teacup of red wine. a small teacup of currant jelly. a tablespoonful of butter. a teaspoonful of made mustard. a little yellow pickle. a little chopped celery. a little mushroom catsup. salt and cayenne pepper to the taste. the same receipt will answer for cold mutton.--_mrs. r. l. o._ to barbecue squirrel. put some slices of fat bacon in an oven. lay the squirrels on them and lay two slices of bacon on the top. put them in the oven and let them cook until done. lay them on a dish and set near the fire. take out the bacon, sprinkle one spoonful of flour in the gravy and let it brown. then pour in one teacup of water, one tablespoonful of butter, and some tomato or walnut catsup. let it cool, and then pour it over the squirrel. roast rabbit. stew the rabbit. after boiling the haslet and liver, stew them with parsley, thyme, celery-seed, butter, salt, and pepper, for gravy. soak a piece of loaf bread, a short time, in water. mix with it the yolk of an egg and some butter, for stuffing; then soak it in milk and cream. sprinkle the inside of the rabbit with salt and pepper, fill it with the above dressing, sew it up, and roast or bake quickly.--_mrs. b._ barbecued rabbit. lay the rabbit in salt and water half an hour, scald with boiling water, wipe dry, grease with butter, and sprinkle with pepper and a little salt. lay it on the gridiron, turning often so that it may cook through and through, without becoming hard and dry. when brown, lay on a hot dish, butter plentifully on both sides, and add a little salt and pepper. set in the oven, while preparing four teaspoonfuls of vinegar, one of made mustard, and one of currant jelly or brown sugar. pour this over the rabbit, rubbing it in, then pour over the gravy and serve hot.--_mrs. t._ stewed rabbit. cut up the rabbit and wash it. put it in a stewpan and season it with salt and pepper. pour in half a pint of water, and when this has nearly stewed away, add half a pint of port wine, two or three blades of mace, and a tablespoonful of flour, mixed with a quarter of a pound of butter. let it stew gently till quite tender, and then serve hot.--_mrs. c. c._ _stewed rabbit._ cut a rabbit into eight pieces. after soaking in salt and water, put it in a stewpan, with a slice of pork or bacon, and with more than enough water to cover it. when nearly done, take out the pieces, strain the water in which they have boiled, and return all to the stewpan, with a teacup of milk, a little pepper, salt, chopped onion and parsley. after this boils up, stir in a heaping tablespoonful of butter, in which a tablespoonful of flour has been rubbed. let it boil up once more; then serve in a covered dish, with four hard-boiled eggs sliced over it, and grated bread crumbs. the same receipt will answer for squirrel.--_mrs. t._ wild turkey. if the turkey is old, after it is dressed wash it inside thoroughly with soda and water. rinse it and plunge it into a pot of boiling water for five minutes. make a stuffing of bits of pork, beef, or any other cold meat, plenty of chopped celery, stewed giblets, hard-boiled eggs, pounded cracker, pepper, and salt, and a heaping spoonful of butter. work this well and fill the turkey. with another large spoonful of butter grease the bird, and then sprinkle salt and pepper over it. lay in a pan, with a pint of stock or broth in which any kind of meat has been boiled. place in a hot oven. when it begins to brown, dredge with flour and baste, turning often, so that each part may be equally browned. put a buttered sheet of paper over the breast, to prevent dryness. when thoroughly done, lay on a dish, brown some crackers, pound and sift over it, and serve with celery or oyster sauce.--_mrs. t._ _a simpler way to prepare wild turkey._ prepare the turkey as usual, rub the inside with salt and cayenne pepper, and put in the baking-pan, with water enough to make gravy. cut up the gizzard and liver with a lump of butter and a spoonful of cream. mix with the gravy and serve hot. _to roast wild fowl in a stove._ put them on a rack above a pan, so that the gravy will drip through. this makes them as delicate as if roasted on a spit. if roasted in a pan, they will be exceedingly greasy and have the _stovey_ taste to which so many persons object.--_mrs. j. w. s._ wild goose. after the goose is dressed, soak it several hours in salt and water. put a small onion inside and plunge it into boiling water for twenty minutes. stuff with chopped celery, chopped eggs, mashed potatoes, bits of fat pork or other cold meat; a little butter; raw turnip grated; a tablespoonful of pepper vinegar; a little chopped onion; pepper and salt to the taste. a teacup of stock or broth must be put in the pan with the fowl. butter it, dredge with flour, and baste often. pin a buttered paper over the breast to prevent its becoming hard. serve with mushroom or celery sauce, or, for a simpler taste, serve merely with its own gravy.--_mrs. t._ _wild goose._ put a small onion inside, a slice of pork, pepper, salt, and a spoonful of red wine. lay in a pan with water enough to make gravy. dredge with flour, and baste with butter frequently. cook quickly and serve with gravy made as for wild turkey. wild duck. when the duck is ready dressed, put in it a small onion, pepper, salt, and a spoonful of red wine. lay in a pan with water enough to make the gravy. cook in fifteen or twenty minutes, if the fire is brisk. serve with gravy made as for wild turkey. canvas-back ducks are cooked in the same way, only you leave on their heads and do not use onion with them.--_mrs. r. l. o._ _to cook wild duck for breakfast._ split open in the back, put in a pan with a little water, butter, pepper and salt, and cook till tender. baste with flour. if for dinner, cook whole.--_mrs. j. l. c._ to broil partridges. place them in salt and water, an hour or two before broiling. when taken out, wipe them dry, and rub them all over with fresh butter, pepper and salt. first broil the under or split side on the gridiron, over bright, clear coals, turning until the upper side is of a fine, light brown. it must be cooked principally from the under side. when done, rub well again with fresh butter and if not ready to serve them immediately, put them in a large shallow tin bucket, cover it and set it over a pot or kettle of boiling water, which will keep them hot without making them hard or dry and will give time for the many "last things" to be done before serving a meal. when served, sift over them powdered cracker, first browned.--_mrs. t._ to roast partridges. clean the birds as for stuffing. rub with butter, salt and pepper. put in sheets of letter paper and allow to cook in this way.--_mrs. w. c._ to cook partridges and pheasants. place them in a steamer, over a pot of boiling water, till tender. have ready a saucepan of large fresh oysters, scalded just enough to make them plump and seasoned with pepper-sauce, butter, and a little salt. rub the cavity of the birds with salt and pepper, fill with oysters and sew up. broil till a light brown. place on a hot dish and sift over them browned cracker. add a large tablespoonful of butter and one of pounded cracker to the oyster liquor. boil it up once and pour into the dish, but not over the birds.--_mrs. t._ to broil pigeons. pigeons may be broiled the same as chickens, only cover the breast with slices of bacon. when nearly done, remove the bacon, dredge with flour and baste with butter. they will be done in half an hour. stewed pigeons. the pigeons must be seasoned with pepper, salt, cloves, mace and sweet herbs. wrap the seasoning up in a piece of butter and put it in the pigeon. then tie up the neck and vest and half roast the pigeons. then put them in a stewpan with a quart of good gravy, a little white wine, some pickled mushrooms, a few peppercorns, three or four blades of mace, a bit of lemon peel, a bit of onion and a bunch of sweet herbs. stew until done, then thicken with butter and yolks of eggs. garnish with lemon. pigeon pie. take six young pigeons. after they are drawn, trussed, and singed, stuff them with the chopped livers mixed with parsley, salt, pepper, and a small piece of butter. cover the bottom of the dish with rather small pieces of beef. on the beef, place a thin layer of chopped parsley and mushrooms, seasoned with pepper and salt. over this place the pigeons, between each putting the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. add some brown sauce or gravy. cover with puff paste and bake the pie for an hour and a half.--_mrs. c. c._ to dress reed birds. pick open and carefully wash one dozen or more birds. place them between the folds of a towel, and with a rolling-pin mash the bones quite flat. season with salt and a little cayenne and black pepper. either fry or broil on a gridiron made for broiling oysters. this must be done over a clear fire. when done, season, put a lump of butter on each bird and serve hot.--_mrs. a. m. d._ to cook sora, ortolans, and other small birds. prepare as you would a chicken for roasting. lay in a pan and pour boiling water over them or, if convenient, steam them. scald a few large fresh oysters till just plump, season them with cayenne pepper, salt and butter. pour into the cavity of each bird a few drops of pepper-sauce and then put a large oyster in each. broil a short time, frequently turning that they may not become dry. if not ready to serve them as soon as they are done, lay in a tin bucket, butter them and sprinkle them again with black pepper, cover the bucket and set it over boiling water till wanted. when laid in the dish, sift browned cracker over the birds, and pour gravy into the dish.--_mrs. t._ _to cook sora, ortolans, and other small birds._ after they are split open in the back and dressed, lay them in weak salt and water for a short time. then lay them on a board and roll with a rolling-pin to flatten the breastbone. put butter, pepper, and salt on them. lay them on a gridiron and broil slowly. when just done, add more butter and pepper, lay in a flat tin bucket, which set over a vessel of boiling water to keep the birds hot, juicy, and tender till wanted.--_mrs. t._ sora, ortolans, robins, and other small birds. they should be carefully cleaned, buttered, sprinkled with pepper and salt, and broiled. when they are served, butter them again. if you like, serve each bird on a piece of toast, and pour over them a sauce of red wine, mushroom catsup, salt, cayenne pepper, and celery. meats. all meats are better in winter for being kept several weeks, and it is well, in summer, to keep them as long as you can without danger of their being tainted. if it is not in your power to keep meat in an ice-house, in summer, keep it in a cool dark cellar, wrapped around with wet cloths, on top of which lay boughs of elderberry. the evaporation from the cloth will keep the meat cool and the elderberry will keep off insects. if you should unfortunately be obliged to use stale meat or poultry, rub it in and out with soda, before washing it. tough meats and poultry are rendered more tender by putting a little vinegar or a few slices of lemon in the water in which they are boiled. the use of an acid will save time and fuel in cooking them and will render them more tender and digestible. if possible, keep the meat so clean that it will not be necessary to wash it, as water extracts the juices. when it is frozen, lay it in cold water to thaw, and then cook quickly, to prevent its losing its moisture and sweetness. in roasting or boiling, use but little salt at first, as it hardens meat to do otherwise. in roasting, baste frequently, to prevent the meat from hardening on the outside, and try to preserve the juices. if possible, roast the meat on a spit before a large, open fire, after using salt, pepper, butter or lard, and dredging with flour. where an open fire-place cannot be obtained, however, the meat may be well roasted in a stove or range. mutton, pork, shote and veal should be well done, but beef should be cooked rare. in boiling, put on salt meat in cold water, but fresh meat in hot. remember also that salt meat requires more water and a longer time to cook than fresh. boil slowly, removing the scum that rises when it begins to simmer. keep a tea-kettle of boiling water at hand to replenish the water in the pot, as it boils away. do not let the meat boil too hard or too long, as this will toughen it and extract the juices. add salt to fresh meat, just before it is done. lardering beef, veal, and poultry is a great improvement, keeping it moist whilst cooking and adding richness to the flavor. lardering consists in introducing slips of clear fat bacon or salt pork, into the surface of meat, by means of a pin, sharp at one end and cleft into four divisions at the other. this pin may be obtained at any hardware store. as the housekeeper is sometimes hurried in preparing a dish, it will save time and trouble for her to keep on hand a bottle of meat-flavoring compounded of the following ingredients. chopped onions. pods of red pepper (chopped). tablespoonfuls brown sugar. tablespoonful celery seed. tablespoonful ground mustard. teaspoonful turmeric. teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonful salt. put all in a quart bottle and fill it up with cider vinegar. a tablespoonful of this mixed in a stew, steak, or gravy, will impart not only a fine flavor, but a rich color. keeping this mixture on hand will obviate the necessity of the housekeeper looking through various spice boxes and packages to get together the requisite ingredients for flavoring, and will thus save her time and trouble. how to select meats. good and wholesome meat should be neither of a pale rosy or pink color, nor of a deep purple. the first denotes the diseased condition, the last proves the animal has died a natural death. good meat has more of a marble look, in consequence of the branching of the veins which surround the adipose cells. the fat, especially of the inner organs, is always firm and suety and never moist, while in general the fat from diseased cattle is flabby and watery and more often resembles jelly or boiled parchment. wholesome meat will always show itself firm and elastic to the touch, and exhibit no dampness, while bad meat will appear soft and moist, in fact, often more wet, so that the liquid substance runs out of the blood when pressed hard. good meat has very little smell and diffuses a certain medicinal odor. this can be distinctly proved by cutting the meat through with a knife and smelling the blade or pouring water over it. lastly, bad meat has the peculiarity that it shrinks considerably in the boiling, wholesome meat rather swells and does not lose an ounce in weight. observations on pork, curing bacon, etc. hogs weighing from to pounds are the most suitable size for family use. they should not exceed twelve months in age, as they are much more tender from being young. they should be well kept and should be corn-fed several weeks before being killed. after being properly dressed, they should hang long enough to get rid of the animal heat. when they are ready to be cut up, they should be divided into nine principal parts, two hams, two shoulders, two middlings, the head or face, jowl and chine. the hog is laid on its back to be cut up. the head is cut off just below the ears, then it is split down on each side of the backbone, which is the chine. this is divided into three pieces, the upper portion being a choice piece to be eaten cold. the fat portion may be cut off to make lard. each half should then first have the leaf fat taken out, which is done by cutting the thin skin between it and the ribs, when it is easily pulled out. just under this, the next thing to be removed is the mousepiece or tenderloin, lying along the edge, from which the backbone was removed, commencing at the point of the ham. this is considered the most delicate part and is used to make the nicest sausage. just under this tenderloin are some short ribs about three inches long, running up from the point of the ham which are known as the griskin. this is removed by a sharp knife being run under it, taking care to cut it smooth and not too thick. when broiled, it is as nice as a partridge. the ribs are next taken out of the shoulder and middling, though some persons prefer leaving them in the middling. in this case seven should be taken from the shoulder, by a sharp knife cutting close to the ribs, which make a delicious broil. then cut off the ham as near the bone as possible, in a half circle. the shoulder is then cut square across just behind the leg. the feet are then chopped off with a sharp axe or cleaver. from the shoulder, they should be cut off leaving a stump of about two inches. from the ham, they should be cut off at the joint, as smoothly as possible, and then you may proceed to salt the meat. in order to impart redness to the hams, rub on each a teaspoonful of pulverized saltpetre before salting. if the weather is very cold, warm the salt before applying it. first rub the skin side well with salt and then the fleshy side, using for the purpose a shoe-sole or leather glove. no more salt should be used than a sufficiency to preserve the meat, as an excess hardens the meat. a bushel of salt is sufficient for a thousand pounds of meat. for the chine and ribs a very light sprinkling of salt will suffice. the meat as salted should be packed with the skin side down, where it should remain from four to six weeks, according to the weather. if the weather is mild, four weeks will answer. should the weather be very cold and the pork in an exposed place, it will freeze, and the salt, failing to penetrate the meat, will be apt to injure it. after it has taken salt sufficiently, the old virginia mode is to break the bulk, shake off the salt, rub the joint pieces (hams and shoulders) with good, green-wood ashes (hickory preferred). then rebulk it and let it remain two weeks longer, when it should be hung up with the joints down and the other pieces may be hung up for smoking at the same time. it is not necessary that the smoke-house should be very tight, but it is important that the pork should not be very close to the fire. a smothered fire made of small billets of wood or chips (hickory preferred), or of corn cobs, should be made up three times a day till the middle of march or first of april, when the joint pieces should be taken down and packed in hickory or other green-wood ashes, as in salt, where they will remain all the summer without danger of bugs interfering with them. this recipe has been obtained from an old virginia family, famous for their skill in this department of housekeeping. this mode of curing makes the best bacon in the world, far superior to what are generally called virginia cured hams. shoat (which i must explain to the uninitiated is a term applied in the south to a young pig past the age when it may be cooked whole) should be kept up and fattened on buttermilk, several weeks before being killed, as this makes the flesh extremely delicate. it is best killed when between two and three months old. it should then be divided into four quarters. it is more delicate and wholesome eaten cold. pork steak. remove the skin, beat without breaking into holes; scald with boiling water, wipe dry and broil. when brown lay in a hob dish. sprinkle over pepper, salt, a little sage, chopped onion, and parsley; then butter profusely. grate over all hard biscuit or crackers that have been browned and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ spare-ribs. pork chop and pork cutlet may be cooked in the same way, omitting the onion if not liked.--_mrs. t._ pork spare-rib. with stuffing of sage and onions, roasted spare-rib, done over the potatoes, affords a good substitute for goose. spare-ribs. always parboil spare-ribs: then broil with pepper and salt; cut in pieces three or four bones each.--_mrs. w._ _spare-ribs._ cut them into pieces of two or three ribs each; put them into a covered stewpan and boil or stew until perfectly done. just before you take them out, add salt, pepper, and minced parsley. put on the cover and simmer until well seasoned. take them out of the pan, drain and dry them. for one moment let them scorch on a gridiron over a bed of hot coals; lay on a hot dish; butter each one; pepper added; sift over browned cracker and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ to cook spare-ribs and griskin or short-ribs. put them on in a small quantity of water and boil for fifteen or twenty minutes. gash them with a knife; sprinkle with pepper and put them on a hot gridiron as near the fire as possible; broil quickly, but not too brown. have some butter melted and pour over the meat and shut it up in the dish. these are good for breakfast.--_mrs. p. w._ to cook backbone or chine. cut the chine in three pieces; the large end must be about a foot long, the remainder cut in half. put it in a pot of water and boil for two hours; then put it in a pan, baste and set it in the stove to brown. peel some irish potatoes and put them in the pot; boil till done, mash them up and season with pepper, a little salt, and some of the gravy dripping out of the chine while baking; spread them in the dish, then lay the chine on top. the largest piece is generally put aside to eat cold, and is very nice. turnips are good, cooked in the same way as potatoes, with the chine. the chine and ham of a hog are nice, corned like beef.--_mrs. p. w._ backbone pie. take the smallest end of the backbone, cut in pieces two or three inches long; put in water and boil until done. make nice rich pastry as for chicken pie; line the sides of a baking dish with the pastry, put in the bones, adding some water in which they were boiled; also salt, butter, and pepper to taste, with bits of pastry. cover top of baking-dish with pastry; put in stove and brown nicely.--_mrs. g. b._ to cook a ham of pork. wash off the salt and put it in a pot of water; boil from four to six hours, according to size. do not take off the skin, as it preserves the juice and is much better cold. it is also nice to slice and broil with pepper and butter over it.--_mrs. p. w._ leg of pork stuffed. make deep incisions in the meat parallel to the bone, trim it so as to leave the skin longer than the flesh; then boil some potatoes, and when they are done, mash them with a piece of butter, cayenne pepper and salt, an onion finely chopped, and a little rubbed sage. with this dressing fill the incisions, draw the skin down and skewer it over to keep the dressing from falling out. season the outside of the meat with salt, cayenne pepper and sage. roast it slowly; when done, pour the gravy in a pan, skim off the fat and add some browned flour wet in a little cold water, and boil up once. serve with apple or cranberry sauce.--_mrs. a. m. d._ to dress chine. rub the large end with salt and saltpetre, and it will keep some time, or you may boil it fresh. cut the bones of the other end apart, sprinkle with flour and a little salt: add one teacup of water, and stew. it will make two large dishes.--_mrs. w._ roast chine. chine should always be parboiled and stewed before roasting, to take away the gross taste which the melted fat frying from it gives. after this lay in the pan with one pint water in which it was boiled, from which all the fat has been skimmed. put in this several whole leaves of sage, to be removed before serving--just to get the flavor; minced onion, and parsley. baste and brown quickly that it may not dry. this is only stewed chine browned.--_mrs. s. t._ pork royal. take a piece of shoulder of fresh pork, fill with grated bread and the crust soaked, pepper, salt, onion, sage and thyme: a bit of butter and lard. place in a pan with some water; when about half done, place around it some large apples; when done, place your pork on a dish, with the apples round it; put flour and water on your pan, flour browned, some thyme and sage; boil, strain through a very small colander over your pork and apples. seasoning for sausage. pounds meat. pounds back fat. ounces sage. ounces black pepper. ounces salt.--_mrs. j. p._ excellent recipe for sausage. pounds of the lean of the chine. pounds " " fat. tablespoonfuls salt. " sage. " thyme. " pepper. " sweet marjoram. mix well together.--_mrs. s. m._ sausage meat. pounds lean pieces cut from the shoulder and tenderloin. pounds fat from the back of the chine. pound salt; a half pound of black pepper. ounces allspice. ounce sage. cut the fat in small pieces and then chop it; chop the lean very fine: mix all together, kneading in the seasoning. press it down in small pots and pour melted lard over the top.--_mrs. j. d._ sweetbread of hog. this nice morsel is between the maw and ruffle piece inside of the hog. put them in soak for a day; parboil them and then gash them and stew them in pepper, butter, one teacup of milk and a little vinegar. or they are very nice fried or broiled.--_mrs. p. w._ souse cheese. lay the meat in cold water as cut from the hog. let it stand three or four days, shifting the water each day. scrape it and let it stand a day or two longer, changing the water often, and if it should turn warm, pour a little salt in the water. the oftener it is scraped, the whiter will be the souse. boil in plenty of water to cover it, replenishing when needed. when tender enough, put it in milk-warm water, and when cold in salt water. boil the head until the bones will almost fall out. clean one dozen or more ears and boil also; while hot, chop very fine, and season with pepper and salt. put in a mold or bowl with a weight on top. the feet may be soused whole, or cut up with the head and ears; but it is not so nice. clean them by dipping in boiling water and scraping; do not hold them to the fire to singe off the hair. one head and one dozen ears will make a good-sized cheese.--_mrs. w._ to make souse from hog's feet. as soon as the hog is cleaned, cut off the feet and throw them in a tub of cold water with a handful of salt; let them remain covered in water until you are ready to clean them, which should be done as soon as possible, as they will be much whiter. to get the hoof off, put the feet in hot water (not above the hoof); as soon as they get hot enough, slip a knife between the foot and hoof, and slip it off; then scrape the foot nicely, and throw into a tub of clear water; do this for several days. when you have scraped and changed the water for a week, then wash them clean and put them on to boil. first put them in a clean pot with a thin gruel made of corn meal; boil until half done. wash them off, and put on in clear hot water, and boil till done, then take them up and throw them into a firkin of clean salt and water; keep closely covered to prevent them from molding. they are now ready to fry, which should be done by splitting the foot in half and fried in egg batter.--_mrs. p. w._ to cure lard. as soon as it is taken from the hog, cut in small pieces, wash clean, press out the water, and put in the pot to boil, with one gallon of water to a vessel holding four gallons. boil briskly until nearly done, or until the cracklins begin to brown, then cook slowly to prevent burning. the cracklins should be of a light brown and crisp, and will sink to the bottom when done. this is leaf lard. the fat off of the backbone is also very nice, done in the same way, and does not require soaking, unless bloody. the fat from the entrails can also be made into nice lard by soaking for a day or two in fresh water, changing it frequently, and throwing a handful of salt in the tub of water to draw out the blood and impurities. when ready to render, wash in warm water twice and boil in more water than you do for leaf lard. the cracklins will not become crisp, but remain soft, and will sink to the bottom; they are used for making soap. virginia mode of curing hams. put one teaspoonful saltpetre on the fleshy side of each ham. salt _not too heavily_ for five weeks; if the weather is freezing cold, six weeks; then brush the hams well, and rub them with hickory ashes; let them lie for one week, then hang and smoke them for six weeks with green hickory chips. after brushing, pack them in hickory ashes in a bulk.--_mrs. p. c. m._ to cure bacon. pack the meat in salt and allow it to remain five weeks. then take the hams up, wash off, and wipe dry. have some sacks made of about seven-eighths shirting, large enough to hold the hams and tie above the hock. make a pot of sizing of equal portions of flour and corn meal, boil until thick, and dip each sack until the outside is well coated with sizing. put the hams in bags, and tie tight with a strong twine and hang by the same in the smoke-house. curing bacon. one peck salt to five hundred pounds pork. to five gallons water: pounds salt. pound sugar. pint molasses. teaspoonful saltpetre. mix, and after sprinkling the fleshy side of the ham with the salt, pack in a tight barrel. hams first, then shoulders, middlings. pour over the brine; leave the meat in brine from four to seven weeks.--_mrs. dr. j._ for curing hams. for five hundred pounds hams. peck and ½ gallons fine liverpool salt. ¾ pounds saltpetre. quart hickory ashes well sifted. quart molasses. teacups cayenne pepper. teacup black pepper. mix these ingredients well together in a large tub, rub it into each ham with a brick, or something rough to get it in well. pack in a tight, clean tub and weigh down. let the hams remain six weeks; then take them out and rub each one on the fleshy side with one tablespoonful black pepper to avoid skippers. hang in the meat house, and smoke with green hickory for from ten to twelve hours a day for six weeks, not suffering the wood to blaze. on the st of april, take them down and pack in any coal ashes or pine ashes well slaked. strong ashes will rot into the meat.--_mrs. r. m._ an improvement to hams. sometimes very good bacon is found to be of a bad color when cooked. this may be remedied by keeping it in ashes (hickory is best) for a few weeks before using. must then be hung up, with ashes adhering, until needed. this also prevents skippers.--_mrs. s. t._ to boil a ham weighing ten pounds. let it soak for twenty-four hours, changing the water two or three times. boil it slowly eight or ten hours: when done, put it into a dish, as nearly as possible the shape of a ham, taking care first to take out the bone--turn the rind down. when cold, turn it out into a large dish, garnish with jelly and ornamental paper. serve with the rind on. to be eaten cold.--_mrs. w. c. r._ to boil ham. put in the water one pint vinegar, a bay leaf, a little thyme, and parsley. boil slowly for two hours, if it weighs ten pounds; then bake. soak all hams twenty-four hours before cooking.--_mrs. m._ _to boil ham._ the day before you wish to boil a ham, scrape, wash and wipe it dry, and put it in the sun. at night put it into water and soak till next morning. then lay it with the skin down in a boiler of cold water, and boil slowly for five hours. if the ham is large, boil six hours. when perfectly done and tender, set the boiler aside, with the ham and liquor undisturbed, until cold. then take off the skin, sprinkle black pepper over thickly, and sift over crackers first browned and pounded; for special occasions, place at equal distances over the ham, scraped horseradish in lozenge shape, and edged with curled parsley. this mode keeps the ham juicy.--_mrs. s. t._ baked ham. first of all, soak an old ham overnight, having first washed and scraped it. next morning put in a boiler of milk-warm water with the skin side down. boil slowly for four or five hours, according to size, and if a very large ham, six hours. when done, set aside the boiler with the ham and liquor in it, to remain until cold, when the skin must be taken off, and it must be trimmed of a nice shape. sprinkle over two tablespoonfuls black pepper. lay the ham on a grating or twist in the baking-pan, in which pour a pint of water, and set it in a hot oven. this mode prevents the frying so disagreeable to the taste. after the ham is heated through, and the pepper strikes in, sift over cracker; return to the oven and brown, then decorate with scraped horseradish and parsley, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ baked ham or tongues. boil the ham and grate some powdered cracker thickly over it; first rubbing it with beaten yolk of egg. bake with butter. lay slices of currant jelly around the tongue, and garnish the ham with parsley.--_mrs. r._ _baked ham._ most persons boil ham, but it is much better if baked properly. soak it for an hour in clean water and wipe dry; next spread it all over with a thin batter, put it into a deep dish with sticks under it to keep it out of the gravy. when it is fully done, take off the skin and batter crusted upon the flesh side and set it away to cool.--_mrs. b. j. b._ stuffed and baked ham. after your ham is boiled, take the skin off. take pepper, allspice, cloves and mace, well pounded; add a little bread crumbs, and a little brown sugar; mix with a little butter and water. gash your ham and take out plugs; fill in with the mixture. rub the ham with an egg beaten, and grate on bread crumbs and white sugar. put in the oven and brown.--_mrs. d. r._ to stuff fresh cured ham. boil the ham. take one-half pound grated cracker or bread. ½ pound butter. teaspoonful spice. teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful nutmeg. teaspoonful ginger. teaspoonful mace. spoonfuls sugar. celery-seed or celery. eggs, beaten light. spoonful mustard. mix all well together and moisten with cream, if too stiff. whilst the ham is hot, make holes to the bone and fill with this mixture. put in the stove to brown. spiced ham. salt the hams for two days; put them in a keg and for each ham add: ½ cup molasses. tablespoonful spice. tablespoonful black pepper. a pinch of saltpetre. let them stand four days, turning each day, then hang them up.--_mrs. d. r._ broiled ham. to have this dish in a perfection, ham must first be soaked, then boiled nearly done, and set aside to take slices from, as wanted. cut rather thin, lay on a gridiron over hot coals; when hot through, lay on a dish, and pepper well. pour over fresh butter melted, and serve. if a raw ham is used, the slices must be cut thicker, dropped in a pan of boiling water for a few minutes, then broiled as above.--_mrs. s. t._ fried ham. the slices are always taken from a raw ham, but are most delicate when first simmered a short time: five minutes in a stewpan, dried with a clean cloth and put in a hot frying-pan, first removing the skin. the pan must be hot enough to scorch and brown both ham and gravy quickly. lay the slices on a hot dish, pour into the gravy half a teacup new milk, pepper, and minced parsley; boil up and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ shoulder of bacon. this piece is not used until cured or smoked, it is then boiled with cabbage or salad, as you would the middling. it is inferior to the ham or middling.--_mrs. p. w._ bacon and greens. the middling is generally used for this purpose: cut a piece about a foot square, boil three hours. take a good head of cabbage, cut, quarter, and wash clean; press the water out as dry as you can. boil them one or two hours with half a pod of red pepper; put them on a dish and the middling on top. you can fry the cabbage next day, and make a savory dish, but it does not suit dyspeptics. the thin part of the middling is used for frying, and is called "breakfast bacon."--_mrs. p. w._ fried bacon. dip the ham or slices of middling in bread crumbs. put in a frying-pan with chopped parsley and pepper. just before taking off the fire, pour to the gravy a cup of cream.--_mrs. w._ jowl and turnip salad. this is an old virginia dish, and much used in the spring of the year. the jowl, which must have been well smoked, must be washed clean, and boiled for three hours. put in the salad, and boil half an hour; if you boil too long, it will turn yellow. it is also good broiled for breakfast with pepper and butter over it. the jaw-bone should be removed before sending to the table; this is easily done by running a knife around the lip and under the tongue. the jowl and salad should always be served with fresh poached eggs.--_mrs. p. w._ pickled pork equal to fresh. let the meat cool thoroughly; cut into pieces four to six inches wide, weigh them and pack them as tight as possible in a barrel, salting very slightly. cover the meat with brine made as strong as possible. pour off a gallon of brine and mix with it one tablespoonful saltpetre for every pounds meat and return it to the barrel. let it stand one month, then take out the meat, let it drain twelve hours. put the brine in an iron kettle, and one quart treacle or two pounds sugar, and boil until perfectly clear. when it is cold, return the meat to the barrel and pour on the brine. weight it down and keep it covered close, and you will have the sweetest meat you ever tasted. how to cook salt pork. many people do not relish salt pork fried, but it is quite good to soak it in milk two or three hours, then roll in indian meal and fry to a light brown. this makes a good dish with mashed turnips, or raw onions cut in vinegar; another way is to soak it over night in skimmed milk and bake like fresh pork; it is almost as good as fresh roast pork. ham toast. mince about one pint boiled lean ham. add the yolks of three eggs well beaten, two tablespoonfuls cream, and a little cayenne pepper. stir all on the fire until it thickens, and spread on hot toast with the crust cut off.--_mrs. j. t. b._ ham toast. chop very fine two spoonfuls of lean ham that has been cooked; take two spoonfuls veal gravy; a few bread crumbs. put all together in a stewpan and heat it. have ready a toast buttered, spread the above upon it, strew a few bread crumbs over it and brown it before the fire.--_mrs. s._ ham relish. cut a slice of dressed ham, season it highly with cayenne pepper and broil it brown; then spread mustard over it, squeeze on it a little lemon juice, and serve quickly. potted tongue or ham. remove all skin, gristle, and outside parts from one pound of the lean of cold boiled tongue or ham. pound it in a mortar to a smooth paste with either one-quarter pound of the fat, or with two ounces fresh butter. season with cayenne, pounded mace and allspice. press it well into pots and cover with clarified butter or fat. to roast shoat. the hind-quarter is considered best. cut off the foot, leaving the hock quite short. wash well and put into boiling water; simmer until done, adding salt and pepper just before lifting from the kettle; salt put in sooner hardens and toughens. place the meat in a baking-pan and score across, in the direction in which it is to be carved. skim several ladlefuls from the top of the kettle and pour over; after this has dried off, sprinkle over a little salt and pepper, cover with an egg beaten stiff, sift over powdered cracker, and set to brown. lay around sweet potatoes first parboiled, then cut in thick slices. serve with minced parsley and thyme, both on the meat and in the gravy.--_mrs. s. t._ to roast a fore quarter of shoat. put it on in hot water, boil for half an hour; take it out, put in a pan, gash it across with a sharp knife, in diamond shapes, grease it with lard and dredge with flour, pepper and a little salt. peel some good irish potatoes, lay them around the pan and set in the stove to brown, basting frequently. this meat should be cooked done, as it is not good the least rare. grate some bread crumbs over it and serve.--_mrs. p. w._ to barbecue shoat. lay the shoat in water till ready for use; if small, it will cook in an hour. put in the oven with two spoonfuls of water, a piece of lard, and dredge with flour. when ready for use, pour in half a teacup of walnut catsup, and, if not fat, a piece of butter. shoat jowl. the upper half of the head is what is generally used for what is called "the pig's-head stew." another nice dish may be made of the under jaw or jowl by parboiling until the jaw-bone can be taken out; always adding pepper and salt just before it is done. when perfectly tender, score across; pepper and salt again, cover with beaten egg, then with cracker. set in a pan with some of the water in which it was boiled. put in a hot oven and brown.--_mrs. s. t._ roast pig. when roasted whole, a pig should not be under four nor over six weeks old. in town, the butcher prepares for roasting, but it is well to know, in the country, how this may be done. as soon as the pig is killed, throw it into a tub of cold water, to make it tender; as soon as cold, take it by the hind leg, and plunge into scalding, not boiling water (as the last cooks the skin so that the hair can with difficulty be removed), shake it about until the hair can be removed by the handful. when all that is possible has been taken off in this way, rub from the tail up to the end of the nose with a coarse cloth. take off the hoofs, scrape and wash the ears and nose until perfectly clean. the nicest way to dress it is to hang it by the hind legs, open and take out the entrails; wash well with water, with a little soda dissolved in it; rinse again and again, and leave hanging an hour. wrap in a coarse cloth wrung out of cold water and lay on ice or in a cool cellar until next morning, when, if the weather is warm, it must be cooked. it should never be used the same day that it is killed. first prepare the stuffing of the liver, heart and haslets of the pig, stewed, seasoned, and chopped. mix with these an equal quantity of boiled potatoes mashed; add a large spoonful of butter, with some hard-boiled eggs, parsley and thyme, chopped fine, pepper and salt. scald the pig on the inside, dry it and rub with pepper and salt, fill and sew up. bend the fore legs under the body, the hind legs forward, under the pig, and skewer to keep in position. place in a large baking-pan, pour over one quart of boiling water. have a lump of fresh butter tied up in a clean rag; rub it all over the pig, then sprinkle over pepper and salt, putting some in the pan with a bunch of herbs; invert over it a baking-pan while it simmers, and steam until entirely done. underdone pork, shoat, or pig, is both unpalatable and unwholesome. remove the pan, rub over with the butter and baste often. when of a fine brown, cover the edges of a large dish with a deep fringe of curled parsley; first sift over the pig powdered cracker, then place it, kneeling, in the green bed. place in its mouth an orange or a red apple; and, if eaten hot, serve with the gravy in a tureen or sauce-boat. it is much nicer cold; served with little mounds of grated horseradish amongst the parsley.--_mrs. s. t._ to stew pig's head and jowl. clean the head and feet; take out the bone above the nose; cut off the ears, clean them nicely. separate the jowl from the head; take care of the brains to add to the stew. put the head, jowl, feet and part of the liver in water sufficient to keep well covered; boil until quite done. split the feet to put on the dish; hash the head and liver; but do not spoil the jowl, which must be put in the middle of the dish and surrounded with the feet and hash. put all of the hash, jowl and feet in the pot and season with a cup of cream, a lump of butter, pepper and salt, a tablespoonful walnut catsup, an onion chopped fine, a stalk of celery. a teaspoonful mustard improves it. stew half an hour; thicken the gravy with grated bread.--_mrs. p. w._ shoat's head. get a shoat's head and clean it nicely. boil and chop in pieces. season with: tablespoonfuls tomato catsup. tablespoonfuls walnut catsup. cups water. a little flour. large spoonful butter. pepper and salt. have two or three hard-boiled eggs, cut them in half and lay on the top of the head; set it in the oven to bake. veal or mutton head, can be cooked in the same way, but are not so nice.--_mrs. r._ shoat's head, to stew. clean the head and feet; and put them on to parboil with the liver. then split up the head, through the nose, taking out the bones. cut the meat from the feet and chop up with the liver, season this with pepper and salt. lay the head open and fill it with this mince and the yolks of some hard-boiled eggs: if this does not fill the head, add some grated bread crumbs or crackers and butter. sew up the head and bind it with thread; put it in the pot with the water it has been parboiled in and let it stew slowly. take up the head, and add to the gravy a lump of butter, rolled in flour, some browning and some walnut catsup. pour this over the head, which should be brown. if the shoat is not very small, use bread and butter instead of the liver.--_mrs. r._ to hash pig's head. take head, feet, and haslet of pig; boil them until done, then cut them up fine, taking out the bones. add black pepper, salt, a little sage. onions chopped fine. a little red pepper. teaspoonful mace. teaspoonful cloves. put it back in the same vessel with liquor and cook till done, then thicken with a little flour. add two hard-boiled eggs and one cup walnut catsup.--_mrs. dr. j._ beef and veal. in selecting beef, see that the flesh is firm and of a clear red, and the fat of a yellowish white. in buying a quarter of beef, it is better to have it cut up by the butcher, if you are living in town. the hind quarter is considered better, and sells higher than the fore quarter. if a roasting piece is desired, the sirloin from the hind quarter is usually preferred. it is not generally known, however, that the second cut of the rib-roast from the fore quarter is the finest roast from the beef. when the bone has been removed, and the meat skewered in the shape of a round, by the butcher, it is well to roast it on a spit before an open fire. if the latter cannot be obtained, however, plunge the beef for a moment in boiling water, then rub well with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and place on a little grate or trivet which will readily go in a baking-pan. in this pour about a pint of the water in which the beef was scalded. place it in a very hot oven, with an inverted tin plate on top of the roast. remove this plate often to baste the meat. when nearly done, which will be in about two hours for a roast of six pounds, baste several times and bake a nice brown. season the gravy with minced onion, parsley and thyme, add a little salt and pepper and a tablespoonful of the meat flavoring of which a receipt was given in the general directions about meat. serve the gravy in a sauce-tureen, so that each person may choose whether to eat the beef with gravy or with the juice that escapes from the meat while it is being carved. the latter mixed with grated horseradish is preferred to gravy by some persons. every portion of the beef, from head to feet, is useful and delicious when properly prepared. the rounds and rump pieces are generally used for beef _à la mode_. fresh beef from the ribs, boiled with turnips, is considered a nice dish by some persons. for steak, nothing is so nice as tenderloin or porter-house steak. i take this occasion to protest against the unwholesome custom of frying steak in lard. when inconvenient to broil, it may be deliciously cooked by being first beaten till tender, then laid in a hot frying-pan, closely covered, and cooked without lard or butter, in its own juices. when scorched brown on both sides, but not hard, remove the pan from the fire, pepper and salt the steak, and put a large tablespoonful of fresh butter on it. press this in with a knife and fork, turning the steak, so that each side may absorb the butter. serve on a hot dish. the whole process will not consume five minutes. some persons think it best to add the salt after the steak is done, though many good housekeepers salt and pepper the steak before broiling it. beefsteak should be cooked rare; it is a great mistake to cook it till hard and indigestible. the parts most suitable for soup are the head, neck, shank, and all the unsightly parts. after the bones are broken and the meat boiled from them, the liquor is used for soup, while the meat, picked or cut to pieces, will make an excellent stew seasoned with potatoes, turnips, sweet herbs, one tablespoonful of butter and the same of meat flavoring. it is well always to keep brine on hand for corning beef. all the parts not desirable for roast or steak had better be corned. the beef, after being dressed, should be hung up by the hind legs, with a smooth, round piece of timber sufficiently strong to hold the weight, passed through the legs at the hock, or run between the tendon and bone, with short pegs to keep the legs stretched apart. then with a sharp axe, standing behind the suspended beef, split it down the backbone, severing it in half. then pass a knife through the ribs, leaving two or three short ribs on the hind-quarter. sever the backbone with an axe. then cut with a sharp knife straight across the parallel line with the spinal bone, which piece must be divided into two pieces, the sirloin and steak. then take off two rounds, or three, according to the size of the animal, cutting with a sharp knife, and cutting the bone with a meat saw or axe, as near the joints as possible, which leaves the shin-bone. the fore quarter then is divided into four pieces, after taking off the shoulder, which may be divided into three or more pieces. the loin of veal is the nicest part, and is always roasted. the fillets and knuckles may be stewed and roasted. the latter is nicest for soup. the breast may be stewed or roasted. the cutlets are nicest from the legs or fillet. the head is a dish for soup, stew or pie. sweetbreads from the throat make a delicious dish, much prized by epicureans. the feet, boiled till the bones drop out, make a delightful dish, fried in batter, while the water in which they are boiled makes excellent jelly. veal, to be eaten in its perfection, should be killed when from four to six weeks old. beef. the sirloin, or fore and middle ribs, are best for roasting. the steaks are best cut from the ribs, or the inner part of the sirloin; shank, tail and head make nice soup.--_mrs. w._ to roast beef. lay the meat on some sticks in a dripping-pan or other vessel, so that it will not touch the water which it is necessary to have in the bottom. season with salt and pepper, and put in the oven three or four hours before it is wanted for the table. baste it often with the water in the bottom of the pan, renewing it as often as it gets low. this makes sweet, juicy roast beef. the great secret of it is, not to have the meat touch the water in the bottom of the pan, and to baste it often. tough, unpromising pieces of beef are best cooked by steaming them an hour and a half or so and then putting them in the oven and roasting as much longer. crackers, first browned and then pounded, should always be kept to sift over roast meats: and curled parsley to garnish with. grated horseradish is also excellent with the roast.--_mrs. s. t._ rib roast of beef. get, from the butcher, a rib-roast--the second cut is best--and get him to take out the bones, and roll and skewer it: if this is not convenient, it can be done at home with a sharp knife. before roasting, take out the wooden skewers put in at market, unroll, season well with salt and pepper and anything else liked, and roll again tightly, fastening securely with the iron skewer pins. put it in a pan on a little iron griddle or trivet, made for the purpose to keep it just over the pint of water in the pan. pepper and salt freely, dredge with flour and baste. some persons like half a teacup of pepper vinegar, poured over just before it is done; and minced onion, thyme and parsley added to the gravy, which should be brown.--_mrs. b._ to roast beef. the sirloin is the nicest for the purpose. plunge the beef in boiling water and boil for thirty minutes: then put it in the stove-pan; skim the top of the water in which it has been boiled, and baste the roast, after dredging it with flour; pepper and salt to taste. baste frequently, and roast till done.--_mrs. p. w._ beef Ã� la mode. take, from a round of fresh beef, the bone; beat the meat all over slightly to make tender. grate a loaf of bread, mix with it equal quantities of-- thyme and parsley, rubbed fine. onion. the marrow from the bone. ¼ pound suet. pepper and salt, cloves and nutmeg to the taste. mix these ingredients with three eggs well beaten: fill the place from whence came the bone, and what is left rub all over the round: fasten well with a tape, tied round to keep in shape. cover the pan with slices of bacon, lay the beef upon them, baste with butter: pour in the pan a pint of water. cover closely and stew gently for six hours; when thoroughly done, take out the beef, skim the fat from the gravy, strain into a saucepan, set it on the stove and stir into it one teacup port wine. let it come to a boil and send to the table in a sauce tureen. you may, for supper, dish cold: dress with vegetable flowers, whites of eggs boiled hard and chopped fine.--_mrs. j. w. s._ _beef à la mode._ take a round or a rump piece of beef, take out the bone, the gristle and all the tough pieces about the edges. fill the cavities from which the bone was taken, with suet, and fat salt pork. press this so as to make it perfectly round, pass around a coarse, strong piece of cloth, so as to hold it firmly in shape. if the round is six inches thick, the cloth must be six inches wide, leaving the top and bottom open. with a larding needle, fill this thickly with strips of fat pork, running through from top to bottom and about one inch apart each way. set this in a baking-pan, pour over: teacup boiling water, teacup boiling vinegar; mixed. add to this one heaping tablespoonful brown sugar and a bunch of herbs. sprinkle over the beef liberally with salt and black pepper; chop one small onion fine, and lay over top of the beef. simmer this for two or three hours, basting frequently and keeping an inverted tin plate over the beef except when basting. if the gravy stews down too much, add stock or broth of any kind. turn it over, and let the top be at the bottom. when it is done and tender, skim the fat from the gravy. pour over: tablespoonfuls celery vinegar. tablespoonfuls pepper. tablespoonfuls made mustard. wineglassful acid fruit jelly. simmer and bake for two hours longer, frequently basting, that it may be soft and seasoned through and through. take the beef from the pan and remove the cloth; place in a large flat dish, pour over the gravy, and over this one teacup of mushroom sauce. sift finely powdered cracker over the top and garnish with grated or scraped horseradish and parsley.--_mrs. s. t._ _beef à la mode._ to pounds of beef, onions chopped up. tablespoonful allspice, teaspoonful mace. red pepper and salt to the taste. pint strong vinegar. rub the beef in the mixture for three or four days, then cook, with all these ingredients. the h piece is generally the part taken for this purpose.--_mrs. m. b._ boiled beef and turnips. the brisket or breast of beef is nicest for boiling. keep sufficiently covered in water, boiling three hours, or until tender. peel and slice half a dozen turnips and put with beef, boiling until soft enough to mash with a spoon, which will require about thirty minutes. dress with one teacup of milk, pepper and salt to the taste. stew together a short time and put in bottom of dish with beef on the top.--_mrs. p. w._ to collar beef. take a flank of fresh beef, stew it with pepper, salt, allspice, saltpetre, thyme, and sage. then roll as hard as you can, and wind a string around it; then boil till done. it must be served up cold, cut in slices.--_mrs. m. p._ rolled beefsteak. beat a large tender steak thoroughly and carefully. sprinkle over salt, pepper, sage, minced onion, minced parsley, and bits of butter. have ready some mealy irish potatoes mashed fine, and seasoned with a little butter and salt. spread over all, and roll up tightly: fasten the ends and sides securely with skewer pins. place in a pan with such broth or gravy as may be on hand; if none, two teacups of boiling water, and one small minced onion, pepper, salt, and one slice of pork. simmer and baste as you would a roast duck. sift over it browned cracker, pounded fine. very nice.--_mrs. s. t._ beefsteak broiled. cut the steak one-half inch thick; it should then be beaten with a steak beater or pestle. the griddle should be hot and on the coals: place the steak on the griddle, and as soon as seared, turn it; when both sides are seared, place it in a pan, season it with pepper, salt, and butter: repeat this for every piece of steak, and place in the pan, which should be kept closely covered without being on the fire. if your heat is sufficient, from three to five minutes is sufficient to cook.--_mrs. p. w._ broiled steak. a porter-house steak is considered, by some persons, best, others prefer the tenderloin. beat either tender, and place on a gridiron over coals, frequently turning. have ready a hot dish, place the steak on it, pepper and salt well, then with a knife and fork profusely butter, with one large tablespoonful fresh butter, turning and pressing it so as to absorb the butter; pepper again and set the dish over boiling water until wanted, when it will be found tender and juicy, if not cooked too long on a gridiron. one tablespoonful pepper vinegar gives this the taste of venison, and to this may be added one tablespoonful made mustard, for those who like highly seasoned food.--_mrs. s. t._ how to cook beefsteak. take a thin, long-handled frying-pan, put it on the stove and heat it quite hot. in this put the pieces of steak previously pounded, but do not put a particle of butter in the frying-pan and do not salt the steak. allow the steak to merely glaze over and then turn it quickly to the other side, turning it several times in this manner, until it is done. four minutes is sufficient for cooking. when done, lay it on the platter, previously warmed; butter and salt, and set a moment in the hot oven. allow the steak to heat but a moment on each side; this helps it to retain all its sweet juices, and putting on the salt at the last moment, after it is on the platter, draws out its juices.--_mrs. s. t._ beefsteak fried with onions. prepare the steak as for broiling, pepper and roll in flour and fry in lard; remove the steak from the pan when done; add to the gravy one chopped onion, pepper, salt, one-half teacup water, and a little mustard. cook a few minutes, put the steak in the gravy--let it remain a short time; send to the table hot.--_mrs. p. w._ to fry steak. hunt up all the pickle and take from each one teacup vinegar, lay the steak in a deep dish, pour over the vinegar and let it stand one hour. take a clean frying-pan, throw in one ounce butter, and some of the vinegar from the dish, sufficient to stew the steak. if managed properly, when done it will be imbedded in a thick gravy. put the steak in a hot dish, before the fire; into the pan, put one spoonful black pepper, one or two of catsup, and one of raw mustard.--_mrs. s._ _fried steak._ get from the butcher a tenderloin or porter-house steak. do not wash it, but be careful to lay it on a clean block and beat it well, but not into holes, nor so as to look ragged. sprinkle over pepper and salt, then dredge with flour on both sides. have ready a hot frying-pan, lay in the steak and cover closely. the juice of the meat will be sufficient to cook it. turn often, as the pan must be hot enough to scorch and make the steak and gravy brown. before it gets hard or overdone, butter liberally; place in a hot dish. pepper again, and, if preferred, pour over first one tablespoonful pepper vinegar, then one tablespoonful made mustard, and turn in over all the hot gravy. sift powered cracker over and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ frizzled beef. shred some dried beef, parboil it until it is sufficiently freshened, drain off the water and add enough boiling water to cover it. rub equal quantities of butter and flour together until smooth, then add to the beef. beat up three eggs, yolks and whites together, stir these in with a little pepper, a couple of minutes before taking from the fire. this is to be served hot on toast.--_mrs. f._ fricassÃ�ed beef. take any piece of beef from the fore quarter, such as is generally used for corning, and cook it tender in just water enough to have it all evaporate in cooking. when about half done, put in salt enough to season well, and half teaspoonful pepper. if the water should not boil away soon enough, turn it off, and let the beef fry fifteen minutes--it is better than the best roast beef. take two tablespoonfuls flour, adding the fat--when mixed, pour on the hot juice of the meat. serve with apple sauce.--_mrs. d._ beef stew. this is best when made of slices cut from an underdone roast, and simmered in any liquor in which meat has been boiled, but if none is at hand, use water instead--just covering the beef. to a half dozen slices of the usual size, add: tablespoonfuls pepper vinegar. tablespoonful of made mustard. tablespoonful of acid fruit jelly. tablespoonful of butter. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful celery-seed. saltspoonful black pepper. raw turnip, grated or scraped fine. mashed irish potato. add minced onion and parsley. boil up and serve. cold beefsteak or mutton chops, which are always unfit to appear upon the table a second time, are delicious cut up in small pieces and mixed or stewed separately in this way.--_mrs. s. t._ to stew a rump of beef. stuff the beef with shallots, thyme, parsley, chopped fine, slips of bacon, pepper, salt and allspice. then lay it in a pot with water sufficient to keep it from burning before it is done. thicken the gravy with burnt flour and butter, and when it is served up, pour a little wine over it and strew the top with allspice.--_mrs. m. p._ lebanon stew. take scraps of raw beef, such as are not fit for boiling, cut very fine, picking out all the strings, and put into a kettle, and more than cover with cold water. let it boil several hours, or until the water is nearly all gone. season with butter, pepper and salt. it is rich and needs but little seasoning. serve hot, as you would hash.--_mrs. s. t._ beef collaps. ½ pounds lean beef, chopped fine. tablespoonful lard. tablespoonful of butter. with enough water to cook it. after being well cooked, thicken gravy, and season with vinegar and pepper.--_mrs. h. d._ to stew beef tongue. put a fresh tongue in water sufficient to cover it, and let it simmer six or seven hours. skim the gravy well. half an hour before dishing it, add one-half wineglassful wine, one-half wineglassful walnut catsup, a little mace, and a few cloves to the gravy, and stew awhile together.--_mrs. s. t._ tongue Ã� la terrapin. take a freshly salted tongue and boil tender; take out, and split it, stick a few cloves in, cut up a small onion, put in some sticks of mace, and a little brown flour. have water enough in a stewpan to cover the tongue; mix in the ingredients, before putting in the tongue. three hard-boiled eggs chopped up fine and put in the stew. add a glass of wine just before taking up. send to the table hot, garnished with hard boiled eggs cut in rings.--_mrs. l. c._ tongue toast. take cold tongue that has been well boiled, mince fine, mix it well with cream or a little milk, if there is no cream. add the beaten yolk of one egg and give it a simmer over the fire. toast nicely some thin slices of stale bread and, having buttered, lay them in a flat dish, that has been heated, then cover the toast with the tongue and serve up directly.--_mrs. s._ to roast an ox heart. wash it well and clean all the blood carefully from the pipes; parboil it ten or fifteen minutes in boiling water; drain and put in a stuffing which has been made of bread crumbs, minced suet or butter, thyme or parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. put it down to roast while hot, baste it well with butter, and just before serving, stir one tablespoonful currant jelly into the gravy. to roast, allow twenty minutes to every pound.--_mrs. a. m. d._ beef heart. parboil the heart until nearly tender, then gash and stuff with rich stuffing of loaf bread, seasoned with onion, salt, pepper, and sage. then put in a pan and bake, turning it several times. baste with gravy whilst baking.--_mrs. j. h._ stewed kidneys. soak the kidneys for several hours, put them on to boil until tender. roll them in flour, add a lump of butter the size of an egg, two spoonfuls catsup--any kind will answer, though walnut is the best; pepper and salt to the taste. stew them until well seasoned.--_mrs. p. w._ to stew beef kidneys. cut into pieces and stew in water, with a nice addition of savory herbs, pepper and salt, and a handful flour to thicken the gravy; flavor and color the latter with burnt sugar.--_mrs. h._ kidneys fried. after plunging in boiling water, cut them in thin slices and fry in hot butter; add pepper, salt, and toss them for a few minutes in rich brown gravy.--_mrs. m._ beef kidney, to fry. trim and cut the kidney in slices; season them with salt and pepper, and dredge well with flour; fry on both sides, and when done, lift them out, empty the pan and make a gravy for them with a small piece of butter, one dessertspoonful flour, pepper, salt, and a cup of boiling water. shake these around and give them a minute's simmering; add a little tomato or mushroom catsup, lemon juice, vinegar, or any good sauce to give it a flavor. minced herbs are to many tastes an improvement to this dish, to which a small quantity of onion may be added when it is liked.--_mrs. a. m. d._ kidneys grilled. prepare them as for stewing, cut each kidney in half and dip them in egg beaten up with salt and pepper; bread-crumb them, dip them in melted butter, bread-crumb them again, then grill before a slow fire; serve with worcestershire or some other sauce.--_mrs. k._ broiled kidneys. plunge some kidneys in boiling water; open them down the centre, but do not separate them; peel and pass a skewer across them to keep them open; pepper, salt, and dip them in melted butter. broil them over a clear fire on both sides, doing the cut side first; remove the skewer, have ready some maître d'hote sauce, viz.: butter beaten up with chopped parsley, salt and pepper, and a little lemon juice. put a small piece in the hollow of each kidney and serve hot.--_mrs. p._ beef's liver. skin the liver, cut in slices and lay in salt water, as soon as it comes from market. fry in lard with pepper, very brown. season to taste.--_mrs. c._ to fry liver. the slices must be cut thin, as they require some time to fry; brown both sides; when taken up, add butter and salt to taste. fry in hot lard.--_mrs. p. w._ beef liver with onions. slice the liver rather thin, and throw into salt and water. meantime slice the onions and put into a deep frying-pan, just covered with water, and boil until done, keeping it closely covered. when the water has all boiled away, put in a heaping spoonful of sweet lard, and fry until the onions are a light brown. take them up in a deep plate; set them on the back of the stove or range to keep hot, and fry the liver in the same pan, adding more lard if there is not enough. season all with salt and pepper, cutting the liver in slices suitable to help one person. make a little mound of fried onions on each piece, grate pounded cracker on the top, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ dried liver for relish. salt the liver well for four days; hang to smoke and dry. cut in very thin slices, and broil in pepper and butter.--_mrs. w._ fried liver. cut the slices thin, scald them for some minutes, put them in a pan with hot lard, and fry slowly till browned on both sides; add a little salt and pepper. take up the liver, and pour into the pan half a teacup of water; let it boil a few minutes; put the liver back, stir it up, and cover it up for a short time to keep it from being hard. kidneys can be cooked the same way, excepting you must add some butter, as they are very dry.--_mrs. p. w._ to stew brains. have them thoroughly soaked in salt water to get the blood out. put them in a stewpan with water enough to cover them; boil half an hour, pour off the water, and add one teacup of cream or milk, salt, pepper, and butter the size of an egg. boil well together for ten minutes, when put into the dish. add one tablespoonful vinegar.--_mrs. p. w._ to dress brains. lay in salt and water, then either scramble like eggs, or beat the yolks of eggs with a little flour; dip the brains in and fry them.--_mrs. w._ to fry beef brains. pour over the brains salt water, let them remain for an hour, changing the water to draw the blood out, then pour over them some boiling water and remove the skin. beat up two eggs, and make a batter with a little flour, bread crumbs and crackers. season with pepper and salt. fry in hot lard.--_mrs. p. w._ to fry brains. soak the brains for several hours in weak salt water to get out the blood; drain and put them in a saucepan and pour very little boiling water on; simmer a few minutes. handle them lightly, and arrange so as to form round cakes, without breaking. pepper them and use very little salt; brains require very little salt. have ready a beaten egg, and cover the top of the cakes with it, using a spoon to put it on. sift over grated cracker and fry in hot lard; serve the other side the same way. keep closely covered while frying.--_mrs. s. t._ brain croquettes. wash the brains of three heads very thoroughly, until they are free from membraneous matter and perfectly white. then scramble with three eggs. when cold, roll into egg-shaped balls, with floured hands; dip in beaten egg, then in cracker or stale bread crumbs, and fry in lard.--_mrs. r. l._ to prepare tripe. empty the contents of the stomach of a fat beef; put it in boiling water, one piece at a time, to prevent getting too hot. scrape with a sharp knife, then put it in a vessel of cold water with salt; wash thoroughly, and change the salt water every day for four or five consecutive days; when perfectly white, boil in a very clean vessel of salt water. then put it in vinegar until you wish to use it. cut it in pieces of three or four inches square, and fry in egg batter.--_mrs. j. h._ tripe. the moment the tripe is taken out, wash it thoroughly in many cold waters. (if you have quick-lime, sift it over the dark inner coat, and instantly scrape off the coat.) cut it in four parts. have ready boiling water, dip and scrape until it becomes quite white. prepare weak brine with a considerable mixture of meal; let it soak a day. continue to shift it every day, and every other day scrape it; this must be done for a week, and then make nice gruel, in which it must be well boiled, first tying it up in a cloth. when boiled, take it out of the cloth, and lay it in a weak brine for a night, after which it may be put with the feet.--_mrs. r._ beef tripe. clean the tripe carefully. soak several days in salt water, then in clear water, changing several times. cut in slices, boil perfectly done, dip in a batter of egg (beaten light), milk and flour, or sift meal over it. fry or broil. season with pepper and salt. to fry tripe. cut the tripe after it has been boiled, into strips about four inches wide and six long. make a batter with two eggs, one teacup of flour and a little milk. pepper the tripe and roll it in the batter. fry in a pan of hot lard; as soon as one side is done, turn it over on the other side.--_mrs. p. w._ gravy for roast beef. when the joint is done to a turn, dish it and place before the fire; then carefully remove the fat from the dripping-pan, and pour the gravy into the dish, not over the meat, as is the custom of inexperienced cooks, who, moreover, ruthlessly drown it with a cupful of boiling water or highly flavored made-gravy. this is an error, for there is always a sufficient quantity of natural gravy in good meat to render the use of foreign sauces superfluous.--_mrs. p._ brown gravy. take the gravy that drips from the meat; add a little water, one spoonful butter, a little flour, a little pepper and a little salt. stew all together.--_miss e. p._ bologna sausage. take ten pounds of beef, and four pounds pork, two-thirds lean and one-third fat; chop very fine and mix well together. season with six ounces fine salt, one ounce black pepper, one-half ounce cayenne pepper, and sage to the taste.--_mrs. dr. s._ beef sausage. take tough beef and run it through a sausage machine. form the pulp into shapes an inch thick, and the size of a common beefsteak. season to the taste.--_mrs. c._ cow heel. as soon as the beef is killed, throw the feet in cold water, and let them remain during the night. in the morning, put them into a pot of cold water and let them boil until you find you can easily take off the hair and the hoof with a knife; take care as the water boils away to replenish with boiling water. have ready strong brine, not boiled nor strong enough to bear an egg, and the moment the feet are stripped, throw them in. let them stand one night and in the morning pour the brine from them and put to them a fresh brine, with a small quantity of vinegar. in a day or two, they are fit for use.--_mrs. r._ cow heel fried. buy the feet prepared at the butchers; boil well done. season with salt and pepper. have ready an egg batter; fry brown, and serve hot. a nice breakfast dish.--_mrs. r. l. o._ to fry beef heel. have a batter made of eggs, flour, etc., as for tripe. split the feet into convenient shapes and fry in hot lard. pour some vinegar over them while frying.--_mrs. p. w._ daube froide. take a beef shin, chop in several places to break the bone, keep it cooking in just water enough to prevent burning, till it falls to pieces. then after taking out the bones, season with one heaping teaspoonful flour rubbed into one tablespoonful butter, red and black pepper, salt and celery seed. stew it long enough to cook the flour. pour into a deep dish, cover with a plate, and put weights on it to press it. eat cold, as souse.--_mrs. c. m. a._ a french dish. to two beef feet, put four gallons water; set on the fire at eight o'clock in the morning. when the bones have dropped off add the half of one large onion, two red peppers, and one sprig parsley, all chopped fine. take another pot, put in two gallons water, in which cut up one-half gallon nice pieces of beef, half an onion, one red pepper, parsley, all chopped fine, and salt. when all has boiled to pieces, put all together and let it boil half an hour. press as souse cheese.--_mrs. t._ brine for beef. quarts salt. gallons water. pounds brown sugar. ½ pound saltpetre. boil and skim well. let the beef get thoroughly cold, and let as much as possible of the blood be drained out before putting it in the brine. it may sometimes be necessary, in the course of a few months, that the brine be boiled and skimmed a second time. this quantity will suffice for about half of an ordinary sized beef.--_mrs. a. c._ to corn beef. for every hundred pounds of beef, take: pounds salt. pounds brown sugar. ounces saltpetre. or ounces soda. ounce red pepper. the whole to be dissolved in four gallons of water. the beef must be closely packed in a barrel, and the mixture poured over so as to cover it. let it stand a week or ten days, or longer if the weather is cold; then pour off the brine, boil it, and skim off the blood. let it cool, and pour back on the beef. warranted to keep.--_mrs. dr. s._ to corn beef tongues and beef. one tablespoonful saltpetre to each tongue or piece of beef; rub this in first, then a plenty of salt. pack down in salt; after it has remained ten or twelve days, put this, with a few pods of red pepper cut up fine, in a brine of only salt and water, which has been boiled, strained, and cooled, and strong enough to bear an egg. wash a rock clean and place on the beef or tongues, to keep them under the brine. this will keep an indefinite length of time. fit for use in two weeks.--_mrs. s. t._ to corn beef or pork. pounds meat. ½ pounds salt. ½ pounds brown sugar. ½ pound saltpetre. quart molasses. mix well, boil and skim. when milk-warm, pour it over the meat with a ladle. the beef must be soaked in clear water and wiped dry, before putting in the brine. it will be ready for use in a few weeks. should the brine mould, skim and boil again. keep the meat under the brine.--_mrs. p. w._ to pickle tongue. rub it well with salt and leave it alone four or five hours; pour off the foul brine; take two ounces saltpetre beaten fine, and rub it all over the tongue; then mix one-quarter of a pound brown sugar and one ounce sal-prunella (the bay salt and sal prunella beat very fine), and rub it well over the tongue. let it lie in the pickle three or four days; make a brine of one gallon water with common salt strong enough to bear an egg, a half-pound brown sugar, two ounces saltpetre, and one-quarter of a pound bay salt. boil one quarter of an hour, skimming well; when cold put in the tongue; let it lie in the pickle fourteen days, turning it every day. when ready to use take it out of the pickle, or hang it in wood smoke to dry.--_mrs. a. m. d._ to corn beef. one tablespoonful saltpetre to each piece of beef, well rubbed in. then rub in as much salt as it will take. let it stand ten or twelve days, and then put it in strong brine. will be ready for use in a week.--_mrs. col. a. f._ corned beef. having a quarter of beef cut into proper size and shape for nice roasting pieces, put it in a barrel of weak brine and let it remain four days. then make a brine that will bear an egg, to which add: ½ pound saltpetre. pounds brown sugar. transfer the beef to this barrel, cover closely, and let it remain a week. put a weight on the meat to insure its being kept under the brine. beef thus prepared in january will keep well through the month of march, improving with the lapse of time. it is best served cold. a valuable receipt for country housekeepers.--_mrs. wm. a. s._ hunter's beef, or spiced round. to a round of beef weighing twenty-four pounds, take: ounces saltpetre. ounces coarsest sugar. ounce cloves. nutmeg. ½ ounce allspice. handfuls salt. beat all into the finest powder; allow the beef to hang three or four days; remove the bone, then rub the spices well into it, continuing to do so every two or three days, for two or three weeks. when to be dressed, dip it in cold water, to take off the loose spices, bind it up tightly and put into a pan with a teacupful water at the bottom. sprinkle the top of the meat with suet, cover it over with a thick batter, and brown paper over it. bake five hours.--_mrs. t. c._ hunter's round, or spiced beef. to a round of beef that weighs twenty-five pounds, take the following: ounces saltpetre. ounce cloves. ounce nutmeg. ounce allspice. pint salt. let the round of beef hang in a cool, dry place twenty-four hours. take out the bone, and fill the space with suet and spices mixed. rub the above ingredients all over the _round_; put in a wooden box or tub, turn it over occasionally and rub a small quantity of salt on it. let it remain three weeks. then make a stiff paste of flour and water, cover the _round_ with it and set in the oven. bake three hours slowly. remove the paste when cold, and trim neatly the rough outside, and slice horizontally. served only when cold.--_mrs. w. a. s._ to spice a round of beef. take three tablespoonfuls saltpetre, four tablespoonfuls brown sugar, with which rub your beef well. two teacups of salt, one teacup of cloves, one teacup of allspice (the spice must be ground fine). rub the beef with these ingredients. put it into a tub as near the size of the beef as possible; turn it every day in the pickle it makes. in about four weeks it will be ready for use. for thirty pounds use two pounds beef suet. when cooked place sticks across the bottom of the pot to prevent its burning.--_mrs. r. l. p._ spiced beef. take eight or ten pounds of the thin flank, remove any gristle, skin or bones; rub it over with half ounce saltpetre, half ounce bay salt, then rub it well in with a mixture of spices, the the following proportions being used: ounce black pepper. ounce allspice. ½ ounce ground ginger. ¼ ounce cloves. / ounce mace. use only as much as will suffice to rub the beef all over; then add three ounces common salt, and quarter of a pound coarse sugar. let the beef remain a fortnight in this pickle, turning it and rubbing it every day: then take it out, cover it with the spices and chopped sweet herbs, roll it very tight, tie it with tape, put it into a pan with half-pint water, and half-pound suet. bake it after the bread has been drawn, for six hours; put a heavy weight upon it, and when cold take off the tape. to cook a corned round of beef. wash it clean of the brine, sew it in a coarse towel and boil six to eight hours. do not remove the towel until next day; it is nicer to put it in a round mould and gives it a good shape. when perfectly cold, trim nicely and cut it across the grain.--_mrs. p. w._ to cook corned beef-tongue, etc. if the beef has been in brine long or has been dried, it must be soaked in cold water twelve hours before boiling. if freshly cured it is unnecessary. the beef should be put on in a large pot of water early in the morning and simmer for hours. set the pot at the back of the range or stove, where it will gently boil during the preparation of dinner. when it first commences to boil, take off the scum. after it is thoroughly done, take off the boiler or pot. set away with the beef under the liquor to remain until next day, when it will be found juicy and tender. with a sharp knife carefully trim, and garnish with scraped horseradish and curled parsley.--_mrs. s. t._ how to cook corned beef. the flank is a nice piece to corn; though an ugly piece of meat, it can be made a nice and delicious dish. wash the flank clean, roll it up as tight as you can, and tie it with strong cord in three places; then sew it up in a coarse towel and put it on and boil from five to six hours, according to size; take it out of the pot, but do not undo it, put it on a dish or pan and put a weight on it; let it stand until next day, then remove the cloth and strings; trim it, and you have a nice dish.--_mrs. p. w._ smoked beef. to a piece of beef weighing about twelve or fourteen pounds, you rub in the following: pint salt. cup brown sugar. cup molasses. ½ teaspoonful pounded saltpetre. rub this well on the beef and turn it several times. at the end of ten days drain it, rub bran on it, hang it up and smoke for several days.--_mrs. h. t._ to cure beef for drying. this recipe keeps the meat moist, so that it has none of that toughness dried beef mostly has when a little old. to every twenty-eight or thirty pounds, allow one tablespoonful saltpetre, one quart fine salt, mixed with molasses until the color is about that of light brown sugar; rub the pieces of meat with the mixture, and when done, let all stick to it that will. pack in a keg or half-barrel, that the pickle may cover the meat, and let it remain forty-eight hours; at the end of that time, enough pickle will be formed to cover it. take it out and hang in a suitable place for drying. allow all the mixture to adhere to the meat that will.--_mrs. a. m. d._ to cure beef ham. divide the ham into three parts; rub on half-pint molasses; let it remain in this molasses a day and two nights, turning it over occasionally during the time. rub on then one handful salt and put it back in the vessel with the molasses; turn it over, morning and night for ten days. hang it up to dry for one week, then smoke a little. it is an excellent plan, after sufficiently smoked, to put each piece of beef in a bag, to protect from insects, and keep hanging till used.--_miss k. w._ to dry beef and tongue. the best pieces are the brisket, the round and rib pieces that are used for roasting. put about the middle of february in brine. rub first with salt, and let them lie for a fortnight, then throw them in brine and let them lay there three weeks, take them out and wipe dry: rub them over with bran and hang in a cool place and dark, not letting them touch anything. should there come a wet season, put them in the sun to dry a little.--_mrs. r._ stewed loin of veal. take part of a loin of veal, the chump end will do. put it into a large, thick, well-tinned iron saucepan, or into a stew-pan, add about two ounces of butter, and shake it over a moderate fire until it begins to brown; flour the veal well over, lay it in a saucepan, and when it is of a fine, equal light brown, pour gradually in veal broth, gravy or boiling water, to nearly half its depth; add a little salt, one or two sliced carrots, a small onion, or more when the flavor is liked, and one bunch parsley. stew the veal very softly for an hour or rather more, then turn it and let it stew for nearly or quite another hour or longer, should it not appear perfectly done. a longer time must be allowed when the meat is more than middling size. dish the joint; skim all the fat from the gravy and strain it over the meat, or keep the joint hot while it is rapidly reduced to a richer consistency.--_mrs. j._ veal chops. first beat until tender, then lay the chops in a pan, pour in just enough boiling water to barely cover them. cover closely and simmer till tender, sprinkling over after they are nearly done, with a little pepper and salt. lift from the pan, dry with a clean towel, butter them, then cover with beaten egg, and sift on cracker crumbs. lay on a baking dish or pan and set in the stove to brown. garnish and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ roast veal. plunge into boiling water, dry with a clean cloth; rub well with pepper and salt, then with butter. dredge with flour, and put into a pan with two teacups of boiling water, a slice of bacon or pork, minced onion and parsley, pepper and salt. set in a hot oven; simmer, baste and brown. veal is longer cooking than lamb. when a light brown, with a pin, stick on a buttered paper to prevent dryness. thicken the gravy with brown flour, if brown gravy is wanted, but always with mashed irish potato if white gravy is desired.--_mrs. s. t._ veal steak. first beat until it is tender, then without washing lay on a gridiron over coals; turn over it a tin plate to prevent hardness and dryness. turn the steak, and when well done, with a knife and fork press it and turn it in a pan or plate of hot melted butter. after putting in plate of hot butter and letting it absorb as much of the butter as possible, lay it on a dish, pepper and salt it plentifully, and pour over the melted butter. (set in the oven a few minutes, but not long enough for the butter to fry, which is ruinous to the flavor of steaks, game, etc.) when done, sift over grated cracker. garnish with parsley and serve hot.--_mrs. s. t._ veal cutlet. cut the veal as if for steak or frying, put lard or butter in the pan, and let it be hot. beat up an egg on a plate and have flour on another; dip the pieces first in the egg, then in the flour, on both sides, and lay in the pan and fry until done, turning it carefully once. this makes an excellent dish if well prepared. this way is superior to batter.--_mrs. d._ _veal cutlet._ cut it in pieces the size of your hand, and lay in salt water some little time. take out and wipe dry. put a small piece of lard in the pan and sprinkle the cutlet with a very little flour, pepper, and salt. fry until nearly done. when it begins to brown, pour off the lard, and pour in a little water, one large spoonful butter, and a little celery-seed. turn it over frequently.--_mrs. w._ _veal cutlets._ trim smoothly and beat till tender, sprinkle over pepper and salt; then with a spoon spread over an egg beaten till thick, and cover thickly with pounded cracker. have some hot lard ready in the frying-pan, put the cutlets on to fry, with the prepared side down; when of a light yellow brown, dress the other side the same way and fry, keeping closely covered. when they are perfectly done (veal should never be rare), place in a hot dish; pour one teacup of milk, one small piece of butter, pepper, salt, and minced onion and parsley into the pan, stirring constantly. when it boils up, pour into the dish and garnish with parsley. always sift browned cracker over such dishes.--_mrs. s. t._ cold veal dressed with white sauce. boil one pint milk and thicken it a little with one teaspoonful flour, wet with cold water. when well boiled, put in very thin slices of veal, and simmer slowly for fifteen minutes. have the yolk of an egg well beaten up, and add to the meat, also a piece of butter. let it boil up once, stirring all the time, and serve it on toasted slices of bread. a few slices of bacon, cut thin and fried to a crisp, make a good relish with this dish.--_mrs. g. p._ minced veal. cut some slices of cold veal into small bits or dice; take the cold gravy and add to it a half-pint of boiling water, one teaspoonful tomato or walnut catsup, the grated peel of one lemon, pepper and salt. simmer it with the meat slowly for half an hour; then add half a teaspoonful flour made into a thin batter and pour it into the gravy, stirring it rapidly. boil for ten minutes; turn in one-half cupful cream, or same quantity of milk with a small piece of butter; let it boil up. serve on a hot platter garnished with sippets of fried bread.--_mrs. p._ veal loaf. pounds chopped veal. ½ pound chopped pork. tablespoonfuls powdered cracker. tablespoonful sage. tablespoonfuls butter. teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonful mace. salt to taste. egg well beaten and mixed in the ingredients. make up into a loaf or pone, and bake slowly three and a half hours. this is an excellent dish to use with lettuce, etc., in the spring or early autumn, when game is out of season. it is best to be made the day before using.--_mrs. r. r._ veal loaf. two and a half pounds meat taken from fillet or shoulder, or wherever the meat is free from fat. take out all the little white, fibrous or sinewy particles, and chop very finely, almost to a paste. mix in rolled cracker crumbs with one egg to hold it together, a little butter, red and black pepper, and salt to taste. form into a small loaf; dredge with the cracker crumbs, and put several little pieces of butter over the outside. set this loaf uncooked, with about one quart water or some broth, in a pan; put it in the oven and baste constantly for two hours, and when taken out to cool, pour any remaining liquid over the loaf. it ought to cut in slices and be quite compact--no caverns in the inside of the loaf.--_mrs. g. p._ veal cake. take one and a half pounds veal, and half a pound of bacon, stew together with very little water, a little salt and pepper, thyme and parsley. when the veal is tender, cut into small square pieces, as also the bacon. boil four eggs hard and slice them up, and chop some raw parsley fine. take a mould or small bowl, lay the slices of egg in a kind of pattern prettily at the bottom of it. sprinkle the parsley between the slices. add veal, bacon, and more egg alternately, pepper and salt to taste, and a little grated lemon-peel, also some more parsley, and so on until the bowl is nearly full. fill up with the gravy the veal was boiled in, which ought to be very rich. let it stand until quite cold, then turn out on a flat dish. the slices cut firmer and more solid when the cake is made the day beforehand, which it is best to do if the weather permits.--_mrs. r. p._ sweetbreads. three good throat sweetbreads will make a dish. blanch them well and lay in cold water, then take out and dry well. add egg, bread crumbs, and herbs. put on a dish and brown in an oven. eat with mushroom or tomato sauce.--_mrs. r._ _sweetbreads._ soak, and put in boiling water for ten minutes. stew in cold water to blanch them. they may be cut in slices or in dice and put in fricassee or meats, or ragoûts, or used as a separate dish.--_mrs. w._ _sweetbreads._ lay them in salt and water, after washing; parboil until done; drain, dry, and split in half. rub with butter, pepper and salt. dip in one egg beaten stiff. sift over pounded cracker. butter a baking-dish, lay them in, and set in a hot oven to brown, or fry until a light brown.--_mrs. s. t._ calves' feet dressed as terrapins. boil eight feet until the meat leaves the bones, then remove them. put them in a pan with one-half pint of the rich gravy in which they are boiled, and add two large spoonfuls butter. rub the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs with a small teaspoonful mustard, a very little cayenne, and salt to the taste. when well mixed with the egg, stir all together into the feet or gravy. let it simmer ten minutes, and just before dishing add two wineglasses of good cooking wine and simmer again before serving.--_mrs. m. e. l. w._ calf's liver broiled. cut the liver in thin slices, wash it and let it stand in salt and water half an hour to draw out the blood. parboil in fresh salt and water, and broil, basting frequently in butter. lay on a hot dish with a lump of butter.--_mrs. a. m. d._ to fry calf's liver. cut in thin slices. season with pepper and salt, sweet herbs, and parsley. dredge with flour and fry brown with lard. have it thoroughly done, but it must not be hard; keep covered while frying.--_mrs. r._ calf's liver fried. a calf's liver, as white as can be procured, flour, one bunch savory herbs, including parsley, juice of a lemon; pepper and salt to taste, a little water. cut the liver into slices of a good and equal shape. dip them in flour and fry brown. place on a hot dish and keep before the fire while you prepare the gravy. mince the herbs fine and put into the frying-pan with a little more butter; add the other ingredients with one teaspoonful flour. simmer gently until the herbs are done, and pour over the liver.--_mrs. a. m. d._ bewitched liver. pounds calf's liver, chopped fine. ¼ pound salt pork. cup grated bread crumbs. eggs well beaten. teaspoonfuls salt. teaspoonfuls black pepper. ½ teaspoonful red pepper. mix all well together, and put into a tin mould; set it in a pot of cold water and let it boil two hours. then set the mould in a cool oven to dry off a little; when thoroughly cold turn it out.--_mrs. j. h._ simple way of cooking liver. wash calf's liver and heart thoroughly; chop them fine as possible, after they have been boiled till very tender; then add pepper and salt, and one tablespoonful flour, straining into it a little of the water.--_mrs. j. p. h._ calf's brains. beat up the brains with a little lemon-peel cut fine, a little nutmeg grated, a little mace beaten, thyme and parsley. shred fine the yolk of an egg, and dredge with flour. fry in little flat cakes and lay on top of the baked head. if for soup, mix in one-half the brains with the soup while the soup is boiling, and make the other in cakes and lay together with forcemeat balls in the soup.--_mrs. r._ calf's head. split the head, take out the brains, boil till it will fall to pieces. cut it up fine and season with pepper, salt and nutmeg to the taste; add one-quarter pound of butter, wineglassful wine, and the brains, which are not to be boiled with the head. put in a dish and bake with or without paste.--_mrs. j. d._ baked calf's head. boil until tender, then cut into pieces and put into a deep dish with pepper, salt, a few cloves, mace, a little thyme. a spoonful butter with flour, well mixed through the meat, a layer of bread crumbs on top. then add a wineglass of wine and fill up the dish with the water the head was boiled in, and bake three-quarters of an hour. garnish with forcemeat balls and rings of hard-boiled eggs, just before sending to the table.--_miss n._ veal daube. after the head of a calf is skinned and the feet prepared by taking off the hoofs, scraping, etc., throw them into cold water for twenty-four hours. put them in a boiler of cold water, and simmer until the flesh leaves the bones and there is but little water left. throw in salt, pepper, minced onion, parsley, and thyme; take the meat and bones out. beat up two eggs until light, add two tablespoonfuls cold water, then the liquor from the boiler. stir all together, boil up and strain on the meat from the head, which must first be cut up or picked fine and chopped with six hard-boiled eggs, and seasoned to the taste with the juice of one lemon and wineglass of jelly. this is set aside in a mould or bowl and eaten cold with garnish of scraped horseradish and parsley. the calves' feet make another good dish by drying first, then dipping in batter made of an egg, one spoonful of flour, one small teacupful milk, with a little salt, and frying.--_mrs. s. t._ mutton and lamb. when the weather will admit of it, mutton is better for being kept a few days before cooking. the saddle, which is considered the finest piece, consists of the back or loin and upper part of the hind legs. in getting this nice roast, however, you spoil the hind quarter, as the saddle takes some of the nicest parts of this and leaves it too dry to cook by itself. the hind quarter and loin together make a very nice dish--the latter being fat and juicy. the fore quarter is sometimes cut by taking off the shoulder and taking the rib-piece, making a piece called the brisket or breast, and many persons esteem this the choicest part of the mutton. the ribs cut next to the back are used for mutton chops. when you have a large supply of mutton on hand, it is well to put the hind quarters in brine, as you can thus corn them as nicely as beef. as mutton spoils easily, this plan is very advisable. whilst boiled mutton is very nice, lamb is spoiled by this mode of cooking. if lamb is to be roasted, it should be covered with the caul, as the fat, dripping from this, will preserve the moisture of the meat. in carving the fore quarter of lamb, first take off the shoulder and then cut the ribs in strips. lamb is seldom cut except in quarters, and when nicely cooked there is nothing better. it should be four months old before being eaten. the season for lamb is from may to august, whilst that for mutton is from august to christmas. to roast mutton. the hind quarter is the nicest part of the mutton to roast, and requires longer to cook than lamb. put it in a pot of boiling water and let it simmer one hour. lift it into a baking-pan, rub with salt and pepper (too much salt makes the meat tough). rub over it a little lard and then dredge with flour: skim off the top of the water and pour over it. set it in a hot oven, basting frequently to prevent it from being hard and dry; roast till thoroughly done. this is nice to set aside for a cold dish, garnished with horseradish and eaten with currant jelly.--_mrs. p. w._ roast leg of mutton. choose young and tender mutton. take off the shank--wash it well; let it lie fifteen or twenty minutes in salt water to take the blood out. rub with little salt and pepper well. lay on a grate, which will go nicely in a baking-pan, over one pint boiling water; break the bones of the shank in the water, adding more pepper and salt. set it in a very hot oven, and baste frequently to prevent it from being hard and dry. when it is of a light brown, cover with sheets of buttered paper. place it on a dish; add minced parsley to the gravy, which should be brown. cover the roast with grated brown cracker and garnish at intervals with chopped parsley; pour the gravy in the dish, not over it. mutton should always be perfectly done.--_mrs. s. t._ roast saddle of mutton. trim the joint carefully, roast it at a brisk, clear fire; baste frequently, and when done dredge it plentifully with salt, and serve with the gravy well freed from fat. to boil a leg of mutton. make a paste of flour quite plain, mixed stiff with water, roll out as for a meat pudding; break and turn in the shank bone; then cover the leg of mutton carefully with the paste; tie up tight in a well-floured cloth. have ready sufficient boiling water, place in the joint, allow ten minutes for checking the boiling, and twenty minutes for each pound of meat. carefully remove the paste, which can be done by one cut longitudinally and one cut across. strain the gravy and serve as usual. boiled leg of mutton. dip a cloth in hot water, tie up the mutton and put in boiling water. boil slowly for two hours, or longer, if not kept constantly boiling.--_mrs. r._ broiled mutton. after a leg of mutton has been washed and wiped dry, place in a cloth that has been dipped in boiling water. roll it up, pin and tie securely; put in a pot of boiling water. let it simmer several hours, removing the scum that rises when it first begins to boil. if a small leg of mutton, it will require a shorter time to cook than a large one. just before it is done, add enough salt to season it properly, half an onion, and one heaping teaspoonful of black pepper. when this has properly seasoned the meat, take from the fire, unwrap and drain. serve with drawn butter, adding capers or nasturtium seed, or if you have neither, use chopped sour pickle instead. mutton should always be served with caper sauce, if possible.--_mrs. s. t._ to cook a saddle of mutton. meats are all better for being kept a day or two before cooking, particularly mutton. if the mutton be tender, do not boil it, but put it in a pan of water, set it on the stove, and cook slowly, basting constantly with the gravy or water in the pan; with pepper and salt to taste. just before it is done, put some scraped horseradish over it, and garnish the dish with the same; add a little ground mustard and grated bread or cracker; pour the gravy over it, and grate bread over, and set aside to cool. this is for cold mutton. all meats are better for roasting before a fire than in a stove.--_mrs. p. w._ saddle of mutton. this should be covered with paper, and carefully roasted or baked. season with a little pepper and salt; garnish with horseradish. iced saddle of mutton. reserve the drippings from the meat when it is roasting. after the saddle is nicely cooked, let it get cold. then take the white part of the gravy and melt it to the consistency of cream. pour this over the saddle until it is covered with a white coat; if it appears rough, warm an iron spoon and pass over it until it is smooth. place it on a dish, and dress the dish all round with vegetable flowers and curled parsley, using the parsley to ornament the saddle also.--_mrs. judge s._ to corn mutton. mutton being less apt to keep than other meat, it is well, when you have an over-supply, to corn it exactly as you would corn beef.--_miss r. s._ shoulder of mutton corned. take a small shoulder of mutton, rub it with ounces salt. ounces sugar. ½ ounce saltpetre. after twenty-four hours, rub it again with the pickle; next day boil this in paste like the leg of mutton. serve smothered in onion sauce. mutton chop. get from your butcher nicely shaped mutton chops, not too long. put them into a pan with pepper and salt, and barely enough water to cover them. cover close and simmer till done; drain, wipe dry; pepper, salt and butter them; with a spoon, cover with an egg beaten stiff. sift over pounded crackers. put in a pan and set in an oven to brown.--_mrs. s. t._ mutton chops dressed with tomatoes. place in a pan tomatoes peeled and chopped; season with butter, pepper, sugar, and salt. take from your gridiron some nicely broiled mutton chops; put into a pan, cover close, and simmer for fifteen minutes. lay the chops on a hot dish, put on a little butter, pepper and salt. with a spoon, cover each chop with tomatoes. sift over pounded cracker and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ mutton chop. cut the steaks; pepper and salt them. broil them lightly on both sides; take them off the gridiron, lay them on a spider. slice up one large onion and stew until it becomes tender; put a layer between each chop and stew until they become tender. take out the steaks, cover them closely or tilt the gravy to the side of the vessel, till it is brown; stir in a lump of butter.--_mrs. a. p._ _mutton chop._ mushroom catsup is a nice flavoring. put pepper and salt on the chops and lay them in melted butter; when they have imbibed sufficient, take out and cover with grated bread crumbs and broil.--_mrs. r._ broiled mutton chops. beat the mutton chops till tender; then trim, making them of uniform size and shape; pour on them boiling water. let them remain in it a minute, dry them and rub with pepper, salt, and fresh butter. lay on a gridiron over hot coals, always remembering to cover them while broiling. turn them, and as soon as nicely browned place in a hot dish, pepper again, pour over them melted butter, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ mutton stew. cut slices of rare mutton and put on to stew in a little water; when nearly done put in-- teacup of sweet pickle vinegar. large spoonfuls jelly. a little salt. teaspoonful mustard. ½ teacup of walnut catsup. butter size of an egg. stew slowly a short time.--_mrs. f. d._ _mutton stew._ slice cold mutton or lamb, lay it in a baking dish; put in-- teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonful red pepper. teaspoonful celery-seed, pounded. rather more than teaspoonful each of pounded cloves, cinnamon and mace. teacup of yellow pickle vinegar. glassful wine. slice up a little yellow pickled cucumber, sugar to taste, one-quarter pound butter, one roll of light bread broken in small pieces or cut in little slices, and toasted before used. in preparing this dish put a layer of the meat and seasonings alternately. the peppers, celery-seed, cloves, cinnamon, and mace must all be pounded fine.--_mrs. c._ grilled slices of mutton. cut some rather thick slices of underdone cold mutton, score them well and rub in plentifully some common mustard, salt, and cayenne pepper; then broil them over a clear fire, and serve with onion sauce. sheep's tongues. boil them till the skin can be taken off; split them, and put them into a stew-pan, with some gravy, parsley, mushrooms, and one minced shallot, and some butter, some pepper, and salt. stew till tender, and strain the gravy over them; or they may be glazed and served with the gravy under them. sheep's tongues may also be skinned, larded, braised, and glazed; and served with onion sauce. to roast lamb. the hind quarter is the nicest piece for roasting. drop it in a pot of boiling water; boil half an hour, put it in a pan, dredge it with lard, pepper, flour, a little salt; skim the top of the water in which it is boiled, and pour over it; as soon as the gravy accumulates in the pan keep it basted frequently to prevent it from being hard and dry. lamb should be cooked done to be good.--_mrs. p. w._ to grill a shoulder of lamb. half boil it, score and cover it with egg, crumbs, and parsley seasoned as for cutlets. broil it over a very clear, slow fire, or put it in a dutch oven to brown it; serve with any sauce that is liked. a breast of lamb is often grilled in the same way. lamb's head to fricassee. parboil the head and haslet (the liver excepted); cut the meat in slices from the head; slice the heart, tongue, etc., and fricassee as for chicken. have the liver fried in slices with the sweetbreads and slices of bacon and bunches of parsley. pour the fricassee into the dish, and garnish with the fried pieces.--_mrs. r._ lamb's head. boil the head and liver, but so as not to let the liver be too much done. take up the head, split it through the bone, which must remain with the meat on. cut the meat across and across with a knife, grate some nutmeg on it and lay it on a dish before a good fire; then throw over it some grated bread crumbs, some sweet herbs, some allspice, a little lemon peel chopped fine, a very little pepper and salt. baste it with butter, and dredge a little flour over it. just as it is done, take one-half the liver, the lights, the meat, the tongue; chop them small with six or eight spoonfuls water or gravy. first shake some flour over the meat and stew it together; then put in the gravy or water, a good piece of butter rolled in a little flour, pepper and salt, and what runs from the head in the dish. simmer all together a few minutes, and add half a spoonful of vinegar; pour it on the head. lay the head on the centre of the mince-meat; have ready the other half of liver, cut in pieces and fried quickly with slices of bacon and lemon; lay these around the dish and serve.--_mrs. t._ decorations and garnishes for cold meats and salads. the day before giving a dinner or evening entertainment, gather up medium and small sized pure white and yellow turnips, carrots, red and pink beets, the different colored radishes. from these the most beautiful flowers can be cut; camellias, roses, dahlias, tulips, tuberoses, etc. no explicit directions can be given except, first, smoothly to pare each vegetable, taking care not to keep them too near the fire, which will cause them to wilt and lose the waxy freshness which makes them so beautiful. each flower may be laid on a cluster of green leaves or curled parsley, and over the cold meats, and around the edge of the dish. the cutting of these flowers makes a charming and interesting pastime for the young members of the family, in the evening before.--_mrs. c. g._ poultry. in summer, kill and dress the poultry the day beforehand, except chicken for frying, which is not good unless killed the same day it is eaten. the best way to kill a fowl is to tie it by its legs, hang it up, and then cut off its neck. in this way, it dies more quickly, suffers less, and bleeds more freely. it is best to pick fowls dry; though, if you are pressed for time, you may facilitate the picking of chickens, as well as of partridges and other small birds, by putting them first into water, hot, but not boiling. then take off the feathers carefully, so as not to break the skin. never scald a turkey, duck or goose, however, before picking. to draw the crop, split the skin of all poultry on the back of the neck. pull the neck upward and the skin downward, and the crop can be easily pulled out. then cut off the neck close to the body, leaving the skin to skewer at the back of the neck after the dressing has been put in. make an incision under the rump lengthwise, sufficient to allow the entrails to be easily removed. be careful not to break the gall, and to preserve the liver whole. cut open the gizzard, take out the inner skin, and wash both carefully. wash the bird inside several times, the last time with salt and water. some persons object to using water inside or outside, but i consider it more cleanly to wash the bird first and then wipe it dry with a clean towel. it should then be hung with the neck downwards till ready to cook. the head, neck, and feet, after being nicely washed and the bones in them broken, should be stewed in the gravy, as they make it much richer. it is said that throwing chickens into cold water immediately after they have finished bleeding, and allowing them to remain there ten or fifteen minutes, will make them deliciously tender, which can be accounted for scientifically. frozen fowls or game should be thawed gradually, by being laid in cold water. if cooked without being thawed, it will require double time, and they will not be tender nor high-flavored. the tests by which you may tell the age of a turkey are these. an old turkey has rough and red legs, and if a gobbler, long spurs, while young turkeys have black legs, and if gobblers, small spurs. the fatter they are and the broader their breasts, the better. when dressed, the skin should be a yellowish white, and, if tender, you may easily rip it with a pin. if, when you bend back the wings, the sinews give and crack, this is another test of the turkey being young, and the same test will apply to other fowls. the bill and feet of an old goose are red and hairy. a young goose has pen feathers and its flesh is whiter than that of an old one. if young, the lower part of a hen's legs and feet are soft and smooth, while a young cock has small spurs. when dressed, the flesh should be white and the fat a pale yellow. turn the wing back, and if the sinews snap it is a sign the chicken is young. a few words on the subject of carving may not be out of place here. a sharp knife, with a thin and well tempered blade is essential to good carving. in carving a turkey, cut off first the wing nearest to you, then the leg and second joint, then slice the breast till a rounded, ivory-shaped piece appears. insert the knife between that and the bone, and separate them. this part is the nicest bit of the breast. next comes the merry-thought. after this, turn over the bird a little, and just below the breast you will find the oyster, which you will separate as you did the inner breast. the side bone lies beside the rump, and the desired morsel can be taken out without separating the whole bone. proceed with the other side in the same way. the fork need not be removed during the whole process. chicken and partridges are carved in the same way. roast turkey. wash nicely in and out. plunge into boiling water ten minutes. have ready a dressing of bread crumbs. hard boiled eggs, chopped fine. tablespoonful butter. minced parsley, thyme and celery. after rubbing the cavity well with salt and pepper and putting in a slice of pork or bacon, fill with the above dressing. do the same also to the crop, so as to make the turkey look plump. rub the turkey well with butter and sprinkle salt and pepper over it. dredge with flour. lay in the pan with a slice of pork or bacon and a pint of boiling water. lay the liver and gizzard in the pan with it. put in a hot oven, basting and turning frequently till every part is a beautiful brown. when the meat is amber color, pin a buttered sheet of writing paper over it to keep it from becoming hard and dry. cook three or four hours. season the gravy with minced parsley and celery and serve with cranberry sauce.--_mrs. s. t._ _roast turkey._ wash the turkey thoroughly inside and out, having removed the insides. make a dressing of bread soaked in cold water, drained and mashed fine, a small piece of melted butter or salt pork chopped, pepper and salt, sweet herbs, a hard boiled egg, chopped fine. any kind of cooked meat is good, minced fine and added to the dressing. the body and crop must be filled with the dressing and sewed up. the giblets ought to be boiled tender, if they are to be used. use the water in which they are boiled, for gravy, adding a little of the turkey drippings, seasoning with pepper, salt, and sweet herbs, and thickening with a little flour and water, mixed smoothly. place where it will boil. when the fowl is put on to roast, put a little water into the dripping-pan. at first it should be roasted slowly and basted frequently. tie up the wings and legs before roasting, and rub on a little butter and salt. serve with drawn butter.--_mrs. w._ _roast turkey._ put the gizzard, heart and liver in cold water and boil till tender. when done, chop fine and add stale bread, grated, salt and pepper, sweet herbs, if liked, two eggs well beaten. fill the turkey with this dressing, sew the openings, drawing the skin tightly together. put a little butter over the turkey and lay it upon the grate of your meat-pan. cover the bottom of the pan well with boiling water. in half an hour, baste the turkey by pouring over it the gravy that has begun to form in the pan. repeat this basting every fifteen minutes. in an oven of average temperature, a twelve-pound turkey will require at least three hours' cooking.--_mrs. a. d._ roast turkey, with truffles. truffles must be peeled, chopped and pounded in a mortar; one and a half pound will do for one turkey. rasp the same amount of fat bacon and mix with the truffles and stuff the turkey with it. this dressing is usually placed in the turkey two days beforehand, to impart its flavor to the fowl. lay thin slices of fat bacon over the breast of the turkey, cover it with half a sheet of white paper, and roast two hours. chestnuts dressed in the same way as truffles are found an excellent substitute.--_mrs. s. g._ boiled turkey. wash well with cold water, then put on in milk-warm water, either tied in a coarse cloth dredged with flour or with a half-pound of rice in the water. keep well under water, and boil slowly three hours, adding salt just before it is done. when perfectly done and tender, take out of the pot, sprinkle in the cavity a little pepper and salt, and fill with oysters stewed just enough to plump them, and season, with butter, pepper, salt and vinegar. place in a dish and set in a steamer to keep hot. strain the liquor in which the oysters were scalded, add drawn butter, chopped celery, parsley and thyme; pour over the turkey, and serve. if not convenient to use oysters, use egg and butter sauce. garnish with sliced lemons.--_mrs. s. t._ _boiled turkey._ prepare the turkey as for roasting. tie it in a cloth or boil rice in the pot with it, if you wish it to look white. it is improved by boiling a pound or two of salt pork with it. if soup is made of the liquor, let it stand till next day and skim the fat. season after heating.--_mrs. w._ to steam a turkey. rub butter, pepper and salt inside the turkey after it has been well washed, fill with oysters, sew up, lay in a dish and set in a steamer placed over boiling water. cover closely and steam from two hours to two and a half. take up, strain the gravy which will be found in the dish. have an oyster sauce ready, prepared like stewed oysters, and pour into it this gravy thickened with a little butter and flour. let it come to a boil and whiten with a little boiled cream. pour this over the steamed turkey and send to the table hot. garnish with sliced lemons.--_mrs. s. t._ turkey hash. cut up the meat very fine. stew the bones in a little water, then stir into this water the meat, adding a large tablespoonful butter, a cup of cream, salt and pepper, a little chopped parsley, thyme or celery (or else a very few celery-seeds). stew all together.--_mrs. r._ devilled turkey. place the legs and wings (jointed) on a gridiron. broil slowly. have ready a sauce made of-- tablespoonful pepper vinegar. tablespoonful made mustard. tablespoonful celery sauce. tablespoonful acid fruit jelly. a little salt and pepper. lay the broiled turkey on a hot dish. pour the dressing and sift pounded cracker over it.--_mrs. s. t._ potato stuffing for turkeys and other fowls. mash smoothly six good-sized boiled irish potatoes. chop a small onion very fine and fry a light brown, in a frying-pan, with a dessertspoonful lard. then add the potatoes with salt and pepper, and a lump of butter as large as a walnut. to this add one well beaten egg, stirring till perfectly dry. if for geese or ducks, add a little sifted sage and a small quantity of red pepper.--_mrs. mcg._ boned turkey. the turkey must be full grown, moderately fat, and picked dry. do not remove the entrails. cut off the neck about one inch from the body. take off the wings above the second joint and cut off the legs as usual. with a sharp pointed knife, split the skin from the end of the neck to the rump. run the knife between the bones and flesh on one side, till you come to where the wing and leg join the body. twist the wing and raise it, cracking the joint. separate it from the body. then proceed with the leg in the same way, on the same side. run the knife between the bones and flesh till you reach the breast bone. repeat this on the other side. take out the craw. carefully run a sharp knife under the rump, detaching it from the bone without cutting the skin, as it must come off with the flesh. hold the turkey by the neck and pull the skin carefully down, until the upper part of the breast bone is uncovered. cut the flesh from the bone on both sides, till the end of the bone is nearly reached. the turkey must now be laid on the back and held by the neck, the front of the turkey being toward you. take hold of the skin of the neck with the left hand, pulling downwards with a knife in the right hand, separate the skin from the end of the bone. the whole of the turkey is now detached from the carcass. lay it on a table with the skin down. pull the bones from the wings and legs, first running the knife around so as to leave the flesh. pull out all the tendons of the legs. push them and the wings inside. cut off the ring under the rump. all this must be done slowly and carefully. have ready a half-dozen slices of salt pork, and a salad made of shoat, veal or lamb, chopped and seasoned, as turkey salad, with celery, etc. mix with this salad three or four large irish potatoes, boiled and mashed, with a spoonful of butter. now lay the turkey on the table, inside up and the neck from you; pepper and salt it; lay three or four slices of pork on it, then a layer of the salad; pork again and salad alternately until filled; draw the two sides together and sew it up, giving it as near as possible its proper shape. sew it up carefully in a cloth, place in a kettle of the proper shape, cover with boiling water, adding the broken bones, three pounds fresh lean beef, parsley, thyme, onions and two dozen whole black peppercorns, with salt to the taste. simmer three hours, then take it from the water and remove the towel. carefully remove all discolorations and settlings of the water from the turkey. scald a clean cloth, wrap it up again; place it on its back, put a dish over it with a weight on it and set it in a cool place till next day. unwrap and remove the twine with which it was sewed. glaze it with a little meat jelly; just before the jelly congeals sift over a little cracker browned and pounded; decorate with meat jelly and serve. directions for preparing meat jelly follow.--_mrs. s. t._ meat jelly for boned turkey. as soon as the water in which the turkey was boiled is cold, take off all the fat and strain it, put it in a porcelain-lined kettle; two ounces gelatine, three eggs, with shells, a wine-glass of sherry, port or madeira wine; stir well. add one quart of the strained liquor; beat rapidly with an egg-beater, put it on the fire and stir until it boils. simmer ten or fifteen minutes. sprinkle in a pinch of turmeric and strain just as any other jelly. when congealed break it up and place around the turkey. cut some in thick slices and in fanciful shapes with paste cutters. place some of these lozenges over the turkey and border the edges of the dish with them.--_mrs. s. t._ chickens. these, whether for boiling or roasting, should have a dressing prepared as for turkeys. six spoonfuls of rice boiled with the chickens will cause them to look white. if the water is cold when they are put in, they will be less liable to break. they are improved by boiling a little salt pork with them. if not thus boiled, they will need salt. for broiling, chickens should be split, the innards taken out, and the chickens then washed. broil very slowly till done, placing the bony side down; then turn it and brown the other side. forty minutes is the medium time for broiling a chicken. for roast chicken, boil the gizzard and liver by themselves, and use the water for gravy.--_mrs. col. w._ roast chicken. chicken should never be cooked the same day it is killed. wash well with cold water, then pour boiling water over it and into the cavity. rub the latter with salt and pepper, and fill with a dressing made of bread soaked in water and squeezed out, a tablespoonful butter, a little salt, pepper and parsley. rub the chicken well with butter. sprinkle pepper and salt over it and dredge with flour. lay it into a pan with a slice of pork or bacon and a pint of water. let it simmer slowly two hours, basting and dredging frequently. turn the chicken so each part may be equally browned. add chopped thyme and parsley to the gravy. some persons think ground ginger a more delicate flavoring for the dressing than pepper.--_mrs. s. t._ to boil chicken. never boil the same day the chicken is killed. soak them overnight in weak salt and water. place in a kettle of water, with a handful of rice and a little milk to make the chicken white. simmer slowly two or three hours, removing the scum that rises when the chicken first begins to boil. keep under the water, with an inverted deep plate. just before taking off the fire, add salt to the taste. lay on a hot dish near the fire. skim off the fat from the top of the liquor, strain it and add chopped celery, parsley and thyme, drawn butter, a little pepper and salt, or, if preferred, six hard-boiled eggs chopped fine.--_mrs. s. t._ to steam chicken. soak two hours, in salt and water, a fat young pullet. drain and dry. rub in the cavity a little salt and pepper and a large lump of butter. fill with large, plump oysters, seasoned with pepper and salt, and sew up. lay the chicken on a dish or pan, and set it inside a steamer, which close and keep over boiling water four hours. when thoroughly done, lay on a dish and pour over it drawn butter or celery sauce. garnish with curled parsley, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ smothered chicken. kill the day before it is smothered. split open the back, as if to broil. when ready to cook, wipe dry with a clean towel, rub well with butter and sprinkle with pepper and salt. put in a pan with a slice of bacon or pork and a pint of water. simmer an hour or more, basting frequently. when thoroughly done, place on a hot dish. stir into the gravy remaining on the fire a beaten egg, mixing it carefully. pour this into the dish, but not on the chicken. sift over it cracker, first browned and then pounded. garnish with parsley, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ stewed chicken. cut up the chicken as if to fry, adding the prepared head and feet. soak in weak salt and water. if for dinner, do this immediately after breakfast. an hour and a half before dinner, put in a saucepan, covering well with water. let it simmer slowly for one hour. take it out with a fork and lay in a bowl. add a teacup milk and half a teaspoonful black pepper to the liquor. let it boil up and strain on the chicken. rinse the saucepan and return all to the fire. beat one egg with a tablespoonful of flour and one of milk until quite smooth. mince some parsley, thyme, and a very little onion, and stir all into the saucepan. then put in a tablespoonful of butter. stir around and pour into a dish in which small pieces of toast have been neatly arranged. garnish with curled parsley.--_mrs. s. t._ _stewed chicken._ cut up and lay in salt and water. put them in water enough to cover them, with some slices of middling. let them boil till nearly done. then put in the dumplings, made like biscuit but rolled thin, and let them boil till done. roll a piece of butter in flour, with pepper, salt, chopped parsley and celery, or a little celery-seed. when the gravy is thick enough, pour in a teacup of cream or milk, and let it boil up once. take off the fire and serve hot.--_mrs. col. w._ fried chicken. this dish is best when the chicken is killed the same day it is fried. cut off the wings and legs, cut the breast in two, and also the back. wash well and throw in weak salt and water, to extract the blood. let it remain for half an hour or more. take from the water, drain and dry with a clean towel, half an hour before dinner. lay on a dish, sprinkle a little salt over it, and sift flour thickly first on one side and then on the other, letting it remain long enough for the flour to stick well. have ready on the frying-pan some hot lard, in which lay each piece carefully, not forgetting the liver and gizzard. cover closely and fry till a fine amber color. then turn over each piece and cover well again, taking care to have the chicken well done, yet not scorched. take the chicken up and lay in a hot dish near the fire. pour into the gravy a teacup of milk, a teaspoonful of butter, a saltspoon of salt, and one of pepper. let it boil up and pour into the dish, but not over the chicken. put curled parsley round the edge of the dish and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ _fried chicken._ kill the chicken the night before, if you can, and lay on ice, or else kill early in the morning. when ready, wipe dry, flour it, add pepper and salt, and fry in a little lard. when nearly done, pour off the lard, add one-half teacup water, large spoonful butter, and some chopped parsley. brown nicely and serve. meal mush fried is nice with the chicken.--_mrs. col. w._ to dress chickens with tomatoes. fry till a light brown. then add some tomatoes, cut in small pieces, with the juice. strain the tomatoes from the seed, season them with salt, pepper, a little sugar, and let them stew.--_mrs. j. b. d._ to fricassee chicken. wash and joint the chicken; place the pieces in a stew-pan with the skin side down. sprinkle salt and pepper on each piece. add three or four slices of pork, stew till tender, take them out and thicken the liquor with flour, and add a piece of butter the size of a hen's egg. replace the chicken in the pan and let it stew five minutes longer. when it is taken up, soak in the gravy some pieces of toast, put them on plates and lay the chicken on the toast, pouring the gravy over it. to brown the chicken, stew till tender, without the pork; brown the pork, take that up, then put in the chicken and fry a light brown.--_mrs. col. w._ to broil chicken. kill the chicken the day before using, split open in the back, nicely clean, and, if the weather is warm, slightly sprinkle with salt. if for breakfast, half an hour before press between the folds of a clean towel till dry, grease well with fresh butter, sprinkle with pepper and salt and lay on a gridiron, over hot coals, with the inside of the chicken down. let it cook principally from this side, but turn often till the outside of the chicken is of a bright, yellow brown. when thoroughly done, pour over it melted butter, sprinkle pepper, and sift pounded or grated cracker.--_mrs. s. t._ chicken pie. cut up the chicken and place in a deep oven with one large spoonful of lard. let it brown a little and add one onion, parsley, thyme, sage and black pepper, to suit the taste. pour on it a cupful boiling water, stir well and let it simmer till well cooked. just before taking from the fire, rub together: cup cream. spoonful butter. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. grated nutmeg and other spices to the taste. stir well and pour in a pan lined with a paste.--_mrs. a. c._ _chicken pie._ make into a paste one quart of flour with the weight of four eggs in butter and a large spoonful of lard. put the paste in a deep dish, lining the bottom and side with chicken interspersed with layers of very thin bacon. add some large crumbs, some pepper, and a quarter-pound butter. fill the dish with cold water, and yolks of four or six hard-boiled eggs, then dredge with flour and put on the top crust. let it bake gradually. it will take two hours to bake.--_mrs. col. w._ chicken pudding. cut up the chicken and stew it a little, after which lay the pieces in a buttered dish with a few bits of butter, a little pepper and salt, and a little of the water in which the chicken was stewed. make a batter of one quart milk, five eggs, a little salt. pour this batter over the chicken, and bake half an hour.--_mrs. a. b._ _chicken pudding._ eggs beaten very light. quart rich milk. ¼ pound melted butter. pepper and salt to the taste. stir in enough flour to make a thin, good batter. put four young chickens, nicely prepared and jointed, in a saucepan, with some salt and water and a bundle of thyme or parsley. boil till nicely done, then take up the chickens and put in the batter. put all in a deep dish and bake. serve with gravy in a boat.--_mrs. dr. c._ chicken pudding with potatoes. cut up a young chicken as if to fry, and parboil it. boil and mash irish potatoes. beat up three or four eggs, add to the potatoes, and thin with milk. season with butter, pepper and salt, stir in the chicken, and bake it. boiled rice is a good substitute for potatoes.--_mrs. e. w._ n. b.--most of the recipes given for turkey apply to pea-fowl, and most of those given for chicken may be used for guinea fowl.--_mrs. s. t._ to roast goose. a goose must never be eaten the same day it is killed. if the weather is cold, it should be kept a week before using. before cooking let it lie several hours in weak salt and water, to remove the strong taste. then plunge it in boiling water, for five minutes, if old. fill the goose with a dressing made of: mealy irish potatoes, boiled and mashed fine. a small lump of butter. a little salt or fresh pork chopped fine. a little minced onion. parsley, thyme, and a pinch of chopped or powdered sage. grease with sweet lard or butter. lay in a pan with the giblets, neck, etc. pour in two teacups of boiling water, set in a hot oven, and baste frequently. turn so that every part may be equally browned. serve with gravy or onion sauce. the above recipe will answer equally as well for duck.--_mrs. s. t._ devilled goose. plunge the goose into a pot of boiling water and let it remain half an hour. fill with a stuffing made of: mashed irish potatoes, a heaping tablespoonful butter, minced onions, sage, parsley and thyme, half a teaspoonful black pepper. place it in a pan with a slice of fat pork and a pint of broth or liquor in which any kind of meat has been boiled. mix two tablespoonfuls pepper vinegar, celery vinegar, made mustard, and one of acid fruit jelly. butter the breast of the goose and pour this mixture over it, adding salt and pepper to the taste. place in a hot oven, dredge with flour and baste frequently till done; when serve with its own gravy. this receipt will answer equally as well for wild goose.--_mrs. s. t._ to prepare young ducks. kill and hang to drain. plunge, one at a time, in boiling water, then immediately in cold water, which makes them easier to pick. kill some days before using, or if obliged to use them the same day as killed, they are better roasted.--_mrs. r._ to stew ducks. truss the ducks and stuff them with bread, butter, and onion. flour them and brown them in lard. have prepared slips of bacon, giblets, onion, water, pepper, salt, and a little clove or mace, if you like. put in the ducks and let them stew gently but constantly for two hours. then add the juice of green grapes or of a lemon, or else a little lemon pickle. flour the ducks each time you turn them, and thicken with butter rolled in flour.--_mrs. col. w._ salads. in making salads, be careful to add the vinegar last. where oil cannot be obtained, fresh butter, drawn or melted, is an excellent substitute and is indeed preferred to oil by some persons, epicureans to the contrary notwithstanding. always use good cider vinegar in making salads, as chemical vinegar is sometimes very unwholesome. much depends on the rotation in which you mix the ingredients for a salad, so i would call particular attention to the directions given on this point on the subsequent pages. oyster salad. ½ gallon fresh oysters. the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs. raw egg, well whipped. large spoonfuls salad oil or melted butter. teaspoonfuls salt. teaspoonfuls black pepper. teaspoonfuls made mustard. teacup good vinegar. good sized pickled cucumbers, cut up fine. nearly as much celery as oysters, cut up into small dice. drain the liquor from the oysters and throw them into some hot vinegar on the fire; let them remain until they are _plump_, not cooked. then put them at once into clear cold water; this gives them a nice plump look and they will not then shrink and look small. drain the water from them and set them away in a cool place, and prepare your dressing. mash the yolks as fine as you can and rub into it the salt, pepper, and mustard, then rub the oil in, a few drops at a time. when it is all smooth, add the beaten egg, and then the vinegar, a spoonful at a time. set aside. mix oysters, celery, and pickle, tossing up well with a silver fork. sprinkle in salt to your taste. then pour dressing over all.--_mrs. e. p. g._ salmon and lobster salad. if the salmon salad is made of the fish preserved in cans, drain it from the oil and mince the meat fine. cut up one third as much lettuce or celery. for one box of salmon, boil four eggs hard; lay them in cold water a few minutes, shell and separate the whites from the yolks; lay the whites aside. mash the yolks smooth with two tablespoonfuls sweet olive oil or one teacup sweet rich milk or cream. the oil makes the smoothest and best paste. dissolve in one teacup vinegar, tablespoonful sugar. teaspoonful salt. or more teaspoonfuls fine mustard. pepper to the taste. mix this with the paste and toss lightly over the meat with a silver fork. ornament the dish in which it is served with the green leaves of the celery, or with curled parsley and the whites of eggs cut in rings. lobster salad is prepared in the same way. take the nicest parts of the lobster.--_mrs. c. c._ lobster salad. chop up one can of lobsters; cut in small pieces as much celery. then cream with one teacup butter, one tablespoonful mustard, one tablespoonful sugar, one teaspoonful salt, and yolks of four hard-boiled eggs, rubbed smooth; stir in five tablespoonfuls pepper vinegar (simply pepper steeped in vinegar and sweetened with a little sugar), and pour the mixture over the lobster and celery.--_mrs. s. t._ fish salad. boil four flounders, or any medium sized fish; when done, take off the skin and pick out the bones, then shred very fine. add pepper and salt, one tablespoonful mixed mustard, a half cup vinegar, and half a pound butter, and mix all well with the fish. put into shallow pans, set in the oven and bake ten minutes. when cold put over it a little worcestershire sauce, and sherry wine.--_miss f. n._ terrapin salad. boil them until the shells will come off easily and the nails pull out; then cut into small pieces and carefully remove the sand-bag and gall. to three good sized terrapins, take six hard-boiled eggs; remove the yolks and rub into a powder with half a pound sweet butter. when creamy and light, add one teaspoonful flour. put this with the meat into a saucepan; season with cayenne pepper and salt, and let it boil for one or two minutes. just before taking from the fire, add wine to taste, and if desired, a little mace. be careful to remove the skin from the legs.--_mrs. a. m. d._ turkey salad. mince the turkey very fine. have ready the following mixture, for a large company. twelve or fourteen eggs boiled hard; mash the yolks smooth with one spoonful water; add to it pepper, salt, and mustard to the taste. two teaspoonfuls celery-seed, one teacup of fresh melted butter or fine olive oil, and pour in strong vinegar to the taste. mix the turkey and celery, and pour over the mixture just before eating.--_mrs. f. c. w._ _turkey salad._ remove the skin and fat from a turkey; mince the meat fine. mince or slices lean ham. or bunches celery. or apples. or cucumber pickles; mix well together. prepare a dressing of the yolks of four eggs, rubbed in a little thick cream. tablespoonfuls butter. teaspoonfuls black pepper. teaspoonfuls salt. teaspoonfuls of mustard. vinegar to the taste. --_mrs. dr. s._ _turkey salad._ boil two turkeys till well done, pick out all the bones, skin and fat, and cut up the balance in small pieces. boil one dozen eggs hard, let them cool, then separate the yolks and whites, mash the yolks fine, chop the whites very fine and set them to one side. have a large flat dish, in which put four large spoonfuls mixed mustard; pour in a little oil, and with a fork rub it in till smooth, then a little vinegar, in which has been melted two full tablespoonfuls of salt, then oil, and alternately put in oil and vinegar, each time rubbing it in till well mixed. when you have mixed a whole bottle of oil and one pint vinegar till it is as smooth as butter, add one heaping teaspoonful cayenne pepper, three teaspoonfuls celery-seed rubbed fine in a mortar, and one large mango cut fine, put in stuffing and all. have ready as much celery as you have fowl, cut fine, mix meat and celery carefully together, and pour the dressing over all.--_mrs. e. i._ chicken salad. one large chicken boiled; when cold remove the skin and chop into a dish, over which throw a towel slightly dipped in cold water to keep the meat moist. when the celery is cut, put between clean cloths to dry. take one tablespoonful best mustard, the yolk of one raw egg, which drop into a dish large enough to hold all the dressing; beat well for ten minutes and slowly add to the mustard one tablespoonful vinegar. when well mixed add three-eighths bottle of oil, a drop at a time, always stirring the same way. rub the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs very smooth and stir in half a teacup of vinegar. pour this mixture to the mustard, oil, etc., stirring together as lightly as possible. add to the chicken one pint chopped celery, a little yellow pickle, and half a loaf of stale bread crumbs, and the oil taken from the water in which the chicken has boiled. salt and pepper to taste. pour on the dressing just before serving. if the salad is kept too cool the dressing will curdle.--_mrs. e._ _chicken salad._ the meat of boiled fowls chopped very fine. or heads of cabbage cut fine. cup olive oil. ½ pint vinegar. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. gill made mustard. small teaspoonful black pepper. small teaspoonful salt. mix smoothly with the oil and then add the vinegar.--_miss n._ _chicken salad for thirty-five people._ yolks of eggs beaten lightly. ¼ box of mixed mustard, and salt to the taste. add slowly, beating all the time, one large sized bottle of best salad oil. lastly, add two-thirds teacup of vinegar.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ _chicken salad._ head cabbage. heads celery. chickens finely minced. eggs. small cucumber pickles. tablespoonful mustard. a little cayenne pepper. ½ cup butter; ½ cup cream. onion. teaspoonful sugar. boil the eggs hard, mash the yolks, put in the seasoning with a little vinegar. chop up the whites of the eggs, the pickle, chicken, cabbage and celery--then mix. if liked, add a little olive oil.--_mrs. o. b._ _chicken salad._ boil a chicken; while warm, mince it, taking out the bones. put it in a stewpan with boiling water. then stir together until smooth, one quarter of a pound butter, one teaspoonful flour and yolk of one raw egg; all of which add to the chicken one half at a time, stirring all well together. season with salt and pepper. let it simmer ten minutes; then add half a gill of madeira wine, and send to the table while hot.--_mrs. p._ celery salad. boiled eggs. raw egg. tablespoonfuls melted butter, or of oil. tablespoonful sugar. teaspoonful mustard. ½ teaspoonful salt. ½ teaspoonful pepper. ½ teacup vinegar. rub the yolks of eggs smooth, then add the oil, mustard, etc., the vinegar last. cut the celery into pieces half an inch long. set all in a cool place. just before serving sprinkle over a little salt and black pepper, then pour over the dressing. if you have any cold fowl, chicken, or turkey left from dinner, chop it up and mix it with some of the above--equal proportions of both--and it will make a delicious salad; or a few oysters left in the tureen will be a great addition to the celery salad.--_mrs. s. t._ tomato salad. large tomatoes. tablespoonful made mustard. tablespoonful salad oil. tablespoonfuls white sugar. hard-boiled eggs. raw egg beaten. teaspoonfuls salt. saltspoon nearly full cayenne pepper. ¾ teacup vinegar. first rub the yolks of eggs smooth, adding mustard, oil, sugar, salt, pepper and beaten raw egg--then the vinegar. the tomatoes should be peeled and sliced and set in the refrigerator--the dressing also. just before serving, cover the tomatoes with ice broken up; sprinkle over a little salt and pour over the dressing.--_mrs. s. t._ a salad of turnips. scrape six common sized turnips. add cups of sugar. or more cups vinegar. mustard, celery-seed, and pepper to taste.--_mrs. g. a. b._ potato salad. boil your potatoes very carefully; or, rather, steam them until very dry and mealy; cut in slices and prepare a dressing of egg, onion, mustard, oil, pepper, salt, and vinegar, and pour over them.--_w. s. s._ veal and potato salad. take equal proportions of cold veal and boiled irish potatoes. shred the veal and cut up the potatoes. season with a little butter or oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, celery, and mustard.--_mrs. r._ irish potato salad. cut ten or twelve cold boiled potatoes into small pieces. put into a salad bowl with-- tablespoonfuls vinegar. tablespoonfuls best salad oil. teaspoonful minced parsley. pepper and salt to taste. stir all well that they may be thoroughly mixed; it should be made several hours before putting on the table. throw in bits of pickle, cold fowl, a garnish of grated cracker, and hard-boiled eggs.--_mrs. c. v. mcg., alabama._ potato salad. to one quart potatoes mashed fine and rubbed through a colander: tablespoonful fresh butter. teaspoonful salt. teacupful rich milk. cream all together and beat until light. rub the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs with-- teaspoonfuls mustard. teaspoonfuls sugar. teaspoonful pepper. teaspoonful salt. enough pepper vinegar to moisten. then chop the whites of the eggs very fine and mix in. put a layer of the potatoes in the salad-bowl and with a spoon put the dressing over in spots. another layer of potatoes, then the dressing, and so on, putting the dressing on top. garnish with curled parsley, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ lettuce salad. take two large lettuces, after removing the outer leaves and rinsing the rest in cold water, cut lengthwise in four or six pieces, rub into a bowl and sprinkle over them-- teaspoonful salt. ½ teaspoonful pepper. ounces salad oil. ounces english, or ounce french vinegar. stir the salad lightly in the bowl until well mixed. tarragon and chevies, or a little water or mustard cress.--_mrs. r._ slaw. chop fine one head of cabbage put in a pan. cup cream. ½ teaspoonful mustard. teaspoonful salt. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful sugar. and yolk of one egg, beaten light. when boiled add one-half cup of strong vinegar; stir well and pour over the cabbage.--_mrs. e. t._ cold slaw. wash well and shred fine, a firm white cabbage. boil one teacup vinegar. one tablespoonful butter in a little flour, stir this in the vinegar. beat the yolks of four eggs till light and stir also in the mixture, just before taking from the fire. add mustard, pepper, and salt, to the butter and flour, before putting in the vinegar. pour all, when hot, over the cabbage and set away to cool.--_mrs. m. c._ _cold slaw._ wash your cabbage and lay in cold water some hours. have a seasoning of egg, mustard, oil, pepper, salt, celery-seed, and vinegar, and pour over it. in winter the slaw will keep a day or two.--_mrs. w._ lettuce dressed. take well headed lettuce, chop it fine and pour over a dressing made of salt and pepper, mustard, hard-boiled egg, and olive oil. cream the yolk of the egg and mustard together with a little oil, until quite smooth. add vinegar if desired.--_mrs. r._ _lettuce dressed._ lettuce chopped fine. ½ cup vinegar. ½ cup ice-water. tablespoonful white sugar. teaspoonful salt. saltspoonful cayenne. hard-boiled eggs, chopped. onion chopped. tablespoonful made mustard. tablespoonful of olive oil.--_mrs. s. t._ sauces. sauce for salad or fish. yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, mashed well with mixed mustard, pepper, salt, three tablespoonfuls salad oil, three of vinegar and one of tomato catsup.--_mrs. j. h. f._ fish sauce. six hard-boiled eggs, chopped and stirred into two cups of drawn butter. let it simmer, then add one tablespoonful of pepper-sauce, two tablespoonfuls minced parsley, a little thyme, and salt to the taste. pour over the fish and slice a lemon over all.--_mrs. s. t._ sauce for fish. yolks of three eggs, one tablespoonful vinegar, half a tablespoonful fresh butter, a little salt. to be stirred over a slow fire till it thickens, it must only be warm or it will curdle and spoil.--_mrs. s._ sauce for cod's head. take a lobster, stick a skewer through the tail, to keep the water out; throw a handful of salt in the water. when it boils put in the lobster and boil half an hour; pick off the spawns, if any, and pound them very fine in a marble mortar and put them in one-half pound drawn butter. take the meat out of the lobster, pull it in bits and put it in your butter; add: spoonful walnut catsup. slice of lemon. or slices horseradish. a little pounded mace. salt and cayenne pepper. boil them one minute; then take out the lemon and horseradish, and serve it up in the sauce-boat.--_mrs. r._ dutch sauce for fish. ½ teaspoonful flour. ounces butter. tablespoonfuls vinegar. yolks of two eggs. juice of half a lemon. salt to the taste. put all the ingredients, except the lemon juice, into a stewpan; set it over the fire and keep constantly stirring. when it is sufficiently thick, take it off, as it should not boil. if, however, it happens to curdle, strain the sauce through a taminy, add the lemon juice, and serve. tarragon vinegar may be used instead of plain, and by many is considered far preferable.--_mrs. c._ maÃ�tre d'hÃ�te sauce. it is nothing more than butter-sauce made thus: add to one teacup drawn butter, the juice of one-half lemon. teaspoonfuls chopped parsley. a little minced onion and thyme. cayenne pepper and salt to taste. beat with an egg-whip while simmering. good for almost any dish of fish or meat.--_mrs. s. t._ fish sauce. tablespoonfuls butter. wineglassful vinegar. wineglassfuls tomato or mushroom catsup. pepper, salt, and mustard to the taste. stew till well mixed.--_mrs. j. d._ anchovy sauce. soak eight anchovies in cold water, for several hours; cut up and stew in a very little water for twenty minutes; strain into one teacup drawn butter. pour all in a saucepan and set it on the fire. beat it up until it comes to a boil; pour into a sauce tureen. add a little cayenne pepper; one squeeze of lemon.--_mrs. s. t._ horseradish sauce. grate one teacupful horseradish. tablespoonful ground mustard. tablespoonful sugar. tablespoonfuls vinegar, or olive oil if preferred. pepper and salt. teaspoonful turmeric.--_mrs. j. h. t._ celery sauce is good made in the same way, by adding butter instead of oil, and celery instead of horseradish.--_mrs. p. w._ mushroom sauce, for fried or broiled fish. get fine-grown fresh gathered mushrooms; break them up and sprinkle salt over them. let them lie for the juice to run out, stirring them often. when the juice has been extracted, strain it, boil well with a little ginger and pepper. do not season much, as it is the mushroom flavor to be desired. you can add seasoning as required; all necessary to keep it is enough salt and pepper. this makes a nice flavoring for any sauce or gravy mixed with soy or lemon pickle.--_mrs. c. c._ pepper vinegar. fill a quart bottle with small peppers, either green or ripe; put in two tablespoonfuls sugar, and fill with good cider vinegar. invaluable in seasoning sauces, and good to eat with fish or meat. if small peppers cannot be obtained, cut up large pods instead.--_mrs. s. t._ tomato sauce. scald and peel six large ripe tomatoes; chop them up and stew slowly. cream one tablespoonful butter, one tablespoonful sugar, one tablespoonful flour, together. when the tomatoes are thoroughly done, and reduced to a fine pulp, add pepper and salt. stir the butter, sugar, and flour in. let boil up and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ mushroom sauce. roll a piece of butter as large as an egg into one heaping teaspoonful sifted flour; stir in two tablespoonfuls warm water; let it simmer. pour in one teacup cream, and stir; throw in one pint young mushrooms, washed, picked, and skinned; add pepper, salt, another small piece of butter. let it boil up once, shaking the pan well, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ onion sauce. boil four or five large white onions in salt and water; change the water, then drain them. chop fine and boil with one teacup new milk, salt, pepper, and one tablespoonful pepper sauce. add drawn butter and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ nasturtium sauce. this is made by stirring into one teacup drawn butter, three tablespoonfuls pickled nasturtiums, adding a little salt and pepper. simmer gently and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ apple sauce. pare and slice some tart apples; stew until tender in a very little water, then reduce to a smooth pulp. stir in sugar and butter to the taste, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a little nutmeg.--_mrs. s. t._ mint sauce. tablespoonfuls vinegar. tablespoonfuls mint. tablespoonful powdered sugar. saltspoonful salt. mix ten minutes before using.--_mrs. s. t._ _sauces especially suitable for fowls, though they may be used for any kind of meats._ white sauce for fowls. take the neck, gizzard, liver, and feet of fowls, with a piece of mutton or veal, if you have any, and boil in one quart water with a few whole peppers, and salt, till reduced to one pint; then thicken with a quarter pound butter mixed with flour and boil it five or six minutes. mix the yolks of two eggs with one teacup good cream; put it in the saucepan, shaking over the fire till done.--_mrs. dr. s._ sauce for boiled poultry. one stick of white, blanched celery, chopped very small; put it in a saucepan with one quart milk and a few black peppercorns; let it boil gently, till reduced to one pint. keep stirring the celery up with the milk until it is in a pulp. thicken the whole with the yolk of one fresh egg well beaten, and half a teacup of fresh cream.--_mrs. s._ celery sauce. chop celery into pieces half an inch long, enough to fill one pint measure, and stew in a small quantity of water till tender. add one tablespoonful pepper vinegar, a little salt and pepper; pour in one teacup cream or milk, then add a sufficient quantity of drawn butter.--_mrs. s. t._ egg sauce. cut up six hard-boiled eggs, with salt and pepper to taste. stir in a sufficient quantity of drawn butter, adding, just as you serve, minced onion, parsley, and thyme.--_mrs. s. t._ asparagus sauce. parboil one bunch of asparagus, first scraping. when nearly done, drain and cut in small pieces. stew in a teacup of milk, with pepper and salt. when done pour into drawn butter, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ oyster sauce. scald one pint large fresh oysters, just enough to plump them; adding one tablespoonful pepper vinegar, a little black pepper and salt. pour into a sufficient quantity of drawn butter and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ drawn butter. take one-quarter pound of best fresh butter, cut it up and mix with it two teaspoonfuls flour; when thoroughly mixed, put it into a saucepan and add to it four tablespoonfuls cold water. cover the pan and set it in a kettle of boiling water, shake it round continually, always moving it the same way. when the butter is entirely melted and begins to simmer, then let it rest until it boils up. in melting butter for pudding, some substitute milk for water.--_mrs. dr. s._ _drawn butter._ cream together one-quarter pound fresh butter, with two heaping teaspoonfuls sifted flour; add to this six teaspoonfuls water. put it in a small tin saucepan and set it in a vessel of boiling water, until it begins to simmer, shaking it often.--_mrs. s. t._ _drawn butter._ rub a piece of butter in a little flour, add two or three tablespoonfuls boiling water. shake continually over the fire without letting it boil, till it thickens.--_mrs. p. w._ cranberry sauce. stew two quarts cranberries; putting only water enough to keep from sticking to the bottom of kettle. keep covered until nearly done, then stir in one quart white sugar, and boil until thick. the color is finer when the sugar is added just before the sauce is done.--_mrs. s. t._ mushroom sauce. wash and pick one pint young mushrooms, rub them with salt to take off the tender skin. put them in a saucepan with a little salt, nutmeg, one blade of mace, one pint cream, lump of butter rubbed in flour. boil them up and stir till done, then pour it round the chickens. garnish with lemon.--_mrs. c. c._ salad dressings. take the yolk of one raw egg; add to that one-half tablespoonful of either dry or thickly mixed mustard, salt and pepper to your taste. when well mixed together, add sweet oil in _very_ small quantities, at a time, stirring briskly until it is very thick. then add a little vinegar, but not sufficient to make the dressing thin. these are the proportions for the yolk of one raw egg, sufficient for four people. the quantity of eggs, mustard, etc., must be increased in proportion to the quantity of dressing needed.--_mrs. mck._ salad dressing. beat two eggs. add butter size of half an egg. ½ teaspoonful mustard rubbed smooth in a little water. tablespoonfuls vinegar. ½ teacupful boiling water. set it in a bowl on top of the tea-kettle and stir until as thick as cream.--_mrs. w. h. m._ dressing. to one tumblerful vinegar, warmed in a stewpan, add four beaten eggs; stir for a few minutes till cooked like boiled custard. then throw in: a teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of sugar. teaspoonful of mustard. teaspoonful of pepper. a lump of butter size of half an egg, instead of oil. stir well and pour out. will keep for weeks. good for chicken salad.--_mrs. w._ dressing for salad. turkey is more economical and better for salad than chicken. to one turkey, weighing about nine pounds, allow nine eggs: hard-boiled eggs. raw eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. to each egg allow tablespoonfuls salad oil, perfectly pure and sweet. saltspoonful salt. saltspoonful made mustard. saltspoonfuls cayenne pepper to the whole amount. celery to the taste. lettuce leaves, if in season, using only the heart. the juice of lemons. this will last a week.--_mrs. a. m. d._ dressing for chicken salad. to four chickens, the yolks of twelve eggs mashed very smooth with: raw egg beaten light. ½ teacup of mustard. ½ teaspoonful red pepper. teacup salad oil. cup of vinegar. quart of cut celery. salt to the taste.--_mrs. j. w._ lettuce dressing. raw egg. tablespoonful sugar. teaspoonful salt. ½ teaspoonful mustard. a little cayenne pepper (never use black pepper on lettuce). tablespoonfuls best olive oil. tablespoonful vinegar.--_miss r. s._ dressing for cabbage. the yolk of an egg. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful mustard. teaspoonfuls sugar, mashed smooth. cup of cream. vinegar to your taste.--_mrs. e. c. g._ sana mayonnaise. the yolks (raw) of two eggs. stir in oil, a drop at a time, until it begins to thicken, and then pour it in slowly still, but in greater quantities, stirring continually. add cayenne pepper, salt, and vinegar to the taste. if mustard is liked in the sauce, it must be mixed with the yolks of the eggs before dropping the oil. this sauce should be nearly as thick as soft butter. it makes a delicious dressing for lettuce, celery, cold poultry or game; and also for cold boiled fish or pickled salmon. if used with the latter, the salmon should be placed in the centre of the dish and covered thickly with sauce. boiled chestnuts, peeled, small pickled onions, sliced cucumbers, lettuce, etc., are a great addition, and should be used to dress or garnish the dish, but not be mixed with the salmon.--_mrs. e. p., cin._ salad for slaw. eggs well beaten. nearly a cup of sugar. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful mustard. pepper and salt to your taste. tumbler of milk. tumbler of vinegar. stir well over the fire until as thick as custard. let it cool and pour over cabbage.--_mrs. r. a._ dressing for cold slaw. cup of vinegar. eggs well beaten. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful mustard. tablespoonful sugar. tablespoonful butter. a little black pepper. mix together the butter, salt, pepper, sugar, mustard; add the eggs last. have the vinegar boiling and pour it on, stirring all the time. then pour it back in the saucepan and boil a few minutes. pour on the slaw when cold.--_miss n._ lettuce dressing. yolks of eggs. teacup milk. teacup vinegar. tablespoonfuls oil or melted butter. after mixing all well together, except the vinegar, let it come to a boil. when cold, beat well, add the vinegar, salt, pepper, and made mustard to suit the taste. keep corked in a bottle.--_mrs. a. m. d._ salad dressing. put one tumbler vinegar, and one lump butter, size of an egg, on to boil. beat up the yolks of three or four eggs, and pour the boiling vinegar over them, stirring all the time; return it to the fire and continue to stir, until it thickens like custard. when it is perfectly cold add one tumblerful cream, into which has been mixed one tablespoonful salt, one tablespoonful mustard, two spoonfuls sugar, and one spoonful bruised celery-seed. bottle the dressing and it will keep for a month.--_mrs. p._ celery dressing. tablespoonfuls butter. beaten eggs. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful mixed mustard. cup vinegar. cup fresh milk or cream. boil and use cold.--_mrs. i. d._ to dress celery. beat light the yolk of one egg; add: tablespoonfuls cream. tablespoonful white sugar. tablespoonfuls vinegar. teaspoonful olive oil. teaspoonful mustard. teaspoonful salt.--_mrs. dr. s._ brunswick stews, gumbo, and side dishes. brunswick stew. a twenty-five cent shank of beef. a five-cent loaf of bread--square loaf, as it has more crumb, and the crust is not used. quart potatoes cooked and mashed. quart cooked butter-beans. quart raw corn. ½ quart raw tomatoes peeled and chopped. if served at two o'clock, put on the shank as for soup, at the earliest possible hour; then about twelve o'clock take the shank out of the soup and shred and cut all of the meat as fine as you can, carefully taking out bone and gristle, and then return it to the soup-pot and add all of the vegetables; the bread and two slices of middling are an improvement to it. season with salt and pepper to the taste; and when ready to serve, drop into the tureen two or three tablespoonfuls butter. this makes a tureen and about a vegetable-dish full.--_mrs. r. p._ _brunswick stew._ about four hours before dinner, put on two or three slices of bacon, two squirrels or chickens, one onion sliced, in one gallon water. stew some time, then add one quart peeled tomatoes, two ears of grated corn, three irish potatoes sliced, and one handful butter-beans, and part pod of red pepper. stew altogether about one hour, till you can take out the bones. when done, put in one spoonful bread crumbs and one large spoonful butter.--_mrs. m. m. d._ _brunswick stew._ take one chicken or two squirrels, cut them up and put one-half gallon water to them. let it stew until the bones can be removed. add one-half dozen large tomatoes, one-half pint butter-beans, and corn cut from half a dozen ears, salt, pepper, and butter as seasoning.--_mrs. i. h._ _brunswick stew._ take two chickens or three or four squirrels, let them boil in water. cook one pint butter-beans, and one quart tomatoes; cook with the meat. when done, add one dozen ears corn, one dozen large tomatoes, and one pound butter. take out the chicken, cut it into small pieces and put back; cook until it is well done and thick enough to be eaten with a fork. season with pepper and salt.--_mrs. r._ gumbo. put one tablespoonful lard into a pan. slice two onions and fry them in it a few minutes. have ready a chicken cut up, and fry it in the lard till it slightly browns, also one or two slices of bacon or pork, and three or four bunches parsley cut up. have a heaping plateful of ochra cut up; put that in the pan and let it wilt a few minutes (you must stir it), then add three or four tomatoes cut up. then put the whole into a stewpan, pour hot water to it, not quite as much as for soup. let it boil until quite thick. season with pepper and salt, also red or green pod pepper. it must be dished like soup and eaten with rice; the rice to be boiled dry and served in a vegetable dish; put one or two spoonfuls in a plate and pour the gumbo over it.--_mrs. g._ _gumbo._ cut up two chickens, fry slightly with a little onion, and a few slices pickled pork. put in three or four quarts boiling water, together with pepper and salt, eighteen okras, one-half peck cut up tomatoes. stew one hour and a half.--_mrs. d. r._ _gumbo._ take one chicken, frying size, cut up in hot lard; add one quart ochra chopped fine, and one good sized onion chopped fine, when the chicken begins to brown, stirring all the time until it ceases to rope and is a nice brown. then put it into a deep vessel and pour on enough boiling water to make soup for ten or twelve persons, adding two or three tomatoes, skinned and sliced, two ears of tender corn, salt, and black and red pepper to the taste. let the whole boil one hour. boil rice very dry and serve with it.--_mrs. p. mcg._ gumbo filit Ã� la creole. put into a deep pot one tablespoonful lard, when hot put in one tablespoonful flour, stir in until brown, then slice one large onion and fry it till brown; skim out the onion and do not put it back until a chicken cut up in small pieces has been fried. stir it all the time. have a kettle of boiling water near by; pour one or two cups of water on the chicken, stir well and let it simmer slowly. add: allspice. cloves. red and black pepper. parsley and thyme if you like it. put in two quarts of water, boiling, and let it boil gently two hours. have ready the liquor from one quart oysters, put that in with the water; put the oysters in later, allowing them time to cook. when ready to serve stir in one tablespoonful filit, boil up once. to be eaten with rice cooked dry. n. b. _filit_ is only pulverized sassafras leaves, dried and sifted; you can make it yourself.--_mrs. s., la._ veal pÃ�tÃ�s. ½ pounds leg of veal. ¼ pound salt pork. soda crackers rolled and sifted. tablespoonful salt. tablespoonful black pepper. nutmeg. eggs well beaten. butter the size of an egg. hash veal and pork together, cutting very fine. then mix seasoning very thoroughly and form into oval shapes. put a small piece of butter and bread crumbs over the top, while in the baking dish; half a teacup water, and baste frequently while baking. in moulding it and when mixing it keep wetting the hands in cold water, also wet the dish when you begin moulding it in shape.--_mrs. j. p. h._ hashed mutton. cut cold mutton into very thin slices, and make a gravy by boiling the bones for two hours with a little onion, pepper and salt. strain this gravy and thicken it with a little flour, adding a small amount of tomato or mushroom gravy to flavor it, and a small piece of butter. when the gravy is of a proper consistency, put in the slices of mutton, and let it simmer slowly for ten minutes. serve on a platter with parsley and sippets of bread. _hashed mutton._ fry in a saucepan three small onions, and three small slices of bacon or ham, until they are brown; then add a little more than half a pint water, and thicken it with flour. next strain it and add it to the meat with a little sauce; pepper and salt to the taste. it will take about an hour to hash. mutton hash. cut the meat up fine, putting the bones on to stew in water; then take out the bones and put in the hash, with pepper, salt and gravy left from the day before. let these stew at least half an hour. put in one large tablespoonful browned flour. add-- tablespoonfuls red wine. tablespoonful walnut catsup. tablespoonful tomato catsup. a lump of butter rolled in a little flour. if a small dish, proportion the seasoning. beef, goose, and duck hash can be made the same way.--_mrs. r._ hotch potch. during the summer season get lamb chops, which half fry. cut up cabbage, lettuce, turnips, onions and any other vegetables, which boil, with seasoning of pepper, salt, etc.; one hour before dinner, put in the lamb chops, with some green peas; boil the potatoes separately. scotch broth. pounds of the scrag end of a neck of mutton. onion. small turnip. a little parsley. a little thyme. put the mutton in the pan and cover with two quarts cold water, add the vegetables and not quite one teacup rice; one small carrot and a little celery added will give a nice flavor. when it boils, skim carefully, cover the pan, and let it simmer for two hours. of course, the vegetables must be cut small. meat loaf. chop fine whatever cold meat you may have, fat and lean together; add pepper and salt, one finely chopped onion, two slices of bread which have been soaked in milk, and one egg. mix well together and bake in a form. this makes an admirable tea or breakfast dish.--_mrs. j._ black stew. take any kind of fresh meat that has been boiled or roasted, cut up enough to make a dish; put one tablespoonful currant jelly, one tablespoonful of wine, one large spoonful butter, one-half onion chopped, pepper and salt. stir all together fifteen minutes. pickle cut up is an improvement, and brown sugar can be used instead of currant jelly.--_mrs. j. t._ a nice side-dish. make a mince meat of turkey; after it is stewed put boiled rice around the dish and set it in an oven to brown. then garnish with hard boiled eggs.--_mrs. e. i._ meat croquettes. any nice cold meat when nicely minced will make good croquettes, especially veal. take about one-quarter loaf bread, well soaked in water and squeezed dry; mix with the minced meat about one dessertspoonful chopped parsley, one dessertspoonful ground ginger, three eggs, a pinch of ground mace, pepper and salt, roll them into egg-shaped balls; have ready two or three eggs well beaten, in one plate, and flour in another; first roll in the flour, then in the egg, fry in boiling drippings; serve hot.--_mrs. t._ croquettes. take cold fowl or fresh meat of any kind, with slices of fat ham; chop together very fine, add one-half as much stale bread grated, salt and pepper, grated nutmeg, one tablespoonful catsup, one teaspoonful made mustard, and lump of butter size of an egg. mix well together till it resembles sausage meat; mould them into cakes, dip into well beaten yolk of an egg, cover thickly with grated bread. fry a light brown.--_mrs. f. d._ _croquettes._ boil or roast a turkey, chop the meat as fine as possible. mix eight beaten eggs with the meat, add one quart of milk, one-quarter pound butter, salt and pepper, a little mace. stew all together for a few minutes, then take it off to cool and make into little cone shapes. roll each one into pounded crackers and drop in boiling lard till a light brown.--_mrs. m. e. l. w., md._ chicken croquettes. cold chicken, chopped parsley, a little cream, grated crackers, lemon flavoring, salt and pepper. cut chicken very fine and season with salt and pepper; add chopped parsley, moisten with cream sufficient to make paste; mould in a wineglass with grated cracker or bread crumbs on outside. fry quickly in hot lard. brown lightly. lemon flavoring can be added at will.--_mrs. g. p._ potato croquettes. peel, boil, and mash one quart potatoes, mix with yolks of four eggs and some milk. set on the fire, stir two minutes; set on a dish to cool or leave overnight. in the morning add a little milk, mix thoroughly, roll in bread crumbs; divide in cakes and fry in lard. take off when done; drain, dish, and serve immediately.--_mrs. e._ croquette balls. chop up one quart of any cold meat very fine, to which add one pint stale bread. mix up one egg, mustard, pepper, salt and butter, and pour over the bread and meat; roll into balls, which must be rolled into the white of an egg, then into bread crumbs, and bake a nice brown. this is a nice side-dish for breakfast or tea.--_mrs. s. g._ croquettes. have some nice pieces of veal or fowl, chopped fine, season with nutmeg, pepper and salt to your taste. boil one-half pint milk with one small garlic. thicken with two tablespoonfuls flour, and one tablespoonful butter. let it remain till thoroughly done: stir in the meat and then form the croquettes. roll in bread crumbs, then the yolk of an egg, then in bread crumbs, and fry a nice brown.--_miss e. p._ _croquettes._ take cold meat or fresh meat, with grated ham, fat and lean, chopped very fine--add one-half as much stale bread grated, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, one tablespoonful catsup, a lump of butter. knead all well together--if not soft enough add cream or gravy. make in cakes the shape of a pear; dip them in the yolk of an egg beaten, roll in dried bread crumbs, and fry a light brown.--_miss m. c. l._ sausage croquettes. pounds of meat. eggs. cup butter. cup milk. add powdered cracker or stale bread crumbs sufficient to thicken, while on the fire. roll in oblong shapes and fry in lard. roll the balls in cracker dust before frying.--_mrs. r. k. m._ sausage croquettes. one pound sausage meat, two eggs, well beaten, and bread crumbs well minced. make the meat into cakes, then roll in the beaten egg, and afterwards in bread crumbs. fry in pan and serve hot. cold ham served in the same way is delicious; mince it very fine.--_mrs. g._ forcemeat balls. one pound of fresh suet, one ounce ready dressed veal, or chicken chopped fine, bread crumbs, a little shallot or onion, salt and pepper (white), nutmeg; parsley and thyme, finely shred. beat as many eggs, yolks and whites separately, as will make the above ingredients into a moist paste; roll into small balls, and fry in boiling lard. when of a light brown, take out with a perforated skimmer. forcemeat balls made in this way are remarkably light, but being somewhat greasy, some persons prefer them with less suet and eggs.--_mrs. a. m. d._ mince with bread crumbs. chop up any kind of cold meat very fine, place in a baking dish a layer of bread crumbs, seasoned with lump of butter, black pepper, and salt. then a layer of minced meat, and so on with alternate layers, till the dish is filled. pour over all a cup of rich cream, and be sure to have enough lumps of butter to make it rich. bake until it is a good brown on top.--_mrs. c. m. a._ mince with potatoes. chop fine any cold meat; parboil enough irish potatoes to be two-thirds as many as there is chopped meat. mix all together with one raw egg, one onion, black pepper, and salt. fry with butter, either in large or small cakes in a pan, the cakes rather larger than sausages. if you have cold ham, it is an advantage to add some of it to the mince; and the whole is very nice made of cold pickled beef.--_mrs. c. m. a._ pot pourri. take any kind of fresh meat chopped fine, and put into a stewpan with a little warm water, pepper and salt, and chopped onion. cook twenty minutes; then put into a baking-dish with an equal quantity of bread crumbs, and pour over a cup of sweet cream. bake to a light brown.--_mrs. f. d._ hash. one and one-half teacup of boiling water must be poured into a saucepan, mix one heaping spoonful flour with one tablespoonful cold water, stir it in and boil three minutes. then add two teaspoonfuls salt, half a small teaspoonful pepper, and butter size of an egg. after removing all tough, gristly pieces from the cold cooked meat, chop it fine with some boiled potatoes. put them in the dressing, heat through, then serve. it injures meat to cook it _again_, making it hard and unpalatable. should you have any cold gravy left, use it; in that case you will require less butter, salt and pepper. you can serve it with buttered toast underneath, or you may set it into the oven to brown on top, or drop eggs into a skillet of boiling salt water, and when cooked, place on top of hash.--_mrs. j._ cassa rolls. boil some irish potatoes until quite done, mash them smooth and add an equal quantity of salt meat chopped fine. mix with this several well beaten eggs, one spoonful butter, some pepper and salt. bake in little cakes like potato cakes.--_mrs. f. d._ ragoÃ�t souse. split four feet once, fry with one or two dozen large oysters, a light brown. lay them in a stewpan over the liquor from the oysters, or some beef or veal gravy; add one large spoonful butter rolled in flour, one dozen allspice, beaten, one glass red wine, one glass walnut catsup, and pepper. stew gently until dinner, skimming off any grease. garnish with hard-boiled eggs. mace or cloves may be used instead of allspice.--_mrs. b._ breakfast dish. take the remnant of any cold meats, either boiled or roasted. prepare it, as if for chicken salad, in fine shreds. mix with potatoes mashed fine, and add two well-beaten eggs. season with butter, pepper, and other spices if you like. make it into a loaf and bake it brown, or fry it in cakes if preferred.--_mrs. j. f. g._ mock terrapin. mince cold veal very fine, sprinkle with salt and cayenne. mash the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, three tablespoonfuls cooking wine, three tablespoonfuls cream or milk, a little nutmeg and a little mixed mustard, a large lump of butter with a little flour rubbed in. let all steam five minutes, and serve hot on toast. a nice relish for breakfast or lunch.--_miss e. s., la._ breakfast dish. one pound pork sausage, one tablespoonful pounded crackers, two well beaten eggs. work thoroughly together, and make into cakes. these will be rather soft, but dropping each one into a plate of pounded or grated cracker will enable you to handle them. put into a hot frying-pan. no lard is to be used, but keep the pan covered while frying.--_miss e._ baked hash. take cold beef or veal, chop the meat very fine, put it in a pan with some water; add salt, pepper, butter and bread crumbs to taste. season with a little chopped onion, parsley and thyme, all minced fine, half a cup milk or cream with one egg beaten. grate some crumbs over the top, and bake till brown.--_mrs. j. h. f._ sandwiches. grate one quarter pound cold ham in a bowl, with one tablespoonful chopped pickle, one teaspoonful mustard, a little black pepper, six dessertspoonfuls butter; put in a bowl and stir quickly until a cream. add the ham and seasoning, mix all together well. have slices of light bread and spread the mixture on each side of each slice. cold grated tongue, instead of ham, is very nice spread on the inside of biscuit. _sandwiches._ mince ham and tongue together, and spread between buttered bread. add a little french mustard to the mince if liked.--_mrs. r._ pillau. take cold fresh meat, either chicken or veal, and cut it up quite small after taking off the outer skin either fat or gristle. mix it well with some cold rice, then stir this in a batter made of two eggs well beaten, and about one quart milk. season with salt, pepper, and butter. bake in a deep dish.--_mrs. a. b._ calf's head pudding. skin the head, take out the brains. thoroughly wash, then soak the head one night to extract the blood. put on in cold water and boil five or six hours, or until the bones are ready to drop out. pick it very fine, taking all the bones out; then add the liquor in which it was boiled, one tablespoonful butter, four eggs well beaten; one small piece of lemon or pickle; one onion, if liked; pepper and salt. lay the brains all over the top and bake. bread crumbs are an improvement. the liquor seasoned makes excellent soup.--_miss f. e._ liver pudding. take two hog's heads, clean nicely; two livers, two lights, and cut all the good part off half a dozen milts; half a dozen sweetbreads; half a dozen kidneys, split open. put all together in a tub of salt and water; let them soak all night; take them out next morning, put them in a kettle with two slices of fat pork. let all boil until done, then take it up and let it cool a little and grind it in a sausage mill, and while grinding, skim some of the grease off of the kettle and pour it into the mill. after it is ground, season with black pepper, salt, and onions chopped fine, to suit the taste. if it is not rich enough, boil more middling or pork and mix with the meat; if stuffed, boil again a few minutes. pig's head pudding. boil head and liver until perfectly done, cut up as for hash. put it on again in warm water and season highly with butter, pepper, salt, and a little chopped onion. after well seasoned, put in a baking-dish with one egg beaten light. bake two hours, and lay over hard-boiled eggs sliced, and strips of pastry across the top. calf's head pudding can be made in the same way.--_mrs. col. s._ potato pie. the remains of cold mutton, either roasted or boiled, cut into nice slices, three hard-boiled eggs, also sliced, and two or three potatoes, seasoning of pepper, salt, and pounded mace to your taste. all laid alternately in a baking-dish and filled nearly up with any gravy or stock at hand; cover with a potato crust, full two inches thick, and bake until the potatoes are a nice brown color. if the potatoes are scratched over with a fork, it gives them a pretty, rough appearance. to make the crust, boil and mash the potatoes with a little butter and milk and a small quantity of salt.--_mrs. r. p._ a nice pie. one pound steak, three soft crackers rolled, one small piece of butter, two tablespoonfuls of water, salt and pepper. bake in a deep pan.--_mrs. r._ potato pie. a savory potato pie is made thus: a layer of mashed potatoes placed in a pie dish and then slices of any cold meat (if chicken or veal, slices of tongue or ham may be added), and herbs, pepper and salt, sprinkled over to taste. continue these layers alternately till the dish is full; the potatoes must well cover the top, which should have some butter added, and be brushed over with the yolk of an egg, and put into the oven till done through. a little butter on each layer is needed if the meat is not fat, and it should not be too fat.--_mrs. s._ crumb pie. mince any cold meat very finely, season it to taste, and put it into a pie dish; have some finely grated bread crumbs, with a little salt, pepper, and nutmeg; and pour into the dish any gravy that is at hand. cover over with a thick layer of bread crumbs and put small pieces of butter over top. place in the oven till a fine brown. send to the table hot.--_mrs. w._ haggis. cut cold beef in pieces and mix with mashed potatoes; fill a baking-dish and season with butter, pepper, and salt. bake and serve hot. cold chicken with vinegar. cut up the chicken in fine pieces and crack the bones. season with salt and pepper; put it in a deep baking plate with a lump of butter, and one tablespoonful vinegar. cover it with hot water. put a plate over it and stew on a stove or over hot embers. add one heaping teacup chopped celery to the mixture before cooking.--_mrs. a. p._ devilled cold chicken. take the legs and wings of any cold fowl. dress with pepper, salt, mustard, and butter; then broil. giblet pie. made as chicken pie, adding livers of chicken or pigeon, which have been boiled in the water left from cooking; celery and sweet herbs. season with mushroom or walnut catsup.--_mrs. t._ squab pie. after the squabs are picked and drawn as a large fowl is for roasting, wash them and put them in a saucepan with a close cover. they should be covered with boiling water and boiled slowly till tender, when a little salt and an onion clove should be added. then take them out, drain and dry, and put in each squab a teaspoonful of butter, a little pepper, salt, minced parsley and thyme. then put into the cavity of each squab, a hard-boiled egg. lay them in a large, round, earthen baking dish, three or four inches deep. strain over them the liquor in which they were simmered. add a tablespoonful of butter and a teacup of milk or cream. sift in two tablespoonfuls of cracker crumbs not browned, a tablespoonful of minced parsley and thyme, and a little salt. put in a few slips of pastry. cover with a rich crust and bake. the same recipe will answer for robins, except that the eggs must be chopped, instead of being placed whole in the cavity of the bird.--_mrs. s. t._ beef cakes. chop pieces of roast beef very fine. mix up grated bread crumbs, chopped onions, and parsley; season with pepper and salt, moisten with a little dripping or catsup. cold ham or tongue may be added to improve it. make in broad, flat cakes, and spread a coat of mashed potatoes on the top and bottom of each. lay a piece of butter on every cake and put it in an oven to brown. other cold meats may be prepared in the same way for a breakfast dish.--_mrs. d._ fish and potatoes. boil salmon or other fish; mash up boiled irish potatoes; chop yolks of hard boiled eggs. mix all together with butter; make very hot, and keep it so at table.--_mrs. r._ beefsteak and potatoes. cut up in a stewpan, with cold water, and stew till well cooked, the steak you will use; mash some potatoes with creamed butter, pepper and salt. line a baking dish with it and put in the steak, seasoning with butter, pepper, and salt. bake a little while. bacon fraise. take a nice piece of middling about six inches square, pare off the skin and cut in small square pieces, then fry it. make a batter of three pints flour, five eggs, one handful parsley, chopped fine. beat all light and fry with bacon. serve hot. this will make two dishes.--_mrs. m. d._ italian manner of cooking macaroni. one and a half pound macaroni, parboiled with a little salt, and one clove garlic. one pound of beef chopped fine, lean and fat stewed with one pint tomatoes. alternate layers of macaroni and the stewed beef with grated cheese. add cayenne pepper, salt, butter, and a little wine. a thick layer of grated cracker crumbs and cheese on top. serve with a stand of grated stilton cheese.--_mrs. r. r._ macaroni. break into pieces one inch long and put in the dish you wish to fill, filling it only one-third full. wash well and boil in a covered stewpan until soft and tender, drain off all the water; cover with this the bottom of a baking dish. sprinkle over pepper and salt, grated cracker, bits of butter and grated cheese; then another layer of macaroni, etc., in the same order. when the dish is filled, pour over fresh milk until all is barely covered. sift over pounded cracker and set in the oven. if it becomes too brown, sift over more cracker before serving.--_mrs. s. t._ _macaroni._ boil one-half pound macaroni in water, with salt, one small onion and two blades mace. put in one sweetbread, chopped fine, or the same amount of fresh veal, the nice part being taken. boil till tender before taking it up, drain off the water and add one large spoonful butter, one-half pint milk, a quantity of grated cheese; one teaspoonful mustard; two teaspoonfuls black pepper, one pint skinned tomatoes, salt to the taste; one egg, beaten up, is a great improvement. butter a deep dish and bake the macaroni a light brown. have it served with a small bowl of grated cheese, of the best quality, so that each one may add what they like.--_mrs. m. c._ _macaroni._ parboil enough macaroni to make a dish; lay alternate layers of macaroni, and grated cheese. season with salt, pepper, and butter; add three eggs, well beaten, and enough milk to fill a dish. sprinkle bread crumbs over top and bake.--_mrs. r. a._ _macaroni._ to one and one-half pound macaroni, add one pound beef, chopped fine. make a stew of the beef with one quart water, one clove of garlic, catsup, tomato, or walnut, to suit the taste, one dessertspoonful currant jelly, salt and pepper. boil the macaroni; put in a pan a layer of macaroni and a layer of cheese, with plenty of butter, using quarter of a pound of butter for the dish. then pour the stew over the top, and bake fifteen minutes.--_miss m. b. b._ to boil hominy. take two quarts of hominy, wash through several waters until the water is clear; put it on to boil in a pot half full of water, with a plate turned down in the bottom of the pot to prevent its burning. boil for six hours--do not stir it; when done, take off the vessel and set it aside in a cool place. when it is ready to fry, put a little lard in the pan, let it get hot, and mash in the hominy; then add a little salt. put it in the pan and press down; let it fry till brown, turning it upside down on the dish.--_mrs. p. w._ hominy croquettes. to one cup cold boiled hominy, add two teaspoonfuls melted butter, and stir it well, adding by degrees one cup milk, till all is made in a soft light paste; adding one well-beaten egg. roll into oval balls with floured hands; dip in beaten egg, then roll in cracker crumbs and fry in hot lard.--_mrs. m._ fried hominy. warm the boiled hominy; add a piece of butter, a little salt, half a pint cream, two eggs, and flour enough to stiffen the mixture. fry like mashed potatoes.--_mrs. e._ to boil hominy. soak in hot water the overnight. next morning wash out in two waters and boil thoroughly. a little milk added to the water whitens and seasons it.--_mrs. w._ to stew, fry, or broil mushrooms. after you have peeled them, sprinkle with salt and pepper and put them in a stewpan with a little water and lump of butter. let them boil fast for ten minutes and stir in a thickening of flour and cream. they may be broiled on a gridiron, and seasoned with butter. fry them also in butter. the large mushrooms are used for the two latter modes of cooking them.--_mrs. c. c._ sweetbread and mushroom pÃ�tÃ�s. ten sweetbreads, parboiled, skinned and all the fat removed; cut into small pieces. add one even teaspoonful salt, one can of french mushrooms. slice thin, add to juice one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful pepper, one saltspoonful powdered mace, lump of butter size of guinea egg. simmer slowly twenty minutes. add sweetbreads dredged with one heaping spoonful corn starch, well mixed in the sweetbread. let it boil up once, stirring to prevent sticking. serve in puff paste shapes, hot. a little chopped parsley may be added.--_mrs. r. r._ to stew mushrooms. one pint mushroom buttons, three ounces fresh butter, pepper and salt to taste, lemon juice, one teaspoonful flour, cream or milk, a little nutmeg. pare the mushrooms, put them into a basin of water with a little lemon juice. take them from the water, put into a stewpan, with the above ingredients. cover the pan closely and let them stew gently twenty minutes. if the mushrooms are not perfectly tender, stew them five minutes longer; remove every particle of butter which may be floating on top, and serve.--_mrs. c. c._ broiled mushrooms. cleanse the large mushrooms by wiping with flannel and a little salt. cut off stalks and peel the tops; broil them over a clear fire, turning them once. arrange on a hot dish. put a small piece of butter on each mushroom, season with pepper and salt; squeeze over them a little lemon juice. place before the fire, and when the butter is melted, serve quickly.--_mrs. c. c._ fondÃ�e. ounces butter. ounces bread crumbs. ounces cheese. cup sweet milk. eggs. cut the butter and cheese into small pieces and place them in a large bowl with the bread; on this pour scalding milk, after which add the yolks well beaten, also a little salt. mix well together, cover and place on the back of the range, stirring occasionally, till all is dissolved; when add the whites beaten to a stiff froth. place in a buttered pie-plate and bake in a quick oven for twenty minutes. serve as soon as taken from the stove. mustard is considered by some an improvement.--_mrs. h. h. s._ welsh rarebit. cut up cheese fine and place in a saucepan with a little butter, add one or two spoonfuls beer, and boil till the cheese is well dissolved. cut a slice of bread, pour on the cheese; season with pepper, salt, and catsup.--_mrs. s._ rice and egg pÃ�tÃ�s. mix cold rice with well-beaten eggs, season with pepper, and salt. then cook like scrambled egg; don't let the rice burn. tongue and prunes. get a fresh beef tongue, parboil and skin it. add one pound prunes, one pound raisins, one-quarter pound sugar, spices to the taste. let it stew until perfectly well cooked. when nearly done, add one lemon.--_miss m. b. b._ to stew dried apples, peaches, quinces, or pears. take three pounds of dried fruit; wash it in lukewarm water, through three or four waters, rubbing it hard. pour on this five quarts boiling water; boil at least three hours. just before taking from the fire, add two teacups nice brown sugar. do not stir, except occasionally, to prevent sticking to the bottom. try to cook the pieces of fruit separate, except the apples, which run through a colander and season with nutmeg. the other fruits need no seasoning.--_mrs. s. t._ fried apples. slice apples without peeling; cut and fry some thin slices of breakfast bacon until thoroughly done; remove the slices from the vessel, adding water to the gravy left. put in apples and fry until done, sweetening to taste.--_mrs. g. b._ spiced apples. pounds apples pared. pounds sugar. quart vinegar. ounce stick cinnamon, ½ ounce cloves. boil the sugar, vinegar, and spices together; put in the apples when boiling, and let them remain until tender; then take them out and put them in a jar; boil the syrup down, and pour over them. stewed prunes. immediately after breakfast, wash two pounds prunes in several waters, rubbing them in the hands. put in a preserving kettle with one gallon boiling water. simmer three or four hours. add two teacups light brown sugar and boil till the syrup is thick. keep closely covered and do not stir, so each prune may be stewed whole. put in a shallow bowl and set to cool. this amount will make two dishes. excellent side dish for winter or spring.--_mrs. s. t._ eggs. properly cooked, eggs are very wholesome and nutritious diet. always be certain, however, that they are fresh, before attempting to make a dish of them. some persons use krepp's family egg-tester, to ascertain if an egg is sound. full directions, as to the mode of using it, accompany the egg tester; so it is unnecessary to give them here. a simple mode of testing the soundness of an egg, is to put it in water; and if fresh it will sink to the bottom. boiled eggs. let the water be boiling when you put the eggs in it, and let the eggs boil three minutes after putting them in.--_mrs. s. t._ soft-boiled eggs. put the eggs in a large tin cup or any tin vessel convenient. pour boiling water over them, and let them remain near the fire, five minutes. do not let them boil. eggs cooked thus are slightly jellied throughout. they can be kept hot without becoming hard.--_mrs. s. t._ scrambled eggs. beat four eggs very light. add a teacup milk, thickened with a teaspoonful flour. have the pan very hot, put in a tablespoonful butter, pour in the eggs, and scramble quickly.--_mrs. e._ _scrambled eggs._ wash the pan with hot water and soap. wipe dry. grease with a little lard. break into this the eggs, adding a lump of butter and a little salt. stir till done.--_mrs. b._ eggs for breakfast. heat in the oven a common white dish, large enough to hold the number of eggs to be cooked, allowing plenty of room for each. melt in it a small piece of butter, break the eggs, one at a time, carefully in a saucer, and slip them in the hot dish. sprinkle over them pepper and salt, and let them cook four or five minutes. it is a great improvement to allow to every two eggs a tablespoonful of cream, adding it when the eggs are first put in.--_mrs. a. m. d._ egg cups--a breakfast dish. boil some eggs perfectly hard. halve them, take out the yolks, which mix smoothly with some finely chopped or ground ham or fowl, salt and pepper, and a few spoonfuls melted butter or salad oil. cut a piece off the bottom of each white half, to make them stand, and fill each with a chopped mixture. make a sauce of sweet cream, boiled within an inner saucepan, and pour over the eggs. decorate the edges of the dish with sprigs of curled parsley.--_mrs. a. m. d._ omelette. break six eggs in a pan, beat them well together, add half a gill of milk, pepper and salt to suit the taste, and a few sprigs of parsley chopped fine. beat all well together. have the cooking-pan hot enough to brown the butter. put in half a tablespoonful of butter. pour the mixture in the pan or skillet to cook. when sufficiently done, roll with a spoon and turn into the dish.--_miss e. p._ _omelette._ boil one pint milk in a shallow vessel. beat up four eggs very light; add salt, pepper, and a little flour, making it of the consistency of paste. put this into the boiling milk. have a pan well buttered, into which turn the mixture, and set inside an oven to bake a light brown. serve immediately.--_mrs. j. d._ _omelette._ eggs beaten very light. ounces butter. salt and pepper to the taste. chopped parsley or celery. fry a light brown in a well buttered pan. some minced ham or oysters improve the flavor.--_mrs. r._ _omelette._ eggs beaten separately. tablespoonfuls cream. salt and pepper to the taste.--_mrs. g. w. p._ omelette soufflÃ�. six eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately and very light. put on the stove a teacup milk with a piece of butter in it the size of a walnut. when the butter is melted, mix in one tablespoonful corn starch. mix this with the yolks, add salt to the taste, then stir in slowly the whites. bake in a buttered pudding dish, fifteen minutes, in a quick oven.--_mrs. m. e. l. w._ mock omelette. two cups bread crumbs soaked all night in one and one-half cup milk. add, next morning, three eggs, whites lightly stirred in; pepper, one teaspoonful salt.--_mrs. e. w._ ham omelette. ounce minced ham. a little pepper. eggs beaten very light and fried in lard.--_miss e. w._ cheese omelette. eggs beaten to a thick froth. ½ teacup grated cracker. tablespoonfuls grated cheese. cook in a frying-pan with butter. some persons add chopped thyme and parsley.--_mrs. p._ german omelette. eggs (yolks and whites beaten separately). mix thoroughly one-half teacup milk and one teaspoonful of flour. then add it to the yolks (well beaten) together with a little salt. pour this mixture into a moderately hot pan, greased with butter. when this is nearly done (which will be in about five minutes), add the whites, stiffly frothed and slightly salted, spreading them over the whole surface. run a knife carefully around the edges, and turn into a heated dish when done. it is an improvement to mix one-third of the frothed whites with the yolks before pouring into the pan.--_mrs. m. c. c._ poached eggs. let the eggs be perfectly fresh, and the pan at least two inches deep in boiling water. break the eggs carefully, just over the water or in a spoon, so that they may be slipped into the water with their shape preserved. take them up in a large perforated spoon, cover with fresh melted butter and sprinkle with salt--never pepper, as some persons do not use it, and it mars the appearance of the dish.--_mrs. s. t._ eggs with toast. (_a spring dish._) cut bread in squares, and toast a light brown. poach eggs nicely, place each one on a piece of toast. pour melted butter over them, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ rumble eggs. beat up three eggs with two ounces fresh butter or well washed salt butter. add a teaspoonful cream or new milk. put all in a saucepan and stir over the fire five minutes. when, it rises up, dish it immediately on toast.--_mrs. s._ ham and eggs. slice the ham rather thick. fry in a hot pan. before it becomes hard, take from the pan and lay in a dish over a vessel of hot water. let the pan remain on the fire, so as to keep the ham gravy hot, that it may cook the eggs nicely when dropped into it. break the eggs carefully, drop them in whole, and do not let them touch each other. cook a light brown, not allowing the yolks to get hard. lay an egg on each slice of meat.--_mrs. s. t._ ham and egg pudding. (_a spring dish._) eggs beaten very light. a light pint of flour. a pint of milk. a small piece of butter. salt and pepper to the taste. sprinkle some slices of boiled ham (both fat and lean) with pepper, and lay them across a deep dish that has been greased. then pour the pudding batter over the bacon and bake quickly. _mrs. v. p. m._ eggs Ã� la crÃ�me. six eggs boiled hard and chopped fine, and stale bread. put in a dish alternate layers of chopped egg and grated bread. when the dish is full, pour on one pint boiling milk seasoned with salt, pepper, and one tablespoonful butter. bake a light brown.--_miss n._ baked eggs for dinner. have ready eight or ten hard-boiled eggs, a cup of light grated bread crumbs, butter, pepper and salt. place in a buttered pudding dish a layer of sliced eggs, dotted with bits of butter, and sprinkled with salt and pepper; next a layer of bread crumbs, and so on to the top, being careful to let the top layer be of bread crumbs.--_mrs. a. m. d._ egg pie. take six hard-boiled eggs, slice, season with salt, pepper, and butter, bake in a paste, top and bottom. stuffed eggs. boil six eggs very hard. peel them, and after having sliced a bit off of each end to make them stand well, cut in halves and extract the yolks. rub up the yolks with a pinch of pepper and salt, melted butter, bread crumbs, and finely chopped celery. fill in the whites nicely, stand on end in the pan, lay bits of butter on each egg and bake.--_mrs. d. p._ vegetables. if possible, use vegetables gathered early in the morning, with the dew on them. it is even better to gather them late the evening before, with the evening dew on them (setting them in the ice-house or some cool place), than to gather them after the morning sun has grown hot. if you are living in the city, get your vegetables from market as early in the morning as possible. as soon as gathered or brought from market, all vegetables should be carefully picked over, washed, placed in fresh water, and set in a cool place till the cook is ready to put them on for dinner. put them on in water neither cold nor boiling hot. the slow heating that takes place when you put them on in cold water deprives them of their flavor, to some extent, whilst too rapid heating toughens the vegetable fibre. just before they are thoroughly done and tender, add sufficient salt to season them. do not stir them and mutilate them with a spoon, but turn them into a colander and drain. place them in a hot dish and put a large tablespoonful of fresh butter over them. in cooking dried peas and beans, as well as corn, put up in brine, always soak them the overnight. these vegetables should first be parboiled, whether they are to be used for soup or for side dishes. to boil green peas. early in the morning, either buy the peas from market or have them gathered in your garden, while the dew is on them. shell and lay in cold water till half an hour before dinner. then put in boiling water and boil steadily a half hour. add a little salt, just before taking from the fire. drain, add a heaping tablespoonful fresh butter and put in a covered dish.--_mrs. s. t._ to cook asparagus. as soon as you get the asparagus from market or your garden, throw into salt and water, after scraping the outer skin and tying up in bunches. put on to boil one hour before dinner. after boiling thirty minutes, drain, cut in pieces half an inch long, and put in the saucepan with enough milk to cover them. just before serving, add one tablespoonful fresh butter, in which one teaspoonful flour has been rubbed. season with salt and pepper.--_mrs. s. t._ _to cook asparagus._ wash well, scrape, cut off the tough end, tie up in bunches and put in boiling water with a spoonful of salt. boil thirty minutes or till tender. lay it on slices of toast in a dish, pour melted butter over it, and serve hot.--_mrs. p. w._ to boil beets. wash them. do not break or cut the roots. leave an inch of the tops, so that the color and juice cannot escape. boil hard for two hours. when tender, slice them, sprinkling over them sugar, then butter and salt to the taste. sugar is the greatest improvement.--_mrs. s. t._ to bake onions. boil six onions in water, or milk and water with a seasoning of pepper and salt. when done enough to mash, take them off, mash them with butter, grate bread crumbs over them and set them to bake. or place them whole in the baking dish with butter and bread crumbs. to cook onions. boil till tender, in milk and water. pour melted butter over them, and serve; or chop up and stew with a little milk, butter, and salt. to fry onions. wash and slice them. chop fine, put in a frying-pan and cover with water. simmer till the water is dried up, then fry brown, with a large slice of fat pork. add pepper and salt.--_mrs. s. t._ to dress raw onions. slice and chop fine, and put in weak salt and water till just before dinner. then drain off and dress with half a teacup vinegar, two tablespoonfuls pepper vinegar, two tablespoonfuls made mustard, two tablespoonfuls white sugar, one tablespoonful salt. lay a large lump of ice on top, and garnish with curled parsley; which, eaten after onions, is said to remove the scent from the breath.--_mrs. s. t._ radishes. as soon as taken from the ground, put in cold water. then put red and white radishes alternately in a dish of fanciful design, ornamenting with curled parsley, in the centre and around the edges.--_mrs. s. t._ celery. wash carefully and put in cold water to keep crisp till dinner. remove all the green, as nothing is so ornamental as the pure white leaves of bleached celery. if the ends of the stalks have been broken, split and curl them.--_mrs. s. t._ to boil snaps. early in the morning, string round, tender snaps. throw into water and set in a cool place, till an hour before dinner, when they must be drained and thrown into a pot where the bacon is boiling.--_mrs. s. t._ to boil snaps without bacon. prepare as above directed. boil an hour in hot water, adding a little salt, just before they are done. drain and serve with pepper, fresh butter and a little cream.--_mrs. s. t._ to stew cymlings (_or squash, as it is sometimes called_). peel and boil till tender. run through a colander. to a pint of pulp, add one half pint rich milk, a heaping tablespoonful fresh butter and a little salt. stew till thick like marmalade. pepper freely, pour over it, if convenient, half teacup cream, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ to fry cymlings. steam or boil the cymlings (unpeeled), till tender. when cool, slice and butter them, sprinkle pepper and salt and pour over them a spoonful of eggs, lightly beaten. sift over it cracker, pounded fine, and fry a light yellow brown. take from the frying pan, prepare the other side the same way. return to the pan and fry it a pale brown.--_mrs. s. t._ cymlings fried with bacon. fry some slices of fat bacon in a pan. remove the bacon when done and keep hot. fry in the gravy some cymlings that have been boiled tender and cut in slices. while frying, mash fine with a large spoon, and add pepper and salt. fry brown, and serve with the bacon, if you like.--_mrs. g. b._ cymling fritters. after boiling and running through a colander, mix with an egg, season with salt, pepper, and butter, make into cakes and fry a light brown. cymling pudding. boil young cymlings, mash and run through a colander. add one teacup of milk, three eggs, a large lump of butter, pepper and salt. put in a buttered deep dish, and bake a light brown. for a change, you might line the dish with thin slices of buttered bread, pour in the cymling batter and put some pieces of butter and grated cracker on top.--_mrs. m. c. c._ to boil green corn. strip off the outer shucks, leaving only the thin white ones. cut off the ends. throw into boiling water. boil an hour. strip off the silk with the shuck. cut from the cob while hot. sprinkle over salt, add a tablespoonful fresh butter and serve hot.--_mrs. s. t._ corn pudding. pint milk. eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately. tablespoonfuls melted butter. dessertspoonful white sugar. heaping teaspoonful cornstarch or flour. teaspoonful salt. ears of corn. with a sharp knife, slit each row of corn in the centre. then shave in thinnest slices. add the corn to the yolks of the eggs, next the butter, cornstarch, sugar, and salt, then the milk, gradually, and last of all the whites. bake in a hot oven. as soon as a light brown on top, cover with a buttered paper. grate cracker or bread crumbs over it and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ _corn pudding._ one dozen large ears corn. cut off the top of the grain, scrape with a knife, so as to get the heart of the grain without the husk. season with a teacup of cream, a large tablespoonful butter, salt and pepper to the taste. bake in a dish.--_mrs. dr. e._ corn fritters. dozen ears corn. eggs, beaten well. tablespoonfuls flour salt to the taste. grate the corn, add to it the flour, and gradually mix with the eggs. beat all hard together. drop in oval shapes, three inches long, into a pan, in which fry them brown, in equal parts of lard and butter. a batter cake-turner is convenient for turning them.--_mrs. dr. j._ _corn fritters._ large ears of corn, cut three times (not grated). eggs. teacup sweet milk (or more, if the corn is not juicy). teaspoonfuls flour. salt and pepper to taste. make the mixture the consistency of a soft batter, and fry in lard or butter.--_mrs. a. w._ corn fritters for breakfast. make a batter as you would for fritters, put in pepper, salt, lard, or butter, add to a quart of batter, a pint of corn, cut from the cob, and fry.--_mrs. a. p._ baked tomatoes. quart peeled and sliced tomatoes (not scalded). cup sugar. tablespoonful butter. dessertspoonful salt. teaspoonful black pepper. roll of bread. spread a layer of tomatoes on the bottom of an earthen (never a tin) baking dish. put over it half the sugar, butter, pepper and salt, and crumble half the roll over it in small bits. then spread another layer of tomato, sugar, etc., ending with the remaining half of the roll. grate cracker or hard brown biscuit on top, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ _baked tomatoes._ scald and peel the tomatoes, or else peel thin with a sharp knife, without scalding. cut in small pieces, season with a little sugar, salt, pepper, and finely minced onion. grease a baking dish and line it with thin slices of light bread buttered. pour the tomatoes in the dish, crumming up a little light bread on them. spread on top a layer of heavily buttered light bread, and bake.--_mrs. m. c. c._ stewed tomatoes. peel and chop tomatoes till you have a quart. add one teacup brown sugar, one teacup butter, one teacup bread crumbs. one tablespoonful salt; one teaspoonful black pepper. stew till free from lumps and perfectly done. pour in a deep dish, sift powdered crackers over it, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ _stewed tomatoes._ scald and peel the tomatoes, chop fine, season with salt, pepper, onion, and a little sugar. put in some pieces of buttered light bread, cut up very fine. add a lump of butter, and stew in a saucepan.--_mrs. v. p. m._ tomato omelette. peel and chop fine one quart of tomatoes, add salt and pepper, a little onion minced fine, a half teacup grated bread. beat five eggs to a foam, stir into the tomatoes and turn the mixture into a hot pan, greased with butter, stir rapidly till it begins to thicken. let it brown a few minutes on the bottom, then fold it half over and serve hot. this dish may be made of canned tomatoes, when fresh cannot be obtained.--_mrs. i. g._ fried tomatoes. slice tomatoes one-quarter inch thick. put them in a skillet in which a spoonful of nice lard has been melted. after getting hot, the skins of the tomatoes may be removed. sprinkle with salt and pepper, take the tomatoes out, thicken the gravy with a teacup cream in which a teaspoonful flour has been stirred. put the tomatoes in a dish and pour the gravy over them. serve hot.--_mrs. c. l. t._ ropa viga. select fine ripe tomatoes. pour boiling water over them so as to remove the skins readily. put them in a pan of melted butter, with some pepper and salt. shred cold meat or fowl over them. fry sufficiently, and serve hot.--_mrs. a. d._ tomato toast. put some canned tomatoes in a frying pan with a little butter and salt. cook lightly and pour over slices of toasted bread, buttered and softened with cream.--_mrs. dr. g._ to dress raw tomatoes. slice a plateful large fresh tomatoes. pour over them a dressing made of the yolk of one egg and olive oil, creamed smoothly together; salt and pepper to the taste; one teaspoonful prepared mustard, a little vinegar. if you like, you may add sugar.--_mrs. r. l. o._ _to dress raw tomatoes._ peel and cut in thick slices six large ripe tomatoes which have been kept on ice. put a layer into a salad bowl, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and powdered sugar. put in another layer, and so on, till all the tomatoes are disposed of. pour over the top a teacup of weak vinegar. cover the top with ice, and set in the refrigerator ten minutes before serving.--_mrs. s. t._ lima beans. shell and throw into cold water. put in boiling water an hour before dinner; add some salt; when tender, drain off the water and add a tablespoonful fresh butter. beans are seldom cooked enough.--_mrs. s. t._ _lima beans._ shell and lay in cold water. boil thoroughly, and then stew a little with butter, pepper, salt, and cream.--_mrs. r._ succotash. pint shelled lima beans. quart green corn, cut from the cob. quart tomatoes, prepared and seasoned as for baking. boil the corn and beans together till done, then drain off the water and pour in a cup of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, and salt to the taste. let it boil up, and then pour in the tomatoes. let all simmer an hour. baked or stewed dishes should have cracker or brown biscuit grated on top, before sending to the table.--_mrs. s. t._ to fry cucumbers. peel, cut lengthwise in thick slices and lay in water till just before dinner. wipe dry, sprinkle with pepper and salt, dip in beaten egg, sift over pounded cracker and fry with the cover on till light brown. prepare exactly as egg-plant.--_mrs. s. t._ to dress cucumbers raw. gather early in the morning, peel, lay in cold water till just before dinner. then drain, slice as thin as possible into ice water, which drain and then fill a dish with alternate layers of sliced cucumber and thinly sliced white onion, sprinkled with salt and pepper. pour a cup of weak vinegar over it and lay a lump of ice on top.--_mrs. s. t._ okra. boil young okra till tender, in salt and water. drain, add half a teacup of cream, and a heaping tablespoonful butter. let it boil up, turn it out in a dish, sprinkle salt and pepper over it and serve hot. to boil irish potatoes. old potatoes must be nicely peeled and dropped in boiling water, covered with a lid and boiled hard half an hour. then drain off the water and set by the fire. this makes them mealy.--_mrs. s. t._ creamed potatoes. peel and boil white mealy potatoes, till perfectly done. take out one at a time from the saucepan, which must be left on the fire. with a large spoon, mash perfectly fine; add salt, a heaping tablespoonful butter and a teacup rich milk. stir rapidly ten or fifteen minutes and send hot to the table. it is much lighter when well creamed and beaten.--_mrs. s. t._ potato snow. peel and boil in a saucepan, six large mealy white potatoes. add a little salt to the water. take them out one by one, leaving the saucepan on the fire. rub through a sieve into a deep dish, letting it fall in a mound. do not touch with a spoon or the hand. have a sauce-boat of melted butter to serve with it at table.--_mrs. s. t._ irish potato chips. shave the raw potatoes with a cabbage cutter. drop the pieces, one at a time, into boiling lard, and fry a rich brown. sprinkle a little salt over them.--_mrs. r. l. o._ to fry sliced potatoes. peel and slice thin. dry well in a cloth. fry in lard, stirring till crisp. take up and lay on a sieve to drain. sprinkle a little salt over them.--_mrs. r._ potato cakes. mash potatoes, just boiled. add salt, pepper, butter, and cream, make into cakes, and fry brown on both sides.--_mrs. p. w._ potato pudding. may be made by putting potatoes prepared exactly as above directed, in a pudding dish, and baking.--_mrs. s. t._ potato hash. cut cold boiled potatoes in slices. put in a pan with boiling water, adding pepper, salt, and butter. stew till thick, and serve.--_mrs. dr. g._ to boil sweet potatoes. boil large, smooth potatoes till quite done. peel and slice lengthwise. pour melted butter over them. some persons like a dressing of pepper, salt, butter, and cream. others prefer butter, sifted sugar, and grated nutmeg. to fry sweet potatoes. parboil and cut in thick slices, sprinkling over them pepper, salt, and sugar. fry with a slice of fat pork. take from the pan, sift over them pounded cracker, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ to cook inferior sweet potatoes. boil till nearly done. cut in thick slices; put a layer in the bottom of a baking dish. put pepper, salt, sugar, bits of butter, and a teaspoonful vinegar on this layer, and so on till the dish is filled, leaving a layer of seasoning for the top. pour over it a teacup rich milk. put a tin plate on top and bake a few minutes. put grated cracker, on top.--_mrs. s. t._ to dress yams. steam them till done, peel and slice them. put in a buttered baking-dish a layer of yam, on which put sugar and some lumps of butter. fill up the dish in this way, and when full, pour over it milk or cream, and bake brown.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ to stew egg-plants. put them on whole in a plenty of water, and let them simmer till tender. then take off the skin and divide them. mash them well in a deep dish, adding a large spoonful butter and some grated bread crumbs. grate bread crumbs on top, and brown it. purple egg-plants are best.--_mrs. m._ to fry egg-plant. cut the egg-plant in thick slices, carefully paring each piece. throw it in salt and water, and let it remain there several hours. take from the water, drain and wipe. then butter the slices of egg-plant, dip in beaten egg, then in grated cracker, and fry a light brown. pepper, grate more cracker over them, and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ egg-plant pudding. quarter the egg-plant and lay it in salt and water the overnight, to extract the bitterness. the next day, parboil, peel and chop fine, and add bread crumbs (one teacup to a pint of egg-plant), eggs (two to a pint of egg-plant), salt, pepper, and butter to taste; enough milk to make a good batter. bake in an earthen dish twenty minutes.--_mrs. r. l. o._ to bake egg-plant. parboil the egg-plant. take out the meat and mix it with butter, pepper, salt, and bread crumbs. fill the hulls with this mixture and bake a dark brown. cucumbers may be prepared by the same recipe. burr artichokes. strip off the coarse outer leaves, cut the stalk, and lay several hours in cold water. then put in boiling water, with their leaves downward. keep covered with a plate. boil steadily two or three hours. serve with butter, pepper, salt, mustard, and vinegar.--_mrs. r._ to stew parsnips. peel and slice parsnips. boil them in a covered vessel with slices of nice pork, until done, adding salt and pepper to taste.--_mrs. g. b._ to fry parsnips. peel and parboil the parsnips. slice lengthwise, and fry with fat pork, sprinkling over them salt, pepper, and sugar. grate bread crumbs over it and serve. salsify may be cooked the same way.--_mrs. s. t._ to cook parsnips. boil the parsnips till thoroughly done. serve with salt, pepper, butter, and cream; or mash the parsnips, mix with an egg batter, and season as before. to cook salsify. wash, trim, scrape the roots and cut them up fine. boil till tender, mash and season with pepper, salt, bread crumbs, butter, and milk. put in a dish and bake brown.--_mrs. a. p._ to stew salsify. scrape and throw at once in water to prevent from turning dark. boil till tender in a closely covered vessel. drain off the water and cut the salsify in pieces half an inch long. throw in a saucepan with teacup vinegar. teacup water. tablespoonful sugar. tablespoonful butter. salt and pepper to taste. just before serving, add the yolk of an egg, beaten up and mixed with a little water. the seasoning above given is for one quart salsify.--_mrs. s. t._ _another way to stew salsify._ prepare the salsify exactly as in the foregoing recipe. boil till tender, drain and cut in pieces, half an inch long, and then stew in milk. just before serving, add a tablespoonful of butter, rolled in a teaspoonful flour. let it boil up once. pepper and salt it, grate cracker over it and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ to fry salsify. prepare as for stewing. when perfectly tender, run through a colander. add grated cracker, two eggs, well beaten, one tablespoonful vinegar, one tablespoonful butter, one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful sugar, a little pepper. make into oval cakes, roll in grated cracker, and fry a light brown.--_mrs. s. t._ to boil cabbage with bacon. quarter a head of hard white cabbage, examine for insects, lay in salt and water several hours. an hour before dinner, drain and put in a pot in which bacon has been boiling--a pod of red pepper boiled with it will make it more wholesome and improve the flavor of both bacon and cabbage.--_mrs. s. t._ cabbage boiled without bacon. prepare exactly as directed in the foregoing recipe. boil an hour in a large pot of boiling water. drain, chop fine, add a tablespoonful butter, the same of cream, the same of pepper-vinegar, and salt and pepper to your taste.--_mrs. s. t._ cabbage pudding. boil nice, hard, white cabbage with good bacon. when thoroughly done, chop fine and add a large lump of butter, one teacup rich milk, three eggs beaten light, two teaspoonfuls mixed mustard; pepper and salt to the taste. pour in a buttered deep dish; put on top dusted pepper, bits of fresh butter, and grated cracker or stale bread. bake a light brown.--_mrs. m. c. c._ _cabbage pudding._ boil the cabbage till tender, chop fine and add four eggs, well beaten, one pound bread crumbs, one teacup melted butter, milk enough to make it as thick as mush, salt and pepper to the taste. bake in a dish till the eggs and milk are cooked.--_mrs. mcd._ warm slaw. cut the cabbage very fine and sprinkle over it a tablespoonful flour. put a piece of butter, the size of an egg, in the oven to melt. salt and pepper the cabbage and put it in the oven with the butter. mix half a teacup of cream with the same quantity of vinegar, pour it over the cabbage and heat thoroughly.--_mrs. s. g._ _warm slaw._ cut the cabbage (hard red is best) as for cold slaw. put in a saucepan one-quarter pound butter, two gills water, three gills vinegar, one teaspoonful salt, and a little cayenne pepper. if you like, add a garlic, minced fine. when this mixture has come to a boil, pour it boiling hot over the cabbage, and cover it five or ten minutes, when it will be ready for use. _warm slaw._ wash the cabbage, cut fine and put on the fire with enough water to keep it from burning. when sufficiently tender, have ready a dressing made of vinegar, pepper, salt, mustard, a spoonful of butter rolled in flour, and beaten eggs, all thoroughly mixed. stir this quickly in the cabbage and let it boil up.--_mrs. col. w._ fried cabbage. reserve some cabbage from dinner. set it away till next morning. chop fine, season with pepper and salt, and fry brown with a slice of fat bacon. cauliflower. remove the outside leaves. cut in four parts, tie them together, put in boiling water and let them simmer till the stalk is thoroughly tender, keeping it covered with water, and removing the scum. boil two hours, drain well and serve with melted butter. you may cook broccoli by the same recipe, except that you cut it in two pieces instead of four.--_mrs. r._ spinach. pick and soak several hours in cold water. drain and shake each bunch. throw in boiling water and boil till tender. take up with a perforated skimmer. put in a saucepan with a heaping tablespoonful butter; pepper and salt to taste. stir in three hard-boiled eggs, chopped up. let it simmer, stirring frequently. put in a deep dish and cover with nicely poached eggs, buttered, peppered, and salted. sea-kale may be prepared by the same recipe.--_mrs. s. t._ turnip salad. pick early in the morning. wash one peck and put in cold water. have ready a pot of boiling water in which a piece of bacon has boiled several hours, and the amount of water become much reduced. take out the bacon, put in the salad, put the bacon back on top of the salad, and boil till very tender. dip from the pot with a perforated skimmer, lay in a deep dish, skim the fat from the liquor and pour over the salad. cover with nicely poached eggs. cover and send to the table hot. any other kind of salad might be cooked by this recipe.--_mrs. s. t._ turnips. boil and mash through a colander. season with a cup cream, spoonful butter, pepper, and salt, and stew quite dry. then you may bake them.--_mrs. col. w._ to stew turnips. peel five or six turnips and put on to boil, adding a little salt to the water. when thoroughly done, mash fine through a colander, season with a teacup of cream, or milk, a tablespoonful butter, red and black pepper, and a little more salt, if needed. stew two or three minutes. cabbage prepared the same way is very nice.--_mrs. c. m. a._ resipee for cukin kon-feel pees. gether your pees 'bout sun-down. the folrin day, 'bout leven o'clock, gowge out your pees with your thum nale, like gowgin out a man's eye-ball at a kote house. rense your pees, parbile them, then fry 'em with som several slices uv streekt middlin, incouragin uv the gravy to seep out and intermarry with your pees. when modritly brown, but not scorcht, empty intoo a dish. mash 'em gently with a spune, mix with raw tomarters sprinkled with a little brown shugar and the immortal dish ar quite ready. eat a hepe. eat mo and mo. it is good for your genral helth uv mind and body. it fattens you up, makes you sassy, goes throo and throo your very soul. but why don't you eat? eat on. by jings. eat. _stop!_ never, while thar is a pee in the dish.--_mozis addums._ cornfield or black eye peas. shell early in the morning, throw into water till an hour before dinner, when put into boiling water, covering close while cooking. add a little salt, just before taking from the fire. drain and serve with a large spoonful fresh butter, or put in a pan with a slice of fat meat, and simmer a few minutes. dried peas must be soaked overnight, and cooked twice as long as fresh.--_mrs. s. t._ to boil dried peas. soak in boiling water the night before. then next day parboil and drain. put in fresh water with a piece of middling or ham, and boil till tender.--_mrs. col. w._ to boil dried lima, or other beans. soak overnight. next morning, soak in fresh water till two hours before dinner, when boil steadily in a covered saucepan two hours. drain and add a large spoonful fresh butter, and a little salt.--_mrs. s. t._ corn put up in brine. late as possible in the fall prepare tender roasting ears for winter use. strip off the outer shuck, leaving the inner, silky ones next to the grain. have ready a nice clean wooden firkin or tub, properly scalded and sunned. sprinkle salt over the bottom. pack closely with corn. wash a large flat rock and lay on the top, when nearly full. pour strong brine over the corn, covering it well. the day before using, strip off the shuck and silk, place in a bucket of cold water (renewing the water once, or twice), and let it stand till ready to use it. two ears soaked thus, and shaved into a pot of soup with other vegetables, will impart a delicious flavor.--_mrs. s. t._ pickles and catsups. for pickles and catsups, use the best cider vinegar, it being not only more wholesome than other kinds of vinegar, but the only sort that will keep pickles or catsup for any length of time. in making catsup, or in scalding pickles in vinegar, if a brass kettle is used, it must be scoured with sand and ashes, washed and wiped dry, and then scoured with vinegar and salt. by attending to these directions, the brass kettle may be safely used--though the pickles or catsup must be poured from it the instant it is taken from the fire, or they will canker. in making pickles, it is a good rule to allow two pounds of sugar to each gallon of vinegar for sour pickle, though a larger proportion must be allowed for sweet pickle. vinegar for pickling should be spiced and set to sun from spring to autumn. never put pickle in a jar that has been used for butter or lard. examine often to see if the pickle is well covered with vinegar, and if any of it has turned soft, remove it. keep it in a dry, airy closet, and be careful not to let it freeze. pickle is generally considered best when from six months to a year old. some housekeepers use the same vinegar (with a slight addition) from year to year, by draining the pickle as they take it out of the jar. pickle vinegar. gallons cider vinegar. ounces white pepper, beaten. ounces whole allspice. ounces mustard-seed. ounces ground mustard. ounces of mace. ounces of turmeric. ounces of white ginger. ounces of garlic. ounces of horseradish. gills of celery-seed. sliced lemons. pounds of sugar. this ought to be prepared several months before using, and always kept on hand ready for use.--_mrs. s. t._ _pickle vinegar._ gallons vinegar. pint black mustard-seed. ounces ginger. ounces allspice. ounce cloves. ounces whole black pepper. ounce celery-seed. pounds brown sugar. handfuls scraped horseradish. handful garlic. sliced lemons. make in may, and sun all summer.--_mrs. d. r._ vinegar for pickles. gallons vinegar. cup bruised ginger. cup black mustard-seed. cup garlic. ½ cup black pepper. cup celery-seed. ½ cup of mace. ½ cup of cloves. ½ cup of turmeric. pounds brown sugar. pod red pepper. handful horseradish.--_mrs. p. w._ cucumbers (sliced), snaps, gherkins, muskmelons, cabbage, onions, or anything to be put into the spiced vinegar, must be previously boiled tender in strong vinegar and salt--well pressed out--and then put into the pickle vinegar, will soon be ready for use.--_mrs. j. j. c._ yellow pickle vinegar. gallons of pure cider vinegar. pint black mustard-seed. pint white mustard-seed. ounces ground mustard. ounces white ginger. ounces pepper. ounces allspice. ounce mace. ounce cloves. ounces turmeric. large handful horseradish. handful garlic. spoonful salt. gill celery-seed. lemons. pounds sugar. the liquid should be mixed in the spring, and set in the sun.--_mrs. t. m. c._ ingredients to one gallon green pickle. pounds of sugar. ½ ounce of mace, full weight, and beaten. ½ ounce of black pepper, full weight, and beaten. ounce ginger, light weight, and beaten. ½ ounce allspice, light weight. / ounce cloves, light weight. ½ tablespoonful salt, light weight. ½ ounce celery-seed, light weight. - / ounces cinnamon, beaten.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ preparing pickles. vegetables for pickle should be kept in cold and strong brine till they turn yellow: then put vine-leaves in the bottom of the kettle, then a layer of vegetables and a layer of leaves till full. pour on them, boiling salt and water and let them boil until a bright green. take them, while hot, and place in weak vinegar for a whole week. then add them to the spiced vinegar. afterwards rub on them a little turmeric. prepare the spiced vinegar in may, and expose to the sun every day for some time.--_mrs. r._ yellow pickle. gallons vinegar. pounds sugar. ounce turmeric. ounces allspice. ounce cloves. ounce mace. pint mustard-seed. tablespoonfuls celery-seed. pound all together and stir into the hot cider vinegar for several minutes. prepare your vegetables by quartering the cabbage and scalding them in brine; cover them and leave until cold; squeeze dry and hang in the sun; when bleached, throw in plain vinegar, then into the spiced vinegar.--_mrs. p._ _yellow pickle._ ½ gallons vinegar. pounds sugar. pound white mustard-seed. bottle mustard. pound white ginger. ½ pound white pepper. ½ pound turmeric. ounces nutmeg. ounces allspice. ounces cloves. ounces celery-seed. pound them all before putting in the vinegar, add one pound scraped horseradish, half-dozen lemons sliced. scald two dozen onions, sprinkle them with salt, and let them stand a day; drain off the water and wash well with the vinegar. add them to your spiced vinegar. cut your cabbage and scald them in strong salt water till you can run a straw through them; drain them for a day and put into plain vinegar for two weeks; let them drain again a day or two before putting into the prepared vinegar. put two tablespoonfuls turmeric in the plain vinegar to turn the cabbage yellow.--_mrs. j. t. a._ _yellow pickle._ one peck cabbage cut up. lay in a jar, sprinkling with salt; leave it twenty-four hours; squeeze out and put in a kettle with half a dozen onions chopped, cover with vinegar, add one ounce turmeric, and boil one hour. then add: pounds brown sugar. ½ ounce mace. ½ ounce allspice. ½ ounce cloves. tablespoonfuls mixed mustard. teacup black peppercorn. tablespoonfuls ground ginger. tablespoonfuls celery-seed. boil till clear.--_mrs. s. b._ _yellow pickle._ gallons cider vinegar. ounces beaten white pepper. ounces whole allspice. ounces white mustard-seed. ounces black mustard-seed. ounces mace. ounces turmeric. ounces white ginger. ounces ground mustard. ounces garlic. ounces horseradish. gills celery-seed. sliced lemons. pounds brown sugar. should be prepared months before using. cabbage to be pickled should be boiled or scalded in salt and water until the leaves can be turned back so as to sprinkle salt between them; then must be dried in the sun. shake all the salt out when dry, and soak in plain vinegar, with a little turmeric sprinkled on each layer of cabbage. after ten days, drain them and put in the spiced vinegar.--_mrs. s. t._ yellow pickled cabbage. ounce turmeric. gill black pepper. gill celery-seed. a few cloves. a few pieces of ginger. tablespoonfuls made mustard. ½ ounce mace. pounds sugar. tablespoonful allspice. take one peck of quartered cabbage; slice them and put a layer of cabbage and one of salt; let it remain over night. in the morning squeeze them and put on the fire with four chopped onions, and cover with vinegar; boil for an hour, then add the spices mentioned above, and let it boil an hour longer; when cold it is ready for use.--_mrs. w. h. m._ a quick way to make yellow pickle. two gallons chopped cabbage, sprinkle one handful salt through it, and let stand over night. squeeze it out dry and put into a kettle. add one ounce of celery-seed, one ounce of turmeric, one quarter-pound of mustard-seed, (black and white mixed), five pounds brown sugar, with vinegar enough to cover the whole well. boil until the cabbage is tender. put it in stone jars and keep it closely covered. it is fit for use the day after it is made.--_mrs. j. c. w._ yellow pickle. ounces black mustard-seed. ounces white mustard-seed. ounces celery-seed. ounce coriander. ounce white pepper. ounce green ginger. ounces turmeric. pound brown sugar. put these in one and one-half gallons best cider vinegar, and set in the sun. this can be prepared during the winter, if you choose. quarter your cabbages (small heads about the size of a large apple are best), and put in a tub. make a strong brine, boil and pour over while hot. let them stand twenty-four hours and then repeat. on the third day spread them on a board or table, salt them slightly, and let them stand in the hot sun four days, taking care that no dew shall fall on them. put in a jar, and pour on your prepared vinegar boiling hot. this pickle will not be ready for the table till it has softened and absorbed the vinegar. you can judge of this by your taste. to make quick pickle by this recipe, you simply salt your cabbage for one night, pouring off in the morning the water drawn out by the salt. then put in the kettle with the spices and vinegar, and boil until a straw will go through.--_mrs. j. b. d._ cabbage pickle for present use. boil the cabbage in salt and water till tender; lay them on dishes, drain or press them in a towel. boil together two gallons strong vinegar. pint white mustard-seed. ounces ginger. ounces black pepper. ounces allspice. ounce mace. ounce cloves. ounce turmeric. large handful horseradish. large handful garlic. ounce celery-seed. pounds brown sugar. pour it over the cabbage boiling hot. if you have no garlic, use one pint onions chopped fine.--_mrs. h._ cut cabbage pickle. fill the jar with cut cabbage. to every gallon of cabbage put one handful horseradish. tablespoonfuls black pepper. ½ tablespoonful red pepper. tablespoonfuls coriander-seed. tablespoonfuls celery-seed. tablespoonfuls mace. tablespoonfuls allspice. dozen cloves. ½ teacup made mustard. tablespoonfuls white mustard-seed. pound sugar. or sliced onions. salt your cabbage first as for slaw, and let it stand two or three hours. put in a porcelain kettle and cover with weak vinegar; put turmeric enough to color, boil it till tender, then drain off the weak vinegar, and cover it with strong cider vinegar, and mix the spices well through it; add three or more tablespoonfuls turmeric, and boil the whole fifteen minutes very hard. when cold, it is ready for use.--_mrs. s. m._ chopped cabbage pickle. cut the cabbage as for slaw, pour over it enough boiling brine to cover it. chop and scald a few onions in the same way, cover both, and leave twenty-four hours; then squeeze in a cloth until free from brine. if it should taste very salt, soak in clear water for a few hours and squeeze again. loosen and mix the cabbage and onions thoroughly. to one-half gallon cabbage put: small cut onion. pound brown sugar. small box mustard. ½ pound white mustard-seed. small cup grated horseradish. ½ ounce mace. tablespoonful ground black pepper. ounces celery-seed. ounce turmeric. chopped celery and nasturtiums, if they can be had. mix all, and cover with cold vinegar. if necessary, add more vinegar after it has stood awhile.--_mrs. c. n._ green pickle. put the pickles in a strong brine, strong enough to bear an egg. three weeks is long enough for them to remain in brine, if you wish to make your pickle early in the fall; but they will keep several months, indeed all the winter, by having them always well covered with the brine. when ready to make your pickle, drain off _every drop_ of brine, and pour boiling water over the pickles. repeat this for three mornings in succession. then pour off this last water, and soak the pickles two days in cold water, changing the water each morning. next, pouring off this water, scald the pickles _three_ mornings in weak vinegar, weakening the vinegar by putting two quarts of water to one of vinegar. this is the time for greening the pickles, by putting in the jar or keg a layer of pickle, then sprinkling in a little powdered alum, and so on, till the vessel is filled; then pouring on the weakened vinegar. only use the alum the first morning; but the other mornings pour off the vinegar and pour on a fresh quantity. all this is necessary, if you wish to have pickle perfectly free from the brine, and in a condition to keep. fill your jars with the pickle thus prepared, and pour over them the best of vinegar, after seasoning it and letting it boil a few minutes. seasoning to one gallon vinegar: pounds brown sugar. tablespoonful allspice. tablespoonful of cinnamon. tablespoonful of ginger. tablespoonful of black pepper, all pounded. drops oil of cloves, or ounces of cloves. ounce celery-seed. pod red pepper. tablespoonfuls grated horseradish.--_mrs. c._ _green pickles._ put the pickle in strong brine for two days; then boil the brine and pour it over them hot. repeat this twice. then pour over them boiling vinegar and water mixed, three successive times, at intervals of two days. for a three-gallon jar take: teacup black pepper. teacup allspice. ½ teacup of ginger. ½ teacup of mace. ½ teacup of cloves, all beaten, but not fine. heads of cabbage chopped fine. teacups horseradish. onions chopped fine. quart mustard seed. take half of the beaten spices and mix with the latter ingredients, also three cups of brown sugar; stuff the mangoes with this. add the rest to the vinegar with five pounds of sugar, and pour on the pickle hot. this makes very superior pickle.--_miss s. s. v._ _green pickle_ [_ gallons_]. ounces mace. ½ pound ginger, scalded and sliced. ounces cloves. ounces cinnamon. ounces long pepper. ounces black pepper. ounces allspice. ounce nutmeg. ¼ pound horseradish scraped, sliced, but not _dried_. ounce turmeric. ounces black mustard-seed. ounce coriander-seed. ounces garlic, or onion. pounds brown sugar. prepare the cucumbers as follows: gather cucumbers, snaps, etc., and put them in a large stone jar, pouring over them a strong brine which has been boiled and skimmed--hot, but not boiling; cover with an old table-cloth to keep the steam in. let them stand about a week, then take and soak twenty-four hours in cold water. next put them in a large kettle lined with grape leaves, and fill, covering with weak vinegar. sprinkle in a dessertspoonful of powdered alum, and cover with grape leaves, setting on the stove until a beautiful bright green. put in a jar and pour this vinegar over them and let them stand until next day; then dry the pickles with a cloth, and have ready the jar, putting in a layer of the pickles with a layer of the seasoning before mentioned; fill with strong cider vinegar. tie up closely, and keep in a warm, dry place. the spices must be bruised or beaten tolerately fine before putting with pickles; and a little salad oil added is an improvement.--_mrs. p. mcg._ cucumbers or other small pickles. gallons vinegar. tablespoonfuls ginger. tablespoonfuls celery-seed. tablespoonful cinnamon. tablespoonfuls turmeric. tablespoonful horseradish. tablespoonful garlic. tablespoonfuls pepper. teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful of mace. teaspoonful of allspice; all the spices must be pulverized. add the garlic and horseradish when cold. add two pounds sugar, which must be boiled in the vinegar and poured over the spices. one teaspoonful red pepper will improve it. boil the vegetables in plain vinegar before putting in the spiced vinegar. gherkins and snaps are made in the same way as cucumbers--_mrs. s._ pickled cucumbers. ½ gallon vinegar. pounds brown sugar. tablespoonfuls cloves. tablespoonfuls allspice. tablespoonfuls mustard. tablespoonfuls celery. tablespoonful white ginger. tablespoonful cinnamon. tablespoonful black pepper. pods green pepper. lemons sliced. a little horseradish. onions, and as many cucumbers as the vinegar will well cover. boil all together until the cucumbers are tender, and they will be ready for use in a week or so. to green the fruit: line your brass kettle with grape-leaves, and then pour weak vinegar on the cucumbers, cover with leaves, and boil a little while.--_mrs. e. i._ cucumber pickle. gallons good vinegar. cup bruised ginger. cup mustard-seed. cup garlic. onions chopped fine. ½ teacup black pepper. teacup celery-seed. ½ ounce mace. ½ ounce cloves. ½ ounce turmeric. pod red pepper. handful horseradish. pounds brown sugar. after greening the cucumbers, put them in plain vinegar for a few days. then boil the spices in one gallon of the vinegar, and pour it over the pickle boiling hot. do this twice; it will be ready for use in a week.--_mrs. p. w._ boiled cucumber pickle. take fresh cucumbers (size for eating), put them in brine for a few days; take them out, and put them in vinegar to soak for two days. then wipe them dry, cut them in pieces one inch thick. make a seasoning of a mixture of allspice, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and whole black pepper, about two ounces to seventy-five cucumbers. add celery-seed, and onion chopped fine. take a large stone jar, put a layer of cucumber and a layer of the mixture, with plenty of brown sugar (about eight pounds to a large jar). in this way fill the jar, then cover it with strong vinegar: tie the mouth up securely, put the jar in a pot of cold water, and boil until the cucumber is tender, and they will be ready for use in a few days.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ pickled cucumbers. put them in a wooden or stone vessel, pour over strong salt and water boiling hot, put a weight on to keep them under the pickle. after three days, pour it off, boil, and turn it over again: let stand three days again; then take them out and let them lie one night in plain cold water; next day put them over the fire, but do not let them boil, allowing one tablespoonful alum to one gallon vinegar; mace, cinnamon, peppercorns, white and black mustard-seed and grated horseradish, one tablespoonful each to every gallon vinegar, and one teaspoonful turmeric, and two and one-half pounds sugar. fold a double piece of linen, and a soft, thick brown paper, and tie the jars tight; throw in the vinegar and keep in a dry place. a bladder and linen cloth are nice to be over the pots.--_mrs. g. p._ sweet cucumber pickle. slice cucumbers and soak in brine a week; then soak in salt water until the salt is extracted sufficiently. boil in strong alum water half an hour, then in ginger tea half an hour. make a syrup of one quart good vinegar, one pint water, three pounds sugar, to four pounds cucumbers; season with mace, cinnamon, cloves, and celery-seed. put in the cucumbers and boil till the syrup is thick enough. add some sliced ginger.--_mrs. s. m._ cucumber sweet pickle. first lay the cucumbers in salt and water for one week or ten days; next cut them in slices quarter of an inch thick. then soak out the salt and boil them in alum water half an hour, and afterwards in ginger tea for one hour. then make a syrup of one pint water, one quart vinegar, three pounds sugar to every four pounds cucumbers. flavor with cloves, mace, and cinnamon. boil all together until the syrup is sufficiently thickened.--_mrs. a. c._ to pickle ripe cucumbers. take them yellow, but not too ripe, scrape the seeds well out; lay them in salt and water twenty-four hours, then make syrup same as for peaches; in a week scald the vinegar again.--_mrs. c._ green tomato pickle. slice green tomatoes and onions; sprinkle each layer with salt; let them stand until next day, then press all the juice out, and season very highly with red and black pepper, celery, mustard seed, a little turmeric, and some sugar; cover with vinegar, and cook until tender.--_mrs. m. d._ green tomato pickle. slice and chop green tomatoes, until you have one gallon. chop one dozen large onions. mix and sprinkle four large spoonfuls of salt upon them, let it stand one night; next day drain off all the water, and have one quart strong vinegar, two pounds sugar, spices and pepper to your taste. put in the vinegar, and put with the tomatoes in a porcelain kettle; boil half an hour. place in the jar for keeping and cover closely. three or four days afterwards, boil again for a few minutes and put away for use.--_mrs. l. p._ _green tomato pickle._ one peck tomatoes sliced. one dozen onions. sprinkle with salt, and lay by twenty-four hours; then drain them. pounds sugar to one gallon vinegar. ½ ounces ground pepper. ounce whole cloves. ounce mustard-seed. ounce allspice. cup mustard, mixed. put all in a kettle, with vinegar enough to cover; boil till tender.--_mrs. s. b._ to make green tomato sauce. pounds tomatoes. pints good cider vinegar. pounds brown sugar. ½ pint celery-seed. ½ pint mustard-seed. ½ pints onions, cut fine. teacup ground mustard. ½ ounce mace. ounces cinnamon. ounce allspice. ½ ounce cloves. ¼ pound black pepper. put all of the spices in the vinegar, and boil one hour. then put in the tomatoes, which you must slice the night before, and put one layer of salt and one of tomatoes. drain the water off, and boil the tomatoes in the spiced vinegar till done.--_mrs. dr. s._ green tomato sauce. peel and slice the tomatoes. to two gallons add: tablespoonfuls ground mustard. ½ tablespoonfuls ground black pepper. tablespoonfuls ground allspice. tablespoonfuls ground cloves. gills white mustard-seed. gill celery-seed. gill salt. pint onions, chopped fine. quarts brown sugar. quarts vinegar. beat all the spices, except the mustard-seed, and boil together until thick as marmalade.--_mrs. s. t._ _green tomato sauce._ gallons tomatoes, sliced. tablespoonfuls salt. gills of mustard-seed, whole. ½ tablespoonfuls pepper. ½ tablespoonfuls allspice. tablespoonfuls mustard, beaten smooth. teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful cinnamon. teaspoonful celery-seed. pint onions, chopped fine. quart sugar. ½ quarts vinegar. mix thoroughly and boil till done.--_mrs. p. mcg._ sweet tomato pickle. peel small tomatoes with a sharp knife; scald in strong ginger tea until clear. to four pounds tomatoes, two pounds sugar, not quite one quart vinegar; cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, to taste. scald the tomatoes and pour on boiling hot.--_mrs. j. h. f._ _sweet tomato pickle._ boil green tomatoes in strong ginger tea for ten minutes. then take out, and to every two pounds add one quart of vinegar, one pound sugar, cinnamon, cloves and mace to your taste.--_mrs. p._ _sweet tomato pickle._ slice one gallon green tomatoes, and put a handful salt to each layer of tomatoes. let them stand twelve hours, then drain off the liquor, and add to them two green peppers, and from two to four onions, sliced; take two quarts vinegar, half a pint molasses, two tablespoonfuls mustard, one teaspoonful allspice, and one of cloves; heat it until it begins to boil, then put in tomatoes, onions, and peppers; let them boil ten minutes: pour into a stone jar, and seal tight. in a fortnight they will be ready for use.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ to make piccalilli. to one-half bushel nicely chopped tomatoes, which must be squeezed dry, add two dozen onions, chopped fine, one dozen green peppers, chopped, one box ground mustard, one large root horseradish, nearly one pint salt, four tablespoonfuls ground cloves, four tablespoonfuls allspice. mix thoroughly in a stone jar and cover with vinegar, making a hole in the centre to let the vinegar to the bottom.--_mrs. b._ ripe tomato pickle. puncture the tomato with a thorn or straw. put a layer of tomatoes, with onions cut up. sprinkle salt on them, then put another layer of tomatoes and onions, with salt sprinkled over them. when you have filled the jar or vessel with tomatoes, let them remain about a week, then lay them in dishes to drain. give each tomato a gentle squeeze, to get the salt water out. put them in a jar and cover with strong vinegar. boil a small quantity of vinegar with pepper, horseradish, and such other spices as you like, and pour it over the tomatoes. to two gallons of tomatoes, use a box of mustard dissolved in the vinegar.--_mrs. c. c._ tomato marmalade or sauce for meats. scald and peel fully ripe tomatoes, then cut them up, if large. to twelve pounds add six pounds sugar, one tablespoonful beaten cloves, one tablespoonful spice and one tablespoonful cinnamon. boil all in a kettle until the syrup becomes the thickness of molasses. then add one quart of strong vinegar and boil for ten minutes. put away in quart jars--_mrs. mcg._ hyden salad. gallon cabbage. ½ gallon green tomatoes. ¼ gallon onions,--all chopped fine. tablespoonfuls salt. tablespoonfuls ginger. tablespoonfuls cloves. tablespoonful cinnamon. tablespoonfuls mustard. ½ pounds brown sugar. plenty of celery-seed. ½ gallon strong vinegar. boil the whole one-half hour.--_mrs. h. d._ _hyden salad._ cut one gallon cabbage as for slaw, one-half gallon green tomatoes. cut up one pint green pepper, taking out the seed carefully and cutting up the pod (do not use the seed), one quart onions cut up, and the water pressed from them and thrown away. mix all these, and sprinkle through them tablespoonfuls salt, and let them stand over night. then take: pounds sugar. large spoonfuls ginger. large spoonfuls turmeric. spoonfuls celery-seed. spoonfuls ground mustard. spoonfuls allspice. spoonfuls cinnamon. spoonful cloves. spoonful mace. beat all fine, and mix with the salad; pour over the whole three quarts good vinegar, and simmer for twenty minutes. ready for use very soon, and very good.--_mrs. c. m. a._ _hyden salad._ gallon cabbage, chopped fine. ½ gallon green tomatoes, chopped fine. ½ pint green pepper, chopped fine. pint onions, chopped fine. sprinkle salt, and let it stand overnight; next morning, pour boiling water over, and squeeze dry. take: ounces ginger. tablespoonfuls ground mustard. ounce cinnamon. ounce cloves. ounces turmeric. ounce celery-seed. pounds sugar. spoonfuls salt. ½ gallon vinegar. boil ten minutes.--_mrs. h._ _hyden salad._ cut up fine, gallon cabbage. ½ gallon green tomatoes. ½ pint green pepper. quart onions minced, the juice thrown away. add to all these: tablespoonfuls ground mustard. tablespoonfuls ginger. tablespoonful cinnamon. tablespoonful cloves. ounces of turmeric. ounce celery-seed. pounds sugar. tablespoonfuls salt. mix all well together, add one-half gallon good vinegar, and boil slowly twenty minutes. take the seed out of the green pepper. make late in the summer.--_mrs. r._ _hyden salad._ gallon of finely chopped cabbage. ½ gallon green tomatoes. pint green peppers--½ pint will do. quart onions. ½ pint horseradish. pound sugar. ½ gallon vinegar. tablespoonfuls ground mustard. tablespoonfuls ginger. tablespoonful cloves. tablespoonful cinnamon. tablespoonful celery-seed. spoonfuls salt. beat the spice well, mix all together well, and boil fifteen minutes. black peppers can be used instead of the green, one tablespoonful ground.--_mrs. e. c. g._ oil mangoes. pound race ginger, well soaked, beaten and dried. pound horseradish. pound white mustard-seed. pound black mustard-seed. ounces ground mustard. ounces black pepper. ounces turmeric. ounces cloves. ½ ounce mace. ounce celery-seed. pounds sugar. beat the ingredients together in a mortar, and mix the mustard with as much olive oil as will make a paste. then after the mangoes have been in brine two weeks, and greened as you would cucumbers, stuff them; if any filling is left, sprinkle between the layers in the jar. pour over as much boiling vinegar as will cover them.--_mrs. t. c._ to make oil mangoes. put the mangoes in strong brine for five days. wash them, and remove the seed. stuffing for the same. ½ pound white mustard-seed. ¼ pound pounded ginger. ½ pound black pepper, pounded. tablespoonfuls celery-seed. ounces mace. mix these ingredients with as little oil as possible, stuff the mangoes with it, adding scraped horseradish and one blade of garlic. pour cold vinegar over them, and one pound salt. press the mangoes under the vinegar, and watch them closely. it is well to scald the vinegar in the spring.--_mrs. h. t._ to green mangoes. after taking them from the brine, lay them in a kettle with grape-vine leaves between each layer of mangoes; a little alum sprinkled on each layer. let them simmer all day, changing the leaves if necessary. if not green enough, put them on the second day.--_mrs. e._ mangoes. to a three-gallon jar of mangoes prepared for the vinegar, take: teacup black pepper. ounce allspice. ½ ounce ginger. ½ ounce mace. ½ ounce cloves, beat well, but not fine. take one head of raw cabbage. onions. teacups of horseradish. quart of mustard-seed. take half the beaten spices, and mix with the latter ingredients, also three cups of brown sugar; besides, put one teaspoonful brown sugar in each mango before you put in the stuffing. it takes five pounds of sugar for a three-gallon jar. the balance of the sugar mix with the spice and vinegar enough to cover the pickle.--_mrs. h. c._ stuffing for sixty mangoes. pound black mustard-seed. pound white mustard-seed. pounds chopped onion. ounce mace. ounce nutmeg. handfuls black pepper. ounce turmeric, well mixed with cold water. pound the mace, nutmeg, and pepper. cup sweet oil. ½ pound english mustard. pounds brown sugar. mix all these well together, throwing in little bits of mango or cucumbers. peach mangoes. pour boiling salt water over the peaches--let them stand two days; take them out and slit them on one side, and put them in turmeric vinegar for two days. extract the seed, stuff and sew them up, and put in the prepared vinegar. prepare the stuffing as follows: chop some of the peaches from the turmeric vinegar, add a large quantity of mustard-seed, celery-seed, a good deal of brown sugar--one pound to two and a half pounds peaches; ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, turmeric, and any other spices, if you like. onions chopped fine. vinegar to be seasoned the same way; and any of the stuffing left may be put in the vinegar.--_mrs. c. c._ _peach mangoes._ remove the stones from large white heath peaches by cutting in halves. stuff them with white mustard-seed, a little pounded mace, turmeric, and celery-seed. sew them up, and drop them in with the yellow cabbage.--_mrs. h. t._ _peach mangoes._ pour boiling salt water over the peaches, let them stand two days; then take them out, slit them on the side, and put them in turmeric vinegar for two days or longer. take them out, extract the seed, stuff them, sew them up, and put into the prepared vinegar. to prepare the stuffing: chop up some of the peaches, add a large quantity of white mustard-seed, a good deal of brown sugar, some ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, pepper, turmeric, celery-seed, also a great deal of chopped onion. vinegar, seasoned with same ingredients. quantity of spices can be regulated by your taste.--_miss s._ _peach mangoes._ take large plum peaches, sufficient quantity to fill the jar. peel nicely, and take out the stones. have ready the stuffing in proportion to the peaches. mince fine some soft peaches, preserved orange peel, preserved ginger, coriander-seed, celery-seed, a small quantity mace, cinnamon, candied strawberries, if you have them, and pickled cherries. sew the peaches up, after stuffing them, and fill the jar. then to every pound coffee sugar add one-half pint vinegar, allowing the above quantity to two pounds fruit. make a syrup of the sugar and vinegar, and pour on the peaches, boiling-hot. repeat this for three mornings; the fourth morning put them all on together, and boil a short time; add a few spices, cinnamon, and ginger to the syrup when you make it. they will be ready for use in a few weeks.--_mrs. r._ pepper mangoes. with a sharp knife take the cap out of the pod, then scrape out the seed. lay the pods in weak salt and water for one hour. take hard cabbage, chop them very fine, and to every quart of cabbage, add tablespoonful salt. tablespoonful pulverized black pepper. tablespoonfuls white mustard-seed. teaspoonful ground mustard. mix all this well together, drain the peppers, and stuff them with the mixture, and replace the cap. pack them closely in a stone jar, with the small end downwards. do this until the jar is filled; then pour on them strong cold vinegar. they are ready for use in three weeks. you can use spices and sugar, if preferred.--_mrs. w. a. s._ to pickle walnuts. after the walnuts have been in brine six weeks, scrape and wipe them with a coarse towel. put them in plain vinegar, and let them remain for a week or two. drain them well--place in a jar, and pour over them vinegar spiced and prepared as for yellow pickles, omitting the turmeric and lemons, and using black pepper instead of white.--_mrs. s. t._ walnut pickle. the walnuts must be quite green and tender. first soak them in fresh water, then rub off with a coarse towel. the walnuts must be kept in brine a week, and then soaked in clear water for several hours. boil them in vinegar a little while--this time put water in the vinegar; then put them in good strong vinegar, a portion of which must be boiled and poured over them four successive mornings. season with cinnamon, mace, cloves, and add two pounds sugar to one gallon vinegar, or in proportion to quantity of pickle.--_mrs. c. c._ _walnut pickle._ gather the nuts about the th or th of june, when they are sufficiently tender to be pierced with a pin; pour boiling salt water on, and let them be covered with it nine days, changing it every third day. put them on dishes to air, until they are black; then soak out the salt, and put them in weak vinegar for a day or two; put into the jar, and pour on hot the following pickled vinegar: ounces ginger. ounces of garlic. ounces of salt. ounces of horseradish. ½ ounce red pepper. ½ ounce of orange peel. ½ ounce of mace. ½ ounce of cloves, all boiled in gallon strong vinegar. ounce black pepper also.--_mrs. j. h. f._ _walnut pickle._ put the walnuts in salt water for five or six weeks; then in fresh water for twenty-four hours; boil in weak vinegar and water until soft enough to run a straw through. then rub them with a coarse towel; make a strong liquor of vinegar, horseradish, garlic, and mace; pour on, and leave them till ready for use, in two or three weeks.--_mrs. t._ to pickle martinas. take one gallon pot full of martinas. make a brine strong enough to bear an egg; keep them covered for ten days. take them out and wash them in cold water, then put them in cold vinegar. let them remain for ten days; drain them, and put them in the jar intended for use. in half a gallon of vinegar scald a large handful of horseradish, scraped fine. a cupful black pepper. cupful ginger. ½ cupful black mustard-seed. tablespoonfuls of beaten cloves. onions sliced fine. pod red pepper. pounds brown sugar. pour them over the pickle, and fill with cold vinegar.--_mrs. s. d._ pickled martinas. put three gallons of martinas in very strong brine, keep covered for ten days, then wash them in cold water, and put them in vinegar to stand ten more days; then drain and put them in the jar intended for them. in three pints of vinegar, scald: a large handful of scraped horseradish. cup allspice. ½ cup black pepper. cup of ginger. ½ cup of black mustard. large spoonfuls of cloves, all beaten. onions sliced. pod red pepper. pounds brown sugar. pour it over the martinas, and fill up with cold vinegar.--_miss e. t._ to pickle martinas. put the martinas in a strong brine of salt and water, let them remain a week or ten days. then wash them, and put them in cold vinegar, to soak the salt and greenish taste out of them. when ready to pickle, lay them out to drain; scald the following ingredients in a gallon of vinegar, and pour over them in a jar; if not full, fill up with cold vinegar. large handful of sliced horseradish. teacup of allspice. ½ cup of black pepper. ½ cup of mustard-seed (black). tablespoonfuls cloves. pounds brown sugar. or four onions, sliced. the spices to be beaten, but not too fine. this quantity fills a two-gallon jar.--_mrs. j. j. m._ chow-chow pickle. ½ peck green tomatoes. large cabbages. onions. cucumbers. plate horseradish. ½ pound mustard-seed. ounce celery-seed. ounces ground pepper. ounces turmeric. ½ ounce cinnamon. cut the onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and cabbage in small pieces; pack them down overnight in salt, lightly; in the morning pour off the brine, and put them to soak in weak vinegar two days; drain again, and mix the spices. boil half a gallon vinegar and three pounds sugar, and pour over them hot. mix two boxes ground seed.--_mrs. r. a._ chow-chow. ½ peck onions. ½ peck green tomatoes. dozen cucumbers. slice all very fine, and put in a few whole cucumbers, one pint small red and green peppers; sprinkle one pint salt over them, and let them stand all night; then add: ounce mace. ounce white mustard-seed. ounce celery-seed. ounce turmeric. ounce whole cloves. tablespoonfuls ground mustard. pounds brown sugar. stalk horseradish, grated fine. cover all with one gallon and one pint of strong vinegar, and boil thirty minutes.--_miss e. t._ _chow-chow._ ½ peck onions. ½ peck green tomatoes. dozen large cucumbers. large green peppers. ½ pint small peppers, red and green. sprinkle one pint salt on, and let them stand all night; the cucumbers not peeled, but sliced one inch thick, the onions also sliced. in the morning drain off the brine, and add to the pickles: ounce mace. ounce black pepper. ounce white mustard-seed. ounce turmeric. ½ ounce cloves. ½ ounce celery-seed. tablespoonfuls made mustard. pounds brown sugar. with a little horseradish. cover with vinegar, and boil till tender, a half-hour or more. when cold, ready for use.--_mrs. c. n._ chow-chow pickle. gallon chopped cabbage. onions. pounds brown sugar. pints strong vinegar. tablespoonfuls black pepper. tablespoonfuls of allspice. tablespoonfuls of celery-seed. ½ pint mustard-seed. tablespoonful ground mustard. the cabbage and onions must stand in strong salt and water two hours, then place in a brass kettle, with the vinegar and spices, and sugar; boil until syrup is formed. excellent.--_mrs. j. h. f._ chow-chow. the recipe is for one gallon pickle; for more, the quantities must be increased, of course. the ingredients consist of: ¼ peck green tomatoes. large head of cabbage. large onions. dozen cucumbers. ½ pint grated horseradish ½ pound white mustard-seed. ½ ounce celery-seed. a few small onions. ½ teacup ground pepper. turmeric, ground cinnamon. a little brown sugar. cut the cabbage, onions and cucumbers into small pieces, and pack them down in salt one night; then put in vinegar, poured over hot. do this three mornings. the third morning, mix one box ground mustard with one-quarter pint salad oil. to be mixed in while warm.--_mrs. o. b._ leesburg chow-chow. ½ peck green tomatoes. large heads cabbage. large white onions. cucumbers. cut these up, and pack in salt for a night. drain off, and then soak in vinegar and water for two days. drain again. mix with this, then: pint grated horseradish. ½ pint small white onions. ½ pound white mustard-seed. ounce celery-seed. ½ teacup ground black pepper. ½ teacup turmeric. ½ teacup cinnamon. pour over one and a half gallons boiling hot vinegar. boil this vinegar for three mornings; the third morning, mix with two boxes mustard, three pounds brown sugar, and half-pint sweet oil.--_mrs. j. b. d._ sweet pickle peaches. powder cloves, mace, and allspice, and mix well together. to every pound fruit add one-quarter pound sugar, one gill vinegar, one teaspoonful of the mixed spices. boil all together, and when the fruit is done, take from the syrup, and lay on dishes. let the syrup cook thoroughly. put the fruit in jars, and pour on the syrup. cover when cool.--_mrs. d. r._ to pickle peaches. pound peaches. ½ pound sugar. pint vinegar. mace, cloves, cinnamon; boil the ingredients every day, for six days, and pour over the peaches.--_mrs. f. d. g._ spiced peaches. take nine pounds ripe peaches, rub them with a coarse towel, and halve them. put four pounds sugar and one pint good vinegar in the kettle with cloves, cinnamon, and mace. when the syrup is formed, throw in the peaches a few at a time; when clear, take them out and put in more. boil the syrup till quite rich; pour it over the peaches. cherries can be pickled in the same way.--_mrs. c. c._ peaches to pickle. make a syrup with one quart vinegar and three pounds sugar; peel the peaches and put them in the vinegar, and let boil very little. take out the fruit, and let the vinegar boil half an hour, adding cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.--_mrs. a. h._ pickled peaches take peaches pretty ripe, but not mellow; wipe with flannel as smooth as possible; stick a few cloves in each one. one pound sugar to one pint vinegar. allow three pounds sugar and three pints vinegar to one pan peaches. scald the vinegar, then put on the peaches; boil till nearly soft, then take out and boil the vinegar a little longer, and pour over the fruit.--_mrs. g. p._ _pickled peaches._ put the peaches in strong brine, and let them remain three or four days; take them out, and wipe them dry; put them in a pot with allspice, pepper, ginger, and horseradish; boil some turmeric in your vinegar. pour it on hot.--_miss e. t._ peach, pear, quince and apple pickle. pound fruit. ½ pound sugar ½ pint vinegar. dissolve sugar and vinegar together; put a small quantity of fruit; boil until you can stick a straw through it. season with cinnamon and mace. rescald the vinegar, and pour over the fruit for nine mornings.--_mrs. dr. j._ sweet pickle. (_honolulu melon._) pints vinegar, very clear. pints sugar. ounce cloves. ounce cinnamon. put all to boil, then drop in the melons, as much as the vinegar will cover, and boil fifteen minutes. put them in jars, and every day, for two or three days, pour off the vinegar, boil it over, and pour on the pickles until they seem done.--_mrs. m. w. t._ cantaloupe pickle. cut up ripe melons into small square pieces, peel and scrape out the soft pulp and seeds, soak one night in alum water, and then boil in strong ginger tea. then to each pound of fruit add three-quarters of a pound loaf sugar, mace, cinnamon, and white ginger to the taste, and cover with best cider vinegar. boil till it can be pierced with a straw, then set aside, and the next day pour off, and boil the syrup until it thickens a little, and return to the fruit boiling-hot.--_mrs. f. f. f._ _cantaloupe pickle._ pare and cut in small pieces, cover with vinegar; pour off and measure, and to each pint put three-quarters of a pound brown sugar; cloves and mace to your taste. boil the syrup, put in the fruit and boil until clear; then take out the fruit, boil a few minutes longer, and pour it on the pickles, hot. when cold, it is ready for use.--_mrs. e. i._ _cantaloupe pickle._ take four or five cantaloupes, quarter, and cover with vinegar; to stand twenty-four hours. then measure off the vinegar, leaving out one quart. to each quart, add three pounds brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and mace to the taste. place the spiced vinegar over the fire, and when it has boiled awhile, drop in the fruit, cooking it thirty or forty minutes.--_mrs. r. p._ ripe muskmelon pickles. take hard melons, after they are sufficiently ripe to be well flavored. slice them lengthwise, scrape out the seed, and lay the melon in salt over night; wash and wipe dry, put them in alum water one hour, wash and wipe them again; cut them in slices and pack in jars. pour over them a syrup of vinegar seasoned with cinnamon and cloves; put three or four pounds of sugar to one gallon vinegar, and boil until it is right thick.--_mrs. a. c._ sweet watermelon pickle. trim the rinds nicely, being careful to cut off the hard coating with the outer green. weigh ten pounds rind and throw it in a kettle, and cover with soft water; let this boil gently for half an hour, take it off and lay it on dishes to drain. next morning put one quart vinegar, three pounds brown sugar, one ounce cinnamon, one ounce mace, the white of one egg well beaten and thrown on top of the liquid (to clear it as you would jelly), three teaspoonfuls turmeric, all together in a kettle, and boil for a few minutes; skim off what rises as scum with the egg. throw in the rind, and boil for twenty minutes. the peel of two fresh lemons will give a nice flavor, though not at all necessary.--_mrs. l. w. c._ watermelon pickle. pounds watermelon rind. pounds sugar. pint vinegar. mace, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger to the taste. peel the rind and cut in pieces; boil in ginger tea till clear, then throw in cold water overnight. next morning make a syrup and preserve the rind; just before taking off the fire, pour in the vinegar.--_mrs. a. t._ watermelon rind pickle. ten pounds melon, boil in water until tender. drain the water off. make a syrup of two pounds sugar, one quart vinegar, one-half ounce cloves, one ounce cinnamon; boil all this and pour over rind boiling-hot; drain off the syrup and let it come to a boil; then pour it over the melons.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ pickle of watermelon rind. cut in pieces and soak the rind in weak salt and water for twenty-four hours--of course having first peeled off the outside. to seven pounds rind put three pounds sugar; scald well in ginger tea, and make a syrup of the sugar and vinegar, enough to cover the rind. season the syrup with mace and ginger, and boil the rind in it till tender. a delicious pickle.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ pickled plums. pounds sweet blue plums. pounds brown sugar. ounces stick cinnamon. ounces whole cloves. quart vinegar. put a layer of plums and spice alternately; scald the vinegar and sugar together; pour it on the plums; repeat for two or three days, the last time scalding plums and syrup together.--_mrs. w._ to pickle damsons. take seven pounds damsons, wash and wipe them dry, three pounds sugar, one-half ounce cinnamon, half-ounce mace, half-ounce cloves, half-ounce allspice. with one quart strong vinegar and the sugar make a syrup, and pour it over the fruit boiling-hot. let it stand twenty-four hours; repeat the boiling next day, and let it remain twenty-four hours longer; then put all on the fire together and cook till the fruit is done.--_miss d. d._ sweet pickle. boil in three quarts of vinegar four or five pounds sugar, one ounce cinnamon, one ounce allspice, one ounce mace, one-half ounce cloves, and pour all over fourteen pounds damsons or peeled peaches.--_mrs. o. b._ german pickle. ½ pound white sugar. pound damsons. pint vinegar. teaspoonful cloves. a few sticks of cinnamon. make a syrup with vinegar, sugar and spices, then drop in a few of the damsons at a time. scald them until the skins crack, laying each quantity in a dish till all are done. fill the jars three-fourths full, and pour in the syrup.--_mrs. r. l. p._ damson pickle. pounds fruit. ounce cinnamon. ounce cloves. ounce mace. ounce celery-seed. pounds brown sugar. spices to be beaten fine; put them in the jar, sprinkling the spice through in layers. boil one quart vinegar with the sugar, and pour over the fruit and spices. repeat the scalding of the vinegar for four days.--_mrs. c. n._ composition pickle. gallon chopped cabbage. ½ gallon green tomatoes, sliced. ½ gallon cucumbers. quart onions. all finely chopped. let them stew several hours, then drain off the water. add: tablespoonfuls ground mustard. tablespoonfuls ginger. ounce cloves. ounces turmeric. ounces celery seed. pounds brown sugar. spoonfuls salt. ½ gallon strong vinegar; boil twenty minutes.--_mrs. c. c._ ragoÃ�t pickle. gallons chopped cabbage. gallons green or ripe tomatoes. tablespoons of mustard, ground. gills mustard-seed. tablespoonfuls allspice. teaspoonfuls cloves. gill salt. pint chopped onions. pound brown sugar. some chopped celery, or celery-seed. quarts good cider vinegar. boil all well together, and it is ready for use.--_miss e. t._ kentucky pickle. take green tomatoes, cabbage, and onions, about equal quantities--grind them in a sausage machine. salt, and put the mixture in a bag, and let it hang all night or until the juice has run from it--then season with red and black pepper, mustard-seed, celery-seed, cloves, sugar. pack in jars, and cover with strong cold vinegar.--_mrs. m. d._ french pickles. peck green tomatoes. ¼ peck onions. ¼ pound white mustard-seed. ounce allspice. ounce cloves. bottle mixed mustard. tablespoonfuls black pepper. tablespoonful cayenne. ounce celery-seed. pound brown sugar. slice the tomatoes and lay them in salt for twelve hours; pour off the brine. slice the onions, and put a layer of onions, tomatoes, spices and sugar into a bell-metal kettle, until the ingredients are all in. pour in vinegar until well covered, and boil for one hour.--_mrs. dr. s._ _french pickle._ gallon cabbage. ½ gallon green tomatoes. quart onions. pods green pepper, without the seed. tablespoonfuls ground mustard, or seed. tablespoonful ginger. tablespoonful horseradish. tablespoonful cinnamon. tablespoonful cloves. tablespoonfuls salt. tablespoonful celery. ¼ pound sugar. ½ gallon vinegar. chop up cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and pepper; sprinkle salt over it, and let it stand an hour or so, and pour off the liquor. add spices and vinegar, boil all together until you can stick a straw through the cabbage and tomatoes. this, as you see, will only make a small quantity when boiled down.--_mrs. m. mcn._ spanish pickle. dozen large cucumbers. large green peppers. ½ peck onions. ½ peck green tomatoes. slice the whole, and sprinkle over with one pint salt, allow them to remain over night, then drain them. put the whole into a preserving kettle, and add the following ingredients: sliced horseradish according to your judgment, one ounce mace, one ounce white pepper, one ounce turmeric, one ounce white mustard-seed, half an ounce cloves, half an ounce celery-seed, four tablespoonfuls of dry mustard, one and a half pounds brown sugar. cover the whole with vinegar, and boil it one hour.--_mrs. j. j. m._ onion pickle. peel and scald the onions in strong salt water twenty-five or thirty minutes; take them out and lay on dishes in the sun, a day or two, then put them in vinegar prepared as for cabbage pickle.--_mrs. dr. j._ pickled onions. pour boiling water over the onions and let them stand until the brine gets cooled; then change the brine for nine mornings, warming it every day. the ninth day put them in fresh water, and let them soak one day and night. then put the spices and vinegar on the fire, and let them come to a boil, and drop in the onions in a few minutes; add sugar to your taste.--_mrs. a. h._ lemon pickle. rasp the lemons a little and nick them at one end; lay them in a dish with very dry salt, let them be near the fire, and covered. they must stand seven or eight days, then put in fresh salt, and remain the same time; then wash them well, and pour on boiling vinegar, grated nutmeg, mace, and whole pepper. whenever the salt becomes damp, it must be taken out and dried. the lemons will not be tender for nearly a year. the time to pickle them is about february.--_mrs. a._ pickling fifty lemons. grate off the yellow rind, cut off the end, and pack in salt for eight days. set them in a hot oven, in dishes; turning until the salt candies on them. place them in a pot and pour on two gallons vinegar (boiling) to which has been added two pounds white mustard-seed, two tablespoonfuls mace, one pound ginger, four tablespoonfuls celery-seed, one pound black pepper, two pounds sugar, one handful horseradish scraped. all the spices, except mustard-seed, must be pulverized.--_mrs. h. p. c._ apple pickle. pounds apples. pounds sugar. pint vinegar. teaspoonful mace. tablespoonful beaten cinnamon. dozen cloves. teaspoonfuls allspice. tablespoonful beaten ginger. tablespoonful celery-seed. boil until the apples are perfectly clear.--_mrs. j. a. s._ cherry pickle. pick firm, ripe, short-stem cherries, and lay them in a stone jar, with the stems on. put into a kettle vinegar, sweetened to your taste, allspice, mace, cloves, and cinnamon. put on the fire until it is scalding hot, then pour over the cherries, and let them stand until next day, when the vinegar must be poured off them into the kettle again, and scalded as before, and poured on the cherries. repeat this for nine mornings, and your pickle is ready for use.--_mrs. c._ pickled blackberries. one pound sugar, one pint vinegar, one teaspoonful powdered cinnamon, one teaspoonful allspice, one teaspoonful cloves, one teaspoonful nutmeg. boil all together, gently, fifteen minutes, then add four quarts blackberries, and scald (but not boil) ten minutes more. the spices can be omitted, if preferred.--_mrs. w._ tomato catsup. take sound, ripe tomatoes, grate them on a coarse grater, then strain through a wire sieve, throwing away the skins and seed. then put the liquid in a cotton bag and let it drip for twenty-four hours. take the residuum and thin to the proper consistency with vinegar. then season it to your taste with garlic, salt, pepper, and spices.--_mrs. a. a._ _tomato catsup._ one-half bushel tomatoes stewed sufficiently to be strained through a colander; to every gallon of pulp add three quarts strong vinegar, two tablespoonfuls salt, four tablespoonfuls grated horseradish, one pound brown sugar, three large onions chopped fine, one tablespoonful black pepper. boil till quite thick.--_mrs. c. b._ _cold tomato catsup._ ½ peck ripe tomatoes. ½ gallon vinegar. teacup salt. teacup mustard, ground fine. pods red pepper. tablespoonfuls black pepper. a handful celery-seed. cup horseradish. all of the ingredients must be cut fine, and mixed cold. put in bottles, cork, and seal tight. it is better kept awhile.--_mrs. p._ _tomato catsup._ gallon pulp of tomatoes tablespoonful ginger. tablespoonfuls cloves. tablespoonful black pepper. tablespoonfuls grated horseradish. tablespoonfuls salt. / gallon vinegar. boil all well together, then add three pounds sugar, and boil awhile.--_mrs. m. s. c._ _tomato catsup._ put into a preserving kettle about one pint water, fill up the kettle with ripe red tomatoes, previously washed and picked, with the skins on, cover closely, and set on a hot fire; frequently stirring that they may not stick to the bottom. boil about one hour. turn into a wooden tray; when cool enough, rub through a coarse sieve, through which neither skin nor seed can pass. measure five quarts of this pulp, and boil until very thick, then add two tablespoonfuls horseradish, two tablespoonfuls white mustard-seed, two tablespoonfuls celery-seed, two tablespoonfuls black pepper beaten fine, two or three races of ginger beaten fine, three or four onions chopped fine, a little garlic, one nutmeg, salt and sugar to the taste. stir all in, and let it come to a boil. pour in one quart strong cider vinegar. let it boil up once more, and take off the fire. bottle, cork, and seal.--_mrs. s. t._ cucumber catsup. pare and grate the cucumbers. to one quart of cucumbers add three large onions grated, one teaspoonful salt, one teaspoonful pepper, and as much vinegar as cucumbers. exclude the air.--_mrs. l. p._ _cucumber catsup._ grate three cucumbers; one onion, one pint of vinegar, one tablespoonful black pepper, one tablespoonful salt, one teaspoonful pounded celery-seed. put the catsup in bottles, with large mouths; as the cucumber settles, and is hard to get out.--_mrs. h. t._ _cucumber catsup._ chop three dozen large cucumbers and eight white onions, fine as possible, or grate them. sprinkle over them three-fourths of a pint of salt, one-half teacup ground pepper; before seasoning, drain off all the water through a sieve; mix well with good vinegar, and bottle.--_mrs. p. w._ _cucumber catsup._ one dozen cucumbers, four large onions, four tablespoonfuls salt, four teaspoonfuls black pepper, one quart strong vinegar. grate onions and cucumbers.--_mrs. h. d._ walnut catsup. to one gallon vinegar: add walnuts pounded. tablespoonfuls salt. a handful horseradish. cup mustard-seed, bruised. pint eschalots, cut fine. ½ pint garlic. ¼ pound allspice. ¼ pound black pepper. a tablespoonful ginger. if you like, you can add cloves, mace, sliced ginger, and sliced nutmeg. put all these in a jug, cork tightly, shake well, and set it out in the sun for five or six days, remembering to shake it well each day. then boil it for fifteen minutes, and when nearly cool, strain, bottle, and seal the bottles.--_mrs. a. c._ _walnut catsup._ take forty black walnuts that you can stick a pin through; mash and put them in a gallon of vinegar, boil it down to three quarts and strain it. then add a few cloves of garlic or onion, with any kind of spice you like, and salt. when cool, bottle it. have good corks.--_miss e. t._ _to make catsup of walnuts._ bruise the walnuts (when large enough to pickle) in a mortar; strain off the liquor and let it stand till it be clear; to every quart thus cleared add one ounce of allspice, one ounce black pepper, one ounce ginger bruised fine. boil the whole about half an hour; then add one pint best vinegar, one ounce salt, eight eschalots, or one ounce horseradish. let it stand to cool; then strain it again, and bottle for use.--_mrs. m. p._ _to make walnut catsup from the leaves._ provide a jar that will hold about three gallons. mix the following ingredients: common salt one pound, one-half ounce powdered cloves, four ounces powdered ginger, one handful garlic sliced, six pods bruised red pepper, three handfuls horseradish root, sliced. gather the young leaves from the walnut--cut them small. put a layer at the bottom of the jar; then sprinkle on some of the ingredients, and so on with alternate layers, until the jar is packed full. let the whole remain in this state one night. then fill with boiling vinegar, tie it closely, and let it set in the sun for a fortnight. then press out the liquor, strain and bottle.--_mrs. e. w._ _bay sauce._ get young walnut leaves while tender. make a mixture of the following ingredients: one quart salt, one handful horseradish, one-half dozen onions chopped up, two teaspoonfuls allspice, one tablespoonful black ground pepper. put in a layer of the leaves, and then one of the mixture, so on till the jar is nearly filled; cover with good cold vinegar. put it in the sun for a fortnight, then bottle. it will not be good for use until it is six months old. this is an excellent sauce for fish. it will improve it to add a tablespoonful of ground ginger.--_mrs. e. c. g._ _bay sauce._ one pound salt, one-half ounce cloves, four ounces ginger, all powdered; three handfuls garlic, three handfuls horseradish scraped fine, six pods of red pepper cut up fine. gather leaves of black walnut when young, cut them up fine; put a layer of leaves in the bottom of a jar, then one of ingredients (mixed together), until the jar is filled; tie it up closely and set it in the sun for two weeks; then bottle for use. it is not good for six months. some think two or three large onions an addition.--_mrs. h. d._ mushroom catsup. take the largest mushrooms, cut off the roots, put them in a stone jar, with salt; mash them and cover the jar. let them stand two days, stirring them several times a day; then strain and boil the liquor, to every quart of which put one teaspoonful whole pepper, cloves, mustard-seed, a little ginger; when cold bottle it, leaving room in each bottle for one teacupful strong vinegar, and one tablespoonful brandy. cork and seal.--_mrs. c._ _mushroom sauce._ after peeling, lay them on the oyster broiler and sprinkle with a little salt. have ready a hot dish with butter, pepper, salt, and cream, and throw the mushrooms into this as they are taken from the broiler. a very nice sauce for steaks.--_mrs. j. s._ mushroom catsup. break one peck large mushrooms into a deep earthen pan. strew three-quarters pound salt among them, and set them one night in a cool oven, with a fold of cloth or paper over them. next day strain off the liquor, and to each quart add one ounce black pepper, one-quarter ounce allspice, one-half ounce ginger, two large blades mace. boil quickly twenty minutes. when perfectly cold, put into bottles, and cork well, and keep in a cool place.--_mr. j. b. n._ _mushroom catsup._ pack the mushrooms in layers, with salt, in a jar; let them stand three hours, then pound them in a mortar, return them to the jar and let them remain three or four days, stirring them occasionally. for every quart of the liquor add, one ounce of pepper, half ounce allspice; set the jar in the kettle of water, and boil four hours, then pour the liquor through a fine sieve, and boil until it is reduced one-half. let it cool and bottle.--_mrs. c. c._ horseradish sauce. five tablespoonfuls scraped or grated horseradish, two teaspoonfuls sugar, one teaspoonful salt, half teaspoonful pepper, one tablespoonful mixed mustard, one tablespoonful vinegar, four tablespoonfuls rich sweet cream. must be prepared just before using.--_mrs. s. t._ _horseradish sauce._ just before dinner, scrape one teacup of horseradish, add one teaspoonful white sugar, one saltspoonful salt, and pour over two tablespoonfuls good cider vinegar. it is best when just made. celery vinegar. pound a gill of celery-seed, put in a bottle and fill with strong vinegar. shake it every day for two weeks, then strain it, and keep it for use. it will flavor very pleasantly with celery.--_mrs. dr. j._ _celery vinegar._ take two gills celery-seed, pound and put it in a celery bottle, and fill it with sharp vinegar. shake it every day for two weeks; then strain it, and keep it for use. it will impart an agreeable flavor to everything in which celery is used. mint and thyme may be prepared in the same way, using vinegar or brandy. the herbs should not remain in the liquid more than twenty-four hours. they should be placed in a jar--a handful is enough, and the vinegar or brandy poured over them; take out the herbs next day, and put in fresh. do this for three days; then strain, cork, and seal.--_mrs. r._ pepper sauce. dozen peppers. twice this quantity of cabbage. root of horseradish, cut up fine. tablespoonful mustard-seed. dessertspoonful cloves. tablespoonfuls sugar. a little mace. boil the spices and sugar in two quarts of best cider vinegar, and pour boiling hot over the cabbage and pepper.--_mrs. w. a. s._ pepper vinegar. one dozen pods red pepper, fully ripe. take out stems and cut them in two. add three pints vinegar. boil down to one quart; strain through a sieve, and bottle for use.--_mrs. dr. j._ red pepper catsup. to four dozen fine ripe bell-peppers add two quarts good vinegar, one quart water, three tablespoonfuls grated horseradish, five onions chopped fine. boil till soft, and rub through a sieve. then season to your taste with salt, spice, black and white mustard well beaten; after which boil ten minutes. add celery-seed if liked, and a pod or more strong pepper, a little sugar. all should be cut up and the seed boiled with it. bottle and cork tightly.--_mrs. g. n._ caper sauce. stir in melted butter two large tablespoonfuls capers, a little vinegar. nasturtiums pickled, or cucumbers cut very fine will be good substitutes for the capers. for boiled mutton.--_mrs. r._ _caper sauce._ to one cup drawn butter add three tablespoonfuls green pickled capers. if prepared for boiled mutton, use half teacupful of the water in which it was boiled; add salt and cayenne pepper. let it boil up once and serve.--_mrs. s. t._ tartan sauce. one mustardspoon of mixed mustard, salt and cayenne to the taste, the latter highly. yolk of one raw egg, sweet-oil added very slowly, until the quantity is made that is desired; thin with a little vinegar. take two small cucumber pickles, two full teaspoonfuls capers, three small sprigs parsley, and one small shallot or leek. chop all fine, and stir into the sauce about an hour before serving. if very thick, add a tablespoonful cold water. this quantity will serve eight persons--is good with trout, veal cutlets, and oysters.--_miss e. s._ morcan's tartan sauce. put into a bowl one spoonful of dry mustard, two spoonfuls salt, a little cayenne pepper, yolk of one raw egg; mix these together. then add, drop by drop, one teacupful sweet-oil; stir until a thick mass. add a little vinegar. chop very fine two small cucumber pickles, two teaspoonfuls capers, two sprigs parsley, one leek or small onion, and a little celery; stir all into the dressing. this is delicious with boiled fish, either hot or cold--also cold meats, chicken or turkey.--_mrs. s._ aromatic mustard. tablespoonfuls ground mustard. tablespoonful flour. tablespoonful sugar. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful black pepper. teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful cinnamon. mix smoothly with boiling vinegar, add a little salad oil, and let it stand several hours before using. it will keep any length of time.--_mr. r. h. m._ to mix mustard. take half a cup ground mustard, one tablespoonful sugar, four tablespoonfuls vinegar, olive oil, or water, whichever is preferred, one teaspoonful pepper, and one of salt.--_mrs. p. w._ cake. before commencing to make cake, be sure that you have all the ingredients in the house, and all the implements at hand, such as trays, bowls, large dishes, large strong iron spoons, egg-beaters, etc. use none but the best family flour in making cake. it is a good plan to sift it before weighing or measuring it, and to let it air and sun several hours before using it; as this makes it much lighter. it is a great mistake to set aside rancid or indifferent butter for cake-making. the butter used for the purpose should be good and fresh. always use granulated sugar or else powdered loaf or cut sugar; as pulverized sugar is apt to have plaster of paris or other foreign elements in it. never use brown or even clarified sugar in cake-making, unless it be for gingerbread. do not attempt to make cake without fresh eggs. cream of tartar, soda and yeast powders are poor substitutes for these. a fresh egg placed in water will sink to the bottom. in breaking eggs, do not break them over the vessels in which they are to be beaten. break them, one by one, over a saucer, so that if you come across a defective one, you will not spoil the rest by mixing it with them; whereas, if it is a good one, it will be easy to pour the white from the saucer into the bowl with the rest of the whites, and to add the yolk which you retain in the egg-shell to the other yolks. the dover egg-beater saves much time and trouble in beating eggs and will beat the yolks into as stiff a froth as the whites. it is well to have two egg-beaters, one for the yolks and the other for the whites. eggs well beaten ought to be as stiff as batter. cool the dishes that you are to use in beating eggs. in summer, keep the eggs on ice before using them, and always try to make the cake before breakfast, or as early in the morning as possible. some of the best housewives think it advisable to cream the butter and flour together, and add the sugar to the yolks when these are whipped to a stiff froth, as it produces yellow specks when you add the sugar sooner. the whites must always be added last. in making fruit cake, prepare the fruit the day before. in winter time, this may be easily and pleasantly done after tea. it requires a longer time to bake fruit cake, than plain. every housekeeper should have a close cake-box in which to put cake after cooling it and wrapping it in a thick napkin. white cake. the whites of eggs. pound of flour. pound of butter. pound of almonds. use a little more flour, if the almonds are omitted.--_mrs. dr. s._ _white cake._ cup of butter. cups of sugar. cup of sweet milk. the whites of eggs. cups of flour. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. teaspoonful of soda.--_mrs. d. c. k._ superior white cake. pound sugar. the whites of eggs. ¾ pound butter. pound of flour. flavor with lemon or rose-water, and bake in a moderate oven.--_mrs. f. c. w._ leighton cake. pint butter. pint cream. pints sugar. pints flour. teaspoonfuls essence of almonds. the whites of eggs. teaspoonfuls yeast powder, mixed in flour.--_mrs. n._ white mountain cake. cups flour. cup butter. cups sugar, creamed with the butter. cup sweet milk. small teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. small teaspoonful of soda. whites of eggs beaten very light. bake in jelly-cake pans; when cold, make an icing of whites of three eggs and one pound of sugar. grate cocoanut over each layer of icing.--_mrs. p. mcg._ _white mountain cake._ pound sugar. ½ pound butter. ¾ pound of flour. large teaspoonful essence of bitter almonds. whites of eggs, whipped very stiff. cream butter and sugar, put next the eggs, then the flour, lastly the flavoring.--_mrs. d. c. k._ _white mountain cake._ make four or five thicknesses of cake, as for jelly cake. grate one large cocoanut. the juice and grated rind of two lemons or oranges. the whites of six eggs beaten very light, with one pound sugar. to this add the milk of one cocoanut, then rind and juice of one orange. lastly, stir in the cocoanut well, and put between the cakes as you would jelly.--_mrs. j. l._ _white mountain cake._ pound flour. pound sugar. ¾ pound butter. whites of eggs. wine-glass of wine or brandy. bake in flat pans. grate two cocoanuts. beat the whites of four or five eggs to a stiff froth, and mix as much sugar as for icing. stir in the cocoanut; spread between each layer of the cake, as jelly cake. ice it all, or only on top, or not at all, as you please.--_mrs. m._ _mountain cake._ the whites of eggs. cup of butter. cups of sugar. cups of flour. ½ cup sweet milk. teaspoonful of cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful of soda. mix all the ingredients well, and flavor with lemon. bake in very shallow pans. ice each cake separately and cover with jelly; then form a large cake, and ice over.--_mrs. dr. s._ snow mountain cake. cup of butter. cups of sugar, creamed together. cup of sweet cream. teaspoonful cream of tartar and ½ teaspoon of soda, sprinkled in ½ cups of sifted flour. whites of eggs. bake in thin cakes as for jelly cakes. ice and sprinkle each layer with grated cocoanut. take the whites of three eggs for the icing, and grate one cocoanut.--_mrs. c. m. a._ snow cake. whites of eggs. ½ cups of sugar. cup of flour. teaspoons of cream of tartar. salt. flavoring. rub the flour, cream tartar, sugar, and salt, well together. add the eggs beaten light, and stir only sufficient to mix very lightly.--_mrs. g. p._ white mountain ash cake. pound white sugar. teacup of butter. ½ teacup sweet milk. whites of eggs. ½ small teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful cream tartar. cups of flour. flavor with vanilla or almond. bake in jelly-cake pans, with icing and cocoanut between. _icing for cake._--one pound fine white sugar, and whites of three eggs.--_miss e. p._ mountain ash cake. the whites of eggs. cup of butter. cups of sugar. cups of flour. ½ cup of sweet milk. ½ teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful cream of tartar. mix all the ingredients well, and flavor with lemon. bake in shallow pans; ice each cake separately and cover with jelly, then form a large cake and ice over.--_mrs. p._ bride's cake. pound flour. ¾ pounds sugar. ½ pound butter. whites of eggs. cream sugar and butter together, and stir in them flour and beaten whites, very little at a time; one and a half pounds fruit, prepared and mixed with batter, will make a nice fruit cake.--_mrs. h. d._ _bride's cake._ whites of eggs. ¼ pounds sugar. pound flour. ¾ pound butter. cream butter and sugar together; whip the eggs to a stiff froth, then add gradually, flour, butter, sugar. season with lemon or brandy. bake as pound cake.--_mrs. r. e._ _bride's cake._ ½ pounds flour. ½ pounds sugar. - / pounds butter. whites of eggs. ½ a teaspoon of powdered ammonia dissolved in ½ a wineglass of brandy. heavy plain icing. ½ pound mould. insert the ring after the cake is baked.--_miss s._ _bride's cake._ ¾ pound flour. ½ pound butter. whites of eggs. pound sugar--beat in the whites. the acid of green lemon. double for one and a half pound cake.--_mrs. j._ silver cake. whites of eggs. ¼ pound of butter. ½ pound of sugar. ¼ and ½ a quarter of a pound of sifted flour, or ounces of flour. cream the butter and sugar.--_mrs. w. c. r._ _silver cake._ pound powdered sugar. ¾ pound flour. ½ pound butter. whites of eggs. teaspoonful essence of bitter almond. cream the butter, gradually rub in the flour, then the sugar; add the flavoring; last of all, stir in the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. flavor the icing with vanilla or bitter almonds.--_mrs. s. t._ _silver cake._ one cup sugar. ½ cup butter. ½ cups flour. ½ cup of milk. ½ teaspoon of cream tartar, and half as much soda. whites of eggs. beat the butter and eggs to a cream, then add the milk and flour with the soda and cream tartar; whisk the whites of the eggs to a froth, and stir them in gently at the last. flavor with lemon.--_mrs. c._ gold cake. pound flour. pound sugar. ¾ pound butter. yolks of eggs. grated rind of an orange. juice of lemons. teaspoonful soda. cream the butter well, rub into it the flour. beat the yolks well, put in the sugar, and beat again; add the orange rind and lemon juice. mix all together, and beat for ten minutes. last of all, sift in the soda, stirring it in well. requires two hours to bake in one pound cake-mould. flavor the icing with lemon.--_mrs. s. t._ angel's cake. whites of eggs, well beaten. cup of butter. cups of sugar. cups of flour. teaspoonful cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in ½ cup of milk. mix in this way; add the sugar to the eggs, then the butter well creamed, then the flour and milk alternately. season to taste. bake thin, and spread icing between, on the top and sides, sprinkling grated cocoanut over the whole.--_mrs. c._ lady cake. pound sugar. ½ pound of flour. ounces of butter. the whites of eggs. season with two drops oil of bitter almond.--_miss s._ _lady cake._ the whites of eggs, beaten to a froth. cups flour. cups of sugar. cup of butter, creamed with the sugar. teaspoonful cream of tartar in the flour. ½ teaspoonful of soda in ½ cup sweet milk. beat all together, and bake in a mould or small pans. season to taste. a little whisky or rum improves cake of all kinds.--_mrs. dr. c._ delicate cake. cups white sugar. ½ cups corn starch. tablespoonfuls butter. whites of eggs. ½ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in milk. ½ teaspoonful cream tartar in corn starch. flavor with juice of one lemon.--_mrs. r. r._ _delicate cake._ one pound pulverized white sugar, seven ounces of butter (stirred to a cream). whites of eggs, beaten stiff. stir in pound of sifted flour. flavor to the taste. bake immediately.--_mrs. a. h._ merry christmas cake. cups sugar. cup corn starch. cups flour. cup butter. ½ cup sweet milk. whites of eggs. teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake in jelly-cake pans. between each layer when done, on sides and top, spread icing, with grated cocoanut. a very pretty dish.--_mrs. mcg._ corn starch cake. cup butter. cups sugar. ½ cups corn starch. cups flour. cup milk, perfectly sweet. ½ teaspoonful soda. ½ teaspoonful cream tartar. beat the sugar and butter together. dissolve the soda and corn starch in the milk; put the cream tartar in the flour. mix these well, and then add the whites of eight eggs well beaten.-_-mrs. s._ white fruit cake. pound sugar. pound flour. pound butter. pound blanched almonds. pounds citron. cocoanut. whites of eggs.--_mrs. dr. j._ _white fruit cake._ pound pulverized sugar. ¾ pound butter. whites of eggs, beaten very light. pound flour. grated cocoanuts. pounds citron, cut in small pieces. pounds blanched almonds, cut in thin slices. bake slowly. _white fruit cake._ whites of eggs, beaten well. ounces butter. pound flour. pound sugar. teacup citron. cup almonds. cups grated cocoanut. the citron and almonds to be cut and blanched, of course. _white fruit cake_ [_superior, tried recipe_]. pound white sugar. pound flour. ½ pound butter. whites of eggs. pounds citron, cut in thin, long strips. pounds almonds, blanched and cut in strips. large cocoanut, grated. before the flour is sifted, add to it one teaspoonful of soda, two teaspoonfuls cream tartar. cream the butter as you do for pound cake, add the sugar, and beat it awhile; then add the whites of eggs, and flour; and after beating the batter sufficiently, add about one-third of the fruit, reserving the rest to add in layers, as you put the batter in the cake-mould. bake slowly and carefully, as you do other fruit cake.--_mrs. w._ black cake. ¼ pounds butter. ½ pounds sugar. ½ pounds flour. ½ dozen eggs. pounds stoned raisins. pounds picked and washed currants. pound sliced citron. tablespoonfuls pulverized cloves. tablespoonfuls nutmeg. tablespoonfuls mace. tablespoonfuls cinnamon. tablespoonful powdered ginger. teaspoonful salt. wineglasses of brandy.--_mrs. d._ _black cake._ ½ pounds flour. ½ pounds butter. ½ pounds sugar. pound citron. pounds beaten raisins. pounds sweet raisins, well cut. pounds currants. the juice and rind of two lemons and two oranges, one teaspoonful of soda; after the beaten fruit is well beaten, add the cut fruit. the citron or orange peel should never be rubbed in flour.--_mrs. p._ _black cake._ yolks of eggs. pound butter. pound sugar. take out a gill of the sugar, and in place put one gill of molasses, one pound flour; out of it take six tablespoonfuls, and in place put five spoonfuls of seconds, and one of corn meal. pounds seedless raisins. / pound citron. ½ pound currants. ½ pound almonds and palm nuts. ounces grated cocoanut. ounces fine chocolate. tablespoonful finely ground coffee. tablespoonful allspice, mace, and cloves. tablespoonful vanilla. gill blackberry wine, or brandy. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonfuls cream tartar. bake the mass six hours very moderately.--_mrs. j._ fruit cake with spices. pound butter. pound sugar. pound flour. dozen eggs. mix as for pound cake. add pound almonds. pound raisins. ¼ pound citron. ounce mace. ounce cloves. ounce allspice.--_mrs. a. c._ fruit cake. pounds best stoned raisins. pounds currants. pound citron. eggs. pound fresh butter. pound loaf sugar. pound flour. make the batter as you would for nice cake, and before adding the fruit, stir into the batter-- ½ teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda. large tablespoonful of ground cinnamon. small tablespoonful of white ginger. ½ nutmegs. tablespoonful of _best_ molasses. add by degrees the fruit and one-half teacup best brandy; bake slowly five hours. excellent, and will keep good six months.--_mrs. f._ _fruit cake._ eggs. ½ pounds flour. ½ pounds sugar. ½ pounds butter. pounds raisins. pounds currants, washed and picked. ½ pounds citron. nutmegs. pounds almonds, weighed in shell. tablespoonfuls cinnamon. tablespoonfuls mace. small teaspoonful cloves. small teaspoonful salt. teaspoonfuls ginger. wine-glasses of wine. wine-glass of brandy. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, in a cup of milk. let it rise about three hours, then bake slowly, and let it stand a good while after it is baked, in the oven.--_mrs. c. b._ _fruit cake._ ½ pounds butter. ½ pounds flour. eggs. ½ pounds sugar. pounds citron. pounds currants. pounds raisins. a large spoonful cinnamon. spoonful mace. nutmegs. a glass wine. a glass brandy. this will make a very large cake.--_mrs. a. p._ _fruit cake._ ½ pound risen dough. eggs. cups butter. cups sugar. cup milk. cup wine, or brandy. light teaspoonful soda. teaspoonful lemon extract. ½ teaspoonful cloves. beat these ingredients together and add one pound of stoned raisins, one pound of citron dredged in flour. if very soft for cake, add a little flour.--_mrs. j. w._ rich fruit cake. quart of sifted flour. pound of fresh butter, cut up in pound powdered sugar. eggs. pounds of bloom raisins. ½ pound of zante currants. ¾ pound of sliced citron. tablespoonful each of mace and cinnamon. nutmegs. large wineglassful madeira wine. large wineglassful french brandy mixed with the spices. beat the butter and sugar together--eggs separately. flour the fruit well, and add the flour and other ingredients, putting the fruit in last. bake in a straight side mould, as it turns out easier. one pound of blanched almonds will improve this recipe. bake until thoroughly done, then ice while warm.--_mrs. l._ _fruit cake._ pound sugar. pound flour. pound butter. pounds raisins. pounds currants. pound citron. tablespoonfuls of mace and cinnamon. nutmegs, powdered. ½ pint of brandy and wine, mixed. bake in a slow oven. seedless raisins are best for cake.--_mrs. f. c. w._ pineapple, or orange cake. cup of butter. cups sugar. eggs, beaten separately. ½ cups flour. ½ cup sweet milk. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. teaspoonful soda. bake in jelly-cake tins, four or five deep. have ready a thick icing, which put on the cakes as thickly as will stick; spread thickly on that the grated pineapple, or orange, the icing to be flavored with the juice of the fruit and a little tartaric acid.--_mrs. c. c._ orange cake. bake sponge cake in jelly-cake pans, three for each cake. spread an icing between the cakes, made of whites of three eggs, beaten very light, and one and one-quarter pounds powdered sugar. the rind and juice of one large, or two small oranges. the rind and juice of one-half lemon; the other half to be used for the cake.--_mrs. p. mcg._ _orange cake._ eggs. ½ pounds sugar. ½ pounds flour. ¾ pound butter. pint milk. teaspoonfuls cream tartar. teaspoonful soda. beat the eggs very light, and mix in the sugar and creamed butter. pour in half the milk, and dissolve the cream tartar and soda in the other half. add the sifted flour as quickly as possible after the foaming milk is poured in. bake in jelly-cake pans. take six oranges, grate the peel and squeeze the juice with two pounds pulverized sugar. if you use sweet oranges, add the juice of two lemons. after stirring to a smooth paste, spread between the layers of the cake. ice, or sprinkle over sugar the last layer on top of the cake.--_mrs. j. c. w._ _orange cake._ first make a sponge cake with twelve eggs, the weight of twelve eggs in sugar, and weight of ten in flour. then make an icing of the whites of two eggs, the juice of one lemon, and the juice and grated rind of two oranges; add sufficient powdered sugar to make the proper consistency for icing--then put between each cake, and on top of the whole cake.--_mrs. c. b._ lemon cake. cupful butter. cupfuls white sugar. eggs beaten separately. cream butter and sugar together. teaspoonful soda. cup milk. the juice and grated rind of one lemon. small teacupfuls flour. bake in small or shallow tins.--_mrs. c._ _lemon cake._ one cupful of butter, three cupfuls of white sugar, rubbed to a cream. stir in the yolks of five eggs well beaten, and one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a cupful of milk; add the whites, and sift in as lightly as possible four cupfuls of flour. add the juice and grated peel of one lemon.--_mrs. dr. s._ "robert e. lee" cake. twelve eggs, their full weight in sugar, a half-weight in flour. bake it in pans the thickness of jelly cakes. take two pounds of nice "a" sugar, squeeze into it the juice of five oranges and three lemons together with the pulp; stir it in the sugar until perfectly smooth; then spread it on the cakes, as you would do jelly, putting one above another till the whole of the sugar is used up. spread a layer of it on top and on sides.--_mrs. g._ "gen. robert lee" cake. eggs. pound sugar. ½ pound flour. rind of lemon, and juice of ½ lemon. make exactly like sponge cake, and bake in jelly-cake tins. then take the whites of two eggs beat to a froth, and add one pound sugar, the grated rind and juice of one orange, or juice of half a lemon. spread it on the cakes before they are perfectly cold, and place one layer on another. this quantity makes two cakes.--_mrs. i. h._ cocoanut cake. teacup fresh butter. teacups white sugar. ½ teacups flour. whites of ten eggs. cup sweet milk. light teaspoonful soda. light teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. a little essence of lemon. bake in cakes an inch thick and spread with icing, having grated cocoanut stirred in; pile one on another, allowing a little time for drying off. in making the icing, reserve some plain for the outside of cake. finish off by sprinkling on the prepared cocoanut.--_miss p._ _cocoanut cake._ beat to a fine cream three-quarters of a pound of butter and half a pound of sugar. add gradually eight eggs well beaten, then mixed, one tablespoonful essence of lemon, one small nutmeg, grated; mix all well together, then stir in lightly half a pound flour in turn with half a pound of grated cocoanut. pour the mixture in a well-buttered pan, and bake quickly.--_mrs. c. v. mcg._ mountain cocoanut cake. cream together one pound sugar, half a pound butter. beat eight eggs lightly without separating. stir them gradually into the butter and sugar. sift in one pound of flour, beat all light, then put in an even teaspoonful of soda dissolved in half a teacupful of sweet milk, two even teaspoonfuls cream of tartar dissolved in the same quantity of milk. season with lemon or vanilla. for the icing, nine tablespoonfuls of water and one pound sugar; boil until it glistens. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, stir into the boiling icing, then add half a pound of grated cocoanut. spread the icing between the cakes and on the top.--_miss s._ angel's bread. _a variety of cocoanut cake._ cup butter. cups sugar. cups flour. whites of eight eggs. ½ cup sweet milk. ½ teaspoonful soda, teaspoonful cream of tartar, stirred in the milk. flavor with vanilla. bake in jelly-cake pans. grated cocoanut. spread top and bottom of cake with icing, then put on the cocoanut, and so on till your cake is large as you wish. ice the whole cake, and sprinkle on cocoanut. make the icing, three whites to one pound of pulverized sugar, with juice of one lemon.--_mrs. d. r._ clay cake. cups sugar. cup butter. cups flour. cup sweet milk. eggs. teaspoonful soda in the milk. teaspoonful cream of tartar in the flour. flavor with vanilla. bake it in layers. _icing for the cake._--beat the whites of four eggs into a froth, and add nine teaspoonfuls of pulverized sugar to each egg, flavoring it with vanilla. then grate up two large cocoanuts, and after icing each layer, sprinkle grated cocoanut on it. put the layers on each other as in making jelly cake.--_mrs. l. w._ _cocoanut cake._ cups powdered sugar. ½ cup butter. eggs. cup milk. cups flour. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. teaspoonful soda. bake in jelly-cake pans. filling: one grated cocoanut; to half-pound of this add the whites of three eggs beaten to a froth, one cup of powdered sugar; lay this between the layers of the cake; mix with the other half of the cocoanut four tablespoonfuls powdered sugar, and strew thickly on top of the cake.--_mrs. d. c. k._ _one, two, three, four cocoanut cake._ cup butter. cups sugar. cups flour. whites of eggs. teaspoonful cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda. ½ small cocoanut, stirred in at the last.--_mrs. d. c. k._ _cocoanut cake._ teacup of butter. teacups of sugar. ½ teacups of flour. whites of eggs. ½ cup sweet milk, with one teaspoon not quite full of soda. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. essence of lemon. beat the eggs very light. cream the butter, then mix the ingredients gradually. sift the cream tartar with the flour, and dissolve the soda in the milk, and add to the cake last. bake in pans; an inch thick when baked. mix prepared cocoanut with the icing; ice the top of the first cake with the cocoanut icing, dry it slightly; lay another cake on top, and ice again, and continue until the last cake is added, then ice all over. when the last coat of icing is put on, sprinkle the prepared cocoanut all over the cake, to give it a frosted appearance.--_mrs. m. s. c._ chocolate cake. ½ pounds grated chocolate. eggs. ¾ pounds brown sugar. teaspoonful cinnamon. teaspoonful nutmeg. teaspoonful cloves. a few coriander-seed. break the eggs in the sugar and beat them, adding the chocolate by degrees, until well incorporated; then add the spices, all of which must be well powdered. grease some small tins with lard, and bake quickly.--_mrs. t._ _chocolate cake._ cupfuls sugar. cupful butter. cupfuls flour. ¾ cupful sour cream or milk. eggs. teaspoonful cream tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda. beat the sugar and butter together; break the eggs into it one at a time; then add the flour, then the sour cream with the soda. bake in jelly-cake pans. filling: two ounces of chocolate, one cupful of sugar, three-quarters cup of sweet milk; boil half-done.--_mrs. f._ _chocolate cake._ cupfuls sifted flour. ½ cupfuls sugar. cupful sweet milk. egg. tablespoonfuls butter. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonfuls cream tartar. teaspoonful essence lemon. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the milk (in which the soda should be dissolved), next the eggs well beaten, and lastly the essence. mix two cupfuls of flour, and afterwards the third cupful of flour into which the cream tartar has been stirred. bake in square, flat pans. grate three ounces of chocolate, add four tablespoonfuls of milk; warm slowly, and add eight tablespoonfuls of white sugar. boil three minutes, and pour over top of the cake. if you choose, you can slice open the cake, and put inside of it a custard of one pint of milk, warmed, and two eggs added, with sugar and flour to your taste.--_mrs. h._ _chocolate cake._ cupfuls sugar. cupful butter. yolks of eggs and whites of . cupful milk, ½ cupfuls flour. ½ teaspoonful soda. teaspoonful cream tartar, sifted in the flour. bake in jelly-cake tins. filling: whites of three eggs, one and a half cupfuls of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate, one teaspoonful of vanilla. beat well together; spread on top and between layers of the cake.--_mrs. k._ _chocolate cake._ cream together one pound sugar, one and a half pounds butter. beat eight eggs light without separating; stir them gradually into the sugar and butter. sift in one pound of flour; beat all light. then put in an even teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a half-teacupful of sweet milk, two even teaspoonfuls cream tartar dissolved in the same quantity of milk. season with lemon or vanilla. bake in jelly pans. icing for the same: nine tablespoonfuls of water, one pound of sugar; boil till it glistens. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth. stir them into the boiling icing, then add one-quarter pound grated chocolate. spread the icing between the cakes and over the top.--_miss s._ chocolate jelly cake. make a sponge cake according to old family recipe, bake either in jelly tins or moulds; then slice the cake for the following preparation: one teacupful of milk, half a cake baker's chocolate, scraped or grated, one egg beaten with sugar enough to make it sweet; flavor with vanilla. let it boil (stirring all the time) till quite thick. place it evenly and thickly between the slices of cake. instead of the sponge cake, some use the ordinary jelly-cake recipe.--_mrs. b._ citron cake. ounces flour. ounces butter. eggs. pound sugar. pound citron, cut in thin slices. mix like a pound cake.--_mrs. c. l. t._ _citron cake._ large coffeecups sifted flour. ½ cupfuls powdered sugar. cupful butter. whites of eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. add two tablespoonfuls rose water. butter a cake pan, and put alternate layers of batter and citron sliced in long, thin slices.--_mrs. mcg._ citron cake. pound flour. pound sugar. ¾ pound butter. eggs. pounds citron. pounds grated cocoanut. pounds almonds. teaspoonful mace.--_mrs. m. e._ _citron cake._ pound of flour. ½ pound of sugar, ¾ pound of butter. or eggs. pounds of citron. cocoanut, grated. fruit to be put in last.--_mrs. dr. s._ almond cake. ¼ pounds of sugar. ¼ pounds of butter. pound of flour. eggs. pound almonds.--_mrs. b._ _almond cake._ eggs. pound flour. pound sugar. pound butter. pound almonds (blanched). pound citron. blanch the almonds, and slice the citron thin. one wine-glass of brandy. mix like pound cake.--_mrs. s. t._ dark fig cake. cups of sugar. cup of butter. one cup of cold water, with one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it. cups of raisins, chopped fine. cinnamon and nutmeg. eggs. pound of figs. use the figs whole, covering them well with the cake to prevent burning. bake in layers, frosting between each layer. make as stiff as pound cake. cut with a very sharp knife, to prevent crumbling. this recipe makes two loaves.--_mrs. a. t._ currant cake. cup butter. cups sugar. ½ cup sweet milk. eggs. cups flour. ½ a nutmeg. teaspoonfuls baking powder. one pound currants washed, dried, and rolled in the flour.--_mrs. w. l. h._ pound cake. pound butter. pound flour. pound sugar. eggs, yolks of . after the butter is creamed, work the sugar and butter well before mixing.--_mrs. m. s. c._ _pound cake._ pound sugar. pound butter. pound of flour. eggs. cream the butter; rub into it gradually the sifted and dried flour. beat the yolks of ten eggs very light, then add the powdered sugar, beat again, add a wine-glass of brandy or one of good whiskey flavored with nutmeg, or the grated rind of a lemon; mix all together. stir in the whites of twelve eggs beaten to a stiff froth, just before baking. it will take two hours to bake.--_mrs. s. t._ _pound cake._ pound flour. pound of sugar. ¾ pound of butter. eggs. cream the butter well with flour; beat the yolks well, and add, by degrees, the butter and flour, and then the whites beaten to a stiff froth. season with mace and one glass of wine. bake in cups well greased. for fruit cake add to above, two pounds of raisins, two pounds of currants, one-half a pound of citron, stirred in by degrees. add nutmeg and cinnamon to the seasoning. one pound of butter, and one dozen eggs for fruit cake.--_mrs. a. c._ _pound cake._ beat the whites of twelve eggs to a stiff froth. the yolks beat until they look light and white; then beat in one pound of sugar; next add the whites; cream the light pound of butter until it looks frothy; then sift in by degrees one pound of flour and cream them together, and add the other mixture. put a little powdered mace, if you like, a wine-glass of wine, and the same of brandy.--_mrs. w._ very delicate pound cake. eggs, yolks. pound of flour. pound of sugar. ¾ pound of butter.--_mrs. s. t._ superior pound cake. pound of white sugar. ¾ pound of butter. pound of flour. whites of eggs, yolks of . cream the butter; add part of the sugar and yolks, and beat well; then gradually add the whites, and flour and balance of yolks. beat well, flavor with extract of lemon, and bake in a moderate oven.--_mrs. f. c. w._ _pound cake._ pound flour. pound sugar. ¾ pound butter. eggs. sift and dry the flour, sift the sugar; wash all the salt out of the butter, and squeeze all the water out of it. cream the butter with half the flour or more; beat the whites and yolks separately, beating rather more than half of the sugar with the yolks; then rub the remaining sugar and flour up together. mix all these ingredients, part at a time, first one, then another. beat well, and season with french brandy and lemon, or wine and nutmeg, to your taste.--_mrs. m._ butter sponge cake. eggs. weight of in sugar. weight of in butter. weight of in flour. juice and grated rind of two lemons. all the ingredients added to the beaten yolks, and the frothed whites stirred in last.--_mrs. s. t._ _butter sponge cake._ eggs. their weight in sugar. in flour. in butter. the rind of , and juice of lemons. bake quickly.--_mrs. s._ sponge cake. the weight of dozen eggs in sugar. the weight of eggs in flour. the juice and rind of lemon. beat well, and bake quickly.--_mrs. mcg._ confederate sponge cake. cupful white sugar. cupfuls sifted flour. ½ cupful cold water. eggs. one teaspoonful yeast powder in the flour; flavor to the taste. mix yolks and sugar, then add the water after the whites (beaten to a stiff froth first), then the flour.--_miss s._ sponge cake. eggs. weight of in powdered sugar. weight of in flour. grated rind and juice of lemon. beat the yolks of eight eggs very light, then add the sugar and beat again. put in the juice and grated rind of a lemon, then the whites of fourteen eggs beaten to a stiff froth. beat all together for fifteen minutes without cessation, stirring in the flour last, barely mixing; do not beat it. pour into buttered moulds or shapes and bake in a hot oven. a large cake will require fully an hour for baking. if it bakes too fast on top, cover with buttered paper.--_mrs. s. t._ _sponge cake._ (_never fails._) eggs. their weight in sugar. the weight of in flour. juice of lemon. tablespoonful good vinegar. beat the whites, beat the yolks and sugar; add the whites, beat well; add the flour, and after adding it, do not beat it longer than is required to stir it in; then add the lemon and vinegar, just as you put it in the tins or moulds. when the cake is hot, _lemon sauce_ is nice to eat with it.--_mrs. k._ cream sponge cake. eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately. teacupfuls sugar. cupful sweet cream. heaping cupfuls flour. teaspoonful soda. two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, mixed in the flour before it is sifted. add whites of eggs last thing before the flour, then stir that in gently, without beating. very nice.--_mrs. f. c. w._ extra sponge cake. whites of eggs. yolks of only . one pound best white sugar stirred in the yolks after they are well beaten. add the whites, and lastly stir in very lightly half a pound of sifted flour. beat very little after putting in the flour. bake quickly.--_mrs. d. c. k._ sponge cake roll. eggs. ½ teacups flour. teacup powdered sugar. rind and juice of a lemon. beat the eggs separately and very light. do not beat the batter much after adding the flour, which must be done last of all. get a square baking-pan, butter it, and pour one-half the batter in, reserving the rest for a second layer. have ready a nice damp towel, lay the cake on it when taken out of the pan; spread over the cake, jam or currant jelly; roll it up whilst damp, and when firmly set put it in a place to dry. it is good eaten with sauce, when for a dinner dish, or it can be cut in slices and eaten as small cakes.--_mrs. m. c._ sponge roll. cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of flour. dozen eggs. mix as for sponge cake. bake in thin sheets and spread on stewed apples, or any kind of fruit, a little sweetened; roll the sheets with the top on the outside. serve with rich wine sauce.--_mrs. col. s._ jelly for cake. lemon bruised and strained. cupful sugar. large apple. egg. beat the egg and mash the apple fine, grate the lemon peel, then mix all together; put into a can or cup and set into a pot of water. let boil until it is cooked, and use as you would for common jelly cake.--_mrs. w. mcf._ another filling for cake. dissolve one-half cake of chocolate in one teacup of cream or milk, and let it cool slowly; then take it off the fire and stir in the well-beaten whites of three eggs mixed with one pound of sugar. let it cool, stirring all the time till you find that it will harden when cool. spread between the cakes while it is still soft.--_mrs. e. c. g._ jelly cake. beat eggs very light. cream ½ pound butter. ¾ pound flour. ¾ pound sugar well beaten. teaspoonful tartaric acid. teaspoonful of soda. stir these in when ready to bake. bake in thin pans, and put on jelly while warm.--_mrs. j. l._ lemon jelly cake. bake sponge-cake batter (by recipe given) in jelly-cake pans. beat with three eggs, two cupfuls sugar, butter size of an egg, melted, and juice and grated rind of two lemons. stir over a slow fire until it boils, then spread between the layers of cake. ice with lemon icing, or sift over powdered sugar.--_mrs. s. t._ jelly cake. eggs. the weight of in flour. the weight of in sugar. to be baked in flat tins. for the jelly: one-quarter pound butter, one-half pound sugar, yolks of three eggs, juice and grated rind of one lemon. to be put in a saucepan and allowed to come to a boil. then the three whites, beaten to a stiff froth, must be stirred in and the saucepan returned to the fire until it boils up. spread between layers of cake.--_mrs. e. c. g._ lemon jelly cake. bake as for the orange cake. for the jelly: take the juice and rind of three lemons, one pound sugar, one-quarter pound butter, six eggs; beat together; scald as you do custard. when cool, it must be thick-spread between the cakes; ice the top.--_mrs. c. c._ rolled jelly cake. eggs. teacup of sugar. teacup of flour. beat the yolks of the eggs till light, then add the sugar; continue beating for some time, then add the whites beaten to a stiff froth; next put in the flour, a little at a time. bake in a long pan, well greased; when done turn out on bread-board, then cover the top with jelly and roll while warm, and slice as needed.--_mrs. a. h._ _rolled jelly cake._ cupful sugar. tablespoonful of butter. ½ cupful of flour. / cupful of milk. egg. two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted with the flour. bake in a large sheet, and when done, spread on the jelly and cut the sheets in strips three or four inches wide and roll up. if instead of jelly a sauce is made and spread between the layers of cake, it may be eaten as a cream-pie and furnish a very nice dessert. for the sauce, beat together one egg, one teaspoonful of corn-starch, or one tablespoonful flour and two tablespoonfuls of sugar. stir into a half-pint of milk and boil until it forms a good custard. remove from the fire and flavor with vanilla.--_mrs. m._ filling for jelly cake. whites of two eggs, beaten to a froth. cupfuls of sugar. juice and grated peel of oranges. put this between the layers, and on top the cakes.--_mrs. c. c._ oranges cut fine, and sweetened and mixed with grated cocoanut, also chocolate, is used for filling jelly cake. sponge cake is better than the soda recipe.--_mrs. c. c._ marble cake. weigh and make a pound cake; add a spoonful of yeast, take one-third part of the batter and add to it two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, two teaspoonfuls of mace, one teaspoonful of cloves, one teaspoonful of nutmeg, finely ground. put in your pan, first a layer of the plain batter, then a layer of the spiced, finishing with the plain. the batter will make three layers of plain and two of spiced. it bakes in beautiful layers.--_mrs. c. l. t._ marble or spiced cake. make up a pound cake and add two teaspoonfuls of yeast-powder. take one-third part of the batter and add to it two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon and mace each, one teaspoonful of cloves and allspice each, one nutmeg finely powdered. then grease a pan and put in first a layer of the plain batter, then the spiced, alternately, till you have it full, finishing with the plain. bake as a pound cake.--_mrs. c. v. mcg._ marble cake. _light part._ cupfuls sugar. cupful butter. cupful sour cream. cupfuls flour. whites of eggs. teaspoonful soda. _dark part._ cupfuls brown sugar. cupful molasses. cupful sour cream. cupful butter. cupfuls flour. teaspoonful soda. yolks of eggs. whole egg. wine-glassful wine. mixed spices. put alternately layers of each kind in two-pound moulds. _marble cake._ _light part._ cupful white sugar. ½ cupful butter. ½ cupful buttermilk. whites of eggs. teaspoonful cream tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda. cupfuls flour. _dark part._ ½ cupful brown sugar. ¼ cupful butter. ½ cupful molasses. ¼ cupful milk. ½ nutmeg. teaspoonful cinnamon. ½ teaspoonful allspice. cupfuls flour. ½ teaspoonful soda. teaspoonful cream tartar. yolks of eggs. put in the mould, alternately, tablespoonfuls of light and dark batter.--_mrs. d. c. k._ marble or bismarck cake. cupfuls white sugar. cupful butter. cupful sour cream, or buttermilk. cupfuls flour. whites of eggs. small spoonful soda. this is for the white batter. _dark batter._ cupfuls coffee sugar. cupful molasses. cupful sour cream. cupful butter. cupfuls flour. teaspoonful soda. yolks of eggs, and a whole one. wine-glassful mixed spices, finely powdered. put in the pan, in alternate layers of light and dark batter. bake quickly, like sponge cake. ice and ornament with chocolate drops. this fills a two-pound mould. rose or clouded cake. eggs, leaving out the whites of . pound flour. pound sugar, ¾ pound butter. small teaspoonfuls cream tartar. small teaspoonfuls powdered alum. small teaspoonful soda. small teaspoonfuls cochineal, dissolved in / cupful boiling water. having dissolved the alum, soda, and cream tartar, mix with the cochineal. stir these ingredients in nearly one-third of the batter. pour into the cake mould a layer of white batter, and a layer of red batter, alternately, beginning and ending with white; three layers of white and two of red. this is an ornamental cake to cut for baskets. spice cake. yolks of eggs. mix ½ teaspoonfuls yeast powder in ½ cupfuls flour. cupful brown sugar. ½ cupful syrup, ½ cupful butter, must be melted after being measured. stir with the sugar ½ teaspoonfuls powdered cloves. teaspoonful powdered cinnamon. teaspoonful powdered allspice. the spices must be put in the flour, the syrup added after the sugar and butter are stirred together, then the eggs and milk, and lastly the flour. mix the above alternately, in your pans, after having them buttered.--_mrs. w._ cream cake. cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of flour. ½ cupful of butter. eggs. cupful of sour milk. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonfuls of cream tartar. dissolve the soda in the milk, melt the butter and add it to the eggs. add the sugar and cream tartar to the flour. pour it all together in shallow pans that have been well greased. bake twenty minutes. while baking the above, get one pint of sweet milk, one cupful of sugar, one cup of flour, butter one-half size of an egg. if you use cream instead of milk, you can omit butter. break two eggs into the sugar, beat awhile, then add flour and beat thoroughly. have the milk on the fire, and as soon as it boils, stir the mixture in it, after thinning it with some of the milk until it is like paste; cook until it is like stiff starch. season freely with vanilla when cold, and spread it between the cakes as jelly cake is made. grated cocoanut can be used instead, by preparing as follows: one large cocoanut grated, two pounds of loaf sugar. pour the milk from the nut on the sugar; boil it two or three minutes, first mixing in the whites of three eggs; if not soft enough, add some sweet milk. take it off the fire, stir in the grated cocoanut, and spread between the cakes.--_mrs. j. f. g._ _cream cake._ cupfuls of sugar. cupful of sweet milk. cupfuls of flour. tablespoonfuls of butter. eggs. ½ teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonful of cream tartar. bake in four jelly pans. cream for the same. cupfuls of sugar. ½ pint of sweet milk. / cupful of flour. egg. heat the milk to boiling heat, beat the egg and sugar together; take a little milk, and make a smooth paste with the flour, and stir into the sugar and egg, then stir all into the milk. let it boil until thick, then spread between cakes.--_mrs. a. h._ capital cake. (_delicious._) pound of sugar. cupfuls of flour, after being sifted. cupful of butter. cupful of morning's milk. eggs beaten light. teaspoonfuls of cream tartar, sifted in the flour. teaspoonful of soda dissolved in the milk. flavor with lemon or nutmeg.--_mrs. m._ cup cake. cupfuls of flour. cupfuls of sugar. ½ cupfuls of butter. as much fruit as you like. teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a cupful of milk. eggs. nutmeg. wine-glass wine and brandy mixed. mix as pound cake.--_mrs. j. w. h._ _cup cake._ cupful of butter. cupfuls of sugar. ½ cupfuls of flour. ½ cupful of milk. eggs, beaten separately. teaspoonful yeast powder.--_miss m. w._ _a nice cup cake._ eggs. cupfuls of flour. cupfuls of sugar. cupful of butter. cupful of milk. teaspoonful cream of tartar, ½ teaspoonful of soda. season with mace and nutmeg. bake in cups or little tin pans.--_mrs. wm. c. r._ a delicious cake. ¼ pounds flour. pounds butter. eggs, yolks and whites. ounces almonds. tablespoonfuls rose water, in which the almonds should be beaten. wine-glasses of french brandy. heaping teaspoonfuls beaten mace, and a butter-plate of preserved lemon-peel.--_l. t._ _delicious cake._ cupfuls of sugar. cupful of butter. cupful of milk. cupfuls of flour, after being sifted. eggs. tablespoonfuls baking powder. bake in jelly-cake pans, and between each layer put fruit jelly, icing of chocolate and cocoanut each. this quantity will bake five thin cakes.--_mrs. mcg._ cake. quart of flour, well dried. cupful of butter. cupfuls granulated sugar--it is better than pulverized. eggs, well beaten. lemon, or other seasoning. light measure of both horsford's powders, or, if preferred, a small teaspoonful of soda, and ½ cup of buttermilk. cream of tartar takes the place of buttermilk, when used with soda.--_mrs. a._ cake (_with sauce_.) eggs. pound of flour, ¾ pound of sugar. ½ pound butter. cup of cream. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. teaspoonful of soda.--_mrs. c. b._ cake that cannot fail. pound sugar. pound flour. ¾ pound butter. eggs. teacup of sweet cream. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, sifted in the flour. teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water, and put in the cream. bake in pans or cups.--_mrs. p._ custard cake. ½ cupful butter. cupfuls sugar. eggs, leaving out yolks. cupfuls flour. cupful of milk. teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake in shallow pans. for the custard: one quart of milk, let come to a boil, sweeten it; take the four yolks and three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, mix with a little of the milk cold, and then stir it gradually into the boiling milk, and continue to stir until done. add a piece of butter the size of a walnut; flavor with vanilla, and put between the cakes.--_mrs. c. b._ mrs. galt's cake. whites of eggs, yolks of . ¾ pound of butter. pound of flour. pound of sugar. season to taste.--_miss e. t._ norfolk cake. beat to a cream: teacup of butter. eggs. teacups of sugar. teacup of cream. teacups of flour. ½ nutmeg. wine-glass of brandy. pound raisins. teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in cream.--_mrs. dr. s._ kettle cake. have a large, nice brass kettle ready. set it on a few warm embers, not with any fire; put into the kettle: eggs. pound sugar. pound butter. a light pound of flour. teaspoonful of mace. rind and juice of a large lemon. stir all the materials rapidly, and with a strong, large iron spoon or a long butter-ladle. when it is light, which will be in about three-quarters of an hour, put it in a mould and bake as common pound cake. it is good with pounds currants. pounds raisins. ½ pound citron. glass of brandy.--_mrs. m. c. c._ parson's cake. eggs. large teacupful brown sugar. cupfuls flour. cupfuls molasses. ½ cupful butter. ginger and spice to the taste. teaspoonful soda, dissolved in a little milk. bake.--_mrs. d. r._ risen cake. ½ pound flour. pound sugar. ounces butter. gills milk. ¼ pint yeast. eggs. work the butter and sugar together. put the yeast in the flour and one-half the butter and sugar the overnight; then mix the milk in, and beat it some time. set it where it will rise. in the morning, when well risen, mix in the remainder of the butter and sugar, and the eggs, also some currants or raisins, or both, if you wish them, a little nutmeg or mace, and beat all well together for some time. then put it in the pan and set it to rise again. it must be very light before you put it in the oven. it requires some time to soak.--_mrs. i. h._ ruggles' cake. eggs. ½ cupful butter. cupfuls sugar. cupfuls flour. cupful milk. teaspoonful soda. season to taste.--_mrs. r._ tipsy cake. soak sponge cake in wine and water. make a custard of six eggs to one quart of milk, and pour over it. reserve the whites, beat to stiff froth, to put over last.--_mrs. dr. s._ velvet cake. half a pound of butter, one pound sugar; creamed together. one teacup of cold water, with a level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it, and poured in the butter and sugar, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, sifted in one pound of flour. mix the flour with butter, sugar, and water, and beat well. take five eggs, beat yolks and whites separately, and then beat them together three minutes. season as you like, and mix with the batter. beat considerably and bake half an hour.--_mrs. a. b._ whortleberry cake. eggs, beaten separately. pound sugar. ¾ pound butter. quart flour. ½ pint sifted meal. teaspoonful soda. a little mace and cinnamon. after mixing, stir in one quart of the berries, so as not to mash them, having previously dusted them with flour. mix the soda with one-half pint of cream or milk.--_mrs. a. p._ naples biscuit. pound flour. pound sugar. whites, and yolks of eggs. glasses wine. they should gradually harden in the oven till quite crisp, and be frequently turned in the pans. icing. ½ pound sugar. ½ pint water. boil until it ropes. have ready the whites of seven eggs well beaten, pour the syrup into a bowl, and beat until milk-warm. then put in the eggs, and beat for an hour.--_mrs. w._ hot icing. dissolve one pint powdered sugar in two or three tablespoonfuls water, and boil. beat the whites of four eggs to a strong froth; add the hot sugar, stirring in till smooth. beat about two minutes and flavor to your taste, spread on the cake, and put in a hot place.--_mrs. p._ icing. whites of two eggs, beaten to a froth. one pound of sugar, dissolved and boiled in a small teacup of water. then strain the sugar and pour it into the egg, beating it hard until cool. add one-half teaspoonful lemon acid.--_l. d. l._ boiled icing. ½ pound cut sugar, or double refined. teacup of water. whites of eggs. boil the sugar to candy height; when nearly cold put in eggs.--_miss e. p._ cold icing. whites of eggs. pound sugar. beat very light and season with vanilla or lemon. after beating very lightly, add the white of another egg and it will give a pretty gloss upon the icing.--_miss e. p._ icing for cake. take three pounds cut or best quality of loaf sugar, dissolve it in a small quantity of water, boil to candy height or until it ropes. have ready the whites of thirteen eggs well beaten. when the sugar is boiled sufficiently, pour it into a deep bowl, occasionally stirring it gently, until you can just bear your finger in it; then add the beaten egg all at once, beating it very hard for half an hour, when it is ready for use. strain into the icing the juice of one lemon into which the peel has been grated, for half an hour.--_mrs. f c. w._ icing. break into a dish the whites of four eggs. whip in by degrees one and one-quarter pound of the finest loaf sugar, powdered and sifted. beat till stiff and smooth, then add the strained juice of a large lemon with a few drops of oil of lemon, and beat again; in all beat half an hour. if too stiff add a little more white of egg. some persons put it on with a knife, but it is far smoother and more evenly spread over the cake if put on with a large spoon. dip up a spoonful of the icing and pour it from the spoon over the cake. pour it over the top of the cake and it will diffuse itself down the sides. to color icing yellow, steep the rind of an orange or lemon in the lemon juice before straining it into the icing. to make it pink, put in strawberry or cranberry juice with the lemon juice.--_mrs. s. t._ icing for cakes. whites of six eggs to one pound sugar, or one egg to three teaspoonfuls of sugar.--_mrs. dr. j._ boiled icing. one and one-fourth pound loaf sugar, added to one teacup of water and boiled to a thick syrup. then strain it through thin muslin, and, while hot, stir into it the whites of three eggs beaten stiff. then beat in the strained juice of a lemon and season with a little oil of lemon. if too thin, add a little sugar; if too stiff, add a little more white of egg.--_mrs. s. t._ soft ginger cake. cupful butter. cupful sugar. cupful molasses. cupful sour cream. eggs. ½ tablespoonful of soda. tablespoonfuls of ginger. flour until the spoon will almost stand alone. cloves and cinnamon to taste. (this is very good.)--_mrs. j. f._ soft gingerbread. eggs. teacup butter. ½ teacup ginger. teacup molasses. teacups sifted flour. large tablespoonful of ginger. small teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in ½ teacup of sour cream.--_mrs. mcg._ ginger loaf. eggs. cupfuls molasses. cupfuls of butter. cupfuls flour. teaspoonful soda. tablespoonful ginger. cinnamon to your taste.--_mrs. p. w._ risen gingerbread. pounds flour. pound nice brown sugar. pound butter. eggs. ½ pint molasses. ounces ginger. bake in a large cake.--_mrs. a. t._ lightened gingerbread. ½ pound of flour. ½ pound butter. ½ pound sugar. eggs. races of white ginger. teaspoonful soda. pint molasses. to be baked in tins or a pan.--_mrs. i. h._ ginger cup cake. eggs. cupful molasses. cupful sugar. cupful butter (half lard will answer). ½ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in tablespoonful buttermilk. tablespoonful ground ginger. ½ cupfuls flour. mix as other cake. some like allspice.--_mrs. h. d._ molasses cake. light cupfuls flour. eggs. cupfuls sugar. cupfuls molasses. cupful butter. cupful cream, with one teaspoonful soda. tablespoonfuls cream of tartar. teaspoonfuls ground ginger. all well beaten together. bake as pound cake.--_miss e. t._ _molasses cake._ teaspoonful soda. pound butter. pound sugar. pint molasses. tablespoonful ginger. flour enough to make it as thick as ordinary cake.--_miss j. c._ molasses pound cake. ½ pound butter. cupfuls sugar. cupfuls molasses. cupfuls flour. cupful cream. eggs. some cloves and nutmeg; add lemon to taste.--_mrs. dr. s._ black, or molasses cake. quart flour. eggs. pint molasses. ¼ pound butter. tablespoonfuls ginger. teaspoonful soda, dissolved in teacup sour milk.--_mrs. t. c._ small cakes. albany cakes. ½ pound flour. ½ pound brown sugar. ½ pound butter. tablespoonful lard. tablespoonfuls powdered cinnamon. teaspoonful soda, dissolved in a cup of milk. roll on extra flour very thin. dip the face of each cake in granulated sugar. bake slowly in greased pans.--_mrs. r. r._ scotch cakes. (_very nice._) pounds flour. ½ pound sugar. pound butter. eggs, beaten together. nutmegs.--_mrs. p. mcg._ sweet crackers. eggs. cupfuls sugar. ½ pound butter. teaspoonful soda. cupful sour cream. pounded cinnamon and grated nutmeg for flavoring. sufficient flour for a soft dough. roll thin and cut it with tin shapes, and bake quickly.--_mrs. s._ drop cake. eggs. pound sugar. ¾ pound butter. teaspoonful soda, in cupful sour cream. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, in quart flour.--_mrs. s._ cream cakes. beat up one egg, add to it half a cupful sugar, half a cupful flour, mixing thoroughly. while this is being done, put on the fire half a pint milk; when it boils, stir in the eggs, sugar, and flour mixture, then add a piece of butter, half the size of an egg. stir all the time until it is of the desired consistency, which will be in a few minutes. when cold, add, and thoroughly mix, one and one-half teaspoonful vanilla. for the cake: put one tumblerful of water to boil, and then add one-quarter pound butter; when melted, put in one and one-half tumblerful of flour. stir in, mixing thoroughly, being careful not to burn it. it is sufficiently cooked by the time it is thoroughly mixed. remove from the fire, and when cool, stir in five unbeaten eggs, mixing one at a time. it will then be the consistency of stiff paste. drop on buttered tins, and bake in a quick oven fifteen or twenty minutes. cut the side and insert the cream.--_mrs. h. m._ marguerites. cream together one pound of sugar and one pound of butter very light. beat the yolks of six eggs, sift one and one-half pound of flour into the eggs, butter, and sugar; one teaspoonful of mixed spices, one-half glassful of rose water. stir the whole well, and roll it on the board till it is half an inch thick; cut in cakes and bake quickly. when cold, spread the surface of each cake with marmalade. beat the whites of four eggs light, and add enough powdered sugar to make them as thick as icing. flavor it with lemon, and put it on top of each cake. put the cakes in the oven, and as soon as they are of a pale brown, take them out.--_miss m. c. l._ _marguerites._ two pounds of flour, one pound and five ounces of sugar, one pound and five ounces of butter, eight eggs. rub together the butter and sugar till perfectly light; beat the eggs till very thick, leaving out the whites of six eggs for the icing. sift the flour into the eggs, butter and sugar, one teaspoonful of mixed spices (cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg), half a glass of rose water. stir the whole well together, and roll it on your paste-board about half an inch thick; then cut out the cakes and bake them a few minutes. when cold, spread the surface of each cake with marmalade or jam. beat the whites, left out, very light, and add enough powdered sugar to make them as thick as icing. season with lemon or vanilla, and with a spoon put it on each cake. put the cakes in the oven to brown.--_mrs. h._ marguerites, or jelly cakes. rub together one pound sugar, one pound of butter, till perfectly light. beat six eggs till very thick, leaving out the whites. sift one and a half pound of flour into the eggs, butter, and sugar, one teaspoonful of mixed spices (cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg), and half a glass of rose water. stir the whole well, and roll it on the paste-board about one-quarter inch thick. then cut out the cakes and bake them a few minutes. when cold, spread the surface of each cake with peach jam or any marmalade. beat the whites of four eggs very light, and add enough powdered sugar to make them as thick as icing. flavor it with lemon or rose water and with a spoon put it on each cake, high in the centre. put the cakes in the oven, and as soon as they are of a pale brown take them out.--_mrs. i. h._ shrewsbury cake. pound flour. ounces sugar. ounces butter. eggs. add two tablespoonfuls rose water, or two teaspoonfuls beaten mace. roll and bake in tin sheets or in an oven.--_mrs. t._ macaroons. blanch and pound one pound of sweet almonds with a little rose water; whip the whites of seven eggs to a froth; add one pound sugar; beat some time. add the almonds; mix well. drop on buttered paper, sift sugar over them, and bake quickly. jumbles. pound flour, ¾ pound butter. pound sugar. eggs. flavor with mace. a delicious cake.--_mrs. a. t._ jackson jumbles. teacups sugar. teacup lard. teacups flour. teaspoonful soda in one cup of sour cream. eggs. the grated rind of one or two lemons, or a little grated nutmeg. roll out and bake.--_mrs. h. s._ jumbles. pounds flour. pounds sugar. pound butter. eggs. teaspoonful soda. a little milk if the eggs are not enough.--_mrs. m. e._ _jumbles._ rub one pound butter into one and a quarter pound flour; beat four eggs with one and a quarter pound sugar, very light; mix well with the flour. add one nutmeg and a glass of brandy.--_mrs. j. w._ coffee cake. teacup of molasses. cupful of good liquid coffee. cupful sugar. cupful butter. cupfuls flour. teaspoonful of cinnamon. teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful cream tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda. pound of raisins. ¼ pound of citron. eggs. ½ wine-glass of brandy.--_mrs. j. h. f._ cinnamon cakes. pound butter. pounds flour. pound sugar. six eggs, leaving out two yolks, which you will beat up with a little rose water, and, with a feather, spread on the cakes; then strew cinnamon and sugar on them, and blanched almonds. lay them on tins, and bake them in a slow oven.--_mrs. i. h._ cinnamon cakes. quarts flour. or eggs, the yolks only. ½ pound butter. ½ pound sugar. spoonful cinnamon.--_mrs. dr. r. e._ strawberry cakes. pounds flour. pound loaf sugar. pound butter. eggs. mace and a little wine to flavor. bake quickly.--_mrs. a. t._ holmcroft cake. coffee-cup of sugar. tablespoonfuls of butter not melted. teacup of sweet milk. whites of eggs, or whole egg. coffee-cups of flour.--_mrs. n._ nothings. take one egg, two tablespoonfuls cream, butter the size of a walnut, flour to make the dough very stiff; work it well and roll it very thin. cut the size of a saucer. fry in lard and sprinkle with powdered sugar.--_mrs. t. c._ sugar cakes. mix four cupfuls of sugar with eight cupfuls of flour and one large spoonful of coriander-seed; add one cupful of butter, one cupful of lard, six eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sour cream or milk, one teaspoonful of soda.--_mrs. dr. s._ cookies. eggs. cupful of butter or lard. cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of sifted flour. nutmeg. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, sifted with the flour. cream the butter with one cup of the sugar, beat the eggs separately and put into the yolks the remaining cup of sugar; add this to the butter, and put in whites and flour last. roll thin and bake quickly.--_mrs. f. f. f._ gloucester cakes. eggs. quart of milk. quart of flour. a piece of butter the size of an egg. beat the eggs very light; mix into them the flour and milk alternately, and beating it until perfectly smooth, add a little salt. melt the butter and stir it into the batter. bake in small moulds.--_mrs. j. d._ tea cakes. quarts of flour. small teacup of lard. small teacup of butter. cupfuls of sugar. eggs. cupful of cream (sour is best). small teaspoonfuls of soda. grated nutmeg. roll out half an inch thick, and bake in a moderate oven.--_mrs. f. c. w._ crullers. quarts of flour. cups of sugar. eggs. spoonfuls of soda. spoonfuls cream of tartar. tablespoonfuls of melted butter. a little salt. rub the cream tartar, flour, and sugar together; wet with sweet milk quite soft. have the lard several inches deep in the pot or pan you cook in, and when boiling lay in enough crullers just to cover the bottom. they must be quite thin, and when brown on the lower side, turn over with a fork. they are more convenient to turn with a hole in the centre.--_mrs. b._ tea cakes. quarts of flour. cupfuls of sugar. cup of butter. eggs. teaspoonful of soda dissolved in tablespoonfuls of sweet milk. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. season with lemon or nutmeg.--_mrs. h._ delicate tea cakes. whites of eggs beaten to a froth. cupful of pulverized sugar. ½ cupful of sweet milk. teaspoonful cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful of soda. ½ cupfuls of flour. teaspoonful of almonds. ½ cupful of melted butter.--_mrs. r._ tartaric cakes. beat the yolks of three eggs, the whites whipped to a froth, three full cups of brown sugar, half a pound of butter, one spoonful lard, one and a half pound of flour, leaving two spoonfuls to roll with. mix all well together. dissolve one teaspoonful soda and three-quarters teaspoonful tartaric acid in a little cream. first mix the soda with the dough, then the acid. season with mace or wine. they will rise very much.--_mrs. d._ a delicate cake for tea. beat the yolks and whites of two eggs separately; to the yolks add two coffee-cups of sugar, and two cupfuls of sweet milk; then four tablespoonfuls butter creamed; next the white of the eggs, lastly, four cupfuls of flour with one teaspoonful soda, two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, sifted in the flour. bake in shallow pans.--_mrs. c. v. mcg._ lemon jumbles. egg. teacupful sugar. ½ teacupful of butter. teaspoonfuls milk. teaspoonful cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful of soda. small lemons; juice of two and grated rind of one. mix rather stiff. roll and cut out with a cake-cutter.--_mrs. w._ bonnefeadas. make a rich paste with one quart flour; roll it out very thin, first dividing it in two pieces, spread it with butter, washed and creamed, "a" sugar, and pulverized cinnamon. roll it up, cut it in pieces one inch wide; put them in a pan with the whole side down; sprinkle over them sugar, butter, and cinnamon. bake quickly. take them out of the pan while hot.--_mrs. col. a. l._ delicious small cakes. yolks of eggs. light pound flour. ¼ pound butter. spoonful lard. pound sugar. these cakes are better without soda and of the consistency of shrewsbury cakes. beat the whites of three eggs to a strong froth; weigh one pound of the best "a" sugar, put it in a tin can with three wine-glasses of water. let it boil slowly, till it begins to rope, or rather, when a little of it will cool on a plate, like it would begin to candy. then pour the boiling sugar gradually to the white of egg; beat it well till it begins to thicken and to cool somewhat, then beat into the icing two tablespoonfuls of powdered cinnamon, and ice over the little cakes, using a stiff feather for the purpose. you can add the other unbeaten whites of eggs, with an addition of sugar, to make more small cakes.--_mrs. m. c. c._ wafers. ounces butter. ounces sugar. ounces flour. eggs. glass of wine. a little mace and nutmeg.--_mrs. dr. j._ _wafers._ spoonfuls flour. spoonfuls sugar. spoonfuls cream. spoonful butter. orange peel, mace, and nutmeg. prepare as for pound cake. bake in wafer irons, rolling them while hot. dimples. beat the whites of three eggs and three-quarters pound of sugar till well mixed. stir in blanched almonds, cut fine. drop on tins and bake in a cool oven.--_mrs. a. c._ ginger cakes. teacup of butter. teacup brown sugar. teacup sour milk. cupfuls flour. ½ teacup molasses. ½ teaspoonfuls soda.--_mrs. c. b._ ginger snaps. pint of molasses. teacup brown sugar. teacup of butter and lard mixed. beat the molasses till it looks light, then put it in the sugar; next pour in the hot butter and lard, one egg beaten light, one teacup ground ginger. have the mixture milk-warm; work flour in briskly. roll them and bake quickly.--_miss n. s. l._ ginger cakes. dozen eggs. pounds of flour. pound butter. pound sugar. pint molasses. small teacup of ginger. teaspoonful of soda.--_mrs. col. s._ cheap ginger cakes. pints of flour. large spoonful of lard. large spoonfuls of ginger. dessertspoonful of soda in a pint of molasses.--_mrs. h. s._ ginger bunns. ¾ pound butter, ½ pound sugar, rubbed to a cream. ½ nutmeg. tablespoonful ginger. stir all together, then add two eggs well beaten, stir in one pound of flour and moisten with sweet milk, until it can be easily worked. roll out and bake in quick oven.--_mrs. h. d._ molasses cakes. cupfuls of flour. cupfuls of molasses. cupful sugar. cupful of butter. cupful of sour milk. even tablespoonful of soda. tablespoonfuls of ginger. let the dough be as soft as you can conveniently handle it. bake in a moderately quick oven.--_mrs. r. l._ spice nuts. pound sugar. pound flour. pint molasses. mix well. ¾ pound butter. tablespoonfuls ginger. tablespoonful allspice. tablespoonful cinnamon. bake in small drops or cakes.--_mrs. dr. j._ ginger snaps. cupful butter. tablespoonful ginger. teaspoonful soda, in pint boiling molasses. stir and let it cool; add sifted flour enough to make a dough; roll thin and bake.--_mrs. s. b._ drop ginger cakes. pound butter, cream it as for pound cake. packed quarts flour. pound sugar. pint molasses. eggs. tablespoonfuls ginger.--_mrs. n._ puddings. the directions given for cake apply likewise to puddings. always beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately and very light, and add the whites just before baking or boiling. all puddings (except those risen with yeast), should be baked immediately after the ingredients are mixed. thick yellow earthenware dishes are better than tin for baking puddings, on several accounts. one is that the pudding, to be good, must be baked principally from the bottom, and tin burns more easily than earthenware. another reason is, that the acids employed in some puddings corrode and discolor tin. garnish the pudding with sifted white sugar, and with candied or preserved orange or lemon peel. in boiling a pudding, cold water should never be added. keep a kettle of hot water to replenish the water in the pot as it boils away. as soon as the pudding is done, remove it from the boiling water. a decrease in heat whilst cooking, makes boiled pudding sodden, and makes baked pudding fall. the best sauce for a boiled pudding is cold sauce made of the frothed whites of eggs, butter, sugar, nutmeg, and a little french brandy, while for a baked pudding, a rich, boiled wine sauce is best. plum pudding. dozen eggs. pounds baker's bread, stale, and grated fine. pounds suet. pounds brown sugar. pound sliced citron. pounds currants. pounds seeded raisins. ½ ounce nutmeg, and the same of mace, cloves, and cinnamon. half pint wine. half pint french cooking brandy. mix and divide into six parts. tie each part in a twilled cotton cloth, put them in boiling water, and let them boil four hours. then hang them in the air to dry a day or two. keep them in a cool, dry place. when you wish to use one, it must be boiled an hour before dinner. serve with rich sauce. it will keep six months or a year.--_mrs. t. m. c._ _plum pudding._ eggs. pound chopped suet. pound seeded raisins. pound currants. pound stale bread crumbs. ½ pound citron. nutmeg. wine-glassful wine. wine-glassful brandy. ½ pound brown sugar. beat the eggs light, add the sugar and spices, stir in the suet and bread crumbs, add the fruit by degrees, then the wine and brandy. pour into a well-floured bag, leaving a third as much room as the mixture occupies, for swelling. put into a pot of boiling water and boil four hours. dip the bag into cold water when ready to turn out the pudding, to prevent it from sticking.--_mrs. e. b._ _plum pudding._ at sunrise, sift a quart of the best flour; rub into it an irish potato mashed, free from lumps. put in it a teaspoonful of salt, and a half teacup of yeast. add six eggs, beaten separately, and enough water to make a soft dough. knead half an hour without intermission. in winter, set it in a warm place, in summer set it in a cool place to rise. if dinner is wanted at two o'clock, knead into this at one o'clock, half pound of butter, two pounds of stoned raisins, cut up, and a grated nutmeg. work very little, just enough to mix. wet a thick cloth, flour it and tie it loosely that the pudding may have room to rise. put it in a kettle of milk-warm water, heating slowly until it boils. boil one hour. serve with wine sauce.--_mrs. s. t._ rich plum pudding. nine eggs beaten to a froth. add flour sufficient to make a thick batter, free from lumps. then add one pint of new milk and beat well. afterwards add the following ingredients, in small quantities at a time, keeping it well stirred. two pounds stoned raisins, two pounds currants, well washed, picked, and dried. one-quarter pound bitter almonds, blanched and divided; three-quarters pound brown sugar; three-quarters pound beef suet, chopped fine; one nutmeg, grated fine; one teaspoonful of ground allspice, the same of mace and cinnamon. this pudding should be mixed several days before cooking, then well beaten, and more milk should be added, if required. make this into two puddings, put in cotton bags and boil four hours. by changing the bags, and hanging in a cool, dry place, they will keep six months and be the better for it. steam and serve with sauce made as follows: one cup of sugar, one of butter. beat well together. break an egg in and mix well. add a tablespoonful of wine or brandy, and serve immediately.--_mrs. f._ english plum pudding. pound of stale bread grated. pound currants. pound sugar. pound of suet chopped as fine as flour. ¼ of a pound of raisins, and the same of citron. when ready to boil, wet the above with ten eggs, well beaten, two wine-glasses of wine and the same of brandy. grate the rinds of two lemons, pare and chop them and beat all well together. then dip a strong cloth in boiling water and wring it dry. lay it on a waiter, greasing well with butter. put it in a large bowl and pour the pudding in, putting two sticks in the cloth across each other, and tying below the sticks. have the water boiling and throw in the pudding as soon as tied. put a plate at the bottom of the pot and boil four hours.--_mrs. dr. s._ christmas plum pudding. half a loaf of bread (grated). pound currants. pounds stoned raisins. pound chopped suet. eggs, and pieces of citron cut up. beat the yolks of the eggs with two cups of flour and some milk, then stir in the other ingredients, adding a little salt and ginger. if too stiff, add more milk. the water must be boiling when the pudding is put in. it will take two hours to cook.--_mrs. m. e. j. b._ plum pudding. eggs (the yolks and whites beaten very light). pint of suet chopped fine. pint of sweet milk. ½ pint stoned raisins, rubbed in flour. quart of bread crumbs rubbed till very fine. half pint citron sliced thin. teacup of light brown sugar. grease and flour your mould, pour your pudding in, boil two hours, and eat with rich boiled sauce, made of sugar, butter, wine, and nutmeg.--_mrs. b. c. c._ _recipe for a simpler plum pudding._ cupfuls flour. cupful raisins. cupful brown sugar. cupful buttermilk. ½ cup molasses. cup of suet, or half a cup of butter. eggs. teaspoonful soda. boil and eat with sauce.--_mrs. e. b._ economical plum pudding. cupfuls flour. ½ cup of suet. cupful milk. cupfuls raisins. cupful molasses. eggs, and teaspoonful of soda. boil four hours.--_mrs. l._ _another recipe for the same._ one bowl of raisins, one of currants; one of bread crumbs; one bowl of eggs; one of brown sugar; one of suet; citron at pleasure. boil four hours.--_mrs. l._ original pudding. reserve a portion of light dough intended for breakfast. set it in a cool place, and four hours before dinner, roll thin, without kneading. sprinkle thickly over it, first, a layer of sliced citron, then a layer of seeded raisins. roll up and lay on a buttered bread-pan till very light. then either boil in a cloth, prepared by wetting first and then flouring (the pudding being allowed room for rising in this cloth), or set the pan in the stove and bake. in the latter case, after it becomes a light brown, it must be covered with a buttered paper. dough for french rolls or muffin bread is especially adapted to this kind of pudding.--_mrs. s. t._ steamed pudding. ½ pound of seeded raisins. eggs. cupfuls of sugar. cupfuls of flour. cupful of sour cream. teaspoonful of soda. teaspoonfuls of cream tartar. let it steam two hours. have the water boiling fast, and don't open till it has boiled two hours.--_mrs. dr. j._ boiled pudding. one pound of flour, twelve ounces of butter, eight ounces of sugar, twelve ounces of fruit (either dried cherries or two kinds of preserves). a little mace and wine. boil like a plum pudding. sauce for the same. one pint of cream, large spoonful of butter, one glass of wine. season to the taste. let it cook, but not come to a boil.--_mrs. a. f._ _another sauce._ cream half a pound of butter; work into it six tablespoonfuls of sugar; beat in one egg, add a wine-glass of wine or brandy, and half a grated nutmeg. set it on the fire, and as soon as it boils, serve it for the table.--_mrs. f._ amherst pudding. cupfuls of flour. cupful of suet. cupful of milk. cupful of molasses. cupfuls of raisins. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of cloves and the same of cinnamon. ½ teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in milk. to be boiled three hours in a coarse bag, and eaten with wine sauce.--_mrs. w._ boiled pudding of acid fruit. quart of flour (or the weight in stale bread). eggs. pint of milk. teaspoonful of salt. ½ pound of dried fruit. if apples are used, plump them out by pouring boiling water on them, and let them cool before using them. season with mace and nutmeg, and eat with sauce.--_mrs. t._ cherry pudding. cupfuls of flour. cupfuls of fruit. cupful of molasses. cupful of milk. teaspoonfuls of cream tartar. teaspoonful of soda, put in the flour. cupful of suet. mix well, put in a buttered mould, and boil three hours and a half--_miss e. t._ troy pudding. cupful of milk. cupful of molasses. ½ cupful of currants. ½ cupful of butter. teaspoonful of baking soda, dissolved in the milk. teaspoonful of ginger. teaspoonful of ground cloves. enough flour to make it as stiff as soft gingerbread. put it in a mould, and steam four hours. if no steamer is at hand, tie the mould in a cloth and boil four hours. sauce: one egg (frothed), one cupful of powdered sugar, one cupful of cream or milk, boiled with a small piece of butter. add wine, if you like.--_mrs. w. c. r._ sweet potato roll. prepare pastry as for cherry roll. spread it out, and cover it with layers of boiled sweet potatoes, thoroughly mashed. pour over it melted butter and sugar, highly flavored with lemon. roll it up, boil in a bag, and serve with butter and sugar sauce.--_mrs. dr. j. f. g._ boiled sweetmeat pudding. twelve ounces flour and eight ounces butter rolled in a square sheet of paste. spread over the whole sweetmeats (or stewed fruit, if more convenient). roll closely and boil in a cloth. pour sauce over it.--_mrs. t._ boiled bread pudding. pour one quart milk over a loaf of grated stale bread. let it stand till near dinner time. then beat six eggs very light and add them to the bread and milk, together with a little flour, to make the whole stick. flour the bag and boil. eat with sauce.--_mrs. j. a. b._ _boiled bread pudding._ (_economical._) soak one pound stale bread in enough milk to make a pudding. when soft, beat it up with two eggs and three tablespoonfuls flour. pour in a large lump of butter, melted. put in any sort of fruit you like, and then boil.--_miss e. t._ boiled pudding. one quart milk, four eggs, lard size of turkey's egg. flour enough to make a batter for a teacup of fruit. boil and eat with sauce.--_mrs. r._ paste for boiled dumplings. one quart flour, three good-sized irish potatoes (boiled and mashed). one tablespoonful butter, and the same of lard. one teaspoonful soda, and two teaspoonfuls cream of tartar.--_mrs. e. w._ apple dumplings. three pints of flour, one and one-half pint of milk, one large tablespoonful of butter, one egg. as many apples (chopped fine) as the batter will take. boil two hours in a well-floured cloth. the water should be boiling when the dumplings are dropped in, and it should be kept boiling all the while, else they will be heavy. eat with sauce.--_mrs. g. n._ boiled molasses pudding. cupful molasses. cupful sweet milk. cupfuls sifted flour. cupful stoned raisins. ½ cupful butter. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonful salt. boil or steam in a pudding mould. eat with wine sauce.--_mrs. mcg._ suet pudding. quart flour. teacups suet, chopped fine. teaspoonful salt. mix the suet with two-thirds of the flour, reserving the rest of the flour to roll the dough in. put in a cloth and boil one hour.--_mrs. b._ _suet pudding._ pint milk. eggs, well beaten. ½ pound finely chopped suet. teaspoonful powdered ginger. teaspoonful salt. add flour gradually, till you have made it into a thick batter. boil two or three hours, and serve with hot sauce.--_mrs. p. w._ suet dumplings. rub into one quart flour, one-half pound beef suet, free of skin, and chopped very fine. add a little salt, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in buttermilk, one pound fruit, either apples, dried cherries, or dried peaches cut very fine, and sufficient water to make it into dough. make it into dumplings half an inch thick, boil two or three hours, and eat with a sauce made of butter, sugar, and wine.--_mrs. g. s._ eve's pudding. ½ pound finely grated bread crumbs. ½ pound finely chopped apples. eggs. ounces sugar. ounces citron, and lemon peel. ½ pound finely chopped suet. ½ pound currants. a little nutmeg. butter the mould well, and boil three hours.--_mrs. h. t. s._ fruit pudding. eggs. pint milk. tablespoonfuls flour. tablespoonful butter. apples or peaches cut in thin slices, and dropped in the batter. serve with sauce.--_mrs. dr. s._ baked peach dumplings. make up one quart of flour as for soda biscuit. roll like pastry, putting on bits of lard or butter several times. make out the dough like biscuit, roll thin and on each piece put two or three pieces of canned peaches. (peach preserves or marmalade would answer also.) add a teaspoonful of butter, and (if you use canned peaches) a tablespoonful of sugar to each dumpling. draw the edges firmly together and place them in a deep, large baking-dish. put sugar and butter between, and pour, over all, the syrup from the can. (use a three-pound can for this quantity of flour.) bake quickly and serve with or without sauce. a good substitute for the old-fashioned "pot peach pie." baked apple dumplings may be made in the same way.--_mrs. s. t._ currant pudding. pound currants. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonful salt. nutmeg to suit the taste. citron will improve the flavor. eat with wine sauce.--_mrs. dr. e._ raspberry pudding. one pint flour, six eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. mix the eggs with a pint of milk and one cupful of butter. into this stir the flour. make the berries very sweet. mash them and stir them into the batter. bake in a dish and serve with sauce.--_mrs. c. c._ cherry pudding. eggs. cupful melted butter. quart milk, make in a thick batter. pound dried cherries (stoned).--_mrs. dr. e._ apple pudding. pound apples stewed very dry. pound sugar. ½ pound butter. yolks of eggs. rind and juice two lemons. bake in a paste.--_mrs. dr. e._ _delicious apple pudding._ three eggs, one cupful sugar, one cupful melted butter, one cupful sweet milk, one and one-third cupful of apples, one teaspoonful essence of lemon; baked in pastry. this quantity will make two plates.--_mrs. m. m. d._ _apple pudding._ boil and strain twelve apples as for sauce. stir in one-quarter pound butter, and the same of sugar. when cold, add four eggs, well beaten. pour into a baking-dish thickly strewn with crumbs, and strew crumbs on the top. when done, grate white sugar on top.--_mrs. m._ _apple pudding._ quart chopped apples. pint flour. pint new milk. eggs. bake quickly after mixing, and eat with sauce.--_miss e. t._ _dried apple pudding._ wash ten ounces of apples well in warm water. boil them in a quart of water. when soft, add ten ounces of sugar, eight ounces of butter, the juice and grated rind of two lemons. when cold and ready to bake, add five beaten eggs. bake with or without pastry. ten ounces of apples will make a common sized pudding.--_mrs. r._ baked apple roll. make a paste, roll out thin. spread over it apples cut in thin slices. sprinkle nice sugar, and put bits of butter all over this. roll it up, place it in a baking-pan. pour in water and put sugar and butter around it, grating over all a nutmeg. any other kind of fruit can be made into the same kind of roll.--_mrs. s. t._ apple mÃ�ringue, _with custard_. quart apple-sauce. juice of a lemon. whites of eggs. large cup of sugar. strain apple-sauce through a colander. put it in the dish in which it is to be served. beat the whites to a stiff froth, adding a little sugar. cover the apples with the frosting. set in the oven to brown, and eat with whipped cream or soft custard.--_mrs. g. w. p._ _apple méringue._ stew the apples until well done and smooth. sweeten to the taste; add the rind of a grated lemon. beat the whites of five eggs to a stiff froth; add to them a teacup powdered sugar, a little rose water, juice of a lemon, or any seasoning preferred. put the fruit in a flat dish, and put the egg on with a spoon. brown a few minutes. add a little butter to the apples while hot.--_mrs. c. mcg._ apple custard pudding. stew six sour apples in half a cup of water. rub through a sieve and sweeten. make a custard of three pints milk, six eggs, four tablespoonfuls sugar. put the apples in a pudding-dish, pour the custard over them, and bake slowly half an hour.--_mrs. m. b. b._ apple charlotte. equal quantities stewed apples and bread crumbs, one spoonful butter, three eggs beaten up and stirred in at the last, just before baking. spoonful wine, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon peel, and plenty of brown sugar. stir together, and bake quite a long time.--_mrs. i. h._ apple custard. ½ pint stewed apples. ½ pound sugar. set them away till cold. beat six eggs very light, and stir in gradually a quart sweet milk. mix all together, pour in a deep dish, and bake twenty minutes.--_mrs. f._ citron pudding. yolks of eggs. ¾ pound sugar. ¼ pound butter (melted). two tablespoonfuls of cracker soaked in a teacup of new milk, and made into a paste with a spoon. a glass of wine, a little nutmeg, all well beaten together and poured over sliced citron, laid on a rich paste. after baking it, pour over it the whites beaten to a stiff froth, sweetened with four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and flavored to the taste. put it in the stove again, and bake a light brown.--_mrs. s. t._ _citron pudding._ yolks of eggs. ½ pound butter. pound sugar. stir in the butter while warming the eggs. cut the citron in pieces and drop in the mixture. have a rich paste, and bake in a quick oven.--_mrs. h._ orange pudding. peel and cut five good oranges into thin slices, taking out the seed. pour over them a coffee-cup of white sugar. let a pint of milk get boiling hot by setting it in some boiling water. add yolks of three eggs well beaten, one tablespoonful corn starch, made smooth with a little milk. stir all the time, and as soon as thickened pour over the fruit. beat the whites to a stiff froth, adding a tablespoonful of sugar, spread over the top. set it in the oven a few minutes to harden. serve either hot or cold.--_mrs. e. p. g._ _orange pudding._ yolks of eggs. pound powdered sugar. pound butter, creamed. the rinds of two oranges, grated, and the juice of one lemon.--_mrs. dr. t. w._ _orange pudding._ take skin of a large orange, boil it soft, pound it, and add the juice of one orange, with the juice of a lemon, ten eggs, one pound butter, one pound sugar; beat to a cream; add glass of wine, brandy, and rose water.--_mrs. j. t. g._ _orange pudding._ pare two oranges, beat very fine, and add half a pound of sugar, and half a pound of butter, washed. beat the yolks of sixteen eggs, and add to them the other ingredients, well mixed and beaten together. bake in a puff-paste. for eight or ten persons.--_mrs. f._ _orange pudding._ put two oranges and two lemons into five quarts of water. boil them till the rinds are tender, then take them out, slice them thin, and take out the seed. put a pound of sugar into a pint of water. when it boils, slice into it twelve pippins, sliced and cored. lay in the lemons and oranges; stew them tender. cover the dish with puff-paste. put in the fruit carefully, in alternate layers. pour over the syrup, put some slips of paste across it, and bake it.--_mrs. e._ lemon pudding. ½ pound sugar. ¼ pound butter, well creamed. yolks of eggs. pour this mixture into a rich crust of pastry, after adding the grated rind of two lemons. then partially bake it. beat the whites very stiff, and add a spoonful of sugar for each egg. then add the juice of two lemons, pour this méringue over the pudding and brown it quickly.--_mrs. i. d._ _lemon pudding._ ½ pound butter. ¾ pound sugar. eggs. ½ pint milk. lemons, juice and rind.--_miss e. w._ _lemon pudding._ eggs. ¾ pound sugar. ¼ pound butter. juice of two lemons. pour on the butter boiling hot.--_mrs. e. b._ _lemon pudding._ eggs. tablespoonfuls sugar. tablespoonful flour. tablespoonful butter. pint of buttermilk. season with extract of lemon, beat well and bake in a crust.--_mrs. a. c._ lemon mÃ�ringue. one pint of bread crumbs soaked in a quart of new milk. cup of sugar. yolks of eggs. grated rind of lemon. beat these ingredients light and bake as custard. then spread on fruit jelly or stewed apples (fresh). froth the whites with four tablespoonfuls of sugar and juice of the lemon. spread over the top and brown.--_mrs. col. s._ _lemon méringue._ the rind of two small lemons and the juice of one. cupfuls sugar. ½ cup butter. ½ cup cream (or sweet milk). eggs, beaten separately. leave out the whites of two eggs, which must be mixed with sugar and put on top of the pudding just before it is done. bake in a rich paste.--_mrs. h._ almond pudding. blanch a pound of almonds, pound them with rose water to prevent their oiling; mix with them four crackers, pounded, six eggs, a pint of milk or cream, a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, four tablespoonfuls of wine. bake on a crust.--_mrs. dr. t. w._ cocoanut pudding. two grated cocoanuts. pound sugar. ¼ pound butter. eggs, leaving out whites. beat the eggs separately and to the yolks add the butter, sugar, cocoanut, and whites. add a little wine or brandy, if you like. bake in tins lined with pastry.--_mrs. d. r._ _cocoanut pudding._ one-half pound butter, one-half pound sugar, a whole cocoanut grated, five eggs beaten to a froth, leaving out two whites. bake in plates with pastry underneath. the oven must not be too hot.--_mrs. i. h._ _cocoanut pudding._ stir together, ½ pound butter. ½ pound sugar. a glass of wine. eggs (beaten light). when all these ingredients have been stirred together till light, add a pound of grated cocoanut, mixed with a little stale cake.--_mrs. e. t._ _cocoanut pudding._ pound sugar. ¼ pound butter, ¾ pound grated cocoanut. ½ pint cream. whole eggs, or whites and yolks. lemon. half a nutmeg. stir butter and sugar as for cake. beat eggs well. bake some time.--_mrs. e. g._ _cocoanut pudding._ one grated cocoanut, one pound of sugar, one quarter of a pound of melted butter, and six eggs.--_mrs. m. s. c._ chocolate pudding. scrape fine three ounces of chocolate. add to it a teaspoonful of powdered nutmeg and one of cinnamon. put it in a saucepan, and pour over it a quart of rich milk, stirring it well. cover it and let it come to a boil. then remove the lid, stir up the chocolate from the bottom and press out the lumps. when dissolved and smooth, put it on the fire again. next stir in, gradually and while it is boiling hot, half a pound white sugar. set it away to cool. beat six or eight eggs very light. pour into the pan of chocolate when quite cold. stir the whole very hard. put it in an oven and bake well. it will bake best by being put in a pan of boiling water. eat cold.--_mrs. j. b. f., jr._ _chocolate pudding._ quart milk. eggs. sugar to taste. tablespoonfuls corn-starch, dissolved in milk. tablespoonfuls chocolate. set the milk on the fire, and just before it boils put in the eggs, sugar, and corn-starch. let it boil about a minute, then take it off the fire and add the chocolate. chocolate mÃ�ringue. one quart milk and yolks of four eggs, made into custard. three tablespoonfuls powdered chocolate, put into a cup of warm water. one tablespoonful of corn-starch. sweeten to your taste and let all boil together. then put it in a baking-dish, and when done, cover with a méringue of the whites of eggs and white sugar. put in the oven again to brown, a few minutes.--_mrs. b._ caromel pudding. cream together one cupful of butter, and one of sugar. add five eggs (yolks and whites beaten separately) and one cupful of preserved damsons, removing the seed. beat all together very light and season with a teaspoonful vanilla. bake on pastry.--_mrs. a. d._ queen of puddings. take slices of sponge cake and spread with preserves or jelly. place them in a deep dish. make a custard with one quart of milk and yolks of four eggs. sweeten and season to the taste and pour over the cake. beat the whites stiff, adding five or six spoonfuls of sugar and seasoning with lemon. spread this over the top of the pudding and bake a very light brown.--_mrs. m. d._ _queen of puddings._ pint bread crumbs. quart milk. ½ cupful of sugar. yolks of eggs, well beaten. teacup of butter, well creamed. grated rind of one lemon. bake until done, but not watery. whip the whites of the four eggs (above mentioned) very stiff and beat into a teacup of sugar, into which has been strained the juice of the lemon aforesaid. spread over the top of the pudding, after it has slightly cooked, a layer of jelly or sweetmeats. then pour over it the dressing of eggs, sugar, and lemon, and set it in the oven to brown.--_mrs. b. j. b._ _queen of puddings._ ½ cupful white sugar. cupfuls fine dry bread crumbs. yolks of eggs. tablespoonful of butter, flavored to taste. quart fresh, rich milk. ½ cup jelly or jam. rub the butter into a cupful of the sugar, and cream these together, with the yolks beaten very light. the bread crumbs soaked in the milk come next, then the seasoning. bake this in a large butter dish, but two-thirds full, till the custard is "set." spread over the top of this a layer of jam or jelly and cover this with a méringue made of the whipped whites and the half cupful of sugar. bake till the méringue begins to color.--_mrs. d. c. k._ _queen of puddings._ saturate the crumbs of a loaf of bread with a quart of rich milk. add to this the yolks of six eggs, two tablespoonfuls of butter, three-quarters pound of sugar. beat well together, season to taste, and when well stirred, put it on to bake. when nearly done, spread over it a layer of fruit jam or jelly and whites of the eggs well beaten. sift sugar on top and bake.--_mrs. j. v. g._ _méringue pudding or queen of puddings._ fill a baking dish within one and a half inch of the top with slices of sponge cake, buttered slightly on both sides, scattering between the slices, seeded raisins (about half a pound). over this pour a custard made of a quart of milk, the yolks of eight eggs, sweetened to the taste. as soon as it has baked a light brown, make an icing of the eight whites and put it on top. set again in the oven to brown a little. eat with sauce of butter and sugar.--_mrs. r. p._ tapioca pudding. tablespoonfuls of tapioca. quart of milk. the yolks of eggs. whites of eggs. tablespoonful of sugar. soak the tapioca over night or several hours in a little water, boil the milk and turn over the tapioca and when it is blood-warm, add the sugar and the eggs well beaten, flavor the pudding with lemon or rose water. bake it about an hour. after it has cooled a little add the two remaining whites of the eggs and one-half pound of white sugar beaten together for frosting. this serves as sauce for the pudding.--_mrs. a. b._ _tapioca pudding._ wash a teacup of tapioca in warm water and let it stand half an hour. then stir in a custard made of a quart of milk, four eggs, a small piece of butter, and sugar to taste. bake about an hour and a quarter. stir two separate times from the bottom, whilst baking.--_mrs. dr. s._ _tapioca pudding with apples._ soak a cupful of tapioca in three cupfuls of water, four or five hours, where it will be warm, but not cook. peel and core six apples and stew till tender. put them in a pudding-dish, filling the holes (from which the cores were extracted) with sugar and nutmeg or grated lemon peel. then pour over them the soaked tapioca, slightly sweetened and bake three-quarters of an hour. to be eaten cold with sugar and cream.--_mrs. e. w._ snow pudding. let a box of gelatine stand one hour in a pint of cold water. then add two pints of boiling water, four cupfuls of crushed sugar, the juice of four lemons and the rind of the same, pared thin. (the latter must, however, be taken out when the pudding begins to congeal.) beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth, adding two tablespoonfuls of sugar. then beat all together till it becomes a stiff froth. make the six yolks into a custard flavored with vanilla or nutmeg and pour over the pudding after it has been turned out of the mould.--_mrs. b. j. b._ _snow pudding._ dissolve one-half box gelatine in one pint hot water. let it stand long enough to cool a little but not to congeal. then add the whites of three eggs, juice of two lemons and sugar to taste. beat all to a stiff froth and pour into moulds. serve with a custard made of the yolks of the eggs and a pint of milk seasoned with vanilla.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ _snow pudding._ soak a half box of gelatine in a half pint of cold water, all night. in the morning, add the grated rind of two lemons and the juice of one, three cupfuls of white sugar and a half pint of boiling water. strain into a deep vessel and add the unbeaten whites of three eggs. beat constantly for three-quarters of an hour, then set it in a cool place. with the yolks of the eggs, make a pint of custard flavored with vanilla or rose-water, to put around the pudding, when congealed.--_mrs. a. b._ cake pudding. take a moderate sized baking-dish, around which lay small sponge cakes, split and buttered on both sides. spread them with marmalade or preserves on the inside. put in the centre of the dish pieces of cake buttered and spread with preserves on both sides. leave room for a custard, to be made, seasoned and poured over the pudding before baking. eat hot with hot sauce.--_mrs. v. r. i._ preserve pudding. cupful preserves. cupful sugar. nearly a cupful butter. eggs. bake in pastry.--_mrs. e. b._ jelly roll. eggs. cupful sugar. cupful flour. teaspoonful cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda, dissolved in milk. bake in pie-pans, spread with acid jelly, roll up in a compact form.--_mrs. r._ sweetmeat pudding. yolks of eggs. whites of . pound of sugar. half a pound of butter, beaten with the sugar, and poured over pastry, on which is placed a layer of sweetmeats and a layer of some other preserves. any two kinds of preserves may be used.--_mrs. ----._ _sweetmeat pudding._ ½ pound of sugar. ½ pound of butter. juice and rind of one lemon. eggs. mix the eggs, well beaten, with the sugar. melt the butter and pour into the mixture. line a dish with rich pastry, on which lay sweetmeats, damson, or peach preserves, or any other kind that may be convenient. on this, place one layer of the mixture above mentioned, then another of sweetmeats. put a layer of the mixture on top, and bake. cheese-cake pudding. yolks of eight fresh eggs, three-quarters of a pound of good brown sugar, and the same of butter, well creamed together. beat the eggs light, mix all the ingredients well; season with nutmeg or extract of lemon; add a tablespoonful of good brandy or rum. bake in a pastry, in small tins or plates.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ transparent pudding. eggs, beaten very light. ½ pound of sugar. ½ pound of butter. nutmeg, mace, or any spice for flavoring. put it on the fire in a tin pan, stirring constantly till it begins to thicken. when cool, pour it over a rich paste, and bake over a moderate fire. add citron, if you like.--_mrs. dr. e._ _transparent pudding._ ¼ pound of sugar. ¼ pound of butter. dessertspoonful of rose water. stir well till light. beat four eggs very light, and add to the other ingredients. butter the baking-dish, line with stale cake, sliced thin, which you may cover with sweetmeats of any kind. pour the mixture on, and bake for nearly an hour.--_mrs. i. h._ _transparent pudding._ yolks of eggs; whites of . pound of sugar, ½ pound of butter. season with nutmeg. make pastry, on which put a layer of citron or any other fruit. pour the mixture over it and bake. beat the remaining whites to a froth. add a teacup of powdered sugar, flavor to taste, and pour over the top of the pudding after baking. then put it again in the stove, a few minutes, to brown.--_mrs. e._ arrow-root pudding. boil a quart of milk and make it into a thick batter with arrow-root. add the yolks of six eggs, half a pound of sugar, one-quarter of a pound of butter, half a nutmeg, and a little grated lemon peel. bake it nicely in a pastry. when done, stick slips of citron all over the top, and pour over it the whites of the six eggs, beaten stiff, sweetened with three or four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and flavored to the taste.--_mrs. s. t._ sago pudding. boil one cupful of sago in a quart of water. pare apples, put them in a dish and stew a little. pour the sago over them, and bake thirty minutes. sweeten and flavor to the taste.--_mrs. a. b._ _sago pudding._ boil one pint and a half of new milk with four spoonfuls of sago, nicely washed and picked. sweeten to the taste; flavor with lemon peel, cinnamon, and mace. mix all, and bake slowly in a paste.--_mrs. v. p. m._ bread pudding. slice some stale bread, omitting the crust. butter it moderately thick. butter a deep dish, and cover the bottom with slices of bread, over which put a layer of any kind of preserved fruit. (acid fruits are best.) cover all with a light layer of brown sugar. make a rich custard, allowing four eggs to a pint of milk. pour it over the pudding, and bake an hour. grate nutmeg over it, when done.--_mrs. col. s._ custard pudding. cut thin slices of bread. butter them, and lay them in a baking-dish. mix a cold custard of three pints of milk, the yolks of eight or ten eggs, beaten light; sweeten to your taste; pour over the bread; bake, and let it stand to cool. froth and sweeten the whites, pour them over the top of the pudding, and then put it in the stove a few minutes more to brown on top.--_mrs. r._ sippet pudding. butter a baking-dish, cut slices of light bread very thin, buttering them before cutting. put them in the dish, strewing over each separate layer, currants, citron, raisins, and sugar. when the dish is full, pour over it an unboiled custard of milk and eggs, sweetened to the taste. saturate the bread completely with this, then pour on a glass of brandy and bake a light brown. this pudding is very nice made of stale pound or sponge cake instead of light bread.--_mrs. m. c. c._ mrs. spence's pudding. (_original._) one pint grated bread crumbs put into one quart fresh sweet milk. beat the yolks of five eggs very light. add one teacup of sugar to them. stir in the milk and crumbs and add three-quarters of a pound clipped raisins and one-quarter of a pound sliced citron. season with mace. bake nicely. whip the whites of the five eggs to a stiff froth. add one teacup pulverized sugar and season with extract of vanilla. put this over the pudding and set in the stove again to brown it slightly. serve hot with a rich sauce made of sugar and butter seasoned with nutmeg and madeira wine. teacup pudding. teacup grated bread. teacup raisins. teacup chopped apples. teacup chopped suet. eggs. gill of cream. wine glass of brandy. spice and sugar to taste.--_mrs. dr. j._ french pudding. grate one pint stale bread. pour over it one quart fresh milk, yolks of four eggs, rind of one lemon and part of juice, one teacup of sugar, piece of butter size of an egg. mix all well, put in a pudding-dish and bake until it looks like custard. then set it to cool, after which spread the top with jelly or preserves. beat the whites of the four eggs to a stiff froth, adding the remaining juice of the lemon and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. spread this on top the preserves, then put the pudding again in the oven and bake a light brown.--_mrs. c._ fruit pudding. pint grated bread crumbs. pound raisins. ¾ pound suet chopped fine. ½ pound sugar. ½ pint chopped apples. yolks of three eggs, well beaten. pour over the top the whites of the three eggs, frothed and sweetened. bake an hour.--_mrs. ----._ pudding without milk or eggs. put into a buttered baking-dish, alternate layers of grated bread, and finely chopped apples seasoned with brown sugar, bits of butter and allspice. pour over it a pint of wine and water mixed. let the top layer be bread crumbs, and bake one hour.--_miss n._ marrow pudding. grate a large loaf of bread and pour on the crumbs a pint of rich milk, boiling hot. when cold, add four eggs, a pound of beef marrow, sliced thin, a gill of brandy with sugar and nutmeg to your taste. mix all well together and bake it. when done stick slices of citron on the top. you may make a boiled pudding of this, if you prefer.--_mrs. e._ original pudding. crumb up four rolls. pour over them a quart of fresh milk at the breakfast table. a half hour before dinner, beat up separately the yolks and whites of six eggs. after beating, put them together and stir them up. take a piece of butter the size of a walnut, cut it in bits and throw it on top. _sauce._ throw in a bowl, a tablespoonful of flour and a large piece of butter. cream it round and round. add two teacups of sugar, one wine-glass of light wine, and nutmeg, and boil up.--_miss r. s._ cracker pudding. put into a deep dish six or eight large soda crackers. add a large lump of butter and a teacup of sugar. grate the rind of two lemons and squeeze the juice over the crackers. then pour boiling water all over them, and allow them to stand till they have absorbed it and become soft. beat the yolks and whites of three eggs separately. stir them gently into the crackers. butter a deep dish and pour in the mixture, baking it a nice brown. if not sweet enough, add sugar to the eggs before mixing them.--_mrs. m. c. c._ rice pudding. boil half a pound of rice in milk, till quite tender. then mash the grains well with a wooden spoon. add three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and the same of melted butter, half a nutmeg, six eggs, a gill of wine, and some grated lemon peel. bake it in a paste. for a change, it may be boiled, and eaten with butter, sugar, and wine.--_mrs. e._ _rice pudding._ sweeten three pints of sweet milk, and flavor with lemon or vanilla. put in this a small cupful of raw rice, thoroughly washed. bake, and serve cold.--_mrs. h. s._ _rice pudding._ cupfuls boiled rice. eggs. ½ cupful sugar. ½ pint milk. wine-glassful wine and brandy. tablespoonful melted butter. flavor with nutmeg.--_mrs. col. s._ _rice pudding._ boil a cup of rice till nearly done, then add a pint of milk. when perfectly done, mash, and, while hot, add half a pound of butter, one pound of sugar, six fresh eggs, beaten till light. (beat the sugar with the eggs.) season with wine or brandy, and one grated nutmeg. lemon is another good seasoning for it. put in rich puff paste, and bake till a light brown.--_mrs. dr. r. w. w._ _rice pudding._ boil one cup of rice in one quart of milk. add six eggs and a small tablespoonful of butter. sweeten and flavor to the taste, and bake.--_mrs. b._ irish potato pudding. pound mashed irish potatoes. pound sugar. cupfuls butter, well creamed. eggs. teacup cream. wine-glassful brandy. stir the ingredients thoroughly together. bake in pastry without tops.--_mrs. dr. j. f. g._ sweet potato pudding. quart grated sweet potatoes. eggs, well beaten. cupfuls sugar. cupful flour. cupful butter. quart milk. bake slowly in a pan. serve with sauce.--_mrs. g. a. b._ _sweet potato pudding._ grate three or four large sweet potatoes and put them immediately in three pints of sweet milk to prevent them from turning dark. beat six eggs light, add four ounces melted butter, and mix well with potatoes and milk. add eight tablespoonfuls of sugar, and season with lemon or vanilla. bake without a crust.--_mrs. w. c. r._ _sweet potato pudding._ boil one and a half pounds potatoes very tender. add half a pound butter, and rub both together through a sieve. then add a small cupful milk, six eggs, one and a half cupful sugar. beat all together and add a little salt, the juice and rind of a lemon. then beat again, and prepare pastry. bake twenty minutes. it may be baked without pastry. irish potato pudding may be made by the same recipe.--_mrs. a. c._ cream pudding. beat six eggs to a froth and stir into them three tablespoonfuls sugar and the grated rind of a lemon. mix one pint milk, one pound flour, and two teaspoonfuls salt. add eggs and sugar. just before baking, add a pint of thick cream. bake in cups or pudding dishes.--_mrs. col. w._ tyler pudding. eggs. cupfuls sugar. cupful butter, washed and melted. cupful cream, seasoned with lemon. bake in a paste.--_mrs. c. n._ molasses pudding. cupful molasses. ½ cupful butter and lard mixed. cup not quite full of buttermilk. eggs. teaspoonful soda. flour enough to make it as thick as cake batter. if you wish to eat it cold, add another cup of sugar. bake it quickly.--_mrs. m. s. c._ _molasses pudding._ teacup sugar. teacup butter. teacups molasses. teacups flour. eggs. tablespoonful ginger. teaspoonful soda dissolved in a few spoonfuls of buttermilk. eat with sauce. excellent. _molasses pudding._ eggs. cupfuls molasses. teacup butter. bake in a paste.--_mrs. p. w._ cottage pudding. beat to a cream one large cupful of sugar and two and a half tablespoonfuls of lard and butter mixed. stir in one well beaten egg, one large cup of buttermilk with soda dissolved in it. add nutmeg to the taste. take one pint of flour and rub into it, dry, two tablespoonfuls cream of tartar. then add the other ingredients. bake three-quarters of an hour and serve with wine sauce.--_mrs. a. f._ texas pudding. eggs (yolks and whites beaten separately). cupfuls sugar. cupful butter. cupful sweet milk. two tablespoonfuls of flour. bake in a crust. this will fill three pie-plates.--_mrs. mcn._ snowball pudding. boil one quart of rich milk and then thicken it with a tablespoonful of flour or arrow-root. beat up the yolks of four eggs with three tablespoonfuls of white sugar. then pour the milk slowly into the eggs and sugar, stirring all the time. pour this custard into a pudding dish and brown it slightly. beat up the whites to a stiff froth, adding four tablespoonfuls of sugar, and flavoring with lemon. drop it on the custard (when browned) in the form of balls, as large as an egg. set it back in the stove to brown a little.--_mrs. s. t._ thickened milk pudding. boil one pint of milk and one-half pint of water. thicken with one pint of flour, and stir in three ounces butter, while warm. when cold, add nine eggs (well beaten), one pound sugar, one wine-glassful wine, and powdered cinnamon and mace to your taste.--_mrs. r._ delicious hasty pudding. seven eggs beaten separately. add to the yolks gradually ten tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, alternately with a quart of milk and half a teaspoonful of salt. beat till perfectly smooth. then add the whites, pour into a buttered dish, and bake twenty minutes. eat with nun's butter or wine sauce.--_mrs. p. mcg._ feather pudding. cupfuls flour. cupful sugar. cupful sweet milk. egg. tablespoonful butter. teaspoonful cream of tartar. ½ teaspoonful soda. season with nutmeg and eat with sauce.--_mrs. d. c. k._ washington pudding. eggs (well beaten). ½ pound butter. ½ pound sugar. ½ pound marmalade. beat well together, season with nutmeg, and bake in a paste.--_mrs. dr. s._ one egg pudding. egg. cupful sugar. cupful milk. cupfuls flour. tablespoonful butter. teaspoonful soda. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar. eat with sauce.--_mrs. a. c._ delicious pudding. beat the yolks of six eggs very light. stir in alternately three tablespoonfuls of flour and a pint of milk. put a tablespoonful of melted butter and half a teaspoonful of salt in the batter. then stir in the whites of the six eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. butter the baking dish or cups, fill them a little more than half full, and bake quickly. eat with wine sauce. make this pudding half an hour before dinner, as it must be eaten as soon as done.--_mrs. s. t._ balloons. eggs. tablespoonfuls of flour. quart of milk. teacup of sugar. tablespoonful of butter. tablespoonful of lard. cream the butter and lard with the flour. beat the eggs and sugar together. mix the milk in gradually, bake quickly, and eat with sauce.--_mrs. dr. e._ virginia pudding. scald one quart of milk. pour it on three tablespoonfuls of sifted flour. add the yolks of five eggs, the whites of two, and the grated rind of one lemon. bake twenty minutes. _sauce._--the whites of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, a full cup of sugar, then a wine-glass of wine and the juice of a lemon. pour over the pudding just as you send it to the table.--_miss e. s._ extra fine pudding. make a batter of two teacupfuls of flour and four of milk. beat the yolks and whites of four eggs separately. then mix all together and add one tablespoonful of melted butter. bake in a buttered pan and serve with wine sauce.--_mrs. mcg._ superior pudding. eggs. quart of milk. cup of sugar. tablespoonfuls of flour. beat the sugar, flour, and yolks of the eggs together, with one cup of the milk, scald the remainder of the milk and put the above in it. flavor with lemon or vanilla. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add a little sugar, spread on top of the pudding, and brown slightly.--_mrs. d. c. k._ baked indian pudding. take nearly one pint sifted meal and make into a mush. pour over it one quart of boiled sweet milk. add one gill of molasses, one gill of sugar, six eggs beaten separately, half a pint chopped suet. if you like, add a few currants, raisins, or a little citron. bake nearly two hours. eat with sauce.--_mrs. j. a. b._ excellent batter pudding. quart flour. eggs. ½ cupful melted butter. teaspoonful salt. teaspoonful soda, dissolved in lukewarm water. teaspoonfuls cream of tartar, also dissolved. enough sweet milk to make a batter the consistency of sponge cake batter. bake in a mould and eat with brandy sauce.--_mrs. m. c. c._ puff pudding. eggs (beaten separately). tablespoonfuls sifted flour. quart milk. a little salt. beat the eggs to a stiff froth. then put the flour with the yolks, then add the milk and lastly the whites, well beaten. eat with cold or hot sauce.--_mrs. d. c. k._ penny pudding. beat five eggs very light. mix with five tablespoonfuls of flour, one large spoonful of butter and one pint of milk. eat with sauce.--_mrs. a. t._ economical pudding. cup chopped suet. cupful golden syrup. cupful milk. cupfuls chopped raisins. cupfuls flour. teaspoonful soda (put in the milk). teaspoonfuls cream of tartar put in the dry flour. boil three hours and a half.--_miss e. t._ poor man's pudding. eggs. pint sour cream. cupful melted butter. ½ cupful sugar. teaspoonful soda. ½ nutmeg. put the butter in after the flour. make the consistency of pound cake batter.--_mrs. a. b._ plain pudding. pint milk. eggs. tablespoonfuls flour. tablespoonful butter. put chopped apples or peaches in the batter and bake. eat with sauce.--_mrs. a. h._ pudding sauces. wine sauce. dissolve one pound sugar in a little water. boil till nearly candied. add a lump of butter the size of an egg, just before taking it off the fire, and stir in wine and nutmeg to your taste, after taking it off.--_mrs. r._ _wine sauce._ melt half a pound of butter, three cupfuls sugar and two of madeira wine together, for a large pudding. put a little water in the stewpan and let it boil. roll the butter in a little flour, and stir it in the boiling water quickly. then add the sugar, and lastly the wine.--_mrs. t._ _wine sauce._ one-half pound butter, yolks of two eggs, beaten well and creamed with the butter; nine tablespoonfuls nice brown sugar; two glasses of wine. let it simmer on the fire a short time. grate nutmeg on it when you pour it into the sauce-bowl.--_mrs. t._ brandy sauce. cream together one-quarter pound fresh butter, and one-quarter pound pulverized white sugar. mix with it one gill of lemon brandy, or half the quantity of brandy; the juice of one lemon, and half a nutmeg grated. stir it slowly into half a cup of boiling water, and after letting it simmer a moment, pour into a warm sauce tureen.--_miss e. p._ french sauce. cream half a pound butter, and stir in half a pound sugar. then add the yolk of an egg, and a gill of wine. put it on the fire; stir till it simmers. grate nutmeg over it, after taking it off the fire.--_mrs. f. d._ a nice sauce for puddings. half a pound of butter; eight tablespoonfuls brown sugar; one nutmeg (grated), the white of one egg. the butter must be creamed and the sugar beaten into it, then the egg. the wine poured gently in and stirred till the sauce is cold, then grate the nutmeg. make it in a common sauce tureen, on the hearth, stirring all the while. do not let it boil.--_mrs. m. e. j. b._ rich sauce for puddings. one pint cream; half pound sugar; one tablespoonful butter; one glass of wine. season to the taste. do not let it boil.--_miss e. p._ sauce for pudding. two large cupfuls brown sugar; one large cupful butter; one teacup wine; a little rose water. boil the sugar and wine together. then add the butter and grated nutmeg.--_mrs. mcg._ pudding sauce. one cupful cream, from morning's milk; two cupfuls sugar; one egg, well beaten; one tablespoonful butter; one teaspoonful corn-starch. boil all together till a thick syrup. take off the fire and add grated nutmeg and a glass of wine.--_mrs. s. t._ cold sauce. whites of five eggs beaten to a stiff froth. sweeten to the taste. pour in some hot melted butter, stirring well. season with lemon.--_mrs. m. g. h._ _cold sauce._ half a pound of butter and half a pound of sugar (powdered), beaten to a froth. the juice and grated rind of a lemon, or essence of any kind, as a flavor.--_mrs. m. f. g._ _cold sauce_ (_for about eight people_). one heaping tablespoonful of butter, creamed till very light, adding sugar till as thick as you can stir. then add two tablespoonfuls of very rich milk, a glass of good wine, and a little grated nutmeg.--_mrs. p. mcg._ pudding sauce. one cupful of butter; two cupfuls sugar; three eggs; one wine-glass of wine. stir well, and let it come to a boil.--_mrs. f. d._ _pudding sauce._ cream together half a pound of sugar and butter. add the yolk of one egg, the juice of a lemon, and a glass of wine. stir over a slow fire, but don't boil.--_mrs. mcg._ lemon sauce. one pound sugar; three ounces butter; half a teacup of water. juice and sliced rinds of two lemons. pour this into a saucepan, and while it is coming to a boil, beat the yolks of two eggs and add them. when well boiled, take it from the fire and add the whites of the two eggs, beaten to a froth. to be eaten hot with sponge cake.--_mrs. k._ sauce for boiled pastry. stew for fifteen minutes one pint of water, half a pound of sugar, and a piece of butter as large as an egg. beat the yolks of three eggs. remove the pan from the fire, and pour several spoonfuls of its contents into the beaten eggs, stirring briskly. then pour all into the pan, place it over a slow fire and stir till it thickens. season with lemon or vanilla.--_mrs. i. h._ molasses sauce. moderately boil a pint of molasses from five to twenty minutes, according to its consistency. add three eggs well beaten. stir them and continue to boil a few minutes longer. season with nutmeg and lemon.--_mrs. dr. j._ pastry. pastry has fallen somewhat into disfavor, on account of its unwholesome properties, but as many persons still use it, we will give some directions for making it as wholesome and palatable as possible. it is a great mistake to use what is called "cooking butter" and old lard for pastry. only fresh butter and sweet lard should be employed for the purpose, and in summer these should be placed on ice before being used for pastry. pastry, like cake, should be made in the cool of the morning, and it should be eaten fresh, as, unlike cake, it will not admit of being kept. if a marble slab cannot be obtained, it is well to keep a thick wooden board exclusively for rolling out pastry. handle as little as possible, and if anything should prevent you from putting it on to bake as soon as it is rolled out, put it on ice in the interim, as this will make it nicer and more flaky. sometimes there is a delay about getting the oven or fire ready, in which case the cook generally leaves the pastry lying on the kitchen table; but its quality would be much improved if it were put on the ice instead, whilst waiting to be baked. excellent recipe for pastry. four teacups flour, one teacup firm butter, one teacup nice lard, one teacup ice water, one teaspoonful salt. mix the lard and butter in the flour with a large, flat knife, then add the ice water. do not touch it with the hands. take it up in a rough-looking mass, roll it out quickly--not too thin. cut it with a very sharp knife around the edges of the patty-pans. when intending to bake lemon puddings or cheese-cakes, let the pastry bake four or five minutes before adding butter, as this prevents the pastry from being heavy at the bottom. in summer it is best to put five teacups of flour, instead of four.--_mrs. m. c. c._ pastry. one pound fresh butter, one quart flour. make up the dough with ice water. divide the butter into parts. roll out, and cover thickly with one part of the butter. continue till all is rolled, sifting flour each time. don't handle much, or it will be heavy.--_mrs. w._ _pastry._ mix with water one quart flour and two teaspoonfuls salt. work well and roll out thin. spread over with lard, sift flour over the dough, and cut it in strips of two inches. lay them in a pile one above another, cut them in squares, and again pile them up. press down with the hands, and roll out thin as before. repeat this several times, and the pastry will be improved each time. do not use your hands after the roller is applied. puff paste. one pound flour, to be made up with cold water and beaten fifteen minutes. one pound butter (or half lard, if you have not enough butter), which must be spread on the dough four times and rolled in. it must be made thin, put in tins, and baked in a moderate oven. lemon pie. grate the rind and squeeze the juice of two lemons. stir two tablespoonfuls corn-starch into two teacups hot water, and boil, stirring well. add three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar. when cool, add the yolks of four eggs well beaten, then the lemon-juice and grated rind, stirring the whole well together. line the plates with rich pastry, and pour the mixture in. bake until the crust is done. beat the whites of the eggs very light, add six ounces powdered sugar, pour over the pies, set them again in the oven, and slightly brown. this will make two pies.--_mrs. t. m. c._ _lemon pie._ one cupful sugar, one cupful sweet milk, one tablespoonful flour, one tablespoonful butter, three eggs, one lemon. mix the grated rind and juice of the lemon with the yolks of the eggs and the sugar. add the milk next, and then the butter and flour. bake in a paste. after it is cold, spread on the whites of the eggs, frothed and sweetened.--_mrs. mcg._ _lemon pie._ yolks of four eggs, white of one, beaten very light; grated rind and juice of one large lemon; five heaping tablespoonfuls sugar. bake in an undercrust till the pastry is done. froth the whites of three eggs with five tablespoonfuls sugar. spread over the pies and bake again till brown.--_mrs. col. s._ _lemon pie._ one tablespoonful butter, creamed with two cups of sugar, yolks of six eggs, grated rind and juice of four lemons, four heaping tablespoonfuls flour. mix well. add a cupful buttermilk, and one teaspoonful soda. froth and sweeten the whites of the eggs and put them on top the pies.--_mrs. n._ lemon cream pie. one cupful sugar, one of water; one raw potato, grated; juice and grated rind of one lemon. bake in pastry, top and bottom. orange pie. pulp and juice of two oranges, a little of the grated peel, the yolks of three eggs, one cupful sugar, one cupful milk. stir the yolks with the sugar, then a tablespoonful of butter, then the juice, lastly the milk. bake in a dish. after the pie has cooled, spread on it the whites of the three eggs, stiffly frothed and sweetened. then set it again on the fire, to brown slightly.--_mrs. mcg._ _orange pie._ one quart milk, eight eggs, one small teacup rolled cracker, half a cupful butter, two grated fresh oranges, or the juice and chopped peel of two, one wine-glassful wine. cream the butter and sugar, add the wine, oranges, and eggs beaten to a foam, the whites separately, the milk and the cracker. bake half an hour, in puff paste.--_mrs. m. b. b._ _orange pie._ one pint of milk, three oranges, one cupful of sugar, three eggs, one and a half tablespoonful of corn-starch. bake in puff paste.--_mrs. h. h. s._ peach mÃ�ringue pie. pare and stew ripe peaches. when nearly done, sweeten, take from the fire. stir in a heaping teaspoonful fresh butter to each pie. pour in a deep pie-plate, lined with paste. bake; when done, remove from the oven and cover with the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, and sweetened with three tablespoonfuls powdered sugar. set back in the oven to brown slightly. apple méringue pie may be made in the same way, only flavoring the fruit.--_mrs. s. t._ peach pie. pare and stew a quart of peaches with a pint of sugar, stirring often; when boiled to look nearly as thick as marmalade, take from the fire and when nearly cool, add one tablespoonful fresh butter. have ready three crusts, baked in shallow tin plates. spread and pile up the fruit on each.--_mrs. s. t._ _peach pie._ pare and stew the peaches till nearly done. sweeten and boil a little longer. set aside and when nearly cool, pour into deep pie-plates, lined with paste. put bits of butter over the top, dredge with flour, then cover with a top crust, and bake.--_mrs. t._ prune pie. wash the prunes through several waters. put in a preserving kettle in the proportion of two pounds fruit to one pound sugar. pour a quantity of boiling water over them and let them boil at least two hours. when they are thoroughly done and the syrup thickens, take from the fire and pour into tin plates, lined with paste. add one teaspoonful of butter. cover with a rich paste and bake.--_mrs. s. t._ damson pie. scald the damsons slightly, in just enough water to prevent burning. set aside till cool enough to handle. remove the stones, sweeten well, and put in a deep pie-plate, lined with paste. dredge with a little flour, cover with a top crust, and bake.--_mrs. t._ strawberry short-cake. bake a rich paste in pie-plates. have six ready. in these spread stewed strawberries well sweetened; lay one upon another, six deep. in winter, use preserved or canned berries.--_mrs. h._ cherry pie. seed the cherries first, then scald them in their own juice. sweeten liberally and pour into a deep pie plate lined with a rich paste. dredge with flour, cover with a top crust and bake. scarlet or short-stem cherries are best. it is necessary to scald most fruits, as otherwise the pastry will burn before the fruit is thoroughly done.--_mrs. s. t._ cranberry pie. prepare as for sauce, stewing two pounds fruit to one pound sugar. pour into a pie plate lined with paste, cover with a top crust and bake. currant pie. wash and thoroughly pick the fruit. sweeten liberally and put in a yellow baking-dish, adding a little boiling water to melt the sugar; let it simmer a little; then set it aside to cool. pour into a pie plate, covered with paste. dredge with flour. cover with paste and bake. apple pie. put a crust in the bottom of a dish. put on it a layer of ripe apples, pared, cored, and sliced thin, then a layer of powdered sugar. do this alternately, till the dish is filled. add a few teaspoonfuls rose water and some cloves. put on a crust and bake it.--_mrs. e._ _apple pie._ pare and stew the apples till thoroughly done and quite dry. rub through a colander and sweeten with powdered sugar. when cool add the whites of eggs--three eggs to a pint of apples--and a teacup of cream, whipped. beat all the ingredients together with a patent egg-whip--one with a wheel if convenient. spread upon crusts of rich paste, baked in shallow tin pie-plates. grate nutmeg on each one and pile up three or four deep.--_mrs. s. t._ _apple pie._ pare and slice the apples. make a little thick syrup of white sugar, into which throw a few cloves, allspice, or mace, as you prefer. in this syrup, scald a few apples at a time, taking them out and putting more in till all are slightly cooked. set aside to cool, then pour into deep pie plates lined with paste. dredge with flour. put bits of butter over all. dredge again. cover with paste and bake. a glass of brandy or wine will improve it.--_mrs. s. t._ blackberry pie. pick the berries, but do not wash them. stew slightly, sweeten, pour into a pie plate, lined with paste. grate in a little nutmeg, dredge with flour, put on a top crust and bake. whortleberry pie. pour just enough boiling water on the fruit to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the preserving kettle. boil a minute, sweeten and pour into a pie-plate lined with paste. dredge with flour, cover with paste and bake.--_mrs. s. t._ gooseberry pie. put one pound sugar to one of fruit, adding just enough water to prevent it from burning. cook till it begins to jelly. then spread over shapes of rich puff paste, already baked.--_mrs. m. c. c._ tomato pie. slice green tomatoes and stew in a thick syrup of sugar and lemon juice. grate in the yellow rind of a lemon. when transparent, spread evenly over the bottom of a pie-plate that has been lined with paste. spread strips of pastry across or cut into ornamental leaves with a cake-cutter, place over the fruit and bake.--_mrs. s. t._ sliced potato pie. steam or boil the potatoes. slice and lay in a syrup of sugar seasoned with whole cloves or allspice. scald and set aside till nearly cool. then place the slices evenly on the bottom of a deep pie-plate lined with crust. put in each pie a tablespoonful of butter in bits, a wine-glass of brandy or madeira wine.--_mrs. s. t._ sweet potato pie. one pint potatoes, boiled and mashed with a teacup sweet milk, and run through a colander. beat separately four eggs; cream one teacup butter with one of sugar. beat in the yolks, then the potatoes, grate in half a nutmeg, pour in a large wine-glass of brandy or good whiskey, and last of all, stir in the frothed whites. bake in deep pie plates, lined with paste, without a top crust. sift powdered sugar over the pies. irish potato pie may be made in the same way; only adding the juice and grated rind of a lemon.--_mrs. t._ rhubarb pie. carefully skin the stalks, cut in pieces half an inch long. scald in a little rich syrup, but not long enough to become soft. set aside, and when nearly cool, pour into a pie plate, lined with paste. put a little grated lemon rind and a piece of butter the size of a walnut, in each pie. dredge with flour, put on a top crust and bake.--_mrs. t._ mincemeat. two quarts boiled beef, two quarts suet, chopped fine (or a part butter, for suet). six quarts apples, one quart molasses (best quality). four pounds sugar, three pounds raisins, one pound citron. nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and wine to your taste. mix well, pack in jars, with melted butter on top, if to keep long. put in a cool place.--_mrs. j. w._ _mincemeat._ three pounds meat (after it is boiled). four pounds suet, three and one-half pounds raisins, one and one-half pounds currants, one-half pound dried cherries, two nutmegs, and mace to your taste. four pints white wine, one pint brandy, four pounds brown sugar.--_mrs. m. e. j. b._ _mincemeat._ six cupfuls beef, twelve cupfuls apples, three cupfuls sugar, two cupfuls molasses, two cupfuls butter, two pounds raisins, one quart cider, three tablespoonfuls cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls allspice, two nutmegs. _mincemeat._ two pounds lean fresh beef, boiled and chopped. two pounds beef suet chopped fine, four pounds pippin apples, two pounds raisins stoned and chopped, two pounds currants, one-half pound citron, two grated nutmegs, one ounce powdered cinnamon, one-half ounce each of cloves and mace, two large oranges, one teaspoonful salt, one quart brandy, one quart wine, one wineglass rose water. cream pie. one quart morning's milk, cupful sugar, yolks of six eggs, three tablespoonfuls sifted flour. boil twenty minutes, after seasoning with nutmeg, wine, and vanilla or lemon. have rich pastry already baked, in deep pie plates. fill with the above mixture and bake. make a méringue of the whites and some sugar, pour over the pie, and set it in the stove again to brown.--_mrs. t._ _cream pie._ one half pound butter, four eggs, sugar and nutmeg to taste, two tablespoonfuls flour well mixed with milk. pour over it one quart boiling milk, stir all together and bake in deep dishes.--_mrs. a. b._ soda cracker pie. pour water on two large or four round soda crackers and let them remain till thoroughly wet. then press out the water and crush them up together. stir in the juice and grated peel of a lemon, with a cupful or more of powdered sugar. put in pastry and bake.--_miss h. l._ silver pie. peel and grate one large white potato. add the juice and grated rind of a lemon, the beaten white of one egg, one cupful of white sugar, and one of cold water. bake in a nice paste. after baking, spread on top the whites of three eggs, frothed, sweetened and flavored with lemon. set again on the fire and brown. lay on small pieces of jelly or jam, just before taking it to the table.--_mrs. m. b. b._ custard pie. one quart milk, five eggs, five tablespoonfuls sugar; flavor with lemon. bake slowly, half an hour.--_mrs. m. b. b._ washington pie. one cupful sugar, one-half cupful butter, one-half cupful sweet milk, one-half cupful flour, one egg, one teaspoonful cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda; flavor with lemon. put on dinner plates-spread with apple sauce between each layer.--_mrs. dr. j._ sugar pie. three cupfuls light brown sugar, one-half cupful melted butter, one-half cupful cream, three eggs. season with lemon; beat well together; bake in pastry, without tops.--_mrs. j. f. g._ molasses pie. three eggs, beaten separately, one pint molasses, one tablespoonful melted butter. bake on a rich crust.--_mrs. dr. j._ _molasses pie._ one teacup molasses, one teacup sugar, four eggs, four tablespoonfuls butter. mix sugar and eggs together, pour in butter, and add molasses.--_mrs. dr. s._ cheese cakes. yolks of twelve eggs, one pound sugar, one-half pound butter, one cupful flour, one pint milk, juice of two lemons. the milk, flour, and butter, creamed, and lemons put in together, after the eggs are well beaten. stir all well together till it curds. bake in paste.--_mrs. a. c._ lemon cheese cakes. yolks of sixteen eggs, one pound sugar, three-quarters pound butter, four lemons, boiling rinds twice before using, two tablespoonfuls powdered cracker. bake in paste.--_mrs. dr. e._ _lemon cheese cakes._ mix and gently melt four ounces of sugar and four ounces of butter; add yolks of two eggs, white of one; grated rind of three lemons, juice of one and a half lemon, one small savoy or sponge biscuit, some almonds blanched and pounded, three spoonfuls brandy. mix well and bake in rich pastry.--_mrs. v. p. m._ _lemon cheese cakes._ yolks of eight eggs or yolks of five and whites of three, one-half pound sugar, a lump of butter, juice of one lemon and grated rind of three. bake in rich pastry--_miss d. d._ corn-starch cheese cakes. juice and rind of three lemons, three cupfuls water, three cupfuls sugar, three eggs, three tablespoonfuls corn starch, two tablespoonfuls butter. boil the water, mix the corn starch with a little cold water and pour on the boiling water. let it boil up once and then pour it on the butter and sugar. after it cools add the lemons and eggs.--_miss d. d._ almond cheese cakes. beat up together very light one-half pound powdered sugar, and the whites of four eggs. blanch and cut in small pieces four ounces of almonds, which must be beaten up with the eggs and sugar. add a little oil of almonds or rose water, and bake with pastry, in tins.--_mrs. i. h._ _almond cheese cakes._ soak one-half pound jordan almonds in cold water all night. next morning, blanch them in cold water, lay them on a clean cloth to dry, and then beat them fine in a marble mortar with a little orange-flower or rose water. then beat and strain six yolks and two whites of eggs, add a half-pound white sugar, and a little powdered mace. rub all well together in the mortar. melt ten ounces fresh butter, and add a grated lemon peel. mix all the ingredients and fill the pans, after putting a paste at the bottom. small tin shapes are best for cheese cakes. cream tarts. make them small, of rich paste. fill them after baking, with whipped cream, and drop a small spot of jelly in each one. the prettiest and most delicate of tarts.--_mrs. m. b. b._ lemon tarts. chop or grate a lemon; add a cupful white sugar, a cupful water, one egg, one tablespoonful flour. line small patties with paste, put a spoonful in each and bake.--_mrs. m. b. b._ prune tarts. scald the prunes, take out the stones, break them and put the kernels in a little cranberry juice with the prunes, and some sugar. simmer them, and when cold put in tart shapes in pastry and bake.--_mrs. v. p. m._ french fritters. one quart of milk (half to be boiled, and the other half mixed with a quart of flour, and used to thicken the boiling milk with). let it get done. while cooking, beat ten eggs very light; add a spoonful at a time to the batter, beating all the time, till well mixed. add salt to your taste. have a small oven full of nice lard, boiling hot. put not quite a spoonful of batter to each fritter. take them out before they turn dark and put them in a colander to drain the lard off of them.--_mrs. dr. e._ fritters (_made with yeast_). one quart flour, three tablespoonfuls yeast, five eggs, one pint milk. beat into a tolerably stiff batter. stir a cupful of boiled rice into the batter, a short time before baking. a good deal of lard (boiling hot) is required for frying the fritters. drop the batter in with a spoon, which must be dipped, each time, in boiling water. in cool weather, make the fritters about nine in the morning, in the summer, about eleven.--_mrs. a. c._ bell fritters. put a pint of boiling water in a preserving kettle, and as it boils, put in a tablespoonful of fresh butter. have ready a pint of the best flour, sifted and wet with cold water, as for starch. dip up some of the boiling water and pour to this, being careful to have it smooth. return this to the kettle, stirring rapidly to prevent lumps. turn into a wooden tray, and while hot, beat in six well beaten eggs, a spoonful at a time. beat till very light, and beat quickly that the eggs may not cook in lumps. have ready a pint of boiling lard in a pan. make the fritters the shape of an egg, drop in and fry a light brown. to be eaten with a pint of molasses, a heaping tablespoonful of butter, a little ginger and cinnamon, boiled to a thick syrup and served hot. a great deal of lard is required to fry fritters nicely; yet it is not extravagant, as it may be used again. strain what remains and put it by for use.--_mrs. s. t._ quire of paper pancakes. mix with half a pint of rich milk the yolks of four eggs, well beaten. add three tablespoonfuls fine flour, four ounces sugar, five ounces fresh butter, melted and cooled, four tablespoonfuls madeira wine, half a nutmeg. grease the pans once with fresh butter, and this will answer for all. the above quantity will suffice for five or six persons.--_mrs. r._ common pancakes. eight eggs, four tablespoonfuls flour, one pint of milk, one teaspoonful salt. jelly, blanc-mange, charlotte russe, baked custard, creams, etc. jelly made of the feet of calves, hogs, etc., is more troublesome, but is also considered more nutritious than jelly made of gelatine. it is very desirable, for country housekeepers in particular, to make this sort of jelly, as the materials are generally in their reach. it is well, however, in all cases, to keep on hand cox's or nelson's gelatine, on account of the expedition with which jelly may be made from these preparations. as jelly is considered more wholesome when not colored by any foreign substance, no directions will be given in the subsequent pages for coloring it. the palest amber jelly, clear and sparkling, flavored only by the grated rind and juice of a lemon and pale madeira or sherry wine, is not only the most beautiful, but the most palatable jelly that can be made. though the recipes accompanying boxes of gelatine do not always recommend boiling, it is a great improvement to jelly, adding brilliancy, transparency, and a better flavor. only the grated yellow rind and strained juice of the lemon should be used, and these, with the requisite quantity of pale madeira or sherry, should be added after the other ingredients have been well boiled together. the white rind or one single lemon seed will render the jelly bitter. a delicious preserve (for which a receipt is given under the proper heading), may be made of lemons, after the yellow rind has been grated off and the juice pressed out for jelly. the best and most simple arrangement for straining jelly is to invert a small table, fold an old table-cloth four double, tie each corner to a leg of the table; set a bowl under the bag thus formed, with another bowl at hand to slip in its place when the jelly first run through is returned to the bag, as will be necessary, the first never being transparently clear. catch a little in a glass. if clear as crystal, it will be unnecessary to return it again to the bag. you may then put a thick cloth over the bag to keep in the heat, and if in winter, place before a fire. shut up the room, and let it drip. the jelly will run through the bag more rapidly if the bag is first scalded. jelly should never be made in hot weather. ices are much better and more seasonable. always serve jelly with a pitcher of whipped cream, but do not mix it beforehand with the cream, as it is best to leave it to the taste of each person. for blanc-mange and gelatine, it is best to use gelatine and as few spices as possible, as spices turn gelatine dark. as such explicit directions are given in the subsequent pages for the making of these dishes, it is unnecessary to say anything further on the subject at present. a nice custard is made in the following manner: mix the beaten yolks of six eggs with a teacup of sugar. have a quart of milk boiling in a kettle. dip up a teacup of milk at a time and pour on the eggs, till the kettle is emptied, stirring rapidly all the time. wash out the kettle, pour the mixture back, and stir constantly till it thickens. then pour it into a bowl and stir till cool, to make it smooth and prevent it from curdling. put in the bottom of glass mugs slips of preserved orange, lemon, or citron. fill nearly full with custard; put whipped cream and grated nutmeg on top. or, the yolks may be mixed with boiled milk and sugar in the same proportions, but instead of being returned to the kettle, may be poured into china or earthenware custard-cups, set in a pan of boiling water, placed in a stove or range, and baked. the boiled milk must be seasoned by boiling a vanilla bean in it, or a few peach leaves, or it may be flavored with caromel. serve the custard with whipped cream on top. stock jelly. to one and a half gallons of stock, put the whipped whites of eight eggs. put in six blades of mace and the rind of three lemons, ½ pounds sugar. let it boil ten minutes, then add three pints of madeira wine, juice of eight lemons, a little vinegar or sharp cider. let it boil only a few minutes. strain through a dripper. if the stock is not very nice, it may require the whites of one dozen eggs to clear it.--_mrs. t._ calves' foot jelly. one quart nice jelly stock, one pint wine, half a pound white sugar, whites of four eggs beaten up, three spoonfuls lemon juice. boil all well and pass through a jelly-bag, kept hot before the fire. try some at first, till it drips clear, and then pour out the whole. peel the lemons as thin as possible and strain the jelly on the peelings. should you wish to turn out the jelly in moulds, put one ounce isinglass to three pints of jelly.--_mrs. i. h._ isinglass jelly. dissolve two ounces isinglass in two quarts of boiling water. when cold, add juice of three lemons and skin of one, whites of three eggs, well beaten, one and a half pounds of sugar, one pint cider, four pieces cinnamon (size of the little finger), eight blades of mace. let it boil up well. be careful not to stir after the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. let it stand ten minutes after removing from the fire, and just before straining pour in a pint of wine.--_mrs. w. r. r._ crystal jelly. pare off the rind of one large lemon. boil in one pint water with one ounce isinglass; add one pound sugar and one cup pale wine. as soon as the isinglass is dissolved, strain through a muslin and let it stand till cold. grate the rind of another lemon and let it stand in the juice of the two lemons for a short time. strain all in a bowl, and whisk it till it begins to stiffen. pour in moulds.--_mrs. e. p. g._ gelatine jelly. soak one box of cox's gelatine, three hours, in a pint of cold water. then add one pint of cooking wine, the rind and juice of one lemon, two pounds white sugar, a little mace. stir these ingredients till the sugar dissolves, then add two quarts of boiling water, gently stirring till mixed. strain at once, through a flannel bag twice. this recipe makes the best jelly i ever saw.--_mrs. m. m. d._ _gelatine jelly._ to one package of gelatine add one pint cold water, the rind of one lemon and juice of three. let it stand an hour. then add three pints of boiling water, one pint wine, two and a quarter pounds loaf sugar, a wineglass of brandy or the best rum. strain through a napkin and let it stand to jelly.--_mrs. col. s._ _gelatine jelly_ (_without straining_). add a pint cold water to one box cox's gelatine. let it stand fifteen minutes, then add three pints boiling water, one pint wine, the strained juice and peelings (cut thin) of three lemons, half a teacup of best vinegar, one and a half pounds loaf sugar, one wine-glass french brandy, mace or any other spice you like, and a little essence of lemon. let it stand an hour, then take out the lemon peel and mace. let it stand in a cool place to congeal.--_mrs. dr. j._ jelly without eggs or boiling. dissolve one package gelatine, an hour, in a pint of cold water. then add three pints of boiling water, the strained juice of four lemons and the rind of two, one quart of wine, two pounds of sugar. stir all well together until dissolved.--_mrs. e. b._ _jelly without boiling._ to one of the shilling packages of cox's gelatine, add one pint cold water. after letting it stand an hour, add one and a half pounds of loaf sugar, the juice of four lemons, one pint light wine, three pints boiling water, and cinnamon to the taste. in cold weather this is ready for use in four or five hours. set the vessel with the jelly on ice, in summer.--_miss d. d._ cream jelly. two measures of stock, one of cream; sweeten and flavor to the taste. pour in moulds to congeal. blanc-mange. dissolve over a fire an ounce of isinglass in a gill of water. pour the melted isinglass in a quart of cream (or mixed cream and milk), and half a pound of loaf sugar. put in a porcelain kettle, and boil fast for half an hour. strain it, and add a quarter of pound of almonds, blanched, and shaved fine. season to the taste with vanilla and wine, but do not add the wine while hot. pour into moulds.--_mrs. c. c._ _blanc-mange._ pour two tablespoonfuls cold water on one ounce gelatine to soften it. boil three pints rich cream. stir the gelatine into it whilst on the fire, and sweeten to the taste. when it cools, season with three tablespoonfuls peach water. four ounces almonds, blanched and pounded very fine and boiled with the blanc-mange, are a great improvement. when it begins to thicken, pour into moulds. serve with plain cream.--_mrs. j. h. t._ _blanc-mange._ sweeten a pint of cream and flavor it with lemon juice. then whip it over ice, till a stiff froth. add one-quarter of an ounce gelatine, dissolved in a little boiling water, and whip it well again to keep the gelatine from settling at the bottom. pour in a mould, and set on ice till stiff enough to turn out. eat with cream, plain or seasoned. a delicious dish.--_mrs. g. d. l._ _blanc-mange._ (_very fine._) dissolve one box gelatine in two quarts milk, let stand for two hours. boil six almonds in the milk. strain through a sifter while this is being boiled. pound together in a mortar, two handfuls blanched almonds and half a cupful granulated sugar. stir into the boiled milk. add one tablespoonful vanilla, and sweeten to your taste.--_mrs. w. s._ custard blanc-mange. make a custard with one quart milk, four eggs, one teacup sugar. stir into it while boiling, half a box gelatine after it has soaked ten minutes. season with vanilla, and pour in moulds. eat with whipped cream.--_mrs. e. p. g._ arrow-root blanc-mange. boil in a saucepan (tightly covered) one quart milk and a piece of vanilla bean. stir into half a pint cream, a teacup arrow-root, and a little sauce, mixing them smoothly. pour into this the quart boiling milk, stir it well, put it in the saucepan again and let it simmer ten minutes. sweeten to your taste. set it in moulds to cool. eat with cream, flavored to your taste.--_mrs. h._ chocolate mange. dissolve one ounce cox's gelatine in a pint cold water. let it stand an hour. then boil two quarts of milk, and add to it six ounces chocolate with the gelatine. sweeten to your taste and pour into moulds. eat with sauce made of cream, wine, and sugar.--_mrs. w. h. l._ coffee mange. one cupful very strong coffee, one cupful sugar, one cupful rich cream. dissolve half a box gelatine in two cupfuls milk, over the fire. add the cream last, after the rest is cool. pour in a mould to congeal.--_mrs. mcg._ charlotte russe. one pint milk made into a custard with the yolks of six eggs, sweetened with half a pound sugar, and flavored with vanilla. strain into the custard, one ounce isinglass, dissolved in two cupfuls milk. when this mixture is cold and begins to stiffen, mix with it gradually, one pint rich cream, previously whipped to a froth. then put strips of sponge cake around the mould and put the charlotte russe in. turn it out when ready to serve.--_mrs. w. c. r._ _charlotte russe._ soak three-quarters of a package of gelatine in three teacups fresh milk. make a custard of one and a half pint fresh milk, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and the yolks of eight eggs. when it has boiled, add the gelatine, and flavor with vanilla. when it begins to congeal, stir in a quart rich cream, whipped to a froth.--_mrs. m._ _charlotte russe._ have a tin or earthernware mould six inches high, and the same in diameter (or oblong, if you like). slice sponge cake or lady-fingers and line the mould with them. then beat three pints rich cream to a froth, and put the froth on a sieve to drain the milk from it. take one pint calf's-foot jelly (or one and a half ounces gelatine), half a pint rich milk, and the yolks of six eggs. place over a slow fire, and beat till they nearly boil. then take them off the fire and beat till cool. put in the frothed cream, sweeten to your taste, flavor with vanilla, and stir all well together. fill the mould and place it on ice to cool.--_mrs. w. h. l._ _strawberry charlotte russe._ six eggs, one ounce isinglass, one quart milk. sweeten to the taste and flavor with vanilla. pour into moulds. then put it on sponge cake, covered with strawberry jam, and pour around the dish whipped cream, sweetened and flavored with wine.--_mrs. mcg._ charlotte russe. sweeten one quart cream, flavor it with wine and whip it lightly. dissolve half a box gelatine in a tablespoonful cold water and the same quantity of boiling water. set over the steam of a kettle to dissolve. then add half a pint of cream. when cold, stir it into the whipped cream. beat the whites of four eggs very light, and stir into the cream. when it begins to stiffen, pour into a glass bowl, lined with thin strips of sponge cake. whip, sweeten and flavor another pint of cream, and garnish the dish.--_mrs. d._ _charlotte russe._ one ounce gelatine; one quart rich cream; eight eggs; one quart new milk. sugar and flavoring to taste. whip the cream to a stiff froth. make a custard of the milk, gelatine and yolks of the eggs. when cool, add the whites of the eggs well beaten and the whipped cream. line the mould with sponge cake, and if in summer put it on ice.--_miss m. c. l._ baked custard. boil a quart or three pints of cream, or rich milk, with cinnamon, and three dozen beaten peach kernels, tied in a piece of muslin, or you may substitute some other flavoring, if you choose. after boiling, let it cool. then beat the yolks of fourteen eggs and whites of four, sweeten and strain in a pitcher. after it has settled, pour it in cups and set them in the oven, putting around them as much boiling water as will reach nearly to the top of the cups. let it boil till you see a scum rising on top the custard. it will require at least ten minutes to bake.--_mrs. r._ _baked custard._ seven eggs; one quart milk; three tablespoonfuls sugar. flavor to taste.--_mrs. dr. e._ _baked custard._ scald eight teacups milk. (be careful not to boil it.) after cooling, stir into it eight eggs and two teacups sugar. bake in a dish or cups. set in a stove pan and surround with water, but not enough to boil into the custard cups. an oven for baking puddings is the right temperature. bake when the custard is set, which will be in twenty minutes.--_mrs. j. j. a._ spanish cream. boil, till dissolved, one ounce of gelatine in three pints of milk. then add the yolks of six eggs, beaten light, and mixed with two teacups sugar. put again on the fire and stir till it thickens. then set it aside to cool, and meantime beat the six whites very stiff and stir them into the custard when almost cold. pour into moulds. flavor to your taste, before adding the whites.--_mrs. w._ _spanish cream._ dissolve half a box gelatine in half a pint milk. boil one quart milk, and while boiling beat six eggs separately and very light. mix the yolks with the boiling milk, and when it thickens add the gelatine. sweeten and season to the taste. pour all while hot on the whites of the eggs. pour into moulds.--_mrs. j. t. b._ italian cream. soak a box of gelatine in one pint cold water. then add one quart nice cream, season with fresh lemons, sweeten to your taste, beat well together, and set away in a cool place. when hard, eat with cream, flavored with wine.--_mrs. a. b._ russian cream. boil, till dissolved, one ounce gelatine in three pints milk. then add the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, and five ounces sugar. mix the whole and let it cook. then strain and set aside to cool. beat the four whites to a stiff froth, and when the cream is nearly congealed, beat them in. flavor to your taste, and mould.--_mrs. a. p._ bavarian cream. sweeten one pint thick cream to your taste and flavor it with lemon or vanilla. churn the cream to a froth, skim off the froth as it rises and put it in a glass dish. dissolve one and a half tablespoonfuls gelatine in warm water, and when dissolved pour into the froth and stir fifteen minutes. set in a cold place and it will be ready for use in a few hours.--_mrs. d. r._ _bavarian cream._ soak half a box gelatine in cold water till thoroughly dissolved. then add three pints milk or cream, and put on the fire till scalding hot, stirring all the while. then take it off and add three teacups sugar and the yolks of eight eggs (by spoonfuls) stirring all the time. set on the fire again and let it remain till quite hot. then take it off and add the eight beaten whites and eight teaspoonfuls vanilla. put into moulds to cool.--_mrs. n. a. l._ tapioca cream. three tablespoonfuls tapioca, one quart milk, three eggs, one cupful sugar. flavor with lemon or vanilla. soak the tapioca, in a little water, overnight. after rinsing, put it in milk and let it cook soft. add sugar and yolks of eggs. whip the whites stiff and pour on the tapioca, as you remove it from the fire. it should be cooked in a tin pail, set in a kettle of boiling water, to prevent the milk from scorching. eat cold.--_mrs. g. w. p._ tapioca. boil the pearl tapioca (not the lump kind) as you do rice. when cool, sweeten to the taste and season with nutmeg. pour rich cream over it and stir it to make it smooth. put one pint cream to two tablespoonfuls before boiling.--_mrs. j. h. t._ lemon froth. dissolve a box of gelatine in a pint of warm water, then add a pint of cold water. in winter three pints may be used instead of two. add the juice of six lemons and the rind; cut them as for jelly. let it stand till it begins to harden. then take out the rind and add the whites of twelve eggs beaten to a stiff froth. beat them into the jelly, put in a glass bowl, and serve in saucers.--_mrs. a. c._ syllabub. half a pound sugar, three pints lukewarm cream, one cupful wine. dissolve the sugar in the wine, then pour it on the milk from a height and slowly, so as to cause the milk to froth.--_mrs. e._ slip. one quart milk (warm as when milked), one tablespoonful wine of the rennet. after the milk is turned, eat it with a dressing of cream, sugar and wine.--_mrs. dr. e._ bonny-clabber. set away the milk in the bowl in which it is brought to the table. if the weather is warm, set it in the refrigerator after it has become clabber. help each person to a large ladleful, being careful not to break it. eat with powdered sugar, nutmeg and cream.--_mrs. s. t._ float. to a common-sized glass bowl of cream, sweetened with loaf sugar and flavored with wine, take the whites of six eggs, three large tablespoonfuls sugar, and three of fruit jelly. do not beat the eggs to a froth, but put in the jelly and sugar and beat all together.--_mrs. t._ apple float. mash a quart cooked or coddled apples smooth through a sieve; sweeten with six tablespoonfuls sugar, and flavor with nutmeg. then add the apples, a spoonful at a time, to the whites of four eggs, well beaten. put a pint of cream, seasoned with sugar and nutmeg, at the bottom of your dish, and put the apples on top.--_mrs. i. h._ apple snow. pare and slice one dozen large apples; stew them perfectly done, and run through a colander. then add whites of twelve eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and one pound white sugar. eat with sweet cream. a nice dessert of apples. pare and weigh two pounds green apples. cut them in small pieces, and drop them in a rich syrup, made of a pound and a quarter of "a" sugar and a little water. as soon as the syrup begins to boil, add the juice and grated rind of one large lemon or two small ones. boil till the apples become a solid mass. turn out in a wet mould to stand till cold. serve on a dish surrounded with boiled custard, or eat with seasoned cream.--_mrs. a. f._ a nice, plain dessert. peel and slice the apples, stew till done, then run through a colander and sweeten, season. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, and just before serving whip them into a quart of the stewed apples. eat with cream.--_mrs. t._ apple compote. pare, core, and quarter the apples, wash them, and put them in a pan with sugar and water enough to cover them. add cinnamon, and lemon peel which has been previously soaked, scraped and cut in strings. boil gently till done; lay in a deep dish. boil the syrup to the proper consistency, and pour over the apples.--_mrs. e._ nice preparation of apples. quarter and core some well-flavored apples, place in a shallow tin pan or plate, sprinkle thickly with white sugar and a few small pieces of cinnamon. pour on enough cold water to half cover the apples, and scatter a few small pieces of butter over them. cook slowly till thoroughly done, then set away to cool.--_mrs. mcg._ baked apples. pare and core the apples, keeping them whole. put in a baking-dish, and fill the holes with brown sugar. pour into each apple a little lemon juice, and stick into each a piece of lemon peel. put enough water to prevent their burning. bake till tender, but not broken. set away to cool. eat with cream or custard. they will keep two days.--_mrs. dr. j._ iced apples. pare and core one dozen fine, firm apples, leaving them whole. place in a stewpan, with enough water to cover them, and stew till you can pierce them with a straw. then remove from the fire, and set in a dish to cool. then fill the centre with currant or some other jelly, and ice over as you would cake. serve in a glass dish, and eat with rich cream or custard.--_mrs. a. d._ ice cream and frozen custard. after having tried many new and patent freezers, some of the best housekeepers have come to the conclusion that the old-fashioned freezer is the best. it is well, however, to keep a patent freezer on hand, in case of your wanting ice cream on short notice; but for common use an old-fashioned one is the best, especially as servants are so apt to get a patent freezer out of order. the great secret of freezing cream quickly in a common freezer is to have the cream and salt in readiness before breaking the ice into small pieces the size of a walnut. there must be a space of two inches between the freezer and the tub in which it is set. put a little ice and salt under the bottom of the freezer, then pack alternate layers of ice and salt several inches higher than the cream is in the freezer. if there is no top to the tub, with an aperture to admit the freezer, pin a woollen cloth over it and turn the freezer rapidly. when the cream begins to harden on the sides of the freezer, cut it down with a knife, scrape from the sides, and beat with a large iron spoon. then cover again, and turn rapidly till it is as hard as mush. when the ice begins to melt, drain off the salt and water, adding more salt and ice, which must be kept above the level of the cream in the freezer. when done, tie large newspapers over the tub and freezer. put a woollen cloth or blanket over these, and set the cream in a dark, cool closet till wanted. in this way it may be kept for hours in summer, and for days in winter, and will grow harder instead of melting. as cream can be kept thus, it is well to make it early in the day and set it aside, leaving more leisure for other preparations that are better made immediately before dinner. ice cream making, like other branches of housekeeping, is much facilitated by having all the ingredients at hand before beginning on it. as such explicit directions for the process are given in the subsequent pages, it is unnecessary for me to add anything further on the subject. unless you have pure cream to freeze, it is better to make plain boiled custard rather than to attempt an imitation of ice cream. it is a good plan to make jelly and custard at the same time, so that the yolks of eggs not used in the jelly may be utilized in custard either boiled or baked. the same proportions are generally used for boiled and baked custard. instead of flavoring with extract of vanilla, it is much better to boil a vanilla bean in the milk, or to boil some peach leaves tied up in a piece of muslin (six or eight leaves to a quart of milk), or to flavor it with burnt sugar. never flavor custard with extract of lemon, when you can obtain fresh lemons for the purpose. when you have no yolks left from making jelly, boil a quart of milk (flavored by the above directions). have ready three eggs, whites and yolks beaten together to a stiff froth, and into these stir a teacup of powdered white sugar. dip up the boiling milk, pour slowly on the eggs, stirring rapidly. when all the milk has been stirred in the eggs, wash out the kettle, put the milk and eggs back into it, and let the mixture boil till it begins to thicken, when it must be taken immediately from the fire, poured into a bowl, and stirred till cold and smooth. many persons, before freezing, stir in the frothed whites of three eggs. the same directions given for freezing cream apply to the freezing of custard. boiled custard should never be used as a substitute for cream in making fruit ice creams, nor should it ever be eaten with jelly. ice cream. dissolve five teaspoonfuls oswego starch or arrow-root in a teacup milk. add to it the whites of three eggs well frothed, and the yolk of one, well beaten. sweeten with loaf sugar and boil half a gallon new milk. as soon as it begins to boil, pour it in small quantities over the mixture of eggs and starch, till about half the milk is taken out of the kettle. then pour all back in the kettle and stir a few moments. after it cools, add one quart rich cream; season to the taste and freeze.--_mrs. dr. e._ _ice cream._ one quart milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful corn starch, one teaspoonful arrow-root. a small lump of butter.--_mrs. e. b._ _ice cream._ cream one tablespoonful butter from which the salt has been washed. add three tablespoonfuls com starch. dissolve this in half a gallon new milk, heated, sweetened and seasoned. beat the whites of four eggs, and stir in just before freezing.--_mrs. mcg._ lemon ice cream. one gallon rich cream, six lemons, first rubbed till soft, and then grated. tie the yellow peel, which has been grated off, in a piece of coarse muslin. cut each lemon in half and squeeze the juice from it. strain the juice, and soak the muslin bag of lemon peel in it, squeezing it frequently till it becomes highly flavored and colored by it. then add two teacups of sugar. in sweetening the cream, allow a teacup of sugar to each quart. pour the juice into it slowly, carefully stirring. froth and freeze, reserving a portion of cream to pour in as it sinks in freezing. --_mrs. s. t._ orange ice cream. four oranges, one gallon cream. rub four or five lumps of sugar on the orange peel, squeeze the juice out, put the lumps of sugar in it and pour into the cream. sweeten heavily with pulverized sugar before freezing.--_mrs. m._ strawberry cream. four quarts thick sweet cream, four quarts strawberries. the berries must be mashed or bruised, caps and all, with a teacup of granulated sugar to each quart. after standing several hours, strain through a thin coarse cloth. put four teacups of white sugar to the cream, and then add the juice of the berries. whip or froth the cream with a patent egg-whip or common egg-beater. pour two-thirds of the cream into the freezer, reserving the rest to pour in after it begins to freeze. raspberry cream may be made by the same recipe.--_mrs. s. t._ peach cream. take nice, soft peaches, perfectly ripe. pare and chop fine, make them very sweet, and mash to a fine jam. to each quart of peaches, add one pint of cream and one pint of rich milk. mix well and freeze. if you cannot get cream, melt an ounce of cox's gelatine in a cup of water. boil the milk, pour it on the gelatine, and when cold, mix with the peaches.--_l. d. l._ _peach cream._ to two quarts of rich, sweet cream, add two teacups of sugar. whip to a stiff froth with a patent egg-whip, one with a wheel, if convenient; if not, use the common egg-whip. then peel soft, ripe peaches till you have about two quarts. as you peel, sprinkle over them two teacups powdered white sugar. mash quickly with a silver tablespoon, or run through a colander, if the fruit is not soft and ripe. then stir into the whipped cream, and pour into the freezer, reserving about one-fourth to add when the cream begins to sink in freezing. when you add the remainder, first cut down the frozen cream from the sides of the freezer. beat hard with a strong iron spoon, whenever the freezer is opened to cut down the cream, till it becomes too hard. this beating and cutting down is required only for the common freezer, the patent freezer needing nothing of the kind. tie over the freezer large newspapers, to exclude the air, and set aside till wanted. apricot cream may be made exactly by this receipt.--_mrs. s. t._ pineapple ice cream. whip two quarts rich, sweet cream to a froth, with two teacups powdered white sugar. use a patent egg-whip with a wheel, if convenient; if not, use the common egg-whip. grate two ripe pineapples, and add to them two teacups white sugar. when well mixed, stir into the cream. pour into the freezer, reserving one-fourth. when it begins to freeze, it will sink; then beat in the remainder with a strong iron spoon. beat every time the freezer is opened to cut down the cream from the sides. never cook fruit of any sort to make cream.--_mrs. s. t._ vanilla ice cream. boil half a vanilla bean, cut in small pieces, in half a pint of rich new milk. when cool, strain and add to two quarts thick sweet cream. sweeten with two heaping teacups powdered sugar, and whip to a stiff froth. pour into a freezer, reserving one-fourth of the cream. as soon as it begins to freeze, stir from the sides with a large iron spoon, and beat hard. add the remaining cream when it begins to sink. beat every time the freezer is opened. when frozen, tie newspapers over the freezer and bucket, throw a blanket over them, and set in a close, dark place till the ice cream is wanted.--_mrs. s. t._ norvell house caramel ice cream. one gallon rich, sweet cream, four teacups powdered sugar, five tablespoonfuls caramel. mix well and freeze hard. caramel. put in a stewpan one teacup nice brown sugar and half a teacup water. stew over a hot fire till it burns a little. if too thick, make it of the consistency of thin molasses, by adding a little boiling water. bottle and cork, ready for use.--_mrs. j. w. h._ _caramel ice cream._ three quarts cream, two pints brown sugar, put in a skillet and stir constantly over a brisk fire until it is dissolved. be careful not to let it burn, however. while it is melting, heat one pint milk, and stir a little at a time with the dissolved sugar. then strain it, and when cool, pour it into the cream, well beaten. then freeze.--_mrs. w. c. r._ chocolate ice cream. half a pound sweet chocolate, twelve eggs, one gallon milk, two tablespoonfuls arrow-root, sugar and vanilla to the taste. dissolve the chocolate in one pint and a half boiled milk. whip the eggs. mix the arrow-root in a little cold milk, and add to the eggs. then pour on one gallon boiled milk, and put on the fire to thicken. when cool, season and freeze.--_mrs. d. r._ _chocolate ice cream._ three quarts milk, eight eggs, six ounces chocolate dissolved in a pint of boiling water, three heaping tablespoonfuls arrow-root well mixed in cold milk, one pound and a half of brown sugar, vanilla to the taste. made like custard, and boiled very thick.--_miss d. d._ _chocolate ice cream._ one quart morning's milk, one-quarter of a pound chocolate, one teaspoonful vanilla, sugar to the taste. boil as for table use. when ready to freeze, whip in one quart rich cream. cocoanut ice cream. one pound grated cocoanut, one pound sugar, one pint cream. stir the grated nut gradually into the cream. boil gently, or merely heat it, so as to thoroughly get the flavor of the nut. then pour the cream into a bowl and stir in the sugar. when cold, stir in three pints fresh cream, then freeze. _cocoanut ice cream._ one cocoanut, pared and grated. mix with a quart of cream, sweeten, and freeze.--_mrs. e. i._ _cocoanut ice cream._ one grated nut, three and a half quarts of milk, one pint of cream, two tablespoonfuls arrow-root mixed in a little cold milk. sweeten to the taste, and freeze.--_mrs. d. r._ gelatine ice cream. soak one-half package of cox's gelatine in a pint of morning's milk. boil three pints of milk, and while hot, pour on the gelatine, stirring till dissolved. when cold, add two quarts of cream, and sweeten and season to your taste. then freeze. it is improved by whipping the cream before freezing.--_miss e. t._ white ice cream. three quarts milk, whites of four eggs beaten light, three tablespoonfuls arrow-root mixed in a little cold water and added to the eggs. boil the milk and pour over the eggs, etc. then put on the fire and thicken a little. when nearly cold, add a quart of cream. sweeten and season to the taste and freeze.--_mrs. d. r._ _ice cream without cream._ one gallon milk, yolks of two eggs well beaten, whites of twelve eggs well beaten. sweeten and scald the milk, and pour it on the eggs, stirring all the time. put it in the kettle again and let it come to a boil. season to the taste and freeze at once.--_mrs. e. w._ bisque ice cream. one half-gallon of freshly turned clabber, one-half gallon rich sweet cream, one good vanilla bean boiled in one-half pint sweet milk, sugar to the taste. churn this five minutes before freezing. one can of condensed milk may be used with less clabber. mrs. h. l. s. buttermilk cream. one gallon buttermilk, yolks of eight eggs, and whites of four, well beaten; three pints sweet milk. boil the sweet milk and pour on the eggs; then thicken, stirring all the time. when cool stir in the buttermilk slowly, season and sweeten to the taste, then freeze.--_mrs. d. r._ caramel custard (_frozen_). make a rich custard, allowing a cup of nice brown sugar to every quart. stew the sugar till it burns a little. then mix it with the custard while both are hot. boil two sticks cinnamon in the custard.--_mrs. j. j. b._ frozen custard. one quart fresh milk, eight eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. put the milk on the fire, sweetened to the taste, and let it come to boiling heat; then take it off and add the yolks. then wash the kettle and put the custard on the fire again, and let it boil till quite thick. take it off, and when cool enough, add the whites. flavor with lemon or vanilla, and freeze.--_mrs. c. n._ _frozen custard._ twelve eggs, one gallon milk, four lemons, sugar to taste, freeze.--_mrs. dr. s._ bisque. make one-half gallon rich boiled custard, allowing six eggs to each quart. add, before taking it from the fire, two pounds of macaroon almonds. when cold, freeze.--_mrs. a. p._ plumbiÃ�re. make a rich custard, and flavor it when cool with wine and extract of lemon. when half frozen, add blanched almonds, chopped citron, brandy peaches cut up, and any other brandied or crystallized fruit. make the freezer half full of custard and fill with fruit. frozen pudding. forty blanched almonds pounded rather fine, one ounce citron cut in small squares, two ounces currants, two ounces raisins stoned and divided. soak all in two wine-glasses wine, all night. make custard of a pint of cream or milk. if cream, use yolks of four eggs; if milk, yolks of eight eggs. make a syrup of one pound white sugar and a pint of water. when nearly boiling, put in the fruit and wine and boil one minute. when cool, mix with the custard. whip whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and add to the custard and syrup after they are mixed. add last a wine-glass of brandy.--_miss e. w._ plum pudding glacÃ�. to one pint cream or new milk, stir in thoroughly two tablespoonfuls arrow-root. boil three pints milk, and while boiling add the cold cream and arrow-root, also three eggs well beaten, and sugar to the taste. when cold season with vanilla bean, and stir in half a pound cut citron, half a pound currants, half a pound raisins cut and seeded. freeze hard and serve in moulds.--_mrs. t._ cream sherbet. three quarts water, four lemons, whites of six eggs, one pound and two ounces sugar, one pint sweet cream. mix one-half the sugar with the cream and eggs, which must be beaten to a stiff froth; mix the rest of the sugar with the water and lemons. mix all together just before freezing.--_mrs. a. p._ lemon sherbet. take one dozen lemons, squeeze out the juice, then slice the rind and pour over it six quarts boiling water. mix three pounds sugar with the lemon juice, and one quart milk, brought to a boil and thickened with three tablespoonfuls arrow-root or corn-starch. be careful to remove all the seed and most of the rind, leaving only a few slices to make the dish pretty. after the lemonade begins to freeze, stir in the thickened milk, and the whites of six eggs beaten very light. _lemon sherbet._ one dozen good lemons, whites of twelve eggs beaten stiff, three pounds white sugar, one gallon water. stir all well together and add one quart nice fresh cream. stir often while freezing.--_miss e. t._ _lemon sherbet._ two quarts water, four large lemons, one pound and a half sugar, whites of six eggs. rub some lumps of sugar on the rind of the lemons. powder some of the sugar, beat it with the whites of the eggs, and mix with the lemonade when it begins to freeze.--_mrs. m._ _a new recipe for lemon sherbet._ make one and a half gallon rather acid lemonade, grating the peel of three or four of the lemons before straining the juice into the water. let it stand fifteen minutes. then make and add to it the following mixture: pour a pint cold water over one box gelatine and let it stand half an hour; then pour over it one pint boiling water, and let it stand till thoroughly dissolved. beat the whites of eight eggs with two pounds pulverized sugar till as thick as icing; then churn a quart rich cream till it is reduced to a pint; then beat the froth of the cream into the egg and sugar. pour in gradually the lemonade, beating all the time so as to mix thoroughly, and then freeze. delicious. --_mrs. f. c. w._ orange sherbet. one gallon water, twelve oranges, juice of three lemons, whites of six eggs. rub some lumps of sugar on the orange peel. mix as lemon sherbet, and freeze.--_mrs. m._ orange ice. one dozen oranges, juice of two lemons, two quarts water; sugar to the taste. rind of four oranges grated on sugar. freeze as usual.--_mrs. g. d. l._ _orange ice._ juice of nine oranges, juice of one lemon, one and one-quarter pounds powdered sugar, two quarts water. to be frozen.--_mrs. i. h._ pineapple ice. to a two-pound can of pineapples add three quarts water, half a box gelatine (prepared as for jelly), juice of two oranges, whites of four eggs. remove the black and hard pieces of pineapple, then pass it through the colander by beating with a potato-masher. sweeten to your taste and freeze.--_mrs. i. h._ _pineapple ice._ one large pineapple peeled and finely grated, juice of one lemon, two quarts water. sweeten to the taste, and freeze hard.--_mrs. g. d. l._ _pineapple ice._ dissolve one box gelatine in one gallon water. beat two pounds pineapple through a colander with a wooden pestle. add the juice of two lemons and the juice of two oranges; sweeten to your taste, but add more sugar than is required for ice cream. beat six eggs separately and stir in the mixture. when half frozen, beat rapidly half a dozen times, at intervals. this makes two gallons when frozen.--_mrs. e. t._ citron ice. slice citron, pour on it a rich, hot lemonade, and freeze.--_mrs. e. i._ raspberry ice. three quarts juice, one quart water. sweeten heavily, and after putting in the freezer add the whites of six eggs beaten very light. the same recipe will answer for currant or cherry ice.--_mrs. m. c. c._ watermelon ice (_beautiful and delicious_). select a ripe and very red melon. scrape some of the pulp and use all the water. a few of the seeds interspersed will add greatly to the appearance. sweeten to the taste and freeze as you would any other ice. if you wish it very light, add the whites of three eggs, thoroughly whipped, to one gallon of the icing just as it begins to congeal. beat frequently and very hard with a large iron spoon.--_mrs. j. j._ gelatine ice. let one ounce sparkling gelatine stand an hour in a pint of cold water. then add three pints boiling water, one and one-half pounds loaf sugar, one and one-half pint wine, juice of three lemons, rind of two lemons. stir all these ingredients and freeze before allowing it to congeal. delicious. ambrosia. pare and slice as many oranges as you choose, in a glass bowl. sprinkle sugar and grated cocoanut over each layer.--_mrs. w c. r._ _ambrosia._ cut pineapple and orange in slices, sprinkle with sugar, and put in a deep dish alternately to form a pyramid. put grated cocoanut between each layer. if you like, pour good madeira or sherry wine over the dish.--_mrs. t._ pineapple. peel and slice thin, just before eating. sprinkle pulverized sugar over it, but nothing else, as the flavor of this delicious fruit is impaired by adding other ingredients. keep on ice till wanted.--_mrs. s. t._ watermelons. keep on ice till wanted. if lacking in sweetness, sprinkle powdered sugar over them.--_mrs. s. t._ cantaleupes. cut out carefully the end with the stem, making a hole large enough to admit an apple. with a spoon, remove the seed. fill with ice, replace the round piece taken out, and place on end. eat with powdered sugar, salt, and pepper.--_mrs. s. t._ peaches and cream. while the first course is being served, peaches should be pared and split, and the stones removed. lay in a glass bowl and sprinkle liberally with powdered sugar. no fruit should be sweetened till just before eating. ornament the edges of the bowl with any handsome, glossy leaves convenient, and serve with cream.--_mrs. s. t._ strawberries should never be washed unless sand or earth adheres to them. cap carefully while the first course is being served, or, if more convenient, you may cap in the morning, but never sweeten till just before eating, as sweetening long beforehand extracts the juice and makes the fruit tough. set it on ice, or in a refrigerator. no ice must be put on fruit. serve with cream that has been set on ice. decorate the edges of the bowl with strawberry leaves. the same directions will apply to raspberries, blackberries, and dewberries. whortleberries may be washed, picked, and drained, though not sweetened till dinner.--_mrs. s. t._ preserves and fruit jellies. always make preserves in a porcelain or brass kettle. if the latter, have it scoured first with sand, then with salt and vinegar. then scald it and put in the sugar and water for the syrup. in peeling fruit, throw it into cold water to keep it from turning dark, and let it remain there till you are ready to throw it in the boiling syrup. bear in mind that exposure to the air turns peeled fruit dark. boil rather quickly. in preserving fruit whole, boil it a short time in the syrup, take it out, let it get cold, and then put it again in the kettle. cut sugar is best for preserves which you wish to be clear and light-colored, but nice brown sugar is best for dark-colored jams and marmalades, such as those made of blackberries, raspberries, whortleberries, etc. the best peaches for preserving, brandying, or pickling, are white freestone peaches, not quite ripe enough to eat with cream. pears and quinces also should be preserved before they are quite ripe enough for eating. they should be parboiled before eating. no fruit should be over-ripe when preserved. damsons and blue plums should be slit lengthwise with a pen knife, and set in the sun before preserving, which will render it easy to extract the stones. cherries also should be stoned before preserving. a piece of paper dipped in brandy and laid on top the preserves will help to keep them. i would suggest to housekeepers that they always put their preserves in glass jars with screw tops. by this means they can readily inspect it and see if it is keeping well, without the trouble of untying the jar and looking inside, as would be necessary in the case of stone jars. set the jar of preserves, if they become dry or candied, in a pot of cold water, which allow to come gradually to a boil. if the preserves ferment, boil them over with more sugar. the great secret of making nice fruit jelly is to boil the syrup well before adding the sugar (which should always be loaf or cut), and you should allow a pound of sugar to a pint of the juice in acid fruit jellies, though less will answer for sweet fruit. by boiling the syrup well before adding the sugar, the flavor and color of the fruit are retained. keep the jelly in small, common glasses. sweetmeat preserves. cut the rind in any shapes fancied (such as flowers, fruits, leaves, grapes, fish, etc.), put it in brine strong enough to float an egg, cover closely with grape leaves, and set away the jar. when ready to make the preserves, soak the rind in fresh water, changing it till all taste of salt is removed from the rind. dissolve four tablespoonfuls pulverized alum in one gallon water. lay the rind in this, covered closely with grape or cabbage leaves. simmer till it becomes a pretty green, then soak out the alum by throwing the rind in soft water. pour boiling water on half a pound white ginger, and let it stand long enough to soften sufficiently to slice easily in thin pieces (retaining the shapes of the races as much as possible). then boil it an hour in half a gallon water, and add one ounce mace and two pounds best cut sugar. this makes a thin syrup, in which boil the rind gently for half an hour, adding water to keep the rind covered with syrup. set the kettle away for four days and then boil again as before, adding two pounds sugar and more water, if necessary. repeat the boiling six or seven times, till the syrup is rich and thick and sufficient to cover the rind. the quantity of seasoning given above is for three gallons rind. allow two pounds sugar to each pound fruit. this sweetmeat keeps indefinitely and never ferments.--_mrs. f. m. c._ watermelon or muskmelon marmalade. weigh twelve pounds rind, previously soaked in brine, and the salt extracted by fresh water, parboil, put on with twelve pounds sugar made into a thin syrup, and boil to pieces. add the peelings of twelve oranges and twelve lemons, previously soaked in water, cut in strips and boiled extremely soft, the water being changed three times while boiling. stir constantly from the bottom with a batter-cake turner. cook very thick. put in wide-mouthed glass jars.--_mrs. s. t._ ripe muskmelon or watermelon preserves. during the summer, peel and slice indifferent cantaleupes (such as you do not care to eat), especially such as are not quite ripe. throw them into brine, together with your thickest watermelon rinds, peeling off the outside skin. when you have enough, weigh them, throw them in fresh water, which change daily till the salt is extracted. boil in a preserving kettle till soft enough to pierce with a straw. make a syrup, allowing one pound sugar for each pound fruit. when it boils, put the rind in it and simmer steadily till the rind is transparent and the syrup thick. when cool, add the juice and grated rind of twelve lemons. let it stand in a bowl several days. then strain the syrup (which will have become thin), boil it again, pour over the rind, and put the preserves in glass jars with screw tops.--_mrs. s. t._ ripe muskmelon preserves. peel and slice the melons, soak them twenty-four hours in salt water, twenty-four hours in alum water, and twenty-four hours in fresh water, changing the latter several times. then make a strong ginger tea, in which boil them slowly till they taste of ginger. make a syrup, allowing a pound and a half sugar to each pound fruit, and adding mace and sliced ginger (the latter must be soaked in boiling water twelve hours before it is wanted). cook the melon in the syrup till clear and tender. you may use sliced lemons as a seasoning instead of ginger.--_mrs. r. l._ pineapple preserves. parboil the pineapples, then peel and cut in thick slices, carefully taking out the cores, which, if allowed to remain, will cause the preserves to ferment. put a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and let it remain all night to make the syrup. boil then till done, without adding a drop of water to the syrup. --_mrs. f. c._ orange preserves. peel a thin rind off the oranges and make a hole in each end, getting out all the seed. pour boiling water over them and let them stand till next morning. if the water tastes bitter, search for seed. pour boiling water over them every day, as long as the bitterness remains. boil till soft enough to run a straw through them. add a pound and a half sugar to each pound fruit. make a thin syrup of half the sugar, and boil the oranges in it a short time. let them stand in the syrup three days, then pour the syrup from the fruit, put the rest of the sugar to it, and boil it down thick. then pour it over the fruit. a few lemons added is a great improvement.--_mrs. j. h._ orange marmalade. peel the oranges, taking all the seed and tough skin out of them. cut the peel in small pieces, put in cold water and boil till tender. make a syrup, one pound sugar to one pint water. put a pound of the oranges (mixed with the peel) to a pint of the syrup, and boil all for two hours.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ orange marmalade. the day before making, peel one dozen oranges (no matter how sour and indifferent). throw the peel in a bucket of water, take out the seed, cut up the pulp fine with a pair of old scissors. then take the peel, cut it in thin strips and throw it into fresh water. pare and slice pippins (or any other nice apple). weigh six pounds of them, stew with a little water till perfectly done, and set away. next day, run this pulp through a colander into a preserving kettle. add six pounds sugar and boil slowly, constantly scraping from the bottom. take the orange peel (which should have been left in soak all night), boil till perfectly soft and free from bitterness, changing the water three times while boiling. in another preserving kettle, simmer this with the orange pulp and two pounds sugar. when both are nearly done, turn the oranges into the apples and cook them very thick. cool in a bowl, and then put in a glass jar with a screw top.--_mrs. s. t._ sliced lemon preserves. take large, firm lemons, not quite ripe, cut in slices one-quarter inch thick, and take out the seed. soak in brine a week. then soak several days in clear water, changing the water twice a day. when all the salt and the bitter taste are extracted, weigh the lemons and boil till tender enough to pierce with a straw. make a thin syrup, allowing one pound of sugar to each pound of fruit. put the lemons in and let them simmer slowly a good many hours. pour into a large bowl and let it remain there several days. at the end of that time strain the syrup (which will have become thin), put the lemons in it again, and boil till they jelly. when cool put in a glass jar with a screw top. the same recipe may be used for oranges.--_mrs. s. t._ lemon marmalade. every housekeeper should keep a large jar, or other nice vessel, filled with brine, in which she may throw lemon peels after being deprived of the grated rind and juice, used for creams, jellies, etc. these may remain any length of time, to suit one's convenience. before preserving, soak in pure water till all the taste of salt is extracted. boil till soft enough to pierce with a straw. then put in a preserving kettle nine pounds cut sugar and one quart water. as soon as it boils, add six pounds lemon peel and three pounds nice sliced apples (pippins are best). boil till very thick.--_mrs. s. t._ lemon preserves may be made of lemon peel, prepared exactly by the above recipe. put the peel in a preserving kettle and keep covered, while boiling in clear water, till you can run a straw through it. then throw it into a rich syrup (one pound sugar to one of lemon peel), and boil a long time. put in a bowl till the next day; then take the syrup (which will be somewhat thin) and boil again till very thick. pour it over the lemon, and when cold it will be jellied.--_mrs. s. t._ peach preserves. pare white freestone peaches, not quite ripe. split in half, take out the stones, and throw the peaches in a bucket of water to prevent them from turning dark. make a syrup of white sugar, using as many pounds of sugar as you have pounds of peaches. when it has boiled thick, put in as many peaches as will cover the bottom of the kettle. let them boil till nearly done; then take them out, one by one, in a perforated spoon. lay them in dishes and set in the sun. when all the peaches have been carried through this process, put back the first dish of peaches in the kettle, taking them out when a pretty amber color, and so on till all have been boiled twice. meantime the peach-kernels should have been scalded and skinned. put them in the boiling syrup, which must be kept on the fire till very thick. put the peaches when cool in glass jars, and pour the syrup over them. in a few days examine, and if the syrup has become thin, boil again.--_mrs. s. t._ _peach preserves._ pare, and add to a pound of peaches one and one-quarter pounds best sugar. cook very fast for a few moments, in a porcelain kettle. turn out in a bowl, cover with muslin or cambric, set in the sun, stirring every day till they seem quite transparent. they retain their flavor much better this way than when cooked on the fire. put in jars, cover with paper saturated with brandy, and tie up tightly to exclude the air.--_mrs. p. w._ peach marmalade. boil twelve pounds soft peaches in a little water. when reduced to a pulp, run through a colander and boil again till very thick, constantly scraping from the bottom. add half a pound sugar to one pound fruit. cool in a bowl, and then put in glass jars with screw tops. pear marmalade may be made by the same recipe, and also apple marmalade, except that you flavor the last with lemon juice and rind.--_mrs. s. t._ brandy peaches. for twelve pounds large freestone heath peaches, not quite ripe and delicately pared, make a syrup of four pounds sugar. scald a few peaches at a time in the syrup, till all have gone through this process. place on dishes to cool. then put in glass jars and add enough good whiskey or brandy to the syrup to cover the peaches. any spirit will do, if strong enough. add a few blanched peach-kernels. in a few days see if more liquor or sugar is required. if so, drain off the syrup, add what is needed, and pour again over the fruit. it is a mistake to put too much sugar. always use freestone peaches.--_mrs. s. t._ _brandy peaches._ put the peaches (a few at a time) in boiling lye. let them remain five minutes, to loosen the fur. then take them out and wipe perfectly clean and white. then drop them in cold water. boil them gently in a rich syrup till a straw will pierce them. then put in a jar, and mix equal parts of french brandy with the syrup. carefully exclude the air.--_mrs. g. n._ pear preserves. scald the fruit, but do not let it remain till it comes to pieces. boil till clear, in a syrup made of as many pounds of sugar as you have of fruit.--_mrs. j. j. a._ preserved apples for winter use. pare and slice pippins. put to each pound apples half a pound sugar, and to every eight pounds thus sweetened one quart water, a few cloves, the thin rind and juice of a lemon. stew till clear, and eat with cream.--_mrs. b. j. b._ apple mange. stew and mash well three pounds pippins, then add three pounds sugar. just before they are done, add a few drops lemon juice. put in moulds and it will keep two years. turned out and sliced, it is a nice dish for tea. quinces are as nice as apples, prepared this way.--_mrs. b. j. b._ crab apple preserves. put the crab apples in a kettle, with some alum, keeping them scalding hot for an hour. take them out, skin and extract the seed with a small knife, leaving on the stems. put them in cold water awhile, then take them out, wipe them and put them in a syrup made of as many pounds sugar as you have of fruit. let them stew gently till they look clear, then take them out and let the syrup boil longer. siberian crabs may be preserved in the same way, except that they are not peeled and cored. quince jam. pour boiling water over them and let them remain till the skin rubs off easily. then peel them and cut off the fair slices. to each pound put twelve ounces sugar, and let them stew together till the syrup is sufficiently thick. quince preserves may be made by the same recipe as that used for pears. damson preserves. with a sharp penknife, cut a long slit lengthwise in each damson. spread in dishes and set in the sun till the seed comes out readily. then boil till thoroughly done in a thick syrup made of as many pounds sugar as there are pounds of damsons. preserve green gage plums and other plums by the same recipe.--_miss p._ fox grape preserves. seed the grapes, then pour scalding water on them and let them stand till cold; then draw off the water, put one pound sugar to one pound of grapes, and boil gently about twenty minutes.--_mrs. a. d._ cherry preserves. wash, pick and stone the cherries, saving the juice. allow one pound sugar to each pound fruit. boil the juice and sugar to a thick syrup, then put in half the cherries and stew till nearly done. take them out with a perforated spoon and lay on dishes. pat in the other half, let them stew as long as the first; then take out and lay in dishes. meantime boil the syrup gently. when the cherries are cool, put them again in the syrup and boil a short time. pour in a large bowl and cool, then put in glass jars and cover tightly. scarlet short stems and large wax cherries are best for preserving.--_mrs. s. t._ strawberry preserves. cap the berries. put one and a half pounds sugar to each pound fruit. let them stand two or three hours, and then boil thirty minutes. strawberry jam. cap and wash the berries, and put them on to stew with a very small quantity of water. stir constantly. when thoroughly done and mashed to a soft pulp, add one pound sugar to each pound fruit. the advantage of adding sugar last is that it preserves the color and flavor of the fruit. stew till sufficiently thick, scraping constantly from the bottom with a batter-cake turner.--_mrs. s. t._ raspberry jam. wash and pick the berries, boil with a little water, mashing and scraping from the bottom as they simmer. when reduced to a thick pulp, add one-half pound sugar to each pound berries. stew till very thick, scraping constantly from the bottom. cool in a large bowl, then put in a glass jar with screw top. blackberry, dewberry, and whortleberry jam may be made by the same recipe. fig preserves. pick the figs fully ripe the evening before. cut off about half the stem, and let them soak all night in very weak salt and water. drain off the salt water in the morning and cover them with fresh. make a thick syrup, allowing three-quarters pound loaf sugar to each pound fruit. when it boils, drop the figs carefully in and let them cook till they look clear. when done take from the fire and season with extract of lemon or ginger. the figs must not be peeled, as the salt water removes the roughness from the skin and keeps the fruit firm and hard.--_miss a. s._ tomato preserves (_either ripe or green_). the day before preserving, peel and weigh eight pounds pale yellow, pear-shaped or round tomatoes, not quite ripe; spread on dishes alternate layers of tomato and sugar, mixing with the latter the grated rind and juice of four lemons. in the morning, drain off the juice and sugar and boil to a thick syrup. drop in half the tomatoes and boil till transparent. take up with a perforated spoon and put on dishes to cool. then carry the other half through exactly the same process. then strain the juice, wash the kettle, and put in the juice again. when it boils hard, put in again the first boiled tomatoes. take them out when they become amber color, and put in the rest. when they are all boiled to an amber color, and cooled on dishes, put them in half-gallon glass jars, and add the syrup after it has been boiled to a thick jelly.--_mrs. s. t._ green tomato sweetmeats. slice the tomatoes and soak them a day and night in salt and water, then in fresh water for an hour or two, then scald in alum water with grape leaves. when taken out of alum water, put in cold water to cook. scald in ginger-tea and again put in cold water, while you make the syrup. to each pound tomatoes put one and a quarter pounds sugar and a few races of white ginger. cook the tomatoes till clear, the syrup till thick. when cool, season the syrup with essence of lemon and pour over the tomatoes.--_mrs. c. m._ recipe for putting up fruit. for fruit not very acid, weigh one-quarter of a pound white sugar to one pound fruit perfectly ripe. after sprinkling the fruit with sugar, put it in a preserving kettle and let it just come to a boil. then put it quickly in glass self-sealing cans, being careful to screw down the tops tightly.--_mrs. dr. e. t. r._ candied fruit. preserve the fruit, then dip it in sugar boiled to a candied thickness, and dry it. grapes and some other fruits may be dipped in uncooked. lemon conserves. wash and dry ten lemons. pare the yellow rind off clear of the white, and beat it in a mortar with double its weight of sugar. pack closely in a jar and cover with part of the sugar.--_mrs. t._ orange conserves. cut the peel in long, thin strips, and stew in water till all bitterness is extracted. drain off this water and stew again in a thick syrup, allowing one pound sugar to each pound peel. put away in a cool place for flavoring puddings, pies, etc. peach conserves. pare the peaches and cut from the stone in thick slices. make a syrup, allowing three-quarters pound sugar to each pound fruit. boil the peaches and put them on dishes to dry. as they dry, roll them in granulated sugar, and pack in jars or boxes.--_mrs. w. p._ golden syrup. five pounds white sugar; one quart water. let it boil two or three minutes, then add two pounds strained honey. it will keep for months.--_mrs. d. c._ blackberry jelly. crush one quart blackberries with one pound best loaf sugar. cook it over a gentle fire till thick, then add one gill best brandy. stir it while over the fire, then put it in pots.--_mrs. e._ currant jelly without cooking. press the juice from the currants and strain it. to one pint juice put one pound white sugar. mix together till the sugar is dissolved. then put them in jars, seal them and expose them to a hot sun two or three days.--_mrs. e._ currant jelly. pick ripe currants from the stem, and put them in a stone jar. then set the jar in an iron pot and let the fruit boil till the juice is extracted. pour in a flannel bag and let it drip through--without squeezing, however, as this makes it cloudy. to each pint of juice add one pound good white sugar. boil about twenty minutes and keep it well skimmed. put in the glasses while hot, and sun daily.--_mrs. p. w._ cranberry jelly. wash and pick the cranberries, put them in the preserving kettle with a very small quantity of water, cover closely and stew till done. pour through a jelly bag or coarse towel, without squeezing, as this will prevent it from being clear. measure and pour the liquid into the preserving kettle. let it boil up and remove the scum, then add the sugar, cut or loaf, one pound to a pint. boil about twenty minutes, or until it jellies. it preserves the color of fruit jellies to add the sugar as late as possible.--_mrs. s. t._ apple jelly. take half a peck of pippin apples, wash them clean, slice them from the core, put them in a preserving kettle with a quart of water. boil till entirely soft, then strain through a flannel bag. to each pint of juice add one pound white sugar and the juice of three lemons. boil till jellied. do not stir while boiling.--_mrs. p. w._ _apple jelly._ pare and stew sour, juicy apples (greenings are best), in enough water to cover them. strain as for currant jelly. allow a pound of sugar for each pound of juice. put them together and strain. boil four or five minutes, skimming thoroughly.--_mrs. m. b. b._ _apple jelly._ take any number of juicy apples, put them in a porcelain kettle, and boil to rags. then strain them through a cloth or sieve. put a pound of loaf sugar to each pint of the juice, and boil till it jellies. flavor with the seed beaten in a mortar, and put in while the apples are cooking.--_mrs. g. w._ crab apple jelly. slice the apples, take out the cores and seed, as they make the jelly bitter. put them in a kettle cover with water, and boil till quite soft, keeping it well skimmed. pour the pulp in a jelly bag, and let it drip through. to each pint of juice, add one pound and a half of sugar. pour in the glasses while hot. delicious with meats.--_mrs. p. w._ quince jelly. make the same as apple jelly, only do not pare or core the fruit, as much of the jelly is contained in those parts. or, you may take the sound parings and cores, stew them and strain the liquor twice, and you will have a jelly as nice as that made from the fruit. to each pound of juice allow one pound of sugar. boil fifteen minutes.--_mrs. m. b. b._ orange jelly. grate the rinds of two seville and two china oranges, and two lemons. squeeze the juice of six oranges and three lemons. add one and a quarter pounds of loaf sugar and one-quarter of a pint of water, and boil till it jellies. have ready a quart of isinglass jelly, made quite stiff. put it to the syrup and let it boil up once. then strain it and put it in a mould.--_mrs. v. p. m._ jelly oranges. dissolve one package gelatine in one cup cold water, afterwards adding two cups boiling water to thoroughly dissolve it. add then three cups white sugar, one-quarter teaspoonful cinnamon, grated rind of three oranges, juice of twelve fine oranges. strain through a flannel bag into a pitcher, without shaking or squeezing. extract the pulp from the orange, by making a hole in one end of it large enough to admit a mustard spoon. soak the rind a few hours, and then pour the jelly into each orange through the hole at the end. then set aside to congeal. garnish with orange leaves. cut each orange in two. a very ornamental dish.--_mrs. mcg._ green grape jelly. gather catawba grapes before ripening. pick them from the stem, wash them, and put them in a stone jar. set the jar in a kettle of cold water over a hot fire. when the juice comes out of the grapes, take the kettle off and strain the grapes. to each pint of juice put one pound of the best loaf sugar. boil twenty minutes in the kettle. ripe grape jelly may be made in the same way.--_mrs. e._ grape jelly. the chief art in making jelly is to boil it continuously, slowly and gently. it will not harden well if the boiling stops, even for a few moments. to preserve the true color and flavor of fruit in jellies or jams, boil well before adding the sugar; in this way the water contained in all fruit juices is evaporated. heat the sugar before adding it. in making grape jelly, pick the grapes from their stems, wash them, put them over the fire in a vessel containing a little water, to keep them from burning. stew a few moments; mash gently with a silver spoon, strain, and to every pint of juice, allow one pound of white sugar. after the juice comes to the boiling point, boil twenty minutes, pour it over the heated sugar, and stir constantly till all is dissolved. then fill the jelly glasses.--_j. i. m._ remedy for mouldiness in fruit jellies. fruit jellies may be preserved from mouldiness by covering the surface one-quarter of an inch deep with finely pulverized loaf sugar. thus protected, they will keep for years.--_mrs. r. c. m. w._ tomato jelly. take ripe tomatoes, peel them carefully, cutting out all the seams and rough places. to every pound put half a pound of sugar. season with white ginger and mace. boil to a stiff jelly, then add enough good cider vinegar to keep it.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ sugar candy. two cupfuls sugar, one cupful water, one wineglassful vinegar, one tablespoonful butter. cook ten or fifteen minutes.--_mrs. dr. j._ _sugar candy._ three cupfuls sugar, half a cupful vinegar, half a cupful water, juice of one lemon. boil without stirring, till brittle. pour on a buttered dish and pull till white and light.--_mrs. mcg._ sugar kisses. whisk the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth and stir in half a pound sifted white sugar. flavor as you like. lay it when stiff in heaps the size of a small egg, on white paper. lay on a board half an inch thick and put in a hot oven. when a little yellowish, slip off two of the kisses with a knife and join the bottom parts together. continue till all are thus prepared.--_mrs. r._ nut candy. make sugar candy by one of the foregoing receipts, but instead of pouring it into a dish, drop it at intervals over a buttered dish. on each bit of candy thus dropped, lay half the kernel of an english walnut, and when a little cool, pour half a spoonful of sugar candy on top. candy of almonds, pecans, or palm nuts may be made by the same recipe.--_mrs. s. t._ cream candy. two pounds of sugar, half a cup water, two tablespoonfuls vinegar, one tablespoonful butter. boil twenty minutes. season with lemon or vanilla, just as you take it off. put in a dish and stir till cold.--_mrs. mcn._ molasses candy. boil one quart molasses in a rather deep vessel. boil steadily, stirring from sides and bottom. when a little, poured in a glass of cold water, becomes brittle, it is done. pour in a buttered dish and pull as soon as cool enough to handle, or you may stir in, when it is nearly done, some picked kernels of the common black walnut. boil a little longer, pour on a buttered dish, and cut in squares just before it gets cold.--_mrs. s. t._ caramels. one cake (half a pound) of baker's chocolate broken up, four pounds brown sugar, half a pound fresh butter, one pint of milk. pour the milk in a preserving kettle and pour the other ingredients into this. let it boil at least half an hour, stirring frequently. when done, a crust of sugar will form on the spoon and on the side of the kettle. pour in a large tablespoonful extract of vanilla, take from the fire and stir rapidly till it begins to thicken like mush. then pour quickly into buttered dishes or pans, and when nearly cold cut into small squares.--_mrs. s. t._ _caramels._ three pounds white sugar, half a pound of chocolate, one pint milk, six ounces of butter. boil three-quarters of an hour and stir constantly.--_mrs. r. c._ chocolate caramels. two and one-half pounds of sugar, three-quarters pound of chocolate, one quarter pound of butter, half a pint of milk or cream.--_mrs. w. c. r._ cream chocolate. one cupful of cream, with enough white sugar to thicken it. boil till thick, and when cold, roll up in little balls and put them on a dish on which has been poured some melted chocolate. then pour over them with a spoon some melted chocolate. when quite cool, cut apart and trim off the edges, if uneven. this cream should be seasoned with a few drops of vanilla and the dish should be buttered.--_miss n._ cocoanut caramels. one-quarter pound baker's chocolate (half cake), one-quarter pound butter, two pounds nice brown sugar, one teacup rich milk. stew half an hour or till thick. add a grated cocoanut. stir till it begins to boil again. take from the fire, stir in a tablespoonful vanilla, and pour into buttered dishes. when cool enough to handle, make into balls, the size of a walnut and place on buttered dishes.--_mrs. s. t._ _cocoanut caramels._ pour a teacup of boiling milk over one-quarter cake of pounded chocolate. let it steep an hour, then add one and one-quarter pounds of white sugar, and the milk of a cocoanut. boil till perfectly done. then remove from the fire, adding the grated cocoanut. season with vanilla, pour in buttered dishes, and cut in blocks.--_mrs. w. c._ cocoanut balls. wet two pounds of sugar with the milk of a cocoanut. boil and stir till it begins to granulate. then stir in the cocoanut grated fine. boil a short time longer, then pour into buttered dishes, and as soon as it can be handled make into balls.--_mrs. j. m._ cocoanut drops. the white part of a grated cocoanut, whites of four eggs well beaten, one-half pound sifted white sugar. flavor with rose water or lemon. mix all as thick as can be stirred; lay in heaps half an inch apart, on paper or on a baking-pan, in a hot oven. take them out when they begin to look yellowish.--_mrs. r._ almond macaroons. one-half pound almonds, blanched and pounded, with a teaspoonful essence of lemon, till a smooth paste. add an equal quantity of sifted white sugar and the whites of two eggs. work well together with a spoon. dip your hand into water and work them into balls the size of a nutmeg. lay them on white paper an inch apart, then dip your hand in water and smooth them. put them in a slow oven for three-quarters of an hour. cocoanut may be used instead of almonds.--_mrs. m. g. h._ wine. be sure to get perfectly ripe fruit for making wine, but do not gather it immediately after rain, as it is watery then and less sweet than usual. be very careful to stop the wine securely as soon as fermentation ceases, as otherwise it will lose its strength and flavor. watch carefully to see when fermentation ceases. strawberry wine makes a delicious flavoring for syllabub, cake, jelly, etc., and so does gooseberry wine. dewberries make a prettier and better wine than blackberries, and have all the medicinal virtues of the latter. the clearest wine is made without straining, by the following process: take a tub or barrel (a flour-barrel for instance), and make a little pen of sticks of wood at the bottom. on top of this pen lay an armful of clean straw. bore a hole in the side of the tub or barrel as near the bottom as possible, and set it on a stool or box so as to admit of setting a vessel underneath it. after mashing the berries intended for wine, put them on top the straw, and let the juice drain through it and run through the hole at the side of the tub or barrel into the vessel set beneath to catch it. be careful to have this vessel large enough to avoid its being overrun. any open stone vessel not used before for pickle will answer, or a bucket or other wooden vessel may be used. let the berries remain on the straw and drain from evening till the next morning. some persons make a slight variation on the process above described, by pouring hot water over the berries after putting them on the straw. after the draining is over, an inferior sort of wine may be made by squeezing the berries. the following process will make wine perfectly clear: to a half-gallon of wine put two wine-glasses of sweet milk. stir it into the wine and pour it all in a transparent half-gallon bottle. stop it and set it by for twenty-four hours, at the end of which time the wine will be beautifully clear, the sediment settling with the milk at the bottom. pour off the wine carefully into another bottle, not allowing any of the sediment or milk to get into the fresh bottle. the same directions apply to vinegar. blackberry wine. fill large stone jars with ripe black or dewberries. cover them with water, mash them, and let them stand several hours, or, if freshly gathered, let them stand all night. then strain through a thick cloth and add three pounds white sugar to each gallon of juice. let the wine stand a few days in the jars, stirring and skimming each day. put it in a demijohn, but do not cork it up for some time.--_mrs. m. d._ _blackberry wine._ measure the berries and bruise them; to every gallon adding one quart of boiling water. let it stand twenty-four hours, stirring occasionally; then strain off the liquor into a cask, adding two pounds sugar to every gallon. cork tight and let it stand till the following october, when it will be ready for use without further boiling or straining. _blackberry wine._ one bushel very ripe berries makes ten gallons wine. mash the berries as fine as possible and pour over them a water-bucket of clear spring water. cover it and let it stand twenty-four hours to ferment. next day strain through a cloth, and to every three quarts juice add two quarts clear cold water and five pounds common brown sugar. pour in a demijohn or runlet, reserving some to fill the vessel as fermentation goes on. after six or eight days, put to every ten gallons one-half box gelatine. after two weeks, cover the bung-hole with a piece of muslin. two or three weeks later, cork tightly and then leave undisturbed for six months. after that time, bottle and seal. superior currant wine may be made by this recipe.--_mrs. f._ _blackberry wine._ fill a large stone jar with the ripe fruit and cover it with water. tie a cloth over the jar and let them stand three or four days to ferment; then mash and press them through a cloth. to every gallon of juice add three pounds of brown sugar. return the mixture to the jar and cover closely. skim it every morning for more than a week, until it clears from the second fermentation. when clear, pour it carefully from the sediment into a demijohn. cork tightly, set in a cool place, when two months old it will be fit for use.--_mrs. gen. r. e. lee._ [copied from a recipe in mrs. lee's own handwriting.] grape wine. take any convenient quantity of perfectly ripe grapes. mash them so as to break all the skins, and put them in a tub or other clean vessel, and let them remain twenty-four hours; with a cider-press or other convenient apparatus, express all the juice, and to each gallon of juice thus obtained add from two to two and a half pounds of white sugar (if the grapes are sweet, two pounds will be enough), put the juice and sugar in a keg or barrel, and cover the bung-hole with a piece of muslin, so the gas can escape and dust and insects cannot get in; let it remain perfectly quiet until cold weather, then bung up tightly. this wine will need no clarifying; if allowed to rest perfectly still it can be drawn off perfectly clear.--_mr. w. a. s._ _grape wine._ pick the grapes from the bunch, mash thoroughly, and let them stand twenty-four hours. then strain and add three pounds of sugar to every gallon of juice. leave in a cask six months, and then bottle, putting three raisins in each bottle.--_mrs. r. l._ _grape wine._ press the grapes, and when the juice settles, add two pounds of white sugar to four quarts of juice. let it stand twenty-four hours, drain, put in a cask; do not stop tightly till the fermentation is over.--_mrs. r. a._ catawba grape wine. mash ripe grapes to a pulp, and let them stand twenty-four hours. then squeeze through a cloth, and add two pounds of sugar to each gallon of pure juice. put in a cask, leave the bung out, and put coarse muslin over the hole to admit the air. let it stand six weeks, or till fermentation ceases. then close the mouth of the cask and let the wine stand several months, after which it may be drawn off.--_mrs. r. d._ _catawba grape wine._ to every gallon of grape juice add one quart of cold, clear water, and three pounds of "a" sugar. pour into a runlet and let it remain uncorked fourteen days, and then cork loosely. add half a box gelatine to every ten gallons, fourteen days after making it. at the end of a month tighten the cork, then let it remain undisturbed for six months, after which it may be carefully racked, bottled, and sealed.--_mrs. dr. e._ fox grape wine. to every bushel of fox grapes add twenty-two quarts of water. mash the fruit and let it stand twenty-four hours. strain through a linen or fine sieve that will prevent the seed from getting through. to every gallon of juice add two pounds of brown sugar. fill the cask not quite full. let it stand open fourteen days, and then close the bung.--_mrs. gen. r. e. lee._ [the above was copied from an autograph recipe of mrs. lee's, kindly furnished by her daughter.] wild black grape wine. pick the grapes from the stem and cover with water. mash and strain immediately. add three pounds white sugar to one gallon juice. garden grape wine is made in the same way. if you prefer a red wine, let the water stand on the grapes all night. the light wine is the best, however. this wine has to be kept much longer than blackberry wine before it is fit for use.--_mrs. m. d._ native grape wine. pick all the perfect grapes from the bunches, wash them and pack them down in a wooden or stone vessel. pour over them boiling water--about one quart to every bushel of grapes. tie a cloth over them and let them stand a week or ten days. then strain it and add three pounds sugar to every gallon juice, mixing it well. put in demijohns and tie a cloth over the top. let it stand six months, and then cork it tightly. the wine will be fit for use in nine months.--_mrs. dr. s._ gooseberry wine. to every gallon of gooseberries add three pints of boiling water. let it stand two days, then mash and squeeze out the juice, to every gallon of which add three pounds of sugar. put it in a cask and draw off about the usual time of drawing off other wines.--_mrs. r. t. h. a._ currant wine. put three pounds of brown sugar to every squeezed gallon of currants. add a gallon of water, or two, if juice is scarce. it is better to put it in an old wine-cask and let it stand a year before you draw it off.--_mrs. gen. r. e. lee._ [copied from a recipe in her own handwriting.] _currant wine._ mash the currants well and strain through a linen towel. add a gallon of water to every gallon of juice. allow three pounds sugar to every gallon of the mixture. put in a cask and cork loosely till fermentation is over. bottle in september.--_mrs. dr. s._ _currant wine._ to one gallon well picked and washed currants, add one gallon water. let it stand twenty-four hours, then strain through a flax linen cloth. add to a gallon of juice and water three pounds brown sugar. let it stand fourteen days in a clean, open cask.--_mrs. dr. e._ cherry wine. measure the berries and bruise them, adding to every gallon one quart boiling water. let it stand twenty-four hours, stirring occasionally. then strain off the liquor, put in a jar, adding two pounds sugar to every gallon. stop tightly, and let it stand till the next october, when it will be fit for use without straining or boiling. strawberry wine. mash the berries and add to each gallon of fruit a half-gallon boiling water. let it stand twenty-four hours, then strain and add three pounds brown sugar to each gallon juice. let it stand thirty-six hours, skimming the impurities that rise to the top. put in a cask, reserving some to add as it escapes from the cask. fill each morning. cork and seal tightly after the fermentation is over.--_mrs. e._ orange wine. one gallon juice of sour oranges, four gallons water, twenty pounds sugar. boil it and clarify with the whites of two eggs; skim the liquid till the scum has disappeared. pour into a vessel of suitable size, taking the precaution to first strain it through flannel. add three-quarters of a bottle of raw juice and let it ferment. bottle in six months. put less sugar if you prefer a wine less sweet.--_mrs. n._ cider wine. one gallon sweet cider, three pounds sugar. put in a cask and let it ferment. keep the vessel full so that it will run over. let it stand fifteen days. put the corks in a little tighter every day. let it stand three months, then bottle and seal up.--_mrs. e. b._ tomato wine. pick small, ripe tomatoes off the stems, put them in a clean bucket or tub, mash well, and strain through a linen rag (a bushel will make five gallons of juice). add from two and a half to three pounds brown sugar to each gallon. put in a cask and let it ferment like raspberry wine. if two gallons water be added to a bushel of tomatoes, the wine will be as good.--_mrs. a. d._ eggnog. to each egg one tablespoonful of sugar, one wine-glassful of milk, one wine-glassful of liquor. the sugar and yolks to be well beaten together, and the whites (well beaten) added by degrees. to twelve eggs, put eight glassfuls of brandy and four of wine. put the liquor in the yolks and sugar, stirring slowly all the time; then add the whites, and lastly the milk.--_mrs. f._ _eggnog._ three dozen eggs, three pounds of sugar, half a gallon of brandy, half a pint of french brandy, half a gallon of milk. beat the yolks and whites separately. stir the sugar thoroughly into the yolks, add the brandy slowly so as to cook the eggs, then add the milk, and lastly the whites, with grated nutmeg, reserving enough for top-dressing. --_mrs. p. w._ _eggnog._ take any number of eggs you wish, beat the whites and yolks separately and as light as possible. stir into the yolks, while beating, a tablespoonful of sugar to each egg. then pour on the yolks and sugar a small wine-glassful of wine, flavored with a little vanilla, to each egg. on that pour a wine-glassful of rich milk or cream to each egg. beat the whites as if for cake, then beat in enough sugar to make them smooth and stiff. stir this into the eggnog for twenty minutes, and grate nutmeg on the top.--_mrs. r. c._ apple toddy. half a gallon of apple brandy, half a pint of french brandy, half a pint of peach brandy, half a pint of madeira wine, six apples, baked without peeling, one pound of sugar, with enough hot water to dissolve it; spice, if you like. this toddy, bottled after straining, will keep for years, and improve with age.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ _apple toddy._ one gallon of apple brandy or whiskey, one and a half gallon of hot water, well sweetened, one dozen large apples, well roasted, two grated nutmegs, one gill of allspice, one gill of cloves, a pinch of mace. season with half a pint of good rum. let it stand three or four days before using.--_col. s._ rum punch. make a rich, sweet lemonade, add rum and brandy to taste, only dashing with brandy. it must be sweet and strong.--_mrs. d. r._ regent punch. one pint of strong black tea (in which put the rind of four lemons cut very thin). two pounds of sugar, juice of six lemons, juice of six oranges, one pint of french brandy, one pint of rum, two quarts of champagne. serve in a bowl, with plenty of ice.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ tea punch. three cups of strong green tea (in which put the rind of six lemons, pared very thin), one and one-half pound of sugar, juice of six lemons. stir together a few minutes, then strain, and lastly add one quart of good rum. fill the glasses with crushed ice when used. it will keep any length of time bottled. fine for hot weather.--_mrs. a. b._ roman punch. grate the rind of four lemons and two oranges upon two pounds of sugar. squeeze the juice of these, and let it stand several hours. strain them through a sieve. add one quart of champagne and the whites of three eggs, beaten very light. freeze, and serve in hock glasses.--_mrs. c. c. mcp._ _roman punch._ to make a gallon. one and a half pint of lemon juice, rinds of two lemons grated on sugar, one pint of rum, half a pint of brandy, two quarts of water, three pounds of loaf sugar. a pint-bottle of champagne is a great improvement. mix all together, and freeze.--_mrs. b. c. c._ blackberry cordial. two quarts blackberry juice, one pound loaf sugar, four grated nutmegs, one-quarter ounce ground cloves, one-quarter ounce ground allspice, one-quarter ounce ground cinnamon. simmer all together, for thirty minutes, in a stewpan closely covered, to prevent evaporation. strain through a cloth when cold and add a pint of the best french brandy. soothing and efficacious in the summer complaints of children. dose, one teaspoonful poured on a little pounded ice, once or several times a day, as the case may require. whortleberry cordial may be made by the same recipe. good old whiskey may be used for either, in the absence of brandy.--_mrs. gen. s._ _blackberry cordial._ half a bushel of berries, well mashed, one-quarter pound of allspice (pulverized), two ounces cloves (pulverized). mix and boil slowly till done. then strain through homespun or flannel, and add one pound white sugar to each pint of juice. boil again, and, when cool, add half a gallon best brandy. good for diarrhoea or dysentery. dose, one teaspoonful or more according to age.-_mrs. s. b._ dewberry cordial. to one quart juice put one pound loaf sugar and boil these together fifteen minutes. when cool, add one gill brandy, one tablespoonful mace, cloves, and allspice powdered. bottle and cork tightly.--_mrs. a. d._ _dewberry cordial._ two quarts strained juice, one pound loaf sugar, four grated nutmegs, one-half ounce pulverized cinnamon, one-quarter ounce pulverized cloves, one-quarter ounce pulverized allspice. simmer all together for thirty minutes, in a saucepan tightly covered to prevent evaporation. then strain through a cloth, and, when cold, add one pint best french brandy. bottle and cork tightly.--_mrs. d. r._ strawberry cordial. one gallon apple brandy, four quarts strawberries. after standing twenty-four hours, press them through a cotton bag, and add four quarts more of berries. after twenty-four hours more, repeat this process. to every quart of the cordial add one pound of sugar, or sweeten it with a syrup made as follows: two pounds sugar, one pint water, white of one egg whipped a little--all boiled together. when cold, add one pint syrup to one quart cordial.--_mrs. c. f. c._ cherry cordial. extract the juice from ripe morella cherries as you would from berries. strain through a cloth, sweeten to your taste, and when perfectly clear, boil it. put a gill of brandy in each bottle, cork and seal tightly. will keep all the summer in a cool place. delicious with iced water. cherry cordial or cherry brandy. take three pounds morella cherries. stone half and prick the rest. throw into a jar, adding the kernels of half slightly bruised. add one pound white sugar. cover with brandy, and let it stand a month.--_mrs. e._ mint cordial. pick the mint early in the morning while the dew is on it. do not bruise it. pour some water over it, and then drain it off. put two handfuls in a pitcher with a quart of french brandy. cover and let it stand till next day. take out the mint carefully, and put in as much more, which take out next day. add fresh mint a third time, taking it out after twenty-four hours. then add three quarts water and one pound loaf sugar to the brandy. mix well, and, when clear, bottle.--_mrs. dr. j._ strawberry acid. put twelve pounds fruit in a pan. cover it with two quarts water, having previously acidulated the water with five ounces tartaric acid. let it remain forty-eight hours. then strain, taking care not to bruise the fruit. to each pint of juice add one pound and a half powdered sugar. stir till dissolved, and leave a few days. then bottle and cork lightly. if a slight fermentation takes place, leave the corks out for a few days. the whole process to be cold. when put away, the bottles must be kept erect.--_mrs. col. r._ royal strawberry acid. dissolve two ounces citric acid in one quart spring water, which pour over three pounds ripe strawberries. after standing twenty-four hours, drain the liquor off, and pour it over three pounds more of strawberries. let it stand twenty-four hours more, and again drain the liquor off. add to the liquor its own weight of sugar. boil three or four minutes, put in cool bottles, cork lightly for three days, then cork tightly and seal.--_mrs. g._ strawberry vinegar. four pounds strawberries, three quarts vinegar. put fresh, ripe berries in a jar, adding to each pound a pint and a half of fine, pale white-wine vinegar. tie a thick paper over them and let them remain three or four days. then drain off the vinegar, and pour it over four pounds fresh fruit. after three days drain it again, and add it a third time to fresh fruit. after draining the last time, add one pound refined sugar to each pint of vinegar. when nearly dissolved, stir the syrup over a fire till it has dissolved (five minutes). skim it, pour it in a pitcher, cover it till next day. then bottle it, and cork it loosely for the first few days. use a few spoonfuls to a glass of water.--_mrs. e. p. g._ raspberry vinegar. put a quart red raspberries in a bowl. pour over them a quart strong apple vinegar. after standing twenty-four hours, strain through a bag, and add the liquid to a quart of fresh berries. after twenty-four hours more, strain again, and add the liquid to a third quart of berries. after straining the last time, sweeten liberally with pounded loaf sugar, refine and bottle. blackberry vinegar may be made by the same recipe.--_mrs. c. n._ _raspberry vinegar._ put two quarts ripe, fresh gathered berries in a stone or china vessel, and pour over them a quart of vinegar. after standing twenty-four hours, strain through a sieve. pour the liquid over two quarts fresh berries, which strain after twenty-four hours. allow one pound loaf sugar to each pint of juice. break up the sugar and let it melt in the liquid. put the whole in a stone jar, cover closely, and set in a kettle of boiling water, which must be kept boiling briskly an hour. take off the scum, and, when cold, bottle.--_miss n. l._ raspberry acid. dissolve five ounces tartaric acid in two quarts water, and pour it over twelve pounds berries. let it stand twenty-four hours, and then strain without bruising the fruit. to each pint clear juice add one pound and a half dissolved sugar, and leave a few days. if a slight fermentation takes place, delay corking a few days. then cork and seal.--_mrs. g._ lemon vinegar. fill a bottle nearly full of strong cider vinegar. put in it the rind of two or three lemons, peeled very thin. in a week or two it will be ready for use, and will not only make a nice beverage (very much like lemonade), but will answer for seasoning.--_mrs. m. c. c._ lemon or orange syrup. put one pound and a half white sugar to each pint of juice. add some peel, and boil ten minutes, then strain and cork. it makes a fine beverage, and is useful for flavoring pies and puddings. the juice of any acid fruit may be made into a syrup by the above recipe. orgeat. make a syrup of one pound sugar to one pint water. put it aside till cold. to five pounds sugar put one gill rose-water and two tablespoonfuls essence of bitter almonds.--_mrs. i. h._ summer beer. twelve quarts water, one quart molasses, one quart strong hop-tea, one-half pint yeast. mix well and allow to settle. strain through a coarse cloth, and bottle. it will be good in twenty-four hours.--_mrs. e. w._ cream beer. two ounces tartaric acid, two pounds white sugar, three pints water, juice of one lemon. boil all together. when nearly cold, add whites of three eggs, well beaten, with one-half cupful flour, and one-half ounce essence wintergreen. bottle and keep in a cool place. take two tablespoonfuls of this mixture for a tumbler of water, in which put one-quarter teaspoonful soda.--_mrs. e._ lemon beer. cut two large lemons in slices and put them in a jar. add one pound white sugar and one gallon boiling water. let it stand till cool; then add one-quarter cupful yeast. let it stand till it ferments. bottle in the evening in stone jugs and cork tightly.--_mrs. g. w. p._ ginger beer. one and a half ounce best ground jamaica ginger, one and a half ounce cream of tartar, one pound brown sugar, two sliced lemons, four quarts boiling water, one-half pint yeast. let it ferment twenty-four hours. in two weeks it will be ready for use.--_mrs. g. w. p._ small beer. fifteen gallons water, one gallon bran, one and a half gallon molasses, one quart corn or oats, one-quarter pound hops. let it boil up once; take it off and sweeten with the aforementioned molasses. put it in a tub to cool. when a little more than milk warm, add one and a half pint yeast. cover it with a blanket till next morning, and then bottle.--_mrs. m. p._ mulled cider. to one quart cider take three eggs. beat them light and add sugar according to the acidity of the cider. when light, pour the boiling cider on, stirring briskly. put back on the fire and stir till it fairly boils. then pour off.--_mr. r. h. m._ crab cider. to a thirty-gallon cask put one bushel clean picked grapes. fill up with sweet cider, just from the press--crab preferred. draw off in march, and it is fit for use. add brandy, as much as you think best.--_mrs. a. d._ the sick-room--diet and remedies for the sick. first of all, let me say that after a reliable physician has been called in, his directions should be strictly followed, and his instructions should be the law in the sick-room. have everything in readiness for his admission immediately after his arrival, as his time is valuable and it occasions him both annoyance and loss of time to be kept waiting outside of the sick-room, after reaching the house of the patient. pure air is of vital importance in the sick-room. many persons exclude fresh air for fear of dampness, but even damp air is better than impure. even in cold weather, there should be a free circulation of air. if there are no ventilators, let the air circulate from the tops of the windows, rather than admit it by opening the door, which is apt to produce a draft. meantime keep up a good fire; if practicable, let it be a wood fire, but if this be not attainable, have an open grate, with a coal fire. the sight of a bright blaze is calculated to cheer the patient, while the sight of a dark, close stove is depressing. by no means allow a sick person to be in a room warmed by a flue or register. the old idea of darkening the sick-room is exploded. it should be darkened only when the patient wishes to sleep. if the eyes are weak, admit the sunshine from a quarter where it will not fall upon them. the modern science of physics has come to recognize sunshine as one of the most powerful of remedial agencies, and cases are not rare in which invalids have been restored to health by using sun-baths, and otherwise freely enjoying the sunshine. it is best to have no odors in the sick-room unless it be bay rum, german cologne, or something else especially fancied by the sick person. where there is any unpleasant exhalation, it is far better to let it escape by properly ventilating the room, than to try to overcome it by the aid of perfumery. in fevers, where there are offensive exhalations from the body, sponging with tepid water will help to remove the odor, and will also prove soothing to the patient. in winter, expose but a small portion of the body at a time, in sponging. then rub gently with the hand or a coarse towel, and there will be no danger of the patient's taking cold, even in winter. be careful to keep warm, soft flannels on the sick person in winter. in summer, do not keep a pile of bedclothes on the patient, even though chilly. it is better to keep up the circulation by other means, such as rubbing or stimulants. scrupulous neatness should be observed about the bed-linen (as well as the other appointments of the sick-room). never use bed-quilts or comforts; they are not only heavy, but retain the exhalations from the body. use soft, fleecy blankets instead. the nurse should watch her opportunity of having the bedclothes taken into the fresh air and shaken, and the bed made up, when the patient has been lifted up and set in an easy-chair near the fire. the arrangements about the bed should be quickly made, so that the patient may be able to lie down again as soon as fatigued. let such sweeping and dusting as are necessary be also done with dispatch, using a dust-pan to receive the dust from the carpet. avoid clouds of dust from the carpet, and of ashes from the fireplace. the nurse has a very important part to play, as physicians say that nursing is of equal importance as medical attendance. the nurse should be careful not to wear a dress that rustles, nor shoes that creak, and if the patient has any fancy, or any aversion connected with colors, she should regard it in her dress. indeed, the patient should be indulged in every fancy that is not hurtful. the nurse should be prompt in every arrangement. where blisters or poultices are to be used, she should not wait till the last moment to prepare them, but should do so before uncovering the patient to apply them, or even broaching the subject. if anything painful or distasteful has to be undergone by the patient, it should not be discussed beforehand with or before the patient; but when all is in readiness, with cheerful and soothing words, let it be done. the patient should never be kept waiting for food, medicine, bath, or any other requisite. every arrangement should be made beforehand to supply his or her needs in good time. crushed ice and other needful things should be kept always at hand, so the patient may have them at any moment without delay. especially on the approach of night, try to provide everything needed during the night, such as ice, mustard, hot water, kindling wood, a large piece of soapstone for the feet, as this is more cleanly and retains heat better than other things used for the purpose. other things, such as the nature of the sickness may call for, should be thought of and provided before nightfall. as the sick are very fastidious, all food for them must be prepared in the most delicate manner. do not bring the same article of food several times consecutively, but vary it from time to time. do not let a sick person have any article of food forbidden by a physician, as there are many reasons known to them only, why dishes fancied by the sick should be injurious. avoid whispering, as this excites nervousness and apprehension on the part of the sick. do not ask in a mournful tone of voice how the patient is. indeed, it is best to ask the sick as few questions as possible. it is far better to watch their symptoms for yourself than to question them. examine for yourself if their feet are warm, and endeavor to discover their condition and their wants, as far as possible, without questions. in a case of illness, many well-meaning persons crowd to see the patient; do not admit them into the sick-room, as it is both exciting and fatiguing to an ill person to see company, and, when in a critical condition, the balance might be disastrously turned by the injudicious admission of visitors. both mind and body must be kept quiet to give the patient a chance for recovery. when well enough to listen to conversation, the patient should hear none but what is cheerful and entertaining, never any of an argumentative or otherwise unpleasant nature. do not allow the patient to read, as it is too great a tax on the sight and brain before convalescence. suitable books, in large print, are a great resource to the patient when arrived at this stage, but should be read only in moderation. driving out is a delightful recreation for convalescents, and they should be indulged in it as soon as the physician pronounces it safe. in winter, they should be carried driving about noon, so as to enjoy the sunshine at its warmest. in summer, the cool of the morning or evening is the best time to drive them out; but if the latter time be chosen, be careful to return immediately after sundown. make arrangements for the patient on returning to find the room thoroughly cleaned, aired, and adorned with fresh flowers (always so cheering in a sick-room), and let the bed be nicely made up and turned down. it is well to have some little refreshment awaiting after the drive--a little cream or milk toddy, a cup of tea or coffee, or, if the weather be hot, some cooling draught perhaps would be more acceptable. it is well to keep the convalescent cheered, by projecting each day some new and pleasant little plan for the morrow. arrowroot. break an egg. separate the yolk and white. whip each to a stiff froth. add a tablespoonful of arrowroot and a little water to the yolk. rub till smooth and free from lumps. pour slowly into half a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time. let it simmer till jelly-like. sweeten to the taste and add a tablespoonful of french brandy. stir in the frothed white and take hot in winter. in summer, set first on ice, then stir in the beaten white. milk may be used instead of water.--_mrs. s. t._ _arrowroot._ mix one tablespoonful arrowroot with enough cold water to make a paste, free from lumps. pour this slowly into half a pint boiling milk and let it simmer till it becomes thick and jelly-like. sweeten to the taste and add a little nutmeg or cinnamon.--_mrs. r. c. m. w._ seamoss farina. one tablespoonful in one quart hot water makes jelly; one tablespoonful in one quart milk makes blanc-mange. stir fifteen minutes, and, while simmering, flavor with vanilla or lemon. suitable for sick persons.--_m. l. g._ racahaut. one pound rice flour, one pound chocolate, grated fine, two tablespoonfuls arrowroot. from a half-pound to a pound of sugar. mix well together and put in a close jar. to one quart milk, rub in four dessertspoonfuls of the above mixture. give it a boil up and season with vanilla.--_mrs. j. h. t._ cracked wheat. soak the wheat in cold water all night. pour off this water in the morning. pour boiling water then over the wheat and boil it about half an hour, adding salt and butter. eat with cream.--_mrs. a. m._ breakfast for an invalid. bread twelve hours old, an egg and black tea.--_mrs. a._ food for a sick infant. gelatine two inches square, milk half a pint, water half a pint, cream one-half to one gill, arrowroot a teaspoonful. sweeten to the taste.--_mrs. j. d._ wine whey. put half pint milk over the fire, and, as soon as it begins to boil, pour slowly into it a wine-glass of sherry wine, mixed with a teaspoonful white sugar. grate into it a little nutmeg, and as soon as it comes to a boil again, take it off the fire. when cool, strain for use.--_mrs. r. c. m. w._ milk punch. pour two tablespoonfuls good brandy into six tablespoonfuls milk. add two teaspoonfuls ground loaf sugar and a little grated nutmeg. an adult may take a tablespoonful of this every two or three hours, but children must take less.--_mrs. r. c. m. w._ beef essence. cut one pound beef in small bits, sprinkle with a very little salt, tie up in a close stone jar, and set in boiling water. boil it hard an hour or more, then strain it. chicken may be prepared the same way. nice for the sick.--_mrs. col. w._ beef-tea. take half a pound fresh beef for every pint of beef-tea required. carefully remove all fat, sinew, veins, and bone from the beef. cut it in pieces under an inch square and let it soak twelve hours in one-third of the water required to be made into tea. then take it out and let it simmer three hours in the remaining two-thirds of the water, the quantity lost by evaporation being replaced from time to time. the boiling liquor is then to be poured on the cold liquor in which the meat was soaked. the solid meat is to be dried, pounded in a mortar, and minced so as to cut up all strings in it, and mixed with the liquid. when the beef-tea is made daily, it is convenient to use one day's boiled meat for the next day's tea, as thus it has time to dry and is more easily pounded. avoid having it sticky and too much jellied, when cold. essence of chicken. in a case of extreme sickness, when it is important that what little nourishment the patient can take should be highly condensed, the following is an excellent mode for concentrating, in a small compass, all the nutritive properties of a chicken. after picking the chicken, sprinkle a little salt over it and cut it in pieces, as if for frying. put the pieces in a small glass jar (or wide-mouthed bottle), stop it tightly, and put it in a pot of cold water, gradually heating the latter till it boils. let the jar of chicken remain in the water till the juices are well extracted, then pour them off for the patient.--_mrs. m. c. c._ chicken jelly. take a large chicken, cut the flesh from its bones, break the bones, soak an hour in weak salt and water to extract the blood. put on in a stewpan with three pints of cold water. simmer till reduced to less than half its original quantity. sprinkle a little salt on it, and strain in a bowl. keep on ice.--_mrs. s. t._ a nourishing way to prepare chicken, squirrel, or beef for the sick. put in a clean, glazed jar or inner saucepan. set this in another vessel of boiling water. cover closely, and keep boiling for hours. season the juice thus extracted with a little salt, stir in a teaspoonful of fresh milk, and give to the patient.--_mrs. t._ panada. lay six nice crackers in a bowl. sprinkle over them powdered sugar and a pinch of salt, adding a very small piece of fresh butter. pour boiling water over the crackers, and let them remain near the fire half an hour. then add a teaspoonful of good french brandy, or a tablespoonful of madeira wine, and a little grated nutmeg.--_mrs. t._ dry toast. slice thin, some nice, white bread, perfectly sweet. toast a light brown, and butter with fresh butter.--_mrs. s. t._ scalded toast. prepare and toast the bread as above directed. then lay in a covered dish and pour boiling water over it. turn to one side, and drain out the water. then put fresh butter on each slice, with a small pinch of salt. serve in a covered dish.--_mrs. s. t._ milk toast. slice the bread thin, toast a light brown, butter each side, and sprinkle with a little salt. put in a covered dish, and pour over it boiling milk.--_mrs. s. t._ carolina small hominy. wash and pick. drain, and soak an hour in cold water. drain again, and put in a saucepan, with one pint boiling water to one pint hominy. boil till dry like rice. eat with cream, butter and salt, or with sugar, butter and nutmeg.--_mrs. s. t._ dishes suitable for the sick may be found in various parts of this work, such as rice pudding, baked custard, and various preparations of tapioca, sago, and arrowroot. grapes are valuable in fever, and also good for chronic sore-throat.--_mrs. s. t._ thieves' vinegar. a handful of sage and the same of mint, tansy, rue, rosemary, lavender, and thyme; one ounce of camphor. put in a gallon demijohn, and fill with good vinegar. set in the sun two weeks with a piece of leather over the mouth, then stop tightly.--_mrs. d. r._ aromatic vinegar. acetic acid (concentrated), eight ounces; oil of lavender (eng.), two drachms; oil of rosemary, one drachm; oil of cloves, one drachm; gum camphor, one ounce. dissolve the camphor (bruised) in the acid, then add perfumes. after standing a few days, with occasional shaking, strain, and it is ready for use.--_dr. e. a. c._ soda mint. bicarb. soda (eng.), one drachm; pure water, three ounces; spearmint water, four ounces; glycerine, one ounce; ar. spts. ammonia, thirty-two drops. mix and filter. dose, from twenty drops to a tablespoonful, according to age.--_dr. e. a. c._ lime-water. this is easily prepared, and a bottle should always be kept ready for use. it is an antidote to many poisons and a valuable remedy in a sick-room. put some pieces of unslacked lime in a bottle, fill up with cold water, keep it corked and in a cool, dark place. it does not matter about the quantity of lime, as the water will not dissolve more than a certain quantity. it is ready for use in a few minutes, and the clear lime-water can be poured off as needed. when all the water is used, fill up again, which may be done several times before it is necessary to use fresh lime.--_mrs. t._ tarrant's effervescent seltzer aperient. is an invaluable remedy for sick headache, nausea, constipation, and many of the attendant evils of dyspepsia. directions accompany each bottle. colic and other violent pains of the stomach are sometimes instantly relieved by adding to the dose of seltzer aperient a teaspoonful of brown's jamaica ginger. brown's jamaica ginger. is not only an invaluable remedy, but a refreshing and delightful drink may be made from it in summer, when iced lemonade would be unsafe and iced juleps, etc., would be too heating for one suffering from over-fatigue. fill a goblet with crushed ice, add two teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar and one of jamaica ginger. fill up with water, stir and drink.--_mrs. s. t._ mustard. it is not safe to pass a day without mustard in the house, so valuable are its medicinal properties. when a large plaster is wanted, put into a plate or bowl two tablespoonfuls ground mustard. wet it with cold water and stir with a spoon or knife till a smooth paste. lay on an inverted tea-board a piece of newspaper twice the size of the plaster wanted. on one-half spread evenly and thinly the mustard. fold over the other half and fold over the edges as if to hem a piece of cloth, to prevent the mustard from getting on the skin or clothing. in winter, warm slightly before applying. keep it on an adult fifteen minutes; on a child, half that time. in this way, painful blisters will always be avoided. if the pain is in the chest or stomach, place the same plaster on the back just opposite, and let it remain on twenty minutes the second time. colman's mustard is considered the best by many persons. mustard leaves or plasters. it is well in travelling to carry a package of these plasters, in case of sudden sickness. it is important also to keep them at home, as sometimes they are needed suddenly in the night, and even one moment gained is important in great emergencies. those manufactured by seabury & johnson, n. y., are considered excellent and superior to the foreign article. compound syrup of horehound and tar. is excellent for coughs, colds, bronchitis, and diseases of the chest. manufactured by faulkner & craighill, lynchburg, va. for sore-throat. carbolic acid crystals, pure, half a drachm; tincture kino, one drachm; chlorate potash, two drachms; simple syrup, half an ounce. water sufficient to make an eight-ounce mixture. gargle the throat every few hours.--_dr. t. l. w._ _for sore-throat._ rub the throat well with camphorated oil, and gargle frequently with a strong solution chlorate of potash.--_mrs. s. t._ _for sore-throat._ carbolic acid, fifteen grains; chlorate potash, thirty grains; rose-water, one and a half ounces; glycerine, one-half ounce. use as a gargle, three or four times daily.--_mr. e. c._ a cure for epilepsy (_one i have known to succeed in many cases_). procure the fresh root of a white peony. scrape and cut in pieces an inch square. eat one three times a day, never taking any food after four p.m. use a month, stop two weeks and begin again. the best way to keep the root is to string it on a cord. the red peony will do, if you cannot get the white.--_mrs. r. c._ cure for cramp. wet a cloth in spirits turpentine and lay it over the place where the pain is felt. if the pain moves, move the cloth. take five drops spirits turpentine at a time on white sugar till relieved.--_mrs. r._ for cramp-colic, or pain resulting from disordered bowels. one teaspoonful paregoric, one teaspoonful jamaica ginger, one teaspoonful spirits camphor, one-half teaspoonful carbonate soda, two tablespoonfuls water, two tablespoonfuls whiskey. this is for one dose. if it does not relieve in an hour, repeat.--_dr. j. t. w._ for chilblains. take common furniture glue from the pot, spread it on a linen rag or piece of brown paper, and apply hot to the chilblain, letting it remain till the glue wears off. for fresh cuts. varnish them with common furniture varnish. this remedy has been known to prove very efficacious.--_mr. w._ the ocean salt. is now much used by those who cannot go to the seaside. seventy-five cents for half a bushel. dissolve a large handful in a pitcher of water. use a sponge to rub the flesh.--_mrs. a._ breast salve. linseed oil (raw), four ounces; mutton tallow, four ounces; yellow wax, two ounces; burgundy pitch, one ounce; venice turpentine, one ounce; oil lavender, one-half ounce; rosin, one-half ounce. melt together and strain through flannel. spread lightly on a soft linen rag, apply to the breast, and the relief is almost instantaneous.--_dr. e. a. c._ an excellent wash for inflamed eyes. sulph. zinc, two grains; wine of opium, ten drops; distilled water, one ounce. mix. drop two or three drops in the outer corner of the eye several times a day.--_dr. e. a. c._ eye-water for weak eyes. one teaspoonful laudanum, two teaspoonfuls madeira wine, twelve teaspoonfuls rose-water.--_mrs. e. i._ for earache. equal parts of laudanum and tincture of arnica. mix, saturate a piece of wool in the mixture, and insert in the ear.--_dr. e. a. c._ toothache drops. (_sure cure._) morphia, six grains; half on ounce each of tincture aconite root, chloroform, laudanum, creosote, oil cloves, cajuput. add as much gum camphor as the chloroform will dissolve. saturate with the above mixture a piece of wool and put it in the hollow tooth, being certain that the cavity is cleaned out.--_dr. e. a. c._ preventive of scarlet fever. extract belladonna (pure), three grains; cinnamon-water, one drachm; distilled water, seven drachms. mix, label poison, and give the child for a dose as many drops as the years of his age.--_dr. e. a. c._ for preventing scarlet fever. extract belladonna, six grains; cinnamon-water, one drachm; white sugar, two drachms; alcohol, two drachms; pure water, thirteen drachms. mix thoroughly and label belladonna, _poison_. dose, one drop for each year of the child's age, repeated twice a day.--_dr. e. a. c._ to relieve "prickly heat." sulphate of copper, grains ten; pure water, f. ounce i. mix sol. apply with camel-hair brush daily or oftener.--_dr. e. a. c._ for snake bites. apply ammonia or hartshorn immediately to the bite, and swallow ten drops, dissolved in a wine-glass of water. said to be a certain remedy.--_mrs. t._ remedy for chicken cholera. dip a small feather or brush into tincture of iodine, hold the chicken's mouth open, and mop the inside of the throat thoroughly with the iodine. this treatment has proved successful whenever tried.--_mrs. n. g._ mashed finger. bind up with old linen and keep constantly wet with cold water. if there is much pain, add laudanum or tincture of arnica. if discoloration and swelling remain, after the pain subsides, use stimulating liniment to encourage a flow of pure blood and the washing away of the injured blood. burns and scalds. if the burn or scald is serious, send immediately for a physician. in the meantime, cover with wet linen cloths, pouring on more water without removing them, till the pain is alleviated, when pure hog's lard may be applied, which is one of the best and most easily procured dressings. if the scald or burn is trifling, this is all that is needed. lather of soap from the shaving-cup applied by the brush often produces relief. white of egg applied in the same way is a simple and useful dressing. never tamper with a bad burn. this requires the skilful treatment of a physician. if the shock is great, and there is no reaction, administer frequently aromatic spirits of ammonia or a little brandy and water till the patient rallies. liniment for recent burns and scalds. take equal parts of lime-water, linseed-oil, and laudanum. mix and apply on a soft linen rag. some add about one-quarter quantity commercial sol. carbolic acid.--_dr. e. a. c._ compound chalk mixture for infants and young children. prepared chalk, powdered white sugar, gum arabic, two drachms each. tincture kino, paregoric, each six drachms. lime-water, one ounce; peppermint water, sufficient for four ounces. mix thoroughly and shake well before administering. dose, from half to a teaspoonful, according to age and urgency of the case.--_dr. e. a. c._ a simple remedy for dysentery. black or green tea steeped in boiling water and sweetened with loaf sugar.--_mrs. r. c. m. w._ for diarrhoea. take equal parts of laudanum, tincture capsicum, tincture camphor, and aromatic syrup rhubarb. mix. dose, from half to a teaspoonful, in water, when needed.--_dr. e. a. c._ chill pills. sulph. quinine, two drachms; arsenious acid, one grain; strychnia, one grain; prussian blue, twenty grains; powdered capsicum, one drachm. mix, and make sixty pills. take one pill three times a day.--_dr. e. a. c._ cure for cold in the head. muriate of morphia, two grains; powdered gum arabic, two drachms; sub. nit. bismuth, six drachms. mix and snuff frequently.--_dr. e. a. c._ prompt remedy for cold in the head. sulph. quinine, twenty-four grains; cayenne pepper, five grains. make twelve pills, and take one every three hours.--_mr. e. c._ cure for dyspepsia. best turkish rhubarb, one ounce; gentian root, bruised, one-half ounce; columbo, one-half ounce; orange peel, one-half ounce; fennel seed, one-half ounce; best french brandy, one quart. this will bear filling up several times. for whooping-cough. drop a fresh, unbroken egg in lemon juice. when dissolved, sweeten and give a spoonful occasionally when the cough comes on.--_mrs. e. i._ an excellent remedy for coughs. boil three fresh lemons till quite soft. then slice them on a pound of brown sugar. stew them together fifteen or twenty minutes, or till they form a rich syrup. when cool, add one tablespoonful oil of sweet almonds. take one spoonful or more when the cough is troublesome.--_n. a. l._ remedy for coughs. boil one ounce licorice root in one-half pint of water, till it is reduced one-half. then add one ounce gum arabic and one ounce loaf sugar. take a teaspoonful every few hours.--_n. a. l._ _remedy for coughs._ boil three lemons for fifteen minutes. slice them thin while hot over one pound of loaf sugar. put on the fire in a porcelain-lined saucepan and stew till the syrup is quite thick. after taking it from the fire, add one tablespoonful of oil of sweet almonds. stir till thoroughly mixed and cool. if more than a small quantity is desired, double the above proportions.--_mrs. j. d. l._ remedy for asthma, sore-throat, or a cough. cut up two or three bulbs of indian turnip, put the pieces in a quart bottle, which fill up with good whiskey. dose, a tablespoonful, three or four times a day. it is especially desirable to take it just after rising and just before going to bed. wonderful cures of asthma have been effected by this remedy, and many persons living near the writer have tested its efficacy. the bottle will bear refilling with whiskey several times. great care must be taken in procuring the genuine indian turnip for this preparation, as there is a poisonous plant much resembling it.--_mrs. m. l._ remedy for poison oak. make a strong decoction of the leaves or bark of the common willow. bathe the parts affected frequently with this decoction, and it will be found a very efficacious remedy.--_gen. m._ _remedy for poison oak._ forty grains caustic potash to five ounces of water. apply to the eruption with a small mop, made by tying a soft linen rag to a stick. often a speedy cure.--_mrs. s. t._ cure for jaundice. fill a quart bottle a third full of chipped inner cherry bark. add a large teaspoonful soda, and fill the bottle with whiskey or brandy. take as large a dose three times a day as the system will tolerate. if it affects the head unpleasantly, lessen the quantity of bark. it will be fit for use in a few hours.--_dr. b._ cure for bone felon. one ounce assafoetida in one pint vinegar, as hot as the hand can bear. keep it hot by placing the vessel over the top of a teakettle. use it frequently through the day, an hour at a time. a painful but effective remedy.--_mrs. j. d. p._ for treating corns. apply night and morning with a brush one or two drops of protoxide of iron for two weeks.--_mrs. w._ cure for corns between the toes. wet them several times a day with hartshorn, and in a short time they will disappear.--_mrs. w. b._ carrot salve for blisters. scrape two carrots and stew in two tablespoonfuls hog's lard. add two plantain leaves. when the carrots are well done, strain.--_mrs. e. i._ liniment for rheumatism. half an ounce gum camphor, half an ounce saltpetre, half an ounce spirits ammonia, half a pint alcohol. old-fashioned liniment, good for man or beast.--_mrs. t._ a good liniment. one egg beaten light, half a pint spirits turpentine, half a pint good apple vinegar. shake well before using. good for sprains, cuts, or bruises.--_mrs. h._ a good treatment for croup. when the child is taken with a hoarse, tight cough, give it immediately from ten drops to half a teaspoon of hive or croup syrup, or if you have not these, use ipecac syrup, though this is less rapid in its effects. put a mustard plaster on the wind-pipe, and let it redden the skin, but not blister. put the feet in mustard-water as hot as they can bear it. then wipe them dry and keep them covered warm. a child from three to six years old will require from ten drops to half a teaspoon of the syrup every half-hour till relieved. from six to twelve, give from a half teaspoon to a full teaspoon, according to the age of the patient. croup requires very prompt treatment. if home treatment does not relieve, send immediately for a physician.--_mrs. p. w._ to take quinine without tasting it. put a little of the mucilage from slippery elm in a teaspoon. drop the quinine on it, and put some mucilage on top. this will make the quinine slip down the throat without leaving any taste.--_mrs. j. a. s._ dressing for blisters. the first dressing should be of collard leaves, prepared thus. with a sharp knife carefully pare smooth all the stalk and veining. then scald and squeeze each one to a pleasant moisture, keeping them blood-warm until applied. second dressing--pure lard or mutton suet spread evenly and thinly on a soft linen rag.--_mrs. s. t._ an excellent and simple salve for boils. melt together, in equal parts, the white rosin that exudes from the common pine tree and mutton suet. this makes a good plaster for the boil, both before and after it breaks.--_mrs. s. t._ for boils. slippery elm flour wet with cold water, and put in a soft muslin bag, and applied to the boil till the inflammation subsides, is an admirable remedy. then apply carbolic salve spread on a linen rag, which is a good dressing for the boil, both before and after it breaks.--_mrs. s. t._ to extinguish the flames when the clothing has taken fire. first, throw the person on the ground to prevent the upward flames from being inhaled. then quickly roll the person in a carpet hearth-rug or blanket; if neither is at hand, use any woollen garment, such as a coat, overcoat, or cloak. keep the blaze as much as possible from the face, wrapping the woollen garment first around the neck and shoulders. jumping into bed and covering up with the bedclothes is also a good plan. for weak back. two tablespoonfuls finely powdered rosin, four tablespoonfuls white sugar, whites of two eggs, one quart best whiskey. dose, a tablespoonful three times a day, either before or after meals. excellent also for colds or weak lungs; will stop an irritating cough. taken half a teaspoonful at a time.--_mrs. g._ poisons and antidotes. _acids_--_sulphuric_, _nitric_, _muriatic_, _phosphoric_, _oxalic_, _citric_, _tartaric_, _acetic_.--give freely of magnesia or soap-water (half an ounce white soap to two quarts tepid water). also very weak solutions of carbonate of soda or potassa may be used. give demulcent drinks and milk-baths, cataplasms, antiphlogistics. avoid lime-water. _alkalies_--_caustic_, _potassa_, _soda_, _lime_, _strontia_, _baryta_, _and their carbonates_.--give diluted vinegar in abundance, four ounces vinegar to one quart water. citric or tartaric lemonade, whites of eggs with tepid water, milk, sweet-oil. baths, lotions, fomentations. _arsenic._--prompt emetic. give freely of hydrated peroxide of iron; dose, half an ounce, frequently repeated. if this is not at hand, give magnesia in large quantities of tepid water. demulcent drinks, baths, and counter-irritants over the stomach to relieve spasms. _carbolic acid._--saccharated lime in water; also demulcent drinks. _chloral._--keep the patient warm in bed, with hot blankets and hot water bottles, the bottles also to be applied over the heart. a warm bath may be of advantage. if respiration threatens to fail, maintain it artificially, and apply galvanic battery (induced current), one pole over pit of stomach and the other over lower cervical vertebræ. _chloroform._--draw out the tongue, if retracted. give plenty of air. raise the body and lower the head, till the body is almost inverted. maintain artificial respiration. use the galvanic battery as above directed. _copper_, salts of.--cause vomiting, and then give freely of whites of eggs and water, demulcent drinks, soothing clysters, lotions, fomentations. avoid vinegar. _corrosive sublimate._--first, cause vomiting, then give whites of eggs in water, four whites to one quart water. milk, demulcent drinks, and gargles. _gases._--the antidote for chlorine is to inhale ammonia. asphyxia by other gases, treated by cold applications to the head, plenty of air, artificial respiration. _glass_, in powder.--farina or light food in abundance. then an emetic, then milk and demulcent drinks. _iodine._--starch-water containing albumen in large quantities, or starch-water alone. _lead_, salts of.--white of eggs, epsom salts, or sulphuric acid lemonade. (one drachm diluted acid to a quart sweetened water.) _nitrate of silver_ (lunar caustic).--give salt water freely. _opium and salts of morphine._--cause free vomiting by sulphate of zinc, sulphate of copper, and tartar emetic, and use the stomach-pump. then administer one-sixteenth grain atropine, hypodermically, and repeat with caution till the pupils dilate. also give strong coffee or tea. keep the patient awake. if depression and drowsiness are extreme, bleeding may do the patient good. _phosphorus._--emetic, then water with whites of eggs, magnesia in suspension, milk. avoid oils. _prussic acid._--affusions of water over the cervical vertebræ. cause the gas from chlorine water to be inhaled. give from twenty to forty drops of labbaraque's solution largely diluted, also coffee. _strychnine._--cause vomiting. give ether or chloroform by inhalation, and chloral internally. insufflate the lungs. _tartar emetic._--if there is vomiting, favor it by giving whites of eggs with water in large quantities, then give infusion of gall or oak bark. if vomiting is not free, use the stomach-pump. _venomous bites_, serpents.--apply a moderately tight ligature above the bite. wash the wound freely with warm water to encourage bleeding, then cauterize thoroughly. afterwards apply lint dipped in equal parts of olive-oil and spirits hartshorn. internally give freely of alcoholic stimulants, with liquid ammonia, largely diluted. _rabid dogs._--apply ligature as above described, wash the wound thoroughly with warm water, and cauterize immediately with nitric acid or lunar caustic, leaving no part of the wound untouched. house-cleaning. do not clean but one room at a time, as it is a bad plan to have the whole house in confusion at once. it is best to commence with the attic. before beginning on your spring cleaning, remove the curtains, all the movable furniture, and the carpets. with a broom and dust-pan remove all dust from the floor. then with a wall-brush thoroughly sweep and dust the ceiling and side-walls, window and door frames, pictures and chandeliers. then go over the floor again, removing the dust that has fallen from the ceiling and walls. then proceed to wash all the paint in the room. if it be white paint, use whiting or such other preparations as are recommended for the purpose in the subsequent pages. if it be varnished, or in imitation of oak or walnut, wipe with a cloth dipped in milk-warm water. if the wood work in the room be of unvarnished walnut or oak, wipe it off first, and then oil it, rubbing in the oil well. then with a soft flannel rag and a cake of sapolio clean every piece of marble in the room. next wipe the mirrors carefully with a flannel rag, wrung out of warm water and dipped in a little whiting, or you may rub a little silver soap on the rag. the gilding must be merely dusted, as the least dampness or a drop of water will injure it. the windows (sash and all) must then be washed in soap and water, with a common brush such as is used for washing paint. a little soda dissolved in the water will improve the appearance of the windows. it is unnecessary to use such a quantity of soap and water as to splash everything around. after being washed, the windows should be polished with newspapers. except in a general house-cleaning, windows may be cleaned by the directions given above for mirrors. the metal about the door-knobs, tongs, etc., may be cleaned by electro-silicon, and the grates may be varnished with the black varnish kept for the purpose by dealers in grates, stoves, etc. every chair and article of furniture should be carefully cleaned before being brought back into the room, and linen covers should be put on the chairs. if you are going to put down matting, do so before bringing back the first article of furniture. some housekeepers, however, allow their matting to remain during the winter under their carpets. spots on matting may be removed by being scoured with a cloth, dipped first in hot water and then in salt. this, however, will cause wet spots to appear on it in damp weather. after the spots are removed, scrub the matting with dry corn-meal and a coarse cloth. sweep it over several times, till all the meal is removed. for persons who do not use matting in summer, a recipe is given later for beautifully coloring the floor with boiled linseed oil and burnt sienna. where different woods are used alternately in the floor, this oil answers better than revarnishing the floor every spring. as soon as the carpets are taken up, have them nicely shaken, swept, and brushed on both sides. every spot should be carefully washed and wiped dry. the carpets should then be rolled up smoothly, with tobacco sprinkled between the folds, sewed up in coarse linen cloths, and put away till autumn. a cedar closet is an excellent place to keep carpets as well as other woollens. if you have no cedar closet, however, a cedar chest will serve to protect your woollen clothes against moths, and it is better to preserve them in this way than to sprinkle them with tobacco, which imparts an unpleasant scent to them. whitewash for outdoor use. take good quick-lime in lumps. slack it with hot water, and while slacking add to what will make a pailful one pound tallow or other grease, free from dirt. it may be rancid, smoked, or otherwise unfit for kitchen use. when the violent slacking is over, stir thoroughly. all the water should be added before the slacking ceases, and the mixing together should be thorough. do not dilute with cold water. if well made, it will be very smooth and but little affected by rain.--_mrs. e._ indoor whitewashing. we have recently seen recommended in a journal a fine and brilliant whitewash preparation of chalk, called "paris white," and said to be admirable for whitewashing walls. it sells in paint stores at three cents per pound, retail. for every sixteen pounds paris white, get half a pound white transparent glue. cover the glue with cold water at night, and in the morning heat it, without scorching, till dissolved. stir in the paris white with hot water to give it a milky consistency. then add and mix well the glue. apply with a common lime whitewash brush. a single coating will do, except on very dingy walls. almost as brilliant as "zinc white."--_mrs. s. t._ to oil floors. to one gallon boiled linseed oil add half a pound burnt sienna. the druggist who sells these articles will mix them. if economy is necessary, instead of employing a painter to put it on, dip a large woollen rag into the mixture, and with this wipe over the floor.--_mrs. s. t._ to dye floors a pretty color. make a strong decoction of the inside bark of red oak. set it a dark color with copperas. have the floors well swept and cleaned of spots. then with a cloth rub the dye in well, taking care to wipe up and down the floor, so as to prevent streaking. let it dry, then wipe over with weak lye, and as soon as this dries off, rub with a waxed brush.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ to clean paint. wring out a clean flannel, take up as much powdered whiting as will adhere to it, then rub the paint. wash off with clean water and rub dry with a soft cloth, and it will look new. not for paint in imitation of oak.--_mrs. r._ to wash oil-cloth. wash oil-cloths with salt water; say, one pint salt dissolved in a pailful water. when dry wipe over with a little milk and water.--_mrs. h. d._ _to wash oil-cloth._ sweep it well. wash with cold water, using a brush. then wash with milk and wipe dry. never use hot water.--_mrs. r._ to wash carpets. shake, beat, and sweep well. tack firmly on the floor. mix three quarts soft, cold water with one quart beef's gall. wash with a flannel, rub off with a clean flannel, immediately after putting it on each strip of carpet.--_mrs. r._ carpets should be washed in spots, with a brush or flannel, one tablespoonful ox-gall in one or two quarts water.--_mrs. a._ to remove ink from carpets. take up the ink with a spoon. pour cold water on the stained spot, take up the water with a spoon, and repeat this process frequently. then rub on a little oxalic acid and wash off immediately with cold water. then wet with hartshorn.--_mrs. r._ to clean marble slabs, etc. sal soda, four ounces; powdered pumice-stone, two ounces; prepared chalk, two ounces. mix well, add sufficient water, rub well on the marble, and then wash with soap and water.--_dr. e. a. c._ sapolio, rubbed on a flannel rag which has just been dipped in hot water and squeezed, is also good for cleaning marble.--_mrs. s. t._ to remove grease from wall paper. dip a flannel in spirits of wine and go carefully over the soiled places once or twice.--_mrs. r._ to clean furniture. one-half pint linseed oil, one half pint vinegar, one-half pint turpentine. apply with a flannel rag, and then rub with a dry flannel.--_mrs. h. s._ to clean varnished furniture, mahogany especially. wash the piece of furniture with warm water and soap, and then rub dry; afterwards take a flannel rag, and rub with the following mixture: equal proportions of vinegar, sweet-oil, and spirits of turpentine, in a bottle which must be shaken before using.--_mrs. mcg._ an excellent furniture polish. alcohol, three ounces; linseed oil, boiled, two ounces; oxalic acid, one drachm; gum shellac, two drachms; gum benzoin, two drachms; rosin, two drachms. dissolve the gums in the alcohol, and then add oil and oxalic acid. apply with a woollen cloth.--_dr. e. a. c._ _furniture polish._ one pint of alcohol, one pint of spirits of turpentine, one and one-half pint of raw linseed oil, one ounce balsam fir, one ounce ether. cut the balsam with the alcohol, which will take about twelve hours. [that is to say, dilute the balsam with the alcohol.] mix the oil with the turpentine in a separate vessel and add the alcohol, and last the ether.--_g. c. w._ to clean silver. there is nothing better for this purpose than colgate's silver soap, and robinson's indexical silver soap, made in boston. after the silver has been cleaned, according to the directions accompanying each package of the aforementioned kinds of soap, wash it in a pan of hot water in which a tablespoonful of ammonia has been poured.--_mrs. s. t._ _to clean silver._ make a paste of whiting and spirits of wine. put it on with a soft cloth, then rub it off also with a soft cloth, and polish with chamois skin.--_mrs. r._ to remove egg stains from silver spoons. rub with salt, and it will entirely remove the discoloration produced by eating a boiled egg with a silver spoon. rubbing with salt will also remove the grayish streaks that collect on white tea-china by careless usage.--_mrs. m. c. c._ to clean brasses, etc. electro-silicon, manufactured by j. seth hopkins & co., baltimore, is the best article that can be procured for this purpose. the price is twenty-five cents per box, with full directions for use. it may be procured of any druggist. if not convenient to get it, use powdered brick-dust.--_mrs. s. t._ for the kitchen. sapolio, manufactured by enoch morgan & sons, should be in every kitchen. it is invaluable for cleaning tins, iron-ware, knobs, and is so neat a preparation that it does not blacken the hands. the dover egg-beater. is indispensable to housekeepers. it froths eggs in less than a fourth of the time a spoon or an ordinary egg-beater requires to froth them.--_mrs. s. t._ to remove rust from knives or any steel. rub very hard with a piece of wash leather, dipped in powdered charcoal, moistened with spirits of wine. rub off quickly, wash in hot water, and renew as may be necessary.--_mrs. k._ to clean knives, tins, etc. crystal kitchen soap, manufactured by eastman & brooke, philadelphia, is excellent for this purpose, being so neat a compound that the knives and coffee-pot, as well as the tins used in the preparation of breakfast, may be quickly cleaned at the table while the tea-china is being washed. when not convenient to obtain the crystal kitchen soap, knives may be cleaned with ashes either of coal or wood.--_mrs. s. t._ to whiten the ivory on the handles of knives. the ivory handles of knives sometimes become yellow from being allowed to remain in dish-water. rub them with sandpaper till white. if the blades have become rusty from careless usage, rub them also with sandpaper and they will look as nice as new.--_mrs. s. t._ mixture for shading glass. spanish whiting, one pound; white glue, one-quarter pound; litharge, one ounce; alum, one ounce. boil the glue and alum in a sufficient quantity of water. let it cool, then add the whiting and litharge. stir well and use at once. it may be washed or scraped off, if desired.--_dr. e. a. c._ cement for rubber and glass. pulverized gum shellac in ten times its weight of strong spirits hartshorn.--_dr. e. a. c._ to destroy bedbugs. dissolve one ounce corrosive sublimate in one pint strong spirits. put it on the bedsteads with a feather, and it will destroy the bugs and their eggs also.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ bedbug poison. alcohol, two and a half pints; camphor, one ounce; spirits turpentine, one ounce; corrosive sublimate, half an ounce. mix and dissolve. if the scent is not objectionable, two ounces commercial carbolic acid will greatly improve the above.--_dr. e. a. c._ to destroy bugs, ants, etc. dissolve two pounds alum in three quarts boiling water. apply boiling hot with a brush. add alum to whitewash for store-rooms, pantries, and closets. it is well to pound alum fine and sprinkle it about beds infested with bugs.--_mrs. s. t._ remedy for red ants. kerosene oil is a sure remedy for red ants. place small blocks under a sugar barrel, so as not to let the oil touch the barrel.--_mrs. j. w._ cayenne pepper will keep the store-room and pantry free from ants and cockroaches.--_mrs. s. d._ remedy for mosquitoes or other blood-sucking insects. uncork a bottle of oil of pennyroyal, and it will drive them away, nor will they return so long as the scent of it is in the room.--_mrs. s. d._ for the stings of insects, wasps, hornets, bees, etc. apply to the place soda, hartshorn, or arnica. rats. mix a little powdered potash with meal and throw it into the rat-holes and it will not fail to drive the rats away. if a mouse enters into any part of your dwelling, saturate a rag with cayenne in solution and stuff it into his hole.--_mrs. s. d._ concentrated lye soap. all fat and grease from the kitchen should be carefully saved, and should be made into soap before accumulating and becoming offensive. boil for six hours ten gallons of lye made of green wood ashes. then add eight or ten pounds of grease, and continue to boil it. if thick or ropy, add more lye till the grease is absorbed. this is ascertained by dropping a spoonful in a glass of water, and if grease remains it will show on the water. if hard soap is desired, put one quart of salt in half-gallon of hot water. stir till dissolved and pour into the boiling soap. boil twenty minutes, stirring continually. remove from the fire, and when cold cut in cakes and dry. a box of concentrated lye may be used instead of salt, as it will obviate the necessity of using more dripped lye to consume the grease.--_mrs. p. w._ a washing mixture. mix and boil twenty minutes one gallon soft soap; half a gallon of weak boiled lye; four ounces sal soda; half a gill of spirits turpentine. soak the clothes overnight in milk-warm water. in the morning, rinse and wring them. to every gallon cold water add one pint of the above mixture. stir it well in the water. open the clothes and boil fifteen or twenty minutes; rinse out of those suds. if the articles are not thoroughly cleansed, rub a little of the mixture on the soiled places, and the result will be satisfactory.--_mrs. dr. e._ recipes for restoring old clothes, setting colors, removing stains, etc. for cleaning clothes. castile soap, one ounce; aqua ammonia ( ), a quarter-pound; sulphur ether, one ounce; glycerine, one ounce; spirits wine, one ounce. shave the soap into thin pieces, dissolve it in two quarts rain (or any other soft water). then add the other ingredients. rub the soiled spots with a sponge or piece of flannel and expose to the air.--_mrs. b._ soap to remove grease from cloth. detersive soap, three pounds; alcohol, two pints; oxalic acid, half an ounce; essential oil to flavor. first bring the alcohol to a boil, then gradually add the soap (pared in thin shavings) and stir constantly. then add the acid and oil, pour into moulds while hot, and let it cool. you may, of course, make it in smaller quantities, observing the same relative proportions.--_dr. e. a. c._ _to remove spots from cloth._ aqua ammonia, two ounces; alcohol, two ounces; spirits camphor, one ounce; transparent soap, one ounce; rain-water, one quart.--_mr. e. c., jr._ to wash black cashmere. wash in hot suds, with a little borax in the water. rinse in bluing water, and iron very damp. to restore the pile of velvet. heat a large flat-iron, place it in a pan, and lay on it a wet cloth. the steam will rise rapidly. hold the right side of the velvet over it. if this does not restore the pile, wet it on the wrong side. have a smooth flat-iron very hot. set it on the edge of the table, upright. if it is a narrow piece of velvet, it may be easily ironed by passing the wet side against the iron. if a large piece, have some one to hold the bottom of the iron upwards while the wet side of the velvet is passed over it.--_mrs. s. t._ to restore old black silk. pour one pint boiling water on two tablespoonfuls gum arabic. when a little cooled, add one teaspoonful spirits turpentine and the same of spirits ammonia. with a large sponge wipe the silk on both sides with this mixture. then lay the silk on an ironing-table, place over it a thin piece of colored rice cambric, and iron it very hard with a hot iron. this makes old silk look like new.--_mrs. s. t._ to freshen old black silk. boil one ounce crushed soap bark in one quart water till reduced to one pint. strain it; sponge the material with the liquid, and while wet iron on the wrong side. good for black woollens also.--_mrs. m. e. l. w._ to renew black crape veils. wring two large towels out of water. then put the veil (folded across the middle, lengthways) on the lower towel; spread the other on top and roll the veil, when between, in a small tight roll. let it stand an hour, or till it is damp through. take it out and air it a little before it dries. fold it then in smooth squares, put it in a large book, such as an atlas, put heavy weights on it, and let it stand an hour or two.--_mrs. m. c. c._ to set colors. wash in strong salt or alum water and rinse in water in which irish potatoes have been sliced and boiled, to stiffen. a strong tea of hay or fodder preserves the color of brown linen. one spoonful gall to a gallon of water will set the colors of almost any goods. a teaspoonful sugar of lead in a gallon cold water (some say a tablespoonful in a quart soft water) will set colors. let the material soak in it an hour. a teacup of lye in a pail of water will improve black calicoes. to restore colors that have been taken out. rub the spots with hartshorn and place in the sun till dry. to keep blue calicoes bright and fresh. the first time they are washed, put them in water with a cupful spirits of turpentine to each pail of water. this will set the color, and they will always look well. mildew. moisten the mildewed spot with clear water, then rub over it a thick coating of castile soap. scrape chalk with the soap, mixing and rubbing with the end of the finger. then wash it off. sometimes one coating suffices, but generally several are required. labaraque solution. will remove mildew, ink, or almost any fruit stain from cloth. the solution should be washed off soon after applying, as it may injure the cloth.--_dr. e. a. c._ to prevent fruit stains from being permanent. wet the stained spot with whiskey before sending it to wash, and there will be no sign of it when the article comes in. for removing fruit or ink stains. two drachms chloride of lime, two drachms acetic acid, one and a half ounce water. mix well.--_dr. e. a. c._ iron rust. salts of lemon applied to the place and exposed to the sun will remove all iron rust in linen, etc. miscellaneous recipes. ammonia. no housekeeper should be without a bottle of spirits of ammonia, for, besides its medical value, it is highly useful for household purposes. it is nearly as useful as soap, and its cheapness brings it in the reach of all. put a teaspoonful ammonia in a quart of warm soapsuds, dip in a flannel cloth, wipe off the dust and fly-specks, and see how much scrubbing it will save you. for washing windows and mirrors, it is very desirable. a few drops on a piece of paper will take off every spot or fingermark on the glass. it cleanses and brightens silver wonderfully. dip your forks, spoons, etc., in a pint of suds, mixed with a teaspoonful spirits ammonia. then rub with a brush and polish with chamois skin. it will take grease spots from every fabric. put on the ammonia nearly clear. lay blotting-paper on the place, and press a hot flat-iron on it a few moments. a few drops of it will clean and whiten laces, also muslins. it is highly useful and refreshing at the toilet-table. a few drops in the bath will remove all offensive perspiration and glossiness (if the skin is oily). nothing is better for cleansing the hair from dust and dandruff. a teaspoonful in a pint of water will cleanse the dirtiest brushes. shake the brushes through the water, and when they look white, rinse them in water and put them in the sunshine or a warm place to dry. for medicinal purposes ammonia is almost unrivalled. inhaling it will often cure headache and catarrhal cold. ten drops aromatic spirits of ammonia in a wine-glass of water is excellent for heartburn or dyspepsia. the ordinary spirits of ammonia may be used also for the purpose, but it is not so palatable. ammonia is also good for vegetation. if you desire roses, fuschias, geraniums, etc., to become more flourishing, add five or six drops ammonia to every pint of lukewarm water you give them. do not repeat this more than once in five or six days, lest you should stimulate them too highly. be sure to keep a large bottle of ammonia in the house, and use a glass stopper for it, as it is very evanescent and is injurious to corks. [the above remarks on the usefulness of ammonia were furnished and endorsed by mrs. a. d., of virginia.] borax. it is very desirable to keep borax in the house. its effect is to soften the hardest water, and it is excellent for cleansing the hair. some washerwomen use borax for a washing powder, instead of soda, in the proportion of a handful of borax powder to ten gallons boiling water, and they save in soap nearly half, whilst the borax, being a neutral salt, does not injure the texture of the linen.--_mrs. s. t._ red ink. bicarb. potash, half an ounce; cochineal, half an ounce; bitart. potash, half an ounce; powdered alum, half an ounce; pure rain-water, four ounces. mix, and add ten drops creosote.--_dr. e. a. c._ black ink. extract logwood (pulv.), two ounces; hot rain-water, one gallon. simmer over water-bath one hour, till logwood is dissolved. put into a bottle the following: bichromate potass., one hundred grains; prus. of potass., forty grains; warm rain-water, four ounces. shake till dissolved, put into the logwood solution, stir well together, strain through flannel, and, when cold, add corrosive sublimate, ten grains; warm rain-water, one ounce. dissolve thoroughly, put with the above, and add pure carbolic acid crys., one drachm. this makes the best black ink in the world, at a cost of about ten cents a gallon.--_dr. e. a. c._ common bottle wax. rosin, eighteen ounces; shellac, one ounce; beeswax, two ounces. melt together and color to suit the fancy.--_dr. e. a. c._ grafting wax. rosin, two pounds; beeswax, one pound; tallow, one pound. melt together, pour into a tub of cold water, and work with the hands till pliable.--_dr. e. a. c._ liquid glue. acetic acid, one ounce; water, half an ounce; glue, two ounces; gum tragacanth, one ounce. mix and dissolve.--_dr. e. a. c._ shoe blacking (_equal to mason's_). ivory black, twelve ounces; molasses, four ounces; sperm-oil, one ounce; oil of vitriol, by weight, two drachms; vinegar, one pint. mix the black, molasses, and oil, and add the vinegar gradually, stirring all the time. then add the oil of vitriol very carefully, stirring constantly, till effervescence ceases.--_dr. e. a. c._ liquid blacking. ivory black, in fine powder, one pound; molasses, twelve ounces; sweet-oil, two ounces; beer and vinegar, two pints of each. mix thoroughly together.--_dr. e. a. c._ what most of the baking powders are composed of. (_one of the best._) cream tartar, twelve and one-quarter ounces; bicarb. soda (eng.), six and one-half ounces; tartaric acid, one and one-third ounces; carbonate of ammonia, four-fifths of an ounce; good wheat flour, four ounces. mix thoroughly, and pass through a fine sieve.--_dr. e. a. c._ to dry herbs. gather on a dry day, just before they flower. put them in an oven, and when dry take them out, pick off the leaves, put in bottles, cover tightly, and keep in a dry place.--_mrs. r._ to keep weevil out of wheat. put the wheat in barrels, smooth it, and sprinkle a layer of salt over the top. keep the barrels well covered by tying cloths over them. a sure preventive.--_mrs. dr. p. c._ fertilizer for strawberries. nitrate of potash, one pound; glauber salts, one pound; sal soda, one pound; nitrate of ammonia, one-quarter pound. dissolve the above in forty gallons of water, one-third to be applied when the leaves begin to appear, one-third ten days later, and the rest when the vines begin to bloom. this quantity is for forty feet square.--_mrs. r._ red lip salve. oil of sweet almonds, two ounces; pure olive-oil, six ounces; spermaceti, one and one-half ounce; white wax, one ounce. color with carmine, and perfume with oil of roses.--_dr. e. a. c._ lotion for chaps. borax, two drachms; strong rose-water, twelve ounces; glycerine, three ounces; mucilage of quince seed, ten drachms. mix.--_dr. e. a. c._ cold cream. rose-water, half an ounce; oil of sweet almonds, half an ounce; pure olive-oil, two ounces; spermaceti, half an ounce; white wax, one drachm. melt sperm and wax with the oil by means of water-bath. then add the rose-water, and stir till cool. when nearly cool, add oil of roses or any other perfume desired.--_dr. e. a. c._ camphor ice. white wax, two ounces; spermaceti, two ounces and two drachms; camphor, six drachms. melt, and add olive-oil, five ounces and five drachms; glycerine, three drachms. make into eighteen cakes.--_dr. e. a. c._ camphor salve for chapped lips, hands, etc. spermaceti, two drachms; white wax, two drachms; pulverized camphor, two drachms; washed lard, half an ounce; pure olive-oil, half an ounce. melt in water-bath, and stir with it, while cooling, two drachms glycerine. _note._--this is excellent, will relieve almost instantly, and will cure in a few applications.--_dr. e. a. c._ tooth powder. prepared chalk, two pounds; powdered orris-root, two pounds; powdered white castile soap, quarter of a pound; powdered white sugar, quarter of a pound; powdered pumice-stone, half an ounce; powdered carmine, half an ounce; oil of lemon, half an ounce; oil of lavender, half an ounce. powder the carmine as fine as possible; then add to it the pumice-stone, then the sugar, then the soap, orris, and chalk in succession. then add the flavoring drop by drop, mixing it thoroughly with all the ingredients. sift through the finest apothecaries' sieve.--_dr. e. a. c._ _for the teeth._ van buskirk's sozodont, manufactured by hall & ruckel, n. y., is all that it claims to be. i have known it tried ten years consecutively with the happiest results.--_mrs. s. t._ charcoal tooth powder. powdered charcoal, six ounces; gum myrrh, one ounce; pale peruvian bark, one ounce. mix thoroughly.--_dr. e. a. c._ hair-oil. pure olive-oil, six ounces; perfumed with oil of jessamine.--_dr. e. a. c._ _hair-oil._ castor-oil, ten ounces; pure alcohol, six ounces. perfume with oil of bergamot or any other perfume preferred.--_dr. e. a. c._ hair tonic. glycerine, one and a half ounces; tincture cantharides ( per cent.), half an ounce; sulph. quinine, twenty grains; alcohol, four ounces. mix together; perfume with oil of roses.--_dr. e. a. c._ _another hair tonic._ claimed to restore falling out hair, when baldness is not hereditary. tincture of cantharides (officinal), one ounce; glycerine, one and a half ounce; rose-water, three and a half ounces.--_dr. e. a. c._ hair dye, no. . pyrogallic acid, one drachm; distilled water, three ounces. dissolve.--_dr. e. a. c._ no. . nitrate of silver (crystals), one drachm; aqua ammonia, strong, two drachms; distilled water, six drachms. mix.--_dr. e. a. c._ hair restorative. sugar of lead (chemically pure), one drachm; milk of sulphur, two drachms; rose-water, four ounces; glycerine, one ounce. mix.--_dr. e. a. c._ shampoo liquor. bay rum, three quarts; tincture cantharides (officinal), one and a half ounces; carb. ammonia, half an ounce; salts of tartar, one ounce. mix. thoroughly cleanse the hair with clean water after using.--_dr. e. a. c._ rose bandoline. gum tragacanth, six ounces; rose-water, one gallon; otto of roses, half an ounce. steep the gum in the water a day or two. agitate frequently while forming into a gelatinous mass. after standing forty-eight hours, strain through a clean, coarse linen cloth. again let it stand a few days, and then strain a second time. when the consistency is uniform, add the otto of roses, and color with carmine.--_dr. e. a. c._ almond bandoline. is made as the above, except that no coloring is used, and it is scented with quarter of an ounce of oil of bitter almonds instead of rose.--_dr. e. a. c._ to clean the hair and hair-brushes and combs. dissolve one ounce borax and half an ounce camphor in a quart boiling water. for cleaning combs and brushes use two teaspoonfuls supercarbonate soda dissolved in half a pint boiling water, or else use one teaspoonful hartshorn dissolved in a little water.--_mrs. r._ to remove dandruff. wash the hair thoroughly in rain-water with a good deal of borax dissolved in it.--_mrs. c. c._ to remove blood stains. make a thin paste of starch and water. spread over the stain. when dry, brush the starch off and the stain is gone. two or three applications will remove the worst stains.--_mrs. d._ index. bread. page batter bread, " " d recipe, " " d " , brown bread, biscuit, beaten, " " d recipe, " " cream, " " french, " " excellent light, " " light, " " soda, " " thick, " " thin or crackers, box bread, bunns, cakes, virginia ash, " batter, " " d recipe, " " made of stale bread, " " cheap recipe, " old virginia batter cakes, " " " " d, cakes, boston cream, " breakfast, " buckwheat, " " d recipe, " " d " , " " th " , " buttermilk, " corn, " cream, " " d, " " d, " farina, " flannel, " " d method, " " d " , " indian griddle, " madison, " orange, " rice, " sour milk, " velvet, corn-bread, plain, " " light, crackers, huntsville, " soda, " water, cracklin-bread, egg-bread, " " old-fashioned, " " soft, family bread, graham bread, grit or hominy bread, " " " d recipe, henrietta bread, indian " , lapland " , " " plain recipe, leaven, light bread, jenny lind bread, loaf, cottage, loaf bread, " " old virginia, " " d method, lunch bread, lunn, quick sallie, " sallie d, " " d, " " th, " " th, new bread, old maids, muffins, " d, " d, " bread, " corn, " cream, " white egg, " parker house, " salt sulphur, " soda, " superior, " sweet spring, mush bread, pockets, pone, st. nicholas, potato bread, puffs, breakfast, " nun's, rice bread, rolls, hot or cold loaf bread, " french, " " d, " " or twist, " pocketbook, " velvet, rusks, " egg, " german, salt risen bread, " " " d, turnovers, twist, wafers, waffles, " d, " d, " corn meal, " mush, " rice, " " d, " superior rice, " soda, " another recipe, yeast, " alum, " another recipe, " irish potato, " that never fails, coffee, tea and chocolate. café au lait, coffee, to make, " " d, " boiled, " dripped or filtered, " " " d, " to toast, broma, chocolate, cocoa, black tea, " " d, green " , " " d, " " a good cup of, iced " , milk and butter. butter, to secure nice for the table in winter, butter, putting up, clabber, cottage cheese, soup. asparagus soup, " " d, beef " , " " d, beef's head, to prepare as stock for soup, calf's head soup, " " " d, " " " d, " " " th, " " " th, " " " brown, clam soup, " " d, chicken soup, " " d, crab " , " " d, giblet " , gumbo " , " " d, okra " , ox-tail " , oyster " , " " d, " " d, " " economical, " " purée of, pea " , " " green, " " d, potato " , " " d, terrapin soup, mock, turtle " , " " d, " " d, " " mock, tomato " , " " d, " " clear, veal " roast, and chicken bone soup, vegetable soup, " " fine, oysters and other shell fish. clam or oyster fritters, crabs, to cook, " devilled, " " d, " hard, to devil, crab stew, " soft, lobster curry, terrapin, " or turtle in batter, " " steaks, " " stew, turtles, to cook, " stewed, oysters, broiled, " to cook, " " , " devilled, " " , " fritters, " " , " to fry, " fried, " " d, " to fry, " " d, " to keep alive and fatten, " pâtés, " pie, " " d, " pickled, " " d, " " d, " raw, " to roast, " sausage, " steamed, " shortcake, " scalloped, " " d, " " d, " " th, fish. a la crême, cat fish, " " or hog fish, cod fish balls, " " boiled, " " salt, to dress, " " nantucket, chowder, chowder, d, drum or sturgeon, german fish stew, halibut, " d, mackerel, boiled, " to broil, " salt, to cook, perch, to fry, rock fish, baked, rock, to boil, " boiled, d, " pickled, " to stew, shad, baked, " to barbecue, " " broil, " " fry, " potted, " to roast, salmon, to bake, to boil and steak, " to pickle, sheep's head, to bake, " or rock, to boil, " to bake, d, " " " d, " boiled, sturgeon, baked, " cutlet, " scalloped, trout, to fry, game. duck, wild, " " to cook for breakfast, fowl " " roast in a stove, goose " , " " d, partridges, to broil, " and pheasants, to cook, " to roast, pigeon, to broil, " pie, " to stew, rabbit, barbecue, " roast, " stewed, " " d, reed birds, to dress, sora, ortolans and other small birds, to cook, sora, ortolans, robins and other small birds, to cook, squirrel, to barbecue, turkey, wild, " " simple way of preparing, venison, haunch, " " of, venison, stewed, " " d, meats. backbone or chine, to cook, " pie, bacon, to cure, " curing, " fried, " and greens, " shoulder of, chine, to dress, " roast, ham, baked, " " d, " or tongue, bake, " broiled, " of pork, to cook, " for curing, " virginia mode of curing, " to boil, " " " d, " weighing lbs, " fried, " an improvement to, " relish, " spiced, " stuffed and baked, " to stuff, fresh cured, " toast, " " d, jowl and turnip salad, lard, to cure, leg of pork stuffed, pickled pork, equal to fresh, pork royal, " steak, sausage meat, " " excellent recipe, " seasoning for, salt pork, how to cook, spare ribs, " " pork, " " d, " " th, " " grisken and short ribs, to cook, souse cheese, " to make from hogs' feet, sweetbread of hog, tongue or ham, potted, barbecue shoat, forequarter of shoat to roast, head of shoat, " " " to stew, " " pig to hash, head and jowl of pig to stew, jowl of shoat, roast pig, " shoat, beef and veal. Ã�-la mode, " " d, " " d, boiled beef and turnips, brine for beef, brains, croquettes, " to dress, " " fry, " " " , " " stew, collaps, beef, collar, cow heel, " " fried, corned beef, " " d, " " d, " " and tongues, " " or pork, " round, to cook, " beef, how to cook, " " tongue, to cook, cure " for drying, " " ham, daube froide, dry beef and tongue, french dish, frizzled beef, fricasséed beef, gravy brown, " for roast beef, heel of beef to fry, hunter's beef or spiced round, " " " " " d, heart of " , kidneys, broiled, " fried, " " d, " grilled, " stewed, " " d, liver, " fried, " to fry, " to fry with onions, " dried for relish, ox-heart, to roast, roast beef, " " d, rib roast of beef, round of beef, to spice, rump " " to stew, steak, broiled, " " d, " how to cook, " fried, " to fry, " fried with onions, stew, lebanon, sausage, beef, " bologna, smoked beef, spiced " , tongue à la terrapin, " toast, " to stew, " to pickle, tripe, " d, " to fry, " " prepare, calves' brains, cake, of veal, chops, veal, cutlets, veal, " " d, " " d, cold veal, dressed with white sauce, daub veal, feet, calf's, dressed as terrapins, head, calf's, " " to bake, liver, bewitched, " broiled, " to fry, " " d, " simple way of cooking, loaf, veal, " " d, loin of veal, stewed, minced " , roast " , steak " , sweetbreads, " " d, " " d, mutton and lamb. broiled, chops, mutton, " " d, " " d, " " broiled, corned " , leg of mutton, boiled, leg of mutton, boiled, d, " " roast, roast mutton, saddle of mutton, to cook, " " " , " " iced, " " to roast, shoulder " corned, slices, grilled, stew, " d, tongues, sheep, lamb's head, " " to fricassee, roast lamb, shoulder of lamb, to grill, decorations and garnishes for cold meat and salads, poultry. chickens, " to boil, " " broil, " " dress with tomatoes, " " fricassee, " fried, " " d, " pie, " " d, " pudding, " " d, " " with potatoes, " to roast, " smothered, " to steam, " " stew, " " " , ducks, young, to prepare, " to stew, goose, devilled, " to roast, turkey, boiled, " " d, " boned, " devilled, " hash, turkey, meat jelly for, " roast, " " d, " " d, " " with truffles, " to steam, salads. celery salad, chicken " , chicken salad, d, " " d, " " th, " " for people, fish salad, irish potato salad, lettuce salad, " dressed, " " , lobster salad, oyster " , potato " , " " d, salmon salad, and lobster, slaw, " cold, " " d, terrapin salad, tomato " , turnip " , turkey " , " " d, " " d, veal and potato salad, sauces. anchovy sauce, apple " , cod's head, " for, fish " , " " d, " " d, " " or sauce for salad, dutch " for fish, horseradish sauce, maître d'hôte sauce, mint sauce, mushroom sauce, " " , nasturtium " , onion " , pepper vinegar, tomato sauce, sauces especially suitable for fowls. asparagus sauce, celery " , cranberry " , drawn butter, " " d, " " d, egg sauce, mushroom sauce, oyster " , sauce for boiled poultry, white sauce, salad dressing. cabbage dressing, celery dressing, " " d, chicken salad dressing, cold slaw " , lettuce " , " " d, sana mayonnaise, salad dressing, " " d, " " d, " " th, " " th, brunswick stews, gumbo, side dishes. apples, fried, " spiced, bacon fraise, beef cakes, beefsteak and potatoes, breakfast dish, " " d, broth, scotch, cassa rolls, calf's head pudding, cold chicken, devilled, " " with vinegar, croquettes, " d, " d, " th, chicken croquettes, croquettes balls, " potato " sausage " " d, " meat, crumb pie, dried apples, peaches, quinces and pears, to stew, fish and potatoes, forcemeat balls, fondée, giblet pie, gumbo, " d, " d, " filet à la creole, haggis, hash, " baked, hominy, to boil, " " d, " croquettes, " fried, hotch potch, liver pudding, loaf, meat, macaroni, " d, " d, " italian method, mince, with bread crumbs, " " potatoes, mushrooms, broiled, " to stew, " " fry or broil, " and sweetbread pâtés, mutton, hashed, " " d, " " d, nice pie, pig's head pudding, potato pie, " " d, pot pourri, prunes, stewed, ragoût souse, rice and egg pâtés, sandwiches, " d, squab pie, side dish, stew, black, stew, brunswick, stew " d, " " d, " " th, terrapin, mock, tongue and prunes, veal pâtés, welsh rarebit, eggs. Ã� la crême, boiled eggs, " " soft, baked for dinner, egg cups, breakfast dish, " for breakfast, egg with toast, ham and eggs, " egg pudding, omelette, " d, " d, " th, " cheese, " german, " ham, " mock, " soufflé, pie, egg, poached eggs, rumble " , scrambled eggs, " " , stuffed, vegetables. artichokes, burr, asparagus, to cook, " " d, beans, lima, to boil, " " " d, " " " d, beets, to boil, cabbage, with bacon, to boil, " boiled without bacon, " fried, " pudding, " " d, cauliflower, celery, corn fritters, " " d, " " for breakfast, " green, to boil, " pudding, " " d, " put in brine, cucumbers, to dress raw, cucumbers, to fry, cymlings, with bacon, " to fry, " fritters, " pudding, " or squash to stew, egg-plant, to bake, " " to fry, " " pudding, " " to stew, okra, onions, to bake, " " cook, " " dress raw, onions, to fry, parsnips, to cook, " " fry, " " stew, peas, cornfield or black-eye, " dried, to boil, " green, " , pees, kon-feel, potato chips, irish, " cakes, potatoes creamed, " irish, to boil, potato hash, " pudding, " snow, potatoes, sliced, to fry, " sweet, to boil, " " to cook inferior, " " to fry, radishes, ropa viga, salsify, to cook, " " fry, " " stew, " " " , slaw, warm, " " d, " " d, snaps, to boil, spinach, succotash, tomatoes, baked, " " d, " fried, " omelet, " raw, to dress, " " " d, " stewed, " " d, tomato toast, turnips, " salad, " to stew, yams, to dress, pickle and catsups. apple pickle, blackberry pickle, cabbage " for present use, " " cut, " " chopped, cantaloupe pickle, , , composition " , cherry " , chow-chow " , - " " " (leesburg), cucumber pickle, , - " " boiled, " " ripe, " " sweet, , damson " , , french " , green " , - german " , honolulu melon pickle, hyden salad, , - ingredients for one gallon green pickle, kentucky pickle, lemon " , mangoes, oil, , " to green, " stuffing for , " peach, , , " pepper, martinas pickle, , muskmelon pickle, onion " , , peach " , , " " spiced, " " sweet, pear, peach or quince pickle, plum pickle, preparing pickles, ragoût pickle, spanish " , sweet " , , tomato " (green) , , " " (sweet) , " " (ripe) " sauce (green) , , " marmalade or sauce for meats, vinegar for pickle, , " " yellow pickle, walnut pickle, , , watermelon pickle, , " " sweet, yellow " , - bay sauce, , caper sauce, celery vinegar, cucumber catsup, , horseradish sauce, mushroom catsup, , , " sauce, mustard, to mix, " aromatic, pepper catsup, " sauce, " vinegar, tomato catsup, , , tartan sauce, " " (morcan's), walnut catsup, , " leaves, catsup from, cake. almond cake, , angel's " , " bread, black cake, , brides' cake, , , capital " , citron " , , cocoanut cake, , , chocolate " , , " jelly cake, corn-starch " , clay " , cream " , , currant " , cup " , custard " , cake, " with sauce, " that never fails, delicate cake, , delicious " , fruit " , - fig " , gold " , mrs. galt's cake, jelly for " , , jelly " , jelly cake (lemon) , , " " (rolled) , " " filling for, kettle cake, lady " , , lee " (r. e.) , leighton cake, lemon " , , mountain cake, " ash-cake, merry christmas cake, marble cake, , " or bismarck cake, norfolk " , naples biscuit, orange cake, , , parson's " , pound " , , pineapple " , risen " , rose or clouded cake, ruggles' " , silver " , snow " , " mountain " , spice mountain cake, sponge " , sponge cake (confederate), " " (cream) " " (butter) , , " " (extra), " " that never fails, " " roll, , tipsy cakes, velvet " , white " , " " (superior) " mountain cake, , , " " ash-cake, " fruitcake, , , whortleberry, icing for cakes, icing, , , " boiled, , , " cold, " hot, , ginger bread, , ginger bread, cup cake, " " lightened, " " risen, " " soft, ginger loaf, molasses cake, , , " or black cake, " pound cake, small cakes, albany cakes, bonnefeadas, coffee cakes, cookies, cinnamon cakes, , coffee " , cream " , crullers, delicate tea cakes, , delicious small cakes, dimples, drop cakes, ginger cakes, , , " " (drop) " " (cheap) " bunns, " snaps, , , gloucester cakes, holmcroft, jumbles, , " (jackson), " (lemon), macaroons, marguerites, , , molasses cakes, nothings, scotch cakes, strawberry cakes, sugar " , shrewsbury " , sweet crackers, spice nuts, tea cakes, , , tartaric cakes, wafers, , puddings. apple pudding, , apple charlotte, apple custard, apple custard pudding, apple méringue, , apple dumplings, apple roll (baked), almond pudding, amherst " , arrowroot " , batter " , balloons, bread pudding, boiled bread pudding, , boiled pudding of acid fruit, " sweetmeat pudding, " molasses " , " pudding, , , " dumplings, paste for, cake pudding, caramel pudding, citron " , cocoanut " , , chocolate " , , cherry " , cheese-cake pudding, cracker " , cream " , currant " , custard " , cottage " , delicious pudding, " hasty pudding, eve's pudding, economical pudding, extra fine " , fruit " , , french " , feather " , irish potato " , indian " , jelly roll, lemon pudding, , lemon méringue, , molasses pudding, , , marrow pudding, original " , , orange " , , one egg " , peach dumplings, penny pudding, plain " , plum " , - " " christmas, " " economical, , " " english, " " rich, " " simpler kind of, poor man's pudding, puff " , preserve " , pudding without milk or eggs, queen of puddings, , - raspberry pudding, rice " , , sago " , , sippet " , snow " , , snowball " , sweet potato " , , " " roll, suet pudding, , " dumplings, steam pudding, superior " , sweetmeat pudding, , mrs. spence's " , tapioca " , " with apples, teacup pudding, texas " , thickened milk pudding, transparent " , , troy " , tyler " , virginia " , washington " , pudding sauces. brandy sauce, cold " , french " , lemon " , molasses " , nice " , rich " , sauce for pudding, , , " for boiled pastry, wine sauce, , pastry. apple pie, , , , , blackberry pie, cherry " , cream " , , currant " , custard " , cream tarts, cheese cakes, almond, , , " cornstarch, " lemon, damson pie, gooseberry pie, lemon " , , , , lemon cream pie, lemon tarts, mince meat, , , , , , molasses pie, , , , orange pie, , , , pastry, , , , puff paste, peach pie, peach méringue pie, potato pie (sliced), " " (sweet), prune " , prune tarts, rhubarb pie, soda cracker pie, silver " , sugar " , strawberry shortcake, washington pie, whortleberry " , fritters (bell), " (french), " (made with yeast), pancakes (common), " (quire of paper), jellies, blanc-mange, charlotte russe, baked custards, creams, etc. jelly (calves' feet), " cream, " crystal, " gelatine, , " " without straining, " " without eggs or boiling, jelly without boiling, " (stock), blanc-mange, , , " (arrowroot), " (coffee), blanc-mange, (chocolate), " (custard), charlotte russe, , , " " (strawberry), baked custard, , apples (baked), apple compote, " float, apples (nice dessert of), " (nice plain dessert of), " (iced), " (nice preparation of), apple snow, bonny clabber, cream (bavarian) , " italian, " russian, " spanish, , , " tapioca, , float, lemon froth, slip, syllabub, ice-cream. bisque ice-cream, buttermilk ice-cream, caramel ice-cream, " " (norvell house), cocoanut " , chocolate " , , gelatine " , ice-cream, , " (without cream), lemon ice-cream, orange " , peach " , pineapple " , strawberry ice-cream, vanilla " , white " , _frozen custards._ bisque, caramel custard, frozen custard, , , " pudding, plumbière, plum pudding glacé, _sherbet._ cream sherbet, lemon " , orange " , _water ices._ citron ice, gelatine ice, orange " , pineapple ice, , , raspberry " , watermelon ice, _fruit desserts._ ambrosia, , cantaleupes, peaches and cream, pineapple, strawberries, watermelons, preserves and fruit jellies. apples (preserved for winter use), apple mange, " preserves (crab), cherry " , candied fruit, damson preserves, fig " , fox grape " , fruit (putting up), lemon preserves, " " (sliced), " marmalade, " conserves, muskmelon preserves (ripe), orange " , " marmalade, , " conserves, peach preserves, , , " marmalade, " (brandy) , , " conserves, pear preserves, pineapple preserves, quince jam, raspberry jam, sweetmeat preserves, strawberry " , " jam, syrup (golden), tomato preserves, " sweetmeats, watermelon marmalade, " or muskmelon preserves, apple jelly, , , " " (crab), blackberry jelly, currant " , " " (without cooking), cranberry jelly, grape " , green grape jelly, orange " , jelly oranges, quince jelly, tomato, confectionery. almond macaroons, caramels, , " (chocolate), cocoanut balls, " caramels, , " drops, cream candy, cream chocolate, nut candy, molasses candy, sugar " , " kisses, wine. blackberry wine, , , cider " , cherry " , currant " , gooseberry " , grape wine, , " " (catawba), , " " (wild black), " " (native), fox grape wine, orange " , strawberry " , tomato " , apple toddy, , , beer (cream), " (ginger), " (lemon), " (small), " (summer), blackberry cordial, , cherry " , crab cider, cider (mulled), dewberry cordial, , , eggnog, lemon vinegar, " or orange syrup, mint cordial, orgeat, raspberry acid, " vinegar, , regent punch, roman punch, , rum " , strawberry acid, , " cordial, " vinegar, tea punch, the sick-room diet and remedies for the sick. aromatic vinegar, arrowroot, , , asthma, sore-throat and cough, remedy for, beef essence, " tea, boils, " salve for, bone felon, blisters, dressing for, breakfast for an invalid, breast salve, burns and scalds, carolina small hominy, carrot salve for blisters, cold in the head, cure for, , colic, cure for, " cramp, cure for, corns, remedy for, coughs, remedies for, chalk mixture for infants and young children, chicken essence, " jelly, " cholera, chilblains, chill pills, cuts, cracked wheat, croup, good treatment for, diarrhoea, remedy for, dysentery " " , earache " " , inflamed eyes, remedy for, epilepsy " " , food for sick infants, flames, to extinguish clothing in, jaundice, remedy for, jamaica ginger (brown's), lime-water, liniment (a good), " for rheumatism, " for recent burns, mashed finger, milk punch, mustard, " leaves, nourishing way to prepare chicken, squirrel, or beef for the sick, ocean salt, panada, prickly heat, remedy for, poison oak " " , poisons, antidotes to, - acids, alkalies, arsenic, carbolic acid, chloral, chloroform, copper, corrosive sublimate, gases, glass, in powder, iodine, lead, nitrate of silver, opium, phosphorus, prussic acid, strychnine, tartar emetic, venomous bites of rabid dogs and serpents, quinine, to take without tasting, racahaut, seamoss farina, seltzer aperient, soda mint, sore throat, remedy for, , , sick-room, , scarlet fever, preventive to, , , snake bites, toast, dry, " milk, " scalded, toothache drops, thieves' vinegar, weak back, remedy for, wine whey, whooping-cough, remedy for, house-cleaning. ants and bugs, to destroy, bedbugs " " , " poison, brasses, to clean, carpets, to wash, " to remove ink from, cement for rubber and glass, egg-beater, egg stains, to remove from silver spoons, floors to oil, " to dye, furniture to clean, " unvarnished, to clean, " polish, , , house-cleaning (directions for), - knives and tins, to clean, " to remove rust from, " to whiten handles of, mosquitoes, marble slabs, to clean, oil-cloth, to wash, , paint, to clean, rats, red ants, remedy for, sapolio for kitchen use, silver, to clean, , shading glass, mixture for, soap, concentrated lye, wall paper, to remove grease from, washing mixture, whitewash, outdoor, " indoor, recipes for restoring old clothes, setting colors, removing stains, etc. black cashmere, to wash, black crape veils, to renew, black silk, to renew old, " " to freshen old, blue calicoes, to keep bright and fresh, colors, to set, colors, to restore, cloth, to remove spots from, cloth, soap for removing grease from, clothes to clean, fruit stains, to remove, " or ink stains, to remove, iron rust, to remove, mildew, " " , " labaraque solution for, velvet, to restore the pile of, miscellaneous recipes. almond bandoline, ammonia, borax, bottle wax, blood stains, to remove, camphor ice, " salve, cold cream, chaps, lotion for, dandruff, to remove, fertilizer for strawberries, grafting wax, hair-oil, , " dye, , " tonic, " restorative, " to clean, " brushes, to clean, herbs, to dry, ink (black), " (red), liquid glue, " blacking, lip salve (red), rose bandoline, shoe blacking, shampoo liquor, sozodont, tooth powder, " " charcoal, the end. the new royal cook book the new royal cook book has been prepared to meet the large and ever increasing demand for a guide to wholesome and palatable home cooking. the young housewife will find here complete simple directions for making delicious cakes and other culinary delights. experienced cooks and those more skilled in the art will find here many of their favorite recipes and in addition helpful suggestions, especially in the matter of saving eggs and other expensive materials. =every recipe has been tested many times and all have been found excellent.= royal baking powder is used in all recipes in which a leavening agent is required, and the biscuits, muffins, griddle cakes, doughnuts, cakes and pastry prepared by its use are unequalled in texture and healthfulness. "royal" imparts a fine appearance, and a particularly good flavor to the food. housekeepers are urged to avoid substitutes for royal baking powder. failures in baking often result from the use of sour milk and soda, or even home made mixtures of cream of tartar and soda, because of inability to determine the uncertain strength of such materials and hence the proper proportions to use. =avoid all guess work by using "royal." it is always the same, always dependable.= copyright, , by royal baking powder co. new royal cook book--_index to recipes_ albuminized orange, almonds, salted, angel cake, - apple cake, apple dressing, apple dumplings, apple fritters, apple pie, apple roll, apple sauce, asparagus, - banana cake with jelly sauce, banana fritters, barley water, beans, - - - bean soup, bechamel sauce, beef, - - beef tea, beets, berries, canned, berry pies, beverages, biscuits and muffins, - blueberry cake, blueberry or huckleberry float, blueberry or huckleberry muffins, boiling and stewing (meats), - boston baked beans, boston brown bread, boston cream pie, bran biscuits, bread and rolls, - - bride's cake, broiling and frying, brussels sprouts, buckwheat cakes, buns, butter scotch, butter scotch icing and filling, cakes, - candies, - canning and preserving, - caramels, chocolate, caramel sauce, carrots, cauliflower, cereals (fireless cookery), charlotte russe, cheese biscuits, cheese in scallop shells or ramekins, cheese souffle, cheese straws, cherries, canned, cherry tarts, chicken croquettes, chicken patties, chicken pie, chicken salad, chili sauce, chocolate, chocolate blanc mange, chocolate cake, chocolate caramels, chocolate filling and icing, - - chocolate ice cream, chocolate layer cake, chocolate sauce, chow chow, christmas plum pudding, cinnamon buns, clam chowder, clam fritters, cocoa, cocoa cookies, cocoa cream candy, cocoa drop cakes, cocoa icing, cocoa syrup, cocoanut cake, feather, cocoanut cookies, cocoanut cream candy, cocoanut layer cake, codfish balls, coffee, coffee cakes, coffee fruit cake, coffee spice cake, cold slaw, conserve, plum, cookies and small cakes, - - corn and rice pone, corn, boiled, corn bread, corn, canned, corn fritters, corn gems, green, corn meal griddle cakes, corn meal muffins, corn pudding, cottage pudding, crabs, cranberry sauce, cream filling, cream layer cake, cream loaf cake, cream puffs, cream sauce, cream soups, - creole soup, croquettes, crullers, currant jelly sauce, currant tea cakes, currants, spiced, custard, baked, custard, pie, date and peanut paste, date bread, date cake, royal, date muffins, dates, stuffed, desserts, frozen, - devils food cake, doughnuts, dumplings, - eggless, milkless, butterless cake, eggs, - egg sauce for fish, fairmount cake, fig envelopes, fig pudding, filled cookies, fireless cookery, fish, - fritters, - frosting, ornamental, fruit cake, fruit filling, - fruit fritters, fruit layer cakes, fruit sauce, fruit shortcakes, - fruits, canning, fudge, fudge squares, gems, giblet gravy, gluten muffins, goose roast, graham bread, graham gems, grape sherbet, gravy, brown, griddle cakes and waffles, - ham, baked, ham, scalloped with eggs, hermits, hickory nut candy, hollandaise sauce, honey drop cakes, horse radish sauce, huckleberry or blueberry float, huckleberry or blueberry muffins, ice cream, icings and fillings, - - invalid cookery, - jams, jellies, jelly meringue, jelly roll, jelly sauce, kidney beans with bacon, kohl-rabi, lady baltimore cake, lamb, lemon jelly, lemon meringue pie, lemon or orange sauce, lemon sherbet, lima beans, liver and bacon, lobster salad, lobsters or crabs, luncheon dishes, luncheon or sandwich rolls, macaroni, baked with cheese, maitre d'hotel butter, maple icing, maple layer cake, maple nut cake, maple sauce, marble cake, marquise salad, marshmallow cookies, marshmallow filling, marshmallow icing, mayonnaise, meats, - - - meringues, mince meat, mince pie, mint sauce, molasses cakes, - molasses candy, muffins, - - nut and potato croquettes, nut and raisin bread, nut and raisin rolls, nut bars, nuts, creamed, oatmeal macaroons, omelets, onions, onion soup, orange cakes, orange filling and icing, - orange layer cake, orange water ice, oyster dressing, oyster plant, oysters, pancakes, french, parker house rolls, parsnips, pastry and pies, - - patty shells, royal, peaches, - peanut brittle, peanut butter bread, pears, penuche, pickles, - pineapple juice, planked fish, plums, - poor man's pudding, popcorn, candied, popovers, potato and nut croquettes, potato rolls, potato salad, potatoes, sweet and white, - pot roast of beef, poultry, - poultry dressing, - pound cake, preserving and canning - prune or date bread, prune puff, prunes, stuffed, puddings and other desserts, - pumpkin pie, raisin and nut bread, raisin and nut rolls, raisin drop cakes, raisin tea ring, raspberries, - rhubarb pie, rice croquettes, rice griddle cakes, rice muffins, rice pudding, rolls, - roast meats, - - rusks, russian dressing, rye rolls, salads and salad dressings, - sally lunn, salmon croquettes, sandwich rolls, sauces, fish, meat and vegetable, - sauces, pudding, - - scones, sea foam icing, shell fish, shortcakes, - soups, cream and from stock, - - spanish cake, spanish cream, spice cakes, spiced currants, spider corn bread, spinach, - sponge cake, - stewing and boiling (meats), stew with dumplings, strawberry ice cream, strawberry icing, strawberry mousse, strawberry pie, strawberry shortcakes, sunshine cake, sweetbreads, creamed, taffy, butter, tapioca pudding, tea, time-table for canning fruits, toast, french, tomato catsup, tomatoes and eggs, tomatoes, baked, tomato pickles, tomato sauce, tomato soup, veal, baked with tomato sauce, veal cutlet, vegetables, - - - vegetable salad, waffles, whole wheat biscuits, whole wheat hot cakes, some secrets of good cooking the addition of one or two teaspoons of royal baking powder to plain pastry will add wonderfully to its qualities, making it very light and tender. _omelets_ are improved by the addition of a small amount of royal baking powder. royal baking powder may be added with great advantage to _bread pudding_, _poultry dressing_, _stuffed_ or _deviled crabs_ and other preparations in which broken bread or bread crumbs are used. _icings_ and especially ornamental icings are improved in texture and flavor by the addition of about a teaspoon of royal baking powder. instead of adding soda to keep color in green vegetables use royal baking powder. royal baking powder for raising or leavening breads, biscuits, rolls, muffins, griddle cakes, doughnuts, cakes, pastries, puddings and other similar foods. absolutely pure and wholesome the principal active ingredient of royal baking powder is royal grape cream of tartar, a derivative of rich, ripe grapes. it perfectly aerates and leavens the batter or dough and makes the food finer in appearance, more delicious to the taste, and more healthful. it possesses the greatest practicable leavening strength, never varies in quality, and will keep fresh and perfect in all climates until used. the standard for over years for over years royal baking powder has been the standard. most of the famous baking recipes in use today were created with it. most of the famous cooking schools use it. housewives all over the world have followed the lead of the american housewife and insist upon it. "i must have la royal," say our spanish-speaking neighbors in mexico, cuba and south america. "i want royal baking powder and no other," say housewives in england, scotland and ireland. only unequalled quality could create such a world-wide demand. used in leading hotels prominent chefs and expert bakers in america, including those of the famous restaurants in new york, chicago, san francisco and other cities, consider royal baking powder the most reliable, most efficient and the most dependable leavening agent. physicians recommend royal baking powder for its wholesomeness and for the healthful qualities that it adds to the food. * * * * * _for making the finest and most healthful food, royal baking powder is indispensable._ general suggestions where shortening is mentioned in the recipes it is understood that butter or lard, or an equivalent quantity of butter substitute or vegetable oil may be used. measurements all measurements for all materials called for in the recipes in this book are level. the standard measuring cup holds one-half pint and is divided into fourths and thirds. to make level measurements fill cup or spoon and scrape off excess with back of knife. one-half spoon is measured lengthwise of spoon. sift flour before measuring. baking regulate the oven carefully before mixing the ingredients. many a cake otherwise perfectly prepared is spoiled because the oven is too hot or not hot enough. biscuits and pastry require a hot oven; cakes, a moderate oven. when a cake is thoroughly baked it shrinks from the sides of the pan. a light touch with the finger which leaves no mark is another indication that the cake is baked. * * * * * table of equivalent weights and measures saltspoon = / teaspoon teaspoons = tablespoon tablespoons = cup cups = pint pints = quart cups = quart cups granulated sugar = pound cups flour = pound cups butter = pound tablespoons butter = ounce tablespoons liquid = ounce tablespoons flour = ounce square unsweetened chocolate = ounce _all measurements are level. four level teaspoons of baking powder about equal one heaping teaspoon as heretofore used._ [note: the following lines are page headers which are repeated throughout the original book.] royal baking powder contains no alum royal baking powder is absolutely pure royal baking powder leaves no bitter taste royal is made from cream of tartar royal baking powder never disturbs digestion bake it with royal and be sure bread and rolls royal baking powder may be used instead of yeast to leaven bread. it does the same work; that is, raises the dough, making it porous and spongy. the great advantage in baking powder bread is in time saved. royal baking powder bread can be mixed and baked in about an hour and a half. royal baking powder bread cups flour teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar teaspoons royal baking powder medium-sized, cold boiled potato milk (water may be used) sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder, rub in potato; add sufficient milk to mix smoothly into stiff batter. turn at once into greased loaf pan, smooth top with knife dipped in melted butter, and allow to stand in warm place about minutes. bake in moderate oven about one hour. when done take from pan, moisten top with few drops cold water and allow to cool before putting away in bread box. boston brown bread cup entire wheat or graham flour cup corn meal cup rye meal or ground rolled oats teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt / cup molasses - / cups milk mix thoroughly dry ingredients; add molasses to milk, and add to dry ingredients; beat thoroughly and put into greased moulds / full. steam - / hours; remove covers and bake until top is dry. spider corn bread egg - / cups milk cup corn meal / cup flour tablespoons sugar teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoon shortening beat egg and add one cup milk; stir in corn meal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together; turn into frying pan in which shortening has been melted; pour on remainder of milk but do not stir. bake about minutes in hot oven. there should be a line of creamy custard through the bread. cut into triangles and serve. corn bread cup corn meal cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons sugar teaspoon salt - / cups milk tablespoons melted shortening egg mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk, shortening and beaten egg; beat well and pour into greased shallow pan. bake in hot oven about minutes. corn and rice pone cups corn meal teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt eggs - / cups milk tablespoons melted shortening cup boiled rice mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk and shortening to beaten eggs; stir into dry mixture; mix in rice and pour into shallow greased pans. bake in hot oven about minutes. graham bread - / cups flour - / cups graham flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoon melted shortening egg - / cups liquid ( / water and / milk) tablespoons sugar or molasses mix flour, graham flour, baking powder and salt together; add beaten egg, shortening and sugar or molasses to liquid; stir into dry mixture and beat well; add more milk if necessary to make a drop batter. put into greased loaf pan, smooth with knife dipped in cold water. bake about one hour in moderate oven. nut and raisin bread - / cups flour cups graham flour / cup corn meal / cup brown sugar teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder / cup chopped nuts cup ground raisins cups milk / cup molasses / teaspoon soda sift dry ingredients together. add nuts and raisins; add milk and mix well, then add molasses and soda which have been mixed together. bake in two small greased loaf pans in moderate oven about minutes. peanut butter bread cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt / cup sugar / cup peanut butter cup milk sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. add milk to peanut butter, blend well and add to dry ingredients; beat thoroughly. bake in greased loaf pan in slow oven to minutes. this is best when a day old. it makes delicious sandwiches cut in thin slices and filled with either cream cheese or lettuce and mayonnaise. prune or date bread cup prunes or dates - / cups graham flour or cup flour and - / cups graham flour / cup sugar teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cup milk tablespoon melted shortening stone and chop fruit (prunes must be soaked several hours and drained). mix flour, sugar, salt and baking powder; add milk and beat well; add fruit and shortening. put into greased bread pan; allow to stand to minutes in warm place. bake in moderate oven one hour. luncheon or sandwich rolls cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoon shortening - / cups milk sift together flour, salt and baking powder; rub in shortening; add milk, and mix with spoon to smooth dough easy to handle on floured board. turn out dough; knead quickly a few times to impart smoothness; divide into small pieces; form each by hand into short, rather thick tapering rolls; place on greased pans and allow to stand in warm place to minutes; brush with milk. bake in very hot oven. when almost baked brush again with melted butter. bake minutes longer and serve hot. if a glazed finish is desired, before taking from oven brush with yolk of egg which has been mixed with a little water. these rolls make excellent sandwiches, using for fillings either lettuce and mayonnaise, sliced or chopped ham, chopped seasoned cucumbers, egg and mayonnaise with very little chopped onion and parsley, or other filling desired. rye rolls cups rye flour teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder - / cups milk tablespoon shortening sift together dry ingredients; add milk and melted shortening. knead on floured board; shape into rolls. put into greased pans and allow to stand in warm place minutes. bake in moderate oven to minutes. potato rolls cups flour teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar teaspoons royal baking powder medium-sized cold, boiled potatoes water or milk sift thoroughly together flour, salt, sugar and baking powder; rub in potatoes or add after putting through ricer; add sufficient liquid to mix smoothly into soft dough. this will require about one and one-half cups. divide into small pieces; knead each and shape into small rolls; place on greased pan and brush with melted shortening and allow to stand in warm place to minutes. bake in hot oven and when nearly done, brush again with melted shortening. nut and raisin rolls - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk butter raisins chopped nuts / cup sugar sift flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together. add melted shortening and beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients, mixing well. turn out on floured board and knead lightly. roll out very thin. spread with butter and sprinkle with raisins, chopped nuts and small amount of granulated sugar. cut into about -inch squares. roll up each as for jelly roll. press edges together. brush over with yolk of egg mixed with a little cold water and sprinkle with nuts and sugar, and allow to stand in greased pan about minutes. bake in moderate oven from to minutes. parker house rolls cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder - tablespoons shortening - / cups milk sift flour, salt and baking powder together. add melted shortening to milk and add slowly to dry ingredients stirring until smooth. knead on floured board and roll one-half inch thick. cut with biscuit cutter. crease each circle with back of knife one side of center. butter small section and fold larger part well over small. place one inch apart in greased pan. allow to stand minutes in warm place. brush with melted butter and bake in hot oven to minutes. rusks - / cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons maple or brown sugar teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon cinnamon egg / to / cup water tablespoons shortening sift together flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and cinnamon; add beaten egg and melted shortening to water and add. mix well and turn out on floured board. divide into small pieces; with floured hands shape into rolls; place on greased shallow pan close together; allow to stand to minutes before baking; brush with milk and sprinkle with a little maple or brown sugar. bake in moderate oven to minutes. for hot cross buns, with sharp knife make deep cross cuts; brush with butter, sprinkle with sugar and bake. royal cinnamon buns - / cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening egg / cup water / cup sugar teaspoons cinnamon tablespoons seeded raisins sift tablespoons of measured sugar with flour, salt and baking powder; rub shortening in lightly; add beaten egg to water and add slowly. roll out / -inch thick on floured board; brush with melted butter, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and raisins. roll as for jelly roll; cut into - / -inch pieces; place with cut edges up on greased pan; sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. bake in moderate oven to minutes; remove from pan at once. brown sugar buns cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon shortening / cup milk tablespoon butter cup brown sugar sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add milk slowly to make a soft dough; roll out / -inch thick. have butter soft and spread over dough; cover with brown sugar. roll same as jelly roll; cut into - / -inch pieces and place with cut edges up on well greased pan. bake in moderate oven about minutes; remove from pan at once. coffee cake cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening / cup milk mix and sift dry ingredients; add melted shortening and enough milk to make very stiff batter. spread / -inch thick in greased pan; add top mixture. bake about minutes in moderate oven. top mixture tablespoons flour tablespoon cinnamon tablespoons sugar tablespoons shortening mix dry ingredients; rub in shortening and spread thickly over top of dough before baking. royal individual coffee cakes cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk sift dry ingredients together; mix in shortening; add beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients to make soft dough; divide dough into six long, narrow pieces; with hands roll out on board each piece very long and thin; spread with butter; cut each in two and beginning in center twist two pieces together and bring ends around to form crescent. put into greased pan; sprinkle with chopped nuts. bake in hot oven to minutes. while hot, brush over with thin icing made with / cup confectioner's sugar moistened with tablespoon hot water. raisin tea ring cups flour tablespoons sugar teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt / to / cup milk tablespoons shortening egg cup raisins, washed, drained and floured / cup chopped nuts sift dry ingredients together; add raisins; to milk add melted shortening and beaten egg, and add to dry ingredients to make a soft dough; roll out lightly about / -inch thick; divide into two long strips and twist together to form a ring; put into greased pan and sprinkle with sugar and nuts; allow to stand about minutes. bake in moderate oven to minutes. biscuits and muffins of all foods for breakfast, nothing is so appetizing and satisfying, as light, flaky, hot royal baking powder biscuit, with a crisp, brown crust, just from the oven, broken apart and spread with butter, honey, jam or marmalade. biscuits cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup milk or half milk and half water sift together flour, baking powder and salt, add shortening and rub in very lightly; add liquid slowly; roll or pat on floured board to about one inch in thickness (handle as little as possible); cut with biscuit cutter. bake in hot oven to minutes. emergency or drop biscuits same as recipe for biscuits with the addition of more milk to make stiff batter. drop by spoonfuls on greased pan and bake in hot oven. whole wheat or health biscuits cups whole wheat flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoons shortening cup milk tablespoons cut raisins mix well flour, salt and baking powder, or sift through coarse strainer; rub shortening in lightly; add milk; mix to soft dough, add raisins. drop with tablespoon quite far apart on greased baking tin or in muffin tins. bake in moderate oven about minutes. bran biscuits / cup bran - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar / cup water tablespoons melted shortening mix thoroughly bran, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar; add sufficient water to make soft dough; add shortening; roll on floured board to about / -inch thick; cut with biscuit cutter. bake in hot oven to minutes. cheese biscuits - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon shortening tablespoons grated cheese / cup milk sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and cheese; mix in lightly; add milk slowly, just enough to hold dough together. roll out on floured board about / -inch thick; cut with biscuit cutter. bake in hot oven to minutes. tea biscuits cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar egg tablespoons shortening / cup water sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add well-beaten egg and melted shortening to water and add to dry ingredients to make soft dough. roll out on floured board to about / -inch thick; cut with biscuit cutter. bake in moderate oven about minutes. muffins cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoon sugar / teaspoon salt cup milk eggs tablespoon shortening sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; add milk, well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well. half fill greased muffin tins and bake in hot oven to minutes. blueberry or huckleberry muffins cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup milk eggs tablespoon shortening cup berries sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk slowly, well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well and add berries, which have been carefully picked over and floured. grease muffin tins; drop one spoonful into each. bake about minutes in moderate oven. cereal muffins / cup cooked hominy, oatmeal or other cereal / teaspoon salt - / tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk cup flour / cup corn meal teaspoons royal baking powder mix together cereal, salt, melted shortening, beaten egg and milk. add flour and corn meal which have been sifted with baking powder; beat well. bake in greased muffin tins or shallow pan in hot oven to minutes. corn meal muffins / cup corn meal - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar cup milk tablespoons shortening egg sift together corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk, melted shortening and well-beaten egg; mix well. half fill greased muffin tins and bake about minutes in hot oven. crumb muffins cups stale bread crumbs - / cups milk cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs tablespoon shortening soak bread crumbs in cold milk minutes; add flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; add well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well. heat muffin tins, grease and drop one tablespoon of batter into each. bake to minutes in hot oven. rice muffins cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup milk egg tablespoon shortening cup cold boiled rice sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk slowly; then well-beaten egg and melted shortening; add rice and mix well. grease muffin tins; drop one spoonful of mixture into each. bake to minutes in hot oven. date muffins / cup butter egg cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup milk / pound dates cream butter, add beaten egg, flour in which baking powder and salt have been sifted, and milk. stir in dates which have been pitted and cut into small pieces. bake about minutes in greased gem pans in hot oven. for sweet muffins sift / cup sugar with dry ingredients. scones cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar tablespoons shortening eggs / cup milk sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add shortening and mix in very lightly. beat eggs until light; add milk to eggs and add slowly to mixture. roll out / -inch thick on floured board; cut into pieces inches square and fold over, making them three-cornered; brush with milk; dust with sugar. bake about minutes in hot oven. currant tea cakes cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / cup sugar / teaspoon salt cup milk egg tablespoons shortening / cup currants sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; add beaten egg and melted shortening to milk and add to dry ingredients; add currants which have been washed, dried and floured; mix well. the batter should be stiff. grease hot muffin tins and fill half full. bake about minutes in hot oven. popovers cups flour / teaspoon salt eggs cups milk sift together flour and salt. make a well in flour, break eggs into well, add milk and stir until smooth. pour into hot greased gem pans and bake to minutes in very hot oven. if taken out of oven too soon they will fall. graham gems cup graham flour cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cup milk egg tablespoons molasses or sugar tablespoons shortening mix together dry ingredients; add milk, beaten egg, molasses and melted shortening. bake in greased gem pans in hot oven about minutes. green corn gems cups green corn put through food chopper / cup milk, or / cup if corn is dry eggs cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper to the corn add milk and well-beaten eggs; add flour, baking powder, salt and pepper which have been sifted together; mix well. drop into hot greased gem pans. bake in hot oven to minutes. fig envelopes cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons shortening / cup milk cup chopped figs egg sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add shortening and mix in very lightly; add slowly enough milk to form soft dough. dust board with flour and roll out dough / -inch thick, cut into squares and on each piece put one tablespoon of fig; brush edges with cold milk; fold like an envelope, and press edges together. brush tops with egg beaten with one tablespoon milk and one teaspoon sugar. bake about minutes in hot oven. sally lunn cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup milk eggs tablespoons shortening sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar; add milk, well-beaten eggs and melted shortening; mix well. bake in greased shallow pan or muffin tins in moderate oven about minutes. griddle cakes and waffles griddle cakes, as made today with royal baking powder have become most popular. properly made they are delicious, healthful, appetizing and nutritious. the batter must be thin. the cakes should be small and not top thick--about one-eighth inch when baked. an iron frying pan may be used instead of griddle. in any case grease only enough to keep the cakes from sticking. turn only once. royal hot griddle cakes cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder - / cups milk tablespoons shortening mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk and melted shortening; beat well. bake on slightly greased hot griddle. griddle cakes with eggs - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder - / cups milk tablespoon shortening mix and sift dry ingredients; add beaten eggs, milk and melted shortening; mix well. bake on slightly greased hot griddle turning only once. buckwheat cakes cups buckwheat flour cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder - / teaspoons salt - / cups milk or milk and water tablespoon molasses tablespoon melted shortening sift together flours, baking powder and salt; add molasses and shortening to liquid; beat well. bake on hot slightly greased griddle turning only once. corn meal griddle cakes - / cups corn meal - / cups boiling water tablespoon shortening / cup milk tablespoon molasses / cup flour teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder scald corn meal with boiling water; add shortening, milk and molasses; add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. bake on hot, slightly greased griddle turning once. rice griddle cakes cup boiled rice cup milk tablespoon shortening teaspoon salt egg cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder mix rice, milk, melted shortening, salt and well-beaten egg; stir in flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. bake on hot, slightly greased griddle turning only once. french pancakes cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs tablespoon sugar cups milk / cup cream jam powdered sugar sift together flour, baking powder and salt. add eggs which have been beaten with the sugar, milk, and cream. batter should be very thin. heat small frying pan in which a little butter has been melted. pour in just sufficient batter to cover bottom of pan. cook over hot fire. turn and brown other side. spread with jam and roll up. sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot. whole wheat hot cakes cups whole wheat flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt - / cups milk teaspoon molasses tablespoon melted shortening eggs sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add milk, molasses, and shortening to beaten eggs and add to dry ingredients; mix well. bake on hot, slightly greased griddle turning only once. waffles cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt - / cups milk eggs tablespoon melted shortening sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add milk and shortening to egg yolks, and add to dry ingredients; mix in beaten egg whites. bake in well greased hot waffle iron until brown; turn once. serve hot with butter and maple syrup. fritters fritters are served for luncheon, dinner or supper, as an entree, a vegetable or a sweet, according to the ingredients used. the foundation batter is much the same for all fritters, and with some additions the first recipe given can be used for many varieties. by the use of royal baking powder, a fine fritter batter may be stirred up in a few minutes. fritters should be fried in deep fat, hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds. plain fritter batter cup flour - / teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt egg / cup milk sift dry ingredients together; add beaten egg and milk; beat until smooth. apple fritters large apples tablespoons powdered sugar tablespoon lemon juice peel and core apples and cut into slices; add sugar and lemon juice. dip each slice into plain fritter batter. fry light brown in deep fat. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar. fruit fritters fruits other than apples may be used in fritters by following the directions for apple fritters. canned whole fruits drained from syrup may also, be used. chop fruit (not too fine) and stir into plain fritter batter. drop by spoonfuls into deep hot fat, turning until brown. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar. banana fritters cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoon powdered sugar / teaspoon salt egg / cup milk tablespoon lemon juice bananas mix and sift dry ingredients. add others in order. force bananas through sieve before adding. beat thoroughly. drop by spoonfuls into hot fat. drain and sprinkle with powdered sugar. corn fritters / cup milk cups cooked corn - / cups flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoon melted shortening eggs add milk to corn; add flour sifted with salt, pepper and baking powder; add shortening and beaten eggs; beat well. fry by spoonfuls on hot greased griddle or frying pan. if fried in deep fat make batter stiffer by adding / cup flour and teaspoon royal baking powder. clam fritters - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika / cup milk or clam juice eggs - / teaspoons grated onion teaspoon melted shortening clams sift together dry ingredients; add liquid, beaten eggs, onion, and shortening; rinse clams, put through meat chopper and add to batter. take one spoonful batter for each fritter and fry on hot greased griddle or in deep fat. cake in no department of cookery is royal baking powder of more use and importance than in making fine cake. where fewer eggs are used, increase the amount of royal baking powder about one teaspoon for each egg omitted. if an unsalted shortening is used take slightly less and add a small quantity of salt. sift flour before measuring. the baking of cake is of primary importance. regulate the oven before putting materials together. see general suggestions, page . plain cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg teaspoon vanilla extract cup milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cream shortening; add sugar slowly, add well beaten egg and flavoring; sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add to mixture a little at a time, alternately with milk. bake in greased loaf, layer or patty pans in moderate oven. may also be used hot for cottage pudding. sunshine cake tablespoons shortening / cup sugar yolks of eggs teaspoon flavoring extract - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / cup milk cream shortening; add sugar gradually, and yolks of eggs which have been beaten until thick; add flavoring; sift together flour and baking powder and add alternately, a little at a time, with the milk to first mixture. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with white icing, page . _note_--this is an excellent cake to make in combination with the following three-egg angel cake. only three eggs are required for both. three-egg angel cake cup sugar. - / cups flour / teaspoon cream of tartar teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup scalded milk teaspoon almond or vanilla extract whites of eggs method i mix and sift first five ingredients four times. add milk very slowly, while still hot, beating continually; add vanilla; mix well and fold in whites of eggs beaten until light. turn into ungreased angel cake tin and bake in very slow oven about minutes. remove from oven; invert pan and allow to stand until cold. cover with white or chocolate icing, page . method ii boil sugar with cold milk until thick and pour very slowly over whites of eggs which have been beaten light with a wire whip. fold in flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together five times. with whip beat mixture with long strokes until very light; add flavoring; put into ungreased angel cake tin in cold oven, turn on heat and bake at very low temperature for minutes. raise temperature slightly and bake minutes longer or until thoroughly baked. remove from oven, invert pan and allow to stand until cold. cover with white or chocolate icing, page . angel cake whites of eggs teaspoon cream of tartar / cup granulated sugar / teaspoon salt teaspoon royal baking powder / cup flour teaspoon vanilla extract whip whites of eggs to firm, stiff froth; add cream of tartar; fold sugar in lightly; fold in flour which has been sifted four times with baking powder and salt; add vanilla. pour into ungreased pan and bake to minutes in moderate oven. remove from oven; invert pan and allow to stand until cold. ice with either chocolate or white icing, page . spanish cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk cream shortening; add sugar and yolks of eggs; beat well; sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon and add alternately with milk; fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with boiled icing, page . bride's cake cup shortening cups sugar teaspoon almond or vanilla extract / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder whites of six eggs beat shortening to a cream, adding sugar gradually; add flavoring extract; beat until smooth. add alternately a little at a time milk and flour which has been sifted three times with baking powder. beat whites of eggs until dry, and add to batter, folding in very lightly without beating. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about one hour. eggless, milkless, butterless cake cup brown sugar - / cups water cup seeded raisins ounces citron, cut fine / cup shortening / teaspoon salt teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cinnamon cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder boil sugar, water, fruit, shortening, salt and spices together in saucepan minutes; when cool, add flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about minutes. chocolate cake squares unsweetened chocolate tablespoons sugar - / tablespoons milk tablespoons shortening cup sugar eggs / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cook slowly until smooth first three ingredients. cream shortening; add sugar and beat well. add yolks of eggs and beat again. stir in chocolate mixture and then add alternately the milk and flour which has been sifted with the baking powder and salt. fold in the beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover with white or chocolate icing, page . pound cake cup butter cup sugar teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoon lemon extract eggs cups flour teaspoon royal baking powder reserve egg whites for icing cream butter, add sugar slowly, beating well. add flavoring and yolks of eggs which have been beaten until pale yellow. beat three egg whites until light and add alternately a little at a time with the flour which has been sifted with baking powder. mix well and bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven about one hour. cover with ornamental frosting, page , made with the two remaining egg whites. rich fruit cake cups shortening cups sugar eggs cups seeded raisins cups currants cups flour cup shelled almonds tablespoons orange peel tablespoons lemon peel cups sliced citron cup grape juice teaspoons cinnamon / teaspoon grated nutmeg / teaspoon ground mace / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon cloves / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening and sugar together; add beaten egg yolks; add raisins and currants, which have been washed, dried, and over which a cup and a half of the flour has been sifted; blanch almonds and put through food chopper with lemon and orange peel and add; slice citron very fine and add; stir in grape juice and half of stiffly beaten whites of eggs; sift together spices, salt, baking powder and flour and add; mix well and fold in remaining whites; pour into two -inch pans which have been lined with four layers of brown paper and bake in moderate oven one hour; then cover with double layer of brown paper; put asbestos plates underneath and continue baking about two hours longer. coffee fruit cake / cup shortening cup light brown sugar eggs / cup strong coffee / cup rich milk or cream - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / lb. raisins / lb. sliced citron / lb. figs, cut in strips cream shortening; add sugar; add egg yolks, coffee and milk; sift together flour and baking powder and add slowly; add fruit, which has been slightly floured, and fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased loaf pan from to minutes. royal date cake cup boiling water lb. stoned and cut dates / cup brown sugar tablespoons shortening square melted chocolate egg teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt - / cups flour / cup chopped pecan nuts pour boiling water over dates. cream sugar and shortening; add chocolate and beaten egg; mix well and add dates and water; sift baking powder, salt and flour together; add gradually with pecan nuts. bake in greased loaf pan in slow oven one and a half hours. royal cream loaf cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs teaspoon lemon extract / cup rich milk or thin cream cup flour / cup corn starch teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add beaten yolks of eggs and flavoring; add milk a little at a time; sift flour, corn starch and baking powder together and add; fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes, and cover with frosting, page . maple nut cake / cup shortening cup light brown sugar eggs teaspoon vanilla extract / cup milk - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cup chopped nuts--preferably pecans cream shortening, add sugar, egg yolks, flavoring and milk, and beat well; add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together, and add chopped nuts; mix in beaten egg whites. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. cover top with maple icing page . while still soft sprinkle with chopped nuts. soft molasses cake / cup shortening / cup brown sugar egg / cup molasses cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon cinnamon / cup milk cream shortening. add sugar slowly; beating continually; add beaten egg and molasses; add half of flour, baking powder, salt and spices which have been sifted together; mix and add milk and remainder of dry ingredients. mix well. bake in greased shallow pan in moderate oven about minutes. serve hot. fairmount cake cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / cup shortening - / cups sugar / cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract eggs / cup fresh grated cocoanut sift flour and baking powder three times; beat shortening and sugar to a cream; add milk and vanilla, then flour, a little at a time; beat until smooth; add eggs one at a time, stirring and beating batter well after each egg is added. bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven hour. cover with boiled icing, page and sprinkle with cocoanut. marble cake white part tablespoons shortening / cup sugar / teaspoon lemon extract / cup milk cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt white of egg cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add flavoring and milk. beat well and add flour sifted with baking powder and salt. mix in beaten egg white. dark part tablespoons shortening / cup sugar yolk of egg / cup milk cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cloves / teaspoon allspice teaspoon cinnamon tablespoons cocoa cream shortening; add sugar slowly; add egg yolk and mix well. mix in milk; add flour, baking powder, salt, spices and cocoa which have been sifted together. put this batter by spoonfuls and same amount of white batter alternately into greased loaf pan but do not mix. bake in moderate oven about minutes. cover with white icing, page . marble cake ii make plain cake page ; save one-third of batter and add to it - / squares melted unsweetened chocolate. drop by spoonfuls into white batter after putting in pan. bake in moderate oven about minutes. feather cocoanut cake - / cups flour / cup sugar teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons melted shortening egg / cup milk teaspoon lemon extract / cup fresh grated cocoanut sift flour, sugar and baking powder. add shortening and beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients. mix well, add flavoring and cocoanut and bake in greased loaf pan in moderate oven to minutes. sprinkle with powdered sugar, or ice with white icing, page with grated cocoanut sprinkled on top. chocolate layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar gradually, beating well; add beaten egg, one-half the milk and mix well; add one-half the flour which has been sifted with salt and baking powder; add remainder of milk, then remainder of flour and flavoring; beat after each addition. bake in greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. chocolate filling and icing cups confectioner's sugar boiling water teaspoon vanilla extract ounces unsweetened chocolate / teaspoon grated orange peel to sugar add boiling water slowly to make a smooth paste; add vanilla, melted chocolate and orange peel. spread between layers and on top of cake. orange layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar and egg yolks; mix well and add half the milk; add half the flour which has been sifted with baking powder; mix in flavoring, milk and remainder of flour. bake in two greased layer cake tins in moderate oven about minutes. orange filling and icing whites of eggs - / cups confectioner's sugar rind and soft pulp of orange whip eggs to stiff froth; add sugar, a little at a time, until stiff enough to spread. whip in pulp and rind of orange. orange coloring may be added if desired. white layer cake / cup shortening cup granulated sugar / cup cold water cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder whites of eggs teaspoon vanilla or almond extract cream shortening and sugar together until very light; add water slowly, almost drop by drop, and beat constantly; stir in flour and baking powder which have been sifted together twice; add flavoring; mix in egg whites which have been beaten until stiff. bake in two greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. put together with fresh strawberry or maple filling, page . devil's food cake / cup shortening cup sugar - / ounces chocolate / cup mashed potatoes egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / cup chopped nuts / teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar, melted chocolate and mashed potatoes; mix well; add egg yolk, milk and flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; beat well; add nuts, vanilla and beaten egg white; mix thoroughly. bake in greased shallow tin in moderate oven to minutes. marshmallow icing / cup granulated sugar / cup water or marshmallows white of egg few drops vanilla extract boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; melt marshmallows in syrup; pour slowly over beaten white of egg; add flavoring and spread _very thickly_ over cake. melt ounces unsweetened chocolate with one-half teaspoon butter and spread thin coating over icing when cool. cream layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs teaspoon vanilla extract / cup milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cream shortening and sugar together until light; add beaten egg yolks, flavoring and milk slowly; sift flour and salt; add half, then half beaten egg whites; add remainder of flour sifted with baking powder; stir after each addition; fold in remaining egg whites. bake in greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. put together with cream filling and cover top and sides with white icing. cream filling cup milk tablespoons corn starch / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar egg teaspoon vanilla extract scald milk. mix corn starch, salt and sugar with a little cold milk; add to beaten egg; then add to hot milk. cook about three minutes or until thick and smooth; add flavoring, and spread between layers. cocoanut layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar teaspoon vanilla extract egg cup milk cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening, add sugar slowly, add flavoring and beaten egg; add milk; mix well; then add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together. bake in three greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. cocoanut filling and icing - / cups granulated sugar / cup water egg whites / teaspoon vanilla extract, few drops lemon juice cup fresh grated cocoanut cook sugar and water slowly without stirring until syrup spins a thread; pour slowly over beaten egg whites; beat until thick; add flavoring. spread between layers and on top of cake. while icing is soft sprinkle thickly with cocoanut. maple layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar eggs teaspoon vanilla extract / cup milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cream shortening, and sugar; add egg yolks and flavoring; mix well; add milk slowly, stirring until smooth; sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add half to mixture, then half of beaten egg whites, then remainder of flour (stirring after each addition); mix in balance of whites. bake in greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. for middle layer of chocolate, take - of batter of above recipe and add oz. melted chocolate. put together with maple icing, page . fruit layer cake / cup shortening cup sugar egg teaspoon vanilla extract cup milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cream shortening well; add sugar; add yolk of egg and vanilla; mix well; add milk, then flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; mix in beaten egg white. bake in three greased layer tins in hot oven about minutes. put cake together with fruit filling and cover with white icing, page . fruit filling / cup fruit jelly cup water / cup chopped raisins / lb. chopped figs / cup sugar tablespoons corn starch / cup chopped blanched almonds or walnuts juice of / lemon cook jelly with water, fruit and sugar; add corn starch which has been mixed with a little cold water. cook until thick, remove from fire; add nuts and lemon juice. cool and spread between layers of cake. lady baltimore cake / cup shortening cup sugar whites of eggs / cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract or / teaspoon almond extract - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening; add sugar and unbeaten white of one egg; add milk very slowly, beating between each addition; add flavoring; add flour which has been sifted with baking powder; lastly fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in square greased layer tins in hot oven about minutes. use following filling and cover top and sides of cake with white icing, page . filling - / cups sugar / cup water whites of eggs / cup chopped seeded raisins / cup chopped figs cup chopped blanched almonds or pecan nuts / teaspoon vanilla extract boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread. pour syrup slowly over beaten eggs. mix in fruit, nuts and flavoring. spread between layers of cake. sponge cake eggs cup granulated sugar rind of half a lemon tablespoons lemon juice cup flour teaspoon royal baking powder / teaspoon salt beat egg yolks with wire whip until thick; add gradually sifted sugar, then grated lemon rind, lemon juice and one-half beaten whites; mix well; carefully fold in flour which has been sifted with baking powder and salt; add remainder of whites, mix lightly and bake in ungreased sponge cake tin in moderate oven to minutes. when cake shrinks from pan remove from oven and turn upside down on cake cooler. royal sponge cake cup sugar / cup water eggs cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract / cup cold water boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread and add slowly to beaten egg whites, beating until mixture is cold; sift together three times, flour, salt and baking powder; beat egg yolks until thick; add a little at a time, flour mixture and egg yolks, alternately to white of egg mixture; add cold water and flavoring; mix lightly. bake in ungreased tin in moderate, oven about one hour. milk sponge cake eggs cup sugar tablespoons hot milk teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract cup flour - / teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt beat egg yolks until thick; add half the sugar, beating continually; add hot milk, remainder of sugar and beaten egg whites; add flavoring; add flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together. bake in ungreased tube pan in moderate oven about minutes. coffee spice cake with mocha filling / cup shortening cup sugar eggs / cup strong coffee cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoons mixed spices cream shortening and sugar until light; add beaten egg yolks; add coffee slowly; add half the flour sifted with baking powder, salt and spices; mix well and add beaten egg whites; add remainder of flour and mix lightly. bake in greased layer cake tins in moderate oven to minutes. spread layers and cover top with mocha icing and filling tablespoon butter cup confectioner's sugar tablespoon cocoa tablespoons strong coffee / teaspoon salt cream butter and sugar; add cocoa, coffee and salt and stir until smooth. if too dry, add more coffee. icings and fillings boiled icing cup granulated sugar / cup water white of egg / teaspoon flavoring extract teaspoon royal baking powder boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; pour very slowly over stiffly beaten egg white and beat until smooth; add flavoring and baking powder; allow to stand few minutes before spreading. frosting unbeaten egg white - / cups confectioner's sugar teaspoon vanilla extract put egg white into shallow dish; add sugar gradually, beating with wire whip until of right consistency to spread; add vanilla and spread on cake. ornamental frosting - / cups granulated sugar / cup water egg whites teaspoon flavoring extract teaspoon royal baking powder boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; add very slowly to beaten egg whites; add flavoring and baking powder and beat until smooth and stiff enough to spread. put over boiling water, stirring continually until icing grates slightly on bottom of bowl. spread on cake saving a small portion of icing to ornament the edge of cake. this can be forced through a pastry tube, or, through a cornucopia, made from ordinary white letter paper. white or colored icing - / cups confectioner's sugar tablespoons hot milk / teaspoon butter / teaspoon vanilla extract add butter to hot milk; add sugar slowly to make right consistency to spread; add vanilla. spread on cake. for pink icing add one tablespoon strawberry or other fruit juice. for yellow icing add one teaspoon egg yolk and flavor with orange rind and one teaspoon lemon juice. seven minute icing unbeaten egg white / cup granulated sugar tablespoons cold water place all ingredients in top of double boiler. place over boiling water and beat with beater for seven minutes. add / teaspoon flavoring and spread on cake. for "chocolate icing" add to above - / ounces melted unsweetened chocolate. for "coffee icing" add tablespoons cold boiled coffee in place of water. chocolate filling and icing whites of eggs cups confectioner's sugar - / tablespoons milk teaspoon vanilla extract ounces chocolate teaspoon butter beat whites until stiff; add sugar slowly, beating well; add milk, vanilla and chocolate which has been melted with butter; mix until smooth. spread on cake. old-fashioned chocolate filling ounces melted chocolate tablespoons cream egg / cup powdered sugar tablespoon corn starch / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract add melted chocolate and cream to beaten egg; mix in powdered sugar gradually; add corn starch which has been mixed with a little cold water; cook in top of double boiler, stirring constantly until smooth and thick; add salt and vanilla. spread between layers of cake. soft icing / cup light syrup / cup granulated sugar tablespoons cold water whites of eggs teaspoon corn starch / teaspoon royal baking powder teaspoon vanilla extract boil syrup, sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; pour slowly into stiffly beaten egg whites and beat well. add corn starch, baking powder and flavoring, and mix until smooth. marshmallow filling and icing - / cups sugar / teaspoon salt / cup water / cup marshmallows whites of eggs mix sugar, salt and water, add marshmallows and boil until syrup spins a thread, then add slowly to beaten egg whites; beat until firm enough to spread. fruit filling cups granulated sugar / cup boiling water whites of eggs / cup chopped nuts cup mixed figs, raisins, citron, cherries and pine apple, cut fine boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread; beat whites until dry; add syrup gradually, beating constantly; when cool add nuts and fruit. spread between layers of cake. fresh strawberry icing crush ten strawberries with a little sugar and few drops lemon juice and let stand until juicy; mix in gradually three cups of confectioner's sugar. spread between layers and on top of cake. maple icing. i / teaspoon butter tablespoons hot milk - / cups confectioner's sugar / teaspoon maple flavoring add butter to hot milk; add sugar slowly to make paste of the right consistency to spread; add flavoring and spread on cake. maple icing. ii cup maple syrup whites of eggs boil syrup without stirring until it spins a thread; add slowly to stiffly beaten egg whites; beat with wire whip, preferably on platter, until stiff enough to spread. orange icing rind of orange teaspoons lemon juice cup confectioner's or powdered sugar white of egg grate orange rind and allow gratings to soak for some time in lemon juice; stir juice, sugar and egg together and beat thoroughly. spread on warm cake. jelly meringue white of egg / cup currant or other jelly put egg white and jelly together into bowl and beat with egg beater or wire whip until stiff. spread between layers or on top of cake. sea foam icing cup brown sugar / cup water white of egg teaspoon royal baking powder boil sugar and water without stirring until syrup spins a thread. add hot syrup slowly to beaten egg white, beating continually, preferably on platter with wire whip. add baking powder. when icing foams, put between layers and on top of cake. cocoa icing cup confectioner's sugar tablespoons cocoa egg white teaspoon vanilla extract tablespoon cream teaspoon melted butter add sugar and cocoa slowly to beaten egg white. then add vanilla, melted butter and cream to make soft enough to spread on cake. brown sugar icing and filling cups brown sugar cup milk tablespoon butter teaspoon vanilla extract cook sugar, milk and butter together until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water; add vanilla. beat until thick and spread on cake. chopped nuts can be added if desired. butter scotch icing and filling (without sugar) cups light syrup / cup butter / cup milk boil syrup, butter and milk together until it forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. cool slightly without stirring and pour while warm on cake. chopped nuts may be added while icing is still soft. cookies and small cakes cocoa drop cakes tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / cup cocoa / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar and beaten egg; beat well and add milk slowly; sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa into mixture; stir until smooth; add vanilla. put one tablespoon of batter into each greased muffin tin and bake in moderate oven about minutes. cover with boiled icing, page . or bake in shallow pan; cool, and before removing cut across diagonally to make diamond-shaped pieces; cover with icing. raisin drop cakes tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cup raisins teaspoon vanilla extract cream shortening; add sugar; add beaten egg and milk very slowly; add flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; add raisins which have been washed, drained and floured slightly; add flavoring, mix well. put a small amount of mixture into each greased individual cake tin and bake in hot oven to minutes. sprinkle with powdered sugar, or cover with icing. orange cakes tablespoons shortening cup sugar / cup milk egg cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon orange extract grated rind of orange cream shortening; add sugar slowly beating well; add milk a little at a time; add beaten egg; sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add to mixture; add flavoring and grated orange rind; mix well. bake in greased shallow tin, or individual cake tins, in hot oven to minutes. when cool cover with orange icing, page . spice cakes / cup shortening cup brown sugar egg - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon cloves / cup milk cup chopped raisins cream shortening, add sugar and beaten egg; add flour, baking powder and spices which have been sifted together; add milk and mix well; mix in raisins which have been slightly floured. bake in small greased tins in moderate oven about minutes. honey drop cakes / cup shortening / cup sugar / cup honey egg / tablespoon lemon juice - / cups flour - / teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening and add sugar slowly; add honey, beaten egg yolk and lemon juice; mix well and add flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; fold in beaten egg white. put into greased individual tins or drop far apart on greased baking sheet and bake in hot oven to minutes. molasses cakes cup molasses / cup sugar / cup melted shortening / cup boiling water cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon salt / teaspoon soda teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cloves cup stale bread crumbs mix molasses, sugar, shortening and boiling water together; add flour, baking powder, salt, soda and spices which have been sifted together; add bread crumbs; mix well. drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet and bake in moderate oven to minutes. small fancy cakes. i / cup shortening cup granulated or powdered sugar yolks of eggs / cup milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening, add sugar slowly and beat well; add beaten egg yolks; add milk a little at a time and flour which has been sifted with baking powder; divide batter in half and add to one-half, one teaspoon lemon juice and grated rind of half a lemon; to remainder of batter add two ounces unsweetened melted chocolate, one teaspoon vanilla. bake in shallow greased pan or in small individual tins in hot oven about minutes. if large pan is used, when cool, cut cakes into fancy shapes. cakes should be less than an inch thick when baked. spread with colored icing, page , or marshmallow icing, page . small fancy cakes. ii / cup shortening cup granulated sugar / cup water teaspoon vanilla extract cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder whites of eggs cream shortening and sugar together until very light; add water very slowly and beat constantly; add flavoring; stir in the flour, salt and baking powder which have been sifted together twice; mix in beaten egg whites. put about a teaspoonful of batter into small individual cake tins and bake in hot oven to minutes, or bake in shallow pan and cut as in above recipe or diagonally across making small diamond shaped pieces. spread with any icing desired. cookies / cup shortening cups sugar / cup milk eggs / teaspoon grated nutmeg teaspoon vanilla or grated rind of lemon cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening and sugar together; add milk to beaten eggs and beat again; add slowly to creamed shortening and sugar; add flavoring; add cups flour sifted with baking powder and nutmeg; add enough more flour to roll easily. roll out very thin on floured board; cut with cookie cutter; sprinkle with sugar; put a raisin or a piece of walnut in the center of each. bake about minutes in hot oven. cocoa cookies tablespoons shortening cup sugar / cup milk egg cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup cocoa cream shortening and sugar together; add milk and beaten egg; mix well. sift flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt together and add. roll out / -inch thick on floured board; cut with cookie cutter. bake in hot oven about minutes. cocoanut cookies / cup shortening / cup sugar egg / teaspoon lemon juice or extract / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cups fresh grated cocoanut cream shortening; add sugar, beaten egg and lemon; mix in milk slowly; add flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together; add cocoanut. the batter should be quite stiff. drop by small spoonfuls on greased pan. do not smooth over, but allow space for spreading. bake in moderate oven to minutes. filled cookies / cup shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening; add sugar, beaten egg, milk and vanilla; add flour, salt and baking powder, which have been sifted together. roll out thin on slightly floured board and cut with cookie cutter. place one teaspoon of filling on each cookie, cover with another cookie, press edges together. bake in moderate oven to minutes. filling teaspoons flour / cup sugar / cup water / cup chopped raisins / cup chopped figs mix flour and sugar together; add water and fruit. cook until thick, being very careful not to burn. marshmallow cookies follow recipe for cookies. roll slightly thicker. after removing from oven, cover with marshmallow icing, page . fudge squares tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg ounces melted unsweetened chocolate / teaspoon vanilla extract / cup milk cup flour teaspoon royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup nut meats chopped--not too fine melt shortening; add sugar and unbeaten egg; mix well; add chocolate, vanilla and milk; add flour which has been sifted with baking powder and salt; add nut meats, mix well. spread thinly on greased shallow cake pan, and bake in slow oven to minutes. cut into -inch squares before removing from pan. oatmeal macaroons cup sugar. tablespoon melted shortening eggs / teaspoon salt - / cups rolled oats teaspoons royal baking powder teaspoon vanilla extract cream sugar with shortening; add egg yolks, salt and rolled oats; add baking powder, beaten egg whites and vanilla; mix thoroughly. drop on greased tins about half teaspoon to each macaroon allowing space for spreading. bake about minutes in moderate oven. hermits tablespoons shortening cup brown sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon cloves teaspoon allspice teaspoon cinnamon cup chopped seeded raisins tablespoons chopped citron cream shortening; add sugar and beaten egg; mix well; add milk very slowly; sift flour, baking powder, salt and spices together and add slowly; add fruit dredged with flour. drop from spoon on greased tins and bake in moderate oven minutes. nut bars / cup shortening - / cups sugar eggs tablespoons milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup chopped blanched almonds cream shortening and sugar together; add beaten yolk of one egg; add beaten whites of two eggs and three tablespoons milk; mix well. sift together flour, baking powder and salt and add, mixing well. roll half of dough at a time / -inch thick on floured board; cut into bars by inches. brush with yolk of remaining egg mixed with one tablespoon milk and sprinkle with chopped nuts. bake in moderate oven about minutes. fruit shortcakes although strawberries are generally used, other fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, loganberries, bananas, peaches and oranges, and even stewed or canned fruit, can be substituted and make delicious short cakes. old-fashioned shortcake cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening / cup milk quart berries sift dry ingredients; mix in shortening; add milk to make soft dough; smooth out lightly. bake in greased deep layer cake tin in hot oven to minutes. split, butter and spread sweetened crushed berries or other fruit between layers. strawberry shortcake cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons sugar teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening egg / cup milk sift dry ingredients, mix in shortening; add beaten egg to milk and add to dry ingredients to make soft dough. smooth one half of dough out lightly. put into greased deep layer tin; spread with butter; cover with other half of dough which has also been smoothed out to fit pan. bake in hot oven to minutes. split while hot and spread crushed and sweetened berries and whipped cream between layers; cover top with whipped cream and whole berries. dust with powdered sugar and serve. royal strawberry cake cup sugar tablespoons shortening egg cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt cup milk teaspoon vanilla extract / pint heavy cream quart strawberries cream sugar and shortening together; add beaten egg; add part of flour, baking powder and salt which have been sifted together, then part of milk; mix well and add remainder of flour; mix in remainder of milk and flavoring. bake in shallow greased pan in moderate oven to minutes. when cold split in half and spread whipped cream and crushed sweetened strawberries between layers. cover top with whipped cream and whole strawberries. doughnuts these old-fashioned "fried cakes," as sometimes called, need the addition of royal baking powder to make them light, tender and digestible. the fat should be in a deep kettle, and hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds or the doughnuts will absorb grease. doughnuts tablespoons shortening / cup sugar egg / cup milk teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon salt cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder cream shortening; add sugar and beaten egg; stir in milk; add nutmeg, salt, flour and baking powder which have been sifted together and enough additional flour to make dough stiff enough to roll. roll out on floured board to about / -inch thick; cut out. fry in deep fat hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds. drain on unglazed paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. afternoon tea doughnuts eggs tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt / teaspoon grated nutmeg tablespoons melted shortening tablespoons milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder beat eggs until very light; add sugar, salt, nutmeg, shortening and milk; add flour and baking powder which have been sifted together; mix well. drop by teaspoonfuls into deep hot fat and fry until brown. drain well on unglazed paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar. crullers tablespoons shortening cup sugar eggs cups flour teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder / cup milk cream shortening; add gradually sugar and beaten eggs; sift together flour, cinnamon, salt and baking powder; add one-half and mix well; add milk and remainder of dry ingredients to make soft dough. roll out on floured board to about / inch thick and cut into strips about inches long and / inch wide; roll in hands and twist each strip bringing ends together. fry in deep fat. drain and roll in powdered sugar. puddings and other desserts baked custard eggs / cup sugar / teaspoon salt teaspoon vanilla extract quart milk beat eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla together; scald milk and add very slowly, stirring constantly. put into greased baking dish or small molds; place in pan of water in slow oven and bake to minutes. test with knife which will come out clean when custard is baked. for caramel custard add to eggs tablespoons caramel sauce, page . rice pudding cup rice - / quarts milk teaspoon salt cup sugar cup seeded raisins grated orange rind wash rice with several waters; put into pudding dish; add milk, salt, orange rind and sugar and bake in slow oven about - / hours or until thick, stirring several times during baking; add raisins, and bake minutes longer. cottage pudding cup flour / cup sugar / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder / cup milk egg tablespoons melted shortening sift together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder; add milk, beaten egg and shortening; beat well and bake in greased pan in hot oven about minutes. serve with lemon, chocolate or other sauce. tapioca pudding / cup pearl tapioca or tablespoons minute tapioca quart milk teaspoon melted butter tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt eggs teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract soak tapioca in cold water one hour; drain; add milk and butter, and cook in double boiler until tapioca is transparent. add sugar and salt to beaten eggs and combine by pouring hot mixture slowly on eggs. return to double boiler and cook until thick. add flavoring and serve hot or cold with cream. poor man's pudding / cup chopped suet / cup seeded raisins / cup currants - / cups grated bread cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / cup brown sugar cups milk mix ingredients in order given; beat well. put into greased mold; place in covered saucepan with boiling water half way up sides of mold. steam hours. turn out carefully. serve with hard or other sauce, page . apple cake - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup milk or apples / cup sugar teaspoon cinnamon sift together flour, baking powder and salt; rub in shortening very lightly; add milk and mix. place dough on floured board and pat out / inch thick. put into shallow greased pan. wash, pare, core and cut apples into sections; press them into dough; sprinkle with sugar and dust with cinnamon. bake in moderate oven minutes or until apples are tender and brown. serve warm with milk or cream. apple dumplings cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening / cup milk apples tablespoons sugar teaspoons butter teaspoon cinnamon sift together flour, baking powder and salt; rub shortening in lightly; add just enough milk to make a dough. roll out / inch thick on floured board; divide into four parts; lay on each part an apple which has been washed, pared, cored and sliced; put one teaspoon sugar with / teaspoon butter on each; wet edges of dough with cold water and fold around apple, pressing tightly together. place in pan, sprinkle with little cinnamon, remainder of sugar and put / teaspoon butter on each dumpling. bake about minutes in moderate oven. serve with hard sauce, page . peach dumplings may be made in the same way. apple roll medium sized apples - / cups sugar cups water peel, core and chop apples fine. cook sugar and water in baking pan over slow fire. while cooking make rich biscuit dough (see strawberry shortcake, page ). roll out about / -inch thick, spread with apples and roll into a long roll; cut into pieces about - / or inches long; place with cut side down in hot syrup; sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and put small piece of butter on top of each. bake in hot oven until apples are done and crust golden brown. turn out on platter. serve with plain or whipped cream. peaches or other fruit may be used in place of apples. meringues whites of eggs - / cups granulated sugar teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon vanilla extract beat whites of eggs until stiff and dry; add gradually two-thirds of sugar, and continue beating until mixture holds shape; fold in remaining sugar sifted with baking powder; add vanilla. drop by spoonfuls on unglazed paper and bake in moderate oven minutes. increase heat and bake minutes longer. remove any soft part from center of meringues and return to oven to dry out, after turning off heat. use two meringues for each serving and put together with ice cream or with sweetened whipped cream and crushed raspberries or strawberries. banana cake with jelly sauce cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt / cup milk egg bananas sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt; add milk and beaten egg; mix well. peel and scrape bananas; cut in halves, lengthwise, then across. pour batter into greased shallow pan, place bananas on top and sprinkle with sugar. bake in moderate oven minutes. serve with jelly sauce cup water tablespoons jelly tablespoon sugar teaspoon corn starch put water into saucepan; bring to a boil; add jelly and sugar; stir until dissolved; add corn starch wet with a little cold water; boil minutes. charlotte russe pint cream / cup powdered sugar teaspoon vanilla extract mix ingredients. have very cold and whip to stiff froth. line dish with sponge cake or lady fingers, fill with whipped cream and serve cold. boston cream pie eggs cup flour - / teaspoons royal baking powder / cup sugar / teaspoon salt / cup boiling milk / teaspoon vanilla extract add beaten egg yolks to stiffly beaten whites and gradually add flour, baking powder, sugar and salt which have been sifted together three or four times; add hot milk very slowly; add vanilla. bake in deep layer cake tin in moderate oven about minutes. when cool, split and put between layers the following cream filling. sprinkle powdered sugar on top of cake. cream filling / cup sugar tablespoons corn starch / teaspoon salt eggs cup scalded milk teaspoon butter / teaspoon vanilla extract mix sugar, corn starch, salt and beaten eggs; pour on gradually scalded milk; add butter; cook in double boiler until thick and smooth, stirring constantly; add flavoring; cool and spread between layers of cake. blueberry cake tablespoons shortening cup sugar egg / cup milk - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder - / cups floured blueberries cream shortening; add sugar, beaten egg and milk; sift flour and baking powder and add; stir in blueberries. bake in very shallow greased pan in moderate oven to minutes. serve hot with or without butter. chocolate blanc mange tablespoons corn starch / cup sugar / teaspoon salt quart milk ounces unsweetened chocolate teaspoon vanilla extract mix corn starch, sugar and salt together with a little of the cold milk. put remainder of milk on to scald with chocolate, which has been cut into small pieces. as soon as chocolate is dissolved, stir in the corn starch mixture. cook until thick and smooth, stirring constantly. set over hot water and cook about minutes longer. add flavoring; pour into a mold which has been wet in cold water. chill, and serve cold with sweetened whipped cream. floating island quart milk eggs tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt / cup currant jelly teaspoons vanilla or almond extract scald milk; beat egg yolks; stir in sugar and salt; add hot milk gradually, mixing well. cook slowly in saucepan until mixture begins to thicken, stirring continually. cool, flavor and put into dish. make meringue of whites whipped until dry, and into which jelly has been beaten, a teaspoon at a time, and heap on top; or drop meringue by spoonfuls on top of custard and put small pieces of jelly in center of each. chill and serve. huckleberry or blueberry float cup berries tablespoons sugar cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon shortening / cup milk pick over and wash berries; put into small saucepan with half cup of water, and bring quickly to boil; add sugar and boil minutes. sift flour, baking powder and salt; mix in shortening very lightly; add milk slowly. take a teaspoonful at a time in floured hands and roll into balls. place on floured pie tin; brush with cold milk and bake about minutes in hot oven. while warm break in half; butter each biscuit; put into dish and pour berries over. serve hot with hard sauce. christmas plum pudding cups ground suet cups bread crumbs cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder cups sugar cups seeded raisins cups currants cup finely cut citron cup finely cut figs tablespoon finely cut orange peel tablespoon finely cut lemon peel teaspoon ground cinnamon teaspoon ground ginger / teaspoon ground cloves / teaspoon ground nutmeg / teaspoon ground mace tablespoon salt cup water cup grape or other fruit juice mix thoroughly all dry ingredients and add fruit; stir in water and fruit juice and mix thoroughly. add more water if necessary to make stiff dough. fill greased molds / full, and steam five or six hours. this pudding should be prepared and cooked a week or more before used. before serving steam one hour and serve with hard, lemon or foamy sauce. cream puffs cup boiling water / cup shortening cup flour / teaspoon salt eggs teaspoons royal baking powder heat water and shortening in saucepan until it boils up well; add all at once flour sifted with salt and stir vigorously. remove from fire as soon as mixed, cool, and mix in unbeaten eggs, one at a time; add baking powder; mix and drop by spoonfuls - / inches apart on greased tin; shape into circular form with wet spoon. bake about minutes in hot oven. cut with sharp knife near base to admit filling. cream filling cup sugar / cup corn starch / teaspoon salt egg cups scalded milk teaspoon vanilla extract mix dry ingredients; add slightly beaten egg and stir into this gradually the scalded milk. cook about minutes in double boiler, stirring constantly until thickened. cool slightly and flavor. sweetened whipped cream may be used instead of this filling. steamed fig pudding / cup shortening cup sugar egg cup milk cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon vanilla or lemon extract - / cups chopped figs cream shortening; add sugar slowly and beaten egg; add milk; mix well; add flour, baking powder and salt, which have been sifted together; add flavoring and figs. pour into greased pudding mold and steam for two hours. serve with foamy sauce. prune puff eggs / cup powdered sugar cup cooked prunes whip egg whites to stiff froth; add sugar slowly, beating continually; add prunes which have been stoned and chopped; whip until very light. bake in pudding dish in moderate oven about minutes. serve cold with soft custard made from yolks of eggs (see recipe for floating island, page ). other soft fruits may be used in the same way served hot with sauce or whipped cream. lemon jelly cup sugar - / cups water tablespoon granulated gelatine / cup lemon juice boil sugar and water two or three minutes; add gelatine which has been soaked in two tablespoons cold water, stirring constantly; add lemon juice. chill in mold which has been dipped in cold water and serve. fruit may be molded in the jelly by chilling part of mixture, adding fruit, then jelly; chilling and so on until mold is filled. jelly roll cup sugar - / cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs tablespoons hot water currant or other jelly sift dry ingredients; stir in beaten eggs; add hot water slowly; beat until smooth; pour into large well greased pan. batter should be spread very thin and not more than / inch thick when baked. bake in moderate oven to minutes. turn out on sheet of brown paper; beat jelly with fork and spread on cake. with sharp knife trim off all crusty edges and roll up while still warm by lifting one side of paper. to keep roll perfectly round, wrap in slightly damp cloth until cool. sprinkle with powdered sugar. pudding sauces hard sauce / cup butter cup powdered sugar / teaspoon flavoring extract cream butter until very light; add sugar very slowly, beating until light and creamy. add flavoring and beat again. foamy sauce tablespoons butter cup powdered sugar eggs teaspoon vanilla extract tablespoons boiling water cream butter; add sugar slowly, beating continually; beat egg yolks until thick and add gradually; beat well; add stiffly beaten egg whites, flavoring and water. before serving, heat over boiling water five minutes, stirring constantly. chocolate sauce ounce unsweetened chocolate tablespoon butter / cup boiling water cup sugar / teaspoon vanilla extract melt chocolate in top of double boiler. add butter and when mixed pour water on slowly, stirring constantly, then add sugar. bring to boiling point and boil about fifteen minutes, add vanilla, and serve hot. maple sauce cup sugar cup water tablespoon lemon juice tablespoon maple flavoring teaspoon corn starch heat half the sugar in frying pan; stir continually; when brown add water and boil; add remainder of sugar, corn starch mixed with a little cold water, lemon juice and maple flavoring; boil minutes. serve hot. lemon or orange sauce cup water tablespoons lemon or orange juice tablespoons sugar teaspoons corn starch boil water, sugar and corn starch mixed with little cold water. boil minutes and add fruit juice and tablespoon caramel if dark color is desired. fruit sauce / cup butter cup fresh strawberries, raspberries or canned fruit drained from syrup cup powdered sugar egg white cream butter; add sugar gradually; add egg beaten until stiff and beat well; add slowly fruit which has been carefully prepared and mashed. beat until creamy. caramel sauce cups granulated sugar cups boiling water melt sugar in saucepan and heat, stirring constantly until golden brown; add boiling water. cook three minutes. pastry and pies a pinch of salt and a little royal baking powder make pastry light, flaky and more digestible. pastry should rise in baking to double its thickness, and be in light flaky layers. the novice must learn to handle it lightly and as little as possible in rolling and turning. it is important to have all materials and utensils cold. pastry is better if allowed to stand in the icebox several hours before using. plain pastry cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder / cup shortening cold water sift together flour, salt and baking powder; add shortening and rub in very lightly with tips of fingers. add cold water very slowly, enough to hold dough together (do not work or knead dough and handle as little as possible). divide in halves; roll out one part thin on floured board, and use for bottom crust. after pie is filled roll out other part for top. cover pie; press edges together; trim off pastry and bake. rich pastry cups pastry flour / teaspoon royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup shortening cold water sift flour, baking powder and salt; add one-half shortening and rub in lightly with fingers; add water slowly until of right consistency to roll out. divide in halves; roll out one half thin; put on in small pieces half remaining shortening; fold upper and lower edges in to center; fold sides in to center; fold sides to center again; roll out thin and put loosely over pie plate, bringing paste well over edge of plate; trim off edges. repeat with other half for top crust. apple pie - / cups flour - / teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup shortening cold water apples or quart sliced apples tablespoons sugar tablespoon butter sift flour, baking powder and salt; add shortening and rub in very lightly; add just enough water to hold dough together. roll half out on floured board, line bottom of pie plate; fill in apples, which have been washed, pared and cut into thin slices; sprinkle with sugar, and small pieces of butter; flavor with cinnamon or nutmeg; wet edges of crust with cold water; roll out remainder of pastry; cover pie, pressing edges tightly together, trim off extra pastry; prick top, and bake in moderate oven minutes. lemon meringue pie cups water tablespoons corn starch tablespoons flour cup sugar eggs tablespoons lemon juice teaspoon grated lemon rind teaspoon salt line pie plate loosely with pastry and bake about minutes or until very light brown. put water on to boil; mix corn starch, flour and sugar with / cup cold water until smooth; add egg yolks; mix well and add slowly to boiling water. cook minutes, stirring constantly; add lemon juice, rind and salt. pour into baked crust. beat egg whites; add tablespoons sugar and spread thickly over top of pie. dust with sugar and brown in very slow oven. strawberry pie cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening / cup cold water quart strawberries sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with finger tips; add water slowly to make a stiff dough. roll out on floured board and use for bottom crust of pie, being careful to fold the paste well over the edge of pie plate. bake in hot oven to minutes. if glazed crust is desired, brush edges after baking with boiling hot syrup ( tablespoons syrup and tablespoon water) and return to oven for or minutes until syrup hardens. fill the baked crust with fresh selected hulled strawberries and cover with syrup made as follows: add / cup sugar and / cup strawberries to cups boiling water; bring to a boil and strain; add tablespoon corn starch which has been mixed with little cold water. cook over hot fire for a minute or two, stirring constantly; remove from fire and beat hard; return to slow fire, cook very gently until thick. pour while hot over strawberries. serve either hot or cold. mince pie mince pie should always be made with two crusts. line pie plate with paste, page , fill with mince meat, cover with paste and bake in hot oven minutes. mince meat lbs. fresh lean beef, boiled and chopped fine when cold lb. suet chopped very fine lbs. chopped apples lb. seeded raisins lbs. currants / lb. sliced citron - / teaspoons cinnamon grated nutmeg tablespoons ground mace tablespoon ground cloves tablespoon allspice tablespoon fine salt - / lbs. brown sugar qt. sherry or qt. boiled cider pt. brandy mix all ingredients thoroughly. pack in jars. store in cold, dry place. allow to stand hours before using. custard pie eggs / cup sugar teaspoon salt cups milk teaspoon vanilla extract beat eggs; add sugar, salt and scalded milk slowly. line pie plate with paste, page , pour in custard. bake in moderate oven to minutes. the custard is baked when a knife put in center comes out dry. cocoanut pie is made the same way, adding cup fresh grated cocoanut, and using only eggs. bake as above. pumpkin pie cups stewed and strained pumpkin cups rich milk or cream / cup brown or granulated sugar eggs / teaspoon ginger / teaspoon salt teaspoon cinnamon mix pumpkin with milk, sugar, beaten eggs, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and beat minutes. pour into pie tin which has been lined with pastry. place in hot oven for fifteen minutes, then reduce heat and bake minutes in moderate oven. rhubarb pie cups rhubarb cup sugar tablespoon corn starch or flour / teaspoon salt cut off root, stem ends and peel; cut into small pieces; put into deep pie plate which has been lined with paste, page , sprinkle with corn starch, salt and sugar. cover with paste and bake in hot oven about one-half hour. berry pies cups blueberries, huckleberries, or blackberries / cup sugar / teaspoon salt teaspoon flour teaspoon butter line a pie plate with plain paste, page , fill heaping with berries; dredge with flour, salt and sugar; dot with small pieces of butter; cover with top crust or strips of pastry across top. bake about minutes in moderate oven. other fruit pies can be made in the same way. cherry tarts - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoons shortening / cup cold water quart pitted cherries sift dry ingredients together; rub in shortening very lightly with fingertips; add water slowly, just enough to make stiff dough; roll out very thin on floured board and line patty pans, being very careful to have pastry come well over the edges of pans. bake in hot oven about or minutes. fill with cherries. cover with hot syrup made as for strawberry pie, page , using / cup juice from the cherries instead of strawberries. other fruit can be used in place of cherries. frozen desserts how to freeze scald can, cover and dasher, adjust can in freezer; put in dasher; pour in the mixture to be frozen and fasten cover (the can should never be more than / full); adjust crank and turn once or twice. fill space around can to within an inch of top with ice and salt (three parts crushed ice to one part salt), packing hard. turn slowly at first, increasing speed when mixture begins to stiffen. add more ice and salt as required. when mixture is very firm, wipe off cover, open can and remove dasher; scrape frozen mixture from dasher and sides of can, and pack down solidly; cover with paper and replace can cover. put cork in opening in cover. pour off salt water if there is danger of its getting into the can. fill up over top of can with ice and salt (four parts ice to one part salt). cover freezer with heavy blanket and keep in cool place until ready to serve. philadelphia ice cream quart cream cup sugar tablespoon vanilla extract scald half pint of cream; add sugar and stir until dissolved. cool and add remainder of cream and vanilla. freeze as above. strawberry ice cream add to philadelphia ice cream before freezing one quart of berries which have been washed, hulled, crushed and slightly sweetened. chocolate ice cream melt ounces unsweetened chocolate with half pint cream and proceed as for philadelphia ice cream. french ice cream cup milk yolks of eggs cup sugar / teaspoon salt tablespoon vanilla extract quart cream scald milk and add to beaten egg yolks; add sugar, salt, vanilla and cream which has been whipped. freeze as above. frozen pudding cups milk eggs cup sugar tablespoon corn starch cup chopped mixed fruit scald milk in double boiler. mix corn starch with a little cold milk; add beaten eggs, sugar and a few grains of salt; mix well and add slowly to scalded milk, stirring until it thickens. cool and add fruit, which has been put through food chopper. the fruit is a matter of taste. it may be tablespoons raisins, tablespoon citron, tablespoon cherries, tablespoon blanched almonds and tablespoon candied pineapple. freeze, but not too stiff; put into mold and pack in ice and salt until ready to serve. grape sherbet pint grape juice cup sugar quart milk warm grape juice, and in it dissolve sugar; mix thoroughly with ice cold milk; freeze at once. this makes a lilac colored sherbet. lemon sherbet juice of lemons - / cups sugar quart milk mix juice and sugar, stirring constantly while slowly adding very cold milk. if added too rapidly, mixture will curdle. however, this does not affect quality. freeze and serve. orange water ice juice of oranges teaspoons orange extract juice of lemon quart water cups powdered sugar / cup cream mix all ingredients together; strain and freeze. strawberry mousse box strawberries cup sugar / box or tablespoon granulated gelatine tablespoons cold water tablespoons boiling water quart cream wash and hull berries, sprinkle with sugar and let stand one hour; mash and rub through fine sieve; add gelatine which has been soaked in cold water and dissolved in the boiling water. set in pan of ice water and stir until it begins to thicken; fold in whipped cream. put into mold, cover, pack in salt and ice, part salt, parts ice; allow to stand hours. raspberries or peaches or shredded pineapple may be used instead of strawberries. soups soup stock is the liquid in which bones, cooked or uncooked meat and vegetables have been boiled. gravies and browned pieces of meat are often added to the soup kettle for color and flavoring. the stock should be strained, quickly cooled and all fat removed. a great variety of soups may be made by adding to any soup stock, previously cooked macaroni, spaghetti, vermicelli noodles or vegetables. cream soups are made with a cream sauce foundation to which is added the strained pulp of vegetables or fish. brown soup stock lbs. shin of beef to quarts cold water bay leaf cloves tablespoon mixed herbs sprigs parsley / cup carrot / cup turnip / cup celery / cup onion wipe beef and cut lean meat into inch cubes; brown one-third in hot frying pan; put remaining two-thirds with bone and fat into soup kettle; add water and allow to stand minutes. place on back of range; add browned meat and heat gradually to boiling point. cover and cook slowly six hours; add vegetables and seasoning one hour before it is finished. strain and put away to cool. remove all fat; reheat and serve. bean soup cups beans tablespoons finely cut onion tablespoons finely cut bacon teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoons chopped parsley teaspoon thyme tablespoons flour soak beans in water over night. drain and put into saucepan with six cups boiling water and boil slowly two hours or until soft; add onion and bacon which have been fried light brown; boil five minutes; add salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. mash beans with back of spoon and add flour which has been mixed with a little cold water; boil five minutes and serve. cream soups this is the foundation or sauce for many fish and vegetable cream soups. quart milk tablespoon butter teaspoon salt teaspoon white pepper tablespoons flour cup boiling water scald milk and add butter and seasoning; thicken with flour, which has been mixed with little cold water. thin with boiling water and boil two minutes. for pea soup boil and mash pint green peas and add to sauce. for cream of celery boil pint cut celery until tender; rub through sieve, add to milk, and proceed as above. for potato soup boil and mash large potatoes, stir into milk, proceed as above, and strain. just before serving stir in a tablespoon chopped parsley. for corn soup add to sauce a can of corn or corn cut from ears boiled fresh corn, tablespoon sugar, and boil minutes. strain and serve. for cream of fish soup add to milk about one pound of boiled fish, which has been put through sieve and proceed as above. creole soup / cup rice / cup cut onion tablespoons bacon drippings cups tomatoes teaspoons salt teaspoon sugar / teaspoon paprika tablespoon cut parsley wash rice, add cups boiling water and boil minutes. cook onions in pan with drippings until tender, but not brown; add tomatoes and boil minutes; rub through strainer into boiled rice and water; add seasoning and sprinkle with parsley. add a little chopped green pepper if desired. cream of tomato soup quart tomatoes / teaspoon soda tablespoons butter tablespoons flour quart milk tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper stew tomatoes slowly one-half hour. in the meantime, melt butter, stir in flour and cook over low flame, adding milk slowly; add seasoning. strain tomatoes; add soda; stir into sauce and serve immediately. onion soup cups finely chopped onion tablespoons butter or bacon drippings cups rice water or vegetable stock teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper / teaspoon paprika tablespoons chopped parsley cook onions and butter or drippings in covered saucepan, shaking pan often. when onions are tender add rice water or stock; boil minutes; add seasoning and chopped parsley. fish when a fish is fresh the flesh is firm and the gills are a bright pink. to clean: hold fish by the tail and with a sharp knife scrape off scales toward the head; wipe with damp cloth; slit underside; carefully remove entrails; wash with cold water, removing all clots of blood from backbone. always cook fish thoroughly. broiled fish clean, wash, and split, removing backbone and fins along the edge. very large fish should be cut into slices. dry with cheesecloth; season with salt and pepper. cook on well-greased broiler, from to minutes, turning once. remove to hot platter; add melted butter and sprinkle with chopped parsley; garnish with slices of lemon and serve. baked fish prepare as for "broiled fish." brush pan with drippings; place fish, skin side down; dust with salt, pepper and flour; pour over tablespoons melted butter and / cup milk. bake in hot oven to minutes or until brown. remove to hot platter, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. fried fish clean, removing head and tail, unless fish are small; wash with cold water and dry with cheesecloth; dust with salt, pepper and flour on both sides. heat one tablespoon bacon drippings or other fat in heavy pan over hot fire. put in fish; brown quickly on both sides; reduce heat and fry to minutes longer. serve with chopped parsley and lemon or sauce tartare. planked fish prepare as for "broiled fish." heat plank, brush with drippings and dust with salt and pepper. place fish, skin side down, doubling thin part so that it will not burn. the oven must be hot before putting in plank; cook minutes; reduce to moderate heat and leave in oven to minutes longer. melt tablespoon butter, add teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, and pour over fish. garnish with potato roses, lemon and parsley and serve on the plank. codfish balls cup salt codfish cups potatoes, cut into cubes or small pieces / teaspoon pepper / tablespoon butter egg pick over, wash and shred fish into small pieces. put potatoes into deep saucepan; cover with cold water; add fish and boil until potatoes are soft. take off fire; drain well; beat up with wire whip or fork until light and all lumps are out of potatoes; add seasoning, butter and slightly beaten egg. drop by spoonfuls into deep fat, hot enough to brown a piece of bread in seconds and fry until golden brown. drain on brown paper and serve immediately. fish chowder or slices salt pork medium-sized potatoes small onion lbs. fresh fish quarts milk teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper cut pork in dice pieces; fry crisp, and turn into chowder kettle. pare and cut potatoes into pieces. peel and chop onion fine. put potatoes into kettle with part of onion. cut fish into convenient pieces; and lay over potatoes; sprinkle over with rest of onion; add seasoning and enough water to come to top of fish; cover closely and cook until potatoes are soft; add milk and let it scald up again. pilot bread or crackers, split and soaked, may be added just before last boiling. if milk is not available a smaller quantity of water may be used. boiled lobsters or crabs the lobster should be purchased alive and plunged into boiling water in which a good proportion of salt has been mixed. continue to boil according to size about minutes. crabs should be boiled in the same manner, but only a little more than half the time is necessary. to open a boiled lobster, wipe off shell, break off large claws; separate tail from body; take body from shell, leaving "lady" or stomach, on shell. save green fat and coral; remove small claws; remove woolly gills and discard, break body through middle and pick out meat from joints. cut with sharp scissors through length of under side of tail, draw meat from shell. draw back flesh on upper end and pull off intestinal cord and discard. break large claws and remove meat. creamed oysters to each oysters use cup thin cream sauce, page . drain oysters, saving liquor for soup, put into shallow pan over quick fire and cook about one minute or until edges curl, stirring constantly, and add to sauce. or put on oysters with tablespoon butter; add tablespoon flour which has been mixed with a little cold water; add / cup milk, / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper. worcestershire sauce may be added if desired. boil minute and serve on thin squares of toasted bread; garnish with parsley. scalloped oysters oysters cups bread crumbs / cup milk tablespoons butter teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper grease dish and cover bottom with bread crumbs, then lay oysters in carefully; season and cover with bread crumbs; pour over milk and cover top with butter. bake in hot oven to minutes. fried oysters wash and drain oysters. season with salt and pepper, dip in flour, egg and then bread or cracker crumbs. fry in hot fat until golden brown. drain well and garnish with lemon and parsley. clam chowder clams potatoes onion / lb. finely cut salt pork teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper quart milk chop hard parts of clams. slice potatoes and onion thin. put pork into kettle and cook a short time; add potatoes, onion, seasoning and juice of clams. cook - / hours; then add clams. boil minutes and just before serving add hot milk. shell fish a la newburg cups finely cut shrimp, scallops, lobster, or crab meat tablespoons butter tablespoon flour cup milk hard boiled eggs teaspoon salt cayenne pepper to taste / teaspoon paprika / cup sherry if canned fish is used cover with cold water minutes and drain. melt butter in saucepan; add flour and stir until smooth; add cold milk slowly; boil until thick. rub egg yolks through strainer and add, stirring until smooth; add seasoning, and finely chopped egg whites; add fish; put all in top of double boiler over fire for minutes; add sherry and serve immediately. meats roasting wipe meat with damp cloth. trim and tie into shape if necessary. put some pieces of fat in bottom of pan, and season meat with salt and pepper. have oven very hot at first and when meat is half done reduce heat. baste every to minutes. if there is danger of fat in pan being scorched add a little boiling water. roast from to minutes for each pound of meat, as it is desired rare or well done. broiling the rules for roasting meat apply to broiling, except that instead of cooking it in the oven it is to be quickly browned, first on one side and then on the other, over hot coals or directly under a gas flame, turning every minute until done. meat an inch and one-half thick will broil in to minutes. season after it is cooked. pan broiling or frying put meat to be broiled or fried in very hot frying pan, with very little or no fat. turn every few minutes until cooked. season and serve immediately. steaks and chops may be pan-broiled without any fat in the pan. for thin gravy pour a little boiling water into pan after meat is taken out. boiling and stewing fresh meat for boiling should be put into boiling water and boiled hard for about minutes; reduce heat and boil gently about minutes for each pound, salt and spices may be added for seasoning. a little vinegar put into the water with tough meat makes it tender. the broth of boiled meat should always be saved for soups, stews or gravies. salt meats should be put in cold water, which as soon as it boils should be replaced by fresh cold water, repeating if necessary until meat has palatable flavor when done. salted and smoked meats require about minutes slow boiling, to each pound. vegetables and herbs may be boiled with them to flavor. when cooked keep hot until required, if they are to be served hot; if they are to be served cold, cool in liquor in which they were boiled. very salt meats, or those much dried in smoking, should be soaked over night in cold water. pot roasting tough cuts of meat may be first browned in fat, then half covered with boiling water and cooked slowly either in oven or in iron kettle on top of stove. this method requires long, slow cooking. stew with dumplings pounds lean beef, mutton or veal quart potatoes cups cut carrots cups cut onions cup tomatoes tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoon flour tablespoons chopped parsley wipe meat, cut into small pieces, put in kettle, cover with boiling water and boil slowly - / hours; add carrots and onions; boil minutes, then add potatoes, salt, pepper and tomatoes; add boiling water, if needed to cover vegetables; boil minutes. add dumplings and boil minutes without lifting cover. put meat and vegetables on platter with dumplings around edge. add flour which has been mixed with a little cold water; boil minutes; pour over stew and sprinkle with parsley. dumplings cup flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt teaspoon shortening cold water sift flour, baking powder and salt; rub in shortening lightly with fingers; add enough water to make dough hold together. drop by spoonfuls into stew. liver and bacon have liver cut in thin slices; wash, drain, dry and roll in flour. put bacon thinly sliced into very hot frying pan; turn until brown and transfer to hot platter. fry liver quickly in the hot bacon drippings, turning often. when done put on platter with bacon. pour off all but or tablespoons fat, add to tablespoons flour, and stir until brown. add hot water gradually to make smooth gravy, season and boil minute. roast lamb wipe meat with damp cloth. put one or two thin slices of onion on top; season with salt and pepper. put into roasting pan in hot oven and roast for about one hour and a quarter. reduce the heat after lamb has been roasting about minutes. serve on hot platter with brown gravy or mint sauce. roast stuffed shoulder of lamb with browned potatoes - / or pounds shoulder of lamb dressing cups stale bread crumbs tablespoon finely cut onion tablespoon drippings tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper wipe lamb with damp cloth; fill pocket with dressing and sew up. put into hot oven for minutes. when well browned, season with salt and pepper, add cup cold water and roast minutes; add quart white potatoes, which have been washed, pared and boiled, and roast until potatoes are brown. remove to platter. add water to pan to make cups of gravy. thicken gravy by adding tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold water, season and cook until smooth. pot roast of beef with browned potatoes wipe beef with cloth, put into iron kettle or frying pan and brown well on all sides. add tablespoons cut onion, tablespoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and cups boiling water; and boil slowly - / hours; add water as it boils away, cup at a time. after adding potatoes, boil minutes. place meat and potatoes on hot platter. add tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold water to gravy and boil. pour over meat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. carrots cut in small pieces may be added with potatoes. baked veal with tomato sauce thin veal cutlet teaspoon drippings teaspoon chopped onion teaspoon chopped parsley / cup bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper trim edge of cutlet and spread on board or platter. fry onion in drippings until tender; add bread crumbs and parsley mixed with enough water to hold them together; spread on cutlet and roll; tie in three or four places. dust with salt, pepper and flour. place in pan; add / cup hot water. roast in hot oven to minutes, adding water if needed. remove to hot platter; pour tomato sauce around meat and garnish with parsley. veal cutlet cutlet may be cooked whole or cut into pieces for serving. dust with salt, pepper and flour; dip in egg beaten with tablespoon milk, then in bread crumbs. brown on both sides in shallow fat in hot frying pan. add boiling water to cover; season and cook slowly for hour. thicken gravy with tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold water. roast loin of pork wipe pork with damp cloth. put into pan in very hot oven for minutes, or until well browned, then add teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and cup cold water. roast slowly to hours. add water as necessary. to gravy, add tablespoon flour mixed with cold water, season and boil until thick. apple sauce wipe, pare and quarter sour apples; remove seeds and core; put into saucepan and add cold water to almost cover. cook slowly until soft. add about / cup sugar for each quart of apples. cook a few minutes longer; remove from fire; add little lemon peel and serve either hot or cold. baked ham wash and scrub ham in warm water; soak over night. whether a whole or half ham, put on to boil with cold water enough to cover; boil slowly to hours or until tender, allowing about minutes to the pound. cool in water in which it was boiled; remove skin carefully; put in pan; cover with cup brown sugar and teaspoon pepper; add cups cold water; bake in very hot oven to minutes; baste often. when brown add cup cider or / cup vinegar and thicken with tablespoons flour. creamed sweetbreads lay sweetbreads in cold water with a little salt for hour. drain, put into saucepan, cover with boiling water and boil very slowly minutes; drain and when cool separate and remove all membrane. cut into small pieces and reheat in cream sauce, page . poultry how to clean singe fowl over free flame. cut off head just below bill. untie feet, break bone and loosen sinews just below joint; pull out sinews and cut off feet. cut out oil sac. lay breast down, make small slit from backbone toward head; loosen windpipe and crop and pull out. push back skin from neck and cut off neck close to body. make slit below end of breastbone, put in fingers, loosen intestines from backbone, take firm grasp of gizzard and draw all out. cut around vent so that intestines are unbroken. remove heart, lungs and kidneys, wash inside and out with cold water, then wipe dry with cloth. cut through thick fleshy part of gizzard and remove inside heavy skin without breaking, then cut away gristly part so that only thick fleshy part is used. roast poultry after poultry is cleaned and washed inside and out with cold water, fill inside with dressing. have at least a yard fine twine in trussing needle. turn wings across back so that pinions touch. run needle through thick part of wing under bone, through body and wing on other side; return in same way, but passing needle in over bone, tie firmly, leaving several inches of twine. press legs up against body, run needle through thigh, body and second thigh, return, going round bone in same way; tie firmly. run needle through ends of legs, return, passing needle through rump; if opening is badly torn, one or two stitches may be needed; if steel skewers are used put one through wings of fowl and other through opposite thigh. then wind twine in figure eight from one handle of skewer to other. rub all over with soft butter and season. place on rack in roasting pan and put into very hot oven. make basting mixture with / cup each of butter and water; keep hot and baste every or minutes. roast hours for pound turkey, to - / hours for chicken and ducks to pounds. if bird is very large and heavy, cover breasts and legs with several thicknesses of paper to keep from burning. poultry dressing cups stale bread tablespoon finely cut onion tablespoon drippings tablespoon finely cut parsley / tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika powdered sage if desired soak bread in cold water minutes and press out all water. put drippings and onion into pan and cook slowly, stirring constantly, until onion is tender but not brown. add bread, parsley and seasoning and mix well together. oyster dressing oysters tablespoons butter cups bread crumbs / tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoon chopped parsley drain and rinse oysters with cold water. put butter in saucepan with oysters and bring to boiling point; add bread crumbs, seasoning and parsley; mix carefully, so that oysters will not be broken. giblet gravy boil neck, gizzard and wing tips together until tender. pour off excess of fat in pan in which poultry has been roasted; add enough stock from the gizzard and neck to make cups of gravy. chop gizzard, liver and heart and add; then add teaspoon finely cut onion, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, tablespoons flour mixed with a little cold water. boil minutes. fricassee of chicken prepare and cut up as for fried chicken. put into saucepan with just enough boiling water to cover; add a teaspoon salt, a little pepper and, if desired, a teaspoon of onion juice. boil slowly hours or until tender; add a little water from time to time, as it boils away. thicken with a tablespoon flour mixed with a little cold water and add a tablespoon of finely chopped parsley. serve with border of hot boiled rice or dumplings. fried chicken singe, wash and clean chicken; cut into pieces as follows: two second joints, two drumsticks, two wings, breast cut into two pieces, backbone cut into four pieces. wipe with damp cloth; sprinkle with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. put into frying pan with tablespoons bacon drippings or half drippings and half butter and brown quickly. add a little water, cover, reduce heat and fry slowly on both sides. remove chicken; mix tablespoon flour with whatever gravy or fat is in pan; add cup cold milk or water; boil until thick. chicken pie singe, draw and clean a -lb. chicken as usual. disjoint, cut the breast into four pieces, cut the thigh and leg apart. save the neck, wing tips, heart, gizzard and liver for soup. put on the rest with enough boiling water to cover; cook hours. add quarts washed, pared and diced white potatoes. cook minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. add tablespoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, tablespoon chopped parsley and tablespoons flour mixed with a little cold water. boil minutes. pour all into dish, cover with rich pastry. bake minutes in moderate oven. pastry sift together cup flour, teaspoons royal baking powder, teaspoon salt; rub in very lightly tablespoons shortening; add just enough cold water to make a stiff dough. roll out on floured board and put over top of pie. roast goose, bread and apple dressing wipe inside with damp cloth, and season with salt and pepper; put in dressing and sew up. push back skin and cut off neck. in the skin put apples, which have been pared and quartered; tie the skin. put in pan breastbone up; dust with salt, pepper and flour. place in hot oven; when browned baste with cups cold water; turn breast side down and roast hours, basting three or four times with cold water. ten minutes before serving turn breast side up. remove fat and make gravy as directed for roast poultry. apple dressing tablespoon drippings tablespoons chopped onions quart finely chopped apples cups stale bread crumbs egg teaspoon salt / teaspoon grated nutmeg / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika tablespoons chopped parsley put drippings and onion into frying pan, cook a few minutes and add apples. cover bread with cold water a few minutes, remove and press out all water. put into pan; add seasoning and beaten egg and parsley. mix well until thoroughly cooked. fish, meat and vegetable sauces thin cream sauce tablespoon butter tablespoon flour cup milk or cream / teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper melt butter in saucepan, add flour and mix well; add cold milk slowly, stirring until smooth and creamy; add salt and pepper and boil about minutes. thick cream sauce tablespoons butter - / tablespoons flour cup milk or cream / teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper make as directed for thin cream sauce. tomato sauce slices bacon cut into small pieces slice onion--chopped tablespoons flour - / cups strained tomatoes tablespoon chopped green peppers / teaspoon salt few gratings of nutmeg cayenne put bacon into saucepan, add onion and brown slightly. add flour, tomatoes which have been heated, and stir until thick and smooth. add seasoning and peppers. bechamel sauce tablespoon butter tablespoon flour / cup thin cream / cup white stock--chicken or veal salt and pepper melt butter in saucepan; stir in flour; reduce heat; add seasoning and liquid, stirring until smooth. egg sauce (for fish) cup white sauce chopped hard-boiled eggs tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar add eggs, parsley and lemon juice to white sauce after removing from fire. brown sauce or gravy tablespoon butter or fat in which meat was cooked tablespoon flour cup beef stock or boiling water salt and pepper brown butter in saucepan; add flour and brown; add liquid and stir until smooth and thick. season to taste and simmer minutes. currant jelly sauce / glass currant jelly cup hot brown sauce melt jelly over slow fire. add sauce; stir well and simmer one minute. hollandaise sauce / cup butter beaten egg yolks tablespoon lemon juice salt cayenne / cup boiling water cream butter; add gradually, stirring well, egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne; add boiling water slowly. stir over boiling water till thick as boiled custard. serve immediately. sauce tartare make cup mayonnaise, page . chop very fine tablespoon each of capers, olives, pickles and parsley. press in a cloth till quite dry. blend gradually with the mayonnaise. maitre d'hotel butter tablespoons butter tablespoon lemon juice / teaspoon salt / teaspoon white pepper tablespoon chopped parsley cream butter; add gradually lemon juice, seasoning and parsley. keep cold until served. mint sauce / cup chopped mint leaves / cup vinegar / cup water / cup brown or granulated sugar cook all ingredients in saucepan over very slow fire for about one-half hour. do not allow to boil. serve hot. horse-radish sauce tablespoons butter tablespoons grated fresh horse-radish tablespoon very thick cream / teaspoon lemon juice cream butter; add horse-radish, cream and lemon juice. keep very cold. cranberry sauce quart cranberries cups sugar cup water put all together into saucepan. cover until it boils. remove cover and cook about minutes or until berries have all burst. pour into mold, chill and serve. for cranberry jelly strain and put into mold and chill. eggs boiled eggs drop into boiling water and boil to - / minutes for soft boiled, to minutes for hard boiled; or place eggs in boiling water, cover, and cook over moderate heat without boiling from to minutes for soft, to minutes for hard cooked. poached eggs break eggs and drop carefully one at a time into boiling water in shallow greased frying pan. cook slowly until eggs are set. remove each with skimmer and serve on toast garnished with parsley. poached eggs in cream put half cup of cream sauce into shallow baking dish. open eggs carefully and place on sauce. cook over boiling water from to minutes or until eggs are set or as firm as desired. cover with half cup of cream sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley and dust with paprika and serve. scrambled eggs break eggs into bowl, season with salt and pepper and pour into hot frying pan in which butter has been melted. cook over slow fire and as eggs thicken stir until cooked. if desired eggs may be beaten with milk, cream or water and cooked in same way. scalloped eggs with ham hard-cooked eggs cups cold boiled ham chopped fine cup cream sauce cups bread crumbs tablespoons milk cut eggs into slices; cover bottom of greased baking dish with one-third of bread crumbs; then add in layers eggs, ham, cream sauce, crumbs, being sure to save bread crumbs to cover top. add milk and bake in moderate oven minutes. plain omelet beat eggs with tablespoons milk; add / teaspoon salt and / teaspoon pepper, and mix. melt teaspoon fat in hot frying pan; pour in eggs; lift edges of omelet, allowing thin portions to run underneath, shaking pan until egg is set; when brown underneath, fold over and serve on hot platter. puffy omelet eggs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoons royal baking powder tablespoon corn starch / cup milk or half milk and half water separate eggs; mix salt, pepper, baking powder, corn starch and milk with yolks of eggs. beat whites until light though not dry and mix in well with yolks. put into greased hot frying pan and cook slowly until well puffed up. dry out in oven, fold over in half and serve immediately on hot platter. if desired serve with tomato sauce, page added before omelet is folded. fancy omelets a great variety of omelets can be made by either mixing chopped vegetables, fruits, meats, or shellfish with plain omelet before cooking, or folding them in after cooking. croquettes salmon croquettes cup cooked salmon tablespoon butter tablespoon flour / cup milk / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoon lemon juice make a cream sauce with the butter, flour and milk. put salmon into bowl and add the sauce, lemon juice and seasoning; mix with fork until salmon is well broken. set aside and when cold mold into desired shapes; roll in bread crumbs, then in egg beaten with tablespoon cold milk, then in bread crumbs. fry in deep hot fat. rice croquettes cup rice eggs tablespoons milk teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar tablespoon butter teaspoon chopped parsley wash rice several times and boil with quarts boiling water minutes. drain well and put into top of double boiler. add egg beaten with tablespoons milk, salt, sugar, butter and parsley; cook until egg thickens. cool and shape into cones, balls or oval cakes. dip into egg beaten up with tablespoon milk. roll in bread crumbs and fry in deep hot fat until brown. nut and potato croquettes cups hot riced potatoes / cup cream or milk / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper few grains cayenne yolk of egg / cup chopped pecan nut meats / teaspoon royal baking powder mix all ingredients with fork until light. shape as for croquettes. roll in bread crumbs. dip in egg which has been mixed with a little cold water. roll in bread crumbs again and fry in deep hot fat until brown. drain on unglazed paper and serve. chicken croquettes tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cup milk teaspoons salt teaspoon worcestershire sauce / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon pepper tablespoon chopped parsley cups chopped chicken eggs melt butter in saucepan; add flour and cold milk slowly, stirring until smooth and creamy; add seasoning and parsley. boil minutes. add chicken; mix well and pour out on platter to cool. when cool enough to handle take a large spoon of the mixture in floured hands; shape into balls, cones or oval cakes and put into cold place until firm. roll in bread crumbs, then in eggs beaten with tablespoons cold milk, then in bread crumbs. fry in deep hot fat, and drain on brown paper. luncheon dishes chicken patties tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cup chicken stock / teaspoon salt few grains cayenne pepper cup cold diced chicken melt butter in saucepan; stir in flour; add chicken stock; season and bring to a boil; add chicken and cook slowly minutes. fill patty shells and serve at once. royal patty shells cups flour teaspoons royal baking powder / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening ice water sift flour, baking powder and salt together; add shortening and rub in very lightly with tips of fingers; add very slowly enough water to make stiff dough. roll out thin; cut into circles and form on the outside of patty or muffin tins. bake in hot oven, open side down, until light brown; remove carefully from tins find return shells to oven and bake minutes, open side up. boston baked beans quart beans / pound salt pork tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon dry mustard tablespoons molasses wash and soak beans over night. put half into bean pot; wash salt pork and place in center; add remainder of beans, salt, pepper, mustard, molasses and cups cold water; cover. put into slow oven and bake hours. add more water if needed. baked macaroni with cheese cup macaroni tablespoon butter tablespoon flour cup milk / cup grated cheese teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon paprika boil macaroni in salted water until soft; drain and rinse with cold water. put into buttered baking dish and cover with sauce. cover top with grated cheese and bake minutes in hot oven. sauce melt butter in saucepan; add flour, mix well and add cold milk slowly, stirring until smooth; add cheese, salt, pepper and paprika. boil minutes. cheese in scallop shells or ramekins cup milk cups bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon worcestershire sauce cups grated american cheese pour milk over bread crumbs, add seasoning, half the cheese and mix well; fill greased scallop shells or ramekins; sprinkle with remainder of cheese and a few fresh bread crumbs and bake in moderate oven minutes. cheese straws cup grated american cheese cup flour teaspoon royal baking powder / teaspoon cayenne pepper / teaspoon paprika egg tablespoons milk mix together cheese, flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper and paprika; add beaten egg; mix well; add milk enough to make a stiff dough. roll out / inch thick, on floured board; cut into strips inches long and / inch wide. bake in hot oven minutes. kidney beans with bacon wash and soak pint kidney beans in cold water over night; drain, cover with boiling water, add / pound bacon, boil until beans are tender, and drain. season beans with salt and pepper to taste. brown thin slices of bacon in frying pan, and serve over beans. tomatoes and eggs grease muffin tins; put one thick slice of unpeeled tomato into each tin; season with salt and pepper; break one egg on top of each slice; again season with salt and pepper and put a small piece of butter on top of each egg. bake in oven until egg is set but not hard. serve on rounds of toast and garnish with parsley. corn pudding quart fresh corn cut from cob teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper eggs slightly beaten cups milk tablespoons melted butter put all ingredients into greased baking dish and bake in moderate oven until firm. scotch potatoes quart potatoes quart onions teaspoon salt wash, pare and cut potatoes and onions in half-inch rounds. put into saucepan with boiling water to cover, adding salt. boil or minutes, or until tender. drain, put into dish and cover with thick cream sauce. bake in hot oven about minutes. french toast / cup flour teaspoon royal baking powder / teaspoon salt / cup milk egg sliced bread sift together flour, baking powder and salt; add milk and beaten egg; beat well. into this dip bread, fry in hot fat, drain, and serve hot with powdered sugar. cheese souffle tablespoons butter tablespoons flour / cup milk / teaspoon salt few grains cayenne cup grated american cheese yolks of eggs teaspoons royal baking powder whites of eggs melt butter, add flour, and when well-mixed add milk slowly. add salt, cayenne, and cheese. remove from fire, add yolks of eggs beaten until light. cool mixture and mix in baking powder and beaten egg whites. bake in greased dish minutes in slow oven. serve at once. vegetables summer vegetables should be cooked on same day they are gathered. look them over and wash well, cutting out all decayed parts. always cook vegetables in freshly boiled water and keep water boiling until done. when cooking green vegetables add salt last few minutes of cooking. potatoes--boil to minutes. turnips--boil from to minutes. beets--boil from to hours before peeling. parsnips--boil from to minutes. spinach--boil to minutes. onions--boil in or waters, to minutes. string beans--boil to - / hours. shell beans--boil to minutes. green corn--steam to minutes, or boil to minutes. green peas--boil in as little water as possible to minutes. asparagus--boil to minutes. winter squash--boil to minutes in small quantity of water. cabbage--boil minutes to hours. asparagus wash, scrape, cut off about one inch hard ends, and tie together. put into saucepan, cover with boiling water, and boil until tender, keeping tips out of water for the first ten minutes; add salt. remove from water; lay on pieces of toast and serve with melted butter, cream or hollandaise sauce. pickled beets wash and boil six medium sized beets until tender. remove skins; slice or cut into quarters; cover with / cup vinegar, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper and tablespoon sugar. creamed carrots wash and scrape carrots; cut into thin slices. cover with boiling water and boil until tender. drain and mix with cream sauce or melted butter. sprinkle with chopped parsley. boiled new cabbage cut cabbage into quarters, removing hard part of core, and place in cold water minutes. drain, cover with boiling water and boil, without a cover, minutes or until tender. drain, put into dish and pour over cream or bechamel sauce. cold slaw wash cabbage; cut into quarters, and then slice very thin; allow to stand in cold water minutes; drain well and cover with boiled or french dressing. spinach pick over carefully and wash thoroughly in severed waters until every bit of sand is removed. put into large kettle and add very little boiling water, about / cup. young spinach does not need any water. boil until tender or about minutes. drain thoroughly, chop fine and drain again. season with salt and pepper and garnish with slices of hard boiled-eggs. cauliflower remove leaves and wash cauliflower; place in uncovered saucepan, stem end down; cover with boiling water; boil minutes or until tender and serve with cream sauce. french fried potatoes pare and cut potatoes into long even pieces. put into cold water for about an hour. drain and dry well. fry in deep fat until brown and cooked through; drain on unglazed paper. salt just before serving. sweet potatoes may be prepared in same way. potato cakes pare and boil quart potatoes; mash and season with salt, pepper and paprika; add tablespoon melted butter; mix lightly. take a spoonful into floured hands and roll. dip in egg beaten with tablespoon cold milk, then in flour. fry in deep or shallow hot fat. brussels sprouts wash and cover with cold water for an hour. drain; put over fire in saucepan of boiling water; boil to minutes without a cover. drain and cover with cream sauce; or serve with salt, pepper and melted butter. boiled corn husk corn, removing all silk. put corn into fresh boiling water to cover; and boil rapidly for minutes. remove from water and place on platter on which a napkin has been spread, covering corn with ends of napkin. serve immediately. lima beans shell beans just before using. rinse in cold water. put into saucepan; cover with boiling water and boil until tender. drain and add seasoning and melted butter. kohl-rabi peel turnip-shaped globe; cut into small pieces; boil until tender, to minutes. add one teaspoon salt to each quart water. serve plain with melted butter and pepper, or with cream sauce. the leaves may be stemmed and cooked as greens, boiling minutes. candied sweet potatoes boil in salted water quart sweet potatoes until tender; drain and scrape off skins; cut into slices and lay in shallow greased baking dish; brush with melted drippings or butter; sprinkle with / cup brown sugar; add tablespoons butter. bake in hot oven until well browned. baked tomatoes tomatoes cups soft bread crumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoon butter wash tomatoes and cut off stem ends; remove pulp from center and fill with bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper; sprinkle with bread crumbs, and place small piece of butter on each. bake in hot oven minutes. the pulp may be seasoned to taste, cooked in the pan and served as a sauce. browned parsnips quart parsnips teaspoon salt tablespoons butter or bacon drippings / teaspoon pepper wash, pare and cut parsnips into / inch slices. cover with boiling water and boil until tender, to minutes; drain. brown on greased griddle or frying pan. season with salt and pepper. oyster plant wash and cover with boiling water. cook to minutes or until soft. peel, cut in pieces and serve with cream sauce. stuffed potatoes bake large potatoes. cut in half lengthwise and, without breaking-skins, scoop out insides and mash; add / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, teaspoon chopped parsley, tablespoon melted butter and mix with fork. return to shells, put a few drops milk on top; rough with fork; sprinkle with paprika. place in oven until brown. salads and salad dressings all salad greens, such as lettuce, chicory, endive, romaine, or watercress, should be fresh, crisp, dry and cold. wash leaves carefully and put on ice in lettuce dryer or in cloth. dressings wilt the leaves; they should be added just before serving. salads may be made in infinite variety. lettuce plain or combined with vegetables, cold meat, fish, or fruits may be used with french or mayonnaise dressing. french dressing put tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar, / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper or few grains cayenne pepper into bowl; add tablespoons oil, beating constantly. serve very cold. mayonnaise i egg yolk / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne pepper cup salad oil tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice utensils and ingredients should be very cold. put egg yolk into shallow bowl; add seasoning, mix well; add oil slowly, almost drop by drop, beating until thick. thin with vinegar; continue adding oil and vinegar until all is used. mayonnaise ii egg juice of lemon or tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon salt cups olive oil put egg with vinegar or lemon juice and seasoning into bowl, beating with rotary egg beater. add oil a tablespoonful or more at a time, beating constantly. well covered, this mayonnaise will keep for three or four weeks. boiled salad dressing / tablespoon salt - / tablespoons sugar teaspoon mustard / tablespoon flour few grains cayenne / cup vinegar eggs / cup milk tablespoon butter or other shortening mix dry ingredients in top of double boiler; add vinegar and beaten egg yolks and mix; add milk and butter. cook over hot water until thick and smooth. take from fire and add beaten egg whites. cool and serve. russian dressing take cup mayonnaise; add teaspoons chili sauce, can pimentos chopped fine, and if desired a dash of grated cheese. chicken salad quart cold boiled chicken, cut into small cubes pint finely cut celery teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper hard boiled eggs cups mayonnaise dressing olives mix chicken which should be very tender, with celery, seasoning and one egg cut into small pieces; marinate with little french dressing, and let stand in cold place one hour. serve on lettuce leaves and spread mayonnaise over top. garnish with olives and remaining egg cut into slices. dust with paprika. fruit salad / pound malaga grapes pears grapefruit orange head lettuce wash, peel; remove seeds from all fruit; cut grapes into halves, pears in lengthwise pieces, grapefruit and orange into sections; allow to stand on ice. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. alligator pears, cassaba melon or other fruit may be substituted for above. vegetable salad cup finely cut red cabbage cup cold boiled red beets cup cold boiled carrots cup cold boiled potatoes cup finely cut celery / cup pimentoes head lettuce cup french dressing soak cabbage in cold water hour; drain and add beets, carrots, potatoes and celery. mix well together, season with salt and pepper and serve on lettuce leaves. on top put strips of pimento and serve with french dressing, to which may be added one teaspoon onion juice. marquise salad firm tomatoes / cup chopped onion / cup chopped parsley tablespoons salad oil peel tomatoes and cut in half. mix onion and parsley, add oil; let stand two hours before using. when ready to serve line salad bowl with lettuce, place tomatoes in it and on each half put tablespoon onion and parsley mixture. pour on french dressing. everything should be ice cold. potato salad quart cold boiled potatoes onion finely sliced / teaspoon salt chopped parsley / cup french dressing cut potatoes into slices or cubes; add onion; mix with salt, parsley and french dressing. serve on lettuce leaves with boiled dressing. lobster salad cut cold boiled lobster into small pieces. marinate with french dressing; put on lettuce leaves; cover with mayonnaise and garnish with lobster claws, olives, hard-boiled eggs and capers. fish salad cups shredded lettuce can tuna fish or - / lbs. any cold boiled fish / cup french dressing teaspoon onion juice / cup mayonnaise cup finely cut celery teaspoon chopped parsley line dish with lettuce; place fish in center; pour over french dressing to which onion juice has been added and cover with celery; put mayonnaise on top. sprinkle with chopped parsley. beverages how to make coffee the best method of making coffee, as determined by the better coffee-making committee of the national association of coffee roasters, is as follows: "fill a kettle with fresh cold water and put it on to boil. place over an open china teapot, kept just for coffee, a clean, wet, old linen napkin, or a new square of unbleached muslin, letting it sag toward the center. put into the depression heaping tablespoons (for cups of coffee) of finely pulverized coffee. this fine pulverization is very important. ordinary ground coffee will not do at all, and gives weak infusions. "when the water in the kettle is boiling fiercely, pour it through the coffee slowly until cups have gone through, or a trifle more for cups of coffee. "cover and take at once to table. "wash the cloth immediately and keep it in a jar of cold water, never permitting it to get dry, and freshening the water every day. keeping the cloth sweet is essential. every effort should be made to this end. the least souring ruins the coffee. "follow these directions strictly, paying especial attention to having the coffee very fine, like flour, and the water boiling, and you will have excellent coffee even though you buy cheap blends." boiled coffee for cups. beat half an egg white with tablespoons cold water; add / cup ground coffee and stir until moistened; put into scalded coffee pot; add quart boiling water and boil minutes. add / cup cold water and allow to stand minutes to settle and serve. cocoa the usual rule is teaspoons cocoa, teaspoon sugar; tablespoon cold water and / cup milk to each cup. mix cocoa with sugar and cold water; cook over slow fire until thick; add milk, and boil minute. cocoa syrup cups water cups sugar cup cocoa / teaspoon salt stir water and sugar in saucepan until dissolved; boil minutes; mix cocoa with cold water to make a paste and add to boiling syrup; boil slowly for minutes; add salt. when cold put into bottle or glass jar in refrigerator. take tablespoons of syrup for each glass or cup of milk. serve with whipped cream. served either hot or iced, this is a nourishing and delicious beverage. tea water for tea should be freshly heated and just boiling. teas are of different strength, but a safe rule is teaspoon dry tea to cup water. scald teapot; put in dry tea and cover for minute. add boiling water and cover closely. allow it to stand to minutes and strain off into a second hot pot. chocolate cut into small pieces ounce unsweetened chocolate; add tablespoon sugar and tablespoons hot water. boil all together till smooth; add gradually cups scalded milk; cook in double boiler minutes. if desired add / teaspoon vanilla. serve with whipped cream. candies cream candy cups sugar tablespoons vinegar teaspoon lemon extract teaspoon cream of tartar add a little water to moisten sugar; boil with vinegar and cream of tartar without stirring, until brittle when tried in cold water. add flavoring; turn out quickly on buttered plates. when cool enough to handle, pull until white, and cut into pieces. butter scotch cups sugar tablespoons water tablespoons butter boil without stirring until brittle when tested in cold water. pour out on buttered plates to cool. butter taffy cups brown sugar / cup molasses / cup water / cup vinegar tablespoons butter teaspoon vanilla extract boil sugar, molasses, water and vinegar. when crisp in cold water add butter and cook minutes. add vanilla and cool on buttered pans and break into pieces. chocolate caramels cups molasses cup brown sugar cup cream or milk / pound unsweetened chocolate tablespoons butter put all ingredients into kettle. boil until it hardens in cold water; add teaspoon vanilla and turn into greased tins. when nearly cold, cut into small squares. creamed nuts cups confectioner's sugar white of egg teaspoon vanilla extract teaspoons cold water walnuts or other nuts mix sugar, unbeaten egg white, vanilla and water into a stiff paste. shape into little balls, press between halved walnut or other nut meats. stoned dates and large seeded raisins may be filled with this cream, or it may be mixed with chopped nuts, shaped into bars and cut into squares. peanut brittle cups chopped roasted nuts cups granulated sugar put sugar in frying pan. stir over slow fire. it will lump, then gradually melt. when pale coffee color, and clear, add nuts and pour quickly on greased tin. when cold break into pieces. candied popcorn - / cups sugar or maple syrup tablespoon butter tablespoons water quarts popped corn boil sugar or syrup with butter and water until it spins a long thread; pour this on corn and if desired shape into balls. pulled molasses candy cup molasses cups brown sugar cup water tablespoons vinegar tablespoons butter put molasses, sugar, water and vinegar into saucepan and stir; boil until very brittle when dropped into cold water; add butter and pour on buttered platter. when cool enough to handle, butter hands and pull until light brown. pull into oblong strips and cut with scissors. fudge cups sugar cup milk or cream or tablespoon's cocoa or ounces unsweetened chocolate tablespoon butter teaspoon vanilla extract put sugar, milk and cocoa or chocolate into saucepan; stir and boil until it makes soft ball when tested in cold water; take from fire, add butter and vanilla, cool and stir until creamy. pour on buttered plates and cut into squares. penuche cups light brown sugar / cup milk or cream tablespoon butter / cup chopped nuts teaspoon vanilla extract put sugar, milk and butter into saucepan. boil with as little stirring as possible until it makes a soft ball when tested in cold water. take from fire; add nuts and vanilla; beat until thick and pour into greased tins. cocoa cream candy tablespoons confectioner's sugar tablespoons boiling water tablespoons cocoa / teaspoon vanilla extract mix sugar and water until smooth; add cocoa and vanilla; mix until creamy. dust hands with sugar; take up / teaspoon of mixture and roll into ball. dust a plate with sugar, and lay balls on to dry about hours; then roll in finely chopped nuts. stuffed prunes or dates wash, dry and stone fruit; cut almost in half and fill with a half marshmallow or blanched almond, or chopped nuts and raisins and roll in sugar. cocoanut cream candy tablespoon butter / cup milk cups sugar / cup grated fresh cocoanut / teaspoon vanilla extract melt butter in saucepan; add milk and sugar; stir until sugar is dissolved, heating slowly; boil to minutes; remove from fire and add cocoanut and vanilla, beating until creamy. pour into buttered tins and cool. for chocolate cocoanut cream candy add ounces unsweetened chocolate to other ingredients before boiling. hickory nut candy cups sugar / cup water lemon or vanilla extract cup hickory nut meats boil sugar and water, without stirring, until thick enough to spin a thread; place saucepan in cold water; add flavoring and stir quickly until white; stir in nuts; turn into buttered tin; when cold cut into squares. date and peanut paste cup stoned dates / cup peanut butter teaspoon salt / cup confectioner's sugar wash and dry dates; put through food chopper; add peanut butter and salt. mix and roll into small balls; then cover with sugar. lay on plate to dry. salted almonds blanch almonds by putting into boiling water for a few minutes. remove skins, dry well and brown in heated olive oil or butter in pan on top of stove stirring continually. take from fire when very light brown, as they continue to color after removing from pan. drain well on brown paper and sprinkle with salt. fireless cookery the fireless cooker has become an important factor in the home. the principle employed is the preservation of heat by the use of non-conducting materials. the device ordinarily used is a rectangular box lined on all sides with some substance which will prevent escape of heat, with spaces or wells for the insertion of stone or metal discs or radiators and vessels containing food to be cooked. among the advantages of this method are: the improvement in flavor by slower cooking with little opportunity for evaporation; improved appearance of food that is subject to shrinkage when cooked by ordinary methods; saving in labor, as the cooking practically takes care of itself. dinner may be prepared in the morning, placed in the cooker, and without further attention be ready to serve at any time after or hours. while the time required for cooking is longer than in the usual methods, the actual time consumed in preparation of a meal is considerably reduced. directions prepare food for cooking as usual. place in special vessel, designed to fit into wells of fireless cooker, and heat on range or over gas flame until ordinary cooking temperature is reached. put into cooker with one or more radiators which have been heated for or minutes over hot fire. for roasting, radiator should be hot enough to brown a pinch of flour immediately. close cover, fasten lightly so that the steam may escape and allow cooking to proceed for time specified in recipes. for baking cake, apples, etc., proceed as for roasting. the time required for baking is slightly longer than that specified for regular ovens. for cake ordinarily baked in a moderate oven, heat radiators hot enough to brown a pinch of flour in half a minute. the fireless cooker is especially convenient for the preparation of cereals, meats, vegetables and other dishes that are ordinarily boiled or roasted. remember that foods should be thoroughly heated before putting into cooker. cereals prepare cereal for cooking in double boiler as usual. boil over fire for minutes; place in larger vessel of boiling water in cooker and allow it to remain or hours or longer. if placed in cooker at night it should remain warm enough to serve for breakfast. steaming for recipes see "boston brown bread," "steamed fig pudding," "poor man's pudding," "christmas plum pudding," etc. prepare and mix ingredients as directed. put into greased molds and place in shallow pan of boiling water over very hot radiator in cooker. fasten cover tight and cook for to hours. soups place ingredients in vessel; cover with cold water; bring to boil over free flame and boil minutes. fasten cover and transfer to cooker, using one hot radiator in bottom of well. cook or hours and season when ready to serve. for ingredients and special directions for preparing soups, see "soups." roast meats prepare and season meat in usual way. place in large dry vessel; put very hot radiator in bottom of cooker well; place vessel containing roast on radiator, and place another very hot radiator on top. close cooker and fasten. allow it to remain about one-half hour per pound of meat. the roast may be browned in a very hot oven before putting into cooker or just before serving. boiled or stewed meats prepare meat for cooking as usual, searing in frying pan if desired brown. place in large vessel and cover or partly cover with boiling water, boiling with cover fastened tight for or minutes over free flame. transfer to cooker, using one hot radiator underneath. cook or hours, season and serve. vegetables prepare vegetables as usual. place in vessel with small quantity of boiling water. as there is little evaporation in fireless cookers, allowance does not have to be made for loss by evaporation. boil over free flame for to minutes. transfer to cooker, using one radiator in bottom of well. cook or hours, remove from cooker, season and serve. invalid cookery always prepare food for the sick in the most careful and attractive manner. in sickness the senses are unusually acute and far more susceptible to carelessness and mistakes in the preparation and serving of food than in health. barley water tablespoons pearl barley quarts cold water wash barley, soak several hours in cold water and boil gently in same water for hours; or put into double boiler and cook for hours or until reduced one-half. lemon juice and sugar or salt to taste may be added if desired. pineapple juice peel a very ripe pineapple, cut into small pieces and put through fruit press or potato ricer to extract all juice. strain and serve with cracked ice. albuminized orange egg white juice of orange sugar add orange juice sweetened to taste to egg white and beat well. chill on ice and serve cold. beef tea pound lean beef cup cold water cut beef up into small pieces or put through meat chopper. put into fruit jar; add water and allow to stand to minutes to draw out the juice. place on trivet or rack in pan of cold water; heat very slowly for about hours. the water must not boil. season, strain, cool and remove fat. beef tea may be served hot or cold. scraped beef scrape meat with sharp knife from lean beef cut from round until nothing but connective tissue is left. form into small balls and broil slowly for about minutes. season and serve. for sandwiches do not cook but spread between thin slices of bread and season. spanish cream cups scalded milk egg yolks / cup sugar tablespoons granulated gelatine / cup cold water teaspoon vanilla extract pint cream pour scalded milk very slowly over egg yolks and sugar which have been mixed together. cook slowly in double boiler until thick and smooth. pour over gelatine which has been soaking in / cup of water. chill, add vanilla and beat with egg whip until thick. add the cream which has been whipped and chill in molds. gluten muffins cups gluten flour teaspoons royal baking powder egg tablespoon butter cups milk sift together flour and baking powder; add beaten egg and melted butter to milk and add, mix well and bake in greased muffin tins in moderate oven about minutes. in addition to the foregoing, many of the soups, broths, jellies, ices and plain drop cakes found in the preceding pages are suitable for invalids and convalescents. preserving and canning (material adapted from u. s. food administration and n. y. state department of agriculture.) general directions test all jars for leakage before using. to do this, fill with water, put on rubber and cover, seal and invert. sterilize all utensils, jars, covers, etc., by covering with cold water, and boil for minutes. use only new rubbers and dip in boiling water just before using. use a wide-mouthed funnel when filling jars to avoid loss of material and keep jar rim clean. invert all jars after filling and sealing. fruit should be sound, firm and not overripe. all fruit should be carefully prepared. clean fruit, clean hands, clean utensils, and a clean kitchen free from flies, are essential for safety and success. keep products in a cool place. avoid freezing in winter. canning canning is the operation of preparing sterilized food so that it will keep indefinitely. the custom of canning fruit in syrup is based on the improvement in flavor and texture which sugar gives to fruit. sugar is not necessary for its preservation. success depends upon thorough sterilization--that is, killing the organisms which cause food to spoil, and then sealing carefully to prevent their entrance. fruit may be canned in water, in fruit juice and in syrup. preserving the only difference between preserving and canning fruit is that sugar is always used in preserving, while in canning it is used in smaller quantity or not at all. in preserving the old rule of equal weights of sugar and fruit may be followed. directions for canning by open-kettle method by this method which is generally used, for preserves, jams and marmalades, food is completely cooked and poured boiling hot into sterilized jars. prepare fruit, which may or may not be peeled, and cut into pieces depending on the variety. blanch or scald peaches and similar fruits to loosen skin and chill by plunging into cold water. cook slowly in as little water as possible or in fruit juice or fruit syrup until done. fill the sterilized jars, seal and invert. directions for canning by can-cooked method by this method uncooked or partly cooked food is packed in can or jar, covered with liquid and both jar and contents sterilized. pare fruit if desired or blanch or scald in boiling water a small quantity of the fruit at a time. (see time table.) do not blanch cherries, sour cherries excepted, berries or plums. chill outside of the blanched fruit by immersing it for a few minutes in a vessel of cold water. remove skin from such fruits as peaches. pack firmly in clean, tested jars to within one-half inch of top. fill jars to within / inch of top with boiling water, fruit juice, or syrup. place a new rubber on each jar, adjust cover and partly seal. place jars on false bottom of water bath and sterilize for required time. (see time-table.) if the hot-water bath is used, jars should be immersed in sufficient boiling water to cover tops to depth of about inch. do not begin to time the sterilizing until water boils. keep water boiling during sterilizing period. remove jars from sterilizer. seal them and invert to cool. avoid a draft on jars, but cool as rapidly as possible. wash and label jars. wrap in paper or store in a dark place to prevent loss of color of red fruit. vegetables may also be canned by this method. a time-table for canning fruits by the can-cooked method time of cooking if the if the pressure time of hot-water cooker blanching bath is is used used ( pounds) fruit minutes minutes minutes apricots, peaches - blackberries cherries, strawberries, grapes, plums fruit juices huckleberries, raspberries pears - pineapples quinces - use of sugar in canning fruit sugar is used in canning fruit for the purpose of improving flavor and is not necessary for preservation. thin syrup-- part sugar to parts water for sweet fruits. medium syrup-- part sugar to part water for berries and medium sweet fruits. thick syrup-- parts sugar to part water for sour fruits. to make syrup add sugar to boiling water. stir until all sugar is dissolved, then boil or minutes. canned peaches scald sound, firm freestone peaches, a small number at a time, in boiling water just long enough to loosen skins; dip them quickly into cold water and slip off skins. cut peaches in halves, and remove stones. have ready a syrup made by boiling sugar and water together until sugar has dissolved, using / to / cup sugar to each cup water. allow about cup syrup for each quart jar of peaches. put in cracked peach pit for every quart of syrup. can-cooked method.--pack peaches in overlapping layers with rounded side uppermost and blossom end facing glass. fill each jar with hot syrup and adjust rubber, cover and upper clamp, thus partly sealing jar. place jars on a rack in hot water to cover tops to a depth of inch. bring water to boiling point, and boil pint jars minutes, quart jars minutes. remove jars, seal and invert to cool. open-kettle method.--cook peaches in syrup until tender; then with sterilized spoon slip them carefully into sterilized jar; fill jar to overflowing with syrup. adjust rubber, cover, seal immediately, and invert to cool. canned cherries wash. cherries should be pitted before being canned in order to conserve space. can sweet cherries as berries. blanch sour cherries / minute, in boiling water. dip in cold water; drain and pack closely into hot sterilized jars. cover with boiling water or boiling medium syrup. loosely seal. sterilize minutes in boiling water bath. remove jars at once, tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. canned pears wash and peel fruit and follow directions for canned peaches. canned berries blackberries, blueberries, huckleberries, raspberries, loganberries, gooseberries and strawberries should be canned as soon as possible after picking. hull or stem; place in strainer and wash by lifting up and down in pan of cold water. pack into hot sterilized glass jars, using care not to crush fruit. to insure a close pack, put a or inch layer of berries on the bottom of jar and press down gently with spoon. continue in this manner until jar is filled. boiling water or boiling thin or medium syrup should be poured over the fruit at once. loosely seal. sterilize minutes in boiling water. remove jars, tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. asparagus asparagus for canning must be fresh and tender. select tips of uniform size and maturity and wash. cut into lengths according to containers to be used. scrape off scales, tough outer skins and hard ends and tie in bundles large enough for one jar. immerse the lower ends in boiling water and leave them immersed for minutes, then the entire stalks, leaving them in to minutes longer. cold dip, drain, pack neatly, tips up, in hot sterilized jars. add salt and cover with boiling water. loosely seal, sterilize two hours in boiling water bath. remove as soon as time is up. tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. beans green string beans and wax beans.--the beans should be tender and fresh, and graded according to size and washed. leave whole or break in uniform pieces. blanch to minutes until the pod will bend without breaking. cold dip, drain well and pack into hot jars. add salt and cover with boiling water. loosely seal and sterilize two hours in boiling water. remove when time is up, tighten covers, and invert to test seal. corn make careful selection of tender, juicy sweet corn, at best stage for table use. can as soon as possible after gathering. remove husks and silk; blanch tender ears minutes, older ears minutes. cold dip and cut from cob but not too close. pack at once into hot sterilized jars. as corn swells during sterilization, leave space of inch at top. add salt and cover with boiling water. be sure that water penetrates through corn to the bottom of jar. loosely seal and sterilize three hours in boiling water. remove when time is up, tighten covers, invert to test seal and cool. jams jams are usually made with small fruits or with chopped large fruits. cook slowly with an equal weight of sugar until thick; put into sterilized tumblers or jars and seal. raspberry jam pick over berries. mash a few in bottom of preserving kettle; continue until fruit is used. heat slowly to boiling point and add equal quantity of heated sugar. cook slowly minutes. put into sterilized jars. blackberry, gooseberry or other berry jam may be made in this way. plum conserve pounds plums cup seeded raisins oranges sugar juice of lemon / pound walnuts wash plums; remove stones; add raisins and oranges which have been sliced very fine. measure and add / cup sugar to each cup fruit and juice. put into kettle, cook slowly about minutes or until thick like jam, stirring to keep from burning. add lemon juice and chopped nuts. pour into sterilized jars. spiced currants lbs. white sugar lbs. ripe currants tablespoon cinnamon tablespoon nutmeg tablespoon cloves tablespoon allspice / pint vinegar boil currants one hour, then add sugar, spices and one-half pint vinegar, boil one-half hour longer. pour into jars and store. jellies heat and mash fruit until juice runs readily. if fruit is not entirely broken up rub through coarse sieve. pour into sterilized jelly bags of unbleached muslin or doubled cheesecloth and drain thoroughly but do not squeeze. take / cup sugar for each cup of juice. boil juice to minutes (berries and currants less than other fruits); add sugar which has been heated in oven; stir until sugar is dissolved and boil about minutes. pour into hot sterilized tumblers. hard fruits like apples and quinces should be cut up, covered with cold water and cooked until tender before turning into jelly bags. pickles pickled peaches pounds brown sugar cups vinegar ounce stick cinnamon / ounce whole cloves quarts peaches boil sugar, vinegar and spices minutes. dip peaches quickly in hot water; then rub off the fuzz with a cloth. place a few peaches at a time in syrup and cook until tender. pack into sterilized jars. adjust sterilized rubbers, and fill each jar to overflowing with hot strained syrup. put on sterilized covers and seal jars immediately. chow chow quart small white onions quart small cucumbers heads cauliflower green peppers quart vinegar tablespoons mustard tablespoons flour cup sugar tablespoon turmeric peel onions and add cucumbers, cauliflower cut into small pieces, and sliced peppers. soak over night in brine ( cup salt to quart water). drain and cook in fresh brine until vegetables are tender, and drain again. boil vinegar in kettle and add paste made with mustard, flour, sugar, turmeric and a little cold vinegar, stirring until mixture thickens; add vegetables and cook slowly minutes. seal in sterilized jars. sweet tomato pickles / peck green tomatoes onions green peppers cup salt / cup white mustard seed teaspoons pepper teaspoons cinnamon teaspoons allspice teaspoons cloves quarts vinegar pound brown sugar chop tomatoes, onions and peppers; cover with salt and allow to stand over night. drain, and add to vinegar, spices and sugar which have been heated to boiling. cook minutes and seal in sterilized jars. chili sauce medium-sized ripe tomatoes red pepper onion cups vinegar / cup sugar tablespoons salt teaspoons cloves teaspoons cinnamon teaspoons allspice teaspoons nutmeg peel and slice tomatoes; add chopped pepper and onion; put into kettle with remaining ingredients. cook slowly for - / hours. seal in sterilized jars. tomato catsup quarts tomatoes (strained) tablespoons salt tablespoons black pepper tablespoon cloves tablespoons cinnamon tablespoons allspice - / pints vinegar put all together in kettle and boil down one-half. pour into sterilized jars. keep the home baking safeguarded housekeepers who have always used royal baking powder with utmost satisfaction are sometimes misled into experimenting with baking powders containing questionable ingredients. no real economy is thus accomplished--in fact, the use of an unwholesome, undependable baking powder often produces a bitter taste in the food which makes it unappetizing and sometimes inedible, to say nothing of the injurious effect produced upon the digestive system. royal baking powder is most economical. its well-known dependability makes baking success simpler and surer, thus preventing loss of eggs, flour, butter and other ingredients. only the best materials are used in its production--pure cream of tartar and tartaric acid, derived from grapes, bicarbonate of soda and corn starch, all scientifically blended and perfectly balanced. the best is always the most economical. =to insure food that is always delicious, wholesome and appetizing, insist on using royal baking powder which is made from cream of tartar, derived from grapes.= bake it with royal and be sure has been the motto for fifty years in millions of homes where good food is recognized as the first essential of good health and where pride is taken in good baking. one of the distinctive qualities of food baked with royal baking powder is _wholesomeness_. this is health insurance of such vital importance that millions of women bake at home just to be sure that royal baking powder is used. _remember the adage_-- "bake it with royal and be sure." research, tradition and history (hearth). ithaca, ny: albert r. mann library, cornell university, audrey longhurst, william flis, and the online distributed proofreading team. [illustration: save -wheat _use more corn_ -meat _use more fish & beans_ -fats _use just enough_ -sugar _use syrups_ and serve the cause of freedom u.s. food administration] [illustration: food --buy it with thought --cook it with care --serve just enough --save what will keep --eat what would spoil --home-grown is best _don't waste it_] foods that will win the war and how to cook them by c. houston goudiss food expert and publisher of the forecast magazine and alberta m. goudiss director of the school of modern cookery the authors can be reached by addressing the world syndicate company new york copyright by the forecast publishing co. _all rights reserved, including the translation into foreign languages, including the scandinavian._ [illustration: _this is_ what god gives us. what are you giving so that others may live? _eat less_ wheat meat fats sugar send more to europe or they will starve] foreword food will win the war, and the nation whose food resources are best conserved will be the victor. this is the truth that our government is trying to drive home to every man, woman and child in america. we have always been happy in the fact that ours was the richest nation in the world, possessing unlimited supplies of food, fuel, energy and ability; but rich as these resources are they will not meet the present food shortage unless every family and every individual enthusiastically co-operates in the national saving campaign as outlined by the united states food administration. the regulations prescribed for this saving campaign are simple and easy of application. our government does not ask us to give up three square meals a day--nor even one. all it asks is that we substitute as far as possible corn and other cereals for wheat, reduce a little our meat consumption and save sugar and fats by careful utilization of these products. there are few housekeepers who are not eager to help in this saving campaign, and there are few indeed who do not feel the need of conserving family resources. but just how is sometimes a difficult task. this book is planned to solve the housekeeper's problem. it shows how to substitute cereals and other grains for wheat, how to cut down the meat bill by the use of meat extension and meat substitute dishes which supply equivalent nutrition at much less cost; it shows the use of syrup and other products that save sugar, and it explains how to utilize all kinds of fats. it contains recipes for the making of war breads; recipes on low-cost meat dishes and meat substitutes; recipes for sugarless desserts; menus for meatless and wheatless days, methods of purchasing--in all some two hundred ways of meeting present food conditions at minimum cost and without the sacrifice of nutrition. not only have its authors planned to help the woman in the home, conserve the family income, but to encourage those saving habits which must be acquired by this nation if we are to secure a permanent peace that will insure the world against another onslaught by the prussian military powers. a little bit of saving in food means a tremendous aggregate total, when , , people are doing the saving. one wheatless meal a day would not mean hardship; there are always corn and other products to be used. yet one wheatless meal a day in every family would mean a saving of , , bushels of wheat, which totals , , , lbs. two meatless days a week would mean a saving of , , lbs. of meat per annum. one teaspoonful of sugar per person saved each day would insure a supply ample to take care of our soldiers and our allies. these quantities mean but a small individual sacrifice, but when multiplied by our vast population they will immeasurably aid and encourage the men who are giving their lives to the noble cause of humanity on which our nation has embarked. _the authors._ contents page foreword save wheat: reasons why our government asks us to save wheat, with practical recipes for the use of other grains a general rule for proportions in bread-making use of corn use of oats use of rye use of barley use of potatoes use of mixed grains pancakes and waffles save meat: reasons why our government has asked us to save meat, with practical recipes for meat conservation selection of meat , , , methods of cooking , charts , comparative composition of meat and meat substitutes economy of meat and meat substitutes meat economy dishes fish as a meat substitute fish recipes cheese as a meat substitute meat substitute dishes save sugar: reasons why our government asks us to save sugar, with practical recipes for sugarless desserts, cakes, candies and preserves sugarless desserts sugarless preserves save fat: reasons why our government asks us to save fat, with practical recipes for fat conservation to render fats various uses for leftover fats save food: reasons why our government asks us not to waste food, with practical recipes for the use of leftovers a simple way to plan a balanced ration table showing number of calories per day required by various classes sauces make leftovers attractive use of gelatine in combining leftovers salads provide an easy method of using leftovers use of stale bread, cake and leftover cereals soups utilize leftovers all-in-one-dish meals--needing only fruit or simple dessert, bread and butter to complete a well-balanced menu wheatless day menus meatless day menus meat substitute dinners vegetable dinners save and serve--bread; meat; sugar; fat; milk; vegetables , blank pages for recording favorite family recipes _the recipes in this book have been examined and approved by the united states food administration_ _illustrations furnished by courtesy of the united states food administration_ [illustration] all the recipes in this book have been prepared and used in the school of modern cookery conducted by _the forecast magazine_ and have been endorsed by the u.s. food administration. they have been worked out under the direction of grace e. frysinger, graduate in domestic science of drexel institute, of philadelphia, and the university of chicago. miss frysinger, who has had nine years' experience as a teacher of domestic science, has earnestly used her skill to make these recipes practical for home use, and at the same time accurate and scientific. the above illustration shows a class at the school of modern cookery. these classes are entirely free, the instruction being given in the interest of household economics. the foods cooked during the demonstration are sampled by the students and in this way it is possible to get in close touch with the needs of the homemakers and the tastes of the average family. foods that will win the war [illustration] save wheat _reasons why our government asks us to save wheat, with practical recipes for the use of other grains_ a slice of bread seems an unimportant thing. yet one good-sized slice of bread weighs an ounce. it contains almost three-fourths of an ounce of flour. if every one of the country's , , homes wastes on the average only one such slice of bread a day, the country is throwing away daily over , , ounces of flour--over , pounds, or enough flour for over a million one-pound loaves a day. for a full year at this rate there would be a waste of over , , pounds of flour-- , , barrels--enough flour to make , , loaves. as it takes four and one-half bushels of wheat to make a barrel of ordinary flour, this waste would represent the flour from over , , bushels of wheat. fourteen and nine-tenths bushels of wheat on the average are raised per acre. it would take the product of some , acres just to provide a single slice of bread to be wasted daily in every home. but some one says, "a full slice of bread is not wasted in every home." very well, make it a daily slice for every four or every ten or every thirty homes--make it a weekly or monthly slice in every home--or make the wasted slice thinner. the waste of flour involved is still appalling. these are figures compiled by government experts, and they should give pause to every housekeeper who permits a slice of bread to be wasted in her home. another source of waste of which few of us take account is home-made bread. sixty per cent. of the bread used in america is made in the home. when one stops to consider how much home-made bread is poorly made, and represents a large waste of flour, yeast and fuel, this housewifely energy is not so commendable. the bread flour used in the home is also in the main wheat flour, and all waste of wheat at the present time increases the shortage of this most necessary food. fuel, too, is a serious national problem, and all coal used in either range, gas, or electric oven for the baking of poor bread is an actual national loss. there must be no waste in poor baking or from poor care after the bread is made, or from the waste of a crust or crumb. waste in your kitchen means starvation in some other kitchen across the sea. our allies are asking for , , bushels of wheat, and we are told that even then theirs will be a privation loaf. crop shortage and unusual demand has left canada and the united states, which are the largest sources of wheat, with but , , bushels available for export. the deficit must be met by reducing consumption on this side the atlantic. this can be done by eliminating waste and by making use of cereals and flours other than wheat in bread-making. the wide use of wheat flour for bread-making has been due to custom. in europe rye and oats form the staple breads of many countries, and in some sections of the south corn-bread is the staff of life. we have only to modify a little our bread-eating habits in order to meet the present need. other cereals can well be used to eke out the wheat, but they require slightly different handling. in making yeast breads, the essential ingredient is gluten, which is extended by carbon dioxide gas formed by yeast growth. with the exception of rye, grains other than wheat do not contain sufficient gluten for yeast bread, and it is necessary to use a wheat in varying proportions in order to supply the deficient gluten. even the baker's rye loaf is usually made of one-half rye and one-half wheat. this is the safest proportion for home use in order to secure a good texture. when oatmeal is used, it is necessary to scald the oatmeal to prevent a raw taste. oatmeal also makes a softer dough than wheat, and it is best to make the loaf smaller and bake it longer: about one hour instead of the forty-five minutes which we allow for wheat bread. the addition of one-third barley flour to wheat flour makes a light colored, good flavored bread. if a larger proportion than this is used, the loaf has a decided barley flavor. if you like this flavor and increase the proportion of barley, be sure to allow the dough a little longer time to rise, as by increasing the barley you weaken the gluten content of your loaf. rice and cornmeal can be added to wheat breads in a per cent. proportion. laboratory tests have shown that any greater proportion than this produces a heavy, small loaf. potato flour or mashed potato can be used to extend the wheat, it being possible to work in almost per cent. of potato, but this makes a darker and moister loaf than when wheat alone is used. in order to take care of this moisture, it is best to reserve part of the wheat for the second kneading. graham and entire wheat flour also effect a saving of wheat because a larger percentage of the wheat berry is used. graham flour is the whole kernel of wheat, ground. entire wheat flour is the flour resulting from the grinding of all but the outer layer of wheat. a larger use of these coarser flours will therefore help materially in eking out our scant wheat supply as the percentage of the wheat berry used for bread flour is but per cent. breads made from these coarser flours also aid digestion and are a valuable addition to the dietary. in order to keep down waste by eliminating the poor batch of bread, it is necessary to understand the principles of bread-making. fermentation is the basic principle of yeast bread, and fermentation is controlled by temperature. the yeast plant grows at a temperature from to degrees (fahrenheit), and if care is taken to maintain this temperature during the process of fermentation, waste caused by sour dough or over-fermentation will be eliminated. when we control the temperature we can also reduce the time necessary for making a loaf of bread, or several loaves of bread as may be needed, into as short a period as three hours. this is what is known as the quick method. it not only saves time and labor, but, controlling the temperature, insures accurate results. the easiest way to control the temperature is to put the bowl containing the dough into another of slightly larger size containing water at a temperature of degrees. the water of course should never be hot. hot water kills the yeast plant. cold water checks its growth. cover the bowl and set it in the gas oven or fireless cooker or on the shelf of the coal range. as the water in the large bowl cools off, remove a cupful and add a cupful of hot water. at the end of one and one-half hours the dough should have doubled in bulk. take it out of the pan and knead until the large gas bubbles are broken (about ten minutes). then place in greased bread pans and allow to rise for another half hour. at the end of this time it will not only fill the pan, but will project out of it. do not allow the dough to rise too high, for then the bread will have large holes in it. a good proportion as a general rule to follow, is: - / cupfuls of flour (this includes added cereals) cupful of water or milk / tablespoon shortening - / teaspoons salt cake of compressed yeast in this recipe sugar has been omitted because of the serious shortage, but after the war a teaspoon of sugar should be added. the shortening, although small in quantity, may also be omitted. these materials make a loaf of about one pound, which should be baked in forty to fifty minutes at a temperature of degrees (fahrenheit). allow a little longer time for bread containing oatmeal or other grains. such breads require a little longer baking and a little lower temperature than wheat breads. if you do not use a thermometer in testing your oven, place a piece of paper on the center shelf, and if it browns in two minutes your oven is right. if a longer period for raising is allowed than is suggested in the above recipe, the yeast proportion should be decreased. for overnight bread use one-quarter yeast cake per loaf; for six-hour bread, use one-half yeast cake per loaf; for three-hour bread, use one yeast cake per loaf. in baking, the time allowed should depend on the size of the loaf. when baked at a temperature of degrees, large loaves take from forty-five to sixty minutes, small loaves from thirty to forty minutes, rolls from ten to twenty minutes. it is well to divide the oven time into four parts. during the first quarter, the rising continues; second quarter, browning begins; the third quarter, browning is finished; the fourth quarter, bread shrinks from the side of the pan. these are always safe tests to follow in your baking. when baked, the bread should be turned out of the pans and allow to cool on a wire rack. when cool, put the bread in a stone crock or bread box. to prevent staleness, keep the old bread away from the fresh--scald the bread crock or give your bread box a sun bath at frequent intervals. even with all possible care to prevent waste, yeast breads will not conserve our wheat supply so well as quick breads, because all yeast breads need a larger percentage of wheat. the home baker can better serve her country by introducing into her menus numerous quick breads that can be made from cornmeal, rye, corn and rye, hominy, and buckwheat. griddle cakes and waffles can also be made from lentils, soy beans, potatoes, rice and peas. do not expect that the use of other cereals in bread-making will reduce the cost of your bread. that is not the object. saving of wheat for war needs is the thing we are striving for, and this is as much an act of loyalty as buying liberty bonds. it is to meet the crucial world need of bread that we are learning to substitute, and not to spare the national purse. besides this saving of wheat, our government also asks us to omit all fat from our yeast breads in order to conserve the diminishing fat supply. this may seem impossible to the woman who has never made bread without shortening, but recent experiments in bread-making laboratories have proved that bread, without shortening, is just as light and as good in texture as that made with shortening--the only difference being a slight change in flavor. these experiments have also shown that it is possible to supply shortening by the introduction of per cent. to per cent. of canned cocoanut or of peanut butter, and that sugar may also be omitted from bread-making recipes. in fact, the war is bringing about manifold interesting experiments which prove that edible and nutritious bread can be made of many things besides the usual white flour. the recipes herewith appended, showing the use of combinations of cereals and wheat, have been carefully tested in the forecast school of modern cookery. good bread can be made from each recipe, and the new flavors obtained by the use of other grains make a pleasing and wholesome variety. a family which has eaten oatmeal or entire wheat bread will never again be satisfied with a diet that includes only bread made from bleached flour. children, especially, will be benefited by the change, as the breads made from coarser flours are not only more nutritious, but are rich in the minerals and vitamine elements that are so essential to the growth of strong teeth, bones and growing tissues. the homemaker, too, will never regret her larger acquaintance with bread-making materials, as the greater variety of breads that she will find herself able to produce will be a source of pleasure and keen satisfaction. [illustration: breads made from the coarser flours, whole wheat, cornmeal, rye, conserve our wheat supply] _to conform to u.s. food administration regulations during the war, eliminate fat and sweetening in breads--whenever fat is used, use drippings_ the use of corn cornmeal rolls cup bread flour cup cornmeal teaspoons baking powder tablespoons fat egg / cup milk - / teaspoons salt tablespoon sugar mix and sift dry ingredients and cut in the fat. beat the egg and add to it the milk. combine the liquid with the dry ingredients. shape as parker house rolls and bake in a hot oven to minutes. buttermilk or sour milk cornmeal muffins cups cornmeal egg tablespoons sugar tablespoons fat cups sour or buttermilk teaspoon salt teaspoon soda dissolve soda in a little cold water. mix ingredients adding soda last. bake in hot oven minutes. cornmeal griddle cakes - / cups cornmeal - / cups boiling water / cup milk tablespoons fat tablespoon molasses / cup flour - / teaspoons salt teaspoons baking powder scald meal with boiling water. add milk, fat and molasses. add sifted dry ingredients. bake on hot griddle. southern spoon bread cup white cornmeal cups boiling water / cup bacon fat or drippings teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt eggs slices bread / cup cold water cup milk scald cornmeal with boiling water. soak bread in cold water and milk. separate yolks and whites of eggs. beat each until light. mix ingredients in order given, folding in whites of eggs last. bake in buttered dish in hot oven minutes. spoon bread cups water cup milk cup cornmeal / cup sweet pepper tablespoon fat eggs teaspoons salt mix water and cornmeal and bring to the boiling point and cook minutes. beat eggs well and add with other materials to the mush. beat well and bake in a well-greased pan for minutes in a hot oven. serve from the same dish with a spoon. serve with milk or syrup. cornmeal ragged robins - / cups cornmeal cup bread flour - / teaspoons salt - / cups milk - / teaspoons cream of tartar tablespoons fat - / teaspoons soda sift dry ingredients. cut in the fat. add liquid and drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. bake in hot oven to minutes. these may be rolled and cut same as baking powder biscuits. indian pudding cups milk / cup cornmeal / cup molasses teaspoon salt teaspoon ginger teaspoon allspice cook milk and meal in a double boiler minutes; add molasses, salt and ginger. pour into greased pudding dish and bake two hours in a slow oven, or use fireless cooker. serve with milk. this makes a good and nourishing dessert. serves six. tamale pie cups cornmeal cups water (boiling) tablespoons fat teaspoon salt onion cups tomatoes cups cooked or raw meat cut in small pieces / cup green peppers to the cornmeal and teaspoon salt, add boiling water. cook one-half hour. brown onion in fat, add meat. add salt, / teaspoon cayenne, the tomatoes and green peppers. grease baking dish, put in layer of cornmeal mush, add seasoned meat, and cover with mush. bake one-half hour. eggless corn bread cup cornmeal / cup bread flour tablespoons molasses cup milk teaspoons baking powder teaspoons salt tablespoons fat beat thoroughly. bake in greased muffin pans minutes. sweet milk corn bread cups cornmeal cups sweet milk (whole or skim) teaspoons baking powder tablespoons corn syrup tablespoons fat teaspoon salt egg mix dry ingredients. add milk, well-beaten egg, and melted fat. beat well. bake in shallow pan for about minutes. sour milk corn bread cups cornmeal cups sour milk teaspoon soda tablespoons fat tablespoons corn syrup or molasses teaspoon salt egg mix dry ingredients. add milk, egg and fat. beat well. bake in greased pan minutes. the use of oats cooked oatmeal bread cups thick cooked oatmeal tablespoons fat - / tablespoons salt tablespoons molasses - / cakes yeast / cup lukewarm water about cups flour to oatmeal add the sugar, salt and fat. mix the yeast cake with the lukewarm water, add it to the other materials and stir in the flour until the dough will not stick to the sides of the bowl. knead until elastic, ten to fifteen minutes, moisten the top of the dough with a little water to prevent a hard crust forming, and set to rise in a warm place. when double its bulk, knead again for a few minutes. shape into loaves and put into greased pans. let rise double in bulk and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. oatmeal bread cups rolled oats cups boiling water / cup molasses yeast cake / cup lukewarm water tablespoon salt tablespoons fat (melted) about cups bread flour scald the rolled oats with the boiling water and let stand until cool. dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and add to the first mixture when cool. add the molasses, salt and melted fat. stir in enough bread flour to knead. turn on a floured board. knead lightly. return to bowl and let rise until double in bulk. knead and shape in loaves and let rise until double again. bake in a moderate oven minutes. oatmeal nut bread cake compressed yeast cups boiling water / cup lukewarm water cups rolled oats teaspoon salt / cup brown sugar or tablespoons corn syrup tablespoons fat cups flour / cup chopped nuts. pour two cups of boiling water over oatmeal, cover and let stand until lukewarm. dissolve yeast and sugar in one-half cup lukewarm water, add shortening and add this to the oatmeal and water. add one cup of flour, or enough to make an ordinary sponge. beat well. cover and set aside in a moderately warm place to rise for one hour. add enough flour to make a dough--about three cups, add nuts and the salt. knead well. place in greased bowl, cover and let rise in a moderately warm place until double in bulk--about one and one-half hour. mould into loaves, fill well-greased pans half full, cover and let rise again one hour. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. oatmeal scones cup cold porridge (stiff) cup boiling water tablespoon fat / teaspoon baking powder or / teaspoon soda teaspoon corn syrup / teaspoon salt mix soda, boiling water and fat. mix all. turn on board. mould flat--cut / -inch thick and bake on griddle. oatmeal muffins - / cups flour tablespoons molasses / teaspoon salt tablespoons fat teaspoons baking powder egg beaten / cup milk cup cooked oatmeal sift dry ingredients. add egg and milk. add fat and cereal. beat well. bake in greased tins minutes. rolled oats ragged robins - / cups rolled oats cup bread flour - / teaspoons salt - / cups milk - / teaspoons cream of tartar tablespoons fat - / teaspoons soda sift dry ingredients. cut in the fat. add liquid and drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. bake in hot oven to minutes. these may be rolled and cut same as baking powder biscuits. (if uncooked rolled oats are used, allow to stand in the milk for minutes before making recipe.) the use of rye rye yeast bread cup milk and water, or water tablespoon fat tablespoons corn syrup teaspoon salt - / cups rye flour - / cups wheat flour / cake compressed yeast tablespoons water combine ingredients. mix into dough and knead. let rise until double original bulk. knead again. when double bulk, bake about rye rolls cups rye flour - / teaspoons salt teaspoons baking powder - / cups milk tablespoons fat cup chopped nuts mix dry ingredients thoroughly. add milk, nuts and melted shortening. knead. shape into rolls. put into greased pans. let stand one-half hour. bake in moderate oven minutes. war bread cups boiling water tablespoons sugar - / teaspoons salt / cup lukewarm water tablespoons fat cups rye flour - / cups whole wheat flour cake yeast to the boiling water, add the sugar, fat and salt. when lukewarm, add the yeast which has been dissolved in the lukewarm water. add the rye and whole wheat flour. cover and let rise until twice its bulk, shape into loaves; let rise until double and bake about minutes, in a moderately hot oven. rye ragged robins - / cups rye flour cup bread flour - / teaspoons salt - / cups milk - / teaspoons cream of tartar tablespoons fat - / teaspoons soda sift dry ingredients. cut in the fat. add liquid and drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. bake in hot oven to minutes. these may be rolled and cut same as baking powder biscuits. the use of barley barley yeast bread cup milk and water, or water tablespoons corn syrup tablespoon fat - / teaspoons salt - / cups barley flour - / cups wheat flour / cake compressed yeast soften the yeast in / cup lukewarm liquid. combine ingredients. mix into a dough. knead and let rise to double original bulk. knead again. put in pan; when again double in bulk bake minutes. barley muffins - / cups whole wheat flour cup barley meal / teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder egg - / cups sour milk / teaspoon soda tablespoons drippings sift flour, barley meal, salt and baking powder. dissolve soda in a little cold water and add to sour milk. combine flour mixture and sour milk, add beaten egg and melted fat. bake in muffin pans in a moderate oven minutes. barley spoon bread tablespoons pork drippings cups boiling water cup barley meal eggs heat drippings in saucepan until slightly brown, add water and when boiling, add barley meal, stirring constantly. cook in a double boiler one-half hour, cool, and add well-beaten yolks. fold in whites, beaten. bake in greased dish in moderate oven one-half hour. barley pudding cups milk / cup barley meal / teaspoon salt / teaspoon ginger / cup molasses scald the milk, pour this on the meal and cook in double boiler one-half hour; add molasses, salt and ginger. pour into greased pudding dish and bake two hours in a slow oven. serve either hot or cold with syrup. barley scones cup whole wheat flour cup barley meal / teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder tablespoons fat / cup sour milk / teaspoon soda sift flour, barley meal, salt and baking powder together. add fat. dissolve soda in one tablespoon cold water and add to sour milk. combine flour mixture and sour milk to form a soft dough. turn out on a well-floured board, knead slightly, roll to one-half inch thickness; cut in small pieces and bake in a hot oven minutes. the use of potato potato biscuit cup mashed lightly packed potato tablespoons fat cup whole wheat flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt about / cup milk or water in which potatoes were cooked add melted fat to mashed potato. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt and add to potato mixture, add enough of the milk to make a soft dough. roll out / inch thick, cut with a biscuit cutter and bake in a quick oven for minutes. (if bread flour is used in place of whole wheat, the biscuits are slightly lighter and flakier in texture.) potato bread - / cups tightly packed mashed potato - / cups wheat flour tablespoon warm water / yeast cake / teaspoon salt make dough as usual. let rise in warm place for minutes. mould into loaf, put in pan, let rise until double in bulk in warm place. bake for minutes in hot oven. potato yeast bread / cup milk and water or water tablespoons corn syrup tablespoons fat - / teaspoons salt cups boiled potatoes cups flour / cake compressed yeast / cup warm water dissolve yeast in the warm water. add other ingredients and make same as any bread. potato parker house rolls / cake yeast cup milk (scalded) teaspoon fat tablespoons corn syrup (or tablespoon sugar) - / cups flour cups potato (mashed and hot) teaspoon salt egg dissolve yeast in milk (luke warm). stir in dry ingredients. add potato and knead until smooth. let rise until light. roll thin, fold over, bake until brown. the use of mixed grains war bread or thirds bread pint milk, or milk and water teaspoons salt tablespoons molasses yeast cake tablespoons fat mix as ordinary bread dough. add cups cornmeal and cups rye meal and enough whole wheat flour to knead. let rise, knead, shape, let rise again in the pan and bake minutes. corn meal and rye bread cups lukewarm water cake yeast teaspoons salt / cup molasses - / cup rye flour cup corn meal cups bread flour dissolve yeast cake in water, add remaining ingredients, and mix thoroughly. let rise, shape, let rise again and bake. boston brown bread cup rye meal cup cornmeal cup graham flour cups sour milk - / teaspoons soda - / teaspoons salt / cup molasses beat well. put in greased covered molds, steam to hours. bread muffins cups bread crumbs / cup flour tablespoon fat, melted - / cups milk egg teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt cover crumbs with milk and soak minutes. beat smooth, add egg yolks, dry ingredients sifted together and fat. fold in beaten whites of eggs. bake in muffin tins in moderate oven for minutes. corn, rye and whole wheat fruit muffins / cup boiling water cup cornmeal / teaspoon soda / cup molasses cup whole wheat flour cup rye flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoon salt cup milk / cup raisins cut in halves / cup chopped nuts tablespoons fat scald meal with boiling water, mix soda and molasses. mix dry ingredients, mix all thoroughly. bake in muffin pans one-half hour. soy bean meal biscuit cup soy bean meal or flour cup whole wheat - / teaspoons salt teaspoons baking powder tablespoon corn syrup tablespoons fat cup milk sift dry ingredients. cut in fat. add liquid to make soft dough. roll one-half inch thick. cut and bake to minutes in hot oven. emergency biscuit cup whole wheat flour cup cornmeal tablespoon fat / teaspoon soda cup sour milk teaspoon salt mix as baking powder biscuit. drop by spoonfuls on greased baking sheet. bake minutes in hot oven. pancakes and waffles sour milk pancakes cup sour milk / cup cooked cereal or cup bread crumbs tablespoon melted fat egg / cup whole wheat flour teaspoon soda / teaspoon salt mix bread crumbs, flour, salt; add beaten egg, fat and cereal; mix soda with sour milk and add to other ingredients. split pea pancakes cups split peas egg whites / cup flour cup milk egg yolks tablespoons pork drippings / teaspoon cayenne teaspoon salt teaspoonful baking powder soak peas over night, cook, and when tender, put through a food chopper and mix the ingredients. bake on hot greased griddle. bread griddle cakes cups sour milk cups bread let stand until soft put through colander. for each one pint use: egg teaspoon soda teaspoons sugar / teaspoon salt / cup flour egg beaten mix well; bake at once on hot greased griddle. oatmeal pancakes cups oatmeal tablespoon melted fat / teaspoon salt add: egg beaten into a cupful of milk cupful flour into which has been sifted teaspoonful baking powder. beat well. cook on a griddle. this is an excellent way to use left-over oatmeal. potato pancakes cups of chopped potato / cup milk egg teaspoon salt cups flour teaspoons of baking powder cups of hot water parboil potatoes in the skins for fifteen minutes. pare and chop fine or put through food chopper. mix potatoes, milk, eggs and salt. sift the flour and baking powder and stir into a smooth batter. thin with hot water as necessary. bake on a greased griddle. rice waffles cup cold boiled rice - / cups milk eggs cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoon melted fat teaspoons baking powder add milk to rice and stir until smooth. add salt, egg yolks beaten; add flour sifted with baking powder and salt; add fat; add stiffly beaten whites. rice griddle cakes / cup boiled rice / cup flour tablespoons fat pint milk / teaspoon salt / teaspoon soda stir rice in milk. let stand one-half hour. add other ingredients, having dissolved soda in one tablespoon cold water. cornmeal waffles cup cornmeal / cup flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder / cup corn syrup egg pint milk tablespoon fat cook cornmeal and milk in double boiler minutes. sift dry ingredients. add milk, cornmeal; beaten yolks; fat, beaten whites. cornmeal and rye waffles cup rye flour / cup cornmeal teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder tablespoon melted fat eggs - / cups milk sift dry ingredients. add beaten yolks added to milk. add fat and stiffly beaten whites. if waffles are not crisp add more liquid. [illustration: each food shown is equivalent in protein to the platter of meat in the center of the picture.] save meat _reasons why our government has asked us to save meat with practical recipes for meat conservation_ as a nation we eat and waste per cent. more meat than we require to maintain health. this statement, recently issued by the united states food administration, is appalling when we consider that there is a greater demand for meat in the world to-day than ever before, coupled with a greatly decreased production. the increase in the demand for meat and animal products is due to the stress of the war. millions of men are on the fighting line doing hard physical labor, and require a larger food allowance than when they were civilians. to meet the demand for meat and to save their grains, our allies have been compelled to kill upward of thirty-three million head of their stock animals, and they have thus stifled their animal production. this was burning the candle at both ends, and they now face increased demand handicapped by decreased production. america must fill the breach. not only must we meet the present increased demand, but we must be prepared as the war advances to meet an even greater demand for this most necessary food. the way out of this serious situation is first to reduce meat consumption to the amount really needed and then to learn to use other foods that will supply the food element which is found in meat. this element is called protein, and we depend upon it to build and repair body tissues. although most persons believe that protein can only be obtained from meat, it is found in many other foods, such as milk, skim milk, cheese, cottage cheese, poultry, eggs, fish, dried peas, beans, cow peas, lentils and nuts. for instance, pound for pound, salmon, either fresh or canned, equals round steak in protein content; cream cheese contains one-quarter more protein and three times as much fat; peanuts (hulled) one-quarter more protein and three and a half times as much fat; beans (dried) a little more protein and one-fifth as much fat; eggs (one dozen) about the same in protein and one-half more fat. it is our manifest duty to learn how to make the best use of these foods in order to save beef, pork and mutton, to be shipped across the sea. this means that the housekeeper has before her the task of training the family palate to accept new food preparations. training the family palate is not easy, because bodies that have grown accustomed to certain food combinations find it difficult to get along without them, and rebel at a change. if these habits of diet are suddenly disturbed we may upset digestion, as well as create a feeling of dissatisfaction which is equally harmful to physical well-being. the wise housekeeper will therefore make her changes gradually. in reducing meat in the diet of a family that has been used to having meat twice a day, it will be well to start out with meat once a day and keep up this régime for a couple of weeks. then drop meat for a whole day, supplying in its stead a meat substitute dish that will furnish the same nutriment. after a while you can use meat substitutes at least twice a week without disturbing the family's mental or physical equilibrium. it would be well also to introduce dishes that extend the meat flavor, such as stews combined with dumplings, hominy, or rice; pot pies or short cakes with a dressing of meat and vegetables; meat loaf, souffle or croquettes in which meat is combined with bread crumbs, potato or rice. meat eating is largely a matter of flavor. if flavor is supplied, the reduction of meat in the diet can be made with little annoyance. nutrition can always be supplied in the other dishes that accompany the meal, as a certain proportion of protein is found in almost every food product. the meat that we use to obtain flavor in sauces and gravies need not be large in quantity, nor expensive in cut. the poor or cheap cuts have generally more flavor than the expensive ones, the difference being entirely in texture and tenderness, freedom from gristle and inedible tissue. there are many cereals, such as rice, hominy, cornmeal, samp and many vegetable dishes, especially dried beans of all kinds, that are greatly improved by the addition of meat sauce and when prepared in this way may be served as the main dish of a meal. dr. harvey w. wiley has stated that the meat eating of the future will not be regarded as a necessity so much as it has been in the past, and that meat will be used more as a condimental substance. europe has for years used meat for flavor rather than for nutriment. it would seem that the time has come for americans to learn the use of meat for flavor and to utilize more skillfully the protein of other foods. it may be difficult to convince the meat lover that he can radically reduce the proportion of meat in his diet without detriment to health. many persons adhere to the notion that you are not nourished unless you eat meat; that meat foods are absolutely necessary to maintain the body strength. this idea is entirely without foundation, for the foods mentioned as meat substitutes earlier in this chapter can be made to feed the world, and feed it well--in fact, no nation uses so large a proportion of meat as america. the first step, therefore, in preparing ourselves to reduce meat consumption is to recognize that only a small quantity of meat is necessary to supply sufficient protein for adult life. the growing child or the youth springing into manhood needs a larger percentage of meat than the adult, and in apportioning the family's meat ration this fact should not be overlooked. the second step is to reduce the amount purchased, choosing cuts that contain the least waste, and by utilizing with care that which we do purchase. fat, trimmings, and bones all have their uses and should be saved from the garbage pail. careful buying, of course, depends on a knowledge of cuts, a study of the percentage of waste in each cut, and the food value of the different kinds of meat. make a study of the different cuts, as shown in the charts on pages , , and armed with this knowledge go forth to the butcher for practical buying. then comes the cooking, which can only be properly done when the fundamental principles of the cooking processes, such as boiling, braising, broiling, stewing, roasting and frying are understood. each cut requires different handling to secure the maximum amount of nutriment and flavor. the waste occasioned by improper cooking is a large factor in both household and national economy. it has been estimated that a waste of an ounce each day of edible meat or fat in the twenty million american homes amounts to , , pounds of valuable animal food a year. at average dressed weights, this amounts to , steers, or over , , hogs. each housekeeper, therefore, who saves her ounce a day aids in this enormous saving, which will mean so much in the feeding of our men on the fighting line. so the housekeeper who goes to her task of training the family palate to accept meat substitutes and meat economy dishes, who revolutionizes her methods of cooking so as to utilize even "the pig's squeak," will be doing her bit toward making the world safe for democracy. the following charts, tables of nutritive values and suggested menus have been arranged to help her do this work. the american woman has her share in this great world struggle, and that is the intelligent conservation of food. selection of meat beef--dull red as cut, brighter after exposure to air; lean, well mottled with fat; flesh, firm; fat, yellowish in color. best beef from animal to years old, weighing to , pounds. do not buy wet, soft, or pink beef. veal--flesh pink. (if white, calf was bled before killed or animal too young.) the fat should be white. mutton--best from animal years old. flesh dull red, fat firm and white. lamb--(spring lamb months to months old; season, february to march.) bones of lamb should be small; end of bone in leg of lamb should be serrated; flesh pink, and fat white. pork--the lean should be fine grained and pale pink. the skin should be smooth and clear. if flesh is soft, or fat yellowish, pork is not good. selection of tougher cuts and their uses less expensive cuts of meat have more nourishment than the more expensive, and if properly cooked and seasoned, have as much tenderness. tough cuts, as chuck or top sirloin, may be boned and rolled and then roasted by the same method as tender cuts, the only difference will be that the tougher cuts require longer cooking. have the bones from rolled meats sent home to use for soups. corned beef may be selected from flank, naval, plate or brisket. these cuts are more juicy than rump or round cuts. . _for pot roast_ use chuck, crossrib, round, shoulder, rump or top sirloin. . _for stew_ use shin, shoulder, top sirloin or neck. . _for steaks_ use flank, round or chuck. if these cuts are pounded, or both pounded and rubbed with a mixture of part vinegar and parts oil before cooking, they will be very tender. . _soups_--buy shin or neck. the meat from these may be utilized by serving with horseradish or mustard sauce, or combined with equal amount of fresh meat for meat loaf, scalloped dish, etc. dry methods . _roasting or baking_--oven roasting or baking is applied to roasts. place the roast in a hot oven, or if gas is used, put in the broiling oven to sear the outside quickly, and thus keep in the juices. salt, pepper and flour. if an open roasting pan is used place a few tablespoonfuls of fat and cup of water in the pan, which should be used to baste the roast frequently. if a covered pan is used basting is unnecessary. beef or mutton ( to lbs.) min. to the lb. min. extra lamb ( to lbs.) min. to the lb. min. extra veal ( to lbs.) min. to the lb. min. extra pork ( to lbs.) min. to the lb. min. extra turkey min. to the lb. chicken min. to the lb. duck min. to the lb. goose min. to the lb. game min. to the lb. . _broiling_--cooking over or under clear fire. this method is used for chops or steaks. sear the meat on both sides. then reduce the heat and turn the meat frequently. use no fat. _time table_--(count time after meat is seared). / inch chops or steaks, minutes inch chops or steaks, minutes inch chops or steaks, to minutes . _pan broiling_--cooking in pan with no fat. _time table same as for broiling_ chops, steaks, etc. . _sautéing_--cooking in pan in small amount of fat. commonly termed "frying." used for steaks, chops, etc. _time table same as for broiling._ moist methods . boiling--cooking in boiling water--especially poultry, salt meats, etc. . steaming--a method of cooking by utilizing steam from boiling water, which retains more food value than any other. too seldom applied to meats. . frying--cooking by immersion in hot fat at temperature to degrees fahrenheit. used for croquettes, etc. if a fat thermometer is not available, test by using small pieces of bread. put into heated fat: a--for croquettes made from food requiring little cooking, such as oysters, or from previously cooked mixtures, as rice, fish or meat croquettes, bread should brown in one-half minute. b--for mixtures requiring cooking, as doughnuts, fritters, etc., bread should brown in one minute. combination methods . pot roasting--cooking (by use of steam from small amount of water) tough cuts of meat which have been browned but not cooked thoroughly. season meat. dredge with flour. sear in hot pan until well browned. place oil rack in pot containing water to height of one inch, but do not let water reach the meat. keep water slowly boiling. replenish as needed with boiling water. this method renders tough cuts tender, but requires several hours cooking. . stewing--a combination of methods which draws part of flavor into gravy and retains part in pieces which are to be used as meat. cut meat into pieces suitable for serving. cover one-half of meat with cold water. let stand one hour. bring slowly to boiling point. dredge other half of meat with flour and brown in small amount of fat. add to the other mixture and cook slowly - / to hours, or until tender, adding diced vegetables, thickening and seasoning as desired one-half hour before cooking is finished. . fricasseeing--cooking in a sauce until tender, meat which has been previously browned but not cooked throughout. brown meat in small amount of fat. place in boiling water to cover. cook slowly until tender. to pint of water in which meat is cooked, add / cup flour, teaspoon salt, / teaspoon cayenne, and / cup milk, thoroughly blended. when at boiling point, add one beaten egg, tablespoon chopped parsley and tablespoon cold water well mixed, add cooked meat and serve. [illustration: veal] neck for stews. shoulder for inexpensive chops. sweetbread--broiled or creamed. breast for roast or pot roast. loin for roast. rump for stews. cutlet for broiling. [illustration: beef] [illustration: lamb and mutton] neck--use for stews. shoulder for cheaper chops. breast for roast ribs for chops or crown roast. loin for roast. flank for stews. leg for cutlet and roast. [illustration: pork] head for cheese. shoulder same as ham but have it boned. has same flavor and is much cheaper. loin used for chops or roast. ham for boiling, roasting or pan broiling. less-used edible parts of animal, and methods of cooking best adapted to their use | animal | organ | source | methods of cooking -------------+------------+-------------------------- brains | sheep | broiled or scrambled | pork | with egg -------------+------------+-------------------------- | veal | heart | pork | stuffed, baked or broiled | beef | -------------+------------+-------------------------- | beef | kidney | lamb | stewed or sauted | veal | -------------+------------+------------------------- | beef | fried, boiled, sauted or liver | veal | broiled | lamb | -------------+------------+------------------------- sweetbreads | young veal | creamed, broiled | young beef | -------------+------------+------------------------- tail | beef | soup or boiled | pork | -------------+------------+------------------------- tongue | beef | boiled, pickled, corned | pork | -------------+------------+------------------------- tripe | veal | broiled or boiled -------------+------------+------------------------- fat | all animals| fried out for cooking or | | soap making -------------+------------+------------------------- | | pickled or boiled or used pigs feet | pork | with meat from head | | for head cheese -------------+------------+-------------------------- comparative composition of meat and meat substitutes |carbo- |mineral| | water |protein| fat |hydrate|matter |calories name | % | % | % | % | % | per lb. -------------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------+-------- cheese | . | . | . | . | . | , eggs | . | . | . | ... | . | milk | . | . | . | . | . | beef | . | . | . | ... | . | , cod | . | . | . | ... | . | salmon | . | . | . | ... | . | peas | . | . | . | . | . | baked beans | . | . | . | . | . | lentils | . | . | . | . | . | , peanuts | . | . | . | . | . | , string beans | . | . | . | . | . | walnuts | . | . | . | . | . | , almonds | . | . | . | . | . | , the economy of meat and meat substitutes don't buy more than your family actually needs. study and know what the actual needs are, and you will not make unnecessary expenditures. learn what the various cuts of meat are, what they can be used for, and which are best suited to the particular needs of your household. study the timeliness of buying certain cuts of meats. there are days when prices are lower than normal. always check the butcher's weights by watching him closely or by weighing the goods on scales of your own. always buy a definite quantity. ask what the pound rate is, and note any fractional part of the weight. don't ask for "ten or twenty cents' worth." select your meat or fish personally. there is no doubt that high retail prices are due to the tendency of many housewives to do their buying by telephone or through their servants. test the freshness of meat and fish. staleness of meat and fish is shown by loose and flabby flesh. the gills of fresh fish are red and the fins stiff. make all the purchases possible at a public market, if you can walk to it, or if carfare will not make too large an increase in the amount you have set aside for the day's buying. a food chopper can be made to pay for itself in a short time by the great variety of ways it furnishes of utilizing left-overs. if possible, buy meat trimmings. they cost cents a pound and can be used in many ways. buy the ends of bacon strips. they are just as nutritious as sliced bacon and cost per cent. less. learn to use drippings in place of butter for cooking purposes. buy cracked eggs. they cost much less than whole ones and are usually just as good. keep a stock pot. drop into it all left-overs. these make an excellent basis for soup stock. don't throw away the heads and bones of fish. clean them and use them with vegetables for fish chowder or cream of fish soup. study attractive ways of serving food. plain, cheap, dishes can be made appetizing if they look attractive on the table. experiment with meat substitutes. cheese, dried vegetables and the cheaper varieties of fish can supply all the nutriment of meat at a much lower cost. don't do your cooking "by guess." if the various ingredients are measured accurately, the dish will taste better and cost less. don't buy delicatessen food if you can possibly avoid it. delicatessen meals cost per cent. more than the same meals cooked at home, and the food is not as nourishing. you pay for the cooking and the rent of the delicatessen store, as well as the proprietor's profit. don't pay five or ten cents more a dozen for white eggs in the belief that they are superior to brown eggs. the food value of each is the same. the difference in shell color is due to the breed of hen. tell the butcher to give you the trimmings of chicken, i.e., the head, feet, fat and giblets. they make delicious chicken soup. the feet contain gelatine, which gives soup consistency. buy a tough, and consequently less expensive, chicken and make it tender by steaming it for three hours before roasting. don't put meat wrapped in paper into the ice-box, as the paper tends to absorb the juices. try to find a way to buy at least a part of your meats and eggs direct from the farm. you will get fresher, better food, and if it is sent by parcels post it can usually be delivered to your table for much less than city prices. meat economy dishes mock duck flank steak teaspoon salt teaspoon pepper teaspoon worcestershire sauce cup breadcrumbs tablespoon onion juice tablespoon chopped parsley / teaspoon poultry seasoning pint boiling water / cup of whole wheat flour reserve the water and the flour. mix other ingredients. spread on steak. roll the steak and tie. roll in the flour. brown in two tablespoons of fat. add the water--cover and cook until tender. beef stew lb. of meat from the neck, cross ribs, shin or knuckles sliced onion / cup carrots / cup turnips cup potatoes teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / cup flour quart water soak one-half of the meat, cut in small pieces, in the quart of water for one hour. heat slowly to boiling point. season the other half of the meat with salt and pepper. roll in flour. brown in three tablespoons of fat with the onion. add to the soaked meat, which has been brought to the boiling point. cook one hour or until tender. add the vegetables, and flour mixed with half cup of cold water. cook until vegetables are tender. ham souffle - / cups breadcrumbs cups scalded milk - / cups chopped cooked ham egg yolks tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoon minced onion / teaspoon paprika egg whites parsley sauce tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cup milk / teaspoon salt tablespoons chopped parsley for the soufflé, cook together breadcrumbs and milk for two minutes. remove from fire, add ham and mix well. add egg yolks, first beating these well; also the parsley (one tablespoon), onion and paprika. fold in, last of all, the egg whites whipped to a stiff, dry froth. turn quickly into a well-greased baking dish and bake in moderate oven for thirty-five minutes, or until firm to the touch; meantime, make the parsley sauce, so that both can be served instantly when the soufflé is done; then it will not fall and grow tough. for the parsley sauce, melt the butter in saucepan and stir in the flour, stirring until perfectly smooth, then add the milk slowly, stirring constantly; cook until thick, stir in the parsley and salt, and serve at once in a gravy boat. battle pudding batter cup flour / cup milk teaspoons baking powder egg tablespoons water / teaspoon salt filling cups coarsely chopped cold cooked meat tablespoon drippings medium-sized potato cup stock or hot water salt and pepper small onion any cold meat may be used for this. cut it into inch pieces. slice the onion and potato and fry in drippings until onion is slightly browned. add the meat and stock, or hot water, or dissolve in hot water any left-over meat gravy. cook all together until potato is soft, but not crumbled; season with the pepper and salt. thicken with a tablespoon of flour and turn into a pudding dish. make a batter by sifting together flour, baking-powder and salt; stir in the egg and milk, mixed with the water. beat hard until free from lumps, then pour over meat and vegetables in the pudding and bake until brown. chinese mutton pint chopped cooked mutton head shredded lettuce can cooked peas / teaspoon pepper tablespoon fat - / cups broth teaspoon of salt cook minutes. serve as a border around rice. shepherd's pie cups chopped cooked mutton teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon curry powder cups hominy cup peas or carrots / pint of brown sauce or water put meat and vegetables in baking dish. cover with rice, hominy, or samp, which has been cooked. bake until brown. scalloped ham and hominy cups hominy (cooked) cup chopped cooked ham / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon of salt / teaspoon mustard / teaspoon cayenne egg cup milk / cup water melt the fat. add the dry ingredients and the liquid slowly. when at boiling point, add hominy and ham. stir in the egg. place in a baking-dish. cover with buttered crumbs. bake until brown. beef loaf tablespoon lemon juice tablespoon sour pickle teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne teaspoon celery salt to tablespoon of gelatine, softened in / cup of cold water add cup of hot tomato juice and pulp. add seasoned meat. chill and slice. may be served with salad dressing. baked hash cup chopped cooked meat cups raw potato, cut fine tablespoon onion juice tablespoons chopped parsley / teaspoon pepper / cup drippings / cup gravy or water melt fat in frying pan. put in all the other ingredients. cook over a slow fire for / hour. fold and serve as omelet. meat shortcake - / cups flour / teaspoon salt tablespoons shortening teaspoons baking powder cups chopped, cooked meat teaspoon onion juice / cup gravy or soup stock salt and pepper / cup milk and water mix flour, salt and baking powder. rub in shortening, and mix to dough with milk and water. roll out to quarter of an inch thickness, bake in layer cake tins. put together with the chopped meat mixed with the onion and seasoning, and heated hot with the gravy or stock. if stock is used, thicken with a tablespoon of flour mixed with one of butter, or butter substitute. serve as soon as put together. cold cooked fish heated in cream sauce may be used for a filling instead of the meat. scrapple place a pig's head in quarts of cold water and bring slowly to the boil. skim carefully and season the liquid highly with salt, cayenne and a teaspoon of rubbed sage. let the liquid simmer gently until the meat falls from the bones. strain off the liquid, remove the bones, and chop the meat fine. measure the liquid and allow cup of sifted cornmeal to cups of liquid. blend the cornmeal in the liquid and simmer until it is the consistency of thick porridge. stir in the chopped meat and pour in greased baking pans to cool. one-third buckwheat may be used instead of cornmeal, and any kind of chopped meat can be blended with the pork if desired. any type of savory herb can also be used, according to taste. when scrapple is to be eaten, cut into one-half inch slices, dredge with flour, and brown in hot fat. fish as a meat substitute as the main course at a meal, fish may be served accompanied by vegetables or it may be prepared as a "one-meal dish" requiring only bread and butter and a simple dessert to complete a nutritious and well balanced diet. a lack of proper knowledge of selection of fish for the different methods of cooking, and the improper cooking of fish once it is acquired, are responsible to a large extent for the prejudice so frequently to be found against the use of fish. the kinds of fish obtainable in different markets vary somewhat, but the greatest difficulty for many housekeepers seems to be, to know what fish may best be selected for baking, broiling, etc., and the tests for fish when cooked. an invariable rule for cooking fish is to apply high heat at first, until the flesh is well seared so as to retain the juices; then a lower temperature until the flesh is cooked throughout. fish is thoroughly cooked when the flesh flakes. for broiling or pan broiling, roll fish in flour or cornmeal, preferably the latter, which has been well seasoned with salt and cayenne. this causes the outside to be crisp and also gives added flavor. leftover bits of baked or other fish may be combined with white sauce or tomato sauce, or variations of these sauces, and served as creamed fish, or placed in a greased baking dish, crumbs placed on top and browned and served as scalloped fish. fish canapes, fish cocktail, fish soup or chowder; baked, steamed, broiled or pan broiled fish, entrees without number, and fish salad give opportunity to use it in endless variety. combined with starchy foods such as rice, hominy, macaroni, spaghetti or potato, and accompanied by a green vegetable or fruit, the dish becomes a meal. leftover bits may also be utilized for salad, either alone with cooked or mayonaise salad dressing, or combined with vegetables such as peas, carrots, cucumbers, etc. the addition of a small amount of chopped pickle to fish salad improves its flavor, or a plain or tomato gelatine foundation may be used as a basis for the salad. the appended lists of fish suitable for the various methods of cooking, and the variety in the recipes for the uses of fish, have been arranged to encourage a wider use of this excellent meat substitute, so largely eaten by european epicures, but too seldom included in american menus. during the period of the war, the larger use of fish is a patriotic measure in that it will save the beef, mutton and pork needed for our armies. fish shortcake cups cooked meat or fish cup gravy or water teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne teaspoon onion juice cups rye flour teaspoon of salt / teaspoon cayenne teaspoons baking powder tablespoons fat cup gravy, water or milk place meat or fish and seasonings in greased dish. make shortcake by sifting dry ingredients, cut in fat, and add liquid. place on top of meat or fish mixture. bake minutes. creole codfish cup codfish, soaked over night and cooked until tender cups cold boiled potatoes / cup pimento cups breadcrumbs cup tomato sauce make sauce by melting / cup of fat, adding tablespoons of whole wheat flour. teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoon onion juice, and, gradually cup of tomato and juice place the codfish, potatoes and pimento in a baking dish. cover with the tomato sauce, then the breadcrumbs, to which have been added tablespoons of drippings. bake brown. creamed shrimps and peas cup shrimps cup peas tablespoons fat teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne - / cups milk tablespoons flour melt fat, add dry ingredients, and gradually the liquid. then add fish and peas. dressing for baked fish cups breadcrumbs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper (cayenne) teaspoon onion juice tablespoon parsley tablespoon chopped pickle / cup fat mix well and fill fish till it is plump with the mixture. shrimp and pea salad cup cooked fish cup celery tablespoons pickle cup salad dressing cup peas for dressing egg tablespoons flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon mustard tablespoons fat / cup milk / cup vinegar tablespoons corn syrup directions for making dressing: mix all ingredients. cook over hot water until consistency of custard. fish chowder / lb. fat salt pork onion cups fish teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper water to cover cups potatoes, diced cook slowly, covered, for / hour. add pint of boiling milk and dozen water crackers. baked finnan haddie / cup each of milk and water, boiling hot fish pour over fish. let stand, warm, minutes. pour off. dot with fat and bake minutes. one tablespoon chopped parsley on top. fish croquettes cup of cooked fish - / cups mashed potato tablespoon parsley egg / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne / teaspoon celery seed teaspoon lemon juice shape as croquette and bake in a moderate oven minutes. clams a la bechamel cup chopped clams - / cups milk bay leaf tablespoons fat tablespoons flour / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne / teaspoon nutmeg tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoon lemon juice yolks of eggs / cup breadcrumbs scald bay-leaf in milk. make sauce, by melting fat with flour; add dry ingredients, and gradually add the liquid. add egg. add fish. put in baking dish. cover top with breadcrumbs. bake minutes. scalloped shrimps / cup fat / cup flour / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne cup cooked shrimps / cup cheese / cup celery stalk cup milk melt fat, add dry ingredients, and gradually the liquid. then add fish and cheese. bring to boiling point and serve. escalloped salmon large can salmon / doz. soda crackers cups thin white sauce salt, pepper hard-boiled egg alternate layers of the salmon and the crumbled crackers in a well-greased baking dish, sprinkling each layer with salt, pepper, the finely chopped hard-boiled egg, and bits of butter or butter substitute, moistening with the white sauce. finish with a layer of the fish, sprinkling it with the cracker crumbs dotted with butter. bake in a moderate oven for minutes, or until the top is well browned. fish for frying.--brook trout, black bass, cod steaks, flounder fillet, perch, pickerel, pompano, smelts, whitefish steak, pike, weakfish, tilefish. fish for boiling.--cod, fresh herring, weakfish, tilefish, sea bass, pickerel, red snapper, salt and fresh mackerel, haddock, halibut, salmon, sheepshead. fish for baking.--black bass, bluefish, haddock, halibut, fresh mackerel, sea bass, weakfish, red snapper, fresh salmon, pickerel, shad, muskellunge. fish for broiling.--bluefish, flounder, fresh mackerel, pompano, salmon steak, black bass, smelts, sea bass steaks, whitefish steaks, trout steaks, shad roe, shad (whole). cheese as a meat substitute cheese and bread relish cups of stale breadcrumbs cup of american cheese, grated teaspoons of salt / teaspoon of pepper cups of milk egg tablespoons of fat mix well. bake in a greased dish in moderate oven for minutes. welsh rarebit cup of cheese cup of milk / teaspoon of mustard / teaspoon of pepper tablespoons of flour teaspoon of fat teaspoon of salt egg put milk and cheese in top of double boiler over hot water. heat until cheese is melted. mix other ingredients. add to cheese and milk. cook five minutes, stirring constantly, and serve at once on toast. macaroni with cheese over cup macaroni, boiled in salted water, pour this sauce: tablespoons flour tablespoons fat cupful milk / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / cup grated american cheese melt fat, add dry ingredients. add liquid slowly. bring to boiling point. add cheese. stir until melted. pour over macaroni. cheese and cabbage cups cooked cabbage / cup fat / cup flour / teaspoon cayenne - / cups milk cup grated cheese teaspoon salt melt fat, add dry ingredients. add milk gradually. when at boiling point, add cheese. pour over cabbage in greased dish and bake minutes. buttered crumbs may be put on top before baking if desired. nut and cheese croquettes cups stale breadcrumbs cup milk yolk of egg cup chopped nuts / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne / cup grated cheese shape and roll in dried breadcrumbs. bake minutes. cheese with tomato and corn tablespoon fat / cup cooked corn / cup tomato purée teaspoon salt cups grated cheese / cup pimento egg / teaspoon paprika heat purée. add fat, corn, salt, paprika and pimento. when hot, add cheese. when melted, add yolk. cook till thick. serve on toast. cheese and celery loaf / loaf thinly sliced bread cup cheese / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne / cup fat teaspoon worcestershire sauce eggs / cup milk / cup cooked celery knob or celery mix all ingredients except milk and bread. spread on bread. pile in baking dish. pour milk over the mixture. bake in a moderate oven until firm in center. serve hot. farina and cheese entree cup cooked farina or rice cup cheese cup nuts cup milk egg teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne mix all thoroughly. bake in greased dish minutes. boston roast teaspoon onion juice cup grated cheese teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne cup beans (kidney) about cup breadcrumbs soak and cook beans. mix all ingredients into loaf. baste with fat and water. bake minutes. serve with tomato sauce. spinach loaf cup spinach cup cheese / teaspoon cayenne / cup breadcrumbs tablespoon fat / teaspoon salt mix and bake in greased dish minutes. cheese fondue cup breadcrumbs cup milk cup cheese egg tablespoons fat / teaspoon salt soak bread minutes in milk. add fat and cheese. when melted, add egg and seasoning. cook in double boiler or bake minutes. rice-cheese rarebit / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt - / cups tomato juice and pulp cup cheese cup cooked rice / teaspoon cayenne melt fat. add dry ingredients. add liquid slowly. when at boiling point, add cheese and rice. serve hot. polenta cup cooked cornmeal mush / teaspoon salt / cup cheese / teaspoon pepper while mush is hot place ingredients in layers in baking dish. bake minutes. cheese sauce / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt cups milk / cup cheese / teaspoon cayenne prepare same as tomato sauce. serve with rice or spaghetti. tomato cheese sauce pt. milk / teaspoon soda / cup flour tablespoons fat pt. tomatoes cup cheese for both the sauces, melt fat, add dry ingredients and, gradually, the liquid. when at boiling point, add cheese and serve. this is an excellent sauce for fish. cheese sauce on toast / cup fat / teaspoon salt pint milk / cup flour / teaspoon cayenne cup cheese make as white sauce and add cheese. pour over bread, sliced and toasted. bake in moderate oven. cheese mold / pint cottage cheese / cup green peppers, chopped / cup condensed milk / teaspoon of cayenne tablespoon of gelatine tablespoons of cold water teaspoon salt soak the gelatine in the cold water until soft. dissolve over hot water. add the other ingredients. chill. serve as a salad or as a lunch or supper entrée. cheese soup quart milk or part stock / cup flour teaspoon salt / cup fat cup cheese / tablespoon paprika cream fat and flour; add gradually the liquid, and season. when creamy and ready to serve, stir in the cheese, grated. cheese biscuit cup flour / teaspoon salt / cup water teaspoons baking powder tablespoon butter or fat tablespoons grated cheese mix like drop baking powder biscuit. bake minutes in hot oven. this recipe makes twelve biscuits. they are excellent to serve with a vegetable salad as they are high in nutrition. celery-cheese scallop - / cups breadcrumbs cups milk cups chopped celery cup shaved cheese cook celery till tender. put layer of crumbs in greased baking dish, then celery; cover with cheese and sprinkle with salt and pepper. repeat to fill dish. turn in boiling hot milk with cup of celery water. bake for minutes. meat substitute dishes corn and oyster fritters cup flour teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper / cup milk egg oysters full tablespoons kornlet sift dry ingredients, add milk, egg and kornlet. add oysters last. fry in deep fat, using a tablespoonful to an oyster. salmon loaf cups cooked salmon cup grated breadcrumbs beaten eggs / cup milk / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon salt tablespoon chopped parsley teaspoonful onion juice mix thoroughly. bake in greased dish minutes. baked lentils two cups lentils that have been soaked over night. boil until soft, with small onions and teaspoon each of thyme, savory, marjoram, and cloves. drain. add teaspoon of salt, and put into baking dish. dot with fat. bake for minutes. hominy croquettes cup of cooked hominy / cup nuts tablespoon corn syrup teaspoon of salt / teaspoon of pepper egg tablespoon melted fat mix and roll in dried breadcrumbs and bake in oven minutes. meatless sausage cup soaked and cooked dried peas, beans, lentils or lima beans / cup dried breadcrumbs / cup fat egg / teaspoon salt teaspoon sage mix and shape as sausage. roll in flour and fry in dripping. rice and nut loaf cup boiled rice or potato cup peanuts / cup dried breadcrumbs / cup milk teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon cayenne tablespoons fat mix well. bake in greased pan minutes. soy bean croquettes cups baked or boiled soy beans - / tablespoons molasses tablespoons butter or drippings teaspoon salt tablespoon vinegar pepper to taste egg scant cup breadcrumbs when the beans are placed on to boil, put tablespoon fat and half an onion with them. after draining well, put through the foodchopper, keeping the liquid for soup stock. mix all the ingredients, beating the egg white before adding. form into balls or cylinders, dip in the leftover egg yolk, to which a few drops of water have been added, and then coat with stale bread or cracker crumbs. be sure the croquettes are well covered, then fry brown. serve with cream sauce or with scalloped or stewed tomatoes. with a green salad, this is a complete meal. legume loaf / cup dried breadcrumbs tablespoons corn syrup egg teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper teaspoons chopped nuts teaspoon onion juice tablespoons fat / cup milk / cup pulp from peas, beans or lentils, soaked and cooked until tender mix well. bake in greased pan minutes. serve with tomato sauce, or white sauce, with tablespoons nuts, or teaspoons horseradish added. vegetable loaf one cup peas, beans or lentils soaked over night, then cooked until tender. put through colander. to cups of mixture, add: eggs / cup dried breadcrumbs teaspoons poultry seasoning teaspoons celery salt / cup whole wheat flour - / cups tomato juice and pulp teaspoons onion juice / teaspoon salt cups chopped peanuts mix thoroughly. place in greased baking dish. bake minutes. kidney bean scallop two cups kidney beans, soaked over night. cook until tender. drain. to each cups of beans, add: tablespoons fat tablespoon chopped onion / cup tomato pulp teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper mix thoroughly. place in greased baking dish. cover with cups crumbs, to which have been added tablespoons melted fat. bake minutes in moderate oven. venetian spaghetti cup cooked spaghetti or macaroni cup carrots cup turnips cup cabbage cups milk / cup onions / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt / cup chopped peanuts pepper cook spaghetti until tender (about minutes). cook vegetables until tender in quart water, with teaspoon of salt added. melt fat, add dry ingredients, add milk gradually and bring to boiling point each time before adding more milk. when all of milk is added, add peanuts. put in greased baking dish one-half of spaghetti, on top place one-half of vegetables, then one-half of sauce. repeat, and place in moderately hot oven minutes. horseradish sauce to serve with left-over soup meat tablespoons of horseradish tablespoon vinegar / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne / cup of thick, sour cream, and tablespoon corn syrup, or tablespoons of condensed milk mix and chill. brown sauce for leftover meats / cup drippings / cup of whole wheat flour / teaspoon pepper - / cups meat stock or water teaspoon salt melt the fat and brown the flour in it. add the salt and pepper and gradually the meat stock or water. if water is used, add teaspoon of kitchen bouquet. this may be used for leftover slices or small pieces of any kind of cooked meat. food will win the war don't waste it "_to provide adequate supplies for the coming year is of absolutely vital importance to the conduct of the war, and without a very conscientious elimination of waste and very strict economy in our food consumption, we cannot hope to fulfill this primary duty._" _woodrow wilson._ [illustration] save sugar _reasons why our government asks us to save sugar with practical recipes for sugarless desserts, cakes, candies and preserves._ one ounce of sugar less per person, per day, is all our government asks of us to meet the world sugar shortage. one ounce of sugar equals two scant level tablespoonfuls and represents a saving that every man, woman and child should be able to make. giving up soft drinks and the frosting on our cakes, the use of sugarless desserts and confections, careful measuring and thorough stirring of that which we place in our cups of tea and coffee, and the use of syrup, molasses or honey on our pancakes and fritters will more than effect this saving. it seems but a small sacrifice, if sacrifice it can be called, when one recognizes that cutting down sugar consumption will be most beneficial to national health. the united states is the largest consumer of sugar in the world. in germany's consumption was lbs. per person per year, italy's to lbs., that of france , of england , while the united states averaged lbs. this enormous consumption is due to the fact that we are a nation of candy-eaters. we spend annually $ , , on confections. these are usually eaten between meals, causing digestive disturbances as well as unwarranted expense. sweets are a food and should be eaten at the close of the meal, and if this custom is established during the war, not only will tons of sugar be available for our allies, but the health of the nation improved. the average daily consumption of sugar per person in this country is ounces, and yet nutritional experts agree that not more than ounces a day should be taken. the giving up of one ounce per day will, therefore, be of great value in reducing many prevalent american ailments. flatulent dyspepsia, rheumatism, diabetes, and stomach acidity are only too frequently traced to an oversupply of sugar in our daily diet. most persons apparently think of sugar merely as a sweetening agent, forgetting entirely the fact that it is a most concentrated food. it belongs to what is called the carbohydrate group, upon which we largely depend for energy and heat. it is especially valuable to the person doing active physical work, the open-air worker, or the healthy, active, growing child, but should be used sparingly by other classes of people. sugar is not only the most concentrated fuel food in the dietary, but it is one that is very readily utilized in the body, per cent. of it being available for absorption, while within thirty minutes of the time it is taken into the system part of it is available for energy. as a food it must be supplied, especially to the classes of people mentioned above, but as a confection it can well be curtailed. when it is difficult to obtain, housekeepers must avail themselves of changed recipes and different combinations to supply the necessary three ounces per day and to gain the much-desired sweet taste so necessary to many of our foods of neutral flavor with which sugar is usually combined. our grandmothers knew how to prepare many dishes without sugar. in their day lack of transportation facilities, of refining methods and various economic factors made molasses, sorghum, honey, etc., the only common methods of sweetening. but the housekeeper of to-day knows little of sweetening mediums except sugar, and sugar shortage is to her a crucial problem. there are many ways, however, of getting around sugar shortage and many methods of supplying the necessary food value and sweetening. by the use of marmalades, jams and jellies canned during the season when the sugar supply was less limited, necessity for the use of sugar can be vastly reduced. by the addition to desserts and cereals of dried fruits, raisins, dates, prunes and figs, which contain large amounts of natural sugar, the sugar consumption can be greatly lessened. by utilizing leftover syrup from canned or preserved fruits for sweetening other fruits, and by the use of honey, molasses, maple sugar, maple syrup and corn syrup, large quantities of sugar may be saved. the substitution of sweetened condensed milk for dairy milk in tea, coffee and cocoa--in fact, in all our cooking processes where milk is required--will also immeasurably aid in sugar conservation. the substitutes mentioned are all available in large amounts. honey is especially valuable for children, as it consists of the more simple sugars which are less irritating than cane sugar, and there is no danger of acid stomach from the amounts generally consumed. as desserts are the chief factor in the use of quantities of sugar in our diet, the appended recipes will be of value, as they deal with varied forms of nutritious, attractive sugarless desserts. it is only by the one-ounce savings of each individual member of our great one hundred million population that the world sugar shortage may be met, and it is hoped every housekeeper will study her own time-tested recipes with the view of utilizing as far as possible other forms of sweetening. in most recipes the liquid should be slightly reduced in amount and about one-fifth more of the substitute should be used than the amount of sugar called for. with a few tests along this line one will be surprised how readily the substitution may be made. if all sweetening agents become scarce, desserts can well be abandoned. served at the end of a full meal, desserts are excess food except in the diet of children, where they should form a component part of the meal. [illustration] sugarless desserts crumb spice pudding cup dry bread crumbs pint hot milk let stand until milk is absorbed. / teaspoon salt / cup molasses / teaspoon cinnamon egg / teaspoon mixed spices, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, mace and ginger / cup raisins, dates and prunes (steamed minutes) mix and bake minutes. tapioca fruit pudding / cup pearl tapioca or sago cups water / lb. dried apricots, prunes, dates or raisins / teaspoon salt tablespoons fat / cup corn syrup soak fruit in water hour. add other ingredients. cook directly over fire minutes, then over hot water until clear, about minutes. marmalade pudding slices stale bread / cup fat egg yolks tablespoon corn syrup / teaspoon salt cup milk cup marmalade or preserves mix eggs, corn syrup, salt and milk. dip bread and brown in frying pan. spread with marmalade or preserves. pile in baking dish. cover with any of the custard mixture which is left. cover with meringue. bake minutes. prune roll cups whole wheat flour / cup milk tablespoon fat tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt egg / lb. washed and scalded prunes, dates, figs or raisins teaspoons baking powder to prunes, add / cup water and soak minutes. simmer in same water until tender (about minutes). drain prunes and mash to a pulp. mix flour, baking powder and salt. add beaten egg and milk. mix to a dough. roll out thin, spread with prune pulp, sprinkle with two tablespoons sugar. roll the mixture and place in greased baking dish. bake to minutes. take half cup of juice from prunes, add tablespoon corn syrup. bring to boiling point. serve as sauce for prune roll. marmalade blanc mange pint milk / cup cornstarch yolks of eggs / cup orange marmalade / teaspoon vanilla few grains of salt mix cornstarch with / cup of cold milk. scald rest of milk, add cornstarch, and stir until thick. cook over hot water minutes. add rest of ingredients. cook, stirring minutes. chill and serve with two whites of eggs, beaten stiff, to which has been added tablespoons orange marmalade. two ounces grated chocolate and / cup corn syrup may be substituted for marmalade. coffee marshmallow cream cups strong boiling coffee tablespoons gelatine (granulated) tablespoons cold water / cup corn syrup cup condensed milk / teaspoon vanilla soak gelatine in cold water until soft. add coffee and stir until dissolved. add other ingredients. chill. one-quarter cup of marshmallows may be cut up and added just before chilling. fruit pudding cups of left-over canned fruit or cooked dried fruit cups of the juice or water / cup corn syrup tablespoons gelatine tablespoon lemon juice soften the gelatine in tablespoons of the juice or water. add the rest of the fruit after it has been heated. when the gelatine is dissolved, add the fruit, lemon juice and corn syrup. pour in mold. cereal and date pudding cup cooked cereal cups milk - / tablespoons fat cup dates / cup corn syrup / teaspoon salt teaspoon grated lemon rind / teaspoon vanilla egg cook over hot water until thick, and boil or bake minutes. serve with hot maple syrup. baked apples without sugar fill cored apples with tablespoon honey, corn syrup, chopped dates, raisins, marmalade, or chopped popcorn mixed with corn syrup in the proportion of two tablespoons of syrup to a cup of corn. put one-quarter inch of water in pan. bake until tender and serve apples in pan with syrup as sauce. apples and popcorn core apples. cut just through the skin around the center of the apple. fill the center with popcorn and teaspoon of corn syrup. bake minutes. maple rice pudding / cup rice - / cups milk / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt / cup maple syrup / cup raisins egg cook in top of double boiler or in steamer minutes. economy pudding cup cooked cereal / cup corn syrup / teaspoon mapline / cup milk / cup chopped nuts / cup raisins or dates egg cook in double boiler until smooth. serve cold with cream or place in baking dish and bake minutes. oatmeal and peanut pudding cups cooked oatmeal cup sliced apple cup peanuts / cup raisins / cup molasses / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt mix and bake in greased dish for minutes. serve hot or cold. this is a very nourishing dish. chocolate blanc mange pint milk / cup cornstarch / cup corn syrup egg teaspoon vanilla / teaspoon salt oz. grated chocolate mix cornstarch with / cup cold milk. scald rest of milk. add cornstarch. cook until thick. add a little of the hot mixture to the chocolate when melted. mix all ingredients and cook minutes, stirring constantly. chill and serve with plain or chopped nuts. oatmeal fruit pudding cups cooked oatmeal / cup molasses cup raisins / teaspoon salt / cup chopped nuts egg (beaten) mix well. bake in greased baking dish minutes jellied prunes / lb. prunes - / cups cold water tablespoons granulated gelatine / cup corn syrup or / cup sugar teaspoons grated lemon or orange rind soak washed and scalded prunes in cups cold water minutes. simmer until tender (about minutes). soak gelatine in / cup cold water. when soft, add to hot prune mixture. when gelatine is dissolved, add other ingredients and place in mold. chill, and stir once or twice while chilling to prevent prunes settling to bottom of mold. apple porcupines core apples. cut line around apple just through skin. fill center with mixture of one-quarter cup each of dates, nuts and figs or marmalade, to which has been added one-quarter cup corn syrup or honey. bake minutes with one-quarter inch water in baking pan. stick outside of apple with blanched almonds to make porcupine quills. scalloped fruit pudding tablespoons melted fat cups crumbs / cup of fruit juice or water / cup corn syrup cups of left-over canned or cooked dried fruit put one-quarter of the crumbs on the bottom of a buttered baking pan. cover with one-half the fruit, one-half the corn syrup, one-half the liquid, one-quarter of the crumbs; the other half of the fruit, juice and corn syrup, and the rest of the crumbs, on top. bake minutes in a hot oven. prune filling for pie / lb. pitted prunes / cup corn syrup, or tablespoons sugar cup water teaspoons lemon rind / tablespoon fat tablespoon cornstarch wash and scald prunes. soak ten minutes in the water. simmer until tender. rub through colander. add other ingredients, well blended. bring to boiling point. use as filling for pastry. apple and date filling cups apples cup dates tablespoon, fat teaspoon lemon rind / cup water mix all and use as filling for double crust, or cook until apples are tender. mix well and use as filling for tarts, etc. lemon filling for pie - / cups corn syrup - / cups water / cup cornstarch eggs tablespoon lemon rind / cup lemon juice ( lemons) / teaspoon salt mix cornstarch and cup water. add to corn syrup. cook over direct flame until thick. cook over hot water minutes. mix other ingredients. add one-half cup water and add to other mixture. cook minutes and use as filling--hot or cold. sour cream filling for cake cup sour cream (heated) cup chopped nuts tablespoons corn syrup teaspoon gelatine tablespoons cold water soften gelatine in cold water. add heated cream and when dissolved add other ingredients. chill and use for cake filling. this is a good way of using up leftover cream which has turned. mock mince meat filling for pie cup cranberries, chopped cup raisins cup corn syrup tablespoons flour mixed with / cup cold water tablespoons fat mix all. bring to boiling point and place in double crust pastry or cook until thick and use as filling for tarts. pumpkin filling for pie cups stewed pumpkin cup corn syrup egg tablespoons flour teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon ginger teaspoon vanilla / teaspoon salt - / cups milk mix all ingredients and bake in double crust pastry, or cook and serve in cooked single crust with meringue. meringue for chocolate, lemon or pumpkin pie egg whites tablespoons corn syrup beat whites until very stiff. add corn syrup by folding in. do not beat. wheatless, eggless, butterless, milkless, sugarless cake cup corn syrup cups water cups raisins tablespoons fat teaspoon salt teaspoons cinnamon teaspoon nutmeg - / cups fine cornmeal, cups rye flour; or, - / cups whole wheat flour - / teaspoons baking powder, or, / teaspoon soda cook corn syrup, water, raisins, fat, salt and spices slowly minutes. when cool, add flour, soda or baking powder, thoroughly blended. bake in slow oven hour. the longer this cake is kept, the better the texture and flavor. this recipe is sufficient to fill one medium-sized bread pan. sour milk ginger bread tablespoons fat / cup molasses egg / teaspoon salt / cup sour milk teaspoon soda cups whole wheat flour teaspoon ginger mix soda and molasses. add other ingredients. bake in muffin pans minutes or loaf minutes. maple cake / cup fat cup corn syrup - / teaspoons mapline egg teaspoon baking powder - / cups whole wheat flour / teaspoon soda / cup milk / teaspoon vanilla / cup coarsely cut nuts cream fat, syrup and mapline. add beaten egg. sift dry ingredients and add alternately with milk. add flavoring and nuts last. beat well. bake minutes in layer pan. this quantity makes one layer. cocoanut surprise slices of bread cut in half / cup of milk egg yolk tablespoon corn syrup tablespoons cocoanut tart jelly mix milk, egg yolk and corn syrup. dip bread in this mixture and brown in frying pan, with small amount of fat. spread with currant or other tart jelly, preserve or marmalade. sprinkle with cocoanut and serve as cakes. soy bean wafers cup soy beans, finely chopped / cup butter or shortening / cup sugar / cup corn syrup / teaspoon lemon or vanilla / cup flour egg teaspoons baking powder soak beans over night, boil for hour. drain. cool and put through food-chopper. cream butter and sugar, add beans, egg. sift flour with baking powder and add to first mixture. drop by teaspoonfuls on a baking sheet and bake minutes in a hot oven. apple spice cake / cup fat / cup sugar beaten egg / cup molasses / cup tart apple sauce / cup raisins, dates, prunes or currants (chopped) - / cups flour / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon cloves / teaspoon nutmeg cream fat and sugar. add egg. alternate dry ingredients (which have been sifted together) with the liquid. add fruit last. beat well. bake as loaf about minutes, or in muffin pans about minutes. crisp ginger cookies cup of molasses tablespoons of fat teaspoon soda and teaspoon water (hot) cup of flour tablespoon ginger / teaspoon cloves / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon salt about cups flour heat molasses and fat until fat is melted. sift spices with one cup of flour. dissolve soda in one teaspoon of hot water. combine all and add enough more flour to make dough stiff enough to roll out. bake to minutes in moderate oven. soft cinnamon cookies cup molasses tablespoons fat / cup boiling water cup flour teaspoon soda / teaspoon ginger tablespoons cinnamon / teaspoon salt / teaspoon of cloves mix molasses, fat, and boiling water. sift dry ingredients. add the liquid. add enough more flour (about four cups) to make dough stiff enough to roll out. cut and bake about minutes in moderately hot oven. wartime fruit cake cup honey or corn syrup tablespoon fat egg cups flour teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon cloves / teaspoon salt cup chopped dates, figs, prunes or raisins / teaspoon soda / cup milk cream fat, honey and egg. sift dry ingredients. add alternately with milk. bake in loaf minutes in moderate oven. hot water ginger cakes - / cup molasses / cup boiling water - / cups flour - / teaspoons soda - / teaspoons ginger / teaspoon salt / cup fat sift dry ingredients. mix fat, molasses and boiling water. add dry ingredients. beat briskly for a few minutes, and pour into greased muffin pans. bake twenty to thirty minutes in moderate oven. spiced oatmeal fruit cakes - / cups whole wheat flour / cup cooked oatmeal / cup corn syrup / cup raisins, dates, prunes or figs / teaspoon soda / teaspoon baking powder teaspoon cinnamon tablespoons fat heat the corn syrup and fat. sift dry ingredients and add to first mixture. add fruit last. bake in muffin pans for minutes. fruit wonder cakes doz. salted wafers / cup chopped dates / cup chopped nuts egg white tablespoons corn syrup / teaspoon vanilla beat egg white until very stiff. add other ingredients and place on the wafers. place under broiler until a delicate brown. sugarless candies fruit paste teaspoons gelatine tablespoons cold water / cup corn syrup teaspoons cornstarch / cup chopped nuts / cup chopped dates / cup chopped raisins / teaspoon vanilla mix cornstarch with tablespoon cold water. heat corn syrup to the boil, add cornstarch and cook for three minutes. soften the gelatine in two tablespoons cold water for five minutes; stir into the hot syrup after taking from fire. when gelatine has dissolved add the fruit and nuts and flavoring. chill, cut in squares, and roll each in powdered sugar. wartime taffy cups corn syrup / teaspoon soda teaspoon water tablespoons vinegar boil the syrup for fifteen minutes, then add the soda. cook until a little snaps brittle when dropped in cold water. add the vinegar when this stage is reached and pour into oiled pans. when cool enough to handle, pull until white; make into inch-thick rolls and clip off into neat mouthfuls with oiled scissors, or chill and break into irregular pieces when cold. peanut brittle cup corn syrup tablespoon fat cup peanuts boil syrup and fat until brittle when tested in cold water. grease a pan, sprinkle the roasted and shelled peanuts in it, making an even distribution, then turn in the syrup. when almost cold mark into squares. cocoanut, puffed wheat or puffed rice may be used for candy instead of peanuts. raisin and peanut loaf put equal quantity of seeded raisins and roasted peanuts through the food chopper, using the coarsest blade. moisten with molasses just enough so that the mixture can be molded into a loaf. chill, cut and serve as candy. chopped english walnuts combined with chopped dates or figs make a very delicious loaf sweetmeat. popcorn balls and fritters cup corn syrup tablespoons vinegar popcorn cook syrup for fifteen minutes, add vinegar, then when a little snaps when dropped in cold water turn over popped corn, mix well, and form into balls with oiled hands, or if fritters are desired, roll out the mass while warm and cut out with a greased cutter. cocoanut loaf cup shredded cocoanut / cup chopped dates / cup corn syrup / teaspoon mapline mix corn syrup and mapline. add enough to the dates and cocoanut to form a stiff cake. mold into neat square at least an inch thick. let stand in the refrigerator for one hour, then cut in squares and roll each in cornstarch. stuffed dates mix one-half cup each of chopped peanuts and raisins. add a teaspoon of lemon juice and two tablespoons of cream cheese. remove stones from fine large dates, and in their place insert a small roll of the cheese mixture. these are nice in place of candy or can be served with salad. fruit loaf / cup raisins / cup nuts tablespoons honey, maple syrup or corn syrup / cup figs or dates put fruit and nuts through the food chopper, using the coarsest blade. add enough syrup or honey to make a stiff loaf. place in the refrigerator for one hour; slice and serve in place of candy, rolling each slice in cornstarch. stuffed figs cut a slit in the side of dried figs, take out some of the pulp with the tip of a teaspoon. mix with one-quarter cup of the pulp and one-quarter cup of finely chopped crystalized ginger, a teaspoon of grated orange or lemon rind; and a tablespoon of lemon juice. fill the figs with mixture, stuffing them so that they look plump. sugarless preserves quince or pear preserves lb. fruit cup corn syrup / lb. ginger root or oz. crystalized ginger steam or cook sliced and pared fruit in small amount of water until tender. add ginger and corn syrup. cook minutes slowly. lemon skins may be used instead of ginger root. apple, quince, peach, pear or plum jam cup left-over cooked fruit or pulp from skins and core / cup corn syrup tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon mixed ground spices, allspice, cloves and nutmeg cook slowly until thick. pumpkin or carrot marmalade reduce pint grape juice one-half by boiling slowly. add cup vegetables (pumpkin or carrot). add teaspoons spices and cup corn syrup. boil until of consistency of honey and place in sterilized jars or glasses. grape juice lb. grapes pint water cup corn syrup cook grapes in water until soft. mash; drain through jelly bag or wet cheesecloth. add corn syrup. boil minutes. put into sterilized bottles. if cork stoppers are used cover them with melted sealing wax. syrup for spiced apples, pears, peaches, grapes cup corn syrup oz. stick cinnamon allspice berries whole cloves / cup vinegar boil minutes. add any fruit and cook slowly minutes or until fruit is clear and syrup thick. if hard fruits, such as pears, quinces, etc., are used, steam for minutes before adding to syrup. syrup for canned fruit cup corn syrup cup water bring to boiling point. use same as sugar and water syrup. syrup for preserved fruit cups crystal corn syrup for each three pounds of fruit / cup water use same as water and sugar syrup. cranberry jelly pint cranberries / cup water about cup corn syrup cook cranberries in water very slowly until tender. leave whole or press through colander. measure amount of mixture and add equal amount of corn syrup. cook slowly until mixture forms jelly when tested on cold plate. turn into mold which has been rinsed in cold water. apricot and raisin marmalade cup of apricots - / cups cold water cup corn syrup / cup chopped seeded raisins teaspoon orange rind soak apricots and raisins in the water two hours. cook slowly until very soft. add other ingredients and cook slowly (about minutes) until slightly thick. place in sterile jars or glasses and seal. [illustration] save fat _reasons why our government asks us to save fat, with practical recipes for fat conservation_ with the world-wide decrease of animal production, animal fats are now growing so scarce that the world is being scoured for new sources of supply. our government has asked the housewife to conserve all the fats that come to her home and utilize them to the best advantage. to this end it is necessary to have some knowledge of the character of different fats and the purposes to which they are best adapted. the word fat usually brings to one's mind an unappetizing chunk of meat fat which most persons cannot and will not eat, and fatty foods have been popularly supposed to be "bad for us" and "hard to digest." fats are, however, an important food absolutely essential to complete nutrition, which repay us better for the labor of digestion than any other food. if they are indigestible, it is usually due to improper cooking or improper use; if they are expensive, it is merely because they are extravagantly handled. the chief function of fatty food is to repair and renew the fatty tissues, to yield energy and to maintain the body heat. the presence of fat in food promotes the flow of the pancreatic juice and bile, which help in the assimilation of other foods and assist the excretory functions of the intestine. these are badly performed if bile and other digestive fluids are not secreted in sufficient quantity. the absence of fat in the diet leads to a state of malnutrition, predisposing to tuberculosis, especially in children and young persons. it is claimed that the most serious food shortage in germany is fat; that the civilian population is dying in large numbers because of the lack of it, and that von hindenburg's men will lose out on the basis of fat, rather than on the basis of munitions or military organization. worst of all is the effect of fat shortage on the children of the nation. leaders of thought all over europe assert that even if germany wins, germany has lost, because it has sapped the strength of its coming generation. the term fat is used to designate all products of fatty composition and includes liquid fats such as oils, soft fats such as butter, and hard fats such as tallow. while all fats have practically the same energy-value, they differ widely from each other in their melting point, and the difference in digestibility seems to correspond to the difference in melting point. butter burns at degrees fahrenheit, while vegetable oils can be heated as high as degrees fahrenheit, furnishing a very high temperature for cooking purposes before they begin to burn. the scorching of fat not only wastes the product, but renders it indigestible, even dangerous to some people, and for this reason butter should never be used for frying, as frying temperature is usually higher than degrees. it is well to choose for cooking only those fats which have the highest heat-resisting qualities because they do not burn so easily. beginning with the lowest burning point, fats include genuine butter, substitute butters, lard and its substitutes, and end with tallow and vegetable oils. of the latter, there is a varied selection from the expensive olive oil to the cheaper cottonseed, peanut, cocoanut and corn oils and their compounds and the hydrogenated oils. the economy of fat, therefore, depends on the choice of the fat used for the various cooking processes as well as the conservation of all fatty residue, such as crackling, leftover frying fats and soup fat. for cooking processes, such as sauteing (pan frying), or deep fat frying, it is best to use the vegetable and nut oils. these are more plentiful, and hence cheaper than the animal fats; the latter, however, can be produced in the home from the fats of meats and leftover pan fats, which should not be overlooked as frying mediums. butter and butter substitutes are best kept for table use and for flavoring. the hydrogenated oils, home-rendered fats, lard and beef and mutton suet can be used for shortening fats. in the purchase of meats, the careful housewife should see that the butcher gives her all the fat she pays for, as all fats can be rendered very easily at home and can be used for cooking purposes. butchers usually leave as large a proportion of fat as possible on all cuts of meat which, when paid for at meat prices, are quite an expensive item. all good clear fat should, therefore, be carefully trimmed from meats before cooking. few people either like or find digestible greasy, fat meats, and the fat paid for at meat prices, which could have been rendered and used for cooking, is wasted when sent to table. there are various methods of conserving fat. first, the economical use of table fats; second, the saving of cooking; and third, the proper use of all types of fat. economy in the use of table fats may best be secured by careful serving. one serving of butter is a little thing--there are about sixty-four of them in a pound. in many households the butter left on the plates probably would equal a serving or one-fourth of an ounce, daily, which is usually scraped into the garbage pail or washed off in the dishpan. but if everyone of our , , households should waste one-fourth of an ounce of butter daily, it would mean , pounds a day, or , , pounds a year. to make this butter would take , , gallons of milk, or the product of over a half-million cows, an item in national economy which should not be overlooked. when butter is used to flavor cooked vegetables, it is more economical to add it just before they are served rather than while they are cooking. the flavor thus imparted is more pronounced, and, moreover, if the butter is added before cooking, much of it will be lost in the water unless the latter is served with the vegetables. butter substitutes, such as oleomargarine and nut margarine, should be more largely used for the table, especially for adults. conserve butter for children, as animal fats contain vitamines necessary for growing tissues. butter substitutes are as digestible and as nourishing as butter, and have a higher melting point. they keep better and cost less. oleomargarine, which has been in existence for fifty years, was first offered to the world in by a famous french chemist, mege-mouries, who was in search of a butter substitute cheap enough to supply the masses with the much-needed food element. he had noticed that the children of the poor families were afflicted with rickets and other diseases which could be remedied by the administration of the right amount of fat. he combined fresh suet and milk and called the product "oleomargarine." in the united states this product is now made of oleo oil or soft beef fat, neutral lard, cottonseed and other oils, churned with a small quantity of milk, and in the finer grades, cream is sometimes used. a certain proportion of butter is usually added, and the whole worked up with salt as in ordinary butter-making. owing to the fears of the butter-makers that oleomargarine would supplant their product in popular favor, legislation was enacted that restricted the manufacture of oleo and established a rigid system of governmental inspection, so that the product is now manufactured under the most sanitary conditions which furnishes a cleaner and more reliable product than natural butter. nut margarine is a compound of cocoa oil, which so closely resembles butter that only an expert can distinguish it from the natural product. both these butter substitutes are used in large amounts by the best bakers, confectioners and biscuit manufacturers, and foolish prejudice against butter substitutes should not deter their use in the home. a large saving in cooking fats can be made by the careful utilization of all fats that come into the home. beef and mutton suet can be rendered and made available. fats which have been saved after meals are cooked should be clarified--that is, freed from all objectionable odors, tastes or color--so as to be made available as shortening and frying fats. the following recipes and suggestions make possible the use of all fats, and as fat shortage is one of the most serious of the world's food problems, it is essential that every housekeeper have a larger knowledge of the utilization and economy of this essential food. [illustration] to render fats to render fat by direct method run the fat through the household meat grinder or chop fine in the chopping bowl. then heat in the double boiler until completely melted, finally straining through a rather thick cloth or two thicknesses of cheese cloth, wrung out in hot water. by this method there is no danger of scorching. fats heated at a low temperature also keep better than those melted at higher temperature. after the fat is rendered, it should be slowly reheated to sterilize it and make sure it is free from moisture. the bits of tissue strained out, commonly known as cracklings, may be used for shortening purposes or may be added to cornmeal which is to be used as fried cornmeal mush. to render fat with milk to two pounds of fat (finely chopped if unrendered) add one-half pint of milk, preferably sour. heat the mixture in a double boiler until thoroughly melted. stir well and strain through a thick cloth or two thicknesses of cheese cloth wrung out in hot water. when cold the fat forms a hard, clean layer and any material adhering to the under side of the fat, may be scraped off. sour milk being coagulated is preferable to sweet milk since the curd remains on the cloth through which the rendered mixture is strained and is thus more easily separated from the rendered fat which has acquired some of the milk flavor and butter fat. to render fat by cold water method cut fat in small pieces. cover with cold water. heat slowly. let cook until bubbling ceases. press fat during heating so as to obtain all the oil possible. when boiling ceases strain through cheesecloth and let harden. if desired one-half teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, teaspoon onion and teaspoon poultry seasoning may be added before straining. to render strong flavored fats to mutton, duck or goose fat add equal amount of beef suet or vegetable fat and render same as suet. this may then be used for shortening, or pan broiling for meat or fish dishes, and not have the characteristic taste of the stronger fats. when rendering strong mutton, duck or goose fats if a small whole onion is added the strong flavor of the fat is reduced. remove the onion before straining. it may be used in cooking. to clarify fat melt the fat in an equal volume of water and heat for a short time at a moderate temperature. stir occasionally. cool and remove the layer of fat which forms on the top, scraping off any bits of meat or other material which may adhere to the other side. fats which have formed on top of soups, of cooked meats (such as pot roast, stews), salt meats (such as corned beef, ham, etc.), or strong fats, such as from boiled mutton, poultry and game, may be clarified in this way and used alone or combined with other animal or vegetable fats in any savory dish. care of fat after being used for cooking if fat is used for deep fat frying as croquettes, doughnuts, fritters, etc., while fat is still hot, add a few slices raw potato and allow it to stay in the fat until it is cool. remove potato--strain fat, allow to harden and it is ready to use. the potato absorbs odors from fat. how to make savory fats fat : to pound of unrendered fat (chopped fine) add slice of onion about one-half inch thick and two inches in diameter, bay leaf, teaspoonful salt, and about one-eighth teaspoonful of pepper. render in a double boiler and strain. fat : to pound unrendered fat (chopped fine) add teaspoonfuls of thyme, slice onion, about one-half inch thick and two inches in diameter, one teaspoonful salt and about one-eighth teaspoonful pepper. render in a double boiler and strain. fat : to pound unrendered fat (chopped fine) add teaspoonful thyme, teaspoonful marjoram, one-half teaspoonful rubbed sage, teaspoonful salt, and about one-eighth teaspoonful pepper. render in a double boiler and strain through fine cloth. extension of table fats a. butter or other fat may be extended to double its original bulk and reduce the cost of the fat per cent. a patented churn, any homemade churn, mayonnaise mixer, or bowl and rotary beater may be used for the purpose. to any quantity of butter heated until slightly soft add equal quantity of milk, place in the churn, add one teaspoon salt for each one pound of butter used. blend thoroughly in churn, mayonnaise mixer, or in bowl with rotary beater until of even consistency. place in refrigerator to harden. vegetable coloring, such as comes with margarine or may be purchased separately, may be added if a deeper yellow color is desired. b. lb. butter quart milk ( pint bottles preferred) tablespoon granulated gelatine - / teaspoons salt soak gelatine in one-half cup of the milk. when softened, dissolve over hot water. let butter stand in warm place, until soft. add gelatine mixture, milk and salt and beat with dover beater until thoroughly mixed (about minutes). vegetable coloring such as comes with margarine may be added if desired. do not put on ice. c. lb. butter quart milk ( pint bottles preferred) tablespoon granulated gelatine - / teaspoons salt cup peanut butter soak gelatine in one-half cup of the milk. when softened, dissolve over hot water. let butter stand in warm place, until soft. add gelatine mixture, peanut butter, milk and salt and beat with rotary egg beater until thoroughly blended (about minutes). vegetable coloring such as comes with margarine may be added if desired. put in cool place to harden but do not put on ice as the gelatine would cause the mixture to flake. it is preferable to make up this mixture enough for one day at a time only. d. to pound of butter or butter substitute add one cup peanut butter. blend thoroughly with wooden spoon or butter paddle; this may be used in place of butter as a new and delightful variation. e. to pound softened butter add pound softened butter substitute (oleomargarine, nut margarine, vegetable margarine) or hydrogenated fat. blend thoroughly with butter paddle or wooden spoon and use as butter. suggestions for pastry whole wheat makes a more tasty crust than bread flour and all rye pastry has even better flavor than wheat flour pastry. half wheat or rye and the other half cornmeal (white or yellow) makes an excellent pastry for meat or fish pie. if cornmeal is added, use this recipe: cornmeal pastry for meat or fish / cup cornmeal / cup rye or wheat flour tablespoons fat / cup cold or ice water teaspoon baking powder sift dry ingredients. cut in fat. add water and roll out on well floured board. pastry made with dripping well made, digestible pastry should have a minimum of fat to make a crisp flaky crust. it should be crisp, not brittle; firm, not crumbly. pastry may be made in large amounts, kept in refrigerator for several days and used as needed. roll out only enough for one crust at a time as the less pastry is handled, the better. plain pastry cup flour / cup fat / teaspoon salt about / cup cold or ice water mix flour and salt. cut in fat and add just enough cold or ice water to make the mixture into a stiff dough. roll out. this recipe makes one crust. meat or fish pie crust cups flour teaspoons baking powder / cup any kind of dripping cup meat stock or milk teaspoon salt sift dry ingredients. cut in fat if solid, or add if liquid. stir in meat stock or milk to make a soft dough. place on top of meat or fish with gravy in greased baking dish and bake to minutes in moderately hot oven. various uses for leftover fats creole rice tablespoons savory drippings tablespoons flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne - / cups tomato juice and pulp teaspoon onion juice tablespoons chopped green pepper tablespoon chopped olives cup of rice cup water wash rice and soak in water minutes. melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually the tomatoes. stir in rice and other ingredients, also the water in which rice was soaked. cook slowly one-half hour or until rice is tender. potatoes espagnole cups pared and sliced potatoes tablespoons bacon drippings tablespoons minced onion / teaspoon salt / tablespoon cayenne - / cups boiling water tablespoon chopped green pepper or pimento melt drippings. add onion and cook until slightly brown. add other seasonings and water. pour over potatoes. let cook slowly in oven until potatoes are tender, about minutes. dumplings cups flour teaspoon salt teaspoons baking powder tablespoons drippings cup water, meat stock or milk sift dry ingredients. cut in fat. gradually add liquid to make a soft dough. roll out, place on greased pan and steam minutes, or drop into stew and cook covered minutes. serve at once. potato salad cups freshly cooked and diced potatoes / cup bacon drippings / teaspoon salt tablespoons chopped peppers tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon cayenne mix drippings, salt, pepper, vinegar and cayenne. add to the potatoes and mix thoroughly. chill and serve. cold cooked potatoes may be used, but the flavor is better if mixed while potatoes are hot. soap can lye lbs. fat (fat for soap should be fat which is no longer useful for culinary purposes.) quart cold water to lye add water--using enamel or agate utensil. when cool add the fat which has been heated until liquid. stir until of consistency of honey (about minutes). two tablespoons ammonia or two tablespoons borax may be added for a whiter soap. if stirred thoroughly this soap will float. [illustration: the illustration shows various forms of food waste--the discarded outside leaves of lettuce and cabbage, apple cores and parings, stale bread and drippings.] save food _reasons why our government asks us not to waste food, with practical recipes on the use of leftovers_ elimination of food waste is to-day a patriotic service. it is also a most effective method of solving our food problem. this country, like all the powers at war, will undoubtedly be called upon to face increasing prices so long as the war continues, and waste in any form is not only needless squandering of the family income, but failure in devotion to a great cause. food waste is due to poor selection of raw materials, to careless storage and heedless preparation, to bad cooking, to injudicious serving, and to the overflowing garbage pail. to select food in such a way as will eliminate waste and at the same time insure the best possible return for money spent, the housekeeper must purchase for nutriment rather than to please her own or the family palate. when eggs are sixty and seventy cents a dozen their price is out of all proportion to their food value. tomatoes at five or ten cents apiece in winter do not supply sufficient nutriment to warrant their cost, nor does capon at forty-five cents a pound nourish the body any better than the fricassee fowl at twenty-eight cents. in order to prevent such costly purchasing, a knowledge of food values is necessary. the simplest and easiest way to plan food values is to divide the common food materials into five main groups and see that each of these groups appear in each day's menu. group .--foods depended on for mineral matters, vegetable acids, and body-regulating substances. fruits apples, pears, etc., berries, melons, oranges, lemons, all citrus fruits. vegetables salads, lettuce, celery, potherbs or "greens" tomatoes, squash, green peas, green beans, potatoes and root vegetables. group .--foods depended on for protein. milk, skim milk, cheese, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, dried peas, beans, cow-peas, nuts. group .--foods depended on for starch. cereals, grains, meals, flour, cereal breakfast foods, bread, crackers, macaroni and other pastes, cakes, cookies, starchy puddings, potatoes, other starchy vegetables, bananas. group .--foods depended on for sugar. sugar, molasses, syrups, dates, raisins, figs. group .--foods depended on for fat. butter and cream, lard, suet, salt pork and bacon, table and salad oils, vegetable, nut, and commercial cooking fats and oils. if from each of these groups the housekeeper, when buying, chooses the lowest-cost food, she will provide the necessary nutriment for the least expenditure of money. in war time such marketing is essential. other causes of waste in food purchasing may be enumerated as follows: ordering by telephone. this permits the butcher or grocer, who has no time to make selection of foods, to send what comes ready to hand; whereas if the housekeeper did her own selecting, she could take advantage of special prices or "leaders"--food sold at cost or nearly cost to attract patronage. buying out-of-season foods also makes marketing costly. through lack of knowledge concerning the periods at which certain fruits and vegetables are seasonable, and therefore cheaper and in best flavor, housekeepers frequently pay exorbitant prices for poor flavored, inferior products. buying in localities where high rental and neighborhood standards compel the shopkeeper to charge high prices, the consumer pays not only for the rent and the plate glass windows, but for display of out-of-season delicacies, game and luxury-foods. markets should be selected where food in season is sold; where cleanliness and careful attention prevail rather than showy display. many a dollar is foolishly spent for delicatessen foods. the retail cost of ready prepared foods includes a fraction of the salary of the cook and the fuel, as well as the regular percentage of profit. the food, also, is not so nourishing or flavorsome as if freshly cooked in the home kitchen. buying perishable foods in larger quantities than can be used immediately. too frequently meats, fish, eggs, vegetables, milk and cream are purchased in quantities larger than needed for immediate consumption, and lack of knowledge of use of left-overs causes what is not eaten to be discarded. buying non-perishable foods in small quantities instead of in bulk. food costs on an average to per cent. more when purchased in small quantities. select a grocer who keeps his goods in sanitary condition and who will sell in bulk; then do your purchasing from him on a large scale and extend the sanitary care to your own storeroom. buying foods high in price but low in food value. asparagus, canned or fresh, is not as nourishing, for instance, as canned corn or beans. strawberries out of season do not compare with dates, figs or raisins which are to be had at all times. buying without planning menus. by this carelessness foods are often purchased which do not combine well, and therefore do not appeal to the appetite, and so are wasted. unplanned meals also lead to an unconscious extravagance in buying and an unnecessary accumulation of left-overs. buying foreign brands when domestic brands are cheaper and often better. leaving the trimmings from meats and poultry at the butcher's. bring these home and fry out the fatty portions for dripping; use all other parts for the stock pot. having purchased for nutriment and in sufficiently large quantities to secure bulk rates, careful storage is the next step in the prevention of waste. flour, cereals and meals become wormy if they are not kept in clean, covered utensils and in a cool place. milk becomes sour, especially in summer. this can be prevented by scalding it as soon as received, cooling quickly, and storing in a cold place in covered, well-scalded receptacles. sour milk should not be thrown out. it is good in biscuits, gingerbread, salad dressings, cottage cheese, pancakes or waffles, and bread making. meats should not be left in their wrappings. much juice soaks into the paper, which causes a loss of flavor and nutriment. store all meat in a cool place and do not let flies come in contact with it. bread often molds, especially in warm, moist weather. trim off moldy spots and heat through. keep the bread box sweet by scalding and sunning once a week. cheese molds. keep in a cool, dry place. if it becomes too dry for table use, grate for sauces or use in scalloped dishes. winter vegetables wilt and dry out. store in a cool place. if cellar space permits, place in box of sand, sawdust or garden earth. potatoes and onions sprout. cut off the sprouts as soon as they appear and use for soup. soak, before using, vegetables which have sprouted. fruits must be stored carefully so as to keep the skins unbroken. broken spots in the skin cause rapid decay. do not permit good fruit to remain in contact with specked or rotted fruit. stored fruit should be looked over frequently and all specked or rotted fruit removed. sweet potatoes are an exception. picking over, aggravates the trouble. see that these vegetables are carefully handled at all times; if rot develops, remove only those that can be reached without danger of bruising the sound roots. sweet potatoes may also be stored like fruit by spreading over a large surface and separating the tubers so that they do not touch each other. berries should be picked over as soon as received and spread on a platter or a large surface to prevent crushing and to allow room for circulation of air. lettuce and greens wilt. wash carefully as soon as received and use the coarse leaves for soup. shake the water from the crisp portions and store in a paper bag in a cold refrigerator. lemons when cut often grow moldy before they are used. when lemons are spoiling, squeeze out the juice, make a syrup of one cup of sugar and one cup of water, boil ten minutes and add lemon juice in any amount up to one cup. bring to boiling point and bottle for future use. this bottled juice may be used for puddings, beverages, etc. if only a small amount of juice is needed, prick one end of a lemon with a fork. squeeze out the amount needed and store the lemon in the ice-box. when we come to waste caused by careless preparation we may be reminded of the miracle of the loaves and fishes--how all the guests were fed and then twelve baskets were gathered up. often after preparation that which is gathered up to be thrown away is as large in quantity and as high in food value as the portions used. vegetables are wasted in preparation by too thick paring, the discarding of coarse leaves such as are found on lettuce, cabbage and cauliflower, discarding wilted parts which can be saved by soaking, throwing away tips and roots of celery and the roots and ends of spinach and dandelions. all these waste products can be cooked tender, rubbed through a sieve and used with stock for vegetable soup, or with skimmed milk for cream soup. such products are being conserved by the enemy, even to the onion skin, which is ground into bread-making material. throwing away the water in which vegetables have been cooked wastes their characteristic and valuable element--the mineral salts. cooking them so much that they become watery; under-cooking so that they are hard and indigestible; cooking more than is required for a meal; failing to use left-over portions promptly as an entree or for cream soups or scalloped dishes--all these things mean an appalling waste of valuable food material. good food material is also lost when the water in which rice or macaroni or other starchy food has been boiled is poured down the kitchen sink. such water should be used for soup making. fruits are wasted by throwing away the cores and skins, which can be used for making sauces, jams and jellies, the latter being sweetened with corn syrup instead of sugar. rhubarb is wasted by removing the pink skin from young rhubarb, which should be retained to add flavor and color-attractiveness to the dish. raw food in quantity is frequently left in the mixing bowl, while by the use of a good flexible knife or spatula every particle can be saved. a large palette knife is as good in the kitchen as in the studio. * * * * * the next step in food preparation is cooking, and tons of valuable material are wasted through ignorance of the principles of cooking. bad cooking, which means under-cooking, over-cooking or flavorless cooking, renders food inedible, and inedible food contributes to world shortage. fats are wasted in cooking by being burned and by not being carefully utilized as dripping and shortening. the water in which salt meat, fresh meat, or poultry has been boiled should be allowed to cool and the fat removed before soup is made of it. such fat can be used, first of all, in cooking, and then any inedible portions can be used in soap making. * * * * * tough odds and ends of meat not sightly enough to appear on the table are often wasted. they can be transformed by long cooking into savory stews, ragouts, croquettes and hashes, whereas, if carelessly and insufficiently cooked, they are unpalatable and indigestible. scraps of left-over cooked meat should be ground in the food-chopper and made into appetizing meat balls, hashes or sandwich paste. if you happen to have a soft cooked egg left over, boil it hard at once. it can be used for garnishes, sauces, salads or sandwich paste. * * * * * use all bits of bread, that cannot be used as toast, in puddings, croquettes, scalloped dishes or to thicken soup. * * * * * don't throw away cold muffins and fancy breads. split and toast them for next day's breakfast. * * * * * foods that survive the earlier forms of waste are often lost at table by the serving of portions of like size to all members of the family. the individual food requirements differ according to age, sex, vocation and state of health. each should be considered before the food is served, then there will be no waste on the plates when the meal is over. the following table, showing the daily requirement of calories for men and women in various lines of work, illustrates this point: women calories sedentary work ... , active work ... , hard manual labor ... , men calories sedentary work ... , active work ... , hard manual labor ... , although the serving of food should be carefully planned so as to prevent waste, care should be taken that growing children have ample food. it is a mistake to suppose that a growing child can be nourished on less than a sedentary adult. a boy of fourteen who wants to eat more than his father probably needs all that he asks for. we must not save on the children; but it will be well to give them plain food for the most part, which will not tempt them to overeat, and tactfully combat pernickety, overfastidious likes and dislikes. the united states food administration is preaching the gospel of the clean plate, and this can be accomplished by serving smaller portions, insisting that all food accepted be eaten; by keeping down bread waste, cutting the bread at the table a slice at a time as needed; by cooking only sufficient to supply moderately the number to be fed, and no more. it is a false idea of good providing that platters must leave the table with a generous left-over. waste of cooked food is a serious item in household economy, and no matter how skillfully leftovers are utilized, it is always less expensive and more appetizing to provide fresh-cooked foods at each meal. one would think that with the various uses to which all kinds of foodstuffs may be put that there would be little left for the yawning garbage pail. but the secretary of the united states department of agriculture is responsible for the statement that $ , , worth of food has been wasted annually in the american kitchen. undoubtedly a large part of this wastefulness was due to ignorance on the part of the housewife, and the rest of it to the lack of co-operation on the part of the employees who have handled the food but not paid the bills. according to a well-known domestic scientist, the only things which should find their way to the garbage pail are: egg shells--after being used to clear coffee. potato skins--after having been cooked on the potato. banana skins--if there are no tan shoes to be cleaned. bones--after having been boiled in soup kettle. coffee grounds--if there is no garden where they can be used for fertilizer, or if they are not desired as filling for pincushions. tea leaves--after every tea-serving, if they are not needed for brightening carpets or rugs when swept. asparagus ends--after being cooked and drained for soup. spinach, etc.--decayed leaves and dirty ends of roots. if more than this is now thrown away, you are wasting the family income and not fulfilling your part in the great world struggle. your government says that it is your business to know what food your family needs to be efficient; that you must learn how to make the most of the foods you buy; that it is your duty to learn the nature and uses of various foods and to get the greatest possible nourishment out of every pound of food that comes to your home. the art of utilizing left-overs is an important factor in this prevention of waste. the thrifty have always known it. the careless have always ignored it. but now as a measure of home economy as well as a patriotic service, the left-over must be handled intelligently. the following recipes show how to make appetizing dishes from products that heretofore in many homes have found their way to the extravagant pail. in these recipes, sauces are prominent because they are of great value in making foods of neutral flavor, especially the starchy winter vegetables, and rice, macaroni and hominy, as attractive as they are nutritious; salads are included, since these serve to combine odds and ends of meats and vegetables; gelatine dishes are provided because gelatine serves as a binder for all kinds of leftovers and is an extremely practical way of making the most rigid saving acceptable; desserts made of crumbs of bread and cake, or left-over cereals, are among the major economies if they are worked out in such a way that they do not involve the extravagant use of other foodstuffs. all the recipes in this economy cook-book have been thoughtfully adapted to the conditions of the time, and will show the practical housekeeper how to supply wholesome, flavorsome food for the least cost. * * * * * sauces make leftovers attractive white sauce / cup flour / cup fat teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne - / cups milk melt fat. add dry ingredients and a little of the milk. bring to boiling point. continue adding milk a little at a time until all is added. serve with vegetables, fish, eggs, meats. white sauce with cheese / cup cheese (cream or american) added to - / cups white sauce excellent to serve with macaroni, hominy or vegetables. white sauce with shrimps / cup shrimps / teaspoon salt cup white sauce serve on toast, or with starchy vegetables. white sauce with horseradish and pimento / cup horseradish tablespoon chopped pimento cup white sauce serve with boiled beef, hot or cold, or with cold roast beef. white sauce with egg cup white sauce sliced hard-cooked eggs / teaspoon cayenne / teaspoon salt excellent for spinach and vegetables, or fish. brown sauce / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon of cayenne - / cups brown stock, or - / cups water and bouillon cubes / teaspoon worcestershire sauce melt fat until brown. add flour. heat until brown. add liquid gradually, letting come to boiling point each time before adding more liquid. when all is added, teaspoon kitchen bouquet may be added if darker color is desired. brown sauce with olives cup brown sauce tablespoons chopped olives make brown sauce as given in foregoing recipe, then while it is hot stir in the chopped olives, and serve. brown sauce with peanuts cup brown sauce / cup chopped peanuts / teaspoon salt a good sauce to serve with rice, macaroni, hominy or other starchy foods. it supplies almost a meat flavor to these rather insipid foods. mushroom sauce cup brown sauce / cup chopped mushrooms add mushrooms to fat and flour before adding liquid. if fresh mushrooms are used, cook for two or three minutes after adding liquid. vegetable sauces / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne cups vegetable stock, or cup vegetable stock cup milk. vegetable stock is the water in which any vegetable is cooked. make as white sauce. drawn butter sauce / cup butter substitute / cup flour / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne cup boiling water tablespoons chopped parsley make as white sauce, reserving tablespoons of the fat to add just before serving. tomato sauce / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne teaspoon worcestershire teaspoon onion juice - / cups tomato melt fat; add dry ingredients and gradually the liquid, letting sauce come to boiling point each time before adding more liquid. fruit sauce for pudding / cup fat / cup milk / cup powdered sugar teaspoon vanilla, or tablespoon brandy cup mashed cooked fruit mix thoroughly. let chill and serve with steamed or baked pudding. cocoanut sauce / cup milk / cup cocoanut and milk tablespoons corn syrup tablespoons cornstarch teaspoon vanilla mix ingredients. bring to boiling point over direct fire. cook over hot water minutes. use with leftover stale cake, baked or steamed puddings. if canned cocoanut containing milk is used, plain milk may be omitted. molasses sauce cup molasses tablespoons fat tablespoon flour, plus tablespoon cold water - / tablespoons vinegar mix together. bring to boiling point and serve with any pudding. french sauce cup (crystal) corn syrup / teaspoon salt egg / cup water tablespoon cream teaspoon vanilla beat egg light. pour on gradually the hot corn syrup and water, beating egg with eggbeater. add cream and vanilla. serve at once. spice sauce / cup corn syrup egg / cup milk / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon nutmeg / teaspoon vanilla mix corn syrup and spices. add beaten yolks and milk. cook over hot water until thick. add vanilla and beaten whites. serve hot or cold. maple spice sauce tablespoons fat / cup maple sugar eggs / teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon allspice / teaspoon vanilla / cup milk cream fat, sugar and spices. add beaten yolks and milk. cook in double boiler until thick. add vanilla and beaten whites. serve hot or cold. tomato sauce with cheese cup tomato sauce / cup grated cheese add cheese while sauce is hot and just before serving. do not boil sauce after adding cheese. mexican sauce to one cup tomato sauce, add tablespoons chopped green pepper tablespoons chopped celery tablespoons chopped carrot hard sauce / cup butter substitute or hydrogenated oil / cup corn syrup / cup sugar teaspoon flavoring cream all together. this method reduces the necessary sugar two-thirds. lemon or orange sauce / cup corn syrup tablespoon fat / cup lemon juice teaspoon lemon rind tablespoons cornstarch tablespoons lemon juice / cup orange juice teaspoons orange rind tablespoon flour tablespoon water mix ingredients. bring to boiling point and serve. cranberry sauce with raisins cup cranberries cup water cup corn syrup / cup raisins or nuts tablespoons fat cook cranberries in water until they are soft and the water is almost entirely absorbed. add other ingredients and cook about minutes slowly until thick enough to use as sauce. the use of gelatine in combining leftovers leftover fruit mold tablespoons cold water tablespoons gelatine let stand until gelatine is soft. add pint boiling water, or fruit juice from canned fruit. / cup lemon juice / cup corn syrup, or / cup sugar stir until gelatine is dissolved. add cup leftover fruit. place in mold which has been dipped in cold water. stir occasionally while hardening so fruit does not settle to the bottom. or a little gelatine may be poured in mold and allowed to grow almost hard; then some fruit arranged on it and more gelatine poured in. repeat until mold is filled; then chill, and turn out carefully. molded vegetable salad - / cups boiling tomato juice and pulp tablespoons cold water tablespoons gelatine teaspoon salt / teaspoon paprika / teaspoon worcestershire sauce cups of any one vegetable, or of mixed vegetables soften gelatine in the cold water. add other ingredients and chill. stir once or twice while chilling so vegetables do not settle to the bottom. molded meat or fish loaf tablespoons gelatine tablespoons cold water cup boiling gravy, tomato juice, or cup boiling water into which bouillon cube has been dissolved cup left-over meat or fish chopped fine cup chopped celery or cooked vegetable teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne soften gelatine in cold water. add other ingredients. stir until gelatine is dissolved. pour into mold dipped into cold water. chill. stir once or twice while hardening so meat does not settle to the bottom. serve with salad dressing. rice imperial cup cooked rice cup corn syrup tablespoon gelatine tablespoons water / cup cherries or other cooked fruit / cup nuts / cup juice of fruit chill and serve. cream salad mold cup cooked salad dressing tablespoons gelatine cups any left-over fish, meat or vegetables tablespoons cold water use any well-seasoned salad dressing. soften the gelatine in the cold water. dissolve over boiling water. add to salad dressing. add other ingredients well seasoned and chill. cheese mold pint cottage cheese / cup pimento or green pepper cup milk teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne tablespoons granulated gelatine tablespoons cold water soften gelatine in the cold water. dissolve over hot water. add all ingredients. mix thoroughly and place in mold which has been rinsed with cold water. when firm, serve as salad. fruit sponge tablespoons gelatine softened in / cup cold water pint clabbered milk, or fruit juice cup sugar teaspoon vanilla cup crushed fruit egg whites mix gelatine with milk. add sugar. when it begins to thicken, beat with rotary beater. add vanilla and fruit. fold in egg whites and turn into mold. apple sauce, strawberries, rhubarb, pineapple or raspberries may be used. oriental salad tablespoon gelatine cups boiling water / cup sugar / cup lemon juice / cup grated cocoanut cups apples, chopped cup celery / cup chopped nuts pimentoes tablespoon grated onion / teaspoon salt soften gelatine in tablespoons cold water, then dissolve in the boiling water, but do not cook after gelatine is put in. add all other ingredients. mold and chill. serve with cooked or mayonnaise salad dressing, plain or on lettuce leaves. salads provide an easy method of using leftovers mixed vegetable salad cup cooked potatoes cup cooked carrots cup cooked peas cup cooked beets make a french dressing of / cup oil / teaspoon salt tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon cayenne mix dressing thoroughly and pour over the vegetables. if vegetables are kept in different bowls instead of mixed together, the flavor of the salad is improved. any vegetable may be used in this way. let stand minutes. when ready to serve, place each portion in a nest made of two lettuce leaves or other salad, green. if desired, cooked dressing may be mixed with the vegetable in place of french dressing, or may be served with it. egyptian salad cup left-over baked beans, cooked dried peas, or beans or lentils, or cooked rice, rice. cup chopped celery tablespoons chopped pepper tablespoons chopped pickle cup cooked salad dressing mix ingredients thoroughly and let stand minutes to blend flavor thoroughly. cabbage, peanut and apple salad cups chopped cabbage cup peanuts cup chopped apples cup salad dressing mix ingredients and serve with french dressing. this salad looks very appetizing when served in cups made of hollowed out red apples, the pulp removed being used in the salad. cheese salad cup american or cream cheese tablespoons vinegar / cup oil / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne tablespoons chopped olives tablespoons chopped nuts blend all ingredients thoroughly. shape as desired and chill. serve with french dressing. (if american cheese is used, grate or cut fine.) fruit salad left-over small portions of fruits may be blended in almost any combination to form a salad. plain french dressing or french dressing made with fruit juice in place of vinegar, or cooked dressing or mayonnaise may be combined with the fruit. bananas combine well with any other fruit and, being the least expensive fruit, may be used as the basis of fruit salads. mandalay salad cup cooked peas or carrots cup cooked cold rice mix with dressing made of / cup oil tablespoon vinegar / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne / teaspoon curry powder mix all ingredients; serve cold, either plain, on lettuce leaves, or in nests made of cabbage or celery. potato salad cups potatoes from fresh-cooked, or left-over baked, boiled or mashed potatoes. / cup chopped parsley teaspoon onion juice cup cooked salad dressing tablespoons chopped green pepper may be added if desired. if mixed while cooked dressing is hot, then chilled, the flavor is much improved. left-over mashed potatoes may be combined with cooked corn and green pepper for a delicious salad. meat or fish salad cup left-over meat or fish tablespoons chopped pickle / cup chopped celery cup cooked salad dressing mix ingredients thoroughly and serve. if one-quarter cup of french dressing is mixed with meat or fish, minutes before adding other ingredients, the flavor is much improved. cauliflower salad cup cooked cauliflower cup cooked salad dressing tablespoons chopped pickle tablespoon chopped pimento tablespoon vinegar blend ingredients thoroughly and serve. cauliflower which has been creamed or scalloped may be used, if sauce is carefully rinsed from the vegetable. carrot salad grind raw carrot in food chopper. make french dressing with chicken fat instead of oil. mix ingredients and serve. cup raw carrots / cup oil (preferably oil from chicken fat) tablespoon vinegar / teaspoon salt tablespoon parsley / teaspoon paprika hindu salad tablespoons flour teaspoon salt egg / teaspoon cayenne tablespoons granulated gelatine, plus tablespoons cold water teaspoon mustard teaspoon curry powder tablespoons melted fat cup milk / cup vinegar cups cooked rice tablespoons chopped olives mix dry ingredients, add egg and blend thoroughly. add melted fat, milk and vinegar. cook over hot water until thick as custard. soften gelatine in cold water. add to the hot dressing. when dissolved add rice and olives, place in mold and chill. serve plain or with / cup french dressing. the use of stale bread, cake, and leftover cereal date crumb pudding cup dried crumbs pint hot milk let stand until milk is absorbed, then add / teaspoon salt / cup molasses / teaspoon cinnamon cup dates, cut small egg / teaspoon mixed cloves, nutmeg, allspice, ginger mix ingredients. bake minutes in moderately hot oven. this pudding is so well flavored that it does not really require a sauce, but if one is desired the molasses sauce on page * , or the hard or lemon sauce on page * will be found to suit. fig pudding / lb suet / lb chopped figs cup sour apple (cored, pared and chopped) cup milk / cup molasses / cup corn syrup cup breadcrumbs eggs / cup flour cream suet; add figs, apple and corn syrup. pour milk over bread. add yolks, beaten. combine. add flour and egg whites. steam hours. fruit tapioca / cup pearl tapioca / cup corn syrup, or / cup sugar / teaspoon salt cup water cup milk cup fruit soak tapioca in the water over night. add the other ingredients except the fruit and cook over hot water until the tapioca is clear. add fruit and teaspoon vanilla and chill. rice fruit custard / cup rice cup milk / cup corn syrup teaspoon vanilla / teaspoon salt egg cup fruit cook rice with milk in double boiler minutes. add other ingredients and cook minutes. chill and serve. nut and fruit pudding cup stale breadcrumbs cups scalded milk / cup corn syrup / cup chopped nuts eggs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon vanilla / cup chopped figs, dates or raisins pour scalded milk over breadcrumbs. beat eggs. add other ingredients. bake to minutes in moderate oven. chocolate bread pudding cup crumbs cups milk oz. chocolate / cup sugar / cup corn syrup eggs / teaspoon salt / teaspoon vanilla use whites for meringue with tablespoons corn syrup. cake croquettes pint stale cake crumbs cup milk soak hour; heat and add yolks of eggs teaspoons vanilla chill, shape, roll in eggs and crumbs and brown in frying pan. serve with hard sauce. cereal fruit pudding cups milk cup any ready-to-eat cereal egg (beaten) / cup molasses / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cinnamon cup raisins, dates or prunes mix ingredients. bake to minutes in moderately hot oven. scalloped fish cups crumbs cups fish tablespoons chopped parsley / cup fat / cup flour / teaspoon pepper teaspoons onion juice - / cups milk teaspoon salt tablespoons fat melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually the liquid to make a smooth sauce. add onion juice, lemon juice, parsley and fish. mix with crumbs tablespoons fat. place crumbs on top. bake in greased pan minutes. spanish casserole cups cooked rice quart tomatoes / to lb. hamburg steak / teaspoon pepper teaspoons salt tablespoons onions, chopped / teaspoon cayenne add rice to tomatoes. add seasoning and meat, browned. bake in casserole about hours. peanut loaf cups stale bread crumbs cups milk teaspoons salt / teaspoon pepper / teaspoon poultry seasoning tablespoon onion juice and pulp eggs teaspoons baking powder - / cups chopped peanuts add bread to milk; add seasoning, beaten eggs, baking powder, and peanuts. pour into greased, lined baking tin. bake in moderate oven minutes. cheese entree cup cooked farina or rice cup cheese cup nuts cup milk / teaspoon cayenne egg teaspoon salt mix ingredients thoroughly. bake in greased dish minutes. bean loaf cups cold cooked beans egg beaten cup breadcrumbs / teaspoon pepper tablespoon minced onion tablespoons catsup / teaspoon salt shape into loaf. bake minutes. serve with tomato sauce. royal french toast use leftover bread as french toast by dipping in mixture of cup milk tablespoon corn syrup egg beaten then brown in frying pan in small amount of fat. spread with marmalade, jelly, cocoanut, or preserves and serve as dessert. dried fruit pudding one cup dried apricots, peaches or prunes soaked two hours in two cups of water. cup bread crumbs / cup corn syrup teaspoon orange or lemon rind eggs / teaspoon salt teaspoon lemon juice / cup chopped nuts mix ingredients. place in greased baking dish and bake minutes in moderately hot oven. cheese sauce on bread / cup fat pint milk qts. milk / cup flour / teaspoon cayenne cup cheese make as white sauce and add cheese. pour over bread, sliced and toasted. bake in moderate oven. surprise cereal cups dried breadcrumbs tablespoons maple syrup / teaspoon salt mix thoroughly and place in moderately hot oven for minutes, stirring frequently. remove and serve as breakfast food. very inexpensive and delicious. graham, corn or oatmeal bread is best for this purpose, but any bread may be used. surprise croquettes cup leftover cereal cup chopped peanuts / cup dried breadcrumbs beaten egg shape as croquettes and bake in oven or pan-broil. serve with tart jelly. cheese straws cup stale bread / teaspoon cayenne / cup grated cheese / cup milk / cup flour / teaspoon salt make into dough; roll / inch thick. cut into strips inches long and / inch wide. place on baking sheet. bake minutes in moderate oven. serve with soup, salad, or pastry. soups utilize leftovers in nearly every case when meat is purchased, some bone is paid for. too frequently this is either left at the market or thrown away in the home. bones, gristle, tough ends, head and feet of chickens, head, fins and bones of fish, etc., should be utilized for making soup. if a meat or fish chowder with plenty of vegetable accompaniment is served, no other meat is required for the usual home meal. if a cream of dried or fresh vegetables, or a meat stock soup with plenty of vegetables or cereal content, is served, the amount of meat eaten with the main course of the meal will be materially lessened. soups may be a most economical method of using water in which meat, fish or vegetables have been cooked; also of utilizing small portions of leftover meats, fish, vegetables or cereal. cream soups are made by cooking vegetables or cereal, then utilizing the water in which they are cooked as part of the liquid for the soup. outer parts or wilted parts of vegetables may be utilized for soups instead of being discarded. water in which ham or mutton has been boiled makes an excellent basis for dried or fresh vegetable soups. in fact, soup can be made from all kinds of leftovers--the variety and kind make little difference so long as the mixture is allowed to simmer for several hours and is properly seasoned. cream soup / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt cup cereal or vegetable / teaspoon cayenne pt. milk pt. water, in which vegetable or cereal was cooked, or leftover water in which meat was cooked. melt fat, add dry ingredients and, gradually, liquid. when at boiling point, add vegetables or cereal and serve. meat stock leftover bits of meat, bone, or gristle may be used alone or with some fresh meat and bone from shin or neck. to each lb. of meat and bone, add qt. cold water. let stand hour. cover and bring slowly to boiling point and simmer to hours. remove bones and meat. let stand until cold. skim off fat. add vegetables cut in small pieces, season as desired and cook until vegetables are tender. leftover cereals, as barley, oatmeal, etc., vegetables, macaroni, tapioca, sago, etc., etc., may be added for increased food value. tomato gumbo soup bones and gristle from chicken or turkey qts. cold water cup okra tablespoon chopped pimento - / teaspoons salt / cup rice tablespoons fat - / cups tomatoes / cup chopped parsley soak bones and gristle in the cold water hour. then boil slowly hour, in same water. strain out the bones and gristle and add other ingredients to the liquor. boil this mixture slowly / hour and serve. legume soup cup dried peas, beans or lentils qts. cold water tablespoon onion pulp ham bone or / pound smoked sausage teaspoon celery salt teaspoons salt tablespoons flour, plus tablespoons cold water / teaspoon pepper cup tomato wash and soak dried legume over night. in morning drain, add water, ham bone or sausage and cook very slowly until tender. add other ingredients, cook / hour and serve. vegetable soup qt. boiling water / cup carrots / cup cabbage cup potatoes cup tomato juice and pulp tablespoon minced onion / teaspoon pepper tablespoons fat cloves bayleaf teaspoons salt peppercorns tablespoons chopped parsley heat onion, pepper, salt, bayleaf and peppercorns with tomatoes for minutes. strain. to juice and pulp add other ingredients and cook slowly hour. add parsley just before serving. cream of carrot soup cups diced carrots cups water cup milk / teaspoon pepper tablespoons fat tablespoons flour teaspoon salt cook the carrots in the water until tender. melt the fat, add dry ingredients, add gradually the cup water in which the carrots were cooked and the milk. when at boiling point, serve with a little grated raw carrot sprinkled over top of soup. any vegetable, raw or cooked, may be used in the same way, as cauliflower, cabbage, peas, turnips, etc. salmon chowder cup cooked or canned fish cup cooked potato, diced cup peas tablespoons fat tablespoons flour - / teaspoons salt / teaspoon paprika cups milk cup water from boiled potatoes tablespoons chopped parsley teaspoon onion juice melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually the liquid. when at boiling point, add parsley and serve. cheese cream soup cup cheese cups milk tablespoons fat - / teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne / teaspoon celery salt tablespoons flour melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually the liquid. when at boiling point and just ready to serve add cheese. any kind of cheese may be used for this purpose. bean soup cup beans quart water tablespoon onion juice / teaspoon worcestershire sauce cup brown stock / teaspoon celery salt teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne hard cooked egg lemon, sliced / teaspoon mustard tablespoons flour, plus tablespoons cold water soak beans over night, drain. place in quart of fresh cold water and cook until very tender. add other ingredients and bring to boiling point. slice thin, hard cooked egg and lemon from which seeds have been removed and serve with each portion. do not remove lemon rind as this gives a piquant flavor. potato and cheese soup cups cooked diced potatoes cups water in which potatoes were cooked cup milk teaspoons onion juice tablespoons fat tablespoons flour - / teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne tablespoons of finely chopped parsley / cup grated cheese dice potatoes and cook slowly until very tender. rub through strainer, using potato and cups of the water. melt fat, add dry ingredients and gradually the liquids and onion juice. when ready to serve, sprinkle parsley and cheese over top. all-in-one-dish meals need only fruit or simple dessert, and bread and butter to complete a well-balanced menu lentils with rice and tomatoes / cup lentils cup rice quart tomatoes teaspoon worcestershire teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne / teaspoon bay leaf / teaspoon sage soak lentils over night; drain; add one quart fresh water and one teaspoon of salt. cook slowly until tender. add other ingredients. steam or bake for minutes. rice, tomatoes, green pepper and beef / cup cooked rice pint tomatoes / cup green pepper chopped cups fresh or left-over cooked meat teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne mix all ingredients. bake in greased dish slowly for one hour. hominy and curried mutton with beets cup hominy which has been soaked over night, drained quart fresh water and teaspoon of salt added; cook until tender cups mutton from shoulder teaspoon kitchen bouquet teaspoon curry cups water teaspoon worcestershire sauce tablespoon cornstarch cup diced beets teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne mix all ingredients thoroughly. bake in covered casserole slowly for one hour. mutton should be cut in about one-inch pieces. tamale pie made with cornmeal mush, meat and chopped peppers cups water cup cornmeal teaspoons salt / cup chopped peppers cups cooked meat / teaspoon cayenne to cornmeal add one-half cup of cold water. boil three cups of water and add cornmeal. boil five minutes. add other ingredients. cook in greased baking dish for one hour. baked soy beans with greens and tomato pint soy beans / lb. salt pork / teaspoon soda / teaspoon cayenne onion - / tablespoons salt / cup molasses / tablespoon mustard boiling water (about one quart) pint tomatoes cups cooked spinach soak beans over night; drain. cover with fresh water and the soda and boil, until skins break, but do not let beans become broken. cut rind from salt pork and cut into six or eight pieces. to cup of boiling water add the cayenne, salt, molasses, mustard and tomatoes. in bottom of bean pot place the onion and a piece of salt pork. add beans. pour over this the seasonings. cover the beans with boiling water. bake three hours covered. uncover, put spinach to which has been added teaspoon of salt, tablespoon of vinegar, one-eighth teaspoon of pepper, on top. bake minutes and serve. casserole of kidney beans, salt pork and spinach one cup of kidney beans, soak over night; drain. cover with fresh water. add teaspoons of salt, cook in small amount of water until tender. force through colander. measure - / cups and add one-quarter pound salt pork chopped fine, teaspoon worcestershire sauce, cup of water or meat stock or gravy. place half of mixture in greased baking dish. cover with two cups of spinach, to which has been added one-quarter cup of vinegar, tablespoons of fat and one-half teaspoon of salt. cover with other half of bean mixture. bake minutes. scalloped macaroni with peas in tomato and cheese sauce cup macaroni cup peas pint tomatoes, juice and pulp cup grated cheese / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne cook macaroni until tender in one quart of boiling water and one teaspoon of salt; drain. melt fat, add flour, salt and cayenne. gradually add tomatoes and when at boiling point remove from fire, add cheese and peas. place macaroni in greased baking dish, pour sauce over it and bake minutes. curried rice with corn and cheese in brown sauce / cup rice cup cheese cup corn - / cup milk / cup fat / cup flour teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne melt fat until brown. add flour and seasonings. heat until brown. add milk gradually. when at boiling point add other ingredients. place in baking dish and bake minutes. fish and vegetable chowder lbs. fish cups diced potatoes / cup chopped onion / cup chopped salt pork teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne cup peas cups cold water tablespoons fat tablespoons flour cup diced carrots pint scalded milk cut fish into small pieces. cover bones, fins and head with cold water. simmer minutes; strain. cook onion and salt pork until brown. in kettle place layers of fish and mixed vegetables. to water in which bones, etc., have been cooked, add the seasonings. mix all ingredients. cook forty minutes, slowly, covered. samp, finan haddie with horseradish and tomatoes smoked haddock cup samp, which has been soaked over night and cooked until tender quart water and teaspoon of salt teaspoons horseradish (grated) pint tomatoes teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne tablespoons cornstarch pour cup of boiling water and one-half cup of boiling milk over fish. let stand one-half hour, pour off liquid. place fish in baking dish. place samp on fish. mix other ingredients and pour on top. cover and bake three-quarters of an hour. casserole of spaghetti and carrots with peanuts, in brown sauce cup cooked spaghetti cups brown stock cups water, or bouillon cubes tablespoons flour teaspoons salt / cup chopped peanuts cup diced carrots tablespoons chopped olives blend flour with tablespoons cold water. dissolve bouillon cubes in the boiling water. mix all ingredients. place in casserole and bake minutes or until spaghetti is tender. lentil, peanut and cheese roast with white sauce and olives cup cooked lentils cup chopped peanuts cup grated cheese cup bread crumbs tablespoon fat tablespoons lemon juice / teaspoon salt / teaspoon cayenne teaspoon onion juice mix all. place in a greased dish. bake minutes. then pour over top a sauce made by melting tablespoons of fat, adding tablespoons flour, one-half teaspoon of salt and one-eighth teaspoon cayenne. then add cup of milk gradually. when at boiling point add tablespoons of chopped olives. pour this sauce over the roast and bake minutes. serve at once. casserole of codfish, pimento and cornmeal mush lb. codfish / cup pimento cup cornmeal cups tomatoes, juice and pulp teaspoons salt / teaspoon cayenne cups boiling water mix cornmeal with one-half cup of cold water. add to the boiling water. boil five minutes. in greased baking dish place fish which has been soaked over night. place pimento on fish. place cornmeal on pimento. to tomatoes add seasonings and pour over all. bake slowly minutes. curried vegetables one-half cup dried peas, beans or lentils, soaked over night and cooked until tender. / cup turnips / cup of carrots cup outer parts of celery / cup of peas / teaspoon celery salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoons drippings tablespoons whole wheat flour teaspoon curry powder teaspoon salt / cup meat stock or water cup tomato juice and pulp teaspoon onion juice melt the fat. add the seasoning; gradually the liquid. add the vegetables. cook minutes. serve very hot. this is an especially good way of adding the necessary flavor to lentils. wheatless day menus breakfast stewed prunes oatmeal corn muffins top milk coffee luncheon or supper cream of spinach soup all rye rolls scalloped potatoes marmalade dinner pot roast buttered beets fried egg plant southern spoon bread maple cornstarch pudding * * * * * breakfast dried apricots cornflakes rye and peanut muffins top milk coffee luncheon or supper nut and bean loaf with white sauce corn pone oatmeal cookies currant or plum jelly tea dinner beef casserole baked potatoes green beans barley biscuits cranberry tapioca pudding * * * * * breakfast baked apple stuffed with nuts fried cornmeal mush maple syrup coffee luncheon or supper split pea soup rye muffins corn oysters cranberry jelly dinner mutton pie glazed sweet potatoes pickled beets oatmeal bread scalloped tomatoes brown betty breakfast dried peaches with jelly garnish corn puffs and dates top of milk rye muffins coffee luncheon or supper macaroni and cheese corn and rice muffins canned fruit cocoa dinner cream of carrot soup swiss steak stewed tomatoes natural rice cole slaw oatmeal rolls brown betty breakfast baked apples with marmalade center cream of grits cereal top of milk rye finger rolls coffee luncheon or supper cream of lentil soup corn muffins prunes hot tea dinner casserole of beef and rice baked potatoes stewed corn cabbage salad chocolate cornstarch pudding meatless day menus breakfast baked pears with cloves and ginger cornmeal and farina cereal coffee toast luncheon or supper welsh rarebit hot tea fruit muffins lettuce salad dinner cream of corn soup baked fish macaroni with tomato sauce whole wheat bread lyonnaise potatoes orange sago custard breakfast dried peaches fried hominy marmalade coffee popovers luncheon or supper bean soup lettuce salad cheese straws olives dinner chicken fricassee dumplings baked squash peas cranberry jelly barley muffins mock mince pie breakfast oranges pearled barley top milk currant jelly rye bread toasted coffee luncheon or supper mixed vegetable salad boston brown bread hot tea dinner clam chowder spinach and cheese loaf carrots creamed cauliflower oatmeal nut bread spice pudding hard sauce meat substitute dinners consommé with spaghetti cornmeal muffins cabbage and cheese julienne potatoes carrots dressed lettuce jellied prunes with nuts thin bean soup rye rolls corn and oyster fritters baked potato scalloped tomato apple and celery salad graham pudding with hard sauce consommé with tapioca brown bread salmon loaf or escalloped salmon creamed potatoes peas lettuce salad gelatine dessert thin cream of celery soup rye bread nut loaf brown sauce scalloped potatoes spinach lettuce salad with tomato jelly sago pudding scalloped hominy and cheese swiss chard or spinach whole wheat bread stuffed baked potato baked pears molasses cookies escalloped codfish baked onions corn bread apple salad fig and date pudding with tart jelly cream of barley soup turkish pilaf war muffins apple and cabbage salad chocolate bread pudding cream of rice soup rye meal rolls kidney bean croquette greens dried apricot butter oranges, bananas and dates ginger cookies bean soup welsh rarebit or a cheese dish natural rice tomato sauce corn meal parker house rolls dried peach pudding vegetable dinners corn soup oatmeal bread nut loaf tomato sauce green beans potatoes au gratin jellied prunes boston roast tart jelly whole wheat bread creamed cauliflower squash cranberry slump kidney beans with rice fried apples with raisins celery in brown sauce cornmeal baking powder biscuits tapioca cream baked beans boston brown bread spinach apple and pimento salad gelatine dessert cream of vegetable soup lima bean croquets creamed potatoes carrots pickled beets cornmeal and rye muffins cottage pudding cream of celery soup rye bread spinach loaf cabbage and pepper relish brown rice marmalade pudding cream of tomato soup corn sticks baked macaroni and cheese baked sweet potatoes eggplant beet and cabbage relish whole wheat bread apricot shortcake hard sauce of our men we ask their lives; of ourselves, a little less food. save and serve to save bread. serve bread or rolls made from corn, rye or from coarse flours. use breakfast foods and hot cakes, composed of corn, oatmeal, buckwheat, rice or hominy. serve no toast as garniture or under meat. serve war breads. use every part of the bread, either fresh or stale, for puddings and toast; or dried and sifted for baked croquettes; or use to extend flour in the making of muffins and drop cakes. to save meat. use more chicken, hare, rabbits, duck, goose, lobster, oysters, clams and egg and cheese dishes of all kinds. use less beef, mutton, and pork and serve smaller portions at table of these meats. have fewer of these items on the menu. provide more entrees and made-over dishes in which a smaller quantity of meat is extended by the use of potatoes, rice, hominy, etc. use beans, as they contain nearly the same nutritive value as meat. serve bacon only as a dish and not as a garniture, and this way not more than once a week. use cheese, dried vegetables and nuts. use fish and meat chowders. use meat extension dishes. serve vegetable dinners. to save sugar. use less candy and sweet drinks. use honey, maple sugar, corn syrup, molasses and dark syrups with hot cakes and waffles and in all cooking, in order to save butter and sugar. use all classes of fruit preserves, jam, marmalades and jellies. do not frost or ice cakes. serve dried fruits with cereals, and no sugar is needed. to save fats. serve as few fried dishes as possible, so as to save both butter and lard, and in any event use vegetable oils for frying--that is, olive oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, vegetable oil compounds, etc. trim all coarse fats from meats before cooking and use the waste fats for shortening and for soap. we are short of soap fats as our supplies of tropical oils used for soap-making are reduced. do not waste soap. save fat from soup stock and from boiled meats. use butter substitutes where possible. to save milk. use it all. buy whole milk and let cream rise. use this cream, and you secure your milk without cost. economize on milk and cream except for children. serve buttermilk. serve cottage cheese regularly in varying forms. it is especially nutritious. use skimmed milk in cooking. a great quantity of it goes to waste in this country. use cheese generally. the children must have milk whole, therefore reduce the use of cream. use vegetables. use more vegetables and potatoes. make fruits and vegetables into salads and attractive dishes. feature vegetable dinners and salads of all kinds. encourage the use of cheese with salads. make all types of salads from vegetables. we have a great surplus of vegetables, and they can be used by substituting them for staples so that the staples most needed will be saved. make all kinds of vegetable soups, especially the cream soups, in which the waste from staple vegetables, such as outer leaves and wilted parts, can be utilized. these are wholesome and nutritious and save meat. salads, sandwiches and chafing-dish dainties [illustration: table laid for sunday-night tea. "sunday clears away the rust of the whole week."--addison.] salads, sandwiches and chafing-dish dainties _with fifty illustrations of original dishes_ by janet mckenzie hill editor of "the boston cooking-school magazine" author of "practical cooking and serving" new edition with additional recipes "_things which in hungry mortals' eyes find favor._" byron boston little, brown, and company _copyright, , _ by janet m. hill. printers s. j. parkhill & co., boston, u. s. a. to mrs. william b. sewall, president of the boston cooking-school corporation, in grateful recognition of the opportunity presented by her for congenial work in a chosen field of effort, this little book is affectionately dedicated by the author. preface to the second edition. * * * * * the favor with which the first edition of this little book has been received by those who were interested in the subjects of which it treats, is eminently gratifying to both author and publishers. it has occasioned the purpose to make a second edition of the book, even more complete and helpful than the first. in making the revision, wherever the text has suggested a new thought that thought has been inserted; under the various headings new recipes have been added, each in its proper place, and the number of illustrations has been increased from thirty-seven to fifty. a more complete table of contents has been presented, and also a list of the illustrations; the alphabetical index has been revised and made especially full and complete. janet m. hill. april , . preface to the first edition. * * * * * there is positive need of more widespread knowledge of the principles of cookery. few women know how to cook an egg or boil a potato properly, and the making of the perfect loaf of bread has long been assigned a place among the "lost arts." by many women cooking is considered, at best, a homely art,--a necessary kind of drudgery; and the composition, if not the consumption, of salads and chafing-dish productions has been restricted, hitherto, chiefly to that half of the race "who cook to please themselves." but, since women have become anxious to compete with men in any and every walk of life, they, too, are desirous of becoming adepts in tossing up an appetizing salad or in stirring a creamy rarebit. and yet neither a pleasing salad, especially if it is to be composed of cooked materials, nor a tempting rarebit can be evolved, save by happy accident, without an accurate knowledge of the fundamental principles that underlie all cookery. in a book of this nature and scope, the philosophy of heat at different temperatures, as it is applied in cooking, and the more scientific aspects of culinary processes, could not be dwelt upon; but, while we have not overlooked the abc of the art, our special aim has been to present our topics in such a simple and pleasing form that she who attempts the composition of the dishes described herein will not be satisfied until she has gained a deeper insight into the conditions necessary for success in the pursuit of these as well as other fascinating branches of the culinary art. care has been exercised to meet the actual needs of those who wish to cultivate a taste for light, wholesome dishes, or to cater to the vagaries of the most capricious appetites. there is nothing new under the sun, so no claim is made to absolute originality in contents. in this and all similar works, the matter of necessity must consist, in the main, of old material in a new dress. though the introduction to part iii. was originally written for this book, the substance of it was published in the december-january ( - ) issue of the _boston cooking-school magazine_. from time to time, also, a few of the recipes, with minor changes, have appeared in that journal. illustrations by means of half-tones produced from photographs of actual dishes were first brought out, we think, by the century company; in this line, however, both in the number and in the variety of the dishes prepared, the author may justly claim to have done more than any other has yet essayed. the illustrations on these pages were prepared expressly for this work, and the dishes and the photographs of the same were executed under our own hand and eye. that results pleasing to the eye and acceptable to the taste await those who try the confections described in this book is the sincere wish of the author. janet m. hill contents part i. salads page introduction the dressing use of dressings arrangement of salads composition of mayonnaise value of oil boiled and cream dressings important points in salad-making when to serve salads with french or mayonnaise dressing when to serve a fruit salad salads with cheese how to make aromatic vinegars, keep vegetables, and prepare garnishes how to boil eggs hard for garnishing to poach whites of eggs royal custard for moulds of aspic how to use garlic or onion in salads how to shell and blanch chestnuts and other nuts how to chop fresh herbs how to cut radishes for a garnish how to clean lettuce, endive, etc. how to clean cress, cabbage, etc. how to render uncooked vegetables crisp how to blanch and cook vegetables for salads how to cut gherkins for a garnish how to fringe celery how to shred romaine and straight lettuce how to keep celery, watercress, lettuce, etc. how to cook sweetbreads and brains how to pickle nasturtium seeds nasturtium and other vinegars to decorate salads with pastry bag and tubes recipes for french dressing recipes for mayonnaise dressing boiled, cream, and other dressings vegetable salads served with french dressing salads largely vegetable with mayonnaise, etc. introduction to fish salads recipes for fish salads recipes for various compound salads recipes for fruit and nut salads how to prepare and use aspic jelly consommÉ and stock for aspic cheese dishes served with salads part ii. sandwiches bread for sandwiches the filling recipes for savory sandwiches recipes for sweet sandwiches recipes for bread and chou paste how to boil meats for sandwiches recipes for beverages served with sandwiches part iii. chafing-dish dainties chafing-dishes past and present chafing-dish appointments are midnight suppers hygienic? how to make sauces measuring and flavoring recipes for oyster dishes recipes for lobster and other sea fish recipes for cheese confections recipes for eggs recipes for dishes largely vegetarian recipes for rÉchauffÉs and olla podrida illustrations table laid for sunday night tea _frontispiece_ the tender lettuce brings on softer sleep _facing page_ cucumber salad for fish course " " cooked vegetable salad " " potato balls, pecan meats, and cress salad " " potato-and-nasturtium salad " " endive, tomato, and green string bean salad " " stuffed beets " " cress, cucumber, and tomato salad " " tomato jelly with celery and nuts " " russian vegetable salad " " macedoine of vegetable salad " " miroton of fish and potato salad " " cowslip and cream cheese salad " " russian salad " " halibut salad " " shell of fish and mushrooms " " shrimp salad in cucumber boat " " shrimp salad, border of eggs in aspic " " lobster salad " " bluefish salad " " litchi nut and orange salad " " moulded salmon salad " " salad of shrimps and bamboo sprouts " " spinach and egg salad " " marguerite salad " " easter salad " " country salad " " fruit salad " " turquoise salad no. " " cheese ramequins " " individual soufflé of cheese " " pineapple-cheese and crackers " " salad of lettuce with cheese and macedoine " " chicken salad sandwiches " " halibut sandwiches with aspic " " wedding sandwich rolls " " club sandwich " " boston brown bread " " bread cut for sandwiches " " bowl of fruit-punch ready for serving " " copper chafing-dish with earthen casserole " " chafing-dish, filler, etc. " " course at formal dinner served in individual chafing-dishes " " butter balls with utensils for chafing-dish " " moulded halibut with creamed peas " " yorkshire rabbit " " curried eggs " " mushroom cromeskies, ready for cooking " " prune toast " " part i. salads. "_though my stomach was sharp, i could scarce help regretting to spoil such a delicate picture by eating._" introduction. at their savory dinner set herbs and other country messes, which the neat-handed phyllis dresses. --_milton._ our taste for salads--and in their simplest form who is not fond of salads?--is an inheritance from classic times and eastern lands. in the hot climates of the orient, cucumbers and melons were classed among earth's choicest productions; and a resort ever grateful in the heat of the day was "a lodge in a garden of cucumbers." at the passover the hebrews ate lettuce, camomile, dandelion and mint,--the "bitter herbs" of the paschal feast,--combined with oil and vinegar. of the greeks, the rich were fond of the lettuces of smyrna, which appeared on their tables at the close of the repast. in this respect the romans, at first, imitated the greeks, but later came to serve lettuce with eggs as a first course and to excite the appetite. the ancient physicians valued lettuce for its narcotic virtue, and, on account of this property, galen, the celebrated greek physician, called it "the philosopher's or wise man's herb." the older historians make frequent mention of salad plants and salads. in the biblical narrative moses wrote: "and the children of israel wept again and said, we remember the fish which we did eat in egypt freely; the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlick." in his second eclogue, virgil represents a rustic maid, thestylis, preparing for the reapers a salad called _moretum_. he wrote, also, a poem bearing this title, in which he describes the composition and preparation of the dish. a modern authority says, "salads refresh without exciting and make people younger." whether this be strictly true or not may be an open question, but certainly in the assertion a grain of truth is visible; for it is a well-known fact that "salad plants are better tonics and blood purifiers than druggists' compounds." there is, also, an old proverb: "eat onions in may, and all the year after physicians may play." what is health but youth? vegetables, fish and meats, "left over,"--all may be transformed, by artistic treatment, into salads delectable to the eye and taste. potatoes are subject to endless combinations. first of all in this connection, before dressing the potatoes allow them to stand in bouillon, meat broth, or even in the liquor in which corned beef has been cooked; then drain carefully before adding the oil and other seasonings. of uncooked vegetables, cabbage lettuce--called long ago by the greek physician, galen, the philosopher's or wise man's herb--stands at the head of salad plants. like all uncooked vegetables, lettuce must be served fresh and crisp, and the more quickly it is grown the more tender it will be. when dressed for the table, each leaf should glisten with oil, yet no perceptible quantity should fall to the salad-bowl. watercress, being rich in sulphuretted oil, is often served without oil. cheese or eggs combine well with cress; and such a salad, with a sandwich of coarse bread and butter, together with a cup of sparkling coffee, forms an ideal luncheon for a picnic or for the home piazza. indeed, all the compound salads,--that is, salads of many ingredients,--more particularly if they are served with a cooked or mayonnaise dressing, are substantial enough for the chief dish of a hearty meal. their digestibility depends, in large measure, on the tenderness of the different ingredients, as well as upon the freshness of the uncooked vegetables that enter into their composition. a salad has this superiority over every other production of the culinary art: a salad (but not every salad) is suitable to serve upon any occasion, or to any class or condition of men. among _bon vivants_, without a _new_ salad, no matter how _recherché_ the other courses may be, the luncheon, or dinner party, of to-day does not pass as an unqualified success. while salads may be compounded of all kinds of delicate meats, fish, shellfish, eggs, nuts, fruit, cheese and vegetables, cooked or uncooked, two things are indispensable to every kind and grade of salad, viz., the foundation of vegetables and the dressing. =the dressing.= salads are dressed with oil, acid and condiments; and, sometimes, a sweet, as honey or sugar, is used. a perfect salad is not necessarily acetic. the presence of vinegar in a dressing, like that of onions and its relatives, on most occasions should be suspected only. wyvern and other true epicures consider the advice of sydney smith, as expressed in the following couplet, "most pernicious":-- "four times the spoon with oil of lucca crown, and twice with vinegar procured from town." aromatic vinegars, a few drops of which, used occasionally, lend piquancy and variety to an every-day salad, can be purchased at high-class provision stores; but the true salad-maker is an artist, and prefers to compound her own colors (_i.e._, vinegars); therefore we have given several recipes for the same, which may be easily modified to suit individual tastes. indeed, the dressing of a salad, though in the early days of the century considered a special art,--an art that rendered it possible for at least one noted royalist refugee to amass a considerable fortune,--is entirely a matter of individual taste, or, more properly speaking, of cultivation. on this account, particularly for a french dressing, no set rules can be given. by experience and judgment one must decide upon the proportions of the different ingredients, or, more specifically, upon the proportions of the oil and acid to be used. often four spoonfuls of oil are used to one of vinegar. four spoonfuls of oil to two, three or four of vinegar may be the proportion preferred by others, and the quantity may vary for different salads. though in many of the recipes explicit quantities of oil, vinegar and condiments are given, it is with the understanding that these quantities are indicated simply as an approximate rule; sometimes less and sometimes more will be required, according to the tendency of the article dressed to absorb oil and acid, or the taste of the salad dresser. =use of dressings.= the dressings in most common use are the french and the mayonnaise. a french dressing is used for green vegetables, for fruit and nuts, and to marinate cooked vegetables, or the meat or fish for a meat or fish salad. mayonnaise dressing is used for meat, fish, some varieties of fruit, as banana, apple and pineapple, and for some vegetables, as cauliflower, asparagus and tomatoes. any article to be served with mayonnaise, after standing an hour or more in a marinade,--_i.e._, french dressing,--should be carefully drained, as, by the pickling process, liquid will drain out into the bottom of the vessel and, mixing with the mayonnaise, will liquefy the same. =arrangement of salads.= in the arrangement of salads there may be great display of taste and individuality. by a judicious selection from materials that may be kept constantly in store, and with one or two window boxes, in which herbs are growing, any one, with a modicum of inventive skill, can so change and modify the appearance and flavor of her salads that she may seem always to present a new one. =composition of mayonnaise.= mayonnaise dressing is composed largely of olive oil. a small amount of yolk of egg is used as a foundation. the oil, with the addition of condiments, is slightly acidulated with vinegar and lemon juice, one or both, and the whole is made very light and thick by beating. mayonnaise forms a very handsome dressing, and it is much enjoyed by those who are fond of oil. =value of oil.= pure olive oil is almost entirely without flavor, and a taste for it can be readily acquired; and, when we consider that it contains all the really desirable qualities of the once-famous cod-liver oil, except the phosphates, and that these may be supplied in the other materials of the salad, it would seem wise to cultivate a taste for so wholesome an article. by the addition of cream, in the proportion of a cup of whipped cream to a pint of dressing, those to whom oil has not become agreeable can so modify its "tone" that they too will enjoy the mayonnaise dressing. =boiled and cream dressings.= for the french and mayonnaise dressings--particularly for the latter--we sometimes substitute a _boiled_ and sometimes a _cream_ dressing. in the first, butter, or cream, is substituted for oil, and the materials are combined by cooking. in the latter, as the name implies, cream is the basis, and this may be either sweet or sour. =important points in salad-making.= ( ) the green vegetables should be served fresh and crisp. ( ) meat and fish should be well marinated and cold. ( ) the ingredients composing the salad should not be combined until the last moment before serving. =when to serve salads with french or mayonnaise dressing.= as a rule, subject, however, to exceptions, light vegetable salads, dressed with french dressing, are served at dinner; while heavy meat or fish salads are reserved for luncheon, or supper, and are served with mayonnaise or cream dressing. =when to serve a fruit salad.= a fruit salad, with sweet dressing, is served with cake at a luncheon, or supper, or in the evening; that is, it may take the place of fruit in the dessert course. a fruit salad, with french or mayonnaise dressing, may be served as a first course at luncheon, or with the game or roast, though in the latter case the french dressing is preferable. =salads with cheese.= the rightful place of salads is with the roast or game. here the crisp, green salad herbs, delicately acidulated, complement and correct the richness of these _plats_. occasionally when the game is omitted and an acid sauce accompanies the roast, a simple salad combined with cheese in some form, preferably cooked and hot, is selected to lengthen the menu. this same combination of hot cheese dish and salad should be a favorite one for home luncheons, when this meal is not made the children's dinner. the salad too in this combination, aided by the bread accompanying it, corrects by dilution the over concentration and richness of the cheese dish. in england neatly trimmed-and-cleansed celery stalks and cheese often precede the sweet course; but by virtue of its mission as a digester of everything but itself and of the common disinclination to have the taste of sweets linger upon the palate, the place of cheese as cheese is with the coffee. how to make aromatic vinegars, to keep vegetables and to prepare garnishes. =how to boil eggs hard for garnishing.= cover the eggs with boiling water. set them on the back of the range, where the water will keep hot without boiling, about forty minutes. cool in cold water, and with a thin, sharp knife cut as desired. =to poach whites of eggs.= turn the whites of the eggs into a well-buttered mould or cup, set upon a trivet in a dish of hot water, and cook until firm, either upon the back of the range or in the oven, and without letting the water boil. turn from the mould, cut into slices, and then into fanciful shapes; or chop fine. =royal custard for moulds of aspic.= beat together one whole egg and three yolks; add one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of mace, salt and paprica, and, when well mixed, add half a cup of cream. bake in a buttered mould, set in a pan of water, until firm. when cold cut in thin slices, then stamp out in fanciful shapes with french cutters. use in decorating a mould for aspic jelly. =how to use garlic or onion in salads.= the salad-bowl may be rubbed with the cut surface of a clove of garlic, or a _chapon_ may be used. a _chapon_, according to gastronomic usage, is a thin piece of bread rubbed on all sides with the cut surface of a clove of garlic and put into the salad-bowl before the seasonings. it is tossed with the salad and dressings, to which it imparts its flavor. it may be divided and served with the salad. oftentimes, instead of one piece, several small cubes of bread are thus used. after a slice of onion has been removed, the cut surface of the onion may be pressed with a rotary motion against a grater and the juice extracted; or a lemon-squeezer kept for this special purpose may be used. =how to shell and blanch chestnuts.= score the shell of each nut, and put into a frying-pan with a teaspoonful of butter for each pint of nuts. shake the pan over the fire until the butter is melted; then set in the oven five minutes. with a sharp knife remove the shells and skins together. =how to blanch walnuts and almonds.= put the nut meats over the fire in cold water, bring quickly to the boiling-point, drain, and rinse with cold water, then the skins may be easily rubbed from the almonds; a small pointed knife will be needed for the walnuts. =how to chop fresh herbs.= pluck the leaves close, discarding the stems; gather the leaves together closely with the fingers of the left hand, then with a sharp knife cut through close to the fingers; push the leaves out a little and cut again, and so continue until all are cut. now gather into a mound and chop to a very fine powder, holding the point of the knife close to the board. put the chopped herb into a cheese-cloth and hold under a stream of cold water, then wring dry. use this green powder for dusting over a salad when required. =how to cut radishes for a garnish.= cut a thin slice from the leaf end of each; cut off the root end so as to leave it the length of the pistil of a flower. with a small, sharp knife score the pink skin, at the root end, into five or six sections extending half-way down the radish; then loosen the skin above these sections. put the radishes in cold water for a little time, when they will become crisp, and the points will stand out like the petals of a flower. =how to clean lettuce, endive, etc.= a short time before serving cut off the roots and freshen the vegetable in cold water. then break the leaves from the stalk; dip repeatedly into cold water, examining carefully, until perfectly clean, taking care not to crush the leaves. put into a french wire basket made for the purpose, or into a piece of mosquito netting or cheese-cloth, and shake gently until the water is removed. then spread on a plate or in a colander and set in a cool place until the moment for serving. =how to clean cress.= pick over the stalks so as to remove grass, etc. wash and dry in the same manner as the lettuce, but without removing the leaves from the stems, except when the stems are very coarse and large. =how to clean cabbage and cauliflower.= let stand head downwards half an hour in cold salted water, using a tablespoonful of salt to a quart of water. =how to render uncooked vegetables crisp.= put into cold water with a bit of ice and a slice of lemon. when ready to use, dry between folds of cheese-cloth and let stand exposed to the air a few moments. =how to blanch and cook vegetables for salads.= cut the vegetables as desired, in cubes, lozenges, balls, _juliennes_, etc. put over the fire in boiling water, and, after cooking three or four minutes, drain, rinse in cold water, and put on to cook in boiling salted water to cover. drain as soon as tender. =how to cut gherkins for a garnish.= select small cucumber pickles of uniform size. with a sharp knife cut them, lengthwise, into slices thin as paper, without detaching the slices at one end; then spread out the slices as a fan is spread. =how to fringe celery.= cut the stalks into pieces about two inches in length. beginning on the round side at one end, with a thin, sharp knife, cut down half an inch as many times as possible; then turn the stalk half-way around and cut in the opposite direction, thus dividing the end into shreds, or a fringe. if desired, cut the opposite end in the same manner. set aside in a pan of ice water containing a slice of lemon. =how to shred romaine and straight lettuce.= wash the lettuce leaves carefully, without removing them from the stalk; shake in the open air, and they will dry very quickly; fold in the middle, crosswise, and cut through in the fold. hold the two pieces, one above the other, close to the meat-board with the left hand, and with a sharp knife cut in narrow ribbons not more than a quarter of an inch wide. =how to keep celery, watercress, lettuce, etc.= many green vegetables--celery in particular--discolor or rust, if allowed to stand longer than a few hours after being wet. when brought from the market they may be put aside, in a tightly closed pail, or in a paper bag, in a cool, dry place. by thus excluding the air they will keep fresh several days. a short time before serving put them into ice-cold water to which a slice or two of lemon has been added. =how to cook sweetbreads and brains.= remove the thin outer skin or membrane and soak in cold water, changing the water often, an hour or more. cover with salted boiling water, acidulated with lemon juice and flavored with vegetables, and cook, just below the boiling-point, twenty minutes. they are then ready for preparation in any of the ways mentioned. tie the brains in a cloth before cooking. =how to pickle nasturtium seeds.= as the seeds are gathered wash and dry them; then put them into vinegar to which salt (half a teaspoonful to a pint) has been added. when a sufficient quantity has been collected, scald fresh vinegar, add salt as before, and the seeds from which the first vinegar has been drained. pour scalding hot into bottles, having the seeds completely covered with vinegar. =nasturtium vinegar.= fill a quart jar loosely with nasturtium blossoms fully blown; add a shallot and one-third a clove of garlic, both finely chopped, half a red pepper, and cold cider vinegar to fill the jar; cover closely and set aside two months. dissolve a teaspoonful of salt in the vinegar, then strain and filter. =tarragon vinegar.= fill a fruit jar with fresh tarragon leaves or shoots, putting them in loosely; add the thin _yellow_ paring of half a lemon with two or three cloves, and fill the jar with white wine or cider vinegar. screw down the cover tightly, and allow the jar to stand in the sun two weeks; strain the vinegar through a cloth, pressing out the liquid from the leaves; then pass through filter paper, and bottle for future use. if a quantity be prepared, it were better to seal the bottles. =fines herbes vinegar.= ingredients. cups of tarragon vinegar. tablespoonfuls of garden cress, chopped fine. tablespoonfuls of sweet marjoram, chopped fine. cloves of garlic, chopped fine. small green capsicums, chopped fine. shallots, chopped fine. _method._--mix the ingredients in a pint fruit jar, cover closely, and set in the sun; after two weeks strain, pass through filter paper and store in tightly corked bottles. =fines herbes vinegar, no. .= ingredients. pint of tarragon vinegar. tablespoonfuls of seeds of garden cress, bruised or crushed. tablespoonfuls of celery seeds, crushed. tablespoonfuls of parsley seeds, crushed. capsicums, chopped fine. cloves of garlic, chopped fine. _method._--prepare as in preceding recipe. =to decorate salads with mayonnaise by use of pastry bag and tubes.= make the dressing very thick by the addition of oil, or use "jelly mayonnaise." put the dressing into a pastry bag with star tube attached; twist the large end of the bag with the left hand, pressing the mixture towards the tube, and with the right guide the tube as in writing, to produce the pattern desired. to form stars, hold the bag in an upright position, point downward, press out a little of the dressing, then push the tube down gently, and raise it quickly to break the flow. [illustration: "the tender lettuce brings on softer sleep."--w. king, _art of cookery_.] salad dressings. salad dressings. "just, as in nature, thy proportions be, as full of concord their variety." =french dressing.= ingredients. / a teaspoonful of salt. a few grains of cayenne or paprica. / a teaspoonful of pepper. to tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon juice. tablespoonfuls of oil. if desired,-- / a teaspoonful of prepared mustard. / a teaspoonful of onion juice, or rub the salad-bowl with slice of onion, or clove of garlic. _method._--mix the condiments, add the oil and mix again; then add the acid, a few drops at a time, and beat until an emulsion is formed; then pour over the vegetables, toss with the spoon and fork, and serve. in chicago a method has obtained that is well worth a trial: put a bit of ice into the bowl with the condiments, and, by means of a fork pressed against or into this, use in mixing. _second method._--pour the oil over the vegetables, toss, until the oil is evenly distributed, and dust with salt and pepper; then add the acid and toss again. when the salad is prepared at the table, the vegetables may be dressed in a bowl, then arranged on the serving-dish; or, if but one vegetable is used, it is preferable to serve from the dish in which it is dressed. =to mix a quantity of dressing.= put all the ingredients into a fruit jar, fit on one or more rubbers and the cover; then shake the jar vigorously, until a smooth dressing is formed. =claret dressing.= (_for lettuce or fruit salad._) mix half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, white or paprica, and four tablespoonfuls of oil; add gradually one tablespoonful of claret and one tablespoonful of lemon juice or vinegar. =mayonnaise dressing.= ingredients. the yolks of raw eggs. pint of olive oil. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. / a teaspoonful of salt. a few grains of cayenne or paprica. if desired,-- teaspoonful, each, of mustard and powdered sugar. _method._--an amateur will probably find it helpful to have all the utensils and ingredients thoroughly chilled, but the professional salad-maker thinks it expedient to have the ingredients and utensils of the same temperature as the room in which the dressing is to be served. beat the yolks with a small wooden spoon or silver fork, add the condiments and mix again; then add one teaspoonful of vinegar, and, when well mixed with the other ingredients, add the oil, at first drop by drop. when the mixture has become of good consistency the oil may be added faster. when it is too thick to beat well, add a little of the lemon juice, then more oil, and so on alternately, until the ingredients are used. if a very heavy dressing is desired, as when it is to be put on with forcing-bag and tubes for a garnish, an additional half a cup of oil may be added without increasing the quantity of acid. in preparing mayonnaise, there is absolutely no danger of curdling, if the eggs be fresh and the oil be added slowly, especially if the materials and utensils have been thoroughly chilled. if the yolks do not thicken when beaten with the condiments, but spread out over the bowl, you have sufficient indication that they will not thicken upon the addition of the oil, and it were better to select others and begin again. take care to add the teaspoonful of acid to the yolks and condiments before beginning to drop in the oil, as this lessens the liability of the mixture to curdle. =how to make mayonnaise in quantity.= if four quarts or more of dressing be required, make the full amount at one time; cut down the number of yolks to one for each pint of oil, but keep the usual proportions of the other ingredients. use a dover egg-beater from the start; after a little a teaspoonful of oil can be added instead of drops, and, very soon, a much larger quantity. =curdled mayonnaise.= occasionally a mayonnaise will assume a curdled appearance; under such circumstances, often the addition of a very little of white of egg or a few drops of lemon juice, with thorough beating, will cause the sauce to resume its former smoothness. in case it does not become smooth, put the yolk of an egg into a cold bowl, beat well, and add to it the curdled mixture, a little at a time. =red mayonnaise.= mix a level teaspoonful of italian tomato pulp with a teaspoonful of mayonnaise dressing, and when well blended beat very thoroughly into a cup or more of the dressing, or add dressing until the desired tint is attained. =red mayonnaise, no. .= (_for fish._) pound dried lobster coral in a mortar, sift, and add gradually to the dressing, to secure the shade desired. or, after the salad is arranged in the bowl, or in nests, mask the top with mayonnaise of the usual color, and sift the coral over the centre, leaving a ring of yellow around the edge. =sauce tartare.= make a mayonnaise dressing, using tarragon vinegar. to each cup of dressing add one shallot, chopped fine, two tablespoonfuls, each, of finely chopped capers, olives and cucumber pickles, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and one-fourth a teaspoonful of powdered tarragon. =sardine mayonnaise.= skin and bone three sardines and pound them to a pulp; sift the cooked yolks of three eggs and add to the pulp; work until smooth, then add to one cup of mayonnaise dressing. =jelly mayonnaise.= (_used for masking cold fish or salads, or as a garnish with forcing-bag and tube._) to a cup of mayonnaise dressing beat in gradually from two tablespoonfuls to one-third a cup of chilled but liquid aspic. more seasoning may be needed. apply to a cold surface, or chill before using with forcing-bag. =livournaise sauce.= to a cup of mayonnaise dressing add a grating of nutmeg, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley and the pulp of eight anchovies. to prepare the anchovies, wash, dry, remove skin and bones and pound to a pulp in a mortar. =boiled dressing for chicken salad.= ingredients. / a cup of chicken stock, well reduced. / a cup of vinegar. / a cup of mixed mustard. teaspoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of paprica. yolks of eggs. / a cup of oil. / a cup of thick, sweet cream. _method._--simmer the liquor in which a fowl has been cooked, until it is well reduced. put the stock, vinegar and mustard into a double boiler, and add the salt and pepper. beat the yolks of the eggs and add carefully to the hot mixture, cooking in the same manner as a boiled custard. when cold and ready to serve, beat in with a whisk the oil, and then fold in the cream, beaten stiff with a dover egg-beater. melted butter, added before the dressing is cold, may be substituted for the oil. =boiled salad dressing.= ingredients. teaspoonful of mustard. / a teaspoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of paprica. yolks of eggs. tablespoonfuls of melted butter. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. / a cup of thick cream. tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. _method._--mix together the mustard, salt and paprica, and add the yolks of eggs; stir well and add slowly the butter, vinegar and lemon juice, and cook in the double boiler until thick as soft custard. when cool and ready to serve, add the cream, beaten stiff with the dover egg-beater. =cream salad dressing.= ingredients. / a cup of thick cream. tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon juice. / a teaspoonful of salt. a dash of white pepper and paprica. _method._--add the seasonings to the cream and beat with a dover egg-beater until smooth and light. add a scant fourth a cup of grated horseradish, for a change. the radish should be freshly grated, and added to the cream after it is beaten. =dressing for cole-slaw.= beat the yolks of three eggs with half a teaspoonful of made mustard, a dash of pepper and one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt; add one-third a cup of vinegar and two tablespoonfuls of butter, and cook over hot water until slightly thickened. set aside to become cold before using. =bacon sauce.= heat five tablespoonfuls of bacon fat; cook in it two tablespoonfuls of flour and a dash of paprica; add five tablespoonfuls of vinegar and half a cup of water; stir until boiling; then beat in the beaten yolks of two eggs, and a little salt if necessary. do not allow the sauce to boil after the eggs are added. add to salad after it has become thoroughly cold. good with dandelion, endive, chicory, corn salad or lettuce. =hollandaise sauce.= beat half a cup of butter to a cream; add the yolks of four eggs, one at a time, beating in each thoroughly; add one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of paprica or cayenne, and half a cup of boiling water. cook over hot water until thick, adding gradually the juice of half a lemon. chill before using. this is good, especially for a fish salad, in the place of mayonnaise. =bernaise sauce.= use tarragon instead of plain vinegar, omit the water, with the exception of one tablespoonful, and the hollandaise becomes bernaise sauce. oil may be used in the place of butter. the sauce resembles a firm mayonnaise, and, as it keeps its shape well, is particularly adapted for garnishing with pastry bag and tube. [illustration: cucumber salad for fish course. (see page )] [illustration: cooked vegetable salad (see page )] vegetable salads served with french dressing. "bestrewed with lettuce and cool salad herbs." =lettuce salad.= wash and drain the lettuce leaves; toss lightly, so as to remove every drop of water. sprinkle them with oil, a few drops at a time, tossing the leaves about with spoon and fork after each addition. when each leaf glistens with oil (there should be no oil in the bottom of the bowl) shake over them a few drops of vinegar, then dust with salt and freshly ground pepper. the cutting of lettuce is considered a culinary sin; but, when the straight-leaved lettuce, or the romaine, is to be used, better effects, at least as far as appearance is concerned, will be produced, if the lettuce be cut into ribbons. to do this, wash the lettuce carefully, without removing the leaves from the stem; fold together across the centre, and with a sharp, thin knife cut into ribbons _less_ than half an inch in width. =endive salad.= prepare as lettuce salad, first rubbing over the bowl with a clove of garlic cut in halves. a few sprigs of chives, chopped fine, are exceedingly palatable, sprinkled over a lettuce, endive, string-bean, or other bean salad. =a few combinations.= dress each vegetable separately with the dressing; then arrange upon the serving-dish. or, have the salad arranged upon the serving-dish and pour the dressing over all; then toss together and serve. about three tablespoonfuls of oil, with other ingredients in accordance, will be needed for one pint of vegetable. . lettuce, tomatoes cut in halves, sprinkled with powdered tarragon, and parsley or chives. . lettuce, moulded spinach and fine-chopped beets. . lettuce, boston baked beans and chives. . lettuce and peppergrass. . lettuce, shredded sweet peppers or pimentos, and sliced pecan nuts or almonds. . lettuce, tomatoes stuffed with peas or string beans cut small, and chives chopped fine. . lettuce, asparagus tips and sliced radishes. arrange the lettuce at the edge of dish, inside a ring of radishes sliced thin, without removing the red skins; centre of asparagus tips, with radish cut to resemble a flower. . lettuce, shredded tomatoes and shredded green peppers. . shredded lettuce, english walnuts, and almonds or cooked chestnuts, sliced. . lettuce, neufchatel cheese in slices and shredded pimentos. . lettuce, cauliflower, string beans and shredded pimentos. . lettuce or cress, artichoke slices and powdered tarragon. . shredded cabbage and shredded green peppers. . cauliflower broken into flowerets, string beans cut into small pieces, and beets cut in fancy shapes or chopped. arrange each vegetable in a mass by itself; surround with lettuce. . cucumbers and new onions, sliced. . watercress, diced boiled beets, and olives in centre. . lettuce, brussels sprouts and chopped pepper. =lentil salad.= soak the lentils over night; wash and rinse thoroughly, then cook until tender, adding hot water as needed. drain, and when cold mix with each pint of lentils about five tablespoonfuls of oil, two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar and one teaspoonful, each, of capers, parsley, chives and cucumber pickles, all, save the capers, chopped fine. serve in a mound, on a bed of lettuce leaves. garnish with heart leaves of lettuce at the top and sections of tomato, or diamonds of tomato jelly, at the base. =white-bean salad.= toss one pint of white beans, cooked, with one tablespoonful of vinegar and three tablespoonfuls of oil, a little salt and a dash of cayenne or paprica. arrange in a mound on a bed of shredded lettuce, and sprinkle with chives, parsley and pimentos, all finely chopped. finish the top of the salad with a large pim-ola. =potato salad.= (miss cohen.) ingredients. cups of cold boiled potatoes, cut in cubes. cup of pecan nuts, broken in pieces. tablespoonfuls of oil. tablespoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of onion juice. a dash of cayenne. or tablespoonfuls of vinegar. watercress. _method._--mix the potatoes and nuts, add the oil and mix again; add the other seasonings, and, when well mixed, set aside in a cool place an hour or more. remove the coarse stalks from two bunches of watercress that have been well washed and dried. season with french dressing and arrange in a wreath about the edge of the salad. [illustration: potato balls, pecan meats, and cress salad.] [illustration: potato-and-nasturtium salad. (see page )] =potato salad.= (carrie m. dearborn.) ingredients. cold boiled potatoes. cooked eggs. small bermuda onions. chopped parsley. saltspoonful of white pepper. teaspoonfuls of salt. tablespoonfuls, each, of oil and vinegar. / a teaspoonful of powdered sugar. _method._--cut the potatoes into dice and chop the eggs fine. chop the onions, or slice them very thin. sprinkle the potatoes, eggs and onions with the salt and pepper, and mix thoroughly. pour the oil gradually over the mixture, stirring and tossing continually; lastly, mix with the other ingredients the vinegar, in which the sugar has been dissolved. sprinkle chopped parsley over the top. =potato salad.= ingredients. quart of cubes of cold boiled potatoes. - / teaspoonfuls of salt. / a teaspoonful of paprica. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. tablespoonfuls of oil. capers, beets, whites and yolks of eggs, and lettuce. _method._--to the potato cubes add the salt, pepper and oil, and mix thoroughly; add the vinegar and mix again. pile the cubes in a mound in the salad-bowl. mark out the surface of the mound into quarters with capers; fill in two opposite sections with chopped beet; use chopped whites of eggs in a third, and sifted yolks of eggs in the fourth section. finish with a border of parsley. =potato-and-nasturtium salad.= (e. j. mckenzie.) ingredients. quart of potatoes, cut in cubes. / a cup of chopped gherkins. cup of tender nasturtium shoots, cut in bits. tablespoonfuls of pickled nasturtium seeds. onion juice or garlic. tablespoonfuls of oil. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. salt and pepper. chopped parsley. _method._--mix the potatoes, gherkins, nasturtium shoots and seeds in a bowl rubbed over with garlic; add the oil, vinegar and seasonings, and mix again. pile in a mound on a serving-dish, dust with chopped parsley, and garnish with a wreath of nasturtium blossoms and leaves. =stuffed beets.= boil new beets, of even size, until tender. set aside for some hours, or over night, covered with vinegar. when ready to serve, rub off the skin, scoop out the centre of each to form a cup, and arrange the cups on lettuce leaves. for each five cups chop fine a cucumber. make a french dressing of two tablespoonfuls of oil, half a tablespoonful (scant) of vinegar, one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of paprica and salt. stir the dressing into the cucumber and fill the beets with the mixture. of the beet removed to form the cups, cut slices and stamp out from these stars or other fanciful shapes, and use to decorate the top of each cup. chopped radish, cress, olives or celery are all admissible for a filling. =salad of brussels sprouts and beets.= soak the sprouts in salted water; then drain and cook in salted boiling water about fifteen minutes, or until tender; drain and cool. dress with french dressing and pile in a mound. finish the top with a fanciful-shaped figure cut from a slice of pickled beet, and place a wreath of cooked beet, chopped and seasoned with french dressing, about the whole. =macedoine salad.= cut pieces of carrot and turnip one inch long and half an inch thick. put over the fire in boiling water and bring quickly to the boiling-point; drain, cover with fresh water, and cook until tender; score the top of each piece and insert an asparagus point. dip the pieces in a little melted gelatine and set alternately in a circle on the serving-dish. have carrots cut in small cubes or straws, turnips and beet root the same, green string beans cut in small pieces, asparagus and peas, all cooked separately until tender. mix with french dressing and dispose inside the circle. each vegetable may be massed by itself, or all may be mixed together. finish the top with half a dozen short stalks of asparagus. =tomato-and-onion salad.= peel and shred four tomatoes; slice thinly a very mild onion and separate into rings; dress freely with oil and tarragon vinegar, and season with salt and pepper. serve on lettuce leaves, sprinkling the whole with fine-chopped parsley and green peppers. =endive,-tomato-and-green-string-bean salad.= dress the well-blanched stalks of a head of endive, three tomatoes, peeled, cut in halves and chilled, and a cup of cold cooked string beans, separately, with french dressing, using in the dressing tarragon vinegar and a few drops of onion juice; then arrange on a serving-dish. [illustration: endive, tomato, and green string bean salad.] [illustration: stuffed beets. (see page )] =cucumber salad.= (_german style._) pare large cucumbers and cut them into thin slices; cut each slice round and round so as to form a long, narrow curling strip. let these strips stand two hours in salted ice water, drain, and dry in a soft cloth. serve with french dressing. toss first in the oil, then add the condiments, and lastly the vinegar. americans would prefer to omit the salt from the ice water, as it softens the cucumber. =cucumber salad for fish course.= with a handy slicer remove the outside rind from the cucumbers, cut in thin slices, and let stand in ice-water to chill. wipe dry, and arrange the slices in the salad bowl in the form of a greek cross. make a french dressing, in the proportion of three tablespoonfuls of cider vinegar to six tablespoonfuls of oil, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of paprica. rub the inside of the salad bowl with the cut side of an onion before the salad is disposed in it. =cooked vegetable salad.= dress cooked kidney beans, peas, and balls cut from potatoes, each separately with french dressing, to which a few drops of onion juice have been added. dispose upon a serving-dish and let stand in a cool place an hour or more. garnish at serving with heart leaves of lettuce. =potato salad.= (_german style._) ingredients. quart of potato slices or cubes. about / a cup of beef broth. teaspoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of paprica. tablespoonfuls of oil. tablespoonful of grated onion. hard boiled eggs. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. teaspoonful of mustard. teaspoonful of sugar. fine chopped parsley. ( cup of mushrooms.) _method._--boil the potatoes without paring. german potatoes, which are waxy rather than mealy, may be procured in large cities especially for salads. peel the potatoes and cut them while hot into slices or cubes; pour over them as much beef broth as they will readily absorb and sprinkle with the salt and pepper, the oil and onion; mix lightly and set aside for some hours. then add the whites of the eggs chopped fine, the yolks passed through a sieve, and mix with the rest of the oil, stirred with the vinegar into the mustard and sugar. after disposing in the dish, sprinkle with the parsley. if mushrooms be at hand, simmer ten or fifteen minutes in broth, break in pieces, and add to the salad with the egg. salads, largely vegetable, served with mayonnaise, cream or boiled dressing. =cauliflower salad.= soak the cauliflower in salted water an hour; cook in boiling salted water until tender; drain and chill, then sprinkle with french dressing and set aside for half an hour. sever the flowerets partly from the stalk, but so as not to change their relative positions, and place on a serving-dish; put heart leaves of lettuce between the flowerets and about the base of the vegetable; pour a cup of mayonnaise dressing over the whole, and sprinkle with pimentos or fine-chopped parsley. in serving, separate the flowerets with a sharp knife. =tomatoes stuffed with nuts and celery.= peel the tomatoes; cut out a circular piece at the stem end of each and scoop out the flesh so as to form cups. chill thoroughly, then fill with english walnut or pecan meats, broken into pieces, and celery, cut into small pieces and mixed with mayonnaise. serve on lettuce leaves. =stuffed-tomato salad.= ingredients. smooth, small-sized tomatoes. tablespoonfuls of chicken, veal or tongue, cut fine. tablespoonfuls of peas. olives, chopped fine. gherkins, chopped fine. tablespoonfuls of capers. salt and pepper. mayonnaise dressing. _method._--remove a round piece from the stem end of the tomatoes and scoop out the seeds and centre. chill thoroughly. when ready to serve, mix together the solid part removed from the tomatoes, cut fine, and the other ingredients; season to taste with salt and pepper, adding also mayonnaise to hold the mixture together. with this fill the tomatoes, put them in nests of lettuce or cress, and force a star of mayonnaise on the top of each tomato. =tomato salad, horseradish dressing.= plunge the tomatoes, placed in a wire basket, into a kettle of hot water; remove at once and rub off the skin; chill thoroughly and cut in halves. serve on lettuce leaves with a star of cream dressing, seasoned with grated horseradish, on the top of each slice. =tomato-and-sweetbread salad.= cook two sweetbreads as directed on another page, or braise with vegetables. cool between two plates bearing a weight. when cold cut into slices and stamp into rounds of suitable size to use with slices of tomato. cover the slices of sweetbread with chaud-froid sauce and decorate with fine-chopped parsley or sifted yolk of egg; pour over a little melted aspic. when the aspic is set, trim neatly, and arrange each round of sweetbread on a slice of chilled tomato. serve inside a border of lettuce around a salad made of the trimmings of the sweetbreads and a cucumber cut in cubes and dressed with mayonnaise. [illustration: cress, cucumber, and tomato salad. (see page )] [illustration: tomato jelly with celery and nuts. (see page )] =cress,-cucumber-and-tomato salad.= wash the cress and shake dry; arrange as a bed on a serving-dish, discarding the coarse stems; above this make a smaller bed of cucumbers, cut in slices or dice and dressed with french dressing, using three tablespoonfuls of oil and one of vinegar or lemon juice to a pint of cucumber. arrange peeled tomatoes, chilled and cut in pieces, upon the cucumbers. serve with french, cream or mayonnaise dressing. =tomatoes stuffed with cucumber.= peel five tomatoes, cut off the stem ends and scoop out the pulp, thus forming cups; set, turned upside down, in a cool place. chop fine the solid pulp from the tomatoes and one cucumber, chilled before chopping; stir into a cup of cream dressing and fill the tomatoes with the mixture. salt and pepper will be needed in addition to that in the dressing. if at hand, a pimento may be chopped with the other ingredients, or two tablespoonfuls of grated horseradish may be used. serve at once on lettuce leaves. =tomatoes stuffed with jelly.= chop one sweetbread and one cucumber fine. to each cup (solid and liquid) add one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of salt and paprica, a few drops of onion juice and a tablespoonful of capers; add also half a tablespoonful of granulated gelatine, soaked in two or three tablespoonfuls of cold water and melted over hot water. stir until the mixture begins to congeal, then fill into tomatoes prepared as above. set aside on the ice for half an hour, at least; then serve on lettuce leaves with either mayonnaise, boiled or cream dressing. calf's brains, chicken, veal, tongue or ham may be substituted for the sweetbread. =tomatoes farces à l'aspic.= ingredients. even-sized ripe tomatoes. pint of aspic jelly. / a cup of lobster meat, chopped fine. tablespoonful of capers. yolks of hard-boiled eggs. mayonnaise, parsley, lettuce. _method._--scoop out the centres of the tomatoes, after removing the skin, and chill thoroughly. pass the yolks through a sieve, add to the lobster, with the capers, half a cup of mayonnaise and half a cup of chicken aspic, thick and cold, but not set; stir these in a dish standing in ice water until nearly set; then fill the cavities in the tomatoes with the mixture. brush over the outside of the tomatoes with half-set aspic; when the aspic is set, repeat twice, then set aside on ice for some time before serving. serve on a bed of lettuce seasoned with french dressing. garnish each tomato with a sprig of parsley and the salad-dish with blocks of aspic. anchovies or any cooked fish may be substituted for the lobster. serve with mayonnaise. =tomato jelly.= soak three-fourths a box of gelatine in half a cup of cold water. cook a can of tomatoes, half an onion, a stalk of celery, a bay leaf, two cloves, a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of paprica ten minutes. add two tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar and the gelatine, stir till dissolved, strain, and mould in a ring mould. when cold turn from the mould and fill the centre with =celery-and-nut salad.= cut fine tender stalks of celery and english walnuts and mix with french dressing. garnish the centre of the salad and the border of the jelly with tender leaves of lettuce and bits of curled celery. =tomato-jelly salad, no. .= make the jelly and mould as before. fill in the centre of the ring with shredded cabbage, pimentos and pecan nuts, mixed with boiled dressing. =tomato jelly with string beans.= cook tiny string beans until tender in boiling salted water; season while hot with onion juice, salt, pepper and tarragon vinegar. when cold add oil and toss the beans about until each bean is coated with the oil. fill the centre of the jelly, fashioned in a ring mould, with the beans, and sprinkle over them a fine-chopped pimento. garnish with lettuce leaves. fine-chopped chives may be used in the place of the onion juice; they are particularly appropriate in any bean salad. if the beans are large, cut in halves lengthwise and the halves crosswise. tomato jelly may be served in a ring mould with turkey, oyster, plain chicken, french chicken, and other salads. the oysters should be scalded and drained, then marinated with french dressing. chicken and turkey should also be marinated before mixing with celery and the mayonnaise or boiled dressing. =tomato-and-artichoke salad.= (mrs. e. m. lucas, in boston cooking-school magazine.) choose medium-sized tomatoes, firm and smooth skinned. peel them, cut a slice from the stem end and remove the seeds with a small spoon. sprinkle the interior of these cups with salt and set on ice. when ready to serve, wipe them dry and fill with artichokes cut into dice and mixed with mayonnaise. serve on lettuce leaves. use tarragon vinegar in preparing the dressing. cook the artichoke hearts until just tender,--no longer,--in salted boiling water, then drain and cool. =artichoke salad.= (_for game._) (mrs. e. m. lucas, in boston cooking-school magazine.) peel three oranges, remove the pith and white skin and slice lengthwise; use an equal amount of tender blanched celery stalks cut into inch lengths. mix together lightly with two tablespoonfuls of olive oil, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, half a teaspoonful of salt and a quarter a teaspoonful of paprica. heap together lightly on a serving-dish and surround with cooked hearts of artichokes cut into quarters; wreathe with blanched celery leaves. =artichoke salad.= (_used as a border for shrimp, lobster, chicken and other salads._) (mrs. e. m. lucas, in boston cooking-school magazine.) cut boiled artichokes into quarter-inch slices and stamp out with a french vegetable cutter. to half a pint add one tablespoonful of olive oil, half a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar and one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt; toss lightly together and let stand one hour; drain, and arrange as a border with an outer layer of tiny blanched lettuce leaves. . scoop out the centres of the artichokes and fill with mayonnaise, or with ravigote, tartare or tyrolienne sauce. serve on lettuce leaves as a border to a meat or fish salad. . fill the centres with walnut meats, sliced, or tender celery stalks, cut fine and mixed with mayonnaise. =asparagus salad.= cut cold cooked asparagus into pieces an inch long, mix lightly with cream dressing and serve, in individual portions, on curly lettuce leaves. =asparagus-and-salmon salad.= mix cold cooked salmon with mayonnaise, form in a mound and encircle with a wreath of cold cooked asparagus tips dressed with french dressing. =asparagus-and-cauliflower salad.= break the cooked cauliflower into its flowerets, dispose in the centre of the serving-dish and surround with a wreath of cooked asparagus tips. pour over the whole a mayonnaise, a boiled or a cream dressing, and sprinkle with chopped capers or pimentos. =salad of turnips with asparagus tips.= cook the turnips in boiling salted water until tender; drain, and cut out the centres, forming cups. sprinkle the inside with oil and a few grains of salt, and, when the oil is absorbed, pour over the cups a little lemon juice or vinegar. set aside to become cool. when ready to serve, arrange the cups on shredded lettuce and fill with cooked asparagus tips, cold and mixed with mayonnaise or french dressing, as desired. peas, flageolets or wax beans, cut fine, may be used instead of the asparagus. garnish with radishes. =green-pea salad.= mix the peas with a cream dressing; serve in nests of lettuce; garnish the top of each nest with a little chopped beet, or a fanciful figure cut from a pickled beet or pimento. =green-pea-and-potato salad.= mix equal parts of cold cooked peas and potatoes cut in very small cubes; season with salt and pepper, and serve as green-pea salad. =asparagus salad.= scrape the scales from the stalks, and cook, standing upright in boiling salted water, until tender; drain and chill thoroughly. serve on lettuce leaves with french dressing. garnish the lettuce with hard-boiled eggs cut in quarters lengthwise. =macedoine of vegetable salad.= dress one cup, each, of cooked carrots and turnips, cut in dice, string beans, cut small, green peas, and half a cup of cooked beets, cut small, with french dressing; add two tablespoonfuls of chopped gherkins; drain, and mix with sufficient jelly mayonnaise to hold the vegetables together. arrange in dome shape and cover with more jelly mayonnaise. set a row of sliced gherkins near the top, and fill in the space to the top with string beans or asparagus tips. surround the base with alternate rounds of beet and potato overlapping one another. decorate the space above with slices of potato and beet cut in diamonds, and surround the base with light-green aspic cut in diamonds. one pint of aspic will be sufficient; use chicken stock, and tint with color paste. =russian vegetable salad.= select two moulds of suitable shape and size (tin basins or earthen bowls will do) and chill in ice water. have ready cooked balls, cut from carrots and turnips, and cooked string beans and cauliflower, all marinated with french dressing. drain the vegetables, dip them into half-set aspic, and arrange against the chilled sides of the moulds; then fill the moulds with aspic jelly. when set, with a hot spoon scoop out the aspic from the centre of each mould and fill in the space with a mixture of the vegetables and jelly mayonnaise, leaving an open space at the top to be filled with half-set aspic. when thoroughly chilled and set, turn from the moulds, the smaller mould above the other. garnish with flowerets of cauliflower, dipped in aspic and chilled, and lettuce. serve with mayonnaise. [illustration: russian vegetable salad.] [illustration: macedoine of vegetable salad. (see page )] =stuffed-cucumber salad.= pare a short cucumber and cut it lengthwise in two parts; remove the seeds and let chill in ice water for an hour. chop together the solid part of a peeled and seeded tomato, half a slice of new onion, a stalk of celery and a sprig of parsley; mix with mayonnaise or a boiled dressing and use as a filling for the well-dried halves of cucumber. serve on cress or lettuce. =cowslip-and-cream-cheese salad.= (see cut facing page .) cook the cowslip leaves until tender in boiling salted water, reserving a few choice leaves with blossoms for a garnish. chop fine, season to taste with salt and paprica, press into a mould, and set aside to become chilled. slice chilled cream cheese (neufchatel or cottage) in uniform slices, and arrange at the sides of the mound. serve with french or mayonnaise dressing. =cauliflower salad, egg garnish.= separate a cauliflower into flowerets and boil in salted water until tender, _not longer_. drain carefully. season with oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of chopped tarragon leaves (or use tarragon vinegar). arrange symmetrically in an earthen bowl, having the upper surface level. let stand to become thoroughly chilled, then turn on to a serving-dish; the shape of the mould will be retained. cover with mayonnaise dressing or sauce tartare, and surround with lengthwise quarters of hard-boiled eggs. =potato salad with mayonnaise.= boil the potatoes and let cool without paring. then remove the skins and cut into slices, balls, or cubes. squeeze over them a little onion juice, sprinkle with fine-chopped parsley, and let stand in a french dressing several hours. mix the dressing after the usual formula, and use enough to moisten well the potato. when ready to serve, make nests of heart leaves of lettuce, put a spoonful of the potato in each, with a teaspoonful of mayonnaise above, sprinkle the mayonnaise with capers, and press the quarter of a hard-boiled egg into the top of the mayonnaise. or add the chopped white of egg to the potato before marinating, and sift the yolk over the mayonnaise. fish salads. "_some choice sous'd fish brought couchant in a dish, among some fennel._" "_of what complexion? of the sea water green, sir._" fish salads. ever, and justly, fish have taken high rank in the list of salad ingredients. no wonder, when we consider that nothing excels in delicacy of flavor many a variety of fish; and, while fish are not necessarily expensive in any locality, in many sections of the country their cost is merely nominal. then, too, salad-making appeals largely to one's artistic nature, and the products of sea and fresh water are constantly furnishing opportunities for studies in many and varied shades of color. the lobster's vivid red, the brilliant tints of the salmon and red snapper, the delicate pink of shrimps, the dull white of scallops and halibut, and the bluish gray of mackerel and bluefish, each, in its season, may be made to contrast most effectively with fresh green herbs and yellow dressings. oysters, scallops and little-neck clams are frequently served in salads without cooking. these should be carefully washed, then drained and set aside in a marinade for an hour. when cooked, they should be heated to the boiling-point in their own liquor, then drained and cut in halves. the adductor muscle of the oyster--the white, button-shaped part that connects the animal with its shell--is often discarded. other fish than shellfish, when used in salads, are boiled, broiled or baked; they present the best appearance, however, when boiled. thudichum recommends sea water, whenever it is available, for boiling fish; lacking this, hot water, salted (an ounce of salt to a quart of water), and acidulated pleasantly with lemon juice or vinegar, is the proper medium of cooking. the addition of a slice or two of onion and carrot, a sprig of parsley, a stalk of celery, with aromatic herbs or spices, provided they be not used so freely as to overpower the delicate savor of the fish, is thought to improve the dish. the quantity of water should be adjusted to the size of the fish; in no case should it be larger than will suffice to produce the desired result. at the moment the fish is immersed in the water the temperature should be at the boiling-point, and thereafter the vessel should be permitted to simmer during the process of cooking. the fish may be cooked whole, or cut into small pieces, similar in shape and size. in the latter case a wire basket is of service, as, by this means, the fish may be easily removed from the water and drained. if the fish is to be served whole, remove the skin and fins, and, when thoroughly cold, mask with jelly mayonnaise or with a fancy butter. after chilling again, the mask may be decorated with capers, olives, eggs, etc. if the fish is to be used in flakes, the flakes will separate more easily while the fish is still hot. in marinating fish, let the proportions of oil and acid vary with the kind of fish; _i.e._, according to the oily nature of the flesh. recipes. =brook-trout salad.= dress the trout without removing the heads; boil as previously indicated. remove the backbone without destroying the shape of the fish. serve, thoroughly chilled, on crisp lettuce leaves dressed with claret or french dressing. prepare the latter with tarragon vinegar. =brook trout moulded in aspic.= pour a little chicken aspic into a pickle or other dish of suitable shape and size for a single fish; when nearly set, lay a trout, prepared as above, upon the aspic, add a few spoonfuls of aspic, let it harden so that the fish may become fixed in place, then add aspic to cover. slices of cucumber pickles, capers, or other ornaments, may be used. when the aspic is thoroughly set and chilled, remove from the mould and serve on two lettuce leaves, with any dressing desired. =halibut salad.= flake the fish and marinate with french dressing (three tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of lemon juice or vinegar, a dash of salt and pepper, for each pint of fish); drain, and add half as much boiled potato, cut in small cubes and dressed with french dressing. serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. garnish with sardine dressing. shredded lettuce or peas may be used in place of the potato. =halibut-and-cucumber salad.= ingredients. pound of cooked halibut. tablespoonfuls of oil. tablespoonful of lemon juice. a few drops of onion juice. salt and pepper. pimentos. lettuce. cucumbers. french dressing. _method._--flake one pound of cooked halibut while hot, and marinate with the oil, lemon juice, onion juice, salt and pepper. when cold drain and mix with the pimentos, shredded, after cutting from the same a few star-shaped or other fanciful figures. arrange heart leaves of lettuce in an upright position in the centre of a serving-dish, the fish and pimentos around the lettuce, and, around these, one large or two small cucumbers, cut in small cubes and mixed with french dressing. with salmon use capers instead of pimentos. use enough dressing to moisten the cucumbers thoroughly. =halibut salad.= steam a thick slice of chicken halibut, until the flesh separates easily from the bone. remove the skin and bones without disturbing the shape of the fish. marinate, while hot, with three tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of vinegar or lemon juice, and salt and pepper. when cold put the fish on a serving-dish, and, using endive or boston market lettuce, put the ends of the leaves beneath the fish, so that the tops of the leaves will fall over upon the fish. garnish the top with stars of mayonnaise. between the leaves dispose sliced pim-olas and fans cut from small gherkins. serve mayonnaise with the salad. =fillets of halibut in aspic, with cucumber-and-radish salad.= ingredients. slices of halibut, cut half an inch or less in thickness. lobster (a pound and a half). tablespoonfuls of butter. / a cup of flour. / a cup of cream. / a cup of stock. a dash of paprica. tablespoonful of lemon juice. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. / a tablespoonful of salt. quart of aspic. olives. a bunch of radishes. cucumbers. french dressing. _method._--remove the skin and bone from the halibut, thus securing eight fillets. season with salt, pepper, onion and lemon juice. chop the lobster meat fine; melt the butter, cook in it the flour and seasonings, add the cream and lobster stock, and, when cooked, stir in the chopped lobster. when cool spread upon one side of the fillets, roll up the fillets and fasten with wooden toothpicks that have been dipped in melted butter. bake on a fish-sheet about fifteen minutes, basting with butter melted in hot water. set a plain border-mould in ice water; decorate the bottom and sides with pim-olas or gherkins cut in slices and dipped in half-set aspic; cover the decoration on the bottom with aspic, and, when set and the decorations on the side are "fixed" in place, arrange on the aspic the cold fillets of fish and fill the mould with more aspic. when cold turn from the mould and fill the centre with diced cucumbers and sliced radishes dressed with french dressing. pass mayonnaise or french dressing in a separate dish. surround the aspic with shredded lettuce if desired. =fillets of halibut in aspic with cole-slaw.= use a generous half-pint of oysters in the place of the lobster, parboiling and draining before chopping, and fill in the centre of the aspic with coleslaw. [illustration: miroton of fish and potato salad.] [illustration: cowslip and cream cheese salad. (see page )] =miroton of fish and potato.= marinate one pint of cold cooked fish--salmon, cod, haddock, halibut, etc.--with three or four tablespoonfuls of oil, half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. marinate, separately, one pint of cold potatoes, cooked in their skins and cut in cubes, with the same quantity of dressing, adding also one teaspoonful of onion juice. let stand in a cool place one hour or more. have ready six hard-boiled eggs; cut a thin slice from the round end of each egg, that it may stand upright, then cut in quarters lengthwise. dip into a little aspic jelly or melted gelatine and arrange the quarters in the form of a circle, with the yolks outside. toss together the fish, potato and three tablespoonfuls of capers, and fill in the centre of the circle. dust with fine-chopped parsley or beets; add a tuft of lettuce at the top and a few heart leaves of lettuce above the crown of eggs. =fish salad moulded in aspic.= cover the bottom of a mould with aspic to the depth of one-fourth an inch. set the mould in ice water, and, when the aspic is set, arrange upon it a decoration of cooked vegetables cut in shapes with french cutter, or fashion a conventional design or some flower. dogwood blossoms provide a simple pattern, and one easily carried out. cut the four petals from a thin slice of cooked turnip and the centre of the blossom from carrot or lemon peel. fasten each piece in place with liquid jelly, and, when set, cover with more jelly. to decorate the sides of the mould, take the figures on the point of a skewer, dip in jelly, then set in position against the _chilled_ sides of the mould, and they will remain in place. after the jelly covering the figures on the bottom of the mould has "set," place a smaller mould in the centre of the aspic in the first, and fill this with ice and water. pour in aspic to fill the space about the smaller mould, and, when this aspic is firm, dip out the water and ice. fill with _warm_ water and quickly remove the mould. separate a pound of cooked fish into flakes, add half a cup of cold cooked peas, three or four gherkins, cut very fine, and three tablespoonfuls of capers. mix together and then mix with one cup of mayonnaise made with jelly; with this fill the vacant space in the mould. when ready to serve, dip the mould very quickly into warm water, letting the water rise to the top of the mould, and invert over a serving-dish; remove the mould, and garnish with lettuce, tiny gherkins cut to resemble fans, blocks of aspic, or aspic moulded in shells, and mayonnaise. =fish salad moulded in aspic, no. .= decorate the mould as before; then put in a layer of the fish and dressing; when set, add a layer of aspic; alternate the layers until the materials are used or the mould is filled. individual moulds may be prepared in the same way. =salad of mackerel or bluefish.= separate a cooked fish into flakes and mix with the chopped whites and sifted yolks of three hard-boiled eggs. season with french dressing, mix lightly and turn on to a bed of lettuce or cress, also seasoned with the dressing. garnish with fans cut from small gherkins, or with pickled beet cut in fanciful shape or chopped. =salad of salt mackerel.= freshen the fish carefully before cooking. use equal parts of fish, flaked, and cold boiled potatoes. if potatoes are specially prepared for the purpose, cut them in cubes or balls, blanch, and cook in well-seasoned beef stock; drain, and add, when cold, to the fish. season with french dressing. arrange on a bed of cress and sift the yolk of an egg over the whole. =salad of shad roe and cucumber.= cook two shad roes with an onion, sliced, and a bay leaf, in salted, acidulated water twenty minutes; drain, and marinate with about two tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of lemon juice and a dash of pepper and salt. when cold cut in small cubes. rub the salad-bowl with a clove of garlic cut in halves. cut a thoroughly chilled cucumber in dice; put the cucumber on a bed of lettuce leaves in the bottom of the bowl, and the roe, well drained, above; mask with mayonnaise,--nearly a cup will be required,--in the top insert a few heart leaves of lettuce, and place around the centre of the mound a circle of cucumber slices overlapping one another; or alternate these with lozenges cut from pickled beet. =boudins-de-saumon salad.= butter four small dariole moulds, or small cups; sprinkle the butter with chopped parsley. select four small pieces of cooked salmon, dry on a soft cloth so as to remove all oily liquor, and put a piece in each mould. beat two eggs (or, better, one egg and the yolks of two) slightly, season with one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of paprica and a few drops of anchovy essence or onion juice; add half a cup of milk, and, when well mixed, pour into the moulds around the fish. set the moulds in a pan of hot water and bake until the custard is set. do not let the water boil. chill thoroughly, then turn from the moulds on to lettuce leaves. serve with a star of mayonnaise dressing on the top of each _boudin_. =russian salad.= (boston cooking-school.) ingredients. cup of carrots. cup of potatoes. cup of peas. cup of beans (flageolets preferred). tablespoonfuls of oil. tablespoonfuls of vinegar. teaspoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of pepper. a head of lettuce. cup of mayonnaise. cup of shrimps. / a lb. of smoked salmon. hard-boiled egg. _method._--marinate the carrots and potatoes, cut in small pieces, also the peas and beans, with french dressing. arrange on a dish in four sections, having lettuce for the foundation of each. cover each vegetable with mayonnaise. strew the tops of two sections with small pieces of smoked salmon; on a third section strew the sifted yolk of the egg, and on the fourth, the white of the egg, cut rather coarsely. outline the inner side of each section with shrimps, by lightly pressing the ends of the shrimps into the mayonnaise. finish with a tuft of lettuce in the centre of the dish. =spanish salad.= in the centre of a flat serving-dish arrange a mound of endive. peel tomatoes, divide into sections or cut in slices, and arrange these around the endive. shell cold, hard-boiled eggs; cut in halves, crosswise, and in points; remove the yolks and pound to a paste with an equal amount of the flesh of lobster, shrimp, anchovies or salmon. with this paste, seasoned to taste with oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, fill the cups fashioned from the whites of the eggs, and arrange them around the tomatoes. strew chopped shallot and sweet pepper over the endive. mix equal portions of oil and vinegar, add salt and pepper to taste, and pour over the salad. serve at once. =salmon salad.= (_for evening company, or fish course at a dinner party._) ingredients. hard-boiled eggs. teaspoonful of gelatine, softened in one tablespoonful of cold water. pint of string beans or asparagus tips. pint of cooked peas. french dressing. slices of salmon, inches thick. jelly mayonnaise, or fancy butter. capers. _method._--cut the eggs into halves lengthwise; cut a thin slice from the round ends, that the pieces may be set upright; dip lightly in the gelatine dissolved over hot water, and arrange _miroton_ fashion around an oval serving-dish. set aside, that the eggs may become fixed in position. marinate the vegetables, separately, with french dressing; cook the salmon by the directions previously given; remove the skin and cover the sides with jelly mayonnaise or fancy butter. when cold decorate with whites of eggs and capers. use the trimmings from the eggs, and fix them in place by dipping in jelly mayonnaise. set aside for the decorations to become fixed. drain the vegetables and arrange inside the border, higher in the centre. lay the decorated slices of fish upon opposite sides of the mound, and serve either with or without mayonnaise. =halibut salad.= (_for evening company, or fish course at a dinner party._) ingredients. a slice of chicken halibut, inches thick. cups of cooked peas. french dressing. hard-boiled eggs. slices of pickled beet. teaspoonful of gelatine. jelly mayonnaise, or green butter. heart leaves of lettuce. olives. _method._--prepare the eggs and fasten to the plate as in salmon salad. dip diamond-shaped pieces of pickled beet in the dissolved gelatine and place upon the front and top of each half of egg. spread the edge of the fish, after removing the skin, with jelly mayonnaise, or green butter, and, when set, decorate with figures cut from the cooked white of an egg. with forcing-bag and tube shape a pattern around the upper edge of the fish. place the fish in the centre of the crown or _miroton_ of eggs, with the peas seasoned with french dressing around it; cover the place from which the bone was taken with the centre of a head of lettuce, cut in halves, and two fine olives. serve with a bowl of mayonnaise. [illustration: russian salad.] [illustration: halibut salad. (see page )] =shells of fish and mushrooms.= cut cold fish--salmon, halibut, lobster, etc.--into small cubes, mix with one-third in measure of cooked mushrooms, also cut small, and add for each cup of mushrooms and fish one tablespoonful of gherkins cut fine. season with french dressing and let stand one hour; then drain, and mix with jellied mayonnaise. fill chilled shells with this preparation, rounding it on the top. make smooth, and mask with jellied mayonnaise. decorate with gherkins and the white of a hard-boiled egg cut in fanciful shapes, and with stars of mayonnaise. =oysters in aspic jelly.= parboil, drain, cool, and wipe dry one quart of oysters. make a pint of mayonnaise sauce with aspic jelly and coat the well-dried oysters with the sauce. prepare a quart of chicken aspic. dip in half-set aspic the white of egg, poached and cut in fanciful shapes, and small gherkins cut in thin slices, and decorate the bottom and sides of a charlotte or cylindrical mould standing in ice water. pour in jelly to the depth of half an inch; when set, arrange the oysters on it in a circle, one overlapping another; pour in more jelly, and, when set, dispose upon it another circle of oysters. continue this order until the mould is filled. when removed from the mould, garnish with chopped aspic and fans cut from gherkins and lettuce. serve with the remainder of the pint of mayonnaise. =oyster-and-celery salad.= parboil the oysters (heating them to the boiling-point in their own liquor), drain, and, if large, halve each; marinate with a french dressing (_i.e._, toss the bits of oyster in oil enough to coat them nicely; then toss them in a little lemon juice, dust with salt and pepper, and set aside to become thoroughly chilled). when ready to serve, drain again and add about one-third as much in bulk of fine-chopped celery and one or two tablespoonfuls of pickled nasturtium seeds or capers; then mix with mayonnaise or a boiled dressing. serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. cabbage, sliced as for slaw, may be used in the place of celery. garnish with small pickles cut in thin slices and spread to resemble a fan. =oyster-and-sweetbread salad.= cut a pair of cold cooked sweetbreads into cubes. parboil one pint of oysters, drain, cool, and cut in halves; marinate the sweetbreads and oysters with french dressing, and allow them to stand at least half an hour; drain, mix with mayonnaise, and serve on a bed of lettuce or cress. or, surround with a circle of chopped cucumbers seasoned with french dressing. =shrimp salad in cucumber boats.= pare the cucumbers, which should be rather short, and cut them in halves lengthwise; remove the seeds and steam until tender; chill, and arrange on lettuce leaves, or on a bed of watercress. clean and marinate the shrimps. if large, divide into two or three pieces. mix with mayonnaise and place in the cucumbers. decorate with stars of mayonnaise and whole shrimps. =shrimp salad with aspic border.= set a border mould in ice water; dip hard-boiled eggs, cut in halves lengthwise and trimmed to fit the mould, in aspic jelly, and press against the sides of the mould alternately with small vegetable balls, or peas dipped in half-set aspic; fill gradually the empty space in the mould with partly cooled jelly, adding vegetables here and there if desired. dip in hot water and turn from the mould. fill in the centre with lettuce, torn in pieces, and one pint of shrimps, broken in pieces and dressed with french dressing. smooth the mound and mask with jelly mayonnaise. decorate with shrimps and small heart leaves of lettuce. =shrimp salad with aspic border, no. .= decorate the sides of a ring mould, chilled, with hard-boiled eggs cut in halves, alternated with hearts of lettuce cut in halves; dip the egg and lettuce in half-set aspic, and they will adhere to the sides of the mould. then proceed as above. =shrimp salad.= take the shrimps from the shells, reserve the most perfect for garnishing, and break the others into pieces; marinate with french dressing. when ready to serve, drain, and mix with shredded lettuce, or celery cut fine, and mayonnaise. shape in a mound on a bed of lettuce leaves and mask with mayonnaise. use capers or olives, chopped very fine, to mark out five or six designs on the mound; a scroll effect is always pretty. fill in the designs with shrimps and the rest of the mound with capers, sifted yolks or chopped whites of cooked eggs; or fill the designs with the capers or eggs and the rest of the mound with shrimps. finish with a tuft of lettuce at the top. =scallop salad.= soak the scallops in salted water (a tablespoonful of salt to a quart of water) one hour; rinse in cold water, cover with boiling water, and let simmer five or six minutes. rinse again in cold water, drain, and when cold cut into slices. cut white stalks of celery into small pieces. mix the celery and scallops--half as much celery as scallops--with mayonnaise or boiled dressing, and shape in a mound. mask the mound with a thin coating of mayonnaise. with large-sized capers outline a design on each of the four sides of the mound, fill these with whites of eggs, cooked and chopped fine. ornament with figures cut from slices of boiled beets. fill in the spaces around the designs with capers, and garnish with green celery leaves and white stalks of celery, fringed. [illustration: shell of fish and mushrooms. (see page )] [illustration: shrimp salad in cucumber boat. (see page )] =sardine salad.= lay the sardines upon soft paper, that they may be freed from oil. scrape off the skin and remove the bones; squeeze over them a little lemon juice. arrange upon a bed of crisp lettuce leaves, or upon shredded lettuce, and dress with either french or mayonnaise dressing. garnish with hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. =sardine salad, no. .= arrange a pint of cold cooked fish, flaked, on a bed of lettuce leaves and cover with sardine dressing. carefully split six selected sardines; remove the bones and arrange the halves on the top of the salad, with the heads at the centre. garnish with slices of lemon. =sardine-and-egg salad.= skin and bone a dozen sardines and put them in a mortar; remove the shells from an equal number of hard-boiled eggs and cut them into halves crosswise, so as to form cups with pointed edges; put the yolks into the mortar with the sardines, add a tablespoonful, or less, of chopped parsley, a dash of pepper and salt, and work to a smooth paste; moisten with salad dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. cut a thin slice from the ends of the egg cups, that they may be set upright on the serving-dish, and fill with the mixture, making it round on the top like a whole yolk. arrange these on a bed of watercress, or shredded lettuce, and sprinkle plentifully with french dressing. =lobster salad.= cut lobster meat in dice and marinate with french dressing. keep on ice until ready to serve, then drain carefully. make cups of the inside leaves of lettuce, put a spoonful of the lobster meat in the centre of each cup, and press mayonnaise dressing through a pastry bag with star tube attached on the top of the lobster in each nest. or, arrange the lobster in a mound on a bed of lettuce leaves, and mask the mound with mayonnaise. finish the centre with a little bouquet of the heart leaves of lettuce; sift dried coral in a circle about it, and below that arrange circles of sifted yolk or chopped white of egg alternately with the coral. garnish with the fans and feelers of the lobster. or, arrange as before, then finish the centre with a bouquet of heart leaves of lettuce and the head of the lobster. garnish with stars of mayonnaise and fans from the tail. [illustration: shrimp salad, border of eggs in aspic. (see page )] [illustration: lobster salad.] =lobster salad, no. .= remove the flesh carefully from the shell of a lobster, so as to keep the shell of body and tail intact; wash and dry the shell and arrange on a bed of lettuce leaves. marinate the flesh, cut into cubes, with french dressing. after an hour drain, mix with an equal quantity of shredded lettuce, and replace in the shell. garnish with mayonnaise and the lobster coral. dry the coral thoroughly, after which it may be passed readily through a sieve. =lobster salad, no. .= ingredients. good-sized lobsters. lettuce. mayonnaise, or sauce tartare. lobster cutlets. tablespoonfuls of butter. / a cup of flour. salt and paprica. cup of milk. lobster coral. tablespoonful of butter. yolk of egg. teaspoonful of lemon juice. cups of lobster meat. cups of aspic jelly. _method._--make a white sauce of the butter, flour, seasonings and milk; add the coral and butter, after pounding until smooth in a mortar, also the yolk of egg, beaten and diluted with the lemon juice, and the lobster meat chopped rather coarsely. when cold shape into cutlets, dust over with sifted coral, and insert a bit of feeler or claw into the small end of each. pour a little aspic into a dish, and, when it sets, arrange the cutlets upon it a little distance apart; pour over each a few spoonfuls of aspic, and when set cover with more aspic. when cold and very firm cut out the cutlets, giving a border of aspic to each. marinate the flesh of the other lobster, cut into cubes, with french dressing; pile in a mound on a bed of lettuce leaves. insert a tuft of leaves in the top, and arrange the cutlets against the mound. garnish with feelers and claws. serve mayonnaise or sauce tartare with the salad. =lobster salad in ring of aspic.= set a ring mould in ice water. in the bottom of the mould arrange pitted olives or pim-olas an inch apart. dip figures, cut from slices of royal custard, or from cooked carrot or turnip, into liquid aspic, and place them on the sides of the mould, to which they will adhere; dip large-sized capers (a larding-needle or skewer is of assistance in this work) in aspic and with them ornament the mould; then fill with aspic and set aside to become fixed. when ready to serve, dip the mould in hot water and invert on a serving-dish. cut the meat from two two-pound lobsters into small cubes. season with french dressing. fill the open space in the aspic with the salad; garnish the top with the feelers and delicate lettuce leaves, and arrange a wreath of lettuce leaves around the aspic. stamp out rounds of bread; stamp again with the same cutter to form crescents, spread delicately with butter, and then with caviare seasoned with a few drops of lemon juice, and dispose symmetrically on the lettuce. [illustration: bluefish salad. (see page )] [illustration: litchi nut and orange salad. (see page )] =mousseline of lobster as a salad.= chill timbale moulds in ice water; dip thin slices of gherkins into half-set aspic, and arrange them symmetrically against the sides of the moulds, and brush over the decoration with aspic. cut the claw meat of a two-pound lobster into small cubes; chop fine, and pound the remaining meat in a mortar; then add to it the liver and fat, and pass through a sieve. there should be about one cup. simmer the shell in water to cover half an hour. beat the yolks of three eggs, slightly, with one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of paprica; add one cup of the lobster liquor very gradually, and cook over hot water as a boiled custard. remove from the fire and add one-fourth a package of gelatine, softened in one-fourth a cup of cold lobster liquor, or chicken stock; strain over the sifted lobster meat and stir occasionally over ice water; when it begins to set, add the lobster dice, and fold in carefully one cup of whipped cream. turn the mixture into the decorated mould, and, when set, turn out on to lettuce leaves. decorate with the head, feelers and claws of the lobster. serve with french or mayonnaise dressing. french dressing is preferable with so rich a mixture. =anchovy salad.= ingredients. salted anchovies, or bottled anchovies. hard-boiled eggs. head of lettuce. juice of half a small lemon. french or mayonnaise dressing, or sauce tartare. _method._--if salt anchovies are to be used, soak them in cold water two hours, then drain, dry, and remove skin and bones; divide the flesh into small pieces and squeeze the lemon juice over them. when ready to serve, arrange the lettuce leaves upon a serving-dish, stalk ends at the centre, cut the eggs in slices, mix with the bits of anchovies, and arrange upon the lettuce. pour a french or mayonnaise dressing made with onion juice, or a sauce tartare, over the salad. =salad of lettuce, bamboo sprouts, and shrimps.= marinate a cup of shrimps, broken in small pieces, with three tablespoonfuls of oil, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, a dash of salt and pepper. select the tender bamboo sprouts in a can, and cut them into small pieces of the shape desired. when ready to serve, dress these with salt, pepper, oil, and lemon juice. use three measures of oil to one of acid. begin with the oil. continue mixing and adding oil, until each piece is glossy. then add the acid. mix the prepared sprouts and the drained shrimps, and turn them onto a bed of lettuce, cut in narrow shreds, and dressed with oil and acid. decorate the salad with heart leaves of lettuce, whole shrimps, and hollow sections of bamboo, cut in thin slices. [illustration: moulded salmon salad. (see page )] [illustration: salad of shrimps and bamboo sprouts.] =bluefish salad (excellent).= separate the remnants of a baked bluefish into flakes, discarding skin and bones. set aside, covered, until cold. about an hour before serving, sprinkle with salt and pepper and (for a generous pint of fish) the juice of a lemon. when ready to serve, dispose heart leaves of lettuce on the edge of a salad plate, and turn the fish into the centre, letting it come out over the stems of the lettuce leaves. pour a boiled dressing over the top, and spread evenly (with a silver knife) over the fish. put a tablespoonful of chopped pickled beet at the stems of each group of leaves, a ring of the beet near the top, and figures, cut from the beet, between. =moulded salmon salad.= use a pound of salmon, fresh-cooked or canned. remove skin and bone, and pick the flesh fine with a silver fork. mix half a teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of flour, half a teaspoonful of mustard, and a dash of paprica. over these pour very gradually three-fourths a cup of hot milk and stir and cook over hot water ten minutes, then add one-fourth a cup of hot vinegar and two tablespoonfuls of butter creamed and mixed with the beaten yolks of two eggs; stir until the egg is set, then add one level tablespoonful of granulated gelatine, softened in one-fourth a cup of cold water, and strain over the salmon; mix thoroughly, and turn into a mould. when chilled serve with cream salad dressing (page ), to which half a cucumber, chopped fine and drained, has been added. reserve a part of the dressing, omitting the cucumber, and use with slices of cucumber as a garnish. to prepare the cucumber, pare with a handy slicer and cut from it a section three-fourths an inch thick; pare this round and round very thin and roll loosely to form a cup. dispose this on the top of the fish and fill with dressing. (use a pastry bag and tube.) cut the rest of the cucumber in thin slices. various compound salads. give us the luxuries of life, and we will dispense with its necessaries.--_motley._ three several salads have i sacrificed, bedew'd with precious oil and vinegar.--_beaumont and fletcher._ =sweetbread-and-cucumber salad.= arrange the leaves of a head of cabbage lettuce loosely upon a serving-dish, without destroying its shape. have ready a pair of sweetbreads cooked in salted, acidulated water twenty minutes, and cooled and cut in small cubes and marinated; also the same quantity of cucumber cut in dice, chilled in ice water and dried upon a cloth. drain the french dressing from the sweetbread and scatter the bits of sweetbread and cucumber through the lettuce. press three-fourths a cup of firm jelly mayonnaise through a pastry bag with small tube, in little stars, here and there, throughout the lettuce, and serve at once. =sweetbread-and-cucumber salad, no. .= cook, marinate and drain the sweetbreads as before; mix with an equal quantity of cucumber cut in dice, and then with cream dressing. line the inner side of lettuce nests with slices of radish, one overlapping another (do not remove the pink skin from the radish). put in a spoonful of the salad and garnish each nest with a small radish cut to resemble a flower. =chicken salad.= use two parts of cold cooked chicken to one part of celery. marinate and drain the chicken, add the celery, and mix with mayonnaise or boiled dressing. arrange the salad in nests of lettuce leaves and put a pim-ola in the centre of each nest. =chicken salad, no. .= prepare the salad as before; dispose in a mound on a bed of lettuce leaves and mask with mayonnaise. by the use of stoned olives, cut in halves, divide the surface into quarters. fill two opposite sections with whites of eggs chopped fine, a third with capers or olives chopped fine, and the fourth with sifted yolks of eggs. garnish with lettuce and curled celery. =french chicken salad.= cook the meats of english walnuts in well-seasoned chicken stock until tender; remove the brown skin and break in pieces; when cold mix with chicken and celery, and proceed as in preceding recipes. the walnuts give the salad a flavor similar to that produced in france by the use of truffles. =chicken-and-fresh-mushroom salad.= peel mushroom caps, break in pieces, and sauté in melted butter five or six minutes with a slice of onion; add chicken liquor or hot water and let simmer until tender. remove from the liquor, cover, and set aside to cool. add the liquor and the peelings and stalks of the mushrooms to the liquid in which the chicken is to be cooked. use the chicken and mushrooms with celery or lettuce in any recipe for chicken salad. =chicken salad, no. .= arrange the salad upon the centre of the dish and mask with mayonnaise; then with pastry bag and tube pipe the dressing in some fanciful design. surround with a border of aspic jelly, tinted a delicate green. the jelly may be cut in blocks or triangles, or into small cubes, and then massed about the salad. cut the aspic in a cold room; first dip the knife in hot water and wipe dry. =chicken salad, no. .= cut one cucumber and one bunch of round radishes in thin slices, and add two-thirds a cup of shredded celery. season with four tablespoonfuls of oil, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon juice, half a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of paprica. put on a bed of shredded lettuce or on heart leaves of lettuce; cover with three cups of chicken cut in cubes and marinated an hour or more with four tablespoonfuls of oil, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice or vinegar, half a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of white pepper. mask with mayonnaise. arrange some bits of celery, an inch and a half in length and curled on one end, about the salad, with a bit of yolk of egg in the centre of each. or, instead of the celery and yolk of egg, use sliced radishes (do not remove the red skin), having the slices overlap one another. finish the top with tuft of lettuce or curled celery and yolk of egg. =mushroom salad with medallions of chicken.= bone a chicken, fill with forcemeat, and cook until tender in stock; then press between two dishes until cold. cut in slices and stamp in rounds. stamp out an equal number of rounds from cooked tongue. spread these with "green butter" (see green-butter sandwiches) and place the rounds of chicken evenly on the tops. coat these with white chaud-froid sauce and decorate in some design with truffles, ham or tongue. when the sauce has set, brush over the medallions with aspic jelly, cold but not set. when thoroughly cold stamp out with a round cutter. drain and dry a can of white button mushrooms; toss them about in cold aspic until they are well coated. when the jelly has become fixed about them, pile high in the centre of a serving-dish; arrange the medallions about them, resting on delicate leaves of lettuce. serve mayonnaise or tartare sauce with the salad. sweetbreads may be substituted for the chicken, and fresh mushrooms for the canned. =mousse-de-poulet salad.= scald one cup of milk, cream or _well-reduced_ chicken stock (the last is preferable); beat the yolks of three eggs slightly, add one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of common salt and celery salt, and a dash of paprica, and cook as a boiled custard. remove from the fire and add one-fourth a package of gelatine (one tablespoonful of granulated gelatine), softened in one-fourth a cup of chicken liquor or water. strain over half a cup of cooked chicken (white meat), chopped and pounded in a mortar and passed through a sieve. stir over ice water until the mixture is perfectly smooth and begins to set, then fold into it one cup of whipped cream. turn into a ring mould, and, when chilled and well set, turn on to a bed of lettuce and fill in the centre with equal parts of celery and english walnuts, blanched, sliced and mixed with a french dressing. the half-cup of chicken, well pressed down, should weigh four ounces. the chicken broth should be strong and well flavored. either one cup of whipped cream, or one cup of cream, whipped, may be used. the latter gives a firmer mousse, more pronounced in flavor; the former, a mousse of a lighter and more delicate consistency, and one more delicate in flavor. =mousse-de-poulet, no. .= mould the mousse in small cups; turn out on to a slice of chilled tomato resting upon a lettuce leaf; garnish with mayonnaise dressing, decorating both the tomato and the mousse. =mousse-de-poulet, no. .= mould the mousse in a ring mould and fill in the centre with equal parts of cucumber or asparagus tips and diced sweetbread; marinate the sweetbread with french dressing, and drain thoroughly before mixing with the cucumber or asparagus. garnish with mayonnaise dressing. =mousse-de-poulet, no. .= fill in the centre of the ring with diced cucumbers and sliced radishes, mixed with cream dressing. garnish with cream dressing, using pastry bag and tube, and radishes cut to resemble roses. =mousse-de-poulet, no. .= fill in the centre of the ring with mushrooms and sweetbread dressed with a french dressing. if the button mushrooms (canned) are used, cut in quarters; if fresh mushrooms are at hand, remove the stems and peel the caps; break into pieces and sauté in a little hot butter; then add hot water or stock and let simmer until tender (fifteen or twenty minutes). drain and chill before using. =turkey-and-chestnut salad.= prepare the chestnuts as previously directed, using twice as much turkey meat, light or dark, cut into small cubes. serve with lettuce and french, boiled or mayonnaise dressing, as desired. marinate and drain the meat before adding the nuts. =duck-and-olive salad.= cut the meat from a duck in small pieces, and slice pim-olas very thin; use two tablespoonfuls of pim-olas to a cup of meat. serve on a bed of cress with a french dressing. =duck-and-orange salad.= slice the oranges lengthwise; use twice as much flesh as fruit. dress with oil, salt and paprica, and serve on lettuce leaves. =ham salad.= soak half a tablespoonful of granulated gelatine in one tablespoonful and a half of cold water, and dissolve in three-fourths a cup of hot chicken liquor. strain over one cup of chopped ham and stir until the mixture begins to thicken, then fold in one cup of _thick_ cream beaten stiff; add, also, a few grains of paprica and salt, if needed. mould in a ring mould, and, when set and cold, turn from the mould; fill in the centre with lettuce arranged like a cup, and fill the cup with mayonnaise. or, serve with french dressing. =bacon salad.= cut six or eight slices of tender bacon into small squares and fry until they are delicately browned; then drain on soft paper. heat six tablespoonfuls of the fat and two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or lemon juice; beat together the yolks of three eggs and one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of paprica and mustard, and cook with the fat and vinegar over hot water until the mixture thickens slightly. when the dressing is cold cut a head of lettuce into narrow ribbons, toss the lettuce and bits of bacon together, and mix with the dressing. serve at once. =italian salad.= (miss cohen.) ingredients. herrings, soaked in milk over night. boiled potatoes, cut in very small dice. tablespoonfuls of cucumber pickles, chopped fine. tablespoonful of capers, chopped fine. small boiled beets, cut fine. / a pound ( cup) of cold roast chicken, cut fine. / a pound ( cup) of boiled tongue, cut fine. apples, pared and finely chopped. carrots, cooked and finely chopped. celery root, cooked and chopped. / a cup of pecan nuts, broken fine. a little onion juice. _method._--mix the ingredients together thoroughly; add mayonnaise to moisten well. serve on a flat dish. mask the top with mayonnaise, then divide into squares like a checker-board, using fine-shredded pimento or pickled beet to mark the divisions; fill in alternate squares with sifted yolk of hard-boiled egg and the remaining squares with chopped white of egg. garnish the edge with parsley, and set in the centre half a hard-boiled egg cut lengthwise in points and filled with capers. [illustration: spinach and egg salad. (see page )] [illustration: marguerite salad. (see page )] =pâté de foie gras, moulded in aspic.= cover the bottoms of small-sized timbale moulds with a little aspic jelly; decorate the jelly with bits of royal custard and capers; cover with more aspic; then add, alternately, layers of _pâté de foie gras_ and aspic, until the mould is filled. turn on to shredded lettuce and garnish with mayonnaise, using pastry bag and tube. arrange on individual dishes, so as not to disarrange the dressing in serving. or, garnish with a chopped cucumber dressed with french dressing. =spinach-and-tongue salad.= ingredients. / a peck of spinach. tablespoonful of lemon juice. / a teaspoonful of salt. a dash of paprica. tablespoonful of oil or butter. slices of cold tongue. sauce tartare. _method._--cook the spinach in salted boiling water until tender; drain, and chop very fine, and season with salt, pepper, oil and lemon juice. press into small, well-buttered moulds or cups. have ready thin, round slices of cold boiled or braised tongue, the slices a trifle larger than the cups of spinach. when the spinach is cold turn it from the moulds on to the rounds of tongue, and press a star of sauce tartare on the top of each mould. garnish with parsley and slices of lemon. =spinach-and-egg salad.= (see cut facing page .) prepare and mould the spinach as in the preceding recipe. have ready, also, some cold boiled eggs and mayonnaise. turn the spinach from the moulds on to nests of shredded lettuce. dispose, chain fashion, around the base of the spinach, the whites of the eggs cut in rings, and press a star of mayonnaise in the centre of each ring. pass the yolks through a sieve and sprinkle over the tops of the mounds, and place above this the round ends of the whites. =marguerite salad.= (see cut facing page .) arrange garden cress on a serving-dish; in the centre dispose whites of hard-boiled eggs cut in eighths lengthwise, to resemble the petals of a flower, and sift the yolks into the centre. when ready to serve, sprinkle with french dressing and toss together. =easter salad.= with the smooth sides of butter-hands roll neufchatel cheese into small egg shapes. cut long radishes into straws and season with french dressing. scatter the straws in lettuce nests, arrange the eggs in the nests, sprinkle with dressing, and fleck with chopped parsley or paprica. [illustration: easter salad.] [illustration: country salad. (see page )] =easter salad, no. .= arrange flat nests of shredded lettuce on individual plates. cut a five-cent neufchatel cheese in three pieces; roll each piece into a ball and flatten to resemble the white of a poached egg, having the cheese about one-fourth an inch in thickness. these may be shaped upon a plate and then removed carefully with a spatula to the nests of lettuce. with pastry bag and plain tube put a mound of mayonnaise on the centre of each cake of cheese, to represent the yolk of an egg. serve thoroughly chilled. a dash of pepper (paprica preferred) may decorate the top of the dressing. =country salad.= (see cut facing page .) cut cold boiled corned beef or tongue into thin strips and pile in the centre of a serving-dish. cook potato balls in meat broth until tender; blanch and cool, roll in mayonnaise or boiled dressing, and dispose about the meat. about these put a ring of celery cut fine, then cooked carrot and turnip cut in straws. garnish with parsley and cucumber pickles cut in fans. serve with additional dressing. =orange-and-litchi nut salad.= peel the oranges and cut them into lengthwise slices. crush the shells of the nuts, take out the meats, and remove the stones; cut the nut meats in halves. mix the nuts with oil, a tablespoonful to a cup, and sprinkle the orange slices with oil; add also a little lemon juice if the oranges are sweet. garnish with slices of orange from which the skin has not been taken, also, if desired, with lettuce dressed with french dressing. the oil and lettuce may be omitted, using sugar in place; little, however, will be needed, as the nuts are sweet, tasting much like raisins. =green-and-white salad.= cut cooked chicken or sweetbreads in half-inch cubes; remove the skin and seeds from white grapes, and cut each grape in halves; cut tender blanched celery stalks in small pieces. take equal portions of celery and meat and half as much of seeded grapes. mix with french dressing; the meat should stand in the dressing an hour or more, when ready to serve. serve in nests of lettuce. dispose a little white mayonnaise or cream dressing on each nest. garnish with halves of blanched pistachio nuts. =fruit and nut salads.= "fat olives and pistachio's fragrant nut, and the pine's tasteful apple." =fruit salad.= (_sweet, to serve with cake._) peel and slice four bananas, also four oranges, lengthwise, carefully removing pith and seeds. dissect half a ripe pineapple, taking the pulp from the core in small pieces with a silver fork. hull and wash a part of a basket of strawberries. arrange the fruit in the salad-bowl, making each layer smaller than the preceding. pour over the dressing given below, and serve thoroughly chilled. =dressing for fruit salad.= (_sweet._) boil one cup of sugar and half a cup of water five minutes, then pour on to the beaten yolks of three eggs; return to the fire and cook over hot water, stirring constantly until thickened slightly; cool, and add the juice of two lemons. half a cup of wine may be used in the place of the lemon juice, retaining one tablespoonful of the lemon juice. =fruit salad.= (_june._) pare lengthwise a _ripe_ pineapple and remove the eyes. with a fork dislodge from the hard centre the single fruits (the lines left by the bracts will indicate the places where the divisions should be made). slice _lengthwise_ three sweet oranges, after removing the peel and white skin. peel and slice two bananas, and cut in halves lengthwise one cup of strawberries. if the fruit be sweet, use the juice of half a lemon, otherwise omit it. beat to an emulsion one-fourth a cup of olive oil, one tablespoonful of honey, and, if needed, the lemon juice; toss the fruit, together or separately, in the dressing, and serve on delicate leaves of lettuce. the most striking effect is produced by dressing each kind of fruit separately, thus massing each color by itself. when new figs are seasonable, they may be used in fruit salads to take the place of the honey. if the pineapple be of large size, more dressing will be required. =fruit-and-nut salad.= peel neatly three oranges and slice them lengthwise; also cut three bananas in thin slices. skin and seed half a pound of white grapes, and blanch and slice the meats of one-fourth a pound of english walnuts. serve very cold on lettuce leaves, dressed with four tablespoonfuls of oil, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice--less, if the oranges are sour--and half a teaspoonful of salt. =fruit-and-nut salad, no. .= skin and seed half a pound of white grapes; blanch and slice half a pound of english walnuts or almonds. toss with four tablespoonfuls of oil, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. serve in nests of lettuce. garnish the nests with maraschino cherries. =cherry salad.= (mrs. peterson.) marinate as many hazelnuts as cherries with plenty of oil, half as much lemon juice as oil, and a little salt, one or two hours. put a nut in the place of the stone in the cherries. sprinkle with oil and a very little lemon juice, and serve in lettuce nests. =fruit salad.= (_winter._) peel two oranges; with a sharp knife cut between the pulp and the skin and remove the section entire. slice the meats of one-fourth a pound of english walnuts. of one-fourth a pound of figs select a few for a garnish and cut the rest in thin slices. slice three bananas. toss half the ingredients with two or three tablespoonfuls of oil, and, if the oranges are sweet, toss again with one tablespoonful of lemon juice. arrange in a mound on a salad-dish. put the rest of the fruit, each kind separately, on the mound in sections; garnish the edge and top with heart leaves of lettuce, and add stars of mayonnaise and candied cherries here and there. =orange-and-walnut salad.= this is a particularly good salad to serve with game. select fine oranges, remove the peel and every particle of white skin, and slice very thin lengthwise. slice english walnuts, blanched or plain. to each pint of orange slices add half a pint (scant) of the sliced nuts; dress with three tablespoonfuls of oil, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, and, if the oranges are particularly sweet, a tablespoonful of lemon juice. serve on a bed of watercress or lettuce. =celery-and-chestnut salad.= shell and blanch the chestnuts; then boil about fifteen minutes, or until tender; drain and cool. when cool cut into quarters, add an equal quantity of fine-sliced celery, dress with french dressing, and serve on lettuce leaves. sliced pimentos may be added. =apple,-celery-and-english-walnut salad.= peel and cut the apples in small cubes; blanch the nuts and break in pieces, and cut the celery in thin slices; marinate the apple and nuts with oil and lemon juice half an hour; drain, add the celery and mayonnaise dressing, and serve in cups made by removing the pulp from red apples. cut the edges of the apples in small vandykes; keep fresh in cold water until ready to serve. =orange-and-banana salad.= (_sweet._) stir the juice of two oranges, half a cup of sherry wine, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, half a cup of sugar and the unbeaten white of an egg, over the fire, until the boiling-point is reached; let simmer slowly ten minutes, strain through a cheese-cloth, and, when thoroughly chilled, pour over three bananas and three oranges, sliced and mixed together in a salad-bowl. sprinkle with half a cup of dessicated cocoanut. serve thoroughly chilled. =fig-and-nut salad.= slice pulled figs, cooked and cooled, and mix with them a few slices of walnuts or blanched almonds. serve with french dressing made of claret and lemon juice instead of vinegar, or with a cream dressing. in using the cream dressing, mix the ingredients with a little of the dressing and dispose additional dressing here and there, using the forcing-bag and tube. when available, fresh figs are preferable to those that have been cooked. =grapefruit salad.= cut the chilled fruit in halves, crosswise, and take out the pulp with a spoon; dress with french dressing. the juice of the grapefruit may be used in the place of other acid, and mayonnaise in the place of french dressing. serve on lettuce leaves, or return to the skin from which the pulp was removed. the edge of the grapefruit cup may be cut in vandykes, or otherwise ornamented. =turquoise salad.= mix together equal parts of celery and tart apple cut in match-like pieces, and one or two pimentos cut in similar pieces. dress with mayonnaise made light with whipped cream. serve in nests of lettuce. =turquoise salad, no. .= use pineapple in the place of the apple; serve in a mound on a bed of lettuce leaves. garnish with stars cut from the pimentos with french cutter, curled celery, and heart leaves of celery. =salad chiffonade.= seed two green peppers, boil two or three minutes, then cut in shreds. shred the light and dark leaves of a head of lettuce, or endive, separately. cut three tomatoes in shreds. remove the peel and skin from one large grapefruit. serve with french dressing, seasoning, and then arranging each article separately upon the serving-dish, having a circle of light and then dark green material about the edge. =peach-and-almond salad.= blanch the almonds and cut in thin slices. chill the peaches, peel, and cut in slices; use one-fifth as much in bulk of sliced nuts as sliced peaches. serve with french dressing, or with mayonnaise made white with whipped cream. garnish the edge with delicate lettuce leaves and serve at once. [illustration: fruit salad. (see page )] [illustration: turquoise salad, no. . (see page )] =peach salad.= (_english style._) cut ripe, fine-flavored peaches into quarters, after removing the skins. cover with champagne, thoroughly chilled, and sprinkle with tea-rose petals. serve at once. =peach,-strawberry-and-cherry salad.= (_london style._) let a large handful of fresh rose petals stand an hour or two in a cool place in a cup of hungarian wine. strain out the leaves and pour the wine over a quart of mixed fruit,--peaches pared and cut in quarters, strawberries hulled and cut in halves, and cherries stoned,--all thoroughly chilled. let a handful of rose petals stand an hour or two in a cup of thick cream; then strain the cream, sweeten slightly with powdered sugar, whip to a stiff froth, and use as a garnish for the fruit. =grapefruit, pineapple, and pimento salad.= cut a large grapefruit in halves and remove the pulp with a sharp knife to avoid crushing it; remove half the pulp of a large pineapple from the core with a fork, after carefully removing the unedible outside. dress with white mayonnaise and serve upon crisp lettuce hearts. garnish with tiny bits of pimento. d.--omit the pimento, lettuce and mayonnaise, and dress with sherry wine and sugar. for a christmas salad, use the first formula and canned pineapple if the fresh be not at hand. dispose the dressed pineapple and grapefruit upon shredded lettuce, having a circle of heart leaves around the edge. dot here and there with small stars cut from the red pimento with a french cutter. or chop the pimento fine and dispose in the shape of a large five-pointed star in the centre of the dish. how to prepare and use aspic jelly. to make aspic for moulding or decorating a fish salad, use stock prepared from chicken or veal, or from fish. for chicken, veal or sweetbread salad, use chicken or veal stock, or a light-colored consommé. in an emergency, aspic may be made from the prepared extracts of beef, or from bouillon capsules. aspic is often tinted delicately to harmonize with a particular color scheme. a light-green aspic has been found quite effective. =recipe.= to one quart of highly seasoned stock, freed from all fat, add the juice of a lemon, a bay leaf, half a cup of wine and one box of gelatine soaked in a cup of cold water. beat into the mixture the slightly beaten whites and crushed shells of two eggs. heat to the boiling-point, stirring constantly, and let boil five minutes. after standing ten minutes skim off the froth, etc., and strain through a cheese-cloth folded double and held in a colander. =aspic for garnishing.= pour the liquid jelly into a new tin to the depth of half an inch. wring a napkin out of cold water and spread it smoothly over the meat-board. dip the pan in warm water and turn the jelly onto the napkin; stamp in rounds, diamonds or other fanciful shapes. if blocks of greater thickness be required, fill the pan to the required depth with the liquid aspic. when turned from the mould, cut in squares or diamonds with a knife, wiped dry after having been dipped in hot water. =to chop jelly.= cut the jelly slowly, first in one direction, then in the opposite direction. each piece, whether large or small, should be clean-cut and distinct. aspic melts or softens in a warm place, and should not be taken from the mould until the time of serving, and then it must be handled with care. =consommé for aspic jelly.= cut two pounds of beef from the under part of the round and two pounds of shin of veal into small pieces; crack the bones in the shin. place over the fire with two and a half quarts of cold water; add one ounce of lean ham. heat slowly, and cook just below the boiling-point two or three hours; then add to the kettle a three-pound fowl, and allow it to remain till tender. put some marrow into the frying-pan, and when hot sauté in it a small onion cut fine, two tablespoonfuls, each, of chopped celery, carrot and turnip; add to the soup kettle, removing the fowl, together with a sprig, each, of parsley, thyme and summer savory, two bay leaves, a small blade of mace, four cloves, two peppercorns and one scant tablespoonful of salt. let simmer about an hour and a half; then strain and let cool. =chicken stock for aspic jelly.= put a four-pound fowl and a few bits of veal from the neck over the fire in three pints of cold water. heat slowly to the boiling-point, let boil five minutes, then skim and let simmer until the fowl is nearly tender. now add an onion and half a sliced carrot, a stalk of celery, a teaspoonful of sweet herbs tied in a bag with a sprig of parsley, two cloves, a blade of mace, eight peppercorns and a teaspoonful of salt. remove the fowl when tender, and let the stock simmer until reduced to about one quart; strain, and set aside to become cool. =second stock for use in sauces, etc.= break the bones from roasts; add the tough or browned bits of meat and fat; add also the flank ends from chops and steaks, cut small (there should always be a few bits of fresh meat), and cover with cold water. heat slowly and let simmer two or three hours, then add, for each two quarts of water used, one-fourth a cup, each, of chopped onion and carrot, two stalks of celery and a tomato cut small, two teaspoonfuls of sweet herbs, two sprigs of parsley browned in two tablespoonfuls of butter or drippings, and cook about an hour. strain and let cool. stock will keep a day or two in summer and nearly a week in winter, if the cake of fat that forms upon the top be left undisturbed. =fish stock.= (_for use in fish aspic, or any fish dish._) cover the bones and trimmings from the fish that is to be used for the salad with cold water; add, if convenient, the body bones of a lobster or two. add also one or two pounds of an inexpensive fish, and a pint of water for each pound of fish. all must be fresh. bring the water slowly to the boiling-point and let simmer an hour, then add, for each quart of water, one tablespoonful, each, of chopped onion and carrot, a sprig of parsley and one teaspoonful of sweet herbs, sautéd delicately in two tablespoonfuls of butter. season to taste with salt and cayenne. =aspic jelly from bouillon capsules, etc.= put over the fire one-fourth a cup, each, of onion and carrot, sautéd in two tablespoonfuls of butter, two stalks of celery, a bay leaf, half a dozen peppercorns and two or three cloves, with one quart of water; add three bouillon capsules, or three teaspoonfuls of beef extract (not home-made) dissolved in two cups of boiling water; let simmer about half an hour, then add one box of gelatine softened in one cup of cold water, any additional flavoring desired, and the slightly beaten white and crushed shell of one egg (more shells will be advantageous). bring slowly to the boiling-point, stirring constantly meanwhile, and let simmer five minutes; let stand in a hot place ten minutes, then skim and strain through a cheese-cloth folded double. =white chaud-froid sauce.= (_for coating joints of fowl or game, or medallions of fowl, tongue or sweetbreads._) to one pint of white sauce, made of white stock, add three-fourths a cup of aspic jelly and one tablespoonful of lemon juice; let simmer until reduced to the consistency of very thick cream; remove the butter from the top and let cool slightly before using. cheese dishes served with salads. _digestive cheese and fruit there sure will be._ --ben jonson. cheese dishes served with salads. =cheese custard.= (mrs. dimon.) butter a baking-dish, put in a layer of bread cut in pieces one inch square with crust removed, sprinkle thin-sliced cheese over the bread, dust with salt and paprica, or a few grains of cayenne. add other layers of bread and cheese, seasoning as before, using in all half a small loaf of bread, one cup of cheese and half a teaspoonful of salt. beat two eggs slightly, add one pint of milk, and pour the mixture over the bread and cheese. bake about half an hour in a moderate oven. =cheese soufflé.= cook together four tablespoonfuls of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour, into which have been sifted one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of soda and mustard and a few grains of cayenne. add gradually half a cup of milk. when the sauce boils, remove from the fire and stir into it one cup of grated cheese (half a pound) and the yolks of three eggs, beaten until light. when well mixed, fold in the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs. bake in a buttered pudding-dish, in a moderate oven, about twenty-five minutes, or in individual dishes, paper cases, or china shirring-cups, about twelve minutes. _serve at once_ from the dish or dishes. the soufflé will "stand up" a little better, if three-fourths a cup of milk be used in place of the half-cup as given, and half a cup of stale grated bread be added before the cheese; but it will not be quite so delicate. =cheese ramequins.= put four tablespoonfuls of butter and half a cup of water into a saucepan. when these boil, add half a cup of flour and a few grains, each, of salt and paprica; cook and stir until the mixture cleaves from the pan. turn into a mixing-bowl and beat in two ounces of grated parmesan cheese; then beat in, one at a time, two eggs. on a well-buttered baking-sheet shape the paste into flat circular pieces about an inch in diameter. brush over the tops with beaten egg, diluted with one or two tablespoonfuls of milk or water, and put three or four dice of cheese on each. bake about fifteen minutes. serve very hot. =cheese straws.= roll plain or puff paste into a rectangular sheet one-fourth an inch thick. sprinkle one-half with grated cheese (any kind of cheese will do, but parmesan is preferred); also add a few grains of cayenne and salt. fold the other half over this and press the edges together closely. fold again to make three layers, turn half-way round, pat and roll out to the thickness of one-fourth an inch. sprinkle one half with cheese and proceed as before. continue rolling and adding the cheese, until, to one cup and a half of flour, from half to a whole cup of cheese has been used. after the last rolling, cut into bands half an inch wide, or into rings and straws one-fourth an inch wide. the straws and bands should be four or five inches in length, and the rings large enough to hold three or four straws. serve the bands piled in log-cabin style on a doylie-covered plate. if the paste be made expressly for the straws, the cheese and cayenne may be mixed into the flour with the butter, thus diminishing time in making. bake in a moderate oven until delicately browned. [illustration: cheese ramequins.] [illustration: individual soufflé of cheese. (see page )] =gnochi à la romaine.= melt four tablespoonfuls of butter; cook in it four tablespoonfuls, each, of cornstarch and flour and half a teaspoonful of salt, then add gradually one pint of milk. when thick and smooth stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs, add four tablespoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese, and spread on a buttered pan to cool. just before serving, cut the paste in shapes, lay on a baking-sheet, and brown delicately in the oven. =cheese balls.= mix together thoroughly one cup and a half of grated cheese, one tablespoonful of flour, one-fourth, a teaspoonful of salt and a few grains of cayenne; then add the whites of three eggs, beaten stiff. shape in small balls and roll in cracker crumbs, sifted or crushed to a fine meal; fry in deep fat and drain on soft paper. =individual soufflés of cheese, iced.= (see cut facing page .) mix half a cup of grated parmesan and one-fourth a cup of grated gruyère cheese and one-fourth a teaspoonful of paprica with two-thirds a cup of chicken aspic, cold, but not set. stir over ice water until just beginning to form, then fold into it one cup of whipped cream. fasten strips of white paper around paper soufflé cases, letting the strips rise an inch and a half above the cases, fixing in place with sealing-wax, mucilage, or a stitch. fill the cases and the papers surrounding them with the cheese mixture, and set them in a pail or mould that is thoroughly chilled. press the cover down over a paper, and pack in equal parts of ice and salt. let stand an hour. before serving, remove the paper, sprinkle the tops with buttered crumbs, browned, and serve at once. =cheese croquettes.= (touraine.) ingredients. tablespoonfuls of butter. / a cup of flour. / a cup of milk. yolks of eggs. cup of mild cheese, cut in small cubes. / a cup of grated gruyère cheese. salt and cayenne to taste. _method._--make a sauce of the butter, flour and milk; add the yolks, slightly beaten, and beat thoroughly; add the grated cheese, and, when melted, remove from the fire; add the seasonings and cubes of cheese. spread in a shallow pan to cool. cut in any shape desired, dip in crumbs, then in egg, and again in crumbs; fry in deep fat and drain on brown paper. =cheese aigrettes.= ingredients. / a cup of water. / a cup of butter. / a cup of flour. eggs, with yolk of a third. a few grains of cayenne and salt. ounces ( / a cup) of grated parmesan cheese. hot fat. _method._--boil the water and butter, sift in the flour with the salt and cayenne; stir and cook until the mixture cleaves from the side of the pan. when the mixture has slightly cooled, add the eggs, one at a time, beating in each egg thoroughly before another is added. lastly, add the cheese. drop, by teaspoonfuls, into hot fat and fry a golden brown. drain on soft paper and serve piled on a folded napkin. =cheese d'artois.= ingredients. tablespoonfuls of butter. white of egg. yolks of eggs. salt and paprica. ounces of grated parmesan cheese. / a pound of plain or puff paste. _method._--cream the butter, beat in the eggs, and add the cheese with a few grains, each, of salt and paprica. roll the pastry very thin and cut it into two rectangular pieces; lay one of these on a baking-sheet and spread with the cheese mixture; cover this with the second piece of pastry. score with a knife in strips one inch wide and about three inches long, brush over with beaten egg, and bake about fifteen minutes. cut out the strips while hot. serve at once, or reheat before serving. =cheese fritters.= slice thin half a dozen large tart apples (select apples that cook quickly), and prepare half as many thin slices of cheese. beat up one or two eggs, and season with salt, mustard and pepper. soak the cheese in the egg mixture, then put each slice between two slices of apple, sandwich style; dip in the beaten egg, sauté in hot butter, and serve hot. =salad of lettuce with cheese and vegetable macedoine.= mix together a ten-cent cream cheese, a canned pimento (red) cut in tiny cubes, one-fourth a cup of small green string beans, cut in cubes, five olives, chopped fine, and enough cream to hold the mixture together. when thoroughly mixed, use a piece of paraffine or confectioner's paper to handle and give the mixture the original shape. let stand in a cold place, wrapped in the paper, until ready to serve, then dispose in the centre of a salad dish, lined with lettuce leaves, dressed with french dressing. slice the cheese with a silver knife before sending to table. at luncheon, mayonnaise may be served in a dish apart. [illustration: pineapple cheese and crackers.] [illustration: salad of lettuce with cheese and vegetable macedoine.] part ii. sandwiches. _socrates brought philosophy from the clouds, but the englishmen have dragged her into the kitchen._ --hegel. _homer never entertained either guests or hosts with long speeches till the mouth of hunger be stopped._ --sir philip sidney. sandwiches. a pale young man, with feeble whiskers and a stiff white neckcloth, came walking down the lane _en sandwich_--having a lady, that is, on each arm. --_thackeray_ ("_vanity fair_"). the term "sandwich," now applied to many a fanciful shaped and encased dainty, was formerly used in speaking of "two slices of bread with meat between." in this sense, the word had its origin, about the end of the eighteenth century, from the fact that the fourth earl of sandwich was so infatuated with the pleasures and excitement of the gaming-table that he often could not leave it long enough to take his meals with his family; and, on such occasions, a butler was despatched to him bearing "slices of bread with meat between." the fillings of savory sandwiches may be placed between pieces of bread, crackers, pastry, _chou_ paste or aspic jelly. when preparing sweet sandwiches, these same materials may be used, as also lady-fingers (white or yellow), macaroons or sweet wafers. =bread for sandwiches.= as a rule, bread for sandwiches should be twenty-four hours old; but fresh bread, which is more pliable than stale, is better adapted to this use, when the sandwiches are to take the form of rolls or folds. when stale bread is used for rolls or folds, they must be ribbon-tied; or tiny japanese toothpicks may be made to keep them in shape. the bread may be yeast or peptic bread. it may be white or brown. it is not even essential that the two bits of bread be of the same kind; quaker, rice, whole-wheat, rye or graham bread is interchangeable with white or brown bread. after selecting your loaf or loaves, slice in even, quarter-inch slices; then cut in squares, triangles or fingers, or stamp with a round or fanciful-shaped cutter. cutters can be obtained in heart, club, diamond and spade shape, also in racquet shape. do not spread butter or filling upon the bread before it is cut from the loaf and into shape. when so treated, the butter or filling on the extreme edge of the bread is liable to soil the fingers or gloves that come in contact with it. cream the butter, using a small wooden spoon for the purpose, and then it can be spread upon the most delicate bread without crumbling. =the filling.= anything appropriately eaten with the _covering_ may be used for the _filling_ of a sandwich. in meats, salted meat takes the lead in popular favor; when sliced the meat should be cut across the grain and as thin as possible, and several bits should be used in each sandwich, unless a very small, æsthetic sandwich be in order. tongue and corned beef, whether they be used in slices or finely chopped, should be cooked until they are very tender. when corned beef or ham is chopped for a filling, the sandwich is much improved by a dash of mustard; worcestershire or horseradish sauce improves a filling of roast beef or boiled tongue; while chopped capers, tomato sauce, catsup or a cold mint sauce is appropriate in sandwiches made of lamb; celery salt, when the filling is of chicken or veal, and lemon juice, when the principal ingredient is fish, are _en rapport_. the flavor of a few drops of onion juice is relished by many in any kind of fish or meat sandwich, while others would prefer a few grains of fine-chopped parsley. when salad sandwiches are to be prepared, chop the meat or fish very fine and mix it with the salad dressing. celery, cabbage, cress, cucumbers, tomatoes or olives may be chopped and added to the meat with the dressing. when lettuce is used, the leaf is served whole, the edges just appearing outside the bread. any one of these vegetables, combined with a salad dressing, makes a delicious sandwich without meat or fish. when desired, other well-prepared sauces may be used in the place of salad dressings. fillings of uncooked fruit may be used; but, in the case of dried fruits, it is preferable to stew until tender, after the fruit has been finely chopped. pineapple, lemon or orange juice may be added at pleasure. sandwiches prepared from entire-wheat bread, with fig or date fillings, are particularly wholesome for the children's luncheon basket. when a particularly æsthetic sandwich is desired, wrap the butter that is to be used in spreading the bread in a napkin, and put it over night in a jar, on a bed of violets or rose petals; strew more flowers over the top and cover the jar tightly. if meat or fish is to be used as the basis of the sandwich, substitute nasturtium leaves and blossoms, or sprigs of mignonette, for the former flowers. fancy butter makes an attractive filling for a sandwich; it has also the merit of being less often in evidence than many another filling. sandwiches, except when vegetables and dressings are used, may be prepared early in the day, placed in a stone jar, covered with a slightly dampened cloth, and set away in a cool place until such time as they are wanted. or, they may be wrapped in paraffine paper. still, when convenient, it is preferable to have everything in readiness, and put the sandwiches together just before serving. garnish the serving-dish with parsley, cress, celery plumes, slices of lemon, barberries and leaves, or fresh nasturtium leaves and blossoms. =beverages served with sandwiches.= coffee heads the list of beverages most acceptably served with sandwiches. tea comes next. cocoa and chocolate are admissible only with the dainty, æsthetic varieties, in which fruit or some kind of sweetmeat is used. savory sandwiches. "hail, wedded nourishment!" =ham-and-tongue sandwiches.= chop two parts of cold tongue and one part of cold ham (one-fourth as much fat ham as lean) very fine; pound in a mortar, and season with paprica and a little mixed mustard. spread butter on one piece of bread, the meat mixture on the other, and press the two pieces together. =ham-and-egg sandwiches.= chop the ham and pound smooth in a mortar; pass the yolks of hard-boiled eggs through a sieve; mix the yolks with an equal amount of mayonnaise dressing. butter one piece of bread lightly and spread with the ham, spread the other piece with the egg and dressing, and press the two together. =corned-beef sandwiches.= chop the cold meat very fine, using one-fourth of fat meat. work into the meat french mustard, or any "made" mustard, to taste, and prepare the sandwiches in the usual way. boston brownbread combines well with this preparation. =tongue-and-veal (or chicken) sandwiches.= use a little less of the chopped tongue than of the other kind of meat, and one-half as much chopped celery as meat. mix with salad dressing. spread one piece of bread with butter, the other with the mixture, and press together. =celery sandwiches.= chop crisp celery very fine and mix with salad dressing. spread one piece of bread with butter, the other with a thin layer of the mixture. with a sharp knife split open the round stems of celery tips and put them between the bread, so that the tips will just show on the edges. tie with narrow ribbon, light-green in color. =sardine sandwiches.= use, in bulk, equal parts of yolks of well-cooked eggs, rubbed to a smooth paste, and the flesh of sardines, freed from skin and bones and pounded in a mortar; season to taste with a few drops of tobasco sauce and lemon juice, and spread as usual. crackers may be used in the place of bread, if the sandwiches be prepared just before using, otherwise the crackers lose their crispness. garnish with slices of lemon and parsley. =caviare sandwich rolls.= to each two tablespoonfuls of caviare add ten drops of onion juice and a few drops of lemon juice, and mix together thoroughly. remove the crust from a fresh, moist loaf of bread, cut in thin slices, spread each slice very delicately with butter and the caviare mixture, roll up in a roll and tie with ribbon one-fourth an inch wide, or pin with chinese toothpicks. the bread should not be more than twelve hours old. if fear be lest the bread will not be sufficiently moist to roll, wrap the loaf, when taken from the oven, in a damp cloth and then in a dry one; keep in this fashion until ready for use. =russian sandwiches.= slightly butter thin slices of bread; moisten fine-chopped olives with mayonnaise dressing and spread upon the buttered slices; spread other slices with neufchatel, or any cream cheese, and press together in pairs. =mushroom-and-lobster sandwiches.= sauté the caps of half a pound of mushrooms in a little butter about five minutes, adding half a sliced onion if desired. cover with highly seasoned stock and let simmer until very tender; chop and press through a sieve, and, if very moist, reduce to the consistency of a thick purée. add an equal quantity of lobster meat pounded smooth in a mortar. season to taste with salt, pepper, lemon juice and, if desired, tomato catsup. when cool use as any filling. =cheese-and-english-walnut sandwiches.= ingredients. / a pound of grated cheese. / a pound of butter. / a pound of english walnut meats, sliced. salt and paprica to taste. _method._--work the butter to a cream, add the seasonings and the grated cheese gradually; then mix in the nuts, which should be _sliced_ very thin. spread the mixture upon bits of bread and press together in pairs. particularly good made of brownbread and served with a simple vegetable salad! =egg-and-spinach sandwiches.= use cold boiled spinach, which when hot was chopped very fine or pressed through a colander, and sifted yolks of well-cooked eggs. mix the spinach with sauce tartare and spread on one bit of bread, spread the other with butter and sifted yolk of egg; press together. garnish the serving-dish with parsley and cooked eggs cut in quarters lengthwise. =cress-and-egg sandwiches.= pick the leaves from fresh cress, chop or break apart, season with french dressing, and proceed as above. =imitation pâté-de-foie-gras sandwiches.= chop half an onion and sauté in a little butter; when delicately browned, add five or six chicken livers and sauté them on both sides. cover with well-seasoned chicken stock and let simmer until tender. mash the livers fine with a wooden spoon and press them through a sieve; season with salt, paprica, mustard, or a dash of curry powder. press into a cup, pour melted butter over the top, and set away in a cool place. when ready to serve, remove the butter and prepare the sandwiches after the usual manner. =chicken rolls.= ingredients. ounces from the breast of chicken ( / a cup). ounces of braised tongue. / a teaspoonful of celery salt. a few grains of cayenne. teaspoonful of anchovy paste. tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise or boiled dressing. _method._--chop the meat and pound to a paste in a mortar; add the seasonings and mix well. remove the crust from a loaf of moist bread; cut in very thin slices, trim each slice into a rectangular shape, spread lightly with soft butter and then with the mixture. roll the slices and tie them with ribbon. omit the anchovy paste, if desired. =epicurean sandwiches.= cream four tablespoonfuls of butter and one teaspoonful of mustard. press the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs through a sieve and add them to the butter and mustard. then add four boned anchovies, four small pickles, a teaspoonful of chives and a sprig of tarragon, chopped together until fine. cut stale bread in fingers or other fanciful shapes, and spread with the mixture. press two pieces together. =halibut-and-lettuce sandwiches.= put a pound and a half of halibut, a slice of onion, a stalk of celery, four or five peppercorns, one teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful of lemon juice in boiling water, and cook, just below the boiling-point, ten or fifteen minutes, according to thickness. remove bone and skin and rub the fish fine with a wooden spoon; add half a cup of thick cream, a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of white pepper and one tablespoonful of lemon juice. spread this mixture, when cold, on buttered slices of bread, put a lettuce leaf above the mixture, and spread a teaspoonful of mayonnaise or boiled salad dressing on the lettuce; finish with a slice of buttered bread and tie with ribbon. =lobster fingers.= chop lobster meat very fine; season to taste with french dressing. cut the bread in pieces about four inches long and an inch and a half wide. finish as usual. garnish with parsley and the slender feelers of the lobster. =tower of babel.= pile a _variety_ of sandwiches in form of a pyramid (use bread of different colors). arrange a garnish of parsley and radish rosebuds around the base, and on the top a few sprigs of parsley, or celery plumes. =nasturtium folds.= flavor the butter with nasturtium leaves and blossoms, and with it spread a thin slice of _moist_ bread, which is longer one way than the other. press fresh nasturtium leaves and blossoms upon the butter and fold one half over the other. =harlequin sandwiches.= spread a bit of brownbread with butter and french mustard, and a bit of white bread, cut to fit the former, with butter and cheese creamed together. finish as usual. =harlequin sandwiches, no. .= spread the brownbread with butter and cheese creamed together, and the white bread with butter, then with cucumber, chopped fine and seasoned with french dressing, to which a few drops of onion juice have been added. =beet-and-cream-cheese sandwiches.= spread one piece of bread with cream cheese, the other with beets that have been chopped very fine and seasoned with french dressing. =peanut sandwiches.= chop freshly roasted peanuts very fine; then pound them in a mortar until smooth; season with salt and moisten with thick cream. =peanut sandwiches, no. .= mix the prepared peanuts with mayonnaise dressing. butter two pieces of bread; spread one with the peanut mixture, the other with shredded lettuce, and press the two together. =shad-roe-and-yellow-butter sandwiches.= ingredients. / a pound of butter. sifted yolks of eggs. set of shad roe, cooked, pounded in a mortar and sifted. / a teaspoonful of paprica. drops of tobasco sauce. teaspoonfuls of very fine-chopped capers. _method._--cream the butter and add the other ingredients gradually. prepare as usual. =green-butter sandwiches.= ingredients. / a pound of butter. / a peck of spinach. tablespoonfuls of very fine-chopped parsley. anchovies. teaspoonfuls of very fine-chopped capers. _method._--boil the spinach, drain thoroughly, and press through a piece of muslin. beat the butter to a cream with a wooden spoon; beat into the butter enough of the spinach pulp to give the required tint of green. wipe the oil from the anchovies, remove the backbone, and pass through a hair sieve; then add to the colored butter, a little at a time; add also the parsley and capers; chill slightly and use as a filling for sandwiches. these butters are used also to mask or decorate cooked fish for "cold service." [illustration: chicken salad sandwiches. (see page )] [illustration: halibut sandwiches with aspic. (see page )] =chicken-salad sandwiches.= (_chou-paste boxes._) (see cut facing page .) bake _chou_ paste in long, slender shapes, like éclairs, but narrower and shorter; when cold split apart on the ends and one side and fill with chicken salad. put the top back in place, after inserting a celery plume at each end. garnish the serving-dish with celery leaves and pim-olas or olives. serve other salads in the same way. =mosaic sandwiches.= cut the bread, white, brown and graham, as thin as possible, and use four or five pieces in each sandwich, putting them together so that the colors will contrast. either butter or other filling is admissible. =chicken-and-nut sandwiches.= chop fine the white meat of a cooked chicken and pound to a paste in a mortar. season to taste with salt, paprica, oil and lemon juice and spread upon thin bits of bread. spread other bits of bread, corresponding in shape to the first, with butter; press into the butter english walnuts, pecan nuts or almonds, blanched and _sliced_ very thin. press corresponding pieces together. =aspic jelly for sandwiches.= soak one box (two ounces) of gelatine in one cup of cold chicken liquor until thoroughly softened. add to three cups of chicken stock, seasoned with vegetables and sweet herbs according to directions previously given, also the crushed shell and white of one egg, and proceed as for aspic jelly. turn the liquid jelly into rectangular pans, having it three-eighths of an inch or less in thickness, and set aside in a cool place to harden. when ready to serve, dip the pan in hot water an instant, and turn the jelly on to a paper. with a thin, sharp knife cut the jelly into squares or diamonds, or dip a cutter into hot water and stamp out into hearts or clubs. =lobster sandwiches with aspic.= chop the lobster fine, mix with mayonnaise dressing to taste, spread upon a bit of aspic, cover with a crisp lettuce leaf, and above this place another piece of aspic spread with the lobster mixture. serve at once. =halibut sandwiches with aspic.= after the aspic is poured into the pans, sprinkle upon it some fine-cut spanish pimentos. when ready to serve, prepare as lobster sandwiches with aspic, using fish in the place of lobster, and, if desired, sauce tartare in the place of mayonnaise. shrimps, salmon or other fish, chicken, veal, tongue, sweetbreads, etc., may be used either with lettuce or with chopped celery, cress, cucumbers, etc. or the vegetables may be used without either fish, flesh or fowl. [illustration: wedding sandwich rolls. (see page )] [illustration: club sandwich. (see page )] =club sandwiches.= (_steamer priscilla style._) have ready four triangular pieces of toasted bread spread with mayonnaise dressing; cover two of these with lettuce, lay thin slices of cold chicken (white meat) upon the lettuce, over this arrange slices of broiled breakfast bacon, then lettuce, and cover with the other triangles of toast spread with mayonnaise. trim neatly, arrange on a plate, and garnish with heart leaves of lettuce dipped in mayonnaise. =wedding sandwich rolls.= wrap bread as it is taken from the oven closely in a towel wrung out of cold water, cover with several thicknesses of dry cloth and set aside about four hours; then cut away the crust, and with a thin, sharp knife cut the loaf or loaves in slices as thin as possible and spread with butter, and, if desired, thin shavings of meat, potted meat or chopped nuts; roll the slices very closely and pile on a serving-dish. =the milwaukee sandwich.= ingredients. thin rounds of white bread. thin round of graham or rye bread. large oysters, broiled or fried. breast of cooked chicken, or turkey. two slices of crisp bacon. horseradish. lettuce. small sweet pickles. small radishes. slice of lemon. tomato, skin removed. tartare sauce. _method._--dip the bread in beaten egg, seasoned with salt and sauté to a rich brown in hot butter. roll the oysters in grated bread crumbs (centre of the loaf) and broil them, or "egg and bread" them, and fry in deep fat. lay the first slice of bread on a plate over two or three lettuce leaves, put the oysters on the bread, a grating of horseradish on each oyster; cover with the graham or rye bread; on this lay the chicken or turkey cut in thin slices, season with salt and pepper, put on the bacon, and cover with the other slice of bread. on top of the sandwich lay a slice of lemon cut square, and about this dispose the pickles and radishes, to form a star. serve the tomato on a lettuce leaf at the side. cut out the hard centre from the tomato and fill the opening with sauce tartare. in making this sauce, add to mayonnaise or boiled dressing, onion, olives, sweet pickles and celery, chopped fine and squeezed dry in a cloth. sweet sandwiches. in the name of the prophet--figs! --_horace smith._ =fig sandwiches.= chop one-fourth a pound of figs very fine, add one-fourth a cup of water, and cook to a smooth paste; add, also, one-third a cup of almonds, blanched, chopped very fine and pounded to a paste with a little rose-water, also the juice of half a lemon. when cold spread the mixture upon lady-fingers or cakelets, white or yellow, press another above the mixture, and serve upon a handsome doylie-covered plate. raisins, dates or marmalade may be used in the place of the figs. the marmalade, of course, requires no cooking. bread may be used in the place of the cake. =french fruit sandwiches.= chop the fruit very fine; use a mixture of cherries, plums, pineapple and angelica root; moisten with wine, orange or lemon juice. use lady-fingers or bread for the covering. if bread is used, spread lightly with butter; if cake be your choice, spread very lightly with marmalade. use just enough butter or marmalade to keep the coverings together. =date-and-ginger sandwiches.= chop the dates and preserved ginger; moisten with syrup from the ginger jar and a little lemon juice; cook as above, and use with bread or lady-fingers. preserved ginger may be used alone and without cooking. =rose-leaf sandwiches.= flavor the butter with rose petals according to the directions previously given. spread both bits of bread lightly with it and put upon them three or four candied rose petals. if lady-fingers are used, brush them over with white of egg and sugar mixed together. use but little sugar--just enough to hold the fingers together. the turkish rose petals that come in little jars are particularly dainty, and adapted to this purpose. garnish the dish on which they are served with rosebuds and leaves. =violet sandwiches.= prepare in the same manner as in the last number, substituting candied violets for the rose petals, and violets with green leaves for a garnish. =honey sandwiches.= spread one bit of white bread with honey pressed from the comb with a wooden spoon, the other bit with butter. garnish with white clover blossoms and leaves. =puff-paste sandwiches.= roll puff paste very thin (about one-eighth of an inch), cut in fanciful shapes and bake to a delicate brown; add chopped almonds to rich strawberry preserves, or peach marmalade, and spread the mixture between each two bits of pastry. =pineapple sandwiches.= ingredients. cup of pineapple juice and pulp. / a cup of sugar. juice of half a lemon. lady-fingers. _method._--cook the pineapple, sugar and lemon juice until thick; let cool, and spread upon lady-fingers or sponge drops. press together in pairs and serve. =whipped-cream sandwiches.= ingredients. cup of heavy cream. / a cup of powdered sugar. / a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. lady-fingers. _method._--add the sugar and extract to the cream and beat until solid; let chill, then spread quite thick upon lady-fingers or sponge drops. =whipped-cream sandwiches with french fruit.= soak half a cup of fine-cut candied fruit in wine an hour or more. prepare the cream as above, and sprinkle the same with the fruit before putting the sandwiches together. =fruit jelly for sweet sandwiches.= ingredients. box of gelatine ( ounces). cup of cold water. cup of boiling water. cup of sugar. - / cups of orange juice. / a cup of lemon juice. _method._--soak the gelatine in the cold water and dissolve in the boiling water; add the sugar and strain; when cold add the orange and lemon juice. mould in sheets three-eighths of an inch thick. =claret jelly for sweet sandwiches.= substitute claret for the orange juice and prepare as above. do not omit the lemon juice. =fruit or claret jelly sandwiches with nuts.= slice blanched english walnuts and pecan nuts or almonds very thin, and stir into whipped cream. stamp out shapes from the jelly. spread one piece with the cream and nuts and cover with a second piece of jelly. =with french fruit.= substitute candied fruit for the nuts and proceed as above, or use nuts and fruit together. =cupid's butter sandwiches.= ingredients. the yolks of hard-boiled eggs. cup of butter. / a cup of powdered sugar. teaspoonful of orange juice. a grating of orange rind. angel cakelets or slices of angel cake. _method._--cream the butter, gradually add the yolks of eggs, passed through a potato ricer or sieve, the sugar and orange juice. spread upon thin slices of angel cake, prepared for sandwiches, or upon angel cakelets or fingers; press two slices together and serve at once. if allowed to stand any length of time, keep covered and in a cool place. =cheese-and-bar-le-duc currant sandwiches.= spread wheat bread, prepared for sandwiches, with cream cheese; put two or three currants and a little syrup on each piece of bread, and press two pieces together. these may be varied by using sliced maraschino cherries. either the currants or sliced cherries with a little of the syrup may be mixed with the cheese and then spread upon the bread. bar-le-duc currants are imported from france in tiny glasses. the seeds have been removed from the currants, which are cooked in honey. =hunter's sandwich (switzerland).= spread fresh bread, cut in thin slices, with fresh butter; over this spread a layer of brie or other cream cheese, and over the cheese spread a layer of honey. press two similarly shaped pieces together and serve at once. =hunter's sandwich (ellwanger).= prepare as above, substituting maple syrup (or sugar) for the honey. bread and chou paste. she needeth least, who kneadeth best, these rules which we shall tell; who kneadeth ill shall need them more than she who kneadeth well. --_f.f._ =two loaves of wheat bread.= to two cups of scalded milk or boiled water, in a mixing-bowl, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, and, when the liquid becomes lukewarm, one yeastcake dissolved in half a cup of water, boiled and cooled. with a broad-bladed knife cut and mix in enough well-dried flour, sifted, to make a stiff dough (about seven cups). knead until the dough is elastic; cover, and set to rise in a temperature of about ° fahr. when the dough has doubled in bulk, "cut down" and knead slightly without removing from the mixing-bowl. when again double in bulk, shape into two double loaves and set to rise in buttered pans; when it has risen a third time, bake one hour. =entire-wheat bread.= use the preceding recipe without change other than in kind of flour and two additional tablespoonfuls of sugar. =rice bread.= add three-fourths a cup of rice, cooked until tender and still hot, and, also, two tablespoonfuls of butter, to the milk or water in the first recipe. other cereals, as oatmeal or cerealine, may be used instead of rice. =salad rolls.= make a sponge with one cup of milk, one yeastcake dissolved in one-fourth a cup of milk, and about one cup and a half of flour; beat thoroughly, cover, and set to rise in a temperature of about ° fahr. when light add half a teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth a cup of melted butter, and flour enough to knead. knead until elastic. set to rise in a temperature of ° fahr. when doubled in bulk, cut down and shape into small balls. set to rise again, covered with a cloth and a dripping-pan. when light press the handle of a small wooden spoon deeply across the centre of each ball, brush with butter and press the edges together. set the rolls close together in a baking-pan, after brushing over with butter the points of contact. =boston brownbread.= sift together one cup, each, of yellow corn meal, rye meal and entire-wheat flour, one teaspoonful of salt and three teaspoonfuls of soda. add three-fourths a cup of molasses and one pint of thick, sour milk. beat thoroughly, and steam in a covered mould three hours and a half. the quantity here given may be steamed in four baking-powder boxes in two hours. [illustration: boston brown bread.] [illustration: bread cut for sandwiches.] =baking-powder biscuit.= pass through the sieve two or three times four cups of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, and, for each cup of flour, two level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder. with the tips of the fingers work into the flour one-third a cup of butter. when the mixture looks like meal, mix in gradually nearly one pint of milk, cutting the dough with a knife until well mixed. when it is of a consistency to handle, turn out on to a well-floured board, toss with the knife in the flour, then pat out into a sheet half an inch thick, and cut into rounds. let the heat of the oven be moderate at first, and increase after the dough has risen. bake about fifteen minutes. =sandwich biscuit.= prepare the dough as above, roll to about three-eighths an inch in thickness, and cut into rounds. spread one half of these with softened butter, and press the others, unbuttered, upon them; bake fifteen or eighteen minutes. =pulled bread.= (_to serve with simple salads and cheese._) remove the crust from a fresh loaf of french bread. gash the loaf at the ends and pull apart into halves; then cut the halves and pull apart into quarters. repeat until the pieces are about the thickness of breadsticks. put on a rack in a dripping-pan, and dry out the moisture in a slow oven; then brown delicately. keep in a dry place (a tin box is suitable) and reheat in the oven before serving. =how to give rolls and bread a glossy, brown crust.= a short time before removing from the oven, brush over the top of each loaf or roll with beaten yolk of egg, diluted with a little milk, or with a little sugar dissolved in milk, or with thin starch. =chou paste.= put a saucepan with half a cup of butter and one cup of boiling water over the fire. when the mixture boils, beat into it one cup of flour. when the dough cleaves from the sides of the saucepan, turn into a bowl and beat in, one at a time, three large or four small eggs. * * * * * =to boil salted meats: ham, tongue, etc.= cover the meat with cold water and bring the water slowly to the boiling-point; let boil five minutes, then _slightly_ bubble until the meat is tender. =to boil chicken, lamb and other fresh meat.= cover the meat with boiling water, let boil rapidly five minutes, then keep the water just below the boiling-point, or just "quivering" at one side of the saucepan, until the meat is tender. when the meat is about half cooked, add a teaspoonful of salt for each quart of water. =potted meat and fish for sandwiches.= ingredients. pound of tender cooked meat or fish ( cups). ounces of fat cooked meat ( / a cup). ounces of butter ( / a cup). mace and anchovy essence, if desired. pepper and salt. _method._--chop the meat or fish very fine, then pass through a purée sieve; cream the butter and with a wooden spoon work it into the meat or fish; add seasonings to taste, press the mixture solidly into small jars or cups, and pour melted butter to the depth of one-fourth an inch over the top of the meat. set aside in a cool place. =kinds of meat and fish for potting.= ham, fat and lean; either chicken, veal or tongue, with bacon; chicken and ham, mixed, fat ham; chicken and tongue, mixed, with bacon; veal and ham, mixed, with fat ham; roast beef and corned beef, mixed, with fat of either, or bacon; finnan-haddie and bacon; salmon, cod, haddock, bluefish, etc., with bacon, or with double the amount of butter. [illustration: bowl of fruit-punch ready for serving.] beverages served with sandwiches. towards eve there was tea (a luxury due to matilda) and ice, fruit and coffee. --_meredith's "lucile."_ come, touch to your lips this melting sweetness, sip of this nectar,--this java fine,-- whose tawny drops hold more completeness than lurks in the depths of ruby wine. --_j. m. l._ =filtered coffee.= ingredients. / a cup of coffee, ground very fine. cups of boiling water. about blocks of sugar. about tablespoonfuls of cream. about tablespoonfuls of hot milk. _method._--put the coffee into the filter of a well-scalded coffee-pot. pour the boiling water over the coffee. serve as soon as the infusion has dripped through the filter. for black coffee use double the quantity of coffee. =boiled coffee.= ingredients. cup of ground coffee. white and shell of egg. cup of cold water. cups of boiling water. tablespoonful of ground coffee. _method._--beat the white and crushed shell of the egg and half the cup of cold water together; mix with the coffee, pour over the boiling water, stir thoroughly, and boil from three to five minutes with the nozzle tightly closed; pour half a cup of cold water down the spout; stir in one tablespoonful of coffee and let stand on the range, without boiling, ten minutes. =five-o'clock tea.= ingredients. tea. candied ox-heart cherries. slices of lemon. boiling water. _method._--fill the tea-ball half full with tea, put the ball into the cup, with a cherry or a slice of lemon, and pour boiling water over them; remove the ball when the tea is of the desired strength. =rich chocolate.= ingredients. ounces of chocolate. tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar. / a cup of hot water. quart of scalded milk. teaspoonful of vanilla extract. whites of eggs. pint of thick cream. / a cup of powdered sugar. _method._--grate the chocolate, add the granulated sugar and hot water, and cook until smooth and glossy; with a whisk beat in the hot milk very gradually, and return to a double boiler to keep hot. beat the cream until solid. beat the whites of the eggs until dry, then beat in the powdered sugar and fold the cream into the egg and sugar. add half of the cream mixture to the chocolate with the vanilla, and mix while the cream is heating. serve the rest of the cream in spoonfuls upon the chocolate in the cups. =plain chocolate.= prepare as in preceding recipe, omitting the cream mixture and such portion of the chocolate as is desired. =plain cocoa.= ingredients. teaspoonfuls of cocoa. teaspoonfuls of sugar. cup of boiling water, cup of hot milk. whipped cream, if desired. _method._--mix the cocoa and sugar, pour over the boiling water, and when boiling again add the hot milk; beat the whipped cream into the hot cocoa, or serve a spoonful upon the top of each cup. =ceylon cocoa.= scald a two-inch piece of paper-bark cinnamon with the milk to be used in making the cocoa. =sultana cocoa.= stem and wash half a pound of sultana raisins; let them stand, covered with one quart of boiling water, upon the back of the range an hour or more; filter the water through folds of cheese-cloth and use in making cocoa or chocolate. =egg lemonade.= ingredients. egg. tablespoonfuls of sugar. juice of lemons. cups of water. _method._--beat the egg until white and yolk are well mixed; then beat in the sugar, the lemon juice and the water. =fruit punch.= ingredients. pineapple. cups of sugar. cups of boiling water. cup of tea, freshly made. lemons. oranges. pint of strawberry or grape juice. / a pint of maraschino cherries. bottle of apollinaris water. quarts of water. _method._--grate the pineapple, add the boiling water and the sugar, and boil fifteen minutes; add the tea and strain into the punch-bowl. when cold add the fruit juice, the cherries and the cold water. a short time before serving, add a piece of ice, and, on serving, the apollinaris water. strawberries, mint leaves, or slices of banana may be used in the place of the cherries. =punch à la nantes.= ingredients. pounds of rhubarb. pint of water. bay leaf. cup of sugar. cup of orange juice. / a cup of lemon juice. / a cup of ginger syrup. _method._--cut the rhubarb into pieces without peeling; add the bay leaf and water, and let simmer until the rhubarb is tender; strain through a cheese-cloth. boil the juice with the sugar five minutes. when cold add the orange and lemon juice, with one-fourth a cup of syrup from a jar of preserved ginger, and a piece of ice. add water as needed. =home-made soda water.= ingredients. - / pounds of granulated sugar. - / ounces of tartaric acid. pint of water. whites of eggs. / an ounce of ginger extract. / a teaspoonful of bicarbonate of soda for each glass. _method._--boil the sugar, water and tartaric acid five minutes. when nearly cold beat into the syrup the whites of the eggs, beaten until foamy, and the flavoring extract. store in a fruit jar, closely covered. to use, put three tablespoonfuls into a glass half full of cold water, stir in one-fourth a teaspoonful of soda, and drink while effervescing. a pint of any kind of fruit juice may displace the water, when a teaspoonful of lemon juice should be added to the contents of each glass before stirring in the soda. =spanish chocolate.= (_to serve ._) ingredients. quarts of milk. blades of mace. five-inch stick of cinnamon. cloves. pounded almonds. pound of chocolate. cups of sugar. quarts of boiling water. yolks of three eggs. _method._--scald the milk with the spices and nuts. break up the chocolate and melt over hot water; add the sugar, mix thoroughly, then gradually stir in the boiling water; let cook two or three minutes after all the water has been added, then turn into the hot milk; let stand over hot water until ready to serve, then add the beaten yolks of eggs, diluted with half a cup of water, milk or cream, and strain through a cheese-cloth. keep hot over hot water. =claret cup.= ingredients. quarts of claret. cup of sugar. cup of water. lemons cut in slices. dozen whole cloves. qts. of charged apollinaris or soda water. / a cup of brandy, sherry or maraschino. ice. boil the sugar and water about six minutes; let cool, then add the lemon slices, with seeds removed, and the cloves; let stand some hours in a cold place. when ready to serve, add the claret, water and liqueur, all chilled on ice. put a piece of ice in the pitcher and pour over it the mixture. the beverage should not be sweet. [illustration: copper chafing-dish with earthen casserole.] part iii. chafing-dish dainties. _gentlemen, prepare not to be gone; we have a trifling foolish banquet._ --romeo and juliet. _small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast._ --comedy of errors, iii. i. _a little quail, or some such light thing, when i come home at night._ --charles dickens. _now and then your men of wit will condescend to take a bit._ --swift. introduction. =chafing-dishes past and present.= well, he was an ingenious man that first found out eating and drinking.--_swift._ how fire was discovered, when it was first applied to the needs of human beings, the origin and early use of cooking and heating utensils,--all are concealed from us in the mists that surround the life of prehistoric man. but at the dawn of history, even before the beginning of our era, crude appliances for cooking were in use; and, without doubt, one of the earliest of these was an utensil corresponding in some particulars, at least, to the chafing-dish of to-day. the chafing-dish is a portable utensil used upon the table, either for cooking food or for keeping food hot after it has been cooked by other means. in ancient times, the fuel of the chafing-dish was either live coals or olive oil; to-day we use either electricity, gas, alcohol or colonial spirits. the first chafing-dishes of which historic mention is made consisted of a pan heated over a pot of burning oil, the pan resting upon a frame which held the pot of oil. it was with such an utensil, perhaps, that the israelitish women cooked the locusts of egypt and palestine, for these were eaten as a common food by the people of the biblical lands and age. mommsen, in his history of rome, while speaking of the extravagance of the times, as shown in the table furnishings, probably refers to the chafing-dish when he says: "a well-wrought bronze cooking-machine came to cost more than an estate." the idea that this might be the utensil referred to is strengthened by the fact that many chafing-dishes have been found in the ruins of pompeii. these were made of bronze, and highly ornamented. evidently, olive oil was the fuel used in these dishes. coming down to more modern times, madame de staël had a dish of very unique pattern, and, when driven by the command of napoleon from her beloved paris, she carried her chafing-dish with her into exile as one of her most cherished household gods. at the present day among the favored few, who have full purses, are found sets of little silver chafing-dishes about four inches square. these tiny dishes rest upon a doylie-covered plate, and a bird or rarebit may be served in them as a course at dinner, one to each guest. the cooking is not done in these dishes, and they are not furnished with lamps; in them the food, while it is being eaten, is simply kept hot by means of a tiny pan filled with hot water. [illustration: chafing-dish, filler, etc. "with all appliances and means to boot."] in reality, the modern chafing-dish is a species of _bain marie_, or double boiler, with a lamp so arranged that cooking can be done without other appliances. it consists of four parts. the _first_ is the blazer, or the pan in which the cooking is done; this is provided with a long handle. the _second_ is the hot-water pan, which corresponds to the lower part of the double boiler; this should be provided with handles, and is a very inconvenient dish without them. the _third_ is the frame upon which the hot-water pan rests, and in which the spirit-lamp is set. the _last_, but by no means least, part is the lamp; this is provided with a cotton or an asbestos wick. when the lamp has a cotton wick, the flame is regulated by turning the wick up or down, as in an ordinary lamp. at present this style of lamp is found only in the more expensive grades of dishes,--silver-plated, and costing from $ upwards. when asbestos is used as the wick, the lamp is filled with this porous stone, which is to be saturated with alcohol immediately before using, and the top is covered with a wire netting. the flame is regulated by means of metal slides, which open and shut over the netting, thus cutting off or letting on the flame, as it is desired. =chafing-dish appointments.= with all appliances and means to boot. --henry iv., iii. i. the chafing-dish should always rest upon a tray, as a very slight draught of air, or the expansion of the alcohol when heated, will sometimes cause the flame to flare out and downward, and thus an unprotected tablecloth might be set on fire. often a cutlet dish is considered a necessary part of a chafing-dish outfit; but as one of the chief merits of the chafing-dish consists in the possibility of serving a repast the instant it is cooked, there would seem to be a want of propriety in removing the cooked article to a platter and garnishing the dish before serving. a polished wooden spoon, with long handle and small bowl, is a most convenient utensil to use while cooking the dainty; but the regulation chafing-dish spoon is needed when serving the same. such a spoon has a broad bowl of silver or aluminum, with rounded end, and a long ebony handle. the filler is a most convenient article for use, when the lamp needs replenishing with alcohol, but in its absence the alcohol may be turned into a small pitcher and from that into the lamp. a lamp of the average size holds about five tablespoonfuls of alcohol, and this quantity will supply heat for at least half an hour. glass, granite or tin measuring-cups, upon which thirds or quarters are indicated, also tea- and tablespoons, are essential for accurate measurements. several items are essential to the successful serving of a meal from the chafing-dish. to be a pronounced success, the work must be done noiselessly and gracefully. the preparation of all articles is the same for the chafing-dish as for the common stove; but where the mixing is done at the table, as for a rarebit, the recipe takes on an additional flavor, according to the deftness with which it is done. let, then, everything be ready and at hand, before the guests or family assemble at the table. have the lamp filled and covered, so that it may remain filled. have all seasonings measured out in a cup. in case the yolks of eggs are to be used, they will not injure, having been beaten beforehand, if they be kept covered. when oysters are to be served, have them washed, freed from bits of shell, drained, and left in a pitcher from which they can be readily poured. the quantity of butter used in the recipes is indicated by tablespoonfuls, and may be measured out beforehand and rolled into dainty balls with butter-hands, a spoonful in each ball. bear in mind that the hot-water pan is to be used in all cases where the double boiler would be used, if the cooking were to be done upon the range. for instance, where the recipe calls for milk or cream, except in the making of a sauce, use the bath from the beginning. also, be careful always to place the blazer in the bath before eggs are added to any mixture. indeed, the hot-water pan is the one feature of the chafing-dish which it is most important to notice; for on the proper use of the hot-water pan the value of the chafing-dish as an exponent of scientific cookery entirely depends. she who well understands the principles upon which the use of this rests has gained no small insight into the secret of all cookery, be it scientific, economic or hygienic; for a knowledge of the effect of heat at different temperatures, applied to food, is the very foundation-stone upon which all cookery rests. although the chafing-dish is especially adapted to the needs of the bachelor, man or maid, its use should not be relegated entirely to the homeless or the bohemian. in the sick-room, at the luncheon-table, on sunday night, it is most serviceable and wellnigh indispensable; it always suggests hearty welcome and good cheer. while it is out of place, at any ceremonial meal, as a means of cooking, even on such occasions a lobster newburgh or other dish that needs be served piping hot to be eaten at its best may be brought on in individual chafing-dishes. these are supplied with hot-water pans and lamps. at a chafing-dish supper each guest can prepare his own rarebit. any operation in cooking that can be performed on the kitchen range may be successfully carried out on the chafing-dish, provided one be skilled in its use. but as the dining-room is usually chosen as the site in which to test its possibilities, here it were well to confine one's efforts to such dishes as will not give rise to too much disorder. sautéing and frying it were better to reserve for the range and a well-ventilated kitchen. [illustration: course at formal dinner served in individual chafing-dishes. (see page )] alcohol is most commonly used in the lamp of the chafing-dish; and, on account of its cheapness, one is often advised to buy _wood_ alcohol. but in large markets, where many fowl are singed daily over an alcohol flame, the marketmen will tell you that the very best article is none too good for their purpose. it does not smoke, wastes less rapidly, and in the end will prove quite as economical. =are midnight suppers hygienic?= "being no further enemy to you than the constraint of hospitable zeal." in regard to the chafing-dish and its most prominent use, some one may fittingly ask: is it hygienic to eat at midnight? can one keep one's health and eat late suppers? as in all things pertaining to food, no set rules can be given to meet every case; much depends upon constitutional traits, individual habits and idiosyncrasies. one may practise what another cannot attempt. as a rule, however, people who eat a hearty dinner, after the work of the day is done, do not need to eat again until the following breakfast hour. those who are engaged, either mentally or physically, throughout the evening, cannot with impunity, eat a very hearty meal previous to that effort; but after their work is done they need nourishing food, and food that is both easily digested and assimilated. but even these should not eat and then immediately retire; for during sleep all the bodily organs, including the stomach, become dormant. food partaken at this hour is not properly taken care of, and in too many cases must be digested when the individual has awakened, out of sorts, the next morning. it is well to remember, also, that, at any time after food is eaten, there should be a period of rest from all active effort; for then the blood flows from the other organs of the body to the stomach, and the work of digestion is begun. oftentimes we hear men say they must smoke after meals, for unless they do so they cannot digest their food. they fail to see that it is not the tobacco that promotes digestion, but the enforced repose. but, if we must eat at midnight, the question may well be asked, what shall we eat? that which can be digested and assimilated with the least effort on the part of the digestive organs. and among such things we may note oysters, eggs and game, when these have been properly--that is, delicately--cooked. =how to make sauces.= let hunger move thy appetyte, and not savory sauces.--_babees book._ "change is the sauce that sharpens appetite." as so many dishes are prepared in the chafing-dish that require the use of a simple sauce, we give in this place the methods usually followed in the preparation of common sauces. for one cup of sauce, put two tablespoonfuls of butter into the blazer; let the butter simply melt, without coloring, if for a white sauce, but cook until brown for a brown sauce. mix together two tablespoonfuls of flour, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of black or white pepper, or a few grains of cayenne or paprica, and beat it into the bubbling butter; let the mixture cook two or three minutes, then stir into it, rather gradually at first, and beating constantly, one cup of cold milk, water or stock. now, when the sauce boils up once after all the liquid is in, it is ready for use. in making a white sauce some cooks add, from time to time while the sauce is being stirred, a few drops of lemon juice, which they claim makes the sauce much whiter. sometimes we make the sauce after another fashion, using the same proportions of the various ingredients. if water or stock be used, put it in the blazer directly over the fire. if the liquid be milk, put it into the blazer, and the blazer over hot water; cream together the butter, flour and seasonings, dilute with a little of the hot liquid, pour into the remainder of the hot liquid, and stir constantly until the sauce thickens, and then occasionally for ten or fifteen minutes, until the flour is thoroughly cooked. in making a brown sauce, first brown the butter, then brown the flour in the butter, and, whenever it is convenient, use brown stock as the liquid. ingredients for one cup of sauce. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. / a teaspoonful of salt. a few grains of pepper. cup of liquid. ingredients for one pint of sauce. / a cup of butter. / a cup of flour. / a teaspoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of pepper. pint of liquid. =measuring.= in all recipes where flour is used, unless otherwise stated, the flour is measured after sifting once. when flour is measured by cups, the cup is filled with a spoon, and a level cupful is meant. a tablespoonful or teaspoonful of any designated material is a level spoonful of such material. =flavoring.= when rich soup stock, flavored with vegetables and sweet herbs, is at hand for use in sauces, additional seasonings are not necessary; but when a sauce is made of milk, water, or water and meat extract, some flavor more or less pronounced is demanded. a few bits of onion and carrot browned in hot butter, or anchovy sauce or curry may be added; but, all things considered, the most convenient way to secure an appetizing flavor is by the use of "kitchen bouquet." this alone or in conjunction with a dash of some one of the many really good proprietary sauces on the market is well-nigh indispensable in chafing-dish cookery. recipes. "_no variety here, but you, most noble guests, whose gracious looks must make a dish or two become a feast._" oyster dishes. he was a bold man that first ate an oyster.--_swift._ =oysters.= put into the blazer twenty-five to fifty choice oysters. as soon as they are hot and look plump, add salt, pepper and butter. serve on buttered toast or crackers. add two tablespoonfuls of cream or half a tablespoonful of lemon juice before serving, if desired. =oysters, no. .= ingredients. pint of solid oysters. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of lemon juice. scant teaspoonful of salt. a few grains of cayenne. beaten yolks of eggs. _method._--put the oysters into the blazer. when they look plump and the edges curl, put the blazer into the hot-water pan and add the seasonings. add a few spoonfuls of the liquor from the pan to the yolks of the eggs, and, after mixing well, pour into the chafing-dish. stir constantly until the liquor thickens, then serve on thin slices of buttered toast or on thin crackers. =oysters à la d'uxelles.= ingredients. pint of parboiled and drained oysters. pint of oyster liquor or chicken stock. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of chopped mushrooms. tablespoonfuls of flour. a few drops of onion juice. a few grains of cayenne. teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of lemon juice. yolks of eggs. _method._--let the oysters be parboiled and drained beforehand. (to parboil, heat quickly to the boiling-point in their own liquor.) melt the butter in the blazer, add the flour, salt and pepper, and cook till frothy; add the oyster liquor or chicken stock and cook until the boiling-point is reached. now add the oysters, and, as soon as they are heated thoroughly, put the blazer into the bath and add the beaten yolks, the onion and lemon juice and the mushrooms. as soon as the eggs thicken the sauce a little, serve on toast or crackers. if uncooked mushrooms are used, cook them in the butter two or three minutes before the flour and seasonings are added. =curried oysters.= ingredients. pint of oysters (parboiled and drained). / a cup of cream. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of flour. / a cup of oyster liquor. / a teaspoonful of curry powder. / a teaspoonful of chopped onion. teaspoonful of salt. saltspoonful of pepper. _method._--cook the onion and butter in the blazer a few moments. mix the flour and curry powder and stir into the butter. when frothy add the oyster liquor. as soon as the sauce boils up once, add the salt, pepper and cream, and, in a moment, the oysters. when the oysters are thoroughly heated, serve on buttered toast or crackers. =curried oysters, no. .= ingredients. quart of oysters. / a cup of butter. one small mild onion. tablespoonful of curry powder. / a cup of flour. cup of oyster liquor. cup of white stock. / a cup of thick tomato pulp. salt and pepper to taste. _method._--bring the oysters to the boiling-point in their own liquor, skim, drain, and set aside. heat the butter in the blazer, sauté in it the onion cut in slices, stir in the flour and curry powder mixed with the salt and pepper, and, when frothy, add the oyster liquor, stock and tomato pulp (a pint of pulp reduced by slow cooking to half a cup). when the sauce boils, add the oysters; and when hot serve on buttered toast or fried bread. =fricassee of oysters.= ingredients. quart of oysters. tablespoonfuls of butter. yolks of eggs. / a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. tablespoonful of flour. pepper, salt, cayenne. _method._--brown the butter and add to it the parsley, seasonings and flour; let heat, then add the well-drained oysters, and, when the edges begin to curl, add the well-beaten yolks. serve on warmed plates, with fried bread and parsley. =creamed dishes.= (_oysters, shrimps, lobsters, sweetbreads, chicken, veal, fish, mushrooms, asparagus tips, peas, etc._) ingredients. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. saltspoonfuls of salt. cups of cream, or cups of milk and tablespoonfuls of butter. saltspoonful of pepper. pint of fish, meat, etc. tablespoonfuls of mushrooms, chopped or diced. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. teaspoonful of onion juice. tablespoonful of lemon juice. _method._--prepare the sauce in the usual manner. if oysters are used, they should have been parboiled previously and drained, and, if large, cut in pieces. fish should be flaked when hot, and meats cut into dice when cold. =devilled dishes.= season any of the creamed dishes highly with cayenne, onion juice, mustard, and worcestershire or other sauce. =scrambled eggs with oysters.= cream together two tablespoonfuls of butter and one tablespoonful of anchovy paste. melt in the blazer, then add half a dozen eggs, beaten slightly with one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of paprica. stir and cook, and, when beginning to thicken, add half a pint of oysters, parboiled, "bearded," and cut fine. when scrambled, serve on sippets of toast, lightly spread with anchovy paste. =panned oysters.= with a fork pressed into a butter ball, rub over the bottom of the hot blazer. then cover the surface with small rounds of toast, and put one or two uncooked oysters on each round; cover, and cook until plump, dust with salt and pepper, and put a bit of butter on each oyster. serve, when the butter has melted, with slices of lemon. =panned oysters with maître d'hôtel butter.= cook as before. have ready two tablespoonfuls of butter beaten to a cream; add a few grains of salt and paprica, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and, by degrees, the juice of half a lemon. spread upon the oysters before serving. =oyster cromeskies.= scald the oysters in their own liquor over a quick fire. when plump wrap each oyster in a slice of bacon, and fasten with a small skewer (wooden toothpick). sauté in the blazer, heated very hot. serve on thin rounds of toast. these cromeskies are most easily cooked in a double broiler, resting on a dripping-pan, in a hot oven. =oysters sauté.= wash and drain the oysters, season with salt and pepper, roll in fine crumbs, dip in beaten egg, then roll in crumbs again. put a little olive oil or clarified butter in the blazer; when it is heated, put in the oysters, brown them on one side, turn, and brown on the other side. =oyster canapés.= scald a cup of cream, add two tablespoonfuls of fine-grated bread crumbs, a tablespoonful of butter, a dash of paprica and a grating of nutmeg; then add two dozen oysters, washed, drained and chopped. stir until the oysters are thoroughly heated, but without boiling the mixture. spread rounds of toast with butter, and then with the oyster mixture. serve at once accompanied by olives, pim-olas or gherkins. =escalloped oysters.= stir one cup of cracker crumbs into half a cup of melted butter. heat half a cup of cream or strained oyster liquor in the blazer, put in a layer of oysters (about a cup), washed and drained, and sprinkle with a part of the prepared crumbs, salt and pepper; add another layer of oysters, the rest of the crumbs, and salt and pepper. cover, and cook nearly ten minutes. do not stir the oysters. lobster and other sea fish. and ate a lobster, and sang and mighty merry. --_pepys' diary._ take every creature in of every kind. --_pope._ =buttered lobster.= pick the meat from a boiled lobster and cut it into small pieces; sift over it the coral; mix with it also the liver, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar or three of lemon juice, one-third a cup of butter and one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of cayenne and made mustard; heat in the blazer until thoroughly hot. serve on cup-shaped leaves of lettuce with a quarter of a hard-boiled _egg_ on the top of each portion. =lobster à la newburgh.= ingredients. meat of medium-sized lobsters. tablespoonfuls of butter. / a teaspoonful of salt. / a teaspoonful of pepper. tablespoonfuls, each, of sherry wine and brandy. grating of nutmeg. yolks of eggs. cup of cream. _method._--remove the meat from the shells and cut it into delicate slices. put the butter in the blazer, and, when it melts, put the lobster into it and cook four or five minutes. add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, wine and brandy. stir the cream into the beaten yolks, and then stir both into the lobster mixture. serve as soon as the eggs thicken the sauce. =plain lobster.= pour three tablespoonfuls of lemon juice over the meat of one lobster and season with salt and pepper. put three tablespoonfuls of butter in the blazer, and, when it is melted, add the prepared lobster; stir until hot and serve at once. =clams à la newburgh.= use one quart of clams. separate the hard from the soft parts of the clams. chop the hard parts fine. substitute the soft and the chopped parts of the clams for the lobster and proceed as for lobster à la newburgh. oyster, chicken, turkey or sweetbread à la newburgh may be prepared by substituting one of the above ingredients for the lobster. =lobster à la bordelaise.= ingredients. cloves of garlic, chopped. sliced carrot. tablespoonfuls of butter. glasses of white wine (half a cup). meat of lobsters. glass of brandy. tablespoonfuls of butter. chopped parsley, white and cayenne pepper, salt. _method._--melt the butter in the blazer and in it cook the onion and carrot about five minutes. remove the carrot; add the wine, lobster and seasonings. when thoroughly heated, add the butter, parsley and brandy and serve at once. =hawaiian lobster curry.= (ada d. wagg.) ingredients. - / tablespoonfuls of butter. / an onion, chopped clove of garlic, very fine. a small piece of grated ginger root. - / tablespoonfuls of cornstarch. - / tablespoonfuls of curry powder. pint of milk. grated cocoanut. meat of a lobster weighing pounds. salt and pepper to taste. _method._--grate the cocoanut and set it aside to soak an hour in one pint of milk. sauté the onion and garlic in the butter, add the cornstarch and seasonings, and cook until frothy; add the milk strained from the cocoanut, gradually, and, when the sauce boils up once, add the lobster; salt and pepper to taste. =lobster à la bechamel.= ingredients. meat of lobsters. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. salt and pepper. grating of nutmeg. cup of cream. yolks of eggs. cup of white stock, seasoned with mace, bay leaf, etc. teaspoonful of lemon juice. dried and sifted coral. _method._--cut the lobster in delicate slices or in dice, as preferred. make a bechamel sauce, after the usual manner, of the butter, flour, seasonings, cream and stock. add the lobster, and, when heated thoroughly, add the beaten yolks mixed with a few spoonfuls of the sauce from the blazer. add the lemon juice, and sprinkle the dried and sifted coral or some chopped parsley over the top of the mixture as it is served. oysters, clams, sweetbread, chicken or turkey may be served à la bordelaise or bechamel. =lobster à la poulette.= ingredients. / a cup of butter. / a cup of flour. / a teaspoonful of salt. dash of paprica. / a teaspoonful of white pepper. cup of cream. cup of well-seasoned chicken stock. juice of half a lemon. hard-boiled eggs. pint of diced lobster meat. _method._--prepare a white sauce, using the ingredients mentioned, and adding the lemon juice by degrees. add the lobster to the sauce. cut the whites of the hard-boiled eggs in rings and pass the yolks through a sieve. serve the lobster on bits of toast, or on thin crackers, with a sprinkling of the yolks over the lobster, and circles of the whites around it. =oyster crabs à la hollandaise.= remove the meat from one pint of oyster crabs; put this, with a little of the liquor, into the blazer, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, a dash of paprica and a scant half-teaspoonful of salt, and let cook three or four minutes without boiling. set the blazer over hot water and add three-fourths a cup of hollandaise sauce (either hot or cold). stir until the mixture is heated, then add one tablespoonful of lemon juice and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. serve on toast, in swedish timbale cases or in patty cases. =hollandaise sauce.= put one-fourth a cup of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a grating of nutmeg and a dash of paprica over hot water to heat. beat the yolks of four eggs, add the hot vinegar to them, return to the fire, and stir constantly while the mixture thickens; then add two more tablespoonfuls of butter in bits. shrimps, oysters, lobsters and delicate fish are all good when served after this recipe. =devilled crabs.= melt one tablespoonful of butter, add one tablespoonful of flour, and, when blended, one cup of milk. add the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs rubbed through a sieve, and season to taste with salt, paprica, a teaspoonful of lemon juice and wine; cayenne, mustard and tobasco sauce are approved by some. add one cup of crab meat and one-fourth a cup of canned mushrooms cut in quarters. serve on toast. =oyster crabs.= ingredients. pint of oyster crabs. tablespoonful of butter. / an onion, sliced. tablespoonful of flour. cup of white stock. teaspoonful of lemon juice. tablespoonful of chopped parsley. yolk of egg. salt and pepper. _method._--melt the butter in the blazer, add the onion, and let cook until a light-brown color; add the flour and mix until smooth; add the stock and stir until it thickens. add the crab meat, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. beat the yolk of the egg and add two or three spoonfuls of the sauce to it; mix well, add to the ingredients in the blazer, stir constantly, and serve as soon as heated. =crabs à la creole.= ingredients. green pepper, chopped fine. clove of garlic, chopped fine. small onion, chopped fine. tablespoonful of butter. cup of tomatoes. cup of crab meat. pepper and salt. _method._--put the butter in the blazer; when melted, add the garlic, onion, salt, pepper and tomatoes, and let cook ten minutes; add the crab meat (fresh or canned). serve when hot on sippets of toast. =shrimps à la poulette.= make a sauce of one-fourth a cup, each, of butter and flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and one cup and a half of white stock; add one tablespoonful of anchovy essence and a quart of shelled shrimps. when hot add the beaten yolks of two eggs, with half a cup of cream. lastly, add a tablespoonful of lemon juice and serve, _without_ boiling, on sippets of toast. =shrimps with peas.= a pint of shrimps and a cup of peas, heated in a cup and a half of cream sauce, are particularly good. =anchovy toast.= put about two tablespoonfuls of clarified butter into the blazer. when hot add bread cut as for sandwiches. brown the bread on one side, turn, and brown the other side. spread with anchovy paste and serve at once. =anchovy toast with eggs.= prepare the anchovy toast in one chafing-dish, and, at the same time, the eggs in another. beat five eggs slightly, add half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and half a cup of cream or milk. put a large tablespoonful of butter in the blazer; when melted, add the egg mixture. stir until the egg is creamy, and serve on the anchovy toast. =anchovy toast with spinach.= press cooked spinach, chopped fine, through a purée sieve; reheat with a little butter, salt and two or three drops of tobasco sauce. sauté rounds of bread to a golden brown in a little hot butter, spread with anchovy paste, and over this spread the purée of spinach. press into the spinach on each round of bread a quarter of a hard-boiled egg cut lengthwise, having the yolk uppermost. =anchovies with olives.= all the preparations for this dish, with the exception of sautéing the bread, may be made some hours before serving. thoroughly wash the anchovies, cut off the fillets, and chop very fine with a sprig of parsley and a few chives, or a slice or two of bermuda onion; put the whole into a mortar and pound well, adding, meanwhile, a little paprica. cut some large selected olives in halves, take out the stones, and fill them with the anchovy mixture. cut small rounds of bread an inch and a half in diameter and an inch in thickness; remove a crumb, similar in shape to the olive, from the centre of each. put a little butter into the blazer, and, when hot, sauté the rounds of bread on both sides; drain on soft paper, put an olive in the centre of each and a little mayonnaise over the whole. five anchovies will suffice to stuff a dozen olives. =sardine canapés.= have ready yolks of eggs, cooked until firm, and an equal bulk of sardines, each rubbed to a paste. mix thoroughly, and season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. prepare some bread in the blazer as for anchovy toast; then spread with the sardine mixture and serve at once. =curried sardines.= mix together one teaspoonful, each, of sugar and curry powder and a saltspoonful of salt. put these into the blazer with one cup of cream and half a teaspoonful of lemon juice. stir until the mixture is hot, then put into it ten or twelve sardines. in the mean time, heat some butter or oil in a second blazer, and in it sauté some bits of bread a little larger than the sardines, and round slices of tart apple. serve each sardine on a bit of bread; pour a little of the sauce over the top and garnish with a round of apple. the slices of apple will keep their shape, if the apples be cored and then cut into rounds without paring. =sardines.= (_french fashion._) remove the skins and tails from about a dozen sardines and heat them in the oven. heat some butter or oil in the blazer of one chafing-dish, and in it sauté some bits of bread of suitable shape to serve under the sardines. put in the blazer of another chafing-dish, over hot water, the well-beaten yolks of four eggs, one teaspoonful, each, of tarragon vinegar, cider vinegar and made mustard, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and one tablespoonful of butter. stir the sauce until it is quite thick, then serve the sardines on the bread with the sauce poured over them. olives are agreeable with this dish. [illustration: butter balls, with utensils for chafing-dish.] [illustration: moulded halibut with creamed peas.] =moulded halibut with creamed peas.= two chafing-dishes will be requisite for preparing this delicious luncheon dish. have ready one pound of raw halibut chopped very fine; beat the yolk of an egg, add to it one teaspoonful and a fourth of salt, one-fourth a teaspoonful of white pepper and a few grains of cayenne or paprica. blend a teaspoonful of cornstarch with a little milk; then add milk to make two-thirds a cup, stir gradually into the egg and seasonings, and then very slowly into the fish. lastly, fold into the mixture one-third a cup of thick cream, beaten until stiff. butter dariole moulds thoroughly, arrange a circle of cooked peas around the bottom of each mould, and fill with the fish preparation two-thirds full. set into the blazer, surrounded with boiling water; after the water is again boiling, turn down the flame so that the water will barely quiver, and let cook about twenty minutes. prepare, in the mean time, in the second blazer, creamed peas. turn the fish from the moulds and surround with the =creamed peas.= have ready one can of peas, drained, rinsed, covered with boiling water and drained again. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter; add one tablespoonful of flour with one teaspoonful of sugar and half a teaspoonful of salt; add the peas and one-third a cup of milk, stir, and let cook until the liquid begins to bubble. =purée of fish.= scald one quart of milk, with half an onion and a stalk of celery; strain into a pitcher and keep hot if convenient. add to the remnants of cold boiled white fish enough canned salmon to make two cups; chop fine and rub through a purée sieve. cook together in the blazer two tablespoonfuls of butter, three of flour, one teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. add the milk gradually, and, when all is added and the contents of the blazer are boiling, put a few spoonfuls of the sauce into the fish and beat until smooth; add more sauce, and, when well diluted and smooth, turn the whole into the blazer. stir, and let cook until very hot; then serve with crackers, split, buttered, and browned in the oven. these proportions give three pints of soup. vegetable purées may be prepared in the same way. =salt codfish with tomato sauce.= sauté one clove of garlic and half an onion, grated or chopped fine, in three tablespoonfuls of butter; add two tablespoonfuls of flour, one-fourth a teaspoonful of paprica and one pimento, chopped fine; also, add one cup of tomato pulp, and, when the sauce boils, half a pound of "hatcheled" codfish, or any salt codfish picked into small pieces and freshened in one quart of cold water. serve, while hot, with brownbread sandwiches, and pickles or pim-olas. =salt codfish in cream sauce.= pick enough salt codfish into bits to make one cup. let stand in cold water about half an hour. make one cup of cream sauce, using one tablespoonful and a half of flour, two tablespoonfuls of butter and one cup of cream; remove all the water from the fish by wringing in a cheese-cloth, add the fish to the sauce, and, when heated, stir in a lightly beaten egg. serve upon rounds of toast, with olives, or plain lettuce, or tomato salad. =réchauffé of fish.= ingredients. cup of cooked fish, flaked. cup of macaroni, cooked, and still hot. / a cup of butter. cup of tomato purée. / a teaspoonful of salt. dash of pepper. drops of tobasco sauce. _method._--melt the butter in the blazer and toss about in it the macaroni and fish; add the seasonings and the tomato purée, which should be well reduced. serve when thoroughly heated. =réchauffé of fish, no. .= ingredients. pint of cooked fish, flaked and seasoned. / a cup of butter. / a cup of flour. cup of fish stock. cup of cream and milk combined. / a teaspoonful of salt, if needed. teaspoonful of anchovy paste. / a teaspoonful of paprica. tablespoonfuls of oil. tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. tablespoonful of chopped parsley. _method._--marinate the fish while hot with salt, pepper, oil and lemon juice, adding, also, a few drops of onion juice, if desired. at serving-time make a sauce of the butter, flour, salt, paprica, stock and cream; add the paste and the fish, and, when the fish is thoroughly heated, turn down the flame of the lamp or set the blazer into hot water. sprinkle with the parsley and serve. =sardines on toast.= melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in the blazer; add two tablespoonfuls of flour and a dash of paprica, and stir until smooth and browned a little; then add half a cup of stock and half a cup of sherry; stir until thickened, then let simmer a few minutes, and add nearly a cup of sardines, from which the bones and skin have been removed and the flesh separated into small pieces. let stand until very hot. cheese confections. you must eat no cheese . . . it breeds melancholy. --_b. jonson._ art thou come? why my cheese, my digestion! --_troilus and cressida._ cheese is probably the most popular article served from the chafing-dish. what possessor of a chafing-dish has not concocted a rarebit--and the best one ever made? were you ever present when the process of evolving a rarebit was in progress and half the guests were not disappointed in the seasoning? for perfection in this toothsome dish, mustard is demanded by some; by others the use of this biting condiment is considered a lapse in culinary taste. the consensus of opinion, however, is in favor of paprica; and, theoretically, mattieu williams considers bicarbonate of soda to be demanded, not for the sake of seasoning, but as an aid to digestion. as regards the digestibility of cheese, and, consequently, its adaptability to midnight suppers, opinions differ widely. dr. hoy, an excellent authority on diet, calls cheese a concentrated meat, a tissue builder,--but not itself a tissue, and so without waste elements,--a condensed, compact food product, and indigestible on account of its very compactness. still, when the caseine, or curd, is softened and broken up by the addition of liquid and gentle heat, it is rendered more digestible; and cheese so prepared may be for some, if taken with no other nitrogenous food, an acceptable and easily digested article of diet. =welsh rarebit.= ingredients. tablespoonful of butter. / a pound of cheese, cut fine or grated. / a teaspoonful of salt. a dash of paprica. / a cup of cream. the beaten yolks of eggs. _method._--melt the butter, add the cheese and seasonings, and stir until melted; then add the eggs, diluted with the cream, and stir until smooth and slightly thickened. _do not allow the mixture to boil_ at any time in the cooking; if necessary, cook over hot water. serve on thin crackers, hot shredded-wheat or granose biscuit, or on bread toasted on but one side, placing the rarebit on the untoasted side. =welsh rarebit, no. .= ingredients. tablespoonful of butter. / a teaspoonful of cornstarch. / a cup of thin cream. / a pound of mild cheese. / a teaspoonful of salt. / a saltspoonful of mustard. a few grains of cayenne. _method._--melt the butter; add to it the cream in which the cornstarch has been stirred. let cook two minutes, and add the cheese broken into bits. stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture perfectly smooth. add the salt, mustard and paprica, and serve at once as above. =welsh rarebit with ale.= ingredients. tablespoonful of butter. generous / a pound of soft american cheese, broken into bits. / a teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonful of mustard. a few grains of cayenne. / a cup of ale. egg. _method._--put the butter into the chafing-dish (using the bath); when melted, add the cheese and ale. mix the salt, mustard and cayenne, add the egg, and beat thoroughly. when the cheese is melted, add the egg mixture and let cook until it thickens. serve as before. =halibut rarebit.= marinate a cup of cooked halibut, flaked, with one tablespoonful of olive oil, a few drops of onion juice, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of paprica. make a sauce of two tablespoonfuls, each, of butter and flour, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and half a cup, each, of chicken stock and cream. add two-thirds a cup of grated cheese and the halibut. serve, as soon as the fish is hot and the cheese melted, on the untoasted side of bread toasted on one side. =oyster rarebit.= clean and remove the hard muscles from half a pint of oysters; parboil the oysters in the chafing-dish in their own liquor until their edges curl, then remove to a hot bowl. put one tablespoonful of butter, half a pound of cheese broken in small bits, one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of salt and mustard and a few grains of cayenne into the chafing-dish. while the cheese is melting, beat two eggs slightly, and add to them the oyster liquor; mix this gradually with the melted cheese, add the oysters, and turn at once over hot toast. =sardine rarebit.= melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add half a pound of fresh cheese, grated or broken into bits, and stir constantly while it melts; then add gradually the beaten yolk of an egg, diluted with two-thirds a cup of cream. stir until smooth and slightly thickened; season with a scant half a teaspoonful of paprica, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt and a few drops of tabasco sauce. have ready a box of sardines, drained, broiled carefully and laid on the untoasted side of bread toasted on one side; pour the rarebit over the sardines and serve at once. =golden buck.= prepare a rarebit in one chafing-dish; break some eggs into the blazer of another containing salted water just "off the boil." when the eggs are poached and the rarebit ready, place an egg above the rarebit on each slice of toast. =yorkshire rarebit.= add two slices of broiled or fried bacon to each service of golden buck. =mock-crab toast.= melt a tablespoonful of butter in the blazer, turning it about so as to butter the surface thoroughly. put in half a pound of mild cheese, grated, and stir until the cheese is melted; then add the yolks of three eggs, beaten and diluted with a tablespoonful of anchovy sauce, a teaspoonful of made mustard, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice or vinegar and one-fourth a teaspoonful of paprica. stir until smooth. serve upon the untoasted side of sippets of bread toasted on one side. =cheese fondue.= ingredients. / a pound of cheese broken into bits. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonful of flour. saltspoonful, each, of soda and mustard. / a cup of milk. a few grains of cayenne or paprica. / a cup of stale bread crumbs. eggs. _method._--sift the soda, mustard and cayenne into the flour and cook in the butter until frothy, then add the milk gradually; when the sauce boils, after all the milk has been added, put the blazer into the bath, add the crumbs and cheese, and cook and stir until the cheese is melted and the mixture becomes smooth; add the eggs, beaten until light, and serve at once. [illustration: yorkshire rarebit.] [illustration: curried eggs. (see page )] =english monkey.= ingredients. cup of milk. egg. tablespoonful of butter. cup of fine bread crumbs from the centre of a stale loaf. / to whole cup of cheese. _method._--melt the butter, add the cheese, and stir while melting; then add the bread crumbs, which have been soaked in the milk and the egg lightly beaten. eggs. new-laid eggs, with baucis' busy care turned by a gentle fire, and roasted rare. --_dryden._ =scrambled eggs with cheese.= beat six eggs until whites and yolks are well mixed; add half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of paprica and six tablespoonfuls of milk or cream. melt two tablespoonsful of butter in the blazer, pour in the egg mixture, and stir and scrape from the blazer as it thickens. just before it comes to the proper consistency, sprinkle in half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, still stirring as before, and turn down the flame or set the blazer into the bath. american dairy cheese may be used instead of the parmesan. =scrambled eggs with smoked salmon.= cook half a cup of smoked salmon, cut into thin strips, in a tablespoonful of butter three or four minutes; then add to the eggs just before the cooking is finished. =scrambled eggs à la union club.= heat one can of pimentos (sweet red peppers) in boiling salted water; drain, and serve on rounds of buttered toast the pimentos filled with eggs scrambled with mushrooms or truffles. pour around the pimentos a pint of well-seasoned brown sauce, to which one-third a cup of madeira has been added. =scrambled eggs with dried beef.= cut half a pound of dried beef, sliced thin, into short match-like strips, cover with boiling water, drain at once, and add six eggs, beaten slightly, and one-fourth a cup of milk. put two tablespoonfuls of butter into the blazer; when hot add the eggs and other ingredients, and stir and cook until the eggs are set. =scrambled eggs with tomatoes.= have ready a pint of tomato pulp, from which the seeds have been removed, seasoned with onion, celery or parsley, and sweet herbs. put a generous tablespoonful of butter into the blazer; add the tomato, and, when hot, six eggs, slightly beaten, half a teaspoonful of salt and half a saltspoonful of pepper. stir until the contents are of a creamy consistency. serve with brownbread toast. =eggs and mushrooms à la dauphine.= ingredients. pint of thick tomato sauce, highly seasoned. pint of mushrooms. / a teaspoonful of salt. / a saltspoonful of pepper. eggs. _method._--cook the mushrooms in the tomato sauce until tender; add the seasoning and the eggs, which have been broken into a bowl. lift the whites carefully with a silver or wooden fork while cooking, until they are set; then prick the yolks and let them mix with the tomato, whites of the eggs and mushrooms. serve quite soft on toast. =scotch woodcock.= make a cup of white sauce; add one tablespoonful of essence of anchovies and five hard-boiled eggs cut into quarters lengthwise. =eggs à la italienne.= ingredients. eggs. cup of milk. / a cup of boiled spaghetti, chopped. tablespoonful of butter. / a cup of fresh mushrooms, sliced. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. scant teaspoonful of salt. white pepper. _method._--melt the butter in the blazer and sauté in it the sliced mushrooms; add the milk and spaghetti, and, when heated thoroughly, put the blazer in the bath and add the beaten eggs. stir and cook until the eggs have thickened; then add the parsley and seasoning, and serve at once. =eggs à la parisienne.= butter thickly the inner sides of as many dariole moulds as there are individuals to serve. then sprinkle them thickly with fine-chopped parsley, ham or tongue. break an egg into each mould, taking care not to break the yolk; sprinkle over the tops a little salt and pepper, and set in the blazer surrounded by hot water to two-thirds the height of the moulds. if, after a time, the water boils, even with the lamp turned low, put the blazer into the bath and continue cooking, until the eggs are set. the eggs should be covered while cooking. when cooked, turn from the moulds and serve with a purée of tomatoes. half a cup of sliced mushrooms added to the purée improves this dish. =curried eggs.= (see cut facing page .) ingredients. eggs, cooked, in water just below the boiling-point, minutes. / a cup of stock (fish, veal or chicken). / a cup of milk. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour, or teaspoonful of cornstarch. / a teaspoonful of curry-powder. slice of onion. teaspoonful of lemon juice. salt and pepper to taste. _method._--cook the onion in the butter a few minutes, then remove it and add the flour and curry powder; when frothy add the milk and stock. as soon as the boiling-point is reached, set the blazer into the hot-water pan and add the eggs cut in quarters. season with salt and serve on sippets of toast. light meats, fish, oysters and lobsters may be prepared in the same way, omitting the half-cup of milk in the case of oysters. chickens' livers may also be prepared by the same recipe, in which case the livers should have been cooked previously. or they may be sautéd in a little hot butter in one dish, while the sauce is made in another. =shirred eggs.= butter four or five shirring-dishes. to half a cup of grated bread crumbs and half a cup of chopped chicken or ham add enough cream to mix to a smooth, moist consistency, like butter. season to taste with salt and pepper. put a tablespoonful of the mixture into each dish, break in an egg, season with a dash of salt and pepper, cover with more of the mixture, and cook in the same manner as eggs à la parisienne. serve in the cups. =eggs.= (_creole style._) have prepared on a hot serving-dish a can of tomatoes, stewed until they are reduced to a scant pint, and upon the tomatoes rounds of buttered toast for each egg to be served. break some eggs, one by one, into a cup, and turn them into the blazer two-thirds filled with hot water; turn the flame low and put on the chafing-dish cover; if the water boils, turn down the flame. when the eggs are nicely poached, remove with a skimmer to the toast. pour out the water and melt in the blazer, browning if desired, two tablespoonfuls of butter; add one tablespoonful of lemon juice; heat to the boiling-point, dust the eggs with salt and pepper, pour over the sauce, and serve. =egg canapés.= have ready, cooked beforehand, four hard-boiled eggs; cut them carefully into halves lengthwise, remove the yolks, and press them through a small sieve. soak two anchovies, then dry and remove the bones and chop them with two or three cold cooked mushrooms and half a teaspoonful of capers; mix in the sifted yolks, add a seasoning of salt, pepper and paprica, and one teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar. this work may be done some hours before the time of serving. have a little oil or clarified butter in the blazer, and sauté in it some rounds of bread--one for each half of an egg. when the bread is of good color on one side, turn it and place half an egg--the space from which the yolk was taken being filled with the anchovy mixture--on the bread; cover the blazer, and, when the second side of the bread is browned nicely and the egg hot, serve at once. =eggs with asparagus.= ingredients. cup of asparagus peas. cup of asparagus liquor. tablespoonfuls of butter. tablespoonfuls of flour. / a teaspoonful of salt. paprica. or eggs. _method._--cut the asparagus in pieces of the size of a pea and cook until tender. in cooking, reserve the tips until the other pieces are partially cooked, or, being more tender, they will become broken while the others are still uncooked. make a sauce of the butter, flour, salt, paprica, and water in which the asparagus was cooked, or use half a cup of cream in the place of part of the asparagus liquor. when the sauce boils, add the asparagus and mix lightly with the sauce; break the eggs, one after another, into a cup and slide them carefully on to the top of the asparagus. season with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, and, if desired, a grating of nutmeg. set the blazer into the bath and put on the cover. when the eggs are nicely poached, remove the eggs, with the asparagus below, on to rounds of toasted and buttered bread. =eggs with spinach.= prepare in the same manner, using for one cup of chopped spinach one-third the quantity of sauce given above. if convenient, the eggs may be poached in a second dish, and in milk, water or stock. =eggs.= (_italian style._) cut six cold, hard-boiled eggs into eighths lengthwise; add these, with a cup of cooked macaroni and half a cup of grated parmesan cheese, to two cups of white sauce, at the boiling-point, in the blazer. set over hot water, add a teaspoonful of onion juice, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, salt and anchovy essence to taste, and serve very hot. dishes largely vegetarian. although the cheer be poor, 'twill fill your stomachs. --_titus andronicus._ =macaroni à la italienne.= have ready one-fourth a pound of macaroni, cooked until tender, but not broken, in boiling salted water, and then drained, and rinsed in cold water. make a sauce of two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of salt and paprica, half a cup of well-seasoned stock and half a cup of well-reduced tomato pulp. add the drained macaroni and stir occasionally, while it becomes thoroughly heated, then add one-fourth a cup of grated parmesan cheese. lift the macaroni with a fork and spoon so as to mix thoroughly with the cheese, and serve at once. strain the tomatoes through a sieve sufficiently fine to keep back the seeds, and cook the pulp, very slowly, until reduced to at least half its bulk. a more hearty dish may be served by adding, just before the cheese, three-fourths a cup of cold tongue cut in thin slices and then stamped into small fanciful shapes with a french cutter; or the tongue may be cut simply in small cubes. =asparagus peas.= scrape the scales from the stalks of asparagus and cut the tender portions into pieces one-fourth an inch long. cook in boiling salted water until tender; drain, and keep the peas hot. for three cups of peas make one cup of drawn-butter sauce, using as liquid the water in which the asparagus was cooked, or white stock. add the peas to the sauce; beat the yolks of two eggs, add half a cup of cream, and stir into the sauce and peas; add, also, one tablespoonful of butter. serve on croutons of fried bread, or in cases made of shredded-wheat biscuit. =fresh mushrooms and sweetbreads.= soak one pair of sweetbreads in cold water; cover with boiling salted water and let boil three minutes, then simmer twenty minutes; cool, and cut in small cubes. sauté in two tablespoonfuls of hot butter sufficient mushroom caps, peeled and broken into pieces, to make with the sweetbreads two cups and a half. make a sauce in the blazer, using one-fourth a cup, each, of butter and flour, one cup of chicken stock and half a cup of cream; add the sweetbreads and mushrooms, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, and, if desired, the yolks of two eggs, beaten and diluted with one-fourth a cup of cream or sherry. serve on toast, in patty cases, or in cases of shredded-wheat biscuit. =mushroom cromeskies.= (see cut facing page .) peel the caps of fresh mushrooms; wrap each mushroom in a slice of bacon, pinning the bacon around the mushroom with a wooden toothpick. sauté in a hot blazer and serve on toast. these are particularly good, cooked in a hot oven in a double broiler resting over a baking-pan. =creamed mushrooms.= wipe carefully half a pound of mushrooms; peel the caps and break them in pieces. reserve the stems for another dish. melt three tablespoonfuls of butter in the blazer and in it sauté the mushrooms; dust with salt and pepper, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, and, when cooked in the butter, one cup of cream, gradually; stir until the sauce boils, let simmer a few minutes, then serve with toast or crackers. =artichokes à la bordelaise.= (mrs. e. m. lucas.) put one-fourth a cup of butter and half a cup of sifted bread crumbs into the blazer and light the lamp; when the crumbs are well moistened with the butter, add a teaspoonful of fine-minced parsley, one pint of cooked artichokes cut into small cubes, half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of cayenne and half a pint of rich, sweet cream. let boil up once and put out the flame; add a teaspoonful of lemon juice and half a teaspoonful of the grated rind of a lemon (or omit the grated rind); stir well and serve at once. =puff-balls sautéd.= heat three tablespoonfuls of butter or oil in the blazer. cut the puff-balls in slices half an inch in thickness, season with salt and pepper, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and sauté in the blazer to a golden brown. =mushrooms and macaroni.= (_italian style._) put one tablespoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of lemon juice into the blazer; add a dozen peeled mushrooms, broken into pieces and blanched, and cook slowly, covered, five or six minutes. then add one cup and one-fourth of milk, and, when scalded, stir in two tablespoonfuls, each, of butter and flour, creamed together. when the sauce boils, add one-fourth a pound of macaroni, cooked and blanched in the usual manner; heat over hot water, and, just before serving, add one-fourth a cup of grated cheese. =canned peas with egg.= rinse, drain, and rinse again in boiling water one can of peas. add two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. beat the yolk of an egg, dilute with four tablespoonfuls of cream, and stir into the peas. serve as soon as the egg thickens slightly. [illustration: mushroom cromeskies. (_ready for cooking._) (see page )] [illustration: prune toast. (see page )] =curried vegetables.= make a sauce of one-fourth a cup, each, of butter and flour, one tablespoonful of curry powder, half a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and a pint of milk; add half a teaspoonful of onion juice, one cup of cooked peas, half a cup, each, of potato balls, turnips cut into cubes or fanciful shapes, and carrots cut into straws. =potatoes à la maître d'hôtel.= ingredients. pint of potato balls, cut with french cutter, and cooked tender, may be used either hot or cold. cup of milk. tablespoonfuls of butter. yolks of eggs. tablespoonful of lemon juice. tablespoonful of parsley, finely chopped. / a teaspoonful of salt. a dash of pepper. _method._--heat the milk and potatoes in the blazer over hot water. cream the butter and add the yolks of the eggs, beating them in well; add the parsley and seasonings, mix thoroughly, and, when the potatoes are hot and have absorbed part of the milk, stir the egg and butter into them; add the lemon juice and serve at once. =white hashed potatoes.= butter the blazer and put into it about three cups of cold chopped potato, salted during the chopping. pour over the potato a little hot stock, or water, and scatter some bits of butter over the top. cover, and cook slowly, without stirring or browning, until thoroughly heated. =string beans à la lyonnaise.= melt three tablespoonfuls of butter in the blazer; add a fine-sliced onion and sauté to a delicate brown; add a quart of string beans, cooked, a dash of pepper, a grating of nutmeg and a little salt; heat thoroughly, tossing the beans occasionally; add a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of lemon juice and another tablespoonful of butter, in bits, and serve at once. =tomato sandwich.= ingredients. shredded-wheat biscuit. medium-sized tomatoes. / a teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of sugar, or teaspoonfuls of mayonnaise dressing. _method._--peel the tomatoes, cut in small pieces, add the salt, and sugar, if used, and set aside in a cool place. split the biscuits, dip the inside lightly into cold water without wetting the outside, put the halves together, and arrange in a buttered blazer; cover, and heat over hot water; then separate the halves, and, using a knife dipped in hot water, spread with butter. put a layer of tomatoes on the bottom half, if sugar has not been used, add the salad dressing, and cover with the top of the biscuit, pressing it down lightly. =kornlet oysters.= to one cup of kornlet add two well-beaten eggs, two tablespoonfuls of flour, a scant half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of paprica. drop, by spoonfuls, into a hot, well-oiled blazer and cook to a golden brown, turn, and brown the other side. =kornlet oysters, no. .= to one can of kornlet add a teaspoonful of soda, two well-beaten eggs, salt and pepper, and enough fine cracker crumbs to hold the mixture together. drop from a spoon and cook as above. rÉchauffÉs and olla-podrida "take heed of enemies reconciled and meats twice cooked." =suggestions concerning réchauffés.= many of the dishes prepared in the chafing-dish are réchauffés of cold cooked meats, including game and fish. the composition of such dishes is called "the flower of cookery": but it is well to remember that we are dealing with a class of foods that are more digestible when cooked rare; also, that in these cases digestibility decreases in proportion to the length of time, as well as the number of times, the article has been cooked. the meat or fish composing such dishes should not come into direct contact with the source of heat; after being freed from skin, bone and fat, they should simply be heated in a hot sauce over hot water. =corned-beef hash.= (_spanish style._) chop together very fine the corned beef and potatoes and a half or a whole green pepper, after having removed the seeds and veins; put two tablespoonfuls of butter into the blazer (over hot water), add the chopped ingredients, and season to suit the taste, adding a little stock or milk to moisten; mix thoroughly, then cover, and stir occasionally until heated through. put a few bits of butter here and there over the top, and serve when melted. use an equal quantity of meat and potato, or twice as much potato as meat. serve with olives, pickles or a light vegetable salad. =mock terrapin.= have ready cooked half a calf's liver (it may be boiled or braised with vegetables). cut it into small cubes. put one-fourth a cup of butter into the blazer; when colored a little add the cubes of liver dredged with two tablespoonfuls of flour, one-fourth a teaspoonful of paprica and half a teaspoonful of salt. stir and cook until the flour is blended with the butter; then add one cup of water or stock and one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. as soon as the sauce boils, add one-fourth a cup of cream, two hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, and one teaspoonful of lemon juice. serve on toast, with quarters of lemon cut lengthwise. _note._--cream may be used in the place of stock, and the yolks of two uncooked eggs instead of the cooked eggs. =spaghetti.= (_queen style._) cut cold cooked chicken or turkey and cooked tongue (enough to make one cup of meat) in dice; cut into inch-length pieces cooked spaghetti enough to make one cup. put one cup and a half of thin cream into the blazer over hot water, and, when hot, add the meat and spaghetti. beat the yolks of two eggs, add two tablespoonfuls of cream, and stir into the hot mixture; add, also, half a teaspoonful (scant) of salt and a dash of paprica. stir constantly until the mixture thickens slightly, then serve at once with toast or crackers. =scrambled ham and eggs.= put a tablespoonful of butter in the blazer. break six eggs into a bowl, add six tablespoonfuls of water, and beat until you can take up a spoonful. add about a cup of fine-chopped ham and mix well. pour into the blazer, and cook until creamy, stirring constantly. =chicken klopps with bechamel sauce.= ingredients. cups of cold chicken, chopped. / a teaspoonful of celery pepper. teaspoonful of chopped parsley. the unbeaten whites of eggs. teaspoonful of salt. _method._--when ready to cook, mix the ingredients together thoroughly and form into round balls. place the balls carefully in water _just off the boil_, and, in about five minutes, or as soon as the egg seems poached, remove the klopps with a skimmer. serve with =bechamel sauce.= ingredients. / a cup of butter. / a cup of flour. cup of cream. cup of chicken stock. / a teaspoonful of salt. a dash of paprica. the beaten yolks of or eggs. _method._--make the sauce in the usual manner, but _do not let it boil after the yolks of the eggs are added_. =minced ham à la poulette.= to each cup of fine-chopped ham add one tablespoonful of fine bread crumbs, softened with cream or milk. season with salt and pepper. heat thoroughly and spread on rounds of moist buttered toast. place a poached _egg_ on each slice. use two dishes. =epicurean canapés.= heat a little butter in the blazer; sauté in it some narrow strips of bread and spread them thickly with the mixture used for epicurean sandwiches. press a pitted olive in the centre of each and serve at once. =aberdeen sandwiches.= heat one-fourth a cup of chopped cold tongue or ham, and half a cup of chopped veal or chicken, with half a cup of good sauce and two tablespoonfuls of curry paste (curry powder mixed with just enough water to form a paste). let the mixture simmer five minutes, stirring constantly; then set aside to become cool. have some bits of bread prepared as for sandwiches. heat some clarified butter in the blazer, and in it sauté the bread a delicate brown, and drain on soft paper. spread with the cold mixture, press two pieces together, and heat over hot water five or ten minutes. serve hot. =calf's head en tortue.= peel a dozen mushrooms; break the caps in pieces and chop the stems very fine. sauté in three tablespoonfuls of butter, adding, if desired, half an onion cut fine. sprinkle in one-fourth a cup of flour, half a teaspoonful, each, of salt and paprica, and, when the ingredients are well blended, add gradually one cup and a half of stock and one-fourth a cup of tomato juice. let simmer a few moments, after the sauce boils; then add one pint of meat from a calf's head, cooked and cut in cubes. =woodcock toast.= pound to a paste the freshly boiled livers of two fowls (ducks preferred), one teaspoonful of anchovy paste (or one anchovy may be pounded with the livers), half a teaspoonful of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter, one-fourth a teaspoonful of spiced pepper and the yolks of two raw eggs. pass through a sieve, dilute with a little hot cream from a cup of cream heated over hot water, stir, and return to the rest of the cream. stir until thickened, then pour over sippets or rounds of toast sautéd a golden brown in a little butter. =scotch woodcock.= beat thoroughly three eggs and three teaspoonfuls of anchovy paste. put this into the chafing-dish over hot water with three-fourths a cup of milk and stir until thick. spread sippets of toast with butter and then with anchovy paste, and turn the woodcock upon them. =calves' brains and mushrooms à la poulette.= sauté a clove of garlic, cut fine, in two tablespoonfuls of butter; add half a pound of mushrooms, peeled and broken in pieces, one-fourth a cup of flour, and sauté until well browned. then add one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of mace and paprica, half a teaspoonful of salt and one cup and a half of stock, and cook five or six minutes. then add the yolks of two eggs, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one tablespoonful of chopped parsley and three calves' brains, cooked, and cut in dice. serve in timbale cases, or upon croustades of bread. =beef tea in chafing-dish.= cut juicy round steak into pieces about two inches square. heat the blazer very hot; heat also a wooden lemon-squeezer in hot water or in any way that is most convenient. put the meat into the hot blazer, turn again and again with a fork, keeping the blazer very hot. when the bits of meat are heated throughout, squeeze them, one by one, with the lemon-squeezer, into a _hot_ bowl. season with salt and serve at once. =salmi of duck or game.= ingredients. pieces of game. / a cup, each, of butter and flour. tablespoonful, each, of carrot and onion slices. cups of rich brown stock, highly seasoned. / a cup of madeira. cup of peas or flageolets, cooked. _method._--cook the butter, onion and carrot in the blazer until well browned. skim out the onion and carrot and add the flour, pepper and salt. add the stock. as soon as the sauce is cooked, add the madeira, the pieces of game, and the peas or flageolets. serve as soon as the meat is hot. =salmi of duck, no. .= ingredients. pint of thin slices of duck. tablespoonfuls, each, of butter and flour. pint of brown stock. tablespoonful of catsup. or drops of onion juice. teaspoonful of lemon juice. mushrooms, cut in pieces. tablespoonful of currant jelly. salt and pepper to taste. _method._--brown the butter and make a sauce with the flour, seasoning and stock. add the duck and mushrooms, simmer twenty minutes, add the currant jelly, and garnish with croutons. =sweetbreads sautéd.= split parboiled sweetbreads into two pieces. wipe dry, sprinkle with salt, pepper and flour; or season with salt and pepper, and egg-and-bread-crumb them. sauté in the blazer in hot olive oil, or butter, until nicely browned on both sides. serve with french peas or tomato sauce. =chicken with mushrooms.= melt one-fourth a cup of butter in the blazer; add six mushroom caps, peeled and sliced, and cook slowly, with a teaspoonful of grated onion, about six minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of flour, stir until smooth, then add one cup of cream, stock or milk, pepper and salt, and a few grains of mace. when the sauce boils, stir in one pint of chicken, finely chopped, and serve as soon as hot. sweetbreads, lamb or veal may be served in the same manner. =chopped beef.= chop half a pound of raw beef, from the tender part of the round, very fine. rub the bottom of the hot blazer with butter, put in the meat with one teaspoonful of grated onion, stir, and cook four or five minutes; add two tablespoonfuls of butter, salt and pepper, and serve at once. this is good with bread, but better with baked potatoes. a pound of beef may be cooked at one time in a chafing-dish of good size, and the grated onion increased to suit the taste. the juice, of which there will be a large quantity, may be thickened with flour and butter creamed together; but it is better unthickened. =chicken timbales.= pass the breast of a raw chicken through a meat-chopper five or six times; beat in, one at a time, the whites of two small eggs (the whites of the eggs are _not_ to be previously beaten), then beat in very gradually one cup of thick cream. season with half a teaspoonful of salt and one-fourth a teaspoonful of white pepper. turn the mixture into buttered moulds, set them in the blazer, and cook, surrounded with hot water to two-thirds their height and covered, about twenty minutes. the water should not boil; if, with the flame turned low, it still boils, set the blazer into the bath, in which the water may boil vigorously without harm to the timbales. serve with =bechamel sauce.= melt two tablespoonfuls of butter, add two tablespoonfuls of flour, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper and half a cup, each, of chicken stock and cream; add the beaten yolk of one egg and let stand over hot water five minutes. or, =mushroom sauce.= make as above, substituting one-fourth a cup of mushroom liquor for a part of the chicken stock, and adding with the egg half a can of mushrooms, or a cup of fresh mushrooms sautéd in two tablespoonfuls of butter. =supreme of chicken.= chop fine the breast of a raw chicken. beat one egg, add the chicken, and continue beating until smooth; then add three eggs, one at a time, beating each egg in thoroughly. add a generous teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of white pepper, a dash of black pepper and one pint of cream. butter twelve small moulds and ornament them with truffles. fill with the chicken mixture, cover with buttered paper, and steam twenty minutes. or, put in a pan of boiling water and cook in a moderate oven till the centres are firm. serve with mushroom or bechamel sauce. these can be cooked and left in the moulds and then reheated. it will take about fifteen minutes to reheat. =egg timbales.= beat six eggs without separating, add a scant teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, a teaspoonful of chopped parsley, twenty drops of onion juice and one cup and a half of rich milk. stir till well mixed. butter small-sized timbale moulds and fill two-thirds full with the mixture. place moulds in the blazer, pour boiling water about them three-fourths to the tops of the moulds, and let cook about twenty minutes, or till the centres are firm; turn out of the moulds on to a warm platter, and pour about them a thin bread sauce. =bread sauce.= to one pint of milk add half a cup of fine, stale bread crumbs, a small onion with six cloves stuck in it, half a teaspoonful of salt and a few grains of cayenne. cook in the double boiler for about an hour; stir occasionally. remove the onion, beat well, and add one tablespoonful of butter. put one tablespoonful of butter over the fire in a small saucepan; when hot add two-thirds a cup of rather coarse bread crumbs; stir over a hot fire till they are brown and crisp. sprinkle over the timbales and sauce. add a sprig of parsley to the top of each timbale. =pan-broiling.= chops, birds, venison, hamburg, sirloin and other steaks, even spring chickens, may be cooked successfully in the chafing-dish; but they are not the dishes upon which an amateur should begin his experiments. heat the blazer very hot, brush over the surface with a brush dipped in olive oil (or use a butter-ball and a fork), lay in the article to be cooked, sear upon one side, turn and sear upon the other; repeat, turning and cooking until done to taste; five minutes will suffice for small lamb chops. serve with =maître d'hôtel butter.= beat four tablespoonfuls of butter to a cream; add half a teaspoonful of salt and a few grains of pepper, also one tablespoonful of parsley, chopped very fine, and one tablespoonful of lemon juice, very slowly. =fillets of beef, mushroom sauce.= have half a dozen slices cut crosswise from a neatly trimmed fillet of beef. the slices may be cut of any thickness desired, but from half to three-fourths an inch is preferable for chafing-dish cookery. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter in a hot blazer; lay in the meat, and cook four or five minutes, turning every ten seconds. the heat should be well maintained throughout the cooking. season with salt when half cooked. in another blazer make a cup of brown sauce; brown two tablespoonfuls of butter, add four tablespoonfuls of flour, and, when this is well browned, add half a cup of very rich brown stock and half a cup of liquid from the mushroom can. season to taste with kitchen bouquet, salt, and a few drops of tabasco sauce, then add half a bottle of mushrooms, cut in halves. serve as soon as the mushrooms are hot. =fillets of lamb, cherry sauce.= for the fillets use either the fillet from the loin or the top of a "best end of a loin" boned. cut the meat in slices or rounds, and sauté in hot butter in the blazer. season with salt and pepper and pour into the blazer half a cup of maraschino cherries with half a cup of the liquid from the bottle. candied cherries that have stood half an hour in half a cup of boiling water, on the back of the range, and then mixed with half a cup of sherry wine, may be used in place of the maraschino cherries. this sauce may also be used with fillets of beef or young turkey. =ham timbales.= ingredients. - / cups of milk or thin cream. cup of cold, cooked ham, chopped fine. / a cup of fine bread crumbs. the yolks of "hard-boiled" eggs. two raw eggs. a few drops of tabasco sauce. / a teaspoonful of salt. take the bread crumbs from the centre of a stale loaf. pass the cooked yolks of eggs through a sieve. add the ham, crumbs, yolks, salt and tabasco to the raw eggs beaten and mixed with the milk. when thoroughly mixed turn into timbale moulds very carefully buttered. fit papers into the bottoms of the moulds before buttering. set these in the blazer, surround with hot water, letting it come half way to the top of the moulds. heat the water to the boiling-point, then set the blazer into the hot-water pan partly filled with boiling water, cover and cook until the mixture is firm in the centre. serve, turned from the moulds, with cream or tomato sauce, flavored with onion, or with peas heated in a cream sauce. =fillets of chicken.= (_chafing-dish style._) remove the breast from a plump and tender chicken and separate from the bone and skin. detach the small fillets, then cut each side into two or three lengthwise slices the size of the small fillets. keep covered closely until ready to cook. heat the blazer very hot, butter slightly, and in it lay the fillets and sprinkle with the juice of half a lemon, salt and white pepper; add, also, one-third a cup of chicken stock and a tablespoonful of sherry. cover and let cook about ten minutes. in the meantime prepare a sauce in a second chafing-dish, using two tablespoonfuls, each, of butter and flour, a dash of salt and pepper, and one cup of stock, in making which a small piece of ham or bacon was used. add also a tablespoonful of mushroom or tomato catsup and a tablespoonful of sherry wine. =mutton réchauffé.= (_creole style._) melt three tablespoonfuls of butter in the blazer and sauté in this a tablespoonful, each, of green pepper and onion, chopped fine; add three tablespoonfuls of flour and half a teaspoonful of salt, and stir and cook until frothy; then add, gradually, one cup of brown stock and half a cup of tomato purée (cooked tomato strained). let boil two or three minutes, then set over hot water and stir in one cup of cold roast mutton cut in strips or cubes, and half a cup of cooked macaroni, blanched and drained. two or three mushrooms or a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup improves this dish. =baba or wine cake.= this cake may be made some days in advance, and when wished reheated in a sauce made in the chafing-dish. baba is baked in a large mould and cut in slices, or in individual cylindrical or baba moulds. =baba.= ingredients. lb. of flour. cake of compressed yeast. / a cup of water. oz. of butter ( - / cups). / a teaspoonful of salt. / a cup of sugar. eggs. / a cup of currants, sultanas or sliced citron. make a sponge of the yeast, softened in the water, and flour to knead. knead the little ball of dough until elastic, and put into a small saucepan of lukewarm water. meanwhile add the butter, sugar, salt and three of the eggs to the rest of the flour, and beat with the hand until all are evenly blended; then add the rest of the eggs, one after another. when the ball of dough rises to the top of the water and is light, remove from the water with a skimmer and beat it into the egg paste; beat for some minutes, then beat in the fruit. turn the mixture into the mould or moulds, leaving room for the cake to double in bulk. let rise in a temperature of ° f. when nearly doubled in bulk, bake from twenty to fifty minutes. =sauce for baba.= let two cups of sugar and one cup of water boil in the blazer about six minutes, then add one-fourth a cup, or more, of maraschino, rum or sherry wine. lay the baba, sliced or in individual forms, into the hot syrup and let stand a few minutes, basting the cake with the syrup. when hot, serve with or without whipped cream. half a cup of apricot or quince marmalade may be added with the wine. =fig toast.= (see cut facing page .) wash carefully and cook in boiling water half a pound of pulled figs until tender; add one fourth a cup of sugar and the grated rind and juice of half a lemon. cook until the syrup is well reduced. cut the crust from a thick slice of bread and sauté to a golden brown, first on one side, then on the other, in two tablespoonfuls of hot butter. drain the bread on soft paper; then heap the figs upon it, cover with two-thirds a cup of thick cream and a scant fourth a cup of sugar, beaten until stiff. serve at once. prunes, apricots, peaches, pears, or strawberry preserves, may be prepared in the same manner. if preserves be used, omit the sugar from the cream. sponge cake may be used in the place of bread. =pineapple sponge.= heat one pint of grated pineapple over hot water, sprinkle into it one-third a cup of fine tapioca (a quick-cooking kind), mixed with two-thirds a cup of sugar, and half a teaspoonful of salt; when the tapioca is transparent, add the juice of a lemon, and fold in the whites of two eggs, beaten until dry. serve with cream and sugar. =tapioca-and-banana sponge.= sprinkle half a cup of tapioca and two-thirds a cup of sugar into one pint of boiling water; add half a teaspoonful of salt and cook over hot water, stirring occasionally. when the tapioca is transparent, add the juice of two lemons, and fold in the whites of two eggs, beaten until dry. serve spread over sliced bananas, with cream and sugar, or with a cold boiled custard, previously made. this dish may be prepared with canned peaches, apricots or quinces, using the juice of the fruit instead of water. index. aberdeen sandwiches, aigrettes, cheese, almond-and-peach salad, almonds and walnuts, to blanch, anchovy salad, anchovy toast, " " with eggs, " " " spinach, anchovies with olives, apple,-celery-and-walnut salad, artichoke salad, " -and-tomato salad, artichokes à la bordelaise, asparagus with eggs, " peas, " salad, " salad, egg garnish, " -and-cauliflower salad, " " salmon salad, " tips in turnips, aspic jelly from bouillon capsules, etc., aspic jelly, chicken stock for, " " , consommé for, " " for garnishing, " " oysters in, " " recipe for, " " for sandwiches, , baba, baba, sauce for, bacon salad, bacon sauce, baking powder biscuit, balls, cheese, bamboo sprouts, shrimp-and-lettuce salad, banana-and-orange salad, banana-and-tapioca sponge, bar-le-duc-and-cheese sandwiches, bean, white, salad, bechamel sauce, , beef, chopped, " , fillets of, " hash, corned, " sandwiches, corned, beef tea in chafing-dish, beet-and-cream cheese sandwiches, beets and brussels sprouts, salad of, beets, stuffed, bernaise sauce, beverages with sandwiches, biscuit, baking powder, " , sandwich, bluefish salad, , boiled dressing for chicken salad, boiled salad dressing, boston brown bread, boudins-de-saumon salad, bread, boston brown, " , entire wheat, " , pulled, " , rice, " , wheat, two loaves of, " , for sandwiches, " , to give glossy crust, brook trout salad, " " " in aspic, cabbage and cauliflower, to clean, calf's head en tortue, canapés, egg, " , epicurean, " , oyster, cauliflower-and-asparagus salad, cauliflower salad, egg garnish, caviare sandwich rolls, celery, apple-and-nut salad, " -and-chestnut salad, celery-and-nut in border, celery-and-oyster salad, celery sandwiches, celery, to fringe, " , to keep, ceylon cocoa, chafing-dish appointments, chafing-dish recipes: aberdeen sandwiches, anchovy toast, " " with eggs, " " " spinach, anchovies with olives, artichokes à la bordelaise, asparagus peas, baba on wine cake, bechamel sauce, beef tea in chafing-dish, bread sauce, buttered lobster, calf's head en tortue, calves' brains and mushrooms, poulette, canned peas with egg, cheese fondue, chicken klopps with bechamel sauce, chicken timbales, chicken with mushrooms, chopped beef, chops, etc. pan broiled, clams à la newburgh, corned beef hash, crabs à la creole, creamed dishes, creamed mushrooms, creamed peas, curried eggs, curried oysters, curried " no. , curried sardines, curried vegetables, deviled dishes, deviled crabs, egg canapés, egg timbales, egg à la italienne, eggs à la parisienne, eggs, creole style, eggs, italian style, eggs and mushrooms à la dauphine, eggs with asparagus, " " spinach, english monkey, epicurean canapés, escalloped oysters, fig toast, fillets of beef, mushroom sauce, fillets of lamb, cherry sauce, fresh mushrooms and sweetbreads, fricassee of oysters, golden buck, halibut rarebit, ham timbales, hawaiian lobster curry, kornlet oysters, " " no. , lobster à la bechamel, lobster à la bordelaise, lobster à la newburgh, lobster à la poulette, macaroni à la italienne, maître d'hôtel butter, mock terrapin, minced ham à la poulette, moulded halibut with creamed peas, mushroom cromeskies, mushrooms and macaroni, mushroom sauce, mutton réchauffé, creole style, oyster canapés, oyster crabs, oyster crabs à la hollandaise, oyster cromeskies, oyster rarebit, oysters, oysters, no. , oysters à la d'uxelles, oysters sauté, panned oysters, " " maître d'hôtel, pineapple sponge, plain lobster, potatoes à la maître d'hôtel, puff balls, sautéd, purée of fish, réchauffé of fish, " " " no. , salmi of duck or game, salmi of duck no. , salt codfish in cream sauce, salt codfish with tomato sauce, sardine canapés, sardine rarebit, sardines, french fashion, sardines on toast, scotch woodcock, , scrambled eggs à la union club, scrambled eggs with cheese, scrambled eggs with dried beef, scrambled eggs with oysters, scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, scrambled ham and eggs, shirred eggs, shrimps à la poulette, shrimps with peas, spaghetti, queen style, string beans à la lyonnaise, supreme of chicken, sweetbreads, sautéd, tapioca and banana sponge, tomato sandwich, welsh rarebit, " " no. , " " with ale, white hashed potatoes, woodcock toast, yorkshire rarebit, chafing-dishes, past and present, chaud-froid sauce, white, cheese aigrettes, " d'artois, " balls, " -and-cowslip salad, " croquettes, " custard, " fondue, " fritters, " ramequins, " sandwiches with bar-le-duc, " sandwiches with beets, " " " nuts, " with scrambled eggs, " soufflé, " soufflés, iced, " straws, cheese with vegetable macedoine, cherry salad, cherry sauce, cherry,-strawberry-and-peach salad, chestnuts-and-celery salad, chestnuts, to shell and blanch, chicken, fillets of, " klopps, " and mushrooms, " rolls, " salad, " " , boiled dressing for, " " , french, " " with mushrooms, " " sandwiches, " -and-nut sandwiches, " stock for aspic jelly, " timbales, chiffonade salad, chocolate, plain, " , rich, " , spanish, chopped beef, chou paste, clams à la newburgh, claret cup, " dressing, " jelly, club sandwiches, cocoa, ceylon, " , plain, " , sultana, coffee, boiled, " , filtered, cole slaw, dressing for, consommé for aspic jelly, cooked vegetable salad, corned beef hash, " " sandwiches, country salad, cowslip-and-cheese salad, crab toast, mock, crabs à la creole, " " hollandaise, " deviled, " oyster, creamed dishes, " peas, " mushrooms, cream salad dressing, cress,-cucumber-and-tomato salad, cress-and-egg sandwiches, cress, to clean, cromeskies, mushroom, " , oyster, croquettes, cheese, cucumber salad, " " for fish, " " with shad roe, " " , stuffed, cupid's butter sandwiches, currant-and-cheese sandwiches, curry, hawaiian lobster, curried eggs, " oysters, " " no. , " sardines, " vegetables, custard, cheese, " , royal, for aspic, date-and-ginger sandwiches, d'artois, cheese, deviled dishes, dressing, boiled, " boiled, for chicken salad, " , claret, " , for cole slaw, " , cream salad, " , french, " , " in quantity, " , for fruit salad, " , horseradish, " , mayonnaise, " , composition, dressings, boiled and cream, dried beef with eggs, duck-and-olive salad, " " orange " , duck, salmi of, duck or game, salmi of, easter salad, egg canapés, egg and canned peas, egg lemonade, egg-and-cress sandwiches, egg-and-ham sandwiches, " " spinach sandwiches, " " " salad, eggs with anchovy toast, eggs with asparagus, " to boil for garnishing, eggs, creole style, " curried, " italienne, , " and mushrooms, dauphine, " parisienne, " scrambled with cheese, " scrambled with dried beef, " scrambled with oysters, " scrambled with smoked salmon, " scrambled with tomatoes, " scrambled à la union club, " with spinach, eggs, whites of, to poach, endive, to clean, endive salad, english monkey, entire wheat bread, epicurean canapés, " sandwiches, escalloped oysters, fig-and-nut salad, fig sandwiches, fig toast, fillets of beef, mushroom sauce, " " chicken, " " halibut with cole slaw, " " " " salad, " " lamb, cherry sauce, filling for sandwiches, filtered coffee, fish, purée of, " , réchauffé of, fish réchauffé, no. , fish salad in aspic, fish-and-mushroom salad, fish, salt cod in cream sauce, " " " " tomato " five-o'clock tea, flavoring, fondue, cheese, french dressing, recipes for, " " in quantity, french fruit sandwiches, fresh mushrooms and sweetbreads, fricassee of oysters, fritters, cheese, fruit jelly for sandwiches, fruit punch, " salad, , , " " , dressing for, " " , when to serve, fruit-and-nut salad, game, salmi of, gherkins, to cut for garnish, ginger and date sandwiches, gnochi à la romaine, golden buck, grapefruit salad, grapefruit, pineapple,-and-pimento salad, green butter sandwiches, green pea salad, " " -and-potato salad, halibut, fillets of, in aspic, " , moulded, and creamed peas, " rarebit, halibut salad, , " " for fish course, halibut-and-cucumber salad, halibut sandwiches with aspic, " and lettuce sandwiches, ham, minced, poulette style, ham salad, ham-and-egg sandwiches, " " eggs scrambled, ham-and-tongue sandwiches, ham timbales, harlequin sandwiches, hash, corned beef, herbs, how to chop, hollandaise sauce, , home-made soda-water, honey sandwiches, , how to blanch walnuts and almonds, " " " and cook vegetables, " " boil eggs hard, " " boil fish and meat, " " chop fresh herbs, " " clean lettuce, endive, cress, etc., " " cook sweetbreads and brains, " " cut radishes for a garnish, " " cut gherkins for a garnish, " " fringe celery, " " keep celery, cress, lettuce, etc., " " make nasturtium and tarragon vinegar, " " make royal custard, " " " sauces, " " pickle nasturtium seeds, " " poach whites of eggs, " " render vegetables crisp, " " shell and blanch chestnuts, " " shred romaine, etc., " " use garlic or onion in salads, hunter's sandwich, individual soufflés of cheese, ingredients for one cup of sauce, " " " pint of sauce, italian salad, jelly, aspic, from bouillon capsules, " , " , chicken stock for, " , " , to chop, " , " , consommé for, " , " for garnishing, " , " , oysters in, " , " , recipe for, " , " , for sandwiches, " , claret, for sandwiches, " , fruit, " " , " , mayonnaise, " , tomato, " , " with salad, , klopps, chicken, kornlet oysters, lamb, fillets of, lemonade, egg, lentil salad, lettuce, how to clean, " " shred, " salad, livournaise sauce, lobster à la bechamel, " " bordelaise, " buttered, " curry, hawaiian, " fingers, lobster mousseline salad, lobster à la newburgh, " plain, " à la poulette, lobster salad, " " no. , no. , " " in aspic, lobster in aspic sandwiches, lobster and mushroom sandwiches, macaroni à la italienne, macaroni and mushrooms, macedoine, cheese and vegetable, macedoine salad, mackerel salad, " salt, salad, maître d'hôtel butter, " " potatoes, marguerite salad, mayonnaise, curdled, " , jelly, " , making in quantity, " , recipe for, " , red, " , sardine, measuring, meat and fish, potted, meats, fresh, how to boil, " , salted, " " minced ham, poulette, miroton of fish and potato, mock crab toast, mock terrapin, mosaic sandwiches, moulded salmon salad, mousse de poulet salad, , mushroom cromeskies, mushroom salad with chicken medallions, " and fish salad, " " lobster sandwiches, " sauce, mushrooms and chicken, " creamed, " and eggs dauphine, " " sweetbreads, mutton réchauffé, nasturtium folds, nasturtium seeds, to pickle, nut,-apple-and-celery salad, nut-and-celery salad, nut-and-cheese sandwiches, nut-and-chicken " nut-and-fig salad, " " fruit " " , litchi,-and-orange salad, " -and-orange salad, oil, value of, onion and garlic, how to use, orange-and-banana salad, " " litchi nut salad, " " walnut salad, oyster canapés, " cromeskies, " rarebit, " -and-celery salad, " -and-sweetbread salad, oysters in aspic, oysters in chafing-dish, " creamed, " curried, , " deviled, " à la d'uxelles, " escalloped, " , fricassee of, " , kornlet, " , panned, " , " maître d'hôtel, " sauté, " with scrambled-eggs, pan-broiling, panned oysters, paste, chou, pastry bag and tubes, to decorated salads, pâté-de-foie-gras in aspic, " " " sandwiches, peach-and-almond salad, peach salad, peach,-strawberry-and-cherry salad, peanut sandwiches, , peas, creamed, " with egg, pineapple-and-pimento salad, pineapple sandwiches, pineapple sponge, plain chocolate, plain cocoa, potato salad, , " " , german style, " " with mayonnaise, " -and-nasturtium salad, potatoes, maître d'hôtel, " , white hashed, potted meats and fish, puff balls, sautéd, puff paste sandwiches, pulled bread, punch, fruit, " à la nantes, radishes, to cut for garnish, ramequins, cheese, rarebit, halibut, " , oyster, " , sardine, " , welsh, " , " no. , " , " with ale, " , yorkshire, réchauffé of fish, , " " mutton, réchauffés, concerning, rice bread, rich chocolate, rolls, salad, rolls, wedding sandwich, romaine, to shred, rose leaf sandwiches, royal custard for garnishing, russian salad, " vegetable salad, " sandwiches, salad dressing, boiled, salad dressing, cream, " dressings, use of, " , fruit, when to serve, " making, important points in, " rolls, salad: " anchovy, " apple,-celery-and-english-walnut, " artichoke, " asparagus, " asparagus and salmon, " asparagus and cauliflower, " bacon, " bluefish, " boudins-de-saumon, " brook trout, " brook trout in aspic, " brussels sprouts and beet, " cauliflower, " cauliflower, egg garnish, " celery-and-chestnut, " celery-and-nut, " cherry, " chicken, " chicken-and-fresh mushroom, " chicken, no. , " chicken, no. , " chiffonade, " combination, a few, " cooked vegetable salad, " country, " cowslip-and-cream cheese, " 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pâté de foie gras in aspic, " peach, " peach-and-almond, " peach,-strawberry-and-cherry, " potato, , " potato-and-nasturtium, " potato, german style, " potato with mayonnaise, " russian, " russian vegetable, " salmon, " salt mackerel, " sardine, " sardine, no. , " sardine-and-egg, " scallop, " shad-roe-and-cucumber, " shells of fish-and-mushrooms, " shrimp, " shrimp in cucumber boats, " shrimp with aspic border, " spanish, " spinach-and-egg, " spinach-and-tongue, " stuffed cucumber, " stuffed beet, " stuffed tomato, " sweetbread-and-cucumber, " tomato-and-artichoke, " tomato-and-onion, " tomato-and-sweetbread, " tomato, horseradish dressing, " tomato jelly, no. , " tomato jelly with string beans, " tomatoes farces à l'aspic, " tomatoes stuffed with nuts and celery, " tomatoes stuffed with cucumber, " tomatoes stuffed with jelly, " turkey-and-chestnut, " turnip with asparagus tips, " turquoise, " white bean, salads, arrangement of, salads, decorating with bag and tubes, salads, dressing of, " , introduction to subject, salads, when served with french dressing, etc., " , serving with cheese, salmi of duck or game, salmon salad, " " , moulded, salmon-and-asparagus salad, sandwiches: aberdeen, " beet-and-cream-cheese, " beverages served with, " bread for, " caviare roll, " celery, " cheese-and-bar-le-duc, " cheese- " -english-walnut, " chicken-and-nut, " chicken roll, " chicken salad, " club, " corned beef, " cress-and-egg, " cupid's butter, " date-and-ginger, " egg-and-spinach, " epicurean, " fig, " filling for, " french fruit, " fruit or claret jelly, " fruit with whipped cream, " green butter, " halibut with aspic jelly, " halibut-and-lettuce, " ham-and-egg, " " " tongue, " harlequin, " honey, " hunters', " lobster with aspic, " lobster fingers, " milwaukee, the, " mosaic, " mushroom-and-lobster, " nasturtium fold, " pâté de foie gras (imitation), " peanut, , " pineapple, " puff paste, " rose leaf, " russian, " sardine, " shad-roe-and-butter, " tomato, " tongue-and-veal, " tower of babel, " violet, " wedding sandwich roll, " whipped cream, sardine canapés, sardine-and-egg salad, sardine mayonnaise, " rarebit, " salad, " sandwiches, sardines, curried, " , french fashion, " on toast, sauce for baba, sauce, bacon, " , bechamel, , " , bernaise, " , bread, " , chaud-froid, " , cherry, " , hollandaise, , " , ingredients for one cup, " , " " " pint, " , livournaise, " , mayonnaise, " , mushroom, " , tartare, " , tomato, sauces, how to make, " , stock for use in, scallop salad, scotch woodcock, , scrambled eggs with cheese, " " " dried beef, " " " ham, " " " oysters, " " " smoked salmon, " " " tomatoes, " " à la union club, shad-roe-and-butter sandwiches, shad-roe-and-cucumber salad, shells of fish and mushrooms, shirred eggs, shrimp salad, " " aspic border, " " , cucumber boat, " , bamboo-and-lettuce salad, shrimps with peas, " à la poulette, smoked salmon with eggs, soda-water, home-made, soufflé, cheese, soufflés, " iced, spaghetti, queen style, spanish chocolate, spanish salad, spinach-and-egg salad, " with eggs, " -and-tongue salad, sponge, pineapple, " , tapioca and banana, stock, chicken, for aspic, stock, fish, " for sauces, straws, cheese, strawberry,-peach-and-cherry salad, string beans, lyonnaise, sultana cocoa, sweetbread-and-cucumber salad, sweetbreads-and-brains, to cook, " " mushrooms, " sautéd, tapioca-and-banana sponge, tartare sauce, tea, beef, in chafing-dish, tea, five o'clock, terrapin, mock, timbales, chicken, " , egg, " , ham, toast, fig, " , mock crab, " , woodcock, tomato-and-artichoke salad, tomato, bean-and-endive salad, tomato,-cress-and-cucumber salad, tomato jelly, " " salad, , tomato-and-onion salad, tomato salad, horseradish dressing, tomato salad, stuffed, tomato sandwich, " -and-sweetbread salad, tomatoes farces à l'aspic, tomatoes with scrambled eggs, tomatoes stuffed with celery and nuts, tomatoes stuffed with cucumber, " " " jelly, tongue-and-ham sandwiches, " -and-spinach salad, " " veal sandwiches, tower of babel, turkey-and-chestnut salad, turnips and asparagus in salad, turquoise salad, two loaves of wheat bread, veal-and-tongue sandwiches, vegetable, cooked, salad, vegetable salad, macedoine of, vegetable salad, russian, vegetables, to blanch and cook, " , curried, " , to render crisp, vinegar, fines herbes, , " , nasturtium, " , tarragon, violet sandwiches, watercress, how to keep, wedding sandwich rolls, welsh rarebit, " " no. , " " with ale, whipped cream sandwiches, white hashed potatoes, wine cake (baba), woodcock scotch, , woodcock toast, yorkshire rarebit, [illustration: books the best companions] practical cooking & serving [illustration] * * * * * _by janet mckenzie hill_ of the boston cooking school this practical, up-to-date, and comprehensive work contains a "liberal education" in the selection, cooking, and serving of food. it is for the novice and expert alike, and the many illustrations (including pictures of utensils, tables for every sort of meal, decorations for festal occasions, dishes ready for serving, etc.) are absolutely invaluable to every housekeeper. =with washable aluminum cloth binding and colored and half-tone illustrations. price, net, $ . . postage cents= the pleasures of the table by george h. ellwanger [illustration: le cuisinier after the engraving by mariette] * * * * * nothing has been published in america on this subject since brillat-savarin, and there has not existed anywhere a complete historical account of the science of eating from the earliest times. the author has made a book of absorbing interest and of real literary distinction, full of quaint oddities and suggestive facts. it is bound to become a permanent and necessary addition to every library, public or private. * * * * * =illustrated. price, net, $ . = =postage cents= * * * * * doubleday, page & co., new york "if it's slade's, it is pure and good" * * * * * successful salads can be made by any one who uses slade's salad cream, for this is an absolutely pure and wholesome salad dressing, prepared with scientific exactness, so as to obtain perfect results. contains no chemical preservatives or artificial coloring matter. it is put up in pint, half-pint, and picnic bottles. ask your grocer for it. chafing-dish dainties are best when flavored with slade's spices, etc., for slade's are always absolutely pure and extra strong. slade's pepper slade's paprika slade's cayenne slade's curry powder slade's celery salt slade's quick cooking tapioca slade's name protects you from fraud and adulteration--that is why you should ask your grocer for slade's--slade's are all and always absolutely pure and extra strong. * * * * * send for cook book d. & l. slade co., _boston, mass., u.s.a._ no other food product has a like record walter baker & co.'s cocoa and chocolate [illustration: registered u. s. pat. office] years of successful manufacture highest awards in europe and america it is a perfect food, highly nourishing, easily digested, fitted to repair wasted strength, preserve health, prolong life. _a new and handsomely illustrated recipe book free._ =walter baker & co= =limited= =dorchester, mass.= =established= = = the crowning features of any banquet or family dinner are the creams and ices. junket tablets make the ice cream of such a rich, palatable quality and exquisitely smooth, creamy texture that the dinner becomes a pleasant memory. junket ice cream can be prepared in a great variety of ways, or junket may be served as a cold milk jelly. =we mail tablets postpaid for cents= =chr. hansen's laboratory= =p. o. box little falls, n. y.= crawford cooking-ranges [illustration] the "palace crawford" is more compact and shapely than other stoves. it doesn't have that one-sided appearance of ordinary ranges, and it seems to fit the kitchen better. it is a real advance in stove making. [illustration] in this range the end hearth, so much in the way, is not used. the ashes are caught in a hod--not a square pan--far below the grate; the left-hand hod in the picture. this makes the grate last longer. the right-hand hod is for the coal. you see, we have made a place for the coal-hod, _inside_ the stove, and we furnish both hods. there is extra room on the top of this range, because of the extra shelf at the left. the patented crawford single damper prevents mistakes in regulating; no other stove has it. other improvements are the new style removable nickeled rails, which may be lifted off when the stove is blacked; the dock-ash grate; the heat indicator; the asbestos-lined oven; the cup-joint flues. we have also a smaller style--the "castle crawford." * * * * * crawford ranges are made in the finest stove factory in the world, by walker & pratt mfg. co., boston, and are sold by leading dealers everywhere. pure olive oil [illustration] gallon cans. gallon cans. veuve chaffard pure olive oil in honest bottles sold by park & tilford, new york s. s. pierce co., boston * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired and recipe form made consistent. page , "recherche" changed to "recherché". page , "teaspooonful" change to "teaspoonful". ( / of teaspoonful of salt.) page , "tomates" changed to "tomatoes". (tomatoes farces) page , "an" changed to "a". (centre half a) page , "grape fruit" changed to "grapefruit". (grapefruit upon shredded) page , "newburg" changed to "newburgh" to match rest of text. (a lobster newburgh or) page , the recipe for curried oysters was missing a measurement for "teaspoonful of curry powder" in the original text. research showed that / was most usual for recipes for this involving a fraction of a teaspoon. the text has been changed to reflect this. illustration for yorkshire rarebit originally read "yorkshire rabbit." this was changed to fit the actual recipe. page , "rechauffé" changed to "réchauffé". (mutton réchauffé) page , index entry for plain lobster was lacking the page number. it has been added. page , "litichi" changed to "litchi". (litchi nut salad, ) page , "duxelles" changed to "d'uxelles". (à la d'uxelles, ) page , "serve" changed to "served". (when served with french) page , in the index both "souffle" and "souffles" were changed to "soufflé" and "soufflés." the four instances of "tabasco" and five instances of "tobasco" were both retained, as were the instances of "well-nigh" and "wellnigh". [transcriber's note: bold text is surrounded by =equal signs= and italic text is surrouned by _underscores_.] [illustration: cover] [illustration: dedication: a book for all girls who love to help mother. jane eayre fryer] [illustration: mary frances took the hint, and turned toaster carefully over.] [illustration: title] the mary frances cook book or adventures among the kitchen people by jane eayre fryer full page illustrations by margaret g. hays other illustrations by jane allen boyer copyright, , by jane eayre fryer [illustration] dear girls: this book tells the story of mary frances, a little girl whose great ambition was to help her mother. so anxious was she to do this that even the humble kitchen people became her teachers and instructors. they talked to her, a thing never heard of before; helped her over the hard places, and explained mysterious secrets she could never otherwise have understood. they wove around a simple little book of recipes her mother had made for her the spell of fairyland; they led her through a series of delightful adventures such as never happened to any girl before, in which she lived for three whole happy weeks, and out of which she emerged no longer a little girl, but a real little woman. some very wise people would call this a story book, some a manual training book, and others a cookery book, but mary frances knows better; she knows that it is a book within a book that introduced her to aunty rolling pin and a lot of other dear, dear friends, such as no little girl ever had before, and whom she now wishes to introduce for the first time to all other little girls. (i know that she gained their consent to do this because she told me so.) in the hope that mary frances' wish may be realized, this record of her adventures is sent out to the girls of america with the best wishes of the author. [illustration] [illustration] [illustration: contents] chapter page i. the kitchen people ii. toaster man iii. mary frances' mother iv. mary frances warns the kitchen folks v. aunt maria vi. jacket-boiled potatoes vii. the pot-and-kettle fight viii. the potato lunch ix. mary frances gets breakfast x. the breakfast burns up xi. a joke on aunt maria xii. the tramp xiii. company to lunch xiv. a patent dish-washing xv. thimble biscuits xvi. the dolls' kitchen party xvii. the sick neighbor [illustration: cook book] xviii. a man's lunch xix. poor blue pitcher xx. mary frances gives a cooking lesson xxi. the picnic xxii. the candy pull xxiii. getting ready for a party xxiv. the tea party xxv. mary frances gets dinner xxvi. mother's surprise. "good-bye, little miss" [illustration] [illustration] list of recipes page . plain toast . buttered toast . milk toast . jacket-boiled potatoes . baked potatoes . boiled potatoes . mashed potatoes . potato soup . boiled eggs . hard-boiled eggs . coffee . tea . omelet . white sauce . baked apples . thimble biscuits . baking powder biscuits . cocoa . gingerbread cookies . soft custard [illustration] [illustration] . steamed rice . boiled rice . poached eggs . rice pudding . boiled mutton . sauce for boiled mutton . apple snow . stuffed eggs . pickaninny fudge . walnut kisses . sponge cake . dream cake . queen of hearts tarts . pastry . salad dressing . creamed new cabbage . bread pudding . banana bread pudding . hard sauce . pan-broiled beefsteak [illustration] [illustration] [illustration: the kitchen people] tea kettle sauce pan boiler pan big iron pot pie plate & tea pot coffee pot mantel clock & blue pitcher auntie rolling pin toaster man baking dish & potato masher platter & ladle yellow bowl & measuring cup frying pan basket perforated skimmer & can opener round & square cake tins iron griddle & little pitcher fork knife & spoon chapter i the kitchen people all the kitchen people were terribly excited. "i see my finish!" puffed tea kettle from his perch on the stove. "that's slang!" snapped sauce pan, who sat near by. "slang or no slang," said tea kettle, "i'll melt if somebody doesn't come fill me soon." "where's the cook? where's the mistress?" asked boiler pan. "why, the cook's left--left this morning and the mistress's sick. what's that i smell burning?" "that's the potatoes in the oven," said toaster. "oh, my lid!" cried tea kettle holding his nose. "pour on water! quick!" "whew!" exclaimed coffee pot. "whew!" cried pie plate. "whew!" clanged big iron pot. [illustration: "oh, my lid!"] "whew!" mimicked sauce pan. "whew!--that won't help! if you say whew! to an oven door, will it open?--somebody open the door!" "good idea, saucy!" exclaimed tea kettle. "you might try it yourself!" "owoooh! o-w-o-o-o-h!" strained little sauce pan at the heavy door. "o-w-o-o-o-h! i can't-t budge it! cauch! cawc! ochee!" he coughed. "what smoke! somebody else come try!" "get out of the way, then," said big iron pot, making heavily toward the stove. "knew your arms were too short," laughed tea kettle, seeing iron pot couldn't reach the knob. "well, they're as long as yours," said iron pot angrily. "kick it open!" sug-gest-ed sauce pan. "everybody allowed one kick!" "first go!" exclaimed iron pot. whack! came a muffled sound. then, "oh, my poor feet! oh! oh!" "what's the matter?" asked sauce pan. "nothing," said big iron pot, hopping around on one little leg, and holding the other with his hands. "only i wish you'd had 'first go!'" [illustration: "i wish you'd had 'first go!'"] [illustration] "well," declared tea kettle, "unless help comes soon, we may as well give up all hope of rescue. this is dreadful!" "listen, then," ticked mantel clock, who didn't mind the smoke. "i know a secret: the dear little girl----" "oh, yes, we know!" cried the kitchen people. "well!" asked mantel clock, "what do you know?" "the little girl--that there is a little girl----" "is that all you know?" demanded mantel clock. "now, when people interrupt----" "just dying to tell," said sauce pan in a loud whisper. "please, please, tell us the secret," begged the kitchen people. "well," mantel clock ran on, "the dear little girl that lives in our house is going to learn to cook. what d'you say if we all turn in and help her?" "goody-goody!" aunty rolling pin laughed so she nearly rolled off the table. just then the kitchen door-knob turned, and every one of the kitchen people was as quiet as a [illustration] chapter ii toaster man in ran the dearest, sweetest little girl. "oh, you poor tea kettle!" she cried. "you'll boil to death!" and she pulled it over to the cooler part of the stove. tea kettle simmered his thanks. "what can be burning?" she asked. "what can it be?" and she looked all over the stove. "i do believe it's something in the oven!" as she pulled open the oven door, out rolled the burnt potatoes. "now," she said, "now, for the toast," and she caught up her mother's apron from a hook, and tied it just under her arms, crossing the strings in front. the kitchen people held their breath to see what would happen next. suddenly she clapped her hands. "the very thing!" she cried, and ran out of the room. in a minute she was back, with a little book in her hands. [illustration: in ran the dearest, sweetest little girl.] [illustration: out rolled the burnt potatoes.] "mother was asleep," she whispered as though her mother was still in danger of being wakened by any sound--"but i just tip-toed up to the table, and got the book she's been making for my cooking lessons. this must be it--it's mother's writing: 'the mary frances' first cook book.' i believe--i just believe it tells about toast. yes, here it is, right on the first page: no. .--plain toast. . cut stale bread into slices, about ½ inch thick. . remove crusts. . put into wire toaster. . hold over a fire, moving to and fro until a golden brown color. . turn, and brown the other side. "let's see if there is any stale bread. i should think so! a whole loaf! now, i'll cut two slices, and since i want it to be very nice, i'll cut off the crusts. i guess that will be enough; oh, how i wish somebody was here to help me." "there _is_ somebody--_i'll_ help!" [illustration: with a little book in her hands] [illustration: "there _is_ somebody--_i'll_ help!"] mary frances looked round in amazement. seeing no one, "why,--where? why,--who are _you_?" she asked. "i'm tea kettle, miss," said tea kettle, lifting his lid very politely. "i'm gladly at your service, if you please." "and i!" it was sauce pan. "and i!" cried boiler pan. mary frances could scarcely believe her ears. "my," she said, "can you all talk? and will you help me? isn't that grand!--but how you did s'prise me! won't we have a lovely time!" "look at the fire! look at the fire!" "what a tiny voice!" thought the little girl,--but she quickly took the lids off the stove. some very bright coals stared up at her. "the fire is fine," she said aloud, and she looked all about to find where the voice came from, but she saw no one. "look down, please!" said the same tiny voice, this time very distinctly. there stood the funniest little wire man, no higher than the little girl's elbow. [illustration: "and i!"] [illustration: "and i!"] "you didn't see me," laughed the little man, "but i know how to make toast." "of course!" said the little girl, "you're--why, you're the toaster!" "yes, ma'am," said the little man, with a bow, "at your service, miss mary frances." "try me, and see what i can do," went on toaster man. "just put a slice of that bread into my head, and hold me over the fire." mary frances leaned over and gravely put a slice of bread in toaster. he looked so funny standing there that she wanted to smile, but thought it wouldn't be exactly polite to so helpful a friend. but when he said, "slide up my collar," in a thick, smothery sort of voice, she laughed aloud before she could stop, but turned the sound into a cough so quickly that toaster man looked up at her queerly only a moment; and she pulled the ring up until it held the bread tightly in place. "now, lift me up over the fire!" he demanded. mary frances hesitated--she couldn't tell where to take hold of him. [illustration: "you didn't see me"] [illustration: "slide up my collar."] "never mind my legs," he said, as though he read her thoughts, "i'll see to them," and he folded them up so close that when mary frances lifted him up, she could find no sign of them. "oh, you'll be burnt!" she cried, as she held what toaster man had called his head over the bright fire. "not i," he laughed, "not i. i like it. it's the toast that'll be burnt, if i'm not turned over soon." mary frances took the hint, and turned toaster carefully over. "not too close to the coals at first, little miss," said the little fellow. "now,--closer! that's it!" "how is it?" he asked, as mary frances took him from the fire. "what a beautiful piece of toast!" she cried. "grand-if-i-cent!" exclaimed toaster. "now, you do the next piece without my saying a word--but first spread that with butter, and put it in the oven. now, you read in your book, and see if that's not the way to make buttered toast." [illustration: she opened her book.] mary frances opened her book. "read it out!" said the little man. "when i speak that way, mother tells me to say 'please,'" said she. [illustration: "grandificent!" exclaimed toaster.] "beg pardon," said the little man, "please." so mary frances read: no. .--buttered toast. . spread toasted bread evenly with butter. . pile one slice on top of the other, and cover with a bowl. . place in oven. "that's it! that's what i told you," cried the little fellow. "i'm always right about toast. can you make the next slice without a word more?" "i think so," said mary frances; and she didn't utter a sound until she had taken the second piece out of toaster. "what a beautiful piece of toast!" exclaimed toaster. "it's better than the first." [illustration: "what a beautiful piece of toast!"] "oh, i don't think----" mary frances started. "i know!" snapped the little man. "don't contradict me about toast! by the way," he asked, "why don't you make it into milk toast for your mother? it would be softer, and more palat--palat--" "pal-a-table," said mary frances. [illustration: buttered toast.] "yes," said he, "you know a good deal for a little girl,"--and he began to choke. mary frances patted him hard. "a piece of toast?" she asked. "no," he exclaimed in-dig-nant-ly, "a long word always makes me choke. that's why i seldom use them. now, please read about milk toast." "if you know----" sug-gest-ed mary frances. "well, it's more like real grown-up people to have it out of a book," said the little man. "go on!" and mary frances read from her little cook book. [illustration: cup of milk] no. .--milk toast. tablespoon butter tablespoon flour cup milk ¼ teaspoon salt slices toast . make ready the toast. . heat the milk until smoking hot. . melt the butter in a small saucepan. . throw the flour into the butter. cook until it bubbles a little, stirring all the time. take from the fire. . pour / the milk upon the butter and flour, a little at a time, stirring with the back of a spoon to press out the lumps. . place over fire, and gradually stir in the remaining milk. [illustration: measuring cup & pitcher] . add the salt. let boil a minute. . put slices of toast in a heated dish; pour the sauce over and serve hot. all measures are made level with the top of cup or spoon. to measure level spoonful: fill spoon heaping full, and level it off with the back of a knife. for half spoonful, cut through lengthwise. for quarter spoonful, divide a half spoonful across. a saltspoon is / teaspoon. "that's right!" said toaster man. "that's the way my grandmother made it. if i were you, i'd make only half of that sauce for only two slices of toast. you did so well with the plain toast; you go right ahead with the milk toast, and see if you can make it all yourself, and if you need any help, i'll be on the spot in a twinkle. follow carefully what your little cook book says. you know you must measure everything even with the top of the spoon, or cup." [illustration: "hurrah!"] so mary frances did exactly what the recipe told her. [illustration: to look over the edge of the dish] as she poured the last of the sauce over the toast, which she had put in a pretty dish, the little man, who had been running here and there, watching everything she did, shouted, "hurrah!" at least, he tried to shout, but his voice would scarcely reach to a grown-up person's ear. "you are the best pupil i ever had!" "have you had many?" asked mary frances. "you are the only one," said toaster. "why?" "nothing," said mary frances. "i should think," said the little man, standing on his toes, to look over the edge of the dish, "that that milk toast would taste awful good!" "won't you try it?" asked mary frances. she was very much afraid he would, but she wanted to show her gratitude for his kindness. "oh, no," sighed the little man, "i never eat." "you never eat!" exclaimed mary frances. "it may seem strange to you," said the little man, "but everything that is put into my head falls out backwards, and i simply can't eat." [illustration: "everything falls out backwards"] "it must be dreadful!" said mary frances. "it keeps me very thin," complained toaster, "but if i'm not mistaken, your mother will eat all that toast,--if she gets it while it's hot." "oh, i hope so," said mary frances; "and i thank you so very very much." [illustration: followed by the admiring gaze of all.] "good-bye!" added the little girl, as she went out of the kitchen, followed by the admiring gaze of all the kitchen people. [illustration] [illustration: "i thank you so very, very much."] chapter iii mary frances' mother mary frances pushed open the door of her mother's room very softly. [illustration: "what has my little girl there?"] "what has my little girl there?" asked her mother. "oh, are you awake, mother? it's a s'prise for you," and she carried the tray over to the bed. her mother carefully lifted the lid of the dish. "milk toast! the only thing i could eat! why--who made it?" "if it hadn't been for toaster, it couldn't have been made," said mary frances. her mother looked at the little girl in surprise. "i mean," she added, "that toaster really did it--he showed me how----" [illustration: "it's a s'prise for you."] "oh!" laughed her mother, as she lifted a slice of toast out on a saucer. "well, dear, anyway i want you to have some toast with mother"--and she handed the saucer to mary frances, who said she would much rather watch her mother eat it than to have some herself; but, after her first taste, she found how hungry she was. "it's the best toast i ever ate," said her mother, "and mary frances, dear, i feel much better already." she would have said more had not mary frances' brother bounded up the stairs two steps at a time with,---- "what do you think! i met father downtown, and he says aunt maria's coming over to keep house for us. in the daytime, she must be at home; but she'll come over to get breakfast for us, and we'll go there for our dinners--and father says mother is going to the seashore to have a 'perfect rest' until she's well. anyhow, i'm glad we won't starve. i wish sis knew how to cook!" and he teasingly pulled one of mary frances' curls. "hush, brother!" said the mother, "you should have been here to see the lovely milk toast sister just brought me. it was the best i ever ate--and she made it all herself." "almost!" said mary frances. "oh, yes," said her mother, "the dear little girlie wants toaster to get part of the praise." [illustration: "what do you think?"] [illustration: "i must warn the kitchen people."] [illustration] "ha, ha!" laughed brother, and mary frances, somehow, couldn't explain about the kitchen folks. instead, "when does aunt maria come?" she asked. "does she come to-night?" "she's coming right over," answered her brother. "oh, oh!" thought mary frances, "i must warn the kitchen people." "brother," she began, nervously, "you stay with mother--i want to take these things down." but brother was already sitting quietly near mother, and mary frances hurried softly downstairs. "the poor dears! the poor dears!" she kept whispering all the way down. [illustration: "milk toast! the only think i could eat! why--who made it?"] chapter iv mary frances warns the kitchen folks to the kitchen door she ran, and was about to rush out, when she thought she heard voices--thin, little voices they were--so she peeped out, for the door was ajar,--and this is what she saw: toaster man, all tired out, was leaning back in a chair, snoring softly; but all the other kitchen people were wide awake. it was tea kettle that was speaking: "so, he put the eight feathers in a pan, and cooked them----" "who did?" asked sauce pan. "the jack rabbit--and then he ate their fringe all off, and gave the bones to the cat. then he bragged--he bragged that he'd eaten eight whole chickens at once." "is that all?" asked sauce pan. "yes," said tea kettle. "humph!" said sauce pan. "was that his recipe for fried chicken?" [illustration: then he bragged] [illustration: toaster man all tired out.] [illustration: "a little cap and apron!" cried mary frances.] "my, i'd love to hear more about the jack rabbit," thought mary frances, "but i must warn them about aunt maria"; and she hurried out into the kitchen. [illustration] "listen!" she whispered, with upraised finger. "listen!--mother is going away, and aunt maria's coming over to keep house. don't ever say a word--she'll never understand you, and she'll scrub and scour you till you ache, poor things!--she'll do that anyway, but don't talk before her. i hurried down to warn you--i was so afraid you might." "never fear," spoke up tea kettle; "we never, never talk before 'grown-ups'--we can't help them. i forgot to tell you--if you speak about us to anyone, we can never, never speak again." "oh," said mary frances, "it's a secret! i'm so glad you told me--i came so near telling mother about toaster man--i might have, only----" then the door-bell rang. [illustration: "she'll scrub and scour you till you ache, poor things!"] chapter v aunt maria "for the land's sakes!" cried aunt maria. "for the land's sakes! where in the world has that child been? look at those hands! have you been playing in the coal?" "i put coal on the fire," said mary frances. "i guess i'll take a look at that fire, myself," aunt maria continued, as she started toward the kitchen. just then, she caught sight of the tray which mary frances had brought downstairs. "milk toast," she sniffed. "who sent that in?" "i--i made it," mary frances began. there was one tiny piece left. aunt maria looked at it hard. "it's wonderful," she said, "wonderful; who showed you how?" "who showed you how?" she demanded, as mary frances stood silent. [illustration: "who showed you how?"] "n-no-body,--at least, no real person. i read about how to make it in my cook book." [illustration: "n-no-body."] [illustration] "_your_ cook book--you mean your _mother's_ cook book." "no," said mary frances, "i mean my cook book mother's been making for me. i'll show it to you," and she ran to get it. "see!--in mother's writing--'mary frances' first cook book!'" "well," said aunt maria, "you may turn out of some account, after all. it's about time to call for a ref-or-ma-tion." "yes, ma'am," said mary frances, not un-der-stand-ing the big word--"do you want me to call for it now?" "don't be saucy!" snapped the old lady. then she set about washing the little girl's hands and face, rubbing so hard that it made the tears come, finishing off with the towel until mary frances felt her face shine. "wonder if she thinks i'm a stove," she thought. "maybe she'll black me some day by mistake! i don't believe she knows how old i am--she treats me like a baby, for all the world sometimes, yet she thinks i ought to know more. queer!" [illustration: "wonder if she thinks i'm a stove."] while aunt maria was busy getting dinner, she ran up to her mother's room. "mother," she asked, "aunt maria will be gone home most of the day time, while you're away, won't she?" "yes, dear," said mother; "you and brother are to go to her house to lunch." "mother, dear," begged mary frances, "can't i get lunch for brother and me? i was going to tell you i read--i found the recipe for the milk toast in my little cook book you've been making for me. i came up and found it while you were asleep--i just know i can get our lunches. please, mother, can't i try?" "well, dear," said mother, smiling, "i really believe you may. i've just been thinking about the toast, and what a woman my dear little girl is." just then aunt maria called: "dinner!" [illustration] [illustration: washing the little girl's hands and face.] chapter vi jacket-boiled potatoes "good-bye, billy! take good care of sister. good-bye, little housekeeper!" said mother, leaning from the car window. the children waved "good-bye," and watched the train until it was a speck in the distance. [illustration: "good-bye!"] [illustration: "good-bye!" "good-bye!"] "i'm off to the mill-race, with the boys, sister,--catch!" cried billy, tossing mary frances the key. "all right," she called, "be sure to come home to lunch--twelve o'clock." mary frances suddenly felt very lonesome. "but i'll go home to my kitchen folks--they'll be good company," she thought. when she let herself into the house, how big and empty it seemed! she was almost afraid to go in, but she bravely locked the door behind her. she thought she heard a noise. surely the curtain moved! her heart went pit-a-pat! the curtain moved again. out sprang jubey, and scampered off into the kitchen. "oh, you darling kitten!" she cried, running after her. "how you scared me, jubey!" [illustration: "how you scared me, jubey!"] everything was as neat as a pin. all the kitchen folks were in their places, prim, and quiet, and scared, just as aunt maria had left them, but when they saw her they brightened up, and smiled a welcome. "how do you do, kitchen folks?" she said. "how do, little miss?" merrily sang tea kettle. "h-o-w d-o?" ticked mantel clock. "what in the world shall i have for lunch?" mused the little girl. "that boy will be as hungry as two bears,--and i don't know many things to cook yet. toast is all right for a sick person, but it isn't much for a hungry boy,--and i ought to make something new. let me see what my little book says," and she fetched it out of its hiding place. [illustration: as hungry as two bears.] "oh, i know! i'll make everything! i do hope i get through the book before mother comes back! let's see,--here's 'how to cook potatoes,' and 'eggs'; here are 'biscuits,' and even how to make 'tarts' and 'cakes,'--and goody! candy! oh, how i'd love to make candy right away, but mother said i must make the things in the order they come in the book. so to-day i make no. .--jacket-boiled potatoes. . scrub rather small potatoes well. . pare a ring around each the long way; drop into cold water. . drain; cover with boiling water; add tablespoon salt. . let boil about minutes, or until a fork will easily pierce the largest. . drain off all the water, and set pan at back of stove to dry off the potatoes. . serve in their jackets. [illustration: jacket boiled potatoes] "i wonder how many billy will eat," she thought, as she brought the basket. "i guess about--about--i don't know. he has an e-nor-mous appetite. i guess i'll cook a hundred." "he'll never eat a hundred!" [illustration: "he'll never eat a hundred."] mary frances looked around. boiler pan was climbing down from the closet shelf. "hello! how do you know?" asked mary frances. "you never saw him eat." "hear that! hear that!" cried boiler pan. "as though i hadn't cooked potatoes before you were born. eat a hundred? why, i can't hold a hundred--so there!" "ho, ho!" said mary frances, "that must be so. how many can you hold?" "oh, about thirty, i guess," swelling with pride. "well," said mary frances, "you've no notion how many that boy can eat, and there isn't much else for lunch. i guess i'll cook about twelve,"--and counting them out, she began to wash them. "be sure to get all the sand out of their eyes," laughed boiler pan. "but first, will you help me jump up on the stove, and fill me?--then i can boil while you're 'ringing' the potatoes." this done, he was very quiet, while she finished the potatoes. just then the clock struck eleven. [illustration: the clock struck eleven.] "why, i must hurry," exclaimed mary frances. "i'm ready," bubbled boiler pan. "oh, yes, i'm coming," and she dropped the potatoes in one by one. "now, put on my hat," said boiler pan, and mary frances put on the lid. "are they all right?" asked the little girl. [illustration: swelling with pride.] "all right!" he answered in a muffled voice. mary frances then went in the dining-room, and busied herself about setting the table. soon, she heard a "rumpus" in the kitchen. she ran out. bubbles were sputtering over the sides of boiler pan, and the lid was dancing a jig. "what shall i do? what shall i do?" cried mary frances, jumping up and down. "this hat's crazy! take it off, quick!" boiler pan besought her. without thinking, she seized the lid with her fingers, but dropped it with a cry of pain. "i'm scalded, i'm scalded," she sobbed. "what will i do for it?" and she ran for some cold water. "don't do that, child," said aunty rolling pin. "butter it and then powder it with baking soda the way your mother does." [illustration: "don't do that child."] "i'm so sorry," said boiler pan, "but i really couldn't get my old hat off. i should have told you to take a holder." [illustration: "this hat's crazy!"] "never mind, it's better now. those potatoes must be done. yes," as she tried them with a fork, "even the biggest is done in the middle. i'm so glad, for i expect that boy any minute." "so'm i," said boiler pan, "for i feel the effect of this stren-u-os-i-ty." mary frances pretended not to notice this speech, but carefully drained the water from the potatoes, and shook boiler pan over the fire to dry them off. "i--i--learned--that--that--wor--word--after year--years--of--stud--study," he said between the shakes, "and you--nev--never--notic--noticed----" but billy was knocking. so mary frances, hastily putting boiler pan on the back of the stove, ran to let him in. "hello, sister! here we are! lunch ready?" [illustration: "hello, sister."] "yes, all ready. i'll put it on. you sit in father's place, and we'll play we're grown up." "scrumptious!" exclaimed billy, as mary frances set the smoking dish of potatoes on the table. "what an excellent cook you must have, madam," he said, after his first taste. "such good potatoes!" "i have ten," said mary frances. [illustration: "let's give it to jubey."] "ten! you are fortunate, indeed, madam," said billy, for all the world as though he were a grown-up young gentleman. "how quiet they keep." [illustration] "yes," laughed mary frances, "but they're 'most always busy," and she held up her ten pink little fingers. [illustration: "i have ten," said mary frances.] "oh, billy," she added earnestly, "i'm so glad you like them--the potatoes, i mean. there is only one left--won't you have that?" "oh, let's give that to jubey--jubey might be hurt if you didn't let her try them. i would,--if i were jubey." chapter vii the pot-and-kettle fight "good morning, kitchen people," said mary frances, after breakfast next day, "this is a very important morning with me." the kitchen people looked pleased and important, too. [illustration: looked pleased and important.] "you see, it's this way," she continued as she took her little book and sat in the rocking chair. "i am very anxious to get through every recipe in my cook book before mother comes home, so i guess we'll just finish all the potato recipes to-day,--and give billy a potato lunch! won't that be fine?" the kitchen people all smiled in approval. she went to the window. "o--h, billy! billy!" she called; "you're invited to a potato lunch in our dining-room at twelve o'clock." [illustration: "o--h, billy!"] "all right, i'll be on time," answered billy from the garden. "let's see," said mary frances to herself, "four more recipes--about two potatoes each. four times two,--eight." she washed the potatoes carefully, and had no sooner set about paring them, than the kitchen door opened, and in walked aunt maria. "what in the world is that child doing? paring potatoes? did i ever!--such thin, close parings, too! how well she does it!--but you must drop them into cold water as soon as they are pared, child. i wish i could stay and show you how to cook, but duty calls me--i must be going!" [illustration: "drop them into cold water."] mary frances stepped to the door with her. "when i was your age, child, i could cook 'most everything and piece patch-work for quilts,"--and she kept mary frances on the porch ten minutes, telling her that little girls weren't brought up any more to be useful the way they were when she was a little girl. * * * * * "oh, my lid!" sang tea kettle, as mary frances stepped back into the kitchen. "oh, my aunt!--has the old lady went?" "gone!" said big iron pot from the back of the stove. [illustration: "oh, my aunt!"] "who dares correct me?" simmered tea kettle. "i dare," sputtered iron pot. "i dare,--and i dare tell you other things, too!" [illustration: "who dares correct me?" "i dare!"] "you do, do you?" bubbled tea kettle. "you do! well, what do you dare tell me?" "i dare tell you, mister," said iron pot, "that you've got a dirty face--yes, a black face." tea kettle, it was plain to be seen, was boiling mad. steam blew out of his nose in every direction. now, everybody who knows anything about a tea kettle can imagine how very angry tea kettle was. as soon as he could get his breath, he blew steam all over iron pot. "my face is black, is it? well, yours is black,--and it will soon be black and blue!" "you swallow them words!" and iron pot raised his queer little fists. "sput!" mocked tea kettle, getting ready to spout again. "take that!" wang! came down the little fist,--but not on the lid of tea kettle. oh, no; for just as that was going to happen, mary frances lifted him high in the air. "let go of me! let me at iron pot!" he was at white heat. "be quiet!" said mary frances, shaking him quite hard. "what's all this about?" "iron pot commenced it!" sullenly simmered tea kettle. "iron pot called me names!" "why," said mary frances, "this is disgraceful! now, you sit there!" she put tea kettle on the front of the stove. "and you, there!" she pulled big iron pot as far back as she could. "now, behave yourselves!" then she sat down to rest. "what makes them quarrel so, i wonder," mary frances said half to herself. "all the kitchen people seem so kind and helpful." "why, don't you know, child?" asked aunty rolling pin. "i thought everybody knew that story." [illustration: "don't you know, child?" "let me at him!"] a story! mary frances was always ready to listen to a story. "won't you tell me, please?" aunty rolling pin cleared her voice, and rolled back an inch or two to a more comfortable place on the table. "you see, it's this way, child," she began. "in the days of your great-grandmother there were no stoves, only open fireplaces were used for cooking,--and kettles were just as black then as that old black pot there. [illustration: in the days of your great grandmother] "so, when the pot called the kettle black, the kettle said: "'black yourself!' and no harm was done. "but when your mother got that fine new cook stove, she bought that bright, shiny kettle, too. "but that silly old pot doesn't know that the new kettle is bright and shiny, so it keeps on calling names. that pot doesn't know it's fooling itself,--for all it sees is its own homely old black self in the shiny kettle making faces. "and that's what comes of calling names, child," chuckled aunty rolling pin, as she ended her story. then mr. tea kettle puffed steam importantly, and clapped his little lid. nothing more was said in the kitchen for several seconds. [illustration: kettles were just as black.] "thank you!" at length said mary frances gratefully to aunty rolling pin. then she added, very firmly and gently to iron pot and tea kettle: "i want you to promise me never to call names again, either one of you, for it makes me feel so sad. "do you promise?" she asked. "i promise," brightly answered tea kettle. "i pro-promise," solemnly declared big iron pot. [illustration] [illustration: "why," said mary frances, "this is disgraceful!"] chapter viii a potato lunch "i'm so relieved," said mary frances with a sigh. "now, i can hurry along the potato lunch." "yes," chimed in mantel clock, "it's quarter past eleven. you have only three-quarters of an hour." [illustration: "yes," chimed in mantel clock] "that's so!" said mary frances. "the next recipe is: no. .--baked potatoes. . choose potatoes of the same size--rather large. . scrub well, and wipe. . bake in a hot oven from to minutes, or until soft when pressed between thumb and fingers. . roll each between the fingers: this makes them mealy. . serve on a napkin. "why, i won't need to pare those! i'll put two of these i've washed in the oven. the oven's grand and hot! "let me see,--will all the others need paring? [illustration: "i won't need to pare those."] "yes," she laughed, "i didn't notice the heading of the chapter before---- "'potatoes without jackets,'" no. .--boiled potatoes. . wash potatoes. . pare, throwing into cold water. . drain; cover with boiling water, allowing tablespoon salt to every twelve potatoes. . let boil ½ hour, or until the largest is soft when pierced with a fork. . drain off all the water. . shake over fire, or place on back of stove to dry off the potatoes. no. .--mashed potatoes. . boil potatoes. drain; dry off. . mash in pan in which they were cooked. . for every cupful, add dash pepper, saltspoon salt, ½ tablespoon butter (scant). . for every cupful, heat tablespoons milk. . throw the heated milk on potatoes. . beat with a wire fork until creamy. . pile lightly on a hot dish. serve uncovered. [illustration: potatoes without jackets] [illustration: measuring spoons] [illustration: billy's potato luncheon.] note.--remember that all measurements are level or even with the top. to divide a spoonful, cut it through the middle lengthwise, for a half; and across that, for one-quarter of a spoonful. no. .--potato soup. place on the table: freshly boiled potatoes onion butter parsley flour dredger pepper salt pint milk ( cups) . put the milk in the upper part of a double boiler, half filling the under part with boiling water. . throw in slices of onion, and put double boiler on the stove for minutes. . mash potatoes and add to the hot milk. . add teaspoon salt and a dash of pepper. . put through a wire strainer, rubbing the potatoes through with a spoon. . put into double boiler and place on stove. . melt tablespoon butter in a little pan. . throw into it ½ tablespoon flour. stir well. . dip a little of the hot milk on this, stirring well, then pour into the soup. . let boil minutes. . add tablespoon chopped parsley. if too thick, add hot water or milk. . serve very hot. [illustration: two cups of milk] [illustration: to divide a spoonful] "oh, i know how to cook boiled potatoes! they're just like jacket-boiled, only they have their jackets off," she cried. "why, certainly," exclaimed boiler pan, which she had put on the stove half full of water, "i know my part--i just hurry them right along in a jiffy." [illustration: "i just hurry them along"] he looked so interested that mary frances laughed as she dropped the potatoes in. "are they all to be boi--boiled?" stuttered the bubbling boiler pan. "yes," said mary frances, "all except those i put in the oven. listen! i'll tell you the menu for billy's potato lunch. we'll begin, of course, with soup--potato soup." "'purée' is the word for thick soups," suggested boiler pan. "it seems more stylish, don't you think?" "yes, indeed!" said mary frances. "i do believe i'll write a card for each of us to have at our places at the table!" and she quickly brought her school pad from her desk. [illustration: she brought her school pad.] then she wrote: menu billy's potato lunch purée of potato potatoes-in-the-shell cold meat mashed potatoes sliced bananas with cream milk "that 'potato-in-the-shell' sounds 'swell,'" said coffee pot, "but it seems to me you ought to have something to drink, like coffee, or something of that kind." "oh, that's true," mary frances replied, "but i don't know how to make coffee, and mother said i must make everything in the order it came in my book----" "won't you look to see if my turn doesn't come soon?" interrupted coffee pot. [illustration: "see if my turn doesn't come soon?"] "not to-day," mary frances shook her head. "to-day we have milk. [illustration: "to-day we have milk."] "why, to-morrow!" as she looked in her book. "isn't that fine! but--those potatoes must be done. i should think so! a minute more, and they'd have been burned!" she said as she drained off the water. "now, ready for the masher!" "quite ready," said a little voice, and mary frances was not surprised to see potato masher tumble over the edge of boiler pan as she put him on the table. [illustration: "quite ready."] "push my head down hard!" said he in a thick, mushy voice, and mary frances did as he directed. suddenly potato masher stopped work. "how will you know how much potato to put into the soup?" he asked. "why," said mary frances, "there were only six boiled ones altogether, so the three for the soup will be just half." "pretty good, pretty good for a little girl just learning to cook," potato masher said, and ducked his head into the potatoes again. when they were finished mary frances said: [illustration: "push my head down hard"] "you know so much about potatoes, perhaps you can sit right up on that box," pointing to the sugar box, "and tell me when i make a mistake. i'm going to do 'xactly as my book says--you cry out, 'stop!' when i do anything the wrong way." "it--will--be--the--day--of--my--life--ever--to--be--remembered--" potato masher ran his words together clumsily--"but i should be very much obliged to you if you would first wash my face." [illustration: "first wash my face."] "why, certainly," said mary frances. "i didn't like to suggest it." "thank you kindly, miss. 'tis a pleasure to serve you," said the little fellow, as he perched himself on the sugar box, when mary frances brought him back to the table. "all ready?" asked the little girl. "class proceed!" said potato masher, with a school teacher air. only twice did he interrupt her as she followed every direction given in the recipes: once, to remind her of the potatoes in the oven; and again, to tell her to pour the soup very slowly, lest she burn herself. [illustration: "class proceed"] "it's mag-nif-i-cent!--this potato lunch," said he, as mary frances carried the last smoking dish to the dining table. "'tis a proud day for the 'assistant chef'--meaning myself." he made a pompous little bow toward the kitchen folks. "i little thought she'd be on time. i was afraid i'd have to strike before she was ready," declared mantel clock, beginning to strike twelve just as billy came in. "menus!" exclaimed the boy. [illustration: "menus!" exclaimed the boy.] "jimminy! 'billy's potato lunch,'" he read. "oh, i say--if i'd known i'd have dressed for the occasion!" "don't make fun, billy," begged mary frances. "'make fun,'" cried billy. "just taste that soup--and see if anyone could make fun. it's fit for the president." "oh--billy!" mary frances laughed. "maybe you think i don't mean it," said billy, helping himself to mashed potatoes. "why didn't you invite some company?" "i didn't know that potato masher--i mean, i didn't know it would turn out so well," blushed mary frances. [illustration: "i little thought she'd be on time."] [illustration] "invite somebody--can't i bring bob and eleanor over some day soon to lunch?" "yes,'" said mary frances, "if aunt maria----" "oh, by the way," said billy "i 'most forgot! aunt maria had word her brother is sick at upland, and she went to see him this morning, and can't possibly be back in time for breakfast. i guessed we'd make out o. k. i told her--i was thinking of our lunches, you know." "billy--really?" asked mary frances, "but i'm sorry for aunt maria's brother." [illustration: "thank you kindly, miss."] chapter ix mary frances gets breakfast mary frances was a long time getting to sleep that night for thinking about breakfast. she had her little cook book, and mother's last letter under her pillow. "billy writes your lunches are 'scrumptious,'" ran her mother's letter. "i cannot tell how much comfort my little girl is to me." [illustration: mother's last letter.] "i've 'most a mind to tell mother about the cook book," thought mary frances, "but won't she open her eyes when i tell her i've made everything--if i can keep the secret! i do hope i wake up in time. father said he'd call me to breakfast, when he said "good-night," but i want to slip down, and have everything ready when he comes." so she fell asleep, and dreamed she made an angel cake as big as a mountain, and that jubey stole it, and fed all the hungry cats in the world. [illustration: jubey fed all the hungry cats in the world.] she had fixed the curtain so that the first sunlight would fall on her face, and it seemed only a breath of time until she felt it call her. how sleepy she was! "i'll get down before the kitchen folks are awake," she whispered. she carried her little shoes in her hand and stole softly downstairs, stopping in the dining-room to put them on. "nonsense, you!" she recognized the voice of tea kettle. "just wait till i read it out of my little book," mimicked a new voice. "for shame, you saucy pan!" exclaimed big iron pot. "just wait until i read it!" mary frances peeped into the kitchen. in the middle of the floor stood little sauce pan, pretending to read out of a book: "'how to make potato pie out of sauer-kraut.'" "silly!" exclaimed potato masher. sauce pan repeated: "to make potato pie out of sauer-kraut: " . fill eight potatoes with sauer-kraut, and peel them. [illustration: to make potato pie out of sauer-kraut.] [illustration: "for shame, you saucy pan!"] " . make a crust of the left-overs. " . bake the parings well, and serve very hot on ice." just then mary frances sneezed. how sauce pan ran, and jumped up to his place on the rack! he looked so shamefaced when mary frances went in, that she hadn't the heart to scold him. instead, "boiled eggs," she called. he pretended to be asleep. then she took him by the arm and shook him. "boiled eggs!" she shouted. "doesn't that mean you?" "yes, ma'am," he said meekly; "i'm such a 'sleepy-head!' do you know," con-fi-den-ti-al-ly, "i often talk in my sleep." at this the kitchen people grinned. [illustration: he pretended to be asleep.] "ahem!" said mary frances, "it's a dangerous habit. sometimes people tell stories when they're awake, too," she added as she stepped out to get the milk. "is 'old puff-away' ready?" asked sauce pan of coffee pot. [illustration: "i can scarcely wait till i'm needed"] "if you mean tea kettle, saucy," answered coffee pot excitedly, "i hope so, for i can scarcely wait till i'm needed." tea kettle gave two extra puffs of steam, but otherwise took no notice. "how do you know you'll be used?" sauce pan asked of coffee pot, nudging pie plate who was near him. "i come next in the book--and, besides, i'm always used for breakfast." coffee pot was beginning to get angry. "bet we have eggs,--eggs, and toast, and--_tea_! yes, i bet it's _tea_ for b. this morning." sauce pan kept on saying, "tea for b." so long that coffee pot began to cry: "eggs and toast and tea, that doesn't mean me. coffee is better-- though not wetter-- for breakfast than tea, tea, tea." [illustration: coffee pot began to cry] "tee-hee--tee-hee--tee-hee!" giggled sauce pan, pointing to coffee pot tan-ta-liz-ing-ly, who began to cry in earnest. [illustration: "tee-hee--tee-hee!" giggled sauce pan.] "why, what's the matter with coffee pot?" mary frances asked when she came in. "is it possible aunt maria forgot to dry you last night?" nobody said anything--and sauce pan hastily ran toward the stove. "wait," called mary frances, "wait a minute until i can look in my book----" "oh, i can say it without any book--we all know our own tricks," boasted sauce pan. "all right," said mary frances, "say it--that will save time." so he began. "b'iled eggs--excuse me!--boiled eggs," he corrected, seeing mary frances' stern face. no. .--boiled eggs. . put eggs in sauce pan. . cover with boiling water. . place where the water will keep hot to minutes. a quicker method is to boil eggs very gently or minutes. [illustration: boiled eggs.] [illustration: "that's what nora said"] "why!" exclaimed mary frances, "i thought you dropped the eggs into boiling water for three minutes or more, 'accordin'--that's what nora said. i asked her what 'accordin' meant, and she said 'accordin' to the tastes of them that eats them--soft or hard." "i was speaking of the best way," declared sauce pan glancing loftily at mary frances. "there is no end of ways to do it, but this is the scientific way to cook eggs so that they will be soft, but cooked all the way through and easily digested--not liquid inside a hard, white coat. in other words--ahem! the al-bu-men (white of egg) cooks much better at a lower than a higher temperature." [illustration: glancing loftily at mary frances] "whew!" whistled coffee pot. "i wonder how it is in my book." mary frances turned to the page. "exactly as you said!" she exclaimed. "of course!" declared sauce pan. "bet he peeped into the book," whispered coffee pot to toaster. [illustration: "bet he peeped into the book."] sauce pan continued: it is somewhat the same way with no. .--hard-boiled eggs. . put eggs in sauce pan. . cover them with boiling water. . place on fire where the water will boil but _very_ gently minutes. "thinks he knows it all," grumbled coffee pot; "he'll be like the frog; he'll burst with pride if he keeps this up." "well, well, well!" said mary frances, "i certainly am surprised at what you know." "a sauce pan is a funny thing, needed by every lassie,-- although it may be full of sauce it may not yet be sassy," sang the little fellow, dancing on the stove. [illustration: "a sauce pan is a funny thing."] "old puff-away," he began. "that will do!" said mary frances, and proceeded to pour out the hot water. "tea kettle is my right-hand man. don't you dare say another word until i speak to you"--as she put in the eggs, and drew him to the back of the stove. "and now, i'll make the coffee." at her side stood coffee pot. "are you ready?" he asked. "quite ready," she said. "is it really my turn?" he asked again. "yes," smiled mary frances, "it is!" [illustration: "he'll be like the frog."] then he began to recite ex-cit-ed-ly: no. .--coffee. . put into coffee pot rounded tablespoon ground coffee for each cup needed. . pour on boiling water, allowing cup to every tablespoon coffee used. . let come to a boil three times, stirring down each time. . draw off the fire. pour in tablespoon cold water for each cup. . let stand in a warm place minutes to settle grounds. serve. if not used immediately, strain into another warmed pot. "you might pour out the first cupful to clear the nose--i mean, spout--then pour it back again." he stopped for breath. "thank you, coffee pot," smiled mary frances, in praise, "how interested and wide awake you are!" "i never sleep much," confided coffee pot. "i believe it's the coffee--just 'cat naps,' you know. i sometimes think my heart is affected--i'm so easily stirred up,--although i always feel well." [illustration: "i think my heart is affected"] "if you always feel well," laughed mary frances, "i guess your heart is all right." "oh, yes," giggled sauce pan, "he's awfully good-hearted." [illustration: "oh, yes," giggled sauce pan.] "didn't i tell you,--'not another word' until i spoke to you?" said mary frances to sauce pan, as she lifted coffee pot to the table, and measured out the coffee and water. after she had followed his directions entirely, she made the toast. toaster man was so sleepy, he didn't say a word except, "you'll do it right, i know," and fell asleep again. just then, mary frances heard her father call. [illustration] [illustration: "sauce pan, pretending to read out of a book."] chapter x the breakfast burns up "mary frances, dear, you can get up now," her father was saying. "why, where is my little girl?" she knew he was looking in her bedroom. "all right, father," she called; "i'm up and dressed--and downstairs--and, father, wait a minute; breakfast is almost ready. i'll call you in a minute." she ran to put some oranges on the table. [illustration: she ran to put some oranges on the table] "you can come now, you and brother," she then called. "you sit right down and eat your oranges, as i bring in the other things." "all right, dear," said her father; "but first i want my good-morning kiss." "a kiss and a bear hug," laughed mary frances, throwing her arms around him as he lifted her up. "you stole a march on your old father this morning, all right," laughed her father. "breakfast, indeed! why, i never was so surprised in my life." [illustration: "why i never was so surprised in my life"] "oh, brother," said mary frances, kissing billy; "you and father sit down, and i'll bring in the coffee." she flew into the kitchen. such a place! so thick with smoke and steam that all the kitchen people were coughing. "oh, dear! dear!" cried mary frances, the tears coming fast. "everything's burnt up! why, didn't you call me, sillies? to sit here and let the toast burn up!" [illustration: "why didn't you call me, sillies?"] "i--i _did_ call you," cried coffee pot, sputtering more coffee over on the stove, "but i couldn't make you hear." [illustration: "i--i _did_ call you."] "why didn't you call?" asked mary frances of sauce pan with a sob. "you told me not to speak until you spoke to me----" "i was asleep," interrupted toaster. "who are you talking to, mary frances?" asked her father. "aren't you nearly ready?" "sh--sh!" warned mary frances, with uplifted finger--then aloud: "oh, father, i'm so disappointed! i had everything ready so nice and hot, and now everything's burnt up! oh, de--ar, oh, oh, oh, de--ar!" "never mind, honey," said her father, kissing away her tears. "never mind! there's no hurry this morning, i'll fix the fire and you do it all over again." "but i've wasted all the eggs--they're as hard as bricks--they cooked twenty minutes. i forgot them." "they'll be fine in our salad to-night," said brother; "i love hard-boiled eggs that way." [illustration: "they'll be fine in our salad."] "brother, you run out in the garden," said her father, "sister is going to have our breakfast ready in a very few minutes." "i'll do that," cried billy, "and i'll have a fine appetite." when they went into the kitchen mary frances saw sauce pan whisper something to coffee pot, but her father didn't notice. he quickly fixed the fire. "now, father," begged mary frances, "please let me do it and i'll have everything on the table in no time." "ho-ho! little miss housekeeper doesn't need any help. very well!" [illustration: sauce pan whispered something to coffee pot.] [illustration: "it keeps me so sad."] "i did need help with the fire, father," said mary frances; "it was a great help, but----" "all right, girlie," said father, "i'll read my paper; you call us when you're ready." in a very few minutes she did call them, and a fine breakfast it was, too; for mary frances knew _how_ so well that not a minute was wasted. "ain't she the loveliest cook," whispered coffee pot to sauce pan, as mary frances disappeared through the dining room door with the eggs. "loveliest ever!" said sauce pan. "i really was afraid to call her for fear her father would hear. i'm so sorry----" "yes," nodded toaster man, "i can't seem to get it off my mind. it keeps me so sad--won't you tell us a story?" "i can't get it off my mind, either," said sauce pan, with a sob, "but i'll do my best. here goes: "our little miss sat down and cried, and called her sauce pan to her, 'i feel so berry bad inside, i wish you'd (h)eat some sugar.'" [illustration: "i can't get it off my mind, either."] [illustration] "oh, silly!" interrupted toaster man, "don't make fun,--besides, you know that's not true." "well," replied sauce pan, "i thought you wanted a story!" "pooh!" puffed tea kettle, "what a poor pun! i should think you'd all be tired out. let's take a nap." "i just want to say i love our little miss just the same," said sauce pan. "and i!" "and i!" cried all the kitchen people. [illustration: "a kiss and a bear hug," laughed mary frances.] chapter xi a joke on aunt maria "oh, hum-m-m! o, yah, yah, yah," yawned tea kettle next morning, stretching his funny little arms. "oh, i say," he shouted, "wake up! we've overslept. wake up, everybody! where's our little mistress, i wonder?" "nice memory,--yours!" drawled sauce pan. "don't you remember they all went over to aunt maria hush's for dinner saturday night, and for sunday?" [illustration: "i'd like to know why not"] "aunt maria hush!" roared tea kettle. "that's not her name!" "i'd like to know why not," said sauce pan. "every time i go to say anything when she's here, somebody says, 'keep still--that's aunt maria,--hush!" "ho, ho, ho, hee-hee-hee!" laughed all the kitchen people. "that meant, 'be still,' goosie," tea kettle explained. [illustration: "oh, hum-m-m! o, yah, yah, yah."] [illustration] when aunt maria and mary frances came into the kitchen later, the old lady was talking. "very creditable, child," she said, looking at the shelves, all in order, "very creditable indeed. i can't understand it--with no one to show you how to----" "i have my little book," said mary frances. "_book!_" sniffed aunt maria, putting the breakfast cereal on to cook. "_book!_ a _book_ can't tell you exactly when a piece of toast is brown enough, or a potato just done enough to be mealy, nor how to keep a pan from burning. book! it's talent! that's what it is! blood will tell. you inherited it from me. i never burnt pans--never in my life--there's no excuse for it." "yes, ma'am," said mary frances, thinking of the ruined breakfast. "go up, and open the beds to air," commanded aunt maria. when mary frances got back, she could scarcely see across the kitchen for smoke. "fire!" screamed aunt maria, making for boiler pan on the stove. [illustration: "fire!" screamed aunt maria.] [illustration: "book!" sniffed aunt maria, "book!--it's talent!"] "i thought the house was on fire," she panted, snatching it up. "oh,--oh, i wish i had my smelling salts! the porridge is all burnt up! what a disgrace!" mary frances felt very sorry for her, but when she saw sauce pan and coffee pot holding their queer little fists over their mouths to keep from laughing out, and when she remembered how funny the old lady looked making across the kitchen in two steps, she ran back into the dining room to laugh. [illustration: she ran into the dining room to laugh] "i must stop," she'd say to herself--and the more she'd say it, the more she'd laugh. "this is dreadful, mary frances," she'd scold herself; "but, oh, my, wasn't it funny!"--and away she'd go again. at length she went back upstairs until aunt maria called, "breakfast!" even at the table she couldn't look at aunt maria without laughing. "what's the matter?" asked brother. "oh, don't ask me!" mary frances begged, hiding her face. she didn't dare go into the kitchen until after her aunt had gone, for fear of disgracing herself laughing. [illustration: to keep from laughing out.] [illustration] when she did go out to look up her next lesson in her little book, boiler pan walked dolefully up to her, holding out a piece of sand-paper. he looked so funny with a big black spot on one eye! bowing, he began to recite: "of course, you never burn your pans, of course, no more do i; but, should such sad things happen, a piece of this just try." "i will!" exclaimed mary frances; and in less than a twinkle had rubbed all the burnt spots off. "my,--that's better; thank you," brightly beamed boiler pan. mary frances sat down on the rocking chair, and opened her book. "tea! omelet!" she exclaimed. "isn't that nice!" just then came a knock at the kitchen door. [illustration: "i thought the house was on fire!" she panted.] chapter xii the tramp mary frances peeped out of the open window. a tramp! "oh, dear,--shall i open the door?" thought the frightened little girl. "please, miss,"--the oldest, hungriest-looking tramp she ever saw looked down at her, taking off his worn out cap. "please, miss--a cup o' tea--anything? i am that tired and faint." he caught hold the railing. "tea!--my next lesson!" thought mary frances. "that's easy and quick! and tea kettle is just beginning to boil. how awfully cold and hungry the poor man looks!" [illustration: mary frances peeped out of the window] "wait a minute," she called. "i almost know how to make tea,--but i'd better look at the recipe. where'd i put my book? oh, here it is,--open to the place," she spoke softly. [illustration: "please, miss--a cup o' tea--anything?"] then she read the directions for making no. .--tea. . half fill the teapot with boiling water. let stand until thoroughly hot. pour out. . put into it teaspoon tea for each cup needed. . pour in freshly boiling water, allowing cup to every teaspoon tea. . let stand for minutes in a very warm place, but do not let it boil. stir, and serve. if not used immediately, strain into another heated pot. very soon she had filled the largest cup she could find in the closet, and handed it to the tramp. "that's the bonniest cup o' tea i've drank for mony a year, miss," said he. "it tastes like the auld country, shure." [illustration: half fill the teapot with boiling water.] "like the old country!" thought mary frances. "that's the funniest way for anything to taste i ever heard of. maybe he's so hungry he's a little bit out of his head. oh, i know what i'll do! i'll make an omelet for him! i don't believe he's eaten omelet since--maybe, since he was as little as i am--maybe a hundred years. he looks a hundred years old, i'm sure. i hope i have eggs to make one--oh, yes, i know there are enough. where's the recipe? oh, here it is!" [illustration: the largest cup she could find.] no. .--omelet. two eggs to each person. . separate yolks and whites, putting them into different bowls. . add dash of salt to whites, and dash of salt and white pepper to yolks. . add cold water to whites, allowing teaspoon to each. . add cold water to yolks, allowing tablespoon to each. . beat both very light. . melt tablespoon butter in a smooth frying pan. . pour in yolks. let cook a moment. . spread whites over yolks, making a little hole in the center for steam to escape. . cook slowly for minutes, or until the puffed up whites look dry. . fold one half over the other. . turn out on a warm platter. . trim with parsley and serve at once. [illustration: separate yolks and whites.] "that's not so easy," thought the little girl, "but i guess i can manage it--he'll not be very par-tic-u-lar." but she had very little trouble; for she read what her mother had written; and followed each direction exactly, all the way through the recipe. [illustration: the omelet.] [illustration: "blessin's on ye, little miss," said the tramp.] "blessin's on ye, miss," said the tramp, as mary frances carried the smoking dish out on the porch to him with a slice of bread and butter. "you've got a kind heart, you 'ave, to be shure. ain't that--whatever it is--a beauty!" "it is real pretty," said mary frances, feeling quite proud. "i just made it for you. i'm learning to cook. my mother's away--and i'm here all alone just now except for jubey and the kitchen f---- (she caught herself just in time). jubey is the kitten, you know. my lessons just came to omelet, and--why, what's the matter with it?" she cried, dismayed. "it's all fallen flat! i wonder if i got it done. it gets flatter and flatter." the tears sprang to her eyes. "i'm so sorry," she said. [illustration: "why, what's the matter with it?"] "oh, never mind, miss," said the tramp; "i ain't been chooser for mony a day--and this 'ere homelet, or whatever it is, will be all right, all right,"--and he hungrily began to eat. "it seems to be made out o' nothin'--and yet it is powerful good," said he between bites, as it fast disappeared, much to mary frances' delight. [illustration: "oh, never mind, miss."] "it's made out of beaten eggs," said she. "first, you take the eggs and break the shells, and put the yolks in one bowl and the----" "why, miss, i know what made it flounder." "flounder? flounder? 'flat as a flounder,'" thought mary frances--"he means flatten." "what?" she asked eagerly. "why, the breeze! the cool air plays the----" "mary frances!" "mary frances!" "mary frances!" [illustration: "be gone!"] her father came into the kitchen. "who's there? why, my dear little girl, what are you doing?" "i'm--i've got company," mary frances stammered, not liking to say tramp. "that is--i--oh, father, this gentleman was so hungry--and i----" "go into the house--and i shall see you." "be gone!" thundered her father to the tramp, pointing to the gate. "begging pardon, sir," said the tramp, touching his cap, "but may i say one word?" "make it short." [illustration: "may i say one word?"] "i'd do anything for the young lady--not let a 'air o' 'er 'ead be 'urt. please don't be too 'ard on 'er." "you may go," said mary frances' father. "are you hungry yet?" "oh, no, sir,--thank you, sir," said the tramp. "thanks to 'er." "bless 'er little 'eart," her father heard him murmuring, as he went out the gate. "bless her dear, loving little heart!" echoed her father. "the poor dear 'lamb' should not have been left alone! i thought billy was here. but she must have her lesson!" going into the kitchen, he took mary frances on his knee. "dear," he began gravely, "suppose the old tramp had not had kind thoughts. suppose, when my little girl opened the door, he had hurt her, and had taken mother's nice things, or had stolen our dear little daughter----" [illustration: "are you hungry yet?"] [illustration: "dear," he began gravely.] "but, father," said mary frances, "he was a lovely gentleman! i feel quite sure he was going to tell me a beautiful story about when he was little--maybe a hundred years ago----" [illustration] "mary frances, listen, child! never, when you are alone, unlock the door to any man or woman you do not know. understand?" "yes, father," said mary frances; "i didn't mean to be bad." "no, dear; but it would be very naughty indeed for you to do so again. do you promise?" "yes, father, said mary frances, hiding her face" on his shoulder. "i'll never, never do it again, dear father." * * * * * "humph!" grumbled aunty rolling pin, after they had gone into the library, "i'd have warned her--only i was afraid the tramp gentleman might hear!" "so would we all of us," cried the rest of the kitchen people. [illustration: "it tastes like the auld country, shure."] chapter xiii company to lunch mary frances listened at the kitchen door before going in next morning. she wanted to find out what the kitchen people might be doing. "it isn't exactly eavesdropping," she thought, "although it seems awfully near to it." "can't you find it?" somebody was asking. "seems to be having trouble," said tea pot. "of course, he can't very well find out--being so short and fat, and having no nose to speak of." "well, nosey," answered coffee pot, "suppose you try--your nose is long enough to poke into anything!" "so much the better for me this time, pug nose." "oh, say, stop calling names, and find out--if you can," cried big iron pot. "i'll bet it's my turn again!" interrupted sauce pan. "now, see if i'm not right." "he's peeped already," declared coffee pot. "'deed, i haven't," very earnestly. [illustration: "pug nose." "well, nosey."] [illustration: "oh, say, stop calling names."] [illustration: "oh, yes, here it is."] "oh, say, tea pot, if you're any good, get to work! see if he's right. can you do it?" "yes," replied tea pot rather breathlessly. (it seemed to mary frances as if he were lifting a heavy weight.) "yes, here is the place. somebody else read; i'm too tired." "i'll read," said sauce pan. "what was the last? oh, yes, here it is, just as i said!" "oh, go 'way! don't let him read," said coffee pot; "he'll make it up." "read yourself, then, pug nose!" then coffee pot's voice: "i declare! he's right! it is his turn again. listen! no. .--white sauce. tablespoons butter tablespoons flour cup hot milk ¼ teaspoon salt dash of pepper . melt butter in a sauce pan. . mix pepper and salt with flour. . throw into the butter, stirring thoroughly. cook until it bubbles a little. . pour / of the milk very slowly on this, stirring and beating well. . place over fire and stir in the rest of the milk a little at a time. . let boil a minute. [illustration: "i declare! he's right!"] "pug nose----" "stop calling names," said iron pot. ("good!" thought mary frances.) "honorable mr. coffee pot, esquire," said sauce pan, mockingly. (mary frances could easily imagine him bowing.) "allow me to call your attention to the un-im-peach-able ver-ac-i-ty of myself." "crazier and crazier!" commented coffee pot, sadly. "did you say anything?" "sir," said sauce pan, "to put it into kindergarten words, i remarked, sauce pan, meaning myself, has rightly been likened to george washington----" [illustration: "likened to george washington"] "aw--!" puffed tea kettle, "what i'm more interested in is the book. what do they use white sauce for?" "there's a foot-note," tea pot ventured. "read it!" commanded tea kettle. "'white sauce is very good to pour over cooked vegetables, like----'" "wait a minute," interrupted tea kettle, "perhaps sauce pan can tell us." [illustration: "honorable mr. coffee pot, esquire"] "new boiled potatoes, green cabbage, etc; also nice to use for warming over cooked meats, like cold chicken and canned salmon. both make a nice luncheon dish." ("fine!" thought mary frances. "there's a can of salmon in the pantry.") "is that right?" asked tea kettle. "right," said tea pot. "next is no. .--baked apples. . wipe large apples. . take out cores with apple corer or sharp knife. . place in earthen or enamel dish. . fill center of each apple with sugar. . pour water into dish, allowing tablespoons to each apple. . bake in a hot oven one half hour, or until soft. [illustration: take out cores.] "a joyful surprise!" a deep voice seemed to come from the closet. "who's that?" asked tea kettle. "oh, it's baking dish!--you startled me!" "although i'm not paid proper respect for my years----" went on the deep voice. "how old are you, now, anyway?" asked tea kettle. [illustration: "a joyful surprise!"] "i've been told i'm very old-- my grandsire was a tory-- often bought and often sold, but that's another story." "what an honor!" snickered sauce pan. "how rude!" said coffee pot. "no, child," came the deep voice of baking dish, "only modern--without reverence for the old and----" "one--two--three--four--five--six--seven--eight--nine--ten--eleven!" struck in mantel clock, very loudly. "oh, my goodness!" exclaimed mary frances to herself, "it's time to commence lunch. i do thank mantel clock for reminding me. [illustration: struck in mantel clock very loudly.] "let me see," said she, going into the kitchen as if she had just come downstairs, although she felt very guilty. "i must find to-day's lesson." she read quietly for some time, pretending not to notice that she found the book open with the spout of tea pot lying against one of the pages. [illustration: lying against one of the pages.] "i can make white sauce in a jiffy, and i'll heat some canned salmon in it," she exclaimed, picking up sauce pan quite carelessly. "he needs a lesson, and i don't need his help," she thought. "i'll treat him quite in-dif-fer-ent-ly." "the salmon ought to have been opened an hour or two ago," said a sharp little voice. mary frances looked around to see who her new helper could be, but could discover no one. "how do you know?" she asked, more to find out who was speaking than to gain information. "who'd know better?" came the little voice, so sharp it was little more than a squeak. "i'm can opener!" [illustration: "who'd know better?"] "oh, so you are!" cried mary frances, spying him. "i'm glad to see you. now, why open the salmon an hour ago?" "all canned goods ought to be opened an hour or two before needed, and turned out," explained can opener, "to get well aired." "thank you," said mary frances, "i'll open the salmon right away--then see to the apples--then the white sauce." [illustration: the apples] she had only just finished the white sauce, when the door-bell rang. she stopped to take the baked apples out of the oven, before answering. it was billy with robert and eleanor who lived down the street. "hello, sister," said billy, "i told you i'd bring company home to lunch some day. anything ready?" "by good luck, billy, yes," said mary frances, kissing eleanor, and taking her coat and hat, while billy did the same for robert. "i know now why mother likes father to telephone when he's bringing home company to dinner," laughed mary frances. "oh, don't you worry, folks," said billy, "everything'll be all right." "that's the highest compliment a boy can pay, mary frances, you know," said eleanor. * * * * * "i wish i could cook," she sighed, when mary frances dished the dessert of baked apples, and the three praised everything on the table. "i wish you could, sis," exclaimed robert. "maybe some day i'll teach you some of the things i can make," said mary frances. "oh, mary frances, will you?" cried eleanor. "if your mother says so," nodded mary frances. [illustration: it was billy with robert] [illustration: and eleanor.] [illustration] "i know she will," declared eleanor. "she hates to cook, but she'll let me learn. she never goes into the kitchen if she can help it. and no wonder. our kitchen is an awful place to go into, maggie is so cross. she wouldn't let me try." "pity the poor kitchen people," thought mary frances. "oh, we'll have fun!" she said aloud. "when will you want me to come?" eleanor asked. "some time, when i get near the end of my book, i'll let you know." "won't that be lovely! i'll bring my own bowl and spoon." [illustration: "i'll read," said sauce pan. "what was the last?"] chapter xiv a patent dish-washing "oh, my!" sighed mary frances, gazing at the great pile of dirty dishes on the kitchen table, where she had carried them after the company had gone. "oh, my, cooking is fun--but washing dishes is another thing. i'm 'most tired enough to drop,--and there must be a hundred dishes to do! i'm glad tea kettle is full of hot water." "bubble! bubble! piff! piff!" puffed tea kettle, mys-ter-i-ous-ly smiling as though he knew something was about to happen. mary frances couldn't see anything very pleasing with so much of a task before her. she put the large dish pan on the table and poured in the water, whirling the soap around in it several times to make it a little sudsy. then she sat down to rest. "really, i didn't know i was so tired," she thought; "maybe my age is telling on me the way aunt maria says!" [illustration: "bubble! bubble! piff! piff!"] her weary little head began to nod, and she was soon fast asleep. she hadn't been asleep long before she was aroused by a great racket. "click, clack! click-ety-clack! splash!" "come," she said to herself, rather sharply, "i do believe you've been asleep, mary frances! you'd better get to work, child." "click! clack!" again came the sound. with her sleepy lids half open she glanced toward the table, and such a sight she never saw! she sat up with mouth and eyes wide open, but nobody paid any attention to her. there were the dishes jumping higgledy-piggledy, pell-mell into the dish pan. first a cup, followed by a saucer, then a spoon, followed by a fork. "make room for me," cried platter, diving in head first. "look out, or you'll chip me," cried tea cup, tumbling out on the other side of the pan. "i'm next!" a big dinner plate splashed in "kerplunk." [illustration: "click, clack! click-ety-clack! splash!"] mary frances couldn't say a word--she was so afraid they might break their heads. "ouw! this is hot!" screamed little pitcher. all the other kitchen people were looking on and laughing. aunty rolling pin was rocking to and fro, laughing so hard the tears were rolling down her cheeks. when yellow bowl bounced into the water, "chase yourself!" cried soup ladle, making hard after. in less time than it takes to tell, the dishes were all clean, and had piled themselves up neatly on the table. then mary frances realized what had happened. "that was a patent dish-washing," she said. "i don't want you to do that often. i was afraid my mother's china would be broken all to pieces! but i am very much obliged, this time, i'm sure." [illustration] [illustration: there were the dishes jumping higgledy-piggledy, pell-mell into the dish pan.] chapter xv thimble biscuits mary frances carried all her dolls to the window seat in her room, and placed them in a row. then she held up an envelope. "misses angelina, marie, cosette, lady gay, peg, master alfonso, why, listen! here's a letter come for you. what can it be? pay very strict 'tention while i read it. if you'd gone to school every day i've been so busy, perhaps you could read it yourselves; but, of course, when my hands are so full, i can't possibly get you off, and you are so helpless. aren't you 'shamed? i think--yes, i think you all look ashamed except peg. if you don't look ashamed in one minute, peg,--just one minute i'll give you,--you sha'n't hear this! there, that will do! you needn't cry, dear child! now, i'll read." mary frances cut open the envelope. every doll looked deeply interested except poor peg who had fallen on her side. "why, it's an invitation to a dolls' party! listen!" [illustration: "it's an invitation to a dolls' party."] [illustration: poor peg, who had fallen on her side.] [illustration: my dear dollies: may i have the pleasure of your company at a doll's kitchen party this afternoon at three o'clock? your loving (mistress) mary frances. p.s. anyone coming late will be fined a pink riblon. in case she has'nt a pink riblon her hair will be pulled. m. f.] [illustration: "of course you'll wear your dress suit."] "now, dears," mary frances smiled upon them, "no wonder you look surprised; for that's a grand invitation, all written out on real paper. i had an awful time getting it to sound right. i'm not sure that it is just exactly correct yet. so we'll get dressed right away. now don't all ask at once what you'll wear. yes, fonsey, of course you'll wear your dress suit. what of it if it isn't proper to wear it until after six o'clock? you have only your work clothes and that suit and you'll have to wear your best." everybody was quiet and good as gold while mary frances finished dressing them. "there," she said to herself, "the last sash is tied. goodness, i'm tired--tired-er than if i'd been cooking the whole morning! aren't dolls stupid compared with kitchen folks? i do wonder what the kitchen folks will do. will they talk before them?" [illustration: looking very anxious and excited.] "now, you dolls, be good, and take a nap," she warned, "so that you won't be sleepy at the party. i must go and get ready." * * * * * as she tied on her apron in the kitchen, she noticed aunty rolling pin looked very anxious and excited. she couldn't seem to keep still, but kept rolling to and fro, watching mary frances' every motion. "well, aunty rolling pin?" said mary frances. "did you, or did you not, please," asked aunty rolling pin, "mention 'biscuits' this morning?" "i guess i did," replied mary frances, "when i glanced at my book. here, i'll read it out: [illustration: ½ cup milk] no. .--thimble biscuits. (nice for dolls' tea party.) cup flour teaspoons baking powder tablespoon butter ½ cup milk (scant) ¼ teaspoon salt . a hot oven and a greased pan. . sift flour, baking powder and salt three times. . rub butter lightly into the flour. . pour the milk on gradually, mixing all the while with a knife, until a soft dough is formed. (perhaps not all the milk will be needed.) . turn the dough on a well-floured board. . pat it with the rolling pin until ¼ inch thick. . use a large thimble as a cutter, and cut biscuits as close to each other as possible. . place in pan a little distance apart. . bake about minutes. [illustration: "did you mention 'biscuits' this morning?"] no. .--baking powder biscuits. . make exactly the same as thimble biscuits (no. ), only pat the dough out about three-quarters of an inch thick. prick with a fork. . cut with a biscuit cutter, and place in pan, a little distance apart. . bake in a quick oven from to minutes. "ever make any biscuits, child?" "no, aunty rolling pin, but i believe i can with your help, if you'll be so kind." "'deed i will, child." aunty rolling pin gave a delighted chuckle. "i've been waiting patiently for the chance." [illustration: "'deed i will, child."] "i'm going to give a dolls' kitchen party, aunty." "ah, i'm glad you told me, child; that makes everything more important than ever. so, as you gather together the things you'll need, you can listen--ahem!--to aunty rolling pin's wisdom." "you know about 'most everything!" said mary frances. "i'd be much obliged to you for any other hints during the rest of my lessons." "i'll be glad to help, child," said aunty. [illustration: baking powder biscuits.] "mother expected to explain everything to me, you see----" "yes, yes, child," smiled aunty rolling pin, seeing mary frances looked sad; "but i see you have sifted the flour and baking powder and salt into a bowl and poured it back. instead of using a bowl, it's a good idea to use a piece of heavy paper. when this is folded funnel-like, the flour can readily be poured into the sifter again and again." "that certainly is easier," said mary frances, putting the hint to practice. [illustration: "poured into the sifter again and again"] "in order to get the baking powder into every bit of the flour, they should be sifted together three times. now, i see you are working the butter into the flour. rub lightly with your finger tips. that's it--pour the milk gradually, mix well--the dough should be almost sticky, but not too soft to handle. now it's my turn," she chuckled, as mary frances turned the dough on a well-floured board. "but if you are going to make thimble biscuits, one half of the dough is enough to pat out for them----" "and i can make the rest into real biscuits! what a splendid idea!" said mary frances. [illustration: turned the dough on a well-floured board.] "wonder if the handles are her ears," she thought, softly patting the dough with aunty rolling pin. as she bent over, she caught the sound of singing, and this is the song aunty rolling pin sang: "roly-poly, roly-poly, to and fro, roly-poly, roly poly, o'er the dough. round as an apple, straight as a rule; guess who i am or i'll send you to ---- [illustration: as she bent over she caught the sound of singing.] "where?" she asked suddenly stopping. mary frances jumped. she had been rolling aunty rolling pin to and fro, unconsciously keeping time with her song. "where?" she again demanded, her mouth full of flour. "dear me," answered mary frances, "i don't know." "school, of course," laughed aunty rolling pin; "i thought you'd surely know." [illustration: "roly-poly, roly-poly, to and fro."] "oh, yes, of course," laughed mary frances; "cooking school." "certainly, child," laughed aunty rolling pin. "to what other school could you go to learn about me?" "that's beautiful poetry," said mary frances. "i think so," smiled aunty rolling pin; "i made it up myself. it's so _floury_, you know," blowing the white dust in the air. [illustration: "tee-hee," giggled mary frances.] "tee-hee," giggled mary frances. aunty rolling pin looked offended. "excuse me," said mary frances, "you mean 'flowery.'" "i mean what i say," said aunty rolling pin; "isn't that what i said?" as it certainly was what she said, and mary frances didn't like to explain, she hastily turned to her work. it didn't take long to cut the biscuits, as she had often helped her mother in baking. she knew how to dip the cutter each time into flour, that the dough might not stick. she used the large thimble she had brought down from the sewing room in the same way as she had used the biscuit cutter. [illustration: "it didn't take long to cut the biscuits."] "aren't they too sweet!" she cried delightedly, as she laid the tiny biscuits side by side, but not touching, in the little baking pan. with the rest of the dough, she had made three larger ones. "one for each of the family," she said, slipping them with the thimble biscuits into the oven. "let me see what's next. oh, yes, the cocoa. i do declare, it's little sauce pan's turn again. no wonder he's puffed up," she thought. "strange, he hasn't said a word. i'm 'most sure i have to use sauce pan. perhaps he doesn't understand. i'll read aloud: no. .--cocoa. for each cup: tablespoon cocoa tablespoon sugar ½ cup boiling water ½ cup milk . heat milk. . mix cocoa and sugar. . pour boiling water on them gradually, making a smooth paste. . add the milk, and cook a half minute. . beat with an egg beater. [illustration: "oh, yes, the cocoa."] * * * * * silence. [illustration: "don't bother me."] "sauce pan!" one of the kitchen people near him whispered loudly, "sauce pan! why don't you speak?" [illustration] "don't bother me. i'm asleep," muttered sauce pan drowsily, "sound asleep!" mary frances gasped. "what 'n awful story!" exclaimed the one who had first spoken. "you're not very polite to question my word to my very face," sauce pan retorted angrily. "now, if someone else had told you, that would have been different; then you'd had some excuse." "come," thought mary frances, "that's too silly! i'll put an end to this. i don't need any help with this simple recipe." seizing sauce pan quite carelessly, she quickly made the cocoa. [illustration: mary frances carried all her dolls to the window seat in her room.] chapter xvi the dolls' kitchen party "now, everything is ready," she said, glancing carefully at the table she had set with her little dishes; "i'll go up and bring the dolls. wait a minute, mary frances," she added after a moment's pause. "let's see if everything is ready. there's thimble biscuits jam cocoa "better look in the oven!" [illustration: "better look in the oven!"] "oh, my, i'm glad you 'thought me,' aunty rolling pin," cried mary frances, opening the oven door. "oh, dear me! most of the thimble biscuits are burnt up and the big ones are just done, i guess!" "the thicker things are, the 'slower' the oven, child. the thinner, the hotter the oven----" [illustration: "oh, dear me!"] "aunty rolling pin," cried mary frances, not realizing she had interrupted, "there are enough thimble biscuits not burnt to go 'round. isn't that good? and the dolls can't make themselves sick with them." "it's not much of a waste," smiled aunty rolling pin, "and (seeming to be seriously thinking) the dolls can't make themselves sick on them--eating too many, i suppose." [illustration: "you see it's like this"] "well," said mary frances, "you see, it's like this: "when i my dolls invite to tea, it is a pretty sight to see the things one seldom gets to eat all on the table spread, so sweet; but to my dollies i explain, don't eat too much--you'll have a pain. "then, just to save them such a trial, i let them sit and look a while at cakes, and tarts, and candies, too. then eat them up myself--wouldn't you? for thus they're saved from being ill, and i, likewise, a doctor's bill. but--just between you, dear, and me-- they couldn't eat at all, you see." [illustration: "dolls can't make themselves sick."] [illustration: the doll's kitchen party] and away ran mary frances to bring the dolls. * * * * * "it was a lovely tea party, wasn't it, angie?" sighed mary frances, putting her family to bed after it was all over. [illustration: after it was all over.] "and you did 'behave a credit' to your mother. i feel sure now you will remember all i've taught you. not one of you would eat soup from the point of a spoon, nor spread a whole slice of bread at once, nor leave your spoon in your cup, which is a great comfort to a mother. only peg, you poor child, you should not have spilled that cocoa down your best dress. but 'children will be children,' i 'spose--and you're very dear children." ("i wouldn't have them, for the world, jealous of the kitchen people--and i've neglected them shamefully of late.") * * * * * "i'm not much taken with those things called 'dolls,' aunty rolling pin," said sauce pan, seating himself on the edge of the top closet-shelf, and crossing one leg over his knee. "they're not much use." [illustration: "they're not much use."] "ah," sighed aunty rolling pin, looking wise, "a doll's a doll, for all that." [illustration: "a doll's no good boiled!"] "of course," said sauce pan, "but a doll's no good boiled!" "well, no," admitted aunty rolling pin, "the best, of course, are _baked_ of no. .--gingerbread cookies. ½ cup molasses tablespoons butter tablespoons lard flour ½ tablespoon ginger ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon baking soda tablespoon warm water . warm the molasses. . put the butter and lard in a bowl. pour over them the molasses. . dissolve soda in the warm water. add to the molasses. . sift ginger, salt and ½ cup flour together. . sift into the molasses, beating well. if necessary, add more flour to make a soft dough. . grease a shallow pan. . roll the dough out / inch thick. . cut out with a little round cutter, dipping it into flour each time. place cookies some distance apart on the pan. bake about minutes. note.--instead of rolling out, little spoonfuls may be dropped far apart on the pan and flattened with the bottom of a round tin cup. [illustration: "the best, of course, are _baked_."] "then you---- [illustration] "oh, aunty rolling pin, nobody's doing a lesson. besides, after it's baked it's done!" cried sauce pan impatiently. "so'm i!" smiled aunty rolling pin. [illustration: "it was a lovely tea party, wasn't it angie?"] chapter xvii the sick neighbor "mary ann hooper is very ailing," said aunt maria at the lunch table. she had invited the children over to lunch that day. "she needs nourishment more than anything else, i should say. that cook she has can't make a decent thing. no wonder she's weak!" [illustration: "mary ann hooper is very ailing."] "if only," thought mary frances, "if only i could cook something for her! wait until i look in my book. i wonder if she could eat to-day's lesson." she laughed aloud--that seemed so funny. "well," snapped aunt maria, "of all things; to laugh at a poor sick neighbor in such a pre-dic-a-ment." mary frances blushed, but she didn't say anything. after lunch, she started home as soon as possible. once in the house, she ran to the kitchen for her book. "of all things! as aunt maria would say," she cried, "it comes next!" [illustration: "of all things!"] no. .--soft custard. cup milk egg tablespoons sugar dash of salt nutmeg . heat the milk smoking hot. . beat egg. add sugar and salt. . pour the hot milk on, beating well. . pour into upper part of double boiler, or set pan in boiling water. . cook until it thickens, or until a coating will be formed on a clean spoon when dipped into the custard. . sprinkle with a few gratings of nutmeg. . serve cold. [illustration: soft custard] "how perfectly lovely!" exclaimed mary frances; "i'll make soft custard for mary ann hooper. but that isn't very much. oh, isn't this too good? i can serve it on the next recipe. it's no. .--steamed rice. ½ cup rice cups boiling water ½ teaspoon salt . wash rice. this may be easily done by putting in a strainer and shaking in a pan of cold water. . put with the salt and boiling water, into the upper part of a double boiler. . pour boiling water into lower part, and cook hour. [illustration: steamed rice] . to test whether it is done, press several grains between the fingers. if not perfectly soft, cook longer. . if it becomes hard and dry, add a little boiling water from time to time. . a few raisins are sometimes cooked with the rice. add these during the last fifteen minutes of cooking to prevent discoloring. . serve with soft custard or cream and sugar. plain cooked rice may be served as a vegetable. [illustration: drain through a colander.] no. .--boiled rice. use a plain boiler and a large quantity of salted boiling water. ½ cup rice cups boiling water ½ teaspoon salt . wash rice by putting it in a strainer and shaking in a pan of water. . drop a few grains at a time into boiling water, stirring well to prevent sticking. . boil rapidly minutes, or until soft when pressed between the fingers. . drain through a colander. pour over it cups boiling water. . set in a warm place to dry off, until ready to serve. "yes," said mary frances, putting the rice on to boil, "i'll make both. oh, won't mary ann hooper be pleased!" [illustration: use a plain boiler.] "who's that?" asked aunty rolling pin. "a new kind of cooking pan?" "no, no, aunty rolling pin," laughed mary frances; "she's an old lady who is sick. aunt maria told me about her at lunch. she's such a funny old lady." "it isn't funny to be ill," said aunty rolling pin. "no," answered mary frances, seriously, "but i meant she does such funny things: last summer, she told elvin phelps if he didn't keep his bees from stealing honey out of her flowers, she'd shoot them--she (oh, dear!)--wanted--him--to tie each one--by his hind leg--to keep--them--home--oh, dear," laughed mary frances. "what did he do?" asked aunty rolling pin, anxiously. "he told her (excuse my laughing--but it's so funny!) he would rather--put a 'no trespassing' sign up in her garden for them to read! ho-ho! tee-hee." mary frances shook with laughter. silence in the kitchen until mary frances felt a tug at her tug at her dress. looking down, she spied toaster man. [illustration: "a sign for them to read"] [illustration: she spied toaster man.] "yes, you may speak," she smiled. "thank you,--i don't like to suggest, but a dropped egg on toast would----" "be grand!" finished mary frances. "i'm sure i saw that recipe; yes, this is it!" no. .--poached eggs. . put a pint ( cups) boiling water into a shallow pan. add ½ teaspoon salt. . break egg in a saucer. . whirl the water 'round and 'round with a spoon, and draw pan back on stove where it will simmer, but not boil hard. . slip the egg into the whirling water. . cook until the white is coated over the top. . serve on toast. note.--it is best to cook only one egg at a time. [illustration: "ready!"] "ready!" hummed tea kettle. "ready!" exclaimed sauce pan, and mary frances poured the hot water. "ready!" cried toaster man, and mary frances made the toast. "oh!" cried the little girl suddenly, her fingers crushing through the eggshell, "what a shame!" [illustration: "ready!" "ready!"] "a sharp rap with a knife and a quick pull with the thumbs," somebody said. "thank you," smiled mary frances, too busy to discover who was her helper. very soon she had lifted the poached egg with per-for-at-ed skimmer on the piece of toast. when she had arranged the tray, she brought it out for the kitchen people to see. she had used her mother's daintiest china plates, and had scattered violets here and there over the cloth. "beau-ti-ful!" they exclaimed in one voice, as though that was all that could be said; but this is what mary frances heard as she closed the door: "wish i could eat," sighed toaster man. "i know jube'll want some of that," he added after a moment. "that cat can eat any time of day! i envy her appetite." "humph!" exclaimed sauce pan, "jube won't get any of that. this time jube'll get [illustration] [illustration: a great big round piece o' nothing!] chapter xviii a man's lunch "mother writes that she is so glad you are giving billy such good lunches," said father, looking up from his letter. "i've been waiting a long time for an invitation to lunch, little daughter. do you know, i'll be quite jealous of billy if my turn doesn't come soon!" "oh, father," mary frances begged, "won't you come to-morrow? i didn't think you could get away from the store,--and i don't know so very much to cook." "thank you, miss mary frances, i'll be most happy to lunch with you to-morrow," said father, in a real so-ci-e-ty tone. [illustration: "thank you, miss mary frances."] when mary frances went into the kitchen next morning, she said: "i guess i'll make the dessert first; rice pudding is good cold." [illustration: "it is ex-cel-lent cold."] "it is ex-cel-lent cold," spoke the deep voice of baking dish, "es-pec-i-ally if made by no. .--rice pudding. tablespoons rice ¼ cup sugar / teaspoon salt sprinkling nutmeg cups milk, or cups milk and cup water . pick over the rice, and wash by putting in a strainer and shaking in a pan of water. . butter the baking dish. . stir rice, sugar and salt into the milk. . pour into the baking dish. . sprinkle with nutmeg. . cover with a lid, and bake slowly hours. . uncover and brown ½ hour. note.--seeded raisins may be added before browning. if desired, a thin narrow shaving of the outside rind of a lemon may be used as flavoring. put this in the milk with the rice. "why, thank you, baking dish," exclaimed mary frances. "will you kindly say it over slowly? i'll do it then, keeping time with your directions." this he did, and as mary frances slipped him into the oven, "i'm sure this will be good," he said; "i can always tell." [illustration: "i'm sure this will be good"] "i'm very glad," said mary frances, gratefully. "now for the boiled mutton," she said. "i guess, iron pot, you can tell me about that." [illustration: slipped him into the oven.] "yes, ma'am," said iron pot, importantly climbing from the shelf, and eying critically the piece of meat mary frances had placed on the table. "that's a pretty nice cut of meat--pretty nice. it will be all right to cook it as i will tell you. but, really, mutton is less greasy if it is boiled long enough before needed to let the gravy cool. take off the cake of fat which will form on the top when cold. of course, take the meat out as soon as it is tender, and after 'skimming' the gravy, put it in again to re-heat." "i haven't time!" said mary frances, anxiously. "you can put yours in a bowl, and stand the bowl in ice water to cool the liquor quickly, and do the same thing that way, now----" "you give the recipe?" asked mary frances. iron pot looked pleased, and began: no. .--boiled mutton. about pounds rack of mutton or "yearling." . wipe with a damp cloth. . pour cups boiling water into a large pot. . throw in peeled onions. . put in the meat. cover. . boil minutes. [illustration: stand the bowl in ice water.] [illustration: iron pot looked pleased.] . draw pot to back of stove where it will simmer, or just bubble, until meat is tender when tried with a fork, which will be in about ½ hours. . take out the meat. . skim off the fat from the surface of the liquor; or if there is time, cool, and remove the hardened fat. "correct!" exclaimed sauce pan, bending over mary frances' book. "and the gravy is made----" "saucy!" began iron pot, in a boiling rage; but he suddenly stopped, as mary frances shook her finger at him. [illustration: "saucy!"] "it's all right this time," she said. "it is your place, sauce pan----" "it is my place," said sauce pan, trying not to let iron pot see how pleased he was to tell about no. .--sauce or gravy for boiled mutton. . after cooling and skimming off the fat, measure the water in which the meat was boiled. . to each cupful, allow tablespoon flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon vinegar. . moisten these with a little cold water. . stir them into the boiling gravy. . add tablespoon finely minced parsley. [illustration: "correct!" exclaimed sauce pan.] "thank you both, my friends," said mary frances, lifting iron pot. "my, but you're heavy!" "'tis true," said iron pot, sadly, "all my old-fashioned friends, like iron tea kettle--glancing toward the new tea kettle--and caldron, are gone. but," he added, brightening up, "it has been proved that for boiling meats, no modern 'light-weights' could 'do them up so brown!'" "we'll prove it again," laughed mary frances. "i do believe i'll have a splendid lunch for father--a regular big man's lunch. listen! boiled mutton parsley sauce boiled potatoes rice pudding coffee [illustration: "a splendid lunch for father."] "and now i'll set the table! i think i'll use the very best silver, and the prettiest dishes--it will please father, i know." this is the way mary frances set the table for her father and billy's lunch. mary frances sat in her mother's place. [illustration: "my, but you're heavy!"] [illustration: . fork . knife . spoon . tumbler . butter "pattie" . napkin . platter for boiled mutton . vegetable dish for potatoes . holder for rice pudding dish . tray for coffee pot, and cups, saucers, sugar bowl and cream pitcher . flowers . salt and pepper shakers a. father's place b. billy's place c. mary frances' place] just as mary frances was finishing getting the lunch, the 'phone bell rang and billy answered. this is what mary frances heard: "hello!" -------- "yes!" -------- "too bad, father, can't you?" -------- "well, i'll tell her, but i hate to, awfully. she's been hard at work all the morning." -------- "i?--oh, i attended to the fire for her, then went upstairs to make those drawings." -------- "oh, yes; i'll look after her, all right." -------- "yes, she is--a regular 'brick!'" -------- "all right. good-bye!" -------- "sis!" [illustration: "hello!"] "i know, billy," mary frances sobbed. "i know!--father can't come, and everything is ready. oh, dear! oh, oh,--de--ar!" "oh, i say, sister," said billy; "i'll pretend i'm father--won't that do? and--oh, yes! i'll show you how to fold a napkin into 'cinderella's slipper!'" "where did you learn how?" mary frances began to dry her tears. "not on land, and not on sea did this knowledge come to me. when i learned, i had on my hat-- where was i? now, riddle me that? * * * * * no, lady fair, not up in the air-- on a boat in the river." [illustration: "oh, dear! oh, oh,--de--ar!"] "silly billy!" exclaimed mary frances. "please show me the trick now, will you?" "yes," said billy, "and then i'll eat father's share, as well as mine, of a very 'grand' lunch--if my nose isn't deceiving me." "well," said mary frances, "that will help some; but please fold the napkin." and billy showed her this: [illustration: "i'll show you how to fold a napkin."] [illustration: . fold napkin twice, making it fourfold. make crease through the center, as shown in =figure i= . fold each end along _dotted_ line in =figure i= over to center crease. then the napkin will be in the form of =figure ii= . fold napkin again along _dotted_ line in =figure ii= over to center. then it will look like =figure iii= . fold the napkin together along center crease, bring one side exactly over the other. then the napkin will look like =figure iv= . fold one side along _dotted_ line in =figure iv=, turning end _under_, and bringing it up as shown in =figure v= . fold along _dotted_ line in =figure v=, bringing point "a" _over_ to meet letter "b". then the napkin will look like =figure vi= . tuck the end =a= into opening a-b, folding along dotted line in =figure vi=, and stand slipper as in =figure vii=. fold back and spread open the top, into which slip candy or flowers] mary frances was so pleased with the cinderella's slipper that she folded all the napkins on the lunch table. "looks like a hotel table," said billy. "well, billy," said mary frances, "i know fancy folded napkins aren't so nice for home--but you don't mind." "indeed, no," said billy; "i feel proud." * * * * * while they were at lunch there came a knock and a boy from the store handed in a box of candy and a little note addressed to _miss mary frances._ [illustration: a box of candy and a little note] "ahem," said billy, as mary frances opened the box, and offered him some candy "since father couldn't come, he sent a sweet guest in his place." "it isn't very nice to eat up your guest," laughed mary frances. "mary frances," asked billy, "what's better than a cream chocolate?" "two cream chocolates, i guess," said mary frances, passing the box--"but, billy, listen: [illustration: "what's better than a cream chocolate?"] "dear miss mary frances: "my little girls disappointment in not having her father to lunch today can scarcely equal his. "a very wicked man came on business from a long distance and prevented me from being. "hungrily yours, "father "p.s.--please accept candy with my love. "the third of september." [illustration] [illustration] chapter xix poor blue pitcher "why," said mary frances, looking over her book next morning at the breakfast table, "to-day's lesson is so easy i think it would be just the time to invite eleanor over for her cooking lesson. [illustration: pare and slice] "i do wonder whether the kitchen people will talk and help us--or whether they can help but one person. it would be pretty hard without their help; but let me read the recipe again: no. .--apple snow. . pare and slice apples, dropping into cold water. . cook slowly until soft. . mash well and measure. . to every cupful, allow ¼ cup powdered sugar, white of egg, well beaten. . add a spoonful of each to apples until used, stirring in lightly each time. . add drop vanilla for each cup of apples. . serve with cream. [illustration: apple snow] "i guess i'll go ask the kitchen people about it right away!" but some one was talking. "wonder what little mistress will cook to-day." "i'll see if they know," said mary frances to herself. "it's hard to remember so far ahead," complained coffee pot. "i wish it was my turn all the time." "oh, you have more chance than most of us, except tea kettle," exclaimed sauce pan. "i expect, though, most of us will be used a lot now,"--airily. "why?" "oh, i read a poem about it, which proves----" "say it!" interrupted several kitchen people. ("what fun!" thought mary frances. "i'll try to remember it.") [illustration: complained coffee pot.] [illustration: beginning to recite.] "all right!" said sauce pan, proudly, beginning to recite: "'the good old times are back, they say; now, people eat six times a day. nothing they eat is quite so good as victuals, eatables and food. they'll eat 'em cooked, they'll eat 'em raw, while they have teeth with which to chaw.'" "beautiful!" exclaimed the kitchen people. "if that isn't too silly for anything in the world!" it was a new voice. mary frances peeped out. big blue pitcher was near the edge of the shelf. "it's perfectly true, though," re-tort-ed sauce pan, angrily. "there! there!" said aunty rolling pin, soothingly; "don't get so excited! of course it's true." "you bet it's true and i can prove----" "oh, my ear!" cried blue pitcher, toppling dangerously near the edge of the shelf. "prove it! prove it! you can't!--you conceited id-i-o-ti-cal old sauce pan! i dare you!" [illustration: big blue pitcher was near the edge] over he went--crash!!!--broken into pieces. "he's dead," exclaimed the excited kitchen people, and began to wring their funny little hands, and to cry "oh, why did-de-die? "oh, why did-de-die? "oh, why did-de-die? did-de-die-die-die?" [illustration: over he went--crash!!!] they kept up this chant until mary frances stepped out into the kitchen. "why _did_-de-die?" demanded mary frances, but not a word was answered. "what will mother say?" she said, sweeping up the broken pieces of poor blue pitcher. "won't she be sorry!" "yes, she will!" said sauce pan; "but it was his own fault! i think jubey'll be sorrier! she thought blue pitcher one of her best friends. they were very con-fi-dent-ial. only yesterday i heard her telling him that always after eating a hearty meal for which she had no appetite, she felt hungry." "what did blue pitcher say?" asked aunty rolling pin. "never paid any 'tention--just said: 'humph, jubey, i know where a lot of cat-tails grow!' "'you do, do you?' said jubey. 'i'd like to know.' "'on little kittens!' said blue pitcher." the kitchen people laughed. "bet sauce pan made that all up," whispered coffee pot. "no," said sauce pan, overhearing, "i--i don't tell _tails_!" [illustration] chapter xx mary frances gives a cooking lesson "come!" said mary frances. "this is enough nonsense for one day. "now, kitchen people, i promised to give a friend of mine a cooking lesson. if i bring her now, can you help us,--as you generally do me?" "no, child," said aunty rolling pin, smiling; "but perhaps you have learned by this time pretty nearly well enough to do an easy lesson without our help. we can't talk before other people, you know. perhaps the little girl's own kitchen people will help her some time." [illustration: "you can get along nicely"] "well, it's a very easy lesson, i think.--'apple snow,' she added. and 'a promise 's a promise!'" "yes," interrupted sauce pan, "you can get along nicely with that recipe." [illustration: the little girls had a lovely time.] "perhaps i can," said mary frances, happily. "i'll go over for eleanor now." * * * * * the little girls had a lovely time doing just as mary frances' mother had written in the recipe. the kitchen people watched out of the corners of their eyes, but never said a word. "oh, isn't this good," sighed eleanor, eating the light, delicious dessert. then, "mary frances, i know; i'm going to ask my mother for a cook book! i wonder if you'll let me borrow yours some time to show her." "of course!" laughed mary frances. just then there was a ring at the door-bell. in came aunt maria with a mysterious looking bundle. "why, my dear, you have company, i see," said the old lady with a smile. "yes, ma'am," said eleanor, "mary frances has been giving me a cooking lesson." mary frances shook her head and put her finger to her mouth, but eleanor didn't understand. [illustration: "oh, isn't this good."] "a cooking lesson!" exclaimed aunt maria. "a cooking lesson! mary frances! a cooking lesson!" then she began to laugh. [illustration: then she began to laugh.] "oh, my dear!" she said. "i'm so happy i'm crying. silly old me!" and she wiped the tears from her spectacles. "mary frances, dear," she said, at length, "i heard about the lovely things you made mary ann hooper; and i found out, too, by wheedlin' it out of her, about the cooking lessons--and here's a surprise for you," and she handed the bundle to the little girl. "oh, aunt maria!" cried mary frances unwrapping it. "look, eleanor!--a little cap and apron!" "to wear at your cooking lessons," fluttered aunt maria. "how dear and lovely!" (trying them on.) "look, eleanor, they just fit!" "you're the happiest girl in the world!" sighed eleanor. [illustration: a little cap] "i should be, if mother were really well," said mary frances; "but she's much better, and is coming home soon. aunt maria," she added,--"oh, i want you to share the secret! i'm doing all the lessons she had written out for me in my cook book--to surprise her when she comes home!" "good!" said aunt maria. "i'll tell you!--you can get dinner ready the day she comes!" [illustration: and apron.] "wouldn't that be perfectly lovely!" said mary frances. then, suddenly thinking,-- "oh, aunt maria, excuse me, please! won't you have some of our lesson?--some of the apple snow we made for our lesson, i mean?" "i'd ap-pre-ci-ate the kindness," said the old lady a little stiffly, as though a bit ashamed of her softness a moment ago. but after tasting the treat, she said: "it's the most beautiful snow i ever saw, little girls,--even more beautiful than that on which i, so many years ago, used to pull a sled." [illustration] [illustration: "look, eleanor, they just fit!"] chapter xxi the picnic "can't guess where i'm going to-day," laughed mary frances, coming into the kitchen next morning. "to the circus?" guessed sauce pan. mary frances shook her head. "not to-day." "to the fair?" guessed coffee pot. "no!" "to the zo-ol-og-ic-al garden," guessed sauce pan, again, beginning to recite: "'the pan-cans went to the zoo, it long had been their wish to see the baking panimals with the wildly chafing dish.'" [illustration: "to the circus?"] "wrong!" laughed mary frances. "all wrong!--perhaps this will help you guess"--opening the cook book. [illustration: "wrong! all wrong!"] no. .--stuffed eggs. . hard-boil eggs. . drop into cold water. remove shells. . cut each in half lengthwise. . turn out yolks into a bowl. . carefully place whites together in pairs. . mash yolks with back of a spoon. . for every yolks, put into the bowl tablespoon olive oil or melted butter ½ teaspoon mustard (the kind prepared for table) ½ teaspoon salt dash cayenne pepper . rub these together thoroughly with the yolks. . make little balls of this paste, the size of the yolks. . fit one ball into each pair whites. note.--if used for table, serve with white sauce poured around them. if used for picnic, wrap waxed paper around each until needed. [illustration: stuffed eggs.] "it's a picnic! it's a picnic!" cried the kitchen people. "yes!" explained mary frances, "that's it! aunt maria is giving me a picnic to 'celebrate my ambition,' she says--whatever that means. anyhow, father's coming. he's going to make up for the lunch he couldn't come to. i'm so happy!" [illustration: "it's a picnic!"] "so'm i! goody! goody! i'm all ready!" mary frances turned. "if it isn't basket!" she cried. "i had no idea you----" "that i wanted to go?" asked basket proudly. "my family are the most important 'picnickers' at any picnic! we always go!" "well, to be sure!" exclaimed mary frances. "here, wait--these eggs will be ready in a minute!" "tuck the napkin in carefully, please," said basket. "i won't spill them out. anything else?" "no," said mary frances. "aunt maria said i could bring just one thing--and to surprise everybody; so i have not told anyone what i am going to bring. i wonder if----" [illustration: "i--want--to--go!"] but her thought was cut short by coffee pot's crying excitedly: "i want to go! i want to go! i--want--to--go! go! go! go! i want to go--go--go--go!--go--go!" "oh, you can't go!" said sauce pan. "why--you!--you'd--you--you'd----" [illustration: "goody! goody! i'm all ready!"] "that will do," said mary frances. "i'll take you, coffee pot. maybe aunt maria's little coffee pot won't be large enough for all of the picnic. eleanor and bob are going with us!" [illustration] coffee pot looked tri-umph-ant-ly at sauce pan, but seemed too happy to say anything. "good-bye, kitchen people," said mary frances, "i wish i could take you all." "good-bye," cried the kitchen people; "hope you'll have a lovely time!" "i'd be scared," said sauce pan, glancing at coffee pot. "who knows what's in the woods?" and as mary frances closed the door, he was singing: "'if polar bears were everywheres, and leopards came to tea, and fearful bats and gnawing gnats all came to eat with me, and giant snakes ate all the cakes, what a "picnic" that would be!'" "boo!!!" [illustration: "i'll take you, coffee pot."] chapter xxii the candy pull "get scared at the 'pic-wick,'--i mean 'picnic,'--coffey," teased sauce pan next morning. "nope," said coffee pot, "the 'airing' did me good. i feel lots clearer." [illustration: teased sauce pan] "tell us about it?" "oh, i'm not good at story telling! the aunt told about the funniest recipe she knew,--called 'merry land biscuits,' i think. anyhow, she said to 'beat 'em twenty minutes with an axe!'" "that's a kitchen person i never heard of," said tea kettle. "did the aunt like the little miss' cooking?" asked aunty rolling pin, anxiously. "yes, and she talked about mary frances' de-vel-op-ment of char-ac-ter--whatever that is. it seemed to have something to do with cooking, for at the same time, she told about the things our little miss had made, and seemed so proud. [illustration: "did the aunt like the little miss' cooking?"] "'may i see your book, my dear?' she asked mary frances (for our little mistress had the book tucked under her arm). 'how far are you?' and when mary frances showed her: "'candy!' she exclaimed, 'why, to-morrow, my dear (she never used to call her my dear), you can have a candy pull--only,' she laughed, 'it isn't the kind that is pulled.' "'oh, aunt maria,' said mary frances, 'that's the loveliest thought--the candy pull, i mean.'" "humph," said sauce pan, "i don't think so! that means we can't help her." "oh, no, it doesn't," said aunty rolling pin. "we can help her a great deal by just doing our part. don't you see? she doesn't need us as she used to." [illustration: "candy!" she exclaimed] "i 'spose we ought to be glad," said sauce pan. * * * * * "now, eleanor," said mary frances that evening, "father and the boys aren't invited until after the candy is made." "where are they now--do you know?" asked eleanor. [illustration: "we can help her a great deal"] "father and aunt maria are in the library, and the boys are up in billy's den! so we'll read the recipes over first thing, and get started soon as possible." "do read them, mary frances," said eleanor. "i'm so anxious--i'm just 'crazy' to learn how to make them." "well," said mary frances, "the first is 'pickaninny fudge!' isn't that just like mother!--to call chocolate fudge that cute name!" "hurry, mary frances; do read it," cried eleanor, delighted. mary frances read: no. .--pickaninny fudge. cups sugar cup milk tablespoons butter squares chocolate ( ounces) drops vanilla . put sugar, milk, chocolate and butter together in a pan. . boil until a few drops harden when dropped into cold water. . butter a platter. . add vanilla to candy and stir while it cools. . cut into squares with a buttered knife while still soft. [illustration: mary frances read] "that just makes my 'mouth water,' mary frances," said eleanor. "if the next is as good as that----!" "it is!" declared mary frances. "listen! [illustration: "hurry; do read it."] no. .--walnut kisses. cup brown sugar ½ cup granulated sugar ¼ cup cold water white egg . boil sugars and water together until a few drops harden when dropped into cold water. . beat white of egg stiff. . pour the sugar syrup very slowly upon the white of egg, beating all the time. . butter a platter. . drop by tablespoonfuls on the platter. . put a half walnut on each little mound or "kiss." [illustration: walnut kisses.] "these are 'grand,'" said mary frances. "mother made some just before she was ill." "but have you the walnuts?" asked eleanor, anxiously. "yes," explained mary frances. "aunt maria saw these recipes yesterday at the picnic, and she brought over a lot of walnuts ready for us. if she hadn't, i'd never have thought of them, i guess." "now--to work! you can make the walnut kisses--if you like." "if you'll explain it all to me," said eleanor. [illustration: "now--to work!"] "of course i will," said mary frances; "but you see, mother has written out every single action just as you do it,--that makes it so easy. see if you can do it alone--try." "i'd love to," said eleanor. * * * * * the little girls worked pretty quietly until they were ready to pour out the candy. "how are you getting along, children?" inquired aunt maria at the door. "oh, aunty, i'm so glad you came" said mary frances; "we were just a little afraid--without help." "yes, i see," said aunt maria; "you might easily be burned. this is perfect so far. now----" and she showed the children how to pour out the candy. ("almost as well as the kitchen people could," thought mary frances.) * * * * * "walnut kisses," said her father, kissing mary frances good-night, "are next best to real kisses, which, although they are made of nothing----" "oh, fudge!" exclaimed billy, and everybody laughed. [illustration] [illustration: they were ready to pour out the candy.] chapter xxiii getting ready for a party "how time flies!" mary frances tied on her new apron and put on her pretty little cap. "fly time is nearly gone," said sauce pan, "and--school time is almost here," he added, seeing mary frances didn't seem to notice. [illustration: put on her pretty little cap.] "yes," she said, "but before school time, there's a grand good time--mother comes home to-morrow!" "whew!" whistled tea kettle. "so soon?" "well," said mary frances, "it doesn't seem soon when i think of it without my cooking lessons--but when i think i'm nearly through the book----" "what's to-day's lesson?" asked aunty rolling pin. "i'm so anxious you do get through!" "thank you, aunty rolling pin, i must tell you. i'm going to give a tea party!" "a tea party!" exclaimed tea pot, clapping his lid up and down. "oh, lovely!" [illustration: "a tea party!"] "oh, this is a tea party without tea," said mary frances. "we're going to have two kinds of cake,--and cocoa!" then, seeing how disappointed tea pot looked: "oh, i will have tea, too. aunt maria without tea! that will never do!" "now for the next recipe: no. .--sponge cake. eggs cup sugar / cup boiling water ½ teaspoon vanilla (or lemon extract) cup flour ½ teaspoon baking powder dash of salt . separate yolks of eggs and beat in a large bowl. . add gradually half the sugar, stirring well. . add the boiling water slowly. . add remaining sugar, and the flavoring. . sift together twice flour, baking powder and salt. . sift by small quantities into the mixture, beating well each time. . beat whites of eggs and fold them into the cake. . grease pan. toss around in it ¼ cup flour. throw out. this prevents sticking. . pour in the cake. . bake in a moderate oven about minutes. [illustration: "aunt maria without tea!"] [illustration: "humph!"] "humph!" said aunty rolling pin, "that's all right, but it doesn't give you much idea how the oven should be." "no," explained mary frances, "i 'spose mother intended to show me about that." "of course, child," said aunty rolling pin, "that was it. now, i'll tell you all about cake----" [illustration: "i'll tell you all about cake."] "what's that!" a queer, muffled voice. mary frances started in surprise. a great com-mo-tion inside the pantry, and the sound of many little voices! then she made out the words: "get out of my way! here, you, step aside!" (then a little shriek or two followed by the sound of falling tins.) "oh, you knocked my nose. there! that makes the fiftieth dent! no wonder i look old and worn out. can't you wait a minute?" at length there came a pounding on the door, and a high little voice--or was it two voices? "let me out! oh, i say, please let us out!" "mercy!" thought mary frances, "i hope there isn't going to be any trouble." and she cautiously opened the pantry door a little way. the two cake tins pushed their way out. [illustration: the two cake tins.] "oh, thank you!" they said, breathlessly, in chorus (looking at each other all the while as though they'd learned and rehearsed every word). "i thought i'd never get out to help! i've listened through the door to every lesson, just hoping my turn would come. there i was back of the other pots and pans, and when i heard 'cake' i just jumped!" "as i had just started to say"--aunty rolling pin began. "what do you know about cakes!" cried the cake tins, angrily. "if everybody'd just mind his own cooking--who ever rolls cakes?" "well, i know about cookies," said aunty rolling pin; "and besides, i know about most things,--i belonged to a real cooking teacher!" [illustration: "prove it!"] "prove it!" cried the cake tins. "i will," said aunty rolling pin; "here's part of a lecture the teacher used to give: [illustration: "what do you know about cakes?"] "now, ladies, you can see the ex-ceed-ing-ly good texture of this cake, as i drop it from the spoon. the nu-tri-tive value of the ut-il-ized com-po-si-tion is unequaled, except in rare cases of cul-in-ary e-con-om-y. for instance, the proteids, the car-bon-a-ce-ous contrib-u-tions plus the con-di-ments, afford an instance of un-u-su-al strength-giving power. the in-ex-cus-a-ble prod-i-gal-i-ty of the a-mer-i-can house-wife----'" [illustration: "i'll make the sponge cake first," said mary frances.] "whew!" whistled tea kettle, "for pity's sake, stop it!" "humph!" said square cake tin, "i don't see that that proves you know anything about cake. now i'll explain: "there are really only two kinds of cake in general: " . cakes without butter, or some form of sponge cakes. " . cakes with butter, or plain cakes. "more important than the mixing of the cake is the baking. "have a rather low fire, which will grad-u-al-ly increase in heat without adding more fuel. [illustration: "now i'll explain."] "rules: "thin cakes require a hotter oven than larger ones. "molasses cakes will burn easily, so require a cooler oven than others. "sponge cakes require a 'slower' oven than butter cakes. [illustration: "whew! for pity's sake, stop it!"] "cake is done when it shrinks from the sides of a pan, or when a straw comes out dry. you know the way, don't you?" "yes," said mary frances. "my, what a lot you do know!" "now, read the next recipe, please. the butter kind," said mary frances; whereat the cake tins looked pleased. [illustration: the cake tins looked pleased.] no. .--dream cake. tablespoons butter cup sugar eggs ½ cup milk ¼ cups flour teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon ground mace dash of salt teaspoon vanilla . put butter in a bowl; add sugar. "cream" or rub thoroughly together. . beat yolks of eggs. add to butter and sugar, stirring well. . mix and sift twice flour, baking powder, mace and salt. . add one-third of the milk to the yolks, butter and sugar. . sift in one-third of the flour. do this until all the milk and flour are used, beating well each time. . add vanilla. beat well. . beat white of eggs light. fold them into the cake. . grease shallow pan as in no. . pour in the cake. . bake in moderate oven about minutes, or until it shrinks from the pan. [illustration: "now, read the next recipe."] "we'll both be used!" exclaimed the cake pans, joyously. "i told you so! i told you!" they cried at each other as though having an argument. "come," said mary frances, "less talking. we must get to work." "look at the oven first," said the cake pans, as mary frances started to break the eggs. "is it right?" asked the little girl, lifting them up to see. "yes," they said, "it will be just right when we are ready." "all the ma-ter-i-als you'll need ready?" asked round cake tin after a minute. "yes," looking over the table, "i see--everything. good!" [illustration: "we must get to work."] "i brought the butter into the warm room an hour ago," said mary frances, "so that it would be softened by the time i needed it. i'll make the sponge cake first, as the oven will be cooler then." [illustration: "we'll both be used!"] "right!" cried the cake tins; "but when you open the oven door, be careful to do so gently, as any jarring will break the 'gas bubbles' very easily, doing much more harm toward making the cake heavy than the air; in fact, if the door is opened carefully, and not too soon, it does no harm." * * * * * with the cake tins' help, a warm and tired, but very happy little girl brought two golden brown fragrant cakes to the table one-half hour before lunch time. "turn us on our sides," panted the cake tins, "to let us cool off quickly and evenly. my, but it was warm in there!" "how beautiful the cakes look!" said mary frances, doing as she was told. "why not take a taste?" square cake tin asked. "oh, it's just before lunch time," said mary frances, "and would spoil my ap-pe-tite. mother doesn't allow me----" "just one sweet mouthful?" tempted cake tin. "it seems so good. i guess i will--just this once," and cutting a piece, she ate it. "oh," she cried, "my beautiful cake! look, it's sinking down in the middle!" the tears came to her eyes. [illustration: "oh, i'm so, so sorry"] "oh, i'm so, so sorry," said cake tin, "i was too excited and proud!" [illustration: one-half hour before lunch time.] "why didn't you tell me," mary frances asked, "that a fresh cake, if cut, would 'fall?'" [illustration] "oh," said cake tin, "i meant to be so helpful. i'll try never to be too proud again." [illustration: "is it right?" asked the little girl, lifting them up to see.] chapter xxiv the tea party mary frances didn't eat much lunch. "what's the matter, child?" asked aunt maria, anxiously. "'homesick' for mother?--or was to-day's lesson too hard?" then mary frances told of cutting and eating the fresh cake. "and, aunt maria," she said, the tears flowing down her cheeks, "it went down! down! down! until i was afraid it would rise out of the bottom of the pan the other way." [illustration: "what's the matter, child?"] "never mind, dear child," aunt maria comforted her. "i did the same thing to my first cake. i remember it well!" "you did, aunt maria?" "yes," said the old lady. "i'll tell you what we'll do! i'll bake a cake in place of yours for to-night's party. don't tell any one." [illustration: "it went down! down! down!"] "oh, thank you, aunt maria," cried mary frances; "that's so kind!" "not a word to any one!" cau-tion-ed aunt maria. "what else do you have?" "cocoa," said mary frances; "i can make that." "my," smiled aunt maria, "i'm so proud." * * * * * after the games and riddles, mary frances excused herself from her guests, and made the cocoa and the pot of tea for her aunt. then billy carried in the tray, on which she had placed the cake, and the cups and saucers, plates, napkins, and chocolate pot, and, oh, yes, tea pot, for aunt maria; and she poured the cocoa like a real grown lady, while the boys passed the plates and the cake, and served the guests to the cups of cocoa. "did mary frances make this cake?" asked one of the guests. ("i'm awfully glad she didn't ask about the other," thought the little girl.) [illustration: "did mary frances make this cake?"] "yes," said eleanor's brother bob. "yes; knowing the greatness of the present oc-ca-sion, i have written a poem, en-ti-tled, 'ode to the cook' (bowing to mary frances), which, with your kind indulgence, i will now read:" [illustration: "ode to the cook"] "begin!" laughed mary frances. bob cleared his throat and began: "mary frances is a girl who cooks for you and i; she can boil a fancy cake or stew a cherry pie. "once she made a pot of soup and served it for our dinner; we thought that we were like to die, it made us so much thinner." "time to weep?" asked billy, pa-thet-i-cal-ly. "now, this, our cook will save expense, for when she is your baker, you may save your doctor's bill-- just get an undertaker." [illustration: "oh, bob, i say--"] "now, billy," cried mary frances, "what have you been telling?" "oh, bob, i say--" said billy. [illustration: "begin!"] "mary frances, don't mind bob," interrupted eleanor. "you see what i have to stand all the time." and mary frances laughed heartily. "did you think i minded bob?" she asked. "show you forgive me, mary frances," begged bob, "by letting me have another cup of cake, and another piece of cocoa." "not _another_," laughingly corrected mary frances. "to be polite, i believe i must pretend i didn't notice you'd had any." "you certainly are kind, mary frances," said bob, "when i don't know how many pieces----" "i know," cried eleanor,--"this makes the fifth!" "well, nell," begged bob, "don't tell mother." "you deserve it," said eleanor. [illustration: "don't tell mother."] "come," said billy, "all ready! another game! 'blind feeds blind!'" and they blindfolded the boys' eyes, and sat them opposite each other, each with a plate of little pieces of cake, and a spoon. they were to try to feed each other. the one who dropped the least number of pieces, and whose cake was first gone, won. it was very funny! sometimes the spoon was poked into the other boy's ear; sometimes it hit his nose. [illustration: "blind feeds blind] "everything was grand, mary frances," said eleanor, "and it was the loveliest party!" "i think so, too," smiled aunt maria. "one last riddle," said mary frances' father, bidding the young people good-night: "'why is mary frances the happiest girl in the world?'" then they all guessed---- "because 'mother' is coming home to-morrow!" "oh, mary frances," laughed eleanor, "i've had more fun! good-night, dear." and "so have we all of us," and "thank you," cried the others. "good-night!" "good-night!" "good-night!" [illustration] [illustration: "never mind, dear child." aunt maria comforted her.] chapter xxv mary frances gets dinner "oh, my dear kitchen people, i'm so happy, i don't know whether i'm myself or not!" "you are!" solemnly declared sauce pan,--"i mean you are our little 'miss'--miss mary frances." "my, i feel so relieved!" said mary frances. "since that is so, i'll tell you why i'm so excited! mother is coming home to-day--and--i'm going to get dinner. isn't it lovely?" "everybody," shouted tea kettle, "ready!" with that, every utensil in the kitchen sprang to its queer little feet. [illustration: "you are!"] "we're all quite ready, mistress," said tea kettle, trying to make a bow, but looking very clumsy and ri-dic-u-lous, trying at the same time to keep water from spilling out of his nose. "thank you, everybody," said mary frances, very gravely, however. "i'll not need anyone just now but aunty rolling pin. where is she?" [illustration: "everybody, ready!"] "she's out picking cherries to make a pumpkin pie," said sauce pan in a loud whisper to pie plate. "here i am, child," aunty rolling pin's voice answered. "i can't seem to roll out. get out of my way--you!" with that, knife, fork and spoon slid to the side of the table, and she rolled to the edge. "what is it, child?" she smiled. "it's the grandest thing!" said mary frances. [illustration: slid to the side of the table.] no. .--queen of hearts tarts. spread cooked heart-shaped pastry shells with preserved cherries. see no. . "tarts!" chuckled aunty rolling pin. "oh, my handles! i'm so happy! are the cherries ready, child?" she asked, anxiously. "yes," said mary frances, "i am to use [illustration: "what is it child?"] no. .--pastry. cup flour ¼ teaspoon salt / cup lard / cup cold water (use as little water as possible.) . sift salt and flour into a bowl. . rub lard into flour with finger tips until like coarse powder. . add half the cold water, stirring with a knife to form a stiff ball. keep this on one side of the bowl. . stir in more water until the remaining flour forms a ball. press these balls together. . roll out. fit to pie plate. trim off overhanging edges. . bake in a hot oven. "that's it!" exclaimed aunty rolling pin, joyously. "i was afraid there might not be 'shortening' or lard enough in the recipe. the whole art of making good pastry is in having one-third as much lard as flour, and using as little water as possible. "i was afraid, too, that your mother would not put 'pastry' in the book, for when flour or starch grains are coated in fat they are too dry to 'swell' well in cooking, and cannot burst open. they are not, i'm sorry to say, a very di-ges-ti-ble food." "i'm glad she did, though," said mary frances; "she will not often let us eat 'pastry,' but i 'spect she im-ag-ined how pleased i'd be. i wonder why pie tastes so good, if it isn't good for us? my, how much i have to do! now i'm ready!" at these words, middle-sized bowl sprang upon the table. [illustration: "that's it!"] [illustration: sprang upon the table.] measuring cup dumped a cup of flour into it, and ran toward the lard kettle, which was standing near. "is the salt in the flour?" asked aunty rolling pin, crit-i-cal-ly. "yes, ma'am," said tea spoon, "i put it in." "who'll measure the lard?" asked mary frances. "i will!" and measuring cup threw it into bowl. "well," laughed mary frances, "and what do i do?" "you'll do enough, child," said aunty rolling pin, "before you get ready a whole big dinner, even with our help." "well, really," said mary frances, "i 'spose i ought to explain: these tarts are more 'specially for billy than for dinner. i promised him----" "oh, that's all right," said aunty rolling pin; "that only makes it nicer than ever!" [illustration: dumped a cup of flour into it.] "now," she went on, "rub the flour and lard together. cover the lard with the flour. yes, that's it! now, rub them together until it seems like coarse powder. you could use a knife instead, chopping the lard all through." [illustration: "you'll do enough, child."] "that right?" asked mary frances, holding some down for aunty rolling pin to look at, since she couldn't see over the edge of bowl. "yes, that is right," she answered. "now, you may use a knife for stirring and pour just a little water in--oh, mercy! child! (as mary frances was about to throw in a quarter of a glass) not that way! make a little 'well' in the flour. pour in about one tablespoon of water. mix well. let that rest at one side and do the same thing in another place, and then another, finally stirring all together into one big ball. "that's just right!" as mary frances lifted up the paste. "now, sift a little flour on the board and--oh, how many tarts are you going to make?" "six." [illustration: "all ready!"] "all right. cut the paste into five even pieces, and with _me_ (mary frances laughed, aunty rolling pin seemed so pleased) roll out each piece about one-eighth of an inch thick. after cutting out, save all the left-over trimmings to use for the last one. plates ready?" "all ready!" answered the little heart-shaped tart plates. [illustration: "that right?"] "how do i make a pretty border?" asked mary frances, cutting the trimmings from the edge of tart plate with a knife held upright along the edge. fork came dancing from the edge of the table. "oh, i remember!" said mary frances, pressing the prongs into the outer edge of the crust. "they're grand!" chuckled aunty rolling pin. "can you bake them? you need a very hot oven to bake them." "but the cherries!" said mary frances, glad to think she had caught aunty rolling pin in an oversight. "not until the pastry's cooked, child," said aunty rolling pin, with a smile. mary frances slipped the little plates into the oven, and made room on the table to place the dinner as she prepared it. in a short fifteen minutes the tarts were ready. "aren't they sweet!" the little girl exclaimed. "my! i wish they were thought to be very good for children!" [illustration: "aren't they sweet!"] "what's for dinner?" asked tea kettle, anxiously. [illustration: slipped them into the oven.] "i'll tell you," said mary frances, "i've written out the menu potato soup pan-broiled steak creamed cabbage mashed potatoes tomato and lettuce salad banana bread pudding with hard sauce coffee [illustration: "very elegant!"] "very elegant!--but that's a lot to do, isn't it?" said tea kettle. "perhaps, if you read over all the new recipes, and we talk them over when its each one's turn to commence, we can work better." "oh, thank you, tea kettle," said mary frances, "that is a very bright idea." tea kettle glistened. "i'll read them," continued mary frances, "as they come in the book." [illustration: "lettuce washed, and tomatoes sliced."] "i have the lettuce well washed, and the tomatoes sliced. all i have to do is to dry the lettuce at dinner time, and soon i can make the no. .--salad dressing. teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon mustard ½ tablespoons sugar teaspoons flour ¾ cup sour cream (or milk) egg tablespoon vinegar teaspoon butter a few grains of red pepper. . beat egg. . mix mustard, sugar, flour, salt and pepper. . add egg slowly, beating well at the same time. . add milk. beat. . cook in a sauce pan placed in boiling water. . stir until it thickens like cream. remove from heat at once. . add vinegar very slowly, beating all the while. . stir in the butter. serve cold on lettuce or sliced tomatoes. "if this is cooked too long, it will 'curdle' or the be egg will become hard and separate," said sauce pan; "but i'll be careful. now i'm ready for work." [illustration: "i'll be careful."] mary frances laughed. "thank you, sauce pan," she said, as he began to move around, going hither and thither. [illustration: "thank you, sauce pan."] "the next recipes are no. .--creamed new cabbage. . cut in half and wash well a young green cabbage. . cut out and throw away the hard stem part. . make ready a kettle of boiling water. put in cabbage. leave uncovered. . when the water boils, throw in teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon baking soda (or bicarbonate of soda). . boil gently about half hour, or until it begins to lose its bright green color. lift out with skimmer. . pour over it white sauce just before serving. [illustration: young green cabbage.] no. .--bread pudding. . cut slices of stale bread into squares of about one half inch. . for cups bread, allow pint milk ( cups) tablespoons sugar eggs ¼ teaspoon vanilla . moisten bread with hot water. . butter pudding dish. . put into it the moistened bread. . beat yolks of eggs; add sugar; add milk. . pour this over the bread. . beat whites of eggs. add tablespoons powdered sugar. beat well. . spread this over top of pudding. . bake in moderate oven one half hour. . serve with hard sauce or cream. [illustration: cut slices of stale bread.] no. .--banana bread pudding. slice bananas over top of bread pudding before spreading on whites of eggs (no. ). serve with cream or hard sauce. no. .--hard sauce. tablespoons soft butter ¾ cup powdered sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla beaten white of egg . make bowl and spoon hot with boiling water. . "cream" or rub butter and sugar together, adding sugar by spoonfuls. . add vanilla. . beat in the white of egg. . put in a cool place until needed. [illustration: to save a yolk.] "yes," said baking dish, "that is very nice; but if you use the yolk of the egg in the pudding, it will save it, and make the pudding better." "to save a yolk, all you have to do (it was little egg beater) is to drop it into a cup and pour a little cold water over the top, to prevent its drying. you can use it next day, if you keep it cool." [illustration: "yes, that is very nice"] "it is wonderful," said mary frances, "what you kitchen people know. if it weren't for your help, i'd be afraid to try to get this dinner. i'd have to make only one thing a day, as mother meant me to do." all the kitchen people smiled happily. "is that the last recipe?" asked frying pan. "no," said mary frances. "why, who are you?" "i'm frying pan, of the great pan family, if you please, miss," answered he. "well! well! good friend," smiled mary frances, looking at her book, "your turn has come!" [illustration: smiled happily] no. .--pan-broiled beefsteak. . heat an empty frying pan to blue heat, or until it smokes. _no greasing is necessary._ . put in the steak. . cook half minute. . turn on other side. . cook about minutes. . turn, and cook about minutes longer. . place on a hot platter, and spread with butter. . sprinkle with a little pepper and salt, and tablespoon finely chopped parsley. . squeeze over it a little lemon juice. . cover with another platter. . remove top platter just before serving. note.--mutton or lamb chops are pan-broiled in the same way. [illustration: "i'm frying pan."] "that's it!" cried frying pan, delighted. "that's as good as broiling, though it took people a long time to find it out." "it is not!" cried gridiron broiler angrily clicking his wires. "it is not, spider!" "for shame!" said mary frances. "don't call names!" "he isn't calling names," answered frying pan, "that's my other name, frying pan spider." then to gridiron he added, "come, don't let's quarrel, you'll admit pan-broiling is very nearly as good for chops as broiling over the coals in a broiler, and quite as good for steaks--nearly." [illustration: "that's it!"] "i was just getting ready to say," said gridiron, "you didn't mean 'quite.'" "it's time to commence!" loudly struck in mantel clock. and then mary frances looked on in amazement. in walked basket with the potatoes for the potato soup; up sprang knife ready to pare them; over ran boiler pan with some water. "why! why!" exclaimed mary frances. "why!" [illustration: "it is not!"] "yes!" said tea kettle, "we'll do everything in the recipes you've already made. all you need to do is to make the new recipes--with our help," which mary frances did. whenever she'd make a mistake, some one of the kitchen people would correct and help her. at six o'clock all the dinner was ready to serve, and the table was set. "oh, thank you, dear kitchen people," said the beaming little girl; "this is the happiest time of my life." [illustration] [illustration: "they're grand!" chuckled auntie rolling pin. "can you bake them?"] [illustration: "you dear lovely child," cried mother.] chapter xxvi mother's surprise after one last look, mary frances, hearing the sound of carriage wheels, ran to answer the door before the bell rang; but billy was there, too, and they opened the door together. "oh, mother!" cried mary frances; "you dear, darling mother! what a 'cry-baby' i am!" (as the tears rolled down her cheeks, and mother kissed her and billy and father again and again) "what a 'cry-baby!'" "which she is not!" declared billy. "tell mother,--mary frances, i can't wait for you to tell your secret!" "a secret?" smiled mother. "a secret, mary frances?" [illustration: "a secret?"] "oh, how good something smells!" said mother. "it makes me hungry." "come right out, then," said mary frances, bowing, "dinner is served." [illustration: "you dear, darling mother!"] "here?" asked her mother. "i im-ag-ined we'd go over to aunt maria's." "no, mother, dear," laughed mary frances, happily; "it's the 'surprise' for you." and they went into the dining-room. "wh--wh--why! how did this happen?" asked mother. "where did this feast come from?" everybody laughed and talked at the same time. "mary frances is guilty," laughed billy; and mary frances "owned up." "mother," said she, bringing her worn and somewhat soiled little cook book and putting it in her mother's lap, "i've made everything! i've gone 'all through' my book! i got dinner to-night!--that's your surprise." [illustration: "how did this happen?"] [illustration: "i've made everything!"] "my own dear, lovely child!" said mother. "you dear, precious baby-woman!" and taking mary frances in her lap, she hugged and kissed her again and again. * * * * * "i'm awfully sorry i couldn't exactly explain about you--you dear kitchen people," whispered mary frances, going out to bid them good-night. "if it hadn't been for you, i never, never could have done it,--my dear, dear, friends." "you'll not need us soon again," said tea kettle, sadly. "we're sorry--yet we're glad that your mother will take our place as teacher now." "will you help me when i do need you?" asked mary frances. "when you do," they promised, and she threw them a kiss. "good-night, little miss," they cried; and when she turned round again, they looked just like any or-din-ary kitchen utensils. for a minute she felt very lonely; then, remembering, she said gladly, "but they promised!" [illustration] [illustration: "oh, mother!" cried mary frances.] * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. page vii, "buscuits" changed to "biscuits" (baking powder biscuits) the following corrections are all made to illustration captions. as this was only possible to make in the txt version, these corrections do not appear in the html version. page , illustration, "scacely" changed to "scarcely" (i can scarcely) page , illustration, "whisper" changed to "whispered" (sauce pan whispered) page , illustration, two instances of "riblon" were retained on the assumption that it is an example of mary francis' spelling in her handwritten invitation. page , illustration, "biscuts" changed to "biscuits" (baking powder biscuits) page , illustration, "creace" changed to "crease" (make creace through the) page , illustration, "loke" changed to "look" (then it will look like) page , illustration, "pan" changed to "pan" (teased sauce pan) domestic cookery, useful receipts, and hints to young housekeepers. by elizabeth e. lea "the source of liberal deeds is wise economy." advertisement to third edition. this work having passed through two editions, and having met with a very favorable reception, the authoress has been induced to thoroughly revise and re-arrange the whole work. numerous additions have also been made, particularly under the heads miscellaneous receipts and hints to young housekeepers, which she hopes will be found to have enhanced its value. introductory address. the compiler of "useful receipts and hints to young housekeepers" having entered early in life upon a train of duties, was frequently embarrassed by her ignorance of domestic affairs. for, whilst receipt books for elegant preparations were often seen, those connected with the ordinary, but far more useful part of household duties, were not easily procured; thus situated, she applied to persons of experience, and embodied the information collected in a book, to which, since years have matured her judgment, she has added much that is the result of her own experiments. familiar, then, with the difficulties a young housekeeper encounters, when she finds herself in reality the mistress of an establishment, the authoress offers to her young countrywomen this work, with the belief that, by attention to its contents, many of the cares attendant on a country or city life, may be materially lessened; and hoping that the directions are such as to be understood by the most inexperienced, it is respectfully dedicated to those who feel an interest in domestic affairs. meats and poultry. to boil fresh meat. in boiling fresh meat, care is necessary to have the water boiling all the time it is in the pot; if the pot is not well scummed, the appearance of the meat will be spoiled. mutton and beef are preferred, by some, a little rare; but pork and veal should always be well done. a round of beef that is stuffed, will take more than three hours to boil, and if not stuffed, two hours or more, according to the size; slow boiling is the best. a leg of mutton requires from two to three hours boiling, according to the size; a fore-quarter from an hour to an hour and a half; a quarter of lamb, unless, very large, will boil in an hour. veal and pork will take rather longer to boil than mutton. all boiled fresh meat should have drawn butter poured over it, after it is dished, and be garnished with parsley. the liquor that fresh meat, or poultry, is boiled in, should be saved, as an addition of vegetables, herbs, and dumplings make a nourishing soup of it. a large turkey will take three hours to boil--a small one half that time; secure the legs to keep them from bursting out; turkeys should be blanched in warm milk and water; stuff them and rub their breasts with butter, flour a cloth and pin them in. a large chicken that is stuffed should boil an hour, and small ones half that time. the water should always boil before you put in your meat or poultry. when meat is frozen, soak it in cold water for several hours, and allow more time in the cooking. to boil a turkey. have the turkey well cleaned and prepared for cooking, let it lay in salt and water a few minutes; fill it with bread and butter, seasoned with pepper, salt, parsley and thyme; secure the legs and wings, pin it up in a towel, have the water boiling, and put it in, put a little salt in the water; when half done, put in a little milk. a small turkey will boil in an hour and a quarter, a middle sized in two hours, and a large one in two and a half or three hours; they should boil moderately all the time; if fowls boil too fast, they break to pieces--half an hour will cook the liver and gizzard, which should be put round the turkey; when it is dished, have drawn butter, with an egg chopped and put in it, and a little parsley; oyster sauce, and celery sauce are good, with boiled turkey or chicken. to boil beef tongue, corned beef &c. if the tongue is dry, let it soak for several hours, put it to boil in cold water, and keep it boiling slowly for two hours; but if it is just out of the pickle, the water should boil when it goes in. corned or pickled beef, or pork, require longer boiling than that which is dry; you can tell when it is done by the bones coming out easily. pour drawn butter over it when dished. to boil a ham. a large ham should boil three or four hours very slowly; it should be put in cold water, and be kept covered during the whole process; a small ham will boil in two hours. all bacon requires much the same management,--and if you boil cabbage or greens with it, skim all the grease off the pot before you put them in. ham or dried beef, if very salt, should be soaked several hours before cooking, and should be boiled in plenty of water. to boil calf's head. cut the upper from the lower jaw, take out the brains and eyes, and clean the head well; let it soak in salt and water an hour or two; then put it in a gallon of boiling water, take off the scum as it rises, and when it is done, take out the bones; dish it, and pour over a sauce, made of butter and flour, stirred into half a pint of the water it was boiled in; put in a chopped egg, a little salt, pepper, and fine parsley, when it is nearly done. you can have soup of the liquor, with dumplings, if you wish. to boil veal. have a piece of the fore quarter nicely washed and rubbed with hour; let it boil fast; a piece of five pounds will boil in an hour and a half; dish it up with drawn butter. oyster sauce is an improvement to boiled veal. roasting meat. roasting either meat or poultry requires more attention than boiling or stewing; it is very important to baste it frequently, and if the meat has been frozen, it should have time to thaw before cooking. beef, veal, or mutton, that is roasted in a stove or oven requires more flour dredged on it than when cooked before the fire in a tin kitchen. there should be but little water in the dripping pan, as that steams the meat and prevents its browning; it is best to add more as the water evaporates, and where there is plenty of flour on the meat it incorporates with the gravy and it requires no thickening; add a little seasoning before you take up the gravy. meat that has been hanging up some time should be roasted in preference to boiling, as the fire extracts any taste it may have acquired. to rub fresh meat with salt and pepper will prevent the flies from troubling it, and will make it keep longer. to roast a turkey--to make gravy, &c. a very large turkey will take three hours to roast, and is best done before the fire in a tin oven. wash the turkey very clean, and let it lay in salt and water twenty minutes, but not longer, or it changes the color; rub the inside with salt and pepper; have ready a stuffing of bread and butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, an onion, if agreeable, and an egg; if the bread is dry, moisten it with boiling water; mix all well together, and fill the turkey; if you have fresh sausage, put some in the craw; have a pint of water in the bottom of the dripping pan or oven, with some salt and a spoonful of lard, or butter; rub salt, pepper and butter over the breast; baste it often, and turn it so that each part will be next the fire. gravy may be made from the drippings in the oven by boiling it in a skillet, with thickening and seasoning. hash gravy should be made by boiling the giblets and neck in a quart of water, which chop fine, then season and thicken; have both the gravies on the table in separate tureens. cranberry and damson sauce are suitable to eat with roast poultry. to roast a goose. make a stuffing of bread, butter, salt, pepper, sage, thyme and onions; it requires but little butter, as geese are generally fat; wash it well in salt and water, wipe it, and rub the inside with salt and pepper. a common sized goose will roast in an hour, and a small one in less time; pour off nearly all the fat that drips from the goose, as it will make the gravy too rich. make hash gravy of the giblets the same as for turkey. ducks. wild ducks are generally cooked without stuffing, and for those that like them rare, fifteen or twenty minutes will be long enough; for common ducks, a stuffing should be made the same as for a goose; they will roast in half an hour. currant jelly and apple sauce should be eaten with ducks and geese. chickens. a large fowl will roast in an hour, and a small one in half an hour; boil the livers and gizzards in a skillet with a pint of water; thicken and season for gravy. the breasts of the chickens should be rubbed with butter or lard to keep them from breaking. tie the legs in, to keep them from bursting out. when butter is scarce, it is a good way to make rich short cake to stuff poultry with; it will require nothing added but pepper, parsley, &c. to roast beef. season the beef with pepper and salt, and put it in the tin kitchen, well skewered to the spit, with a pint of water in the bottom: baste and turn it frequently, so that every part may have the fire. a very large piece of beef will take three hours to roast; when it is done, pour the gravy out into a skillet, let it boil, and thicken it with flour mixed with water; if it be too fat, skim off the top, which will be useful for other purposes. to roast veal and lamb. veal should be well seasoned, and rubbed with lard; when it begins to brown, baste it with salt and water; a large loin will take from two to three hours to roast, the thin part of the fore-quarter an hour; it should be well done; boil up and thicken the gravy. a leg of veal or mutton may be stuffed before baking. lamb and mutton do not require to be rubbed with lard, as they are generally fatter than veal; make the gravy as for veal. a quarter of lamb will roast in an hour; a loin of mutton in two hours. to roast a pig--hash gravy, &c. have a pig of a suitable size, clean it well, and rub the inside with pepper and salt. make a stuffing of bread, butter, parsley, sage and thyme; if the bread is stale, pour a little boiling water on it; mix altogether; fill the pig, and sew it up with strong thread; put in the skewers and spit, and tie the feet with twine; have a pint and a half of water in the bottom of the tin kitchen, with a spoonful of lard and a little salt, with this baste it and turn it, so as each part will have the benefit of the fire. it should be basted until the skin begins to get stiff with the heat of the fire; then grease it all over with butter or lard, and continue to turn it before the fire, but baste no more, or the skin will blister. a pig will take from two to three hours to roast, according to the size; when it is done, pour the water out in a skillet; season it and thicken it with flour and water. to make hash gravy, put the liver and heart to boil in three pints of water; after they have boiled an hour, chop them very fine, put them back in the pot and stir in a thickening of flour and water, with salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. have the gravies in separate tureens on either side of the pig. apple sauce and cold slaw are almost indispensable with pig. to roast pork. after washing the pork, cut the skin in squares or stripes; season it with salt and pepper, and baste it with salt and water; thicken, and boil up the gravy. to bake a stuffed leg of veal. cut off the shank, and make holes round the hone for stuffing, which should be of bread and butter, the yelk of an egg, and seasoning; fill the holes with this, and spread it over the top, with little pieces of the fat of ham; dust salt and pepper over, put it in the dutch-oven, or dripping pan, and bake it brown; put a pint of water in the bottom, and if it should dry up, put in more; when it is done, dust in some flour for the gravy. if done carefully, meat is almost as good roasted in the stove as before the fire. if you let the gravy boil over in the stove, it makes an unpleasant smell through the house, and spoils the flavor of the meat. the ham of fresh pork is good, done in the same way. to bake a pig's head. have the head nicely cleaned, with the eyes taken out, and the ears cut off; season it with salt and pepper; rub crumbs of bread over, with a spoonful of lard; put it in the dutch-oven, or dripping pan, with a pint of water; bake it an hour; thicken and season the gravy. to cook pigeons. pigeons should be roasted about fifteen minutes before a quick fire; as the meat is dry, they should have a rich stuffing, and be basted with butter. you may bake them in a dutch-oven or stew them in a pot, with water enough to cover them, and some crumbs of bread or flour dusted over them; let them cook slowly half an hour; mix together flour and water, with salt, pepper, and parsley to season, and a lump of butter; stir this in and let it boil up; put them in a deep dish and pour the gravy over. pigeons make a very nice pie in the same way as chickens. to bake a ham. make a dressing of bread, seasoned with pepper and herbs, moisten it with about five eggs, instead of water. take a ham that has been cut at the table, either fresh or salt, fill up the place where it has been cut, and cover the top with the dressing, bake it half an hour, and garnish it with parsley before sending it to the table. to bake beef's heart. after washing the heart, make a rich stuffing with bread and suet, highly seasoned; fill it with this, and put it in a dutch-oven, or the dripping pan of a stove, with half a pint of water; let it bake an hour and a half; the gravy will not need any thickening, as some of the stuffing will fall out. put the gravy in the dish. beef a la mode. take part of a round of beef, bone it, and make holes for stuffing, which is made of bread, suet, thyme, parsley, chopped onions, mace, cloves, pepper, salt and a raw egg; stuff the meat, bind it with tape, and put it in a dutch-oven, with a plate in the bottom to keep it from burning; just cover it with water, and let it stew from three to four hours according to the size. make gravy with some of the water it was stewed in, seasoned with claret and butter, and thickened with flour. if you wish it to taste of any other sort of wine, add a glass to the gravy. beef steak. choose the tenderest part of beef, cut it an inch thick, broil it gently over good coals, covered with a plate; have butter, salt, pepper, and a little water in a dish; and when you turn the beef, dip it in this; be careful to have as much of the juice as you can. when done, put it in a warm dish, and pour the basting over, with some more butter. mutton chops. cut some pieces of mutton, either with or without bone, about an inch thick; have the gridiron hot, first rubbing it with a little suet; put on the chops, turning them frequently, and butter and season them with pepper and salt as you cook them; then dish them on a hot dish and add more butter. rabbits and squirrels. rabbits and squirrels, or birds, may be fried as chickens, or stewed in a pot with a little water. if you make a pie of rabbits or squirrels, they should be stewed first to make them tender, and then made in the same way as chicken pie. rabbits ace very good cooked with chopped onions, in a pot with a little water, and thickening of milk and flour stirred in when they are nearly done. squirrels make very good soup. to fry ham. slice the ham and if it is very salt, pour boiling water on it, and let it soak a while; then fry it with a small piece of lard; when done, dish it; mix together flour, milk, parsley and pepper, let it boil, and pour it over the ham. to fry beef with kidney. cut the kidney in small pieces; take out all the strings and let it soak several hours in salt and water; wash and drain it; season some pieces of beef and kidney, and put them in a frying pan, with hot lard or drippings of any kind; dust a little flour over; when it is fried on both sides, take it up in a dish; mix a spoonful of flour in some water with salt and pepper, and pour in; when it has boiled, pour it over the beef. to fry liver. liver should be cut across the grain in slices about half an inch thick; pour boiling water over it, drain and season it with pepper and salt; flour each piece and drop it in a frying-pan of hot bacon drippings; do not fry it any longer than it is done, or it will he hard; take it up in a dish, make gravy as for beef, and pour over it. veal cutlets. cut the veal in slices near an inch thick; wash, drain, and season it; beat up an egg, and have ready some pounded crackers or bread crumbs; dip the slices first in the egg, and then in the bread, and fry them in hot lard; mix a gravy of flour and water, with salt, pepper and parsley; when the veal is taken up, pour it in; let it boil a few minutes and pour it over the dish, and grate a little nutmeg over. to fry veal, lamb or pork. cut up the meat in thin slices, and season it; dip it in flour and drop it in a pan of hot lard; when brown, take it up, and make gravy with flour, milk, parsley, pepper and salt, which stir in. to stew veal, lamb or pork. cut the meat small, season it, and put it in a pot with water enough to cover it; let it cook for half an hour; then pour in thickening of flour and milk, with parsley and thyme, and a piece of butter, (if the meat is not fat;) take it up in a deep dish. brains and tongue. pour boiling water on the brains, and skin them; tie them tight in a cloth, and boil them and the tongue with the head; when done put them on a plate, chop three leaves of green sage fine, and beat up with the brains, spread them round a small dish, and after skinning the tongue, place it in the middle. veal hash. take the lights, heart, and some of the liver, boil them in a pint of water, when done, take them out and chop them fine, season it with salt, pepper and a little sweet marjoram, put it hack in the pot, and thicken it with butter and flour. let it boil a few minutes, and dish it in a small tureen. brain cakes. when the head is cloven, take out the brains and clear them of strings, beat them up with the yelks of two eggs, some crumbs of bread, pepper, salt, fine parsley, a spoonful of cream, and a spoonful of flour; when they are well mixed, drop them with a spoon into a frying-pan with a little hot butter, and fry them of a light-brown color. force meat balls. take a pound of veal, half a pound of suet, two slices of ham, and some crumbs of bread, chop them very fine, and put in the yelks of two eggs, season it with parsley, thyme, mace, pepper and salt, roll it into small balls, and fry them brown. they are nice to garnish hashes, roast veal or cutlets, and to put in soup. to fry veal's liver. cut the liver and heart across the grain, wash it well, pour boiling water on, and let it stand a few minutes, then drain and season it with salt and pepper, flour it and drop it in hot lard; when it is brown on both sides, dish it, dust a little flour in the pan, and pour in some water, let it boil a minute, stirring in a seasoning of parsley, thyme, or sweet marjoram; pour the gravy over the liver. this is a good breakfast dish. to fry veal sweet breads. dip them in the yelk of an egg beaten, then in a mixture of grated bread, or flour and salt and pepper, fry them a nice brown. to stew sweet breads. stew them in a little water, with butter, flour, and a little cream; season with salt, pepper, parsley and thyme. to brown a calf's head with the skin on. after scalding and washing the head clean, take out the eyes, cut off the ears, and let it boil half an hour, when cold, cleave the upper from the lower jaw, take out the tongue, strike off the nose, score the part which has the skin on, rub it over with beaten egg, sprinkle it over with salt, parsley, cayenne and black pepper, lay pieces of butter over it, and put it in a dutch-oven to brown, basting it often, cut down the lower part in slices, skin the tongue and palate, and cut them up, put them in a pot with a little water, when done, thicken it with brown flour and butter, season it with pepper, salt, some pickled oysters, wine or brandy (if you like it,) and let it stew fifteen minutes. lay the baked head in a dish and put the hash around it, and lay force meat balls or brain cakes round the edge of the dish. bacon fraise. cut streaked bacon in small thin slices, make a batter of a pint of milk, two eggs, and two large spoonsful of flour; some salt and pepper; put some lard or dripping in a frying-pan, and when it is hot pour in half of the batter, and strew the bacon over it; then pour on the remainder of the batter; let it fry gently, and be careful in turning, that the bacon does not come to the pan. irish stew. take five thick mutton chops, or two pounds of the neck or loin, two pounds of potatoes, peel them and cut them in halves, six onions or half a pound of onions, peel and slice them also. first put a layer of potatoes at the bottom of your stew-pan, then a couple of chops and some onions, then again potatoes, and so on till the pan is quite full; season with pepper and salt, and three gills of broth or gravy, and two tea-spoonsful of mushroom catsup; cover it very close to prevent the escape of steam, and stew on a slow fire for an hour and a half; a slice of ham is an addition. great care should be taken not to let it brown. to brown flour for gravy, &c. put some flour in a dutch-oven and set it over some hot coals; keep stirring it until it is of a light-brown color; in this way several pounds can be done at once, and kept in a jar covered; and is very convenient to thicken brown soups and gravies with. drawn butter. put half a pint of water in a skillet; rub a quarter of a pound of butter in a large spoonful of flour; when the water boils, stir it in and let it boil a few minutes, season it with parsley, chopped fine. stuffing or dressing. stuffing for poultry is made of bread and butter, an egg, salt, pepper, chopped parsley or thyme, mixed together; if the bread is dry, it should have a little boiling water poured on it. egg sauce. this is made as drawn butter, with one or two eggs boiled hard and chopped into it, and a little salt. celery sauce. take a large bunch of celery, cut it fine, and boil it till soft, in a pint of water; thicken it with butter and flour, and season it with salt, pepper, and mace. bacon dumplings. cut slices of cooked bacon, and pepper them; roll out crust as for apple dumplings; slice some potatoes very thin, and put them in the crust with the meat; close them up, and let them boil fast an hour; when done, take them out carefully with a ladle. drop dumplings. these are good for almost any kind of soup, and may be made of a quart of flour, two eggs, a spoonful of butter, some salt and pepper, wet with milk and water; drop them in while it is boiling, and let them boil ten or fifteen minutes. vermicelli. beat three fresh eggs very light, make them into a stiff paste, with flour and water; knead it well, and roll it very thin, cut it in narrow strips, give them a twist, and dry them quickly, on tin sheets or dishes, in the sun or a moderate oven; soak them a few minutes in cold water, and put them in chicken soup. they are very good and convenient. hash made of fowls. take the bones and pieces that have been left of roast or boiled fowls, either turkeys or chickens, crack the bones, cut off the meat, and chop it fine, put it in a small iron pot, or stew pan, cover it with water, put in the gravy that may be left from the fowls, season with pepper and salt, put in some chopped celery, crumbs of bread, a lump of butter, and if it requires it, dust in a little flour, if you like it you may slice in an onion. beef steak pudding. take two pounds of beef from the round or sirloin, and after taking out the bone, season it according to fancy; some prefer a seasoning of pepper, salt, onions, thyme, marjoram or sage; others the pepper and salt alone. then prepare a plain stiff crust, either with or without butter or lard; spread the crust over a deep dish or bowl, put in the beef, and if you like it, add some butter; cover it close with a crust which must be closely turned in to prevent the water from penetrating; tie it up tight in a cloth, put it in a pot of boiling water and let it boil quickly for an hour. the cloth should be dipped in hot water, and floured, as for other boiled puddings. beef steak pie. take some fine beef steaks, beat them well with a rolling pin, and season them with pepper and salt according to taste. make a good crust; lay some in a deep dish or tin pan; lay in the beef, and fill the dish half full of water; put in a table-spoonful of butter and some chopped thyme and parsley, and cover the top with crust; bake it from one to two hours, according to the size of the pie, and eat it while hot. baked beef pudding. par-boil some tender pieces of beef, in water enough to barely cover it; grease a pan with lard, season the beef and lay it in; make a batter of eggs, milk and flour, with a little salt, and pour it over; bake it an hour in a stove or dutch-oven, and when done keep it hot till it is eaten. save the water the beef was boiled in, add a little butter, flour, pepper, salt and chopped parsley, thyme or sweet marjoram, and boil it up; when you dish up the pudding pour this over, or put it in a gravy dish to be served hot at the table. pork stew pie. take small bones and pieces of pork that will not do for sausage; roll out some crust with but little shortening; lay in the meat and small pieces of crust alternately; sprinkle in flour and seasoning, cover it with water, and put on a crust. spiced beef in the irish style. to a round weighing from twenty to twenty-five pounds, take a pint of salt, one ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of pepper, two ounces of cloves, one ounce of allspice, four ounces of brown sugar, all well pulverized, and mixed together; rub the round well with it, and lay it in a small tub or vessel by itself. turn and rub it once a day for ten days. it will not injure if it remain a week longer in the spices, if it should not be convenient to bake it. when you wish to have it cooked, strew over the top of the round a small handful of suet. be particular to bind it tight round with a cord, or narrow strip of muslin, which must be wrapped several times round to keep it in shape; put it in a dutch-oven, and add three pints of water when it is first put down; keep water boiling in the tea-kettle, and add a little as it seems necessary, observing not to add too much. it will require a slow heat, and take four hours to bake. this is a very fine standing dish, and will be good for three weeks after cooking. keep the gravy that is left to pour over it to keep it moist. to bake fowls. season and stuff them the same as for roasting; put them in a dutch-oven or stove, with a pint of water; when they are half done, put in the giblets; when these are done, chop them with a knife, and put in thickening and a lump of butter. if chickens are young, split them down the back, and put them in a dutch-oven, with a plate in the bottom, and a pint of water; when they are done, stir in a spoonful of flour, mixed in half a pint of milk, a piece of butter, salt, pepper and parsley; let it boil up and dish them. to fry chickens. after cutting up the chickens, wash and drain them; season them with salt and pepper; rub each piece in flour, and drop them separately in a frying-pan or dutch-oven of hot lard; when brown, turn the other side to fry; make a thickening of rich milk, flour, a piece of butter, salt, and chopped parsley; take up the chicken on a dish; pour a little water in the pan to keep the gravy from being too thick; put in the thickening, stir it, and let it boil a few minutes; then pour it over the chicken. chickens fried in batter. make a batter of two eggs, a tea-cup of milk, a little salt, and thickened with flour; have the chickens cut up, washed and seasoned; dip the pieces in the batter separately, and fry them in hot lard; when brown on both sides, take them up on a dish, and make a gravy as for fried chickens. lard fries much nicer than butter, which is apt to burn. chickens in paste. make a crust as for pies, and roll it out in cakes, large enough to cover a chicken. the chickens should be very nicely picked and washed, and the inside wiped dry; put in each a small lump of butter, a little salt, pepper, and parsley; have the pot boiling, close the chickens in the dough, pin them up in separate cloths, and boil them three-quarters of an hour; dish them, and pour drawn butter over. pigeons can be cooked in the same manner. to fricassee chickens. cut up the chickens, and put them in a pot with just water enough to cover them; let it boil half an hour; have ready some thickening made of milk, flour, and butter, seasoned with parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt; let it boil a few minutes longer, and when it is dished, grate a little nutmeg over, if you like it. this is one of the easiest, cheapest and best ways of cooking chickens. chicken pie. cut up the chickens, and if they are old, boil them fifteen minutes in a little water, which save to put in the pie; make a paste like common pie crust, and put it round your pan, or dish; lay in the chicken, dust flour over, and put in hotter, pepper, and salt; cover them with water, roll out the top crust quite thick, and close the pie round the edge; make an opening in the middle with a knife; let it bake rather more than an hour. if you warm a pie over for the next day, pour off the gravy and warm it separately, and add it to the pie. pot pie. cut up two large chickens; grease your pot, or dutch-oven, with lard; roll out crust enough in two parts, to go round it, but not to cover the bottom, or it will burn before the pie is done. as you put in the pieces of chicken, strew in flour, salt, and pepper, some, pieces of the crust rolled thin, and a few potatoes; cover this with water, and put on a covering of paste, with a slit cut in the middle; let it cook slowly for about two hours; have hot water in a tea kettle, and if it should dry up too much, pour some in; just before you dish it, add a little parsley and thyme. veal, lamb and pork pies, may be made in the same way. if you like more top crust, cook it in a dutch-oven, and when the first crust is done, take it off in a pan and set it near the fire, and cover the pie again with dough. giblet pie and soup. if you can get livers and gizzards from market, you can have a very nice pie made, the same as chicken pie, or soup with dumplings made of milk, egg and flour, beaten together, and dropped in when the soup is nearly done, and season it with parsley, pepper, and salt. chicken stewed with new corn. cut up the chickens as for pies; season them well; have green corn cut off the cob; put a layer of chicken in the bottom of a stew pan, and a layer of corn, and so till you fill all in; sprinkle in salt, pepper and parsley, and put a piece of butter in; cover it with water, and put on a crust, with slits cut in it; let it boil an hour; when done, lay the crust in a deep dish; dip out the chicken and corn, and put it on the crust; stir in the gravy a thickening of milk and flour; when this boils up, pour it in with the corn and chicken. chicken and corn boiled together in a pot, make very nice soup, with dumplings. to broil chickens. split the chickens down the back; season them, and put them on the gridiron over clear coals; cover them over with a plate, (which will make them cook faster,) baste with melted butter: be careful not to let them burn. make gravy of the giblets, boiled in water and chopped fine; put in butter, thicken and season it; pour this in a dish, and put the chickens on the top. chicken pudding. make a batter of six eggs, milk, flour and a little salt; par-boil the chickens; have each joint cut, grease a pan with lard, and lay the pieces in; put in some lumps of butter, and season it well with pepper and salt; then pour the batter over, and bake it an hour, in a stove or dutch-oven. veal or beef makes a very nice pudding, done in the same way; but the batter need not be as rich as for chicken, and it requires no butter. or it makes a good dish, if you cut slices of ham, after it will not do to appear on the table; make a batter, as for other pudding; put in a little butter and pepper, and bake it in a pan. cold chicken with vinegar. cut up the chicken in small pieces, and crack the bones; season it with salt and pepper, and put it in a deep baking plate, with a lump of butter and a table-spoonful of vinegar; cover it with hot water, put a plate over, and let it stew on a stove or hot embers. chicken salad. cut up the white parts of a cold chicken, season it with oil, or drawn butter, mustard, pepper, salt, and celery, chopped very fine, and a little vinegar. turkey salad is made in the same manner as above. stewed chickens with rice. the rice must first be soaked in water, and very nicely washed, or it will not be white; two tea-cupsful of rice are sufficient to serve with one chicken, and must be boiled in a quart of water, which should be boiling when you put the rice in; add a dessert-spoonful of salt; generally half an hour is long enough to boil rice, and it must not be too long in the water after it is done, or it is less wholesome. drain the water off, if the rice has not absorbed it, and place it in the bottom of the dish; the chicken must be in preparation at the same time with the rice, and should be cut up at the joints, as for fried or fricasseed chicken, and salted and seasoned; boil it in a little more water than sufficient to cover it; and when it is done, take it out, and lay it over the rice on the dish; then rub a small piece of butter with sufficient flour to thicken it, and stir both together in the liquor, which must remain over the fire for about two minutes; and just before it is taken up, add the yelk of an egg well beaten, and some chopped parsley; it must then be immediately poured over the chicken. in preparing this dish, take care that it does not get smoked. soups. in making soup, allow yourself plenty of time. dumplings should be put in about half an hour before the soup is done, and herbs a quarter of an hour--vegetables, about an hour,--rice, twenty minutes. if herbs are put in too soon, the flavor will fly off and be lost. chicken soup. cut up the chicken; cut each joint, and let it boil an hour; make dumplings of a pint of milk, an egg, a little salt and flour, stirred in till quite stiff; drop this in, a spoonful at a time, while it is boiling; stir in a little thickening, with enough pepper, salt and parsley, to season the whole; let it boil a few minutes longer, and take it up in a tureen. chopped celery is a great improvement to chicken soup; and new corn, cut off the cob, and put in when it is half done, gives it a very nice flavor. brown calf's head soup. scald and clean the head, and put it to boil with two gallons of water, a shank of veal, three onions, two carrots, a little bacon, and a bunch of sweet herbs. when they have boiled half an hour, take out the head and shank of veal, and cut all the meat off the bones into pieces of two inches square; let the soup boil half an hour longer, when strain it, and put in the meat; season it with salt, cayenne and black pepper, and cloves, if you like; thicken it with butter and browned flour, and let it boil nearly an hour; put some fried force meat balls in the tureen, and just before you pour out the soup, stir into it a table-spoonful of sugar, browned in a frying pan, and half a pint of wine. this resembles turtle soup. beef shin soup, mutton soup, &c. crack the shin in several pieces, and wash it through three waters; put it in a pot of water four hours before dinner; when it begins to boil, take off the scum as it risen, and keep it covered; an hour before it is done, skim off all the fat, and put in potatoes, onions, turnips, carrots, and cut cabbage, if you like it; either beat up dumplings with eggs and milk, or roll them out of dough made as pie crust; a few minutes before it is done, stir in thickening with parsley, thyme, pepper and salt, and tomatoes, if they are in season; then dish it for dinner. a shin will make a good dinner for a large family, and will do to warm up, if any is left. to eat pickles with it, or pour a little vinegar in your plate, is an improvement. soup made of mutton, veal and lamb, does not require many vegetables; carrots and potatoes are the most suitable. a shank of veal or mutton will make a small pot of very good soup. celery, cut fine, is very nice seasoning. gumbo soup. take two pounds fresh beef; put this in a dinner-pot, with two gallons of water; after boiling two hours, throw in a quarter of a peck of ocra, cut into small slices, and about a quart of ripe tomatoes, peeled and cut up; slice four or five large onions; fry them brown, and dust in while they are frying from your dredge box, several spoonsful of flour; add these, with pepper, salt and parsley, or other herbs, to your taste, about an hour before the soup is finished; it will require six hours moderate boiling. another way. cut up a large fat chicken; boil it in two gallons of water, adding at the time you put in the chicken the same quantity of ocra, two large onions cut fine; season with pepper, salt, thyme and parsley; and when nearly done, drop in dumplings made of one egg, half a pint of rich milk, and flour sufficient to make them so that they will drop from a spoon. this soup requires from four to five hours moderate boiling. just before serving, take up the chicken, and after taking out all the bones, return the chicken into the soup, and dish it up. pea soup. leave a pint of peas in the pot, with the water they were boiled in; make a thickening of flour, milk and butter, seasoned with salt, pepper, parsley and thyme; toast two or three slices of bread; cut it up in the tureen; and when the soup has boiled about ten minutes, pour it over. children are mostly fond of pea soup, and it seldom disagrees with them. a few slices of fat ham will supply the place of butter. soup of dried white beans, &c. dried beans or peas should be soaked before boiling; they make very good soup with a small piece of bacon or salt pork boiled with them; put them to boil in plenty of water, and after they have boiled an hour, pour it off, and put in cold water--and the meat or bones, and let them boil an hour longer; stir in a little thickening, with pepper, salt, parsley and thyme; mix up some dumplings, and drop in half an hour before the soup is done. where you have a large family, you should always be provided with dried beans for winter use. a vegetable soup. take an onion, a turnip, two pared potatoes, a carrot, a head of celery; boil them in three pints of water till the vegetables are cooked; add a little salt; have a slice of bread toasted and buttered, put it into a bowl, and pour the soup over it. tomatoes when in season form an agreeable addition. fish, oysters, &c. to bake a rock fish. rub the fish with salt, black pepper, and a dust of cayenne, inside and out; prepare a stuffing of bread and butter, seasoned with pepper, salt, parsley and thyme; mix an egg in it, fill the fish with this, and sew it up or tie a string round it; put it in a deep pan, or oval oven and bake it as you would a fowl. to a large fish add half a pint of water; you can add more for the gravy if necessary; dust flour over and baste it with butter. any other fresh fish can be baked in the same way. a large one will bake slowly in an hour and a half, small ones in half an hour. to stew a rock fish. rub the fish with salt and pepper, and a little cayenne on the inside; put it in an oval stew-pan. to a fish that weighs six pounds, put a pint of water; when it is about half done; season it well with salt and pepper, and a little mace or cloves; rub a quarter of a pound of butter in a half a tea-cup of flour, with a little parsley and thyme; stir this in with a pint of oysters. serve it with the gravy in the dish. a large fish should be allowed an hour, small ones half an hour. to broil shad. soak a salt shad a day or night previous to cooking, it is best to drain an hour before you put it to the fire; if it hangs long exposed to the air, it loses its flavor: grease the gridiron to keep it from sticking; have good coals, and put the inside down first. fresh shad is better to be sprinkled with salt, an hour before it is put to broil; put a plate over the top to keep the heat in. in broiling shad or other fresh fish you should dust them with corn meal before you put them down. to bake a fresh shad. make a stuffing of bread, butter, salt, pepper and parsley; fill a large shad with this, and bake it in a stove or oven. to fry fresh fish. have the fish well scalded, washed and drained; cut slits in the sides of each; season them with salt and pepper, and roll them in corn flour; have in your frying-pan hot lard or bacon drippings; if the fish have been kept several days, dip them in egg before rolling them in corn flour, to keep them from breaking; fry them light brown on both sides. to fry clams. after opening them as oysters, wash them in their own liquor and drain then; make a batter of an egg, flour and pepper; dip them in this, and fry them in butter. to stew clams. strain the liquor and stew them in it for about twenty minutes; make a thickening of flour, water and pepper; stir this in and let it boil up; have some bread toasted and buttered in a deep dish, and pour the clams over. clam soup may be made by putting an equal quantity of water with the liquor, and putting in toasted bread, crackers or dumplings. to pot fresh herring. scale and wash them well; cut off the heads and fins, and season them with salt, pepper and cloves; pack them neatly in a large jar, and pour on enough cold vinegar to cover them; put a plate over the top of the jar, and set it in a moderately warm oven, or on the top of a stove, in a pan of hot water, for five or six hours; they will keep in a cool place several weeks, and are an excellent relish. the jar or pan should be of stone ware, or fire-proof yellow ware. to boil salt cod. put your fish to soak over night; change the water in the morning, and let it stay till you put it on, which should be two hours before dinner; keep it at scalding heat all the time, but do not let it boil, or it will get hard; eat it with egg sauce or drawn butter. if you have any cod fish left from dinner, mix it with mashed potatoes, and enough flour to stick them together; season with pepper; make it into little cakes, and fry them in ham drippings. to boil salt shad, mackerel or herring. wash the fish from the pickle; put it in a frying-pan; cover it with water, and let it boil fifteen minutes; take it up and drain it between two plates; put a little butter over and send it hot to the table: or, after boiling, you can flour, and fry it in drippings of any kind. to boil salt salmon. let salmon soak over night, and boil it slowly for two hours; eat it with drawn butter. to pickle salmon after it has been boiled, heat vinegar scalding hot, with whole peppers and cloves; cut the fish in small square pieces; put it in a jar, and pour the vinegar over. shad may be done in the same way. to boil fresh fish. after being well cleaned, rub the fish with salt, and pin it in a towel; put it in a pot of boiling water, and keep it boiling fast;--a large fish will take from half to three-quarters of an hour--a small one, from fifteen to twenty minutes. a fat shad is very nice boiled, although rock and bass are preferred generally; when done, take it up on a fish dish, and cover it with egg sauce or drawn butter and parsley. pickled mushrooms and walnuts, and mushroom catsup, are good with boiled fish. to stew terrapins. wash four terrapins in warm water; then throw them in a pot of boiling water, which will kill them instantly; let them boil till the shells crack; then take them out, and take off the bottom shell; cut each quarter separate; take the gall from the liver; take out the eggs; put the pieces in a stew-pan, pour in all the liquor, and cover them with water; put in salt, cayenne, and black pepper, and a little mace; put in a lump of butter the size of an egg, and let them stew for half an hour; make a thickening of flour and water, which stir in a few minutes before you take it up, with two glasses of wine; serve it in a deep covered dish; put in the eggs just as you dish it. oyster soup. strain the liquor from the oysters, and put it on to boil, with an equal quantity of water; take off the scum as it rises; put in pepper, salt, parsley, thyme and butter; stir in a thickening of flour and water; throw in the oysters, and let them scald. if you have cream, put in half a pint just before you take them up. another way. strain the liquor from a gallon of oysters, and add to it an equal quantity of water; put it on the fire, and boil and skim it before you add the seasoning; then put in six large blades of mace, a little cayenne, and black or white pepper; (the latter, on account of the color, is preferable, as it is desirable to have the soup as white as possible;) afterwards, permit all to boil together about five minutes; then pour in the oysters and a quarter of a pound of butter, into which a dessert-spoonful of wheat flour has been rubbed fine; keep this at boiling heat until the oysters begin to look plump--when it is ready for the table, and must be served up very hot. if you can procure a pint of good cream, half the amount of butter will answer,--if you believe the cream to be rather old, even if it seems to be sweet, add before it goes into the soup, half a small tea-spoonful of soda, well mixed with it; after you put in the cream, permit it to remain on the fire long enough to arrive at boiling heat again, when it must be taken up, or it may curdle; throw into the tureen a little finely cut parsley. scolloped oysters. toast several slices of bread quite brown, and butter them on both sides; take a baking dish, and put the toast around the sides, instead of a crust. pour your oysters into the dish, and season, to your taste, with butter, pepper and salt, adding mace or cloves. crumb bread on the top of the oysters, and bake it with a quick heat about fifteen minutes. to fry oysters. pick out the largest oysters and drain them; sprinkle them with pepper and salt; beat up an egg, and dip them first in it, and then in pounded crackers, and fry them in butter. it is a plainer way to dip them in corn meal. oyster fritters. make a thick batter with two eggs, some crumbs of bread and flour, and a little milk; season this well with pepper and salt; have in a frying-pan equal parts of lard and butter; drop in a spoonful of the batter and put into it one large oyster, or two small ones, let them brown slowly, so as not to burn; turn them carefully. this is a good way to have oysters at breakfast. to stew oysters. open them and throw them in a stew-pan, with a lump of butter; make a thickening of flour and water, salt and pepper, and stir it in just as the oysters boil; when they are done, take them up in a deep covered dish, with buttered toast in the bottom. a rich oyster pie. strain off the liquor from the oysters, and put it on to boil, with some butter, mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt; just as it boils, stir in a thickening of milk and flour; put in the oysters, and stir them till they are sufficiently stewed; then take them off, and put in the yelks of two eggs, well beaten; do not put this in while it is boiling, or it will curdle. line a dish, not very deep, with puff paste; fill it with white paper, or a clean napkin, to keep the top paste from falling in; put on a lid of paste, and bake it. when done, take off the lid carefully; take out the paper or napkin, and pour in the oysters. send it hot to table. a baltimore oyster pie. make a crust after the directions given for puff paste; grease the bottom of a deep dish, cover it with paste; then season two quarts of raw oysters, (without the liquor,) with spices to your taste, (some preferring nutmeg, mace, cayenne pepper,--others, black pepper alone,) add butter and a heaped tea-cup of grated bread; put all together in the dish; then cover it with your paste, cut in strips, and crossed, or ornamented as your fancy dictates; a pound of butter to two quarts of oysters makes a rich pie; if the oysters are fine, less butter will answer. a pie of this size will bake in three-quarters of an hour, if the oven is in good order; if the heat is not quick allow it an hour. if in baking, the crust is likely to become too brown, put a piece of paper doubled over it, and the light color will be retained; when taken from the oven, if it should look dry, pour some of the liquor that was drained from the oysters in the dish, having previously strained and boiled it. as paste always looks more beautiful when just from the oven, arrange your dinner so that the pie may be placed on the table immediately it is done. plain oyster pie. take from the shell as many oysters as you want to put in the pie; strain the liquor, put it with them over the fire and give them one boil; take off the scum, put in, if you wish to make a small pie, a quarter of a pound of butter, as much flour mixed in water as will thicken it when boiled, and mace, pepper, and salt to your taste; lay a paste in a deep dish, put in the oysters and cover them with paste; cut a hole in the middle, ornament it any way you please, and bake it. a shallow pie will bake in three-quarters of an hour. oyster sauce. plump the oysters for a few minutes over the fire; take them out and stir into the liquor some flour and butter mixed together, with a little mace and whole pepper, and salt to your taste; when it has boiled long enough, throw in the oysters, and add a glass of white wine, just as you take it up. this is a suitable sauce for boiled fowls. to pickle oysters. drain off the liquor from the oysters, wash them and put to them a table-spoonful of salt, and a tea-cup of vinegar; let them simmer over the fire about ten minutes, taking off the scum as it rises; then take out the oysters, and put to their own liquor a table-spoonful of whole black pepper, and a tea-spoonful of mace and cloves; let it boil five minutes, skim, and pour it over the oysters in a jar. oysters pickled another way. wash and drain the oysters, and put them in salt and water, that will bear an egg; let them scald till plump, and put them in a glass jar, with some cloves and whole peppers, and when cold cover them with vinegar. to brown oysters in their own juice. take a quart of large oysters, wash them in their own juice, drain and dip them in the yelk of eggs; heat butter in a frying-pan, and after seasoning them with pepper and salt, put them in separately; when they are brown on both sides, draw them to one side of the pan; strain the liquor, and put it in with a piece of butter and flour enough to thicken it. a dish of poached eggs. have ready a kettle of boiling water, pour it in a pan or speeder, which is set on coals; have the eggs at hand; put a little salt in the water, and break them in, one at a time, till you get all in; let them remain till the white is set, and take them out with an egg-spoon, and put on a dish that has buttered toast on it. fried eggs. slice and fry any kind of bacon, dish it; have the eggs ready in a dish, and pour them into the gravy; when done, take them up and lay them on the meat. fried eggs another way. have your lard or butter boiling hot; break in one egg at a time; throw the hot fat over them with an egg slice, until white on the top; slip the slice under and take them out whole, and lay them on the dish or meat without breaking; season with salt. omelet. beat six or eight eggs, with some chopped parsley and a little salt; have the pan or speeder nicely washed; put in a quarter of a pound of butter, when it is hot, pour in the eggs; stir it with a spoon till it begins to form; when it is of a light-brown on the under side it is done; turn it out on a plate, and send to table immediately. grated bread, soaked in cream, put in the omelet, some think an improvement. the dripping of a nice ham, some persons use for omelet instead of butter. to boil eggs. have the water boiling, and look at your watch as you put them in; two minutes and a half will cook them to please most persons; if you want them very soft, two minutes will be sufficient, or if less soft three minutes. if you wish them hard, as for lettuce, let them boil ten minutes. spoons that have been used in eating eggs should be put in water immediately, as the egg tarnishes them. vegetables. to boil green corn. pick out ears near the same size, and have the water boiling when you put them in; half an hour is long enough for young corn; that which is old and hard will take an hour or more; if young corn is boiled too long, it becomes hard and indigestible. to fricassee corn. cut green corn off the cob; put it in a pot, and just cover it with water; let it boil half an hour; mix a spoonful of flour with half a pint of rich milk, pepper, salt, parsley, thyme and a piece of butter; let it boil a few minutes, and take it up in a deep dish. corn will do to cook in this way when too old to boil on the cob. to keep corn for winter. when boiled, cut the corn off the cob, and spread it on dishes; set these in the oven to dry after the bread comes out. if you have no oven, it can be dried in a stove of moderate heat, or round a fire. when perfectly dry, tie it up in muslin bags, and hang them in a dry place; when you use it, boil it till soft in water; mix flour, milk, butter, pepper and salt together, and stir in. corn fritters. cut the corn through the grain, and with a knife scrape the pulp from the cob, or grate it with a coarse grater, and to about a quart of the pulp, add two eggs beaten, two table-spoonsful of flour, a little salt and pepper, and a small portion of thin cream, or new milk; beat the whole together; have the butter or lard hot in the pan, and put a large spoonful in at a time, and fry brown, turning each fritter separately; this makes an agreeable relish for breakfast, or a good side dish at dinner. hominy. large hominy, after it is washed; must be put to soak over night; if you wish to have it for dinner, put it to boil early in the morning, or it will not be done in time; eat it as a vegetable. small hominy will boil in an hour; it is very good at breakfast or supper to eat with milk or butter, or to fry for dinner. both large and small hominy will keep good in a cool place several days. be careful that the vessel it is cooked in, is perfectly clean, or it will darken the hominy. to fry hominy. put a little lard in your frying-pan, and make it hot; mash and salt the hominy; put it in, and cover it over with a plate; let it cook slowly for half an hour, or longer if you like it very brown; when done, turn it out in a plate. if you do not like it fried, mash it well, with a little water, salt, and butter, and warm it in a frying-pan. to boil potatoes. when the potatoes are old, pare them, put them in plenty of boiling water, and boil them till you can run a fork through easily; if you wish to have them whole, pour off all the water, throw in some salt, and let them stand a few minutes over coals, to let the steam go off; they will then be white and mealy. it is a mistaken notion, to boil potatoes in but little water, as they are sure to turn dark and taste strong. in cold weather they may be kept pared several days in a pan of water, by changing the water every day, and will be whiter. if you like mashed potatoes, take them up when barely done, sprinkle them with salt and mash them; put in a spoonful of cream and a small lump of butter; keep them hot till they are taken to table. in the summer when potatoes are young, put them in a small tub, with a little water, and rub them with a piece of brick, to break the skin; you can then peel enough for dinner with a knife in a few minutes. when they are older, boil them with the skins on, and squeeze them separately in a cloth, to make them mealy. new potatoes are nice with cream and butter over them. in boiling old potatoes, some persons cut them round without paring, which allows the moisture to escape; this is an improvement: you can then either peel them or send them to table without peeling. to stew potatoes. chop or slice cold potatoes; season with pepper and salt; stew them, with a little butter and milk, and a dust of flour; when nearly done, stir in a yelk of egg with some chopped parsley--they will cook in a few minutes, and may be sliced over night if you wish an early breakfast. sweet potatoes. to boil sweet potatoes, put them in a pot with plenty of water; let them boil fast till you can run a fork through the largest; then pour off the water, and leave them in the pot a quarter of an hour; you can then peel the skin off or leave it on. some prefer them baked in a dutch-oven; they should have a quick heat; large potatoes will take an hour to bake. it has been found a good way to boil them, till nearly done; then peel and bake them--they are drier and nicer. to fry potatoes. cold potatoes are very good fried for breakfast with scraps of bacon; if they have been mashed, make them out in cakes with a little flour, and fry them brown, or slice them. tomatoes. if you wish to bake tomatoes in the oven with bread, pour boiling water on, and skin them; cut them in small pieces; season with salt and pepper, and put them in a pan with crumbs of bread and butter; cover the pan with a plate, and bake three-quarters of an hour; when done, mash them and take them out on a dish. to fry tomatoes. slice them, season with pepper and salt, and fry in hot butter; if they are green, dip them in flour after being seasoned. tomato omelet. pour boiling water on the tomatoes, skin and cut them fine; to one quart of this, put two chopped onions and a lump of butter the size of an egg; let them boil half an hour, then mash them; put in grated bread, pepper, salt, and the yelks of two eggs. to stew tomatoes. wash and pour boiling water over them; peel off the skins, and cut them up; season them with pepper and salt; put in a lump of butter, and boil them in their own juice for half an hour; stir in enough crumbs of bread to thicken them; let them cook slowly ten minutes longer; be careful that the bread does not burn. to bake tomatoes. take out the inside of large tomatoes, make a stuffing of bread, butter, pepper, salt and an egg; fill them with this, and set them in a deep pie-plate; let them bake slowly half an hour. tomato jelly, to eat with roast meat. wash the tomatoes, and put them in a bell-metal kettle, with a little water; let them boil thirty minutes; take them out and strain them through a sieve, till you get all the pulp; let it settle and pour off the top; put the thick part in deep plates, and set them in the oven after the bread is drawn; season it with pepper and salt to your taste, and put it away in a jar. it can either be eaten cold, or warmed up with crumbs of bread and butter. some persons slice tomatoes, and dry them on dishes in an oven. to fricassee tomatoes. wash and cut them in two, if large; if small, leave them whole, but do not peel them or they go too much to pieces; have a broad speeder or stove-pan; put in a half spoonful of butter; season the tomatoes with pepper and salt, and flour them; cover them with a plate; they will cook in ten minutes, stirring them once; pour in half a tea-cup of cream just as they are done; let them boil up and dish them while hot: this dish is much liked either for breakfast, dinner or tea. to broil tomatoes for breakfast. take large round tomatoes, wash and wipe them, and put them on the gridiron over lively coals--the stem side down; when this is brown, turn them and let them cook till quite hot through; place them on a hot dish and send them quickly to table, where each one may season for himself with pepper, salt and butter. to bake tomatoes for breakfast. season them with pepper and salt; flour and bake them in a stove, in a deep plate with a little butter over them. tomatoes sliced with onions. pick the best tomatoes; let them stand a little while in cold water, then peel and slice them. to about six tomatoes, you may add two red onions, also sliced; season with pepper, plenty of salt, and a small portion of vinegar. to put up tomatoes for winter. gather a quantity of tomatoes, wash, scald, skin and cut them up; season them highly with pepper and salt, and put them in a large stone jar; set this in the oven with your bread, and leave it till it is cold; stir them, and set them in the oven every time you bake for several weeks; when the juice is nearly dried up, put a piece of white paper over the jar, melt some lard and pour on it. when you use them, stew them with bread, butter and water. baked egg plant. boil them ten minutes; then cut them in half and take out the seeds, fill them with a stuffing of crumbs of bread, seasoned with butter, pepper, salt, the yelk of an egg, and if you choose, the juice of a tomato; close them and tie each one with a string; put a little water in the dutch-oven, and lay them in with some of the stuffing on the top; let them cook slowly half an hour, basting them with butter; take them out, thicken the gravy, and pour it over them on the dish. to fry egg plant. cut them in slices half an inch thick; sprinkle them with salt, and let them stand a few minutes to extract the bitter taste; wash them in cold water, and wipe them dry; season with salt and pepper; dip them in flour, and fry them in butter. another way of cooking them is to cut them in thin slices, and bake them on a bake-iron that is hot enough to bake cakes. salsify, or oyster plant. scrape the roots, and boil them till soft; mash them, and put in butter, pepper, salt, and egg and flour enough to stick them together; make this in cakes as large as an oyster, and fry them in butter; or after boiling, you can cut them in slices and stew them in water; then butter and season, and thicken with a little flour and cream. to stew or fry mushrooms. be careful in gathering mushrooms that you have the right kind; they are pink underneath, and white on the top, and the skin will peel off easily, but it sticks to the poisonous ones. after you have peeled them, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, and put them in a stew pan, with a little water, and a lump of butter; let them boil fast ten minutes, and stir in a thickening of flour and cream. they may be fried in butter, or broiled on a gridiron. they are sometimes very abundant in the fall, on ground that has not been ploughed for several years; they appear after a warm rain; they may be peeled, salted, and allowed to stand some hours before cooking. cucumbers, to fry or slice. to fry cucumbers, take off the rinds in long pieces, a quarter of an inch thick; season them with pepper and salt; dip them in flour, and fry them in butter. many persons think cucumbers unwholesome, and they certainly are if kept for several days before they are eaten; but if sliced thin, with onions, pepper, salt and good vinegar, they may generally be eaten without danger. lettuce. persons that are fond of lettuce may have it nearly all the year, by sowing the different kinds, and keeping it covered through the winter; the most approved way of dressing it is to cut it fine, and season with oil, mustard, pepper, salt, vinegar, and a hard egg chopped. the essence of ham is also very good to season lettuce. where there is a large family, it is a good and economical way to cut the fat of ham in small pieces, fry it, and make a gravy with flour, water and pepper, to eat with lettuce. to cook lettuce you must fry a little ham; put a spoonful of vinegar into the gravy; cut the lettuce, put it in the pan; give it a stir, and then dish it. cold slaw. cut hard white cabbage across the leaves, and put it in a deep plate, scald two large spoonsful of vinegar with a piece of butter, some pepper and salt; pour this over the slaw; have an egg boiled hard; chop it fine, and spread it over the top. some persons like it heated in a pan with vinegar and water, and the yelk of a raw egg mixed through it. cauliflowers, &c. have a pot with half milk, and the rest water; when this boils, put in the cauliflowers, and let them boil till tender; put in some salt just before you take them up; have ready drawn butter with parsley, to pour over them, or a sauce of cream and butter. good heads of yellow savoy cabbage, cooked in this way, resemble cauliflowers. brocolli is a delightful vegetable, and may be cooked in the same manner. to boil cabbage. in summer, you should allow a large head of cabbage an hour to boil, but when it has been tendered by the frost, it will boil in half that time. most persons prefer cabbage boiled with ham; the pot should be well skimmed before it goes in or the grease will penetrate the cabbage, and make it unwholesome; take it up before it boils to pieces. it is very good boiled with corned beef or pork, or with milk and water, with a little salt added. some like it with a little salaeratus thrown in while boiling, as that tenders it and makes it of a more lively green. to boil greens and poke. after skimming the pot that the bacon has been boiled in, put in cabbage sprouts, and let them boil till the stalks are tender; all greens are best boiled in a net. spinach cooks in a few minutes; some persons prefer it when boiled in salt and water; you should have drawn butter or hard eggs to eat with it when done in this way. there are several kinds of wild greens to be found in the country in the spring, as wild mustard, poke and lambs-quarter, which are very good cooked as cabbage sprouts. pour boiling water on poke, after tying it in bunches, as asparagus, let it stand a few minutes; pour off the water; boil it with a little salt in the water, and if you choose a little salaeratus; dress it with butter, and dish it as asparagus. string beans. string beans, if boiled in salt and water, will require fully two hours; but if boiled in a net, in a pot with bacon, they will not take so long; if they are cooked in the same pot with cabbage, it will injure the flavor. it is a good way to boil a very small piece of pork or bacon, or a ham-bone in the pot with beans; when they are done, season them with cream, butter, salt and pepper. lima beans. shell them, and wash them in cold water; let them boil about an hour; when done, dip them from the water, and season with salt, pepper, cream or butter; keep them hot till they are sent to table. dried lima beans should be soaked over night, and boiled two hours or longer, if they are not soft. peas. early peas require about half an hour to boil, and the later kinds rather longer; the water should boil when they are put in; when they are tough and yellow, they may be made tender and green, by putting in a little pearl-ash, or ashes tied up in a rag, just before they are taken up; this will tender all green but do not put too much--when done, dip them out: drain and season them with butter, pepper and salt; put a bunch of parsley in the middle of the dish. to keep green beans for winter. boil salt and water to make a strong pickle; string the beans, and put them in a tight wooden firkin; sprinkle them with salt as they go in; when the pickle is cold, pour it on, and put on a weight to keep the beans under; they will keep in the cellar till the next spring. they should soak several hours in cold water before they are boiled. asparagus. all persons that have a garden should have an asparagus-bed; it is valuable as being one of the first vegetables in the spring. put the stalks of the same length, in bunches together, and tie them with strings; boil it three-quarters of an hour in clear water; (if you put salt in, it turns it dark;) have buttered toast in the bottom of a deep dish; untie the strings, and put the asparagus in; sprinkle it over with pepper and salt, and put butter on. asparagus is also agreeable in chicken soup. cymlings, or squashes. in cultivating this vegetable, the small bunch cymling is the best, as it takes so little room in the garden, and comes soon to maturity; if they are so hard that a pin will not run in easily, they are unfit for use. boil the cymlings till soft; cut them open, and take out the seeds; put them in a colander, and mash them; when the water is drained off, put them in a small pot, and stew them with cream and butter for ten minutes; just as you dish them, season with pepper and salt. if boiled with salt meat, they require but little seasoning. pumpkins. young pumpkins resemble cymlings, when cooked in the same way. when they are ripe, they should be pared and cut up, and boiled till soft in a good deal of water; take them up as soon as they are done, or they will soak up the water; mash them and season them with salt, pepper and butter. they are good to eat with roast or boiled beef. to bake pumpkins. the long striped pumpkin, with a thick long neck, called by some potato pumpkin, is the best for baking; cut it up in slices, leaving on the rind; put it in a dutch-oven or dripping-pan, and let it bake an hour with a quick heat. where sweet potatoes cannot be had, pumpkins make a very good substitute. if you put ripe pumpkins that have not been frosted; in a dry place, they will keep to make puddings till spring. to dry pumpkins. pare them, and cut them in thin slices; have a strong thread, and string them on it with a needle; hang them out in the sun till dry, taking them in at night; tie them up in a muslin bag, and hang them in a dry place. soak them before they are stewed, and they are nearly as good for puddings as when in season. some dry them, as apples, by spreading on boards. parsnips. scrape and split them, and boil until quite soft, either in salt and water, or with meat; they are very good served up in this way, with plenty of butter. they may, when boiled, either be baked with a few slices of salt meat, and require no seasoning but pepper, or made into small round cakes, seasoned with butter, pepper and salt, and fried. carrots. carrots should be scraped, and boiled till soft, in plenty of water; when they are done, take them up, and slice them thin; season them with salt, pepper and butter. they are suitable to eat with boiled meat or fowls. turnips. pare and quarter the turnips, and put them in a pot of clear water, or with fresh meat; boil them half an hour; drain, and season them with butter, pepper and salt; mash them. onions. after they are peeled, boil them in milk and water; if small, they will cook in half an hour; when they are done, pour off the water; put in cream, butter and salt, and let them stew a few minutes. small onions are much better for cooking, as they are not so strong. beets. wash the beets; cut the tops off, and put them in boiling water; the early turnip beet is best for summer, and will boil in less than an hour; the long winter beet should be boiled two hours,--when they are done, drop them in cold water for a minute; peel and slice them; season with butter, pepper and salt; send them hot to table. to pickle beets, put them in a jar after they have been boiled; fill it up with weak vinegar; put in salt, cayenne and black pepper. to boil rice. pick a pint of rice, wash it clean--put it in three pints of boiling water: it should boil fast, and by the time the water evaporates, the rice will be sufficiently cooked; set it where it will keep hot, until you are ready to dish it. to keep vegetables in winter. beets, parsnips, carrots and salsify should he dug up before the frost is severe; those wanted for use in the winter should be put in barrels, and covered with sand; what you do not want till spring should be buried in the garden, with sods on the top. celery may be dug in november, and set in a large box covered with sand, in the cellar, with the roots down; it will keep till the frost is out of the ground. or it may be left in the ground all winter, and dug as you want it for use. bread, &c. as bread is the most important article of food, great care is necessary in making it, and much judgment, as the weather changes so often. in warm weather, the rising should be mixed with water nearly cold; if there should be a spell of damp weather in the summer, have it slightly warm and set it to rise on a table in the kitchen. in winter it should be mixed with warm water, and left on the warm hearth all night. if the yeast is fresh, a small quantity will do; if several weeks old, it will take more. if you use dry yeast, let it soak fifteen minutes, and put in a tea-spoonful of salaeratus to prevent it from getting sour. light bread, baking in a stove, &c. for two loaves of bread, thicken a quart of water with flour, till it will just pour easily; put in a table-spoonful of salt and half a tea-cup of yeast; this should be done in the evening. if the weather is cold, set it where it will be warm all night; but, if warm, it will rise on a table in the kitchen. (if it should not be light in the morning, and the water settles on the top, stir in a little more yeast, and set it in a pan of hot water for a few minutes;) knead in flour till it is nearly as stiff as pie crust, and let it rise again. have your baking pans greased, and when it is light, mould out the bread, and put it in them; set it by the fire, covered with a cloth, till it begins to crack on the top--when it is light enough to bake. to bake in a stove requires care to turn it frequently; if it browns too fast at first, leave the door open a little while; a thick loaf will bake in an hour, and a small one in less time. in trying the heat of a stove, drop a few drops of water on the top, if it boils gently it is in good order, and the heat should be kept at this point. to bake a dutch-oven loaf. if you wish to make a large loaf, it will take three pints of water, more than half a tea-cup of yeast, and two spoonsful of salt; when the rising is light, knead it up, have the dutch-oven greased; put it in, and set it near the fire, but not so near that it will scald. when it rises so as to crack on the top, set the oven on coals; have the lid hot, cut the loaf slightly across the top, dividing it in four; stick it with a fork and put the lid on, when it is on a few minutes, see that it does not bake too fast, it should have but little heat at the bottom, and the coals on the top should be renewed frequently, turn the oven round occasionally. if baked slowly, it will take an hour and a half when done, wrap it in a large cloth till it gets cold. to bake in a brick oven. if you have a large family, or board the laborers of a farm, it is necessary to have a brick oven, so as to bake but twice a week; and to persons that understand the management of them, it is much the easiest way. if you arrange every thing with judgment, half a dozen loaves of bread, as many pies or puddings, rusk, rolls or biscuit may be baked at the same time. some persons knead up their bread over night in winter, to do this, the sponge should be made up at four o'clock in the afternoon. if you wish to put corn flour in your bread, scald one quart of it to six loaves, and work it in the flour that you are going to stir in the rising, to make six loaves of bread, you should have three quarts of water and a tea-cup of yeast. scalded corn flour, or boiled mashed potatoes, assists bread to rise very much in cold weather. have a quart of potatoes well boiled and rolled fine with a rolling-pin on your cake board; mix them well in the rising after it is light; if the oven is not ready, move the bread to a cool place. if the bread is sour before you mould it out, mix a heaped tea-spoonful of salaeratus in a little water, spread out the bread on the board, dust a little flour on it, and spread the salaeratus and water over, and work it well through. this quite takes away the sour taste, but if the bread is made of good lively yeast, it seldom requires it; let it rise in the pans about half an hour. many persons that make their own bread, are in the constant practice of using salaeratus, putting in the rising for six loaves a heaped tea-spoonful, dissolved in a little warm water; in this there is no disadvantage, and it insures sweet bread, and will also answer in making rolls or light cakes. common sized loaves will bake in an hour in the brick oven. if they slip easily in the pans, and, upon breaking a little piece from the side, it rises from the pressure of the finger, it is done; but if it should not rise, put it back again; when the bread is taken out of the oven, wrap it in a cloth till quite cold. you should have a large tin vessel with holes in the top, to keep bread in; in this way, it will be moist at the end of the week in cool weather. coarse brown flour or middlings makes very sweet light bread, by putting in scalded corn meal, say, to two loaves, half a pint, and is also good to use for breakfast made as buckwheat cakes. directions for heating a brick oven, &c. it is very important to have good oven wood split fine, and the oven filled with it as soon as the baking is out; by this precaution it is always ready and dry. early in the morning, take out half of the wood, and spread the remainder over the oven, in such a way as it will take fire easily; light a few sticks in the fire, and put them in; when it burns well, turn the wood about, and occasionally add more till it is all in; when it is burnt to coals, stir them about well with a long-handled shovel made for the purpose. when it looks bright on the top and sides, it is hot enough; let the coals lay all over the bottom till near the time of putting in the bread, when draw them to the mouth, as it is apt to get cool the quickest. if you have biscuit to bake, put some of the coals on one side near the front, as they require a quick heat, and should be put in immediately after the coals are taken out; they will bake in fifteen or twenty minutes. when all the coals are taken out, if the bottom of the oven sparkles, it is very hot, and should wait a few minutes; but if not, you may put in the bread first, and then the pies; if you have a plain rice pudding to bake, it should be put in the middle of the front, and have two or three shovels of coals put round it, if the oven is rather cool. close the oven with a wooden stopper made to fit it; after they have been in a few minutes, see that they do not brown too fast; if so, keep the stopper down a little while. pies made of green fruit will bake in three-quarters of an hour; but if the fruit has been stewed, half an hour will be long enough. rusk, or rolls, take about half an hour to bake in a brick oven; if you should have to open the oven very often before the bread is done, put in a few shovels of coals and shut it up. when all is taken out, fill the oven with wood ready for the next baking. there is nothing in any department of cooking that gives more satisfaction to a young housekeeper than to have accomplished what is called a good baking. graham bread. take six quarts of unbolted flour, one tea-cup of good yeast, and six spoonsful of molasses; mix them with a pint of milk, warm water, and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus; make a hole in the flour and stir this mixture in it, till it is like batter; then proceed as with fine flour. mould it, when light, into four loaves have your oven hotter than for other bread, and bake it fully one hour and a half. it is an excellent article of diet for dyspeptic and sedentary persons. dyspepsy bread. this is three-fourths unbolted flour, and the remaining fourth common flour, and is risen and made as other light bread, but should be baked rather more. yeast. it is important to those that make their own bread, to make their own yeast, or they cannot judge of its strength. the best is the old-fashioned hop yeast, which will keep for six weeks in winter. put a pint of hops in a pot, with a quart of water; cover it tightly, and let it boil slowly for half an hour; strain it while boiling hot on a pint of flour, and a heaped table-spoonful of salt; stir it well, and let it stand till nearly cool; when put in a tea-cupful of good yeast; if it is not sweet, put in a little salaeratus, just as you stir it in; keep it in a warm place till it rises, when put it in a stone jug, and cork it tightly. keep it in a cool place in summer, but do not let it freeze in winter; shake it before you use any. when your yeast jug is empty, fill it with water, and let it soak; wash it well, and if it should smell sour, rinse it with salaeratus water. if you have a garden, raise your own hops by all means; pick them by the first of september, or they will lose their strength; dry them on sheets spread on the garret floor. if you buy hops, choose light green ones, with the yellow dust about them. brown hops have generally stayed too long on the vines. another method. put two handsful of hops into three pints of water; let it boil to one quart; when cold, strain it on to a pint of best flour, a table-spoonful of salt, half a pint of sugar-house molasses, and a tea-cup of good yeast: as it rises, skim off the top several times, when the yeast looks white bottle it up tight and it will keep for several weeks. corn flour dry yeast. put a large handful of good hops in a quart of water; cover it close, and let it boil nearly half away, when strain it over corn flour; it must all be wet, but not so soft as for bread; put in a large spoonful of salt, and mix it well; when about milk warm, put in two table-spoonsful of yeast, (observe that the yeast is lively,) rub it through with your hands; it must be so stiff as just to stick together; set it in a warm place to rise, which it should do in a few hours. when light, rub in more corn flour, and scatter it in dishes, very thin, (or put it on a cloth on a large waiter, spread thinly.) it should be dried quickly, or it may turn sour, either in the sun, (which is best,) or a warm stove room; stir it over frequently; when perfectly dry, cover it close, either in a jar or wooden box, and keep it in a dry closet. select a sunny day, and begin early in the morning, as by this method you may have your yeast dry by night. half a tea-cupful is enough for two loaves of wheat bread, (it should be soaked in water some minutes before using it,) and it is generally best to put in half a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, as dry yeast is more apt to turn sour than the liquid yeast. some good housekeepers use this yeast where hops are scarce, and it answers very well. it will keep good six weeks or two months. potato yeast. boil four large potatoes with a tea-cupful of hops tied loosely in a bag; mash the potatoes in a pan, with a spoonful of salt, and four of flour; pour the hop-water on it, and mix all together; when nearly cold, put in two table-spoonsful of yeast; put it in a quart jar, and let it rise; it will do to use in five or six hours. this yeast is much weaker than the first receipt; but it has this advantage,--that with a pint of it you may knead up four loaves of bread at night without making rising. it is best to make this yeast once a week, always being careful to have the jar sweet before you put it in. potato yeast with sugar. to about a quart of potatoes, boiled and made thin enough with warm water to pass through a sieve, add, when cold, a tea-cupful of sugar, a table-spoonful of salt, and a gill of common yeast. this is a quick yeast, but will not keep so long as those before mentioned. dry yeast. put a pint of hops in half a gallon of water; cover it close and boil it down to one half; strain it over flour enough to make a thick batter; when nearly cold, put in a tea-cup of yeast, and three table-spoonsful of salt; when well risen, work in as much corn meal as will make it as stiff as biscuit dough; add a spoonful of sugar and one of ginger; when it rises again, make it out into little cakes, which must be dried in the shade, and turned twice a day. if made in dry weather, this yeast will keep for several months, and is useful when hops are scarce; it should be kept in a tight box, or a bag hung up in a dry place. milk yeast. if you have no yeast, you may make some with milk, to rise with. take a pint of new milk and stir in it two tea-spoonsful of salt, and half a tea-cup of flour; keep it moderately warm by the fire, and it will lighten in about an hour; stir in flour enough to make a large loaf of bread, with more milk or water. this yeast should be used immediately, and will do to lighten hop yeast. to thicken half a gallon of water with a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little salt and flour, makes very good yeast when you cannot get hops. it will do to use in a day. superior boiled milk rolls. boil a quart of new milk; pour it on a quart of flour, while boiling hot, and stir it well; when nearly cold, add two tea-spoonsful of salt, two table-spoonsful of lard, and half a tea-cup of good yeast; set it in a warm place to rise for about two hours; when light, work flour in it on the cake-board, and, when quite smooth, mould it out into rolls, and put them in a baking-pan, which has been rubbed with lard or butter; set them in a warm place to rise again;--if the weather is warm, on a table in the kitchen, but if cold, set them by the fire. when light, put them in a cool place till you are ready to bake; they should have a moderate heat, and will bake in half an hour. in winter they may be moulded out and placed in the bake pan over night for breakfast, or some hours before wanted for tea, and kept in a cool place till half an hour before baking, when set them near the stove to rise up. with the addition of nutmeg and sugar, you may make nice rusk. egg rolls. boil a quart of new milk with a quarter of a pound of butter, the same of lard, and a little salt; beat up two eggs, and pour the boiling milk on them, stirring all the time; when nearly cold, add a tea-cup of yeast and as much wheat flour as will make it a thick batter, when quite light knead it up as bread, and let it lighten before moulding out; grease the pans, and bake them with a moderate heat. a little sugar and water rubbed on just before baking rolls makes them glossy. soft rolls. rub two ounces of butter into two pounds of flour; stir in as much boiling milk as will make a soft dough, when cold enough, add half a tea-cup of yeast, and a little salt; beat it well with a spoon, and let it rise as long as bread; mould them out in pans, and bake as other rolls. water rolls. make a rising of a quart of warm water, a little salt, a tea-cup of yeast, two spoonsful of butter and flour; let this rise, and knead it with as much flour as will make a soft dough, and work it well; when it has risen again, mould it out, and bake half an hour. a nice griddle cake may be made by rolling this out, and baking it on the griddle or dripping-pan of a stove. potato rolls. boil potatoes enough to make a quart when mashed, which should be done with a rolling-pin on a cake-board; mix these with a gallon of flour, a spoonful of butter, one of lard, and some salt; stir in water sufficient to make dough, not quite so stiff as for light bread, and a tea-cup of yeast; knead it for half an hour, and set it to rise; when it is light, set it away in a cold place, and as you require it, cut off a piece; mould it in little cakes, and let them rise an hour before baking. these rolls will keep several days in cold weather. if the dough should get sour, mix in some salaeratus. another way. boil a quart of pared potatoes--pour off the water, mash them, add half a pint of sweet milk, warmed, and a small table-spoonful of salt; stir well, and pour it scalding hot into a quart of flour; add cold milk enough to make it the right consistence for rising; stir in half a tea cup of yeast, and set it by to rise, it will soon be light, and is then to be made into dough, with shortened flour, as other rolls, and made out into cakes; and after standing in a warm place to become light again, which should not take long, bake with rather a quick heat. these rolls may be eaten warmed over. mush rolls, without milk or eggs. when milk is scarce, (or for a change,) you can make good rolls with mush. take a pint of corn meal, pour on it three pints of boiling water--stirring it as you pour; put in three ounces of lard, a table-spoonful of salt, and when milk warm, put in two table-spoonsful of yeast, then mix in wheat flour, and make it a soft dough; cover the pan close, set it in a warm place till it begins to rise; as soon as light, set it in a cold place; mould them out an hour before you bake them, and allow them to rise in the dripping-pan. it will do to bake in a large cake rolled out. twist rolls. boil a pint of milk, put in a small lump of butter and a little salt; beat up an egg and put in, when nearly cold, with a spoonful of yeast and some flour; when light, knead in more flour to make it quite stiff; work it well, and let it rise again; grease a dutch-oven or spider, flour your hands, and roll it out in rings, or round several times, a little higher in the middle. they will be nearly all crust, and suit delicate persons that cannot eat other warm bread. french rolls. to one quart of sweet milk, boiled and cooled, half a pound of butter, half a tea cup of yeast, a little salt, and flour enough to make a soft dough, beat up the milk, butter and yeast in the middle of the flour, let it stand till light, in a warm place; then work it up with the whites of two eggs, beaten light; let it rise again, then mould out into long rolls; let them stand on the board or table, to lighten, an hour or two, then grease your pans and bake in a oven or stove. bread rolls. in the morning, when your bread is light, take as much as would make one loaf; pour boiling water on half a pint of corn meal--stir it well--add a little salt, spread open the dough and work in the mush, with the addition of a table-spoonful of lard or butter, and a little flour, work well and mould out, placing them in your pans, and set them in a moderately warm place to lighten for tea; bake in a stove, if the weather is cold. this dough will keep two days, and may be baked as you need them. maryland biscuit. rub half a pound of lard into three pounds of flour; put in a spoonful of salt, a tea cup of cream, and water sufficient to make it into a stiff dough; divide it into two parts, and work each well till it will break off short, and is smooth; (some pound it with an iron hammer, or axe;) cut it up in small pieces, and work them into little round cakes; give them a slight roll with the rolling-pin, and stick them, bake them in a dutch-oven, brick-oven, or dripping-pan of a stove, with a quick heat. these biscuits are very nice for tea, either hot or cold. light biscuit. boil a quart of milk, and when nearly cold, stir it in the middle of your pan of flour, with two spoonsful of yeast, and one of butter and salt; let it lighten for two or three hours; knead the flour in it, and let it rise again: a little while before you bake, roll it out, and cut it with the top of your dredging-box. let them rise a few minutes in the dripping-pan. salaeratus biscuit. warm a quart of sweet milk, and put in it half a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, and a heaped spoonful of lard or butter, and half a spoonful of salt; pour this in as much flour as will make a stiff dough; work it a quarter of an hour; mould and bake them as other biscuit. quick biscuit. rub a small table-spoonful of lard into a quart of flour, and mix in two tea-spoonsful of finely powdered cream of tartar, with a tea-spoonful of salt; put a tea-spoonful of super carbonate of soda in a pint of warm milk,--work it in and make the paste of ordinary consistence for biscuit or pie crust, adding flour or milk, if either is needed; make it out in biscuit form, or roll it about half an inch thick, and cut in shapes,--bake them about twenty minutes. tea biscuit. melt half a pound of butter in a quart of warm milk; add a spoonful of salt, sift two pounds of flour, make a hole in the centre, put in three table-spoonsful of yeast, add the milk and butter; make a stiff paste; when quite light, knead it well, roll it out an inch thick, cut it with a tumbler, prick them with a fork, bake in buttered pans, with a quick heat; split and butter before sending them to table. dyspepsy biscuit. make them as maryland biscuit, except that, instead of either lard or butter, you must use a portion of rich cream, beat or work them well, and roll them moderately thin. salaeratus cake. warm a pint of butter-milk, put in it a tea-spoonful of powdered salaeratus, and a piece of lard the size of an egg; stir it into flour till it is a soft dough; roll it out, and bake it on the griddle, or in the dripping-pan of a stove. if you have no sour milk, put a table-spoonful of vinegar in sweet milk. wafer cakes. rub half a pound of lard into two pounds and a half of flour, add a little salt and water sufficient to make a stiff dough: work it well for half an hour, make it in small round lumps, and roll these until they are as thin as possible; bake them with a slow heat and they will look almost white. these are nice cakes for tea either hot or cold. short cake. to three quarts of flour take three-quarters of a pound of lard, and a spoonful of salt; rub the lard in the flour, and put in cold water, sufficient to make a stiff dough; roll it out without working in thin cakes; have the bake-iron hot, flour it, and bake with a quick heat; when one side is brown, turn and bake the other; when baked in the dripping-pan of a stove, they do without turning;--you may cut them in round cakes, if you choose. some use half milk and half water; in that case, less lard is required. cold water muffins. sift a quart of flour, add to it a little salt, a large spoonful of yeast, beat the white of a fresh egg to a froth; after mixing the flour up with cold water into a soft dough, add the egg; set it in a moderately warm place. next morning beat it well with a spoon, put it on the bake-iron in round cakes; when one side is nicely brown, turn them; keep them hot till sent to table, split and butter them. if you wish to have muffins for tea, they should be made up early in the morning. smith muffins. boil a quart of new milk, have three pounds of flour, three eggs well beaten, a quarter of a pound of lard, a table-spoonful of salt; rub the lard in the flour and while the milk is still warm, (but not hot,) stir it in the flour, put in the eggs, and a tea-cup of good yeast: beat all well, and set them in a warm place to rise, when light they should be set in a cool place till you are ready to bake them, which should be in rings, or round cakes on the bake-iron, in a dutch-oven, or the dripping-pan of a stove, butter just as you send them to table. if the batter is kept in a cold place it will keep good for two days in winter. before baking muffins, or any kind of light cakes, taste the batter, and if at all sour, put in a small portion of salaeratus, (previously dissolved in hot water.)--in this way superior muffins may be made. mansfield muffins. take a quart of milk, three eggs, quarter of a pound of butter or lard, a tea-cup of yeast, and flour to make a soft dough; heat the whites of the eggs alone, the yelks with the milk; melt the butter and stir it in after all is mixed; bake them in rings, or in round cakes on the griddle: split and butter before sending them to table. rice muffins. pour a quart of milk on four heaped spoonsful of rice flour, stir it well, and put in a little salt and wheat flour, to make it a proper thickness, two eggs and two spoonsful of yeast, allow it four hours to rise, and bake in rings, or thin it and bake as batter cakes. muffins. warm a pint of milk, and stir into it a pound and a quarter of flour, (a quart of flour is about equal to a pound and a quarter,) and two eggs, the yelks beaten with the batter, the whites alone, mix with these two spoonsful of lively yeast and a little salt, let them rise, and when you are nearly ready to bake them, stir in a large spoonful of melted butter, butter the rings and bake on a griddle, or in the dripping-pan of a stove. split and butter before sending them to table. mush muffins. make a quart of mush, put into it a lump of butter or lard, the size of two eggs, and a little salt, previously to making the mush, have ready a pint of light rising, stir into it a pint of new milk, and the mush, with as much wheat flour as will make it a very thick batter, let it rise four or five hours, and when light, set it in a cold place, till you are ready to bake, dip a spoon in water each time, and put the batter on the griddle in small cakes, or bake in rings. you may make it a little stiffer, and roll it out to bake in large cakes. if it should sour, put in a little salaeratus. if you have no milk, water will do instead. they will be nice toasted. a loaf of muffin batter. stir into a pint of mush a small lump of butter, a little salt, a pint of milk, and wheat flour to make a thick batter; stir into it half a tea cup of yeast, and let it rise, when it is light, butter a pan, pour it in and bake, eat it hot, at breakfast or supper. it will bake in a shallow pan in half an hour, if in a deep vessel, allow more time. boiled milk muffins. boil a quart of new milk, and pour it boiling hot, on as much flour as will make a thick batter, put in a table-spoonful of butter, and the same of lard, two tea-spoonsful of salt, half a tea cup of yeast, one egg beaten; allow time to rise from six to eight hours; when perfectly light, set them in a cool place, till you are ready to bake, when you may use rings, or not, as you please--but be sure to butter the rings. cream muffins. take a quart of sour cream, and two eggs well beaten, a tea-spoonful of salt; stir the eggs into the cream, gradually; add sifted flour enough to make a thick batter, dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in as much vinegar as will cover it, and stir it in at the last; bake in small cakes on the griddle, or in muffin rings in the dripping-pan of a stove. waffles. make a batter of a pound and a half of flour, quarter of a pound of melted butter, and two large spoonsful of yeast; put in three eggs, the whites and yelks beaten separately; mix it with a quart of milk, and put in the butter just before you bake, allow it four hours to rise; grease the waffle-irons, fill them with the batter--bake them on a bed of coals. when they have been on the fire two or three minutes, turn the waffle-irons over,--when brown on both sides, they are sufficiently baked. the waffle-irons should be well greased with lard, and very hot before each one is put in. the waffles should be buttered as soon as cooked. serve them up with powdered white sugar and cinnamon. quick waffles. take a pint of milk, and beat into it three eggs, and enough wheat flour to make a thick batter; add a table-spoonful of melted butter, and a little salt; bake them immediately. some persons add two table-spoonsful of sugar, and a little cinnamon; others dust loaf sugar and cinnamon, or nutmeg over each waffle, as it is baked. rice waffles. to six spoonsful of soft boiled rice, add two tea-cups of water or milk, and some salt, stir in three tea-cups of ground rice, and bake as other waffles. flannel cakes. warm a quart of milk, put in a spoonful of butter, a little salt, and two eggs well beaten, stir in flour till it is a thin batter, and two spoonsful of yeast; beat all well together, adding the eggs at the last; allow it five hours to rise, and bake it on the griddle in cakes, the size of a breakfast plate. do not butter them till you send them to the table. mush flannel cakes. mix a pint of corn mush with two of wheat flour, a spoonful of butter or lard, two eggs and half a tea-cup of yeast; make it in a batter with water or milk, and bake like buckwheat cakes. bread batter cakes. soak slices of stale bread in cold sweet milk for half an hour, then put it over the fire, and let it come to a boil; and mash it well, when nearly cool, add wheat flour enough to make a stiff batter, beat this together with two eggs, a tea-spoonful of salt, and a table-spoonful of good yeast, let it rise and bake as buckwheat cakes, if light before you are ready, set them in a cold place. butter-milk cakes. you may make a very good batter cake without eggs. to a quart of butter-milk, put a piece of lard, the size of an egg; warm them together, and stir in a tea-spoonful of salaeratus; make it in a thin batter with flour; beat it a few minutes, and bake it as other cakes. buckwheat cakes. take quart of buckwheat flour, half a pint of wheat flour, and a spoonful of salt; make them into a thick batter, with milk-warm water, put in a half tea-cup of yeast, and beat it well, set it by the fire to rise, and if it should be light before you are ready to bake, put a tea-cup of cold water on the top, to prevent it from running over, if it should get sour, pour in a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in hot water, just before you bake. it is best to make them up quite thick, and thin them with a little warm water before you bake; butter them just as you send them to table. if you can get brewers' yeast, it is much better for buckwheat cakes. in very cold weather, they may be kept made up for several days, and baked as required. sally lunn. warm a quart of milk with a quarter of a pound of butter, and a heaped spoonful of sugar, beat up three eggs, and put in, with a little salt, and flour enough to make it stiffer than pound cake, beat it well, put in a tea cup of yeast, and let it rise, butter a fluted pan and pour it in, bake it in a quick oven, slice and butter it. if you wish tea at six o'clock, set it to rise at ten in the morning. bake it an hour. butter-milk batter cakes. soak pieces of dry stale bread in a quart of butter-milk, until soft, break in two eggs, add a little butter or lard, and salt and flour enough to make it stick together, beat it well, add a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in warm water; thin it with a little sweet milk, and bake as other batter cakes. they may be prepared in a short time. toast. cut your bread (which is better to be stale) in tolerably thick slices, brown it slowly before the fire on each side; you may either butter it dry, or mix butter in water, with a little salt added, and after making it boiling hot, pour over each slice as you send it to table. a dish of milk toast for breakfast. boil a quart of rich milk, take it off, and stir in half a pound of fresh butter, mixed with a small spoonful of flour, let it again come to a boil; have ready a dish of toast, pour it from a spoon over each piece, and what remains, pour over the whole, keep it covered and hot, till you send to table. general remarks on making bread of indian corn meal. a wooden spoon with a long handle, is the best for stirring and mixing the bread or cakes. it requires more salt than other bread, and should be well mixed or beaten. if it is mixed over night, it should generally be done with cold water, and set in the cellar or some cool place in summer, in winter it requires rather a warmer place to stand. it sours more easily than bread made of other flour. in the morning, if you find that it is at all acid, dissolve half a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in warm water, and stir it just before it is put to bake. where milk is used, it should be baked immediately, and the richer the milk, the more palatable it is. whatever you bake this bread in, should be well greased first, as it is more apt to adhere to the oven than some other kinds of flour. it should bake with a quick heat. when you buy salaeratus, pound it fine, put it in a wide-mouthed bottle, and cork it tight. some persons keep it dissolved in water, but you cannot judge of the strength of it so well. corn meal porridge. put on to boil in a sauce-pan a quart of milk, mix a small tea-cup of corn meal with half a pint of cold water, (let it settle, and pour off what swims on the top,) then stir it in well to keep it from being lumpy; let it boil only a few minutes; add salt to the taste. this makes a good breakfast for children, and is a light diet for an invalid. it can be seasoned with sugar. mush, mush cakes, and fried mush. mush will keep for several days in cool weather; the best way of making it is to have a pot of boiling water, and stir in corn meal, mixed with water, and salt enough to season the whole; let it boil, and if it is not thick enough you can add more meal; keep stirring all the time to prevent it from being lumpy. it should boil an hour. to make the cakes, take a quart of cold mush, mix in it half a pint of wheat flour, and a little butter or lard, make it out in little cakes with your hands, flour them and bake them on a griddle or in a dripping pan. fried mush is a good plain dessert, eaten with sugar and cream. cut the cold mush in slices, half an inch thick, or make them into small cakes, dip them in flour, and fry them in hot lard. journey cake. pour boiling water on a quart of meal, put in a little lard and salt, and mix it well, have an oak board with a rim of iron at the bottom, and an iron handle fastened to it that will prop it up to the fire; put some of the dough, on it, dip your hand in cold water and smooth it over; score it with a knife, and set it before coals to bake. corn batter cakes. take a quart of good milk, three eggs, a little salt, and as much sifted corn meal as will make a thin batter; beat all well together, with a spoonful of wheat flour to keep them from breaking, bake in small cakes, keep them hot, and butter just as you send to table. another way to make corn batter cakes, is to take a quart of corn meal, two eggs, a small lump of butter or lard, and mix it up with milk, or half water, if milk is scarce, and bake them either thin or thick. rice cakes. take a pint of soft boiled rice, a pint of milk, a little salt, and as much corn meal as will make a thin batter with two eggs; beat all together, and bake as corn batter cakes, or make it thicker and bake it in a pan. corn bannock. to one quart of sour milk, put a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in water; warm the milk slightly, beat up an egg, and put in corn meal enough to make it as thick as pudding batter, and some salt; grease a pan and bake it, or you may put it in six or eight saucers. virginia pone. beat three eggs, and stir them in a quart of milk, with a little salt, a spoonful of melted butter, and as much sifted corn meal as will make it as thick as corn batter cakes; grease the pans and bake quick. lightened pone. take half a gallon of corn meal, and pour boiling water on one-third of it; mix it together with warm water till it is a thick batter; put in two table-spoonsful of lively yeast, and one of salt; stir it well and set it by the fire to rise; when it begins to open on the top, grease the dutch-oven and put it to bake, or bake it in a pan in a stove. cold water pone. make a stiff batter with a quart of indian meal, cold water and a little salt; work it well with the hand; grease a pan or oven, and bake it three-quarters of an hour. eat it hot at dinner, or with milk at supper. indian bread with butter-milk. to one quart of butter-milk, slightly warmed, put a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in water, two eggs, well beaten, a table-spoonful of melted butter or lard, a little salt; stir in with a spoon as much indian meal as will make a thick batter; beat it for a few minutes, grease your pans, and bake quickly. if you bake this quantity in two pans, a half hour will be sufficient, or if in one, it will take an hour. look at it often while baking, as it is liable to burn. an excellent recipe. little indian cakes. put a spoonful of lard in a quart of meal, and two tea-spoonsful of salt, pour boiling water on half the meal, stir it; then add as much cold water as will enable you to make it out in cakes of a convenient size, bake on the bake-iron over the fire. maryland corn cakes. mix a pint of corn meal with rich milk, a little salt, and an egg, it should be well beaten with a spoon, and made thin enough to pour on the iron; take in cakes the size of a breakfast plate; butter and send them hot to table. a virginia hoe cake. pour warm water on a quart of indian meal, stir in a spoonful of lard or butter, some salt, make it stiff, and work it for ten minutes, have a board about the size of a barrel head, (or the middle piece of the head will answer,) wet the board with water, and spread on the dough with your hand, place it before the fire, prop it aslant with a flat-iron, bake it slowly, when one side is nicely brown, take it up and turn it, by running a thread between the cake and the board, then put it back, and let the other side brown. these cakes used to be baked in virginia on a large iron hoe, from whence they derive their name. batter bread with yeast. rub a piece of butter the size of an egg, into a quart of com meal, add a little salt, make it in a batter with two eggs and some new milk, add a spoonful of yeast, set it by the fire an hour to rise, butter little pans, and bake with a quick heat. carolina corn rolls. take a pint of corn meal; pour over it sufficient boiling water to make a very stiff dough, then add a table-spoonful of salt, and permit it to stand until about milk-warm; work it well with the hand, then make out the rolls, of an oblong shape, and bake them from half to three-quarters of an hour, according to their size. the addition of a small lump of butter or lard is an improvement. if they are rightly made, they will split on the top in baking, and can be eaten by those who cannot partake of other preparations made of corn flour. mixed bread. put a little salt, and a spoonful of yeast, into a quart of flour; make it sufficiently soft with corn meal gruel; let it rise; bake in a mould. new england hasty pudding, or stir-about. boil three quarts of water in an iron pot; mix a pint of indian meal in cold water, and make it thin enough to pour easily; when the water boils, pour it in; stir well with a wooden stick kept for the purpose; it takes about an hour to boil; salt to your taste; stir in dry meal to make it thick enough, beating it all the time. eat it with milk or molasses, or butter and sugar. this is said to be a wholesome diet for dyspeptic patients, and makes a good meal for children. corn muffins. warm three pints of milk, and stir into it as much corn meal as will make it as thick as pudding batter, add two handsful of wheat flour, two tea-spoonsful of salt, three eggs, and a tea-cup of yeast. beat the whole well together, and let it rise about six hours, when bake as other muffins. soaked crackers for tea. pour boiling water on crackers, put in some butter and a little salt; cover them close and keep them warm till tea is ready; if you have milk, boil it, and pour over instead of water. this is easily prepared. pies, puddings, cakes, &c. to make common pies. one pound of lard to a gallon of flour will make very good common pies. work the lard in the flour, put in some salt, and wet it with water, make it so that it can just be rolled out, when you have put in the fruit, wet the crust with water, put on the top and close it up, stick it with a fork on the top. to stew fruit for pies. all fruits that are not fully ripe should be stewed and sweetened. to boil a gallon of molasses at a time, and keep it to sweeten pies, is cheaper than sugar, and answers a very good purpose, where there is a large family. when fruit is fully ripe it does very well to bake in pies, without being stewed. after washing the dried fruit, put it on to stew in a bell-metal kettle over the fire, or in a tin pan in a stove, let it have plenty of water, as it swells very much, and if it seems dry, put in more water. apples take longer to stew than peaches, and should have more water. fruit stewed in this way is very good to put on the table to eat with meat. do not stir the fruit while it is stewing, or it will burn. dried cherries and damsons may be stewed in the same manner, adding the sugar before they are quite done. pie crust. sift a pound and a half of flour, and take out a quarter for rolling; cut in it a quarter of a pound of lard, mix it with water, and roll it out; cut half a pound of butter, and put it in at two rollings with the flour that was left out. for making the bottom crust of pies, cut half a pound of lard into a pound of flour, with a little salt; mix it stiff, and grease the plates before you make pies; always make your paste in a cold place, and bake it soon. some persons prefer mixing crust with milk instead of water. paste for puddings. sift a pound of flour, have half a pound of butter and quarter of a pound of lard, save out a quarter of the flour for rolling, cut the lard into the remainder, and mix it with water; roll it out, and flake in half of the butter; dust over it some of the flour, close it up; roll it again, and put in the rest of the butter. this quantity will make crust for five or six puddings. another way. to three and a half pounds of sifted flour, put two pounds of lard, and a piece of volatile salts (as large as a full sized nutmeg) dissolved in a little water;--make a pretty stiff paste; then roll in three-quarters of a pound of butter. this will make about eight pies and twelve shells. puff paste. sift a pound of flour, and take out a quarter for rolling, divide a pound of butter into four parts, cut one part of the butter into the flour with a knife, make it a stiff dough with water, roll it out, and flake it with part of the butler, do this three times till it is all in, handle it as little as possible, and keep it in a cool place. this quantity will make crust sufficient for three puddings and ten puffs. they should bake with a quick beat, but do not let them burn, they will take from ten to fifteen minutes to bake, according to the number of layers of paste. do not put on the preserves till a short time before they are eaten. rich mince pies. take four pounds of beef, boiled and chopped fine, pick and chop three pounds of suet, wash two pounds of currants, and one of raisins; grate the peel of two lemons, and put in the juice, pound a spoonful of dried orange peel, slice an ounce of citron, and chop twelve large apples, mix these together with three pounds of sugar, half a pint of wine, and the same of brandy--and sweet cider to make it a proper thickness, put in mace and nutmeg to your taste. if the cider is not sweet, you must put in more sugar before the pies are baked, cut several places in the top of each with a pair of scissors. mince pies not so rich. take four pounds of beef after it has been boiled and chopped, one of suet, two of sugar, two of raisins, and four of chopped apples, mix these together with a pint of wine and cider, to make it thin enough, season to your taste with mace, nutmeg and orange peel; if it is not sweet enough, put in more sugar. warm the pies before they are eaten. where persons are not fond of suet, put butter instead, and stew the apples instead of so much cider. farmers' mince pies. when you kill a beef, save the head for pies; it is some trouble to prepare it, but it is very nice for the purpose. split the head, take out the brains and eyes, wash it well in cold water, and soak it all night with two hog's heads that have been cleaned; in the morning, boil them till you can take out the bones easily; skim off the froth as it rises, or it will stick to the meat; pick out the bones, and chop it fine, with three pounds of suet. this should be done the day before you want to bake. mix to this quantity of meat, two gallons of chopped apples, four pounds of raisins, half a gallon of boiled molasses, a pint of currant wine, a tea-cup of rose brandy, an ounce of cinnamon, orange peel and mace, from two to four nutmegs, and sweet cider enough to make it the right thickness; if the cider is not sweet, put in more molasses; when all is mixed, it is best to bake a small pie, as you can alter the seasoning, if it is not to your taste. if you have not raisins, dried cherries or small grapes, that have been preserved in molasses, are very good, or stewed dried apples, instead of green; and where you have no cider, stew the apples in plenty of water, so as to have them very soft; a little good vinegar, sweetened and mixed with water, also does instead of cider, but is not so good. this will make about forty pies, and if you have a convenient way of keeping them, you may bake all at once, as they will keep for two months very readily when the weather is cold. if you do not bake all at once, put what is left in a jar, cover the top with melted suet, and over this put a piece of white paper, with a tea-cup of spirits poured on the top; tie it up and keep it where it will not freeze. where persons have a large family, and workmen on a farm, these pies are very useful. rhubarb pie. peel the stalks, cut them in small pieces, and stew them till very soft in a little water; when done, mash and sweeten with sugar; set it away to cool; make a puff paste, and bake as other pies. some prefer it without stewing, cutting the stems in small pieces, and strewing sugar over them before the crust is put on. these pies will lose their fine flavor after the first day. they take less sugar than gooseberries. peach pie. take mellow clingstone peaches, pare, but do not cut them; put them in a deep pie plate lined with crust, sugar them well, put in a table-spoonful of water, and sprinkle a little flour over the peaches; cover with a thick crust, in which make a cut in the centre, and bake from three-quarters to one hour. sweet potato pie. boil the potatoes, skin and slice them; put a layer of potatoes and a layer of good apples sliced thin in a deep dish; put potatoes and apples alternately till the dish is filled, mix together wine, water, sugar, butter and nutmeg, and pour over, cover it with crust, and bake as oyster pie. pork mince pies. take pieces of fresh pork that have been left from sausage meat, or any trimmings of the hams or shoulders; boil them, then chop. have two heads nicely washed and cleaned, boil, pick out the bones and chop them; mix with the other meat, and season as you do other mince pies, they do not require any suet. the lower crust of mince pies need not be so rich as the top; always cut several places in the top crust with scissors, to keep the juice from wasting. when you warm mince pies, do it gradually, and do not have the crust scorched. some prefer them cold. when the pies are very plain, a little preserve syrup, and a glass of wine added is an improvement. currant pie. after stemming green currants, scald them, and allow them to stand awhile; pour off the water; have the crust in your plates; put in the currants, sweeten them well; put in a little water, a dust of flour and a little orange peel. gooseberries are prepared in the same way, but require more sugar. cherries should not be scalded. pumpkin pudding. choose a yellow pumpkin, with a fine grain, pare and cut it in small pieces, boil it in plenty of water, and take it up as soon as it is done, or it will soak up the water; to a gallon of pumpkin, stewed and mashed, put two quarts of milk, eight eggs, half a pound of butter, half a tea-cup of lemon or rose brandy; nutmeg and sugar to your taste; bake it in deep plates, with a bottom crust. apple pudding. take three pints of stewed apples, well mashed, melt a pound of butter, beat ten eggs with two pounds of sugar, and mix all together with a glass of brandy and wine; pat in nutmeg to your taste, and bake in puff paste. quince pudding take six quinces, pare them, cut them in quarters, and stew them, in a little water with lemon peel; cover them and let them cook gently till soft, when mash, or rub them through a sieve; mix them with sugar till very sweet, season with mace and nutmeg; beat up four eggs and stir in with a pint of cream; bake it in paste. potato pudding. take a pound and a half of well mashed potatoes; while they are warm put in three-quarters of a pound of butter; beat six eggs with three-quarters of a pound of sugar, rolled fine, mix all well together, and put in a glass of brandy; season with nutmeg, mace or essence of lemon, and bake in paste. cocoanut pudding. take three-quarters of a pound of grated cocoanut, with the brown skin taken off, half a pound of sugar, the same of butter, the whites of six eggs, beaten light, half a pint of cream, a glass of brandy, or rose-water, and a quarter of a pound of crackers, pounded fine, beat them together and bake in paste. if you wish the pudding rich, take a pound of butter, the same quantity of cocoanut, of sugar and whites of eggs, omitting the crackers and cream. season as above. this quantity will fill six dessert plates of large size. sweet potato pudding. boil the potatoes, take off the skin, mash and strain them while warm; to a pound of potatoes put half a pound of butter; beat six eggs with half a pound of loaf-sugar, add a little mace or nutmeg; mix all together, and bake with or without paste. lemon pudding. grate the rind of six fresh lemons, squeeze the juice from three, and strain it; beat the yelks of sixteen eggs very light, put to them sixteen table-spoonsful of powdered sugar, not heaped, with four crackers finely powdered; beat it till light; put a puff paste in your dish and bake in a moderate oven. another way. take one pound of potatoes strained through a sieve, half a pound of butter, the same of rolled sugar, the juice of two lemons and the peel of one; beat five eggs, and mix all together with a glass of wine and a nutmeg. a preserve pudding. take a deep dish, butter it well and spread a layer of preserves, without syrup--either quinces, citron, apples or peaches; rub together a pound of fresh butter, and the same of powdered loaf-sugar, and add the yelks of sixteen eggs well beaten; pour this on the preserves, bake it in a quick oven for half an hour; it may be set by till the next day; beat the whites of the eggs as for island, seasoning with currant jelly, and spread it over the pudding cold, just as it goes to table. this makes a rich dish and is eaten without sauce. this quantity will bake in four ordinary pie plates. arrow root pudding. take four table spoonsful of arrow root, mixed in a little cold milk; pour on this a quart of boiling milk, beat six eggs with three table spoonsful of sugar, and stir all together with a spoonful of butter, bake it twenty minutes in paste. rice pudding. pour a quart of boiling milk on a pint of rice flour, stir it well, and put in six spoonsful of sugar, one of butter, and four eggs, beat all together, and bake in deep plates, with or without crust. another way. boil half a pound of rice till soft, when nearly cold stir in half a pound of white sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, and three eggs well beaten; grate in half a nutmeg, stir in a pint of rich milk; pour all in a yellow dish and bake half an hour; then, put a thick coating of loaf sugar on the top, and eat hot, with or without cream. pudding of whole rice. boil a pint of washed rice in milk or water, till soft, put in a lump of butter, five eggs, and sugar to your taste, season with essence of lemon, or lemon peel, and mix in cream to make it thin enough to pour, bake it in paste, in deep plates. a pudding of corn meal. pour three pints of boiling milk on nearly half a pint of sifted corn meal, stir in half a pound of butter, add four eggs, a little nutmeg, rose brandy, and the grated peel of a lemon, sweeten it, and bake it in paste. corn pudding in paste. to two pounds of mush moderately warm, put three-quarters of a pound of butter, the yelks of six eggs, the rind of one lemon, and juice of two; sugar and nutmeg to your taste, and bake in paste as potato puddings. this is much admired. richmond pudding. take one pound of raisins, stoned and chopped, half a pound of currants rubbed in flour, a pound and a half of grated bread, a pound of suet shred fine, eight eggs, two glasses of brandy, and two of wine; beat them all together, adding the eggs at the last; dip your bag or cloth in boiling water and flour it well; pour in the pudding and tie it up, leaving room for it to swell; allow it four hours to boil; eat it with white sauce. suet pudding. take half a pound of suet chopped fine, four tea-cups of flour, and five eggs; beat these together with a quart of milk, and half a spoonful of salt; put in three tea-cups of raisins just before you tie it up; they should be rubbed in flour to prevent them from sinking; dried cherries, or pared dried peaches, are very good instead of raisins; scald the cloth and flour it; leave room for the pudding to swell. if you put one-fourth corn meal, you can do with fewer eggs. cheese cakes. take one quart of curd, after the whey has been strained off, mix with it half a pound of fresh butter, an ounce of pounded blanched almonds, the whites of three eggs, a tea-cup of currants; season with sugar and rose water to your taste, and bake in plates with paste. baked apples. wash and core your apples, and in the vacancy left by the core, put brown sugar, and bake them in a stove or oven. batter pudding with green fruit. make a batter as for suet pudding. if you have small fruit, put it in whole; if apples, chop them fine; boil it three hours. custard bread and butter pudding. fill a pan with slices of buttered bread, with raisins, grated nutmeg and sugar over each slice; beat six eggs with a tea-cup of sugar; add two quarts of rich milk, and pour it over the bread and butter; bake it in a stove or oven. balloon puddings. mix a pint of rich milk with a pound and a quarter of flour; break nine eggs; beat the yelks with the batter, the whites alone; when they are mixed, stir in three-quarters of a pound of melted butter; grease cups or bowls with butter; pour in the batter, and bake them half an hour; if in a dutch-oven, put some water in the bottom; eat them with white sauce. plain rice pudding. put two quarts of good milk in a tin pan, with a tea-cup of whole rice, the same of stemmed raisins, and a little nutmeg or cinnamon, and sugar to your taste. if you bake it in a dutch-oven, it is best to put a little water in the bottom before you set it in; bake it till the rice is soft, and there is a brown crust on the top. a rice dish with fruit. put a tea-cup of rice in a quart of milk, and boil it very slowly to keep it from burning; when done, add a little salt, a tea-cup of cream, and sugar enough to sweeten it; have ready, in a deep dish, any fruit that is in season,--cherries, blackberries or apricots, apples, or peaches, cut up and well sweetened, but uncooked; spread the rice roughly over, and bake it slowly two hours. it may be eaten with cream, and nutmeg, and is quite as good cold as warm. bread pudding. bread pudding is made out of bread that is too dry to use; cut it fine, boil it in milk, and mash it well; beat four eggs and put in, with half a pound of raisins; boil it an hour and a half, or bake it. bread and apple pudding. _to be eaten with sauce_. put a layer of buttered bread in the bottom of a well buttered dish, with chopped apples, sugar, grated bread and butter, and a little pounded cinnamon; fill up the dish with alternate layers of these articles, observing that it is better to have the inner layer of bread thinner than that of the top and bottom. this is a nice dish for those who cannot partake of pastry. custard hasty pudding. put a quart of new milk on to boil; then mix a tea-cup of rice flour with a little milk, two eggs, and three spoonsful of sugar; beat it, and when your milk boils, stir it in; let it boil five minutes--when pour it out on some buttered toast, in a bowl or dish, and grate nutmeg over it. elkridge huckleberry pudding. one pound of flour, one of light-brown sugar, eight eggs--beat as sponge cake, and add one quart of berries, nicely picked, washed, and allowed to dry, bake as sponge cake. this maybe served with sauce; either lot or cold. huckleberry pudding. make a batter of five eggs to a quart of milk, and a little butter; pick, wash, and rub in flour a pint or more of huckleberries, put them in, and bake as long as other puddings, or boil it in a bag. green corn pudding. cut the green corn through the grain, and scrape it off the cob with the back of a knife; prepare a batter made of a quart of rich milk, two eggs, and wheat flour, and a little salt; then add the corn, and beat it well for a few minutes: it should be of a consistence to pour easily; grease the pan, and pour it in; bake with quick heat in a stove or spider, about half an hour. six ears of corn will be enough for a quart of milk, or you may double the quantity; eat it with butter, sugar and cream, molasses, or any sauce that is convenient. baked pudding. boil a quart of milk, and stir into it half a pint of corn meal and a tea-spoonful of salt--mix this well together; beat two eggs, stir in when nearly cold; add a tea-cup of chopped suet, two table-spoonsful of sugar, a little spice--grease a pan, and pour it in; bake three-quarters of an hour. eat it with sugar and cream, or molasses sauce. a boiled indian pudding. boil a quart of milk, and stir in meal to make it a thick batter; put in a tea-spoonful of salt, a tea-cup of suet, a spoonful of sugar; mix; these well together, add two eggs, well beaten. if you have dried peaches, soak them; sprinkle them with dry flour, and put them in, or put in raisins, previously rubbed with wheat flour-beat it well; have your pot boiling, scald the bag, flour it, and put in the pudding,--it will boil in two hours. eat with sugar and cream, molasses, or any kind of pudding sauce. boiled bread pudding. take a loaf of stale light bread, tie it in a cloth, boil it an hour, and eat it with sauce. a bird's nest pudding. pare and core some apples, enough to fill a deep dish, they should be ripe, and such as will cook easily. make a custard of five eggs, to a quart of milk, and sugar and nutmeg to taste; pour this over, and bake half an hour. little puddings in pans. beat four eggs very light; make a batter of two tea-cups of flour, three of milk, and one of cream; pour in the eggs, and beat all well together; put in a spoonful of melted butter; grease your shallow pins or cups, and bake from twenty to thirty minutes; eat them with sauce, or sugar, cream and nutmeg. switzerland pudding. make a hatter of five eggs, a quart of milk and flour; pare and core enough good apples to cover the bottom of your pan, fill the holes where the cores came out with sugar, grease the pan, lay them in, and pour the batter over, bake it an hour and a half, and make wine sauce to eat with it. boiling puddings. in boiling puddings, you must observe to have plenty of water in the pot; the pudding should be turned frequently, have the water boiling when it goes in, and do not let it stop. have a tea-kettle of water by the fire to pour in as it evaporates. when the pudding is done, it should be dipped in a pan of cold water, to prevent its adhering to the cloth. screw dumplings. roll out some paste thin, in a long strip, lay in preserves of any kind, or stewed fruit, well sweetened, roll it up and close it tight, pin it up in a towel, and boil it an hour, eat it with butter, sugar and cream, or sauce. large dumplings. take green fruit of any kind--peaches, apples, cherries, blackberries, or huckleberries, make crust as for pies, roll it out, put in the fruit, and pin it in a cloth, boil it two hours. peach and apple dumplings. make crust as for plain pies, cut it in as many pieces as you want dumplings, pare and core the apples, roll out the crust, and close them up, have the water boiling when they go in, and let them boil three-quarters of an hour. peaches pared and stoned make very good dumplings, eat them with sauce of any kind, or sugar, cream and butter. light bread dumplings take as much lightened dough as will make a loaf of bread, work into it half a pound of stemmed raisins, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it an hour and a half. rice dumplings wash and pick a pint of rice, boil it in water till it is soft; have some apples pared and cored whole, fill the holes with sugar, cover them over with the rice, and tie each one separately in a cloth; boil them till the apples are done. indian suet dumplings chop beef suet fine, and to a pint of indian meal, take a table-spoonful of the suet and a little salt; pour on boiling water enough to make a stiff dough, work it well, make into round cakes, and boil in clear water. these are good when vegetables are scarce, to eat with meat, or as a dessert with sugar or molasses. corn dumplings. when you boil corned beef, new bacon, or pork, you can make dumplings, by taking some grease out of the pot, with some of the water, and pouring it hot on a quart of indian meal, mix and work it well, (it will not require salt,) make it into little round cakes; (they should be stiff, or they will boil to pieces;) take out the meat when it is done, and boil the dumplings in the same water for half an hour. they may be eaten with molasses, and make a good common dessert. pan cakes. take five eggs to a quart of milk, make a thin batter with flour, have a little hot lard in the frying-pan, and pour in enough batter to cover the bottom; turn and fry the other side; if eggs are scarce, a tea-spoonful of salaeratus will supply the place of two. eat them with wine and sugar. water pan cakes--a cheap dessert. stir a quart of warm water in sufficient flour to make a batter of moderate thickness; dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, with a little salt, into a tea-cupful of butter-milk, or sour cream; beat it well; put a little lard in a frying-pan, and when it is hot, fry them. they are much better to be eaten hot, with sauce, sugar and cream, or any thing you may fancy. this is a very cheap dessert, and has been thought nearly equal to pan cakes made with milk and eggs. apple fritters. allow four eggs to a quart of milk; make a thick batter with flour, and beat it well; stir in a quart of apples, chopped fine: have a frying-pan with hot lard, and drop a spoonful in a place; fry them light brown on both sides, and eat with sugar and wine, or sweet cider. rice fritters. to a pint of rice flour add a tea-spoonful of salt and a pint of boiling water; beat four eggs and stir them in, have hot lard in a frying-pan, and fry them as other fritters. indian meal fritters. take a quart of butter-milk, (in which dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus,) stir in meal to make a batter of suitable thickness, a tea-spoonful of salt and two eggs; beat all well together, and fry in hot lard, as other fritters. if you like, you can put in chopped apples. eat with sugar or molasses. snow fritters. take of light new fallen snow, three table-spoonsful for every egg you would otherwise use--that is, if you would wish the quantity that three eggs would make in the usual way, take nine table-spoonsful of snow, and stir in a quart of rich milk that has been setting in a very cold place, so that it will not melt the snow, and destroy its lightness; put in a tea-spoonful of salt, and enough wheat flour to make a stiff batter; have ready a frying-pan with boiling lard, and drop a spoonful in a place as with other fritters, and set the remainder in a cold place till the first are done. eat them with wine sauce, or sugar, butter and cream, or any thing you fancy. rice flummery. rice that is ground coarse, in a hand-mill, is much better for making flummery than the flour you buy: put three pints of milk to boil, mix with water two tea-cups of ground rice, and stir it in the milk when it boils; while the milk is cold, put in it two dozen peach kernels, blanched, and rolled with a bottle; wet your moulds with cold cream or water; keep stirring the rice till it is thick, when pour it out in the moulds; just before dinner turn them out on dishes, have cream, sugar and nutmeg mixed, to eat with it. rice milk. take a tea-cupful of rice, boil it till about half done, and let all the water be evaporated; then add the milk, and beat an egg with some flour, and stir in; let it boil n few minutes, and season with sugar and nutmeg. wine sauce for puddings. mix a spoonful of flour in a tea-cup of water, with two spoonsful of sugar and one of butter; stir this in half a pint of boiling water; let it boil a few minutes, when add a glass of wine and some nutmeg. white sauce. take half a pound of powdered white sugar, and quarter of a pound of butter, beat them well together with a glass of wine, and grate in half a nutmeg. a little currant jelly is preferred by some in this sauce instead of wine. cream sauce. boil half a pint of cream, thicken it a very little, and put in a lump of butter; sweeten it to your taste, and after it gets cold add a glass of white wine; this is good to eat with boiled rice, plain pudding, or apple dumplings. molasses sauce. put half a pint of molasses to boil in a skillet, with a piece of butter the size of an egg; when it has boiled a few minutes, pour in a tea-cup of cream, and grate in half a nutmeg; this is the most economical way of making sauce. egg sauce. take the whites of three eggs and the yelks of two, beat them till very light, and add a large table-spoonful of butter ready creamed, with sugar and nutmeg to your taste; boil three glasses of wine, and pour over the other ingredients, put it over the fire, and let it boil two minutes, stirring all the time. this is nice sauce for any kind of pudding. cherry toast. stone and stew a quart of ripe cherries, sweeten them, place some slices of buttered toast in a deep dish, and put the stewed cherries over them. a little powdered cinnamon or grated nutmeg may be put on the toast. apple custard. lay a crust in your pie plates, slice apples thin and half fill the plates, pour over a custard made of four eggs to a quart of milk, sweeten and season it; bake it slowly. custard baked in cups. beat up five eggs with two heaped spoonsful of sugar, mix these with a quart of rich milk and a little nutmeg; fill the cups, pour water in the bottom of a dutch-oven or dripping-pan, and set them in and bake them till thick. boiled custard. put on to boil a quart of new milk; have ready a dozen peach kernels, scalded, peeled, and rubbed fine with a bottle, beat five or six eggs, with some sugar, and when the milk boils stir them in with the kernels; keep stirring till it thickens, but do not let it boil, or it will curdle; then take it off the fire, pour it in a pitcher, and continue to stir till it is nearly cold, when pour it into your cups, and grate nutmeg over the top of each. if you wish to have it flavored with lemon, boil some peel with the milk. this custard may be put in a glass bowl, and an island on the top. cold custard. sweeten half a gallon of milk, put into it a table-spoonful of rennet wine, and let it stand in a warm place till it begins to come, when it should be set in cold water till dinner time; just as you take it to table, pour some cream on it, and grate nutmeg over the top. cream custard. to a pint of thin cream, take one egg, and beat and season as other custard; bake it in a plate with paste; this quantity is sufficient for one large plate, and is more delicate than custard made in the usual way. ice custard with vanilla. boil three pints of rich milk with as much vanilla as will give it a good flavor; sweeten it to your taste; have ready four eggs well beaten, pour the boiling milk on them, and keep stirring till cool; when put it to freeze. custard with raisins. stone and cut a tea-cup of raisins, put them in a quart of milk; when it boils stir in five eggs well beaten, with two table-spoonsful of sugar, and a little lemon peel; keep stirring till it boils again, then take it off the fire, and stir till nearly cold; when put it in cups, or in a large bowl; beat the whites of three eggs with sugar, and when quite cold put them on the top of the custard. to boil custard in water. beat the eggs, sugar and seasoning together, and put it in a pitcher or nice stone jar; put in the milk and stir it well together; set the pitcher in a pot of boiling water, and stir till it is cooked, when take the pitcher out and stir till nearly cool. custard should never be boiled or baked two much--a minute too long will sometimes spoil it. whips. grate the peel of a lemon in a pint of cream, sweeten it with loaf sugar, and whip it well; beat the whites of three eggs and mix with it; put apple jelly, seasoned with lemon, in the bottom of your glasses, and as the froth rises put it on the top of the jelly. trifle. put slices of sponge cake or naples biscuit in the bottom of a deep glass dish; on this put slices of preserved citron, or apples preserved with lemon; pour over this a boiled custard, and on the top put a whip made by the foregoing receipt. floating island. beat the whites of five eggs till the beater will stand up in them; then add, a little at a time, four spoonsful of powdered loaf-sugar, and currant jelly, or preserved syrup of any kind; put rich milk in the bottom of a glass, or china bowl, and put the island on the top. in making floating island, you should allow the whites of six eggs to six persons. you can have very good custards at the same time with the yelks of the eggs. apple float. to a quart of apples, slightly stewed and well mashed, put the whites of three eggs, well beaten, and four table-spoons heaping full of loaf sugar, heat them together for fifteen minutes, and eat with rich milk and nutmeg. carrageen or irish moss blancmange. wash in three waters half an ounce of carrageen moss; drain and put it in two quarts of new milk, let it boil for a few minutes, strain it in a pitcher, wet the moulds, and pour it in while hot; let it stand till it becomes thick, when it may be eaten with sugar and cream, seasoned with peach or rose water, or with a lemon rolled in the sugar. some prefer seasoning the blancmange before putting it in the moulds. it will keep in a cool place two days, and is better to be made the day before it is eaten. to keep suet for several months. chop the suet you wish to preserve until summer as fine as for mince pies or puddings, then add a table-spoonful of salt to three table-spoonsful of suet; mix all well together, and put it in jars. keep it tied up close, as exposure to the air makes it strong. it should be soaked an hour before you wish to use it, to remove the salt taste. skim curds. put to boil a gallon of sweet milk; when it fairly boils, pour in a quart of butter-milk; in a few minutes the curd will rise, which skim off and set by, to cool for dessert; season it as you help to it at table, with cream and sugar to the taste. whey skim curds. boil the whey, and put in a pint of sour butter-milk; when the curds rise to the top take them off, and set them in a cold place; they make a nice dessert to eat with sugar, cream and nutmeg. cheese curds. put to boil a gallon of skim milk, stir into it two spoonsful of rennet wine; when it turns, dip up the curds and set them away to cool; eat them with sweetened cream and nutmeg. rennet wine for cold custards or curds. rub the salt from a nicely dried rennet, and cut it up; put it in a bottle, and fill it up with good wine. if care is taken to keep it filled up, it will last for several years, to make cold custard and cheese curds. to preserve milk to use at sea. to every quart of new milk put a pound of loaf-sugar; let it boil very slowly in an iron pot, over clear coals, till it is as thick as thin cream--stirring it all the time, pour it out in a pitcher, and stir till it is cold; put in bottles, cork it tight, and put sealing wax over the corks; it must be shaken before it is used. syrups, ices, &c. lemon syrup. clarify a pound of loaf or havana sugar, or if you wish to make a large quantity, allow half a pint of water to every pound of sugar, and boil it, skimming it when the scum arises, until it is of the consistency of honey; then to every pound of sugar, add an ounce of tartaric acid. if you do not find it sour enough, after it has stood two or three days, add more of the acid. if you like the taste of oil of lemon, add a few drops. a small quantity of the syrup prepared in this way, poured into cold water, makes a refreshing drink in warm weather. lemon syrup for seasoning. pare the lemons very thin, and put the peel to boil in a quart of water; cover it, to keep in the flavor; put two pounds of loaf sugar to the peel of a dozen lemons, and boil it till it becomes a rich syrup; keep it corked up in a bottle, to season ice cream. syrup of lemon juice. dissolve three pounds of loaf-sugar in three quarts of water, squeeze and strain lemons enough to make a quart of juice; boil it slowly with the water and sugar, and take off the scum as it rises; when it is quite clear, strain and bottle it. it will supply the place of fresh lemons when they cannot be had. pine apple syrup. pare the pine apples, cut them in pieces, and to three pounds of pine apple put a quart of water; cover it and let it boil till very soft, when mash and strain it; to a pint of this juice put a pound of sugar, boil it till it is a rich syrup, and keep it corked up in bottles to season ice cream. almond cream. take a pound of blanched almonds, and roll them fine with a bottle; mix them with a few drops of rose-water, and stir them into a quart of cream; sweeten it with loaf-sugar, put it in a pot over the fire, and stir it till it thickens. tincture of vanilla. vanilla beans, well bruised, half an ounce; french brandy, one gill; let it stand one week, and it will be fit for use. keep it corked tight. this article will keep any length of time, and is very convenient for seasoning ices. superior receipt for ice cream. one gallon of cream, two pounds rolled loaf-sugar, one tea-spoonful of oil of lemon. if for vanilla cream; use a table-spoonful of tincture of vanilla, two eggs beaten; mix well and freeze in the usual way. the seasoning should be well mixed with the sugar, before it is added to the cream; by this means, it will be all flavored alike. this has been much admired. coloring for ice cream, may be made in this way: take of powdered cochineal, cream of tartar and powdered alum, each two drachms; of salts of tartar, ten grains; pour upon the powders half a pint of boiling water; let it stand for two hours to settle, or filter through paper. use as much of this infusion as will give the desired shade. this produces a brilliant pink color. freezing ice cream. take a bucket of ice and pound it fine; mix with it two quarts of salt; put your cream in a freezer; cover it close, and immerse it in the bucket; draw the ice round it, so as to touch every part; after it has been in a few minutes, put in a spoon, and stir it from the edge to the centre. when the cream is put in a mould, close it and move it in the ice, as you cannot use a spoon without waste. ice cream with lemon. roll two fresh lemons, in as much powdered loaf-sugar as will sweeten a quart of cream; if you wish the juice, you can put some in with more sugar; freeze it. a good plan is to rub the lemon on a large lump of sugar, and then use the sugar in sweetening the cream. ice cream with fruit. mix the juice of the fruit with as much sugar as will be wanted before you add the cream, which need not be very rich. pokeberry juice to stain ices. mash and strain ripe pokeberries; to each pint of juice put a pound of sugar; boil them together till it becomes a jelly; when cold put it in a jar and tie it close; use a small quantity of this to stain ice cream or jelly. isinglass jelly. to one ounce of shaved isinglass, put a quart of water; boil it down, to a pint, and strain it through a flannel bag; add some sugar and wine; stir it and put it in glasses. blancmange. shave an ounce of isinglass, and dissolve it in boiling water; then boil it in a quart of new milk; strain it and sweeten it to your taste; season as you prefer, with rose water, cinnamon, or vanilla. blancmange of jelly. to one pint of calf's foot jelly, add a pint of cream, a little mace, and a quarter of a pound of loaf-sugar; boil it fifteen minutes, stirring it constantly; strain it through a flannel bag, and when nearly cold put in n glass of white wine; wet your moulds with cold cream before putting it in. calf's foot jelly. split the feet, and soak them in cold water, four or five hours; wash them clean, and put them to boil in six quarts of water; when it has boiled down to one-half, strain it through a colander, and skim off all the fat that is on the top; set it away to cool, and when the jelly is quite stiff, wipe it with a towel, to take off any grease that should remain; cut it in pieces, and pare of the discolored parts; put it in your preserving kettle, with half a pint of wine, the juice and peel of two lemons, mace and sugar to your taste, and the whites and shells of six eggs; after it has boiled twenty minutes, pour in a little cold water, to make it settle; if any scum arises, take it off; let it boil five minutes longer, and take it off the fire; keep it covered for about an hour, when strain it through a bag that has been dipped in hot water, and put it in your glasses. when eggs are used in calf's foot and other jellies, care should be taken to have the ingredients cool. if the jelly is hot when the eggs are added, it cannot be clarified so well--they should only cook by heating the jelly after they have been diffused, by stirring them through it. raisins in syrup. make a syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pint of water, boil and skim it; put in five bunches of raisins, and let them boil twenty minutes; if you prefer, you can pick off the stems. to blanch almonds and peach kernels. pour boiling water on them, which will make them peel easily; either roll them with a bottle on the cake board or pound in a mortar, with a little loaf-sugar; they should not be pounded too much or they will be oily; peach kernels make a fine flavoring for custard, but as they contain prussic acid, do not use too many. snow cream. take the richest cream you can procure, season it with a few drops of essence of lemon, or syrup of lemon peel, and powdered white sugar, and if you choose a spoonful of preserve syrup, and just as you send it to table, stir in light newly fallen snow till it is nearly as stiff as ice cream. kisses. beat the whites of eight eggs till they will stand alone; put with them, a little at a time, a pound of powdered sugar; roll a lemon in some of the sugar till the flavor is extracted. after it is beaten very well, drop it in heaps about the size of half an egg on a sheet of paper; smooth them over with a spoon, and let them be of a regular shape; bake them in an oven that has been moderately heated, till they are of a pale brown color; do not have the oven too cool, or they will run together; take them from the papers carefully, and stick two together. cakes. remarks on making and baking cake. the materials for making cake should be of the best quality, as your success very much depends on it. flour should be dried and sifted, sugar rolled fine, spices pounded and sifted. where brown sugar is used, it should be spread on a dish and dried before rolling it. i have known very good pound cake made with brown sugar; also jumbles, &c. persons that make their own butter sometimes use it fresh from the churn, which prevents the necessity of washing the salt out of it for cake, and it mixes more readily than hard butter. currants should be picked over, washed and dried; raisins should be stemmed and stoned. when these preparations are made the day before, it is a great assistance. eggs should be fresh, or they will not beat light: in beating the whites, take a broad flat dish, and beat them until you can hold the dish upside down,--this is a test of their lightness. a large bowl is best for mixing and beating cake. you must use your hand for mixing the sugar and butter, and as you add the other ingredients, you may take a large wooden spoon; beat it some time after all is mixed. the oven should be ready to bake immediately, as standing makes cake heavy. a brick oven is the most certain,--and over your pans of cake, you should spread several layers of newspaper, to prevent its browning too suddenly. cake requires more time than bread: a large cake should stay in the oven from an hour and a half to two hours, turning and looking at it from time to time; when you think it is sufficiently baked, stick a broad bright knife in the centre; if it is dry and free from dough when drawn out, the cake is likely to be done, though sometimes this is not a certain test, and you will have to draw a little from the centre of the cake with the knife. a broom straw will sometimes answer in a small cake instead of a knife. a large stone pan, with a cover, is the best for keeping cake, or a large covered bowl. icing for cake. roll and sift a pound of loaf-sugar; whip the whites of three eggs; put in the sugar gradually, and beat it for half an hour; if it is so thick that it will not run, put in some rose water; let the cake be nearly cool; dry it in an oven that is nearly cool. another way. put the white of one egg and a little rose water into half a pound of pulverized sugar, and heat them together till they stand; when it is nearly light enough, add a few drops of lemon juice, or a small portion of tartaric acid, dissolved in a _little_ water. it must be beaten in a bowl which has never had any thing greasy in it, (either cream or butter). the cake must have a little flour sifted over it, and wiped off with a towel, then cover it with a thin coat of the icing, set it under the stove or in a place that is a little warm, and let it harden; then add the second coat thicker; this will he perfectly white, but the first is always dark and has crumbs through it. a rich fruit cake. have the following articles prepared before you begin the cake: dry and sift four pounds of flour, four pounds of butter with the salt washed out, two pounds of loaf-sugar pounded, one ounce of nutmegs grated, an ounce of mace pounded; wash four pounds of currants; dry, pick, and rub them in flour; stone and cut two pounds of raisins; slice two pounds of citron, blanch a pound of sweet almonds and cut them in very thin slices; break thirty eggs, separate the whites and yelks, and beat them till very light; work the butter with your hand till it is soft as cream; put in alternately the flour, sugar and eggs. when all are mixed in, and the cake looks very light, add the spice, fruit, almonds, and half a pint of brandy; set it in a well heated oven to bake; when it has risen, and the top is beginning to brown, cover it with paper; let it bake four hours, and when it is nearly cool, ice it. this will keep a long time in a stone pan, covered close. a cheaper fruit cake. take four pounds of flour, three of butter, three of sugar, two of raisins, one of currants, two dozen eggs, an ounce of mace, three nutmegs, and a half pint of brandy; if you want it dark, put in a little molasses; mix the ingredients together, as the above fruit cake, and bake it from two to three hours. fruit or plum cake. dry and sift a pound of flour, roll a pound of sugar, and beat it with a pound of butter, and the yelks of ten eggs well beaten; wash and dry a pound of currants and rub them in flour; stone and cut half a pound of raisins, and mix in with a glass of rose brandy, and a grated nutmeg, or mace; when all the rest are well mixed together, beat up the whites of the eggs, and add them; bake it an hour and a half. pound cake. wash the salt from a pound of butter, and beat it with a pound of loaf sugar till it is as soft as cream; have a pound of flour sifted, and beat ten eggs, the whites and yelks separately; put alternately into the butter and sugar the flour and eggs, continue to beat till they are all in, and the cake looks light; add some grated lemon peel, a nutmeg, and half a wine-glass of brandy; butter the pan, and bake it an hour; when it is nearly cold, ice it. if you want a very large cake, double the quantity. you can tell when a cake is done by running in a broom-straw, or the blade of a bright knife; if it comes out without sticking, it is done, but if not, set it back. you can keep a cake a great while in a stone pan that has a lid to fit tight. white cake. beat the whites of twenty eggs; wash the salt out of a pound of butter; sift a pound of flour, roll a pound of loaf-sugar, blanch a pound of almonds; roll them fine with a bottle, and mix them with rose water. work the butter, sugar and almonds together till they look like cream; have the eggs beaten very light, and add them and the flour alternately till you get all in; beat the whole together till it is very light; have a pan buttered, and put it in a heated oven to bake; when it begins to brown, put white paper over the top; bake it about three hours; when it is nearly cold, prepare an icing, flavored with rose water; put it on the top and sides. washington cake. take a pound and three-quarters of sugar, the same of flour, three-quarters of a pound of butter, eight eggs, a pint of milk, and mix them as a pound-cake; just as it is ready to bake, dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in a little sour cream, and stir in; season with nutmeg and rose brandy, or essence of lemon; bake it as pound cake. some persons put in a tea-spoonful of lemon juice just before baking. madison cake. take a pound and a quarter of flour, and the same of sugar and butter; five eggs, a pound, of raisins, and one of currants; two glasses of wine or brandy; mace, nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in a pint of new milk; bake it as pound cake. indian pound cake. take three-quarters of a pound of indian meal sifted, and one-quarter of wheat flour; roll a pound of sugar, work into it three-quarters of a pound of butter; season with nutmeg and rose brandy; add four eggs beaten light; mix and bake as other pound cake. rice flour pound cake. take seven eggs, a pound of rice flour, one of sugar, and half a pound of butter; season it with rose water and nutmeg; mix and bake it as other pound cake, and ice it. sponge cake. balance twelve fresh eggs with sugar, and six with flour; beat the eggs very light, the whites and yelks separately; mix alternately the sugar and eggs, and add the grated peel of a lemon; butter a large pan, or several small ones; add the flour just as it is put in the oven, stirring it just sufficiently to mix. beating it after the flour is added makes it heavy; pour it in, and put it to bake as soon as possible. this makes a good pudding, with white sauce. one-half rice flour is an improvement. rice sponge cake. take three-quarters of a pound of rice flour, one pound of white sugar, finely powdered, and ten eggs; beat the yelks with the sugar, the whites alone; add them and the flour to the yelks and sugar, a little at a time; season it with rose brandy and nutmeg, and bake it in shallow pans. sponge cake in small pans. take twelve eggs, with the weight of them in sugar, and the weight of six of them in flour; beat the yelks with the sugar, the whites alone; season with nutmeg or grated lemon peel; put all together, adding the flour the last; stir it quickly after the flour is added, as it will make it heavy to beat it much; grease several small pans and pour it in, bake with a quick heat, and they will be done in half an hour, or less, according to the size. they are pretty iced. lemon sponge cake. take ten eggs, separate them, a pound of loaf-sugar, half a pound of flour, the grated peel of two lemons and the juice of one; beat the yelks with the sugar, the whites alone, when add them and sift in the flour by degrees; beat well, have your pan buttered, and bake with a quick heat either in a stove or dutch-oven, or a brick oven, the heat should not be quite so great as for light bread--it will bake in about an hour. cup cake. take four cups of flour, three of sugar, one of melted butter, one of sour cream, with a tea-spoonful of salaeratus dissolved in it, and three eggs; season it with brandy and nutmeg; mix, and bake it as pound cake. loaf cake. take about a pound of risen bread dough, work into it a tea-cup of butter, three eggs beaten, a pound of sugar, a nutmeg grated and a glass of brandy or wine; a pound of raisins, stoned and chopped, should be added after it is well beaten; half a pint of cream slightly warmed, with a table-spoonful of vinegar, and a tea-spoonful of dissolved salaeratus should be stirred in just as you are ready to bake it; also sifted flour enough to make it the proper consistence; bake in a large pan, in a brick oven or stove, and it will require an hour and a quarter. queen cake. mix a pound of dried flour, the same of sifted sugar, and currants; wash a pound of butter, add rose water--beat it well--a tea-cup of cream; then mix with it eight eggs, yelks and whites beaten separately; add the dry ingredients by degrees; beat the whole an hour, bake in little tins, or saucers, filling only half. rich jumbles. rub a pound of butter into a pound and a quarter of flour; beat four eggs with a pound and a quarter of sugar; when very light, mix them with the butter and flour; mix in a glass of rose water, and a nutmeg; roll them in rings, and bake them slowly; sift powdered sugar over after they are baked. common jumbles. take a pound of flour, half a pound of butter, and three-quarters of sugar, three eggs, a little nutmeg and rose brandy; mix the butter and sugar together, and add the flour and eggs; mould them in rings, and bake them slowly. molasses jumbles. beat three-quarters of a pound of sugar, the same of butter, and three eggs together; stir in half a pint of molasses; add rose brandy and nutmeg, and enough flour to make a soft dough; roll it in rings, and bake as other jumbles. by the addition of half a pint of molasses and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, you will have a common black cake, which may be baked in one large pan. jumbles for delicate persons. roll a heaped pint of light-brown sugar, and rub it in two pints or flour, half a pound of butter, and a dessert spoonful of cinnamon; beat an egg, and mix it with half a tea-cup of rich milk (in which a very small lump of salaeratus has been dissolved;) stir all together with a wine glass of rose brandy; work it well, roll thin and cut them out--bake with moderate heat. cup jumbles. five tea-cups of flour, three of sugar, one heaped of butter, one of sweet cream, three eggs and the peel of one lemon grated, or nutmeg, or mace if you like; roll them thin, and bake in a quick oven. jackson jumbles. three tea-cups of sugar, one of butter, five of flour, one tea-spoonful of salaeratus in a cup of sour cream and two eggs; bake in a quick oven; season them with the peel of a fresh lemon grated, and half a wine-glass of brandy. macaroons. blanch a pound of almonds, beat them in a mortar, and put with them a little rose water to keep them from oiling, the white of an egg, and a large spoonful of flour; roll a pound of loaf-sugar, and beat the whites of four eggs; beat them all together; shape them on white paper with a spoon, and bake them on tin plates in a slow oven; let them be quite cold before you remove them from the paper. naples biscuit. beat twelve eggs till light; add to them a pound of dried flour and one of powdered sugar; beat all together till perfectly light; put in some rose water and nutmeg, and bike it in small shallow pans in a moderately heated oven. new year cake. mix together three pounds of flour, a pound and a half of sugar, and three-quarters of a pound of butter: dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in enough new milk to wet the flour; mix them together; grate in a nutmeg, or the peel of a lemon; roll them out, cut them in shapes, and bake. cider cake. take a pound and a half of flour, three-quarters of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of butter; dissolve a tea-spoonful of salaeratus in as much cider as will make it a soft dough, and bake it in shallow pans; season it with spice to your taste. dover cake. one pound of flour, one of sugar, half a pound of butter, six eggs, half a nutmeg, a spoonful of rose brandy; beat the butter and sugar together, adding the other ingredients, the whites of the eggs beaten separately; bake as pound cake. jelly cake. this cake can be made by the sponge, cup, or dover cake recipe; have shallow tin pans or plates of the same size, butter them, and pour in the batter so as to be about half an inch thick when baked; they take but a few minutes to bake of a light-brown; and as you take them from the oven, put them on a china plate, with a layer of jelly between each cake, till you have four or five layers; cut the cake in slices before handing it. currant jelly is to be preferred, but quince will answer, or peach marmalade. almond cake. ten eggs, one pound of loaf-sugar, half a pound of almonds, half a pound of flour, one nutmeg; beat the yelks first, then put in the sugar, beating them very light; blanch the almonds and pound them in a mortar, with rose water or the juice of a lemon; add them alternately with the flour, and the whites of the eggs well beaten. if you bake in one large cake, it will require an hour and a half in a slow oven; in small pans, it will take less time, and in either case, will require watching. raised plum cake. take three pounds of flour, and mix to it as much new milk as will make a thick batter, and a tea-cup of yeast; when it is light, beat together a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and four eggs; mix this in with a pound of raisins, stoned and cut, half a pound of currants, a grated nutmeg, and a glass of rose brandy; bake it two hours. black cake. rub a pound and a half of softened butter in three pounds of flour, add a pound of brown sugar, rolled fine, a pint of molasses, a table-spoonful of rose brandy, a nutmeg or some mace, four eggs well beaten, a pound of raisins stoned and chopped; mix the whole well, and before baking add a tea-cup of sour cream with a tea-spoonful of soda dissolved in it--beat it up again, have the pans well buttered, and put in about three parts full; this quantity will make about six cakes, in bread pans; bake as bread and if it brown too much, put paper on it, if it seems too stiff, add a little more molasses or cream. it will keep several weeks in cold weather. bunns. take a pound and a quarter of flour, half a pound of butter, and three-quarters of a pound of sugar, six eggs, half a pound of currants, half a nutmeg, a glass of brandy, and a pint of new milk; mix all well together, and put in half a tea-cup of yeast; let it rise, and when light, bake it in shallow pans. butter-milk cakes. one pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of butter, three eggs, a tea-cup of butter-milk, nutmeg or cinnamon to taste; add as much flour as will make a dough that will roll out; cut in round cakes and bake with a quick heat. a composition cake. one pound of sugar, one of flour, half a pound of butter, six eggs, two and a half wine-glasses of milk, one tea-spoonful of soda and one of tartaric acid; warm the milk and butter; add the sugar, then the yelks of the eggs beaten light, then the whites and the flour alternately, then the soda, (to be dissolved in half a wine-glass of water;) season with nutmeg, mace, or a little essence of lemon, and add lastly, the tartaric acid, dissolved in half a wine-glass of water. bake it one hour in an oven, as hot as is usual for bread; when brown at the top, cover it with paper. a pound of dried currants is an agreeable addition. ginger cup-cake. three cups of flour, one of sugar, one of molasses, one of butter, a table-spoonful of ginger, one tea-spoonful of salaeratus, and three eggs; bake in pans. a pound of stoned and chopped raisins is an improvement. light ginger bread. take three cups of molasses, five of flour, one of sugar, three eggs, and a tea-spoonful of salaeratus, dissolved in a cup of sour cream; work the sugar with a quarter of a pound of butter; beat two dozen cloves, and put in with two table-spoonsful of ginger; mix all together, and bake in shallow pans or cups. crisp ginger-cake. take three pounds of flour, one of sugar, and one of butter; mix these together with three table-spoonsful of ginger, some cloves and anise seed, and wet it with molasses; roll it thin; cut it in shapes, and bake with a quick heat. ginger-bread nuts. take a pound and a half of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, the same of butter, some cloves and cinnamon pounded fine, and an ounce of ginger; mix these well together, and make it into a stiff dough, with molasses; roll it thin, and cut it in small cakes. crullers. take two pounds of flour, three-quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, six eggs, and some mace or nutmeg; mix the flour, sugar and butter together, and wet it with the eggs; if too stiff, put in some cream, roll the dough thin; cut it in shapes, and fry them in boiling lard. the more lard there is, the less they will soak it up. rusk. take a quart of milk, a tea-cup of cream, half a pound of lard, quarter of a pound of butter, a spoonful of salt, and boil them together; beat well two eggs with a pound of sugar, and pour the boiling milk on them gradually, stirring all the time; when nearly cold, add a tea-cup of yeast, and flour sufficient to make a stiff batter; when quite light, knead it up as bread, and let it lighten again before molding out; when they are moulded out, wet them over with sugar and cream, and let them rise a few minutes and bake them; grate a little sugar over when they come out of the oven. rusk for drying. boil a quart of milk, and put in it half a pound of butter, and a little salt; when nearly cold, stir in a tea-cup of yeast, a pound of sugar, and flour to make a batter; when it is light, knead it up with flour, and let it rise again; grease your pans, and make it out in cakes, about the size of a tea-cup, and an inch thick; put two layers in each part, and bake them three-quarters of an hour; when take them out, break them apart, and put the top ones in other pans, and let them dry slowly in the oven for an hour or more. this rusk will keep for months, and is very useful in sickness, to make panada; it is also good for delicate persons that rich cake disagrees with, or to take on a journey. nutmeg or mace to your taste. if you like it richer, two eggs may be put in. bread rusk. take as much lightened dough, as would make a loaf of bread, spread it open, and put in a tea-cup of sugar, some nutmeg and a piece of butter; work it well, mould it out, and bake it with your bread; wet the top with sugar and cream before it goes in the oven. dough-nuts. boil a quart of new milk and melt in it half a pound of butter; beat three eggs with two pounds of sugar, and pour on them the boiling milk, stirring all the time; when it is nearly cold, star in a tea-cup of yeast, a spoonful of salt, and flour enough to make a stiff batter; when this is quite light, knead in flour to make a soft dough, two grated nutmegs and a little mace; let it rise again till it is very light; roll it out thin, cut it in shapes, and fry them in hot lard; dust over cinnamon and loaf-sugar, pounded fine, while they are hot. common dough-nuts. pour a pint of boiling water into a pint of new milk, put in a quarter of a pound of lard, and a table-spoonful of salt; stir in a tea-cup of yeast and flour to make a stiff batter; let it rise, and when very light put in two pounds of light-brown sugar, two nutmegs, and enough flour to make a soft dough; work it well and let it rise again till it is very light; roll out and fry as other dough-nuts. preserves, jellies, &c. to clarify sugar. to every four pounds of sugar put a quart of water and the whites of two eggs; if you put in the egg after it gets hot, it will cook before it has the desired effect; when it comes to a boil, and the scum rises, pour in a little cold water; let it boil up; take it off to settle, and skim it well; let it boil up, and skim it three times, when it will be fit to preserve with. you should always clarify white havana sugar. apples. apples should be preserved in november, and they will keep till june. take firm pippins, pare them and take out the cores, leaving them whole; or after you have cored them, cut them across in two pieces, they will then be in rings; put them in cold water as fast as they are pared, to keep them from turning dark; make a syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar, and half a pint of water to each pound of apples; wipe the apples, and put in as many as will go in, without one laying on another; let them boil swiftly till they look clear, then take them up carefully on dishes, and put in some more; when all are done, if the syrup should seem too thin, boil it up after the apples are taken out; cut the peel of several lemons in thin rings, boil them in a little water till they are soft, and throw them in the syrup after the apples are taken out; put the syrup in a bowl, and set all away till the next day, when put the apples in glass jars or large bowls, spread the lemon peel about them and put the syrup on the top; paste several thicknesses of paper over, and set them in a dry cool closet. if you only want the apples to keep a few weeks, they may be done with half a pound of sugar to a pound of apples, and will look and taste quite as well. apples with brown sugar. pare and halve your apples, either pippins, red-streaks or wine-saps; make a syrup of light-brown sugar, allowing half a pound to a pound of the fruit; after boiling and clarifying the syrup, pour it over the fruit, and set it by for two days, then cook them, and seasoned with green ginger root they are excellent; they will not require much cooking, and should be of a light-brown color. crab apples. put the crab apples in a kettle with grape leaves in and around them, with some alum; keep them at scalding heat for an hour, take them out, skin them, and take out the seeds with a small knife, leaving on the stems; put them in cold water, make a syrup of a pound of sugar to a pound of apples; wipe the apples and put them in; let them stew gently till they look clear; take them out, and let the syrup boil longer. currants. make a syrup of one pint of currant juice to three pounds of sugar; if it is brown sugar, put in the white of an egg to clarify it; let it boil and skim it; have three pounds of currants picked and stemmed; put them in the syrup, and let them boil slowly, about twenty minutes; take them up and let the syrup boil longer. pine apples. pare and slice the pine apples, and make a syrup of a pound of sugar and half a pint of water to a pound of fruit; clarify and skim it, then put in the apples and let them cook gently for half an hour; if you do not want to keep them long, much less sugar will do. blackberries. allow a pint of currant juice and a pint of water to six pounds of blackberries; give them their weight in brown sugar; let them boil till they appear to be done, and the syrup is rich. blackberry jelly can be made as currant jelly, and is good for sick children, mixed with water. blackberry flummery. stew three pints of blackberries with one pint of sugar--soak a tea-cup full of ground rice--and when the berries have been stewing about fifteen minutes, stir in the rice, and stir the whole time until it becomes thick. this should be eaten cold with cream, and will keep two days. cherries. to preserve four pounds of cherries, take one pint of currant juice, into which put five pounds of sugar; when this boils up, take off any scum that rises, and put in half of the cherries, with part of each stem on; when they look so clear that you can see the stone, they are done; take these up on a dish and put in the rest, and let them do slowly the same length of time; take them up and let the syrup boil a few minutes longer; do not put them in the jars till they are quite cold. glass jars are the best to keep all early fruits in, as you can then see if they begin to ferment; if they do, you must boil them over; always put them in a window where they will be exposed to the sun. common cherries. stone the light-colored common cherries, and to every pound of fruit, allow a pound of sugar, which boil up with the juice; after you have skimmed it, throw in the cherries, and let them boil till the syrup is rich. cherries for common use. stone twelve pounds of morel cherries; allow half a pound of brown sugar to each pound of fruit, after it is stoned, let them cook slowly for two hours; examine them through the summer, and if they show any signs of fermentation, set them in a brick-oven, after the bread is done, or in a dutch-oven of hot water, which keep at boiling heat for an hour. it is a good plan to know the weight of your preserving kettle, as you can then weigh the fruit in it, with a pair of steelyards. apricots. pour boiling water on the apricots and wipe them dry; then cut them in half and take out the stone; make a syrup of their weight in sugar, and a little water; when this has boiled, put in the fruit, and let it cook slowly till it is clear, and the syrup is rich. ginger. scrape the outside from the green ginger, and boil it in a little water, till it is soft; then take it out, and scrape off any spots that are on it; make a syrup of half a pint of water to a pound of sugar and a pound of ginger; let it boil slowly about half an hour; take it up and boil the syrup a little longer. green gage plums. take an equal quantity of fruit and sugar, pour boiling water on the plums, and wipe them dry; stick them over with a pin; make a syrup of the sugar and some water, and when it boils, put in half of the plums; let them do slowly till they are clear, then take them out and put in the rest; if the syrup should be thin, let it boil longer. do not put them in the jars till the next day. egg plums may be done in the same way. green lemons. take the young lemons, cut them in half, scrape them, and take out the pulp; cut them in such shapes as you please; put them in a preserving kettle and cover them with water; put in a little alum to green them, and let them boil till they are transparent, then take them out and drain them on a cloth; give the kettle another cleansing, and put them in with their weight in sugar; let them stew gently, but be careful that they do not boil; let them cook till the syrup is rich. raspberries. boil three pounds of raspberries in a pint of currant juice, for ten minutes; put in four pounds of sugar, and let them boil half an hour, or until it is a jelly. paste paper over the jar. citron melon. pare the melon and cut it in slices half an inch thick, without the seeds; let it lay in salt and water for an hour, then wash the salt off, and boil it in strong ginger tea; make a thin syrup and boil it again, then make a syrup of a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of citron, and boil it in this till it is clear; season it with mace and lemon peel. watermelon rinds. cut the rinds in any form you please; put them in strong salt and water, with cabbage leaves over and around them, and set them in a warm place till they become yellow; then wash them, and put them in a kettle with alum and water, and grape or cabbage leaves over and through them; set them on the fire, and keep it at scalding heat for two hours--but do not let them boil. if they are not of a fine green color, change the water and leaves; when they are green enough, put them in cold soft water for three days, changing the water twice a day; then make a syrup of rather more than a pound of sugar to a pound of melon, some sliced ginger, the peel of a lemon, and a little mace; let them boil slowly fifteen minutes, take them up, and boil them again at the end of a week. cantelopes, cucumbers, or melons. take young watermelons, cucumbers or cantelopes; scrape the melons, and cut the rinds in shapes--leave the cucumbers whole; put them in a preserving kettle with alum and water; cover them, and let them boil till they are transparent; take them out, wash them in cold water, and wipe each piece separately; have your kettle nicely cleaned, and give them rather more than their weight in sugar; put a layer of sugar, and a layer of melon, some slices of green ginger, and the rind and juice of a lemon; let them stew over the fire till the syrup is rich; take them up, and stew them over again in about a week. cranberries. to preserve cranberries, allow them their weight in sugar; make a syrup of the proportions of half a pint of water to two pounds of the sugar; boil and skim it before you put the fruit in; then let them boil until clear. to make sauce to eat with roast fowls, put three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit. gooseberries. take the large gooseberries, pick off the stems and blossoms, give them their weight in sugar; put them in the kettle alternately, with the sugar, and pour over them a pint of water to four pounds of fruit; let them boil gently till the scum arises; when this is taken off, let them cook faster; when clear, take them up on dishes, and boil the syrup longer. peaches. have sweet, white clingstone peaches--pare and stone them; to each pound, take a pound of sugar made in a syrup, put the peaches in, and when they look clear, take them up on dishes; let the syrup boil longer. a new mode of preserving peaches. pare, halve and weigh the peaches; put them in a preserving kettle of boiling water, and to six pounds of peaches, put a tea-spoonful of soda or pearl-ash; let them boil one minute; then take them out, and throw them in cold water; scrape off the black scum which adheres to the peaches; wipe and lay them on a dish; have the kettle cleaned, and put the peaches in layers, with half their weight in sugar; they will not require any water; let them cook slowly at first, then boil till clear--when take them out, and let the syrup boil till it becomes rich. the flavor of the peach is retained, and they are not so sweet as in the old way. damsons. weigh out as much sugar as you have fruit; if it is brown you must clarify it; put a pint of water to three pounds of sugar, make a syrup, wash the damsons, put them in and let them cook slowly for half an hour; then take them out on dishes, and let them dry in the sun for two days, taking them in the house at night; boil the syrup half an hour after the fruit is taken out; when done in this way they will be whole and clear. you can make a jam by boiling them slowly for two hours; or a jelly as currants. to preserve strawberries. gather the strawberries in the mid-day, pick out the largest and best, stem them, and to each pound of strawberries put a pound of loaf-sugar and a glass of white wine; let them stand four or five hours; take off the syrup so as not to mash the fruit, and clarify it; then put in the strawberries, and to each pound put as much fine alum as will lay on the blade of a penknife; let them boil up several times, and shake them round in the kettle, but do not stir them with a spoon, as that will mash them; a few minutes boiling is sufficient; after you take out the fruit, let the syrup boil up, and when it is nearly cold pour it over them in the jar; put a piece of white paper over the top, and pour a spoonful of brandy on it; paste several thicknesses of paper over the jar. if you like your preserved strawberries, cherries, or peaches, to have a fine pale color, allow them to bob half the time recommended in the receipt, then spread the fruit thin on dishes, with but little syrup, pour the rest of the syrup also on dishes, and set them daily in the sun; if the weather be clear and the sun hot, four days will be sufficient. preserves done in this manner do not ferment. you should spread a piece of gauze or netting over them to keep out insects or dust. another way. to each pound of the fruit take a pound of crushed sugar; put them in the preserving kettle, a layer of sugar and a layer of fruit; let them stand a little while to make syrup before putting them over the fire; they should boil fast for twenty minutes; watch them all the time, taking off the scum as it rises; stir them gently without mashing the berries; put them in jars, put brandy papers over them and paste or tie them close. preserves should never be put in jars that have had pickles in them. tomatoes. take solid round tomatoes, scald and peel them, give them their weight in sugar, put a layer of sugar and of tomatoes alternately; let them boil slowly till the syrup forms, then boil faster, till clear, and the syrup is rich; season with lemon peel, ginger or mace; some prefer the yellow tomato for preserving. quinces. pick out the finest quinces, pare them, and cut them in halves, or in rings; take the best of the parings and the seed, and boil them in water till they are very soft, strain the liquor, and have the kettle cleaned again, wash and weigh the quinces, and give them their weight in sugar, put the sugar in the water the parings were boiled in--skin it, and put in the quinces, let them boil very slowly till clear, take them up on dishes, and boil the syrup longer. green peppers. get peppers that have a sweet taste, take out the seeds, leaving on the stems, lay them in salt and water for three days, changing the water each day, then put them in a kettle with leaves around them, and a small piece of alum, let them scald, but not boil, for two hours, take them out, and let them lay in water three days, changing it twice each day, then boil them in sugar and water fifteen minutes, then make a syrup, allowing them their weight in sugar, and boil them gently in it half an hour, take them out and boil the syrup longer. pumpkin. choose a fine grained, high colored pumpkin, fully ripe, cut it in thin slices, about four inches long and two wide, to two pounds of pumpkin, put two pounds of sugar in a bowl, cut the peel of two lemons in rings, and squeeze the juice over the pumpkin, let it stand all night, the next day put it on to preserve with two tea cups of water, let it cook gently till the pumpkin seems clear and crisp, take it up, scald the lemon peel, and boil it in the syrup, cool it on dishes, and put it in a jar. green fox-grape jelly. fill a kettle with grapes, and let them boil with a pint of water till the skins burst, mash and strain them, put a pound of sugar to a pint of juice, and let it boil half and hour. ripe fox-grapes may be made into very nice jelly in the same way, and is very good to drink in sickness, mixed with water. pears. pare and core the fruit, but leave the stems on; put them in a syrup of a pound of sugar, and a half a pint of water to a pound of pears, with some green ginger or lemon peel; boil the syrup half an hour after they are done. ripe fox-grape jam. to two quarts of grapes, allow three pounds of brown sugar, and a pint of water; have the grapes picked over and washed; put them all together and let them boil more than an hour; take them up on shallow dishes, and pick out as many seeds as you can with a spoon. this makes a good common preserve when other fruits are scarce; they are also very good for pies. currant jelly. pick the leaves from the currants and fill your kettle with them; put a tea-cup of water to keep them from sticking; cover them with a plate and let them boil slowly half an hour; take them out, and strain them through a flannel bag; to every pint of juice put a pound of loaf-sugar; let it boil till it is a thick jelly, which will be in about fifteen minutes, and put it in tumblers or jars. lemon butter or french honey. take half a pound of butter, melt it in an earthen dish and squeeze in the juice of six lemons; beat twelve eggs with two pounds of brown sugar, stir it in with the rind of two lemons grated, mix it all together, and let it boil twenty minutes, when it will be about the consistency of honey; the flavor is agreeable, and it may be eaten on bread, or as a sauce for boiled pudding. currant syrup. prepare the currants as for jelly; to every pint of juice put a pint of water and a pound of sugar; let it boil half an hour and skim it well; if the flavor of the raspberry is preferred, it may be added in the proportion of one pint of it to four of currant juice. it is a very pleasant drink mixed with water in warm weather. quince jelly. wash and wipe the quinces; cut them in small pieces, and take out the seeds carefully; have your kettle cleaned and half full of water; throw the quinces and seeds in till you get it full; cover them over and let them boil till very soft; mash them well and strain them; to every pint of juice put a pound of sugar; clean the kettle again, pour in the juice and sugar, and let it boil till it forms a jelly; it should be put into tea-cups, if you want to turn it out whole, with brandy papers on top, and pasted over. it is a nice jelly to use with whips or trifle. apple jelly. pare and quarter a preserving kettle full of pippin apples; cover them with water, and lay a plate close over them; let them boil until perfectly soft, taking the plate off to skim them; spread a coarse thin cloth over a large bowl; pour the apples on the cloth, and let the juice run through, without squeezing; hold the towel by the corners, and move it gently; take three-quarters of a pound of loaf-sugar to a pint of the juice, and boil it fast, skimming it, until it becomes jelly, which will be in from ten to fifteen minutes, pour it in tumblers or glass jars, and when quite cold, paste them over. this will keep a year. red streak apples make a fine red jelly, boiled with the skins on them. if you have currant or grape jelly that has candied, they can be restored by making some apple syrup, and mixing it hot; it will not require any more sugar--about one-third apple juice; let it boil a few minutes. very sweet preserves that have candied can be improved by this process. apple marmalade. apples make a very good marmalade when other fruits are scarce, and can be done at any time through the fall, or winter, pare the apples, cut them up, and put them to boil, with some water and green ginger scraped, and tied up in a bag, after they have boiled an hour, take out the ginger, and put in half a pound of sugar to one of fruit, let it cook an hour longer. peach marmalade. take soft yellow peaches, pare them, and cut them in quarters, give them their weight in sugar, put the peaches in the preserving kettle with a pint of water, without the sugar, and let them boil till they are well cooked, covered over with a plate, when done, mash them in the kettle till very fine, and stir in the sugar, let them cook slowly an hour, or they may be finished in a stone jar in the oven, or set in a stove boiler, and the water kept boiling all the time, they are not then so likely to burn as when finished over the fire, they will do with less sugar, if they are dried in the sun two days previous to preserving. another way. pare and quarter the peaches, and to eight pounds of peaches, allow five pounds of sugar, put them on, sugar and peaches at once, mixing them through, let them stew slowly until a syrup forms, when they may cook pretty fast for several hours, without once stirring, then take them up, and mash them well, if the marmalade is not thick enough, spread it on dishes, and dry in your oven after the bread is taken out. quinces and apples may be done in the same way. quince marmalade. pare the quinces and cut them up fine, put the parings and cores to boil, then strain them, put in the quinces, and let them boil till soft-when mash them fine, and put in three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, let them cook gently for two hours, and take them up in pint bowls; when cold, put brandy papers on the top of each, and paste them over, they will turn out whole to put on table. marmalade of mixed fruits. pare equal quantities of peaches, apples, pears and quinces, cut them fine, and put them to boil with a pint of water to six pounds of fruit, let them cook thoroughly, but do not let them burn, take them out, and mash them well, clean the kettle, and put them back, with half their weight in sugar, let them cook very slowly for two hours. lemon marmalade. soak the peel of lemons that have been left after making lemonade, changing the water twice a day for three days, to extract the bitter, boil them till soft, then mash and put in enough sugar to make it pleasant to the taste; stew it a short time after the sugar is put in; put it in a bowl, and when cold, cut it in slices for the table; it will keep several weeks. to conserve pears. have the nicest pears you can get, pare them, and leave on the stems; take half a pound of loaf-sugar to a pound of pears; put them in the kettle together, with water enough to moisten the sugar; if the pears are very juicy, they will not need any; cover them over with a plate, and let them boil very gently for two hours; take them out on dishes, and boil the syrup to jelly, and put it away by itself; set the pears in the sun, or in a moderately heated oven; when quite dry, sprinkle them with loaf-sugar, and put them away in glass jars. peaches in cider. scald and wipe the peaches; cut them from the stone, and dry them in the sun two days; boil a gallon of sweet cider half away; put in the peaches, and let them stew slowly till done; they will keep without any sugar, but you can put some in, if you wish them sweeter. pears can be kept in the same way. peaches, &c. in brandy. take fresh yellow peaches, or large clingstones, pour boiling water on them, and wipe off the down; make a syrup of half a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit, and boil and skim it; put in the peaches, and let them cook for fifteen minutes; take them up without any syrup, and cool them on dishes; boil the syrup down to half, and put an equal quantity of peach or french brandy, pour this over the peaches after they are in jars. plums or cherries may be done in the same way. grapes in brandy. put some close bunches of grapes, not too ripe, in a jar, and prick each one with a needle, strew over them half their weight in pounded rock candy, and fill up the jar with brandy. to conserve peaches. take the yellow peaches, pare them, and cut them from the stone in one piece, to six pounds of peaches have two pounds of sugar, make a syrup of three-quarters of a pound of sugar, and a little water, put them in, and let them stay till they are quite clear, then take them up carefully on a dish, and set them in the sun to dry, pound the sugar fine, and strew over them, turning them over to let each part have some, do not put much on at a time, and if any syrup is made, remove them to fresh dishes, when they are sufficiently dry, lay them lightly in a jar, with a little sugar between each layer. if the peaches are sweet clings, three pounds of sugar to twelve of peaches will be enough, if you dry them a day in the sun before they are stewed. sauce of cherries, or damsons. allow half a pound of brown sugar to every pound of fruit, and to each seven pounds a pint of molasses, and one of strong vinegar, let them cook slowly, so as not to break the skins, take them up in a jar, put in a few cloves, let the syrup boil longer, and pour it over. frosted fruit. take large ripe cherries, apricots, plums or grapes; if cherries, cut off half of the stem; have in one dish some white of an egg beaten, and in another some powdered loaf-sugar; take the fruit, one at a time, and roll them first in the egg, and then in the sugar; lay them on a sheet of white paper in a sieve, and set it on the top of a stove or near a fire till the icing is hard. grapes for pies. after the first frost, pick the wild grapes, and put them in a jar, free from stems; fill it with boiling molasses, and tie it up close; set it on a hot hearth, or on the top of a stove, in a pan of water, for several days. these are very useful to make common pies in the winter. green tomatoes for pies. pick the green tomatoes before they are much frosted; scald them and take off the skins; put them in your kettle and let them boil for half an hour; cut them up, and put in a pound of sugar to three pounds of tomatoes, and let them cook for half an hour longer; season them with the juice and peel of a lemon, and put them away in jars. they make very good pies in the winter, and resemble gooseberries. conserve of roses. gather the leaves of the damask rose, while they are fresh; spread a pound of loaf-sugar on your cake-board, and roll in about half a pound of rose leaves, or as many as will work into it, have your kettle cleaned, and stew them in it very gently for about half an hour; put it in tumblers to use when you have a cough. it is very good for children that are threatened with the croup; you should have some by the side of the bed to use at night. to keep damsons for pies. to every twelve pounds of damsons take seven pounds of brown sugar; put them together in a stone jar, a layer of fruit and a layer of sugar; tie it up close, and set it in a heated oven; let it stay till it is cold, and continue to set it in, after every baking, for several weeks; or you can cook them on the top of a stove, in a pan of hot water. dried cherries, &c. dried cherries should be kept in a jar, with sugar sprinkled among them; they are very useful in sickness; a tea-cupful of cherries, with a quart of boiling water poured on them, and left to draw for half an hour, with sweetening, makes a very agreeable drink when you cannot get lemonade. when stewed for pies you should allow them plenty of water, and not put in the sugar till they are nearly done. boiling water poured on dried apples also makes a good drink in sickness. apple butter. _with remarks on the use of earthen vessels_ have your kettle well cleaned, and fill it early in the morning with cider made of sound apples, and just from the press; let it boil half away, which may be done by three o'clock in the afternoon; have pared and cut enough good apples to fill the kettle; put them in a clean tub, and pour the boiling cider over; then scour the kettle and put in the apples and cider, let them boil briskly till the apples sink to the bottom; slacken the fire and let them stew, like preserves, till ten o'clock at night. some dried quinces stewed in cider and put in are an improvement. season with orange peel, cinnamon or cloves, just before it is done; if you like it sweeter, you can put in some sugar an hour before it is done. if any thing occur that you cannot finish it in a day, pour it in a tub, and finish it the next day; when it is done put it in stone jars. any thing acid should not be put in earthen vessels, as the glazing is poisonous. this way of making apple butter requires but little stirring; you must keep a constant watch that it does not burn. pears and peaches may be done in the same way, and if they are sweet, will not require sugar. another way. it is important to have a large copper or bell-metal kettle, into which put the cider as soon as it comes from the press; put it over a brisk fire, and boil it half away; then put the cider from the kettle into clean stone jars, (warm the jars to prevent the danger of breaking them;) have your apples pared and cut over night, as many as would fill your kettle twice; have the kettle well cleaned, and in the morning put in half the cider, and fill the kettle nearly full of apples, and put it over a brisk fire; when they begin to boil up, stir them down, which may be done two or three times, before you put in your stick to stir constantly; then put in the rest of the apples and cider, as fast as the kettle will take them, and boil it four hours after the last apples are put in, stirring it all the time; you should have for the purpose a stick made of hickory wood, somewhat like a common hoe, with holes in it. candied preserves, &c. if your preserves candy, set the jars in hot water for half an hour; if they are in glass jars put them in something else, as glass cracks easily, when exposed to heat. preserves made with white havana sugar are not so liable to candy as others. common preserves are improved, and are more certain to keep well, by being placed on flat dishes and set in a brick-oven after the bread is taken out: they may remain two or more hours without injury. when preserves are about to boil over, you should have a common fan at hand and fan them, which will sometimes answer instead of taking them from the fire. cider marmalade. boil two gallons of sweet cider down to one gallon; have ready two gallons of apples, pared and cut; pour the cider out of the kettle, and clean it; then put in the apples, and pour the cider in, and two or three pounds of sugar; if it will not hold all conveniently, add at intervals; let them stew four hours; do not stir till they are nearly done--stirring makes fruit stick to the kettle and burn; if you stir once you must keep on. this is a pleasant sauce for dinner, or eaten with bread and butter at tea, and will keep in a cool place through the winter. tomato figs. take six pounds of sugar, to one peck (or sixteen pounds) of ripe tomatoes--the pear-shaped look best; put them over the fire (_without peeling_) in your preserving kettle, their own juice being sufficient without the addition of water; boil them until the sugar penetrates and they are clarified. they are then taken out, spread on dishes, flattened and dried in the sun, or in a brick-oven after the bread is taken out. a small quantity of the syrup should be occasionally sprinkled over them whilst drying; after which, pack them down in jars, sprinkling each layer with powdered sugar. the syrup is afterwards concentrated and bottled for use. they retain surprisingly their flavor, which is agreeable and somewhat similar to the best figs. ordinary brown sugar may be used, a large portion of which is retained in syrup. molasses candy or taffy. put a quart of good molasses (not sugar house) in a dutch-oven or iron pot, having previously greased it with butter; let it boil very fast, stirring it all the time for fifteen minutes; then put in a tea-cup of sugar and let it boil fifteen minutes longer, stirring all the time; take a little out on a plate, and when it is brittle, pour it while hot into tin plates rubbed with butter; put it in a cold place and break it up when you want it for use; never put taffy in china or earthen plates, as they would probably be broken in taking it out. some think it an improvement to add the kernels of black walnuts, nicely picked--put them in just as you take up the taffy and give it one stir; a tea-cup of kernels to a pint of molasses is a good proportion. walnut cheese. take a pint of nice kernels and pound them in a mortar with two tea-cups of brown sugar, and a table-spoonful of water; put it in cups or small bowls and it will turn out like other cheese. it is a favorite refreshment with some country children. cordials, wines, vinegar, pickles, &c. peach cordial. put a gallon of peach brandy into a wide-mouthed vessel, and five pounds of fine flavored peaches, cut from the stone; boil five pints of water with two pounds of loaf-sugar and a pound of peaches, till it is a clear and rich syrup; pour this boiling hot on the brandy and stir it well; put in two dozen peach kernels, blanched and pounded, and a little mace; let it stand three weeks covered tight--at the end of which time, bottle it for use. it is a nice seasoning for cake. quince cordial. grate the quinces and strain them; to every quart of juice, put a pound of loaf-sugar and a pint of spirits; boil, strain and bottle it. cherry cordial. mash and strain the cherries, boil the juice, and to a gallon, put two pounds of sugar, and half a pint of spirits; the sugar should be boiled in it; skim and strain; when cold, bottle it. lemon brandy. have a bottle three-quarters full of brandy; when you use lemons for other purposes, pare off the yellow skin very thin, cut it small and drop it in the bottle, till you get it full. be careful not to put in any of the tough white part, as that will give it a bitter taste; cork the bottle and keep it to season cakes and puddings. rose brandy. fill a large bottle with damask rose leaves, picked while they are fresh; fill the bottle with brandy, or good spirits of any kind; cork it tightly and set it away for use. it will bear filling up several times. blackberry cordial. mash and strain the blackberries; put the juice on to boil in a brass or bell-metal kettle; skim it well, and to each gallon of juice put three pounds of sugar and a quart of spirits; bruise some cloves and put in. this is valuable as a medicine for children in summer. rose water. gather the damask rose leaves; have a tin pan that will fit under your warming-pan; wring a thin towel out of water, spread it over the pan, and put rose leaves on this about two inches thick; put another wet towel on top of the leaves, and three or four thicknesses of paper on it; put hot embers in the warming-pan, and set it on top of the paper, propped up so as not to fall; when you renew the coals, sprinkle the towel that is at the top of the rose leaves; when all the strength is out of the leaves, they will be in a cake; dry this, and put it in your drawers to scent the clothes; put another set of leaves in, sprinkle the towels, and so till you have used up all your rose leaves. rose water is a very nice seasoning for cake or pudding; it should be kept corked tightly. cologne. put into a bottle half an ounce of oil of lavender, one drachm of oil of rosemary, two of essence of lemon, two of essence of bergamot, forty drops of oil of cinnamon, and a little musk, if you like it; pour on it three pints of best alcohol. blackberry wine. gather the fruit when fully ripe, but before the sun has had time to dry the juice; put it in a tub and pour in clear cold water enough to cover it; mash it to a pulp with a wooden masher; strain it through a linen bag or towel; a deal of juice will remain in the pulp, which in order to get you must add some sugar to it, and boil it in your preserving kettle, when you may strain again, and will have little left but seeds; to every gallon of the liquor, add three pounds of good brown sugar; pour it in a keg, (which should stand in a cellar, or cool dry place:) let it stand two or three weeks, with the bung laid loosely on; as the froth works out fill it up, (with some of the liquor kept out for the purpose.) french brandy in the proportion of a quart to five gallons, is an improvement. at the end of three or four weeks, it may be closely bunged and put away in a safe dry closet, where it should remain undisturbed for a year, when it may be racked off, bottled and sealed over. gooseberry wine. put three pounds of lump sugar in a gallon of water; boil and skim it; when it is nearly cold, pour in it four quarts of ripe gooseberries, that have been well mashed, and let it stand two days, stirring it frequently; steep half an ounce of isinglass in a pint of brandy for two days, and beat it with the whites of four eggs till they froth, and put it in the wine; stir it up, and strain it through a flannel bag into a cask or jug; fasten it so as to exclude the air; let it stand six months, and bottle it for use; put two or three raisins in each bottle, and cork it up. currant wine. pick and mash the currants, either with your hands or a clean block, in a tub; strain them, and to one gallon of juice, put two gallons of water; and to each gallon of the mixture, put three pounds of sugar; stir it until the sugar is dissolved, then put it in a clean cask that has never been used for beer or cider; put it in a cellar or cool place, and let it work out at the bung for several weeks; have a gallon of it saved in a jug to fill up with, as it works out. when it is done working, bung it up. you may rack it off towards spring, or it will not hurt it to stand a year. if you want a barrel of wine, you must have eight gallons of currant juice, sixteen of water, and seventy-two pounds of sugar; put in a quart of brandy after it has done working; if you can get a clean brandy barrel to put it in, it is better than a new one. another way. mash well together equal quantities of currants and water, strain the juice and to every gallon add three pounds of best brown sugar; fill the cask two-thirds full, bung it tight and put clay over; by this means the air is excluded while the process of fermentation is going on; the cask should be iron-bound; rack it off and bottle or put in demijohns the next spring after making. elderberry wine, &c. to each gallon of berries, put one of water; mash them in a tub, and leave them two days, stirring them frequently; then strain them, and to each gallon of juice put three pounds of brown sugar, and to every five gallons, two ounces of bruised ginger, and one of cloves, which tie up in a bag, and boil in the wine for an hour, and put it in a cask; when it is nearly cold, put in two spoonsful of lively yeast; let it ferment two days, and put in a pint of spirits with the bag of spice, and close it up. this is excellent as a medicine for delicate or elderly persons. fill a bottle with elderberries, with a dozen cloves, and fill it up with spirits. it is good to give children that have the summer disease; mix a tea-spoonful of it with sugar and water for a child, or a table-spoonful for a grown person. ginger wine. boil nine quarts of water with six pounds of lump sugar, the rinds of three lemons very thinly pared, and two ounces of face ginger pounded; when it has boiled half an hour, skim it, and pour it on the juice of two lemons: when nearly cold, add two spoonsful of yeast; put a pound of raisins in the cask, with a half a pint of brandy, and half an ounce of shaved isinglass; strain it in the cask, and stop it tight; bottle it in six or seven weeks. raspberry wine. pick over the raspberries, and to every quart put a quart of water; bruise them, and let them stand two days; strain off the liquor, and to every gallon put three pounds of lump sugar; stir it till the sugar is dissolved, and put it in a clean barrel, or keg; at the end of two months, bottle it, and put a spoonful of brandy, or a glass of wine in each bottle. raspberry vinegar, and its uses. put two pounds of raspberries in a large bowl, and pour on them two quarts of white-wine vinegar; the next day, strain the liquor on two pounds of fresh raspberries; let this stand a day, and strain it into a stone jar; to each pint of the liquor put a pound of loaf sugar; stir till it is dissolved, and put the jar in a sauce-pan of water, which keep boiling for an hour; skim it, and bottle it when cold. this is used not only as a refreshing drink, mixed with water, but is said to be of use in complaints of the chest. no glazed or metal vessels should be used in making it. spruce beer. boil some spruce boughs with some wheat bran, till it tastes sufficiently of the spruce; bruise some allspice, and put in; strain it, and put two quarts of molasses to half a barrel; when it is nearly cold, put in half a pint of yeast; after it has worked sufficiently, bung up the barrel. to make two gallons of beer. put two pounds of brown sugar in a jug, with a heaped spoonful of ginger, and a pint of strong hop tea; pour in a gallon and a half of warm water, and a tea-cup of yeast; leave out the cork a day--then fasten it up, and set it in a cool place; or if you bottle it, put two or three raisins in each bottle. harvest beer. to make fifteen gallons of beer, put into a keg three pints of yeast, three pints of molasses, and two gallons of cold water; mix it well, and let it stand a few minutes; then take three quarts of molasses, and three gallons of boiling water, with one ounce of ginger; mix them well, and pour into the keg, and fill it up with cold water. a decoction of the root of sassafras is good to put in beer. porter beer. a pleasant drink in summer is to take one bottle of porter, five bottles of water, and a pint of molasses, or a pound of sugar; make a spoonful of ginger into a tea, and mix all well together; have seven clean bottles, with two or three raisins in each; fill them, cork them tight, and lay them on their sides on the cellar floor. molasses beer. take five pints of molasses, half a pint of yeast, two spoonsful of pounded ginger, and one of allspice; put these into a clean half-barrel, and pour on it two gallons of boiling water; shake it till a fermentation is produced; then fill it up with warm water, and let it work with the bung out, a day, when it will be fit for use; remove it to a cold place, or bottle it. this is a very good drink for laboring people in warm weather. to make cider. to make cider that will keep sweet for a length of time, requires particular attention to all the points. all the works and utensils in use must be perfectly clean, so that nothing acid shall come in contact with the pulp or liquor while pressing. the casks should be cleaned in the following manner: after washing each barrel clean, put in a lump of unslaked lime, and pour in a gallon of boiling water; bung it up, and roll the barrel several times a day, letting it lay with the bung down; in the evening, empty out the lime-water, and wash the barrel clean in several waters; after the water is drained out, burn a brimstone match in it, made of a piece of coarse muslin one inch broad, and four long, dipped in melted brimstone; light one end of the match, and put it in; put the bung on slightly, so as to hold the other end, and allow air sufficient to make it burn; when the rag has burned out, drive in the bung to keep in the sulphuric gas, which, if allowed time, will condense on the sides. the apples should be kept under cover, and secured from rain. after they have laid to mellow for two or three weeks, select those that are sound; break off the stems and leaves; have the trough perfectly clean, and after they are ground, keep them from the sun and rain for twenty-four hours; then press them, and fill into the casks; the first running is always the best; each cask that is filled should be numbered, so as to know the quality; and after they are all filled, draw off and mix them, the weak with the strong; keep the casks filled up with cider while they are fermenting; when the fermentation is subsiding, there will be a thin white scum rise slowly: when this is all off, lay on the bung lightly; rack it off in a few days in barrels, in which brimstone has been used, and bung it tight; rack it off again in march, and keep the bungs in tight. to make vinegar. you may always have good vinegar for pickling, and other purposes, by taking a little pains. get a tight whiskey barrel, if it is clean you need not rinse it, and put into it ten gallons of the best vinegar you can procure, with one quart of whiskey and one quart of molasses; every day for a week, add a gallon of good cider that has not been watered, and shake the barrel each time; let it stand in this state two weeks, shaking the barrel frequently. after this, you may put in a gallon of cider occasionally, with any that has been left at table, or the settlings of decanters or bottles that have had wine in, but do not put in any water. it will make much sooner in the garret or a warm place, but if the barrel is fixed early in the summer, you will have plenty to pickle with in the fall; taste it so as not to add cider too fast. have a phial with a string attached to it that you can put in at the bung. you should have a barrel of good hard cider before you begin to make vinegar. if you are in want of vinegar, fill a jug from the barrel, and set it in the hot sun, where it will turn sour much quicker. it is a good plan to keep a jug in a closet, where you can empty all the slops of cider and wine; and when you get it full, empty it in the barrel. after the pickling is done, you can put as much hard cider in the barrel, a gallon at a time, as you have taken out, with a little molasses, and half a pint of whiskey; if you put too much of the latter it will prevent it from getting sour, but a little gives strength to the cider, and the molasses increases the acidity, and helps to color it. if you should have any juice of cherries, currants, or blackberries, put it in, or if you can get cheap sour raisins, they will be an improvement to the flavor of the vinegar; a tea-cup of burnt sugar will give it a good color. vinegar made in this way will keep pickles good for several years. if the cider has not sufficient strength it will take longer to make. to pickle mangoes. pick your musk-melons at a proper age, before they get too hard; make a slit in the sides and take out the seeds with a tea-spoon; boil a pickle of ground alum salt, that will bear an egg, and let the melons lay in this a week; then make a new pickle, and let them lay in it another week; then wash them, and scald them in weak vinegar, or sour cider, with cabbage leaves around the kettle; put them in a jar, and put the vinegar and leaves in with them; leave them two days, then wipe them carefully, and to two dozen mangoes, have an ounce of mace, one of cloves, some nasturtions, small onions, scraped horse-radish, and mustard seed sufficient to fill them; fill up the inside of each one, and tie them round with strings. put them in your kettle with strong vinegar, and let them scald a few minutes; then put them in a wide-mouthed jar, and pour the vinegar over; have them covered close, and they will keep good for several years. large green tomatoes make good mangoes, previously salted and drained, when fill them as other mangoes. for pickling mangoes with oil and vinegar. cut a square piece out to remove the inside; lay them in salt and water nine or ten days, and afterwards green them as any other pickle. for stuffing, take two ounces of garlic, dried and pulverized, two ounces of horse-radish, prepared as the garlic, two ounces of nutmegs, two ounces of cloves, two ounces of mace, two ounces of whole mustard seed. when the mangoes are large, put a small cucumber, and two beans in each. wipe each mango perfectly dry before the stuffing is put in; sew each up, and tie twine around it; then put them in a pot, and pour the pot two-thirds full of sharp vinegar; pour sweet oil on the top till covered. the ingredients must be mixed with sweet oil. the spices, &c. mentioned, are sufficient for a dozen mangoes. cucumbers. gather the cucumbers while they are small, lay them in a jar with salt enough to make a pickle; pour in a little water, and if there is not salt enough to cover them, in a few days put in more. at the end of two weeks put them in a kettle, with cabbage leaves around and through them; fill it up with weak vinegar, and let them scald three hours; put all in a jar for three days, then take out the cucumbers, pour out the vinegar and leaves; put them back in the jar, with some cloves, peppers, horse-radish and mustard; boil some strong vinegar and pour over them. small cucumbers. wash small cucumbers from two to four inches long; put a gallon of very strong vinegar in a large jar, with mustard seed, scraped horse-radish, and celery seed, a small portion of each, and a tea-cupful of salt; put the cucumbers in the jar; tie them close. martina's may be pickled in the same way, or in the old way of pickling cucumbers. to pickle cherries or peaches. if peaches, wipe them well with a coarse towel; if cherries, cut the stems half off, but do not stone them; put them in jars, and to every half gallon of vinegar it takes to cover them, put a pound of sugar, and cloves and cinnamon to taste; boil and skim it well, and when nearly cool pour it over the fruit; for three successive days pour off the vinegar, and boil and pour it on again. peaches. pick out sound clingstone peaches; lay them in salt and water for a day, then wipe them on a coarse cloth: boil up some strong vinegar, with a little ginger, whole pepper and mustard seed; put the peaches in a jar and pour this over. white walnuts. take full grown white walnuts, or butter-nuts, before the shells get so hard that a pin will not run through easily; put them in a jar; boil a pickle of ground alum salt that will bear an egg, skim it, and when it gets cold; pour it on the walnuts; let them lay in this ten days; then make another pickle as strong as the first, and leave them in it ten days longer; then scrape each one carefully, until you get all the rough skin off, wipe them with a very coarse cloth, and let them soak in cold water two days; boil them in weak vinegar, and let them lay in this a week; boil enough good vinegar to cover them; mix together scraped horse-radish, mustard seed, cloves, red pepper, onions and garlic; put a layer of the walnuts in a jar, and sprinkle the spice over; pour the boiling vinegar over the top. english walnuts. gather them when nearly full grown, but not too hard; pour boiling salt and water on them; let them be covered with it nine days, changing it every third day; then take them out on dishes, and put them in the sun to blacken, turning them over; then put them in a jar and strew over them pepper, cloves, garlic, mustard seed and scraped horse-radish; cover them with cold strong vinegar and tie them up. black walnuts. gather the walnuts while you can run a pin through them; boil them in an iron pot three hours, to soften the shell; put them in a tub of cold water, hull and wash them, and put them in your jars; pour salt and water over them, and change it every day for a week; at the end of that time scald them in weak vinegar; let them stand in this three days, then pour it off, and for half a bushel of hulled walnuts, have quarter of a pound of cloves, a tea-cup of mustard seed, two spoonsful of black pepper, a pint of scraped horse-radish, two pods of red pepper, some sliced onions and garlic; put these in the jars with the walnuts, and fill them up with strong cold vinegar. pickled walnuts will keep for six or seven years, and are as good at the last as the first. virginia yellow pickles. to two gallons of vinegar, put one pound of ginger, quarter of a pound of black pepper, two ounces of red pepper, two of cloves, a tea-cup of celery seed, a pint of horse-radish, a pint of mustard seed, a few onions or garlic, and three ounces of turmeric to turn them yellow. the above ingredients should be mixed together in a jar, and set in the sun by the first of july, tied up close, with a block over each jar to keep out the rain. put whatever you intend to pickle in salt and water for two or three days; then pour boiling salt and water on them; wash them and drop them in the jars of vinegar. you can pickle any thing in this way but walnuts. the same pickle, by adding more vinegar to it, will do for two years; if the jars are set by a fire, a much less time will do to take the strength out of the spices; the turmeric should be tied up in a bag. tomatoes. scald and peel a peck of ripe tomatoes; lay them on dishes, and strew salt thickly over them; let them stand for twenty-four hours, occasionally pouring off the liquor that the salt extracts; then drain them on a sifter, and gently squeeze them, as it is this juice that weakens the vinegar and makes the pickles spoil; take a large jar, put in a layer of tomatoes, then a layer of sliced onions, mustard seed, cloves and white pepper, or whole black pepper; (you may if you like, break two pods of red pepper and put in each jar.) when the jar is full, pour very strong vinegar over, and in a few days they will be ready for use, and will keep all winter. they retain much of the tomato flavor, and should be kept in a cool place. another way. take small round tomatoes when they are not too ripe; stick them with a needle in several places, to keep the skin from bursting, and let them lay a week in salt and water; then wash them and put them in a jar with some cloves, pepper and small onions; cover them with strong cold vinegar, and tie up the jar. pepper mangoes. take fully grown green peppers, cut a slit in the side of each and take out the seeds; make a strong brine and lay them in it for three days; then soak them in clear water a day and night; pack them in a jar, and pour boiling vinegar over them with a piece of alum; let them stay in this three days, when boil the vinegar again, and pour over them; when they are green, stuff them with chopped cabbage, mustard seed, cloves, horse-radish, pepper, and a small onion in each; tie them up, put them in a jar; boil fresh vinegar and pour over. observe always to have the kettle you boil vinegar in well cleaned; never put pickles in common earthen-ware, as the glazing is poisonous. onions. peel small white onions and pour boiling milk and water over them; when cold, put them in a jar, and make a pickle of strong vinegar, a little mace, ginger, white mustard seed, and horse-radish; boil it and pour over them. if you want them to be white, do not put in black pepper or cloves. mushrooms. take the small round mushrooms that are pale pink underneath, with white tops, and peel easily; put them in a jar with a little mace, white mustard seed and salt; cover them with cold vinegar, and tie them close. if you put in black pepper or cloves, it will turn them dark. nasturtions. have some strong vinegar in a jar with a little salt, and as you gather the nasturtions, put them in, and keep the jar tied close. cherries. take sound morel cherries with the stems on, and put them in a jar; boil spices in strong vinegar, and pour over them hot. damsons may be done in the same way. a little sugar improves the pickle. cabbage. take firm heads of purple cabbage, quarter them, sprinkle them with salt, and let them lay three or four days, when shave them fine, drain off the salt and put them in a jar, boil enough vinegar to cover them, with horse radish, pepper and cloves, when nearly cold pour it on the cabbage, and put in a little cochineal tied up in a bag, it will he fit for use in a week. another way. cut hard cabbage fine as for slaw, sprinkle salt through it, and let it lay under a moderate pressure for twelve hours, then drain well through a colander, slice a dozen raw onions, have a large jar in readiness, put in a layer of cabbage, strew in some of the onions, a few cloves, a tea-cupful of mustard seed, some whole black pepper, cut six half ripe red pepper pods, and sprinkle in; add a little more salt, boil vinegar and pour on sufficient to cover the mixture. cut cucumbers. slice large cucumbers lengthwise--do not pare them--then cut them half an inch thick; if you have small ones, slice them across, put them in a large jar, and sprinkle them well with salt, after standing a day or two, pour off the liquid the salt has extracted, drain them, and wash the jar, and put the cucumbers in alternately, with sliced onions, mustard seed, white pepper, whole black pepper and a few cloves, pour over them strong vinegar, and tie close, keep them in a cool place, but do not allow them to freeze in severe weather, as freezing spoils the flavor of pickles. when pickles do not keep well, pour off the vinegar, and put more on, but if the vinegar is of the best quality, there is little fear of this. putting alcohol on over paper, will prevent their moulding. cucumber catsup. take full grown cucumbers, pare them, and cut out the lines of white pith, which are on three sides; cut them in slices about half an inch thick; to six cucumbers, put one onion, sliced fine; then sprinkle them with salt, placing the fruit in layers, with salt between;--next morning, press the liquor from them; put them in _small jars,_ and fill up with strong vinegar, seasoned with pepper, mustard seed, and salt, if necessary. the small jars are recommended--as the cucumbers do not keep well after they have been exposed to the air. tomato catsup. take a peck of ripe tomatoes, wash and cut out the stems, but do not peel them; put them over the fire in your bell-metal kettle, cover them, and let them boil till soft enough to mash, when pour them in a colander placed over a pan; drain them and throw away the liquid; then mash and strain the tomatoes, a few at a time, through a ball sifter: this is rather a tedious process; but, as the waste liquor has been previously drained off, the catsup will require but about twenty minutes boiling; throw in the spices before you take it up, fine pepper and salt, mustard, and a few whole cloves, and sliced onions, if you like their flavor; allow a tea-cup of strong vinegar to each bottle of catsup; part of which may be put in with the spices, and the rest in each bottle on top of the catsup, before you cork and seal them. walnut catsup. gather the walnuts, as for pickling and put them in salt and water for ten days, then pound them in a mortar, and to every dozen walnuts put a quart of strong vinegar, and stir it every day for a week, then strain it through a bag, and to every quart of liquor put a tea-spoonful of pounded mace, the same of cloves, and a few pieces of garlic or onion, boil it twenty minutes, and when cold, bottle it. white or black walnuts are as good for catsup as the english walnut, and will keep good for several years. green tomato catsup. after the tomatoes have ceased to ripen, slice and put them in a jar, with salt scattered through them, let them stand two days, then drain them in a colander, put them in the jars they are to remain in, strewing sliced onions, cloves, whole pepper, mustard seed, and one or two red pepper pods through them, boil vinegar enough to cover them and pour over, tie them close and put a plate on each jar. mushroom catsup. take the largest mushrooms, those that are beginning to turn dark, cut off the roots, put them in a stone jar, with some salt, mash them and cover the jar, let them stand two days, stirring them several times a day, then strain and boil the liquor, to every quart of which, put a tea-spoonful of whole pepper and the same of cloves, and mustard seed, and a little ginger, when cold, bottle it, leaving room in each bottle for a tea-cupful of strong vinegar, and a table-spoonful of brandy; cork them up and seal them over. tomato sauce. scald and peel a peck of ripe tomatoes; cut them in slices and lay them on a large dish; cover well with salt each layer; the next morning put the tomatoes in a colander or on a sifter, and drain off all the liquid; then mash them with a wooden masher, and to each quart, put a pint of strong vinegar, two table-spoonsful of white mustard seed, a dozen cloves, a dozen grains of black pepper, an onion sliced and chopped, a table-spoonful of salt; if mashed fine you can pour it out of wide-mouthed bottles; put a table-spoonful of spirits in each bottle at the top; cork tight, and seal. if you prefer putting the sauce in small stone jars, put spirits on paper at the top of each. spiced peaches. take nine pounds of good ripe peaches, rub them with a course towel, and halve them; put four pounds of sugar and a pint of good vinegar in your preserving kettle, with cloves, cinnamon and mace; when the syrup is formed, throw in the peaches, a few at a time, so as to keep them as whole as may be; when clear, take them out and put in more; boil the syrup till quite rich, and then pour it over the peaches. cherries may be done in the same way. mushroom sauce. gather large mushrooms, that have not turned dark, peel them and cut off the stems; put them in a pan and strew salt over each layer; when all are in, mash them well; then put them in a jar, put a plate on the top, and set it in a pot of cold water; let it heat gradually, and boil for fifteen or twenty minutes; to each quart of the pulp put three tea-cupsful of strong vinegar, two tea-spoonsful of powdered mace, or one of cloves, two of white mustard seed, one of black pepper; put it in jars or wide-mouthed bottles, with a spoonful of alcohol at the top of each, and secure it from the air. this is by some preferred to the catsup. to cure bacon, beef, pork, sausage, &c. to cure bacon. to one thousand weight of pork, put one bushel of fine salt, one pound and a half of saltpetre rolled fine and mixed with the salt; rub this on the meat and pack it away in a tight hogshead; let it lay for six weeks, then hang it up and smoke it with hickory wood, every day for two weeks, and afterwards two or three times a week for a month; then take it down and rub it all over with hickory ashes, which is an effectual remedy against the fly or skipper. when the weather is unusually warm at the time of salting your pork, more care is requisite to preserve it from taint. when it is cut up, if it seems warm, lay it on boards, or on the bare ground, till it is sufficiently cool for salting; examine the meat tubs or casks frequently, and if there is an appearance of mould, strew salt over; if the weather has been very warm after packing, and on examining, you should find evidence of its spoiling, lose no time in unpacking the meat; for a hogshead of hams and shoulders that are in this state, have six pounds of brown sugar, three pounds of salaeratus, mixed with half a bushel of salt; rub each piece with this, and as you pack it in the hogshead, (which should be well washed and cleaned,) sprinkle a little coarse salt over each layer of pork, and also on the bottom of the hogshead. i have known this plan to save a large quantity of pork, that would have been unfit for use, if it had not been discovered and attended to in time. some persons use crushed charcoal to purify their meat. shoulders are more easily affected than hams, and if the weather is warm the ribs should be cut out of the shoulders. jowls also require particular care; black pepper, about a pound to a hogshead, sprinkled on the meat before it is hung up to smoke, is valuable as a preventive where flies are troublesome; have a large pepper-box kept for the purpose, and dust every part that is exposed; pepper is also good to put on beef before it is hung up to dry; wash it off before cooking, and it does not injure the flavor. to pickle pork. take out all the ribs, and cut it in pieces of about three pounds each; pack it in a tight barrel, and salt it well with coarse salt; boil a very strong pickle made of coarse salt, and when it is cold pour it over the meat, and put a weight on the top; if you wish pork to keep, do not put saltpetre in, as it injures the flavor. to cure hams and shoulders. to cure five hundred weight of hams and shoulders, take fifteen quarts of common salt, one pound and a half of saltpetre rolled fine, half a pound of red pepper pods chopped fine, and four quarts of molasses; mix them all together and rub the meat well, pack it down, cover it close, and let it remain six weeks, then hang it up and smoke it with green hickory wood for three weeks. if there is a damp spell of weather, it is best to make a fire in your meat-house occasionally through the summer, to keep the meat from moulding. to make a pickle for chines. rub the chines with fine salt, and pack them in a tight barrel, make a pickle of coarse salt, strong enough to bear an egg, boil and skim it, and when nearly cold pour it on, let there be enough to cover them, and put a weight on the top. chines are good smoked. it is best to make a separate pickle for the heads; wash and scrape them, cut off the ears and noses, and take out the eyes. the jowls may be packed and smoked with the bacon. sausage meat, &c. separate the tender parts of the meat from the rough and bony pieces, and chop each sort separately, to twenty-two pounds of meat have half a pound of salt, three heaped table-spoonsful of sage, three of pepper, and two of thyme. if you have a box large enough to hold this quantity, sprinkle it over the meat before it is chopped, and it will be thoroughly mixed by the time it is done. it is best to have a small piece fried to taste, and if it is not seasoned right, it can be altered; you should have some pieces of fat, chopped in with the meat. the sage and thyme should be carefully dried, but not heated too much, neither should it be hung up too near the fire, as it would spoil the flavor, rub it through a wire sifter, and if that should not make it fine enough, pound it in a mortar or grind it in your pepper mill. the pepper should be ground and ready some days before it is needed, as the pork season in the country is (while it lasts) one of the busiest in the year, every thing should be prepared beforehand that you possibly can. it is a good plan to have plenty of bread and pies baked, and a quantity of apples stewed, vegetables washed and ready to cook, so that every member of the family, that is able, may devote herself to the work of putting away the meat which is of so much importance for the coming year, while some are cutting up the fat to render into lard, others may be employed in assorting the sausage meat, and cutting it into small pieces for the chopping machine, by trimming off every part that can be spared. you can have one hundred pounds of sausage from twelve hundred weight of pork, and since the introduction of sausage choppers, a great deal more sausage is made, than formerly, by the old method. clean a few of the maws, and soak them in salt and water, and fill them with sausage meat, sew them close, let them lay in pickle for two weeks then hang them up, and when your meat is smoked, let them have a few days smoke. in this way sausage will keep all summer, and is very nice when boiled slowly for several hours, and eaten cold. the best fat to chop in with sausage is taken from the chines or back bones. to keep sausage for present use, put it in small stone pans, and pour melted lard over the top; for later in the season, make muslin bags that will hold about three pounds, with a loop sewed on to hang them up by; fill them with meat, tie them tight, and hang them in a cool airy place; they will keep in this way till august, when you want to fry them, rip part of the seam, cut out as many slices as you want, tie up the bag and hang it up again. if you have a large quantity, a sausage chopper is a great convenience. liver sausage take four livers, with the lights and hearts, have two heads cleaned, and boil them with any scraps, or skinny pieces you have, skim the pot, take out the livers when they are done, and let the heads boil longer, when they are done, pick out the bones, and chop all together, season with sage, thyme, sweet marjoram, salt and pepper, put it in pans, and fry it as sausage. bologna sausage chop ten pounds of beef, with two pounds and a half of the fat of fresh pork, pound one ounce of mace, and one of cloves, and mix in, let it stand a day, then stuff it in large skins, let them lay in brine ten days, then hang them up to smoke a few days, they can be put in the same brine with beef or tongues. hogs' head cheese take off the ears and noses of four heads, and pick out the eyes, and lay them in salt and water all night, then wash and put them on to boil, take out the bones carefully, chop and season them well, and pack it in bowls, they will turn out whole, and may be eaten cold with vinegar, or fried as sausage. pigs' feet. pigs' feet should be well cleaned by dipping them in scalding water, and scraping off the hairs, leave them in weak salt and water two days, changing it each day; if you wish to boil them for souse, they are now ready, but if the weather is cold they will keep in this a month. they should be kept in a cold place, and if they are frozen there is no danger of their spoiling, but if there comes on a thaw, change the salt and water, soak them in fresh water all night before you boil them. in this way they are good to eat with pepper and vinegar while hot, or may be dipped in batter and fried after they are cold. to make souse. boil the feet till the bones come out easily, and pick out all the large bones, pack them in a stone pan with pepper and salt, and cover it with vinegar, they may be eaten cold, or dipped in flour and fried. another way is to pick out all the bones, season them with salt, pepper and sage, and warm them up as you want to use them. pigs' feet, after being boiled, are very nice stewed as terrapins, make the gravy with butter and water, they are nourishing food for delicate persons. vessels for salting meat should be cleaned well after the meat is hung up, and set on boards in the cellar, if they do not smell sweet, they should be washed and soaked before meat is packed in them again. you should see that the hoops are sound, and have covers made to fit them. if taken care of in this way, they will last a number of years. scrapple. take eight pounds of scraps of pork, that will not do for sausage, boil it in four gallons of water, when tender, chop it fine, strain the liquor and pour it back into the pot, put in the meat, season it with sage, summer savory, salt and pepper to taste; stir in a quart of corn meal; after simmering a few minutes, thicken it with buckwheat flour very thick, it requires very little cooking after it is thickened, but must be stirred constantly. dried beef. an experienced housekeeper has furnished the following method for curing and drying beef, which will keep good for two years, without being injured by must or fly, and is much admired. have the rounds divided, leaving a piece of the sinew to hang up by, lay the pieces in a tub of cold water for an hour, then rub each piece of beef that will weigh fifteen or twenty pounds, with a handful of brown sugar and a table-spoonful of saltpetre, pulverized, and a pint of fine salt, sprinkle fine salt in the bottom of a clean tight barrel, and lay the pieces in, strewing a little coarse salt between each piece; let it lay two days, then make the brine in a clean tub, with cold water and ground alum salt--stir it well, it must be strong enough to bear an egg half up, put in half a pound of best brown sugar and a table-spoonful of saltpetre to each gallon of the salt and water, pour it over the beef; put a clean large stone on the top of the meat to keep it under the pickle, (which is very important,) put a cover on the barrel; examine it occasionally to see that the pickle does not leak,--and if it should need more, add of the same strength; let it stand six weeks, then hang it up in the smoke house, and after it has drained, smoke it moderately for ten days, it should then hang in a dry place, before cooking, let it soak for twenty four hours; a piece that weighs fifteen or twenty pounds should boil two hours--one half the size, one hour, and a small piece should soak six or twelve hours, according to size. beef cured in this way will make a nice relish, when thinly sliced and eaten cold, for breakfast or tea, or put between slices of bread and butter for lunch, it will keep for several weeks,--and persons of delicate stomachs can sometimes relish a thin slice, eaten cold, when they cannot retain hot or rich food. this receipt will answer for all parts of the beef, to be boiled for the dinner table through the summer. to cure beef. make a pickle of six quarts of salt, six gallons of water, half a pound of saltpetre, and three of sugar, or half a gallon of molasses, pack the beef in a barrel, with fine and coarse salt mixed, when the pickle is cold, pour it over, and put a weight on the top, let it stay two weeks, when you can hang it up and smoke it, to boil through the summer, or boil the pickle over again, and leave it in till you want to use it; this is for two hundred pounds. a new method of curing beef. take six gallons of water, nine pounds of salt, (fine and coarse mixed,) three pounds of sugar, one quart of molasses, three ounces of saltpetre, and one ounce of pearl ash or salaeratus, boil and skim it well, and let it stand till entirely cold, when pour it on beef that has been sprinkled with salt for several days. you can boil of this beef from the brine all winter, or hang it up, and smoke it with your bacon. to cure a dozen tongues. soak the tongues an hour in a tub of cold water to extract the blood, and cut off most of the root, mix together a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, finely powdered, one pound of brown sugar, and a pint of salt, rub the tongues with this, and put them in a tight barrel; then make a pickle that will bear an egg, which pour over them, turn them every three days, and let them stay in the pickle two weeks, then smoke them two days, and hang them up in a dry place; boil and skim the pickle that the tongues have been in, and it will do for a round of beef. pickle for two rounds of beef. cut the rounds in a suitable shape for drying, mix together two pints of salt, one of molasses, or a pound of sugar, and half a pound of saltpetre, rub them with this, and pack them in a tight vessel, make a pickle that will bear an egg, and pour it over, put a weight on the top, and let it lay for ten days, when take it out, and smoke it two days, hang it up in a dry place, it will be fit to slice and broil in a week, or cut it very thin, and stew or fry it with butter and cream. legs of mutton may be salted as rounds of beef, and will resemble venison, when dried and chipped. in preparing pickle for any kind of meat, observe that one gallon of water will hold, in solution, a quart of salt and two ounces of saltpetre. to corn beef, pork or mutton. rub the meat well with salt, and pack it in a tub. if the weather is warm, it will require a good deal of salt, but no saltpetre. to restore meat that has been kept too long. when meat has been kept too long in summer, it may be improved by putting it in sour milk for several hours, or washing it in vinegar is good, some hours before it is cooked, you must wash it well in cold water several times, if it lays all night in sour milk, or salt and vinegar, it should be put in soak early in the morning in cold water. in very hot weather, when you have fresh meat, fowls, or fish left at dinner, sprinkle them with strong vinegar, salt and pepper, warm this up the next day, either as a fry or stew, the vinegar will evaporate, and not injure the taste. cold rock fish is good, seasoned with salt, pepper and vinegar, to use as a relish for breakfast or tea. to keep meat fresh. where persons live a distance from market, and have no fresh meat but what they kill, it is important to know how to keep it fresh. in winter, if it is hung up in an out-house, it will keep very well for six weeks, or more, when it has once frozen, it is safe till a thaw comes on, when rub it with salt. in the summer, if you have an ice-house, you can keep it without trouble. if rubbed with salt, and pinned in a cloth, it will keep in the cellar two days, or by lowering it down your well, attached to a rope, and changing the cloth every other day, it will keep good a week in hot weather. to put up herring and shad. those that put up their own fish should be careful to have the barrels tight and well cleaned, if the pickle leaks from them, they are liable to spoil. scale the fish and wash them, as it will save much time, when you prepare them for cooking, take out the gills, but leave on the heads of herrings. the heads should be taken off the shad, and split them down the back, put a layer of fish, then a layer of ground alum salt,--and after they are packed, put on a weight to keep them down. if herring are well cured, they will be good at the end of two years. to put up herring, _according to the harford mode_. first put the herring into the brine left from curing bacon, or, if you have none of that description, make a brine that will bear an egg, and let them remain in it thirty or forty hours; then, if for pickled herring, change them into new brine, which must also bear an egg, and head them up to keep. if for red herring, hang them up, and smoke them thoroughly. a little saltpetre, added to the brine, is an improvement. it is better to take out the roe. butter, cheese, coffee, tea, &c. butter. it is of the first importance that every thing connected with milk and butter should be kept clean; if the milk acquires an unpleasant taste, it communicates it to the butter. tin pans are best to keep milk in, and they should be painted on the outside to keep them from rusting when they are put in water. in summer, milk should be kept as cool as possible; before it is strained, the pans and strainer should be rinsed with cold water, and the milk not covered until it is cold, as soon as the cream rises sufficiently, it should be skimmed, and put in a large tin bucket with a lid that fits down tight, and stirred every day. butter will be spoiled by neglecting to stir the cream, a yellow scum will form on it, which gives it an unpleasant taste. and if you leave a pan of milk till the cream is covered with spots of mould, you had better throw it away than put it in, as it will spoil the taste of a whole churning. if you have no way of keeping your cream cool in hot weather, it ought to be churned twice a week, the earlier in the morning the better. always put cold water in your churn the night before you use it, and change it in the morning just before you put in the cream. when the butter is gathering, take off the lid of the churn to let the heated air escape, and move it gently, have your butter ladle and pan scalded and cooled, take out the butter and work it till all the milk is out, scrape some lumps of salt, and work in, cover it up, and set away in a cool place till the next morning, when work it again. if you have neither an ice, or spring house, a box by the side of the pump, with a cover over it, is very convenient to put cream and butter down the well, put them in tin kettles with covers to fit tight, and fasten them to strong tarred ropes twenty feet long. the air of a well will keep butter sweet for several weeks in the hottest weather. it is best to have one kettle or basket to put the butter in that is used at the table, it should be deep enough to hold five or six plates, each covered with a saucer. it can be kept in this way as firm and sweet as in an ice house. you can have a separate kettle to put a large lump of butter in for seasoning vegetables. if you print butter for home use, it is not necessary to weigh it, make it out in little lumps that will weigh about half a pound, scald the print and ladle, and put them in cold water, as you print each lump, lay it on a dish. in winter it is more difficult to have good butter, as much depends on the food of the cows, the milk should be kept in a cellar, where it will not freeze, if you have a safe to keep it in, it need not be covered. cream takes much longer to rise in winter, after it has stood two days, to put it on the top of a moderately heated stove will assist it, when it is hot, set it away to skim the next day, when the cream will be thick and rich, and churns easier. if the weather is very cold, and the cream has been chilled, have a large pot of water over the fire, set in the bucket when it is near boiling heat, and keep stirring till it is milk warm, have the churn scalded and put it in, by churning steadily, it will come as quick as in summer, one good working answers very well for butter in winter, always scald the churn before you put in the cream in cold weather. to put up butter for winter. work it well, and salt it rather more than for table use, and pack it in stone pans or jars, with a thin cloth on the top, and salt on it an inch thick, keep it in a cool place, and if it is sweet when made, it will keep good till spring. it should be tied up with paper to exclude the air. to cure butter that will keep for a length of time. reduce separately to a fine powder two pounds of the best fine salt, one pound of loaf sugar and half a pound of saltpetre. sift these ingredients one above another, on a large sized sheet of paper, then mix them well together, keep this mixture covered up close in a nice jar, and placed in a dry closet. when your butter is worked and salted in the usual way, and ready to put in the jars, use one ounce of this composition to every pound of butter, work it well into the mass. butter cured in this way, (it is said) will keep good for several years. i have never kept it longer than from the fall until late in the spring, it was then very sweet and good. it will not do to use for a month, because earlier, the salts will not be sufficiently blended with it. it should be kept in wooden vessels, or nice stone jars. earthen-ware jars are not suitable for butter, as during the decomposition of the salts, they corrode the glazing; and the butter becomes rancid and unhealthy. a friend of mine, and a lady of much experience, remarked on reading the above--"this is an admirable receipt, and by attention to its directions, butter may be packed away with success even in the summer months. thus in cities during warm weather butter is often cheap, a house-keeper may then purchase her winter supply. "select that which is sweetest and most firm, begin by putting a layer of the prints in the bottom of a stone pot, press the butter down close, so that no cavities for the admission of air may remain, then strew more of the mixture over it, proceed in this manner until the vessel is filled, when put on the top a small muslin bag filled with salt, and tie the jar up close. it is very important to keep the butter in a cool place." a great deal depends on the butter being well worked. persons that have large dairies should always have a machine to work it. a large churning may be more effectually cleared of the butter-milk in a few minutes, than in the old way in an hour. by doing it quickly, it does not get soft and oily in hot weather. a pickle for butter. to three gallons of water, add four and a half pounds of good brown sugar, one and a half ounces of saltpetre, one ounce of salaeratus; put them into an iron pot, and let them come to a boil; take off the scum; when cold it is ready for use; the butter should be salted in the usual way, and well worked; then made into rolls of two or three pounds each; have little bags of coarse muslin, tie each roll in a bag and put them in a large stone jar or clean firkin; when the pickle is entirely cold, pour it over, and put a plate on the top, with a weight on it to keep the butter under; tie it up close and keep it in a cold place; when a roll is wanted, take it out of the bag, and slice it off for table use. it should be put on little plates, and each covered with a saucer, to exclude the air. if the butter is good when put up in the fall, it will keep till you can get grass butter, in the spring. the jars for this purpose should not have been previously used for pickles. cheese. persons living in the country sometimes have more milk than they can use, of which cheese may be made. put four gallons of new milk in a clean tub that is kept for the purpose; skim your night's milk, and put two gallons of it over the fire; when it is near boiling, put it in the tub with the new milk, and the rest of the night's milk; it should be rather more than milk warm, if it is too warm the cheese will have a strong taste. the day before you make cheese, put a piece of rennet three inches square in a tea-cup of water, and stir it in the milk; cover the tub and let it stand in a warm place; when the curd begins to form, cut it in squares with a long wooden knife, and spread a thin towel over it. when the whey comes through the cloth, you can dip it off with a saucer, then put a thin towel in the cheese vat, put in the curd, spread the cloth over the top, put on the lid, and press it moderately about half an hour; then put it back in the tub and salt it to your taste; mix it well, and if you want it very rich put in a quarter of a pound of butter; it is always better to skim the night's milk and put in butter, as the cream is apt to press out. have a clean cloth in the vat, put in the curd, close it over and put on the cover; if you have no cheese press, a heavy stone will answer the purpose; press it very gently at first, to keep the richness from running out. the next morning draw it out by the cloth, wash and wipe the vat, put in a clean cloth, and turn in the cheese upside down; do this morning and evening for two days; when you take out the cheese, and put it on a clean board; set it where the mice and flies will not get at it; rub it every morning with a little butter, and turn it three times a day; dust it over with cayenne pepper if you cannot keep it from the flies, and if it should crack, plaster on a piece of white paper with butter; it is fit for use in two weeks. cheese made in this way has a rich, mild taste, and most persons are fond of it. if you get eight gallons of milk a day, you may make cheese twice a week, and still have butter for the family. you should keep four thin cloths on purpose for cheese. pennsylvania cream cheese. the cheese called by this name is not in reality made of cream. take three gallons of milk, warm from the cow, and strain it into a tub, have a piece of rennet two inches square, soaked in half a pint of water for several hours, drain off the water, and stir it in; when it is sufficiently turned, cut the curd, spread a thin linen cloth over the top, and as the whey rises, dip it off with a saucer, put the curd as whole as possible into a cheese-hoop about the size of a dinner plate, first spreading a wet cloth inside, then fold the cloth smoothly over the top, put a weight on the top heavy enough to make the whey drain out gradually. in six or seven hours it will be ready to take out of the press, when rub it over with fine salt, set it in a dry dark place, change it from one plate to another twice a day, and it will be fit for use in less than a week. to prepare rennet for making whey or cheese. when the rennet is taken from the calf, wash it, lay it on a plate well covered with salt, put more on in two days, keep it in a cold place, in three or four days it will do to stretch on sticks, hang it up in a dry cool place, with as much salt as will stick to it, when quite dry, put it in a paper bag and hang it up, a piece two inches square soaked in two table-spoonsful of water will make a cold custard, the same piece salted and dried will do several times. cottage cheese or smearcase. the best plan of making this dish, is to set the tin pan of clabber on a hot stove, or in a pot of water that is boiling over the fire. when the whey has risen sufficiently, pour it through a colander, and put the curd or cheese away in a cold place, and just before going to table, season it with salt and pepper to your taste, and pour some sweet cream over it. roasting coffee. pick out the stones and black grains from the coffee, and if it is green, let it dry in an oven, or on a stove, then roast it till it is a light-brown, be careful that it does not burn, as a few burnt grains will spoil the flavor of the whole. white coffee need not be dried before roasting, and will do in less time. two pounds is a good quantity to roast for a small family. the whites of one or two eggs, well beaten, and stirred in the coffee when half cold, and well mixed through it, are sufficient to clear two pounds, and is the most economical way of using eggs. it will answer either for summer or winter. some persons save egg shells for clearing coffee. many persons use coffee roasters,--but some old experienced housekeepers think that the fine flavor flies off more than when done in a dutch-oven, and constantly stirred. if you are careful, it can be done very well in the dripping-pan of a stove. let the coffee get quite cold, and put it away either in a canister or tight box, and keep it in a dry place. coffee may be roasted in a dripping-pan in a brick oven. after the bread is taken out, there will be heat sufficient, put about two pounds in a pan, stir it a few times--it will roast gradually, and if not sufficiently brown, finish in a stove or before the fire. if you have a large family, by using several pans, six pounds of coffee can thus be roasted, and but little time spent on it. boiling coffee. a large tea-cupful of unground coffee will be sufficient for six persons, unless they take it very strong, (which is injurious to health,) grind it, and put it in the tin pot, with half a tea-cup of cold water, and the white of half an egg; shake it till it is mixed, then pour boiling water on it, and let it stand close to the fire, and just come to a boil, stir it, and do not let it boil over, let it keep at boiling heat five or ten minutes; then take it from the fire, and put in half a tea-cup of water to settle it, let it stand five minutes, and pour it off,--if you wish it particularly nice, strain it through a thin linen cloth, kept for the purpose, keep it by the fire till it goes to table. if you boil coffee too long, the aromatic flavor flies off. tea, &c. always be sure that the kettle is boiling when you make tea, or the flavor will not be so good, scald the pot, and allow a tea-spoonful for each person. let green tea draw by the fire from two to five minutes. black tea should draw ten minutes, and is much more suitable for delicate persons than green. persons with weak nerves should never drink strong tea and coffee. i have known instances of persons being afflicted with violent attacks of nervous head-ache, that were cured by giving up the use of tea and coffee altogether, and their general health was also improved by it. before pouring out tea, it should be stirred with a spoon that the strength of each cup may be alike. milk is the best drink for children, but if that cannot be had, sweetened water, with a little milk, will do. a new mode of preparing chocolate. have a pound of chocolate pulverized, and put in a jar, with the same quantity of rice flour, and an ounce of arrow-root, put on coals a quart of milk, when it boils, stir in a heaped table-spoonful of the above preparation, (dissolved in a tea-cup of water,) keep stirring it until it boils again, when pour it out, drink it with sugar and cream to your taste. this is called by some "rac-a-haut" chocolate, and is very nice for delicate persons, as well as those in health. lard, tallow, soap and candles. rendering lard. the leaf lard should be rendered by itself, as it does not take so long as that with the skin on. cut it up fine and put it in a clean pot with half a pint of water, stir it frequently and let it boil fast at first, when the cracklings are light-brown and float on the top, it is nearly done, and should cook slowly, when done, strain it into your vessels with a thin cloth put over a colander. if you put lard in stone or earthen jars, it should be cooled first, as there is danger of their cracking, white oak firkins with iron hoops, and covers to fit tight, are good to keep lard, and if taken care of will last for twenty years. the fat that has the skin on should be cut very fine, taking the skin off first. it takes longer to boil than leaf lard, and there is more danger of burning, put a pint of water in the pot. the skins should be boiled alone, and will do for soap-fat after the lard is out of them. soak the inside fat all night in salt and water; wash it in the morning, and put it to boil without any water in the pot. it is not so nice as other lard, and should be strained by itself. it does very well for frying. lard keeps well in large tin vessels with tight covers and is not apt to mould. rendering tallow. cut the tallow fine, and put it to boil in a large pot with a quart of water; stir it frequently and keep it boiling moderately for six hours; when the cracklings begin to turn brown, it should boil very slowly till done. put a little water in the bottom of your dutch-ovens or tin pans, and strain it in with a cloth over the colander, or the settlings will run through and hurt the looks of your candles. soap. it requires some care and experience to have good soap; but when you once get beforehand, it is easy to keep up the supply if the ashes are good. the leystand should be made of cedar or pine boards, in the shape of a mill-hopper, and have holes bored in the bottom for the ley to run through; have four posts planted in the ground to support it; let it be high enough for a small tub to set under. if you cannot have it under a shed, there should be a tight cover of boards to protect it from the rain. put some sticks in the bottom of the leystand, and some straw, and pack in a bushel of ashes, then half a peck of lime, and when it is half full of ashes, put in two buckets of water, and another when you get near the top; pack it well, and put on some more water; then cover it over; pour on hot water three times a day for several days. when you are ready to make soap, have a large pot of water, which must be kept boiling, and put it on as fast as it will bear, save the strongest ley by itself, (if the ley will float an egg, it will answer,) have your soap-fat laying in strong ley through the winter, put a gallon of this in a large pot, and put to it a gallon of the strongest ley; let it boil an hour, stirring it often, then put in two gallons more of strong ley, when this has boiled, put in weak ley till the pot is full, let it boil an hour or two slowly, and be careful that it does not go over, cool some on a plate, and if thick, it is done, but if not, boil it longer. put it away in a tight barrel, and prepare to make more soap, if you have two large pots both of them can be kept going at the same time. several barrels of soap can be made from one ley stand. a large oil cask is good to keep soap in. if a barrel leaks, set it under a spout in a rain, or fill it with water. it is of the greatest importance to keep the soap-fat in strong ley. have an oil barrel in the cellar, half full of strong ley, and put in cracklings, bacon skins, pot skimmings, beef bones, or any scraps, when eaten by ley it will take but little boiling. it is much the easiest and safest way, where there are children, to make the soap without boiling. put four gallons of soap-fat that has been eaten with ley, in a barrel with eight gallons of strong ley, stir it two or three times a day, for a week or two, then fill it up with weaker ley, you may have several barrels making at a time, so as always to have some for use, it takes some time to make it in this way. but if you are careful, and once get ahead, you need not boil the soap unless you prefer it so, if your ley is not strong, dissolve potash in hot water and add to strengthen it. hard soap. have fifteen pounds of clean fat to twenty gallons of clear strong ley; let it boil until thick, when put in half a peck of coarse salt; if it does not curdle in two hours, put in more salt till it does, then pour it out in a tub to cool till the next day, when put on your pot with some weak ley, cut the soap out of the tub and boil it in this an hour, then put it in the tub, let it get cold, cut it in squares and put it on a board to dry. unless you have plenty of ashes and soap-fat, it is much cheaper to buy hard soap than to make it. if you have but a barrel full of ashes you can make a barrel of soap, bore a hole in the bottom of a barrel, put a few sticks across, when half full of ashes put in a quart of lime and some water; keep the hole plugged up till you are ready to make the soap. you can have a barrel of ashes put in the cellar in winter to use for washing and scrubbing, keep a tub under it to hold the ley as it drops. potash soap. persons living in cities frequently have grease that would do to make soap, but are at a loss for ley, in consequence of burning coal instead of wood. twelve pounds of pure grease of any kind, put with ten pounds of potash in an oil barrel, and filled with water, makes good thick soap, and is much cheaper than buying hard soap. it should be stirred frequently, and if the ingredients are put together in warm weather, and the barrel stands where it can be exposed to the heat of the sun, without danger of getting rain in it, it will be fit for use in a few weeks without the aid of fire, if you wish to make soap immediately put three pounds of potash, four of grease, and about ten gallons of water in a large iron pot, boil it over the fire, and it will make good thick soap in a few hours, it need only boil long enough to dissolve the potash, which is sometimes in very hard lumps. if you use the crumbled potash, you must put rather more of it, as it is not so strong, and a little lump of quick lime will make it turn quicker. another receipt. two days before you wish to commence your soap, pour about two gallons of boiling water on ten or twelve pounds of potash, to dissolve it, then put it in an iron pot or kettle, with ten gallons of rain water, hang it over the fire, and when it has dissolved, pour twelve pounds of grease, which has been purified by boiling in water, (or weak ley,) into a well hooped barrel, (an oil barrel from which one head has been taken, and the bung well fastened, is best,) then pour the water in which the potash was dissolved over the grease in the barrel, and stir it for half an hour; afterwards fill up the barrel with cold soft water, and stir it every day for two weeks. if at the end of that time, the fat swims on the top, beat a pound or two more of potash fine, throw it in the barrel, stir it well, and the soap will be finished. labor-saving soap. take two pounds salt soda, two pounds yellow bar soap, ten quarts of water. cut the soap in thin slices, and boil all together two hours, and strain it through a cloth, let it cool and it is fit for use. put the clothes in soak the night before you wash, and to every pail of water in which you boil them, add one pound of the soap. they will need no rubbing, merely rinse them out, and they will be perfectly clean and white. this soap can be made for two cents per pound. ley and soda preparation for washing clothes. to sixteen gallons of water, put one gallon of lime water; twelve ounces of soft soap, or if hard soap it must be first melted, and four ounces of soda, put them together in your wash kettle, and when nearly boiling, put in the clothes, being careful to have them as much of a kind as possible, they should be wet first with common water, boil one hour, then wash, scald and blue as usual. the limestone should remain in the water at least four days before it is used, and be about of the strength of lime-water for drinking, and the same stone will do for several times if good. the ley will do for boiling a second set of clothes by adding a little more, and afterwards for towels and coarse things. prints and flannels must not be boiled. volatile soap, _and directions for washing clothes._ cut up three pounds of country bard soap into three pints of strong ley; simmer it over the fire until the soap is dissolved, and add to it three ounces of pearl-ash, pour it into a stone jar, and stir in half a pint of spirits of turpentine, and a gill of spirits of hartshorn, cover the jar tight, and tie a cloth over it. to use the soap, have a tub half full of water as hot as you can bear your hands in, assort the clothes, and, beginning with the cleanest of them, rub a small quantity of the soap on the soiled parts of each article, and immerse them in the water one by one, until it will cover no more, let them soak for fifteen or twenty minutes, then stir them well for a few minutes, and boil them for half an hour in eight or ten gallons of water, to which a table-spoonful of the soap has been added, rinse them, using blue water where it is required as usual, and they are ready for drying. after the white clothes are finished, the same waters will answer for the colored ones, adding hot water and more soap. by the use of this soap, most of the rubbing can be dispensed with, and it is not injurious to the texture of the clothes. it has been proved that the clothes washed in this way are more durable than with the common soaps, and the rubbing required in connection with them. it is particularly recommended for washing flannels, and calicoes. the above quantity is sufficient for a family of four or five persons for a month, varying slightly as the clothes are more or less soiled. its cheapness recommends it to all housekeepers. candles. weigh the tallow, then you can judge how many candles you can make, six and eight candles to the pound do very well for working and reading by, ten to the pound does to use in the kitchen or to carry about the house. put the wicks on the rods the day before you expect to make candles, and dip them in a little melted tallow, you can then straighten them out. have a large pot nearly half full of hot water, melt the tallow in another pot and fill it up, and keep more tallow at the fire to fill in as it is used out, put coals under the pot to keep it at a proper heat. have poles set on stools about a foot apart, to support the rods, dip the rods in the pot, alternately, until they are as large as you wish them. wax makes candles burn longer, but turns them yellow. the best way is, to put in two pounds of wax, when you first begin to dip, and it will be used up before they are dipped the last time, when they are done, cut off the ends and put them in boxes. most good managers in the country make enough candles at a time to last a year. if you have not enough tallow to dip candles, you can mould some mutton tallow is very good for this purpose. miscellaneous receipts. clear starching. wash your muslins nicely; rub hard soap on them, and pour boiling water on, let them lay in this half an hour, or if they are very yellow, boil them in water that has a little blue, in a bell metal kettle, let them dry in the sun, boil your starch half an hour, as it will be clearer, and the things will take less clapping, rub the starch over the muslin until it is well covered, then clap it a few times, afterwards stretch out the muslin and hold it to the fire until it smokes, then stretch, clap, and shake it until the piece is dry enough to iron. when you begin to starch, have a pile of plates near, and as fast as the things are ready to iron, fold them up, and put them between the plates to keep moist. it is a good plan to have a board about three feet long and a foot wide, with a piece of blanket tacked on round the edges, to iron your collars and handkerchiefs on. there is an art in doing up muslins, which will take but little time when once it is acquired. the same directions answer for clear starching crape, (which must first be bleached as flannels are done,) and add some drop lake to the blue coloring. in cold weather, to rub your hands over with a little clean tallow prevents them from chapping, and will not alter the appearance of the muslin. to make corn starch. gather the corn when it is a proper age for table use; have a large tin grater, and grate the corn into a clean vessel, into which drop the cobs as you grate them until the vessel is about half full, rub the cobs and squeeze them dry as possible, and put them into another vessel of clean water, rub and squeeze them again the third rinsing will take all the starch out, let it settle, and then pour all the starch together and strain it through a coarse cloth, and then through a flannel, and let it settle until the next morning, when you will find a thick yellow substance under the water, covering the pure white article in the bottom of the vessel, remove the yellow substance and pour clean water on the starch and stir it up, as soon as it settles thoroughly again, pour off the water and put the starch on dishes, and set it in the sun to dry. when you want to use it, moisten it with cold water and pour boiling water on, till it is the right consistency for use. it requires no boiling. potato starch. pare the potatoes and scrape or grate them in a pan of water, when this is done stir them well, and let them stand a few minutes to settle, pour off the water and the pulp from the top; pour water on the starch that has settled, and stir it up, let it settle again, when it will be nice and white, and may be put on plates to dry in the sun, after which it may be put away in a box or paper bags. it maybe used immediately. stir it in boiling water as other starch, but boil it much less. it is said that potato starch will injure muslins when left to lay by for some time, it is used in some preparations of confectionary, and answers the same purpose as poland starch. to make common starch. mix a pint of wheat flour with cold water, till it is the consistence of batter, stir it into a gallon of boiling water, let it boil a few minutes, when strain it and mix in the blue--when it is ready to thin for white clothes. some put a small piece of tallow in the starch as it boils--it makes it clearer. washing calicoes, &c. calicoes may be kept from fading by washing them in the suds after white clothes, if it requires more soap, stir it in the water, as putting it on the garment will fade it, have the water moderately warm, and put in a handful of salt, when all the dirt is out, rinse them in clean water, starch, and hang them to dry on the wrong side, where they will get the air but not the sun. alum is good to set colors. if you want to wash a calico dress, which you know will fade, make a corn mush, and as it boils, pour off half, which use as soap in washing the dress, and with the other half, (which should be boiled well,) starch it, and hang it out immediately. in washing bed quilts, to prevent fading, spread them on the clean grass wrong side up, this prevents the colors running into each other. for chintz or lawn dresses have very nice starch, and clap it into them, after they are hung on the line, they iron much better this way, and look almost like new, sometimes to wash the cuffs and lower part carefully, and press it all over, will do without washing the whole dress. for ironing the skirt have a narrow ironing board, covered with a piece of blanket, to slip inside the dress. table cloths, &c. when two or three spots get on a table cloth, dip a towel in clean water and rub them off, and dry the cloth before it is put away, this saves washing, and if done carefully it will look like a clean cloth. if table cloths are stained with fruit, pour boiling water on the spots before soap is put on, when it is so deep that this will not take it out, apply lemon juice and salt, dry it in the sun, and put it on several times. you should always have cup-plates, as the marks of a coffee-cup spoils the appearance of a cloth, and the stain is hard to get out. when table cloths and towels get yellow, soak them in sour milk several days. unbleached table cloths are very good to save washing in winter, and can be laid by in summer, care should be taken to hang them to dry in the shade, as that will keep them from bleaching. new table cloths do not require any starch, but those that are partly worn look better for a little, every thing washes easier that has starch in. nice table cloths, and all fine things, after being sprinkled and folded, should be tightly rolled up in towels, and ironed till perfectly dry, they will then retain their gloss. large table cloths should be brushed clean from crumbs, and folded without shaking, as that tumbles them; those in daily use should be put under a press--a heavy book is suitable, or a board may be made for the purpose; they will keep in credit much longer than when laid in a drawer. it is well to put a common muslin cloth under a damask one on the table, as it improves the appearance. flannels. have the water in which you wash flannel as hot as you can bear your hands in, and rub the soap in the water, or it will shrink the flannel. the water it is rinsed in should also be hot. when flannels have become yellow and fulled up, i have often smoked them with brimstone, and they will be as white as new, and the fulled places will open. the best plan is to have a box or chest, with strings put across to hang the flannels on, and a drawer to pull out where you can set in a pan with coals and brimstone. have the flannels nicely washed, and put them in wet, close it up till you think it wants more brimstone, when you can pull out the drawer and renew it. after they are bleached, they should hang up in the air to let the smell of the brimstone escape. if you have but a few things to do, you can put strings across the top of an old barrel, (with both the heads out,) cover it with a thick cloth, and lift it up to put in a pan of brimstone and coals. always wash scarlet flannel with hard soap. mending clothes. all clothes should be looked over before they are put away, and if any require mending it must not be neglected; a broken stitch that can be mended in a few minutes, if left till it has been worn again, will require much more time. if young housekeepers suffer their mending to get behind hand, it will discourage them. after mending a shirt, it should be pressed before it is put away. if stocking heels are run while they are new, and the thin places darned in time, it saves much work. washing windows. a little soda dissolved in the water is valuable for washing windows; do not let it run on the sash, or it will stain the paint; rinse them in clear water, and wipe dry with a clean soft towel. when they are but little soiled, clear water will answer, but if smoked or coated with any thing, soda should be always used. some persons rub their windows with soft buckskin or newspaper, when they are dry and clean, to give them a polish. to make white or colored washes, dyeing, &c. take half a bushel of unslaked lime, slack with boiling water, covering it during the process to keep in the steam. strain the liquid through a fine sieve or strainer, and add to it a peck of clean salt, previously dissolved in warm water, three pounds of ground rice boiled, to a thin paste; stir in, boiling hot, one pound of spanish whiting, one of clean glue, dissolved by soaking it well, and simmering over a slow fire in a small kettle within a larger one containing water; add five gallons of boiling water to the whole mixture; stir it well, and if you are not ready to use it, cover it close. it should be put on quite hot; for this purpose, it can be kept in a kettle on a portable furnace. coloring matter may be added to make any shade desired. spanish brown stirred in will make a pink color, more or less deep according to the quantity, a delicate tinge of this is very pretty for inside walls. indigo mixed with the spanish brown makes a delicate purple, or alone with the mixture, a pale blue. lamp-black, in moderate quantity, makes a slate color, suitable for the outside of buildings. lamp-black and spanish brown together, produce a reddish stone color, yellow ochre, a yellow wash, but chrome goes further and makes a brighter color. it is well to try on a shingle, or piece of paper, or board, and let it dry to ascertain the color. if you wash over old paper, make a sizing of wheat flour like thin starch, put it on, and when dry, put on the coloring, for a white-washed wall, make a sizing of whiting and glue water. this precaution should always be taken before using chrome yellow or green, as the previous use of lime injures the color of the chrome. when walls have been badly smoked, add to your white-wash sufficient indigo to make it a clear white. to mix white-wash. pour a kettle of boiling water on a peck of unslaked lime, put in two pounds of whiting, and half a pint of salt, when all are mixed together, put in half an ounce of _prussian blue,_ finely powdered, add water to make it a proper thickness to put on a wall. white-wash for buildings or fences. put in a barrel, one bushel of best unslaked lime, pour on it two buckets of boiling water, and when it is mixed put in six pounds of fine whiting, fill up the barrel with water, stir it well, and keep it covered from the rain, let it stand several days before you use it, when stir it up; thin it with milk as you use it, and put half a pint of salt to each bucket full. this makes a durable wash for a rough-cast or frame house, or for fences; the salt prevents it from peeling off. chrome yellow-wash. mix four pounds of whiting with as much water as will go over the room; dissolve a tea-cupful of glue, and put in; then wash the walls with this to prevent the lime from affecting the chrome; if they come in contact, the walls will be striped, and will not look at all well. mix a wash of whiting, water and glue, and color it with two pounds of chrome yellow. after walls have been yellow, and you want to have them white, they must be washed over with whiting and glue, and then white-washed in the usual way. yellow ochre wash. dissolve a pound of glue in hot water, and stir into it three pounds of yellow ochre, and one of whiting; mix it well, and thin it with water or skim milk. it is a suitable wash for a common room or kitchen. lamp-black mixed with molasses, and put in white-wash, makes a good color for a kitchen. to dye orange color. for five pounds of woolen yarn, have one pound of annotta; dissolve it in boiling water, and put it in a pot of soft water with half a pound of pearl-ash; boil them ten minutes, stirring it well; wet the yarn in soap-suds; put it in, and let it boil twenty minutes; then hang it in the sun, and when dry, if it is not deep enough, dip it in again; and after it is thoroughly dry, wash it in soap and water. green-wash. take four pounds of blue vitriol, pound it fine, and mix with it three pounds of beat whiting, and half a pound of potash; pour on them six quarts of boiling water, and mix in half a pound of glue dissolved in water. wash the walls with whiting before it is put on. chrome yellow for dyeing carpet rags. dissolve the chrome in warm water in an earthen vessel; dip the rags in vinegar and water, then in the chrome dye, and hang in the sun to dry. this color will stand for years in a rag carpet, and is very little trouble. six cents worth of chrome will dye several pounds. to dye a dark drab. for ten pounds of cotton or wool, have half a bushel of maple bark, the same of sumach berries, and a peck of walnut hulls or bark; put a layer of this in an iron pot, and a layer of the wool, till all is in; cover it with water, and boil it slowly for three hours, keeping the pot filled with water; then hang it out, and when dry, wash one skein, and if it is not dark enough, strain the dye, and put in a tea-cup of copperas; put in the yarn, and let it scald a few minutes; take it out, dry it, and wash it well with soft soap and water. to dye cotton or woollen black. to each pound of yarn, have one ounce of copperas, nine of logwood, a handful of salt, and a quart of good vinegar, which boil with copperas ten minutes in a brass kettle; shave the logwood, and boil it in an iron pot; when the color is extracted, strain it into the vinegar; put in the yarn, and let it simmer twenty minutes stirring it; then hang it in the air, and if it is not black enough, boil it over. you should have a clear day to do all coloring in. cedar dye. boil the boughs of cedar in two or three gallons of water, for several hours, in an iron vessel; strain it off, add half a tea-spoonful of copperas, put it on the fire, and put in the articles you wish to dye; let them boil a few minutes, then hang them up to dry. this will dye sage color, and can be used for cotton, woollen or silk, and has the advantage of retaining its color. the cedar boughs should he used in the fall of the year, when the berries are on them. pear bark is an improvement and makes the color darker. to dye olive. make a strong sage tea, and add copperas and alum till it is dark; strain it; dip the cloth or silk in weak soap-suds, and then in the dye, and air it, till it is the color you wish. maple bark and copperas make a good dark color for common purposes. to dye yellow. boil peach leaves when they are turning yellow in the fall, with a little alum. onion skins boiled with alum make a good yellow. to dye brown. take young walnuts, with some of the leaves and bark; wash your wool in soap-suds; put a layer of it in a barrel, and a layer of the walnuts; fill it up with water, and put a weight on the top; at the end of a week wring it out, and let it lay in the hot sun two hours; put it back in the dye, and at the end of another week, sun it again; keep it in until sufficiently dark, when wash it in soap-suds. this makes a pretty brown that will not fade, and is stronger than when dyed with copperas. to dye red. to four pounds of yarn, take one pound of fine alum, and boil it in as much water as will cover the yarn; put in the yarn, and let it boil gently half an hour; then take it out and dry it; make a dye of two pounds of madder, and two ounces of crude tartar pulverized, and boil it; then put in the yarn, and let it boil half an hour; take it out and air it, and if it is not dark enough, put it in again, and boil it longer. brazil wood dye. tie two pounds of red or brazil wood in a thin bag, and boil it for several hours in a brass or copper kettle in water; take out the brazil wood and add a pound of alum, then put the rags in, and let them boil some time; hang them in the sun, and dry without washing them. this will dye woolen _red_, and cotton _pink_. washing in soap suds will change it to purple. lead color. take four ounces of red wood, two of logwood, half an ounce of pounded nut-galls, and quarter of a pound of green copperas; boil them in ten gallons of water, and strain it; wash the wool or cloth in soap-suds, put it in, and let it remain till it is as dark as you wish it; dry it in the sun, and wash it in soap-suds. sugar paper, boiled in vinegar, makes a good lead color for stockings. to dye scarlet. take one pound of blood root, and one pound of madder, boil them in six gallons of ley, then stir them three or four times in twenty-four hours, till there are signs of fermentation. this dyes ten pounds of cotton or linen. to dye yarn green. take one ounce of best spanish indigo, finely powdered, and half a pound of oil of vitriol; put them in a bottle, and let them stand in the sun a week; shake it often, but do not cork it tight, lest it should burst the bottle; take four pounds of black-oak bark, and the same of hickory, shave them fine, and soak them till wet through; then boil them in ten gallons of water till all the color is extracted; when take out the chips, put in a pound of alum; shake the bottle of indigo and vitriol, and pour it in; let them boil together a few minutes, and put in the yarn; turn it over several times, and let it boil half an hour; then spread it out in the sun for about an hour, and wash it well in strong soap-suds through two waters, to keep it from becoming tender. this will color ten pounds of yarn. you may have a fine blue color by omitting the bark. it will not answer for any thing but wool or silk, as the vitriol will destroy linen or cotton. to dye cotton blue. boil a pound of chipped logwood in water enough to cover the cotton; take out half a gallon, and dissolve in it an ounce of verdigris, and one of alum; boil the yarn in the logwood water an hour, stirring it, and keeping it loose; then take it out, and mix in the verdigris; put back the yarn, and let it boil four hours, stir all the time, and take it out every hour to give it air, dry it in the sun, and the next day boil it in soap-suds. this will dye six pounds of cotton a deep blue. after it is done, you may put in as much more, and it will dye a pale blue. to keep apples in winter. pick them carefully, so as not to bruise them; put them in an out-house, exposed to the north, either in boxes, or barrels, or lying in heaps; after they have been several weeks in this situation, pick them over and put them in barrels which should be headed; if the weather is not severe, let them remain in this cold situation as long as it will be safe, without their being frozen, then remove them to the cellar. do not shut the windows till the severe weather comes on. some persons pack them, in dry chaff, or sand, and put them in barrels and boxes in a cool garret. directions for making matresses. if you have an old curled hair matress, you can make two, that will be equally useful as those that are composed of curled hair, by using cotton and hackled corn husks, in alternate layers with the hair. some persons use a quantity of green corn, and save all the husks, and strip them with a fork, or hackle, and spread them on a garret floor to dry; they are nicer in this state than prepared from the dry husk; but if you have not sufficient, take the dry husks from corn that has been stripped off the top and blade in the field, and have it hackled as flax; for one matress, have as much as will fill two flour barrels tightly packed; sixteen pounds of refuse cotton, (such as is sometimes sold very low at the factories,) and half the hair of an old matress, (which should be well picked;) measure the bedstead you wish it for, and allow to each breadth of the ticking, a quarter of a yard in length over; for a small matress less should be allowed, and the same in width, (as it takes up in making;) cut the side strips as deep as you wish the matress, fit the corners, cut out a place for the foot posts, or fit each end square alike; after the bottom and sides are sewed together, run a tuck all round to save binding, sew the tick in a quilting frame, and stay it to the end pieces as a quilt; put a table under to support the weight, (which can be shifted as it is sewed;) first put a layer of hair, then cotton, then husks alternately, till it is done; be careful to let the hair be next the ticking; put some all round the sides and edges. when all is in, put on the top, and baste it down with strong thread; then with a chalk line strike across, to form squares to sew it by. have a long needle prepared and polished smoothly, threaded with twine, or several strands of strong shoe thread; this should be well waxed, and long enough to go through and back again; have tufts, or two pieces of strong cloth prepared, to secure the stitches on both sides; one person should be under the frame, to pull the needle through and put it back; it should be tied tightly as possible; when you have done stitching, the matress should be sewed all round, taken out of the frame and the raw edges bound. they can be made of cotton and husks, without hair, or cotton alone. those that have sheep can use the coarse wool, (and such as is not profitable for manufacturing,) with the husks, it is more elastic than cotton. many persons are deprived of one of the greatest comforts in summer, and sleep on feathers, when a little care in preparing the materials, and putting them together would furnish your chambers with the most healthy and pleasant beds; a large cotton sheet should be kept on a matress, or a case made of unbleached muslin, this covering should be occasionally washed and starched. if you cannot get husks, straw will answer, or hay. to make a rag carpet. ten pounds of purple warp, ten of green, four of yellow, seven of red, will make a pretty stripe, mingled and arranged according to your fancy; the above quantity of warp, with fifty-eight pounds of rags will make forty-two yards, yard wide. in most cities warp can be purchased ready colored. a very good proportion is a pound and a quarter of rags, and three-quarters of a pound of warp to the yard. save all the scraps in cutting out work; have a bag for the purpose hanging in a convenient place, and when you have leisure cut them. old muslin garments that are not worth giving away, may be torn in strips and colored. in cutting out clothes for boys, from men's garments, there will always be scraps and strips. by purchasing a little red flannel to mix in, the appearance is improved. a carpet wears cleaner to be about one-third cotton, and two-thirds woollen rags to mix the colors. do not sew a strip that is longer than three yards, and the cotton should be much shorter, as the warp is usually of that material, there is more danger from fire. to keep furs and woollens. crack the grains of black pepper, and sprinkle in among your furs and woollen clothes; after they have been shaken and aired, fold them smooth and put them in linen bags or sheets; keep them in a large trunk or dark closet, and look at them once through the summer to see that they are safe. tobacco and camphor are also good to pack them in, but the smell continues with them a long time, and is disagreeable to some persons. they should be well shaken and aired before they are worn. to keep curtains. take the curtains down in the spring, shake them carefully and brush the dust from them; let them air a day, but not so that the sun will fade them; then fold them neatly, and pin them up in sheets. moreen or worsted curtains require the same care as woollen cloths. to keep blankets in summer. if you have any blankets that are soiled and require washing in the spring, have it nicely done; when they are perfectly dry, put them on a bedstead in a spare chamber, keeping out one to use on each bed through the summer; spread a large sheet over; tuck under all round, and secure the corners with pins; tins will keep them from dust and moths, and makes a good bed to use in hot weather. carpets, &c. when you take up carpets in the spring to put down matting, have them well shaken, and if there are any spots on them, they should be washed off with a stiff brush and dried; if there is oil or grease spilt on them, mix up whiting or nice clay with water; spread it on both sides of the spot, and baste thick paper over it. when dry, fold it up the size of a bedstead, and pin a coarse sheet round it. in this way they will be secure from moths, and the addition of a few quilted comforts on the top, makes a very pleasant bed in summer. the small moth-fly appears early in the summer, and should always be destroyed when seen, as the moth is produced from the eggs which they deposit in woollens; by being careful to kill them when they first come, a house may be kept nearly clear of them. select the softest brooms for sweeping carpets, as stiff ones wear them out. house linen. have a book in which to set down all the bed and table linen, towels and napkins; every article of which should be marked and numbered, and counted at least once a month. to clean paint. rub some whiting very fine on a plate; have ready some clean warm water, and a piece of flannel, which dip in the water and squeeze very dry; then take as much whiting as will stick to the flannel, and rub the paint to remove dust or grease, then wash it well with clean water and wipe it dry with a soft cloth. bran boiled in water, and left to settle, is very good to clean paint; use a soft cloth or flannel; it will take off fly specks and impart a gloss to the paint; wipe it quite dry. unless soap is used with great care, it will injure paint. varnished paint requires nothing but clean warm water and to be wiped dry. to clean bedsteads. in the summer, bedsteads should be brushed and searched every week; if they are infested with bugs, boil the sacking in ley and water, or put it in an oven, on some boards, after the bread is taken out, to kill the eggs; fill a large bottle with red pepper pods of the strongest kind, and fill it up with vinegar; put this in each crack of the bedsteads every morning, until they entirely disappear; never omit to search the bedsteads longer than a week. it is a good way to fill up all the cracks of the bedsteads with resin soap. after they are cleaned, move the bed from the wall and fill up every crack in the plastering with calcined plaster and water, or putty. sometimes bed-bugs are brought in the cleanest houses before the family are aware of it. when persons return from travelling, the trunks should always be examined before they are taken into the chambers, or put away; a little care at the proper time will prevent much trouble. some persons scald their bedsteads with boiling vinegar; the acid is said to dissolve the shell of the egg. if poison is used, great care is necessary. it is said that lard is good to use on bedsteads that are infested with bugs; the grease prevents their increase. all the cracks should be filled after the bedstead has been well searched. to clean floors. scour all the spots with soap and sand, then go all over with the long scrubbing brush, a few boards at a time; rinse it well and wipe it dry. a floor that has been well cleaned, and dried without being walked on, will keep clean much longer than one that has been half done; too much soap or ley makes a floor look yellow. bare floors are very pleasant in summer, and when they get a few spots, they can be taken out with dry white sand, and a shoe-sole, and will not need scrubbing more than two or three times in a summer. cleaning cellars--rats, roaches. in the spring, cellars should be swept, and all refuse vegetables taken out; if left till warm weather, they will become putrid, and endanger the health of your family. the sprouts should be rubbed from the potatoes; all the barrels should be moved and swept under. have boards laid on the floor for meat and fish barrels, and after they are emptied, have them washed and drained ready for use. empty flour barrels should be swept out and the heads and hoops saved. have lime sprinkled over the cellar floor twice during the summer, or oftener if it should be necessary. if the windows are kept shut in warm weather, the air will be unwholesome. do not trust to servants, examine and see that it is done thoroughly. the apartments where cold meat and milk are kept should be cobwebbed and swept once a week, and the safe washed out at least that often. if the cellar is paved with brick, keep a part of it washed clean, to set cold meat and milk on; cover them with tin pans and put a weight on the top if rats are troublesome. if there are rat holes have them stopped with pieces of brick, and broken glass bottles; never use ratsbane without the greatest caution, as it is a dangerous remedy. no food or milk should be in the cellar at the time, and keep it locked up all the while it is there. i have heard of lives being lost by it. have water set about in pans for the rats to drink, and after three days, clear it all away and have the cellar cleaned and aired before putting any thing in it. several persons have been in great danger from burning the arsenic; when it is used it should be put deep in the ground and covered up. mice are kept under by a good cat, and traps. if roaches are troublesome, set bowls or deep dishes, with molasses and a plate on the top, with room for them to get in, and set it close to a wall. i have seen hundreds caught in this way in one night, and it is much safer than setting any thing poisonous about the kitchen or pantry. they should be burnt in the morning, and the dishes set again at night. if you find a closet infested with ants, remove every thing that will attract them, scald and clean it well, and they will soon leave it. it is said that strips of cotton or linen dipped in spirits of turpentine, and placed about the closets, will drive them away. mats should be placed at all the outside doors, and at the top and bottom of the cellar stairs. putting straw under carpets. it is thought that carpets wear better when straw is spread over the floor before they are put down, and it will prevent the dust from rising so much. care should be taken to have them well tacked down, as it is dangerous on account of fire. where straw is used, they may be kept down a much longer time without being shaken. picking geese, &c. when you pick geese and ducks, have a tub of boiling water; dip each one in, turning it over to let every part be well scalded, and as each one is scalded, wrap it up in a cloth, and when they are nearly cold, pick them. in this way the pen feathers are loosened, and they can be picked much cleaner. wetting the feathers does not hurt them if they are well dried. they should be put in bags, and frequently sunned. baking them in the oven after the bread comes out, cures them more thoroughly than any other way. turkey and chicken feathers are not so good for beds as goose and duck; they may be picked in the same way. marble, &c. marble mantles should be washed but seldom; wipe off spots with a damp cloth, and rub them dry. hearths should be washed with soap and water. when there is a spot of grease, mix clay or whiting with soft soap, and put on. soap-stone hearths may be scoured with soap and fine sand, and washed off. to restore colors taken out by acid, &c. hartshorn rubbed on a silk or woollen garment will restore the color without injuring it. spirits of turpentine is good to take grease or drops of paint out of cloth; apply it till the paint can be scraped off. rub french chalk or magnesia on silk or ribbon that has been greased and hold near the fire; this will absorb the grease so that it may be brushed off. to make new feather beds. in making new feather beds, put half a pound of cayenne, and half a pound of black pepper in each bed; this will prevent the moths from getting into new feathers that have not been well cured. it is best to air your beds frequently, and shake them up, even if they are not slept in. it is the oil in the feathers that makes them smell bad, and when in constant use the heat of the body dries it up gradually; when beds or pillows have acquired this unpleasant smell, open them and put a few pounded cloves in each. when new beds are covered with cases, the moth will sometimes eat through without its being discovered. covers also prevent the air from sweetening the feathers, and when new they should never be covered unless in use. when beds are slept on, it is best to have a thick cotton sheet, or if it is cold weather, a blanket between the under sheet and the bed, and have them washed and aired occasionally. to clean silver. wash the silver in soda water, rub it with whiting, and polish it with a piece of dry buckskin. embossed silver requires a stiff brush. another way is to let the silver lay in chalk and water for an hour, then take it out, and wipe it dry on flannel; polish it with a piece of buckskin. britannia ware. first wash it clean in soap-suds, then rub it with a woollen cloth and whiting, and polish off with dry buckskin. brass. first rub the brasses with turpentine, vinegar or whiskey, then with rotten-stone and a woollen cloth, and polish off with a piece of soft leather. for brasses that have been long out of use, chalk and vinegar may be used. to clean stoves or grates. have the stove slightly warm, and if there is rust on it rub it off with a dry brush; mix some black lead or british lustre with boiling water, rub it on a small part of the stove at a time, and polish it with a stiff brush. if the stove needs but little cleaning, wet the spots with water, dust a little lead on the brush and rub it quickly. the black lead should be washed off several times a year, and then renewed. sheet iron stoves should be rubbed with a woollen cloth, as a brush is apt to streak. the lead may be mixed with the white of an egg in cold water. alum water is good to mix lustre; it prevents the stove from rusting. to polish the hearth of a franklin stove, rub it over with a piece of grindstone, or use coarse sand with the sole of a shoe; when it begins to look bright, polish it with pumice stone. cement to mend cracks in stoves. take two parts of ashes, three of clay, and one of sand; mix them well together with water, and put it on when the stove is cold. it is also good to stop a leak in a roof. fire-proof cement. slack a peck of lime in boiling water; put into it three pounds of salt, three of brown sugar, and one of alum; mix them well together, and color it with lamp-black or ochre. this has been recommended to put on the roof of a building that is exposed to fire. to take spots out of mahogany. put a piece of paper on the spot, and hold a warm iron over it, then rub it with a waxed cloth. if furniture is hurt with flies, it should be well washed with a cloth, and rubbed with a cork and a waxed cloth. varnished furniture should be first rubbed with sweet oil, and then with a waxed cloth. to take grease out of floors. mix clay or fullers' earth with ley, and put a thick coat on the grease spot; scrape it off every few days, and put on more. to put soft soap on the place, and rub it over with a hot iron, will take out the grease. wash for hearths. mix red ochre in milk, and put it on the hearths with a brush. blacking for boots and shoes. take one ounce of vitriolic acid, one wine-glass of olive oil, two ounces of ivory black, an ounce of gum arabic, a quart of vinegar, and a tea-cup of molasses; put the vitriol and oil together, then add the ivory black and other ingredients; when all are well mixed, bottle it. to make boots and shoes water-proof. take one pint of linseed oil, one ounce of burgundy pitch, two of beeswax, and two of spirits of turpentine; melt them carefully over a slow fire. with this you may rub new or old shoes in the sun, or at a short distance from the fire, and they will last longer, never shrink, and keep out water. to make blacking for morocco shoes. pound some black sealing wax, and put in a bottle with half a pint of alcohol; shake it frequently, and when it is dissolved, you may rub it on morocco shoes when they are scaled or defaced, and they will look almost like new; dry it on in the sun. to grease eggs for winter. in the spring when eggs are plenty and cheap, it is very well to put up several hundred, to use in the winter, when it is very difficult to get them, even in the country. grease each egg with sweet lard, and as you do so, lay them in a keg or jar, or old tin vessels that are out of use; put them in a dry closet and keep them covered over; if they are put in the cellar, they are liable to mould, which spoils them entirely. do not put in any cracked ones, or they will injure the rest. in this way they have been known to keep a year, and were nearly as good for puddings, or batter cakes, as fresh eggs. they do not do to boil, or make pound or sponge cake, as they lose part of their lightening property. to keep eggs in lime water. pour two gallons of hot water on a pint of lime and half a pint of salt; put the eggs in a jar or keg, and when it is cold, pour it over them, and put them in a cellar to keep; be sure that there are no cracked ones. eggs may be kept a month or longer, spread out separately on dishes, so as one will not lay on another. they will keep best in a dark closet. to clean soiled eggs. when eggs are discolored from laying on the ground, wash them first in strong vinegar, and then in cold water, and wipe them dry on a soft towel. chloride of lime. a few spoonsful of chloride of lime dissolved in some water in a bowl or saucer, is very useful to purify the apartment of an invalid, or in any case where there is an unpleasant smell, of any kind. it is a cheap article, and should always he kept convenient where there is sickness in the house. to take lime out of cloth. lime spots on woollen clothes may be effectually removed, by putting a little strong vinegar on the part, which completely neutralizes the lime, and does not usually effect the color; but it will be safest to wash it over with a cloth dipped in water, and rub it till nearly dry. hartshorn and alcohol mixed together are very useful in taking spots out of cloth or merino, applied with something that will not leave lint. to take wax or spermaceti out of cloth. hold a red hot flat-iron within an inch or two of the cloth, and this will make the wax or spermaceti evaporate entirely; then rub the place with a towel (that is free from lint) or clean brown paper. to remove a stopper from a decanter. wet a cloth with hot water and wrap it round the neck of the bottle; this will cause the glass to expand, and the neck will be enlarged so as to allow of the stopper to be withdrawn, without any trouble. precautions against fire. perhaps it may not be improper to remark that houses have been saved from being destroyed by fire at night, by there having been buckets of water left in the kitchen. never go to bed without seeing that there is a supply in readiness. housekeepers should also arrange their family affairs so as to have as little going about with lights by servants as possible. chimneys should be swept at proper intervals, and if you burn them, let it be on a rainy morning and never at night. to take ink and stains out of linen. dip the spotted part in pure melted tallow, then wash out the tallow and the ink will come out with it. if you get a stain of fruit of any kind on linen, boil a little new milk, and dip the parts in and out for a few minutes; this must be done before any water is used, or it will not be likely to succeed. oxalic acid, or salt and lemon juice are good, and care should be taken to rinse the articles well after the application. herbs, gardens and yards. if you have a garden, be careful to raise herbs, both for cooking and to use in sickness. parsley, thyme, sage and sweet marjoram occupy very little room in a garden, and cannot very well be dispensed with for kitchen use; and every family should have a bunch of wormwood; it is a fine tonic, either made while fresh, cut fine, with cold water, or after it has been dried, made with boiling water. tansey is also a useful herb. hoarhound is excellent for coughs, and is particularly useful in consumptive complaints, either as a syrup or made into candy. balm is a cooling drink in a fever. catnip tea is useful when you have a cold, and wish to produce a perspiration, and is good for infants that have the colic. garlic is good for colds, and for children that have the croup; you should have some taken up in the fall to use through the winter. the root of elecampane gathered in the fall, scraped, sliced, and strung with a needle and thread to dry, will keep its strength for several years, and is useful for a cough with hoarhound. rue is a valuable herb, a tea made of it and sweetened is good for worms. it is not expected that persons living in a town should have room in their garden for herbs, but they are generally to be purchased at market, and should always be kept in the house, as sometimes in the winter they are much needed when it is difficult to find them. herbs should be spread out on a cloth to dry; turn them every day; when dry, put them in thick paper bags, and close up the top, so as to exclude the air. they can be kept hanging up, or laid on the shelf of a closet, where they will not be affected by damp. such herbs as sage, thyme and sweet marjoram, when thoroughly dry, should be pounded, sifted, and corked in bottles. parsley should be cut fine with a pair of scissors, dried, and put in bottles; it is nearly as good this way as when fresh; keep it in a dark closet. where you have a garden, do not throw away the soap-suds that are left from washing, as they are very good to water herbs and flowers. it is very important to have early vegetables. a garden that is spaded, or ploughed in the winter, is ready to plant much earlier. there are many things that will bear the spring frosts without injury, and if planted early will be ready to grow when the fine weather comes. tomatoes should be sowed in boxes or a hot-bed to be ready to transplant. the scrapings of a cellar are good to put in the garden to enrich it. ashes sprinkled on a yard, or grass plat, will keep down the coarse grass, and produce white clover. the grass should be cut out of a brick pavement with a knife, and boiling ley poured on to kill the roots. seeds should be saved as they ripen, from the finest plants; they should be kept in a box with a tight lid to keep them from mice. greasers for bake-irons. take pieces of fat from the back bone, or chine of pork; cut them in pieces of half a pound each; leave the skin on; salt them. they will do to grease the bake-iron where you have buckwheat cakes every morning in winter, and should be kept in a cool place; after remaining in salt several weeks, they may be hung up in an airy place. this is nicer than suet. cement for the tops of bottles or jars. take equal parts of rosin and brick-dust pounded fine; a lump of beeswax; stew them together, and keep in an old tin, melting it when you want to seal your bottles or jars. cement for mending cast-iron. to mend a crack or sand hole in an iron pot, beat up the white of an egg, and mix equal weight of salt and sifted ashes; work it very smooth and fill up the crack, let it harden before it is used. if it is a large sand hole you wish to mend, put in a rivet and secure it with the cement, if it gets loose it is easily fastened by the same process. weather proof cement. take of fine sand one part, two of clay, three of ashes; mix with linseed oil to the consistency required. put it on with a towel or brush. it is said to become as hard as marble. to cleanse vials, &c. put ashes and water in each one, and boil them in water, letting them heat gradually. pie plates may be cleansed in the same way. iron pots that have been used for boiling milk, may be cleaned by boiling ashes and water in them. mending china with milk. china can be mended if not too badly broken, by boiling it in skim milk, it should be entirely clear of cream, or the oily particles will prevent its adhesion. tie the pieces with tape or fine cord, put them into a kettle of cold milk, and let them boil two hours, then take it off the fire, and when cold take the china out, and set it away; let it stand for several months. china pitchers, tea-pot lids, cup-plates and dishes, have been used for years after being mended in this way. mending china with white lead. take the bottom of an old paint keg, and carefully with a small knife, put it on the edge of glass or china, close the parts together, and place away; if badly broken, mend the small parts first, and set away; then when dry, putty the edges you wish to join carefully, and set on the top shelf of a closet, where it will be undisturbed for a year. linseed oil for furniture. for polishing mahogany or walnut furniture, (that has never been varnished) linseed oil has been recommended. it possesses a tendency to harden and become solid, on long exposure to the air. it is this peculiar quality that renders it useful in its application to furniture. rub the furniture you wish to polish (having previously washed all the wax from it with soap and water) all over with the oil; a small piece of sponge is suitable for the purpose, let it remain a few minutes so as to sink in the wood; then rub it in with a soft cloth, and again with a clean cloth. do this every other day and your table will soon be fit to use for breakfast or tea without fear of spoiling the polish; when you wash it off it should be done with plain warm water, as soap will injure it. it is best not to use a table till it has had several rubbings with the oil, and then apply it once a week. the pores being filled with the application it becomes hard. always give a table that is in use a rub with a dry cloth every morning. for filtering water. put a thick layer of pounded charcoal, (say six inches,) at the bottom of a large earthen flower-pot; over this, lay a bed of fine sand, which has been washed, (to prevent its giving a taste to the water;) pour the water in the filterer and put a large stone pitcher under to receive it. on a larger scale. prepare a tight barrel by charring it on the inside, (by having some hickory or oak shavings burnt in it,) then put in half a peck of quick lime, and fill it with water. after the lime water has stood in the barrel for two weeks, it will be ready for use. this preparation of the barrel is necessary to remove the acid from the wood, which would communicate an unpleasant taste to the water. fit a partition in the barrel, (perforated with many holes,) about three inches from the bottom of the barrel, and having put in a tube, to go down from the top through the partition nearly to the bottom, put on the perforated partition some broken charcoal, then finer charcoal a foot thick, then about a foot of clean washed sand. to use this filter pour the water through the tube, (which should be open at the top like a funnel;) the water runs to the bottom, and filters upward, leaving all the impurities at the bottom. the pure water is drawn off from the top of the barrel by means of a spile or faucet. to keep water cool in summer, when you have not ice. where you live at a distance from water, and wish to keep it cool, put a large stone vessel in the coldest place you can find; fill it with water, cover it with a towel and wrap a wet cloth around it; this will keep it cool for some hours, which is a comfort in warm weather. to purify water. to put a small lump of lime into your water-cask is useful. agitating and exposing it to the air, will help to keep it fresh. strain muddy water through a sieve, in which a cloth or sponge, (or a layer of fine sand or charcoal,) has been placed. hard water may be softened and rendered suitable for washing, by adding to every twelve gallons of water, about a quarter of a pound of sal soda. gum arabic paste. pulverize in a mortar an ounce of gum arabic, pour on boiling water and stir it till dissolved; do not put too much water. if you wish to keep this paste any length of time, put it in a wide-mouthed phial, and pour alcohol over it; keep it corked, and as you use it, you may thin it with water if required; put it on with a feather or brush. preserving kettles. bell-metal, copper and brass kettles require very nice cleaning immediately before they are used, or it will endanger your health. vinegar with salt or ashes should be used; save the vinegar that is left in the pickle jars for this purpose. to clean knives and forks. in some families the knives are a great care to the housekeeper, but by proper management it is rendered easy. after using them, they should be wiped with a cloth, dipped in warm water, then wiped dry, (the handles should never be put in hot water,) then polish them with bristol or bath brick, which, with the rubbing cloths, should be kept in a small box, with a strip of leather nailed on one edge, on which to polish them after they are rubbed with the brick. knives that are not in daily use should be wrapped in raw cotton and then in paper, and if kept in a dry place will not be liable to rust. to clean teeth. _with remarks on fixing the habit, &c._ pulverized charcoal mixed with honey, is very good to cleanse teeth, and make them white. a little peruvian bark put in a phial with lime water is excellent to use occasionally by those that have offensive teeth; and tincture of myrrh mixed with a little water, may be used with advantage, to harden the gums. a little peruvian bark put in the teeth just before going to bed, and washed out in the morning, is an excellent preservative of teeth. it is very important for parents to insist on children cleaning their teeth, at least, it is well for them to begin before they lose their first set, as it makes them last longer, and fixes the habit, which is of great importance. to clean kid gloves. take a piece of flannel; moisten it with a little milk; rub it on a cake of mild soap, and apply it to the soiled spots on the gloves; as soon as the dirt is removed, rub the spot with a dry piece of flannel, and dry them on the hands. care must be taken that the gloves are not made too wet, or they will have a wrinkled appearance. dark gloves that are worn in winter, should be exposed to the sun for about a quarter of an hour in the spring, before putting them away, or they will be liable to spot. to clean papered walls. cut the crust off of stale bread very thick, and rub the walls carefully from top to bottom, in a straight line, using a fresh piece of bread as soon as it looks much soiled. to take old putty from window glass. warm an iron, and rub it on the glass opposite the putty; this melts the oil, and you may easily remove the putty. cutting glass for mending windows. if you want to cut glass for mending windows, and have no diamond, dip a piece of cotton twine into turpentine, and stretch it tightly across the glass where you wish to break it; then set the string on fire, and after it is burned, break the glass while it is warm. simple remedies. the following remedies are for diseases which occur in almost every family, and have been proved to be useful in a number of instances. as most old housekeepers have their favorite recipes, it is for the young and inexperienced these are particularly intended, and may be used with safety, when a physician is not at hand. remarks upon a deeply seated cough. it is very important to begin in time with a cold. consumption is sometimes prevented by very simple remedies. to put burgundy pitch plasters on the breast and back of the neck, often has a good effect; they should be re-spread frequently, and when one part is irritated, change them to another place. put one on your side if you have a pain there. flannel should be put on next the skin by all means, which, with the above simple remedies, will cure a cold, if begun with in time. i have frequently known new flannel put on those that usually wore it, greatly to benefit a delicate person. the increased irritation of the new flannel acts on the pores of the skin and promotes circulation. hair soles worn in the shoe, or socks made of flannel, or soft buckskin worn under the stockings, are very good to keep the feet warm and dry. persons predisposed to consumption should have nourishing food, and not eat too much at a time; they should avoid strong tea or coffee, and drink milk. eggs, oysters, fresh fish and fowls, are very good for them. fruit of all kinds is useful. they should take exercise in the air, particularly riding on horse-back, or take a short walk, but not so as to be fatigued; to work moderately in a garden, when the ground is not too damp, is good exercise for a delicate person; the smell of fresh earth, and of flowers, is beneficial to both body and mind. after taking exercise, a glass of lemonade is very refreshing, and promotes appetite. if there should be perspiration at night, change the sheets and pillow-cases frequently, and the under garments; air the chamber and bed-clothes every day; if the weather is too damp to raise the windows, shake up the bed, and leave it unmade half of the day, and put it out in the sun occasionally. by all means avoid strong medicine, or any thing that has a tendency to weaken the body. sometimes blisters are used with very good effect; also, rubbing the breast and back with camphor or spirits, or with a piece of dry flannel. taking anodyne drops, particularly laudanum, should be avoided, if possible; they may still the cough during the night, but it will come on with increased violence in the morning; they weaken the stomach, increase the fever, and sometimes cause delirium. everything that tends to excite or irritate the mind, should be kept from them. it is very important to talk cheerfully to sick persons, particularly if confined to their chamber, which can be done without lightness or trifling. if they see gloomy faces around them, it has a very disheartening effect; and, if the mind sinks, such is its intimate connection with the body, that it is hard to raise it. i have known persons by judicious management to live for many years, after it was thought they were in a deep decline, by avoiding weakening medicines, taking exercise on horse-back and on foot, and never indulging in a full meal. sometimes such persons have very good appetites, and it is a satisfaction to their friends to see them eat heartily; but they should eat something frequently, rather than over-load the stomach too much. when they come in hungry from a ride, to beat up an egg with a tea-spoonful of wine, and a little sugar and nutmeg put in a tumbler with some milk, and taken with a cracker or biscuit, or a piece of thin toast broken up in it, has a very strengthening effect. persons are seldom benefitted by a strict diet, but it is sometimes enforced till they lose their appetite and cannot eat. if the weather is so that exercise cannot be taken out of doors, some method should be devised for taking it in the house. rubbing furniture and playing battle-door, are good exercise for a female, but should not be taken too much at a time. men that are confined to the house are sometimes very much at a loss what to do; if such would purchase a few tools, and appropriate a spare room as a workshop, it would promote their health. i have known men that were but little acquainted with the use of tools, do many useful and ornamental pieces of work, that were greatly valued by their friends; and the exertion kept their spirits from sinking, when the weather was too inclement to take exercise in the open air. for a cough. take a wine glass of the juice of the green hoarhound, or if that cannot be obtained, a strong decoction from the dry herb will answer; mix it in half a pint of new milk, sweetened either with sugar or honey; take this half an hour before breakfast. it has been known to cure obstinate coughs, and persons that have taken it for four weeks or more, have gained strength and flesh, and the pain in the breast was relieved. flannel should be worn. elecampane and hoarhound syrup. put a pint of hoarhound in a quart of water, and let it draw by the fire; put a tea-cupful of dried elecampane root in a pint of water, cover it close, and let it boil till all the strength is out; strain it and the hoarhound together, and put them to boil with a pound of sugar; when it is a rich syrup, pour it in a pitcher to cool, and bottle it. take a table-spoonful at a time when the cough is troublesome. sometimes flaxseed is a useful addition to this syrup. brown mixture for a cough. take of paregoric, liquorice and gum arabic, each an ounce, from fifty to one hundred drops of antimonial wine and two gills of hot water; mix them well together, and when cold, bottle, and cork it tight; take two tea-spoonsful at a time; if it should nauseate, give a smaller quantity. if this produce profuse perspiration avoid going in the air unless well wrapped up. this has been useful in the latter stages of the whooping cough. ginger tea. _with remarks on its use, &c._ strong ginger tea, sweetened and taken hot on going to bed, is very good. where persons have been exposed to the air, and think they have taken fresh cold, keep the feet warm by taking a hot brick to bed, and do not increase the cold the next day. if it is not deeply seated, taking this a few nights will give relief. a piece of ginger root, kept about the person to chew, is good for a tickling in the throat, which many persons are subject to, when sitting in close heated apartments, in lecture rooms, or places of worship. lemon mixture for a cough. put two fresh eggs in a jar; cover them with the juice of six large lemons; let it stand until the hard shell of the eggs is eaten off; then beat it together; strain it, and add half a pound of rock candy, one gill of brandy and two table-spoonsful of sweet oil. mixture of lemon juice and honey. take half a pint of honey and squeeze the juice of four lemons on it; mix well together, and add a small portion of sugar; take a tea-spoonful every time the cough is troublesome. hoarhound candy. put two pounds of sugar in a pint of hoarhound tea, as strong as can be made, which may be done by drawing two sets of hoarhound in the same water, till the strength is out of each; when it is cold, mix in the sugar and the white of an egg; when it begins to boil, take off the scum as it rises, boil it slowly till it becomes thick, so that when you drop it on a plate, it will be hard and crisp, and pour it out in plates that have been greased with a little sweet butter; when cold, you can break it up for use, and tie it up in a jar. this is quite as useful as the candy you buy, and is much cheaper; it is very convenient for persons that have a cough, to have a little box of this about them to take when there is a tickling in the throat. mustard bath for the feet--soap stones, &c. it gives relief to a bad cold in the early stages, to soak the feet in warm water, in which you have put half a tea cup of salt and two table spoonsful of pulverized mustard, and to drink ginger tea. you may keep your feet in the bath for half an hour, and then retire with a warm soap stone wrapped in a cloth and placed near them. a soap stone, the size of a brick will, when thoroughly heated, keep warm till morning, and is invaluable for an elderly person or one that suffers with cold feet. liverwort syrup. make a quart of strong liverwort tea by extracting two sets of herbs in the same water, tie a tea cup of flaxseed in a bag and put with it; keep it covered while drawing; when the strength is all out, strain it on a pound of sugar, and let it boil slowly till it is thick--keeping it covered to prevent the strength from going off, when cold, bottle it, and set the bottle in a cool place while using it. take a table-spoonful at a time about six times a day. this has been used for a cough with great benefit. for sore throat. make a gargle of cayenne pepper, honey and spirits, or sage tea, with alum and honey, or figs boiled, mashed and strained, and use it once in two hours. if it is very bad, steam the mouth with a funnel held over hot vinegar, and put on a hot poultice of hops, boiled in weak ley and thickened with corn-meal; there should be a little lard spread over; renew it every time it gets cold. another very good poultice, is hot mush strewed with powdered camphor; put it on as hot as can be borne, and change it when cold. a purgative should be given, either of senna and salts, castor oil; or rhubarb and soap pills. an emetic is of great importance, and has caused the throat to break when persons have been very ill. sore throats have been cured when quinsy was apprehended, by using powdered camphor and lard on flannel. it is a good way, when persons are subject to it, to keep an ounce of camphor mixed with lard, in a wide-mouthed bottle, or jar; and corked tight. the cayenne pepper and honey gargle should also be kept ready mixed, and used when the first symptoms appear; or in a violent attack, a plaster of snuff and lard may be applied with benefit, keeping it on only a few minutes at a time. sometimes a bag of hot ashes sprinkled with vinegar, and applied hot as can be borne, has cured a sore throat in one night. persons that have been afflicted for years with repeated attacks of sore throat and quinsy, have been cured by bathing the throat, neck and ears with cold water every morning. the constant use of the shower bath is very important. keep the feet warm. molasses posset for a cold. take a pint of the best molasses, a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and let them simmer together for half an hour: then stir in the juice of two lemons, or if you have not these, two table-spoonsful of strong vinegar; cover over the sauce-pan, and let it stand by the fire five minutes longer. some of this may be taken warm or cold. for whooping cough. dissolve a scruple of salts of tartar in a gill of water, put in half a scruple of pulverized cochineal, sweeten it with loaf sugar, give an infant a tea-spoonful of this mixture four times a day, and a child four years old or upwards, a table-spoonful. in some cases the relief is instantaneous. another remedy. half a pint of honey, half a pint of vinegar, two table-spoonsful of sweet oil stewed together a few minutes; when cold put it in a bottle, and put in a tea-spoonful of laudanum; shake it well, and give a table-spoonful when the cough is troublesome, and a dose just before going to bed. for an infant of six months, a small tea-spoonful is a dose, and for a child of four years, two tea-spoonsful. where there is not much fever, a little port or claret wine, mixed with sugar and water, and taken with toast broken in it, is beneficial. children should be taken out riding if possible, and should be well wrapped up. for the croup. put the child in warm water, and keep up the temperature by putting in more hot water; keep it in fifteen or twenty minutes, then wipe it dry and put it in a warm bed, or wrap a blanket round it and hold it on the lap; give it an emetic, and put powdered garlic and lard to the throat and soles of the feet; keep up the perspiration, by giving a few drops of antimonial wine every half hour. the next morning give it a dose of rhubarb tea or castor oil, and keep it from the air for several days. this treatment has been very beneficial when a physician was not at hand; and nothing had been done till his arrival, perhaps the child would have been too far gone to recover. in cases of croup, to wet a piece of flannel with, alcohol, and apply it to the throat as hot as it can be borne, has often a salutary effect, applied frequently. it is also good to use for a bad cold, &c. molasses stewed with a lump of butter, and a table-spoonful of vinegar, taken just before you go to bed, and to grease the nose, forehead and breast with mutton tallow, will sometimes cure a child without any thing else. to pound garlic in a rag and squeeze out the juice, mix it with molasses, and give a tea-spoonful at a time, has given relief when a child was very ill. sliced onions, or garlic stewed with sugar and water, or molasses, is very good to take for a cold. where children are subject to the croup, you should always have a pot of water over the fire, and light-wood near, to heat it as quick as possible. children that are subject to these attacks should have their feet kept warm and dry, and always wear flannel next to the skin. it is the duty of parents to make use of the most simple remedies, which may always be in readiness, and, if applied in time, may prevent the necessity of giving strong medicines, which injure the constitutions of young children. the least symptom of the disease should be attended to. lobelia is a certain remedy for croup. if the case is light, a few drops of the tincture, increasing the dose according to the age of the child, given at short intervals, will cause it to vomit and prevent danger; but if the attack is a severe one, you should give the "third preparation of lobelia;" for a child of ten years, ten drops, and so on in proportion; mix it with sugar and water. every mother should keep lobelia at hand, as it has been known to give certain relief in many cases. a child of twelve months, may take of the tincture ten drops every fifteen or twenty minutes, till it acts as an emetic, or relieves by perspiration; one of two or three years may take twenty or thirty drops. the third preparation is of much greater strength than the tincture. infants' colic, &c. tea made of catnip, and sweetened, given to an infant when it appears to be in pain, is often useful. sweet marjoram tea also relieves pain, and has a soothing effect on the nerves. to put the feet in warm water, and put a warm piece of flannel to the stomach, is important; but if neither of these relieve the child, put it in warm water for about ten minutes, and cover it from the air carefully; wipe it dry, and keep it warm afterwards. a little weak ginger tea is good for the colic; as also tea made of dried damask rose leaves; a tea-spoonful of leaves will make a tea-cupful of tea. uneasiness is frequently caused by their stomachs being overloaded with food, and care should be taken in this respect. having lately met with some remarks in the "baltimore american," with which i am much pleased, i take the liberty of inserting them. "narcotics and anodynes cannot be given with too much caution, the sensitive and nervous system of an infant should never be acted upon by these powerful drugs unless in extreme cases, and of these, few mothers should presume to judge. two drops of laudanum, says the london medical gazette, have been known to kill an infant; and a single drop, it is said, stole the life of a new born babe. "the most experienced medical men never administer medicines of this class to the very young, without exercising the utmost caution, and making the most accurate calculations. "in the present day, the more general diffusion of correct facts in physiology and pathology has caused a large class of young mothers to reject the old system of giving narcotic drugs to infants. in carrying out this salutary reformation like all other reformers, they have a strong opposition to contend with; old fashioned nurses do much harm in opposing all nursery reformations, consequently young mothers will have a hard task to execute. "too many have not the steady courage to hold on to the end in mild, but firm opposition to all erroneous, but well meant interference. but there are others whose pure and unswerving love for their tender off-spring keeps them firm to their duty; to these the next generation will owe much. they are the little band of true-hearted reformers, whose good example will be like leaven, spreading until its influence is felt throughout the wide circle of maternal responsibility." summer diseases. the food of children in summer, should be light and nourishing; if of milk, be careful that it is sweet. if you cannot get it fresh as often as you want it, boiling will keep it sweet. sour milk and improper food sometimes bring on the summer disease, which is easier prevented than cured. a little rhubarb tea or tincture, with a small quantity of prepared chalk, will sometimes check it in its early stages, but the most effectual medicine that i have tried is called by some apothecaries, "red mixture," of which i will give a recipe. chicken water, slightly salted, is very good; make but a little at a time, and have it fresh. rice gruel, sweetened with loaf-sugar, and a little nutmeg, is nourishing. to make a drink of slippery-elm, shave the bark fine and put it in water; strain it, mix it with milk, and sweeten it. elderberry and blackberry cordials are also good in cases where there is no fever. the stomach and back should be bathed with spirits, and a little bag of pounded spices, wet with spirits, applied to the stomach, may be used with safety, when not within reach of a physician. a bark jacket has been used with success in many instances, cut it out of fine muslin, to be double, spread it open, and cover one side with about two ounces of the best lima bark, and twelve pounded cloves; put on the other side, sew it up, and quilt it across; put on shoulder straps and strings of soft ribbon; sprinkle it with spirits twice a day. the child should have the benefit of the morning and evening air. if it is not convenient to ride it out, walking will answer, in the arms of a careful nurse, carried on a pillow, with an umbrella to protect its eyes from the light. when a child is taken sick in a city, removing it to the country often has a beneficial effect. milk thickened with arrow root is good diet for children. flour dried in an oven for several hours, and used to thicken milk or water, is also good, sweetened with loaf-sugar, and is nutritious. they should eat but a small portion of any thing at a time. to cut slices of lean fresh beef or mutton, put it in a bowl, and pour a pint of boiling water on it, and let it set close to the fire for an hour, is very good to give children occasionally, with but little salt; the stomach will sometimes retain this when other things are rejected. as thirst is an attendant on this disease, much salt should be avoided in all their food. every thing about a sick child should be kept clean, and its clothes well aired before changing them. if it is too ill to carry out of doors, have it changed from one room to another, and the apartment it left well aired. children who are afflicted with this disease, sometimes crave fruit. ripe peaches, fresh from the tree, or ripe apples, baked or roasted before the fire, may he occasionally administered in small quantities with perfect safety. to make toast-water, the bread should be toasted on both sides very dry, and boiling water poured on it. i hope these hints will be useful to persons that cannot procure a physician, which is often the case in the country. mustard whey. boil a pint of milk, and the same of water, with an ounce and a half of bruised mustard seed, until the curd separates--when strain the whey. this is a most desirable way of administering mustard; it warms and invigorates the system, promotes the different secretions, and in the low state of nervous fevers, will often supply the place of wine. it is also of use in chronic rheumatism, palsy and dropsy. red mixture. take sixteen grains of powdered rhubarb, thirty of soda, fifty of prepared chalk, and two drops of the oil of spearmint, mixed in a vial with two ounces of water; keep it corked up and shake it before giving a dose. a child of ten months old should take a tea-spoonful every three or four hours. if there is much pain, two drops of laudanum may be added to every other dose. a table-spoonful is a dose for a grown person. erysipelas. the decoction of sarsaparilla has proved useful in cases of erysipelas. take two ounces of sarsaparilla, one of sassafras, one of burdock root, and one of liquorice; boil them slowly in three pints of water, keeping it covered close, until reduced to one-half. take two table-spoonsful four times a day. while taking medicine for the erysipelas, meat and all strong food should be avoided, and every thing that has a tendency to inflame the blood. dusting the parts affected, with rye or buckwheat flour, sometimes has a cooling effect, and bathing with camphor or spirits will allay the irritation. nettle rash is very much like erysipelas, and the same treatment is good for both. slippery-elm bark, chipped, and let to stand in cold water till it becomes thick, is a very cooling drink. it may be filled up the second time. barley water is also a suitable drink. erysipelas is frequently brought on by violent exercise, and the perspiration being checked too suddenly. persons that have once had it, should avoid extremes of heat and cold, and pay strict attention to diet--not eating any thing that disagrees with them. all acids, particularly pickles, are improper. the stomach should be cleansed by emetics. small and frequent doses of senna and salts, if taken just at going to bed, will not occasion much sickness, and tend greatly to relieve the system of this unpleasant disease. where the case is slight, the rhubarb pills sometimes give relief. the pores of those that are subject to it are generally open, and flannel should be worn all the year, to prevent too sudden a check of perspiration. magnesia, charcoal and salts. form a valuable compound for family use: one ounce of each mixed together, and put in a wide-mouthed bottle; it is useful for head-ache, or diseases of the skin. cases of erysipelas have been cured by its continued use. take a tea-spoonful of the mixture, in a little water two or three times a day, or on going to bed at night. persons of sedentary occupations, that are in the habit of taking pills, will find it to their relief to use this simple remedy. it has been found beneficial in cases of tetter and ringworm in the head, using at the same time, as a wash on the part affected, borax dissolved in strong vinegar. in cases of erysipelas, the "charcoal mixture" has been used with great benefit; it is excellent for purifying the blood. take it in small doses for two or three weeks, then discontinue it, and take it again at intervals. if this medicine should be found unpleasant, take a tea-spoonful of jelly, or something of that kind after it. it will answer quite as well to keep the magnesia, charcoal and salts in separate bottles, and mix them just as you take the dose, taking about an even tea-spoonful of each. for dropsy. put a quarter of a pound of cream of tartar, and a pound of new nails, in a stone jug, with half a gallon of water, let it stand three or four days, occasionally shaking it; take a table spoonful three times a day, on an empty stomach, and half an hour after each dose, take two spoonsful of mustard seed or scraped horse-radish. if the swelling abates, you may take the medicine less frequently, or omit every other day, but do not leave it off until you are entirely cured. after it has stood some time, it becomes stronger, when you may put in more water. this has been highly recommended for the dropsy. another remedy. take a quart of gin, put into it one handful of the white buds of the common pine; shake it frequently, and take half a wine glassful at a time, twice a day, about an hour before a meal, and occasionally eat a little brown mustard seed; this should be persevered in, and has been known to afford great relief, in two obstinate cases. for rheumatism persons are liable to have the rheumatism from taking cold in the winter. where the pain is most violent, put on plasters of burgundy pitch, spread on leather. persons that are subject to it, should always keep pitch in the house to use, as it will give relief; a silk handkerchief tied round the joint, keeps it warm and relieves stiffness. if the pain is in the back part of the head, put a blister on the neck, by all means. when persons have a bad spell of rheumatism, they should always take medicine, and avoid eating meat for a few days. equal parts of rhubarb and castile soap, made into pills, with a little water, is a valuable medicine for rheumatism, and suits aged persons; the pills should be taken at night on going to bed. they are easily made, and should always be at hand: it is valuable as a cathartic in almost every case where mild medicine is necessary. the use of the shower bath is also beneficial. flannel should always be worn next the skin, and the feet kept dry. bathing with camphor sometimes relieves the pain, but there is a danger of driving it to a more vital part. salt and water is useful to bathe for the rheumatism, when it is of long-standing. deafness, remarks, &c. a remarkable case of deafness was cured by the following remedy: (an aged person, whose hearing had been very good, gradually became so deaf as not to be able to hear common conversation; after suffering some months, the patient thought of trying the following remedy:) of honey, brandy and sweet oil, each a tea-spoonful, warm and mix well together; sew a soft linen rag to the eye of a strong darning needle; dip this mop in the mixture while warm, and put it in the ear; hold it in till cold, when renew and move it gently about; by so doing, wax that had accumulated, hardened, and stopped the cavity, was discharged, and the hearing of the patient restored. wool should be worn in the ears, and an occasional use of the mixture; also flannel round the head at night. a young person was relieved by the persevering use of the following remedies: put a small blister of spanish flies behind the ears, very high up on the hard part, so as to be clear of the leaders (or it will occasion pain); when drawn, dress them in the usual way, and as soon as healed renew them; repeat this several times, keeping wool in the ears dipped in sweet oil, and at night put in small pieces of fat bacon that has been boiled, and tie a handkerchief around to keep them warm. when the blisters are healed, the hair should be cut short, to enable the patient to bathe the head in cold water, which should be poured from a pitcher; begin with it a little warm and gradually get it colder; this should be persevered in, even in cold weather; wipe the head and tie it up till dry. i have been induced to make these remedies public, by seeing several interesting young persons suffering from deafness, with a hope that they may be of use. remedy for sick head-ache. a table-spoonful of table salt; dissolved in a pint of water, as warm as you can drink it; take at two doses, and drink freely of luke-warm water, until it causes vomiting; put a hot brick to the feet, and avoid the air, which will check the perspiration. the oil of butter. _a remedy for dysentery, &c._ put half a pound of fresh butter in a quart of boiling water, to extract the salt; let it melt and boil up. if there should be any curds on the top, take them off, then skim off the clear butter, and keep it covered by the fire; give from one to two table-spoonsful at a time, three or four times a day. this is useful in cases of dysentery, and is also soothing to the stomach, after violent vomiting for a long time. sometimes a plaster of mustard put on the stomach stops vomiting. for dysentery and diarrhoea. the following prescription from an eminent physician has proved valuable: take of calcined magnesia two drachms, of aromatic spirits of ammonia two and a half drachms, of water half a pint, mix well together, and as a dose for a grown person, give a table-spoonful every half hour until relieved. some country nurses recommend dittany tea, or spice-wood berries boiled in new milk. a large poultice on the stomach and bowels, made of new milk, thickened with light bread, has given relief--keeping it warm. be careful to keep the patient's feet warm, and to bathe the back and stomach with spirits. where the dittany and spice-wood cannot be obtained, other aromatics, as cinnamon and cloves, are good substitutes. remedies for the dysentery and cholera morbus. take the roots of the low running blackberry or dewberry; make a strong tea; sweeten it, and drink it occasionally. take a large apple; cut out the core, and wrap in wet paper; cover it up in hot ashes, and when cooked, take off the paper and eat it cold. take one pint of good hard cider, that is entirely sound, put a table-spoonful of hot ashes into it, and stir it as soon as it settles; take a table-spoonful once every hour for a grown person, until relief is obtained. remedy for the ear-ache. mix a few drops of french brandy with sweet oil and a drop of laudanum, and pour it in the ear a little warm. another valuable remedy is to take a few wood lice, and stew them in a little lard, (which should be very pure,) for three or four minutes; then strain it and pour some in the ear before it gets cool. this gives almost immediate relief. the heart of a roasted onion put warm in the ear, and tie around the head a silk handkerchief, has given relief. a wash for sore ears. make a tea of the black or candle-alder, wet a soft rag with it, and lay it on; it should be applied three times a day, and occasionally wash it with castile soap and water. the patient should take a mild purgative. if the ears are very much inflamed, there should be a bread and milk poultice put on occasionally. elder ointment is also beneficial. weak eyes. make a strong decoction of chamomile flowers, by boiling them in new milk; with this bathe the eyes several times a day--continue it for several weeks; to bathe the eyes in cold water before going to rest, is also good. pure rye whiskey is very good to bathe weak eyes. persons that are afflicted with sore eyes, have often been benefitted by putting a small blister behind the ears, very high up on the hard part, so as to avoid the leaders. infants should not be exposed to the light too soon; it sometimes weakens the sight and seriously injures the eyes. the pith of sassafras put in water, is good to bathe inflamed eyes; a decoction of young hyson tea is also used with benefit. persons afflicted with weak eyes should avoid a strong light, and should not strain their eyes with reading or sewing at night. i have known small doses of "charcoal mixture," relieve the eyes when there was slight inflammation. attention to diet is necessary. fold a linen handkerchief, dip it in cold water, and bind it over the eyes at night on retiring, and you will experience relief. pain in the eyeballs is also relieved, by gently rubbing the finger and thumb over the lids towards the nose. this was published some years since, and i have known it give relief and strengthen the eyes. for worms. equal parts of salt and sugar, taken while fasting, are good for worms; a tea-spoonful is sufficient for a child two years old; to take half a cup of chamomile, rue or wormwood tea, with a little sugar, two hours before breakfast, is also good. give a dose of senna after they have been taking this three days. it is very important to bruise garlic and rue, to apply to the stomach; put it in a bag, and wet it with spirits every day. the garlic and rue is said to keep the worms out of the stomach. wormseed oil, a few drops at a time, has given relief, but should be used cautiously. old cheese grated and given to a child, has been known to afford relief: it is also beneficial when a child is seized with sudden illness from having eaten too many cherries. for tooth-ache. reduce two drachms of alum to a very fine powder, and mix with it seven drachms of nitrous spirits of ether; apply it to the tooth. alum burnt on a hot shovel, and powdered, is sometimes good; also half a drop of the oil of cinnamon, on a piece of cotton or lint, where the tooth is hollow. cayenne pepper on cotton, and moistened with spirits of camphor, has been known to afford relief. a poultice of hops applied to the cheek, or a piece of raw cotton with red pepper dusted on it, or a mustard plaster, will relieve a swelling which proceeds from tooth-ache. cure for cholera morbus. put a table-spoonful of hot ashes in half a pint of good hard cider, and give the patient three table-spoonsful of it at a time. this has given relief in half an hour. another cure is to take a soft cork and hum it thoroughly; when it ceases to blaze, powder the coal very fine on a plate. mix a table-spoonful of this powder with a little milk or water, or any thing agreeable to the palate; repeat the dose till the disorder ceases, which it generally does after two or three doses. this has given relief to a person in the greatest agony with the bilious colic. for colic. drink strong ginger tea, while hot, and put hot bricks to the stomach and feet; if this does not give relief, take a dose of rhubarb or castor oil. persons subject to the colic should keep a piece of ginger about them to chew after eating; wear flannel next the skin, and be careful to keep the feet dry: they should avoid strong coffee and tea, and eat nothing that disagrees with them. dry toast without butter, and crackers, are good for persons that have the colic. for violent cases, take two table-spoonsful of brandy, and half a tea-spoonful of black pepper. for bilious colic and indigestion. pour three quarts of boiling water on a quart of hickory ashes and a tea-cup of soot; let it stand a day, then filter it, and if the complaint is bad, take a wine-glassful before and after each meal. this has been very beneficial to persons with the above complaint. warner's cordial for gout in the stomach. take one ounce of rhubarb, two drachms of senna, two of fennel seed, two of coriander seed, one of saffron, and one of liquorice; stone and cut half a pound of good raisins, and put all in a quart of good spirits; let it stand in a warm place for ten days, shaking it every day; then strain it off and add a pint more spirits to the same ingredients; when all the strength is extracted, strain it and mix the first and last together. take from two to four spoonsful of this cordial in as much boiling water as will make it as hot as you can take it; if the pain is not removed in half an hour, repeat the dose, and if your stomach will not retain it, add ten drops of laudanum. dr. warner remarks, "after twenty years' experience of this medicine in myself and others, it is impossible for me to speak of it in terms higher than it deserves. when the vital parts are affected, persons subject to the gout should never sleep without it in their chamber." cure for tetter. take one tea-spoonful of powdered spanish flies, put them in half a pint of french brandy; wash the part affected occasionally. this has been highly recommended to me, as a remedy for tetter on the hands, but i have never seen it tried. for cramp in the stomach. dissolve a tea-spoonful of table salt, in a tea-cup of warm water; if this does not stop the vomiting and cramp, repeat the dose; this is very useful in stopping the operation of an emetic, when it has continued too long. flannel cloths dipped in hot spirits, and sprinkled with cayenne pepper, and applied to the stomach, sometimes relieves the pain; a mustard plaster is also of use. for cramp. a foot-board to the bedstead is of great service, when you are taken with the cramp in the night, and by placing the foot against it, will sometimes give relief. another remedy is to tie a string round the limb, between the body and the pain, about as tight as a physician does to draw blood; wear a bandage filled with pounded brimstone round the limb, to prevent a return of it. sometimes to hold a roll of brimstone in each hand will relieve the cramp, and persons subject to it should keep some by the bed-side to use in the night. for scalds and burns. when persons are badly scalded or burned, to put raw cotton on immediately, and wet it with spirits, is very good; other remedies are, linseed oil and lime water; starch and cream; scraped potatoes, molasses, and eggs beaten up and put on immediately. almost any thing will relieve the pain, that excludes the air. be careful not to break the skin, as it will be longer in healing. if a foot is scalded, pour cold water over it and cut the stocking. you should be careful to use linen rags about a burn, as cotton rags cause irritation. after the place begins to heal up, a salve may be applied, made of equal parts of burgundy pitch, beeswax, sheep's tallow, and sweet oil, melted together over the fire; renew it twice a day, washing the place each time with milk and water, and a little castile soap. a wash of weak sugar of lead water, is also good for burns. a poultice of powdered elm bark mixed with water, and put on frequently, wetting the sore with thick cream, is also soothing; be careful that the limb does not contract, as there is great danger if the sinews are affected. if there should be fever, a mild cathartic should be given. "comstock's pain extractor" sometimes gives great relief; you may also apply immediately, with benefit, a tea-spoonful of air-slaked lime and a table-spoonful of lard; sift the lime and rub them well together. for a burn by vitriol or any caustic substance, apply whites of eggs mixed with powdered chalk, putting it on with a feather. linen rags dipped in cold water and changed every few minutes, i have known applied day and night to give relief to a bad burn on the foot; but avoid putting the foot in water, although it gives present relief, it is dangerous. for ague. take half an ounce of coarsely powdered race ginger, infused in three gills of boiling water; when cool, strain and sweeten it; and for a dose give a heaped tea-spoonful of peruvian bark, in a wine-glassful of the ginger tea, every two hours during the absence of the fever. to one ounce of best peruvian bark, add two ounces of cloves powdered, and a half an ounce of cream of tartar; mix them well, and give two tea-spoonsful at a time every two hours: when clear of fever, begin at four in the morning, and give it until twelve at noon. wormwood seed, a heaped tea-spoonful in a cup of water, as a dose, is also good. a third recipe is to take two ounces of best lima bark, twelve heaped tea-spoonsful of magnesia, to be well mixed together, and divided into twelve doses. take four doses on each well day, at intervals of four hours each, this has cured a number who had suffered with ague a long time. chilblains. put as much alum in hot water as will make it very strong, put the feet in when it is as hot as can be borne, and keep them in till it is cold, warm it over, and soak them every evening till they are entirely cured, by beginning in time, it need only be applied two or three times. when blisters are formed, take one ounce of camphor, one of sheep's tallow, and one of sweet oil, stew them together gently till it becomes an ointment, and rub the feet with it. take an ounce of glue, and melt it in a pint of hot water over the fire, stir it until the glue is dissolved, pour it out and dip the part that is affected in this dilution until the uneasiness or burning is allayed, which is mostly in a few minutes. lockjaw. if lock-jaw is apprehended from a scratch or wound, bathe the injured part frequently with weak ley, or warm pearl ash water, make a poultice by boiling bitter herbs in weak ley, and thicken it with corn-meal; put a little grease in just as you put it on. bacon skin and the rind of fresh pork bound tightly on, are said to be good. falls. if a child receives a fall, examine every part, and rub your hand on its back to tell if any part is injured. there are instances of persons being cripples for life, from receiving a hurt, that was not known of at the time. to rub with camphor and sweet oil, and bathe the child in warm water, is soothing. for the bite of a spider. moisten a slice of wheat bread with sugar of lead, or pearl-ash water; bind it on, and keep wetting it as it becomes dry. if the place swells very much, take a table-spoonful of sweet oil every hour, till it is relieved. to drink water with salaeratus dissolved in it has been useful. for the sting of a bee. rub the place with hartshorn or salaeratus water, immediately after it is stung, to prevent it from swelling; bruised peach leaves bound on, are also good, and laudanum, where it is very painful. if it swells very much, apply a poultice of onions and cream, or ley and bitter herbs. for bruises. the oil of st. johnswort applied on lint, is an excellent remedy for bruises, and if used immediately will prevent the blood from settling on the place; when children get their fingers or toes mashed, this is very good, and soon gives relief; salt butter is also very good. the leaves of the jamestown weed, mashed with cream, are good for a stone-bruise. for felons. make a poultice of quick lime slaked in soft soap, and bind it on the finger; renew it every half hour. the leaves of jamestown weed, bruised with cream or lard, are also good. also, roast coarse salt in a piece of wet brown paper, or a cabbage leaf, about twenty minutes; when cool, pound it and mix it with resin soap; bind it on the felon; it is said to be a certain cure. the white of egg, with unslaked lime, has been known to give immediate relief. for a sprained limb. strong vinegar and salt, put on brown paper, will soon cure a slight sprain, if applied frequently. if very painful, a bath should be made of bitter herbs, bran and vinegar, put on as hot as you can bear it. great care should be taken not to use the limb too soon after it has been sprained. some sprains of several months' standing have been greatly relieved by taking several electric shocks a day. st. johnswort oil is good to rub on a sprained limb. for a sprained ancle. of chalk, soft soap, salt, and brandy, take a spoonful each, and add the white of an egg; beat the mixture, and spread it on raw cotton, and apply it at once, when it will generally afford relief; and after repeatedly changing, it may be left off in twenty-four hours. the ancle is often weak when recovering, and benefit is derived from pouring cold water on it from a pitcher held high above you. tallow and salt, mixed and spread on a piece of muslin, are good for a sprain. cuts or wounds, &c. when cuts bleed very much, tie a handkerchief tight above the wound, or place a finger on it until you can get a physician: in the country, persons should be supplied with a surgical needle and adhesive plaster, and have lint scraped and linen rags in a convenient place. balsam apple put in a bottle when fresh, and whiskey poured on it, is an excellent application for fresh cute or bruises. for the stick of a needle or pin, try to make it bleed, and hold the finger in strong vinegar and salt, as hot as you can bear it, this will prevent a gathering. a mashed finger should be held in hot water a few minutes. no. is a most valuable remedy for cuts or wounds; bind a linen rag over the cut, and pour on the no. . for tetter, warts, &c. dig up the pocoon root that grows in the woods, wash and slice it, and put it in a bottle with strong vinegar; bathe the parts with it several times a day. celandine root is also good, used in the same way, and either of them will remove warts and ringworms. poisons, accidents, &c. these are valuable remedies, and should hold a place in the memory of every one, if possible. mix a spoonful of powdered mustard in a tumbler of warm water, and drink it immediately; it acts as an emetic, and has proved effectual where an ounce of poison had been taken into the stomach. where the skin is poisoned, use a wash of smartweed steeped in water, or mix soot and cream, and apply it frequently; bruised jamestown weed and cream is also good. if you have been exposed to poisonous plants, wash your face and hands immediately in salt and vinegar, or salt and water. when "corrosive sublimate," has been swallowed, the whites of two eggs taken immediately will neutralize the poison, and change the effect to that of a dose of calomel. persons struck by lightning should be laid on the ground, and pour water over them till life is restored. when "oil of vitriol" or "aqua fortis" have been swallowed in large quantities, sweet oil should he taken, (as much as can be retained on the stomach.) for "oxalic acid," give magnesia or chalk and water. for "tartar emetic," give peruvian bark and water, (or a strong decoction of green tea, if you have not the bark.) for "saltpetre," give an emetic of mustard seed with water, and afterwards elm bark mucilage, and small doses of laudanum. this is also good in cases where arsenic has been swallowed. when a child has swallowed a cent, pin or needle, give it the white of egg immediately; this forms a coating round the metal, and prevents injury in most cases; then give moderate doses of medicine, such as castor oil or salts. when a fish bone has been swallowed, take the white of an egg, which will help to carry it down the throat; also cut a hard crust of bread. insects taken into the stomach, may generally be destroyed by taking a small quantity of vinegar and salt. when insects get into the ears, use a little salad oil, or melted lard. tar ointment for the "milk crust." take a quarter of a pound of lard, and the same of sheep's tallow, three table-spoonsful of tar, an even spoonful of sulphur, an ounce of white turpentine, a lump of beeswax the size of a hickory-nut, the same quantity of powdered resin and scraped chalk, a tea-cupful of the inside bark of elder, a little celandine, southern wood, and english mallows; bruise the herbs, and put them on to boil, with the lard and tallow, and a little water to keep it from burning; when all the strength is out, strain them, and put the grease back in the pot, with the tar, and add the other ingredients a little at a time, and stir till all is melted; then strain it in a jar, and keep it covered for use. tar ointment is good for ringworms in the head, which some children have, and has cured children where the head and face was covered with what is called the "milk crust." before it is applied, the place should be washed with milk and water, and a gentle purgative should be administered occasionally. rhubarb tea is good for this purpose. if it is wanted in the winter, when you cannot get all the herbs green, dried ones will do; and when made, it will keep good several years. if there is much hair on the head of a child, it should be cut off before this is put on. it is very dangerous to give infants that are affected with the milk crust, calomel, or any strong medicine. they should he carried out in the air occasionally, and not kept all the time in a warm nursery; sometimes a change of food is attended with a good result. there have been instances of infants dying very suddenly, where powerful medicines had been administered. hop ointment. take a table-spoonful of the yellow dust of hops, and put it in three spoonsful of melted lard, and mix it well; put it away in a cup for use. this has proved beneficial in cases of swelling of the breast; when cold has been taken, it will sometimes backen gatherings; bathe the place with a warm hand several times a day, and keep flannel over it. young mothers should keep this ready, as it is much better than preparations of camphor, which are injurious. precipitate ointment, &c. take one ounce of venice turpentine, half an ounce of powdered precipitate, half a pound of lard, and two table-spoonsful of cold water; mix the turpentine and precipitate together with a knife; then add the lard and water, a little at a time, till it is well mixed; then put it in little boxes. this is useful to dry up a breaking out on the face or hands; care should be taken while using it, not to take cold. camphor dissolved in alcohol, or any white spirits, is very good to use on pimples on the face. blister ointment. sometimes after a blister has been drawn with cabbage leaves, it becomes very sore and inflamed; a salve may be made of the leaves of evergreen, (a plant which grows in gardens with a thick leaf;) pound the leaves, and stew them in cream or sweet lard; spread it on a fine linen rag, and apply it to the blister after it has been washed with milk and water. another salve for blisters is to bruise the leaves of the english mallows with a little southern wood; stew them in sweet lard until they are crisp, and strain it; apply it three times a day. this is good to heal a burn. lily ointment. gather the flowers of the sweet white lily, while they are fresh, and stew them in sweet lard. this is good for a swelling, or sore. elder ointment for burns, &c. after peeling off the outside bark of the elder, scraps off the green bark that is under, and stew it in lard till it is crisp; then strain it in a jar, and put it away to heal a blister or burn, or an old sore. st. johnswort ointment, and its uses. gather the yellow flowers of st. johnswort while in full bloom; put them in a wide-mouthed bottle, and fill it with equal quantities of lard and sweet oil; tie a skin over it, and hang it in the sun for a month; then strain it, put it back in the bottle, and cork it up. this is one of the most effectual remedies for bruises, or for a mashed foot or hand. it should always be kept where there is a family of children. ointment for mortification. take the berries, leaves and bark of the black alder, and bruise them well in a mortar; stew them in lard for an hour, stirring all the time; then strain it, and add a small piece of beeswax. a poultice can be made for mortification, of the berries, leaves and bark of black alder, boiled in sweet cream, and thickened with wheat bread. another good poultice may be made of the inmost bark of sassafras root, pounded and boiled in weak ley, and thickened with corn meal. the patient should drink tea made of the roots of sassafras and burdock. bread and milk, and flaxseed poultices. boil half a pint of sweet milk, and thicken it with crumbs of bread; let it boil till soft. this is the mildest poultice that can be made. a tea-cup of flaxseed boiled till soft, requires no addition to make a good poultice. hop poultice, and its uses. boil a handful of hops in a pint of water till very soft; when thicken it with corn meal. this is very good for a sore throat, tooth-ache, or swelled face. onion poultice. slice the onions and boil them in water till very soft; then mash and boil them with milk and some crumbs of bread. this will draw a bile or gathering to a head very soon. lily root poultice. pound the roots of the sweet white lily, and put them on to boil in rich milk; when soft, thicken it with crumbs of bread. this is a most valuable poultice for a gathering, and has given relief in many instances where the suffering was great. cream poultice. put to boil a tea-cup of cream; mix two spoonsful of flour in milk, and stir in when it boils. ley poultice. tie a spoonful of ashes in a rag, and boil it in a pint of water for fifteen minutes, with some catnip or life-everlasting; when the herbs are soft, take out the ashes, and thicken it with corn meal; spread some grease over as you apply it. adhesive plaster. take three pounds of resin, one-quarter of a pound of beeswax, one-quarter of a pound of mutton tallow, melt together in an iron pan; then pour out about one-third into a bucket of water, turn up the edges until you can take hold with the hands and pull it as you would shoemakers' wax: grease papers and put the plaster on them for use; you may then pour out the rest and treat it in the same way. a valuable salve for burns and other sores. take of high mallows, heal-all, night shade, and elder bark, a large handful, and about half the quantity of jamestown weed; boil them for several hours; strain off the liquid, and add to it one pound of beeswax, one pound of mutton tallow, one pound of resin, half a pound of lard; boil them slowly for about two hours, and let it cool on the liquid. this salve will do to apply immediately to a burn or scald, or after other remedies have been used; it is also good to heal old sores or gatherings. deshler's salve for gatherings or sores. take half a pound of sheep's suet, the same of resin and beeswax, a quarter of a pound of thick turpentine, and half a pint of linseed oil; pound the resin, and cut the beeswax and suet; put them over the fire with the other ingredients, and keep stirring till they are mixed, but do not let them boil; put it in a jar, and tie it up. it is good for burns, biles, gathered breasts, &c. salve for corns, or bunions. take a pint of sweet oil, half a pound of red lead, two ounces of venice turpentine, two of beeswax, and one of white turpentine; boil the oil and red lead in brass or bell-metal till they turn brown, stirring it constantly; have the wax and white turpentine sliced, and put them in by degrees; take it off the fire, and stir till all is melted; then add the venice turpentine, and continue to stir till it is cold; when dip your hands in cold water, and make it out in rolls about two inches long; wrap each roll up in paper, and keep them in a box. after soaking and scraping the corn, bind it on, spread on a soft rag. to warm a small piece of common adhesive plaster and apply it, gives almost immediate relief. sassafras poultice. take the bark of the root and mash, or pound it; boil it in a little water, and take out the bark, and thicken it with crumbs of bread, and milk. balsam apple in spirits. cut a ripe balsam apple in small pieces, and fill a bottle with it; pour holland gin on it. this retains its strength for years, and is useful to take a few drops at a time for the colic; it is also valuable to apply with sugar to a cut or wound. cure for bites. use equal quantities of resin soap, brown sugar, and powdered resin, worked well together, with a few drops of molasses. a poultice of onions, sassafras, or bread and milk may be used with advantage. for mosquito bites, apply spirits of hartshorn and camphor. for scurvy of the gums. take a quarter of an ounce of bark, and a piece of new lime the size of a hazle-nut; put them in a bottle with half a pint of water; wash the mouth with this three times a day. for an infant's sore mouth. make a strong sage tea; put in a little bark and borax or alum, with honey to sweeten it; cork it up in a vial, and wash the child's gums with it three times a day, using a fresh rag every time. for affection of the kidneys. boil some onions soft, mash, and apply them where the pain is seated. this has given great relief. for a gathering on a finger. mix together equal parts of castile soap and chalk; wet it with camphor, and bind it on, or dip the finger in honey and camphorated spirits, as hot as you can bear. a little burnt alum put on lint is good; also a bread and milk poultice, with pounded sassafras root stewed in it, and renewed frequently. honey and camphor mixed is useful for gatherings that have been of long standing. take of the following ingredients a tea-spoonful each: black pepper powdered finely, ginger, spirits of camphor, laudanum, and honey; beat them well with the yelk of an egg, and thicken with rye flour, or if you cannot obtain rye, corn and wheat flour mixed will answer; this will form a soft poultice, and should be applied in sufficient quantity to keep moist, and changed once a day. i have known this to cure several gatherings that threatened to be severe. huxham's bark tincture. take two ounces of bark, three drachms of virginia snake root, one ounce of orange peel, and one quart of good spirits; set it in a warm place, and shake it daily for two weeks; then pour it off, and add a pint more spirits to the ingredients. this is very useful to take, when recovering from the ague or bilious fever, or in the fall of the year; when these are apprehended, take two tea-spoonsful a day, before breakfast and dinner. wine bitters for debility, &c. take two ounces of chamomile flowers, two of centaury flowers, one of iron filings, and an ounce and a half of jesuit's bark; put these in two quarts of good wine, and set it in the sun three days, shaking; it frequently. half a wine-glass of this taken, twice a day, with water, is useful in cases of debility, where there is no fever. chamomile, and wormwood teas, are both excellent tonics, as is also wild cherry tree bark, made in strong tea, and taken cold. spice wood berries. boil in a pint of new milk, a table-spoonful of bruised spice wood berries. this has a very healing effect in cases of dysentery, and summer disease in children. spiced rhubarb. take two ounces of rhubarb, half an ounce of cloves, the same of cinnamon, and quarter of an ounce of mace; stew them in a pint and a half of water till one half is evaporated; then strain it and add half a pint of good spirits. two tea-spoonsful is a dose for a child a year old, with the summer disease, and two table-spoonsful for a grown person. for chapped lips. put a tea-cupful of rich cream over some coals to stew with three table-spoonsful of powdered loaf-sugar. this has a healing effect. another remedy, equally good, is to a tea-cupful of honey, add half the quantity of mutton tallow, and stew together till well mixed; pour it out in a cup, and keep stirring till cold. for chapped hands, mix together equal quantities of rich cream and strong vinegar, and rub it over every time you wash your hands. bathing. almost every family, even if their circumstances be moderate, can have a shower bath; they may save the expense, by improved health and strength; one bucket full of cold water is sufficient. you should wear on the head an oil-cloth cap. for a person in strong health, the bath may be taken on first rising in the morning; but for one disposed to be delicate, two or three hours after breakfast is the most proper time. to produce warmth, rub the person with a crash towel, or horse hair glove. you should be careful to take some exercise after the bath, or you will be more liable to take cold. never take a bath soon after a meal, as that is injurious. persons subject to colds, sore throat, rheumatism, sick head-ache, nervous disease, or general debility, have been greatly benefited by the daily use of the shower bath. children that are oppressed with heat are much refreshed, and will rest well after a bath; the water should be moderated for them. infants should be bathed every morning in a tub of water about milk warm, and may be very early accustomed to its use; they will become fond of it, and are less liable to take cold from exposure to the air. they generally take a refreshing nap after coming out of the bath. they should not be allowed to remain in more than five or ten minutes; should be well wiped with a soft towel, and then rubbed with flannel and dressed; their clothes being warmed to prevent a chill. elderberry jam for colds, &c. a quart of nicely picked elderberries, to a pound of loaf-sugar and a tea-cup of water; let them boil slowly for an hour. if you prefer it without the seeds, strain the berries after boiling them for a few minutes, before you add the sugar. this is useful and agreeable for colds, taken through the day, or at night, when the cough is troublesome. it is said also to purify the blood, and is taken to prevent erysipelas. black currant jelly, a remedy for sore throat. take ripe black currants, mash and strain them, and to every pint of the juice, add a pound of loaf-sugar; boil it until it becomes a jelly. it is valuable for sore throats. quince seeds dried, and boiling water poured on them, make a useful gargle for sore throat. lavender compound. pick the lavender blossoms, and put them in a bottle, with a few blades of mace, and some cloves; fill up the bottle with good spirits, and let it stand corked up, till all the strength is extracted; when strain it off, and color it with a little cochineal. food for the sick. remarks on preparing food for the sick. few young persons understand cooking for the sick. it is very important to know how to prepare their food in an inviting manner; every thing should be perfectly clean and nice. avoid giving an invalid any thing out of a cup that has been used before; even if it is medicine, it will not be so hard to take out of a clean cup. it is well to have a stand or small table by the bed-side, that you can set any thing on. a small silver strainer that will just fit over a tumbler or tea-cup, is very useful to strain lemonade, panada or herb tea. if you want any thing to use through the night, you should prepare it, if possible, beforehand; as a person that is sick, can sometimes fall asleep without knowing it, if the room is _kept perfectly still._ boiled custard. beat an egg with a heaped tea-spoonful of sugar; stir it into a tea-cupful of boiling milk, and stir till it is thick; pour it in a bowl on a slice of toast cut up, and grate a little nutmeg over. panada. put some crackers, crusts of dry bread or dried rusk, in a sauce-pan with cold water, and a few raisins; after it has boiled half an hour, put in sugar, nutmeg, and half a glass of wine, if the patient has no fever. if you have dried rusk, it is a quicker way to put the rusk in a bowl with some sugar, and pour boiling water on it out of the tea-kettle. if the patient can take nothing but liquids, this makes a good drink when strained. egg panada. boil a handful of good raisins in a quart of water; toast a slice of bread and cut it up; beat two eggs with a spoonful of sugar, and mix it with the bread; when the raisins are done, pour them on the toast and eggs, stirring all the time; season to your taste with wine, nutmeg and butter. oat-meal gruel. mix two spoonsful of oat-meal, with as much water as will mix it easily, and stir it in a pint of boiling water in a sauce-pan until perfectly smooth; let it boil a few minutes; season it with sugar and nutmeg, and pour it out on a slice of bread toasted and cut up, or some dried rusk. if the patient should like them, you can put in a few raisins, stoned and cut up. this will keep good a day, and if nicely warmed over, is as good as when fresh. corn gruel. mix two spoonsful of sifted corn-meal in some water; have a clean skillet with a pint of boiling water in it; stir it in, and when done, season it with salt to your taste, or sugar, if you prefer it; arrow-root. moisten two tea-spoonsful of powdered arrow-root with water, and rub it smooth with a spoon; then pour on half a pint of boiling water; season it with lemon juice, or wine and nutmeg. in cooking arrow-root for children, it is a very good way to make it very thick, and thin it afterwards with milk. sago. wash, the sago, (allowing two table-spoonsful to a quart of water,) and soak it an hour; boil it slowly till it thickens; sweeten it with loaf-sugar, and season it with wine or lemon juice. tapioca jelly. wash the tapioca well, and let it soak for several hours in cold water; put it in a sauce-pan with the same water, and let it boil slowly till it is clear and thick; then season it with wine and loaf-sugar. the pearl tapioca will require less time to soak, and no washing. allow three table-spoonsful of tapioca to a quart of water. milk porridge. put half a pint of milk, and the same of water, in a sauce-pan to boil; mix two spoonsful of wheat flour in milk till very smooth, and stir in when it boils; keep stirring it five minutes, when pour it in a bowl and season with salt. barley water. boil two table-spoonsful of barley in a quart of water; it is a cooling drink in fevers. if the weather is cold, you can make a larger quantity. some boil whole raisins with barley; take it with or without seasoning. to poach eggs. put a pint of water in a clean skillet, with a little butter and salt; when it boils, break two eggs in a plate, and put them in; in about a minute, take them up on a plate, in which there is a slice of bread toasted and buttered. this is a very delicate way of cooking eggs. barley panada. boil a small tea-cup of barley in water till it is soft, with a tea-cup of raisins; put in nutmeg and sugar, and break in it toast or dried rusk. calf's foot blancmange. put a set of nicely cleaned feet in four quarts of water, and let it boil more than half away; strain through a colander, and when it is cold, scrape off all the fat, and take out that which settles at the bottom; put it in a sauce-pan, with a quart of new milk, sugar to your taste, lemon peel and juice, and cinnamon or mace; let it boil ten minutes and strain it; wet your moulds, and when it is nearly cold put it in them; when it is cold and stiff it can be turned out on a plate, and eaten with or without cream. this is very nice for a sick person, and is easily made. cream toast. cut a slice of stale bread, and wet it with cream; toast it slowly and butter it; this is very nice for an invalid, and an agreeable change. milk toast &c. boil a tea-cup of milk, and put in a spoonful of butter; toast a slice of bread and moisten it with water, then pour on the boiling milk. this is very good for sick persons, and can be eaten without much exertion. in making water-toast, the butter should be melted in boiling water, and put on while hot. to stew dried beef. chip some beef very thin, pour hot water on it, and let it stand a minute or two, then drain it off, and stew it in a skillet with a little cream and butter. if it is preferred dry, it may be fried in butter alone. to stew ham, &c. cut a slice of ham into small pieces, and pour boiling water on it; let it soak a few minutes to extract the salt, and stew it in a little water; just before it is done, put in some cream and parsley. if you broil ham that is uncooked, it should always be soaked in water a few minutes. to stew chickens or birds. when sick persons are tired of broiled chickens, or birds, it is well to stew them for a change; the wing, with part of the breast of a chicken, will make a meal; stew it in a little water, and put in parsley, cream, pepper and salt, just as it is done. chicken water. if you have a small chicken, it will take half of it to make a pint of chicken water. cut it up and put it to boil in a covered skillet with a quart of water; when it has boiled down to a pint, take it up, and put in a little salt and slice of toasted bread. this is valuable in cases of dysentery and cholera morbus, particularly when made of old fowls. beef feet. soak the feet and have them nicely cleaned; boil them slowly, and take off the scum as it rises; when they are soft and tender, take them up, and separate the bones from the glutinous part, which is very nice for a sick person, and conveys nutriment in a form that will hardly disagree with the most delicate stomach, and has been, taken when nearly all other food was rejected; a few drops of vinegar, and a little salt, renders it more palatable. beef tea, &c. take a piece of juicy beef, without any fat, cut it in small pieces, bruise it till tender, put it in a wide-mouthed bottle, and cork it tight; put this in a pot of cold water, set it over the fire, and let it boil an hour or more. when a person can take but a small quantity of nourishment, this is very good. mutton may be done in the same way. mutton and veal broth. boil a piece of mutton till it comes to pieces; then strain the broth, and let it get cold, so that the fat will rise, which must be taken off; then warm it, and put in a little salt. veal broth may be made in the same way, and is more delicate for sick persons. wine whey. boil a pint of milk, and put to it a glass of white wine; set it over the fire till it just boils again, then set it off till the curd has settled, when strain it, and sweeten to your taste. rennet whey. warm a pint of milk, but do not let it get too hot, or it will spoil the taste of the whey. wash the salt from a piece of rennet the size of a dollar, and put it in the milk; when it turns, take out the rennet; wash and put it in a cup of water, and it will do to use again to make whey. if you have rennet in a bottle of wine, two tea-spoonsful of it will make a quart of whey; but if the person has fever, it is best to make it without wine. mulled jelly. take a table-spoonful of currant or grape jelly, and beat with it the white of an egg, and a little loaf-sugar; pour on it half a pint of boiling water, and break in a slice of dry toast, or two crackers. mulled wine. beat together an egg, a glass of wine, and a spoonful of sugar; pour on it half a pint of hot water; stir all the time to keep it from curdling, and when you pour it in a tumbler, grate a little nutmeg over it. toast water. cut slices of bread very thin, and toast dry, but do not let it burn; put it in a pitcher, and pour boiling water on it. toast water will allay thirst better than almost any thing else. if it is wanted to drink through the night, it should always be made early in the evening. apple water, &c. roast two apples, mash them and pour a pint of water on them; or slice raw apples, and pour boiling water on them. tamarinds, currant or grape jelly, cranberries, or dried fruit of any kind, make a good drink. coffee. sick persons should have their coffee made separate from the family, as standing in the tin pot spoils the flavor. put two tea-spoonsful of ground coffee in a small mug, and pour boiling water on it; let it set by the fire to settle, and pour it off in a cup, with sugar and cream. care should be taken that there are no burnt grains. chocolate. to make a cup of chocolate, grate a large tea-spoonful in a mug, and pour a tea-cup of boiling water on it; let it stand covered by the fire a few minutes, when you can put in sugar and cream. black tea. black tea is much more suitable than green for sick persons, as it does not affect the nerves. pat a tea-spoonful in a pot that will hold about two cups, and pour boiling water on it. let it set by the fire to draw five or ten minutes. rye mush. this is a nourishing and light diet for the sick, and is by some preferred to mush made of indian meal. four large spoonsful of rye flour mixed smooth in a little water, and stirred in a pint of boiling water; let it boil twenty minutes, stirring frequently. nervous persons who sleep badly, rest much better after a supper of corn, or rye mush, than if they take tea or coffee. domestics. hints on the management of domestics, &c. some families are always changing their domestics, and weary their friends with complaints of those they have, and inquiries for others. deliberate before you make a change; if servants are honest, speak the truth, and have an obliging disposition, it is better to bear with a few defects, than to discharge them; these are qualifications for the foundation of a good servant; and some of the most valuable i have had, were such as could hardly be put up with at first. by being patient, and speaking to them in a kind manner, they become attached and fearful of doing any thing to offend. when they break any thing, or an accident occurs, accustom them to inform you of it immediately. few mistresses, of well regulated minds, will be offended when openly told of accidents; but if they are left to be found out, you always feel more disposed to blame and reprove them. by speaking to them in a mild and forgiving manner, careless servants will become more careful. a considerate mistress may, without loss of dignity, make them feel that she regards it as her duty to be their friend, and that she feels herself under an obligation to advise them in difficulties and promote their comfort. we should reflect that theirs is a life of servitude, and if they over-exert themselves, or are too much exposed in early life, it will bring on disease that will shorten their days, or render old age a burden. some young persons are too indolent to wait on themselves, and ring for the servants on the most trifling occasions; when if they were accustomed to perform these little offices, their health would be much better, and we should not hear of so many complaints, the result of want of exercise. all female servants should have time to attend to their clothing; many have to work so hard through the day that their only leisure is at night, and then they hurry over their things in a careless manner. where your circumstances permit, a good man-servant is a valuable acquisition; and they are sometimes more easily governed than females. if mistresses were better informed, they would not complain so much of the ignorance and awkwardness of their domestics. always give them their orders in time. if a new dish is to be cooked, superintend its preparation yourself. if you are capable of directing, a cook will soon learn to do without your constant attention. if they are slow in their movements, insist on their beginning early to prepare a meal, so that there will be time sufficient for every thing to be done properly. if you expect company, have every thing prepared, that can be done with safety, the day previous. in summer there are but few things that can be done without risk of spoiling: a ham or tongue may he washed ready to boil; castors and salt-stands put in order, and pastry or dessert prepared, that will not spoil by being kept a day. in winter, many things can be kept for days in a state of preparation for cooking; and it greatly assists the work of the family, to have every thing done beforehand. do with as few domestics as possible; assist with the work yourself, rather than keep one too many. those that take orphan children to bring up, are often rewarded for their trouble; as sometimes a girl of fifteen will be more useful than one much older: and where a family is small it does very well, but in large families, a little girl is so often called from her work, that it has a tendency to unsettle and make her careless. never allow your children to call on or interrupt servants when at their work or meals, to do any thing which a child could do for itself; children that treat domestics with respect, will generally find them willing to render any assistance in their power. i have known a few housekeepers, who have kept the same servants for years, who have assisted in rearing the children, until they almost viewed them as their own, and these were not faultless. if they had been discharged for trifles, they might have wandered, from one family to another, without being attached to any, until they became so indifferent, as not to be worthy of employ, but by the kindness and patience of their employer, they became so grateful and attached, as to be a treasure to her family. when they become weary of such constant servitude, would it not be better, instead of discharging, to give them time for rest and recreation in visiting their friends? i have known them to return, renewed in health and spirits. encourage them to lay by as much of their wages as they can possibly spare, in such institutions as are thought the most safe, that they may have something to look to in case of sickness, or any event which would require its use. promote their reading in such books as are suited to their capacities; they sometimes have a little leisure, that could be well filled up in this way. i have found it to increase the happiness of those under my care, to encourage a fondness for reading, and improving their minds; it tends to keep them from unprofitable company, and too much visiting, to which so many are addicted. young girls should make and mend their own clothes, and keep them in good order, and they should be taught to knit. the material of which stockings are composed costs but little, and they wear much better than those that are bought. knitting fills up leisure moments, and promotes industrious habits; and when age comes on, they will have a resource, although it appears so simple, yet if it is not learned while young it is hard to acquire when old. when servants are guilty of faults that cannot be looked over, instead of publicly reproving them, take an opportunity when alone, and talk coolly; tell them of your sorrow at being obliged to notice their conduct, encourage them to pursue a different course, and that you will forgive them if they will strive to do better. i have known them much improved by this mode of treatment. by inspecting every department, not only will waste be prevented, but dishonesty. in cities many persons find it necessary to lock up nearly every thing; and it is a lamentable state of things that so few are to be trusted. sometimes treating servants with confidence will have a good effect; but let them be aware that you have a knowledge of every thing that is going on. some young persons are completely at the mercy of their domestics. i have known great uneasiness to be experienced, and much loss; but by showing a little moral courage, and discharging those that are irreclaimable, an ascendancy was gained. never suffer them to treat you with disrespect or impertinence. if it is known that they will be discharged for these faults, they will be on their guard. if you have taken a boy or girl, to bring up as a domestic, endeavour to teach them, at least to spell and read; they are sometimes very fond of their books, and if you once get them to reading, it will become to them a favorite evening amusement; i have known them take up their books on every occasion of leisure, i have seen boys that worked hard through the day, spend all the evening with their books, slate, and occasionally a little writing. sometimes, i have in the evening felt fatigued and listless, and would much rather read, and amuse myself, than go out to teach two or three in the kitchen; but in attending to this, (which i consider a duty,) have felt a sweet reward--indeed, their grateful thanks expressed by words, have encouraged me to keep on. i have thought a little instruction in this way, arouses their faculties, and tends to make them more industrious. when i have been prevented from teaching them for some time, by indisposition, or other causes, i have observed they were not so cheerful in the performance of their work. if they are reading any thing they do not fully understand, take a little time to explain it to them. it will be, my young friends, like sowing the good seed, and you, as well as they, will receive the reward. i wish to encourage you in the most affectionate manner to attend to _this_ duty; you will find it will strengthen you in the performance of others. "the more we exert our faculties, the more we can accomplish. he that does nothing, renders himself incapable of doing any thing. while we are executing one work, we are preparing ourselves to undertake another." remarks. remarks on carving, &c. i do not think it necessary to say much on the subject of carving, as those who are accustomed to sit at a well ordered table, and who observe the manner of the host and hostess, can soon acquire the art, both of carving and helping with ease. and when placed at the head of their own table, the knowledge thus gained will be found a great assistance. the proper time for children to acquire good habits at meals, is not when there is company; it should be an every day lesson. as when parents are engaged with their friends or guests, they have no time to devote to the manners of their children, and to reprove them at table is very unpleasant, as well as mortifying. young children will soon acquire the manner of sitting quietly till they are helped, if they are made to understand that they will not be permitted to eat with their parents and friends, unless they behave with propriety. i have thought it a great assistance to the good order of a large family, for every member to be punctual in their attendance at meals, and all to sit down together, with a short pause before the carving and helping commences. in those moments of quiet, the heart is sometimes awakened to a feeling of gratitude to the almighty dispenser of our blessings. at the table, different members of the family meet; and where affection and kindness, those aids to true politeness, preside, it is truly a delightful treat to be the guest of such a family. every symptom of selfishness should be discouraged, for if suffered to take root in a child, it lays the foundation of much that is disagreeable to themselves and others. inculcate this excellent rule, "of doing unto others, what you wish others to do unto you," and always preferring others to yourself. it is the custom in some well regulated families, to permit the younger members, (as they arrive at a suitable age,) to take turns in presiding, not only at breakfast and tea, but at the dinner table. i have known quite young girls that had been taught in this way, carve a fowl or joint of meat with ease and grace. in helping, they should be taught not to over-load the plate, as it takes away the appetite of some persons to be helped too largely. the gravy should be stirred so that all may be helped alike, and a small quantity put on the meat or fowl, to which it belongs, and not on vegetables unless it is particularly desired. if there should be a rare dish on the table, it is best to hand it round and let every one help himself, after it has been nicely cut up. ham is much nicer to be cut in very thin slices. so is salt beef and tongue. young housekeepers in selecting their dishes for dinner, (if they have not an experienced cook,) should avoid those that are difficult to prepare. never try a new dish when you expect company. your guests will be more gratified with a neat and moderate table, with a few plain and well cooked dishes, accompanied with the smiling countenance of the hostess, than with a great variety of ill cooked and badly arranged viands. economy the source of charity. if your circumstances will not admit of giving away much, you can, by economy, give a little, and a blessing will attend it. there are few of the very poor, that know how to repair old clothing to advantage; a garment will be of much more service, that is well mended before it is given to them. it has been remarked, that the poor are ungrateful, and forget the favors conferred upon them. i have seldom found them deficient in this respect; and when they are, if we would reflect, that if some of us received no more than we deserve, we should be but poorly off. we know in our own families, how acceptable is a nice present of something that a sick member can eat; and it is sometimes the means of restoring the appetite, when any thing cooked in the house is rejected. the feeling of love with which it is presented, is as a cordial to a sick person. how much more acceptable will something nourishing be to one oppressed with poverty, as well as sickness. when the rich are diseased, the physician often finds it necessary to enjoin strict abstinence; but very different is it with the poor, who frequently suffer for want of nourishment. when the mother of a poor family is ill, how greatly are her sufferings augmented by the knowledge that her children are deprived of her services; and how acceptable to such a family would be a loaf of bread, or a large bowl of soup, which could be made of materials that would hardly be missed. dried beans or peas, and onions, are a cheap and valuable addition to soup; also cold vegetables. the liquor that fresh meat is boiled in, should be carefully saved for that purpose, if there are those near you that need it. it may seem at first troublesome to a young housekeeper, to take the necessary care to save for the poor. it is certainly much easier to let the cook have her own way, and waste or not, as she pleases; but for your encouragement my young friends, permit me to say, you will be sweetly rewarded for your attention to them. one eminent for his charities, near the close of life, made this remark: "what i spent i lost, but what i gave away remains with me." to encourage children in acts of kindness to the aged and afflicted. young children may early be taught to administer to the wants of the aged and infirm. some mothers are in the practice of giving a small sum of money to their children, as a reward for some little service or piece of work that they have done. the money thus obtained, to be laid out for a sick or old poor person. this method has an excellent effect on the minds of children; it incites them to industry, teaches self-denial, and the feelings of love and charity which are thus early instilled into their tender minds, make a lasting impression. if they spent their little fund in trifles for their own use, they would acquire a habit of selfishness; which, when once formed, it is most difficult to eradicate. i have remarked the pleasure with which children will relate the incidents of a visit, which they have been permitted to make to a poor family; and it is a refreshment to persons advanced in life, to see a young family thus trained. as soon as little girls can sew, they should be encouraged to make garments for the poor, or repair their own old ones as a present to a child of their own size, or make patchwork out of old dresses for a bed covering for poor people. their being permitted to do these things, should be as a reward for good behavior and attention to their lessons or other duties. when they are old enough to make a loaf of bread, a pie, or a little plain cake, allow them to do it, and take as a present to, or make broth or panada for a sick person. this teaches them to prepare these things while young, and may be useful to them in after life. how cheering it must be to the aged or afflicted, to see smiling young faces enter their dwellings, bearing their little offerings of food or clothing, the work of their own hands. be encouraged my dear young mothers; if you thus train your children to works of charity, you will be doubly blessed. early rising promotes punctuality. it is an old and true saying, "that if you waste an hour in the morning, it is seldom recovered all that day." this dispirits you, and the next day there is still something left undone. a late riser is rarely punctual in her engagements, and more of the happiness of married life depends on forming a habit of strict punctuality, than young persons are generally aware of. if you are distressed at having acquired habits of late rising, and want of punctuality, remember by perseverance, they can be overcome. fix an hour for rising, and let nothing but illness prevent your being up at that time. while forming this useful habit, you should retire to rest early. many things can be better attended to at an early, than a late hour in the morning. where families rise before the sun, the day seems much longer; all the active employments of the early riser are accomplished before her later neighbors have finished their breakfast. the duties of the bath and toilet being performed, her chamber well aired and arranged--and her parlor in order, she is ready for the more quiet employments of reading and sewing. in a well regulated household, servants perform their duties with life and energy. determine on an hour for your meals, and if all the members of the family adhere to it, scrupulous exactness will soon be established. hints to young wives. the authoress is well aware of the difficulties which surround a young wife on her first setting out, particularly if situated at a distance from the kind mother who has hitherto directed her, with servants who watch every movement, and who will soon discover whether the new mistress is qualified for the task she has undertaken. accustom yourself to rise early; fix a certain hour, and let nothing but indisposition prevent your being up at the appointed time. by this means your affairs will all be arranged in good season, and you will have time for recreation, in walking, riding, or in reading such authors as will tend to strengthen and improve your mind. young persons removed from large families often suffer greatly from loneliness, whereas, if they were occupied with household affairs, they would not feel so severely the absence of their husbands while attending to business. be punctual to the hour that has been fixed on for your meals, and let good order prevail in every department of which you have the command. a mistress of a family is much happier, who knows how every thing is going on from the garret to the cellar. by inspecting every thing you soon become interested, and we all know when that is the case, the most difficult pursuits become easy and pleasant. and with what pleasure will a young wife welcome her husband to his meals, when her conscience assures her that she has done her best, and that nothing is neglected; and how will it lighten his labors to reflect, when absent, that the partner he has chosen, is performing her duty at home. i am fully persuaded that the formation of domestic happiness, is generally laid the first year of marriage: therefore, my young friends, act well your part; if you desire to be treated with confidence you must merit it. if you keep an exact account of all your expenses, there will be less danger of living beyond your income, of which there have been so many lamentable instances. never buy any thing because it is recommended as being cheap; many cheap things amount in time to a large sum. in selecting furniture, let utility, not fashion, govern your choice; some young persons furnish their parlors so extravagantly, that necessary and useful articles are neglected, for want of means to purchase them. be persuaded that happiness does not consist so much in having splendid furniture, as in attending to the every day comforts of those around you. if you marry without the useful knowledge necessary for governing your family, lose no time in acquiring it. there is a time when most young girls show a fondness for domestic affairs before they are old enough to go into company, when it would be an agreeable change to be absent from school and assisting their mothers; the knowledge thus acquired would never be lost. many a young man who commenced with fair prospects, has been ruined through his wife's ignorance of domestic duties, and she has suffered from the consequent diminution of his esteem and love. i once knew a lovely and accomplished young lady, accustomed to every indulgence, who, on her marriage, removed several hundred miles from her parents, to reside in the country, where servants were difficult to procure. this delicate and sensitive young creature was much distressed by her ignorance of almost every thing connected with housekeeping; and after suffering repeated mortifications, concluded to learn to do the work herself; and when this dearly bought knowledge was acquired, she was able to teach her ignorant servants; and resolved, if ever she had daughters, to use every means in her power to teach them. when a prudent wife is made acquainted with the circumstances of her husband, she will endeavor strictly to keep within their bounds; always remembering that losses and events, over which he has no control, may occur and greatly reduce his income. and how will it assist her to bear a reverse of fortune, if she has acted with discretion; it will strengthen the wife to encourage and cheer her partner, and enable him to struggle through difficulties which were thought insurmountable. happiness will not forsake such a family though they lose almost every thing, the peace which is the result of a good conscience will remain; this will strengthen them to begin anew, and the divine blessing will attend such efforts. a few remarks to encourage young housekeepers in their first attempts. as bread is the most important article of food, one of your first attempts should be to make a few loaves of good bread and rolls, of the most simple kind. bread rolls are very easily made. if you succeed tolerably, it will encourage you to try again. when you make cakes, begin with the simple kinds; plain jumbles or cakes that you can roll out, or crisp ginger-bread. sponge cake is easier than those that have butter in them; i have known young persons succeed very well with it. bread rusk is also easily made, or a few plain pies. do not trust the baking to an ignorant person, but superintend it yourself. sometimes baking in a stove, is protracted by the dampness of the wood. before you bake, have dry wood prepared. watch the time; it is a good plan to have a clock near the kitchen. do not have too many things on hand at once; but perfect yourself in the knowledge of a few important dishes. if you make good yeast you will be more certain of good bread, light cakes and rolls. to cook a steak nicely, is also important; and with a dish of potatoes well cooked, a dish of cold slaw and an apple pie, or a little stewed fruit, will make a good plain dinner. when your family is small, you can have something nice every day, without cooking much. veal cutlets, and mutton chops, are easy to cook, and may be prepared in a short time. if you have a fowl, and boil it, you can save the soup, and warm it over for the next day. a cold roast fowl may be hashed. on days that you have cold meat, a batter pudding, or plain rice pudding, is easily prepared. if you wish to have an early breakfast, make every preparation that you can, over night; set the table, have the relish cut, ready to cook, or to warm over--and cold bread may be sliced, and wrapped in a cloth to keep it moist. coffee should be ground, and dry fuel, and water at hand. with these preparations, breakfast may be ready in half an hour from the time the fire is made. if you have warm corn bread, or rolls, it will require more time; but if you have them made up over night, and put in a cool place, they will not sour, and can soon be baked. maryland biscuit are very convenient, as they are always ready, and will keep good a week. i have found it a great advantage to set the table over night, particularly if you have a separate room to eat in; although it takes but a short time, every minute is important in the morning. where the mistress washes the breakfast things, and puts them in their proper places, and counts the spoons, and other articles, she can see when any thing is missing. a mop is useful for glass and china; keep a pan, or a small tub, for the purpose of holding the water, which should not be too hot. if tea things are put in very hot water, it will be apt to crack them or they will look smeared. put a little soap in the water, wash the glass first, then the silver, then the cups and saucers, and lastly, the plates and knives and forks. if spoons have been used with eggs, put them to soak immediately, to prevent their turning dark. have a common waiter for the pan to stand in and on it drain your tea things. spoons when used with care, require polishing but seldom, as it wears the silver away. dinner dishes should be washed first in moderately warm water and soap, rinsed in hot water, and drained before wiping. put every thing in its proper place, and inspect your pantry and cellar frequently. sometimes things are forgotten, for want of attention, until they are spoiled. air the cellar frequently; do not let refuse vegetables accumulate, or any thing that would be likely to cause sickness. you should provide coarse towels of different kinds, for china and glass, and for the dinner dishes, also knife cloths, have them marked and kept in their proper places. some persons have their towels washed out every day, but it is better to save them for the weekly wash. if towels are thrown aside damp, they are liable to mildew. you should keep dusters of several kinds. old silk handkerchiefs, are best for highly polished furniture, or an old barege veil answers a good purpose. for common purposes, a square of coarse muslin, or check is suitable. you should keep one floor cloth for chambers, and one for the kitchen. keep brooms for different purposes; always use a soft one for carpets, as soon as they wear stiff, they will do for the kitchen, or pavements. pouring a little hot water on a broom, softens it for carpets. you may save tea leaves, to sprinkle over your carpet, when you give a thorough sweeping, this will brighten it, and occasionally to wipe it over, with a cloth, that has been wrung out of hot water cleanses it, of course, this is only required for carpets in constant use. it is of great importance to health, that sleeping apartments should be well aired and swept. if you sleep in an apartment, where there has been fire during the day, it should be well aired before going to bed, or if the room is close, have a little air admitted, so as not to blow on persons that are asleep. a window that will lower from the top is an advantage. beds should be well aired before they are made, take the clothes off, and leave them at least an hour. in pleasant weather, you may keep chamber windows hoisted, for several hours, and even in cold weather, the windows may be kept up a short time, and if on any occasion, you may be obliged to have the beds made without airing, turn the clothes half way down, and leave them for several hours. some persons have cheap calico covers, to spread over beds, while the room is swept, this is a good plan, on account of the dust. bolster and pillow tucks wear better, if you have a check case basted on, this should be changed, washed and starched occasionally. it is a good plan also to have check covers for matresses and feather beds, but the covers should not be kept on beds that are not in use, lest they should be liable to moth. in winter a blanket should be put next a bed that is not often slept in, or for a delicate person, and be particularly careful, that sheets are dry before they are put away. in summer it is most healthy to have your chamber floor bare, and have it washed occasionally. it is important to examine your clothes, after they come from the wash, and see that they are perfectly dry before they are put away. cultivation of flowers. a few flowers and plants, when properly taken care of, are ornamental to the windows of a parlor, or sitting room; and will repay the care that is bestowed on them. begin with a few that are easy to cultivate, and you will probably succeed. persons that are fond of flowers, and have collected a number, are generally willing to give their young friends a few plants; and where we succeed in raising a fine plant from a slip, or cutting, we value it more than one that has been purchased at a green-house. geraniums, cactus', wax plants, cape and catalonian jessamines, and some others, are easily cultivated in a parlor. roses, camelias, and azaleas bloom best in a moderate temperature, as the heat of a parlor (unless very large) dries the buds, and prevents their coming to perfection. i have known these to bloom beautifully in a room that was very slightly heated--either over one in which there was fire, or in an apartment next a stove room. if the weather is very cold, they should be removed to a warmer room, until it moderates. the windows that are open to the south are best. when the blossoms have matured, you can bring them to the parlor; but if there is much heat, they will not remain perfect so long as in a moderate room. roses are sometimes troubled with insects, which should be brushed off with a feather, and the plants washed with a decoction of tobacco, (not too strong,) they will not bloom when thus infested. there is another insect that fastens itself to the bark of lemon trees, and other plants; frequent washing with soap suds and brushing the sterns, removes it, and some times wash the leaves with a sponge, when the weather is too cold to put them out of doors. setting them out in a warm rain, or watering them well all over the foliage, is very reviving to plants. be careful to have pieces of old broken earthen-ware at the bottom of each pot, to drain them, or the plants will not thrive. the earth should be sometimes removed, and an occasional re-potting, is an advantage; being careful not to disturb the roots. a mixture of charcoal and sand, and rich earth of more than one kind is thought best. earth fresh from the woods is good for pot-plants, as well as borders, but should always be mixed with a stronger soil. roses that are planted round a house, should have a deep and rich soil made for them, and they will then bloom beautifully all the season. pot plants should in summer be placed in a situation where they wilt not be exposed to intense heat. some persons place their pots in the earth on the north side of the house; others keep them in a porch where they can get some sun. they require much more water in summer. the wax plant blooms beautifully in summer, and should be kept in a sheltered situation, not exposed to the wind; it should have a strong frame of wood and wire to run on, well secured in a tub or box. hyacinths and crocuses should be planted in pots, boxes, or small tubs, in rich earth, in october or november; a small painted tub is very suitable, and will hold a dozen hyacinths, and as many crocus roots. the most beautiful i ever saw in a window, were planted in this way, by keeping some in the sun, and others in the shade you can have a succession of blooms, they are also pretty in root glasses, but this plan will exhaust the roots. after blooming in the house, they should be planted in the garden. the same roots will not answer the next year for parlor culture, they increase very fast in the garden by proper care. there is something refining to the mind in the cultivation of flowers, either in a garden or in pots. many hours that would be weary or lonely, are thus pleasantly occupied, and the mind refreshed. i now take leave of the reader, with a sincere desire, that these remarks may be of use, and that the receipts which i have been at some pains in compiling and arranging, may be acceptable. index a. accidents--poisons taken by mistake, remedies for, acid, to restore colors, &c., acts of kindness, to encourage children in, adhesive plaster, ague, cure for, alamode, beef, almond cake, almond cream, almonds, to blanch. apple butter, apples, baked, apple and bread pudding, apples, crab, to preserve, apple custard, apple dumplings, apple float, apple fritters, apple jelly, apple marmalade, apples, pine, apples, to preserve, apples, pine, syrup, apple pudding, apples, to stew for pies, apple water, apricots, preserved, arrow-root, arrow root pudding, asparagus, b. bacon--to cure, bacon, dumplings, bacon fraise, baking in a brick-oven, baking in a dutch-oven, baking in a stove, balloon pudding, balls, force meat, balsam-apple, &c., bannock, corn, bark tincture, bath, mustard, bathing, batter pudding, barley panada, barley water, batter bread with yeast, batter, a loaf of muffin, beans, green, for winter use, beans, lima, beans, string, bean soup, beds, feather, bedsteads, cleaning, bee, sting of a, beef alamode, beef, curing, beef, dried, beef kidney, to fry, beef pudding, baked, beef shin soup, beef spiced in irish style, beef steak pie, beef steak pudding, beef steak, beef tea, beef, fried, beef, roasted, beef, pickle for two rounds, beef, pork, or mutton cured, beef, stewed, for the sick, beef, stuffed, round of, beef's feet, beef's heart, baked, beef's tongue, to boil, beer, harvest, beer, molasses, beer, porter, beer, spruce, beer, to make two gallons, beets, berries, spice wood, biles, cure for, bilious colic, birds' west pudding, biscuit, dyspepsy, biscuit, light, biscuit, maryland, biscuit, naples, biscuit, quick, biscuit, salaeratus, biscuit, tea, bitters, wine, brittania ware, black cake, black currant jelly, black walnuts, to pickle, blackberries, to preserve, blackberry cordial, blackberry flummery, blackberry wine, blacking for boots and shoes, blacking for morocco shoes, blancmange of jelly, blancmange of moss, blancmange, blancmange, calf's foot, for the sick, blankets, blister ointment, blue, to color cotton, boiling fresh meat, boiling puddings, bologna sausage, boots and shoes, to make water-proof, brain cakes, brains and tongue, brandy, lemon, brandy, peaches in, brandy, rose, brass, to clean, brazil wood dye, bread and apple pudding, bread batter cakes, bread of indian meal, remarks on making, bread pudding, bread rolls, bread rusk, bread, bread, batter, with yeast, bread, corn meal, bread, dyspepsy, bread, graham, bread, indian, bread, light, bread, mixed, brick oven directions, brick oven, to bake in, broth, mutton and veal, brown mixture for a cough, brown, to color, bruises, buckwheat cakes, bunions, bunns, burns and scalds, butler, butter for winter use, butter, a pickle for, butter to keep a length of time, butter-milk, batter cakes, butter, drawn, c. cabbage, to boil, cabbage, to pickle, cake, almond, cake, remarks on making and baking, cake, black, cakes, brain, cakes, bread batter, cakes, butter milk, cakes, butter milk batter, cakes, buckwheat, cake, composition, cakes, corn batter, cakes, cheese, cake, cider, cake, crisp ginger, cake, cup, cake, dover, cake, flannel, cake, fruit, cheap, cake, fruit, rich, cake, ginger cup, cake, icing for, cake, indian pound, cake, jelly, cake, journey, cake, lemon sponge, cake, loaf, cakes, little indian, cakes, maryland corn, cake, madison, cakes, mush flannel, cake, new year, cakes, pan, cake, pound, cake, plum or fruit, cake, plum, raised, cake, queen, cake, rice, sponge, cake, rice pound cakes, rice cake, sponge, cake, sponge, in small pans, cake, salaeratus, cake, short, cake, virginia hoe, cake, washington, cakes, wafer, cake, white, calf's foot, blancmange, calf's foot jelly, calf's head to boil, calf's head, to brown, calf's head soup, candles, candied preserves, candy, hoarhound, cantelopes, to preserve, calicoes, washing, carolina corn rolls, carrageen or irish moss blancmange, carpets, rag, carpets, to put straw under, carrots, catsup, cucumber, catsup, mushroom, catsup, tomato, catsup, green tomato, catsup, walnut, cauliflowers, carving, remarks on, cedar dye, celery sauce, cellars, cleaning, cement, fire-proof, cement for bottles, cement for mending iron, cement, weather proof, chapped lips, charity, economy the source of, charcoal, magnesia and salts, cheese, cheese cakes, cheese, cottage, cheese curds, cheese, pennsylvania cream, cheese, hogshead, cheese, walnut, cherries, dried, cherries, to pickle, cherries and peaches, to pickle, cherries to preserve, cherry cordial, cherry sauce, cherry toast, chickens, to broil, chickens, to fry, chickens, to fry, in batter, chickens, fricasseed, chickens in paste, chicken, cold, with vinegar, chicken pie, chicken pudding, chickens, to roast, chicken salad, chickens stewed with rice, chickens stewed with corn, chickens, to stew, for the sick, chicken soup, chicken water chilblains, remedy for, china, mending, chines, chocolate, for the sick, chocolate, racahaut, chops, mutton, chloride of lime, cholera morbus, chrome yellow wash, cider, to make, cider marmalade, citron melon, clams, to fry and stew, clear starching cleaning bedsteads, cleaning cellars, cleaning floors, cleaning kid gloves, cleaning paint, cleaning silver, cleaning stoves, cloth, to take lime out of, cloth, to take wax out of cocoanut pudding, cod fish, salt, coffee, to boil and roast, coffee for the sick, cold custard, cold slaw, colds, remedy for, colic, colic, bilious, colic, infants, cologne, colors taken out by acids, to restore coloring, conserve, peaches to, conserve, pears to conserve of roses, cooking for the sick, cordial, blackberry, cordial, cherry, cordial, peach, cordial, quince, cordial, warner's, cordials, wines. &c., corn bannock, cora beef, to boil. cora gruel, corn batter cakes, corn bread, corn dumplings, corn flour, dry yeast of, corn fritters, corn meal porridge, corn meal pudding, corn muffins, corn pudding in paste, corn starch, corn, green, for winter use, corn, green, to boil, corn, to fricassee, corns, salve for, cottage cheese, or, smearcase, cough, brown mixture for a, cough, for a, cough, remarks on a, cough, whooping, cough, lemon mixture for a, crab apples, to preserve, crackers, soaked, cracks in stoves, to mend, cramp in the stomach, cramp, cranberries, cream cheese, cream sauce, cream, almond, cream, custard, cream, ice, freezing, cream, poultice, cream, snow, cream, toast, crisp ginger bread, croup, for the, crullers, cucumber catsup, cucumbers, cut, to pickle, cucumbers, to fry or slice, cucumbers, to pickle, cucumbers, to pickle, small, cucumbers, to preserve, cultivation of flowers, cup cake, curds, cheese, curds, skim, curds, whey slam, currant jelly, currant jelly, black, currant pie, currant syrup, currant wine, currants, to preserve, curtains, custard baked in cups, custard bread pudding, custard for the sick, custard hasty pudding, custard, apple, custard, boiled, custard, cold, custard, cream, custard, ice, custard, to boil in water, custard, with raisins, cutlets, veal, cuts and wounds, remedy for, cutting glass, cymblings, or squashes, d. damson sauce, damsons for pies, damsons, to preserve, deafness, debility, bitters for, decanter, to remove a stopper from, diseases, summer, domestics, on the management of, dough-nuts, drab, to color, drawn butter, dressing, or stuffing, dried beef, dried beef, to stew, dropsy, ducks, to roast, dumplings, apple, and peach, dumplings, bacon, dumplings, corn, dumplings, drop, dumplings, large, dumplings, light bread, dumplings, rice, dumplings, stew, dumplings, suet, dutch-ovens, to bake in, dyeing black, dyeing brown, dyeing carpet rags, dyeing cotton, blue, dyeing drab, dyeing lead color, dyeing olive, dyeing orange, dyeing red, dyeing scarlet, dyeing with brazil wood, dyeing with cedar boughs, dyeing yarn green, dyeing yellow, dysentery, dyspepsy biscuit, dyspepsy bread, e. ear-ache, remedy for, early rising promotes punctuality, ears, wash for sore, earthen vessels, economy, the source of charity, egg panada, egg plant, to bake, egg plant, to fry, egg rolls, egg sauce, eggs in lime-water, eggs to grease, for winter use, eggs, to boil, eggs, to clean soiled, eggs, to fry, eggs, to poach, elder ointment, elderberry jam for colds, elderberry wine, elecampane and hoarhound syrup english walnuts, erysipelas, eyes, wash for weak, f. falls, feather beds, felons, figs, tomato, filtering water, fire, precautions against, fish, fresh, to boil, fish, fresh, to fry, fish, oysters, &c., fish, rock, to stew or bake, fish, salt cod, to boil, flannel cakes, flannels, to wash, flaxseed poultice, floating island, float, apple, floors, to clean, floors, to take grease out of, flour, to brown for gravy, flowers, the cultivation of, flummery, blackberry, flummery, rice, food for the sick, force meat balls, fowls to bake, fox grape jam, fraise bacon, freezing ice cream french honey, french rolls, fresh meat, to boil, fresh meat, to keep, fresh meat, to restore when kept too long, fresh shad, to bake, fricassee, chickens to fricassee, cora, to fricassee, tomatoes to fritters, apple, fritters, corn, fritters, indian meal, fritters, oysters, fritters, rice, fritters, snow, fruit cake, fruit to stew for pies, fruit, frosted, furniture, linseed oil for, furs and woollens, to keep, g. gardens and yards, gathering on a finger, geese, to pick, general remarks, &c. giblet pie and soup, ginger cup-cake, ginger tea, ginger wine, ginger, to preserve green, ginger-bread nuts, ginger-bread, crisp, ginger-bread, light, glass, to cut, gloves, to clean kid, goose, to roast, gooseberries, to preserve, gooseberry wine, gout, graham bread, grapes for pies, grapes in brandy, grates and stoves, to clean, gravy with roast turkey, gravy, hash, gravy, to brown flour for, grease, to take out of floors, greasers for bake irons, green beans for winter use, green corn pudding, green peppers, to preserve, green tomato catsup, green wash, green, to color, greens, to boil, gruel, corn, gruel, oat meal, gum arabic paste, gumbo soup, gums, scurvy of, h. ham, to bake, ham, to boil, ham, to fry, ham, to stew, for the sick, hams, to cure, hash made of fowls, hash, veal, hash gravy, hasty custard pudding, hasty pudding of indian meal, head-ache, remedy for, hearths, a wash for, heating a brick-oven, herbs, gardens and yards, herring and shad, herring, harford, herring, trash, to pot, herring, to boil, hints to young wives, hoarhound and elecampane syrup, hoarhound candy, hoe cake, hogshead cheese, hominy to boil or fry, honey and lemon juice for a cough, hop ointment, hop poultice, housekeepers, to encourage in their first attempts, house linen, care of, huckleberry pudding, huckleberry pudding, elkridge, huxham's buck tincture, i. ice cream freezing, ice cream superior receipt for making, ice cream with fruit, ice cream with lemon, ices, to stain, icing, for cake, ice custard with vanilla, indian bread with butter milk, indian corn remarks on the use of, indian pound cake, infant's colic, infant's sore mouth, irish stew, irish moss blancmange, island, floating, isinglass jelly, j. jam, elderberry, jam, green fox grape, jam, ripe fox grape, jelly, apple, jelly, blancmange of, jelly, black currant, jelly, currant, jelly, calf's foot, jelly, cake, jelly, green grape, jelly, isinglass, jelly, mulled, jellies preserves &c., jelly, quince, jelly, tapioca, jelly, tomato, journey cake, jumbles common, jumbles, cup, jumbles for delicate persons, jumbles, molasses, jumbles, jackson, jumbles, rich, k. kettles, preserving, to clean, keeping apples for winter use, kid gloves, to clean, kidney, to fry beef with, kidneys, affections of the, kisses, knives and forks, to clean, l. labor saving soap, lamb, to roast, lamb, to stew or fry, lard, rendering, lavender, compound, lead color, lemon brandy, lemon butter, lemon ice cream, lemon juice, syrup of, lemon marmalade, lemon mixture for a cough, lemon pudding, lemon syrup, lemon and honey for a cough, lemon, green, to preserve, lettuce, ley poultice, ley and soda, preparation for washing, light biscuit, light bread dumplings, lily ointment, lily root poultice, lima beans, lime, chloride of, lime, to take, out of cloth, linen, house, linen, to take ink and fruit stains out of, linseed oil for furniture, liver sausage, liver, to fry veal's, liver, to fry, liverwort syrup, loaf cake, locked jaw, m. macaroons, mackerel, to boil, madison cake, magnesia, charcoal and salts, mahogany furniture, mangoes with oil and vinegar, pickling, mangoes, mangoes, pepper, mansfield muffins, marble, marmalade of mixed fruits.. marmalade, apple, marmalade, cider, marmalade, lemon, marmalade, peach, marmalade, quince, maryland biscuit, maryland com cakes, matresses, directions for making, meat, fresh, to restore, meat, roasting, meat, to boil fresh, meat, to keep fresh, melon citron, to preserve, mending china, mending clothes, milk porridge, milk rolls, milk toast, milk yeast, mince pies, mince pies, farmers, mince pies, pork, mixture, brown, for cough, molasses beer, molasses candy, molasses jumbles, molasses posset, for a cold, molasses sauce, mortification, ointment for, muffin batter, a loaf of, muffins, muffins, boiled milk, muffins, cold water, muffins, corn, muffins, cream, muffins, mansfield, muffins, rice, mulled jelly, mulled wine, mush cakes, fried mush, mush flannel cakes, mush muffins, mush rolls, mush, mush, rye, mushroom catsup, mushroom sauce, mushrooms, to pickle, mushrooms, to stew and fry, mustard bath, for the feet, mustard whey, mutton chops, mutton soup, mutton and veal broth, n. naples biscuit, nasturtions, new year cake, o. oat-meal gruel, ointment, blister, ointment, elder, ointment, hop, ointment, lily, ointment, precipitate, ointment, st. johnswort, ointment, tar, ointment, for mortification, olive, to color, omelet, onion poultice, onions pickled, onions, to boil, orange, to color, oven, baking in a dutch, oven, brick, directions for heating, oyster fritters, oyster pie, oyster pie, baltimore, oyster plant, or salsify, oyster sauce, oyster soup, oysters and fish, oysters, pickled, oysters, scolloped, oysters, to brown, oysters, to fry, p. paint, to clean, pan cakes, pan cakes, water, panada, panada, barley, panada, egg, papered walls, parsnips, paste, gum arabic, paste, for puddings or pies, pea soup, peach dumplings, peach marmalade, peach pie, peaches in brandy, peaches in cider, peaches, pickled, peaches, spiced, peaches, to conserve, peaches, to preserve, pears, to conserve, pears, to preserve, peas, pepper mangoes, peppers, green, to preserve, picking geese, pickle for butter, pickle for chines, pickled oysters, pickled pork, pickles, vinegar, &c., pickles, yellow, pie crust, to make, pie, beef steak, pie, chicken, pie, currant, pie, mince, pie, oyster, pie, peach, pie, pork mince, pie, puddings, &c., pie, rhubarb, pie, sweet potato, pies, to stew fruit for, pies, to make common, pig, to roast a, pigeons, pigs' feet, pigs' head, pine apple syrup, pine apples, plaster, adhesive, plum cake, plum cake, raised, plums, green gage, poached eggs, poison, remedy for, poke and greens, pokeberry juice, to stain ices, pone, cold water, pone, lightened, pone, virginia, pork stew pie, pork, or mutton, to corn, pork, to fry and stew, pork, to pickle, pork, to roast, porridge, corn meal, porridge, milk, porter beer, pot pie, potash soap, potato starch, potato yeast, potato yeast, with sugar, potatoes, sweet, potatoes, to boil, potatoes, to fry, potatoes, to stew, poultice, bread and milk, poultice, cream, poultice, flaxseed, pound cake, poultice, hop, poultice, onion, poultice, ley, poultice, lily, poultice, sassafras, precautions against fire, precipitate ointment, preserves, candied, preserves, jellies, &c., pudding of corn meal. pudding of whole rice, pudding, apple, pudding, arrow root, pudding, baked beef, pudding, baked, pudding, balloon, pudding, beef steak, pudding, bird's nest, pudding, boiled indian, pudding, boiling, pudding, bread, pudding, butter, pudding, chicken, pudding, coaco nut, pudding, custard bread, pudding, custard hasty, pudding, elkridge, huckleberry, pudding, huckleberry, pudding, lemon, pudding, new england hasty, pudding, plain rice, pudding, potato, pudding, preserve, pudding, pumpkin, pudding, quince, pudding, rice, pudding, richmond, pudding, suet, pudding, sweet potato, pudding, switzerland, pudding. green corn, puddings, in little pans, puff paste, pumpkins, to bake, pumpkins, to boil, pumpkins, to dry, pumpkins, to preserve, putty, to remove, q. queen cake, quick biscuit, quick waffles, quince jelly, r. rabbits and squirrels, racahaut chocolate, rag carpet, to make a, raisins in syrup, raspberries, to preserve, raspberry vinegar, raspberry wine, rats and roaches, to destroy, red mixture, red, to color, remarks on carving, and the behavior of children at table, remarks to encourage young housekeepers in their first attempts, remarks upon a cough, remedies, simple, rendering lard and tallow, rennet whey, rennet wine, rennet, for cheese, rheumatism, rhubarb pies, rhubarb, spiced, rica pudding, rice cakes, rice dish with fruit, rice dumplings. rice flour pound cake, rice flour sponge cake, rice flummery, rice fritters, rice milk, rice muffins, rice pudding, plain, rice waffles, rice, stewed with chicken, rice, to boil, rich fruit cake, richmond pudding, roasting coffee, roasting meat, rock fish, to stew or bake, rolls, boiled milk, rolls, bread. rolls, carolina corn, rolls, egg. rolls, french, rolls, mush, rolls, potato, rolls, soft, rolls, twist, rolls, water, rose brandy, rose conserve, rose water, rusk for drying, rusk, rusk, bread, rye, mush, s. sago, salad, chicken. sally lunn, salsify or oyster plant, salt cod, salt salmon, to boil, salt shad, to boil, salt shad, to broil, salve for burns, salve for corns, salve, dealer's, salaeratus biscuit, salaeratus cake, sassafras poultice, sauce, celery, sauce, cream, sauce, egg, sauce, molasses, sauce, mushroom, sauce, oyster, sauce, tomato, sauce, white, sauce, wine, sausage meat, sausage, bologna, sausage, liver, scalds and burns, scarlet, to dye, scolloped oysters, scrapple, screw dumplings, scurvy of the gums, shad, to broil, or bake, shad, to put up, and herring, short cake, silver, to clean, simple remedies, skim curds of whey, skim curds, slaw, cold, smearcase, or cottage cheese, snow cream, snow fritters, soap stones, soap, soap, hard, soap, later saving, soap, potash, soap, volatile, sore mouth, infants, sore throat, for a, soup of dried beans, soup, beef shin. soup, calf's head, soup, chicken, soup, giblet, soup, gumbo, soup, mutton, soup, oyster, soup, pea, soup, shin, soup, vegetable, soups, souse, spermaceti, to take out of cloth, spice-wood berries, spiced beef, spiced peaches, spider, for the bite of a, sponge cake, sprained ankle, sprained limb, spruce beer, squashes, or cymblings, squirrels and rabbits, st. johnswort ointment, stains, to take out of linen, starch, common, starch, corn, starch, potato, starching clear, steak, beef, stew, irish, sting of a bee, stir-about, stopper, to remove from a decanter, stoves or grates, to clean, stoves, to mend, straw under carpets, strawberries, string beans, stuffing, or dressing, suet pudding, suet, to keep several months, sugar, to clarify, summer diseases. sweet bread, veal, sweet potato pie, sweet potato pudding, sweet potatoes, switzerland pudding, syrup of lemon juice, syrup, currant, syrup, hoarhound, and elecampane, syrup, lemon, syrup, liverwort, syrup, pine apple, syrup, raisins in, syrups and ices, t. table cloths, taffy, or molasses candy, tallow, to render, tapioca, tar ointment, tea, tea, beef, tea, black, tea, ginger, teeth, cleaning the, terrapins, tetter, cure for the, tetter, warts, &c., throat, sore, tin kitchens, roasting in, tincture, huxham's bark, toast water, toast for the sick, toast, cream, toast, milk, tomato catsup, tomato figs, tomato jelly, tomato omelet, tomato sauce, tomatoes for winter use, tomatoes, green, for pies, tomatoes, to bake, tomatoes, to broil, tomatoes, to fry, tomatoes, to pickle, tomatoes, to preserve, tomatoes, to stew, tongue and brains, tongue, to boil, tongues, to cure a dozen, tooth-ache, trifle, turkey, to boil, turkey, to roast, turnips, twist rolls, v. vanilla, veal cutlets, veal hash, veal and lamb, to roast, veal and mutton broth, veal's liver, to fry, veal, stuffed leg of, veal, to boil, veal, to fry and stew, vegetable soup, vegetables, vegetables, to keep, in winter, vermicelli, vials, to clean, vinegar, raspberry, vinegar, to make, virginia hoe cake, virginia pone, virginia yellow pickles, volatile soap, w. waffles, wafer cakes, waffles, quick, waffles, rice, walls, papered, to clean, walnut catsup, walnut cheese, walnuts, black, to pickle, walnuts, english, walnuts, white, to pickle, warner's cordial, warts, wash for hearths, wash for sore ears, washes, white or colored, washing calicoes, washing windows, washington cake, water, apple, water, filtering, water, to purify, water, to keep cool in summer, watermelon rind, wax and spermaceti, to take out of cloth, weather proof, cement, whey, rennet, whey, skim curds, whey, wine, whips, white beans, dried, white sauce, white wash, to mix, whooping cough, for, wine sauce, wine whey, wine, blackberry, wine, currant, wine, elderberry, wine, ginger, wine, gooseberry, wine, mulled, wine, raspberry, wine, rennet, wines, cordials, &c., woollens and furs, to keep, woollens, to dye, worms, wounds and cuts, y. yeast, yeast dry, yeast, corn, yeast, milk, yeast, potato, yellow ochre wash, yellow pickles, yellow wash, chrome, yellow, to dye, this book was produced from images from feeding america: the historic american cookbook project at michigan state university chocolate and cocoa recipes by miss parloa and home made candy recipes by mrs. janet mckenzie hill compliments of walter baker & co., ltd. established dorchester mass [illustration: bird's-eye view of walter baker & co.'s mills. dorchester and milton, mass. floor space, , square feet.] cocoa and chocolate the term "cocoa," a corruption of "cacao," is almost universally used in english-speaking countries to designate the seeds of the small tropical tree known to botanists as theobroma cacao, from which a great variety of preparations under the name of cocoa and chocolate for eating and drinking are made. the name "chocolatl" is nearly the same in most european languages, and is taken from the mexican name of the drink, "chocolate" or "cacahuatl." the spaniards found chocolate in common use among the mexicans at the time of the invasion under cortez in , and it was introduced into spain immediately after. the mexicans not only used chocolate as a staple article of food, but they used the seeds of the cacao tree as a medium of exchange. no better evidence could be offered of the great advance which has been made in recent years in the knowledge of dietetics than the remarkable increase in the consumption of cocoa and chocolate in this country. the amount retained for home consumption in was only , , pounds--about - of an ounce for each inhabitant. the amount retained for home consumption for the year ending dec. , , was , , pounds--over ounces for each inhabitant. although there was a marked increase in the consumption of tea and coffee during the same period, the ratio of increase fell far below that of cocoa. it is evident that the coming american is going to be less of a tea and coffee drinker, and more of a cocoa and chocolate drinker. this is the natural result of a better knowledge of the laws of health, and of the food value of a beverage which nourishes the body while it also stimulates the brain. baron von liebig, one of the best-known writers on dietetics, says: "it is a perfect food, as wholesome as delicious, a beneficient restorer of exhausted power; but its quality must be good and it must be carefully prepared. it is highly nourishing and easily digested, and is fitted to repair wasted strength, preserve health, and prolong life. it agrees with dry temperaments and convalescents; with mothers who nurse their children; with those whose occupations oblige them to undergo severe mental strains; with public speakers, and with all those who give to work a portion of the time needed for sleep. it soothes both stomach and brain, and for this reason, as well as for others, it is the best friend of those engaged in literary pursuits." m. brillat-savarin, in his entertaining and valuable work, _physiologie du goût_, says: "chocolate came over the mountains [from spain to france] with anne of austria, daughter of philip iii and queen of louis xiii. the spanish monks also spread the knowledge of it by the presents they made to their brothers in france. it is well known that linnæus called the fruit of the cocoa tree _theobroma_, 'food for the gods.' the cause of this emphatic qualification has been sought, and attributed by some to the fact that he was extravagantly fond of chocolate; by others to his desire to please his confessor; and by others to his gallantry, a queen having first introduced it into france. "the spanish ladies of the new world, it is said, carried their love for chocolate to such a degree that, not content with partaking of it several times a day, they had it sometimes carried after them to church. this favoring of the senses often drew upon them the censures of the bishop; but the reverend father escobar, whose metaphysics were as subtle as his morality was accommodating, declared, formally, that a fast was not broken by chocolate prepared with water; thus wire-drawing, in favor of his penitents, the ancient adage, '_liquidum non frangit jejunium._' "time and experience," he says further, "have shown that chocolate, carefully prepared, is an article of food as wholesome as it is agreeable; that it is nourishing, easy of digestion, and does not possess those qualities injurious to beauty with which coffee has been reproached; that it is excellently adapted to persons who are obliged to a great concentration of intellect; in the toils of the pulpit or the bar, and especially to travellers; that it suits the most feeble stomach; that excellent effects have been produced by it in chronic complaints, and that it is a last resource in affections of the pylorus. "some persons complain of being unable to digest chocolate; others, on the contrary, pretend that it has not sufficient nourishment, and that the effect disappears too soon. it is probable that the former have only themselves to blame, and that the chocolate which they use is of bad quality or badly made; for good and well-made chocolate must suit every stomach which retains the slightest digestive power. "in regard to the others, the remedy is an easy one: they should reinforce their breakfast with a _pâté_, a cutlet, or a kidney, moisten the whole with a good draught of soconusco chocolate, and thank god for a stomach of such superior activity. "this gives me an opportunity to make an observation whose accuracy may be depended upon. "after a good, complete, and copious breakfast, if we take, in addition, a cup of well-made chocolate, digestion will be perfectly accomplished in three hours, and we may dine whenever we like. out of zeal for science, and by dint of eloquence, i have induced many ladies to try this experiment. they all declared, in the beginning, that it would kill them; but they have all thriven on it and have not failed to glorify their teacher. "the people who make constant use of chocolate are the ones who enjoy the most steady health, and are the least subject to a multitude of little ailments which destroy the comfort of life; their plumpness is also more equal. these are two advantages which every one may verify among his own friends, and wherever the practice is in use." in corroboration of m. brillat-savarin's statement as to the value of chocolate as an aid to digestion, we may quote from one of mme. de sévigné's letters to her daughter: "i took chocolate night before last to digest my dinner, in order to have a good supper. i took some yesterday for nourishment, so as to be able to fast until night. what i consider amusing about chocolate is that it acts according to the wishes of the one who takes it." chocolate appears to have been highly valued as a remedial agent by the leading physicians of that day. christoph ludwig hoffman wrote a treatise entitled, "potus chocolate," in which he recommended it in many diseases, and instanced the case of cardinal richelieu, who, he stated, was cured of general atrophy by its use. a french officer who served in the west indies for a period of fifteen years, during the early part of the last century, wrote, as the result of his personal observations, a treatise on "the natural history of chocolate, being a distinct and particular account of the cacao tree, its growth and culture, and the preparation, excellent properties, and medicinal virtues of its fruit," which received the approbation of the regent of the faculty of medicine at paris, and which was translated and published in london, in . after describing the different methods of raising and curing the fruit and preparing it for food (which it is not worth while to reproduce here, as the methods have essentially changed since that time), he goes on to demonstrate, as the result of actual experiment, that chocolate is a substance "very temperate, very nourishing, and of easy digestion; very proper to repair the exhausted spirits and decayed strength; and very suitable to preserve the health and prolong the lives of old men.... "i could produce several instances," he says, "in favor of this excellent nourishment; but i shall content myself with two only, equally certain and decisive, in proof of its goodness. the first is an experiment of chocolate's being taken for the only nourishment--made by a surgeon's wife of martinico. she had lost, by a very deplorable accident, her lower jaw, which reduced her to such a condition that she did not know how to subsist. she was not capable of taking anything solid, and not rich enough to live upon jellies and nourishing broths. in this strait she determined to take three dishes of chocolate, prepared after the manner of the country, one in the morning, one at noon, and one at night. there chocolate is nothing else but cocoa kernels dissolved in hot water, with sugar, and seasoned with a bit of cinnamon. this new way of life succeeded so well that she has lived a long while since, more lively and robust than before this accident. "i had the second relation from a gentleman of martinico, and one of my friends not capable of a falsity. he assured me that in his neighborhood an infant of four months old unfortunately lost his nurse, and its parents not being able to put it to another, resolved, through necessity, to feed it with chocolate. the success was very happy, for the infant came on to a miracle, and was neither less healthy nor less vigorous than those who are brought up by the best nurses. "before chocolate was known in europe, good old wine was called the milk of old men; but this title is now applied with greater reason to chocolate, since its use has become so common that it has been perceived that chocolate is, with respect to them, what milk is to infants. in reality, if one examines the nature of chocolate a little, with respect to the constitution of aged persons, it seems as though the one was made on purpose to remedy the defects of the other, and that it is truly the panacea of old age." the three associated beverages, cocoa, tea, and coffee are known to the french as _aromatic_ drinks. each of these has its characteristic aroma. the fragrance and flavor are so marked that they cannot be imitated by any artificial products, although numerous attempts have been made in regard to all three. hence the detection of adulteration is not a difficult matter. designing persons, aware of the extreme difficulty of imitating these substances, have undertaken to employ lower grades, and, by manipulation, copy, as far as may be, the higher sorts. every one knows how readily tea, and coffee, for that matter, will take up odors and flavors from substances placed near them. this is abundantly exemplified in the country grocery or general store, where the teas and coffees share in the pervasive fragrance of the cheese and kerosene. but perhaps it is not so widely understood that some of these very teas and coffees had been artificially flavored or corrected before they reached their destination in this country. cacao lends itself very readily to such preliminary treatment. in a first-class article, the beans should be of the highest excellence; they should be carefully grown on the plantation and there prepared with great skill, arriving in the factory in good condition. in the factory they should simply receive the mechanical treatment requisite to develop their high and attractive natural flavor and fragrance. they should be most carefully shelled after roasting and finely ground without concealed additions. this is the process in all honest manufactories of the cacao products. now, as a matter of fact, in the preparation of many of the cacao products on the market, a wholly different course has been pursued. beans of poor quality are used, because of their cheapness, and in some instances they are only imperfectly, if at all, shelled before grinding. chemical treatment is relied on to correct in part the odor and taste of such inferior goods, and artificial flavors, other than the time-honored natural vanilla and the like, are added freely. the detection of such imposition is easy enough to the expert, but is difficult to the novice; therefore the public is largely unable to discriminate between the good and the inferior, and it is perforce compelled to depend almost entirely on the character and reputation of the manufacturer. a distinguished london physician, in giving some hints concerning the proper preparation of cocoa, says: "start with a pure cocoa of undoubted quality and excellence of manufacture, and which bears the name of a respectable firm. this point is important, for there are many cocoas on the market which have been doctored by the addition of alkali, starch, malt, kola, hops, etc." baker's breakfast cocoa is absolutely pure, and, being ground to an extraordinary degree of fineness, is highly soluble. the analyst of the massachusetts state board of health states in his recent valuable work on "food inspection and analysis," that the treatment of cocoa with alkali for the purpose of producing a more perfect emulsion is objectionable, even if not considered as a form of adulteration. cocoa thus treated is generally darker in color than the pure article. the legitimate means, he says, for making it as soluble as possible is to pulverize it very fine, so that particles remain in even suspension and form a smooth paste. that is the way the baker cocoa is treated. it has received the grand prize--the highest award ever given in this country, and altogether highest awards in europe and america. choice recipes by miss maria parloa specially prepared for walter baker & co. ltd. plain chocolate for six people, use one quart of milk, two ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, one tablespoonful of cornstarch, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of hot water. mix the cornstarch with one gill of the milk. put the remainder of the milk on to heat in the double-boiler. when the milk comes to the boiling point, stir in the cornstarch and cook for ten minutes. have the chocolate cut in fine bits, and put it in a small iron or granite-ware pan; add the sugar and water, and place the pan over a hot fire. stir constantly until the mixture is smooth and glossy. add this to the hot milk, and beat the mixture with a whisk until it is frothy. or, the chocolate may be poured back and forth from the boiler to a pitcher, holding high the vessel from which you pour. this will give a thick froth. serve at once. if you prefer not to have the chocolate thick, omit the cornstarch. if condensed milk is used, substitute water for the milk named above and add three tablespoonfuls of condensed milk when the chocolate is added. chocolate, vienna style use four ounces of walter baker & co.'s vanilla chocolate, one quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of hot water, and one tablespoonful of sugar. cut the chocolate in fine bits. put the milk on the stove in the double-boiler, and when it has been heated to the boiling point, put the chocolate, sugar and water in a small iron or granite-ware pan, and stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. stir this mixture into the hot milk, and beat well with a whisk. serve at once, putting a tablespoonful of whipped cream in each cup and then filling up with the chocolate. the plain chocolate may be used instead of the vanilla, but in that case use a teaspoonful of vanilla extract and three generous tablespoonfuls of sugar instead of one. breakfast cocoa walter baker & co.'s breakfast cocoa is powdered so fine that it can be dissolved by pouring boiling water on it. for this reason it is often prepared at the table. a small teaspoonful of the powder is put in the cup with a teaspoonful of sugar; on this is poured two-thirds of a cup of boiling water, and milk or cream is added to suit the individual taste. this is very convenient; but cocoa is not nearly so good when prepared in this manner as when it is boiled. for six cupfuls of cocoa use two tablespoonfuls of the powder, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, half a pint of boiling water, and a pint and a half of milk. put the milk on the stove in the double-boiler. put the cocoa and sugar in a saucepan, and gradually pour the hot water upon them, stirring all the time. place the saucepan on the fire and stir until the contents boil. let this mixture boil for five minutes; then add the boiling milk and serve. a gill of cream is a great addition to this cocoa. scalded milk may be used in place of boiled milk, if preferred. for flavoring, a few grains of salt and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract may be added. chocolate layer cake beat half a cupful of butter to a cream, and gradually beat into it one cupful of sugar. when this is light, beat in half a cupful of milk, a little at a time, and one teaspoonful of vanilla. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth. mix half a teaspoonful of baking powder with two scant cupfuls of sifted flour. stir the flour and whites of eggs alternately into the mixture. have three deep tin plates well buttered, and spread two-thirds of the batter in two of them. into the remaining batter stir one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, melted, and spread this batter in the third plate. bake the cakes in a moderate oven for about twenty minutes. put a layer of white cake on a large plate, and spread with white icing. put the dark cake on this, and also spread with white icing. on this put the third cake. spread with chocolate icing. to make the icing. put into a granite-ware saucepan two gills of sugar and one of water, and boil gently until bubbles begin to come from the bottom--say, about five minutes. take from the fire instantly. do not stir or shake the sugar while it is cooking. pour the hot syrup in a thin stream into the whites of two eggs that have been beaten to a stiff froth, beating the mixture all the time. continue to beat until the icing is thick. flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla. use two-thirds of this as a white icing, and to the remaining third add one ounce of melted chocolate. to melt the chocolate, shave it fine and put in a cup, which is then to be placed in a pan of boiling water. chocolate cake for two sheets of cake, use three ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, three eggs, one cupful and three-fourths of sifted pastry flour, one cupful and three-fourths of sugar, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of milk, half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, one teaspoonful and a half of baking powder. grate the chocolate. beat the butter to a cream, and gradually beat in the sugar. beat in the milk and vanilla, then the eggs (already well beaten), next the chocolate, and finally the flour, in which the baking powder should be mixed. pour into two well buttered shallow cake pans. bake for twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. frost or not, as you like. chocolate marble cake put one ounce of walter baker & co.'s chocolate and one tablespoonful of butter in a cup, and set this in a pan of boiling water. beat to a cream half a cupful of butter and one cupful of sugar. gradually beat in half a cupful of milk. now add the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one teaspoonful of vanilla, and a cupful and a half of sifted flour, in which is mixed one teaspoonful of baking powder. put about one-third of this mixture into another bowl, and stir the melted butter and chocolate into it. drop the white-and-brown mixture in spoonfuls into a well buttered deep cake pan, and bake in a moderate oven for about forty-five minutes; or, the cake can be baked in a sheet and iced with a chocolate or white icing. chocolate glacÉ cake beat to a cream a generous half cupful of butter, and gradually beat into this one cupful of sugar. add one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, melted; also two unbeaten eggs. beat vigorously for five minutes; then stir in half a cupful of milk, and lastly, one cupful and a half of flour, with which has been mixed one generous teaspoonful of baking powder. flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla. pour into a buttered, shallow cake pan, and bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. when cool, spread with glacé frosting. glacÉ frosting. put half a cupful of sugar and three tablespoonfuls of water in a small saucepan. stir over the fire until the sugar is nearly melted. take the spoon from the pan before the sugar really begins to boil, because it would spoil the icing if the syrup were stirred after it begins to boil. after boiling gently for four minutes, add half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, but do not stir; then set away to cool. when the syrup is about blood warm, beat it with a wooden spoon until thick and white. now put the saucepan in another with boiling water, and stir until the icing is thin enough to pour. spread quickly on the cake. chocolate glacÉ after making a glacé frosting, dissolve one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate in a cup, and put it with the frosting, adding also a tablespoonful of boiling water. chocolate biscuit cover three large baking pans with paper that has been well oiled with washed butter. over these dredge powdered sugar. melt in a cup one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate. separate the whites and yolks of four eggs. add to the yolks a generous half cupful of powdered sugar, and beat until light and firm. add the melted chocolate, and beat a few minutes longer. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth. measure out three-fourths of a cupful of sifted flour, and stir it and the whites into the yolks. the whites and flour must be cut in as lightly as possible, and with very little stirring. drop the mixture in teaspoonfuls on the buttered paper. sprinkle powdered sugar over the cakes, and bake in a slow oven for about fourteen or fifteen minutes. the mixture can be shaped like lady fingers, if preferred. chocolate wafers grate four ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and mix with it two tablespoonfuls of flour and one-fourth of a teaspoonful each of cinnamon, cloves and baking powder. separate six eggs. add one cupful of powdered sugar to the yolks, and beat until very light; then add the grated yellow rind and the juice of half a lemon, and beat five minutes longer. now add the dry mixture, and with a spoon lightly cut in the whites, which are first to be beaten to a stiff froth. pour the mixture into buttered shallow pans, having it about half an inch thick. bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. when the cake is cool, spread a thin layer of currant jelly over one sheet, and place the other sheet on this. ice with vanilla icing; and when this hardens, cut in squares. it is particularly nice to serve with ice-cream. cinderella cakes use two eggs, one cupful of sugar, one cupful and a quarter of flour, one gill of cold water, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, half a tumbler of any kind of jelly, and chocolate icing the same as for éclairs. separate the eggs, and beat the yolks and sugar together until light. beat the whites until light, and then beat them with yolks and sugar and grated chocolate. next beat in the lemon juice and water, and finally the flour, in which the baking powder should be mixed. beat for three minutes, and then pour the batter into two pans, and bake in a moderate oven for about eighteen minutes. when done, spread one sheet of cake with the jelly, and press the other sheet over it; and when cold, cut into little squares and triangular pieces. stick a wooden toothpick into each of these pieces and dip each one into the hot icing, afterwards removing the toothpick, of course. chocolate Éclairs into a granite-ware saucepan put half a pint of milk, two well-rounded tablespoonfuls of butter, and one tablespoonful of sugar, and place on the stove. when this boils up, add half a pint of sifted flour, and cook for two minutes, beating well with a wooden spoon. it will be smooth and velvety at the end of that time. set away to cool; and when cool, beat in four eggs, one at a time. beat vigorously for about fifteen minutes. try a small bit of the paste in the oven; and if it rises in the form of a hollow ball, the paste is beaten enough; whereas, if it does not, beat a little longer. have tin sheets or shallow pans slightly buttered. have ready, also, a tapering tin tube, with the smaller opening about three-quarters of an inch in diameter. place this in the small end of a conical cotton pastry bag. put the mixture in the bag, and press out on buttered pans, having each éclair nearly three inches long. there should be eighteen, and they must be at least two inches apart, as they swell in cooking. bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty-five minutes. take from the oven, and while they are still warm coat them with chocolate. when cold, cut open on the side, and fill with either of the following described preparations:-- filling no. .--mix in a bowl half a pint of rich cream, one teaspoonful of vanilla, and four tablespoonfuls of sugar. place the bowl in a pan of ice-water, and beat the cream until light and firm, using either an egg-beater or a whisk. filling no. .--put half a pint of milk into a double-boiler, and place on the fire. beat together until very light one level tablespoonful of flour, half a cupful of sugar, and one egg. when the milk boils, stir in this mixture. add one-eighth of a teaspoonful of salt, and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring often. when cold, flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla. icing for Éclairs.--put in a small granite-ware pan half a pint of sugar and five tablespoonfuls of cold water. stir until the sugar is partially melted, and then place on the stove, stirring for half a minute. take out the spoon, and watch the sugar closely. as soon as it boils, take instantly from the fire and pour upon a meat-platter. let this stand for eight minutes. meantime, shave into a cup one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put it on the fire in a pan of boiling water. at the end of eight minutes stir the sugar with a wooden spoon until it begins to grow white and to thicken. add the melted chocolate quickly, and continue stirring until the mixture is thick. put it in a small saucepan, and place on the fire in another pan of hot water. stir until so soft that it will pour freely. stick a skewer into the side of an éclair, and dip the top in the hot chocolate. place on a plate, and continue until all the éclairs are "glacéd." they will dry quickly. do not stir the sugar after the first half minute, and do not scrape the sugar from the saucepan into the platter. all the directions must be strictly followed. chocolate cookies beat to a cream half a cupful of butter and one tablespoonful of lard. gradually beat into this one cupful of sugar; then add one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, and two ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, melted. now add one well-beaten egg, and half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of milk. stir in about two cupfuls and a half of flour. roll thin, and, cutting in round cakes, bake in a rather quick oven. the secret of making good cookies is the use of as little flour as will suffice. chocolate gingerbread mix in a large bowl one cupful of molasses, half a cupful of sour milk or cream, one teaspoonful of ginger, one of cinnamon, half a teaspoonful of salt. dissolve one teaspoonful of soda in a teaspoonful of cold water; add this and two tablespoonfuls of melted butter to the mixture. now stir in two cupfuls of sifted flour, and finally add two ounces of walter baker & co.'s chocolate and one tablespoonful of butter, melted together. pour the mixture into three well-buttered, deep tin plates, and bake in a moderately hot oven for about twenty minutes. vanilla icing break the white of one large egg into a bowl, and gradually beat into it one cupful of confectioners' sugar. beat for three minutes, add half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, and spread thinly on the cakes. chocolate icing make a vanilla icing, and add one tablespoonful of cold water to it. scrape fine one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put it in a small iron or granite-ware saucepan, with two tablespoonfuls of confectioners' sugar and one tablespoonful of hot water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy, then add another tablespoonful of hot water. stir the dissolved chocolate into the vanilla icing. chocolate profiteroles shave into a cup one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put the cup into a pan of boiling water. make a paste the same as for éclairs, save that instead of one tablespoonful of sugar three must be used. as soon as the paste is cooked, beat in the melted chocolate. when cold, add the eggs, and beat until light. drop this batter on lightly buttered pans in round cakes, having about a dessertspoonful in each cake. bake for about twenty minutes in a moderately hot oven. serve either hot or cold, with whipped cream prepared the same as for filling no. for éclairs. heap the cream in the center of a flat dish, and arrange the profiteroles around it. chocolate ice-cream for about two quarts and a half of cream use a pint and a half of milk, a quart of thin cream, two cupfuls of sugar, two ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, two eggs, and two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour. put the milk on to boil in a double-boiler. put the flour and one cupful of the sugar in a bowl; add the eggs, and beat the mixture until light. stir this into the boiling milk, and cook for twenty minutes, stirring often. scrape the chocolate, and put it in a small saucepan. add four tablespoonfuls of sugar (which should be taken from the second cupful) and two tablespoonfuls of hot water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. add this to the cooking mixture. when the preparation has cooked for twenty minutes, take it from the fire and add the remainder of the sugar and the cream, which should be gradually beaten into the hot mixture. set away to cool, and when cold, freeze. chocolate cream pies beat to a cream half a cupful of butter and a cupful and a quarter of powdered sugar. add two well-beaten eggs, two tablespoonfuls of wine, half a cupful of milk, and a cupful and a half of sifted flour, with which has been mixed a teaspoonful and a half of baking powder. bake this in four well-buttered, deep, tin plates for about fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. put half a pint of milk in the double-boiler, and on the fire. beat together the yolks of two eggs, three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and a level tablespoonful of flour. stir this mixture into the boiling milk, beating well. add one-sixth of a teaspoonful of salt, and cook for fifteen minutes, stirring often. when cooked, flavor with half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. put two of the cakes on two large plates, spread the cream over them, and lay the other two cakes on top. beat the whites of the two eggs to a stiff froth, and then beat into them one cupful of powdered sugar and one teaspoonful of vanilla. shave one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put it in a small pan with two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one tablespoonful of boiling water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. now add three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk, and stir into the beaten egg and sugar. spread on the pies and set away for a few hours. chocolate mousse put a three-quart mould in a wooden pail, first lining the bottom with fine ice and a thin layer of coarse salt. pack the space between the mould and the pail solidly with fine ice and coarse salt, using two quarts of salt and ice enough to fill the space. whip one quart of cream, and drain it in a sieve. whip again all the cream that drains through. put in a small pan one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, three tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of boiling water, and stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy. add three tablespoonfuls of cream. sprinkle a cupful of powdered sugar over the whipped cream. pour the chocolate in a thin stream into the cream, and stir gently until well mixed. wipe out the chilled mould, and turn the cream into it. cover, and then place a little ice lightly on top. wet a piece of carpet in water, and cover the top of the pail. set away for three or four hours; then take the mould from the ice, dip it in cold water, wipe, and then turn the mousse out on a flat dish. chocolate charlotte soak a quarter of a package of gelatine in one-third of a cupful of cold water for two hours. whip one pint of cream to a froth, and put it in a bowl, which should be placed in a pan of ice-water. put half an ounce of shaved chocolate in a small pan with two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of boiling water, and stir over the hot fire until smooth and glossy. add to this a gill of hot milk and the soaked gelatine, and stir until the gelatine is dissolved. sprinkle a generous half cupful of powdered sugar over the cream. now add the chocolate and gelatine mixture, and stir gently until it begins to thicken. line a quart charlotte-mould with lady fingers, and when the cream is so thick that it will just pour, turn it gently into the mould. place the charlotte in a cold place for an hour or more, and, at serving time, turn out on a flat dish. chocolate bavarian cream for one large mould of cream, use half a package of gelatine, one gill of milk, two quarts of whipped cream, one gill of sugar, and two and a half ounces of walter baker & co.'s chocolate. soak the gelatine in cold water for two hours. whip and drain the cream, scrape the chocolate, and put the milk on to boil. put the chocolate, two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of hot water in a small saucepan, and stir on a hot fire until smooth and glossy. stir this into the hot milk. now add the soaked gelatine and the remainder of the sugar. strain this mixture into a basin that will hold two quarts or more. place the basin in a pan of ice-water, and stir until cold, when it will begin to thicken. instantly begin to stir in the whipped cream, adding half the amount at first. when all the cream has been added, dip the mould in cold water and turn the cream into it. place in the ice-chest for an hour or more. at serving-time dip the mould in tepid water. see that the cream will come from the sides of the mould, and turn out on a flat dish. serve with whipped cream. chocolate cream soak a box of gelatine in half a pint of cold water for two hours. put one quart of milk in the double-boiler, and place on the fire. shave two ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put it in a small pan with four tablespoonfuls of sugar and two of boiling water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy, and then stir into the hot milk. beat the yolks of five eggs with half a cupful of sugar. add to the gelatine, and stir the mixture into the hot milk. cook three minutes longer, stirring all the while. on taking from the fire, add two teaspoonfuls of vanilla and half a saltspoonful of salt. strain, and pour into moulds that have been rinsed in cold water. set away to harden, and serve with sugar and cream. chocolate blanc-mange put one quart of milk in the double-boiler, and place on the fire. sprinkle into it one level tablespoonful of sea-moss farina. cover, and cook until the mixture looks white, stirring frequently. it will take about twenty minutes. while the milk and farina are cooking, shave two ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put it into a small pan with four tablespoonfuls of sugar and two of boiling water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy, then stir into the cooked mixture. add a saltspoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of vanilla. strain, and turn into a mould that has been rinsed in cold water. set the mould in a cold place, and do not disturb it until the blanc-mange is cold and firm. serve with sugar and cream. chocolate cream renversee use one quart of milk, seven eggs, half a pint of sugar, one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, half a teaspoonful of salt. put the milk on the fire in the double-boiler. shave the chocolate, and put it in a small pan with three tablespoonfuls of the sugar and one of boiling water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy; then stir into the hot milk, and take the milk from the fire to cool. put three tablespoonfuls of sugar into a charlotte-mould that will hold a little more than a quart, and place on the stove. when the sugar melts and begins to smoke, move the mould round and round, to coat it with the burnt sugar, then place on the table. beat together the remainder of the sugar, the eggs, and the salt. add the cold milk and chocolate to the mixture, and after straining into the charlotte-mould, place in a deep pan, with enough tepid water to come nearly to the top of the mould. bake in a moderate oven until firm in the center. test the cream by running a knife through the center. if firm and smooth, it is done. it will take forty or forty-five minutes to cook. when icy-cold, turn on a flat dish. serve with whipped cream that has been flavored with sugar and vanilla. baked chocolate custard for five small custards use one pint of milk, two eggs, one ounce of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, and a piece of stick cinnamon about an inch long. put the cinnamon and milk in the double-boiler, place on the fire and cook for ten minutes. shave the chocolate, and put it in a small pan with three tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of boiling water. stir this over a hot fire until smooth and glossy, and then stir it into the hot milk, after which take the liquid mixture from the fire and cool. beat together with a spoon the eggs, salt and two tablespoonfuls of the sugar. add the cooled milk and strain. pour the mixture into the cups, which place in a deep pan. pour into the pan enough tepid water to come nearly to the top of the cups. bake in a moderate oven until firm in the center. it will take about half an hour. test by running a knife through the center. if the custard is milky, it is not done. serve very cold. chocolate soufflÉ half a pint of milk, two ounces of walter baker & co.'s chocolate, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, one rounding tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, four eggs. put the milk in the double-boiler, and place on the fire. beat the butter to a soft cream, and beat the flour into it. gradually pour the hot milk on this, stirring all the time. return to the fire and cook for six minutes. put the shaved chocolate, sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of water in a small pan over a hot fire, and stir until smooth and glossy. stir this into the mixture in the double-boiler. take from the fire and add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten; then set away to cool. when cool add the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. pour the batter into a well-buttered earthen dish that will hold about a quart, and cook in a moderate oven for twenty-two minutes. serve immediately with vanilla cream sauce. chocolate pudding reserve one gill of milk from a quart, and put the remainder on the fire in a double-boiler. mix three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch with the cold milk. beat two eggs with half a cupful of powdered sugar and half a teaspoonful of salt. add this to the cornstarch and milk, and stir into the boiling milk, beating well for a minute. shave fine two ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, and put it into a small pan with four tablespoonfuls of sugar and two of boiling water. stir over a hot fire until smooth and glossy; then beat into the hot pudding. cook the pudding in all ten minutes, counting from the time the eggs and cornstarch are added. serve cold with powdered sugar and cream. this pudding can be poured while hot into little cups which have been rinsed in cold water. at serving time turn out on a flat dish, making a circle, and fill the center of the dish with whipped cream flavored with sugar and vanilla. the eggs may be omitted, in which case use one more tablespoonful of cornstarch. chocolate meringue pudding for a small pudding use one pint of milk, two tablespoonfuls and a half of cornstarch, one ounce of walter baker & co.'s chocolate, two eggs, five tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. mix the cornstarch with one gill of the milk. put the remainder of the milk on to boil in the double-boiler. scrape the chocolate. when the milk boils, add the cornstarch, salt, and chocolate, and cook for ten minutes. beat the yolks of the eggs with three tablespoonfuls of sugar. pour the hot mixture on this, and beat well. turn into a pudding-dish that will hold about a quart, and bake for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff, dry froth, and gradually beat in the remaining two tablespoonfuls of sugar and the vanilla. spread this on the pudding, and return to the oven. cook for fifteen minutes longer, but with the oven-door open. serve either cold or hot. milton pudding use one pint of stale bread broken in crumbs, one quart of milk, two eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, three tablespoonfuls of sugar and two ounces of walter baker & co.'s chocolate, grated. put the bread, milk, cinnamon, and chocolate in a bowl, and soak for two or three hours. beat together the eggs, sugar, and salt. mash the soaked bread with a spoon, and add the egg mixture to the bread and milk. pour into a pudding-dish, and bake in a slow oven for about forty minutes. serve with an egg sauce or a vanilla cream sauce. egg sauce.--beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff, dry froth; and beat into this, a little at a time, one cupful of powdered sugar. when smooth and light, add one teaspoonful of vanilla and the yolks of two eggs. beat the mixture a little longer; then stir in one cupful of whipped cream or three tablespoonfuls of milk. serve at once. vanilla cream sauce.--beat to a cream three tablespoonfuls of butter, and gradually beat into this two-thirds of a cupful of powdered sugar. when this is light and creamy, add a teaspoonful of vanilla; then gradually beat in two cupfuls of whipped cream. place the bowl in a pan of boiling water, and stir constantly for three minutes. pour the sauce into a warm bowl, and serve. snow pudding put a pint of milk in the double-boiler and on the fire. mix three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch with a gill of milk and one-third of a teaspoonful of salt. stir this into the milk when it boils. beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, and then gradually beat into them half a cupful of powdered sugar and one teaspoonful of vanilla. add this to the cooking mixture, and beat vigorously for one minute. rinse a mould in cold water, and pouring the pudding into it, set away to cool. at serving-time turn out on a flat dish, and serve with chocolate sauce. chocolate sauce put one pint of milk in the double-boiler, and on the fire. shave two ounces of walter baker and co.'s chocolate, and put it in a small pan with four tablespoonfuls of sugar and two of boiling water. stir over the fire until smooth and glossy, and add to the hot milk. beat together for eight minutes the yolks of four eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a saltspoonful of salt, and then add one gill of cold milk. pour the boiling milk on this, stirring well. return to the double-boiler, and cook for five minutes, stirring all the time. pour into a cold bowl and set the bowl in cold water. stir for a few minutes, and then occasionally until the sauce is cold. this sauce is nice for cold or hot cornstarch pudding, bread pudding, cold cabinet pudding, snow pudding, etc. it will also answer for a dessert. fill custard glasses with it, and serve the same as soft custard; or have the glasses two-thirds full, and heap up with whipped cream. chocolate candy one cupful of molasses, two cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of milk, one-half pound of chocolate, a piece of butter half the size of an egg. boil the milk and molasses together, scrape the chocolate fine, and mix with just enough of the boiling milk and molasses to moisten; rub it perfectly smooth, then, with the sugar, stir into the boiling liquid; add the butter, and boil twenty minutes. try as molasses candy, and if it hardens, pour into a buttered dish. cut the same as nut candy. cream chocolate caramels mix together in a granite-ware saucepan half a pint of sugar, half a pint of molasses, half a pint of thick cream, one generous tablespoonful of butter, and four ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate. place on the fire and stir until the mixture boils. cook until a few drops of it will harden if dropped into ice-water; then pour into well-buttered pans, having the mixture about three-fourths of an inch deep. when nearly cold, mark into squares. it will take almost an hour to boil this in a granite-ware pan, but not half so long if cooked in an iron frying-pan. stir frequently while boiling. the caramels must be put in a very cold place to harden. sugar chocolate caramels mix two cupfuls of sugar, three-fourths of a cupful of milk or cream, one generous tablespoonful of butter, and three ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate. place on the fire and cook, stirring often, until a little of the mixture, when dropped in ice-water, will harden; then stir in one-fourth of a cupful of sugar and one tablespoonful of vanilla, and pour into a well-buttered pan, having the mixture about three-fourths of an inch deep. when nearly cold, mark it off in squares, and put in a cold place to harden. these caramels are sugary and brittle, and can be made in the hottest weather without trouble. if a deep granite-ware saucepan be used for the boiling, it will take nearly an hour to cook the mixture; but if with an iron frying-pan, twenty or thirty minutes will suffice. chocolate creams, no. beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff froth. gradually beat into this two cupfuls of confectioners' sugar. if the eggs be large, it may take a little more sugar. flavor with half a teaspoonful of vanilla, and work well. now roll into little balls, and drop on a slightly buttered platter. let the balls stand for an hour or more. shave five ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate and put into a small bowl, which place on the fire in a saucepan containing boiling water. when the chocolate is melted, take the saucepan to the table, and drop the creams into the chocolate one at a time, taking them out with a fork and dropping them gently on the buttered dish. it will take half an hour or more to harden the chocolate. chocolate creams, no. for these creams you should make a fondant in this way: put into a granite-ware saucepan one cupful of water and two of granulated sugar--or a pound of loaf sugar. stir until the sugar is nearly melted, then place on the fire and heat slowly, but do not stir the mixture. watch carefully and note when it begins to boil. when the sugar has been boiling for ten minutes, take up a little of it and drop in ice-water. if it hardens enough to form a soft ball when rolled between the thumb and finger, it is cooked enough. take the saucepan from the fire instantly, and set in a cool, dry place. when the syrup is so cool that the finger can be held in it comfortably, pour it into a bowl, and stir with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick and white. when it begins to look dry, and a little hard, take out the spoon, and work with the hand until the cream is soft and smooth. flavor with a few drops of vanilla, and, after shaping, cover with chocolate, as directed in the preceding recipe. _caution._--do not stir the syrup while it is cooking, and be careful not to jar or shake the saucepan. chocolate cones boil the sugar as directed for fondant in the recipe for chocolate creams, no. , but not quite so long--say about eleven minutes. the syrup, when tested, should be too soft to ball. when cold, pour into a bowl, and beat until thick and creamy. if properly boiled, it will not become thick enough to work with the hands. have six ounces of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate melted in a bowl. pour half of the creamed sugar into another bowl, and, after flavoring with a few drops of vanilla, add to it about one-third of the dissolved chocolate. stir until thick and rather dry; then make into small cones, and drop on a slightly buttered platter. put half of the remaining creamed sugar in a cup, and set in a saucepan containing boiling water. flavor with vanilla, and stir over the fire until melted so much that it will pour from the spoon. take the saucepan to the table and dip one-half the cones in, one at a time, just as the chocolate creams, no. , were dipped in the melted chocolate. if liked, a second coating may be given the cones. now put the remainder of the creamed sugar on to melt, and add two tablespoonfuls of hot water to it. stir the remainder of the melted chocolate into this, and if too thick to dip the candy in, add hot water, a few drops at a time, until the mixture is of the right consistency; then dip the rest of the cones in this. genesee bon-bons make the cream chocolate caramels, and get them quite firm by placing the pan on ice. make the chocolate coating as directed for chocolate cones. dip the caramels in this and put on a buttered dish. chocolate syrup into a granite-ware saucepan put one ounce--three tablespoonfuls--of walter baker & co.'s soluble chocolate, and gradually pour on it half a pint of boiling water, stirring all the time. place on the fire, and stir until all the chocolate is dissolved. now add one pint of granulated sugar, and stir until it begins to boil. cook for three minutes longer, then strain and cool. when cool, add one tablespoonful of vanilla extract. bottle, and keep in a cold place. refreshing drinks for summer put into a tumbler about two tablespoonfuls of broken ice, two tablespoonfuls of chocolate syrup, three tablespoonfuls of whipped cream, one gill of milk, and half a gill of soda-water from a syphon bottle, or apollinaris water. stir well before drinking. a tablespoonful of vanilla ice-cream is a desirable addition. it is a delicious drink, even if the soda or apollinaris water and ice-cream be omitted. a plainer drink is made by combining the syrup, a gill and a half of milk, and the ice, shaking well. a few suggestions in regard to chocolate the best flavor to add to chocolate is vanilla; next to that, cinnamon. beyond these two things one should use great caution, as it is very easy to spoil the fine natural flavor of the bean. chocolate absorbs odors readily; therefore it should be kept in a pure, sweet atmosphere. as about eleven per cent. of the chocolate bean is starch, chocolate and cocoa are of a much finer flavor if boiled for a few minutes. long boiling, however, ruins their flavor and texture. recipes specially prepared _by_ miss elizabeth kevill burr (all measurements should be level.) formula for making three gallons of breakfast cocoa / a pound of walter baker & co.'s cocoa, - / gallons of water, hot, - / gallons of milk, hot. this should not be allowed to boil. either make it in a large double-boiler, or a large saucepan or kettle over water. mix the cocoa with enough cold water to make a paste, and be sure it is free from lumps. heat together the milk and water, and pour in the cocoa; then cook at least an hour, stirring occasionally. cracked cocoa to one-third a cup of baker's cracked cocoa (sometimes called "cocoa nibs") use three cups of cold water; cook slowly at least one hour--the longer the better. then strain the liquid and add one cup (or more if desired) of milk, and serve very hot. do not allow the mixture to boil after milk has been added. vanilla chocolate with whipped cream one cake ( / a pound) of walter baker & co.'s vanilla sweet chocolate, cups of boiling water, pinch of salt, cups of hot milk. this must be made in a double-boiler. put the chocolate, boiling water and salt in upper part of the double-boiler. stir and beat with a wooden spoon until the chocolate is dissolved and smooth. add the milk and when thoroughly hot, strain, and serve with unsweetened whipped cream. more cooking will improve it. chocolate cream pie line a pie plate with rich pie crust, putting on an extra edge of crust the same as for custard pie. fill with the chocolate filling made after the following recipe. bake in a hot oven until crust is done; remove, and when cool, cover with a meringue and brown very slowly in moderate oven. chocolate filling cup of milk, pinch of salt, - / squares of baker's chocolate, level tablespoonfuls of flour, eggs (yolks), tablespoonfuls of sugar (level), teaspoonful of vanilla. put milk, salt and chocolate in upper part of the double-boiler, and when hot and smooth, stir in the flour, which has been mixed with enough cold milk to be thin enough to pour into the hot milk. cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens; then let it cook eight or ten minutes. mix the eggs and sugar together and pour the hot mixture over them, stirring well; put back in double-boiler and cook, stirring constantly one minute. remove, and when cool add one teaspoonful of vanilla. meringue eggs (whites), pinch of salt, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonful of vanilla. add salt to eggs and beat in a large shallow dish with fork or egg-whip until stiff and flaky and dish can be turned upside down. beat in the sugar slowly, then the vanilla, and beat until the dish can be turned upside down. cocoa sticks tablespoonfuls of butter, / cup of sugar (scant), egg, tablespoonful of milk, teaspoonful of vanilla or pinch of cinnamon, teaspoonfuls of baker's cocoa, / teaspoonful of baking powder, - / to - / cups of sifted pastry flour. cream the butter until soft; add the sugar gradually and beat well; add the beaten egg, milk and vanilla; mix thoroughly. sift cocoa, baking powder, and a pinch of salt with about one-half cup of the flour; stir this into the mixture first, then use the remainder of the flour, and more if necessary, to make a firm dough that will not stick to the fingers. set on the ice to harden. sprinkle the board with cocoa and a very little sugar. use small pieces of the dough at a time, toss it over the board to prevent sticking, roll out thin, cut in strips about one-half inch wide and three inches long. place closely in pan and bake in moderately hot oven three or four minutes. great care should be taken in the baking to prevent burning. it is advisable to gather the scraps after each rolling, if soft, and set away to harden, for fear of getting in too much cocoa, thus making them bitter. the colder and harder the dough is, the better it can be handled; therefore it can be made the day before using. cocoa frosting teaspoonfuls of baker's cocoa, tablespoonfuls of cold water, tablespoonfuls of hot water, / a teaspoonful of vanilla, about - / cups of confectioners' sugar. put the cocoa in a small saucepan; add the cold water and stir until perfectly smooth; then the hot water, and cook for one or two minutes, add vanilla and a speck of salt, then stir in enough sugar to make it stiff enough to spread nicely. beat until smooth and glossy and free from lumps. if too thick, add a little cold water. if not thick enough, add a little sugar. never make a frosting so stiff that it will have to be made smooth with a wet knife. it is better to let it run to the sides of the cake. for frosting sides of the cake, make a little stiffer. this frosting never cracks as an egg frosting, but is hard enough to cut nicely. cocoa sauce tablespoonfuls of butter, cup of boiling water, tablespoonfuls of flour, tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonfuls of baker's cocoa, teaspoonful of vanilla. melt the butter in the saucepan; mix the flour and cocoa together and stir into the butter; add gradually the hot water, stirring and beating each time; cook until it thickens. just before serving, add the sugar, vanilla and a pinch of salt, if necessary. use more cocoa if liked stronger. this sauce will be found excellent for cottage puddings, dutch apple cakes, steamed apple puddings, etc. cocoa cake / a cup of butter, / a cup of milk, cup of sugar, level tablespoonfuls of baker's cocoa, eggs, level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, teaspoonful of vanilla, - / or cups of sifted pastry flour. cream the butter, stir in the sugar gradually, add the unbeaten eggs, and beat all together until very creamy. sift together one-half cup of the flour, the cocoa and baking powder; use this flour first, then alternate the milk and remaining flour, using enough to make mixture stiff enough to drop from the spoon; add vanilla and beat until very smooth; then bake in loaf in moderately hot oven thirty-five or forty minutes. tests for baking cake. it is baked enough when: . it shrinks from the pan. . touching it on the top, springs back. . no singing sound. cocoa meringue pudding cup of milk, eggs (yolks), tablespoonfuls of flour, pinch of salt, teaspoonfuls of baker's cocoa, tablespoonfuls of sugar, / a teaspoonful of vanilla. put the milk in the upper part of the double-boiler, and heat. mix flour and cocoa together and soften in a little cold milk; mix until free from lumps. when the milk is hot, add the flour, and cook, stirring often, eight or ten minutes. beat yolks of eggs lightly; add sugar and salt, and mix well. when mixture in double-boiler has cooked sufficiently, strain it over the mixture in the bowl. put back in double-boiler and allow it to cook one or two minutes (stirring constantly), just enough to slightly thicken the eggs. remove from the stove, and when cool add vanilla and put in the serving-dish. cover with a meringue. place dish on a board, put in the oven with the door open, and allow it to remain there for ten or fifteen minutes, and when the meringue will not stick to the fingers, close the door and let it brown slightly. this pudding can be eaten warm or cold, but is much better cold. this will serve four persons generously. chocolate almonds blanch the almonds by pouring boiling water on them, and let them stand two or three minutes. roast them in oven. dip them in the following recipe for chocolate coating, and drop on paraffine paper. / pound cake of walter baker's vanilla sweet chocolate, level tablespoonfuls of butter, tablespoonfuls of boiling water. put chocolate in small saucepan over boiling water and when melted stir in butter and water. mix well. if found to be too thick, add more water; if too thin, more chocolate. hot chocolate sauce cup of boiling water, pinch of salt, square of chocolate, / a cup of sugar. cook all together slowly until it is the consistency of maple syrup, or thicker if desired. just before serving, add one teaspoonful of vanilla. this will keep indefinitely, and can be reheated. cocoa sponge cake eggs, / a cup of sugar, pinch of salt, tablespoonfuls of baker's cocoa, / a cup of sifted pastry flour, teaspoonful of vanilla. separate yolks from whites of eggs; beat yolks in a small bowl with the dover egg-beater until very thick; add sugar, salt and vanilla, and beat again until very thick. sift cocoa and the flour together and stir very lightly into the mixture; fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs, and bake in a loaf in a moderate oven until done. do not butter the pan, but when cake is baked, invert the pan; and when cool, remove the cake. chocolate frosting square of baker's chocolate, pinch of salt, tablespoonfuls of boiling water, teaspoonful of vanilla, about three cups of sifted confectioners' sugar. melt chocolate in bowl over tea-kettle, add water, salt and vanilla, and when smooth add the sugar, and heat until very glossy. make the frosting stiff enough to spread without using a wet knife. it will keep indefinitely. chocolate cake, or devil's food level tablespoonfuls of butter, - / cups of sugar, - / squares of baker's chocolate, (melted), eggs, teaspoonful of vanilla, / a cup of milk, - / level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, - / cups of sifted pastry flour. cream the butter, add sugar and chocolate, then the unbeaten eggs and vanilla, and beat together until very smooth. sift the baking powder with one-half a cup of the flour, and use first; then alternate the milk and the remaining flour, and make the mixture stiff enough to drop from the spoon. beat until very smooth and bake in loaf in moderate oven. for tests see cocoa cake recipe on page . chocolate ice-cream quart of milk, pinch of salt, squares of baker's chocolate, level tablespoonfuls of flour, can of sweetened condensed milk, eggs, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonfuls of vanilla. put milk, salt and chocolate in double-boiler, and when milk is hot and chocolate has melted, stir in the flour, previously mixed in a little cold milk. cook ten minutes, then pour this over the condensed milk, eggs and sugar mixed together; cook again for four minutes, stirring. strain, and when cool add vanilla, and freeze. chocolate whip cup of milk, - / squares of baker's chocolate, pinch of salt, level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, eggs (yolks), level tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonfuls of vanilla, eggs (whites). put milk, chocolate and salt in double-boiler; mix cornstarch in a small quantity of cold milk, and stir into the hot milk when the chocolate has been melted; stir until smooth, then cook twelve minutes. mix together the yolks of the eggs and sugar, then pour the hot mixture over it; cook again one or two minutes, stirring. when very cold, just before serving, add the vanilla and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. pile lightly in a glass dish and serve with lady fingers. a meringue can be made of the whites of the eggs and sugar, then folded in the chocolate mixture, but it does not stand as long. cocoa marble cake level tablespoonfuls of butter, cup of granulated sugar, eggs, teaspoonful of vanilla, / a cup of milk. three level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, about one and three-quarter cups of sifted flour, or flour enough to make mixture stiff enough to drop from the spoon. mix in the order given. reserve one-third of this mixture and add to it four level tablespoonfuls of baker's cocoa and to the other one cup of shredded cocoanut. bake thirty-five or forty minutes according to size and shape of pan. chocolate marble cake this is the same as the cocoa marble cake. add to one-third of the mixture one and one-half squares of baker's chocolate in place of the cocoa, and one cup of chopped walnuts to the other part in place of the shredded cocoanut. chocolate jelly pint of boiling water, / a package of gelatine, pinches of salt, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, - / squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla. put the water, salt and chocolate in a saucepan. cook, stirring until the chocolate melts, then let it boil for three or five minutes. soften the gelatine in a little cold water and pour the boiling mixture over it. stir until dissolved, then add sugar and vanilla. pour into a mould and set aside to harden, serve with cream and powdered sugar or sweetened whipped cream. cottage pudding level tablespoonfuls of butter, eggs, cup of sugar, / a cup of milk. two level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one and three-quarter cups of sifted flour or enough to make mixture stiff enough to drop from the spoon. bake in buttered gem pans in moderately hot oven twenty-three or twenty-five minutes. if the cake springs back after pressing a finger on the top, it shows that it is baked enough. to make a cocoa cottage pudding add to the above rule six level tablespoonfuls of cocoa. serve with a vanilla sauce. vanilla sauce level tablespoonfuls of butter, cup of boiling water, level tablespoonfuls of flour, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, pinch of salt, teaspoonful of vanilla. melt butter in saucepan, add flour and salt and mix until smooth; add slowly the boiling water, stirring and beating well. add sugar and milk. cocoanut soufflÉ cup of milk, pinch of salt, level tablespoonfuls of flour, softened in a little cold milk. level tablespoonfuls of butter, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, yolks of eggs, teaspoonful of vanilla, cup of shredded cocoanut, whites of eggs. heat milk, add salt and flour and cook ten minutes after it has thickened. mix together, butter, sugar and yolks of eggs. pour hot mixture over, stirring well and set aside to cool. add vanilla and cocoanut. lastly fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. bake in buttered pan, in moderate oven until firm. serve hot with chocolate sauce. chocolate sauce level tablespoonfuls of butter, level tablespoonful of flour, pinch of salt, cup of boiling water, square of baker's chocolate, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonful of vanilla. melt butter in saucepan, add dry flour and salt and mix until smooth, then add slowly the hot water, beating well. add the square of chocolate and sugar and stir until melted. add vanilla, just before serving. cocoa biscuit cups or pint of sifted flour, level teaspoonfuls of baking powder, / a teaspoonful of salt, level tablespoonfuls of sugar, level tablespoonfuls of baker's cocoa, level tablespoonfuls of butter or lard, / a cup of milk or enough to make a firm but not a stiff dough. sift all the dry ingredients together, rub in the butter with the tips of the fingers. stir in the required amount of milk. turn out on slightly floured board, roll or pat out the desired thickness, place close together in pan and bake in very hot oven ten or fifteen minutes. cocoa fudge [illustration: cocoa fudge.] / a cup of milk, level tablespoonfuls of butter, - / cups of powdered sugar, tablespoonfuls of baker's cocoa, pinch of salt, teaspoonful of vanilla. mix all ingredients together but vanilla; cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to boil, then cook slowly, stirring occasionally, eight or ten minutes, or until it makes a firm ball when dropped in cold water. when cooked enough, add the vanilla and beat until it seems like very cold molasses in winter. pour into a buttered pan; when firm, cut in squares. great care must be taken not to beat too much, because it cannot be poured into the pan, and will not have a gloss on top. miss m.e. robinson's recipes plain chocolate ounce or square of baker's premium chocolate, tablespoonfuls of sugar, / a teaspoonful of salt, pint of boiling water, pint of milk. place the chocolate, sugar and salt in the agate chocolate-pot or saucepan, add the boiling water and boil three minutes, stirring once or twice, as the chocolate is not grated. add the milk and allow it time to heat, being careful not to boil the milk, and keep it closely covered, as this prevents the scum from forming. when ready to serve turn in chocolate-pitcher and beat with dover egg-beater until light and foamy. cocoa doughnuts one egg, one-half a cup of sugar, one-half a cup of milk, one-quarter teaspoonful of salt, one-quarter teaspoonful of cinnamon extract (burnett's), two cups of flour, one-quarter cup of baker's breakfast cocoa, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. mix in the order given, sifting the baking powder and cocoa with the flour. roll to one-third an inch in thickness, cut and fry. cocoa sponge cake eggs, - / cups of sugar, / a cup of cold water, teaspoonful of vanilla, - / cups of flour, / a cup of baker's cocoa, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, teaspoonful of cinnamon. beat yolks of eggs light, add water, vanilla and sugar; beat again thoroughly; then add the flour, with which the baking powder, cocoa and cinnamon have been sifted. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a rather quick oven for twenty-five or thirty minutes. cocoa marble cake / a cup of butter, cup of sugar, egg, / a cup of milk, teaspoonful of vanilla, cups of flour, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, tablespoonfuls of baker's cocoa. cream the butter, add sugar, vanilla and egg; beat thoroughly, then add flour (in which is mixed the baking powder) and milk, alternately, until all added. to one-third of the mixture add the cocoa, and drop the white and brown mixture in spoonfuls into small, deep pans, and bake about forty minutes in moderate oven. cocoa buns tablespoonfuls of butter, / a cup of sugar, egg, / a teaspoonful of salt, cup of scalded milk, compressed yeast cakes softened in / a cup of warm water, / a teaspoonful of extract cinnamon, / a cup of baker's breakfast cocoa, - / to cups of flour. mix in order given, having dough as soft as can be handled, turn onto moulding board, roll into a square about an inch in thickness, sprinkle on one-half cup of currants, fold the sides to meet the centre, then each end to centre, and fold again. roll as at first, using another one-half cup currants, fold, roll and fold again. place in a bowl which is set in pan of warm water, let raise forty minutes. shape, place in pan, let raise until doubled in size. bake fifteen to twenty minutes. as you take from oven, brush the top with white of one egg beaten with one-half cup confectioners' sugar. let stand five minutes. then they are ready to serve. mrs. rorer's chocolate cake ounces of chocolate, eggs, / a cup of milk, teaspoonful of vanilla, / a cup of butter, - / cups of sugar, heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, - / cups of flour. dissolve the chocolate in five tablespoonfuls of boiling water. beat the butter to a cream, add the yolks, beat again, then the milk, then the melted chocolate and flour. give the whole a vigorous beating. now beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, and stir them carefully into the mixture; add the vanilla and baking powder. mix quickly and lightly, turn into well-greased cake pan and bake in a moderate oven forty-five minutes.--_from mrs. rorer's cook book._ mrs. lincoln's chocolate caramels one cup of molasses, half a cup of sugar, one-quarter of a pound of chocolate cut fine, half a cup of milk, and one heaping tablespoonful of butter. boil all together, stirring all the time. when it hardens in cold water, pour it into shallow pans, and as it cools cut in small squares.--_from mrs. lincoln's boston cook book._ miss farmer's chocolate nougat cake / a cup of butter, - / cups of powdered sugar, egg, cup of milk, cups of bread flour, teaspoonfuls of baking powder, / teaspoonful of vanilla, squares of chocolate, melted, / a cup of powdered sugar, / a cup of almonds blanched and shredded. cream the butter, add gradually one and one-half cups of sugar, and egg unbeaten; when well mixed, add two-thirds milk, flour mixed and sifted with baking powder, and vanilla. to melted chocolate add one-third a cup of powdered sugar, place on range, add gradually remaining milk, and cook until smooth. cool slightly and add to cake mixture. bake fifteen to twenty minutes in round layer-cake pans. put between layers and on top of cake white mountain cream sprinkled with almonds.--_from boston cooking school cook book--fannie merritt farmer._ mrs. armstrong's chocolate pudding soften three cups of stale bread in an equal quantity of milk. melt two squares of walter baker & co.'s chocolate over hot water and mix with half a cup of sugar, a little salt, three beaten eggs and half a teaspoonful of vanilla. mix this thoroughly with the bread and place in well-buttered custard-cups. steam about half an hour (according to size) and serve in the cups or turned out on warm plate.--_mrs. helen armstrong._ mrs. armstrong's chocolate charlotte soak a quarter of a package of gelatine in one-fourth of a cupful of cold water. whip one pint of cream to a froth and put it in a bowl, which should be placed in a pan of ice water. put an ounce of walter baker & co.'s chocolate in a small pan with two tablespoonfuls of sugar and one of boiling water, and stir over the hot fire until smooth and glossy. add to this a gill of hot milk and the soaked gelatine, and stir until the gelatine is dissolved. sprinkle a generous half cupful of powdered sugar over the cream. now add the chocolate and gelatine mixture and stir gently until it begins to thicken. line a quart charlotte mould with lady fingers, and when the cream is so thick that it will just pour, turn it gently into the mould. place the charlotte in a cold place for an hour or more, and at serving time turn out on a flat dish.--_mrs. helen armstrong._ chocolate jelly with crystallized green gages dissolve in a quart of water three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate; let come to a boil; simmer ten minutes; add a cup of sugar and a box of gelatine (that has been softened in a cup of water) and strain through a jelly bag or two thicknesses of cheese-cloth. when almost cold, add a dessertspoonful of vanilla and a tablespoonful of brandy. then whisk well; add half a pound of crystallized green gages cut into small pieces; pour into a pretty mould, and when cold serve with whipped cream. mrs. bedford's chocolate crullers cream two tablespoonfuls of butter and one-half of a cupful of sugar; gradually add the beaten yolks of three eggs and one and one-half cupfuls more of sugar, one cupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of vanilla, two ounces of chocolate grated and melted over hot water, one-third of a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in one-half of a teaspoonful of boiling water, the whites of the eggs whipped to a stiff froth, and sufficient sifted flour to make a soft dough. roll out, cut into oblongs; divide each into three strips, leaving the dough united at one end. braid loosely, pinch the ends together and cook until golden-brown in smoking-hot fat.--_mrs. cornelia c. bedford._ mrs. bedford's hot cocoa sauce for ice-cream boil together one and one-half cupfuls of water and one cupful of sugar for two minutes; add one tablespoonful of arrowroot dissolved in a little cold water, stir for a moment, then boil until clear. add two tablespoonfuls of cocoa which has been dissolved in a little hot water and a tiny pinch of salt and boil three minutes longer. take from the fire and add one teaspoonful of vanilla.--_mrs. cornelia c. bedford._ mrs. bedford's chocolate macaroons grate one-quarter of a pound of chocolate and mix one-quarter of a pound of sifted powdered sugar and one-quarter of a pound of blanched and ground almonds. add a pinch of cinnamon and mix to a soft paste with eggs beaten until thick. drop in half-teaspoonfuls on slightly buttered paper and bake in a moderate oven. do not take from the paper until cold; then brush the under side with cold water, and the paper can be readily stripped off.--_mrs. cornelia c. bedford._ mrs. ewing's creamy cocoa stir together in a saucepan half a cup of walter baker & co.'s breakfast cocoa, half a cup of flour, half a cup of granulated sugar and half a teaspoonful of salt. add gradually one quart of boiling water and let the mixture boil five minutes, stirring it constantly. remove from the fire, add a quart of boiling milk, and serve. if desired a spoonful of whipped cream may be put in each cup before filling with the cocoa. the proportions given will make delicious, creamy cocoa, sufficient to serve twelve persons. the flour should be sifted before it is measured.--_by mrs. emma p. ewing, author of "the art of cookery."_ mrs. ewing's creamy chocolate mix together half a cup of sifted flour, half a cup of granulated sugar and half a teaspoonful of salt. put into a saucepan half a cup of walter baker & co.'s premium no. chocolate, finely shaved. add one quart of boiling water, stir until dissolved, add the flour, sugar and salt, and boil gently, stirring constantly, five minutes. then stir in a quart of boiling milk, and serve with or without whipped cream.--_mrs. emma p. ewing, author of "the art of cookery."_ mrs. hill's cocoa frappÉ mix half a pound of cocoa and three cupfuls of sugar; cook with two cupfuls of boiling water until smooth; add to three quarts and a half of milk scalded with cinnamon bark; cook for ten minutes. beat in the beaten whites of two eggs mixed with a cupful of sugar and a pint of whipped cream. cool, flavor with vanilla extract, and freeze. serve in cups. garnish with whipped cream.--_janet mckenzie hill--ladies' home journal._ mrs. hill's chocolate puffs stir a cupful of flour into a cupful of water and half a cupful of butter, boiling together; remove from fire, beat in an ounce of melted chocolate, and, one at a time, three large eggs. shape with forcing bag and rose tube. bake, cut off the tops and put into each cake a tablespoonful of strawberry preserves. cover with whipped cream sweetened and flavored.--_janet mckenzie hill--ladies' home journal._ miss farmer's chocolate cream candy cups of sugar, / a cup of milk, tablespoonful of butter, squares of chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla. put butter into granite saucepan; when melted add sugar and milk. heat to boiling point; then add chocolate, and stir constantly until chocolate is melted. boil thirteen minutes, remove from fire, add vanilla, and beat until creamy and mixture begins to sugar slightly around edge of saucepan. pour at once into a buttered pan, cool slightly and mark in squares. omit vanilla, and add, while cooking, one-fourth of a teaspoonful of cinnamon.--_boston cooking school cook book--fannie merritt farmer._ mrs. salzbacher's chocolate hearts melt, by standing over hot water, three ounces of unsweetened chocolate; add a pound of sifted powdered sugar and mix thoroughly; work to a stiff yet pliable paste with the unbeaten whites of three eggs (or less), adding vanilla to flavor. if the paste seems too soft, add more sugar. break off in small pieces and roll out about one-fourth of an inch thick, sprinkling the board and paste with granulated sugar instead of flour. cut with a tiny heart-shaped cake cutter (any other small cake cutter will do), and place on pans oiled just enough to prevent sticking. bake in a very moderate oven. when done, they will feel firm to the touch, a solid crust having formed over the top. they should be very light, and will loosen easily from the pan after being allowed to stand a moment to cool. the success of these cakes depends upon the oven, which should not be as cool as for meringue, nor quite so hot as for sponge cake. if properly made, they are very excellent and but little labor. use the yolks for chocolate whips.--_from "good housekeeping."_ cocoa charlotte (without cream) pint of water, whites of eggs, / a teaspoonful of vanilla, / a cup of sugar, level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, / a teaspoonful of cinnamon, tablespoonfuls of cocoa. dissolve the cornstarch in a quarter of a cup of cold water, add it to the pint of boiling water, stir until it thickens, add the sugar and the cocoa, which have been thoroughly mixed together. remove from the fire, add the cinnamon and vanilla, and pour slowly over the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. pour at once into a pudding mould, and put away in a cold place to harden. serve with plain cream.--_mabel richards dulon._ chocolate fudge with fruit two cups of sugar, one-half cup of milk, one-half cup of molasses, one-half cup of butter; mix all together and boil seven minutes; add one-half cup of baker's chocolate and boil seven minutes longer. then add two tablespoonfuls of figs, two tablespoonfuls of raisins, one-half a cup of english walnuts and one teaspoonful of vanilla. chocolate macaroons stir to a paste whites of seven eggs, three-fourths a pound of sifted sugar, one-half a pound of almonds pounded very fine, and two ounces of grated baker's chocolate. have ready wafer paper cut round, on which lay pieces of the mixture rolled to fit the wafer. press one-half a blanched almond on each macaroon and bake in a moderate oven. petits four bake a simple, light sponge cake in a shallow biscuit tin or dripping pan, and when cold turn out on the moulding board and cut into small dominoes or diamonds. they should be about an inch in depth. split each one and spread jelly or frosting between the layers, then ice tops and sides with different tinted icings, pale green flavored with pistachio, pale pink with rose, yellow with orange, white with almond. little domino cakes are also pretty. ice the cakes on top and sides with white icing, then when hard put on a second layer of chocolate, using _walter baker & co.'s unsweetened chocolate_ and made as for layer cake, dipping the brush in the melted chocolate to make the spots. candied violets, bits of citron cut in fancy shapes, candied cherries and angelica may all be utilized in making pretty designs in decoration.--_american housekeeper._ potato cake two cups of white sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of hot mashed potatoes, one cup of chopped walnuts, half a cup of sweet milk, two cups of flour, four eggs well beaten, five teaspoonfuls of melted chocolate, one tablespoonful each of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. bake in layers and use marshmallow filling. spanish chocolate cake one cup of sugar, one-half a cup of butter, one-half a cup of sweet milk, three cups of flour, two eggs, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in hot water. put on the stove one cup of milk, one-half a cup of baker's chocolate, grated; stir until dissolved; then stir into it one cup of sugar and the yolk of one egg stirred together; when cool flavor with vanilla. while this is cooling beat up the first part of the cake and add the chocolate custard. bake in layers. ice on top and between the layers. _home made candies_ recipes specially prepared _by_ mrs. janet mckenzie hill peppermints, chocolate mints, etc. (uncooked fondant) [illustration: peppermints, chocolate mints, etc.] white of egg, tablespoonfuls of cold water, sifted confectioner's sugar, / teaspoonful of essence of peppermint or a few drops of oil of peppermint, or squares of baker's chocolate, green color paste, pink color paste. beat the egg on a plate, add the cold water and gradually work in sugar enough to make a firm paste. divide the sugar paste into three parts. to one part add the peppermint and a very little of the green color paste. take the paste from the jar with a wooden tooth pick, add but a little. work and knead the mixture until the paste is evenly distributed throughout. roll the candy into a sheet one-fourth an inch thick, then cut out into small rounds or other shape with any utensil that is convenient. color the second part a very delicate pink, flavor with rose extract and cut out in the same manner as the first. to the last part add one or two squares of baker's chocolate, melted over hot water, and flavor with peppermint. add also a little water, as the chocolate will make the mixture thick and crumbly. begin by adding a tablespoonful of water, then add more if necessary, knead and cut these as the others. chocolate caramel walnuts (uncooked fondant) [illustration: chocolate caramel walnuts.] white of egg, tablespoonfuls of maple or caramel syrup, tablespoonful of water, sifted confectioner's sugar, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, or more squares of baker's chocolate, english walnuts. beat the white of egg slightly, add the syrup, water, sugar as needed, the chocolate, melted over hot water, and the vanilla, also more water if necessary. work with a silver plated knife and knead until thoroughly mixed, then break off small pieces of uniform size and roll them into balls, in the hollow of the hand, flatten the balls a little, set the half of an english walnut upon each, pressing the nut into the candy and thus flattening it still more. the caramel gives the chocolate a particularly nice flavor. how to coat candies, &c., with baker's "dot" chocolate half a pound of "dot" chocolate will coat quite a number of candy or other "centers," but as depth of chocolate and an even temperature during the whole time one is at work are essential, it is well, when convenient, to melt a larger quantity of chocolate. when cold, the unused chocolate may be cut from the dish and set aside for use at a future time. if the chocolate be at the proper temperature when the centers are dipped in it, it will give a rich, glossy coating free from spots, and the candies will not have a spreading base. after a few centers have been dipped set them in a cool place to harden. the necessary utensils are a wire fork and a very small double boiler. the inner dish of the boiler should be of such size that the melted chocolate will come nearly to the top of it. break the chocolate in small pieces and surround with warm water, stir occasionally while melting. when the melted chocolate has cooled to about ° f. it is ready to use. drop whatever is to be coated into the chocolate, with the fork push it below the chocolate, lift out, draw across the edge of the dish and drop onto a piece of table oil cloth or onto waxed paper. do not let a drop of water get into the chocolate. chocolate dipped peppermints (uncooked fondant) [illustration: chocolate dipped peppermints.] prepare green, white, pink and chocolate colored mints by the first recipe. after they have dried off a little run a spatula under each and turn to dry the other side. coat with baker's "dot" chocolate. ginger, cherry, apricot and nut chocolates [illustration: ginger, cherry, apricot and nut chocolates.] white of egg, tablespoonfuls of cold water, sifted confectioner's sugar, almond or rose extract, preserved ginger, candied cherries, candied apricots, halves of almond, halves of pecan nuts, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. use the first four ingredients in making uncooked fondant. (caramel syrup is a great addition to this fondant, especially if nuts are to be used. use three tablespoonfuls of syrup and one tablespoonful of water with one egg white instead of the two tablespoonfuls of water indicated in the recipe). work the fondant for some time, then break off little bits and wrap around small pieces of the fruit, then roll in the hollow of the hand into balls or oblongs. for other candies, roll a piece of the fondant into a ball, flatten it with the fingers and use to cover a whole pecan or english walnut meat. set each shape on a plate as it is finished. they will harden very quickly. dip these, one by one, in baker's "dot" chocolate and set on an oil cloth. chocolate peanut clusters [illustration: chocolate peanut clusters.] shell a quart of freshly-roasted peanuts and remove the skins. drop the peanuts, one by one, into the center of a dish of "dot" chocolate made ready for use; lift out onto oil cloth with a dipping fork (a wire fork comes for the purpose, but a silver oyster fork answers nicely) to make groups of three nuts,--two below, side by side, and one above and between the others. chocolate coated almonds [illustration: chocolate coated almonds.] select nuts that are plump at the ends. use them without blanching. brush, to remove dust. melt "dot" chocolate and when cooled properly drop the nuts, one at a time, into the center of it; push the nuts under with the fork, then drop onto waxed paper or oil cloth. in removing the fork make a design on the top of each nut. these are easily prepared and are particularly good. plain and chocolate dipped parisian sweets [illustration: chocolate dipped parisian sweets.] / a cup of sultana raisins, figs, cup of dates, ounces citron, / a cup of nut meats, (almonds, filberts, pecans or walnuts, one variety or a mixture), - / ounces of baker's chocolate, / a cup of confectioner's sugar, / a teaspoonful of salt, chocolate fondant or baker's "dot" chocolate. pour boiling water over the figs and dates, let boil up once, then drain as dry as possible; remove stones from the dates, the stem ends from the figs; chop the fruit and nut meats (almonds should be blanched) in a food chopper; add the salt; and the sugar and work the whole to a smooth paste; add the chocolate, melted, and work it evenly through the mass. add more sugar if it is needed and roll the mixture into a sheet one-fourth an inch thick. cut into strips an inch wide. cut the strips into diamond-shaped pieces (or squares); roll these in confectioner's sugar or dip them in chocolate fondant or in baker's "dot" chocolate, and sprinkle a little fine-chopped pistachio nut meats on the top of the dipped pieces. when rolling the mixture use confectioner's sugar on board and rolling pin. stuffed dates, chocolate dipped [illustration: stuffed dates, chocolate dipped.] cut choice dates open on one side and remove the seeds. fill the open space in the dates with a strip of preserved ginger or pineapple, chopped nuts or chopped nuts mixed with white or chocolate fondant; press the dates into a compact form to keep in the filling, then dip them, one by one, in "dot" chocolate. chocolate oysterettes, plain and with chopped figs [illustration: chocolate oysterettes.] oyster crackers, salted preferred, fine-chopped, roasted peanuts or raisins or or basket figs or a little french fruit cut in very small bits, / a pound or more of baker's "dot" chocolate. select fresh-baked crackers free from crumbs. dip in "dot" chocolate, made ready as in previous recipes, and dispose on oil cloth or waxed paper. for a change add figs or other fruit, cut very fine, or chopped nuts to the chocolate ready for dipping. turkish paste with french fruit, chocolate flavored [illustration: turkish paste with french fruit.] level tablespoonfuls of granulated gelatine, / a cup of cold water, cups of sugar, / a cup of cold water, teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, cup of french candied fruit, cherries, angelica, citron, etc., chopped fine. let the gelatine stand in the half cup of cold water until it has taken up all of the water. stir the sugar and the two-thirds a cup of cold water over the fire until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is boiling, then add the gelatine and let cook twenty minutes; add the cinnamon, the chocolate, melted over hot water, and beat all together, then add the vanilla and the fruit; let stand in a cool place for a time, then when it thickens a little turn into an _un_buttered bread pan and set aside until the next day. to unmold separate the paste from the pan--at the edge--with a sharp-pointed knife. sift confectioner's sugar over the top, then with the tips of the fingers gently pull the paste from the pan to a board dredged with confectioner's sugar; cut into strips, then into small squares. roll each square in confectioner's sugar. in cutting keep sugar between the knife and the paste. choice chocolate pecan pralines [illustration: chocolate pecan pralines.] cups of granulated sugar, cup of cream, cup of sugar cooked to caramel, squares of baker's chocolate, cups of pecan nut meats. stir the sugar and cream over the fire until the sugar is melted, then let boil to the soft ball degree, or to ° f. add the chocolate, melted or shaved fine, and beat it in, then pour the mixture onto the cup of sugar cooked to caramel; let the mixture boil up once, then remove from the fire; add the nut meats and beat until the mass begins to thicken. when cold enough to hold its shape drop onto an oil cloth or marble, a teaspoonful in a place, and at once set a half nut meat on each. two persons are needed to make these pralines, one to drop the mixture, the other to decorate with the halves of the nuts. the mixture becomes smooth and firm almost instantly. maple or brown sugar may be used in place of all or a part of the quantity of granulated sugar designated. vassar fudge [illustration: vassar fudge.] cups of white granulated sugar, cup of cream, tablespoonful of butter, / a cake of baker's premium no. chocolate. put in the sugar and cream, and when this becomes hot put in the chocolate, broken up into fine pieces. stir vigorously and constantly. put in butter when it begins to boil. stir until it creams when beaten on a saucer. then remove and beat until quite cool and pour into buttered tins. when cold cut in diamond-shaped pieces. smith college fudge [illustration: smith college fudge.] melt one-quarter cup of butter. mix together in a separate dish one cup of white sugar, one cup of brown sugar, one-quarter cup of molasses and one-half cup of cream. add this to the butter, and after it has been brought to a boil continue boiling for two and one-half minutes, stirring rapidly. then add two squares of baker's premium no. chocolate, scraped fine. boil this five minutes, stirring it first rapidly, and then more slowly towards the end. after it has been taken from the fire, add one and one-half teaspoonfuls of vanilla. then stir constantly until the mass thickens. pour into buttered pan and set in a cool place. wellesley marshmallow fudge [illustration: wellesley marshmallow fudge.] heat two cups of granulated sugar and one cup of rich milk (cream is better). add two squares of baker's chocolate, and boil until it hardens in cold water. just before it is done add a small piece of butter, then begin to stir in marshmallows, crushing and beating them with a spoon. continue to stir in marshmallows, after the fudge has been taken from the fire, until half a pound has been stirred into the fudge. cool in sheets three-quarters of an inch thick, and cut in cubes. double fudge [illustration: double fudge.] cups of granulated sugar, squares of baker's chocolate, / a cup of cream, tablespoonful of butter. boil seven minutes; then beat and spread in buttered tin to cool. cups of brown sugar, / a cup of cream, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, cup of walnut meats, chopped fine, butter size of a walnut. boil ten minutes; then beat and pour on top of fudge already in pan. when cool, cut in squares. marbled fudge [illustration: marbled fudge.] cups of granulated sugar, / a cup of glucose (pure corn syrup), - / cups of cream, tablespoonful of butter, squares of baker's chocolate, scraped fine or melted, teaspoonfuls of vanilla. stir the sugar, glucose and cream over a slack fire until the sugar is melted; move the saucepan to a hotter part of the range and continue stirring until the mixture boils, then let boil, stirring every three or four minutes very gently, until the thermometer registers ° f., or, till a soft ball can be formed in cold water. remove from the fire and pour one-half of the mixture over the chocolate. set both dishes on a cake rack, or on something that will allow the air to circulate below the dishes. when the mixture cools a little, get some one to beat one dish of the fudge; add a teaspoonful of vanilla to each dish, and beat until thick and slightly grainy, then put the mixture in a pan, lined with waxed paper, first a little of one and then of the other, to give a marbled effect. when nearly cold turn from the pan, peel off the paper and cut into cubes. fudge hearts or rounds [illustration: fudge hearts or rounds.] cups of granulated sugar, / a cup of condensed milk, / a cup of water, / a cup of butter, - / squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract. boil the sugar, milk and water to ° f., or to the "soft ball" degree; stir gently every few minutes; add the butter and let boil up vigorously, then remove from the fire and add the chocolate; let stand undisturbed until cool, then add the vanilla and beat the candy until it thickens and begins to sugar. pour into a pan lined with paper to stand until cooled somewhat; turn from the mold and with a french cutter or a sharp edged tube cut into symmetrical shapes. marshmallow fudge [illustration: marshmallow fudge.] st batch cups of granulated sugar, cup of cream, / a teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of butter, squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla, nearly half a pound of marshmallows, split in halves. nd batch cups of granulated sugar, cup of cream, / a teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of butter, squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla. start with the first batch and when this is nearly boiled enough, set the second batch to cook, preparing it in the same manner as the first. stir the sugar and cream, over a rather slack fire, until the sugar is melted, when the sugar boils wash down the sides of the pan as in making fondant, set in the thermometer and cook over a quick fire, without stirring, to the soft ball degree, ° f.; add the butter, salt and chocolate, melted or shaved fine, and let boil up vigorously, then remove to a cake cooler (or two spoon handles to allow a circulation of air below the pan). in the meantime the second batch should be cooking and the marshmallows be gotten ready. when the first batch is about cold add the vanilla and beat the candy vigorously until it begins to thicken, then turn it into a pan lined with waxed paper. at once dispose the halves of marshmallows close together upon the top of the fudge. soon the other dish of fudge will be ready; set it into cold water and when nearly cold, add the vanilla and beat as in the first batch, then pour it over the marshmallows. when the whole is about cold turn it onto a marble, or hardwood board, pull off the paper and cut into cubes. if one is able to work very quickly, but one batch need be prepared, half of it being spread over the marshmallows. chocolate dipped fruit fudge [illustration: chocolate dipped fruit fudge.] fruit fudge - / cups of granulated sugar, cup of maple syrup, - / cups of glucose (pure corn syrup), / a cup of thick cream, or / a cup of milk and / a cup of butter, / a cup of fruit, figs, and candied cherries and apricots, cut in small pieces. chocolate for dipping / a cake or more of baker's "dot" chocolate. stir the sugar, syrup, glucose and cream until the sugar is melted, cover and let boil three or four minutes, then uncover and let boil stirring often but very gently until a soft ball may be formed in cold water, or, until the thermometer registers ° f. set the saucepan on a cake cooler and when the mixture becomes cool, add the fruit and beat until it becomes thick, then turn into pans lined with waxed paper. in about fifteen minutes cut into squares. coat these with the "dot" chocolate. chocolate cocoanut cakes [illustration: chocolate cocoanut cakes.] / a cup of granulated sugar, / a cup scant measure of water, one cup, less one tablespoonful, of glucose, / a pound of dessicated cocoanut, / a pound or baker's "dot" chocolate. heat the sugar, water and glucose to the boiling point, add the cocoanut and stir constantly while cooking to the soft ball degree, or, until a little of the candy dropped on a cold marble may be rolled into a ball. drop, by small teaspoonfuls, onto a marble or waxed paper, to make small, thick, rather uneven rounds. when cold coat with "dot" chocolate melted over hot water and cooled properly. these cakes are very easily coated. baker's chocolate "divinity" [illustration: baker's chocolate "divinity."] - / cups of brown sugar, cup of maple syrup, / a cup of glucose pure corn syrup, / a cup of water, / a teaspoonful of salt, the whites of eggs, cup of nut meats, chopped fine, squares of baker's chocolate, broken in pieces. let the sugar, syrup, glucose and water stand on the back of the range, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is melted, then cover and let boil five minutes. remove the cover and let boil to soft crack, ° f., or, until when tested in water a ball that rattles in the cup will be formed. add the salt and chocolate and beat over the fire, until the chocolate is melted, then pour in a fine stream onto the whites of eggs, beaten dry, beating constantly meanwhile; add the nuts and pour into a pan lined with waxed paper. in about fifteen minutes lift the candy from the pan (by the ends of the paper left for the purpose) and cut it into small oblongs or squares. the candy must be stirred constantly during the last of the cooking. in cooking without a thermometer one is liable to remove the candy from the fire too soon--if this happens, return, egg whites and all, to the saucepan, set this into a dish of boiling water and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, then pour into the pan lined with paper. on no account let even a few drops of water boil into the candy. chocolate nougatines [illustration: chocolate nougatines.] cup of granulated sugar, / a cup of glucose, / a cup of honey (strained), piece of paraffine size of a pea, / a cup of water, / a teaspoonful of salt, the whites of eggs, beaten dry, cup of almond or english walnut meats, chopped fine, teaspoonful of vanilla, about / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. put the sugar, glucose, honey, paraffine and water over the fire, stir occasionally and let boil to the hard ball degree, about ° f. add the salt to the eggs before beating them, and gradually pour on part of the syrup, beating constantly meanwhile with the egg beater; return the rest of the syrup to the fire and let boil until it is brittle when tested in cold water or to ° f. then turn this gradually onto the eggs, beating constantly meanwhile. return the whole to the saucepan, set over the fire on an asbestos mat and beat constantly until it becomes crisp when tested in cold water. pour into a buttered pan a little larger than an ordinary bread pan and set aside to become cold. when cold cut into pieces about an inch and a quarter long and three-eighths of an inch wide and thick. coat these with "dot" chocolate. plain chocolate caramels [illustration: plain chocolate caramels.] - / cups of sugar, / cup of glucose, (pure corn syrup), / a cup of butter, / a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, - / cups of whole milk, (not skimmed), - / squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract. put the sugar, glucose, butter, cream of tartar and one cup of the milk over the fire, stir constantly, and when the mass has boiled a few moments, gradually stir in the rest of the milk. do not let the mixture stop boiling while the milk is being added. stir every few moments and cook to ° f., or, until when tested in cold water, a hard ball may be formed; add the chocolate and vanilla and beat them thoroughly through the candy, then turn it into two bread pans. when nearly cold cut into squares. chocolate nut caramels [illustration: chocolate nut caramels.] cups of granulated sugar, - / cups of glucose (pure corn syrup), cups of cream, cup of butter, or squares of baker's chocolate, - / cups of english walnut meats, teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract. put the sugar, glucose, _one_ cup of the cream and the butter over the fire; stir and cook until the mixture boils vigorously, then gradually add the other cup of cream. do not allow the mixture to stop boiling while the cream is being added. cook until the thermometer registers ° f., stirring gently--move the thermometer, to stir beneath it--every four or five minutes. without a thermometer boil until--when tested by dropping a little in cold water--a hard ball may be formed in the water. remove from the fire, add the chocolate and nuts and beat until the chocolate is melted; beat in the vanilla and turn into a biscuit pan, nicely oiled or buttered, to make a sheet three-fourths an inch thick. when nearly cold turn from the pan and cut into cubes. ribbon caramels [illustration: ribbon caramels.] chocolate layers - / cups of granulated sugar, / cup of glucose (pure corn syrup) _scant_ measure, / a cup of butter, / a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, - / cups of rich milk, - / squares of baker's premium chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract. white layer / a cup of granulated sugar, / (scant) a cup of water, cup, less one tablespoonful, of glucose (pure corn syrup), / a pound of dessicated cocoanut. put the sugar, glucose, butter, cream of tartar and the fourth a cup of milk over the fire, stir until the mixture boils, then very gradually stir in the rest of the milk. let cook, stirring occasionally, to ° f., or until, when tested in water or on a cold marble, a pretty firm ball may be formed. add the chocolate and vanilla, mix thoroughly and turn into two well-buttered shallow pans. for the white layer, put the sugar, water and glucose over the fire, stir until boiling, then add the cocoanut and stir occasionally until a soft ball may be formed when a little of the mixture is dropped upon a cold marble. put this mixture over the fire, to dissolve the sugar, but do not let it begin to boil until the chocolate layers are turned into the pans. when the white mixture is ready, turn enough of it onto one of the chocolate layers to make a layer about one-third an inch thick. have the other chocolate layer cooled, by standing in cold water; remove it from the pan and dispose above the cocoanut layer. let stand until cold and firm, then cut in cubes; wrap each cube in waxed paper. fondant cups of granulated sugar, - / cups of cold water, / a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, or drops of acetic acid. stir the sugar and water in a saucepan, set on the back part of the range, until the sugar is melted, then draw the saucepan to a hotter part of the range, and stir until the boiling point is reached; add the cream of tartar or acid and, with the hand or a cloth wet repeatedly in cold water, wash down the sides of the saucepan, to remove any grains of sugar that have been thrown there. cover the saucepan and let boil rapidly three or four minutes. remove the cover, set in the thermometer--if one is to be used--and let cook very rapidly to ° f., or the soft ball degree. wet the hand in cold water and with it dampen a marble slab or a large platter, then without jarring the syrup turn it onto the marble or platter. do not scrape out the saucepan or allow the last of the syrup to drip from it, as sugary portions will spoil the fondant by making it grainy. when the syrup is cold, with a metal scraper or a wooden spatula, turn the edges of the mass towards the center, and continue turning the edges in until the mass begins to thicken and grow white, then work it up into a ball, scraping all the sugar from the marble onto the mass; knead slightly, then cover closely with a heavy piece of cotton cloth wrung out of cold water. let the sugar stand for an hour or longer to ripen, then remove the damp cloth and cut the mass into pieces; press these closely into a kitchen bowl, cover with a cloth wrung out of water (this cloth must not touch the fondant) and then with heavy paper. the fondant may be used the next day, but is in better condition after several days, and may be kept almost indefinitely, if the cloth covering it be wrung out of cold water and replaced once in five or six days. fondant may be used, white or delicately colored with vegetable color-pastes or with chocolate, as frosting for small cakes, or éclairs or for making candy "centers," to be coated with chocolate or with some of the same fondant tinted and flavored appropriately. almond chocolate creams centers / a cup of blanched almonds, chopped fine, / a cup of fondant, / a teaspoonful of vanilla, confectioner's sugar for kneading and shaping. chocolate coating about cup of fondant, squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, few drops of water, as needed, halves of blanched almonds. mix the chopped almonds with the fondant and vanilla; add confectioner's sugar, a little at a time, and knead the mass thoroughly, on a marble or large platter; shape into a long roll, then cut into small pieces of the same size. shape these into balls a generous half inch in diameter and leave them about an hour to harden on the outside. put the fondant for the coating and the chocolate (shaved or broken in pieces) in a double boiler (with hot water in the lower receptacle); add the vanilla and the water and heat until melted; take out the spoon and put in a dipping fork (a wire fork costing about ten cents) beat the fondant, to keep it from crusting and drop in a "center;" with the fork cover it with fondant; put the fork under it and lift it out, scrape the fork lightly on the edge of the dish, to remove superfluous candy, turn the fork over and drop the bon-bon onto waxed paper. make a design with the fork in taking it from the candy. at once press half of a blanched almond on the top of the candy, or the design made with the fork will suffice. if at any time the coating be too thick, add a few drops of water. if any be left over, use it to coat whole nuts or cherries. [illustration: almond and cherry chocolate creams.] cherry chocolate creams centers / a cup of candied cherries, chopped fine, / a cup of fondant. chocolate coating about one cup of fondant, squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, bits of cherry. prepare the centers and coat in the same manner as the almond creams. chocolate peppermints [illustration: chocolate peppermints.] melt a little fondant and flavor it to taste with essence of peppermint; leave the mixture white or tint very delicately with green or pink color-paste. with a teaspoon drop the mixture onto waxed paper to make rounds of the same size--about one inch and a quarter in diameter--let these stand in a cool place about one hour. put about a cup of fondant in a double boiler, add two ounces of chocolate and a teaspoonful of boiling water, then stir (over hot water) until the fondant and chocolate are melted and evenly mixed together; then drop the peppermints, one by one, into the chocolate mixture, and remove them with the fork to a piece of oil cloth; let stand until the chocolate is set, when they are ready to use. fig-and-nut chocolates [illustration: fig and nut chocolates.] figs, or tablespoonfuls of water or sherry wine, / a cup of english walnut meats, powdered sugar, fondant, or ounces of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla. remove the stem and hard place around the blossom end of the figs, and let steam, with the water or wine, in a double boiler until softened, then add the nuts and chop very fine. add powdered sugar as is needed to shape the mixture into balls. melt the chocolate, using enough to secure the shade of brown desired in the coating and add to the fondant with the vanilla. coat the fig-and-nut balls and drop them with the fork onto a piece of oil cloth or waxed paper in the same manner as the cherry bon-bons. these may be dipped in "dot" chocolate instead of fondant. chocolate marshmallows [illustration: chocolate marshmallows.] cut the marshmallows in halves, and put them, one by one, cut side down, in chocolate fondant (as prepared for almond and cherry chocolate creams), melted over hot water and flavored to taste with vanilla. beat the chocolate with the fork, that it may not crust over, lift out the marshmallow, turn it and, in removing the fork, leave its imprint in the chocolate; sprinkle at once with a little fine-chopped pistachio nut meat. to prepare the nuts, set them over the fire in tepid water to cover, heat to the boiling point, drain, cover with cold water, then take them up, one by one, and with the thumb and finger push the meat from the skin. maple fondant acorns [illustration: maple fondant acorns.] cups of maple syrup, - / cups of granulated sugar, / a cup of cold water, confectioner's sugar, or more squares of baker's chocolate, teaspoon of vanilla, about / a cup of fine-chopped almonds, browned in the oven. make fondant of the syrup, granulated sugar and cold water, following the directions given for fondant made of granulated sugar (cream of tartar or other acid is not required in maple fondant). work some of the fondant, adding confectioner's sugar as needed, into cone shapes; let these stand an hour or longer to harden upon the outside. put a little of the fondant in a dish over hot water; add baker's chocolate and vanilla as desired and beat till the chocolate is evenly mixed through the fondant, then dip the cones in the chocolate and set them on a piece of oil cloth or waxed paper. when all are dipped, lift the first one dipped from the paper and dip the base again in the chocolate, and then in the chopped-and-browned almonds. continue until all have been dipped. chocolate almond bars [illustration: chocolate almond bars.] / a cup of sugar, / a cup of glucose, / a cup of water, ( / an ounce of paraffine at discretion), / a cup of blanched almonds, chopped fine, / the recipe for fondant, or ozs. of baker's chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla. melt the sugar in the water and glucose and let boil to about ° f., or between a soft and a hard ball. without the paraffine cook a little higher than with it. add the almonds and the vanilla, mix thoroughly and turn onto a marble or platter over which powdered sugar has been sifted. turn out the candy in such a way that it will take a rectangular shape on the marble. when cool enough score it in strips about an inch and a quarter wide, and, as it grows cooler, lift the strips, one by one, to a board and cut them in pieces half or three-quarters of an inch wide. when cold, drop them, sugar side down, in chocolate fondant prepared for "dipping." with the fork push them below the fondant, lift out, drain as much as possible, and set onto oil cloth. these improve upon keeping. almond fondant sticks [illustration: almond fondant sticks.] - / cups of coffee a or granulated sugar, / a cup of glucose, / a cup of water, / a pound of almond paste, / a pound of baker's premium chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. put the sugar, glucose and water over the fire. stir until the sugar is dissolved. wash down the sides of the kettle as in making fondant. let boil to the soft ball degree or to ° f. add the almond paste, cut into small, thin pieces, let boil up vigorously, then turn onto a damp marble. when nearly cold turn to a cream with a wooden spatula. it will take considerable time to turn this mixture to fondant. cover and let stand half an hour. add the baker's premium chocolate, melted over hot water, and knead it in thoroughly. add at the same time the vanilla. the chocolate must be added warm. at once cut off a portion of the fondant and knead it into a round ball; then roll it lightly under the fingers into a long strip the shape and size of a lead pencil; form as many of these strips as desired; cut the strips into two-inch lengths and let stand to become firm. have ready the "dot" chocolate melted over hot water and in this coat the prepared sticks leaving the surface a little rough. almond fondant balls [illustration: almond fondant balls.] roll part of the almond fondant into small balls. some of the "dot" chocolate will be left after dipping the almond chocolate sticks. remelt this over hot water, and in it coat the balls lightly. as each ball is coated with the chocolate drop it onto a plate of chopped pistachio nut meats or of chopped cocoanut (fresh or dessicated). with a spoon sprinkle the chopped material over the balls. walnut cream-chocolates [illustration: walnut cream chocolates.] - / cups of granulated sugar, / a cup of condensed milk, / a cup of water, or tablespoonfuls of thick caramel syrup, a little water, teaspoonful of vanilla, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. put the sugar, condensed milk and water over the fire to boil, stir gently but often, and let cook to the soft ball stage, or to °f. pour on a damp marble and let stand undisturbed until cold; turn to a cream, then gather into a compact mass; cover with a bowl and let stand for thirty minutes; then knead the cream; put it into a double boiler; add the caramel syrup and the vanilla; stir constantly while the mixture becomes warm and thin; add a tablespoonful or two of water, if necessary, and drop the cream mixture into impressions made in cornstarch. use two teaspoons to drop the cream. when the candy is cold, pick it from the starch. with a small brush remove the starch that sticks to the candy shapes. coat each piece with "dot" chocolate. as each piece is coated and dropped onto the oil cloth, set half an english walnut meat upon the top. to mold candy in starch impressions many candies, especially such as are of some variety of fondant, are thin when warm and solidify on the outside when cold, so that they may be "dipped" or coated with chocolate. to shape candy of this sort, fill a low pan with cornstarch, making it smooth upon the top. have ready molds made of plaster paris, glued to a thin strip of wood, press these into the cornstarch; lift from the starch and repeat the impressions as many times as the space allows. if molds are not available a thimble, round piece of wood, or the stopper of an oil or vinegar cruet will answer the purpose, though the impressions must be made one at a time. chocolate butter creams [illustration: chocolate butter creams.] - / cups of sugar, / a cup of water, / a cup of glucose, / a cup of butter, - / ozs of baker's premium chocolate, teaspoonfuls of vanilla, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. put the sugar, water, glucose and butter over the fire; stir until the sugar is melted, then cook to the soft ball degree, or ° f.; pour on a damp marble and leave until cold; then pour on the premium chocolate, melted over hot water, and with a spatula turn to a cream. this process is longer than with the ordinary fondant. cover the chocolate fondant with a bowl and let stand for thirty minutes; knead well and set over the fire in a double boiler; add the vanilla and stir until melted. the mixture is now ready to be dropped into small impressions in starch; when cold and brushed free of starch dip in "dot" chocolate. when dropping the chocolate mixture into the starch it should be just soft enough to run level on the top. if too soft it will not hold its shape in coating. fondant for soft chocolate creams - / cups of sugar, / a cup of glucose (pure corn syrup), cup of water. put the sugar, glucose and water over the fire and stir until boiling, then wash down the sides of the saucepan, cover and finish cooking as in making ordinary fondant. let cook to ° f. turn the syrup onto a damp marble or platter and _before it becomes cold_ turn to a cream with a wooden spatula. when the fondant begins to stiffen, scrape at once into a bowl and cover with a damp cloth, but do not let the cloth touch the fondant. use this fondant in the following recipes. rose chocolate creams fondant, damask rose color-paste, / to whole teaspoonful of rose extract, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. put a part or the whole of the fondant into a double boiler over boiling water. with the point of a toothpick take up a little of the color-paste and add to the fondant; add the extract and stir until the mixture is hot, thin and evenly tinted. with two teaspoons drop the mixture into impressions made in starch; it should be hot and thin enough to run level on top. when the shapes are cold, remove from the starch, brush carefully and coat with "dot" chocolate. [illustration: rose and pistachio chocolate creams.] pistachio chocolate creams fondant, green color-paste, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, / a teaspoonful of almond extract, pistachio nuts in slices and halves, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. using green color-paste, vanilla and almond extract mold the fondant in long shapes. put a bit of nut in each impression, before filling it with fondant. when firm coat with "dot" chocolate and set half a pistachio nut on top. surprise chocolate creams [illustration: surprise chocolate creams.] fondant, candied or maraschino cherries, flavoring of almond or vanilla, chopped peanuts, / a pound of baker's "dot" chocolate. melt the fondant over hot water and add the flavoring. put a bit of cherry in the bottom of each starch impression, then turn in the melted fondant, to fill the impressions and have them level on the top. let the chocolate, broken in bits, be melted over warm water, then add as many chopped peanuts as can be well stirred into it; let cool to about ° f. and in it drop the creams, one at a time; as coated dispose them on table oil cloth or waxed paper. chocolate peanut brittle [illustration: chocolate peanut brittle.] - / cups of sugar, / a cup of water, / a cup of glucose (pure corn syrup), level tablespoonfuls of butter, / a pound of _raw_ shelled peanuts, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, level teaspoonful of soda, tablespoonful of cold water, / a pound or more of baker's "dot" chocolate. put the sugar, water and glucose over the fire; stir till the sugar is dissolved; wash down the sides of the saucepan with a cloth or the fingers dipped in cold water, cover and let boil three or four minutes, then uncover and let cook to ° f. (when a little is cooled and chewed it clings but does not stick to the teeth) add the butter and peanuts and _stir constantly_ until the peanuts are nicely browned (or are of the color of well roasted peanuts). dissolve the soda in the cold water, add the vanilla and the soda and stir vigorously. when the candy is through foaming, turn it onto a warm and well-oiled marble or platter. as soon as it has cooled a little on the edges, take hold of it at the edge and pull out as thin as possible. loosen it from the receptacle at the center by running a spatula under it, then turn the whole sheet upside down, and again pull as thin as possible. break into small pieces and when cold coat with "dot" chocolate prepared as in previous recipes. half of a roasted peanut may be set upon each piece as coated. note that the peanuts used in the brittle are raw. the small spanish peanuts are the best for this purpose. after the peanuts are shelled, cover them with boiling water, let boil up once, then skim out and push off the skin, when they are ready to use. chocolate pop corn balls [illustration: chocolate pop corn balls.] - / cups of sugar, / a cup of glucose, / a cup of water, / a cup of molasses, tablespoonfuls of butter, squares of baker's premium chocolate, teaspoonful of vanilla extract, about quarts of popped corn, well salted. set the sugar, glucose and water over the fire, stir until the sugar is melted, then wash down the sides of the saucepan, cover and let boil three or four minutes, then remove the cover and let cook without stirring to the hard ball degree; add the molasses and butter and stir constantly until brittle in cold water; remove from the fire and, as soon as the bubbling ceases, add the chocolate, melted over hot water, and the vanilla; stir, to mix the chocolate evenly through the candy, then pour onto the popped corn, mixing the two together meanwhile. with buttered hands lightly roll the mixture into small balls. press the mixture together only just enough to hold it in shape. discard all the hard kernels in the corn. have the corn warm and in a warm bowl. chocolate molasses kisses [illustration: chocolate molasses kisses.] cups of coffee a sugar, / a cup of glucose, (pure corn syrup), / a cup of water, cup of molasses, tablespoonfuls of butter, / a teaspoonful of salt, ounces of baker's premium chocolate, tablespoonful of vanilla extract, or teaspoonful of essence of peppermint. put all the ingredients, save the salt, chocolate and flavoring, over the fire; let boil rapidly to °f., or until brittle when tested in cold water. during the last of the cooking the candy must be stirred constantly. pour onto an oiled platter or marble; pour the chocolate, melted over hot water, above the candy; as the candy cools on the edges, with a spatula or the fingers, turn the edges towards the center; continue this until the candy is cold enough to pull; pull over a hook until cold; add the flavoring, a little at a time, during the pulling, cut in short lengths and wrap in waxed paper. walter baker & co., ltd. established this house has grown to be the largest of its kind in the world and it has achieved that result by always maintaining the highest standard in the quality of its cocoa and chocolate preparations and selling them at the lowest price for which unadulterated articles of high grade can be put upon the market. under cover of a similarity in name, trade-mark, label or wrapper, a number of unscrupulous concerns have, within recent years, made attempts to get possession of the great market won by this house, by trading on its good name--selling to unsuspecting consumers goods of distinctly inferior quality by representing them to be the products of the genuine "baker's." the quantity of goods sold in this way is not so much of an injury to us as the discredit cast upon our manufactures by leading some consumers to believe that these fraudulent articles are of our manufacture and that we have lowered the high standard maintained for so many years. it is difficult to bring the fraud home to all consumers, as those who are making use of it seek out-of-the-way places where deception will the more easily pass. we have letters from housekeepers who have used the genuine baker goods for years, expressing their indignation at the attempts of unscrupulous dealers to foist upon them inferior and adulterated articles by fraudulently representing them to be of our manufacture. statements in the press and in the reports of the pure food commissioners show that there are on the market at this time many cocoas and chocolates which have been treated with adulterants, more or less injurious to health, for the purpose of cheapening the cost and giving a fictitious appearance of richness and strength. the safest course for consumers, therefore, is to buy goods bearing the name and trade-mark of a well-known and reputable manufacturer, and to make sure by a careful examination that they are getting what they order. our cocoa and chocolate preparations are absolutely pure--free from coloring matter, chemical solvents, or adulterants of any kind, and are therefore in full conformity to the requirements of all national and state pure food laws. we have behind us one hundred and twenty-nine years of successful manufacture, and fifty-two highest awards from the great industrial exhibitions in europe and america. we ask the cooperation of all consumers who want to get what they order and what they pay for to help us--as much in their own interest as ours--in checking these frauds. walter baker & co., ltd. our registered guarantee under national pure food laws is serial no. . walter baker & co.'s cocoa and chocolate preparations * * * * * baker's breakfast cocoa [illustration: walker baker & co's. breakfast cocoa fac-simile of / lb. can.] in - lb., - lb., - lb., lb. and lb. tins this admirable preparation is made from selected cocoa, from which the excess of oil has been removed. it is _absolutely pure_, and it is _soluble_. it has _more than three times the strength_ of cocoa mixed with starch, arrowroot or sugar, and is, therefore, far more economical, _costing less than one cent a cup_. it is delicious, nourishing, strengthening, _easily digested_, and admirably adapted for invalids as well as for persons in health. _no alkalies or other chemicals or dyes are used in its preparation._ trade-mark on every package * * * * * baker's chocolate [illustration: walter baker & co's. premium no. fac-simile of / lb. package.] in - and - lb. cakes, lb. packages, blue wrapper, yellow label it is the pure product of carefully selected cocoa beans, to which nothing has been added and from which nothing has been taken away. unequalled for smoothness, delicacy and natural flavor. celebrated for more than a century as a nutritious, delicious and flesh-forming beverage. the high reputation and constantly increasing sales of this article have led to imitations on a very extensive scale. to distinguish their product from these imitations walter baker & co., ltd., have enclosed their cakes and pound packages in a new envelope or case of stiff paper, different from any other package. the color of the case is the same shade of deep blue heretofore used on the baker packages, and no change has been made in the color (yellow) and design of the label. on the outside of the case, the name of the manufacturer is prominently printed in white letters. on the back of every package a colored lithograph of the trade-mark, "la belle chocolatière" sometimes called the chocolate girl, is printed. vigorous proceedings will be taken against anyone imitating the package. trade-mark on every package * * * * * baker's vanilla chocolate in - lb. and - lb. cakes and c and c packages, is guaranteed to consist solely of choice cocoa and sugar, flavored with pure vanilla beans. particular care is taken in its preparation, and a trial will convince one that it is really a delicious article for eating or drinking. it is the best sweet chocolate in the market. used at receptions and evening parties in place of tea or coffee. the small cakes form the most convenient, palatable and healthful article of food that can be carried by bicyclists, tourists and students. trade-mark on every package * * * * * caracas chocolate [illustration: walter baker & co's. caracas sweet chocolate fac-simile / lb. package.] in - and - lb. packages a delicious article. good to eat and good to drink. it is one of the finest and most popular sweet chocolates on the market, and has a constantly increasing sale in all parts of the country. if you do not find it at your grocer's, we will send a quarter-pound cake by mail, prepaid, on receipt of cents in stamps or money. trade-mark on every package * * * * * century chocolate in - lb. packages a fine vanilla chocolate for eating or drinking. put up in very artistic wrappers. trade-mark on every package * * * * * auto-sweet chocolate in - lb. packages a fine eating chocolate, enclosed in an attractive wrapper with an embossed representation of an automobile in colors. trade-mark on every package * * * * * german sweet chocolate [illustration: walter baker & co's. german sweet chocolate fac-simile / lb. package.] in - lb. and - lb. packages is one of the most popular sweet chocolates sold anywhere. it is palatable, nutritious and healthful and is a great favorite with children. _beware of imitations. the genuine is stamped: "s. german, dorchester, mass."_ trade-mark (la belle chocolatière) on every package * * * * * dot chocolate in - lb. cakes; lb. boxes a high grade chocolate specially prepared for home-made candies, and for sportsmen's use. if you do not find it at your grocer's write to us and we will put you in the way of getting it. in "the way of the woods--a manual for sportsmen" edward breck, the author, says: "chocolate is now regarded as a very high-class food on account of its nutritive qualities. * * * * * a half cake will keep a man's strength up for a day without any other food. i never strike off from camp by myself without a piece of chocolate in my pocket. do not, however, have anything to do with the mawkishly sweet chocolates of the candy shops or the imported milk chocolate, which are not suited for the purpose. we have something better here in america in walter baker & co.'s "dot" brand, which is slightly sweetened." * * * * * cracked cocoa or cocoa nibs in - lb. and lb. packages, and in lb. and lb. bags this is the freshly roasted bean cracked into small pieces. it contains no admixture, and presents the full flavor of the cocoa-bean in all its natural fragrance and purity. when properly prepared, it is one of the most economical drinks. dr. lankester says cocoa contains as much flesh-forming matter as beef. trade-mark on every package * * * * * soluble cocoa this is a preparation for the special use of druggists and others in making hot or cold soda. it forms the basis for a delicious, refreshing, nourishing and strengthening drink. it is perfectly soluble. it is absolutely pure. it is easily made. it possesses the full strength and natural flavor of the cocoa-bean. no chemicals are used in its preparation. _the directions for making one gallon of syrup are as follows:_ ounces of soluble cocoa, - / pounds of white sugar, - / quarts of water. thoroughly dissolve the cocoa in hot water, then add the sugar, and heat until the mixture boils. strain while hot. after it has become cool, sugar may be added if desired. the trade is supplied with , or lb. decorated canisters. trade-mark on every package * * * * * chocolate for confectioners' use _liquid chocolates_--plain, sweet, light, medium and dark. _soluble cocoa_--for hot or cold soda. _absolutely pure--free from coloring matter, chemical solvents, or adulterants of any kind, and therefore in full conformity to the requirements of all national and state pure food laws._ * * * * * vanilla tablets these are small pieces of chocolate, made from the finest beans, and done up in fancy foil. the packages are tied with colored ribbons, and are very attractive in form and delicious in substance. they are much used for desserts and collations, and at picnics and entertainments for young people. they are strongly recommended by physicians as a healthy and nutritious confection for children. trade-mark on every package * * * * * cocoa-butter in - lb. and - lb. cakes, and in metal boxes for toilet uses one-half the weight of the cocoa-bean consists of a fat called "cocoa-butter," from its resemblance to ordinary butter. it is considered of great value as a nutritious, strengthening tonic, being preferred to cod-liver oil and other nauseous fats so often used in pulmonary complaints. as a soothing application to chapped hands and lips, and all irritated surfaces, cocoa-butter has no equal, making the skin remarkably soft and smooth. many who have used it say they would not for any consideration be without it. it is almost a necessary article for every household. trade-mark on every package * * * * * cocoa-shells in lb. and - lb. packages cocoa-shells are the thin outer covering of the beans. they have a flavor similar to but milder than cocoa. their very low price places them within the reach of all; and as furnishing a pleasant and healthy drink, they are considered superior to tea and coffee. packed _only_ in lb. and / lb. papers, with our label and name on them. trade-mark on every package * * * * * cacao des aztÈques in boxes, lbs. each; - lb. bottles a compound formerly known as _racabout des arabes_; a most nutritious preparation; indispensable as an article of diet for children, convalescents, ladies, and delicate or aged persons. it is composed of the best nutritive and restoring substances, suitable for the most delicate system. it is now a _favorite breakfast beverage for ladies and young persons_, to whom it gives freshness and _embonpoint_. it has solved the problem of medicine by imparting something which is easily digestible and at the same time _free from the exciting qualities_ of coffee and tea, thus making it especially desirable for nervous persons or those afflicted with weak stomachs. it has a very agreeable flavor, is easily prepared, and has received the _commendation of eminent physicians_ as being the best article known for convalescents and all persons desiring a _light, digestible, nourishing and strengthening food_. [illustration] index to recipes miss parloa's: plain chocolate (for drinking) chocolate, vienna style breakfast cocoa chocolate layer cake " cake " marble cake " glacé cake " glacé " biscuit " wafers cinderella cakes chocolate Éclairs " cookies " gingerbread vanilla icing chocolate icing " profiteroles " ice-cream " cream pies " mousse " charlotte " bavarian cream " cream " blanc-mange " cream renversee baked chocolate custard chocolate soufflé " pudding " meringue pudding milton pudding snow pudding chocolate sauce " candy cream chocolate caramels sugar " " chocolate creams, no. " " no. " cones genesee bonbons chocolate syrup refreshing drinks for summer * * * * * miss burr's: cracked cocoa for three gallons breakfast cocoa vanilla chocolate with whipped cream chocolate cream pie " filling meringue cocoa sticks " frosting " sauce " cake " meringue pudding chocolate almonds " coatings hot chocolate sauce cocoa sponge cake chocolate frosting " cake; or, devil's food " ice-cream " whip cocoa marble cake chocolate marble cake " jelly cottage pudding vanilla sauce cocoanut soufflé chocolate sauce cocoa biscuit " fudge * * * * * miss robinson's: plain chocolate quart cocoa sponge cake " marble " " doughnuts " buns * * * * * mrs. rorer's: chocolate cake * * * * * mrs. lincoln's: chocolate caramels * * * * * miss farmer's: chocolate nougat cake " cream candy * * * * * mrs. armstrong's: chocolate pudding " charlotte chocolate jelly with crystallized green gages * * * * * mrs. bedford's: chocolate crullers hot cocoa sauce for ice-cream chocolate macaroons * * * * * mrs. ewing's: creamy cocoa " chocolate * * * * * mrs. hill's: cocoa frappé chocolate puffs * * * * * mrs. salzbacher's: chocolate hearts * * * * * cocoa charlotte chocolate fudge with fruit " macaroons * * * * * petits four potato cake spanish chocolate cake * * * * * mrs. hill's candy recipes: peppermints, chocolate mints, etc. chocolate caramel walnuts "dot" chocolate coatings chocolate dipped peppermints ginger, cherry, apricot and nut chocolates chocolate peanut clusters " coated almonds " dipped parisian sweets stuffed dates, chocolate dipped chocolate oysterettes turkish paste with french fruit chocolate pecan pralines vassar fudge smith college fudge wellesley marshmallow fudge double fudge marbled fudge fudge hearts or rounds marshmallow fudge chocolate dipped fruit fudge chocolate cocoanut cakes baker's chocolate "divinity" chocolate nougatines plain chocolate caramels chocolate nut caramels ribbon caramels fondant almond chocolate creams cherry chocolate creams chocolate peppermints fig and nut chocolates chocolate marshmallows maple fondant acorns chocolate almond bars almond fondant sticks almond fondant balls walnut cream chocolates to mold candy for dipping chocolate butter creams fondant for soft chocolate creams rose chocolate creams pistachio chocolate creams surprise chocolate creams chocolate peanut brittle chocolate pop corn balls chocolate molasses kisses * * * * * [illustration] no other food product has a like record. [illustration] walter baker & co. ltd. established . highest awards. transcriber's note: inconsistent hyphenation and spelling in the original document have been preserved. obvious typographical errors have been corrected. italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by =equal signs=. illustrations and advertisements have been moved so that the flow of the text is uninterrupted. the boston cooking-school magazine of·culinary·science·and· domestic·economics aug.-sept., vol. xv no. dollar a year cents a copy published by the boston cooking school magazine co. boylston st. boston mass. [illustrated advertisement] rumford the wholesome baking powder surpasses all others in healthful and baking qualities. it is a food itself, made of the genuine professor horsford's phosphate, thereby supplying the nutritious and strength-giving phosphates so essential to health, which are removed from flour in the process of bolting. hot biscuit, rolls, muffins, etc., made with rumford baking powder can be eaten hot without detriment. its action in the dough is thorough, producing superior cake, biscuit, etc., of the finest texture, and without impairing the most delicate flavorings that may be used. the best at a reasonable cost. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] lowney's cocoa =good= cocoa is the best beverage known to modern authorities on food and drink, nourishing, strengthening and a valuable aid to digestion. there is, however, a wide range in the _quality_ of cocoas. =lowney's= cocoa is made of the choicest cocoa beans without "treatments" or adulteration, and in a manner that insures the purest and best product possible. it is the best cocoa made. _the lowney cook book pages, $ . postpaid_ =the walter m. lowney co.= =boston= cocoa-chocolate chocolate bonbons * * * * * the boston cooking-school magazine vol. xv august-september, no. contents for august-september page dishes for automobile and picnic luncheons quaint customs and toothsome dainties frances r. sterrett being married mrs. charles norman the regeneration of podunk phoebe d. roulon fate grace agnes thompson out of chicken pie helen campbell in august cora a. m. dolson old age kate gannett wells love and affection helen coale crew three girls go blackberrying samuel smyth a romany tent lalia mitchell editorials seasonable recipes (illustrated by half-tone engravings of prepared dishes) janet m. hill menus for week in august " " " menus for week in september " " " menus, economical, for week in september janet m. hill rhymed receipts for any occasion, kimberly strickland in time of vacation janet m. hill the task we love l. m. thornton a group of choice spanish and mexican recipes mrs. l. rice the nursery e. r. parker practical home dietetics minnie genevieve morse home ideas and economies goin' to school laura r. talbot queries and answers miscellaneous xiv $ . a year published ten times a year c. a copy four years' subscription, $ . entered at boston post-office as second-class matter. copyright, , by the boston cooking-school magazine company boylston street boston, massachusetts please renew on receipt of the colored blank enclosed for that purpose [advertisement] is your canning done? if not, now is the time to commence. with the larger fruits, such as peaches, pears, plums, etc., and the vegetables at their best, there is no time to be lost. you will find mrs. rorer's book, =canning and preserving=, a wonderful help. you cannot fail in your work if you follow her directions. isn't that worth something? to have your jellies come out right--no mistakes, no reboiling, no worry, no fret--what wouldn't a woman give to insure such a result? the recipes cover all fruits and vegetables, and other items, such as syrups, vinegars, fruit drinks, etc. mrs. rorer tells you how to can and preserve, how to make jellies, marmalades, fruit butters--in fact all you may want to know on the subject. =cloth bound, only cents= mrs. rorer's vegetable cookery and meat substitutes most people use but few vegetables. they are not aware of the great variety at hand. what do you say to forty or fifty different kinds, all good, all palatable, all healthful, and easily bought and prepared. well, in this book of mrs. rorer's she gives you many recipes for cooking and serving this great variety of vegetables, and tells their uses and purposes. the book contains chapters on appetizers, soups, eggs, sauces, salads, salad dressings, vegetable cookery, flavorings, garnishes, breads, canning, desserts, pudding sauces, fruits, nut milks and =substitutes for meats=. a great book, and one that will pay, in comfort and health, many times its cost. =cloth bound, $ . ; by mail $ . = mrs. rorer's new cook book the best in existence. pages of the choicest recipes in all departments of cookery, fully illustrated. the chapters on how to buy meats, and carving are enough to commend it to any one. =in washable cloth, $ . ; by mail $ . = my best recipes mrs. rorer's selected choicest recipes, the ones that have most strongly appealed to her. =cloth bound, cents; by mail cents= many ways for eggs an excellent little book, full of many new recipes for cooking eggs. and when once you try them, you'll be glad of the book. =cloth, cents; by mail cents= new salads mrs. rorer says that, for health purposes, a salad should be part of every day's dinner. well, here in this book are many fine, choice recipes to tickle the palate and give that nice finish to a good meal. =cloth bound, only cents= =at all bookstores or department stores, or write the publishers= =arnold and company, sansom street, philadelphia= * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] slade's cinnamon absolutely pure ¼ lb. net =delicious food= costs but little, if any more than disgusting food. it is the flavor that marks the difference between =slade's spices and extracts= and the ordinary kind. that is why you should insist on having slade's. _grocers generally sell slade's to particular people._ d. & l. slade co. boston * * * * * [advertisement] euthenics _the science of controllable environment_ _by ellen h. richards, a.m._ this book is a plea for better living conditions as a first step toward higher human efficiency. it discusses most readably the opportunity for betterment, the need of individual and community effort, the training of the child in the home and in the school, stimulative education for adults, the protection of the ignorant, and the responsibility for improving the national health and increasing the national wealth. ready in june. price to be announced. whitcomb & barrows _publishers_ huntington chambers, boston, mass. * * * * * index for august-september page a group of choice spanish and mexican recipes a romany tent being married dishes for automobile and picnic luncheons editorials fate goin' to school home ideas and economies in august in time of vacation love and affection menus - old age out of chicken pie practical home dietetics quaint customs and toothsome dainties rhymed receipts for any occasion the father xiv the nursery the regeneration of podunk the task we love three girls go blackberrying seasonable recipes: bouillon, jellied chicken and ham, terrine of (ill.) chowder, green corn corn, green, au gratin (ill.) kuchen, kugelhopf (ill.) meat, cold, with vegetable salad (ill.) oysters, escalloped parfait, grape-juice (ill.) pastry, plain and flaky , pears béatrice (ill.) rissoles, chicken-and-ham (ill.) salad, cheese (ill.) salad, peach (ill.) sauce, vinaigrette sausage with pineapple fritters (ill.) sherbet, grape-juice soup, bisque of clams and green peas soup, clam broth, chantilly soup, purée of tomato, julienne soup, tomato bisque watermelon cones (ill.) queries and answers: angel food with cornstarch xii blitz kuchen cake, lady baltimore xii cake, sponge, for jelly roll cookies, peanut xii currants, bar-le-duc custard, cheese x eggs benedict ginger root, preserving x ice cream, dark chocolate jelly, tomato, aspic omelet, rum x peach cordial xii rice with bacon and tomatoes xii soup, cream of corn sundae, maple-walnut xii tamales, mexican x time table for cooking [advertisement] leading works on cookery published by little, brown, & co., boston =the boston cooking school cook book= by fannie merritt farmer. new revised edition, with illustrations in half-tone. pages. cloth. $ . . this new and enlarged edition contains thoroughly tested recipes, from the simple and economical to the more elaborate. =food and cookery for the sick and convalescent= by fannie merritt farmer. with sixty illustrations in half-tone. pages. cloth. $ . _net_. an invaluable book for those whose duty it is to care for the sick. =chafing dish possibilities= by fannie merritt farmer. pages. cloth. $ . . it is a book that no one who entertains with the chafing dish will be without.--_st. paul globe._ =the golden rule cook book= by m. r. l. sharpe. mo. pages. cloth. $ . _net_. a collection of recipes for meatless dishes with specimen menus that will delight the vegetarian. =cooking for two= by janet mackenzie hill. a handbook for young housekeepers. with numerous illustrations. mo. cloth. $ . _net_. over pages of recipes, menus, and other invaluable information for families of two. =the up-to-date waitress= by janet mackenzie hill. with illustrations. pages. cloth. $ . _net_. a book for every household in which a waitress is employed. =salads, sandwiches, and chafing-dish dainties= by janet mackenzie hill. with illustrations. pages. cloth. $ . . to the housewife who likes new and dainty ways of serving food, this book will simply be a godsend. =the boston cook book= by mary j. lincoln. revised edition, with illustrations. about pages. cloth, $ . . it ought to be in every household.--_philadelphia press._ * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] mrs. hill's new book cooking tor two =over pages; over illustrations.= =price $ . net, postage c.= cooking for two is designed to give in simple and concise style, those things that are essential to the proper selection and preparation of a reasonable variety of food for a family of two individuals. at the same time by simply doubling the quantity of each ingredient given in a recipe, the dish prepared will serve four or more people. the food products considered in the recipes are such as the housekeeper of average means would use on every day occasions, with a generous sprinkling of choice articles for sunday, or when a friend or two have been invited to dinner, luncheon or high tea. menus for a week or two in each month are given. there is much in the book that is interesting, even indispensable, to young housekeepers, or those with little experience in cooking, while every housekeeper will find it contains much that is new and helpful. =an ideal gift to a young housekeeper. the recipes are practical and are designed, and really are, "for two."= we will send "=cooking for two=" _postpaid_ on receipt of price; or to a present subscriber as a premium for sending us three ( ) _new_ yearly subscriptions at $ . each. =the boston cooking-school magazine co., boston, massachusetts= * * * * * [advertisement] books on household economics the boston cooking-school magazine presents the following as a list of representative works on household economics. any of the books will be sent postpaid on receipt of price. with an order amounting to $ or more we include a year's subscription to the boston cooking-school magazine (price $ ). the magazine must be sent, however, to a new subscriber. the books will be sent as premiums for securing new subscriptions to the boston cooking-school magazine as follows: any book listed at not more than fifty cents will be sent postpaid to a present subscriber on receipt of one new yearly subscription at $ ; for two subscriptions we will send postpaid any $ book; for three subscriptions any $ . book; and so on in like ratio. special rates will be made to schools, clubs and persons wishing a number of books. write for quotation on the list of books you wish. =american salad book.= m. deloup $ . =art of home candy-making= (=with thermometer, dipping wire, and moulds=) . =art of right living.= richards . =baby, the. a book for mothers and nurses.= d. r. brown, m.d. . =blue grass cook book.= minnie c. fox . =book of good manners.= kingsland . =boston cook book.= mary j. lincoln . =boston cooking school cook book.= fannie m. farmer . =bread and bread-making.= mrs. rorer . =bright ideas for entertaining.= linscott . =cakes, icings and fillings.= mrs. rorer . =canning and preserving.= mrs. rorer . =care and feeding of children.= l. e. holt, m.d. . =care of a child in health.= n. oppenheim . =carving and serving.= mary j. lincoln . =century cook book.= mary roland . =chemistry in daily life.= lessar-cohn . =chemistry of cookery.= w. mattieu williams . =chemistry of cooking and cleaning.= richards and elliot . =cleaning and renovating at home.= osman . =cook book for nurses.= sarah c. hill . =cooking for two.= mrs. janet m. hill . =cost of cleanness.= richards . =cost of food.= richards . =cost of living.= richards . =cost of shelter.= richards . =dainties.= mrs. rorer . =desserts--one hundred recipes.= by fillipini . =diet in relation to age and activity.= sir henry thompson . =dictionary of cookery.= cassell . =dictionary of foods and culinary encyclopædia.= senn . =domestic service.= lucy m. salmon . =economics of modern cookery.= m. m. mollock . =eggs--one hundred recipes.= fillipini . =every day menu book.= mrs. rorer . =expert waitress.= a. f. springsteed . =first lessons in food and diet=. . =fish--one hundred recipes for cooking fish.= fillipini . =first principles of nursing.= anne r. manning . =food.= a. h. church . =food and cookery for the sick and convalescent.= fannie m. farmer . =food and dietaries.= r. w. burnett, m.d. . =food and its functions.= james knight . =food in health and disease.= i. b. yéo, m.d. . =food materials and their adulterations.= richards . =golden rule cook book= (= recipes for meatless dishes=). sharpe . =handbook of invalid cooking.= mary a. boland . =healthful farm house, the.= helen dodd . =home economics.= maria parloa . =home economics movement= . =home nursing.= harrison . =home problems from a new standpoint= . =home sanitation.= richards and talbot . =home science cook book.= anna barrows and mary j. lincoln . =hostess of today.= linda hull larned . =hot weather dishes.= mrs. rorer . =household economics.= helen campbell . =household science.= juniata l. shepperd . =how to cook fish.= olive green . =how to cook for the sick and convalescent.= h. v. sachse . =how to feed children.= louise e. hogan . =international cook book.= fillipini . =kitchen companion.= parloa . =laundry manual.= balderston and limerick . =laundry work.= juniata l. shepperd . =louis' salads and chafing dishes.= muckensturm . =luncheons.= mary roland . =made-over dishes.= mrs. rorer . =many ways for cooking eggs.= mrs. rorer . =marion harland's complete cook book= . =menu book and register of dishes.= senn . =my best recipes.= mrs. rorer . =one woman's work for farm women= . =practical cooking and serving.= mrs. janet m. hill . =practical, sanitary, and economic cooking.= mary hinman abel . =principles of home decoration.= candace wheeler . =register of foods= . =rorer's (mrs.) new cook book= . =salads, sandwiches, and chafing dish dainties.= mrs. janet m. hill . =sanitation in daily life.= richards . =spirit of cookery.= j. l. w. thudichum . =the up-to-date waitress.= mrs. janet m. hill . =the woman who spends.= bertha j. richardson . =till the doctor comes, and how to help him.= george h. hope, m.d., and mary kydd . =vegetable cookery and meat substitutes.= mrs. rorer . =vegetarian cookery.= a. g. payne . address all orders the boston cooking-school magazine co., boston, mass. * * * * * [advertisement] we have an attractive proposition to make to those who will take subscriptions for _the boston cooking-school magazine_ write us for it if you wish to canvass your town or if you wish to secure only a few names among your friends and acquaintances. start the work at once and you will be surprised how easily you can earn ten, twenty or fifty dollars. address subscription department _boston cooking-school magazine co._ _boston, massachusetts_ buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes * * * * * dishes for automobile and picnic luncheons i. terrine-of-chicken and ham cold jellied chicken pie cold jellied tongue cold boiled ham, sliced thin cold chicken-and-ham rissoles boned loin of lamb, roasted, cooled, sliced thin slices of cold roast lamb in mint jelly cold broiled lamb chops, paper frills on bones cold creamed chicken in puff cases salmon-and-green pea salad potato-and-egg salad stringless bean-and-egg salad deviled ham sandwiches cheese-and-pecan nut sandwiches bacon sandwiches noisette sandwiches pimento-and-cream cheese sandwiches corned beef-and-mustard sandwiches peanut butter-and-olive sandwiches lady finger rolls parker house rolls rye biscuit apple turnovers. banbury tarts. jelly tarts grape-fruit marmalade. currant jelly gherkins. melon mangoes cold coffee. hot coffee grape juice. pineappleade lemonade [illustration: corner of living room in bungalow] the boston cooking-school magazine vol. xv august-september, no. quaint customs and toothsome dainties by frances r. sterrett popular hotels and big cafés are much the same the world over, whether you find them in new york, paris, cairo or calcutta. there is the same staff of uniformed, expectant servants, the same glittering decorations and appointments, the orchestra plays the same selections, and the throng of well-dressed guests looks as though it might have been transported bodily from one to the other. love of variety sends the traveler, away from all this glare and glitter, to some quaint resort that had its group of patrons when the united states was young, and which still retains many of the customs that were features of the common life a century or more ago, and that now are so unusual that they prove strong magnets for the tourist. nearly everybody who goes to london finds his way, sooner or later, to ye olde cheshire cheese in wine office court. tucked away, as it is, just off of fleet street, it presents anything but a pretentious appearance and more than one party of timid american women has hurried away, disappointed at sight of its dingy court. but the dinginess is all on the outside; within, there is light and warmth, and cheery greeting. the cheese was a coffee house beloved by samuel johnson, and the chair in which the great man sat, night after night, while busy boswell listened and took copious notes of the interchange of wits, is still there, standing now beneath the big portrait of dr. johnson that hangs on one side of the fireplace. oliver goldsmith was also a regular patron of the cheese, which is one of the few meeting places of the literati of the eighteenth century that still remain. indeed, these old relics of the past are fast disappearing. five years ago, when i first visited the cheese, the waiter, impressed with my interest in the old associations, asked if i would care to see the house in which johnson lived. it was near at hand, but he said emphatically, "you'll have to hurry for they are tearing it down at this minute." hurry we did and arrived in time to see the dismantling of the last row of windows. ye olde cheese is too good a source of revenue for it to be destroyed, and the prospects are that for years to come americans will flock there to exclaim over the high paneled walls and the sanded floors. the tables still stand between high-backed benches, over which the newspapers are hung, as they were in johnson's day. the old grill is on the second floor, and over its gleaming coals innumerable kidneys and chops have been brought to culinary perfection. beefsteak pudding, which is served on wednesdays, with all the pomp and ceremony of ancient days, is an attraction that fills the tables and sends away dozens of envious men and women, who can get no more than a sniff of the old english dish, as it is borne in triumph through the rooms. other days have their specialities, but it is the beefsteak pudding that is the favorite, and if you delay your arrival, the prospects are, you will have to be satisfied with a kidney or a chop, for not a scrap of pie is ever left. but with toasted cheese to follow, the kidney is not a bad substitute, and it brings with it, also, a flavor of dickens and thackeray, whose heroes dined frequently on such fare. with the luncheon comes devonshire cider, another speciality of the house, if you do not care for beer or ale, but beer or cider is served in reproductions of the pewter mugs that dr. johnson drank from, and, for a consideration, you can carry one away, wrapped in an odd bag of woven reeds. the visitors' book at the cheese makes interesting reading while you wait for your chop, for it is embellished with pen drawings by the famous artists of the world, and enriched with sentiments from poets, novelists, musicians, politicians, capitalists, and others whose names are known on more than one continent. [illustration: "ye olde cheshire cheese, a coffee house beloved by samuel johnson"] buszard's on oxford street is not as familiar to americans, but it has an interest of its own, for it has made wedding cakes for royalty for many years, and the models displayed in the show-room form an amusing exhibition to the american who has little idea of what a royal wedding cake should be. there they stand six or seven feet tall and in as many tiers, each ornamented with almond icing, inches thick, and sugar piping, with coats of arms and heraldic devices, and bearing on top a sugar temple surmounted by doves and other hymeneal emblems. the account of a fashionable wedding in the english society papers usually closes with the line, "cake by buszard" or bolland, for buszard in london and bolland in chester make most of the wedding cakes that are served in england, and they send hundreds of them to the colonies, so that the english bride, even if she be far from home, can have "cake by buszard." and most delectable cake it is, too, and if you wander into the heavily furnished, rather gloomy tea-room at the tea hour, you will find it well filled with city and country people and a sprinkling of foreigners who are partaking of the conventional afternoon refreshment where their grandparents or great grandparents, perhaps, were refreshed. tea for two shillings allows you to eat all the cake you wish, but unfortunately physical limitations prevent you from trying half of the delicious confections in the tray beside you, the almond pound, dundee, maderia simnel, rich currant, muscatel, green ginger, cheese cakes and scotch short bread, all made from ancient recipes. it is difficult to choose a favorite, although the scotch short bread never tastes quite the same as it does in one of the popular tea rooms on princes street in edinburgh. newhaven, just outside of edinburgh, used to be more famous for its fish dinners than it is now and, perhaps, you will find no other party in the hotel coffee room where at least four kinds of fried fish, no one of which you can find on this side of the water, are served for a shilling, sixpence. newhaven is visited for its picturesque fishwives; and the women look more as though they had just been brought from holland than as descendants of scandinavians who crossed in the time of james iv. they have been singularly conservative in their habits, and, owing to a strict custom of intermarriages, there are only a few names to be found in this colony of fisher folk, who have to resort to nicknames for identification. [illustration: from the coffee-room window you can see the quaint newhaven fishwives] if you are a tourist of the feminine gender, you will probably stop at the globe inn, in dumfries, for a lemon squash, or a ginger ale, although you may be brave enough to ask the rosy-cheeked landlady for a small glass of what robert burns used to order; for the globe inn is the burns' howff, and down its narrow court the poet slipped nightly to the brightly-lighted room where his companions waited. the chair in which the poet lolled is still there, and a right stout affair it is, and with stout arms. it is kept securely locked behind wooden doors, and the landlady made a great ceremony of opening them and insisted on each of us trying the capacious seat. "perhaps you write poetry yourself?" she asked; but we had to confess that we felt no more gifted with rhymes in burns' chair than in our own inglenook in america, and followed her up the stairs to the old-time room filled with relics. "americans come a long way to see these old pieces," she said, as she motioned majestically to a punch bowl, and then moved to the window on whose pane the poet had written the verses to "the lovely polly stewart." "you seem to think a sight of burns? there was one american gentleman who offered me a pot of money, if i would let him take the howff to a fair in america, but i make a tidy living out of it here and god knows if we would ever live to cross the ocean. burns lived and died here, and what would do for him will do for me," humbly. there are many colleges in oxford, but at no one of them is the tourist supposed to find refreshment in the dining halls, so that it was something of a triumph to be given a tart in one of the quaint old kitchens. the tart was really a tribute to an interest in the pantry shelves which were filled with pastry, and in the explanatory list that hung beside them. tarts have been made in the same fashion at this oxford college for several hundred years, in order, the cook explained, with a twinkle in his eye, that the students might get what they wanted, when they slipped down on a night tart raid. it is the nick in the edge that has told generations of students the contents of the tart; an apple has only one nick, a mince has two at each end, a gooseberry three, and so on until a student who has learned the rule can choose his favorite in the dark. winchester, the old royal city of england, has so many places of interest, the cathedral, the famous winchester school, the castle, in which hangs king arthur's round table as it has hung for several hundred years, that the traveler who is there but for a day may not have time to share the wayfarer's dole at st. cross hospital which is distributed today just as bishop henry de blois, a grandson of william the conqueror, arranged almost eight hundred years ago. this wayfarer's dole consists of a horn of ale and piece of white bread, and anyone who knocks at the hatchway of the porter's gate is entitled to receive it. about thirty wayfarers are given it daily as well as many notable people and curious travelers who knock at the door for the novelty of sharing in a picturesque survival of a mediæval charity. ralph waldo emerson wrote of his experience, "just before entering winchester we stopped at the church of st. cross, and after looking through the quaint antiquity we demanded a piece of bread and a draught of ale, which the founder, henry de blois, in , commanded should be given to everyone who should ask it at the gate. we had both from the old couple who take care of the church." when you are in paris you must not forget rumpelmeyer, the "king of pastry makers." his shop is unpretentious, considering his vogue, and the room is all too small on a pleasant afternoon for the throng which would invade it. there are representatives from the far corners of the world. americans are all about you; at the next table is a russian grand duchess, perhaps, with her cavaliers; nearer the wall sits a woman from the orient, whose soft silk draperies are in strange contrast to the modish parisiennes; a group of children chatter of south africa to their attendants and two natives from india have not doffed their spotless white turbans. [illustration: sharing in a picturesque survival of a mediÆval charity] rumpelmeyer's might be considered a glorified cafeteria, and the great moment of your visit to the café is when you have taken the fork and plate from the smiling maid, and stand hesitating beside the table laden with cakes. and such cakes! fluffy balls rolled in chocolate and cocoanut, maple crescents, diamonds of paste enriched with french fruits, tiny tarts filled with glacéd cherries, half an apricot or a plum; cornets heaped with cream of pistachio or strawberries, pastry and sweetmeats in every appetizing form, until it is difficult to make a choice. at last with plate laden you find your way to the table where something new in ices, cool or hot drinks, is served. and as you go away, you cast a lingering glance at the patisserie table and plan to come, again and again, until you have tried every kind, not knowing that new confections are offered every few days to make such a plan almost an impossibility. [illustration: the hospitable people of volendam] in strange contrast to the smart parisian café is the hotel spaander in quaint volendam, and if it is not the season you may be alone on the piazza which is swept by the bracing winds from the zuyder zee, and where the picturesque hospitable people give you a cordial greeting. and palatable as were the marvelous cakes of paris, they were no better than the dutch raisin bread, edam cheese and mild beer that forms your luncheon. volendam is but next door to edam, the home of the popular cheeses, and the thin shavings seem to have been made to accompany the delicious raisin bread of holland. the spaander is a popular rendezvous for artists, and the big rooms have been adorned with paintings and sketches by the men and women who have enjoyed its hospitality. the bright-faced girl, who serves you, was taught to speak english, perhaps, by some artist who may be a member of the british royal academy now, and she loves to tell you of the notable people who have come and gone, and she fairly carries you away to see the homes of the fisher folk. she explains their marvelous clothes, and declares that the huge silver buttons worn by the men and boys were used as a mark of identification in case of drowning, for each district in holland has its own design. she calls your attention to the old china, pewter and brass, and giggles approval when you pass the school and slip a copper into each of the wooden shoes at the door. everybody takes at least one ice at florian's on st. mark's square in venice for at florian's you are sure to see the world and his wife, especially, if you are there on an evening when the band plays in the square. florian's ices are world renowned, and its patrons are as cosmopolitan as rumpelmeyer's, and, as you eat your way through the pink or chocolate cone of sweetness, you will find the price of it in the bottom of the dish. there is no room for argument over the charge, for in the bottom of every dish, in plain figures, is its cost, two francs or two francs, fifty. and after you have paid the reckoning, the waiter turns over the dish as a sign that your debt is canceled, and you are at liberty to sit and listen to the music and watch the people for as long as you wish. nearly every european city has a café or a restaurant that is of special interest, not because of its smart patronage or high prices, but for its quaint customs, old dishes or drinks, and it varies the routine of galleries and historic buildings to hunt them out. they add a spice, a zest, to what might become rather a dreary round of sight seeing, for no one appreciates the old customs more than the american. there are some travelers who make a point of stopping at the three tuns in durham, no more to see durham's beautiful cathedral, if the truth were told, than to have the trim maid bring them a tiny glass of cherry brandy to "drink to the health of the house," a custom that was young two hundred years or more ago, although it must be confessed that, while the custom has been retained, the glasses that hold the delicious cordial are considerably smaller than they were in the days when the request was first made. being married by mrs. chas. norman the morning paper tells of a man and woman who got married after only a few hours' acquaintance. unfortunately, this couple cannot claim to have done anything unique. numerous persons have done likewise--at least the newspapers say so--though the statement is one which makes upon a sane mind an impression of confusion. i say confusion, not to mention other effects. after reading the announcement, i looked into the dictionary to see if it could be true, and i judge it is possible. marriage, according to webster, is the act which unites the man and woman, and, while it seems impossible for a real union to take place in so brief a time, still there is probably no other way of telling in the english language what has occurred. it might well happen that the persons so hastily "joined" should become married in the course of time. certain metals really mix and stick together even after the heat of welding has died out, but no mere ceremony can unite, though it be performed by the holiest of ministers or the most profound legal interpreter. and, as it is impossible for any third person to "unite" man and woman, so it is out of the question for any third person to give any legitimate advice as to whether or not the man and woman should unite, unless by chance the third person discovers that the real union or disunion already exists. an ambitious young lady stopped to see me on her way to new york. she was about to sail for europe, and she told me, confidentially, that she was engaged to marry a clergyman of this country, and that she "might marry him," if she failed to get a certain position she hoped for in paris. i could not refrain from saying, "do not marry," and she took it that i was either averse to matrimony or to the young man. such supposition was incorrect. i simply disliked to see any man irrevokably tied to a woman who took him only because she could not get something else. i explained this to the girl, but it did no good. she said i was "sentimental and not at all practical." i confessed to a little sentiment on the subject of wedlock, and refrained from adding that i should rather be truthful than practical, but i told her that, if she had accepted her lover, conditionally, her course was entirely honorable, and then, to relieve the _heaviness_ of the conversation, i repeated these lines, which she laughed at very moderately indeed: "i, pegg pudding, promise thee, william crickett, that i will hold thee for mine own dear lily, whilst i have a head in mine eye and a face on my nose, a mouth in my tongue and all that a woman should have, from the crown of my foot to the sole of my head." the attention of my guest flagged a little and, when i completed the stanza, she confessed she was thinking of a philadelphia girl whose resolution she much admired. during a sojourn in europe, this girl had refused sixty-five offers of marriage--i hope i have the number exactly right--having determined to marry no one of lower rank than a prince. i sped my guest to new york and europe, and after her departure no ghost needed to come from the grave to tell me why marriage is so often a failure. we hear this thing and that thing given as a reason. responsibility enough is to be laid at the door of men, but let women confess a share in the desecration of the sacred ordinance. is it possible to think of a marriage resulting well that does not begin in truth, and continue in truth? let truth, at least, be counted an essential. after truth, let the candidate consider the necessity of sacrifice. present-day girls cannot claim much more of that element than boys. if modern women have a hobby more general than another, it must be the development of their individuality. this is a fine thing, but let those who are over-zealous on this point remain single or remain rational, for it is scarcely fair to develop one's individuality to the extinction of another person's rights. to speak the truth, a proper individuality is never oblivious to others. women would be learned and wise, but they fail to see that the very richest return of wisdom comes from putting forth their full strength _where it is due_. god has provided that recompense for all dutiful activity, and it often happens that the circumstances that would seem to retard mental development are its greatest stimuli, and the saving of the much-cherished individuality is accomplished by self-forgetfulness. marriage is one of the apparent interruptions to intellectual progress--especially a woman's. we often hear of the fine career a certain person might have had, unmarried. such talk signifies nothing. in the first place, age does not always fulfill the promises of youth. many a young man has started well in life and failed through no fault of his companion. a discerning man will not be apt to choose a frivolous woman, though we often hear the contrary. a bright girl, though she may remain single and devote herself to herself, is not sure of a successful career. some womanly virtues are certainly fostered best in a home. love is, to many women, what the tropics are to vegetation. on the other hand, there are women who seem to be created for public benefactions and isolated labors. concentration in any line of business is bound to bring definite results, but definite, tangible results may not be the best results. a man who assumes some domestic responsibility must abridge his public services, and, as it is only public services that make a show, his life seems less valuable. "i like you better since you married," said a frank old lady to a young man, and he laughed and answered: "i used to know a great many things, but they were all wrong, every one of them! it takes a sensible wife to straighten out a man's mental distortions." doubtless his wife could have reversed the compliment. the pictures of unhappy marriages are hung in every household which the american press can possibly reach: the good marriages attract no attention. natural reverence prevents those who know anything about them from telling what they know. we do not talk glibly of god's love. the theme is sacred. just as sacred, and very personal, is the other subject. no man of sense, who loves his wife, says much about it, even to his intimate friends. what adult, with reason, goes about seeking advice upon matrimony? marriage is for persons of mature minds, and it is absolutely an individual matter, each case deciding itself. let those who doubt concerning matrimony stay out of it. let those who are already in it, remember that it is a solemn compact between two persons and that any action is unbecoming and inconsistent which does not result to the advantage of both. the regeneration of podunk by phoebe d. roulon jack and i arrived at podunk just in "strawberry time." did you ever stop to consider what a mandatory phrase "strawberry time" is? jack and i did to the fullest, for from one end of podunk highway to the other, in every farmstead that was the happy possessor of a strawberry patch, the proclamation had gone forth that berries were ripe and must be "done up" at once. there is no such thing as procrastinating with nature, especially in her fruit department. infinite in patience, unsparing in pains from the first inception of the berry to its maturity, when once her creative work is accomplished, she lays the finished product at your feet and henceforth waives all responsibility. put off until tomorrow what should have been "done up" today and nature will seek vengeance upon you and show you your folly. mrs. simpkins might better save her breath than to enter the protest that she cannot possibly "can" today, for the minister and family are coming to dinner. nature makes no exception for even the clergy. when mrs. hopewell declares she must take her butter and eggs to market today and so cannot do another stroke of work after one o'clock, nature simply smiles complacently from the four corners of every ruddy berry basket and says, "take me now in my perfection, for tomorrow it will have passed away." in obedience to this inexorable law podunk was making ready. brass kettles were being scoured and granite ones were coming forth from their winter hiding places. with one accord podunk was becoming a huge canning and preserving factory, with as many annexes as there were houses with berry patches. day after day the process went on, for day after day a fresh supply demanded attention. overworked and tired housewives groaned in spirit and slept in meeting as a result. everybody's nerves were a little on the bias until the strawberries were settled for the winter. to a casual observer it seemed as if nature's lavishness had outrun podunk's gratitude, and as if strawberries were becoming a nuisance. as i said, jack and i arrived just at this crisis in the farm life of podunk. indeed, within an hour after we landed, and amid the chaos of unpacking, a gentle maiden tapped at our kitchen door and importuned us to buy some preserving berries. jack has a sweet tooth and i saw at a glance that he had not missed the vision of rows of red jars on the swinging shelf in the cellar, and sunday night teas of jam, long after the last strawberry had ripened and decayed. but he desisted and let her depart without buying a berry. this i call heroic and manly, and told him so on the spot. of course the well had not been pumped out, the water-pail had not been unpacked, the grocery supplies had not arrived. there had not been a fire in the stove for eight months, and there was no split wood in the wood shed, but men have been known to expect household routine to go on under conditions quite as hindering, therefore i repeat, that jack, in the face of vanishing sweets, showed fortitude and consideration. but it was plain that "strawberry time" had made an impression on his mind that took somewhat the form of a problem. now jack is never happier than when he has nuts to crack or problems to solve. he is that all-round type of man that can and does bring the same philosophic trend of mind to bear upon matters domestic as upon civic and national affairs. we had come to podunk to rest, but jack always rests in motion, and in less than a week after our arrival i saw him go forth to canvass the community. for days and days he was as glum as an oyster, leaving me to guess what he was up to, but i have so long known the limitations to his capacity for holding in and carrying a secret, that i could wait in patience for the unbosoming. it came on one of those chilly, rainy nights in june,--the sort of night that jack always expects and gets warm gingerbread for supper. gingerbread always puts him in a talkative mood. we had each taken a second cup of tea, when jack looked up and said, "do you realize, my dear, that this canning and jellying process is only just started for the season in podunk? i find that our fourth of july not only proclaims american independence but also the proper time for making currant jelly, and so, unless nature plays us false, the same ordeal must be repeated, with only the difference that 'currant' will be written on the label instead of 'strawberry.' and still another repetition, when raspberries are ripe and blackberries grow sweet and luscious. again when the huckleberry bushes give up their treasures, shadowing forth a winter supply for pies. then come the peaches, pears and plums, followed by apples, grapes and quinces. between times, lest the hand forgets its cunning, there are peas, corn, beets and tomatoes to be rescued for future use. and the season ends with a pickling tournament. "it hardly seems creditable, but from here to podunk hollow, a distance of less than two miles, and only sparsely settled, i find by actual count that there are thousands of cans of fruit and hundreds of glasses of jelly prepared every season. from 'strawberry time'--indeed some ambitious housekeepers start in with rhubarb in april--until the last luckless green tomato is snatched from jack frost, there is a mad rush on the part of the farmer's wife to keep apace with nature and to take care of her bounties with a thrifty hand." by this time jack was ready for a second helping of gingerbread and proceeded. "don't you see, my dear, that this is an awful waste of muscular energy and stove fuel. don't you see that consolidation and coöperation at just this point would emancipate these women quite as much as the telephone and the rural delivery? "furthermore, i believe there is fruit enough that goes to waste every year, which, if rescued, would not only pay for the running of a community kitchen, but also give a handsome bonus for civic beautifying. it is my firm faith that podunk can earn the foundations of a fine library, within the next three years, by simply saving the waste of fruit and vegetables within her own borders. she has a market already established at the summer colony of bide-a-wee." the third piece of gingerbread gave jack the courage to make a clean breast of everything, and to confess that he had called a meeting and made all the necessary arrangements to start a community kitchen for canning and preserving, to be ready this season for the currant crop. jack always persists that my impulsive opposition is his most helpful ally, so i never feel hindered in giving it. but i said "you have surely never looked at this problem from the psychological standpoint. you have never calculated the personal pride of every housewife in her own handiwork, done in her own way, the way tradition has made sacred to her. eliminate the personal touch from half the preserve closets of podunk and you rob them of their glory and half of their flavor. there are some things that cannot be consolidated and coöperated and this is one of them. why! mrs. patterson would be inconsolably wretched, if she thought a jar of peaches would ever stand in her cellar that did not adhere to the formula of one and three-quarters pints of sugar to three pints of water. now mrs. smith is equally loyal to one and one-half parts sugar to three parts water." "and as for jelly making, it has a hedge about it as conservative and invulnerable as a chinese wall. instance, our beloved mrs. thornton. that splendid spirit of housewifely excellence that we have always admired in her would be wholly inundated and wrecked, if she ever had to set before us, on her own tea-table, a glass of jelly that had been made by heating the currants before they were crushed, and straining the juice through cheesecloth instead of flannel. to mrs. thornton there is but one right way, the cold and flannel process. "even i, jack, dear, must own up to feeling an unpleasant sensation down my spinal column, and a vexatious agitation in my mind, whenever i see jelly boil more than five minutes after the sugar is added. nay, my worthy wisdom, let me entreat you to carefully consider ere you intrude upon the sacred precincts of jelly-making with any ruthless tread. "as for pickling, it is an established fact that every housewife pickles to suit the taste of her family and her rule lies in the palate of said family. you know that the joneses are always strong on the onion flavor, while the millers emphasize cinnamon and allspice! fancy consolidating these flavors into a blend and expect either family to be contented and happy. "worthy as your community kitchen idea is in its inception, i fear it is doomed to failure. it uproots too many of the 'eternals' of housekeeping." jack received my volley of opposing arguments, not only with fortitude but with apparent satisfaction, and simply said, "have you finished?" as i had, he again took the floor. "now, i am sure that my foundation is secure and my psychological attitude all right, for all the objections you mention were brought up, in one form or another, at the meeting we held, and i was able to meet every one of them. no, my dear, i do not mean to uproot the 'eternals' and the joneses shall stand for onion flavor to the end of time. the personal equation will always be considered. each farmer will simply send his consignment of berries or fruit with explicit instructions as to recipes to be followed, just as our great-grandfathers sent their grist to the mill to be ground and ordered middlings left in or middlings left out, according as to whether it was for pancakes or bread. those worthies took it on faith that they brought back the same grain they carried and there need be no question now. farmer dunn's marrowfats need never get mixed with deacon white's telephone peas, and mrs. thornton can always send her flannel jelly bag. "it is my opinion that the good wives will have gained enough leisure time to come to the kitchen and inspect the process while their batch of fruit is being handled." so closely are faith and works related in jack's philosophy of life that in an incredibly short time podunk awoke one morning to find the abandoned haskell house turned into a "community kitchen," in charge of a new england man and his wife, of thrift and learning. they began on the currant crop. of course, since jack was behind the innovation, i had to show my faith by sending the first lot, with instructions that the jelly should be boiled only one minute after the sugar was added. the twenty glasses of tender crystalline jelly that stood on my pantry shelf the next day needed no argument and so encouraged my nearest neighbor that she sent half of her picking to the kitchen. i saw that it caused a wrench, but she supported herself on the consciousness that she was only risking half. but the jelly that came back adhered so closely in color, taste and texture to the "traditional" that the other half was sent without a qualm. this made a beginning and by the time the raspberries were ripe a dozen families were converted. when the fall fruits came on, it had grown into such a fashion to send the preserving out that the capacity of the kitchen was somewhat taxed. an evaporating outfit was added, that saved hundreds of bushels of apples from absolute waste. a simple device for making unfermented grape juice brought profit enough the first year to paint the town hall, build over the stage and buy a curtain that never failed to work. the second year a "sunshine" laundry was added to the kitchen, which proved a great boon. podunk had wrestled with the domestic problem, but like the rest of the world had not solved it, and was left to do its own washing. as the name suggests, the "community kitchen" was established on a coöperative basis, with the understanding that after all running expenses were paid and each contributor had a certain share of profit, proportioned to the amount of surplus material he contributed, all the remaining profit was to go for the improvement of the town. the "kitchen" is now three years old and every visitor coming to podunk naturally wanders into the pretty new library on main street. the sweet-faced librarian is always cordial and tells you with unmasked pride that this is the first library built of fruit and vegetables. but complete regeneration came not to podunk, until the culture club became an active organization, impelled forward by the brain force of the women of the community. given a margin of leisure, it was demonstrated that culture will flourish as persistently in rural districts as in city precincts. shakespeare and browning were not neglected, nor were wagner and mendelssohn. nature study, domestic economy and civic beautifying opened new and broad avenues of culture, and classes in these subjects were held every week. the women of podunk began to know their birds and to call them by name. the church suppers took on a new aspect, for the dietetic unrighteousness of four kinds of cake and three kinds of sweet pudding, at the same meal, was openly discussed and frowned upon. deacon wyburn, who had a tooth sweeter even than jack's, declared, at first, that this was heresy that should not be allowed to enter the sanctuary. but regeneration came to the deacon as indigestion departed. and all of this happened, because jack saw the need of an emancipation proclamation and the people of podunk availed themselves of its freedom. i have always said that jack was a man among men. fate great men live in word and deed, tho' the hand that sows the seed no harvest knows. fixed as is the rolling sea by its bounds, so this shall be to thee and those; something lost and something won e'er the life that hath begun for thee shall close. --_grace agnes thompson_ out of chicken pie by helen campbell "the point is," said the young woman, "never to spend any time in self-pity and never mention one of whatever afflictions may have been apportioned to your individual self. the first takes your strength and spoils any good work you might do. the second is a bore to your friends and destruction to self-respect. in the first grip of things it is possible one may send up a howl. but at that or any other time, no matter what the impulse, don't!" was she a young woman after all? for, as she brought out the "don't!" staccato, i looked again. really she seemed more like a nice boy, well up in athletics, and as far on in general college work as athletics permit. her hair was short, cut close to her head, yet curly, and though rather a dark brown, yet showing gold where little tendrils had their way, here and there, behind an ear or on her slender neck. her hands were small, of course, for she was a southern woman, generations of whom had no need to use their hands in any coarsening work, yet could and did use them in delicate cookery, preserving, and the like, and knew every secret of cutting and generally overseeing the garments for a plantation. delicately formed, straight as a dart and with the alert expression of a champion tennis player, she stood at the gate into the chicken-yard, and smiled a delightful smile. "i shouldn't tell you one word," she said, "if you hadn't come from so old a friend. oh, privately i would tell anyone interested, but printing is another matter. it will help, you say. i'm sure i don't know. perhaps, but i somehow seem to think most find out for themselves, perhaps by a good many experiments, just what to do. but i will tell you just how it began with me. nellie has told you, i don't doubt, that i was left a widow with three children. we had lived in town, after my marriage, in a rented house. when my husband died and i presently summed up my capital, it was, first, the children, then, not quite two hundred dollars left in the bank after the expenses of the long sickness and the funeral were paid. added to this were nine hens and a rooster that i had kept at the end of the little garden at the back of the house, our cat and dog and about a fortnight's supplies in the pantry. our clothes, too, were in fair amount and order. that was all. lots of people came to condole with me and tell me what to do, but not one made what seemed to me a really practical suggestion. i knew what i could do, or thought i did, which amounts to the same thing, if you really go ahead and do it. i did it. "the first thing was to move into the country, where i had longed to have the children. it isn't country now exactly, for the station is not far away, but the house was out of repair, and i had the option of buying it at the end of the year, if i wanted it then. the owner couldn't do much and was glad to think it might be off his hands, and i took it for eighty dollars a year--this to include a few repairs. "there was a big garden, not tended for years, not a fruit tree, and the four acres outside the fenced-in garden one mass of brush. my next neighbor was a farmer from the north, come south for his health and getting it, and he took an interest from the beginning; he ploughed my land for me, and agreed to go over it with the cultivator when it was necessary, but i must first manage to rake up and burn up all the weeds and sticks, etc. the children helped me and we made a spree of it. i bought a cow of him, a good one, and, as one of my hens had begun to set on a box of nails, decided she should have eggs. he had some fine, pure-blooded plymouth rocks, and mine were wyandottes, just as good and no fear as to crossing breeds, and so i started in. what i was after was broilers, and if broilers wouldn't support us, why there was something else that i felt sure would, and that was chicken pies. you smile, but let me tell you they weren't everyday chicken pies. our old dilly on my father's plantation was a champion chicken-pie maker, in demand for every wedding and general church entertainment, and she taught me just how, swearing me to secrecy long as she lived. so i watched her many times, realizing, at last, that it meant using the very choicest material straight through. no old hens simmered all day long to make them tender. on the contrary, she demanded the choicest broilers, and she made, not exactly puff paste but the most delicate order of pastry to put them in. to season to a turn and with no variation, and to have the gravy smooth and rich, these were her secrets, and i learned them so thoroughly that after once sampling them there was no further trouble as to orders. i sent little individual pies to every hotel and restaurant in the city i had left. i had bought a good cow, as i said, and soon bought another, to have plenty of cream, for that was one important item in the pies, and as the work got too much for me alone i presently had a girl to help, and at last another, all of us doing steady hard work, but liking it. i raised the chickens, you see, though i often hated to have them killed, and by this time we had small fruits, and all that grows in a well-kept garden. the children helped as well as went to school and were rosy, healthy creatures, my comfort and joy, and they always have been. i never have cleared over five hundred a year, but what more do i need? i make ten cents clear on each individual chicken pie and fifteen on the larger ones. specials i make as large as people want them, but i prefer the little ones. three sizes are made every day, and some families, who go away for the summer, have their chicken pies expressed to them each week and won't do without them. some people fuss and say they are too rich. others want me to charge less and say, if i would use lard instead of butter in the pastry, i could sell cheaper. but i answer that it is my business never to fall below the standard. aunt dilly would turn in her grave if she thought her rule was to have lard used instead of butter. i made some experiments and found it was distinctly best to stick close to the old original text. you can buy cheap pies anywhere and they taste cheap. these melt in your mouth. and you ought to know that two other women in the neighborhood have specialties, too, and i taught them, for my mother used to make a delicious chicken jelly for sick people and one woman does that and has a big market for it at the woman's exchange, and another makes cornbeef hash for three restaurants and has all she can do. the gist of it is _good cooking can always be made to pay_. keep to the best form you can find, never vary, and a living, and often much more, is certain. when women learn that, perhaps more of them will turn in this direction. here is the home paid for, trees growing and yielding, children growing too, and tom almost ready for college, and chicken pie has done it, and will keep on doing it, perhaps as long as i live. at any rate i should never stop doing something as perfectly as i could for that is half the fun of living. don't you think so? we keep the evenings for as much of a good time as possible. i keep a little of my old music and play accompaniments, for tom has a fine baritone voice and we all sing, and edith and her violin take the kinks out of any day's work. we have a fair little library and do not mean to fall behind or forget what quiet progress means. it has been a happy life, thank god! how could it help being so, with such children and a certain sure thing to do?" yes, how could it help being thus with such a spirit at work to bring it about? that was the thought as i looked at the mother, and wished that all dolorous and uncertain women might have the same chance. joining the sunshine circle or the harmony club might be the first essential. after that things would take care of themselves. in august cora a. matson dolson for me a basket and a book where cooling hemlocks grow; and, in the deep of wooded nooks, the spikes of cardinal glow. a book to bring but not to read-- enough to know it near, to turn a leaf i do not need, the song is with me here. a bird-note comes adown the wood, it seems to stillness wed; a tap, then gleam of scarlet hood high in the tree o'erhead. the indian-pipe is waxen stemmed; the squirrels near me play; while on this bank by mosses gemmed i dream the hours away. old age by kate gannett wells old age becomes more of a problem when living in it than when viewed afar off. it is a question of economics and ethics more than of wrinkles. it is so easy not to mind it when well, rich and beloved; it is so impossible not to object to it when sick, poor and unwelcome. it creeps into almost every home and, though we try to alleviate it and succeed to a certain extent, through affection, cookery and cleanliness, the vast majority of the world does not know how to manage to live on almost nothing, and yet it is upon those of small or of no means that the support of old age presses most heavily. so love only is left, and too often not even that. then one wonders if one ought to refuse marriage and devote one's self to one's parents;--or, if married and children are many, and food and lodgings scant, shall one also house one's aged parents? if the ethics thereof are difficult to settle when money and space are available, it is a hideous task for decision when both are lacking. nowhere does the attempted settlement to remove the stigma of pauperism from the aged through legislation threaten to be more puzzling than in england, where after january , , a workhouse inmate of above seventy years and "fairly respectable" is entitled to leave the house and receive in lieu of its shelter five shillings a week. is acceptance of such pension outside of a workhouse more honorable than being dependent on government for support inside the workhouse? that is the question the old age pensioners of england are trying to solve. who is going to house, feed and clothe them for five shillings a week? what does that amount to, set against the care of an infirm, old, undesired relative who is not wanted either for his keep or his affection, and who will only grow older? even as a boarder of no kin whatever to his landlady, is he likely to be as comfortable as in the workhouse? startling have been some of the discoveries that have followed upon this apparently beneficent legislation. well was it that miss edith sellers of england, of her own free will, visited relatives of the inmates of a london workhouse, hoping to carry back to the latter place the joyful tidings that they were wanted in families. alas! out of such inmates only had any relatives, and more than half of that number knew that, if they went to their kinspeople, they would not be taken in. some who had felt sure of a welcome were bitterly disappointed. "old folk give no end of trouble; keeping them clean takes up all one's time. besides they must have somewhere to sleep," was generally answered. one grown-up daughter, supporting herself, her mother and brother in two rooms, one no better than a cupboard, grieved she could not take back her father. other sons and daughters, by blood or by law, waxed indignant at being urged to receive their kinsmen, even for the sake of the shillings. they had neither room nor food for them; each generation must care first for its own children and not take up burdens of parents, worse still of grandparents, aunts and cousins once gotten rid of; especially, if they were of the drunken variety, as was too often the case. fortunately miss sellers found a few other homes which promised to receive a pensioner for the sake of his pension, or from real affection. after all the bitter work-a-day life in these narrow homes, attics, cellars, two or three rooms at most, would have been more wretched for the pensioners to bear than their blighted hopes. "to work a bit harder," in order to take in one's aged mother, is not possible in thousands of cases. better to remain a workhouse pauper and be sure of warmth, cleanliness and food than to wander forth uncared for or to be an unwelcome burden on an overworked child. therefore is it that the english old age pension act does not solve its own problem, for the infirm or sick must still be sheltered in some refuge which should have no workhouse taint of pauperism attached to it. however much there may be among us of similar reluctance to take home aged pauper relatives, it has not yet become a matter of public investigation, though, if it were, it is possible that there would be as much unwillingness manifested here as in england. certainly many of our almshouses and homes for the aged poor suggest that there will be the same forlorn hopes shattered, if pensions should ever be conferred instead of legal residences in almshouses. fortunately for us, old age is still an individual question. all the more, then, should elderly people not let themselves get crabbed. of course, if other people would not nag one with being old, one would not be,--quite so old! what old age, whether poor, middling or well-to-do lacks is amusement. it is lonesome to keep jolly by remembering that one's mind ought to be one's kingdom. meditation is all very well, but so also is the circus, the "greatest value of which lies in its non-ethical quality." even if it has its symbolism, it does not mercilessly set one to moralizing, save as a three ring circus and a "brigade of clowns" (the result of trying to make as much money as possible) incites to weariness. the real "gospel of the circus" lies in its democracy, in its revealings of the power of training on acrobats and animals through kindly persistence, and in the mutual good will and law abiding qualities of the household of a circus. always has it belonged to the people, and even ministers have not been discounted for their attendance. it seems a wide jump in fancy from old age to a circus, and yet to me they are intimately connected through the dear old people, poor and well to do, whom i have known, who found in it their objective base for amusement. to them the clown and his jokes were links in the spirit of human brotherhood. alas, as a pension of five shillings a week will not permit of the circus in its glory, old age asks for the minor blessings of five cent shows, public parks, and good tobacco. just to be out doors is rejuvenating. all the more is amusement desirable, because legislation has undertaken to set the goal when one shall no longer work. to retire teachers, officers, workers, merely because they are sixty-five or seventy is an insult to human nature, which rejects any arbitrary limit save that of incapacity. the average of average people, though perhaps unable to earn their living after seventy, are still capable of being occupied. therefore let the old folks work at household and woodshed drudgery as long as they can, however irritating their slowness may be to the young and merciless. let the old serve also in semi-public ways, because of their experience, even if they are not wanted round. it is a common saying that it is harder to resign office at seventy than at sixty, just because old age clings to occupation as its protection. but if with most of us, if not with all, as the years increase, occupation shrivels and the fads or hobbies, the solace of earlier days, cease by their very weight to be pursued,--then may there still be amusement provided for the elderly before they become "shut ins," dependent on christmas and easter cards for enjoyment. love and affection by helen coale crew i love thee not, love, though thou'rt called divine! thou pagan god, whose flashing fires glow but for a season; then the winter's snow no colder lies than ashes on thy shrine. thou selfish child! ready to fret and whine when disappointed. wandering to and fro in quest of joy, from flower to flower dost go like greedy bee upon a honeyed vine. but thou, affection, human art, and true! fitted for every day's most urgent needs; warm-glowing ever, all the seasons through; mother of tenderness and selfless deeds. clear-seeing thou, nor like that other blind; clear-burning on the hearths of all mankind. three girls go blackberrying by samuel smyth grandpa told mary that he saw a few blackberries in the pasture. mary hastened to inform mina that there were bushels of ripe blackberries in the pasture. mina hurried to tell jane, and almost breathlessly suggested that they go and get them before anybody else found them. jane thought it would be more comfortable after sundown. mina said that they would be gone before that time, and insisted that they go at once. outnumbered, jane reluctantly consented. mary must change her dress; so must the other two. much time was spent in that operation, for it included the special dressing of the hair, also. there was much impatience manifested by mary, the first to declare herself ready; but after the others appeared she suddenly thought of several things that she must attend to. at last each inquired of the others, "well, are you ready?" "yes, in a minute," said mina. "i forgot to put on cold cream to prevent sunburn." "so did i," said jane; "and, mary, you had better use some, also, or you will regret it." "i think i will," said mary; and a good half hour has passed before they are all downstairs again, when the old question was asked again, "are you ready?" "had we better wear rubbers?" asked jane. "no," answered mary, "but i am going upstairs to put on an old pair of shoes." "that is sensible," said mina. "i think we all had better follow mary's example, as it won't take a minute." upstairs they all went again; much talk and another half hour passed when each made the declaration, "well, i am ready, are you?" with much emphasis on the personal pronoun i. "are you coming with me?" said mary, and she started in the direction of the pasture with great animation, when jane inquired, in a loud voice, if she were not going to take something along to put the berries in. "to be sure i am. in my hurry i entirely forgot it. what shall i take?" asked mary. "we ourselves have not yet decided. which do you think would be better, mary, a basket or a pail?" "i don't know and i don't care what you take, i am going to take a paper bag," replied mary. "it is light and convenient, and we can easily destroy all evidence of failure in case we fail to get any berries." "thank you, mary, for the happy suggestion. we will take paper bags. what size will be suitable?" "i think," said jane, "that if we each fill a flour sack, that will be sufficient for once. it is such a job to carry so many or to make them into jam." "to obviate any chance for envy as to which shall gather the greatest amount of berries, let us take along a common, large receptacle, into which each of us shall deposit as often as our smaller vessels shall be filled." "that is a thoughtful and wise plan for an unambitious person. i assent to the proposition," smilingly answered mina. a bushel basket was found and all agreed to take turns in carrying it to the pasture. at last, the procession was formed, after several more short halts for consultation and criticism, and was finally under way for the pasture. but when in the highway, which they had to cross to reach the same, they were accosted by two ragged boys with, "say, girls, do you want to buy any berries; only five cents a quart; twelve quarts--all there were in the pasture, every one, and it's the last picking of the season." "oh dear, i told you so; i knew it would be this way," said mary petulantly; "some people are so slow." "it is too provoking for anything," said mina, "and it will be so humiliating to return to the house without any berries after making such a hullabaloo," sighed jane. "oh, girls!" exclaimed mary, "let's buy the berries of the boys and divide them between us. let's see, twelve divided by three equals four; four quarts is a very reasonable and respectable amount for an ordinary person. you hold them while i run home and get the money." after the transfer of the berries was completed, the three girls returned to the house, triumphantly smiling, and happy, with the twelve quarts of berries. mingling with the rest of the family, i could not refrain from speaking about what fun it was to go berrying, when suddenly grandpa remarked, "that four quarts was a very reasonable and respectable amount for an ordinary person." grandpa had been sitting on a fence, concealed by bushes, and had seen the whole performance. a quick, suspicious, comprehensive glance passed between the conspirators, when the suspense was broken by the voice of the shock-headed boy who yelled out, "say, girls, do you want to buy any more berries for tomorrow?" "how provoking!" said mary. "how humiliating!" assented mina. "i feel so ashamed i shall never feel right again. why did we dissemble? prevarication is a kind of a lie; i never want to hear the word 'blackberries' again," moaned jane. a romany tent by lalia mitchell when you bring your pledge of a lasting love, a love that is fond and free, oh, whisper not of a castle high, or a yacht that sails the sea. i want no tale of a palace fair that towers over loch and lea; but a table set in the open air and a romany tent for me. when you whisper words that should please me well, when you woo me, sweetheart mine, oh, paint no picture of wealth and power, of silks and of jewels fine. and breathe no word of the jostling throng, for my heart would fain be free; i go where the woodland paths are long, and a romany tent for me. will you meet my wish, will you walk my way? will you chart the flower-strewn lea? will you curb your pride, will you keep the faith, the faith of my company? i will bear no yoke, i will wear no brand, but my heart shall be true to thee, so give me the world for a home, and love in a romany tent for me. editorials the boston cooking-school magazine of culinary science and domestic economics janet mckenzie hill, editor published ten times a year publication office: boylston street, boston, mass. subscription, $ . per year. single copies, c foreign postage: to canada, c per year to other foreign countries, c per year to subscribers the date stamped on the wrapper is the date on which your subscription expires; it is, also, an acknowledgment that a subscription, or a renewal of the same, has been received. please renew on receipt of the colored blank enclosed for this purpose. in sending notice to renew a subscription or change an address, please give the _old_ address as well as the _new_. in referring to an original entry, we must know the name as it was formerly given, together with the post-office, county, state, post-office box, or street number. entered at boston post-office as second-class matter * * * * * summer the springtime has gone with its verdure and song, the fragrance of bud and the fullness of flower, and now o'er the grainfields the harvesters throng to gather in triumph the glad summer's dower. the orchards are bending with fruitage today and vineyards are purple with grapes juicy sweet; our hearts are exultant, our voices are gay, as summer flings down all her wealth at our feet. o summer, bright summer, the queen of the year, we praise thee, and love thee, and share of thy bliss; thy mornings are happy, thy evenings are dear, thy hours are all golden, not one would we miss. --_ruth raymond._ "where there is no vision, the people perish." often life becomes dull and irksome because our living and working seem to be in vain. we are constantly asking ourselves, how we can make our lives worth living. now, in accordance with the consensus of modern thought, it would seem that the better way to live is, while ever taking active interest in the current affairs of the day, to cherish some lofty aim or purpose, in other words, "to formulate and cultivate a vision." a vision is the aim, purpose, object or ideal we set before us in our several occupations in life. as we find it stated elsewhere, "a vision, a creative vision, is a pictured goal. there is purpose and vigor in it. it is productive of results, and the loftier the vision, the higher the attainment." in life and history it is easy to distinguish the man of vision from him who is without high aim. "eat, drink and be merry" is the maxim of the one, while faithful service in trying to make the conditions of life better, far and wide, is characteristic of the other. likewise, the nature or quality of every man's vision is capable of discernment. certainly no aim or low aim is almost crime. each of us must find his vision in his own occupation or calling in life. there each must strive not only to grow and enrich his own life, but also that of the few or the many about him, as chance or environment permits. "not for success, nor health, nor wealth, nor fame, i daily beg on bended knee from thee; but for thy guidance. make my life so fit that ne'er in condemnation must i sit, judged by the clear-eyed children thou gav'st me." to the home-maker, for instance, with an ideal like this, life cannot seem listless and futile, nor of such an one can it be said that her life has been lived in vain. does it not follow that the only life worth living is that which is actuated by a real purpose, a lofty ideal, a clear vision? how much in the way of successful and happy living depends upon our ideals! let us look well to _our aims_; waste no time in idle dreaming, but keep ever before us some far-away and hopeful vision. progress and reform we believe that progress is made by means of genuine reform. in every instance we find ourselves on the side of wholesome reform, for in this way only true progress seems to lie. the changes that have taken place within the past fifty years in our educational system are great, indeed. no doubt these changes have been beneficial in the main, and yet further changes are still needful. certainly, according to recent developments, some change seems to be called for in our reformatory institutions. in general, it seems to us the transition from our schools and colleges to the imperative duties and occupations of life is too abrupt, too difficult and sadly unsatisfactory; at least this is true in case of the majority of young people. education should prepare one to pass easily and readily into some chosen occupation, and the first need of every human being is the chance to earn a living; since every one should earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. do our schools fit or unfit our youth for life's real work? can they engage at once and successfully in some congenial occupation? until these questions can be favorably answered, we advocate reform in our forms of education. labor we must; a taste, even a fondness for wholesome, necessary labor should be cultivated in our schools. it has been stated and confirmed by those in authority that $ , , might be saved per year in the conduct of our government on a strictly business basis. if this be true, here reform, good and true, is an imperative need. such a condition of affairs is in no sense humorous. for what do we choose our legislators? is it to squander or conserve the revenues and resources of the state? likewise, in ways of living or the conduct of life, reform is ever in order, provided thereby gain can be made. it has been said that "the whole moral law is based on health. the ideal body is the proper shrine for the ideal soul,--a truth that has yet to be educated into the modern consciousness. righteousness and health should go together. this is an eternal law,--a law that covers society, education and morality. the real meaning of the word 'temperance' is a careful use of the body. it has nothing primarily to do with mere abstinence from certain forms of pleasure. a man says to himself, i am in possession of a mechanism which will endure a certain amount of wear and usage, but it is the most delicate of all machinery, and for that reason it must be used with more consideration than even the fine works of a watch. intemperance, of any sort, means unnecessary wear and tear. it increases the waste of the system, the rapidity of the living process, so that repair cannot keep up with use, and it burns where there should be the clear light of life." don't kill the birds for a number of years the scientific investigators have been arguing that a bird--almost any bird--was worth a good deal more to the country alive than dead; worth more in the glorious freedom of its habitat than on my lady's hat or on the plate of the epicure. it has been shown by the dissection of birds and the examination of their stomachs just what seeds and insects they eat. these examinations have made it clear that most birds live principally on the seeds of pernicious weeds, and on the insect and small mammal pests against which the farmer has to wage an increasing fight every year. it is true that some birds damage crops and it is true that any birds will do damage if there are too many of them--just as the extreme congestion of people results in disease and immorality. but under normal conditions of distribution almost any bird is an able assistant to the agriculturist and horticulturist in the protection of his crops against their most dangerous enemies. * * * * * the steady increase in the cost of living during the period of a year and a half ending on the last day of march, , is strikingly demonstrated by a bulletin issued by the bureau of labor of the department of commerce and labor. it is shown by the careful investigation into the course of prices of commodities, which enter into the everyday life of the average man, that prices last march were higher than at any time since twenty years ago; that in that month it cost the consumer . per cent more to buy the necessities of life than it had cost him in march, ; . per cent more than in august, ; . per cent more than the average range of prices for ; . per cent more than in ,--a rate of progression which is causing a country-wide agitation for means and measures of relief. yet it is shown that prices in , high as they were, still ranged . per cent below those for , the costliest year in the period beginning with . economy, wise and unwise we are trying to publish a magazine in every sense worth renewing. that we are succeeding to a certain degree is shown by the increasing number of our readers who are renewing their annual subscriptions, and calling for back numbers, in order to bind their volumes and keep them in permanent form for future reference and use. not long since we shipped to calcutta, india, back numbers, to complete a full set of fourteen volumes, up to date. a woman who seems to have no special need of the magazine wrote recently, "i am sending my renewal because it seems to me the magazine is entirely too good a publication not to be found in every good home." though the cost of living at present is high, we hope no good, earnest housekeeper will begin to practice economy by cutting off her list the only publication, to which she has subscribed, that is devoted exclusively to the teaching of practical, wholesome economy in the management of the household. the subscription price of this magazine will not be increased. for _three_ dollars we offer to renew the subscription of any reader for _four_ years. * * * * * a lift for every day lincoln's rules for living: "don't worry, eat three good meals a day, say your prayers, be courteous to your creditors, keep your digestion good, steer clear of biliousness, exercise, go slow and go easy. maybe there are other things that your special case requires to make you happy, but, my friend, these, i reckon, will give you a good lift." * * * * * "this cook-book will do very nicely," said mrs. nuwedd to the book department clerk; "and now i want a good, standard work on taxidermy." "we don't keep any in stock," said the clerk. "how annoying!" sighed the young housewife, "and i not knowing a blessed thing about stuffing a fowl!" [illustration: terrine of chicken and cooked ham garnished: aspic jelly and lettuce hearts] seasonable recipes by janet m. hill in all recipes where flour is used, unless otherwise stated, the flour is measured after sifting once. when flour is measured by cups, the cup is filled with a spoon, and a level cupful is meant. a tablespoonful or a teaspoonful of any designated material is a _level_ spoonful of such material. clam broth, chantilly style this most refreshing broth may be served hot or cold. canned broth may be used, or, when fresh clams are obtainable, the broth may be fresh made from either clams in bulk or in the shells. for clams in bulk, to serve eight, take one pint of fresh opened clams, two stalks of celery, broken in pieces, and one quart of cold water. bring the whole slowly to the boiling point and let boil five minutes. skim carefully as soon as the boiling point is reached. strain through a napkin wrung out of boiling water. season with salt, if needed; add also a little paprika or other pepper. beat one cup of double cream until firm throughout. set a tablespoonful of the cream on the top of the broth in each cup. bisque of clams and green peas cut a slice of fat salt pork (about two ounces) in bits; cook in a saucepan until the fat is well tried out but not in the least browned; add a small onion, cut in thin slices, two new carrots, cut in slices, one or two branches of celery, broken in pieces, and stir and cook until softened and yellowed a little; add one pint of green peas, a branch of parsley and a pint of water and let cook till the peas are tender, then press through a sieve. cook one pint of fresh clams in a pint of boiling water five minutes; drain the broth into the pea purée; chop the clams and add to the purée. melt one-fourth a cup of butter; in it cook one-fourth a cup of flour; stir until frothy, then add one quart of milk and stir until boiling. add to the other ingredients and let boil once. add salt and pepper, as needed, and from one-half to a whole cup of cream. purée of tomato, julienne chop fine about two ounces of raw, lean ham; add an onion, cut in thin slices, two small new carrots, sliced, half a green pepper, sliced, and two branches of parsley; cook these, stirring often, in two or three tablespoonfuls of fat from the top of a kettle of soup. when lightly browned, add the bones from a roast of chicken or veal, the skinned feet of the chicken, and the uncooked giblets, if at hand, two quarts of water and one quart of tomatoes, cut in slices. let simmer one hour and a half. strain through a fine sieve, pressing through all the pulp (no seeds). reheat, stir one-fourth a cup of flour with cold water to pour and stir into the boiling soup. while the soup is cooking, cut in short julienne strips two stalks of celery, an onion, a carrot and a cup of string beans; let cook in salted water with a teaspoonful of butter until tender; drain, rinse in cold water and set aside to serve in the soup. simple tomato bisque (soup) scald one quart of milk with a stalk of celery and two slices of onion. press enough cooked tomatoes through a sieve to make one pint; add half a teaspoonful of salt and pepper as desired. stir one-third a cup of flour and a teaspoonful of salt with milk to make a smooth batter; dilute with a little of the hot milk, stir until smooth, then stir into the rest of the hot milk. continue stirring until smooth and thick; cover and let cook fifteen minutes. strain into the hot purée, mix thoroughly and serve at once with croutons. jellied bouillon (two quarts) have about four pounds of beef from the hind shin, cut it into small pieces; melt the marrow from the bone in a frying pan; in it cook part of the bits of meat until nicely browned. put the bone and the rest of the bits of meat into a soup kettle and add five pints of cold water. when the meat is browned, add it to the soup kettle. put a cup or more of the water from the soup kettle into the frying-pan; let stand to dissolve the glaze in the pan, then return to the soup kettle. cover and let simmer four or five hours; add half a cup, each, of sliced onion and carrot, one or two large branches of parsley, one or two stalks of celery and let cook an hour longer. strain off the broth and set it aside, first, if necessary, adding boiling water to make two quarts of broth. add also two teaspoonfuls of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper and an ounce (half a package) of gelatine, softened in half a cup of cold water. when cold and set remove the fat; break up the jelly with a spoon or silver fork; serve in bouillon cups at any meal where it is desired. green corn chowder (to serve six) cut two slices (about two ounces) of fat salt pork into tiny bits; let cook in a frying-pan until the fat is well tried out, taking care to keep the whole of a straw color. add two small onions, or one of medium size, cut in thin slices, and let cook until softened and yellowed, add a pint of water and let simmer. in the meantime pare and cut four potatoes in thin slices, cover with boiling water and let boil five minutes; drain, rinse in cold water and drain again, then strain over them the water from the onions and pork, pressing out all the juice possible. add more water, if needed, and a teaspoonful of salt and let cook until the potatoes are tender. add a pint of green corn, carefully cut from the cob, and one pint of milk, also salt and pepper to season. mix thoroughly and let become very hot, then serve at once. two or three tablespoonfuls of butter may be added, by small bits, and stirred into the soup just before serving. escalloped oysters finnelli (the caterer) select a shallow au gratin dish; pour into it about two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and turn the dish, to spread the butter over the whole surface. sprinkle lightly with crushed saltine crackers or oysterettes; upon the crumbs dispose a layer of carefully cleaned oysters; sprinkle with salt and paprika or other pepper and pour on three or four tablespoonfuls of rich cream; add crushed crackers, oysters, seasoning, one or two tablespoonfuls of butter, in little bits, then more cream. finish with a thin layer of cracker crumbs and enough cream to moisten them. let cook in a very hot oven about ten minutes or until the crumbs are straw color. [illustration: terrine of chicken and ham, cooling] terrine of chicken and ham scrape the pulp from the fibers in half a pound, each, of veal and fresh pork; pound this pulp in a mortar; add the yolks of two raw eggs, half a teaspoonful, each, of salt and paprika and, if desired, two tablespoonfuls of sherry and pound again, then press through a sieve. remove the bones from the breast, second joints and legs of a young chicken, weighing about two pounds. have an oval terrine, or shallow casserole, that holds about three pints. line the bottom and sides with thin slices of larding pork. the pork should be cut exceedingly thin. over the pork spread a thin layer of the veal forcemeat mixture, over this put a thin slice of cold boiled ham, on the ham a layer of forcemeat, then half of the chicken (light and dark meat); sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, spread with forcemeat, a layer of ham, forcemeat, chicken, forcemeat, ham, forcemeat and, lastly, a layer of larding pork. pour in half a cup of broth, cover, and set the terrine into an agate dish or a saucepan. pour in boiling water to half the height of the terrine and let cook in the oven one hour and a half. remove the cover and set a board with weight upon it over the meat, to remain till cold. remove fat and loosen the meat from the dish at the edge. unmold on a dish. ornament with tiny cubes of jelly (made of broth from the rest of the chicken and the trimmings of the veal, thickened with gelatine), slices of truffle and lettuce hearts. this dish is suitable for high tea, lawn parties, picnics and automobile baskets. lettuce served with it should be seasoned with french dressing. [illustration: bologna style sausage with pineapple fritters] bologna style sausages with pineapple fritters prick the sausages on all sides that the skin may not burst in cooking. set into a moderate oven in a frying-pan. let cook about half an hour, then turn them and let cook another half hour. just before the sausages are done pour some of the fat into another frying-pan (or keep the sausage hot on the serving dish and use the original pan). have ready some half slices of pineapple, roll these in flour and let cook in the hot fat until browned on one side, then turn and cook on the other side. if preferred the pineapple may be dipped in fritter batter instead of flour. dispose the pineapple at the ends of the dish and serve at once. [illustration: cold meat with vegetable salad] cold meat with vegetable salad cut cold meat of any variety in thin slices; trim off all unedible portions and dispose neatly in the center of an ample dish. around the meat set heart leaves of lettuce, each holding six or eight cold, cooked string beans, cut in pieces, a few slices of radish and a slice of cooked beet. pour vinaigrette sauce over the whole or set a tablespoonful of mayonnaise or tartare sauce above the vegetables in each nest. tomatoes, cut in slices or in julienne strips, may be used in place of the beet and radish, but not with either of them. vinaigrette sauce allow a tablespoonful of oil and half a tablespoonful of vinegar for each service. to this add one-eighth a teaspoonful of salt and pepper as desired, gherkins or capers (the latter with cold lamb), chives (or onion juice), chervil and parsley to taste, all chopped exceedingly fine. [illustration: chicken-and-ham rissoles] chicken-and-ham rissoles cut tender cooked chicken and ham, three-fourths chicken and one-fourth ham, into tiny cubes. the meat may be chopped, but it is preferable to have tangible pieces of small size. for one pint of meat, melt three tablespoonfuls of butter; in it cook four tablespoonfuls of flour and half a teaspoonful, each, of salt and paprika; when frothy stir in one cup of chicken broth and half a cup of cream; stir until boiling, then add a beaten egg; stir until cooked, then stir in the meat and let cool. the mixture should be quite consistent. seasonings, as onion or lemon juice, celery salt, or chopped truffles, or fresh mushrooms, broken in pieces and sautéd in butter, may be added at pleasure. have ready some flaky pastry or part plain and part puff paste. stamp out rounds three and a half or four inches in diameter. if plain and puff paste be used have an equal number of rounds of each. on the rounds of plain paste put a generous tablespoonful of the meat mixture, spreading it toward the edge; brush the edge of the paste with cold water; make two small openings in each round of puff paste, press these rounds over the meat on the others, brush over with milk, or yolk of egg diluted with milk and bake in a hot oven. serve hot with a tomato or mushroom sauce, or cold without a sauce. cold corned beef is good used in this way. rissoles are often brushed over with egg and fried in deep fat. [illustration: cheese salad in molds lined with strips of pimento] cheese salad line each "flute" in small fluted molds with narrow strips of pimento. for this recipe six or seven molds will be needed. beat one cup of cream, one-fourth a teaspoonful, each, of salt and paprika till firm. soften half a level tablespoonful of gelatine in about one-eighth a cup of cold water; dissolve by setting the dish in warm water. to the dissolved gelatine add half a cup, generous measure, of grated cheese of any variety. stir until cool, then fold into the cream. use this mixture to fill the molds. when cold and firm unmold and serve with a plain lettuce salad. french or mayonnaise dressing may be used with the lettuce. bread or crackers should also be provided. hot pulled bread or toasted crackers are excellent. as the pimentos flavor the dish strongly, nothing that does not harmonize with them should be presented at the same time. if the pimento prove objectionable--they sometimes cause flatulency--strips of uncooked tomato may be substituted. plain pastry sift together two and one-half cups of pastry flour, a teaspoonful of baking powder and half a teaspoonful of salt; work in half a cup of shortening, then stir in cold water as is needed to make a paste. knead slightly on a floured board; cut off half the paste for the lower rounds. flaky paste roll the other half of the paste into a rectangular sheet, dot one half with tiny bits of butter, fold the unbuttered paste over the other, dot half of this with bits of butter, fold as before, dot one half with butter, fold as before, then roll out into a thin sheet for the upper rounds. the paste may be chilled to advantage before rolling. in pastry making a magic cover may be used more successfully than a marble slab. [illustration: pears bÉatrice] pears béatrice cut choice pears in halves, lengthwise; remove the skin and the seed cavity. cook tender in a little sugar and water. cut into small bits enough french candied fruits to half fill the cavities in the pears. mix the fruit with apricot, peach or apple marmalade and use to fill the open spaces in the pears. for a dozen halves of pears, scald one pint of rich milk; sift together, several times, three-fourths a cup, each, of sugar and flour, dilute with some of the hot milk and stir until smooth and return to the rest of the milk; stir the whole until thick and smooth, cover and let cook fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. beat the yolks of five eggs; add one-fourth a cup of sugar and half a teaspoonful of salt and beat again, then stir into the hot mixture; continue stirring until the egg is cooked, then fold in the whites of five eggs, beaten dry, continuing the cooking and folding until the white is set or cooked. flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. turn part of this cream into an au gratin dish (sometimes called cocotte and sometimes welsh rabbit dish). dispose the pears in the cream, cover with the rest of the cream, sprinkle the whole with dried and pulverized macaroons, mixed with melted butter. set the dish into the oven to brown the crumbs. serve hot in the dish. [illustration: green corn au gratin in ramekins] green corn au gratin in ramekins cook one slice of onion and a slice of green pepper, chopped fine, in one or two tablespoonfuls of butter, until softened and yellowed; add two tablespoonfuls of flour and half a teaspoonful of salt and cook until frothy; add two cups of thin cream and cook and stir until boiling, then stir in sweet corn, cut from the cob, to make quite a consistent mixture. one or two beaten eggs may be added, if desired. turn into buttered ramekins and cover with two-thirds a cup of cracker crumbs mixed with melted butter; let cook in the oven until the crumbs are browned. serve as an entrée at dinner or luncheon, or as the chief dish at supper or luncheon. [illustration: kugelhopf kuchen sliced and toasted] [illustration: kugelhopf kuchen ready to shape] kugelhopf kuchen for afternoon tea take one pound of flour (four cups), ten ounces (one cup and a fourth) of butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, one cake of compressed yeast, two or three tablespoonfuls of lukewarm water and seven eggs. soften the yeast in the water, mix thoroughly, and stir in enough of the flour to make a soft dough. knead the little ball of dough; with a knife slash across it in opposite directions and drop it into a small saucepan of lukewarm water. put the rest of the flour, the salt, sugar and butter, broken up into bits, into a mixing bowl; add four of the eggs and with the hand work the whole to a smooth consistency, then add the rest of the eggs, one at a time, and continue beating each time until the paste is smooth. when the little ball of sponge has become very light, at least twice its original size, remove it with a skimmer to the egg mixture, add a cup of large raisins, from which the seeds have been removed, and work the whole together. let stand to become double in bulk. cut down and set aside in an ice chest overnight. shape on a board either into a loaf or buns. when again light and puffy bake in a quick oven. cut the cake into thick slices. toast these over a quick fire, being careful (by not moving the cake while toasting) to retain the lines of the toaster. spread with butter, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, mixed, and serve at once on a hot napkin. the sugar and cinnamon may be omitted. [illustration: peach salad] peach salad set pared halves of choice peaches in nests of lettuce hearts and pour on enough french dressing to season nicely. sprinkle with blanched almonds cut in thin slices. for a change, omit the nuts and set chopped celery, mixed with mayonnaise dressing, in the open space of each half of peach, or the nuts may be mixed with the celery. fresh or rather firm canned peaches may be used. use lemon juice as the acid in both the french and mayonnaise dressings. [illustration: grape juice parfait sprinkled with chopped pistachio nuts] grape juice parfait boil one-third a cup of grape juice and three-fourths a cup of sugar to ° fahr. or until it will spin a thread two inches in length. pour in a fine stream upon the whites of two eggs, beaten dry, then beat occasionally until cold. to one cup and a fourth of double cream add half a cup of grape juice and the juice of a lemon and beat until firm throughout. fold the two mixtures together and turn into a quart mold; cover securely and pack in equal measures of rock salt and crushed ice. when unmolded sprinkle with fine-chopped pistachio nuts blanched before chopping. [illustration: watermelon cones] watermelon cones cut a ripe and chilled watermelon in halves, crosswise the melon. use a tea, soup or tablespoon, as is desired. press the bowl of the spoon to its full height down into the melon, turn it around until it comes again to the starting place, lift out the cone of melon, remove the seeds in sight and dispose on a serving dish. when all the cones possible have been cut from the surface of the half melon, cut off a slice of rind that extends to the tip of the cones, then remove the red portion of the melon in cones as before. grape juice sherbet prepare as peach sherbet, substituting grape juice for peach juice. scald the grapes and strain through cheesecloth. cool before freezing. menus for a week in august "_as a business there is nothing derogatory in the preparation of our daily food, and the rewards are greater than in many walks of life._" sunday =breakfast= red raspberries, cream floradora buns (reheated) coffee =dinner= bisque-of-clams and green peas stuffed tomatoes cheese salad toasted crackers peach sherbet, whipped cream half cups of coffee =supper= cold corned beef, sliced thin potato salad tiny baking powder biscuit hot coffee monday =breakfast= barley crystals, thin cream corned beef-and-potato hash rye meal muffins sliced tomatoes coffee =dinner= hamburg steak corn on the cob stewed tomatoes blackberry shortcake half cups of coffee =supper= shell beans, stewed cream toast berries. tea tuesday =breakfast= grapes omelet with creamed fish flakes baked potatoes zwiebach. coffee =dinner= guinea fowl, roasted candied sweet potatoes apple-and-celery salad baked rice pudding, vanilla sauce half cups of coffee =supper= green corn custard bread and butter sliced peaches sponge cake. tea wednesday =breakfast= melons. broiled lamb chops maître d'hôtel butter french fried potatoes german coffee cake. coffee =dinner= guinea fowl soup broiled swordfish, parsley butter mashed potatoes cucumbers, french dressing eggplant fritters. lemon sherbet little gold cakes. half cups of coffee =supper= egg salad, garnish of sliced tomatoes graham bread and butter blueberries. tea thursday =breakfast= melons. eggs cooked in the shell green corn griddle cakes toasted bread, buttered. coffee =dinner= fried chicken. corn fritters boiled cauliflower, hollandaise sauce berry pie half cups of coffee =supper= succotash (green corn and shelled beans) hot apple sauce cream cheese cookies tea friday =breakfast= grapes barley crystals, thin cream fish flake balls, bacon rolls. sliced tomatoes yeast rolls. coffee =dinner= boiled swordfish, egg sauce boiled potatoes. pickled beets summer squash grape juice parfait marguerites. half cups of coffee =supper= creamed celery with poached eggs on toast berries. bread and butter. tea saturday =breakfast= barley crystals, thin cream. sliced peaches field mushrooms (campestris) stewed, on toast eggs cooked in the shell yeast rolls. coffee =dinner= simple mock bisque soup swordfish salad with vegetables blackberry shortcake half cups of coffee =supper= cold tongue in jelly mayonnaise of eggs-and-lettuce hot yeast rolls sliced peaches. tea menus for a week in september "_men drink because they have a sinking feeling; good food satisfies that craving permanently._"--adelaide keen. sunday =breakfast= melons egg-o-see, thin cream country ham, broiled. sliced tomatoes broiled potatoes. corn meal muffins coffee. cocoa =dinner= chicken, roasted. green corn custard sweet potatoes, southern style cauliflower, hollandaise sauce celery, club style peach sherbet. sponge cakelets half cups of coffee =supper= clam broth apple sauce. bread and butter monday =breakfast= barley crystals, thin cream minced chicken on toast broiled tomatoes. rye meal muffins coffee. cocoa =dinner= stuffed flank of beef, roasted tomato sauce green corn on the cob. baked squash endive, french dressing baked sweet apples, thin cream half cups of coffee =supper= new lima beans, stewed, in cream bread and butter sliced peaches. tea tuesday =breakfast= broiled honeycomb tripe maître d'hôtel butter french fried potatoes. parker house rolls. blackberries. coffee. cocoa =dinner= chicken-and-tomato soup boiled corned beef boiled potatoes, cabbage and beets baked indian pudding vanilla ice cream. half cups of coffee =supper= green corn au gratin bread and butter hot apple sauce gingerbread. tea wednesday =breakfast= egg-o-see, thin cream corn beef and green pepper hash poached eggs. waffles white clover honey coffee. cocoa =dinner= stuffed bluefish, baked cucumbers, french dressing mashed potatoes. scalloped tomatoes apple pie. cheese half cups of coffee =supper= rice croquettes, cheese sauce graham bread and butter baked pears. tea thursday =breakfast= gluten grits, thin cream eggs cooked in shell blackberry shortcake coffee. cocoa =dinner= hamburg roast, tomato sauce scalloped potatoes late green peas. celery peach tapioca pudding, cream half cups of coffee =supper= scalloped oysters, finnelli, philadelphia relish. tiny baking powder biscuit berries. cookies. tea friday =breakfast= codfish balls of fish flakes, bacon stewed tomatoes baking powder biscuit, reheated doughnuts. coffee. cocoa =dinner= boiled fresh haddock, egg sauce sliced tomatoes, french dressing boiled potatoes late stringless beans baked apples with meringue half cups of coffee =supper= succotash bread and butter. stewed crab apples wafers. tea saturday =breakfast= creamed corned beef and celery white hashed potatoes green corn griddle cakes coffee. cocoa =dinner= veal balls en casserole stewed shell beans endive salad sponge cake filled with sliced peaches, cream half cups of coffee =supper= creamed haddock au gratin pickled beets buttered toast stewed pears economical menus for a week in september _"at a small dinner, no one should hesitate to ask for more if he desires it; it would only be considered a flattering tribute to the dish."_--mrs. henderson. sunday =breakfast= egg-o-see, top of milk creamed fish flakes baked potatoes sliced tomatoes doughnuts. coffee. cocoa =dinner= boiled shoulder of lamb, pickle sauce boiled potatoes. mashed turnips lettuce, french dressing peach pie, cream cheese half cups of coffee =supper= cheese-and-nut sandwiches hot apple sauce tea. cocoa. cookies monday =breakfast= broiled honeycomb tripe creamed potatoes rye biscuit. coffee =dinner= rechaufée of lamb with macaroni and tomato sauce summer squash lettuce-and-celery salad rice pudding with raisins coffee =supper= stewed cranberry beans rye biscuit. stewed crab apples rochester gingerbread. tea tuesday =breakfast= gluten grits. blackberries green corn griddle cakes coffee. cocoa =dinner= lamb-and-tomato soup canned salmon heated in can, egg sauce. boiled potatoes sliced tomatoes and cucumbers apple dumpling half cups of coffee =supper= cheese custard hot apple sauce (cooked in closed casserole) bread and butter. tea wednesday =breakfast= egg-o-see, thin cream broiled bacon fried potatoes cream toast coffee. cocoa =dinner= round steak en casserole celery cream puffs half cups of coffee =supper= stewed cranberry beans baking powder biscuit cream puffs cocoa. tea thursday =breakfast= grapes french hash (remnants from casserole) fried corn meal mush dry toast. coffee =dinner= cream-of-potato soup stuffed tomatoes, baked or cabbage scalloped with cheese chocolate-cornstarch pudding, sugar, cream half cups of coffee =supper= green corn fritters. bread and butter stewed crab apples. cottage cheese friday =breakfast= blackberries, sugar, cream fish flakes, country style baked potatoes graham baking powder biscuit coffee. cocoa =dinner= boiled swordfish, pickle sauce or broiled swordfish, mâitre d'hôtel butter boiled potatoes onions in cream sauce or buttered cabbage salad. blueberry pie. coffee =supper= potato salad, sardines. rye biscuit baked apples. tea saturday =breakfast= egg-o-see, thin cream tomato cream toast with cheese corn meal muffins coffee. cocoa =dinner= hamburg steak stewed tomatoes squash coffee jelly, whipped cream =supper= creamed swordfish (left over) potatoes scalloped with onions and cheese pickled beets cookies. tea rhymed receipts for any occasion by kimberly strickland nut wafers here's a cake for dainty eating. peanut butter, just a cup, in the bowl some soda meeting (half a teaspoon, you take up). add one cup of clear, warm water, stir till paste is smooth as silk, leaving not a trace, my daughter, of the soda--white as milk. then, still beating like a vandal, mix in flour just enough to form dough that you can handle-- it must be a plastic stuff. knead this well with your ten fingers, after which roll very thin, seek where moderate heat lingers as the place to bake it in. let the oven do its duty, you'll discover by and by that each wafer is a beauty, when it comes out crisp and dry. banana salad select bananas, gold of hue, and uniform in size, with care remove the fruit, and slice quite thin--i would advise. mix these slim rounds with pecan meats, broken in tiny bits, and grape-fruit shredded finely, too, and robbed of all its pits. this medley next is drenched with oil, and lemon juice combined, the hollow skins are then filled up-- or, shall we say, relined? now place upon crisp lettuce leaves, or curly water-cress, the golden shapes, and walnuts add, shorn of their outer dress. french orange compote sugar and water you combine to make a syrup sweet, adding a little lemon juice, the flavor to complete. peel oranges, the seeds remove, cut into quarters true, lay in the boiling syrup next, and cook ten minutes through. place on a crystal dish the fruit o'er which the syrup pour, and strew with candied cherries red-- to give the one touch more. in time of vacation by janet m. hill any part of a house in disorder and confusion is a source of mental distress to a neat and conscientious housekeeper, and often an occasion for slurs from other members of the family. the number of steps to be taken and the motions to be made, each day, to keep a house in order and set three meals upon a table are often overlooked or largely underestimated. we are speaking now of the homes of the "four-fifths," where little help outside of the family is available. mothers are thought "slow and poky" by the younger members of the family, who are inclined to value the slight and irregular assistance which they give more highly than it deserves. there are members of the family, perhaps, who should keep their strength, mental and physical, for their work away from home; but in general the young people should be trained to take a part in the responsibility of the housekeeping and home-making. if boys and girls, as soon as they are old enough, be taught to open their beds for airing, hang up their clothing and leave the bowl and bath tub in suitable condition for the next occupant of the room, the mother can prepare the breakfast and begin the work of the day without fret as to the condition of the upper part of the house, or without the mental fatigue that comes where there are so many things to be done at once that one knows not where to begin. often where one maid is kept, too much is expected of her, even by the house-mother. with the advent of a maid, the dishes multiply and time is spent in dish washing that should be given to the larger affairs of the housekeeping. for the mother or one maid the washing of dishes must be regulated to make the work an incident and not the event of the day. we are not protesting against a change of plates, or forks, etc., for the dessert; but extra dishes for vegetables, the plate underneath the plate, both handled and therefore to be washed, much glassware that requires careful washing and polishing, all tend to prolong the time at the sink. such work may be increased at will, when some one is hired for this special purpose, or when the daughter of the family is willing to take the responsibility of it. for the mother or the one maid, day in and day out, more necessary duties must eliminate some of the niceties of table service. we should not be "more nice than wise." we believe in work; it is the refuge and the safeguard of the race: but there must be times for relaxation and repose, and, that this be possible for each member of the family, there must be a division of labor. if one individual be a drone, some one else is obliged to work for him. we wish to emphasize the necessity of systematic training, in the doing of these daily duties, of the young people in a family. let each child be held responsible for a certain amount of work each day. it will not burden the normal child, but will give satisfaction and a feeling of being of use in the world. no better time than this, the vacation season, can be found for putting in practice the idea herein suggested. we are admonished by many innovations that times have changed. the fact that graduates from colleges of home economics are taught to see the subject in "its broad relations, both to science and to practice," and that every graduate is expected "to have a fair working knowledge of the household-arts" and be able to cook a meal or make a dress, has given the practice of the so-called homely arts an impetus that will do much for the betterment of the race. cooking and sewing have had a renaissance. to be able to cook well is a desideratum to be desired, and rivalry in pleasing and artistic tea-rooms, "cake and cooky shops" and places for the sale of cooked food is abroad in the land. we look to see this same pleasing rivalry displayed in dressmaking rooms and laundries, where fine work can be essayed. these private and small enterprises, which might grow into larger ones, should furnish a generous return for the time and money invested and an increase in the happiness of those employed as well as of those whom they serve. all of these ventures are at once a source of independence to the serving and the served, and give an opportunity for self-direction that argues well for their permanency. earthen dishes for cooking, which conserve heat and answer for serving as well as cooking, are to be commended at all seasons; but in hot weather, when it is eminently desirable to limit heat and work, they are more than ever a source of pleasure and comfort. not so very long ago all such ware was imported, and the duty, added to the first cost, placed it in the list of luxuries, but now the dainty contours of all these casseroles, ramekins, terrines, au gratin dishes, etc., are duplicated in american ware, and at a price that puts the goods within the reach of all. in the seasonable recipes for this issue, terrine of chicken and ham, green corn au gratin in ramekins, and pears béatrice are cooked in guernsey earthen ware. an extremely useful dish in this ware is the mixing bowl in which kugelhopf kuchen, ready for shaping, is shown. nothing daintier for mixing purposes than this bowl of smooth and highly polished interior can be imagined; from such a surface any mixture can be rinsed with ease, and thus the labor of dish washing is lessened, which is a strong point in favor of any utensil. the task we love by l. m. thornton here's to the task we love, whatever that task may be, to till the soil, in the shop to toil, to sail o'er the chartless sea. for the work seems light and the guerdon bright, if to heart and hand 'tis a sure delight. here's to the task we love, wherever it lead our feet, through stress and strife or the simple life, for still are its victories sweet. and we never tire, if our hearts desire flame in its dross-consuming fire. here's to the task we love, the task god set us to do. and we shall not pale nor faint nor quail and for us there's no such word as fail, if we follow, with purpose true, the creed he writes, and the star he lights to guide our soul to the distant heights. a group of choice spanish and mexican recipes by mrs. l. rice baked tripe, spanish boil four pounds of fresh tripe until tender; drain and sprinkle with salt and pepper, and arrange in a well-buttered dish. pour over it one quart of chopped tomatoes, one large onion, sliced very thin, one-half a cup of chopped parsley, and skin of one large red pepper, minced fine, one-half a cup of chopped olives and one teaspoonful of tabasco sauce. pour over all one-half a cup of melted butter and bake one hour. this is equal to finest fish and is certainly delicious. chili con carne, spanish to prepare the chili used in this dish: from two pods of dried red chili peppers take out all the seeds and discard them. soak the pods in warm water until soft, then scrape pulp from the skins into the water, discarding the skins and saving the pulp and water. cut two pounds of round steak into small pieces and cook in hot frying pan, in pork drippings, until well browned; add three or four tablespoonfuls of flour and stir until browned, then add one clove of garlic, in which two gashes have been cut, and chili water, of which there should be about one pint; let simmer until meat is tender (about two hours), adding hot water if needed. when done the sauce should be of good consistency; add salt to taste. string beans, spanish take two pounds of green string beans and chop fine. put one tablespoonful of bacon drippings in a frying pan and one onion, cut fine, half a dry red pepper, cut fine; let onion and pepper fry brown, then add three ripe tomatoes, cut fine, and stir in one tablespoonful of flour; then add one quart of cold water; then the chopped beans, with salt and pepper to taste, and let the beans cook until tender; keep adding water as needed, so as not to let them get too dry. spaghetti à la mexicana fry three large pork chops brown. fry three minced onions and two cloves of garlic in pork drippings. put the chops and onions into a granite kettle with two cans of tomatoes and two green chili pepper pods (remove the seeds), one tablespoonful, each, of dry chili powder, brown sugar, tarragon vinegar and sage, one teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce and celery salt, table salt to suit; let simmer slowly until pork chops fall to pieces; strain through coarse colander. this sauce should be of the consistency of thick cream, without adding any thickening. boil one-half a package of spaghetti in large kettle of salted boiling water; do not break into short pieces, but drop ends into the water and gradually immerse the whole stick. keep the water boiling rapidly, adding boiling water as it boils down; do not cover; let boil forty-five minutes, drain in colander and pour one quart of cold water through to blanch. put the spaghetti into the tomato sauce and set on stove where it will keep hot, but not boil, for fifteen minutes. arrange in a deep platter and sprinkle top with grated parmesan cheese. serve with grated cheese and stuffed olives. if care is taken in preparing this dish you will be rewarded with something certainly delicious, and a typical mexican dish. rice, spanish put two frying pans on the stove, and in each put one teaspoonful of bacon fat. take one onion and four green chilis, chop very fine, salt; put this in one frying pan and cook until done without browning. in the other pan, put one cup of rice, washed and dried; stir and let cook a light brown; add the onion and chilis and one cup of tomato; fill frying pan with boiling water and let cook until rice is dry. ice cream à la mexicana put two cups of granulated sugar in saucepan over fire and stir constantly until it is melted; add two cups of english walnut meats and pour into shallow, buttered pan to harden. when perfectly cold, grate or chop fine. crumble two dozen macaroons into fine crumbs, then toast in hot oven a few minutes. now make a rich, boiled custard, of yolks of four eggs, one-half a cup of sugar and two cups of cream, then pour over the stiff-beaten whites of two eggs and let cool. to one quart of cream add one-third a cup of sugar and beat until thoroughly mixed, add to the custard, and flavor with vanilla or maraschino, then freeze. when half frozen add the macaroon crumbs and half of the grated walnut mixture and finish freezing. let ripen two or three hours. sprinkle remaining grated walnuts over the cream when serving. this is the typical ice cream of mexico, just as it is served there. caramels à la mexicana put one cup of granulated sugar in an iron skillet and stir constantly over a slow fire until the sugar is melted. as soon as the sugar becomes syrup, add one cup of rich milk or cream,[a] and stir until sugar is dissolved. add, next, one cup, each, of granulated and light brown sugar and boil steadily until mixture forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. take from the fire, add one cup of coarse chopped nut meats and stir to creamy consistency. pour into shallow pans, lined with paraffine paper, spread smoothly about half an inch in thickness and mark into squares while warm. footnote: [a] dissolve the caramel in half a cup of boiling water, then add the cream or milk; by this means the liability of the milk or cream to curdle is lessened.--editor. the nursery by e. r. parker it is frequently a matter of surprise to foreigners that in the average american home, which is otherwise so well equipped, little or no attention is given to the nursery, and it is to this neglect they trace many of the shortcomings of our little ones. it may be that the busy mother, who has to perform the duties of nursemaid and perhaps look after her household at the same time, sees little reason for having a room specially dedicated to the use of the children; but when one considers the necessity of regularity in the feeding, bathing, sleeping, and every other particular of the infant's daily life, such a need becomes apparent, with the arrival of the first baby. select a room in a secluded part of the house, and one which receives all the sunshine possible, for the nursery. fresh air should be admitted at all times, but in such a manner as to avoid drafts. for the use of the young infant, limit the furnishings to bare necessities, and have the floor and walls hard finished. it is not well to have plumbing of any kind in the room, nor should it be directly connected with the bathroom. regulate the temperature carefully, letting it range between and degrees fahr. during the first week; after that it may be kept at degrees until the child is three months old, and then gradually lowered to degrees or even , at night. needless to say the metal crib is the most important furnishing; it should be fitted with a soft hair mattress and a thin pillow, though some persons prefer to use no pillow at all. under no circumstances should the baby sleep with its mother, and eminent physicians now agree that it is more or less injurious for a child to sleep in the room with an adult. dr. cotton, the distinguished specialist for children, recommends, as additional furnishings for the infant's room, a flexible rubber bathtub, a bath thermometer, wall thermometer, scales and a double ewer and soap dish on a low table surrounded by a high folding screen. as the child grows older it will require the addition of low chairs, tables, etc., in the nursery; these should be simple and substantial. do not fit up the nursery with broken or cast-off articles of furniture from other parts of the house. few mothers realize what a deep impression these early surroundings make upon the child, and how nervous, sensitive children may be made to endure positive suffering from contact with unsightly objects. a window seat, that will also serve as a convenient receptacle for toys, may be made by having the top hinged on a low wooden box, and covering the box with some suitable dark material. do not make the mistake of giving children a quantity of toys at one time; such a practice has the bad effect of dulling their sense of enjoyment and making them tire easily of their playthings. if fond relations insist upon trying to shower all the dolls and books and drums in town on them for one christmas or birthday celebration, try putting some of them away and keeping them for rainy days or the trying period of convalescence. toys which will excite the imagination and leave something to their own ingenuity are to be preferred to those that are complete in themselves. among the former are paints, brushes and outline pictures, games, dolls with patterns and material for clothing, stone building blocks, which come in different sizes and shapes with designs for building. decorate the walls with stencil designs or a few good pictures, which should be chosen with reference to the child's age. few persons are aware that until a child is three years old he cannot distinguish clearly between green, gray and blue, hence decorations containing these colors are lost upon him, and the reason for his love of red and yellow is apparent. the perkins pictures, issued by the prang educational company, are justly popular for nursery walls, and photographs of the masterpieces can be purchased quite reasonably. a small bookcase should also be given an honored place in the nursery, for older children, and nothing but books of the very best from a literary standpoint, well printed on good paper and substantially bound, should find their way to its shelves. cheap toy books from the five and ten cent counters, many of which are poorly bound, grotesquely illustrated and insipid in contents, had better be kept away from the children. i would rather give them one good book a year than an armful of poor ones. some children do not enjoy being read to, but all of them love a story, and, with a little tact on the part of the mother, it is but a step from the story she tells to the one she reads, and she can easily cultivate a taste for good reading, for, after all, she is the genius that shapes and molds, and without whom the most ideal nursery is but a dreary place. we are told that even the songs she sings to the babe at her breast have an occult influence over its future life. what a power and privilege, then, are hers to guide the little groping hands and watch the unfolding mind; and surely she should spare neither time nor trouble in the accomplishment of such a task! practical home dietetics by minnie genevieve morse ii. the rôle of diet in reducing and increasing weight in addition to the natural and proper inclination to make the best of oneself, there is scientific reason in the stout woman's desire to reduce her weight, and the painfully thin woman's wish to take on a few more pounds of flesh; health itself is at its best when the body maintains its normal proportions, without serious loss or gain. any considerable variation from the normal standard shows a disturbance in the balance of nutrition; either the vital fire is being fed too generously, and the excess of fuel, instead of being turned into heat and energy, is accumulating in the tissues, to be a burden to the organism and, perhaps in time, cause disease, or else the expenditure of force is greater than the supply of fuel, the bodily tissues are drawn upon to aid in feeding the fire, and all the systems of the body suffer from the insufficiency of nourishment. stout people become increasingly disinclined to either physical or mental exertion; they are apt to suffer from indigestion and constipation, rheumatic troubles and shortness of breath; and, when a condition of actual obesity is reached, a fatty degeneration of one or more of the vital organs is liable. the insufficiently nourished person, on the other hand, is usually anæmic and nervous, the weak and faulty performance of many of the bodily functions testifying to the lack of proper nutrition. with regard to the matter of physical attractiveness, the advantage of proper proportion between the weight and the height is obvious. the too-thin woman has fewer difficulties to contend with than her too-stout sister, in fulfilling fashion's requirements, for her figure can be modified to a far greater extent by the dressmaker's art. but the face and hands cannot be filled out correspondingly, and the thin woman early takes on lines and wrinkles, usually looking much older than a plumper woman of the same age. proper balance between the intake of food and the outgo of energy is thus necessary, both for the maintenance of good health and for the preservation of one's fair share of natural comeliness. the generally-accepted standard of weight in proportion to height which a woman should maintain, in order to fulfil these requirements, is as follows: five feet one inch, pounds; five feet two inches, pounds; five feet three inches, pounds; five feet four inches, pounds; five feet five inches, pounds; five feet six inches, pounds; five feet seven inches, pounds; five feet eight inches, pounds; five feet nine inches, pounds; five feet ten inches, pounds. the purposes for which food is taken into the body are two: the rebuilding of the bodily tissues, which are constantly consumed by physical and mental activities, and the production of heat and energy. during the period of growth, the body necessarily demands a large amount of tissue-building material, and it is natural and reasonable that a growing child should have a large appetite, and be ready to eat at all times of day. if, however, a person who has come to maturity continues to eat as heartily as in early life, more food is taken into the body than is required after the growing period is ended, a heavy strain is put upon the organs which remove waste products from the system, and there is likely to be a deposition of fat in the tissues. another factor in producing these results is the fact that the adult usually leads a far less active life, physically, than the growing child, so that less food is needed for transformation into energy, as well as for the purpose of body-building. this is even more true now than it was a few generations ago; the higher standard of luxury in the modern manner of life, labor-saving devices of every kind, and improved transportation facilities, which have almost reduced out-door exercise to a matter of country-club athletics, are among the reasons for the present-day lack of physical activity among both men and women. it must not be forgotten, however, that our high-pressure modern life also favors the existence of a class, who, instead of feeding their vital fires too generously, are inadequately nourished; among the contributing factors in this case are improper food, hasty and unattractively served meals, unhygienic ways of living, and the heavy, nervous strain that makes havoc of so many lives, in one way or another. considering first the case of the woman who is above the normal standard of weight, it may be said in the beginning that there are few stout people who cannot safely, and without resorting to any dubious measures, reduce their weight sufficiently to improve not only their appearance, but their comfort and general vigor as well. such results are not produced in a moment, however, and patience, perseverence and a considerable exercise of will-power may be necessary. any decided deviation from one's usual manner of life should not be undertaken without the advice of a competent physician. constitutions, have been wrecked, and even lives lost, by such tampering with nature's laws. exercise and diet are the two great aids in reducing weight, but either, by being carried to extremes, or attempted under unsuitable conditions, may do more harm than good. one procedure which cannot be too strongly condemned is the use of the various "anti-fat" preparations, which are among the patent medicines that have afflicted a credulous world; such "remedies" are worse than useless, as they may do actual harm by upsetting the digestion, or otherwise disturbing nutrition, while it is beyond the power of any drug to control such a complex process as that of the balance between waste and repair in the human body. if the desired effect is actually produced, it is by a lowering of the general health. many systems of exercises have been recommended for reducing flesh, especially about the waist and hips, and, when used in moderation, and with a physician's assurance that none of the organs of the body will be injured by their use, the following out of such a system will not only aid in reducing the weight, but will improve circulation and nutrition, and increase the general bodily vigor. the exercises usually recommended consist principally of reaching, stretching and bending movements, but breathing exercises are also useful, as deep breathing aids in burning up fat. stair climbing, with the body erect and only the ball of the foot placed on each step, is also highly recommended, and for reducing the fat on the hips the "standing run" is especially valuable. tennis, golf, bicycling, and horseback riding, all aid in keeping down weight. walking is, however, the exercise _par excellence_ for stout people; not a slow and languid saunter, but a brisk pace, and a steadily increasing distance. hill climbing, _when there is no danger of overtaxing_ the heart, is even more effective than walking on a level. a noted physician, who has successfully reduced many stout patients, lately made the statement that many fat people were willing to take any sort of treatment that was ordered for them, if only their diet was not restricted. it is upon restriction of diet, however, that the chief dependence must be placed, in the reduction of weight; exercise produces a more rapid burning up of fat in the body, but superfluous fat cannot be stored up, if the material for it is not supplied to the system. many famous systems of reduction by restricted diet have been given to the world, but most of them are so severe that they should only be used under the direction of a physician. all of these systems require a reduction of the total amount of food taken, a restriction of the quantity of fluid allowed, and a more or less strict avoidance of those food substances which are most readily turned into fat in the body. most of them also provide for light lunches in the middle of the morning and afternoon, as these additional meals tend to lessen the appetite at the heavier meals of the day. the fat-making foods include sugars, starches, fat meats, butter and oil. it is not safe to deprive the body entirely of these groups of food substances, since proper nutrition depends upon a wholesomely balanced diet, but the amount of them taken by the average person can be very greatly cut down without any danger to health. it is not unusual for a single meal to include a cream soup, bread and butter, potatoes, macaroni, a starchy vegetable, such as beans, a salad dressed with oil, and a rice or cornstarch pudding,--a list of articles which, as may readily be seen, contains a much larger amount of fat-making food than is required by the actual needs of the body. the woman who is in earnest to reduce her weight, then, should eat at each meal as little of the sweet or starchy articles of food and of the fats and oils as is compatible with health. soup is best omitted altogether, not only because the cream soups and purées contain much fat-making material, but also because as little fluid as possible should be taken with meals. among fish, salmon, bluefish and eels contain more fat than the other varieties of sea food. fat meats and all forms of pork should be avoided. the potato is eaten so universally, appearing upon our tables at almost every meal, that its omission from the diet often seems a severe deprivation; however, it is one of the starchiest of foods, and should be cut entirely out of a menu planned for the reduction of weight. most of the other vegetables grown below ground are also undesirable for the stout person; this class includes turnips, carrots, parsnips and beets,--not, however, onions or radishes. peas and beans also contain a good deal of starch. it is almost impossible to eliminate bread-stuffs from the diet, yet much indulgence in the "bread and butter habit" is fatal to the woman who desires to grow thin. bread has least flesh-forming power when thoroughly toasted; whole-wheat bread contains less starch than that made of the ordinary white flour, while gluten bread contains still less, and is the most desirable form for the stout person's use. macaroni and spaghetti, rice, and the breakfast cereals are all included in the list of very starchy foods, and should, therefore, be avoided. sweets of every sort--cakes, pies, puddings, ice cream, confectionery, chocolate, jam and preserves--are forbidden to one who is engaged in a flesh-reducing campaign. very little butter should be eaten; no mayonnaise dressing or olive oil in any form, no cream, and not much milk,--none at all with meals. the list of articles allowed includes almost all kinds of fresh fish; lean meats and chicken; eggs; bread in small quantities, when stale or toasted; all fresh, green vegetables, such as spinach, lettuce, celery, asparagus and tomatoes; and nearly all kinds of fresh fruits, except bananas, which are largely made up of starch. fruits stewed without sugar are also permitted. this is neither a starvation diet nor prison fare, but it does mean a monotonous bill of fare, and considerable will-power is required to follow such a regimen for a long period. where a reducing diet is adopted without the advice of a physician, it is a safer plan to eat smaller portions of the flesh-forming foods than one is accustomed to, than to cut them out of the menu altogether. drinking liquids with meals is conducive to increase in weight: not more than one small cup of tea or coffee, or one small glass of water, should be taken with a meal. water should, however, be taken between meals; it is dangerous to cut the amount of water taken in twenty-four hours down to a small quantity, as a deficiency of water in the system is liable to prevent the kidneys from doing their proper work. chocolate and cocoa are fattening. beer and ale are well known to have flesh-forming properties, and all alcoholic beverages are better avoided. napping after meals aids in putting on flesh, and should not be indulged in. standing for twenty minutes or half an hour after meals is a help in preventing the deposition of fat about the hips and abdomen, the erect position promoting a more equal distribution of the products of nutrition. any tendency to constipation is to be prevented. laxative fruits and vegetables, such as oranges, apples, spinach and lettuce, will be helpful here, as will a glass of cold water taken on rising in the morning. the dietetic treatment of excessive thinness usually appears to one who is engaged in trying to reduce her weight as liberty to indulge in all the good things of this life. however, it is sometimes more difficult to build up a thin person than to reduce a stout one; restriction of diet and persistence in active exercise are practically certain to cause a loss of weight, while many factors, besides a too-slender diet, may be at the bottom of the thin woman's condition. diseases of many different organs, a run-down nervous condition, too much hard work and too little rest, improper food, and disorders of the digestive tract are among the causes that may produce malnutrition, and the first measure adopted by the painfully thin person should be a frank talk with her family physician, as the diet required may not be that intended especially for increasing weight, but one that shall improve nutrition by remedying the defective working of some organ or system of the body. it is practically hopeless to attempt to build up a patient when the proper conditions cannot be secured; where there is no possibility of relief from a severe physical, mental or nervous strain, where a sufficient amount of sleep is impossible, or where there can be no escape from an unhygienic way of life, the wisest dietetic measures will accomplish as much as can be expected of them, if they merely enable the body to hold its own without further loss of weight and strength. under favoring circumstances, however, the sugars, starches, fats and oils, which the stout person must avoid, are the food substances from which the thin person may expect the most beneficial results. foods difficult of digestion should be excluded from the menu, as an attack of indigestion might mean a considerable set-back, but many of the most nourishing and fat-producing articles of food are readily digested and assimilated, though they should not, of course, be used to the exclusion of other kinds of food. a quart or two of milk a day, when taken in addition to the regular meals, will often work wonders; the cream should be stirred into it, not removed, and a raw egg may be beaten into an occasional glassful. butter should be spread with a generous hand, salad dressings should contain as much oil as is practicable, and a tablespoonful of pure olive oil, taken after each meal, will be an effective aid, and also promote the free action of the bowels, that is so great a help in bringing about a condition of general good health. properly-made bread, potatoes, starchy vegetables, like beans and peas and corn, macaroni and spaghetti, rice, and the whole array of well-made breakfast cereals, with a generous supply of sugar and cream, should be well represented in the thin person's diet. cream sauces should be used frequently with meat, fish or vegetables, and cream soups and purées are to be preferred to bouillons and other thin soups. ice cream, milk puddings, and other nourishing desserts may have a place in the menu, as may all sorts of sweet fruits, chocolate and cocoa, honey, maple sugar and syrup, and even simple and pure confectionery. there are few articles of food that are forbidden to the woman who desires to increase her weight, except those which put a strain upon the digestion. a luncheon in the middle of the morning and one in the afternoon, with a glass of hot milk before retiring, assist very greatly in the building-up process, while a nap, or at least a quiet rest, after the midday meal, enables the system to put to the best uses the fuel which has been supplied to it. long hours of sleep, avoidance of hurry and tension, regular hours for meals and pleasant surroundings, and conversation at mealtimes, are all aids in overcoming the tendency to excessive thinness. with regard to both the stout and thin, it may be said that while the quantity and kind of food which is put into the body is unquestionably the greatest factor in maintaining a proper balance between its waste and repair, its income and outgo of energy, it is necessary to take a common-sense view of all the circumstances of each individual case: to make sure that there is no organ of the body whose functions are improperly performed; to avoid alike the temptation, on the one hand, to decreased activity, and, on the other, the tendency to over-exertion; to lead a well-balanced and hygienic life; and to practise, not only with regard to the pleasures of the table, but in everything that pertains to both physical and mental health, that wise choice and accustomed self control that are the mark of the highest type of humanity. * * * * * when thou dost tell another's jest, therein omit the oaths, which true wit cannot need: pick out of tales the mirth, but not the sin. he pares his apple that will cleanly feed. --_george herbert._ home ideas and economies contributions to this department will be gladly received. accepted items will be paid for at reasonable rates. a handy laundry bag a convenient laundry bag for use in each sleeping apartment is easily made of a square piece of stout material of desired size, hemmed round the edge, and having a two-inch strap of the material securely sewed to each corner. when the four straps are slipped over a closet hook, a handy bag is formed, easily accessible at four different places, and easily emptied of every article by simply dropping one of the corners. such bags are pretty, made in colors to correspond with the room in which they are used. when desiring to carry the soiled clothes to the laundry in the receptacle in which they are gathered, these square bags will be found much easier to handle than the long ones. assisting memory one of the great helps in my housekeeping is a small blackboard on my kitchen wall. any special plan, anything about the house that i discover requires attention, or any list of materials desired, are noted on this board. i then dismiss the matter from my mind. each morning i look it over carefully, erasing anything that has been disposed of or passed by, place on it any new record necessary, and note the special duties of the day or week. in this way i am reminded of the many duties of my housekeeping without being unduly burdened with them. if more conscientious housewives would try this plan, i think there would be fewer nervous women. it is the carrying of the multitudinous duties of housekeeping in the memory long before they are actually performed that proves so burdensome. an improvised coat closet in a house having no hall or place to hang the coats and hats in common use, i recently saw a very clever improvised closet. the frame was made of wood and stained oak; it was about five feet high, and fitted into a corner back of the dining-room door, being about four feet across the front and three feet deep. over this frame green burlap was tacked smoothly with fancy brass-headed nails. the entire front opened out like a door. the top was covered to make it dust-proof, and a piece of stout canvas formed the floor. around the inside stout cleats were attached to the framework, into which hooks were placed for the clothing. in another house similarly restricted one corner of the dining-room was made equally convenient, but not so well protected from the dust, by placing on the wall several racks for the clothing. to hide this a large screen was placed about it, also having hooks upon the back. neither arrangement in any way disfigured the room, and a great deal of running up and down stairs was saved. a. m. a. pickles without heat pack sound, clean vegetables in a stone jar, a layer of vegetables and salt; do not be sparing with the salt. let these remain at least two days. rinse _well_ in cold water. press out carefully all the water. cover with vinegar, let stand over night, then press this vinegar out. put the vegetables in a jar and pour over it the following: two quarts good cider vinegar, three pounds brown sugar (light), a good handful, each, of whole cloves and cinnamon bark, one-half pound celery seed, one-half ounce tumeric, one-eighth pound ground mustard, one-half pound white mustard seed. dissolve sugar, mustard and tumeric well, pour over vegetables, let stand over a week before beginning to eat. cabbage, onions and cucumbers are the vegetables used. be sure the cabbage is white and firm; split the cucumbers and slice the onions. this is not heated or cooked. be sure the seasoned vinegar covers the vegetables. s. j. e. * * * * * i find lard pails very convenient receptacles for dry supplies like rice, beans, etc. i choose those whose covers come off easily, and paste paper, on which the name of the contents is written, on each one. the pails are so much easier to handle than the glass jars, and they are also less apt to become broken. many people do not seem to know of the effectiveness of banana skins in cleaning tan leather suit cases and similar articles. rub the leather well with the inside of the skin, then wipe off any excess of moisture with a dry cloth, finishing with a good polishing with the same. i had read of kerosene being a splendid remedy for burns, but had never tried it. a short time ago, however, i found the soda can empty when most needed, and had to resort to the kerosene. on immersing my finger in the liquid, so that the burned portion was submerged, i found the pain quickly disappeared. not a sign of a blister arose, and the burn healed much more quickly than those treated in the other way had done. now we use kerosene exclusively for this purpose. c. f. s. * * * * * in these days of high prices, when home-makers are striving to feed their families well, at as low cost as possible, it is often the saving of little things that keeps down the provision bill. one should know how to combine left overs so they may realize the best results both in the amount of money saved and the amount of nourishment given. save the liquor in which a ham has been cooked. the fat from the top may be used for sautéing potatoes or pressed sliced cereals, or with scrambled eggs, and lends a delicious flavor when so used. the cooled liquor forms a "jelly" rich in extractives. there are frequently pieces of bread left that are in good condition. these pieces of bread, also left-over buttered toast, may be used to thicken pea soup; and the bone from the ham, cracked so that the marrow may slip out, and also the "jelly" from the cold ham liquor may be used to flavor the soup. if the ham is very salt, care must be taken not to add too much "jelly." it is best to add the "jelly" about one-half an hour before the soup is done. * * * * * some exquisite centerpieces from outdoor flowers are made of marsh marigolds and ferns, or buttercups and ferns, in cut glass or carved parian marble; of violets, purple and white, in a silver bowl, and apple blossoms, in polished copper. following is a dessert recipe much enjoyed in my own family: rhubarb sponge clean and cut in one-half inch pieces one pound of rose rhubarb. do not remove the skin. stew until quite tender in one-fourth a cup of boiling water, just enough to start the steam. soften one ounce of granulated gelatine in one-third a cup of cold water. strain the cooked rhubarb, pressing out all the juice, and add enough boiling water, if necessary, to make three cups. mix one and three-fourths cups of sugar and one-half a teaspoonful of ground ginger. stir in the rhubarb juice, and add to the gelatine, stirring until the gelatine and sugar are dissolved. add the grated rind and strained juice of one lemon and set the mixture to chill. when it begins to thicken, add the stiff-beaten whites of three eggs and beat till stiff. mold. serve with beaten and sweetened cream. cut nuts or macaroon crumbs may be passed with this dessert. m. t. r. * * * * * tempting a delicate child to eat every mother knows how hard it is to get children to eat at times, especially when they first begin to take solid foods, or when they are convalescent, while there are some children who seem to have a natural and persistent aversion toward whatever is nourishing and particularly good for them. mothers are sometimes at their wits' end to know what to prepare, and almost sick with discouragement when wholesome, necessary foods are persistently refused. sometimes a little ingenuity and an appeal to the child's imagination or eye will induce him to eat a good-sized meal when, at first, he rejected everything. there are many simple ways of doing this, and the mother will find any number of her own by experimenting. it is an old custom to cut a slice of bread into slips, naming them for members of the family or friends, but it is a procedure which seems to fascinate most little ones and make the bread more palatable. they get so interested in the various characters, represented by the slips of bread, that it disappears before they realize it. slices of bread and butter can be cut into various shapes, such as diamonds, squares, circles, etc., also to represent animals, dogs, cats and horses. the shapes may be crude and mystifying to behold, but children are not critical, and generally accept these representations with approval and credulity. often quite a good-sized meal can be coaxed down by putting it into the doll's dishes, filling the tiny cups with milk and putting little squares of bread on the small plates. one child was known to eat a good-sized meal in this way when he absolutely refused the food in other form. another way is to provide a pretty china plate with a picture on it, and tell the child to eat the contents so that he will see the picture. sometimes an interesting story can be told--with the proviso that the child "eat his dinner" or the mother will not tell the story. he will get interested in the story and forget how much he is eating until it is all gone. one little boy persistently refused rice, which the physician had ordered for him and his mother had tried in every way to make him eat. one day she conceived the idea of forming the rice into a small mound like an eskimo hut, smoothing it around to make it an exact reproduction. on the top she placed a small square of butter, which she called the chimney. it happened that the little boy had been much interested in pictures of eskimo children and their homes, and it appealed to his imagination at once. the mother then buttered a slice of bread and cut it into strips--some large and some small--which she called the family who lived in the hut--father, mother, girls, boys and baby. for this she had the satisfaction of seeing the little fellow eat two good slices of bread and the whole saucer of rice--a thing he had never done before--and with enjoyment. these are but a few devices. any mother can supplement them with successful ones of her own, and she will find that by the use of a little imagination and ingenuity a child can be tempted to eat almost any kind of desirable and necessary food, and enjoy it. a. g. m. * * * * * in order to preserve weathered oak furniture and keep it fresh, rub it with floor wax, johnston's or some other wax for hard floors. do this once or twice a year. * * * * * instead of throwing away the flour left after rolling meat for frying, save it and use again for similar purpose. * * * * * cut a groove around the handle of the broom about three inches from the end. make a cap with a draw string of some dark soft material and fasten this over the end of the broom. then when the end of the broom rests against the wall there will be no marred places on the walls. this idea is especially good where one has white walls. j. r. w. * * * * * there is nothing that equals the boiled icing, and by boiling the sugar and water without stirring until it spins threads when run off a spoon or fork, then turning this syrup on the whites of the eggs, which have been whipped dry, then beaten until cold, one will have a delicious covering. menu for church supper given in may, but suitable for other months--about covers. cold tongue creamed potatoes lobster salad rolls jelly coffee pineapple ice cake cost of materials: cans tongue @ $ . ½ $ . lbs. lobster @ . . ½ doz. lettuce @ . . salad dressing: cans oil $ . qts. milk . box mustard . qt. vinegar . doz. eggs . . ½ bushel potatoes rolls . lbs. coffee . qts. cream . can milk . eggs . . glasses jelly donated. pineapple ice, ½ gal.: cans pineapple . lemons . sugar . ? freezing . dipping . . served only box domino sugar $ . can milk for potatoes . lbs. flour . lb. crackers (scant) . parsley . lbs. print butter . ½ lbs. tub butter . ice . help . loaves cake ( left), donated. laundry . express . soap, etc. . ---- . ------ $ . recipe for pineapple ice cans of grated pineapple quarts of water quarts of sugar lemons boil the water and sugar fifteen minutes, add the pineapple, let boil five minutes; when cold strain, add lemon juice and freeze as usual. b. n. w. goin' to school by laura r. talbot at a progressive porch party the young women sharpened their wits with the following: i alphabet "if an alphabetical servility must still be urged." --_milton._ . a river in scotland. . a printer's measure. . owned by the chinaman. _answers_ . d (dee). . m (em). . q (queue). ii geography "in despite o' geography." --_butler._ find the islands . eat a ---- when you are hungry. . the cat caught my ----. . jack had a ---- pony given him. _answers_ . sandwich. . canary. . shetland. iii grammar "who climbs the grammar tree distinctly knows where noun and verb and participle grows." --_dryden._ . what the convicted prisoner receives. . what does the cat have? . four-sevenths of a flower is what part of speech? _answers_ . sentence. . clause (claws). . verb-ena. iv physiology "for of the soule the bodie forme doth take; for soule is forme, and doth the bodie make." --_spenser._ . what humorist is a vital organ? . what is sometimes found in a closet? . what did adam lose? _answers_ . heart (harte). . skeleton. . rib. the "scholars" were now dismissed for fifteen minutes' recess, while educator crackers were served. an old-fashioned hand bell called them to order. v arithmetic "this endless addition of numbers." --_locke._ . think of a number, double it, add ten, divide by two, add five, multiply by four, subtract forty, divide by number first thought of, add nineteen, and what do you have? . not round and part of a plant. . subtract nine from six. _answers_ . twenty-three. . square root. . s six ix ---- s vi history "for aught that i could ever read, could ever hear by tale or history." --_shakespeare._ . what fruit do we always find in history? . what fowls are associated with the pilgrim fathers? . what happened to america in ? _answers_ . dates. . plymouth rocks. . discovered. vii current events "for 'tis a chronicle of day by day." --_shakespeare._ . what large gun is often heard in washington? . what kitchen divinity has been declared a fraud? . what european ruler was interested in "the congo"? _answers_ . cannon (joseph g.). . cook (dr. frederick.) . king leopold. refreshments were next served in school lunch boxes. candy, in boxes representing books, was given as prizes. queries and answers this department is for the benefit and free use of our subscribers. questions relating to recipes, and those pertaining to culinary science and domestic economics in general, will be cheerfully answered by the editor. communications for this department must reach us before the first of the month preceding that in which the answers are expected to appear. in letters requesting answers by mail, please enclose addressed and stamped envelope. for menus remit $ . . address queries to janet m. hill, editor boston cooking-school magazine, boylston street, boston, mass. in answer to inquiry i send my recipe which i have used for years. blitz kuchen round tablespoonfuls butter heaping teaspoonfuls sugar a heaping pint of flour pinch of baking powder pinch of salt eggs grated rind of lemon ¼ pound chopped almonds tablespoonfuls sugar ground cinnamon to taste butter and sugar are stirred to a cream. add eggs without beating same, lemon and salt; stir well, then add flour mixed with baking powder; mix well and spread very thin on buttered tins. sprinkle before baking with the almonds and two tablespoonfuls sugar mixed with the cinnamon. bake in moderately hot oven to a medium brown. cut in diamond shapes immediately on taking from the oven and while on tins. remove quickly from tins. mrs. wm. winter * * * * * your correspondent, who presents query no. , in the april magazine, has the german incorrect in her question. the recipe called for is undoubtedly blitz kuchen or quick coffee cake. i enclose my recipe, which makes a delicious cake. blitz kuchen ½ a cup of butter cup of sugar teaspoonfuls of baking-powder ½ cups of flour ½ a teaspoonful of salt cup of milk eggs tablespoonfuls of crushed nuts sift sugar, baking powder, flour and salt into bowl. add butter, and work into dry ingredients as in making pie crust. beat eggs and add with milk. add enough more flour to make a rather stiff batter. spread about one-half inch deep in buttered pans. sprinkle top with granulated sugar and nuts. bake about one-half hour in moderate oven. anne c. rankin, _supt. dom. science wausau pub. schools_. * * * * * query .--"recipe for a very rich chocolate ice cream. a cream eaten lately, which we wish to duplicate, was almost as dark in color and as rich as a chocolate sauce or chocolate frosting." rich, dark-colored chocolate ice cream melt six ounces of chocolate over hot water (in a double boiler), add one cup of sugar and half a cup of boiling water and stir and cook directly over the fire until smooth and boiling. scald three cups of milk; stir into the milk two tablespoonfuls of flour smoothed with milk to pour; stir until the milk thickens, then add the chocolate mixture; cover and let cook fifteen minutes. beat the yolks of three or four eggs; add half a teaspoonful of salt and one-fourth a cup of sugar; beat again and stir into the hot mixture; stir until the egg is cooked a little; add one cup of rich cream and strain into the can of the freezer. when cold add one tablespoonful and a half of vanilla extract and freeze as usual. * * * * * query .--"please publish a time table for cooking different vegetables, and for cooking meats, both well and rare done. under meats, include fowl, game and fish, well done." time table for cooking vegetables asparagus to minutes beans, string or shell to hours beets, new to hours beets, old to hours beet greens hour or longer brussels sprouts to minutes cabbage to minutes carrots hour or longer cauliflower to minutes celery hours or longer corn to minutes (actual boiling) macaroni to minutes onions minutes to hours oyster plant to minutes parsnips to minutes peas about minutes potatoes, white to minutes potatoes, sweet to minutes rice to minutes squash to minutes spinach to minutes tomatoes, stewed to minutes turnips to minutes coffee to minutes time table for baking meat and fish beef, ribs or loin, rare, per pound to minutes beef, ribs or loin, well done, per pound to minutes beef, ribs, rolled, rare to minutes beef, ribs, rolled, well done to minutes beef, fillet, rare to minutes (hot oven) beef, fillet, well done hour mutton, leg, rare, per pound minutes mutton, leg, well done, per pound minutes mutton, forequarter, stuffed, per pound to minutes lamb, well done, per pound to minutes veal, well done, per pound to minutes pork, well done, per pound minutes venison, rare, per pound minutes chicken, per pound to minutes turkey, to pounds hours goose, to pounds hours or more duck, domestic hour or more duck, wild to minutes (very hot oven) grouse about minutes small birds to minutes pigeons, potted or en casserole to hours ham to hours fish, whole minutes or longer small fish and fillets about minutes baked beans with pork to hours time table for broiling meat and fish steak, inch thick to minutes steak, ½ inches thick to minutes lamb or mutton chops to minutes spring chicken to minutes squabs to minutes shad, bluefish, etc. to minutes slices of fish to minutes small fish to minutes boiling meat and fish fresh beef to hours corned beef, rib or flank to hours corned beef, fancy brisket to hours corned tongue to hours leg or shoulder of mutton ½ to hours leg or shoulder of lamb to hours turkey, per pound to minutes fowl, to pounds to hours chicken, pounds to ½ hours ham to hours lobster to minutes codfish and haddock, per pound minutes halibut, whole or thick piece, per pound minutes salmon, whole or thick piece to minutes clams and oysters to minutes * * * * * query .--"recipe for tomato aspic for salads and a well-seasoned cream of corn soup." tomato (aspic?) jelly let two cups of canned tomato, a sprig of summer savory, sprig of parsley, a slice of onion, half a stalk of celery, and a piece of green or red pepper pod simmer together fifteen or twenty minutes, then strain the whole through a fine sieve; add one-fourth a two-ounce package of gelatine, softened in one-fourth a cup of cold water, and salt as needed, and turn into molds to harden. tomato jelly, macedoine style, for salad - / cups of canned tomato slice of onion / a clove of garlic / a pepper pod / a teaspoonful of salt / a "soup bag" / a package of gelatine / a cup of cold water / a cup of cooked string beans olives teaspoonful of capers truffle cooked yolks of eggs let the first six ingredients simmer, together, about fifteen minutes, then add the gelatine that has been softened in the cold water; stir over ice water until the mixture begins to thicken, then add the beans and olives, cut in fine bits, the capers, the truffle or its equivalent in trimmings, chopped fine, the yolks sifted, or the equivalent of the yolks in chopped chicken tongue or ham. mix thoroughly and turn into molds. serve with lettuce and mayonnaise dressing. tomato aspic to a pint of rich and highly-flavored beef, chicken or veal broth add a cup of cooked tomatoes, with salt and pepper as needed, also one-third a package of gelatine softened in one-third a cup of cold water and the crushed shells and slightly beaten whites of two eggs; stir constantly over the fire till boiling; let boil three minutes; then draw to a cooler place to settle; skim and strain through a napkin wrung out of boiling water; turn into molds and let chill. good flavored cream of corn soup a good flavored corn soup may be made of two parts milk flavored with a little onion and parsley, thickened with flour and one part corn purée; but a richer flavored soup results when chicken or veal broth is combined with the milk and a little cream, half to a whole cup to two quarts of soup is used. recipe for cream of corn soup score the kernels in each row with a sharp knife and with the back of the knife press out all of the pulp. melt three (level) tablespoonfuls of butter, in it cook two slices of onion and two branches of parsley until the onion is softened and yellowed; add three tablespoonfuls of flour, a dash of black pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt; stir and cook until frothy, then add three cups of milk and stir until boiling; add the corn pulp and let boil five minutes. add more seasoning if needed. vary by the use of broth or cream. * * * * * query .--"recipe for a very appetizing dish consisting of a poached egg set above a round of toast and another of ham with a yellow sauce over the whole. also a recipe for sponge cake for jelly roll. one given in the magazine was a failure." eggs benedict split and toast the required number of english muffins. have ready poached eggs and some very thin rounds of broiled ham, one of each for each half muffin. dip the edges of the toasted muffins in boiling, salted water, and spread lightly with butter; set a slice of hot ham above the toast and the poached egg above the ham and pour hollandaise sauce over the whole. hollandaise sauce for six eggs, beat half a cup of butter to a cream, then beat in, one at a time, the yolks of four eggs, with a dash of salt and of pepper; add half a cup of boiling water and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice and cook over hot water, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. sponge cake for jelly roll we should be glad to know which recipe for sponge cake published in this magazine did not turn out successfully. we have given recipes for many grades of sponge cake, but all have been used by us repeatedly with good results. any recipe for good sponge cake may be used for a jelly roll, but some formulas will give a dry and others a moist cake. the first of the following recipes is for a small, inexpensive cake. recipes for sponge cake for jelly roll i eggs cup of sugar cup of flour / a teaspoonful of salt ½ level teaspoonfuls of baking powder teaspoonful of vanilla extract / a cup of hot milk beat the eggs without separating the whites and yolks; beat in the sugar, fold in the flour, salt and baking powder, sifted together, then beat in the milk. bake in a shallow pan. turn upon a cloth, trim off the edges, spread with jelly and roll. the cake must be rolled while hot. ii eggs cup of sugar cup of flour grated rind of lemon tablespoonfuls of lemon juice _or_ rounding teaspoonful of baking powder beat the whites and yolks separately, and gradually beat the sugar into the yolks; add the lemon juice and rind and fold in the whites and flour. by this recipe the cake is good only when the ingredients are put together properly. beating and folding are the motions needed. one not understanding how to mix a _true_ sponge cake should omit the lemon juice and use the baking powder. the recipe for swedish sponge cake, frequently given in these pages, makes a good cake for a jelly roll. * * * * * query .--"recipe for currants, bar-le-duc." bar-le-duc currants the preserve known by the above caption can be made at home, but, as the process of removing the seeds from the currants is tedious, most people prefer buying to making this preserve. we have had good success with the following recipe: take selected currants of large size, one by one, and with tiny embroidery scissors carefully cut the skin on one side, making a slit one-fourth an inch or less in length. through this with a sharp needle remove the seeds, one at a time, to preserve the shape of the currant. take the weight of the currants in strained honey, and when hot add the currants. let simmer two or three minutes, then seal as jelly. if the juice of the currants liquefy the honey too much, carefully skim out the currants and reduce the syrup at a gentle simmer to the desired consistency, then replace the currants and store as above. the above recipe gives a confection equal to that put up in france. the following recipe, which entails less work, gives a nice preserve. currants, bar-le-duc get the largest size currants, red or white, and stem them without breaking. to each pound allow three pounds of sugar. take some ordinary currants and bruise them while warm until you have a pint of juice. put half a cup of this into a porcelain kettle and add three pounds of sugar. bring slowly to a boil and skim very carefully. after boiling five minutes drop in very carefully one pound of the large currants and let simmer four minutes. take them out without breaking them, and boil the syrup down five minutes, or longer if not very thick; as the currants are sometimes less juicy than at others, a few minutes more will be needed at one time than another. when thick, skim well and strain through a hot cloth over the fruit. put into little jelly glasses and when cold cover as in jelly making. [illustrated advertisement] fresh from the ocean to you _the finest codfish you ever tasted_ burnham & morrill fish flakes will give a new meaning to "codfish" in your home. this choice new england delicacy is entirely different from the dried, over-salted, "soak-over-night" kind and far superior to any codfish you can buy even at the fish market. =burnham & morrill fish flakes= = c and c sizes= makes it possible for you to enjoy really fresh codfish wherever you may live. our exclusive method of cooking, mildly salting and packing the fish the same day it is caught--absolutely without preservative of any sort--retains all the fine delicate flavor. the sanitary container, itself, bespeaks the high quality of the contents. the fish is wrapped in pure parchment and hermetically sealed, without solder or acid--it never comes in contact with the metal. every housewife will be delighted to find how delicious =codfish balls, creamed fish, fish hash, fish chowder, etc.= can be made with burnham & morrill fish flakes. thousands of grocers are selling burnham & morrill fish flakes today--if yours hasn't it in stock, he will be glad to get it for you. if you will just try burnham & morrill fish flakes once you will certainly agree with everyone that this is a simply perfect fish product. if your grocer chances not to be supplied, in order that you may immediately try burnham & morrill fish flakes yourself, we will gladly mail you a regular c size on receipt of c from you. it costs us c to do this--postage alone being c. this shows our faith in our product. =good eating= was written especially for us by mrs. janet mackenzie hill, the noted domestic scientist. it contains many new and original recipes and table hints, and is mailed =free upon request.= =burnham & morrill company, portland, maine, u.s.a.= =packers of the justly celebrated paris sugar corn= * * * * * query .--"recipe for preserving and crystallizing ginger root." preserving ginger root purchase the "stem" ginger. take the weight of the ginger in sugar. cover the ginger with boiling water and let cook rapidly till very tender. dissolve the sugar in some of the water in which the ginger was cooked. use about one-fourth as much water as sugar. let cook to a thin syrup; skim, then put in the ginger and let simmer very slowly till the syrup is nearly absorbed, then cook more quickly, stirring meanwhile to cause the sugar to grain until the ginger is well glazed. or, remove the ginger from the syrup, when it has absorbed a sufficient quantity, drain, cut in strips and roll in granulated sugar. a third method gives good results, but for lack of proper appliances is not used by amateurs. * * * * * query .--"recipe for mexican tamale. also give the number of this magazine in which a recipe for cheese custard was given." mexican tamales have a chicken cooked tender in boiling water to cover; remove the meat and chop it fine; return the bones to the broth. from fresh corn husks select a wide leaf of husk for each tamale, or use dry husks steamed until pliable. remove and discard the seeds from a dozen red chili peppers and chop the pods very fine; peel six large tomatoes and squeeze the seeds from them. mix the tomato and pepper and let simmer twenty minutes, or until well reduced. stir enough of the hot chicken liquor into three cups of corn meal to thoroughly moisten it, then let it stand half an hour. when everything is ready, mix the tomato and pepper with the chicken, adding a teaspoonful or more of salt as is needed to season. salt should also be added to the corn meal, if the broth in which it was mixed had not been seasoned. put a layer of corn meal into the corn husk and on this put two tablespoonfuls of the chicken and tomato mixture. let the chicken come nearly to the ends of the corn meal, and the corn meal well up to the ends of the husk. keeping the husk between the fingers and the meal, fold the meal over the chicken, from each side, to enclose the chicken completely; roll the husks over the whole, turn up the ends and tie them securely, using narrow strips torn from the husks for the purpose. put the tamales on the top of the bones in the chicken broth, taking care that the bones keep them well out of the broth. cover closely and let simmer one hour. serve hot. cheese custard the recipe for cheese custard was given on page , and the illustration of the same, on page of the january, , issue of the magazine. * * * * * query .--"recipes for a 'saltine' or salted cracker, a soda cracker and rum omelette." recipes for crackers we are unable to supply proper recipes for making crackers. rum omelet eggs ½ tablespoonfuls of sugar ¼ a teaspoonful of salt tablespoonfuls of lemon juice or water tablespoonfuls of butter ¼ a cup of rum beat the eggs without separating till a full spoonful can be taken up; add sugar, salt and liquid and mix thoroughly. melt the butter in the hot omelet pan, turn in the egg mixture, shake the pan till the omelet is cooked, roll and turn upon a hot platter; pour over the rum, light it and send to the table, at once, while it is burning. roll the omelet when it is a little underdone. [illustrated advertisement] =soups= stews and hashes are rendered very much more tasty and appetizing by using =lea & perrins= sauce= the original worcestershire a superior seasoning for all kinds of fish, steaks, roasts, game, gravies, salads, etc. it gives appetizing relish to an otherwise insipid dish. =beware of imitations.= john duncan's sons, agts., new york * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] =rae's lucca oil= "the perfection of olive oil" =the very finest quality of pure olive oil= sold in bottles and tins of various sizes =s. rae & co.= leghorn, tuscany, italy * * * * * query .--"recipes for lady baltimore cake, peanut cookies and maple-walnut sundae." lady baltimore cake cup of butter cups of sugar ½ cups of flour (level) teaspoonfuls of baking powder cup of milk teaspoonful of rose water whites of eggs filling and frosting cups of sugar cup of water whites of eggs cup of chopped raisins cup of chopped nut meats figs cook the sugar and water to ° fahr. finish as any boiled frosting, adding the fruit and nuts at the last. peanut cookies ¼ a cup of butter (scant) ½ a cup of sugar tablespoonfuls of milk egg cup of flour ¼ a teaspoonful of salt teaspoonfuls of baking powder ¾ a cup of peanuts mix in the usual manner; add the egg, beaten without separating the white from the yolk. reserve a few whole halves of nuts to garnish the tops of the cookies, and add the rest, pounded fine, at the last. drop in a buttered tin, a teaspoonful in a place, and some distance apart. the recipe makes two dozen cookies. maple-walnut sundae prepare vanilla or lemon ice cream. turn one or two tablespoonfuls of maple syrup into a glass cup; in this dispose a ball or cone of the ice cream, pour on one or two tablespoonfuls of maple syrup and sprinkle with nut meats, chopped rather coarse. pecans or english walnuts are generally used. butternuts are also good for this purpose. * * * * * query .--"recipe for the rice cooked with tomatoes, cheese, peppers and bacon given in the 'menus for a week in may,' in this magazine." rice with bacon and tomatoes parboil three-fourths a cup of rice in cold water, drain on a sieve, rinse with cold water and drain again. cut three or four thin slices of bacon into half-inch pieces and cook until crisp and light colored. add the blanched rice to the bits of bacon. in the fat cook half a green or red pepper, cut in shreds, until softened and yellowed, then add the pepper and fat to the rice with three cups of boiling water or stock and three-fourths a teaspoonful of salt, and let cook until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. add a cup of well-reduced tomato purée and half a cup or more of grated cheese. mix thoroughly and let stand over boiling water to become very hot. * * * * * query .--"recipe for peach cordial, and angel cake containing cornstarch." peach cordial mash ripe or nearly ripe peaches to a pulp. to eight pounds of pulp allow one quart of water. let the whole be heated to the boiling point, then press out the juice. to each gallon of juice add two pounds of loaf sugar. let stand until it has fermented and when clear bottle and seal. angel cake with cornstarch cup of whites of eggs cup of sugar ¾ a cup of flour ¼ a cup of cornstarch ½ a teaspoonful of cream of tartar teaspoonful of vanilla extract beat the white of eggs till foamy; add the cream of tartar and beat until dry; beat in the sugar gradually; add the extract, then fold in the flour and cornstarch, sifted together. bake in an unbuttered tube pan. it will take from thirty to fifty minutes according to the size of the pan. [illustration: luncheon tongue] squire's luncheon tongue with a thin, sharp knife cut squire's luncheon tongue in thin slices. serve with hot spinach, potatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, swiss chard, green corn, string or shell beans. to the cooked vegetables add butter and a palatable seasoning of salt and pepper. for a more hearty dish serve the vegetables with a cream sauce; if a still more elaborate dish appeals to you, cover the creamed vegetable with cracker crumbs mixed with melted butter and let stand in the oven until the crumbs are nicely browned. when a cold dish is desirable, serve the tongue with any of the above vegetables dressed as a salad. any variety of salad dressing may be used, but with spinach, sauce tartare is particularly good. press the spinach while hot into molds; when cold and firm unmold each shape on a slice of tongue and dispose the sauce above or around the spinach. to make sauce tartare, add to a cup of mayonnaise dressing two tablespoonfuls, each, of fine chopped capers, olives, parsley and cucumber pickles. french dressing--oil, vinegar, salt and pepper--suffice for lettuce and tomatoes served with the tongue, though mayonnaise or a boiled dressing made without oil are to be commended with tomatoes, thus served. a slice or two of the tongue chopped fine is a good ingredient with onion, bread crumbs and such seasonings as are available for stuffed tomatoes. [advertisement] squire's luncheon tongue ¶ this is a ready-to-serve cooked meat, its uses being the same as our boiled ham, for sandwiches and as a cold meat, and is also fine for salads, or in any way in which a tongue is used. ¶ the tongues are selected for size and quality, thoroughly cooked until tender, after which all gristle and the little bone at the root is removed. ¶ they are packed in tins holding twelve tongues and weighing about six pounds. ¶ after being placed in the tins, the tongues are covered with a jelly, which, when it congeals, serves to bind the meat into one piece. put up in this form it is easy to slice thin, or, the tongues can be served whole if desired. ¶ the pans are carefully wrapped in parchment paper. ¶ the appearance is inviting, the tongues are whole and the jelly keeps them fresh and retains their delicious flavor, possible in no other way. ¶ these goods being sold within a short time after being cooked and packed, they have a better flavor than canned tongue. ¶ the quality, purity and care in preparing luncheon tongue is the same as that of all other squire products. ¶ it is convenient, as any quantity, from one slice to a whole pan, can be purchased. john p. squire & co., boston, mass. _visitors are always welcome at our plant and restaurant in cambridge_ * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] heinz cider apples only selected kinds are used for heinz vinegar. the quality of cider vinegar begins with the apples. the greenings, baldwins, spies and kings of western new york and michigan give the greatest amount of rich juice, best for vinegar, and these are the principal varieties of apples used in making =heinz pure apple cider vinegar=. only the pure apple juice of _first pressing_ is used in heinz cider vinegar, whereas the first pressing of apples is more often sold for sweet cider and only the second pressing, mixed with water, used for cider vinegar. age improves all vinegars, and it is frequently more than two years from the time the apple juice is pressed until it reaches your table as heinz cider vinegar. all of which contributes to its healthfulness, mellowness and aroma. the = varieties= also include the following: _=heinz malt vinegar=_ made from sound barley malt and aged until rich and mellow. _=heinz white pickling and table vinegar=_ a distilled vinegar of great strength. all sold by grocers in sealed bottles and half-gallon jugs; also by measure from barrels--but, when buying in this way, be sure you get the heinz brand. =h. j. heinz company.= _=distributing branches and agencies throughout the world.=_ _member american association for promotion of purity in food products._ * * * * * the father a story by björnson [this dramatic little tale by the late björnstjerne björnson is so simply told that it seems almost destitute of art, which is to say its art is of the highest kind, for the art of simplicity, as every writer knows, is the hardest to achieve. it was translated into english a few weeks ago, for the first time, for the boston _transcript_, from which we reprint it.] the man about whom this story is told was the mightiest in his parish. his name was thord overaas. he stood one day in the pastor's study, tall and serious. "i have been given a son," he said, "and wish to have him christened." "what shall he be called?" "finn, after my father." "and the sponsors?" they were named, and were the best men and women in the community of the father's family. "is there anything further?" asked the minister, looking up. the peasant hesitated a little. "i prefer to have him christened alone," he said. "that is, on a week day?" "on next saturday, twelve, noon." "is there anything further?" asked the pastor. "there is nothing further." the peasant fumbled his cap, as if he were about to go. then the pastor rose. "this much further," he said, and walked over to thord, took his hand and looked him in the eyes. "god grant that the child may be a blessing to you." sixteen years after that day thord stood again in the pastor's study. "you carry the years well, thord," said the minister, seeing no change in him. "neither have i any cares," answered thord. to this the pastor remained silent, but after a while he asked: "what is your errand this evening?" "this evening i come to see about my son, who is to be confirmed tomorrow." "he is a bright boy." "i did not wish to pay the pastor before i knew what number he is to have on the floor." "he shall stand number ." "so i heard--and here is ten dollars for the pastor." "is there anything further?" asked the minister looking up at thord. "there is nothing further." thord went away. again eight years passed, then a noise was heard one day outside the pastor's study, for many men came and thord first. the pastor looked up and recognized him: "you come strong in numbers this evening." "i wish to ask to have the banns pronounced for my son; he is to be married to karen storliden, daughter of gudmund, who stands here." "she is the richest girl in the parish." "they say so," answered the peasant, smoothing back his hair with one hand. [illustration: do not keep both food and germs in the refrigerator. to prevent musty smells and keep air of refrigerator pure and sweet, place a bowl containing sponge sprinkled with platt's chlorides where food is kept. wash sponge occasionally.] the minister sat for a time as if in thought. he said nothing, but registered the names in his books and the men signed accordingly. thord laid three dollars on the table. "i should have only one," said the pastor. "i know it, too, but he is my only child--i wish to do well by you." the pastor took the money. "it is the third time now you stand here in behalf of your son, thord." "but now i am through with him," said thord. he folded his pocketbook together, said good-by and went. the men followed slowly after. a fortnight after that day the father and son rowed in calm weather across the water to storliden to confer about the wedding. "this board does not lie securely under me," said the son, and got up to lay it aright. just then the plank on which he stood slipped; he threw out his arms, gave a cry and fell in the water. "take hold of the oar!" called the father, rising and holding it toward him. but when the son had made a few strokes he stiffened. "wait a little!" cried the father, and rowed nearer. then the son turned over backwards, gave a long look at the father--and sank. thord would not believe it. he held the boat still and stared at the spot where his son had sunk down as if he were to come up again. some bubbles rose to the surface, then a few more, then just one large one that burst--and the sea lay again like a mirror. for three days and three nights they saw the father rowing about that spot without food or sleep; he was searching for his son. on the third day in the morning he found him, and came carrying him up over the hills to his farm. a year perhaps had passed since that day. then the pastor, late one autumn evening, heard something in the hallway outside his door fumbling cautiously for the latch. the minister opened the door and in stepped a tall, bent man, thin and white-haired. the minister looked long at him before he recognized him; it was thord. "do you come so late?" said the pastor and stood still before him. "o, yes, i come late," said thord, seating himself. the pastor also sat down as if waiting. there was a long silence, then thord said: "i have something with me that i wish to give to the poor; it shall be in the form of a legacy and carry my son's name." he got up, laid money on the table and sat down again. the pastor counted the money. "that is a great deal," he said. "it is half of my farm; i sold it today." the minister remained sitting a long time in silence; finally he asked gently, "what are you now going to do, thord?" "something better." they sat for a time, thord with his eyes upon the floor, and the pastor with his eyes upon thord. finally the pastor said slowly: "now i believe your son has finally become a blessing to you." "yes, now i also think so myself," said thord. he looked up and two tears rolled heavily down over his face.--_current literature._ [illustrated advertisement] velvet grip rubber button =hose supporter= for boys and girls is easy, safe and economical; allows the utmost freedom of movement and is readily attached. it interests children in dressing themselves. all genuine have the moulded rubber button, and velvet grip is stamped on the loops. george frost company, boston, u.s.a. sample pair, children's size (give age), mailed on receipt of cents. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] =beauty is born of health= and health is the foundation of all the joys of life. the mission of =anheuser busch's _malt-nutrine_= is to bring the pleasures of health and strength to all. it is a liquid food and gives vigor and nutrition to those lacking the power of perfect digestion. declared by u.s. revenue department a pure malt product and not an alcoholic beverage =sold by druggists and grocers= =anheuser-busch st. louis, mo.= * * * * * [advertisement] desserts in hot weather should be light and delicate the delicious flavor of burnett's vanilla is essential to their success. write for our handsome, new book of recipes for ice creams, parfaits, ices, etc. joseph burnett co. dept. e india st., boston, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] you'll like it--everybody likes it minute gelatine (plain) sample free. enough to make one pint. the very highest quality of gelatine put up in the famous "already measured" package. ordinarily directions say, "take ¼ package," etc., leaving you to =guess= really at the amount, for no one can be sure of pouring out just ¼ of a package of anything. every package of minute gelatine is divided into =fourths=, and =each fourth makes one pint= of delicious dessert, a whole package making =one-half gallon=. give us your grocer's name and we will send you =free= enough to make one pint, also the minuteman cook book, containing tested receipts for minute gelatine. minute tapioca company, - west main street, orange, mass. * * * * * the secret of it "rita"--so mrs. desmond humphreys, the english novelist, is called--was condemning in new york the frequency of divorce in america. "you americans," she said, "don't seem to possess the secret of matrimonial happiness. perhaps you might take a lesson from a city clerk i heard of recently. "a friend of this clerk's, after visiting him at his home, said: 'excuse me, will, but how do you manage, on your small salary, to have such well cooked and delicious meals?' "'the secret is simple,' will replied; 'every day i kiss the cook and do all i can to please her and make her happy.' "'but doesn't your wife object?' the other asked. "'dear no--she's the cook,' was the reply." * * * * * one fall farmer true sold a large part of his hay in order to buy some new green blinds for his house and a smart kitchen clock. the neighbors heartily disapproved. spring came, and with it the downfall of his pride, for alas! he had not hay enough to feed his cattle until they should be turned out to grass. thereupon he humbly sought a neighbor, and asked him if he had any hay to lend. "well," said the neighbor, deliberately, stroking his chin, "i dunno's i've got any hay to lend, an' i dunno's i've got any to sell. why don't ye drive yer cattle up an' let 'em look at yer green blinds an' hear yer clock strike?" but he sold him some just the same. [illustrated advertisement] sun paste stove polish _let science make your housework easy._ "domestic science" =domestic science= applied to stove polish means sun paste every time. you can prove it. can we help you to prove it now? you want the brightest, easiest and quickest dustless stove polish you can get. we have it. you owe it to yourself to use the best in this case, because it costs you no more. just ask your grocer for sun paste. insist upon it. morse bros., proprietors, canton, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] vantine's _orange pekoe tea_ =the favorite of connoisseurs.= our special blend of choice and rare teas, imported only by us. delicate, fragrant, delicious, refreshing. no other has the =flavor=. if you love fine tea, send c for trial half pound package, or $ . for pound. _oriental table delicacies_ =dainties to please the epicure.= rare foods, fruits, nuts and confections which lend charm and novelty to afternoon tea, card party reception or any home function. provide a =real treat=. free dainty oriental booklet descriptive of our appetizing delicacies for your dealer's name. the name vantine has stood for exclusive quality for over half a century. vantine goods are sold by high grade dealers. vantine's (importers) dept. -s, e. th st., n.y. city * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] huyler's metropolitan sweet chocolate highest in quality smoothness and flavor ten cents & five cents * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] manning-bowman alcohol gas stove [illustration: made with one two or three burners] alcolite wick-feed burner--burns denatured alcohol this stove is furnished with manning-bowman chafing dishes and it more than doubles the practical value of every chafing dish equipped with it. the alcohol gas stove is really a portable cooking range, being sufficiently powerful for any kind of cooking with any sort of cooking utensil. a great thing for light housekeeping, impromptu meals, late suppers, picnics and camping. manning-bowman pot style coffee percolators make coffee quickly from _cold water_ on this stove. the stove is sold separately when so desired. all dealers have the manning-bowman quality alcohol gas stoves, percolators, chafing dishes and accessories, and the "eclipse" bread mixer. [illustration: pot style percolator on alcohol gas stove] [illustration: no. - chafing dish alcohol gas stove] write for free book of recipes and catalog "j- " manning, bowman & co., meriden, conn. * * * * * how to utilize bacon grease bacon grease is the best available medium for frying. it is the most toothsome and the purest. contrast the clean lines and flavor of bacon grease with the insipid, ghastly-looking product known as lard, made from who knows what. pure leaf lard is rare, and even at its best the rich, tempting savor of bacon is vastly preferable. bacon, properly prepared for those who do not engage in heavy manual labor and therefore do not need much of the rich heat producing fat, should be fried to a crisp, until it is to all intents entirely lean. then it is a dish fit for gods, and for mortals who know what is good. then there is left the grease, golden brown and delicious. now the usefulness of bacon only begins. hear this! from one pound of breakfast bacon you get one pint of precious bacon grease. what do with it? that's easy. fry eggs in it. you will never again use lard. even butter is inferior to it. season boiled string beans with it. it is a substitute for cooking bacon with them. two or three tablespoonfuls will give the proper flavor. use the bacon fat in place of butter or lard. * * * * * on a festive occasion mr. jones, who is by nature courtesy itself, complimented a middle-aged lady upon her dress, the upper part of which was of black lace. "nothing," said he, "to my mind is so becoming as black and yellow." "yellow!" she cried. "oh, good gracious! that's not my dress, that's _me_!"--_james payn, in the independent._ * * * * * cardinal manning visited a liverpool convent, where an irishwoman was cook. she begged his blessing, and, when it was given, looked up at his frail figure, and exclaimed, "may the lord preserve your eminence, and oh, may he forgive your cook!" [illustrated advertisement] =we teach you how to make candy= by professional methods. you can easily learn to make the most delicious candy. our home candy making outfit includes a candy thermometer, recipes, etc., that insures success. we teach you how to make french bonbons, nougat, chocolate creams and all the finest candies. many women whom we have taught make candy to sell. make your own candy it is much cheaper, purer and more delicious than any candy you can buy. write for free booklet that explains our system of teaching candy making at home. =the home candy makers= = bar street,= =canton, ohio= * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] gail borden eagle brand borden's brands have no equal they perfectly solve the milk problem borden's condensed milk co. =est. = "_leaders of quality_" =new york= * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] make your own ice-cream with junket tablets junket ice cream with strawberries requires no eggs, corn-starch, or gelatine, and only one part cream and three parts pure milk. the junket process makes an exquisitely delicious, smooth, velvety ice-cream at half the usual cost. a charming little booklet containing many recipes, among them one for junket ice-cream with strawberries, by janet mckenzie hill, the famous lecturer and editor of _the boston cooking-school magazine_, comes free with every package. sold by all grocers or mailed postpaid for ten cents. chr. hansen's laboratory box little falls, n.y. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] kornlet _is the milk of sweet green corn, preserved in cans when corn is at its best_ --_nothing_ makes such delicious puddings, fritters, griddle cakes and soups. now--to associate kornlet in your mind with summer green corn--procure nine full ears, the best the market affords; score and press the _milk_ from the kernels as completely as possible. this will be equivalent to one can of kornlet and may be used successfully for all the dishes we have mentioned. after that, simply remember that when green corn is out of season you can have these same delicious dishes by using kornlet in the same recipes. book of recipes sent free for your grocer's name. during the green corn season, nine ears of corn take the place of one can of kornlet. =the haserot canneries co. cleveland, ohio, u.s.a.= * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] the kettle spoon holder made of aluminum always useful but especially convenient during the preserving season agents wanted at stores or by mail ¢ the barnard co. dept. boston, mass. * * * * * [advertisement] shelled nuts chocolates and other supplies for =home candy making= and table use can be bought in small lots at reasonable prices. these goods are all first-class and guaranteed. =send for price list.= address ward shelled nut co. p.o. box , boston, massachusetts * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] sample free kitchen bouquet gives a delicious flavor and rich color to soups, sauces, gravies, etc. used by leading chefs and eminent teachers of cookery. =the palisade mfg. co. clinton ave. west hoboken, n.j=. * * * * * the evening game when daddy holds me on his knee a-playin' creep-er-mouse, he walks his fingers up my legs, an' all around my blouse, nen drives the mouse into its house in underneaf my chin, an' i des laugh an' laugh an' laugh-- an' nen say, "do it agin!" it's dretful when he's climbin' up, it makes me shiver some, but i des double up my fists an' watch the old mouse come; it's worser, heaps, when in he creeps up underneaf my chin. i laugh till daddy has to stop-- nen i say, "do it agin!" --_woman's home companion._ * * * * * one of the latest kitchen novelties is a spoon holder, which hangs on the inside of any preserving kettle and holds the stirring spoon when not in use. they are made of aluminum and will not rust. by using one, you dispense with saucer, cup or plate to hold the spoon, and the spoon is always ready for use and always where it is to be used. after you have once used this little article you would not part with it for five times its cost. * * * * * grape juice the finest grape juice is obtained by pressing the grapes without boiling. after all juice has been extracted by the _yale fruit press_, place pulp in kettle, bring to a boiling point, then continue pressing operation. this latter will yield a darker colored juice and not so delicate in flavor as the juice extracted by the cold process. in bottling or canning do not mix, but put up separately. cold process juice must be heated to the boiling point before it is bottled. [illustrated advertisement] for the bride and those who have been brides moth-proof red cedar chifforobe examine it--on days' approval ¶ the honest craftsmanship of old colonial days is reflected in our work. this beautiful chifforobe (chiffonier and wardrobe combined) is built of genuine southern red cedar--the only absolutely moth-proof wood. within its air-tight doors your furs, fine clothing and hats are absolutely safe from moths, dust and dampness. piedmont chests save storage charges. sold direct to the home, all jobbers' and retailers' profits saved, to the benefit of the purchaser. practically our only sales expense is advertising to tell you about these chests. we prepay freight east of the mississippi river--also return transportation charges if chests are not satisfactory. write today for our beautiful catalog showing many designs of red cedar chests, highboys, lowboys and chifforobes at prices that will interest you. piedmont red cedar chest co., dept. , statesville, n.c. * * * * * [advertisement] lady wanted to introduce our very complete fall line of beautiful wool suitings, wash fabrics, fancy waistings, silks, hdkfs, petticoats, etc. up to date n.y. city patterns. finest line on the market. dealing direct with the mills you will find our prices low. if others can make $ . to $ . weekly, you can also. samples, full instructions in neat sample case, shipped express prepaid. no money required. exclusive territory. write for particulars. be first to apply. =standard dress goods company, dept. , binghamton, n.y.= * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] start a millinery business for $ . or $ . =here's an opportunity to establish yourself in a paying millinery business of your own.= ours is one of the largest =wholesale millinery= houses in the world. one of the most successful branches of this immense concern is selling millinery stocks. we will sell you a complete stock of the latest city styles in ladies', misses' and children's hats for $ . , or a larger line for $ . . you do not need a trimmer; all the hats are completely trimmed and ready to wear. =millinery pays a big profit.= if you can invest $ . or $ . now, you will be able to turn over your investment many times a season. after you start =your= business, we will send you illustrated catalogues, booklets, etc., thus keeping you posted on the new styles. =thousands of successful men and women have started in business with one of our stocks. many of them, not wanting to start in a separate store, rented space in a general store that did not handle millinery.= =now is the time to prepare to start.= write immediately for itemized list no. . it tells what our $ . and $ . fall and winter stocks consist of, gives our terms, etc. a postal will bring it. =no goods sold at retail. we sell only to those buying to sell again at a profit.= chicago mercantile co. - - - wabash ave., chicago * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] _ _ rogers bros. x s triple "_silver plate that wears_" charter oak pattern the famous trade mark "_ _ rogers bros." on spoons, forks, knives, etc., guarantees the _heaviest_ triple plate. send for catalogue "u ." meriden britannia co., (international silver co., successor) new york chicago meriden, conn. san francisco * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] yale fruit press the best, most practical and durable press on the market. unequaled for making =jellies, jams, cider, grape juice, sausage, lard and hundreds of other things.= every home should have one. saves time, labor and trouble and soon pays for itself. the yale fruit press is easily used and easily cleaned. clamps to any table or handy place. place cotton bag filled with material in colander, fix beam in position, attach crank to wheel and every pound pulled on same exerts pounds pressure on contents. made of steel and iron, plated. four quart size, price only =$ . = if your dealer will not supply you, do not accept a substitute, but order direct of us. =sold on days' trial. money back if not satisfied.= write today for =free= booklet--"aunt sally's best recipes"--of interest to every housewife. also gives full description and prices of yale fruit presses. victor m. grab & co. _patentees and sole manufacturers,_ ashland block, chicago, illinois * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] these trade-mark crisscross lines on every package cresco flour for dyspeptics special dietetic flour k. c. whole wheat flour unlike all other goods. ask grocers. for book of sample, write farwell & rhines, watertown, n.y., u.s.a. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] fleischmann's compressed yeast has no equal * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] best by test use sauer's flavoring extracts ¢ and ¢ * * * * * one of the greatest aids and "step-savers" for the woman who does her own work is a "wheel-tray." its cost represents not more than you'd have to pay a domestic for two or three weeks. the advantage of _this_ helper is that it is always ready, never wants "an evening off," never argues, never sulks and is always "bridget on the spot," if we may be permitted this adaptation of the well-known phrase. ten dollars for the wheel-tray will save you hundreds of dollars' worth of labor, worry and time. those who have used it say they cannot now get along without it. it will last for years, has no breakable or intricate parts and glides about like a silent, well-trained butler. in addition to its help in kitchen and dining-room, some use it sweeping days, taking the small articles out of a room before sweeping. it saves many steps in one home in distributing the freshly-ironed clothes to their respective bureau drawers. blackberry muffins cup blackberries cup warm milk cake fleischmann's yeast cups sifted flour tablespoonfuls granulated sugar tablespoonful butter ¼ teaspoonful salt well-beaten egg have milk lukewarm, dissolve yeast into it; then add sugar, butter, salt, egg well beaten; add flour gradually and beat thoroughly; cover; set aside to rise for one and one-half hours. then stir in very lightly the cup of berries and put in well-greased muffin tins. let rise for twenty minutes. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. this makes one dozen. takes about two and one-half hours. should be eaten hot and are very delicious. [illustrated advertisement] hub ranges a study of this cut, our "silent salesman," gives a very comprehensive idea of the many fine features hub ranges possess. a valuable feature not shown on cut is =the hub improved sheet flue.= it carries heat directly under all six covers--making them all available for cooking purposes; then, around five sides of the oven--making it much more evenly and economically heated. all =hub= ranges made with or without gas attachments. _send for "range talk no. "_ smith & anthony company - union st., boston, mass. sold by the best dealers everywhere * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] salads, sandwiches and chafing-dish dainties by mrs. janet mckenzie hill, editor the boston cooking-school magazine _a new and revised edition. profusely illustrated._ pages. price, $ . salads and chafing-dish dainties are destined to receive in the future more attention from the progressive housekeeper than has as yet been accorded to them. in the past their composition and consumption has been left chiefly to that portion of the community "who cook to please themselves." but since women have become anxious to compete with men in every walk of life, they, too, are desirous to become adepts in tossing up an appetizing salad or in stirring a creamy rarebit. the author has aimed to make it the most practical and reliable treatise on these fascinating branches of the culinary art that has yet been published. due attention has been given to the a b c of the subjects, and great care exercised to meet the actual needs of those who wish to cultivate a taste for palatable and wholesome dishes, or to cater to the vagaries of the most capricious appetites. the illustrations are designed to accentuate, or make plain, a few of the artistic effects that may be produced by various groupings or combinations of simple and inexpensive materials. we will mail "salads, sandwiches and chafing-dish dainties," postpaid, on receipt of price, $ . , or as a premium for three new yearly subscriptions to the magazine. the boston cooking-school magazine co. boston, mass. * * * * * [advertisement] madam a. crayl's success correspondence school for women a school of occupations for women. unfailing opportunities for money making. =special courses in stay-at-home-and-make-money occupations.= learn by mail how to increase your income $ to $ a week. book, "how women may earn a living, ways," presented each pupil. total expense for course, covering days, only $ . terms in advance. =if in one week you are dissatisfied your money refunded= _enroll today. send stamp for particulars. address_ madam a. crayl's success correspondence school for women p.o. box , springfield, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] housewives should have this great stepsaver in serving meals. one trip with wheel tray sets table. another completely clears it. this table on wheels moves easily anywhere you want it. height in. removable oval trays, in, by in. and in. by in., extra heavy steel. in. rubber tire wheels. gloss black japan finish. price =$ =, express prepaid. =$ = to pacific coast. write for circular and learn its convenience. wheel-tray co., g west st place, chicago * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] quilted mattress pads three score and ten years is a long life, yet about one-third of it is spent in bed. then why not make your bed as comfortable as it can be made? quilted mattress pads will not only make it comfortable, but as they are spread over the mattress, they will protect it, and will keep your bed or baby's crib in a perfect sanitary condition. "none genuine without trade mark." quilted mattress pads wash perfectly, and are as good as new after laundering. they are sold in all sizes by dry goods dealers excelsior quilting co. laight st., new york * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] tanglefoot, the original fly paper for years the standard in quality. all others are imitations. * * * * * important legal decision the liebig's extract of meat company of london, makers of the celebrated liebig's extract of meat, has gained an important victory in its suit against the liebig extract company of hudson and thomas streets, new york city, by the decision recently handed down of the united states circuit court of appeals for the second circuit. the principal issue was as to the right of the liebig company of london to exclusive ownership in the name "_liebig_," and the appellate court has now given a decision, with heavy costs against the liebig extract company of new york, and enjoins that company from using the word "_liebig_" in connection with the sale of extract of meat. since this decision is final and not subject to further appeal, it should mark the end of infringements on the original and genuine liebig extract of meat made by liebig's extract of meat company of london, under rights acquired from the eminent baron justus von liebig, whose facsimile signature "j. v. liebig," in blue, is a prominent feature of the package. * * * * * a negro, says mr. thomas kane in the _interior_, was pressed to tell why he had left the methodists and joined the episcopal church. "why did you do it?" was the question. "well," he replied, "we is moh oddehly; we has moh style." "yes, but what do you do?" "well, fo' one thing, we has responsible readin's." "well, what else?" "well, we has roman candles on de alteh, and den we buhn insec' powdeh." [illustrated advertisement] "playball" business is "play" with a breakfast of e-c the dainty, delicious corn flakes (toasted) "the best after all" * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] hoyt's gluten biscuit crisps made from gum gluten the most delicate gluten product made recommended for protein diet and for infant feeding sample mailed free the pure gluten food co., west broadway new york * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] f. a. walker & co. moulds fancy cutters novelties for cooking - cornhill scollay square boston * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] how french women develop their bust first opportunity ever given to the ladies of america to profit by the mdme. dubarrie positive french method of bust development. many women believe that the bust cannot be developed or brought back to its former vigorous condition. thousands of women have vainly used massage, electricity, pump instruments, creams, ointments, general tonics, constitutional treatments, exercises and other methods without results. any woman may now develop her bust mdme. dubarrie will explain to any woman the plain truth in regard to bust development, the reason for failure and the way to success. the =mdme. dubarrie positive french method= is different from anything else ever brought before american women. by this method any lady--young, middle aged or elderly--may develop her bust from = to inches in days=, and see definite results in to days, no matter what the cause of the lack of development. it is based on scientific facts, absolutely safe and lasting. _for complete illustrated information, sent sealed secure from observation, send your name and address, with a two-cent stamp. communications strictly confidential._ mdme. dubarrie quinlin building, chicago, illinois * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] the best premium offer we ever made every one who has received one of these chafing dishes has been delighted with it, and surprised how easily the necessary subscriptions were secured. have you obtained one yet? if not, start today to get the subscriptions, and within three or four days you will be enjoying the dish. this chafer is a full-size, three-pint, nickel dish, with all the latest improvements, including handles on the hot water pan. it is the dish that sells for $ . . we will send this chafing-dish, as premium, to any present subscriber who sends us six ( ) new yearly subscriptions at $ . each. the express charges are to be paid by the receiver. address the boston cooking-school magazine co., boston, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] the most popular premiums we ever offered have been the individual moulds to any present subscriber who will send us two new yearly subscriptions, at $ each, we will send, postpaid, as premium, =either= a set of eight aluminum _timbale_ moulds, fancy shapes (make your own selections), =or= a set of six _patent charlotte russe moulds_. =patent charlotte russe moulds= can be used not only in making charlotte russe, but for many other dishes. you can use them for timbales. you can mould jellies in them. you can bake cakes in them. wherever individual moulds are called for, you can use these. the moulds we offer are made by a patent process. they have no seams, no joints, no solder. they are as near perfection as can be had. they retail at from $ to $ . a dozen. =the timbale moulds= are made of aluminum and are without seams. they can be used for countless things: timbales of chicken, ham, peas, corn, etc. moulding individual fruit jellies. moulding meats and salads in aspic jelly. for eggs parisienne, fruit sponges, etc. address all orders to the boston cooking school magazine, boston, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] the kettle spoon holder made of aluminum agents wanted always useful but especially convenient during the preserving season the barnard co. dept. boston, mass. at stores or by mail ¢ * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] c. for c. =the magazine that dares= to print the news that's vital to human advancement. an absolutely =fearless= monthly, the exponent of constructive reform for the betterment of all. you never have seen such unless you know =the twentieth century magazine=. the editor is =b. o. flower=, founder of the arena. among the contributors are =edwin markham=, =lincoln steffens=, =david graham phillips=, =hamlin garland=, =prof. charles zueblin=, =charles e. russell=, =brand whitlock= and =carl s. vrooman=. you should see this new periodical. it is beautifully illustrated and handsomely printed. it entertains and illuminates. one copy will convince you that =there is no other magazine of equal strength in america=, but to clinch your interest in the glorious work that mr. flower is leading, =we will send you three sample issues, postpaid, all for only c=. get this intellectual stimulus and literary treat and realize there is a =new force= in the magazine field. we'll refund your remittance without question if you say we have exaggerated the value of this great monthly. the twentieth century co., park sq., boston, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] the home ironing machine made for gas or gasoline heat. it will iron all flat clothes, such as sheets, towels, etc., better than you can with a flatiron. compared with the flatiron-- saves time it will save you four-fifths of the time it will take you with the flatiron. saves work it makes your ironing easier and the time shorter. saves money the heat costs you only one cent an hour and you burn fuel only one-fifth as long. saves clothes the "home" is much easier on the clothes and does not scorch them. light----simple----inexpensive our booklet "clean linen" will tell you more about it. send for it today, it is free. home ironing machine r. madison st., chicago, ill. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] a necessity in every kitchen american kitchen friend all made of the finest quality crucible steel, carefully tempered, ground and polished, by the latest improved process. every handle fastened with a heavy brass rivet. handles are hardwood, rubberoid finish, mounted with nickel-plated ferrules. wrought steel rack, enameled in black, and when attached to wall has space suitable for dish covers, trays, cooking magazines, etc., etc. an outfit that should be in every up-to-date and economical housewife's kitchen. this is a first-class article in every particular. set consists of extra heavy and large, hardened and tempered steel cleaver, cook fork, paring knife, butcher knife, serrated edged bread knife, cake knife, emery steel, perforated griddle cake turner, and slotted mixing spoon. =our offer:= to any present subscriber who will send us three new yearly subscribers, with the $ . therefor, we will send, as premium for securing the three subscriptions, the "american kitchen friend" set as described above. express charges to be paid by the receiver. the price of this set is =$ . =. the boston cooking-school magazine co.--boston, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] the yankee knack the story of american industrial development has no more fascinating or impressive chapter than that devoted to the discoveries and improvements resulting from the extraordinary inventive genius of the new england workman. he is never content with things as they are. he is forever experimenting--and successfully. he searches until he finds the soul of the machine, and from this intimate acquaintance he begins to eliminate and improve. he accomplishes the paradox of perfecting a perfect article. if there is a practicable way to make one part do the work of two, if some added device will simplify a process or improve a product, he will not rest till he has worked out the problem. this passion for invention has been from the first a vigorous characteristic of the new england mind. the early settlers were artisans rather than tillers of the soil; and when by a bitter struggle with an undeveloped country they had supplied their immediate wants, they naturally turned again to manufacturing; and this mechanical bent, stimulated to alertness by a vigorous climate, resulted in course of time in an almost incredible mechanical ingenuity--the "yankee knack." this genius for simplification of processes, this wonderful knack of devising machinery which will do the work of the human hand, has multiplied the output of our factories: and this in turn has increased wages and decreased the hours of labor, and so brought a great uplift into the lives of our workmen; given them the power to provide better homes for their families, better education for their children, and greater leisure in which to work out a broader destiny for themselves. as in the past, so in the present and the future. the "yankee knack," which long since turned new england into a vast workshop, is still at its age-long task--simplifying, improving; lowering cost of production, ever raising quality of product--and all to the end that the average american family shall enjoy today what were luxuries but yesterday, and gratify in their turn the yet undiscovered desires of tomorrow. pilgrim publicity association, boston [copyright. ] * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] we are the original makers of level lying hammocks no one attempts the quality we produce. we sell direct to the consumer. from $ . to $ . each send for booklet queen hammock co., harrison st., kalamazoo, mich. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] new standard rotary our agencies sell them on easy terms to suit convenience of purchasers. standard sewing machine co. f. c. henderson, manager, boston, mass. write nearest agency: shepard-norwell co., boston sibley, lindsay & curr, rochester, joseph horne co., pittsburg, l. s. ayres & co., indianapolis stix-baer & fuller, st. louis. the j. l. hudson co., detroit forbes & wallace, springfield the shepard company, providence john wanamaker, new york john wanamaker, phila. the may co., cleveland dey bros., syracuse s. kann sons & co., washington the sweeney co., buffalo e. s. brown co., fall river * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] "human=talker" is our registered name of a parrot imported exclusively by us from certain districts in old mexico, only known to us and guaranteed to learn to talk, sing and whistle better and more human-like than any other parrot. young, tame, genuine hand-raised and beautiful plumaged birds only =$ if ordered before oct. later $ . = money refunded if don't talk satisfactorily. sold under written guarantee on months trial. live arrival at express office guaranteed. cheaper varieties of mexican parrots $ . mrs. e. des. ermia, adrian, mich., r. , writes; "my 'human-talker' is a wonder, talks everything, spells, counts to and sings. money would not buy him." illustrated catalog, booklet and proofs free. max geisler bird co., dep. r- . omaha, neb. largest, oldest mail order bird house in the world * * * * * [advertisement] domestic science home-study courses food, health, housekeeping, clothing, children. for home-makers, teachers and for well-paid positions, "=the profession of home-making=," -page handbook, _free_. bulletins, "=the up-to-date home: money and labor saving appliances=," pages, illustrations--_ cents_. "=food values: practical methods in dietetics=," pp., ill., _ cents_. american school of home economics, w. th st., chicago, ill. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] fruit and jelly labels c. full assortment. printed on heavy gummed paper and bound in book form. a big seller. agents wanted. (dept. k.) century mfg. co., lawrence, kansas * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] spend your vacation in cool nova scotia reached from boston via the dominion atlantic railway s. s. line (the land of evangeline route) steamers "prince george," "prince arthur," and "boston." trips per week during summer season. send cents in stamps to the undersigned for beautifully illustrated booklets, "summer homes in nova scotia" and "vacation days," giving all fishing resorts, rates, etc. j. f. masters, n.e. supt., long wharf, boston * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] ivory soap is not an ordinary laundry soap. it is a better-than-ordinary soap. it is made of _better-than-ordinary_ materials and is intended to be used for _better-than-ordinary_ purposes. there are any number of soaps that cut dirt much more quickly than ivory soap will. they are fine--for cleaning pots and pans and cement walks. but don't wash shirtwaists with them; or woolens; or colored goods; or silks; or dainty dress fabrics; or laces; or any other article that is _better-than-ordinary_. for cleaning things of that kind, ivory soap is so much better than anything else that it really has no competitor. and the reason is simply this: ivory soap is pure. it contains no "free" alkali. it is the mildest, gentlest soap it is possible to make. it cleans--_but it does not injure_. ivory soap ... - / per cent. pure. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] yo' sho am a "good friend" honey! bon ami most cleaning preparations are adapted for _coarse work_ in the kitchen only. something else has to be used for the _finer articles_ in other parts of the house. bon ami can be used for _all cleaning purposes_. every housekeeper knows that for use on windows, glassware and mirrors, it is absolutely unapproached. it gives a brilliancy to the glass that nothing else can duplicate. for bathroom work--on nickel ware and porcelain, it is equally effective. for use on painted woodwork and linoleum it is ideal. it does not scratch away the surface, but simply _cleans it_. for brass, copper, etc., it is far better than coarse caustic powders. it has still other uses, such as removing grime from the hands and cleaning white canvas shoes. in fact, bon ami polishes and cleans almost every kind of surface. and it does this without injuring or roughening the hands or the article upon which it is used. _ years on the market and "hasn't scratched yet."_ griffith-stillings press congress st., boston * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] a pure product of a perfect process baker's breakfast cocoa is made from the best cocoa beans, scientifically blended. =absolutely pure, healthful, and delicious.= registered, u.s. pat. off. get the genuine with our trade-mark on the package highest awards in europe and america walter baker & co. limited established dorchester, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] tried see and your true grocer household favorites sawyer's years the people's choice sawyer crystal blue co. broad st. boston, mass. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] veuve chaffard pure olive oil bottled in france in honest bottles full quarts full pints full ½ pints sold by park & tilford, new york s. s. pierce co., boston * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] a can of mrs. lincoln's baking powder from the grocer's shelf will make those hot rolls better than they ever were before. * * * * * [illustrated advertisement] vose pianos have been established more than years. by our system of payments every family in moderate circumstances can own a vose piano. we take old instruments in exchange, and deliver the new piano in your home free of expense. write for catalogue d and explanations. vose & sons piano co., boylston street, boston, mass. * * * * * buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes thanksgiving menus and recipes american cookery formerly the boston cooking-school magazine of·culinary·science and domestic·economics november, vol. xxvi no. [illustration] [illustration: _painted by edw. v. brewer for cream of wheat co._ _copyright by cream of wheat co._ his bodyguard] do you realize that success in baking depends upon the leavener? in reality, if the baking powder is not pure and perfect in its leavening qualities, food will be spoiled in spite of skill and care. rumford the wholesome baking powder leavens just right. rumford makes the dough of a fine, even texture. it brings out in the biscuits, muffins, cakes or dumplings the natural, delicious flavor of the ingredients. rumford contains the phosphate necessary to the building of the bodily tissues, so essential to children. [illustration] many helpful suggestions are contained in janet mckenzie hill's famous book "the rumford way of cookery and household economy"-- sent free. rumford company dept. providence, r. i. [illustration] buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes american cookery =vol. xxvi= =november, = =no. = =contents for november= page windows and their fitments. ill. mary ann wheelwright the tiny house. ill. ruth merton you're not supposed to, jimmie eva j. demarsh somebody's cat ida r. fargo homing-it in an apartment ernest l. thurston to express personality dana girrioer editorials seasonable-and-tested recipes (illustrated with halftone engravings of prepared dishes) janet m. hill and mary d. chambers menus for week in november menus for thanksgiving dinners concerning breakfasts alice e. whitaker some recipes for preparing poultry kurt heppe polly's thanksgiving party ella shannon bowles home ideas and economies:--vegetable tarts and pies--new ways of using milk--old new england sweetmeats queries and answers the silver lining =$ . a year= =published ten times a year= = c a copy= foreign postage c additional entered at boston post-office as second-class matter copyright , by =the boston cooking-school magazine co.= =pope bldg., columbus ave., boston , mass.= please renew on receipt of colored blank enclosed for that purpose * * * * * [illustration: _"when it rains--it pours"_] _discover it for yourself_ to read about the virtues of morton salt isn't half so pleasant as finding them out for yourself. it certainly gives you a sense of security and content to find that morton's won't stick or cake in the package when you want it; that it pours in any weather--always ready; always convenient. you'll like its distinct bracing flavor too. better keep a couple of packages always handy. morton salt company, chicago _"the salt of the earth"_ [illustration] * * * * * buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes =index for november= page concerning breakfasts editorials home ideas and economies homing-it in an apartment menus , polly's thanksgiving party silver lining, the some recipes for preparing poultry somebody's cat tiny house, the to express personality windows and their fitments you're not supposed to, jimmie =seasonable-and-tested recipes= beef, rib roast of, with yorkshire pudding. ill. boudin blanc bread, stirred brown brother jonathan cake, pyramid birthday cake, thanksgiving corn. ill. chicken, guinea. ill. cookies, pilgrim. ill. cucumbers and tomatoes, sautéed cutlets, marinated fanchonettes, pumpkin. ill. frappé, sweet cider. ill. fruit, suprême garnish for roast turkey jelly, apple mint, for roast lamb pancakes, swedish, with aigre-doux sauce parsnips, dry deviled pie, fig-and-cranberry potage parmentier pudding, king's, with apple sauce pudding, thanksgiving pudding, yorkshire punch, coffee fruit purée, oyster-and-onion salad, new england. ill. salmon à la creole sauce, aigre-doux sausages, potato-and-peanut steak, skirt, with raisin sauce stuffing for roast turkey succotash, plymouth. ill. tart, cranberry, with cranberry filling. ill. turkey, roast. ill. =queries and answers= cake baking, temperature for chicken, to roast corn and potatoes, to boil fish, to broil gingerbread, soft ice cream, classes of icing, caramel pie, deep-dish apple pies, lemon, why watery pimientoes, canned pineapple, spiced potatoes, crisp fried sauce, cream sauce, tartare table service, instructions on * * * * * we want representatives everywhere to take subscriptions for american cookery. we have an attractive proposition to make those who will canvass their town; also to those who will secure a few names among their friends and acquaintances. write us today. american cookery - boston, mass. buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes are you using this latest edition of america's leading cook book? [illustration] =the boston cooking-school cook book= =by fannie merritt farmer= in addition to its fund of general information, this latest edition contains , recipes, all of which have been tested at miss farmer's boston cooking school, together with additional chapters on the cold-pack method of canning, on the drying of fruits and vegetables, and on food values. this volume also contains the correct proportions of food, tables of measurements and weights, time-tables for cooking, menus, hints to young housekeepers. =_"good housekeeping" magazine says:_= "'the boston cooking-school cook book' is one of the volumes to which good housewives pin their faith on account of its accuracy, its economy, its clear, concise teachings, and its vast number of new recipes." = pages= = illustrations= =$ . net= * * * * * =table service= =_by lucy g. allen_= a clear, concise and yet comprehensive exposition of the waitress' duties. detailed directions on the duties of the waitress, including care of dining room, and of the dishes, silver and brass, the removal of stains, directions for laying the table, etc. =fully illustrated. $ . net= =cooking for two= =_by janet mckenzie hill_= "'cooking for two' is exactly what it purports to be--a handbook for young housekeepers. the bride who reads this book need have no fear of making mistakes, either in ordering or cooking food supplies."--_woman's home companion._ =with illustrations. $ . net= =just published= =fish cookery= =_by evelene spencer and john n. cobb_= this new volume offers six hundred recipes for the preparation of fish, shellfish, and other aquatic animals, and there are recipes for fish broiled, baked, fried and boiled; for fish stews and chowders, purées and broths and soup stocks; for fish pickled and spiced, preserved and potted, made into fricassées, curries, chiopinos, fritters and croquettes; served in pies, in salads, scalloped, and in made-over dishes. in fact, every thinkable way of serving fish is herein described. =$ . net= =for sale at all booksellers or of the publishers= =little, brown & company, beacon st., boston= =books on household economics= the boston cooking-school magazine company presents the following as a list of representative works on household economies. any of the books will be sent postpaid upon receipt of price. special rates made to schools, clubs and persons wishing a number of books. write for quotation on the list of books you wish. we carry a very large stock of these books. one order to us saves effort and express charges. prices subject to change without notice. =a guide to laundry work.= chambers. $ . =allen, the, treatment of diabetes.= hill and eckman . =american cook book.= mrs. j. m. hill . =american meat cutting charts.= beef, veal, pork, lamb-- charts, mounted on cloth and rollers . =american salad book.= m. deloup . =around the world cook book.= barroll . =art and economy in home decorations.= priestman . =art of home candy-making (with thermometer, dipping wire, etc.)= . =art of right living.= richards . =bacteria, yeasts and molds in the home.= h. w. conn . =bee brand manual of cookery= . =better meals for less money.= greene . =blue grass cook book.= fox . =book of entrées.= mrs janet m. hill . =boston cook book.= mary j. lincoln . =boston cooking-school cook book.= fannie m. farmer . =bread and bread-making.= mrs. rorer . =breakfasts, luncheons and dinners.= chambers . =bright ideas for entertaining.= linscott . =business, the, of the household.= taber . =cakes, icings and fillings.= mrs. rorer . =cakes, pastry and dessert dishes.= janet m. hill . =candies and bonbons.= neil . =candy cook book.= alice bradley . =canning and preserving.= mrs. rorer . =canning, preserving and jelly making.= hill . =canning, preserving and pickling.= marion h. neil . =care and feeding of children.= l. e. holt, m.d. . =catering for special occasions.= farmer . =century cook book.= mary ronald . =chafing-dish possibilities.= farmer . =chemistry in daily life.= lassar-cohn . =chemistry of cookery.= w. mattieu williams . =chemistry of cooking and cleaning.= richards and elliot . =chemistry of familiar things.= sadtler . =chemistry of food and nutrition.= sherman . =cleaning and renovating.= e. g. osman . =clothing for women.= l. i. baldt . =cook book for nurses.= sarah c. hill . =cooking for two.= mrs. janet m. hill . =cost of cleanness.= richards . =cost of food.= richards . =cost of living.= richards . =cost of shelter.= richards . =course in household arts.= duff . =dainties.= mrs. rorer . =diet for the sick.= mrs. rorer . =diet in relation to age and activity.= thompson . =dishes and beverages of the old south.= mcculloch-williams . =domestic art in women's education.= cooley . =domestic science in elementary schools.= wilson . =domestic service.= lucy m. salmon . =dust and its dangers.= pruden . =easy entertaining.= benton . =economical cookery.= marion harris neil . =elementary home economics.= matthews . =elements of the theory and practice of cookery.= williams and fisher . =encyclopaedia of foods and beverages.= . =equipment for teaching domestic science.= kinne . =etiquette of new york today.= learned . =etiquette of today.= ordway . =european and american cuisine.= lemcke . =every day menu book.= mrs. rorer . =every woman's canning book.= hughes . =expert waitress.= a. f. springsteed . =feeding the family.= rose . =fireless cook book.= . =first principles of nursing.= anne r. manning . =fish cookery.= spencer and cobb . =food and cookery for the sick and convalescent.= fannie m. farmer . =food and feeding.= sir henry thompson . =food and flavor.= finck . =foods and household management.= kinne and cooley . =food and nutrition.= bevier and ushir . =food products.= sherman . =food and sanitation.= forester and wigley . =food and the principles of dietetics.= hutchinson . =food for the worker.= stern and spitz. . =food for the invalid and the convalescent.= gibbs . =food materials and their adulterations.= richards . =food study.= wellman . =food values.= locke . =foods and their adulterations.= wiley . =franco-american cookery book.= déliée . =french home cooking.= low . =fuels of the household.= marian white . =furnishing a modest home.= daniels . =furnishing the home of good taste.= throop . =garments for girls.= schmit . =golden rule cook book ( recipes for meatless dishes).= sharpe . =handbook of home economics.= flagg . =handbook of hospitality for town and country.= florence h. hall . =handbook of invalid cooking.= mary a. boland . =handbook on sanitation.= g. m. price, m.d. . =healthful farm house, the.= dodd . =home and community hygiene.= broadhurst . =home candy making.= mrs. rorer . =home economics.= maria parloa . =home economics movement.= . =home furnishing.= hunter . =home nursing.= harrison . =home problems from a new standpoint= . =home science cook book.= anna barrows and mary j. lincoln . =hot weather dishes.= mrs. rorer . =house furnishing and decoration.= mcclure and eberlein . =house sanitation.= talbot . =housewifery.= balderston . =household bacteriology.= buchanan . =household economics.= helen campbell . =household engineering.= christine frederick . =household physics.= alfred m. butler . =household textiles.= gibbs . =housekeeper's handy book.= baxter . =how to cook in casserole dishes.= neil . =how to cook for the sick and convalescent.= h. v. s. sachse . =how to feed children.= hogan . =how to use a chafing dish.= mrs. rorer . =human foods.= snyder . =ice cream, water ices, etc.= rorer . =i go a marketing.= sowle . =institution recipes.= emma smedley . =interior decorations.= parsons . =international cook book.= filippini . =key to simple cookery.= mrs. rorer . =king's, caroline, cook book= . =kitchen companion.= parloa . =kitchenette cookery.= anna m. east . =laboratory handbook of dietetics.= rose . =lessons in cooking through preparation of meals.= . =lessons in elementary cooking.= mary c. jones . =like mother used to make.= herrick . =luncheons.= mary ronald . a cook's picture book; illustrations =made-over dishes.= mrs. rorer . =many ways for cooking eggs.= mrs. rorer . =marketing and housework manual.= s. agnes donham . =mrs. allen's cook book.= ida c. bailey allen . =more recipes for fifty.= smith . =my best recipes.= mrs. rorer . =new book of cookery=. a. farmer . =new hostess of today.= larned . =new salads.= mrs. rorer . =nursing, its principles and practice.= isabels and robb . =nutrition of a household.= brewster . =nutrition of man.= chittenden . =philadelphia cook book.= mrs. rorer . =planning and furnishing the house.= quinn . =practical cooking and dinner giving.= mrs. mary f. henderson . =practical cooking and serving.= mrs. janet m. hill . =practical dietetics.= gilman thompson . =practical dietetics with reference to diet in disease.= patte . =practical food economy.= alice gitchell kirk . =practical homemaking.= kittredge . =practical points in nursing.= emily a. m. stoney . =principles of chemistry applied to the household.= rowley and farrell . =principles of food preparation.= mary d. chambers . =principles of human nutrition.= jordan . =recipes and menus for fifty.= frances lowe smith . =rorer's (mrs.) new cook book.= . =salads, sandwiches, and chafing dish dainties.= mrs. janet m. hill . =sandwiches.= mrs. rorer . =sanitation in daily life.= richards . =school feeding.= bryant . =selection and preparation of food.= brevier and meter . =shelter and clothing.= kinne and cooley . =source, chemistry and use of food products.= bailey . =spending the family income.= donham . =story of germ life.= h. w. conn . =successful canning.= powell . =sunday night suppers.= herrick . =table service.= allen . =textiles.= woolman and mcgowan . =the chinese cook book.= shin wong chan . =the house in good taste.= elsie de wolfe . =the housekeeper's apple book.= l. g. mackay . =the new housekeeping.= christine frederick . =the party book.= fales and northend . =the st. francis cook book.= . =the story of textiles= . =the up-to-date waitress.= mrs. janet m. hill . =the woman who spends.= bertha j. richardson . =till the doctor comes and how to help him.= . =true food values.= birge . =vegetable cookery and meat substitutes.= mrs. rorer . =women and economics.= charlotte perkins stetson . address all orders: =the boston cooking-school magazine co., boston, mass.= [illustration: in kitchen and bathroom old dutch makes linoleum; tile; tubs and utensils bright like new. for general cleaning, it lightens your work; is efficient and economical] [illustration: fruit suprÊme] =fruit suprême= select choice, fresh fruit of all varieties obtainable. slice, using care to remove all skins, stones, seeds, membranes, etc.; for example, each section of orange must be freed from the thin membranous skin in which it grows. chill the prepared fruit, arrange in fruit cocktail glasses with maraschino syrup. a maraschino cherry is placed on the very top of each service. [illustration: wooden shutters, ornamented, are suitable for remodelled houses] american cookery vol. xxvi november no. windows and their fitments by mary ann wheelwright through the glamour of the colonial we are forced to acknowledge the classic charm shown in late seventeenth and early eighteenth century window designs. developed, as they were, by american carpenters who were stimulated by remembrance of their early impressions of english architecture received in the mother land, there is no precise or spiritless copy of english details; rather there is expressed a vitality that has been brought out by earnest effort to reproduce the spirit desired. undoubtedly the lasting success of early american craftsmanship has been due to the perfect treatment of proportions, as related one to the other. that these are not imitations is proved by an occasional clumsiness which would be impossible, if they were exact copies of their more highly refined english prototypes. the grasp of the builder's mind is vividly revealed in the construction of these windows, for while blunders are often made, yet successes are much more frequent. they are evolved from remembered motives that have been unified and balanced, that they might accord with the exterior and be knitted successfully into the interior trim. some of these windows still grace seventeenth century houses, and are found not only on old southern plantations, but all through new england, more especially along the sea coast. true products are they of colonial craftsmanship, brought into existence by skilled artisans, who have performed their work so perfectly that today they are found unimpaired, striking a dominant note in accord with the architectural feeling of the period. there is no question but that windows such as these lend character to any house, provided, of course, that they coincide with the period. doubtless the designing of modified colonial houses is responsible, in part, for the present-day revival of interest, not solely in windows of the colonial period, but also in that which immediately preceded and followed it. [illustration: group windows on stairway] the first ornamental windows were of the casement type, copied from english cottage homes. like those, they opened outward, and were designed with small panes, either diamond or square shaped. as they were in use long before glass was manufactured in this country, the colonists were forced to import them direct from england. many were sent ready to be inserted, with panes already leaded in place. proof of this is afforded by examples still in existence. these often show strange patches or cutting. the arrangement of casements varies from single windows to groups of two or three, and they were occasionally supplemented by fixed transoms. surely no phase of window architecture stands out more conspicuously in the evolution of our early designs than the casement with its tiny panes, ornamented with handwrought iron strap-hinges which either flared into arrow heads, rounded into knobs, or lengthened into points. that they were very popular is shown from the fact that they withstood the changes of fashion for over a century, not being abolished until about the year . little drapery is needed in casement windows where they are divided by mullions. the english draw curtain is admirable for this purpose. it can be made of casement cloth with narrow side curtains and valance of bright material. a charming combination was worked out in a summer cottage. the glass curtains were of black and white voile with tiny figures introduced. this was trimmed with a narrow black and white fringe, while the overdrapery had a black background patterned with old rose. [illustration: grouped windows with square panes, lace glass curtains and cretonne over curtains] in the field of architectural progress, more especially during the last few years, there have arisen vast possibilities for the development of odd windows. these, if properly placed, showing correct grouping, are artistic, not only from the outside, but from the inside as well. the artistic woman, realizing the value of color, will fill a bright china bowl with glowing blossoms and place it in the center of a wide window sill, where the sun, playing across them, will carry their cheerful color throughout the room. she also trains vines to meander over the window pane, working out a delicate tracery that is most effective, suspending baskets of ferns from the upper casement, that she may break the length of her colonial window. thus through many artifices she causes her simple room to bloom and blossom like a rose. [illustration: for french doors, use muslin with silk-lined overhang] the progress made in window architecture is more apparent as we study the early types. then small attention was paid to details, the windows placed with little thought of artistic grouping. their only object to light the room, often they stood like soldiers on parade, in a straight row, lining the front of the house. out of the past has come a vast array of period windows, each one of which is of interest. they display an unmistakable relationship to one another, for while we acknowledge that they differ in detail and ornamentation, yet do they invariably show in their conception some underlying unity. there is no more fascinating study than to take each one separately and carefully analyze its every detail, for thus only can we recognize and appreciate the links which connect them with the early american types. we happen upon them not only in the modified colonial structures, but in houses in every period of architecture. it may be only a fragment, possibly a choice bit of carving; or it may be a window composed in the old-fashioned manner of from nine to thirty panes, introduced in colonial days for the sake of avoiding the glass tax levied upon them if over a certain size. a charming example of a reproduction of one of these thirty-paned windows may be seen in a rough plaster house built in salem, after the great fire. the suggestion was taken from an old historic house in a fine state of preservation in boxford, mass. the first american homes derived their plans and their finish from medieval english tradition. they were forced to utilize such materials as they were able to obtain, and step by step they bettered the construction and ornamentation of their homes. as increasing means and added material allowed, they planned and executed more elaborately, not only in size and finish, but in the adding of window casings, caps, and shutters. the acme of colonial architecture was reached with the development of the large square houses with exquisitely designed entrances and porticos. these often showed recessed and arched windows, also those of the palladian type. at the lindens, danvers, mass., a memory-haunted mansion, may be seen one of the finest examples of these recessed windows. this famous dwelling, the work of an english architect, who built it in about , is linked with american history through its use by general gage as his headquarters during the revolution. the recessed windows that are found here reveal delicate mouldings in the classic bead and filet design, and are surmounted by an elaborate moulded cornice, which lends great dignity to the room. this is supported by delicate pilasters and balanced by the swelling base shown below the window seats. such a window as this is no mere incident, or cut in the wall; on the contrary, it is structural treatment of woodwork. another feature of pronounced interest may be noted on the stair landing, where a charming palladian window overlooks the old-fashioned box-bordered garden that has been laid out at the rear. we have dwelt, perhaps, too much on the old colonial types, neglecting those of the present day, but it has been through a feeling that with an intimate knowledge of their designs we shall be better able to appreciate the products of our own age, whose creators drew their inspiration from the past. a modern treatment of windows appears in our illustration. [illustration: beacon street, boston] [illustration: thatched-style cottage for american suburbs] the tiny house by ruth merton (_concluded from october_) if, some fine day, all housewives awoke to the fact that most of the trouble in the world originates in the kitchen, there would shortly be a little more interest in kitchen problems and not so much distaste for and neglect of this important part of the house. of course, women will cry out that we have never in our lives been so intent on just that one subject, kitchens, as we are today. i admit that there is a good deal of talk going on which might lead one to believe that vacuum cleaners and electric-washing machines, etc., are to bring about the millennium for housekeepers; and there is also a good work going forward to make of housework a real profession. but, until in the average home there comes the feeling that the kitchen--the room itself--is just as much an expression of the family life and aims and ideals as the living room or any other room, we shall be only beating about the bush in our endeavor to find a remedy for some of our perplexing troubles. nowadays, women who are doing much work out in the big world--the so-called "enfranchised" women--are many of them proving that they find housework no detriment to their careers and some even admit that they enjoy it. but so far most of them have standardized their work and systematized it, with the mere idea of doing what they have to do "efficiently" and well, with the least expenditure of time and energy. and they have more than succeeded in proving the "drudgery" plea unfounded. now, however, we need something more. we need to make housework attractive; in other words, to put charm in the kitchen. there is one very simple way of doing this, that is to make kitchens good to look at, and inviting as a place to stay and work. for the professional, scientifically inclined houseworker, the most beautiful kitchen may be the white porcelain one, with cold, snowy cleanliness suggesting sterilized utensils and carefully measured food calories. but to the woman whose cooking and dishwashing are just more or less pleasant incidents in a pleasant round of home and social duties, the kitchen must suggest another kind of beauty--not necessarily a beauty which harbors germs, nor makes the work less conveniently done, but a beauty of kindly associations with furniture and arrangements. who could grow fond of a white-tiled floor or a porcelain sink as they exist in so many modern kitchens! and as for the bulgy and top-heavy cook stoves, badly proportioned refrigerators, and kitchen cabinets--well, we should have to like cooking _very_ well indeed before we could feel any pleasure in the mere presence of these necessary but unnecessarily ugly accompaniments to our work. we have come to think of cleanliness as not only next to godliness, but as something which takes the place of beauty--_is_ beauty. this attitude is laziness on our part, for we need sacrifice nothing to utility and convenience, yet may still contrive our kitchen furniture so that it, also, pleases the senses. with a little conscientious reflection on the subject we may make kitchens which have all the charm of the old, combined with all the convenience of the new; and woman will have found a place to reconcile her old and new selves, the housewife and the suffragist, the mother-by-the-fireside and the participator in public affairs. the family will have found a new-old place of reunion--the kitchen! granted then that our tiny house has a kitchen-with-charm, and an "other room," the rest of the available space may be divided into the requisite number of bed and living rooms, according to the needs of the family. [illustration: kitchen for thatched-style cottage] there is only one other very important thing to look out for; that is the matter of closets. there is no rule for the number of closets which will make the tiny house livable, but i should say, the more the merrier. if there is ever question of sacrificing a small room and gaining a large closet, by all means do it, for absolute neatness is the saving grace of small quarters, and storage places are essential, if one does not wish to live in a vortex of yesterday's and tomorrow's affairs with no room to concentrate on the present. [illustration: first-floor plan of thatched cottage] inside and outside the tiny house must conform to one law--elimination of non-essentials; and the person who has a clear idea of his individual needs and has also the strength of will to limit his needs to his circumstances, will find in his tiny house a satisfaction more than compensating for any sacrifices he may have made. no one doubts that it _is_ a sacrifice to give up a lesser pleasure even to gain the "summum bonum" and that it _does_ take will power to keep oneself from weakly saying in the face of temptation, "oh, well! what does it matter! my little house would perhaps be better without that, but i have grown accustomed to it, let it stay!" such weakness is fatal in a tiny house. but how much more fatal in a tiny garden! oh! the waste lands which lie beneath the sun trying to call themselves gardens! oh! the pitiful little plots, unfenced, unused, entirely misunderstood by people who stick houses in the middle of them and call them "gardens"! no amount of good grass seed, or expensive planting, or well-cared-for flowers and lawns will ever make the average suburban lot anything but a "lot," and most of them might as well, or _better_, be rough, uncultivated fields for all the relation they bear to the houses upon them or the use they were intended for. it is to be supposed that when a man gives up the comforts of town apartments and hies him to the country, it is the garden, the outdoors, which lures him. why is it, then, that he seems to take particular pains to arrange his garden so that it is about as much his own as central park is? it might give the average man a great deal of pleasure to be able to say to all the passersby on the mall, "this little bit of the park belongs to me! i cut that grass, i weed those flower beds in the evening when i come home from the office; and every saturday afternoon i take the hose and thoroughly soak that bit of lawn there, you may see me at it any week in the summer." but then, we are not dealing with the fictitious average man, and we firmly believe that many "commuters" wonder deep down in their hearts why it is they get from their gardens so little of the pleasure they anticipated when they came to live out of the city. any one who has traveled abroad, has admired and perhaps coveted the gardens of england, france, and italy. their charm is undeniable, and thought to be too elusive for reproduction on american soil without the aid of landscape gardeners and a fair-sized fortune. just why we, as a nation, are beset by the idea of reproducing instead of originating beautiful gardens is a question apart from this discussion. but as soon as we try to develop, to their fullest extent, the advantages of our climate, and soil, in combination with our daily life as a people, we shall produce gardens which will equal, without necessarily resembling, those of other countries. in every case we must, however, follow the same procedure which every successful garden is built upon, whether it be in mesopotamia or in long island city. that is, we must study the place, the people, and the circumstances. the most general fault in american gardens is their lack of privacy. no one claims that the high walls of italy and france or the impenetrable hedges of england would invariably suit the climate here. but there are many ways to obtain seclusion without in any way depriving us of much-needed air in summer and sun in winter. one way is by placing the house rationally upon its lot. our custom has been to invariably build so that we had a "front yard," "back yard," and two side yards, all equally important, equally uninteresting, unbeautiful and useless. of course, we have the porch which in a way takes the place of the outdoor living room, always so attractive in foreign gardens. and recently some laudable efforts are being made to incorporate the porch into the house, where it belongs, as a real american institution, instead of leaving it disconsolately clinging to the outside and bearing no resemblance to the house either in shape or detail. but after all, a porch is a porch, and a garden is a garden, and one does not take the place of the other. especially is this true of the tiny property. if you have only ten feet of ground to spare outside your tiny house, plan it so that every foot contributes to your joy at being in the country. arrange it so that on a warm summer evening when the porch seems a bit close and dark, you wander out into your garden and sit beneath the stars in quiet as profound as on the desert of sahara. and in the winter, let your garden provide a warm corner out of the wind, where on a bright sunday morning you may sit and blink in the sun. once you have got the desire for a room outdoors, a real garden, which is neither flower beds, nor lawns, nor hedges, nor trees, but a place for your comfort, with all these things contributing to its beauty, you will know as by divine inspiration where to put each flower and bush and path. your planting will be no longer a problem for landscape architects, but a pleasant occupation for yourself and family. so then will your successful tiny house stand forth in its real garden, an object of pride to the community and a tribute to one man who has refused to be the impossible average, and has dared to build and plant for his own needs. may he live forever and ever happy in his tiny house! [illustration: first-floor pan of thatched cottage] "you're not supposed to, jimmie" by eva j. demarsh "huh!" exclaimed jennie, "there comes aunt rachel! wonder what she wants now? last time it was--no, it wasn't--that was the time when jimmie upson and his wife were here. how scandalized aunt rachel looked! said i'd ruin my husband, and a lot of such tommyrot. as though jimmie and i couldn't afford a spread now and then! i didn't, and i won't, tell aunt rachel that it was a special party and a special occasion. of course, i know jimmie isn't a millionaire, but--it's none of aunt rachel's business, so there!" she finished defiantly. aunt rachel plodded blissfully up the walk. "jennie'll be glad to see me, i know," she mused. "she's high-headed, but she knows a good thing when she sees it, and i help her a lot." jennie received her aunt with cordiality, but not effusiveness. to be discourteous was something she could not be. besides, she liked aunt rachel and pitied her idiosyncrasies. "why can't she be as nice when she goes to people's houses as she is when she is at home?" she mused. "i love to go there, and everything is just perfect, but the minute she steps outside the door--well, we all know aunt rachel! and she doesn't go home early either. jimmie'll be furious. she always calls him 'james' and asks after his health and--and everything. i do so want him to like her, but i'm afraid he never will. i do wish i could get her interested in something. i have it!" she exclaimed triumphantly. "the very thing!" aunt rachel looked up in surprise. "what's the matter, jennie?" she inquired. "oh, nothing much, auntie! i was just thinking aloud." "don't!" said aunt rachel. "it's a bad habit, jennie--though i do do it myself, sometimes." "sometimes!" jennie turned away to hide her smile. why, aunt rachel made a business of talking aloud! as luck would have it, the dinner went off to aunt rachel's satisfaction. it was good, but conservative. "jennie is learning," thought the old lady to herself. "after i've been here a few times more, she'll get along all right." aunt rachel hadn't noticed that every idea jennie has used was, strictly, either jennie's own or her mother's. "how long does your aunt expect to stay?" asked jimmie, casually, while jennie was clearing the table. aunt rachel was in the kitchen. she prided herself on never being "a burden on any one." doubtless, some of her friends would have preferred that she be. most of us have a skeleton we do not wish to keep on exhibition. "oh, i don't know, maybe a week or two," said jennie, mischievously. "she hasn't told me yet." "oh!" replied jimmie, in a disappointed voice. "business down town"? "dinner at the club"? no, he couldn't keep that up indefinitely. besides, what did a man want of a home, if he wasn't going to live in it? covertly, jennie watched him. she knew every expression of his face. it amused her, but she was sorry, too. "jimmie wants awfully to flunk--and dassent," was her mental comment. "anything on for this evening, jimmie?" inquired jennie, sweetly, too sweetly, jimmie thought. he had heard those dulcet tones before. "yes--no!" stammered jimmie. how he wished he had! however, as jennie said no more, he dismissed the subject from his mind. she probably didn't really mean anything, anyway. when james atherton reached home that evening, he found the house lighted from top to bottom. beautifully dressed women were everywhere, and in their midst--aunt rachel, at her best! "ladies," she exclaimed, and jimmie paused to listen, "i am honored--more so than you can guess--at the distinction conferred upon me. this afternoon you have seen fit to make me one of your leaders in a most important movement for civic betterment--an honor never before accorded a woman in this city--and i need not assure you that you shall not regret your choice. as a member of the civic betterment committee of loudon, i shall do my duty." ("i bet she will!" commented jimmie, _sotto voce_.) "again i thank you!" went on aunt rachel. "there's a work for you and for me now to do, and--" she paused impressively, "we will do it." ("i'll bet on you every time, auntie," commented jimmie to himself.) "jimmie atherton, what in the world are you doing?" whispered an exasperated voice. "hurry, jimmie, hurry--do!" urged jennie. "dinner is almost ready to serve, and you haven't even made the first move to dress. hurry, jimmie, please!" and jimmie did. he fairly sprinted into his clothes, appearing presently fully clad and good to look upon. "bet you a nickel jennie couldn't have done that," he reflected, complacently. "women never can get a move on them, where clothes are concerned." that was the best evening aunt rachel had ever spent. she was the center of attraction; she had found a mission--not a desultory one, but one far-reaching in scope, so it seemed to her; and like a war-horse, she was after the charge. jennie's plans went through without a hitch. aunt rachel became, not only a member of the committee on civic betterment, but, as well, its head and, in due season, mayor of the little city itself. under her active management, loudon became noted as a model city of its size, one good to look upon and good to live in. crime fled, or scurried to cover, and aunt rachel blossomed like a rose. one day when jimmie came home something seemed to please him greatly. "what do you think, jennie," he said, "aunt rachel is going to be married! yes, she is! i've got it on the best of authority--the groom himself." "who?" gasped jennie. "why, jimmie, she just hates men! she's always said they were only a necessary evil." "yes, i know," smiled jimmie, "that's what she used to say, but she'd never met jacob crowder then." "jacob crowder!" exclaimed jennie. "why, jimmie, he's as rich as croesus, and he's always hated women as much as aunt rachel has hated men!" "yes," said jimmie, "but that was before he met aunt rachel. he has been her righthand man for some time now, and they've seemed to hit it off pretty well. guess they'll get along all right in double harness." "when the girls and i steered aunt rachel into politics," said jennie, "little we thought where it would all end. i'm glad, glad, though! aunt rachel is really splendid, but i've always thought she was suffering from something. now i know what--it's ingrowing ambition. she will have all she can do now to take care of her own home and we won't see her so often." "oh, ho! so that's it?" smiled jimmie. "well, you girls, as has happened to many another would-be plotter before now, have found things have gotten rather out of your hands, haven't you?" jennie shrugged her shoulders. "we can have the wedding here, can't we, jimmie?" she asked, somewhat wistfully. jimmie wondered if she had heard him. perhaps--and then again, perhaps not. "i don't see where we come in on it," he remarked. "it's a church affair, you know." "oh!" said jennie. "but there'll be a reception, of course, and if she'll let us have it here, i'll have every one of us girls she has helped so much in the past." jimmie stared. "consistency--" he muttered. "what's that you said, jimmie? are you ill?" inquired jennie, anxiously. "no!" replied jimmie, "it's you women! i can't understand you at all!" "you're not supposed to, jimmie, dear," answered jennie sweetly. somebody's cat by ida r. fargo i never thought i should come to like cats. but i have. perhaps it is because, as my aunt amanda used to say, we change every seven years, sort of start over again, as it were; and find we have new thoughts, different ideas, unexpected tastes, strange attractions, and shifting doubts. or, it may be, we merely come to a new milestone from which, looking back, we are able to regard our own personality from a hitherto unknown angle. we discover ourselves anew, and delight in the experiment. or, it may all be, as my husband stolidly affirms, just the logical result of meeting sir christopher columbus, a carnivorous quadruped of the family _felidæ_, much domesticated, in this case, white with markings as black and shiny as a crow's wing, so named because he voyaged about our village, not in search of a new world, but in search of a new home. he came to us. it is flattering to be chosen. he stayed. but who could resist sir christopher? my husband and my aunt amanda may both be right. i strongly suspect they are. i also strongly suspect that sir christopher himself has much to do with my change of mental attitude: he is well-mannered, good to look upon, quite adorable, independent and patient. (indeed, if people were half as patient as my cat this would be a different world to live in.) more: he has taught me many things, he talks without making too much noise; in fact, i have read whole sermons in his soft purrings. and i verily believe that many people might learn much from the family cat, except for the fact that we humans are such poor translators. we know only our own language. more's the pity. had i known sir christopher as a kitten, doubtless he might have added still more to my education. but i did not. he was quite full grown when i first laid my eyes upon him. he was sitting in the sun, on top of a rail fence, blinking at me consideringly. the fence skirted a little trail that led from my back yard down to calapooia creek. it seemed trying to push back a fringe of scrubby underbrush which ran down a hillside; a fringe which was, in truth, but a feeler from the great forest of douglas fir which one saw marching, file upon file, row upon row, back and back to the snows of the high cascades. and the white of sir christopher's vest and snowy gauntlets was just as gleamingly clean as the icy frosting over the hills. sir christopher, even a cat, believed firmly in sartorial pulchritude. i admired him for that, even from the first glance; and, afterward, i put me up three new mirrors: i did not mean to be outdone by my cat, i intended to look tidy every minute, and there is nothing like mirrors to tell the truth. credit for the initial impulse, however, belongs to christopher c. but that first morning, i merely glanced at him, sitting so comfortably on the top rail of the fence, blinking in the sun. "somebody's cat," said i, and went on down to the creek to see if curlylocks had tumbled in. coming back, the cat was still there. doubtless he had taken a nap between times. but he might have been carved of stone, so still he lay, till my youngest, tugging at my hand, coaxed: "kitty--kitty--kitty. muvver, see my 'ittle kitty?" and i declare, if sir christopher (my husband and ten-year-old ted named him that very evening) didn't look at me and wink. then he jumped down and followed, very dignified, very discreet. i attempted to shoo him back. but he wouldn't shoo. he merely stopped and seemed to consider matters. or serenely remained far enough off to "play safe." meanwhile, my youngest continued to reiterate: "kitty--kitty--kitty! _my_ 'ittle kitty!" "no, curlylocks," said i, "it isn't your little kitty. it is somebody's cat." which merely shows that i knew not whereof i spoke. sir christopher proceeded to teach me. of course, at first i thought his stay with us was merely a temporary matter; like some folk, he had decided to go on a visit and stay over night. but when sir christopher continued to tarry, i enquired, i looked about, i advertised--and i assured the children that some one, somewhere, must surely be mourning the loss of a precious pet; some one, sometime, would come to claim him. but no one came. days slid away, weeks slipped into months, winter walked our way, and spring, and summer again. sir christopher c. had deliberately adopted us, for he made no move toward finding another abiding place. he was no longer somebody's cat, he was our cat; for, indeed, is not possession nine points of the law? then one day when heat shimmered over the valley, when the dandelions had seeded and the thistles had bloomed, when the corn stood heavy and the cricket tuned his evening fiddle, when spots in the lawn turned brown, where the sprinkler missed, when the baby waked and fretted, and swearing, sweating men turned to the west and wondered what had held up the sea breeze--sir christopher missed his supper. he vanished as completely as if he had been kidnapped by the air patrol. three weeks went by and we gave him up for lost, although the children still prowled about looking over strange premises, peeping through back gates, trailing down unaccustomed lanes and along calapooia creek, for "we _might_ find him," they insisted. truly, "hope springs eternal." "perhaps, he has gone back where he came from," said daddy. "perhaps, he has grown tired of us." but my man's voice was a little too matter-of-factly gruff--indeed, he had grown very fond of sir christopher--and as for the children, they would accept no such explanation. it was curlylocks who found sir christopher--or did sir chris find curlylocks? anyway, they came walking through the gate, my youngest declaiming, "kitty--kitty--kitty! _my_ 'ittle kitty!" and since that time, every summer, sir christopher takes a vacation. he comes back so sleek and proud and happy that he can hardly contain himself. he rubs against each of us in turn, purring the most satisfied purr--if we could but fully understand the dialect he speaks!--as if he would impart to us something truly important. "i declare," said daddy, one day, "i believe that cat goes up in the hills and hunts." "camps out and has a good time," added daughter. "and fishes," suggested ted. "cats _do_ catch fish. sometimes. i've read about it." daddy nodded. "seems to agree with him, whatever he does." "vacations agree with anybody," asserted my oldest. and then, "i don't see why we can't go along with sir chris. at least we might go the same _time_ he does." "mother, couldn't we?"--it was a question that gathered weight and momentum like a snowball rolling down hill, for i had always insisted that, with a big family like mine, i could never bother to go camping. i wanted to be where things were handy: running water from a faucet, bathtubs and gas and linoleum, a smoothly cut lawn and a morning postman. go camping with a family like mine? never. but the thought once set going would not down. perhaps, after all, sir christopher was right and i was wrong. for people did go camping, most people, even groups to the number of nine (the right count for our family), and they seemed to enjoy it. they fought with mosquitoes, and fell into creeks; they were blotched with poison oak, black from exposure, lame from undue exercise, and looked worse than vagrant gipsies--but they came home happy. even those who spent days in bed to rest up from their rest (i have known such) seemed happy. and every one sighs and says, "we had such a good time! we're planning to go back again next summer." so at last i gave up--or gave in. we went to the mountains, following up the trail along calapooia creek; we camped and hunted and fished to the hearts' content. we learned to cook hotcakes out-of-doors, and how to make sourdough biscuit, and to frizzle bacon before a bonfire, and to bake ham in a bread pan, such as our mothers fitted five loaves of bread in; we learned to love hash, and like potatoes boiled in their jackets, and coffee with the cream left out. we went three miles to borrow a match; we divided salt with the stranger who had forgotten his; we learned that fish is good on other days than friday and that trout crisps beautifully in bacon grease; we found eleventeen uses for empty lard pails and discovered the difference between an owl and a tree toad. we gained a speaking acquaintance with the great dipper, and learned where to look for the north star, why fires must be put out and what chipmunks do for a living. we learned-- last night we came home. "now, mother, aren't you really glad you went?" quizzed daddy. "yes-s," said i, slowly, "i'm glad i went. it has been a new experience. i feel like i'd gained a degree at the state university." my understanding mate merely chuckled--and went on unpacking the tinware. but ted spoke up: "gee! bet i make good in english iii this year. got all sorts of ideas for themes. this trip's been bully." "we'll go again, won't we, mother?" asked my oldest. "i think we'll always go again," answered i--some sober thinking i was doing, as i folded away the blankets. "let me get supper"--it was laura, my middle girl, speaking--"surely i can cook on gas, if i can over a campfire." and laura had never wanted to cook! strange tendencies develop when one lives out in the open a space of time. but curlylocks was undisturbed. "kitty--kitty--kitty! _my_ 'ittle kitty!" he reiterated. and truly, so my neighbor told me, sir christopher had beat us home by a scant twenty-four hours. he rubbed about us in turns, happily purring. "he's telling us all what a good time he had," said i, understanding at last, "but he is adding, i think, that the best part of going away is getting home again." "but if we didn't go we couldn't get home again," said somebody. and somebody's cat purred his approval. perhaps, after all, he finds us a teachable family. or perhaps he knows that once caught by the lure of the hills, once having tasted the tang of mountainous ozone, we will always go back--he has rare intuitions, has sir christopher. for, already, i find myself figuring to fashion a detachable long handle for the frying pan: yes, next time, we shall plan to conserve both fingers and face. next time! that is the beauty of vacation days: we think of them when the frost comes, when the snow drifts deep, when the arbutus blooms again--and we plan, plan, plan! and are very happy--because of memory, and anticipation. we have opened barred windows, and widened our life's horizon. does sir christopher guess? wise old sir chris! homing-it in an apartment by ernest l. thurston there were four of them--all girls employed in great offices. alone, far away from their home towns and families, they were all suffering from attacks of too-much-boarding-house. each was longing for a real, home-y place to live in. and out of that longing was born, in time, an idea, which developed, after much planning, figuring and price-getting, into a concrete plan and a course of action. they were good friends, of congenial tastes, and so they decided to "home-it" together. now this is nothing new, in itself. it was the thorough way they went about it that was not so common. they applied the rules of their business life, and studied their proposed path before they set foot in it. they looked over the field, weighed the problems, decided what they could do, and then arranged to put themselves on a sound financial basis from the start. all had occupied separate rooms in sundry boarding houses. each had experience in "meals in" and "meals out." each could analyze fairly accurately her expenses for the preceding six months. after study, they decided that, without increasing their combined expense, they could have comfortable quarters of their own and more than meet all their needs. "freedom, food, furniture, fixing and _friends_," said margaret, "without the boarding house flavor." they longed for a little house and garden of their own. but they were busy people, and this would mean extra hours of care and labor, more demands on their strength, and a longer travel distance--a load they felt they could not carry. so they sought an apartment. the search was long but they found it. it was in a small structure, on a quiet street, and several flights up, without elevator. but, as peggy said, "elevators have not been in style in our boarding houses, and flights of stairs have--so what matters it?" the suite, when you arrived up there, was airy and comfortable. it provided two bedrooms, a cheery living room, a dining room and a kitchenette. clarice remarked, "the 'ette' is so small we can save steps by being within hand's reach of everything, no matter where we stand." the rent was less than the combined rental of their four old rooms. heat and janitor service were provided without charge, but they were obliged to meet the expense of gas for the range and of electric lights. they might have lived along happily in their new nest without a budget, and without specific agreements as to expense. but they were business girls. so they sat right down and decided every point, modifying each, under trial, to a workable proposition. then they stuck to it and _made_ it work. there was the matter of furnishing. each partner, while retaining personal title to her property, contributed to general use such articles of furniture she possessed as met apartment needs. from one, for example, came a comfortable bed, from another, chairs and a reading lamp, from a third a lounge chair, and from the fourth her piano and couch. of small rugs, sofa pillows, pictures and miscellaneous small furnishings there were sufficient to make possible a real selection. then the four determined on further absolute essentials to make the rooms homelike. there were needed comfortable single beds for each, dressing tables, bed linen, dining-room equipment, kitchen ware, a chair or two, and draperies. their decisions were made in committee-of-the-whole, and nothing was done that could not meet with the willing consent of all. to meet the first cost they each contributed fifty dollars from their small savings, and assessed themselves a dollar and a quarter per week thereafter. they then bought their equipment, paying part cash and arranging for the balance on time. and be sure it was fun getting it! then there was the question of meals. it was determined to prepare their breakfasts and dinners and to put up lunches. to allow a certain freedom, it was agreed that each should pack her own lunch, and that regular meals should be cooked and served, turn and turn about, each partner acting for a week. a second member washed the dishes and took general care of the apartment. thus a girl's general program reduced to, first week cooking second week free third week dishes, etc. fourth week free fifth week cooking etc. during an experimental period, the cost of provisions and ice was summed up weekly and paid by equal assessment. later a fixed assessment of seven dollars, each, was agreed to, and proved sufficient. there were even slight surpluses to go into the mannikin jar on the living room mantel, which clarice called the "do drop inn", because it provided from its contents refreshment for those who dropped in of an evening. naturally there was a friendly rivalry, not only in making the most of the allotment, but in providing attractive meals and dainty special dishes. clarice's stuffed tomatoes won deserved fame, and margaret made a reputation on cheese soufflé. peggy, too, was a wizard with the chafing dish. consideration was given the matter of special guests, either for meals, or for over-night. the couch in the living room provided emergency sleeping quarters. as for meals, separate fixed rates were set for breakfasts and for dinners. this was paid into the regular weekly provision fund by the girl who brought the guest, or by all four equally, if she were a "general" guest. the girl who brought a guest also "pitched in" and helped with the work. whenever the group went out for a meal, as they did now and then for a change, or for amusement, or recreation, each girl paid her own share at once. finally, there was the factor of laundry. after a little experimenting, household linen was worked out on an "average" basis, so that a regular amount could be assessed each week. of course each girl met the expense of her own private laundry. as a result of this planning, each member of the household found herself obligated to meet a weekly assessment containing the following items: rent, furniture tax, household laundry, extras ($ . ) and personal laundry. of these, the only item not positively fixed, as to amount, was the last. each girl, naturally, paid all her strictly private expense, including clothes, and medical and dental service. one of the number was chosen treasurer for a three-months' term, and was then, in turn, succeeded by another, so that each of the four served once a year. the treasurer received all assessments, gave the weekly allotment to the housewife, and paid other bills. minor deficiencies were met from "surplus." moreover, she kept accurate accounts. once settled comfortably in their quarters, with boarding-house memories receding into the background, it took but little time for a happy, home-y atmosphere to develop. of course, with closer intimacy, there were temperamental adjustments, as always, but they came easily. the household machinery ran smoothly, almost from the first, because there _was_ a machine, properly set up, operated and adjusted--rather than an uncertain makeshift. to express personality by dana girrioer "'keep house?' i should say not!" answered anne, who had journeyed out into the suburbs to "tell" her engagement to burt winchester to the home folks before she "announced" it. "i'm going to retire to the kensington, or some nice apartment hotel, at the ripe old age of twenty-four. what'd you think, we're back in the dark ages, b. f.?" "'b. f.'?" repeated aunt milly. "before ford," said anne, laughing. "oh, it was the thing for you, auntie, you couldn't have brought up your own big family in a city apartment, to say nothing of stretching your wings to cover little orphant annie, besides, everybody kept house when you were married!" "and now nobody does, except a few ancient mariners?" inquired cousin dan. anne blushed. "of course it suits some people, now," she amended, hastily. "perhaps it's all right to keep house, if you have a big family, or lots of money and can hire all the fussing done." "you don't need to hire fussing, if you've a big family," said aunt milly, her eyes twinkling behind the gold-bowed spectacles. "you'll keep on with the drawing--illustrating?" "surely," answered anne. "burt will keep right on being a lawyer." "i see," said george. "well, queen anne, i suppose when we want to visit you we can hire a room in the same block, i mean, hotel. i thought, perhaps, having so far conformed to the habits of us philistines as to take a husband, you might go the whole figure and take a house!" "please!" begged anne. in that tone, it was a catchword dating back to nursery days which the elf-like anne had shared with a whole brood of sturdy cousins, and meant, "please stop fooling; i want to be taken seriously." "i love to draw--but my people don't look alive, somehow," said little milly, wistfully. cried anne: "keep trying, milly; there is nothing so lovely as to have even a taste for some sort of creative work, and to develop it; to express your own personality in something tangible, and to be encouraged to do so. do understand me, auntie and the rest; it isn't that i want to shirk, but i do want to specialize on what i do best! i'll wash dishes if it's ever necessary, but why must i wish a whole pantry on myself when either burt or i could pay our proportionate share of a hotel dish-washer, or butler, or whatever is needed?" at the studio it was much easier. "some time in the early fall," anne told her callers, who arrived by two's, three's and four's, as the news began to circulate among her friends. "no, i won't keep this," with a jerk of her thumb towards the big, bare room which had been hers since she left aunt milly and the little home town. "there's a room at the top of the kensington i can have, with a light as good as this, and that settles the last problem. i'd hate to have to go outdoors for meals, when i'm working." "nan gilbert!" exclaimed her dearest friend. "you have the best luck! you can do good work, and get good pay for it, and be happy all by yourself; and now you're going to be happier, with a husband who'll let you live your own life; you'll be absolutely free, not even a percolator to bother with, nothing to take your mind from your own creative work, free to express your own personality!" "mercy," said anne, closing the door upon this last caller. "if i don't set the north river, at least, on fire, pretty soon, they'll all call me a slacker." she hung her card, "engaged," upon the door leading into the hall (some one had scrawled "best wishes" underneath the printed word), and proceeded to get her dinner in a thoughtful frame of mind. the tiny kitchenette boasted ice-box, fireless, and a modest collection of electric cooking appliances; in a half-hour anne had evolved a cream soup, a bit of steak, nearly cubical in proportions, slice of graham bread, a salad of lettuce and tomato with skilfully tossed dressing, a muffin split ready to toast, with the jam and spreader for it, and coffee was dripping into the very latest model of coffee-pots. anne had never neglected her country appetite, and was a living refutation of the idea that neatness and art may not dwell together. she moved quietly and with a speed which had nothing of haste; her mind was busy with a magazine cover for december, she believed she'd begin studying camels. after dinner came burt winchester, a steady-voiced, olive-skinned young man, in pleasant contrast to anne's vivacious fairness, and together they journeyed uptown and then west to the kensington, for a final decision upon the one vacant apartment. the rooms were of fair size, they were all light, and the agent had at least half a yard of applicants upon a printed slip in his pocket. burt studied the apartment not at all, but his fiancée with quiet amusement. he was much in love with anne, but he understood her better than she had yet discovered. "i don't think we'll ever find anything better," she was saying to him. "perhaps he'd have it redecorated for us, with a long lease--" the agent coughed discreetly. "the leases are for one year, with privilege of renewal," he said to burt. "it has just been redecorated; is there anything needed?" "it would all be lovely, if one liked blue," murmured anne. "just the thing for some girl, but not for me, all that pale blue and silver, it doesn't look a bit like either of us, burt. i had worked out the most stunning scheme, cream and black, with a touch of kelly green--" another cough, somewhat louder, and accompanied by an undisguised look of sympathy for burt. "the owner prefers to decide the decorations, madame," said the agent. "tastes differ so, you understand." "please hold the suite for me until tomorrow night," said burt, decisively. "i suppose we'll take it; if not, i'll make it right with you." "i should say, 'tastes differ,'" laughed anne, tucking her arm into burt's, as they began the long walk down-town. "do you know, aunt milly and the girls thought, of course, we'd keep house, and dan and george are going to pick out girls that will keep house, i saw it in their eyes. you--you're going to be satisfied, burt?" "i think so," answered burt, judiciously, and then with a change of tone, "nan, you precious goose, you've always told me you were not domestic." "and you've always said you were no more domestic than i was," finished anne, happily. she entirely missed the quizzical expression of the brown eyes above her. "nuff said.--are we going to branton tomorrow, burt, with the crowd? can you take the day?" anne's "crowd," the half-dozen good friends among the many acquaintances she had formed in the city, were invited for a day in the country. she and burt now talked it over, agreeing to meet in time to take the nine-thirty train, with the others. but at nine, next morning, burt had not appeared at the studio; instead, miss gilbert had a telephone message that mr. winchester was delayed, but would call as soon as possible. it was unlike burt, but anne, sensibly, supposed that business had intervened, and, removing her hat, was glad to remember that she had not definitely accepted the invitation when it was given. the "crowd" were sure enough of each other and of themselves to appear casual: burt and she could take a later train, and have just as warm a welcome. at nine-thirty burt appeared, explaining briefly, "best i could do. there's a train in twenty minutes, we'll catch it if we hurry." anne hurried, which proved to be unnecessary, as the train seemed late in starting; during the trip there was little conversation, as anne was tactful, and burt preoccupied. "branton!" called the conductor, at least it sounded like branton, burt came out of his revery with a start, and anne followed him down the aisle. they stood a moment upon the platform of the quiet little station and watched the train pull out; as they turned back into what seemed the principal street, anne craned her neck to look around an inconvenient truck piled with baggage, and made out the sign, byrnton. "oh, burt, what were we thinking of?" she exclaimed. "this isn't the right place at all! we were to take the road up past a brick church--and there isn't any here--this is byrnton, and we wanted branton. what shall we do--why don't you say something?" "fudge!" said burt, soberly, but in his eyes the dancing light he reserved for anne. "i'll ask the ticket-agent." he came out of the station, smiling. "this isn't the branton line at all, but a short branch west of it," he informed her. "we took the wrong train, but he says lots of people make the same mistake, and they are going to change one name or the other, eventually. i am to blame, nan, for i know this place, byrnton; i have, or used to have, an aunt susan here, somewhere--shall we look her up? we have nearly three hours to kill. it will be afternoon before we can get to branton--and aunt susan will give us nourishment, at least, if she's home." "very well," anne assented. if burt's business absorbed him like this, she must learn to take it philosophically. "what a pretty place, burt! do see those wonderful elms!" byrnton proved to be an old-fashioned village, which had had the good fortune to be remodelled without being modernized. along the main street many of the houses were square, prim little boxes, with front yards bright with sweet williams, marigolds, and candytuft; these had an iron fence around the garden, and, invariably, shutters at the front door. an occasional house stood flush with the brick or flagged sidewalk; in that case there were snowy curtains at the window, and a glimpse of hollyhocks at the back. the newer houses could be distinguished by the wide, open spaces around them; the late comers had not planned their homes to command the village street, and neighbors, as an older generation had done, but these twentieth century models did not begin until one had left the little railway station well behind. "what a homely, homey place," said anne, noting everything with the eye of an artist. "i don't see how you could forget it, if you have an aunt living here." "that's the question," answered burt. "have i an aunt living here? she may be in california; however, in that case, the key will be under the mat." anne continued to look about her, with sparkling eyes. "if aunt milly had lived in a place like this, i'd be there yet," she told him. "the factories spoiled the place for me, but they made business good for uncle andy and the boys, and aunt milly likes the bustle, she'd think this was too quiet.--isn't it queer how people manage to get what they want--in time?" "it is, indeed," smiled burt. "there, nan, that low white cottage at the very end, the last before you come to open fields. that's aunt susan's." they quickened their pace; anne was conscious of an intense wish that aunt susan might be home. she wanted to see the inside of the white house, bungalow, it might almost be called, if one did not associate bungalows with stucco or stained shingles. this cottage was of white wood, with the regulation green blinds. there was an outside chimney of red bricks; a pathway of red bricks in the old herringbone pattern led up to the front door, with its shining brass knocker. a row of white foxgloves stood sentinel before the front of the house, on each side the entrance, their pointed spires coming well above the window-sills; before them the dark foliage of perennial lupins, tossing up a white spray of flowers, and then it seemed as if every old-fashioned flower of white, or with a white variety, ran riot down to a border of sweet alyssum. above all the fragrance came the unmistakable sweetness of mignonette. "oh, burt!" called anne, "i do hope she's home. what a woman she must be, i can guess some things about her, just from the outside of her house. i hope she'll show me the inside of it." burt shook his head. "she'd have seen us before this and been out here," he suggested. "come 'round to the back." the back of the premises proved no less fascinating; there was the neatest of clothes-yards, a vegetable garden, and a small garage, after which anne regarded the silent cottage with wistful eyes. "those beautiful, old-fashioned flowers, no petunias but the white frilled kind,--she's an artist--and has the wash done at home," she enumerated, "and runs her automobile herself, i am sure, for she's a practical person as well; if she were just a sentimental flower-lover, she'd have had something or other climbing up the house, and it spoils the woodwork." "it's safe to say aunt susan's in california," said burt, disregarding this. "no joke, nan, she has a married daughter who has been trying to get her out there for years, and aunt susan's always threatening to go. never thought she would, but we can soon find out; i know who'll have the key." he left anne and walked back to the house just passed, and presently reappeared with the key. "here you are. aunt susan left it with mrs. brown, who is to look after the place, and to use her judgment about letting people in. aunt susan has only been gone two days, she went hurriedly at the last, and mrs. brown is to close the house for her, but she hasn't got 'round to it yet. lucky for us, there'll be everything we need for lunch; i brought eggs--see?" laughing like a boy. burt unlocked the back door, and then produced four eggs, from as many pockets. he laid them carefully down upon the kitchen table. "now, nan, we can use anything in the kitchen or pantry, and mrs. brown has a blueberry pie in the oven which she'll give us, she'll bring it over when it's done.--want to go over the house?--give you my word it's all right, in fact aunt susan told mrs. brown she wished she could rent it, as is, if she only knew somebody who would love it--that was her word. you can love it until the afternoon train, can't you?" if anne heard, she made no reply, she was exploring. downstairs, a wide hall occupied a central third of the house; it was well lighted by the windows each side the front door, and by double doors of glass, which opened on to the back porch. on one side the hall were kitchen and pantry, nearly equal in size, and glistening with white paint, aluminum, and blue and white porcelain. with a hasty glance over these treasures, to which she was coming back, anne stepped out into the hall again, and around to the front of the winding staircase, and entered what she knew at once for the "owner's bedroom." there were windows on two sides, as this was a front room, and each broad sill bore its own pot of ferns. the furniture here was all old-fashioned, of some dark wood that had been rubbed to a satin finish, the floor was of plain surface, with braided mats, and a blue and white counterpane provided the only bit of drapery in the room. anne's bright head nodded with satisfaction. here was character; to win aunt susan's respect would be no light task, her personal and intimate belongings showed an austere sense of values and an almost surgical cleanliness. yet aunt susan could not be a martinet; her hall, furnished for other people, showed due regard for their comfort; the living room, which took the entire western side of the cottage, bore unmistakable signs of much occupancy, with wide and varied interests. a set of dark shelves, at the lower end, held china, and suggested that one might also eat at the refectory table, which was furnished as a desk and held a few books, many writing materials, and a foreign-looking lamp. there was also a piano, well littered with music, a sewing bag thrown down upon a cretonned window seat, and the generous fireplace was flanked by two huge baskets, one heaped with magazines, the other a perfectly round mound of yellow fur, which suddenly took form and life as a yellow tabby cat fastened hopeful topaz eyes upon them, blinked away a brief disappointment, and then yawned with ennui. "his missie left him all alone," said anne, bending to stroke the smooth head. "what's upstairs, burt?" "go and look, i'll take your place with the admiral until you come back," offered burt, and at sound of his name the yellow cat jumped out and began rubbing against a convenient table leg. anne found them in the same relative positions when she returned from her inspection of the upper floor. "your aunt susan must use it for sewing," she told burt, dreamily. "with that big skylight--it could be a studio, couldn't it?" "it is," burt informed her. "aunt susan is an artist--with her needle. she gives, or gave, dressmaking lessons, in her idle moments. she gave up dressmaking, when she bought this house and settled here, but now she teaches the daughters of her old customers, they come out in automobiles every wednesday, in winter. saturday afternoons she has some of the young girls in the village, here,--without price--and without taste, too, some of them! and nan, i hate to mention it, but--aunt susan is a pretty good cook, too!" "feed the brute!" quoted nan, with a gay laugh. "will the admiral drink condensed milk?" mrs. brown came over with her blueberry pie as burt was summoned to luncheon. she surveyed the table, which nan had laid in the kitchen, and then the admiral, who was making his toilette in a thorough manner that suggested several courses, with outspoken approval. "my, i wish susan winchester could pop in this minute. you found the prepared flour, and all--baked 'em on the griddle! wa'n't that cute! i never did see an omelet like that except from susan winchester's own hands, and she learned from a frenchwoman she used to sew with. some folks can pick up every useful trick they see." turning to burt, she continued: "with all the new fangle-dangles of these days, women voting and all, you're a lucky boy to have found an old-fashioned girl!" "i know it," said burt, brazenly, but he did not meet anne's astonished eyes. "my girl has learned the best of the new accomplishments, without losing what was worth keeping of the old." anne's judgment told her it was a good luncheon--no better than she served herself at home, though. she stared at her own slim, capable fingers. was she domestic, after all? "we've been looking at apartments in the city," burt went on--"apartments in a hotel, you know.--try the omelet, mrs. brown--nan's don't fall flat as soon as other omelets do.--but we haven't found what really appeals to us." "i should think not," declared mrs. brown, vigorously. "i always say a person hasn't a spark of originality that will go and live in a coop just like hundreds of others, all cut to the same pattern. look at your aunt susan, now. this house belonged to old joe potter, he built it less'n ten years ago an mis' potter she had it the way she wanted it, and that was like the house she lived in when she was a girl, little, tucked-up rooms, air-tight stoves, a tidy on every chair, and she made portières out of paper beads that tickled 'em both silly--yes, and tickled everybody in the ear that went through 'em, though that wan't what i meant to say. when she died, joe wouldn't live here, said he wouldn't be so homesick for julia in another house, this one was full of her. so, your aunt susan bought it, and what did she do? "she knocked out partitions, took down fire-boards, threw out a good parlor set and lugged in tables and chairs from all over, put big panes of glass where there was little ones--in some places, she did, and only the good angels and susan winchester knows why she didn't change 'em all, they're terrible mean to wash--made the front hall into a setting room and the parlor into a bedroom, got two bathrooms and no dining room--well, to make a long story short, this house is now susan winchester. anybody that knows susan would know it was her house if they see it in china. "did you learn to keep house with your mother?" the transition was so abrupt that anne started. "i--my aunt brought me up--and nine cousins," she answered. "my aunt is as unlike burt's as you can imagine, but just as dear and good. she had a big family, and there was never time enough to have her home as she wanted it--so she thought--and i thought so, too--but yet--aunt milly's home was always full of happy children, and, perhaps, that's what she really wanted, more than dainty furnishings or a spotless kitchen." "folks, mostly, get what they want, even if they don't know it," confirmed mrs. brown. "look at the admiral, here. he don't want to come over and live with me, same as susan meant he should. he wants to stay right in his own home, and have his meals and petting same as usual, and here you come along today and give them to him. trouble is, folks don't always know what it is they want." when mrs. brown went back to her own dinner, she left anne with something to think about. washing the dishes in aunt susan's white sink, which was fitted to that very purpose, drying them upon a rack which held every dish apart from its neighbors, and, finally, polishing the quaintly shaped pieces upon aunt susan's checked towel, which remained dry and spotless; opening every drawer and cupboard to see that all was left in the dainty order she had found there, anne had a clear vision of the blue and silver furnishings at the kensington. what had she told burt: "it doesn't look like either of us"?--while aunt susan's home-- "burt," she called, "come and answer this question. did you come to byrnton instead of branton on purpose?" "what's this?" said burt. "cross-examination?" "it's an examination, surely, but i won't be cross," replied anne, with a rare dimple. "you must answer my question truly." "yes, your honor," said burt. "i did, your honor." "did you know your aunt susan wouldn't be home?" "our aunt susan," corrected burt.--"no, your honor--that is, i thought--" "you knew she was going to california?" "yes, your honor." "this summer?" "i didn't know exactly when--honestly, nan, i did want you to meet her." "why?"' "i knew you'd like the way she keeps house. i didn't realize that the house could speak for itself, without her.--you do like it, nan?" "i don't have to answer questions, because i'm the judge," nan told him. "i'll ask you one more. do you want me to ask you to take this cottage, for us, in the fall, and stay in it until aunt susan comes back?" "not unless your honor pleases." "case dismissed, for lack of evidence," said nan.--"burt, could we live here?" "we could. i'll admit it's what i'd like, if you do. the difference in rents would buy gasoline. could you work here, and keep house, too?" "i can if i'm smart," answered nan, soberly. "i wonder if i'm smart." "dear," said burt. "what have you done since you came to new york but work and keep house, too, in less convenient quarters than this, and with no one to help you--no good husband like me--?" "that's so!" she turned a radiant face upon him. "if we like, we can begin another home, of our very own, when aunt susan wants hers back," burt smiled quizzically. "no one else's house would suit you for always, nan. ask me why." "why?" "because," said burt in triumph, "personality, like the measles, will out!" american cookery formerly the boston cooking-school magazine of culinary science and domestic economics subscription $ . per year, single copies c postage to foreign countries, c per year to subscribers the date stamped on the wrapper is the date on which your subscription expires; it is, also, an acknowledgment that a subscription, or a renewal of the same, has been received. please renew on receipt of the colored blank enclosed for this purpose. in sending notice to renew a subscription or change of address, please give the _old_ address as well as the _new_. in referring to an original entry, we must know the name as it was formerly given, together with the post-office, county, state, post-office box, or street number. entered at boston post-office as second-class matter love's day when the morning on the hill crest snuffs the candles of the night, and the wide world blooms in beauty with the coming of the light, with the morn awakens, ever sweet and ever new, the happiness of knowing i share the dawn with you. when the morning shadows shorten on the sunny slopes of noon, and the roads of earth are humming with toil's deep, insistent tune, fragrant as a sea wind, blowing from an island blue, through moiling hours of toiling comes my memory of you. when the shadows of the twilight like long lashes dim and gray close in slumber softly o'er the weary eyes of day, calling through the twilight like harbor lights from sea, your love becomes a beacon that shines with cheer for me! _arthur wallace peach._ limitation of armaments "on armistice day, november , at the hour when the twenty-four men representing the six participating nations first face each other across the council table, a nation-wide demonstration will be under way in the united states. organized labor announces that in every town and city the workers will join with other citizens in mass-meetings and parades and that the keynote of armistice day should be, 'it is time to disarm.' it will help in impressing upon our own government and upon other governments that the people are weary of war-made tax burdens; that they are deeply in earnest in their demands that these burdens be removed. it will strengthen the purpose of the four men who are to represent america to know that they have the support of the workers and the voters. the action of organized labor will help in liberating and directing these 'moral forces'; but labor cannot do it alone. there are others of these 'forces' that cannot be tapped or directed by labor, and these must come into action. the time is drawing nigh for their mobilization." _philadelphia public ledger._ "without the crowding, persistent, fighting force of the masses the crusade cannot be won. this is the people's salvation and it is, therefore, the people's fight. it is now up to the people of this country to make their wishes known and their opinions felt. it should be constantly in mind that, without the mobilized moral force of those upon whom these crushing burdens are now falling, there is little hope that the load will ever be lifted. if it is not lifted, no one can prophesy what lies beyond. there can be no relief from taxes, no relief from expenditures and no relief from war, except through disarmament." w. e. borah. "one more war, fully prepared for, prepared for with all the diabolical perversions of science, will reduce europe and america to what russia is today." _churchman._ certainly we believe in the closest limitation of armament. in this matter we would go to the extreme limit. we are tired of militarism and tired of war and the rumors of war. while we need and desire a merchant marine, we have no use for fighting ships or submarines. years ago we began to dream that america would never engage in another war, but we have witnessed the most horrid conflict that ever devastated the earth. how can any one ever want war again? the nation that makes an aggressive attack on another should be regarded as an outlaw and treated as such by the rest of the world. dissensions are sure to arise, but these can be settled by conference and agreement or by arbitration. prosperity is dependent on peace. no other world-wide saving can equal that which can be gained through limitation of armament. the wealth of the world consists of just what the world produces. the one master word of the day is production. people are not producing enough to satisfy all their wants; there is not stuff enough to go round. as a nation we need less of politics and more of production. our main contention should be a moral appeal for unity in the industrial world. "the field for constructive, imaginative, and creative minds is the field of commerce." a pioneer in home economics from a recent report by mr. eugene davenport, vice-president of the university of illinois, we draw the following: miss isabel bevier retired this year from her work in home economics at the university of illinois. she entered the service of the university in . during the twenty-one years of its existence, professor bevier has given herself unsparingly to the development and conduct, day by day, of the department of home economics. the field was almost entirely new, as a university subject. the courses have been outlined and conducted with a double purpose in mind. first, the presenting of home economics as a part of a liberal education; and second, the development of courses leading to a profession in teaching, dietetics, and cafeteria management. the first graduating class in numbered three. the number rapidly increased, reaching ninety-four in . the total number of students coming under the instruction of the staff of teachers for the last twenty-one years is approximately , . if efforts are to be judged by their results, whether in respect to alumnæ or the present registration of undergraduate students, it is not too much to say that the purposes of this department have been in the main accomplished, by which is meant that the department has trained hundreds of competent executives and teachers without such exclusive attention to the professional as to break the contact with that great mass of university women who are to become, not teachers or professionals of any kind, but the heads of american homes. to achieve this double purpose has been the great ambition of the department, in which it has eminently succeeded. it is not too much to say that at present, no department of the university enjoys more of the confidence and respect of the institution than does the department of home economics. at the recognition service in honor of professor bevier, in may, , the alumnæ presented the university with an excellent portrait of miss bevier. "feeding-the-family" club women are waking up to the fact that upon their shoulders rests the responsibility of having a healthier nation. too many people are dying of avoidable diseases. rich foods have taken more toll of life than war and pestilence, dietitians tell us. more and more stress is being placed upon diet--not for the sick only, but for those in good health, that they may preserve it. by diet we mean the proper combinations of foods and the scientific uses of vitamines, starches, proteins and acids. what we need is more than a reading acquaintance with those subjects. a certain group of women in long beach, calif., have decided that the acquisition of knowledge concerning food properties is the only way to better living for their families. they have grouped together under the name of the "feeding-the-family" club, and, under the leadership of the head of the department of domestic science of the public schools, they meet on wednesday evening each week for two hours to learn how to prepare healthful, nourishing meals for the average family. there are sixteen women in the group, representing fifty-six persons, most of whom are children in school. think what it means to those children to have mothers who are vitally interested in seeing them grow up to be strong, virile men and women. "knowledge makes power," aye, the knowledge of the mothers of today makes for the powerful citizens of tomorrow. r. c. c. do your own work and save money if you are one of the people who are "sick unto death" of these thrift articles and are utterly weary of reading how to clean your porcelain gas-stove and keep your electric washer in repair. the magazines are so full of helpful hints to the $ , and upwards class, that it seems as though a mere person like myself might inquire, "how about poor us? won't somebody write something for us? how can we, who make up most of the world, live within our incomes?" as nobody has responded as yet, i am going to tell how we manage and, possibly, some one else may be helped thereby. six years ago, when my husband and i awoke from our honeymoon trance, we found ourselves in california, strangers in a lone land, penniless and jobless. my husband was blessed with neither college education nor profession, but we were both young and undaunted--therefore we pulled through. we rented an apartment, furnished, at $ per month and buckled in. i might say that the rent didn't have to be paid in advance or we wouldn't have moved in. my soul mate--otherwise husband--worked as a truckman, a taxi driver, a cement lamp-post worker, a chauffeur, a night watchman, a salesman, a cook and a dish-washer. in five years we moved twenty different times, an average of once every three months (not because we wished to skip our rent, but because my husband found jobs in so many different parts of the city). the end of the sixth year has found us located, at last. we get $ per month and live on that alone. we are buying our own home, a flivver stands in the garage, our house is nicely furnished (a good deal of the furniture we have made ourselves) and we dress and live respectably. i do all my own cooking, washing, ironing, sewing, cleaning, baking and gardening, with a little writing thrown in as a spare-time occupation. no electric machine, $ gas stove, $ bedroom set, nor blue-goose stenciled kitchen yet graces our home. no little tea-wagon runs our food to the table. we don't lay by cents in one envelope, $ . for electricity in another, nor cents per week for meat in another. we merely save a small portion each month. first, toward our home and the rest we spend or save as we see fit. our twenty chickens help out a little in meat and eggs, but one whole year passed by before we bought linoleum for kitchen or bath-room. at present we are working on a $ second-hand writing desk with varnish remover and putty knife and in the end we shall have a very modern, pretty, little, fumed-oak desk for one-seventh the cost of a new one. so, ladies, get in and do your own work. forget the servant problem and the money question. make things yourselves and see how much fun there is in life. don't be afraid to soil your hands--cold cream will fix them. get as much fun out of each day as possible. h. w. p. [illustration: some homely thanksgiving vegetables] seasonable-and-tested recipes by janet m. hill and mary d. chambers in all recipes where flour is used, unless otherwise stated, the flour is measured after sifting once. where flour is measured by cups, the cup is filled with a spoon, and a level cupful is meant. a tablespoonful or a teaspoonful of any designated material is a level spoonful. in flour mixtures where yeast is called for, use bread flour; in all other flour mixtures, use cake or pastry flour. potage parmentier cook the well-washed, white stalks of two or three leeks, sliced lengthwise, in two tablespoonfuls of fat in a saucepan, and allow to remain over the fire for five or six minutes, or until slightly colored. add four large potatoes, pared and sliced, one quart of cold water, and two teaspoonfuls of salt, cover, and cook for twenty minutes after the water boils. strain out the potatoes and leeks and press through a colander. thicken the water by adding one-fourth a cup of flour, blended with two tablespoonfuls of butter or a substitute; stir until it has boiled for one minute; add one-half a teaspoonful of white pepper, stir into it the potato purée, and let the whole come to a boil. pour into the tureen, and add one-half a cup of rich cream, a cup of well-browned croûtons, and a few chervil leaves, or the green leaves of cress or any preferred herb. the addition of the half-cup of rich cream is essential to the soup "parmentier." potato-and-peanut sausages mix one cup of roasted and fine-ground peanuts with one cup and one-half of highly seasoned mashed potatoes. add one beaten egg, and form the mixture into small sausage-shaped rolls, rolling each one in flour. roll on a hot pan, greased with bacon fat, or bake in a very hot oven, until the outside of the sausages is lightly browned. pile in the center of a dish, and garnish with curls of toasted bacon, placed on a border of shredded lettuce. roast turkey clean, stuff and truss a twelve-pound turkey, that, when cooked, may rest on the wings level on the platter, the drumsticks close to the body. rub all over with salt and dredge with flour. cover the breast with thin slices of salt pork. set on a rack in a baking-pan (a "double roaster" gives best results). turn often, at first, to sear over and brown evenly. for the first half hour the oven should be hot, then lower the heat and finish the cooking in an oven in which the fat in the pan will not burn. cook until the joints are easily separated. it will require three hours and a half. add no water or broth to the pan during cooking. for basting use the fat that comes from the turkey during cooking. turkey stuffing add one teaspoonful of salt, one-fourth a teaspoonful of pepper and one tablespoonful and one-half of poultry seasoning to three cups of cracker crumbs; mix thoroughly and add three-fourths a cup of melted butter. [illustration: roast turkey] garnish the roast turkey with stuffed onions parboil eight choice onions about one hour. remove from the water and cut out a circular piece from the top of each to form cups. chop, fine, the pieces of onion; add an equal measure of cold, cooked ham, salt and pepper to season, one-fourth a cup, each, of fine, soft crumbs and melted butter and mix thoroughly. season the inside of the cups with salt, then stuff with the prepared mixture. bake slowly about half an hour, basting with melted butter. serve decorated with celery tips. oyster-and-onion purée steam one pound of white onions, and when tender sift through a colander. cook one quart of oysters in their liquor until the gills separate; strain, and chop the oysters in a chopping bowl. return the liquor to the saucepan, and cook with three tablespoonfuls of flour and three tablespoonfuls of softened butter, rubbed together, stirring constantly until well thickened and smooth. season with one teaspoonful and one-half of salt and one-half a teaspoonful of pepper. sift into the onion-pulp one-fourth a cup of flour, and stir until blended; add one-fourth a teaspoonful of celery seed and one bayleaf, and mix with the thickened oyster liquor. stir until the whole comes to a boil and the purée is thick as porridge. add the chopped oysters and one pint of thin cream, let heat through, and serve with oysterettes, saltines or other plain crackers. salmon à la creole clean and scale a small salmon, stuff with one-half a loaf of stale bread moistened with hot water, seasoned with one-fourth a cup of butter, salt and pepper to taste, and one-half a cup of capers. mix all well, and bind with one beaten egg. place the salmon on the rack of a baking-pan in a very hot oven, cover with thin slices of bacon, and let cook until done. serve on a bed of chopped fresh mushrooms, cooked in a little bouillon, and garnish the dish with small fresh tomatoes. brother jonathan make a mush of yellow cornmeal, and mould in cylindrical moulds, such as baking powder boxes or brown bread moulds. let stand until next day, and cut into slices. arrange the slices on a large porcelain pie-plate in pyramidal form, sprinkling each layer with some sharp, hard cheese, grated, and seasoned with a very little red pepper. sift buttered crumbs freely over the whole; brown in a hot oven, and serve as a vegetable with fish, with sour grape jelly melted and poured over it. plymouth succotash boil, separately, one chicken and four pounds of corned beef. the next day remove meat and fat from both kettles of liquid, combine liquids, season with salt (if needed) and pepper; when boiling add five quarts of hulled corn; remove to slow fire and let simmer three hours. have ready three pints of new york pea beans that have been soaked twelve hours, boiled until soft and strained through a sieve; add to soup (for thickening). boil one yellow turnip (or two white turnips), and six potatoes; when done add to succotash. this recipe makes eight quarts. [illustration: plymouth succotash] [illustration: new england salad] new england salad dress flowerets of cold, cooked cauliflower with oil, salt, pepper and vinegar. from cold, cooked beets remove the top and center portions to make beet cups. arrange the prepared cauliflower to fill cups, pour over boiled salad dressing and arrange a heart of celery in each filled beet-cup. guinea chickens clean and truss two guinea chickens; place on a bed of sliced, uncooked carrots, potatoes and celery, arranged in the bottom of a casserole--(a large bean-pot serves as well). sprinkle the chicks with salt and pour over them melted butter; set the cover in place. bake in a moderate oven one hour and one-quarter, basting every fifteen minutes with melted butter. add no water to the casserole. [illustration: guinea chickens] rib roast of beef with yorkshire pudding place a rib roast of beef on a rack in a dripping pan; dredge with flour and sear over the outside in a hot oven, then add salt and pepper and drippings and let cook at a low temperature until done, basting every ten minutes. remove to a platter and serve with yorkshire pudding. yorkshire pudding sift together one cup and a half of flour, and one-third a teaspoonful of salt; gradually add one cup and one-half of milk, so as to form a smooth batter; then add three eggs, which have been beaten until thick and light; turn into a small, hot dripping pan, the inside of which has been brushed over with roast beef drippings; when well risen in the pan, baste with the hot roast beef drippings. bake about twenty minutes. cut into squares and serve around the roast. apple mint jelly for roast lamb cut the apples in quarters, removing imperfections. barely cover with boiling water, put on a cover and let cook, undisturbed, until soft throughout. turn into a bag to drain. for a quart of this apple juice set one and one-half pounds of sugar on shallow dishes in the oven to heat. set the juice over the fire with the leaves from a bunch of mint; let cook twenty minutes, then strain into a clean saucepan. heat to the boiling point, add the hot sugar and let boil till the syrup, when tested, jellies slightly on a cold dish. tint with green color-paste very delicately. have ready three to five custard cups on a cloth in a pan of boiling water. let the glasses be filled with the water; pour out the water and turn in the jelly. when cooled a little remove to table. (english recipe.) marinaded cutlets cut a pound of the best end of neck of mutton into cutlets, allowing two cutlets for each bone, beat them with a cutlet bat and trim them neatly. let them soak for an hour in a marinade made by mixing six tablespoonfuls of red wine vinegar, one tablespoonful of olive oil, half a teaspoonful of salt, six bruised peppercorns, a minced onion, a sprig of thyme, and a bayleaf. at the end of the hour drain the cutlets, and dredge them with flour to dry them. brush over each one with beaten egg, and roll it in bread-crumbs; repeat the egging and breadcrumbing a second time, and, if possible, leave them for an hour for the crumbs to dry on. half fill a deep pan with frying-fat, and when it is heated, so as to give off a pale blue vapor, place the cutlets carefully in the pan, and when they float on top of the fat and are of a rich brown color, they are sufficiently cooked, and must be taken from the fat and drained on kitchen paper before being served _en couronne_, or on a mound of mashed potatoes, green peas, french beans, or brussels sprouts. [illustration: rib roast with yorkshire pudding] veal cutlets, fillets of beef, fillets of white fish, or cutlets of cod or hake, are excellent when prepared by the same method. (english recipe.) thanksgiving corn cake sift together two cups of corn meal, two cups of white flour, four _heaping_ teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one level teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of salt, and one-half a cup of sugar. add one cup of sour milk (gradually), three-fourths cup of sour cream, four eggs and one-third a cup of melted butter. [illustration: thanksgiving corn cake] thanksgiving pudding beat the yolks of four eggs; add one pint of soft bread crumbs, one cup of sugar, the grated rind of a lemon, one teaspoonful of salt, and one cup of large table raisins from which the seeds have been removed; mix all together thoroughly, then add one quart of rich milk. bake in a very moderate oven until firm in the center. when the pudding has cooled somewhat, beat the whites of four eggs dry; beat in half a cup of sugar and spread or pipe the meringue over the pudding; dredge with granulated sugar and let cook in a very moderate oven about fifteen minutes; the oven should be of such heat that the meringue does not color until the last few minutes of cooking. coffee fruit punch add one-half a cup of fine-ground coffee to one cup of cold water, bring very slowly to a boil, and let simmer for ten minutes. strain, allow grounds to settle, decant, and add one cup of sugar. mix one-half a cup of sifted strawberry preserve with the juice of two lemons, the juice of three oranges and the grated rind of one, and half a cup of pineapple juice. let the whole stand together for half an hour; then strain, add the coffee, a quart or more of vichy, or any preferred sparkling water, and serve in tall glasses filled one-third full with shaved ice; garnish each with a thin strip of candied angelica. [illustration: sweet cider frappÉ] sweet cider frappé make a syrup by boiling one cup of sugar and two cups of water fifteen minutes; add one quart of sweet cider and one-half a cup of lemon juice; when cool freeze--using equal parts of ice and salt. serve with roast turkey or roast pork. fig-and-cranberry pie chop one-half a pound of figs and cook until tender in a pint of water. add a pint of cranberries, and cook until they pop. mix one cup of sugar with four tablespoonfuls of flour and stir into the fig-and-cranberry mixture; let boil, remove from fire, and stir in two tablespoonfuls of butter and the juice of one-half a lemon. put into a pastry shell, arrange strips of paste in a basket pattern over the top, and bake until these are browned. dry deviled parsnips wash and scrape--not pare--three large parsnips; cut in halves, lengthwise, and place, cut side uppermost, on the grate of a rather hot oven to bake for thirty to forty minutes, or until soft and lightly browned. soften one-half a cup of butter, without melting it, and rub into it the following mixture: two teaspoonfuls of salt, four tablespoonfuls of dry mustard, one-half a teaspoonful of cayenne, one teaspoonful of white pepper, and flour enough to stiffen the paste. when the parsnips are cooked make four slanting cuts in each of the halves, and fill each with as much of the paste as it will hold. spread over the flat side with the remainder of the paste, arrange on the serving dish, sift fine buttered crumbs over them, and place under the gas flame, or on the upper rack of an oven until crumbs are brown. king's pudding with apple-jelly sauce soak, over-night, one-half a cup of well-washed rice, and cook in one pint of milk in double boiler until very tender. mix this with three cups of apple sauce, well-sweetened and flavored with cinnamon. add the beaten yolks of two eggs, one ounce, each, of candied citron and orange peel, very fine-chopped, and one-half a cup of raisins. add, the last thing, the whites of the eggs, beaten to the stiffest possible froth. line a deep dish with a good, plain paste, pour in the pudding, bake until both paste and pudding top are brown, invert on serving dish and pour the sauce over it. apple-jelly sauce beat one-half a cup of apple jelly until it is like a smooth batter; gradually add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, the juice of one lemon and one-half the grated rind, and a few gratings of nutmeg. set into a saucepan of boiling water until ready to use, then beat well and pour over the pudding. [illustration: cranberry tart] cranberry tart spread a round of paste over an inverted pie plate, prick the paste with a fork eight times. bake to a delicate brown. remove the paste from the plate, wash the plate and set the pastry inside. when cold fill with a cold, cooked cranberry filling and cover the filling with a top pastry crust, made by cutting paste to a paper pattern and baking in a pan. arrange tart just before serving. cooked cranberry filling mix together three level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, three-fourths a teaspoonful of salt and one cup and one-half of sugar; pour on one cup and one-half of boiling water and stir until boiling, then add one-third a cup of molasses, two teaspoonfuls of butter and three cups of cranberries, chopped fine. let simmer fifteen minutes. pumpkin fanchonettes mix together one cup and a half of dry, sifted pumpkin, half a cup of sugar, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of molasses, one tablespoonful of ginger, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt, and one cup of rich milk. pour into small tins lined with pastry, and bake about twenty-five minutes. serve cold; just before serving decorate with whipped cream. [illustration: pumpkin fanchonettes] pilgrim cookies let soak overnight one cup of seedless raisins, then drain and dry on a cloth. cream one-third a cup of butter; beat in one cup of brown sugar, one tablespoonful of milk, and two eggs, beaten light. add the raisins, and one cup of flour, sifted with one-half a teaspoonful, each, of nutmeg and cinnamon and two teaspoonfuls and one-half of baking powder. when thoroughly mixed, add one-half a cup of graham flour, unsifted, and one-half a cup of bran, unsifted. [illustration: pilgrim cookies] pyramid birthday cake bake any good layer cake or other simple cake mixture in one or two thin sheets, in a large pan. when done cut into as many graduated circles as the child is years old. ice each circle, top and sides, with any good cake icing, either white or tinted, and lay one above the other with layers of jelly or preserves between slices. around each layer arrange a decoration of fresh or candied fruits of bright colors, glacéed nuts, candied rose petals or violets, bits of angelica, or any other effective decoration. let the cake stand on a handsomely decorated dish, and small flags be inserted in the topmost layer. [illustration: fruit and melons] stirred brown bread measure three cups of graham flour into a large mixing-bowl; add one cup of bran, and sift on to these one cup and one-half of white flour, to which one and one-fourth a teaspoonful of salt has been added. stir together until mixed. dissolve one teaspoonful of baking soda in a tablespoonful of hot water, and add to two cups of buttermilk. melt two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of any preferred substitute, mix with one-half a cup of molasses, stir into the buttermilk, and add all to the dry ingredients, stirring vigorously. lastly, add one-half a compressed yeast cake to the batter, and stir again until the yeast is thoroughly incorporated with the batter, which should be very stiff. place in a greased bread pan, cover, set in a warm place until batter has risen to top of pan or doubled in bulk. bake one hour in an oven with gradually increasing heat. this bread keeps fresh for a long time, and is particularly good sliced thin for sandwiches. swedish pancakes with aigre-doux sauce beat, until light, the yolks of six eggs; add one-half a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in one tablespoonful of vinegar, then two cups of sifted flour, alternately, with the beaten whites of the eggs, and if necessary add enough milk to make a thin batter. pour a small ladleful at a time on the griddle; spread each cake, when cooked, with raspberry jam, roll up like a jelly roll, pile on a hot platter, dust over with powdered sugar, and serve with each one a spoonful of aigre-doux sauce. aigre-doux sauce add to two cups of sour cream the juice and fine-grated rind of one large lemon. stir in enough sugar just to develop a sweet taste, one-half a cup or more, and beat hard and long with a dover beater until the sauce is quite light. sautéed cucumbers and tomatoes pare four large cucumbers and cut in quarter-inch slices; season by sprinkling with salt and pepper, then dip in beaten egg, and afterwards in fine, sifted crumbs. proceed in the same manner with two firm tomatoes, removing the skin by dipping first into boiling water, then into cold, and rubbing the skin off. the tomatoes should be cut in half-inch slices. heat a large spider until very hot; add two or more tablespoonfuls of dripping or other fat, and sauté in this, first the cucumbers, then the tomatoes, turning the slices when browned on one side, and cooking until crisped. serve in a hot vegetable dish. skirt steak, with raisin sauce make a rich stuffing by chopping together three-fourths a pound of veal, one-half a pound of ham, and an ounce of beef suet or other fat. add the grated rind of a small lemon, and a teaspoonful of dried, mixed herbs, or of kitchen bouquet, two beaten eggs, a grate of nutmeg, and one cup of cream. cook all together over hot water until mixture is the consistency of custard; thicken further with fine bread crumbs, and let cool. divide a two-pound skirt steak into halves, crosswise, spread the stuffing over both parts, roll up each one and tie. let steam for half an hour, then put into a hot oven to finish cooking and brown. serve with raisin sauce. raisin sauce for skirt steak add one-half a cup of seeded raisins to one pint of cold water, set over fire, bring slowly to a boil and let simmer, gently, for fifteen minutes. blend two tablespoonfuls of flour with one-half a teaspoonful of salt and one-fourth a teaspoonful of white pepper, and stir this into two scant tablespoonfuls of melted butter or butter substitute; add to the raisins and water, and let boil, keeping stirred, for three minutes. remove from fire and add the juice of one-half a lemon or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. boudin blanc cook a dozen small onions, sliced, in a saucepan with one cup of sweet leaf-lard. while cooking put through the meat chopper one-half a pound, each, of fresh pork and the dark and white meat of a fowl or chicken. add to saucepan containing onions and lard, and stir in enough fine bread crumbs to make the whole the consistency of a soft dough. add seasoning of salt and pepper with a spoonful of mixed dried herbs. lastly, add one cup of sweet cream and three well-beaten eggs, and stir the whole until the eggs are set. stuff this into pig entrails, making links six inches long. keep stored in a cool place, and cook like sausage. or the boudin may be packed into jars, and sliced or cut into dice and sautéed when cold. seasonable menus for week in november sunday breakfast oranges corn flakes with hot milk codfish balls buttered toast marmalade coffee dinner roast leg of lamb mashed potatoes spinach with egg creamed turnips celery salad date soufflé coffee supper oyster stew crackers lettuce-and-peanut butter sandwiches soft gingerbread cocoa monday breakfast malt breakfast food, top milk scrambled eggs with tomato graham muffins coffee luncheon potage parmentier savory hash, meat and potatoes tea tarts russian tea dinner planked steak, parkerhouse style head lettuce king's pudding, with apple jelly sauce black coffee tuesday breakfast dates gluten grits, cream baked potatoes bacon graham toast, butter coffee luncheon salmon à la creole pulled bread sweet potato croquettes pears in syrup milk or tea dinner stuffed leg of pork mashed potatoes apple sauce fig-and-cranberry pie coffee wednesday breakfast winter pears wheatena, milk pork-and-potato hash raised pancakes, syrup coffee luncheon oyster-and-onion purée crusty rolls apple-and-nut salad cocoa dinner skirt steak with raisin sauce dry deviled parsnips baked sweet potatoes cherry pie coffee thursday breakfast cream of wheat, cream tomato omelet stirred brown bread coffee luncheon potato-and-peanut sausages cabbage-and-celery salad, with cheese strawberry gelatine jelly tea dinner boiled tongue steamed potatoes creamed carrots brussels sprouts apple pie à la mode coffee friday breakfast grapefruit cracked wheat, milk creamed finnan haddie hashed brown potatoes popovers coffee luncheon frumenty with cream escaloped chipped beef and potatoes chocolate layer cake café au lait dinner halibut steaks brother jonathan creamed cabbage chow-chow apricot puffs with custard sauce coffee saturday breakfast gravenstein apples quaker oats, milk scrambled eggs with bacon steamed brown bread coffee luncheon purée of baked beans castilian salad (pineapple, nuts, apples, grapes, celery) swedish pancakes with aigre-doux sauce chocolate dinner veal stew browned sweet potatoes lima beans in tomato sauce leaf lettuce with fr. dressing brown betty with foamy sauce coffee menus for thanksgiving dinners i _three-course dinner for small family in servantless house_ roast chicken, stuffed with chopped celery and oysters baked sweet potatoes boiled onions salad (fine chopped apples and nuts in red apple cups) cream dressing mince or squash pie à la mode sweet cider coffee ii _a simple company dinner of six courses_ celery clam bouillon, saltines ripe olives roast, chestnut-stuffed turkey, giblet sauce buttered asparagus glazed sweet potatoes moulded cranberry jelly chicken salad in salad rolls thanksgiving pudding hard sauce chocolate ice cream strawberry sauce assorted fruit coffee iii _a formal company dinner. eight courses_ curled celery oyster soup, bread sticks radish rosettes turbans of flounder hollandaise sauce potato straws olives crusty rolls salted nuts capon à la creme (stuffing of potatoes, mushrooms, chestnuts, etc.) mashed potatoes green pea timbales cranberry sauce sweet cider frappé venison steaks currant jelly sauce baked parsnips apple-and-grape salad macaroon pudding frozen mince pie hot chocolate sauce glacéed walnuts fruit black coffee iv _elaborate formal dinner. ten courses_ fruit cocktail oysters on half-shell brown bread-and-butter sandwiches quartered lemons clear bouillon, oysterettes radishes celery boiled halibut potato balls in parsley sauce sweet pickles cauliflower au gratin braised turkey or capon bread stuffing giblet gravy duchesse potatoes spinach crystallized ginger salted pecans pineapple fritters, lemon sauce granite of cider and apples cutlets of duck, with chopped celery orange salad pumpkin pie raisin and cranberry tarts chocolate parfait almond cakes nuts raisins bonbons candied orange peel black coffee concerning breakfasts by alice e. whitaker a certain englishman who breakfasted with the washington family in wrote of the occasion: "mrs. washington, herself, made tea and coffee for us. on the table were two small plates of sliced tongue and dry toast, bread and butter, but no broiled fish, as is the general custom." however sparing the mistress of mt. vernon might have been, it was the usual custom in old times to eat a hearty breakfast of meat or fish and potato, hot biscuits, doughnuts, griddle cakes and sometimes even pie was added. a section of hot mince pie was always considered a fitting ending to the winter morning meal in new england, at least. when charles dickens was in the united states, in , he stopped at the old tremont house in boston. in his "american notes," which followed his visit to this country, he wrote critically of the american breakfast, as follows: "and breakfast would have been no breakfast unless the principal dish were a deformed beefsteak with a great flat bone in the center, swimming in hot butter and sprinkled with the very blackest of pepper." for a time my household included a colored cook, who, according to local custom, went to her own home every night. invariably before leaving she came to me with the short and abrupt question, "what's for?" this experience taught me the difficulty of planning breakfasts off hand. more than one beginner in housekeeping wonders whether a light breakfast of little but a roll and coffee is more healthful than one of several courses. it is an old american idea that luncheon or supper may be light, dinner varied and heavier, but breakfast must be wholesome and nourishing. this is based on the belief that it is natural for man and beast to wake up in the morning with a desire for food and unnatural to try to do the hardest work of the day with but a pretence at eating. about twenty years ago there was much talk of the alleged healthfulness of going without breakfast entirely. for a time this plan was the object of much discussion and experiment by medical and scientific men and workers in general. the late edward everett hale was a strong opponent to abstinence from breakfast by brain workers, while those who labored with hand and muscle looked with little favor on the morning fast. finally the no-breakfast idea went the way of most fads in food. as a compromise between the extremes of going without any breakfast, and the old-time, over-hearty meal of several courses, there came into fashion the simple meal of fruit, cereal and eggs. this is to be commended, if the egg, or its substitute in food value, is not omitted. too often a sloppy cereal is washed down rapidly with a cup of coffee and called sufficient. sometimes the ready-to-eat cereal and the milk bottle left at the kitchen door include the entire preparation for the morning meal. the adaptability of this quick breakfast, and its ease of preparation, keep it in favor, but filling the stomach with a cereal, from which some of its best elements have been taken, means, for women folks at home, placing the coffee pot on the range to warm up the cup that will stop that "gone" feeling so common after a near-breakfast. the man at work might once have found solace in a glass of beer; now, perhaps, he smokes an extra cigarette. it is well understood that children grow listless and dull before noon, when an insufficient breakfast is eaten. one who has breakfast leisurely at nine o'clock may be satisfied with a roll and a cup of hot drink, but a commuter with a trip ahead to office or shop, and the farmer who must make an early start in the day, cannot rely on light, quickly digested food in the morning. their energy and working capacity will slow down long before noon. objection is sometimes made to a good, sustaining breakfast because of a distaste for food in the morning. in such a case, look to the quality or quantity of the night meal; it may be too heavy or indigestible. between a breakfast with warmed-over meats, and one without meat, especially if eggs are substituted, the choice should be given to the latter. twice-cooked meats, however pleasing they may be to the palate, are not easy to digest. they serve merely as a way to use left-overs, which good management will keep to the minimum. when selecting fruits for breakfast, the fact must not be overlooked that the starch of cereals and acid fruits, like a sour orange, often disagree. when apples are plentiful nothing is better than this fruit when baked, but in cities the banana frequently costs less and it stands at the head of all fruits in food value. when perfectly ripe it has about per cent of sugar, but as it is picked green, the fruit sold in the markets is often but partially ripe and is more easily assimilated, if baked like the apple; it then becomes a valuable breakfast food. it is a common mistake in a meatless breakfast to use too large a proportion of cereal. while the standard cereal foods, when dry, are from two-thirds to three-quarters starch, with the balance made up of a little protein, fat, water, fibre and a trace of mineral matter, it should not be forgotten that while cooking they absorb several times their bulk of water, which reduces the food value of the product. oatmeal and corn meal are best adapted for winter use because they contain a little more fat than wheat or rice, which are suitable for summer diet. eggs are the most available substitute for meat at breakfast and it is doubtful economy to omit them, except in times of extreme high prices. they are not essential in all desserts and saving in their use should begin at that point. eggs may be cooked in many ways so that they need never become a monotonous fare. all kinds of fish are an excellent substitute for meat, and, as prepared for the table, nearly equal beef and mutton, in the amount of protein, which is the element missed in a non-meat diet, unless it be carefully planned. breakfasts without meat the following are adapted to different seasons and the beverage may be selected to suit the taste. . strawberries, eggs baked in ramekins, oatmeal muffins. . fruit, cheese omelet, rice griddle cakes. . oranges, codfish balls, wheat muffins. . oatmeal, baked bananas, scrambled eggs, rice muffins. . cereal, hashed browned potatoes, date gems. . oranges, soft boiled eggs, lyonnaise potatoes, dry toast. . cereal with dates, whole wheat muffins, orange marmalade. . stewed prunes, french omelet, creamed potatoes, dry toast. . grapefruit, broiled salt codfish, baked potatoes, corn muffins. . fresh pineapple, broiled fresh mackerel, creamed potatoes, french bread. . sliced bananas, omelet with peas, rusked bread. breakfasts with meat . fresh apple sauce, pork chops, stewed potatoes, graham muffins. . dried peaches, stewed, broiled honeycomb tripe, escalloped potatoes, reheated rolls. . fruits, minced mutton, potato puffs, rice griddle cakes, lemon syrup. . baked apples, baked sausages, hashed potatoes, corn cakes. . baked rhubarb and raisins, ham omelet, bread-crumb griddle cakes, caramel syrup. . melon or berries, broiled ham, shirred eggs, creamed potatoes. . oranges, broiled beef cakes, french fried potatoes, toast. . steamed rice, sliced tomatoes, bacon and eggs, rye muffins. . berries, broiled chicken with cream sauce, fried potato cakes, muffins. . cereal with syrup, scalded tomatoes with melted butter, baked hash, dry toast. . melon, veal cutlet, cream sauce, baked potatoes, corn bread. some recipes for preparing poultry by kurt heppe fowls should be divided into four classes, according to their uses. the uses are controlled by the age of the fowl. what is suitable for one dish is not suitable for others. in fowls the age of the bird controls the use to which it can be put. this is something the caterer and the housewife must remember. a young bird can be distinguished from an old one by the pliability of the tip of the breastbone. when this tip bends under pressure, then the bird is young. if it is hard and unyielding, then it is old. very old birds are used for soup and for fricassée. medium-aged birds are used for roasts. spring chickens are used for broilers and for sautéed dishes. very young chicks are used for frying in deep fat; for this purpose they are dipped in a thin batter, or else in flour, and in eggs mixed with milk and afterward in breadcrumbs. these chicks, and also spring chickens, are used for casserole dishes and for cocottes (covered earthen ware containers, in which the fowls are roasted in the oven). the liver of fowls is used in different ways; it makes an excellent dish. it is best when sautéed with black butter. some of the fine french ragouts consist mostly of chicken livers. with omelettes they make an incomparable garnish. in very high-class establishments the wings and breast are often separated from the carcass of the fowl and served in manifold ways. sometimes the entire fowl is freed of bones, without destroying the appearance of the bird. these latter dishes are best adapted for casserole service and for cold jellied offerings. capons are castrated male fowls. they fatten readily and their flesh remains juicy and tender, owing to the indolence of the birds. the meat of animals is tenderest when the animal is kept inactive. for this reason stall-feeding is often resorted to. when the animal has no opportunity to exercise its muscles the latter degenerate, and nourishment, instead of being converted into energy, is turned into fat. range birds and animals are naturally tough; this is especially true of the muscles. large supply houses now regularly basket their fowls for about two weeks before putting them on the market. during this time they are fed on grain soaked in milk. this produces a white, juicy flesh. when a bird is to be roasted it should be trussed. this is done by forcing the legs back against the body (after placing the bird on its back); a string is then tied across the bird's body, holding the legs down. the wings are best set firmly against the breast by sticking a wooden skewer through the joint and into the bony part of the carcass, where the skewer will hold against the bones. in preparing birds for the oven their breasts should be protected by slices of bacon. otherwise they will shrivel and dry before the birds are cooked. for broiling, the birds are cut through in the back, in such a manner that they quasi-hinge in the breast; they are then flattened so they will lie evenly in a double broiling iron; for this purpose the heavy backbone is removed. stuffed poularde after trussing the bird rub it with lemon so it will keep of good color; now cover the breast with thin slices of bacon (these can be tied on). the poularde is put into a deep, thick saucepan and cooked with butter and aromatics in the oven. when it is nearly done it is moistened with poultry stock. if this stock reduces too fast, then it must be renewed. it is finally added to the sauce. these fowls may be stuffed with a pilaff of rice. this is prepared as follows: half an onion is chopped and fried in two ounces of butter. before it acquires color half a pound of carolina rice is added. this is stirred over the fire until the rice has partly taken up the butter; then it is moistened with consommé (one quart); and covered and cooked in a moderate oven for fifteen minutes. it is now combined with a little cream, a quarter a pound of dice of goose liver and some dice of truffles. the rice should not be entirely cooked by the time it is stuffed into the bird; the cooking is completed inside the bird. the cream is added to provide moisture for the rice to take up. instead of cream one may use consommé, and the truffles and fat liver may be left out, if too expensive. the bird is served with a suitable sauce. the best sauce for this purpose is sauce suprême, and is prepared as follows: put two pints of clear poultry stock and some mushroom-liquor into a sauté-pan. reduce two-thirds. while this is going on prepare some poultry velouté by bringing some butter in a pan to bubble, and adding some flour. this is brought to a boil while stirring constantly. the flour must not be allowed to color. now, gradually, add some poultry-stock, stirring all the while with a whisk. salt, pepper and nutmeg are added. this is simmered on the side of the fire, and then strained. now add one pint of this velouté to the suprême sauce; reduce the whole on an open fire, while constantly stirring. gradually add half a pint of good cream and finish with a little butter. sautéed chicken young chickens should be used for this purpose. feel the breast bone; if it bends beneath pressure the bird is right. empty, singe and clean, and disjoint the bird. this is done by cutting the skin at the joints and loosening the bones with a knife. the wings are cut off in such manner that each holds half of the breast; the pinions are entirely cut off; the different pieces are seasoned with salt and pepper; now heat some clarified butter in a sauté-pan; when it is very hot insert the pieces of chicken and let them color quickly; turn them over, from time to time, so as to get a uniform color; cover the utensil and put it in a fairly hot oven. the legs are cooked for about ten minutes more than the breast and wings. the latter are kept hot separately. when all pieces are done, they are dished on a platter and kept hot in the oven; the pan is now moistened with mushroom-liquor, or chicken stock, and again put on the fire; only a very little moistening is put in the pan. as soon as it boils swing it around the pan and then add to it, gradually, the sauce that is to be served. this swinging in the pan dissolves the flavor, which solidifies in the bottom of the pan; it greatly improves the sauce. a simple sauce for sautéed chicken is nut butter, that is, butter browned in the pan. this may be varied by flavoring it with a crushed garlic-clove. an addition of fine herbs will further improve it. a dark tomato sauce may also be served. a good garnish for sautéed chicken is large dice of boletus mushrooms, sautéed in garlic butter; also dice of raw potatoes sautéed in clarified butter, and again fresh tomatoes cut up and sautéed in butter. egg-plants are also excellent for a garnish. sautéed chicken may be baked and served in the cocotte. poulet en casserole bourgeoise the chicken is trussed; the breast is covered with strips of bacon and put into a deep, thick saucepan. it is colored in the oven, and when nearly done is transferred to a casserole. it is now moistened with some chicken-stock and a little white wine. this moistening is used in the basting, and after being freed of fat, added to the sauce. a few minutes before the fowl is done bouquets of fresh vegetables are added to the chicken, in individual heaps, and the chicken is then served, either with a sauce, or else with an addition of butter. it should be carved in sight of the guests. chicken pie a fowl is cooked (boiled) with flavoring vegetables until done, and is then cut up as for fricassée; the pieces are seasoned with salt and pepper and sprinkled with chopped onions, a few mushroom-buttons and some chopped parsley. the pieces are now put into a pie-dish, legs undermost, some thinly-sliced bacon is added and some potatoes parisienne (spooned with the special potato spoon). the pie-dish is now filled two-thirds with chicken velouté (chicken-stock thickened with flour and egg-yolks), and a pie crust is laid over all, pressed to the edges of the dish and trimmed off. the crust is slit open (so the steam can escape), it should be painted with egg-yolk, and be baked for one and a half hours in a moderate oven. suprême de volaille jeanette of a poached cold fowl the suprêmes (boneless wing and breast in one piece) are loosened and trimmed to oval shape. they are covered with white chaudfroid sauce, by putting the pieces on a wire tray and pouring the sauce over while still liquid. they are decorated with tarragon leaves. in a square, flat pan a half-inch layer of aspic is laid. on this slices of goose liver are superimposed (after having been trimmed to the shape of the suprêmes); the suprêmes are now put on top of the fat liver, and then covered with half-melted chicken jelly. when thoroughly cooled and ready to serve, a square piece is cut out of the now solid jelly around the suprêmes. the suprême is thus served incrusted in a square block of thick jelly; the dish is decorated with greens. polly's thanksgiving party by ella shannon bowles the idea for the party came to polly one night as she was washing the dinner dishes, and that very evening she waved away the boys' objection that thanksgiving was a family affair pure and simple. "i'm not planning to have any one in for dinner," she said, "though there's nothing that would suit me better, if the apartment boasted a larger dining room. but there are three girls in my sunday school class that can't possibly go home this year, and i've no doubt you boys could find somebody that won't be invited anywhere. thanksgiving is such a cheerless place in a boarding house! if we ask a few young people in for a party in the evening, it will liven things up a bit for them, and i think it will be pretty good fun for us, don't you?" in the end polly had her way, and just a week before thanksgiving, she sent invitations to three girls and to two boys whom rupert and harry suggested. polly searched the shops for a card of two-eyed white buttons of the size of ten cent pieces. she carefully sewed a button on the upper part of a correspondence card, added eyebrows, nose and mouth with india ink, copied a body and cap from palmer cox's "brownie book," painted the drawing brown, and behold, a saucy brownie grinned at her from the invitation. underneath the picture, she carefully printed a jingle. "this thanksgiving brownie brings a message so gay, to visit our house on thanksgiving day, to help celebrate with all kinds of good cheer the 'feast of the harvest' at the end of the year." the boys took a walk into the country on thanksgiving morning and came laden with sprays of high-bush cranberries. these, with the bunches of chrysanthemums which they bought, and polly's fern and palm, gave the small living room a festive appearance. assisted by her brothers, polly served the dinner early. after clearing the dining room table, she placed a pumpkin jack-o-lantern in the center, and arranged around it piles of apples, grapes, and oranges. after the guests had been introduced to each other, polly passed each one a paper plate containing a picture, cut and jumbled into small pieces, and a tiny paper of paste and a toothpick. each girl and boy was asked to put the "pi" together and paste it on the inside of the plate. when arranged, the pictures were found to be of thanksgiving flavor. "priscilla at the wheel," "the pilgrims going to church," "the first thanksgiving," and others of the same type. to the person making his "pi" first a small and delicious mince pie was awarded. pencils and paper were then passed. on one slip was written, "what i have to be thankful for," on the other, "why i am thankful for it." the slips were collected, mixed up, and distributed again. each guest was asked to read the first slip handed him with the answer. the result caused much laughter. this was followed by a modification of the famous "donkey game." polly had painted a huge picture of a bronze turkey, but minus the tail, and this was pinned to the wall. real turkey feathers with pins carefully thrust through the quills were handed about, and each guest was blindfolded and turned about in turn. to the one who successfully pinned a feather in the tail was given a turkey-shaped box of candy, and the consolation prize was a copy of "chicken-licken." a pumpkin-hunt came next. tiny yellow and green cardboard pumpkins were concealed about the apartment. the yellow pumpkins counted five and the green two points. at the end of the search a small pumpkin scooped out, and filled with small maple sugar hearts, was presented to the guest having the highest score, and a toy book of, "peter, peter, pumpkin eater" was awarded to the unfortunate holding the lowest score. polly had determined to keep the refreshments very simple. the day before thanksgiving she made an easy salad dressing by beating two eggs, adding one-half a cup of cider vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one teaspoonful of mustard and one-half a teaspoonful of salt, and a tablespoonful of melted butter. she placed the ingredients in a bowl, set in a dish of water on the front of the stove, and when they thickened she removed it from the fire and thinned with cream. to make sandwiches, she mixed the dressing with minced turkey, added half a fine-chopped pepper, and spread the mixture between dainty slices of bread. the sugared doughnuts she made by beating two eggs, adding one cup of sugar, one cup of sour milk, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter and flour, sifted with one-half a teaspoonful of soda and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, to make the mixture thick enough to roll without sticking to the moulding board. they were cut with a small cutter, fried in deep, hot fat, and sugared plentifully. rupert contributed "corn popped in a kettle." a large spoonful of lard and a teaspoonful of salt were placed in the bottom of a large kettle over a hot fire. a cup of shelled popcorn was added and stirred briskly with a mixing spoon. when the kernels began to pop, the kettle was covered and shaken rapidly, back and forth, until filled with fluffy, white popcorn. with the fruit and "grape-juice lemonade," the sandwiches, doughnuts and popcorn made a pleasing "spread," polly felt. she served everything on paper plates and used paper napkins, decorated with thanksgiving designs. to make a tiny house oh, little house, if thou a home would'st be teach me thy lore, be all in all to me. show me the way to find the charm that lies in every humble rite and daily task within thy walls. then not alone for thee, but for the universe itself, shall i have lived and glorified my home. _ruth merton._ home ideas and economies contributions to this department will be gladly received. accepted items will be paid for at reasonable rates. vegetable tarts and pies elizabeth goose of boston bestowed a great blessing upon american posterity when she induced her good man, thomas fleet, to publish, in , "the mother goose melodies," many of which rhymes dated back to a similar publication printed in london two hundred years before. is it strange that, with this ancestral nursery training, the cry against the use of pastry goes unheeded, when as children, we, too, have sung to us, over and over, the songs of tarts and pies? the word tart comes from the latin word _tortus_, because tarts were originally in twisted shapes, and every country seems to have adopted them into their national menus. that they were toothsome in those early days is shown in these same nursery rhymes, and, that tarts seemed to have been relished by royalty and considered worthy of theft is evinced in the rhymes, "the queen of hearts she made some tarts." and, "little king boggen he built a fine hall, pie-crust and pastry-crust that was the wall." again this ancient lore speaks of "five and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie," and, too, there was that child wonder, "little jack horner" who, with the same unerring instinct of a water wizard with a willow twig, could, by the sole means of his thumb, locate and extricate, upon the tip of the same, a plum from the christmas pie. american tarts and pies are in a class of their own. pies were very closely allied to pioneer, and the colonial housewife of early days was forced to concoct fillings out of sweetened vegetables, such as squash, sweet potatoes, and even some were made of vinegar. yet the children still doted on these tempting tarts, pies and turnovers, for were they not trotted in babyhood on a "cock horse to banbury cross, to see what tommy can buy: a penny white loaf, a penny white cake, and a two-penny apple pie." the next time you have a few varieties of vegetables left over, or wish a dainty luncheon side dish, try making a tray of vegetable tarts with various fillings, and they will prove as fascinating to choose from as a tray of french pastries. while i have worked out these modern recipes in tempting ways of serving left-overs using common vegetables, i will lay all pastry honors to our fore-mothers, who passed on to us the art of pie-making. proof as to the harmlessness of pies in diet is shown in the fine constitution of our american doughboy, who is certainly a great credit to the heritage of pastry handed down by the daughters of the american revolution. the moral of this discourse is that, "the child is father of the man," and men dote on pies. potato tarts à la gratin line round muffin pans with pastry circles as for other preserve tarts, and fill with the following: dice cold-boiled potatoes, season with salt and pepper, moisten with white sauce, made of two tablespoonfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of lard, one cup of milk, one-half a teaspoonful salt. mix with this grated cheese. fill the shells and sprinkle grated cheese on top. bake a light brown. baked onion dumplings parboil medium-sized onions in salted water. cut half way down in quarters, add salt, butter, and pepper. place each on a square of biscuit dough or pastry, rolled thin. bring together opposite corners, twist, and place in a moderate oven to bake the onion tender. serve with white sauce. fresh tomato tart salad with a round cooky cutter make rounds of pastry. cut an equal number with the doughnut cutter. prick, sprinkle lightly with grated cheese and bake a light brown. place a plain shell on a crisp lettuce leaf, add a slice of tomato, not larger, on top. then pour on a little mayonnaise and place on top the tart shell with a hole in the center. serve at once. green tomato mince pie one peck of green tomatoes, put through a food chopper. boil, drain and add as much water as juice drained out. scald and drain again. add water as before, scald and redrain. this time add half as much water, then the following:-- pounds brown sugar pounds raisins tablespoonfuls nutmeg tablespoonfuls cinnamon tablespoonfuls cloves tablespoonfuls allspice tablespoonfuls salt boil all together, and add one cup of vinegar. cook till thick as desired. put in jars and seal. to one pint of this mixture add one cup of chopped apple and the juice and rind, grated or ground. sweeten to taste, fill crust and bake as the usual mince pie. evaporated apples may be used, but grind before soaking and do not cook. these pies will not harm children, and are very inexpensive, as compared to those made of mincemeat. plum tomato preserves turnovers make a circle as big as a saucer, or a square equal in area. fill the center with plum tomato preserve and fold over matching edges, either as a half circle, or a triangle. prick and bake. turnovers are especially ideal as pies for fitting into lunch boxes, and may be made of any sweetened vegetable preserve for school lunches. king cabbage tarts use cabbage, which has been boiled in salted water and seasoned with salt and pepper to taste. make a white sauce and pour over, mixing well with the cabbage. fill round muffin pans lined with pastry circles, sprinkle with cheese over the top and bake. carrots may be used the same way, omitting the cheese and using latticed strips of pastry over the top. these will be hardly recognizable as such common vegetables. m. k. s. new ways of using milk while probably the best way of using milk is to drink it in its raw or pasteurized state, many children and adults will not use it in that form. in that case, the problem is to disguise or flavor the milk in some way so that the food value will not be changed or destroyed, and yet be more palatable than the natural product. it has been found that children will drink flavored, sweetened milk when they will simply not touch pure milk. in order to demonstrate how universal the craving for sweetened, cold drinks has become, and how easy it is for the milkmen to cater to this demand, prof. j. l. sammis of the wisconsin college of agriculture conducted a booth at the wisconsin state fair and dispensed milk in twenty-five new, pleasing, and attractive ways over a soda fountain. thousands of these milk drinks were consumed, and a report from a tennessee county fair also revealed that , similar drinks were sold there by an enterprising dairyman. there is nothing elaborate about the proposition. if these drinks are to be prepared in the home, and the whole question is largely one of increasing the home consumption of milk, professor sammis declares: "take any flavor that happens to be on the pantry shelf, put a little in a glass, add sugar to taste, fill the glass with milk, and put in some ice. that is all there is to it. be sure that the milk is drank very cold, when it is most palatable. vanilla is a very good flavor." it is not even necessary that whole milk be used, as condensed milk will do very well. simply dilute the condensed milk with an equal volume of water, and use as whole milk. condensed milk, however, has a cooked flavor found objectionable by many, and, in that case, a suitable substitute is powdered milk, which has no such cooked flavor. to prepare a powdered milk drink, put the flavor into the receptacle first, then the sugar, and then the powdered milk with a little water. beat the powdered milk with an egg beater until it is wet through, and then add the rest of the water, finishing with the ice. by adding fruit colors these various milk drinks can be given a changed external appearance, and wise is the mother who will prepare them often when her children show an inclination not to drink enough milk. served at the table, they attract every member of the family. these milk drinks are no more expensive than many of the more watery and less useful compounds, so often substituted. soda fountains might well consider these various forms of sweetened and flavored milk to attract new trade. at the fountains the various flavoring syrups would naturally be used, and no sugar is necessary. and instead of clear water, carbonated water is used. the variety of these drinks is limited only by the ingenuity of the dispenser. w. a. f. old new england sweetmeats crab-apple dainty wash seven pounds of fruit and let boil with a little water until soft enough to press through a colander. add three pounds of sugar, three pints of vinegar, and cloves and cinnamon to taste, and let the mixture boil, slowly, until it is thick and jelly-like. pumpkin preserve pare a medium-sized pumpkin and cut into inch cubes. let steam until tender, but not broken. or cut the pumpkin into large pieces and let steam a short time and then cut the cubes. prepare a syrup of sugar and water, about three pounds of sugar and a pint-and-a-half of water, in which simmer the juice and rind (cut into strips) of two lemons. drop the pumpkin cubes into the syrup and let simmer, carefully, until the pumpkin is translucent. dip out the pumpkin and pack in ordinary preserve jars; pour over the syrup and lemon and close the jars. s. a. r. * * * * * apple-orange marmalade take seven pounds of apples, all green, if possible; wash and remove any imperfections, also the blossom and stem. cut, but do not core nor peel. cut in very small pieces. three oranges; wash and remove peel, which put through finest knife of food-chopper, after discarding the inner white peeling, also seeds. put the apple on to boil, adding water till it shows among the fruit, and boil to quite soft; mash fine and put in jelly bag to drain over night. boil the juice with the orange pulp, cut in very small pieces; add the orange peel and cook for twenty minutes, or till the orange is cooked. add five ( ) pounds of granulated sugar and let boil until a little in a cold saucer will jell. this recipe has never been in print to my knowledge and will prove very satisfactory to the majority of people. b. f. b. queries and answers this department is for the benefit and free use of our subscribers. questions relating to recipes and those pertaining to culinary science and domestic economics in general, will be cheerfully answered by the editor. communications for this department must reach us before the first of the month preceding that in which the answers are expected to appear. in letters requesting answers by mail, please enclose address and stamped envelope. address queries to janet m. hill, editor. american cookery, columbus ave., boston, mass. query no. .--"i wish you would let me have a good recipe for caramel icing, the kind that does not call for the whites of eggs." caramel icing add two cups and one-half of dark brown sugar to three-fourths a cup of milk, and let boil thirteen minutes. when nearly done add three tablespoonfuls of butter and one teaspoonful of vanilla. beat until nearly cold, then spread on top of cake. it may also be used between the layers. if a sugar thermometer be used, the syrup should be boiled to the soft-ball stage, or between deg. fah. to deg. fah. query no. .--"please let me have a recipe for spiced pineapple." spiced pineapple weigh six pounds of pineapple, after paring, coring, and cutting in rather small pieces. cook in a porcelain kettle with three cups of the best white vinegar, until the pineapple is softened, keeping the kettle closely covered, and turning the fruit once in a while so that the pieces may be equally exposed to the action of the vinegar. tie in cheesecloth or netting one ounce, each, of whole cloves, previously bruised, and stick cinnamon, broken into small pieces; add these to the kettle with five pounds of granulated sugar, and let cook until the mixture is of the consistency of marmalade, being careful to avoid burning. the spices may be removed as soon as they have given the flavor desired. query no. .--"will you kindly answer the following in your department of queries and answers? should boiled potatoes be started in cold or boiling water? should corn on the cob be put on in cold water and allowed to simmer for several minutes after it comes to a boil, or be put on in boiling water and boiled five minutes? should chicken, turkey, or other fowl be covered during roasting? can you give a clear and up-to-date article on correct table service?" to boil potatoes very young, new potatoes--the kind hardly bigger than walnuts, should be put on in cold water and brought quickly to a boil, for potatoes so young as to be immature contain more or less of a bitter principle, which is desirable to get rid of in the cooking. potatoes in their prime, as from september to march, are best put on in boiling, salted water. later in the spring, when the potatoes begin to sprout and shrivel they ought to be put on in cold water and brought, as slowly as possible, to a boil, or allowed to stand in cold water for some hours before cooking. to boil corn it is usually preferred to put on the corn in cold water, bring to a boil, and let simmer until done. but to steam the ears will give, in our opinion, the best results. should chicken be covered while roasting? decidedly not; it spoils the flavor not only of chicken and turkey, but of any prime joint of meat to bake it in a covered pan. the covered pan is properly used for braising only, for the tough cuts which have to be braised call for the combination of baking and steaming which results from the covered pan. all kinds of poultry, and all prime joints of meat should be placed on a rack in an uncovered roasting pan, put into a very hot oven for the first ten or fifteen minutes, and then have one or two cups of water poured over them, mixed with fat if the meat is lean, this water to be used for basting every ten or fifteen minutes. the rack in the pan serves both to allow a circulation of air around the meat, and to keep it from touching the water. it is this circulation of air that gives the fine flavor of the properly roasted meat, and the frequent opening of the oven door for the basting serves to supply the fresh air needed for the best results. instructions on table service the up-to-date waitress, by janet m. hill, or breakfasts, luncheons, and dinners, by mary d. chambers, both contain clear and up-to-date directions for table service. we can supply these books if you wish to have either of them. query no. .--"will you tell me in your paper why my lemon pies become watery when i return them to the oven to brown the meringue? also give me some suggestions for desserts for summertime, other than frozen dishes." why lemon pies become watery a lemon pie may become watery when put in the oven to brown the meringue, if it be left in the oven too long; or it may water because the filling was not sufficiently cooked before putting into the pastry shell; or it may be from an insufficiency of flour being used in making the filling. if you had told us just how your pies are made, we would be better able to solve your problem. in future we hope to answer queries as soon as they reach us, and by direct reply to each individual questioner; but up to the present we have answered most of them in this department of the magazine, and since it takes two or three months to get the manuscript into print many of the questions are answered too late. so it happens with your inquiry regarding desserts for summertime. any of the cold desserts, such as gelatines, custards, blancmanges, or fresh fruits with cream, are suitable for summer and are easily prepared. query no. .--"will you oblige me by an answer to the following in the pages of american cookery? how shall i make tartare sauce? what should be the temperature of the fat for french fried potatoes or for potato chips? mine are never crisp, can you tell me why? also tell me how to broil fish, how to make a good cream dressing for fish, meat, or croquettes, and how to make soft gingerbread with a sauce to put over it." tartare sauce a tartare sauce or sauce tartare is merely a mayonnaise dressing with pickles chopped into it, a tablespoonful, each, or more, of chopped cucumber, cauliflower, and olives, with a tablespoonful of capers and two teaspoonfuls of red pepper to a pint of the mayonnaise. there is, however, a hot tartare sauce which is made by adding to one cup of thick white sauce the following ingredients: one tablespoonful, each, of chives, parsley, pickled gherkins, olives, and capers, all put through the food chopper. stir into the white sauce; heat while stirring constantly, but do not allow the mixture to boil, and add one tablespoonful of vinegar just before serving. crisp fried potatoes we think your trouble is not so much the temperature of the fat, which should be about deg. to deg. fah., as it is that potatoes, to be crisped by deep frying, should first be soaked in cold water for twenty to thirty minutes, then dried perfectly before immersing in the fat. also, they should be removed from the fat the moment they are done, and drained dry. to broil fish wipe the fish dry, and brush it lightly with oil or melted butter. place it in a double wire broiler, and cook over a clear fire, turning every other minute until both sides are a light, even brown. remove carefully from the broiler, using a sharp boning knife to free it from adhesions. if the fish is thoroughly oiled, it should not adhere to the broiler. cream sauce blend together butter and flour, and add to hot milk; keep stirring until the whole has boiled for at least one minute. add seasonings to taste, at the beginning of cooking. the proportions for a thin, a medium, and a thick sauce are, respectively: one, two, and four tablespoonfuls of flour to one cup of milk. and an equal volume of butter, or one-third less than the flour, is called for. soft gingerbread to two beaten eggs in a mixing-bowl add two tablespoonfuls of butter, melted, three-eighths a cup of sour milk, and one cup of molasses. beat all together; add two cups of flour, sifted with one-half a teaspoonful of salt and one teaspoonful of baking powder, and one tablespoonful of ginger. lastly, add one teaspoonful of baking soda, dissolved in two teaspoonfuls of water. bake in a sheet, and serve with whipped cream for a simple dessert. query no. .--"can you give me a recipe for deep-dish apple pie? it has a thick top covering, i cannot call it a crust, for it is something between a cake and a biscuit dough--not at all like pie crust." deep-dish apple pie this is the genuine english apple pie--they would call ours an apple tart. it is made in oval baking-dishes of thick yellow ware, about two and one-half or three inches deep, and with flat rims an inch in width. the first thing to do is to invert a teacup--preferably one without a handle--in the bottom of the dish, then core and pare sour, juicy apples--any number, from six to a dozen, depending on the size of the family and the dish--and divide them in eighths. arrange these in alternate layers with sugar in the dish, with a generous sprinkling of whole cloves over each layer, and pile, layer on layer, until not another bit of apple can go in anywhere without toppling out. the apples are piled up as high again as the depth of the dish, or higher. now lay over all a very rich biscuit dough, lightly rolled out to one-fourth inch in thickness. decorate this with leaves, or other cut-out designs, and arrange them over the covering and moisten the under sides with water, to make them adhere during the baking. place long strips of the dough over the brim of the pie-dish, and press with the bowl of a spoon in concentric designs. bake in a moderate oven for an hour. pieces of the crust are cut off for serving, and spoonfuls of the apple pulp are served with them on the plate, then, as soon as convenient the inverted cup is removed, and the rich liquid collected under it is spooned over each serving of crust and apples. query no. .--"i wish very much to know the right temperature for baking both layer and loaf, white, butter cakes, also for chocolate cake. should the baking begin with a cold or a warm oven? how long should each kind of cake bake?" temperature for cake baking the usual time and temperature for baking layer cakes is deg. fah., for twenty minutes. loaf cakes, made with butter, with or without chocolate, take a temperature of from deg. to deg, fah. for from forty minutes to an hour. these temperatures are approximate, and are in accordance with the general rules for oven temperature, but this has to be adapted to the recipe. the more sugar used the lower should be the temperature, to avoid burning, and especially when molasses is used does the need to decrease temperature become imperative. the more butter used the higher should be the temperature, at least, until the cake is "set," to keep it from falling. cakes with much butter need the greatest heat at first, and then a reduced temperature. so do all cakes of small size. large cakes are better at a uniform temperature, not so high as the average. a different flavor is produced, especially in very rich cakes with a good many eggs, when put into a cool oven and baked with gradually increasing heat, from that developed by a high initial temperature and then a decreased heat. the quality of the flour and shortening also affect the temperature and time needed in baking. it is a good safe thing to follow the rules, and to temper them with judgment. when the cake is just firm in the center, and has shrunk from the sides of the pan, it is done, no matter what the temperature has been or how long it has baked. but you will always get your cake at this condition, more surely and safely, by following the rules, though you must be on the alert to use them with flexibility. query no. .--"will you please give me a recipe for canned pimientoes?" canned pimientoes cut round the stem of each, and with a small, sharp knife remove the seeds and the white partitions inside. set on a baking sheet in a hot oven until the thin outside skin puffs and cracks, then remove it with a small, sharp knife. or they may be scalded, then dipped into cold water and the skin be carefully removed. sometimes the skin is left on. now press each one flat, and arrange them in layers, alternately overlapping one another, in the jars, without liquid, and process for twenty-five to thirty-five minutes at deg. fah. during the processing a thick liquid should exude, covering the pimientoes. query no. .--"i should like a recipe for new york ice cream." classes of ice cream there are three distinct classes of ice cream: the philadelphia, which is supposed to be made of heavy cream; the french, which is made with eggs on a soft custard foundation; and the so-called american, which is made on the foundation of a thin white sauce. all three classes are made in new york, and in every other large city, but we have never heard that any special recipe for ice cream is peculiar to new york. the less expensive forms of cream, in that and every other city, are those based on a thin white sauce, sweetened, flavored, and frozen. * * * * * [illustration: housewives the nation over will be enthusiastic over the appointment of mrs. belle degraf as domestic science director of the california prune and apricot growers. mrs. degraf enjoys a countrywide reputation as a home-cooking expert and as an authority on food values.] =_i never knew what prunes and apricots could do until--_= i came to analyze the flavor-and-health values of these two fruit-foods. at first their use seemed rather limited but with each new dish others immediately suggested themselves. the chief nutritive element in both prunes and apricots, of course, is fruit sugar. but you derive great value, too, from their mineral salts and organic acids. these improve the quality of the blood and counteract the acid-elements in meat, eggs, cereals and other high-protein foods. also, they are rich in tonic iron and other mineral and vitamine elements needed for body tone. nor should i forget to mention that prunes especially provide a natural laxative made in nature's own pharmacy. but aside from these essential health values, i found that sunsweet prunes and apricots offer wonderful possibilities--varying from the most delicate soufflé to the more substantial cobbler, pie or pudding. --_belle degraf_ the new sunsweet recipe packet--edited by mrs. belle degraf--will be nothing less than a revelation to you. the recipes are printed on _gummed slips_ [ × "] for easy pasting in your cook book. and it's free! california prune & apricot growers inc., market st., san jose, cal. sunsweet california's nature-flavored prunes & apricots * * * * * [illustration] another mystery cake can you name it? the first royal mystery cake contest created a countrywide sensation. here is another cake even more wonderful. who can give it a name that will do justice to its unusual qualities? this cake can be made just right only with royal baking powder. will you make it and name it? $ for the best names for the name selected as best, we will pay $ . for the second, third, fourth, and fifth choice, we will pay $ , $ , $ , and $ respectively. anyone may enter the contest, but only one name from each person will be considered. all names must be received by december th. in case of ties, the full amount of the prize will be given to each tying contestant. do not send your cake. simply send the name you suggest with your own name and address, to the royal baking powder co: william street, new york how to make it use level measurements for all materials / cup shortening - / cups sugar grated rind of / orange egg and yolk - / cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoons royal baking powder cup milk - / squares ( - / ozs.) of unsweetened chocolate (melted) cream shortening, add sugar and grated orange rind. add beaten egg yolks. sift together flour, salt and royal baking powder and add alternately with the milk; lastly fold in one beaten egg white. divide batter into two parts. to one part add the chocolate. put by tablespoonfuls, alternating dark and light batter, into three greased layer cake pans. bake in moderate oven min. filling and icing tablespoons melted butter cups confectioner's sugar squares ( ozs.) unsweetened chocolate tablespoons orange juice egg white grated rind of / orange and pulp of orange put butter, sugar, orange juice and rind into bowl. cut pulp from orange, removing skin and seeds, and add. beat all together until smooth. fold in beaten egg white. spread this icing on layer used for top of cake. while icing is soft, sprinkle with unsweetened chocolate shaved in fine pieces with sharp knife (use / square). to remaining icing add - / squares unsweetened chocolate which has been melted, spread this thickly between layers and on sides of cake. [illustration] * * * * * [illustration] "holds like daddy's" not only that, but it is made with the _same care_ and of the same _quality_ as daddy's. [illustration] =the baby midget velvet grip hose supporter= has taken the place of all makeshifts ever known for holding up baby's tiny socks--equipped with that exclusive feature found only on velvet grip garters for "grown-ups"--namely the =all-rubber oblong button= _sold everywhere or sent postpaid_ =lisle cents= =silk cents= =george frost company tremont st., boston= makers of the famous =boston garter for men= * * * * * it was the custom of the congregation to repeat the twenty-third psalm in concert, and mrs. armstrong's habit was to keep about a dozen words ahead all the way through. a stranger was asking one day about mrs. armstrong. "who," he inquired, "was the lady who was already by the still waters while the rest of us were lying down in green pastures?" _metropolitan._ * * * * * [illustration: the finest relish with beef as well as poultry nature's own condiment--the tonic tang of health-giving cranberries gives zest to the appetite, and a piquant flavor to meats--hot or cold. when cooked with pot-roast or cheaper cuts of meats cranberries make the meat tender and delicious. (see recipe folder for this and other recipes.) =_ lbs. cranberries and - / lbs. of sugar make tumblers of beautiful clear jelly. try this recipe:--_= cranberry jelly cook until soft the desired quantity of cranberries with - / pints of water for each two quarts of berries. strain the juice through a jelly bag. measure the juice and heat it to the boiling point. add one cup of sugar for every two cups of juice; stir until the sugar is dissolved; boil briskly for five minutes; skim, and pour into glass tumblers, porcelain or crockery molds. always cook cranberries in porcelain-lined, enameled or aluminum utensils. a recipe folder, containing many ways to use and preserve cranberries will be sent free on request. =_for quality and economy specify "eatmor" cranberries_= =american cranberry exchange, west broadway, new york city=] * * * * * "choisa" orange pekoe ceylon tea [illustration] pre-war prices -lb. cartons, cents / -lb. cartons, cents pre-war quality we invite comparison with any tea selling under $ . a pound s. s. pierce co. boston brookline * * * * * baked apples with marshmallows [illustration] apples / cup boiling water / box campfire marshmallows tablespoon butter wipe apples, remove core, cut through skin half way down to make points and place in baking dish. reserve six campfire marshmallows, cut remainder in pieces and put in center of apples. put bits of butter on top. surround apples with water and bake in hot oven until soft, basting frequently. be very careful that they do not lose their shape. remove from oven, put a whole marshmallow in the top of each apple, and return to oven until slightly brown. surround with the syrup from the pan and serve hot or cold with cream. _recipes on each package_ the big oz. package campfire marshmallows _beautiful recipe book free_ dept. a, the campfire co., milwaukee, wis. * * * * * [illustration: baker's fresh grated coconut in pure coconut milk _... and cook says there's a secret behind the flavor_ baker's coconut has that tempting flavor of the ripe coconut fresh from the tropics. you'll note its goodness the very first time you try it. you'll realize, too, that coconut is real food, delicious and nourishing--as well as a garnish for other foods. there is a secret behind the wonderful flavor of baker's. see if you can find it in the can. _=in the can:=_--baker's fresh grated coconut--canned in it's own milk. _=in the package:=_--baker's dry shred coconut--sugar-cured--for those who prefer the old-fashioned kind. have you a copy of the baker recipe booklet? if not write for it now--it's free. the franklin baker company, philadelphia, pa. baker's coconut first for flavor] * * * * * delicious and sustaining diabetic foods quickly made with hepco flour rich in protein and fat contains practically no starch _twenty cents brings a general sample_ thompson's malted food company river drive waukesha, wisconsin * * * * * service table wagon [illustration: large broad wide table top--removable glass service tray--double drawer--double handles--large deep undershelves--"scientifically silent"--rubber tired swivel wheels. a high grade piece of furniture surpassing anything yet attempted for general utility, ease of action, and absolute noiselessness. write now for descriptive pamphlet and dealer's name. combination products co. cunard bldg., chicago, ill. it serves your home & saves your time] * * * * * domestic science home-study courses food, health, housekeeping, clothing, children. _for homemakers and mothers; professional courses for teachers, dietitians, institution managers, demonstrators, nurses, tea room managers, caterers, "cooking for profit," etc._ "the profession of home-making," page handbook, _free_. bulletins: "free-hand cooking," "food values," "ten-cent meals," "family finance," "art of spending"-- c ea. =american school of home economics= =(chartered in ) w. th st., chicago, ill.= * * * * * dress designing lessons free women--girls-- or over, can easily learn dress and costume designing during their spare moments in ten weeks =dress and costume designers frequently earn= =$ to $ a week= =many start parlors in their own homes= every woman who now does plain sewing should take up designing hundreds learn millinery by mail cut and mail to franklin institute, dept. r rochester, n.y. send me at once free sample lessons in the subject here checked. __=dress designing= __=millinery= name ................................... address .................................. [illustration] * * * * * mrs. knox's page household discoveries with gelatine housekeepers everywhere are constantly sending me new and unusual uses for gelatine. these hints are so interesting that i am giving as many as possible here, together with one of my own gelatine specialties. if you, too, have discovered some new use for knox gelatine, send it to me that i may publish it on this page. a delicious thanksgiving dessert envelope knox sparkling gelatine / cup cold water white of egg teaspoonful vanilla cup maple syrup cups cream / pound nut meats, chopped / teaspoonful salt soften the gelatine in the cold water ten minutes and dissolve over hot water. heat the maple syrup and pour on the beaten white of the egg, beating until very light. beat in the gelatine and, when cool, fold in the cream, beating well, and add vanilla, salt and nut meats. line mold with lady fingers or slices of stale sponge cake. turn in the cream and chill. _=for after-dinner candies, try knox gelatine mints=_ fruit juices, from canned or "put-up" fruits, need not be served with the fruit but poured off, saved and made into knox gelatine desserts and salads. the juice from canned strawberries, loganberries, or blackberries makes a most delicious jelly when combined with knox gelatine, or with nuts, cheese and lettuce, a delightful fruit salad. canned apricot juice, jellied with spices and grated orange rind, makes an appetizing relish for meat or fish. canned pineapple juice, molded with sliced tomatoes or cucumbers, makes a most unusual jellied salad. in these fruit juice desserts and salads, use one level tablespoonful knox gelatine for every two cups of juice, or two level teaspoonfuls to a cup of liquid. first soften gelatine in cold water and add fruit juice, heated sufficiently to dissolve gelatine. pour into wet molds and chill. bread crumbs, rice and nuts, combined with knox gelatine, make a nutritious "vegetarian nut loaf." this may be used in place of meat and is appropriate for a simple home luncheon or dinner. see detailed recipe, page , of the knox booklet, "food economy." =many gelatine discoveries in knox booklets= there are many additional uses for gelatine in my recipe booklets, "dainty desserts" and "food economy," which contain recipes for salads, desserts, meat and fish molds, relishes, candies, and invalid dishes. they will be sent free for cents in stamps and your grocer's name. * * * * * any domestic science teacher can have sufficient gelatine for her class, if she will write me on school stationery, stating quantity and when needed. * * * * * ="wherever a recipe calls for gelatine--think of knox"= mrs charles b. knox knox gelatine = knox avenue= =johnstown, n. y.= [illustration] [illustration] * * * * * buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes * * * * * [illustration: a delicious and sustaining breakfast all the wholesome, nutritious food elements of wheat and malt are combined in malt breakfast food with cream or milk, it makes a healthful, substantial morning meal for the whole family. at grocers,--in the blue and yellow package with the little dutch girl on it. try it--tomorrow the malted cereals co. burlington, vermont] * * * * * [illustration: delisco the most delicious substitute for coffee drinkers _endorsed by physicians and professor allyn of westfield_ soothes the nerves, equals in taste and aroma the choicest grades of coffee, without the caffeine effects -------------------------------- | delisco contains % protein | -------------------------------- for children, adults and invalids at your grocer's-- cup pkg.-- c by parcel post prepaid: package c; packages $ . sawyer crystal blue co. sole selling agents broad street, boston, mass. -local agents wanted-] * * * * * mother: "no, bobbie, i can't allow you to play with that little kim boy. he might have a bad influence over you." bobbie: "but, mother, can i play with him for the good influence i might have over him?"--_new york globe._ * * * * * [illustration: hebe some hebe suggestions tomato puree chicken pattie veal fricassee salad dressings doughnuts waffles pumpkin pie puddings try this recipe for gingerbread--delicious and economical cups flour / teaspoon salt teaspoon ginger / teaspoon soda / teaspoon mace egg beaten / cup hebe diluted with tablespoons water cup seedless raisins / cup brown sugar / cup butter / cup corn syrup / cup molasses sift flour, salt, soda and spices into bowl. melt together hebe, water, sugar, butter, syrup and molasses. cool slightly and add to dry ingredients with egg and raisins. turn into greased and floured cake tin and bake in moderate oven for an hour. you'll love gingerbread made this way. it's a good wholesome food and an always welcome dessert. hebe gives it that good rich flavor and the fine texture that makes it melt in your mouth--and hebe adds nutriment too. hebe is pure skimmed milk evaporated to double strength enriched with cocoanut fat. in cooking it serves a threefold purpose--to moisten, to shorten and to enrich. _order hebe today from your grocer and write to us for the free hebe book of recipes. address consumers building, chicago_ the hebe company chicago seattle * * * * * [illustration: "win-a-spin" tops fortune may smile on the winner. white for fame, pink for gold and blue for happiness. the longest spinner is the winner. box of tops, _ c. postpaid_. (ask for no. .) our catalog shows hundreds of novel, inexpensive gifts for young and old. send for a copy today and make your christmas shopping a pleasure. see the _pohlson_ things in stores and gift shops. look for the pohlson seal of distinction. pohlson gift shop pawtucket, r. i.] * * * * * [illustration: shurdone _cake and muffin tester_ convenient, sanitary and hygienic year's supply for a dime. send c. (stamps or coin) to percy h. howard central square cambridge, mass.] * * * * * _we wish the following back numbers of_ american cookery june may december june november march and will remit one dollar to any one sending us the above set of six numbers (_we desire only complete sets of numbers_) the boston cooking school magazine co. boston, mass. * * * * * salad secrets recipes. brief but complete. c by mail. meatless recipes c. sandwich recipes c. all three c. b. r. briggs, madison st., brooklyn, n. y. * * * * * "ten-cent meals" meals with receipts and directions for preparing each. pp. c. am. school of home economics, w. th st., chicago the silver lining it's only old pot liquor, after all respectfully dedicated to the eminent scientist, dr. h. barringer cox southerners have been rather amused to read lately that the favorite dish of the children and the colored people, "pot liquor," that is the liquid in which turnip greens, beans, etc., with bacon, have been boiled, has now been pronounced a most valuable food by scientists. "pot liquor" is usually eaten with "corn pone," that is, plain corn bread. i feel advanced and erudite, because i recently did read where skilful scientist did write a column full of learned "feed." oh, it was all about such things as "vitamines" and kindred terms; i read and read how some food brings eviction to the naughty germs. i read of how we all should eat the "essence" strong of turnip greens, and oh, he showed in language meet for science that he did "know beans." my head did almost ache with weight of all the learning i obtained; and when i read, through language great, i marvelled at the knowledge gained. black "mammy" would have never known a germ. alas! that she has died before her nurslings' feast, "corn pone" in juice of greens was glorified. please, mr, scientist, so wise, since you "pot liquor" do so raise to nth degree, nutrition size, send us another screed to praise in learned phrase, "pot liquor's" true and constant partner, good "'corn pone"; oh, we "down south" do beg of you leave not our childhood's friend alone; but drop in scientific stew-- of course in language hard to read-- a "corn pone hunk"--we promise you a noble, satisfying "feed." then honorable mention take our "side meat," then such generous share, such unction and such healing make as "inner consciousness" should bear. in earlier days we only knew "pot liquor" and we did not bow to "vitamines," alas! 'tis true, bacon, a real aristocrat is now. * * * * * here are some of--mrs. rorer's standard books of peculiar interest just at this time: home candy making has an appealing sound. the idea of making candy is enticing. and here are ways easily understood for making all sorts of delicious confections. the directions are plain and easily followed. =bound in cloth, cents; by mail, cents= cakes, icings and fillings this is another book that has an appeal. every housewife has pride in her knowledge of cake making, or at least likes to have them for her home and her guests. well, here are recipes in abundance. =bound in cloth, $ . ; by mail, $ . = key to simple cookery a new-plan cook book. its simplicity will commend it to housewives, for it saves time, worry and expense. by the way, there is also the layout of a model kitchen, illustrated, that will save many steps in the daily work. =bound in cloth, $ . ; by mail, $ . = dainties contains appetizers, canapes, vegetable and fruit cocktails, cakes, candies, creamed fruits, desserts, frozen puddings, etc. =bound in cloth, $ . ; by mail, $ . = philadelphia cook book a famous cook book, full of all the brightest things in cookery. hundreds of choice recipes, all good, all sure, that have stood the test by thousands of housewives. the beginner can pin her faith on these tried recipes, and the good cook can find lots to interest her. =bound in cloth, $ . ; by mail, $ . = my best recipes mrs. rorer's own selection of the choicest things in every department of cookery, as for instance, best soups, best fish recipes, best ways for meat, best vegetable recipes, and so on through the whole range of table food. =bound in cloth, $ . ; by mail, $ . = for sale by boston cooking-school magazine, co., department and bookstores, or =arnold & company, sansom st., philadelphia= buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes * * * * * [illustration: no. doris brings you ribbon for your lingerie. you'll find her very helpful for one as young as she.] =dainty doris= bringing yards of finely-woven washable silk lingerie tape with bodkin, all ready for running. your choice of pink or blue in delicate shades, c post paid. just one of hundreds of equally attractive things shown in our catalog of gifts for every member of the family and for every gift occasion. select from our catalog and make your christmas shopping a pleasure. send for it today. look for the pohlson things in stores and gift shops of your town. [illustration: pohlson gifts] =pohlson gift shop, pawtucket, r. i.= * * * * * =personal body development= =the correct method of obtaining a perfect figure, overcoming nervousness, constipation, biliousness, flabbiness of flesh and thinness of body.= _=price, $ . . fully guaranteed.=_ =the new ideas co. collins bldg., lima, ohio= * * * * * [illustration: quarts only] =free for days= have you ever wanted to obtain the =cream= from a bottle of =milk=? this =separator= does it =perfectly=. send this ad., your name and address, and we will send one. pay postman cents. use for days; if not entirely =satisfactory= return and we will refund your money. =b. w. j. company, dept. a.c.= = indianola ave., columbus, ohio= * * * * * [illustration] _practical christmas gift_ roberts lightning mixer _beats everything_ beats eggs, whips cream, churns butter, mixes gravies, desserts and dressings, and does the work in a few seconds. blends and mixes malted milk, powdered milk, baby foods and all drinks. simple and strong. saves work--easy to clean. most necessary household article. used by , housewives and endorsed by leading household magazines. if your dealer does not carry this, we will send prepaid quart size $ . , pint size c. far west and south, quart $ . , pint $ . . =recipe book free with mixer.= =national co. cambridge , boston, mass.= * * * * * =a dishwasher for $ . != keeps hands out of the water, no wiping of dishes, saves / the time. consists of special folding dishdrainer, special wire basket, special long-handled brushes. full directions for use. sent prepaid for $ . . full refund if not satisfactory. =am. school of home economics, w. th. st., chicago= oh, so advanced i feel, for i-- no science in my cranium small-- in learned dress, old friend do spy-- it's only our "pot liquor" after all. by m. e. henry-ruffin. * * * * * foreman: "what are you doin' of, james?" bricklayer: "sharpenin' a bit o' pencil." foreman: "you'll 'ave the union after you, me lad. that's a carpenter's job."--_punch._ * * * * * "home-making as a profession" home-making is the greatest of all the professions--greatest in numbers and greatest in its influence on the individual and on society. all industry is conducted for the home, directly or indirectly, but the industries directly allied to the home are vastly important, as the food industries, clothing industries, etc. study of home economics leads directly to many well paid vocations as well as to home efficiency. since the american school of home economics has given home-study courses to over , housekeepers, teachers, and others. the special textbooks have been used for class work in over schools. of late years, courses have been developed fitting for many well paid positions:--institution management, tea room and lunchroom management, teaching of domestic science, home demonstrators, dietitians, nurses, dressmaking, "cooking for profit." home-makers' courses:--complete home economics, household engineering, lessons in cooking, the art of spending. bulletins: free-hand cooking, ten-cent meals, food values, family finance, art of spending, weekly allowance book, _ c. each_. details of any of the courses and interesting -page illustrated handbook, "the profession of home-making" sent on request. american school of home economics, w. th street, chicago. --_adv._ * * * * * [illustration: stickney and poor's spiced poultry seasoning _stickney & poor spice co._ two ounces boston] =thanksgiving time= means company and lots of preparing for the feast =turkey--chicken--roast duck= stuffed with dressing seasoned with =stickney & poor's poultry seasoning= pies pumpkin--squash--mince all seasoned with =stickney & poor's dependable spices= stickney & poor's seasonings have been used by new england housewives in preparing thanksgiving dishes for more than a century. your mother and grandmother learned to depend upon them, and you should, too, because they are always pure, full strength, and of uniform quality. ask your grocer for stickney & poor's seasonings. your co-operating servant, "mustardpot." stickney & poor spice company --century old--century honored-- mustard-spices boston and halifax seasonings-flavorings the national mustard pot * * * * * =just the thing for the hot weather= =gossom's cream soups (in powdered form)= =pure, wholesome, delicious= [illustration: maiden america gossom's pure concentrated soups] quickly and easily prepared. simply add water and boil minutes and you have a delightful soup, of high food value and low cost. one cent package makes pints of soup. these soups do not deteriorate, so may be continually on hand and thus found most convenient. the contents also keep after opening. split pea, green pea, lima, celery, black bean, clam chowder, onion and (mushroom c). sample sent prepaid on receipt of cents, or one dozen for $ . . for sale by leading grocers cents a package, cents in far west. =manufactured by b. f. gossom, washington st., brookline, , mass.= * * * * * ="free-hand cooking"= _cook without recipes!_ a key to cookbooks, correct proportions, time, temperature; thickening, leavening, shortening, fundamental recipes. p. book. cents coin or stamps. =am. school of home economics, w. th street, chicago= * * * * * [illustration: =trade mark registered.= =gluten flour= % gluten guaranteed to comply in all respects to standard requirements of u. s. dept. of agriculture. =manufactured by= =farwell & rhines= =watertown, n. y.=] * * * * * cream whipping made easy and inexpensive cremo-vesco whips thin cream or half heavy cream and milk or top of the milk bottle it whips up as easily as heavy cream and retains its stiffness. every caterer and housekeeper wants cremo-vesco. send for a bottle to-day. * * * * * housekeeper's size, - / oz., . prepaid caterer's size, oz., $ . " (with full directions) cremo-vesco company east rd st., brooklyn, n. y. =pacific coast agents:= =miles mfg. co., - e. nd st., los angeles, cal.= bernard shaw: "say, einie, do you really think you understand yourself?" einstein: "no, bernie--do you?" * * * * * as the sunday-school teacher entered, she saw leaving in great haste a little girl and her smaller brother. "why, mary, you aren't going away?" she exclaimed in surprise. "pleathe, mith anne, we've got to go," was the distressed reply. "jimmy thwallowed hith collection." * * * * * delisco is considered by connoisseurs a most delicious, refreshing and healthful drink. it fully satisfies, by its aroma and flavor, the natural desire of the coffee drinker who has heretofore continued to take coffee because unable to find a satisfactory equivalent. when properly made, experts have been unable to distinguish delisco from the finer grades of coffee.--_adv._ * * * * * =cooking for profit= =by alice bradley= =principal, miss farmer's school of cookery cooking editor, woman's home companion= if you wish to earn money at home through home cooked food and catering--if you would like to own and conduct a food shop, candy kitchen, tea room, cafeteria or lunch room--if you wish to manage a profitable guest house or small hotel, you will be interested in this new correspondence course. it explains just how to prepare food, "good enough to sell"; just what to cook, with many choice recipes; how to establish a reputation and a constant profitable market; how to cater for all occasions, and tells in detail how to establish and conduct successful tea rooms, etc.--how to manage _all_ food service. the expense for equipment is little or nothing at first, the correspondence instruction is under the personal direction of miss bradley which assures your success, the fee for the course is very moderate and may be paid on easy terms. for full details write to american school of home economics, w. th street, chicago.--_adv._ * * * * * =dr. price's vanilla= to know pure, delicate, full-flavored vanilla extract at its very best--try price's vanilla. only the highest quality beans, carefully chosen, are used. perfectly cured and extracted to get the true, pure flavor; this flavor is then aged in wooden casks to bring out all its richness and mellowness. that--and that alone--is price's vanilla. [illustration] [illustration: look for price's tropikid on the label] for nearly seventy years--the quality of price's vanilla has never varied. it is always the best that can be made! insist upon price's from your grocer--don't take a substitute. if he hasn't it in stock, he can easily get it for you! =price flavoring extract company= ="experts in flavor" in business years= =chicago, ill.= * * * * * =white house _coffee_= [illustration] =_for the business man's breakfast_= a steaming cup of _white house coffee_ at the morning meal gives, to most men, just the needed impetus which carries him through a strenuous day and brings to him the successes he strives for. _= - - lb. packages only=_ =dwinell-wright co. boston · chicago= _principal coffee roasters_ * * * * * buy advertised goods--do not accept substitutes * * * * * =no salad is quite so perfect as when served with rose apples= six hundred leading hotels, from bangor to los angeles, are using them. a new sweet pepper used as salad cups, garnishes, etc.--beautiful red--rich, nutty flavor--crisp--tender--melting--juicy. if not on sale in your fancy grocery we will deliver, charges prepaid, east of denver, a case of six full quarts for $ . . each quart will serve to people. try them at your next dinner. your guests will rave. the first expression is: "the lovely things, what are they?" then at the first taste: "how delicious; where can i get them?" if dissatisfied after using one quart, return the remainder at our expense and we will return all money paid. a new book of salads in every case, or sent free on request, with the name of your retail fancy grocer. =kehoe preserving company, terre haute, indiana= * * * * * =french ivory manicure sets= (= pieces=) in black cobra grain, plush lined case. only =$ . =. only a few left =h. l. carroll= =new jersey ave., s. e. washington, d.c.= * * * * * ="where my money goes"= _weekly allowance book_--simple little book pages, small enough for your pocketbook, easily kept; gives classified record of all personal or household expenses, _ cents_. =am. school of home economics, a w. th street, chicago= * * * * * [illustration: wagner cast aluminum utensils are cast, not stamped. being in one solid piece there are no rivets to loosen, no seams to break, no welded parts. wagner cast aluminum ware wears longer and cooks better. the thickness of the metal is the reason--heat is retained and evenly distributed--food does not scorch or burn as is liable in stamped sheet utensils. wagner ware combines durability and superior cooking quality with the most beautiful designs and finish. at best dealer's. _don't ask for aluminum ware, ask for wagner ware_ =the wagner mfg. co.= =dept. sidney, ohio=] * * * * * ="household helpers"= if you could engage an expert cook and an expert housekeeper for only cents a week, with no board or room, you would do it, wouldn't you? of course you would! well, that is all our "two household helpers" will cost you the first year--nothing thereafter, for the rest of your life. have you ever considered how much an hour a day, days a week, days a year is worth to you? many workmen get $ an hour--surely your time is worth cents an hour. we guarantee these "helpers" to save you _at least_ an hour a day, worth say $ . a week. will you invest the cents a week to gain $ weekly? _send the coupon._ and the value our "helpers" give you in courage and inspiration, in peace of mind, in the satisfaction of progress, in health, happiness and the joy of living,--_is above price_. in mere dollars and cents, they will save their cost twelve times a year or more. _send the coupon._ these helpers, "lessons in cooking" and "household engineering," were both prepared as home-study courses, and as such have been tried out and approved by thousands of our members. thus they have the very highest recommendation. nevertheless we are willing to send them in book form, on a week's free trial in your own home. _send the coupon._ in these difficult days you really cannot afford to be without our "helpers." you owe it to yourself and family to give them a fair trial. you cannot realize what great help they will give you till you try them--and the trial costs you nothing! _send no money--send the coupon._ american school of home economics, chicago. =_free trial for one week_= =a.s.h.e.-- w. th street, chicago, ill.= =send your two "household helpers," prepaid on a week's trial, in the de luxe binding. if satisfactory, i will send you $ in full payment (or) cents and $ per month for five months. otherwise i will return one or both books in seven days. (regular mail price $ . _each_).= =name and= =address= =_reference_= * * * * * [illustration] =milk=--nature's first food--is turned into an attractive, delicious dish that children and adults _enjoy_ when it is made into junket. =junket made _with_ milk= is wholesome milk in tasty dessert form. it is eaten slowly and _enjoyed_--hence it is the better way of serving milk. junket can now be made with junket powder, as well as with tablets. the new junket powder is already sweetened and flavored. made in different flavors. both grocers and druggists sell junket _send c. in stamps and your grocer's name, for sample (or c. for full size package of junket tablets; c. for full size package of junket powder) with recipes._ =the junket folks, little falls, n.y.= chr. hansen's canadian laboratory, toronto, ont. * * * * * [illustration: =angel food cake=] = inches square, inches high= you can be the best cake maker in your club or town. you can make the same angel food cake and many other kinds that i make and sell at $ a loaf-profit, $ , if you =learn the osborn cake making system= my methods are different. they are the result of twenty years experience as a domestic science expert. my way is easy to learn. it never fails. i have taught thousands. let me send you full particulars free. =mrs. grace osborn= =dept.= k =bay city, mich.= * * * * * ="the art of spending"= tells how to get more for your money--how to live better and save more! how to budget expenses and record them _without household accounts_. pp. illustrated, _ cents_. =am. school of home economics. a w. th st.. chicago= * * * * * =this big pound bag of delicious shelled peanuts $ . = [illustration: send for recipe book] direct from grower by prepaid parcels post to your door. more and better peanuts than $ will buy at stands or stores. along with recipe book telling of over ways to use them as foods. we guarantee prompt delivery and ship at once. lbs, $ . . money back if not delighted. =eastern peanut co., a, hertford, n.c.= * * * * * =help! help!! help!!!= our two new household helpers on days' free trial! they save you _at least_ an hour a day, worth at only cents an hour, $ . a week. cost only the cents a week for a year. send postcard for details of these "helpers," our two new home-study courses, "_household engineering_" and "_lessons in cooking_," now in book form; _or send_ $ . in full payment. regular price $ . . full refund if not satisfactory. =am. school of home economics, a w. th street, chicago= * * * * * =salt mackerel codfish, fresh lobster right from the fishing boats to you= [illustration: sea foods] =cook book free= write for this book, "sea foods; how to prepare and serve them." with it we send our list with delivered price of each kind of fish. use coupon below families who are fond of fish can be supplied =direct= from =gloucester, mass.=, by the =frank e. davis company=, with newly caught, =keepable ocean fish=, choicer than any inland dealer could possibly furnish. we sell =only to the consumer direct=, sending by =express right to your home=. we =prepay= express on all orders east of kansas. our fish are pure, appetizing and economical and we want =you= to try some, subject to your complete approval or your money will be cheerfully refunded. =salt mackerel=, fat, meaty, juicy fish, are delicious for breakfast. they are freshly packed in brine and will not spoil on your hands. =codfish=, as we salt it, is white, boneless and ready for instant use. it makes a substantial meal, a fine change from meat, at a much lower cost. =fresh lobster= is the best thing known for salads. right fresh from the water, our lobsters simply are boiled and packed in parchment-lined cans. they come to you as the purest and safest lobsters you can buy and the meat is as crisp and natural as if you took it from the shell yourself. =fried clams= are a relishable, hearty dish, that your whole family will enjoy. no other flavor is just like that of clams, whether fried or in a chowder. =fresh mackerel=, perfect for frying, =shrimp= to cream on toast, =crabmeat= for newburg or deviled, =salmon= ready to serve, =sardines= of all kinds, =tunny= for salad, =sandwich fillings= and every good thing packed here or abroad you can get direct from us and keep right on your pantry shelf for regular or emergency use. =frank e. davis. co. central wharf gloucester mass.= =frank e. davis co. central wharf gloucester, mass.= please send me your latest sea food cook book and fish price list name.................................. street....................................... city.........................................state........... * * * * * we ask you to try =prince brand= macaroni or spaghetti we know it will please you because of its superior qualities. easy to cook, delicious in taste, very high in food value. insist on getting our quality. =prince macaroni mfg. co.= boston * * * * * =oysters clams= dehydrated these delightful delicacies preserved with all their salt water flavor =always ready easily prepared= in powder form so that but ten minutes in hot water or milk makes them ready to serve. an oyster stew or broth; clam stew, bouillon and chowder always in the kitchen ready for instant use. packed in bottles that make a quart of stew and in larger bottles that make quarts. =oysters, small bottles, cents each clams, small bottles, cents each= we pay delivery costs enjoy a bottle of each of these delicacies bishop-gifford co., inc., baldwin, l.i., n.y. * * * * * =breakfasts, luncheons _and_ dinners= =by mary d. chambers= should be in every home. it treats in detail the three meals a day, in their several varieties, from the light family affair to the formal and company function. appropriate menus are given for each occasion. the well-balanced diet is kept constantly in view. table china, glass and silver, and table linen, all are described and illustrated. in short, how to plan, how to serve and how to behave at these meals, is the author's motive in writing the book. this motive has been clearly and admirably well carried out. table etiquette might well be the subtitle of the volume. cloth, pages. illustrated, $ . net. we will send this book postpaid on receipt of price, $ . the boston cooking school magazine co., boston, mass. * * * * * a coal and gas range with three ovens that really saves [illustration: coal, wood, and gas range] =although it is less than four feet long= it can do every kind of cooking for any ordinary family by gas in warm weather, or by coal or wood when the kitchen needs heating. =there are two separate baking ovens=--one for coal and one for gas. both ovens may be used at one time--or either one singly. in addition to the two baking ovens there is gas broiling oven. [illustration: the range that "makes cooking easy"] =see the cooking surface= when you want to rush things--five burners for gas and four covers for coal. the illustrations show the wonderful pearl grey porcelain enamel finish--so neat and attractive. no more soiled hands, no more dust and smut. by simply passing a damp cloth over the surface you are able to clean your range instantly. they certainly do make cooking easy. =gold medal= =glenwood= write to-day for handsome free booklet that tells all about it, to weir stove co., taunton, mass. manufacturers of the celebrated glenwood coal, wood and gas ranges, heating stoves and furnaces. * * * * * [illustration: suggestions for christmas gifts would not many of your friends to whom you will make _christmas gifts_ be more pleased with a year's subscription to american cookery ($ . ) than with any other thing of equal cost you could send them? the magazine will be of practical use to the recipient days in the year and a constant and pleasant reminder of the donor. to make this gift more complete, we will send the december number so as to be received the day before christmas, _together with a card reading as per cut herewith_. [illustration] this card is printed in two colors on heavy stock and makes a handsome souvenir. we will make a christmas present of a copy of the =american cook book= to every present subscriber who sends us two "christmas gift" subscriptions at $ . each. =practical and useful cookery books= _by_ =mrs. janet m. hill=, _editor of american cookery_ =american cook book $ . = this cook book deals with the matter in hand in a simple, concise manner, mainly with the cheaper food products. a cosmopolitan cook book. illustrated. =book of entrÉes $ . = over recipes which open a new field of cookery and furnish a solution of the problem of "left overs." there is also a chapter of menus which will be of great help in securing the best combination of dishes. illustrated. =cakes, pastry and dessert dishes $ . = mrs. hill's latest book. practical, trustworthy and up-to-date. =canning, preserving and jelly-making $ . = modern methods of canning and jelly-making have simplified and shortened preserving processes. in this book the latest ideas in canning, preserving and jelly-making are presented. =cooking for two $ . = designed to give chiefly in simple and concise style those things that are essential to the proper selection and preparation of a reasonable variety of food for the family of two individuals. a handbook for young housekeepers. used as text in many schools. illustrated from photographs. =practical cooking and serving $ . = this complete manual of how to select, prepare, and serve food recognizes cookery as a necessary art. recipes are for both simple and most formal occasions; each recipe is tested. pages. used as a text-book in many schools. illustrated. =salads, sandwiches and chafing dish dainties $ . = to the housewife who likes new and dainty ways of serving food, this book proves of great value. illustrated. =the up-to-date waitress $ . = a book giving the fullest and most valuable information on the care of the dining-room and pantry, the arrangement of the table, preparing and serving meals, preparing special dishes and lunches, laundering table linen, table decorations, and kindred subjects. the book is a guide to ideal service. we will send any of the above books, postpaid, upon receipt of price; or, add one dollar ($ ) to the price of any of the books and we will include a year's subscription for american cookery. * * * * * =the boston cooking school magazine co., boston, mass.=] * * * * * =experience= has shown that the most satisfactory way to enlarge the subscription list of american cookery is through its present subscribers, who personally can vouch for the value of the publication. to make it an object for subscribers to secure new subscribers, we offer the following premiums: conditions: premiums are _not_ given _with_ a subscription or _for_ a renewal, but only to _present_ subscribers, for securing and sending to us _new_ yearly subscriptions at $ . each. the number of new subscriptions required to secure each premium is clearly stated below the description of each premium. transportation _is_ or _is not_ paid as stated. * * * * * individual initial jelly moulds serve eggs, fish and meats in aspic: coffee and fruit jelly; pudding and other desserts with your initial letter raised on the top. latest and daintiest novelty for the up-to-date hostess. to remove jelly take a needle and run it around inside of mould, then immerse in warm water; jelly will then come out in perfect condition. be the first in your town to have these. you cannot purchase them at the stores. [illustration: this shows the jelly turned from the mould.] [illustration: this shows mould upside down!] set of six ( ), any initial, sent postpaid for ( ) new subscription. cash price cents. * * * * * "patty irons" [illustration] as illustrated, are used to make dainty, flaky patés or timbales; delicate pastry cups for serving hot or frozen dainties, creamed vegetables, salads, shell fish, ices, etc. each set comes securely packed in an attractive box with recipes and full directions for use. sent, postpaid, for two ( ) new subscriptions. cash price $ . . * * * * * =silver's sure cut french fried potato cutter= [illustration: how it cuts] one of the most modern and efficient kitchen helps ever invented. a big labor and time saver. sent, prepaid, for one ( ) new subscription. cash price cents. * * * * * =french roll bread pan= [illustration: open end] best quality blued steel. six inches wide by long. one pan sent, prepaid, for one ( ) new subscription. cash price cents. * * * * * =seamless vienna bread pan= [illustration] two of these pans sent, postpaid, for one ( ) new subscription. cash price cents for two pans. * * * * * =heavy tin border mould= [illustration] =imported, round, inch= sent, prepaid, for one ( ) new subscription. cash price = cents=. * * * * * =the boston cooking school magazine co., boston, mass.= =premiums pastry bag and four tubes= (bag not shown in cut) [illustration] a complete outfit. practical in every way. made especially for bakers and caterers. eminently suitable for home use. the set sent, prepaid, for one ( ) new subscription. cash price, = cents=. * * * * * =the a. m. c. ornamenter= [illustration] rubber pastry bag and twelve brass tubes, assorted designs, for cake decorating. this set is for fine work, while the set described above is for more general use. packed in a wooden box, prepaid, for two ( ) new subscriptions. cash price, =$ . =. * * * * * ="rapide" tea infuser= [illustration] economic, clean and convenient. sent, prepaid, for one ( ) subscription. cash price, = cents=. * * * * * =cake ornamenting syringe= [illustration] for the finest cake decorating. twelve german silver tubes, fancy designs. sent, prepaid, for four ( ) new subscriptions. cash price, =$ . =. * * * * * =home candy making outfit= [illustration] thermometer, dipping wire, moulds, and most of all, a book written by a professional and practical candy maker for home use. sent, prepaid, for five ( ) new subscriptions. cash price, =$ . =. * * * * * =the only reliable and sure way to make candy, boiled frosting, etc., is to use a thermometer= [illustration] here is just the one you need. made especially for the purpose by one of the largest and best manufacturers in the country. sent, postpaid, for two ( ) new subscriptions. cash price, =$ . =. * * * * * [illustration] =vegetable cutters= assorted shapes. ordinarily sell for cents each. six cutters--all different---prepaid, for one ( ) new subscription. cash price, = cents=. * * * * * =the boston cooking school magazine co., boston, mass.= =bon ami= _for mirrors_ [illustration] [illustration: "_hasn't scratched yet_" cake or powder _whichever you prefer_] watch how easily bon ami and i clean this mirror. a damp cloth and a little bon ami are all one needs. when the bon ami film has dried--a few brisk rubs with a dry cloth and presto! every speck of dust and dirt has vanished. so it is with everything. the magic touch of bon ami brightens up windows, brasses, nickel, linoleum and white woodwork. * * * * * _"americas most famous dessert"_ [illustration] =jell-o in whipped form= of all forms of whipped jell-o the bavarian creams are most popular, and they may well be, for in no other way can these favorite dishes be made so easily and cheaply. jell-o is whipped with an egg-beater just as cream is, and does not require the addition of cream, eggs, sugar or any of the expensive ingredients used in making old-style bavarian creams. begin to whip the jelly when it is cool and still liquid--before it begins to congeal--and whip till it is of the consistency of whipped cream. use a ladd egg-beater and keep the jell-o cold while whipping by setting the dish in cracked ice, ice water or very cold water. a tin or aluminum quart measure is an ideal utensil for the purpose. its depth prevents spattering, and tin and aluminum admit quickly the chill of the ice or cold water. pineapple bavarian cream dissolve a package of lemon jell-o in half a pint of boiling water and add half a pint of juice from a can of pineapple. when cold and still liquid whip to consistency of whipped cream. add a cup of the shredded pineapple. pour into mould and set in a cold place to harden. turn from mould and garnish with sliced pineapple, cherries or grapes. =the genesee pure food company= _two factories_ _leroy n.y._ _bridgeburg, ont._ [illustration: =baker breakfast cocoa= is pure and good, delicious and nutritious. _genuine made only by_ =walter baker & co. ltd.= established dorchester, mass. _booklet of choice recipes sent free_] * * * * * =established sawyer's crystal blue and ammonia= the ammonia loosens the dirt, making washing easy. the blue gives the only perfect finish. [illustration: _see that top._] [illustration] _the people's choice for over sixty years_ for the laundry sawyer crystal blue co. broad st., boston, mass. * * * * * [illustration: =save meat= by serving more stuffing when you serve roast meats, poultry, fish and game. if this dressing is flavored with bell's seasoning it adds to the pleasure of the meal. ask grocers for [illustration: bell's seasoning]] * * * * * =miss curtis' snowflake marshmallow crême= =the original and best= [illustration] inexpensive and easy to use. makes delicious desserts. awarded gold medal at panama-pacific exposition. avoid imitations. the name emma e. curtis is your guarantee of purity and quality. _sold by grocers everywhere_ [illustration: _emma e. curtis_] melrose, mass. * * * * * =vose pianos= have been established more than = years=. by our system of payments every family in moderate circumstances can own a vose piano. we take old instruments in exchange and deliver the new piano to your home free of expense. write for catalog d and explanation: =vose & sons piano co., boylston st., boston, mass.= * * * * * transcriber's notes: page , "nutritión" changed to "nutrition" (food and nutrition) page , "millenium" changed to "millennium" (the millennium for housekeepers) page , "london" changed to "loudon" (loudon, i shall do) page , "di titians" changed to "dietitians" (pestilence, dietitians tell) page , "aprciot" changed to "apricot" (apricot puffs with custard) page , "supreme" changed to "suprême" (the suprême sauce) page , word obscured, "of" presumed and inserted into text (our system of) page , "in" changed to "to" (piano to your home) this magazine uses both to-day and today. phillips & compy., tea merchants, , king william street, city, london, e.c., invariably sell the best and cheapest teas and coffees in england. * * * * * good strong useful congou, s. d., s. d., s. d., s., and s. d. pure coffees, s., s. d., s. d., s. d. _a price-current free._ pure preserving and other sugars at market prices. * * * * * all goods sent carriage free within eight miles of london. teas and coffees _carriage free_ to all england, if to value of s. * * * * * phillips and company, tea merchants, king william street, city, london, e.c. the best food for children, invalids, and others. robinson's patent barley, for making superior barley water in fifteen minutes, has not only obtained the patronage of her majesty and the royal family, but has become of general use to every class of the community, and is acknowledged to stand unrivalled as an eminently pure, nutritious, and light food for infants and invalids; much approved for making a delicious custard pudding, and excellent for thickening broths or soups. robinson's patent groats, for more than thirty years have been held in constant and increasing public estimation, as the purest farina of the oat, and as the best and most valuable preparation for making a pure and delicate gruel, which forms a light and nutritious support for the aged, is a popular recipe for colds and influenza, is of general use in the sick chamber, and alternately with the patent barley is an excellent food for infants and children. prepared only by the patentees, robinson, bellville, and co., purveyors to the queen, , red lion street, holborn, london. * * * * * epps's cocoa, (commonly called epps's homoeopathic cocoa), is distinguished for its delicious aroma, grateful smoothness, and invigorating power; and to these qualities it is indebted for the adoption it now obtains as a breakfast beverage, * * * * * directions for use. mix two tea-spoonfuls of the powder with as much _cold_ milk as will form a stiff paste; then add, _all at once_, a sufficient quantity of _boiling_ milk, or milk and water in equal portions, to fill a breakfast cup. * * * * * _ / -lb., / -lb., and -lb. packets, at s. d. per lb._ sold by grocers in every part of london, and by grocers, confectioners, and druggists in the country. [illustration] a plain cookery book for the working classes. by charles elmÉ francatelli, late maÎtre d'hÔtel and chief cook to her majesty the queen. author of "the modern cook" and "the cook's guide." new edition. london: routledge, warne, and routledge, farringdon street. reprinted from the edition of re-issued by scolar press great russell street, london wc reprinted isbn printed in england by shenval press, london and harlow introduction. my object in writing this little book is to show you how you may prepare and cook your daily food, so as to obtain from it the greatest amount of nourishment at the least possible expense; and thus, by skill and economy, add, at the same time, to your comfort and to your comparatively slender means. the recipes which it contains will afford sufficient variety, from the simple every-day fare to more tasty dishes for the birthday, christmas-day, or other festive occasions. in order to carry out my instructions properly, a few utensils will be necessary. industry, good health, and constant employment, have, in many instances, i trust, enabled those whom i now address to lay by a little sum of money. a portion of this will be well spent in the purchase of the following articles:--a cooking-stove, with an oven at the side, or placed under the grate, which should be so planned as to admit of the fire being open or closed at will; by this contrivance much heat and fuel are economized; there should also be a boiler at the back of the grate. by this means you would have hot water always ready at hand, the advantage of which is considerable. such poor men's cooking-stoves exist, on a large scale, in all modern-built lodging-houses. also, a three-gallon iron pot with a lid to it, a one-gallon saucepan, a two-quart ditto, a frying-pan, a gridiron, and a strong tin baking-dish. here is a list of the cost prices at which the above-named articles, as well as a few others equally necessary, may be obtained of all ironmongers:-- £ _s._ _d._ a cooking-stove, ft. in. wide, with oven only ditto, with oven and boiler a three-gallon oval boiling pot a one-gallon tin saucepan, and lid a two-quart ditto a potato steamer an oval frying-pan, from a gridiron, from a copper for washing or brewing, twelve gallons a mash-tub, from two cooling-tubs (or an old wine or beer cask cut in halves, would be cheaper, and answer the same purpose), each _s._ ------------ £ ------------ to those of my readers who, from sickness or other hindrance, have not money in store, i would say, strive to lay by a little of your weekly wages to purchase these things, that your families may be well fed, and your homes made comfortable. and now a few words on baking your own bread. i assure you if you would adopt this excellent practice, you would not only effect a great saving in your expenditure, but you would also insure a more substantial and wholesome kind of food; it would be free from potato, rice, bean or pea flour, and alum, all of which substances are objectionable in the composition of bread. the only utensil required for bread-making would be a tub, or trough, capable of working a bushel or two of flour. this tub would be useful in brewing, for which you will find in this book plain and easy directions. i have pointed out the necessity of procuring these articles for cooking purposes, and with the injunction to use great care in keeping them thoroughly clean, i will at once proceed to show you their value in a course of practical and economical cookery, the soundness and plainness of which i sincerely hope you will all be enabled to test in your own homes. cookery book. no. . boiled beef. this is an economical dinner, especially where there are many mouths to feed. buy a few pounds of either salt brisket, thick or thin flank, or buttock of beef; these pieces are always to be had at a low rate. let us suppose you have bought a piece of salt beef for a sunday's dinner, weighing about five pounds, at - / _d._ per pound, that would come to _s._ - / _d._; two pounds of common flour, _d._, to be made into suet pudding or dumplings, and say - / _d._ for cabbages, parsnips, and potatoes; altogether _s._ _d._ this would produce a substantial dinner for ten persons in family, and would, moreover, as children do not require much meat when they have pudding, admit of there being enough left to help out the next day's dinner, with potatoes. no. . how to boil beef. put the beef into your three or four gallon pot, three parts filled with cold water, and set it on the fire to boil; remove all the scum that rises to the surface, and then let it boil gently on the hob; when the meat has boiled an hour and is about half done, add the parsnips in a net, and at the end of another half hour put in the cabbages, also in a net. a piece of beef weighing five or six pounds will require about two hours' gentle boiling to cook it thoroughly. the dumplings may, of course, be boiled with the beef, etc. i may here observe that the dumplings and vegetables, with a small quantity of the meat, would be all-sufficient for the children's meal. no. . economical pot liquor soup. a thrifty housewife will not require that i should tell her to save the liquor in which the beef has been boiled; i will therefore take it for granted that the next day she carefully removes the grease, which will have become set firm on the top of the broth, into her fat pot; this must be kept to make a pie-crust, or to fry potatoes, or any remains of vegetables, onions, or fish. the liquor must be tasted, and if it is found to be too salt, some water must be added to lessen its saltness, and render it palatable. the pot containing the liquor must then be placed on the fire to boil, and when the scum rises to the surface it should be removed with a spoon. while the broth is boiling, put as many piled-up table-spoonfuls of oatmeal as you have pints of liquor into a basin; mix this with cold water into a smooth liquid batter, and then stir it into the boiling soup; season with some pepper and a good pinch of allspice, and continue stirring the soup with a stick or spoon on the fire for about twenty minutes; you will then be able to serve out a plentiful and nourishing meal to a large family at a cost of not more than the price of the oatmeal. no. . potato soup for six persons. peel and chop four onions, and put them into a gallon saucepan, with two ounces of dripping fat, or butter, or a bit of fat bacon; add rather better than three quarts of water, and set the whole to boil on the fire for ten minutes; then throw in four pounds of peeled and sliced-up potatoes, pepper and salt, and with a wooden spoon stir the soup on the fire for about twenty-five minutes, by which time the potatoes will be done to a pulp, and the soup ready for dinner or breakfast. no. . pea soup for six persons. cut up two and a-half pounds of pickled pork, or some pork cuttings, or else the same quantity of scrag end of neck of mutton, or leg of beef, and put any one of these kinds of meat into a pot with a gallon of water, three pints of split or dried peas, previously soaked in cold water over-night, two carrots, four onions, and a head of celery, all chopped small; season with pepper, but _no_ salt, as the pork, if pork is used, will season the soup sufficiently; set the whole to boil very gently for at least three hours, taking care to skim it occasionally, and do not forget that the peas, etc., must be stirred from the bottom of the pot now and then; from three to four hours' gentle boiling will suffice to cook a good mess of this most excellent and satisfying soup. if fresh meat is used for this purpose, salt must be added to season it. dried mint may be strewn over the soup when eaten. no. . onion soup for six persons. chop fine six onions, and fry them in a gallon saucepan with two ounces of butter or dripping fat, stirring them continuously until they become of a very light colour; then add six ounces of flour or oatmeal, and moisten with three quarts of water; season with pepper and salt, and stir the soup while boiling for twenty minutes, and when done, pour it out into a pan or bowl containing slices of bread. no. . broth made from bones for soup. fresh bones are always to be purchased from butchers at about a farthing per pound; they must be broken up small, and put into a boiling-pot with a quart of water to every pound of bones; and being placed on the fire, the broth must be well skimmed, seasoned with pepper and salt, a few carrots, onions, turnips, celery, and thyme, and boiled very gently for six hours; it is then to be strained off, and put back into the pot, with any bits of meat or gristle which may have fallen from the bones (the bones left are still worth a farthing per pound, and can be sold to the bone-dealers). let this broth be thickened with peasemeal or oatmeal, in the proportion of a large table-spoonful to every pint of broth, and stirred over the fire while boiling for twenty-five minutes, by which time the soup will be done. it will be apparent to all good housewives that, with a little trouble and good management, a savoury and substantial meal may thus be prepared for a mere trifle. no. . thick milk for breakfast. milk, buttermilk, or even skim-milk, will serve for this purpose. to every pint of milk, mix a piled-up table-spoonful of flour, and stir the mixture while boiling on the fire for ten minutes; season with a little salt, and eat it with bread or a boiled potato. this kind of food is well adapted for the breakfast of women and children, and is far preferable to a sloppy mess of tea, which comes to more money. no. . oatmeal porridge for six persons. to five pints of skim or buttermilk, add a couple of onions chopped fine, and set them to boil on the fire; meanwhile, mix six table-spoonfuls of oatmeal with a pint of milk or water very smoothly, pour it into the boiling milk and onions, and stir the porridge on the fire for ten minutes; season with salt to taste. no. . ox-cheek soup. an ox-cheek is always to be bought cheap; let it be thoroughly washed in several waters, place it whole in a three gallon boiling-pot filled up with water, and set it to boil on the fire; skim it well, season with carrots, turnips, onions, celery, allspice, pepper, and salt; and allow the whole to boil very gently by the side of the hob for about three hours and a-half, by which time the ox-cheek, etc., will be done quite tender; the cheek must then be taken out on to a dish, the meat removed from the bone, and after being cut up in pieces, put back into the soup again. next mix smoothly twelve ounces of flour with a quart of cold water, pour this into the soup, and stir the whole on the fire, keeping it boiling for about twenty-five minutes longer; when it will be ready for dinner. one ox-cheek, properly managed, will, by attending to the foregoing instructions, furnish an ample quantity of substantial and nutritious food, equal to the wants of a large family, for three days' consumption. no. . sheep's-head broth. get the butcher to split the sheep's head into halves, wash these clean, and put them into a boiling-pot with two gallons of water; set this on the fire to boil, skim it well, add carrots, turnips, onions, leeks, celery, thyme or winter savory, season with pepper and salt; add a pint of patna rice, or scotch barley; and all the whole to keep gently boiling by the side of the fire for three hours, adding a little water to make up for the deficiency in quantity occasioned by boiling. no. . cow-heel broth. put a couple of cow-heels into a boiling-pot, with a pound of rice, a dozen leeks washed free from grit and cut into pieces, and some coarsely chopped parsley; fill up with six quarts of water, set the whole to boil on the fire, skim it well, season with thyme, pepper, and salt, and allow the whole to boil very gently on the hob for about two hours. you will thus provide a savoury meal at small cost. no. . bacon and cabbage soup. when it happens that you have a dinner consisting of bacon and cabbages, you invariably throw away the liquor in which they have been boiled, or, at the best, give it to the pigs, if you possess any; this is wrong, for it is easy to turn it to a better account for your own use, by paying attention to the following instructions, viz.:--put your piece of bacon on to boil in a pot with two gallons (more or less, according to the number you have to provide for) of water, when it has boiled up, and has been well skimmed, add the cabbages, kale, greens, or sprouts, whichever may be used, well washed and split down, and also some parsnips and carrots; season with pepper, but _no_ salt, as the bacon will season the soup sufficiently; and when the whole has boiled together very gently for about two hours, take up the bacon surrounded with the cabbage, parsnips, and carrots, leaving a small portion of the vegetables in the soup, and pour this into a large bowl containing slices of bread; eat the soup first, and make it a rule that those who eat most soup are entitled to the largest share of bacon. no. . stewed leg of beef. four pounds of leg or shin of beef cost about one shilling; cut this into pieces the size of an egg, and fry them of a brown colour with a little dripping fat, in a good sized saucepan, then shake in a large handful of flour, add carrots and onions cut up in pieces the same as the meat, season with pepper and salt, moisten with water enough to cover in the whole, stir the stew on the fire till it boils, and then set it on the hob to continue boiling very gently for about an hour and a half, and you will then be able to enjoy an excellent dinner. no. . cocky leeky. i hope that at some odd times you may afford yourselves an old hen or cock; and when this occurs, this is the way in which i recommend that it be cooked, viz.:--first pluck, draw, singe off the hairs, and tie the fowl up in a plump shape; next, put it into a boiling-pot with a gallon of water, and a pound of patna rice, a dozen leeks cut in pieces, some peppercorns and salt to season; boil the whole very gently for three hours, and divide the fowl to be eaten with the soup, which will prove not only nourishing but invigorating to the system. no. . roast fowl and gravy. let us hope that at christmas, or some other festive season, you may have to dress a fowl or turkey for your dinner. on such occasions i would recommend the following method:--first, draw the fowl, reserving the gizzard and liver to be tucked under the wings; truss the fowl with skewers, and tie it to the end of a skein of worsted, which is to be fastened to a nail stuck in the chimney-piece, so that the fowl may dangle rather close to the fire, in order to roast it. baste the fowl, while it is being roasted, with butter, or some kind of grease, and when nearly done, sprinkle it with a little flour and salt, and allow the fowl to attain a bright yellow-brown colour before you take it up. then place it on its dish, and pour some brown gravy over it. no. . this is the brown gravy for the fowl. chop up an onion, and fry it with a sprig of thyme and a bit of butter, and when it is brown, add a good tea-spoonful of moist sugar and a drop of water, and boil all together on the fire until the water is reduced, and the sugar begins to bake of a dark brown colour. it must then be stirred on the fire for three minutes longer; after which moisten it with half-a-pint of water, add a little pepper and salt; boil all together for five minutes, and strain the gravy over the fowl, etc. no. . bread sauce for a roast fowl. chop a small onion or shalot fine, and boil it in a pint of milk for five minutes; then add about ten ounces of crumb of bread, a bit of butter, pepper and salt to season; stir the whole on the fire for ten minutes, and eat this bread sauce with roast fowl or turkey. no. . egg sauce for roast fowls, etc. boil two or three eggs for about eight minutes; remove the shells, cut up each egg into about ten pieces of equal size, and put them into some butter-sauce made as follows:--viz., knead two ounces of flour with one ounce and-a-half of butter; add half-a-pint of water, pepper and salt to season, and stir the sauce on the fire until it begins to boil; then mix in the pieces of chopped hard-boiled eggs. no. . pork chops, grilled or broiled. score the rind of each chop by cutting through the rind at distances of half-an-inch apart; season the chops with pepper and salt, and place them on a clean gridiron over a clear fire to broil; the chops must be turned over every two minutes until they are done; this will take about fifteen minutes. the chops are then to be eaten plain, or, if convenient, with brown gravy, made as shown in no. . no. . sharp sauce for broiled meats. chop fine an onion and a pennyworth of mixed pickles; put these into a saucepan with half-a-gill of vinegar, a tea-spoonful of mustard, a small bit of butter, a large table-spoonful of bread-raspings, and pepper and salt to season; boil all together on the fire for at least six minutes; then add a gill of water, and allow the sauce to boil again for ten minutes longer. this sauce will give an appetizing relish to the coarsest meats or fish when broiled or fried, and also when you are intending to make any cold meat into a hash or stew. in the latter case, the quantity of water and raspings must be doubled. no. . roast veal, stuffed. a piece of the shoulder, breast, or chump-end of the loin of veal, is the cheapest part for you, and whichever of these pieces you may happen to buy, should be seasoned with the following stuffing:--to eight ounces of bruised crumb of bread add four ounces of chopped suet, shalot, thyme, marjoram, and winter savory, all chopped fine; two eggs, pepper and salt to season; mix all these ingredients into a firm compact kind of paste, and use this stuffing to fill a hole or pocket which you will have cut with a knife in some part of the piece of veal, taking care to fasten it in with a skewer. if you intend roasting the veal, and should not possess what is called a bottle-jack, nor even a dutch oven, in that case the veal should be suspended by, and fastened to, the end of a twisted skein of worsted, made fast at the upper end by tying it to a large nail driven into the centre of the mantelpiece for that purpose. this contrivance will enable you to roast the veal by dangling it before your fire; the exact time for cooking it must depend upon its weight. a piece of veal weighing four pounds would require rather more than an hour to cook it thoroughly before your small fire. no. . veal cutlets and bacon. you may sometimes have a chance to purchase a few trimmings or cuttings of veal, or a small piece from the chump end of the loin, which you can cut up in thin slices, and after seasoning them with pepper and salt, and rolling them in flour, they are to be fried in the fat that remains from some slices of bacon which you shall have previously fried; and, after placing the fried veal and bacon in its dish, shake a table-spoonful of flour in the frying-pan; add a few drops of ketchup or vinegar and a gill of water; stir all together on the fire to boil for five minutes, and pour this sauce over the cutlets. a dish of cutlets of any kind of meat may be prepared as above. no. . a pudding made of small birds. industrious and intelligent boys who live in the country, are mostly well up in the cunning art of catching small birds at odd times during the winter months. so, my young friends, when you have been so fortunate as to succeed in making a good catch of a couple of dozen of birds, you must first pluck them free from feathers, cut off their heads and claws, and pick out their gizzards from their sides with the point of a small knife, and then hand the birds over to your mother, who, by following these instructions, will prepare a famous pudding for your dinner or supper. first, fry the birds whole with a little butter, shalot, parsley, thyme, and winter savory, all chopped small, pepper and salt to season; and when the birds are half done, shake in a small handful of flour, add rather better than a gill of water, stir the whole on the fire while boiling for ten minutes, and when the stew of birds is nearly cold, pour it all into a good-sized pudding basin, which has been ready-lined with either a suet and flour crust, or else a dripping-crust, cover the pudding in with a piece of the paste, and either bake or boil it for about an hour and-a-half. no. . baked pig's head. split the pig's head into halves, sprinkle them with pepper and salt, and lay them with the rind part uppermost upon a bed of sliced onions in a baking dish. next bruise eight ounces of stale bread-crumb, and mix it with four ounces of chopped suet, twelve sage leaves chopped fine, pepper and salt to season, and sprinkle this seasoning all over the surface of the pig's head; add one ounce of butter and a gill of vinegar to the onions, and bake the whole for about an hour and-a-half, basting the pig's head occasionally with the liquor. no. . baked goose. pluck and pick out all the stubble feathers thoroughly clean, draw the goose, cut off the head and neck, and also the feet and wings, which must be scalded to enable you to remove the pinion feathers from the wings and the rough skin from the feet; split and scrape the inside of the gizzard, and carefully cut out the gall from the liver. these giblets well stewed, as shown in no. , will serve to make a pie for another day's dinner. next stuff the goose in manner following, viz.:--first put six potatoes to bake in the oven, or even in a dutch oven; and, while they are being baked, chop six onions with four apples and twelve sage leaves, and fry these in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, pepper and salt; when the whole is slightly fried, mix it with the pulp of the six baked potatoes, and use this very nice stuffing to fill the inside of the goose. the goose being stuffed, place it upon an iron trivet in a baking dish containing peeled potatoes and a few apples; add half-a-pint of water, pepper and salt, shake some flour over the goose, and bake it for about an hour and a-half. no. . baked sucking pig. let the pig be stuffed in the same manner as directed for a goose, as shown in the preceding number; score it all over crosswise, rub some grease or butter upon it, place it upon a trivet in a dish containing peeled potatoes and a few sliced onions, season with pepper and salt; add half-a-pint of water, and bake the pig for about two hours, basting it frequently with its own dripping, or, a bit of butter tied up in a piece of muslin. no. . baked or roast ducks. these are to be dressed in the same way as directed for dressing geese. no. . how to make the most of a pig, after it is killed. cottagers sometimes feed a pig for their own consumption, and, therefore, in the hope that many of you may have it in your power to do so, i will give you proper instructions as to the best way to make the most of it. first, when the pig is killed, should the hair or bristles be wet, wipe them dry with a wisp of hay or straw, and having laid it on the ground upon a narrow bed of dry straw three inches in thickness, and laid some loose straw all over it, set fire to it, and as the upper straw burns out, lay on another covering of loose straw, and, by the time this has burnt out, all the hairs of the upper part of the pig will probably be singed off, if not, burn a little more straw upon the remaining parts; and, on turning the pig over, should it be found that any of the hairs yet remain, let them be singed off with a lighted wisp of straw. throw a pail of water over the pig, and scrape it clean and dry with an old knife. the next thing to be done, is to insert a stout stick, pointed at the ends, into the hocks of the hind legs; fasten a strong cord to the stick, and hoist up the pig so as to enable you to stand up and finish your work with ease to yourself. with a sharp knife rip up the belly, and stretch out the flaps with two sticks to enable you to throw in some water to cleanse the pig's inside, having first removed the guts, etc.; hang up the pluck to cool, and also the chitterlings, and loose fat; and, after thoroughly wiping the pig, let it hang in the draught to become quite cold. you then split the pig in halves, commencing between the hind quarters; and, when this is done, first cut off the hocks, then the hams, and the head; next cleverly remove, slicing away, what is called the spare-rib--that is, the lean meat about the ribs--reaching up about four inches toward the breast part, and lay the spare-ribs aside to be sold or reserved for your own use. the head may be baked as shown in no. . the spare-rib may be dressed as in no. . no. . how to cure hams. to six pounds of common salt, add four ounces of saltpetre, eight ounces of treacle, two ounces of salprunella, winter savory, bay-leaves, thyme, marjoram, and a good table-spoonful of allspice, bruise all these things well together, and thoroughly rub them over and into the hams, _with very clean hands_. the rubbing-in must be repeated four or five successive mornings, and the hams must remain in this pickle for ten days longer. no. . how to smoke hams. when the hams have been well pickled, as shown in the preceding number, they must be pressed between boards with heavy stones to render them flat; the hams should remain in press for twenty-four hours; and, at the end of that time, must be well rubbed all over with peasemeal mixed with a little salt; they are then to be smoked in a close shed or in the chimney, burning for that purpose some branches of juniper or any other wood, and some sawdust. the smoking must last five days. the hams, when sufficiently smoked, must be kept in a cool place. they will not be ripe for cooking before six months after their curing. remember that a couple of well-cured hams, kept in reserve for a case of need, will always prove a ready means to realize some twenty-five shillings towards paying the rent, etc. no. . how to cure bacon. mind that your pickling-trough is well scalded out before using it for pickling the bacon. allow at the rate of four ounces of salt to every pound of meat, and to every ten pounds of salt six ounces of saltpetre, two ounces of salprunella, and eight ounces of sugar; rub the salt, etc., well into the bacon every morning for twelve successive days; and at the end of that time, let the sides of bacon be pressed between boards with heavy stones placed upon them to keep them flat; and at the end of twenty-four hours, rub them over with peasemeal in which there has been mixed a little salt, and smoke the bacon in the same manner as the hams; and thus, by timely thriftiness, you will be provided with a meat dinner for a long while. no. . how to dispose of the pig's pluck. see nos. and . no. . how to make pork sausages. take equal parts of fat and lean meat, such as the inferior end of the spare-ribs and some of the loose fat; chop these well together, adding a few sage leaves, a little thyme, pepper and salt, and one or two eggs; when the whole is thoroughly mixed and chopped fine, use a sprinkle of flour on a table or dresser, for the purpose of rolling the sausages into shape of the size and form of a man's thumb. these sausages may be fried in the ordinary way. no. . black puddings. when a pig is killed, the blood should be caught in a pan, and a little salt must be stirred in with it while yet warm, to prevent its coagulation or thickening. this will serve to make you some hog's puddings, excellent things in their way, and for the preparation of which you must attend to the following instructions, viz.:--to every pound of blood, add eight ounces of fat cut up in small squares, two ounces of rice or grits, boiled quite soft in milk; season with pepper and salt, chopped sage, thyme, and winter savory, and some chopped onions boiled soft in a little milk or water; mix all these things well together, and use a tin funnel for filling in the cleansed guts with the preparation, taking care to tie the one end of each piece of gut with string, to prevent waste. the puddings being thus prepared, tie them in links, each pudding measuring about six inches in length, and when all are tied, let them be dropped into a pot containing boiling-water, just taken off the fire, and allow them to remain in this until they become set, or slightly firm; the puddings must then be carefully lifted out, and hung to a nail driven into the wall, to drain them from all excess of moisture; and before they are fried or broiled, they must be slightly scored with a sharp knife, to prevent them from bursting while they are being cooked. no. . how to melt down the seam, or loose fat. cut up the seam in small pieces, put it into a pot with about a gill of water, and set it over a slow fire to melt down, stirring it frequently with a spoon to prevent it from burning; and as soon as all is melted, let it be strained off into a jar for use. this will produce what is called lard, and will serve for making lard cakes, pie or pudding crusts, and also for general cooking purposes, instead of butter, etc. no. . italian cheese. this is prepared by chopping up the whole of the pig's pluck, the chitterlings, and a couple of pounds of the fat; mix this in a pan with seasoning composed of chopped sage, thyme, winter savory, allspice, pepper, and salt, and with it fill earthen pots or jars having lids to them; bake the contents in moderate heat; or if you have no oven of your own, send them to the baker's. a jar containing two pounds would require about an hour and three-quarters' baking. italian cheese is to be eaten cold, spread upon bread. no. . pig's feet. these are to be well salted for about four days, and then boiled in plenty of water for about three hours; they may be eaten either hot or cold. no. . curried rice. boil one or more pounds of rice, as directed in no. , and drain all the water from it; slice some onions very thin, and fry them brown with a little butter; then add the boiled rice, a spoonful of curry-powder, and a little salt to season; mix all together. this is excellent with boiled or fried fish. no. . a plain rice pudding. to every quart of milk add six ounces of rice, one ounce of brown sugar, a pinch of allspice, and ditto of salt; put all these in a proper sized pie-dish, with one ounce of butter, and set the pudding to bake for one hour and-a-half. when the pudding has been in the oven half an hour, stir it round with a fork. no. . a ground rice pudding. ingredients, eight ounces of ground rice, three pints of skim milk, one ounce of butter, four ounces of sugar, a pinch of allspice or bit of lemon-peel, a pinch of salt, and two or three eggs; mix all the above ingredients (except the eggs) in a saucepan, and stir them on the fire till the batter boils; then beat up the eggs with a fork in a basin, and mix them well into the rice batter, and pour the whole into a well-greased pie-dish, and bake the pudding for an hour. no. . a bread pudding for a family. ingredients, a two-pound loaf, two quarts of milk, two ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, four ounces of plums or currants, three eggs, a piece of lemon-peel chopped, and a spoonful of salt. divide the loaf into four equal-sized pieces, and soak them in boiling-water for twenty minutes, then squeeze out the water, and put the bread into a saucepan with the milk, butter, sugar, lemon-peel, and salt, and stir all together on the fire till it boils; next add the beaten eggs and the currants; pour the pudding into a proper sized greased baking-dish, and bake it for an hour and a-quarter. no. . a batter and fruit pudding. ingredients, two quarts of milk, one pound of flour, four eggs, eight ounces of sugar, one quart of fruit (either plums, gooseberries, currants, &c.), one ounce of butter, a good pinch of salt. first, mix the flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and a pint of the milk, by working all together in a basin or pan, with a spoon, and when quite smooth, add the remainder of the milk; work the batter thoroughly, and pour it into a large pie-dish, greased with the butter; add the fruit, and bake the pudding for an hour and a-quarter. no. . a treacle pudding. ingredients, two pounds of flour, twelve ounces of treacle, six ounces of suet or dripping fat, a quarter of an ounce of baking-powder, a pinch of allspice, a little salt, one pint of milk, or water. mix the whole of the above-named ingredients in a pan, into a firm compact paste; tie it up in a well-greased and floured pudding-cloth; boil the pudding for at least two hours and a-half, and when done, cut it in slices, and pour a little sweetened melted butter over it. no. . apple pudding. ingredients, one pound and a-half of flour, six ounces of suet chopped fine, two pounds of peeled apples, four ounces of sugar, a little salt, and three gills of water. mix the flour, suet, and salt with three quarters of a pint of water into a firm paste; roll this out with flour shaken over the table, using a rolling-pin to roll it out; and line a greased cloth, which you have spread in a hollow form within a large basin, with the rolled-out paste; fill up the hollow part of the paste with the peeled apples, gather up the sides of the paste in a purse-like form, and twist them firmly together; tie up the pudding in the cloth, boil it in plenty of boiling water for two hours, and when it is turned out of the cloth on to its dish, cut out a round piece from the top, and stir in the sugar. no. . rice and apples. ingredients, one pound of rice, twelve apples, two ounces of sugar. tie up the rice very loose in a pudding-cloth, so as to admit that while boiling it may have sufficient room to swell out to five times its original quantity. while the rice is boiling, which will take about one hour, peel the apples, and put them in a saucepan with nearly half-a-pint of water, a bit of butter, lemon-peel, and the sugar, and stew them on the fire till dissolved, stirring them while boiling for a few minutes. when your rice pudding is done and turned out on its dish, pour the apple-sauce over it. this cheap kind of rice pudding may also be eaten with all kinds of fruits, prepared in the same manner as herein directed for apples. no. . brown and polson pudding. ingredients, six ounces of brown and polson's prepared indian corn, two quarts of milk, two ounces of sugar, a bit of cinnamon or lemon-peel, a pinch of salt, three eggs. mix all the above ingredients (except the eggs) in a saucepan, and stir them on the fire till they come to a boil; then add the eggs beat up; mix thoroughly, pour the batter into a pie-dish greased with butter, and bake the pudding for one hour. brown and polson's prepared indian corn is a most excellent and economical article of food, equal to arrow-root, and will prove, on trial, to be both substantial and nutritive, and also easy of digestion to the most delicate stomachs. no. . brown and polson fruit pudding. prepare the pudding batter as indicated in the foregoing number, and when you have poured one-half of it into the greased pie-dish, strew about two pounds of any kind of fruit upon this, such as gooseberries, currants, plums, cherries, etc., and then pour the remainder of the batter all over the fruit. bake the pudding an hour and a quarter. peeled apples or pears may be used for the same purpose. no. . brown and polson thick milk. ingredients, three ounces of brown and polson's prepared indian corn, one quart of milk, one ounce of sugar, a bit of cinnamon, a pinch of salt. mix all the above-named ingredients together in a saucepan, and stir them constantly while boiling on the fire for ten minutes. this thick milk is most excellent for children's breakfast or supper, and would be found both cheaper and better for their health than a sloppy mess of tea. no. . potato pudding. ingredients, three pounds of potatoes, two quarts of milk, two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, a bit of lemon-peel, a good pinch of salt, and three eggs. first, bake the potatoes, if you have means to do so, or let them be either steamed or boiled; when done, scoop out all their floury pulp without waste into a large saucepan, and immediately beat it up vigorously with a large fork or a spoon; then add all the remainder of the above-named ingredients (excepting the eggs), stir the potato batter carefully on the fire till it comes to a boil, then add the beaten eggs; pour the batter into a greased pie-dish, and bake the pudding for an hour in your oven, if you have one; if not, send it to the baker's. no. . yeast dumplings. ingredients, two pounds of flour, a halfpenny worth of yeast, a pinch of salt, one pint of milk or water. put the flour into a pan, with your fist hollow out a hole in the centre of the flour, place the yeast and salt at the bottom, then add the milk (which should be lukewarm), and with your clean hand gradually mix the whole well together, and work the dough perfectly smooth and elastic. the pan containing the dough must then be covered over with a cloth, and in the winter must be placed on a stool in a corner near the fire, that it may rise, or increase in size to nearly double its original quantity. when the dough has risen in a satisfactory manner, which will take about an hour, dip your hand in some flour and work it, or rather knead it together, without allowing it to stick to your hands; divide it into about twelve equal parts; roll these with flour into balls, and as you turn them out of hand, drop them gently into a pot on the fire, half full of _boiling_ water; allow the water to boil up once as you drop each dumpling in separately, before you attempt to put in another, in order to prevent the dumplings from sticking together, as this accident would produce a very unsatisfactory result, and spoil your dinner. yeast dumplings must not boil too fast, as then they might boil out of the pot. they will require about half-an-hour's boiling to cook them; they must be eaten immediately, with a little butter or dripping, and salt or sugar. no. . norfolk dumplings. ingredients, two pounds of flour, a pint of milk, a good pinch of salt. let all these ingredients be well mixed in a pan, and after dividing the paste into twelve equal parts, roll these into balls, drop each of them into a pot half full of _boiling_ water on the fire, and allow the dumplings to continue boiling rather fast for half-an-hour, at the end of which time they will be done. they should then be eaten while hot, with a little butter or dripping, and either sugar, treacle, or salt. norfolk dumplings are most excellent things to eke out an insufficient supply of baked meat for the dinner of a large family of children. no. . stewed eels. first skin, gut, and trim away the fins from the eels, and then cut them into pieces three inches long; put these into a saucepan, add a bit of butter, a spoonful of flour, some chopped parsley, pepper and salt, a little mushroom ketchup, and enough water to cover the pieces of eel; put them on the fire to boil gently for about ten minutes, shaking them round in the saucepan occasionally until they are done. no. . stewed oysters. put the oysters, with their liquor and a little water or milk, into a saucepan; add a bit of butter kneaded, that is, well mixed with a table-spoonful of flour; pepper, and a little salt; stir the oysters over the fire until they have gently boiled for about five minutes, and then pour them into a dish containing some slices of toasted bread. no. . stewed muscles, or mussels. thoroughly wash the muscles, and pull off any weeds there may be hanging to them; next put them in a clean saucepan with a little water, and salt enough to season, and set them on the fire to boil, tossing them occasionally, until you find that their shells begin to open; they must then be taken off the fire, and their liquor poured off into a basin. next, after removing one of the shells from each muscle, put them back into the saucepan; add the liquor, a bit of butter, a spoonful of flour, some pepper, chopped parsley, and a little drop of vinegar, toss the whole over the fire until the muscles have boiled five minutes, and then you will enjoy a treat for supper. cockles and whelks are cooked in the same way. no. . baked beef and potatoes. the cheapest pieces of beef, suitable for baking or roasting, consist of the thick part of the ribs, cut from towards the shoulder, the mouse buttock and gravy pieces, and also what is commonly called the chuck of beef, which consists of the throat boned and tied up with string in the form of a small round. whichever piece of beef you may happen to buy, it should be well sprinkled over with pepper, salt, and flour, and placed upon a small iron trivet in a baking dish containing peeled potatoes and about half-a-pint of water, and either baked in your own oven or else sent to the baker's. if you bake your meat in your own oven, remember that it must be turned over on the trivet every twenty minutes, and that you must be careful to baste it all over now and then with the fat which runs from it into the dish, using a spoon for that purpose. it would be very economical if, when you have baked meat for dinner, you were always to make a yorkshire pudding to be baked under it. there are baking dishes made with a parting down the middle which just suit this purpose. in this case the potatoes are put in one part and the pudding in the other part. no. . yorkshire pudding. to one pound of flour add three pints of skim milk, two eggs, nutmeg and salt; mix smoothly, and pour the pudding into the greased dish, and bake it under the meat, as recommended above. no. . baked suet pudding. to one pound of flour add six ounces of chopped suet, three pints of skim milk, nutmeg and salt; mix thoroughly and smoothly, and bake the pudding in the dish under the meat. no. . toad in the hole. to make this a cheap dinner, you should buy _d._ or _s._ worth of bits or pieces of any kind of meat, which are to be had cheapest at night when the day's sale is over. the pieces of meat should be first carefully overlooked, to ascertain if there be any necessity to pare away some tainted part, or perhaps a fly-blow, as this, if left on any one piece of meat, would tend to impart a bad taste to the whole, and spoil the dish. you then rub a little flour, pepper, and salt all over the meat, and fry it brown with a little butter or fat in the frying-pan; when done, put it with the fat in which it has been fried into a baking-dish containing some yorkshire or suet pudding batter, made as directed at nos. and , and bake the toad-in-the-hole for about an hour and a half, or else send it to the baker's. no. . boiled shoulder of mutton with onions. put the shoulder of mutton to boil in your two-gallon pot, with a handful of salt and plenty of water, allow it to boil gently for about two hours, and when done, and placed on its dish, smother it over with the following sauce:--chop six or eight large onions, and boil them with a pint of water for twenty minutes, by which time the water must be reduced to half a pint; then add two ounces of butter, a pint of milk, four ounces of flour, pepper, and salt, and stir the sauce whilst boiling for ten minutes. a shoulder of mutton for boiling is all the better for its being salted for two or three days previous to its being cooked. no. . meat pie. of whatever kind, let the pieces of meat be first fried brown over a quick fire, in a little fat or butter, and seasoned with pepper and salt; put these into a pie-dish with chopped onions, a few slices of half-cooked potatoes, and enough water just to cover the meat. cover the dish with a crust, made with two pounds of flour and six ounces of butter, or lard, or fat dripping, and just enough water to knead it into a stiff kind of dough or paste, and then bake it for about an hour and a-half. no. . giblet pie. giblets of fowls are always to be bought at a low price at most poulterers'; when you have a mind to lay out _d._ or _s._ in this way, first scald the necks and feet, to remove the feathers from the head and the rough skin from the feet; split the gizzard and scrape out the stones, etc., and the yellow skin therefrom, and when the giblets are thoroughly cleaned, put them into a saucepan with some thyme, winter savory, chopped onions, pepper and salt, and about a quart of water, and set them on the fire to stew very gently for an hour, by which time the liquor should be boiled down to half that quantity; then add two ounces of flour and a little mushroom ketchup; stir all together, and put the giblets into a pie-dish; cover this over with a dripping crust, and bake it for about an hour and a quarter. no. . a fish pie. cut up any kind of fish into pieces the size of an egg; season these with chopped parsley, thyme, a little onion, pepper and salt, and put them into a pie-dish, with a pint of water, well mixed with three ounces of flour and a little mushroom ketchup; cover the pie with a flour crust, or else with stiff mashed potatoes, and bake it for an hour and a quarter. no. . potato pie. slice up four onions and boil them in a saucepan with two ounces of butter, a quart of water, and pepper and salt, for five minutes; then add four pounds of potatoes, peeled and cut in slices; stew the whole until the potatoes are done, and pour them into a pie-dish; cover this with stiff mashed potatoes, and bake the pie of a light brown colour. no. . bacon roll-pudding. boil a pound of fat bacon for half an hour, and then cut it up into thin slices. peel six apples and one onion, and cut them in slices. make two pounds of flour into a stiff dough, roll it out thin; first lay the slices of bacon out all over this, and then upon the slices of bacon spread out the slices of apples and the slices of onion; roll up the paste so as to secure the bacon, etc., in it; place the bolster pudding in a cloth, tied at each end, and let it boil for two hours in a two-gallon pot, with plenty of water. no. . rabbit pudding. skin and wash the rabbit, and cut it up in pieces; fry these brown with a bit of butter, season with chopped onions, parsley, and winter savory, pepper and salt, shake in a good spoonful of flour, moisten with a little ketchup and a gill of water; toss the saucepan about on the fire while the pieces of rabbit boil for about ten minutes, and then pour the whole into a proper sized basin lined with a suet or dripping crust; let the pudding be covered in with some of the paste, put into a baking-dish half full of hot water, and placed in the oven, to bake for an hour and a-half. no. . stewed ox kidney. cut up the kidney in thin slices, fry them brown with a bit of butter or fat in a frying-pan, over a brisk fire, season with chopped parsley, shalot, pepper and salt, shake in a good table-spoonful of flour, add a few drops of vinegar, and nearly half a pint of water; stir the whole on the fire, while it boils, very gently, for a quarter of an hour; this, with a dish of well-boiled or baked potatoes, will produce a cheap and excellent dinner sufficient for six persons. no. . baked bullock's heart. wash and wipe the heart, cut it into four pieces, season these with pepper and salt, chopped thyme, and bay-leaves, add about two ounces of dripping, eight onions cut in slices, and four parsnips cut also in slices; let all this be placed in an earthen pot, with a pint of water, and the lid being put on, set the stew in the oven to bake for two hours. no. . bullock's heart stuffed. chop fine four onions and twelve sage-leaves; put these into a saucepan with a bit of fat or butter, and fry them for a few minutes on the fire; then add eight ounces of crumb of bread, soaked in milk or water, pepper and salt; stir this stuffing on the fire for a few minutes, add one egg, put the stuffing inside the bullock's heart, place a round of greased paper on the stuffing, and fasten it on with four wooden twigs. next, put the stuffed heart upon an iron trivet in a baking dish, containing peeled potatoes, two ounces of dripping or butter, and half a pint of water; season well with pepper and salt, and while baking let the heart be frequently basted with the fat from the dish. in case you have no oven, send it to the baker's. no. . stewed sheep's trotters. sheep's trotters are sold ready cleaned and very cheap at all tripe shops. when about to cook them, by way of a treat, for supper, or otherwise, let them be put on in two quarts of water and milk, seasoned with peppercorns, salt, a good sprig of thyme, and a wine-glassful of vinegar, and set them to boil very gently on the fire for three hours, at least. when the trotters are done quite tender, skim off all the grease, and boil down the liquor to a pint; then add two ounces of flour, mixed with a gill of milk, some chopped parsley, and one ounce of butter; stir all together while boiling on the fire for ten minutes, and pour out into the dish. no. . baked sheep's heads. buy a couple of sheep's heads, get the butcher to split them for you, place them in an earthen baking-dish, with two ounces of dripping, some chopped shalots, thyme, bay-leaf, winter savory, pepper and salt, and a good pinch of allspice; moisten with a quart of cider, or water, strew a coating of bread-raspings all over the surface of the heads, and bake them for two hours. no. . sheep's pluck. a sheep's pluck, properly cooked, will furnish a meat dinner enough for twelve persons, at a very moderate cost. cut the whole of the pluck, consisting of the heart, liver, lights, etc., into rather thick slices, and season them well with pepper, salt, allspice, thyme, and winter savory; grease the bottom of a baking-dish with two ounces of dripping, lay a bed of slices of onions upon this, and then place the slices of pluck, already seasoned, upon the onions; moisten with water enough to reach half-way up the meat, strew a thick coating of bread-raspings all over the top, and bake the savoury mess for an hour and a-half. no. . belgian faggots. these may be prepared with sheep's pluck, or even with bullock's liver, and other similar parts of meat; but a pig's pluck is preferable for the purpose. chop up the heart, liver, lights, and the fat crow; season well with pepper, salt, allspice, thyme, sage, and shalots, and divide this sausage-meat into balls the size of an apple, which must be each secured in shape with a piece of pig's caul fastened with a wooden twig, or skewer, and placed in rows in a tin baking-dish, to be baked for about half an hour in a brisk oven. when the faggots are done, place them on some well-boiled cabbages, chopped up, in an earthen dish, and having poured the grease from the faggots over all, set them in the oven to stew gently for half an hour. no. . fried steaks and onions. season the steaks with pepper and salt, and when done brown on both sides, without being overdone, place them in a dish before the fire while you fry some sliced onions in the fat which remains in the pan; as soon as the onions are done, and laid upon the steaks, shake a spoonful of flour in the pan, add a gill of water and a few drops of vinegar; give this gravy a boil up on the fire, and pour it over the steaks, etc. no. . stewed steaks. fry the steaks brown over a very brisk fire, without allowing them to be hardly half done, and place them in a saucepan with onions, carrots, turnips, and celery, all cut in pieces about the size of a pigeon's egg; season with thyme, pepper, and salt, and two ounces of flour; moisten with a quart of water, and stir the stew on the fire till it boils, and then set it by the side of the fire on the hob, to simmer very gently for an hour and a-half. it will then be ready for dinner. no. . stewed sausages. first, prick your sausages well all over with a fork, and soak them in very hot water, for two or three minutes, to swell them out; next, roll them in flour, and fry them brown without overdoing them, as that renders them dry, and spoils them. when the sausages are done and put on a plate, fry some slices of bread, and put these on a dish; then put the sausages on the fried bread, and shake a spoonful of flour in the pan; add a pennyworth of chopped mixed pickles, a gill of water, and a little pepper and salt; give this gravy a boil up, and pour it over the sausages. no. . pig's fry. a pig's fry consists of the heart, liver, lights, and some of the chitterlings; these are to be first cut up in slices, then seasoned with pepper and salt, rolled in a little flour, and fried with some kind of grease in the frying-pan. as the pieces are fried, place them on their dish to keep hot before the fire, and when all is done, throw some chopped onions and sage leaves into the pan, to be fried of a light colour; add a very little flour, pepper, and salt, a gill of water, and a few drops of vinegar; boil up this gravy, and pour it over the pig's fry. no. . beefsteaks, plain. when you happen to have a clear fire, the steaks may be cooked on a gridiron over the fire; the steaks must be turned on the gridiron every two or three minutes. this precaution assists very much in rendering the meat more palatable and tender, as it is by this frequent turning over of the meat while broiling, that the juices are not allowed to run off in waste, but are re-absorbed by the meat. when the steaks are cooked, rub them over with a small bit of butter, season with pepper and salt. a little chopped shalot sprinkled over steaks, imparts an extra relish. no. . mutton chops, or steaks. mutton chops, properly speaking, are an expensive affair; but what i recommend you to buy is, the chump end of the loin of mutton, which is always to be had much cheaper. this weighs about one pound, at _d._, and would cut into about three, or perhaps four steaks or chops; let these be broiled in the same manner as recommended for beefsteaks. no. . kidney pudding. prepare an ox kidney as shown in no. , and use this to fill a good sized pudding basin, which you shall have previously lined with a dripping or suet crust; cover the meat in by placing a rolled-out piece of the paste on the top, fasten it by pressing the two edges of the paste together, tie the pudding up in a cloth, and take care to place the bottom of the pudding-basin downward in the pot in which it is to be boiled. it will take about two hours to boil a good sized pudding of this kind; when you take it out of the pot, be very careful not to run the fork through the crust, and pay great attention how you handle the pudding while removing the cloth, so as not to spill or waste the gravy it contains, as that would go very far towards spoiling the pudding you have had all the trouble to prepare. no. . hashed meats. i strongly recommend that you never allow yourselves to be persuaded, that cold meat dinners are cheap dinners; just the reverse of this assumption is the fact. and, let me tell you, that those who make the former assertion, do so only because they know no better, and as an excuse for their idleness. i am well aware that in your homes it is not a common every-day occurrence for you to dress a large joint of meat, from which enough would be left for one or more days' dinner; but still it may, and does sometimes occur, that you have cold meat at your disposal, upon which you may exercise your knowledge in domestic economy. besides, some of you who are living close to noblemen and gentlemen's mansions in the country, or otherwise, may perhaps stand a chance of now and then receiving a donation of this kind. and whenever you have any cold meat, i advise you to cook it up into stews of the various kinds described in this work, or else make it into a hash as follows: first, chop two onions fine, and put them to boil with pepper and salt and a pint of water, in a saucepan for ten minutes, then throw in the meat cut in thin slices, mixed with a little flour; boil all together gently for ten minutes longer, and pour the hash into a dish containing either some ready boiled potatoes, or else some slices of toasted bread. no. . boiled tripe. tripe is not exactly a cheap commodity for food; yet, as you may feel occasionally inclined to indulge in a treat of this kind, i will give you instructions to cook it in the most economical manner. when you have procured any given quantity of tripe, cut it up in pieces the size of two inches square, put these into a saucepan containing skim milk, or milk and water, enough to swim the tripe; add some peeled onions, pepper, and salt, and a sprig of thyme, and boil gently for at least an hour; and when the tripe is done, eat it with mustard and some well boiled potatoes. no. . baked tripe. cut the tripe up in pieces, and put it into an earthen pot, with some ale, cider, or water, enough to cover it in; add sliced onions, pepper, and salt, and a good pinch of allspice; put the lid on the pot, and set the tripe in the oven to bake for two hours. no. . sausage dumplings. make one pound of flour and two ounces of dripping, or chopped suet, into a firm paste, by adding just enough water to enable you to knead the whole together. divide this paste into twelve equal parts, roll each of these out sufficiently large to be able to fold up one of the beef sausages in it, wet the edge of the paste to fasten the sausage securely in it, and, as you finish off each sausage dumpling, drop it gently into a large enough saucepan, containing plenty of _boiling_ water, and when the whole are finished, allow them to boil gently by the side of the fire for one hour, and then take up the dumplings with a spoon free from water, on to a dish, and eat them while they are hot. no. . sausage rolls. procure a quartern of dough from the baker's, knead this with four ounces of butter, dripping, or chopped suet; divide it into twelve equal parts, and use each piece of paste to enfold a beef sausage in it; place these rolls on a baking-tin, and bake them in the oven for about twenty minutes or half an hour. no. . roast pork. let us suppose, or rather hope, that you may sometimes have a leg of pork to cook for your dinner; it will eat all the better if it is scored all over by cutting the rind, or rather slitting it crosswise, at short distances, with the point of a sharp knife; it is to be well sprinkled all over with salt, and allowed to absorb the seasoning during some hours previously to its being cooked. prepare some stuffing as follows:--chop six onions and twelve sage leaves fine, fry these with a bit of butter, pepper, and salt, for five minutes; then add six ounces of bread soaked in water; stir all together on the fire for five minutes, and use this stuffing to fill up a hole or pocket, which you will make by running the point of a knife down between the rind and the flesh of the joint of pork; secure this by sewing it up, or else fasten it securely in with a small wooden skewer or twig. the joint of pork, so far prepared, must then be placed upon a trivet in a baking-dish containing plenty of peeled potatoes, and, if possible, a few apples for the children; add half a pint of water, pepper and salt, and if the joint happens to be a leg, it will require about two hours to bake it. no. . bubble and squeak. when you happen to have some cold boiled salt beef, cut this up in slices; fry it on both sides, and dish it up round some cabbages or any dressed vegetables ready to hand, which must be chopped up, seasoned with pepper and salt, and fried. no. . jugged hare. it does sometimes happen that when you are living in the country, in the neighbourhood of considerate gentlefolks who possess game preserves, that they now and then make presents of a hare and a few rabbits to the poor cottagers in their vicinity. and when you are so fortunate as to have a hare given to you, this is the way to cook it:--first, cut the hare up into pieces of equal size, then cut up a pound of bacon into small squares, and fry these in a saucepan for five minutes; next, add the pieces of hare, and, stirring them round in the pot with a spoon, fry them brown; add a good handful of flour, some pepper and allspice, carrots and onions, and a sprig of winter savory; moisten the stew with nearly three pints of water, and stir it all together on the fire till it boils, and then set it on the hob to continue gently simmering for about an hour and a-half or two hours; the jugged hare will then be ready for dinner. no. . boiled bacon and cabbages. put a piece of bacon in a pot capable of containing two gallons; let it boil up, and skim it well; then put in some well-washed split cabbages, a few carrots and parsnips also split, and a few peppercorns; when the whole has boiled gently for about an hour and a-half, throw in a dozen peeled potatoes, and by the time that these are done, the dinner will be ready. and this is the way in which to make the most of this excellent and economical dinner. first, take up the bacon, and having placed it on its dish, garnish it round with the cabbages, carrots, parsnips, and potatoes, and then add some pieces of crust, or thin slices of bread, to the liquor in which the bacon-dinner has been cooked, and this will furnish you with a good wholesome soup with which to satisfy the first peremptory call of your healthy appetites. no. . economical vegetable pottage. in france, and also in many parts of europe, the poorer classes but very seldom taste meat in any form; the chief part of their scanty food consists of bread, vegetables, and more especially of their soup, which is mostly, if not entirely, made of vegetables, or, as is customary on the southern coasts of france, italy, and spain, more generally of fish, for making which kinds of soup see nos. , , , etc. the most common as well as the easiest method for making a good mess of cheap and nutritious soup is the following:--if you are five or six in family, put a three-gallon pot on the fire rather more than half full of water, add four ounces of butter, pepper and salt, and small sprigs of winter savory, thyme, and parsley; and when this has boiled, throw in any portion or quantity, as may best suit your convenience, of such of the following vegetables as your garden can afford:--any kind of cabbages cleaned and split, carrots, turnips, parsnips, broad beans, french beans, peas, broccoli, red cabbages, vegetable marrow, young potatoes, a few lettuce, some chervil, and a few sprigs of mint. allow all this to simmer by the side of the hob for about two hours, and then, after taking up the more considerable portion of the whole vegetables on to a dish, eat one half, or as much as you may require, of the soup with bread in it, and make up your dinner with the whole vegetables and more bread. the remainder will serve for the next day. let me persuade you, my friends, to try and persevere in adopting this very desirable kind of food, when in your power, for your ordinary fare. i, of course, intend this remark more particularly for the consideration of such of my readers as are or may be located in the country, and who may have a little garden of their own. no. . how to make a fish curry. slice up six onions fine, and fry them with a little butter or grease over a slow fire until they become very lightly coloured; then add three or four green apples in slices, and when these are dissolved, place your pieces of any kind of fish, which you have previously fried in a frying-pan, on the top of the onions, etc., sprinkle a spoonful of curry powder all over the fish, put the lid on the saucepan, and set the whole on the hob of a moderate fire, or in the oven, if you have one, to remain simmering for about half an hour; the curry will then be ready to be eaten with well-boiled rice. no. . this is the way to boil rice. i recommend you to buy patna rice, as it is the cheapest; it is best to soak it in water over-night, as it then requires less time to boil it, and moreover, when soaked, the rice becomes lighter, from the fact that the grains separate more readily while boiling. put the rice on to boil in plenty of cold water, stirring it from the bottom of the saucepan occasionally while it is boiling fast; when the grains separate at the ends, and thus appear to form the letter x, the rice will be done; it requires about half an hour's gentle boiling. when the rice is done, drain it in a colander, and place it before the fire, stirring it now and then with a fork. no. . rice dumplings. boil one pound of rice as directed in the foregoing number, and when thoroughly drained free from excess of moisture, knead the rice with a spoon in a basin into a smooth, compact kind of paste, and use this to cover some peeled apples with in the same way as you would make an ordinary apple dumpling. in order the better to enable you to handle the rice-paste with ease, i recommend that each time previously to shaping one of the dumplings, you should first dip your clean hands in cold water. let the dumplings, when finished, be tied up in small cloths, and boiled in plenty of hot water for about three-quarters of an hour. the cloths used for these dumplings must be greased. no. . plum or currant dough pudding. ingredients, two pounds of dough from the baker's, four ounces of plums or currants, a pinch of allspice, ditto of salt, a gill of milk. mix all the above ingredients together in a pan; tie up the pudding in a well-greased pudding-cloth, and place it in a pot containing _boiling_ water, and allow it to continue boiling for two hours; at the end of this time the pudding will be done, and may be turned out on its dish. no. . christmas plum pudding. ingredients, two pounds of flour, twelve ounces of raisins, twelve ounces of currants, twelve ounces of peeled and chopped apples, one pound of chopped suet, twelve ounces of sugar, four eggs, one pint and a-half of milk or beer, one ounce of salt, half an ounce of ground allspice. boil the pudding four hours. first, put the flour, suet, and all the fruit in a large pan; mix these well together, and having made a deep hole in the middle thereof with your fist, add the salt, sugar, and allspice, and half a pint of the milk, or beer, to dissolve them; next, add the four eggs, and the remaining pint of milk, or beer; mix all vigorously together with the hand, tie up the pudding in a well-greased and floured cloth, boil it for at least four hours, taking care that the water boils before the pudding is put into the pot to boil. when done, turn the pudding out on its dish, and, if you can afford it, pour over it the following sauce:-- no. . sweet pudding sauce. ingredients, two ounces of common flour, ditto of butter, ditto of sugar, chopped lemon-peel, half a gill of any kind of spirits, and half a pint of water. first mix the flour, butter, and sugar in a small saucepan by kneading the ingredients well together with a wooden spoon, then add the water, spirits, and lemon-peel; stir the sauce on the fire till it comes to a boil, and then pour it all over the pudding. no. . jam pudding. ingredients, one pound of flour, six ounces of suet, half a pint of water, a pinch of salt, one pound of any kind of common jam, at _d._ mix the flour, suet, water, and salt into a firm, compact kind of paste; roll this out with a rolling-pin, sprinkling some flour on the table to prevent the paste from sticking to either; fold up the paste, and roll it out again; repeat the rolling-out and folding three times; this operation will make the paste lighter. next, roll out the paste one foot long by eighteen inches wide, spread the jam all over this, roll up the pudding in the form of a bolster, roll it up in a well-greased and floured cloth, tie it up tightly at both ends; put the pudding into a pot of _boiling_ water, and boil it for nearly two hours; when done, turn out carefully on to its dish, without breaking the crust. no. . rhubarb pie. a bundle of rhubarb, one pound of flour, six ounces of butter, or lard, or dripping, half a pint of water, a pinch of salt, ditto of baking-powder, eight ounces of moist sugar. first, cut up the rhubarb in pieces about an inch long, wash them in plenty of water, and drain them in a colander, or sieve. next, place the flour in a pan, or on the table, make a hollow in the middle with your fist, place the salt and the baking-powder in it, pour in the water to dissolve them, then add the butter; mix all together by working the ingredients with the fingers of both hands, until the whole has become a firm, smooth, compact kind of paste. you now put the cleaned rhubarb into a pie-dish, with the sugar and a gill of water, roll out the paste to the exact size of the dish, and after wetting the edges of the dish all round, place the rolled-out paste upon it, and by pressing the thumb of the right hand all round the upper part of the edge, the paste will be effectually fastened on, so as to prevent the juice from running out at the sides; a small hole the size of a sixpence must be made at the top of the pie, for ventilation, or otherwise the pie would burst. bake the pie for an hour and a quarter. no. . fruit pies in general. all kinds of fruit pies are made as shown in the foregoing number. no. . a cheap kind of mince-meat. ingredients, eight ounces of stoned raisins, eight ounces of washed and dried currants, one pound of tripe, one pound of apples, one pound of chopped suet, four ounces of shred candied peel, one pound of moist sugar, one ounce of allspice, the juice and the chopped rind of three lemons, half a gill of rum. first chop the raisins, currants, apples, and the tripe all together, or separately, until well mixed; then place these in a pan, add the remainder of the ingredients, mix them thoroughly until well incorporated with each other; put the mince-meat into a clean dry stone jar, tie some thick paper, or a piece of bladder over the top, and keep it in a cool place till wanted for use. no. . mince-pie paste. ingredients, one pound of flour, eight ounces of butter or lard, three gills of water, half an ounce of salt, a tea-spoonful of baking-powder. place the flour on the table, hollow out a hole or well in the centre with your fist, place the salt and baking-powder in this, add the water and the butter, work all together lightly with the fingers, without positively absorbing or entirely uniting the butter with the flour, but, on the contrary, keeping the butter in distinct pieces here and there; then roll up the paste in the form of a ball of dough, spread it out on the floured table, and, with a rolling-pin, roll it out to the extent of eighteen inches in length, by eight inches wide; then fold the paste in three equal folds, roll it out the reverse way, fold it up again as before, and after repeating the rolling out and folding up a third time, the paste will be ready for use. no. . to make a mince-pie. having prepared the paste according to the directions given in the foregoing number, divide it in two equal parts, roll these out either round or square, place one of the flats on a tin baking-dish, wet all round the edge of the paste, spread some of the mince-meat about half an inch thick all over the paste to within an inch of its edge, then cover all in by laying the other flat of paste evenly upon the whole, press all round the edge of the pie with your thumb to secure the mince-meat from running out at the sides, score the pie neatly over the surface, in the form of reversed strokes, and bake it for an hour. no. . jam tart. prepare some paste, as in no. , and use this to make a jam tart, as directed for making a mince-pie, using any kind of common jam, instead of mince-meat, for the purpose. no. . baked apple dumplings. ingredients, one pound of flour, four ounces of chopped suet, half a pint of water, a pinch of salt, eight or ten large apples peeled. with the above ingredients prepare some suet paste, as directed in no. ; divide the paste into about eight equal parts, first make these into balls with the hand, and then roll them out with a rolling-pin to the size of a large saucer, envelop an apple in each flat of paste, and, wetting the edges with water, gather them round in a purse-like form, and twist the ends tightly together to fasten them securely. the dumplings, thus formed, must be placed on the twisted end, at equal distances of three inches apart from each other, upon a tin baking-dish, and baked in the oven for about three-quarters of an hour. no. . pancakes for shrove tuesday. ingredients, twelve ounces of flour, three eggs, one pint of milk, a tea-spoonful of salt, a little grated nutmeg, and chopped lemon-peel. first, put the flour into a basin, hollow out the centre, add the salt, nutmeg, lemon-peel, and a drop of milk, to dissolve them; then break in the eggs, work all together, with a spoon, into a smooth soft paste, add the remainder of the milk, and work the whole vigorously until it forms a smooth liquid batter. next, set a frying-pan on the fire, and, as soon as it gets hot, wipe it out clean with a cloth, then run about a tea-spoonful of lard all over the bottom of the hot frying-pan, pour in half a small tea-cupful of the batter, place the pan over the fire, and, in about a minute or so, the pancake will have become set sufficiently firm to enable you to turn it over in the frying-pan, in order that it may be baked on the other side also; the pancake done on both sides, turn it out on its dish, and sprinkle a little sugar over it: proceed to use up the remaining batter in the same manner. no. . raisinet--a preserve for winter. ingredients, twelve pounds of fruit, consisting of peeled apples, pears, plums, and blackberries, in equal proportion; six pounds of raw sugar, at - / _d._ per pound; one quart of water. bake three hours in a slack or slow oven. first, prepare the fruit, and put it in mixed layers of plums, pears, berries, apples, alternating each other, in stone jars. next, put the six pounds of sugar in a clean saucepan, with the quart of water, and stir it with a spoon on the fire till it comes to a gentle boil; remove the dirty scum from the surface of the sugar; and, after allowing it to boil for ten minutes, pour it in equal proportions into the jar or jars containing the fruits, and place them in a moderate heat to bake slowly for three hours at least. when boiling the sugar for this purpose, remember that it is most prudent to use a saucepan capable of containing double the quantity, as sugar is very liable to boil over and waste. when the fruit is nearly dissolved, the raisinet will be done; it must then be removed to a cool place until it has become thoroughly cold and partially set firm; the jars should then be tied down with thick paper, or bladder, and kept in the cellar for winter use, either for making puddings or tarts, or for spreading on bread for the children. no. . currant jam. ingredients, twelve pounds of picked currants, either red, black, or white, or, if agreeable, mixed; eight pounds of raw sugar, three pints of water. if you could borrow what is called a preserving-pan from a neighbour, it would suit the purpose better than a pot; but, failing the preserving-pan, put the eight pounds of sugar in a four-gallon iron pot, with the three pints of water; stir these on the fire till the sugar boils; remove the scum from the surface, and, when it has boiled for about ten minutes, add the currants, and keep stirring the jam, while it boils for half an hour; and then, if it presents the appearance of being rather thick, and the currants partly dissolved, it will be ready to pour into stone jars, which, after being allowed to cool all night, are to be tied down with paper, and kept in a cold place for winter's use. all kinds of seed fruit can be prepared in the same manner, as well as all kinds of plums. no. . how to preserve rhubarb. free the rhubarb from leaves, cut it up in inch lengths, wash and drain it in a sieve or colander. next, put the rhubarb into a sufficiently large pot, or preserving-pan, with a little water--say a pint of water to ten pounds of rhubarb, and put this on the fire, with the lid on, to boil until dissolved to a pulp, stirring it occasionally; as soon as all the rhubarb is dissolved, add six pounds of moist sugar, and stir the whole continuously on the fire while boiling fast, until reduced to a rather stiff paste or marmalade--this will require about half an hour's boiling; the preserve or jam must then be immediately put into jars, or gallipots, and, when cold, is to be covered with stiff paper, and tied round with string. keep the jam in a cold place, for use. no. . how to make gooseberry jam. pick ten pounds of ripe gooseberries, put them in a covered pot, with a pint of water, and set them on the fire to boil to a pulp, stirring them frequently, and, when they are thoroughly dissolved, add six pounds of sugar, and stir the whole continuously while boiling on the fire, until the jam is reduced to a rather stiff paste; it must then be poured into gallipots, and, when cold, is to be covered with paper, and tied round with string. no. . baked pears. put the pears, standing up side by side in rows, with their stalks uppermost, in an earthenware baking dish; add a sprinkle of moist sugar, a few cloves, and a pint of cider or water, and bake them until they are done. the time for cooking them depends upon their size and kind. no. . baked apples. put the apples on a baking-dish, with a sprinkle of sugar, and a drop of cider or water, and set them in the oven to bake. baked apples or pears, with bread, form a cheap, wholesome, and proper kind of supper for children. no. . to make elder wine. ingredients, two gallons of elderberries, two quarts of damsons, eight pounds of raw sugar, at - / _d._ per pound, two gallons of water, two ounces of ginger, one ounce of cloves, and half a pint of fresh yeast. to make this quantity of elder wine, you must have a copper, a tub, a large canvas or loose flannel bag, and a five-gallon barrel. first, crush the elderberries and damsons thoroughly in the pot or copper in which they are to be boiled; then add the water, and keep stirring all together as it boils, until the fruit is well dissolved; then use a wooden bowl or a basin to pour the whole into a loose flannel bag, steadily fixed across two stout sticks, resting safely on two chairs, or, if you have one, a large coarse sieve instead. when all the liquor has passed through into the tub, put the dregs back into the copper, to be boiled up with a couple of quarts of water, and then to be strained to the other liquor. the next part of the process is to put the whole of the elderberry juice back into the clean pot or copper, with the sugar, and the spice, well bruised with a hammer; stir all together, on the fire, and allow the wine to boil gently for half an hour, then pour it into the clean tub to cool; the half-pint of yeast must then be added, and thoroughly mixed by stirring. at the end of two days, skim off the yeast which, by that time, will have risen to the surface. the elder wine must now be put into the barrel, and kept in the cellar with the bung-hole left open for a fortnight; at the end of this time, a stiff brown paper should be pasted over the bung-hole, and after standing for a month or six weeks, the wine will be ready for use. to be obliged to buy all the ingredients for making elder wine, would render it a matter of great difficulty--perhaps, in some cases, an impossibility; but, remember, that when living in the country, where in some parts elderberries grow in the hedge-rows, you may have them for the trouble of gathering them, in which case the elder wine would be cheaper, and more easily within your means. no. . vegetable porridge. scrape and peel the following vegetables:--six carrots, six turnips, six onions, three heads of celery, and three parsnips; slice up all these very thinly, and put them into a two-gallon pot, with four ounces of butter, a handful of parsley, ditto of chervil, and a good sprig of thyme, and fill up with water or pot liquor, if you happen to have any; season with pepper and salt, and put the whole to boil very gently on the fire for two hours; at the end of this time the vegetables will be done to a pulp, and the whole must be rubbed through a colander with a wooden spoon, and afterwards put back into the pot and stirred over the fire, to make it hot for dinner. no. . pumpkin porridge. i am aware that pumpkins are not generally grown in this country as an article of food for the poorer classes, and more is the pity, for they require but little trouble to rear, and yield an abundance of nutritious and cooling food, at a small cost; the chief reason for the short supply is, i imagine, the want of knowledge for turning the pumpkin to good account as an article of food. i am now about to supply easy instruction to convey that knowledge to whomsoever may stand in need of it. peel and slice up as much pumpkin as will produce about eight ounces for each person, and put this into a boiling pot, with two ounces of butter, and a quart of water; set the whole to boil very gently on the fire, until the pumpkin is reduced to a pulp, and then add half-a-pint of buttermilk, or skim milk, to every person who is to partake of the porridge. you then stir the porridge over the fire for about fifteen minutes longer, taking care that it does not boil over; season with salt and a little nutmeg, and eat it with toasted bread for breakfast, or any other meal. no. . rice-milk for six persons. put one pound of patna rice into a boiling pot with two ounces of butter, two quarts of water, a small bit of cinnamon or lemon-peel, and a little salt; put the lid on, and set the rice to boil very gently indeed close to the hob, until the rice is done quite soft; this will take about one hour and a quarter; then add three pints of skim milk, and after having stirred the rice-milk over the fire for ten minutes longer, it may be sweetened with a little honey or sugar, and will produce an excellent breakfast for at least six persons. no. . knuckle of veal and rice. a small knuckle, or scrag-end of neck of veal, is sometimes to be purchased very cheap; i will therefore suppose that you may, once in a way, provide such a thing, and this is the way you should cook it to the best advantage. put the knuckle of veal into a boiling pot, with a pound of bacon, two pounds of rice, six onions, three carrots cut in pieces, some peppercorns, and salt in moderation on account of the bacon; add three or four quarts of water, and set the whole to stew very gently over a moderate fire for about three hours. this will produce a good substantial dinner for at least ten persons. no. . irish stew. inferior parts of any kind of meat make a good irish stew. let the meat be cut in pieces the size of an egg, well rubbed all over with pepper and salt, and placed in a good-sized pot or saucepan; add peeled onions in the proportion of six to the pound of meat, and enough water just to cover in the whole. next, set the stew on the fire to boil very gently for an hour and a-half, then add such quantity of peeled and split potatoes as you may think will suffice for the number of persons about to dine off the stew, and put the whole back on the fire to boil briskly until the potatoes are thoroughly done soft; the irish stew will then be ready to eat. no. . fish soup. cod-fish cuttings, dutch plaice, skate, dabs, haddocks, cod's-heads, cod's-tails, or any fresh-water fish you may happen to catch when fishing, conger eels cut in slices, and almost any kind of fish which may come within reach of your means, are all more or less fit for making a good mess of soup for a meal. first, chop fine some onions, and put them into a pot with enough water to furnish about half a pint for each person to be provided for, and set this on the fire to boil for ten minutes; then add your pieces of fish, of about four ounces each; season with thyme, pepper, and salt, and boil the soup for about fifteen minutes longer, when it will be ready for dinner. some well-boiled potatoes will prove a welcome addition to this soup. _note._--this kind of fish soup will prove the more advantageous near the sea-coast, where inferior kinds of fish are always very cheap. no. . soused mackerel. when mackerel are to be bought at six for a shilling, this kind of fish forms a cheap dinner. on such occasions, the mackerel must be placed heads and tails in an earthen dish or pan, seasoned with chopped onions, black pepper, a pinch of allspice, and salt; add sufficient vinegar and water in equal proportions to cover the fish. bake in your own oven, if you possess one, or send them to the baker's. _note._--herrings, sprats, or any other cheap fish, are soused in the same manner. no. . a dinner of red herrings. the cheaper sort of red herrings are always too salty, and unpleasantly strong-flavoured, and are therefore an indifferent kind of food, unless due precaution is taken to soak them in water for an hour before they are cooked. first, soak the red herrings in water for an hour; wipe, and split them down the back; toast or broil them on both sides for two or three minutes, and having placed them on a dish, put a bit of butter and some chopped onion upon each herring; pour a little vinegar over all, and this will make a cheap and savoury dish to be eaten with well-boiled potatoes. no. . to fry fish. for this purpose you must have some kind of fat. either lard, butter, or dripping fat, would be excellent; but they must be bought, and cost a little money. true; but then, if you can afford yourselves a bit of meat occasionally, by dint of good thrift you should save the fat from the boiled meat, or the dripping from your baked meats, and thus furnish yourselves with fat for frying your fish twice a-week; and let me tell you that by introducing fish as an occasional part of your daily food, your health, as well as your pockets, would feel the benefit of such a system of economy. suppose, then, that you have bought some cheap kind of fish, such as herrings, large flounders, plaice, small soles, or any other small or flat fish. first of all, let the fish be washed and wiped dry, and rubbed all over with a little flour. next, put about two ounces of fat, free from water, in a frying-pan on the fire, and, as soon as it is hot, put the fish in to fry, one or two at a time, according to their size, as, unless they have room enough in the frying-pan they do not fry well; this must be carefully attended to, and when the fish is a little browned on one side, turn it over with a tin fish-slice, that it may be fried on the other side also; and, as soon as done, place the fried fish on a dish and then fry the others. when all your fish are fried, with what fat remains in the pan fry some onions, and place them round the fish, and, by way of adding an extra relish to your meal, just throw a few table-spoonfuls of vinegar, some pepper and salt, into the frying-pan, give it a boil up, and pour this round the fish. no. . salt fish with parsnips. salt fish must always be well soaked in plenty of cold water the whole of the night before it is required for the following day's dinner. the salt fish must be put on to boil in plenty of cold water, without any salt, and when thoroughly done, should be well-drained free from any water, and placed on a dish with plenty of well-boiled parsnips. some sauce may be poured over the fish, which is to be made as follows: viz.--mix two ounces of butter with three ounces of flour, pepper and salt, a small glassful of vinegar, and a good half-pint of water. stir this on the fire till it boils. a few hard-boiled eggs, chopped up and mixed in this sauce, would render the dish more acceptable. no. . baked fish. wash and wipe the fish, and lay it, heads and tails, in a baking-dish, the bottom of which has been spread all over with a little butter or dripping, add a little vinegar and water, and, when procurable, some mushroom ketchup. season with chopped onions and parsley, shake plenty of raspings of bread all over the top of the fish, and bake it in your oven, or send it to the baker's. no. . baked cod's head. first, make some stuffing with one pound of bruised crumb of bread, mixed with six ounces of chopped suet, two eggs, chopped parsley, onions and thyme, and seasoned with pepper and salt. put this stuffing inside the cod's head, and place it in a baking-dish with two ounces of butter, a gill of vinegar, and a pint and a half of water. spread a little of the butter all over the cod's head, and then a thick coating of bread-raspings all over it; bake it for an hour in the oven. a few oysters would be an improvement. no. . bouillabaisse soup. put the following ingredients into a saucepan to boil on the fire:--four onions and six tomatoes, or red love-apples, cut in thin slices, some thyme and winter savory, a little salad-oil, a wine-glassful of vinegar, pepper and salt, and a pint of water to each person. when the soup has boiled fifteen minutes, throw in your fish, cut in pieces or slices, and, as soon as the fish is done, eat the soup with some crusts of bread or toast in it. all kinds of fish suit this purpose. no. . to boil fish. put the fish on in sufficient water to cover it, add a small handful of salt, and, providing that the fish is not larger than mackerel, soles, or whiting, it will be cooked by the time that the water boils. yet it is always best to try whether it requires to boil a little longer, as underdone fish is unwholesome. boiled fish requires some kind of sauce. try the following, viz:-- no. . parsley sauce. chop a handful of parsley and mix it in a stewpan with two ounces of butter, two ounces of flour, pepper and salt; moisten with half a pint of water and a table-spoonful of vinegar. stir the parsley-sauce on the fire till it boils, and then pour it over the fish, drained free from water, on its dish. no. . anchovy sauce. mix two ounces of butter with two ounces of flour, in a saucepan. add a spoonful of essence of anchovy, and half a pint of water. stir the sauce on the fire till it boils. no. . baked skate. chop three onions, and fry them of a light-brown colour in two ounces of butter, then add half a pint of vinegar, pepper and salt, and allow the whole to boil on the fire for five minutes. put the skate in a baking dish, pour the sauce over it, and also just enough water to reach to its surface. strew a thick coating of bread-raspings on the fish, and bake it for an hour and a half at rather moderate heat. no. . how to brew your own beer. the first preparatory step towards brewing is to gather your necessary plant together in proper working order, and thoroughly clean. your plant or utensils must consist of the following articles, viz.:--a thirty-gallon copper, two cooling-tubs capable of holding each about thirty gallons; a mash-tub of sufficient size to contain fifty-four gallons, and another tub of smaller size, called an underback; a bucket or pail, a wooden hand-bowl, a large wooden funnel, a mash-stirrer, four scraped long stout sticks, a good-sized loose-wrought wicker basket for straining the beer, and another small bowl-shaped wicker basket, called a tapwaist, to fasten inside the mash-tub on to the inner end of the spigot and faucet, to keep back the grains when the wort is being run off out of the mash-tub. you will also require some beer barrels, a couple of brass or metal cocks, some vent-pegs, and some bungs. i do not pretend to assert that the whole of the foregoing articles are positively indispensable for brewing your own beer. i merely enumerate what is most proper to be used; leaving the manner and means of replacing such of these articles as may be out of your reach very much to your intelligence in contriving to use such as you possess, or can borrow from a neighbour, instead. spring water, from its hardness, is unfit for brewing; fresh fallen rain water, caught in clean tubs, or water fetched from a brook or river, are best adapted for brewing; as, from the fact of their being free from all calcareous admixture, their consequent softness gives them the greater power to extract all the goodness and strength from the malt and hops. in order to ensure having good wholesome beer, it is necessary to calculate your brewing at the rate of two bushels of malt and two pounds of hops to fifty-four gallons of water; these proportions, well managed, will produce three kilderkins of good beer. i recommend that you should use malt and hops of the best quality only; as their plentiful yield of beneficial substance fully compensates for their somewhat higher price. a thin shell, well filled up plump with the interior flour, and easily bitten asunder, is a sure test of good quality in malt; superior hops are known by their light greenish-yellow tinge of colour, and also by their bright, dry, yet somewhat gummy feel to the touch, without their having any tendency to clamminess. the day before brewing, let all your tackle be well scrubbed and rinsed clean, the copper wiped out, and all your tubs and barrels half filled with cold water, to soak for a few hours, so as to guard against any chance of leakage, and afterwards emptied, and set to dry in the open air, weather permitting; or otherwise, before the fire. fasten the tapwaist inside the mash-tub to the inner end of the faucet and spigot, taking care to place the mash-tub in an elevated position, resting upon two benches or stools. early in the dawn of morning, light the fire under your copper, filled with water over-night, and, as soon as it boils, with it fill the mash-tub rather more than three-parts full; and as soon as the first heat of the water has subsided, and you find that you are able to bear your fingers drawn slowly through it without experiencing pain, you must then throw in the malt, stirring it about for ten minutes or so; then lay some sticks across the mash-tub, and cover it with sacks or blankets, and allow it to steep for three hours. at the end of the three hours, let off the wort from the mash-tub into the underback-tub, which has been previously placed under the spigot and faucet ready to receive it; pouring the first that runs out back into the mash, until the wort runs free from grains, etc.; now put the hops into the underback-tub and let the wort run out upon them. your copper having been refilled, and boiled again while the mash is in progress, you must now pour sufficient boiling water into the grains left in the mash-tub to make up your quantity of fifty-four gallons; and when this second mashing shall have also stood some two hours, let it be drawn off, and afterwards mixed with the first batch of wort, and boil the whole at two separate boilings, with the hops equally divided; each lot to be allowed to boil for an hour and a-half after it has commenced boiling. the beer is now to be strained through the loose wicker basket into your cooling tubs and pans; the more you have of these the better the beer, from its cooling quickly. and when the beer has cooled to the degree of water which has stood in the house in summer-time for some hours, let it all be poured into your two or three largest tubs, keeping back a couple or three quarts in a pan, with which to mix a pint of good yeast and a table-spoonful of common salt; stir this mixture well together, keep it in rather a warm part of the house, and in the course of half an hour or so, it will work up to the top of the basin or pan. this worked beer must now be equally divided between the two or three tubs containing the bulk of the beer, and is to be well mixed in by ladling it about with a wooden hand-bowl for a couple of minutes. this done, cover over the beer with sacks or blankets stretched upon sticks across the tubs, and leave them in this state for forty-eight hours. the next thing to be seen to is to get your barrels placed in proper order and position for being filled; and to this end attend strictly to the following directions, viz.:--first, skim off the scum, which is yeast, from the top or surface of the tubs, and next, draw off the beer through the spigot, and with the wooden funnel placed in the bung-hole, proceed to fill up the barrels not quite full; and, remember, that if a few hops are put into each before filling in the beer, it will keep all the better. reserve some of the beer with which to fill up the barrels as they throw up the yeast while the beer is working; and when the yeast begins to fall, lay the bungs upon the bung-holes, and at the end of ten days or a fortnight, hammer the bungs in tight, and keep the vent-pegs tight also. in about two months' time after the beer has been brewed, it will be in a fit condition for drinking. no. . how to bake your own bread. put a bushel of flour into a trough, or a large pan; with your fist make a deep hole in the centre thereof; put a pint of good fresh yeast into this hollow; add thereto two quarts of warm water, and work in with these as much of the flour as will serve to make a soft smooth kind of batter. strew this over with just enough flour to hide it; then cover up the trough with its lid, or with a blanket to keep all warm, and when the leaven has risen sufficiently to cause the flour to crack all over its surface, throw in a handful of salt, work all together; add just enough lukewarm soft water to enable you to work the whole into a firm, compact dough, and after having kneaded this with your fists until it becomes stiff and comparatively tough, shake a little flour over it, and again cover it in with a blanket to keep it warm, in order to assist its fermentation. if properly managed, the fermentation will be accomplished in rather less than half an hour. meanwhile that the bread is being thus far prepared, you will have heated your oven to a satisfactory degree of heat, with a sufficient quantity of dry, small wood faggots; and when all the wood is burnt, sweep out the oven clean and free from all ashes. divide your dough into four-pound loaves, knead them into round shapes, making a hole at the top with your thumb, and immediately put them out of hand into the oven to bake, closing the oven-door upon them. in about two hours' time they will be thoroughly baked, and are then to be taken out of the oven, and allowed to become quite cold before they are put away in the cupboard. no. . yorkshire pie-clates for tea. ingredients, one pound of flour, two ounces of grocer's currants, three gills of milk, and a pinch of baking-powder. mix the above ingredients together in a pan into a firm, smooth, compact paste. divide this into eight equal parts, roll each into a ball with the hand previously dipped in flour, then roll them out with a rolling-pin, with a little flour shaken on the table to prevent the paste from sticking, to the size of a tea-saucer, and bake the pie-clates upon a griddle-iron fixed over a clear fire to the upper bar of the grate. in about two or three minutes' time they will be done on the underside; they must then be turned over that they may be also baked on the other side, then taken off the griddle-iron, placed on a plate, and a little butter spread upon each as they are done out of hand. no. . hard biscuits. ingredients, one pound of flour, half a pint of hot milk, a tea-spoonful of salt, a pinch of baking-powder; bake them a quarter of an hour. mix the above ingredients into a firm paste, well kneaded until it becomes quite tough; then let the paste rest covered over with a cloth for half an hour, after which it is to be divided into eight equal parts, rolled out to the size of tea-saucers, placed upon baking-tins, pricked all over with a fork, and baked in a brisk oven for about fifteen minutes. no. . gingerbread nuts. ingredients, one pound of flour, half a pint of treacle, two ounces of butter, half an ounce of ground ginger, a pinch of allspice, a tea-spoonful of carbonate of soda, and a pinch of salt. mix all the above ingredients into a firm, well-kneaded stiff paste, divide this into about twenty-four parts, roll these into shape like walnuts, place them upon greased baking-tins at distances of two inches apart from each other, and bake the gingerbread nuts in a rather brisk oven for about fifteen minutes. no. . how to steam potatoes. peel the potatoes thinly, wash them clean, put them in the steamer, over _boiling_ water, which must be kept briskly boiling until the potatoes are thoroughly done, the length of time depending very much on their size. i am aware that it is not in the power of all to possess a potato-steamer, although one may be purchased at adams & son's, in the haymarket, for a few shillings; and therefore i will give you instructions how to boil potatoes. no. . how to boil potatoes. wash the potatoes clean, and put them on to boil in a saucepan, with cold water just enough to cover them; place the saucepan on the hob, close to the fire, and allow them to remain in that position for a quarter of an hour, by which time the water will have gradually reached to the boiling point; the saucepan should now be allowed to boil until the potatoes are done through, and then pour off the water; put the lid on again with a cloth on the top, place the saucepan close to the fire for about five minutes, and when you turn them out on their dish you will find that you have a well-boiled, mealy potato before you. no. . baked or roasted potatoes. you do not require that i should tell you that when you have no oven you can easily roast your potatoes by placing them on the hobs, bars, and under the fire-grate; and if you are attentive to their being well roasted, by turning them about now and then, so that they may be done all over alike, you need not be deprived of a baked potato for the want of an oven. when the potatoes are roasted, slightly squeeze each separately in a cloth, to make them mealy, then split them open; season them with a bit of butter, or dripping, a little bit of chopped shalot, pepper, and salt, and this will afford you a nice relish for supper. no. . how to fry potatoes. peel, split, and cut the potatoes into slices of _equal_ thickness, say the thickness of two penny pieces; and as they are cut out of hand, let them be dropped into a pan of cold water. when about to fry the potatoes, first drain them on a clean cloth, and dab them all over, in order to absorb all moisture; while this has been going on, you will have made some kind of fat (entirely free from water or gravy, such as lard, for instance) very hot in a frying-pan, and into this drop your prepared potatoes, only a good handful at a time; as, if you attempt to fry too many at once, instead of being crisp, as they should be, the potatoes will fry flabby, and consequently will be unappetising. as soon as the first lot is fried in a satisfactory manner, drain them from the fat with a skimmer, or spoon, and then fry the remainder; and when all are fried, shake a little salt over them. no. . how to fry potatoes an easier way. when it happens that you have some cold boiled potatoes, this is the way to fry them:--first cut the potatoes in thick slices, and fry them in a frying-pan with butter or dripping, just enough to season them, and as they fry, lift or scrape them from the bottom of the pan with an iron spoon, to prevent them from sticking to the bottom and burning, which, by imparting a bitter taste, would spoil them; when all are fried of a very light brown colour, season with pepper and salt. no. . how to mash potatoes. either steam or boil the potatoes, as indicated in nos. and , and immediately after they are done, while steaming hot, put the potatoes into a clean saucepan, and break or mash them by stirring them vigorously with a fork; when all are broken smooth and mealy, add a little _hot_ milk, with a bit of butter, pepper, and salt; work the whole well together for a few minutes, and eat the mashed potatoes while hot. no. . baked mashed potatoes. prepare the mashed potatoes as shown in the preceding number, put them in a dish, smooth them over with a knife, put some bits of butter on the top, and set them before the fire, turning them occasionally to brown them equally all round. no. . mashed potatoes with ling. ling is a kind of dried salt fish; it is cheaper than the ordinary sort of salted codfish. it should be washed and well soaked in plenty of tepid water for six hours before it is boiled in cold water; when taken out of the pot it should be divided into large flakes, mixed with mashed potatoes, and baked in a dish, as directed in the preceding number. no. . how to stew potatoes. first boil the potatoes, and then put a little butter, a chopped onion, half a pint of milk, or water, pepper and salt to season; boil this for ten minutes, then add the potatoes, previously cooked; boil all together for ten minutes, and dish them up. no. . buttered parsnips. scrape or peel the parsnips, and boil them in hot water till they are done quite tender, then drain off all the water, add a bit of butter, some chopped parsley, pepper and salt; shake them together on the fire until all is well mixed. no. . buttered swedish turnips. swedish turnips are mostly given as food to cattle; true, but there is no good reason why they should not be considered as excellent food for man, for they are sweeter, and yield more substance than the ordinary turnips; let them be peeled, boiled in plenty of water, and when done, mashed with a little milk, butter, pepper, and salt. no. . how to cook spinach. pick it thoroughly, wash the spinach, boil it in plenty of hot water with salt in it, and when it is done, drain it free from all moisture, chop it up, put it in a saucepan with butter, pepper, and salt; stir all together on the fire for five minutes. no. . fried cabbage and bacon. first, boil the cabbage, and when done and drained free from water, chop it up. next fry some rashers of bacon, and when done, lay them on a plate before the fire; put the chopped cabbage in the frying-pan, and fry it with the fat from the bacon, then put this on a dish with the rashers upon it. no. . peas and bacon. shave off any brown rancid part from the bacon, and put it on to boil in plenty of cold water; when it is nearly done put in the peas with a good bunch of mint, and let all boil together until the peas are done soft; then dish up the peas round the bacon. no. . baked or roasted onions. do not peel the onions, but put them in their natural state to roast on the hobs, turning them round to the fire occasionally, in order that they may be equally roasted all over and through; when they are well done, remove the outer skin, split them open, add a bit of butter, pepper and salt, and a few drops of vinegar. no. . how to cook broad beans. boil the beans in hot water with a bunch of winter savory and some salt, and when done and drained, put them into a saucepan with the chopped savory, butter, a pinch of flour, pepper and salt, and toss all together for a few minutes over the fire. no. . how to cook french beans. string the beans and boil them in hot water with salt; when done and drained, put them into a saucepan, with butter, a pinch of flour, chopped parsley, pepper and salt, and stir them gently on the fire for two or three minutes. no. . how to cook vegetable marrow. this is a cheap and excellent vegetable; let them be peeled, split them, and remove the seedy part; boil them in hot water with salt, and when done, eat them with a bit of butter, pepper, and salt. no. . white haricot beans. in france, haricot beans form a principal part in the staple articles of food for the working-classes, and indeed for the entire population; it is much to be desired that some effectual means should be adopted, for the purpose of introducing and encouraging the use of this most excellent vegetable among the people of england as a general article of daily food, more especially in the winter. if this desideratum could be accomplished, its beneficial result would go far to assist in rendering us in a measure independent of the potato crop, which, of late years, has proved so uncertain. i am aware that haricot beans, as well as lentils, as at present imported and retailed as a mere luxury to such as possess cooks who know how to dress them, might lead to the rejection of my proposal that they should, or could, be adopted as food by the people; but i see no reason why haricot beans should not be imported to this country in such quantities as would enable the importers to retail them at a somewhat similar low price as that in which they are sold at in france. in that case, they would become cheap enough to come within the reach of the poorest. and under the impression that this wish of mine may be eventually realized, i will here give you instructions how to cook haricot beans to the greatest advantage. no. . how to dress haricot beans. put a quart of white haricot beans in plenty of cold water in a pan in order that they may soak through the night; the next day drain off the water in which they have soaked, and put them into a pot with three quarts of _cold_ water, a little grease or butter, some pepper and salt, and set them on the fire to boil _very gently_ until they are thoroughly done; this will take about two hours' gentle boiling; when done, the haricot beans are to be drained free from excess of moisture, and put into a saucepan with chopped parsley, butter, pepper and salt; stir the whole carefully on the fire for five minutes, and serve them for dinner with or without meat as may best suit your means. no. . haricot beans, another way. when the haricot beans have been boiled as shown in the preceding number, chop fine a couple of onions, and fry them in a saucepan with a bit of butter, then add the haricot beans, pepper and salt; stir all together and serve them out to your family. no. . a salad of haricot beans. well-boiled haricot beans, cold, are made into an excellent salad, as follows:--put the haricot beans into a bowl, season with chopped parsley, green onions, salad oil, vinegar, pepper and salt, and slices of beet-root. mix thoroughly. no. . lentils. lentils are a species of vetches much in use in france as a staple article of food in the winter; there are two sorts, those denominated "_à la reine_," a small brown flat-looking seed, while the other sort is somewhat larger--of the size of small peas, and flat; both sorts are equally nutritious, and are to be treated in exactly the same way as herein indicated for cooking haricot beans. these, as well as haricot beans, may be boiled with a piece of bacon. no. . a relish for supper. prepare some oysters, as shown in no. , and when poured upon the toast in their dish, strew all over their surface equal quantities of bread raspings and grated cheese; hold a red-hot shovel over the top until it becomes slightly coloured, and eat this little delicacy while hot. no. . how to make an omelet. break three or four eggs into a basin, add a little chopped shalot, and parsley, pepper, and salt; put an ounce of butter in a frying-pan on the fire, and as soon as the butter begins to fry, beat up the eggs, etc., with a fork for two minutes; immediately pour the whole into the frying-pan, and put it on the fire, stirring the eggs with an iron spoon as they become set and the omelet appears nearly done; fold all together in the form of a bolster, and turn it out on to its dish. no. . fried eggs and bacon. first, fry the rashers of bacon, and then break the eggs into the frying-pan without disturbing the yolks, and as soon as these are just set, or half-done, slip them out on to the rashers of bacon which you have already placed in a dish. no. . buttered eggs. fry half an ounce of butter in a frying-pan, then break three or four eggs into this; season with chopped parsley, pepper and salt, and again set the pan on the fire for two minutes. at the end of this time the eggs will be sufficiently set to enable you to slip them gently out of the pan upon a plate; and to finish cooking the eggs, it will be necessary to place them or hold them in front of the fire for a couple of minutes longer. no. . eggs with brown butter. cook the eggs as directed in the foregoing number, and when you have slipped them out on to a dish, put a piece of butter into the frying-pan, and stir it on the fire until it becomes quite brown (_not burnt_); then add two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, pepper, and salt; boil for two minutes, and pour this over the eggs. no. . eggs stewed with cheese. fry three eggs in a pan with one ounce of butter, seasoned with pepper and salt, and when the eggs are just set firm at the bottom of the pan, slip them off on to a dish, cover them all over with some very thin slices of cheese, set the dish before the fire to melt the cheese, and then eat this cheap little tit-bit with some toast. no. . how to make a welsh rarebit. first, make a round of hot toast, butter it, and cover it with thin slices of cheese; put it before the fire until the cheese is melted, then season with mustard, pepper, and salt, and eat the rarebit while hot. no. . egg-hot. put a pint of beer on the fire to warm, break an egg into a jug, add a table-spoonful of sugar and some grated nutmeg or ginger; beat all together with a fork for three minutes; then add a drop of the beer, stir well together, and pour the remainder of the hot beer to this, and continue pouring the egg-hot out of the warming-pot into the jug for two minutes, when it will be well mixed and ready to drink. no. . ginger-pop. put a _very clean_ pot containing a gallon of water to boil on the fire, and as soon as it begins to boil, add twelve ounces of brown sugar, and one ounce of bruised ginger, and two ounces of cream of tartar; stir well together; pour the whole into an earthen pan, cover it over with a cloth, and let the mash remain in this state until it has become quite cold; then stir in half a gill of fresh yeast; stir all well together until thoroughly mixed, cover the pan over with a cloth, and leave the ginger-beer in a cool place to work up; this will take from six to eight hours; the scum which has risen to the top must then be carefully removed with a spoon without disturbing the brightness of the beer; it is then to be carefully poured off bright into a jug with a spout, to enable you easily to pour it into the bottles. these must be immediately corked down tight, tied across the corks with string, and put away, lying down in the cellar. the ginger-pop will be fit to drink in about four days after it has been bottled. no. . plum broth. boil one quart of any kind of red plums in three pints of water with a piece of cinnamon and four ounces of brown sugar until the plums are entirely dissolved; then rub the whole through a sieve or colander, and give it to the children to eat with bread. no. . plum porridge, cold. boil a quart of red plums in a pint of water, with a bit of cinnamon and four ounces of sugar, until dissolved to a pulp; then rub the whole through a sieve or colander into a large basin, and when this is quite cold, mix in with it about a quart of good milk, and give it to the children to eat with bread for either breakfast or supper. no. . stewed prunes or pruens. purchase the cheaper kind of small prunes sold at _d._ per lb.; put them into a saucepan with a pint of water, a bit of lemon-peel, and two ounces of sugar, and allow them to simmer and stew very gently for about half an hour, and then let them become nearly cold. boil some rice in a cloth, as directed in no. , and when done and turned out on its dish, pour the prunes over it for the children's dinner. once in a way, this cheap and wholesome meal would prove a great treat. no. . a summer salad. rinse and well shake off all moisture from a couple of cos lettuce, cut them up into a bowl or basin, add a few roughly-chopped green onions, half a gill of cream, a table-spoonful of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. mix all together. no. . a bacon salad. having prepared any kind of salad you may happen to have, such as endive, corn salad, lettuce, celery, mustard and cress, seasoned with beet-root, onions, or shalot; let the salad be cut up into a bowl or basin ready for seasoning in the following manner:--cut eight ounces of fat bacon into small square pieces the size of a cob-nut, fry these in a frying-pan, and as soon as they are done, pour the whole upon the salad; add two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste. mix thoroughly. no. . a plain salad. cos lettuce cut up in a bowl or basin, seasoned with chopped green mint and green onions, a spoonful of moist sugar, vinegar, pepper and salt. mix thoroughly. no. . celery crab salad. first thoroughly wash and wipe clean, and then cut a stick of celery into a basin; add two ounces of any kind of cheese sliced very thinly, season with a good tea spoonful of made mustard, a table-spoonful of salad oil, ditto of vinegar, with pepper and salt. mix thoroughly. no. . how to mix mustard. put half an ounce of mustard into a tea-cup, or a small basin, add a little salt; mix thoroughly with just enough boiling water to work the whole into a smooth compact soft paste. cookery and diet for the sick room. no. . beef tea. chop up a pound of lean beef, and put it on to boil in a saucepan with a quart of water, stirring it on the fire occasionally while it boils rather fast, for at least half an hour; at the end of this time the beef tea will have become reduced to a pint; season with salt to taste, strain it through a clean bit of muslin or rag, and give a tea-cupful of it with dry toast to the patient. no. . mutton broth. chop a pound of scrag end of neck of mutton into small pieces, and put it into a saucepan, with two ounces of barley, and rather better than a quart of water; set the broth to boil gently on the fire, skim it well, season with a little salt, thyme, parsley, and a couple of turnips; the whole to continue gently boiling on the side of the hob for an hour and a-half; at the end of this time serve some of the broth strained through a clean rag into a basin; or, if the patient is allowed it, serve the broth with some of the barley and pieces of the meat in it. no. . chicken broth. draw, singe, and cut a chicken into four quarters; wash these, put them into a clean saucepan with a quart of water, and set the broth to boil on the fire; skim it well, season with two ounces of sago, a small sprig of thyme and parsley, and a little salt. allow the broth to boil very gently for an hour, and then serve some of it with the sago in a cup, and, if allowed, give the patient the chicken separately. no. . a cheaper kind of chicken broth. in large towns it is easy to purchase sixpenny-worth of fowls' necks, gizzards, and feet, which, prepared as indicated in the foregoing number, make excellent broth at a fourth part of the cost occasioned by using a fowl for the same purpose. no. . veal and rice broth. cut up one pound and a-half of knuckle of veal, and put it on to boil in a saucepan with a quart of water, four ounces of rice, a small sprig of thyme, and a little parsley; season with a few peppercorns and a little salt; boil very gently for two hours. no. . meat panada for invalids and infants. first, roast whatever kind of meat is intended to be made into panada, and, while it is yet hot, chop up all the lean thereof as fine as possible, and put this with all the gravy that has run from the meat on the plate into a small saucepan with an equal quantity of crumb of bread previously soaked in hot water; season with a little salt (and, if allowed, pepper), stir all together on the fire for ten minutes, and give it in small quantities at a time. this kind of meat panada is well adapted as a nutritious and easily-digested kind of food for old people who have lost the power of mastication, and also for very young children. no. . how to prepare sago for invalids. put a large table-spoonful of sago into a small saucepan with half a pint of hot water, four lumps of sugar, and, if possible, a small glass of port wine; stir the whole on the fire for a quarter of an hour, and serve it in a tea-cup. no. . how to prepare tapioca. this may be prepared in the same manner as sago; it may also be boiled in beef tea, mutton broth, or chicken broth, and should be stirred while boiling. arrow-root is to be prepared exactly after the directions given for the preparation of sago and tapioca. no. . how to make gruel. mix a table-spoonful of robinson's prepared groats or grits with a tea-cupful of cold water, pour this into a saucepan containing a pint of hot water, and stir it on the fire while it boils for ten minutes; strain the gruel through a sieve or colander into a basin, sweeten to taste, add a spoonful of any kind of spirits, or else season the gruel with salt and a bit of butter. no. . brown and polson gruel. brown and polson's excellent preparation of indian corn is to be purchased of all grocers throughout the kingdom. mix a dessert-spoonful of the prepared indian corn with a wine-glassful of cold water, and pour this into a small saucepan containing half a pint of hot water; stir on the fire for ten minutes, sweeten with moist sugar, flavour with nutmeg or a spoonful of spirits. no. . gruel made with oatmeal. in the absence of groats, oatmeal furnishes the means of making excellent gruel. mix two table-spoonfuls of oatmeal with a gill of cold water; pour this into a saucepan containing a pint of hot water, stir the gruel on the fire while it boils very gently for about a quarter of an hour, then sweeten with moist sugar, or, if preferred, the gruel may be eaten with a little salt and a bit of butter. no. . how to make caudle. mix four ounces of prepared groats or oatmeal with half a pint of cold ale in a basin, pour this into a saucepan containing a quart of boiling ale, or beer, add a few whole allspice, and a little cinnamon, stir the caudle on the fire for about half an hour, and then strain it into a basin or jug; add a glass of any kind of spirits, and sugar to taste. no. . rice gruel, a remedy for relaxed bowels. boil very gently eight ounces of rice in a quart of water for about an hour in a saucepan covered with its lid, and placed on the side of the hob; the rice must be so thoroughly done as to present the appearance of the grains being entirely dissolved; a bit of orange-peel or cinnamon should be boiled with the rice, and when quite soft, the gruel is to be sweetened with loaf sugar, and a table-spoonful of brandy added. no. . how to prepare arrow-root. mix a piled-up dessert-spoonful of arrow-root with half a gill of cold water, and pour this into a small saucepan containing nearly half a pint of boiling water, four lumps of sugar, and a glass of wine; stir the arrow-root while it is boiling on the fire for a few minutes, and then give it to the patient. observe that it is essential to perfection in the preparation of arrow-root, and, indeed, of all farinaceous kinds of food, that the whole of the ingredients used in the preparation should be boiled together. no. . how to make gruel with pearl barley. put four ounces of pearl barley in a saucepan with two quarts of cold water and a small stick of cinnamon, and set the whole to boil very gently by the side of the fire (partly covered with the lid) for two hours; then add the sugar and the wine, boil all together a few minutes longer, and then strain the gruel through a colander into a jug, to be kept in a cool place until required for use; when it can be warmed up in small quantities. as this kind of gruel is a powerful cordial, it is to be borne in mind that it should never be administered unless ordered by a medical man. no. . cow-heel broth. put a cow-heel into a saucepan with three quarts of water, and set it to boil on the fire; skim it well, season with a few peppercorns, a sprig of thyme and parsley, and a dessert-spoonful of salt; boil gently for two hours; at the end of this time the broth will be reduced to half its original quantity; skim off all the grease, and serve the broth with the glutinous part of the heel in it. this kind of broth is both strengthening and healing to the stomach. no. . how to make calf's-feet jelly. boil two calf's feet in two quarts of water very gently for at least two hours; at the end of this time the liquid will be boiled down to one half of its original quantity; it is then to be strained into a pan, and left to cool till the next day. scrape and wash off all grease, dab a clean cloth all over the surface to absorb any remaining grease, put the calf's-foot stock or broth into a very clean saucepan, add three ounces of lump sugar, a bit of lemon-peel, the juice of a lemon, a little bruised cinnamon, and half a pint of white wine; boil all together for ten minutes, skim, strain through a doubled piece of muslin into a basin; set the jelly in a very cold place to cool and become firm. no. . how to make iceland-moss jelly. iceland moss is to be had of all chemists. put four ounces of iceland moss to boil in one quart of water, stirring it the whole time it is on the fire; and when it has boiled about three-quarters of an hour, add two ounces of lump sugar and a glass of white wine; strain the jelly through a piece of muslin into a basin, and when it is set firm and cold, let it be given to the patient. this kind of jelly is most beneficial in cases of severe colds, catarrhs, and all pulmonary diseases of the lungs and chest. no. . how to make blancmange. scald, skin, wash, and thoroughly bruise one ounce of sweet almonds with a rolling-pin on a table; put this into a basin with one ounce of lump sugar, and three gills of cold water, and allow the whole to stand and steep for three hours. next, boil one ounce of shred isinglass, or gelatine, in a gill of water, by stirring it on the fire, while boiling, for ten minutes; pour this to the milk of almonds; strain all through a muslin into a basin, and when the blancmange has become stiff and cold, let it be given to the patient in cases of fevers, or extreme delicacy. no. . how to make sick-diet jelly. take of sago, tapioca, eringo root, and hartshorn shavings, of each one ounce; and boil the whole in three pints of water until reduced to one pint, stirring all the time; then strain the jelly through a muslin into a basin, and set it aside to become cold. a table-spoonful of this jelly may be given at a time, mixed in broth, milk, chocolate, cocoa, or tea. it is considered to be very strengthening. no. . how to prepare isinglass jelly. put one ounce and a-half of isinglass, with two ounces of lump sugar and half a pint of water, into a small stewpan, and stir the whole on the fire while it boils gently for ten minutes; then remove the jelly from the fire, add the juice of three oranges, and the thin pared rind of one orange; stir well together for five minutes, strain through a muslin into a basin, and set the jelly in a cold place to become stiff. no. . how to make ground-rice milk. put a pint of milk with a bit of cinnamon to boil, mix a large table-spoonful of ground rice quite smooth with a tea-cupful of milk, pour this into the boiling milk, stirring quickly all the time in order to render it smooth; add sugar to sweeten, and stir the ground-rice milk on the fire while boiling for ten minutes. remember, that whenever you are stirring any kind of sauce, gruel, porridge, or thick milk, etc., on the fire, it is most essential that you should bear with some weight on the edge of the bowl of the spoon to prevent whatever is being stirred from burning at the bottom of the saucepan, as such an accident would infallibly spoil the gruel, etc. no. . how to make a small batter-pudding. beat up in a basin an egg with a large table-spoonful of flour, and a grain of salt; add, by degrees, a tea-cupful of milk, working all together vigorously; pour this batter into a ready greased inside of a tea-cup, just large enough to hold it; sprinkle a little flour on the top, place a small square clean rag on it, and then, with the spread-out fingers of the right hand, catch up both cloth and tea-cup, holding them up in order to enable you to gather up the ends of the rag tight in your left hand, while with a piece of string held in the right hand, you tie up the pudding securely, and put it on to boil, in boiling water, for a good half-hour; at the end of this time the pudding will be done, and should be eaten immediately with sugar, and a few drops of wine, if allowed and procurable. no. . how to make a tea-cup bread-pudding. bruise a piece of stale crumb of bread the size of an egg, in a basin, add four lumps of sugar and a very little grated nutmeg, pour half a gill of boiling milk upon these, stir all well together until the sugar is melted, then add an egg, beat up the whole thoroughly until well mixed; pour the mixture into a buttered tea-cup, tie it up in a small cloth as directed in the preceding number, boil the pudding for twenty minutes, at least, and, as soon as done, turn it out on a plate. this, or any similar light kind of pudding, constitutes safe food for the most delicate. no. . how to make a tapioca pudding. put two table-spoonfuls of tapioca into a basin with four lumps of sugar, a grain of salt, and a lump of sugar rubbed on the rind of a lemon; pour a gill of boiling milk over these ingredients and cover them up with a saucer to steep for ten minutes, then add one egg; beat up all together, and boil the pudding in a buttered tea-cup tied up in a cloth, for nearly half an hour. no. . how to make an arrow-root pudding. mix a large dessert-spoonful of arrow-root with the same quantity of bruised sugar, and a tea-cupful of milk, in a small clean saucepan; stir this on the fire until it boils, and keep on stirring it, off the fire, for five minutes, until the heat has subsided; then add an egg, beat up and thoroughly mix it into the batter, and then boil the pudding as shown in the preceding numbers. no. . how to make a sago pudding. soak two table-spoonfuls of pearl sago with a tea-spoonful of hot milk, in a covered basin, for a quarter of an hour; then add a very little grated nutmeg or lemon-peel, sugar to sweeten, and an egg; beat up all together until thoroughly mixed, and then boil the pudding in a buttered basin or tea-cup, as directed in preceding cases. no. . how to make a ground-rice pudding. mix a large table-spoonful of ground rice with half a pint of milk, six lumps of sugar, and a very little nutmeg; stir this in a saucepan on the fire until it has boiled for five minutes; then mix in an egg, and boil the pudding for twenty-five minutes. no. . brown and polson tea-cup pudding for infants. mix a good dessert-spoonful of brown and polson's corn-flour with half a pint of milk, six lumps of sugar, a grain of salt, and a very little grated orange-peel; stir these on the fire to boil for five minutes, then add one egg, beat up until well mixed; pour this batter into a buttered tea-cup, tie it up in a small cloth, boil it for twenty-five minutes, and serve it while hot. medicinal, herbaceous, and other drinks for invalids, etc. no. . bran tea: a remedy for colds, etc. boil a large handful of bran in a quart of water for ten minutes, then strain off the water into a jug, sweeten it with one ounce of gum arabic and a good spoonful of honey; stir all well together, and give this kind of drink in all cases of affections of the chest, such as colds, catarrhs, consumption, etc., and also for the measles. no. . orangeade, or orange drink. peel off the rind of one orange very thinly without any of the white pith, and put the rind into a jug, pare off all the white pith from three oranges so as to lay the pulp of the fruit quite bare, cut them in slices, take out all the seeds, or, as they are more generally termed, the pips, as their bitterness would render the drink unpalatable; add one ounce of sugar, or honey, pour a quart of boiling water to these, cover up the jug, and allow the orangeade to stand and steep until quite cold; it may then be given to the patient. this is a cooling beverage, and may be safely given in cases of fever. no. . how to make lemonade. proceed in all particulars as directed for making orangeade, using, for the purpose, lemons instead of oranges. no. . apple-water drink. slice up thinly three or four apples without peeling them, and boil them in a very clean saucepan with a quart of water and a little sugar until the slices of apples are become soft; the apple water must then be strained through a piece of clean muslin, or rag, into a jug. this pleasant beverage should be drunk when cold; it is considered beneficial in aiding to allay scorbutic eruptions. no. . how to make a soothing drink for coughs. take of marsh-mallow roots and of liquorice roots each one ounce; of linseed, half an ounce; shave the roots very thinly; put them and the linseed into a clean earthen pot with one quart of hot water, cover with the lid, and set the whole on the hob of the fire to simmer for half an hour or more; then strain the drink into a clean jug, sweeten with honey, and when it has become quite cold, let it be given in small quantities several times in the course of the day. this mucilaginous beverage is most beneficial in relieving persons who are suffering from cold on the chest, and also those who are afflicted with gravel, etc. no. . linseed tea. put a table-spoonful of linseed into a clean earthen pot or pipkin with a quart of water, and a little orange or lemon rind; boil this gently for about ten minutes, and then strain it through muslin into a jug; sweeten with honey or sugar, add the juice of a lemon, stir all together, and give this beverage to allay irritation of the chest and lungs--in the latter case, the lemon juice had better be omitted. linseed tea in its purest form is an excellent accessory in aiding to relieve such as are afflicted with gout, gravel, etc. no. . camomile tea. put about thirty flowers into a jug, pour a pint of boiling water upon them, cover up the tea, and when it has stood about ten minutes, pour it off from the flowers into another jug; sweeten with sugar or honey; drink a tea-cupful of it fasting in the morning to strengthen the digestive organs, and restore the liver to healthier action. a tea-cupful of camomile tea, in which is stirred a large dessert-spoonful of moist sugar, and a little grated ginger, is an excellent thing to administer to aged people a couple of hours before their dinner. no. . balm and burrage tea. these, as well as all other medicinal herbs, may easily be cultivated in a corner of your garden, when you are so fortunate as to live in a cottage of your own in the country; they are also to be obtained from all herbalists in large towns. take of balm and burrage a small handful each, put this into a jug, pour in upon the herbs a quart of boiling water, allow the tea to stand for ten minutes, and then strain it off into another jug, and let it become cold. this cooling drink is recommended as a beverage for persons whose system has become heated from any cause. no. . sage or marygold tea. put a dozen sage leaves into a tea-pot, pour boiling water upon them, and, after allowing the tea to stand for five or ten minutes, it may be drunk with sugar and milk, in the same way and instead of the cheaper kinds of teas, which are sold for foreign teas, but which are too often composed of some kind of leaf more or less resembling the real plant, without any of its genuine fragrance, and are, from their spurious and almost poisonous nature, calculated to produce evil to all who consume them, besides the drawback of their being expensive articles. teas made from sage leaves, dried mint, marygolds, and more particularly the leaf of the black currant tree, form a very pleasant as well as wholesome kind of beverage; and, if used in equal proportions, would be found to answer very well as a most satisfactory substitute for bad and expensive tea. no. . how to stew red cabbages. the use of the red cabbage in this country is confined to its being pickled almost raw, and eaten in that detestable and injurious state, whereby its anti-scorbutic powers are annulled. the red cabbage, when merely boiled with bacon, or with a little butter and salt, is both nutritious and beneficial in a medicinal point of view, inasmuch as that it possesses great virtue in all scorbutic and dartrous affections. on the continent it is customary to administer it in such cases in the form of a syrup, and also in a gelatinized state. the red cabbage, stewed in the following manner, will be found a very tasty dish:--slice up the red cabbage rather thin, wash it well, drain it, and then put it into a saucepan with a little dripping or butter, a gill of vinegar, pepper and salt; put the lid on, and set the cabbage to stew slowly on the hob, stirring it occasionally from the bottom to prevent it from burning; about an hour's gentle stewing will suffice to cook it thoroughly. all kinds of cabbage or kail are anti-scorbutic agents. no. . how to make toast water. toast a piece of bread thoroughly browned to its centre without being _burnt_, put it into a jug, pour boiling water upon it, cover over and allow it to stand and steep until it has cooled; it will then be fit to drink. no. . how to make barley water. boil one ounce of barley in a quart of water for twenty minutes; strain through muslin into a jug containing a bit of orange or lemon peel. no. . how to make rice water. to six ounces of rice add two quarts of water, and two ounces of valentia raisins; boil these very gently for about half an hour, or rather more; strain off the water into a jug, add about two table-spoonfuls of brandy. rice water, prepared as above, is recommended in cases of dysentery and diarrhoea. no. . how to make treacle posset. sweeten a pint of milk with four table-spoonfuls of treacle, boil this for ten minutes; strain it through a rag; drink it while hot, and go to bed well covered with blankets; and your cold will be all the less and you the better for it. no. . how to make white wine whey. put a pint of milk into a very clean saucepan or skillet, to boil on the fire; then add half a gill of any kind of white wine; allow the milk to boil up, then pour it into a basin, and allow it to stand in a cool place, that the curd may fall to the bottom of the basin; then pour off the whey--which is excellent as an agent to remove a severe cough or cold. no. . how to make a cordial for colds. first, prepare a quart of the juice of black currants, by bruising and boiling them for twenty minutes, and then straining off the juice with great pressure through a sieve into a basin. next, boil four ounces of linseed in a quart of water until reduced to one-third of its original quantity, taking care that it does not boil fast, and, when done, strain the liquid into a very clean saucepan; add the currant juice, two pounds of moist sugar, and half an ounce of citric acid, or one pint of lemon juice; boil all together until reduced to a thick syrup--that is, when it begins to run rather thick from the spoon without resembling treacle; as soon as the syrup has reached this stage, remove it from the fire, and pour it into a jug to become quite cold. this syrup will keep good for any length of time, if bottled and corked down tight, and kept in a cool place. a tea-spoonful taken occasionally will soon relieve the most troublesome cough. this cordial may also be prepared in winter, using for the purpose black currant jam, or preserved black currant juice, instead of the juice of fresh-gathered currants. no. . how to make a stringent gargle. put the following ingredients into a very clean earthen pipkin:--twenty sage leaves, a handful of red rose leaves, and a pint of water; boil these for twenty minutes, then add a gill of vinegar, and two table-spoonfuls of honey; boil again for ten minutes, and strain the gargle through a muslin rag, to be used when cold. no. . a simple remedy against wind on the stomach. a few drops (say four) of essence of peppermint on a lump of sugar. no. . a cure for a hard dry cough. take of each one table-spoonful--spermaceti grated, honey, and peppermint water; mix all together with the yolks of two eggs in a gallipot. a tea-spoonful to be taken on the tongue, and allowed to be swallowed slowly as it dissolves. no. . a cooling drink. to half an ounce of cream of tartar, add one ounce of loaf sugar, and a bit of orange or lemon peel; put these into a jug, pour upon them a quart of boiling water; stir all together, and allow the beverage to become cold. no. . hop tea. pour a quart of boiling water upon half an ounce of hops, cover this over, and allow the infusion to stand for fifteen minutes; the tea must then be strained of into another jug. a small tea-cupful may be drunk fasting in the morning, which will create an appetite, and also strengthen the digestive organs. no. . lime-flower tea. to half an ounce of lime-flowers, placed in a tea-pot or jug, pour a pint of boiling water, and when the infusion has stood for ten minutes, sweeten with honey or sugar, and drink the tea hot, to assuage the pains in the stomach and chest, arising from indigestion. this beverage may also be successfully administered in attacks of hysteria. no. . hyssop tea: a remedy for worms. to a quarter of an ounce of dried hyssop flowers, pour one pint of boiling water; allow the tea to infuse for ten minutes, pour it off, sweeten with honey, and take a wine-glassful three times in the course of the day; this will prove an effectual cure when children are troubled with worms. no. . iceland-moss jelly. boil four ounces of iceland moss in one quart of water very slowly for one hour, then add the juice of two lemons and a bit of rind, four ounces of sugar, and a gill of sherry; boil up, and remove the scum from the surface; strain the jelly through a muslin bag into a basin, and set it aside to become cold; in which state it may be eaten, but it is far more efficacious in its beneficial results when taken warm. the use of iceland moss jelly is strongly recommended in cases of consumption, and in the treatment of severe colds, catarrhs, and all phlegmatic diseases of the chest. no. . antispasmodic tea. infuse two-pennyworth of hay saffron (sold at all chemists') in a gill of boiling water in a tea-cup for ten minutes; add a dessert-spoonful of brandy, and sugar to sweeten, and drink the tea hot. this powerful yet harmless remedy will quickly relieve you from spasmodic pains occasioned by indigestion. no. . dandelion tea. infuse one ounce of dandelion in a jug with a pint of boiling water for fifteen minutes; sweeten with brown sugar or honey, and drink several tea-cupfuls during the day. the use of this tea is recommended as a safe remedy in all bilious affections; it is also an excellent beverage for persons afflicted with dropsy. no. . refreshing drink for sore throat attended with fever. boil two ounces of barberries with half an ounce of violets in a quart of water for ten minutes; sweeten with honey, strain off into a jug, and drink several glasses during the day. no. . a cure for sprains. bruise thoroughly a handful of sage-leaves, and boil them in a gill of vinegar for ten minutes, or until reduced to half the original quantity; apply this in a folded rag to the part affected, and tie it on securely with a bandage. no. . a cure for chilblains. the pulp of a baked turnip beat up in a tea-cup with a table-spoonful of salad oil, ditto of mustard, and ditto of scraped horse-radish; apply this mixture to the chilblains, and tie it on with a piece of rag. no. . a cure for burns or scalds. thoroughly bruise a raw onion and a potato into a pulp, by scraping or beating them with a rolling-pin; mix this pulp with a good table-spoonful of salad oil, and apply it to the naked burn or scald; secure it on the part with a linen bandage. no. . a cure for cold in the head. thirty drops of camphorated sal volatile in a small wine-glassful of hot water, taken several times in the course of the day. no. . a cure for the sting of wasps or bees. bruise the leaf of the poppy, and apply it to the part affected. no. . a cure for toothache. roll a small bit of cotton wadding into a ball the size of a pea, dip this in a very few drops of camphorated chloroform, and with it fill the hollow part of the decayed tooth. no. . how to make coffee. mix one ounce of ground coffee in a clean pot with a pint of cold water, stir this on the fire till it boils, then throw in a very little more cold water, and after allowing the coffee to boil up twice more, set it aside to settle, and become clear and bright. the dregs saved from twice making, added to half the quantity of fresh coffee, will do for the children. it is best to make your coffee over-night, as it has then plenty of time to settle. if, as i recommend, you grind your coffee at home, you will find nye's machines very good. no. . how to prepare cocoa nibs. boil gently two ounces of cocoa nibs in three pints of water for two hours and a-half, without allowing it to reduce more than one-third; that is, the three pints should be boiled down to one quart. when sufficiently boiled, strain the cocoa from the nibs, mix it with equal proportions of milk, and sweeten with sugar. two ounces of cocoa nibs cost a penny three-farthings, one quart of skim milk twopence (in the country one penny), two ounces of moist sugar three-farthings; thus, for about fourpence halfpenny, you may prepare sufficient cocoa for the breakfasts of four persons. this would be much wholesomer and cheaper than tea. to be sure, it would take some trouble and care to prepare it, and this should be attended to over-night. economical and substantial soup for distribution to the poor. i am well aware, from my own experience, that the charitable custom of distributing wholesome and nutritious soup to poor families living in the immediate neighbourhood of noblemen and gentlemen's mansions in the country, already exists to a great extent; yet, it is certainly desirable that this excellent practice should become more generally adopted, especially during the winter months, when their scanty means of subsistence but insufficiently yield them food adequate in quantity to sustain the powers of life in a condition equal to their hard labour. to afford the industrious well-deserving poor a little assistance in this way, would call forth their gratitude to the givers, and confer a blessing on the needy. the want of knowing how to properly prepare the kind of soup best adapted to the purpose has, no doubt, in a great measure, militated against its being more generally bestowed throughout the kingdom; and it is in order to supply that deficient knowledge, that i have determined on giving easy instructions for its preparation. no. . how to prepare a large quantity of good soup for the poor. it is customary with most large families, while living in the country, to kill at least some portion of the meat consumed in their households; and without supposing for a moment that any portion of this is ever wasted, i may be allowed to suggest that certain parts, such as sheep's heads, plucks, shanks, and scrag-ends, might very well be spared towards making a good mess of soup for the poor. the bones left from cooked joints, first baked in a brisk oven for a quarter of an hour, and afterwards boiled in a large copper of water for six hours, would readily prepare a gelatinized foundation broth for the soup; the bones, when sufficiently boiled, to be taken out. and thus, supposing that your copper is already part filled with the broth made from bones (all the grease having been removed from the surface), add any meat you may have, cut up in pieces of about four ounces weight, garnish plentifully with carrots, celery, onions, some thyme, and ground allspice, well-soaked split peas, barley, or rice; and, as the soup boils up, skim it well occasionally, season moderately with salt, and after about four hours' gentle and continuous boiling, the soup will be ready for distribution. it was the custom in families where i have lived as cook, to allow a pint of this soup, served out with the pieces of meat in it, to as many as the recipients' families numbered; and the soup was made for distribution twice every week during winter. no. . another method for making economical soup. in households where large joints of salt beef, or pork, are cooked almost daily for the family, the liquor in which they have been boiled should be saved, all grease removed therefrom, and put into the copper with a plentiful supply of carrots, parsnips, celery, and onions, all cut in small pieces, the whole boiled and well skimmed till the vegetables are done; the soup is then to be thickened with either oatmeal, peasemeal, or indian corn meal, seasoned with pepper and ground allspice, and stirred continuously until it boils up again; it must then be skimmed, and the best pieces of meat selected from the stock-pot should be kept in careful reserve, to be added to the soup, and allowed to boil therein for half an hour longer. no. . how to make fish soup in large quantities for distribution to the poor. this kind of soup, it will be easily understood, is applicable only on the sea-coast, and wherever fish is to be had very cheap. chop fine a dozen onions, some thyme, and winter savory, and put these into a copper, or some large pot, with about six gallons of water, one pound of butter, pepper and salt enough to season; allow the whole to boil for ten minutes, then thicken the broth with about four pounds of oatmeal, peasemeal, or flour; stir the soup continuously until it boils, and then throw in about fifteen pounds of fish cut up in one-pound size pieces, and also some chopped parsley; boil all together until the fish is done, and then serve out the soup to the recipients. all kinds of fish, except sprats, herrings, and pilchards, are equally well adapted for making fish soup, but codfish, cod's heads, skate, eels, etc., and all glutinous fish, suit the purpose best. index. anchovy sauce, antispasmodic tea, apples, baked, apple dumplings, baked, apple pudding, apple-water drink, arrow-root, how to prepare, arrow-root pudding, bacon and cabbages, boiled, bacon and cabbage soup, bacon, how to cure, bacon roll-pudding, balm and burrage tea, barley water, batter and fruit pudding, batter-pudding, how to make a small, beef and potatoes, baked, beef, boiled, beef, how to boil, beefsteaks, plain, beef tea, beer, how to brew your own, belgian faggots, biscuits, hard, black puddings, blancmange, how to make, bouillabaisse soup, bran tea, a remedy for colds, etc., bread, how to bake your own, bread pudding, for a family, bread-pudding, how to make a tea-cup, bread sauce, for a roast fowl, broad beans, how to cook, broth made from bones for soup, brown and polson fruit pudding, brown and polson pudding, brown and polson tea-cup pudding for infants, brown and polson thick milk, bullock's heart, baked, bullock's heart, stuffed, bubble and squeak, burns or scalds, a cure for, cabbage and bacon, fried, calf's-feet jelly, how to make, camomile tea, caudle, how to make, cheese, italian, chicken broth, chicken broth, cheap, chilblains, a cure for, christmas plum pudding, cocky leeky, cocoa nibs, how to prepare, cod's head, baked, coffee, how to make, cold in the head, a cure for, colds, how to make a cordial for, cookery and diet for the sick-room, cough, a cure for a hard dry, cow-heel broth, , currant jam, dandelion tea, drink, a cooling, ducks, baked or roast, dumplings, norfolk, dumplings, yeast, economical and substantial soup for distribution to the poor, economical pot liquor soup, eels, stewed, egg-hot, eggs and bacon, fried, eggs, buttered, egg sauce for roast fowls, etc., eggs stewed with cheese, eggs with brown butter, elder wine, how to make, fish, baked, fish curry, how to make a, fish pie, fish, salt, with parsnips, fish soup, fish soup, how to make large quantities for distribution to the poor, fish, to boil, fish, to fry, french beans, how to cook, fruit pies in general, gargle, how to make a stringent, giblet pie, gingerbread nuts, ginger-pop, goose, baked, gooseberry jam, how to make, gravy, brown, for roast fowls, etc., ground-rice milk, how to make, ground-rice pudding, gruel, brown and polson, gruel, how to make, gruel, how to make with pearl barley, gruel made with oatmeal, hams, how to cure, hams, how to smoke, hare, jugged, haricot beans, a salad of, haricot beans, how to dress, , haricot beans, white, hashed meats, herrings, red, a dinner of, hop tea, hyssop tea, a remedy for worms, iceland-moss jelly, , irish stew, isinglass jelly, how to prepare, jam pudding, jam tart, kidney pudding, leg of beef, stewed, lemonade, how to make, lentils, lime-flower tea, linseed tea, mackerel, soused, meat panada for invalids and infants, meat pie, medicinal, herbaceous, and other drinks for invalids, etc., milk, thick for breakfast, mince-meat, a cheap kind of, mince-pie, how to make a, mince-pie paste, muscles, or mussels, stewed, mustard, how to mix, mutton broth, mutton chops, or steaks, mutton, shoulder of, boiled, and onions, oatmeal porridge for six persons, omelet, how to make an, onions, baked or roasted, onion soup for six persons, orangeade, or orange drink, ox-cheek soup, ox kidney, stewed, oysters, stewed, pancakes for shrove tuesday, parsley sauce, parsnips, buttered, pears, baked, peas and bacon, pea soup for six persons, pig's feet, pig's fry, pig's head, baked, pig, how to make the most of, after it is killed, pig's pluck, how to dispose of, pig, sucking, baked, plum broth, plum or currant dough pudding, plum porridge, cold, pork chops, grilled or boiled, pork, roast, potatoes, baked or roasted, potatoes, baked, mashed, potatoes, how to boil, potatoes, how to fry, potatoes, how to mash, potatoes, how to steam, potatoes, how to stew, potatoes, mashed with ling, potato pie, potato pudding, potato soup for six persons, prunes, or pruens, stewed, pudding, baked suet, pudding made of small birds, pudding, yorkshire, pumpkin porridge, rabbit pudding, raisinet, a preserve for winter, red cabbages, how to stew, rhubarb, how to preserve, rhubarb pie, rice and apples, rice, curried, rice dumplings, rice gruel, a remedy for relaxed bowels, rice-milk for six persons, rice pudding, a ground, rice pudding, a plain, rice, the way to boil, rice water, roast fowl and gravy, sage or marygold tea, sago for invalids, how to prepare, sago pudding, salad, a bacon, salad, a plain, salad, a summer, salad, celery crab, sauce for sweet puddings, sausage dumplings, sausages, pork, how to make, sausage rolls, sausages, stewed, seam, or loose fat, how to melt down, sharp sauce for broiled meats, sheep's-head broth, sheep's heads, baked, sheep's pluck, sheep's trotters, stewed, sick-diet jelly, how to make, skate, baked, soothing drink for coughs, sore throat attended with fever, refreshing drink for, soup for the poor, how to prepare a large quantity of good, , spinach, how to cook, sprains, a cure for, steaks, fried, and onions, steaks, stewed, sting of wasps or bees, a cure for, supper, a relish for, swedish turnips, buttered, tapioca, how to prepare, tapioca pudding, toad in the hole, toast water, toothache, a cure for, treacle posset, treacle pudding, tripe, baked, tripe, boiled, veal and rice broth, veal cutlets and bacon, veal, knuckle of, and rice, veal, roast, stuffed, vegetable marrow, how to cook, vegetable porridge, vegetable pottage, economical, welsh rarebit, how to make a, white wine whey, wind on the stomach, a simple remedy against, yorkshire pie-clates for tea, the end. thomas harrild, printer, shoe lane, fleet street, london. [illustration] to the faculty. j. & j. colman's genuine mustard. the lancet, by its resumed inquiries upon the subject of adulterations, has again called attention of the public to a variety of articles of daily use. to mustard great prominence has been given, from the fact that thirty-three samples were examined. the report states that _four_ only were found to be _genuine_: of which, _two_ samples were of the manufacture of j. and j. colman, being respectively "colman's genuine london mustard, warranted pure," and "colman's brown mustard, warranted pure." we also learn that manufactured mustard extends from the _pure_ and _genuine_ to the _injurious combination_ exposed in _the lancet_ (see th sample examined); to which disclosure the attention of medical men is invited (whether practising privately or in hospitals and infirmaries) when prescribing mustard as a remedial agent. the fact is also equally important to the vendor and his customer, the public. and further, as to _quality_--_the lancet_, in substance, reports that _genuine mustard_ will be as _varied_ in strength, pungency, and flavour, as are the known differences between the finest and most inferior qualities of seed; it results, then, that _genuine_ does not necessarily imply high quality. j. and j. colman submit, that in their _pure mustards_ nothing that known skill and improved machinery can obtain from finest seed remains unsecured, and, whether for prompt and specific _medical_ effects, or as a table condiment, these mustards are equally valuable. j. and j. colman offer to the public not only "genuine" and "pure" mustard in the highest perfection, but also their other varieties of mustard condiments, known as "double superfine," "superfine," "fine," etc., in which delicacy, flavour, and strength will be found in agreeable combination. these mustards may be obtained of any grocer, chemist, or italian warehouseman in the kingdom; and when sold in tins or packets, j. and j. colman's _trade mark_, the "bull's head," is a guarantee upon which the public may rely. j. & j. colman, , cannon street, london, e.c. consumption in all its stages, coughs, whooping cough, asthma, bronchitis, fever, ague, diphtheria, hysteria, rheumatism, diarrhoea, spasms, colic, renal and uterine diseases, are immediately relieved by a dose of =chlorodyne.= (_trade mark._) discovered and named by dr. j. collis browne, m.r.c.s.l., ex-army medical staff. the question asked by invalids, families, and households is, what is the best medicine to give in the above diseases, and what to have always ready? medical testimony, the reply of thousands of sufferers and invalids, is confirmatory of the invaluable relief afforded by this remedy above all others. chlorodyne is a liquid taken in drops according to age. it invariably relieves pain of whatever kind; creates a calm, refreshing sleep; allays irritation of the nervous system when all other remedies fail; leaving no bad effects, like opium or laudanum, and can be taken when none other can be tolerated. its value in saving life in infancy is not easily estimated; a few drops will subdue the irritation of teething, prevent and arrest convulsions, cure whooping cough, spasms, and flatus at once. among invalids it allays the pain of neuralgia, rheumatism, gout, etc. it soothes the weary achings of consumption, relieves the soreness of the chest, cough, and expectoration; and cures all chest affections, such as asthma, bronchitis, palpitation, etc. it checks diarrhoea, alvine discharges, or spasms, and colics of the intestines, etc. the extensive demand for this remedy, known as dr. j. collis browne's chlorodyne, by the medical profession, hospitals, dispensaries--civil, military, and naval--and families especially, guarantees that this statement of its extreme importance and value is a _bona fide_ one, and worthy the attention of all. extracts of medical opinions. from w. vesalius pettigrew, m.d.--"i have no hesitation in stating that i have never met with any medicine so efficacious as an anti-spasmodic and sedative. i have used it in consumption, asthma, diarrhoea, and other diseases, and am most perfectly satisfied with the results." from dr. m'milman, of new galloway, scotland.--"i consider it the most valuable medicine known." g. hayward, esq., surgeon, stow-on-ye-wold.--"i am now using dr. j. collis browne's chlorodyne with marvellous good effects in allaying inveterate sickness in pregnancy." dr. m'grigor croft, late army staff, says:--"it is a most valuable medicine." j. c. baker, esq., m.d., bideford.--"it is without doubt the most valuable and certain anodyne we have." dr. gibbon, army medical staff, calcutta.--"two doses completely cured me of diarrhoea." from g. v. ridout, esq., surgeon, egham.--"as an astringent in severe diarrhoea, and an anti-spasmodic in colic, with cramps in the abdomen, the relief is instantaneous. as a sedative in neuralgia and tic-doloreux its effects were very remarkable. in uterine affections i have found it extremely valuable." caution.--beware of spurious compounds or imitations of "chlorodyne." dr. browne placed the recipe for making "chlorodyne" in the hands of mr. davenport only; consequently, there can be no other manufacturer. the genuine bears the words, "dr. j. collis browne's chlorodyne," on the government stamp of each bottle.--sold only in bottles at _s._ _d._, and _s._ _d._, by the sole agent and manufacturer, j. t. davenport, , great russell street, bloomsbury square, london. be careful what you eat. borwick's is _the_ baking powder recommended by dr. hassall (analyst to the _lancet_, author of "adulterations detected," etc.) it was the _first_, and is the _best_ baking powder--often imitated, but never equalled. its merits are too well known to require any _puffing_ by the proprietor. warranted free from alum, found in most of the worthless imitations. try it once, and you will never use the trash made from inexpensive materials, and recommended by unprincipled shopkeepers, because they realize a larger profit by the sale. as you value your health, insist upon having borwick's baking powder only. sold retail by most druggists, grocers, and oilmen, in d., d., d., and d. packets, and s. boxes. wholesale by g. borwick, , little moorfields, e. c. life for the consumptive. one tablespoonful of the patent ozonized cod liver oil, three times a day, conveys artificially to the lungs of the consumptive and delicate, the vital properties of oxygen without the effort of inhalation, and has the wonderful effect of reducing the pulse while it strengthens the system. the highest medical authorities pronounce it the nearest approach to a specific for consumption yet discovered--in fact, it will restore to health when all other remedies fail. see _lancet_, march th, . sold by all chemists, in s. d., s. d., and s. bottles. wholesale by g. borwick, sole licensee, , little moorfields, london. frampton's pill of health. this excellent family pill is a medicine of long-tried efficacy for purifying the blood, and correcting all disorders of the stomach and bowels. two or three doses will convince the afflicted of its salutary effects. the stomach will speedily regain its strength; a healthy action of the liver, bowels, and kidneys will rapidly take place; and renewed health will be the quick result of taking this medicine, according to the directions accompanying each box. persons of a full habit, who are subject to headache, giddiness, drowsiness, and singing in the ears, arising from too great a flow of blood to the head, should never be without them, as many dangerous symptoms will be entirely carried off by their timely use; and for elderly people, where an occasional aperient is required, nothing can be better adapted. for females these pills are truly excellent, removing all obstructions, the distressing headache so prevalent with the sex, depression of spirits, dulness of sight, nervous affections, blotches, pimples, and sallowness of the skin, and give a healthy juvenile bloom to the complexion. sold by all medicine vendors. observe the name of "thomas prout, , strand, london," on the government stamp. price s. - / d. and s d. per box. blair's gout and rheumatic pills. price s. - / d. and s. d. per box. this preparation is one of the benefits which the science of modern chemistry has conferred upon mankind; for during the first twenty years of the present century to speak of a cure for the gout was considered a romance; but now the efficacy and safety of this medicine is so fully demonstrated, by unsolicited testimonials from persons in every rank of life, that public opinion proclaims this as one of the most important discoveries of the present age. these pills require no restraint of diet or confinement, during their use, and are certain to prevent the disease attacking any vital part. sold by all medicine vendors. observe "thomas prout, , strand, london," on the government stamp. silver medal, first-class, paris, . [illustration] s. nye and co.'s patent machines, of various sizes, for mincing meat, vegetables, etc.; for making sausages, mince-meat, force-meat, potted-meat, and various dishes for families, hotel-keepers, confectioners, butchers, and also for hospitals, lunatic asylums, and all large establishments. price £ . s., £ . s., £ . s., and £ . s. small mincer or masticator, to assist digestion price s. , wardour street, london. [illustration] s. nye's improved mills, for coffee, pepper, spice, rice, etc., are the best and most convenient made. price s., s., and s. each. , wardour street, london. coughs, asthma, and incipient consumption are effectually cured by keating's cough lozenges, judged by the immense demand, this universal remedy now stands the first in public favour and confidence; this result has been acquired by the test of fifty years' experience. these lozenges may be found on sale in every british colony, and throughout india and china they have been highly esteemed wherever introduced. for coughs, asthma, and all affections of the throat and chest, they are the most agreeable and efficacious remedy. prepared and sold in boxes, s. - / d., and tins, s. d., s. d., and s. d. each, by thomas keating, chemist, etc., , st. paul's churchyard, london. retail by all druggists and patent medicine vendors in the world. keating's pale newfoundland cod liver oil. perfectly pure, nearly tasteless, and free from adulterations of any kind, having been analyzed, reported on, and recommended by professors taylor and thomson, of guy's and st. thomas's hospitals, and also quite recently examined by dr. edwin payne, who, in the words of the late dr. pereira, say, that "the finest oil is that most devoid of _colour_, _odour_, and _flavour_," characters this will be found to possess in a high degree. half-pints s. d., pints s. d., quarts s. d., and five-pint bottles s. d., imperial measure. , st. paul's churchyard, london. brown & polson's patent corn flour being first of the kind manufactured in the united kingdom and france, it is in both countries not only the original, but is indisputably the only article of the kind, which by its own merit, and the simple publicity of its uses, has been adopted by the best families as an invariable table delicacy. it is prepared by a process to which long experience has given the greatest perfection, and from grain carefully selected from the choicest european crops; these advantages are so appreciable, that its quality has by comparison been preferred to all others, and the lancet, in a notice given july , , states, "=this is superior to anything of the kind known="--an opinion indisputably confirmed by scientific tests and public appreciation. the illustrated london news, and the leisure hour, have given most interesting notices accompanied by engravings, explanatory of the process of manufacture; and dr. lankester, f.r.s., f.l.s., speaks of it in the highest terms of praise in his lectures at the south kensington museum, on "food."--(hardwicke, piccadilly, pp. - .) * * * * * families by writing on their orders ... _packets' brown and polson_, and refusing to receive any but the packages which bear brown and polson's name in full and trade mark, would discourage the fraudulent means by which the substitution of inferior kinds are encouraged. many grocers, chemists, etc., who supply the best quality, in preference to best profit articles, sell none but brown and polson's. [illustration] my object in writing this little book is to show you how you may prepare and cook your daily food, so as to obtain from it the greatest amount of nourishment at the least possible expense; and thus, by skill and economy, add, at the same time, to your comfort and to your comparatively slender means. the recipes which it contains will afford sufficient variety, from the simple every-day fare to more tasty dishes for the birthday, christmas-day, or other festive occasions. to those of my readers who, from sickness or other hindrance, have not money in store, i would say, strive to lay by a little of your weekly wages ... that your families may be well fed, and your homes made comfortable. http://www.archive.org/details/artofconfectiona lamb the art of confectionary. shewing the various methods of preserving all sorts of fruits, dry and liquid; _viz._ oranges, lemons, citrons, golden pippins, wardens, apricots green, almonds, goosberries, cherries, currants, plumbs, rasberries, peaches, walnuts, nectarines, figs, grapes, _&c._ flowers and herbs; as violets, angelica, orange-flowers, _&c._ also how to make all sorts of biscakes, maspins, sugar-works, and candies. with the best methods of clarifying, and the different ways of boiling sugar. by the late ingenious mr. edward lambert, confectioner, in pall-mall. london: printed for t. payne, in castle-street, near the mews-gate, . [price one shilling.] the art of confectionary. _of the manner of clarifying sugar, and the different ways of boiling it._ since the ground-work of the confectioner's art depends on the knowledge of clarifying and boiling sugars, i shall here distinctly set them down, that the several terms hereafter mentioned may the more easily be understood; which, when thoroughly comprehended, will prevent the unnecessary repetitions of them, which would encumber the work and confound the practitioner, were they to be explained in every article, as the variety of the matter should require: i shall therefore, through the whole treatise, stick to these denominations of the several degrees of boiling sugar, _viz._ clarifying, smooth, blown, feather'd, cracked, and carmel. _to clarify sugar._ break into your preserving pan the white of one egg, put in four quarts of water, beat it up to a froth with a whisk, then put in twelve pounds of sugar, mixed together, and set it over the fire; when it boils up, put in a little cold water, which will cause it to sink; let it rise again, then put in a little more water; so do for four or five times, till the scum appears thick on the top; then remove it from the fire and let it settle; then take off the scum, and pass it through your straining bag. _note_, if the sugar doth not appear very fine, you must boil it again before you strain it; otherwise in boiling it to an height, it will rise over the pan, and give the artist a great deal of trouble. _the boiling sugar to the degree called smooth._ when your sugar is thus clarified, put what quantity you shall have occasion for over the fire, to boil smooth, the which you will prove by dipping your scummer into the sugar; and then touching it with your fore-finger and thumb, in opening them a little you will see a small thread drawn betwixt, which immediately breaks, and remains in a drop on your thumb; thus it is a little smooth; then boiling it more, it will draw into a larger string; then it is become very smooth. _the blown sugar._ boil your sugar yet longer than the former, and try it thus, _viz._ dip in your scummer, and take it out, shaking off what sugar you can into the pan, and then blow with your mouth strongly through the holes, and if certain bubbles or bladders blow through, it is boiled to the degree called blown. _the feathered sugar_, is a higher degree of boiling sugar, which is to be proved by dipping the scummer when it hath boiled somewhat longer; shake it first over the pan, then giving it a sudden flurt behind you; if it be enough, the sugar will fly off like feathers. _the crackled boiling_, is proved by letting it boil somewhat longer; and then dipping a stick into the sugar, which immediately remove into a pot of cold water standing by you for that purpose, drawing off the sugar that cleaves to the stick, and if it becomes hard, and will snap in the water, it is enough; if not, you must boil it till it comes to that degree. _note_, your water must be always very cold, or it will deceive you. _the carmel sugar_, is known by boiling yet longer, and is proved by dipping a stick, as aforesaid, first in the sugar, and then in the water: but this you must observe, when it comes to the carmel height, it will snap like glass the moment it touches the cold water, which is the highest and last degree of boiling sugar. _note_, there is this to be observed, that your fire be not very fierce when you boil this, lest flaming up the sides of your pan, it should occasion the sugar to burn, and so discolour it. _to preserve seville-oranges liquid._ take the best seville-oranges, and pare them very neatly, put them into salt and water for about two hours; then boil them very tender till a pin will easily go into them; then drain them well from the water, and put them into your preserving pan, putting as much clarified sugar to them as will cover them, laying some trencher or plate on them to keep them down; then set them over a fire, and by degrees heat them till they boil; then let them have a quick boil till the sugar comes all over them in a froth; then set them by till next day, when you must drain the syrup from them, and boil it till it becomes very smooth, adding some more clarified sugar; put it upon the oranges, and give them a boil, then set them by till next day, when you must do as the day before. the fourth day drain them and strain your syrup through a bag, and boil it till it becomes very smooth; then take some other clarified sugar, boil it till it blows very strong, and take some jelly of pippins drawn from the pippins, as i shall immediately express, with the juice of some other oranges: as for example, if you have six oranges, after they are preserved as above directed, take two pounds of clarified sugar, boil it to blow very strong; then one pint and half of pippin jelly, and the juice of four or five oranges, boil all together; then put in the syrup that has been strained and boiled to be very smooth, and give all a boil; then put your oranges into your pots or glasses, and fill them up with the above made jelly; when cold cover them, and set them by for use. _note_, you must be sure in all your boilings to clear away the scum, otherwise you will endanger their working: and if you find they will swim above your jelly, you must bind them down with a sprig of a clean whisk. _to draw a jelly from pippins._ take the fairest and firmest pippins, pour them into fair water, as much as will cover them; set them over a quick fire, and boil them to mash; then put them on a sieve over an earthen pan, and press out all the jelly, which jelly strain through a bag, and use as directed in the oranges before mentioned, and such others as shall be hereafter described. _to make orange marmalade._ take six oranges, grate two of the rinds of them upon a grater, then cut them all, and pick out the flesh from the skins and seeds; put to it the grated rind, and about half a pint of pippin jelly; take the same weight of sugar as you have of this meat so mingled; boil your sugar till it blows very strong; then put in the meat, and boil all very quick till it becomes a jelly, which you will find by dipping the scummer, and holding it up to drain; if it be a jelly, it will break from the scummer in flakes; if not, it will run off in little streams: when it is a good jelly, put it into your glasses or pots. _note_, if you find this composition too sweet, you may in the boiling add more juice of oranges; the different quickness they have, makes it difficult to prescribe. _to preserve oranges with a marmalade in them._ pare your oranges as before, make a round hole in the bottom, where the stalk grew, the bigness of a shilling; take out the meat, and put them into salt and water for two or three hours; then boil them very tender, then put them into clarified sugar, give them a boil the next day, drain the syrup and boil it till it becomes smooth; put in your oranges and give them a good boil. when a little cool, drain them and fill them with a marmalade made as before directed, putting in the round piece you cut out; with the syrup, some other sugar, and pippin juice, make a jelly, and fill up your pots or glasses. _to make a compote of oranges._ cut the rind off your oranges into ribs, leaving part of the rind on; cut them into eight quarters, throw them into boiling water; when a pin will easily go through the rind, drain and put them into boiling water, when a pin will easily go through the rind, drain and put them into as much sugar boiled, till it becomes smooth, as will cover them, give all a boil together, adding some juice of oranges to what sharpness you please; you may put a little pippin jelly into the boiling, if you please; when cold serve them to table on plates. _to make orange-rings and faggots._ pare your oranges as thin, and as narrow as you can, put the parings into water, whilst you prepare the rings, which are done by cutting the oranges so pared into as many rings as you please; then cut out the meat from the inside; then put the rings and faggots into boiling water; boil them till tender; then put them into clarified sugar, as much as will cover them; set them by till next day; then boil all together, and set them by till the day after; then drain the syrup, and boil it till very smooth; then return your oranges into it, and give all a boil; the next day boil the syrup till it rises up to almost the top of your pan; then return the oranges into it, and give it a boil; then put them by in some pot to be candied, as hereafter mentioned, whenever you shall have occasion. _to candy orange, lemon, and citron._ drain what quantity you will candy clean from the syrup, and wash it in luke-warm water, and lay it on a sieve to drain; then take as much clarified sugar as you think will cover what you will candy, boil it till it blows very strong, then put in your rings, and boil them till it blows again; then take it from the fire, and let it cool a little; then with the back of a spoon rub the sugar against the inside of your pan till you see the sugar becomes white; then with a fork take out the rings one by one, lay them on a wire-grate to drain, then put in your faggots, and boil them as before directed; then rub the sugar, and take them up in bunches, having some-body to cut them with a pair of scizers to what bigness you please, laying them on your wire to drain. _note_, thus may you candy all sorts of oranges and lemon-peals or chips. lemon rings and faggots are done the same way, with this distinction only, that the lemons ought to be pared twice over, that the ring may be the whiter; so will you have two sorts of faggots: but you must be sure to keep the outward rind from the other, else it will discolour them. _to make orange-cakes._ take six sevil-oranges, grate the rinds of two of them, and then cut off the rinds of all six to the very juice; boil them in water till very tender; then squeeze out all the water you can, and beat them to a paste in a marble-morter; then rub it through a sieve of hair; what will not easily rub through must be beat again till all is got through; then cut to pieces the insides of the oranges, and rub as much of that through as you possibly can; then boil about six or eight pippins in as much water as will almost cover them, and boil them to a paste, and rub it through a sieve to the rest; then put all into a pan together, and give a thorough heat, till it is well mingled; then to every pound of this paste take one pound and a quarter of loaf-sugar; clarify the sugar, and boil it to the crick; then put in your paste and the grated peal, and stir it all together over a slow fire till it is well mixed, and the sugar all melted; then with a spoon fill your round tin-moulds as fast as you can; when cold, draw off your moulds, and set them in a warm stove to dry; when dry on the tops, turn them on sieves to dry on the other side; and when quite dry, box them up. _lemon-cakes._ take six thick-rinded lemons, grate two of them, then pare off all the yellow peal, and strip the white to the juice, which white boil till tender, and make a paste exactly as above. _to preserve white-citrons._ cut your white-citrons into what sized pieces you please; put them into water and salt for four or five hours; then wash them in fair water, and boil them till tender; then drain them, and put them into as much clarified sugar as will cover them, and set them by till next day; then drain the syrup, and boil it a little smooth; when cool, put it on your citrons; the next day boil your syrup quite smooth, and pour on your citrons; the day after boil all together and put into a pot to be candied, or put in jelly, or compose as you please. _note_, you must look over these fruits so kept in syrup; and if you perceive any froth on them you must give them a boil; and if by chance they should become very frothy and sour, you must first boil the syrup, and then all together. _to preserve golden-pippins in jelly._ pare your pippins from all spots, and with a narrow-pointed knife make a hole quite through them, then boil them in fair water about a quarter of an hour; then drain them, and take as much sugar as will cover them; boil it till it blows very strong, then put in your pippins, and give them a good boil; let them cool a little, then give them another boil; then if you have, for example a dozen of pippins, take a pound of sugar, and boil it till it blows very strong; then put in half a pint of pippin jelly and the juice of three or four lemons; boil all together, and put to the golden-pippins; give them all a boil, scum them, and put them into the glasses or pots. _to dry golden-pippins._ pare your pippins, and make a hole in them, as above, then weigh them, and boil them till tender; then take them out of the water, and to every pound of pippins take a pound and a half of loaf-sugar, and boil it till it blows very strong; then put in the fruit, and boil it very quick, till the sugar flies all over the pan; then let them settle, and cool them, scum them, and set them by till the next day, then drain them, and lay them out to dry, dusting them with fine sugar before you put them into the stove; the next day turn them and dust them again, when dry, pack them up. _note_, you must dry them in slices or quarters, after the same manner. _to make orange clear-cakes._ take the best pippins, pare them into as much water as will cover them; boil them to a mash; then press out the jelly upon a sieve, and strain it through a bag, adding juice of oranges to give it an agreeable taste: to every pound of jelly take one pound and a quarter of loaf sugar, boil it till it cracks, then put in the jelly and the rind of a grated orange or two, stir it up gently over a slow fire, till all is incorporated together; then take it off, and fill your clear-cake glasses, what scum arises on the top, you must carefully rake off before they are cold, then put them into the stove; when you find them begin to crust upon the upper side, turn them out upon squares of glasses, and put them to dry again; when they begin to have a tender candy, cut them into quarters, or what pieces you please, and let them dry till hard, then turn them on sieves; when thorough dry, put them up into your boxes. _note_, as they begin to sweat in the box, you must shift them from time to time, and it will be requisite to put no more than one row in a box at the beginning, till they do not sweat. lemon-colour cakes are made with lemons, as these. _to make pomegranate clear-cakes._ draw your jelly as for the orange clear-cakes, then boil into it the juice of two or three pomegranate-seeds, and all with the juice of an orange and a lemon, the rind of each grated in, then strain it through a bag, and to every pound of jelly put one pound and a quarter boiled till it cracks to help the colour to a fine red; put in a spoonful of cocheneal, prepared as hereafter directed; then fill your glasses, and order them as your orange. _to prepare cocheneal._ take one ounce of cocheneal, and beat it to a fine powder, then boil it in three quarters of a pint of water to the consumption of one half, then beat half an ounce of roach allum, and half an ounce of cream of tartar very fine, and put them to the cocheneal, boil them all together a little while, and strain it through a fine bag, which put into a phial, and keep for use. _note_, if an ounce of loaf-sugar be boiled in with it, it will keep from moulding what you do not immediately use. _to make pippin-knots._ pare your pippins, and weigh them, then put them into your preserving pan; to every pound put four ounces of sugar, and as much water as will scarce cover them; boil them to a pulp, and then pulp them through a sieve; then to every pound of the apples you weighed, take one pound of sugar clarified, boil it till it almost cracks, then put in the paste, and mix it well over a slow fire, then take it off and pour it on flat pewter-plates or the bottoms of dishes, to the thickness of two crowns; set them in the stove for three or four hours, then cut it into narrow slips and turn it up into knots to what shape or size you please; put them into the stove to dry, dusting them a little, turn them and dry them on the other side, and when thorough dry, put them into your box. _note_, you may make them red by adding a little cocheneal, or green by putting in a little of the following colour. _to prepare a green colour._ take gumbouge one quarter of an ounce, of indico and blue the same quantity; beat them very fine in a brass mortar, and mix with it a spoonful of water, so will you have a fine green; a few drops are sufficient. _to make a compote of boonchretien pears._ pare your fruit, and cut them into slices, scald them a little, squeezing some juice of lemon on them in the scalding to keep them white; then drain them, and put as much clarified sugar as will just cover them, give them a boil, and then squeeze the juice of an orange or lemon, which you best approve of, and serve them, to table when cold. _compote of baked wardens._ bake your wardens in an earthen pot, with a little claret, some spice, lemon-peal, and sugar; when you will use them peal off the skin and dress them in plates, either whole or in halfs; then make a jelly of pippins, sharpened well with the juice of lemons, and pour it upon them, and when cold, break the jelly with a spoon, so will it look very agreeable upon the red pears. _zest of china-oranges._ pare off the outward rind of the oranges very thin, and only strew it with fine powder-sugar, as much as their own moisture will take, dry them in a hot stove. _to rock candy-violets._ pick the leaves off the violets, then boil some of the finest loaf-sugar till it blows very strong, which pour into your candying-pan, being made of tin, in the form of a dripping-pan, about three inches deep; then strew the leaves of the flowers as thick on the top as you can; then put it into a hot stove for eight or ten days; when you see it is hard candied, break a hole in one corner of it, and drain all the syrup that will run from it, then break it out, and lay it on heaps on plates to dry in the stove. _to candy violets whole._ take the double violets, and pick off the green stalk, then boil some sugar till it blows very strong; throw in the violets, and boil it till it blows again, then with a spoon rub the sugar against the side of the pan till white, then stir all till the sugar leaves them; then sift them and dry them. _note_, junquils are done the same way. _to preserve angelico in knots._ take young and thick stalks of angelico, cut them into lengths of about a quarter of a yard, then scald them; next put them into cold water, then strip off the skins, and cut them into narrow slips; then lay them on your preserving pan, then put to them a thin sugar, that is, to one part sugar as clarified, and one part water; then set it over the fire and let it boil, and set it by till next day, then turn it in the pan, and give it another boil; the day after drain it and boil the sugar till it is a little smooth, then pour it on your angelico, and if it be a good green boil it no more, if not, heat it again; the day following boil the sugar till it is very smooth, and pour it upon your angelico; the next day boil your syrup till it rises to the top of your pan, then put your angelico into your pan, and pour your syrup upon it, and keep it for use. _to dry it out._ drain what quantity you will from the syrup, and boil as much sugar as will cover it till it blows, put in your angelico, and give it a boil till it blows again; when cold, drain it, and tie it in knots and put it into a warm stove to dry, first dusting it a little; when dry on one side turn it, and dry the other, then pack it up. _to preserve angelico in sticks._ take angelico, not altogether so young as the other, cut it into short pieces about half a quarter of a yard, or less, scale it a little, then drain it and put it into a thin sugar as before; boil it a little, the next day turn it in the pan the bottom upwards, and boil it, so finish it as the other for knots. _note_, when you will candy it, you must drain it from the syrup, wash it and candy it as the orange and lemon. _angelico-paste._ take the youngest and most pithy angelico you can get, boil it very tender, then drain it, and press out all the water you possibly can, then beat it in a mortar to as fine a paste as may be, then rub it through a sieve; next day dry it over a fire, and to every pound of this paste take one pound of fine sugar in fine powder; when your paste is hot, put in the sugar, stirring it over a gentle fire till it is well incorporated; when so done, drop it on plates long or round, as you shall judge proper; dust it a little and put it into the stove to dry. _to preserve apricots green._ take the apricots when about to stone, before it becomes too hard for a pin easily to press through; pare them in ribs very neatly because every stroke of the knife will be seen; then put them into fair water as you pare them, then boil them till tender enough to slip easily from your pin, then drain them, and put them into a thin sugar, that is to say, one part sugar clarified, and one part water; boil them a little, then set them by till next day, then give them another boil; the day after drain them and boil your syrup a little smooth, and put it to them, giving them a boil; the next day boil your syrup a little smooth and put it upon them without boiling your fruit; then let them remain in the syrup four or five days; then boil some more sugar till it blows, and add it to them; give all a boil, and let them be till the day following; then drain them from the syrup, and lay them out to dry, dusting them with a little fine sugar before you put them into the stove. _to put them up in jelly._ you must keep them in the syrup so preserved till codlins are pretty well grown; take care to visit them sometimes that they do not sour, which if they do, the syrup will be lost; by reason it will become muddy, and then you will be obliged to make your jelly with all fresh sugar, which will be too sweet; but when codlins are of an indifferent bigness, draw a jelly from them as from pippins, as you are directed in _p._ ; then drain the apricots from the syrup, boil it and strain it through your strain-bags; then boil some sugar (proportionable to your quantity of apricots you design to put up) till it blows, then put in the jelly and boil it a little with the sugar, then put in the syrup and the apricots, and give them all a boil together, till you find the syrup will be a jelly; then remove them from the fire, and scum them very well, and put them into your pots or glasses, observing as they cool if they be regular in the glasses to sink, and disperse them to a proper distance, and when thorough cold to cover them up. _to preserve green almonds._ take the almonds when pretty well grown, and make a lye with wood or charcoal-ashes, and water; boil the lye till it feels very smooth, strain it through a sieve and let it settle till clear, then pour off the clear into another pan, then set it on the fire in order to blanch off the down that is on the almonds, which you must do in this manner, _viz._ when the lye is scalding hot throw in two or three almonds, and try, when they have been in some time, if they will blanch; if they will, put in the rest, and the moment you find their skins will come off, remove them from the fire, and put them into cold water, and blanch them one by one rubbing them with salt, the better to clean them; when you have so done, wash them in several waters, the better to clean them, in short, till you see no soil in the water; when you have so done, throw them into boiling water, and let them boil till very tender, till a pin will very easily pass through them; then drain them, and put them into clarified sugar without water, they being green enough, do not require a thin sugar to bring them to a colour, but, on the contrary, if too much heated, they will become too dark a green; the next day boil the syrup, and put it on them; the day after boil it till it becomes very smooth; the day following give all a boil together, scum them, and let them rest four or five days; then, if you will dry them or put them in jelly, you must follow the directions as for green apricots, _p._ . _note_, if you will have a compose of either, it is but serving them to table when they are first entered, by boiling the sugar a little more. _to preserve goosberries green._ take the long sort of goosberries the latter end of _may_ or the beginning of _june_, before the green colour has left them; set some water over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, throw in the goosberries, and let them have a scald, then take them out and carefully remove them into cold water, and set them over a very slow fire to green, cover them very close so that none of the steam can get out; when you have obtained their green colour, which will perhaps be four or five hours, then drain them gently into clarified sugar, and give them a heat; set them by, and give them another heat; this you must repeat four or five times in order to bring them to a very good green colour: thus you may serve them to table by way of compose; if you will preserve them to keep either dry or in jelly, you must follow the directions as for green apricots aforementioned, _p._ . _to preserve goosberries white._ take the large _dutch_ goosberries when full grown, but before they are quite ripe; pare them into fair water, and stone them; then put them into boiling water, and let them boil very tender, then put them into clarified sugar in an earthen pan, and put as many in one pan as will cover the bottom; then set them by till next day, and boil the syrup a little, and pour it on them; the day after boil it till smooth, and pour it on them; the third day give them a gentle boil round, by setting the side of the pan over the fire, and as it boils, turning it about till they have had a boil all over, the day following make a jelly with codlins, and finish them as you do the others, in _p._ . _to dry goosberries._ to every pound of goosberries, when stoned, put two pounds of sugar, but boil the sugar till it blows very strong; then strew in the goosberries, and give them a thorough boil, till the sugar comes all over them, let them settle a quarter of an hour, then give them another good boil, then scum them, and set them by till the next day; then drain them, and lay them out on sieves to dry, dusting them very much, and put a good brisk fire into the stove; when dry on one side, turn them and dust them on the other; and when quite dry, put them into your box. _to make goosberry-paste._ take the goosberries when full grown, wash them, and put them into your preserving pan, with as much spring-water as will almost cover them, and boil them very quick all to a pommish; then strew them on a hair-sieve over an earthen pot or pan, and press out all the juice; then to every pound of this paste, take one pound and two ounces of sugar, and boil it till it cracks; then take it from the fire and put in your paste, and mix it well over a slow fire till the sugar is very well incorporated with the paste; then scum it and fill your paste-pots, then scum them again, and when cold, put them into the stove, and when crusted on the top, turn them, and set them in the stove again, and when a little dry, cut them in long pieces, and set them to dry quite; and when so crusted that they will bear touching, turn them on sieves and dry the other side, then put them into your box. _note_, you may make them red or green, by putting the colour when the sugar and paste is all mixed, giving it a warm altogether. _goosberry clear-cakes._ goosberry clear-cakes are made after the same manner as the paste, with this difference only, that you strain the jelly through the bag before you weigh it for use. _to dry cherries._ stone your cherries and weigh them, to eight pounds of cherries put two pounds of sugar, boil it till it blows very strong: put the cherries to the sugar, and heat them by degrees till the sugar is thoroughly melted, for when the cherries come in, it will so cool the sugar that it will seem like glew, and should you put it on a quick fire at first, it will endanger the burning; when you find the sugar is all melted, then boil them as quick as possible till the sugar flies all over them, then scum them, and set them by in an earthen pan; for where the sugar is so thin, it will be apt to cancker in a copper or brass, or stain in a silver; the next day drain them, and boil the sugar till it rises, then put in your cherries, and give them a boil, scum them and set them by till the next day, then drain them and lay them out on sieves, and dry them in a very hot stove. _to preserve cherries liquid._ take the best morello cherries when ripe, either stone them or clip their stalks; and to every pound take a pound of sugar, and boil it till it blows very strong, then put in the cherries, and by degrees, bring them to boil as fast as you can, that the sugar may come all over them, scum them and set them by; the next day boil some more sugar to the same degree, and put some jelly of currants, drawn as hereafter directed; for example, if you boil one pound of sugar, take one pint of jelly, put in the cherries and the syrup to the sugar; then add the jelly, and give all a boil together; scum them, and fill your glasses or pots; take care as they cool, to disperse them equally, or otherwise they will swim all to the top. _to draw jelly of currants._ wash well your currants, put them into your pan, and mash them; then put in a little water and boil them to a pommish; then strew it on a sieve, and press out all your juice, of which you make the jelly for all the wet sweet-meats that are red. _note_, where white currant-jelly is prescribed, it is to be drawn after the same manner; but observe you strain it first. _to make cherry-paste._ take two pounds of morello cherries, stone them and press the juice out; dry them in a pan and mash them over the fire; then weigh them, and take their weight in sugar beaten very fine; heat them over the fire till the sugar is well mixed, then dress them on plates or glasses, dust them when cold, and put them into the stove to dry. _to dry currants in bunches._ stone your currants and tie them up in little bunches, and to every pound of currants you must boil two pounds of sugar, till it blows very strong, then slip in the currants, and let them boil very fast, till the sugar flies all over them; let them settle a quarter of an hour, then boil them again till the sugar rises almost to the top of the pan, then let them settle, scum them, and set them by till next day; then you must drain them, and lay them out, taking care to spread the sprigs that they may not dry clogged together: then dust them very much, and dry them in a hot stove. _to preserve currants in jelly._ stone your currants, and clip off the black tops, and strip them from the stalks, and to every pound boil two pounds of sugar till it blows very strong, then slip in the currants, and give them a quick boil, then take them from the fire and let them settle a little; then give them another boil, and put in a pint of currant-jelly, drawn as directed in _p._ ; boil all well together, till you see the jelly will flake from the scummer; then remove it from the fire, and let it settle a little; then scum them, and put them into your glasses; but as they cool, take care to disperse them equally. _to preserve violet-plumbs._ violet plumbs are a long time yellow, and are ripe in the month of _june_, which are preserved as follows; put them into clarified sugar, just enough to cover them, and boil them pretty quick; the next day boil them again as before; the day after drain them again, and take away their skins, which you will find all flown off, then put them into a sugar, boil it till it blows a little, give them a boil; the day following boil some more sugar till it blows a little, give them a boil; the next day boil some more sugar to blow very strong, put the plumbs in the syrup, boil a little, and scum them; the next day drain them, and lay them out to dry, but dust them before you put them into the stove. _to preserve orange-flowers._ take the orange-flowers just as they begin to open, put them into boiling water, and let them boil very quick till they are tender, putting in a little juice of lemons as they boil, to keep them white; then drain them and dry them carefully between two napkins; then put them into a clarified sugar, as much as will cover them; the next day drain the syrup, and boil it a little smooth; when almost cold, pour it on the flowers; the day after you may drain them and lay them out to dry, dusting them a very little. _to put them in jelly._ after they are preserved, as before directed, you must clarify a little more sugar, with orange-flower-water, and make a jelly of codlins, which, when ready, put in the flowers syrup and all; give them a boil, scum them, and put them into your glasses or pots. _note_, when you boil the syrup, you must add sugar if it wants, as well in the working the foregoing fruits, as these. _to make orange-flower-cakes._ take four ounces of the leaves of orange-flowers, put them into fair water for about an hour, then drain them and put them between two napkins, and with a rolling-pin roll them till they are bruised; then have ready boiled one pound of double-refined-sugar to a bloom degree; put in the flowers, and boil it till it comes to the same degree again, then remove it from the fire, and let it cool a little; then with a spoon grind the sugar to the bottom or sides of the pan, and when it becomes white, pour it into little papers or cards, made in the form of a dripping-pan; when quite cold, take them out of the pans, and dry them a little in a stove. _to make orange-flower-paste._ boil one pound of the leaves of orange-flowers very tender; then take two pounds and two ounces of double-refined sugar in fine powder; and when you have bruised the flowers to a pulp, stir in the sugar by degrees over a slow fire till all is in and well melted; then make little drops and dry them. _to preserve apricots whole._ take the apricots when full grown, pare them, and take out their stones; then have ready a pan of boiling water, throw them into it, and scald them till they rise to the top of the water; then take them out carefully with your scummer, and lay them on a sieve to drain; then lay them in your preserving pan, and put over them as much sugar boiled to blow as will cover them, give them a boil round, by setting the pan half on the fire, and turning it about as it boils; then set it full on the fire, and let it have a covered boiling; then let them settle a quarter of an hour, and pick those that look clear to one side, and those that do not to the other; then boil that side that is not clear till they become clear; and as they do so, pick them away, lest they boil to a paste; when you see they look all alike, give them a covered boiling, scum them, and set them by; the next day boil a little more sugar to blow very strong, put it to the apricots, and give them a very good boil, then scum them, and cover them with a paper, and put them into a stove for two days; then drain them, and lay them out to dry, first dusting the plates you lay them on, and then the apricots, extraordinary well, blowing off what sugar lies white upon them, then put them into a very warm stove to dry, and when dry on one side, turn and dust them again; and when quite dry, pack them up. _note_, in the turning them you must take care there be no little bladders in them, for if there be, you must prick them with a point of a pen-knife, and squeeze them out, otherwise they will blow and sour. _to preserve apricot-chips._ split the apricots, and take out the stones, then pare them, and turn them into a circular form with your knife; then put them into your pan without scalding, and put as much sugar boiled very smooth as will cover them, then manage them on the fire as the whole apricots, scum them, and set them in the stove; the next day boil some more sugar, to boil very strong, then drain the syrup from the apricots, and boil it very smooth; then put it to the fresh sugar, and give it a boil; then put in the apricots and boil them first round, and then let them have a covered boil, scum them, and cover them with a paper; then put them into the stove for two or three days, drain them, and lay them out to dry, first dusting them. _to preserve apricots in jelly._ pare and stone your apricots, then scald them a little, and lay them in your pan, and put as much clarified sugar to them as will cover them; the next day drain the syrup, and boil it smooth, then slip in your apricots, and boil as before; the next day make a jelly with codlins, boiling some apricots amongst them, to give a better taste; when you have boiled the jelly to its proper height, put in the apricots with their syrup, and boil all together; when enough, scum them very well, and put them into your glasses. _to make apricot-paste._ boil some apricots that are full ripe to a pulp, and rub the fine of it thro' a sieve; and to every pound of pulp take one pound and two ounces of fine sugar, beaten to a very fine powder; heat well your paste, and then, by degrees, put in your sugar; when all is in, give it a thorough heat over the fire, but take care not to let it boil; then take it off and scrape it all to one side of the pan, let it cool a little, then with a spoon lay it out on plates in what form you please, then dust them, and put them into the stove to dry. _to make apricot clear-cakes._ first, draw a jelly from codlins, then boil in that jelly some very ripe apricots, which press upon a sieve over an earthen pan, then strain it through your jelly-bag; and to every pound of jelly take the like quantity of fine loaf-sugar, which clarify, and boil till it cracks; then put in the jelly, and mix it well, then give it a heat on the fire, scum it and fill your glasses; in the drying, order them as has been already directed in _p._ . _to make jam of apricots._ pare the apricots, and take out the stones, break them, and take out the kernels, and blanch them; then to every pound of apricots boil one pound of sugar till it blows very strong, then put in the apricots, and boil them very brisk till they are all broke, then take them off, and bruise them well, put in the kernels and stir them all together over the fire, then fill your pots or glasses with them. _note_, if you find it too sweet, you may put in a little white-currant-jelly to sharpen it to your liking. _to preserve rasberries liquid._ take the largest and fairest rasberries you can get, and to every pound of rasberries take one pound and a half of sugar, clarify it, and boil it till it blows very strong; then put in the rasberries, and let them boil as fast as possible, strewing a little fine beaten sugar on them as they boil; when they have had a good boil, that the sugar rises all over them, take them from the fire, and let them settle a little, then give them another boil, and put to every pound of rasberries half a pint of currant-jelly; let them have a good boil, till you perceive the syrup hangs in fleeks from your scummer; then remove them from the fire, take off the scum, and put them into your glasses or pots. _note_, take care to remove what scum there may be on the top; when cold, make a little jelly of currants, and fill up the glasses; then cover them with paper first wet in fair water, and dry'd a little betwixt two cloths, which paper you must put close to the jelly; then wipe clean your glasses, and cover the tops of them with other paper. _to make rasberry-cakes._ pick all the grubs and spotted rasberries away; then bruise the rest, and put them on a hair-sieve over an earthen pan, putting on them a board and weight to press out all the water you can; then put the paste into your preserving pan, and dry it over the fire, till you perceive no moisture left in it, that is, no juice that will run from it, stirring it all the time it is on the fire to keep it from burning; then weigh it, and to every pound take one pound and two ounces of sugar, beat to a fine powder, and put in the sugar by degrees; when all is in, put it on the fire, and incorporate them well together; then take them from the fire and scrape it all to one side of the pan; let it cool a very little, then put it into your moulds; when quite cold, put them into your stove without dusting it, and dry it as other sorts of paste. _note_, you must take particular care that your paste doth not boil after your sugar is in; for if it does, it will grow greasy and never dry well. _to make rasberry clear-cakes._ take two quarts of ripe goosberries, or white currants, and one quart of red rasberries, put them into a stone-jug and stop them close; then put it into a pot of cold water, as much as will cover the neck of the jug; then boil them in that water till all comes to a paste, then turn them out in a hair-sieve, placed over a pan, press out all the jelly and strain it thro' the jelly-bag; to every pound of jelly take twenty ounces of double-refined sugar, and boil it till it will crack in the water; then take it from the fire and put in your jelly, stirring it over a slow fire, till all the sugar is melted; then give it a good heat till all is incorporated; then take it from the fire, scum it well, and fill your clear-cake-glasses; then take off what scum is on them, and put them into the stove to dry, observing the method directed in _p._ . _note_, in filling out your clear-cakes and clear-pastes, you must be as expeditious as possible, for if it cools it will be a jelly before you can get it into them. white rasberry clear-cakes are made after the same manner, only mixing white rasberries with the goosberries in the infusion. _to make rasberry clear-paste._ take two quarts of goosberries, and two quarts of red rasberries, put them in a pan, with about a pint and an half of water; boil them over a very quick fire to a pommish, then throw them upon an earthen pan, and press out all the juice; then take that juice and boil in it another quart of rasberries, then throw them on a sieve, and rub all through the sieve that you can; then put in the seeds and weigh the paste, and to every pound take twenty ounces of fine loaf-sugar, boiled, when clarified, till it cracks, then remove it from the fire, and put in your paste, mix it well, and set it over a slow fire, stirring it till all the sugar is melted, and you find it is become a jelly; then take it from the fire and fill your pots or glasses, whilst very hot, then scum them and put them into the stove; observe, when cold, the drying them, as in _p._ . _to make rasberry-biscakes._ press out the juice, and dry the paste a little over the fire, then rub all the pulp through a sieve; then weigh, and to every pound take eighteen ounces of sugar, sifted very fine, and the whites of four eggs, put all in the pan together, and with a whisp beat till it is very stiff, so that you may lay it in pretty high drops; and when it is so beaten, drop it in what form you please on the back sides of cards, (paper being too thin, it will be difficult to get it off;) dust them a little with a very fine sugar, and put them into a very warm stove to dry; when they are dry enough, they will come easily from the cards; but whilst soft, they will not stir; then take and turn then on a sieve, and let them remain a day or two in the stove; then pack them up in your box, and they will, in a dry place, keep all the year without shifting. _to make currant-paste._ wash well your currants and put them into your preserving pan, bruise them, and with a little water, boil them to a pulp, press out the juice, and to every pound take twenty ounces of loaf-sugar, boil it to crack; then take it from the fire, and put in the paste; then heat it over the fire, take off the scum, and put it into your paste-pots or glasses, then dry and manage them as other pastes. _to make rasberry-jam._ press out the water from the rasberries; then to every pound of rasberries take one pound of sugar, first dry the rasberries in a pan over the fire, but keep them stirring, lest they burn; put in your sugar, and incorporate them well together, and fill your glasses or pots, covering them with thin white paper close to the jam, whilst it is hot; and when cold, tie them over with other paper. _to preserve peaches whole._ take the _newington_ peach, when full ripe, split it, and take out the stone, then have ready a pan of boiling water, drop in the peaches, and let them have a few moments scalding; then take them out, and put them into as much sugar, only clarified, as will cover them, give them a boil round, then scum them and set them by till the next day; then boil some more sugar to blow very strong, which sugar put to the peaches, and give them a good boil, scum them, and set them by till the day following; then give them another good boil, scum them and put them into a warm stove for the space of two days; then drain them, and lay them out one half over the other, dust them and put them into the stove; the next day turn them and dust them, and when thorough dry, pack them up for use. _to preserve peach-chips._ pare your peaches, and take out the stones, then cut them into very thin slices, not thicker than the blade of a knife; then to every pound of chips take one pound and an half of sugar, boiled to blow very strong, then throw in the chips, and give them a good boil, then let them settle a little, take off the scum, and let them stand a quarter of an hour, then give them another good boil, and let them settle as before; then take off the scum, cover them, and set them by; the next day drain them, and lay them out bit by bit, dust them, and dry them in a warm stove; when dry on one side, take them from the plate with a knife, and turn them on a sieve; and then again, if they are not pretty dry, which they generally are. _to put them in jelly._ draw a jelly from codlins, and when they are boiled enough, take as much jelly as sugar, boil the sugar to blow very strong, then put in the jelly, give it a boil and put it to the chips; give all a boil and scum them, then put them into your glasses. _to preserve walnuts white._ take the largest _french_ walnuts, when full grown, but before they are hard, pare off the green shell to the white, and put them into fair water; then throw them into boiling water, and boil them till very tender; then drain them and put them into a clarified sugar, give them a gentle heat; the next day boil some more sugar to blow, and put it to them, giving them a boil; the next day boil some more sugar to blow very strong, put it to the walnuts, give them a boil, scum them, and put them by, then drain them and put them on plates, dust them and put them into a warm stove to dry. _to preserve walnuts black._ take of the smaller sort of walnuts, when full grown, and not shelled; boil them in water till very tender, but not to break, so they will become black; then drain them, and stick a clove in every one, and put them into your preserving pan, and if you have any peach syrup, or of that of the white walnuts, it will be as well or better than sugar; put as much syrup as will cover the walnuts, boil them very well, then scum them and set them by; the next day boil the syrup till it becomes smooth, then put in the walnuts and give them another good boil; the day after drain them and boil the syrup till it becomes very smooth, adding more syrup, if occasion; give all a boil, scum them, and put them in your pot for use. _note_, these walnuts are never offered as a sweet-meat, being of no use but to purge gently the body, and keep it open. _to preserve nectarines._ split the nectarines, and take out the stones, then put them into a clarified sugar; boil them round, till they have well taken sugar; then take off the scum, cover them with a paper and set them by; the next day boil a little more sugar till it blows very strong, and put it to the nectarines, and give them a good boil; take off the scum, cover them, and put them into the stove; the next day drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them a little, then put them into the stove. _to preserve green amber-plumbs._ take the green amber-plumbs, when full grown, prick them in two or three places, and put them into cold water; then set them over the fire to scald, in which you must be very careful not to let the water become too hot, lest you hurt them; when they are very tender, put them into a very thin sugar, that is to say, one part sugar, and two parts water; give them a little warm in this sugar, and cover them over; the next day give them a warm again; the third day drain them and boil the syrup, adding a little more sugar; then put the syrup to the plumbs, and give them a warm; the next day do the same; the day following boil the syrup till it becomes a little smooth, put in the plumbs and give them a boil; the day after boil the syrup till very smooth, then put it to the plumbs, cover them, and put them into the stove; the next day boil some more sugar to blow very strong, put it to the fruit and give all a boil, then put them into the stove for two days; then drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them very well, and manage them in the drying as other fruits. _note_, if you find them shrink when first you put them into sugar, you must let them lie in that thin syrup three or four days, till they begin to work; then casting away that syrup, begin the work as already set down. _to preserve green orange-plumbs._ take the green orange-plumbs, when full grown, before they turn, prick them with a fine bodkin, as thick all over as possible you can; put them into cold water as you prick them, when all are done, set them over a very slow fire, and scald them with the utmost care you can, nothing being so subject to break, for if the skin flies they are worth nothing; when they are very tender, take them off the fire and set them by in the same water for two or three days; when they become sour, and begin to float on the top of the water, be careful to drain them very well; then put them in single rows in your preserving pan, and put to them as much thin sugar as will cover them, that is to say, one part sugar, and two parts water; then set them over the fire, and by degrees warm them till you perceive the sourness to be gone, and the plumbs are sunk to the bottom, set them by; and the next day throw away that syrup, and put to them a fresh sugar, of one part sugar, and one part water; in this sugar give them several heats, but not to boil, lest you burst them; then cover them, and set them in a warm stove that they may suck in what sugar they will; the next day drain the sugar, and boil it till it becomes smooth, adding some more fresh sugar; pour this sugar on them, and return them into the stove; the next day boil the syrup to become very smooth, and pour it upon your plumbs, and give all a gentle boil, scum it and put them into the stove; the day following drain them out of that syrup, and boil some fresh sugar, as much as you judge will cover them, till very smooth put it to your plumbs, and give all a very good covered boiling; then take off the scum and cover them, let them stand in the stove two days, then drain them and lay them out to dry, dusting them very well. _to preserve the green mogul-plumb._ take this plumb when just upon the turning ripe, prick with a pen-knife to the very stone on that side where the cleft is, put them into cold water as you do them, then set them over a very slow fire to scald; when they are become very tender, take them carefully out of the water and put them into a thin sugar, that is, half sugar, and half water, warm them gently, then cover them, and set them by; the next day give them another warm and set them by; the day following drain their syrup and boil it smooth, adding to it a little fresh sugar, and give them a gentle boil, the day after boil the sugar very smooth, pour it upon them and set them in the stove for two days; then drain them and boil a fresh sugar to be very smooth, or just to blow a little, put it to your plumbs and give them a good covered boiling; then scum them and put them into the stove for two days, then drain them and lay them out to dry, dusting them very well. _to preserve the green admirable-plumb._ this is a little round plumb, about the size of a damson; it leaves the stone, when ripe, is somewhat inclining to a yellow in colour, and very well deserves its name, being of the finest green when done, and with the tenth part of the trouble and charge, as you will find by the receipt. take this plumb, when full grown, and just upon the turn, prick them with a pen-knife in two or three places, and scald them, by degrees, till the water becomes very hot, for they will even bear boiling; continue them in the water till they become green, then drain them, and put them into a clarified sugar, boil them very well, then let them settle a little, and give them another boil; if you perceive they shrink and take not the sugar in very well, prick them with a fork all over as they lie in the pan, and give them another boil, scum them, and set them by; the next day boil some other sugar till it blows, and put it to them, and give them a good boil, then scum them and set them in the stove for one night; the next day drain them and lay them out, first dusting them. _to preserve yellow amber-plumbs._ take these plumbs, when full ripe, put them into your preserving pan, and put to them as much sugar as will cover them, and give them a very good boil; then let them settle a little, and give them another boil three or four times round the fire, scum them, and the next day drain them from the syrup, and return them again into the pan, and boil as much fresh sugar as will cover them to blow; give them a thorough boiling, and scum them, and set them in the stove twenty-four hours; then drain them, and lay them out to dry, after having dusted them very well. _note_, in the scalding of green plumbs, you must always have a sieve in the bottom of your pan to put your plumbs in, that they may not touch the bottom, for those that do, will burst before the others are any thing warm. _to put plumbs in jelly._ any of these sorts of plumbs are very agreeable in jelly, and the same method will do for all as for one: i might make some difference which would only help to confound the practitioner, and thereby swell this treatise in many places; but, as i have promised, so i will endeavour to lay down the easiest method i can to avoid prolixity, and proceed as above, _viz._ [plumbs in jelly.] when your plumbs are preserved in their first sugar, and you have drained them in order to put them in a second, they are then fit to be put up liquid, which you must do thus: drain the plumbs, and strain the syrup through a bag; then make a jelly of some ripe plumbs and codlins together, by boiling them in just as much water as will cover them, press out the juice and strain it, and to every pint of juice boil one pound of sugar to blow very strong, put in the juice and boil it a little; then put in the syrup and the plumbs, and give all a good boil; then let them settle a little, scum them and fill your glasses or pots. _to preserve green figs._ take the small green figs, slit them on the top, and put them in salt and water for ten days, and make your pickle as follows. put in as much salt into the water as will make it bear an egg, then let it settle, take the scum off, and put the clear brine to the figs, and keep them in water for ten days; then put them into fresh water, and boil them till a pin will easily pass into them; then drain them and put them into other fresh water, shifting them every day for four days; then drain them, and put them into a clarified sugar; give them a little warm, and let them stand till the next day; then warm them again, and when they are become green give them a good boil, then boil some other sugar to blow, put it to them, and give them another good boil; the next day drain them and dry them. _to preserve ripe figs._ take the white figs, when ripe, slit them in the top, and put them into a clarified sugar, and give them a good boil; then scum them, and set them by; the next day boil some more sugar till it blows, and pour it upon them, and boil them again very well, scum them and set them in the stove; the day after drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them very well. _to preserve green oranges._ take the green oranges and slit them on one side, and put them into a brine of salt and water, as strong as will bear an egg, in which you must soak them at least fifteen days; then drain them and put them into fresh water, and boil them tender; then put them into fresh water, again, shifting them every day for five days together; then give them another scald, and put them into a clarified sugar; then give them a boil, and set them by till next day, then boil them again; the next day add some more sugar, and give them another boil; the day after boil the syrup very smooth and pour it on them, and keep them for use. _note_, that if at any time you perceive the syrup begin to work, you must drain them, and boil the syrup very smooth and pour it on them; but if the first prove sour, you must boil it likewise. green lemons are done after the same manner. _note also_, if the oranges are any thing large, you must take out the meat from the inside. _to preserve green grapes._ take the largest and best grapes before they are thorough ripe, stone them and scald them, but let them lie two days in the water they were scalded in; then drain them and put them into a thin syrup, and give them a heat over a slow fire; the next day turn the grapes in the pan and warm them again; the day after drain them and put them into a clarified sugar, give them a good boil, and scum them, and set them by; the following day boil some more sugar to blow, and put it to the grapes, and give them a good boil, scum them and set them in a warm stove all night; the next day drain them and lay them out to dry, first dusting them very well. _to preserve bell-grapes in jelly._ take the long, large bell, or rouson-grapes, and pick them from the stalks, then stone them and put them in boiling water, and give them a thorough scald; then take them from the fire and cover them close down, so that no steam can come out; then set them upon a very gentle fire, so as not to boil for two or three hours; then take them out, and put them into a clarified sugar boiled, till it blows very strong, as much sugar as will a little more than cover them; then give them a good boil and let them settle a little: then give them another boil, scum them, and then boil some other sugar to blow very strong; and take as much plumb-jelly as sugar, and give all a boil, then add to it the grapes, and give them all a boil together, scum them well, and put them up into your pots or glasses. file made using scans of public domain works from biblioteca de la universitat de barcelona.) [unless otherwise noted, spelling and punctuation are unchanged. errors are listed at the end of the text.] the accomplisht cook, or the art & mystery of cookery. wherein the whole art is revealed in a more easie and perfect method, than hath been publisht in any language. expert and ready ways for the dressing of all sorts of flesh, fowl, and fish, with variety of sauces proper for each of them; and how to raise all manner of _pastes_; the best directions for all sorts of _kickshaws_, also the _terms_ of _carving_ and _sewing_. an exact account of all _dishes_ for all _seasons_ of the year, with other _a-la-mode curiosities_. the fifth edition, with large additions throughout the whole work: besides two hundred figures of several forms for all manner of bak'd meats, (either flesh, or fish) as, pyes tarts, custards; cheesecakes, and florentines, placed in tables, and directed to the pages they appertain to. approved by the fifty five years experience and industry of _robert may_; in his attendance on several persons of great honour. _london_, printed for _obadiah blagrave_ at the _bear_ and _star_ in st. _pauls church-yard_, . * * * * * * * * * _contents_ [added by transcriber using author's section headings.] directions for the order of carving fowl. bills of fare for every season in the year section i: perfect directions for the a-la-mode ways of dressing all manner of boyled meats, with their several sauces, &c. to make several sorts of puddings. sheeps haggas puddings. to make any kind of sausages. to make all manner of hashes. pottages. divers made dishes or _capilotado's_. section ii: an hundred and twelve excellent wayes for the dressing of beef. section iii: the a-la-mode ways of dressing the heads of any beasts. section iv: the rarest ways of dressing of all manner of roast meats, either of flesh or fowl, by sea or land, with their sauces that properly belong to them. section v: the best way of making all manner of sallets. section vi: to make all manner of carbonadoes, either of flesh or fowl; as also all manner of fried meats of flesh, collops and eggs, with the most exquisite way of making pancakes, fritters, and tansies. section vii: the most excellent ways of making all sorts of puddings. section viii: the rarest ways of making all manner of souces and jellies. section ix: the best way of making all manner of baked meats. section x: to bake all manner of curneld fruits in pyes, tarts, or made dishes, raw or preserved, as quinces, warden, pears, pippins, &c. section xi: to make all manner of made dishes, with or without paste. section xii: to make all manner of creams, sack-possets, sillabubs, blamangers, white-pots, fools, wassels, &c. section xiii: the first section for dressing of fish. shewing divers ways, and the most excellent, for dressing of carps, either boiled, stewed, broiled, roasted, or baked, &c. section xiv: the second section of fish. shewing the most excellent ways of dressing of pikes. section xv: the third section for dressing of fish. the most excellent ways of dressing salmon, bace, or mullet. section xvi: the fourth section for dressing of fish. shewing the exactest ways of dressing turbut, plaice, flounders, and lampry. section xvii: the fifth section of fish. shewing the best way to dress eels, conger, lump, and soals. section xviii: the sixth section of fish. the a-la-mode ways of dressing and ordering of sturgeon. section xix: the seventh section of fish. shewing the exactest ways of dressing all manner of shell-fish. section xx: to make all manner of pottages for fish-days. section xxi: the exactest ways for the dressing of eggs. section xxii: the best ways for the dressing of artichocks. section xxiii: shewing the best way of making diet for the sick. section xxiv: excellent ways for feeding of poultrey. [index] the table [publisher's advertising] * * * * * * * * * _to the right honourable my _lord montague,_ my _lord lumley,_ and my _lord dormer;_ and to the right worshipful sir _kenelme digby,_ so well known to this nation for their admired hospitalities._ _right honourable, and right worshipful_, he is an alien, a meer stranger in _england_, that hath not been acquainted with your generous house-keepings; for my own part my more particular tyes of service to you my honoured lords, have built me up to the height of this experience, for which this book now at last dares appear to the world; those times which i tended upon your honours were those golden days of peace and hospitality when you enjoyed your own, so as to entertain and releive others. right honourable, and right worshipful, i have not only been an eye-witness, but interested by my attendance; so as that i may justly acknowledge those triumphs and magnificent trophies of cookery that have adorned your tables; nor can i but confess to the world, except i should be guilty of the highest ingratitude, that the only structure of this my art and knowledge, i owed to your costs, generous and inimitable epences; thus not only i have derived my experience, but your country hath reapt the plenty of your humanity and charitable bounties. right honourable, and right worshipful, hospitality which was once a relique of the gentry, and a known cognizance to all ancient houses, hath lost her title through the unhappy and cruel disturbances of these times, she is now reposing of her lately so alarmed head on your beds of honour: in the mean space that our english world may know the _mecæna_'s and patrons of this generous art, i have exposed this volume to the publick, under the tuition of your names; at whose feet i prostrate these endeavours, and shall for ever remain _your most humble devoted servant._ _robert may._ _from _soleby_ in _leicestershire_, september . ._ _to the master cooks, and to such young practitioners of the art of cookery, to whom this book may be useful._ to you first, most worthy artists, i acknowledg one of the chief motives that made me to adventure this volume to your censures, hath been to testifie my gratitude to your experienced society; nor could i omit to direct it to you, as it hath been my ambition, that you should be sensible of my proficiency of endeavours in this art. to all honest well intending men of our profession, or others, this book cannot but be acceptable, as it plainly and profitably discovers the _mystery_ of the _whole art_; for which, though i may be _envied by some that only value their private interests above posterity, and the publick good_, yet god and my own conscience would not permit me _to bury these my experiences with my silver hairs in the grave_: and that more especially, as the advantages of my education hath raised me above the _ambitions_ of others, in the converse i have had with other _nations_, who in this _art_ fall short of what i _have known experimented by you my worthy country men_. howsoever, the _french by their insinuations, not without enough of ignorance_, have bewitcht some of the _gallants of our nation_ with epigram dishes, smoakt rather than drest, so strangely to captivate the _gusto_, their _mushroom'd experiences_ for _sauce_ rather than _diet_, for the generality howsoever called _a-la-mode_, not worthy of being taken notice on. as i live in _france_, and had the language and have been an eye-witness of their _cookeries_ as well, as a peruser of their manuscripts, and printed _authors_ whatsoever i found good in them, i have inserted in this _volume_. i do acknowledg my self not to be a little beholding to the _italian_ and _spanish_ treatises; though without my fosterage, and bringing up under the _generosities_ and _bounties of my noble patrons and masters_, i could never have arrived to this _experience_. to be confined and limited to the narrowness of a purse, is to want the _materials_ from which the _artist_ must gain his knowledge. those _honourable persons_, _my lord_ lumley, and others, with whom i have spent a part of my time, were such whose generous cost never weighed the expence, so that they might arrive to that right and high esteem they had of their _gusto's_. whosoever peruses this _volume_ shall find it amply exemplified in _dishes_ of such high prices, which only these _noblesses hospitalities_ did reach to: i should have sinned against their (to be perpetuated) bounties, if i had not set down their several varieties, that the _reader_ might be as well acquainted with what is extraordinary, as what is ordinary in this _art_; as i am truly sensible, that some of those things that i have set down will amaze a not thorow-paced _reader_ in the _art of cookery_, as they are delicates, never till this time made known to the world. _fellow cooks_, that i might give a testimony to my _countrey_ of the _laudableness of our profession_, that i might encourage young undertakers to make a progress in the _practice of this art_, i have laid open these experiences, as i was most unwilling to hide my talent, but have ever endeavoured to do good to others; i acknowledge that there hath already been _several books publisht_, and amongst the rest some out of the _french_, for ought i could perceive to very little purpose, _empty and unprofitable treatises_, of as little use as some _niggards kitchens_, which the _reader_ in respect of the confusion of the method, or barrenness of those _authors_ experience, hath rather been puzled then profited by; as those already extant authors have trac't but one common beaten road, repeating for the main what others have in the same homely manner done before them: it hath been my task to denote some _new faculty or science_, that others have not yet discovered; this the _reader_ will quickly discern by those _new terms of art_ which he shall meet withal throughout this _whole volume_. some things i have inserted of _carving and sewing_ that i might demonstrate the whole art. in the contrivance of these my labours, i have so managed them for the general good, that those whose purses cannot reach to the cost of rich dishes, i have descended to their meaner expences, that they may give, though upon a sudden treatment, to their kindred, friends, allies and acquaintance, a handsome and relishing entertainment in all seasons of the year, though at some distance from towns or villages. nor have my serious considerations been wanting amongst direction for diet how to order what belongs to the sick, as well as to those that are in health; and withal my care hath been such, that in this book as in a closet, is contained all such secrets as relate to _preserving_, _conserving_, _candying_, _distilling_, and such rare varieties as they are most concern'd in the _best husbandring and huswifering_ of them. nor is there any book except that of the _queens closet_, which was so _enricht with receipts_ presented to her _majesty_, as yet that i ever saw in any _language_, that ever contained so many _profitable experiences, as in this volume_: in all which the _reader_ shall find most of the _compositions_, and mixtures easie to be prepared, most pleasing to the palate, and not too chargeable to the purse; since you are at liberty to employ as much or as little therein as you please. in this edition i have enlarged the whole work; and there is added two hundred several figures of all sorts of pies, tarts, custards, cheesecakes, &c. more than was in the former: you will find them in tables directed to the _folio_ they have relation to; there being such variety of forms, the artists may use which of them they please. it is impossible for any _author_ to please all people, no more than the best cook can fancy their palats whose mouths are always out of taste. as for those who make it their business to hide their candle under a bushel, to do only good to themselves, and not to others, such as will curse me for revealing the secrets of this art, i value the discharge of my own conscience, in doing good, above all their malice; protesting to the whole world, that i have not _concealed any material secret_ of above my _fifty and five years experience_; my father _being a cook_ under whom in my child-hood i was bred up in this art. to conclude, the diligent peruser of this _volume_ gains that in a small time (as to the _theory_) which an _apprenticeship_ with some _masters_ could never have taught them. i have no more to do, but to desire of god a blessing upon these my endeavours; and remain. _yours in the most ingenious ways of friendship_, robert may. sholeby in leicestershire, _sept. . _. _a short narrative of some passages of the authors life._ for the better knowledge of the worth of this book, though it be not usual, the _author_ being living, it will not be amiss to acquaint the _reader_ with a breif account of some passages of his life, as also the eminent persons (renowned for their house-keeping) whom he hath served through the whole series of his life; for as the growth of children argue the strength of the parents, so doth the judgment and abilities of the artist conduce to the making and goodness of the work: now that such great knowledge in this commendable art was not gained but by long experience, practise, and converse with the most able men in their times, the _reader_ in this breif narrative may be informed by what steps and degrees he ascended to the same. he was born in the year of our lord . his father being one of the ablest _cooks_ in his time, and his first tutor in the knowledge and practice of cookery; under whom having attained to some perfection in this art, the old lady _dormer_ sent him over into _france_, where he continued five years, being in the family of a noble peer, and first president of _paris_; where he gained not only the _french_ tongue but also bettered his knowledge in his _cookery_, and returning again into _england_, was bound an apprentice in _london_ to mr. _arthur hollinsworth_ in _newgate market_, one of the ablest work-men in _london_, cook to the _grocers hall and star chamber_. his apprentiship being out, the lady _dormer_ sent for him to be her cook under father (who then served that honourable lady) where were four cooks more, such noble houses were then kept, the glory of that, and the shame of this present age; then were those golden days wherein were practised the _triumphs and trophies of cookery_; then was hospitality esteemed, neighbourhood preserved, the poor cherished, and god honoured; then was religion less talkt on, and more practised; then was atheism & schism less in fashion: then did men strive to be good, rather then to seem so. here he continued till the lady _dormer_ died, and then went again to _london_, and served the lord _castlehaven_, after that the lord _lumley_, that great lover and knower of art, who wanted no knowledge in the discerning this mystery; next the lord _montague_ in _sussex_; and at the beginning of these wars, the countess of _kent_, then mr. _nevel_ of _crissen temple_ in _essex_, whose ancestors the _smiths_ (of whom he is descended) were the greatest maintainers of hospitality in all those parts; nor doth the present m. _nevel_ degenerate from their laudable examples. divers other persons of like esteem and quality hath he served; as the lord _rivers_, mr. _john ashburnam_ of the bed-chambers, dr. _steed_ in _kent_, sir _thomas stiles_ of _drury lane_ in _london_, sir _marmaduke constable_ in _york-shire_, sir _charles lucas_; and lastly the right honourable the lady _englefield_, where he now liveth. thus have i given you a breif account of his life, i shall next tell you in what high esteem this noble art was with the ancient romans: _plutarch_ reports, that _lucullus_ his ordinary diet was fine dainty dishes, with works of pastry, banketting dishes, and fruit curiously wrought and prepared; that, his table might be furnished with choice of varieties, (as the noble lord _lumley_ did) that he kept and nourished all manner of fowl all the year long. to this purpose he telleth us a story how _pompey_ being sick, the physitians willed him to eat a thrush, and it being said there was none to be had; because it was then summer; it was answered they might have them at _lucullus_'s house who kept both thrushes and all manner of fowl, all the year long. this _lucullus_ was for his hospitality so esteemed in _rome_, that there was no talk, but of his noble house-keeping. the said _plutarch_ reports how _cicero_ and _pompey_ inviting themselves to sup with him, they would not let him speak with his men to provide any thing more then ordinary; but he telling them he would sup in _apollo_, (a chamber so named, and every chamber proportioned their expences) he by this wile beguil'd them, and a supper was made ready estimated at fifty thousand pence, every _roman_ penny being seven pence half penny _english_ money; a vast sum for that age, before the _indies_ had overflowed _europe_. but i have too far digressed from the author of whom i might speak much more as in relation to his person and abilities, but who will cry out the sun shines? this already said is enough to satisfie any but the malicious, who are the greatest enemies to all honest endeavours. _homer_ had his _zoilus_, and _virgil_ his _bavius_; the best wits have had their detractors, and the greatest artists have been maligned; the best on't is, such works as these outlive their _authors_ with an honurable respect of posterity, whilst envious criticks never survive their own happiness, their lives going out like the snuff of a candle. _w. w._ _triumphs and trophies in cookery, to be used at festival times, as _twelfth-day_, &c._ make the likeness of a ship in paste-board, with flags and streamers, the guns belonging to it of kickses, bind them about with packthread, and cover them with close paste proportionable to the fashion of a cannon with carriages, lay them in places convenient as you see them in ships of war, with such holes and trains of powder that they may all take fire; place your ship firm in the great charger; then make a salt round about it, and stick therein egg-shells full of sweet water, you may by a great pin take all the meat out of the egg by blowing, and then fill it up with the rose-water, then in another charger have the proportion of a stag made of course paste, with a broad arrow in the side of him, and his body filled up with claret-wine; in another charger at the end of the stag have the proportion of a castle with battlements, portcullices, gates and draw-bridges made of past-board, the guns and kickses, and covered with course paste as the former; place it at a distance from the ship to fire at each other. the stag being placed betwixt them with egg shells full of sweet water (as before) placed in salt. at each side of the charger wherein is the stag, place a pye made of course paste, in one of which let there be some live frogs, in each other some live birds; make these pyes of course paste filled with bran, and yellowed over with saffron or the yolks of eggs, guild them over in spots, as also the stag, the ship, and castle; bake them, and place them with guilt bay-leaves on turrets and tunnels of the castle and pyes; being baked, make a hole in the bottom of your pyes, take out the bran, put in your frogs, and birds, and close up the holes with the same course paste, then cut the lids neatly up; to be taken off the tunnels; being all placed in order upon the table, before you fire the trains of powder, order it so that some of the ladies may be perswaded to pluck the arrow out of the stag, then will the claret-wine follow, as blood that runneth out of a wound. this being done with admiration to the beholders, after some short pause, fire the train of the castle, that the pieces all of one side may go off, then fire the trains, of one side of the ship as in a battel; next turn the chargers; and by degrees fire the trains of each other side as before. this done to sweeten the stink of powder, let the ladies take the egg-shells full of sweet waters and throw them at each other. all dangers being seemingly over, by this time you may suppose they will desire to see what is in the pyes; where lifting first the lid off one pye, out skip some frogs, which make the ladies to skip and shreek; next after the other pye, whence come out the birds, who by a natural instinct flying in the light, will put out the candles; so that what with the flying birds and skipping frogs, the one above, the other beneath, will cause much delight and pleasure to the whole company: at length the candles are lighted, and a banquet brought in, the musick sounds, and every one with much delight and content rehearses their actions in the former passages. these were formerly the delight of the nobility, before good house-keeping had left _england_, and the sword really acted that which was only counterfeited in such honest and laudable exercises as these. [decoration] _on the unparalell'd piece of _mr. may_ his cookery._ see here a work set forth of such perfection, will praise it self, and doth not beg protection from flatter'd greatness. industry and pains for gen'ral good, his aim, his countrey gains; which ought respect him. a good _english_ cook, excellent modish monsieurs, and that book call'd _perfect cook_, _merete's_ pastery translated, looks like old hang'd tapistry, the wrong side outwards: so monsieur adieu, i'm for our native _mays_ works rare and new, who with antique could have prepar'd and drest the nations _quondam_ grand imperial feast, which that thrice crown'd third _edward_ did ordain for his high order, and their noble train, whereon st. _george_ his famous day was seen, a court on earth that did all courts out-shine. and how all rarities and cates might be order'd for a renown'd solemnity, learn of this cook, who with judgment, and reason, teacheth for every time, each thing its true season; making his compounds with such harmony, taste shall not charge with superiority of pepper, salt, or spice, by the best pallat, or any one herb in his broths or sallat. where temperance and discretion guides his deeds; _satis_ his motto, where nothing exceeds. or ought to wast, for there's good husbandry to be observ'd, as art in cookery. which of the mathematicks doth pertake, geometry proportions when they bake. who can in paste erect (of finest flour) a compleat fort, a castle, or a tower. a city custard doth so subtly wind, that should truth seek, she'd scarce all corners find; platform of sconces, that might souldiers teach, to fortifie by works as well as preach. i'le say no more; for as i am a sinner, i've wrought my self a stomach to a dinner. inviting poets not to tantalize, but feast, (not surfeit) here their fantasies. _james parry._ _to the reader of (my very loving friend) mr. _robert may_ his incomparable book of cookery._ see here's a book set forth with such things in't, as former ages never saw in print; something i'de write in praise on't, but the pen, of famous _cleaveland_, or renowned _ben_, if unintomb'd might give this book its due, by their high strains, and keep it always new. but i whose ruder stile could never clime, or step beyond a home-bred country rhime, must not attempt it: only this i'le say, _cato_'s _res rustica_'s far short of _may_. here's taught to keep all sorts of flesh in date, all sorts of fish, if you will marinate; to candy, to preserve, to souce, to pickle, to make rare sauces, both to please, and tickle the pretty ladies palats with delight; both how to glut, and gain an appetite. the fritter, pancake, mushroom; with all these, the curious caudle made of ambergriese. he is so universal, he'l not miss, the pudding, nor bolonian sausages. italian, spaniard, french, he all out-goes, refines their kickshaws, and their olio's, the rarest use of sweet-meats, spicery, and all things else belong to cookery: not only this, but to give all content, here's all the forms of every implement to work or carve with, so he makes the able to deck the dresser, and adorn the table. what dish goes first of every kind of meat, and so ye're welcom, pray fall too, and eat. _reader_, read on, for i have done; farewell, the book's so good, it cannot chuse but sell. _thy well-wishing friend_, john town. [decoration] _the most exact, or a-la-mode ways of carving and sewing._ _terms of carving._ break that deer, leach that brawn, rear that goose, lift that swan, sauce that capon, spoil that hen, frust that chicken, unbrace that mallard, unlace that coney, dismember that hern, display that crane, disfigure that peacock, unjoynt that bittern, untach that curlew, allay that pheasant, wing that partridge, wing that quail, mince that plover, thigh that pidgeon, border that pasty, thigh that woodcock; thigh all manner of small birds. timber the fire, tire that egg, chine that salmon, string that lamprey, splat that pike, souce that plaice, sauce that tench, splay that bream, side that haddock, tusk that barbel, culpon that trout, fin that chivin, transon that eel, tranch that sturgeon, undertranch that porpus, tame that crab, barb that lobster. _service._ first, set forth mustard and brawn, pottage, beef, mutton, stewed pheasant, swan, capon, pig, venison, hake, custard, leach, lombard, blanchmanger, and jelly; for standard, venison, roast kid, fawn, and coney, bustard, stork, crane, peacock with his tail, hern-shaw, bittern, woodcock, partridge, plovers, rabbits, great birds, larks, doucers, pampuff, white leach, amber-jelly, cream of almonds, curlew, brew, snite, quail, sparrow, martinet, pearch in jelly, petty pervis, quince baked, leach, dewgard, fruter fage, blandrells or pippins with caraways in comfits, wafers, and ipocras. _sauce for all manner of fowls._ mustard is good with brawn, beef, chine of bacon, and mutton, verjuyce good to boil'd chickens and capons; swan with chaldrons, ribs of beef with garlick, mustard, pepper, verjuyce, ginger; sauce of lamb, pig and fawn, mustard, and sugar; to pheasant, partridge, and coney, sauce gamelin; to hern-shaw, egrypt, plover, and crane, brew, and curlew, salt, and sugar, and water of camot, bustard, shovilland, and bittern, sauce gamelin; woodcock, lapwhing, lark, quail, martinet, venison and snite with white salt; sparrows and thrushes with salt, and cinamon. thus with all meats sauce shall have the operation. directions for the order of carving fowl. _lift that swan._ the manner of cutting up a swan must be to slit her right down in the middle of the breast, and so clean thorow the back from the neck to the rump, so part her in two halves cleanly and handsomly, that you break not nor tear the meat, lay the two halves in a fair charger with the slit sides downwards, throw salt about it, and let it again on the table. let your sauce be chaldron for a swan, and serve it in saucers. _rear the goose._ you must break a goose contrary to the former way. take a goose being roasted, and take off both his legs fair like a shoulder of lamb, take him quite from the body then cut off the belly piece round close to the lower end of the breast: lace her down with your knife clean through the breast on each side your thumbs bredth for the bone in the middle of the breast; then take off the pinion of each side, and the flesh which you first lac't with your knife, raise it up clear from the bone, and take it from the carcase with the pinion; then cut up the bone which lieth before in the breast (which is commonly call'd the merry thought) the skin and the flesh being upon it; then cut from the brest-bone, another slice of flesh clean thorow, & take it clean from the bone, turn your carcase, and cut it asunder the back-bone above the loin-bones: then take the rump-end of the back-bone, and lay it in a fair dish with the skinny-side upwards, lay at the fore-end of that the merry-thought with the skin side upward, and before that the apron of the goose; then lay your pinions on each side contrary, set your legs on each side contrary behind them, that the bone end of the legs may stand up cross in the middle of the dish, & the wing pinions on the outside of them; put under the wing pinions on each side the long slices of flesh which you cut from the breast bone, and let the ends meet under the leg bones, let the other ends lie cut in the dish betwixt the leg and the pinion; then pour your sauce into the dish under your meat, throw on salt, and set it on the table. _to cut up a turkey or bustard._ raise up the leg very fair, and open the joynt with the point of your knife, but take not off the leg; then lace down the breast with your knife on both sides, & open the breast pinion with the knife, but take not the pinion off; then raise up the merry-thought betwixt the breast bone, and the top of the merry-thought, lace down the flesh on both sides of the breast-bone, and raise up the flesh called the brawn, turn it outward upon both sides, but break it not, nor cut it not off; then cut off the wing pinion at the joynt next to the body, and stick on each side the pinion in the place where ye turned out the brawn, but cut off the sharp end of the pinion, take the middle piece, and that will just fit the place. you may cut up a capon or pheasant the same way, but of your capon cut not off the pinion, but in the place where you put the pinion of the turkey, you must put the gizard of your capon on each side half. _dismember that hern._ take off both the legs, and lace it down to the breast with your knife on both sides, raise up the flesh, and take it clean off with the pinion; then stick the head in the breast, set the pinion on the contrary side of the carcase, and the leg on the other side, so that the bones ends may meet cross over the carcase, and the other wings cross over upon the top of the carcase. _unbrace that mallard._ raise up the pinion and the leg, but take them not off, raise the merry-thought from the breast, and lace it down on each side of the breast with your knife, bending to and fro like ways. _unlace that coney._ turn the back downwards, & cut the belly flaps clean off from the kidney, but take heed you cut not the kidney nor the flesh, then put in the point of your knife between the kidneys, and loosen the flesh from each side the bone then turn up the back of the rabbit, and cut it cross between the wings, and lace it down close by the bone with your knife on both sides, then open the flesh of the rabbit from the bone, with the point of your knife against the kidney, and pull the leg open softly with your hand, but pluck it not off, then thrust in your knife betwixt the ribs and the kidney, slit it out, and lay the legs close together. _sauce that capon._ lift up the right leg and wing, and so array forth, and lay him in the platter as he should fly, and so serve him. know that capons or chickens be arrayed after one sauce; the chickens shall be sauced with green sauce or veriuyce. _allay that pheasant._ take a pheasant, raise his legs and wings as it were a hen and no sauce but only salt. _wing that partridg._ raise his legs, and his wing as a hen, if you mince him sauce him with wine, powder of ginger, and salt, and set him upon a chafing dish of coals to warm and serve. _wing that quail._ take a quail and raise his legs and his wings as an hen, and no sauce but salt. _display that crane._ unfold his legs, and cut off his wings by the joynts, then take up his wings and his legs, and sauce them with powder of ginger, mustard, vinegar, and salt. _dismember that hern._ raise his legs and his wings as a crane, and sauce him with vinegar, mustard, powder of ginger and salt. _unjoynt that bittern._ raise his legs & wings as a heron & no sauce but salt. _break that egript._ take an egript, and raise his legs and his wings as a heron, and no sauce but salt. _untach that curlew._ raise his legs and wings as a hen, & no sauce but salt. _untach that brew._ raise his legs and his wings in the same manner, and no sauce but only salt. _unlace that coney._ lay him on the back, and cut away the vents, then raise the wings and the sides, and lay bulk, chine, and sides together, sauce them with vinegar and powder of ginger. _break that sarcel._ take a sarcel or teal, and raise his wings and his legs, and no sauce but only salt. _mince that plover._ raise his leg and wings as a hen, and no sauce but only salt. _a snite._ raise his legs, wings and his shoulders as a plover, and no sauce but salt. _thigh that woodcock._ raise his legs as a hen, and dight his brain. _the sewing of fish._ _the first course._ to go to the sewing of fish, musculade, minews in few of porpos or of salmon, bak'd herring with sugar, green fish pike, lamprey, salent, porpos roasted, bak'd gurnet and baked lamprey. _the second course._ jelly white and red, dates in confect, conger, salmon, birt, dorey, turbut holibut for standard, bace, trout, mullet, chevin, soles, lamprey roast, and tench in jelly. _the third course._ fresh sturgeon, bream, pearch in jelly, a jole of salmon sturgeon, welks, apples and pears roasted; with sugar candy, figs of molisk, raisins, dates, capt with minced ginger, wafers, and ipocras. _the carving of fish._ the carver of fish must see to peason and furmety, the tail and the liver; you must look if there be a salt porpos or sole, turrentine, and do after the form of venison; _baked herring_, lay it whole on the trencher, then white herring in a dish, open it by the back, pick out the bones and the row, and see there be mustard. of salt fish, green-fish, salt salmon, and conger, pare away the skin; salt fish, stock fish, marling, mackrel, and hake with butter, and take away the bones & skins; _a pike_, lay the womb upon a trencher, with pike sauce enough, _a salt lamprey_, gobbin it in seven or eight pieces, and so present it, _a plaice_, put out the water, then cross him with your knife, and cast on salt, wine, or ale. _bace_, _gurnet_, _rochet_, _bream_, _chevin_, _mullet_, _roch_, _pearch_, _sole_, _mackrel_, _whiting_, _haddock_, and _codling_, raise them by the back, pick out the bones, and cleanse the rest in the belly. _carp bream_, _sole_, and _trout_, back and belly together. _salmon_, _conger_, _sturgeon_, _turbut_, _thornback_, _houndfish_, and _holibut_, cut them in the dishes; the _porpos_ about, _tench_ in his sauce; cut two _eels_, and _lampreys_ roast, pull off the skin, and pick out the bones, put thereto vinegar, and powder. a _crab_, break him asunder, in a dish make the shell clean, & put in the stuff again, temper it with vinegar, and powder them, cover it with bread and heat it; a _crevis_ dight him thus, part him asunder, slit the belly, and take out the fish, pare away the red skin, mince it thin, put vinegar in the dish, and set it on the table without heating. _a jole of sturgeon_, cut it into thin morsels, and lay it round about the dish, _fresh lamprey bak'd_, open the pasty, then take white bread, and cut it thin, lay it in a dish, & with a spoon take out galentine, & lay it upon the bread with red wine and powder of cinamon; then cut a gobbin of lamprey, mince it thin, and lay it in the gallentine, and set it on the fire to heat. _fresh herring_, with salt and wine, _shrimps_ well pickled, _flounders_, _gudgeons_, _minews_, and muskles, eels, and lampreys, sprats is good in few, musculade in worts, oysters in few, oysters in gravy, minews in porpus, salmon in jelly white and red, cream of almonds, dates in comfits, pears and quinces in sirrup, with parsley roots, mortus of hound fish raise standing. _sauces for fish._ mustard is good for salt herring, salt fish, salt conger, salmon, sparling, salt eel and ling; vinegar is good with salt porpus, turrentine, salt sturgeon, salt thirlepole, and salt whale, lamprey with gallentine; verjuyce to roach, dace, bream, mullet, flounders, salt crab and chevin with powder of cinamon and ginger; green sauce is good with green fish and hollibut, cottel, and fresh turbut; put not your green sauce away for it is good with mustard. _bills of _fare_ for every season in the year; also how to set forth the _meat_ in order for that service, as it was used before hospitality left this nation._ _a bill of fare for _all-saints-day_, being _novemb. _._ oysters. a collar of brawn and mustard. a capon in stewed broth with marrow-bones. a goose in stoffado, or two ducks. a grand sallet. a shoulder of mutton with oysters. a bisk dish baked. a roast chine of beef. minced pies or chewits of capon, tongue, or of veal. a chine of pork. a pasty of venison. a swan, or geese roast. a loyn of veal. a french pie of divers compounds. a roast turkey. a pig roast. a farc't dish baked. two brangeese roasted, one larded. souc't veal. two capons roasted, one larded. a double bordered custard. _a second course for the same mess._ oranges and lemons. a souc't pig. a young lamb or kid roast. two shovelers. two herns, one larded. a potatoe-pye. a duck and mallard, one larded. a souc't turbut. a couple of pheasants, one larded. marinated carp, or pike, or bream. three brace of partridg, three larded. made dish of spinage cream baked. a roll of beef. two teels roasted, one larded. a cold goose pie. a souc't mullet and bace. a quince pye. four curlews, larded. a dried neats tongue. a dish of anchoves. a jole of sturgeon. jellies and tarts royal, and ginger bread, and other fruits. _a bill of fare for christmas day, and how to set the meat in order._ oysters. a collar of brawn. stewed broth of mutton marrow bones. a grand sallet. a pottage of caponets. a breast of veal in stoffado. a boil'd partridge. a chine of beef, or surloin roast. minced pies. a jegote of mutton with anchove sauce. a made dish of sweet-bread. a swan roast. a pasty of venison. a kid with a pudding in his belly. a steak pie. a hanch of venison roasted. a turkey roast and stuck with cloves. a made dish of chickens in puff paste. two bran geese roasted, one larded. two large capons, one larded. a custard. _the second course for the same mess._ oranges and lemons. a young lamb or kid. two couple of rabbits, two larded. a pig souc't with tongues. three ducks, one larded. three pheasants, larded a swan pye. three brace of partridge, three larded. made dish in puff paste. bolonia sausages, and anchoves, mushrooms, and cavieate, and pickled oysters in a dish. six teels, three larded. a gammon of westphalia bacon. ten plovers, five larded. a quince pye, or warden pie. six woodcocks, larded. a standing tart in puff-paste, preserved fruits, pippins, _&c._ a dish of larks. six dried neats tongues. sturgeon. powdered geese. jellies. _a bill of fare for _new-years day_._ oysters. brawn and mustard. two boil'd capons in stewed broth, or white broth. two turkies in stoffado. a hash of twelve partridges, or a shoulder of mutton. two bran geese boil'd. a farc't boil'd meat with snites or ducks. a marrow pudding bak't a surloin of roast beef. minced pies, ten in a dish, or what number you please a loin of veal. a pasty of venison. a pig roast. two geese roast. two capons, one larded. custards. _a second course for the same mess._ oranges and lemons. a side of lamb a souc't pig. two couple of rabbits, two larded. a duck and mallard, one larded. six teels, three larded. a made dish, or batalia-pye. six woodcocks, larded. a warden pie, or a dish of quails. dried neats tongues. six tame pigeons, three larded. a souc't capon. pickled mushrooms, pickled oysters, and anchoves in a dish. twelve snites, six larded orangado pye, or a tart royal of dried and wet suckets. sturgeon. turkey or goose pye. jelly of five or six sorts, lay tarts of divers colours and ginger-bread, and other sweet-meats. _a bill of fare for _february_._ eggs and collops. brawn and mustard. a hash of rabbits four. a grand fricase. a grand sallet. a chine of roast pork. _a second course._ a whole lamb roast. three widgeons. a pippin pye. a jole of sturgeon. a bacon tart. a cold turkey pye. jellies and ginger-bread, and tarts royal. _a bill of fare for _march_._ oysters. brawn and mustard. a fresh neats tongue and udder in stoffado. three ducks in stoffado. a roast loin of pork. a pasty of venison. a steak pye. _a second course._ a side of lamb. six teels, three larded. a lamb-stone pye. of asparagus. a warden-pye. marinate flounders. jellies and ginger-bread, and tarts royal. _a bill of fare for _april_._ oysters. a bisk. cold lamb. a haunch of venison roast. four goslings. a turkey chicken. custards of almonds. _a second course._ lamb, a side in joynts. turtle doves eight. cold neats-tongue pye. pidgeons, four larded. lobsters. a collar of beef. tansies. _a bill of fare for _may_._ scotch pottage or skink. scotch collops of mutton a loin of veal. an oline, or a pallat pye. three capons, larded. custards. _a second course._ lamb. a tart royal, or quince pye a gammon of bacon pie. a jole of sturgeon. artichock pie hot. bolonia sausage. tansies. _a bill of fare for _june_._ a shoulder of mutton hasht a chine of beef. pasty of venison, a cold hash. a leg of mutton roast. four turkey chickens. a steak pye. _a second course._ jane or kid. rabbits. shovelers. sweet-bread pye. olines, or pewit. pigeons. _a bill of fare for _july_._ muskmelons. pottage of capon. boil'd pigeons. a hash of caponets. a grand sallet. a fawn. a custard. _a second course._ pease, of french beans. gulls four, two larded. pewits eight, four larded. a quodling tart green. portugal eggs, two sorts. buttered brawn. selsey cockles broil'd. _a bill of fare for _august_._ muskmelons. scotch collops of veal. boil'd breast of mutton. a fricase of pigeons. a stewed calves head. four goslings. four caponets. _a second course._ dotterel twelve, six larded tarts royal of fruit. wheat-ears. a pye of heath-pouts. marinate smelts. gammon of bacon. selsey cockles. _a bill of fare for _september_._ oysters. an olio. a breast of veal in stoffado. twelve partridg hashed. a grand sallet. chaldron pye. custard. _a second course._ rabbits two herns, one larded. florentine of tongues. pigeons roast, larded. pheasant pouts, larded. a cold hare pye. selsey cockles broil'd after. _a bill of fare for _october_._ oysters. boil'd ducks. a hash of a loin of veal. roast veal. two bran-geese roasted. tart royal. custard. _a second course._ pheasant, pouts, pigeons. knots twelve. twelve quails, six larded. potato pye. sparrows roast. turbut. selsey cockles. _a bill of fare formerly used in fasting days, and in _lent_._ _the first course._ oysters if in season. butter and eggs. barley pottage, or rice pottage. stewed oysters. buttered eggs on toasts. spinage sallet boil'd. boil'd rochet or gurnet. a jole of ling. stewed carp. oyster chewits. boil'd pike. roast eels. haddocks, fresh cod, or whitings. eel or carp pye. made dish of spinage. salt eels. souc't turbut. _a second course._ fried soals. stewed oysters in scollop shells. fried smelts. congers head broil'd. baked dish of potatoes, or oyster pye. a spitchcock of eels. quince pie or tarts royal. buttered crabs. fried flounders. jole of fresh salmon. fried turbut. cold salmon pye. fried skirrets. souc't conger. lobsters. sturgeon. [decoration] the accomplisht cook, or, the whole art and mystery of cookery, fitted for all degrees and qualities. * * * * * * * * * section i. _perfect directions for the a-la-mode ways of dressing all manner of boyled meats, with their several sauces_, &c. _to make an olio podrida._ take a pipkin or pot of some three gallons, fill it with fair water, and set it over a fire of charcoals, and put in first your hardest meats, a rump of beef, _bolonia_ sausages, neats tongues two dry, and two green, boiled and larded, about two hours after the pot is boil'd and scummed: but put in more presently after your beef is scum'd, mutton, venison, pork, bacon, all the aforesaid in gubbins, as big as a ducks egg, in equal pieces; put in also carrots, turnips, onions, cabbidge, in good big pieces, as big as your meat, a faggot of sweet herbs, well bound up, and some whole spinage, sorrel, burrage, endive, marigolds, and other good pot-herbs a little chopped; and sometimes _french_ barley, or lupins green or dry. then a little before you dish out your olio; put to your pot, cloves, mace, saffron, _&c._ then next have divers fowls; as first _a goose, or turkey, two capons, two ducks, two pheasants, two widgeons, four partridges, four stock doves, four teals, eight snites, twenty four quails, forty eight larks._ boil these foresaid fowls in water and salt in a pan, pipkin, or pot, _&c._ then have _bread_, _marrow_, _bottoms of artichocks_, _yolks of hard eggs_, _large mace_, _chesnuts boil'd and blancht_, _two colliflowers_, _saffron_. and stew these in a pipkin together, being ready clenged with some good sweet butter, a little white wine and strong broth. some other times for variety you may use beets, potato's, skirrets, pistaches, pineapple seed, or almonds, poungarnet, and lemons. now to dish your olio, dish first your beef, veal or pork; then your venison, and mutton, tongues, sausage, and roots over all. then next your largest fowl, land-fowl, or sea-fowl, as first, a goose, or turkey, two capons, two pheasants, four ducks, four widgeons, four stock-doves, four partridges, eight teals, twelve snites, twenty four quailes, forty eight larks, _&c._ then broth it, and put on your pipkin of colliflowers artichocks, chesnuts, some sweet-breads fried, yolks of hard eggs, then marrow boil'd in strong broth or water, large mace, saffron, pistaches, and all the aforesaid things being finely stewed up, and some red beets over all, slic't lemons, and lemon peels whole, and run it over with beaten butter. _marrow pies._ for the garnish of the dish, make marrow pies made like round chewets but not so high altogether, then have sweet-breads of veal cut like small dice, some pistaches, and marrow, some potato's, or artichocks cut like sweetbreads: as also some enterlarded bacon; yolks of hard eggs, nutmeg, salt, goosberries, grapes, or barberries, and some minced veal in the bottom of the pie minced with some bacon or beef-suit, sparagus and chesnuts, with a little musk; close them up, and bast them with saffron water, bake them, and liquor it with beaten butter, and set them about the dish side or brims, with some bottoms of artichocks, and yolks of hard eggs, lemons in quarters, poungarnets and red beets boil'd, and carved. _other marrow pies._ otherways for variety, you may make other marrow pies of minced veal and beef-suit, seasoned with pepper, salt, nutmegs and boiled sparagus, cut half an inch long, yolks of hard eggs cut in quarters, and mingled with the meat and marrow: fill your pies, bake them not too hard, musk them, _&c._ _other marrow pies._ otherways, marrow pies of bottoms of little artichocks, suckers, yolks of hard eggs, chesnuts, marrow, and interlarded bacon cut like dice, some veal sweet-breads cut also, or lamb-stones, potato's, or skirrets, and sparagus, or none; season them lightly with nutmeg, pepper and salt, close your pies, and bake them. __olio_, marrow pies._ _butter three pound, flower one quart, lamb-stones three pair, sweet-breads six, marrow-bones eight, large mace, cock-stones twenty, interlarded bacon one pound, knots of eggs twelve, artichocks twelve, sparagus one hundred, cocks-combs twenty, pistaches one pound, nutmegs, pepper, and salt._ season the aforesaid lightly, and lay them in the pie upon some minced veal or mutton, your interlarded bacon in thin slices of half an inch long, mingled among the rest, fill the pie, and put in some grapes, and slic't lemon, barberries or goosberries. . pies of marrow. _flower, sweet bread, marrow, artichocks, pistaches, nutmegs, eggs, bacon, veal, suit, sparagus, chesnuts; musk, saffron, butter._ . marrow pies. _flower, butter, veal, suet, pepper, salt, nutmeg, sparagus, eggs, grapes, marrow, saffron._ . marrow pies. _flower, butter, eggs, artichocks, sweet-bread, lamb-stones, potato's, nutmegs, pepper, salt, skirrets, grapes, bacon._ to the garnish of an extraordinary olio: as followeth. _two collers of pigbrawn, two marrow pies, twelve roste turtle doves in a pie, four pies, eighteen quails in a pie, four pies, two sallets, two jelleys of two colours, two forc't meats, two tarts._ thus for an extraordinary olio, or olio royal. _to make a bisk divers ways._ take a wrack of mutton, and a knuckle of veal, put them a boiling in a pipkin of a gallon, with some fair water, and when it boils, scum it, and put to it some salt, two or three blades of large mace, and a clove or two; boil it to three pints, and strain the meat, save the broth for your use and take off the fat clean. then boil twelve pigeon-peepers, and eight chicken peepers, in a pipkin with fair water, salt, and a piece of interlarded bacon, scum them clean, and boil them fine, white and quick. then have a rost capon minced, and put to it some gravy, nutmegs, and salt, and stew it together; then put to it the juyce of two or three oranges, and beaten butter, _&c._ then have ten sweet breads, and ten pallets fried, and the same number of lips and noses being first tender boil'd and blanched, cut them like lard, and fry them, put away the butter, and put to them gravy, a little anchove, nutmeg, and a little garlick, or none, the juyce of two or three oranges, and marrow fried in butter with sage-leaves, and some beaten butter. then again have some boil'd marrow and twelve artichocks, suckers, and peeches finely boil'd and put into beaten butter, some pistaches boiled also in some wine and gravy, eight sheeps tongues larded and boiled, and one hundred sparagus boiled, and put into beaten butter, or skirrets. then have lemons carved, and some cut like little dice. again fry some spinage and parsley, _&c._ these forefaid materials being ready, have some _french_ bread in the bottom of your dish. then dish on it your chickens, and pidgeons, broth it; next your quaile, then sweet breads, then your pullets, then your artichocks or sparagus, and pistaches, then your lemon, poungarnet, or grapes, spinage, and fryed marrow; and if yellow saffron or fried sage, then round the center of your boiled meat put your minced capon, then run all over with beaten butter, &c. . for variety, clary fryed with yolks of eggs. . knots of eggs. . cocks stones. . cocks combs. . if white, strained almonds, with some of the broth. . goosberries or barberries. . minced meat in balls. . if green, juyce of spinage stamped with manchet, and strained with some of the broth, and give it a warm. . garnish with boiled spinage. . if yellow, yolks of hard eggs strained with some broth and saffron. and many other varieties. _a bisk otherways._ take a leg of beef, cut it into two peices, and boil it in a gallon or five quarts of water, scum it, and about half an hour after put in a knuckle of veal, and scum it also, boil it from five quarts to two quarts or less; and being three quarters boil'd, put in some salt, and some cloves, and mace, being through boil'd, strain it from the meat, and keep the broth for your use in a pipkin. then have eight marrow bones clean scraped from the flesh, and finely cracked over the middle, boil in water and salt three of them, and the other leave for garnish, to be boil'd in strong broth; and laid on the top of the bisk when it is dished. again boil your fowl in water and salt, teals, partridges, pidgeons, plovers, quails, larks. then have a joint of mutton made into balls with sweet herbs, salt, nutmeggs, grated bread, eggs, suit, a clove or two of garlick, and pistaches, boil'd in broth, with some interlarded bacon, sheeps tongues, larded and stewed, as also some artichocks, marrow, pistaches, sweet-breads and lambs-stones in strong broth, and mace a clove or two, some white-wine and strained almonds, or with the yolk of an egg, verjuyce, beaten butter, and slic't lemon, or grapes whole. then have fryed clary, and fryed pistaches in yolks of eggs. then carved lemons over all. _to make another curious boil'd meat, much like a bisk._ take a rack of mutton, cut it in four peices, and boil it in three quarts of fair water in a pipkin, with a faggot of sweet herbs very hard and close bound up from end to end, scum your broth and put in some salt: then about half an hour after put in thre chickens finely scalded and trust, three patridges boiled in water, the blood being well soaked out of them, and put to them also three or four blades of large mace. then have all manner of sweet herbs, as parsley, time, savory, marjorim, sorrel, sage; these being finely picked, bruise them with the back of a ladle, and a little before you dish up your boil'd meat, put them to your broth, and give them a walm or two. again, for the top of your boil'd meat or garnish, have a pound of interlarded bacon in thin slices, put them in a pipkin with six marrow-bones, and twelve bottoms of yong artichocks, and some six sweet-breads of veal, strong broth, mace, nutmeg, some goosberries or barberries, some butter and pistaches. these things aforesaid being ready, and dinner called for, take a fine clean scoured dish and garnish it with pistaches and artichocks, carved lemon, grapes, and large mace. then have sippets finely carved, and some slices of _french_ bread in the bottom of the dish, dish three pieces of mutton, and one in the middle, and between the mutton three chickens, and up in the middle, the partridge, and pour on the broth with your herbs, then put on your pipkin over all, of marrow, artichocks, and the other materials, then carved lemon, barberries and beaten butter over all, your carved sippets round the dish. _another made dish in the french fashion, called an _entre de table_, entrance to the table._ take the bottoms of boil'd artichocks, the yolks of hard eggs, yong chicken-peepers, or pidgeon-peepers, finely trust, sweetbreads of veal, lamb-stones, blanched, and put them in a pipkin, with cockstones, and combs, and knots of eggs; then put to them some strong broth, white-wine, large mace, nutmeg, pepper, butter, salt, and marrow, and stew them softly together. then have goosberries or grapes perboil'd, or barberries, and put to them some beaten butter; and potato's, skirrets or sparagus boil'd, and put in beaten butter, and some boil'd pistaches. these being finely stewed, dish your fowls on fine carved sippets, and pour on your sweet-breads, artichocks, and sparagus on them, grapes, and slic't lemon, and run all over with beaten butter, _&c._ somtimes for variety, you may put some boil'd cabbidge, lettice, colliflowers, balls of minced meat, or sausages without skins, fryed almonds, calves udder. _another french boil'd meat of pine-molet._ take a manchet of _french_ bread of a day old, chip it and cut a round hole in the top, save the peice whole, and take out the crumb, then make a composition of a boild or a rost capon, minced and stampt with almond past, muskefied bisket bread, yolks of hard eggs, and some sweet herbs chopped fine, some yolks of raw eggs and saffron, cinamon, nutmeg, currans, sugar, salt, marrow and pistaches; fill the loaf, and stop the hole with the piece, and boil it in a clean cloth in a pipkin, or bake it in an oven. then have some forc't chickens flead, save the skin, wings, legs, and neck whole, and mince the meat, two pigeons also forc't, two chickens, two boned of each, and filled with some minced veal or mutton, with some interlarded bacon, or beef-suet, and season it with cloves, mace, pepper, salt, and some grated parmison or none, grated bread, sweet herbs chopped small, yolks of eggs, and grapes, fill the skins, and stitch up the back of the skin, then put them in a deep dish, with some sugar, strong broth, artichocks, marrow, saffron, sparrows, or quails, and some boiled sparagus. for the garnish of the aforesaid dish, rost turneps and rost onions, grapes, cordons, and mace. dish the forced loaf in the midst of the dish, the chickens, and pigeons round about it, and the quails or small birds over all, with marrow, cordons, artichoks or sparagus, pine apple-seed, or pistaches, grapes, and sweet-breads, and broth it on sippets. _to boil a chine of veal, whole, or in peices._ boil it in water, salt, or in strong broth with a faggot of sweet herbs, capers, mace, salt, and interlarded bacon in thin slices, and some oyster liquor. your chines being finely boiled, have some stewed oysters by themselves with some mace and fine onions whole, some vinegar, butter, and pepper _&c._ then have cucumbers boiled by themselves in water and salt, or pickled cucumbers boiled in water, and put in beaten butter, and cabbidge-lettice, boiled also in fair water, and put in beaten butter. then dish your chines on sippits, broth them, and put on your stewed oysters, cucumbers, lettice, and parboil'd grapes, boclites, or slic't lemon, and run it over with beaten butter. _chines of veal otherways, whole, or in pieces._ stew them, being first almost rosted, put them into a deep dish, with some gravy, some strong broth, white wine, mace, nutmeg, and some oyster liquor, two or three slices of lemon and salt, and being finely stewed serve them on sippits, with that broth and slic't lemon, goosberries, and beaten butter, boil'd marrow, fried spinage, _&c._ for variety capers, or sampier. _chines of veal boiled with fruit, whole._ put it in a stewing pan or deep dish, with some strong broth, large mace, a little white wine, and when it boils scum it, then put some dates to, being half boil'd and salt, some white endive, sugar, and marrow. then boil some fruit by it self, your meat and broth being finely boil'd, prunes and raisons of the sun, strain some six yolks of eggs, with a little cream, and put it in your broth, then dish it on sippets, your chine, and garnish your dish with fruit, mace, dates sugar, slic't lemon, and barberries, _&c._ _chines of veal otherways._ stew the whole with some strong broth, white-wine, and caper-liquor, slices of interlarded bacon, gravy, cloves, mace, whole pepper, sausages of minced meat, without skins, or little balls, some marrow, salt, and some sweet herbs picked of all sorts, and bruised with the back of a ladle; put them to your broth, a quarter of an hour before you dish your chines, and give them a warm, and dish up your chine on _french_ bread, or sippits, broth it, and run it over with beaten butter, grapes or slic't lemon, _&c._ _chines of mutton boil'd whole, or loins, or any joint whole._ boil it in a long stewing-pan or deep dish with fair water as much as will cover it, and when it boils cover it, being scumm'd first, and put to it some salt, white-wine, and some carrots cut like dice; your broth being half boil'd, strain it, blow off the fat, and wash away the dregs from your mutton, wash also your pipkin, or stewing pan, and put in again your broth, with some capers, and large mace: stew your broth and materials together softly, and lay your mutton by in some warm broth or dish, then put in also some sweet herbs, chopped with onions, boil'd among your broth. then have colliflowers ready boil'd in water and salt, and put in beaten butter, with some boil'd marrow, then the mutton and broth being ready, dissolve two or three yolks of eggs with white-wine, verjuyce or sack; give it a walm, and dish up your meat on sippets finely carved, or _french_ bread in slices, and broth it; then lay on your colliflowers, marrow, carrots, and gooseberries, barberries or grapes, and run it over with beaten butter. sometimes for variety, according to the seasons, you may use turnips, parsnips, artichocks, sparagus, hopbuds or colliflowers, boild in water and salt, and put in beaten butter, cabbidge sprouts, or cabbidge, lettice, and chesnuts. and for the thickning of this broth sometimes, take strained almonds, with strong broth, and saffron, or none. other-while grated bread, yolks of hard eggs, and verjuyce, _&c._ _to boil a chine, rack, or loin, of mutton, otherways, whole, or in pieces._ boil it in a stewing-pan or deep dish, with fair water as much as will cover it, and when it boils scum it, and put to it some salt; then being half boil'd, take up the meat, strain the broth, and blow off the fat, wash the stewing-pan and meat, then put in again the crag end of the mutton, to make the broth good, and put to it some mace. then a little before you take up your mutton, a handful of picked parsley, chopped small, put it in the broth, with some whole marigold flowers, and your whole chine of mutton give a walm or two, then dish it up on sippets and broth it. then have raisins of the sun and currans boiled tender, lay on it, and garnish your dish with prunes, marigold-flowers, mace, lemons, and barberries, _&c._ otherways without fruit, boil it with capers; and all manner of sweet herbs stripped, some spinage, and parsley bruised with the back of a ladle, mace, and salt, _&c._ _to boil a chine of mutton, whole or in peices, or any other joint._ boil it in a fair glazed pipkin, being well scummed, put in a faggot of sweet herbs, as time, parsly, sweet marjoram, bound hard and stripped with your knife, and put some carrots cut like small dice, or cut like lard, some raisins, prunes, marigold-flowers, and salt, and being finely boiled down, serve it on sippits, garnish your dish with raisins, mace, prunes, marigold-flowers, carrots, lemons, boil'd marrow, _&c._ sometimes for change leave out carrots and fruit. use all as beforesaid, and add white endive, capers, samphire, run it over with beaten butter and lemons. _barley broth._ _chine of mutton or veal in barley broth, rack, or any joynt._ take a chine or knuckle, and joynt it, put it in a pipkin with some strong broth, and when it boils, scum it, and put in some french barley, being first boiled in two or three waters, with some large mace, and a faggot of sweet herbs bound up, and close hard tied, some raisins, damask prunes, and currans, or no prunes, and marigold-flowers; boil it to an indifferent thickness, and serve it on sippets. _barley broth otherwise._ boil the barley first in two waters, and then put it to a knuckle of veal, and to the broth, salt, raisins, sweet herbs a faggot, large mace, and the quantity of a fine manchet slic't together. _otherwise._ otherways without fruit: put some good mutton-gravy, saffron, and sometimes raisins only. _chine or any joint._ otherways stew them with strong broth and white-wine, put it in a pipkin to them, scum it, and put to it some oyster-liquor, salt, whole peper, and a bundle of sweet herbs well bound up, some mace, two or three great onions, some interlarded bacon cut like dice, and chesnuts, or blanched almonds and capers. then stew your oysters by themselves with mace, butter, time and two or three great onions; sometimes grapes. garnish your dish with lemon-peel, oysters, mace, capers, and chesnuts, _&c._ _stewed broth._ to make stewd broth, the meat most proper for it is. _a leg of beef, marrow-bones, capon, or a loin or rack of mutton or a knuckle of veal._ take a knuckle of veal, a joynt of mutton, two marrow bones, a capon, boil them in fresh water, and scum them; then put in a bundle of sweet herbs well bound up or none, large mace, whole cinamon, and ginger bruised, and put in a littlerag, the spice being a little bruised also. then beat some oatmeale, strain it, and put it to your broth, then have boil'd prunes and currans strained also and put it to your broth, with some whole raisons and currans; and boil not your fruit too much: then about half an hour before you dish your meat, put in a pint of claret wine and sugar, then dish up your meat on fine sippits, and broth it. garnish your dish with lemons, prunes, mace, raisins, currans, and sugar. you may add to the former broth, fennel-roots and parsley roots tied up in a bundle. _stewed broth new fashion._ otherways for change; take two joints of mutton, rack and loin, being half boiled and scummed, take up the mutton, and wash away the dregs from it, strain the broth, and blow away the fat, then put to the broth in a pipkin a bundle of sweet herbs bound up hard, and some mace, and boil in it also a pound of raisins of the sun being strained, a pound of prunes whole, with cloves, pepper, saffron, salt, claret, and sugar: stew all well together, a little before you dish out your broth, put in your meat again, give it a warm, and serve it on fine carved sippits. _to stew a loin or rack of mutton, or any joint otherways._ i. chop a loin into steaks, lay it in a deep dish or stewing pan, and put to it half a pint of claret or white-wine, as much water, some salt and pepper, three or four whole onions, a faggot of sweet herbs bound up hard, and some large mace; cover them close, and stew them leisurely the space of two hours, turn them now and then, and serve them on sippets. ii. otherways for change, being half boiled, chop some sweet herbs and put to them, give them a walm, and serve them on sippets with scalded goosberries, barberries, grapes, or lemon. iii. otherways for variety, put raisins, prunes, currans, dates, and serve them with slic't lemon and beaten butter. iv. sometimes you may alter the spice, and put nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. v. sometimes to the first plain way, put capers, pickled cucumbers, samphire, _&c._ vi. otherways, stew it between two dishes with fair water, and when it boils, scum it, and put three or four blades of large mace, gross pepper, salt, and cloves, and stew them close covered two hours; then have parsley picked, and some stripped time, spinage, sorrel, savoury, and sweet marjoram, chopped with some onions, put them to your meat, and give it a walm, with some grated bread amongst, dish them on carved sippets, and blow off the fat on the broth, and broth it: lay lemon on it, and beaten butter, or stew it thus whole. before you put on your herbs blow off the fat. _to boil a leg of mutton divers ways._ i. stuff a legg of mutton with parsley being finely picked, boil it in water and salt, and serve it in a fair dish with parsley, and verjuyce in sawcers. ii. otherways: boil it in water and salt, not stuffed, and being boiled stuff it with lemon in bits like square dice, and serve it also with the peels square, cut round about it make sauce with the gravy and beaten butter, with lemon and grated nutmeg. iii. otherways, boil it in water and salt, being stuffed with parsley, and make sauce with large mace, gravy, chopped parsley, butter, vinegar, juice of orange, gooseberries, barberries, or grapes and sugar: serve it on sippets. iv. _to boil a leg of mutton otherways._ take a good leg of mutton, and boil it in water and salt, being stuffed with sweet herbs chopped with some beef-suet, some salt and nutmeg. then being almost boiled, take up some of the broth into a pipkin, and put to it some large mace, a few currans; a handful of french capers, and a little sack, the yolks of three or four hard eggs, minced small, and some lemon cut like square dice; and being finely boil'd, dish it on carved sippets, broth it, and run it over with beaten butter, and lemon shred small. v. _otherways._ take a fair leg of mutton, boil it in water and salt, and make sauce with gravy, some wine vinegar, salt-butter, and strong broth, being well stewed together with nutmeg. then dish up the leg of mutton on fine carved sippets, and pour on your broth. garnish your dish with barberries, capers, and slic't lemon. garnish the leg of mutton with the same garnish, and run it over with beaten butter, slic't lemon, and grated nutmeg. _to boil a leg of veal._ . stuff it with beef-suet, and sweet herbs chopped, nutmeg, salt, and boil it in fair water and salt. then take some of the broth, and put to some capers, currans, large mace, a piece of interlarded bacon, two or three whole cloves, pieces of pears, and some artichock-suckers boil'd and put in beaten butter, boil'd marrow and mace. then before you dish it up, have sorrel, sage, parsley, time, sweet marjoram coursely minced, with two or three cuts of a knife, and bruised with the back of a ladle on a clean board, put it to your broth to make it green, and give it a warm or two. then dish up the leg of veal on fine carved sippets, pour on the broth, and then your other materials, some goosberries, or barberries, beaten butter and lemon. . _to boil a leg of veal otherways._ stuff it with beef-suet, nutmeg, and salt, boil it in a pipkin, and when it boils, scum it, and put into it some salt, parsley, and fennel roots in a bundle close bound up; then being almost boil'd, take up some of the broth in a pipkin, and put to it some mace, raisins of the sun, gravy; stew them well together, and thicken it with grated bread strained with hard eggs: before you dish up your broth have parsley, time, sweet marjoram stript, marigold flowers, sorrel, and spinage picked: bruise it with the back of a ladle, give it a warm and dish up your leg of veal on fine carved sippets: pour on the broth and run it over with beaten butter. . _to boil a leg of veal otherwise with rice, or a knuckle._ boil it in a pipkin, put some salt to it, and scum it; then put to it some mace and some rice finely picked and washed, some raisins of the sun and gravy; and being fine and tender boil'd, put in some saffron and serve it on fine carved sippets, with the rice over all. . otherways with past cut like small lard, boil it in thin broth and saffron. . otherways in white broth, and with fruit, spinage, sweet herbs and gooseberries, _&c._ _to make all manner of forc't meats, or stuffings for any kind of meats; as leggs, breasts, shoulders, loins or racks; or for any poultry or fowl whatsoever, boil'd, rost, stewed, or baked; or boil'd in bags, round like a quaking pudding in a napkin._ _to force a leg of veal in the french fashion, in a feast for dinner or supper._ take a leg of veal, and take out the meat, but leave the skin and knuckle whole together, then mince the meat that came out of the leg with some beef-suet or lard, and some sweet herbs minced also; then season it with pepper, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, salt, a clove or two of garlic, and some three or four yolks of hard eggs whole or in quarters, pine apple-seed, two or three raw eggs, pistaches, chesnuts, pieces of artichocks, and fill the leg, sow it up and boil it in a pipkin with two gallons of fair water, and some white wine, being scummed and almost boil'd take up some broth into a dish or pipkin, and put to it some chesnuts, pistaches, pine-apple-seed, marrow, large mace, and artichocks bottoms, and stew them well together; then have some fried tost of manchet or roles finely carv'd. the leg being finely boil'd, dish it on french bread, and fried tost and sippets round about it, broth it and put on marrow, and your other materials, with sliced lemon and lemon peel, run it over with beaten butter, and thicken your broth sometimes with strained almonds; sometimes yolks of eggs and saffron, or saffron onely. you may add sometimes balls of the same meat. _garnish._ for your garnish you may use chesnuts, artichock, pistaches, pine-apple-seed and yolks of hard eggs in halves or potato's. otherwhiles: quinces in quarters, or pears, pippins gooseberries, grapes, or barberries. _to force a breast of veal._ mince some veal or mutton with some beef-suet or fat bacon, and some sweet herbs minced also, and seasoned with some cloves, mace, nutmeg, pepper, two or three raw eggs and salt: then prick it up, the breast being filled at the lower end, and stew it between two dishes with some strong broth, white wine, and large mace, then an hour after have sweet herbs picked and stripped, time, sorrel, parsley, sweet marjoram bruised with the back of a ladle, and put it into your broth with some beef-marrow, and give it a warm; then dish up your breast of veal, on fine sippets finely carved, broth it, and lay on slic't lemons, marrow, mace and barberries, and run it over with beaten butter. if you will have the broth yellow, put saffron into it. _to boil a breast of veal otherwise._ make a pudding of grated manchet, minced suet, and minced veal, season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, three or four eggs, cinamon, dates, currans, raisins of the sun, some grapes, sugar, and cream, mingle them all together, and fill the breast; prick it up, and stew it between two dishes, with white wine and strong broth, mace dates, marrow, and being finely stewed, serve it on sippets, and run it over with beaten butter, lemon, barberries, or grapes. sometimes thick it with some almond milk, sugar, and cream. _to boil a breast of veal in another manner._ joint it well, and perboil it a little, then put it in a stewing pan or deep dish with some strong broth; and a bundle of sweet herbs well bound up, some large mace, and some slices of interlarded bacon, two or three cloves, some capers, samphire, salt, some yolks of hard eggs, and white-wine; stew all these well together, and being boil'd and tender, serve it on fine carved sippets, and broth it. then have some fried sweetbreads, sausages of veal or pork, garlick or none, and run all over with beaten butter, lemon, and fried parsley. thus you may boil a rack or loin. to make several sorts of puddings. . _bread puddings yellow or green._ grate four penny loaves, and fearce them through a cullender, put them in a deep dish, and put to them four eggs, two quarts of cream, cloves, mace, and some saffron, salt, rose-water, sugar, currans, a pound of beef-suet minced, and a pound of dates. if green, juyces of spinage, and all manner of sweet herbs stamped amongst the spinage, and strain the juyce; sweet herbs chopped very small, cream, cinamon, nutmeg, salt, and all other things, as is next before laid: your herbs must be time stripped, savoury, sweet marjoram, rosemarry, parsley, pennyroyal, dates; in these seven or eight yolks of eggs. _another pudding, called cinamon-pudding_ take five penny loaves, and fearce them through a cullender, put them in a deep dish or tray, and put to them five pints of cream, cinamon six ounces, suet one pound minced, eggs six yolks, four whites, sugar, salt, slic't dates, stamped almonds, or none, rose-water. _to make rice puddings_ boil your rice with cream, strain it, and put to it two penny loaves grated, eight yolks of eggs, and three whites, beef suet, one pound of sugar, salt, rose-water, nutmeg, coriander beaten, _&c._ _other rice puddings._ steep your rice in milk over night, and next morning drain it, and boil it with cream, season it with sugar being cold, and eggs, beef-suet, salt, nutmegs, cloves, mace, currans, dates, &c. _to mak oatmeal puddings, called isings._ take a quart of whole oatmeal, being picked, steep it in warm milk over night, next morning drain it, and boil it in a quart of sweet cream; and being cold put to it six eggs, of them but three whites, cloves, mace, saffron, pepper, suet, dates, currans, salt, sugar. this put in bags, guts, or fowls, as capon, _&c._ if green, good store of herbs chopped small. _to make blood puddings_ take the blood of a hog, while it is warm, and steep in it a quart or more of great oatmeal groats, at the end of three days take the groats out and drain them clean; then put to these groats more then a quart of the best cream warmed on the fire; then take some mother of time, spinage, parsley, savory, endive, sweet marjoram, sorrel, strawberry leaves, succory, of each a few chopped very small and mix them with the groats, with a little fennel seed finely beaten, some peper, cloves, mace salt, and some beef-suet, or flakes of the hog cut small. otherways, you may steep your oatmeal in warm mutton broth, or scalding milk, or boil it in a bag. _to make andolians._ soak the hogs guts, and turn them, scour them, and steep them in water a day and a night, then take them and wipe them dry, and turn the fat side outermost. then have pepper, chopped sage, a little cloves and mace, beaten coriander-seed, & salt; mingle all together, and season the fat side of the guts, then turn that side inward again, and draw one gut over another to what bigness you please: thus of a whole belly of a fat hog. then boil them in a pot or pan of fair water, with a piece of interlarded bacon, some spices and salt; tye them fast at both ends, and make them of what length you please. sometimes for variety you may leave out some of the foresaid herbs, and put pennyroyal, savory, leeks, a good big onion or two, marjoram, time, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, salt, _&c._ _to make other blood puddings._ steep great oatmeal in eight pints of warm goose blood, sheeps blood, calves, or lambs, or fawns blood, and drain it, as is aforesaid, after three days put to it in every pint as before. _other blood puddings._ take blood and strain it, put in three pints of the blood, and two of cream, three penny manchets grated, and beef-suet cut square like small dice or hogs flakes, yolks of eight eggs, salt, sweet herbs, nutmeg, cloves, mace and pepper. sometimes for variety, sugar, currans, _&c._ _to make a most rare excellent marrow pudding in a dish baked, and garnish the dish brims with puff past._ take the marrow of four marrow bones, two pinemolets or french bread, half a pound of raisins of the sun, ready boil'd and cold, cinamon a quarter of an ounce finely beaten, two grated nutmegs, sugar a quarter of a pound, dates a quarter of a pound, sack half a pint, rose-water a quarter of a pint, ten eggs, two grains of ambergreese, and two of musk dissolved: now have a fine clean deep large dish, then have a slice of french bread, and lay a lay of sliced bread in the dish, and stew it with cinamon, nutmeg, and sugar mingled together, and also sprinkle the slices of bread with sack and rose-water, & then some raisins of the sun, and some sliced dates and good big peices of marrow; and thus make two or three lays of the aforesaid ingredients, with four ounces of musk, ambergreece, and most marrow on the top, then take two quarts of cream, and strain it with half a quarter of fine sugar, and a little salt, (about a spoonful) and twelve eggs, six of the whites taken away: then set the dish into the oven, temperate, and not too hot, and bake it very fair and white, and fill it at two several times, and being baked, scrape fine sugar on it, and serve it hot. _to make marrow puddings of rice and grated bread._ steep half a pound of rice in milk all night, then drain it from the milk, and boil it in a quart of cream; being boild strain it and put it to half a pound of sugar, beaten nutmeg and mace steeped in rose water, and put to the foresaid materials eight yolks of eggs, and five grated manchets, put to it also half a pound of marrow, cut like dice, and salt; mingle all together, and fill your bag or napkin, and serve it with beaten butter, being boiled and stuck with almonds. if in guts, being boild, tost them before the fire in a silver dish or tosting pan. _to make other puddings of turkie or capon in bags, guts, or for any kind of stuffing, or forcing, or in cauls_ take a rost turky, mince it very small, and stamp it with some almond past, then put some coriander-seed beaten, salt, sugar, rose-water, yolks of eggs raw, and marrow stamped also with it, and put some cream, mace, soked in sack and whitewine, rose-water and sack, strain it into the materials, and make not your stuff to thin, then fill either gut or napkin, or any fouls boil'd, bak'd or rost, or legs of veal or mutton, or breasts, or kid, or fawn, whole lambs, suckers, _&c._ sheeps haggas puddings. _to make a haggas pudding in a sheeps paunch._ take good store of parsley, savory, time, onions, oatmeal groats chopped together, and mingled with some beef or mutton-suet minced together, and some cloves, mace, pepper, and salt; fill the paunch, sow it up, and boil it. then being boiled, serve it in a dish, and cut a hole in the top of it, and put in some beaten butter with two or three yolks of eggs dissolved in the butter or none. thus one may do for a fasting day, and put no suet in it, and put it in a napkin or bag, and being well boiled, butter it, and dish it in a dish, and serve it with sippets. _a haggas otherways._ steep the oatmeal over night in warm milk, next morning boil it in cream, and being fine and thick boil'd, put beef-suet to it in a dish or tray, some cloves, mace, nutmeg, salt, and some raisins of the sun, or none, and an onion, somtimes savory, parsley, and sweet marjoram, and fill the panch, _&c._ _other haggas puddings._ calves panch, calves chaldrons; or muggets being clenged, boil it tender and mince it very small, put to it grated bread, eight yolks of eggs, two or three whites, cream, some sweet herbs, spinage, succory, sorrel, strawberry leaves very small minced; bits of butter, pepper, cloves, mace, cinnamon, ginger, currans, sugar, salt, dates, and boil it in a napkin or calves panch, or bake it: and being boiled, put it in a dish, trim the dish with scraped sugar, and stick it with slic't almonds, and run it over with beaten butter, _&c._ _to make liver puddings._ take a good hogs, calves, or lambs liver, and boil it: being cold, mince it very small, or grate it, and fearce it through a meal-sieve or cullender, put to it some grated manchet, two penny loaves, some three pints of cream, four eggs, cloves, mace, currans, salt, dates, sugar, cinamon, ginger, nutmegs, one pound of beef-suet minced very small: being mixt all together, fill a wet napkin, and bind it in fashion of a ball, and serve it with beaten butter and sugar being boil'd. _other liver puddings._ for variety, sometimes sweet herbs, and sometimes flakes of the hog in place of beef-suet, fennil-seed, carraway seed, or any other seed, and keep the order as is abovesaid. _to make puddings of blood after the italian fashion._ take three pints of hogs blood, strain it, and put to it half a pound of grated cheese, a penny manchet grated, sweet herbs chopped very small, a pound of beef-suet minced small, nutmeg, pepper, sugar, ginger, cloves, mace, cinamon, sugar, currans, eggs, _&c._ _to make puddings of a heifers udder._ take an heifers udder, and boil it; being cold, mince it small, and put to it a pound of almond paste, some grated manchet, three or four eggs, a quart of cream, one pound of beef-suet minced small, sweet herbs chopped small also, currans, cinamon, salt, one pound of sugar, nutmeg, saffron, yolks of hard eggs in quarters, preserved pears in form of square dice; bits of marrow; mingle all together, and put it in a clean napkin dipped in warm liquor, bind it up round like a ball, and boil it. being boil'd dish it in a clean scoured dish, scrape sugar, and run it over with beaten butter, stick it with slic't almonds, or slic't dates, canded lemon peel, orange, or citrons, juyce of orange over all. thus also lamb-stones, sweet-breads, turkey, capon, or any poultrey. _forcing for any roots; as mellons, cucumbers, colliflowers, cabbidge, pompions, gourds, great onions, parsnips, turnips or carrots._ take a musk mellon, take out the seed, cut it round the mellon two fingers deep, then make a forcing of grated bread, beaten almonds, rose-water and sugar, some musk-mellon stamped small with it, also bisket bread beaten to powder, some coriander-seed, canded lemon minced small, some beaten mace and marrow minced small, beaten cinamon, yolks of raw eggs, sweet herbs, saffron, and musk a grain; then fill your rounds of mellons, and put them in a flat bottom'd dish, or earthen pan, with butter in the bottom, and bake them in a dish. then have sauce made with white-wine and strong broth strained with beaten almonds, sugar and cinamon; serve them on sippets finely carved, give this broth a warm, and pour it on your mellons, with some fine scraped sugar, dry them in the oven, and so serve them. or you may do these whole; mellons, cucumbers, lemons or turnips, and serve them with any boil'd fowl. _other forcing, or pudding, or stuffing for birds or any fowl, or any joint of meat._ take veal or mutton, mince it, and put to it some grated bread, yolks of eggs, cream, currans, dates, sugar, nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, mace, juyce of spinage, sweet herbs, salt and mingle all together, with some whole marrow amongst. if yellow, use saffron. _other forcing for fowls or any joint of meat._ mince a leg of mutton or veal and some beef-suet, or venison, with sweet herbs, grated bread, eggs, nutmeg, pepper, ginger, salt, dates, currans, raisins, some dry canded oranges, coriander seed, and a little cream; bake them or boil them, and stew them in white wine, grapes, marrow, and give them a walm or two, thick it with two or three yolks of eggs, sugar, verjuyce, and serve these puddings on sippets, pour on the broth, and strew on sugar and slic't lemon. _other forcing of veal or pork, mutton, lamb, venison, land, or sea foul._ mince them with beef-suet or lard, and season them with pepper, cloves, mace, and some sweet herbs grated, bolonia sausages, yolks of eggs, grated cheese, salt, _&c._ other stuffings or forcings of grated cheese, calves brains, or any brains, as pork, goat, kid or lamb, or any venison, or pigs brains, with some beaten nutmeg, pepper, salt, ginger, cloves, saffron, sweet herbs, eggs, gooseberries, or grapes. other forcing of calves udder boiled and cold, and stamped with almond past, cheese-curds, sugar, cinamon, ginger, mace cream, salt, raw eggs, and some marrow or butter, _&c._ _other stuffings of puddings._ take rice flower, strain it with goats milk or cream, and the brawn of a poultry rosted, minced and stamped, boil them to a good thickness, with some marrow, sugar, rosewater and some salt; and being cold, fill your poultry, either in cauls of veal or other joynts of meat, and bake them or boil them in bags or guts, put in some nutmeg, almond past, and some beaten mace. _other stuffings of the brawn of a capon, chickens, pigeons, or any tender sea foul._ take out the meat, and save the skins whole, leave on the legs and wings to the skin, and also the necks and heads, and mince the meat raw with some interlarded bacon, or beef-suet, season it with cloves, mace, sugar, salt, and sweet herbs chopped small, yolks of eggs grated, parmisan or none, fill the body, legs, and neck, prick up the back, and stew them between two dishes with strong broth as much as will cover them, and put some bottoms of artichocks, cordons, or boil'd sparagus, goosberries, barberries, or grapes being boil'd, put in some grated permisan, large mace, and saffron, and serve them on fine carved sippets, garnish the dish with roast turnips, or roast onions, cardons, and mace, _&c._ _other forcing of livers of poultry, or kid or lambs._ take the liver raw, and cut it into little bits like dice, and as much interlarded bacon cut in the same form, some sweet herbs chopped small amongst; also some raw yolks of eggs, and some beaten cloves and mace, pepper, and salt, a few prunes or raisins, or no fruit, but grapes or gooseberries, a little grated permisan, a clove or two of garlick; and fill your poultry, either boild or rost, _&c._ _other forcing for any dainty foul; as turkie, chickens, or pheasants, or the like boil'd or rost._ take minced veal raw, and bacon or beef-suet minc't with it; being finely minced, season it with cloves and mace, a few currans salt, and some boiled bottoms of artichocks cut in form of dice small, and mingle amongst the forcing, with pine-apple-seeds, pistaches, chesnuts and some raw eggs, and fill your poultry, _&c._ _other fillings or forcings of parboild veal or mutton._ mince the meat with beef-suet or interlarded bacon, and some cloves, mace, pepper, salt, eggs, sugar, and some quartered pears, damsons, or prunes, and fill your fowls, _&c._ _other fillings of raw capons._ mince it with fat bacon and grated cheese, or permisan, sweet herbs, cheese curd, currans, cinamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and some pieces of artichocks like small dice, sugar, saffron, and some mushrooms. _otherways._ grated liver of veal, minced lard, fennel-seed, whole raw eggs, sugar, sweet herbs, salt, grated cheese, a clove or two of garlick, cloves, mace, cinamon and ginger, _&c._ _otherways._ for a leg of mutton, grated bread, yolks of raw eggs, beef-suet, salt, nutmeg, sweet herbs, juyce of spinage; cream, cinamon, and sugar; if yellow, saffron. _other forcing, for land or sea fowl boiled or baked, or a leg of mutton._ take the meat out of the leg, leave the skin whole, and mince the meat with beef-suet and sweet herbs; and put to it, being finely minced, grated bread, dates, currans, raisins, orange minced small, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, cream, and eggs; being boiled or baked, make a sauce with marrow, strong broth, white-wine, verjuyce, mace, sugar, and yolks of eggs, strained with verjuyce; serve it on fine carved sippets, and slic'd lemon, grapes or gooseberries: and thus you may do it in cauls of veal, lamb, or kid. _legs of mutton forc't, either rost or boil'd._ mince the meat with beef-suet or bacon, sweet herbs, pepper, salt, cloves and mace, and two or three cloves of garlick, raw eggs, two or three chesnuts, & work up altogether, fill the leg, and prick it up, then rost it or boil it: make sauce with the remainder of the meat, & stew it on the fire with gravy, chesnuts, pistaches, or pine apple seed, bits of artichocks, pears, grapes, or pippins, and serve it hot on this sauce, or with gravy that drops from it only, and stew it between two dishes. _other forcing of veal._ mince the veal and cut the lard like dice, and put to it, with some minced pennyroyall, sweet marjoram, winter savory, nutmeg, a little cammomile, pepper, salt, ginger, cinamon, sugar, and work all together; then fill it into beef guts of some three inches long, and stew them in a pipkin with claret wine, large mace, capers and marrow; being finely stewed, serve them on fine carved sippets, slic'd lemon and barberries, and run them over with beaten butter and scraped sugar. _other forcing for veal, mutton, or lamb._ either of these minced with beef-suet, parsley, time, savory, marigolds, endive and spinage; mince all together, and put some grated bread, grated nutmeg, currans, five dates, sugar, yolks of eggs, rose-water, and verjuyce; of this forcing you may make birds, fishes, beasts, pears, balls or what you will, and stew them, or fry them, or bake them and serve them on sippets with verjuyce, sugar and butter, either dinner or supper. _other forcing for breast, legs, or loyns of beef, mutton, veal, or any venison, or fowl, rosted, baked, or stewed._ mince any meat, and put to it beef-suet or lard, dates, raisins, grated bread, nutmeg, pepper and salt, and two or three eggs, _&c._ _otherways._ mince some mutton with beef-suet, some orange-peel, grated nutmeg, grated bread, coriander-seed, pepper, salt, and yolks of eggs, mingle all together, and fill any breast, or leg, or any joynt of sweet, and make sauce with gravy, strong broth, dates, currans, sugar, salt, lemons, and barberries. _&c._ _other forcing for rost or boil'd, or baked legs of any meat, or any other joint or fowl._ mince a leg of mutton with beef-suet, season it with cloves, mace, pepper, salt, nutmeg, rose-water, currans, raisins, carraway-seeds and eggs; and fill your leg of mutton, _&c._ then for sauce for the aforesaid, if baked, bake it in an earthen pan or deep dish, and being baked, blow away the fat, and serve it with the gravy. if rost, save the gravy that drops from it, and put to it slic't lemon or orange. if boil'd, put capers, barberries, white-wine, hard eggs minced, beaten butter, gravy, verjuyce and sugar, _&c._ _other forcing._ mince a leg of mutton or lamb with beef-suet, and all manner of sweet herbs minced, cloves, mace, salt, currans, sugar, and fill the leg with half the meat: than make the rest into little cakes as broad as a shilling, and put them in a pipkin, with strong mutton broth, cloves, mace, vinegar, and boil the leg, or bake it, or rost it. _forcing in the spanish fashion in balls._ mince a leg of mutton with beef suet and some marrow cut like square dice, put amongst some yolks of eggs, and some salt and nutmeg; make this stuff as big as a tennis ball, and stew them with strong broth the space of two hours; turn them and serve them on toasts of fine manchet, and serve them with the palest of the balls. _other manner of balls._ mince a leg of veal very small, yolks of hard eggs, and the yolks of seven or eight raw eggs, some salt, make them into balls as big as a walnut, and stew them in a pipkin with some mutton broth, mace, cloves, and slic't ginger, stew them an hour, and put some marrow to them, and serve them on sippets, _&c._ _other grand or forc't dish._ take hard eggs, and part the yolks and whites in halves, then take the yolks and mince them, or stamp them in a mortar, with marchpane stuff, and sweet herbs chopped very small, and put amongst the eggs or past, with sugar and cinamon fine beaten, put some currans also to them, and mingle all together with salt, fill the whites, and set them by. then have preserved oranges canded, and fill them with marchpane paste and sugar, and set them by also. then have the tops of sparagus boil'd, and mixed with butter, a little sack, and set them by also. then have boild chesnuts peeled and pistaches, and set them by also. then have marrow steeped first in rose-water, then fried in butter, set that by also. then have green quodlings slic't, mixt with bisket bread & egg, and fried in little cakes, and set that by also. then have sweet-breads, or lamb-stones, and yolks of hard eggs fryed, _&c._ and dipped in butter. then have small turtle doves, and pigeon peepers and chicken-peepers fried, or finely rosted or boiled, and set them by, or any small birds, and some artichocks, and potato's boil'd and fried in butter, and some balls as big as a walnut, or less, made of parmisan, and dipped in butter, and fried. then last of all, put them all in a great charger, the chickens or fowls in the middle, then lay a lay of sweetbreads, then a lay of bottoms of artichocks, and the marrow; on them some preserved oranges. then next some hard eggs round that, fried sparagus, yolks of eggs, chesnuts, and pistaches, then your green quodlings stuffed: the charger being full, put to them marrow all over the meat, and juyce of orange, and make a sauce of strained almonds, grapes, and verjuyce; and being a little stewed in the oven, dry it, _&c._ the dish. _sweetbreads, lambstones, chickens, marrow, almonds, eggs, oranges, bisket, sparagus, artichocks, musk, saffron, butter, potato's, pistaches, chesnuts, verjuyce, sugar, flower, parmisan, cinamon._ _to force a french bread called pine-molet, or three of them._ take a manchet, and make a hole in the top of it, take out the crum, and make a composition of the brawn of a capon rost or boil'd; mince it, and stamp it in a mortar, with marchpane past, cream, yolks of hard eggs, muskefied bisket bread, the crum of very fine manchet, sugar, marrow, musk, and some sweet herbs chopped small, beaten cinamon, saffron, some raw yolks of eggs, and currans: fill the bread, and boil them in napkins in capon broth, but first stop the top with the pieces you took off. then stew or fry some sweetbreads of veal and forced chickens between two dishes, or lamb-stones, fried with some mace, marrow, and grapes, sparagus, or artichocks, and skirrets, the manchets being well boil'd, and your chickens finely stewed, serve them in a fine dish, the manchets in the middle, and the sweetbreads, chickens, and carved sippets round about the dish; being finely dished, thicken the chicken broth with strained almonds, creams, sugar, and beaten butter. garnish your dish with marrow, pistaches, artichocks, puff paste, mace, dates, pomegranats, or barberries, and slic't lemon. _another forc't dish._ take two pound of beef-marrow, and cut it as big as great dice, and a pound of dates, cut as big as small dice; then have a pound of prunes, and take away the out-side from the stones with your knife, and a pound of currans, and put these aforesaid in a platter, twenty yolks of eggs, and a pound of sugar, an ounce of cinamon, and mingle all together. then have the yolks of twenty eggs more, strain them with rose-water, a little musk and sugar, fry them in two pancakes with a little sweet butter fine and yellow, and being fried, put one of them in a fair dish, and lay the former materials on it spread all over; then take the other, and cut it in long slices as broad as your little finger, and lay it over the dishes like a lattice window, set it in the oven, and bake it a little, then fry it, _&c._ bake it leisurely. _another forc't fryed dish._ make a little past with yolks of eggs, flower, and boiling liquor. then take a quarter of a pound of sugar, a pound of marrow, half an ounce of cinamon, and a little ginger. then have some yolks of eggs, and mash your marrow, and a little rose-water, musk or amber, and a few currans or none, with a little suet, and make little pasties, fry them with clarified butter, and serve them with scraped sugar, and juyce of orange. _otherways._ take good fresh water eels, flay and mince them small with a warden or two, and season it with pepper, cloves, mace, saffron: then put currans, dates, and prunes, small minced amongst, and a little verjuyce, and fry it in little pasties; bake it in the oven, or stew it in a pan in past of divers forms, or pasties or stars, _&c._ to make any kind of sausages. _first, bolonia sausages._ the best way and time of the year is to make them in _september_. take four stone of pork, of the legs the leanest, and take away all the skins, sinews, and fat from it; mince it fine and stamp it: then add to it three ounces of whole pepper, two ounces of pepper more grosly cracked or beaten, whole cloves an ounce, nutmegs an ounce finely beaten, salt, spanish, or peter-salt, an ounce of coriander-seed finely beaten, or carraway-seed, cinamon an ounce fine beaten, lard cut an inch long, as big as your little finger, and clean without rust; mingle all the foresaid together; and fill beef guts as full as you can possibly, and as the wind gathers in the gut, prick them with a pin, and shake them well down with your hands; for if they be not well filled, they will be rusty. these aforesaid bolonia sausages are most excellent of pork only: but some use buttock beef, with pork, half one and as much of the other. beef and pork are very good. some do use pork of a weeks powder for this use beforesaid, and no more salt at all. some put a little sack in the beating of these sausages, and put in place of coriander-seed, carraway-seed. this is the most excellent way to make bolonia sausages, being carefully filled, and tied fast with a packthred, and smoaked or smothered three or four days, that will turn them red; then hang them in some cool cellar or higher room to take the air. _other sausages._ sausages of pork with some of the fat of a chine of bacon or pork, some sage chopped fine and small, salt, and pepper: and fill them into porkets guts, or hogs, or sheeps guts, or no guts, and let them dry in the chimney leisurely, _&c._ _otherways._ mince pork with beef-suet, and mince some sage, and put to it some pepper, salt, cloves, and mace; make it into balls, and keep it for your use, or roll them into little sausages some four or five inches long as big as your finger; fry six or seven of them, and serve them in a dish with vinegar or juyce of orange. thus you may do of a leg of veal, and put nothing but salt and suet; and being fried, serve it with gravy and juyce of orange or butter and vinegar; and before you fry them flower them. and thus mutton or any meat. or you may add sweet herbs or nutmeg: and thus mutton. _other sausages._ mince some buttock-beef with beef suet, beat them well together, and season it with cloves, mace, pepper, and salt: fill the guts, or fry it as before; if in guts, boil them and serve them as puddings. _otherways for change._ if without guts, fry them and serve them with gravy, juyce of orange or vinegar, _&c._ _to make links._ take the raring pieces of pork or hog bacon, or fillets, or legs, cut the lean into bits as big as great dice square, and the fleak in the same form, half as much; and season them with good store of chopped sage chopt very small and fine; and season it also with some pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and mace also very small beaten, and salt, and fill porkets guts, or beef-guts: being well filled, hang them up and dry them till the salt shine through them; and when you will spend them, boil them and broil them. to make all manner of hashes. _first, of raw beef._ mince it very small with some beef-suet or lard, some sweet herbs, pepper, salt, some cloves, and mace, blanched chesnuts, or almonds blanched, and put in whole, some nutmeg, and a whole onion or two, and stew it finely in a pipkin with some strong broth the space of two hours, put a little claret to it, and serve it on sippets finely carved, with some grapes or lemon in it also, or barberries, and blow off the fat. _otherways._ stew it in beef gobbets, and cut some fat and lean together as big as a good pullets egg, and put them into a pot or pipkin with some carrots cut in pieces as big as a walnut, some whole onions, some parsnips, large mace, faggot of sweet herbs, salt, pepper, cloves, and as much water and wine as will cover them, and stew it the space of three hours. . _beef hashed otherways, of the buttock._ cut it into thin slices, and hack them with the back of your knife, then fry them with sweet butter; and being fried put them in a pipkin with some claret, strong broth, or gravy, cloves, mace, pepper, salt, and sweet-butter; being tender stewed the space of an hour, serve them on fine sippets, with slic't lemon, gooseberries, barberries, or grapes, and some beaten butter. . _beef hashed otherways._ cut some buttock-beef into fine thin slices, and half as many slices of fine interlarded bacon, stew it very well and tender, with some claret and strong broth, cloves, mace, pepper, and salt; being tender stewed the space of two hours, serve them on fine carved sippets, _&c._ . _a hash of bullocks cheeks._ take the flesh from the bones, then with a sharp knife slice them in thin slices like scotch collops, and fry them in sweet butter a little; then put them into a pipkin with gravy or strong broth and claret, and salt, chopped sage, and nutmeg, stew them the space of two hours, or till they be tender, then serve them on fine carved sippets, _&c._ _hashes of neats feet, or any feet; as calves, sheeps, dears, hogs, lambs, pigs, fawns, or the like, many of the ways following._ boil them very tender, and being cold, mince them small, then put currans to them, beaten cinamon, hard eggs minced, capers, sweet herbs minced small, cloves, mace, sugar, white-wine, butter, slic't lemon or orange, slic't almonds, grated bread, saffron, sugar, gooseberries, barberries or grapes; and being finely stewed down, serve them on fine carved sippets. . _neats feet hashed otherwise._ cut them in peices, being tender boild, and put to them some chopped onions, parsly, time butter, mace, pepper, vinegar, salt, and sugar: being finely stewed serve them on fine carved sippets, barberries, and sugar; sometimes thicken the broth with yolks of raw eggs and verjuice, run it over with beaten butter, and sometimes no sugar. . _hashing otherways of any feet._ mince them small, and stew them with white wine, butter, currans, raisins, marrow, sugar, prunes, dates, cinamon, mace, ginger, pepper, and serve them on tosts of fried manchet. sometimes dissolve the yolks of eggs. . _neats feet, or any feet otherways_ being tender boil'd and soused, part them and fry them in sweet butter fine and brown; dish them in a clean dish with some mustard and sweet butter, and fry some slic't onions, and lay them all over the top; run them over with beaten butter. . _neats-feet, or other feet otherways sliced, or in pieces stewed._ take boil'd onions, and put your feet in a pipkin with the onions aforesaid being sliced, and cloves, mace, white wine, and some strong broth and salt, being almost stewed or boil'd, put to it some butter and verjuyce, and sugar, give it a warm or two more, serve it on fine sippets, and run it over with sweet butter. . _neats-feet otherways, or any feet fricassed, or trotters._ being boil'd tender and cold, take out the hair or wool between the toes, part them in halves, and fry them in butter; being fryed, put away the butter, and put to them grated nutmeg, salt, and strong broth. then being fine and tender, have some yolks of eggs dissolved with vinegar or verjuyce, some nutmeg in the eggs also, and into the eggs put a piece of fresh butter, and put away the frying: and when you are ready to dish up your meat, put in the eggs, and give it a toss or two in the pan, and pour it in a clean dish. . _to hash neats-tongues, or any tongues._ being fresh and tender boil'd, and cold, cut them into thin slices, fry them in sweet butter, and put to them some strong broth, cloves, mace, saffron, salt, nutmegs grated, yolks of eggs, grapes, verjuyce: and the tongue being fine and thick, with a toss or two in the pan, dish it on fine sippets. sometimes you may leave out cloves and mace; and for variety put beaten cinamon, sugar, and saffron, and make it more brothy. . _to hash a neats-tongue otherways._ slice it into thin slices, no broader than a three pence, and stew it in a dish or pipkin with some strong broth, a little sliced onion of the same bigness of the tongue, and some salt, put to some mushrooms, and nutmeg, or mace, and serve it on fine sippets, being well stewed; rub the bottom of the dish with a clove or two of garlick or mince a raw onion very small and put in the bottom of the dish, and beaten butter run over the tops of your dish of meat, with lemon cut small. . _to hash a tongue otherwise, either whole or in slices._ boil it tender, and blanch it; and being cold, slice it in thin slices, and put to it boil'd chesnuts or roste, some strong broth, a bundle of sweet herbs, large mace, white endive, pepper, wine, a few cloves, some capers, marrow or butter, and some salt; stew it well together, and serve it on fine carved sippets, garnish it on the meat, with gooseberries, barberries, or lemon. . _to hash a tongue otherways._ being boil'd tender, blanch it, and let it cool, then slice it in thin slices, and put it in a pipkin with some mace and raisins, slic't dates, some blanched almonds; pistaches, claret or white whine, butter, verjuyce, sugar, and strong broth; being well stewed, strain in six eggs, the yolks being boil'd hard, or raw, give it a warm, and dish up the tongue on fine sippets. garnish the dish with fine sugar, or fine searced manchet, lay lemon on your meat slic't, run it over with beaten butter, _&c._ . _to hash a neats tongue otherways._ being boil'd tender, slice it in thin slices, and put it in a pipkin with some currans, dates, cinamon, pepper, marrow, whole mace, verjuyce, eggs, butter, bread, wine, and being finely stewed, serve it on fine sippets, with beaten butter, sugar, strained eggs, verjuyce, _&c._ _ . to stew a neats tongue whole._ take a fresh neats tongue raw, make a hole in the lower end, and take out some of the meat, mince it with some bacon or beef suet, and some sweet herbs, and put in the yolks of an egg or two, some nutmeg, salt, and some grated parmisan or fat cheese, pepper, and ginger; mingle all together, and fill the hole in the tongue, then rap a caul or skin of mutton about it, and bind it about the end of the tongue, boil it till it will blanch: and being blanched, wrap about it the caul of veal with some of the forcing, roast it a little brown, and put it in a pipkin, and stew it with some claret and strong broth, cloves, mace, salt, pepper, some strained bread, or grated manchet, some sweet herbs chopped small, marrow, fried onions and apples amongst; and being finely stewed down, serve it on fine carved sippets, with barberries and slic't lemon, and run it over with beaten butter. garnish the dish with grated or searced manchet. _ . to stew a neats tongue otherways, whole, or in pieces, boiled, blanch it, or not._ take a tongue and put it a stewing between two dishes being raw, & fresh, put some strong broth to it and white wine, with some whole cloves, mace, and pepper whole, some capers, salt, turnips cut like lard, or carrots, or any roots, and stew all together the space of two or three hours leisurely, then blanch it, and put some marrow to it, give it a warm or two, and serve it on sippets finely carved, and strow on some minced lemon and barberies or grapes, and run all over with beaten butter. garnish your dish with fine grated manchet finely searced. _ . to boil a tongue otherways._ salt a tongue twelve hours, or boil it in water & salt till it be tender, blanch it, and being finely boil'd, dish it in a clean dish, and stuff it with minced lemon, mince the rind, and strow over all, and serve it with some of the gallendines, or some of the italian sauces, as you may see in the book of sauces. _to boil a neats tongue otherways, of three or four days powder._ boil it in fair water, and serve it on brewice, with boiled turnips and onions, run it over with beaten butter, and serve it on fine carved sippets, some barberries, goosberries, or grapes, and serve it with some of the sauces, as you may see in the book of all manner of sauces. _to fricas a neats tongue, or any tongue._ being tender boil'd, slice it into thin slices, and fry it with sweet butter, then put away your butter, and put some strong broth, nutmeg, pepper, and sweet herbs chopped small, some grapes or barberries picked, and some yolks of eggs, or verjuyce, grated bread, or stamped almonds and strained. somtimes you may add some saffron. thus udders may be dressed in any of the ways of the neats-tongues beforesaid. _to hash any land-fowl, as turky, capon, pheasant, or partridges, or any fowls being roasted and cold. roast the fowls for hashes._ take a capon, hash the wings, and slice into thin slices, but leave the rump and the legs whole; mince the wings into very thin slices, no bigger then a _three pence_ in breadth, and put it in a pipkin with a little strong broth, nutmeg, some slic't mushroms, or pickled mushroms, & an onion very thin slic't no bigger than the _minced capon_ being well stew'd down with a little butter & gravy, dish it on fine sippets, & lay the rump or rumps whole on the minced meat, also the legs whole, and run it over with beaten butter, slices of lemon, and lemon peel whole. _collops or hashed veal._ take a leg of veal, and cut it into slices as thin as an half crown piece, and as broad as your hand, and hack them with the back of a knife, then lard them with small lard good and thick, and fry them with sweet butter; being fryed, make sauce with butter, vinegar, some chopped time amongst, and yolks of eggs dissolved with juice of oranges; give them a toss or two in the pan, and so put them in a dish with a little gravy, _&c._ or you may make other sauce of mutton gravy, juyce of lemon and grated nutmeg. _a hash of any tongues, neats tongues, sheeps tongues, or any great or small tongues._ being tender boil'd and cold, cut them in thin slices, and fry them in sweet butter; then put them in a pipkin with a pint of claret wine, and some beaten cinamon, ginger, sugar, salt, some capers, or samphire, and some sweet butter; stir it well down till the liquor be half wasted, and now and then stir it: being finely and leisurely stewed, serve it on fine carved sippets, and wring on the juyce of a lemon, and marrow, _&c._ or sometimes lard them whole, tost them, and stew them as before, and put a few carraways, and large mace, sugar, marrow, chestnuts: serve them on fried tosts, _&c._ _to make other hashes of veal._ take a fillet of veal with the udder, rost it; and being rosted, cut away the frothy flap; and cut it into thin slices; then mince it very fine with handfuls of french capers, & currans one handful; and season it with a little beaten nutmeg, ginger, mace, cinamon, and a handful of sugar, and stew these with a pound of butter, a quarter of a pint of vinegar, as much caper liquor, a faggot of sweet herbs, and little salt; let all these boil softly the space of two hours, now and then stirring it; being finely stewed, dish it up, and stick about it fried tost, or stock fritters, _&c._ or to this foresaid hash, you may add some yolks of hard eggs minced among the meat, or minced and mingled, and put whole currans, whole capers, and some white wine. or to this foresaid hash, you may, being hashed, put nothing but beaten butter only with lemon, and the meat cut like square dice, and serve it with beaten butter and lemon on fine carved sippets. _to hash a hare._ cut it in two pieces, and wash off the hairs in water and wine, strain the liquor, and parboil the quarters; then take them and put them into a dish with the legs, shoulders, and head whole, and the chine cut in two or three pieces, and put to it two or three grate onions whole, and some of the liquor where it was parboil'd: stew it between two dishes till it be tender, then put to it some pepper, mace, nutmeg, and serve it on fine carved sippets, and run it over with beaten butter, lemon, some marrow, and barberries. _to hash or boil rabits divers ways, either in quarters or slices cut like small dice, or whole or minced._ take a rabit being flayed, and wiped clean, cut off the legs, thighs, wings, and head, and part the chine into four pieces or six; put all into a dish, and put to it a pint of white wine, as much fair water, and gross pepper, slic'd ginger, some salt butter, a little time and other sweet herbs finely minced, and two or three blades of mace, stew it the space of two hours leisurely; and a little before you dish it, take the yolks of six new laid eggs and dissolve them with some grapes, verjuyce, or wine vinegar, give it a warm or two on the fire, till the broth be somewhat thick, then put it in a clean dish, with salt about the dish, and serve it hot. _a rabit hashed otherways._ stew it between two dishes in quarters, as the former, or in peices as long as your finger, with some strong broth, mace, a bundle of sweet herbs, and salt; being well stewed, strain the yolks of two hard eggs with some of the broth, and put it into the broth where the rabit stews, then have some cabbidge lettice boiled in water; and being boild squeeze away the water, and put them in beaten butter, with a few raisins of the sun boiled in water also by themselves; or in place of lettice use white endive. then being finely stewed, dish up the rabit on fine carved sippets, and lay on it mace, lettice in quarters, raisins, grapes, lemons, sugar, gooseberries, or barberries, and broth it with the former broth. thus chickens, or capons, or partridg, and strained almonds in this broth for change. to hash a rabit otherways, with a forcing in his belly of minced sweet herbs, yolks of hard eggs, parsley, pepper, and currants, and fill his belly. _to hash rabits, chickens, or pigeon, either in peices; or whole, with turnips._ boil either the rabits or fowls in water and salt, or strained oatmeal and salt. take turnips, cut them in slices, and after cut them like small lard an inch long, the quantity of a quart, and put them in a pipkin with a pound of butter, three or four spoonfulls of strong broth, and a quarter of a pint of wine vinegar, some pepper and ginger, sugar and salt; and let them stew leisurely with some mace the space of hours being very finely stewed, put them into beaten butter, beaten with cream and yolks of eggs, then serve them upon fine thin toasts of french bread. or otherways, being stewed as aforesaid without eggs, cream, or butter, serve them as formerly. and these will serve for boil'd chickens, or any kind of fowl for garnish. _to make a bisk the best way._ take a leg of beef and a knuckle of veal, boil them in two gallons of fair water, scum them clean, and put to them some cloves, and mace, then boil them from two gallons to three quarts of broth; being boil'd strain it and put it in a pipkin, when it is cold, take off the fat and bottom, clear it into another clean pipkin; and keep it warm till the bisk be ready. boil the fowl in the liquor of the marrow-bones of six peeping chickens, and six peeping pigeons in a clean pipkin, either in some broth, or in water and salt. boil the marrow by it self in a pipkin in the same broth with some salt. then have pallats, noses, lips, boil'd tender, blancht and cut into bits as big as sixpence; also some sheeps tongues boil'd, blancht, larded, fryed, and stewed in gravy, with some chesnuts blanched; also some cocks combs boil'd and blanched, and some knots of eggs, or yolks of hard eggs. stew all the aforesaid in some rost mutton, or beef gravy, with some pistaches, large mace, a good big onion or two, and some salt. then have lamb stones blancht and slic't, also sweet-breads of veal, and sweet-breads of lamb slit, some great oysters parboil'd, and some cock stones. fry the foresaid materials in clarified butter, some fryed spinage, or alexander leaves, & keep them warm in an oven, with some fried sausages made of minced bacon, veal, yolks of eggs, nutmegs, sweet herbs, salt and pistaches; bake it in an oven in cauls of veal, and being baked and cold, slice it round, fry it, and keep it warm in the oven with the foresaid fried things. _to make little pies for the bisk._ mince a leg of veal, or a leg of mutton with some interlarded bacon raw and seasoned with a little salt, nutmeg, pepper, some sweet herbs, pistaches, grapes, gooseberries, barberries, and yolks of hard eggs, in quarters; mingle all together, fill them, and close them up; and being baked liquor them with gravy, and beaten butter, or mutton broth. make the past of a pottle of flower, half a pound of butter, six yolks of eggs, and boil the liquor and butter together. _to make gravy for the bisk._ roast eight pound of buttock beef, and two legs of mutton, being throughly roasted, press out the gravy, and wash them with some mutton broth, and when you have done, strain it, and keep it warm in a clean pipkin for your present use. _to dish the bisk._ take a great eight pound dish, and a six penny french pinemolet or bread; chip it and slice it into large slices, and cover all the bottom of the dish; scald it or steep it well with your strong broth, and upon that some mutton or beef gravy; then dish up the fowl on the dish, and round the dish the fried tongues in gravy with the lips, pallats, pistaches, eggs, noses, chesnuts, and cocks combs, and run them over the fowls with some of the gravy, and large mace. then again run it over with fried sweetbread, sausage, lamb-stones, cock-stones, fried spinage, or alexander leaves, then the marrow over all; next the carved lemons upon the meat, and run it over with the beaten butter, yolks of eggs, and gravy beat up together till it is thick; then garnish the dish with the little pies, dolphins of puff-paste, chesnuts, boiled and fried oysters, and yolks of hard eggs. _to boil chines of veal._ first, stew them in a stewing pan or between two dishes, with some strong broth of either veal or mutton, some white wine, and some sausages made of minced veal or pork, boil up the chines, scum them, and put in two or three blades of large mace, a few cloves, oyster or caper liquor with a little salt; and being finely boil'd down put in some good mutton or beef-gravy; and a quarter of an hour before you dish them, have all manner of sweet herbs pickt and stript, as tyme, sweet marjoram, savory, parsley, bruised with the back of a ladle, and give them two or three walms on the fire in the broth; then dish the chines in thin slices of fine french bread, broth them, and lay on them some boiled beef-marrow, boil'd in strong broth, some slic't lemon, and run all over with a lear made of beaten butter, the yolk of an egg or two, the juyce of two or three oranges, and some gravy, _&c._ _to boil or stew any joynt of mutton._ take a whole loin of mutton being jointed, put it into a long stewing pan or large dish, in as much fair water as will more than half cover it, and when it is scum'd cover it; but first put in some salt, white wine, and carrots cut into dice-work, and when the broth is half boiled strain it, blow off the fat, and wash away the dregs from the mutton, wash also the stew-pan or pipkin very clean, and put in again the broth into the pan or pipkin, with some capers, large mace, and carrots; being washed, put them in again, and stew them softly, lay the mutton by in some warm place, or broth, in a pipkin; then put in some sweet herbs chopped with an onion, and put it to your broth also, then have colliflowers ready boild in water and salt, put them into beaten butter with some boil'd marrow: then the mutton and broth being ready, dissolve two or three yolks of eggs, with white wine, verjuyce, or sack, and give it a walm or two; then dish up the meat, and lay on the colliflowers, gooseberries, capers, marrow, carrots, and grapes or barberries, and run it over with beaten butter. for the garnish according to the season of the year, sparagus, artichocks, parsnips, turnips, hopbuds, coleworts, cabbidge-lettice, chestnuts, cabbidge-sprouts. sometimes for more variety, for thickning of this broth, strained almonds, with strong mutton broth. _to boil a rack, chine, or loin of mutton a most excellent way, either whole or in pieces._ boil it either in a flat large pipkin or stewing pan, with as much fair water as will cover the meat, and when it boils scum it, and put thereto some salt; and being half boiled take up the meat, and strain the broth, blow off the fat, and wash the stewing-pan and the meat from the dregs, then again put in the crag end of the rack of mutton to make the broth good, with some mace; then a little before you take it up, take a handful of picked parsley, chop it very small, and put it in the broth, with some whole marigold flowers; put in the chine again, and give it a walm or two, then dish it on fine sippets, and broth it, then add thereto raisins of the sun, and currans ready boil'd and warm, lay them over the chine of mutton, then garnish the dish with marigold-flowers, mace, lemon, and barberries. other ways for change without fruit. _to boil a chine of mutton in barley broth; or chines, racks, and knuckles of veal._ take a chine of veal or mutton and joynt it, put it in a pipkin with some strong mutton broth, and when it boils and is scummed, put in some french barley, being first boiled in fair water, put into the broth some large mace and some sweet herbs bound up in a bundle, a little rosemary, tyme, winter-savory, salt, and sweet marjoram, bind them up very hard; and put in some raisins of the sun, some good pruens, currans, and marigold-flowers; boil it up to an indifferent thickness, and serve it on fine sippets; garnish the dish with fruit and marigold-flowers, mace, lemon, and boil'd marrow. otherways without fruit, put some good mutton gravy, and sometimes raisins only. _to stew a chine of mutton or veal._ put it in a pipkin with strong broth and white wine; and when it boils scum it, and put to some oyster-liquor, salt, whole pepper, a bundle of sweet herbs well bound up, two or three blades of large mace, a whole onion, with some interlarded bacon cut into dice work, some chesnuts, and some capers, then have some stewed oysters by themselves, as you may see in the book of oysters. the chines being ready, garnish the dish with great oysters fried and stewed, mace, chesnuts, and lemon peel; dish up the chines in a fair dish on fine sippets; broth it, and garnish the chines with stewed oysters; chesnuts, mace, slic't lemon and some fried oysters. _to make a dish of steaks, stewed in a frying pan._ take them and fry them in sweet butter; being half fried, put out the butter, & put to them some good strong ale, pepper, salt, a shred onion, and nutmeg; stew them well together, and dish them on sippets, serve them and pour on the sauce with some beaten butter, _&c._ _to make stewd broth._ take a knuckle of veal, a joint of mutton, loin or rack, two marrow-bones, a capon, and boil them in fair water, scum them when they boil, and put to them a bundle of sweet herbs bound up hard and close; then add some large mace, whole cinamon, and some ginger, bruised and put in a fine clean cloth bound up fast, and a few whole cloves, some strained manchet, or beaten oatmeal strained and put to the broth; then have prunes and currans boil'd and strain'd; then put in some whole raisins, currans, some good damask prunes, and boil not the fruit too much, about half an hour before you dish your meat, put into the broth a pint of claret wine, and some sugar; dish up the meat on fine sippets, broth it, and garnish the dish with slic't lemons, prunes, mace, raisins, currans, scraped sugar, and barberries; garnish the meat in the dish also. _stewed broth in the new mode or fashion._ take a joynt of mutton, rack, or loin, and boil them in pieces or whole in fair water, scum them, and being scummed and half boil'd, take up the mutton, and wash away the dregs from the meat; strain the broth, and blow away the fat; then put the broth into a clean pipkin, with a bundle of sweet herbs bound up hard; then put thereto some large mace, raisins of the sun boil'd and strain'd, with half as many prunes; also some saffron, a few whole cloves, pepper, salt, claret wine, and sugar; and being finely stewed together, a little before you dish it up, put in the meat, and give it a walm or two; dish it up, and serve it on fine carved sippets. _to stew a loin, rack, or any joynt of mutton otherways._ chop a loin into steaks, lay it in a deep dish or stewing pan, and put to it half a pint of claret, and as much water, salt, and pepper, three or four whole onions, a faggot of sweet herbs bound up hard, and some large mace, cover them close, and stew them leisurely the space of two hours, turn them now & then, and serve them on sippets. otherways for change, being half boiled, put to them some sweet herbs chopped, give them a walm, and serve them on sippets with scalded gooseberies, barberries, grapes, or lemon. sometimes for variety put raisins, prunes, currans, dates, and serve them with slic't lemon, beaten butter. othertimes you may alter the spices, and put nutmeg, cloves, ginger, _&c._ sometimes to the first plain way put capers, pickled cucumbers, samphire, _&c._ _otherwayes._ stew it between two dishes with fair water, and when it boils, scum it, and put in three or four blades of large mace, gross pepper, cloves, and salt; stew them close covered two hours, then have parsley picked, and some stript, fine spinage, sorrel, savory, and sweet marjoram chopped with some onions, put them to your meat, and give it a walm, with some grated bread amongst them; then dish them on carved sippets, blow off the fat on the broth, and broth it, lay a lemon on it and beaten butter, and stew it thus whole. _to dress or force a leg of veal a singular good way, in the newest mode._ take a leg of veal, take out the meat, and leave the skin and the shape of the leg whole together, mince the meat that came out of the leg with some beef-suet or lard, and some sweet herbs minced; then season it with pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, all being fine beaten, with some salt, a clove or two of garlick, three or four yolks of hard eggs in quarters, pine-apple seed, two or three raw eggs, also pistaches, chesnuts, & some quarters of boil'd artichocks bottoms, fill the leg and sowe it up, boil it in a pipkin with two gallons of fair water and some white wine; being scumm'd and almost boil'd, take up some broth into a dish or pipkin, and put to it some chesnuts, pistaches, pine-apple-seed, some large mace, marrow, and artichocks bottoms boil'd and cut into quarters, stew all the foresaid well together; then have some fried tost of manchet or rowls finely carved. the leg being well boil'd, (dainty and tender) dish it on french bread, fry some toast of it, and sippets round about it, broth it, and put on it marrow, and your other materials, a slic't lemon, and lemon peel, and run it over with beaten butter. thicken the broth sometimes with almond paste strained with some of the broth, or for variety, yolks of eggs and saffron strained with some of the broth, or saffron only. one may add sometimes some of the minced meat made up into balls, and stewed amongst the broth, _&c._ _to boil a leg or knuckle of veal with rice._ boil it in a pipkin, put some salt to it, and scum it, then put to some mace and some rice finely picked and washed, some raisins of the sun and gravy; being fine and tender boil'd put in some saffron, and serve on fine carved sippets, with the rice over all. otherwayes with paste cut like small lard, and boil it in thin broth and saffron. or otherways in white broth, with fruit, sweet herbs, white wine and gooseberries. _to boil a breast of veal._ jonyt it well and parboil it a little, then put it in a stewing pan or deep dish with some strong broth and a bundle of sweet herbs well bound up, some large mace, and some slices of interlarded bacon, two or three cloves, some capers, samphire, salt, spinage, yolks of hard eggs, and white wine; stew all these well together, being tender boil'd, serve it on fine carved sippets, and broth it; then have some fryed sweetbreads, sausages of veal or pork, garlick or none, and run all over with beaten butter, lemon, and fryed parsley over all. thus you may boil a rack loin of veal. _to boil a breast of veal otherways._ make a pudding of grated manchet, minced suet, and minced veal, season it with nutmeg, pepper, salt, three or four eggs, cinamon, dates, currans, raisins of the sun, some grapes, sugar, and cream; mingle all together, fill the breast, prick it up, and stew it between two dishes with white wine, strong broth, mace, dates, and marrow, being finely stewed serve it on sippets, and run it over with beaten butter, lemon, barberries or grapes. sometimes thick it with some almond-milk, sugar, and cream. _to force a breast of veal._ mince some veal or mutton with some beef-suet or fat bacon, some sweet herbs minced, & seasoned with some cloves, mace, nutmeg, pepper, two or three raw eggs, and salt; then prick it up: the breast being filled at the lower end stew it between two dishes, with some strong broth, white wine, and large mace; then an hour after have sweet herbs pickt and stript, as tyme, sorrel, parsley, and sweet marjoram, bruised with the back of a ladle, put it into your broth with some marrow, and give them a warm; then dish up your breast of veal on sippets finely carved, broth it, and lay on slic't lemon, marrow, mace and barberries, and run it over with beaten butter. if you will have the broth yellow put thereto saffron, _&c._ _to boil a leg of veal._ stuff it with beef-suet, sweet herbs chopped, nutmeg and salt, and boil it in fair water and salt; then take some of the broth, and put thereto some capers, currans, large mace, a piece of interlarded bacon, two or three whole cloves, pieces of pears, some boil'd artichocks suckers, some beaten butter, boil'd marrow, and mace; then before you dish it up, have sorrel, sage, parsley, time, sweet marjoram, coursly minced with two or three cuts of a knife, and bruised with the back of a ladle on a clean board; put them into your broth to make it green, & give it a walm or two, then dish it up on fine carved sippets, pour on the broth, and then your other materials, some gooseberries, barberries, beaten butter and lemon. _to boil a leg of mutton._ take a fair leg of mutton, boil it in water and salt, make sauce with gravy, wine vinegar, white wine, salt, butter, nutmeg, and strong broth; and being well stewed together, dish it up on fine carved sippets, and pour on your broth. garnish your dish with barberries, capers, and slic't lemon, and garnish the leg of mutton with the same garnish and run it over with beaten butter, slic't lemon, and grated nutmeg. _to boil a leg of mutton otherways._ take a good leg of mutton, and boil it in water and salt, being stuffed with sweet herbs chopped with beef-suet, some salt and nutmeg; then being almost boil'd take up some of the broth into a pipkin, and put to it some large mace, a few currans, a handful of french capers, a little sack, the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced small, and some lemon cut like square dice; being finely boil'd, dish it on carved sippets, broth it and run it over with beaten batter, and lemon shred small. _otherways._ stuff a leg of mutton with parsley being finely picked, boil it in water and salt, and serve it on a fair dish with parsley and verjuyce in saucers. _otherways._ boil it in water and salt not stuffed, and being boiled, stuff it with lemon in bits like square dice, and serve it with the peel cut square round about it; make sauce with the gravy, beaten butter, lemon, and grated nutmeg. _otherways._ boil it in water and salt, being stuffed with parsley, make sauce for it with large mace, gravy, chopped parsley, butter, vinegar, juyce of orange, gooseberries, barberries, grapes, and sugar, serve it on sippets. _to boil peeping chickens, the best and rarest way, alamode._ take three or four _french_ manchets, & being chipped, cut a round hole in the top of them, take out the crum, and make a composition of the brawn of a roast capon, mince it very fine, and stamp it in a mortar with marchpane paste, the yolks of hard eggs, mukefied bisket bread, and the crum of the manchet of one of the breads, some sugar & sweet herbs chopped small, beaten cinamon, cream, marrow, saffron, yolks of eggs, and some currans; fill the breads, and boil them in a napkin in some good mutton or capon broath; but first stop the holes in the tops of the breads, then stew some sweet-breads of veal, and six peeping chickens between two dishes, or a pipkin with some mace, then fry some lamb-stones slic't in batter made of flower, cream, two or three eggs, and salt; put to it some juyce of spinage, then have some boil'd sparagus, or bottoms of artichocks boil'd and beat up in beaten butter and gravy. the materials being well boil'd and stewed up, dish the boil'd breads in a fair dish with the chickens round about the breads, then the sweetbreads, and round the dish some fine carved sippets; then lay on the marrow, fried lamb-stones, and some grapes; then thicken the broth with strained almonds, some cream and sugar, give them a warm, and broth the meat, garnish it with canded pistaches, artichocks, grapes, mace, some poungarnet, and slic't lemon. _to hash a shoulder of mutton._ take a shoulder of mutton, roast it, and save the gravy, slice one half, and mince the other, and put it into a pipkin with the shoulder blade, put to it some strong broth of good mutton or beef-gravy, large mace, some pepper, salt, and a big onion or two, a faggot of sweet herbs, and a pint of white wine; stew them well together close covered, and being tender stewed, put away the fat, and put some oyster-liquor to the meat, and give it a warm: then have three pints of great oysters parboil'd in their own liquor, and bearded; stew them in a pipkin with large mace, two great whole onions, a little salt, vinegar, butter, some white-wine, pepper, and stript tyme; the materials being well stewed down, dish up the shoulder of mutton on a fine clean dish, and pour on the materials or hashed mutton, then the stewed oysters over all; with slic't lemon and fine carved sippets round the dish. _to hash a shoulder of mutton otherways._ stew it with claret-wine, only adding these few varieties more than the other; _viz._ two or three anchoves, olives, capers, samphire, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, and in all points else as the former. but then the shoulder being rosted, take off the skin of the upper side whole, and when the meat is dished, lay on the upper skin whole, and cox it. _to hash a shoulder of mutton the french way._ take a shoulder of mutton, roast it thorowly, and save the gravy; being well roasted, cut it in fine thin slices into a stewing pan, or dish; leave the shoulder bones with some meat on them, and hack them with your knife; then blow off the fat from the gravy you saved, and put it to your meat with a quarter of a pint of claret wine, some salt, and a grated nutmeg; stew all the foresaid things together a quarter of an hour, and serve it in a fine clean dish with sippets of french bread; then rub the dish bottom with a clove of garlick, or an onion, as you please; dish up the shoulder bones first, and then the meat on that; then have a good lemon cut into dice work, as square as small dice, and peel all together, and strew it on the meat; then run it over with beaten butter, and gravy of mutton. _scotch collops of mutton._ take a leg of mutton, and take out the bone, leave the leg whole, and cut large collops round the leg as thin as a half-crown piece; hack them, then salt and broil them on a clear charcoal fire, broil them up quick, and the blood will rise on the upper side; then take them up plum off the fire, and turn the gravy into a dish, this done, broil the other side, but have a care you broil them not too dry; then make sauce with the gravy, a little claret wine, and nutmeg; give the collops a turn or two in the gravy, and dish them one by one, or two, one upon another; then run them over with the juyce of orange or lemon. _scotch collops of a leg or loin of mutton otherways._ bone a leg of mutton, and cut it cross the grain of the meat, slice it into very thin slices, & hack them with the back of a knife, then fry them in the best butter you can get, but first salt them a little before they be fried; or being not too much fried, pour away the butter, and put to them some mutton broth or gravy only, give them a walm in the pan, and dish them hot. sometimes for change put to them grated nutmeg, gravy, juyce of orange, and a little claret wine; and being fried as the former, give it a walm, run it over with beaten butter, and serve it up hot. otherways for more variety, add some capers, oysters, and lemon. _to make a hash of partridges or capons._ take twelve partridges and roast them, and being cold mince them very fine, the brawns or wings, and leave the legs and rumps whole; then put some strong mutton broth to them, or good mutton gravy, grated nutmeg, a great onion or two, some pistaches, chesnuts, and salt; then stew them in a large earthen pipkin or sauce-pan; stew the rumps and legs by themselves in strong broth in another pipkin; then have a fine clean dish, and take a _french_ six penny bread, chip it, and cover the bottom of the dish, and when you go to dish the hash steep the bread with some good mutton broth, or good mutton gravy; then pour the hash on the steeped bread, lay the legs and the rumps on the hash, with some fried oysters, pistaches, chesnuts, slic't lemon, and lemon-peel, yolks of eggs strained with juyce of orange and beaten butter beat together, and run over all; garnish the dish with carved oranges, lemons, fried oysters, chesnuts, and pistaches. thus you may hash any kind of fowl, whether water or land-fowl. _to hash a hare._ flay it and draw it, then cut it into pieces, and wash it in claret wine and water very clean, strain the liquor, and parboil the quarters; then take them and slice them, and put them into a dish with the legs, wings, or shoulders and head whole; cut the chine into two or three pieces, and put to it two or three great onions, and some of the liquor where it was parboil'd, stew it between two dishes close covered till it be tender, and put to it some mace, pepper, and nutmeg; serve it on fine carved sippets, and run it over with beaten butter, lemon, marrow and barberries. _to hash a rabit._ take a rabit being flayed and wiped clean; then cut off the thighs, legs, wings, and head, and part the chine into four pieces, put all into a dish or pipkin, and put to it a pint of white wine, and as much fair water, gross pepper, slic't ginger, salt, tyme, and some other sweet herbs being finely minced, and two or three blades of mace; stew it the space of two hours, and a little before you dish it take the yolks of six new laid eggs, dissolve them with some grape verjuyce, give it a walm or two on the fire, and serve it up hot. _to stew or hash rabits otherways._ stew them between two dishes as the former, in quarter or pieces as long as your fingar, with some broth, mace, a bundle of sweet herbs, salt, and a little white wine, being well stewed down, strain the yolks of two or three hard eggs with some of the broth, and thicken the broth where the rabit stews; then have some cabbidg-lettice boil'd in fair water, and being boil'd tender, put them in beaten butter with a few boiled raisins of the sun; or in place of lettice you may use white endive: then the rabits being finely stewed, dish them upon carved sippets, and lay on the garnish of lettice, mace, raisins of the sun, grapes, slic't lemon or barberries, broth it, and scrape on sugar. thus chickens, pigeons, or partridges. _to hash rabits otherwayes._ make a forcing or stuffing in the belly of the rabits, with some sweet herbs, yolks of hard eggs, parsley, sage, currans, pepper and salt, and boil them as the former. _to hash any land fowl._ take a capon, and hash the wings in fine thin slices, leave the rumps and legs whole, put them into a pipkin with a little strong broth, nutmeg, some stewed or pickled mushrooms, and an onion very small slic't, or as the capon is slic't about the bigness of a three pence; stew it down with a little butter and gravy, and then dish it on fine sippets, lay the rumps and legs on the meat, and run it over with beaten butter, beaten with slices of lemon-peel. _to boil woodcocks or snipes._ boil them either in strong broth, or in water and salt, and being boiled, take out the guts, and chop them small with the liver, put to it some crumbs of grated white-bread, a little of the broth of the cock, and some large mace; stew them together with some gravy, then dissolve the yolks of two eggs with some wine vinegar, and a little grated nutmeg, and when you are ready to dish it, put the eggs to it, and stir it among the sauce with a little butter; dish them on sippets, and run the sauce over them with some beaten butter and capers, or lemon minced small, barberries, or whole pickled grapes. sometimes with this sauce boil some slic't onions, and currans boil'd in a broth by it self; when you boil it with onions, rub the bottom of the dish with garlick. _boil'd cocks or larks otherways._ boil them with the guts in them, in strong broth, or fair water, and three or four whole onions, large mace, and salt, the cocks being boil'd, make sauce with some thin slices of manchet or grated bread in another pipkin, and some of the broth where the fowl or cocks boil, then put to it some butter, and the guts and liver minced, then have some yolks of eggs dissolved with some vinegar and some grated nutmeg, put it to the other ingredients; stir them together, and dish the fowl on fine sippets; pour on the sauce with some slic't lemon, grapes, or barberries, and run it over with beaten butter. _to boil any land fowl, as turkey, bustard, pheasant, peacock, partridge, or the like._ take a turkey and flay off the skin, leave the legs and rumps whole, then mince the flesh raw with some beef-suet or lard, season it with nutmeg, pepper, salt, and some minced sweet herbs, then put to it some yolks of raw eggs, and mingle all together, with two bottoms of boil'd artichocks, roasted chesnuts blanched, some marrow, and some boil'd skirrets or parsnips cut like dice, or some pleasant pears, and yolks of hard eggs in quarters, some gooseberries, grapes, or barberries; fill the skin and prick it up in the back, stew it in a stewing-pan or deep dish, and cover it with another; but first put some strong broth to it, some marrow artichocks boil'd and quartered, large mace, white wine, chesnuts, quarters of pears, salt, grapes, barberries, and some of the meat made up in balls stewed with the turkey being finely boil'd or stewed, serve it on fine carved sippets, broth it, and lay on the garnish with slices of lemon, and whole lemon-peel, run it over with beaten butter, and garnish the dish with chesnuts, yolks of hard eggs, and large mace. for the lears of thickening, yolks of hard eggs strained with some of the broth, or strained almond past with some of the broth, or else strained bread and sorrel. otherways you may boil the former fowls either bon'd and trust up with a farsing of some minc'd veal or mutton, and seasoned as the former in all points, with those materials, or boil it with the bones in being trust up. a turkey to bake, and break the bones. otherways bone the fowl, and fill the body with the foresaid farsing, or make a pudding of grated bread, minced suet of beef or veal, seasoned with cloves, mace, pepper, salt, and grapes, fill the body, and prick up the back, and stew it as is aforesaid. or make the pudding of grated bread beef-suet minc'd some currans, nutmegs, cloves, sugar, sweet herbs, salt, juyce of spinage; if yellow, saffron, some minced meat, cream, eggs, and barberries: fill the fowl and stew it in mutton broth & white wine, with the gizzard, liver, and bones, stew it down well, then have some artichock bottoms boil'd and quarter'd, some potatoes boil'd and blanch'd, and some dates quarter'd, and some marrow boil'd in water and salt; for the garnish some boil'd skirret or pleasant pears. then make a lear of almond paste strained with mutton broth, for the thickning of the former broth. otherways simple, being stuffed with parsley, serve it in with butter, vinegar, and parsley, boil'd and minced; as also bacon boil'd on it, or about it, in two pieces; and two saucers of green sauce. or otherways for variety, boil your fowl in water and salt, then take strong broth, and put in a faggot of sweet herbs, mace, marrow, cucumber slic't, and thin slices of interlarded bacon, and salt, _&c._ _to boil capons, pullets, chickens, pigeons, pheasants or partridges._ searce them either with the bone or boned, then take off the skin whole, with the legs, wings, neck, and head on, mince the body with some bacon or beef suet, season it with nutmeg, pepper, cloves, beaten ginger, salt, and a few sweet herbs finely minced and mingled amongst some three or four yolks of eggs, some sugar, whole grapes, gooseberries, barberries, and pistaches; fill the skins, and prick them up in the back, then stew them between two dishes, with some strong broth, white-wine, butter, some large mace, marrow, gooseberries and sweet herbs, being stewed, serve them on sippets, with some marrow and slic't lemon; in winter, currans. _to boil a capon or chicken in white broth._ first boil the capon in water and salt, then take three pints of strong broth, and a quart of white-wine, and stew it in a pipkin with a quarter of a pound of dates, half a pound of fine sugar, four or five blades of large mace, the marrow of three marrow bones, a handful of white endive; stew these in a pipkin very leisurely, that it may but only simmer; then being finely stewed, and the broth well tasted, strain the yolks of ten eggs with some of the broth. before you dish up the capon or chickens, put in the eggs into the broth, and keep it stirring, that it may not curdle, give it a warm, and set it from the fire: the fowls being dished up put on the broth, and garnish the meat with dates, marrow, large mace, endive, preserved barberries, and oranges, boil'd skirrets, poungarnet, and kernels. make a lear of almond paste and grape verjuice. _to boil a capon in the italian fashion with ransoles, a very excellent way._ take a young capon, draw it and truss it to boil, pick it very clean, and lay it in fair water, and parboil it a little, then boil it in strong broth till it be enough, but first prepare your ransoles as followeth: take a good quantity of beet leaves, and boil them in fair water very tender, and press out the water clean from them, then take six sweetbreads of veal, boil and mince them very small and the herbs also, the marrow of four or five marrow-bones, and the smallest of the marrow keep, and put it to your minced sweetbreads and herbs, and keep bigger pieces, and boil them in water by it self, to lay on the capon, and upon the top of the dish, then take raisons of the sun ston'd, and mince them small with half a pound of dates, and a quarter of a pound of pomecitron minced small, and a pound of naples-bisket grated, and put all these together into a great, large dish or charger, with half a pound of sweet butter, and work it with your hands into a peice of paste, and season it with a little nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, and salt, and some parmisan grated and some fine sugar also and mingle them well, then make a peice of paste of the finest flower, six yolks of raw eggs, a little saffron beaten small, half a pound of butter and a little salt, with some fair water hot, (not boiling) and make up the paste, then drive out a long sheet with a rowling pin as thin as you can possible, and lay the ingredients in small heaps, round or long on the paste, then cover them with the paste, and cut them off with a jag asunder, and make two hundred or more, and boil them in a broad kettle of strong broth, half full of liquor; and when it boils put the ransols in one by one and let them boil a quarter of an hour; then take up the capon into a fair large dish, and lay on the ransoles, and stew on them grated cheese or parmisan, and naples-bisket grated, cinamon and sugar; and thus between every lay till you have filled the dish, and pour on melted butter with a little strong broath, then the marrow, pomecitron, lemons slic't, and serve it up; or you may fry half the ransoles in clarified butter, _&c._ _a rare fricase._ take six pigeon and six chicken-peepers, scald and truss them being drawn clean, head and all on, then set them, and have some lamb-stones and sweet-breads blanch'd, parboild and slic't, fry most of the sweet-breads flowred; have also some asparagus ready, cut off the tops an inch long, the yolk of two hard eggs, pistaches, the marrow of six marrow-bones, half the marrow fried green, & white butter, let it be kept warm till it be almost dinner time; then have a clean frying-pan, and fry the fowl with good sweet butter, being finely fryed put out the butter, & put to them some roast mutton gravy, some large fried oysters and some salt; then put in the hard yolks of eggs, and the rest of the sweet-breads that are not fried, the pistaches, asparagus, and half the marrow: then stew them well in the frying-pan with some grated nutmeg, pepper, a clove or two of garlick if you please, a little white-wine, and let them be well stew'd. then have ten yolks of eggs dissolved in a dish with grape-verjuice or wine-vinegar, and a little beaten mace, and put it to the frycase, then have a french six penny loaf slic't into a fair larg dish set on coals, with some good mutton gravy, then give the frycase two or three warms on the fire, and pour it on the sops in the dish; garnish it with fried sweet-breads, fried oysters, fried marrow, pistaches, slic't almonds and the juyce of two or three oranges. _capons in pottage in the _french_ fashion._ draw and truss the capons, set them, & fill their bellies with marrow; then put them in a pipkin with a knuckle of veal, a neck of mutton, a marrow bone, and some sweet breads of veal, season the broth with cloves mace, and a little salt, and set it to the fire; let it boil gently till the capons be enough, but have a care you boil them not too much; as your capons boil, make ready the bottoms and tops of eight or ten rowls of _french_ bread, put them dried into a fair silver dish, wherein you serve the capons; set it on the fire, and put to the bread two ladle-full of broth wherein the capons are boil'd, & a ladlefull of mutton gravy; cover the dish and let it stand till you dish up the capons; if need require, add now and then a ladle-full of broth and gravy: when you are ready to serve it, first lay on the marrow-bone, then the capons on each side; then fill up the dish with gravy of mutton, and wring on the juyce of a lemon or two; then with a spoon take off all the fat that swimmeth on the pottage; garnish the capons with the sweetbreads, and some carved lemon, and serve it hot. _to boil a capon, pullet, or chicken._ boil them in good mutton broth, white mace, a faggot of sweet herbs, sage, spinage, marigold leaves and flowers, white or green endive, borrage, bugloss, parsley, and sorrel, and serve it on sippets. _to boil capons or chickens with sage and parsley._ first boil them in water and salt, then boil some parsley, sage, two or three eggs hard, chop them; then have a few thin slices of fine manchet, and stew all together, but break not the slices of bread; stew them with some of the broth wherein the chickens boil, some large mace, butter, a little white-wine or vinegar, with a few barberries or grapes; dish up the chickens on the sauce, and run them over with sweet butter and lemon cut like dice, the peel cut like small lard, and boil a little peel with the chickens. _to boil a capon or chicken with divers compositions._ take off the skin whole, but leave on the legs, wings, and head; mince the body with some beef suet or lard, put to it some sweet herbs minced, and season it with cloves, mace, pepper, salt, two or three eggs, grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, bits of potato or mushroms. in the winter with sugar, currans, and prunes, fill the skin, prick it up, and stew it between two dishes with large mace and strong broth, peices of artichocks, cardones, or asparagus, and marrow: being finely stewed, serve it on carved sippets, and run it over with beaten butter, lemon slic't, and scrape on sugar. _to boil a capon or chicken with cardones, mushroms, artichocks, or oysters._ the foresaid fowls being parboil'd, and cleansed from the grounds, stew them finely; then take your cardones being cleansed and peeled into water, have a skillet of fair water boiling hot, and put them therein; being tender boil'd, take them up and fry them in chopt lard or sweet butter, pour away the butter, and put them into a pipkin, with strong broth, pepper, mace, ginger, verjuyce, and juyce of orange; stew all together, with some strained almonds, and some sweet herbs chopped, give them a warm, and serve your capon or chicken on sippets. let them be fearsed, as you may see in the book of fearst meats, and wrap your fearst fowl in cauls of veal, half roast them, then stew them in a pipkin with the foresaid cardones and broth. _to boil a capon or chicken in the _french_ fashion, with skirrets or _french_ beans._ take a capon and boil it in fair water with a little salt, and a faggot of tyme and rosemary bound up hard, some parsley and fennil-roots, being picked and finely cleansed, and two or three blades of large mace; being almost boil'd, put in two whole onions boil'd and strained with oyster liquor, a little verjuyce, grated bread, and some beaten pepper, give it a warm or two, and serve the capon or chicken on fine carved sippets. garnish it with orange peel boil'd in strong broth, and some french beans boil'd, and put in thick butter, or some skirret, cardones, artichocks, slic't lemon, mace, or orange. _to boil a capon or chicken with sugar pease._ when the cods be but young, string them and pick off the husks; then take two or three handfuls, and put them into a pipkin with half a pound of sweet butter, a quarter of a pint of fair water, gross pepper, salt, mace, and some sallet oyl: stew them till they be very tender, and strain to them three or four yolks of eggs, with six spoonfuls of sack. _to boil a capon or chicken with colliflowers._ cut off the buds of your flowers, and boil them in milk with a little mace till they be very tender; then take the yolks of two eggs, and strain them with a quarter of a pint of sack; then take as much thick butter being drawn with a little vinegar and slic't lemon, brew them together; then take the flowers out of the milk, put them to the butter and sack, dish up your capon being tender boil'd upon sippets finely carved, and pour on the sauce, serve it to the table with a little salt. _to boil a capon or chicken with sparagus._ boil your capon or chicken in fair water and some salt, then put in their bellies a little mace, chopped parsley, and sweet butter; being boild, serve them on sippets, and put a little of the broth on them: then have a bundle or two of sparagus boil'd, put in beaten butter, and serve it on your capon or chicken. _to boil a capon or chicken with rice._ boil the capon in fair water and salt, then take half a pound of rice, and boil it in milk; being half boil'd, put away the milk, and boil it in two quarts of cream, put to it a little rose-water and large mace, or nutmeg, with the foresaid materials. being almost boil'd, strain the yolks of six or seven eggs with a little cream, and stir all together; give them a warm, and dish up the capon or chicken, then pour on the rice being seasoned with sugar and salt, and serve it on fine carved sippets. garnish the dish with scraped sugar, orange, preserved barberries, slic't lemon, or pomegranate kernels, as also the capon or chicken, and marrow on them. _divers meats boiled with bacon hot or cold; as calves-head, any joynt of veal, lean venison, rabits, turkey, peacock, capons, pullets, pheasants, pewets, pigeons, partridges, ducks, mallards, or any sea fowl._ take a leg of veal and soak it in fair water, the blood being well soaked from it, and white, boil it, but first stuff it with parsley and other sweet herbs chopped small, as also some yolks of hard eggs minced, stuff it and boil it in water and salt, then boil the bacon by it self either stuffed or not, as you please; the veal and bacon being boil'd white, being dished serve them up, and lay the bacon by the veal with the rinde on in a whole piece, or take off the rinde and cut it in four, six, or eight thin slices; let your bacon be of the ribs, and serve it with parsley strowed on it, green sauce in saucers, or others, as you may see in the book of sauces. _cold otherways._ boil any of the meats, poultry, or birds abovesaid with the ribs of bacon, when it is boil'd take off the rind being finely kindled from the rust and filth, slice it into thin slices, and season it with nutmeg, cinamon, cloves, pepper, and fennil-seed all finely beaten, with fine sugar amongst them, sprinkle over all rose vinegar, and put some of the slices into your boild capon or other fowl, lay some slices on it, and lay your capon or other fowl on some blank manger in a clean dish, and serve it cold. _to boil land fowl, sea fowl, lamb, kid, or any heads in the _french_ fashion, with green pease or hasters._ take pease, shell them, and put them all into boiling mutton broth, with some thin slices of interlarded bacon; being almost boiled, put in chopped parsley, some anniseeds, and strain some of the pease, thicken them or not, as you please; then put some pepper, give it a warm, and serve kids or lambs head on sippets, and stick it otherways with eggs and grated cheese, or some of the pease or flower strained; sometimes for variety you may use saffron or mint. _to boil all other small fowls, as ruffes, brewes, godwits, knots, dotterels, strenits, pewits, ollines, gravelens, oxeyes, red-shanks_, &c. half roast any of these fowls, and stick on one side a few cloves as they roast, save the gravy, and being half roasted, put them into a pipkin, with the gravy, some claret wine, as much strong broth as will cover them, some broild houshold-bread strained, also mace, cloves pepper, ginger, some fried onions and salt; stew all well together, and serve them on fine carved sippets; sometimes for change add capers and samphire. _to boil all manner of small birds, or land fowl, as plovers, quails, rails, black-birds, thrushes, snites, wheat-ears, larks, sparrows, martins._ take them and truss them, or cut off the legs & heads, and boil them in strong broth or water, scum them, and put in large mace, white-wine, washed currans, dates, marrow, pepper, and salt; being well stewed, dish them on fine carved sippets, thicken the broth with strained almonds, rose-water, and sugar, and garnish them with lemon, barberries, sugar, or grated bread strewed about the dish. for leir otherways, strained bread and hard eggs, with verjuyce and broth. sometimes for variety garnish them with potatoes, farsings, or little balls of farsed manchet. _to boil a swan, whopper, wilde or tame goose, crane, shoveller, hern, ducks, mallard, bittorn, widgeons, gulls, or curlews._ take a swan and bone it, leave on the legs and wings, then make a farsing of some beef-suet or minced lard, some minced mutton or venison being finely minced with some sweet herbs, beaten nutmeg, pepper, cloves, and mace; then have some oysters parboil'd in their own liquor, mingle them amongst the minced meat, with some raw eggs, and fill the body of the fowl, prick it up close on the back, and boil it in a stewing-pan or deep dish, then put to the fowl some strong broth, large mace, white-wine, a few cloves, oyster-liquor, and some boil'd marrow; stew them all well together: then have oysters stewed by themselves with an onion or two, mace, pepper, butter, and a little white-wine. then have the bottoms of artichocks ready boild, and put in some beaten butter, and boil'd marrow; dish up the fowl on fine carved sippets, then broth them, garnish them with stewed oysters, marrow, artichocks, gooseberries, slic't lemon, barberries or grapes and large mace; garnish the dish with grated bread, oysters, mace, lemon and artichocks, and run the fowl over with beaten butter. otherways fill the body with a pudding made of grated bread, yolks of eggs, sweet herbs minced small, with an onion, and some beef-suet minced, some beaten cloves, mace, pepper, and salt, some of the blood of the fowl mixed with it, and a little cream; fill the fowl, and stew it or boil it as before. _to boil any large water fowl otherways, a swan, whopper, wild or tame geese._ take a goose and salt it two or three days, then truss it to boil, cut lard as big as your little finger, and lard the breast; season the lard with pepper, mace, and salt; then boil it in beef-broth, or water and salt, put to it pepper grosly beaten, a bundle of bay-leaves, tyme, and rosemary bound up very well, boil them with the fowl; then prepare some cabbidge boild tender in water and salt, squeeze out the water from it, and put it in a pipkin with strong broth, claret wine, and a good big onion or two; season it with pepper, mace, and salt, and three or four anchovies dissolved; stew these together with a ladleful of sweet butter, and a little vinegar: and when the goose is boil'd enough, and your cabbidge on sippets, lay on the goose with some cabbidge on the breast, and serve it up. thus you may dress any large wild fowl. _to boil all manner of small sea or land fowl._ boil the fowl in water and salt, then take some of the broth, and put to it some beefs-udder boild, and slic't into thin slices with some pistaches blanch'd, some slic't sausages stript out of the skin, white-wine, sweet, herbs, and large mace; stew these together till you think it sufficiently boiled, then put to it beet-root cut into slices, beat it up with butter, and carve up the fowl, pour the broth on it, and garnish it with sippets, or what you please. _or thus._ take and lard them, then half roast them, draw them, and put them in a pipkin with some strong broth or claret wine, some chesnuts, a pint of great oysters, taking the breads from them, two or three onions minced very small, some mace, a little beaten ginger, and a crust of _french_ bread grated; thicken it, and dish them up on sops: if no oysters, chesnuts, or artichock bottoms, turnips, colliflowers, interlarded bacon in thin slices, and sweetbreads, _&c._ _otherways._ take them and roast them, save the gravy, and being roasted, put them in a pipkin, with the gravy, some slic't onions, ginger, cloves, pepper, salt, grated bread, claret wine, currans, capers, mace, barberries, and sugar, serve them on fine sippets, and run them over with beaten butter, slic't lemon, and lemon peel; sometimes for change use stewed oysters or cockles. _to boil or dress any land fowl, or birds in the italian fashion, in a broth called _brodo-lardiero_._ take six pigeons being finely cleansed, and trust, put them into a pipkin with a quart of strong broth, or water, and half wine, then put therein some fine slices of interlarded bacon, when it boils scum it, and put in nutmeg, mace, ginger, pepper, salt, currans, sugar, some sack, raisins of the sun, prunes, sage, dryed cherries, tyme, a little saffron, and dish them on fine carved sippets. _to stew pigeons in the _french_ fashion._ the pigeons being drawn and trust, make a fearsing or stopping of some sweet herbs minced, then mince some beef-suet or lard, grated bread, currans, cloves, mace, pepper, ginger, sugar, & or raw eggs. the pigeons being larded & half roasted, stuff them with the foresaid fearsing, and put boil'd cabbidge stuck with a few cloves round about them; bind up every pigeon several with packthread, then put them in a pipkin a boiling with strong mutton broth, three or four yolks of hard eggs minced small, some large mace, whole cloves, pepper, salt, and a little white-wine; being boil'd, serve them on fine carved sippets, and strow on cinamon, ginger, and sugar. _otherways in the _french_ fashion._ take pigeons ready pull'd or scalded, take the flesh out of the skin, and leave the skin whole with the legs and wings hanging to it, mince the bodies with some lard or beef suet together very small, then put to them some sweet herbs finely minced, and season all with cloves, mace, ginger, pepper, some grated bread or parmisan grated, and yolks of eggs; fill again the skins, and prick them up in the back, then put them in a dish with some strong broth, and sweet herbs chopped, large mace, gooseberries, barberries, or grapes; then cabbidge-lettice boil'd in water and salt, put to them butter, and the pigeons being boil'd, serve them on sippets. _to boil pigeons otherways._ being trussed, put them in a pipkin, with some strong broth or fair water, boil and scum them, then put in some mace, a faggot of sweet herbs, white endive, marigold flowers, and salt; and being finely boiled, serve them on sippets, and garnish the dish with mace and white endive flowers. otherways you may add cucumbers in quarters either pickled or fresh, and some pickled capers; or boil the cucumbers by themselves, and put them in beaten butter, and sweet herbs chopped small. or boil them with capers, samphire, mace, nutmeg, spinage, endive, and a rack or chine of mutton boil'd with them. or else with capers, mace, salt, and sweet herbs in a faggot; then have some cabbidge or colliflowers boil'd very tender in fair water and salt, pour away the water, and put them in beaten butter, and when the fowls be boil'd, serve the cabbidge on them. _to boil pigeons otherwaies._ take pigeons being finely cleansed and trust, put them in a pipkin or skillet clean scowred, with some mutton broth or fair water; set them a boiling and scum them clean, then put to them large mace, and well washed currans, some strained bread strained with vinegar and broth, put it to the pigeons with some sweet butter and capers; boil them very white, and being boil'd, serve them on fine carved sippets in the broth with some sugar; garnish them with lemon, fine sugar, mace, grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, and run them over with beaten butter; garnish the dish with grated manchet. pottages. _pottage in the _italian_ fashion._ boil green pease with some strong broth, and interlarded bacon cut into slices; the pease being boiled, put to them some chopped parsley, pepper, anniseed, and strain some of the pease to thicken the broth; give it a walm and serve it on sippets, with boil'd chickens, pigeons, kids, or lambs-heads, mutton, duck, mallard, or any poultry. sometimes for variety you may thicken the broth with eggs. _pottage otherways in the italian fashion._ boil a rack of mutton, a few whole cloves, mace, slic't ginger, all manner of sweet herbs chopped, and a little salt; being finely boiled, put in some strained almond-paste, with grape verjuyce, saffron, grapes, or gooseberries; give them a warm, and serve your meat on sippets. _pottage of mutton, veal, or beef, in the _english_ fashion._ cut a rack of mutton in two pieces, and take a knuckle of veal, and boil it in a gallon pot or pipkin, with good store of herbs, and a pint of oatmeal chopped amongst the herbs, as tyme, sweet marjoram, parsley, chives, salet, succory, marigold-leaves and flowers, strawberry-leaves, violet-leaves, beets, borage, sorrel, bloodwort, sage, pennyroyal; and being finely boil'd, serve them on fine carved sippets with the mutton and veal, _&c._ _to stew a shoulder of mutton with oysters._ take a shoulder of mutton, and roast it, and being half roasted or more, take off the upper skin whole, & cut the meat into thin slices, then stew it with claret, mace, nutmeg, anchovies, oyster-liquor, salt, capers, olives, samphire, and slices of orange; leave the shoulder blade with some meat on it, and hack it, save also the marrow bone whole with some meat on it, and lay it in a clean dish; the meat being finely stewed, pour it on the bones, and on that some stewed oysters and large oysters over all, with slic't lemon and lemon peel. the skin being first finely breaded, stew the oysters with large mace, a great onion or two, butter, vinegar, white wine, a bundle of sweet herbs, and lay on the skin again over all, _&c._ _to roast a shoulder of mutton with onions and parsley, and baste it with oranges._ stuff it with parsley and onions, or sweet herbs, nutmeg, and salt, and in the roasting of it, baste it with the juyce of oranges, save the gravy and clear away the fat; then stew it up with a slice or two of orange and an anchovie, without any fat on the gravy, _&c._ _other hashes of scotch collops._ cut a leg of mutton into thin slices as thin as a shilling, cross the grain of the leg, sprinkle them lightly with salt, and fry them with sweet butter, serve them with gravy or juice of oranges, and nutmeg, and run them over with beaten butter, lemon, _&c._ _otherways the foresaid collops._ for variety, sometimes season them with coriander-seed, or stamped fennil-seed, pepper and salt; sprinkle them with white wine, then flower'd, fryed, and served with juice of orange, for sauce, with sirrup of rose-vinegar, or elder vinegar. _other hashes or scotch collop of any joint of veal, either in loyn, leg, rack or shoulder._ cut a leg into thin slices, as you do scotch collops of mutton, hack and fry them with small thin slices of interlarded bacon as big as the slices of veal, fry them with sweet butter; and being finely fried, dish them up in a fine dish, put from them the butter that you fried them with, and put to them beaten butter with lemon, gravy, and juyce of orange. _a hash of a leg of mutton in the _french_ fashion._ parboil a leg of mutton, then take it up, pare off some thin slices on the upper and under side, or round it, prick the leg through to let out the gravy on the slices; then bruise some sweet herbs, as tyme, parsly, marjoram, savory, with the back of a ladle, and put to it a piece of sweet butter, pepper, verjuyce; and when your mutton is boild, pour all over the slices herbs and broth on the leg into a clean dish. _another hash of mutton or lamb, either hot or cold._ roast a shoulder of mutton, and cut it into slices, put to it oysters, white wine, raisins of the sun, salt, nutmeg, and strong broth, (or no raisins) slic't lemon or orange; stew it all together, and serve it on sippets, and run it over with beaten butter and lemon, _&c._ _another hash of a joynt of mutton or lamb hot or cold._ cut it in very thin slices, then put them in a pipkin or dish, and put to it a pint of claret wine, salt, nutmeg, large mace, an anchovie or two, stew them well together with a little gravy; and being finely stewed serve them on carved sippets with some beaten butter & lemon, _&c._ _otherways._ cut it into thin slices raw, and fry it with a pint of white wine till it be brown, and put them into a pipkin with slic't lemon, salt, fried parsley, gravy, nutmeg, and garnish your dish with nutmeg and lemon. _other hashes of a shoulder of mutton._ boil it and cut it in thin slices, hack the shoulder-blade, and put all into a pipkin or deep dish, with some salt, gravy, white-wine, some strong broth, and a faggot of sweet herbs, oyster-liquor, caper-liquor, and capers; being stewed down, bruse some parsley, and put to it some beaten cloves and mace, and serve it on sippets. divers made dishes or _capilotado's_. _first, a dish of chines of mutton, veal, capon, pigeons, or other fowls._ boil a pound of rice in mutton broth, put to it some blanched chesnuts, pine apple-seeds, almonds or pistaches; being boil'd thick, put to it some marrow or fresh butter, salt, cinamon, and sugar; then cut your veal into small bits or peices, and break up the fowl; then have a fair dish, and set it on the embers, and put some of your rice, and some of the meat, and more of the rice and sugar, and cinamon, and pepper over all, and some marrow. __capilotado_, in the _lumbardy_ fashion of a capon._ boil rice in mutton broth till it be very thick, and put to it some salt and sugar. then have also some bolonia sausages boil'd very tender, minced very small, or grated, and some grated cheese, sugar, and cinamon mingled together; then cut up the boil'd or roast capon, and lay it upon a clean dish with some of the rice, strow on cinamon and sausage, grated cheese and sugar, and lay on yolks of raw eggs; thus make two or three layings and more, eggs and some butter or marrow on the top of all, and set it on the embers, and cover it, or in a warm oven. __capilotado_ of pigeons or wild ducks, or any land or sea fowls roasted._ take a pound of almond-paste, and put to it a capon minc't and stamped with the almonds, & some crums of manchet, some sack or white-wine, three pints of strong broth cold, and eight or ten yolks of raw eggs; strain all the foresaid together, and boil it in a skillet with some sugar to a pretty thickness, put to it some cinamon, nutmeg, and a few whole cloves, then have roast pigeons, or any small birds roasted, cut them up, and do as is aforesaid, and strow on sugar and cinamon. __capilotado_ for roast meats, as partridges, pigeons, eight or twelve, or any other the like; or sea fowls, ducks, or widgeons._ take a pound of almonds, a pound of currans, a pound of sugar, half a pound of muskefied bisket-bread, a pottle of strong broth cold, half a pint of grape verjuyce, pepper half an ounce, nutmegs as much, an ounce of cinamon, and a few cloves; all these aforesaid stamped, strained, and boil'd with the aforesaid liquor, and in all points as the former, only toasts must be added. _other _capilotado_ common._ take two pound of parmisan grated, a minced kidney of veal, a pound of other fat cheese, ten cloves of garlick boil'd, broth or none, two capons minced and stamped, rost or boil'd, and put to it ten yolks of eggs raw, with a pound of sugar: temper the foresaid with strong broth, and boil all in a broad skillet or brass pan, in the boiling stir it continually till it be incorporated, and put to it an ounce of cinamon, a little pepper, half an ounce of cloves, and as much nutmeg beaten, some saffron; then break up your roast fowls, roast lamb, kid, or fried veal, make three bottoms, and set it into a warm oven, till you serve it in, _&c._ __capilotado_, or custard, in the hungarian fashion, in the pot, or baked in an oven._ take two quarts of goat or cows milk, or two quarts of cream, and the whites of five new laid eggs, yolks and all, or ten yolks, a pound of sugar, half an ounce of cinamon, a little salt, and some saffron; strain it and bake it in a deep dish; being baked, put on the juyce of four or five oranges, a little white wine, rose-water, and beaten ginger, _&c._ _capilotado francois._ roast a leg of mutton, save the gravy, and mince it small, then strain a pound of almond paste with some mutton or capon broth cold, some three pints and a half of grape verjuyce, a pound of sugar, some cinamon, beaten pepper, and salt; the meat and almonds being stamp'd and strained, put it a boiling softly, and stir it continually, till it be well incorporate and thick; then serve it in a dish with some roast chickens, pigeons, or capons: put the gravy to it, and strow on sugar, some marrow, cinamon, _&c._ sometimes you may add some interlarded bacon instead of marrow, some sweet herbs, and a kidney of veal. sometimes eggs, currans, saffron, gooseberries, _&c._ _other made dishes, or little pasties called in italian _tortelleti_._ take a rost or boil'd capon, and a calves udder, or veal, mince it and stamp it with some marrow, mint, or sweet marjoram, put a pound of fat parmisan grated to it, half a pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of currans, some chopped sweet herbs, pepper, saffron, nutmeg, cinamon, four or five yolks of eggs, and two whites; mingle all together and make a piece of paste of warm or boiling liquor, and some rose-water, sugar, butter; make some great and some very little, rouls or stars, according to the judgment of the cook; boil them in broth, milk, or cream. thus also fish. serve them with grated fat cheese or parmisan, sugar, and beaten cinamon on them in a dish, _&c._ _tortelleti, or little pasties._ mince some interlarded bacon, some pork or any other meat, with some calves udder, and put to it a pound of fresh cheese, fat cheese, or parmisan, a pound of sugar, and some roasted turnips or parsnips, a quarter of a pound of currans, pepper, cloves, nutmegs, eight eggs, saffron; mingle all together, and make your pasties like little fishes, stars, rouls, or like beans or pease, boil them in flesh broth, and serve them with grated cheese and sugar, and serve them hot. __tortelleti_, or little pasties otherwayes, of beets or spinage chopped very small._ being washed and wrung dry, fry them in butter, put to them some sweet herbs chopped small, with some grated parmisan, some cinamon, cloves, saffron, pepper, currans, raw eggs, and grated bread: make your pasties, and boil them in strong broth, cream, milk, or almond-milk: thus you may do any fish. serve them with sugar, cinamon, and grated cheese. __tortelleti_, of green pease, french beans, or any kind of pulse green or dry._ take pease gren or dry, french beans, or garden beans green or dry, boil them tender, and stamp them; strain them through a strainer, and put to them some fried onions chopped small, sugar, cinamon, cloves, pepper, and nutmeg, some grated parmisan, or fat cheese, and some cheese-curds stamped. then make paste, and make little pasties, boil them in broth, or as beforesaid, and serve them with sugar, cinamon, and grated cheese in a fine clean dish. _to boil a capon or chicken with colliflowers in the french fashion._ cut off the buds of your flowers, and boil them in milk with a little mace till they be very tender; then take the yolks of eggs, strain them with a quarter of a pint of sack; then take as much thick butter, being drawn with a little vinegar and a slic't lemon, brew them together; then take the flowers out of the milk, and put them into the butter and sack: then dish up your capon, being tender boil'd, upon sippets finely carved, and pour on the sauce, and serve it to the table with a little salt. _to boil capons, chickens, pigeons, or any land fowls in the french fashion._ either the skin stuffed with minced meat, or boned, & fill the vents and body; or not boned and trust to boil, fill the bodies with any of the farsings following made of any minced meat, and seasoned with pepper, cloves, mace, and salt; then mince some sweet herbs with bacon and fowl, veal, mutton, or lamb, and mix with it three or four eggs, mingle all together with grapes, gooseberries, barberries, or red currans, and sugar, or none, some pine-apple-seed, or pistaches; fill the fowl, and stew it in a stewing-pan with some strong broth, as much as will cover them, and a little white wine; being stewed, serve them in a dish with sippets finely carved, and slic't oranges, lemons, barberries, gooseberries, sweet herbs chopped, and mace. _to boil partridges, or any of the former fowls stuffed with any the filling aforesaid._ boil them in a pipkin with strong broth, white-wine, mace, sweet herbs chopped very fine, and put some salt, and stew them leisurely; being finely stewed, put some marrow, and strained almonds, with rosewater to thicken it, serve them on fine carved sippets, and broth them, garnish the dish with grated bread and pistaches, mace, and lemon, or grapes. _to boil pigeons, woodcocks, snites, black birds, thrushes, veldifers, rails, quails, larks, sparrows, wheat ears, martins, or any small land fowl._ _woodcocks or snites._ boil them either in strong broth or water and salt, and being boil'd, take out the guts, and chop them small with the liver, put to it some crumb of white-bread grated, a little of the broth of the cock, and some large mace, stew them together with some gravy; then dissolve the yolks of two eggs with some wine vinegar, and a little grated nutmeg, and when you are ready to dish it, put the eggs to it, and stir it amongst the sauce with a little butter, dish them on sippets, and run the sauce over them with some beaten butter and capers, lemon minced small, barberries or pickled grapes whole. sometimes with this sauce, boil some slic't onions and currans in a broth by it self: when you boil it not with onions, rub the bottom of the dish with a clove or two of garlick. _boil woodcocks or larks otherways._ take them with the guts in, and boil them in some strong broth or fair water, and three or four whole onions, larg mace, and salt; the cocks being boil'd, make sauce with the some thin slices of manchet, or grated, in another pipkin, and some of the broth where the fowl or cocks boil, and put to it some butter, the guts and liver minced, and then have some yolks of eggs dissolved with some vinegar & some grated nutmeg, put it to the other ingredients, and stir them together, and dish the fowl on fine sippets, and pour on the sauce and some slic't lemon, grapes, or barberries, and run it over with beaten buter. _to boil all manner of sea fowl, or any wild fowl, as swan, whopper, crane, geese, shoveler, hern, bittorn, duck, widgeons, gulls, curlew, teels, ruffs,_ &c. stuff either the skin with his own meat, being minced with lard or beef-suet, some sweet herbs, beaten nutmeg, cloves, mace, and parboil'd oysters; mix all together, fill the skin, and prick it fast on the back, boil it in a large stewing pan or deep dish, with some strong broth, claret or white-wine, salt, large mace, two or three cloves, a bundle of sweet herbs, or none, oyster-liquor and marrow, stew all well together. then have stewed oysters by themselves ready stewed with an onion or two, mace, pepper, butter, and a little white-wine. then have the bottoms of artichocks put in beaten butter, and some boild marrow ready also; then again dish up the fowl on fine carved sippets, broth the fowl, & lay on the oysters, artichocks, marrow, barberries, slic't lemon, gooseberries, or grape; and garnish your dish with grated manchet strowed, and some oysters, mace, lemon, and artichocks, and run it over with beaten butter. otherways bone it and fill the body with a farsing or stuffing made of minced mutton with spices, and the same materials as aforesaid. otherways, make a pudding and fill the body, being first boned, and make the pudding of grated bread, sweet herbs chopped; onions, minced suet or lard, cloves, mace, pepper, salt, blood, and cream; mingle all together, as beforesaid in all points. or a bread pudding without blood or onions, and put minced meat to it, fruit, and sugar. otherways, boil them in strong broth, claret-wine, mace, cloves, salt, pepper, saffron, marrow, minced, onions, and thickned with strained sweet-breads of veal; or hard eggs strained with broth, and garnished with barberries, lemon, grapes, red currans, or gooseberries. _to boil all manner of sea fowls, as swan, whopper, geese, ducks, teels._ &c. put your fowl being cleansed and trussed into a pipkin fit for it, and boil it with strong broth or fair spring water, scum it clean, and put in three or four slic't onions, some large mace, currans, raisins, some capers, a bundle of sweet herbs, grated or strained bread, white-wine, two or three cloves, and pepper; being finely boil'd, slash it on the breast, and dish it on fine carved sippets; broth it, and lay on slic't lemon and a lemon peel, barberries or grapes, run it over with beaten butter, sugar, or ginger, and trim the dish sides with grated bread in place of the beaten ginger. _to boil these fowls otherways._ you may add some oyster liquor, barberries, grapes, gooseberries, or lemon. and sometimes prunes, raisins, or currans. otherways, half roast any of your fowls, slash them down the breast, and put them in a pipkin with the breast downward, put to them two or three slic't onions and carrots cut like lard, some mace, pepper, and salt, butter, savory, tyme, some strong broth, and some white-wine; let the broth be half wasted, and stew it very softly; being finely stewed dish it up, serve it on sippets, and pour on the broth, _&c._ otherways boil the fowl and not roast them, boil them in strong mutton broth, and put the fowl into a pipkin, boil and scum them, put to it slic't onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, some cloves, mace, whole pepper, and salt; then slash the breast from end to end or four slashes, and being boil'd, dish it up on fine carved sippets, put some sugar to it, and prick a few cloves on the breast of the fowl, broth it and strow on fine sugar, and grated bread. _otherways._ put them in a stewing pan with some wine and strong broth, and when they boil scum them, then put to them some slices of interlarded bacon, pepper, mace, ginger, cloves, cinamon, sugar, raisins of the sun, sage flowers, or seeds or leaves of sage; serve them on fine carved sippets and trim the dish sides with sugar or grated bread. or you may make a farsing of any of the foresaid fowls, make it of grated cheese, and some of their own fat, two or three eggs, nutmeg, pepper, and ginger, sowe up the vents, boil them with bacon, and serve them with a sauce made of almond paste, a clove of garlick, and roasted turnips or green sauce. _to boil any old geese, or any geese._ take them being powdered, and fill their bellies with oatmeal, being steeped first in warm milk or other liquor; then mingle it with some beef-suet, minced onions, and apples, seasoned with cloves, mace, some sweet herbs minced, and pepper, fasten the neck and vent, boil it, and serve it on brewes with colliflowers, cabbidge, turnips, and barberries, run it over with beaten butter. thus the smaller fowls, as is before specified, or any other. _to boil wild fowl otherways._ boil your fowl in strong broth or water, scum it clean, and put some white-wine to it, currans, large mace, a clove or two, some parsley and onions minced together: then have some stewed turnips cut like lard, and stewed in a pot or little pipkin with butter, mace, a clove, white-wine, and sugar; being finely stewed serve your fowl on sippets finely carved, broth the fowls, and pour on your turnips, run it over with beaten butter, a little cream, yolks of eggs, sack and sugar. scraped sugar to trim the dish, or grated bread. _otherways._ half roast your fowls, save the gravy, and carve the breast jagged; then put it in a pipkin, and stick here and there a clove, and put some slic't onions, chopped parsley, slic't ginger, pepper, and gravy, strained bread, with claret wine, currans, or capers, broth, mace, barberries, and sugar; being finely boil'd or stewed, serve it on carved sippets, and run it over with beaten butter, and a lemon peel. _to boil these aforesaid fowls otherways, with muscles, oysters, or cockcles; or fried wickles in butter, and after stewed with butter, white wine, nutmeg, a slic't orange, and gravy._ either boil the fowl or roast them, boil them by themselves in water and salt, scum them clean, and put to them mace, sweet herbs, and onions chopped together, some white-wine, pepper, and sugar, if you please, and a few cloves stuck in the fowls, some grated or strained bread with some of the broth, and give it a warm; dish up the fowls on fine sippets, or french bread, and carve the breast, broth it, and pour on your shell-fish, run it over with beaten butter, and slic't lemon or orange. _otherways in the french fashion._ half roast the fowls, and put them in a pipkin with the gravy, then have time, parsley, sage, marjoram, & savory; mince all together with a handful of raisins of the sun, put them into the pipkin with some mutton broth, some sack or white-wine, large mace, cloves, salt, and sugar. then have the other half of the fruit and herbs being minced, beat them with the white of an egg, and fry it in suet or butter as big as little figs and they will look green. dish up the fowls on sippets, broth it, and serve the fried herbs with eggs on them and scraped sugar. _to boil goose-giblets, or the giblets of any fowl._ boil them whole, being finely scalded; boil them in water and salt, two or three blades of mace, and serve them on sippets finely carved with beaten butter, lemon, scalded gooseberries, and mace, or scalded grapes, barberries or slic't lemon. or you may for variety use the yolks of two or three eggs, beatten butter, cream, a little sack, and sugar, for lear. _otherways._ boil them whole, or in pieces, and boil them in strong broth or fair water, mace, pepper, and salt, being first finely scummed, put two or three whole onions, butter, and gooseberries, run it over with beaten butter, being first dished on sippetts; make a pudding in the neck, as you may see in the book of all manner of puddings and farsings, _&c._ _otherways._ boil them with some white-wine, strong broth, mace, slic't ginger, butter, and salt; then have some stewed turnips or carrots cut like lard, and the giblets being finely dished on sippets, put on the stewed turnips, being thickned with eggs, verjuyce, sugar, and lemon, _&c._ _to bake goose giblets, or of any fowl, several ways for the garnish._ take giblets being finely scalded and cleansed, season them lightly with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and put them into a pye, being well joynted, and put to them an onion or two cut in halves, and put some butter to them, and close them up, and bake them well, and soak them some three hours. _sauce for green-geese._ . take the juyce of sorrell mixed with scalded goose-berries, and served on sippets and sugar with beaten butter, _&c._ _otherways._ . their bellies roasted full of gooseberies, and after mixed with sugar, butter, verjuyce, and cinamon, and served on sippets. _to make a grand sallet of minced capon, veal, roast mutton, chicken or neats tongue._ minced capon or veal, _&c._ dried tongues in thin slices, lettice shred small as the tongue, olives, capers, mushrooms, pickled samphire, broom-buds, lemon or oranges, raisins, almonds, blew figs, virginia potato, caparones, or crucifix pease, currans, pickled oysters, taragon. _how to dish it up._ any of these being thin sliced, as is shown above said, with a little minced taragon and onion amongst it; then have lettice minced as small as the meat by it self, olives by themselves, capers by themselves, samphire by it self, broom-buds by it self, pickled mushrooms by themselves, or any of the materials abovesaid. garnish the dish with oranges and lemons in quarters or slices, oyl and vinegar beaten together, and poured over all, _&c._ _to boil all manner of land fowl, as followeth._ turkey, bustard peacock, capon, pheasant, pullet, heath-pouts, partridge, chickens, woodcocks, stock-doves, turtle-doves, tame pigeons, wild pigeons, rails, quails, black-birds, thrushes, veldifers, snites, wheatears, larks, sparrows, and the like. _sauce for the land fowl._ take boil'd prunes and strain them with the blood of the fowl, cinamon, ginger, and sugar, boil it to an indifferent thickness and serve it in saucers, and serve in the dish with the fowl, gravy, sauce of the same fowl. _to boil pigeons._ take pigeons, and when you have farsed and boned them, fry them in butter or minced lard, and put to them broth, pepper, nutmeg, slic't ginger, cinamon beaten, coriander seed, raisins of the sun, currans, vinegar, and serve them with this sauce, being first steep'd in it four or five hours, and well stewed down. or you may add some quince or dried cherries boil'd amongst. in summer you may use damsins, swet herbs chopped, grapes, bacon in slices, white-wine. thus you may boil any small birds, larks, veldifers, black-birds, _&c._ _pottage in the french fashion._ cut a breast of mutton into square bits or pieces, fry them in butter, & put them in a pipkin with some strong broth, pepper, mace, beaten ginger, and salt; stew it with half a pound of strained almonds, some mutton broth, crumbs of manchet, and some verjuyce; give it a warm, and serve it on sippets. if you would have it yellow, put in saffron; sometimes for change white-wine, sack, currans, raisins, and sometimes incorporated with eggs and grated cheese. otherways change the colour green, with juyce of spinage, and put to it almonds strained. _pottage otherways in the french fashion of mutton, kid, or veal._ take beaten oatmeal and strain it with cold water, then the pot being boiled and scummed, put in your strained oatmeal, and some whole spinage, lettice, endive, colliflowers, slic't onions, white cabbidge, and salt; your pottage being almost boil'd, put in some verjuyce, and give it a warm or two; then serve it on sippets, and put the herbs on the meat. _pottage in the english fashion._ take the best old pease you can get, wash and boil them in fair water, when they boil scum them, and put in a piece of interlarded bacon about two pound, put in also a bundle of mint, or other sweet herbs; boil them not too thick, serve the bacon on sippets in thin slices, and pour on the broth. _pottage without sight of herbs._ mince your herbs and stamp them with your oatmeal, then strain them through a strainer with some of the broth of the pot, boil them among your mutton, & some salt; for your herbs take violet leaves, strawberry leaves, succory, spinage, lang de beef, scallions, parsley, and marigold flowers, being well boil'd, serve it on sippets. _to make sausages._ take the lean of a leg of pork, and four pound of beef-suet, mince them very fine, and season them with an ounce of pepper, half an ounce of cloves and mace, a handful of sage minced small, and a handful of salt; mingle all together, then brake in ten eggs, and but two whites; mix these eggs with the other meat, and fill the hogs guts; being filled, tie the ends, and boil them when you use them. _otherways._ you may make them of mutton, veal, or beef, keeping the order abovesaid. _to make most rare sausages without skins._ take a leg of young pork, cut off all the lean, and mince it very small, but leave none of the strings or skins amongst it; then take two pound of beef-suet shred small, two handfuls of red sage, a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg, with a small peice of an onion; mince them together with the flesh and suet, and being finely minced, put the yolks of two or three eggs, and mix all together, make it into a paste, and when you will use it, roul out as many peices as you please in the form of an ordinary sausage, and fry them. this paste will keep a fortnight upon occasion. _otherways._ stamp half the meat and suet, and mince the other half, and season them as the former. _to make links._ take the fillet or a leg of pork, and cut it into dice work, with some of the fleak of the pork cut in the same form, season the meat with cloves, mace and pepper, a handful of sage fine minced, with a handful of salt; mingle all together, fill the guts and hang them in the air, and boil them when you spend them. these links will serve to stew with divers kinds of meats. * * * * * * * * * section ii. _an hundred and twelve excellent wayes for the dressing of beef._ _to boil oxe-cheeks._ take them and bone them, soak them in fair water four or five hours, then wash out the blood very clean, pair off the ruff of the mouth, and take out the balls of the eyes; then stuff them with sweet herbs, hard eggs, and fat, or beef-suet, pepper, and salt; mingle all together, and stuff them on the inside, prick both the insides together; then boil them amongst the other beef, and being very tender boild, serve them on brewis with interlarded bacon and _bolonia_ sausages, or boiled links made of pork on the cheeks, cut the bacon in thin slices, serve them with saucers of mustard, or with green sauce. _to dress oxe-cheeks otherways._ take out the bones and the balls of the eyes, make the mouth very clean, soak it, and wash out the blood; then wipe it dry with a clean cloath, and season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; then put it in a pipkin or earthen pan, with two or three great onions, some cloves, and mace, cut the jaw bones in pieces, & cut out the teeth, lay the bones on the top of the meat, then put to it half a pint of claret wine, and half as much water; close up the pot or pan with a course piece of paste, and set it a baking in an oven over night for to serve next day at dinner, serve it on toasts of fine manchet fried, then have boil'd carrots and lay on it with toasts of manchet laid round the dish; as also fried greens to garnish it, and run it over with beaten butter. this way you may also dress a leg of beef. _or thus._ take them and cleanse them as before, then roast them, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, save the gravy, and being roasted put them in a pipkin with some claret wine, large mace, a clove or two, and some strong broth, stew them till they be very tender, then put to them some fryed onions, and some prunes, and serve them on toasts of fried bread, or slices of french bread, and slices of orange on them, garnish the dish with grated bread. _to dress oxe cheeks in stofado, or the spanish fashion._ take the cheeks, bone them and cleanse them, then lay them in steep in claret or white-wine, and wine vinegar, whole cloves, mace, beaten pepper, salt, slic't nutmeg, slic't ginger, and six or seven cloves of garlick, steep them the space of five or six hours, and close them up in an earthen pot or pan, with a piece of paste, and the same liquor put to it, set it a baking over night for next day dinner, serve it on toasts of fine manchet fried: then have boil'd carrots and lay on it, with the toasts of manchet laid round the dish: garnish it with slic't lemons or oranges, and fried toasts, and garnish the dish with bay-leaves. _to marinate oxe-cheeks._ being boned, roast or stew them very tender in a pipkin with some claret, slic't nutmegs, pepper, salt, and wine-vinegar; being tender stewed, take them up, and put to the liquor in a pipkin a quart of wine-vinegar, and a quart of white-wine, boil it with some bay leaves, whole pepper, a bundle of rosemary, tyme, sweet marjoram, savory, sage, and parsley, bind them very hard the streightest sprigs, boil also in the liquor large mace, cloves, slic't ginger, slic't nutmegs and salt; then put the cheeks into the barrel, and put the liquor to them, and some slic't lemons, close up the head and keep them. thus you may do four or five heads together, and serve them hot or cold. _oxe cheeks in sallet._ take oxe cheeks being boned and cleansed, steep them in claret, white-wine, or wine vinegar all night, the next day season them with nutmegs, cloves, pepper, mace, and salt, roul them up, boil them tender in water, vinegar, and salt, then press them, and being cold, slice them in thin slices, and serve them in a clean dish with oyl and vinegar. _to bake oxe cheeks in a pasty or pie._ take them being boned and soaked, boil them tender in fair water, and cleanse them, take out the balls of the eyes, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then have some beef-suet and some buttock beef minced and laid for a bed, then lay the cheeks on it, and a few whole cloves, make your pastie in good crust; to a gallon of flower, two pound and a half of butter, five eggs whites and all, work the butter and eggs up dry into the flower, then put in a little fair water to make it up into a stiff paste, and work up all cold. _to dress pallets, noses, and lips of any beast, steer, oxe, or calf._ take the pallats, lips, or noses, and boil them very tender, then blanch them, and cut them in little square pieces as broad as a sixpence, or like lard, fry them in sweet butter, and being fryed, pour away the butter, and put to it some anchovies, grated nutmeg, mutton gravy, and salt; give it a warm on the fire, and then dish it in a clean dish with the bottom first rubbed with a clove of garlick, run it over with beaten butter, juyce of oranges, fried parsley, or fried marrow in yolks of two eggs, and sage leaves. sometimes add yolks of eggs strained, and then it is a fricase. _otherways._ take the pallets, lips, or noses, and boil them very tender, blanch them, and cut them two inches long, then take some interlarded bacon and cut it in the like proportion, season the pallets with salt, and broil them on paper; being tender broil'd put away the fat, and put them in a dish being rubbed with a clove of garlick, put some mutton gravy to them on a chaffing dish of coals, and some juyce of orange, _&c._ _to fricase pallets._ take beef pallets being tender boil'd and blanched, season them with beaten cloves, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and some grated bread; then the pan being ready over the fire, with some good butter fry them brown, then put them in a dish, put to them good mutton gravy, and dissolve two or three anchovies in the sauce, a little grated nutmeg, and some juyce of lemons, and serve them up hot. _to stew pallets, lips, and noses._ take them being tender boild and blanched, put them into a pipkin, and cut to the bigness of a shilling, put to them some small cucumbers pickled, raw calves udders, some artichocks, potatoes boil'd or musk-mellon in square pieces, large mace, two or three whole cloves, some small links or sausages, sweetbreads of veal, some larks, or other small birds, as sparrows, or ox-eyes, salt, butter, strong broth, marrow, white-wine, grapes, barberries, or gooseberries, yolks of hard eggs, and stew them all together, serve them on toasts of fine french bread, and slic't lemon; sometimes thicken the broth with yolks of strained eggs and verjuyce. _to marinate pallets, noses, and lips._ take them being tender boil'd and blancht, fry them in sweet sallet oyl, or clarified butter, and being fryed make a pickle for them with whole pepper, large mace, cloves, slic't ginger, slic't nutmeg, salt and a bundle of sweet herbs, as rosemary, tyme, bay-leaves, sweet marjoram, savory, parsley, and sage; boil the spices and herbs in wine vinegar and white-wine, then put them in a barrel with the pallets, lips and noses, and lemons, close them up for your use, and serve them in a dish with oyl. _to dress pallets, lips, and noses, with collops of mutton and bacon._ take them being boild tender & blanch'd, cut them as broad as a shilling, as also some thin collops of interlarded bacon, and of a leg of mutton, finely hack'd with the back of a knife, fry them all together with some butter, and being finely fried, put out the butter, and put unto it some gravy, or a little mutton broth, salt, grated nutmeg, and a dissolved anchove; give it a warm over the fire and dish it, but rub the dish with a clove of garlick, and then run it over with butter, juyce of orange; and salt about the dish. _to make a pottage of beef pallets._ take beef pallets that are tender boi'd and blanched, cut each pallet in two pieces, and set them a stewing between two dishes with a fine piece of interlarded bacon, a handful of champignions, and five or six sweet-breads of veal, a ladle full of strong broth, and as much mutton gravy, an onion or two, two or three cloves, a blade or two of large mace, and an orange; as the pallets stew make ready a dish with the bottoms and tops of french bread slic't and steeped in mutton gravy, and the broth the pallets were stewed in; then you must have the marrow of two or three beef bones stewed in a little strong broth by it self in good big gobbets: and when the pallets, marrow, sweet-breads and the rest are enough, take out the bacon, onions, and spices, and dish up the aforesaid materials on the dish of steeped bread, lay the marrow uppermost in pieces, then wring on the juyce of two or three oranges, and serve it to the table very hot. _to rost a dish of oxe pallets with great oysters, veal, sweet-breads, lamb stones, peeping chickens, pigeons, slices of interlarded bacon, large cock-combs, and stones, marrow, pistaches, and artichocks._ take the oxe pallets and boil them tender, blanch them and cut them inches long, lard one half with smal lard, then have your chickens & pigeon peepers scalded, drawn, and trust; set them, and lard half of them; then have the lamb-stones, parboil'd and blanched, as also the combs, and cock-stones, next have interlarded bacon, and sage; but first spit the birds on a small bird-spit, and between each chicken or pigeon put on first a slice of interlarded bacon, and a sage leaf, then another slice of bacon and a sage leaf, thus do till all the birds be spitted; thus also the sweet-breads, lamb-stones, and combs, then the oysters being parboild, lard them with lard very small, and also a small larding prick, then beat the yolks of two or eggs, and mix them with a little fine grated manchet, salt, nutmeg, time, and rosemary minced very small, and when they are hot at the fire baste them often, as also the lambstones and sweet-breads with the same ingredients; then have the bottoms of artichocks ready boil'd, quartered, and fried, being first dipped in butter and kept warm, and marrow dipped in butter and fried, as also the fowls and other ingredients; then dish the fowl piled up in the middle upon another roast material round about them in the dish, but first rub the dish with a clove of garlick: the pallets by themselves, the sweet-breads by themselves, and the cocks stones, combs, and lamb-stones by themselves; then the artichocks, fryed marrow, and pistaches by themselves; then make a sauce with some claret wine, and gravy, nutmeg, oyster liquor, salt, a slic't or quartered onion, an anchove or two dissolved, and a little sweet butter, give it a warm or two, and put to it two or three slices of an orange, pour on the sauce very hot, and garnish it with slic't oranges and lemons. the smallest birds are fittest for this dish of meat, as wheat-ears, martins, larks, ox-eyes, quails, snites, or rails. _oxe pallets in jellies._ take two pair of neats or calves feet, scald them, and boil them in a pot with two gallons of water, being first very well boned, and the bone and fat between the claws taken out, and being well soaked in divers waters, scum them clean; and boil them down from two gallons to three quarts; strain the broth, and being cold take off the top and bottom, and put it into a pipkin with whole cinamon, ginger, slic't and quartered nutmeg, two or three blades of large mace, salt, three pints of white-wine, and half a pint of grape-verjuyce or rose vinegar, two pound and a half of sugar, the whites of ten eggs well beaten to froth, stir them all together in a pipkin, being well warmed and the jelly melted, put in the eggs, and set it over a charcoal-fire kindled before, stew it on that fire half an hour before you boil it up, and when it is just a boiling take it off, before you run it let it cool a little, then run it through your jelly bag once or twice; then the pallets being tender boild and blanched, cut them into dice-work with some lamb-stones, veal, sweet-breads, cock-combs, and stones, potatoes, or artichocks all cut into dice-work, preserved barberries, or calves noses, and lips, preserved quinces, dryed or green neats tongues, in the same work, or neats feet, all of these together, or any one of them; boil them in white-wine or sack, with nutmeg, slic't ginger, coriander, caraway, or fennil-seed, make several beds, or layes of these things, and run the jelly over them many times after one is cold, according as you have sorts of colours of jellies, or else put all at once; garnish it with preserved oranges, or green citron cut like lard. _to bake beef-pallets._ provide pallets, lips, and noses, boild tender and blanched, cock-stones, and combs, or lamb stones, and sweet-breads cut into pieces, scald the stones, combs, and pallets slic't or in pieces as big as the lamb stones, half a pint of great oysters parboil'd in their own liquor, quarter'd dates, pistaches a handful, or pine kernels, a few pickled broom buds, some fine interlarded bacon slic't in thin slices being also scalded, ten chestnuts roasted & blanched; season all these together with salt, nutmeg, and a good quantity of large mace, fill the pie, and put to it good butter, close it up and bake it, make liquor for it, then beat some butter, and three or four yolks of eggs with white or claret wine, cut up the lid, and pour it on the meat, shaking it well together, then lay on slic't lemon and pickled barberries, _&c._ _to dress a neats-tongue boil'd divers ways._ take a neats-tongue of three or four days powdering, being tender boil'd, serve it on cheat bread for brewis, dish on the tongue in halves or whole, and serve an udder with it being of the same powdering and salting, finely blanched, put to them the clear fat of the beef on the tongue, and white sippets round the dish, run them over with beaten butter, _&c._ _otherways._ for greater service two udders and two tongues finely blanched and served whole. sometimes for variety you may make brewis with some fresh beef or good mutton broth, with some of the fat of the beef-pot; put it in a pipkin with some large mace, a handful of parsley and sorrel grosly chopped, and some pepper, boil them together, and scald the bread, then lay on the boil'd tongue, mace, and some of the herbs, run it over with beaten butter, slic't lemon, gooseberries, barberries, or grapes. or for change, put some pared turnips boiling in fair water, & being tender boil'd, drain the water from them, dish them in a clean dish, and run them over with beaten butter, dish your tongues and udders on them, and your colliflowers on the tongues and udders, run them over with beaten butter; or in place of colliflowers, carrots in thin quarters, or sometimes on turnips and great boil'd onions, or butter'd cabbidge and carrots, or parsnips, and carrots buttered. _neats tongues and a fresh udder in stoffado._ season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then lard them with great lard, and steep them all night in claret-wine, wine vinegar, slic't nutmegs and ginger, whole cloves, beaten pepper, and salt; steep them in an earthen pot or pan, and cover or close them up, bake them, and serve them on sops of french bread, and the spices over them with some slic't lemon, and sausages or none. _neats tongues stewed whole or in halves._ take them being tender boil'd, and fry them whole or in halves, put them in a pipkin with some gravy or mutton-broth, large mace, slic't nutmeg, pepper, claret, a little wine vinegar, butter, and salt; stew them well together, and being almost stewed, put to the meat two or three slices of orange, sparagus, skirrets, chesnuts, and serve them on fine sippets; run them over with beaten butter, slic't lemon, and boil'd marrow over all. sometimes for the broth put some yolks of eggs, beaten with grape-verjuyce. _to stew a neats tongue otherwayes._ make a hole in the but-end of it, and mince it with some fat bacon or beef-suet, season it with nutmeg, salt, the yolk of a raw egg, some sweet herbs minced small, & grated parmisan, or none, some pepper, or ginger, and mingle all together, fill the tongue and wrap it in a caul of veal, boil it till it will blanch, and being blancht, wrap about it some of the searsing with a caul of veal; then put it in a pipkin with some claret and gravy, cloves, salt, pepper, some grated bread, sweet herbs chopped small, fried onions, marrow boild in strong broth, and laid over all, some grapes, gooseberries, slic't orange or lemon, and serve it on sippets, run it over with beaten butter, and stale grated manchet to garnish the dish. or sometimes in a broth called _brodo lardiero_. _to hash or stew a neats tongue divers wayes._ take a neats-tongue being tender boil'd and blancht, slice it into thin slices, as big and as thick as a shilling, fry it in sweet butter; and being fried, put to it some strong broth, or good mutton-gravy, some beaten cloves, mace, nutmeg, salt, and saffron; stew them well together, then have some yolks of eggs dissolved with grape verjuyce, and put them into the pan, give them a toss or two, and the gravy and eggs being pretty thick, dish it on fine sippets. or make the same, and none of those spices, but only cinamon, sugar, and saffron. sometimes sliced as aforesaid, but in slices no bigger nor thicker than a three pence, and used in all points as before, but add some onions fried, with the tongue, some mushrooms, nutmegs, and mace; and being well stewed, serve it on fine sippets, but first rub the dish with a clove of garlick, and run all over with beaten butter, a shred lemon, and a spoonful of fair water. sometimes you may add some boil'd chesnuts, sweet herbs, capers, marrow, and grapes or barberries. or stew them with raisins put in a pipkin, with the sliced tongue, mace, slic't dates, blanched almonds, or pistaches, marrow, claret-wine, butter, salt, verjuyce, sugar, strong broth, or gravy; and being well stewed, dissolve the yolks of six eggs with vinegar or grape verjuyce, and dish it up on fine sippets, slic't lemon, and beaten butter over all. _to marinate a neats-tongue either whole or in halves._ take seven or eight neats-tongues, or heifer, calves, sheeps, or any tongues, boil them till they will blanch; and being blanched, lard them or not lard them, as you please; then put them in a barrel, then make a pickle of whole pepper, slic't ginger, whole cloves, slic't nutmegs, and large mace: next have a bundle of sweet herbs, as tyme, rosemary; bay-leaves, sage-leaves, winter-savory, sweet marjoram, and parsley; take the streightest sprigs of these herbs that you can get, and bind them up hard in a bundle every sort by it self, and all into one; then boil these spices and herbs in as much wine vinegar and white wine as will fill the vessel where the tongues are, and put some salt and slic't lemons to them; close them up being cold, and keep them for your use upon any occasion; serve them with some of the spices, liquor, sweet herbs, sallet oyl, and slic't lemon or lemon-peel, pack them close. _to fricase neats-tongues._ being tender boil'd, slice them into thin slices, and fry them with sweet butter; being fried put away the butter, and put to them some strong gravy or broth, nutmeg, pepper, salt, some sweet herbs chopped small, as tyme, savory, sweet marjoram, and parsley; stew them well together, then dissolve some yolks of eggs with wine-vinegar or grape-verjuyce, some whole grapes or barberries. for the thickening use fine grated manchet, or almond-paste strained, and some times put saffron to it. thus you may fricase any udder being tender boil'd, as is before-said. _to dress neats-tongues in brodo lardiero, or the italian way._ boil a neats-tongue in a pipkin whole, halves, or in gubbings till it may be blanched, cover it close, and put to it two or three blades of large mace, with some strong mutton or beef broth, some sack or white-wine, and some slices of interlarded bacon, scum it when it boils, and put to it large mace, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, raisins, two or three whole cloves, currans, prune, sage-leaves, saffron, and divers cherries; stew it well, and serve it in a fine clean scoured dish, on slices of french-bread. _to dress neats-tongues, as beefs noses, lips, and pallets._ take neats-tongues, being tender boild and blancht, slice them thin, and fry them in sweet butter, being fried put away the butter, and put to them anchovies, grated nutmeg, mutton gravy, and salt; give them a warm over the fire, and serve them in a clean scoured dish: but first rub the dish with a clove of garlick, and run the meat over with some beaten butter, juyce of oranges, fried parsley, fried marrow, yolks of eggs, and sage leaves. _to hash a neats-tongue whole or in slices._ boil it tender and blanch it, then slice it into thin slices, or whole, put to it some boil'd or roast chesnuts, some strong broth, whole cloves, pepper, salt, claret wine, large mace and a bundle of sweet herbs; stew them all together very leisurely, and being stewed serve it on fine carved sippets, either with slic't lemon, grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, and run it over with beaten butter. _to dry neats tongues._ take salt beaten very fine, and salt-peter of each alike, rub your tongues very well with the salts, and cover them all over with it, and as it wasts, put on more, when they are hard and stiff they are enough, then roul them in bran, and dry them before a soft fire, before you boil them, let them lie in pump water one night, and boil them in pump water. otherways powder them with bay-salt, and being well smoakt, hang them up in a garret or cellar, and let them come no more at the fire till they be boil'd. _to prepare a neats-tongue or udder to roast, a stag, hind, buck, doe, sheep, hog, goat, kid, or calf._ boil them tender and blanch them, being cold lard them, or roast them plain without lard, baste them with butter, and serve them on gallendine sauce. _to roast a neats tongue._ take a neats-tongue being tender boil'd, blanched, and cold, cut a hole in the but-end, and mince the meat that you take out, then put some sweet herbs finely minced to it, with a minced pippin or two, the yolks of eggs slic't, some minced beef-suet, or minced bacon, beaten ginger and salt, fill the tongue, and stop the end with a caul of veal, lard it and roast it; then make sauce with butter, nutmeg, gravy, and juyce of oranges; garnish the dish with slic't lemon, lemon peel and barberries. _to roast a neats-tongue or udder otherways._ boil it a little, blanch it, lard it with pretty big lard all the length of the tongue, as also udders; being first seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, cinamon, and ginger, then spit and roast them, and baste them with sweet butter; being rosted, dress them with grated bread and flower, and some of the spices abovesaid, some sugar, and serve it with juyce of oranges, sugar, gravy, and slic't lemon on it. _to make minced pies of a neats tongue._ take a fresh neats-tongue, boil, blanch, and mince it hot or cold, then mince four pound of beef-suet by it self, mingle them together, and season them with an ounce of cloves and mace beaten, some salt, half a preserved orange, and a little lemon-peel minced, with a quarter of a pound of sugar, four pound of currans, a little verjuyce, and rose-water, and a quarter of a pint of sack, stir all together, and fill your pies. _to bake neats tongues to eat cold, according to these figures._ take the tongues being tender boil'd and blanched, leave on the fat of the roots of the tongue, and season them well with nutmeg, pepper, and salt; but first lard them with pretty big lard, and put them in the pie with some whole cloves and some butter, close them and bake them in fine or course paste, made only of boiling liquor and flour, and baste the crust with eggs, pack the crust very close in the filling with the raw beef or mutton. _to bake two neats-tongues in a pie to eat hot, according to these figures._ take one of the tongues, and mince it raw, then boil the other very tender, blanch it, and cut it into pieces as big as a walnut, lard them with small lard being cold & seasoned; then have another tongue being raw, take out the meat, and mince it with some beef-suet or lard: then lay some of the minced tongues in the bottom of the pie, and the pieces on it; then make balls of the other meat as big as the pieces of tongue, with some grated bread, cream, yolks of eggs, bits of artichocks, nutmeg, salt, pepper, a few sweet herbs, and lay them in a pie with some boild artichocks, marrow, grapes, chesnuts blanch't, slices of interlarded bacon, and butter; close it up & bake it, then liquor it with verjuyce, gravy, and yolks of eggs. _to bake a neats tongue hot otherways._ boil a fresh tongue very tender, and blanch it; being cold slice it into thin slices, and season it lightly with pepper, nutmeg, cinamon, and ginger finely beaten; then put into the pie half a pound of currans, lay the meat on, and dates in halves, the marrow of four bones, large mace, grapes, or barberries, and butter; close it up and bake it, and being baked, liquor it with white or claret wine, butter, sugar, and ice it. _otherways._ boil it very tender, and being blanched and cold, take out some of the meat at the but-end, mince it with some beef-suet, and season it with pepper, ginger beaten fine, salt, currans, grated bread, two or three yolks of eggs, raisins minced, or in place of currans, a little cream, a little orange minced, also sweet herbs chopped small: then fill the tongue and season it with the foresaid spices, wrap it in a caul of veal, and put some thin slices of veal under the tongue, as also thin slices of interlarded bacon, and on the top large mace, marrow, and barberries, and butter over all; close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it, and ice it with butter, sugar, white-wine, or grape-verjuyce. for the paste a pottle of flower, and make it up with boiling liquor, and half a pound of butter. _to roast a chine, rib, loin, brisket, or fillet of beef._ draw them with parsley, rosemary, tyme, sweet marjoram, sage, winter savory, or lemon, or plain without any of them, fresh or salt, as you please; broach it, or spit it, roast it and baste it with butter; a good chine of beef will ask six hours roasting. for the sauce take strait tops of rosemary, sage-leaves, picked parsley, tyme, and sweet marjoram; and strew them in wine vinegar, and the beef gravy; or otherways with gravy and juyce of oranges and lemons. sometimes for change in saucers of vinegar and pepper. _to roast a fillet of beef._ take a fillet which is the tenderest part of the beef, and lieth in the inner part of the surloyn, cut it as big as you can, broach it on a broach not too big, and be careful not to broach it through the best of the meat, roast it leisurely, & baste it with sweet butter, set a dish to save the gravy while it roasts, then prepare sauce for it of good store of parsley, with a few sweet herbs chopp'd smal, the yolks of three or four eggs, sometimes gross pepper minced amongst them with the peel of an orange, and a little onion; boil these together, and put in a little butter, vinegar, gravy, a spoonful of strong broth, and put it to the beef. _otherways._ sprinkle it with rose-vinegar, claret-wine, elder-vinegar, beaten cloves, nutmeg, pepper, cinamon, ginger, coriander-seed, fennil-seed, and salt; beat these things fine, and season the fillet with it, then roast it, and baste it with butter, save the gravy, and blow off the fat, serve it with juyce of orange or lemon, and a little elder-vinegar. _or thus._ powder it one night, then stuff it with parsley, tyme, sweet marjoram, beets, spinage, and winter-savory, all picked and minced small, with the yolks of hard eggs mixt amongst some pepper, stuff it and roast it, save the gravy and stew it with the herbs, gravy, as also a little onion, claret wine, and the juyce of an orange or two; serve it hot on this sauce, with slices of orange on it, lemons, or barberries. _to stew a fillet of beef in the italian fashion._ take a young tender fillet of beef, and take away all the skins and sinews clean from it, put to it some good white-wine (that is not too sweet) in a bowl, wash it, and crush it well in the wine, then strow upon it a little pepper, and a powder called _tamara_ in italian, and as much salt as will season it, mingle them together very well, and put to it as much white-wine as will cover it, lay a trencher upon it to keep it down in a close pan with a weight on it, and let it steep two nights and a day; then take it out and put it into a pipkin with some good beef-broth, but put none of the pickle to it, but only beef-broth, and that sweet, not salt; cover it close, and set it on the embers, then put to it a few whole cloves and mace, let it stew till it be enough, it will be very tender, and of an excellent taste; serve it with the same broth as much as will cover it. to make this _tamara_, take two ounces of coriander-seed, an ounce of anniseed, an ounce of fennel-seed, two ounces of cloves, and an ounce of cinamon; beat them into a gross powder, with a little powder of winter-savory, and put them into a viol-glass to keep. _to make an excellent pottage called skinke._ take a leg of beef, and chop it into three pieces, then boil it in a pot with three pottles of spring-water, a few cloves, mace, and whole pepper: after the pot is scum'd put in a bundle of sweet morjoram, rosemary, tyme, winter-savory, sage, and parsley bound up hard, some salt, and two or three great onions whole, then about an hour before dinner put in three marrow bones and thicken it with some strained oatmeal, or manchet slic't and steeped with some gravy, strong broth, or some of the pottage; then a little before you dish up the skinke, put into it a little fine powder of saffron, and give it a warm or two: dish it on large slices of french bread, and dish the marrow bones on them in a fine clean large dish; then have two or three manchets cut into toasts, and being finely toasted, lay on the knuckle of beef in the middle of the dish, the marrow bones round about it, and the toasts round about the dish brim, serve it hot. _to stew a rump, or the fat end of a brisket of beef in the french fashion._ take a rump of beef, boil it & scum it clean in a stewing pan or broad mouthed pipkin, cover it close, & let it stew an hour; then put to it some whole pepper, cloves, mace, and salt, scorch the meat with your knife to let out the gravy, then put in some claret-wine, and half a dozen of slic't onions; having boiled, an hour after put in some capers, or a handfull of broom-buds, and half a dozen of cabbidge-lettice being first parboil'd in fair water, and quartered, two or three spoonfuls of wine vinegar, and as much verjuyce, and let it stew till it be tender; then serve it on sippets of french bread, and dish it on those sippets; blow the fat clean off the broth, scum it, and stick it with fryed bread. _a turkish dish of meat._ take an interlarded piece of beef, cut it into thin slices, and put it into a pot that hath a close cover, or stewing-pan; then put it into a good quantity of clean picked rice, skin it very well, and put it into a quantity of whole pepper, two or three whole onions, and let this boil very well, then take out the onions, and dish it on sippets, the thicker it is the better. _to boil a chine, rump, surloin, brisket, rib, flank, buttock, or fillet of beef poudered._ take any of these, and give them in summer a weeks powdering, in winter a fortnight, stuff them or plain; if you stuff them, do it with all manner of sweet herbs, fat beef minced, and some nutmeg; serve them on brewis, with roots of cabbidge boil'd in milk, with beaten butter. _&c._ _to pickle roast beef, chine, surloin, rib, brisket, flank, or neats-tongues._ take any of the foresaid beef, as chine or fore-rib, & stuff it with penniroyal, or other sweet herbs, or parsley minced small, and some salt, prick in here & there a few whole cloves, roast it; and then take claret wine, wine vinegar, whole pepper, rosemary, and bayes, and tyme, bound up close in a bundle, and boil'd in some claret-wine, and wine-vinegar, make the pickle, and put some salt to it; then pack it up close in a barrel that will but just hold it, put the pickle to it, close it on the head, and keep it for your use. _to stew beef in gobbets, in the french fashion._ take a flank of beef, or any part but the leg, cut it into slices or gobbits as big as a pullets egg, with some gobbits of fat, and boil it in a pot or pipkin with some fair spring water, scum it clean, and put to it an hour after it hath boil'd carrots, parsnips, turnips, great onions, salt, some cloves, mace, and whole pepper, cover it close, and stew it till it be very tender; then half an hour before dinner, put into it some picked tyme, parsley, winter-savory, sweet marjoram, sorrel and spinage, (being a little bruised with the back of a ladle) and some claret-wine; then dish it on fine sippets, and serve it to the table hot, garnish it with grapes, barberries, or gooseberries, sometimes use spices, the bottoms of boil'd artichocks put into beaten butter, and grated nutmeg, garnished with barberries. _stewed collops of beef._ take some of the buttock of beef, and cut it into thin slices cross the grain of the meat, then hack them and fry them in sweet butter, and being fryed fine and brown put them in a pipkin with some strong broth, a little claret wine, and some nutmeg, stew it very tender; and half an hour before you dish it, put to it some good gravy, elder-vinegar, and a clove or two; when you serve it, put some juyce of orange, and three or four slices on it, stew down the gravy somewhat thick, and put into it when you dish it some beaten butter. _olives of beef stewed and roast._ take a buttock of beef, and cut some of it into thin slices as broad as your hand, then hack them with the back of a knife, lard them with small lard, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then make a farsing with some sweet herbs, tyme, onions, the yolks of hard eggs, beef-suet or lard all minced, some salt, barberries, grapes or gooseberris, season it with the former spices lightly, and work it up together, then lay it on the slices, and roul them up round with some caul of veal, beef, or mutton, bake them in a dish within the oven, or roast them, then put them in a pipkin with some butter, and saffron, or none; blow off the fat from the gravy, and put it to them, with some artichocks, potato's, or skirrets blanched, being first boil'd, a little claret-wine, and serve them on sippets with some slic't orange, lemon, barberries, grapes or gooseberries. _to make a hash of raw beef._ mince it very small with some beef-suet or lard, and some sweet herbs, some beaten cloves and mace, pepper, nutmeg and a whole onion or two, stew all together in a pipkin, with some blanched chesnuts, strong broth, and some claret; let it stew softly the space of three hours, that it may be very tender, then blow off the fat, dish it, and serve it on sippets, garnish it with barberries, grapes, or gooseberries. _to make a hash of beef otherways._ take some of the buttock, cut it into thin slices, and hack them with the back of your knife, then fry them with sweet butter, and being fried put them into a pipkin with some claret, strong broth, or gravy, cloves, mace, pepper, salt, and sweet butter; being tender stewed serve them on fine sippets, with slic't lemon, grapes, barberries, or goosberries, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. _otherways._ cut some buttock-beef into thin slices, and hack it with the back of a knife, then have some slices of interlarded bacon; stew them together in a pipkin, with some gravy, claret-wine, and strong broth, cloves, mace, pepper, and salt; being tender stewed, serve it on french bread sippets. _otherways._ being roasted and cold cut it into very fine thin slices, then put some gravy to it, nutmeg, salt, a little thin slic't onion, and claret-wine, stew it in a pipkin, and being well stewed dish it and serve it up, run it over with beaten butter and slic't lemon, garnish the dish with sippets, _&c._ _carbonadoes of beef, raw, roasted, or toasted._ take a fat surloin, or the fore-rib, and cut it into steaks half an inch thick, sprinkle it with salt, and broil it on the embers on a very temperate fire, and in an hour it will be broild enough; then serve it with gravy, and onions minced and boil'd in vinegar, and pepper, or juyce of oranges, nutmeg, and gravy, or vinegar, and pepper only, or gravy alone. or steep the beef in claret wine, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and broil them as the former, boil up the gravy where it was steeped, and serve it for sauce with beaten butter. as thus you may also broil or toast the sweet-breads when they are new, and serve them with gravy. _to carbonado, broil or toast beef in the italian fashion._ take the ribs, cut them into steaks & hack them, then season them with pepper, salt, and coriander-seed, being first sprinkled with rose-vinegar, or elder vinegar, then lay them one upon another in a dish the space of an hour, and broil or toast them before the fire, and serve them with the gravy that came from them, or juyce of orange and the gravy boild together. thus also you may do heifers' udders, oxe-cheeks, or neats-tongues, being first tender broild or roasted. in this way also you may make scotch collops in thin slices, hack them with your knife, being salted, and fine and softly broil'd serve them with gravy. _beef fried divers ways, raw or roasted._ . cut it in slices half an inch thick, and three fingers broad, salt it a little, and being hacked with the back of your knife, fry it in butter with a temperate fire. . cut the other a quarter of an inch thick; and fry it as the former. . cut the other collop to fry as thick as half a crown, and as long as a card: hack them and fry them as the former, but fry them not to hard. thus you may fry sweetbreads of the beef. _beef fried otherways, being roasted and cold._ slice it into good big slices, then fry them in butter, and serve them with butter and vinegar, garnish them with fried parsley. _sauces for the raw fried beef._ . beaten butter, with slic't lemon beaten together. . gravy and butter. . mustard, butter, and vinegar. . butter, vinegar, minced capers, and nutmeg. for the garnish of this fried meat, either parsley, sage, clary, onions, apples, carrots, parsnips, skirrets, spinage, artichocks, pears, quinces, slic't oranges, or lemons, or fry them in butter. thus you may fry sweet-breads, udders, and tongues in any of the foresaid ways, with the same sauces and garnish. _to bake beef in lumps several ways, or tongues in lumps raw, or heifer udders raw or boil'd._ take the buttock, brisket, fillet, or fore-rib, cut it into gobbets as big as a pullets egg, with some equal gobbets of fat, season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and bake them with some butter or none. make the paste with a quarter of a pound of butter, and boiling liquor, boil the butter in the liquor, make up the paste quick and pretty stiff for a round pie. _to bake beef, red-deer-fashion in pies or pasties either surloin, brisket, buttock, or fillet, larded or not._ take the surloin, bone it, and take off the great sinew that lies on the back, lard the leanest parts of it with great lard, being season'd with nutmegs, pepper, and lard three pounds; then have for the seasoning four ounces of pepper, four ounces of nutmegs, two ounces of ginger, and a pound of salt, season it and put it into the pie: but first lay a bed of good sweet butter, and a bay-leaf or two, half an ounce of whole cloves, lay on the venison, then put on all the rest of the seasoning, with a few more cloves, good store of butter, and a bay-leaf or two, close it up and bake it, it will ask eight hours soaking, being baked and cold, fill it up with clarified butter, serve it, and a very good judgment shall not know it from red deer. make the paste either fine or course to bake it hot or cold; if for hot half the seasoning, and bake it in fine paste. to this quantity of flesh you may have three gallons of fine flower heapt measure, and three pound of butter; but the best way to bake red deer, is to bake it in course paste either in pie or pasty, make it in rye meal to keep long. otherways, you may make it of meal as it comes from the mill, and make it only of boiling water, and no stuff in it. _otherways to be eaten cold._ take two stone of buttock beef, lard it with great lard, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and the lard, then steep it in a bowl, tray, or earthen pan, with some wine-vinegar, cloves, mace, pepper, and two or three bay-leaves: thus let it steep four or five days, and turn it twice or thrice a day: then take it and season it with cloves, mace, pepper, nutmeg, and salt; put it into a pot with the back-side downward, with butter under it, and season it with a good thick coat of seasoning, and some butter on it, then close it up and bake it, it will ask six or seven hours baking. being baked draw it, and when it is cold pour out the gravy, and boil it again in a pipkin, and pour it on the venison, then fill up the pot with the clarified butter, _&c._ _to make minced pies of beef._ take of the buttock of beef, cleanse it from the skins, and cut it into small pieces, then take half as much more beef-suet as the beef, mince them together very small, and season them with pepper, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and salt; then have half as much fruit as meat, three pound of raisins, four pound of currans, two pound of prunes, _&c._ or plain without fruit, but only seasoned with the same spices. _to make a collar of beef._ take the thinnest end of a coast of beef, boil it a little and lay in pump water, & a little salt three days, shifting it once a day; the last day put a pint of claret wine to it, and when you take it out of the water let it lie two or three hours a draining; then cut it almost to the end in three slices, and bruise a little cochinel and a very little allum, and mingle it with a very little claret wine, colour the meat all over with it; then take a douzen of anchoves, wash and bone them, lay them on the beef, & season it with cloves, pepper, mace, two handfuls of salt, a little sweet marjoram, and tyme; & when you make it up, roull the innermost slice first, & the other two upon it, being very well seasoned every where and bind it up hard with tape, then put it into a stone pot a little bigger than the collar, and pour upon it a pint of claret wine, and half a pint of wine vinegar, a sprig of rosemary, and a few bay-leaves; bake it very well, and before it be quite cold, take it out of the pot, and you may keep it dry as long as you please. _to bake a flank of beef in a collar._ take flank of beef, and lay it in pump water four days and nights, shift it twice a day, then take it out & dry it very well with clean cloaths, cut it in three layers, and take out the bones and most of the fat; then take three handfuls of salt, and good store of sage chopped very small, mingle them, and strew it between the three layers, and lay them one upon another; then take an ounce of cloves and mace, and another of nutmegs, beat them very well, and stew it between the layers of beef, roul it up close together, then take some packthred and tie it up very hard, put it in a long earthen pot, which is made of purpose for that use, tie up the top of the pot with cap paper, and set it in an oven; let it stand eight hours, when you draw it, and being between hot and cold, bind it up round in a cloth, tie it fast at both ends with packthred, and hang it up for your use. sometimes for variety you may use slices of bacon btwixt the layers, and in place of sage sweet herbs, and sometimes cloves of garlick. or powder it in saltpeter four or five days, then wash it off, roul it and use the same spices as abovesaid, and serve it with mustard and sugar, or gallendine. _to stuff beef with parsley to serve cold._ pick the parsley very fine and short, then mince some suet not to small, mingle it with the parsley, and make little holes in ranks, fill them hard and full, and being boiled and cold, slice it into thin slices, and serve it with vinegar and green parsley. _to make udders either in pie or pasty, according to these figures._ take a young udder and lard it with great lard, being seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, cloves, and mace, boil it tender, and being cold wrap it in a caul of veal, but first season it with the former spices and salt; put it in the pie with some slices of veal under it, season them, and some also on the top, with some slices of lard and butter; close it up, and being baked, liquor it with clarified butter. thus for to eat cold; if hot, liquor it with white-wine, gravy and butter. _to bake a heifers udder in the italian fashion._ the udder being boil'd tender, and cold, cut it into dice-work like small dice, and season them with some cloves, mace, cinamon, ginger, salt, pistaches, or pine-kernels, some dates, and bits of marrow; season the aforesaid materials lightly and fit, make your pie not above an inch high, like a custard, and of custard-paste, prick it, and dry it in the oven, and put in the abovesaid materials; put to it also some custard-stuff made of good cream, ten eggs, and but three whites, sugar, salt, rose-water, and some dissolved musk; bake it and stick it with slic't dates, canded pistaches, and scrape fine sugar on it. otherways, boil the udder very tender, & being cold slice it into thin slices, as also some thin slices of parmisan & interlarded bacon, some sweet herbs chopt small, some currans, cinamon, nutmeg, sugar, rose-water, and some butter, make three bottoms of the aforesaid things in a dish, patty-pan, or pie, with a cut cover, and being baked, scrape sugar on it, or rice it. _otherways to eat hot._ take an udder boil'd and cold, slice it into thin slices, and season it with pepper, cinamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt, mingle some currans among the slices and fill the pie; put some dates on the top, large mace, barberries, or grapes, butter, and the marrow of marrow-bones, close it up and bake it, being baked ice it; but before you ice it, liquor it with butter, verjuyce and sugar. _to stew calves or neats feet._ boil and blanch them, then part them in halves, and put them into a pipkin with some strong broth, a little powder of saffron, sweet butter, pepper, sugar, and some sweet herbs finely minced, let them stew an hour and serve them with a little grape verjuyce, stewed among them. neats feet being soust serve them cold with mustard. _to make a fricase of neats-feet._ take them being boild and blancht, fricase them with some butter, and being finely fried make a sauce with six yolks of eggs, dissolved with some wine-vinegar, grated nutmeg, and salt. _otherways._ first bone and prick them clean, then being boiled, blanched, or cold, cut them into gubbings, and put them in a frying-pan with a ladle-full of strong broth, a piece of butter, and a little salt; after they have fried awhile, put to them a little chopt parsley, green chibbolds, young spear-mint, and tyme, all shred very small, with a little beaten pepper: being almost fried, make a lear for them with the yolks of four or five eggs, some mutton gravy, a little nutmeg, and the juyce of a lemon wrung therein; put this lear to the neats feet as they fry in the pan, then toss them once or twice, and so serve them. _neats feet larded, and roasted on a spit._ take neats feet being boil'd, cold, and blanched, lard them whole, and then roast them, being roasted, serve them with venison sauce made of claret wine, wine-vinegar, and toasts of houshold bread strained with the wine through a strainer, with some beaten cinamon and ginger, put it in a dish or pipkin, and boil it on the fire, with a few whole cloves, stir it with a sprig of rosemary, and make it not too thick. _to make black puddings of beefers blood._ take the blood of a beefer when it is warm, put in some salt, and then strain it, and when it is through cold put in the groats of oatmeal well pic't, and let it stand soaking all night, then put in some sweet herbs, pennyroyal, rosemary, tyme, savoury, fennil, or fennil-seed, pepper, cloves, mace, nutmegs, and some cream or good new milk; then have four or five eggs well beaten, and put in the blood with good beef-suet not cut too small; mix all well together and fill the beefers guts, being first well cleansed, steeped, and scalded. _to dress a dish of tripes hot out of the pot or pan._ being tender boil'd, make a sauce with some beaten butter, gravy, pepper, mustard, and wine-vinegar, rub a dish with a clove of garlick, and dish them therein; then run the sauce over them with a little bruised garlick amongst it, and a little wine vinegar sprinkled over the meat. _to make bolonia-sausages._ take a good leg of pork, and take away all the fat, skins, and sinews, then mince and stamp it very fine in a wooden or brass mortar, weigh the meat, and to every five pound thereof take a pound of good lard cut as small as your little finger about an inch long, mingle it amongst the meat, and put to it half an ounce of whole cloves, as much beaten pepper, with the same quantity of nutmegs and mace finely beaten also, an ounce of whole carraway-seed, salt eight ounces, cocherel bruised with a little allom beaten and dissolved in sack, and stamped amongst the meat: then take beefers guts, cut of the biggest of the small guts, a yard long, and being clean scoured put them in brine a week or eight days, it strengthens and makes them tuff to hold filling. the greatest skill is in the filling of them, for if they be not well filled they will grow rusty; then being filled put them a smoaking three or four days, and hang them in the air, in some _garret_ or in a _cellar_, for they must not come any more at the fire; and in a quarter of a year they will be eatable. * * * * * * * * * section iii. _the a-la-mode ways of dressing the heads of any beasts._ _to boil a bullocks cheek in the italian way._ break the bones and steep the head in fair water, shift it, and scrape off the slime, let it lie thus in steep about twelve hours, then boil in fair water with some _bolonia_ sausage and a piece of interlarded bacon; the cheeks and the other materials being very tender boiled, dish it up and serve it with some flowers and greens on it, and mustard in saucers. _to stew bullocks cheeks._ take the cheeks being well soaked or steeped, spit and half roast them, save the gravy, and put them into a pipkin with some claret-wine, gravy, and some strong broth, slic't nutmeg, ginger, pepper, salt and some minced onions fried; stew it the space of two hours on a soft fire, and being finely stewed, serve it on carved sippets. _otherways._ take out the bones, balls of the eyes, and the ruff of the mouth, steep it well in fair water and shift it often: being well cleans'd from the blood and slime, take it out of the water, wipe it dry, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, put them in an earthen pot one upon another, and put to them a pint of claret wine, a few whole cloves, a little fair water, and two three whole onions; close up the pot and bake it, it will ask six hours bakeing; being tender baked, serve it on toasts of fine manchet. _or thus._ being baked or stewed, you may take out the bones and lay them close together, pour the liquor to them, and being cold slice them into slices, and serve them cold with mustard and sugar. _to boil a calves head._ take the head, skin, and all unflayed, scald it, and soak it in fair water a whole night or twelve hours, then take out the brains and boil them with some sage, parsley, or mint; being boil'd chop them small together, butter them and serve them in a dish with fine sippets about them, the head being finely cleansed, boil it in a clean cloth and close it up together again in the cloth; being boil'd, lay it one side by another with some fine slices of boil'd bacon, and lay some fine picked parsley upon it, with some borage or other flowers. _to hash a calves head._ take a calves head well steeped and cleansed from the blood and slime, boil it tender, then take it up and let it be through cold, cut it into dice-work, as also the brains in the same form, and some think slices interlarded bacon being first boil'd put some gooseberries to them, as also some gravy or juyce of lemon or orange, and some beaten butter; stew all together, and being finely stewed, dish it on carved sippets, and run it over with beaten butter. _otherways._ the head being boil'd and cold, slice is in to thin slices, with some onions and the brains in the same manner, then stew them in a pipkin with some gravy or strong mutton, broth, with nutmeg, some mushrooms, a little white wine and beaten butter; being well stewed together dish them on fine sippets, and garnish the meat with slic't lemon or barberries. _to souce a calves head._ first scald it and bone it, then steep it in fair water the space of six hour, dry it with a clean cloth, and season it with some salt and bruised garlick (or none) then roul it up in a collar, bind it close, and boil it in white wine, water, and salt; being boil'd keep it in that souce drink, and serve it in the collar, or slice it, and serve it with oyl, vinegar, and pepper. this dish is very rare, and to a good judgment scarce discernable. _to roast a calves head._ take a calves head, cleave it and take out the brains, skins, and blood about it, then steep them and the head in fair warm water the space of four or five hours, shift them three or four times and cleanse the head; then boil the brains, & make a pudding with some grated bread, brains, some beef-suet minced small, with some minced veal & sage; season the pudding with some cloves, mace, salt, ginger, sugar, five yolks of eggs, & saffron; fill the head with this pudding, then close it up and bind it fast with some packthread, spit it, and bind on the caul round the head with some of the pudding round about it, rost it & save the gravy, blow off the fat, and put to the gravy; for the sauce a little white-wine, a slic't nutmeg & a piece of sweet butter, the juyce of an orange, salt, and sugar. then bread up the head with some grated bread; beaten cinamon, minced lemon peel, and a little salt. _to roast a calves head with oysters._ split the head as to boil, and take out the brains washing them very well with the head, cut out the tongue, boil it a little, and blanch it, let the brains be parbol'd as well as tongue, then mince the brains and tongue, a little sage, oysters, beef-suet, very small; being finely minced, mix them together with three or four yolks of eggs, beaten ginger, pepper, nutmegs, grated bread, salt, and a little sack, if the brains and eggs make it not moist enough. this being done parboil the calves head a little in fair water, then take it up and dry it well in a cloth filling the holes where the brains and tongue lay with this farsing or pudding; bind it up close together, and spit it, then stuff it with oysters being first parboil'd in their own liquor, put them into a dish with minced tyme, parsley, mace, nutmeg, and pepper beaten very small; mix all these with a little vinegar, and the white of an egg, roul the oysters in it, and make little holes in the head, stuff it as full as you can, put the oysters but half way in, and scuer in them with sprigs of tyme, roast it and set the dish under it to save the gravy, wherein let there be oysters, sweet herbs minced, a little white-wine and slic't nutmeg. when the head is roasted set the dish wherein the sauce is on the coals to stew a little, then put in a piece of butter, the juyce of an orange, and salt, beating it up together: dish the head, and put the sauce to it, and serve it up hot to the table. _to bake a calves head in pye or pasty to eat hot or cold._ take a calves head and cleave it, then cleanse it & boil it, and being almost boil'd, take it up, & take it from the bones as whole as you can, when it is cold stuff it with sweet herbs, yolks of raw eggs, both finely minced with some lard or beef-suet, and raw veal; season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, brake two or three raw eggs into it; and work it together, and stuff the cheeks: the pie being made, season the head with the spices abovesaid, and first lay in the bottom of the pie some thin slices of veal, then lay on the head, and put on it some more seasoning, and coat it well with the spices, close it up with some butter, and bake it, being baked liquor it with clarified butter, and fill it up. if you bake the aforesaid pie to eat hot, give it but half the seasoning, and put some butter to it, with grapes, or gooseberries or barberries; then close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with gravy and butter beat up thick together; with the juyce of two oranges. _to make a calves-foot pye, or neats-foot pie, or florentine in a dish of puff-paste; but the other pye in short paste, and the dish of puff._ take two pair of calves feet, and boil them tender & blanch them, being cold bone them & mince them very small, and season them with pepper, nutmeg, cinamon, and ginger lightly, and a little salt, and a pound of currans, a quarter of a pound of dates, slic't, a quarter of a pound of fine sugar, with a little rose-water verjuyce, & stir all together in a dish or tray, and lay a little butter in the bottom of the pie, & lay on half the meat in the pie; then have the marrow of three marrow-bones, and lay that on the meat in the pie, and the other half of the meat on the marrow, & stick some dates on the top of the meat & close up the pie, & bake it, & being half bak't liquor it with butter, white-wine, or verjuyce, and ice it, and set in the oven again till it be iced, and ice it with butter, rose-water, and sugar. or you may bake them in halves with the bones in, and use for change some grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, with currans or without, and dates in halves, and large mace. _to stew a calves-head._ first boil it in fair water half an hour, then take it up and pluck it pieces, then put it into a pipkin with great oysters and some of the broth, which boil'd it, (if you have no stronger) a pint of white-wine or claret, a quarter of a pound of interlarded bacon, some blanched chesnuts, the yolks of three or four hard eggs cut into halves, sweet herbs minced, and a little horseradish-root scraped, stew all these an hour, then slice the brains (being parboil'd) and strew a little ginger, salt, and flower, you may put in some juyce of spinage, and fry them green with butter; then dish the meat, and lay the fried brains, oysters, chesnuts, half yolks of eggs, and sippet it, serve it up hot to the table. _to hash a calves head._ take a calves-head, boil it tender, and let it be through cold, then take one half and broil or roast it, do it very white and fair, then take the other half and slice it into thin slices, fry it with clarified butter fine and white, then put it in a dish a stewing with some sweet herbs, as rosemary, tyme, savory, salt, some white-wine or claret, some good roast mutton gravy, a little pepper and nutmeg; then take the tongue being ready boil'd, and a boil'd piece of interlarded bacon, slice it into thin slices, and fry it in a batter made of flower, eggs, nutmeg, cream, salt, and sweet herbs chopped small, dip the tongue & bacon into the batter, then fry them & keep them warm till dinner time, season the brains with nutmegs, sweet herbs minced small, salt, and the yolks of three or four raw eggs, mince all together, and fry them in spoonfuls, keep them warm, then the stewed meat being ready dish it, and lay the broild side of the head on the stewed side, then garnish the dish with the fried meats, some slices of oranges, and run it over with beaten butter and juyce of oranges. _to boil a calves head._ take a calves head being cleft and cleansed, and also the brains, boil the head very white and fine, then boil the brains with some sage and other sweet herbs, as tyme and sweet marjoram, chop and boil them in a bag, being boil'd put them out and butter them with butter, salt, and vinegar, serve them in a little dish by themselves with fine thin sippits about them. then broil the head, or toast it against the fire, being first salted and scotched with your knife, baste it with butter, being finely broil'd, bread it with fine manchet and fine flour, brown it a little and dish it on a sauce of gravy, minced capers; grated nutmeg, and a little beaten butter. _to bake lamb._ season lamb (as you may see in page ) with nutmegs, pepper, and salt, as you do veal, (in page ___) or as you do chickens, in pag. , & . for hot or cold pies. _to boil a lambs head in white broth._ take a lambs head, cleave it, and take out the brains, then open the pipes of the appurtenances, and wash and soak the meat very clean, set it a boiling in fair water & when it boils scum it, & put in some large mace, whole cinamon, slic't dates, some marrow, & salt, & when the heads is boil'd, dish it up on fine carved sippets, & trim the dish with scraping sugar: then strain six or seven yolks of eggs with sack or white-wine, and a ladleful of cream, put it into the broth, and give it a warm on the fire, stir it, and broth the head, then lay on the head some slic't lemon, gooseberries, grapes, dates, and large mace. _to stew a lambs head._ take a lambs head, cleave it, and take out the brains, wash and pick the head from the slime and filth, and steep it in fair water, shift it twice in an hour, as also the appurtenances, then set it a boiling on the fire with some strong broth, and when it boils scum it, and put in a large mace or two, some capers, quarters of pears, a little white wine, some gravy, marrow, and some marigold flowers; being finely stewed, serve it on carved sippets, and broth it, lay on it slic't lemon, and scalded gooseberries or barberries. _to boil a lambs head otherways._ make a forcing or pudding of the brains, being boil'd and cold cut them into bits, then mince a little veal or lamb with some beef-suet, and put to it some grated bread, nutmeg, pepper, salt, some sweet herbs minced, small, and three or four raw eggs, work all together, and fill the head with this pudding, being cleft, steeped, and after dried in a clean cloth, stew it in a stewing-pan or between two dishes with some strong broth; then take the remainder of this forcing or pudding, and make it into balls, put them a boiling with the head, and add some white-wine, a whole onion, and some slic't pipins or pears, or square bits like dice, some bits of artichocks, sage-leaves, large mace, and lettice boil'd and quartered, and put in beaten butter; being finely stewed, dish it up on sippets, and put the balls and the other materials on it, broth it and run it over with beaten butter and lemon. * * * * * * * * * section iv. _the rarest ways of dressing of all manner of roast meats, either of flesh or fowl, by sea or land, with their sauces that properly belong to them._ _divers ways of breading or dredging of meats and fowl._ . grated bread and flower. . grated bread, and sweet herbs minced, and dried, or beat to powder, mixed with the bread. . lemon in powder, or orange peel mixt with bread and flower, minced small or in powder. . cinamon, bread, flour, sugar made fine or in powder. . grated bread, fennil seed, coriander-seed, cinamon, and sugar. . for pigs, grated bread, flour, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, sugar; but first baste it with the jucye of lemons, or oranges, and the yolks of eggs. . bread, sugar, and salt mixed together. _divers bastings for roast meats._ . fresh butter. . clarified suet. . claret wine, with a bundle of sage, rosemary, tyme, and parsley, baste the mutton with these herbs and wine. . water and salt. . cream and melted butter, thus flay'd pigs commonly. . yolks of eggs, juyce of oranges and biskets, the meat being almost rosted, comfits for some fine large fowls, as a peacock, bustard, or turkey. _to roast a shoulder of mutton in a most excellent new way with oysters and other materials._ take three pints of great oysters and parboil them in their own liquor, then put away the liquor and wash them with some white-wine, then dry them with a clean cloth and season them with nutmeg and salt, then stuff the shoulder, and lard it with some anchoves; being clean washed spit it, and lay it to the fire, and baste it with white or claret wine, then take the bottoms of six artichocks, pared from the leaves and boil'd tender, then take them out of the liquor and put them into beaten butter, with the marrow of six marrow-bones, and keep them warm by a fire or in an oven, then put to them some slic'd nutmeg, salt, the gravy of a leg of roast mutton, the juyce of two oranges, and some great oysters a pint, being first parboil'd, and mingle with them a little musk or ambergreese; then dish up the shoulder of mutton, and have a sauce made for it of gravy which came from the roast shoulder of mutton stuffed with oysters, and anchovies, blow off the fat, then put to the gravy a little white-wine, some oyster liquor, a whole onion, and some stript tyme, and boil up the sauce, then put it in a fair dish, and lay the shoulder of mutton on it, and the bottoms of the artichocks round the dish brims, and put the marrow and the oysters on the artichoke bottoms, with some slic't lemon on the shoulder of mutton, and serve it up hot. _to roast a shoulder of mutton with oysters otherways._ take great oysters, and being opened, parboil them in their own liquor, beard them and wash them in some vinegar, then wipe them dry, and put to them grated nutmeg, pepper, some broom-buds, and two or three anchoves; being finely cleansed, washed, and cut into little bits, the yolk of a raw egg or two dissolved, some salt, a little samphire cut small, and mingle all together, then stuff the shoulder, roast it, and baste it with sweet butter, and being roasted make sauce with the gravy, white wine, oyster liquor, and some oysters, then boil the sauce up and blow off the fat, beat it up thick with the yolk of an egg or two and serve the shoulder up hot with the sauce, and some slic't lemon on it. _otherways._ the oysters being opened parboil them in their liquor, beard them and wipe them dry, being first washed out of their own liquor with some vinegar, put them in a dish with some time, sweet marjoram, nutmeg, and lemon-peel all minced very small, but only the oysters whole, and a little salt, and mingle all together, then make little holes in the upper side of the mutton, and fill them with this composition. roast the shoulder of mutton, and baste it with butter, set a dish under it to save the gravy that drippeth from it; then for the sauce take some of the oysters, and a whole onion, stew them together with some of the oyster-liquor they were parboil'd in, and the gravy that dripped from the shoulder, (but first blow off the fat) and boil up all together pretty thick, with the yolk of an egg, some verjuyce, the slice of an orange; and serve the mutton on it hot. or make sauce with some oysters being first parboil'd in their liquor, put to them some mutton gravy, oyster-liquor, a whole onion, a little white-wine, and large mace, boil it up and garnish the dish with barberries, slic't lemon, large mace and oysters. othertimes for change make sauce with capers, great oysters, gravy, a whole onion, claret-wine, nutmeg, and the juyce of two or three oranges beaten up thick with some butter and salt. _to roast a shoulder of mutton with oysters._ take a shoulder of mutton and rost it, then make sauce with some gravy, claret-wine, pepper, grated nutmeg, slic't lemon, and broom-buds, give it a warm or two, then dish the mutton, and put the sauce to it, and garnish it with barberries, and slic't lemon. _to roast a chine of mutton either plain or with divers stuffings, lardings and sauces._ first lard it with lard, or lemon peel cut like lard, or with orange-peel, stick here and there a clove, or in place of cloves, tops of rosemary, tyme, sage, winter-savory or sweet marjoram, baste it with butter, and make sauce with mutton-gravy, and nutmeg, boil it up with a little claret and the juyce of an orange, and rub the dish you put it in with a clove of garlick. or make a sauce with pickled or green cucumbers slic't and boil'd in strong broth or gravy; with some slic't onions, an anchove or two, and some grated nutmeg, stew them well together, and serve the mutton with it hot. _divers sauces for roast mutton._ . gravy, capers, samphire, and salt, and stew them well together. . watter, onion, claret-wine, slic't nutmeg and gravy boiled up. . whole onions stewed in strong broth or gravy, white-wine, pepper, pickled capers, mace, and three or four slices of a lemon. . mince a little roast mutton hot from the spit, and add to it some chopped parsley and onions, verjuyce or vinegar, ginger, and pepper; stew it very tender in a pipkin, and serve it under any joynt with some gravy of mutton. . onions, oyster-liquor, claret, capers, or broom-buds, gravy, nutmeg, and salt boiled together. . chop't parsley, verjuyce, butter, sugar, and gravy. . take vinegar, butter, and currans, put them in a pipkin with sweet herbs finely minced, the yolks of two hard eggs, and two or three slices of the brownest of the leg, mince it also, some cinamon, ginger, sugar, and salt. . pickled capers, and gravy, or gravy, and samphire, cut an inch long. . chopped parsley and vinegar. . salt, pepper, and juyce of oranges. . strained prunes, wine, and sugar. . white-wine, gravy, large mace, and butter thickned with two or three yolks of eggs. _oyster sauce._ . oyster-liquor and gravy boil'd together, with eggs and verjuyce to thicken it, then juyce of orange, and slices of lemon over all. . onions chipped with sweet herbs, vinegar, gravy and salt boil'd together. _to roast veal divers ways with many excellent farsings, puddings and sauces, both in the french, italian, and english fashion._ _to make a pudding in a breast of veal._ open the lower end with a sharp knife close between the skin and the ribs, leave hold enough of the flesh on both sides, that you may put in your hand between the ribs, and the skin; then make a pudding of grated white bread, two or three yolks of eggs, a little cream, clean washt currans pick't and dried, rose-water, cloves, and mace fine beaten, a little saffron, salt, beef-suet minced fine, some slic't dates and sugar; mingle all together, and stuff the breast with it, make the pudding pretty stiff, and prick on the sweetbread wrapped in the caul, spit it and roast it; then make sauce with some claret-wine, grated nutmeg, vinegar, butter, and two or three slices of orange, and boil it up, _&c._ _to roast a breast of veal otherways._ parboil it, and lard it with small lard all over, or the one half with lard; and the other with lemon-peel, sage-leaves, or any kind of sweet herbs; spit it and roast it, and baste it with sweet butter, and being roasted, bread it with grated bread, flower, and salt; make sauce with gravy, juyce of oranges, and slic't lemons laid on it. _or thus._ make stuffing or farsing with a little minced veal, and some tyme minced, lard, or fat bacon, a few cloves and mace beaten, salt, and two or three yolks of eggs; mingle them all together, and fill the breast, scuer it up with a prick or scuer, then make little puddings of the same stuff you stuffed the breast, and having spitted the breast, prick upon it those little puddings, as also the sweetbreads, roast all together, and baste them with good sweet butter, being finely roasted, make sauce with juyce of oranges and lemons. _to roast a loyn of veal._ spit it and lay it to the fire, baste it with sweet butter, then set a dish under it with some vinegar, two or three sage-leaves, and two or three tops of rosemary and tyme; let the gravy drop on them, and when the veal is finely roasted, give the herbs and gravy a warm or two on the fire, and serve it under the veal. _another sauce for a loin of veal._ all manner of sweet herbs minced very small, the yolks of two or three hard eggs minced very small, and boil them together with a few currans, a little grated bread, beaten cinamon, sugar, and a whole clove or two, dish the veal on this sauce, with two or three slices of an orange. _to roast olives on a leg of veal._ cut a leg of veal into thin slices, and hack them with the back of a knife; then strew on them a little salt, grated nutmeg, sweet herbs finely minced, and the yolks of some herd eggs minced also, grated bread, a little beef-suet minced, currans, and sugar, mingle all together, and strew it on the olives, then roul it up in little rouls, spit them and roul the caul of veal about them, roast them and baste them in sweet butter; being roasted, make sauce with some of the stuffing, verjuyce, the gravy that drops from them, and some sugar, and serve the olives on it. _to roast a leg or fillet of veal._ take it and stuff it with beef-suet, seasoned with nutmeg, salt, and the yolks of two or three raw eggs, mix them with suet, stuff it and roast it; then make sauce with the gravy that dripped from it, blow off the fat, and give it two or three warms on the fire, and put to it the juyce of two or three oranges. _to roast veal in pieces._ take a leg of veal, and cut it into square pieces as big as a hens egg, season them with pepper, salt, some beaten cloves, and fennil-seed; then spit them with slices of bacon between every piece; being spitted, put the caul of the veal about them and roast them, then make the sauce of the gravy and the juyce of oranges. thus you may do of veal sweet-breads, and lamb-stones. _to roast calves feet._ first boil them tender and blanch them, and being cold lard them thick with small lard, then spit them on a small spit and roast them, serve them with a sauce made of vinegar, cinamon, sugar, and butter. _to roast a calves head with oysters._ take a calves head and cleave it, take out the brains and wash them very well with the head, cut out the tongue, and boil, blanch, and parboil the brains, as also the head and tongue; then mince the brain and tongue with a little sage, oysters, marrow, or beef-suet very small, mix with it three or four yolks of eggs, beaten ginger, pepper, nutmeg, grated bread, salt, and a little sack, this being done, then take the calves head, and fill it with this composition where the brains and tongue lay: bind it up close together, spit it, and stuff it with oysters, compounded with nutmeg, mace, tyme, graded bread, salt, and pepper: mix all these with a little vinegar, and the white of an egg, and roul the oysters in it; stuff the head with it as full as you can, and roast it thorowly, setting a dish under it to catch the gravy, wherein let there be oysters, sweet herbs minced, a little white wine and slic't nutmeg; when the head is roasted, set the dish wherein the sauce is on the coals to stew a little, then put in a peice of butter, the juyce of an orange, and salt, beating it up thick together, dish the head, and put the sauce to it, and serve it hot to the table. _several sauces for roast veal._ . gravy, claret, nutmeg, vinegar, butter, sugar, and oranges. . juyce of orange, gravy, nutmeg, and slic't lemon on it. . vinegar and butter. . all manner of sweet herbs chopped small with the yolks of two or three eggs, and boil them in vinegar, butter, a few bread crumbs, currans, beaten cinamon, sugar, and a whole clove or two, put it under the veal, with slices of orange and lemon about the dish. . claret sauce, of boil'd carrots, and boil'd quinces stamped and strained, with lemon, nutmeg, pepper, rose-vinegar, sugar, and verjuyce, boil'd to an indifferent height or thickness, with a few whole cloves. _to roast red deer._ take a side, or half hanch, and either lard them with small lard, or stick them with cloves; but parboil them before you lard them, then spit and roast them. _sauces for red deer._ . the gravy and sweet herbs chopped small and boil'd together, or the gravy only. . the juyce of oranges or lemons, and gravy. . a gallendine sauce made with strained bread, vinegar, claret wine, cinamon, ginger, and sugar; strain it, and being finely beaten with the spices boil it up with a few whole cloves and a sprig of rosemary. . white bread boil'd in water pretty thick without spices, and put to it some butter, vinegar, and sugar. if you will stuff or farse any venison, stick them with rosemary, tyme, savory, or cloves, or else with all manner of sweet herbs, minced with beef-suet, lay the caul over the side or half hanch, and so roast it. _to roast pork with the sauces belonging to it._ take a chine of pork, draw it with sage on both sides being first spitted, then roast it; thus you may do of any other joynt, whether chine, loyn, rack, breast, or spare-rib, or harslet of a bacon hog, being salted a night of two. _sauces._ . gravy, chopped sage, and onions boil'd together with some pepper. . mustard, vinegar, and pepper. . apples pared, quartered, and boil'd in fair water, with some sugar and butter. . gravy, onions, vinegar, and pepper. _to roast pigs divers ways with their different sauces._ _to roast a pig with the hair on._ take a pig and draw out his intrails or guts, liver and lights, draw him very clean at vent, and wipe him, cut off his feet, truss him, and prick up the belly close, spit it, and lay it to the fire, but scorch it not, being a quarter roasted, the skin will rise up in blisters from the flesh; then with your knife or hands pull off the skin and hair, and being clean flayed, cut slashes down to the bones, baste it with butter and cream, being but warm, then bread it with grated white bread, currans, sugar, and salt mixed together, and thus apply basting upon dregging, till the body be covered an inch thick; then the meat being throughly roasted, draw it and serve it up whole, with sauce made of wine-vinegar, whole cloves, cinamon, and sugar boiled to a syrrup. _otherways._ you may make a pudding in his belly, with grated bread, and some sweet herbs minced small, a little beef-suet also minced, two or three yolks of raw eggs, grated nutmeg, sugar, currans, cream, salt, pepper, _&c._ dredge it or bread it with flower, bread, sugar, cinamon slic't nutmeg. _to dress a pig the french way._ take and spit it, the pig being scalded and drawn, and lay it down to the fire, and when the pig is through warm, take off the skin, and cut it off the spit, and divide it into twenty pieces, more or less, (as you please) then take some white-wine, and some strong broth, and stew it therein with an onion or two minc't very small, and some stripped tyme, some pepper, grated nutmeg, and two or three anchoves, some elder vinegar, a little butter, and some gravy if you have it; dish it up with the same liquor it was stewed in, with some french bread in slices under it, with oranges, and lemons upon it. _to roast a pig the plain way._ scald and draw it, wash it clean, and put some sage in the belly, prick it up, and spit it, roast it and baste with butter, and salt it; being roasted fine and crisp, make sauce with chopped sage and currans well boil'd in vinegar and fair water, then put to them the gravy of the pig, a little grated bread, the brains, some barberries, and sugar, give these a warm or two, and serve the pig on this sauce with a little beaten butter. _to roast a pig otherways._ take a pig, scald and draw it, then mince some sweet herbs, either sage or penny-royal, and roul it up in a ball with some butter, prick it up in the pigs belly and roast him; being roasted, make sauce with butter, vinegar, the brains, and some barberries. _otherways._ draw out his bowels, and flay it but only the head-truss the head looking over his back; and fill his belly with a pudding made of grated bread, nutmeg, a little minced beef-suet, two or three yolks of raw eggs, salt, and three or four spoonfuls of good cream, fill his belly and prick it up, roast it and baste it with yolks of eggs; being roasted, wring on the juyce of a lemon, and bread it with grated bread, pepper, nutmeg, salt, and ginger, bread it quick with the bread and spices. then make sauce with vinegar, butter, and the yolks of hard eggs minced, boil them together with the gravy of the pig, and serve it on this sauce. _to roast hares with their several stuffings and sauces._ take a hare, flay it, set it, and lard it with small lard, stick it with cloves, and make a pudding in his belly with grated bread, grated nutmeg, beaten cinamon, salt, currans, eggs, cream, and sugar; make it good, and stiff, fill the hare and roast it: if you would have the pudding green, put juyce of spinage, if yellow, saffron. _sauce._ beaten cinamon, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, boil'd prunes, and currans strained, muskefied bisket-bread, beaten into powder, sugar, and cloves, all boiled up as thick as water-grewel. _to roast a hare with the skin on._ draw a hare (that is, the bowels out of the body) wipe it clean, and make a farsing or stuffing of all manner of sweet herbs, as tyme, winter-savory, sweet marjoram, and parsley, mince them very small, and roul them in some butter, make a ball thereof, and put it in the belly of the hare, prick it up close, and roast it with the skin and hair on it, baste it with butter, and being almost roasted flay off the skin, and stick a few cloves on the hare; bread it with fine grated manchet, flower, and cinamon, bread it good and thick, froth it up, and dish it on sauce made of grated bread, claret-wine, wine-vinegar, cinamon, ginger, sugar, and barberries, boil it up to an indifferency. _several sauces belonging to rabits._ . beaten butter, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. . sage and parsley minced, roul it in a ball with some butter, and fill the belly with this stuffing. . beaten butter with lemon and pepper. . in the french fashion, onions minced small and fried, and mingled with mustard and pepper. . the rabits being roasted, wash the belly with the gravy of mutton, and add to it a slice or two of lemon. _to roast woodcocks in the english fashion._ first pull and draw them, then being washt and trust, roast them, baste them with butter, and save the gravy, then broil toasts and butter them; being roasted, bread them with bread and flower, and serve them in a clean dish on the toast and gravy. _otherways in the french fashion._ being new and fresh kil'd that day you use them, pull, truss, & lard them with a broad piece of lard or bacon pricked over the breast: being roasted, serve them on broil'd toast, put in verjuyce, or the juyce of orange with the gravy, and warmed on the fire. or being stale, draw them, and put a clove or two in the bellies, with a piece of bacon. _to roast a hen or pullet._ take a pullet or hen full of eggs, draw it and roast it; being roasted break it up, and mince the brauns in thin slices, save the wings whole, or not mince the brauns, and leave the rump with the legs whole; stew all in the gravy and a little salt. then have a minced lemon, and put it into the gravy, dish the minced meat in the midst of the dish, and the thighs, wings, and rumps about it. garnish the dish, with oranges and lemons quartered, and serve them up covered. _sauce with oysters and bacon._ take oysters being parboil'd and clenged from the grunds, mingle them with pepper, salt, beaten nutmeg, time, and sweet marjoram, fill the pullets belly, and roast it, as also two or three ribs of interlarded bacon, serve it in two pieces into the dish with the pullet; then make sauce of the gravy, some of the oysters liquor, oysters and juice of oranges boil'd together, take some of the oysters out of the pullets belly, and lay on the breast of it, then put the sauce to it with slices of lemon. _sauce for hens or pullets to prepare them to roast._ take a pullet, or hen, if lean, lard it, if fat, not; or lard either fat or lean with a piece or slice of bacon over it, and a peice of interlarded bacon in the belly, seasoned with nutmeg, and pepper, and stuck with cloves. then for the sauce take the yolks of six hard eggs minced small, put to them white-wine, or wine vinegar, butter, and the gravy of the hen, juyce of orange, pepper, salt, and if you please add thereto mustard. _several other sauces for roast hens._ . take beer, salt, the yolks of three hard eggs, minced small, grated bread, three or four spoonfuls of gravy; and being almost boil'd, put in the juyce of two or three oranges, slices of a lemon and orange, with lemon-peel shred small. . beaten butter with juice of lemon or orange, white or claret wine. . gravy and claret wine boil'd with a piece of an onion, nutmeg, and salt, serve it with the slices of orange or lemons, or the juyce in the sauce. . or with oyster-liquor, an anchove or two, nutmeg, and gravy, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. . take the yolks of hard eggs and lemon peel, mince them very small, and stew them in white-wine, salt, and the gravy of the fowl. _several sauces for roast chickens._ . gravy, and the juyce or slices of orange. . butter, verjuyce, and gravy of the chicken, or mutton gravy. . butter and vinegar boil'd together, put to it a little sugar, then make thin sops of bread, lay the roast chicken on them, and serve them up hot. . take sorrel, wash and stamp it, then have thin slices of manchet, put them in a dish with some vinegar, strained sorrel, sugar, some gravy, beaten cinamon, beaten butter, and some slices of orange or lemon, and strew thereon some cinamon and sugar. . take slic't oranges, and put to them a little white wine, rose-water, beaten mace, ginger, some sugar, and butter; set them on a chafing dish of coals and stew them; then have some slices of manchet round the dish finely carved, and lay the chickens being roasted on the sauce. . slic't onions, claret wine, gravy, and salt boil'd up. _sauces for roast pigeons or doves._ . gravy and juyce of orange. . boil'd parsley minced, and put amongst some butter and vinegar beaten up thick. . gravy, claret wine, and an onion stewed together, with a little salt. . vine-leaves roasted with the pigeons minced and put in claret-wine and salt, boil'd together, some butter and gravy. . sweet butter and juyce of orange beat together, and made thick. . minced onions boil'd in claret wine almost dry, then put to it nutmeg, sugar, gravy of the fowl, and a little pepper. . or gravy of the pigeons only. _sauces for all manner of roast land-fowl, as turkey, bustard, peacock, pheasant, partridge_, &c. . slic't onions being boil'd, stew them in some water, salt, pepper, some grated bread, and the gravy of the fowl. . take slices of white-bread and boil them in fair water with two whole onions, some gravy, half a grated nutmeg, and a little salt; strain them together through a strainer, and boil it up as thick as water grewel; then add to it the yolks of two eggs dissolved with the juyce of two oranges, _&c._ . take thin slices of manchet, a little of the fowl, some sweet butter, grated nutmeg, pepper, and salt; stew all together, and being stewed, put in a lemon minced with the peel. . onions slic't and boil'd in fair water, and a little salt, a few bread crumbs beaten, pepper, nutmeg, three spoonful of white wine, and some lemon-peel finely minced, and boil'd all together: being almost boil'd put in the juyce of an orange, beaten butter, and the gravy of the fowl. . stamp small nuts to a paste, with bread, nutmeg, pepper, saffron, cloves, juyce of orange, and strong broth, strain and boil them together pretty thick. . quince, prunes, currans, and raisins, boil'd, muskefied bisket stamped and strained with white wine, rose vinegar, nutmeg, cinamon, cloves, juyce of oranges and sugar, and boil it not too thick. . boil carrots and quinces, strain them with rose vinegar, and verjuyce, sugar, cinamon, pepper, and nutmeg, boil'd with a few whole cloves, and a little musk. . take a manchet, pare off the crust and slice it, then boil it in fair water, and being boil'd some what thick put in some white wine, wine vinegar, rose, or elder vinegar, some sugar and butter, _&c._ . almond-paste and crumbs of manchet, stamp them together with some sugar, ginger, and salt, strain them with grape-verjuyce, and juyce of oranges; boil it pretty thick. _sauce for a stubble or fat goose._ . the goose being scalded, drawn, and trust, put a handful of salt in the belly of it, roast it, and make sauce with sowr apples slic't, and boil'd in beer all to mash, then put to it sugar and beaten butter. sometime for veriety add barberries and the gravy of the fowl. . roast sowr apples or pippins, strain them, and put to them vinegar, sugar, gravy, barberries, grated bread, beaten cinamon, mustard, and boil'd onions strained and put to it. _sauces for a young stubble goose._ take the liver and gizzard, mince it very small with some beets, spinage, sweet herbs, sage, salt, and some minced lard; fill the belly of the goose, and sow up the rump or vent, as also the neck; roast it, and being roasted, take out the farsing and put it in a dish, then add to it the gravy of the goose, verjuyce, and pepper, give it a warm on the fire, and serve it with this sauce in a clean dish. the french sauce for a goose is butter, mustard, sugar, vinegar, and barberries. _sauce for a duck._ onions slic't and carrots cut square like dice, boil'd in white-wine, strong broth, some gravy, minced parsley, savory chopped, mace, and butter; being well stewed together, it will serve for divers wild fowls, but most proper for water fowl. _sauces for duck and mallard in the french fashion._ . vinegar and sugar boil'd to a syrrup, with two or three cloves, and cinamon, or cloves only. . oyster liquor, gravy of the fowl, whole onions boil'd in it, nutmeg, and anchove. if lean, farse and lard them. _sauces for any kind of roast sea fowl, as swan, whopper, crane, shoveler, hern, bittern, or geese._ make a gallendine with some grated bread, beaten cinamon, and ginger, a quartern of sugar, a quart of claret wine, a pint of wine vinegar, strain the aforesaid materials and boil them in a skillet with a few whole cloves; in the boiling stir it with a spring of rosemary, add a little red sanders, and boil it as thick as water grewel. _green sauce for pork, goslings, chickens, lamb, or kid._ stamp sorrel with white-bread and pared pipkins in a stone or wooden mortar, put sugar to it, and wine vinegar, then strain it thorow a fine cloth, pretty thick, dish it in saucers, and scrape sugar on it. _otherways._ mince sorrel and sage, and stamp them with bread, the yolks of hard eggs, pepper, salt, and vinegar, but no sugar at all. _or thus._ juyce of green white, lemon, bread, and sugar. _to make divers sorts of vinegar._ take good white-wine, and fill a firkin half full, or a lesser vessel, leave it unstopped, and set it in some hot place in the sun, or on the leads of a house, or gutter. if you would desire to make vinegar in haste, put some salt, pepper, sowr leven mingled together, and a hot steel, stop it up and let the sun come hot to it. if more speedy, put good wine into an earthen pot or pitcher, stop the mouth with a piece of paste, and put it in a brass pan or pot, boil it half an hour, and it will grow sowr. or not boil it, and put into it a beet root, medlars, services, mulberries, unripe flowers, a slice of barley bread hot out of the oven, or the blossoms of services in their season, dry them in the sun in a glass vessel in the manner, of rose vinegar, fill up the glass with clear wine vinegar, white or claret wine, and set it in the sun, or in a chimney by the fire. _to make vinegar of corrupt wine._ boil it, and scum it very clean, boil away one third part, then put it in a vessel, put to it some charnel, stop the vessel close, and in a short time it will prove good vinegar. _to make vinegar otherways._ take six gallons of strong ale of the first running, set it abroad to cool, and being cold put barm to it, and head it very thorowly; then run it up in a firkin, and lay it in the sun, then take four or five handfuls of beans, and parch them on a fire-shovel, or pan, being cut like chesnuts to roast, put them into the vinegar as hot as you can, and stop the bung-hole with clay; but first put in a handful of rye leven, then strain a good handful of salt, and put in also; let it stand in the sun from _may_ to _august_, and then take it away. _rose vinegar._ keep roses dried, or dried elder flowers, put them into several double glasses or stone bottles, write upon them, and set them in the sun, by the fire, or in a warm oven; when the vinegar is out, put in more flowers, put out the old, and fill them up with the vinegar again. _pepper vinegar._ put whole pepper in a fine clothe, bind it up and put it in the vessel or bottle of vinegar the space of eight days. _vinegar for digestion and health._ take eight drams of sea-onions, a quart of vinegar, and as much pepper as onions, mint, and juniper-berries. _to make strong wine vinegar into balls._ take bramble berries when they are half ripe, dry them and make them into powder, with a little strong vinegar, make little balls, and dry them in the sun, and when you will use them, take wine and heat it, put in some of the ball or a whole one, and it will be turned very speedily into strong vinegar. _to make verjuyce._ take crabs as soon as the kernels turn black, and lay them in a heap to sweat, then pick them from stalks and rottenness; and then in a long trough with stamping beetles stamp them to mash, and make a bag of course hair-cloth as square as the press; fill it with stamped crabs, and being well pressed, put it up in a clean barrel or hogs-head. _to make mustard divers ways._ have good seed, pick it, and wash it in cold water, drain it, and rub it dry in a cloth very clean; then beat it in a mortar with strong wine-vinegar; and being fine beaten, strain it and keep it close covered. or grind it in a mustard quern, or a bowl with a cannon bullet. _otherways._ make it with grape-verjuyce, common-verjuyce, stale beer, ale, butter, milk, white-wine, claret, or juyce of cherries. _mustard of dijon, or french mustard._ the seed being cleansed, stamp it in a mortar, with vinegar and honey, then take eight ounces of seed, two ounces of cinamon, two of honey, and vinegar as much as will serve, good mustard not too thick, and keep it close covered in little oyster-barrels. _to make dry mustard very pleasant in little loaves or cakes to carry in ones pocket, or to keep dry for use at any time._ take two ounces of seamy, half an ounce of cinamon, and beat them in a mortar very fine with a little vinegar, and honey, make a perfect paste of it, and make it into little cakes or loaves, dry them in the sun or in an oven, and when you would use them, dissolve half a loaf or cake with some vinegar, wine, or verjuyce. * * * * * * * * * section v. _the best way of making all manner of sallets._ _to make a grand sallet of divers compounds._ take a cold roast capon and cut it into thin slices square and small, (or any other roast meat as chicken, mutton, veal, or neats tongue) mingle with it a little minced taragon and an onion, then mince lettice as small as the capon, mingle all together, and lay it in the middle of a clean scoured dish. then lay capers by themselves, olives by themselves, samphire by it self, broom buds, pickled mushrooms, pickled oysters, lemon, orange, raisins, almonds, blue-figs, virginia potato, caperons, crucifix pease, and the like, more or less, as occasion serves, lay them by themselves in the dish round the meat in partitions. then garnish the dish sides with quarters of oranges, or lemons, or in slices, oyl and vinegar beaten together, and poured on it over all. on fish days, a roast, broil'd, or boil'd pike boned, and being cold, slice it as abovesaid. _another way for a grand sallet._ take the buds of all good sallet herbs, capers, dates, raisins, almonds, currans, figs, orangado. then first of all lay it in a large dish, the herbs being finely picked and washed, swing them in a clean napkin; then lay the other materials round the dish, and amongst the herbs some of all the aforesaid fruits, some fine sugar, and on the top slic't lemon, and eggs scarse hard cut in halves, and laid round the side of the dish, and scrape sugar over all; or you may lay every fruit in partitions several. _otherways._ dish first round the centre slic't figs, then currans, capers, almonds, and raisins together; next beyond that, olives, beets, cabbidge-lettice, cucumbers, or slic't lemon carved; then oyl and vinegar beaten together, the beast oyl you can get, and sugar or none, as you please; garnish the brims of the dish with orangado, slic't lemon jagged, olives stuck with slic't almonds, sugar or none. _another grand sallet._ take all manner of knots of buds of sallet herbs, buds of pot-herbs, or any green herbs, as sage, mint, balm, burnet, violet-leaves, red coleworts streaked of divers fine colours, lettice, any flowers, blanched almonds, blue figs, raisins of the sun, currans, capers, olives; then dish the sallet in a heap or pile, being mixed with some of the fruits, and all finely washed and swung in a napkin, then about the centre lay first slic't figs, next capers and currans, then almonds and raisins, next olives, and lastly either jagged beats, jagged lemons, jagged cucumbers, or cabbidge lettice in quarters, good oyl and wine vinegar, sugar or none. _otherways._ the youngest and smallest leaves of spinage, the smallest also of sorrel, well washed currans, and red beets round the centre being finely carved, oyl and vinegar, and the dish garnished with lemon and beets. _other grand sallets._ take green purslain and pick it leaf by leaf, wash it and swing it in a napkin, then being disht in a fair clean dish, and finely piled up in a heap in the midst of it lay round about the centre of the sallet pickled capers, currans, and raisins of the sun, washed, pickled, mingled, and laid round it: about them some carved cucumbers in slices or halves, and laid round also. then garnish the dish brims with borage, or clove jelly-flowers. or otherways with jagged cucumber-peels, olives, capers, and raisins of the sun, then the best sallet-oyl and wine-vinegar. _other grand sallets._ all sorts of good herbs, the little leaves of red sage, the smallest leaves of sorrel, and the leaves of parsley pickt very small, the youngest and smallest leaves of spinage, some leaves of burnet, the smallest leaves of lettice, white endive and charvel all finely pick't and washed, and swung in a strainer or clean napkin, and well drained from the water; then dish it in a clean scowred dish, and about the centre capers, currans, olives, lemons carved and slic't, boil'd beet-roots carved and slic't, and dished round also with good oyl and vinegar. _a good sallet otherways._ take corn-sallet, rampons, alexander-buds, pickled mushrooms, and make a sallet of them, then lay the corn sallet through the middle of the dish from side to side, and on the other side rampons, then alexander-buds, and in the other four quarter of mushrooms, salt, over all, and put good oyl and vinegar to it. _other grand sallet._ take the tenderest, smallest, and youngest ellicksander-buds, and small sallet, or young lettice mingled together, being washed and pickled, with some capers. pile it or lay it flat in a dish, first lay about the centre, olives, capers, currans, and about those carved oranges and lemons, or in a cross partition-ways, and salt, run oyl and vinegar over all. _otherways._ boil'd parsnips in quarters laid round the dish, and in the midst some small sallet, or water cresses finely washed and picked, on the water-cresses some little small lettice finely picked and washed also, and some elicksander-buds in halves, and some in quarters, and between the quarters of the parsnips, some small lettice, some water-cresses and elicksander-buds, oyl and vinegar, and round the dish some slices of parsnips. _another grand sallet._ take small sallet of all good sallet herbs, then mince some white cabbidge leaves, or striked cole-worts, mingle them among the small sallet, or some lilly-flowers slit with a pin; then first lay some minced cabbidge in a clean scowred dish, and the minced sallet round about it; then some well washed and picked capers, currans, olives, or none; then about the rest, a round of boild red beets, oranges, or lemons carved. for the garnish of the brim of the dish, boild colliflowers, carved lemons, beets, and capers. _sallet of scurvy grass._ being finely pick't short, well soak't in clean water, and swung dry, dish it round in a fine clean dish, with capers and currans about it, carved lemon and orange round that, and eggs upon the centre not boil'd too hard, and parted in halves, then oyl and vinegar; over all scraping sugar, and trim the brim of the dish. _a grand sallet of alexander-buds._ take large alexander-buds, and boil them in fair water after they be cleansed and washed, but first let the water boil, then put them in, and being boil'd, drain them on a dish bottom or in a cullender; then have boil'd capers and currans, and lay them in the midst of a clean scowred dish, the buds parted in two with a sharp knife, and laid round about upright, or one half on one side, and the other against it on the other side, so also carved lemon, scrape on sugar, and serve it with good oyl and wine vinegar. _other grand sallet of watercresses._ being finely picked, washed and laid in the middle of a clean dish with slic't oranges and lemons finely carved one against the other, in partitions or round the dish, with some alexander-buds boil'd or raw, currans, pers, oyl, and vinegar, sugar, or none. _a grand sallet of pickled capers._ pickled capers and currans basted and boil'd together, disht in the middle of a clean dish, with red beets boil'd and jagged, and dish't round the capers and currans, as also jagg'd lemon, and serve it with oyl and vinegar. _to pickle samphire, broom-buds, kitkeys, crucifix pease, purslane, or the like._ take samphire, and pick the branches from the dead leaves or straws, then lay it in a pot or barrel, & make a strong brine of white or bay-salt, in the boiling scum it clean; being boil'd and cold put it to the samphire, cover it and keep it for all the year, and when you have any occasion to use it, take and boil it in fair water, but first let the water boil before you put it in, being boiled and become green, let it cool, then take it out of the water, and put it in a little bain or double viol with a broad mouth, put strong wine vinegar to it, close it up close and keep it. _otherways._ put samphire in a brass pot that will contain it, and put to it as much wine-vinegar as water, but no salt; set it over a charcoal-fire, cover it close, and boil it till it become green, then put it up in a barrell with wine-vinegar close on the head, and keep it for use. _to pickle cucumbers._ pickle them with salt, vinegar, whole pepper, dill-seed, some of the stalks cut, charnell, fair water, and some sicamore-leaves, and barrel them up close in a barrel. _pickled quinces the best way._ . take quinces not cored nor pared, boil them in fair water not too tender, and put them in a barrel, fill it up with their liquor, and close on the head. . pare them and boil them with white-wine, whole cloves, cinamon, and slic't ginger, barrel them up and keep them. . in the juyce of sweet apples, not cored, but wiped, and put up raw. . in white-wine barrel'd up raw. . being pared and cored, boil them up in sweet-wort and sugar, keep them in a glazed pipkin close covered. . core them and save the cores, cut some of the crab-quinces, and boil them after the quinces be parboil'd & taken up; then boil the cores, and some of the crab-quinces in quarters, the liquor being boild strain it thorow a strainer, put it in a barrel with the quinces, and close up the barrel. _to pickle lemon._ boil them in water and salt, and put them up with white-wine. _to pickle any kind of flowers._ put them into a gally-pot or double glass, with as much sugar as they weigh, fill them up with wine vinegar; to a pint of vinegar a pound of sugar, and a pound of flowers; so keep them for sallets or boild meats in a double glass covered over with a blade and leather. _to pickle capers, gooseberries, barberries, red and white currans._ pick them and put them in the juyce of crab-cherries, grape-verjuyce, or other verjuyce, and then barel them up. _to candy flowers for sallets, as violets, cowslips, clove-gilliflowers, roses, primroses, borrage, bugloss_, &c. take weight for weight of sugar candy, or double refined sugar, being beaten fine, searsed, and put in a silver dish with rose-water, set them over a charecoal fire, and stir them with a silver spoon till they be candied, or boil them in a candy sirrup height in a dish or skillet, keep them in a dry place for your use, and when you use them for sallets, put a little wine-vinegar to them, and dish them. _for the compounding and candying the foresaid pickled and candied sallets._ though they may be served simply of themselves, and are both good and dainty, yet for better curiosity and the finer ordering of a table, you may thus use them. first, if you would set forth a red flower that you know or have seen, you shall take the pot of preserv'd gilliflowers, and suiting the colours answerable to the flower, you shall proportion it forth, and lay the shape of a flower with a purslane stalk, make the stalk of the flower, and the dimensions of the leaves and branches with thin slices of cucumbers, make the leaves in true proportion jagged or otherways, and thus you may set forth some blown some in the bud, and some half blown, which will be very pretty and curious; if yellow, set it forth with cowslip or primroses; if blue take violets or borrage; and thus of any flowers. * * * * * * * * * section vi. _to make all manner of carbonadoes, either of flesh or fowl; as also all manner of fried meats of flesh, collops and eggs, with the most exquisite way of making pancakes, fritters, and tansies._ _to carbonado a chine of mutton._ take a chine of mutton, salt it, and broil it on the embers, or toast it against the fire; being finely broil'd, baste it, and bread it with fine grated manchet, and serve it with gravy only. _to carbonado a shoulder of mutton._ take a shoulder of mutton, half boil it, scotch it and salt it, save the gravy, and broil it on a soft fire being finely coloured and fitted, make sauce with butter, vinegar, pepper, and mustard. _to carbonado a rack of mutton._ cut it into steaks, salt and broil them on the embers, and being finely soaked, dish them and make sauce of good mutton-gravy, beat up thick with a little juyce of orange, and a piece of butter. _to carbonado a leg of mutton._ cut it round cross the bone about half an inch thick, then hack it with the back of a knife, salt it, and broil it on the embers on a soft fire the space of an hour; being finely broil'd, serve it with gravy sauce, and juyce of orange. thus you may broil any hanch of venison, and serve it with gravy only. _to broil a chine of veal._ cut it in three or four pieces, lard them (or not) with small lard, season them with salt and broil them on a soft fire with some branches of sage and rosemary between the gridiron and the chine; being broil'd, serve it with gravy, beaten butter, and juyce of lemon or orange. _to broil a leg of veal._ cut it into rowls, or round the leg in slices as thick as ones finger, lard them or not, then broil them softly on embers, and make sauce with beaten butter, gravy, and juyce of orange. _to carbonado a rack of pork._ take a rack of pork, take off the skin, and cut it into steaks, then salt it, and strow on some fennil seeds whole and broil it on a soft fire, being finely broil'd, serve it on wine-vinegar and pepper. _to broil a flank of pork._ flay it and cut it into thin slices, salt it, and broil it on the embers in a dripping-pan of white paper, and serve it on the paper with vinegar and pepper. _to broil chines of pork._ broil them as you do the rack, but bread them and serve them with vinegar and pepper, or mustard and vinegar. or sometimes apples in slices, boil'd in beer and beaten butter to a mash. or green sauce, cinamon, and sugar. otherways, sage and onions minced, with vinegar and pepper boil'd in strong broth till they be tender. or minced onions boil'd in vinegar and pepper. _to broil fat venison._ take half a hanch, and cut the fattest part into thick slices half an inch thick; salt and broil them on the warm embers, and being finely soaked, bread them, and serve them with gravy only. thus you may broil a side of venison, or boil a side, fresh in water and salt, then broil it and dredge it, and serve it with vinegar and pepper. broil the chine raw as you do the half hanch, bread it and serve it with gravy. _to fry lambs or kids stones._ take the stones, parboil them, then mince them small and fry them in sweet butter, strain them with some cream, some beaten cinamon, pepper, and grated cheese being put to it when it is strained, then fry them, and being fried, serve them with sugar and rose-water. thus may you dress calves or lambs brains. _to carbonado land or water fowl._ being roasted, cut them up and sprinkle them with salt, then scoch and broil them and make sauce with vinegar and butter, or juyce of orange. _to dress a dish of collops and egg the best way for service._ take fine young and well coloured bacon of the ribs, the quantity of two pound, cut it into thine slices and lay them in a clean dish, toste them before the fire fine and crisp; then poche the eggs in a fair scrowred skillet white and fine, dish them on a dish and plate, and lay on the colops, some upon them, and some round the dish. _to broil bacon on paper._ make the fashion of two dripping-pans of two sheets of white paper, then take two pound of fine interlarded bacon, pare off the top, and cut the bacon into slices as thin as a card, lay them on the papers, then put them on a gridiron, and broil them on the embers. _to broil brawn._ cut a collar into six or seven slices round the collar, and lay it on a plate in the oven, being broil'd serve it with juyce of orange, pepper, gravy, and beaten butter. _to fry eggs._ take fifteen eggs and beat them in a dish, then have interlarded bacon cut into square bits like dice, and fry them with chopped onions, and put to them cream, nutmeg, cloves, cinamon, pepper, and sweet herbs chopped small, (or no herbs nor spice) being fried, serve them on a clean dish, with sugar and juyce of orange. _to fry an egg as round as a ball._ take a broad frying posnet, or deep frying pan, and three pints of clarified butter or sweet suet, heat it as hot as you do for fritters; then take a stick and stir it till it run round like to a whirle-pit; then break an egg into the middle of the whirle, and turn it round with your stick till it be as hard as a soft poached egg, and the whirling round of the butter or suet will make round as a ball; then take it up with a slice, and put it in a warm pipkin or dish, set it a leaning against the fire, so you may do as many as you please, they will keep half an hour yet be soft; you may serve them with fried or toasted collops. _to make the best fritters._ take good mutton-broth being cold, and no fat, mix it with flour and eggs, some salt, beaten nutmeg and ginger, beat them well together, then have apples or pippins, pare and core them, and cut them into dice-work, or square bits, and when you will fry them, put them in the batter, and fry them in clear clarified suet, or clarified butter, fry them white and fine, and sugar them. _otherways._ take a pint of sack, a pint of ale, some ale-yeast or barm, nine eggs yolks and whites beaten very well, the eggs first, then all together, then put in some ginger, salt, and fine flour, let it stand an hour or two, then put in apples, and fry them in beef-suet clarified, or clarified butter. _other fritters._ take a quart of flour, three pints of cold mutton broth, a nutmeg, a quartern of cinamon, a race of ginger, five eggs, and salt, and strain the foresaid materials; put to them twenty slic't pippins, and fry them in six pound of suet. sometimes make the batter of cream, eggs, cloves, mace, nutmeg, saffron, barm, ale, and salt. other times flour, grated bread, mace, ginger, pepper, salt, barm, saffron, milk, sack, or white wine. sometimes you may use marrow steeped in musk and rose-water, and pleasant pears or quinces. or use raisins, currans, and apples cut like square dice, and as small, in quarters or in halves. _fritters in the italian fashion._ take a pound of the best holland cheese or parmisan grated, a pint of fine flower, and as much fine bisket bread muskefied beaten to powder, the yolks of four or five eggs, some saffron and rosewater, sugar, cloves, mace, and cream, make it into stiff paste, then make it into balls, and fry them in clarified butter. or stamp this paste in a mortar, and make the balls as big as a nutmeg or musket bullet. _otherways in the italian fashion._ take a pound of rice and boil it in a pint of cream, being boil'd something thick, lay it abroad in a clean dish to cool, then stamp it in a stone mortar, with a pound of good fat cheese grated, some musk, and yolks of four or five hard eggs, sugar, and grated manchet or bisket bread; then make it into balls, the paste being stiff, and you may colour them with marigold flowers stamped, violets, blue bottles, carnations or pinks, and make them balls of two or three colours. if the paste be too tender, work more bread to them and flour, fry them, and serve them with scraping sugar and juyce of orange. garnish these balls with stock fritters. _fritters of spinage._ take spinage, pick it and wash it, then set on a skillet of fair water, and when it boileth put in the spinage, being tender boil'd put it in a cullender to drain away the liquor; then mince it small on a fair board, put it in a dish and season it with cinamon, ginger, grated manchet, fix eggs with the whites and yolks, a little cream or none, make the stuff pretty thick, and put in some boil'd currans. fry it by spoonfuls, and serve it on a dish and plate with sugar. thus also you may make fritters of beets, clary, borrage, bugloss, or lattice. _to make stock-fritters or fritters of arms._ strain half a pint of fine flower, with as much water, and make the batter no thicker, than thin cream; then heat the brass moulds in clarified butter; being hot wipe them, dip the moulds half way in the batter and fry them, to garnish any boil'd fish meats or stewed oysters. view their forms. _other fried dishes of divers forms, or stock-fritters in the italian fashion._ take a quart of fine flower, and strain it with some almond milk, leven, white wine, sugar and saffron; fry it on the foresaid moulds, or dip clary on it, sage leaves, or branches of rosemary, then fry them in clarified butter. _little pasties, balls, or toasts fried._ take a boil'd or raw pike, mince it and stamp it with some good fat old cheese grated, season them with cinamon, sugar, boil'd currans, and yolks of hard eggs, make this stuff into balls, toasts or pasties, and fry them. _otherways._ make your paste into little pasties, stars, half moons, scollops, balls, or suns. _or thus._ take grated bread, cake, or bisket bread, and fat cheese grated, almond paste, eggs, cinamon, saffron, and fry them as abovesaid. _otherways pasties to fry._ take twenty apples or pippins par'd, coard, and cut into bits like square dice, stew them in butter, and put to them three ounces of bisket bread, stamp all together in a stone mortar, with six ounces of fat cheese grated, six yolks of eggs, cinamon, six ounces of sugar, make it in little pasties, or half moons, and fry them. _otherways._ take a quart of fine flower, wet it with almond milk, sack, white-wine, rose-water, saffron, and sugar, make thereof a paste into balls, cakes, or any cut or carved branches, and fry them in clarified butter, and serve them with fine scraped sugar. _to fry paste out of a syringe or butter-squirt._ take a quart of fine flower, & a litle leven, dissolve it in warm water, & put to it the flour, with some white wine, salt, saffron, a quarter of butter, and two ounces of sugar; boil the aforesaid things in a skillet as thick as a hasty pudding, and in the boiling stir it continually, being cold beat it in a mortar, fry it in clarified butter, and run it into the butter through a butter-squirt. _to make pancakes._ take three pints of cream, a quart of flour, eight eggs, three nutmegs, a spoonful of salt, and two pound of clarified butter; the nutmegs being beaten, strain them with the cream, flour and salt, fry them into pancakes, and serve them with fine sugar. _otherways._ take three pints of spring-water, a quart of flour, mace, and nutmeg beaten, six cloves, a spoonful of salt, and six eggs, strain them and fry them into pancakes. _or thus._ make stiff paste of fine flour, rose-water, cream, saffron, yolks of eggs, salt, and nutmeg, and fry them in clarified butter. _otherways._ take three pints of cream, a quart of flour, five eggs, salt, three spoonfuls of ale, a race of ginger, cinamon as much, strain these materials, then fry and serve them with fine sugar. _to make a tansie the best way._ take twenty eggs, and take away five whites, strain them with a quart of good thick sweet cream, and put to it grated nutmeg, a race of ginger grated, as much cinamon beaten fine, and a penny white loaf grated also, mix them all together with a little salt, then stamp some green wheat with some tansie herbs, strain it into the cream and eggs, and stir all together; then take a clean frying-pan, and a quarter of a pound of butter, melt it, and put in the tansie, and stir it continually over the fire with a slice, ladle, or saucer, chop it, and break it as it thickens, and being well incorporated put it out of the pan into a dish, and chop it very fine; then make the frying pan very clean, and put in some more butter, melt it, and fry it whole or in spoonfuls; being finely fried on both sides, dish it up, and sprinkle it with rose-vinegar, grape-verjuyce, elder-vinegar, couslip-vinegar, or the juyce of three or four oranges, and strew on good store of fine sugar. _otherways._ take a little tansie, featherfew, parsley, and violets stamp and strain them with eight or ten eggs and salt, fry them in sweet butter, and serve them on a plate and dish with some sugar. _a tansie for lent._ take tansie and all manner of herbs as before, and beaten almond, stamp them with the spawn of pike or carp and strain them with the crumb of a fine manchet, sugar, and rose-water, and fry it in sweet butter. _toasts of divers sorts._ _first, in butter or oyl._ take a cast of fine rouls or round manchet, chip them, and cut them into toasts, fry them in clarified butter, frying oyl, or sallet oyl, but before you fry them dip them in fair water, and being fried, serve them in a clean dish piled one upon another, and sugar between. _otherways._ toste them before the fire, and run them over with butter, sugar, or oyl. _cinamon toasts._ cut fine thin toasts, then toast them on a gridiron, and lay them in ranks in a dish, put to them fine beaten cinamon mixed with sugar and some claret, warm them over the fire, and serve them hot. _french toasts._ cut french bread, and toast it in pretty thick toasts on a clean gridiron, and serve them steeped in claret, sack, or any wine, with sugar and juyce of orange. * * * * * * * * * section vii. _the most excellent ways of making all sorts of puddings._ _a boil'd pudding._ beat the yolks of three eggs, with rose-water, and half a pint of cream, warm it with a piece of butter as big as a walnut, and when it is melted mix the eggs and that together, and season it with nutmeg, sugar, and salt; then put in as much bread as will make it as thick as batter, and lay on as much flour as will lie on a shilling, then take a double cloth, wet it, and flour it, tie it fast, and put it in the pot; when it is boil'd, serve it up in a dish with butter, verjuice, and sugar. _otherways._ take flour, sugar, nutmeg, salt, and water, mix them together with a spoonful of gum-dragon, being steeped all night in rose-water, strain it, then put in suet, and boil it in a cloth. _to boil a pudding otherways._ take a pint of cream or milk, and boil it with a stick of cinamon, being boil'd let it cool, then put in six eggs, take out three whites, and beat the eggs before you put them in the milk, then slice a penny-roul very thin and being slic't beat all together, then put in some sugar, and flour the cloth; being boil'd for sauce, put butter, sack, and sugar, beat them up together, and scrape sugar on it. _other pudding._ sift grated bread through a cullender, and mix it with flour, minc't dates, currans, nutmeg, cinamon, minc't suet, new milk warm, sugar and eggs, take away some of the whites and work all together, then take half the pudding for one side, and half for the other side, and make it round like a loaf, then take butter and put it into the midst, and the other side aloft on the top, when the liquor boils, tie it in a fair cloth and boil it, being boil'd, cut it in two, and so serve it in. _to make a cream pudding to be boil'd._ take a quart of cream and boil it with mace, nutmeg and ginger quartered, put to it eight eggs, and but four whites beaten, a pound of almonds blanched, beaten, and strained in with the cream, a little rose-water, sugar, and a spoonful of fine flower; then take a thick napkin, wet it and rub it with flour, and tie the pudding up in it: being boil'd make sauce for it with sack, sugar, and butter beat up thick together with the yolk of an egg, then blanch some almonds, slice them, and stick the pudding with them very thick, and scrape sugar on it. _to make a green boil'd pudding of sweet herbs._ take and steep a penny white loaf in a quart of cream and only eight yolks of eggs, some currans, sugar, cloves, beaten mace, dates, juyce of spinage, saffron, cinamon, nutmeg, sweet marjoram, tyme, savory, peniroyal minced very small, and some salt, boil it in beef-suet, marrow, (or none.) these puddings are excellent for stuffings of roast or boil'd poultrey, kid, lamb, or turkey, veal, or breasts of mutton. _to make a pudding in haste._ take a pint of good milk or cream, put thereto a handful of raisins of the sun, with as many currans, and a piece of butter, then grate a manchet and a nutmeg, and put thereto a handful of flour; when the milk boils, put in the bread, let it boil a quarter of an hour, then dish it up on beaten butter. _to make a quaking pudding._ slice the crumbs of a penny manchet, and infuse it three or four hours in a pint of scalding hot cream, covering it close, then break the bread with a spoon very small, and put to it eight eggs, and put only four whites, beat them together very well, and season it with sugar, rose-water, and grated nutmeg: if you think it too stiff, put in some cold cream and beat them well together; then wet the bag or napkin and flour it, put in the pudding, tie it hard, and boil it half an hour, then dish it and put to it butter, rose-water, and sugar, and serve it up to the table. _otherways baked._ scald the bread with a pint of cream as abovesaid, then put to it a pound of almonds blanched and beaten small with rose-water in a stone mortar, or walnuts, and season it with sugar, nutmeg, salt, the yolks of six eggs, a quarter of a pound of dates slic't and cut small a handful of currans boil'd and some marrow minced, beat them all together and bake it. _to make a quaking pudding either boil'd or baked._ take a pint of good thick cream, boil it with some large mace, whole cinamon, and slic't nutmeg, then take six eggs, and but three whites, beat them well, and grate some stale manchet, the quantity of a half penny loaf, put it to the eggs with a spoonful of flour, then season the cream according to your own taste with sugar and salt; beat all well together, then wet a cloth or butter it, and put in the pudding when the water boils; an hour will bake it or boil it. _otherways._ take a penny white loaf, pare off the crust, and slice the crumb, steep it in a quart of good thick cream warmed, some beaten nutmeg, six eggs, whereof but two whites, and some salt. sometimes you may use boil'd currans, or boil'd raisins. if to bake, make it a little stiffer, sometimes add saffron; on flesh-days use beef-suet, or marrow; (or neither) for a boil'd pudding butter the napkin being first wetted in water, and bind it up like a ball, an hour will boil it. _to make a shaking pudding._ take a pint of cream and boil it with large mace, slic't nutmeg, and ginger, put in a few almonds blanched and beaten with rose-water, strain them all together, then put to it slic't ginger, grated bread, salt and sugar, flour the napkin or cloth, and put in the pudding, tie it hard, and put it in boiling water; (as you must do all puddings) then serve it up verjuyce, butter, and sugar. _to make a hasty-pudding in a bag._ boil a pint of thick cream with a spoonful of flour, season it with nutmeg, sugar, and salt, wet the cloth and flour it, then pour in the cream being hot into the cloth, and when it is boil'd butter it as a hasty pudding. if it be well made, it will be as good as a custard. _to make a hasty-pudding otherways._ grate a two penny manchet, and mingle it with a quarter of a pint of flour nutmeg, and salt, a quarter of sugar, and half a pound of butter; then set it a boiling on the fire in a clean scowred skillet, a quart, or three pints of good thick cream, and when it boils put in the foresaid materials, stir them continual, and being half boil'd, put in six yolks of eggs, stir them together, and when it is boil'd, serve it in a clean scowred dish, and stick it with some preserved orange-peel thin sliced, run it over with beaten butter, and scraping sugar. _to make an almond pudding._ blanch and beat a pound of almonds, strain them with a quart of cream, a grated, penny manchet searsed, four eggs, some sugar, nutmeg grated, some dates, & salt; boil it, and serve it in a dish with beaten butter, stick it with some muskedines, or wafers, and scraping sugar. _otherways._ take a pound of almond-paste, some grated bisket-bread, cream, rose-water, yolks of eggs, beaten cinamon, ginger, nutmeg, some boil'd currans, pistaches, and musk, boil it in a napkin, and serve it as the former. _to make an almond pudding in guts._ take a pound of blanched almonds, beat them very small, with rosewater, and a little good new milk or cream with two or three blades of mace, and some sliced nutmegs; when it is boil'd take the spice clean from it, then grate a penny loaf and searse it through a cullender, put it into the cream, and let it stand till it be pretty cool, then put in the almonds, five or six yolks of eggs, salt, sugar and good store of marrow or beef-suet finely minced, and fill the guts. _to make a rice pudding to bake._ boil the rice tender in milk, then season it with nutmeg, mace, rose-water, sugar, yolks of eggs, with half the whites, some grated bread, and marrow minced with amber-greese, and bake it in a buttered dish. _to make rice puddings in guts._ boil half a pound of rice with three pints of milk, and a little beaten mace, boil it until the rice be dry, but never stir it, if you do, you must stir it continually, or else it will burn, pour your rice into a cullender or strainer, that the moisture may run clean from it, then put to it six eggs, (put away the whites of three) half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pint of rose-water, a pound of currans, and a pound of beef-suet shred small, season it with nutmeg, cinamon, and salt, then dry the small guts of a hog, sheep, or beefer, and being, finely cleansed for the purpose, steep and fill them, cut the guts a foot long, and fill them three quarters full, tie both ends together, and put them in boiling water, a quarter of an hour will boil them. _otherways._ boil the rice first in water, then in milk, after with salt, in cream; then take six eggs, grated bread, good store of marrow minced small, some nutmeg, sugar, and salt; fill the guts and put them into a pipkin, and boil them in milk and rose-water. _otherways._ steep it in fair water all night, then boil it in new milk, and drain out the milk through a cullender, then mince a good quantity of beef-suet not too small, and put it into the rice in some bowl or tray, with currans being first boil'd, yolks of eggs, nutmeg, cinamon, sugar, and barberries, mingle all together; then wash the second guts, fill them, and boil them. _to make a cinamon pudding._ take and steep a penny white loaf in a quart of cream, six yolks of eggs, and but two whites, dates, half an ounce of beaten cinamon, and some almond paste. sometimes add rose-water, salt, and boil'd currans, either bake or boil it for stuffings. _to make a haggas pudding._ take a calves chaldron being well scowred or boiled, mince it being cold, very fine and small, then take four or five eggs, and leave out half the whites, thick cream, grated bread, sugar, salt, currans, rose-water, some beef-suet or marrow, (and if you will) sweet marjoram, time, parsley, and mix all together; then having a sheeps maw ready dressed, put it in and boil it a little. _otherways._ take good store of parsley, tyme, savory, four or five onions, and sweet marjoram, chop them with some whole oatmeal, then add to them pepper, and salt, and boil them in a napkin, being boil'd tender, butter it, and serve it on sippets. _to make a chiveridge pudding._ lay the fattest of a hog in fair water and salt to scowr them, then take the longest and fattest gut, and stuff it with nutmeg, sugar, ginger, pepper, and slic't dates, cut them and serve them to the table. _to make leveridge puddings._ boil a hogs liver, and let it be thorowly cold, then grate and sift it through a cullender, put new milk to it and the fleck of a hog minced small put into the liver, and some grated bread, divide the meat in two parts, then take store of herbs, mince them fine, and put the herbs into one part with nutmeg, mace, pepper, anniseed, rosewater, cream, and eggs, fill them up and boil them. to the other part or sort put barberries, slic't dates, currans, cream, and eggs. _other leveridge puddings._ boil a hogs liver very dry, and when it is cold grate it and take as much grated manchet as liver, sift them through a cullender; and season them with cloves, mace, and cinamon, as much of all the other spices, half a pound of sugar, a pound and a half of currans, half a pint of rose-water, three pound of beef suet minced small, eight eggs and but four whites. _a swan or goose pudding._ strain the swan or goose blood, and steep with it oatmeal or grated bread in milk or cream, with nutmeg, pepper, sweet herbs minced, suet, rose-water, minced lemon peels very small and a small quantity of coriander-seed. this for a pudding in a swan or gooses neck. _to make a farsed pudding._ mince a leg of mutton with sweet herbs, grated bread, minced dates, currans, raisins of the sun, a little orangado or preserved lemon sliced thin, a few coriander-seeds, nutmeg, pepper, and ginger, mingle all together with some cream, and raw eggs, and work it together like a pasty, then wrap the meat in a caul of mutton or veal, and so you may either boil or bake them. if you bake them, indorse them with yolks of eggs, rose-water, and sugar, and stick them with little sprigs of rosemary and cinamon. _to make a pudding of veal._ mince raw veal very fine, and mingle it with lard cut into the form of dice, then mince some sweet marjoram, penniroyal, camomile, winter-savory, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, salt, work all together with good store of beaten cinamon, sugar, barberries, sliced figs, blanched almonds, half a pound of beef-suet finely minced, put these into the guts of a fat mutton or hog well cleansed, and cut an inch and a half long, set them a boiling in a pipkin of claret wine with large mace; being almost boil'd, have some boil'd grapes in small bunches, and barberries in knots, then dish them on french bread being scalded with the broth of some good mutton gravy, and lay them on garnish of slic't lemons. _to make a pudding of wine in guts._ slice the crumbs, of two manchets, and take half a pint of wine, and some sugar, the wine must be scalded; then take eight eggs, and beat them with rose-water, put to them sliced dates, marrow, and nutmeg, mix all together, and fill the guts to boil. _bread puddings in guts._ take cream and boil it with mace, and mix beaten almonds with rose-water, then take cream, eggs, nutmeg, currans, salt, and marrow, mix them with as much bread as you think fit, and fill the guts. _to make an italian pudding._ take a fine manchet and cut it in square pieces like dice, then put to it half a pound of beef-suet minced small, raisins of the sun, cloves, mace, minced dates, sugar, marrow, rose-water, eggs, and cream, mingle all these together, put them into a buttered dish, in less than an hour it will be baked, and when you serve it, scrape sugar on it. _other pudding in the italian fashion with blood of beast or fish._ take half a pound of grated cheese, a penny manchet grated, sweet herbs chopped very small, cinamon, pepper, salt, nutmeg, cloves, mace, four eggs, sugar, and currans, bake it in a dish or pie, or boil it in a napkin, and bind it up in a ball, being boil'd serve it with beaten butter, sugar, and beaten cinamon. _to make a french pudding._ take half a pound of raisins of the sun, a penny white loaf pared and cut into dice-work, half a pound of beef-suet finely minced, three ounces of sugar, eight slic't dates, a grain of musk, twelve or sixteen lumps of marrow, salt, half a pint of cream, three eggs beaten with it, and poured on the pudding, cloves, mace, nutmeg, salt, and a pome-water, or a pippin or two pared, slic't, and put in the bottom of the dish before you bake the pudding. _to make a french barley pudding._ boil the barley, & put to one quart of barley, a manchet grated, then beat a pound of almonds, & strain them with cream, then take eight eggs, & but four whites, & beat them with rose-water, season it with nutmeg, mace, salt, and marrow, or beef-suet cut small, mingle all together, then fill the guts and boil them. _to make an excellent pudding._ take crumbs of white-bread, as much fine flour, the yolks of four eggs, but one white, and as much good cream as will temper it as thick as you would make pancake batter, then butter the dish, bake it, and scrape sugar on it being baked. _puddings of swines lights._ parboil the lights, mince them very small with suet, and mix them with grated bread, cream, curans, eggs, nutmeg, salt, and rose-water, and fill the guts. _to make an oatmeal pudding._ pick a quart of whole oatmeal, being finly picked and cleansed, steep it in warm milk all night, next morning drain it, and boil it in three pints of cream; being boil'd and cold put to it six yolks of eggs and but three whites, cloves, mace, saffron, salt, dates slic't, and sugar, boil it in a napkin, and boil it as the bread-pudding, serve it with beaten butter, and stick it with slic't dates, and scrape sugar; or you may bake these foresaid materials in dish, pye, _&c._ sometimes add to this pudding raisins of the sun, and all manner of sweet herbs, chopped small, being seasoned as before. _other oatmeal pudding._ take great oatmeal, pick it and scale it in cream being first put in a dish or bason, season it with nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, pepper, and currans, bake it in a dish, or boil it in a napkin, being baked or boiled, serve it with beaten butter, and scraping sugar. _otherways._ season it with cloves, mace, saffron, salt, and yolks of eggs, and but five that have whites, and some cream to steep the groats in, boil it in a napkin, or bake it in a dish or pye. _to make oatmeal pudding-pies._ steep oatmeal in warm milk three or four hours, then strain some blood into it of flesh or fish, mix it with cream, and add to it suet minced small, sweet herbs chopped fine, as tyme, parsley, spinage, succory, endive, strawberry leaves, violet leaves, pepper, cloves mace, fat beef-suet, and four eggs; mingle all together, and so bake them. _to make an oatmeal pudding boil'd._ take the biggest oatmeal, mince what herbs you like best and mix with it, season it with pepper and salt, tye it strait in a bag, and when it is boild, butter it and serve it up. _oatmeal pudding otherwise of fish or flesh blood._ take a quart of whole oatmeal, steep it in warm milk over night, & then drain the groats from it, boil them in a quart or three pints of good cream; then the oatmeal being boil'd and cold, have tyme, penniroyal, parsley, spinage, savory, endive, marjoram, sorrel, succory, and strawberry leaves, of each a little quantity, chop them fine, and put them to the oatmeal, with some fennil-seed, pepper, cloves, mace, and salt, boil it in a napkin, or bake it in a dish, pie, or guts. sometimes of the former pudding you may leave out some of the herbs, and add these, penniroyal, savory, leeks, a good big onion, sage, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, salt, either for fish or flesh days, with butter or beef-suet, boil'd or baked in a dish, napkin, or pie. _to make a baked pudding._ take a pint of cream, warm it, and put to it eight dates minced, four eggs, marrow, rose-water, nutmegs raced and beaten, mace and salt, butter the dish, and put it in; and if you please, lay puff paste on it, and scrape sugar on it and in it. _to make a baked pudding otherways._ take a pint and a half of cream, and a pound of butter; set the same on fire till the butter be melted, then take three or four eggs, season it with nutmeg, rose-water, sugar, and salt, make it as thin as pankake batter, butter the dish, and baste it with a garnish of paste about it. _otherways._ take a penny loaf, pare it, slice it, and put it into a quart of cream with a little rose-water, break it very small, then take four ounces of almon-paste, and put in eight eggs beaten, the marrow of three or four marrow bones, three or four pippins slic't thin, or what way you please; mingle these together with a little ambergreese, and butter, then dish and bake it. _otherways._ take a quart of cream, put thereto a pound of beef-suet minced small, put it into the cream, and season it with nutmeg, cinamon, and rose-water, put to it eight eggs, and but four whites, and two grated manchets; mingle them well together, and put them in a butter'd dish, bake it, and being baked, scrape on sugar, and serve it. _to make black puddings._ take half the oatmeal, pick it, and take the blood while it is warm from the hog, strain it and put it in the oatmeal as soon us you can, let it stand all night; then take the other part of the oatmeal, pick it also, and boil it in milk till it be tender, and all the milk consumed, then put it to the blood and stir it well together, put in good store of beef or hog suet, and season it with good pudding herbs, salt, pepper, and fennil-seed, fill not the guts too full, and boil them. _to make black puddings otherways._ take the blood of the hog while it is warm, put in some salt, and when it is thorough cold put in the groats or oatmeal well picked; let it stand soaking all night, then put in the herbs, which must be rosemary, tyme, penniroyal, savory, and fennel, make the blood soft with putting in some good cream until the blood look pale; then beat four or five eggs, whites and all, and season it with cloves, mace, pepper, fennil-seed, and put good store of hogs fat or beef-suet to the stuff, cut not the fat too small. _to make black puddings an excellent way._ after the hogs umbles are tender boil'd, take some of the lights with the heart, and all the flesh about them, picking from them all the sinewy skins, then chop the meat as small as you can, and put to it a little of the liver very finely searsed, some grated nutmeg, four or five yolks of eggs, a pint of very good cream, two or three spoonfuls of sack, sugar, cloves, mace, nutmeg, cinamon, caraway-seed, a little rose-water, good store of hogs fat, and some salt: roul it in rouls two hours before you go to fill them in the guts, and lay the guts in steep in rose-water till you fill them. * * * * * * * * * section viii. _the rarest ways of making all manner of souces and jellies._ _to souce a brawn._ take a fat brawn of two or three years growth, and bone the sides, cut off the head close to the ears, and cut five collars of a side, bone the hinder leg, or else five collars will not be deep enough, cut the collars an inch deeper in the belly, then on the back; for when the collars come to boiling, they will shrink more in the belly than in the back, make the collars very even when you bind them up, not big at one end, & little at the other, but fill them equally, and lay them again in a soaking in fair water; before you bind them up, let them be well watered the space of two days, and twice a day soak & scrape them in warm water, then cast them in cold fair water, before you roul them up in collors, put them into white clouts, or sow them up with white tape. or bone him whole, & cut him cross the flitches, make but four or five collars in all, & boil them in cloths, or bind them up with white tape, then have your boiler ready, make it boil, and put in your collars of the biggest bulk first, a quarter of an hour before the other lessor; boil them at the first putting in the space of an hour with a quick fire, & keep the boiler continually fil'd up with warm clean liquor, scum off the fat clean still as it riseth; after an hour let it boil leisurely, and keep it still filled up to the brim; being fine and tender boil'd, that you may put a straw thorow it, draw your fire, and let your brawn rest till the next morning. then being between hot and cold, take it into molds of deep hoops, bind them about with packthred, and being cold, take them out and put them into souce drink made of boil'd oatmeal ground or beaten, and bran boil'd in fair water; being cold, strain it thorow a cullender into the tub or earthen pot, put salt into it, and close up the vessel close from the air. or you may make other souse-drink of whey and salt beaten together, it will make your brawn look more white and better. _to make pig brawn_ take a white or red pig, for a spotted one is not so handsome, take a good large fat one, and being scalded and drawn bone it whole, but first cut off the head and the hinder quarters, (and leave the bone in the hinder quarters) the rest being boned cut it into collars overwart both the sides, or bone the wole pig but only the head: then wash them in divers-waters, and let it soak in clean water two hours, the bloud being well soaked out, take them and dry the collars in a clean cloth, and season them in the inside with minced lemon-peel and salt, roul them up, & put them into fine clean clouts, but first make your collars very equal at both ends, round and even, bind them up at the ends and middle hard & close with packthred; then let your pan boil, and put in the collars, boil them with water and salt, and keep it filled up with warm water as you do the brawn, scum off the fat very clean, and being tender boil'd put them in a hoop as deep as the collar, bind it and frame it even, being cold put it into your souce drink made of whey and salt, or oatmeal boil'd and strained, then put them in a pipkin or little barrel, and stop them close from the air. when you serve it, dish it on a dish and plate, the two collars, two quarters and head, or make but two collars of the whole pig. _to garnish brawn or pig brawn._ leach your brawn, and dish it on a plate in a fair clean dish, then put a rosemary branch on the top being first dipped in the white of an egg well beaten to froth, or wet in water and sprinkled with flour, or a sprig of rosemary gilt with gold; the brawn spotted also with gold and silver leaves, or let your sprig be of a streight sprig of yew tree, or a streight furz bush, and put about the brawn stuck round with bay-leaves three ranks round, and spotted with red and yellow jelly about the dish sides, also the same jelly and some of the brawn leached, jagged, or cut with tin moulds, and carved lemons, oranges and barberries, bay-leaves gilt, red beets, pickled barberries, pickled gooseberries, or pickled grapes. _to souce a pig._ take a pig being scalded, cut off the head, and part it down the back, draw it and bone it, then the sides being well cleansed from the blood, and soaked in several clean waters, take the pig and dry the sides, season them with nutmeg, ginger, and salt, roul them and bind them up in clean clouts as the pig brawn aforesaid, then have as much water as will cover it in a boiling pan two inches over and two bottles of white-wine over and above; first let the water boil, then put in the collars with salt, mace, slic't ginger, parsley-roots and fennil-roots scraped and picked; being half boiled put in two quarts of white-wine, and when it is boil'd quite, put in slices of lemon to it, and the whole peel of a lemon. _otherways in collars._ season the sides with beaten nutmeg, salt, and ginger, or boil the sides whole or not bone them; boil also a piece or breast of veal with them, being well joynted and soaked two hours in fair water, boil it in half wine and half water, mace, slic't ginger, parsley, and fennil-roots, being boil'd leave it in this souce, and put some slic't lemon to it, with the whole pieces: when it is cold serve it with yellow, red, and white jelly, barberries, slic't lemon, and lemon-peel. or you may make but one collar of both the sides to the hinder quarters, or bone the two sides, and make but two collars of all, and save the head only whole, or souce a pig in quarters or halves, or make of a good large fat pig but one collar only, and the head whole. or souce it with two quarts of white wine to a gallon of water, put in your wine when your pig is almost boil'd, and put to it four maces, a few cloves, two races of slic't ginger, salt, a few bay-leaves, whole pepper, some slices of lemon, and lemon-peel; before you boil your pig, season the sides or collars with nutmeg, salt, cloves, and mace. _to souce a pig otherways._ scald it and cut it in four quarters, bone it, and let it ly in water a day and a night, then roul it up (like brawn) with sage leaves, lard in thin slices, & some grated bread mix't with the juyce of orange, beaten nutmeg, mace, and salt: roul it up in the quarters of the pig very hard and binde it up with tape, then boil it with fair water, white-wine, large mace, slic't ginger, a little lemon-peel, a faggot of sweet herbs, and salt; being boil'd put it in an earthen pot to cool in the liquor, and souce there two days, then dish it out on plates, or serve it in collars with mustard and sugar. _otherways._ season the sides with cloves, mace, and salt, then roul it in collars or sides with the bones in it; then take two or gallons of water, a pottle of white-wine, and when the liquor boils put in the pig, with mace, cloves, slic't ginger, salt, bay-leaves, and whole pepper; being half boil'd, put in the wine, _&c._ _otherways._ season the collars with chopped sage, beaten nutmeg, pepper, and salt. _to souce or jelly a pig in the spanish fashion._ take a pig being scalded, boned, and chined down the back, then soak the collars clean from the blood the space of two hours, dry them in a clean cloth, and season the sides with pepper, salt, and minced sage; then have two dryed neats-tongues that are boil'd tender and cold, that they look fine and red, pare them and slice them from end to end the thickness of a half crown piece, lay them on the inside of the seasoned pig, one half of the tongue for one side, and the other for the other side; then make two collars and bind them up in fine white clouts, boil them as you do the soust pigs with wine, water, salt, slic't ginger and mace, keep it dry, or in souce drink of the pig brawn. if dry serve it in slices as thick as a trencher cut round the collar or slices in jelly, and make jelly of the liquor wherein it was boil'd, adding to it juyce of lemon, ising-glass, spices, sugar clarified with eggs, and run it through the bag. _how to divide a pig into collars divers ways, either for pig brawn, or soust pig._ . cut a large fat bore-pig into one collar only, bone it whole, and not chine it, the head only cut off. . take out the hinder-quarters and buttocks with the bones in them, bone all the rest whole, only the head cut off. . take off the hinder quarters and make two collars, bone all the rest, only cut off the head & leave it whole. . cut off the head, and chine it through the back, and collar both sides at length from end to end. . chine it as before with the bones in, and souce it in quarters. _to souce a capon._ take a good bodied capon, young, fat, and finely pulled, drawn and trussed, lay it in soak two or three hours with a knuckle of veal well joynted, and after set them a boiling in a fine deep brass-pan, kettle, or large pipkin, in a gallon of fair water; when it boils, scum it, and put in four or five blades of mace, two or three races of ginger slic't, four fennil-roots, and four parsley-roots, scraped and picked, and salt. the capon being fine and tender boild take it up, and put it in other warm liquor or broth, then put to your souced broth a quart of white-wine, and boil it to a jelly; then take it off, and put it into an earthen pan or large pipkin, put your capon to it, with two or three slic't lemons, and cover it close, serve it at your pleasure, and garnish it with slices and pieces of lemon, barberries, roots, mace, nutmeg, and some of the jelly. some put to this souc't capon, whole pepper, & a faggot of sweet herbs, but that maketh the broth very black. in that manner you may souce any land fowl. _to souce a breast of veal, side of lamb, or any joynt of mutton, kid, fawn, or venison._ bone a breast of veal & soak it well from the blood, then wipe it dry, and season the side of the breast with beaten nutmeg, ginger, some sweet herbs minced small, whole coriander-seed, minced lemon-peel, and salt, and lay some broad slices of sweet lard over the seasoning, then roul it into a collar, and bind it up in a white clean cloth, put it into boiling liquor, scum it well, and then put in slic't ginger, slic't nutmeg, salt, fennil, and parsley-roots, being almost boild, put in a quart of white-wine, and when it is quite boild take it off, and put in slices of lemon, the peel of two lemons whole, and a douzen bay leaves, boil it close covered to make the veal look white. thus you may do a breast of mutton, either roul'd, or with the bones in, and season them with nutmeg, pepper & salt, roul them, & bake them in a pot with wine and water, any sea or land fowl, being stuffed or farsed; and filled up with butter afterwards, and served dry, or lard the fowls, bone and roul them. _to souce a leg of veal._ take a leg of veal, bone it and lard it, but first season the lard with pepper, cloves, & mace, lard it with great lard as big as your little finger, season the veal also with the same seasoning & some salt with it; lard it very thick then have all manner of sweet herbs minc't and strew'd on it, roul it like a collar of brawn, and boil it or stew it in the oven in a pipkin, with water, salt, and white-wine, serve it in a collar cold, whole or in slices, or put away the liquor, and fill it up with butter, or bake it with butter in a roul, jelly it, and mix some of the broth with almond milk, and jellies in slices of two collars, when you serve it. _otherways._ stuff or farse a leg of veal; with sweet herbs minc't, beef-suet, pepper, nutmeg, and salt, collar it, and boil or bake it; being cold, either serve it dry in a collar, or in slices, or in a whole collar with gallendines of divers sorts, or in thin slices with oyl and vinegar. thus you may dress any meat, venison, or fowls. _to souce bullocks cheeks, a flank, brisket, or rand of beef,_ &c. take a bullocks cheek or flank of beef and lay it in peter salt four days, then roul it as even as you can, that the collar be not bigger in one place than in another boil it in water and salt, or amongst other beef, boil it very tender in a cloth as you do brawn, and being tender boil'd take it up, and put it into a hoop to fashion it upright and round, then keep it dry, and take it out of the clout, and serve it whole with mustard and sugar, or some gallendines. if lean, lard it with groat lard. _to collar a surloin, flank, brisket, rand, or fore-rib of beef._ take the flank of beef, take out the sinewy & most of the fat, put it in pickle with as much water as will cover it, and put a handful of peter-salt to it, let it steep three days and not sift it, then take it out and hang it a draining the air, wipe it dry, then have a good handful of red sage, some tops of rosemary, savory, marjoram, tyme, but twice as much sage, mince them very small, then take quarter of an ounce of mace, and half as many cloves with a little ginger, and half an ounce of pepper, and likewise half an ounce of peter-salt; mingle them together, then take your beef, splat it, and lay it even that it may roul up handsomely in a collar; then take your seasoning of herbs and spices, and strow it all over, roul it up close, and bind it fast with packthred, put it into an earthen pipkin or pot, and put a pint of claret wine to it, an onion and two or three cloves of garlick, close it up with a piece of course paste, and bake it in a bakers oven, it will ask six hours soaking. _to souce a collar of veal in the same manner, or venison, pork, or mutton._ take out the bones, and put them in steep in the picle with peter-salt, as was aforesaid, steep them three days, and hang them in the air one day, lard them (or not lard them) with good big lard, and season the lard with nutmeg, pepper, and herbs, as is aforesaid in the collar of beef, strow it over with the herbs, and spices, being mingled together, and roul up the collar, bind it fast, and bake it tender in a pot, being stopped close, and keep it for your use to serve either in slices or in the whole collar, garnish it with bays and rosemary. _to make a jelly for any kind of souc't meats, dishes, or other works of that nature._ take six pair of calves feet, scald them and take away the fat betwixt the claws, & also the long shank-bones, lay them in soak in fair water or hours, and boil them in two gallons of fair spring-water, to three quarts of stock; being boild strain it through a strainer, & when the broth is cold, take it from the grounds, & divide it into three pipkins for three several colours, to every pipkin a quart of white-wine, and put saffron in one, cutchenele in another, and put a race of ginger, two blades of mace, and a nutmeg to each pipkin, and cinamon to two of the pipkins, the spices being first slic't, then set your pipkins on the fire, and melt the jelly; then have a pound and a half of sugar for each pipkin: but first take your fine sugar being beaten, and put in a long dish or tray, and put to it whites of eighteen eggs, and beat them well together with your rouling pin, and divide it into three parts, put each part equally into the several pipkins, and stir it well together; the broth being almost cold, then set them on a charcoal fire and let them stew leisurely, when they begin to boil over, take them off, let it cool a little, run them through the bags once or twice and keep it for your use. for variety sometimes in place of wine, you may use grapes stamped and strained, wood-sorrel, juyce of lemons, or juyce of oranges. _to jelly hogs or porkers feet, ears, or snouts._ take twelve feet, six ears, & six snouts or noses, being finely scalded, & lay them in soak twenty four hours, shift & scrape them very white, then boil them in a fair clean scoured brass pot or pipkin in three gallons of liquor, five quarts of water, three of wine-vinegar, or verjuyce, and four of white-wine, boil them from three gallons to four quarts waste, being scum'd, put in an ounce of pepper whole, an ounce of nutmegs in quarters, an ounce of ginger slic't, and an ounce of cinamon, boil them together, as is abovesaid, to four quarts. then take up the meat, and let them cool, divide them into dishes, & run it over with the broth or jelly being a little first setled, take the clearest, & being cold put juice or orange over all, serve it with bay-leaves about the dish. _to make a crystal jelly._ take three pair of calves feet, and scald off the hair very clean, knock off the claws, and take out the great bones & fat, & cast them into fair water, shift them three or four times in a day and a night, then boil them next morning in a glazed pipkin or clean pot, with six quarts of fair spring water, boil it and scum it clean, boil away three quarts or more; then strain it into a clean earthen pan or bason, & let it be cold: then prepare the dross from the bottom, and take the fat of the top clean, put it in a large pipkin of six quarts, and put into it two quarts of old clear white-wine, the juyce of four lemons, three blades of mace, and two races of ginger slic't; then melt or dissolve it again into broth, and let it cool. then have four pound of hard sugar fine beaten, and mix it with twelve whites of eggs in a great dish with your rouling pin, and put it into your pipkin to your jelly, stir it together with a grain of musk and ambergriese, put it in a fine linnen clout bound up, and a quarter of a pint of damask rose-water, set it a stewing on a soft charcoal fire, before it boils put in a little ising glass, and being boil'd up, take it, and let it cool a little, and run it. _other jelly for service of several colours._ take four pair of calves feet, a knuckle of veal, a good fleshie capon, and prepare these things as is said in the crystal jelly: boil them in three gallons of fair water, till six quarts be wasted, then strain it in an earthen pan, let it cool, and being cold pare the bottom, and take off the fat on the top also; then dissolve it again into broth, and divide it into equal parts, put it into four several pipkins, as will contain five pints a piece each pipkin, put a little saffron into one of them, into another cutchenele beaten with allum, into another turnsole, and the other his own natural white; also to every pipkin a quart of white-wine, and the juyce of two lemons. then also to the white jelly one race of ginger pare'd and slic't & three blades of large mace, to the red jelly nutmegs, as much in quantity of cinamon as nutmegs, also as much ginger; to the turnsole put also the same quantity, with a few whole cloves; then to the amber or yellow color, the same spices and quantity. then have eighteen whites of eggs, & beat them with six pound of double refined sugar, beaten small and stirred together in a great tray or bason with a rouling pin divide it into four parts in the four pipkins & stir it to your jelly broth, spice, & wine, being well mixed together with a little musk & ambergriese. then have new bags, wash them first in warm water, and then in cold, wring them dry, and being ready strung with packthread on sticks, hang them on a spit by the fire from any dust, and set new earthen pans under them being well seasoned with boiling liquor. then again set on your jelly on a fine charcoal fire, and let it stew softly the space of almost an hour, then make it boil up a little, and take it off, being somewhat cold run it through the bag twice or thrice, or but once if it be very clear; and into the bags of colors put in a sprig of rosemary, keep it for your use in those pans, dish it as you see good, or cast it into what mould you please; as for example these. _scollop shells, cockle shells, egg shells, half lemon, or lemon-peel, wilks, or winkle shells, muscle shells, or moulded out of a butter-squirt._ or serve it on a great dish and plate, one quarter of white, another of red, another of yellow, the fourth of another colour, & about the sides of the dish oranges in quarters of jelly, in the middle whole lemon full of jelly finely carved, or cast out of a wooden or tin mould, or run into little round glasses four or five in a dish, on silver trencher plates, or glass trencher plates. _the quantities for a quart of jelly broth for the true making of it._ a quart of white-wine, a pound and a half of sugar, eggs, two nutmegs, or mace, two races of ginger, as much cinamon, two grains of musk and ambergriese, calves feet, or a knuckle of veal. sometimes for variety, in place of wine, use grape-verjuyce; if juyce of grapes a quart, juyce of lemons a pint, juyce of oranges a quart, juyce of wood-sorrel a quart, and juyce of quinces a quart. _how to prepare to make a good stock for jellies of all sorts, and the meats most proper for them, both for service and sick-folks; also the quantities belonging to a quart of jellie._ _for the stock for service._ two pair of calves feet finely cleansed, the fat and great bones taken out and parted in halves; being well soaked in fair water twenty four hours, and often shifted, boil them in a brass pot or pipkin close covered, in the quantity of a gallon of water, boil them to three pints, then strain the broth through a clean strong canvas into an earthen pan or bason; when it is cold take off the top, and pare off the dregs from the bottom. put it in a clean well glazed pipkin of two quarts, with a quart of white-wine, a quarter of a pint of cinamon-water, as much of ginger-water, & as much of nutmeg-water, or these spices sliced. then have two pound of double refined sugar beaten with eggs, in a deep dish or bason, your jelly being new melted, put in the eggs with sugar, stir all the foresaid materials together, and set it astewing on a soft charcoal fire the space of half an hour or more, being well digested and clear run. take out the bone and fat of any meat for jellies, for it doth but stain the stock, and is the cause that it will never be white nor very clear. _meats proper for jelly for service or sick folks._ . three pair of calves feet. . three pair of calves feet, a knuckle of veal, and a fine well fleshed capon. . one pair of calves feet, a well fleshed capon, and half a pound of harts-horn of ising-glass. . an old cock and a knuckle of veal. . harts horn jelly only, or with a poultrey. . good bodied capons. . ising-glass only, or with a cock or capon. . jelly of hogs feet, ears, and snouts. . sheeps feet, lambs feet, and calves feet. _neats feet for a jelly for a neats-tongue._ being fresh and tender boil'd and cold, lard it with candied cittern candied orange, lemon, or quinces, run it over with jelly, and some preserved barberries or cherries. _to make a jelly as white as snow of jorden-almonds._ take a pound of almonds, steep them in cold water till they will blanch, which will be in six hours; being blanched into cold water, beat them with a quart of rose water: then have a decoction of half a pound of ising-glass, boil'd with a gallon of fair spring-water, or else half wine, boil it till half be wasted, then let it cool, strain it, and mingle it with your almonds, and strain with them a pound of double refined sugar, the juyce of two lemons, and cast it into egg shells; put saffron to some of it, and make some of it blue, some of it green, and some yellow; cast some into oranges, and some into lemon rindes candied: mix part of it with some almond paste colored; and some with cheese-curds; serve of divers of these colours on a great dish and plate. _to make other white jelly._ boil two capons being cleansed, the fat and lungs taken out, truss them and soak them well in clean water three of four hours; then boil them in a pipkin, or pot of two gallons or less, put to them a gallon or five quarts of white wine, scum them, and boil them to a jelly, next strain the broth from the grounds and blow off the fat clean; then take a quart of sweet cream, a quart of the jelly broth, a pound and half of refined sugar, and a quarter of a pint of rose water, mingle them all together, and give them a warm on the fire with half an ounce of fine searsed ginger; then set it a cooling, dish it, or cast it in lemon or orange-peels, or in any fashion of the other jellies, in moulds or glasses, or turn it into colours; for sick folks in place of cream use stamped almonds. _to make jellies for sauces, made dishes, and other works._ take six pair of calves feet, scald them and take away the fat between the claws, as also the great long shank bones, and lay them in water four or five hours; then boil them in two gallons of fair spring water, scum them clean and boil them from two gallons to three quarts, then strain it through a strong canvas, and let the broth cool; being cold cleanse it from the grounds, pare off the top and melt it, then put to it in a good large pipkin, three quarts of white-wine, three races of ginger slic't, some six blades of mace, a quarter of an ounce of cinamon, a grain of musk, and eighteen whites of eggs beaten with four pound of sugar, mingle them with the rest in the pipkin, and the juyce of three lemons, set all on the fire, and let it stew leisurely; then have your bag ready washed, and when your pipkin boils up, run it, _&c._ _harts horn jelly._ take half a pound of harts-horn, boil it in fair spring water leisurely, close covered, and in a well glazed pipkin that will contain a gallon, boil it till a spoonful will stand stiff being cold, then strain it through a fine thick canvas or fine boultering, and put it again into another lesser pipkin, with the juyce of eight or nine good large lemons, a pound and half of double refined sugar, and boil it again a little while, then put it in a gally pot, or small glasses, or cast it into moulds, or any fashions of the other jellies. it is held by the physicians for a special cordial. or take half a pound of harts-horn grated, and a good capon being finely cleansed and soaked from the blood, and the fat taken off, truss it, and boil it in a pot or pipkin with the harts-horn, in fair spring water, the same things as the former, _&c._ _to make another excellent jelly of harts horn and ising-glass for a consumption._ take half a pound of ising-glass, half a pound of harts-horn, half a pound of slic't dates, a pound of beaten sugar, half a pound of slic't figs, a pound of slic't prunes half an ounce of cinamon, half an ounce of ginger, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of nutmegs, and a little red sanders, slice your spices, and also a little stick of liquorish and put in your cinamon whole. _to make a jelly for weakness in the back._ take two ounces of harts-horn, and a wine quart of spring-water, put it into a pipkin, and boil it over a soft fire till it be one half consumed, then take it off the fire, and let it stand a quarter of an hour, and strain it through a fine holland cloth, crushing the harts-horn gently with a spoon: then put to it the juyce of a lemon, two spoonfulls of red rose-water, half a spoonful of cinamon-water, four or five ounces of fine sugar, or make it sweet according to the parties taste; then put it out into little glasses or pipkins, and let it stand twenty four hours, then you may take of it in the morning, or at four of the clock in the afternoon, what quantity you please. to put two or three spoonfuls of it into broth is very good. _to make another dish of meat called a press, for service._ do in this as you may see in the jelly of the porker, before spoken of; take the feet, ears, snouts, and cheeks, being finely and tender boil'd to a jelly with spices, and the same liquor as is said in the porker; then take out the bones and make a lay of it like a square brick, season it with coriander or fennil-seed, and bind it up like a square brick in a strong canvas with packthred, press it till it be cold, and serve it in slices with bay-leaves, or run it over with jellies. _to make a sausage for jelly._ boil or roast a capon, mince and stamp it with some almond paste, then have a fine dried neats-tongue, one that looks fine and red ready boil'd, cut it into little pieces, square like dice, half an inch long, and as much of interlarded bacon cut into the same form ready boil'd and cold, some preserved quinces and barberries, sugar, and cinamon, mingle all together with some scraped ising-glass amongst it warm; roul it up in a sausage, knit it up at the ends, and sow the sides; then let it cool, slice it, and serve it in a jelly in a dish in thin slices, and run jelly over it, let it cool and lay on more, that cool, run more, and thus do till the dish be full; when you serve it, garnish the dish with jelly and preserved barberries, and run over all with juyce of lemon. _to make leach a most excellent way in the french fashion._ take a quart of sweet cream, twelve spoonfuls of rose-water, four grains of musk dissolved in rose-water, and four or five blades of large mace boil'd with half a pound of ising-glass, being steeped and washed clean, and put to it half a pound of sugar, and being boil'd to a jelly, run it through your jelly bag into a dish, and being cold slice it into chequer-work, and serve it on a plate or glasses, and sometimes without sugar in it, _&c._ _to make the best almond leach._ take an ounce of ising-glass, and lay it two hours in water, shift it, and boil it in fair water, let it cool; then take two pound of almonds, lay them in the water till they will blanch, then stamp them and put to them a pint of milk, strain them, and put in large mace and slic't ginger, boil them till it taste well of the spice, then put in your digested ising-glass, sugar, and a little rose-water, run it through a strainer, and put it into dishes. some you may colour with saffron, turnsole, or green wheat, and blew-bottles for blew. _to keep sparagus all the year._ parboil them very little, and put them into clarified butter, cover them with it, the butter being cold, cover them with a leather, and about a month after refresh the butter, melt it, and put it on them again, then set them under ground being covered with a leather. * * * * * * * * * section ix. _the best way of making all manner of baked meats._ _to make a bisk or batalia pie._ take six peeping pigeons, and as many peeping small chickens, truss them to bake; then have six oxe pallets well boil'd and blancht, and cut in little pieces; then take six lamb-stones, and as many good veal sweet-breads cut in halves and parboil'd, twenty cocks-combs boil'd and blanch'd, the bottoms of four artichocks boiled and blanched, a quart of great oysters parboil'd and bearded, also the marrow of four bones seasoned with pepper, nutmeg, mace, and salt; fill the pye with the meat, and mingle some pistaches amongst it, cock-stones, knots, or yolks of hard eggs, and some butter, close it up and bake it (an hour and half will bake it) but before you set it in the oven, put into it a little fair water: being baked pour out the butter, and liquor it with gravy, butter beaten up thick, slic't lemon, and serve it up. or you may bake this bisk in a patty-pan or dish. sometimes use sparagus and interlarded bacon. for the paste of this dish, take three quarts of flour, and three quarters of a pound of butter, boil the butter in fair water, and make up the paste hot and quick. otherways in the summer time, make the paste of cold butter; to three quarts of flour take a pound and a half of butter, and work it dry into the flour, with the yolks of four eggs and one white, then put a little water to it, and make it up into a stiff paste. _to bake chickens or pigeons._ take either six pigeon peepers or six chicken peepers, if big cut them in quarters, then take three sweet-breads of veal slic't very thin, three sheeps tongues boil'd tender, blanched and slic't, with as much veal, as much mutton, six larks, twelve cocks combs, a pint of great oysters parboild and bearded, calves udder cut in pieces, and three marrow bones, season these foresaid materials with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then fill them in pies of the form as you see, and put on the top some chesnuts, marrow, large mace, grapes, or gooseberries; then have a little piece of veal and mince it with as much marrow, some grated bread, yolks of eggs, minced dates, salt, nutmeg, and some sweet marjoram, work up all with a little cream, make it up in little balls or rouls, put them in the pie, and put in a little mutton-gravy, some artichock bottoms, or the tops of boild sparagus, and a little butter; close up the pie and bake it, being baked liquor it with juyce of oranges, one lemon, and some claret wine, shake it well together, and so serve it. _to make a chicken pie otherways._ take and truss them to bake, then season them lightly with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; lay them in the pie, and lay on them some dates in halves, with the marrow of three marrow-bones, some large mace, a quarter of a pound of eringo roots, some grapes or barberries, and some butter, close it up, and put it in the oven; being half baked, liquor it with a pound of good butter; a quarter of a pint of grape-verjuyce, and a quartern of refined sugar, ice it and serve it up. otherways you may use the giblets, and put in some pistaches, but keep the former order as aforesaid for change. liquor it with caudle made of a pint of white-wine or verjuyce, the yolks of five or six eggs, suger, and a quarter of a pound of good sweet butter; fill the pye, and shake this liquor well in it, with the slices of a lemon. or you may make the caudle green with the juyce of spinage; ice these pies, or scrape sugar on them. otherways for the liquoring or garnishing of these pies, for variety you may put in them boil'd skirrets, bottom of artichocks boil'd, or boil'd cabbidge lettice. sometimes sweet herbs, whole yolks of hard eggs, interlarded bacon in very thin slices, and a whole onion; being baked, liquor it with white-wine, butter, and the juyce of two oranges. or garnish them with barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, red or white currans, and some sweet herbs chopped small, boil'd in gravy; and beat up thick with butter. otherways liquor it with white-wine, butter, sugar, some sweet marjoram, and yolks of eggs strained. or bake them with candied lettice stalks, potatoes, boil'd and blanch'd, marrow, dates, and large mace; being baked cut up the pye, and lay on the chickens, slic't lemon, then liquor the pye with white-wine, butter, and sugar, and serve it up hot. you may bake any of the foresaid in a patty-pan or dish, or bake them in cold butter paste. _to bake turkey, chicken, pea-chicken, pheasant-pouts, heath pouts, caponets, or partridge for to be eaten cold._ take a turkey-chicken, bone it, and lard it with pretty big lard, a pound and half will serve, then season it with an ounce of pepper, an ounce of nutmegs, and two ounces of salt, lay some butter in the bottom of the pye, then lay on the fowl, and put in it six or eight whole cloves, then put on all the seasoning with good store of butter, close it up, and baste it over with eggs, bake it, and being baked fill it up with clarified butter. thus you may bake them for to be eaten hot, giving them but half the seasoning, and liquor it with gravy and juyce of orange. bake this pye in fine paste; for more variety you may make a stuffing for it as followeth; mince some beef-suet and a little veal very fine, some sweet herbs, grated nutmeg, pepper, salt, two or three raw yolks of eggs, some boil'd skirrets or pieces of artichocks, grapes, or gooseberries, _&c._ _to bake pigeons wild or tame, stock-doves, turtle-doves, quails, rails, &c. to be eaten cold._ take six pigeons, pull, truss, and draw them, wash and wipe them dry, and season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, the quantity of two ounces of the foresaid spices, and as much of the one as the other, then lay some butter in the bottom of the pye, lay on the pigeons, and put all the seasoning on them in the pye, put butter to it, close it up and bake it, being baked and cold, fill it up with clarified butter. make the paste of a pottle of fine flour, and a quarter of a pound of butter boil'd in fair water made up quick and stiff. if you will bake them to be eaten hot, leave out half the seasoning: bake them in dish, pie, or patty-pan, and make cold paste of a pottle of flour, six yolks of raw eggs, and a pound of butter, work into the flour dry, and being well wrought into it, make it up stiff with a little fair water. being baked to be eaten hot, put it into yolks of hard eggs, sweet-breads, lamb-stones, sparagus, or bottoms of artichocks, chesnuts, grapes, or gooseberries. sometimes for variety make a lear of butter, verjuyce, sugar, some sweet marjoram chopped and boil'd up in the liquor, put them in the pye when you serve it up, and dissolve the yolk of an egg into it; then cut up the pye or dish, and put on it some slic't lemon, shake it well together, and serve it up hot. in this mode or fashion you bake larks, black-birds, thrushes, veldifers, sparrows, or wheat-ears. _to bake all manner of land fowl, as turkey, bustard, peacock, crane, &c. to be eaten cold._ take a turkey and bone it, parboil and lard it thick with great lard as big as your little finger, then season it with ounces of beaten pepper, two ounces of beaten nutmeg, and three ounces of salt, season the fowl, and lay it in a pie fit for it, put first butter in the bottom, with some ten whole cloves, then lay on the turkey, and the rest of the seasoning on it, lay on good store of butter, then close it up and baste it either with saffron water, or three or four eggs beaten together with their yolks; bake it, and being baked and cold, liquor it with clarified butter, _&c._ _to bake all manner of sea-fowl, as swan, whopper, to be eaten cold._ take a swan, bone, parboil and lard it with great lard, season the lard with nutmeg and pepper only, then take two ounces of pepper, three of nutmeg, and four of salt, season the fowl, and lay it in the pie, with good store of butter, strew a few whole cloves on the rest of the seasoning, lay on large sheets of lard over it, and good store of butter; then close it up in rye-paste or meal course boulted, and made up with boiling liquor, and make it up stiff: or you may bake them to eat hot, only giving them half the seasoning. in place of baking any of these fowls in pyes, you may bake them in earthen pans or pots, for to be preserved cold, they will keep longer. in the same manner you may bake all sorts of wild geese, tame geese, bran geese, muscovia ducks, gulls, shovellers, herns, bitterns, curlews, heath-cocks, teels, olines, ruffs, brewes, pewits, mewes, sea-pies, dap chickens, strents, dotterils, knots, gravelins, oxe-eys, red shanks, _&c._ in baking of these fowls to be eaten hot, for the garnish put in a big onion, gooseberries, or grapes in the pye, and sometimes capers or oysters, and liquor it with gravy, claret, and butter. _to dress a turkey in the french mode, to eat cold, called a la doode._ take a turkey and bone it, or not bone it, but boning is the best way, and lard it with good big lard as big as your little finger and season it with pepper, cloves, and mace, nutmegs, and put a piece of interlarded bacon in the belly with some rosemary and bayes, whole pepper, cloves and mace, and sew it up in a clean cloth, and lay it in steep all night in white-wine, next morning close it up with a sheet of course paste in a pan or pipkin, and bake it with the same liquor it was steept in; it will ask four hours baking, or you may boil the liquor; then being baked and cold, serve it on a pie-plate, and stick it with rosemary and bays, and serve it up with mustard and sugar in saucers, and lay the fowl on a napkin folded square, and the turkey laid corner-ways. thus any large fowl or other meat, as a leg of mutton, and the like. meats proper for a stofado may be any large fowl, as, _turkey, swan, goose, bustard, crane, whopper, wild geese, brand geese, hearn, shoveler, or bittern, and many more; as also venison, red deer, fallow deer, legs of mutton, breasts of veal boned and larded, kid or fawn, pig, pork, neats-tongues, and udders, or any meat, a turkey, lard one pound, pepper one ounce, nutmegs, ginger, mace, cloves, wine a quart, vinegar half a pint, a quart of great oysters, puddings, sausages, two lemons, two cloves of garlick._ _a stofado._ take two turkeys, & bone them and lard them with great lard as big as your finger, being first seasoned with pepper, & nutmegs, & being larded, lay it in steep in an earthen pan or pipkin in a quart of white-wine, & half as much wine-vinegar, some twenty whole cloves, half an ounce of mace, an ounce of beaten pepper, three races of slic't ginger, half a handful of salt, half an ounce of slic't nutmegs, and a ladleful of good mutton broth, & close up the pot with a sheet of coarse paste, and bake it; it will ask four hours baking; then have a fine clean large dish, with a six penny french bread slic't in large slices, and then lay them in the bottom of a dish, and steep them with some good strong mutton broth, and the same broth that it was baked in, and some roast mutton gravy, and dish the fowl, garnish it with the spices and some sausages, and some kind of good puddings, and marrow and carved lemons slic't, and lemon-peels. _to bake any kind of heads, and first of the oxe or bullocks cheeks to be eaten hot or cold._ being first cleansed from the slime and filth, cut them in pieces, take out the bones, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then put them in a pye with a few whole cloves, a little seasoning, slices of bacon, and butter over all; bake them very tender, and liquor them with butter and claret wine. or boil your chickens, take out the bones and make a pasty with some minced meat, and a caul of mutton under it, on the top spices and butter, close it up in good crust, and make your pies according to these forms. _otherways._ bone and lard them with lard as big as your little finger seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and laid into the pye or pasty, with slices of interlarded bacon, and a clove or two, close it up, and bake it with some butter; make your pye or pasty of good fine crust according to these forms. being baked fill it up with good sweet butter. _otherways._ you may make a pudding of some grated bread, minced veal, beef-suet, some minced sweet herbs, a minced onion, eggs, cream, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and lay it on the top of your meat in the pye, and some butter, close it up and bake it. _otherways._ take a calves head, soak it well and take out the brains, boil the head and take out the bones, being cold stuff it with sweet herbs and hard eggs chopped small, minced bacon, and a raw egg or two, nutmeg, pepper, and salt; and lay in the bottom of the pye minced veal raw, and bacon; then lay the cheeks on it in the pye, and slices of bacon on that, then spices, butter, and grapes or lemon, close it up, bake it, and liquor it with butter only. _otherways._ boil it and take out the bones, cleanse it, and season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, put some minced veal or suet in the bottom of the pye, then lay on the cheeks, and on them a pudding made of minced veal raw and suet, currans, grated bread or parmisan, eggs, saffron, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, put it on the head in the pye, with some thin slices of interlarded bacon, thin slices also of veal and butter, close it up, and make it according to these forms, being baked, liquor it with butter only. _to bake a calves chaldron._ boil it tender, and being cold mince it, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, cinamon, ginger, salt, caraway seeds, verjuyce, or grapes, some currans, sugar, rose-water and dates stir them all together and fill your pye, bake it, and being baked ice it. _minced pies of calves chaldrons, or muggets._ boil it tender, and being cold mince it small, then put to it bits of lard cut like dice, or interlarded bacon, some yolks of hard eggs cut like dice also, some bits of veal and mutton cut also in the same bigness, as also lamb, some gooseberries, grapes or barberries, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, fill your pye, and lay on it some thin slices of interlarded bacon, and butter; close it up, and bake it, liquor it with white-wine beaten with butter. _to bake a calves chaldron or muggets in a pye or little pasties, or make a pudding of it, adding two or three eggs._ being half boil'd, mince it small, with half a pound of beef-suet, and season it with beaten cloves and mace, nutmegs, a little onion and minced lemon peel, and put to it the juyce of an orange, and mix all together. then make a piece of puff-paste and bake it in a dish as other florentines, and close it up with the other half of the paste, and being baked put into it the juyce of two or three oranges, and stir the meat with the orange juyce well together and serve it, _&c._ _to bake a pig to be eaten cold called a maremaid pye._ take a pig, flay it and quarter it, then bone it, take also a good eel flayed, speated, boned, and seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then lay a quarter of your pig in a round pie; and part of the eel on that quarter, then lay another quarter on the other and then more eel, and thus keep the order till your pie be full, then lay a few whole cloves, slices of bacon, and butter, and close it up, bake it in good fine paste, being baked and cold, fill it up with good sweet butter. _otherways._ scald it, and bone it being first cleansed, dry the sides in a clean cloth, and season them with beaten nutmeg, pepper, salt, and chopped sage; then have two neats-tongues dryed, well boild, and cold, slice them out all the length, as thick as a half crown, and lay a quarter of your pig in a square or round pie, and slices of the tongue on it, then another quarter of a pig and more tongue, thus do four times double; and lay over all slices of bacon, a few cloves, butter, and a bay-leafe or two; then bake it, and being baked, fill it up with good sweet butter. make your paste white of butter and flower. _otherways._ take a pig being scalded, flayed, and quartered, season it with beaten nutmeg, pepper, salt, cloves, and mace, lay it in your pie with some chopped sweet herbs, hard eggs, currans, (or none) put your herbs between every lay, with some gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, and lay on the top slices of interlarded bacon and butter, close it up, and bake it in good fine crust, being baked, liquor it with butter, verjuyce, and sugar. if to be eaten cold, with butter only. _otherways to be eaten hot._ cut it in pieces, and make a pudding of grated bread, cream, suet, nutmeg, eggs, and dates, make it into balls, and stick them with slic't almonds; then lay the pig in the pye, and balls on it, with dates, potato, large mace, lemon, and butter; being baked liquor it. _to bake four hares in a pie._ bone them and lard them with great lard, being first seasoned with nutmeg, and pepper, then take four ounces of pepper, four ounces of nutmegs, and eight ounces of salt, mix them together, season them, and make a round or square pye of course boulted rye and meal; then the pie being made put some butter in the bottom of it, and lay on the hares one upon another; then put upon it a few whole cloves, a sheet of lard over it, and good store of butter, close it up and bake it, being first basted over with eggs beaten together, or saffron; when it is baked liquor them with clarified butter. or bake them in white paste or pasty, if to be eaten hot, leave out half the seasoning. _to bake three hares in a pie to be eaten cold._ bone three hares, mince them small, and stamp them with the seasoning of pepper, salt, and nutmeg, then have lard cut as big as ones little finger, and as long as will reach from side to side of the pye; then lay butter in the bottom of it, and a lay of meat, then a lay of lard, and a lay of meat, and thus do five or six times, lay your lard all one way, but last of all a lay of meat, a few whole cloves, and slices of bacon over all, and some butter, close it up and bake it, being baked fill it up with sweet butter, and stop the vent. thus you may bake any venison, beef, mutton, veal, or rabits; if you bake them in earthen pans they will keep the longest. _to bake a hare with a pudding in his belly._ for to make this pie you must take as followeth, a gallon of flour, half an ounce of nutmegs, half an ounce of pepper, salt, capers, raisins, pears in quarters, prunes, with grapes, lemon, or gooseberries, and for the liquor a pound of sugar, a pint of claret or verjuyce, and some large mace. thus also you may bake a fawn, kid, lamb, or rabit: make your hare-pie according to the foregoing form. _to make minced pies of a hare._ take a hare, flay it, and cleanse it, then take the flesh from the bones, and mince it with the fat bacon, or beef-suet raw, season it with pepper, mace, nutmeg, cloves, and salt; then mingle all together with some grapes, gooseberries, or barberries; fill the pie, close it up and bake it. _otherways._ mince it with beef-suet, a pound and half of raisins minced, some currans, cloves, mace, salt, and cinamon, mingle all together, and fill the pie, bake it and liquor it with claret. _to make a pumpion pie._ take a pound of pumpion and slice it, a handful of time, a little rosemary, and sweet marjoram stripped off the stalks, chop them small, then take cinamon, nutmeg, pepper, and a few cloves all beaten, also ten eggs, and beat them, then mix and beat them all together, with as much sugar as you think fit, then fry them like a froise, after it is fried, let it stand till it is cold, then fill your pie after this manner. take sliced apples sliced thin round ways, and lay a layer of the froise, and a layer of apples, with currans betwixt the layers. while your pie is fitted, put in a good deal of sweet butter before you close it. when the pie is baked, take six yolks of eggs, some white-wine or verjuyce, and make a caudle of this, but not too thick, cut up the lid, put it in, and stir them well together whilst the eggs and pumpion be not perceived, and so serve it up. _to make a lumber-pie._ take some grated bread, and beef-suet cut into bits like great dice, and some cloves and mace, then some veal or capon minced small with beef-suet, sweet herbs, salt, sugar, the yolks of six eggs boil'd hard and cut in quarters, put them to the other ingredients, with some barberries, some yolks of raw eggs, and a little cream, work up all together and put it in the cauls of veal like little sausages; then bake them in a dish, and being half baked, have a pie made and dried in the oven; put these puddings into it with some butter, verjuyce, sugar, some dates on them, large mace, grapes, or barberries, and marrow; being baked, serve it with a cut cover on it, and scrape sugar on it. _otherways._ take some minc't meat of chewits of veal, and put to it some three or four raw eggs, make it into balls, then put them in a pye fitted for them according to this form, first lay in the balls, then lay on them some slic't dates, large mace, marrow, and butter; close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with verjuyce, sugar, and butter, then ice it, and serve it up. _to make an olive pye._ take tyme, sweet marjorarm, savory, spinage, parsley, sage, endive, sorrel, violet leaves, and strawberry leaves, mince them very small with some yolks of hard eggs, then put to them half a pound of currans, nutmeg, pepper, cinamon, sugar, and salt, minced raisins, gooseberries, or barberries, and dates minc'd small, mingle alltogether, then have slices of a leg of veal, or a leg or mutton, cut thin and hacked with the back of a knife, lay them on a clean board and strow on the foresaid materials, roul them up and put them in a pye; then lay on them some dates, marrow, large mace, and some butter, close it up and bake it, being baked cut it up, liquor it with butter, verjuyce, and sugar, put a slic't lemon into it, and serve it up with scraped sugar. _to bake a loin, breast, or rack of veal or mutton._ if you bake it with the bones, joynt a loin very well and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, put it in your pye, and put butter to it, close it up, and bake it in good crust, and liquor it with sweet butter. thus also you may bake the brest, either in pye or pasty, as also the rack or shoulder, being stuffed with sweet herbs, and fat of beef minced together and baked either in pye or pasty. in the summer time you may add to it spinage, gooseberries, grapes, barberries, or slic't lemon, and in winter, prunes, and currans, or raisins, and liquor it with butter, sugar, and verjuyce. _to make a steak pye the best way._ cut a neck, loyn, or breast into steaks, and season them with pepper, nutmeg, and salt; then have some few sweet herbs minced small with an onion, and the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced also; the pye being made, put in the meat and a few capers, and strow these ingredients on it, then put in butter, close it up and bake it three hours moderately, _&c._ make the pye round and pretty deep. _otherways._ the meat being prepared as before, season it with nutmeg, ginger, pepper, a whole onion, and salt; fill the pye, then put in some large mace, half a pound of currans, and butter, close it up and put it in the oven; being half baked put in a pint of warmed clearet, and when you draw it to send it up, cut the lid in pieces, and stick it in the meat round the pye; or you may leave out onions, and put in sugar and verjuyce. _otherways._ take a loyn of mutton, cut it in steaks, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, then lay a layer of raisins and prunes in the bottom of the pye, steaks on them, and then whole cinamon, then more fruit and steaks, thus do it three times, and on the top put more fruit, and grapes, or slic't orange, dates, large mace, and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with butter, white wine and sugar, ice it, and serve it hot. _to bake steak pies the french way._ season the steaks with pepper, nutmeg, and salt lightly, and set them by; then take a piece of the leanest of a leg of mutton, and mince it small with some beef suet and a few sweet herbs, as tops of tyme, penniroyal, young red sage, grated bread, yolks of eggs, sweet cream, raisins of the sun, _&c._ work all together, and make it into little balls, and rouls, put them into a deep round pye on the steaks, then put to them some butter, and sprinkle it with verjuyce, close it up and bake it, being baked cut it up, then roul sage leaves in butter, fry them, and stick them in the balls, serve the pye without a cover, and liquor it with the juyce of two or three oranges or lemons. _otherways._ bake these steaks in any of the foresaid-ways in patty-pan or dish, and make other paste called cold butter paste; take to a gallon of flower a pound and a half of butter, four or five eggs and but two whites, work up the butter and eggs into the flour, and being well wrought, put to it a little fair cold water, and make it up a stiff paste. _to bake a gammon of bacon._ steep it all night in water, scrape it clean, and stuff it with all manner of sweet herbs, as sage, tyme, parsley, sweet marjoram, savory, violet-leaves, strawberry leaves, fennil, rose-mary, penniroyal, _&c._ being cleans'd and chopped small with some yolks of hard eggs, beaten nutmeg, and pepper, stuff it and boil it, and being fine and tender boil'd and cold, pare the under side, take off the skin, and season it with nutmeg and pepper, then lay it in your pie or pasty with a few whole cloves, and slices of raw bacon over it, and butter; close it up in pye or pasty of short paste, and bake it. _to bake wild bore._ take the leg, season it, and lard it very well with good big lard seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, and beaten ginger, lay it in a pye of the form as you see, being seasoned all over with the same spices and salt, then put a few whole cloves on it, a few bay-leaves, large slices of lard, and good store of butter, bake it in fine or course crust, being baked, liquor it with good sweet butter, and stop up the vent. if to keep long, bake it in an earthen pan in the abovesaid seasoning, and being baked fill it up with butter, and you may keep it a whole year. _to bake your wild bore that comes out of _france_._ lay it in soak two days, then parboil it, and season it with pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger; and when it is baked fill it up with butter. _to bake red deer._ take a side of red deer, bone it and season it, then take out the back sinew and the skin, and lard the fillets or back with great lard as big as your middle finger; being first seasoned with nutmeg, and pepper; then take four ounces of pepper, four ounces of nutmeg, and six ounces of salt, mix them well together, and season the side of venison; being well slashed with a knife in the inside for to make the seasoning enter; being seasoned, and a pie made according to these forms, put in some butter in the bottom of the pye, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, and a bay-leaf or two, lay on the flesh, season it, and coat it deep, then put on a few cloves, and good store of butter, close it up and bake it the space of eight or nine hours, but first baste the pie with six or seven eggs, beaten well together; being baked and cold fill it up with good sweet clarified butter. take for a side or half hanch of red deer, half a bushel of rye meal, being coursly searsed, and make it up very stiff with boiling water only. if you bake it to eat hot, give it but half the seasoning, and liquor it with claret-wine, and good butter. _to bake fallow-dear to be eaten hot or cold._ take a side of venison, bone and lard it with great lard as big as your little finger, and season it with two ounces of pepper, two ounces of nutmeg, and four ounces of salt; then have a pie made, and lay some butter in the bottom of it, then lay in the flesh, the inside downward, coat it thick with seasoning, and put to it on the top of the meat, with a few cloves, and good store of butter, close it up and bake it, the pye being first basted with eggs, being baked and cold, fill it up with clarified butter, and keep it to eat cold. make the paste as you do for red deer, course drest through a boulter, a peck and a pottle of this meal will serve for a side or half hanch of a buck. _to bake a side or half hanch to be eaten hot._ take a side of a buck being boned, and the skins taken away, season it only with two ounces of pepper, and as much salt, or half an ounce more, lay it on a sheet of fine paste with two pound of beef-suet, finely minced and beat with a little fair water, and laid under it, close it up and bake it, and being fine and tender baked, put to it a good ladle-full of gravy, or good strong mutton broth. _to make a paste for it._ take a peck of flour by weight, and lay it on the pastery board, make a hole in the midst of the flour, and put to it five pound of good fresh butter, the yolks of six eggs and but four whites, work up the butter and eggs into the flour, and being well wrought together, put some fair water to it, and make it into a stiff paste. in this fashion of fallow deer you may bake goat, doe, or a pasty of venison. _to make meer sauce, or a pickle to keep venison in that is tainted._ take strong ale and as much vinegar as will make it sharp, boil it with some bay salt, and make a strong brine, scum it, and let it stand till it be cold, then put in your vinison twelve hours, press it, parboil it, and season it, then bake it as before is shown. _other sauce for tainted venison._ take your venison, and boil water, beer, and wine-vinegar together, and some bay-leaves, tyme, savory, rosemary, and fennil, of each a handful, when it boils put in your venison, parboil it well and press it, and season it as aforesaid, bake it for to be eaten cold or hot, and put some raw minced mutton under it. _otherways to preserve tainted venison._ bury it in the ground in a clean cloth a whole night, and it will take away the corruption, savour, or stink. _other meer sauces to counterfeit beef, or muton to give it a venison colour._ take small beer and vinegar, and parboil your beef in it, let it steep all night, then put in some turnsole to it, and being baked, a good judgment shall not discern it from red or fallow deer. _otherways to counterfeit ram, wether, or any mutton for venison._ bloody it in sheeps, lambs, or pigs blood, or any good and new blood, season it as before, and bake it either for hot or cold. in this fashion you may bake mutton, lamb, or kid. _to make umble-pies._ lay minced beef-suet in the bottom of the pie, or slices of interlarded bacon, and the umbles cut as big as small dice, with some bacon cut in the same form, and seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, fill your pyes with it, and slices of bacon and butter, close it up and bake it, and liquor it with claret, butter, and stripped tyme. _to make pies of sweet-breads or lamb stones._ parboil them and blanch them, or raw sweetbreads or stones, part them in halves, & season them with pepper, nutmeg, and salt, season them lightly; then put in the bottom of the pie some slices of interlarded bacon, & some pieces of artichocks or mushrooms, then sweet-breads or stones, marrow, gooseberries, barberries, grapes, or slic't lemon, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with butter only. or otherwise with butter, white-wine, and sugar, and sometimes add some yolks of eggs. _to make minced pies or chewits of a leg of veal, neats-tongue, turkey, or capon._ take to a good leg of veal six pound of beef-suet, then take the leg of veal, bone it, parboil it, and mince it very fine when it is hot; mince the suet by it self very fine also, then when they are cold mingle them together, then season the meat with a pound of sliced dates, a pound of sugar, an ounce of nutmegs, an ounce of pepper, an ounce of cinamon, half an ounce of ginger, half a pint of verjuyce, a pint of rose-water, a preserved orange, or any peel fine minced, an ounce of caraway-comfits, and six pound of currans; put all these into a large tray with half a handful of salt, stir them up all together, and fill your pies, close them up, bake them, and being baked, ice them with double refined sugar, rose-water, and butter. make the paste with a peck of flour, and two pound of butter boil'd in fair water or liquor, make it up boiling hot. _to make minced pies of mutton._ take to a leg of mutton four pound of beef-suet, bone the leg and cut it raw into small pieces, as also the suet, mince them together very fine, and being minc't season it with two pound of currans, two pound of raisins, two pound of prunes, an ounce of caraway seed, an ounce of nutmegs, an ounce of pepper, an ounce of cloves, and mace, and six ounces of salt; stir up all together, fill the pies, and bake them as the former. _to make minced pies of beef._ take a stone or eight pound of beef, also eight pound of suet, mince them very small, and put to them eight ounces of salt, two ounces of nutmegs, an ounce of pepper, an ounce of cloves and mace, four pound of currans, and four pound of raisins, stir up all these together, and fill your pies. _minced in the french fashion, called pelipate, or in english petits, made of veal, pork, or lamb, or any kind of venison, beef, poultrey, or fowl._ mince them with lard, and being minced, season them with salt, and a little nutmeg, mix the meat with some pine-apple-seed, and a few grapes or gooseberries; fill the pies and bake them, being baked liquor them with a little gravy. sometimes for variety in the winter time, you may use currans instead of grapes or gooseberries, and yolks of hard eggs minced among the meat. _minced pies in the italian fashion._ parboil a leg of veal, and being cold mince it with beef-suet, and season it with pepper, salt, and gooseberries; mix with it a little verjuyce, currans, sugar, and a little saffron in powder. _forms of minced pyes._ [illustration] _to make an extraordinary pie, or a bride pye of several compounds, being several distinct pies on one bottom._ provide cock-stones and combs, or lamb-stones, and sweet-breads of veal, a little set in hot water and cut to pieces; also two or three ox-pallats blanch't and slic't, a pint of oysters, slic't dates, a handful of pine kernels, a little quantity of broom buds, pickled, some fine interlarded bacon slic't; nine or ten chesnuts rosted and blancht season them with salt, nutmeg, and some large mace, and close it up with some butter. for the caudle, beat up some butter, with three yolks of eggs, some white or claret wine, the juyce of a lemon or two; cut up the lid, and pour on the lear, shaking it well together; then lay on the meat, slic't lemon, and pickled barberries, and cover it again, let these ingredients be put in the moddle or scollops of the pye. several other pies belong to the first form, but you must be sure to make the three fashions proportionably answering one the other; you may set them on one bottom of paste, which will be more convenient; or if you set them several you may bake the middle one full of flour, it being bak't and cold, take out the flour in the bottom, & put in live birds, or a snake, which will seem strange to the beholders, which cut up the pie at the table. this is only for a wedding to pass away the time. now for the other pies you may fill them with several ingredients, as in one you may put oysters, being parboild and bearded, season them with large mace, pepper, some beaten ginger, and salt, season them lightly and fill the pie, then lay on marrow & some good butter, close it up and bake it. then make a lear for it with white wine, the oyster liquor, three or four oysters bruised in pieces to make it stronger, but take out the pieces, and an onion, or rub the bottom of the dish with a clove of garlick; it being boil'd, put in a piece of butter, with a lemon, sweet herbs will be good boil'd in it, bound up fast together, cut up the lid, or make a hole to let the lear in, _&c._ another you may make of prawns and cockles, being seasoned as the first, but no marrow: a few pickled mushrooms, (if you have them) it being baked, beat up a piece of butter, a little vinegar, a slic't nutmeg, and the juyce of two or three oranges thick, and pour it into the pye. a third you may make a bird pie; take young birds, as larks pull'd and drawn, and a forced meat to put in the bellies made of grated bread, sweet herbs minced very small, beef-suet, or marrow minced, almonds beat with a little cream to keep them from oyling, a little parmisan (or none) or old cheese; season this meat with nutmeg, ginger, and salt, then mix them together, with cream and eggs like a pudding, stuff the larks with it, then season the larks with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and lay them in the pie, put in some butter, and scatter between them pine-kernels, yolks of eggs and sweet herbs, the herbs and eggs being minced very small; being baked make a lear with the juyce of oranges and butter beat up thick, and shaken well together. for another of the pies, you may boil artichocks, and take only the bottoms for the pie, cut them into quarters or less, and season them with nutmeg. thus with several ingredients you may fill your other pies. _for the outmost pies they must be egg-pies._ boil twenty eggs and mince them very small, being blanched, with twice the weight of them of beef-suet fine minced also; then have half a pound of dates slic't with a pound of raisins, and a pound of currans well washed and dryed, and half an ounce of cinamon fine beaten, and a little cloves and mace fine beaten, sugar a quarter of a pound, a little salt, a quarter of a pint of rose-water, and as much verjuyce, and stir and mingle all well together, and fill the pies, and close them, and bake them, they will not be above two hours a baking, and serve them all seventeen upon one dish, or plate, and ice them, or scrape sugar on them; every one of these pies should have a tuft of paste jagged on the top. _to make custards divers ways._ take to a quart cream, ten eggs, half a pound of sugar, half a quarter of an ounce of mace, half as much ginger beaten very fine, and a spoonful of salt, strain them through a strainer; and the forms being finely dried in the oven, fill them full on an even hearth, and bake them fair and white, draw them and dish them on a dish and plate; then strow on them biskets red and white, stick muskedines red and white, and scrape thereon double refined sugar. make the paste for these custards of a pottle of fine flour, make it up with boiling liquor, and make it up stiff. _to make an almond custard._ take two pound of almonds, blanch and beat them very fine with rosewater, then strain them with some two quarts of cream, twenty whites of eggs, and a pound of double refined sugar; make the paste as beforesaid, and bake it in a mild oven fine and white, garnish it as before and scrape fine sugar over all. _to make a custard without eggs._ take a pound of almonds, blanch and beat them with rose-water into a fine paste, then put the spawn or row of a carp or pike to it, and beat them well together, with some cloves, mace, and salt, the spices being first beaten, and some ginger, strain them with some fair spring water, and put into the strained stuff half a pound of double refined sugar and a little saffron; when the paste is dried and ready to fill, put into the bottom of the coffin some slic't dates, raisins of the sun stoned, and some boiled currans, fill them and bake them; being baked, scrape sugar on them. be sure always to prick your custards or forms before you set them in the oven. if you have no row or spawn, put rice flour instead hereof. _to make an extraordinary good cake._ take half a bushel of the best flour you can get very finely searsed, and lay it upon a large pastry board, make a hole in the midst thereof, and put to it three pound of the best butter you can get; with fourteen pound of currans finely picked and rubbed, three quarts of good new thick cream warm'd, two pound of fine sugar beaten, three pints of good new ale, barm or yeast, four ounces of cinamon fine beaten and searsed, also an ounce of beaten ginger, two ounces of nutmegs fine beaten and searsed; put in all these materials together, and work them up into an indifferent stiff paste, keep it warm till the oven be hot, then make it up and bake it, being baked an hour and a half ice it, then take four pound of double refined sugar, beat it, and searse it, and put it in a deep clean scowred skillet the quantity of a gallon, boil it to a candy height with a little rose-water, then draw the cake, run it all over, and set it into the oven, till it be candied. _to make a cake otherways._ take a gallon of very fine flour and lay it on the pastry board, then strain three or four eggs with a pint of barm, and put it into a hole made in the middle of the flour with two nutmegs finely beaten, an ounce of cinamon, and an ounce of cloves and mace beaten fine also, half a pound of sugar, and a pint of cream; put these into the flour with two spoonfuls of salt, and work it up good and stiff, then take half the paste, and work three pound of currans well picked & rubbed into it, then take the other part and divide it into two equal pieces, drive them out as broad as you wold have the cake, then lay one of the sheets of paste on a sheet of paper, and upon that the half that hath the currans, and the other part on the top, close it up round, prick it, and bake it; being baked, ice it with butter, sugar, and rose water, and set it again into the oven. _to make french bread the best way._ take a gallon of fine flour, and a pint of good new ale barm or yeast, and put it to the flour, with the whites of six new laid eggs well beaten in a dish, and mixt with the barm in the middle of the flour, also three spoonfuls of fine salt; then warm some milk and fair water, and put to it, and make it up pretty stiff, being well wrought and worked up, cover it in a boul or tray with a warm cloth till your oven be hot; then make it up either in rouls, or fashion it in little wooden dishes and bake it, being baked in a quick oven, chip it hot. * * * * * * * * * section x. _to bake all manner of curneld fruits in pyes, tarts, or made dishes, raw or preserved, as quinces, warden, pears, pippins,_ &c. _to bake a quince pye._ take fair quinces, core and pare them very thin, and put them in a pye, then put it in two races of ginger slic't, as much cinamon broken into bits, and some eight or ten whole cloves, lay them in the bottom of the pye, and lay on the quinces close packed, with as much fine refined sugar as the quinces weigh, close it up and bake it, and being well soaked the space of four or five hours, ice it. _otherways._ take a gallon of flour, a pound and a half of butter, six eggs, thirty quinces, three pound of sugar, half an ounce of cinamon, half an ounce of ginger, half an ounce of cloves, and some rose-water, make them in a pye or tart, and being baked stew on double refined sugar. _otherways._ bake these quinces raw, slic't very thin, with beaten cinamon, and the same quantity of sugar, as before, either in tart, patty-pan, dish, or in cold butter-paste, sometimes mix them with wardens, pears or pipins, and some minced citron. _to make a quince pye otherways._ take quinces and preserve them, being first coared and pared, then make a sirrup of fine sugar and spring water, take as much as the quinces weigh, and to every pound of sugar a pint of fair water, make your sirrup in a preserving pan; being scumm'd and boil'd to sirrup, put in the quinces, boil them up till they be well coloured, & being cold, bake them in pyes whole or in halves, in a round tart, dish, or patty-pan with a cut cover, or in quarters; being baked put in the same sirrup, but before you bake them, put in more fine sugar, and leave the sirrups to put in afterwards, then ice it. thus you may do of any curnel'd fruits, as wardens, pippins pears, pearmains, green quodlings, or any good apples, in laid tarts, or cuts. _to make a slic't tart of quinces, wardens, pears, pippins, in slices raw of divers compounds._ the foresaid fruits being finely pared, and slic't in very thine slices; season them with beaten cinamon, and candied citron minced, candied orange, or both, or raw orange peel, raw lemon peel, fennil-seed, or caraway-seed or without any of these compounds or spices, but the fruits alone one amongst the other; put to ten pippins six quinces, six wardens, eight pears, and two pound of sugar; close it up, bake it; and ice it as the former tarts. thus you may also bake it in patty-pan, or dish, with cold butter paste. _to bake quinces, wardens, pears, pippins, or any fruits preserved to be baked in pies, tarts, patty-pan or dish._ preserve any of the foresaid in white-wine & sugar till the sirrup grow thick, then take the quinces out of it, and lay them to cool in a dish, then set them into the pye, and prick cloves on the tops with some cinamon, and good store of refined sugar, close them up with a cut cover, and being baked, ice it, and fill it up with the syrrup they were first boiled in. _otherways._ you may bake them in an earthen pot with some claret-wine and sugar, and keep them for your use. _to make a trotter pye of quinces, wardens, pears,_ &c. take them either severally or all together in quarters, or slic't raw, if in quarters put some whole ones amongst them, if slic't beaten spices, and a little butter and sugar; take to twelve quinces a pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of butter, close it up and bake it, and being bak't cut it up and mash the fruit to pieces, then put in some cream, and yolks of eggs beaten together, and put it into the pye, stir all together, and cut the cover into five or six pieces like lozenges, or three square, and scrape on sugar. _to make a pippin pye._ take thirty good large pippins, pare them very thin, and make the pye, then put in the pippins, thirty cloves, a quarter of an ounce of whole cinamon, and as much pared and slic't, a quarter of a pound of orangado, as much of lemon in sucket, and a pound & half of refined sugar, close it up and bake it, it will ask four hours baking, then ice it with butter, sugar, and rose-water. _to make a pippin tart according to this form._ take fair pippins and pare them, then cut them in quarters, core them and stew them, in claret-wine, whole cinamon, and slic't ginger; stew them half an hour, then put them into a dish, and break them not, when they are cold, lay them one by one into the tart, then lay on some green cittern minced small, candied orange or coriander, put on sugar and close it up, bake it, and ice it, then scrape on sugar and serve it. _to make a pippin tart, either in tart, patty-pan, or dish._ take ten fair pippins, preserve them in white wine, sugar, whole cinamon, slic't ginger, and eight or ten cloves, being finely preserved and well coloured, lay them on a cut tart of short paste; or in place of preserving you may bake them between two dishes in the oven for the foresaid use. _a made dish of pippins._ take pippins, pare and slice them, then boil them in claret-wine in a pipkin, or between two dishes with some sugar, and beaten cinamon, when 'tis boiled good and thick, mash it like marmalade, and put in a dish of puff paste or short paste; acording to this form with a cut cover, and being baked ice it. _to preserve pippins in slices._ make pippins and slice them round with the coars or kernels in, as thick as a half crown piece, and some lemon-peel amongst them in slices, or else cut like small lard, or orange peel first boil'd and cut in the same manner; then make the syrup weight for weight, and being clarified and scummed clean, put in the pipins and boil them up quick; to a pound of sugar put a pint of fair water, or a pint of white-wine or claret, and make them of two colours. _to make a warden or a pear tart quartered._ take twenty good wardens, pare them, and cut them in a tart, and put to them two pound of refined sugar, twenty whole cloves, a quarter of an ounce of cinamon broke into little bits, and three races of ginger pared and slic't thin; then close up the tart and bake it, it will ask five hours baking, then ice it with a quarter of a pound of double refined sugar, rose-water, and butter. _other tart of warden, quinces, or pears._ first bake them in a pot, then cut them in quarters, and coar them, put them in a tart made according to this form, close it up, and when it is baked, scrape on sugar. _to make a tart of green pease._ take green pease and boil them tender, then pour them out into a cullender, season them with saffron, salt, and put sugar to them and some sweet butter, then close it up and bake it almost an hour, then draw it forth of the oven and ice it, put in a little verjuyce, and shake them well together, then scrape on sugar, and serve it in. _to make a tart of hips._ take hips, cut them, and take out the seeds very clean, then wash them and season them with sugar, cinamon, and ginger, close the tart, bake it, ice it, scrape on sugar, and serve it in. _to make a tart of rice._ boil the rice in milk or cream, being tender boil'd pour it into a dish, & season it with nutmeg, ginger, cinamon, pepper, salt, sugar, and the yolks of six eggs, put it in the tart with some juyce of orange; close it up and bake it, being baked scrape on sugar, and so serve it up. _to make a tart of medlers._ take medlers that are rotten, strain them, and set them on a chaffing dish of coals, season them with sugar, cinamon, and ginger, put some yolks of eggs to them, let it boil a little, and lay it in a cut tart; being baked scrape on sugar. _to make a cherry-tart._ take out the stones, and lay the cherries into the tart, with beaten cinamon, ginger, and sugar, then close it up, bake it, and ice it; then make a sirrup of muskedine, and damask water, and pour it into the tart, scrape on sugar, and so serve it. _to make a strawberry-tart._ wash the strawberries, and put them into the tart, season them with cinamon, ginger, and a little red wine, then put on sugar, bake it half an hour, ice it, scrape on sugar, and serve it. _to make a taffety-tart._ first wet the paste with butter and cold water, roul it very thin, then lay apples in the lays, and between every lay of apples, strew some fine sugar, and some lemon-peel cut very small, you may also put some fennil-seed to them; let them bake an hour or more, then ice them with rose-water, sugar, and butter beaten together, and wash them over with the same, strew more fine sugar on them, and put them into the oven again, being enough serve them hot or cold. _to make an almond tart._ strain beaten almonds with cream, yolks of eggs, sugar, cinamon, and ginger, boil it thick, and fill your tart, being baked ice it. _to make a damson tart._ boil them in wine, and strain them with cream, sugar, cinamon, and ginger, boil it thick, and fill your tart. _to make a spinage tart of three colours, green, yellow, and white._ take two handfuls of young tender spinage, wash it and put it into a skillet of boiling liquor; being tender boil'd have a quart of cream boil'd with some whole cinamon, quarterd nutmeg, and a grain of musk; then strain the cream, twelve yolks of eggs, and the boil'd spinage into a dish, with some rose-water, a little sack, and some fine sugar, boil it over a chaffing dish of coals, and stir it that it curd not, keep it till the tart be dried in the oven, and dish it in the form of three colours, green, white, and yellow. _to make cream tarts._ thicken cream with muskefied bisket bread, and serve it in a dish, stick wafers round about it, and slices of preserved citron, and in the middle a preserved orange with biskets, the garnish of the dish being of puff paste. or you may boil quinces, wardens, pares, and pippins in slices or quarters, and strain them into cream, as also these fruits, melacattons, necturnes, apricocks, peaches, plumbs, or cherries, and make your tart of these forms. _to make a french tart._ take a pound of almonds, blanch and beat them into fine paste in a stone mortar, with rose-water, then beat the white breast of a cold roast turkey, being minced, and beat with it a pound of lard minc't, with the marrow of four bones, and a pound of butter, the juyce of three lemons, two pounds of hard sugar, being fine beaten, slice a whole green piece of citron in small slices, a quarter of a pound of pistaches, and the yolks of eight or ten eggs, mingle all together, then make a paste for it with cold butter, two or three eggs, and cold water. _to make a quodling pie._ take green quodlings and quodle them, peel them and put them again into the same water, cover them close, and let them simmer on embers till they be very green, then take them up and let them drain, pick out the noses, and leave them on the stalks, then put them in a pie, and put to them fine sugar, whole cinamon, slic't ginger, a little musk, and rose-water, close them up with a cut cover, and as soon as it boils up in the oven, draw it, and ice it with rose-water, butter, and sugar. or you may preserve them and bake them in a dish with paste, tart, or patty-pan. _to make a dish in the italian fashion._ take pleasant pears, slice them into thin slices, and put to them half as much sugar as they weigh, then mince some candied citron and candied orange small, mix it with the pears, and lay them on a bottom of cold butter paste in a patty-pan with some fine beaten cinamon, lay on the sugar and close it up, bake it, being baked, ice it with rose-water, fine sugar, and butter. _for the several colours of tarts._ if to have them yellow, preserved quinces, apricocks, necturnes, and melacattons, boil them up in white-wine with sugar, and strain them. otherways, strained yolks of eggs and cream. for green tarts take green quodlings, green preserved apricocks, green preserved plums, green grapes, and green gooseberries. for red tarts, quinces, pippins, cherries, rasberries, barberries, red currans, red gooseberries, damsins. for black tarts, prunes, and many other berries preserved. for white tarts, whites of eggs and cream. of all manner of tart-stuff strained, that carries his colour black, as prunes, damsons, _&c._ for lard of set tarts dishes, or patty-pans. _tart stuff of damsons._ take a postle of damsons and good ripe apples, being pared and cut into quarters, put them into an earthen pot with a little whole cinamon, slic't ginger, and sugar, bake them and being cold strain them with some rose-water, and boil the stuff thick, _&c._ _other tart stuff that carries its colour black._ take three pound of prunes, and eight fair pippins par'd and cor'd, stew them together with some claret wine, some whole cinamon, slic't ginger, a sprig of rosemary, sugar, and a clove or two, being well stew'd and cold, strain them with rose-water, and sugar. _to make other black tart stuff._ take twelve pound of prunes, and sixteen pound of raisins, wash them clean, and stew them in a pot with water, boil them till they be very tender, and then strain them through a course strainer; season it with beaten ginger and sugar, and give it a warm on the fire. _yellow tart stuff._ take twelve yolks of eggs, beat them with a quart of cream, and bake them in a soft oven; being baked strain them with some fine sugar, rose-water, musk, ambergriese, and a little sack, or in place of baking, boil the cream and eggs. _white tart-stuff._ make the white tart stuff with cream, in all points as the yellow, and the same seasoning. _green tart-stuff._ take spinage boil'd, green peese, green apricocks, green plums quodled, peaches quodled, green necturnes quodled, gooseberries quodled, green sorrel, and the juyce of green wheat. _to bake apricocks green._ take young green apricocks, so tender that you may thrust a pin through the stone, scald them and scrape the out side, of putting them in water as you peel them till your tart be ready, then dry them and fill the tart with them, and lay on good store of fine sugar, close it up and bake it, ice it, scrape on sugar, and serve it up. _to bake mellacattons._ take and wipe them clean, and put them in a pie made scollop ways, or in some other pretty work, fill the pie, and put them in whole with weight for weight in refined sugar, close it up and bake it, being baked ice it. sometimes for change you may add to them some chips or bits of whole cinamon, a few whole cloves, and slic't ginger. _to preserve apricocks, or any plums green._ take apricocks when they are so young and green, that you may put a needle through stone and all, but all other plums may be taken green, and at the highest growth, then put them in indifferent hot water to break them, & let them stand close cover'd in that hot water till a thin skin will come off with scraping, all this while they will look yellow; then put them into another skillet of hot water, and let them stand covered until they turn to a perfect green, then take them out, weigh them, take their weight in sugar and something more, and so preserve them. clarifie the sugar with the white of an egg, and some water. _to preserve apricocks being ripe._ stone them, then weigh them with sugar, and take weight for weight, pare them and strow on the sugar, let them stand till the moisture of the apricocks hath wet the sugar, and stand in a sirrup: then set them on a soft fire, not suffering them to boil, till your sugar be all melted; then boil them a pretty space for half an hour, still stirring them in the sirrup, then set them by two hours, and boil them again till your sirrup be thick, and your apricocks look clear, boil up the sirrup higher, then take it off, and being cold put in the apricocks into a gally-pot or glass, close them up with a clean paper, and leather over all. _to preserve peaches after the venetian way._ take twenty young peaches, part them in two, and take out the stones, then take as much sugar as they weigh, and some rose-water, put in the peaches, and make a sirrup that it may stand and stick to your fingers, let them boil softly a while, then lay them in a dish, and let them stand in the same two or three days, then set your sirrup on the fire, let it boil up, and then put in the peaches, and so preserve them. _to preserve mellacattons._ stone them and parboil them in water, then peel off the outward skin of them, they will boil as long as a piece of beef, and therefore you need not fear the breaking of them; when they are boil'd tender make sirrup of them as you do of any other fruit, and keep them all the year. _to preserve cherries._ take a pound of the smallest cherries, but let them be well coloured, boil them tender in a pint of fair water, then strain the liquor from the cherries and take two pound of other fair cherries, stone them, and put them in your preserving-pan, with a laying of cherries and a laying of sugar, then pour the sirrup of the other strained cherries over them, and let them boil as fast as maybe with a blazing fire, that the sirrup may boil over them; when you see that the sirrup is of a good colour, something thick, and begins to jelly, set them a cooling, and being cold pot them; and so keep them all the year. _to preserve damsins._ take damsins that are large and well coloured, (but not throw ripe, for then they will break) pick them clean and wipe them one by one; then weigh them, and to every pound of damsins you must take a pound of barbary sugar, white & good, dissolved in half a pint or more of fair water; boil it almost to the height of a sirrup, and then put in the damsins, keeping them with a continual scuming and stirring, so let them boil on a gentle fire till they be enough, then take them off and keep them all the year. _to preserve grapes as green as grass._ take grapes very green, stone them and cut them into little bunches, then take the like quantity of refin'd sugar finely beaten, & strew a row of sugar in your preserving pan, and a lay of grapes upon it, then strow on some more sugar upon them, put to them four or five spoonfuls of fair water, and boil them up as fast as you can. _to preserve barberries._ take barberries very fair and well coloured, pick out the stones, weigh them, and to every ounce of barberries take three ounce of hard sugar, half an ounce of pulp of barberries, and an ounce of red rose-water to dissolve the sugar; boil it to a sirrup, then put in the barberries and let them boil a quarter of an our, then take them up, and being cool pot them, and they will keep their colour all the year. thus you may preserve red currans, _&c._ _to preserve gooseberries green._ take some of the largest gooseberries that are called gascoyn gooseberries, set a pan of water on the fire, and when it is lukewarm put in the berries, and cover them close, keep them warm half an hour; then have another posnet of warm water, put them into that, in like sort quoddle them three times over in hot water till they look green; then pour them into a sieve, let all the water run from them, and put them to as much clarified sugar as will cover them, let them simmer leisurely close covered, then your gooseberries will look as green as leek blades, let them stand simmering in that sirrup for an hour, then take them off the fire, and let the sirrup stand till it be cold, then warm them once or twice, take them up, and let the sirrup boil by it self, pot them, and keep them. _to preserve rasberries._ take fair ripe rasberries, (but not over ripe) pick them from the stalk, then take weight for weight of double refined sugar, and the juyce of rasberries; to a pound of rasberries take a quarter of a pint of raspass juyce, and as much of fair water, boil up the sugar and liquor, and make the sirrup, scum it, and put in the raspass, stir them into the sirrup, and boil them not too much; being preserved take them up, and boil the sirrup by it self, not too long, it will keep the colour; being cold, pot them and keep them. thus you may also preserve strawberries. _the time to preserve green fruits._ gooseberries must be taken about _whitsuntide_, as you see them in bigness, the long gooseberry will be sooner than the red; the white wheat plum, which is ever ripe in wheat harvest, must be taken in the midst of _july_, the pear plum in the midst of _august_, the peach and pippin about _bartholomew-tide_, or a little before; the grape in the first week of _september_. note that to all your green fruits in general that you will preserve in sirup, you must take to every pound of fruit, a pound and two ounces of sugar, and a grain of musk; your plum, pippin and peach will have three quarters of an hour boiling, or rather more, and that very softly, keep the fruit as whole as you can; your grapes and gooseberries must boil half an hour something fast and they will be the fuller. note also, that to all your conserves you take the full weight of sugar, then take two skillets of water, and when they are scalding hot put the fruits first into one of them and when that grows cold put them in the other, changing them till they be about to peel, then peel them, and afterwards settle them in the same water till they look green, then take them and put them into sugar sirrup, and so let them gently boil till they come to a jelly; let them stand therein a quarter of an hour, then put them into a pot and keep them. * * * * * * * * * section xi. _to make all manner of made dishes, with or without paste._ _to make a paste for a pie._ take to a gallon of flour a pound of butter, boil it in fair water, and make the paste up quick. _to make cool butter paste for patty-pans or pasties._ take to every peck of flour five pound of butter, the whites of six eggs, and work it well together with cold spring water; you must bestow a great deal of pains, and but little water, or you put out the millers eyes. this paste is good only for patty-pan and pasty. sometimes for this paste put in but eight yolks of eggs, and but two whites, and six pound of butter. _to make paste for thin bak'd meats._ the paste for your thin and standing bak'd meats must be made with boiling water, then put to every peck of flour two pound of butter, but let your butter boil first in your liquor. _to make custard paste._ let it be only boiling water and flour without butter, or put sugar to it, which will add to the stiffness of it, & thus likewise all pastes for cuts and orangado tarts, or such like. _paste for made-dishes in the summer._ take to a gallon of flour three pound of butter, eight yolks of eggs, and a pint of cream or almond milk, work up the butter and eggs dry into the flour, then put cream to it, and make it pretty stiff. _paste royal for made dishes._ take to a gallon of flour a pound of sugar, a quart of almond milk, a pound and half of butter, and a little saffron, work up all cold together], with some beaten cinamon, two or three eggs, rose-water, and a grain of ambergriese and musk. _otherways._ take a pottle of flour, half a pound of butter, six yolks of eggs, a pint of cream, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and some fine beaten cinamon, and work up all cold. _otherways._ take to a pottle of flour four eggs, a pound and a half of butter, and work them up dry in the flour, then make up the paste with a pint of white-wine, rose-water, and sugar. _to make paste for lent for made dishes._ take a quart of flour, make it up with almond-milk, half a pound of butter, and some saffron. _to make puff-paste divers ways._ _the first way._ take a pottle of flour, mix it with cold water, half a pound of butter, and the whites of five eggs; mix them together very well and stiff, then roul it out very thin, and put flour under it and over it, then take near a pound of butter, and lay it in bits all over, double it in five or six doubles, this being done roul it out the second time, and serve it as at the first, then roul it out and cut it into what form, or for what use you please; you need not fear the curle, for it will divide it as often as you double it, which ten or twelve times is enough for any use. _the second way._ take a quart of flour, and a pound and a half of butter, work the half pound of butter dry into the flour, then put three or four eggs to it, and as much cold water as will make it leith paste, work it in a piece of a foot long, then strew a little flour on the table, take it by the end, and beat it till it stretch to be long, then put the ends together, and beat it again, and so do five or six times, then work it up round, and roul it up broad; then beat your pound of butter with a rouling pin that it may be little, take little bits thereof, and stick it all over the paste, fold up your paste close, and coast it down with your rouling pin, roul it out again, and so do five or six times, then use it as you will. _the third way._ break two eggs into three pints of flour, make it with cold water and roul it out pretty thick and square, then take so much butter as paste, lay it in ranks, and divide your butter in five pieces, that you may lay it on at five several times, roul your paste very broad, and stick one part of the butter in little pieces all over your paste, then throw a handful of flour slightly on, fold up your paste and beat it with a rowling-pin, so roul it out again, thus do five times, and make it up. _the fourth way._ take to a quart of flour four whites and but two yolks of eggs, and make it up with as much cream as will make it up pretty stiff paste, then roul it out, and beat three quarters of a pound of butter of equal hardness of the paste, lay it on the paste in little bits at ten several times; drive out your paste always one way; and being made, use it as you will. _the fifth way._ work up a quart of flour with half a pound of butter, three whites of eggs, and some fair spring water, make it a pretty stiff paste, and drive it out, then beat half a pound of more butter of equal hardness of the paste, and lay it on the paste in little bits at three several times, roul it out, and use it for what use you please. drive the paste out every time very thin. _a made dish or florentine of any kind of tongue in dish, pye, or patty-pan._ take a fresh neats tongue, boil it tender and blanch it, being cold, cut it into little square bits as big as a nutmeg, and lard it with very small lard, then have another tongue raw, take off the skin, and mince it with beef-suet, then lay on one half of it in the dish or patty pan upon a sheet of paste; then lay on the tongue being larded and finely seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, and salt; and with the other minced tongue put grated bread to it, some yolks of raw eggs, some sweet herbs minced small, and made up into balls as big as a walnut, lay them on the other tongue, with some chesnuts, marrow, large mace, some grapes, gooseberries or barberries, some slices of interlarded bacon and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with grape-verjuyce, beaten butter, and the yolks of three or four eggs strained with the verjuyce. _a made dish of tongues otherways._ take neats-tongues or smaller tongues, boil them tender, and slice them thin, then season them with nutmeg, pepper, beaten cinamon; salt, and some ginger, season them lightly, and lay them in a dish on a bottom or sheet of paste mingled with some currans, marrow, large mace, dates, slic't lemon, grapes, barberries, or gooseberries and butter, close up the dish, and being almost baked, liquor it with white wine, butter, and sugar, and ice it. _made dish in paste of two rabits, with sweet liquor._ take the rabits, flay them, draw them and cut them into small pieces as big as a walnut, then wash and dry them with a clean cloth, and season them with pepper, nutmeg, and salt; lay them on a bottom of paste, also lay on them dates, preserved lettice stalks, marrow, large mace, grapes, and slic't orange or lemon, put butter to it, close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with sugar, white-wine and butter; or in place of wine, grape-verjuyce, and strained yolks of raw eggs. in winter bake them with currans, prunes, skirrets, raisins of the sun, _&c._ _a made dish of florentine, or a partridge or capon._ being roasted and minced very small with as much beef-marrow, put to it two ounces of orangado minced small with as much green citron minced also, season the meat with a little beaten cloves, mace, nutmeg, salt, and sugar, mix all together, and bake it in puff paste; when it is baked, open it, and put in half a grain of musk or ambergriese, dissolved with a little rose-water, and the juyce of oranges, stir all together amongst the meat, cover it again, and serve it to the table. _to make a florentine, or dish, without paste, or on paste._ take a leg of mutton or veal, shave it into thin slices, and mingle it with some sweet herbs, as sweet marjoram, tyme, savory, parsley, and rosemary, being minced very small, a clove of garlick, some beaten nutmeg, pepper, a minced onion, some grated manchet, and three or four yolks of raw eggs, mix all together with a little salt, some thin slices of interlarded bacon, and some oster-liquor, lay the meat round the dish on a sheet of paste, or in the dish without paste, bake it, and being baked, stick bay leaves round the dish. _to bake potatoes, artichocks in a dish, pye, or patty-pan either in paste, or little pasties._ take any of these roots, and boil them in fair water, but put them not in till the water boils, being tender boil'd, blanch them, and season them with nutmeg, pepper, cinamon, and salt, season them lightly, then lay on a sheet of paste in a dish, and lay on some bits of butter, then lay on the potatoes round the dish, also some eringo roots, and dates in halves, beef marrow, large mace, slic't lemon, and some butter, close it up with another sheet of paste, bake it, and being baked, liquor it with grape-verjuyce, butter and sugar, and ice it with rose-water and sugar. _to make a made dish of spinage in paste baked._ take some young spinage, and put it in boiling hot fair water, having boil'd two or three walms, drain it from the water, chop it very small, and put it in a dish with some beaten cinamon, salt, sugar, a few slic't dates, a grain of musk dissolved in rose-water, some yolks of hard eggs chopped small, some currans and butter; stew these foresaid materials on a chaffing dish of coals, then have a dish of short paste on it, and put this composition upon it, either with a cut, a close cover, or none; bake it, and being baked, ice it with some fine sugar, water, and butter. _other made dish of spinage in paste baked._ boil spinage as beforesaid, being tender boil'd, drain it in a cullender, chop it small, and strain it with half a pound of almond-paste, three or four yolks of eggs, half a grain of musk, three or four spoonfuls of cream, a quartern of fine sugar, and a little salt; then bake it on a sheet of paste on a dish without a cover, in a very soft oven, being fine and green baked, stick it with preserved barberries, or strow on red and white biskets, or red and white muskedines, and scrape on fine sugar. _a made dish of spinage otherways._ take a pound of fat and well relished cheese, and a pound of cheese curds, stamp them in a mortar with some sugar, then put in a pint of juyce of spinage, a pint of cream, ten eggs, cinamon, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves, make your dish without a cover, according to this form, being baked ice it. _to make a made dish of barberries._ take a good quantity of them and boil them with claret-wine, rose-water and sugar, being boil'd very thick, strain them, and put them on a bottom of puff paste in a dish, or short fine paste made of sugar, fine flour, cold butter, and cold water, and a cut cover of the same paste, bake it and ice it, and cast bisket on it, but before you lay on the iced cover, stick it with raw barberries in the pulp or stuff. _to make a peasecod dish, in a puff paste._ take a pound of almonds, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, beat the almonds finely to a paste with some rose-water, then beat the sugar amongst them, mingle some sweet butter with it, and make this stuff up in puff paste like peasecods, bake them upon papers, and being baked, ice it with rose-water, butter, and fine sugar. in this fashion you may make peasecod stuff of preserved quinces, pippins, pears, or preserved plums in puff paste. _make dishes of frogs in the italian fashion._ take the thighs and fry them in clarified butter, then have slices of salt eels watered, flay'd, bon'd, boil'd, and cold, slice them in thin slices, and season both with pepper, nutmeg, and ginger, lay butter on your paste, and lay a rank of frog, and a rank of eel, some currans, gooseberries or grapes, raisins, pine-apple seeds, juyce of orange, sugar, and butter; thus do three times, close up your dish, and being baked ice it. make your paste of almond milk, flour, butter, yolks of eggs, and sugar. in the foresaid dish you may add fryed onions, yolks of hard eggs, cheese-curds, almond-paste, or grated cheese. _to make a made dish of marrow._ take the marrow of two or three marrow-bones, cut it into pieces like great square dice, and put to it a penny manchet grated fine, some slic't dates, half a quartern of currans, a little cream, rosted wardens, pippins or quinces slic't, and two or three yolks of raw eggs, season them with cinamon, ginger, and sugar, and mingle all together. _a made dish of rice in puff paste._ boil your rice in fair water very tender, scum it, and being boil'd put it in a dish, then put to it butter, sugar, nutmeg, salt, rose-water, and the yolks of six or eight eggs, put it in a dish, of puff paste, close it up and bake it, being baked, ice it, and caste on red and white biskets, and scraping sugar. sometimes for change you may add boil'd currans and beaten cinamon, and leave out nutmeg. _otherways of almond-paste, and boiled rice._ mix all together with some cream, rose-water, sugar, cinamon, yolks of eggs, salt, some boil'd currans, and butter; close it up and bake it in puff-paste, ice it, and cast on red and white biskets and scrape on sugar. _otherways a made dish of rice and paste._ wash the rice clean, and boil it in cream till it be somewhat thick, then put it out into a dish, and put to it some sugar, butter, six or eight yolks of eggs, beaten cinamon, slic't dates, currans, rose-water, and salt, mix all together, and bake it in puff paste or short paste, being baked ice it, and cast biskets on it. _to make a made dish of rice, flour, and cream._ take half a pound of rice, dust and pick it clean, then wash it, dry it, lay it abroad in a dish as thin as you can or dry it in a temperate oven, being well dried, rub it, and beat it in a mortar till it be as fine as flour; then take a pint of good thick cream, the whites of three new laid eggs, well beaten together, and a little rose-water, set it on a soft fire, and boil it till it be very thick, then put it in a platter and let it stand till it be cold, then slice it out like leach, cast some bisket upon it, and so serve it. _to make a made dish of rice, prunes, and raisins._ take a pound of prunes, and as many raisins of the sun, pick and wash them, then boil them with water and wine, of each a like quantity; when you first set them on the fire, put rice flour to them, being tender boil'd strain them with half a pound of sugar, and some rose-water, then stir the stuff till it be thick like leach, put it in a little earthen pan, being cold slice it, dish it, and cast red and white bisket on it. _to make a made dish of blanchmanger._ take a pint of cream, the whites of six new laid eggs, and some sugar; set them over a soft fire in a skillet and stir it continually till it be good and thick, then strain it, and being cold, dish it on a puff-paste bottom with a cut cover, and cast biskets on it. _a made dish of custard stuff, called an artichock dish._ boil custard stuff in a clean scowred skillet, stir it continually, till it be something thick, then put it in a clean strainer, and let it drain in a dish, strain it with a little musk or ambergriese, then bake a star of puff paste on a paper, being baked take it off the paper, and put it in a dish for your stuff, then have lozenges also ready baked of puff paste, stick it round with them, and scrape on fine sugar. _a made dish of butter and eggs._ take the yolks of twenty four eggs, and strain them with cinamon, sugar, and salt; then put melted butter to them, some fine minced pippins, and minced citron, put it on your dish of paste, and put slices of citron round about it, bar it with puff paste, and the bottom also, or short paste in the bottom. _to make a made dish of curds._ take some tender curds, wring the wehy from them very well, then put to them two raw eggs, currans, sweet butter, rose-water, cinamon, sugar, and mingle all together, then make a fine paste with flour, yolks of egs, rose-water, & other water, sugar, saffron, and butter, wrought up cold, bake it either in this paste or in puff-paste, being baked ice it with rose-water, sugar, and butter. _to make a paste of violets, cowslips, burrage, bugloss, rosemary flowers,_ &c. take any of these flowers, pick the best of them, and stamp them in a stone mortar, then take double refined sugar, and boil it to a candy height with as much rosewater as will melt it, stir it continually in the boiling, and being boiled thick, cast it into lumps upon a pye plate, when it is cold, box them, and keep them all the year in a stove. _to make the portugal tarts for banquetting._ take a pound of marchpane paste being finely beaten, and put into it a grain of musk, six spoonfuls of rose-water, and the weight of a groat of orris powder, boil all on a chaffing dish of coals till it be something stiff; then take the whites of two eggs, beaten to froth, put them into it, and boil it again a little, let it stand till it be cold, mould it, and roul it out thin; then take a pound more of almond-paste unboil'd, and put to it four ounces of caraway-seed, a grain of musk, and three drops of oyl of lemons, roul the paste into small rouls as big as walnuts, and lay these balls into the first made paste, flat them down like puffs with your thumbs a little like figs and bake them upon marchpane wafers. _to make marchpane._ take two pounds of almonds blanch't and beaten in a stone mortar, till they begin to come to a fine paste, then take a pound of sifted sugar, put it in the mortar with the almonds, and make it into a perfect paste, putting to it now and then in the beating of it a spoonful of rose-water, to keep it from oyling; when you have beat it to a puff paste, drive it out as big as a charger, and set an edge about it as you do upon a quodling tart, and a bottom of wafers under it, thus bake it in an oven or baking pan; when you see it is white, hard, and dry, take it out, and ice it with rose-water and sugar being made as thick as butter for fritters, to spread it on with a wing feather, and put it into the oven again; when you see it rise high, then take it out and garnish it with some pretty conceits made of the same stuff, slick long comfets upright on it, and so serve it. _to make collops like bacon of marchpane._ take some of your marchpane paste and work it with red sanders till it be red, then roul a broad sheet of white marchpane paste, and a sheet of red paste, three of white, and four of red, lay them one upon another, dry it, cut it overthwart, and it will look like collops of bacon. _to make almond bread._ take almonds, and lay them in water all night, blanch them and slice them, take to every pound of almonds a pound of fine sugar finely beat, & mingle them together, then beat the whites of eggs to a high froth, & mix it well with the almonds & sugar; then have some plates and strew some flour on them, lay wafers on them and almonds with edges upwards, lay them as round as you can, and scrape a little sugar on them when they are ready to set in the oven, which must not be so hot as to colour white paper; being a little baked take them out, set them on a plate, then put them in again, and keep them in a stove. _to make almond bisket._ take the whites of four new laid eggs and two yolks, beat them together very well for an hour, then have in readiness a quarter of a pound of the best almonds blanched in cold water, beat them very small with rosewater to keep them from oiling, then have a pound of the best loaf sugar finely beaten, beat it in the eggs a while, then put in the almonds, and five or six spoonfuls of fine flour, so bake them on paper, plates, or wafers; then have a little fine sugar in a piece of tiffany, dust them over as they go into the oven, and bake them as you do bisket. _to make almond-cakes._ take a pound of almonds, blanch them and beat them very small in a little rose-water where some musk hath been steeped, put a pound of sugar to them fine beaten, and four yolks of eggs, but first beat the sugar and the eggs well together, then put them to the almonds and rose-water, and lay the cakes on wafers by half spoonfuls, set them into an oven after manchet is baked. _to make almond-cakes otherways._ take a pound of the best jordan almonds, blanch them in cold water as you do marchpane, being blanched wipe them dry in a clean cloth, & cut away all the rotten from them, then pound them in a stone-motar, & sometimes in the beating put in a spoonful of rose-water wherein you must steep some musk; when they are beaten small mix the almonds with a pound of refined sugar beaten and searsed; then put the stuff on a chafing-dish of coals in a made dish, keep it stirring, and beat the whites of seven eggs all to froth, put it into the stuff and mix it very well together, drop it on a white paper, put it on plates, and bake them in an oven; but they must not be coloured. _to make white ambergriese cakes._ take the purest refined sugar that can be got, beat it and searse it; then have six new laid eggs, and beat them into a froth, take the froth as it riseth, and drop it into the sugar by little and little, grinding it still round in a marble mortar and pestle, till it be throughly moistened, and wrought thin enough to drop on plates; then put in some ambergriese, a little civet, and some anniseeds well picked, then take your pie plates, wipe them, butter them, and drop the stuff on them with a spoon in form of round cakes, put them into a very mild oven and when you see them be hard and rise a little, take them out and keep them for use. _to make sugar-cakes or jambals._ take two pound of flour, dry it, and season it very fine, then take a pound of loaf sugar, beat it very fine, and searse it, mingle your flour and sugar very well; then take a pound and a half of sweet butter, wash out the salt and break it into bits into the flour and sugar, then take the yolks of four new laid eggs, four or five spoonfuls of sack, and four spoonfuls of cream, beat all these together, put them into the flour, and work it up into paste, make them into what fashion you please, lay them upon papers or plates, and put them into the oven; be careful of them, for a very little thing bakes them. _to make jemelloes._ take a pound of fine sugar, being finely beat, and the yolks of four new laid eggs, and a grain of musk, a thimble full of caraway seed searsed, a little gum dragon steeped in rose-water, and six spoonfuls of fine flour beat all these in a thin paste a little stiffer then butter, then run it through a butter-squirt of two or three ells long bigger then a wheat straw, and let them dry upon sheets of paper a quarter of an hour, then tie them in knots or what pretty fashion you please, and when they be dry, boil them in rose-water and sugar; it is an excellent sort of banqueting. _to make jambals._ take a pint of fine wheat flour, the yolks of three or four new laid eggs, three or four spoonfuls of sweet cream, a few anniseeds, and some cold butter, make it into paste, and roul it into long rouls, as big as a little arrow, make them into divers knots, then boil them in fair water like simnels; bake them, and being baked, box them and keep them in a stove. thus you may use them, and keep them all the year. _to make sugar plate._ take double refined sugar, sift it very small through a fine searse, then take the white of an egg, gum dragon, and rose-water, wet it, and beat it in a mortar till you are able to mould it, but wet it not to much at the first. if you will colour it, and the colour be of a watry substance, put it in with the rose-water, if a powder, mix it with your sugar before you wet it; when you have beat it in the mortar, and that it is all wet, and your colour well mixt in every place, then mould it and make it into what form you please. _to make muskedines called rising comfits or vissing comfits._ take half a pound of refined sugar, being beaten and searsed, put into it two grains of musk, a grain of civet, two grains of ambergriese, and a thimble full of white orris powder, beat all these with gum-dragon steeped in rose-water; then roul it as thin as you can, and cut it into little lozenges with your iging-iron, and stow them in some warm oven or stove, then box them and keep them all the year. _to make craknels._ take half a pound of fine flour dryed and searsed, and as much fine sugar searsed, mingled with a spoonfull of coriander-seed bruised, and two ounces of butter rubbed amongst the flour and sugar, wet it with the yolks of two eggs, half a spoonful of white rose-water, and two spoonfuls of cream, or as much as will wet it, work the paste till it be soft and limber to roul and work, then roul it very thin, and cut them round by little plats, lay them upon buttered papers, and when they go into the oven, prick them, and wash the tops with the yolk of an egg, beaten and made thin with rose-water or fair water; they will give with keeping, therfore before they are eaten they must be dried in a warm oven to make them crisp. _to make mackeroons._ take a pound of the finest sugar, and a pound of the best jordan-almonds, steep them in cold water, blanch them and pick out the spots: then beat them to a perfect paste in a stone mortar, in the beating of them put rose-water to them to keep them from oyling, being finely beat, put them in a dish with the sugar, and set them over a chafing-dish of coals, stir it till it will come clean from the bottom of the dish, then put in two grains of musk, and three of ambergriese. _to make the italian chips._ take some paste of flowers, beat them to fine powder, and searse or sift them; then take some gum-dragon steeped in rose-water, beat it to a perfect paste in a marble mortar, then roul it thin, and lay one colour upon another in a long roul, roul them very thin, then cut them overthwart, and they will look of divers pretty colours like marble. _to make bisket bread._ take a pound of sugar searsed very fine, a pound of flour well dryed, twelve eggs and but six whites, a handful of caraway-seed, and a little salt; beat all these together the space of an hour, then your oven being hot, put them into plates or tin things, butter them and wipe them, a spoonful into a plate is enough, so set them into the oven, and make it as hot as to bake them for manchet. _to make bisquite du roy._ take a pound of fine searsed sugar, a pound of fine flour, and six eggs, beat them very well, then put them all into a stone mortar, and pound them for the space of an hour and a half, let it not stand still, for then it will be heavy, and when you have beaten it so long a time, put in halfe an ounce of anniseed; then butter over some pie plates, and drop the stuff on the plate as fast as two or three can with spoons, shape them round as near as you can, and set them into an oven as hot as for manchet, but the less they are coloured the better. _bisquite du roy otherways._ take to a pound of flour a pound of sugar, and twelve new laid eggs, beat them in a deep dish, then put to them two grains of musk dissolved, rose-water, anniseed, and coriander-seed, beat them the space of an hour with a wooden spatter; then the oven being ready, have white tin molds butter'd, and fill them with this bisquite, strow double refined sugar in them, and bake them when they rise out of the moulds, draw them and put them on a great pasty-plate or pye-plate, and dry them in a stove, and put them in a square lattin box, and lay white papers betwixt every range or rank, have a padlock to it, and set it over a warm oven, so keep them, and thus for any kind of bisket, mackeroons, marchpane, sugar plates, or pasties, set them in a temperate place where they may not give with every change of weather, and thus you may keep them very long. _to make shell bread._ take a quarter of a pound of rice flour, a quarter of a pound of fine flour, the yolks of four new laid eggs, and a little rose-water, and a grain of musk; make these into a perfect paste, then roul it very thin and bake it in great muscle-shells, but first roast the shells in butter melted where they be baked, boil them in melted sugar as you boil a simmel, then lay them on the bottom of a wooden sieve, and they will eat as crisp as a wafer. _ to make bean bread._ take two pound of blanched almonds and slice them, take to them two pound of double refined sugar finely beaten and searsed, five whites of eggs beaten to froth, a little musk steeped to rose-water and some anniseeds, mingle them all together in a dish, and bake them on pewter-plates buttered, then afterwards dry them and them. _to make ginger-bread._ take a pound of jordan almonds, and a penny manchet grated and sifted and mingled among the almond paste very fine beaten, an ounce of slic't ginger, two thimble fuls of liquoras and anniseed in powder finely searsed, beat all in a mortar together, with two or three spoonfuls of rose-water, beat them to a perfect paste with half a pound of sugar, mould it, and roul it thin, then print it and dry it in a stove, and guild it if you please. thus you may make gingerbread of sugar plate, putting sugar to it as abovesaid. _to make ipocras._ take to a gallon of wine, three ounces of cinamon, two ounces of slic't ginger, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, an ounce of mace, twenty corns of pepper, an ounce of nutmegs, three pound of sugar, and two quarts of cream. _otherways._ take to a pottle of wine, an ounce of cinamon, an ounce of ginger, an ounce of nutmegs, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, seven corns of pepper, a handful of rosemary-flowers, and two pound of sugar. _to make excellent mead much commended._ take to every quart of honey a gallon of fair spring water, boil it well with nutmeg and ginger bruised a little, in the boiling scum it well, and being boil'd set it a cooling in severall vessels that it may stand thin, then the next day put it in the vessel, and let it stand a week or two, then draw it in bottles. if it be to drink in a short time you may work it as beer, but it will not keep long. or take to every gallon of water, a quart of honey, a quarter of an ounce of mace, as much ginger and cinnamon, and half as much cloves, bruise them, and use them as abovesaid. _otherways._ take five quarts and a pint of water, warm it, and put to it a quart of honey, and to every gallon of liquor one lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs; it must boil till the scum rise black, and if you will have it quickly ready to drink, squeeze into it a lemon when you tun it, and tun it cold. _to make metheglin._ take all sorts of herbs that are good and wholesome as balm, mint, rosemary, fennil, angelica, wild time, hysop, burnet, agrimony, and such other field herbs, half a handful of each, boil and strain them, and let the liquor stand till the next day, being setled take two gallons and a half of honey, let it boil an hour, and in the boiling scum it very clean, set it a cooling as you do beer, and when it is cold, take very good barm and put it into the bottom of the tub, by a little & a little as to beer, keeping back the thick setling that lieth in the bottom of the vessel that it is cooled in; when it is all put together cover it with a cloth and let it work very near three days, then when you mean to put it up, skim off all the barm clean, and put it up into a vessel, but you must not stop the vessel very close in three or four days, but let it have some vent to work; when it is close stopped you must look often to it, and have a peg on the top to give it vent, when you heare it make a noise as it will do, or else it will break the vessel. sometimes make a bag and put in good store of slic't ginger, some cloves and cinamon, boil'd or not. * * * * * * * * * section xii. _to make all manner of creams, sack-possets, sillabubs, blamangers, white-pots, fools, wassels,_ &c. _to make apple cream._ take twelve pippins, pare and slice, or quarter them, put them into a skillet with some claret wine, and a race of ginger sliced thin, a little lemon-peel cut small, and some sugar; let all these stew together till they be soft, then take them off the fire and put them in a dish, and when they be cold take a quart of cream boil'd with a little nutmeg, and put in of the apple stuff to make it of what thickness you please, and so serve it up. _to make codling cream._ take twenty fair codlings being peeld and codled tender and green, put them in a clean silver-dish, filled half full of rose-water, and half a pound of sugar, boil all this liquor together till half be consumed, and keep it stirring till it be ready, then fill up the dish with good thick and sweet cream, stir it till it be well mingled, and when it hath boil'd round about the dish, take it off, sweeten it with fine sugar, and serve it cold. _otherways._ codle forty fair codlings green and tender, then peel and core them, and beat them in a mortar, strain them with a quart of cream, and mix them well together in a dish with fine sugar, sack, musk, and rose-water. thus you may do with any fruit you please. _to boil cream with codlings._ boil a quart of cream with mace, sugar, two yolks of eggs, two spoonfulls of rose water, and a grain of ambergriese, put it into the cream, and set them over the fire till they be ready to boil, then set them to cool, stirring it till it be cold; then take a quart of green codling stuff strained, put it into a silver dish, and mingle it with cream. _to make quince-cream._ take and boil them in fair water, but first let the water boil, then put them in and being tender boil'd take them up and peel them, strain them and mingle it with fine sugar, then take some very good and sweet cream, mix all together and make it of a fit thickness, or boil the cream with a stick of cinamon, and let it stand till it be cold before you put it to the quinces. thus you may do wardens or pears. _to make plum cream._ take any kind of plums, apricocks, or the like, and put them in a dish with some sugar, white-wine, sack, claret, or rose-water, close them up with a piece of paste between two dishes; being baked and cold, put to them cream boil'd with eggs, or without, or raw, and scrape on sugar, _&c._ _to make gooseberry cream._ codle them green, and boil them up with sugar, being preserved put them into the cream strain'd as whole, scrape sugar on them, and so serve them cold in boil'd or raw cream. thus you may do strawberries, raspas, or red currans, put in raw cream whole, or serve them with wine and sugar in a dish without cream. _to make snow cream._ take a quart of cream, six whites of eggs, a quartern of rose-water, a quarter of a pound of double refined sugar, beat them together in a deep bason or a boul dish, then have a fine silver dish with a penny manchet, the bottom and upper crust being taken away, & made fast with paste to the bottom of the dish, and a streight sprig of rosemary set in the middle of it; then beat the cream and eggs together, and as it froatheth take it off with a spoon and lay it on the bread and rosemary till you have fill'd the dish. you may beat amongst it some musk and ambergriese dissolv'd, and gild it if you please. _to make snow cream otherways._ boil a quart of cream with a stick of cinamon, and thicken it with rice flour, the yolks of two or three eggs, a little rose-water, sugar, and salt, give it a walm, and put it in a dish, lay clouted cream on it, and fill it up with whip cream or cream that cometh out of the top of a churn when the butter is come, disht out of a squirt or some other fine way, scrape on sugar, sprinkle it with rosewater, and stick some pine-apple-seeds on it. _otherways._ take three pints of cream, and the whites of seven eggs, strain them together, with a little rosewater and as much sugar as will sweeten it; then take a stick of a foot long, and split it in four quarters, beat the cream with it, or else with a whisk, and when the snow riseth, put it in a cullender with a spoon, that the thin may run from it, when you have snow enough, boil the rest with cinamon, ginger, and cloves, seeth it till it be thick, then strain it and when it is cold, put it in a clean dish, and lay your snow upon it. _to make snow cream otherways with almonds._ take a quart of good sweet cream, and a quarter of a pound of almond paste fine beaten with rose-water, and strained with half a pint of white-wine, put some orange-peel to it, a slic't nutmeg, and three sprigs of rosemary, let it stand two or three hours in steep; then put some double refined sugar to it, and strain it into a bason, beat it till it froth and bubble, and as the froth riseth, take it off with a spoon, and lay it in the dish you serve it up in. _to make a jelly of almonds as white as snow._ take a pound of almonds, steep them in cold water six hours, and blanch them into cold water, then make a decoction of half a pound of ising-glass, with two quarts of white wine and the juyce of two lemons, boil it till half be wasted, then let it cool and strain it, mingle it with the almonds, and strain them with a pound of double refined sugar, & the juyce of two lemons, turn it into colours, red, white, or yellow, and put it into egg shells, or orange peels, and serve them on a pye plate upon a dish. _to make almond cream._ take half a pound of almond paste beaten with ros-water, and strain it with a quart of cream, put it in a skillet with a stick of cinamon and boil it, stir it continually, and when it is boiled thick, put sugar to it, and serve it up cold. _to make almond cream otherways._ take thick almond milk made with fair spring-water, and boil it a little then take it from the fire, and put to a little salt and vinegar, cast it into a clean strainer and hang it upon a pin over a dish, then being finely drained, take it down and put it in a dish, put to it some fine beaten sugar, and a little sack, muskedine, or white wine, dish it on a silver dish, and strow on red biskets. _otherways._ take a quart of cream, boil it over night, then in the morning have half a pound of almonds blanched and fine beaten, strain them with the cream, and put to it a quarter of a pound of double refined sugar, a little rose-water, a little fine ginger and cinamon finely searsed, and mixed all together, dish it in a clean silver dish with fine carved sippets round about it. _to make almond cheese._ take almonds being beaten as fine as marchpane paste, then have a sack-posset with cream and sack, mingle the curd of the posset with almond paste, and set it on a chafing-dish of coals, put some double refined sugar to it and some rose-water; then fashion it on a pye-plate like a fresh cheese, put it in a dish, put a little cream to it, scrape sugar, on it, and being cold serve it up. _to make an excellent cream._ take a quart of cream, and set it a boiling, with a large mace or two, whilst it is boiling cut some thin sippets, and lay them in a very fine clean dish, then have seven or eight yolks of eggs strained with rose-water, put some sugar to them, then take the cream from the fire, put in the eggs, and stir all together, then pour it on the slices of fine manchet, and being cold scrape on sugar, and so serve it. _to make cream otherways._ take a quart of cream, and boil it with four or five large maces, and a stick of whole cinamon; when it hath boiled a little while, have seven or eight yolks of eggs dissolved with a little cream, take the cream from the fire and put in the eggs, stir them well into the boiled cream, and put it in a clean dish, take out the spices, and when it is cold stick it with those maces and cinamon. thus you may do with the whites of the eggs with cream. _to make cast cream._ take a quart of cream, a pint of new milk, and the whites of six eggs, strain them together and boil it, in the boiling stir it continnally till it be thick, then put to it some verjuyce, and put it into a strainer, hang it on a nail or pin to drain the whey from it, then strain it, put some sugar to it and rose-water; drain it in a fair dish, and strow on some preserved pine-kernels, or candied pistaches. in this fashion you may do it of the yolks of eggs. _to make clouted cream._ take three galons of new milk, and set it on the fire in a clean scowred brass pan or kettle till it boils, then make a hole in the middle of the milk, & take three pints of good cream and put into the hole as it boileth, boil it together half an hour, then divide it into four milk pans, and let it cool two days, if the weather be not too hot, then take it up with a slice or scummer, put it in a dish, and sprinkle it with rose-water, lay one clod upon another, and scrape on sugar. _to make clouted cream otherways extraordinary._ take four gallons of new milk from the cow, set it over the fire in clean scowred pan or kettle to scald ready to boil, strain it through a clean strainer and put it into several pans to cool, then take the cream some six hours after, and put it in the dish you mean to serve it in, season it with rose-water, sugar, and musk, put some raw cream to it, and some snow cream on that. _to make clouted cream otherways._ take a gallon of new milk from the cow, two quarts of cream and twelve spoonfuls of rose-water, put these together in a large milk-pan, and set it upon a fire of charcoal well kindled, (you must be sure the fire be not too hot) and let it stand a day and a night, then take it off and dish it with a slice or scummer, let no milk be in it, and being disht and cut in fine little pieces, scrape sugar on it. _to make a very good cream._ when you churn butter, take out half a pint of cream just as it begins to turn to butter, (that is, when it is a little frothy) then boil a quart of good thick and new cream, season it with sugar and a little rose-water, when it is quite cold, mingle it very well with that you take out of the churn, and so dish it. _to make a sack cream._ take a quart of cream, and set it on the fire, when it is boiled, drop in six or eight drops of sack, and stir it well to keep it from curdling, then season it with sugar and strong water. _to make cabbidge cream._ set six quarts of new milk on the fire, and when it boils empty it into ten or twelve earthen pans or bowls as fast as you can without frothing, set them where they may come, and when they are a little cold, gather the cream that is on the top with your hand, rumpling it together, and lay it on a plate, when you have laid three or four layers on one another, wet a feather in rose-water and musk and stroke over it, then searse a little grated nutmeg, and fine sugar, (and if you please, beat some musk and ambergriese in it) and lay three or four lays more on as before; thus do till you have off all the cream in the bowls, then put all the milk to boil again, and when it boils set it as you did before in bowls, and so use it in like manner; it will yield four or five times seething, which you must use as before, that it may lye round and high like a cabbige; or let one of the first bowls stand because the cream may be thick and most crumpled, take that up last to lay on uppermost, and when you serve it up searse or scrape sugar on it; this must be made over night for dinner, or in the morning for supper. _to make stone cream._ take a quart of cream, two or three blades of large mace, two or three little sticks of cinamon, and six spoonfulls of rosewater, season it sweet with sugar, and boil it till it taste well of the spice, then dish it, and stir it till it be as cold as milk from the cow, then put in a little runnet and stir it together, let it stand and cool, and serve it to the table. _to make whipt cream._ take a whisk or a rod and beat it up thick in a bowl or large bason, till it be as thick as the cream that comes off the top of a churn, then lay fine linning clouts on saucers being wet, lay on the cream, and let it rest two or three hours, then turn them into a fine silver dish, put raw cream to them, and scrape on sugar. _to make rice cream._ take a quart of cream, two handfuls of rice flour, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, mingle the flour and sugar very well together, and put it in the cream; then beat the yolk of an egg with a little rose-water, put it to the cream and stir them all together, set it over a quick fire, keeping it continually stirring till it be as thick as pap. _to make another rare cream._ take a pound of almond paste fine beaten with rose-water, mingle it with a quart of cream, six eggs, a little sack, half a pound of sugar, and some beaten nutmeg; strain them and put them in a clean scowred skillet, and set it on a soft fire, stir it continually, and being well incorporated, dish it, and serve it with juyce of orange, sugar, and stick it full of canded pistaches. _to make a white leach of cream._ take a quart of cream, twelve spoonfuls of rose-water, two grains of musk, two drops of oyl of mace, or two large maces, boil them with half a pound of sugar, and half a pound of the whitest ising-glass; being first steeped and washed clean, then run it through your jelly-bag, into a dish; when it is cold slice it into chequer-work, and serve it on a plate. this is the best way to make leach. _to make other leach with almonds._ take two ounces of ising-glass, lay it two hours in fair water; then boil it in clear spring water, and being well digested set it to cool; then have a pound of almonds beaten very fine with rose-water, strain them with a pint of new milk, and put in some mace and slic't ginger, boil them till it taste well of the spices, then put into it the digested ising-glass, some sugar, and a little rose-water, give it a warm over the fire, and run it through a strainer into dishes, and slice it into dishes. _to make a cream tart in the italian fashion to eat cold._ take twenty yolks of eggs, and two quarts of cream, strain it with a little salt, saffron, rose-water, juyce of orange, a little white-wine, and a pound of fine sugar, then bake it in a deep dish with some fine cinamon, and some canded pistaches stuck on it, and when it is baked, white muskedines. thus you may do with the whites of the eggs, and put in no spices. _to make piramedis cream._ take a quart of water, and six ounces of harts-horn, put it into a bottle with gum-dragon, and gum-araback, of each as much as a walnut; put them all into the bottle, which must be so big as will hold a pint more, for if it be full it will break, stop it very close with a cork, and tye a cloth over it, put the bottle in the beef-pot, or boil it in a pot with water, let it boil three hours, then take as much cream as there is jelly, and half a pound of almonds well beaten with rose-water, mingle the cream and the almonds together, strain it, then put the jelly when it is cold into a silver bason, and the cream to it, sweeten it as you please, and put in two or three grains of musk and ambergriese, set it over the fire, and stir it continually till be seathing hot, but let it not boil; then put it in an old fashioned drinking glass, and let it stand till it be cold, when you will use it, put the glass in some warm water, and whelm it in a dish, then take pistaches boil'd in white-wine and sugar, stick it all over, and serve it in with cream. _french barley cream._ take a porringer full of french perle barley, boil it in eight or nine several waters very tender, then put it in a quart of cream, with some large mace, and whole cinamon, boil it about a quarter of an hour; then have two pound of almonds blanched and beaten fine with rose-water, put to them some sugar, and strain the almonds with some cold cream, then put all over the fire, and stir it till it be half cold, then put to it two spoonfuls of sack or white-wine, and a little salt, and serve it in a dish cold. _to make cheesecakes._ let your paste be very good, either puff-paste or cold butter-paste, with sugar mixed with it, then the whey being dried very well from the cheese-curds which must be made of new milk or butter, beat them in a mortar or tray, with a quarter of a pound of butter to every pottle of curds, a good quantity of rose-water, three grains of ambergriese or musk prepared, the crums of a small manchet rubbed through a cullender, the yolks of ten eggs, a grated nutmeg, a little salt, and good store of sugar, mix all these well together with a little cream, but do not make them too soft; instead of bread you may take almonds which are much better; bake them in a quick oven, and let them not stand too long in, least they should be to dry. _to make cheesecakes otherways._ make the crust of milk & butter boil'd together, put it into the flour & make it up pretty stiff, to a pottle of fine flour, take half a pound of butter; then take a fresh cheese made of morning milk, and a pint of cream, put it to the new milk, and set the cheese with some runnet, when it is come, put it in a cheese-cloth and press it from the whey, stamp in the curds a grated fine small manchet, some cloves and mace, a pound and a half of well washed and pick't currans, the yolks of eight eggs, some rose-water, salt, half a pound of refined white sugar, and a nutmeg or two; work all these materials well together with a quarter of a pound of good sweet butter, and some cream, but make it not too soft, and make your cheesecakes according to these formes. _to make cheesecakes otherways._ make the paste of a pottle of flour, half a pound of butter, as much ale barm as two egg shells will hold, and a little saffron made into fine powder, and put into the flour, melt the butter in milk, and make up the paste; then take the curds of a gallon of new milk cheese, and a pint of cream, drain the whey very well from it, pound it in a mortar, then mix it with half a pound of sugar, and a pound of well washed and picked currans, a grated nutmeg, some fine beaten cinamon, salt, rose-water, a little saffron made into fine powder, and some eight yolks of eggs, work it up very stiff with some butter and a little cream. _otherways._ take six quarts of new milk, run it pretty cold, and when it is tender come, drain from it the whey, and hang it up in a strainer, press the whey from it, and beat it in a mortar till it be like butter, then strain it through a strainer, and mingle it with a pound of butter with your hand; then beat a pound of almonds with rose-water till they be as fine as the curds; put to them the yolks of twenty eggs, a quart of cream, two grated nutmegs, and a pound and a half of sugar, when the coffins are ready to be set into the oven, then mingle them together, and let them bake half an hour; the paste must be made of milk and butter warmed together, dry the coffins as you do for a custard, make the paste very stiff, and make them into works. _to make cheesecakes without milk._ take twelve eggs, take away six whites, and beat them very well, then take a quart of cream, and boil it with mace, take it off the fire, put in the eggs, and stir them well together, then set it on the fire again, and let it boil till it curds; then set it off, and put to it a good quantity of sugar, some grated nutmeg, and beaten mace; then dissolve musk & ambergriese in rose-water, three or four spoonfuls of grated bread, with half a pound of almonds beat small, a little cream, and some currans; then make the paste for them of flour, sugar, cream, and butter, bake them in a mild oven; a quarter of an hour will bake them. _cheesecakes otherways._ for the paste take a pottle of flour, half a pound of butter and the white of an egg, work it well into the flour with the butter, then put a little cold water to it, and work it up stiff; then take a pottle of cream, half a pound of sugar, and a pound of currans boil'd before you put them in, a whole nutmeg grated, and a little pepper fine beaten, boil these gently, and stir it continually with twenty eggs well beaten amongst the cream, being boil'd and cold, fill the cheesecakes. _to make cheesecakes otherways._ take eighteen eggs, and beat them very well, beat some flour amongst them to make them pretty thick; then have a pottle of cream and boil it, being boiled put in your eggs, flour, and half a pound of butter, some cinamon, salt, boil'd currans, and sugar, set them over the fire, and boil it pretty thick, being cold fill them and bake them, make the crust as beforesaid. _to make cheesecakes in the italian fashion._ take four pound of good fat holland cheese, and six pound of good fresh cheese curd of a morning milk cheese or better, beat them in a stone or wooden mortar, then put sugar to them, & two pound of well washed currans, twelve eggs, whites & all, being first well beaten, a pound of sugar, some cream, half an ounce of cinamon, a quarter of an ounce of mace, and a little saffron, mix them well together, & fill your talmouse or cheesecakes pasty-ways in good cold butter-paste; sometimes use beaten almonds amongst it, and some pistaches whole; being baked, ice them with yolks of eggs, rose-water, and sugar, cast on red and white biskets, and serve them up hot. _cheesecakes in the italian fashion otherways._ take a pound of pistaches stamped with two pound of morning-milk cheese-curd fresh made, three ounces of elder flowers, ten eggs, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, and a pottle of flour, strain these in a course strainer, and put them in short or puff past. _to make cheesecakes otherways._ take a good morning milk cheese, or better, of some eight pound weight, stamp it in a mortar, and beat a pound of butter amongst it, and a pound of sugar, then mix with it beaten mace, two pound of currans well picked and washed, a penny manchet grated, or a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with fine rose-water, and some salt; then boil some cream, and thicken it with six or eight yolks of eggs, mixed with the other things, work them well together, and fill the cheesecakes, make the curd not too soft, and make the paste of cold butter and water according to these forms. _to make a triffel._ take a quart of the best and thickest cream, set it on the fire in a clean skillet, and put to it whole mace, cinamon, and sugar, boil it well in the cream before you put in the sugar; then your cream being well boiled, pour it into a fine silver piece or dish, and take out the spices, let it cool till it be no more than blood-warm, then put in a spoonful of good runnet, and set it well together being cold scrape sugar on it, and trim the dish sides finely. _to make fresh cheese and cream._ take a pottle of milk as it comes from the cow, and a pint of cream, put to it a spoonful of runnet, and let it stand two hours, then stir it up and put it in a fine cloth, let the whey drain from it, and put the curd into a bowl-dish, or bason; then put to it the yolk of an egg, a spoonful of rose-water, some salt, sugar, and a little nutmeg finely beaten, put it to the cheese in the cheese-fat on a fine cloth, then scrape on sugar, and serve it on a plate in a dish. thus you may make fresh cheese and cream in the _french_ fashion called _jonches_, or rush cheese, being put in a mould of rushes tyed at both ends, and being dished put cream to it. _to make a posset._ take the yolks of twenty eggs, then have a pottle of good thick sweet cream, boil it with good store of whole cinamon, and stir it continually on a good fire, then strain the eggs with a little raw cream; when the cream is well boiled and tasteth of the spice, take it off the fire, put in the eggs, and stir them well in the cream, being pretty thick, have some sack in a posset pot or deep silver bason, half a pound of double refined sugar, and some fine grated nutmeg, warm it in the bason and pour in the cream and eggs, the cinamon being taken out, pour it as high as you can hold the skillet, let it spatter in the bason to make it froth, it will make a most excellent posset, then have loaf-sugar fine beaten, and strow on it good store. to the curd you may add some fine grated manchet, some claret or white-wine, or ale only. _to make a posset otherways._ take two quarts of new cream, a quarter of an ounce of whole cinamon, and two nutmegs quartered, boil it till it taste well of the spice, and keep it always stirring, or it will burn to, then take the yolks of fourteen or fifteen eggs beaten well together with a little cold cream, put them to the cream on the fire, and stir it till it begin to boil, then take it off and sweeten it with sugar, and stir it on till it be pretty cool; then take a pint and a quarter of sack, sweeten that also and set it on the fire till it be ready to boil, then put it in a fine clean scowred bason, or posset pot, and pour the cream into it, elevating your hand to make it froth, which is the grace of your posset; if you put it through a tunnel or cullender, it is held the more exquisite way. _to make sack posset otherways._ take two quarts of good cream, and a quarter of a pound of the best almonds stamp't with some rose-water or cream, strain them with the cream, and boil with it amber and musk; then take a pint of sack in a bason, and set it on a chaffing dish till it be bloud warm; then take the yolks of twelve eggs with whites, beat them very well together, and so put the eggs into the sack, make it good and hot, then stir all together in the bason, set the cream cool a little before you put it into the sack, and stir all together on the coals, till it be as thick as you would have it, then take some amber and musk, grind it small with sugar, and strew it on the top of the posset, it will give it a most delicate and pleasant taste. _sack posset otherways._ take eight eggs, whites and yolks, beat them well together, and strain them into a quart of cream, season them with nutmeg and sugar, and put to them a pint of sack, stir them all together, and put it into your bason, set it in the oven no hotter then for a custard, and let it stand two hours. _to make a sack posset without milk or cream._ take eighteen eggs, whites and all, take out the cock-treads, and beat them very well, then take a pint of sack, and a quart of ale boil'd scum it, and put into it three quarters of a pound of sugar, and half a nutmeg, let it boil a little together, then take it off the fire stirring the eggs still, put into them two or three ladlefuls of drink, then mingle all together, set it on the fire, and keep it stirring till you find it thick, and serve it up. _other posset._ take a quart of cream, and a quarter of nutmeg in it, set it on the fire, and let it boil a little, as it is boling take a pot or bason that you may make the posset in, and put in three spoonfuls of sack, and some eight spoonfuls of ale, sweeten it with sugar, then set it on the coals to warm a little while; being warmed, take it off and let it stand till it be almost cold, then put it into the pot or bason, stir it a little, and let it stand to simmer over the fire an hour or more, the longer the better. _an excellent syllabub._ fill your sillabub pot half full with sider, and good store of sugar, and a little nutmeg, stir it well together, and put in as much cream by two or three spoonfuls at a time, as hard as you can, as though you milkt it in; then stir it together very softly once about, and let it stand two hours before you eat it, for the standing makes it curd. _to make white pots according to these forms._ take a quart of good thick cream, boil it with three or four blades of large mace, and some whole cinamon, then take the whites of four eggs, and beat them very well, when the cream boils up, put them in, and take them off the fire keeping them stirring a little while, & put in some sugar; then take five or six pippins, pare, and slice them, then put in a pint of claret wine, some raisins of the sun, some sugar, beaten cinamon, and beaten ginger; boil the pippins to pap, then cut some sippets very thin and dry them before the fire; when the apples and cream are boil'd & cold, take half the sippets & lay them in a dish, lay half the apples on them, then lay on the rest of the sippets and apples as you did before, then pour on the rest of the cream and bake it in the oven as a custard, and serve it with scraping sugar. bake these in paste, in dish or pan, or make the paste as you will do for a custard, make it three inches high in the foregoing forms. _otherways to make a white pot._ take a quart of sweet cream and boil it, then put to it two ounces of picked rice, some beaten mace, ginger, cinamon, and sugar, let these steep in it till it be cold, and strain into it eight yolks of eggs and but two whites, then put in two ounces of clean washed and picked currans, and some salt, stir all well together, and bake it in paste, earthen pan, dish, or deep bason; being baked, trim it with some sugar, and comfits of orange, cinamon, or white biskets. _to make a wassel._ take muskedine or ale, and set it on the fire to warm, then boil a quart of cream and two or three whole cloves, then have the yolks of three or four eggs dissolved with a little cream; the cream being well boiled with the spices, put in the eggs and stir them well together, then have sops or sippets of fine manchet or french bread, put them in a bason, and pour in the warm wine, with some sugar and thick cream on that; stick it with blanched almonds and cast on cinamon, ginger, and sugar, or wafers, sugar plate, or comfits. _to make a norfolk fool._ take a quart of good thick sweet cream, and set it a boiling in a clean scoured skillet, with some large mace and whole cinamon; then having boil'd a warm or two take the yolks of five or six eggs dissolved and put to it, being taken from the fire, then take out the cinamon and mace; the cream being pretty thick, slice a fine manchet into thin slices, as much as will cover the bottom of the dish, pour on the cream on them, and more bread, some two or three times till the dish be full, then trim the dish side with fine carved sippets, and stick it with slic't dates, scrape on sugar, and cast on red and white biskets. _to make pap._ take milk and flour, strain them, and set it over the fire till it boil, being boil'd, take it off and let it cool; then take the yolks of eggs, strain them, and put it in the milk with some salt, set it again on the embers, and stir it till it be thick, and stew leisurely, then put it in a clean scowred dish, and serve it for pottage, or in paste, add to it sugar and rose-water. _to make blamanger according to these forms._ take a capon being boil'd or rosted & mince it small then have a pound of blanched almonds beaten to a paste, and beat the minced capon amongst it, with some rose-water, mingle it with some cream, ten whites of eggs, and grated manchet, strain all the foresaid things with some salt, sugar, and a little musk, boil them in a pan or broad skillet clean scowred as thick as pap, in the boiling stir it continually, being boil'd strain it again, and serve it in paste in the foregoing forms, or made dishes with paste royal. to make your paste for the forms, take to a quart of flour a quarter of a pound of butter, and the yolks of four eggs, boil your butter in fair water, and put the yolks of the eight eggs on one side of your dish, make up your paste quick, not too dry, and make it stiff. _otherways._ take to a quart of fine flour a quarter of a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little saffron, rose-water, a little beaten cinamon, and the yolk of an egg or two, work up all cold together with a little almond milk. _blamanger otherways._ take a boil'd or rost capon, and being cold take off the skin, mince it and beat it in a mortar, with some almond paste, then mix it with some capon broth, and crumbs of manchet, strained together with some rose-water, salt, and sugar; boil it to a good thickness, then put it into the paste of the former forms, of an inch high, or in dishes with paste royal, the paste being first baked. in this manner you may make blamanger of a pike. _otherways._ boil or rost a capon, mince it, and stamp it with almond paste, & strain it either with capon broth, cream, goats-milk, or other milk, strain them with some rice flour, sugar, and rosewater, boil it in a pan like pap, with a little musk, and stir it continually in the boiling, then put in the forms of paste as aforesaid. sometimes use for change pine-apple-seeds and currans, other times put in dates, cinamon, saffron, figs, and raisins being minced together, put them in as it boils with a little sack. _to make blamanger otherways._ take half a pound of fine searsed rice flour, and put to it a quart of morning milk, strain them through a strainer into a broad skillet; and set it on a soft fire, stir it with a broad stick, and when it is a little thick take it from the fire, then put in a quartern of rose-water, set it to the fire again, and stir it well, in the stirring beat it with the stick from the one side of the pan to the other, and when it is as thick as pap, take it from the fire, and put it in a fair platter, when it is cold lay three slices in a dish, and scrape on sugar. _blamanger otherways._ take a capon or a pike and boil it in fair water very tender, then take the pulp of either of them and chop it small, then take a pound of blanched almonds beat to a paste, beat the pulp and the almonds together, and put to them a quart of cream, the whites of ten eggs, and the crumbs of a fine manchet, mingle all together, and strain them with some sugar and salt, put them in a clean broad stew pan and set them over the fire, stir it and boil it thick; being boiled put it into a platter till it be cold, strain it again with a little rose-water, and serve it with sugar. _otherways._ blanch some almonds & beat them very fine to a paste with the boil'd pulp of a pike or capon, & crums of fine manchet, strain all together with sugar, and boil it to the thickness of an apple moise, then let it cool, strain it again with a little rose-water, and so serve it. _to make blamanger in the italian fashion._ boil a capon in water and salt very tender, or all to mash, then beat almonds, and strain them with your capon-broth, rice flour, sugar, and rose-water; boil it like pap, and serve it in this form; sometimes in place of broth use cream. * * * * * * * * * section xiii. or, the first section for dressing of _fish_. _shewing divers ways, and the most excellent, for dressing of carps, either boiled, stewed, broiled, roasted, or baked,_ &c. _to boil a carp in corbolion._ take as much wine as water, and a good handful of salt, when it boils, draw the carp and put it in the liquor, boil it with a continual quick fire, and being boiled, dish it up in a very clean dish with sippets round about it, and slic't lemon, make the sauce of sweet butter, beaten up with slic't lemon and grated nutmeg, garnish the dish with beaten ginger. _to boil a carp the best way to be eaten hot._ take a special male carp of eighteen inches, draw it, wash out the blood, and lay it in a tray, then put to it some wine-vinegar and salt, put the milt to it, the gall being taken from it; then have three quarts of white wine or claret, a quart of white wine vinegar, & five pints of fair water, or as much as will cover it; put the wine, water and vinegar, in a fair scowred pan or kettle, with a handful of salt, a quarter of an ounce of large mace, half a quartern of whole cloves, three slic'd nutmegs, six races of ginger pared and sliced, a quarter of an ounce of pepper, four or five great onions whole or sliced; then make a faggot of sweet herbs, of the tops of streight sprigs, of rosemary, seven or eight bay-leaves, tops of sweet marjoram, as much of the streight tops of time, winter-savory, and parsley; being well bound up, put them into the kettle with the spices, and some orange and lemon-peels; make them boil apace before you put in the carp, and boil it up quick with a strong fire; being finely boil'd and crisp, dish it in a large clean scowred dish, lay on the herbs and spice on the carp, with slic't lemons and lemon-peels, put some of the broth to it, and run it over with beaten butter, put fine carved sippets round about it, and garnish the dish with fine searsed manchet. or you may make sauce for it only with butter beat up thick, with slices of lemon, some of the carp liquor, and an anchove or two, and garnish the dish with beatten ginger. or take three or four anchoves and dissolve them in some white-wine, put them in a pipkin with some slic't horse-raddish, gross pepper, some of the carp liquor, and some stewed oyster liquor, or stewed oysters, large mace, and a whole onion or two; the sauce being well stewed, dissolve the yolks of three or four eggs with some of the sauce, and give it a warm or two, pour it on the carp with some beaten butter, the stewed oysters and slic't lemon, barberries, or grapes. _otherways._ dissolve three or four anchoves, with a little grated bread and nutmeg, and give it a warm in some of the broth the carp was boiled in, beat it up thick with some butter, and a clove of garlick, or pour it on the carp. or make sauce with beaten butter, grape-verjuyce, white wine, slic't lemon, juyce of oranges, juyce of sorrel, or white-wine vinegar. _or thus._ take white or claret wine, put it in a pipkin with some pared or sliced ginger, large mace, dates quartered, a pint of great oysters with the liquor, a little vinegar and salt, boil these a quarter of an hour, then mince a handful of parsley, and some sweet herbs, boil it as much longer till half be consumed, then beat up the sauce with half a pound of butter and a slic't lemon, and pour it on the carp. sometimes for the foresaid carp use grapes, barberries, gooseberries, and horse-raddish, _&c._ _to make a bisque of carps._ take twelve handsome male carps, and one larger than the rest, take out all the milts, and flea the twelve small carps, cut off their heads, take out their tongues, and take the fish from the bones, then take twelve large oysters and three or four yolks of hard eggs minc'd together, season it with cloves, mace, and salt, make thereof a stiff searse, add thereto the yolks of four or five eggs to bind, and fashion it into balls or rolls as you please, lay them into a deep dish or earthen pan, and put thereto twenty or thirty great oysters, two or three anchoves, the milts & tongues of the twelve carps, half a pound of fresh butter, the liquor of the oysters, the juyce of a lemon or two, a little white wine, some of the corbolion wherein the great carp is boil'd, & a whole onion, so set them a stewing on a soft fire, and make a soop therewith. for the great carp you must scald, draw him, and lay him for half an hour with other carps heads in a deep pan, with as much white wine vinegar as will cover and serve to boil him & the other heads in, then put therein pepper, whole mace, a race of ginger, slic't nutmeg, salt, sweet herbs, an onion or two slic't, & a lemon; when you have boiled the carps pour the liquor with the spices into the kettle where you boil him, when it boils put in the carp, and let it not boil too fast for breaking, after the carp hath boil'd a while put in the heads, and being boil'd, take off the liquor and let the carps and the heads keep warm in the kettle till you go to dish them. when you dress the bisk take a large silver dish, set it on the fire, lay therein slices of french bread, and steep it with a ladle full of the corbolion, then take up the great carp and lay him in the midst of the dish, range the twelve heads about the carp, then lay the fearse of the carp, lay that into the oysters, milts, and tongues, and pour on the liquor wherein the fearse was boil'd, wring in the juyce of a lemon and two oranges, and serve it very hot to the table. _to make a bisk with carps and other several fishes._ make the corbolion for the bisk of some jacks or small carps boil'd in half white-wine and fair spring-water; some cloves, salt, and mace, boil it down to jelly, strain it, and keep it warm for to scald the bisk; then take four carps, four tenches, four perches, two pikes, two eels flayed and drawn; the carps being scalded, drawn, and cut into quarters, the tenches scalded and left whole, also the pearches and the pikes all finely scalded, cleansed, and cut into twelve pieces, three of each side, then put them into a large stewing-pan with three quarts of claret-wine, an ounce of large mace, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of pepper, a quarter of an ounce of ginger pared & slic't, sweet herbs chopped small, as stripped time, savory, sweet marjoram, parsley, rosemary, three or four bay-leaves, salt, chesnuts, pistaches, five or six great onions, and stew all together on a quick fire. then stew a pottle of oysters the greatest you can get, parboil them in their own liquor, cleanse them from the dregs, and wash them in warm water from the grounds and shells, put them into a pipkin with three or four great onions peeled, then take large mace, and a little of their own liquor, or a little wine vinegar, or white wine. next take twelve flounders being drawn and cleansed from the guts, fry them in clarified butter with a hundred of large smelts, being fryed stew them in a stew-pan with claret-wine, grated nutmeg, slic't orange, butter, and salt. then have a hundred of prawns, boiled, picked, and buttered, or fryed. next, bottoms of artichocks, boiled, blanched, and put in beaten butter, grated nutmeg, salt, white-wine, skirrets, and sparagus in the foresaid sauce. then mince a pike and an eel, cleanse them, and season them with cloves, mace, pepper, salt, some sweet herbs minct, some pistaches, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, some grated manchet, and yolks of raw eggs, mingle all the foresaid things together, and make it into balls, or farse some cabbidge lettice, and bake the balls in an oven, being baked stick the balls with pine-apple seeds, and pistaches, as also the lettice. then all the foresaid things being made ready, have a large clean scowred dish, with large sops of french bread lay the carps upon them, and between them some tench, pearch, pike, and eels, & the stewed oysteres all over the other fish, then the fried flounders & smelts over the oysters, then the balls & lettice stuck with pistaches, the artichocks, skirrets, sparagus, butter prawns, yolks of hard eggs, large mace, fryed smelts, grapes, slic't lemon, oranges, red beets or pomegranats, broth it with the leer that was made for it, and run it over with beaten butter. _the best way to stew a carp._ dress the carp and take out the milt, put it in a dish with then carp, and take out the gall, then save the blood, and scotch the carp on the back with your knife; if the carp be eighteen inches, take a quart of claret or white wine, four or five blades of large mace, cloves, two good races of ginger slic't, two slic't nutmegs, and a few sweet herbs, as the tops of sweet marjoram, time, savory, and parsley chopped very small, four great onions whole, three or four bay-leaves, and some salt; stew them all together in a stew-pan or clean scowred kettle with the wine, when the pan boils put in the carp with a quarter of a pound of good sweet butter, boil it on a quick fire of charcoal, and being well stew'd down, dish it in a clean large dish, pour the sauce on it with the spices, lay on slic't lemon and lemon-peel, or barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, and run it over with beaten butter, garnish the dish with dryed manchet grated and searsed, and carved sippets laid round the dish. in feasts the carps being scal'd, garnish the body with stewed oysters, some fryed in white batter, some in green made with the juyce of spinage: sometimes in place of sippets use fritters of arms, somtimes horse-raddish, and rub the dish with a clove or two of garlick. for more variety, in the order abovesaid, sometimes dissolve an anchove or two, with some of the broth it was stewed in, and the yolks of two eggs dissolved with some verjuyce, wine, or juyce of orange; sometimes add some capers, and hard eggs chopped, as also sweet herbs, _&c._ _to stew a carp in the french fashion._ take a carp, split it down the back alive, & put it in boiling liquor, then take a good large dish or stew-pan that will contain the carp; put in as much claret wine as will cover it, and wash off the blood, take out the carp, and put into the wine in the dish three or four slic't onions, three or four blades of large mace, gross pepper, and salt; when the stew-pan boils put in the carp and cover it close, being well stewed down, dish it up in a clean scowred dish with fine carved sippets round about it, pour the liquor it was boiled in on it, with the spices, onions, slic't lemon, and lemon-peel, run it over with beaten butter, and garnish the dish with dryed grated bread. _another most excellent way to stew a carp._ take a carp and scale it, being well cleansed and dried with a clean cloth, then split it and fry it in clarified butter, being finely fryed put it in a deep dish with two or three spoonfuls of claret wine, grated nutmeg, a blade or two of large mace, salt, three or four slices of an orange, and some sweet butter, set it on a chafing dish of coals, cover it close, and stew it up quick, then turn it, and being very well stew'd, dish it on fine carv'd sippets, run it over with the sauce it was stewed in, the spices, beaten butter, and the slices of a fresh orange, and garnish the dish with dry manchet grated and searsed. in this way you may stew any good fish, as soles, lobsters, prawns, oysters, or cockles. _otherways._ take a carp and scale it, scrape off the slime with a knife and wipe it clean with a dry cloth; then draw it, and wash the blood out with some claret wine into the pipkin where you stew it, cut it into quarters, halves, or whole, and put it into a broad mouthed pipkin or earthen-pan, put to it as much wine as water, a bundle of sweet herbs, some raisins of the sun, currans, large mace, cloves, whole cinamon, slic't ginger, salt, and some prunes boiled and strained, put in also some strained bread or flour, and stew them all together; being stewed, dish the carp in a clean scowred dish on fine carved sippets, pour the broth on the carp, and garnish it with the fruit, spices, some slic't lemon, barberries, or grapes, some orangado or preserved barberries, and scrape on sugar. _otherways._ do it as before, save only no currans, put prunes strained, beaten pepper, and some saffron. _to stew a carp seven several ways._ . take a carp, scale it, and scrape off the slime, wipe it with a dry cloth, and give it a cut or two cross the back, then put it a boiling whole, parted down the back in halves, or quarters, put it in a broad mouthed pipkin with some claret or white-wine, some wine-vinegar, and good fresh fish broth or some fair water, three or four blades of large mace, some slic't onions fryed, currans, and some good butter; cover up the pipkin, and being finely stewed, put in some almond-milk, and some sweet herbs finely minced, or some grated manchet, and being well stewed, serve it up on fine carved sippets, broth it, and garnish the dish with some barberries or grapes, and the dish with some stale manchet grated and sears'd, being first dryed. . for the foresaid broth, yolks of hard eggs strained with some steeped manchet, some of the broth it is stewed in, and a little saffron. . for variety of garnish, carrots in dice-work, some raisins, large mace, a few prunes, and marigold flowers, boil'd in the foresaid broth. . or leave out carrots and fruit, and put samphire and capers, and thicken it with french barley tender boil'd. . or no fruit, but keep the order aforesaid, only adding sweet marjoram, stripped tyme, parsley, and savory, bruise them with the back of a ladle, and put them into the broth. . otherways, stewed oysters to garnish the carp, and some boil'd bottoms of artichocks, put them to the stewed oysters or skirrets being boil'd, grapes, barberries, and the broth thickned with yolks of eggs strained with some sack, white wine, or caper liquor. . boil it as before, without fruit, and add to it capers, carrots in dice-work, mace, faggot of sweet herbs, slic't onions chopp'd with parsley, and boil'd in the broth then have boil'd colliffowers, turnips, parsnips, sparagus, or chesnuts in place of carrots, and the leire strained with yolks of eggs and white wine. _to make french herb pottage for fasting days._ take half a handful of lettice, as much of spinage, half as much of bugloss and borrage, two handfuls of sorrel, a little parsley, sage, a good handful of purslain, half a pound of butter, some pepper and salt, and sometimes, some cucumbers. _other broth or pottage of a carp._ take a carp, scale it, and scrape off the slime, wash it, and wipe it with a clean cloth, then draw it, and put it in a broad mouthed pipkin that will contain it, put to it a pint of good white or claret wine, and as much good fresh fish broth as will cover it, or as much fair water, with the blood of the carp, four or five blades of large mace, a little beaten pepper, some slic't onions, a clove or two, some sweet herbs chopped, a handful of capers, and some salt, stew all together, the carp being well stewed, put in some almond paste, with some white-wine, give it a warm or two with some stewed oyster-liquor, & serve it on french bread in a fair scowr'd dish, pour on the liquor, and garnish it with dryed grated manchet. _to dress a carp in stoffado._ take a carp alive, scale it, and lard it with a good salt eel, steep it in claret or white-wine, in an earthen pan, and put to it some wine-vinegar, whole cloves, large mace, gross pepper, slic't ginger, and four or five cloves of garlick, then have an earthen pan that will contain it, or a large pipkin, put to it some sweet herbs, three or four sprigs of rosemary, as many of time and sweet marjoram, two or three bay-leaves and parsley, put the liquor to it into the pan or pipkin wherein you will stew it, and paste on the cover, stew it in the oven, in an hour it will be baked, then serve it hot for dinner or supper, serve it on fine carved sippets of french bread, and the spices on it, with herbs, slic't lemon and lemon peel; and run it over with beaten butter. _to hash a carp._ take a carp, scale, and scrape off the slime with your knife, wipe it with a dry cloth, bone it, and mince it with a fresh water eel being flayed and boned; season it with beaten cloves, mace, salt, pepper, and some sweet herbs, as tyme, parsley, and some sweet marjoram minced very small, stew it in a broad mouthed pipkin, with some claret wine, gooseberries, or grapes, and some blanched chesnuts; being finely stewed, serve it on carved sippets about it, and run it over with beaten butter, garnish the dish with fine grated manchet searsed, and some fryed oysters in butter, cockles, or prawns. sometimes for variety, use pistaches, pine-apple-seeds, or some blanch't almonds stew'd amongst the hash, or asparagus, or artichock boil'd & cut as big as chesnuts, & garnish the dish with scraped horse-radish, and rub the bottom of the dish in which you serve the meat, with a clove or two of garlick. sometimes mingle it with some stewed oysters, or put to it some oyster-liquor. _to marinate a carp to be eaten hot or cold._ take a carp, scale it, and scrape off the slime, wipe it clean with a dry cloth, and split it down the back, flour it, and fry it in sweet sallet oyl, or good clarified butter; being fine and crisp fryed, lay it in a deep dish or earthen pan, then have some white or claret wine, or wine-vinegar, put it in a broad mouthed pipkin with all manner of sweet herbs bound up in a bundle, as rosemary, tyme, sweet marjoram, parsley, winter-savory, bay-leaves, sorrel, and sage, as much of one as the other, put it into the pipkin with the wine, with some large mace, slic't ginger, gross pepper, slic't nutmeg, whole cloves, and salt, with as much wine and vinegar as will cover the dish, then boil the spices and wine with some salt a little while, pour it on the fish hot, and presently cover it close to keep in the spirits of the liquor, herbs, and spices for an hours space; then have slic't lemons, lemon-peels, orange and orange peels, lay them over the fish in the pan, and cover it up close; when you serve them hot lay on the spices and herbs all about it, with the slic't lemons, oranges, and their peels, and run it over with sweet sallet oyl, (or none) but some of the liquor it is soust in. or marinate the carp or carps without sweet herbs for hot or cold, only bay-leaves, in all points else as is abovesaid; thus you may marinate soles, or any other fish, whether sea or fresh-water fish. or barrel it, pack it close, and it will keep as long as sturgeon, and as good. _to broil or toast a carp divers ways, either in sweet butter or sallet oyl._ take a carp alive, draw it, and wash out the blood in the body with claret wine into a dish, put to it some wine vinegar and oyl, then scrape off the slime, & wipe it dry both outside & inside, lay it in the dish with vinegar, wine, oyl, salt, and the streight sprigs of rosemary and parsley, let it steep there the space of an hour or two, then broil it on a clean scowred gridiron, (or toast it before the fire) broil it on a soft fire, and turn it often; being finely broil'd, serve it on a clean scowred dish, with the oyl, wine, and vinegar, being stew'd on the coals, put it to the fish, the rosemary and parsley round the dish, and some about the fish, or with beaten butter and vinegar, or butter and verjuyce, or juyce of oranges beaten with the butter, or juyce of lemons, garnish the fish with slices of orange, lemon, and branches of rosemary; boil the milt or spawn by it self and lay it in the dish with the carp. or make sauce otherways with beaten butter, oyster liquor, the blood of the carp, grated nutmeg, juyce of orange, white-wine, or wine vinegar boil'd together, crumbs of bread, and the yolk of an egg boiled up pretty thick, and run it over the fish. _to broil a carp in staffado._ take a live carp, scale it, and scrape off the slime, wipe it clean with a dry cloth, and draw it, wash out the blood, and steep it in claret, white-wine, wine-vinegar, large mace, whole cloves, two or three cloves of garlick, some slic't ginger, gross pepper, and salt; steep it in this composition in a dish or tray the space of two hours, then broil it on a clean scoured gridiron on a soft fire, & baste it with some sweet sallet oyl, sprigs of rosemary, time, parsley, sweet marjoram, and two or three bay-leaves, being finely broil'd; serve it with the sauce it was steeped in, boil'd up on the fire with a little oyster-liquor, the spices on it, and herbs round about it on the dish, run it over with sauce, either with sweet sallet oyl, or good beaten butter, and broil the milt or spawn by it self. _to roast a carp._ take a live carp, draw and wash it, and take away the gall, and milt, or spawn; then make a pudding with some grated manchet, some almond-paste, cream, currans, grated nutmeg, raw yolks of eggs, sugar, caraway-seed candied, or any peel, some lemon and salt, make a stiff pudding and put it through the gills into the belly of the carp, neither scale it, nor fill it too full; then spit it, and roust it in the oven upon two or three sticks cross a brass dish, turn it and let the gravy drop into the dish; being finely roasted, make sauce with the gravy, butter, juyce of orange or lemon, some sugar, and cinamon, beat up the sauce thick with the butter, and dish the carp, put the sauce over it with slices of lemon. _otherways._ scale it, and lard it with salt eel, pepper, and nutmeg, then make a pudding of some minced eel, roach, or dace, some sweet herbs, grated bread, cloves, mace, nutmeg, pepper, salt, yolks of eggs, pistaches, chesnuts, and the milt of the carp parboil'd and cut into dice-work, as also some fresh eel, and mingle it amongst the pudding or farse. _sauces for roast carp._ . gravy and oyster liquor, beat it up thick with sweet butter, claret wine, nutmeg, slices of orange, and some capers, and give it a warm or two. . beaten butter with slices of orange, and lemon, or the juyce of them only. . butter, claret-wine, grated nutmeg, selt, slices of orange, a little wine-vinegar and the gravy. . a little white-wine, gravy of the carp, an anchove or two dissolved in it, some grated nutmeg, and a little grated manchet, beat them up thick with some sweet butter, and the yolk of an egg or two, dish the carp, and pour the sauce on it. _to make a carp pye a most excellent way._ take carp, scale it and scrape off the slime, wipe it with a dry clean cloth, and split it down the back, then cut it in quarters or six pieces, three of each, and take out the milt or spawn, as also the gall; season it with nutmeg, pepper, salt, and beaten ginger, lay some butter in the pye bottom, then the carp upon it, and upon the carp two or three bay-leaves, four or five blades of large mace, four or five whole cloves, some blanched chesnuts, slices of orange, and some sweet butter, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with beaten butter, the blood of the carp, and a little claret wine. for variety, in place of chesnuts, use pine apple-seeds, or bottoms of artichocks, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries. sometimes bake great oysters with the carp, and a great onion or two; sometimes sweet herbs chopped, or sparagus boiled. or bake it in a dish as you do the pye. to make paste for the pie, take two quarts and a pint of fine flour, four or five yolks of raw eggs, and half a pound of sweet butter, boil the butter till it be melted, and make the paste with it. _paste for a florentine of carps made in a dish or patty-pan._ take a pottle of fine flour, three quarters of a pound of butter, and six yolks of eggs, and work up the butter, eggs, and flour, dry them, then put to it as much fair spring water cold as will make it up into paste. _to bake a carp otherways to be eaten hot._ take a carp, scale it alive, and scrape off the slime, draw it, and take away the gall and guts, scotch it, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt lightly, lay it into the pye, and put the milt into the belly, then lay on slic't dates in halves, large mace, orange, or slic't lemon, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, raisins of the sun, and butter; close it up and bake it, being almost baked liquor it with verjuyce, butter, sugar, claret or white-wine, and ice it. sometimes make a pudding in the carps belly, make it of grated bread, pepper, nutmegs, yolks of eggs, sweet herbs, currans, sugar, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, orangado, dates, capers, pistaches, raisins, and some minced fresh eel. or bake it in a dish or patty pan in cold butter paste. _to bake a carp with oysters._ scale a carp, scrape off the slime, and bone it; then cut it into large dice-work, as also the milt being parboil'd; then have some great oysters, parboil'd, mingle them with the bits of carp, and season them together with beaten pepper, salt, nutmeg, cloves, mace, grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, blanched chesnuts, and pistaches, season them lightly, then put in the bottom of the pie a good big onion or two whole, fill the pye, and lay upon it some large mace and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with white wine, and sweet butter, or beaten butter only. _to make minced pies of carps and eels._ take a carp being cleansed, bone it, and also a good fat fresh water eel, mince them together, and season them with pepper, nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, and salt, put to them some currans, caraway-seed, minced orange-peel, and the yolks of six or seven hard eggs minced also, slic't dates, and sugar; then lay some butter in the bottom of the pyes, and fill them, close them up, bake them, and ice them. _to bake a carp minced with an eel in the french fashion, called peti petes._ take a carp, scale it, and scrape off the slime, then roast it with a flayed eel, and being rosted draw them from the fire, and let them cool, then cut them into little pieces like great dice, one half of them, & the other half minced small and seasoned with nutmeg, pepper, salt, gooseberries, barberries, or grapes, and some bottoms of artichocks boil'd and cut as the carp: season all the foresaid materials and mingle all together, then put some butter in the bottom of the pye, lay on the meat and butter on the top, close it up, and bake it, being baked liquor it with gravy, and the juyce of oranges, butter, and grated nutmeg. sometimes liquor it with verjuyce and the yolks of eggs strained, sugar, and butter. or with currans, white wine, and butter boil'd together, some sweet herbs chopped small, and saffron. _to bake a carp according to these forms to be eaten hot._ take a carp, scale it, and scrape off the slime, bone it and cut it into dice-work, the milt being parboil'd, cut it into the same form, then have some great oysters parboild and cut into the same form also; put to it some grapes, goosberries, or barberries, the bottoms of artichocks boil the yolks of hard egs in quarters, boild, sparagus cut an inch long, and some pistaches, season all the foresaid things together with pepper, nutmegs, and salt, fill the pyes, close them up, and bake them, being baked, liquor them with butter, white-wine, and some blood of the carp, boil them together, or beaten butter, with juyce of oranges. _to bake a carp with eels to be eaten cold._ take four large carps, scale them & wipe off the slime clean, bone them, and cut each side into two pieces of every carp, then have four large fresh water eels, fat ones, boned, flayed, and cut in as many pieces as the carps, season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt; then have a pye ready, either round or square, put butter in the bottom of it, then lay a lay of eel, and a lay of carp upon that, and thus do till you have ended; then lay on some large mace and whole cloves on the top, some sliced nutmeg, sliced ginger, and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked and cold, fill it up with clarified butter. _otherways._ take eight carps, scale and bone them, scrape and wash off the slime, wipe them dry, and mince them very fine, then have four good fresh water eels, flay and bone them, and cut them into lard as big as your finger, then have pepper, cloves, mace, and ginger severally beaten and mingled with some salt, season the fish and also the eels, cut into lard; then make a pye according to this form, lay some butter in the bottom of the pye, then a lay of carp upon the butter, so fill it, close it up and bake it. * * * * * * * * * section xiv. or, the second section of fish. _shewing the most excellent ways of dressing of pikes._ _to boil a pike._ wash him very clean, then truss him either round whole, with his tail in his mouth, and his back scotched, or splatted and trust round like a hart, with his tail in his mouth, or in three pieces, & divide the middle piece into two pieces; then boil it in water, salt, and vinegar, put it not in till the liquor boils, & let it boil very fast at first to make it crisp, but afterwards softly; for the sauce put in a pipkin a pint of white wine, slic't ginger, mace, dates quartered, a pint of great oysters with the liquor, a little vinegar and salt, boil them a quarter of an hour; then mince a few sweet herbs & parsley, stew them till half the liquor be consumed; then the pike being boiled dish it, and garnish the dish with grated dry manchet fine searsed, or ginger fine beaten, then beat up the sauce, with half a pound of butter, minced lemon, or orange, put it on the pike, and sippet it with cuts of puff-paste or lozenges, some fried greens, and some yellow butter. dish it according to these forms. _to boil a pike otherways._ take a male pike alive, splat him in halves, take out his milt and civet, and take away the gall, cut the sides into three pieces of a side, lay them in a large dish or tray, and put upon them half a pint of white wine vinegar, and half a handful of bay-salt beaten fine; then have a clean scowred pan set over the fire with as much rhenish or white-wine as will cover the pike, so set it on the fire with some salt, two slic't nutmegs, two races of ginger slic't, two good big onions slic't, five or six cloves of garlik, two or three tops of sweet marjoram, three or four streight sprigs of rosemary bound up in a bundle close, and the peel of half a lemon; let these boil with a quick fire, then put in the pike with the vinegar, and boil it up quick; whilest the pike is boiling, take a quarter of a pound of anchoves, wash and bone them, then mince them and put them in a pipkin with a quarter of a pound of butter, and or four spoonfuls of the liquor the pike was boiled in; the pike being boiled dish it, & lay the ginger, nutmegs, and herbs upon it, run it over with the sauce, and cast dried searsed manchet on it. this foresaid liquor is far better to boil another pike, by renewing the liquor with a little wine. _to boil a pike and eel together._ take a quart of white-wine, a pint and a half of white wine vinegar, two quarts of water, almost a pint of salt, a handful of rosemary and tyme, let your liquor boil before you put in your fish, the herbs, a little large mace, and some twenty corns of whole pepper. _to boil a pike otherways._ boil it in water, salt, and wine vinegar, two parts water, and one vinegar, being drawn, set on the liquor to boil, cleanse the civet, and truss him round, scotch his back, and when the liquor boils, put in the fish and boil it up quick; then make sauce with some white-wine vinegar, mace, whole pepper, a good handful of cockles broiled or boiled out of the shells and washed with vinegar, a faggot of sweet herbs, the liver stamped and put to it, and horse raddish scraped or slic't, boil all the foresaid together, dish the pike on sippets, and beat up the sauce with some good sweet butter and minced lemon, make the sauce pretty thick, and garnish it as you please. _otherways._ take as much white-wine and water as will cover it, of each a like quantity, and a pint of vinegar, put to this liquor half an ounce of large mace, two lemon-peels, a quarter of an ounce of whole cloves, three slic't nutmegs, four races of ginger slic't, some six great onions slic't, a bundle of six or seven sprigs or tops of rosemary, as much of time, winter-savory, and sweet marjoram bound up hard in a faggot, put into the liquor also a good handful of salt, and when it boils, put in the fish being cleansed and trussed, and boil it up quick. being boiled, make the sauce with some of the broth where the pike was boiled, and put it in a dish with two or three anchoves being cleansed and minced, a little white wine, some grated nutmeg, and some fine grated manchet, stew it on a chafing dish, and beat it up thick with some sweet butter, and the yolk of an egg or two dissolved with some vinegar, give it a warm, and put to it three or four slices of lemon. then dish the pike, drain the liquor from it upon a chafing-dish of coals, pour on the sauce, and garnish the fish with slic't lemons, and the spices, herbs, and boil'd onions, run it over with beaten butter, and lay on some barberries or grapes. sometimes for change you may put some horse-raddish scraped, or the juyce of it. _to boil a pike in white broth._ cut your pike in three pieces, then boil it in water, salt, and sweet herbs, put in the fish when the liquor boils; then take the yolks of six eggs, beat them with a little sack, sugar, melted butter, and some of the pike broth then put it on some embers to keep warm, stir it sometimes lest it curdle; then take up your pike, put the head and tail together in a clean dish, cleave the other piece in two, and take out the back-bone, put the one piece on one side, and the other piece on the other side, but blanch all, pour the broth on it, and garnish the fish with sippets, strow on fine ginger or sugar, wipe the edge of the dish round, and serve it. _to boil a pike in the french fashion, a-la-sauces d'almaigne, or in the german fashion._ take a pike, draw him, dress the rivet, and cut him in three pieces, boil him in as much wine as water, & some lemon-peel, with the liquor boils put in the fish with a good handful of salt, and boil him up quick. then have a sauce made of beaten butter, water, the slices of two or three lemons, the yolks of two or three eggs, and some grated nutmeg; the pike being boiled dish it on fine sippets, and stick it with some fried bread run it over with the sauce, some barberries or lemon, and garnish the dish with some pared and slic't ginger, barberries, and lemon peel. _to boil a pike in the city fashion._ take a live male pike, draw him and slit the rivet, wash him clean from the blood, and lay him in a dish or tray, then put some salt and vinegar to it, (or no vinegar; but only salt); then set on a kettle with some water & salt, & when it boils put in the pike, boil it softly, and being boiled, take it off the fire, and put a little butter into the kettle to it, then make a sauce with beaten butter, the juyce of a lemon or two, grape verjuyce or wine-vinegar, dish up the pike on fine carved sippets, and pour on the sauce, garnish the fish with scalded parsley, large mace barberries, slic't lemon, and lemon-peel, and garnish the dish with the same. _to stew a pike in the french fashion._ take a pike, splat it down the back alive, and let the liquor boil before you put it in, then take a large deep dish or stewing pan that will contain the pike, put as much claret-wine as will cover it, & wash off the blood take out the pike, and put to the wine in the dish three or four slic't onions, four blades of large mace, gross pepper, & salt; when it boils put in the pike, cover it close, & being stewed down, dish it up in a clean scowred dish with carved sippets round abound it, pour on the broth it was stewed in all over it, with the spices and onions, and put some slic't lemon over all, with some lemon-peel; run it over with beaten butter, and garnish the dish with dry grated manchet. thus you may also stew it with the scales on or off. sometimes for change use horse-raddish. _to stew a pike otherways in the city fashion._ take a pike, splat it, and lay it in a dish, when the blood is clean washed out, put to it as much white-wine as will cover it, and set it a stewing; when it boils put in the fish, scum it, and put to it some large mace, whole cinamon, and some salt, being finely stewed dish it on sippets finely carved. then thicken the broth with two or three egg yolks, some thick cream, sugar, and beaten butter, give it a warm and pour it on the pike, with some boil'd currans, and boil'd prunes laid all over it, as also mace, cinamon, some knots of barberries, and slic't lemon, garnish the dish with the same garnish, and scrape on fine sugar. in this way you may do carp, bream, barbel, chevin, rochet, gurnet, conger, tench, pearch, bace, or mullet. _to hash a pike._ scale and bone it, then mince it with a good fresh eel, being also boned and flayed, put to it some sweet herbs fine stripped and minced small, beaten nutmeg, mace, ginger, pepper, and salt; stew it in a dish with a little white wine and sweet butter, being well stewed, serve it on fine carved sippets, and lay on some great stewed oysters, some fryed in batter, some green with juyce of spinage, other yellow with saffron, garnish the dish with them, and run it over with beaten butter. _to souce a pike._ draw and wash it clean from the blood and slime, then boil it in water and salt, when the liquor boils put it to it, and boil it leisurely simmering, season it pretty savory of the salt, boil it not too much, nor in more water then will but just cover it. if you intend to keep it long, put as much white-wine as water, of both as much as will cover the fish, some wine vinegar, slic't ginger, large mace, cloves, and some salt; when it boils put in the fish, spices, and some lemon-peel, boil it up quick but not too much; then take it up into a tray, and boil down the liquor to a jelly, lay some slic't lemon on it, pour on the liquor, and cover it up close; when you serve it in jelly, dish and melt some of the jelly, and run it all over, garnish it with bunches of barberries and slic't lemon. or being soust and not jellied, serve it with fennil and parsley. when you serve it, you may lay round the dish divers small fishes, as tench, pearch, gurnet, chevin, roach, smelts, and run them over with jelly. _to souce and jelly pike, eeel, tench, salmon, conger,_ &c. scale the foresaid fishes, being scal'd, cleansed and boned, season them with nutmeg and salt, or no spices at all, roul them up and bind them like brawn, being first rouled in a clean white cloth close bound up round it, boil them in water, white-wine, and salt, but first let the pan or vessel boil, put it in and scum it, then put in some large mace and slic't ginger. if you will only souce them boil them not down so much; if to jelly them, put to them some ising-glass, and serve them in collars whole standing in the jelly. _otherways to souce and jelly the foresaid fishes._ make jelly of three tenches, three perches, and two carps, scale them, wash out the blood, and soak them in fair water three or four hours, leave no fat on them, then put them in a large pipkin with as much fair spring water as will cover them, or as many pints as pound of fish, put to it some ising-glass, and boil it close covered till two parts and a half be wasted; then take it off and strain it, let it cool, and being cold take off the fat on the top, pare the bottom, and put the jelly into three pipkins, put three quarts of white-wine to them, and a pound and a half of double refined sugar into each pipkin; then to make one red put a quarter of an ounce of whole cinamon, two races of ginger, two nutmegs, two or three cloves, and a little piece of turnsole dry'd, the dust rubbed out and steep'd in some claret-wine, put some of the wine into the jelly. to make another yellow, put a little saffron-water, nutmeg, as much cinamon as to the red jelly, and a race of ginger sliced. to the white put three blades of large mace, a race of ginger slic't, then set the jelly on the fire till it be melted, then have fiveteen whites of eggs beaten, and four pound and a half of refined sugar, beat amongst the eggs, being first beaten to fine powder; then divide the sugar and eggs equally into the three foresaid pipkins, stir it amongst the sugar very well, set them on the fire to stew, but not to boil up till you are ready to run it; let each pipkin cool a little before you run it, put a rosemary branch in each bag, and wet the top of your bags, wring them before you run them, and being run, put some into orange rinds, some into scollop shells, or lemon rindes in halves, some into egg shells or muscle shells, or in moulds for jellies. or you may make four colours, and mix some of the jelly with almonds-milk. you may dish the foresaid jellies on a pie-plate on a great dish in four quarters, and in the middle a lemon finely carved or cut into branches, hung with jellies, and orange peels, and almond jellies round about; then lay on a quarter of the white jelly on one quarter of the plate, another of red, and another of amber-jelly, the other whiter on another quarter, and about the outside of the plate of all the colours one by another in the rindes of oranges and lemons, and for the quarters, four scollop shells of four several colours, and dish it as the former. _pike jelly otherways._ take a good large pike, draw it, wash out the blood, and cut it in pieces, then boil it in a gallon or quarts of fair spring water, with half a pound of ising-glass close covered, being first clean scum'd, boil it on a soft fire till half be wasted; then strain the stock or broth into a clean bason or earthen pan, and being cold pare the bottom and top from the fat and dregs, put it in a pipkin and set it over the fire, melt it, and put it to the juyce of eight or nine lemons, a quart of white-wine, a race of ginger pared and slic't, three or four blades of large mace, as much whole cinamon, and a grain of musk and ambergriese tied up in a fine clean clout, then beat fifteen whites of eggs, and put to them in a bason four pound of double refined sugar first beaten to fine powder, stir it with the eggs with a rouling pin, and then put it among the jelly in the pipkin, stir them well together, and set it a stewing on a soft charcoal fire, let it stew there, but not boil up but one warm at least, let it stew an hour, then take it off and let it cool a little, run it through your jelly-bag, put a sprig of rosemary in the bottom of the bag, and being run, cast it into moulds. amongst some of it put some almond milk or make it in other colours as aforesaid. _to make white jelly of two pikes._ take two good handsome pikes, scale and draw them, and wash them clean from the blood, then put to them six quarts of good white-wine, and an ounce of ising-glass, boil them in a good large pipkin to a jelly, being clean scummed, then strain it and blow off the fat. then take a quart of sweet cream, a quart of the jelly, a pound and a half of double refined sugar fine beaten, and a quarter of a pint of rose-water, put all together in a clean bason, and give them a warm on the fire, with half an ounce of fine searsed ginger, then set it a cooling, dish it into dice-work, or cast it into moulds and some other coloured jellies. or in place of cream put in almond-milk. _to roast a pike._ take a pike, scour off the slime, and take out the entrails, lard the back with pickled herrings, (you must have a sharp bodkin to make the holes to lard it) then take some great oysters and claret-wine, season the oysters with pepper and nutmeg, stuff the belly with oysters, and intermix the stuffing with rosemary, tyme, winter savory, sweet marjoram, a little onion, and garlick, sow these in the belly of the pike; then prepare two sticks about the breadth of a lath, (these two sticks and the spit must be as broad as the pike being tied on the spit) tie the pike on winding packthred about it, tye also along the side of the pike which is not defended by the spit and the laths, rosemary, and bays, baste the pike with butter and claret wine with some anchoves dissolved in it; when the pike is wasted or roasted, take it off, rip up the belly, and take out the whole herbs quite away, boil up the gravy, dish the pike, put the wine to it, and some beaten butter. _to fry pikes._ draw them, wash off the slime and the blood clean, wipe them dry with a clean cloth, flour them, and fry them in clarifi'd butter, being fried crisp and stiff, make sauce with beaten butter, slic't lemon, nutmeg, and salt, beaten up thick with a little fried parsley. or with beaten butter, nutmeg, a little claret, salt, and slic't orange. otherways, oyster-liquor, a little claret, beaten butter, slic't orange, and nutmeg, rub the dish with a clove of garlick, give the sauce a warm, and garnish the fish with slic't lemon or orange and barberries. small pikes are best to fry. _to fry a pike otherways._ the pike being scalded and splatted, hack the white or inside with a knife, and it will be ribbed, then fry it brown and crisp in clarified butter, being fried, take it up, drain all the butter from it, and wipe the pan clean, then put it again into the pan with claret, slic't ginger, nutmeg, an anchove, salt, and saffron beat, fry it till it half be consumed, then put in a piece of butter, shake it well together with a minced lemon or slic't orange, and dish it, garnish it with lemon, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. _to broil a pike._ take a pike, draw it & scale it, broil it whole, splat it or scotch it with your knife, wash out the blood clean, and lay it on a clean cloth, salt it, and heat the gridiron very hot, broil it on a soft fire, baste it with butter, and turn it often; being finely broil'd, serve it in a dish with beaten butter, and wine-vinegar, or juyce of lemons or oranges, and garnish the fish with slices of oranges or lemons, and bunches of rosemary. _otherways._ take a pike, as abovesaid, being drawn, wash it clean, dry it, and put it in a dish with some good sallet oyl, wine vinegar, and salt, there let it steep the space of half an hour, then broil it on a soft fire, turn it and baste it often with some fine streight sprigs of rosemary, parsley, and tyme, baste it out of the dish where the oyl and vinegar is; then the pike being finely broil'd, dish it in a clean dish, put the same basting to it being warmed on the coals, lay the herbs round the dish, with some orange or lemon slices. _to broil mackarel or horn kegg._ draw the mackarel at the gills, and wash them, then dry them, and salt and broil them with mints, and green fennil on a soft fire, and baste them with butter, or oyl and vinegar, and being finely broil'd, serve them with beaten butter and vinegar, or oyl and vinegar, with rosemary, time, and parsley; or other sauce, beaten butter, and slices of lemon or orange. _to broil herrings, pilchards, or sprats._ gill them, wash and dry them, salt and baste them with butter, broil them on a soft fire, and being broi'ld serve them with beaten butter, mustard, and pepper, or beaten butter and lemon; other sauce, take the heads and bruise them in a dish with beer and salt, put the clearest to the herrings. _to bake pikes._ bake your pikes as you do carp, as you may see in the foregoing section, only remember that small pikes are best to bake. * * * * * * * * * section xv. or the third section for dressing of fish. _the most excellent ways of dressing salmon, bace, or mullet._ _to calver salmon to be eaten hot or cold._ chine it, and cut each side into two or three peices according to the bigness, wipe it clean from the blood and not wash it; then have as much wine and water as you imagine will cover it, make the liquor boil, and put in a good handful of salt; when the liquor boils put in the salmon, and boil it up quick with a quart of white-wine vinegar, keep up the fire stiff to the last, and being througly boil'd, which will be in the space of half an hour or less, then take it off the fire and let it cool, take it up into broad bottomed earthen pans, and being quite cold, which will be in a day, a night, or twelve hours, then put in the liquor to it, and so keep it. some will boil in the liquor some rosemary bound up in a bundle hard, two or three cloves, two races of slic't ginger, three or four blades of large mace, and a lemon peel. others will boil it in beer only. or you may serve it being hot, and dish it on sippets in a clean scowred dish; dish it round the dish or in pieces and garnish it with slic't ginger, large mace, a clove or two, gooseberries, grapes, barberries, slic't lemon, fryed parsley, ellicksaders, sage, or spinage fried. to make sauce for the foresaid salmon, beat some butter up thick with a little fair water, put or three yolks of eggs dissolved into it, with a little of the liquor, grated nutmeg, and some slic't lemon, pour it on the salmon, and garnish the dish with fine searsed manchet, barberries, slic't lemon, and some spices, and fryed greens as aforesaid. _to stew a small salmon, salmon peal, or trout._ take a salmon, draw it, scotch the back, and boil it whole in a stew-pan with white-wine, (or in pieces) put to it also some whole cloves, large mace, slic't ginger, a bay-leaf or two, a bundle of sweet herbs well and hard bound up, some whole pepper, salt, some butter, and vinegar, and an orange in halves; stew all together, and being well stewed, dish them in a clean scowred dish with carved sippets, lay on the spices and slic't lemon, and run it over with beaten butter, and some of the gravy it was stewed in; garnish the dish with some fine searsed manchet or searsed ginger. _otherways a most excellent way to stew salmon._ take a rand or jole of salmon, fry it whole raw, and being fryed, stew it in a dish on a chaffing dish of coals, with some claret-wine, large mace, slic't nutmeg, salt, wine-vinegar, slic't orange, and some sweet butter; being stewed and the sauce thick, dish it on sippets, lay the spices on it, and some slices of oranges, garnish the dish with some stale manchet finely searsed and strewed over all. _to pickle salmon to keep all the year._ take a salmon, cut it in six round pieces, then broil it in white-wine, vinegar, and a little water, three parts wine and vinegar, and one of water; let the liquor boil before you put in the salmon, and boil it a quarter of an hour; then take it out of the liquor, drain it very well, and take rosemary sprigs, bay-leaves, cloves, mace, and gross pepper, a good quantity of each, boil them in two quarts of white-wine, and two quarts of white-wine vinegar, boil it well, then take the salmon being quite cold, and rub it with pepper, and salt, pack it in a vessel that will but just contain it, lay a layer of salmon and a layer of spice that is boil'd in the liquor; but let the liquor and spice be very cold before you put it to it; the salmon being close packed put in the liquor, and once in half a year, or as it grows dry, put some white-wine or sack to it, it will keep above a year; put some lemon-peel into the pickle, let the salmon be new taken if possible. _an excellent way to dress salmon, or other fish._ take a piece of fresh salmon, wash it clean in a little wine-vinegar, and let it lye a little in it in a broad pipkin with a cover, put to it six spoonfuls of water, four of vinegar, as much of white-wine, some salt, a bundle of sweet herbs, a few whole cloves, a little large mace, and a little stick of cinamon, close up the pipkin with paste, and set it in a kettle of seething water, there let it stew three hours; thus you may do carps, trouts, or eels, and alter the taste at your pleasure. _to hash salmon._ take salmon and set it in warm water, take off the skin, and mince a jole, rand, or tail with some fresh eel; being finely minced season it with beaten cloves, mace, salt, pepper, and some sweet herbs; stew it in a broad mouthed pipkin with some claret wine, gooseberries, barberries, or grapes, and some blanched chesnuts; being finely stewed serve it on sippets about it, and run it over with beaten butter, garnish the dish with stale grated manchet searsed, some fryed oysters in batter, cockles, or prawns; sometimes for variety use pistaches, asparagus boil'd and cut an inch long, or boil'd artichocks, and cut as big as a chesnut, some stewed oysters, or oyster-liquor, and some horse-raddish scraped, or some of the juyce; and rub the bottom of the dish wherein you serve it with a clove of garlick. _to dress salmon in stoffado._ take a whole rand or jole, scale it, and put it in an earthen stew-pan, put to it some claret, or white-wine, some wine-vinegar, a few whole cloves, large mace, gross pepper, a little slic't ginger, salt, and four or five cloves of garlick, then have three or four streight sprigs of rosemary as much of time, and sweet marjoram, two or bay leaves and parsley bound up into a bundle hard, and a quarter of a pound of good sweet butter, close up the earthen pot with course paste, bake it in an oven, & serve it on sippets of french bread, with some of the liquor and spices on it, run it over with beaten butter and barberries, lay some of the herbs on it, slic't lemon and lemon-peel. _to marinate salmon to be eaten hot or cold._ take a salmon, cut it into joles and rands, & fry them in good sweet sallet oyl or clarified butter, then set them by in a charger, and have some white or claret-wine, & wine vinegar as much as will cover it, put the wine & vinegar into a pipkin with all maner of sweet herbs bound up in a bundle as rosemary, time, sweet marjoram, parsly winter-savory, bay-leaves, sorrel, and sage, as much of one as the other, large mace, slic't ginger, gross pepper, slic't nutmeg, whole cloves, and salt; being well boil'd together, pour it on the fish, spices and all, being cold, then lay on slic't lemons, and lemon-peel, and cover it up close; so keep it for present spending, and serve it hot or cold with the same liquor it is soust in, with the spices, herbs, and lemons on it. if to keep long, pack it up in a vessel that will but just hold it, put to it no lemons nor herbs, only bay-leaves; if it be well packed, it will keep as long as sturgeon, but then it must not be splatted, but cut round ways through chine and all. _to boil salmon in stewed broth._ take a jole, chine, or rand, put it in a stew-pan or large pipkin with as much claret wine and water as will cover it, some raisins of the sun, prunes, currans, large mace, cloves, whole cinamon, slic't ginger, and salt, set it a stewing over a soft fire, and when it boils put in some thickning of strain'd bread, or flour, strain'd with some prunes being finely stewed, dish it up on sippets in a clean scowred dish, put a little sugar in the broth, the fruit on and some slic't lemon. _to fry salmon._ take a jole, rand, or chine, or cut it round through chine and all half an inch thick, or in square pieces fry it in clarified butter; being stiff & crisp fryed, make sauce with two or three spoonfuls of claret-wine, some sweet butter, grated nutmeg, some slices of orange, wine-vinegar, and some oyster-liquor; stew them all together, and dish the salmon, pour on the sauce, and lay on some fresh slices of oranges and fryed parsley, ellicksander, sage-leaves fryed in batter, pippins sliced and fryed, or clary fryed in butter, or yolks of eggs, and quarters of oranges and lemons round the dish sides, with some fryed greens in halves or quarters. _to roast a salmon according to this form._ take a salmon, draw it at the gills, and put in some sweet herbs in his belly whole; the salmon being scalded and the slime wip't off, lard it with pickled herrings, or a fat salt eel, fill his belly with some great oysters stewed, and some nutmeg; let the herbs be tyme, rosemary, winter savory, sweet marjoram, a little onion and garlick, put them in the belly of the salmon, baste it with butter, and set it in an oven in a latten dripping-pan, lay it on sticks and baste it with butter, draw it, turn it, and put some claret wine in the pan under it, let the gravy drip into it, baste it out of the pan with rosemary and bayes, and put some anchoves into the wine also, with some pepper and nutmeg; then take the gravy and clear off the fat, boil it up, and beat it thick with butter; then put the fish in a large dish, pour the sauce on it, and rip up his belly, take out some of the oysters, and put them in the sauce, and take away the herbs. _otherways._ take a rand or jole, cut it into four pieces, and season it with a little nutmeg and salt, stick a few cloves, and put it on a small spit, put between it some bay-leaves, and stick it with little sprigs of rosemary, roast it and baste it with butter, save the gravy, with some wine-vinegar, sweet butter, and some slices of orange; the meat being rosted, dish it, and pour on the sauce. _to broil or toast salmon._ take a whole salmon, a jole, rand, chine, or slices cut round it the thickness of an inch, steep these in wine-vinegar, good sweet sallet oyl and salt, broil them on a soft fire, and baste them with the same sauce they were steeped in, with some streight sprigs of rosemary, sweet marjoram, tyme, and parsley: the fish being broil'd, boil up the gravy and oyster-liquor, dish up the fish, pour on the sauce, and lay the herbs about it. _to broil or roast a salmon in stoffado._ take a jole, rand, or chine, and steep it in claret-wine, wine-vinegar, white-wine, large mace, whole cloves, two or three cloves of garlick, slic't ginger, gross pepper and salt; being steeped about two hours, broil it on a soft fire, and baste it with butter, or very good sallet oyl, sprigs of rosemary, tyme, parsley, sweet marjoram, and some two or three bay-leaves, being broiled, serve it with the sauce it was steeped in, with a little oyster-liquor put to it, dish the fish, warm the sauce it was stewed in, and pour it on the fish either in butter or oyl, lay the spices and herbs about it; and in this way you may roast it, cut the jole, or rand in six pieces if it be large, and spit it with bayes and rosemary between, and save the gravy for sauce. _sauces for roast or boil'd salmon._ take the gravy of the salmon, or oyster liquor, beat it up thick with beaten butter, claret wine, nutmeg, and some slices of orange. otherways, with gravy of the salmon, butter, juyce of orange or lemon, sugar, and cinamon, beat up the sauce with the butter pretty thick, dish up the salmon, pour on the sauce, and lay it on slices of lemon. or beaten butter, with slices of orange or lemon, or the juyce of them, or grape verjuyce and nutmeg. otherways, the gravy of the salmon, two or three anchoves dissolved in it, grated nutmeg, and grated bread beat up thick with butter, the yolk of an egg and slices of oranges, or the juyce of it. _to bake salmon._ take a salmon being new, scale it, draw it, and wipe it dry, scrape out the blood from the back-bone, scotch it on the back and side, then season it with pepper, nutmeg, and salt; the pie being made, put butter in the bottom of it, a few whole cloves, and some of the seasoning, lay on the salmon, and put some whole cloves on it, some slic't nutmeg, and butter, close it up and baste it over with eggs, or saffron water, being baked fill it up with clarified butter. or you may flay the salmon, and season as aforesaid with the same spices, and not scotch it but lay on the skin again, and lard it with eels. for the past only boiling liquor, with three gallons of fine or course flour made up very stiff. _to make minced pies of salmon._ mince a rand of fresh salmon very small, with a good fresh water eel being flayed and boned; then mince, some violet leaves, sorrel, strawberry-leaves, parsley, sage, savory, marjoram, and time, mingle all together with the meat currans, cinamon, nutmeg, pepper, salt, sugar, caraways; rose-water, white-wine, and some minced orangado, put some butter in the bottom of the pies, fill them, and being baked ice them, and scrape on sugar; make them according to these forms. _to make chewits of salmon._ mince a rand of salmon with a good fresh water eel, being boned, flayed, and seasoned with pepper, salt, nutmeg cinamon, beaten ginger, caraway-seed, rose-water, butter, verjuyce, sugar, and orange-peel minced mingle all together with some slic't dates, and currans, put butter in the bottom, fill the pies, close them up, bake them, and ice them. _to make a lumber pye of salmon._ mince a rand, jole, or tail with a good fat fresh eel seasoned in all points as beforesaid, put five or six yolks of eggs to it with one or two whites, make it into balls or rouls, with some hard eggs in quarters, put some butter in the pye, lay on the rouls, and on them large mace, dates in halves, slic't lemon, grapes, or barberries, & butter, close it up, bake it, and ice it; being baked, cut up the cover, fry some sage-leaves in batter, in clarified butter, and stick them in the rouls, cut the cover, and lay it on the plate about the pie, or mingle it with an eel cut into dice work, liquor it with verjuyce, sugar, and butter. _to boil bace, mullet, gurnet, rochet, wivers,_ &c. take a mullet, draw it, wash it, and boil it in fair water and salt, with the scales on, either splatted or whole, but first let the liquor boil, being finely boiled, dish it upon a clean scowred dish, put carved sippets round about it, and lay the white side uppermost, garnish it with slic't lemon, large mace, lemon-peel, and barberries, then make a lear or sauce with beaten butter, a little water, slices of lemon, juyce of grapes or orange, strained with the yolks of two or three eggs. _to souce mullets or bace._ draw them & boil them with the scales, but first wash them clean, & lay them in a dish with some salt, cast upon them some slic't ginger, & large mace, put some wine vinegar to them, and two or three cloves; then set on the fire a kettle with as much wine as water, when the pan boils put in the fish and some salt; boil it with a soft fire, & being finely boiled and whole, take them up with a false bottom and wires all together. if you will jelly them, boil down the liquor to a jelly with a piece of ising-glass; being boil'd to a jelly, pour it on the fish, spices and all into an earthen flat bottomed pan, cover it up close, and when you dish the fish, serve it with some of the jelly on it, garnish the dish with slic't ginger and mace, and serve with it in saucers wine vinegar, minc't fennil and slic't ginger; garnish the dish with green fennil and flowers, and parsley on the fish. _to marinate mullets or bace._ scale the mullets, draw them, and scrape off the slime, wash & dry them with a clean cloth, flour them and fry them in the best sallet oyl you can get, fry them in a frying pan or in a preserving pan, but first before you put in the fish to fry, make the oyl very hot, fry them not too much, but crisp and stiff; being clear, white, and fine fryed, lay them by in an earthen pan or charger till they be all fry'd, lay them in a large flat bottom'd pan that they may lie by one another, and upon one another at length, and pack them close; then make pickle for them with as much wine vinegar as will cover them the breadth of a finger, boil in it a pipkin with salt, bay-leaves, sprigs or tops of rosemary, sweet marjoram, time, savory, and parsley, a quarter of a handful of each, and whole pepper; give these things a warm or two on the fire, pour it on the fish, and cover it close hot; then slice or lemons being par'd, save the peels, and put them to the fish, strow the slices of lemon over the fish with the peels, and keep them close covered for your use. if this fish were barrel'd up, it would keep as long as sturgeon, put half wine vinegar, and half white-wine, the liquor not boil'd, nor no herbs in the liquor, but fry'd bay-leaves, slic't nutmegs, whole cloves, large mace, whole pepper, and slic't ginger; pack the fishes close, and once a month turn the head of the vessel downward; will keep half a year without barrelling. marinate these fishes following as the mullet; _viz_, bace, soals, plaice, flounders, dabs, pike, carp, bream, pearch, tench, wivers, trouts, smelts, gudgeons, mackarel, turbut, holly-bur, gurnet, roachet, conger, oysters, scollops, cockles, lobsters, prawns, crawfish, muscles, snails, mushrooms, welks, frogs. _to marinate bace, mullet, gurnet, or rochet otherways._ take a gallon of vinegar, a quart of fair water, a good handful of bay-leaves, as much of rosemary, and a quarter of a pound of pepper beaten, put these together, and let them boil softly, season it with a little salt, then fry your fish in special good sallet oyl, being well clarifi'd, the fish being fryed put them in an earthen vessel or barrel, lay the bay-leaves, and rosemary between every layer of the fish, and pour the broth upon it, when it is cold close up the vessel; thus you may use it to serve hot or cold, and when you dish it to serve, garnish it with slic't lemon, the peel and barberries. _to broil mullet, bace, or bream._ take a mullet; draw it, and wash it clean, broil it with the scales on, or without scales, and lay it in a dish with some good sallet oyl, wine vinegar, salt, some sprigs of rosemary, time, and parsley, then heat the gridiron, and lay on the fish, broil it on a soft fire, on the embers, and baste it with the sauce it was steep'd in, being broiled serve it in a clean warm dish with the sauce it was steeped in, the herbs on it, and about the dish, cast on salt, and so serve it with slices of orange, lemon, or barberries. or broil it in butter and vinegar with herbs as above-said, and make sauce with beaten butter and vinegar. or beaten butter and juyce of lemon and orange. sometimes for change, with grape verjuyce, juyce of sorrel, beaten butter and the herbs. _to fry mullets._ scale, draw, and scotch them, wash them clean, wipe them dry and flour them, fry them in clarified butter, and being fried, put them in a dish, put to them some claret wine, slic't ginger, grated nutmeg, an anchove, salt, and some sweet butter beat up thick, give the fish a warm with a minced lemon, and dish it, but first rub the dish with a clove of garlick. the least mullets are the best to fry. _to bake a mullet or bace._ scale, garbidge, wash and dry the mullet very well, then lard it with a salt eel, season it, and make a pudding for it with grated bread, sweet herbs, and some fresh eel minced, put also the yolks of hard eggs, an anchove wash'd & minc'd very small, some nutmeg, & salt, fill the belly or not fill it at all, but cut it into quarters or three of a side, and season them with nutmeg, ginger, and pepper, lay them in your pie, and make balls and lay them upon the pieces of mullet, then put on some capers, prawns, or cockles, yolks of eggs minced, butter, large mace, and barberries, close it up, and being bak'd cut up the lid, and stick it full of cuts of paste, lozenges, or other pretty garnish, fill it up with beaten butter, and garnish it with slic't lemon. or you may bake it in a patty pan with better paste than that which is made for pyes. this is a very good way for tench or bream. * * * * * * * * * section xvi. or, the fourth section for dressing of fish. _shewing the exactest ways of dressing turbut, plaice, flounders, and lampry._ _to boil turbut to eat hot._ draw and wash them clean, then boil them in white wine and water, as much of the one as of the other with some large mace, a few cloves, salt, slic't ginger, a bundle of time and rosemary fast bound up; when the pan boils put in the fish, scum it as it boils, and being half boil'd, put in some lemon-peel; being through boiled, serve it in this broth, with the spices, herbs, and slic't lemon on it; or dish it on sippets with the foresaid garnish, and serve it with beaten butter. _turbut otherways calvered._ draw the turbut, wash it clean, and boil it in half wine and half water, salt, and vinegar; when the pan boils put in the fish, with some slic't onions, large mace, a clove or two, some slic't ginger, whole pepper, and a bundle of sweet herbs, as time, rosemary, and a bay-leaf or two; scotch the fish on the white side very thick overthwart only one way, before you put it a boiling; being half boiled, put in some lemon or orange peel; and being through boil'd, serve it with the spices, herbs, some of the liquor, onions, and slic't lemon. or serve it with beaten butter, slic't lemon, herbs, spices, onions and barberries. thus also you may dress holyburt. _to boil turbut or holyburt otherways._ boil it in fair water and salt, being drawn and washed clean, when the pan boils put in the fish and scum it; being well boil'd dish it, and pour on it some stew'd oysters and slic't lemon; run it over with beaten butter beat up thick with juyce of oranges, pour it over all, then cut sippets, and stick it with fryed bread. _otherways._ serve them with beaten butter, vinegar, and barberries, and sippets about the dish. _to souce turbut or holyburt otherways._ take and draw the fish, wash it clean from the blood and slime, and when the pan boils put in the fish in fair water and salt, boil it very leisurely, scum it, and season it pretty savory of the salt, boil it well with no more water then will cover it. if you intend to keep it long, boil it in as much water as white-wine, some wine vinegar, slic't ginger, large mace, two or three cloves, and some lemon-peel; being boil'd and cold, put in a slic't lemon or two, take up the fish, and keep it in an earthen pan close covered, boil these fishes in no more liquor than will cover them, boil them on a soft fire simering. _to stew turbut or holyburt._ take it and cut it in slices, then fry it, and being half fryed put it in a stew-pan or deep dish, then put to it some claret, grated nutmeg, three or four slices of an orange, a little wine-vinegar, and sweet butter, stew it well, dish it, and run it over with beaten butter, slic't lemon or orange, and orange or lemon-peel. _to fry turburt or hollyburt._ cut the fish into thin slices, hack it with the knife, and it will be ribbid, then fry it almost brown with butter, take it up, draining all the butter from it, then the pan being clean, put it in again with claret, slic't ginger, nutmeg, anchove, salt, and saffron beat, fry it till it be half consumed, then put in a piece of butter, shaking it well together with a minced lemon, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. to hash turbut, make a farc't meat of it, to rost or broil it, use in all points as you do sturgeon, and marinate it as you do carp. _the best way to calver flounders._ take them alive, draw and scotch them very thick on the white side, then have a pan of white-wine and wine vinegar over the fire with all manner of spices, as large mace, salt, cloves, slic't ginger, some great onions slic't, the tops of rosemary, time, sweet marjoram, pick'd parsley, and winter savory, when the pan boils put in the flounders, and no more liquor than will cover them; cover the pan close, and boil them up quick, serve them hot or cold with slic't lemon, the spices and herbs on them and lemon peel. broil flounders as you do bace and mullet, souce them as pike, marinate, and dress them in stoffado as carp, and bake them as oysters. _to boil plaice hot to butter._ draw them, and wash them clean, then boil them in fair water and salt, when the pan boils put them in being very new, boil them up quick with a lemon-peel; dish them upon fine sippets round about them, slic't lemon on them, the peel and some barberries, beat up some butter very thick with some juyce of lemon and nutmeg grated, and run it over them hot. _otherways._ boil them in white-wine vinegar, large mace, a clove or two, and slic't ginger; being boil'd serve them in beaten butter, with the juyce of sorrel, strained bread, slic't lemon, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries. _to stew plaice._ take and draw them, wash them clean, and put them in a dish, stew-pan or pipkin, with some claret or white wine, butter, some sweet herbs, nutmeg, pepper, an onion and salt; being finely stewed, serve them with beaten butter on carved sippets, and slic't lemon. _otherways._ draw, wash, and scotch them, then fry them not too much; being fried, put them in a dish or stew-pan, put to them some claret wine, grated nutmeg, wine vinegar, butter, pepper, and salt, stew them together with some slices of orange. _to bake a lampry._ draw it, and split the back on the inside from the mouth to the end of the tail, take out the string in the back, flay her and truss her round, parboil it and season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, put some butter in the bottom of the pie, and lay on the lampry with two or three good big onions, a few whole cloves and butter, close it up and baste it over with yolks of eggs, and beer or saffron water, bake it, and being baked, fill it up with clarified butter, stop it up with butter in the vent hole, and put in some claret wine, but that will not keep long. _to bake a lampry otherways with an eel._ flay it, splat it, and take out the garbidg, then have a good fat eel, flay it, draw it, and bone it, wipe them dry from the slime, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, cut them in equal pieces as may conveniently lye in a square or round pye, lay butter in the bottom, and three or four good whole onions, then lay a layer of eels over the butter, and on that lay a lampry, then another of eel, thus do till the pye be full, and on the top of all put some whole cloves and butter, close it up and bake it being basted over with saffron water, yolks of eggs, and beer, and being baked and cold, fill it up with beaten butter. make your pies according to these forms. _to bake a lampry in the italian fashion to eat hot._ flay it, and season it with nutmeg, pepper, salt, cinamon, and ginger, fill the pie either with lampry cut in pieces or whole, put to it raisins, currans, prunes, dryed cherries, dates, and butter, close it up, and bake it, being baked liquor it with strained almonds, grape verjuyce, sugar, sweet herbs chop't and boil'd all together, serve it with juyce of orange, white wine, cinamon, and the blood of the lampry, and ice it, thus you may also do lampurns baked for hot. _to bake a lampry otherways in patty-pan or dish._ take a lampry, roast it in pieces, being drawn and flayed, baste it with butter, and being roasted and cold, put it into a dish with paste or puff paste; put butter to it, being first seasoned with pepper, nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, and salt, seasoned lightly, some sweet herbs chopped, grated bisket bread, currans, dates, or slic't lemon, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with butter, white-wine, or sack, and sugar. * * * * * * * * * section xvii. or, the fifth section of fish. _shewing the best way to dress eels, conger, lump, and soals._ _to boil eels to be eaten hot._ draw them, flay them, and wipe them clean, then put them in a posnet or stew-pan, cut them three inches long, and put to them some white-wine, white-wine vinegar, a little fair water, salt, large mace, and a good big onion stew the foresaid together with a little butter; being finely stewed and tender, dish them on carved sippets, or on slices of french bread, and serve them with boil'd currans boil'd by themselves, slic't lemon, barberries, and scrape on sugar. _otherways._ draw and flay them, cut them into pieces, and boil them in a little fair water, white-wine, an anchove, some oyster-liquor, large mace, two or three cloves bruised, salt, spinage, sorrel, and parsley grosly minced with a little onion and pepper, dish them upon fine carved sippets; then broth them with a little of that broth, and beat up a lear with some good butter, the yolk of an egg or two, and the rinde and slices of a lemon. _to stew eels._ flay them, cut them into pieces, and put them into a skillet with butter, verjuyce, and fair water as much as will cover them, some large mace, pepper, a quarter of a pound of currans, two or three onions, three or four spoonfuls of yeast, and a bundle of sweet herbs, stew all these together till the fish be very tender, then dish them, and put to the broth a quarter of a pound of butter, a little salt, and sugar, pour it on the fish, sippet it, and serve it hot. _to stew eels in an oven._ cut them in pieces, being drawn and flayed, then season them with pepper, salt, and a few sweet herbs chopped small, put them into an earthen pot, and set them up on end, put to them four or five cloves of garlick, and two or three spoonfulls of fair water, bake them, and serve them on sippets. _to stew eels otherways to be eaten hot._ draw the eels, flay them, and cut them into pieces three inches long, then put them into a broad mouthed pipkin with as much white-wine and water as will cover them put to them some stripped tyme, sweet marjoram, savory, picked parsley, and large mace, stew them well together and serve them on fine sippets, stick bay-leaves round the dish garnish the meat with slic't lemon, and the dish with fine grated manchet. _to stew whole eels to be eaten hot._ take three good eels, draw, flay them, and truss them round, (or in pieces,) then have a quart of white-wine, three half pints of wine-vinegar, a quart of water, some salt, and a handful of rosemary and tyme bound up hard, when the liquor boils put in the eels with some whole pepper, and large mace; being boil'd, serve them with some of the broth, beat up thick with some good butter and slic't lemon, dish them on sippets with some grapes, barberries, or gooseberries. _otherways._ take three good eels, draw, flay, and scotch them with your knife, truss them round, or cut them in pieces, and fry them in clarified butter, then stew them between two dishes, put to them some two or three spoonfuls of claret or white-wine, some sweet butter, two or three slices of an orange, some salt, and slic't nutmeg; stew all well together, dish them, pour on the sauce, and run it over with beaten butter, and slices of fresh orange, and put fine sippets round the dish. _to dress eels in stoffado._ take two good eels, draw, flay them, and cut them in pieces three inches long, put to them half as much claret wine as will cover them, or white-wine, wine-vinegar, or elder-vinegar, some whole cloves, large mace, gross pepper, slic't ginger, salt, four or five cloves of garlick, being put into a pipkin that will contain it, put to them also three or four sprigs of sweet herbs, as rosemary, tyme, or sweet marjoram; or bay leaves, and some parsley; cover up the pipkin, and paste the cover, then stew it in an oven, in one hour it will be baked, serve it hot for dinner or supper on fine sippets of french bread, and the spices upon it, the herbs, slic't lemon, and lemon-peel, and run it over with beaten butter. _to souce eels in collars._ take a good large silver eel, flay it (or not) take out the back bone, and wash and wipe away the blood with a dry cloth, then season it with beaten nutmeg and salt, cut off the head and roul in the tail; being seasoned in the in side, bind it up in a fine white cloth close and streight; then have a large skillet or pipkin, put in it some fair water and white wine, of each a like quantity, and some salt, when it boils put in the eel; being boil'd tender take it up, and let it cool, when it is almost cold keep it in sauce for your use in a pipkin close covered, and when you will serve it take it out of the cloth, pare it, and dish it in a clean dish or plate, with a sprig of rosemary in the middle of the collar: garnish the dish with jelly, barberries and lemon. if you will have it jelly, put in a piece of ising-glass after the eel is taken up, and boil the liquor down to a jelly. _to jelly eels otherways._ flay an eel, and cut it into rouls, wash it clean from the blood, and boil it in a dish with some white-wine, and white-wine vinegar, as much water as wine and vinegar, and no more of the liquor than will just cover it; being tender boil'd with a little salt, take it up and boil down the liquor with a piece of ising-glass, a blade of mace, a little juyce of orange and sugar; then the eel being dished, run the clearest of the jelly over it. _to souce eels otherways in collars._ take two fair eels, flay them, and part them down the back, take out the back-bone, then take tyme, parsley, & sweet marjoram, mince them small, and mingle them with nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and salt; then strow it on the inside of the eels, then roul them up like a collar of brawn, and put them in a clean cloth, bind the ends of the cloth, and boil them tender with vinegar, white-wine, salt, and water, but let the liquor boil before you put in the eels. _to souce eels otherways in a collar or roll._ take a large great eel, and scowr it with a handful of salt, then split it down the back, take out the back bone and the guts, wipe out the blood clean, and season the eel with pepper, nutmeg, salt, and some sweet herbs minced and strowed upon it, roul it up, and bind it up close with packthred like a collar of brawn, boil it in water, salt, vinegar, and two or three blades of mace, boil it half an hour; and being boil'd, put to it a slic't lemon, and keep it in the same liquor; when you serve it, serve it in a collar or cut it out in round slices, lay six or seven in a dish, and garnish it in the dish with parsley and barberries, or serve with it vinegar in saucers. _to souce eels otherways cut in pieces, or whole._ take two or three great eels, scowr them in salt, draw them and wash them clean, cut them in equal pieces three inches long, and scotch them cross on both sides, put them in a dish with wine-vinegar, and salt; then have a kettle over the fire with fair water and a bundle of sweet herbs or three great onions, and some large mace; when the kettle boils put in the eels, wine, vinegar, and salt; being finely boil'd and tender, drain them from the liquor and when they are cold take some of the broth and a pint of white wine, boil it up with some saffron beaten to powder, or it will not colour the wine; then take out the spices of the liquor where it was boiled and put it in the last broth made for it, leave out the onions and herbs of the first broth, and keep it in the last. _to make a hash of eels._ take a good large eel or two, flay, draw, and wash them, bone and mince them, then season them with cloves and mace, mix with them some good large oysters, a whole onion, salt, a little white-wine, and an anchove, stew them upon a soft fire, and serve them on fine carved sippets, garnish them with some slic't orange and run them over with beaten butter thickned with the yolk of an egg or two, some grated nutmeg, and juyce of orange. _to make a spitch-cock, or broil'd eels._ take a good large eel, splat it down the back, and joynt the back-bone; being drawn, and the blood washed out, leave on the skin, and cut it in four pieces equally, salt them, and bast them with butter, or oyl and vinegar; broil them on a soft fire, and being finely broil'd, serve them in a clean dish, with beaten butter and juyce of lemon, or beaten butter, and vinegar, with sprigs of rosemary round about them. _to broil salt eels._ take a salt eel and boil it tender, being flayed and trust round with scuers, boil it tender on a soft fire, then broil it brown, and serve it in a clean dish with two or three great onions boil'd whole and tender, and then broil'd brown; serve them on the eel with oyl and mustard in saucers. _to roast an eel._ cut it three inches long, being first flayed and drawn, split it, put it on a small spit, & roast it, set a dish under it to save the gravy, and roast it fine and brown, then make sauce with the gravy, a little vinegar, salt, pepper, a clove or two, and a little grated parmisan, or old _english_ cheese, or a little botargo grated; the eel being roasted, blow the fat off the gravy, and put to it a piece of sweet butter, shaking it well together with some salt, put it in a clean dish, lay the eel on it, and some slices of oranges. _to roast eels otherways._ take a good large silver eel, draw it, and flay it in pieces of four inches long, spit it on a small spit with some bay-leaves, or large sage leaves between each piece spit it cross ways, and roast it; being roasted, serve it with beaten butter, beaten with juyce of oranges, lemons, or elder vinegar, and beaten nutmeg, or serve it with venison sauce, and dredge it with beaten caraway-seed, cinamon, flour, or grated bread. _to bake eels in pye, dish or patty-pan._ take good fresh water eels, draw, and flay them, cut them in pieces, and season them with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, lay them in a pye with some prunes, currans, grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, large mace, slic't dates and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with white-wine, sugar, and butter, and ice it. if you bake it in a dish in paste, bake it in cold butter paste, rost the eel, & let it be cold, season it with nutmeg pepper, ginger, cinamon, and salt, put butter on the paste, and lay on the eel with a few sweet herbs chopped, and grated bisket-bread, grapes, currans, dates, large mace, and butter, close it up and bake it, liquor it, and ice it. _otherways._ take good fresh water eels; flay and draw them, season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, being cut in pieces, lay them in the pie, and put to them some two or three onions in quaters, some butter, large mace, grapes, barberries or gooseberries, close them up and bake them; being baked liquor them with beaten butter, beat up thick with the yolks of two eggs, and slices of an orange. sometimes you may bake them with a minced onion, some raisins of the sun, and season them with some ginger, pepper, and salt. _to bake eels otherways._ take half a douzen good eels, flay them and take out the bones, mince them and season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, lay some butter in the pye, and lay a lay of eel, and a lay of watred salt eel, cut into great lard as big as your finger, lay a lay of it, and another of minced eel, thus lay six or seven lays, and on the top lay on some whole cloves, slic't nutmeg, butter, and some slices of salt eel, close it up and bake it, being baked fill it up with some clarified butter, and close the vent. make your pye round according to this form. _to bake eels with tenches in a round or square pie to eat cold._ take four good large eels, flayed and boned, and six good large tenches, scale, splat, and bone them, cut off the heads and fins, as also of the eels; cut both eels, and tenches a handful long, & season them with pepper, salt and nutmeg; then lay some butter in the bottom of the pie, lay a lay of eels, and then a lay of tench, thus do five or six layings, lay on the top large mace, & whole cloves and on that butter, close it up and bake it; being baked and cold, fill it up with clarified butter. or you may bake them whole, and lay them round in the pye, being flayed, boned, and seasoned as the former, bake them as you do a lampry, with two or three onions in the middle. _to make minced pies of an eel._ take a fresh eel, flay it and cut off the fish from the bone, mince it small, and pare two or three wardens or pears, mince of them as much as of the eel, or oysters, temper and season them together with ginger, pepper, cloves, mace, salt, a little sanders, some currans, raisins, prunes, dates, verjuyce, butter, and rose-water. _minced eel pyes otherways._ take a good fresh water eel flay, draw, and parboil it, then mince the fish being taken from the bones, mince also some pippins, wardens, figs, some great raisins of the sun, season them with cloves, mace, pepper, salt, sugar, saffron, prunes, currans, dates on the top, whole raisins, and butter, make pies according to these forms; fill them, close them up and bake them, being baked, liquor them with grape verjuyce, slic't lemon, butter, sugar, and white-wine. _other minced eel pyes._ take or three good large eels, being cleans'd, mince them & season them with cloves, mace, pepper, nutmeg, salt, and a good big onion in the bottom of your pye, some sweet herbs chopped, and onions, put some goosberries and butter to it, and fill your pie, close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with butter and verjuyce, or strong fish broth, butter, and saffron. _otherways._ mince some wardens or pears, figs, raisins, prunes, and season them as abovesaid with some spices, but no onions nor herbs, put to them goosberries, saffron, slic't dates, sugar, verjuyce, rose-water, and butter; then make pyes according to these forms, fill them and bake them, being baked, liquor them with white batter, white-wine and sugar, and ice them. _to boil conger to be eaten hot._ take a piece of conger being scalded and wash'd from the blood and slime, lay it in vinegar & salt, with a slice or two of lemon, and some large mace, slic't ginger, and two or three cloves, then set some liquor a boiling in a pan or kettle, as much wine and water as will cover it when the liquor boils put in the fish, with the spices, and salt, and when it is boil'd put in the lemon, and serve the fish on fine carved sippets; then make a lear or sauce with beaten butter, beat with juyce of oranges or lemons, serve it with slic't lemon on it, slic't ginger and barberries; and garnish it with the same. _to stew conger._ take a piece of conger, and cut it into pieces as big as a hens egg, put them in a stew-pan or two deep dishes with some large mace, salt, pepper, slic't nutmeg, some white-wine, wine vinegar, as much water, butter, and slic't ginger, stew these well together, and serve them on sippets with slic't orange, lemon, and barberries, and run them over with beaten butter. _to marinate conger._ scald and draw it, cut it into pieces, and fry it in the best sallet oyl you can get; being fried put it in a little barrel that will contain it; then have some fryed bay-leaves, large mace, slic't ginger, and a few whole cloves, lay these between the fish, put to it white-wine, vinegar, and salt, close up the head, and keep it for your use. _to souce conger._ take a good fat conger, draw it at two several, vents or holes, being first scalded and the fins shaved off, cut it into three or four pieces, then have a pan of fair water, and make it boil, put in the fish, with a good quantity of salt, and let it boil very softly half an hour: being tender boil'd, set it by for your use for present spending; but to keep it long, boil it with as much wine as water, and a quart of white-wine vinegar. _to souce conger in collars like brawn._ take the fore part of a conger from the gills, splat it, and take out the bone, being first flayed and scalded, then have a good large eel or two, flay'd also and boned, seasoned in the inside with minced nutmeg, mace, and salt, seasoned and cold with the eel in the inside, bind it up hard in a clean cloth, boil it in fair water, white-wine and salt. _to roast conger._ take a good fat conger, draw it, wash it, and scrape off the slime, cut off the fins, and spit it like an s. draw it with rosemary and time, put some beaten nutmeg in his belly, salt, some stripped time, and some great oysters parboil'd, roast it with the skin on, and save the gravy for the sauce, boil'd up with a little claret-wine, beaten butter, wine vinegar, and an anchove or two, the fat blown off, and beat up thick with some sweet butter, two or three slices of an orange, and elder vinegar. or roast it in short pieces, and spit it with bay-leaves between, stuck with rosemary. or make venison sauce, and instead of roasting it on a spit, roast it in an oven. _to broil conger._ take a good fat conger being scalded and cut into pieces; salt them, and broil them raw; or you may broil them being first boiled and basted with butter, or steeped in oyl and vinegar, broil them raw, and serve them with the same sauce you steeped them in, bast them with rosemary, time, and parsley, and serve them with the sprigs of those herbs about them, either in beaten butter, vinegar, or oyl and vinegar, and the foresaid herbs: or broil the pieces splatted like a spitch-cock of an eel, with the skin on it. _to fry conger._ being scalded, and the fins shaved off, splat it, cut it into rouls round the conger, flour it, and fry it in clarified butter crisp, sauce it with butter beaten with vinegar, juyce of orange or lemon, and serve it with fryed parsley, fryed ellicksanders, or clary in butter. _to bake conger in pasty proportion._ [illustration] _in pye proportion._ bake it any way of the sturgeon, as you may see in the next section, to be eaten either hot or cold, and make your pies according to these forms. _to stew a lump._ take it either flayed (or not) and boil it, being splated in a dish with some white-wine, a large mace or two, salt, and a whole onion, stew them well together, and dish them on fine sippets, run it over with some beaten butter, beat up with two or three slices of an orange, and some of the gravy of the fish, run it over the lump, and garnish the meat with slic't lemon, grapes, barberries, or gooseberries. _to bake a lump._ take a lump, and cut it into pieces, skin and all, or flay it, and part it in two pieces of a side, season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and lay it in the pye, lay on it a bay-leaf or two, three or four blades of large mace, the slices of an orange, gooseberries, grapes, barberries, and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with beaten butter. thus you make bake it in a dish, pye, or patty-pan. _to boil soals._ draw and flay them, then boil them in vinegar, salt, white-wine and mace, but let the liquor boil before you put them in; being finely boil'd, take them up and dish them in a clean dish on fine carved sippets, garnish the fish with large mace, slic't lemon, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, and beat up some butter thick with juyce of oranges, white-wine, or grape verjuyce and run it over the fish. sometimes you may put some stew'd oysters on them. _otherways._ take the soals, flay and draw them, and scotch one side with your knife, lay them in a dish, & pour on them some vinegar and salt, let them lie in it half an hour, in the mean time set on the fire some water, white-wine, six cloves of garlick, and a faggot of sweet herbs; then put the fish into the boiling liquor, and the vinegar and salt where they were in steep; being boiled, take them up and drain them very well, then beat up sweet butter very thick, and mix with it some anchoves minced small, and dissolved in the butter, pour it on the fish being dished, and strow on a little grated nutmeg, and minced orange mixt in the butter. _to stew soals._ being flayed and scotched, draw them and half fry them, then take some claret wine, and put to it some salt, grated ginger, and a little garlick, boil this sauce in a dish, when it boils put the soals therein, and when they are sufficiently stewed upon their backs, lay the two halves open on the one side and on the other; then lay anchoves finely washed and boned all along, and on the anchoves slices of butter, then turn the two sides over again, and let them stew till they be ready to be eaten, then take them out of the sauce, and lay them on a clean dish, pour some of the liquor wherein they were stewed upon them, and squeeze on an orange. _otherways._ draw, flay, and scotch them, then flour them and half fry them in clarified butter, put them in a clean pewter dish, and put to them three or four spoonfuls of claret wine, two of wine vinegar, two ounces of sweet butter, two or three slices of an orange, a little grated nutmeg, and a little salt; stew them together close covered, and being well stewed dish them up in a clean dish, lay some sliced lemon on them, and some beaten butter, with juyce of oranges. _to dress soals otherways._ take a pair of soals, lard them with water'd salt salmon, then lay them on a pye-plate, and cut your lard all of an equall length, on each side lear it but short; then flour the soals, and fry them in the best ale you can get; when they are fryed lay them on a warm dish, and put to them anchove sauce made of some of the gravy in the pan, and two or three anchoves, grated nutmeg, a little oyl or butter, and an onion sliced small, give it a warm, and pour it on them with some juyce, and two or three slices of orange. _to souce soals._ take them very new, and scotch them on the upper or white side very thick, not too deep, then have white-wine, wine vinegar, cloves, mace, sliced ginger, and salt, set it over the fire to boil in a kettle fit for it; then take parsley, tyme, sage, rosemary, sweet marjoram, and winter savory, the tops of all these herbs picked, in little branches, and some great onions sliced, when it boils put in all the foresaid materials with no more liquor than will just cover them, cover them close in boiling, and boil them very quick, being cold dish them in a fair dish, and serve them with sliced lemon, and lemon-peels about them and on them. _otherways._ draw them and wash them clean, then have a pint of fair water with as much white-wine, some wine vinegar & salt; when the pan or kettle boils, put in the soals with a clove or two, slic't ginger, and some large mace; being boil'd and cold, serve them with the spices, some of the gravy they were boil'd in, slic't lemon, and lemon-peel. _to jelly soals._ take three tenches, carps, and four pearches, scale them and wash out the blood clean, then take out all the fat, and to every pound of fish take a pint of fair spring-water or more, set the fish a boiling in a clean pipkin or pot, and when it boils scum it, and put in some ising-glass, boil it till one fourth part be wasted, then take it off and strain it through a strong canvas cloth, set it to cool, and being cold, divide it into three or four several pipkins, as much in the one as in the other, take off the bottom and the top, and to every quart of broth put a quart of white-wine, a pound and a half of refined sugar, two nutmegs, races of ginger, pieces of whole cinamon, a grain of musk, and whites of eggs, stir them together with a rowling-pin, and equally divide it into the several pipkins amongst the jellies, set them a stewing upon a soft charcoal fire, when it boils up, run it through the jelly-bags, and pour it upon the soals. _to roast soals._ draw them, flay off the black skin, and dry them with a clean cloth, season them lightly with nutmeg, salt, and some sweet herbs chopped small, put them in a dish with some claret-wine and two or three anchoves the space of half an hour, being first larded with small lard of a good fresh eel, then spit them, roast them and set the wine under them, baste them with butter, and being roasted, dish them round the dish; then boil up the gravy under them with three or four slices of an orange, pour on the sauce, and lay on some slices of lemon. marinate, broil, fry and bake soals according as you do carps, as you may see in the thirteenth section. * * * * * * * * * section xviii. or, the sixth section of fish. _the a-la-mode ways of dressing and ordering of sturgeon._ _to boil sturgeon to serve hot._ take a rand, wash off the blood, and lay it in vinegar and salt, with the slice of a lemon, some large mace, slic't ginger, and two or three cloves, then set on a pan of fair water, put in some salt, and when it boils put in the fish, with a pint of white-wine, a pint of wine vinegar, and the foresaid spices, but not the lemon; being finely boil'd, dish it on sippets, and sauce it with beaten butter, and juyce of orange beaten together, or juyce of lemon, large mace, slic't ginger, and barberries, and garnish the dish with the same. _otherways._ take a rand and cut it in square pieces as big as a hens egg, stew them in a broad mouthed pipkin with two or three good big onions, fome large mace, two or three cloves, pepper, salt, some slic't nutmeg, a bay-leaf or two some white-wine and water, butter, and a race of slic't ginger, stew them well together, and serve them on sippets of french bread, run them over with beaten butter, slic't lemon and barberries, and garnish the dish with the same. _sturgeon buttered._ boil a rand, tail, or jole in water and salt, boil it tender, and serve it with beaten butter and slic't lemon. _to make a hot hash of sturgeon._ take a rand, wash it out of the blood, and take off the scales, and skin, mince the meat very small, and season it with beaten mace, pepper, salt, and some sweet herbs minced small, stew all in an earthen pipkin with two or three big whole onions, butter, and white-wine; being finely stewed, serve it on sippets with beaten butter, minced lemon, and boil'd chesnuts. _to make a cold hash of sturgeon._ take a rand of sturgeon being fresh and new, bake it whole in an earthen pan dry, and close it up with a piece of course paste; being baked and cold slice it into little slices as small as a three pence, and dish them in a fine clean dish, lay them round the bottom of it, and strow on them pepper, salt, a minced onion, a minced lemon, oyl, vinegar, and barberries. _to marinate a whole sturgeon in rands and joles._ take a sturgeon fresh taken, cut it in joles and rands, wash off the blood, and wipe the pieces dry from the blood and slime, flour them, & fry them in a large kettle in four gallons of rape oyl clarified, being fryed fine and crisp, put it into great chargers, frayes, or bowls; then have firkins, and being cold, pack it in them as you do boil'd sturgeon that is kept in pickle, then make the sauce or pickle of gallons of white-wine, and three gallons of white-wine vinegar; put to them six good handfuls of salt, in each vessel, a quarter of a pound large mace, six ounces of whole pepper, and three ounces of slic't ginger, close it up in good sound vessels, and when you serve it, serve it in some of its own pickle, the spices on it, and slic't lemon. _to make a farc't meat of sturgeon._ mince it raw with a good fat eel, and being fine minced, season it with cloves, mace, pepper, and salt, mince some sweet herbs and put to it, and make your farcings in the forms of balls, pears, stars, or dolphins; if you please stuff carrots or turnips with it. _to dress a whole sturgeon in stoffado cut into rands and joles to eat hot or cold._ take a sturgeon, draw it, and part it in two halves from the tail to the head, cut it into rands and joles a foot long or more, then wash off the blood and slime, and steep it in wine-vinegar, and white-wine, as much as will cover it, or less, put to it eight ounces of slic't ginger, six ounces of large mace, four ounces of whole cloves, half a pound of whole pepper, salt, and a pound of slic't nutmegs, let these steep in the foresaid liquor six hours, then put them into broad earthen pans flat bottom'd, and bake them with this liquor and spices, cover them with paper, it will ask four or five hours baking; being baked serve them in a large dish in joles or rands, with large slices of french bread in the bottom of the dish, steep them well with the foresaid broth they were baked in, some of the spices on them, some slic't lemon, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, and lemon peel, with some of the same broth, beaten butter, juyce of lemons and oranges, and the yolks of eggs beat up thick. if to eat cold, barrel it up close with this liquor and spices, fill it up with white-wine or sack; and head it up close, it will keep a year very well, when you serve it, serve it with slic't lemon, and bay-leaves about it. _to souce sturgeon to keep all the year._ take a sturgeon, draw it, and part it down the back in equal sides and rands, put it in a tub into water and salt, and wash it from the blood and slime, bind it up with tape or packthred, and boil it in a vessel that will contain it, in water, vinegar, and salt, boil it not too tender; being finely boil'd take it up, and being pretty cold, lay it on a clean flasket or tray till it be through cold, then pack it up close. _to souce sturgeon in two good strong sweet firkins._ if the sturgeon be nine foot in length, firkins will serve it, the vessels being very well filled and packed close, put into it eight handfuls of salt, six gallons of white wine, and four gallons of white wine vinegar, close on the heads strong and sure, and once a month turn it on the other end. _to broil sturgeon, or toast it against the fire._ broil or toast a rand or jole of sturgeon that comes new out of the sea or river, (or any piece) and either broil it in a whole rand, or slices an inch thick, salt them, and steep them in oyl-olive and wine vinegar, broil them on a soft fire, and baste them with the sauce it was steeped in, with branches of rosemary, tyme, and parsley; being finely broiled, serve it in a clean dish with some of the sauce it was basted with, and some of the branches of rosemary; or baste it with butter, and serve it with butter and vinegar, being either beaten with slic't lemon, or juyce of oranges. _otherways._ broil it on white paper, either with butter or sallet oyl, if you broil it in oyl, being broil'd, put to it on the paper some oyl, vinegar, pepper, and branches or slices of orange. if broil'd in butter, some beaten butter, with lemon, claret, and nutmeg. _to fry sturgeon._ take a rand of fresh sturgeon, and cut it into slices of half an inch thick, hack it, and being fried, it will look as if it were ribbed, fry it brown with clarified butter; then take it up, make the pan clean, and put it in again with some claret wine, an anchove, salt, and beaten saffron; fry it till half be consumed, and then put in a piece of butter, some grated nutmeg, grated ginger, and some minced lemon; garnish the dish with lemon, dish it, and run jelly first rubbed with a clove of garlick. _to jelly sturgeon._ season a whole rand with pepper, nutmeg, and salt, bake it dry in an earthen pan, and being baked and cold, slice it into thin slices, dish it in a clean dish, the dish being on it. _to roast sturgeon._ take a rand of fresh sturgeon, wipe it very dry, and cut it in pieces as big as a goose-egg, season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and stick each piece with two or cloves, draw them with rosemary, & spit them thorow the skin, and put some bay-leaves or sage-leaves between every piece; baste them with butter, and being roasted serve them on the gravy that droppeth from them, beaten butter, juyce of orange or vinegar, and grated nutmeg, serve also with it venison sauce in saucers. _to make olines of sturgeon stewed or roasted._ take spinage, red sage, parsley, tyme, rosemary, sweet marjoram, and winter-savory, wash and chop them very small, and mingle them with some currans, grated bread, yolks of hard eggs chopped small, some beaten mace, nutmeg, cinamon and salt; then have a rand of fresh sturgeon, cut in thin broad pieces, & hackt with the back of a chopping knife laid on a smooth pie-plate, strow on the minced herbs with the other materials, and roul them up in a roul, stew them in a dish in the oven, with a little white-wine or wine-vinegar, some of the farcing under them, and some sugar; being baked, make a lear with some of the gravy, and slices of oranges and lemons. _to make olines of sturgeon otherways._ take a rand of sturgeon being new, cut it in fine thin slices, & hack them with the back of a knife, then make a compound of minced herbs, as tyme, savory, sweet marjoram, violet-leaves, strawberry leaves, spinage, mints, sorrel, endive and sage; mince these herbs very fine with a few scallions, some yolks of hard eggs, currans, cinamon, nutmegs, sugar, rosewater, and salt, mingle all together, and strow on the compound herbs on the hacked olines, roul them up, and make pies according to these forms, put butter in the bottom of them, and lay the olines on it; being full, lay on some raisins, prunes, large mace, dates, slic't lemon, some gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, and butter, close them up and bake them, being baked, liquor them with butter, white-wine, and sugar, ice them, and serve them up hot. _to bake sturgeon in joles and rands dry in earthen pans, and being baked and cold, pickled and barreld up, to serve hot or cold._ take a sturgeon fresh and new, part him down from head to tail, and cut it into rands and joles, cast it into fair water and salt, wash off the slime and blood, and put it into broad earthen pans, being first stuffed with penniroyal, or other sweet herbs; stick it with cloves and rosemary, and bake it in pans dry, (or a little white-wine to save the pans from breaking) then take white or claret wine and make a pickle, half as much wine vinegar, some whole pepper, large mace, slic't nutmegs, and six or seven handfuls of salt; being baked and cold, pack and barrel it up close, and fill it up with this pickle raw, head it up close, and when you serve it, serve it with some of the liquor and slic't lemon. _to bake sturgeon pies to eat cold._ take a fresh jole of sturgeon, scale it, and wash off the slime, wipe it dry, and lard it with a good salt eel, seasoned with nutmeg, and pepper, cut the lard as big as your finger, and being well larded, season the jole or rand with the foresaid spices and salt, lay it in a square pie in fine or course paste, and put some whole cloves on it, some slic't nutmeg, slic't ginger, and good store of butter, close it up, and bake it, being baked fill it up with clarified butter. _to bake sturgeon otherways with salmon._ take a rand of sturgeon, cut it into large thick slices, & rands of fresh salmon in thick slices as broad as the sturgeon, season it with the same seasoning as the former, with spices and butter, close it up and bake it; being baked, fill it up with clarified butter. make your sturgeon pyes or pasties according to these forms. _to make a sturgeon pye to eat cold otherways._ take a rand of sturgeon, flay it and wipe it with a dry cloth, and not wash it, cut it into large slices; then have carps, tenches, or a good large eel flayed and boned, your tenches and carps scaled, boned, and wiped dry, season your sturgeon and the other fishes with pepper, nutmeg, and salt, put butter in the bottom of the pie, and lay a lay of sturgeon, and on that a lay of carps, then a lay of sturgeon, and a lay of eels, next a lay of sturgeon, and a lay of tench, and a lay of sturgeon above that; lay on it some slic't ginger, slic't nutmeg, and some whole cloves, put on butter, close it up, and bake it, being baked liquor it with clarified butter. or bake it in pots as you do venison, and it will keep long. _otherways._ take a rand of sturgeon, flay it, and mince it very fine, season it with pepper, cloves, mace, and salt; then have a good fresh fat eel or flayed and boned, cut it into lard as big as your finger, and lay some in the bottom of the pye, some butter on it, and some of the minced meat or sturgeon, and so lard and meat till you have filled the pye, lay over all some slices of sturgeon, sliced nutmeg, sliced ginger, and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked fill it up with clarified butter. if to eat hot, give it but half the seasoning, and make your pyes according to these forms. _to bake sturgeon pies to be eaten hot._ flay off the scales and skin of a rand, cut it in pieces as big as a walnut, & season it lightly with pepper, nutmeg, and salt; lay butter in the bottom of the pye, put in the sturgeon, and put to it a good big onion or two whole, some large mace, whole cloves, slic't ginger, some large oysters, slic't lemon, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, and butter, close it up and bake it, being bak'd, fill it up with beaten butter, beaten with white-wine or claret, and juyce or slices of lemon or orange. to this pye in winter, you may use prunes, raisins, or currans, and liquor it with butter, verjuyce, and sugar, and in summer, pease boil'd and put in the pye, being baked, and leave out fruit. _otherways._ cut a rand of sturgeon into pieces as big as a hens egg, cleanse it, and season them with pepper, salt, ginger, and nutmeg, then make a pye and lay some butter in the bottom of it, then the pieces of sturgeon, and two or three bay-leaves, some large mace, three or four whole cloves, some blanched chesnuts, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, and butter, close it up and bake it, and being baked, liquor it with beaten butter, and the blood of the sturgeon boil'd together with a little claret-wine. _to bake sturgeon pyes in dice work to be eaten hot._ take a pound of sturgeon, a pound of a fresh fat eel, a pound of carp, a pound of turbut, a pound of mullet, scaled, cleans'd, and bon'd, a tench, and a lobster, cut all the fishes into the form of dice, and mingle with them a quart of prawns, season them all together with pepper, nutmeg & salt, mingle some cockles among them, boil'd artichocks, fresh salmon, and asparagus all cut into dice-work. then make pyes according to these forms, lay butter in the bottom of them, then the meat being well mingled together, next lay on some gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, slic't oranges or lemons, and put butter on it, with yolks of hard eggs and pistaches, close it up and bake it, and being baked liquor it with good sweet butter, white-wine, or juyce of oranges. _to make minced pyes of sturgeon._ flay a rand of it, and mince it with a good fresh water eel, being flay'd and bon'd, then mince some sweet herbs with an onion, season it with cloves, mace, pepper, nutmeg and salt, mingle amongst it some grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, and fill the pye, having first put some butter in the bottom of it, lay on the meat, and more butter on the top, close it up, bake it, and serve it up hot. _otherways._ mince a rand of fresh sturgeon, or the fattest part of it very small, then mince a little spinage, violet leaves, strawberry leaves, sorrel, parsley, sage, savory, marjoram, and time, mingle them with the meat, some grated manchet, currans, nutmeg, salt, cinamon, cream, eggs, sugar, and butter, fill the pye, close it up, and bake it, being baked ice it. _minced pyes of sturgeon otherways._ flay a rand of sturgeon, and lard it with a good fat salt eel, roast it in pieces, and save the gravy, being roasted mince it small, but save some to cut into dice-work, also some of the eels in the same form, mingle it amongst the rest with some beaten pepper, salt, nutmeg, some gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, put butter in the bottom of the pye, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with gravy, juyce of orange, nutmeg, and butter. sometimes add to it currans, sweet herbs, and saffron, and liquor it with verjuyce, sugar, butter, and yolks of eggs. _to make chewits of sturgeon, according to these forms._ mince a rand of sturgeon the fattest part, and season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, caraway-seed, rose-water, butter, sugar, and orange peel minced, mingle all together with some slic't dates, and currans, and fill your pyes. _to make a lumber pye of sturgeon._ mince a rand of sturgeon with some of the fattest of the belly, or a good fat fresh eel, being minced, season it with pepper, nutmeg, salt, cinamon, ginger, caraways, slic't dates, four or eight raw eggs, and the yolks of six hard eggs in quarters, mingle all together, and make them into balls or rolls, fill the pye, and lay on them some slic't dates, large mace, slic't lemon, grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, and butter, close it up, and bake it, being bak'd liquor it with butter, white-wine, and sugar. or only add some grated bread, some of the meat cut into dice-work, & some rose-water, bak'd in all points as the former, being baked cut up the cover, and stick it with balls, with fryed sage-leaves in batter; liquor it as aforesaid, and lay on it a cut cover, scrape on sugar. _to make an olive pye of sturgeon in the italian fashion._ make slices of sturgeon, hack them, and lard them with salt salmon, or salt eel, then make a composition of some of the sturgeon cut into dice-work, some fresh eel, dry'd cherries, prunes taken from the stones, grapes, some mushrooms & oysters; season the foresaid things all together in a dish or tray, with some pepper, nutmeg, and salt, roul them in the slices of the hacked sturgeon with the larded side outmost, lay them in the pye with the butter under them; being filled lay on it some oysters, blanched chesnuts, mushrooms, cockles, pine-apple-seeds, grapes, gooseberries, and more butter, close it up, bake it, and then liquor it with butter, verjuyce, and sugar, serve it up hot. _to bake sturgeon to be eaten hot with divers farcings or stuffings._ take a rand and cut it into small pieces as big as a walnut, mince it with fresh eel, some sweet herbs, a few green onions, pennyroyal, grated bread, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, currans, gooseberries, and eggs; mingle all together, and make it into balls, fill the pye with the whole meat and the balls, and lay on them some large mace, barberries, chesnuts, yolks of hard eggs, and butter; fill the pye, and bake it, being baked, liquor it with butter and grape-verjuyce. or mince some sturgeon, grated parmisan, or good holland cheese, mince the sturgeon, and fresh eel together, being fine minced put some currans to it, nutmeg, pepper, and cloves beaten, some sweet herbs minced small, some salt, saffron, and raw yolks of eggs. _other stuffings or puddings._ grated bread, nutmeg, pepper, sweet herbs minced very fine, four or five yolks of hard eggs minced very small, two or three raw eggs, cream, currans, grapes, barberries and sugar, mix them all together, and lay them on the sturgeon in the pye, close it up and bake it, and liquor it with butter, white-wine, sugar, the yolk of an egg, and then ice it. _to make an olio of sturgeon with other fishes._ take some sturgeon and mince it with a fresh eel, put to it some sweet herbs minc't small, some grated bread, yolks of eggs, salt, nutmeg, pepper, some gooseberries, grapes or barberries, and make it into little balls or rolls. then have fresh fish scal'd, washed, dryed, and parted into equal pieces, season them with pepper, nutmeg, salt, and set them by; then make ready shell-fish, and season them as the other fishes lightly with the same spices. then make ready roots, as potatoes, skirrets, artichocks and chesnuts, boil them, cleanse them, and season them with the former spices. next have yolks of hard eggs, large mace, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, and butter, make your pye, and put butter in the bottom of it, mix them all together, and fill the pye, then put in two or three bay-leaves, and a few whole cloves, mix the minced balls among the other meat and roots; then lay on the top some large mace, potatoes, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, chesnuts, pistaches and butter, close it up and bake it, fill it up with beaten butter, beaten with the juyce of oranges, dish and cut up the cover, and put all over it slic't lemons, and sometimes to the lear the yolk of an egg or two. _to make minced herring pies._ take salt herrings being watered, crush them between your hands, and you shall loose the fish from the skin, take off the skin whole, and lay them in a dish; then have a pound of almond paste ready, mince the herrings, and stamp them with the almond paste, two of the milts or rows, five or six dates, some grated manchet, sugar, sack, rose-water, and saffron, make the composition somewhat stiff, and fill the skins, put butter in the bottom of your pye, lay on the herring, and on them dates, gooseberries, currans, barberries, and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with butter, verjuyce, and sugar. make minced pyes of any meat, as you may see in page , in the dishes of minced pyes you may use those forms for any kind of minced pies, either of flesh, fish, or fowl, which i have particularized in some places of my book. _otherways._ bone them, and mince them being finely cleansed with or three pleasant pears, raisins of the sun, some currans, dates, sugar, cinamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and butter, mingle all together, fill your pies, and being baked, liquor them with verjuyce, claret, or white-wine. _to make minced pies of ling, stock-fish, harberdine,_ &c. being boil'd take it from the skin and bones, and mince it with some pippins, season it with nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, pepper, caraway-seed, currans, minced raisins, rose-water, minced lemon-peel, sugar, slic't dates, white-wine, verjuyce, and butter, fill your pyes, bake them, and ice them. _otherways._ mince them with yolks of hard eggs, mince also all manner of good pot-herbs, mix them together, and season them with the seasoning aforesaid, then liquor it with butter, verjuyce, sugar, and beaten cinamon, and then ice them; making them according to these forms. * * * * * * * * * section xix. or, the seventh section of fish. _shewing the exactest ways of dressing all manner of shell-fish._ _to stew oysters in the french way._ take oysters, open them and parboil them in their own liquor, the quantity of three pints or a pottle; being parboil'd, wash them in warm water clean from the dregs, beard them and put them in a pipkin with a little white wine, & some of the liquor they were parboil'd in, a whole onion, some salt, and pepper, and stew them till they be half done; then put them and their liquor into a frying-pan, fry them a pretty while, put to them a good piece of sweet butter, and fry them a therein so much longer, then have ten or twelve yolks of eggs dissolved with some vinegar, wherein you must put in some minced parsley, and some grated nutmeg, put these ingredients into the oysters, shake them in the frying-pan a warm or two, and serve them up. _to stew oysters otherways._ take a pottle of large great oysters, parboil them in their own liquor, then wash them in warm water from the dregs, & put them in a pipkin with a good big onion or two, and five or six blades of large mace, a little whole pepper, a slic't nutmeg, a quarter of a pint of white wine, as much wine-vinegar, a quarter of a pound of sweet butter, and a little salt, stew them finely together on a soft fire the space of half an hour, then dish them on sippets of french bread, slic't lemon on them, and barberries, run them over with beaten butter, and garnish the dish with dryed manchet grated and searsed. _to stew oysters otherways._ take a pottle of large great oysters, parboil them in their own liquor, then wash them in warm water, wipe them dry, and pull away the fins, flour them and fry them in clarifi'd butter fine and white, then take them up, and put them in a large dish with some white or claret wine, a little vinegar, a quarter of a pound of sweet butter, some grated nutmeg, large mace, salt, and two or three slices of an orange, stew them two or three warms, then serve them in a large clean scowred dish, pour the sauce on them, and run them over with beaten butter, slic't lemon or orange, and sippets round the dish. _otherways._ take a pottle of great oysters, and stew them in their own liquor; then take them up, wash them in warm water, take off the fins, and put them in a pipkin with some of their own liquor, a pint of white-wine, a little wine vinegar, six large maces, or three whole onions, a race of ginger slic't, a whole nutmeg slic't, twelve whole pepper corns, salt, a quarter of a pound of sweet butter, and a little faggot of sweet herbs; stew all these together very well, then drain them through a cullender, and dish them on fine carved sippets; then take some of the liquor they were stewed in; beat it up thick with a minced lemon, and half a pound of butter, pour it on the oysters being dished, and garnish the dish and the oysters with grapes, grated bread, slic't lemon, and barberries. _or thus._ boil great oysters in their shells brown, and dry, but burn them not, then take them out and put them in a pipkin with some good sweet butter, the juice of two or three oranges, a little pepper, and grated nutmeg, give them a warm, and dish them in a fair scowred dish with carved sippets, and garnish it with dryed, grated, searsed fine manchet. _to make oyster pottage._ take some boil'd pease, strain them and put them in a pipkin with some capers, some sweet herbs finely chopped, some salt, and butter; then have some great oysters fryed with sweet herbs, and grosly chopped, put them to the strained pease, stew them together, serve them on a clean scowred dish on fine carved fippets, and garnish the dish with grated bread. _otherways._ take a quart of great oysters, parboil them in their own liquor, and stew them in a pipkin with some capers, large mace, a faggot of sweet herbs, salt, and butter, being finely stewed, serve them on slices of dryed _french_ bread, round the oysters slic't lemon, and on the pottage boil'd spinage, minced, and buttered, but first pour on the broth. _to make a hash of oysters._ take three quarts of great oysters, parboil them, and save their liquor, then mince quarts of them very fine, and put them a stewing in a pipkin with a half pint of white wine, a good big onion or two, some large mace, a grated nutmeg, some chesnuts, and pistaches, and three or spoonfuls of wine-vinegar, a quarter of a pound of good sweet butter, some oyster liquor, pepper, salt, and a faggot of sweet herbs; stew the foresaid together upon a soft fire the space of half an hour, then take the other oysters, and season them with pepper, salt and nutmeg, fry them in batter made of fine flour, egg, salt, and cream, make one half of it green with juyce of spinage, and sweet herbs chopped small, dip them in these batters, and fry them in clarified butter, being fried keep them warm in an oven; then have a fine clean large dish, lay slices of french bread all over the bottom of the dish, scald and steep the bread with some gravy of the hash, or oyster-liquor, & white wine boil'd together; dish the hash all over the slices of bread, lay on that the fryed oysters, chesnuts, and pistaches; then beat up a lear or sauce of butter, juyce of lemon or oranges, five or six, a little white-wine, the yolks of or eggs, and pour on this sauce over the hash with some slic't lemon, and lemon-peel; garnish the dish with grated bread, being dryed and searsed, some pistaches, chesnuts, carved lemons, & fryed oysters. sometimes you may use mushrooms boild in water, salt, sweet herbs--large mace, cloves, bayleaves, two or three cloves of garlick, then take them up, dip them in batter & fry them brown, make sauce for them with claret, and the juyce of two or three oranges, salt, butter, the juyce of horse-raddish roots beaten and strained, grated nutmeg, and pepper, beat them up thick with the yolks of two or three eggs, do this sauce in a frying-pan, shake them well together, and pour it on the hash with the mushrooms. _to marinate great oysters to be eaten hot._ take three quarts of great oysters ready opened, parboil them in their own liquor, then take them out and wash them in warm water, wipe them dry and flour them, fry them crisp in a frying-pan with three pints of sweet sallet oyl, put them in a dish, and set them before the fire, or in a warm oven; then make sauce with white wine; wine-vinegar, four or five blades of large mace, two or three slic't nutmegs, two races of slic't ginger, some twenty cloves, twice as much of whole pepper, and some salt; boil all the foresaid spices in a pipkin, with a quart of white wine, a pint of wine vinegar, rosemary, tyme, winter savory, sweet marjoram, bay leaves, sage, and parlsey, the tops of all these herbs about an inch long; then take three or four good lemons, slic't dish up the oysters in a clean scowred dish, pour on the broth, herbs, and spices on them, lay on the slic't lemons, and run it over with some of the oyl they were fried in, and serve them up hot. or fry them in clarified butter. _oysters in stoffado._ parboil a pottle or three quarts of great oysters, save the liquor and wash the oysters in warm water, then after steep them in white-wine, wine-vinegar, slic't nutmeg, large mace, whole pepper, salt, and cloves; give them a warm on the fire, set them off and let them steep two or three hours; then take them out, wipe them dry, dip them in batter made of fine flour, yolks of eggs, some cream and salt, fry them, and being fryed keep them warm, then take some of the spices liquor, some of the oysters-liquor, and some butter, beat these things up thick with the slices of an orange or two, and two or three yolks of eggs; then dish the fryed oysters in a fine clean dish on a chafing-dish of coals, run on the sauce over them with the spices, slic't orange, and barberries, and garnish the dish with searsed manchet. _to jelly oysters._ take ten flounders, two small pikes or plaice, and ounces of ising glass; being finely cleansed, boil them in a pipkin in a pottle of fair spring-water, and a pottle of white-wine, with some large mace, and slic't ginger; boil them to a jelly, and strain it through a strainer into a bason or deep dish; being cold pare off the top and bottom and put it in a pipkin, with the juyce of six or seven great lemons to a pottle of this broth, three pound of fine sugar beaten in a dish with the whites of twelve eggs rubbed all together with a rouling-pin, and put amongst the jelly, being melted, but not too hot, set the pipkin on a soft fire to stew, put in it a grain of musk, and as much ambergriece well rubbed, let it stew half an hour on the embers, then broil it up, and let it run through your jelly-bag; then stew the oysters in white wine, oyster-liquor, juyce of orange, mace, slic't nutmeg, whole pepper, some salt, and sugar; dish them in a fine clean dish with some preserved barberries, large mace, or pomegranat kernels, and run the jelly over them in the dish, garnish the dish with carved lemons, large mace, and preserved barberries. _to pickle oysters._ take eight quarts of oysters, and parboil them in their own liquor, then take them out, wash them in warm water and wipe them dry, then take the liquor they were parboil'd in, and clear it from the grounds into a large pipkin or skillet, put to it a pottle of good white-wine, a quart of wine vinegar, some large mace, whole pepper, and a good quantity of salt, set it over the fire, boil it leisurely, scum it clean, and being well boil'd put the liquor into eight barrels of a quart a piece, being cold, put in the oyster, and close up the head. _otherways._ take eight quarts of the fairest oysters that can be gotten, fresh and new, at the full of the moon, parboil them in their own liquor, then wipe them dry with a clean cloth, clear the liquor from the dregs, and put the oysters in a well season'd barrel that will but just hold them, then boil the oyster liquor with a quart of white-wine, a pint of wine-vinegar, eight or ten blades of large mace, an ounce of whole pepper, four ounces of white salt, four races of slic't ginger, and twenty cloves, boil these ingredients four or five warms, and being cold, put them to the oysters, close up the barrel, and keep it for your use. when you serve them, serve them in a fine clean dish with bay-leaves round about them, barberries, slic't lemon, and slic't orange. _to souce oysters to serve hot or cold._ take a gallon of great oysters ready opened, parboil them in their own liquor, and being well parboil'd, put them into a cullender, and save the liquor; then wash the oysters in warm water from the grounds & grit, set them by, and make a pickle for them with a pint of white-wine, & half a pint of wine vinegar, put it in a pipkin with some large mace, slic't nutmegs, slic't ginger, whole pepper, three or four cloves, and some salt, give it four or five warms and put in the oysters into the warm pickle with two slic't lemons, and lemon-peels; cover the pipkin close to keep in the spirits, spices, and liquor. _to roast oysters._ strain the liquor from the oysters, wash them very clean and give them a scald in boiling liquor or water; then cut small lard of a fat salt eel, & lard them with a very small larding-prick, spit them on a small spit for that service; then beat two or three yolks of eggs with a little grated bread, or nutmeg, salt, and a little rosemary & tyme minced very small; when the oysters are hot at the fire, baste them continually with these ingredients, laying them pretty warm at the fire. for the sauce boil a little white-wine, oyster-liquor, a sprig of tyme, grated bread, and salt, beat it up thick with butter, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. _to roast oysters otherways._ take two quarts of large great oysters, and parboil them in there own liquor, then take them out, wash them from the dregs, and wipe them dry on a clean cloth; then haue slices of a fat salt eel, as thick as a half crown peice, season the oysters with nutmeg, and salt, spit them on a fine small wooden spit for that purpose, spit first a sage leafe, then a slice of eel, and then an oyster, thus do till they be all spitted, and bind them to another spit with packthread, baste them with yolks of eggs, grated bread and stripped time, and lay them to a warm fire with here and there a clove in them; being finely roasted make sauce with the gravy, that drops from them, blow off the fat, and put to it some claret wine, the juyce of an orange, grated nutmeg, and a little butter, beat it up thick together with some of the oyster-liquor, and serve them on this sauce with slices of orange. _otherways._ take the greatest oysters you can get, being opened parboil them in their own liquor, save the liquor, & wash the oysters in some water, wipe them dry, & being cold lard them with eight or ten lardons through each oyster, the lard being first seasoned with cloves, pepper, & nutmeg, beaten very small; being larded, spit them upon two wooden scuers, bind them to an iron spit and rost them, baste them with anchove sauce made of some of the oyster-liquor, let them drip in it, and being enough bread them with the crust of a roul grated, then dish them, blow the fat off the gravy, put it to the oysters, and wring on them the juyce of a lemon. _to broil oysters._ take great oysters and set them on a gridiron with the heads downwards, put them up an end, and broil them dry, brown, and hard, then put two or three of them in a shell with some melted butter, set them on the gridiron till they be finely stewed, then dish them on a plate, and fill them up with good butter only melted, or beaten with juyce of orange, pepper them lightly, and serve them up hot. _to broil oysters otherways upon paper._ broil them on a gridiron as before, then take them out of the shells into a dish, and chuse out the fairest, then have a sheet of white paper made like a dripping pan, set it on the gridiron, and run it over with clarified butter, lay on some sage leaves, some fine thin slices of a fat fresh eel, being parboil'd, and some oysters, stew them on the hot embers, and being finely broil'd, serve them on a dish and a plate in the paper they are boil'd in, and put to them beaten butter, juyce of orange, and slices of lemon. _to broil large oysters otherways._ take a pottle of great oysters opened & parboil them in there own liquor, being done, pour them in to a cullender, and save the liquor, then wash the oysters in warm water from the grounds, wipe them with a clean cloth, beard them, and put them in a pipkin, put to them large mace, two great onions, some butter, some of their own liquor, some white-wine, wine vinegar, and salt; stew them together very well, then set some of the largest shells, on a gridiron, put or in a shell, with some of the liquor out of the pipkin, broil them on a soft fire, and being broil'd, set them on a dish and plate, and fill them up with beaten butter. sometimes you may bread them in the broiling. _to fry oysters._ take two quarts of great oysters being parboil'd in their own liquor, and washed in warm water, bread them, dry them, and flour them, fry them in clarified butter crisp and white, then have butter'd prawns or shrimps, butter'd with cream and sweet butter, lay them in the bottom of a clean dish, and lay the fryed oysters round about them, run them over with beaten butter, juyce of oranges, bay-leaves stuck round the oysters, and slices of oranges or lemons. _otherways._ strain the liquor from the oysters, wash them, and parboil them in a kettle, then dry them and roul them in flour, or make a batter with eggs, flour, a little cream, and salt, roul them in it, and fry them in butter. for the sauce, boil the juyce of two or three oranges, some of their own liquor, a slic't nutmeg, and claret; being boil'd a little, put in a piece of butter, beating it up thick, then warm the dish, rub it with a clove of garlick, dish the oysters, and garnish them with slices of orange. _to bake oysters._ parboil your oysters in their own liquor, then take them out and wash them in warm water from the dregs dry them and season them with pepper, nutmeg, yolks of hard eggs, and salt; the pye being made, put a few currans in the bottom, and lay on the oysters, with some slic't dates in halves, some large mace, slic't lemon, barberries and butter, close it up and bake it, then liquor it with white-wine, sugar, and butter; or in place of white-wine, use verjuyce. [illustration: _the forms of oyster pyes._] _to bake oysters otherways._ season them with pepper, salt, and nutmegs, the same quantity as beforesaid, and the same quantity oysters, two or three whole onions, neither currans nor sugar, but add to it in all respects else; as slic't nutmeg on them, large mace, hard eggs in halves, barberries, and butter, liquor it with beaten nutmeg, white-wine, and juyce of oranges. otherways, for change, in the seasoning put to them chopped tyme, hard eggs, some anchoves, and the foresaid spices. or bake them in florentines, or patty-pans, and give them the same seasoning as you do the pies. or take large oysters, broil them dry and brown in the shells, and season them with former spices, bottoms of boil'd artichocks, pickled mushrooms, and no onions, but all things else as the former, liquor them with beaten butter, juyce of orange, and some claret wine. _otherways._ being parboil'd in their own liquor, season them with a little salt, sweet herbs minced small one spoonful, fill the pie, and put into it three or four blades of large mace, a slic't lemon, and on flesh days a good handful of marrow rouled in yolks of eggs and butter, close it up and bake it, make liquor for it with two nutmegs grated, a little pepper, butter, verjuyce, and sugar. _to make an oyster pye otherways._ take a pottle of oysters, being parboil'd in their own liquor, beard and dry them, then season them with large mace, whole pepper, a little beaten ginger, salt, butter, and marrow, then close it up and bake it, and being baked, make a lear with white wine the oyster liquor, and one onion, or rub the ladle with garlick you beat it up with all; it being boil'd, put in a pound of butter, with a minced lemon, a faggot of sweet herbs, and being boil'd put in the liquor. _to make minced pies or chewits of oysters._ take three quarts of great oysters ready opened and parboil'd in their own liquor, then wash them in warm water from the dregs, dry them and mince them very fine, season them lightly with nutmeg, pepper, salt, cloves, mace, cinamon, caraway-seed, some minced, rasins of the sun, slic't dates, sugar, currans, and half a pint of white wine, mingle all together, and put butter in the bottoms of the pies, fill them up and bake them. _to bake oysters otherways._ season them with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and sweet herbs strowed on them in the pie, large mace, barberries, butter, and a whole onion or two, for liquor a little white wine, and wine-vinegar, beat it up thick with butter, and liquor the pie, cut it up, and lay on a slic't lemon, let not the lemon boil in it, and serve it hot. _otherways._ season them as before with pepper, nutmeg, and salt, being bearded, but first fry them in clarified butter, then take them up and season them, lay them in the pie being cold, put butter to them and large mace, close it up and bake it; then make liquor with a little claret wine and juyce of oranges, beat it thick with butter, and a little wine vinegar, liquor the pie, lay on some slices of orange, and set it again into the oven a little while. _to bake oysters otherways._ take great oysters, beard them, and season them with grated nutmeg, salt, and some sweet herbs minc'd small, lay them in the pye with a small quantity of the sweet herbs strowed on them, some twenty whole corns of pepper, slic't ginger, a whole onion or two, large mace, and some butter, close it up and bake it, and make liquor with white-wine, some of their own liquor, and a minced lemon, and beat it up thick. _otherways._ broil great oysters dry in the shells, then take them out, and season them with great nutmeg, pepper, and salt, lay them in the pye, and strow on them the yolks of two hard eggs minced, some stripp'd tyme, some capers, large mace, and butter; close it up, and make liquor with claret wine, wine vinegar, butter, and juyce of oranges, and beat it up thick, and liquor the pye, set it again into the oven a little while, and serve it hot. _to make a made dish of oysters and other compounds._ take oysters, cockles, prawns, craw-fish, and shrimps, being finely cleans'd from the grit, season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, next have chesnuts roasted, and blanch't, skerrets boil'd, blanched and seasoned; then have a dish or patty-pan ready with a sheet of cool butter paste, lay some butter on it, then the fishes, and on them the skirrets, chesnuts, pistaches, slic't lemon, large mace, barberries, and butter; close it up and bake it, and being baked, fill it up with beaten butter, beat with juyce of oranges, and some white-wine, or beaten butter with a little wine-vinegar, verjuyce, or juyce of green grapes, or a little good fresh fish broth, cut it up and liquor it, lay on the cover or cut it into four or five pieces, lay it round the dish, and serve it hot. _to make cool butter-paste for this dish._ take to every peck of flour five pound of butter, and the whites of six eggs, work it well together dry, then put cold water to it; this paste is good only for patty-pans and pasties. _to make paste for oyster-pies._ the paste for thin bak't meats must be made with boiling liquor, put to every peck of flour two pound of butter, but let the butter boil in the liquor first. _to fry mushrooms._ blanch them & wash them clean if they be large, quarter them, and boil them with water, salt, vinegar, sweet herbs, large mace, cloves, bay-leaves, and two or three cloves of garlick, then take them up, dry them, dip them in batter and fry them in clarifi'd butter till they be brown, make sauce for them with claret-wine, the juice of two or three oranges, salt, butter, the juyce of horse-raddish roots beaten and strained, slic't nutmeg, and pepper; put these into a frying pan with the yolks of two or eggs dissolved with some mutton gravy, beat and shake them well together in the pan that they curdle not; then dish the mushrooms on a dish, being first rubbed with a clove of garlick, and garnish it with oranges, and lemons. _to dress mushrooms in the italian fashion._ take mushrooms, peel & wash them, and boil them in a skillet with water and salt, but first let the liquor boil with sweet herbs, parsley, and a crust of bread, being boil'd, drain them from the water, and fry them in sweet sallet oyl; being fried serve them in a dish with oyl, vinegar, pepper, and fryed parsley. or fry them in clarified butter. _to stew mushrooms._ peel them, and put them in a clean dish, strow salt on them, and put an onion to them, some sweet herbs, large mace, pepper, butter, salt, and two or three cloves, being tender stewed on a soft fire, put to them some grated bread, and a little white wine, stew them a little more and dish them (but first rub the dish with a clove of garlick) sippet them, lay slic't orange on them, and run them over with beaten butter. _to stew mushrooms otherways._ take them fresh gathered, and cut off the end of the stalk, and as you peel them put them in a dish with white wine; after they have laid half an hour, drain them from the wine, and put them between silver dishes, and set them on a soft fire without any liquor, & when they have stewed a while pour away the liquor that comes from them; then put your mushrooms into another clean dish with a sprig of time, a whole onion, or five corns of whole pepper, two or three cloves, a piece of an orange, a little salt, and a piece of good butter, & some pure gravy of mutton, cover them, and set them on a gentle fire, so let them stew softly till they be enough and very tender; when you dish them, blow off the fat from them, and take out the time, spice, and orange from them, then wring in the juyce of a lemon, and a little nutmeg among the mushrooms, toss them two or three times, and put them in a clean dish, and serve them hot to the table. _to dress champignions in fricase, or mushrooms, which is all one thing; they are called also fungi, commonly in english toad stools._ dress your champignions, as in the foregoing chapter, and being stewed put away the liquor, put them into a frying-pan with a piece of butter, some tyme, sweet marjoram, and a piece of an onion minced all together very fine, with a little salt also and beaten pepper, and fry them, and being finely fried, make a lear or sauce with three or four eggs dissolved with some claret-wine, and the juyce of two or three oranges, grated nutmeg, and the gravy of a leg of mutton, and shake them together in a pan with two or three tosses, dish them, and garnish the dish with orange and lemon, and rub the dish first with a clove of garlick, or none. _to broil mushrooms._ take the biggest and the reddest, peel them, and season them with some sweet herbs, pepper, and salt, broil them on a dripping-pan of paper, and fill it full, put some oyl into it, and lay it on a gridiron, boil it on a soft fire, turn them often, and serve them with oyl and vinegar. or broil them with butter, and serve them with beaten butter, and juyce of orange. _to stew cockles being taken out of the shells._ wash them well with vinegar, broil or broth them before you take them out of the shells, then put them in a dish with a little claret, vinegar, a handful of capers, mace, pepper, a little grated bread, minced tyme, salt, and the yolks of two or three hard eggs minced, stew all together till you think them enough; then put in a good piece of butter, shake them well together, heat the dish, rub it with a clove of garlick, and put two or three toasts of white bread in the bottom, laying the meat on them. craw-fish, prawns, or shrimps, are excellent good the same way being taken out of their shells, and make variety of garnish with the shells. _to stew cockles otherways._ stew them with claret wine, capers, rose or elder vinegar, wine vinegar, large mace, gross pepper, grated bread, minced tyme, the yolks of hard eggs minced, and butter: stew them well together. thus you may stew scollops, but leave out capers. _to stew scollops._ boil them very well in white wine, fair water, and salt, take them out of the shells, and stew them with some of the liquor elder vinegar, two or three cloves, some large mace, and some sweet herbs chopped small; being well stewed together, dish four or five of them in scollop shells and beaten butter, with the juyce of two or three oranges. _to stew muscles._ wash them clean, and boil them in water, or beer and salt; then take them out of the shells, and beard them from gravel and stones, fry them in clarified butter, and being fryed put away some of the butter, and put to them a sauce made of some of their own liquor, some sweet herbs chopped, a little white-wine, nutmeg, three or four yolks of eggs dissolved in wine vinegar, salt, and some sliced orange; give these materials a warm or two in the frying-pan, make the sauce pretty thick, and dish them in the scollop shells. _to fry muscles._ take as much water as will cover them, set it a boiling, and when it boils put in the muscles, being clean washed, put some salt to them, and being boil'd take them out of the shells, and beard them from the stones, moss, and gravel, wash them in warm water, wipe them dry, flour them and fry them crisp, serve them with beaten butter, juyce of orange, and fryed parsley, or fryed sage dipped in batter, fryed ellicksander leaves, and slic't orange. _to make a muscle pye._ take a peck of muscles, wash them clean, and set them a boiling in a kettle of fair water, (but first let the water boil) then put them into it, give them a warm, and as soon as they are opened, take them out of the shells, stone them, and mince them with some sweet herbs, some leeks, pepper, and nutmeg; mince six hard eggs and put to them, put some butter in the pye, close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with some butter, white wine, and slices of orange. _to stew prawns, shrimps, or craw-fish._ being boil'd and picked, stew them in white wine, sweet butter, nutmeg, and salt, dish them in scollop shells, and run them over with beaten butter, and juyce of orange or lemon. otherways, stew them in butter and cream, and serve them in scollop shells. _to stew lobsters._ take claret-wine vinegar, nutmeg, salt, and butter, stew them down some what dry, and dish them in a scollop-shell, run them over with butter and slic't lemon. otherways, cut it into dice-work, and warm it with white-wine and butter, put it in a pipkin with claret wine or grape verjuyce, and grated manchet, and fill the scollop-shells. _otherways._ being boil'd, take out the meat, break it small, but break the shells as little as you can, then put the meat into a pipkin with claret-wine, wine-vinegar, slic't nutmeg, a little salt, and some butter; stew all these together softly an hour, being stewed almost dry, put to it a little more butter, and stir it well together; then lay very thin toasts in a clean dish, and lay the meat on them. or you may put the meat in the shells, and garnish the dish about with the legs, and lay the body or barrel over the meat with some sliced lemon, and rare coloured flowers being in summer, or pickled in winter. crabs are good the same way, only add to them the juyce of two or three oranges, a little pepper, and grated bread. _to stew lobsters otherways._ take the meat out of the shells, slice it, and fry it in clarified butter, (the lobsters being first boil'd and cold), then put the meat in a pipkin with some claret wine, some good sweet butter, grated nutmeg, salt, and or three slices of an orange; let it stew leisurely half an hour, and dish it up on fine carved sippets in a clean dish, with sliced orange on it, and the juyce of another, and run it over with beaten butter. _to hash lobsters._ take them out of the shells, mince them small, and put them in a pipkin with some claret wine, salt, sweet butter, grated nutmeg, slic't oranges, & some pistaches; being finely stewed, serve them on sippets, dish them, and run them over with beaten butter, slic't oranges, some cuts of paste, or lozenges of puff-paste. _to boil lobsters to eat cold the common way._ take them alive or dead, lay them in cold water to make the claws tuff, and keep them from breaking off; then have a kettle over the fire with fair water, put in it as much bay-salt, as will make it a good strong brine, when it boils scum it, and put in the lobsters, let them boil leisurely the space of half an hour or more according to the bigness of them, being well boil'd take them up, wash them, and then wipe them with beer and butter; and keep them for your use. _to keep lobsters a quarter of a year very good._ take them being boil'd as aforesaid, wrap them in course rags having been steeped in brine, and bury them in a cellar in some sea-sand pretty deep. _to farce a lobster._ take a lobster being half boil'd, take the meat out of the shells, and mince it small with a good fresh eel, season it with cloves & mace beaten, some sweet herbs minced small and mingled amongst the meat, yolks of eggs, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, and sometimes boil'd artichocks cut into dice-work, or boil'd aspragus, and some almond-paste mingled with the rest, fill the lobster shells, claws, tail, and body, and bake it in a blote oven, make sauce with the gravy and whitewine, and beat up the sauce or lear with good sweet butter, a grated nutmeg, juyce of oranges, and an anchove, and rub the dish with a clove of garlick. to this farcing you may sometime add almond paste currans, sugar, gooseberries, and make balls to lay about the lobsters, or serve it with venison sauce. _to marinate lobsters._ take lobsters out of the shells being half boil'd, then take the tails and lard them with a salt eel (or not lard them) part the tails into two halves the longest way, and fry them in sweet sallet oyl, or clarified butter; being finely fryed, put them into a dish or pipkin, and set them by; then make sauce with white wine, and white wine vinegar, four or five blades of large mace, three or four slic't nutmegs, two races of ginger slic't, some ten or twelve cloves twice as much of whole pepper, and salt, boil them altogether with rosemary, tyme, winter-savory, sweet marjoram, bay-leaves, sage, and parsley, the tops of all these herbs about an inch long; then take three or four lemons and slice them, dish up the lobsters on a clean dish, and pour the broth, herbs and spices on the fish, lay on the lemons, run it over with some of the oyl or butter they were fryed in, and serve them up hot. _to broil lobsters._ being boil'd lay them on a gridiron, or toast them against the fire, and baste them with vinegar and butter, or butter only, broil them leisurely, and being broil'd serve them with butter and vinegar beat up thick with slic't lemon and nutmeg. _otherways._ broil them, the tail being parted in two halves long ways, also the claws cracked and broil'd; broil the barrel whole being salted, baste it with sweet herbs, as tyme, rosemary, parsley, and savory, being broil'd dish it, and serve it with butter and vinegar. _to broil lobsters on paper._ slice the tails round, and also the claws in long slices, then butter a dripping-pan made of the paper, lay it on a gridiron, and put some slices of lobster seasoned with nutmeg and salt, and slices of a fresh eel, some sageleaves, tops of rosemary, two or three cloves, and sometimes some bay-leaves or sweet herbs chopped; broil them on the embers, and being finely broil'd serve them on a dish and a plate in the same dripping-pan, put to them beaten butter, juyce of oranges, and slices of lemon. _to roast lobsters._ take a lobster and spit it raw on a small spit, bind the claws and tail with packthred, baste it with butter, vinegar, and sprigs of rosemary, and salt it in the roasting. _otherways._ half boil them, take them out of the shells, and lard them with small lard made of a salt eel, lard the claws and tails, and spit the meat on a small spit, with some slices of the eel, and sage or bay leaves between, stick in the fish here and there a clove or two, and some sprigs of rosemary; roast the barrel of the lobsters whole, and baste them with sweet butter, make sauce with claret wine, the gravy of the lobsters, juyce of oranges, an anchove or two, and sweet butter beat up thick with the core of a lemon, and grated nutmeg. _otherways._ half boil them, and take the meat out of the tail, and claws as whole as can be, & stick it with cloves and tops of rosemary; then spit the barrels of the lobsters by themselves, the tails and claws by themselves, and between them a sage or bay-leaf; baste them with sweet butter, and dredg them with grated bread, yolks of eggs, and some grated nutmeg. then make sauce with claret wine, vinegar, pepper, the gravy of the meat, some salt, slices of oranges, grated nutmeg, and some beaten butter; then dish the barrels of the lobsters round the dish, the claws and tails in the middle, and put to it the sauce. _otherways._ make a farcing in the barrels of the lobsters with the meat in them, some almond-paste, nutmeg, tyme, sweet marjoram, yolks of raw eggs, salt, and some pistaches, and serve them with venison sauce. _to fry lobsters._ being boil'd take the meat out of the shells, and slice it long ways, flour it, and fry it in clarified butter, fine, white, and crisp; or in place of flouring it in batter, with eggs, flour, salt, and cream, roul them in it and fry them, being fryed make a sauce with the juyce of oranges, claret wine, and grated nutmeg, beaten up thick with some good sweet butter, then warm the dish and rub it with a clove of garlick, dish the lobsters, garnish it with slices of oranges or lemons, and pour on the sauce. _to bake lobsters to be eaten hot._ being boil'd and cold, take the meat out of the shells, and season it lightly with nutmeg, pepper, salt, cinamon, and ginger; then lay it in a pye made according to the following form, and lay on it some dates in halves, large mace, slic't lemons, barberries, yolks of hard eggs and butter, close it up and bake it, and being baked liquor it with white-wine, butter, and sugar, and ice it. on flesh days put marrow to it. _otherways._ take the meat out of the shells being boil'd and cold, and lard it with a salt eel or salt salmon, seasoning it with beaten nutmeg, pepper, and salt; then make the pye, put some butter in the bottom, and lay on it some slices of a fresh eel, and on that a layer of lobsters, put to it a few whole cloves, and thus make two or three layers, last of all slices of fresh eel, some whole cloves and butter, close up the pye, and being baked, fill it up with clarified butter. if you bake it these ways to eat hot, season it lightly, and put in some large mace; liquor it with claret wine, beaten butter, and slices of orange. _otherways._ take four lobsters being boil'd, and some good fat conger raw, cut some of it into square pieces as broad as your hand, then take the meat of the lobsters, and slice the tails in two halves or two pieces long wayes, as also the claws, season both with pepper, nutmeg and salt then make the pie, put butter in the bottom, lay on the slices, of conger, and then a layer of lobsters; thus do three or four times till the pie be full, then lay on a few whole cloves, and some butter; close it up and bake it, being baked liquor it with butter and white-wine, or only clarified butter. make your pyes according to these forms. if to eat hot season it lightly, and being baked liquor it with butter, white-wine, slic't lemon, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries. _to pickle lobsters._ boil them in vinegar, white-wine, and salt, being boiled take them up and lay them by, then have some bay-leaves, rosemary tops, winter-savory, tyme, large mace, and whole pepper: boil these foresaid materials all together in the liquor with the lobsters, and some whole cloves; being boil'd, barrel them up in a vessel that will but just contain them, and pack them close, pour the liquor to them, herbs spices, and some lemon peels, close up the head of the kegg or firkin; and keep them for your use; when you serve them, serve them with spices, herbs, peels, and some of the liquor or pickle. _to jelly lobsters, craw-fish, or prawns._ take a tench being new, draw out the garnish at the gills, and cut out all the gills, it will boil the whiter, then set on as much clear water aswil conveniently boil it, season it with salt, wine-vinegar, five or six bay-leaves large mace, three or four whole cloves, and a faggot of sweet herbs bound up hard together: so soon as this preparative boils, put in the tench being clean wiped, do not scale it, being boil'd take it up and wash off all the loose scales, then strain the liquor through a jelly-bag, and put to it a piece of ising-glass being first washed and steeped for the purpose, boil it very cleanly, and run it through a jelly-bag; then having the fish taken out of the shells, lay them in a large clean dish, lay the lobsters in slices, and the craw fish and prawns whole, and run this jelly over them. you may make this jelly of divers colours, as you may see in the section of jellies, page . garnish the dish of jellies with lemon-peels cut in branches, long slices as you fancy, barberries, and fine coloured flowers. or lard the lobsters with salt eel, or stick it with candied oranges, green citterns, or preserved barberries, and make the jelly sweet. _to stew crabs._ being boil'd take the meat out of the bodies or barrels, and save the great claws, and the small legs whole to garnish the dish, strain the meat with some claret wine, grated bread, wine-vinegar, nutmeg, a little salt, and a piece of butter; stew them together an hour on a soft fire in a pipkin, and being stewed almost dry, put in some beaten butter with juyce of oranges beaten up thick; then dish the shells being washed and finely cleansed, the claws and little legs round about them, put the meat into the shells, and so serve them. sometimes you may use yolks of eggs strained with butter. _to stew crabs otherways._ being boil'd take the meat out of the shells, and put it in a pipkin with some claret wine, and wine vinegar, minced tyme, pepper, grated bread, salt, the yolks of two or three hard eggs strained or minced very small, some sweet butter, capers, and some large mace; stew it finely, rub the shells with a clove or two of garlick, and dish them as is shown before. _otherways._ take the meat out of the bodies, and put it in a pipkin with some cinamon, wine vinegar, butter, and beaten ginger, stew them and serve them as the former, dished with the legs about them. sometimes you may add sugar to them, parboil'd grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, and in place of vinegar, juyce of oranges, and run them over with beaten butter. _to butter crabs._ the crabs being boil'd, take the meat out of the bodies, and strain it with the yolks of three or four hard eggs, beaten cinamon, sugar, claret-wine, and wine-vinegar, stew the meat in a pipkin with some good sweet butter the space of a quarter of an hour, and serve them as the former. _otherways._ being boil'd, take the meat out of the shells, as also out of the great claws, cut it into dice-work, & put both the meats into a pipkin, together with some white wine, juyce of oranges, nutmeg, and some slices of oranges, stew it two or three warms on the fire, and the shells being finely cleansed and dried, put the meat into them, and lay the legs round about them in a clean dish. _to make a hash of crabs._ take two crabs being boil'd, take out the meat of the claws, and cut it into dice-work, mix it with the meat of the body, then have some pine-apple seed, and some pistaches or artichock-bottoms, boil'd, blanched, and cut into dice-work, or some asparagus boil'd and cut half an inch long; stew all these together with some claret wine, vinegar, grated nutmeg, salt, sweet butter, and the slices of an orange; being finely stewed, dish it on sippets, cuts, or lozenges of puff paste, and garnish it with fritters of arms, slic't lemon carved, barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, and run it over with beaten butter, and yolks of eggs beaten up thick together. _to farce a crab._ take a boil'd crab, take the meat out of the shell, and mince the claws with a good fresh eel, season it with cloves, mace, some sweet herbs chopped, and salt, mingle all together with some yolks of eggs, some grapes, gooseberries, or barberres, and sometimes boil'd artichocks in dice-work, or boil'd asparagus, some almond-paste, the meat of the body of the crab, and some grated bread, fill the shells with this compound, & make some into balls, bake them in a dish with some butter and white wine in a soft oven; being baked, serve them in a clean dish with a sauce made of beaten butter, large mace, scalded grapes, gooseberries, or barberries, or some slic't orange or lemon and some yolks of raw eggs dissolved with some white-wine or claret, and beat up thick with butter; brew it well together, pour it on the fish, and lay on some slic't lemon, stick the balls with some pistaches, slic't almonds, pine-apple-seed, or some pretty cuts in paste. _to broil crabs in oyl or butter._ take crabs being boil'd in water and salt, steep them in oyl and vinegar, and broil them on a gridiron on a soft fire of embers, in the broiling baste them with some rosemary branches, and being broil'd serve them with the sauces they were boil'd with, oyl and vinegar, or beaten butter, vinegar, and the rosemary branches they were basted with. _to fry crabs._ take the meat out of the great claws being first boiled, flour and fry them, and take the meat out of the body strain half of it for sauce, and the other half to fry, and mix it with grated bread, almond paste, nutmeg, salt, and yolks of eggs, fry it in clarified butter, being first dipped in batter, put in a spoonful at a time; then make sauce with wine-vinegar, butter, or juyce of orange, and grated nutmeg, beat up the butter thick, and put some of the meat that was strained into the sauce, warm it and put it in a clean dish, lay the meat on the sauce, slices of orange over all, and run it over with beaten butter, fryed parsley, round the dish brim, and the little legs round the meat. _otherways._ being boil'd and cold, take the meat out of the claws, flour and fry them, then take the meat out of the body, butter it with butter vinegar, and pepper, and put it in a clean dish, put the fryed crab round about it, and run it over with beaten butter, juyce and slices of orange, and lay on it sage leaves fryed in batter, or fryed parsley. _to bake crabs in pye, dish, or patty pan._ take four or five crabs being boil'd, take the meat out of the shell and claws as whole as you can, season it with nutmeg and salt lightly; then strain the meat that came out of the body, shells, with a little claret-wine, some cinamon, ginger, juyce of orange and butter, make the pie, dish, or patty pan, lay butter in the bottom, then the meat of the claws, some pistaches, asparagus, some bottoms of artichocks, yolks of hard eggs, large mace, grapes, gooseberries or barberries, dates of slic't orange, and butter, close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with the meat out of the body. _otherways._ mince them with a tench or fresh eel, and season it with sweet herbs minced small, beaten nutmeg, pepper, and salt, lightly season, and mingle the meat that was in the bodies of the crabs with the other seasoned fishes; mingle also with this foresaid meat some boil'd or roasted chesnuts, or artichocks, asparagus boil'd and cut an inch long, pistaches, or pine-apple-seed, and grapes, gooseberries or barberries, fill the pie, dish, or patty-pan, close it up and bake it, being baked, liquor it with juyce of oranges, some claret wine, good butter beat up thick, and the yolks of two or three eggs; fill up the pie, lay slices of an orange on it and stick in some lozenges of puff-paste, or branches of short paste. _to make minced pies of a crab._ being boil'd, mince the legs, and strain the meat in the body with two or three yolks of eggs, mince also some sweet herbs and put to it some almond-paste or grated bread, a minced onion, some fat eel cut like little dice, or some fat belly of salmon; mingle it all together, and put it in a pie made according to this form, season it with nutmeg, pepper, salt, currans, and barberries, grapes, or gooseberries, mingle also some butter, and fill your pie, bake it, and being baked, liquor it with beaten butter and white wine. or with butter, sugar, cinamon, sweet herbs chopped, and verjuyce. _to dress tortoise._ cast off the head, feet, and tail, and boil it in water, wine, and salt, being boil'd, pull the shell asunder, and pick the meat from the skins, and the gall from the liver, save the eggswhole if a female, and stew the eggs, meat and liver in a dish with some grated nutmeg, a little sweet herbs minced small, and some sweet butter, stew it up, and serve it on fine sippets, cover the meat with the upper shell of the tortoise, and slices or juyce of orange. or stew them in a pipkin with some butter, whitewine some of the broth, a whole onion or two, tyme, parsley, winter savory, and rosemary minc't, being finely stewed serve them on sippets, or put them in the shells, being cleansed; or make a fricase in a frying-pan with or four yolks of eggs and some of the shells amongst them, and dress them as aforesaid. _to dress snails._ take shell snails, and having water boil'd, put them in, then pick them out of the shells with a great pin into a bason, cast salt to them, scour the slime from them, and after wash them in two or three waters; being clean scowred, dry them with a clean cloth; then have rosemary, tyme, parsley, winter-savory, and pepper very small, put them into a deep bason or pipkin, put to them some salt, and good sallet oyl, mingle all together, then have the shells finely cleansed, fill them, and set them on a gridiron, broil them upon the embers softly, and being broil'd, dish four or five dozen in a dish, fill them up with oyl, and serve them hot. _to stew snails._ being well scowred and cleansed as aforesaid, put to them some claret wine and vinegar, a handful of capers, mace, pepper, grated bread, a little minced tyme, salt, and the yolks of two or hard eggs minced; let all these stew together till you think it be enough, then put in a good piece of butter, shaking it together, heat the dish, and rub it with a clove of garlick, put them on fine sippets of french bread, pour on the snails, and some barberries, or slic't lemons. _otherways._ being cleansed, fry them in oyl or clarified butter, with some slices of a fresh eel, and some fried sage leaves; stew them in a pipkin with some white-wine, butter, and pepper, and serve them on sippets with beaten butter, and juyce of oranges. _otherways._ being finely boil'd and cleansed, fry them in clarified butter; being fryed take them up, and put them in a pipkin, put to them some sweet butter chopped parsley, white or claret wine, some grated nutmeg, slices of orange, and a little salt; stew them well together, serve them on sippets; and then run them over with beaten butter, and slices of oranges. _to fry snails._ take shell snails in _january_, _february_, or, _march_, when they be closed up, boil them in a skillet of boiling water, and when they be tender boil'd, take them out of the shell with a pin, cleanse them from the slime, flour them, and fry them; being fryed, serve them in a clean dish, with butter, vinegar, fryed parsley, fryed onions, or ellicksander leaves fryed, or served with beaten butter, and juyce of orange, or oyl, vinegar, and slic't lemon. _otherways._ fry them in oyl and butter, being finely cleansed, and serve them with butter, vinegar, and pepper, or oyl, vinegar, and pepper. _to make a hash of snails._ being boil'd and cleansed, mince them small, put them in a pipkin with some sweet herbs minced, the yolks of hard eggs, some whole capers, nutmeg, pepper, salt, some pistaches, and butter, or oyl; being stewed the space of half an hour on a soft fire; then have some fried toasts of french bread, lay some in the bottom, and some round the meat in the dish. _to dress snails in a pottage._ wash them very well in many waters, then put them in an earthen pan, or a wide dish, put as much water as will cover them, and set your dish on some caols; when they boil take them out of the shells, and scowr them with water and salt three or four times, then put them in a pipkin with water and salt, and let them boil a little, then take them out of the water, and put them in a dish with some excellent sallet oyl; when the oyl boils put in three or four slic't onions, and fry them, put the snails to them, and stew them well together, then put the oyl snails and onions all together in a pipkin of a fit size for them, and put as much warm water to them as will make a pottage, with some salt, and so let them stew three or four hours, then mince tyme, parsley, pennyroyal, and the like herbs; when they are minced, beat them to green sauce in a mortar, put in some crumbs of bread soakt with that broth or pottage, some saffron and beaten cloves; put all in to the snails, and give them a warm or , and when you serve them up, squeeze in the juyce of a lemon, put in a little vinegar, and a clove of garlick amongst the herbs, and beat them in it; serve them up in a dish with sippets in the bottom of it. this pottage is very nourishing, and excellent good against a consumption. _to bake snails._ being boil'd and scowred, season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, put them into a pie with some marrow, large mace, a raw chicken cut in pieces, some little bits of lard and bacon, the bones out, sweet herbs chopped, slic't lemon, or orange and butter; being full, close it up and bake it, and liquor it with butter and white-wine. _to bake frogs._ being flayed, take the hind legs, cut off the feet, and season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, put them in a pye with some sweet herbs chopped small, large mace, slic't lemon, gooseberries, grapes, or barberries, pieces of skirrets, artichocks, potatoes, or parsnips, and marrow; close it up and bake it; being baked, liquor it with butter, and juyce of orange, or grape-verjuyce. * * * * * * * * * section xx. _to make all manner of pottages for fish-days._ _french barley pottage._ cleanse the barley from dust, and put it in boiling milk, being boil'd down, put in large mace, cream, sugar, and a little salt, boil it pretty thick, then serve it in a dish, scrape sugar on it, and trim the dish sides. _otherways._ boil it in fair water, scum it, and being almost boil'd, put to it some saffron, or disolved yolks of eggs. _to make gruel pottage the best way for service._ pick your oatmeal, and boil it whole on a stewing fire; being tender boil'd, strain it through a strainer, then put it into a clean pipkin with fair boiling water, make it pretty thick of the strained oatmeal, and put to it some picked raisins of the sun well washed, some large mace, salt, and a little bundle of sweet herbs, with a little rose-water and saffron; set it a stewing on a fire of charcoal, boil it with sugar till the fruit be well allom'd, then put to it butter and the yolks of three or four eggs strained. _otherways._ good herbs and oatmel chopped, put them into boiling liquor in a pipkin, pot, or skillet, with some salt, and being boil'd put to it butter. _otherways._ with a bundle of sweet herbs and oatmeal chopped, some onions and salt, seasoned as before with butter. _to make furmety._ take wheat and wet it, then beat it in a sack with a wash beetle, being finely hulled and cleansed from the dust and hulls, boil it over night, and let it soak on a soft fire all night; then next morning take as much as will serve the turn, put it in a pipkin, pan, or skillet, and put it a boiling in cream or milk, with mace, salt, whole cinamon, and saffron, or yolks of eggs, boil it thick and serve it in a clean scowred dish, scrape on sugar, and trim the dish. _to make rice pottage._ pick the rice and dust it clean, then wash it, and boil it in water or milk; being boil'd down, put to it some cream, large mace, whole cinamon, salt, and sugar; boil it on a soft stewing fire, and serve it in a fair deep dish, or a standing silver piece. _otherways._ boil'd rice strained with almond milk, and seasoned as the former. _milk pottage._ boil whole oatmel, being cleanly picked, boil it in a pipkin or pot, but first let the water boil; being well boil'd and tender, put in milk or cream, with salt, and fresh butter, _&c._ _ellicksander pottage._ chop ellicksanders and oatmeal together, being picked and washed, then set on a pipkin with fair water, and when it boils, put in your herbs, oatmeal, and salt, boil it on a soft fire, and make it not too thick, being almost boil'd put in some butter. _pease pottage._ take green pease being shelled and cleansed, put them in a pipkin of fair boiling water; when they be boil'd and tender, take and strain some of them, and thicken the rest, put to them a bundle of sweet herbs, or sweet herbs chopped, salt, and butter; being through boil'd dish them, and serve them in a deep clean dish with salt and sippets about them. _otherways._ put them into a pipkin or skillet of boiling milk or cream, put to them two or three sprigs of mint, and salt; being fine and tender boil'd, thick them with a little milk and flour. _dry or old pease pottage._ take the choicest pease, (that some call seed way pease) commonly they be a little worm eaten, (those are the best boiling pease) pick and wash them, and put them in boiling liquor in a pot or pipkin; being tender boil'd take out some of them, strain them, and set them by for your use; then season the rest with salt, a bundle of mint and butter, let them stew leisurely, and put to them some pepper. _strained pease pottage._ take the former strained pease-pottage, put to them salt, large mace, a bundle of sweet herbs, and some pickled capers; stew them well together, then serve them in a deep dish clean scowred, with thin slices of bread in the bottom, and graced manchet to garnish it. _an excellent stewed broth for fish-day._ set a boiling some fair water in a pipkin, then strain some oatmeal and put to it, with large mace, whole cinamon, salt, a bundle of sweet herbs, some strained and whole prunes, and some raisins of the sun; being well stewed on a soft fire, and pretty thick, put in some claret-wine and sugar, serve it in a clear scowred deep dish or standing piece, and scrape on sugar. _onion pottage._ fry good store of slic't onions, then have a pipkin of boiling liquor over the fire, when the liquor boils put in the fryed onions, butter and all, with pepper and salt; being well stewed together, serve it on sops of french bread or pine-molet. _almond pottage._ take a pound of almond-paste, and strain it with some new milk; then have a pottle of cream boiling in a pipkin or skillet, put in the milk; and almonds with some mace, salt, and sugar; serve it in a clean dish on sippets of french bread, and scrape on sugar. _otherways._ strain them with fair water, and boil them with mace, salt, and sugar, (or none) add two or three yolks of eggs dissolved, or saffron; and serve it as before. _almond caudle._ strain half a pound of almonds being blanched and stamped, strain them with a pint of good ale, then boil it with slices of fine manchet, large mace, and sugar; being almost boil'd put in three or four spoonfuls of sack. _oatmeal caudle._ boil ale, scum it, and put in strained oatmeal, mace, sugar, and diced bread, boil it well, and put in two or three spoonfuls of sack, white-wine or claret. _egg caudle._ boil ale or beer, scum it, and put to it two or three blades of large mace, some sliced manchet and sugar; then dissolve four or five yolks of eggs with some sack, claret or white-wine, and put it into the rest with a little grated nutmeg; give it a warm, and serve it. _sugar, or honey sops._ boil beer or ale, scum it, and put to it slices of fine manchet, large mace, sugar, or honey; sometimes currans, and boil all well together. _to make an alebury._ boil beer or ale, scum it, and put in some mace, and a bottom of a manchet, boil it well, then put in some sugar. _buttered beer._ take beer or ale and boil it, then scum it, and put to it some liquorish and anniseeds, boil them well together; then have in a clean flaggon or quart pot some yolks of eggs well beaten with some of the foresaid beer, and some good butter; strain your butter'd beer, put it in the flaggon, and brew it with the butter and eggs. _buttered beer or ale otherways._ boil beer or ale and scum it, then have six eggs, whites and all, and beat them in a flaggon or quart pot with the shells, some butter, sugar, and nutmeg, put them together, and being well brewed, drink it when you go to bed. _otherways._ take three pints of beer or ale, put five yolks of eggs to it, strain them together, and set it in a pewter pot to the fire, put to it half a pound of sugar, a penniworth of beaten nutmeg, as much beaten cloves, half an ounce of beaten ginger, and bread it. _panado's._ boil fair water in a skillet, put to it grated bread or cakes, good store of currans, mace and whole cinamon: being almost boil'd and indifferent thick, put in some sack or white wine, sugar, some strained yolks of eggs. otherways with slic't bread, water, currans, and mace, and being well boil'd, put to it some sugar, white-wine, and butter. _to make a compound posset of sack, claret, white-wine, ale, beer, or juyce of oranges,_ &c. take twenty yolks of eggs with a little cream, strain them, and set them by; then have a clean scowred skillet, and put into it a pottle of good sweet cream, and a good quantity of whole cinamon, set it a boiling on a soft charcoal fire, and stir it continually; the cream having a good taste of the cinamon, put in the strained eggs and cream into your skillet, stir them together, and give them a warm, then have some sack in a deep bason or posset-pot, good store of fine sugar, and some sliced nutmeg; the sack and sugar being warm, take out the cinamon, and pour your eggs and cream very high in to the bason, that it may spatter in it, then strow on loaf sugar. _to make a posset simple._ boil your milk in a clean scowred skillet, and when it boils take it off, and warm in the pot, bowl, or bason some sack, claret, beer, ale, or juyce of orange; pour it into the drink, but let not your milk be too hot, for it will make the curd hard, then sugar it. _otherways._ beat a good quantity of sorrel, and strain it with any of the foresaid liquors, or simply of it self, then boil some milk in a clean scowred skillet, being boil'd, take it off and let it cool, then put it to your drink, but not too hot, for it will make the curd tuff. _possets of herbs otherways._ take a fair scowred skillet, put in some milk into it, and some rosemary, the rosemary being well boil'd in it, take it out and have some ale or beer in a pot, put to it the milk and sugar, (or none.) thus of tyme, carduus, cammomile, mint, or marigold flowers. _to make french puffs._ take spinage, tyme, parsley, endive, savory and marjoram, chop or mince them small; then have twenty eggs beaten with the herbs, that the eggs may be green, some nutmeg, ginger, cinamon, and salt; then cut a lemon in slices, and dip it in batter, fry it, and put a spoonful on every slice of lemon, fry it finely in clarified butter, and being fryed, strow on sack, or claret, and sugar. _soops or butter'd meats of spinage._ take fine young spinage, pick and wash it clean; then have a skillet or pan of fair liquor on the fire, and when it boils, put in the spinage, give it a warm or two, and take it out into a cullender, let it drain, then mince it small, and put it in a pipkin with some slic't dates, butter, white-wine, beaten cinamon, salt, sugar, and some boil'd currans; stew them well together, and dish them on sippets finely carved, and about it hard eggs in halves or quarters, not too hard boil'd, and scrape on sugar. _soops of carrots._ being boil'd, cleanse, stamp, and season them in all points as before; thus also potatoes, skirrets, parsnips, turnips, virginia artichocks, onions, or beets, or fry any of the foresaid roots being boil'd and cleansed, or peeled, and floured, and serve them with beaten butter and sugar. _soops of artichocks, potatoes, skirrets, or parsnips._ being boil'd and cleansed, put to them yolks of hard eggs, dates, mace, cinamon, butter, sugar, white-wine, salt, slic't lemon, grapes gooseberries, or barberries; stew them together whole, and being finely stewed, serve them on carved sippets in a clean scowred dish, and run it over with beaten butter and scraped sugar. _to butter onions._ being peeled, put them into boiling liquor, and when they are boil'd, drain them in a cullender, and butter them whole with some boil'd currans, butter, sugar, and beaten cinamon, serve them on fine sippets, scrape on sugar, and run them over with beaten butter. _otherways._ take apples and onions, mince the onions and slice the apples, put them in a pot, but more apples, than onions, and bake them with houshold bread, close up the pot with paste or paper; when you use them, butter them with butter, sugar, and boil'd currans, serve them on sippets, and scrape on sugar and cinamon. _buttered sparagus._ take two hundred of sparagus, scrape the roots clean and wash them, then take the heads of an hundred and lay them even, bind them hard up into a bundle, and so likewise of the other hundred; then have a large skillet of fair water, when it boils put them in, and boil them up quick with some salt; being boil'd drain them, and serve them with beaten butter and salt about the dish, or butter and vinegar. _buttered colliflowers._ have a skillet of fair water, and when it boils put in the whole tops of the colliflowers, the root being cut away, put some salt to it; and being fine and tender boiled dish it whole in a dish, with carved sippets round about it, and serve it with beaten butter and water, or juyce of orange and lemon. _otherways._ put them into boiling milk, boil them tender, and put to them a little mace and salt; being finely boil'd, serve them on carved sippets, the yolk of an egg or two, some boil'd raisins of the sun, beaten butter, and sugar. _to butter quinces._ roast or boil them, then strain them with sugar and cinamon, put some butter to them, warm them together, and serve them on fine carved sippets. _to butter rice._ pick the rice and sift it, and when the liquor boils, put it in and scum it, boil it not too much, then drain it, butter it, and serve it on fine carved sippets, and scraping sugar only, or sugar and cinamon. butter wheat, and french barley, as you do rice, but hull your wheat and barley, wet the wheat and beat it in a sack with a wash-beetle, fan it, and being clean hulled, boil it all night on a soft fire very tender. _to butter gourds, pumpions, cucumbers or muskmelons._ cut them into pieces, and pare and cleanse them; then have a boiling pan of water, and when it boils put in the pumpions, _&c._ with some salt, being boil'd, drain them well from the water, butter them, and serve them on sippets with pepper. _otherways._ bake them in an oven, and take out the seed at the top, fill them with onions, slic't apples, butter, and salt, butter them, and serve them on sippets. _otherways._ fry them in slices, being cleans'd & peel'd, either floured or in batter; being fried, serve them with beaten butter, and vinegar, or beaten butter and juyce of orange, or butter beaten with a little water, and served in a clean dish with fryed parsley, elliksanders, apples, slic't onions fryed, or sweet herbs. _to make buttered loaves._ season a pottle of flour with cloves, mace, and pepper, half a pound of sweet butter melted, and half a pint of ale-yeast or barm mix't with warm milk from the cow and three or four eggs to temper all together, make it as soft as manchet paste, and make it up into little manchets as big as an egg, cut and prick them, and put them on a paper, bake them like manchet, with the oven open, they will ask an hours baking; being baked melt in a great dish a pound of sweet butter, and put rose-water in it, draw your loaves, and pare away the crust then slit them in three toasts, and put them in melted butter, turn them over and over in the butter, then take a warm dish, and put in the bottom pieces, and strow on sugar in a good thickness, then put in the middle pieces, and sugar them likewise, then set on the tops and scrape on sugar, and serve five or six in a dish. if you be not ready to send them in, set them in the oven again, and cover them with a paper to keep them from drying. _to boil french beans or lupins._ first take away the tops of the cods and the strings, then have a pan or skillet of fair water boiling on the fire, when it boils put them in with some salt, and boil them up quick; being boil'd serve them with beaten butter in a fair scowred dish, and salt about it. _to boil garden beans._ being shelled and cleansed, put them into boiling liquor with some salt, boil them up quick, and being boiled drain away the liquor and butter them, dish them in a dish like a cross, and serve them with pepper and salt on the dish side. thus also green pease, haslers, broom-buds, or any kind of pulse. * * * * * * * * * section xxi. _the exactest ways for the dressing of eggs._ _to make omlets divers ways._ _the first way._ break six, eight, or ten eggs more or less, beat them together in a dish, and put salt to them; then put some butter a melting in a frying pan, and fry it more or less, according to your discretion, only on one side or bottom. you may sometimes make it green with juyce of spinage and sorrel beat with the eggs, or serve it with green sauce, a little vinegar and sugar boil'd together, and served up on a dish with the omlet. _the second way._ take twelve eggs, and put to them some grated white bread finely searsed, parsley minced very small, some sugar beaten fine, and fry it well on both sides. _the third way._ fry toasts of manchet, and put the eggs to them being beaten and seasoned with salt, and some fryed; pour the butter and fryed parsley over all. _the fourth way._ take three or four pippins, cut them in round slices, and fry them with a quarter of a pound of butter, when the apples are fryed, pour on them six or seven eggs beaten with a little salt, and being finely fryed, dish it on a plate-dish, or dish, and strow on sugar. _the fifth way._ mix with the eggs pine-kernels, currans, and pieces of preserved lemons, being fried, roul it up like a pudding, and sprinkle it with rose-water, cinamon water, and strow on fine sugar. _the sixth way._ beat the eggs, and put to them a little cream, a little grated bread, a little preserved lemon-peel minced or grated very small, and use it as the former. _the seventh way._ take a quarter of a pound of interlarded bacon, take it from the rinde, cut it into dice-work, fry it, and being fried, put in some seven or eight beaten eggs with some salt, fry them, and serve them with some grape-verjuyce. _the eighth way._ with minced bacon among the eggs fried and beaten together, or with thin slices of interlarded bacon, and fryed slices of bread. _the ninth way._ made with eggs and a little cream. _the tenth way._ mince herbs small, as lettice, bugloss, or borrage, sorrel, and mallows, put currans to them, salt, and nutmeg, beat all these amongst the herbs, and fry them with sweet butter, and serve it with cinamon and sugar, or fried parsley only; put the eggs to it in the pan. _the eleventh way._ mince some parsley very small being short and fine picked, beat it amongst the eggs, and fry it. or fry the parsley being grosly cut, beat the eggs, and pour it on. _the twelfth way._ mince leeks very small, beat them with the eggs and some salt, and fry them. _the thirteenth way._ take endive that is very white, cut it grosly, fry it with nutmeg, and put the eggs to it, or boil it being fried, and serve it with sugar. _the fourteenth way._ slice cheese very thin, beat it with the eggs, and a little salt, then melt some butter in the pan, and fry it. _the fifteenth way._ take six or eight eggs, beat them with salt, and make a stuffing, with some pine kernels, currans, sweet herbs, some minced fresh fish, or some of the milts of carps that have been fried or boiled in good liquor, and some mushrooms half boiled and sliced; mingle all together with some yolks or whites of eggs raw, and fill up great cucumbers therewith being cored, fill them up with the foresaid farsing, pare them, and bake them in a dish, or stew them between two deep basons or deep dishes; put some butter to them, some strong broth of fish, or fair water, some verjuyce or vinegar, and some grated nutmeg, and serve them on a dish with sippets. _the sixteenth way, according to the turkish mode._ take the flesh of a hinder part of a hare, or any other venison and mince it small with a little fat bacon, some pistaches or pine-apple kernels, almonds, spanish or hazle nuts peeled, spanish chesnuts or french chesnuts roasted and peeled, or some crusts of bread cut in slices, and rosted like unto chesnuts; season this minced stuff with salt, spices, and some sweet herbs; if the flesh be raw, add thereunto butter and marrow, or good sweet suet minced small and melted in a skillet, pour it into the seasoned meat that is minced, and fry it, then melt some butter in a skillet or pan, and make an omlet thereof; when it is half fried, put to the minced meat, and take the omlet out of the frying-pan with a skimmer, break it not, and put it in a dish that the minced meat may appear uppermost, put some gravy on the minced meat, and some grated nutmeg, stick some sippets of fryed manchet on it, and slices of lemon. roast meat is the best for this purpose. _the seventeenth way._ take the kidneys of a loin of veal after it hath been well roasted, mince it together with its fat, and season it with salt, spices, and some time, or other sweet herbs, add thereunto some fried bread, some boil'd mushrooms or some pistaches, make an omlet, and being half fried, put the minced meat on it. fry them well together, and serve it up with some grated nutmeg and sugar. _the eighteenth way._ take a carp or some other fish, bone it very well, and add to it some milts of carps, season them with pepper and salt, or with other spices; add some mushrooms, and mince them all together, put to them some apple-kernels, some currans, and preserved lemons in pieces shred very small: fry them in a frying-pan or tart-pan, with some butter, and being fryed make an omlet. being half fried, put the fried fish on it, and dish them on a plate, rowl it round, cut it at both ends, and spread them abroad, grate some sugar on it, and sprinkle on rose-water. _the nineteenth way._ mince all kind of sweet herbs, and the yolks of hard eggs together, some currans, and some mushrooms half boil'd, being all minced cover them over, fry them as the former, and strow sugar and cinamon on it. _the twentieth way._ take young and tender sparagus, break or cut them in small pieces, and half fry them brown in butter, put into them eggs beaten with salt, and thus make your omlet. or boil them in water and salt, then fry them in sweet butter, put the eggs to them, and make an omlet, dish it, and put a drop or two of vinegar, or verjuyce on it. sometimes take mushrooms, being stewed make an omlet, and sprinkle it with the broth of the mushrooms, and grated nutmeg. _the one and twentieth way._ slice some apples and onions, fry them, but not too much, and beat some six or eight eggs with some salt, put them to the apples and onions, and make an omlet, being fried, make sauce with vinegar or grape-verjuyce, butter, sugar, and mustard. _to dress hard eggs divers ways._ _the first way._ put some butter into a dish, with some vinegar or verjuyce, and salt; the butter being melted, put in two or three yolks of hard eggs, dissolve them on the butter and verjuice for the sauce; then have hard eggs, part them in halves or quarters, lay them in the sauce, and grate some nutmeg over them, or the crust of white-bread. _the second way._ fry some parsley, some minced leeks, and young onions, when you have fried them pour them into a dish, season them with salt and pepper, and put to them hard eggs cut in halves, put some mustard to them, and dish the eggs, mix the sauce well together, and pour it hot on the eggs. _the third way._ the eggs being boil'd hard, cut them in two, or fry them in butter with flour and milk or wine; being fried, put them in a dish, put to them salt, vinegar, and juyce of lemon, make a sweet sauce for it with some sugar, juyce of lemon, and beaten cinamon. _the fourth way._ cut hard eggs in twain, and season them with a white sauce made in a frying-pan with the yolks of raw eggs; verjuyce and white-wine dissolved together, and some salt, a few spices, and some sweet herbs, and pour this sauce over the eggs. _the fifth way in the portugal fashion._ fry some parsley small minced, some onions or leeks in fresh butter, being half fried, put into them hard eggs cut into rounds, a handful of mushrooms well picked, washed and slic't, and salt, fry all together, and being almost fried, put some vinegar to them, dish them, and grate nutmeg on them, sippet them, and on the sippets slic't lemons. _the sixth way._ take sweet herbs, as purslain, lettice, borrage, sorrel, parsley, chervil & tyme, being well picked and washed mince them very small, and season them with cloves, pepper, salt, minced mushrooms, and some grated cheese, put to them some grated nutmeg, crusts of manchet, some currans, pine-kernels, and yolks of hard eggs in quarters, mingle all together, fill the whites, and stew them in a dish, strow over the stuff being fryed with some butter, pour the fried farce over the whites being dished, and grate some nutmeg, and crusts of manchet. or fry sorrel, and put it over the eggs. _to butter a dish of eggs._ take twenty eggs more or less, whites and yolks as you please, break them into a silver dish, with some salt, and set them on a quick charcoal fire, stir them with a silver spoon, and being finely buttered put to them the juyce of three or four oranges, sugar, grated nutmeg, and sometimes beaten cinamon, being thus drest, strain them at the first, or afterward being buttered. _to make a bisk of eggs._ take a good big dish, lay a lay of slices of cheese between two lays of toasted cheat bread, put on them some clear mutton broth, green or dry pease broth, or any other clear pottage that is seasoned with butter and salt, cast on some chopped parsley grosly minced, and upon that some poached eggs. or dress this dish whole or in pieces, lay between some carps, milts fried, boil'd, or stewed, as you do oysters, stewed and fried gudgeons, smelts, or oysters, some fried and stewed capers, mushrooms, and such like junkets. sometimes you may use currans, boil'd or stewed prunes, and put to the foresaid mixture, with some whole cloves, nutmegs, mace, ginger, some white-wine, verjuyce, or green sauce, some grated nutmeg over all, and some carved lemon. _eggs in moon shine._ break them in a dish upon some butter and oyl melted or cold, strow on them a little salt, and set them on a chafing dish of coals make not the yolks too hard, and in the doing cover them, and make a sauce for them of an onion cut into round slices, and fried in sweet oyl or butter, then put to them verjuyce, grated nutmeg, a little salt, and so serve them. _eggs in moon shine otherways._ take the best oyl you can get, and set it over the fire on a silver dish, being very hot, break in the eggs, and before the yolks of the eggs do become very hard, take them up and dish them in a clean dish; then make the sauce of fryed onions in round slices, fryed in oyl or sweet butter, salt, and some grated nutmeg. _otherways._ make a sirrup of rose-water, sugar, sack, or white-wine, make it in a dish and break the yolks of the eggs as whole as you can, put them in the boiling sirrup with some ambergriece, turn them and keep them one from the other, make them hard, and serve them in a little dish with sugar and cinamon. _otherways._ take a quarter of a pound of good fresh butter, balm it on the bottom of a fine clean dish, then break some eight or ten eggs upon it, sprinkle them with a little salt, and set them on a soft fire till the whites and yolks be pretty clear and stiff, but not too hard, serve them hot, and put on them the juyce of oranges and lemons. or before you break them put to the butter sprigs of rosemary, juyce of orange, and sugar; being baked on the embers, serve them with sugar and beaten cinamon, and in place of orange, verjuyce. _eggs otherways._ fry them whole in clarified butter with sprigs of rosemary under, fry them not too hard, and serve them with fried parsley on them, vinegar, butter, and pepper. _to dress eggs in the spanish fashion, called, wivos me quidos._ take twenty eggs fresh and new and strain them with a quarter of a pint of sack, claret, or white-wine, a quarter of sugar, some grated nutmeg, and salt; beat them together with the juyce of an orange, and put to them a little musk (or none) set them over the fire, and stir them continually till they be a little thick, (but not too much) serve them with scraping sugar being put in a clean warm dish, on fine toasts of manchet soaked in juyce of orange and sugar, or in claret, sugar, or white-wine, and shake the eggs with orange, comfits, or muskedines red and white. _to dress eggs in the portugal fashion._ strain the yolks of twenty eggs, and beat them very well in a dish, put to them some musk and rose-water made of fine sugar, boil'd thick in a clean skillet, put in the eggs, and stew them on a soft fire; being finely stewed, dish them on a french plate in a clean dish, scrape on sugar, and trim the dish with your finger. _otherways._ take twenty yolks of eggs, or as many whites, put them severally into two dishes, take out the cocks tread, and beat them severally the space of an hour; then have a sirrup made in two several skillets, with half a pound a piece of double refined sugar, and a little musk and ambergriece bound up close in a fine rag, set them a stewing on a soft fire till they be enough on both sides, then dish them on a silver plate, and shake them with preserved pistaches, muskedines white and red, and green citron slic't. put into the whites the juyce of spinage to make them green. _to dress eggs called in french _a-la-hugenotte_, or, the protestant-way._ break twenty eggs, beat them together, and put to them the pure gravy of a leg of mutton or the gravy of roast beef, stir and beat them well together over a chafing-dish of coals with a little salt, add to them also juyce of orange and lemon, or grape verjuyce; then put in some mushrooms well boil'd and seasoned. observe as soon as your eggs are well mixed with the gravy and the other ingredients, then take them off from the fire, keeping them covered a while, then serve them with some grated nutmeg over them. sometimes to make them the more pleasing and toothsome, strow some powdered ambergriece, and fine loaf sugar scraped into them, and so serve them. _to dress eggs in fashion of a tansie._ take twenty yolks of eggs, and strain them on flesh days with about half a pint of gravy, on fish days with cream and milk, and salt, and four mackerooms small grated, as much bisket, some rose-water, a little sack or claret, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, put these things to them with a piece of butter as big as a walnut, and set them on a chafing-dish with some preserved citron or lemon grated, or cut into small pieces or little bits and some pounded pistaches; being well buttered dish it on a plate, and brown it with a hot fire-shovel, strow on fine sugar, and stick it with preserved lemon-peel in thin slices. _eggs and almonds._ take twenty eggs and strain them with half a pound of almond-paste, and almost half a pint of sack, sugar, nutmeg, and rose-water, set them on the fire, and when they be enough, dish them on a hot dish without toast, stick them with blanched and slic't almond, and wafers, scrape on fine sugar, and trim the dish with your finger. _to broil eggs._ take an oven peel, heat it red hot, and blow off the dust, break the eggs on it, and put them into a hot oven, or brown them on the top with a red hot fire shovel; being finely broil'd, put them into a clean dish, with some gravy, a little grated nutmeg, and elder vinegar; or pepper, vinegar, juyce of orange, and grated nutmeg on them. _to dress poached eggs._ take a dozen of new laid eggs, and the meat of or five partridges or any roast poultrey, mince it as small as you can, and season it with a few beaten cloves, mace, and nutmeg, put them into a silver dish with a ladle full or of pure mutton gravy, and or three anchoves dissolved, then set it a stewing on a chafing dish of coals; being half stewed, as it boils put in the eggs one by one, and as you break them, put by most of the whites, and with one end of your egg shell put in the yolks round in order amongst the meat, let them stew till the eggs be enough, then put in a little grated nutmeg, and the juice of a couple of oranges, put not in the seeds, wipe the dish, and garnish it with four or five whole onions boiled and broil'd. _otherways._ the eggs being poached, put them into a dish, strow salt on them, and grate on cheese which will give them a good relish. _otherways._ being poached and dished, strow on them a little salt, scrape on sugar, and sprinkle them with rose-water, verjuyce, juyce of lemon, or orange, a little cinamon water, or fine beaten cinamon. _otherways to poach eggs._ take as many as you please, break them into a dish and put to them some sweet butter, being melted, some salt, sugar, and a little grated nutmeg, give them a cullet in the dish, &c. _otherways._ poach them, and put green sauce to them, let them stand a while upon the fire, then season them with salt, and a little grated nutmeg. or make a sauce with beaten butter, and juyce of grapes mixt with ipocras, pour it on the eggs, and scrape on sugar. _otherways._ poach them either in water, milk, wine, sack, or clear verjuyce, and serve them with vinegar in saucers. or make broth for them, and serve them on fine carved sippets, make the broth with washed currans, large mace, fair water, butter, white wine, and sugar, vinegar, juyce of orange, and whole cinamon; being dished run them over with beaten butter, the slices of an orange, and fine scraped sugar. or make sauce with beaten almonds, strained with verjuyce, sugar beaten, butter, and large mace, boiled and dished as the former. or almond milk and sugar. _a grand farc't dish of eggs._ take twenty hard eggs, being blanched, part them in halves long ways, take out the yolks and save the whites, mince the yolks, or stamp them amongst some march pane paste, a few sweet herbs chopt small, & mingled amongst sugar, cinamon, and some currans well washed, fill again the whites with this farcing, and set them by. then have candied oranges or lemons, filled with march-pane paste, and sugar, and set them by also. then have the tops of boil'd sparagus, mix them with a batter made of flour, salt, and fair water, & set them by. next boil'd chesnuts and pistaches, and set them by. then have skirrets boil'd, peeled, and laid in batter. then have prawns boil'd and picked, and set by in batter also, oysters parboil'd and cockles, eels cut in pieces being flayed, and yolks of hard eggs. next have green quodling stuff, mixt with bisket bread and eggs, fry them in little cakes, and set them by also. then have artichocks and potatoes ready to fry in batter, being boil'd and cleansed also. then have balls of parmisan, as big as a walnut, made up and dipped in batter, and some balls of almond paste. these aforesaid being finely fryed in clarified butter, and muskefied, mix them in a great charger one amongst another, and make a sauce of strained grape verjuyce, or white-wine, yolks of eggs, cream, beaten butter, cinamon and sugar, set them in an oven to warm; the sauce being boil'd up, pour it over all, and set it again in the oven, ice it with fine sugar, and so serve it. _otherways._ boil ten eggs hard, and part them in halves long ways, take out the yolks, mince them, and put to them some sweet herbs minc'd small, some boil'd currans, salt, sugar, cinamon, the yolks of two or three raw eggs, and some almond paste, (or none) mix all together, and fill again the whites, then lay them in a dish on some butter with the yolks downwards, or in a patty-pan, bake them, and make sauce of verjuyce & sugar, strained with the yolk of an egg and cinamon, give it a walm, and put to it some beaten butter; being dished, serve them with fine carved sippets, slic't orange, and sugar. _to make a great compound egg, as big as twenty eggs._ take twenty eggs, part the whites from the yolks, and strain the whites by them selves, and the yolks by themselves; then have two bladders, boil the yolks in one bladder, fast bound up as round as a ball, being boil'd hard, put it in another bladder, and the whites round about it, bind it up round like the former, and being boil'd it will be a perfect egg. this serves for grand sallets. or you may add to these yolks of eggs, musk, and ambergriece, candied pistaches, grated bisket-bread, and sugar, and to the whites, almond-paste, musk, juyce of oranges, and beaten ginger, and serve it with butter, almond milk, sugar, and juyce of oranges. _to butter eggs upon toasts._ take twenty eggs, beat them in a dish with some salt and put butter to them; then have two large rouls or fine manchets, cut them into toasts, & toast them against the fire with a pound of fine sweet butter; being finely buttered, lay the toasts in a fair clean scowred dish, put the eggs on the toasts, and garnish the dish with pepper and salt. otherways, half boil them in the shells, then butter them, and serve them on toasts, or toasts about them. to these eggs sometimes use musk and ambergriece, and no pepper. _otherways._ take twenty eggs, and strain them whites and all with a little salt; then have a skillet with a pound of clarified butter, warm on the fire, then fry a good thick toast of fine manchet as round as the skillet, and an inch thick, the toast being finely fryed, put the eggs on it into the skillet, to fry on the manchet, but not too hard; being finely fried put it on a trencher-plate with the eggs uppermost, and salt about the dish. _an excellent way to butter eggs._ take twenty yolks of new laid or fresh eggs, put them into a dish with as many spoonfuls of jelly, or mutton gravy without fat, put to it a quarter of a pound of sugar, ounces of preserved lemon-peel either grated or cut into thin slices or very little bits, with some salt, and four spoonfuls of rose-water, stir them together on the coals, and being butter'd dish them, put some musk on them with some fine sugar; you may as well eat these eggs cold as hot, with a little cinamon-water, or without. _otherways._ dress them with claret, white-wine, sack, or juyce of oranges, nutmeg, fine sugar, & a little salt, beat them well together in a fine clean dish, with carved sippets, and candied pistaches stuck in them. _eggs buttered in the polonian fashion._ take twelve eggs, and beat them in a dish, then have steeped bread in gravy or broth, beat them together in a mortar, with some salt, and put it to the eggs, then put a little preserv'd lemon peel into it, either small shred or cut into slices, put some butter into it, butter them as the former, and serve them on fine sippets. or with cream, eggs, salt, preserved lemon-peels grated or in slices. or grated cheese in buttered eggs and salt. _otherways._ boil herbs, as spinage, sage, sweet marjoram, and endive, butter the eggs amongst them with some salt, and grated nutmeg. or dress them with sugar, orange juyce, salt, beaten cinamon, and grated nutmeg, strain the eggs with the juyce of oranges, and let the juyce serve instead of butter; being well soaked, put some more juyce over them and sugar. _to make minced pies of eggs according to these forms._ boil them hard, then mince them and mix them with cinamon, raw currans, carraway-seed, sugar, and dates, minced lemon peel, verjuyce, rose-water, butter, and salt; fill your pie or pies, close them, and bake them, being baked, liquor them with white-wine, butter, and sugar, and ice them. _eggs or quelque shose._ break forty eggs, and beat them together with some salt, fry them at four times, half, or but of one side; before you take them out of the pan, make a composition or compound of hard eggs, and sweet herbs minced, some boil'd currans, beaten cinamon, almond-paste, sugar, and juyce of orange, strow all over these omlets, roul them up like a wafer, and so of the rest, put them in a dish with some white-wine, sugar, and juyce of lemon; then warm and ice them in an oven, with beaten butter and fine sugar. _otherways._ set on a skillet, either full of milk, wine, water, verjuyce, or sack, make the liquor boil, then have twenty eggs beaten together with salt, and some sweet herbs chopped, run them through a cullender into the boiling liquor, or put them in by spoonfuls or all together; being not too hard boil'd, take them up and dish them with beaten butter, juice of orange, lemon, or grape-verjuyce, and beaten butter. _blanch manchet in a frying-pan._ take six eggs, a quart of cream, a penny manchet grated, nutmeg grated, two spoonfuls of rose-water, and ounces of sugar, beat it up like a pudding, and fry it as you fry a tansie; being fryed turn it out on a plate, quarter it, and put on the juyce of an orange and sugar. _quelque shose otherways._ take ten eggs, and beat them in a dish with a penny manchet grated, a pint of cream, some beaten cloves mace, boil'd currans, some rose-water, salt, and sugar; beat all together, and fry it either in a whole form of a tansie, or by spoonfuls in little cakes, being finely fried, serve them on a plate with juyce of orange and scraping sugar. _other fricase or quelque shose._ take twenty eggs, and strain them with a quart of cream, some nutmeg, salt, rose-water, and a little sugar, then have sweet butter in a clean frying-pan, and put in some pieces of pippins cut as thick as a half crown piece round the apple being cored; when they are finely fried, put in half the eggs, fry them a little, and then pour on the rest or other half, fry it at two times, stir the last, dish the first on a plate, and put the other on it with juyce of orange and sugar. _other fricase of eggs._ beat a dozen of eggs with cream, sugar, nutmeg, mace, and rose-water, then have two or three pippins or other good apples, cut in round slices through core and all, put them in a frying-pan, and fry them with sweet butter; when they be enough, take them up and fry half the eggs and cream in other fresh butter, stir it like a tansie, and being enough put it out into a dish, put in the other half of the eggs and cream, lay the apples round the pan, and the other eggs fried before, uppermost; being finely fried, dish it on a plate, and put to it the juyce of an orange and sugar. * * * * * * * * * section xxii. _the best ways for the dressing of artichocks._ _to stew artichocks._ the artichocks being boil'd, take out the core, and take off all the leaves, cut the bottoms into quarters splitting them in the middle; then have a flat stewing-pan or dish with manchet toasts in it, lay the artichocks on them, then the marrow of two bones, five or six large maces, half a pound of preserved plumbs, with the sirrup, verjuyce, and sugar; if the sirrup do not make them sweet enough, let all these stew together hours, if you stew them in a dish, serve them up in it, not stirring them, only laying on some preserves which are fresh, as barberries, and such like, sippet it, and serve it up. instead of preserved, if you have none, stew ordinary plumbs which will be cheaper, and do nigh as well. _to fry artichocks._ boil and sever all from the bottoms, then slice them in the midst, quarter them, dip them in batter, and fry them in butter. for the sauce take verjuyce, butter, and sugar, with the juyce of an orange, lay marrow on them, garnish them with oranges, and serve them up. _to fry young artichocks otherways._ take young artichocks or suckets, pare off all the outside as you pare an apple, and boil them tender, then take them up, and split them through the midst, do not take out the core, but lay the split side downward on a dry cloth to drain out the water; then mix a little flour with two or three yolks of eggs, beaten ginger, nutmeg & verjuyce, make it into batter and roul them well in it, then get some clarified butter, make it hot and fry them in it till they be brown. make sauce with yolks of eggs, verjuyce or white-wine, cinamon, ginger, sugar, and a good piece of butter, keep it stirring upon the fire till it be thick, then dish them on white-bread toasts, put the caudle on them, and serve them up. * * * * * * * * * section xxiii. _shewing the best way of making diet for the sick._ _to make a broth for a sick body._ take a leg of veal, and set it a boiling in a gallon of fair water, scum it clean, and when you have so done put in three quarters of a pound of currans, half a pound of prunes, a handful of borrage, as much mint, and as much harts-tongue; let them seeth together till all the strength be sodden out of the flesh, then strain it as clean as you can. if you think the party be in any heat, put in violet leaves and succory. _to stew a cock against a consumption._ cut him in six pieces, and wash him clean, then take prunes, currans, dates, raisins, sugar, three or four leaves of gold, cinamon, ginger, nutmeg, and some maiden hair, cut very small; put all these foresaid things into a flaggon with a pint of muskadine, and boil them in a great brass pot of half a bushel; stop the mouth of the flaggon with a piece of paste, and let it boil the space of twelve hours; being well stewed, strain the liquor, and give it to the party to drink cold, two or three spoonfuls in the morning fasting, and it shall help him. _this is an approved medicine._ _otherways._ take a good fleshy cock, draw him and cut him to pieces, wash away the blood clean, and take away the lights that lie at his back, wash it in white-wine, and no water, then put the pieces in a flaggon, and put to it two or three blades of large mace, a leaf of gold, ambergriece, some dates, and raisins of the sun; close up the flaggon with a piece of paste, and set it in a pot a boiling six hours; keep the pot filled up continually, with hot water; being boil'd strain it, and when it is cold give of it to the weak party the bigness of a hazelnut. _stewed pullets against a consumption._ take two pullets being finely cleansed, cut them to pieces, and put them in a narrow mouthed pitcher pot well glazed, stop the mouth of it with a piece of paste and set it a boiling in a good deep brass pot or vessel of water, boil it eight hours, keep it continually boiling, and still filled up with warm water; being well stewed, strain it, and blow off the fat; when you give it to the party, give it warm with the yolk of an egg, dissolved with the juyce of an orange. _to distill a pig good against a consumption._ take a pig, flay it and cast away the guts; then take the liver, lungs, and all the entrails, and wipe all with a clean cloth; then put it into a still with a pound of dates, the stones taken out, and sliced into thin slices, a pound of sugar, and an ounce of large mace. if the party be hot in the stomach, then take these cool herbs, as violet leaves, strawberry leaves, and half a handful of bugloss, still them with a soft fire as you do roses, and let the party take of it every morning and evening in any drink or broth he pleases. you may sometimes add raisins and cloves. _to make broth good against a consumption._ take a cock and a knuckle of veal, being well soaked from the blood, boil them in an earthen pipkin of five quarts, with raisins of the sun, a few prunes, succory, lang de-beef roots, fennil roots, parsley, a little anniseed, a pint of white-wine, hyssop, violet leaves, strawberry-leaves, bind all the foresaid roots, and herbs, a little quantity of each in a bundle, boil it leisurely, scum it, and when it is boil'd strain it through a strainer of strong canvas, when you use it, drink it as often as you please blood-warm. sometimes in the broth, or of any of the meats aforesaid, use mace, raisins of the sun, a little balm, endive, fennel and parsley roots. sometimes sorrel, violet leaves, spinage, endive, succory, sage, a little hyssop, raisins of the sun, prunes, a little saffron, and the yolk of an egg, strained with verjuyce or white-wine. _otherways._ fennil-roots, colts foot, agrimony, betony, large mace, white sander slic't in thin slices the weight of six pence, made with a chicken and a crust of manchet, take it morning and evening. _otherways._ violet leaves, wild tansie, succory-roots, large mace, raisins, and damask prunes boil'd with a chicken and a crust of bread. sometimes broth made of a chop of mutton, veal, or chicken, french barley, raisins, currans, capers, succory root, parsley roots, fennil-roots, balm, borrage, bugloss, endive, tamarisk, harts-horn, ivory, yellow sanders, and fumitory, put to these all (or some) in a moderate quantity. otherways, a sprig of rosemary, violet-leaves, tyme, mace, succory, raisins, and a crust of bread. _to make a paste for a consumption._ take the brawn of a roasted capon, the brawn of two partridges, two rails, two quails, and twelve sparrows all roasted; take the brawns from the bones, and beat them in a stone mortar with two ounces, of the pith of roast veal, a quarter of a pound of pistaches, half a dram of ambergriece, a grain of musk, and a pound of white sugar-candy beaten fine; beat all these in a mortar to a perfect paste, now and then putting in a spoonful of goats milk, also two or three grains of bezoar; when you have beaten all to a perfect paste, make it into little round cakes, and bake them on a sheet of white paper. _to make a jelly for a consumption of the lungs._ take half a pound of ising glass, as much harts-horn, an ounce of cinamon, an ounce of nutmegs, a few cloves, a pound of sugar, a stick of liquoras, four blades of large mace, a pound of prunes, an ounce of ginger, a little red sanders, and as much rubarb as will lie on a six pence, boil the foresaid in a gallon of water, and a pint of claret till a pint be wasted or boil'd away, boil them on a soft fire close covered, and slice all your spices very thin. _ an excellent water for a consumption._ take a pint of new milk, and a pint of good red wine, the yolks of twenty four new laid eggs raw, and dissolved in the foresaid liquors; then have as much fine slic't manchet as will drink up all this liquor, put it into a fair rose-still with a soft fire, and being distilled, take this water in all drinks and pottages the sick party shall eat, or the quantity of a spoonful at a draught in beer, in one month it will recover any consumption. _other drink for a consumption._ take a gallon of running water of ale measure, put to it an ounce of cinamon, an ounce of cloves, an ounce of mace, and a dram of acter-roots, boil this liquor till it come to three quarts, and let the party daily drink of it till he mends. _to make an excellent broth or drink for a sick body._ take a good fleshy capon, take the flesh from the bones, or chop it in pieces very small, and not wash it; then put them in a rose still with slics of lemon-peel, wood-sorrel, or other herbs according to the _physitians_ direction; being distilled, give it to the weak party to drink. or soak them in malmsey and some capon broth before you distill them. _to make a strong broth for a sick party._ roast a leg of mutton, save the gravy, and being roasted prick it, and press out the gravy with a wooden press; put all the gravy into a silver porrenger or piece, with the juyce of an orange and sugar, warm it on the coals, and give it the weak party. thus you may do a roast or boil'd capon, partridge, pheasant, or chicken, take the flesh from the bones, and stamp it in a stone or wooden mortar, with some crumbs of fine manchet, strained with capon broth, or without bread, and put the yolk of an egg, juyce of orange, lemon, or grape verjuyce and sugar. _to make china broth._ take an ounce of china thin slic't, put it in a pipkin of fair water, with a little veal or chicken, stopped close in pipkin, let it stand and twenty hours on the embers but not boil; then put to it colts foot, scabious-maiden-hair, violet leaves half a handful, candied eringo, and or marsh mallows, boil them on a soft fire till the third part be wasted, then put in a crust of manchet, a little mace, a few raisins of the sun stoned, and let it boil a while longer. take of this broth every morning half a pint for a month, then leave it a month, & use it again. _china broth otherways._ take ounces of china root thin sliced, and half an ounce of long pepper bruised; then take of balm, tyme, sage, marjoram, nepe, and smalk, of each two slices, clary, a hanful of cowslips, a pint of cowslip water, and blades of mace; put all into a new and well glazed pipkin of quarts, & as much fair water as will fill the pipkin, close it up with paste and let it on the embers to warm, but not to boil; let it stand thus soaking and twenty hours; then take it off, and put to it a good big cock chickens, calves foot, a knuckle of mutton, and a little salt; stew all with a gentle fire to a pottle, scum it very clean & being boil'd strain the clearest from the dregs & drink of it every morning half a pint blood-warm. _to make almond milk against a hot disease._ boil half a pound of french barley in several waters, keep the last water to make your milk of, then stamp half a pound of almonds with a little of the same water to keep them from oyling; being finely beaten, strain it whith the rest of the barley water, put some hard sugar to it, boil it a little, and give it the party warm. _an excellent restorative for a weak back._ take clary, dates, the pith of an oxe, and chop them together, put some cream to them, eggs, grated bread, and a little white saunders, temper them all well together fry them, and eat it in the morning fasting. otherways, take the leaves of clary and nepe, fry them with yolks of eggs, and eat them to break fast. * * * * * * * * * section xxiv. _excellent ways for feeding of poultrey._ _to feed chickens._ if you will have fat crammed chickens, coop them up when the dam hath forsaken them, the best cramming for them is wheat-meal and milk made into dough the crams steeped in milk, and so thrust down their throats; but in any case let the crams be small and well wet, for fear you choak them. fourteen days will feed a chicken sufficiently. _to feed capons._ either at the barn doors with scraps of corn and chavings of pulse, or else in pens in the house, by cramming them, which is the most dainty. the best way to cram a capon (setting all strange inventions apart) is to take barley meal, reasonably sifted, and mixing it with new milk, make it into good stiff dough; than make it into long crams thickest in the middle, & small at both ends, then wetting them in luke-warm milk, giue the capon a full gorge thereof three times a day morning noon, and night, and he will in a fortnight or three weeks be as fat as any man need to eat. _the ordering of goslings._ after they are hatched you shall keep them in the house ten or twelve days, and feed them with curds, scalded chippins, or barley meal in milk knodden and broken, also ground malt is exceeding good, or any bran that is scalded in water, milk, or tappings of drink. after they have got a little strength, you may let them go abroad with a keeper five or six hours in a day, and let the dam at her leisure entice them into the water; then bring them in, and put them up, and thus order them till they be able to defend themselves from vermine. after a gosling is a month or six weeks old you may put it up to feed for a green goose, & it will be perfectly fed in another month following; and to feed them, there is no better meat then skeg oats boil'd, and given plenty thereof thrice a day, morning, noon, and night, with good store of milk, or milk and water mixt together to drink. _for fatting of elder geese._ for elder geese which are five or six months old, having been in the stubble fields after harvest, and got into good flesh, you shall then choose out such geese as you would feed, and put them in several pens which are close and dark, and there feed them thrice a day with good store of oats, or spelted beans, and give them to drink water and barly meal mixt together, which must evermore stand before them. this will in three weeks feed a goose so fat as is needfull. _the fatting of ducklings._ you may make them fat in three weeks giving them any kind of pulse or grain, and good store of water. _fatting of swans and cygnets._ for swans and their feeding, where they build their nests, you shall suffer them to remain undisturbed, and it will be sufficient because they can better order themselves in that business than any man. feed your cygnets in all sorts as you feed your geese, and they will be through fat in seven or eight weeks. if you will have them sooner fat, you shall feed them in some pond hedged, or placed in for that purpose. _of fatting turkies._ for the fatting of turkies sodden barley is excellent, or sodden oats for the first fortnight, and then for another fortnight cram them in all sorts as you cram your capon, and they will be fat beyond measure. now for their infirmities, when they are at liberty, they are so good _physitians_ for themselves, that they will never trouble their owners; but being coopt up you must cure them as you do pullets. their eggs are exceeding wholesome to eat, and restore nature decayed wonderfully. having a little dry ground where they may sit and prune themselves, place two troughs, one full of barley and water, and the other full of old dried malt wherein they may feed at their pleasure. thus doing, they will be fat in less than a month: but you must turn his walks daily. _of nourishing and fatting herns, puets, gulls, and bitterns._ herns are nourished for two causes, either for noblemens sports, to make trains for the entering their hawks, or else to furnish the table at great feasts; the manner of bringing them up with the least charge, is to take them out of their nests before they can flie, and put them into a large high barn, where there is many high cross beams for them to pearch on; then to have on the flour divers square boards with rings in them, and between every board which should be two yards square, to place round shallow tubs full of water, then to the boards you shall tye great gobbits of dogs flesh, cut from the bones, according to the number which you feed, and be sure to keep the house sweet, and shift the water often, only the house must be made so, that it may rain in now and then, in which the hern will take much delight; but if you feed her for the dish, then you shall feed them with livers, and the entrals of beasts, and such like cut in great gobbits. _to feed codwits, knots, gray-plovers, or curlews._ take fine chilter-wheat, and give them water thrice a day, morning, noon, and night; which will be very effectual; but if you intend to have them extraordinary crammed fowl, then you shall take the finest drest wheat-meal, and mixing it with milk, make it into paste, and ever as you knead it, sprinkle into the grains of small chilter-wheat, till the paste be fully mixt therewith; then make little small crams thereof, and dipping them in water, give to every fowl according to his bigness, and let his gorge be well filled: do thus as oft as you shall find their gorges empty, and in one fortnight they will be fed beyond measure, and with these crams you may feed any fowl of what kind or nature soever. _otherways._ feed them with good wheat and water, give them thrice a day, morning, noon, and night; if you will have them very fat & crammed fowl, take fine wheat meal & mix it with milk, & make it into paste, and as you knead it, put in some corns of wheat sprinkled in amongst the paste till the paste be fully mixt therewith; then make little small crams thereof, and dipping them in water, give to every fowl according to his bigness, and that his gorge be well filled: do thus as oft as you shall find their gorges empty, and in one fortnight they will be fed very fat; with these crams you may feed any fowl of what kind or nature soever. _to feed black-birds thrushes, felfares, or any small birds whatsoever._ being taken old and wild, it is good to have some of their kinds tame to mix among them, and then putting them into great cages of three or four yards square, to have divers troughs placed therein, some filled with haws, some with hemp seed, and some with water, that the tame teaching the wild to eat, and the wild finding such change and alteration of food, they will in twelve or fourteen days grow exceeding fat, and fit for the kitchen. _to feed olines._ put them into a fine room where they may have air, give them water, and feed them with white bread boiled in good milk, and in one week or ten days they will be extraordinary fat. _to feed pewets._ feed them in a place where they may have the air, set them good store of water, and feed them with sheeps lungs cut small into little bits, give it them on boards, and sometimes feed them with shrimps where they are near the sea, and in one fortnight they will be fat if they be followed with meat. then two or three days before you spend them give them cheese curd to purge them. _the feedings of pheasant, partridge, quails, and wheat ears._ feed them with good wheat and water, this given them thrice a day, morning noon, and night, will do it very effectually; but if you intend to have them extraordinary crammed fowl, then take the finest drest wheatmeal, mix it with milk, and make into paste, ever as you knead it, sprinkle in the grains of corns of wheat, till the paste be full mixt there with; then make little small crams, dip them in water, and give to every fowl according to his bigness, that his gorge be well filled; do thus as often as you shall find his gorge empty, and in one fortnight they will be fed beyond measure. thus you may feed turtle doves. finis. the table. [transcriber's note: alphabetization in the table is unchanged.] a. _andolians._ page _almond pudding_ _almond leach_ _almond custard_ _almond tart_ _almond bread, biskets and cakes_ _almond cream_ _almond cheese_ _almond caudle_ _apricocks baked_ _apricocks preserved_ ibid. _ambergriece cakes_ _apple cream_ _aleberry_ _artichocks baked_ _artichocks stewed_ _artichocks fryed_ , b. _barley broth_ _broth stewed_ , _bisk divers ways_ , , , , _bisk or batalia pye_ _beef fillet roasted_ _beef roasted to pickle_ _beef collops stewed_ _beef carbonado'd_ _beef baked red deer fashion_ _beef minced pyes_ _bullocks cheeks souced_ _boar wild baked_ _brawn broil'd_ _brawn boil'd_ ibid. _brawn souc't_ _brawn of pig_ _brawn garnisht_ _breading of meats and fowls_ _bacon gammon baked_ _bread the french fashion_ _biscket bread_ _bisquite du roy_ ibid. _bean bread_ _beer buttered_ _barberries preserved_ _blamanger_ , _blanch manchet in a frying pan_ c. _calves head boil'd_ _calves head souced_ _calves head roasted_ ibid. _calves head hashed_ _calves head broil'd_ _calves head baked_ _calves foot pye_ _calves head roasted with oysters_ , _calves feet roasted_ _calves chaldron baked_ _capons in pottage_ _capons souc't_ _calves chaldron in minced pyes._ _capons boil'd_ , , _capons fillings raw_ _cocks boil'd_ _cock stewed against a consumption_ _chicken pye_ , _chickens peeping boil'd_ _chickens how to feed them_ _china broth_ , _capilotadoes or made dishes_ _collops and eggs_ _collops like bacon of marchpane._ _cucumbers pickled_ _colliflowers buttered_ _custards how to make them_ _custards without eggs_ ibid. _cheescakes how to make them_ , _cheescakes without milk_ _cheesecakes in the italian fashion_ , _cream and fresh cheese_ _codling cream_ _cast cream_ _clouted cream_ ibid. _cabbidge cream_ _cream tart_ _cherry tart_ _cherries preserved_ _cake a very good one_ _cracknéls,_ _carp boil'd in carbolion_ _carp bisk_ _carp stewed_ _carp stewed the french way_ , _carp broth_ _carp in stoffado_ _carp hashed_ ibid. _carp marinated_ _carp broil'd_ _carp roasted_ _carp pye_ _carp pie minc't with eels_ _carp baked the french way_ ibid. _conger boil'd_ _conger stewed_ _conger marinated_ ibid. _conger souc't_ ibid. _conger roasted_ _conger broil'd_ ibid. _conger fryed_ _conger baked_ ibid. _cockles stewed_ , _crabs stewed_ _crabs buttered_ ibid. _crabs hashed_ _crabs farced_ ibid. _crabs boil'd_ _crabs fryed_ ibid. _crabs baked_ _crab minced pyes_ d. _deer red roasted_ _deer red baked_ _deer fallow baked_ _dish in the italian way_ _damsin tart_ _damsins preserved_ _ducklings how to fat them_ e. _entre de table, a french dish_ _eggs fryed_ _eggs fryed as round as a ball_ ibid. _egg caudle_ _eggs dressed hard_ _eggs buttered_ _egg bisk_ ibid. _eggs in moon shine_ _eggs in the spanish fashion, call'd, wivos qme uidos_ _eggs in the portugal fashion_ ibid. _eggs a-la-hugenotte_ _eggs in fashion of a tansie_ ibid. _eggs and almonds_ _eggs broil'd_ ibid. _eggs poached_ , _eggs, grand farced dish_ _eggs compounded as big as twenty eggs_ _eggs buttered on toasts_ ibid. _eggs buttered in the polonian way_ _egg minced pyes_ ibid. _eggs or quelque shose_ _eggs fricase_ _eels boil'd_ _eels stewed_ _eels in stoffado_ _eels souced or jellied_ _eels hashed_ _eels broiled_ ibid. _eels roasted_ , _eels baked_ , _eel minced pies._ f. _fritters how to make them_ _fritters in the italian fasion_ _fritters of arms_ _fried dishes of divers forms_ ibid. _fried pasties, balls, or tosts_ ib. _french tart_ _french barley cream_ _florentine of tongues_ _florentine of partridg or capon_ _florentine without paste_ _flounders calvered_ _frogs baked_ _furmety._ _fowl hashed_ _fowl farced_ , _farcing in the spanish fashion_ _farcing french bread, called pinemolet_ _fricase a rare one_ _flowers pickled_ _flowers candied_ ibid. g. _grapes and gooseberries pickled_ _grapes preserved_ _gooseberries preserved_ _gooseberry cream_ _ginger bread_ _geese boil'd_ _goose giblets boil'd_ _goslings how to order them_ _geese old ones to fat them_ ib. h. _hashes all manner of ways_ , , , _hashes of scotch collops_ _hare hashed_ , _hares roasted_ _hares four baked in a pie_ _hares three in a pye_ ibid. _hare baked with a pudding in his belly_ _hens roasted_ _hip tart_ _herring minced pies_ _haberdine pyes_ ibid. _hogs feet jellied_ _herns to nourish and fat them_ i. _jelly crystal_ _ jelly of several colours_ ibid. _jelly as white as snow_ _jellies for souces_ _jelly of harts-horn_ _jelly for a consumption_ ibid. _jelly for a consumption of the lungs_ _jelly for weakness in the back_ _jumballs_ _italian chips_ _ipocras_ l. _lambs head boil'd_ _lambs head in white broth_ _lambs stones fryed_ _land or sea fowl boiled_ , , , _leach with almonds_ _lamprey how to bake_ , , _links how to make_ _lemons pickled_ _loaves buttered_ _lump baked_ _ling pyes_ _lobsters stewed_ _lobsters hashed_ _lobsters baked_ _lobsters farced_ ibid. _lobsters marinated_ _lobsters broil'd_ ibid. _lobsters roasted_ _lobsters fryed_ _lobsters baked_ ibid. _lobsters pickled_ _lobsters jellied_ ibid. m. _marrow pyes_ , , _marrow puddings_ , _maremaid pye_ , _made dish of tongues_ _made dish of spinage_ _made dish of barberries_ _made dish of frogs_ _made dish of marrow_ ibid. _made dish of rice_ ibid. _made dish of blanchmanger_ _made dish of butter and eggs_ _made dish of curds_ ibid. _made dish of oysters_ _marchpane_ _mead_ _metheglin_ _mackeroons_ _melacatoons baked_ _melacatoons preserved_ _medlar tart_ _minced pies of veal, mutton beef,_ &c. _minced pyes in the french fashion_ _minced pies in the italian fashion_ ibid. _mutton legs farced_ _mutton shoulder hashed_ _mutton shoulder roasted_ , _mutton or veal stewed_ _mutton shoulder stewed_ _mutton or veal stewed_ , _mutton chines boil'd_ , _mutton carbonadoed_ _mutton boil'd_ , _mustard how to make it_ _mustard of dijon_ ibid. _mustard in cakes_ _musquedines_ _mullet souc't_ _mullet marinated_ _mullet broil'd_ _mullet fryed_ _mullet baked_ ibid. _mushrooms fryed_ _mushrooms in the italian fashion_ ibid. _mushrooms stewed_ _mushrooms broil'd_ _muskles stewed_ _muskles fryed_ _muskle pyes_ ibid. n. _neats tongue boil'd_ , _neats tongue in stoffado_ _neats tongues stewed_ ibid. _neats tongue in brodo lardiero_ _neats tongue roasted_ _neats tongue hashed_ , _neats tongue bak't_ , _neats feet larded and roasted_ _norfolk fool._ o. _olio podrida_ _olines of beef_ _olines of a leg of veal_ _oline pye_ _olines how to feed them_ _oatmeal caudle_ _omlets of eggs_ , _onions buttered_ _oysters stewed the french way_ _oysters stewed otherways_ _oyster pottage_ _oysters hashed_ ibid. _oysters marinated_ _oysters in stoffado_ _oysters jellied_ _oysters pickled_ ibid. _oysters souc't_ _oysters roasted_ _oysters broil'd_ _oysters fryed_ _oysters baked_ _oyster mince pies_ _oxe cheeks boil'd_ _oxe cheeks in stoffado_ _oxe cheeks baked_ p. _partridge hashed_ _partridge how to feed them_ _paste how to make it_ _paste royal_ _paste for made dishes in lent_ ibid. _puff-paste_ , _paste of violets, cowslips_, &c. _paste for a consumption_ _pallets of oxe how to dress them_ _pallit pottage_ _pallets rosted_ ibid. _pallets in jellies_ _pallets bak't_ _pancakes_ _panadoes_ _pap_ _pease tarts_ _pease cod dish in puff paste_ _pease pottage_ _peaches preserved_ _pewets to nourish them_ _pheasants how to feed them_ _pheasant baked_ _pinemolet_ _pie extraordinary, or a bride pye_ _pie of pippins_ _pippins preserved_ _pig roasted with hair on_ _pig roasted otherways_ _pig souc't_ _pig jellied_ _pig distilled against a consumption_ _pigeons boil'd_ , _pigeons baked_ _pike boil'd_ , _pike stewed_ _pike hashed_ _pike souc't_ _pike jellied_ , _pike roasted_ _pike fried_ _pike boil'd_ ibid. _pike bak't_ _plumb cream_ _plaice boil'd or stewed_ _plovers how to feed them_ _pork boil'd_ , _pork roasted_ _pottages_ , _pottage in the french fashion_ _pottage without any sight of herbs_ ibid. _pottage called skink_ _pottage of ellicksanders_ _pottage of onions_ _pottage of almonds_ ibid. _pottage of grewel_ _pottage of rice_ _pottage of milk_ ibid. _potatoes baked_ _portugal tarts for banquettings_ _posset how to make it_ _posset of sack_ _posset compounded_ _posset simple_ _posset of herbs_ ibid. _puffs the french way_ ibid. _prawns stewed_ _preserved green fruits_ _pudding of several sorts_ , , _pudding of turkey or capon_ _puddings of liver_ _puddings of heifers udder_ ib. _puddings black_ , _pudding in a breast of veal_ , _pudding boil'd_ _pudding of cream_ _pudding of sweet herbs_ ibid. _pudding in hast_ _pudding quaking_ ibid. _pudding shaking_ _pudding of rice_ _pudding of cinamon_ _pudding haggas_ , _pudding cheveridge_ ibid. _pudding liveridge_ _pudding of swan or goose_ ib. _pudding of wine in guts_ _pudding in the italian fashion_ _pudding the french way_ ib. _pudding of swine lights_ _pudding of oatmeal_ ibid. _pudding pyes of oatmeal_ _pudding baked_ _puddings white_ _pullets stewed against a consumption_ _pyramides cream_ q. _quinces pickled_ _quince pyes_ _quince tarts_ _quince cream_ _quinces buttered_ _quodling pye_ _quails how to feed them_ r. _rasberies preserv'd_ _rabbits hashed_ , _restorative for a weak back_ _rice tart_ _rice cream_ _rice buttered_ _roots farced_ s. _sauce for green geese_ _sauce for land fowl_ , _sauce for roast mutton_ _sauce for roast veal_ _sauce for red deer_ ibid. _sauce for rabbits_ _sauce for hens_ , _sauce for chickens_ _sauce for pidgeons_ _sauce for a goose_ _sauce for a duck_ _sauce for a sea fowl_ ibid. _sauce for roast salmon_ _sausages_ , , _sausages bolonia_ _sausage for jelly_ _sallet grand of minc't fowl_ _sallet grand of divers compound_ , , _sallet of scurvy grass_ _sallet of elixander buds_ _scoch collops of mutton_ _salmon calvered_ _salmon stewed_ _salmon pickled_ _salmon hashed_ ibid. _salmon marinated_ _salmon in stoffado_ ibid. _salmon fryed_ _salmon roasted_ _salmon broil'd or roasted in stoffado._ _salmon baked_ _salmon, chewits, or minced pyes_ _salmon lumber pye_ _sack cream_ _stone cream_ _snow cream_ _scollops stewed_ _sea fowl bak'd_ _silabub an excellent way_ _shell bread_ _snails stewed_ _snails fryed_ _snails hashed_ ibid. _snails in pottage_ _snaile back'd_ _snites boil'd_ _soals boil'd_ _soals stewed_ _soals souc'd_ _soals jellied_ ibid. _soals roasted_ _soops of spinage_ _soops of carrots_ ibid. _soops of artichocks_ ibid. _souce veal lamb, or mutton_ _sparagus to keep all the year_ _sparagus buttered_ _spinage tart_ _steak pye_ _steak pyes the french way_ _strawberry tart_ _sturgeon boil'd_ _sturgeon buttered_ _sturgeon hashed_ ibid. _sturgeon marinated_ ibid. _sturgeon farced_ _sturgeon whole in stoffado_ ib _sturgeon souc't_ _sturgeon broil'd_ ibid. _sturgeon fryed_ _sturgeon roasted_ ibid. _sturgeon olines of it_ _sturgeon baked_ , , _sturgeon minc't pies_ , _sturgeon lumber pie_ _sturgeon baked with farcings_ ibid. _sturgeon olio_ _sugar plate_ _swans how to fat them_ _sweet-bread pies_ t. _tansey how to make_ _taffety tart_ _tart stuff of several colours_ , , _tortelleti, or little pasties_ , _tosts how to make them_ _toasts cinamon_ _toasts the _french_ way_ ibid. _tortoise how to dress it_ _tripes how to dress them_ _trotter pie_ _triffel how to make it_ _turkish dish of meat_ _turkey baked_ _turkies how to fat them_ _turbut boil'd_ _turbut souc't_ ibid. _turbut stewed or fryed_ v. _veal breast farced_ _veal breast boil'd_ ibid. _veal breast roasted_ _veal breast, loin, or rack baked_ _veal leg boil'd_ , _veal leg farced_ _veal chines boil'd_ _veal loin roasted_ _veal broil'd_ _veal hashed_ _veal farced_ , , _venison broil'd_ _venison tainted how to preserve it_ , _udders baked_ _verjuyce how to make it_ _vinegar to make it_ _rose vinegar_ _pepper vinegar_ ibid. _umble pies_ w. _warden tarts_ _water for a consumption_ _wossel to make it_ _wheat-ears how to feed them_ _whip cream_ _wheat leach of cream_ _white-pot to make it_ _woodcocks boil'd_ , _woodcocks roasted_ _finis._ _books printed for _obadiah blagrave_ at the _black bear_ in st. _pauls_ church-yard._ doctor _gell's_ remains; being sundry pious and learned notes and observations on the whole new testament opening and explaining all the difficulties therein; wherein our saviour jesus christ is yesterday, to day, and the same for ever. illustrated by that learned and judicious man dr. _robert gell_ rector of _mary aldermary_, _london_, in folio. christian religions appeal from the groundless prejudice of the scepticks to the bar of common reason; wherein is proved that the apostles did not delude the world. . nor were themselves deluded. . scripture matters of faith have the best evidence. . the divinity of scripture is as demonstrable as the being of a deity. by _john smith_ rector of st. _mary_ in _colchester_, in folio. an exposition on the ten commandments and the lords prayer. by mr. _edward elton_, in [o]. saint _clemont_ the blessed apostle st. _paul_'s fellow labourer in the gospel, his epistle to the _corinthians_. translated out of the greek, in [o]. a sermon preached before the king at _windsor_ castle. by _richard meggot_, d.d. in [o]. a sermon preached before the right honourble the lord mayor and aldermen of the city of _london_, _january_ the _ th_. . by _richard meggot_, d.d. in [o]. a sermon preached to the artillery company at st. _may le bow_, _sept._ . . by _richard meggot, d.d._ in [o]. the case of _joram_; a sermon preached before the house of peers in the abby-church at _westminster_, _jan._ . . by _seth ward_ lord bishop of _sarum_. a sermon preached at the funeral of _george_ lord general _monk_. by _seth ward_ lord bishop of _sarum_, in [o]. a sermon preached at the funeral of that faithful servant of christ dr. _robert breton_, pastor of _debtford_ in the conty of _kent_, on _march_. . . by _rich. parr_, d.d. of _camberwell_ in the county of _surrey_, in [o]. weighty reasons for tender and consciencious protestants to be in union and communion with the church of _england_, and not to forsake the publick assemblies, as the only means to prevent the growth of popery; in severol sermons on _cor._ . . _that ye all speak the same things, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joyned together in the same mind, and in the same judgment_, on _heb._ . . not forsaking the assembling of our selves together, as the manner of some is; in [o] large. the _psalms_ of king _david_ paraphrased, and turned into english verse, according to the common meetre, as they are usually sung in parish churches, by _miles smith_; in [o] large. the evangelical communicant in the eucharistical sacrament, or a treatise declaring who is fit to receive the supper of the lord, by _philip goodwin_; in [o]. a treatise of the sabbath-day, shewing how it should be sanctified by all persons, by _philip goodwin_, m.a. a fountain of tears, empying it self into three rivulets, _viz._ of compunction, compassion, devotion; or sobs of nature sanctified by grace. languaged in several soliloquies and prayers upon various subjects, for the benefit of all that are in affliction, and particularly for these present times, by _john featley_, chaplain to his majesty. a course of catechising, or the marrow of all authors as have writ or commented on the church catechism; in [o]. a more shorter explanation of the church catechism, fitted for the meanest capacity in [o] price _d._ by dr. _combar_. the life and death of that reverend divine dr. _fuller_, author of the book called the holy war and state; in [o]. _fons lachrymarum_, or a fountain of tears; from whence doth flow _englands_ complaint, _jeremiah_'s lamentations, paraphrased with divine meditations, by _john quarles_; in [o]. _gregory_ father _grey-beard_ with his vizard pull'd off, or news from the cabal, in some reflections upon a late book, entituled, _the rehearsal transprosed after the fashion it now obtains_; in a letter to mr _roger l'estrange_; in [o]. grounds and occasions of the contempt of the clergy with the severall answers to _hobbs_. a good companion, or a meditation upon death, by _william winstandly_; in [o]s. select thoughts, or choice helps for a pious spirit, a century of divine breathings for a ravished soul, beholding the excellency of her lord jesus: to which is added the breathings of the devout soul, by _jos. hall_ bishop of _norwich_; in [o]. the remedies of discontent, or a treatise of contentation; very fit for these present times; by _jos. hall_ bishop of _norwich_; [o]. the admired piece of physiognomy and chyromancy, mataposcopacy, the symmetrical proportions and signal moles of the body fully and accurately explained, with their natural predictive significations both to men and women, being delightful and profitable; with the subject of dreams made plain: whereunto is added the art of memory, by _richard saunders_; in _folio_: illustrated with cuts and figures. the sphere of _marcus manelius_ made an english poem; with learned annotations, and a long appendix: reciting the names of ancient and modern astronomers; with some thing memorable of them: illustrated with copper-cuts. by _edward sherborne_ esq, in _folio_. observations upon military and political affairs: written by the most honourable _george_ duke of _albemarle_; in _folio_: published by authority. modern fortification, or the elements of military architecture, practised and designed by the latest and most experienced engineers of this last age, _italian_, _french_, _dutch_ and _english_; and the manner of defending and besieging forts and places; with the use of a joynt ruler or sector, for the speedy description of any fortification; by sir _jonas moore_ knight, master surveyor. a general treatise of artillery or great ordnance: writ in _italian_ by _tomaso morety_ of _brescia_, engineer; first to the emperor, and now to the most serene republick of _venice_, translated into english, with notes thereupon; and some addition out of _french_ for sea-gunners. by sir _jonas moore_ knight: with an appendix of artificial fire-works of war and delight; by sir _abraham dager_ knight, engineer: illustrated with divers cuts. a mathematical compendium, or useful practices in arithmetick, geometry and astronomy, geography and navigation, embatteling and quartering of armies, fortifications and gunnery, gauging and dialling; explaining the loyerthius with new judices, napers, rhodes or bones, making of movements, and the application of pendulums: with the projection of the sphere for an universal dial. by sir _jonas moore_ knight. the works of that most excellent philosopher and astronomer sir _george wharton_ baronet: giving an account of all fasts and festivals, observations in keeping easter; _apotelesina_, or the nativity of the world of the _epochæ_ and _eræ_ used by chronologers: a discourse of years, months, and days of years; of eclipses and effects of the crises in diseases: with an excellent discourse of the names, _genus_, _species_, efficient and final causes of all comets; how astrology may be restored from _morinus_; in [o] large, _cum multis aliis_. the practical gauger, being a plain and easie method of gauging all sorts of brewing vesses; whereunto is added a short _synopsis_ of the laws of excise: the third edition, with addittions: by _john mayne_. a table for purchasers of estates, either lands or houses; by _william leybourne_. _blagrave_'s introduction to astrology, in three parts; containing the use of an _ephemerides_, and how to erect a figure of heaven to any time proposed; also the signification of the houses, planets, signs and aspects; the explanation of all useful terms of art: with plain and familiar instructions for the resolution of all manner of questions, and exemplified in every particular thereof by figures set and judged. the second treateth of elections, shewing their use and application as they are constituted on the twelve celestial houses, whereby you are enabled to choose such times as are proper and conducible to the perfection of any matter or business whatsoever. the third comprehendeth an absolute remedy for rectifying and judging nativities; the signification and portance of directions: with new and experienced rules touching revolutions and transits, by _jo. blagrave_, of _reading_ gent. _student in astrology and physick_; in [o] large. _blagrave_'s astrological practice of physick; discovering the true way to cure all kinds of diseases and infirmities which are naturally incident to the body of man; in [o] large. _gadbury_'s _ephemerides_ for thirty years, twenty whereof is yet to come and unexpired; in [o]. philosophy delineated, consisting of divers answers upon several heads in philosophy, first drawn up for the satisfaction of some friends, now exposed to publick view and examination; by _william marshall_ merch. _london_; in [o] large. the natural history of nitre, or a philosophical discourse of the nature, generation, place and artificial extraction of nitre, with its virtues and uses, by _william clerke_ m. _doctorum londinensis_. the sea-mans tutor, explaining geometry, cosmography and trigonometry, with requisite tables of longitude and latitude of sea-ports, travers tables, tables of easting and westing, meridian miles, declinations, amplitudes, refractions, use of the compass, kalender, measure of the earth globe, use of instruments, charts, differences of sailing, estimation of a ship-way by the log, and log-line currents. composed for the use of the mathematical school in christs hospital _london_, his majesties _charles_ ii. his royal foundation. by _peter perkins_ master of that school. platform for builders and a guide for purchasers by mr. _leyborne_. mr. _nich. culpeppers_ last legacy, left and bequeathed to his dearest wife for the publick good, being the choicest and most profitable of those secrets, which while he lived were locked up in his breast, and resolved never to publish them till after his death, containing sundry admirable experiments in physick and chyrurgery. the fifth edition, with the addition of a new tract of the anatomy of the reins and bladder, in [o]. large. mr. _nich. culpeppers_ judgment of diseases, called _symoteca uranica_; also a treatise of urine. a work useful for all that study physick, in [o]. large. mr. _nich. culpepper_'s school of physick, or the experimental practise of the whole art, wherein are contained all inward diseases from the head to the foot, with their proper and effectual cures. such dyet set down as ought to be observed in sickness and in health, in [o]. large. the compleat midwifes practice enlarged, in the most weighty and high concernment of the birth of man, containing a perfect directory or rules for midwives and nurses; as also a guide for women in their conception, bearing and nursing of children from the experience of our english, _viz._ sir _theodoret mayrn_, dr. _chamberlain_, mr. _nich. culpepper_, with the instructions of the queen of _frances_ midwife to her daughter in [o]. large. illustrated with several cuts of brass. _blagraves_ suppliment or enlargement to mr. _nich. culpeppers_ english physitian, containing a description of the form, place and time, celestial government of all such plants as grow in _england_, and are omitted in his book called the english physitian, printed in the same volume, so as it may be bound with the english physitian, in [o]. large. _de succo pancreatico_, or a physical and anatomical treatise of the nature and office of the panecratick juyce or sweet-bread in men, shewing its generation in the body, what diseases arise by its visitation; together with the causes and cures of agues and intermitting fevers, hitherto so difficult and uncertain, with several other things worthy of note. written by that famous physitian _d. reg. de graff_. illustrated with divers cuts in brass; in [o]. large. great _venus_ unmaskt, being a full discovery of the french pox or venereal evil. by _gidion harvey_ m.d. in [o]. large. the anatomy of consumptions, the nature and causes, subject, progress, change, signs, prognostications, preservations and several methods in curing consumptions, coughs and spitting of blood; together with a discourse of the plague. by _gidian harvey_, in [o]. large. elenchus of opinions concerning the small pox; by _tobias whitaker_ physitian to his majesty; together with problemical questions concerning the cure of the french pox; in [o]. _praxis catholica_, or the country-mans universal remedy, wherein is plainly set down the nature of all diseases with their remedies; in [o]. the queens closet opened, incomparable secrets in physick and chyrurgery, preserving, conserving and canding; which was presented unto the queen by the most experienced persons of their times; in [o]. large. the gentlemans jockie and approved farrier; instructing in the nature, causes, and cures of all diseases incident to horses, with an exact method of breeding, buying, dieting, and other ways of ordering all sorts of horses; in [o]. large. the country mans treasure, shewing the nature, cause and cure of all diseases incident to cattel, _viz._ oxen, cows and calves, sheep, hogs and dogs, with proper means to prevent their common diseases and distempers being very useful receits, as they have been practised by the long experience of forty years; by _james lambert_, in [o]. large. syncfoyle improved, a discourse shewing the utility and benefit which _england_ hath and may receive by the grass called syncfoyle, and answering all objections urged against it; in [o]. pharamond that famed romance, being the history of _france_, in twelve parts; by the author of _cleopatra_ and _cassandra_; _folio_. _parthenissa_ that famed romance. a short history of the late english rebellion; by _m. needham_, in [o]. the ingenious satyr against hypocrites; in [o]. wits interpreter, the english _parnassus_, or a sure guide to those admirable accomplishments that compleat the english gentry, in the most acceptable qualifications of discourse or writting; in which briefly the whole mystery of those pleasing witchcrafts of eloquence and love are made easie, in divers tracts; in [o]. large. mysteries of love and eloquence, or the art of wooing and complementing, as they are managed in the _spring-garden_, _hide-park_, and other places; in [o]. large. the maiden-head lost by moon-light, or the adventure of the meadow; by _joseph kepple_, in [o]. _vercingerixa_, a new droll; composed on occasion of the pretended _german princess_, in [o]. _meronides_, or _virgils_ traverstry, being a new paraphrase upon the fifth and sixth book of _virgils Æneas_ in _burlesque_ verse; by the author of the satyr against hypocrites. the poems of sir _austin corkin_, together with his plays; collected in one volume, in [o]. _gerania_, a new discovery of a little sort of people called _pigmies_ with a lively discription of their stature, habit manners, buildings, knowledge and government; by _joshua barns_, of _emmanuel_ colledge in _cambridge_, in [o]. the woman is as good as the man, or the equality of both sexes written originally in _french_, and translated in to english. the memoirs of madam _mary carlton_, commonly called the _german princess_; being a narrative of her life and death, interwoven with many strange and pleasant passages, from the time of her birth to her execution; in [o]. _cleaveland's_ genuine poems, orations, epistles, purged from many false and spurious ones which had usurped his name. to which is added many never before printed or published, according to the author's own copies; with a narrative of his life, in [o]. large. newly reprinted the exquisite letters of _mr. robart loveday_, the late admired translater of the three first volumes, of _cleopatra_, published by his brother _mr. anthony loveday_, in [o]. large. _troades_, a translation out of _seneca_; in [o]. _wallographea_, or the _britain_ described, being a relation of a pleasant journey into _wales_; wherein are set down several remarkable passages that occurred in the way thither; and also many choice observables, and notable commemorations concerning the state and condition, the nature and humour, actions, manners and customs of that country and people, in [o]. wit and drollery, jovial poems, corrected and amended with new additions; in [o] large. _adaga scholica_, or a collection of _scotch proverbs_ and _proverbial phrases_, in [o]. very useful and delightful. a treatise of taxes and contributions, shewing the nature and measures of crown lands, assessments, customs, poll-monies, lotteries, benevolence, penalty monopolies, offices, tythes, raising of coines, hearth-money, excise, and with several intersperst discourses and digressions concerning wars, the church universities, rents, and purchases, usury and exchange, banks and lumbards, registers for conveyances, buyers, insurances, exportation of money and wool, free ports coynes housing liberty of conscience; by sir _william pette_ knight, in [o]. _england_ described through the several counties and shires thereof, briefly handled; some things also premised to set forth the glory of this nation, by _edward leigh_, esq; _englands_ worthies, select lives of the most eminent persons from _constantine_ down to this present year . by _william winstandly_ gent. in [o] large. the glories and triumphs of his majesty king _charles_ the second, being a collection of all letters, speeches, and all other choice passages of state since his majesties return from _breda_, till after his coronation, in [o] large. the _portugal_ history, describing the said country, with the customs and uses among them, in [o] large. a new survey of the turkish government compleated, with divers cuts, being an exact and absolute discovery of what is worthy of knowledge, or any way satisfactory to curiosity in that mighty nation, in [o] large. the antiquity of _china_, or an historical essay, endeavouring a probability, that the language of the empire of _china_, is the primitive language spoken through the whole world before the confusion of _babel_; wherein the customs and manners of _chineans_ are presented, and ancient and modern authors consulted with. illustrated with a large map of the country, in [o] large. an impartial description of _surynham_ upon the continent of _guiana_ in _america_; with a history of several strange beasts, birds, fishes, serpents, insects and customs of that colony, in [o]. _ethecæ christianæ_, or the school of wisdom. it was dedicated to the duke of _monmouth_ in his younger years, in [o]. the life and actions of the late renowned prelate and souldier _christopher bernard van gale_ bishop of _munster_, in [o]. the conveyancers light, or the compleat clerk and scriveners guide, being an exact draught of all precedents and assurances now in use, likewise the forms of all bills, answers and pleadings in chancery, as they were penned by divers learned judges, eminent lawyers, and great conveyancers, both ancient and modern, in [o] large. the privileges and practices of parliaments in _england_, collected out of the common law of this land, in [o]. a letter from _oxford_ concerning the approaching parliament then called, . in vindication of the king, the church, and universities, [o]. _brevia parliamentaria rediviva_, in sections; containing several catalogues of the numbers and dates of all bundles of original writs of summons and elections that are now in the tower of _london_, in [o]. the new world of words, or a general english dictionary, containing the proper signification and etymologies of words, derived from other languages, _viz._ hebrew, arabick, syriack, greek, latin, italian, french, spanish, british, dutch, saxon, useful for the advancement of our english tongue; together with the definition of all those terms that conduce to the understanding of the arts and sciences, _viz._ theology, philosophy, logick, rhetorick, grammar, ethic, law, magick, chyrurgery, anatomy, chymistry, botanicks, arithmetick, geometry, astronomy, astrology, physiognomy, chyromancy, navigation, fortification, dyaling; _cum multis aliis_, in fol. _cocker's_ new copy-book, or _englands_ pen-man, being all the curious hands engraved on brass plates, in folio. _sir robert stapleton's_ translation of juvenals satyr, with annotations thereon, in folio. the rudiments of the latine tongue, by a method of vocabulary and grammar; the former comprising the primitives, whether noun or verb, ranked in their several cases; the latter teaching the forms of declension and conjugation, with all possible plainness: to which is added the hermonicon, _viz._ a table of those latin words, which their sound and signification being meerly resembled by, the english are the sooner learned thereby, for the use of merchant taylors school, in [o] large. _indiculis universalis_, or the whole universe in epitomie, wherein the names of almost all the works of nature, of all arts and sciences, and their most necessary terms are in english, latin and french methodically digested, in [o] large. _farnaby's_ notes on _juvinal_ and _persius_ in [o]. _clavis grammatica_, or the ready way to the latin tongue, containing most plain demonstrations for the regular translating of english into latin, with instructions how to construe and parse authors, fitted for such as would attain to the latin tongue, by _i. b._ schoolmaster. the english orator, or rhetorical descents by way of declamation upon some notable themes, both historical and philosophical, in [o]. advertisement. _there is sold by the said _obadiah blagrave_, a water of such an excellent nature and operation for preservation of the eyes, that the eye being but washed therewith once or twice a day, it not only takes away all hot rhumes and inflamations, but also preserveth the eye after a most wonderful manner; a secret which was used by a most learned bishop: by the help of which water he could read without the use of spectacles at years of age. a bottle of which will cost but s._ finis. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * errors and inconsistencies noted by transcriber unchanged text many compound words occur in up to three forms: with hyphen; as two separate words; and as a single unhyphenated word. hyphens at line break were retained unless the word was consistently hyphenless elsewhere. missing spaces between words were supplied when unambiguous. recurring usages and variant spellings beatten; dear [for deer]; galon; oatmel; somtimes [these spellings are rare but each occurs at least once.] boyled [the spelling with "y" occurs _only_ in the header for section i. both "boil'd" and "boiled" are used in the body text.] lay a lay of ... [the word "layer" also occurs, but "lay" is more common.] olive, oline [the word "olive"--the meat preparation, not the fruit--was written "oline" everywhere in the index, and occasionally in the body text. the unrelated "olines" are birds.] rabit [note that the word is consistently spelled with one "b" _except_ in the index.] snite [probably a variant of "snipe", but in some books it is understood as a different bird.] roast, toast [both words can be applied to meats.] give it a walm [the word "walm" is always used in this construction. it appears to mean "bring to a boil". some occurrences of "warm" may be errors for "walm".] body text pistaches, pineapple seed, or almonds [capitalization unchanged; "white-wine" is similar.] currans, pers, oyl, and vinegar [element "pers" is at line-beginning; missing syllable may be "pep-" or "ca-".] mingle alltogether, then have slices of a leg of veal [elsewhere, text has "all together" or, rarely, "altogether".] then afterwards dry them and them. [missing word could not be deduced.] to make black puddings an excellent way. [index reference has "puddings white"; see recipe.] giue the capon a full gorge thereof [archaic use of letter "u" unchanged.] wivos me quidos [see note on index] index the order of entries in the index was unchanged. eggs in the spanish fashion, call'd, wivos qme uidos [the index is clearly wrong, but the body text "me quidos" may also be garbled. "wivos" is "huevos"; the rest could not be deduced.] puddings white [see note on body text "black puddings"] wheat leach of cream [body text has "white"] catchwords in several places, text at the beginning of a page was corrected from the catchword on the previous page: take a goose being roasted, and ["take a goose"; catchword is capitalized "take"] take off the rind being finely kindled ["be-//finely kindled"; catchword is "ing"] parsley and onions minced together ["min-//together"; catchword is "-ced"] must not be so hot as to colour white paper ["to//lour white paper"; catchword is "colour"] typographical errors then lay your pinions on each side contrary [you pinions] bolonia sausages, and anchoves [an/choves at line break] then have ten sweet breads, and ten pallets fried [aud] then again have some boil'd marrow and twelve [boild'd] other rice puddings. [rich] other forcing of calves udder boiled and cold [calves uddder] _first, of raw beef._ [beeef] then have boil'd carrots [carrrots] and being cold take off ["b" printed upside-down] lay on the kunckle of beef [kunckle] thus also you may do hiefers' udders [uddders] beef fried otherways, being roasted and cold. [otheways] to bake a flank of beef in a collar. [lo bake] toasts of houshold bread [houshhold] [the spelling "household" does not occur] slice it in to thin slices [slice is in to] ["in to" is less common than "into", but does occur] with grapes, or gooseberries or barberries [barbeeries] with nutmegs, pepper, and salt [papper] . chop't parsley, verjuyce, butter, sugar, and gravy. [buttter] beaten cinamon, sugar, and a whole clove or two [aud a whole] cut a leg of veal into thin slices [slies] give it two or three warms on the fire [two or the warms] setting a dish under it to catch the gravy [seetting] a little beef-suet also minced [litlte] _to make strong wine vinegar into balls._ [stong] take crabs as soon as the kernels turn black [make crabs] . core them and save the cores [ . core] put it in a barrel with the quinces [barrrel] to make pancakes. [maka] serve them with fine sugar. [fina] [these two errors are in the same recipe.] boil the rice tender in milk [race] [the word "race" occurs often, but only as a measure of ginger.] yolks of eggs, rose-water, and sugar [ann sugar] . chine it as before with the bones in [ . chine] (or not lard them) [or uot] the herbs, and spices, being mingled together [text has "and spices,/ing mingled" at line break] three of wine-vinegar, or verjuyce [verjyce] and some preserved barberries or cherries. [chreries] and a quarter of a pint of rose water [a pine of] bake it in a dish as other florentines [floren-tines] [mid-line hyphen probably inherited from an earlier edition with different line breaks] then fill your pie after this manner [mnnner] some barberries, some yolks of raw eggs [yolks af] make the paste with a peck of flour [hf flour] four or five spoonfuls of fair water [four our or five] work up all cold together [togther] cut it into little square bits as big as a nutmeg [litttle] white-pots, fools, wassels [wasssls] thus you may do wardens or pears [thus yon] turn it into colours, red, white, or yellow [colous] (and if you please, beat some musk and ambergriese in it) [musst] ["musk and ambergriese" occurs several times] mix all these well together with a little cream [litlle] take a quart of good thick sweet cream ["t" printed upside down] stir it and boil it thick ["i" in first "it" printed upside down] boil a capon in water and salt very tender [copon] take as much wine as water [muck] and wash them in warm water from the grounds [aad] take out the gall, then save the blood [the save] serve it on french bread in a fair scowr'd dish [words "it" and "a" reversed] to bake a carp otherways to be eaten hot. [to be heaten] two or three anchoves being cleansed and minced [beina cleansed] alter the taste at your pleasure [at you pleasure] better paste than that which is made for pyes ["that" for "than"] take as much water as will cover them [ar much] stew them together an hour on a soft fire [au hour] lay the meat on the sauce [sance] put into them hard eggs cut into rounds [hards eggs] boil the yolks in one bladder [in on bladder] drink of it every morning half a pint blood-warm [mornig] excellent ways for feeding of poultrey. [exce!lent] [this line is printed in italics. the character is unambiguously an exclamation mark, not a defective "l".] [index] _eggs fryed as round as a ball_ ibid [iid] o. [n.] [advertising] very fit for these present times [persent] containing several catalogues [catalognes] missing or duplicated words let the other ends lie cut in the dish [the the dish] at the end of three days take the groats out [the the end] pour on the sauce with some slic't lemon [the the sauce] and half a dozen of slic't onions [half a a dozen] tie up the top of the pot [the the top] then take the tongue being ready boil'd [being being] as you do veal, (in page ___) [page number and closing parenthesis missing; reference may be to page "_to bake a loin, breast, or rack of veal or mutton._"] then mince the brain and tongue with a little sage [brain tongue] either in slices or in the whole collar [in in the whole] and serve it up with scraped sugar [serve it serve it] half an ounce of ginger [an an ounce] or boil the cream with a stick of cinamon [of of cinamon] set it over the fire in clean scowred pan [the the fire] a quarter of a pound of good sweet butter [of of good] and pour the cream into it [the the cream] boil it to the thickness of an apple moise [to to the] and being cold take off the fat on the top [take take off] put the clearest to the herrings [the the clearest] alter the taste at your pleasure [the the taste] then set on the tops and scrape on sugar [the the tops] balls of parmisan, as big as a walnut [as big a walnut] [index] _neats feet larded and roasted_ [page reference missing] _norfolk fool._ [page reference missing] [these two entries are consecutive.] [advertising] with the subject of dreams made plain [of of dreams] longer duplication, text as printed with line breaks as shown: to make paste for the pie, take two quarts and a pint of fine flour, four or five yolks of raw eggs, and half a pound of fine flour, four or five yolks of raw eggs, and half a pound of sweet butter, punctuation errors in punctuation were silently corrected. in the index, "ibid" was regularized to "ibid." using scans of public domain works at the university of georgia.) [illustration: book spine: suffrage cook book] [illustration] the suffrage cook book compiled by mrs. l. o. kleber pittsburgh the equal franchise federation of western pennsylvania mcmxv copyright, , by the equal franchise federation of western pennsylvania dedicated to _mrs. henry villard_ and _mrs. j. o. miller_ _introduction_ there are cook books and cook books, and their generation is not ended; a generation that began in the garden of eden, presumably, for if mother eve was not vastly different from her daughters she knew how to cook some things better than her neighbors, and they wanted to know how she made them and she wanted to tell them. indeed, it has been stated that the very first book printed, a small affair, consisted mainly of recipes for "messes" of food, and for remedies for diseases common in growing families. whether the very first book printed was a cook book or not, it is quite true that among the very oldest books extant are those telling how to prepare food, clothing and medicine. some of these make mighty interesting reading, particularly the portions relating to cures for all sorts of ills, likewise of love when it seemed an ill, and of ill luck. and who wouldn't cheerfully pay money, even in this enlightened day, for a book containing recipes for just these same things? for in spite of our higher civilization, broader education, and vastly extended knowledge, we still believe in lucky days, lucky stones, and lucky omens. these formed no inconsiderable part of the old time cook book, and no doubt would constitute a very attractive feature of a modern culinary guide. however, hardly anyone would confess to having bought it on that account. in these later times professors of the culinary art tell us the cooking has been reduced to a science, and that there is no more guess work about it. they have given high sounding names to the food elements, figured out perfectly balanced rations, and adjusted foods to all conditions of health, or ill health. and yet the world is eating practically the same old things, and in the same old way, the difference being confined mainly to the sauces added to please the taste. now that women are coming into their own, and being sincerely interested in the welfare of the race, it is entirely proper that they should prescribe the food, balance the ration, and tell how it should be prepared and served. seeing that a large majority of the sickness that plagues the land is due to improper feeding, and can be prevented by teaching the simple art of cooking, of serving and of eating, the wonder is that more attention has not been given to instruction in the simpler phases of the culinary art. it is far from being certain that famous chefs have contributed greatly to the health and long life of those able to pay the fine salaries they demand. nor are these sent to minister to the sick, nor to the working people, nor to the poor. it would seem that even since before the time of lucullus their business has been mainly to invent and concoct dishes that would appeal to perverted tastes and abnormal appetites. the simple life promises most in this earthly stage of our existence, for as we eat so we live, and as we live so we die, and after death the judgment on our lives. thus it is that our spiritual lives are more or less directly influenced by our feeding habits. eating and drinking are so essential to our living and to our usefulness, and so directly involved with our future state, that these must be classed with our sacred duties. hence the necessity for so educating the children that they will know how to live, and how to develop into hale, hearty and wholesome men and women, thus insuring the best possible social and political conditions for the people of this country. "the surest way into the affections of a man is through his stomach, also to his pocket," is an ancient joke, and yet not all a joke, there being several grains of truth in it, enough at least to warrant some thoughtful attention. women being the homekeepers, and the natural guardians of the children, it is important that they be made familiar with the culinary art so they may be entirely competent to lead coming generations in the paths of health and happiness. so say the members of equal franchise associations throughout the length and breadth of our land, and beyond the border as far as true civilization extends. hence this book which represents an honest effort to benefit the people, old and young, native and foreign. it is not a speculative venture but a dependable guide to a most desirable social, moral and physical state of being. disguise it as we may the fact remains that the feeding of a people is of first importance, seeing the feeding is the great essential to success, either social or commercial. the farmer and stock raiser gives special attention to feeding, usually more to the feeding of his animals than of his children, or of himself. and yet he wonders why his domestic affairs do not thrive and prosper as does his farming and stock raising. physical trainers are most particular about what the members of their classes eat and drink. one mess of strawberry short cake and cream will unfit a boy for a field contest for a whole week, while a full meal of dainties may completely upset a man or woman for a day or two. the cook book of the past was filled mainly with recipes for dainties rather than sane and wholesome dishes; the aim being to please the taste for the moment rather than to feed the body and the brain. now that we are entering upon an age of sane living it is important that the home makers should be impressed with the fact that good health precedes all that is worth while in life, and that it starts in the kitchen; that the dining room is a greater social factor than the drawing room. in the broader view of the social world that is dawning upon us the cook book that tells us how to live right and well will largely supplant shakespeare, browning, and the lurid literature of the day. =erasmus wilson= (the quiet observer) the tocsin of the soul--the dinner bell. --byron. as it is a serious matter _what_ is put into the human stomach, i feel it incumbent to say that my readers may safely eat everything set down in this book. most recipes have been practically tested by me, and those of which i have not eaten coming with such unquestionable authority, there need be no hesitancy in serving them alike to best friend as well as worst enemy--for i believe in the one case it will strengthen friendship, and in the other case it will weaken enmity. it being a human cook book there will likely be some errors, but as correcting errors is the chief duty and occupation of suffrage women, i shall accept gratefully whatever criticisms these good women may have to offer. i thank all for the courtesy shown me and hope our united efforts will prove helpful to the great cause. i ask pardon for any omission of contributors and their recipes. mrs. l. o. kleber. list of contributors mrs. john o. miller pittsburgh, pa. dr. anna howard shaw new york, n. y. lady constance lytton london, england jane addams chicago, ill. governor hiram w. johnson san francisco, cal. mrs. henry villard new york, n. y. mrs. f. l. todd pittsburgh, pa. mrs. kate waller barrett alexandria, va. mr. george w. cable northampton, mass. mrs. wallis tener sewickley, pa. miss eliza kennedy pittsburgh, pa. governor george h. hodges topeka, kansas miss julia lathrop washington, d. c. miss laura kleber pittsburgh, pa. mrs. harriett taylor upton warren, ohio mrs. desha breckenridge kentucky miss louise g. taylor pittsburgh, pa. mr. irvin s. cobb new york, n. y. miss mary bakewell sewickley, pa. mrs. olive dibert reese johnstown, pa. miss lillie gittings pittsburgh, pa. judge ben lindsay denver, colo. mrs. richard morley jennings pittsburgh, pa. mrs. will pyle bellevue, pa. mrs. hornberger pittsburgh, pa. mr. philip dibert oakland, calif. miss elide schleiter pittsburgh, pa. mrs. david h. stewart fair hope, ala. miss annabelle mcconnell pittsburgh, pa. mrs. j. g. pontefract sewickley, pa. mrs. o. h. p. belmont new york, n. y. governor edward f. dunne springfield, ill. mrs. enoch rauh pittsburgh, pa. miss helen ring robinson denver, colo. miss sarah bennett pittsburgh, pa. miss leah alexander boise city, idaho. mrs. a. hilleman pittsburgh, pa. mrs. medill mccormick chicago, ill. mrs. carmen london glen ellen, calif. jack london glen ellen, calif. mrs. edward hussey binns pittsburgh, pa. governor joseph carey cheyenne, wyoming. mrs. edmond esquerre pittsburgh, pa. mrs. emma todd moore west alexander, pa. mrs. samuel semple brookville, pa. mrs. john dewar bellevue, pa. governor ernest lister olympia, washington. miss anna mccord pittsburgh, pa. mrs. raymond robins chicago, ill. mrs. c. c. lee pittsburgh, pa. mrs. charlotte perkins gilman new york, n. y. mrs. robert gordon pittsburgh, pa. governor george p. hunt phoenix, arizona. miss elizabeth ogden pittsburgh, pa. mrs. mary watson pittsburgh, pa. joseph gittings pittsburgh, pa. eugene d. monfalconi pittsburgh, pa. portraits page fanny garrison villard jane addams helen ring robinson mrs. j. o. miller julia lathrop jack london mrs. desha breckinridge dr. anna howard shaw mrs. samuel semple william lloyd garrison harriet taylor upton mary roberts reinhart mrs. enoch rauh irvin s. cobb mrs. medill mccormick mrs. k. w. barrett dr. harvey w. wiley governor w. p. hunt miss eliza kennedy governor hiram johnston mme. nazimova hon. ben lindsay governor joseph m. carey lady constance lytton governor m. alexander mrs. raymond robins governor edward f. dunne mrs. f. m. roessing mrs. oliver h. p. belmont governor george h. hodges mrs. carrie chapman catt george w. cable mrs. charlotte perkin gilman lucretia l. blankenburg governor ernest lister governor oswald west index soups page asparagus spinach crab jumbo tomato vegetable chestnut peanut butter broth invalids peanut french oyster mock oyster split pea black bean carrot veal fish, oysters, etc. boiled white fish virginia fried oyster creamed lobster salmon croquettes royal salt mackerel shrimp wriggle meats, poultry, etc. baked ham chop suey veal kidney stew daube and roast duck veal loaf ducks blanquette of veal spitine risotti a la milanaise liver dumplings a baked ham belgian hare pepper pot delicious mexican dish hungarian goulash stewed chicken chicken pot pie anti's favorite hash giblets and rice savory lamb stew squab casserole cheap cuts of beefsteak chicken croquettes liver a la creole nuts as a substitute for meat pecan nut loaf nut hash nut turkey nut scrapple nut roast oatmeal nut loaf vegetables cream potatoes french fried potatoes potatoes au gratin croquettes pittsburgh potatoes sweet potato souffle potatoes a la lyonnaise stuffed potatoes potato dumpling stuffed tomatoes potato puffers baked tomatoes green string beans fresh beans barbouillade boiled rice spinach spaghetti baked beans creamed mushrooms macaroni a la italienne macaroni dressing rice with cheese rice with nuts carrot croquettes potato balls vegetable medley, baked savories tomato toast ham toast cheese savories sardine savories oyster savories rice and tomato savory stuffed celery bread, rolls, etc. fine bread excellent nut bread virginia butter bread bran bread dr. wylies' recipes dr. wylies' recipes polenta--corn meal corn bread nut bread hymen bread corn bread brown bread egg bread quick waffles dumplings that never fall french rolls drop muffins soft gingerbread gingerbread cream gingerbread cream gingerbread cakes parliament gingerbread soft gingerbread sally lunn griddle cakes sour milk recipes - cakes, cookies, tarts, etc. mocha tart mocha tart filling icing filling icing filling for cake nut cake icing christmas cakes cocoanut tarts suffrage angel cake cinnamon cake spice cake black walnut cake scripture cake ratan kuchen golden cake pineapple cake ginger cookies pound cake doughnuts cream cake one egg cake devil's food bride's cake date cake pfeffernusse (pepper nuts) cocoanut cake jam cake lace cakes hickory nut cake lace cakes marshmallow teas apple sauce cake quick coffee cake sand tarts sand tarts cheap cake hermits hermits cocoanut cookies pastries, pies, etc. grape fruit pie spice pie cream pie pie crust suffrage pie orange pie lancaster county pie brown sugar pie banbury tart filling puddings hasty pudding bakewell pudding graham pudding norwegian prune pudding plain suet pudding suet pudding cottage fruit pudding prune souffle plum pudding lemon cream lemon hard sauce corn pudding raw carrot pudding sandwich recipes hawaiian chocolate caramel fruit cucumber anchor canapes sardine filling apple sandwich salads, salad dressings pear salad potato salad codfish salad swedish wreathes bean salad hot slaw creole salad colored salads colored salads orange salad tomato aspic suffrage salad dressing cucumber aspic mayonnaise dressing boiled mayonnaise dressing without oil french dressing alabama dressing cooked salad dressing caviare salad dressing meat and fish sauces bechamel sauce hot meat sauce gravy for warmed meats horseradish sauce eggs pain d'oeufs bread crumbs and omelette egg patties florentine egg in casseroles cheese souffle oyster omelette potato omelette creams, custards, etc. strawberry shortcake a la mode frozen custard stewed apples cinnamon apples fire apples candied cranberries apple rice jelly whip pineapple parfait rice pittsburgh sherbet lemon sherbet fruit cocktails synthetic quince grape juice cup peppermint cup amber marmalade grape juice preserves, pickles, etc. sour pickles sweet pickles lemon butter kumquat preserves prunes and chestnuts heavenly hash apple butter orange marmalade rhubarb and fig jam brandied peaches cauliflower pickles mustard sauce relish chili sauce pickles tomato pickle corn salad tomato catsup candies, etc. rose leaves candied childhood fondant fudge taffy creole balls chocolate caramel sea foam miscellaneous good coffee - cottage cheese albuminous beverages - starchy beverages - the cook says beverages - economical soap editress suffrage cook book: our hired girl, she's 'lizabuth ann; an' she can cook best things to eat! she ist puts dough in our pie-pan, an' pours in somepin' 'at's good an' sweet; an' nen she salts it all on top with cinnamon; an' nen she'll stop an' stoop an' slide it, ist as slow, in th' old cook-stove, so's 'twon't slop an' git all spilled; nen bakes it, so it's custard-pie, first thing you know! an' nen she'll say "clear out o' my way! they's time fer work, an' time fer play! take yer dough, an' run, child, run! er i cain't git no cookin' done!" my best regards james whitcomb riley. indigestion is the end of love. soups asparagus soup bunches asparagus small onion pint milk / pint cream / tablespoon sugar large tablespoon butter / tablespoon flour pepper to season wash and clean asparagus, put in saucepan with just enough water to cover, boil until little points are soft. cut these off and lay aside. fry onion in the butter and put in saucepan with the asparagus. cook until very soft mashing occasionally so as to extract all juice from the asparagus. when thoroughly cooked put through sieve. now add salt, sugar and flour blended. stir constantly and add milk and cream, and serve at once. (do not place again on stove as it might curdle. croutons may be served with this). spinach soup / peck spinach tablespoons butter / tablespoon sugar / teaspoons salt small onion pint rich milk tablespoons flour / cup water put spinach in double boiler with the butter and water. let simmer slowly until all the juice has been extracted from the spinach. fry the onion and add. now thicken with the flour blended with the water and strain. add the milk very hot. do not place on the fire after the milk has been added. half cream instead of milk greatly improves flavor. crab gumbo doz. medium okra doz. crabs cleaned onions fried add the crabs, then small can tomatoes. thyme, parsley, bay leaf. tomato soup large can tomatoes or equivalent of fresh tomatoes. small onion tablespoon salt dash paprika / tablespoons sugar tablespoon butter / tablespoons flour cups hot milk pint water put tomatoes with pt. water to boil, boil for at least half hour. fry onion in butter and add to soup with sugar and salt. when thoroughly cooked thicken with the flour blended with a little water. now strain. have the milk very hot, not boiling. stir constantly while adding milk to soup and serve at once. do not place on the stove after the milk is in the soup. cup of cream instead of cups of milk greatly improves the soup. vegetable soup / lbs. of beef (with soup bone) quarts of water tablespoon sugar salt to suit taste a few pepper corns cup of each, of the following vegetables diced small carrots potatoes celery tablespoons onion cut very fine / head cabbage cut very fine / can corn (or its equivalent in fresh) / can peas (or its equivalent fresh) tablespoons minced parsley / cup turnip and parsnip if at hand (not necessary) / can tomatoes (or equivalent fresh) put meat in large kettle and boil for an hour; now add all the other ingredients and cook until soft. ready then to serve. this soup can be made as a cream soup without meat and is delicious. in this case you take a good sized piece of butter and fry all the vegetables slightly, excepting the potatoes. now cover all, adding potatoes with boiling water and cook until tender. when done season and add hot milk and cup cream. this is very fine. in making this soup without meat omit the tomatoes and use string beans instead. tell me what you eat, and i'll tell you what you are. brillat savarin. chestnut soup qt. chestnuts (spanish preferred) pint chicken stock tablespoons flour teaspoon sugar salt and paprika to taste cover chestnuts with boiling water slightly salted. cook until quite soft and rub through coarse sieve, add stock, and seasoning; then thicken with flour blended with water. let simmer five minutes and serve at once. in case stock is not available milk can be used with a little butter added. peanut butter broth pt. fresh sweet milk pt. water / tablespoons peanut butter tablespoon catsup salt, pepper or other season to taste. pour liquid with peanut butter into double boiler; dissolve butter so there are no hard lumps. do not let milk boil but place on moderately hot fire. just before serving add the catsup and seasoning. soup for invalids cut into small pieces one pound of beef or mutton or a part of both. boil it gently in two quarts of water. take off the scum and when reduced to a pint, strain it and season with a little salt. give one teacupful at a time. peanut soup peanut soup for supper on a cold night serves the double duty of stimulating the gastric juices to quicken action by its warmth and furnishing protein to the body to repair its waste. pound to a paste a cupful of nuts from which the skin has been removed, add it to a pint of milk and scald; melt a tablespoon of butter and mix it with a like quantity of flour and add slowly to the milk and peanuts; cook until it thickens and season to taste. chestnuts, too, make a splendid soup. boil one quart of peeled and blanched chestnuts in three pints of salt water until quite soft; pass through sieve and add two tablespoons of sweet cream, and season to taste. if too thick, add water. mock oyster soup the oyster plant is used for this delicious dish--by many it is known as salsify. scrape the vegetable and cut into small pieces with a silver knife (a steel knife would darken the oyster plant). cook in just enough water to keep from burning, and when tender press through a colander and return to the water in which it was cooked. add three cups of hot milk which has been thickened with a little butter and flour and rubbed together and seasoned with salt and white pepper. a little chopped parsley may be added before serving. / cup cream instead of all milk greatly improves taste. french oyster soup quart oysters quart milk slice onion blades mace / cup flour / cup butter egg yolks salt and pepper clean oysters by pouring over / cup cold water. drain, reserve liquor, add oysters, slightly chopped, heat slowly to boiling point and let simmer minutes; strain. scald milk with onion and mace. make white sauce and add oyster liquor. just before serving add egg yolks, slightly beaten. split pea soup (green or yellow) / pints split peas (green or yellow) / quarts water small onions carrot parsnip (if at hand) cup milk / cup cream teaspoon salt (more if liked) pepper and paprika to taste / teaspoons sugar soak / pints of split peas over night; next day add / quarts water and the vegetables, cut fine; also the sugar, salt and pepper and cook slowly three hours; now mash through sieve. if it boils down too much add a little water. after putting through sieve place on stove and add hot milk and cream. if it is not thin enough to suit add more milk. stock may be used if same is available. black bean soup one pint of black beans soaked over night in quarts of water. in the morning pour off the water and add fresh quarts. boil slowly hours. when done there should be quart. add a quart of beef stock, whole cloves, whole allspice, stalk of celery, good-sized onion, small carrot, small turnip, all cut fine and fried in a little butter. add tablespoon flour, season with salt and pepper and rub through a fine sieve. serve with slices of lemon and egg balls. carrot soup one quart of thinly sliced carrots, one head of celery, three or four quarts of water, boil for two and one-half hours; add one-half cupful of rice and boil for an hour longer; season with salt and pepper and a small cupful of cream. veal soup knuckle of veal / pounds raw eggs quarts water tomatoes cut fine / onion salt and pepper to season a little flour / cup vermicelli or alphabet macaroni eggs, beaten very light / tablespoons parmesan cheese put veal in stewing pan and allow it to cook until thoroughly done. now chop meat and add cheese, flour, salt and pepper if needed and form into little balls about the size of a marble. while preparing these, drop in macaroni and cook until tender. now add the meat balls. if too thick use a little water. beat the eggs lightly and add while boiling. war not only kills bodies but ideals mrs. henry villard, president of women's peace conference. must the pride with which women point to the life saving character of the work of the numberless charitable agencies throughout the country--with a resultant lowering of the death rate in our great cities--be offset by the slaughter of our best beloved ones on the field of battle or their death by disease in camps? no longer ought we to be called upon to be particeps criminis with men to the extent of being compelled to pay taxes which are largely used for the support of the army and navy. moreover, a recourse to war as a means of righting wrongs is full of peril to the whole human race. not only are bodies killed, but the ideals which alone make life worth living are for the time being lost to sight. in place of those finer attributes of our nature--compassion, gentleness, forgiveness--are substituted hatred, revenge and cruelty. [illustration] he was a bold man that first ate an oyster.--swift. virginia fried oysters make a batter of four tablespoons of sifted flour, one tablespoon of olive oil or melted butter, two well-beaten whites of eggs, one-half teaspoon of salt, and warm water enough to make a batter that will drop easily. sprinkle the oysters lightly with salt and white pepper or paprika. dip in the batter and fry to a golden brown. drain, and serve on a hot platter, with slices of lemon around them. creamed lobster tablespoons butter / pints milk tablespoons flour season to taste when cooked beat in the yolk of an egg. pick to pieces can of lobster, juice of onion, juice of lemon, stalk of celery chopped fine, paprika, sweet peppers, cut fine. mix all together and serve in ramekins. serve very hot. serves people. salmon croquettes fresh salmon or can of salmon eggs / cup butter cup fine bread crumbs teaspoon baking powder / cup of cream pinch of paprika salt to season mix well and form into croquettes. roll in egg and cracker crumbs and fry in deep fat. partial suffrage has taught the women of illinois the value of political power and direct influence. already the effect of the ballot has been shown in philanthropic, civic and social work in which women are engaged and the women of this state realizing that partial suffrage means so much to them, wish to express their deepest interest in the outcome of the campaign for full suffrage which eastern women are waging this year. so we say to the women in the four campaign states this year: "you are working not only toward your own enfranchisement but toward the enfranchisement of the women in all the non-suffrage states in the union. your victory means victory in other states. you are our leaders at this crucial time and thousands of women are looking to you. you have their deepest and heartiest co-operation in your campaign work for much depends upon what you do in working for that victory which we hope will come to the women of pennsylvania, new york, new jersey and massachusetts in this year of ." jane addams. [illustration] broiled salt mackerel wash and scrape the fish. soak all night, changing the water at bed time for tepid and again early in the morning for almost scalding hot. keep this hot for an hour by setting the vessel containing the soaking fish on the side of the range. wash next in cold water with a stiff brush or rough cloth, wipe perfectly dry, rub all over again with salad oil and vinegar or lemon juice and let it lie in this marmalade for a quarter of an hour before broiling. place on a hot dish with a mixture of butter, lemon juice and minced parsley. shrimp wriggle pint fresh shrimps heaping cup hot boiled rice medium size green pepper tablespoonful worcestershire sauce tablespoons tomato catsup scant pint cream with heaping teaspoon flour butter size of egg paprika and salt to taste. dissolve flour in cream, add shrimps, rice, pepper (chopped), pour in cream, add butter, add condiments, add just before serving wineglass sherry or madeira. helen ring robinson. [illustration] chop suey chop suey is made of chopped meat and the gizzards of ducks or chickens, cup of chopped celery and / cup of shredded almonds. mix with the following sauce: tablespoon butter and teaspoon arrow root stirred into cupful broth. add teaspoon worcestershire sauce and simmer all for twenty minutes. veal kidney stew veal kidney small onion tablespoon butter tomatoes cut fine small can mushrooms / tablespoon parsley tablespoons raw potatoes cut in small pieces seasoning to taste wash, clean and cut fine a veal kidney. fry onion in butter until light brown, add kidney, tomatoes, mushrooms, parsley, potatoes, seasoning and water, and cook until tender. meats, poultry, etc. baked ham (a la miller) ten or twelve pound ham / lb. brown sugar pint sherry wine (cooking sherry) cup vinegar (not too strong) cup molasses cloves (whole) scrub and cleanse ham; soak in cold water over night; in morning place in a large kettle and cover with cold water; bring slowly to the boiling point and gradually add the molasses, allowing minutes for each pound. when ham is done remove from stove and allow it to become cold in the water in which it was cooked. now remove the ham from water; skin and stick cloves (about / dozen) over the ham. rub brown sugar into the ham; put in roasting pan and pour over sherry and vinegar. baste continually and allow it to warm through and brown nicely. this should take about / hour. serve with a garnish of glazed sweet potatoes. caramel from ham is served in a gravy tureen. remove all greases from same. this is a dish fit for the greatest epicure. [illustration] man is a carnivorous production and must have meals, at least one meal a day. he cannot live like wood cocks, upon suction. but like the shark and tiger, must have prey. although his anatomical construction, bears vegetables, in a grumbling way. your laboring people think beyond all question. beef, veal and mutton, better for digestion. byron. daube lb. rump (larded with bacon) large onions tablespoons flour small can tomatoes cup water clove garlic sprigs thyme-- bay leaf / sweet pepper several carrots parsley first fry meat, then remove to platter. start gravy by first frying the onions a nice brown; then add flour and brown; drain the tomatoes and fry; add rest of ingredients; put meat into this and let it cook slowly for five to six hours. u. s. department of labor children's bureau washington november , . editress suffrage cook book: your letter of november st is received. will the following be of any use for the suffrage cook book? is it not strange how custom can stale our sense of the importance of everyday occurrences, of the ability required for the performance of homely, everyday services? think of the power of organization required to prepare a meal and place it upon the table on time! no wonder a mere man said, "i can't cook because of the awful simultaneousness of everything." yours faithfully, julia c. lathrop. [illustration] glen ellen, sonoma co., california. yacht roamer november , . editress suffrage cook book: forgive the long delay in replying to your letter. you see, i am out on a long cruise on the bay of san francisco, and up the rivers of california, and receive my mail only semi-occasionally. yours has now come to hand, and i have consulted with mrs. london, and we have worked out the following recipes, which are especial "tried" favorites of mine: roast duck the only way in the world to serve a canvas-back or a mallard, or a sprig, or even the toothsome teal, is as follows: the plucked bird should be stuffed with a tight handful of plain raw celery and, in a piping oven, roasted variously , , , or even minutes, according to size of bird and heat of oven. the blood-rare breast is carved with the leg and the carcass then thoroughly squeezed in a press. the resultant liquid is seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon and paprika, and poured hot over the meat. this method of roasting insures the maximum tenderness and flavor in the bird. the longer the wild duck is roasted, the dryer and tougher it becomes. hoping that you may find the foregoing useful for your collection, and with best wishes for the success of your book. sincerely yours, jack london. [illustration] veal loaf pounds veal / lb. salt pork teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper. of the following mixture / teaspoon sage, thyme, and sweet marjoram eggs cup stock. if not procurable use / cup water and / cup milk / cup bread crumbs have meat ground fine as possible. then mix thoroughly with the herbs, egg, pepper and salt, / cup stock and / cup crumbs. form a loaf and brush top and sides with the second egg. now, scatter the remaining / cup of crumbs over the moistened loaf. place in a baking pan with the / cup of stock and bake in a moderate oven three hours, basting very frequently, and adding water in case stock is consumed. ducks take two young ducks, wash and dry out thoroughly; rub outside with salt and pepper--lay in roasting pan, breast down. cut in half one good sized onion and an apple cut in half (not peeled). lay around the ducks and put in about one and one-half pints hot water. cover with lid of roasting pan and cook in a medium hot oven. in an hour turn ducks on back and add a teaspoon of tart jelly. leave lid off and baste frequently. in another hour the ducks are ready to serve. pour off fat in pan. make thickening for gravy (not removing the onion or apple). for the filling, take stale loaf of bread, cut off crust and rub the bread into crumbs, dissolve a little butter (about one tablespoon), add that to the crumbs. salt and pepper to taste and as much parsley as is desired. mix and stuff the ducks. from the standpoint of science, health, beauty and usefulness, the art of cooking leads all the other arts,--for does not the preservation of the race depend upon it? l. p. k. blanquette of veal cups cold roast veal teaspoons cream teaspoons flour yolks of eggs or small onions, the kind used for pickling. saute the veal a moment in butter or lard without browning. sprinkle with flour and add water making a white sauce. add any gravy you may have left over, or or bouillon cubes and the onions and let cook / of an hour on slow fire. just before serving add yolks of eggs mixed with cream. cook for a moment, sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve. spitine cut from raw roast beef very thin slices. spread with a dressing made of grated bread crumbs, a beaten egg and seasoned to taste. roll up and put all on a long skewer and brown in a little hot butter. risotti a la milanaise lbs. rice chicken can mushrooms lump butter parmesan cheese cut up chicken and cook in water as for stewing, seasoning to taste. when almost done add mushrooms and cook a little longer. now put a large lump of butter in a pan and after washing the rice in several waters, dry on a clean napkin, and add to butter, stirring constantly. do not allow it to darken. cook about ten minutes and remove from fire. take baking dish and put the rice in bottom. now sprinkle generously with parmesan cheese. cut chicken up and remove all bones, pour over rice and cook until dry, adding gravy from time to time. this can be eaten hot or cold. der mensch ist was er iszt. german. liver dumplings (leber kloese) calf's liver / lb. suet small onion / loaf bread eggs tablespoons bread crumbs salt, pepper and sweet marjorie to taste. soak liver in cold water for one hour, then skin and scrape it and run it through meat chopper twice; the second time adding the suet. brown finely cut onion in two tablespoons of lard; add salt, pepper and sweet marjorie to taste. soak / loaf bread in cold water, squeeze out the water and mix the bread with the liver, then add three well beaten eggs and enough flour to stiffen. drop one dumpling with a spoon into one gallon of water (slightly salted), should it cook away, then add more flour before cooking the remainder of the mixture. boil thirty minutes, and longer if necessary. when properly cooked the middle of the dumpling will be white. before serving, brown bread crumbs in butter and sprinkle over the dumplings. a baked ham should be kentucky cured and at least two years old. soak in water over night. put on stove in cold water. let it simmer one hour for each pound. allow it to stand in that water over night. remove skin, cover with brown sugar and biscuit or cracker crumbs, sticking in whole cloves. bake slowly until well browned, basting at intervals with the juices. do not carve until it is cold. this is the way real kentucky housekeepers cook kentucky ham. desha breckinridge. [illustration] an ill cook should have a good cleaver. owen meredith. belgian hare rabbits quart sour cream thin slices of fat bacon skin rabbits and wash well in salt water. cut off the surplus skin and use only the backs and hind quarters. place in roasting pan, putting one slice of bacon on each piece of rabbit. have the oven hot. start the rabbits cooking, turning the bacon over so it will brown; when brown turn down the gas to cook slowly. pour / the cream over in the beginning and baste often. when half done pour in the remainder of the cream and cook / hours. if there is no sour cream, add tablespoon of vinegar to sweet cream. the cream makes a delicious sauce. pepper pot knuckle of veal lbs. honey comb tripe potato red pepper onion a little summer savory sweet basil soak tripe over night in salt water. boil meat and tripe four to six hours. delicious mexican dish soak and scald a pair of sweetbreads, cut into small bits; take liquor from three dozen large oysters; add to sweetbreads with tablespoons of gravy from the roast beef, and / lb. of butter chopped and rolled in flour; cook until sweetbreads are tender; add oysters; cook minutes; add / cup of cream; serve with or without toast. hungarian goulash lbs. beef (cut in squares) oz. bacon (cut in dice) / pint cream oz. chopped onion cook onion and bacon; add salt and pepper; pour over them / pint water in which / teaspoon of extract of beef is added. add the meat and cook slowly one hour; then add cream with paprika to taste and simmer for two hours. add a few small potatoes. stewed chicken clean and cut chicken and cover with water; add a couple sprigs of parsley; bayleaf and a small onion. when chicken is almost done add salt and pepper to suit taste. when chicken is done place in dish or platter and add one half cup cream to the gravy; thicken with a little blended flour and strain over chicken. chicken pot pie prepare same as for stewed chicken. when done remove chicken from bones; now boil potatoes enough for family. line a deep baking dish or a deep pan with good rich paste. sprinkle flour in bottom. lay in a layer of chicken; now potatoes, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper; now cut thin strips of dough, lay across; then a layer of chicken; then a layer of potatoes, and so on until the top of the pan is reached; pour over all the chicken, the gravy and put a crust over all the top and bake until well done and nicely browned. make little punctures in dough to allow the steam to escape. tell me what you eat, and i'll tell you what you are.--brillat savarin. anti's favorite hash (unless you wear dark glasses you cannot make a success of anti's favorite hash.) lb. truth thoroughly mangled generous handful of injustice. (sprinkle over everything in the pan) tumbler acetic acid (well shaken) a little vitriol will add a delightful tang and a string of nonsense should be dropped in at the last as if by accident. stir all together with a sharp knife because some of the tid bits will be tough propositions. --_ebensburg mountaineer herald._ husband (angrily) "great guns! what are they lamb chops, pork chops or veal chops?" wife (serenely) "can't you tell by the taste?" he: "no, i can't, nor anybody else!" she: "well, then, what's the difference?" giblets and rice boil or strings of chicken giblets (about pound) until quite tender, drain, trim from bones and gristle and set aside. boil one cup rice in one quart water for fifteen minutes. drain, put in double boiler with broth from giblets and let boil hour. brown tablespoon flour in tablespoon butter and teaspoon sugar, add chopped onion, and boiling water until smooth and creamy, then add some bits of chopped pickles or olives, salt, pepper, teaspoonful of vinegar and lastly giblets, cover and let simmer for twenty minutes. put rice into a chop dish, serve giblets in the center. may be garnished with tomato sauce or creamed mushrooms or pimentos. for a man seldom thinks with more earnestness of anything than he does of his dinner. sam'l johnson. savory lamb stew take two pounds spring lamb and braise light with butter size of a walnut. add cups boiling water, onions, salt and pepper, and let simmer slowly for / hour. then add six peeled raw potatoes and small head of young cabbage (cut in eighths) cover closely and allow at least an hour's slow boiling. this can be made on the stove, in the oven, or in fireless cooker. the flavor of this dish can be varied by the addition of two or three tomatoes. squab casserole eggs boiled hard teaspoon parsley, cut fine butter seasoning to taste teaspoon parmesan a few little onions few potato balls bread crumbs clean the squab and dry thoroughly. cut eggs fine, add parsley, parmesan cheese and seasoning. now stuff each squab with this stuffing, putting a small piece of butter in each bird and sew up. place in a baking pan with a lump of butter and brown nicely on all sides. now add a little water and cover and cook slowly until well done. while they are cooking add little onions and potato balls to the gravy. i have sent but one recipe to a cook book, and that was a direction for driving a nail, as it has always been declared that women do not know how to drive nails. but that was when nails were a peculiar shape and had to be driven in particular way, but now that nails are made round there is no special way in which they need to be driven. so my favorite recipe cannot be given you. as for my effort in the culinary line--i have not made an effort in the culinary line for more than at least thirty years, except once to make a clam pie, which was pronounced by my friends as very good. but i cannot remember how i made it. i have a favorite recipe, however, something of which i am very fond and which i might give to you. i got it out of the newspapers and it is as follows: spread one or two rashers of lean bacon on a baking tin, cover it thickly with slices of cheese, and sprinkle a little mustard and paprika over it. bake it in a slow oven for half an hour and serve with slices of dry toast. now that is a particularly tasty dish if it is well done. i never did it, but somebody must be able to do it who could do it well. faithfully yours, anna h. shaw. [illustration] daube brown a thick slice from a round of beef in a hot pan and season carefully, adding water to make a pan gravy; add also a pint of tomato juice and onion juice to taste; cover and simmer gently for at least an hour and a half; turn the meat frequently, keeping the gravy in sufficient quantity to insure that the meat shall be thoroughly moist and thoroughly seasoned. when served, it should be, if carefully done, very tender. the gravy may be thickened or not, according to individual taste. mrs. sam'l semple. [illustration] liver a la creole take a fine calf liver. skin well and cut in thick slices. season with salt and pepper. fry in deep fat and drain. chop fine two tablespoons parsley. melt two tablespoons butter, toss in parsley and pour at once over liver and serve. chicken croquettes pound of chicken teaspoons chopped parsley / cups cream small onion / pound butter / pound bread crumbs season to taste pinch of paprika grind meat twice. boil the onion with the cream and strain the onion out. let cool and pour over crumbs. add parsley and butter, and make a stiff mixture. now add seasoning. mix all together by beating in the meat. if too thick add a little milk and form into croquettes, and put in ice box. when cool dip in beaten egg and then in crackers or bread crumbs. fry in deep fat. nuts as a substitute for meat although many are trying to eliminate so much meat from menus on account of its soaring cost, the person who performs hard labor must have in its place something which contains the chief constituents of meat, protein and fats, or the body will not respond to the demands made upon it because of lowered vitality from lack of food elements needed. scientific analyses have proven that nuts contain more food value to the pound than almost any other food product known. ten cent's worth of peanuts, for example, at cents a pound will furnish more than twice the protein and six times more energy than could be obtained by the same outlay for a porterhouse steak at cents a pound. one reason for the tardy appreciation of the nutritive value of nuts is their reputation of indigestibility. the discomfort from eating them is often due to insufficient mastication and to the fact that they are usually eaten when not needed, as after a hearty meal or late at night, whereas, being so concentrated, they should constitute an integral part of the menu, rather than supplement an already abundant meal, says the philadelphia ledger. they should be used in connection with more bulky carbohydrate foods, such as vegetables, fruits, bread, crackers, etc.; too concentrated nutriment is often the cause of digestive disturbance, for a certain bulkiness is essential to normal assimilation. pecan nut loaf cup hot boiled rice cup pecan nut meat (finely chopped) cup cracker crumbs egg cup milk / teaspoons salt pepper to taste teaspoon melted butter mix rice, nut meats, cracker crumbs; then add egg well beaten, the milk, salt and pepper. turn into buttered bread pan; pour over butter, cover and bake in a moderate oven hour. put on hot platter and pour around same this sauce: cook tablespoons butter with slice of onion and a few pimentos, stirring constantly. add tablespoons flour; stir, pour in gradually / cups milk. season and strain. "i am in earnest. i will not equivocate--i will not excuse--i will not retreat a single inch--and i will be heard." wm. lloyd garrison. [illustration] nut hash nut hash is a good breakfast dish. chop fine cold boiled potatoes and any other vegetable which is on hand and put into buttered frying pan, heat quickly and thoroughly, salt to taste, and just before removing from the fire stir in lightly a large spoonful of peanut meal for each person to be served. to prepare the meal at home, procure raw nuts, shell them and put in the oven just long enough to loosen the brown skin; rub these off and put the nuts through the grinder adjusted to make meal rather than an oily mixture. this put in glass jars, and kept in a cool place will be good for weeks. it may too, be used for thickening soups or sauces, or may be added in small quantities to breakfast muffins and griddle-cakes. potato soup, cream of pea, corn or asparagus and bean soup may be made after the ordinary recipes, omitting the butter and flour and adding four tablespoons of peanut meal. nut turkey nut turkey for thanksgiving instead of the national bird, made by mixing one quart of sifted dry bread crumbs with one pint of chopped english walnuts--any other kind of nuts will go--and one cupful of peanuts, simply washed and dried, and adding a level teaspoon of sage, two of salt, a tablespoon of chopped parsley, two raw eggs, not beaten, and sufficient water to bind the mass together. then form into the shape of a turkey, with pieces of macaroni to form the leg bones. brush with a little butter and bake an hour in a slow oven and serve with drawn butter sauce. a dinner roast made of nuts and cheese contains the elements of meat. cook two tablespoons of chopped onion in a tablespoon of butter and a little water until it is tender, then mix with it one cupful each of grated cheese, chopped english walnuts and bread crumbs, salt and pepper to taste and the juice of half a lemon; moisten with water, using that in which the onion has been cooked; put into a shallow baking dish and brown in the oven. hickory nut loaf is another dish which can take the place of meat at dinner. mix two cups of rolled oats, a cupful each of celery and milk, two cups of bread crumbs and two eggs, season and shape, then bake minutes. serve with a gravy made like other gravy, with the addition of a teaspoon of rolled nuts. nut scrapple on a crisp winter morning a dish of nut scrapple is very appetizing and just as nutritious as that made of pork. to make it, take two cupfuls of cornmeal, one of hominy and a tablespoon of salt and cook in a double boiler, with just enough boiling water until it is of the consistency of frying. while still hot add two cupfuls of nut meats which had been put through the chopper; pour into buttered pan and use like other scrapple. peanut omelet is a delicious way to serve nuts. make a cream sauce with one tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of flour and three-quarters of a cupful of flour and three-quarters of a cupful of milk poured in slowly. take from the fire, season, add three-quarters of a cupful of ground peanuts and pour the mixture on the lightly beaten yolks of three eggs. fold in the stiffly beaten whites, pour into a hot baking dish and bake for minutes. nut roast eggs (beaten with egg beater) cups english walnut meats milk to moisten it cups of bread crumbs (grated) small tablespoon butter pinch salt. / cups of walnut meats will do. / lb. of the meats is / cups. a / lb. of the meats equals / lb. in the shells and the labor of shelling is saved. melt butter and pour over mixture, salt, then add enough milk to moisten, so as to form the shape of a loaf of bread. too little milk will cause the loaf to separate, likewise, too much will make it mushy. chop walnuts exceedingly fine. bake between to minutes in buttered bread pan or baking dish. a small slice goes very far as it is solid and rich. serve with hot tomato sauce. this makes a delicious luncheon dish, served with peas and a nice salad. oatmeal nut loaf oatmeal nut loaf can be served cold in place of meat for sunday night tea. put two cups of water in a sauce pan; when boiling add a cupful of oatmeal, stirring until thick; then stir in a cupful of peanuts that have been twice through the grinder, two tablespoons of salt, half a teaspoon of butter, and pack into a tin bucket with a tight fitting lid and steam for two hours; slice down when cold. this will keep several days if left in the covered tin and kept in a cool place. a delicious sandwich filling can be made from chopped raisins and nuts mixed with a little orange or lemon juice. cooked prunes may be used instead of raisins. rastus: "so you wife am one of dem suffragettes? why don't yo show her de evil ob sech pernicious doctrine by telling her her place am beside de fireside?" sambo: "huh! she dun shoot back sayin' dat if it wasn't foh her takin' in washin' dere wouldn't be any fireside."--puck. vegetables cream potatoes bake the potatoes in a slow oven. when perfectly cold slice rather thin. put into a pan, sprinkle on a little flour and toss the potatoes about with your hand until some flour adheres to each piece. cover these floured potatoes with small bits of butter. if the butter is put in in one piece the potatoes get broken before the butter reaches them all. sprinkle in a little salt and put in enough cream so that they are about half covered. if you use more cream they will cook too tender and be mushy before the cream is cooked down. stand by them. stir with a knife blade lifting them from the bottom but not turning them over. when they begin to glisten lift them to a hot serving dish and put them where they will keep warm but will not cook any further. if you have not cream add a little more butter but the cream is better than the butter. harriet taylor upton, president, ohio women's suffrage association. warren, ohio. [illustration] french fried potatoes wash and pare the potatoes and cut into any desired shape. drain well. fry in smoking fat until nicely browned, then drain on browned paper. season well and serve. potatoes au gratin cut cold boiled potatoes into cubes and make a cream dressing. butter the baking dish, put in a layer of potatoes and then a layer of the dressing, then sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese; now a layer of potatoes and then a layer of dressing and then cheese, put in oven and allow them to brown. potato croquettes pare sweet or white potatoes and boil as for mashed potatoes. when done and mashed add a good lump of butter and season well; add a little hot milk, form into croquettes and dip into beaten egg, then in bread or cracker crumbs. cook in deep fat. garnish with parsley. let the sky rain potatoes.--shakespeare pittsburgh potatoes onion quart potato cubes / can pimentos cups white sauce / lb. cheese teaspoon salt cook potatoes with chopped onion. drain and add pimentos cut fine. pour white sauce over; stir in cheese; bake in a moderate oven. sweet potato souffle boil some sweet potatoes and ripe chestnuts separately, adding a little sugar to the water in which the chestnuts are boiled. mash all well together and add some cream and butter and beat until light. then place for a minute or two in the oven to brown. potatoes a la lyonnaise cut cold boiled potatoes into tiny dice of uniform size. put two great spoonfuls of butter into the frying pan and fry two sliced onions in this for three minutes. with a skimmer remove the onions and turn the potatoes into the hissing butter. toss and turn with a fork, that the dice may not become brown. when hot, add a teaspoon of finely chopped parsley and cook a minute longer. remove the potatoes from the pan with a perforated spoon, that the fat may drip from them. serve very hot. stuffed potatoes wash good sized potatoes. bake them and cut off tops with a sharp knife, and with a teaspoon scoop out the inside of each potato. put this in a bowl with two ounces of butter, the yolks of two eggs, salt to taste, pepper and sugar. potato dumplings to be served with german pot roast or beef a la mode. large raw potatoes grated large boiled potatoes grated eggs / cup bread crumbs tablespoon melted butter mix eggs with grated raw potatoes, add bread crumbs and butter, lastly grated boiled potatoes and salt, mix flour with the hands while forming dumplings size of large egg, drop at once into boiling salted water. boil twenty minutes, drain, lay on platter and sprinkle with fried chopped onions, bread crumbs browned in butter. potato puffers peel and grate large potatoes, one onion, mix at once with two or three eggs (before potatoes have time to discolor). have spider very hot with plenty of hot fat. drop into flat cakes in. in diameter, fry crisp brown on one side then turn and fry second side. serve immediately with apple sauce or stewed fruit of any kind. stuffed tomatoes (luncheon dish.) large tomatoes tablespoon minced green (sweet) peppers minced onion or pork sausages cups bread crumbs teaspoon or tablespoon of minced parsley salt and pepper tablespoon melted butter boil the sausages ten minutes, then skin and chop fine. hollow your tomatoes using about / cup of the solid parts, chopping fine. mix all thoroughly then heap into the tomato shells. put large tablespoon butter in baking pan and bake about minutes in hot oven. green peppers and sausages can be omitted if so preferred. this stuffed tomato served with bread and butter can be used as a first course instead of bouillon and also can be used as a substitute for meat. baked tomatoes large smooth tomatoes green peppers tsp. salt / pints milk good sized onion / t. sugar flour wash tomatoes, do not peel, slice piece from top of each and scoop out a little of the tomato. cut peppers in two lengthwise and remove seeds--place in cold water. now put onion and peppers through meat chopper, sprinkle a little sugar and a little salt over each tomato and place in good sized baking dish; now put ground onion and ground peppers on top of tomato. put butter in skillet and when melted, not brown, stir in flour until a paste is formed, now add gradually the milk as you would for cream dressing, stir constantly. the dressing must be very thick to allow for the water from the tomatoes. put this sauce around the tomatoes, not on top and place in a moderate oven to bake about one hour slow. serve if possible in the same dish in which it was baked as it is very attractive. mary roberts rinehart. [illustration] green string beans / peck fry in ham or bacon, onion; add cup tomatoes, sprig thyme, clove garlic--parsley. add beans and cup water. cook / hours. fresh beans (green or yellow.) / peck beans good size onion / clove of garlic small tomatoes pinch of thyme / tablespoon butter / tablespoon bacon fat salt to taste cut beans lengthwise very thin. put butter and bacon fat in saucepan. cut up onion and let it fry to a light brown. then wash beans and put them in the fat. add garlic and tomatoes, (cut up) and thyme--a little salt and a little water. cook. barbouillade a dish from "fair provence" large or two small egg-plants; two cucumbers; four onions; six tomatoes; green pepper. peel and cut separately all vegetables; fry sliced onions in a teaspoon of lard; add tomatoes, crushing them and stirring until quite soft; add half a teaspoon of salt, then the cucumber, egg-plant, and green pepper, stirring over a hot fire for ten minutes; place over a slow fire and stew for three hours. if the vegetables are fresh and tender, nothing else is needed, but if they are somewhat dry, add a cupful of stock. cold barbouillade is excellent to spread on bread for sandwiches. barbouillade is usually served hot with rice boiled a la creole. boiled rice wash very thoroughly one cupful of rice; boil for twenty minutes in three quarts of boiling water; drain and shake well, pour cold water over the rice to separate the grains, and set in the oven a few minutes to keep hot. spinach wash thoroughly, then throw into cold water and bring to boiling point; then add / teaspoon of soda and boil minutes. turn into colander, let cold water run over it, drain well, squeezing out water with spoon, then chop very fine; add creamed butter, salt and pepper. heat again thoroughly, then serve with hard boiled eggs sliced on top. spaghetti / box spaghetti can tomatoes / large onion teaspoon salt / teaspoon pepper tablespoons sugar tablespoon flour pint water tablespoon butter / lbs. boiling meat sap sago or parmesan cheese. boil spaghetti twenty-five minutes in salt water, drain, and run cold water over it to separate. while the spaghetti is boiling make sauce as follows: put the butter in the skillet and when hot put in the onion and let brown. then add the tomatoes, meat, water, salt, pepper, sugar and cook thoroughly for one and one-half hours. then add flour mixed with a little water; thicken to the consistency of cream; strain. take baking dish and place a layer of spaghetti, then a layer of sauce, then sprinkle this with the cheese, continue until the pan is filled, allowing cheese to be on the top. bake one-half hour in a moderate oven. baked beans quart beans scant teaspoon baking soda tablespoons molasses / pound salt pork / pound bacon tablespoons vinegar / teaspoon mustard salt and pepper to taste tablespoons catsup soak beans over night in luke warm water with soda. in morning pour off water and wash in cold water. now place salt pork in bottom of bean crock and put layers of beans on top, sprinkle with pepper and salt, when filled nearly to top put on slices of bacon. now blend mustard with vinegar, now add molasses and catsup and pour over the beans and fill up and over the top with luke warm water. bake in a slow oven for at least six hours, longer if necessary. creamed mushrooms lb. mushrooms flour to thicken / lb. butter / pt. sweet cream to one pound of cleaned and well strained mushrooms, add / lb. of fresh butter. allow mushrooms to cook in butter about five minutes. sprinkle enough flour to thicken. when well mixed, pour in gently a little more than / pint of sweet cream. allow it to boil, add salt and pepper to taste. mrs. enoch rauh. [illustration] macaroni a la italienne lbs. ground meat onions large tablespoon butter / tablespoons sugar salt and pepper to taste large can tomatoes lbs. macaroni parmesan cheese , or cups water put butter in a pan and allow it to melt, add onions and cook until light brown, not dark. now add meat and cook slowly, now add sugar, and seasoning and tomatoes, and as it cooks down add cup of water. allow it to cook three hours or longer, adding more water as it needs it. it will turn dark, almost a mahogany, as it nears the finishing point. when almost done put macaroni on in plenty of boiling salt water and cook almost twenty minutes. do not allow it to cook entirely. when done drain off water. now take baking dish, and put a layer of macaroni on bottom, now a layer of parmesan cheese, now a layer of the tomato and meat sauce, now a layer of cheese and repeat with macaroni, cheese, sauce, etc., until the top is reached. put on a generous layer of sauce and cheese and allow it to bake about a half hour in a medium oven, being careful that it is not too hot. regarding how much water to add must be determined by cook. some times it boils more rapidly. the sauce must not be too thin. to serve with macaroni italienne the following is very fine. have the butcher cut a pound round steak as thin as possible and prepare the following way: generous cup grated bread crumbs anchovies, cut fine / tablespoon parsley, cut fine eggs boiled hard / tablespoon parmesan cheese seasoning to taste grate the bread, cut anchovies and parsley fine. mix all with seasoning and cheese and spread on steak. now place the eggs which have been boiled hard, peel, and allow to remain whole on top of bread crumbs, etc. place at equal distance from each other, and roll up and bind with skewers or cord. put this into the pot with the tomato and meat sauce and allow it to cook until the sauce is done, at which time the meat roll will also be ready to serve. place the roll on a dish and cut in slices. this, with a light salad, is sufficient for a dinner. rice with cheese cook a cup of rice in rapidly boiling, salted water until almost ready for the table. drain, mix with a pint of white sauce, pour into a baking dish, cover with slices of cheese, and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. the white sauce may also be flavored with cheese. rice with nuts prepare rice as above, and mingle with white sauce; add half a cup of chopped nuts--pecans or hickory nuts preferred; sprinkle a few chopped nuts over surface, and brown in quick oven. mrs. samuel semple, president, state federation of pennsylvania women. carrot croquettes boil four large carrots until tender; drain and rub through a sieve, add one cupful of thick white sauce, mix well and season to taste. when cold, shape into croquettes, and fry same as other croquettes. potato balls two soup plates of grated potatoes which have been boiled in the skins the day before. add four tablespoons flour or bread crumbs, a little nutmeg and salt, one-half cup of melted butter and the yolks of four eggs and one cupful croutons (fried bread--in butter--cut into small cubes). mix together, then add the beaten whites of the eggs. mix well and form into balls, then boil in boiling salt water about fifteen or twenty minutes. serve with bacon cut into small squares on top. to be eaten with stewed dried fruits cooked together--prunes, apricots, apples. mrs. raymond robins. vegetable medley, baked to take the place of the roast on a meatless menu, try the following: soak and boil one-half pint of dried beans to make a pint of pulp, putting it through a colander to remove the skins. take small can of tomato soup and to this allow a pint of nuts ground, two raw eggs, half a cup of flour browned, one small onion minced and a tablespoon of parsley, also minced. season to taste with sage, sweet marjoram, celery salt, pepper and paprika and mix the whole well, stirring in half a cup of sweet milk. put into a well-greased baking tin and brown for minutes in a quick oven. serve hot on a flat dish as you would a roast with brown gravy or tomato sauce. women cannot make a worse mess of voting than men have. they will make mistakes at first. that is to be expected. it will not be their fault, but the fault of the men who have withheld from them what they should have had before this. but eventually they will get their bearings, and will use the ballot to better effect than men have used it. whatever the outcome, it will be better to have intelligent women voting than the illiterates and incompetents who have now the right to the vote because they are men. we need to tighten up at one end of the voting question and broaden out at the other. we should take from the ignorant, worthless and unfit men who possess it, that right of suffrage which they do not know how to use. we should give to the thousands of intelligent women of the country the right of suffrage which should be theirs. irvin s. cobb. [illustration] the waste of good materials, the vexation that frequently attends such mismanagement and the curses not unfrequently bestowed on cooks with the usual reflection, that whereas god sends good meat, the devil sends cooks. e. smith. savories hot savory and cold salad are always to be recommended--some suggestions that are worth remembering. a hot savory and a cold salad make a good combination for the summer luncheon, and the savory is a useful dish for the disposition of left-over scraps of meat, fish, etc. the foundation of a savory is usually a triangle or a finger of buttered brown bread toast, or fried bread, pastry or biscuit. the filling may be varied indefinitely, and its arrangement depends upon available materials. here are a few suggestions for the use of materials common to all households. he that eats well and drinks well, should do his duty well. tomato toast half an ounce of butter, two ounces of grated cheese, one tablespoon of tomato; paprika. melt the butter and add the tomato (either canned or fresh stewed), then the grated cheese; sprinkle with paprika and heat on the stove. cut bread into rounds or small squares, fry and pour over each slice the hot tomato mixture. ham toast mince a little left-over boiled ham very finely. warm it in a pan with a piece of butter. add a little pepper and paprika. when very hot pile on hot buttered toast. any left-over scraps of fish or meat may be used up in a similar way, and make an excellent savory to serve with a green salad. cheese savories butter slices of bread and sprinkle over them a mixture of grated cheese and paprika. set them in a pan and place the pan in the oven, leaving it there until the bread is colored, and the cheese set. serve very hot. sardine savories sardines, one hard boiled egg, brown bread, parsley. cut the brown bread into strips and butter them. remove the skin and the bones from the sardines and lay one fish on each finger of the bread. chop the white of the egg into fine pieces and rub the yolk through a strainer. chop the parsley very fine and decorate each sardine with layers of the white, the yolk and the chopped parsley. season with pepper and salt. oyster savories these make a more substantial dish, and are delicious when served with a celery salad: six oysters, six slices of bacon, fried bread, seasoning. cut very thin strips of bacon that can be purchased already shaved is best for the purpose. season the oysters with pepper and salt, and wrap each in a slice of the bacon, pinning it together with a wooden splint (a toothpick). place each oyster on a round of toast or of fried bread, and cook in the oven for about five minutes. serve very hot, and sprinkle with pepper. savory rice and tomato fry until crisp a quarter pound of salt pork. put into the pan with it a medium-sized onion, minced fine and brown. all this to three cupfuls of boiled rice; mix in two green peppers seeded and chopped, and a cupful of tomato sauce. season all to taste with salt and pepper, turn into a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with fine breadcrumbs and small pieces of butter. brown. stuffed celery a most delicious relish is made with roquefort cheese, the size of a walnut, rubbed in with equal quantity of butter, moistened with sherry (lemon juice will serve if sherry be not available), and seasoned with salt, pepper, celery salt, and paprika; then squeezed into the troughs of a dozen slender, succulent sticks of celery. this is a very appropriate prelude to a dinner of roast duck. jack london. here is bread which strengthens man's heart, and, therefore, is called the staff of life. mathew henry bread, rolls, etc. fine bread small potatoes tablespoon lard handfuls salt handful sugar soak the magic yeast cake in a little luke warm water. add a little flour to this, and let it stand an hour. boil the potatoes in quarts water: when soft put through sieve and then set aside to cool in the potato water. add to this the lard, salt and sugar. about in the afternoon put the liquid in large bread riser. add about quarts of flour, beat thoroughly for at least minutes; now add dissolved yeast to it; let sponge rise until going to bed and then stiffen. knead until dough does not stick to the hands about to minutes. it will double in size. in morning put in bread pans and let rise one hour or more. bake in moderately hot oven one hour. many persons prefer stiffening the bread in the morning. in this case set the sponge later in the evening and allow it to rise all night, stiffening with the flour in the morning instead of the evening. of course this allows the baking to be rather late in the day. mrs. medill mccormick. [illustration] excellent nut bread two cupfuls of white flour (sifted), two cupfuls of graham or entire wheat flour (sifted if one chooses), one-half cup of new orleans molasses, little salt, two cupfuls of milk or water, one cupful of walnut meats (cut up fine), one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in milk, about two tablespoons melted butter. let raise minutes. bake about one hour in moderate oven. virginia batter bread cups milk salt to taste tablespoon butter / cup of cream / cup white corn meal to well beaten eggs put in double boiler cups of milk and / cup of cream. when this reaches boiling point salt to taste. while stirring constantly sift in / cup of white corn meal (this is best). boil minutes still stirring, then add tablespoon of butter and from to well beaten eggs (beaten separately) for each person is a good rule. pour into a greased baking dish and bake in a quick oven until brown like a custard. it must be eaten hot with butter and is a good breakfast dish. mrs. k. w. barrett. bran bread cups sterilized bran cups buttermilk raisins if desired cups white flour / teaspoon soda bake until thoroughly done. [illustration] editress suffrage cook book: i take pleasure in sending you a portrait and also my favorite recipe for food, which i hope will be of some use to you and help the cause along. mush should be made only of the whole meal flour of the grain and well cleaned before grinding. whole wheat flour, whole indian corn meal, whole wheat and whole barley meal are examples of the raw materials. take one pint (pound) of meal, / teaspoon of salt, four pints (pounds) of water. add the salt to the water and after boiling stir in slowly, so as to avoid making lumps, the meal until all is used. break up any lumps that may form with the ladle until the mass is homogeneous. cover the vessel and boil slowly over a low fire so as not to burn the contents, for an hour. or better after bringing to a boil in a closed vessel place in a fireless cooker over night. this is the best breakfast food that can be had and the quantity above mentioned is sufficient for from four to six persons. the cost of the raw material based on the farmer's price is not over / cents. variation: mush may also be made with cold water by careful and continuous stirring. there is some advantage of stirring the meal in cold water as there is no danger of lumping but without very vigorous stirring especially at the bottom, the meal may scorch during the heating of the water. the food above described is useful especially for growing children as the whole meal or flour produce the elements which nourish all the tissues of the body. respectfully, dr. harvey w. wiley. dr. wiley urges house wives to grind their own wheat flour and corn meal, using the coffee grinder for the work. the degree of fineness of flour is regulated by frequent grindings. the improvement in flavor and freshness of cakes, breads and mush made from home ground wheat and corn will absolutely prove a revelation. [illustration] polenta--corn meal take an iron kettle, put in two quarts water with one tablespoon salt. heat and before boiling, slowly pour in your corn meal, stirring continuously until you have it very stiff. put on lid and let boil for an hour or more. turn out in a pan and keep warm. later this is turned out on a platter for the table. cut it in pieces of about an inch wide for each plate and on this the following sauce is added with a teaspoon parmesan cheese added to each piece. brown a good sized onion in two tablespoons butter, add / clove of garlic, about pieces of dried mushroom, being well soaked in water (use the water also) dissolve a little extract of beef, pouring that into this with a little more water, salt and some paprika--a pinch of sugar and / teaspoon vinegar. a little flour to make a nice gravy. this makes it very palatable. it takes about ten minutes to cook. serve in gravy bowl--a spoonful on each piece of polenta. added to that the grated cheese, is all that is needed for a whole meal. apple sauce should be served with this dish. man doth not live by bread alone. --owen meredith corn bread pint corn meal pint flour teaspoon soda teaspoons cream of tartar teaspoon salt tablespoon sugar / cup melted butter pint milk egg mix the dry ingredients together. bake in rather quick oven. nut bread beaten egg / cups sweet milk cup light brown sugar cup nuts (chop before measuring) cups flour teaspoons baking powder let rise minutes. bake one hour. hymen bread lb. genuine old love / lb. common sense / lb. generosity / lb. toleration / lb. charity pinch humor (always to be taken with a grain of salt.) good for days in the year. corn bread cup flour cups corn meal (yellow) / cup sugar teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt eggs cups milk tablespoon butter sift all dry ingredients--sugar, flour, meal, salt and baking powder. beat yolks and add milk, stir into dry materials. now beat whites stiff and add. lastly stir in melted butter. bake in greased pans about twenty to thirty minutes. brown bread cup sweet milk / cup brown sugar teaspoon salt graham flour to make a stiff batter cup sour milk / cup molasses small teaspoon baking soda bake hour and a quarter in a moderate oven. stir in soda, dissolved, last thing, beating well. this makes small loaves. egg bread quart meal teaspoon salt eggs cup milk tablespoon lard and butter pour a little boiling water over quart of meal to scald it. add a little salt and stir in yolks of eggs, cup milk, tablespoon of lard and butter melted. add the whites last, well beaten. bake in a moderate oven till well done--almost an hour. quick waffles eggs quart of milk quart of flour a little salt tablespoon molten butter teaspoon sugar beat the eggs very light; then gradually mix in the milk, flour and salt; add melted butter. pour into the waffle iron and bake at once. grease irons well and do not put in too much batter. dumplings that never fall two cupfuls of flour, two heaping teaspoons of baking powder, one-half teaspoon of salt and one cupful of sweet milk. stir and drop in small spoonfuls into plenty of water, in which meat is boiling. boil with cover off for fifteen minutes, then put cover on and boil ten minutes longer. these are very fine with either beef or chicken. state of arizona executive mansion since equal suffrage became effective in arizona in december, , the many critics of the innovation have been quite effectually silenced by the advantageous manner in which enfranchisement of women has operated. not only have the women of this state evinced an intelligent and active interest in governmental issues, but in several instances important offices have been conferred upon that element of the electorate which recently acquired the elective franchise. kindly assure your co-workers in pennsylvania of my best wishes for their success. w. p. hunt. governor. [illustration] french rolls eggs ounces butter quart of flour pint sweet milk cake yeast a little salt beat the eggs very light; melt the butter in the milk; add a little flour and a little milk until all is mixed; then add yeast before all the milk and flour are added. make into rolls and bake in a pan. this should be made up at night and set to rise, and baked the next morning. drop muffins eggs quart of milk tablespoon butter / cake yeast flour to make a batter stiff enough for a spoon to stand upright. make up at night and in morning drop from spoon into pan. bake in a quick oven. we'll bring your friends and ours to this large dinner. it works the better eaten before witnesses. --cartwright. soft gingerbread / cup butter eggs cup hot water teaspoon cloves teaspoon soda / cup sugar teacup molasses teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon ginger / cups flour dissolve soda in couple teaspoonfuls hot water. gingerbread cup sugar cup molasses / cups flour / cups lard and butter eggs dessert spoon soda dissolved in cup cold water teaspoon ginger teaspoon cloves teaspoon cinnamon bake in slow oven and leave in pan until cold. cream gingerbread eggs, beaten, add / cup sugar / cup sour milk tablespoon ginger / cup molasses teaspoon cinnamon / level teaspoon soda well sifted level cups flour bake in gem pans. greatly improved by adding nuts and raisins. cream gingerbread cakes eggs / cup molasses grated rind of / lemon teaspoon cinnamon cups flour / cup sugar / cup thick sour milk saltspoon salt tablespoon ginger / teaspoons soda (level) beat eggs until light, add / cup of sugar, / cup molasses, / cup thick sour cream, the grated rind of / lemon, saltspoon of salt, teaspoon cinnamon, tablespoon ginger, and finally, add cups of well sifted flour mixed with / teaspoons soda (level). bake in gem pans. if desired add nuts and raisins which improves them very much. parliament gingerbread (with apologies to the english suffragists) / lb. flour / lb. treacle oz. butter / small spoon soda dessert spoon ginger dessert spoon mixed spices / cup sugar a bit of hot water in which soda is dissolved. put flour in a basin, and rub in butter, and dry ingredients; then, soda and water; pour in treacle, and knead to smooth paste. roll quite thin and cut in oblongs. bake about / hour. soft gingerbread cup sour milk / cup butter eggs pints flour cup molasses / cup sugar / teaspoons soda teaspoons ginger dr. van valja's griddle cakes cup boiled rice level tablespoon flour yolks of three eggs pinch salt beat the eggs to a froth, put in the rice and flour, bake on rather hot griddle greased with butter--eat with sugar and cinnamon. very good for a dyspeptic. sally lunn / cup sugar egg cups flour tablespoons melted butter cup milk teaspoons baking powder a good breakfast toast is made by dipping the slices of bread in a pint of milk to which a beaten egg and a pinch of salt are added, and frying. when heat turns milk sour here is a sour cream filling for cake: mix equal quantities of thick, sour cream, chopped nuts and raisins. add a little sugar and lemon juice, enough to give the proper taste, and spread between layers of cake. * * * * * many kinds of cookies can be made with sour milk. here is the recipe for a good sort: cream half a cup of butter with a cup of sugar and add a cup of sour milk in which three-quarters of a teaspoon of soda has been dissolved, and two cups or a little more of flour, sifted with half a teaspoon of cloves, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and a teaspoon of salt. chill the dough before cutting the cookies. it must be rolled thin. * * * * * corn bread can be made with sour milk in this way: sift a cup of cornmeal with half a cup of flour, half a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of shortening (clear chicken fat that has been fried out is a good kind), and then add a cupful of sour milk and a beaten egg. lastly, add half a teaspoon of soda. it is well to add the soda last, where a light mixture is desired, as it begins to give off carbon dioxide, the gas that makes the dough rise, as soon as it is moist and comes in contact with the acid of the sour milk. * * * * * graham bread made with sour milk in this way is delicious: sift together a cup and a half of graham flour and one of white. add a cup of broken nut meats and a teaspoon of salt. then stir in half a cup of milk and a cup and a half of sour milk, and, lastly, add a teaspoon of soda. the soda may be sifted into a little of the white flour and added last, if adding it with the flour is easier. cakes, cookies, tarts, etc. mocha tart beat the yolks of four eggs with cup sugar to a cream, to which add tablespoon of mocha extract (cross and blackwell's). beat whites stiff and fold them in with / cup of flour and teaspoon baking powder. bake in layers in oven. filling for mocha tart / pint cream well whipped, to which add / tablespoons mocha extract. sugar to taste. ice top with boiled icing flavored with one tablespoon of mocha extract. icing coffee cup sugar eggs tablespoons butter lemons (juice) beat all together and boil until it jellies. for orange cake use oranges instead of lemons. filling lemon cup water / cup sugar tablespoon corn starch egg grated lemon rind teaspoonful butter icing cups brown sugar cup sweet milk large tablespoons butter boil until it will make a ball in cold water. then beat until thick enough to spread on cake. flavor with vanilla. filling for cake grated apples cup sugar egg juice and grated rind of an orange or lemon. let it come to a boil. delicious nut cake old english recipe, year coffee cup is used for measure. cups of sugar rolled fine or sifted cup of butter--creamed together cups of flour--sifted times cup of cold water eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately large cups of walnut chopped or rolled teaspoons of cream of tartar--level measure cream butter and sugar, stir in yolks, beat hard for minutes, add water, then flour, mix the tartar in it--then nuts, then beaten whites of eggs. bake / of an hour if loaf, or half hour if divided into two portions or layers. icing cups sugar / pint hot water eggs beaten citric acid about size of pea vanilla boil water and sugar until it threads. pour over the beaten whites of eggs. beat until almost cold then add citric acid dissolved in one teaspoon boiling water, flavor with vanilla and spread between layers and over cake. this keeps a long time in a locked closet. cookery has become an art, a noble science; cooks are gentlemen. burton. christmas cakes / lb. butter eggs lb. powdered sugar flour enough to roll beat eggs separate cream butter; add sugar. separate eggs; beat and add. then flour to roll. cocoanut tarts eggs (whites) lb. sugar (pulverized) / lb. butter cocoanut grate the cocoanut, beat the butter and sugar to a cream; beat the eggs until very dry and light; mix well together and bake on pie crusts rolled very thin. this amount will make four large tarts. suffrage angel cake (a la kennedy) eggs full cup swansdown flour (after sifting) / cups granulated sugar heaping teaspoon cream of tartar teaspoons vanilla pinch of salt beat the eggs until light--not stiff; sift sugar times, add to eggs, beating as little as possible. sift flour times, using only the cupful, discarding the extra flour; then put in the flour the cream of tartar; add this to the eggs and sugar; now the vanilla. put in angel cake pan with feet. put in oven with very little heat. great care must be used in baking this cake to insure success. light the oven when you commence preparing material. after the first minutes in oven, increase heat and continue to do so every five minutes until the last or minutes, when strong heat must be used. at thirty minutes remove cake and invert pan allowing to stand thus until cold. miss eliza kennedy. [illustration] cinnamon cake cake compressed yeast / lb. butter tablespoon lard / cups sugar pinch of salt pint luke warm milk flour to stiffen about six o'clock in the evening soak a cake of yeast in a little luke warm water, make sponge with a little flour, water and yeast. let rise until light, about an hour. melt butter and lard and cream with sugar and salt; add luke warm milk and some flour, then stir in sponge and gradually add more flour until stiff, not as stiff as bread dough. do not knead, simply stiffen. let rise until morning, then simply put in square or round cake pans about one and one-half inches thick. do not roll, just mold with the hands and let rise about an hour. cover with little lumps of butter, then sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake twenty minutes. thin slices of apples can be placed on top, also peaches or almonds, blanched and chipped. this is the genuine german cinnamon cake, and is excellent. inexpensive spice cake / cup shortening cups brown sugar grated rind of lemon eggs, cups flour lb. seeded raisins / teaspoon cinnamon dash of cloves and nutmeg boil raisins in / cups water twenty minutes. mix shortening, sugar, lemon rind, eggs and spices, add one cup flour then raisins drained but still hot. then the other two cups flour and / cup of the water in which the raisins were boiled to which add teaspoon bi-carbonate soda. bake in gem pans in moderate oven. this makes cakes which can be iced with white or chocolate icing. black walnut cake cup butter (creamed) cup sugar eggs cup milk teaspoons baking powder flour to stiffen cup walnuts teaspoon vanilla bake or minutes according to oven. scripture cake cup of butter--judges chap. verse / " " flour-- kings " " " " sugar--jeremiah " " " " raisins-- sam'l " " " " figs-- sam'l " " " " water--genesis " " " " almond--genesis " " eggs--isaiah " " tablespoon of honey--exodus " " a pinch of salt--leviticus " " spices to taste-- kings " " follow solomon's advice for making good boys, and you will have a good cake. proverbs: ch. verse. state of california executive mansion since its adoption in october, , equal suffrage in california has been put to the most thorough and severe test. every conceivable sort of election has been held in the past three years, and women have been called upon to exercise their new privilege and perform their added duty not alone in the usual fashion, but in various primaries, including one for presidential preference, in local option elections, and they have been compelled to pass on laws and governmental policies presented to the electorate by the initiative and referendum. the women have met the test and equal suffrage in california has fully justified itself. in nineteen eleven, by a very narrow margin the amendment carried. were it to be again submitted, the vote in its favor would be overwhelming. hiram johnston, governor. [illustration] ratan kuchen / lb. butter pint milk eggs cake yeast / cup seedless raisins / pound blanched almonds (split) cup sugar pinch salt soak yeast in a little warm water and some of the milk minutes, then set a sponge and let it stand about hour (before breakfast); cream butter; add sugar and beat thoroughly; beat the eggs light and add gradually to creamed butter and sugar; now add the other / pint of milk. beat well and add the raisins, dredge with a little flour; now add sponge and beat all thoroughly for / hour till it drops from the spoon a little thicker than a sweet cake. grease your pan with butter and take the split almonds and stick them on the side of the pan. bake nearly an hour. this makes small cakes or one large one. very fine german coffee cake. you should use a pan with a tube in the center. golden cake / cup butter cup sugar yolks eggs / cup milk cups flour teaspoons baking powder teaspoons orange extract cream butter add sugar gradually and yolks of eggs beaten until thick, add lemon colored extract. mix and sift flour and baking powder and add alternately with milk to first mixture. pineapple cake egg / cup butter / cup sugar / cup milk / teaspoons baking powder / cups flour make in two layers and when ready to serve put grated pineapple on each layer of cake. whip half a pint of cream, sweeten to taste and put over pineapples. (bananas can be used instead of pineapples). ginger cookies lbs. flour lb. butter and lard mixed lb. brown sugar pint molasses good sized teaspoon of soda or level ones. add ginger to taste--about level teaspoons, also lemon extract or grated rind and juice if preferred. put flour, sugar and butter together and rub thoroughly. make hole in center and pour in the molasses in which the soda has been beaten in. stir all well together, break off enough to roll out; cut, space in pan and bake in very moderate oven. these keep well, especially in stone crock. this recipe makes a quantity if cut with small cutter. pound cake lb. flour lb. pulverized sugar flavoring lb. butter eggs cream butter and sugar to finest possible consistency. add / of the flour and beat well. have eggs beaten to a froth. add a few tablespoons at a time and beat thoroughly after each addition of egg. when eggs are all in, add balance of flour and flavoring and beat. bake in a slow oven one and one-half hours. hints:--secret of fine pound cake is in the mixing, much beating being essential. one-half the recipe serves fifteen persons amply. a paler yellow cake can be had by substituting the whites of two eggs for every yolk discarded. in the full recipe not more than four yolks should be discarded. a very little lemon combined with vanilla or almond, improves the flavor of the cake. bake, if possible, in an old-fashioned tin pan with a center tube. doughnuts cup sugar eggs tablespoons melted butter cup sour or butter milk small teaspoon soda flour enough to make a soft dough teaspoon baking powder mix eggs, sugar and butter; add sour milk or buttermilk with soda dissolved. then stir in flour with baking powder added. do not roll too thin. have lard boiling when you drop in the doughnuts. a slice of raw potato in the lard will prevent the lard taste. cream cake cup butter tablespoon lard cups sugar cup sweet milk eggs teaspoons baking powder teaspoon vanilla quart flour [illustration: (handwritten note:) "we bear and rear and agonize. well, if we are fit for that, we are fit to have a voice in the fate of the man we bear. if we can bring forth the man for the nation, we can sit with you in your councils and shape the destiny of the nation and say whether it is for war or peace we give the sons we bear." ~joan in "war brides."~ nazimova] [illustration] one egg cake cup butter / cups sugar cups flour cup sweet milk egg teaspoons baking powder cup chopped raisins devil's food cups brown sugar eggs cups flour / cup boiling water / cup sour cream / cup butter / cup grated chocolate / teaspoons soda dissolve soda in boiling water and pour over chocolate and let cool. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the eggs and other things. bake in layers. bride's cake eggs (whites) small cup butter small cups flour teaspoons baking powder cups sugar cup sweet milk / cup corn starch flavor to taste this makes two good sized cakes, or four layers. date cake cup sugar / cup butter eggs cups flour heaping teaspoon baking powder / cup milk lb. stoned and chopped dates rolled on a portion of the flour cream the sugar and butter. add the well beaten yolks; then the whites; then the flour well sifted with the baking powder. beat until smooth; add milk, then dates. beat thoroughly and bake three-quarters of an hour in a steady, but not too hot oven. pfeffernusse (pepper nuts) cup lard cup butter cups brown sugar eggs teaspoons annise seed (ground) oz. whole coriander seed / lb. chopped almonds / lb. mixed citron cups molasses teaspoons soda quart flour teaspoon cream of tartar cocoanut cake cup butter cup sweet milk teaspoon soda grated cocoanut cups sugar / cups flour teaspoons cream tartar eggs (beaten separately) in place of the soda and cream of tartar teaspoons of baking powder can be used. jam cake cup brown sugar - cup butter and lard eggs glass of strawberry jam teaspoon cloves teaspoon cinnamon / grated nutmeg / cup sour milk teaspoon soda cups flour bake in a slow oven. a march before day to dress one's dinner, and a light dinner to prepare one's supper are the best cooks. alexander. hickory nut cake cup sugar / cup sweet milk eggs / cup butter teaspoons baking powder flour to stiffen one large cup chopped hickory nuts and sprinkle a little salt and flour with them. this makes two layers. lace cakes cup brown sugar egg, not beaten / tablespoon flour round teaspoon butter cup english walnuts chopped bake on the underside of a pan in a slow oven. this makes cakes. "do not misunderstand me. woman suffrage is right. it is just. it is expedient. in all moral issues the woman voters make a loyal legion that cannot be betrayed to the forces of evil; and however they are betrayed--as we all are--in campaigns against the beast, the good that they do in an election is a great gain to a community and a powerful aid to reform. i believe that when the women see the beast, they will be the first to attack it. i believe that in this our first successful campaign against it, the women saved us." hon. ben lindsay. [illustration] lace cakes cup sugar teaspoon butter teaspoons baking powder teaspoon vanilla eggs / cups rolled oats cream butter, add sugar and eggs. to this add vanilla and baking powder, and when these are thoroughly mixed, stir in the oats. this should make a stiff batter, and more oats may be added if batter is not stiff enough. mold into little cakes with a teaspoon and bake in buttered pans two inches apart, for ten minutes. marshmallow teas arrange marshmallows on thin, unsweetened round crackers. make a deep impression in center of each marshmallow, and in each cavity drop / teaspoon butter. bake until marshmallows spread and nearly cover crackers. after removing from oven insert half a candied cherry in each cavity. these are excellent with afternoon tea. apple sauce cake / cup butter a little salt cups sifted flour / teaspoon cloves / cup nuts / cups apple sauce / cups sugar / teaspoon cinnamon cup seeded raisins scant teaspoons soda dissolved in a little water, boiling. bake in a slow oven. quick coffee cakes cream one-fourth of a cupful of butter, three-fourths of a cupful of sugar, one egg; add one cupful of milk, two and one-half cupfuls of flour in which two teaspoons of baking powder have been sifted. beat smooth, then add as many raisins as desired and bake in two pie tins. when the top has begun to crust over, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. bake a golden brown. sand tarts one pound of granulated sugar, three-quarters of a pound of butter, one pound of flour, one pound of almonds blanched and split, and three eggs. cream butter and sugar till very light, add the yolks of the three eggs and the whites of two. add the flour; roll on the board and cut in oblong or diamond shapes. beat the white of the remaining egg and bake. sand tarts lbs. light brown sugar / lb. butter lbs. flour eggs milk enough to make a stiff dough. roll very thin, cut out and brush over with beaten egg and milk mixed together. put two or three blanched almonds on each tart and dust with cinnamon and sugar. bake in moderate oven. cheap cake cups sugar teaspoon butter cups flour eggs cup water teaspoons baking powder flavor to taste the state of wyoming executive department cheyenne. dec. , . editress suffrage cook book: after observing the operation of the women suffrage laws and full political rights in the state and territory of wyoming for many years, i have no hesitation in saying that everything claimed by the advocates of such laws have been made good in the state. i am unqualifiedly and without reservation in favor of woman suffrage and equal political rights for women for all the states of the american union. very truly yours, joseph m. carey. governor. [illustration] hermits / cups sugar / cup butter tablespoons milk--sweet or sour eggs--whites and yolks beaten separately teaspoon soda heaping teaspoon cinnamon heaping teaspoon ginger level teaspoon cloves cup chopped seeded raisins cup chopped nuts even cup of flour drop on greased pan and bake. hermits / cups sugar eggs cup chopped walnuts or hickory nuts teaspoon cinnamon teaspoon vanilla cup butter cup chopped raisins - cup sliced citron teaspoon cloves / teaspoon soda dissolve soda in tablespoon hot water. flour enough to make a stiff batter, drop in small cakes with teaspoon and bake in slow oven. cocoanut cookies cup butter eggs lemon--juice and rind cups sugar teaspoons baking powder pound package grated cocoanut cream sugar with butter. add the yolks of the eggs and beat well. add juice and rind of lemon. then flour, into which has been sifted the baking powder. sift flour and baking powder twice before adding to mixture. use enough flour to make a very stiff batter, add cocoanut, and last, fold in the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. drop on buttered tins and bake in moderate oven. pastries, pies, etc. grape fruit pie first bake a shell as for lemon pie, then make a filling as follows: mix one tablespoon of cornstarch in a little cold water, and over this pour one cupful of boiling water. to this add the juice of two grapefruits, the grated rind and juice of one orange, the beaten yolks of two eggs, and the white of one, and a small piece of butter. put all in the double boiler and cook until thick, stirring all the time. when done, put in the shell. now beat up the white of the second egg with one-half a cupful of sugar until thick, and spread with a knife over the pie. put in the oven and let brown lightly. serve cold. this makes a delicious pie. spice pie the yolks of three eggs, one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of cream, two tablespoons of flour, two-thirds of a cupful of butter, one teaspoon of spice, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg. mix the flour and sugar together, then cream with the butter. add the yolks of the eggs, beating thoroughly. next add cream and spices. use the whites for the frosting. cream pie / cups milk egg yolks tablespoons sugar a little salt tablespoon butter vanilla to taste scald milk; beat eggs; add sugar; pour into milk, beating constantly, tablespoon of cornstarch and tablespoon flour (rounded). bake crust; beat whites; add teaspoon sugar, cover with cocoanut browned lightly; now cover with whipped cream and cream nuts. pie crust one level cup of flour, one-half cup of lard, one-half teaspoon salt, one-fourth cup ice cold water, one teaspoon baking powder. mix salt, baking powder and flour thoroughly, chop in the lard, add water. use as little flour as possible when rolling out. this makes a light, crisp, flaky and delicious pie crust. pie for a suffragist's doubting husband qt. milk human kindness reasons: war white slavery child labor , , working women bad roads poisonous water impure food mix the crust with tact and velvet gloves, using no sarcasm, especially with the upper crust. upper crusts must be handled with extreme care for they quickly sour if manipulated roughly. * * * * * sigmund spaeth, in his "operatic cook book, in life," gives this recipe for the making of the opera "pagliacci." beat a large bass drum with the white of one clown. then mix with a prologue and roll very thin. fill with a circus just coming to town. one leer, one scowl and one tragical grin. bake in a sob of carusian size. result: the most toothsome of italy's pies. where is the man that can live without dining? --lytton. orange pie large grated apple orange--grated rind and juice / cup sugar eggs--butter size of an egg grate apple; add orange, sugar, butter and yolks. beat whites and add lastly. bake slowly in open shells. lancaster county pie cup molasses teaspoon soda cup sugar cup boiling water cups flour / cup butter make a pie crust and line pie pans. put soda in the molasses and heat thoroughly, then add the boiling water. divide in the four pans. mix flour, sugar and butter together for the crumbs and put on top of the syrup. bake in moderate oven. brown sugar pie / cupful of brown sugar tablespoon butter tablespoons milk / teaspoons vanilla cook until waxy looking, then take the yolks of eggs and heaping tablespoon of flour and / cupfuls milk. mix all together smooth. add to the above ingredients. cook until thick and add vanilla. have a baked crust, use the whites beaten stiff for the top. return to the oven for a minute or two. banbury tart cup flour heaping tablespoons of lard cold water handle as little as possible; roll thin and cut with cutter inches in diameter. filling egg beaten light cup raisins cup sugar tablespoon of flour juice of one lemon and grated rind mix well and cook to consistency of custard, and fill the pastry which is turned up and made into the shape of a tart. puddings [illustration] [illustration] [illustration: handwritten note: we may live without poetry, music, and art; we may live without conscience, & live without heart; we may live without friends; we may live without books; but civilised man cannot live without cooks. lucile by owen meredith (earl of lytton) hasty pudding my favourite pudding: milk one pint. flour / table-spoonfuls. sugar / teaspoonful. boil the milk. mix the flour with a little cold milk. pour the boiling milk onto this and put all back into the saucepan. let it boil up once more and it is ready. serve at once. constance lytton] it almost makes me wish i vow to have two stomachs like a cow. hood. bakewell pudding the famous dainty from the town of bakewell, derbyshire, england. paste oz. flour oz. margarine / small spoon baking powder mixture / ounces butter ounces sugar eggs dessert spoon corn flour / cup hot water / small spoon lemon juice make the paste, roll quite thin, and line an ashet; spread bottom with jam; pour on top above mixture, prepared as follows:--melt butter, add sugar, flour, and beat well, then the water, and fruit juice; finally, the eggs, well beaten. bake for about / an hour. serve, of course, cold. graham pudding cup molasses cup sweet milk / cups graham flour egg tablespoon butter teaspoon cinnamon / teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon soda cup raisins put in buttered pudding dish and steam hours. norwegian prune pudding / lb. prunes cups cold water cup sugar inch piece stick cinnamon / cups boiling water / cup corn starch tablespoon lemon juice pick out and wash prunes; then soak hour in cold water, and boil until soft; remove stones; obtain meat from stones and add to prunes; then add sugar, cinnamon, boiling water, and simmer ten minutes. dilute corn starch with enough cold water to pour easily; add to prune mixture and cook five minutes. remove cinnamon; mould; then chill and serve with whipped cream. state of idaho governor's office, boise. january , . woman suffrage has gone beyond the trial stage in idaho. we have had it in operation for many years and it is now thoroughly and satisfactorily established. its repeal would not carry a single county in the state. the women form an intelligent, patriotic and energetic element in our politics. they have been instrumental in accomplishing many needed reforms along domestic and moral lines, and in creating a sentiment favorable to the strict enforcement of the law. the impression that woman suffrage inspires an ambition in women to seek and hold public office is altogether wrong. the contrary is true. the women of idaho are not politicians, but they demand faithful and conscientious service from public officials and when this service is not rendered their disapproval is certain and unmistakable. woman suffrage produces no wrong or injury to society, but it does engender a higher spirit of civic righteousness and places political and public affairs on a more elevated plane of morality and responsibility. m. alexander, governor of idaho [illustration] suet pudding cup suet cup brown sugar cup raisins pint flour cup milk teaspoons baking powder mix suet, chopped fine, raisins and sugar, then add flour and baking powder, add milk and steam three hours. serve with sauce. plain suet pudding cup beef suet teaspoon salt eggs / cups flour teaspoons baking powder cups milk put suet through meat grinder or food chopper, fine blade. sift flour, salt, baking powder and rub suet into flour well. beat eggs lightly, add milk and stir into mixture. butter mold and fill / full and steam three hours. this quantity makes two good sized puddings. it is very nice made without the eggs and using one-half the quantity. fill a deep pudding dish or pan with fruit, apples or peaches, dropping the suet pudding over the fruit in large spoonsfull and steam / hours. cottage fruit pudding teaspoons butter egg / teaspoon salt cup sugar / cup milk - / cups flour cream well together teaspoons butter, cup sugar, egg, / cup milk, / teaspoon salt and - / cups flour. beat well and add two scant teaspoons baking powder, then turn into shallow, well-buttered pan, the bottom of which has been covered with fresh fruit of any kind. bake in moderate oven one-half hour. serve with cream or sauce. prune souffle one-half pound of prunes, three tablespoons of powdered sugar, four eggs, a small teaspoon of vanilla. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar to a cream, add the vanilla and mix them with the prunes. the prunes should first be stewed and drained, the stones removed, and each prune cut into four pieces. when ready to serve, fold in lightly the stiffly whipped whites of the eggs, having added a dash of salt to the whites before whipping. turn it into a pudding dish and bake in a moderate oven for minutes. serve very hot directly it is taken from the oven. plum pudding lbs. suet lb. sugar / lb. flour eggs pint milk nutmegs grated / oz. cloves. lbs. bread crumbs (dry) lbs. raisins lbs. currants / lb. orange & lemon peel cup brandy / oz. mace / oz. allspice free suet from strings and chop fine. seed raisins, chop fine and dredge with flour. cream suet and sugar; beat in the yolks when whipped smooth and light; next put in milk; then flour and crumbs alternately with beaten whites; then brandy and spice, and lastly the fruit well dredged with flour. mix all thoroughly. take well buttered bowls filled to the top with the mixture and steam five hours. (this pudding will keep a long time). when cold cover with cheesecloth and tie with cord around the rim of the bowl. steam again one hour before using. use wine or brandy sauce. when on the table pour a little brandy or rum over the top of the pudding and set fire to it. this adds much to the flavor. lemon cream cream together the yolks of five ( ) eggs and four ( ) tablespoons of sugar. add the grated rind of one ( ) lemon and the juice of one and one-half ( / ) lemons. dissolve teaspoon of gelatine in a very little water, while hot stir into the pudding. let stand till it thickens, then add the beaten whites of the eggs. serve in individual sherbet cups. mrs. raymond robins. [illustration] lemon hard sauce cream two tablespoons of butter until soft, add one tablespoon of lemon juice and a little nutmeg, then beat in enough sifted confectioner's sugar to make a light, fluffy mass. let it harden a little before serving. corn pudding large ears of corn tablespoon butter teaspoon salt eggs or will do (beaten) cups of boiled rice cup milk pepper and little sugar score and cut corn fine--scraping the last off cob. put the butter in the hot rice. first mix rice and corn well together, then beat in the custard. raw carrot pudding cup carrots, grated cup potatoes, grated / cups white sugar cups flour cup raisins teaspoon soda salt, cinnamon, lard and nutmeg to taste. steam three hours. serve with whipped cream or sauce. state of illinois governor's office springfield since, on viewing the past in perspective, we can derive a lesson such as is contained in the steady, sure advance of the world by successive steps toward a higher moral consciousness with a broad humanitarianism as its basis, may we not, by virtue of this fact, find the way lighted to the future--a future in which men and women will combine forces and resort to helpful co-operation in all those things which add to the sum of human happiness. if history shows that the most rapid strides toward a lofty civilization have been made since both the sexes assumed this attitude of mutual helpfulness, does it not, by that same token, reveal the source of greatest efficiency while indicating that feminism is humanism, and thus foretelling the trend of human development. ever yours truly, edward f. dunne, governor. [illustration] customer--that was the driest flattest sandwich i ever tried to chew into! waiter--why here's your sandwich! you ate your check. sandwich recipes hawaiian sandwiches chop finely one pimento, one green pepper freed from seeds, and a small cream cheese; add a good pinch of salt and spread between slices of buttered bread. chocolate sandwiches butter and thinly slice white bread; make a chocolate filling exactly like fudge, but do not allow it to boil quite to the candy stage; spread between the slices of bread, press together and trim neatly. caramel sandwiches melt a tablespoon of butter with a cup of light brown sugar, and a tablespoon of water; cook for a few moments, till well incorporated, then spread between slices of buttered bread. fruit sandwiches chop candied cherries, dried figs and stoned dates together; make a paste with a little orange juice, and spread between buttered slices of graham bread. cucumber sandwiches pare and slice cucumbers crosswise. marinate in french dressing and place between rounds of buttered bread. anchovy canapes cream tablespoons butter; add / teaspoon anchovy paste; spread thin slices of fresh toast with this; over that put slices of hard boiled or chopped egg and on top one rolled anchovy. sandwiches another delightful way of using sardines is as a sandwich. beat two ounces of butter until it is soft, then add a little salt, nutmeg, nepaul pepper, teaspoons of tomato catsup and a few drops of lemon juice. remove the skin and the backbone from three sardines, and pound them to a paste in a mortar with the prepared butter. pass the mixture through a wire sieve and spread it rather thickly on fingershaped pieces of buttered brown bread, and make into sandwiches with a little fine cress between the bread. filling for sandwiches cup yellow cheese cup tomato juice / cup chipped beef ground egg beaten separately cook tomato juice until it thickens, add cheese, beef and egg last; if the mixture is too thick, add cream. apple sandwiches take bran or whole wheat bread cut thin and spread thin with peanut butter. wash, pare, quarter, core and slice the apples very thin spread between the bread. or the bread can be buttered and thin slices of apple put between, then the apple is dusted with a little salt. nothing lovelier can be found in woman, than to study household good. milton's paradise lost. salads and salad dressings pear salad arrange either fresh or cooked pears on lettuce leaves, and pour over pears sweet cream dressing. over this grate cocoanut and on top place cherries. potato salad / peck of very small potatoes / portion small onion small bunch celery tablespoons of sugar tablespoons olive oil / pint of vinegar salt and pepper to taste boil potatoes until soft; pare and let cool, then slice very thin; add finely cut onions and diluted vinegar enough to mix well; add salt, pepper and sugar, some celery cut fine and lastly olive oil. serenely full, the epicure would say fate cannot harm me, i have dined today. sidney smith codfish salad piece of codfish / cup diluted vinegar black pepper to season cup cold boiled potatoes, slices very thin tablespoon chopped parsley hard boiled egg teaspoon olive oil soak fish over night. place in fresh water and bring to the boiling point. do not allow it to boil. take out fish and shred. remove all skin and bones. allow it to cool. add potatoes, parsley, pepper, oil and vinegar. swedish wreathes work cup of bread dough, / cup butter and / cup lard, using the hands. when thoroughly blended, toss on floured board and knead, using enough flour to prevent sticking. cut off pieces and roll like bread stick; shape into rings, dip upper surface in blanched almonds that have been chopped and salted. arrange on buttered baking sheets. bake in hot oven until brown. bean salad / peck green string beans / small onion / cup vinegar / cup sweet or sour cream tablespoons sugar / tablespoon salt / teaspoon pepper or paprika boil the beans until tender in salt water, not soft, drain and let cool. when cold add the onion, cut fine; mix the cream, vinegar, salt, sugar and pepper and pour over beans; serve very cold on lettuce leaves. hard boiled eggs can be used as a garnish. mrs. f. m. roessing. [illustration] hot slaw small head cabbage onion tablespoon bacon fat teaspoon sugar teaspoon vinegar salt to taste cut cabbage not too fine, heat fat in sauce pan. wash cabbage and put into that a little water and add onion, cut up, salt and a little pepper. cook about twenty minutes, then add the sugar and vinegar. it must be sour-sweet. it is then ready to serve. creole salad cut off the tops of eight medium sized sweet bell peppers, saving the tops with the stems attached; remove all the seeds and white portion without breaking the pepper, then throw them into ice water for minutes. mix together a cupful of minced ham and chicken, four hard boiled eggs and a bunch of celery, chopped, and a spanish onion. moisten with dressing, fill the shells, replace the tops and serve. colored salads a salad to fit in with any scheme of decoration you may wish to carry out. yellow to make a yellow salad use the yellower heart leaves of lettuce. on them put diced orange pulp, dressed with french dressing and sprinkled with chopped walnut meats. or else scoop out the centers of small yellow-skinned apples and fill them with a mixture of orange and apple, dressed with mayonnaise made with lemon juice for thinning and a flavoring of mustard. green on green, but tender leaves of lettuce, put a little mound of spinach, which has been boiled and pressed through a sieve and mixed with french dressing. in the center of each mound, concealed by the spinach, put a spoonful of chopped hard-boiled egg. green and white peel and boil tiny white turnips of equal size and hollow out the center of each. fill with cold boiled peas and mayonnaise and put on green lettuce leaves. white celery, potato, chicken--white meat only--white fish, blanched asparagus--any or two of these may be used for white salad. dress with french dressing or with a white mayonnaise, to which the beaten white of egg has been added and which has been thinned with vinegar. red scoop out the inside of tomatoes. save the slice removed from the top for a cover and replace it on the tomato after filling it with a mixture of celery and nut meats, mixed with mayonnaise. place each tomato on a white leaf of lettuce. pink strain tomato juice and mix it with equal quantity of white stock--veal or chicken. thicken sufficiently with gelatin and harden in molds. serve on white lettuce leaves, with mayonnaise that has been colored with a little cranberry juice. orange salad make mayonnaise with much egg yolk in proportion to other ingredients, and thin with cider vinegar. dice tender carrots and arrange on lettuce leaves, dressing with orange mayonnaise. animals feed, men eat, but only intelligent men know what to eat. brillat savarin. tomato aspic in tomato aspic--tomato jellies with sardines should be made in ample time to harden on ice. the aspic referred to is ordinary gelatin mixed with soup stock instead of plain water. remove the skin from sardines, then split them open and take out the backbone and cut them into narrow strips. mix together in equal quantities some stiff mayonnaise sauce and cool, but liquid, aspic jelly then stir in some chopped capers and small pieces of tomato, in the proportion of a dessertspoon of each to half a pint of the mayonnaise and aspic mixture; and, lastly, add the sardines. have at hand some small tomato molds which have been rather thickly lined with tomato aspic, fill them with the sardine mixture and leave on ice until the jellies can be unmolded; serve each on a small leaf of lettuce, and surround with a salad of water-cress and sliced tomatoes. suffrage salad dressing yolks of eggs tablespoons of sugar tablespoons of tarragon vinegar pinch of salt beat well; cook in double boiler. when cold and ready to serve, fold in / pint of whipped cream. cucumber aspic four large cucumbers, one small onion, half a box of gelatine soaked in half a cup of cold water, salt and white pepper to taste. peel the cucumbers, cut into thick slices and place, with the sliced onion, over the fire with a scant quart of water. simmer for an hour, stir in the gelatine and, when this is dissolved, season the jelly, strain it and set aside to cool. it may be formed into small moulds and turned out on lettuce leaves, or used in a border-mould for garnishing a fish or tomato salad, or set to form in a salad bowl and taken out by the spoonful and served on lettuce leaves. french dressing is better with it than mayonnaise. boiled mayonnaise dressing egg piece of butter size of walnut tablespoon of sugar / teaspoon of mustard / teaspoon of salt / teaspoon white pepper tablespoon cider vinegar tablespoon boiling water just before putting in double boiler. mix dry ingredients and beaten egg. add melted butter and vinegar. beat well until thoroughly mixed. add boiling water; cook until thick. use level measures. if too thick use plain cream to thin. mayonnaise dressing without oil tablespoons dry mustard " " salt " " flour " " sugar sift together through fine strainer three times. put into a double cooker two cups of milk. beat four eggs thoroughly. add to the milk. melt two tablespoons of butter and add to the milk and eggs. then add all the above dry sifted ingredients. put on fire, stirring constantly. when it begins to thicken add drop by drop one-half teacup vinegar. cook until thick, which will be about twenty minutes. remove from fire and put in cool place. mrs. oliver h. p. belmont, president political equality ass'n. new york. [illustration] french dressing / teaspoon salt tablespoons lemon juice / teaspoon pepper tablespoons olive oil alabama dressing cups of oil yolks of eggs / cup of vinegar make this carefully into a smooth and well blended mayonnaise. it will take fully / hour, but the success of the dressing depends upon the mayonnaise. now stir in slowly / bottle chili sauce until well mixed with the mayonnaise. then chop together very fine bunch of chives, hard boiled eggs, pimentos, / green pepper; add paprika and salt to taste and mix well with the mayonnaise. this will make about quart of dressing. it should be kept in a cool place and covered when not in use. it will keep a long time. cooked salad dressing yolks eggs / teaspoon dry mustard / teaspoon salt tablespoons butter tablespoons hot vinegar tablespoon sugar beat yolks until creamy, add to them the mustard, salt and sugar. beat in slowly the butter melted, also add vinegar. cook until it thickens. it is best to make this in a double boiler. when cold, add cup sweet or sour cream. this keeps well and is particularly fine for lettuce, celery, beans, asparagus or cauliflower. caviare dressing (for tomato salad) heaping tablespoons of caviare yolks of eggs, boiled hard and grated one tablespoon of chopped onions / tablespoon of paprika tablespoons of olive oil tablespoons of tarragon vinegar meat and fish sauces bechamel sauce / cups whitestock slice onion slice carrot bit of bay leaf sprig of parsley / teaspoon pepper peppercorns / cup butter / cup flour cup scalded milk / teaspoon salt cook white stock minutes with onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley and peppercorns, and then strain; there should be one cupful. melt the butter, add flour, and gradually the hot stock and milk. season with salt and pepper. a sauce for hot meats / cup sharp vinegar tablespoons colman's mustard a little tabasco sauce tablespoons horse radish / cup butter melted very hot pepper and salt to taste a warmed-up dinner was never worth much --boileau. gravy warmed over for meats one-half cup walnut catsup, wine glass tomato catsup, small cup sherry (may be omitted), tablespoon butter, rubbed smooth with flour, small onion chopped very fine, teaspoon currant jelly, salt and pepper. when thoroughly mixed lay slices of the meat in a dish, pour the gravy over, then set dish in the oven until all is well heated through. serve. horse radish sauce make a plain white sauce and season to taste. when done add / cup of grated horseradish and / cup cream. very good for meats, especially boiling meat. state of kansas. jan. , . editress suffrage cook book: what do i think of woman suffrage? i wrote the resolution in the kansas senate submitting the constitutional amendment for it. when i became governor of kansas i found a hundred little orphans at our state orphans' home, mothered by a man. the little unfortunates at our schools for the deaf and the blind were mothered by men. i placed women at the head of these institutions. among the other appointees during my term of office was a woman on the board of administration, the board having our educational institutions in charge; a woman on the board of health; a woman factory inspector; a woman parole officer; a woman on the state text book commission; two women on the board of education, and women physicians at our state hospitals. in every instance these women gave the state of kansas better service than did the men whom they succeeded. the women of kansas have "arrived" and the state service is better by their participating in it. cordially yours, george h. hodges. governor. [illustration] cooking takes a little training and a great deal of common sense. eggs, etc. pain d'oeufs beat slightly six eggs, add six tablespoons sugar, a pinch of salt and one-half teaspoon vanilla. scald three cups of milk and pour slowly over the eggs, stirring constantly. melt in a granite or aluminum baking dish six tablespoons of sugar until brown, using no water. pour the custard into this, set into a pan of hot water and bake in a slow oven minutes or more until the custard is set, and a testing knife comes out clean. the water in the pan must not boil. when perfectly cold turn upside down into a glass or china serving dish. mrs. carrie chapman catt. [illustration] bread crumb omelet eggs small teaspoon salt little minced onion or cups bread crumbs cups milk sprigs parsley (minced fine) minced sweet green peppers can be added / cup butter softened (melt and cool) beat all well together, pour into a buttered dish and bake in a slow oven until lightly browned. should be served at once, as it sinks down when cooling. this does not harm it only it does not look so pretty. if it browns too quickly--cover. egg patties beat eggs lightly and add crushed cracker crumbs till it forms a thick paste, then thin with a little milk. season with finely cut onion, pepper and salt. fry in butter, like pancakes. very good and something different. god sends meat and the devil sends cooks. john taylor florentine eggs in casseroles chop cooked spinach very fine and season with butter and salt. put tablespoon spinach in each buttered individual casserole, sprinkle with teaspoon grated parmesan cheese, and slip into each an egg. cover each egg with / teaspoon grated parmesan cheese and teaspoon bechamel sauce. bake until the eggs are set, and serve immediately. this makes a delicious entree. cheese souffle eggs beaten separately very light cup sour cream cup grated cheese teaspoons finely sifted flour bake in a quick oven in buttered baking dish. oyster omelet / pint oysters eggs salt and pepper to taste / tablespoons butter drain oysters. put butter in pan and cook oysters until they curl. beat eggs lightly and put over oysters; season and shake until done. serve at once. potato omelet medium potatoes large spoon butter / tablespoon lard eggs / onion minced season to taste scrape the potatoes into cold water to keep from discoloring. put butter and lard in skillet, and brown carefully, add potato squeezed out of the water also onion, cook slowly and then beat the eggs and add. when done on one side put a plate over the skillet and turn the omelet, now slip in the pan and brown the other side. serve at once. "well, marie" said jiggles after the town election "for whom did you vote this morning?" "i crossed off the names of all the candidates," returned mrs. jiggles, "and wrote out my principles on the back of my ballot. this is no time to consider individuals and their little personal ambitions."--new york times. northampton, mass. dec. , . editress suffrage cook book: as to a sentiment on equal suffrage, let me say that if i had no more generous reason for approving it, i should do so on the ground of my opposition to seeing any element of our people enjoying large liberty and influence without the restraints of a corresponding responsibility in the suffrage. ever yours truly, g. w. cable. [illustration] creams, custards, etc. strawberry short cake a la mode cup flour / teaspoon baking powder / teaspoon salt heaping tablespoon of butter sift the dry ingredients together and work in the butter. mix with enough milk to make a stiff dough which can be rolled as thin as a wafer. put one thin layer on a pie-pan and butter lightly; lay another layer on first. bake eight minutes in a moderate oven. when cold cut in pieces and split each piece. place a large tablespoon of crushed, sweetened strawberries between the layers, add the top layer, add more berries, and last of all, a heaping tablespoon of ice cream or frozen custard. frozen custard (for above short cake) to pint of milk add / pint of cream. scald. have ready egg, well beaten, scant cup of granulated sugar, and one level tablespoon of cornstarch. add this mixture to the milk and cream as soon as they come to a boil. stir and set aside to cool. when cold, add teaspoon of vanilla and freeze. stewed apples cut apples in quarters and immediately put in saucepan and pour over them boiling water just to cover. put on lid and boil quickly until tender. sprinkle sugar over them to taste. but never stir the apples at any time. when sugar is on leave the lid off, let cook about five minutes longer, never stirring. ready to serve, hot or cold. cinnamon apples cups sugar--pinch salt / cups water cup cinnamon drops apples make a syrup of water and sugar. put in cinnamon drops. pare and core apples. place in syrup and boil until tender, do not allow to break. take out when tender and place in a dish or if you wish in individual dishes. pour over syrup, and allow to cool. when cold pour whipped cream on top of each and a cherry on top of cream. fire apples select bright red apples, cut off the tops and with a knife remove the meat, leaving only sufficient wall to hold apple in shape. make a filling of the following: to six apples allow about twelve tablespoons of very dry cooked rice, six tablespoons cracker crumbs, six tablespoons chopped apples, six tablespoons sugar, six tablespoons seeded raisins, six tablespoons chopped almonds. whip one egg thoroughly, place in a cup and fill the cup with milk; stir well and place in a double boiler, adding one-half teaspoon butter, grated rind and juice of one-half lemon and a dash of nutmeg. cook until it thickens, cool, then mix it into the filling, being careful not to get it too soft. mold lightly with the fingers and fill the apples, sprinkle with sugar, add a cupful of water and bake in a moderate oven. serve with whipped cream or custard sauce. candied cranberry recipe quart berries cups sugar / large cups of hot or cold water pinch of soda wash and make a little slit in each berry. for each quart of berries put one and a half large cups of hot or cold water in kettle. then the berries, then spread cups sugar over them, also a pinch of soda. keep covered closely all the time, do not stir or lift lid until perfectly cold. from the moment it begins to boil count five minutes--no more--to cook them. if you remove the lid the lovely gloss will be lost. apple rice cup of rice boiled in water with a piece of butter and a little salt until half done. then add six apples cut in pieces. cook together until both rice and apples are well done. add sugar to taste. when ready to serve pour over melted butter browned. serve with sugar and cinnamon. mrs. raymond robins. jelly whip dissolve one package of gelatin in a cupful of cold water. add to that two cupfuls of sugar and one quart of boiling water. divide the mixture into three parts, in one of which place marshmallows and white grapes. in the second one put pineapple and oranges and in the third nuts. fill individual glasses with different mixtures and serve them with whipped cream. decorate with preserved cherries, candied orange peel and nuts. pineapple parfait pare and shred a ripe pineapple, add one cup of sugar and let stand for several hours. drain off one cup of the juice, boil it with three-quarters of a cup of sugar for minutes. add slowly to well beaten yolks of four eggs, and cook in a double boiler, stirring all the time, until the mixture will coat the spoon. remove from the fire and beat until cold. then add two tablespoons of lemon juice and two cups of cream whipped to a stiff froth. pack in a mold, cover tightly and surround with ice and salt for four hours. rice / cup of rice washed times / cup currants / cups milk yolk of egg / tablespoons sugar small piece lemon rind boil rice in a large quantity of boiling water for minutes; drain and add milk, sugar, lemon rind, currants. let cook slowly for minutes and remove from fire; beat the yolk of an egg in a little milk and stir in the rice. do not set back on the fire. serve cold. pittsburgh sherbet take a cupful of the syrup from a jar of raspberry preserves and the same amount of juice from a can of pineapple; add two tablespoons of lemon juice and a syrup made by boiling together a pint of water and a cupful of sugar. when cold add four tablespoons of orange juice and freeze. when stiff, open the freezer and add the white of an egg, beaten stiff with a teaspoon of powdered sugar. lemon sherbet quart milk cups sugar juice lemons dissolve sugar in milk, place in freezer. add lemon juice after freezer has been packed. add juice rapidly and with violent stirring, then immediately place in dasher and turn the crank until frozen. fruit cocktails peel and cut one orange and one grapefruit into small pieces, removing all seeds and white bits of skin, add two sliced bananas, a tablespoon of chopped or grated pineapple, sweeten to taste, and mix with the juice from a can of pineapple. stand in a very cold place, or put in the ice cream freezer and partially freeze, serve in small glasses and ornament with maraschino cherries. reserve the remaining pineapple for a luncheon dish. synthetic quince an accidental discovery i put too much water with my rhubarb and had a whole dishful of beautiful pink juice left over, about a quart. in this i cooked some apples, quartered, and stewed till soft, and just as an experiment added a saucerful of strawberries--also "left over." the result, being served, looked and tasted exactly like quince, except that the apple was a little softer. charlotte perkin gilman. [illustration] grape juice cup soak the grated rind of one orange in the juice of one lemon for minutes. to this add a cupful of boiling water and a tablespoon of sugar. place in a saucepan of granite ware and add one quart of unfermented grape juice, four whole cloves and a pinch of powdered mace. bring slowly to the boiling point and simmer for ten minutes. boil together one cupful of sugar and two tablespoons of water without stirring until it spins a thread. pour this gradually upon the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. add the boiling grape juice, dust lightly with grated nutmeg and serve immediately. live while you live, the epicure would say and seize the pleasures of the present day. doddridge peppermint cup soak half an ounce of pulverized gum arabic in half a cupful of cold water for minutes. dissolve it over hot water. add one cupful of powdered sugar and cook until it will spin a thread. pour this upon the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, and when well blended add gradually a pint of boiling cream, a few drops of essence of peppermint and a tiny pinch of baking soda. serve while it foams, sprinkled with a little powdered cinnamon. unquiet meals make ill digestions. comedy of errors amber marmalade orange grape fruit lemon slice very thin. measure the fruit and add times the quantity of water. stand in an earthen dish over night and in morning boil for ten minutes. stand another night and the second morning add pint for pint of sugar and boil steadily until it jellies. this should make or glasses but the size of fruit determines the quantity. stir as little as possible during the two hours or more of the cooking which it requires. do not use the rind of the grape fruit. grape juice lbs concord grapes quart water sugar boil grapes five to ten minutes. then strain through a wire strainer and afterwards cheese cloth. to every quart of juice add lb. sugar. bottle and seal. preserves, pickles, etc. sour pickles peck green tomatoes lb. figs lb. seeded raisins cup vinegar cups sugar cloves a few sticks cinnamon sweet pickles tomato and fig pickles one peck of green tomatoes sliced and salted in layers, place in granite boiler over night. in the morning drain off brine and rinse in cold water. chop up a pound of figs, add to the tomatoes, cover with vinegar and boil twenty minutes; add pound of seeded raisins, cup of vinegar, cups of sugar, cloves and a few sticks of cinnamon tied in a cheese cloth bag, and cook together slowly for / of an hour. lucretia l. blankenburg. [illustration] lemon butter eggs very large lemons (rind and juice) cups sugar tablespoons water butter size of walnut mix all together with dove egg beater and cook until it boils. watch that it does not burn. kumquat preserves quart fruit to pint sugar cut the kumquats into halves, pick out seeds, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. in the meantime have your syrup boiling-- pint sugar to pints water. drain fruit and put in syrup and simmer slowly for hour. take out fruit and continue to simmer syrup until it begins to get thick. put the fruit into syrup--place preserving kettle in pot of boiling water and let them, or let the water continue boiling until syrup is thick as you like it. put / teaspoon fine salt in first water, as it adds a fine flavor. grate stem off skin deep. state of washington office of governor olympia. december , . editress suffrage cook book: i have at hand your letter of the th inst., asking an expression from me regarding woman suffrage in the state of washington. replying, i desire to say that the women of the state of washington have had the right to vote for something more than three years. i know of no one who was in favor of giving them this right who to-day opposes it, and large numbers of those who were opposed now favor women having the ballot. the results in the state of washington certainly indicate that women assist in public affairs, rather than otherwise, by having the right to vote. agreeable to your request, i am sending a photograph of myself under separate cover; also card carrying my autograph. yours very truly, ernest lister, governor. [illustration] hire me twenty cooks. --shakespeare prunes and chestnuts lbs. dried prunes lbs. large chestnuts / lb. sultana raisins table spoon butter / cup of sugar / cup of vinegar pinch of cloves tea spoons of flour peel chestnuts and boil until skin can be removed. boil prunes and raisins together until soft, add chestnuts, sugar, salt, cloves and butter, when well cooked thicken with flour and vinegar stirred together. heavenly hash boxes red raspberries quarts red currants quarts cherries quart gooseberries stem currants and seed cherries, then measure fruit. to each cup of fruit allow equal amount of sugar. put the fruit in kettle and add / cup of water; when it comes to boil add sugar and boil minutes, then put in jelly glasses. apple butter peck tart apples (made into sauce and strained) quart grape juice teaspoons cinnamon / teaspoon salt cups light brown sugar teaspoons nutmeg boil two hours or longer. orange marmalade oranges lemons slice in small pieces, add six pints of water and let stand in covered dish for hours. then boil / hours; let stand another hours. then add pint for pint of sugar with the mixture and boil until it jells. (about minutes). rhubarb and fig jam cut five pounds rhubarb into inch pieces without peeling. add one pound figs, four pounds sugar, the grated yellow rind and juice of one lemon and let stand all night. in the morning simmer for an hour. nut meats may be added if desired. brandied peaches take off skins with boiling water. for each pound of fruit allow / cupful of sugar and / pint of water. when syrup is boiling, put in peaches, a few at a time, and cook until done, but not too soft. just pierce with straw. spread on platters to cool. when cool, put in jars and fill up with the syrup mixed with just as much good brandy. have syrup thick and seal hot. cauliflower pickles heads cauliflower quarts cucumbers cut in cubes quart onions cut fine pint green peppers cut fine mustard sauce quart vinegar (if white wine vinegar use pint water and pint vinegar as it is too strong) tablespoons mustard (coleman's) teaspoon tumeric cup (small) flour cups sugar tablespoons salt boil onions, peppers in the vinegar; then add the cucumber. after it has boiled a few minutes add the cauliflower and then the mustard sauce. boil together a few minutes; bottle and seal hot. the cauliflower must be boiled alone before adding. this is very excellent. relish large tomatoes large onions large red peppers tablespoons salt tablespoons sugar cups vinegar cut the tomatoes and onions and boil one hour with the sugar, vinegar and salt; at the end of an hour put it through a sieve; now return to the stove and add your red peppers, cut very fine, and cook one more hour. have it about the consistency of thick cream and bottle hot. very fine for cold meats, fish, etc. chili sauce large red tomatoes medium sized onions red peppers teaspoons salt teaspoons brown sugar cups cider vinegar chop tomatoes by themselves, then add finely chopped onions and peppers. lastly add sugar, salt and vinegar mixing well. boil hours and can. pickles peck medium sized pickles gallon cider vinegar cup sugar cup mustard cup salt wash pickles well and pack in stone crock. dissolve mustard in some of the vinegar and mix all together and pour over pickles cold. put on a weight--ready to use in three days. tomato pickle gallon crocks of sliced green tomatoes sprinkled with salt. small sliced onions mixed and let stand quarts cider vinegar, heated and added cents' worth mixed spices lbs. brown sugar, and boil. makes quarts of pickles corn salad doz. ears of corn; boil twenty minutes on cob. cut off cob; chop one head cabbage; green peppers, and red pepper. mix together. put in kettle with four pints vinegar; tablespoons salt, tablespoons ground mustard; cups sugar; teaspoons celery seed. cook minutes. tomato catsup (very fine) to / bushel skinned tomatoes, add quart good vinegar pound salt pound black pepper (whole) ounce african cayenne pepper / pound allspice (whole) ounce cloves small boxes mustard (use less if you do not wish it very hot) cloves of garlic onions (large) pound brown sugar pint peach leaves boil this mass for hours, stirring constantly to keep from burning. when cool, strain through a sieve and bottle for use. vegetable coloring may be used if you wish it to remain a bright red. (a family recipe handed down for generations and very good, indeed). candies, etc. five oz. childhood fondant oz. kindness oz. sunshine oz. pure food oz. recreation oz. rest this should be on hand in every household where children gladden the hearth. wherever possible distribute it among the little children of the poor. rose leaves candied take red roses, remove all the whites at the bottom. take three times their weight in sugar, put a pint of water to a pint of roses, skin well, shred the roses a little before you put them into the water, and cover them, and when the leaves are tender, put in the sugar. keep stirring lest they burn and the syrup be consumed. delicious fudge delicious fudge is made with sour cream instead of fresh milk or cream. taffy lbs. brown sugar tablespoon butter tablespoon golden syrup / cup water teaspoon vanilla tablespoon white vinegar mix well and allow it to boil slowly. skim but do not stir. boil until a little hardens in water. then add the vanilla and vinegar. now pour into buttered tins and when the edges harden, draw lightly to the center. when cool pull until light. when doing so flour the hands lightly. creole balls chop half a cupful each of almonds, pecans and walnuts and add enough fondant to make the mixture of the right consistency to mold into bonbons. boil into little balls and dip in maple or chocolate fondant. chocolate caramels pint brown sugar gill milk / pint molasses / cake sweetened chocolate generous teaspoon butter tablespoon vanilla boil all of the ingredients (except the vanilla) over a slow fire until dissolved, and stir occasionally as it burns easily. test by dropping little in water. if it hardens quickly, remove at once from the fire. add vanilla and pour into buttered pans. when cool, cut in squares with a buttered knife. sea foam for sea foam candy cook three cupfuls of light brown sugar, a cupful of water and a tablespoon of vinegar until the syrup forms a hard ball when dropped into cold water. pour it slowly over the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs, beating continually until the candy is stiff enough to hold its shape. then work in half a cupful of chopped nuts and half a teaspoon of vanilla. drop in small pieces on waxed paper. how to make good coffee when the national coffee roasters' association tells how to make good coffee the housewife is naturally interested, no matter how fervently the family may praise her own brew. coffee is the business of these gentlemen. they know it from the scientific standpoint as well as practically. their opinion as to the best method of preparing it for the table is, therefore, worth consideration. they tell us, first of all, that the virtues of the infusion depend primarily upon the fineness with which the roasted bean is ground. careful experiments have shown, indeed, that when pulverized it gives a larger yield of full strength beverage than in any other shape, so that such grinding is urged in the interest of economy, as well as from a gastronomic standpoint. the grinding, however, must be done immediately before the coffee is made. otherwise no little of the delicate and much prized flavor of the bean will escape. the method of making the infusion is governed by the solubility of the various elements composing the coffee. the caffeine and caffetannic acid readily dissolve in cold water, but the delicate flavoring oils require a considerable degree of heat. it so happens that water at the boiling point, deg. f., is twice as effective in extracting these flavors as when at a temperature of deg. f. nevertheless, the usual method of boiling the coffee is unsparingly condemned by the association. the infusion thus made is very high in caffeine and tannic acid. it is muddy, too, and overrich in dissolved fibrous and bitter matters. as most of the deleterious effects of coffee are due to dissolved tannin, owing to excessive boiling or the use of grounds a second time, this method of making the beverage is unqualifiedly condemned. steeping--that is, placing the coffee in cold water and permitting it to come to a boil--is also deprecated. an infusion so made contains less caffeine, to be sure, but it lacks the desired aromatic flavor and the characteristic coffee taste. in fine, the association leans to a method of coffee making known as filtration. this consists in pouring boiling water once through finely pulverized coffee confined in a close-meshed muslin bag. the resultant infusion is one in which the percentage of tannin is extremely low. there is a medium amount of caffeine, but the full flavor and characteristic taste are present. state of oregon executive department salem. dec. , . editress suffrage cook book: this is to acknowledge yours of the th instant, in reference to women's suffrage, and in reply will say that while this right has been enjoyed but a short time by our women, they have been making excellent use of it. they are prompt to register and vote, and their influence is most always found upon the side of better government. the result of their efforts is already being reflected in a number of important measures recently adopted in this state, which will make for the public good. very truly yours, oswald west. governor. [illustration] cottage cheese to make cottage cheese effectively, with an aroma and delicacy equal to its nourishment, a rich milk which has not lost time in souring should be put in an earthenware or stone jar with the lid on, and placed in hot water over a very slow fire until it is well heated with the curd clotted from the whey. when it begins to steam the curd is drained a very short period through cheese cloth. well mixed with salt and butter and pepper it is an ideal muscle and tissue maker. cottage cheese is much more easily turned into brawn, brain and bone than any of the less porous, less ripe cheeses. in fact the curious uncomfortably bloated sensation experienced by many who eat other varieties of cheese is uncommon with cottage cheese. faulty mastication, peculiar susceptibilities to casein and an excess of other solid foods often causes the distress which follows cheese eating. if well emulsified with saliva by the teeth or mixed with water and not gulped down, cottage cheese serves every sort of food purpose. albuminous beverages the following recipes were kindly contributed by alida frances pattee, author of "practical dietetics," an invaluable book for the home. when a large amount of nutriment is required the albuminized drinks are valuable. the egg is a fluid food until its albumen is coagulated by heat. often the white of egg, dissolved in water or milk, and flavored, is given when the yolk cannot be digested, as per cent. of the yolk is fat. egg-nog is very nutritious, and is extensively prescribed in certain non-febrile diseases, especially for the forced alimentation of phthisis and melancholia. there are occasional cases of bilious habit, in which eggs to be digested must be beaten in wine. but the combination of egg, milk and sugar with alcohol, which constitutes egg-nog, is apt to produce nausea and vomiting in a feeble stomach, especially in fever. for this reason whole eggs are unfit for fever patients, and the whites only should be used. albuminized drinks are most easily prepared cold. when a hot liquid is used, it must be poured very slowly into the well-beaten egg, stirring constantly, so that lumps of coagulated albumen do not form. _for the diabetic._ in all the albuminous drinks substitute sweetina for the sugar. the fuel value will be calories less in every recipe than when one tablespoon of sugar is used. energy value of an egg medium egg (without shell) calories white of egg (average) " yolk of egg (average) " egg broth, calories[ ] yolk egg tablespoon sugar speck salt cup hot milk brandy or some other stimulant if required. beat egg, add sugar and salt. pour on carefully the hot milk. flavor as desired, if with brandy or wine, use about one tablespoon. note.--dried and rolled bread crumbs may be added, if desired. the whole egg may be used. hot water, broth or coffee, may be substituted for the milk; nutmeg may be substituted for the stimulant. egg-nog no. i, calories[ ] egg speck salt / tablespoon sugar / cup milk / tablespoon wine or tablespoon brandy (or less) beat the egg, add the sugar and salt; blend thoroughly, add the milk and liquor. serve immediately. note.--have eggs and milk chilled before blending. a grating of nutmeg may be substituted for the stimulant. a lemonade shaker may be used for the blending. egg-nog no. ii, calories[ ] egg / tablespoon sugar speck salt / cup milk tablespoon brandy (or less) separate egg. beat yolk, add sugar and salt, and beat until creamy. add the milk and brandy. beat the white till foamy (not stiff and dry), and fold it in lightly. serve immediately. junket egg-nog, calories[ ] egg cup milk tablespoon sugar teaspoons rum, brandy or wine / hansen's junket tablet beat white and yolk of egg separately, very light; blend the two. add the sugar dissolved in the rum. heat the milk luke warm, stir into the egg mixture, and add quickly the tablet dissolved in cold water. pour into small warm glasses, and sprinkle grated nutmeg over the top. stand in warm room undisturbed until firm, and then put on ice to cool. this can be retained by the most delicate stomach. beef egg-nog, calories egg speck salt tablespoon sugar / cup hot beef broth tablespoon brandy beat the egg slightly, add the salt and sugar; add gradually the hot broth; add brandy and strain. sugar and brandy may be omitted if preferred. coffee egg-nog, calories[ ] egg / teaspoon sugar / scant cup milk or cream / scant cup strong coffee chill ingredients, and blend as for egg-nog no. ii. pineapple egg-nog prepare as per egg-nog no i or ii; omit the brandy and use pineapple juice to taste. egg and rum, calories cup fresh milk yolk egg tablespoon sugar speck salt few grains nutmeg tablespoon rum beat yolk, add sugar, salt and nutmeg; add milk and rum. note.--for consumptives, taken at about a. m., often prevents the exhaustive sweats which accompany the morning doze. also may be given to a patient before dressing to prevent exhaustion. egg and brandy, calories[ ] eggs tablespoons cold water nutmeg tablespoons brandy sugar beat the eggs, add cold water, brandy and sweeten to taste. a little nutmeg may be added. give a tablespoonful at a time. egg and wine, calories[ ] egg / cup cold water sugar wineglass sherry nutmeg beat the egg. heat the water and wine together but not boiling; pour onto the egg, stirring constantly; flavor with sugar and nutmeg. egg lemonade, calories egg tablespoons sugar tablespoons lemon juice cup cold water beat the egg thoroughly, add the sugar and lemon juice; pour in gradually the water, stirring until smooth and well mixed. strain and serve. two tablespoons of sherry or port may be added if desired. malted milk and egg, calories tablespoon horlick's malted milk tablespoon crushed fruit egg drops acid phosphate tablespoon crushed ice / cup ice water mix the malted milk powder, crushed fruit and egg and beat five minutes. add the phosphate and crushed ice, blending thoroughly. strain and add ice water or cold carbonated water, and a grating of nutmeg to flavor. stokes mixture eggs and brandy calories. " egg yolks, c. c. of brandy, c. c. of aqua aurantii florun (sugar or syrup enough to sweeten), has considerable nutritive, as well as stimulative value, and is eligible for use when such a combination is indicated." grape yolk, calories egg tablespoon sugar speck salt tablespoons welch's grape juice separate egg. beat yolk, add sugar and stand aside while the white is thoroughly whipped. add the grape juice to the yolk and pour this onto the whipped white, blending carefully. serve cold. have all ingredients chilled before blending. grape juice and egg, calories egg / cup rich milk tablespoon sugar / cup welch's grape juice beat yolk and white separately very light. to the yolk add milk, sugar and grape juice, and pour into glass. to the white add a little powdered sugar and a taste of grape juice. serve on yolk mixture. chill all ingredients before using. mulled wine, - calories ounce stick cinnamon a slight grating nutmeg / cup boiling water egg / cup sherry, port or claret wine tablespoons sugar put the spices into top of a double boiler with the water. cover and cook over hot water ten minutes. add wine to the spiced water and bring to the boiling point. beat the egg to a stiff froth, add sugar and pour on the mulled wine, and beat well. serve at once. albuminized milk, calories / cup milk (sterile) white egg salt put milk and white of egg in a glass fruit jar, cover with air tight cap and rubber band. shake until thoroughly blended. strain into glass. a few grains of salt may be added if desired. two teaspoons of sanatogen added calories. note.--the blending may be done in a lemonade shaker. albuminized water, calories[ ] / cup ice-cold water (boiled and chilled) white egg lemon juice sugar blend as for "albuminized milk," serve plain or add lemon juice and sugar to taste. if set on ice to keep cool, shake before serving. two teaspoons of sanatogen added calories. albumin water (for infants), calories albumin water is utilized chiefly in cases of acute stomach and intestinal disorders in which some nutritious and easily assimilated food is needed; albumin water is then very useful. the white of one egg is dissolved in eight ounces or a pint of water which has been boiled and cooled. --koplik. albuminized clam water, calories cup cold water clam broth white egg to the water add the required amount of the clam broth to make the strength desired, add the unbeaten white of egg, and follow general directions for "albuminized milk." serve cold in dainty glasses. this is a very nutritious drink, and will be retained by the stomach when other nourishment is rejected. note.--milk may be substituted for the water. albuminized orange, calories[ ] white egg juice orange sugar to the unbeaten white add the orange juice, sweeten to taste and blend thoroughly. strain and set on ice to cool. serve cold. albuminized sherry, calories[ ] white egg / tablespoon sherry sugar beat the white stiff, add slowly, while beating, the wine and sugar. serve cold. note.--have all ingredients cold before blending. albuminized grape juice, calories[ ] tablespoons welch's grape juice white egg sugar chopped ice put in a dainty glass the grape juice, and the beaten white of egg and a little pure chopped ice; sprinkle sugar over the top and serve. footnotes: [ ] calculated with tablespoon brandy. calories if brandy is omitted. [ ] without liquor. [ ] without liquor. [ ] calculated with milk. [ ] without sugar. [ ] without lemon juice or sugar. [ ] without milk. starchy beverages starchy drinks consist of cereals or cereal products, cooked thoroughly in a large amount of water and strained before serving. arrowroot, cornstarch, tapioca, rice and rice flour are nearly pure starch. oats, barley and wheat in forms which include the whole grains contain besides starch some protein and fat, and also valuable mineral matter, especially phosphorous, iron, and calcium salts. in starchy drinks these ingredients are necessarily present in small amounts; hence they have little energy value, unless milk or other highly nutritive material is added. such drinks are of value when only a small quantity of nutriment can be taken. _principles of cooking._ as the chief ingredient is starch, long cooking is necessary, in water at a high temperature ( ° f.), which softens the cellulose, and breaks open the starch grains, changing the insoluble starch to soluble starch and dextrin, so that it can be readily digested. time of cooking should be conscientiously kept by the clock. _digestion._ the action of ptyalin is very rapid, and if these drinks are sipped slowly, so as to be thoroughly mixed with saliva, a considerable portion of starch may be changed to sugar before reaching the intestines. barley water, calories tablespoons pearl barley quart cold water wash barley, add cold water and let soak several hours or over night; in same water, boil gently over direct heat two hours, or in a double boiler steadily four hours, down to one pint if used for infant feeding, and to one cup for the adult. strain through muslin. note.--cream or milk and salt may be added, or lemon juice and sugar. barley water is an astringent or demulcent drink used to reduce laxative condition. rice water, calories[ ] tablespoons rice cups cold water salt milk wash the rice; add cold water and soak thirty minutes, heat gradually to boiling point and cook one hour or until rice is tender. strain, reheat and dilute with boiling water or hot milk to desired consistency. season with salt. note.--sugar may be added if desired, and cinnamon, if allowed, may be cooked with it, and will assist in reducing a laxative condition. barley water (infant feeding) calories teaspoon barley flour tablespoons cold water pint boiling water blend flour and cold water to a smooth paste in top of double boiler; add gradually the boiling water. boil over direct heat five minutes, stirring constantly, then put over boiling water and cook minutes longer, stirring frequently. older infants take the barley water in much more concentrated form. barley water is used as a diluent with normal infants and in forms of diarrhoea. note.--for children or adults, use / tablespoon barley or rice flour, cup boiling water, / teaspoon salt. rice water no. ii, calories tablespoons rice pint boiling water tablespoon stoned raisins wash rice, put into saucepan with water and raisins; boil gently for one hour. strain. when cold serve. sugar or salt may be added to taste. note.--do not use raisins in bowel trouble. oatmeal water, calories tablespoon oatmeal tablespoon cold water speck salt quart boiling water mix oatmeal and cold water, add salt and stir into the boiling water. boil three hours; replenish the water as it boils away. strain through a fine sieve or cheese cloth. season, serve cold. different brands of oatmeal vary considerably in the amount of water which they take up in cooking, and sufficient should always be added to make this drink almost as thin as water. oatmeal water no. ii, calories[ ] / cup fine oatmeal quart water use sterile water (boiled and cooled). add oatmeal and stand in warm place (covered), for one and one-half hours. strain, season, and cool. sometimes used for dyspeptics. toast water, calories cup stale bread toasted cup boiling water salt cut bread in thin slices and in inch squares. dry thoroughly in oven until crisp and a delicate brown. measure, and break into crumbs; add the water and let it stand one hour. rub through a fine strainer, season and serve hot or cold. the nourishment of the bread is easily absorbed in this way and valuable in cases of fever or extreme nausea. note.--milk or cream and sugar may be added. crust coffee take some pieces and crusts of brown bread and dry them in a slow oven until thoroughly hard and crisp. place in a mortar and pound or roll. pour boiling water over and let soak for about fifteen minutes. this when strained carefully is very acceptable to invalids who are tired of the ordinary drinks, such as lemonade, etc. cracker panada, calories[ ] hard crackers quart water sugar break crackers into pieces and bake quite brown; add water and boil fifteen minutes, allow to stand three or four minutes. strain off the liquid through a fine wire sieve; season with salt and a little sugar. this is a nourishing beverage for infants that are teething, and with the addition of a little wine and nutmeg, is often prescribed for invalids recovering from a fever. bread panada, calories / cups water tablespoon sugar tablespoons stale white bread crumbs / cup white wine tablespoon lemon juice nutmeg put water and sugar on to cook, just before it commences to boil add the bread crumbs; stir well, and let it boil three or four minutes. add the wine, lemon and a grating of nutmeg; let it boil up once more, remove from fire, and keep it closely covered until it is wanted for use. footnotes: [ ] without milk. [ ] estimated on one-half the oatmeal. [ ] without sugar. the cook says cook has discovered some little things which help to make her dishes so much above the average. when next making griddle cakes add a little brown sugar or molasses to the batter, the cakes will brown better and more easily. * * * * * pie crust is best kept cold in the making; to this end an excellent substitute for a rolling pin is a bottle filled with ice water. * * * * * when boiling turnips, add a little sugar to the water; it improves the flavor of the vegetables and lessens the odor in the cooking. * * * * * hard boiled eggs should be plunged into cold water as soon as they are removed from the saucepan. this prevents a dark ring from appearing round the yolk. * * * * * instead of mixing cocoa with boiling water to dissolve it, try mixing it with an equal amount of granulated sugar and then pouring it into the boiling water in the pot, stirring all the while. * * * * * what gave her peas she served such a nice color and taste was the adding of a lettuce leaf and a tablespoon of sugar. do not cover rising bread in bowls and tins with a dry cloth. instead, cover with a damp cloth which has been wrung out of warm water. in cold weather the damp cloth should be placed over a dry cloth. as a result, the dough will not dry on the top and the loaves when baked will be much more uniform. * * * * * to prevent holes appearing in brown bread prick twice with needle, once when the loaves are placed in tins and once immediately before loaves are placed in the oven. cake hints for those who would excel in cake making these admonitions are offered: first--cream the shortening. second--add sugar slowly and cream it again. third--add yolks of eggs well beaten. fourth--mix and sift the dry ingredients. fifth--add the dry materials to the mixture, which has the baking powder in it; alternate flour and liquid. sixth--cut and fold in (do not beat or stir) the whites of eggs which are beaten to a dry stiff froth. seventh--have a fire and pans ready. put the cake into the oven quickly; remember that the oven can wait, but the cake never. bake according to rule. to test the oven heat--a hot oven will brown flour in five minutes; or you can try if you can hold the hand in it and count twenty. time of baking--layer cakes, or minutes; loaf cakes, from to minutes; gem cakes, from minutes to half an hour. never bang the oven door. the cake will fall if you do. * * * * * to prevent icing from cracking when it cuts add a teaspoon sweet cream to each unbeaten egg. when boiling syrup for icing add a pinch of cream of tartar. * * * * * brown sugar frosting which will not crack is made of one tablespoon of vinegar, brown sugar enough to mix and the beaten white of half an egg. beat all well together and add sugar enough to spread. * * * * * i have many times been asked how i retained the color of preserved fruits. i allow for all preserves equal measure of sugar and fruit. it is impossible to have success if you make large quantities. i never make over three pints at a time--usually one quart. the same method applies to all preserves. if possible, i extract some juice to start with. i then put this with one quart of sugar, (no water if the fruit contains plenty of juice, but if not, i add a little water). allow this to boil until thick then have fruit ready to drop in; when it boils up, remove scum, and, as the juice is extracted by the boiling, dip off and allow only enough to thicken quickly. this juice can be used for sauces, beverages of all kinds--fruit darkens on account of continued boiling. economical soap soap without boiling, will float if not too much ham or bacon drippings are used. into quart of cold water dissolve the contents of one can of babbits potash or lye. melt to luke warm heat, lbs, (light weight) of clean drippings that have been strained through cheesescloth several times. before adding the lye to the strained grease, add large cupful of borax. stir lye into kettle containing grease and stir constantly until very thick. pour into a pan, score; in or hours turn out of pan and let dry. a little perfume may be added if you wish. lamb drippings makes the finest soap. * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. italic text is denoted by _; bold by = and underlined text by ~. text uses both "today" and "to-day." it also used both "tablespoon" and "tablespoons" when referring to an ingredient with an additional fraction of a tablespoon added, i.e. " / tablespoon" and " / tablespoons." page , the original had the portrait pages out of order on the list. these have been reordered. the original read: fanny garrison villard helen ring robinson jane addams julia lathrop jack london mrs. j. o. miller mrs. desha breckinridge this also occurred on the following pages. the original text is below. page : potato puffers baked tomatoes stuffed tomatoes page : virginia butter bread bran bread excellent nut bread dr. wylies' recipes page : jam cake hickory nut cake lace cakes page : suet pudding raw carrot pudding cottage fruit pudding prune souffle plain suet pudding plum pudding lemon cream corn pudding lemon hard sauce pear salad potato salad bean salad codfish salad swedish wreathes orange salad cucumber aspic tomato aspic mayonnaise dressing without oil mayonnaise dressing boiled suffrage salad dressing page : pittsburgh sherbet lemon sherbet synthetic quince fruit cocktails grape juice cup peppermint cup preserves, pickles, etc. sour pickles sweet pickles amber marmalade grape juice lemon butter page , "lienn" changed to "lunn" (sally lunn) page , "tablespons" changed to "tablespoons" ( tablespoons butter) page , "stock" changed to "stalk" (stalk of celery chopped) page , "ramkins" changed to "ramekins" (serve in ramekins) page , "majoram" changed to "marjoram" (thyme, and sweet marjoram) page , "carbonhydrate" changed to "carbohydrate" (bulky carbohydrate foods) page , "mussy" changed to "mushy" (mushy before the) page , "wash" changed to "mash" (mash all well together) page , "his" changed to "this" (put this sauce) page , "dispositon" changed to "disposition" (the disposition of) page , "on" changed to "or" (or a finger) page , "or" changed to "of" (finger of buttered brown) page , "while" changed to "whole" (whole indian corn) page , "thoroughy" changed to "thoroughly" (and heat thoroughly) page , "seive" changed to "sieve" (a wire sieve and) page , "lovlier" changed to "lovelier" (nothing lovelier can be) page , "lavarin" changed to "savarin" (brillat savarin) page , "proporton" changed to "proportion" (proportion of a dessertspoon) page , "mayonaise" changed to "mayonnaise" (mayonnaise dressing without) page , "sieze" changed to "seize" (seize the pleasures of) page , "peal" changed to "peel" (peel chestnuts and) page , "alspice" changed to "allspice" ( / pound allspice) page , "asosciation" changed to "association" (coffee roasters' association) page , "leaves" changed to "loaves" (the loaves when baked) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) transcriber's note: text enclosed between equal signs was in bold face in the original (=bold=). an em-dash or double hyphen (--) is used in this e-text to indicate ranges. in chemical formulas, a subscriped number is preceded by and underscore (h_ o). a detailed transcriber's note is at the end of the text. studies of american fungi, mushrooms, edible, poisonous, etc. by george francis atkinson professor of botany in cornell university, and botanist of the cornell university agricultural experiment station recipes for cooking mushrooms, by mrs. sarah tyson rorer chemistry and toxicology of mushrooms, by j. f. clark with illustrations from photographs by the author, and colored plates by f. r. rathbun second edition [illustration: plate . fig. .--amanita muscaria. fig. .--a. frostiana. copyright .] [illustration: printer's logo.] new york henry holt and company copyright, , , by geo. f. atkinson. introduction. since the issue of my "studies and illustrations of mushrooms," as bulletins and of the cornell university agricultural experiment station, there have been so many inquiries for them and for literature dealing with a larger number of species, it seemed desirable to publish in book form a selection from the number of illustrations of these plants which i have accumulated during the past six or seven years. the selection has been made of those species representing the more important genera, and also for the purpose of illustrating, as far as possible, all the genera of agarics found in the united states. this has been accomplished except in a few cases of the more unimportant ones. there have been added, also, illustrative genera and species of all the other orders of the higher fungi, in which are included many of the edible forms. the photographs have been made with great care after considerable experience in determining the best means for reproducing individual, specific, and generic characters, so important and difficult to preserve in these plants, and so impossible in many cases to accurately portray by former methods of illustration. one is often asked the question: "how do you tell the mushrooms from the toadstools?" this implies that mushrooms are edible and that toadstools are poisonous, and this belief is very widespread in the public mind. the fact is that many of the toadstools are edible, the common belief that all of them are poisonous being due to unfamiliarity with the plants or their characteristics. some apply the term mushroom to a single species, the one in cultivation, and which grows also in fields (_agaricus campestris_), and call all others toadstools. it is becoming customary with some students to apply the term mushroom to the entire group of higher fungi to which the mushroom belongs (_basidiomycetes_), and toadstool is regarded as a synonymous term, since there is, strictly speaking, no distinction between a mushroom and a toadstool. there are, then, edible and poisonous mushrooms, or edible and poisonous toadstools, as one chooses to employ the word. a more pertinent question to ask is how to distinguish the edible from the poisonous mushrooms. there is no single test or criterion, like the "silver spoon" test, or the criterion of a scaly cap, or the presence of a "poison cup" or "death cup," which will serve in all cases to distinguish the edible from the poisonous. two plants may possess identical characters in this respect, i. e., each may have the "death cup," and one is edible while the other is poisonous, as in _amanita cæsarea_, edible, and _a. phalloides_, poisonous. there are additional characters, however, in these two plants which show that the two differ, and we recognize them as two different species. to know several different kinds of edible mushrooms, which occur in greater or less quantity through the different seasons, would enable those interested in these plants to provide a palatable food at the expense only of the time required to collect them. to know several of the poisonous ones also is important, in order certainly to avoid them. the purpose of this book is to present the important characters which it is necessary to observe, in an interesting and intelligible way, to present life-size photographic reproductions accompanied with plain and accurate descriptions. by careful observation of the plant, and comparison with the illustrations and text, one will be able to add many species to the list of edible ones, where now perhaps is collected "only the one which is pink underneath." the chapters to should also be carefully read. the number of people in america who interest themselves in the collection of mushrooms for the table is small compared to those in some european countries. the number, however, is increasing, and if a little more attention were given to the observation of these plants and the discrimination of the more common kinds, many persons could add greatly to the variety of their foods and relishes with comparatively no cost. the quest for these plants in the fields and woods would also afford a most delightful and needed recreation to many, and there is no subject in nature more fascinating to engage one's interest and powers of observation. there are also many important problems for the student in this group of plants. many of our species and the names of the plants are still in great confusion, owing to the very careless way in which these plants have usually been preserved, and the meagerness of recorded observations on the characters of the fresh plants, or of the different stages of development. the study has also an important relation to agriculture and forestry, for there are numerous species which cause decay of valuable timber, or by causing "heart rot" entail immense losses through the annual decretion occurring in standing timber. if this book contributes to the general interest in these plants as objects of nature worthy of observation, if it succeeds in aiding those who are seeking information of the edible kinds, and stimulates some students to undertake the advancement of our knowledge of this group, it will serve the purpose the author had in mind in its preparation. i wish here to express my sincere thanks to mrs. sarah tyson rorer for her kindness in writing a chapter on recipes for cooking mushrooms, especially for this book; to professor i. p. roberts, director of the cornell university agricultural experiment station, for permission to use certain of the illustrations (figs. -- , -- , -- ) from bulletins and , studies and illustrations of mushrooms; to mr. f. r. rathbun, for the charts from which the colored plates were made; to mr. j. f. clark and mr. h. hasselbring, for the chapters on chemistry and toxicology of mushrooms, and characters of mushrooms, to which their names are appended, and also to dr. chas. peck, of albany, n. y., and dr. g. bresadola, of austria-hungary, to whom some of the specimens have been submitted. geo. f. atkinson, ithaca, n. y., october, . cornell university. second edition. in this edition have been added plates of mushrooms of which i did not have photographs when the first edition was printed. it was possible to accomplish this without changing the paging of any of the descriptive part, so that references to all of the plants in either edition will be the same. there are also added a chapter on the "uses of mushrooms," and an extended chapter on the "cultivation of mushrooms." this subject i have been giving some attention to for several years, and in view of the call for information since the appearance of the first edition, it seemed well to add this chapter, illustrated by several flashlight photographs. g. f. a. september, . table of contents. page chapter i. form and characters of the mushrooms, chapter ii. development of the mushroom, chapter iii. gill bearing fungi; agaricaceæ, chapter iv. the purple-brown-spored agarics, chapter v. the black-spored agarics, chapter vi. the white-spored agarics, chapter vii. the rosy-spored agarics, chapter viii. the ochre-spored agarics, chapter ix. the tube bearing fungi; polyporaceæ, chapter x. hedgehog fungi; hydnaceæ, chapter xi. coral fungi; clavariaceæ, chapter xii. the trembling fungi; tremellineæ, chapter xiii. thelephoraceæ, chapter xiv. puff-balls; lycoperdaceæ, chapter xv. stinkhorn fungi; phalloideæ, chapter xvi. morels, cup-fungi, helvellas, etc., discomycetes, chapter xvii. collection and preservation of the fleshy fungi, chapter xviii. selection and preparation of mushrooms for the table, chapter xix. uses of mushrooms, fungi in the arts, chapter xx. cultivation of mushrooms, the cave culture of mushrooms in america, the house culture of mushrooms, curing the manure, making up the beds, what spawn is, spawning the beds, chapter xxi. recipes for cooking mushrooms (mrs. sarah tyson rorer), chapter xxii. chemistry and toxicology of the fungi (j. f. clark), chapter xxiii. description of terms applied to certain structural characters of mushrooms (h. hasselbring), appendix. analytical keys (the author), glossary of technical terms (the author), index to genera and illustrations, index to species, corrections. page , th line, for [greek: _kornos_] read [greek: _kopros_]. page , lines and , for _gyromytra_ read gyromitra. chapter i. form and characters of the mushroom. =value of form and characters.=--the different kinds of mushrooms vary in form. some are quite strikingly different from others, so that no one would have difficulty in recognizing the difference in shape. for example, an umbrella-shaped mushroom like the one shown in fig. or is easily distinguished from a shelving one like that in fig. or . but in many cases different species vary only slightly in form, so that it becomes a more or less difficult matter to distinguish them. in those plants (for the mushroom is a plant) where the different kinds are nearly alike in form, there are other characters than mere general form which enable one to tell them apart. these, it is true, require close observation on our part, as well as some experience in judging of the value of such characters; the same habit of observation and discrimination we apply to everyday affairs and to all departments of knowledge. but so few people give their attention to the discrimination of these plants that few know the value of their characters, or can even recognize them. it is by a study of these especial characters of form peculiar to the mushrooms that one acquires the power of discrimination among the different kinds. for this reason one should become familiar with the parts of the mushroom, as well as those characters and markings peculiar to them which have been found to stamp them specifically. =parts of the mushroom.=--to serve as a means of comparison, the common pasture mushroom, or cultivated form (_agaricus campestris_), is first described. figure illustrates well the principal parts of the plant; the cap, the radiating plates or gills on the under side, the stem, and the collar or ring around its upper end. =the cap.=--the cap (technically the _pileus_) is the expanded part of the mushroom. it is quite thick, and fleshy in consistency, more or less rounded or convex on the upper side, and usually white in color. it is from -- cm. thick at the center and -- cm. in diameter. the surface is generally smooth, but sometimes it is torn up more or less into triangular scales. when these scales are prominent they are often of a dark color. this gives quite a different aspect to the plant, and has led to the enumeration of several varieties, or may be species, among forms accredited by some to the one species. =the gills.=--on the under side of the pileus are radiating plates, the gills, or _lamellæ_ (sing. _lamella_). these in shape resemble somewhat a knife blade. they are very thin and delicate. when young they are pink in color, but in age change to a dark purple brown, or nearly black color, due to the immense number of spores that are borne on their surfaces. the gills do not quite reach the stem, but are rounded at this end and so curve up to the cap. the triangular spaces between the longer ones are occupied by successively shorter gills, so that the combined surface of all the gills is very great. [illustration: figure. .--agaricus campestris. view of under side showing stem, annulus, gills, and margin of pileus. (natural size.)] =the stem or stipe.=--the stem in this plant, as in many other kinds, is attached to the pileus in the center. the purpose of the stem seems quite surely to be that of lifting the cap and the gills up above the ground, so that the spores can float in the currents of air and be readily scattered. the stem varies in length from -- cm. and is about -- - / cm. in diameter. it is cylindrical in form, and even, quite firm and compact, though sometimes there is a central core where the threads are looser. the stem is also white and fleshy, and is usually smooth. =the ring.=--there is usually present in the mature plant of _agaricus campestris_ a thin collar (_annulus_) or ring around the upper end of the stem. it is not a movable ring, but is joined to the stem. it is very delicate, easily rubbed off, or may be even washed off during rains. =parts present in other mushrooms--the volva.=--some other mushrooms, like the _deadly amanita_ (_amanita phalloides_) and other species of the genus _amanita_, have, in addition to the cap, gills, stem, and ring, a more or less well formed cup-like structure attached to the lower end of the stem, and from which the stem appears to spring. (figs. , , etc.) this is the _volva_, sometimes popularly called the "death cup," or "poison cup." this structure is a very important one to observe, though its presence by no means indicates in all cases that the plant is poisonous. it will be described more in detail in treating of the genus _amanita_, where the illustrations should also be consulted. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. "buttons" just appearing through the sod. some spawn at the left lower corner. soil removed from the front. (natural size.)] =presence or absence of ring or volva.=--of the mushrooms which have stems there are four types with respect to the presence or absence of the ring and volva. in the first type both the ring and volva are absent, as in the common fairy ring mushroom, _marasmius oreades_; in the genus _lactarius_, _russula_, _tricholoma_, _clitocybe_, and others. in the second type the ring is present while the volva is absent, as in the common mushroom, _agaricus campestris_, and its close allies; in the genus _lepiota_, _armillaria_, and others. in the third type the volva is present, but the ring is absent, as in the genus _volvaria_, or _amanitopsis_. in the fourth type both the ring and volva are present, as in the genus _amanita_. =the stem is absent in some mushrooms.=--there are also quite a large number of mushrooms which lack a stem. these usually grow on stumps, logs, or tree trunks, etc., and one side of the cap is attached directly to the wood on which the fungus is growing. the pileus in such cases is lateral and shelving, that is, it stands out more or less like a shelf from the trunk or log, or in other cases is spread out flat on the surface of the wood. the shelving form is well shown in the beautiful _claudopus nidulans_, sometimes called _pleurotus nidulans_, and in other species of the genus _pleurotus_, _crepidotus_, etc. these plants will be described later, and no further description of the peculiarities in form of the mushrooms will be now attempted, since these will be best dealt with when discussing species fully under their appropriate genus. but the brief general description of form given above will be found useful merely as an introduction to the more detailed treatment. chapter xxi should also be studied. for those who wish the use of a glossary, one is appended at the close of the book, dealing only with the more technical terms employed here. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. soil washed from the "spawn" and "buttons," showing the young "buttons" attached to the strands of mycelium. ( - / natural size.)] chapter ii. development of the mushroom. when the stems of the mushrooms are pulled or dug from the ground, white strands are often clinging to the lower end. these strands are often seen by removing some of the earth from the young plant, as shown in fig. . this is known among gardeners as "spawn." it is through the growth and increase of this spawn that gardeners propagate the cultivated mushroom. fine specimens of the spawn of the cultivated mushroom can be seen by digging up from a bed a group of very young plants, such a group as is shown in fig. . here the white strands are more numerous than can readily be found in the lawns and pastures where the plant grows in the feral state. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. sections of "buttons" at different stages, showing formation of gills and veil covering them. (natural size.)] =nature of mushroom spawn.=--this spawn, it should be clearly understood, is not spawn in the sense in which that word is used in fish culture; though it may be employed so readily in propagation of mushrooms. the spawn is nothing more than the vegetative portion of the plant. it is made up of countless numbers of delicate, tiny, white, jointed threads, the _mycelium_. =mycelium of a mold.=--a good example of mycelium which is familiar to nearly every one occurs in the form of a white mold on bread or on vegetables. one of the molds, so common on bread, forms at first a white cottony mass of loosely interwoven threads. later the mold becomes black in color because of numerous small fruit cases containing dark spores. this last stage is the fruiting stage of the mold. the earlier stage is the growing, or vegetative, stage. the white mycelium threads grow in the bread and absorb food substances for the mold. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. nearly mature plants, showing veil stretched across gill cavity. (natural size.)] =mushroom spawn is in the form of strands of mycelium.=--now in the mushrooms the threads of mycelium are usually interlaced into definite strands or cords, especially when the mycelium is well developed. in some species these strands become very long, and are dark brown in color. each thread of mycelium grows, or increases in length, at the end. each one of the threads grows independently, though all are intertwined in the strand. in this way the strand of mycelium increases in length. it even branches as it extends itself through the soil. =the button stage of the mushroom.=--the "spawn" stage, or strands of mycelium, is the vegetative or growing stage of the mushroom. these strands grow through the substance on which the fungus feeds. when the fruiting stage, or the mushroom, begins there appear small knobs or enlargements on these strands, and these are the beginnings of the button stage, as it is properly called. these knobs or young buttons are well shown in fig. . they begin by the threads of mycelium growing in great numbers out from the side of the cords. these enlarge and elongate and make their way toward the surface of the ground. they are at first very minute and grow from the size of a pinhead to that of a pea, and larger. now they begin to elongate somewhat and the end enlarges as shown in the larger button in the figure. here the two main parts of the mushroom are outlined, the stem and the cap. at this stage also the other parts of the mushroom begin to be outlined. the gills appear on the under side of this enlargement at the end of the button, next the stem. they form by the growth of fungus threads downward in radiating lines which correspond in position to the position of the gills. at the same time a veil is formed over the gills by threads which grow from the stem upward to the side of the button, and from the side of the button down toward the stem to meet them. this covers the gills up at an early period. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. under view of two plants just after rupture of the veil, fragments of the latter clinging both to margin of the pileus and to stem. (natural size.)] =from the button stage to the mushroom.=--if we split several of the buttons of different sizes down through the middle, we shall be able to see the position of the gills covered by the veil during their formation. these stages are illustrated in fig. . as the cap grows in size the gills elongate, and the veil becomes broader. but when the plant is nearly grown the veil ceases to grow, and then the expanding cap pulls so strongly on it that it is torn. figure shows the veil in a stretched condition just before it is ruptured, and in fig. the veil has just been torn apart. the veil of the common mushroom is very delicate and fragile, as the illustration shows, and when it is ruptured it often breaks irregularly, sometimes portions of it clinging to the margin of the cap and portions clinging to the stem, or all of it may cling to the cap at times; but usually most of it remains clinging for a short while on the stem. here it forms the annulus or ring. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. plant in natural position just after rupture of veil, showing tendency to double annulus on the stem. portions of the veil also dripping from margin of pileus. (natural size.)] =the color of the gills.=--the color of the gills of the common mushroom varies in different stages of development. when very young the gills are white. but very soon the gills become pink in color, and during the button stage if the veil is broken this pink color is usually present unless the button is very small. the pink color soon changes to dark brown after the veil becomes ruptured, and when the plants are quite old they are nearly black. this dark color of the gills is due to the dark color of the spores, which are formed in such great numbers on the surface of the gills. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. section of gill showing _tr_==trama; _sh_==sub-hymenium; _b_==basidium, the basidia make up the hymenium; _st_==sterigma; _g_==spore. (magnified.)] =structure of a gill.=--in fig. is shown a portion of a section across one of the gills, and it is easy to see in what manner the spores are borne. the gill is made up, as the illustration shows, of mycelium threads. the center of the gill is called the _trama_. the trama in the case of this plant is made up of threads with rather long cells. toward the outside of the trama the cells branch into short cells, which make a thin layer. this forms the _sub-hymenium_. the sub-hymenium in turn gives rise to long club-shaped cells which stand parallel to each other at right angles to the surface of the gill. the entire surface of the gill is covered with these club-shaped cells called _basidia_ (sing. _basidium_). each of these club-shaped cells bears either two or four spinous processes called _sterígmata_ (sing. _sterígma_), and these in turn each bear a spore. all these points are well shown in fig. . the basidia together make up the _hymenium_. [illustration: figure .--polyporus borealis, showing wound at base of hemlock spruce caused by falling tree. bracket fruit form of polyporus borealis growing from wound. ( / natural size.)] =wood destroying fungi.=--many of the mushrooms, and their kind, grow on wood. a visit to the damp forest during the summer months, or during the autumn, will reveal large numbers of these plants growing on logs, stumps, from buried roots or rotten wood, on standing dead trunks, or even on living trees. in the latter case the mushroom usually grows from some knothole or wound in the tree (fig. ). many of the forms which appear on the trunks of dead or living trees are plants of tough or woody consistency. they are known as shelving or bracket fungi, or popularly as "fungoids" or "fungos." both these latter words are very unfortunate and inappropriate. many of these shelving or bracket fungi are perennial and live from year to year. they may therefore be found during the winter as well as in the summer. the writer has found specimens over eighty years old. the shelves or brackets are the fruit bodies, and consist of the pileus with the fruiting surface below. the fruiting surface is either in the form of gills like _agaricus_, or it is honey-combed, or spinous, or entirely smooth. [illustration: figure .--polyporus borealis. strands of mycelium extending radially in the wood of the same living hemlock spruce shown in fig. . (natural size.)] =mycelium of the wood destroying fungi.=--while the fruit bodies are on the outside of the trunk, the mycelium, or vegetative part of the fungus, is within the wood or bark. by stripping off the bark from decaying logs where these fungi are growing, the mycelium is often found in great abundance. by tearing open the rotting wood it can be traced all through the decaying parts. in fact, the mycelium is largely if not wholly responsible for the rapid disintegration of the wood. in living trees the mycelium of certain bracket fungi enters through a wound and grows into the heart wood. now the heart wood is dead and cannot long resist the entrance and destructive action of the mycelium. the mycelium spreads through the heart of the tree, causing it to rot (fig. ). when it has spread over a large feeding area it can then grow out through a wound or old knothole and form the bracket fruit body, in case the knothole or wound has not completely healed over so as to imprison the fungus mycelium. [illustration: plate , figure .--mycelium of agaricus melleus on large door in passage coal mine, wilkesbarre, pa. ( / natural size.)] =fungi in abandoned coal mines.=--mushrooms and bracket fungi grow in great profusion on the wood props or doors in abandoned coal mines, cement mines, etc. there is here an abundance of moisture, and the temperature conditions are more equable the year around. the conditions of environment then are very favorable for the rapid growth of these plants. they develop in midwinter as well as in summer. =mycelium of coal mine fungi.=--the mycelium of the mushrooms and bracket fungi grows in wonderful profusion in these abandoned coal mines. so far down in the moist earth the air in the tunnels or passages where the coal or rock has been removed is at all times nearly saturated with moisture. this abundance of moisture, with the favorable temperature, permits the mycelium to grow on the surface of the wood structures as readily as within the wood. in the forest, while the air is damp at times, it soon dries out to such a degree that the mycelium can not exist to any great extent on the outer surface of the trunks and stumps, for it needs a great percentage of moisture for growth. the moisture, however, is abundant within the stumps or tree trunks, and the mycelium develops abundantly there. so one can understand how it is that deep down in these abandoned mines the mycelium grows profusely on the surface of doors and wood props. figure is from a flashlight photograph, taken by the writer, of a beautiful growth on the surface of one of the doors in an abandoned coal mine at wilkesbarre, pa., during september, . the specimen covered an area eight by ten feet on the surface of the door. the illustration shows very well the habit of growth of the mycelium. at the right is the advancing zone of growth, marked by several fan-shaped areas. at the extreme edge of growth the mycelium presents a delicate fringe of the growing ends where the threads are interlaced uniformly over the entire area. but a little distance back from the edge, where the mycelium is older, the threads are growing in a different way. they are now uniting into definite strands. still further back and covering the larger part of the sheet of mycelium lying on the surface of the door, are numerous long, delicate tassels hanging downward. these were formed by the attempt on the part of the mycelium at numerous places to develop strands at right angles to the surface of the door. there being nothing to support them in their attempted aerial flight, they dangle downward in exquisite fashion. the mycelium in this condition is very soft and perishable. it disappears almost at touch. on the posts or wood props used to support the rock roof above, the mycelium grows in great profusion also, often covering them with a thick white mantle, or draping them with a fabric of elegant texture. from the upper ends of the props it spreads out over the rock roof above for several feet in circumference, and beautiful white pendulous tassels remind one of stalactites. [illustration: figure .--agaricus campestris. spore print. (natural size.)] =direction in growth of mushrooms.=--the direction of growth which these fungi take forms an interesting question for study. the common mushroom, the _agaricus_, the amanitas, and other central stemmed species grow usually in an upright fashion; that is, the stem is erect. the cap then, when it expands, stands so that it is parallel with the surface of the earth. where the cap does not fully expand, as in the campanulate forms, the pileus is still oriented horizontally, that is, with the gills downward. even in such species, where the stems are ascending, the upper end of the stem curves so that the cap occupies the usual position with reference to the surface of the earth. this is beautifully shown in the case of those plants which grow on the side of trunks or stumps, where the stems could not well grow directly upward without hugging close to the side of the trunk, and then there would not be room for the expansion of the cap. this is well shown in a number of species of _mycena_. in those species where the stem is sub-central, i. e., set toward one side of the pileus, or where it is definitely lateral, the pileus is also expanded in a horizontal direction. from these lateral stemmed species there is an easy transition to the stemless forms which are sessile, that is, the shelving forms where the pileus is itself attached to the trunk, or other object of support on which it grows. where there is such uniformity in the position of a member or part of a plant under a variety of conditions, it is an indication that there is some underlying cause, and also, what is more important, that this position serves some useful purpose in the life and well being of the plant. we may cut the stem of a mushroom, say of the _agaricus campestris_, close to the cap, and place the latter, gills downward, on a piece of white paper. it should now be covered securely with a small bell jar, or other vessel, so that no currents of air can get underneath. in the course of a few hours myriads of the brown spores will have fallen from the surface of the gills, where they are borne. they will pile up in long lines along on either side of all the gills and so give us an impression, or spore print, of the arrangement of the gills on the under side of the cap as shown in fig. . a white spore print from the smooth lepiota (_l. naucina_) is shown in fig. . this horizontal position of the cap then favors the falling of the spores, so that currents of air can scatter them and aid in the distribution of the fungus. [illustration: figure .--lepiota naucina. spore print. (natural size.)] but some may enquire how we know that there is any design in the horizontal position of the cap, and that there is some cause which brings about this uniformity of position with such entire harmony among such dissimilar forms. when a mushroom with a comparatively long stem, not quite fully matured or expanded, is pulled and laid on its side, or held in a horizontal position for a time, the upper part of the stem where growth is still taking place will curve upward so that the pileus is again brought more or less in a horizontal position. [illustration: figure .--amanita phalloides. plant turned to one side by directive force of gravity, after having been placed in a horizontal position. (natural size.)] in collecting these plants they are often placed on their side in the collecting basket, or on a table when in the study. in a few hours the younger, long stemmed ones have turned upward again. the plant shown in fig. (_amanita phalloides_) was placed on its side in a basket for about an hour. at the end of the hour it had not turned. it was then stood upright in a glass, and in the course of a few hours had turned nearly at right angles. the stimulus it received while lying in a horizontal position for only an hour was sufficient to produce the change in direction of growth even after the upright position had been restored. this is often the case. some of the more sensitive of the slender species are disturbed if they lie for only ten or fifteen minutes on the side. it is necessary, therefore, when collecting, if one wishes to keep the plants in the natural position for photographing, to support them in an upright position when they are being carried home from the woods. the cause of this turning of the stem from the horizontal position, so that the pileus will be brought parallel with the surface of the earth, is the stimulus from the force of gravity, which has been well demonstrated in the case of the higher plants. that is, the force which causes the stems of the higher plants to grow upward also regulates the position of the cap of the pileated fungi. the reason for this is to be seen in the perfection with which the spores are shed from the surfaces of the gills by falling downward and out from the crevices between. the same is true with the shelving fungi on trees, etc., where the spores readily fall out from the pores of the honey-combed surface or from between the teeth of those sorts with a spiny under surface. if the caps were so arranged that the fruiting surface came to be on the upper side, the larger number of the spores would lodge in the crevices between the extensions of the fruiting surface. singularly, this position of the fruiting surface does occur in the case of one genus with a few small species. interesting examples of the operation of this law are sometimes met with in abandoned coal mines, or more frequently in the woods. in abandoned mines the mushrooms sometimes grow from the mycelium which spreads out on the rock roof overhead. the rock roof prevents the plant from growing upright, and in growing laterally the weight of the plant together with the slight hold it can obtain on the solid rock causes it to hang downward. the end of the stem then curves upward so that the pileus is brought in a horizontal position. i have seen this in the case of _coprinus micaceus_ several times. [illustration: figure .--polyporus applanatus. from this view the larger cap is in the normal position in which it grew on the standing tree. turn one fourth way round to the right for position of the plant after the tree fell. ( / natural size.)] in the woods, especially in the case of the perennial shelving fungi, interesting cases are met with. figure illustrates one of these peculiar forms of _polyporus (fomes) applanatus_. this is the species so often collected as a "curio," and on account of its very white under surface is much used for etching various figures. in the figure the larger cap which is horizontal represents the position of the plant when on the standing maple trunk. when the tree fell the shelf was brought into a perpendicular position. the fungus continued to grow, but its substance being hard and woody it cannot turn as the mushroom can. instead, it now grows in such a way as to form several new caps, all horizontal, i. e., parallel with the surface of the earth, but perpendicular to the old shelf. if the page is turned one-fourth way round the figure will be brought in the position of the plant when it was growing on the fallen log. [illustration: plate , figure .--dædalea ambigua. upper right-hand shows normal plant in normal position when on tree. upper left-hand shows abnormal plant with the large cap in normal position when growing on standing tree. lower plant shows same plant in position after the tree fell, with new caps growing out in horizontal direction. (lower plant / natural size.)] another very interesting case is shown in the ambiguous trametes (_trametes ambigua_), a white shelving fungus which occurs in the southern states. it is shown in fig. . at the upper right hand is shown the normal plant in the normal position. at the upper left hand is shown an abnormal one with the large and first formed cap also in the normal position as it grew when the tree was standing. when the tree fell the shelf was on the upper side of the log. now numerous new caps grew out from the edge as shown in the lower figure, forming a series of steps, as it were, up one side and down the other. chapter iii. gill bearing fungi: agaricaceae.[a] the gill bearing fungi are known under the family _agaricaceæ_, or popularly the agarics. they are distinguished by the fruiting area being distributed over the surface of plate-like or knife-like extensions or folds, usually from the under surface of the cap. these are known as the gills, or lamellæ, and they usually radiate from a common point, as from or near the stem, when the stem is present; or from the point of attachment of the pileus when the stem is absent. the plants vary widely in form and consistency, some being very soft and soon decaying, others turning into an inky fluid, others being tough and leathery, and some more or less woody or corky. the spores when seen in mass possess certain colors, white, rosy, brown or purple brown, black or ochraceous. while a more natural division of the agarics can be made on the basis of structure and consistency, the treatment here followed is based on the color of the spores, the method in vogue with the older botanists. while this method is more artificial, it is believed to be better for the beginner, especially for a popular treatment. the sections will be treated in the following order: . the purple-brown-spored agarics. . the black-spored agarics. . the white-spored agarics. . the rosy-spored agarics. . the ochre-spored agarics. footnotes: [a] for analytical keys to the families and genera see chapter xxiv. chapter iv. the purple-brown-spored agarics.[b] the members of this subdivision are recognized at maturity by the purple-brown, dark brown or nearly black spores when seen in mass. as they ripen on the surface of the gills the large number give the characteristic color to the lamellæ. even on the gills the purple tinge of the brown spores can often be seen. the color is more satisfactorily obtained when the spores are caught in mass by placing the cap, gills downward, on white paper. agaricus linn. (psalliota fr.) in the genus _agaricus_ the spores at maturity are either purple-brown in mass or blackish with a purple tinge. the annulus is present on the stem, though disappearing soon in some species, and the stem is easily separated from the substance of the pileus. the gills are free from the stem, or only slightly adnexed. the genus is closely related to _stropharia_ and the species of the two genera are by some united under one genus (_psalliota_, hennings). peck, th report, n. y. state mus., p. -- , describes species. lloyd mycol. notes, no. , describes species. c. o. smith, rhodora, i: -- , , describes species. =agaricus (psalliota) campestris= linn. =edible.=--this plant has been quite fully described in the treatment of the parts of the mushroom, and a recapitulation will be sufficient here. it grows in lawns, pastures, by roadsides, and even in gardens and cultivated fields. a few specimens begin to appear in july, it is more plentiful in august, and abundantly so in september and october. it is -- cm. high ( -- inches), the cap is -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is first rounded, then convex and more or less expanded. the surface at first is nearly smooth, presenting a soft, silky appearance from numerous loose fibrils. the surface is sometimes more or less torn into triangular scales, especially as the plants become old. the color is usually white, but varies more or less to light brown, especially in the scaly forms, where the scales may be quite prominent and dark brown in color. sometimes the color is brownish before the scales appear. the flesh is white. the =gills= in the young button stage are white. they soon become pink in color and after the cap is expanded they quickly become purple brown, dark brown, and nearly black from the large number of spores on their surfaces. the gills are free from the stem and rounded behind (near the stem). the =stem= is white, nearly cylindrical, or it tapers a little toward the lower end. the flesh is solid, though the central core is less firm. the =veil= is thin, white, silky, and very frail. it is stretched as the cap expands and finally torn so that it clings either as an annulus around the stem, or fragments cling around the margin of the cap. since the =annulus= is so frail it shrivels as the plant ages and becomes quite inconspicuous or disappears entirely (see figs. -- ). [illustration: figure .--agaricus rodmani. entirely white, showing double veil or ring. (natural size.) copyright.] variations in the surface characters of the cap and stem have led some to recognize several varieties. this is known as the common mushroom and is more widely known and collected for food than any other. it is also cultivated in mushroom houses, cellars, caves, abandoned mines, etc. =agaricus (psalliota) rodmani= pk. =edible.=--rodman's mushroom, _agaricus rodmani_, grows in grassy places along streets of cities, either between the curbing and the walk, or between the curbing and the pavement. it is entirely white or whitish and sometimes tinged with yellowish at the center of the pileus. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad and the stem -- cm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--agaricus arvensis, fairy ring.] the =pileus= is rounded, and then convex, very firm, compact and thick, with white flesh. the =gills= are crowded, first white, then pink, and in age blackish brown. the =stem= is very short, solid, nearly cylindrical, not bulbous. the =annulus= is quite characteristic, being very thick, with a short limb, and double, so that it often appears as two distinct rings on the middle or lower part of the stem as shown in fig. . this form of the annulus is probably due to the fact that the thick part of the margin of the pileus during the young stage rests between the lower and upper part of the annulus, i. e., the thick veil is attached both to the inner and outer surface of the margin of the cap, and when it is freed by the expansion of the pileus it remains as a double ring. it is eagerly sought and much relished by several persons at ithaca familiar with its edible qualities. the plant closely resembles a. campestris var., edulis, vittad. (see plate , bresadola, i funghi mangerecci e velenosi, ) and is probably the same. [illustration: figure .--agaricus silvicola. white to cream color, or yellow stains. (natural size.) copyright.] =agaricus (psalliota) arvensis= schaeff. =edible.=--the field mushroom, or horse mushroom, _agaricus arvensis_, grows in fields or pastures, sometimes under trees and in borders of woods. one form is often white, or yellowish white, and often shows the yellow color when dried. the plant sometimes occurs in the form of a fairy ring as shown in fig. . it is -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is smooth, quite thick and firm, convex to expanded. the =gills= are first white, then tinged with pink and finally blackish brown. the =stem= is stout, nearly cylindrical, hollow, bulbous. the veil is double like that of _agaricus placomyces_, the upper or inner layer remaining as a membrane, while the lower or outer layer is split radially and remains in large patches on the lower surface of the upper membrane. [illustration: figure .--agaricus silvicola, showing radiately torn lower part of veil. (natural size.) copyright.] =agaricus (psalliota) silvicola= vittad. =edible.=--the _agaricus silvicola_ grows in woods, groves, etc., on the ground, and has been found also in a newly made garden in the vicinity of trees near the woods. it is an attractive plant because of its graceful habit and the delicate shades of yellow and white. it ranges from -- cm. high, the cap is -- cm. broad and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= becomes convex, and expanded or nearly flat, and often with an elevation or umbo in the center. it is thin, smooth, whitish and often tinged more or less deeply with yellow (sulfur or ochraceous) and is sometimes tinged with pink in the center. the flesh is whitish or tinged with pink. the =gills= when very young are whitish, then pink, and finally dark brown or blackish brown, much crowded, and distant from the stem. the =stem= is long, nearly cylindrical, whitish, abruptly enlarged below into a bulb. it is often yellowish below, and especially in drying becomes stained with yellow. the =ring= is thin, membranaceous, delicate, sometimes with broad, soft, floccose patches on the under side. the ring usually appears single, but sometimes the =veil= is seen to be double, and the outer or lower portion tends to split radially as in _a. arvensis_ or _a. placomyces_. this is well shown in large specimens, and especially as the veil is stretched over the gills as shown in fig. . from the form of the plant as well as the peculiarities of the veil in the larger specimens, it is related to _a. arvensis_ and _a. placomyces_, more closely to the former. it occurs during mid-summer and early autumn. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected in open woods at ithaca. [illustration: figure . figure . plate .--agaricus placomyces. figure .--upper view of cap, side view of stem. figure .--under view of plant showing radiately torn under side of the double veil. ( / natural size.) copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--agaricus placomyces. three different views, see text for explanations. dark scales on cap. (natural size.) copyright.] =agaricus (psalliota) subrufescens= pk. =edible.=--the _agaricus subrufescens_ was described by dr. peck from specimens collected on a compost heap composed chiefly of leaves, at glen cove, long island. it occurs sometimes in greenhouses. in one case reported by peck it appeared in soil prepared for forcing cucumbers in a greenhouse in washington, d. c. according to the description the =pileus= becomes convex or broadly expanded, is covered with silky hairs and numerous minute scales. the color is whitish, grayish or dull reddish brown, the center being usually smooth and darker, while the flesh is white. the =gills= change from white to pinkish and blackish brown in age. the =stem= is long, nearly cylindrical or somewhat enlarged or bulbous at the base, first stuffed, then hollow, white. the =annulus= is thick, and the under side marked by loose threads or scales. this plant is said to differ from the common mushroom (_a. campestris_) in the more deeply hemispherical cap of the young plant, the hollow and somewhat bulbous stem, and in the scales on the under side of the annulus. in fresh plants the flesh has also a flavor of almonds. it is closely related to =a. silvaticus= schaeff., p. , t. , icones fung. bav. etc., , if not identical with it. _a. silvaticus_ has light ochraceous or subrufescent scales on the cap, a strong odor, and occurs in gardens as well as in the woods. =agaricus (psalliota) fabaceus= berk., was described in hooker's london journal of botany, = =: , , from specimens collected in ohio. the plant is white and is said to have a strong but not unpleasant odor. _agaricus amygdalinus_ curt., from north carolina, and of which no description was published, was so named on account of the almond-like flavor of the plant. dr. farlow suggests (proc. bost. soc. nat. hist. = =: -- , ) that _a. fabaceus_, _amygdalinus_, and _subrufescens_ are identical. =agaricus (psalliota) placomyces= pk. =edible.=--the flat-cap mushroom, _agaricus placomyces_ pk., occurs in borders of woods or under trees from june to september. according to peck it occurs in borders of hemlock woods, or under hemlock trees. at ithaca it is not always associated with hemlock trees. the largest specimens found here were in the border of mixed woods where hemlock was a constituent. it has been found near and under white pine trees in lawns, around the norway spruce and under the norway spruce. the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. in diameter, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= when young is broadly ovate, then becomes convex or fully expanded and flat in age, and is quite thin. the ground color is whitish, often with a yellowish tinge, while the surface is ornamented with numerous minute brownish scales which are scattered over a large part of the cap, but crowded or conjoined at the center into a large circular patch. this gives to the plant with its shapely form a beautiful appearance. in the young stage the entire surface of the pileus is quite evenly brown. as it expands the outer brown portion is torn asunder into numerous scales because the surface threads composing this brown layer cease to grow. these scales are farther apart toward the margin of the cap, because this portion of the cap always expands more than the center, in all mushrooms. the =gills= are at first white, or very soon pink in color, and in age are blackish brown. spores -- × -- µ. the =stem= is nearly cylindrical, hollow or stuffed, white or whitish, smooth, bulbous, and the bulb is sometimes tinged with yellow. the =veil= is very handsome, and the way in which the annulus is formed from it is very interesting. the veil is quite broad, and it is double, that is, it consists of two layers which are loosely joined by threads. in the young stage the veil lies between the gills and the lower two-thirds of the stem. as the pileus expands the lower (outer part) layer of the veil is torn, often in quite regular radiating portions, as shown in fig. . an interesting condition of the veil is shown in the middle plant in fig. . here the outer or lower layer of the veil did not split radially, but remained as a tube surrounding the stem, while the two layers were separated, the inner one being still stretched over the gills. it is customary to speak of the lower part of the veil as the outer part when the cap is expanded and the veil is still stretched across over the gills, while the upper portion is spoken of as the inner layer or part. it is closely related to _a. arvensis_, and may represent a wood inhabiting variety of that species. =agaricus (psalliota) comtulus= fr.--this pretty little agaric seems to be rather rare. it was found sparingly on several occasions in open woods under pines at ithaca, n. y., during october, . lloyd reports it from ohio (mycolog. notes, no. , nov. ), and smith from vermont (rhodora i, ). fries' description (epicrisis, no. ) runs as follows: "pileus slightly fleshy, convex, plane, obtuse, nearly smooth, with appressed silky hairs, stem hollow, sub-attenuate, smooth, white to yellowish, annulus fugacious; gills free, crowded, broad in front, from flesh to rose color. in damp grassy places. stem inches by lines, at first floccose stuffed. pileus -- - / inch diameter. color from white to yellowish." [illustration: figure .--agaricus comtulus (natural size, sometimes larger). cap creamy white with egg-yellow stains, smoky when older. stem same color; gills grayish, then rose, then purple brown. copyright.] the plants collected at ithaca are illustrated in fig. from a photograph of plants (no. c. u. herbarium). my notes on these specimens run as follows: plant -- cm. high, pileus . -- cm. broad, stem -- mm. in thickness. =pileus= convex to expanded, fleshy, thin on the margin, margin at first incurved, creamy white with egg yellow stains, darker on the center, in age somewhat darker to umber or fuliginous, moist when fresh, surface soon dry, flesh tinged with yellow. the =gills= are white when young, then grayish to pale rose, and finally light purple brown, rounded in front, tapering behind (next the stem) and rounded, free from the stem, -- mm. broad. =basidia= clavate, -- × -- µ. =spores= small, oval, -- × -- µ, in mass light purple brown. the =stem= tapers above, is sub-bulbous below, yellowish and stained with darker yellowish threads below the annulus, hollow, fibrous, fleshy. the =veil= whitish stained with yellow, delicate, rupturing irregularly, portions of it clinging to margin of the pileus and portions forming a delicate ring. when parts of the plant come in contact with white paper a blue stain is apt to be imparted to the paper, resembling the reaction of iodine on starch. this peculiarity has been observed also in the case of another species of _agaricus_. the species is regarded with suspicion by some. i collected the plant also at blowing rock, n. c., in september, . the caps of these specimens measure cm. in diameter. =agaricus diminutivus= pk., is a closely related species. it is distinguished chiefly by its somewhat larger size, and purplish to reddish brown hairs on the surface of the pileus, and by the somewhat larger spores, which, however, are small. i have found it at ithaca, the surface of the pileus hairy, with beautiful, triangular, soft, appressed, purplish scales. hypholoma fr. in the genus _hypholoma_ the spores are purple brown, the gills attached to the stem, and the veil when ruptured clings to the margin of the cap instead of to the stem, so that a ring is not formed, or only rarely in some specimens. the stem is said to be continuous with the substance of the cap, that is, it is not easily separated from it. the genus is closely related to _agaricus (psalliota)_ and _stropharia_, from both of which it differs in the veil not forming a ring, but clinging to the margin of the cap. it further differs from _agaricus_ in the stem being continuous with the substance of the cap, while _stropharia_ seems to differ in this respect in different species. the plants grow both on the ground and on wood. there are several species which are edible and are very common. peck gives a synopsis of six species in the th report new york state mus., page , , and morgan describes species in jour. cinn. soc. nat. hist. = =: -- . =hypholoma sublateritium= schaeff. =edible=, _bitter sometimes_. the name of this species is derived from the color of the cap, which is nearly a brick red color, sometimes tawny. the margin is lighter in color. the plants grow usually in large clusters on old stumps or frequently appearing on the ground from buried portions of stumps or from roots. there are from six to ten, or twenty or more plants in a single cluster. a single plant is from -- cm. high, the cap is -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, smooth, or sometimes with loose threads from the veil, especially when young, even, dry. the flesh is firm, whitish, and in age becoming somewhat yellowish. the =gills= are adnate, sometimes decurrent by a little tooth, rather crowded, narrow, whitish, then dull yellow, and becoming dark from the spores, purplish to olivaceous. the =stem= usually tapers downward, is firm, stuffed, smooth, or with remnants of the veil giving it a floccose scaly appearance, usually ascending because of the crowded growth. the =veil= is thin and only manifested in the young stage of the plant as a loose weft of threads. as the cap expands the veil is torn and adheres to the margin, but soon disappears. [illustration: plate , figure .--hypholoma sublateritium. cap brick-red or tawny. (natural size, often larger.) copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--hypholoma appendiculatum (natural size, often larger). white floccose scales on cap (var. coroniferum) and appendiculate veil; caps whitish or brown, tawny, or tinge of ochre. gills white, then purple-brown. copyright.] the flesh of this plant is said by european writers to be bitter to the taste, and it is regarded there as poisonous. this character seems to be the only distinguishing one between the _hypholoma sublateritium_ schaeff., of europe, and the _hypholoma perplexum_ pk., of this country which is edible, and probably is identical with _h. sublateritium_. if the plant in hand agrees with this description in other respects, and is not bitter, there should be no danger in its use. according to bresadola, the bitter taste is not pronounced in _h. sublateritium_. the taste probably varies as it does in other plants. for example, in _pholiota præcox_, an edible species, i detected a decided bitter taste in plants collected in june, . four other persons were requested to taste the plants. two of them pronounced them bitter, while two did not detect the bitter taste. there is a variety of _hypholoma sublateritium_, with delicate floccose scales in concentric rows near the margin of the cap, called _var. squamosum_ cooke. this is the plant illustrated in fig. , from specimens collected on rotting wood in the cascadilla woods, ithaca, n. y. it occurs from spring to autumn. _hypholoma epixanthum_ fr., is near the former species, but has a yellow pileus, and the light yellow gills become gray, not purple. =hypholoma appendiculatum= bull. =edible.=--this species is common during late spring and in the summer. it grows on old stumps and logs, and often on the ground, especially where there are dead roots. it is scattered or clustered, but large tufts are not formed as in _h. sublateritium_. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is ovate, convex to expanded, and often the margin elevated, and then the cap appears depressed. it is fleshy, thin, whitish or brown, tawny, or with a tinge of ochre, and becoming pale in age and when dry. as the plant becomes old the pileus often cracks in various ways, sometimes splitting radially into several lobes, and then in other cases cracking into irregular areas, showing the white flesh underneath. the surface of the pileus when young is sometimes sprinkled with whitish particles giving it a mealy appearance. the =gills= are attached to the stem, crowded, becoming more or less free by breaking away from the stem, especially in old plants. they are white, then flesh colored, brownish with a slight purple tinge. the =stem= is white, smooth, or with numerous small white particles at the apex, becoming hollow. the =veil= is very delicate, white, and only seen in quite young plants when they are fresh. it clings to the margin of the cap for a short period, and then soon disappears. [illustration: figure .--hypholoma appendiculatum (natural size), showing appendiculate veil. copyright.] sometimes the pileus is covered with numerous white, delicate floccose scales, which give it a beautiful appearance, as in fig. , from specimens (no. c. u. herbarium), collected on the campus of cornell university among grass. the entire plant is very brittle, and easily broken. it is tender and excellent for food. i often eat the caps raw. =hypholoma candolleanum= fr., occurs in woods on the ground, or on very rotten wood. it is not so fragile as _h. appendiculatum_ and the gills are dark violaceous, not flesh color as they are in _h. appendiculatum_ when they begin to turn, and nearly free from the stem. =hypholoma lacrymabundum= fr.--this plant was found during september and october in wet grassy places in a shallow ditch by the roadside, and in borders of woods, ithaca, n. y., . the plants are scattered or clustered, several often joined at the base of the stem. they are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--hypholoma lacrymabundum (natural size). cap and stem tawny or light yellowish, with intermediate shades or shades of umber, surface with soft floccose scales. copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, sometimes broadly umbonate in age, and usually with radiating wrinkles extending irregularly. on the surface are silky or tomentose threads not much elevated from the surface, and as the plant ages these are drawn into triangular scales which are easily washed apart by the rains. the color is tawny or light yellowish with intermediate shades, darker on the umbo and becoming darker in age, sometimes umber colored, and stained with black, especially after rains where the spores are washed on the pileus. the flesh is tinged with light yellow, or tawny, or brown, soft, and easily broken. the =gills= are sinuate, adnate, somewhat ventricose, very rarely in abnormal specimens anastomosing near the margin of the pileus, at first light yellowish, then shading to umber and spotted with black and rusty brown as the spores mature, easily breaking away from the stipe, whitish on the edge. drops of moisture sometimes are formed on the gills. =basidia= abruptly clavate, -- × -- µ. =cystidia= hyaline, thin walled, projecting above the hymenium µ, and -- µ broad. spores black, purple tinged, broadly elliptical and somewhat curved, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is fleshy to fibrous, the same color as the pileus, floccose scaly more or less up to the veil, smooth or white pruinose above the veil, straight or curved, somewhat striate below. the =veil= in young plants is hairy, of the same texture as the surface of the pileus, torn and mostly clinging to the margin of the pileus, and disappearing with age. the general habit and different stages of development as well as some of the characters of the plant are shown in fig. (no. cornell university herbarium). the edible qualities of this plant have not been tested. =hypholoma rugocephalum= atkinson.--this interesting species grows in damp places in woods. the plants are tufted or occur singly. they are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, and the margin at last revolute (upturned). the surface is marked by strong wrinkles (rugæ), which radiate irregularly from the center toward the margin. the pileus is broadly umbonate, fleshy at the center and thinner toward the margin, the flesh tinged with yellow, the surface slightly viscid, but not markedly so even when moist, smooth, not hairy or scaly, the thin margin extending little beyond ends of the gills. the color is tawny (near fulvus). the =gills= are adnate, slightly sinuate, -- mm. broad, in age easily breaking away from the stem and then rounded at this end, spotted with the black spores, lighter on the edge. the =spores= are black in mass (with a suggestion of a purple tinge), oval to broadly elliptical, inequilateral, pointed at each end, echinulate, or minutely tuberculate, -- × -- µ. the =basidia= are short, cylindrical; =cystidia= cylindrical, somewhat enlarged at the free end, hyaline, delicate, thin-walled, in groups of two to six or more (perhaps this is partly responsible for the black spotted condition of the gills). the =stem= is cylindrical, even, somewhat bulbous, of the same color as the pileus, but lighter above the annulus, irregular, smooth, fleshy, hollow, continuous with the substance of the pileus. the =annulus= is formed of a few threads, remnants of the veil, which are stained black by the spores. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected near ithaca, july , . [illustration: plate , figure .--hypholoma rugocephalum ( / natural size). cap tawny, gills purple black, spotted. copyright.] stropharia fr. the genus _stropharia_ has purple-brown spores, the gills are attached to the stem, and the veil forms a ring on the stem. [illustration: figure .--stropharia semiglobata (natural size). cap and stem light yellow, viscid, gills brownish purple. copyright.] =stropharia semiglobata= batsch.--this species is rather common and widely distributed, occurring in grassy places recently manured, or on dung. the plants are scattered or clustered, rarely two or three joined at the base. they are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the entire plant is light yellow, and viscid when moist, the gills becoming purplish brown, or nearly black. stevenson says it is regarded as poisonous. the =pileus= is rounded, then hemispherical (semi-globate), smooth, fleshy at the center, thinner toward the margin, even, very viscid or viscous when moist, light yellow. the =gills= are squarely set against the stem (adnate), broad, smooth, in age purplish brown to blackish, the color more or less clouded. the =spores= in mass, are brownish purple. the =stem= is slender, cylindrical, becoming hollow, straight, even or bulbous below, yellowish, but paler at the apex where there are often parallel striæ, marks from the gills in the young stage. the stem is often viscid and smeared with the glutinous substance which envelopes the plant when young, and from the more or less glutinous veil. the =ring= is glutinous when moist. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected on one of the streets of ithaca. =stropharia stercoraria= fr., is a closely related plant, about the same size, but the pileus, first hemispherical, then becoming expanded and sometimes striate on the margin, while the stem is stuffed. the gills are said to be of one color and the ring floccose, viscose, and evanescent in drying. it occurs on dung, or in grassy places recently manured. =stropharia æruginosa= curt., the greenish _stropharia_, is from -- cm. high, and the pileus -- cm. broad. the ground color is yellowish, but the plant is covered with a greenish slime which tends to disappear with age. it is found in woods and open places during late summer and in autumn. according to stevenson it is poisonous. footnotes: [b] for analytical key to the genera see chapter xxiv. chapter v. the black-spored agarics. the spores are black in mass, not purple tinged. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxiv. coprinus pers. the species of _coprinus_ are readily recognised from the black spores in addition to the fact that the gills, at maturity, dissolve into a black or inky fluid. the larger species especially form in this way an abundance of the black fluid, so that it drops from the pileus and blackens the grass, etc., underneath the plant. in some of the smaller species the gills do not wholly deliquesce, but the cap splits on top along the line of the longer gills, this split passing down through the gill, dividing it into two thin laminæ, which, however, remain united at the lower edge. this gives a fluted appearance to the margin of the pileus, which is very thin and membranaceous. [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus, "shaggy-mane," in lawn.] the plants vary in size, from tiny ones to those which are several inches high and more than an inch broad. their habitat (that is, the place where they grow) is peculiar. a number of the species grow on dung or recently manured ground. from this peculiarity the genus received the name _coprinus_ from the greek word [greek: kopros], meaning dung. some of the species, however, grow on decaying logs, on the ground, on leaves, etc. =coprinus comatus= fr. =edible.=--one of the finest species in this genus is the shaggy-mane, or horse-tail mushroom, as it is popularly called. it occurs in lawns and other grassy places, especially in richly manured ground. the plants sometimes occur singly, or a few together, but often quite large numbers of them appear in a small area. they occur most abundantly during quite wet weather, or after heavy rains, in late spring or during the autumn, and also in the summer. from the rapid growth of many of the mushrooms we are apt to be taken by surprise to see them all up some day, when the day before there were none. the shaggy-mane often furnishes a surprise of this kind. in our lawns we are accustomed to a pretty bit of greensward with clumps of shrubbery, and here and there the overhanging branches of some shade tree. on some fine morning when we find a whole flock of these shaggy-manes, which have sprung up during the night, we can imagine that some such kind of a surprise must have come to browning when he wrote these words: "by the rose flesh mushroom undivulged last evening. nay, in to-day's first dew yon sudden coral nipple bulged, where a freaked, fawn colored, flaky crew of toadstools peep indulged." [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus. "buttons," some in section showing gill slits and hollow stem; colors white and black. (natural size.)] the plant is called shaggy-mane because of the very shaggy appearance of the cap, due to the surface being torn up into long locks. the illustrations of the shaggy mane shown here represent the different stages of development, and the account here given is largely taken from the account written by me in bulletin of the cornell university agr. exp. station. [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus (natural size).] in fig. are shown two buttons of the size when they are just ready to break through the soil. they appear mottled with dark and white, for the outer layer of fungus threads, which are dark brown, is torn and separated into patches or scales, showing between the delicate meshes of white threads which lie beneath. the upper part of the button is already forming the cap, and the slight constriction about midway shows the lower boundary or margin of the pileus where it is still connected with the undeveloped stem. at the right of each of these buttons in the figure is shown a section of a plant of the same age. here the parts of the plant, though still undeveloped, are quite well marked out. just underneath the pileus layer are the gills. in the section one gill is exposed to view on either side. in the section of the larger button the free edge of the gill is still closely applied to the stem, while in the small one the gills are separated a short distance from the stems showing "gill slits." here, too, the connection of the margin of the pileus with the stem is still shown, and forms the veil. this kind of a veil is a marginal veil. [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus (natural size). this one entirely white, none of the scales black tipped.] the stem is hollow even at this young stage, and a slender cord of mycelium extends down the center of the tube thus formed, as is shown in the sections. the plants are nearly all white when full grown. the brown scales, so close together on the buttons, are widely separated except at the top or center of the pileus, where they remain close together and form a broad cap. a study of the different stages, which appear from the button stage to the mature plant, reveals the cause of this change in color and the wide separation of the dark brown scales. the threads of the outer layer of the pileus, and especially those in the brown patches seen on the buttons, soon cease to grow, though they are firmly entangled with the inner layers. now the threads underneath and all through the plant, in the gills and in the upper part of the stem, grow and elongate rapidly. this pulls on the outer layer, tearing it in the first place into small patches, and causing them later to be more widely separated on the mature plant. some of these scales remain quite large, while others are torn up into quite small tufts. [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus, sections of the plants in fig. (natural size).] as the plant ages, the next inner layers of the pileus grow less rapidly, so that the white layer beneath the brown is torn up into an intricate tangle of locks and tufts, or is frazzled into a delicate pile which exists here and there between well formed tufts. while all present the same general characters there is considerable individual variation, as one can see by comparing a number of different plants. figure shows one of the interesting conditions. there is little of the brown color, and the outer portion of the pileus is torn into long locks, quite evenly distributed and curled up at the ends in an interesting fashion which merits well the term "shaggy." in others the threads are looped up quite regularly into triangular tresses which appear to be knotted at the ends where the tangle of brown threads holds them together. [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus, early stages of deliquescence; the ring is lying on the sod (natural size).] there is one curious feature about the expansion of the pileus of the shaggy-mane which could not escape our attention. the pileus has become very long while comparatively little lateral expansion has taken place. the pileus has remained cylindrical or barrel-shaped, while in the case of the common mushroom the pileus expands into the form of an umbrella. [illustration: figure .--coprinus comatus, later stage of deliquescence, pileus becoming more expanded (natural size).] the cylindrical or barrel-shaped pileus is characteristic of the shaggy-mane mushroom. as the pileus elongates the stem does also, but more rapidly. this tears apart the connection of the margin of the pileus with the base of the stem, as is plainly shown in fig. . in breaking away, the connecting portion or veil is freed both from the stem and from the margin of the pileus, and is left as a free, or loose, ring around the stem. in the shaggy-mane the veil does not form a thin, expanded curtain. it is really an annular outer layer of the button lying between the margin of the cap and the base of the stem. it becomes free from the stem. as the stem elongates more rapidly than the cap, the latter is lifted up away from the base of the stem. sometimes the free ring is left as a collar around the base of the stem, still loosely adherent to the superficial layer of the same, or it remains for a time more or less adherent to the margin of the pileus as shown in the plant at the left hand in fig. . it is often lifted higher up on the stem before it becomes free from the cap, and is then left dangling somewhere on the stem, or it may break and fall down on the sod. in other instances it may remain quite firmly adherent to the margin of the pileus so that it breaks apart as the pileus in age expands somewhat. in such cases one often searches for some time to discover it clinging as a sterile margin of the cap. it is interesting to observe a section of the plants at this stage. these sections can be made by splitting the pileus and stem lengthwise through the middle line with a sharp knife, as shown in fig. . here, in the plant at the right hand, the "cord" of mycelium is plainly seen running through the hollow stem. the gills form a large portion of the plant, for they are very broad and lie closely packed side by side. they are nowhere attached to the stem, but at the upper end round off to the cap, leaving a well defined space between their ends and the stem. the cap, while it is rather thick at the center, i. e., where it joins the stem, becomes comparatively thin where it spreads out over the gills. at this age of the plant the gills are of a rich salmon color, i. e., before the spores are ripe, and the taste when raw is a pleasant nutty flavor, reminding one of the meat of fresh green hickory nuts. in a somewhat earlier stage the edges of all the gills are closely applied to the stem which they surround. so closely are they applied to the stem in most cases that threads of mycelium pass from the stem to the edge of the gills. as the cap expands slightly in ageing, these threads are torn asunder and the stem is covered with a very delicate down or with flocculent particles which easily disappear on handling or by the washing of the rains. the edges of the gills are also left in a frazzled condition, as one can see by examining them with a good hand lens. the spores now begin to ripen and as they become black the color of the gills changes. at the same time the gills and the cap begin to dissolve into an inky fluid, first becoming dark and then melting into a black liquid. as this accumulates it forms into drops which dangle from the cap until they fall away. this change takes place on the margin of the cap first, and advances toward the center, and the contrast of color, as the blackening invades the rich salmon, is very striking. the cap now begins to expand outward more, so that it becomes somewhat umbrella shaped. the extreme outer surface does not dissolve so freely, and the thin remnant curls upward and becomes enrolled on the upper side as the cap with wasted gills becomes nearly flat. =coprinus atramentarius= (bull.) fr. =edible.=--the ink-cap (_coprinus atramentarius_) occurs under much the same conditions as the shaggy-mane, and is sometimes found accompanying it. it is usually more common and more abundant. it springs up in old or newly made lawns which have been richly manured, or it occurs in other grassy places. sometimes the plants are scattered, sometimes two or three in a cluster, but usually large clusters are formed where ten to twenty or more are crowded closely together (fig. ). the stems are shorter than those of the shaggy-mane and the cap is different in shape and color. the cap is egg-shaped or oval. it varies in color from a silvery grey, in some forms, to a dark ashen grey, or smoky brown color in others. sometimes the cap is entirely smooth, as i have seen it in some of the silvery grey forms, where the delicate fibres coursing down in lines on the outer surface cast a beautiful silvery sheen in the light. other forms present numerous small scales on the top or center of the cap which are formed by the cleavage of the outer surface here into large numbers of pointed tufts. in others, the delicate tufts cover more or less the entire surface, giving the plant a coarsely granular aspect. this is perhaps the more common appearance, at least so far as my observation goes. but not infrequently one finds forms which have the entire outer surface of the cap torn into quite a large number of coarse scales, and these are often more prominent over the upper portion. fine lines or striations mark also the entire surface of all the forms, especially toward the margin, where the scales are not so prominent. the marginal half of the cap is also frequently furrowed more or less irregularly, and this forms a crenate or uneven edge. [illustration: plate , figure . coprinus comatus, drops of inky fluid about to fall from wasted pileus (natural size).] [illustration: plate , figure .--coprinus atramentarius, nearly smooth form, gray color (natural size).] [illustration: figure .--coprinus atramentarius, scaly form (natural size).] the annulus or ring on the stem of the ink-cap is very different from that of the shaggy-mane. it forms an irregularly zigzag elevated line of threads which extend around the stem near the base. it is well shown in fig. as a border line between the lower scaly end of the stem and the smooth white upper part. it is formed at the time of the separation of the margin of the cap from the stem, the connecting fibres being pulled outward and left to mark the line of junction, while others below give the scaly appearance. it is easily effaced by rough handling or by the washing of the rains. a section of a plant is illustrated by a photograph in fig. . on either side of the stem is shown the layer of fibres which form the annulus, and this layer is of a different texture from that of the stem. the stem is hollow as seen here also. in this figure one can see the change in color of the gills just at the time when they begin to deliquesce. this deliquescence proceeds much in the same way as in the shaggy-mane, and sometimes the thin remnant of the cap expands and the margin is enrolled over the top. [illustration: figure .--coprinus atramentarius, showing annulus as border line between scaly and smooth part of the stem (natural size).] =coprinus micaceus= (bull.) fr. =edible.=--the glistening coprinus received its name because of the very delicate scales which often cover the surface of the cap, and glisten in the light like particles of mica. this plant is very common during the spring and early summer, though it does appear during the autumn. it occurs about the bases of stumps or trees or in grassy or denuded places, from dead roots, etc., buried in the soil. it occurs in dense tufts of ten to thirty or more individuals; sometimes as many as several hundred spring up from the roots of a dead tree or stump along the streets or in lawns, forming large masses. more rarely it occurs on logs in the woods, and sometimes the plants are scattered in lawns. from the different habits of the plant it is sometimes difficult to determine, especially where the individuals are more or less scattered. however, the color, and the markings on the cap, especially the presence of the small shining scales when not effaced, characterize the plant so that little difficulty is experienced in determining it when one has once carefully noted these peculiarities. [illustration: figure .--coprinus atramentarius, section of one of the plants in fig. (natural size).] figure is from a group of three young individuals photographed just as the margin of the pileus is breaking away from the lower part of the stem, showing the delicate fibrous ring which is formed in the same way as in _coprinus atramentarius_. the ring is much more delicate and is rarely seen except in very young specimens which are carefully collected and which have not been washed by rains. the mature plants are -- cm. high ( -- inches), and the cap varies from -- cm. in diameter. the stem is quite slender and the cap and gills quite thin as compared with the shaggy-mane and ink-cap. the gills are not nearly so crowded as they are in the two other species. the cap is tan color, or light buff, or yellowish brown. except near the center it is marked with quite prominent striations which radiate to the margin. these striations are minute furrows or depressed lines, and form one of the characters of the species, being much more prominent than on the cap of the ink-cap. [illustration: figure .--coprinus micaceus, young stage showing annulus, on the cap the "mica" particles (natural size).] [illustration: figure .--coprinus micaceus, plants natural size, from floor of coal mine at wilkesbarre. caps tan color. copyright.] in wet weather this coprinus melts down into an inky fluid also, but in quite dry weather it remains more or less firm, and sometimes it does not deliquesce at all, but dries with all parts well preserved, though much shrunken of course, as is the case with all the very fleshy fungi. [illustration: plate , figure .--panæolus retirugis, group of plants from lawn along street, showing veil in young plants at the left, which breaks into v-shaped loops and clings to margin of the cap. cap dark smoky color at first, becoming grayish in age (natural size). copyright.] panaeolus fr. in _panæolus_, the pileus is somewhat fleshy, or thin, the margin even, that is, not striate. the margin extends beyond the gills, and the gills are not uniform in color, being clouded or spotted with black and brown colors, the edge of the gills often white in contrast. the spores are black. the stem is usually smooth, sometimes floccose scaly, often long, firm, generally hollow. the veil is of interwoven threads, sometimes quite compact, especially when the plants are young. peck, rd report n. y. state mus., p. et seq., gives a synopsis of five species. [illustration: figure .--panæolus retirugis, section of caps showing form and position of gills (natural size).] =panæolus retirugis= fr.--the color of this plant is not attractive, but it is one of the most beautiful species i have studied, if one regards form and the general features in its development. it is said to occur on dung. i have found it in lawns or grassy places, especially freshly made lawns or greenswards which have been heavily manured. the illustrations in figs. -- were made from photographs of plants which grew in a newly made boulevard along buffalo street, ithaca, n. y. (no. c. u. herbarium). the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. in diameter, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. the size of the plants varies greatly according to the environment, being larger in moist soil and wet weather and smaller in dry soil and dry weather. it occurs in late spring and during the summer. [illustration: figure .--panæolus retirugis, showing rugose character of cap in left-hand plant (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is oval to ovate and conic, and in some cases it becomes more or less expanded, but never, so far as i have observed, does it become depressed or even plane. in wet weather it is usually at first dark smoky in color, viscid, becoming grayish in age, and as the pileus dries it becomes shining. in lighter colored forms the pileus is at first light leather color to cream color. toward the center of the pileus are irregular wrinkles or shallow pits, the wrinkles anastomosing more or less, and it is because of this character of the surface of the pileus that the plant receives its specific name. during dry weather there is a tendency for the pileus to crack, separating the dark color of the surface into patches showing the white flesh beneath. the pileus is often umbonate or gibbous, and the center is often darker than the margin. the pileus in rare cases is entirely white. the =gills= are adnate, broad in the middle, and in the more expanded forms as the gills separate more and more from the stem there is a tendency for them to become somewhat triangular. the =spores= are black in mass, are elliptical or short fusiform, and measure from -- × -- µ. the =stem= is cylindrical, sometimes tortuous, smoky gray, light reddish brown, or paler, sometimes entirely white, the lighter forms of the stem accompanying the light forms of the pileus; cartilaginous in texture, becoming hollow, always darker below and paler above, smooth, granulate with minute darker points, bulbous. the =veil= is very prominent and stout when the plant is young, and extends from the margin of the pileus to the stem when the plant is very young and the stem has not elongated. as the stipe elongates the veil separates from the stipe as a ring, and then, as the pileus expands, it is broken quite regularly into short segments which become arranged regularly around the margin of the pileus in the form of the letter v, which gives a beautiful appearance to this stage of the plant. it is only when the plants are fresh and moist that this condition of the veil can be seen, for on drying the veil collapses. water is sometimes caught under the veil before the pileus separates far from the stem, and the spores falling thus float against the stem at this point and make a dark ring around the stem, which, however, should not be mistaken for the annulus. in no case was the veil observed to cling to the stem, and many plants have been observed to see if this variation might present itself. [illustration: figure .--panæolus retirugis, showing cracked surface of cap in the left-hand plant, also in same plant the ring mark of black spores which lodged before veil ruptured, in other plants showing well the v-shaped loops of veil on margin of cap (natural size). copyright.] this peculiarity of the veil in clinging to the margin of the pileus has led hennings to place the plant in karsten's genus (engler and prantl, pflanzenfamilien) _chalymotta_, as _chalymotta retirugis_. the plants have several times been eaten raw by me, and while they have a nutty flavor and odor, the taste is not entirely agreeable in this condition, because of the accompanying slimy sensation. a number of smaller species, among them =p. fimicola= fr., and =p. papilionaceus= fr., occur in similar places. =panæolus solidipes= pk., is a large species with a long, solid stem, growing on dung. =psilocybe foenisecii=, abundant in lawns and grassy places during late spring and summer, resembles a panæolus. the cap shows zones of light and dark color, due to different amounts of water, which disappear as the plant matures. it belongs to the purple-brown-spored agarics. psathyrella fr. the pileus is thin, membranaceous, striate, the margin not extending beyond the edge of the gills, and when young the margin of the pileus lies straight against the stem. the gills are black to fuliginous, of a uniform color, i. e., not spotted as in _panæolus_ and _anellaria_. the spores are black. the plants are all fragile. only one species is mentioned here. in appearance the species are like _psathyra_ of the purple-brown-spored agarics, but much thinner. peck describes three species in the d report n. y. state mus., p. et seq. only one species is described here. [illustration: figure .--psathyrella disseminata (natural size), caps whitish, grayish, or grayish-brown. copyright.] =psathyrella disseminata= pers.--this is a very common and widely distributed species, appearing from late spring until late autumn. it sometimes appears in greenhouses throughout the year. the plants are -- cm. high, and the caps -- mm. broad. the plants are crowded in large tufts, often growing on decaying wood, but also on the ground, especially about much decayed stumps, but also in lawns and similar places, where buried roots, etc., are decaying. they resemble small specimens of a _coprinus_. the =pileus= is whitish or gray, or grayish brown, very thin, oval, then bell-shaped, minutely scaly, becoming smooth, prominently silicate or plicate, plaited. the =gills= are adnate, broad, white, gray, then black. the =spores= are black, oblong, × µ. the =stem= is very slender, becoming hollow, often curved. the entire plant is very fragile, and in age becomes so soft as to suggest a _coprinus_ in addition to the general appearance. figure is from plants collected on decaying logs at ithaca. gomphidius fr. the genus _gomphidius_ has a slimy or glutinous universal veil enveloping the entire plant when young, and for a time is stretched over the gills as the pileus is expanding. the gills are somewhat mucilaginous in consistency, are distant and decurrent on the stem. the gills are easily removed from the under surface of the pileus in some species by peeling off in strips, showing the imprint of the gills beneath the projecting portions of the pileus, which extended part way between the laminæ of the gills. the spores in some species are blackish, and for this reason the genus has been placed by many with the black-spored agarics, while its true relationship is probably with the genus _hygrophorus_ or _paxillus_. =gomphidius nigricans= pk.--the description given by peck for this plant in the th report, p. , , reads as follows: "pileus convex, or nearly plane, pale, brownish red, covered with a tough gluten, which becomes black in drying, flesh firm, whitish; lamellæ distant, decurrent, some of them forked, white, becoming smoky brown, black in the dried plant; stem subequal, longer than the diameter of the pileus, glutinous, solid, at first whitish, especially at the top, soon blackish by the drying of the gluten, whitish within, slightly tinged with red toward the base; spores oblong fusoid, -- µ long, -- µ broad. pileus -- inches broad; stem . -- . inches long, -- lines thick." "this species is easily known by the blackening gluten which smears both pileus and stem, and even forms a veil by which the lamellæ in the young plant are concealed. in the dried state the whole plant is black." "under pine trees, westport, september." [illustration: figure .--gomphidius nigricans. side and under view showing forked gills, and reticulate collapsed patches of dark slime on stem. cap flesh color, gills dark gray; entire plant black when dried (natural size). copyright.] what appears to be the same plant was collected by me at blowing rock, n. c., under a pine tree, in september, (no. c. u. herbarium). the notes taken on the fresh plant are as follows: very viscid, with a thick, tough viscid cuticle, cortina or veil viscid, and collapsing on the stem, forming coarse, walnut-brown or dark vinaceous reticulations, terminating abruptly near the gills, or reaching them. the =stem= is white underneath the slimy veil covering, tough, fibrous, continuous, and not separable from the hymenophore, tapering below. the =pileus= is convex, the very thin margin somewhat incurved, disk expanded, uneven, near the center cracked into numerous small viscid brownish areoles; pileus flesh color, flesh same color except toward the gills. gills dark drab gray, arcuate, distant, decurrent, many of them forked, separating easily from the hymenophore, peeling off in broad sheets, and leaving behind corresponding elevations of the hymenophore which extended between the laminæ of the lamellæ. pileus cm. in diameter; stem -- cm. long by cm. diameter. in drying, the entire plant as well as the gluten becomes black, on the pileus a shining black. the =spores= are rusty to dark brown, or nearly black, fusoid or oblong, and measure -- × -- µ. [illustration: figure .--gomphidius nigricans. under view with portion of gills stripped off from hymenophore, showing forked character of gills (natural size). copyright.] in fig. a side and under view of the plant are given, and in fig. a view after a portion of the lamellæ have been peeled off, showing how nicely the separation takes place, as well as showing the forked character of the lamellæ and the processes of the pileus, which extend between the laminæ of the lamellæ. this plant seems to be very near _gomphidius glutinosus_ (schaeff.), fr., if not identical with it, though the illustrations cited in schaeffer and in krombholz seem to indicate a stouter plant. the descriptions say nothing as to the appearance of the dried plant. chapter vi. the white-spored agarics. the spores are white in mass, or sometimes with a faint yellowish or lilac tinge. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxiv. amanita pers. the genus _amanita_ has both a volva and a veil; the spores are white, and the stem is easily separable from the cap. in the young stage the volva forms a universal veil, that is, a layer of fungus tissue which entirely envelops the young plant. in the button stage, where this envelope runs over the cap, it is more or less free from it, that is, it is not "concrete" with the surface of the pileus. as the pileus expands and the stem elongates, the volva is ruptured in different ways according to the species. in some the volva splits at the apex and is left as a "cup" at the base of the stem. in others it splits circularly, that is, transversely across the middle, the lower half forming a shallow cup with a very narrow rim, or in other cases it is closely fitted against the stem, while the upper half remains on the cap and is broken up into patches or warts. in still other cases the volva breaks irregularly, and only remnants of it may be found on either the base of the stem or on the pileus. for the various conditions one must consult the descriptions of the species. the genus is closely related to _lepiota_, from which it is separated by the volva being separate from the pileus. this genus contains some of the most deadly poisonous mushrooms, and also some of the species are edible. morgan, jour. mycol. = =: -- , describes species. peck, d report n. y. state mus., pp. -- , describes species. lloyd, a compilation of the volvæ of the u. s., cincinnati, , gives a brief synopsis of our species. =amanita muscaria= linn. =poisonous.=--this plant in some places is popularly known as the fly agaric, since infusions of it are used as a fly poison. it occurs during the summer and early autumn. it grows along roadsides near trees, or in groves, and in woods, according to some preferring a rather poor gravelly soil. it attains its typical form usually under these conditions in groves or rather open woods where the soil is poor. it is a handsome and striking plant because of the usually brilliant coloring of the cap in contrast with the white stems and gills, and the usually white scales on the surface. it usually ranges from -- cm. high, and the cap from -- cm. broad, while the stem is -- . cm. in thickness, or the plant may be considerably larger. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita muscaria, "buttons," showing different stages of rupture of the volva or universal veil, and formation of inner veil (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita muscaria. further stages in opening of plant, formation of veil and ring. cap yellowish, or orange. scales on cap and at base of stem white; stem and gills white (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= passes from convex to expanded and nearly flat in age, the margin when mature is marked by depressed lines forming parallel striations, and on the surface are numbers of scattered floccose or rather compact scales, formed from the fragments of the upper part of the volva or outer veil. these scales are usually white in color and are quite easily removed, so that old plants are sometimes quite free from them. the scales are sometimes yellowish in color. the color of the pileus varies from yellow to orange, or even red, the yellow color being more common. late in the season the color is paler, and in old plants also the color fades out, so that white forms are sometimes found. the flesh is white, sometimes yellowish underneath the cuticle. the =gills= in typical forms are white, in some forms accredited to this species they are yellowish. the =stem= is cylindrical, hollow, or stuffed when young, and enlarged below into a prominent bulb. it is white, covered with loose floccose scales, or more or less lacerate or torn, and the lower part of the stem and upper part of the bulb are marked usually by prominent concentric scales forming interrupted rings. these are formed by the splitting of the outer veil or volva, and form the remnants of the volva present on the base of the stem. the main features in the development of the plant are shown in figs. -- , where a series from the button stage to the mature plant is represented. in the youngest specimens the outline of the bulb and the young convex or nearly globose cap are only seen, and these are covered with the more or less floccose outer veil or volva. the fungus threads composing this layer cease to grow, and with the expansion of the cap and the elongation of the stem, the volva is torn into patches. the upper and lower surface of the inner veil is attached to the edge of the gills and to the outer surface of the stem by loose threads, which are torn asunder as the pileus expands. floccose scales are thus left on the surface of the stem below the annulus, as in the left hand plant of fig. . the veil remains attached longer to the gills and is first separated from the stem. again, as in the right hand plant, it may first be separated from the gills when it is later ripped up from the stem. the fly agaric is one of the well known poisonous species and is very widely distributed in this country, as well as in other parts of the world. in well developed forms there should be no difficulty in distinguishing it from the common mushroom by even a novice. nor should there be difficulty in distinguishing it from the royal agaric, or cæsar's agaric (_amanita cæsarea_), by one who has become reasonably familiar with the characters and appearance of the two. but small and depauperate specimens of the two species run so nearly together in form, color, and surface characters, that it becomes a matter of some difficulty for even an expert to distinguish them. [illustration: figure .--amanita muscaria. view of upper side of cap (natural size). colors as in fig. . copyright.] figures -- are from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected in an open woods near ithaca. for the poisonous property of the plant see chapter xx. =amanita frostiana= pk. =poisonous.=--according to dr. peck, who published the first description of this plant, it grows in company with _amanita muscaria_, but seems to prefer more dense woods, especially mixed or hemlock woods, and occurs from june to october. the plant is -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is "convex to expanded, bright orange or yellow, warty, sometimes nearly or quite smooth, striate on the margin; =lamellæ= white or tinged with yellow; =stem= white or yellowish, stuffed, bearing a slight, sometimes evanescent annulus, bulbous at the base, the bulb _slightly margined_ by the volva; spores globose," . -- µ in diameter. he notes that it appears like a small form of _a. muscaria_, to which it was first referred as _var. minor_,--"the only characters for distinguishing it are its small size and its globose spores." it is near _a. muscaria var. puella_ pers. i have several times found this plant in the adirondack mountains, n. y., and ithaca, and also at blowing rock, n. c. the volva is often yellowish, so that the warts on the pileus are also yellow, and sometimes the only remnants of the volva on the base of the stem are yellow or orange particles. the annulus is also frequently yellow. in our plants, which seem to be typical, the spores are nearly globose, varying to oval, and with the minute point where the spore was attached to the sterigma at the smaller end, the spores usually being finely granular, -- µ in diameter, and rarely varying towards short elliptical, showing a tendency to approach the shape of the spores of _a. muscaria_. the species as i have seen it is a very variable one, large forms being difficult to separate from _a. muscaria_, on the one hand, and others difficult to separate from the depauperate forms of _a. cæsarea_. in the latter, however, the striæ are coarser, though the yellow color may be present only on portions of the pileus. the spores of _a. cæsarea_ are from globose to oval, ovate or short elliptical, the globose ones often agreeing in size with the spores of _a. frostiana_, but they usually contain a prominent oil drop or "nucleus," often nearly filling the spore. in some specimens of _a. frostiana_ the spores are quite variable, being nearly globose, ovate to elliptical, approaching the spores of _a. muscaria_. these intermediate forms should not in themselves lead one to regard all these three species as representing variations in a single variable species. with observations in the field i should think it possible to separate them. =amanita phalloides= fr. =deadly poisonous.=--the _amanita phalloides_ and its various forms, or closely related species, are the most dangerous of the poisonous mushrooms. for this reason the _a. phalloides_ is known as the _deadly agaric_, or _deadly amanita_. the plant is very variable in color, the forms being pure white, or yellowish, green, or olive to umber. variations also occur in the way in which the volva ruptures, as well as in the surface characters of the stem, and thus it is often a difficult matter to determine whether all these forms represent a single variable species or whether there are several species, and if so, what are the limits of these species. whether these are recognized as different forms of one species or as different species, they are all very poisonous. the plant usually occurs in woods or along the borders of woods. it does, however, sometimes occur in lawns. it varies from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--amanita phalloides, white form, showing cap, stem, ring, and cup-like volva with a free, prominent limb (natural size).] the =pileus= is fleshy, viscid or slimy when moist, smooth, that is, not striate, orbicular to bell-shaped, convex and finally expanded, and in old specimens more or less depressed by the elevation of the margin. the cap is often free from any remnants of the volva, while in other cases portions of the volva or outer veil appear on the surface of the cap in rather broad patches, or it may be broken up into a number of smaller ones quite evenly distributed over the surface of the cap. the presence or absence of these scales on the cap depends entirely on the way in which the volva ruptures. when there is a clean rupture at the apex the pileus is free from scales, but if portions of the apex of the volva are torn away they are apt to remain on the cap. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita phalloides, brownish, umber, or olive-brown form (natural size). caps brownish or whitish, and streaked with brown, scales white, gills and stem white, stem slowly turning dull brown where bruised. copyright.] the white form is common in this country, and so is the olive or umber form. the yellow form is rarer. sometimes there is only a tinge of yellow at the center of the white pileus, while in other cases a large part of the pileus may be yellow, a deeper shade usually on the center. the green form is probably more common in europe than in this country. the olive form varies considerably also in the depth of the color, usually darker on the center and fading out to light olive or gray, or whitish, on the margin. in other cases the entire pileus may be dark olive or umber color. the =gills= in all the forms are white, and free from the stem or only joined by a narrow line. the stem is stuffed when young, but in age is nearly or quite hollow. it is cylindrical, -- cm. long × -- mm. in thickness. in the larger specimens the bulb is quite prominent and abrupt, while in the smaller specimens it is not always proportionally so large. the =stem= is usually smooth and the color is white, except in the dark forms, when it is dingy or partakes more or less of the color of the pileus, though much lighter in shade. there is a tendency in these forms to a discoloration of the stem where handled or bruised, and this should caution one in comparing such forms with the edible _a. rubescens_. [illustration: figure .--amanita phalloides, volva circumscissile, cap scaly, limb of volva not prominent, cap dark, scales white (natural size). copyright.] perhaps no part of the plant is more variable than the outer veil or volva. where the volva is quite thick and stout it usually splits at the apex, and there is a prominent free limb, as shown in fig. . sometimes thin portions of the volva are caught, and remain on the surface of the pileus. but when the volva is thinner and of a looser texture, it splits transversely about the middle, circumscissile, and all or a large part of the upper half of the volva then clings to the cap, and is separated into patches. between this and the former condition there seem to be all gradations. some of these are shown in fig. , which is from a photograph of dark olive and umber forms, from plants collected in the blue ridge mountains, at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . in the very young plant the volva split transversely (in a circumscissile fashion) quite clearly, and the free limb is quite short and distant from the stem on the margin of the saucer-like bulb. in the large and fully expanded plant at the center, the volva ruptured irregularly at the apex, and portions of the thin upper half remain as patches on the cap while the larger part remains as the free limb, attached at the margin of the broad saucer-shaped bulb, and collapsed up against the base of the stem. [illustration: figure .--amanita phalloides, volva circumscissile, concave bulb margined by definite short limb of volva; upper part of volva has disappeared from cap; cap whitish, tinged with brown.] figure and the small plant in fig. , both from photographs of the sooty form of _amanita phalloides_, show in a striking manner the typical condition of the circumscissile volva margining the broad saucer-like bulb as described for _amanita mappa_. the color of _a. mappa_ is usually said to be straw color, but fries even says that the color is as in _a. phalloides_, "now white, now green, now yellow, now dark brown" (epicrisis, page ). according to this, fig. would represent _a. mappa_. the variable condition in this one species _a. phalloides_, now splitting at the apex, now tearing up irregularly, now splitting in a definitely circumscissile manner, seems to bid defiance to any attempt to separate the species of _amanita_ into groups based on the manner in which the volva ruptures. while it seems to be quite fixed and characteristic in certain species, it is so extremely variable in others as to lead to the suspicion that it is responsible in some cases for the multiplication and confusion of species. at the same time, the occurrence of some of these forms at certain seasons of the year suggests the desirability of prolonged and careful study of fresh material, and the search for additional evidence of the unity of these forms, or of their definite segregation. [illustration: figure .--amanita verna, white (natural size). copyright.] since the _amanita phalloides_ occurs usually in woods, or along borders of woods, there is little danger of confounding it with edible mushrooms collected in lawns distant from the woods, and in open fields. however, it does occur in lawns bordering on woods, and in the summer of i found several of the white forms of this species in a lawn distant from the woods. this should cause beginners and those not thoroughly familiar with the appearance of the plant to be extremely cautious against eating mushrooms simply because they were not collected in or near the woods. furthermore, sometimes the white form of the deadly amanita possesses a faint tinge of pink in the gills, which might lead the novice to mistake it for the common mushroom. the bulb of the deadly amanita is usually inserted quite deep in the soil or leaf mold, and specimens are often picked leaving the very important character of the volva in the ground, and then the plant might easily be taken for the common mushroom, or more likely for the smooth lepiota, _lepiota naucina_, which is entirely white, the gills only in age showing a faint pink tinge. it is very important, therefore, that, until one has such familiarity with these plants that they are easily recognized in the absence of some of these characters, the stem should be carefully dug from the soil. in the case of the specimens of the deadly amanita growing in the lawn on the campus of cornell university, the stems were sunk to three to four inches in the quite hard ground. =amanita verna= bull. =deadly poisonous.=--the _amanita verna_ is by some considered as only a white form of the _amanita phalloides_. it is of a pure white color, and this in addition to its very poisonous property has led to its designation as the "destroying angel." [illustration: figure .--amanita verna, "buttons," cap bursting through the volva; left hand plant in section (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is smooth and viscid when moist; the gills free; the =stem= stuffed or hollow in age; the =annulus= forms a broad collar, and the =volva= is split at the apex, and being quite stout, the free limb is prominent, and it hugs more or less closely to the base of the stem. figure represents the form of the plant which gillet recognizes as _a. verna_; the pileus convex, the annulus broad and entire, and the stem scaly. these floccose scales are formed as a result of the separation of the annulus from the outer layer of the stem. the characters presented in the formation of the veil and annulus in this species are very interesting, and sometimes present two of the types in the formation of the veil and annulus found in the genus _amanita_. in the very young plant, in the button stage, as the young gills lie with their edges close against the side of the stem, loose threads extend from the edges of the gills to the outer layer of the stem. this outer layer of the stem forms the veil, and is more or less loosely connected with the firmer portion of the stem by loose threads. as the pileus expands, the threads connecting the edges of the gills with the veil are stronger than those which unite the veil with the surface of the stem. the veil is separated from the stem then, simultaneously, or nearly so, throughout its entire extent, and is not ripped up from below as in _amanita velatipes_. as the pileus expands, then, the veil lies closely over the edges of the gills until finally it is freed from them and from the margin of the pileus. as the veil is split off from the surface of the stem, the latter is torn into numerous floccose scales, as shown in fig. . in other cases, in addition to the primary veil which is separated from the stem in the manner described above, there is a secondary veil formed in exactly the same way as that described for _amanita velatipes_. [illustration: figure .--amanita verna, small form, white (natural size). copyright.] in such cases there are two veils, or a double veil, each attached to the margin of the pileus, the upper one ascending over the edges of the gills and attached above on the stem, while the lower one descends and is attached below as it is being ripped up from a second layer of the stem. figures -- are from plants collected at blowing rock, n. c., in september, . =amanita virosa= fr. =deadly poisonous.=--this plant also by some is regarded as only a form of _amanita phalloides_. it is a pure white plant and the pileus is viscid as in the _a. verna_ and _a. phalloides_. the volva splits at the apex as in _a. verna_, but the veil is very fragile and torn into shreds as the pileus expands, portions of it clinging to the margin of the cap as well as to the stem, as shown in fig. . the stem is also adorned with soft floccose scales. gillet further states that the pileus is conic to campanulate, not becoming convex as in _a. verna_ and _a. phalloides_. the variability presented in the character of the veil and in the shape of the pileus suggests, as some believe, that all these are but forms of a single variable species. on the other hand, we need a more careful and extended field study of these variations. doubtless different interpretations of the specific limits by different students will lead some to recognize several species where others would recognize but one. since species are not distinct creations there may be tolerably good grounds for both of these views. [illustration: figure .--amanita virosa, white (natural size). copyright.] =amanita floccocephala= atkinson. =probably poisonous.=--this species occurs in woods and groves at ithaca during the autumn. the plants are medium sized, -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is hemispherical to convex, and expanded, smooth, whitish, with a tinge of straw color, and covered with torn, thin floccose patches of the upper half of the circumscissile volva. the =gills= are white and adnexed. the =spores= are globose, -- µ. the =stem= is cylindrical or slightly tapering above, hollow or stuffed, floccose scaly and abruptly bulbous below. the =annulus= is superior, that is, near the upper end of the stem, membranaceous, thin, sometimes tearing, as in _a. virosa_. the =volva= is circumscissile, the margin of the bulb not being clear cut and prominent, because there is much refuse matter and soil interwoven with the lower portion of the volva. the bulb closely resembles those in cooke's figure (illustrations, ) of _a. mappa_. figure shows these characters well. [illustration: figure .--amanita floccocephala (natural size). copyright.] =amanita velatipes= atkinson. =properties unknown.=--this plant is very interesting since it shows in a striking manner the peculiar way in which the veil is formed in some of the species of _amanita_. though not possessing brilliant colors, it is handsome in its form and in the peculiar setting of the volva fragments on the rich brown or faint yellow of the pileus. it has been found on several occasions during the month of july in a beech woods on one of the old flood plains of six-mile creek, one of the gorges in the vicinity of ithaca, n. y. the mature plant is from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- . cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is viscid when moist, rounded, then broadly oval and convex to expanded, striate on the margin, sometimes in old plants the margin is elevated. it is smooth throughout, and of a soft, rich hair brown, or umber brown color, darker in the center. sometimes there is a decided but dull maize yellow tinge over the larger part of the pileus, but even then the center is often brown in color, shading into the yellow color toward the margin; the light yellow forms in age, often thinning out to a cream color. the flesh of the pileus is rather thin, even in the center, and becomes very thin toward the margin, as shown in fig. . the scales on the pileus are more or less flattened, rather thin, clearly separated from the pileus, and easily removed. they are more or less angular, and while elongated transversely at first, become nearly isodiametric as the pileus becomes fully expanded, passing from an elongated form to rectangular, or sinuous in outline, the margin more or less upturned, especially in age, when they begin to loosen and "peel" from the surface of the cap. they are lighter in color than the pileus and i have never observed the yellow tint in them. the =gills= are white, broad at the middle, about cm., and taper gradually toward each end. the =spores= are usually inequilaterally oval, -- × -- µ, granular when young, when mature with a large oil drop. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita velatipes ( / natural size). cap hair-brown, or umber-brown, sometimes with tinge of lemon yellow, or entirely maize-yellow. scales, gills, and stem white. copyright.] [illustration: figure .--amanita velatipes. different stages of "buttons," in the right-hand plant the upper part of the volva separating to form the scales (natural size). copyright.] the =stem= is cylindrical, somewhat bulbous, the bulb often tapering abruptly, as shown in figs. , . the stem is white, smooth, or floccose scaly where the veil has been ripped off from it. it is hollow and stuffed with loose cottony threads, as shown in fig. . the =veil= is formed by the ripping up of the outer layer of the stem as the latter elongates and as the pileus expands. when it is freed from the margin of the cap it collapses and hangs downward as a broad collar (fig. ). the =annulus= is inferior, its position on the stem being due to the peculiar way in which it is formed. [illustration: figure .--amanita velatipes. three plants natural size, the left-hand one sectioned, showing stuffed center of stem. others show how veil is ripped up from the stem. for other details see text. copyright.] some of the stages of development are illustrated in figs. -- . the buttons are queer looking objects, the bulb being the most prominent part. it tapers abruptly below, and on the upper side is the small rounded young cap seated in the center. the volva is present as a rough floccose layer, covering the upper part of the bulb and the young cap. as the stem elongates and the pileus enlarges and expands, the volva is torn into areolate patches. the lower patches, those adjoining the margin of the cap and the upper part of the bulb, are separated in a more or less concentric manner. one or more of them lie on the upper part of the bulb, forming the "limb" of the "ocreate" volva. others lie around the margin of the pileus. sometimes an annular one bordering the pileus and bulb is left clinging part way up on the stem, as shown in fig. . the concentric arrangement on the pileus is sometimes shown for a considerable time, as in fig. , the elongated areas being present in greater number at this age of the pileus. however, as the pileus expands more, these are separated into smaller areas and their connection with the surface of the pileus becomes less firm. the formation of the veil and annulus can be easily followed in these figures. the margin of the cap in the button stage is firmly connected with the outer layer of the stem at its lower end. this probably occurs by the intermingling growth of the threads from the lower end of the stem and the margin of the cap, while the edges of the gills are quite free from the stem. now as the stem elongates and the cap expands the veil is "ripped" up from the outer part of the stem. this is very clearly shown in fig. , especially where two strips on the stem have become disconnected from the margin of the cap and are therefore left in position on the outside of the stem. this species is related to _a. excelsa_ fr., which is said to have a superior ring. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita velatipes. the right-hand plant shows how the veil is ripped up from the stem and also shows the transversely elongate scales on the cap. for details see text (natural size). copyright.] =amanita cothurnata= atkinson. =probably poisonous.=--the booted amanita, _amanita cothurnata_, i have found in two different years in the blue ridge mountains at blowing rock, n. c., once in , during the first week of september, and again during the three first weeks in september, . it occurs sparingly during the first week or so of september, and during the middle of the month is very abundant. the species seems to be clearly distinct from other species of _amanita_, and there are certain characters so persistent as to make it easily recognizable. it ranges in height from -- cm. and the caps are -- cm. or more broad, while the stems are -- mm. in thickness. the entire plant is usually white, but in some specimens the cap has a tinge of citron yellow, or in others tawny olive, in the center. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita cothurnata. different stages of development; for details see text. entire plant white, sometimes tinge of umber at center of cap, and rarely slight tinge of lemon-yellow at center (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is fleshy, and passes, in its development, from nearly globose to hemispherical, convex, expanded, and when specimens are very old sometimes the margin is elevated. it is usually white, though specimens are found with a tinge of citron yellow in the center, or of tawny olive in the center of other specimens. the pileus is viscid, strongly so when moist. it is finely striate on the margin, and covered with numerous, white, floccose scales from the upper half of the volva, forming more or less dense patches, which may wash off in heavy rains. the =gills= are rounded next the stem, and quite remote from it. the edge of the gills is often eroded or frazzly from the torn out threads with which they were loosely connected to the upper side of the veil in the young or button stage. the =spores= are globose or nearly so, with a large "nucleus" nearly filling the spore. [illustration: figure .--amanita cothurnata. different stages opening up of plant, the two center ones showing veil being ripped from stem, but veil narrow. the right-hand illustration has been scratched transversely, these marks not being characteristic of the plant (natural size). copyright.] the =stem= is cylindrical, even, and expanded below into quite a large oval bulb, the stem just above the bulb being margined by a close fitting roll of the volva, and the upper edge of this presenting the appearance of having been sewed at the top like the rolled edge of a garment or buskin. the surface of the stem is minutely floccose scaly or strongly so, and decidedly hollow even from a very young stage, or sometimes when young with loose threads in the cavity. figures -- , from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, , illustrate certain of the features in the form and development of this plant. [illustration: figure .--amanita cothurnata. two plants in section showing clearly hollow stem, veil attachment, etc. (natural size). copyright.] in _amanita frostiana_ the remains of the volva sometimes form a similar collar, but not so stout, on the base of the stem. the variations in _a. frostiana_ where the stem, annulus and gills are white might suggest that there is a close relationship between _a. frostiana_ and _a. cothurnata_, and that the latter is only a form of the former. from a careful study of the two plants growing side by side the evidence is convincing that the two are distinct. _amanita frostiana_ occurs also at blowing rock, appearing earlier in the season than _a. cothurnata_, and also being contemporary with it. _a. frostiana_ is more variable, not nearly so viscid, nor nearly so abundant, the stem is solid or stuffed, the annulus is more frail and evolved from the stem in a different manner. the volva does not leave such a constant and well defined roll where it separated on the stem transversely, and the pileus is yellow or orange. when _a. cothurnata_ is yellowish at all it is a different tint of yellow and then only a tinge of yellow at the center. albino or faded forms of _a. frostiana_ might occur, but we would not expect them to appear at a definite season of the year in great abundance while the normal form, showing no intergrading specimens in the same locality, continued to appear in the same abundance and with the same characters as before. the dried plants of _a. cothurnata_ are apt to become tinged with yellow on the gills, the upper part of the stem and upper part of the annulus during the processes of drying, but the pileus does not change in like manner, nor do these plants show traces of yellow on these parts when fresh. the spores are also decidedly different, though the shape and size do not differ to any great extent. in _a. frostiana_ and the pale forms of the species the spores are nearly globose or oval, rarely with a tendency to become elliptical, but _the content is quite constantly finely granular_, while the spores of _a. cothurnata_ are perhaps more constantly globose or nearly so, but the spore is _nearly filled with a highly refractive oil globule or "nucleus."_ the pileus of _a. frostiana_ is also thinner than that of _a. cothurnata_. it is nearer, in some respects, to specimens of _amanita pantherina_ received from bresadola, of austria-hungary. [illustration: figure .--amanita spreta. the two outside plants show the free limb of the volva lying close against the stem (natural size, often larger). copyright.] =amanita spreta= pk. =said to be poisonous.=--according to peck this species grows in open or bushy places. the specimens illustrated in fig. grew in sandy ground by the roadside near trees in the edge of an open field at blowing rock, n. c., and others were found in a grove. the plants are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, gray or light drab, and darker on the center, or according to dr. peck it may be white. it is smooth, or with only a few remnants of the volva, striate on the margin, and --. cm. thick at the center. the =gills= are white, adnexed, that is they reach the stem by their upper angle. the =stem= is of the same color as the pileus, but somewhat lighter, white to light gray or light drab, cylindrical, not bulbous, hollow or stuffed. the =annulus= is thin and attached above the middle of the stem. the =volva= is sordid white, and sheathes the stem with a long free limb of -- lobes. it splits at the apex, but portions sometimes cling to the surface of the pileus. figure is from plants (no. , c. u.) collected at blowing rock, n. c., september, . =amanita cæsarea= scop. =edible=, _but use great caution_.--this plant is known as the orange amanita, royal agaric, cæsar's agaric, etc. it is one of the most beautiful of all the agarics, and is well distributed over the earth. with us it is more common in the southern states. it occurs in the summer and early autumn in the woods. it is easily recognized by its usually large size, yellow or orange color of the cap, gills, stem and ring, and the prominent, white, sac-like volva at the base of the stem. it is usually -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness, though it may exceed this size, and depauperate forms are met with which are much smaller. the =pileus= is ovate to bell-shaped, convex, and finally more or less expanded, when the surface may be nearly flat or the center may be somewhat elevated or umbonate and the margin curved downward. the surface is smooth except at the margin, where it is prominently striate. the color varies from orange to reddish or yellow, usually the well developed and larger specimens have the deeper and richer colors, while the smaller specimens have the lighter colors, and the color is usually deeper on the center of the pileus. the =gills= are yellow, and free from the stem. the =stem= is hollow, even in young plants, when it may be stuffed with loose threads. it is often very floccose scaly below the annulus. it is cylindrical, only slightly enlarged below, where it is covered by the large, fleshy, sac-like white volva. the =annulus= is membranaceous, large, and hangs like a broad collar from the upper part of the stem. the stem and ring are orange or yellow, the depth of the color varying more with the size of the plant than is the case with the color of the cap. in small specimens the stem is often white, especially in depauperate specimens are the stem and annulus white, and even the gills are white when the volva may be so reduced as to make it difficult to distinguish the specimens from similar specimens of the poisonous fly agaric. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita cæsarea. different stages of development ( / natural size). cap, stem, gills, veil orange or yellow. volva white. copyright.] in the button stage the plant is ovate and the white color of the volva, which at this time entirely surrounds the plants, presents an appearance not unlike that of an egg. the volva splits open at the apex as the stem elongates. the veil is often connected by loose threads with the outer portion of the stem and as the pileus expands this is torn away, leaving coarse floccose scales on the stem. some of the different stages in the opening of the plant are shown in fig. . this illustration is taken from a photograph of plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., september, . the plant is said to be one of the best esculents, and has been prized as an article of food from ancient times. great caution should be used in distinguishing it from the fly agaric and from other amanitas. [illustration: plate . fig. .--amanita rubescens fig. .--a. cæsarea. copyright .] =amanita rubescens= fr. =edible=, _but use great caution_.--the reddish amanita, _amanita rubescens_, is so called because of the sordid reddish color diffused over the entire plant, and especially because bruised portions quickly change to a reddish color. the plant is often quite large, from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad and the stem -- mm. in thickness, but it is sometimes much smaller. it occurs during the latter part of the summer and in early autumn, in woods and open places. [illustration: figure .--amanita rubescens. plant partly expanded. dull reddish brown, stains reddish when bruised; for other details see text (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is oval to convex, and becoming expanded when old. it is smooth or faintly striate on the margin, and covered with numerous scattered, thin, floccose, grayish scales, forming remnants of the larger part of the volva or outer veil. the color of the cap varies correspondingly, but is always tinged more or less distinctly with pink, red, or brownish red hues. the =gills= are white or whitish and free from the stem. the =stem= is nearly cylindrical, tapering some above, and with a prominent bulb which often tapers abruptly below. in addition to the suffused dull reddish color the stem is often stained with red, especially where handled or touched by some object. there are very few evidences of the volva on the stem since the volva is so floccose and torn into loose fragments, most of which remain on the surface of the cap. sometimes a few of these loose fragments are seen on the upper portion of the bulb, but they are easily removed by handling or by rains. the =annulus= is membranous, broad, and fragile. since the plant has become well known it is regarded as excellent and wholesome for food and pleasant to the taste. in case of the larger specimens there should be no difficulty in distinguishing it from others by those who care to compare the descriptions closely with the fresh specimens. but as in all cases beginners should use extreme caution in eating plants they have not become thoroughly familiar with. small specimens of this species sometimes show but little of the reddish color, and are therefore difficult to determine. figures and are from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . =amanita solitaria= bull. =edible=, _but use caution_.--the solitary amanita, like many other plants, is not always true to its name. while it often occurs solitary, it does occur sometimes in groups. it is one of the largest of the amanitas. its large size, together with its chalky white or grayish white color, and ragged or shaggy appearance, makes it a striking object in the woods, or along roadsides in woods where it grows. frequently parts of the cap, the entire stem and the gills are covered with a white, crumbly, floccose substance of a mealy consistency which often sticks to the hands or other objects. the plant ranges from -- cm. or more high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stems are -- cm. or more in thickness. in form the =pileus= ranges from nearly globose in the button stage, to hemispherical, convex and expanded, when quite old the margin becoming more or less elevated. it is covered either with flaky or floccose portions of the volva, or with more or less distinct conic white scales, especially toward the center. the conic scales are easily rubbed off in handling or are easily washed off by rains. many of them are loosened and fall because of the tension produced by the expanding pileus on the surface of which they rest. these scales vary in size from quite small ones, appearing like granules, to those fewer in number and larger, mm. high and nearly as broad at the base. in other cases the scales are harder and stouter and dark colored. these forms will be discussed after the description of the other parts of the plant. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita rubescens. under and side view. dull reddish brown, stains reddish where bruised ( / natural size). copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita solitaria. entirely white, or cap and scales sordid buff, dull brown, or grayish in some plants. for details see text ( / natural size). copyright.] the =gills= are free, or are only attached by the upper inner angle; the edges are often floccose where they are torn from the slight union with the upper surface of the veil. the =stem= is cylindrical, solid or stuffed when old, enlarged usually below into a prominent bulb which then tapers into a more or less elongated root-like process, sometimes extending -- cm. in the ground below the bulb. in rare cases the bulb is not present, but the cylindrical stem extends for a considerable distance into the ground. the =veil= is a very interesting part of the plant and the manner in which it forms and disappears as the cap expands is worth a careful study. this is well shown in figs. , , from photographs of plants (no. c. u. herbarium) made at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . during the latter part of august and the first three weeks of september the plants were quite common in the mountain woods at blowing rock. in certain features there was close agreement in the case of all the specimens examined, especially in the long rooting character of the base of the stem. the veil and annulus were also quite constant in their characters, though sometimes a tendency was manifested to split up more irregularly than at other times. in the character of the warts of the pileus there was great variation, showing typical forms of _amanita solitaria_ and grading into forms which might be taken for typical _amanita strobiliformis_. especially is this so in the case of some of my specimens (no. ), where the scales are pyramidal, dark brown, surrounded by a sordid buff or grayish area, and these latter areas separated by narrow chinks whitish in color. the scales in this specimen are fixed quite firmly to the surface of the pileus. in other specimens (no. ) these hard scales remove quite easily, while in still another the pileus is almost smooth, even the floccose scales having been obliterated, while a very few of the hard angular warts are still present. in another half expanded plant (of no. ) the warts are pyramidal, -- mm. long at the center of the pileus and rather closely imbricated, hard, and firmly joined to the surface of the cap. in nos. and the spores measure -- × -- µ. in they are longer, varying from -- µ. the specimens with the long hard scales suggest _amanita strobiliformis_ vittad., but the long rooting base of the stem does not agree with the description of that plant, but does clearly agree with _amanita solitaria_ bull. a study of the variations in these plants suggests that _amanita solitaria_ and _strobiliformis_ vittad., represent only variations in a single species as bulliard interpreted the species more than a century ago. forms of the plant are also found which suggest that _a. polypyramis_ b. & c., collected in north carolina, is but one of the variations of _a. solitaria_. figures , show well certain stages in the development of this plant. the conical or pyramidal warts are formed in a very young stage of the plant by the primary separation of the outer part of the volva, and as the pileus expands more, and the cessation of growth of the outer veil proceeds inward, the scales become more widely separated at the apex and broader at the base. in some cases the volva is probably thinner than in others, and with the rapid expansion of the pileus in wet weather the scales would be smaller, or more floccose. but with different conditions, when it is not so wet, the plant expands less rapidly, the surface of the pileus becomes drier, the volva layer does not separate so readily and the fissures between the scales proceed deeper, and sometimes probably enter the surface of the pileus, so that the size of the warts is augmented. a similar state of things sometimes takes place on the base of the stem at the upper margin of the bulb, where the concentric fissures may extend to some distance in the stem, making the scales here more prominent in some specimens than in others. a similar variation in the character of the scales on the bulb of _amanita muscaria_ is sometimes presented. the veil is often loosely attached to the edges of the gills, and so is stripped off from the stem quite early. sometimes it is more strongly adherent to the stem, or portions of it may be, when it is very irregularly ruptured as it is peeled off from the stem, as shown in the plant near the left side in fig. . the veil is very fragile and often tears a little distance from the margin of the cap, while the portion attached to the stem forms the annulus. this condition is shown in the case of three plants in fig. . the plant is said to be edible. amanitopsis roze. this genus has white spores, and a volva, but the annulus and inner veil are wanting. in other respects it agrees with _amanita_. it is considered as a sub-genus of _amanita_ by some. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanita solitaria. three plants, / natural size. copyright.] =amanitopsis vaginata= (bull.) roz. =edible.=--the sheathed amanitopsis, _a. vaginata_, is a quite common and widely distributed plant in woods. it is well named since the prominent volva forms a large sheath to the cylindrical base of the stem. the plant occurs in several forms, a gray or mouse colored form, and a brownish or fulvous form, and sometimes nearly white. these forms are recognized by some as varieties, and by others as species. the plants are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--amanitopsis vaginata. tawny form (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is from ovate to bell-shaped, then convex and expanded, smooth, rarely with fragments of the volva on the surface. the margin is thin and marked by deep furrows and ridges, so that it is deeply striate, or the terms sulcate or pectinate sulcate are used to express the character of the margin. the term pectinate sulcate is employed on account of a series of small elevations on the ridges, giving them a pectinate, or comb-like, appearance. the color varies from gray to mouse color, brown, or ochraceous brown. the flesh is white. the =gills= are white or nearly so, and free. the =spores= are globose, -- µ in diameter. the =stem= is cylindrical, even, or slightly tapering upward, hollow or stuffed, not bulbous, smooth, or with mealy particles or prominent floccose scales. these scales are formed by the separation of the edges of the gills from the surface of the stem, to which they are closely applied before the pileus begins to expand. threads of mycelium growing from the edge of the lamellæ and from the stem intermingle. when the pileus expands these are torn asunder, or by their pull tear up the outer surface of the stem. the =volva= forms a prominent sheath which is usually quite soft and easily collapses (fig. ). the entire plant is very brittle and fragile. it is considered an excellent one for food. i often eat it raw when collecting. authors differ as to the number of species recognized in the plant as described above. secretan recognized as many as ten species. the two prominent color forms are quite often recognized as two species, or by others as varieties; the gray or mouse colored form as _a. livida_ pers., and the tawny form as _a. spadicea_ pers. according to fries and others the _livida_ appears earlier in the season than _spadicea_, and this fact is recognized by some as entitling the two to specific rank. plowright (trans. brit. mycol. soc., p. , -- ) points out that in european forms of _spadicea_ there is a second volva inside the outer, and in _livida_ there are "folds or wrinkles of considerable size on the inner surface of the volva." he thinks the two entitled to specific rank. at ithaca and in the mountains of north carolina i have found both forms appearing at the same season, and thus far have been unable to detect the differences noted by plowright in the volva. but i have never found intergrading color forms, and have not yet satisfied myself as to whether or not the two should be entitled to specific rank. some of the other species of _amanitopsis_ found in this country are =a. nivalis= grev., an entirely white plant regarded by some as only a white form of =a. vaginata=. another white plant is =a. volvata= pk., which has elliptical spores, and is striate on the margin instead of sulcate. [illustration: figure .--amanitopsis farinosa. cap grayish (natural size). copyright.] =amanitopsis farinosa= schw.--the mealy agaric, or powdery amanita, is a pretty little species. it was first collected and described from north carolina by de schweinitz (synop. fung. car. no. , ), and the specimens illustrated in fig. were collected by me at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . peck has given in the rd report n. y. state mus., p. , an excellent description of the plant, though it often exceeds somewhat the height given by him. it ranges from -- or cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is from subglobose to convex and expanded, becoming nearly plane or even depressed by the elevation of the margin in old specimens. the color is gray or grayish brown, or mouse colored. the pileus is thin, and deeply striate on the margin, covered with a grayish floccose, powdery or mealy substance, the remnant of the evanescent volva. this substance is denser at the center and is easily rubbed off. the =gills= are white and free from the stem. the =spores= are subglobose and ovate to elliptical, -- µ long. the =stem= is cylindrical, even, hollow or stuffed, whitish or gray and very slightly enlarged at the base into a small rounded bulb which is quite constant and characteristic, and at first is covered on its upper margin by the floccose matter from the volva. [illustration: plate , figure .--lepiota naucina. entirely white (natural size).] at blowing rock the plants occurred in sandy soil by roadsides or in open woods. in habit it resembles strikingly forms of _amanitopsis vaginata_, but the volva is entirely different (fig. ). although _a. vaginata_ was common in the same locality, i searched in vain for intermediate forms which i thought might be found. sometimes the floccose matter would cling together more or less, and portions of it remained as patches on the lower part of the stem, while depauperate forms of _a. vaginata_ would have a somewhat reduced volva, but in no case did i find intermediate stages between the two kinds of volva. lepiota fr. the genus _lepiota_ lacks a volva, but the veil is present forming a ring on the stem. the genus is closely related to _amanita_, from which it differs in the absence of the volva, or perhaps more properly speaking in the fact that the universal veil is firmly connected (concrete with) with the pileus, and with the base of the stem, so that a volva is not formed. the gills are usually free from the stem, some being simply adnexed, but in some species connected with a collar near the stem. the stem is fleshy and is easily separable from the cap. a number of the species are edible. peck, th report n. y. state mus., p. -- , describes species. lloyd, mycol. notes, november, , describes species. =lepiota naucina= fr. (_lepiota naucinoides_ pk., _annularia lævis_ krombh.) =edible.=--the smooth lepiota, _l. naucina_, grows in lawns, in pastures and by roadsides, etc. it occurs during the latter part of summer and during autumn, being more abundant in september and early october. it is entirely white, or the cap is sometimes buff, and in age the gills become dirty pink in color. it is from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is very fleshy, nearly globose, then convex to nearly expanded, smooth, or rarely the surface is broken into minute scales. the =gills= are first white, free from the stem, and in age assume a dull pink tinge. the =spores= are usually white in mass, but rarely when caught on white paper they show a faint pink tinge. the spores are elliptical to oval. the =stem= is nearly cylindrical, gradually enlarging below so that it is clavate, nearly hollow or stuffed with loose threads. [illustration: figure .--lepiota naucina.--section of three plants, different ages.] since the plant occurs in the same situations as the _agaricus campestris_ it might be mistaken for it, especially for white forms. but of course no harm could come by eating it by mistake for the common mushroom, for it is valued just as highly for food by some who have eaten it. if one should look at the gills, however, they would not likely mistake it for the common mushroom because the gills become pink only when the plant is well expanded and quite old. there is much more danger in mistaking it for the white amanitas, _a. phalloides_, _a. verna_, or _a. virosa_, since the gills of these deadly plants are white, and they do sometimes grow in lawns and other grassy places where the smooth lepiota and the common mushroom grow. for this reason one should study the descriptions and illustrations of these amanitas given on preceding pages, and especially should the suggestions given there about care in collecting plants be followed, until one is so certainly familiar with the characters that the plants would be known "on sight." [illustration: plate , figure .--lepiota procera. grayish brown to reddish brown, gills and flesh white ( / natural size). copyright.] the pink color of the gills of this lepiota has led certain students of the fungi into mistakes of another kind. this pink color of the gills has led some to place the plant among the rosy spored agarics in the genus _annularia_, where it was named _annularia lævis_ by krombholtz (vide bresadola funghi mangerecci e velenosi, p. , ). it fits the description of that plant exactly. the pink color of the gills, as well as the fact that the gills turn brownish when dry, has led to a confusion in some cases of the _lepiota naucina_ with the chalky agaric, _agaricus cretaceus_. the external resemblance of the plants, as shown in various illustrations, is very striking, and in the chalky agaric the gills remain pink very late, only becoming brown when very old. =lepiota procera= scop. =edible.=--the parasol mushroom, _lepiota procera_, grows in pastures, lawns, gardens, along roadsides, or in thin woods, or in gardens. it is a large and handsome plant and when expanded seems not inappropriately named. it is from -- cm. or more high, the cap expands from -- cm., while the stem is -- mm. in thickness. it occurs during summer and in early autumn. the =pileus= is oval, then bell-shaped, convex and nearly expanded, with usually a more or less prominent elevation (umbo) at the center. sometimes it is depressed at the center. it is grayish brown or reddish brown in color on the surface and the flesh is whitish. as the cap expands the surface layer ceases to grow and is therefore cracked, first narrow chinks appearing, showing white or grayish threads underneath. as the cap becomes more expanded the brown surface is torn into scales, which give the cap a more or less shaggy appearance except on the umbo, where the color is more uniform. the torn surface of the pileus shows numerous radiating fibres, and it is soft and yielding to the touch. the =gills= are remote from the stem, broad and crowded. the =spores= are long, elliptical, -- µ long. the =stem= is cylindrical, hollow, or stuffed, even, enlarged below into a prominent bulb, of the same color as the pileus, though paler, especially above the annulus. the surface is usually cracked into numerous small scales, the chinks between showing the white inner portion of the stem. the =ring= is stout, narrow, usually quite free from the stem, so that it can be moved up and down on the stem, and is called a movable ring. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in a garden at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . a closely related plant, _lepiota rachodes_ vitt., has smaller spores, -- × -- µ. it is also edible, and by some considered only a variety of _l. procera_. it is rare in this country, but appears about boston in considerable quantities "in or near greenhouses or in enriched soil out of doors," where it has the appearance of an introduced plant (webster, rhodora, : , ). it is a much stouter plant than _l. procera_, the pileus usually depressed, much more coarsely scaly, and usually grows in dense clusters, while _l. procera_ usually occurs singly or scattered, is more slender, often umbonate. _l. rachodes_ has a veil with a double edge, the edges more or less fringed. the veil is fixed to the stem until the plant is quite mature, when it becomes movable. the flesh of the plant on exposure to the air becomes a brownish orange tint. [illustration: figure .--lepiota americana. scales and center of cap reddish or reddish brown. entire plant turns reddish on drying (natural size). copyright.] =lepiota morgani= pk.--this plant occurs from ohio, southward and west. it grows in grassy places, especially in wet pastures. it is one of the largest of the lepiotas, ranging from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem about cm. in thickness. the =pileus=, when fully expanded, is whitish, with large dark scales, especially toward the center. the =ring= is large, sometimes movable, and the =gills= and =spores= are greenish. some report the plant as edible, while others say illness results from eating it. =lepiota americana= pk. =edible.=--this plant is widely distributed in the united states. the plants occur singly or are clustered, -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the cap is adorned with reddish or reddish brown scales except on the center, where the color is uniform because the surface is not broken up into scales. the flesh is white, but changes to reddish when cut or bruised, and the whole plant becomes reddish on drying. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca. the european plant, _l. badhami_, also reported in this country, changes to a brownish red. it is believed by some to be identical with _l. americana_. [illustration: figure .--lepiota cristata. entirely white, but scales grayish or pinkish brown, stem often flesh color (natural size). copyright.] =lepiota acutesquamosa= weinm.--this is a medium or small sized plant with a floccose pileus adorned with small, acute, erect scales, and has a loose, hairy or wooly veil which is often torn irregularly. the erect scales fall away from the pileus and leave little scars where they were attached. =lepiota cristata= a. & s. =edible.=--the crested lepiota, _lepiota cristata_, occurs in grassy places and borders of woods, in groves, etc., from may to september, and is widely distributed. the plant is small, -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. it grows in clusters or is scattered. the =pileus= is ovate, bell-shaped, then convex and expanded, and thin. the surface is at first entirely dull reddish or reddish brown, but soon cracks into numerous scales of the same color arranged in a crested manner, more numerous between the margin and the center, and often arranged in a concentric manner. the center of the cap often preserves the uniform reddish brown color because the pileus at this point does not expand so much and therefore the surface does not crack, while the margin often becomes white because of the disappearance of the brown covering here. the =gills= are free from the stem, narrow, crowded, and close to the stem. the =spores= are more or less angular, elongated, more narrowed at one end, and measure -- × -- µ. the =stem= is slender, cylindrical, hollow, whitish, smooth. the =ring= is small, white, and easily breaks up and disappears. the characters of the plant are well shown in fig. from plants collected at ithaca. _lepiota angustana_ britz. is identical, and according to morgan _l. miamensis_ morgan is a white form of _l. angustana_. =lepiota asperula= atkinson.--this lepiota resembles _a. asper_ in some respects, but it is smaller and the spores are much smaller, being very minute. the plant is -- cm. high, the pileus -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. it grows in leaf mould in the woods and has been found at ithaca, n. y., twice during july and september, . the =pileus= is convex and bell-shaped, becoming nearly or quite expanded. it is hair brown to olive brown in color. the surface is dry, made up of interwoven threads, and is adorned with numerous small, erect, pointed scales resembling in this respect _a. asper_ fr. the =gills= are white or yellowish, free, but rather close to the stem, narrow, often eroded on the edge, sometimes forked near the stem, and some of them arranged in pairs. the spores are oblong, smooth, and very minute, measuring × µ. the =stem= is the same color as the pileus, cylindrical, hollow, with loose threads in the cavity, enlarged into a rounded bulb below, minutely downy to pubescent. the outer portion of the bulb is formed of intricately interwoven threads, among which are entangled soil and humus particles. the =veil= is white, silky, hairy, separating from the stem like a dense cortina, the threads stretched both above and below as shown in fig. from plants (no. c. u. herbarium), collected at ithaca. in some specimens, as the pileus expands, the spaces between the pointed scales are torn, thus forming quite coarse scales which are often arranged in more or less concentric rows, showing the yellow-tinged flesh in the cracks, and the coarse scales bearing the fine point at the center. a layer connecting the margin of the pileus with the base of the stem and covered with fine brown points, sometimes separates from the edge of the cap and the base of the stem, and clings partly to the cortina and partly to the stem in much the same way that portions of the volva cling to the stem of certain species of _amanita_, as seen in _a. velatipes_ (fig. ). sometimes this is left on the base of the stem and then resembles a short, free limb of a volva, and suggests a species of _amanita_. the scales, however, are concrete with the pileus, and the species appears to show a closer relationship with _lepiota_. [illustration: plate , figure .--lepiota asperula. cap hair-brown to olive-brown, scales minute, pointed, gills and stem white (natural size). copyright.] armillaria fr. in the genus _armillaria_ the inner veil which forms a ring on the stem is present. the stem is fibrous, or the outer portion cartilaginous in some species, and not easily separable from the substance of the pileus (continuous with the hymenophore), and the gills are attached to the stem, sinuate, or decurrent, spores white. peck, rd report n. y. state mus., p. -- , describes species. some of the species resemble very closely certain species of _amanita_ or _lepiota_, but can be distinguished by the firm continuity of the substance of the stem and cap. =armillaria mellea= vahl. =edible.=--this is one of the most common of the late summer and autumn fungi, and is widely distributed over the world. it grows about the bases of old stumps or dead trees, or from buried roots. sometimes it is found attached to the living roots of trees. the plant occurs in tufts or clusters, several to many individuals growing together, the bases of their stems connected with a black rope-like strand from which they arise. the entire plant is often more or less honey colored, from which the plant gets its specific name. its clustered habit, the usually prominent ring on the stems, and the sharp, blackish, erect scales which usually adorn the center of the cap, mark it as an easy plant to determine in most cases. the colors and markings, however, vary greatly, so that some of the forms are very puzzling. the plant varies in height from -- cm., the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is oval to convex and expanded, sometimes with a slight umbo or elevation at the center. the color varies from honey color to nearly white, or yellowish brown to dull reddish brown, usually darker on the center. in typical forms the pileus is adorned with pointed dark brown, or blackish, erect, scales especially abundant over the center, while the margin is often free from them, but may be marked with looser floccose, brownish, or yellowish scales. sometimes there are no blackish pointed scales anywhere on the cap, only loose floccose colored scales, or in some forms the cap is entirely smooth. the margin in old specimens is often striate. the pileus is usually dry, but webster cites an instance in which it was viscid in wet weather. the =gills= are attached to the stem squarely (adnate) or they are decurrent (extend downward on the stem), are white, or whitish, becoming in age more or less dingy or stained. the spores are rounded or elliptical, -- µ. the =stem= is elastic, spongy within and sometimes hollow. it is smooth or often floccose scaly below the ring, sometimes with prominent transverse bands of a hairy substance. it is usually whitish near the upper end, but dull brown or reddish brown below the annulus, sometimes distinctly yellowish. the =veil= varies greatly also. it may be membranaceous and thin, or quite thick, or in other cases may be absent entirely. the =ring= of course varies in a corresponding manner. as shown in fig. it is quite thick, so that it appears double on the edge, where it broke away from the inner and outer surfaces of the margin of the cap. it is frequently fixed to the stem, that is, not movable, but when very thin and frail it often disappears. the honey colored agaric is said by nearly all writers to be edible, though some condemn it. it is not one of the best since it is of rather tough consistency. it is a species of considerable economic importance and interest, since it is a parasite on certain coniferous trees, and perhaps also on certain of the broad-leaved trees. it attacks the roots of these trees, the mycelium making its way through the outer layer, and then it grows beneath the bark. here it forms fan-like sheets of mycelium which advance along both away from the tree and towards the trunk. it disorganizes and breaks down the tissues of the root here, providing a space for a thicker growth of the mycelium as it becomes older. in places the mycelium forms rope-like strands, at first white in color, but later becoming dark brown and shining. these cords or strands, known as _rhizomorphs_, extend for long distances underneath the bark of the root. they are also found growing in the hollow trunks of trees sometimes. in time enough of the roots are injured to kill the tree, or the roots are so weakened that heavy winds will blow the trees over. the fruiting plants always arise from these rhizomorphs, and by digging carefully around the bases of the stems one can find these cords with the stems attached, though the attachment is frail and the stems are easily separated from the cords. often these cords grow for years without forming any fruit bodies. in this condition they are often found by stripping off the bark from dead and rotting logs in the woods. these cords were once supposed to be separate fungi, and they were known under the name _rhizomorpha subcorticalis_. [illustration: plate , figure .--armillaria mellea. showing double ring present in some large specimens; cap honey colored, scales minute, more numerous at center, blackish, often floccose, and sometimes wanting ( / natural size, often smaller). copyright.] =armillaria aurantia= schaeff. (_tricholoma peckii_ howe) =suspected.=--this is a very pretty species and rare in the united states. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. it occurs in woods. it is known by its viscid pileus, the orange brown or ochraceous rufus color of the pileus and stem, and the color of the stem being confined to the superficial layer, which becomes torn into concentric floccose scales, forming numerous minute floccose irregular rings of color around the stem. [illustration: figure .--armillaria aurantia schaeff. (=tricholoma peckii howe). cap orange-brown or ochraceous rufus, viscid; floccose scales on stem same color (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, with an umbo, and the edge inrolled, fleshy, thin, viscid, ochraceous rufus (in specimens collected by myself), darker on the umbo, and minutely scaly from tufts of hairs, and the viscid cuticle easily peeling off. the =gills= are narrow, crowded, slightly adnexed, or many free, white, becoming brown discolored where bruised, and in drying brownish or rufus. the =spores= are minute, globose to ovoid, or rarely sub-elliptical when a little longer, with a prominent oil globule usually, -- . × -- µ, sometimes a little longer when the elliptical forms are presented. the =stem= is straight or ascending, even, very floccose scaly as the pileus is unrolled from it, scales same color as the pileus, the scales running transversely, being separated perhaps by the elongation of the stem so that numerous floccose rings are formed, showing the white flesh of the stem between. the upper part of the stem, that above the annulus, is white, but the upper part floccose. [illustration: figure .--tricholoma personatum. entire plant grayish brown, tinged with lilac or purple, spores light ochraceous (natural size, often larger).] this plant has been long known in europe. there is a rather poor figure of it in schaeffer table , and a better one in gillet champignons de france, hymenomycetes, = =, opposite page , but a very good one in bresadola funghi mangerecci e velenosi, tavel , . a good figure is also given by barla, les champignons des alpes--maritimes, pl. , figs. -- . the plant was first reported from america in the st report, state museum, n. y., p. , , under the name _tricholoma peckii_ howe, from the catskill mountains, n. y. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in the blue ridge mountains, at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . the european and american description both ascribe a bitter taste to the flesh of the pileus, and it is regarded as suspicious. there does not seem to be a well formed annulus, the veil only being present in a rather young stage, as the inrolled margin of the pileus is unrolling from the surface of the stem. it seems to be more in the form of a universal veil resembling the veil of some of the lepiotas. it shows a relationship with _tricholoma_ which possesses in typical forms a delicate veil present only in the young stage. perhaps for this reason it was referred by howe to _tricholoma_ as an undescribed species when it was named _t. peckii_. if its affinities should prove to be with _tricholoma_ rather than with _armillaria_, it would then be known as _tricholoma aurantium_. tricholoma fr. in the genus _tricholoma_ the volva and annulus are both wanting, the spores are white, and the gills are attached to the stem, but are more or less strongly notched or sinuate at the stem. sometimes the notch is very slight. the stem is fleshy-fibrous, attached to the center of the pileus, and is usually short and stout. in some specimens when young there is a slight cobwebby veil which very soon disappears. the genus is a very large one. some species are said to be poisonous and a few are known to be edible. peck, th report, n. y. state mus., pp. -- , describes species. [illustration: figure .--tricholoma personatum. section (natural size).] =tricholoma personatum= fr. =edible.=--this plant occurs during the autumn and persists up to the winter months. it grows on the ground in open places and in woods. the stem is short, usually -- cm. long × -- cm. in thickness, and the cap is from -- cm. or more broad. the entire plant often has a lilac or purple tint. the =pileus= is convex, expanded, moist, smooth, grayish to brownish tinged with lilac or purple, especially when young, fading out in age. when young the pileus is sometimes adorned with white mealy particles, and when old the margin may be more or less upturned and wavy. the =gills= are crowded, rounded next the stem, and nearly free but close to the stem, violet or lilac when young, changing to dull reddish brown when old. the =spores= when caught in mass are dull pink or salmon color. they measure -- µ long. the =stem= is solid, fibrous, smooth, deep lilac when young and retaining the lilac color longer than the pileus. sometimes the base is bulbous as in fig. . this plant is regarded by all writers as one of the best of the edible fungi. sometimes the pileus is water soaked and then the flavor is not so fine. the position of the plant is regarded as doubtful by some because of the more or less russety pink color of the spores when seen in mass, and the ease with which the gills separate from the pileus, characters which show its relationship to the genus _paxillus_. =tricholoma sejunctum= sowerb. =edible.=--this plant occurs on the ground in rather open woods during late summer and in the autumn. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--tricholoma sejunctum. cap light yellow, streaked with dark threads on the surface, viscid. stem and gills white (natural size, often larger). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, umbonate, viscid when moist, light yellow in color and streaked with dark threads in the surface. the flesh is white, and very fragile, differing in this respect from _t. equestre_, which it resembles in general form. the =gills= are broad, rather distant, broadly notched near the stem, and easily separating from the stem. the =stem= is solid, smooth and shining white. figure is from plants collected at ithaca. it is said to be edible. [illustration: plate , figure .--clitocybe candida. entirely white (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--clitocybe candida. under view of nearly lateral stemmed individual (natural size). copyright.] clitocybe fr. the volva and annulus are wanting in this genus, and the spores are white. the stem is elastic, spongy within, the outside being elastic or fibrous, so that the fibres hold together well when the stem is twisted or broken, as in _tricholoma_. the stem does not separate readily from the pileus, but the rather strong fibres are continuous with the substance of the pileus. the gills are narrowed toward the stem, joined squarely or decurrent (running down on the stem), very rarely some of them notched at the stem while others of the same plant are decurrent. in one species at least (_c. laccata_, by some placed in the genus _laccaria_) the gills are often strongly notched or sinuate. the cap is usually plane, depressed, or funnel-shaped, many of the species having the latter form. the plants grow chiefly on the ground, though a number of species occur on dead wood. the genus contains a very large number of species. peck describes ten species in the rd report, n. y. state mus., p. , et. seq., also th report, p. , several species. morgan, jour. cinn. soc. nat. hist. = =: -- , describes species. =clitocybe candida= bres. =edible.=--this is one of the large species of the genus. it occurs in late autumn in europe. it has been found on several occasions during late autumn at ithaca, n. y., on the ground in open woods, during wet weather. it occurs in clusters, though the specimens are usually not crowded. the stem is usually very short, -- cm. long, and -- cm. in thickness, while the cap is up to -- cm. broad. the =pileus= is sometimes regular, but often very irregular, and produced much more strongly on one side than on the other. it is convex, then expanded, the margin first incurved and finally wavy and often somewhat lobed. the color is white or light buff in age. the flesh is thick and white. the =gills= are white, stout, broad, somewhat decurrent, some adnate. the taste is not unpleasant when raw, and when cooked it is agreeable. i have eaten it on several occasions. figures , are from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca. =clitocybe laccata= scop. =edible.=--this plant is a very common and widely distributed one, growing in woods, fields, roadsides and other waste places. it is usually quite easily recognized from the whitish scurfy cap, the pink or purplish gills, though the spores are white, from the gills being either decurrent, adnate, or more or less strongly notched, and the stem fibrous and whitish or of a pale pink color. when the plants are mature the pale red or pink gills appear mealy from being covered with the numerous white spores. the =pileus= is thin, convex or later expanded, of a watery appearance, nearly smooth or scurfy or slightly squamulose. the =spores= are rounded, and possess spine-like processes, or are prominently roughened. in the warty character of the spores this species differs from most of the species of the genus _clitocybe_, and some writers place it in a different genus erected to accommodate the species of _clitocybe_ which have warty or spiny spores. the species with spiny spores are few. the genus in which this plant is placed by some is _laccaria_, and then the plant is called _laccaria laccata_. there are several other species of _clitocybe_ which are common and which one is apt to run across often, especially in the woods. these are of the funnel form type, the cap being more or less funnel-shaped. =clitocybe infundibuliformis= schaeffer is one of these. the cap, when mature, is pale red or tan color, fading out in age. it is -- cm. high, and the cap -- cm. broad. it is considered delicious. =clitocybe cyathiformis=, as its name indicates, is similar in form, and occurs in woods. the pileus is of a darker color, dark brown or smoky in color. =clitocybe illudens= schw. =not edible.=--this species is distributed through the eastern united states and sometimes is very abundant. it occurs from july to october about the bases of old stumps, dead trees, or from underground roots. it is one of the large species, the cap being -- cm. broad, the stem -- cm. long, and -- mm. in thickness. it occurs in large clusters, several or many joined at their bases. from the rich saffron yellow color of all parts of the plant, and especially by its strong phosphorescence, so evident in the dark, it is an easy plant to recognize. because of its phosphorescence it is sometimes called "jack-my-lantern." the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, and depressed, sometimes with a small umbo, smooth, often irregular or eccentric from its crowded habit, and in age the margin of the pileus is wavy. the flesh is thick at the center and thin toward the margin. in old plants the color becomes sordid or brownish. the =gills= are broad, not crowded, decurrent, some extending for a considerable distance down on the stem while others for a less distance. the =stem= is solid, firm, smooth, and tapers toward the base. while the plant is not a dangerously poisonous one, it has occasioned serious cases of illness, acting as a violent emetic, and of course should be avoided. its phosphorescence has often been observed. another and much smaller plant, widely distributed in this country as well as europe, and belonging to another genus, is also phosphorescent. it is _panus stipticus_, a small white plant with a short lateral stem, growing on branches, stumps, trunks, etc. when freshly developed the phosphorescence is marked, but when the plants become old they often fail to show it. [illustration: figure .--clitocybe illudens. entire plant rich saffron yellow, old plants become sordid brown sometimes; when fresh shows phosphorescence at night ( / natural size, often much larger). copyright.] =clitocybe multiceps= peck. =edible.=--this plant is not uncommon during late summer and autumn. it usually grows in large tufts of to or more individuals. the caps in such large clusters are often irregular from pressure. the plants are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is white or gray, brownish gray or buff, smooth, dry, the flesh white. the =gills= are white, crowded, narrow at each end. the =spores= are smooth, globose, -- µ in diameter. the stems are tough, fibrous, solid, tinged with the same color as cap. fig. is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, october , . collybia fr. in the genus _collybia_ the annulus and volva are both wanting, the spores are white, the gills are free or notched, or sinuate. the stem is either entirely cartilaginous or has a cartilaginous rind, while the central portion of the stem is fibrous, or fleshy, stuffed or fistulose. the pileus is fleshy and when the plants are young the margin of the pileus is incurved or inrolled, i. e., it does not lie straight against the stem as in _mycena_. many of the species of _collybia_ are quite firm and will revive somewhat after drying when moistened, but they are not coriaceous as in _marasmius_, nor do they revive so thoroughly. it is difficult, however, to draw the line between the two genera. twenty-five of the new york species of collybia are described by peck in the th report n. y. state mus., p. et seq. morgan describes twelve species in jour. cinn. soc. nat. hist., : -- . =collybia radicata= rehl. =edible.=--this is one of the common and widely distributed species of the genus. it occurs on the ground in the woods or groves or borders of woods. it is quite easily recognized by the more or less flattened cap, the long striate stem somewhat enlarged below and then tapering off into a long, slender root-like process in the ground. it is from this "rooting" character that the plant gets its specific name. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, thin, convex to nearly plane, or even with the margin upturned in old plants, and the center sometimes umbonate. it is smooth, viscid when moist, and often with wrinkles on the surface which extend radially. the color varies from nearly white in some small specimens to grayish, grayish brown or umber. the flesh is white. the =gills= are white, broad, rather distant, adnexed, i. e., joined to the stem by the upper angle. the =spores= are elliptical and about × µ. the =stem= is the same color as the pileus though paler, and usually white above, tapers gradually above, is often striate or grooved, or sometimes only mealy. the long tapering "root" is often attached to some underground dead root. fig. is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, august, . [illustration: plate , figure .--clitocybe multiceps. plants white or gray to buff or grayish brown. (three-fourths natural size.) copyright.] [illustration: plate , fig. .--collybia radicata. caps grayish-brown to grayish and white in some small forms. (natural size.) copyright.] [illustration: plate , fig. .--collybia velutipes. cap yellowish or reddish yellow, viscid, gills white, stem dark brown, velvety hairy (natural size). copyright.] =collybia velutipes= curt. =edible.=--this is very common in woods or groves during the autumn, on dead limbs or trunks, or from dead places in living ones. the plants are very viscid, and the stem, except in young plants, is velvety hairy with dark hairs. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, october, . =collybia longipes= bull., is a closely related plant. it is much larger, has a velvety, to hairy, stem, and a much longer root-like process to the stem. it has been sometimes considered to be merely a variety of _c. radicata_, and may be only a large form of that species. i have found a few specimens in the adirondack mountains, and one in the blue ridge mountains, which seem to belong to this species. =collybia platyphylla= fr. =edible.=--this is a much larger and stouter plant than _collybia radicata_, though it is not so tall as the larger specimens of that species. it occurs on rotten logs or on the ground about rotten logs and stumps in the woods from june to september. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem about cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex becoming expanded, plane, and even the margin upturned in age. it is whitish, varying to grayish brown or dark brown, the center sometimes darker than the margin, as is usual in many plants. the surface of the pileus is often marked in radiating streaks by fine dark hairs. the =gills= are white, very broad, adnexed, and usually deeply and broadly notched next the stem. in age they are more or less broken and cracked. the =spores= are white, elliptical, -- × -- µ. the plant resembles somewhat certain species of _tricholoma_ and care should be used in selecting it in order to avoid the suspected species of _tricholoma_. mycena fr. the genus _mycena_ is closely related to _collybia_. the plants are usually smaller, many of them being of small size, the cap is usually bell-shaped, rarely umbilicate, but what is a more important character the margin of the cap in the young stage is straight as it is applied against the stem, and not at first incurved as it is in _collybia_, when the gills and margin of the pileus lie against the stem. the stem is cartilaginous as in _collybia_, and is usually hollow or fistulose. the gills are not decurrent, or only slightly so by a tooth-like process. some of the species are apt to be confused with certain species of _omphalia_ in which the gills are but slightly decurrent, but in _omphalia_ the pileus is umbilicate in such species, while in _mycena_ it is blunt or umbonate. the spores are white. a large number of the plants grow on leaves and wood, few on the ground. some of those which grow on leaves might be mistaken for species of _marasmius_, but in _marasmius_ the plants are of a tough consistency, and when dried will revive again if moistened with water. some of the plants have distinct odors, as alkaline, or the odor of radishes, and in collecting them notes should be made on all these characters which usually disappear in drying. a few of the plants exude a colored or watery juice when bruised, and should not be confounded with species of _lactarius_. =mycena galericulata= scop. =edible.=--_mycena galericulata_ grows on dead logs, stumps, branches, etc., in woods. it is a very common and very widely distributed species. it occurs from late spring to autumn. the plants are clustered, many growing in a compact group, the hairy bases closely joined and the stems usually ascending. the plants are from -- cm. high, the caps from -- cm. broad, and the slender stems -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is conic to bell-shaped, sometimes umbonate, striate to near the center, and in color some shade of brown or gray, but variable. the =gills= are decurrent by a tooth, not crowded, connected by veins over the interspaces, white or flesh colored. the slender =stems= are firm, hollow, and hairy at the base. [illustration: figure .--mycena polygramma, long-stemmed form growing on ground (= m. prælonga pk.). cap dark brown with a leaden tint, striate on margin; stem finely and beautifully longitudinally striate (natural size). copyright.] =mycena polygramma= bull.--this plant is very closely related to _m. galericulata_, and has the same habit. it might be easily mistaken for it. it is easily distinguished by its peculiar bright, shining, longitudinally striate to sulcate stem. it usually grows on wood, but does occur on the ground, when it often has a very long stem. in this condition it was described by peck in the rd report, n. y. state mus., p. , as _mycena prælonga_, from plants collected in a sphagnum moor during the month of june. this form was also collected at ithaca several times during late autumn in a woods near ithaca, in . the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is first nearly cylindrical, then conic, becoming bell-shaped and finally nearly expanded, when it is umbonate. it is smooth, striate on the margin, of a dark brown color with a leaden tint. the =gills= are narrow, white, adnate and slightly decurrent on the stem by a tooth. the very long =stem= is smooth, but marked with parallel grooves too fine to show in the photograph, firm, hollow, somewhat paler than the pileus, usually tinged with red, and hairy at the base. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium), collected in a woods near ithaca in damp places among leaves. a number of the specimens collected were attacked by a parasitic mucor of the genus _spinellus_. two species, _s. fusiger_ (link.) van tiegh., and _s. macrocarpus_ (corda) karst., were found, sometimes both on the same plant. the long-stalked sporangia bristle in all directions from the cap. [illustration: figure .--mycena pura. entire plant rose, rose purple, violet, or lilac. striate on margin of pileus (natural size, often much larger).] =mycena pura= pers.--this plant is quite common and very widely distributed, and occurs in woods and grassy open places, during late summer and in the autumn. the entire plant is nearly of a uniform color, and the color varies from rose, to rose purple, violet, or lilac. plants from the blue ridge mountains of north carolina were chiefly rose purple, very young plants of a much deeper color (auricula purple of ridgeway), while those collected at ithaca were violet. the plants vary from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. stout. the plants are scattered or somewhat clustered, sometimes occurring singly, and again many covering a small area of ground. the =pileus= is thin, conic, bell-shaped to convex and nearly expanded, sometimes with a small umbo, smooth, and finely striate on the margin, in age the striæ sometimes rugulose from the upturning of the margin. sometimes the pileus is rugose on the center. the =gills= vary from white to violet, rose, etc., they are adnate to sinuate, and in age sometimes become free by breaking away from the stem. they are broad in the middle, connected by vein-like elevations over the surface, and sometimes wavy and crenate on the edge, the edge of the gills sometimes white. the =spores= are white, oblong, . -- . × -- µ, smooth. the =basidia= are cylindrical, -- × -- µ, four-spored. there are a few =cystidia= in the hymenium, colorless, thin walled, clavate, the portion above the hymenium cylindrical, and -- × -- µ. the =stem= is sometimes white when young, but later becomes of the same color as the pileus, often a lighter shade above. it is straight, or ascending, cylindrical, even, smooth, hollow, with a few white threads at the base. sometimes on drying the pileus becomes deeper in color than when fresh. the gills also become deeper in color in drying, though the edge remains white if white when fresh. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., in august, . the plants are often considerably larger than shown in the figure. [illustration: figure .--mycena epipterygia. cap viscid, grayish, often tinged with yellowish or reddish in age, gills white, sometimes tinged with blue or red, stem yellowish, or same color as cap (natural size). copyright.] =mycena epipterygia= scop.--this pretty little species is quite readily distinguished by the gray, conic or bell-shaped cap, the long, hollow, slender stem, and the viscid pellicle or skin which is quite easily peeled off from the stem or cap when moist. it grows in woods or grassy places, or among moss, etc., on the ground or on very rotten wood. the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem about mm. in thickness. it is widely distributed in europe, america, and other north temperate countries. the =pileus= is viscid when moist, ovate to conic or campanulate, and later more or less expanded, obtuse, the margin striate, and sometimes minutely toothed. the usual color is grayish, but in age it often becomes reddish. the =gills= are decurrent by a small tooth, and quite variable in color, whitish, then gray, or tinged with blue or red. the =stem= is very slender, flexuous, or straight, fistulose, tough, with soft hairs at the base, usually yellowish, sometimes the same color as the cap, and viscid like the cap when moist. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca in august, . =mycena vulgaris= pers.--this common and pretty species is easily recognized by its smoky or grayish color, the umbilicate pileus and very slimy stem. it grows on decaying leaves, sticks, etc., in woods. it occurs in clusters. the plants are small, -- cm. high, the cap -- mm. broad, and the stem about . mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is thin, bell-shaped, then convex, and depressed at the center, with a papilla usually in the center, finely striate on the margin, and slightly viscid. the =gills= are white, thin, and finally decurrent, so that from the form of the cap and the decurrent gills the plant has much the appearance of an _omphalia_. the =stem= is very viscid, grayish in color, often rooting at the base, and with white fibrils at the base, becoming hollow. figure is from plants collected in woods near ithaca, during august, . [illustration: figure .--mycena vulgaris. entirely white, center of cap grayish, entire plant very slimy when moist (natural size). copyright.] =mycena acicula= schaeff.--this is one of the very small mycenas, and with the brilliant red pileus and yellow gills and stem it makes a very pretty object growing on leaves, twigs, or rotten wood in the forest. it occurs during summer and autumn. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- mm. broad, and the stem is thread-like. [illustration: figure .--mycena acicula. cap brilliant red, gills and stem yellowish (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is very thin, membranaceous, bell-shaped, then convex, when the pointed apex appears as a small umbo. it is smooth, striate on the margin, and of a rich vermilion or orange color. the =gills= are rounded at the stem and adnexed, rather broad in the middle, distant, yellow, the edge white, or sometimes the gills are entirely white. the =stem= is very slender, with a root-like process entering the rotten wood, smooth except the hairs on the root-like process, yellow. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in a woods near ithaca. it has been found here several times. =mycena cyanothrix= atkinson.--this is a very pretty plant growing on rotting wood in clusters, often two or three joined at the base, the base of the stem inserted in the rotten wood for -- cm., and the base is clothed with blue, hair-like threads. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem not quite mm. in diameter. the =pileus= is ovate to convex, viscid when young. the color is bright blue when young, becoming pale and whitish in age, with a tendency to fuscous on the center. the cap is smooth and the margin finely striate. after the plants have dried the color is nearly uniform ochraceous or tawny. the =gills= are close, free, narrow, white, then grayish white, the edge finely toothed or fimbriate. the =spores= are globose, smooth, -- µ. the =stem= is slender, hollow, faintly purple when young, becoming whitish or flesh color, flexuous, or nearly straight, even, often two united at the base into a root-like extension which enters the rotten wood. the base of the stem is covered with deep blue mycelium which retains its color in age, but disappears on drying after a time. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, in woods, june , . =mycena hæmatopa= pers.--this is one of the species of _mycena_ with a red juice which exudes in drops where wounds occur on the plant. it is easily recognized by its dense cespitose habit, the deep blood red juice, the hollow stem, and the crenate or denticulate sterile margin of the cap. numbers of the plant occur usually in a single cluster, and their bases are closely joined and hairy. the stems are more or less ascending according to the position of the plant on the wood. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap is -- . cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--mycena cyanothrix. cap viscid when young, blue, becoming pale and whitish in age, and fuscous in center; gills white; stem faintly purple when young, then flesh color or white, blue, clothed with blue hairs at base (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is conic, then bell-shaped, and as the margin of the cap expands more appears umbonate, obtuse, smooth, even or somewhat striate on the margin. the color varies from whitish to flesh color, or dull red, and appears more or less saturated with a red juice. the thin margin extends a short distance beyond the ends of the gills, and the margin is then beautifully crenate. the =gills= are adnate, and often extend down on the stem a short distance by a little tooth. the =stem= is firm, sometimes smooth, sometimes with minute hairs, at the base with long hairs, hollow, in color the same as that of the pileus. [illustration: figure .--mycena hæmatopa. dull red or flesh color, or whitish, a dull red juice exudes where broken or cut, margin of cap serrate with thin sterile flaps (natural size). copyright.] the color varies somewhat, being darker in some plants than in others. in some plants the juice is more abundant and they bleed profusely when wounded, while in other cases there is but little of the juice, sometimes wounds only showing a change in color to a deep red without any free drops exuding. figure is from plants collected at ithaca, in august, . it is widely distributed in europe and north america. =mycena succosa= pk., another species of _mycena_ with a juice, occurs on very rotten wood in the woods. it is a small plant, dull white at first, but soon spotted with black, and turning black in handling or where bruised, and when dried. wounds exude a "serum-like juice," and the wounds soon become black. it was described by peck under _collybia_ in the th report, p. . omphalia fr. the genus _omphalia_ is closely related to _mycena_ and _collybia_. it differs from these mainly in the decurrent gills. in the small species of _mycena_ where the gills are slightly decurrent, the pileus is not umbilicate as it is in corresponding species of _omphalia_. in some of the species of _omphalia_ the pileus is not umbilicate, but here the gills are plainly decurrent. the stem is cartilaginous. [illustration: plate , figure .--omphalia campanella. watkin's glen, n. y., august, . caps dull reddish-yellow. gills yellow. stem brownish, hairy at base. (natural size.) copyright.] =omphalia campanella= batsch.--one of the most common and widely distributed species of the genus is the little bell-omphalia, _omphalia campanella_. it occurs throughout the summer and autumn on dead or rotten logs, stumps, branches, etc., in woods. it is often clustered, large numbers covering a considerable surface of the decaying log. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- mm. broad, and the stem very slender. the =pileus= is convex, umbilicate, faintly striate, dull reddish yellow, in damp weather with a watery appearance. the =gills= are narrow, yellow, connected by veins, strongly curved because of the form of the pileus, and then being decurrent on the stem. the =stem= is slender, often ascending, brownish hairy toward the base, and paler above. [illustration: figure .--omphalia epichysium. entire plant smoky or dull gray in color (natural size). copyright.] =omphalia epichysium= pers.--this plant occurs during the autumn in woods, growing usually on much decayed wood, or sometimes apparently on the ground. the smoky, or dull gray color of the entire plant, the depressed or funnel-shaped pileus, and short, slender stem serve to distinguish it. the cap is -- cm. broad, the plant is -- cm. high, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, becoming expanded, umbilicate or depressed at the center or nearly funnel-shaped, smooth, smoky or gray with a saturated watery appearance, light gray or nearly white when dry. the =gills= are narrow, crowded, or a little decurrent. the slender =stem= is smooth, hollow, equal. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in woods near ithaca, n. y., in the autumn of . pleurotus fr. [illustration: figure .--pleurotus ulmarius. cap white, or with shades of yellow or brown near the center (natural size). copyright.] the genus _pleurotus_ is usually recognized without difficulty among the fleshy, white-spored agarics, because of the eccentric (not quite in the center of the pileus) or lateral stem, or by the pileus being attached at one side in a more or less shelving position, or in some species where the upper side of the pileus lies directly against the wood on which the plant is growing, and is then said to be _resupinate_. the gills are either decurrent (extending downward) on the stem, or in some species they are rounded or notched at the junction with the stem. there is no annulus, though sometimes a veil, and the genus resembles both _tricholoma_ and _clitocybe_, except for the position of the stem on the pileus. in _tricholoma_ and _clitocybe_ the stem is usually attached at the center, and the majority of the species grow on the ground, while the species of _pleurotus_ are especially characterized by growing on wood. some species, at least, appear to grow from the ground, as in pleurotus petaloides, which is sometimes found growing on buried roots or portions of decayed stumps which no longer show above ground. on the other hand species of _clitocybe_, as in c. candida (fig. ), often have an eccentric stem. this presents to us one of the many difficulties which students, especially beginners, of this group of fungi meet, and also suggests how unsatisfactory any arrangement of genera as yet proposed is. =pleurotus ulmarius= bull. =edible.=--the elm pleurotus is so called because it is often found growing on dead elm branches or trunks, or from wounds in living trees, but it is not confined to the elm. it is a large species, easily distinguished from the oyster agaric and the other related species by its long stem attached usually near the center of the cap, and by the gills being rounded or notched at their inner extremity. the cap is -- cm. broad, the stem -- cm. long, and -- cm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--pleurotus ulmarius. under view and section (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, the margin incurved, then nearly expanded, smooth, firm, white or whitish, or with shades of yellow or brown on the center, and the flesh is white. the =gills= are broad, rather distant, sinuate, white or nearly so. the =spores= are globose, -- µ in diameter. the =stem= is firm, eccentric, usually curved because of its lateral attachment on the side of the tree, and the horizontal position of the pileus. the elm pleurotus has been long known as an edible fungus, and is regarded as an excellent one for food on account of its flavor and because of its large size. it occurs abundantly during the late autumn, and at this season of the year is usually well protected from the attacks of insects. it occurs in the woods, or fields, more frequently on dead trees. on shade trees which have been severely pruned, and are nearly or quite dead, it sometimes appears at the wounds, where limbs have been removed, in great abundance. in the plants shown in fig. the stems are strongly curved because the weight of the cap bore the plant downward. sometimes when the plant is growing directly on the upper side of a branch or log, the stem may be central. =pleurotus ostreatus= jacq. =edible.=--this plant is known as the oyster agaric, because the form of the plant sometimes suggests the outline of an oyster shell, as is seen in fig. . it grows on dead trunks and branches, usually in crowded clusters, the caps often overlapping or imbricated. it is large, measuring -- cm. or more broad. the =pileus= is elongated and attached at one side by being sessile, or it is narrowed into a very short stem. it is broadest at the outer extremity, where it becomes quite thin toward the margin. it is more or less curved in outline as seen from the side, being depressed usually on the upper side near the point of attachment, and toward the margin convex and the margin incurved. the color is white, light gray, buff or dark gray, often becoming yellowish on drying. the =gills= are white, broad, not much crowded, and run down on the stem in long elevated lines resembling veins, which anastomose often in a reticulate fashion. the =spores= are white, oblong, -- µ long. the =stem= when present is very short, and often hairy at the base. the oyster agaric has long been known as an edible mushroom, but it is not ranked among the best, because, like most _pleuroti_, it is rather tough, especially in age. it is well to select young plants. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, n. y. [illustration: plate , figure .--pleurotus ostreatus. under view showing decurrent and anastomosing gills on the stem. cap white, light gray, buff, or dark gray in color. spores white (natural size, often larger). copyright.] =pleurotus sapidus= kalchb. =edible.=--this plant usually grows in large clusters from dead trunks or branches or from dead portions of living trees. it grows on a number of different kinds of trees. the stems are often joined at the base, but sometimes the plants are scattered over a portion of the branch or trunk. the cap is from -- cm. broad. the plants occur from june to november. [illustration: plate , figure .--pleurotus sapidus. color of cap white, yellowish, gray, or brownish, with lilac tints sometimes. spores lilac tinted in mass ( / natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, the margin incurved when young, and more or less depressed in age, smooth, broadened toward the margin and tapering into the short stem, which is very short in some cases and elongated in others. often the caps are quite irregular and the margin wavy, especially when old. it is quite firm, but the margin splits quite readily on being handled. the color varies greatly, white, yellowish, gray, or brownish and lilac tints. the flesh is white. the =stems= are usually attached to the pileus, at or near one edge. the =gills= are white, broad, not at all crowded, and extend down on the stem as in the oyster agaric. they are white or whitish, and as in the other related species are sometimes cracked, due probably to the tension brought to bear because of the expanding pileus. the =spores= are tinged with lilac when seen in mass, as when caught on paper. the color seems to be intensified after the spores have lain on the paper for a day or two. it is very difficult to distinguish this species from the oyster agaric. the color of the spores seems to be the only distinguishing character, and this may not be constant. peck suggests that it may only be a variety of the oyster agaric. i have found the plant growing from a dead spot on the base of a living oak tree. there was for several years a drive near this tree, and the wheels of vehicles cut into the roots of the tree on this side, and probably so injured it as to kill a portion and give this fungus and another one (_polystictus pergamenus_) a start, and later they have slowly encroached on the side of the tree. figure represents the plant (no. , c. u. herbarium) from a dead maple trunk in a woods near ithaca, collected during the autumn of . this plant compares favorably with the oyster agaric as an edible one. neither of these plants preserve as well as the elm pleurotus. =pleurotus dryinus= pers. =edible.=--_pleurotus dryinus_ represents a section of the genus in which the species are provided with a veil when young, but which disappears as the pileus expands. this species has been long known in europe on trunks of oak, ash, willow, etc., and occurs there from september to october. it was collected near ithaca, n. y., in a beech woods along six-mile creek, on october th, , growing from a decayed knothole in the trunk of a living hickory tree, and again in a few days from a decayed stump. the pileus varies from -- cm. broad, and the lateral or eccentric stem is -- cm. long by -- cm. in thickness, the length of the stem depending on the depth of the insertion of the stem in a hollow portion of the trunk. the plant is white or whitish, and the substance is quite firm, drying quite hard. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, more or less depressed in the center, the margin involute, and the surface at first floccose, becoming in age floccose scaly, since the surface breaks up into triangular scales more prominent in and near the center, smaller and inconspicuous toward the margin. the prevailing color is white, but in age the scales become cream color or buff (in european plants said to become fuscous). the pileus is either definitely lateral (fig. ) or eccentric when the stem is attached near the center as in fig. . the =gills= are white, becoming tinged with yellow in age, decurrent (running down on the stem) in striæ for short distances, -- mm. broad, not crowded. the =stem= is nearly central (fig. ), or definitely lateral (fig. ), the length varying according to conditions as stated above. it is firm, tough, fibrous. the =veil= is prominent in young and medium plants, floccose, tearing irregularly as the pileus expands. figure is from plants (no. a c. u. herbarium) growing from knothole in living hickory tree, and fig. from plants (no. b) growing on a dead stump, near ithaca. according to the descriptions of _p. dryinus_ as given by persoon, and as followed by fries and most later writers, the pileus is definitely lateral, and more or less dimidiate, while in _p. corticatus_ fr., the pileus is entire and the stem rather long and eccentric. stevenson suggests (p. ) that corticatus is perhaps too closely allied to dryinus. the plants in our fig. agree in all respects with _p. corticatus_, except that possibly the lamellæ do not anastomose on the stem as they are said to in _corticatus_. according to the usual descriptions _corticatus_ is given as the larger species, while fig. of our plant, possessing the typical characters of _dryinus_, is the larger. the form of the pileus, the length and position of the stem, depends, as we know, to a large extent on the position of the plant on the tree. when growing from the upper side, so that there is room above for the expansion of the cap, the pileus is apt to be more regular, just as is the case in _pleurotus ulmarius_, and the stem more nearly central. when the plant grows from a hollow place in the trunk as those shown in fig. did, then there is an opportunity for them to grow more or less erect, at least until they emerge from the hollow, and then the pileus is more nearly equal in its expansion and the stem is longer. berkeley describes specimens of p. dryinus with long stems growing from a hollow in an ash, and stevenson (p. ) reports the same condition. [illustration: plate , figure .--pleurotus dryinus. side and upper view. plant entirely white, scales sometimes buff or cream colored in age (natural size). copyright.] =pleurotus sulfureoides= pk.--this rare species, first collected in the catskill mountains , and described by peck in the rd report, n. y. state mus., p. , , was found by me on two different occasions at ithaca, n. y., during the autumn of , on rotting logs, ithaca flats, and again in enfield gorge, six miles from ithaca. the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness, and the entire plant is of a dull, or pale, yellow. [illustration: plate , figure .--pleurotus dryinus, form corticatus. entire plant white, scales cream or buff in age sometimes. the ruptured veil shows in the small plant below (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is nearly regular, fleshy, thin toward the margin, convex, umbonate, smooth or with a few small scales. the =gills= are rather crowded, broad, rounded or notched at the stem, pale yellow. the =spores= are elliptical, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is ascending and curved, nearly or quite central in some specimens in its attachment to the pileus, whitish or yellowish, mealy or slightly tomentose at the apex. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) on rotting log, ithaca flats, october, . [illustration: figure .--pleurotus sulfureoides. entire plant dull or pale yellow (natural size). copyright.] =pleurotus petaloides= bull. =edible.=--the petal-like agaric is so called from the fancied resemblance of the plant to the petal of a flower. the plant usually grows in a nearly upright or more or less ascending position, or when it grows from the side of a trunk it is somewhat shelving. it is somewhat spathulate in form, i. e., broad at the free end and tapering downward into the short stem in a wedge-shaped manner, and varies from -- cm. long and -- cm. in breadth. it grows on fallen branches or trunks, on stumps, and often apparently from the ground, but in reality from underground roots or buried portions of decayed stumps, etc. [illustration: figure .--pleurotus petaloides. color pale reddish brown or brown, sometimes entirely white; gills white (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: figure .--pleurotus petaloides. more irregular form than that shown in figure ; color same as there described (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= varies from a regular wedge-shape to spathulate, or more or less irregularly petaloid, or conchoid forms, the extremes of size and form being shown in figs. , . the margin is at first involute, finally fully expanded, and the upper surface is nearly plane or somewhat depressed. the color is often a pale reddish brown, or brown, and sometimes pure white. the margin is sometimes marked with fine striations when moist. the upper portion near the union with the stem is sometimes tomentose, sometimes smooth. the =gills= are narrow, white, or yellowish, crowded and strongly decurrent. while the plant varies greatly in form and size, it is easily recognized by the presence of numerous short whitish =cystidia= in the hymenium, which bristle over the surface of the hymenium and under a pocket lens present a "fuzzy" appearance to the lamellæ. they are -- × -- µ. the spores are white. figures , are from plants collected at ithaca. =pleurotus serotinus= schrad. this is an interesting plant and occurs during the autumn on dead trunks, branches, etc., in the woods. the stem is wanting, and the cap is shelving, dimidiate, reniform or suborbicular. the plants occur singly or are clustered and overlapping, about the same size and position as _claudopus nidulans_, from which it is readily told by its white gills and spores. the color varies from dull yellow to brownish, often with shades of olive or green. =pleurotus applicatus= batsch.--this is a pretty little species and usually occurs on much decayed wood, lying close to the ground so that it is usually directly on the under side of the log or branch. it does occur, however, on the side of the log when it is more or less shelving, because of the tendency of the pileus always to be more or less horizontal. [illustration: figure .--pleurotus applicatus. color gray to dark bluish gray, or black with a bluish tinge (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is -- mm. broad, its upper surface closely applied to the wood or bark on which it is growing when it appears directly on the under side. the margin is sometimes free and involute. sometimes it is attached only by the center of the pileus. there is then often a short process. when it grows on the side of the log it is attached laterally, or on the upper side of one margin, while the greater portion of the pileus is free and shelving. the surface is smooth or somewhat hairy. the color varies from gray to dark bluish gray, or black with a bluish tinge. the =gills= are thick, broad in proportion to the size of the cap, distant, and are said by some to be paler than the pileus. in plants collected at ithaca, the gills are often as dark as the pileus. the entire plant is rather tough, and revives after being dried if placed in water, resembling in this respect _marasmius_, _panus_, or _trogia_, and it may be more nearly related to one of these. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca. hygrophorus fries. [illustration: figure .--hygrophorus chrysodon. entirely white with golden yellow granules on cap and stem (natural size). copyright.] the genus _hygrophorus_ is one which presents some difficulties in the case of some of the species, especially to beginners, and plants need to be studied in the fresh condition to understand the most important character which separates it from certain of the other white-spored agarics. the substance of the pileus is continuous with that of the stem, that is, the stem is not easily separated from the cap at the point of junction, but is more or less tenacious. the gills may be adnexed, adnate, sinuate, or decurrent, but what is important they are usually rather distant, the edge is acute or sharp, and gradually thickened toward the junction with the cap, so that a section of the gill is more or less triangular. this is brought about by the fact that the substance of the cap extends downward into the gill between the laminæ or surfaces of the gill. but the most important character for determining the genus is the fact that the surfaces of the gills become rather of a waxy consistency at maturity, so that they appear to be full of a watery substance though they do not bleed, and the surface of the gill can be rather easily removed, leaving the projecting line of the _trama_. this is more marked in some species than in others. the waxy consistency of the gills then, with the gills acute at the edge, broad at the point of attachment to the pileus, and the gills being rather widely separated are the important characters in determining the species which belong to this genus. the nearest related genus is cantharellus, which, however, has blunt and forked gills. a number of the plants are brilliantly colored. [illustration: plate , figure .--hygrophorus eburneus. entirely white, slimy (natural size). copyright.] =hygrophorus chrysodon= (batsch.) fries. =edible.=--this plant has about the same range as _hygrophorus eburneus_, though it is said to be rare. it is a very pretty plant and one quite easily recognised because of the uniform white ground color of the entire plant when fresh, and the numerous golden floccules or squamules scattered over the cap and the stem. the name _chrysodon_ means golden tooth, and refers to these numerous golden flecks on the plant. a form of the plant, variety _leucodon_, is said to occur in which these granules are white. the plant is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the plants grow on the ground in the woods, or rather open places, during late summer and autumn. the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, the margin strongly involute when young, and unrolling as the cap expands, very viscid, so that particles of dirt and portions of leaves, etc., cling to it in drying. the golden or light yellow granules on the surface are rather numerous near the margin of the pileus, but are scattered over the entire surface. on the margin they sometimes stand in concentric rows close together. the =gills= are white, distant, decurrent, -- mm. broad, white, somewhat yellowish in age and in drying, and connected by veins. the =spores= white, oval to ovate, the longer ones approaching elliptical, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is soft, spongy within, nearly equal, white, the yellowish granules scattered over the surface, but more numerous toward the apex, where they are often arranged in the form of a ring. when the plant is young these yellow granules or squamules on the stem and the upper surface of the inrolled margin of the pileus meet, forming a continuous layer in the form of a veil, which becomes spread out in the form of separated granules as the pileus expands, and no free collar is left on the stem. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in october, , in woods, and by roadsides, ithaca, n. y. =hygrophorus eburneus= (bulliard) fries. =edible.=--this plant is widely distributed in europe and america. it is entirely white, of medium size, very viscid or glutinous, being entirely covered with a coating of gluten, which makes it very slippery in handling. the odor is mild and not unpleasant like that of a closely related species, _h. cossus_. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap is from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. it grows on the ground in woods, or in open grassy places. the =pileus= is fleshy, moderately thick, sometimes thin, convex to expanded, the margin uneven or sometimes wavy, smooth, and shining. when young the margin of the cap is incurved. the =gills= are strongly decurrent, distant, with vein-like elevations near the stem. =spores= rather long, oval, -- × -- µ, granular. the =stem= varies in length, it is spongy to stuffed within, sometimes hollow and tapers below. the slime which envelops the plant is sometimes so abundant as to form a veil covering the entire plant and extending across from the margin of the cap to the stem, covering the gills. as the plant dries this disappears, and does not leave an annulus on the stem. [illustration: figure .--hygrophorus fuligineus. cap and stem dull reddish brown or smoky brown, very viscid when moist; gills white (natural size). copyright.] figure is from a photograph of plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in enfield gorge near ithaca, n. y., nov. th, . =hygrophorus fuligineus= frost. =edible.=--the smoky hygrophorus was described in the th report of the n. y. state museum, p. . it is an american plant, and was first collected at west albany, during the month of november. it is one of the largest species of the genus, and grows on the ground in woods, in late autumn. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the large size of the plant together with the smoky, brown, viscid cap aid in the recognition of the plant. the =pileus= is convex, becoming expanded, smooth, very viscid, dull reddish brown or smoky brown, darker on the center; the margin of the pileus is even in young specimens, becoming irregular in others; and in age often elevated more or less. the =gills= are broad, distant, usually decurrent, often connected by veins, white, with yellowish tinge in drying. the =spores= oval to elliptical, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is stout, sometimes ascending, equal, or enlarged in the middle, or tapering toward the base, solid, viscid like the pileus, usually white, sometimes tinged with the same color as pileus, somewhat yellowish tinged in drying. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in enfield gorge near ithaca, nov. , . =hygrophorus pratensis= (pers.) fr. =edible.=--this hygrophorus grows on the ground in pastures, old fields, or in waste places, or in thin and open woods, from mid-summer to late autumn. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. or more broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the cap being thick at the center, and the stem being usually stouter at the apex, often gives to the plant a shape like that of a top. the =pileus= is hemispherical, then convex, then nearly or quite expanded, white, or with various shades of yellow or tawny, or buff, not viscid, often cracking in dry weather. flesh very thick at the center, thinner at the margin. the flesh is firm and white. the =gills= are stout, distant, long decurrent, white or yellowish, and arcuate when the margin of the pileus is incurved in the young state, then ascending as the pileus takes the shape of an inverted cone. the =gills= are connected across the interspaces by vein-like folds, or elevations. the =spores= are nearly globose to ovate or nearly elliptical, white, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is smooth, firm outside and spongy within, tapering downward. =hygrophorus miniatus= fr. the vermilion hygrophorus is a very common plant in the woods during the summer. the cap and stem are bright red, sometimes vermilion. the gills are yellow and often tinged with red. the gills are adnate or sinuate. the plant is a small one but often abundant, and measures from -- cm. high, and the cap -- cm. broad. =hygrophorus coccineus= (schaeff.) fr., is a somewhat larger plant and with a scarlet cap, which becomes yellowish in age, and the gills are adnate. =hygrophorus conicus= (scop.) fr., is another bright red plant with a remarkable conical pileus, and the gills are annexed to free. =hygrophorus psittacinus= fr., is a remarkably pretty plant, the cap being from bell-shaped to expanded, umbilicate, striate, and covered with a greenish slime. it occurs in woods and open places. the prevailing color is yellow, tinged with green, but it varies greatly, sometimes yellow, red, white, etc., but nearly always is marked by the presence of the greenish slime, the color of this disappearing as the plant dries. it occurs in pastures, open woods, etc., from mid-summer to autumn. =hygrophorus hypothejus= fr., is another very variable plant in color as well as in size, varying from yellow, orange, reddish, sometimes paler, usually first grayish when covered with the olive colored slime. the gills are decurrent, white, then yellow. it occurs in autumn. lactarius fr. the genus _lactarius_ is easily distinguished from nearly all the other agarics by the presence of a milky or colored juice which exudes from wounded, cut, or broken places on the fresh plant. there are a few of the species of the genus _mycena_ which exude a watery or colored juice where wounded, but these are easily told from _lactarius_ because of their small size, more slender habit, and bell-shaped cap. by careful observation of these characters it is quite an easy matter to tell whether or not the plant at hand is a _lactarius_. in addition to the presence of this juice or milk as it is commonly termed, the entire plant while firm is quite brittle, especially the gills. there are groups of rounded or vesiculose cells intermingled with thread-like cells in the substance of the cap. this latter character can only be seen on examination with the microscope. the brittleness of the plant as well as the presence of these groups of vesiculose cells is shared by the genus _russula_, which is at once separated from _lactarius_ by the absence of a juice which exudes in drops. in determining the species it is a very important thing to know the taste of the juice or of the fresh plant, whether it is peppery, or bitter, or mild, that is, tasteless. if one is careful not to swallow any of the juice or flesh of the plant no harm results from tasting any of the plants, provided they are not tasted too often during a short time, beyond the unpleasant sensation resulting from tasting some of the very "hot" kinds. it is important also to know the color of the milk when it first exudes from wounds and if it changes color on exposure to the air. these tests of the plant should be made of course while it is fresh. the spores are white, globose or nearly so in all species, and usually covered with minute spiny processes. there are a large number of species. peck, th report, n. y. state mus., pp. -- , describes american species. [illustration: figure .--lactarius corrugis. showing corrugated cap, and white milk exuding. dark tawny brown, gills orange brown (natural size, often larger). copyright.] =lactarius volemus= fr. =edible.=--this species is by some termed the orange brown lactarius because of its usual color. it was probably termed _lactarius volemus_ because of the voluminous quantity of milk which exudes where the plant is broken or bruised, though it is not the only species having this character. in fresh, young plants, a mere crack or bruise will set loose quantities of the milky juice which drops rapidly from the plant. the plant is about the size of _lactarius deliciosus_ and occurs in damp woods, where it grows in considerable abundance from july to september, several usually growing near each other. the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, often with a small elevation (umbo) at the center, or sometimes plane, and when old a little depressed in the center, smooth or somewhat wrinkled. the cap is dull orange or tawny, the shade of color being lighter in some plants and darker in others. the flesh is white and quite firm. the =gills= are white, often tinged with the same color as the pileus, but much lighter; they are adnate or slightly decurrent. the =stem= is usually short, but varies from -- × -- cm. it is colored like the pileus, but a lighter shade. the milk is white, abundant, mild, not unpleasant to the taste, but sticky as it dries. this plant has also long been known as one of the excellent mushrooms for food both in europe and america. peck states that there are several plants which resemble _lactarius volemus_ in color and in the milk, but that no harm could come from eating them. there is one with a more reddish brown pileus, _lactarius rufus_, found sparingly in the woods, but which has a very peppery taste. it is said by some to be poisonous. =lactarius corrugis= pk. =edible.=--this species occurs with _lactarius volemus_ and very closely resembles it, but it is of a darker color, and the pileus is more often marked by prominent wrinkles, from which character the plant has derived its specific name. it is perhaps a little stouter plant than _l. volemus_, and with a thicker cap. the surface of the =pileus= seems to be covered with a very fine velvety tomentum which glistens as the cap is turned in the light. the =gills= are much darker than in _l. volemus_. the plants are usually clearly separated on account of these characters, yet there are occasionally light colored forms of _l. corrugis_ which are difficult to distinguish from dark forms of _l. volemus_, and this fact has aroused the suspicion that _corrugis_ is only a form of _volemus_. the milk is very abundant and in every respect agrees with that of _l. volemus_. i do not know that any one has tested _l. corrugis_ for food. but since it is so closely related to _l. volemus_ i tested it during the summer of in the north carolina mountains. i consider it excellent. the methods of cooking there were rather primitive. it was sliced and fried with butter and salt. it should be well cooked, for when not well done the partially raw taste is not pleasant. the plant was very abundant in the woods, and for three weeks an abundance was served twice a day for a table of twelve persons. the only disagreeable feature about it is the sticky character of the milk, which adheres in quantity to the hands and becomes black. this makes the preparation of the plant for the broiler a rather unpleasant task. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in the woods at blowing rock, during september, . just before the exposure was made to get the photograph several of the plants were wounded with a pin to cause the drops of milk to exude, as is well shown in the illustration. the dark color of the lamellæ in _l. corrugis_ is due to the number of brown cystidia or setæ, in the hymenium, which project above the surface of the gills, and they are especially abundant on the edge of the gills. these setæ are long fusoid, -- × -- µ. the variations in the color of the gills, in some plants the gills being much darker than in others, is due to the variations either in the number of these setæ or to the variation in their color. where the cystidia are fewer in number or are lighter in color the lamellæ are lighter colored. typical forms of _lactarius volemus_ have similar setæ, but they are very pale in color and not so abundant over the surface of the gills. in the darker forms of _l. volemus_ the setæ are more abundant and darker in color, approaching those found in _l. corrugis_. these facts, supported by the variation in the color of the pileus in the two species and the variations in the rugosities of the pileus, seem to indicate that the two species are very closely related. [illustration: figure .--lactarius lignyotus. cap and stem sooty, cap wrinkled, gills white, then tinged with ochre (natural size, sometimes larger). copyright.] =lactarius lignyotus= fr.--this is known as the sooty lactarius and occurs in woods along with the smoky lactarius. it is distinguished from the latter by the dark brown color of the pileus and by the presence usually of rugose wrinkles over the center of the cap. in size it agrees with the smoky lactarius. the =pileus= is convex, then plane, or somewhat depressed in the center, dry, sometimes with a small umbo, dark brown or sooty (chocolate to seal brown as given in ridgeway's nomenclature of colors), covered with a very fine tomentum which has the appearance of a bloom. the margin of the cap, especially in old plants, is somewhat wavy or plicate as in _lactarius fuliginosus_. the =gills= are moderately crowded when young, becoming distant in older plants, white, then cream color or yellow, changing to reddish or salmon color where bruised. the =spores= are yellowish in mass, faintly so under the microscope, globose, strongly echinulate, -- µ. the taste is mild, or sometimes slowly and slightly acrid. the plants from north carolina showed distinctly the change to reddish or salmon color when the gills were bruised, and the taste was noted as mild. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in the blue ridge mountains, at blowing rock, n. c., september, . =lactarius fuliginosus= fr.--the smoky or dingy lactarius occurs in woods and open grassy places. it is widely distributed. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the light smoky color of the cap and stem, the dull yellowish white color of the gills, and in old plants the wavy margin of the cap make it comparatively easy to recognize the species. [illustration: figure .--lactarius fuliginosus. cap and stem smoky, cap usually not wrinkled; gills white, then light ochre, distant (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is thin, at first firm, becoming soft, convex, then plane and often somewhat depressed in the center, usually even, dry, the margin in old plants crenately wavy, dull gray or smoky gray in color, with a fine down or tomentum. the =gills= are adnate, distant, more so in old plants, white, then yellowish, sometimes changing to salmon color or reddish where bruised. the =spores= are yellowish in mass, faintly yellow under the microscope, strongly echinulate or tuberculate, globose, -- µ. the =stem= is usually paler than the pileus, firm, stuffed. the milk is white, slowly acrid to the taste. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . =lactarius gerardii= pk.--this plant was described by dr. peck in the th report, n. y. state mus., p. , and in the th rept. p. . according to the descriptions it differs from _lactarius fuliginosus_ only in the spores being white, the gills more distant, and the taste being constantly mild. since the taste in _l. fuliginosus_ is sometimes mild, or slowly acrid, and the lamellæ in the older plants are more distant, the spores sometimes only tinged with yellow, there does not seem to be a very marked difference between the two species. in fact all three of these species, _fuliginosus_, _lignyotus_ and _gerardii_, seem to be very closely related. forms of _fuliginosus_ approach _lignyotus_ in color, and the =pileus= sometimes is rugose wrinkled, while in _lignyotus_ pale forms occur, and the pileus is not always rugose wrinkled. the color of the bruised lamellæ is the same in the two last species and sometimes the change in color is not marked. [illustration: figure .--lactarius torminosus. cap ochraceous and pink hues, with zones of darker color, margin of cap wooly (natural size, often much larger). copyright.] =lactarius torminosus= (schaeff.) fr.--this plant is widely distributed in europe, asia, as well as in america. it is easily recognised by the uneven mixture of pink and ochraceous colors, and the very hairy or tomentose margin of the cap. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap about the same breadth, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. it occurs in woods on the ground during late summer and autumn. the =pileus= is convex, depressed in the center, and the margin strongly incurved when young, the abundant hairs on the margin forming an apparent veil at this time which covers up the gills. the upper surface of the pileus is smooth, or sometimes more or less covered with a tomentum similar to that on the margin. the color is an admixture of ochraceous and pink hues, sometimes with concentric zones of darker shades. the =gills= are crowded, narrow, whitish, with a tinge of yellowish flesh color. the =stem= is cylindrical, even, hollow, whitish. the milk is white, unchangeable, acrid to the taste. figure , left hand plants, is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in the blue ridge mountains, n. c., in september, , and the right hand plant (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, n. y. [illustration: figure .--lactarius piperatus. entirely white, milk very peppery (natural size, often larger). copyright.] =lactarius piperatus= (scop.) fr.--this species is very hot and peppery to the taste, is of medium size, entirely white, depressed at the center, or funnel-shaped, with a short stem, and very narrow and crowded gills, and abundant white milk. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. it grows in woods on the ground and is quite common, sometimes very common in late summer and autumn. the =pileus= is fleshy, thick, firm, convex, umbilicate, and then depressed in the center, becoming finally more or less funnel-shaped by the elevation of the margin. it is white, smooth when young, in age sometimes becoming sordid and somewhat roughened. the =gills= are white, very narrow, very much crowded, and some of them forked, arcuate and then ascending because of the funnel-shaped pileus. the =spores= are _smooth_, oval, with a small point, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is equal or tapering below, short, solid. the milk is white, unchangeable, very acrid to the taste and abundant. the plant is reported as edible. a closely related species is _l. pergamenus_ (swartz) fr., which resembles it very closely, but has a longer, stuffed stem, and thinner, more pliant pileus, which is more frequently irregular and eccentric, and not at first umbilicate. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . [illustration: figure .--lactarius resimus. entire plant white, in age scales on cap dull ochraceous (natural size). copyright.] =lactarius resimus= fr.?--this plant is very common in the woods bordering a sphagnum moor at malloryville, n. y., ten miles from ithaca, during july to september. i have found it at this place every summer for the past three years. it occurs also in the woods of the damp ravines in the vicinity of ithaca. it was also abundant in the blue ridge mountains of north carolina, during september, . the plants are large, the caps -- cm. broad, the stem -- cm. long, and -- cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, umbilicate, then depressed and more or less funnel-shaped in age, white, in the center roughened with fibrous scales as the plant ages, the scales becoming quite stout in old plants. the scales are tinged with dull ochraceous or are light brownish in the older plants. the ochre colored scales are sometimes evident over the entire cap, even in young plants. in young plants the margin is strongly involute or inrolled, and a loose but thick veil of interwoven threads extends from the surface of the roll to the stem. this disappears as the margin of the cap unrolls with the expanding pileus. the margin of the pileus is often sterile, that is, it extends beyond the ends of the gills. the =gills= are white, stout, and broad, decurrent, some of them forked near the stem. when bruised, the gills after several hours become ochraceous brown. the spores are subglobose, minutely spiny, -- µ. the =stem= is solid, cylindrical, minutely tomentose, spongy within when old. [illustration: figure .--lactarius resimus. section of young plant showing inrolled margin of cap, and the veil (natural size). copyright.] the taste is very acrid, and the white milk not changing to yellow. while the milk does not change to yellow, broken portions of the plant slowly change to flesh color, then ochraceous brown. figures , are from plants collected in one of the damp gorges near ithaca, during september, . the forked gills, the strongly inrolled margin of the cap and veil of the young plants are well shown in the illustration. =lactarius chrysorrheus= fr.--this is a common and widely distributed species, from small to medium size. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- . cm. in thickness. it grows in woods and groves during late summer and autumn. the =pileus= is fleshy, of medium thickness, convex and depressed in the center from the young condition, and as the pileus expands the margin becomes more and more upturned and the depression deeper, so that eventually it is more or less broadly funnel-form. the color varies from white to flesh color, tinged with yellow sometimes in spots, and marked usually with faint zones of brighter yellow. the zones are sometimes very indistinct or entirely wanting. the =gills= are crowded, white then yellow, where bruised becoming yellowish, then dull reddish. the =stem= is equal or tapering below, hollow or stuffed, paler than the pileus, smooth (sometimes pitted as shown in the fig. ). [illustration: figure .--lactarius chrysorrheus. cap white or flesh color, often tinged with yellowish, and with darker zones (natural size). copyright.] the plant is acrid to the taste, the milk white changing to citron yellow on exposure. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in the blue ridge mountains at blowing rock, n. c., september, . the species was quite abundant in this locality during august and september, in chestnut groves, mixed woods, and borders of woods. =lactarius deliciosus= (l.) fr. =edible.=--_lactarius deliciosus_ grows in damp woods, is widely distributed and sometimes is quite common. it occurs from july to october. it is one of the medium or large sized species, being -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. it is easily recognized by its orange color and the concentric zones of light and dark orange around on the pileus, and by the orange milk which is exuded where wounded. the =pileus= is first convex, then slightly depressed in the center, becoming more expanded, and finally more or less funnel-shaped by the elevation of the margin. it is usually more or less orange in color or mottled with varying shades, and with concentric bands of a deeper color. the =gills= are yellowish orange often with darker spots. the =stem= is of the same color as the pileus but paler, sometimes with darker spots. the flesh of the plant is white, shaded with orange. in old plants the color fades out somewhat and becomes unevenly tinged with green, and bruised places become green. peck states that when fresh the plant often has a slight acrid taste. being a widely distributed and not uncommon plant, and one so readily recognized, it has long been known in the old world as well as here. all writers on these subjects concur in recommending it for food, some pronouncing it excellent, some the most delicious known. its name suggests the estimation in which it was held when christened. =lactarius chelidonium= pk. =edible.=--this pretty little _lactarius_ was described by peck in the th report, n. y. state mus., p. . it is closely allied to _lactarius deliciosus_, from which it is said to differ in its "more narrow lamellæ, differently colored milk, smaller spores." the plant is about cm. high, the cap about cm. broad, and the stem -- . cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, firm, convex and depressed in the center, smooth, slightly viscid when moist, "of a grayish green color with blue and yellow tints, and a few narrow zones on the margin." the =gills= are crowded, narrow, some of them forked at the base, and sometimes joining to form reticulations. the =spores= are yellowish. the short =stem= is nearly equal, smooth, hollow, and the same color as the pileus. the taste is mild, the milk not abundant, and of a yellowish color, "resembling the juice of celandine or the liquid secreted from the mouth of grasshoppers." wounds on the plant are first of the color of the milk, changing on exposure to blue, and finally to green. the plant occurs during late summer and in the autumn in woods. peck reported it first from saratoga, n. y. it has been found elsewhere in the state, and it has probably quite a wide distribution. i found it during september, , in the blue ridge mountains of n. c. figure , plate , is from some of the water color drawings made by mr. franklin r. rathbun. [illustration: plate . fig. .--lactarius deliciosus. fig. .--l. chelidonium. fig. .--l. indigo. copyright .] =lactarius indigo= (schw.) fr.--the indigo blue lactarius is a very striking and easily recognized plant because of the rich indigo blue color so predominant in the entire plant. it is not very abundant, but is widely distributed in north america. the plant is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem is -- cm. in thickness. the plants occur during late summer and in the autumn. the =pileus= when young is umbilicate, the margin involute, and in age the margin becomes elevated and then the pileus is more or less funnel-shaped. the indigo blue color is deeply seated, and the surface of the pileus has a silvery gray appearance through which the indigo blue color is seen. the surface is marked by concentric zones of a darker shade. in age the color is apt to be less uniformly distributed, it is paler, and the zones are fainter. the _gills_ are crowded, and when bruised, or in age, the indigo blue color changes somewhat to greenish. the milk is dark blue. russula pers. the species of _russula_ are very characteristic, and the genus is easily recognized in most cases after a little experience. in the very brittle texture of the plants the genus resembles _lactarius_, and many of them are more brittle than the species of this genus. a section of the pileus shows under the microscope a similar vesicular condition, that is the grouping of large rounded cells together, with threads between. but the species of _russula_ are at once separated from those of _lactarius_ by the absence of a juice which exudes in drops from bruised parts of _lactarius_. while some of the species are white and others have dull or sombre colors, many of the species of _russula_ have bright, or even brilliant colors, as red, purple, violet, pink, blue, yellow, green. in determining many of the species, however, it is necessary to know the taste, whether mild, bitter, acrid, etc., and in this respect the genus again resembles _lactarius_. the color of the gills as well as the color of the spores in mass should also be determined. the genus is quite a large one, and the american species are not well known, the genus being a difficult one. in jour. mycolog., = =: -- , , the characters of the tribes of russula with descriptions of species are quoted from stevenson, with notes on their distribution in n. a. by macadam. =russula alutacea= fr. =edible.=--this handsome _russula_ differs from the others described here in the color of the gills and spores. the plant is common and occurs in mixed woods during the summer and early autumn. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem . -- . cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, oval to bell-shaped, becoming plane, and sometimes umbilicate. it is red or blood red in color, sometimes purple, and becoming pale in age, especially at the center. it is viscid when moist, the margin thin and striate-tuberculate. the =gills= are free from the stem, stout, broad, first white, becoming yellow, and in age ochraceous. the gills are all of the same length, not crowded, and they are connected by vein-like elevations over the surface. the =stem= is stout, solid, even, white, portions of the stem are red, sometimes purple. the taste is mild, and the plant is regarded as one of the very good ones for food. =russula lepida= fr. =edible.=--this elegant _russula_ occurs in birch woods or in mixed woods during late summer and autumn. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, convex, then expanded, obtuse, not shining, deep red, becoming pale in age, often whitish at the center, silky, in age the surface cracking, the margin blunt and not striate. the =gills= are rounded next the stem, thick, rather crowded, and sometimes forked, white, sometimes red on the edge near the margin of the pileus. the gills are often connected by vein-like elevations over the surface. the =stem= is equal, white or rose color. the taste is mild. =russula virescens= (schaeff.) fr. =edible.=--this plant grows on the ground in woods or in grassy places in groves from july to september. the stem is short, -- cm. long × -- cm. thick, and the cap is -- cm. broad. the plant is well known by the green color of the pileus and by the surface of the pileus being separated into numerous, quite regular, somewhat angular areas or patches, where the green color is more pronounced. the =pileus= is first rounded, then convex and expanded, and when old somewhat depressed in the center. it is quite firm, dry, greenish, and the surface with numerous angular floccose areas or patches of usually a deeper green. sometimes the pileus is said to be tinged with yellow. the =gills= are adnate, nearly free from the stem, and crowded. the =stem= is white and firm. the greenish russula, _russula virescens_, like a number of other plants, has long been recommended for food, both in europe and in this country. there are several species of _russula_ in which the pileus is green, but this species is readily distinguished from them by the greenish floccose patches on the surface of the pileus. =russula furcata= is a common species in similar situations, with forked gills, and the cap very variable in color, sometimes reddish, purple, purple brown, or in one form green. i know of the _russula furcata_ having been eaten in rather small quantities, and while in this case no harm resulted the taste was not agreeable. [illustration: plate . fig. .--russula virescens. fig. .--r. alutacea. fig. .--r. lepida. fig. .--r. emetica. fig. .--yellow russula. fig. .--r. adusta. copyright .] =russula fragilis= (pers.) fr.--this plant is very common in damp woods, or during wet weather from july to september. it is a small plant and very fragile, as its name suggests, much more so than most other species. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem about cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, sometimes slightly umbonate, then plane, and in age somewhat depressed. the cuticle peels off very easily. the color is often a bright red, or pink, sometimes purple or violet, and becomes paler in age. it is somewhat viscid when moist, and the margin is very thin and strongly striate and tuberculate, i. e., the ridges between the marginal furrows are tuberculate. the =gills= are lightly adnexed, thin, crowded, broad, all of the same length, white. the =stem= is usually white, sometimes more or less pink colored, spongy within, becoming hollow. the taste is very acrid. =russula emetica= fr. =poisonous.=--this _russula_ has a very wide distribution and occurs on the ground in woods or open places during summer and autumn. it is a beautiful species and very fragile. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is oval to bell-shaped when young, becoming plane, and in age depressed. it is smooth, shining, the margin furrowed and tuberculate. the color is from pink or rosy when young to dark red when older, and fading to tawny or sometimes yellowish in age. the cuticle is easily separable as in _r. fragilis_, the flesh white, but reddish just beneath the cuticle. the =gills= are nearly free, broad, not crowded, white. the stem is stout, spongy within, white or reddish, fragile when old. the plant is very acrid to the taste and is said to be poisonous, and to act as an emetic. =russula adusta= (pers.) fr.--this plant occurs on the ground in woods during late summer and in autumn. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem is -- . cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, firm, convex, depressed at the center, and when old more or less funnel-shaped from the upturning of the margin, which is at first incurved and smooth. it varies from white to gray and smoky color. the =gills= are adnate, or decurrent, thin, crowded, of unequal lengths, white, then becoming dark. the =stem= is colored like the pileus. the entire plant becomes darker in drying, sometimes almost black. it is near _russula nigricans_, but is smaller, and does not have a red juice as _r. nigricans_ has. cantharellus adanson. from the other white-spored agarics of a fleshy consistency _cantharellus_ is distinguished by the form of the gills. the gills are generally forked, once or several times, in a dichotomous manner, though sometimes irregularly. they are blunt on the edge, not acute as in most of the other genera. the gills are usually narrow and in many species look like veins, folds, or wrinkles, but in some species, as in _cantharellus aurantiacus_, they are rather thin and broad. [illustration: figure .--cantharellus cibarius. under view showing forked gills with veins connecting them. entire plant rich chrome yellow (natural size).] =cantharellus cibarius= fr. =edible.=--this plant is known as the _chanterelle_. it has a very wide distribution and has long been regarded as one of the best of the edible mushrooms. many of the writers on fungi speak of it in terms of high praise. the entire plant is a uniform rich chrome yellow. sometimes it is symmetrical in form, but usually it is more or less irregular and unsymmetrical in form. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem short and rather thick. [illustration: plate , figure .--cantharellus aurantiacus. color orange yellow, and cap varies ochre, raw sienna, tawny, in different specimens (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is fleshy, rather thick, the margin thick and blunt and at first inrolled. it is convex, becoming expanded or sometimes depressed by the margin of the cap becoming elevated. the margin is often wavy or repand, and in irregular forms it is only produced at one side, or more at one side than at the other, or the cap is irregularly lobed. the =gills= are very narrow, stout, distant, more or less sinuous, forked or anastomosing irregularly, and because of the pileus being something like an inverted cone the gills appear to run down on the stem. the =spores= are faintly yellowish, elliptical, -- µ. figure represents but a single specimen, and this one with a nearly lateral pileus. [illustration: figure .--cantharellus aurantiacus, under view, enlarged nearly twice, showing regularly forked gills.] =cantharellus aurantiacus= fr.--this orange cantharellus is very common, and occurs on the ground or on very rotten wood, logs, branches, etc., from summer to very late autumn. it is widely distributed in europe and america. it is easily known by its dull orange or brownish pileus, yellow gills, which are thin and regularly forked, and by the pileus being more or less depressed or funnel-shaped. the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem about -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, soft, flexible, convex, to expanded, or obconic, plane or depressed, or funnel-shaped, the margin strongly inrolled when young, in age simply incurved, the margin plane or repand and undulate. the color varies from ochre yellow to dull orange, or orange ochraceous, raw sienna, and tawny, in different specimens. it is often brownish at the center. the surface of the pileus is minutely tomentose with silky hairs, especially toward the center, and sometimes smooth toward the margin. the flesh is -- mm. at the center, and thin toward the margin. the gills are arcuate, decurrent, thin, the edge blunt, but not so much so as in a number of other species, crowded, regularly forked several times, at length ascending when the pileus is elevated at the margin. the color of the =gills= is orange to cadmium orange, or sometimes paler, cadmium yellow or deep chrome. the =stem= is clay color to ochre yellow, enlarged below, spongy, stuffed, fistulose, soft, fibrous, more or less ascending at the base. the taste is somewhat nutty, sometimes bitterish. the plants in fig. (no. , c. u. herbarium) were collected near ithaca, october , . marasmius fr. in this genus the plants are tough and fleshy or membranaceous, leathery and dry. they do not easily decay, but shrivel up in dry weather, and revive in wet weather, or when placed in water. this is an important character in distinguishing the genus. it is closely related to _collybia_, from which it is difficult to separate certain species. on the other hand, it is closely related to _lentinus_ and _panus_, both of which are tough and pliant. in _marasmius_, however, the substance of the pileus is separate from that of the stem, while in _lentinus_ and _panus_ it is continuous, a character rather difficult for the beginner to understand. the species of _marasmius_, however, are generally much smaller than those of _lentinus_ and _panus_, especially those which grow on wood. the stem in _marasmius_ is in nearly all species central, while in _lentinus_ and _panus_ it is generally more or less eccentric. many of the species of the genus _marasmius_ have an odor of garlic when fresh. besides the fairy ring (_m. oreades_) which grows on the ground, _m. rotula_ is a very common species on wood and leaves. it has a slender, black, shining stem, and a brownish pileus usually with a black spot in the depression in the center. the species are very numerous. peck, rd report, n. y. state mus., p. -- , describes species. morgan jour. cinn. soc. nat. hist. = =: -- , describes species. =marasmius oreades= fr. =edible.=--this is the well known "fairy ring" mushroom. it grows during the summer and autumn in grassy places, as in lawns, by roadsides, in pastures, etc. it appears most abundantly during wet weather or following heavy rains. it is found usually in circles, or in the arc of a circle, though few scattered plants not arranged in this way often occur. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--marasmius oreades. caps buff, tawny, or reddish.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, sometimes the center elevated, fleshy, rather thin, tough, smooth, buff color, or tawny or reddish, in age, or in drying, paler. when moist the pileus may be striate on the margin. the =gills= are broad, free or adnexed, rounded near the stem, white or dull yellowish. the =spores= are elliptical, -- µ long. the =stem= is tough, solid, whitish. this widely distributed fungus is much prized everywhere by those who know it. it is not the only fungus which appears in rings, so that this habit is not peculiar to this plant. several different kinds are known to appear in rings at times. the appearance of the fungus in rings is due to the mode of growth of the mycelium or spawn in the soil. having started at a given spot the mycelium consumes the food material in the soil suitable for it, and the plants for the first year appear in a group. in the center of this spot the mycelium, having consumed all the available food, probably dies after producing the crop of mushrooms. but around the edge of the spot the mycelium or spawn still exists, and at the beginning of the next season it starts into growth and feeds on the available food in a zone surrounding the spot where it grew the previous year. this second year, then, the plants appear in a small ring. so in succeeding years it advances outward, the ring each year becoming larger. where the plants appear only in the arc of a circle, something has happened to check or destroy the mycelium in the remaining arc of the circle. it has been noted by several observers that the grass in the ring occupied by the mushrooms is often greener than that adjoining. this is perhaps due to some stimulus exerted by the mycelium of the fungus on the grass, or possibly the mycelium may in some way make certain foods available for the grass which gives an additional supply to it at this point. fig. is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in a lawn, october , , ithaca. illustrations of some fine large rings formed by this fungus appeared in circular no. by mr. coville, of the division of botany in the u. s. dept. agr. =marasmius cohærens= (fr.) bres. (_mycena cohærens_ fr. _collybia lachnophylla_ berk. _collybia spinulifera_ pk.)--this plant grows in dense clusters, ten to twenty individuals with their stems closely joined below and fastened together by the abundant growth of threads from the lower ends. from this character the name _cohærens_ was derived. the plants grow on the ground or on very rotten wood in woods during late spring and in the summer. the plant is not very common in this country, but appears to be widely distributed both in europe and here, having been collected in carolina, ohio, vermont, new york, etc. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- . cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, tough, convex or bell-shaped, then expanded, sometimes umbonate, or in age sometimes the margin upturned and more or less wavy, not viscid, but finely striate when damp, thin. the color varies from vinaceous cinnamon to chestnut or light leather color, or tawny, paler in age, and sometimes darker on the center. the =gills= are sometimes more or less crowded, narrow, -- mm. broad, adnate, but notched, and sometimes becoming free from the stem. the color is light leather color, brick red or bay, the color and color variations being due to numbers of colored cystidia or spicules scattered over the surface of the gills and on the edge. the =cystidia= are fulvous, fusoid, -- µ long. the =spores= are oval, white, small, × µ. the =stem= is long and slender, nearly cylindrical, tapering somewhat above, slightly enlarged below, and rooting. the color is the same as that of the pileus or dark bay brown, and shining, and seems to be due to large numbers of spicules similar to those on the gills. the color is paler below in some cases, or gradually darker below in others. the stems are bound together below by numerous threads. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in woods near freeville, n. y. the plants have been collected near ithaca on three different occasions, twice near freeville about nine miles from ithaca, and once in the woods at ithaca. it is easily distinguished by its color and the presence of the peculiar setæ or cystidia. [illustration: figure .--marasmius cohaerens (fr.) bres. (= mycena cohaerens fr. = collybia lachnophylla berk. = c. spinulifera pk.) color chestnut, light leather color, tawny or vinaceous cinnamon, darker in center, stems dark, shining, gills leather color, or fulvous, or wine color, brick red or bay, varying in different specimens (natural size). copyright.] although the plant has been collected on several different occasions in america, it does not seem to have been recognized under this name until recently, save the record of it from carolina by de schweinitz (synop. fung. car. no. . p. ). lentinus fr. the plants of this genus are tough and pliant, becoming hard when old, unless very watery, and when dry. the genus differs from the other tough and pliant ones by the peculiarity of the gills, the gills being notched or serrate on the edges. sometimes this appearance is intensified by the cracking of the gills in age or in drying. the nearest ally of the genus is _panus_, which is only separated from _lentinus_ by the edge of the gills being plane. this does not seem a very good character on which to separate the species of the two genera, since it is often difficult to tell whether the gills are naturally serrate or whether they have become so by certain tensions which exist on the lamellæ during the expansion and drying of the pileus. schroeter unites _panus_ with _lentinus_ (cohn's krypt. flora, schlesien, = =, ; , ). the plants are usually very irregular and many of them shelving, only a few grow upright and have regular caps. =lentinus vulpinus= fr.--this is a large and handsome species, having a wide distribution in europe and in this country, but it does not seem to be common. it grows on trunks, logs, stumps, etc., in the woods. it was quite abundant during late summer and in the autumn on fallen logs, in a woods near ithaca. the =caps= are shelving, closely overlapping in shingled fashion (imbricated), and joined at the narrowed base. the surface is convex, and the margin is strongly incurved, so that each of the individual caps is shell-shaped (conchate). the surface of the pileus is coarsely hairy or hispid, the surface becoming more rough with age. many coarse hairs unite to form coarse tufts which are stouter and nearly erect toward the base of the cap, and give the surface a tuberculate appearance. toward the margin of the cap these coarse hairs are arranged in nearly parallel lines, making rows or ridges, which are very rough. the hairs and tubercles are dark in color, being nearly black toward the base, especially in old plants, and sometimes pale or of a smoky hue, especially in young plants. the pileus is flesh color when young, becoming darker when old, and the flesh is quite thin, whitish toward the gills and darker toward the surface. the =gills= are broad, nearly white, flesh color near the base, coarsely serrate, becoming cracked in age and in drying, narrowed toward the base of the pileus, not forked, crowded, -- mm. broad. the cap and gills are tough even when fresh. the plant has an intensely pungent taste. figures , represent an upper, front, and under view of the pilei (no. , c. u. herbarium). [illustration: plate , figure .--lentinus vulpinus. the coarse, hairy scales are black in old plants, paler, of a smoky hue, in younger ones (natural size). copyright.] =lentinus lecomtei= fr., is a very common and widely distributed species growing on wood. when it grows on the upper side of logs the pileus is sometimes regular and funnel-shaped (cyathiform), but it is often irregular and produced on one side, especially if it grows on the side of the substratum. in most cases, however, there is a funnel-shaped depression above the attachment of the stem. the =pileus= is tough, reddish or reddish brown or leather color, hairy or sometimes strigose, the margin incurved. the =stem= is usually short, hairy, or in age it may become more or less smooth. the =gills= are narrow, crowded, the spores small, ovate to elliptical -- × -- µ. according to bresadola this is the same as _panus rudis_ fr. it resembles very closely also _panus cyathiformis_ (schaeff.) fr., and _p. strigosus_ b. & c. =lentinus lepideus= fr., [_l. squamosus_ (schaeff.) schroet.] is another common and widely distributed species. it is much larger than _l. lecomtei_, whitish with coarse brown scales on the cap. it is -- cm. high, and the cap is often as broad. the stem is -- cm. long and -- cm. in thickness. it grows on wood. [illustration: figure .--lentinus vulpinus, front and under view (natural size). copyright.] =lentinus stipticus= (bull.) schroet. (_panus stipticus_ bull.) is a very small species compared with the three named above. it is, however, a very common and widely distributed one, growing on wood, and may be found the year around. the pileus is -- cm. in diameter, whitish or grayish, very tough, expanded in wet weather, and curled up in dry weather. the stem is very short, and attached to one side of the cap. when freshly developed the plant is phosphorescent. schizophyllum fr. this is a very interesting genus, but the species are very few. the plants are tough, pliant when fresh, and dry. the gills are very characteristic, being split along the edge and generally strongly revolute, that is, the split edges curve around against the side of the gill. this character can be seen sometimes with the aid of a hand lens, but is very evident when a section of the cap and gills is made and then examined with a microscope. the spores are white. [illustration: figure .--schizophyllum alneum (==s. commune). view of under side (natural size). copyright.] =schizophyllum alneum= (l.) schroet.--this species usually goes by the name of _schizophyllum commune_, but the earlier name is _s. alneum_. it is a very common plant and is world wide in its distribution, growing on wood, as on branches, trunks, etc. it is white, and the =pileus= is very hairy or tomentose, with coarse white hairs. it is -- cm. in diameter, and the cap is sessile, either attached at one side when the cap is more produced on one side than on the other, or it may be attached at or near the center of the top, when the cap is more evenly developed on all sides. it is often crenate or lobed on the margin, the larger plants showing this character more prominently. the margin is incurved. the =gills= are white, wooly, branched and extend out toward the margin of the cap like the radiations of a fan. the gills are deeply split along the edge, and strongly revolute. it is a very pretty plant, but one becomes rather tired of collecting it because it is so common. it may be found at all seasons of the year on dead sticks and branches, either in the woods or elsewhere, if the branches are present. it is very coriaceous, and tough. during dry weather it is much shrunken and curled up, but during rains it expands quickly and then it is seen in its beauty. [illustration: plate , figure .--trogia crispa. large cluster of caps, view of underside (natural size). copyright.] figure shows the plant in the expanded condition, from the under side. the plants were growing on a hickory branch, and were dry and shrunken when brought in the laboratory. the branch and the fungus were placed in water for a few hours, when the fungus expanded, and was then photographed in this condition. trogia fr. this genus is characterized, according to fries, by the gills being channeled along the edge, but singularly the only species attributed to the genus in europe and in our country has not channeled gills, but only somewhat crisped along the edges. it is usually, therefore, a difficult matter for a beginner to determine the plant simply from this description. the gills are furthermore narrow, irregular, and the plants are somewhat soft and flabby when wet, but brittle and persistent when dry, so that when moistened they revive and appear as if fresh. =trogia crispa= fr.--this species is the principal if not only one in europe and america. it is widely distributed, and sometimes not very uncommon. it occurs on trunks, branches, etc., often on the birch. the plants are from . -- cm. broad, usually sessile. the upper surface is whitish or reddish yellow toward the attachment, sometimes tan color, and when young it is sometimes covered with whitish hairs. the gills are very narrow, vein-like, irregular, interrupted or continuous, and often more or less branched. the gills are very much crisped, hence the name, blunt at the edge and white or bluish gray. the caps are usually much crowded and overlapped in an imbricated fashion as shown in fig. ; a photograph of a fine specimen after being moistened. chapter vii. the rosy-spored agarics. the spores are rosy, pink, salmon colored, flesh colored, or reddish. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxiv. pluteus fr. in the genus _pluteus_ the volva and annulus are both wanting, the gills are usually free from the stem, and the stem is easily broken out from the substance of the cap, reminding one in some cases of a ball and socket joint. the substance of the cap is thus said to be not continuous with that of the stem. the spores seen in mass are flesh colored as in other genera of this subdivision of the agarics. [illustration: figure .--pluteus cervinus. cap grayish brown, or sooty, smooth or sometimes scaly, rarely white, stem same color, but paler; gills first white, then flesh color (natural size, often larger). copyright.] =pluteus cervinus= schaeff. =edible.=--this is one of the very common species of the higher fungi, and is also very widely distributed. it varies considerably in size and appearance. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. it occurs on the ground from underground roots or rotten wood, or grows on decaying stumps, logs, etc., from spring until late autumn. sometimes it is found growing in sawdust. the =pileus= is fleshy, bell-shaped, then convex, and becoming expanded, the surface usually smooth, but showing radiating fibrils, grayish brown, or sometimes sooty, sometimes more or less scaly. the =gills= are not crowded, broad, free from the stem, white, then becoming flesh color with the maturity of the spores. one very characteristic feature of the plant is the presence of =cystidia= in the hymenium on the gills. these are stout, colorless, elliptical, thick-walled, and terminate in two or three blunt, short prongs. the =stem= is nearly equal, solid, the color much the same as that of the pileus, but often paler above, smooth or sometimes scaly. in some forms the plant is entirely white, except the gills. in addition to the white forms occurring in the woods, i have found them in an old abandoned cement mine growing on wood props. [illustration: figure .--pluteus tomentosulus. cap and stem entirely white, gills flesh color, stem furrowed and tomentose (natural size). copyright.] =pluteus tomentosulus= pk.--this plant was described by peck in the d report, n. y. state mus., page , . it grows on decaying wood in the woods during july and august. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the description given by peck is as follows: "pileus thin, convex or expanded, subumbonate, dry, minutely squamulose-tomentose, white, sometimes pinkish on the margin; lamellæ rather broad, rounded behind, free, crowded, white then flesh colored; stem equal, solid, striate, slightly pubescent or subtomentose, white; spores subglobose, µ in diameter, generally containing a large single nucleus." from the plant collected at ithaca the following notes were made. the =pileus= and stem are entirely white, the gills flesh color. the pileus is expanded, umbonate, thin except at the umbo, minutely floccose squamulose, no pinkish tinge noted; the flesh is white, but on the umbo changing to flesh color where wounded. the =gills= are free, with a clear white space between stem and rounded edges, crowded, narrow (about -- mm. broad) edge finely fimbriate, probably formed by numerous bottle-shaped cystidia on the edge, and which extend up a little distance on the side of the gills, but are not distributed in numbers over the surface of the gills; =cystidia= thin walled, hyaline. the =spores= are flesh colored, subglobose, -- µ. =stem= cylindrical, even, twisted somewhat, white, striate and minutely squamulose like the pileus, but with coarser scales, especially toward the base, solid, flesh white. the species received its name from the tomentose, striate character of the stem. the plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) illustrated in fig. were collected in enfield gorge, vicinity of ithaca, july , . volvaria fr. this genus takes its name from the volva, which means a wrapper, and which, as we know from our studies of _amanita_, entirely envelops the plant at a young stage. the genus is characterized then by the rosy or reddish spores, the presence of a volva, and the annulus is wanting. the stem is easily separable from the pileus at its junction, in this respect being similar to _amanita_, _amanitopsis_, _lepiota_ and others. the gills are usually, also, free from the stem. the species grow on rotting wood, on leaf mould and on richly manured ground, etc. they are of a very soft texture and usually soon decay. =volvaria bombycina= (pers.) fr. =edible.=--the silky volvaria is so called because of the beautiful silky texture of the surface of the cap. it is not very common, but is world wide in its distribution, and occurs on decayed wood of logs, stumps, etc., during late summer and in autumn. it is usually of a beautiful white color, large, the volva large and thick, reminding one of a bag, and the stem is ascending when the plant grows on the side of the trunk, or erect when it grows on the upper side of a log or stump. the plant is from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- . cm. thickness. the =pileus= is globose, then bell-shaped, and finally convex and somewhat umbonate, white, according to some becoming somewhat reddish. the entire surface is silky, and numerous hairs stand out in the form of soft down, when older the surface becoming more or less scaly, or rarely becoming smooth at the apex. the flesh is white. the =gills= are crowded, very broad along the middle, flesh colored, the edge sometimes ragged. the =spores= are rosy in mass, oval to broadly elliptical, -- × -- µ, smooth. the =stem= tapers from the base to the apex, is solid, smooth. the =volva= is large and bag-like. the plant is considered edible by some. figure is from a plant (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected on a log of acer rubrum in cascadilla woods, ithaca, on august th, . [illustration: figure .--volvaria bombycina. cap, stem and volva entirely white, gills flesh color (natural size). copyright.] =volvaria speciosa= fr.--this plant seems to be rare, but it has a wide distribution in europe and the united states. it occurs on richly manured ground, on dung, etc. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the entire plant is white or whitish, sometimes grayish, especially at the center, where it is also sometimes darker and of a smoky color. the =pileus= is globose when young, then bell-shaped, and finally more or less expanded, and umbonate, smooth, very viscid, so that earth, leaves, etc., cling to it. the flesh is white and very soft. the =gills= are free, flesh colored to reddish or fulvous, from the deeply colored spores. the =spores= are broadly elliptical, or oval, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is nearly cylindrical, or tapering evenly from the base, when young more or less hairy, becoming smooth. the =volva= is large, edge free, but fitting very close, flabby and irregularly torn. the species is reported from california by mcclatchie, and from wisconsin by bundy. specimens were received in june, , from dr. post of lansing, mich., which were collected there in a potato patch. it was abundant during may and june. plants which were sent in a fresh condition were badly decayed by the time they reached ithaca, and the odor was very disagreeable. it is remarkable that the odor was that of rotting potatoes! in this connection might be mentioned dr. peck's observation (bull. torr. bot. club : p. , ) that _agaricus maritimus_ pk., which grows near the seashore, possessed "a taste and odor suggestive of the sea." mcclatchie reports that it is common in cultivated soil, especially grain fields and along roads, and that it is "a fine edible agaric and our most abundant one in california." clitopilus fr. in the rosy-spored agarics belonging to this genus the gills are decurrent, that is, extend for some distance down on the stem. the stem is fleshy. the gills are white at first and become pink or salmon color as the plants mature, and the spores take on their characteristic color. the plants should thus not be confused with any of the species of _agaricus_ to which the common mushroom belongs, since in those species the gills become dark brown or blackish when mature. the genus corresponds with _clitocybe_ among the white-spored ones. =clitopilus prunulus= scop. =edible.=--this species grows on the ground in the woods from mid-summer to autumn. it is not very common, but sometimes appears in considerable quantities at one place. during the autumn of quite a large number of specimens were found in a woods near ithaca, growing on the ground around an old stump. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and stem -- cm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--clitopilus prunulus, cap whitish or dark gray, gills flesh color (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is fleshy, firm, convex and becoming nearly plane, and sometimes as the plants become old the center may be slightly depressed. it is whitish in color, or dark gray, or with a leaden tint, dry, sometimes with a distinct bloom on the surface, and the margin is often wavy. the cap is sometimes produced more on one side than on the other. the =gills= are not close, at first whitish, then salmon colored as the spores mature, and they are decurrent as is characteristic of the genus. the =spores= are elliptical or nearly so, and measure -- µ long. figure is from plants collected near ithaca, in the autumn of . this species is considered to be one of the excellent mushrooms for food. when fresh it has a mealy odor and taste, as do several of the species of this genus. it is known as the prune mushroom. =clitopilus orcella= bull. =edible.=--this plant is sometimes spoken of as the sweet-bread mushroom. it is much like the prune mushroom just described, in odor and taste, and sometimes resembles it in form and other characters. it is white in color, and the plants are usually considerably smaller, and the pileus is, according to my observations, sometimes more irregular, lobed and wavy on the margin. the flesh is also softer, and the cap is said to be slightly viscid in wet weather. the plant grows in the woods and sometimes in open fields. entoloma fr. the volva and annulus are absent in this genus, the spores are rosy, the gills adnate to sinuate or adnexed, easily separating from the stem in some species. the stem is fleshy or fibrous, sometimes waxy, and the pileus is fleshy with the margin incurved, especially when young. the spores are prominently angular. the genus corresponds with _tricholoma_ of the white-spored agarics, and also with _hebeloma_ and _inocybe_ of the ochre-spored ones. _entoloma repandum_ bull., is an _inocybe_ [_i. repandum_ (bull.) bres.] and has angular spores resembling those of an _entoloma_, but the spores are not rosy. =entoloma jubatum= fr.--growing on the ground in woods. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is conic in some plants, to convex and umbonate, thin, minutely scaly with blackish hairy scales, dull heliotrope purple, darker on the umbo. the =gills= are vinaceous rufus to deep flesh color, strongly sinuate, and irregularly notched along the edge. the =spores= are irregularly oval to short oblong, coarsely angular, with an oil drop, -- angled, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is of the same color as the pileus, sometimes deeply rooting, hollow. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . =entoloma grayanum= pk.--this plant grows on the ground in woods. it is from -- cm. high, the cap is -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--entoloma jubatum. entire plant dull heliotrope purple, gills later flesh color (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, sometimes broadly umbonate, drab in color, the surface wrinkled or rugose, and watery in appearance. the flesh is thin and the margin incurved. the =gills= are first drab in color, but lighter than the pileus, becoming pinkish in age. the =spores= on paper are very light salmon color. they are globose or rounded in outline, -- angled, with an oil globule, -- µ in diameter. the =stem= is the same color as the pileus, but lighter, striate, hollow, somewhat twisted, and enlarged below. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . [illustration: figure .--entoloma grayanum. cap and stem drab, gills flesh color (natural size). copyright.] =entoloma strictius= pk.--the plants grow in grassy places, pastures, etc. they are clustered, sometimes two or three joined at the base of the stem. they are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, the disk expanded, and the margin incurved and more or less wavy or repand on the extreme edge. it is umbonate at the center with usually a slight depression around the umbo, smooth, watery (hygrophanous) in appearance, not viscid, of an umber color, shining, faintly and closely striate on the margin. in drying the surface of the pileus loses some of its dark umber color and presents a silvery sheen. the flesh is fibrous and umber color also. the =gills= are grayish white, then tinged with flesh color, slightly sinuate, the longer ones somewhat broader in the middle (ventricose), rather distant, and quite thick as seen in cross section, the center of the gill (trama) presenting parallel threads. the sub-hymenium is very thin and composed of small cells; the =basidia= are clavate, -- × -- µ, and four-spored. the =spores= are dull rose color on paper, subgloblose, -- µ in diameter, angular with -- angles as seen from one side. the =stem= is the same color as the pileus, but considerably lighter. it is hollow with white fibers within, fibrous striate on the surface, twisted, brittle, and somewhat cartilaginous, partly snapping, but holding by fibers in places, cylindrical, even, ascending, with delicate white fibers covering the lower end. [illustration: figure .--entoloma strictius. cap umber or smoky, stem paler, gills grayish, then flesh color (natural size). copyright.] figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected near ithaca, october, . leptonia fr. in _leptonia_ the stem is cartilaginous, hollow or stuffed, smooth and somewhat shining. the pileus is thin, umbilicate or with the center darker, the surface hairy or scaly, and the margin at first incurved. the gills are adnate or adnexed at first, and easily separating from the stem in age. many of the species are bright colored. [illustration: figure .--leptonia asprella. cap hair brown (mouse colored), minute dark scales at center, stem same color, but sometimes reddish brown, green or blue, gills flesh color.] =leptonia asprella= fr.--this species occurs on the ground in woods or in open grassy places. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, then more or less expanded, umbilicate, rarely umbonate, hair brown (mouse colored), with dark scales on the center and minute scales over the surface, striate. the =gills= are sinuate to adnexed. the =spores= are strongly -- angled, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is smooth, even, usually the same color as the cap, but sometimes it is reddish brown, green, or blue. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . =leptonia incana= fr., is a more common species, and is characterized by an odor of mice. eccilia fr. the genus _eccilia_ corresponds with _omphalia_ of the white-spored agarics. the stem is cartilaginous, hollow or stuffed. the pileus is thin and somewhat membranaceous, plane or depressed at the center, and the margin at first incurved. the gills are more or less decurrent. =eccilia polita= pers.--this plant occurs on the ground in woods. it is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--eccilia polita. cap hair brown to olive, stem lighter, gills flesh color, notched and irregular (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex and umbilicate, somewhat membranaceous, smooth, watery in appearance, finely striate on the margin, hair brown to olive in color. the =gills= are decurrent. in the specimens illustrated in fig. the gills are very irregular and many of them appear sinuate. the =spores= are strongly -- angled, some of them square, -- µ in diameter, with a prominent mucro at one angle. the =stem= is cartilaginous, becoming hollow, lighter in color than the pileus, and somewhat enlarged below. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . [illustration: plate , figure .--claudopus nidulans, view of under side. cap rich yellow or buff, gills flesh color (natural size). copyright.] claudopus w. smith. in the genus _claudopus_, recognized by some, the pileus is eccentric or lateral, that is, the stem is attached near the side of the cap, or the cap is sessile and attached by one side to the wood on which the plant is growing; or the plants are resupinate, that is, they may be spread over the surface of the wood. the genus is perhaps not well separated from some of the species of _pleurotus_ with lilac spores like _p. sapidus_. in fact, a number of the species were formerly placed in _pleurotus_, while others were placed in _crepidotus_ among the ochre-spored agarics. several species are reported from america. peck in th report n. y. state mus., p. , _et seq._, , describes five species. =claudopus nidulans= (pers.) pk.--this is one of the very pretty agarics growing on dead branches and trunks during the autumn, and is widely distributed. it has, however, been placed in the genus _pleurotus_, as _p. nidulans_. but because of the pink color of the spores in mass, peck places it in the genus _claudopus_, where fries suggested it should go if removed from _pleurotus_. it seems to be identical with _panus dorsalis bosc_. it is usually sessile and attached to the side of dead branches, logs, etc., in a shelving manner, or sometimes it is resupinate. the =pileus= is sessile, or sometimes narrowed at the base into a short stem, the caps often numerous and crowded together in an overlapping or imbricate manner. it is nearly orbicular, or reniform, and -- cm. broad. the margin is at first involute. the surface is coarsely hairy or tomentose, or scaly toward the margin, of a rich yellow or buff color. it is soft, but rather tough in consistency. the =gills= are broad, orange yellow. the =spores=, pink in mass, are smooth, elongated, somewhat curved, -- µ long. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in woods near ithaca. chapter viii. the ochre-spored agarics. the spores are ochre yellow, rusty, rusty-brown, or some shade of yellow. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxiv. pholiota fr. the genus _pholiota_ has ferruginous or ferruginous brown spores. it lacks a volva, but has an annulus; the gills are attached to the stem. it then corresponds to _armillaria_ among white-spored agarics, and _stropharia_ among the purple-brown-spored ones. there is one genus in the ochre or yellow-spored plants with which it is liable to be confused on account of the veil, namely _cortinarius_, but in the latter the veil is in the form of loose threads, and is called an arachnoid veil, that is, the veil is spider-web-like. many of the species of _pholiota_ grow on trunks, stumps, and branches of trees, some grow on the ground. =pholiota præcox= pers. =edible.=--_agaricus candicans_ bull. t. , : _pholiota candicans_ schroeter, krypt, flora, schlesien, p. , . this plant occurs during late spring and in the summer, in pastures, lawns and grassy places, roadsides, open woods, etc. sometimes it is very common, especially during or after prolonged or heavy rains. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the plants are scattered or a few sometimes clustered. the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, whitish to cream color or yellowish, then leather color, fleshy, the margin at first incurved, moist, not viscid. sometimes the pileus is umbonate. the surface is sometimes uneven from numerous crowded shallow pits, giving it a frothy appearance. in age the margin often becomes upturned and fluted. the =gills= are adnate or slightly decurrent by a tooth, -- mm. broad, a little broader at or near the middle, crowded, white, then ferruginous brown, edge sometimes whitish. there is often a prominent angle in the gills at their broadest diameter, not far from the stem, which gives to them, when the plants are young or middle age, a sinuate appearance. the =spores= are ferruginous brown, elliptical. =cystidia= abruptly club-shaped, with a broad apiculus. the =stem= is stuffed, later fistulose, even, fragile, striate often above the annulus. the stem is whitish or sometimes flesh color. the veil is whitish, large, frail, and sometimes breaks away from the stem and clings in shreds to the margin of the cap. [illustration: plate , figure .--pholiota praecox. cap whitish, to cream, or leather color, stem white, gills white then ferruginous brown (natural size). copyright.] figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected on the campus of cornell university, june, . the taste is often slightly bitter. =pholiota marginata= batsch.--this is one of the very common species, a small one, occurring all during the autumn, on decaying trunks, etc., in the woods. the plants are usually clustered, though appearing also singly. they are from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- µ in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--pholiota adiposa. cap very viscid, saffron-yellow or burnt umber or wood-brown in center, scales wood-brown to nearly black, stem whitish then yellowish; gills brownish, edge yellow (natural size, sometimes larger). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, then plane, tan or leather colored, darker when dry. it has a watery appearance (hygrophanous), somewhat fleshy, smooth, striate on the margin. the =gills= are joined squarely to the stem, crowded, at maturity dark reddish brown from the spores. [illustration: figure .--pholiota marginata. cap and stem tan or leather color, gills dark reddish brown when mature (natural size). copyright.] the =stem= is cylindrical, equal, smooth, fistulose, of the same color as the pileus, becoming darker, and often with whitish fibrils at the base. the =annulus= is distant from the apex of the stem, and often disappears soon after the expansion of the pileus. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected near ithaca. =pholiota unicolor= vahl, is a smaller plant which grows in similar situations. the plants are usually clustered, -- cm. high, and the caps -- mm. in diameter, the annulus is thin but entire and persistent. the entire plant is bay brown, becoming ochraceous in color, and the margin of the cap in age is striate, first bell-shaped, then convex and somewhat umbonate. the gills are lightly adnexed. =pholiota adiposa= fr.--the fatty pholiota usually forms large clusters during the autumn, on the trunks of trees, stumps, etc. it is sometimes of large size, measuring up to cm. and the pileus up to cm. broad. specimens collected at ithaca during october, , were -- cm. high, the pileus -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the plants grew eight to ten in a cluster and the bases of the stems were closely crowded and loosely joined. the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, the margin more or less inrolled, then incurved, prominently umbonate, very viscid when moist, the ground color a saffron yellow or in the center burnt umber to wood brown. the cuticle of the pileus is plain or torn into scales which are wood brown, or when close together they are often darker, sometimes nearly black. the flesh is saffron yellow, thick at the center of the cap, thinning out toward the margin, spongy and almost tasteless. the =gills= are adnate, and sometimes a little notched, brown (mars brown), and the edge yellow, -- mm. broad. the =spores= are × µ. the =stem= tapers downward, is compact, whitish then yellow, saffron yellow, flesh vinaceous, viscid, and clothed more or less with reflexed (pointing downward) scales. the stem is somewhat cartilaginous, tough, but snapping off in places. the veil is thin floccose and sometimes with coarse scales, soon disappearing. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected on the ithaca flats from a willow trunk, oct. , . =pholiota aurivella= batsch, which has been found in the united states, is closely related to _p. adiposa_. =pholiota squarrosa= müll., widely distributed and common in the autumn, both in europe and america, on stumps and trunks, is a large, clustered, scaly plant, the scales "squarrose", and abundant over the pileus and on the stem below the annulus. it is brownish or ferruginous in color. =pholiota squarrosoides= pk., as its name indicates, is closely related to _p. squarrosa_. it has erect, pointed, persistent scales, especially when young, and has a similar habit to _squarrosa_, but differs chiefly in the pileus being viscid, while that of _p. squarrosa_ is dry. _p. subsquarrosa_ fr., occurring in europe, and also closely related to _p. squarrosa_, is viscid, the scales are closely appressed to the surface of the cap, while in _squarrosa_ they are prominent and revolute. =pholiota cerasina= pk., occurs on decaying trunks of trees during late summer. the plants grow in tufts. they are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. in diameter, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. the pileus is smooth, watery when damp, cinnamon in color when fresh, becoming yellowish in drying, and the flesh is yellowish. the stem is solid, and equal, the apex mealy. the annulus is not persistent, and the gills are crowded and notched. the spores are elliptical, and rugose, × µ. [illustration: plate , figure .--pholiota squarrosoides. entire plant brownish or reddish brown; pileus viscid (three-fourths natural size). copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--pholiota johnsoniana. cap yellowish to yellowish brown, stem whitish, gills grayish then rust-brown (natural size). copyright.] =pholiota johnsoniana= pk. =edible.=--this species was described from specimens collected at knowersville, n. y., in , by peck, in the rd report n. y. state mus., p. , as _agaricus johnsonianus_. i found it at ithaca, n. y., for the first time during the summer of , and it was rather common during september, , in the blue ridge mountains at blowing rock, n. c. it grows in woods or in pastures on the ground. the larger and handsomer specimens i have found in rather damp but well drained woods. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is fleshy, very thick at the center, convex, then expanded and plane, smooth, sometimes finely striate on the thin margin when moist, yellowish, or fulvous, the margin whitish. the =gills= are attached to the stem by the upper angle (adnexed), rounded, or some of them angled, some nearly free. in color they are first gray, then rusty brown. they appear ascending because of the somewhat top-shaped pileus. the =spores= are irregularly ovoid, -- × -- . µ. the =stem= is cylindrical or slightly tapering upward, smooth, slightly striate above the annulus, whitish, solid, with a tendency to become hollow. the =veil= is thick, and the annulus narrow and very thick or "tumid," easily breaking up and disappearing. the plant is quite readily distinguished by the form of the pileus with the ascending gills and the tumid annulus. peck says it has a "somewhat nutty flavor." figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . naucoria fr. this genus, with ferruginous spores, corresponds with _collybia_ among the white-spored agarics. the gills are free or attached, but not decurrent, and the stem is cartilaginous. the plants grow both on the ground and on wood. peck, rd report n. y. state mus., p. , _et seq._, gives a synopsis of seven species. =naucoria semi-orbicularis= bull. =edible.=--this is one of the common and widely distributed species. it occurs in lawns, pastures, roadsides, etc., in waste places, from june to autumn, being more abundant in rainy weather. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, and is remarkably hemispherical, from which the species takes the name of _semi-orbicularis_. it is smooth, viscid when moist, tawny, and in age ochraceous, sometimes the surface is cracked into areas. the =gills= are attached, sometimes notched, crowded, much broader than the thickness of the pileus, pale, then reddish brown. the =stem= is tough, slender, smooth, even, pale reddish brown, shining, stuffed with a whitish pith. peck says that the plants have an oily flavor resembling beechnuts. =naucoria vernalis= pk.--_naucoria vernalis_ was described by peck in rd report n. y. state mus., p. , from plants collected in may. the plants described here appeared in woods in late autumn. the specimens from which this description is drawn were found growing from the under side of a very rotten beech log, usually from deep crevices in the log, so that only the pileus is visible or exposed well to the view. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the taste is bitter. [illustration: figure .--naucoria vernalis. cap hair brown to clay color; gills grayish brown to wood brown; stem clay color (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, then the center is nearly or quite expanded, the margin at first inrolled and never fully expanded, hygrophanous, smooth (not striate nor rugose), flesh about -- mm. thick at center, thin toward the margin. the color changes during growth, it is from ochraceous rufus when young ( -- mm. broad), then clove brown to hair brown and clay color in age. the =gills= are grayish brown to wood brown, at first adnate to slightly sinuate, then easily breaking away and appearing adnexed. the =spores= are wood brown in color, oval to short elliptical and inequilateral -- × -- µ. =cystidia= hyaline, bottle shaped, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is somewhat hollow and stuffed, rather cartilaginous, though somewhat brittle, especially when very damp, breaking out from the pileus easily though with fragments of the gills remaining attached, not strongly continuous with the substance of the pileus. the color is buff to pale clay color; the stem being even, not bulbous but somewhat enlarged below, mealy over the entire length, which may be washed off by rains, striate at apex either from marks left by the gills or remnants of the gills as they become freed from the stem. base of stem sometimes with white cottony threads, especially in damp situations. in the original description the stem is said to be "striate sulcate." figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in woods near ithaca, october , . galera fr. _galera_ with ochraceous (ochraceous ferruginous) spores corresponds to _mycena_ among the white-spored agarics. the pileus is usually bell-shaped, and when young the margin fits straight against the stem. the stem is somewhat cartilaginous, but often very fragile. the genus does not contain many species. peck gives a synopsis of five american species in the rd report n. y. state mus., p. , _et seq._, and of twelve species in the th report, p. , _et seq._ one of the common species is =galera tenera= schaeff. it occurs in grassy fields or in manured places. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- mm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is oval to bell-shaped, and tawny in color, thin, smooth, finely striate, becoming paler when dry. the =gills= are crowded, reddish-brown, adnexed and easily separating. the =stem= is smooth, colored like the pileus but a little paler, sometimes striate, and with mealy whitish particles above. =galera lateritia= is a related species, somewhat larger, and growing on dung heaps and in fields and lawns. =galera ovalis= fr., is also a larger plant, somewhat shorter than the latter, and with a prominent ovate cap when young. =galera antipoda= lasch., similar in general appearance to g. _tenera_, has a rooting base by which it is easily known. =galera flava= pk., occurs among vegetable mold in woods. the pileus is membraneous, ovate or campanulate, moist or somewhat watery, obtuse, plicate, striate on the margin, yellow. the plants are -- cm. high, the caps -- mm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the plant is recognized by the pale yellow color of the caps and the plicate striate character of the margin. the plicate striate character of the cap is singular among the species of this genus, and is shared by another species, =g. coprinoides= pk. flammula fr. in the genus _flammula_, the pileus is fleshy, stem fleshy-fibrous, and the gills adnate to decurrent. [illustration: figure .--flammula polychroa, under view. cap vinaceous buff to orange buff, scales lilac, purple or lavender; gills drab to hair brown (natural size). copyright.] =flammula polychroa= berk.--this is a beautiful plant with tints of violet, lavender, lilac and purple, especially on the scales of the pileus, on the veil and on the stem. it occurs in clusters during late summer and autumn, on logs, branches, etc., in the woods. the plants occur singly, but more often in clusters of three to eight or more. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, and in the young stage the margin strongly incurved, later the cap becomes expanded and has a very broad umbo. it is very viscid. the surface is covered with delicate hairs which form scales, more prominent during mid-age of the plant, and on the margin of the cap. these scales are very delicate and vary in color from vinaceous-buff, lilac, wine-purple, or lavender. the ground color of the pileus is vinaceous-buff or orange-buff, and toward the margin often with shades of beryl-green, especially where it has been touched. in the young plants the color of the delicate hairy surface is deeper, often phlox-purple, the color becoming thinner as the cap expands. the =gills= are notched (sinuate) at the stem, or adnate, sometimes slightly decurrent, crowded. before exposure by the rupture of the veil they are cream-buff in color, then taking on darker shades, drab to hair brown or sepia with a purple tinge. the =stem= is yellowish, nearly or quite the color of the cap, often with a purplish tinge at the base. it is covered with numerous small punctate scales of the same color, or sulphur yellow above where they are more crowded and larger. the scales do not extend on the stem above the point where the veil is attached. the stem is slightly striate above the attachment of the veil. it is somewhat tough and cartilaginous, solid, or in age stuffed, or nearly hollow. the =veil= is floccose and quite thick when the plant is young. it is scaly on the under side, clinging to the margin of the pileus in triangular remnants, appearing like a crown. the color of the veil and of its remnants is the same as the color of the scales of the cap. the spores in mass are light brown, and when fresh with a slight purple tinge. (the color of the spores on white paper is near walnut brown or hair brown of ridgeway's colors.) under the microscope they are yellowish, oval or short oblong, often inequilateral, -- × -- µ. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., september, , on a fallen maple log. the plants sometimes occur singly. it has been collected at ithaca, n. y., and was first described from plants collected at waynesville, ohio. =flammula sapinea= fr., is a common plant growing on dead coniferous wood. it is dull yellow, the pileus -- cm. in diameter, and with numerous small scales. hebeloma fr. in _hebeloma_ the gills are either squarely set against the stem (adnate) or they are notched (sinuate), and the spores are clay-colored. the edge of the gills is usually whitish, the surface clay-colored. the veil is only seen in the young stage, and then is very delicate and fibrillose. the stem is fleshy and fibrous, and somewhat mealy at the apex. the genus corresponds with _tricholoma_ of the white-spored agarics. all the species are regarded as unwholesome, and some are considered poisonous. the species largely occur during the autumn. few have been studied in america. =hebeloma crustuliniforme= bull.--this plant is usually common in some of the lawns, during the autumn, at ithaca, n. y. it often forms rings as it grows on the ground. it is from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. in diameter, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--hebeloma crustuliniforme, var. minor. cap whitish or tan color, or reddish-brown at center; gills clay color (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex and expanded, somewhat umbonate, viscid when moist, whitish or tan color, darker over the center, where it is often reddish-brown. the =gills= are adnexed and rounded near the stem, crowded, whitish, then clay color and reddish-brown, the edge whitish and irregular. the =gills= are said to exude watery drops in wet weather. the =stem= is stuffed, later hollow, somewhat enlarged at the base, white, and mealy at the apex. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in lawns on the cornell university campus. the plants in this figure seem to represent the variety _minor_. inocybe fr. in the genus _inocybe_ there is a universal veil which is fibrillose in character, and more or less closely joined with the cuticle of the pileus, and the surface of the pileus is therefore marked with fibrils or is more or less scaly. sometimes the margin of the pileus possesses remnants of a veil which is quite prominent in a few species. the gills are adnate, or sinuate, rarely decurrent, and in one species they are free. it is thus seen that the species vary widely, and there may be, after a careful study of the species, grounds for the separation of the species into several genera. one of the most remarkable species is _inocybe echinata_ roth. this plant is covered with a universal veil of a sooty color and powdery in nature. the gills are reddish purple, and the stem is of the same color, the spores on white paper of a faint purplish red color. some place in it _psalliota_. collected at ithaca in august, . tubaria w. smith. in the genus _tubaria_ the spores are rust-red, or rusty brown (ferruginous or fuscous-ferruginous), the stem is somewhat cartilaginous, hollow, and, what is more important, the gills are more or less decurrent, broad next to the stem, and thus more or less triangular in outline. it is related to _naucoria_ and _galera_, but differs in the decurrent gills. the pileus is convex, or with an umbilicus. =tubaria pellucida= bull.--this species grows by roadsides in grassy places. the plants are from -- cm. high, and the cap -- cm. in diameter, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--tubaria pellucida. dull reddish brown (natural size).] the =pileus= is conic, then bell-shaped, often expanded and with a slight umbo; the color is dull, reddish brown, and it has a watery appearance. the plant is sometimes enveloped with a loose and delicate universal or outer veil, which remains on the margin of the cap in the form of silky squamules as shown in the figure. the margin of the pileus is faintly striate. the =gills= are only slightly decurrent. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected along a street in ithaca. the stem is at first solid, becoming hollow, tapering above, and the apex is mealy. crepidotus fr. in _crepidotus_ the pileus is lateral, or eccentric, and thus more or less shelving, or it is resupinate, that is, lying flat or nearly so on the wood. the species are usually of small size, thin, soft and fleshy. the spores are reddish brown (ferruginous). the genus corresponds to _pleurotus_ among the white-spored agarics, or to _claudopus_ among the rosy-spored ones. peck describes eleven species in the th report, n. y. state mus., p. et seq., . =crepidotus versutus= pk.--this little _crepidotus_ has a pure white pileus which is covered with a soft, whitish down. the plants grow usually on the underside of rotten wood or bark, and then the upper side of the cap lies against the wood, and is said to be resupinate. sometimes where they grow toward the side of the log the cap has a tendency to be shelving. in the resupinate forms the cap is attached usually near one side, and then is produced more at the opposite side, so that it is more or less lateral or eccentric. as the plant becomes mature the edge is free from the wood for some distance, only being attached over a small area. the cap is somewhat reniform, thin, and from -- cm. in diameter. the =gills= radiate from the point where the cap is attached to the substratum, are not crowded, rounded behind, that is, at the lateral part of the cap where they converge. they are whitish, then ferruginous from the spores. the =spores= are sub-elliptical, sometimes inequilateral, and measure from -- × -- µ. [illustration: figure .--crepidotus versutus. cap white, downy; gills whitish, then rusty (twice natural size) copyright.] =crepidotus herbarum= pk., is a closely related species, separated on account of the smaller spores. both species grow either on herbs or decaying wood. as suggested by peck they are both closely related to _c. chimonophilus_ berk., which has "oblong elliptical" spores. the shape of the spores does not seem to differ from the specimens which i have taken to be _c. versutus_. =crepidotus applanatus= fr., is a larger species, shelving and often imbricated. =crepidotus fulvotomentosus= pk., is a pretty species with a tomentose cap and tawny scales, usually occurring singly. it is closely related to _c. calolepis_ fr. figure is from plants of _crepidotus versutus_ pk., (no. c. u. herbarium) collected on rotting wood at freeville, n. y., eight miles from ithaca. the plants are represented twice natural size. cortinarius fr. the genus _cortinarius_ is chiefly distinguished from the other genera of the ochre-spored agarics by the presence of a spider-web-like (arachnoid) veil which is separate from the cuticle of the pileus, that is, superficial. the gills are powdered by the spores, that is, the spores fall away with difficulty and thus give the gills a pulverulent appearance. the plants are fleshy and decay easily. it is necessary to have plants in the young as well as the old state to properly get at the characters, and the character of the veil is only seen in young or half developed specimens. the species are to be distinguished from other ochre-spored agarics with a cobwebby veil by the fact that the veil in _cortinarius_ is superficial and the gills powdery. the number of species is very large, and they are difficult to determine. they mostly occur in northern countries and in the autumn or late summer; some species, however, occur during early summer. peck, d report, n. y. state mus., p. -- , describes species. =cortinarius (inoloma) violaceus= (l.) fr. =edible.=--this species is known by the violet or dark violet color which pervades all parts of the plant. the plants are -- cm. high, the pileus -- cm. broad, and the stem is bulbous, -- mm. in thickness. the veil is single. it occurs in woods and open places during late summer and in the autumn. the flesh of the plant is also violet, and this color is imparted to the liquid when the plant is cooked. the flavor is said to be something like that of _agaricus campestris_. =cortinarius (myxacium) collinitus= (pers.) fr. =edible.=--this is known as the smeared cortinarius because of the abundant glutinous substance with which the plant is smeared during moist or wet weather. it grows in woods. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. in diameter, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. it is usually known by the smooth, even, tawny cap, the great abundance of slimy substance covering the entire plant when moist, and when dry the cracking of the gluten on the stem into annular patches. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, smooth, even, glutinous when wet, shining when dry, tawny. the =gills= are adnate with a peculiar bluish gray tinge when young, and clay color to cinnamon when old. the =spores= are nearly elliptical, and -- × -- µ. the =stem= is cylindrical, even, and with patches of the cracked gluten when dry. =cortinarius (dermocybe) cinnamomeus= (l.) fr. =edible.=--the cinnamon cortinarius is so called because of the cinnamon color of the entire plant, especially of the cap and stem. it grows in the woods during summer and autumn. it is a very pretty plant, and varies from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is conic, or convex, and nearly expanded, sometimes nearly plane, and again with a prominent blunt or conic umbo. sometimes the pileus is abruptly bent downward near the margin as shown in the plants in fig. , giving the appearance of a "hip-roof." the surface is smooth, silky, with innate fibrils. sometimes there are cinnabar stains on parts of the pileus, and often there are concentric rows of scales near the margin. the flesh is light yellowish and with stains of cinnabar. the =gills= are adnate, slightly sinuate, and decurrent by a tooth, easily separating from the stem, rather crowded, slightly ventricose. the color of the gills varies greatly; sometimes they are the same color as the pileus, sometimes reddish brown, sometimes blood red color, etc. this latter form is a very pretty plant, and is var. _semi-sanguineus_ fr. [illustration: figure .--cortinarius cinnamomeus var. semi-sanguineus. cap and stem cinnamon, gills blood red color (natural size). copyright.] figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca. the species is widely distributed in this country as well as in europe. [illustration: plate , figure .--cortinarius ochroleucus. entire plant pale ochre color, gills later ochre yellow (natural size). copyright.] =cortinarius (dermocybe) ochroleucus= (schaeff.) fr.--this is a very beautiful plant because of the soft, silky appearance of the surface of pileus and stem, and the delicate yellowish white color. it occurs in woods, on the ground among decaying leaves. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem above is -- mm. in thickness, and below from -- cm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--cortinarius ochroleucus. colors same as in figure , this represents older plants.] the =pileus= is convex to nearly expanded, and sometimes a little depressed, usually, however, remaining convex at the top. it is dry, on the center finely tomentose to minutely squamulose, sometimes the scales splitting up into concentric rows around the cap. the cap is fleshy at the center, and thin at the margin, the color is from cream buff to buff, darker on the center. the =gills= are sinuate or adnate, slightly broader in the middle (ventricose) in age, pale at first, then becoming ochre yellow, and darker when the plant dries. the =spores= are tawny in mass, oval, elliptical, minutely tuberculate when mature, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is clavate, pale cream buff in color, solid, becoming irregularly fistulose in age, bulbous or somewhat ventricose below, the bulb often large and abrupt, . -- cm. in diameter. the =veil= is prominent and attached to the upper part of the stem, the abundant threads attached over an area cm. in extent and forming a beautiful cortina of the same color as the pileus and stem, but becoming tawny when the spores fall on it. the stem varies considerably in length and shape, being rarely ventricose, and then only at the base; the bulbous forms predominate and the bulb is often very large. figures , are from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . bolbitius fries. the genus _bolbitius_ contains a few species with yellowish or yellowish brown spores. the plants are very fragile, more or less mucilaginous when moist, usually with yellowish colors, and, what is the most characteristic feature beside the yellowish color of the spores, the gills are very soft, and at maturity tend to dissolve into a mucilaginous consistency, though they do not deliquesce, or only rarely dissolve so far as to form drops. the surface of the gills at maturity becomes covered with the spores so that they appear powdery, as in the genus _cortinarius_, which they also resemble in the color of the spores. in the mucilaginous condition of the gills the genus approaches _coprinus_. it is believed to occupy an intermediate position between _coprinus_ and _cortinarius_. the species usually grow on dung or in manured ground, and in this respect resemble many of the species of _coprinus_. some of the species are, however, not always confined to such a substratum, but grow on decaying leaves, etc. [illustration: figure .--bolbitius variicolor. cap viscid, various shades of yellow, or smoky olive; gills yellowish, then rusty (natural size).] =bolbitius variicolor= atkinson.--this plant was found abundantly during may and june, , in a freshly manured grass plat between the side-walk and the pavement along buffalo street, ithaca, n. y. the season was rainy, and the plants appeared each day during quite a long period, sometimes large numbers of them covering a small area, but they were not clustered nor cespitose. they vary in height from -- cm., the pileus from -- cm. broad, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. the colors vary from smoky to fuliginous, olive and yellow, and the spores are ferruginous. the =pileus= is from ovate to conic when young, the margin not at all incurved, but lies straight against the stem, somewhat unequal. in expanding the cap becomes convex, then expanded, and finally many of the plants with the margin elevated and with a broad umbo, and finely striate for one-half to two-thirds the way from the margin to the center. when young the pileus has a very viscid cuticle, which easily peels from the surface, showing the yellow flesh. the cuticle is smoky olive to fuliginous, darker when young, becoming paler as the pileus expands, but always darker on the umbo. sometimes the fibres on the surface of the cap are drawn into strands which anastomose into coarse reticulations, giving the appearance of elevated veins which have a general radiate direction from the center of the cap. as the pileus expands the yellow color of the flesh shows through the cuticle more and more, especially when young, but becoming light olive to fuliginous in age. in dry weather the surface of the pileus sometimes cracks into patches as the pileus expands. the =gills= are rounded next the stem, adnate to adnexed, becoming free, first yellow, then ferruginous. the basidia are abruptly club-shaped, rather distant and separated regularly by rounded cells, four spored. the =spores= are ferruginous, elliptical, -- × -- µ, smooth. the =stem= is cylindrical to terete, tapering above, sulphur and ochre yellow, becoming paler and even with a light brown tinge in age. the stem is hollow, and covered with numerous small yellow floccose scales which point upward and are formed by the tearing away of the edges of the gills, which are loosely united with the surface of the stem in the young stage. the edges of the gills are thus sometimes finely fimbriate. at maturity the gills become more or less mucilaginous, depending on the weather. plants placed in a moist chamber change to a mucilaginous mass. when the plants dry the pileus is from a drab to hair brown or sepia color (ridgeway's colors). figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium). paxillus fr. in the genus _paxillus_ the gills are usually easily separated from the pileus, though there are some species accredited to the genus that do not seem to possess this character in a marked degree. the spores are ochre or ochre brown. often the gills are forked near the stem or anastomose, or they are connected by veins which themselves anastomose in a reticulate fashion so that the meshes resemble the pores of certain species of the family _polyporaceæ_. the pileus may be viscid or dry in certain species, but the plant lacks a viscid universal veil. the genus is closely related to _gomphidius_, where the gills are often forked and easily separate from the pileus, but _gomphidius_ possesses a viscid or glutinous universal veil. peck in the bull. n. y. state mus. nat. hist. : -- , describes five species. =paxillus involutus= (batsch.) fr. =edible.=--this plant is quite common in some places and is widely distributed. it occurs on the ground in grassy places, in the open, or in woods, and on decaying logs or stumps. the stem is central, or nearly so, when growing on the ground, or eccentric when growing on wood, especially if growing from the side of a log or stump. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the plant occurs from august to october. [illustration: figure .--paxillus involutus. cap and stem gray, olive-brown, reddish brown or tawny (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, and depressed in the center. in the young plant the margin is strongly inrolled, and as the pileus expands it unrolls in a very pretty manner. the young plant is covered with a grayish, downy substance, and when the inrolled margin of the cap comes in contact with the gills, as it does, it presses the gills against this down, and the unrolling margin is thus marked quite prominently, sometimes with furrows where the pressure of the gills was applied. the color of the pileus varies greatly. in the case of plants collected at ithaca and in north carolina mountains the young plant when fresh is often olive umber, becoming reddish or tawny when older, the margin with a lighter shade. as dr. peck states, "it often presents a strange admixture of gray, ochraceous, ferruginous, and brown hues." the flesh is yellowish and changes to reddish or brownish where bruised. the =gills= are decurrent, when young arcuate, then ascending, and are more or less reticulated on the stem. they are grayish, then greenish yellow changing to brown where bruised. the =spores= are oval, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is short, even, and of the same color as the cap. [illustration: plate , figure .--paxillus rhodoxanthus. cap reddish brown, stem paler, gills yellow (natural size). copyright.] at ithaca, n. y., the plant is sometimes abundant in late autumn in grassy places near or in groves. the figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) growing in such a place in the suburbs of ithaca. at blowing rock, n. c., the plant is often very abundant along the roadsides on the ground during august and september. =paxillus rhodoxanthus= (schw.)--this species was first described by de schweinitz as _agaricus rhodoxanthus_, p. no. , synopsis fungorum carolinæ superioris, in schriften der naturforschenden gesellschaft : -- , . it was described under his third section of _agaricus_ under the sub-genus _gymnopus_, in which are mainly species now distributed in _clitocybe_ and _hygrophorus_. he remarks on the elegant appearance of the plant and the fact that it so nearly resembles _boletus subtomentosus_ as to deceive one. the resemblance to _boletus subtomentosus_ as one looks upon the pileus when the plant is growing on the ground is certainly striking, because of the reddish yellow, ochraceous rufus or chestnut brown color of the cap together with the minute tomentum covering the surface. the suggestion is aided also by the color of the gills, which one is apt to get a glimpse of from above without being aware that the fruiting surface has gills instead of tubes. but as soon as the plant is picked and we look at the under surface, all suggestion of a _boletus_ vanishes, unless one looks carefully at the venation of the surface of the gills and the spaces between them. the plant grows on the ground in woods. at blowing rock, n. c., where it is not uncommon, i have always found it along the mountain roads on the banks. it is -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, plane or convex, and when mature more or less top-shaped because it is so thick at the middle. in age the surface of the cap often becomes cracked into small areas, showing the yellow flesh in the cracks. the flesh is yellowish and the surface is dry. the =gills= are not very distant, they are stout, chrome yellow to lemon yellow, and strongly decurrent. a few of them are forked toward the base, and the surface and the space between them are marked by anastomosing veins forming a reticulum suggestive of the hymenium of the _polyporaceæ_. this character is not evident without the use of a hand lens. the surface of the gills as well as the edges is provided with clavate =cystidia= which are filled with a yellow pigment, giving to the gills the bright yellow color so characteristic. these cystidia extend above the basidia, and the ends are rounded so that sometimes they appear capitate. the yellow color is not confined to the cystidia, for the sub-hymenium is also colored in a similar way. the =spores= are yellowish, oblong to elliptical or spindle-shaped, and measure -- × -- µ. the =stem= is the same color as the pileus, but paler, and more yellow at the base. it is marked with numerous minute dots of a darker color than the ground color, formed of numerous small erect tufts of mycelium. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . as stated above, the plant was first described by de schweinitz as _agaricus rhodoxanthus_ in . in (synop. fung. am. bor. p. , ) he listed it under the genus _gomphus_ fries (syst. mycolog. , ). since fries changed _gomphus_ to _gomphidius_ (epicrisis, , -- ) the species has usually been written _gomphidius rhodoxanthus_ schweinitz. the species lacks one very important characteristic of the genus _gomphidius_, namely, the slimy veil which envelops the entire plant. its relationship seems rather to be with the genus _paxillus_, though the gills do not readily separate from the pileus, one of the characters ascribed to this genus, and possessed by certain species of _gomphidius_ in even a better degree. (in paxillus involutus the gills do not separate so readily as they do in certain species of _gomphidius_.) berkeley (decades n. a. fungi, ) has described a plant from ohio under the name _paxillus flavidus_. it has been suggested by some (see peck, th report, p. ; lloyd, mycolog. notes, where he writes it as _flammula rhodoxanthus_!) that _paxillus flavidus_ berk., is identical with _agaricus rhodoxanthus_ schw. _paxillus rhodoxanthus_ seems also to be very near if not identical with _clitocybe pelletieri_ lev. (gillet, hymenomycetes = =: ), and schroeter (cohn's krypt, flora schlesien, = =, : , ) transfers this species to _paxillus_ as _paxillus pelletieri_. he is followed by hennings, who under the same section of the genus, lists _p. flavidus_ berk., from n. a. the figure of _clitocybe pelletieri_ in gillet hymenomycetes, etc., resembles our plant very closely, and saccardo (syll. fung. = =: ) says that it has the aspect of _boletus subtomentosus,_ a remark similar to the one made by de schweinitz in the original description of _agaricus rhodoxanthus_. _flammula paradoxa_ kalch. (fung. hung. tab. xvii, fig. ) seems to be the same plant, as well as _f. tammii_ fr., with which patouillard (tab. anal. n. ) places _f. paradoxa_ and _clitocybe pelletieri_. =paxillus atro=tomentosus= (batsch) fr.--this plant is not very common. it is often of quite large size, -- cm. high, and the cap -- cm. broad, the stem very short or sometimes long, from -- . cm. in thickness. the plant is quite easily recognized by the stout and black hairy stem, and the dark brown or blackish, irregular and sometimes lateral cap, with the margin incurved. it grows on wood, logs, stumps, etc., during late summer and autumn. [illustration: figure .--paxillus atro-tomentosus, form hirsutus. cap and stem brownish or blackish (natural size, small specimens, they are often larger). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, expanded, sometimes somewhat depressed, lateral, irregular, or sometimes with the stem nearly in the center, brownish or blackish, dry, sometimes with a brownish or blackish tomentum on the surface. the margin is inrolled and later incurved. the flesh is white, and the plant is tough. the =gills= are adnate, often decurrent on the stem, and easily separable from the pileus, forked at the base and sometimes reticulate, forming pores. =spores= yellowish, oval, -- × -- µ. stevenson says that the gills do not form pores like those of p. involutus, but fig. (no. c. u. herbarium) from plants collected at ithaca, shows them well. there is, as it seems, some variation in this respect. the =stem= is solid, tough and elastic, curved or straight, covered with a dense black tomentum, sometimes with violet shades. on drying the plant becomes quite hard, and the gills blackish olive. =paxillus panuoides= fr.--this species was collected during august, , on a side-walk and on a log at ithaca. the specimens collected were sessile and the =pileus= lateral, somewhat broadened at the free end, or petaloid. the entire plant is pale or dull yellow, the surface of the pileus fibrous and somewhat uneven but not scaly. the plants are -- cm. long by -- cm. broad, often many crowded together in an imbricated manner. the =gills= are pale yellow, and the =spores= are of the same color when caught on white paper, and they measure -- × -- µ, the size given for european specimens of this species. the gills are forked, somewhat anastomosing at the base, and sinuous in outline, though not markedly corrugated as in the next form. from descriptions of the european specimens the plants are sometimes larger than these here described, and it is very variable in form and often imbricated as in the following species. =paxillus corrugatus= atkinson.--this very interesting species was collected at ithaca, n. y., on decaying wood, august , . the pileus is lateral, shelving, the stem being entirely absent in the specimens found. the =pileus= is -- cm. broad, narrowed down in an irregular wedge form to the sessile base, convex, then expanded, the margin incurved (involute). the color of the cap is yellow, maize yellow to canary yellow, with a reddish brown tinge near the base. it is nearly smooth, or very slightly tomentose. the flesh is pale yellow, spongy. the =gills= are orange yellow, -- mm. broad, not crowded, regularly forked several times, thin, blunt, very wavy and crenulate, easily separating from the hymenophore when fresh; the entire breadth of the gills is fluted, giving a corrugated appearance to the side. the =spores= in these specimens are faintly yellow, minute, oblong, broadly elliptical, short, sometimes nearly oval, × . -- µ. the =basidia= are also very minute. the spores are olive yellow on white paper. the plant has a characteristic and disagreeable odor. this odor persists in the dried plant for several months. figure is from the plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected as noted above on decaying hemlock logs in woods. a side and under view is shown in the figure, and the larger figure is the under-view, from a photograph made a little more than twice natural size, in order to show clearly the character of the gills. the two smaller plants are natural size. when dry the plant is quite hard. [illustration: plate , figure .--paxillus corrugatus. cap maize yellow to orange yellow, reddish brown near the base; gills orange yellow. two lower plants natural size; upper one - / times natural size. copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--paxillus panuoides, pale yellow; natural size. copyright.] [illustration: plate . fig. .--boletus felleus. fig. .--b. edulis. copyright .] chapter ix. the tube-bearing fungi. polyporaceae. the plants belonging to this family are characterized especially by a honey-combed fruiting surface, that is, the under surface of the plants possesses numerous tubes or pores which stand close together side by side, and except in a very few forms these tubes are joined by their sides to each other. in _fistulina_ the tubes are free from each other though standing closely side by side. in _merulius_ distinct tubes are not present, but the surface is more or less irregularly pitted, the pits being separated from each other by folds which anastomose, forming a network. these pits correspond to shallow tubes. the plants vary greatly in consistency, some are very fleshy and soft and putrify readily. others are soft when young and become firmer as they age, and some are quite hard and woody. many of the latter are perennial and live for several or many years, adding a new layer in growth each year. the larger number of the species grow on wood, but some grow on the ground; especially in the genus _boletus_, which has many species, the majority grow on the ground. some of the plants have a cap and stem, in others the stem is absent and the cap attached to the tree or log, etc., forms a shelf, or the plant may be thin and spread over the surface of the wood in a thin patch. in the genus _dædalea_ the tubes become more or less elongated horizontally and thus approach the form of the gills, while in some species the tubes are more or less toothed or split and approach the spine-bearing fungi at least in appearance of the fruit-bearing surface. only a few of the genera and species will be described. the following key is not complete, but may aid in separating some of the larger plants: tubes or pores free from each other, though standing closely side by side, _fistulina_. tubes or pores not free, joined side by side, . --plants soft and fleshy, soon decaying, . plants soft when young, becoming firm, some woody or corky, stipitate, shelving, or spread over the wood, _polyporus_. tubes or pores shallow, formed by a network of folds or wrinkles, plants thin, sometimes spread over the wood, and somewhat gelatinous, _merulius_. --mass (stratum) of tubes easily separating from the cap when peeled off, cap not with coarse scales, tubes in some species in radiating lines, _boletus_. stratum of tubes separating, but not easily, cap with coarse, prominent scales, _strobilomyces_. stratum of tubes separating, but not easily, tubes arranged in distinct radiating lines. in one species (_b. porosus_) the tubes do not separate from the cap, _boletinus_. this last genus is apt to be confused with certain species of boletus which have a distinct radiate arrangement of the tubes. it is questionable whether it is clearly distinguished from the genus boletus. boletus dill. of the few genera in the _polyporaceæ_ which are fleshy and putrescent, _boletus_ contains by far the largest number of species. the entire plant is soft and fleshy, and decays soon after maturity. the stratum of tubes on the under side of the cap is easily peeled off and separates as shown in the portion of a cap near the right hand side of fig. . in the genus _polyporus_ the stratum of tubes cannot thus be separated. in the genera _strobilomyces_ and _boletinus_, two other fleshy genera of this family, the separation is said to be more difficult than in _boletus_, but it has many times seemed to me a "distinction without a difference." the larger number of the species of _boletus_ grow on the ground. some change color when bruised or cut, so that it is important to note this character when the plant is fresh, and the taste should be noted as well. =boletus edulis= bull. =edible.= [_ag. bulbosus_ schaeff. tab. , . _boletus bulbosus_ (schaeff.) schroeter. cohn's krypt, flora. schlesien, p. , ].--this plant, which, as its name implies, is edible, grows in open woods or their borders, in groves and in open places, on the ground. it occurs in warm, wet weather, from july to september. it is one of the largest of the boleti, and varies from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--boletus edulis. cap light brown, tubes greenish yellow or yellowish; stem in this specimen entirely reticulate (natural size, often larger). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to expanded, smooth, firm, quite hard when young and becoming soft in age. the color varies greatly, from buff to dull reddish, to reddish-brown, tawny-brown, often yellowish over a portion of the cap, usually paler on the margin. the flesh is white or tinged with yellow, sometimes reddish under the cuticle. the =tubes= are white when young and the mouths are closed (stuffed), the lower surface of the tubes is convex from the margin of the cap to the stem, and depressed around the stem, sometimes separating from the stem. while the tubes are white when young, they become greenish or greenish-yellow, or entirely yellow when mature. the =spores= when caught on paper are greenish-yellow, or yellow. they are oblong to fusiform, -- µ long. the =stem= is stout, even, or much enlarged at the base so that it is clavate. the surface usually shows prominent reticulations on mature plants near the tubes, sometimes over the entire stem. this is well shown in fig. from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca, n. y. [illustration: plate , figure .--cap light brown, tubes greenish yellow or yellowish; stem in these specimens not reticulate ( / natural size). copyright.] figure represents plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., in september, . the plant is widely distributed and has long been prized as an esculent in europe and america. when raw the plant has an agreeable nutty taste, sometimes sweet. the caps are sometimes sliced and dried for future use. it is usually recommended to discard the stems and remove the tubes since the latter are apt to form a slimy mass on cooking. =boletus felleus= bull. =bitter.=--this is known as the bitter boletus, because of a bitter taste of the flesh. it usually grows on or near much decayed logs or stumps of hemlock spruce. it is said to be easily recognized by its bitter taste. i have found specimens of a plant which seems to have all the characters of this one growing at the base of hemlock spruce trees, except that the taste was not bitter. at ithaca, however, the plant occurs and the taste is bitter. it is one of the large species of the genus, being from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- . cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is convex becoming nearly plane, firm, and in age soft, smooth, the color varying from pale yellow to various shades of brown to chestnut. the flesh is white, and where wounded often changes to a pink color, but not always. the =tubes= are adnate, long, the under surface convex and with a depression around the stem. the tubes are at first white, but become flesh color or tinged with flesh color, and the mouths are angular. the =stem= is stout, tapering upward, sometimes enlarged at the base, usually reticulated at the upper end, and sometimes with the reticulations over the entire surface (fig. ). the color is paler than that of the cap. the =spores= are oblong to spindle-shaped, flesh color in mass, and single ones measure -- × -- µ. the general appearance of the plant is somewhat like that of the _boletus edulis_, and beginners should be cautioned not to confuse the two species. it is known by its bitter taste and the flesh-colored tubes, while the taste of the _b. edulis_ is sweet, and the tubes are greenish-yellow, or yellowish or light ochre. plate represents three specimens in color. =boletus scaber= fr. =edible.=--this species is named the rough-stemmed boletus, in allusion to the rough appearance given to the stem from numerous dark brown or reddish dots or scales. this is a characteristic feature, and aids one greatly in determining the species, since the color of the cap varies much. the cap is sometimes whitish, orange red, brown, or smoky in color. the plant is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the =pileus= is rounded, becoming convex, smooth, or nearly so, sometimes scaly, and the flesh is soft and white, sometimes turning slightly to a reddish or dark color where bruised. the =tubes= are small, long, the surface formed by their free ends is convex in outline, and the tubes are depressed around the stem. they are first white, becoming darker, and somewhat brownish. the =stem= is solid, tapering somewhat upward, and roughened as described above. the plant is one of the common species of the genus _boletus_. it occurs in the woods on the ground or in groves or borders of woods in grassy places. writers differ as to the excellence of this species for food; some consider it excellent, while others regard it as less agreeable than some other species. it is, at any rate, safe, and peck considers it "first-class." =boletus retipes= b. & c.--this species was first collected in north carolina by curtis, and described by berkeley. it has since been reported from ohio, wisconsin, and new england (peck, boleti of the u. s.). peck reported it from new york in the d report, n. y. state mus., p. . later he recognized the new york plant as a new species which he called _b. ornatipes_ ( th report, n. y. state mus., p. ). i collected the species in the mountains of north carolina, at blowing rock, in august, . during the latter part of august and in september, , i had an opportunity of seeing quite a large number of specimens in the same locality, for it is not uncommon there, and two specimens were photographed and are represented here in fig. . the original description published in grevillea = =: , should be modified, especially in regard to the size of the plant, its habit, and the pulverulent condition of the pileus. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem . -- . cm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--boletus felleus. cap light brown, tubes flesh color, stem in this specimen entirely reticulate (natural size, often larger). copyright.] [illustration: figure .--boletus retipes. cap yellowish brown, to olive-brown or nearly black, stem yellow, beautifully reticulate, tubes yellow (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, thick, soft and somewhat spongy, especially in large plants. the cap is dry and sometimes, especially when young, it is powdery; at other times, and in a majority of cases according to my observations, it is not powdery. it is smooth or minutely tomentose, sometimes the surface cracked into small patches, but usually even. the color varies greatly between yellowish brown to olive brown, fuliginous or nearly black. the =tubes= are yellow, adnate, the tube surface plane or convex. the spores are yellowish or ochraceous, varying somewhat in tint in different specimens. the =stem= is yellow, yellow also within, and beautifully reticulate, usually to the base, but sometimes only toward the apex. it is usually more strongly reticulate over the upper half. the stem is erect or ascending. the plant grows in woods, in leaf mold or in grassy places. it is usually single, that is, so far as my observations have gone at blowing rock. berkeley and curtis report it as cespitose. i have never seen it cespitose, never more than two specimens growing near each other. =boletus ornatipes= pk., does not seem to be essentially different from _b. retipes_. peck says (boleti u. s., p. ) that "the tufted mode of growth, the pulverulent pileus and paler spores separate this species" (_retipes_) "from the preceding one" (_ornatipes_). inasmuch as i have never found _b. retipes_ tufted, and the fact that the pileus is not always pulverulent (the majority of specimens i collected were not), and since the tint of the spores varies as it does in some other species, the evidence is strong that the two names represent two different habits of the same species. the tufted habit of the plants collected by curtis, or at least described by berkeley, would seem to be a rather unusual condition for this species, and this would account for the smaller size given to the plants in the original description, where the pileus does not exceed cm. in diameter, and the stem is only cm. long, and -- mm. in thickness. plants which normally occur singly do on some occasions occur tufted, and then the habit as well as the size of the plant is often changed. a good illustration of this i found in the case of _boletus edulis_ during my stay in the north carolina mountains. the plant usually occurs singly and more or less scattered. i found one case where there were -- plants in a tuft, the caps were smaller and the stems in this case considerably longer than in normal specimens. a plant which agrees with the north carolina specimens i have collected at ithaca, and so i judge that _b. retipes_ occurs in new york. =boletus chromapes= frost.--this is a pretty boletus, and has been reported from new england and from new york state. during the summer of it was quite common in the blue ridge mountains, north carolina. the plant grows on the ground in woods. it is -- cm. high, the cap is -- cm. in diameter, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. it is known by the yellowish stem covered with reddish glandular dots. [illustration: plate , figure .--boletus chromapes. cap pale red, rose or pink, tubes flesh color, then brown, stem yellowish either above or below, the surface with reddish or pinkish dots (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to nearly expanded, pale red, rose pink to vinaceous pink in color, and sometimes slightly tomentose. the flesh is white, and does not change when cut or bruised. the =tube= surface is convex, and the tubes are attached slightly to the stem, or free. they are white, then flesh color, and in age become brown. the =stem= is even, or it tapers slightly upward, straight or ascending, whitish or yellow above, or below, sometimes yellowish the entire length. the flesh is also yellowish, especially at the base. the entire surface is marked with reddish or pinkish dots. [illustration: plate , figure .--boletus vermiculosus. cap brown to gray or buff; tubes yellowish with reddish brown mouths; flesh quickly changes to blue where wounded (natural size, sometimes larger). copyright.] figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . =boletus vermiculosus= pk.--this species was named _b. vermiculosus_ because it is sometimes very "wormy." this is not always the case, however. it grows in woods on the ground, in the eastern united states. it is from -- cm. high, the cap from -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is thick, convex, firm, smooth, and varies in color from brown to yellowish brown, or drab gray to buff, and is minutely tomentose. the flesh quickly changes to blue where wounded, and the bruised portion, sometimes, changing to yellowish. the =tubes= are yellowish, with reddish-brown mouths, the tube surface being rounded, free or nearly so, and the tubes changing to blue where wounded. the =stem= is paler than the pileus, often dotted with short, small, dark tufts below, and above near the tubes abruptly paler, and sometimes the two colors separated by a brownish line. the stem is not reticulated. figure is from a photograph of plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . =boletus obsonium= (paul.) fr.--this species was not uncommon in the woods at blowing rock, n. c., during the latter part of august and during september, . it grows on the ground, the plants usually appearing singly. it is from -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness, considerably broader at the base than at the apex. the =pileus= is convex to expanded, vinaceous cinnamon, to pinkish vinaceous or hazel in color. it is soft, slightly tomentose, and when old the surface frequently cracks into fine patches showing the pink flesh beneath. the thin margin extends slightly beyond the tubes, so that it is sterile. the flesh does not change color on exposure to the air. the =tubes= are plane, adnate, very slightly depressed around the stem or nearly free, yellowish white when young, becoming dark olive green in age from the color of the spores. the tube mouths are small and rotund. the =spores= caught on white paper are dark olive green. they are elliptical usually, with rounded ends, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is white when young, with a tinge of yellow ochre, and pale flesh color below. it is marked with somewhat parallel elevated lines, or rugæ below, where it is enlarged and nearly bulbous. in age it becomes flesh color the entire length and is more plainly striate rugose with a yellowish tinge at the base. the stem tapers gradually and strongly from the base to the apex, so that it often appears long conic. the plant is often badly eaten by snails, so that it is sometimes difficult to obtain perfect specimens. figure is from a photograph of plants (no. c. u. herbarium) from blowing rock, n. c. =boletus americanus= pk.--this species occurs in woods and open places, growing on the ground in wet weather. it occurs singly or clustered, sometimes two or three joined by their bases, but usually more scattered. it is usually found under or near pine trees. the plant is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. it is very slimy in wet weather, the cap is yellow, streaked or spotted with faint red, and the stem is covered with numerous brown or reddish brown dots. the =pileus= is rounded, then convex, becoming nearly expanded and sometimes with an umbo. it is soft, very slimy or viscid when moist, yellow. when young the surface gluten is often mixed with loose threads, more abundant on the margin, and continuous with the veil, which can only be seen in the very young stage. as the pileus expands the margin is sometimes scaly from remnants of the veil and of loose hairs on the surface. the cap loses its bright color as it ages, and is then sometimes streaked or spotted with red. the =tube= surface is nearly plane, and the tubes join squarely against the stem. the tubes are rather large, angular, yellowish, becoming dull ochraceous. the =stem= is nearly equal, yellow, and covered with numerous brownish or reddish brown glandular dots. no ring is present. this species grows in the same situations as the _b. granulatus_, sometimes both species are common over the same area. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., september, . the species is closely related to _b. flavidus_ fr., and according to some it is identical with it. =boletus granulatus= l. =edible.=--this species is one of the very common and widely distributed ones. it grows in woods and open places on the ground. like _b. americanus_, it is usually found under or near pines. it occurs during the summer and autumn, sometimes appearing very late in the season. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap is -- cm. broad, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. the plants usually are clustered, though not often very crowded. [illustration: plate , figure .--boletus obsonium. cap cinnamon to pink or hazel in color, slightly tomentose; stem white, then pale flesh color (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex to nearly expanded, flat. when moist it is very viscid and reddish brown, paler and yellowish when it is dry, but very variable in color, pink, red, yellow, tawny, and brown shades. the flesh is pale yellow. the =tubes= are joined squarely to the stem, short, yellowish, and the edges of the tubes, that is, at the open end (often called the mouth), are dotted or granulated. the =stem= is dotted in the same way above. the =spores= in mass are pale yellow; singly they are spindle-shaped. [illustration: figure .--boletus americanus. cap slimy, yellow, sometimes with reddish spots, tubes yellowish (natural size). copyright.] the species is edible, though some say it should be regarded with suspicion. peck has tried it, and i have eaten it, but the viscid character of the plant did not make it a relish for me. there are several species closely related to the granulated boletus. _b. brevipes_ pk., is one chiefly distinguished by the short stem, which entirely lacks the glandular dots. it grows in sandy soil, in pine groves and in woods. =boletus punctipes= pk.--this species has been reported from new york state by peck. during september, , i found it quite common in the blue ridge mountains of north carolina, at an elevation of between and feet. it grows on the ground in mixed woods. the plants are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: figure .--boletus punctipes. cap viscid when moist, reddish brown, pink, yellow, tawny, etc., tubes yellowish, stem dark punctate (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, sometimes becoming nearly plane, and it is quite thick in the center, more so than the granulated boletus, while the margin is thin, and when young with a minute gray powder. the margin often becomes upturned when old; the cap is viscid when moist, dull yellow. the =tubes= are short, their lower surface plane, and they are set squarely against the stem. they are small, the mouths rounded, brownish, then dull ochraceous, and dotted with glandules. the =stem= is rather long, proportionately more so than in the granulated boletus. it distinctly tapers upwards, is "rhubarb yellow," and dotted with glandules. this character of the stem suggested the name of the species. the =spores= are -- × -- µ. figure is from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c. it is closely related to _b. granulatus_ and by some is considered the same. =boletus luteus= linn. (_b. subluteus_ pk.) this species is widely distributed in europe and america, and grows in sandy soil, in pine or mixed woods or groves. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. in diameter, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. the general color is dull brown or yellowish brown, and the plants are slimy in moist weather, the stem and tubes more or less dotted with dark points. these characters vary greatly under different conditions, and the fact has led to some confusion in the discrimination of species. [illustration: figure .--boletus luteus. cap viscid when moist, dull yellowish to reddish brown, tubes yellowish, stem punctate both above and below the annulus (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is convex, becoming nearly plane, viscid or glutinous when moist, dull yellowish to reddish brown, sometimes with the color irregularly distributed in streaks. the flesh is whitish or dull yellowish. the =tube= surface is plane or convex, the tubes set squarely against the stem (adnate), while the tubes are small, with small, nearly rounded, or slightly angular mouths. the color of the tubes is yellowish or ochre colored, becoming darker in age, and sometimes nearly brown or quite dark. the =stem= is pale yellowish, reddish or brownish, and more or less covered with glandular dots, which when dry give a black dotted appearance to the stem. in the case of descriptions of _b. luteus_ the stem is said to be dotted only above the annulus, while the description of _b. subluteus_ gives the stem as dotted both above and below the annulus. the =spores= are yellowish brown or some shade of this color in mass, lighter yellowish brown under the microscope, fusiform or nearly so, and -- × -- µ. the =annulus= is very variable, sometimes collapsing as a narrow ring around the stem as in fig. , from plants collected at blowing rock, n. c., september, (_b. subluteus_ pk.), and sometimes appearing as a broad, free collar, as in fig. . the veil is more or less gelatinous, and in an early stage of the plant may cover the stem as a sheath. the lower part of the stem is sometimes covered at maturity with the sheathing portion of the veil, the upper part only appearing as a ring. in this way, the lower part of the stem being covered, the glandular dots are not evident, while the stem is seen to be dotted above the annulus. but in many cases the veil slips off from the lower portion of the stem at an early stage, and then in its slimy condition collapses around the upper part of the stem, leaving the stem uncovered and showing the dots both above and below the ring (_b. subluteus_). [illustration: plate , figure .--boletus luteus. cap drab to hair-brown with streaks of the latter, viscid when moist, tubes tawny olive to walnut-brown, stem black dotted both above and below the broad, free annulus (natural size). copyright.] an examination of the figures of the european plant shows that the veil often slips off from the lower portion of the stem in _b. luteus_, especially in the figures given by krombholtz, t. . in some of these figures the veil forms a broad, free collar, and the stem is then dotted both above and below, as is well shown in the figures. in other figures where the lower part of the veil remains as a sheath over the lower part of the stem, the dots are hidden. i have three specimens of the _b. luteus_ of europe from dr. bresadola, collected at trento, austria-hungary: one of them has the veil sheathing the lower part of the stem, and the stem only shows the dots above the annulus; a second specimen has the annulus in the form of a collapsed ring near the upper end of the stem, and the stem dotted both above and below the annulus; in the third specimen the annulus is in the form of a broad, free collar, and the stem dotted both above and below. the plants shown in fig. (no. , c. u. herbarium) were collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . they were found in open woods under kalmia where the sun had an opportunity to dry out the annulus before it became collapsed or agglutinated against the stem, and the broad, free collar was formed. my notes on these specimens read as follows: "the =pileus= is convex, then expanded, rather thick at the center, the margin thin, sometimes sterile, incurved. in color it runs from ecru drab to hair-brown with streaks of the latter, and it is very viscid when moist. when dried the surface of the pileus is shining. the =tubes= are plane or concave, adnate, tawny-olive to walnut-brown. the tubes are small, angular, somewhat as in _b. granulatus_, but smaller, and they are granulated with reddish or brownish dots. the =spores= are walnut brown, oblong to elliptical, -- × -- µ. the =stem= is cylindrical, even, olive yellow above, and black dotted both above and below the annulus." [illustration: figure .--boletinus pictus. cap reddish, tinged with yellowish between the scales, stem same color, tubes yellow, often changing to reddish brown where bruised (natural size). copyright.] =boletinus pictus= pk.--this very beautiful plant is quite common in damp pine woods. it is easily recognized by the reddish cottony layer of mycelium threads which cover the entire plant when young, and form a veil which covers the gills at this time. as the plant expands the reddish outer layer is torn into scales of the same color, showing the yellowish, or pinkish, flesh beneath, and the flesh often changes to pink or reddish where wounded. the tubes are first pale yellow, but become darker in age, often changing to pinkish, with a brown tinge where bruised. the stem is solid, and is thus different from a closely related species, _b. cavipes_ kalchb. the stem is covered with a coat like that on the pileus and is similarly colored, though often paler. the spores are ochraceous, -- × -- µ. the plants are -- cm. high, the caps -- cm. broad, and the stems -- mm. in thickness. figure is from plants collected in the blue ridge mountains, blowing rock, n. c., september, . =boletinus porosus= (berk.) pk.--this very interesting species is widely distributed in the eastern united states. it resembles a _polyporus_, though it is very soft like a _boletus_, but quite tenacious. the plants are dull reddish-brown, viscid when moist, and shining. the cap is more or less irregular and the stem eccentric, the cap being sometimes more or less lobed. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the short stem -- mm. in thickness. it occurs in damp ground in woods. the =pileus= is fleshy, thick at the middle, and thin at the margin. the =tubes= are arranged in prominently radiating rows, the partitions often running radiately in the form of lamellæ, certain ones of them being more prominent than others as shown in fig. . these branch and are connected by cross partitions of less prominence. this character of the hymenium led berkeley to place the plant in the genus _paxillus_, with which it does not seem to be so closely related as with the genus _boletus_. the stratum of tubes, though very soft, is very tenacious, and does not separate from the flesh of the pileus, thus resembling certain species of _polyporus_. figure is from plants collected at ithaca. [illustration: plate , figure .--boletinus porosus. viscid when moist, dull reddish brown (natural size). copyright.] =strobilomyces strobilaceus= berk. =edible.=--this plant has a peculiar name, both the genus and the species referring to the cone-like appearance of the cap with its coarse, crowded, dark brown scales, bearing a fancied resemblance to a pine cone. it is very easily distinguished from other species of _boletus_ because of this character of the cap. the plant has a very wide distribution though it is not usually very common. the plant is -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the =pileus= is hemispherical to convex, shaggy from numerous large blackish, coarse, hairy, projecting scales. the margin of the cap is fringed with scales and fragments of the veil which covers the tubes in the young plants. the flesh is whitish, but soon changes to reddish color, and later to black where wounded or cut. the =tubes= are adnate, whitish, becoming brown and blackish in the older plants. the mouths of the tubes are large and angular, and change color where bruised, as does the flesh of the cap. the stem is even, or sometimes tapers upward, often grooved near the apex, very tomentose or scaly with soft scales of the same color as the cap. the =spores= are in mass dark brown, nearly globose, roughened, and -- µ long. figs. -- are from plants collected at ithaca, n. y. another european plant, _s. floccopus_ vahl, is said by peck to occur in the united states, but is much more rare. the only difference in the two noted by peck in the case of the american plants is that the tubes are depressed around the stem in _s. floccopus_. [illustration: plate , figure .--strobilomyces strobilaceus. scales of cap dark brown or black, flesh white but soon changing to reddish and later to black where wounded, stem same color but lighter (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: figure .--strobilomyces strobilaceus. sections of plants. copyright.] [illustration: figure .--strobilomyces strobilaceus. under view. copyright.] fistulina bull. in the genus _fistulina_ the tubes, or pores, are crowded together, but stand separately, that is, they are not connected together, or grown together into a stratum as in _boletus_ and other genera of the family _polyporaceæ_. when the plant is young the tubes are very short, but they elongate with age. =fistulina hepatica= fr. =edible.=--this is one of the largest of the species in the genus and is the most widely distributed and common one. it is of a dark red color, very soft and juicy. it has usually a short stem which expands out into the broad and thick cap. when young the upper side of the cap is marked by minute elevations of a different color, which suggest the papillæ on the tongue; in age the tubes on the under surface have also some such suggestive appearance. the form, as it stands outward in a shelving fashion from stumps or trees, together with the color and surface characters, has suggested several common names, as beef tongue, beef-steak fungus, oak or chestnut tongue. the plant is -- cm. long, and -- cm. broad, the stem very short and thick, sometimes almost wanting, and again quite long. i have seen some specimens growing from a hollow log in which the stems were -- cm. long. the =pileus= is very thick, cm. or more in thickness, fleshy, soft, very juicy, and in wet weather very clammy and somewhat sticky to the touch. when mature there are lines of color of different shades extending out radially on the upper surface, and in making a longitudinal section of the cap there are quite prominent, alternating, dark and light red lines present in the flesh. the =tubes=, short at first, become -- mm. long, they are yellowish or tinged with flesh color, becoming soiled in age. the =spores= are elliptical, yellowish, and -- µ long. the plant occurs on dead trunks or stumps of oak, chestnut, etc., in wet weather from june to september. i have usually found it on chestnut. the beef-steak fungus is highly recommended by some, while others are not pleased with it as an article of food. it has an acid flavor which is disagreeable to some, but this is more marked in young specimens and in those not well cooked. when it is sliced thin and well broiled or fried, the acid taste is not marked. [illustration: plate . fig. .--fistulina hepatica. fig. .--f. pallida. copyright .] =fistulina pallida= b. & rav. (_fistulina firma_ pk.)--this rare and interesting species was collected by mrs. a. m. hadley, near manchester, new hampshire, october, , and was described by dr. peck in the bulletin of the torrey botanical club, = =: , , as _fistulina firma_. but two plants were then found, and these were connected at the base. during august and september it was quite common in a small woods near ithaca, n. y., and was first collected growing from the roots of a dead oak stump, august (no. c. u. herbarium), and afterward during october. during september i collected it at blowing rock, n. c., in the blue ridge mountains, at an elevation of nearly feet, growing from the roots of a dead white oak tree. it was collected during september, , by mr. frank rathbun at auburn, n. y. it was collected by ravenel in the mountains of south carolina, around a white oak stump by peters in alabama, and was first described by berkeley in , in =grev. =: , notices of n. a. f. no. . growing from roots or wood underneath the surface of the ground, the plant has an erect stem, the length of the stem depending on the depth at which the root is buried, just as in the case of _polyporus radicatus_, which has a similar habitat. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap is -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--fistulina pallida. cap wood-brown to fawn or clay color, tubes and lower part of the stem whitish (natural size). copyright.] the =pileus= is wood brown to fawn, clay color or isabelline color. it is nearly semi-circular to reniform in outline, and the margin broadly crenate, or sometimes lobed. the stem is attached at the concave margin, where the cap is auriculate and has a prominent boss or elevation, and bent at right angles with a characteristic curve. the pileus is firm, flexible, tough and fibrous, flesh white. the surface is covered with a fine and dense tomentum. the pileus is -- mm. thick at the base, thinning out toward the margin. the =tubes= are whitish, -- mm. long and -- in the space of a millimeter. they are very slender, tubular, the mouth somewhat enlarged, the margin of the tubes pale cream color and minutely mealy or furfuraceous, with numerous irregular, roughened threads. the tubes often stand somewhat separated, areas being undeveloped or younger, so that the surface of the under side is not regular. the tubes are not so crowded as is usual in the _fistulina hepatica_. they are not decurrent, but end abruptly near the stem. the =spores= are subglobose, µ in diameter. the stem tapers downward, is whitish below, and near the pileus the color changes rather abruptly to the same tint as the pileus. the stem is sometimes branched, and two or three caps present, or the caps themselves may be joined, as well as the stems, so that occasionally very irregular forms are developed, but there is always the peculiar character of the attachment of the stem to the side of the cap. figure is from plants (no , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., september, . figures on the colored plate represent this plant. =polyporus frondosus= fr. =edible.=--this plant occurs in both europe and america, and while not very common seems to be widely distributed. it grows about old stumps or dead trees, from roots, often arising from the roots below the surface of the ground, and also is found on logs. the plant represents a section of the genus _polyporus_, in which the body, both the stem and the cap, are very much branched. in this species the stem is stout at the base, but it branches into numerous smaller trunks, which continue to branch until finally the branches terminate in the expanded and leaf-like caps as shown in figs. -- . the plants appear usually during late summer and in the autumn. the species is often found about oak stumps. some of the specimens are very large, and weigh to pounds, and the mass is sometimes to cm. ( -- feet) in diameter. the plant, when young and growing, is quite soft and tender, though it is quite firm. it never becomes very hard, as many of the other species of this family. when mature, insects begin to attack it, and not being tough it soon succumbs to the ravages of insects and decay, as do a number of the softer species of the _polyporaceæ_. the caps are very irregular in shape, curved, repand, radiately furrowed, sometimes zoned; gray, or hair-brown in color, with a perceptibly hairy surface, the hairs running in lines on the surface. sometimes they are quite broad and not so numerous as in plate , and in other plants they are narrow and more numerous, as in plate . the tubes are more or less irregular, whitish, with a yellowish tinge when old. from the under side of the cap they extend down on the stem. when the spores are mature they are sometimes so numerous that they cover the lower caps and the grass for quite a distance around as if with a white powder. this species is edible, and because of the large size which it often attains, the few plants which are usually found make up in quantity what they lack in numbers. since the plant is quite firm it will keep several days after being picked, in a cool place, and will serve for several meals. a specimen which i gathered was divided between two families, and was served at several meals on successive days. when stewed the plant has for me a rather objectionable taste, but the stewing makes the substance more tender, and when this is followed by broiling or frying the objectionable taste is removed and it is quite palatable. the plants represented in plates and were collected at ithaca. [illustration: plate , figure .--polyporus frondosus. caps hair-brown or grayish, tubes white ( / natural size, masses often -- cm. in breadth). the caps in this specimen are quite broad, often they are narrower as in fig. . copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--polyporus frondosus. side and under view of a larger cluster ( / natural size). copyright.] there are several species which are related to the frondose polyporus which occur in this country as well as in europe. =polyporus intybaceus= fr., is of about the same size, and the branching, and form of the caps is much the same, but it is of a yellowish brown or reddish brown color. it grows on logs, stumps, etc., and is probably edible. it is not so common at ithaca as the frondose polyporus. [illustration: figure .--polyporus umbellatus. caps hair-brown (natural size, often much larger). copyright.] =polyporus umbellatus= fr.--this species is also related to the frondose polyporus, but is very distinct. it is more erect, the branching more open, and the caps at the ends of the branches are more or less circular and umbilicate. the branches are long, cylindrical and united near the base. the spreading habit of the branching, or the form of the caps, suggests an umbel or umbrella, and hence the specific name _umbellatus_. the tufts occur from -- cm. in diameter, and the individual caps are from -- cm. in diameter. it grows from underground roots and about stumps during summer. it is probably edible, but i have never tried it. figure is from a plant (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected in cascadilla woods, ithaca. =polyporus sulphureus= (bull.) fr. =edible.= (_boletus caudicinus_ schaeff. t. , : _polyporus caudicinus_ schroeter, cohn's krypt. flora, schlesien, p. , ).--the sulphur polyporus is so-called because of the bright sulphur color of the entire plant. it is one of the widely distributed species, and grows on dead oak, birch, and other trunks, and is also often found growing from wounds or knot-holes of living trees of the oak, apple, walnut, etc. the mycelium enters at wounds where limbs are broken off, and grows for years in the heart wood, disorganizing it and causing it to decay. in time the mycelium has spread over a considerable area, from which nutriment enough is supplied for the formation of the fruiting condition. the caps then appear from an open wound when such an exit is present. the color of the plant is quite constant, but varies of course in shades of yellow to some extent. in form, however, it varies greatly. the caps are usually clustered and imbricated, that is, they overlap. they may all arise separately from the wood, and yet be overlapping, though oftener several of them are closely joined or united at the base, so that the mass of caps arises from a common outgrowth from the wood as shown in fig. . the individual caps are flattened, elongate, and more or less fan-shaped. when mature there are radiating furrows and ridges which often increase the fan-like appearance of the upper surface of the cap. sometimes also there are more or less marked concentric furrows. the caps may be convex, or the margin may be more or less upturned so that the central portion is depressed. when young the margin is thick and blunt and of course lighter in color, but as the plant matures the edge is usually thinner. in some forms of the plant the caps are so closely united as to form a large rounded or tubercular mass, only the blunt tips of the individual caps being free. this is well represented in fig. , from a photograph of a large specimen growing from a wound in a butter-nut tree in central new york. the plant was cm. in diameter. the plants represented in plate grew on an oak stump. the tree was affected by the fungus while it was alive, and the heart wood became so weakened that the tree broke, and later the fruit form of the fungus appeared from the dead stump. [illustration: plate , figure .--polyporus sulphureus, on oak stump. entirely sulphur-yellow ( / natural size). copyright.] the tubes are small, and the walls thin and delicate, and are sometimes much torn, lacerated, and irregular. when the mycelium has grown in the interior of a log for a number of years it tends to grow in sheets along the line of the medullary rays of the wood or across in concentric layers corresponding to the summer wood. also as the wood becomes more decomposed, cracks and rifts appear along these same lines. the mycelium then grows in abundance in these rifts and forms broad and extensive sheets which resemble somewhat chamois skin and is called "punk." similar punk is sometimes formed in conifers from the mycelium of _fomes pinicola_. [illustration: plate , figure .--polyporus sulphureus. caps joined in a massive tubercle ( / natural size).] _polyporus sulphureus_ has long been known as an edible fungus, but from its rather firm and fibrous texture it requires a different preparation from the fleshy fungi to prepare it for the table, and this may be one reason why it is not employed more frequently as an article of food. it is common enough during the summer and especially during the autumn to provide this kind of food in considerable quantities. [illustration: plate , figure .--polyporus brumalis. cap and stem brown, tubes white. lower three plants natural size, upper one enlarged twice natural size. copyright.] =polyporus brumalis= (pers.) fr.--this pretty plant is found at all seasons of the year, and from its frequency during the winter was named _brumalis_, from _bruma_, which means winter. it grows on sticks and branches, or on trunks. it usually occurs singly, sometimes two or three close together. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. in diameter, and the stem is -- mm. in thickness. the =cap= is convex, then plane, and sometimes depressed at the center or umbilicate. when young it is somewhat fleshy and pliant, then it becomes tough, coriaceous, and hard when dry. during wet weather it becomes pliant again. being hard and firm, and tough, it preserves long after mature, so that it may be found at any season of the year. the cap is smoky in color, varying in shade, sometimes very dark, almost black, and other specimens being quite light in color. the surface is hairy and the margin is often fimbriate with coarse hairs. the =stem= is lighter, hairy or strigose. the =tubes= are first white, then become yellowish. the tubes are very regular in arrangement. figure represents well this species, three plants being grouped rather closely on the same stick; two show the under surface and one gives a side view. the upper portion of the plate represents two of the plants enlarged, the three lower ones being natural size. the plant is very common and widely distributed over the world. those illustrated in the plate were collected at ithaca. this species is too tough for food. many of the thin and pliant species of _polyporus_ are separated by some into the genus =polystictus=. the species are very numerous, as well as some of the individuals of certain species. they grow on wood or on the ground, some have a central stem, and others are shelving, while some are spread out on the surface of the wood. one very pretty species is the =polystictus perennis= fr. this grows on the ground and has a central stem. the plant is -- cm. high, and the cap -- cm. broad. the =pileus= is thin, pliant when fresh and somewhat brittle when dry. it is minutely velvety on the upper surface, reddish brown or cinnamon in color, expanded or umbilicate to nearly funnel-shaped. the surface is marked beautifully by radiations and fine concentric zones. the =stem= is also velvety. the =tubes= are minute, the walls thin and acute, and the mouths angular and at last more or less torn. the margin of the cap is finely fimbriate, but in old specimens these hairs are apt to become rubbed off. the left hand plant in fig. is _polyporus perennis_. =polystictus cinnamomeus= (jacq.) sacc., (_p. oblectans_ berk. hook. jour. p. , , dec. n. a. f. no. : _p. splendens_ pk., th report n. y. state mus., p. ) is a closely related species with the same habit, color, and often is found growing side by side with _p. perennis_. the margin of the cap is deeply and beautifully lacerate, as shown in the three other plants in fig. . _polystictus connatus_ schw., grows in similar situations and one sometimes finds all three of these plants near each other on the ground by roadsides. _p. connatus_ has much larger pores than either of the other two, and it is a somewhat larger plant. figure is from a photograph of plants collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . [illustration: figure .--left-hand plant polystictus perennis; right-hand three plants polystictus cinnamomeus. all natural size. copyright.] =polystictus versicolor= (l.) fr., is a very common plant growing on trunks and branches. it is more or less shelving, with a leaf-like pileus, marked by concentric bands of different colors. =p. hirsutus= fr., is a somewhat thicker and more spongy plant, whitish or grayish in color, with the upper surface tomentose with coarse hairs. =p. cinnabarinus= (jacq.) fr., is shelving, spongy, pliant, rather thick, cinnabar colored. it grows on dead logs and branches. it is sometimes placed in the genus _trametes_ under the same specific name. =polystictus pergamenus= fr., is another common one growing on wood of various trees. it is thin and very pliant when fresh, somewhat tomentose above when young, with faint bands, and the tubes are often violet or purple color, and they soon become deeply torn and lacerate so that they resemble the teeth of certain of the hedgehog fungi. [illustration: plate , figure .--polyporus lucidus. caps bright red or chestnut color, with a hard shiny crust ( / natural size). copyright.] =polyporus lucidus= (leys.) fr. [_fomes lucidus_ (leys.) fr.]--this species is a very striking one because of the bright red or chestnut color, the hard and brittle crust over the surface of the cap, which has usually the appearance of having been varnished. it grows on trunks, logs, stumps, etc., in woods or groves. the cap is -- cm. in diameter, and the stem is -- cm. long, and -- cm. in thickness. the stem is attached to one side of the pileus so that the pileus is lateral, though the stem is more or less ascending. the =cap= is first yellowish when young, then it becomes blood red, then chestnut color. the =stem= is the same color, and the =tubes= are not so bright in color, being a dull brown. the substance of the plant is quite woody and tough when mature. when dry it is soon attacked and eaten by certain insects, which are fond of a number of fungi, so that they are difficult to preserve in good condition in herbaria without great care. the surface of the pileus is quite uneven, wrinkled, and coarsely grooved, the margin sometimes crenate, especially in large specimens. figure represents the plant growing on a large hemlock spruce stump in the woods. the surface character of the caps and the general form can be seen. this photograph was taken near ithaca, n. y. =polyporus applanatus= (pers.) fr. [_fomes applanatus_ (pers.) wallr.]--this plant is also one of the very common woody _polyporaceæ_. it grows on dead trunks, etc., and sometimes is found growing from the wounds of living trees. it is very hard and woody. it has a hard crust, much harder than that of the _polyporus lucidus_. the surface is more or less marked by concentric zones which mark off the different years' growth, for this plant is perennial. at certain seasons of the year the upper surface is covered with a powdery substance of a reddish brown color, made up of numerous colored spores or conidia which are developed on the upper surface of this plant in addition to the smaller spores developed in the tubes on the under surface. the plant varies in size from -- cm. or more in diameter, and -- cm. in thickness, according to the rapidity of growth and the age of the fungus. the fruiting surface is white, and the tubes are very minute. they scarcely can be seen with the unaided eye. bruises of the tubes turn brown, and certain "artists" often collect these plants and sketch with a pointed instrument on the tube surface. for other peculiarities of this plant see page . the age of the plant can usually be told by counting the number of the broader zones on the upper surface, or by making a section through the plant and counting the number of tube strata on the lower surface of the cap at its base. =polyporus leucophæus= mont., is said to differ from this species in being more strongly zonate, and in the crust being whitish instead of reddish brown. =polyporus fomentarius= (l.) fr. [_fomes fomentarius_ (l.) fr.,] is hoof-shaped, smoky in color, or gray, and of various shades of dull brown. it is strongly zoned and sulcate, marking off each year's growth. the margin is thick and blunt, and the tube surface concave, the tubes having quite large mouths so that they can be readily seen, the color when mature being reddish brown. sections of the plant show that the tubes are very long, the different years' growth not being marked off so distinctly as in _p. applanatus_ and _leucophæus_. the plant grows on birch, beech, maple, etc. the inner portion was once used as tinder. =polyporus pinicola= (swartz.) fr. [_fomes pinicola_ (swartz.) fr.] occurs on dead pine, spruce, balsam, hemlock spruce, and other conifers. the cap is about the width of the _f. applanatus_, but it is stouter, and does not have the same hard crust. the young growth at the margin, which is very thick, is whitish yellow, while the old zones are reddish. the tubes are yellowish, and sections show that they are in strata corresponding to the years' growth. =polyporus igniarius= (l.) fr. [_fomes igniarius_ (l.) fr.] is a black species, more or less triangular, or sometimes hoof-shaped. the yearly zones are smaller, become much cracked, and the tubes are dark brown. one of these plants which i found on a birch tree in the adirondacks was over years old. the genus _merulius_ has a fruiting surface of irregular folds or wrinkles, forming shallow, irregular pits instead of a deeply honey-combed surface. =merulius lacrymans= (jacq.) fr., the "weeping" merulius, or "house fungus," often occurs in damp cellars, buildings, conduit pipes, etc. it is very destructive to buildings in certain parts of europe (see figs. , ). =merulius tremellosus= schrad., is very common in woods during autumn. it is of a gelatinous consistency, and spread on the under surface of limbs or forms irregular shelves from the side (see figs. , ). [illustration: plate .--merulius lacrymans. figure .--upper plant in conduit pipe leading from wash room, gymnasium c. u., autumn, . figure .--lower plant from under surface decaying hemlock spruce log in woods near freeville, n. y., october, . margin of plants white, fruiting surface a network of irregular folds, golden brown, or brown. copyright.] [illustration: plate .--merulius tremellosus. figure .--natural size.] [illustration: figure .--enlarged to show character of fruiting surface. fruiting surface yellowish; margin and upper surface in shelving forms, white, hairy. copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--phlebia merismoides. on rotting log, woods near ithaca, november , (no. c. u. herbarium). various shades of orange, yellow or yellow brown when old. copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--phlebia merismoides. portion of a plant - / times natural size, to show interrupted folds of fruiting surface. for colors see fig. . copyright.] chapter x. hedgehog fungi: hydnaceae. the plants belonging to this family vary greatly in size, form, and consistency. some of them are very large, some quite small, some are fleshy in consistency, some are woody, corky; some membranaceous; and if we include plants formerly classed here, some are gelatinous, though there is a tendency in recent years on the part of some to place the gelatinous ones among the trembling fungi. the special character which marks the members of this family is the peculiarity of the fruiting surface, just as a number of the other families are distinguished by some peculiarity of the fruiting surface. in the _hydnaceæ_ it covers the surface of numerous processes in the form of spines, teeth, warts, coarse granules, or folds which are interrupted at short intervals. these spines or teeth always are directed toward the earth when the plant is in the position in which it grew. in this way the members of the family can be distinguished from certain members of the club fungi belonging to the family _clavariaceæ_, for in the latter the branches or free parts of the plant are erect. in form the _hydnaceæ_ are shelving, growing on trees; or growing on the ground they often have a central or eccentric stem, and a more or less circular cap; some of them are rounded masses, growing from trees, with very long spines extending downward; others have ascending branches from which the spines depend; and still others form thin sheets which are spread over the surface of logs and sticks, the spines hanging down from the surface, or roughened with granules or warts, or interrupted folds (see _phlebia_, figs. , ). in one genus there is no fruit body, but the spines themselves extend downward from the rotten wood, the genus _mucronella_. this is only distinguished, so far as its family position is concerned, from such a species as _clavaria mucida_ by the fact that the plant grows downward from the wood, while in _c. mucida_ it grows erect. hydnum linn. the only species of the _hydnaceæ_ described here are in the genus _hydnum_. in this genus the fruiting surface is on spine, or awl-shaped processes, which are either simple or in some cases the tips are more or less branched. the plants grow on the ground or on wood. the species vary greatly in form. some are provided with a more or less regular cap and a stem, while others are shelving or bracket shaped, and still others are spread out over the surface of the wood (resupinate). [illustration: figure .--hydnum coralloides. entirely white (natural size). copyright.] =hydnum coralloides= scop. =edible.=--among the very beautiful species of the genus _hydnum_ is the coral one, _hydnum coralloides_. it grows in woods forming large, beautiful, pure white tufts on rotten logs, branches, etc. the appearance of one of these tufts is shown in fig. . there is a common stem which arises from the wood, and this branches successively into long, ascending, graceful shoots. the spines are scattered over the entire under side of these branches and hang down for -- mm. they are not clustered at the ends of the branches, as in the bear's head hydnum, and the species can be easily distinguished by giving attention to the form of the branching and the distribution of the spines on the under side of the branches. figure represents a plant collected at ithaca, and it is natural size. they grow, however, much larger than this specimen. the species is widely distributed, and not uncommon. it is excellent for food. [illustration: plate , figure .--hydnum caput-ursi. entirely white (natural size). copyright.] =hydnum caput-ursi= fr. =edible.=--this plant is also a beautiful one. it is more common than the coral hydnum so far as my observation goes. it is known by the popular name of "bear's head hydnum" in allusion to the groups of spines at the ends of the branches. it occurs in woods with a similar habit of growing on trunks, branches, etc. this plant also arises from the wood with a single stout stem, which then branches successively, the ends of the branches having groups of long pendant spines appearing like numerous heads. sometimes the spines on the top of the group are twisted or curled in a peculiar way. large tufts are sometimes formed, varying from -- or more centimeters in diameter. figure is from a plant collected at ithaca. [illustration: figure .--hydnum erinaceus. entirely white (natural size, often larger).] =hydnum caput-medusæ= bull. =edible.=--the medusa's head hydnum is a rarer species than either of the above in this country. it forms a large, tubercular mass which does not branch like the coral hydnum or the bear's head, but more like the satyr's beard hydnum, though the character of the spines will easily separate it from the latter. the spines cover a large part of this large tubercle, and hang downward. the plant is known by the additional character, that, on the upper part of the tubercle, the spines are twisted and interwoven in a peculiar fashion. =hydnum erinaceus= bull. =edible.=--this plant is sometimes called "satyr's beard." it grows on dead trunks in the woods or groves, and is often found growing from wounds in living trees. it forms a large, tubercular mass which does not branch. the spines are very long and straight and hang downward in straight parallel lines from the sides of the mass. the spines are from -- cm. or more long. figure represents one of the plants, showing the long spines. =hydnum repandum= l. =edible.=--this plant is not uncommon, and it is widely distributed. it grows usually in woods, on the ground. it varies greatly in size, from very small specimens, -- cm. high to others -- cm. high. the cap is -- cm. broad, and the stem -- mm. in thickness. [illustration: plate , figure .--hydnum repandum. cap whitish or yellowish, or pale yellowish brown; spines whitish or yellowish (natural size, often smaller). copyright.] it is entirely white or the cap varies to buff, dull yellow reddish or dull brown. it is very brittle, and must be handled with the utmost care if one wishes to preserve the specimen intact. the pileus is more or less irregular, the stem being generally eccentric, so that the pileus is produced more on one side than on the other, sometimes entirely lateral at the end of the stem. the margin is more or less wavy or repand. the spines are white, straight, and very brittle. the stem is even or clavate. figure is from plants collected at ithaca during august, , and represents one of the large specimens of the species. in one plant the pileus is entirely lateral on the end of the long clavate stem, and is somewhat reniform, the stem being attached at the sinus. in the other plant the stem is attached near the center. this species is considered one of the best mushrooms for the table. [illustration: plate , figure .--hydnum putidum. caps whitish then buff, then brownish or nearly black in older parts, edge white (natural size). copyright.] =hydnum imbricatum= l. =edible.=--this is a very variable species both in size and in the surface characters of the pileus. it occurs in woods, groves, or in open places under trees. the plants are -- cm. high, and the pileus varies from -- cm. broad, the stem from . -- . cm. in thickness. the pileus is convex and nearly expanded, fleshy, thinner at the margin, regular or very irregular. the color is grayish in the younger and smaller plants to umber or quite dark in the larger and older ones. the surface is cracked and torn into triangular scales, showing the whitish color of the flesh between the scales. the scales are small in the younger plants and larger in the older ones. figure is from plants collected at ithaca, and the pileus in these specimens is irregular. the species is edible, but bitter to the taste. [illustration: figure .--hydnum imbricatum. caps brownish, spines whitish (natural size, often larger).] =hydnum putidum= atkinson.--this plant grows on the ground in woods, and was collected in the blue ridge mountains at blowing rock, n. c., at an elevation of about feet. it is remarkable for its peculiar odor, resembling, when fresh, that of an ethiopian; for its tough, zonate pileus with a prominent white edge, and the stout irregular stem, resembling the stem of _hydnum velutinum_. the plants are -- cm. high, the cap -- cm. broad, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. the plants grow singly, or sometimes a few close together, and then two or more may be conjoined. the =pileus= is first umbilicate or depressed, becoming depressed or infundibuliform, irregular, eccentric, the margin repand, and sometimes lobed, and lobes appearing at times on the upper surface of the cap. the surface is first tomentose or pubescent, becoming smooth, with prominent concentric zones probably marked off by periodical growth; the color is first white, so that the edge is white, becoming cream color to buff, and in age dull brown and sometimes blackish brown in the center of the old plants. the pubescence disappears from the old portions of the cap, so that it is smooth. the pubescence or tomentum is more prominent on the intermediate zones. the margin is rather thick, somewhat acute or blunt, the upper portion of the flesh is spongy and the middle portion tough and coriaceous, and darker in color. the pileus is somewhat pliant when moist or wet, and firm when dry, the dark inner stratum hard. the =spines= are first white or cream color, in age changing through salmon color, or directly into grayish or grayish brown. the spines when mature are long, slender, crowded, and decurrent on the upper part of the stem. the =spores= are white, globose, echinulate, -- µ. the =stem= is stout and irregular, very closely resembling the stem of _hydnum velutinum_, with a thick, spongy, outer layer and a central hard core. the odor, which resembles that of a perspiring darkey, before the plant is dry, disappears after drying, and then the plant has the same agreeable odor presented by several different species of hydnum. the odor suggests _h. graveolens_, but the characters of the stem and surface of the pileus separate it from that species, while the tough and pliant character of the cap separates it from _h. fragile_. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . chapter xi. coral fungi: clavariaceae. this family is a very characteristic one, and very interesting from the large number of beautiful species in one genus, the genus _clavaria_. the plants all are more or less erect, or at least stand out from the substratum, that is, the substance on which they are growing. the fruiting surface covers the entire upper part of the plant, all but the bases of the stems. some of the branched species of the _thelephoraceæ_ resemble the branched species of the _clavariaceæ_, but in the former there is a more or less well defined upper portion on the tips of the branches which is flat, or truncate, and sterile, that is, lacks the fruiting surface. some of the species are simple, elongate and clavate bodies. some stand singly, others are clustered, or others are joined by their bases, and others still are very much branched. all of the species are said to be edible, that is, they are not poisonous. a few are rather tough, but they are mostly the small species which would not be thought of for food. the spores are borne on club-shaped basidia, as in the common mushrooms. [illustration: plate , figure .--clavaria formosa. yellowish, red tipped when young, red disappearing in age (natural size, sometimes twice this size). copyright.] clavaria vaill. the genus _clavaria_ is one of the most common ones in the family, and is one of the most attractive from the variety and beauty of several of the species. all of the plants are more or less erect, and at least stand out from the substratum on which they grow. they are either long and simple and more or less club-shaped, as the name implies, or they are branched, some but a few times, while others are very profusely branched. the plants vary in color, some are white, some yellow, some red, and some are red-tipped, while others are brownish in color. [illustration: figure .--clavaria botrytes. branches red tipped (natural size).] =clavaria formosa= pers. =edible.=--this is one of the handsomest of the genus. it is found in different parts of the world, and has been collected in new england and in the carolinas in this country. it is usually from -- cm. high, and because of the great number of branches is often broader in extent. there is a stout stem from -- cm. in diameter, deep in the ground. this branches into a few stout trunks, which then rapidly branch into slender and longer branches, terminating into numerous tips. the entire plant is very brittle, and great care is necessary to prevent its breaking, both before drying and afterward. when the plant is young and is just pushing out of the ground, the branches, especially the tips, are bright colored, red, pink, or orange, the color usually brighter when young in the younger plants. as the plant becomes older the color fades out, until at maturity the pink or red color has in many cases disappeared, and then the entire plant is of a light yellowish, or of a cream buff color. the spores are in mass light yellow, and the spores on the surface of the plant probably give the color to the plant at this stage. the spores are long, oval or oblong, -- × . -- µ, and are minutely spiny. figure is from a plant (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., in september, . the plant is very common in the mountain woods of north carolina. [illustration: figure .--clavaria pistillaris. dull whitish, tan or reddish (natural size).] specimens of this clavaria were several times prepared for table use during my stay in the mountains, but the flavor was not an agreeable one, possibly due to the fact that it needs some special preparation and seasoning. =clavaria botrytes= pers. =edible.=--this plant is much smaller than _c. formosa_, but has much the same general habit and color, especially when _c. formosa_ is young. the plant has a stout stem which soon dissolves into numerous branches, which are red tipped. the spores are white, and in this way it may be distinguished from _c. formosa_, or from _clavaria aurea_ (schaeff.), which has yellow or ochre spores, and which has also much the same habit as _c. botrytes_, and is nearer in size. [illustration: figure .--clavaria mucida. white (natural size). copyright.] =clavaria pistillaris= linn. =edible.=--this plant is a characteristic one because of its usually large size and simple form. it is merely a club-shaped body, growing from the ground. it has a wide range, both in europe and north america, but does not seem to be common, though i have found it more common in the mountain woods of north carolina than in new york. the plant is -- cm. high, and -- cm. thick at the upper end. it is smooth, though often irregularly grooved and furrowed, due probably to unequal tensions in growth. the apex in typical specimens is rounded and blunt. it is dull white or tan color or rufescent. the flesh is white, and very spongy, especially in age, when it is apt to be irregularly fistulose. figure is from plants collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september . there is what seems to be an abnormal form of this species figured by schaeffer, table , which fries separated as a distinct species and placed in the genus _craterellus_, one of the _thelephoraceæ_, and called by him _craterellus pistillaris_. this plant has been found at ithaca, and the only difference between this and the _clavaria pistillaris_ l., seems to be in the fact that in _craterellus pistillaris_ the end is truncate or in some specimens more or less concave. the spores seem to be the same, and the color and general habit of the two plants are the same. it is probably only a form of _clavaria pistillaris_. =clavaria mucida= pers.--this is one of the smallest species of the genus _clavaria_. it grows on rotten wood, and appears throughout the year. it is usually simple and clavate, but sometimes branched. the plant is white, or yellowish, or sometimes rose color, and measures from . to cm. in height, though i have usually found it from . -- cm. in height. it is soft and watery. figure is from plants (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at ithaca in october, . chapter xii. the trembling fungi: tremellineae. these fungi are called the trembling fungi because of their gelatinous consistency. the colors vary from white, yellow, orange, reddish, brownish, etc., and the form is various, often very irregular, leaf-like, or strongly folded and uneven. they are when fresh usually very soft, clammy to the touch, and yielding like a mass of gelatine. they usually grow on wood, but some species grow on the ground, and some are parasitic. the fruit surface usually covers the entire outer surface of the plant, but in some it is confined to one side of the plant. the basidia are peculiar to the order, are deeply seated in the substance of the plant, rounded or globose, and divided into four cells in a cruciate manner. from each one of these cells of the basidium a long, slender process (sterigma) grows out to the surface of the plant and bears the spore. a few species only are treated of here. tremella dill. in this genus the plants are gelatinous or cartilaginous. the form of the plant is usually very much contorted, fold-like or leaf-like, and very much branched. the fruiting surface extends over the entire upper surface of the plant. [illustration: figure .--tremella mycetophila, on collybia dryophila (natural size).] =tremella lutescens= pers.--this plant is entirely yellow, and occurs on branches. it is -- cm. in diameter, and is strongly folded, somewhat like the folds of a brain (gyrose). it is very soft and inclined to be watery and fluid, and is of a bright yellow color, spread out on the surface of rotten wood. it is of world-wide distribution, and appears from mid-summer to late autumn. =tremella mycetophila= pk.--this plant is interesting from the fact that it is parasitic on a mushroom, _collybia dryophila_. it grows on the stem or on the top of the cap of the _collybia_, and it is white, or yellowish, very much contorted (gyrose-plicate), nearly rounded, and -- mm. in diameter. figure represents this _tremella_ growing on the _collybia dryophila_, from plants collected at freeville woods near ithaca. [illustration: figure .--tremella frondosa. pinkish yellow or pinkish vinaceous (natural size). copyright.] =tremella frondosa= fr.--this is said to be the largest species of the genus. it grows on rotten wood. it occurs in europe, has been collected in new york state, and the fig. is from a plant (no. , c. u. herbarium) collected at blowing rock, n. c., in september, . the plant figured here was cm. long and about cm. high. it is very much twisted and contorted, leaf-like, and the middle and base all united. it is of a pinkish yellow color, one plant being vinaceous pink and another cream buff in color. when young the leaf-like lobes do not show well, but as it expands they become very prominent. several other species of tremella are probably more common than the ones illustrated here. one of the commonest of the _tremellineæ_ probably is the =exidia glandulosa=, which in dry weather appears as a black incrustation on dead limbs, but during rains it swells up into a large, black, very soft, gelatinous mass. it is commonly found on fallen limbs of oak, and occurs from autumn until late spring. it is sometimes called "witch's butter." [illustration: figure .--tremella fuciformis. entirely white (natural size). copyright.] =tremella fuciformis= berk.--this is a very beautiful white tremella growing in woods on leaf mold close to the ground. it forms a large white tubercular mass resting on the ground, from the upper surface of which numerous stout, short, white processes arise which branch a few times in a dichotomous manner. the masses are -- cm. in diameter, and nearly or quite as high. the flesh is very soft, and the parts are more or less hollow. the basidia are like those of the genus, globose, sunk in the substance of the plant, and terminate with four long, slender, sterigmata which rise to the surface and bear the spores. the spores are white, nearly ovoid, but inequilateral and somewhat reniform, continuous, -- × -- µ. figure is from a plant collected in a woods near ithaca, in august, . gyrocephalus pers. the genus _gyrocephalus_ differs from the other _tremellineæ_ in having the fruiting surface on the lower side of the fruit body, while the upper side is sterile. [illustration: figure .--gyrocephalus rufus. reddish or reddish yellow (natural size). copyright.] =gyrocephalus rufus= (jacq.) bref.--this species is sometimes very abundant. it grows on the ground, generally from buried wood, or from dead roots. it is erect, stout at the base, and the upper end flattened and thinner. it is more or less spatulate, the upper side somewhat concave, and the lower somewhat convex. in some plants the pileus is more regular and there is then a tendency to the funnel form. it is reddish, or reddish yellow in color, smooth, clammy, watery, and quite gelatinous. when dry it is very hard. figure represents the form of the plant well, from plants collected at ithaca. the plant is quite common in the damp glens and woods at ithaca during the autumn. chapter xiii. thelephoraceae. many of the species of the thelephoraceæ to which the following two species belong are too tough for food. a large number of these grow on wood. they are known by their hard or membranaceous character and by the fruiting surface (under surface when in the position in which they grew) being smooth, or only slightly uneven, or cracked. =craterellus cantharellus= (schw.) fr., is an edible species. in general appearance it resembles the _cantharellus cibarius_. the color is the same, and the general shape, except that the former is perhaps more irregular in form. it may, however, be in most cases easily distinguished from _c. cibarius_ by the absence of folds on the under or fruiting surface, since the fruiting surface is smooth, especially when the plants are young or middle age. however, when the plants get quite large and old, in some cases the fruiting surface becomes very uneven from numerous folds and wrinkles, which, however, are more irregular than the folds of _c. cibarius_. =craterellus cornucopioides= (l.) pers., is another edible species. it grows on the ground in woods. it is of a dusky or dark smoky color, and is deeply funnel-shaped, resembling a "horn of plenty," though usually straight. the fruiting surface is somewhat uneven. the genus _stereum_ is a very common one on branches, etc., either entirely spread out on the wood, or with the margin or a large part of the pileus free. _hymenochæte_ is like _stereum_, but has numerous small black spines in the fruiting surface, giving it a velvety appearance. _corticium_ is very thin and spread over the wood in patches. [illustration: plate , figure .--lycoperdon cyathiforme (natural size).] chapter xiv. puff-balls: lycoperdaceae. this is not the place for a discussion of the different genera of the puff-balls, etc., but it might be well to say that in recent years the old genus _lycoperdon_ has been divided into several genera. the giant puff-ball, and the _l. cyathiforme_, where the wall or peridium ruptures irregularly, have been placed in a genus called _calvatia_; certain other species which are nearly globose, and in which the wall is of a papery texture at maturity, are placed in the genus _bovista_. there is one genus belonging to the same family as the lycoperdons, the species of which are very interesting on account of the peculiar way in which the wall is ruptured. this is the genus _geaster_, that is, "earth star." the wall, or peridium, is quite thick in the members of this genus, and when it matures it separates into several layers which need not all be discussed here. a thick outer portion which separates from a thinner inner portion further splits radially into several star-like divisions, which spread outward and give to the plant the form of a star. since the plants lie on the earth the name earth star was applied to them. this opens out in dry weather, even curving around under the plant, so that the plant is raised above the ground. then in wet weather it closes up again. the inner portion of the wall opens at the apex in various ways, in the different species, so that the spores may escape. a closely related genus has several small perforations like a pepper box in the upper surface of the inner wall, _myriostoma_. lycoperdon tourn. to this genus belong most of the "puff-balls," as they are commonly called, or, as they are denominated in the south, "devil's snuff box." all, or a large portion, of the interior of the plant at maturity breaks down into a powdery substance, which with the numerous spores is very light, and when the plant is squeezed or pressed, clouds of this dust burst out at the opening through the wall. the wall of the plant is termed the _peridium_. in this genus the wall is quite thin, and at maturity opens differently in different species. in several species it opens irregularly, the entire wall becoming very brittle and cracking up into bits, as in the giant puff-ball. in the remaining species it opens by a distinct perforation at the apex, and the remainder of the wall is more or less pliant and membranous. all of the puff-balls are said to be edible, at least are harmless, if eaten when the flesh is white. they should not be eaten when the flesh is dark, or is changing from the white color. =lycoperdon giganteum= batsch. =edible.=--this, the giant puff-ball, is the largest species of the genus. sometimes it reaches immense proportions, two to three or even four feet, but these large sizes are rare. it is usually to cm. ( -- in.) in diameter. it grows on the ground in grassy places during late summer and in the autumn. it is a large rounded mass, resting on the ground, and near or at the center of the under side, it is attached to the cords of mycelium in the ground. it is white in color until it is ripe, that is, when the spores are mature, and it should be gathered for food before it is thus ripe. when it is maturing it becomes yellowish, then dusky or smoky in color. the flesh, which is white when young, changes to greenish yellow and finally brownish, with usually an olivaceous tinge, as the spores ripen. the plant is so large that it may be sliced, and should be sliced before broiling. a single specimen often forms enough for a meal for a large family, and some of the larger ones would serve for several meals. =lycoperdon cyathiforme= bosc. =edible.=--this is called the beaker-shaped puff-ball because the base of the plant, after the spores have all been scattered, resembles to some extent a beaker, or a broad cup with a stout, stem-like base. these old sterile bases of the plant are often found in the fields long after the spores have disappeared. the plants are somewhat pear-shaped, rounded above, and tapering below to the stout base. they are -- cm. in diameter, and white when young. at maturity the spore mass is purplish, and by this color as well as by the sterile base the plant is easily recognized. of course these characters cannot be recognized in the young and growing plant at the time it is wanted for food, but the white color of the interior of the plant would be a sufficient guarantee that it was edible, granted of course that it was a member of the puff-ball family. sometimes, long before the spores mature, the outer portion of the plant changes from white to pinkish, or brownish colors. at maturity the wall, or peridium, breaks into brittle fragments, which disappear and the purplish mass of the spores is exposed. the plant grows in grassy places or even in cultivated fields. =lycoperdon gemmatum= batsch. =edible.=--this puff-ball is widely distributed throughout the world and is very common. it grows in the woods, or in open places on the ground, usually. it is known from its characteristic top shape, the more or less erect scales on the upper surface intermingled with smaller ones, the larger ones falling away and leaving circular scars over the surface, which gives it a reticulate appearance. the plants are white, becoming dark gray or grayish brown when mature. they vary in size from -- cm. high to -- cm. broad. they are more or less top-shaped, and the stem, which is stout, is sometimes longer than the rounded portion, which is the fruiting part. the outer part of the wall (outer peridium) when quite young separates into warts or scales of varying size, large ones arranged quite regularly with smaller ones between. these warts are well shown in the two plants at the left in fig. , and the third plant from the left shows the reticulations formed of numerous scars on the inner peridium where the larger scales have fallen away. [illustration: figure .--lycoperdon gemmatum. entirely white except when old (natural size). copyright.] the plant at the extreme right is mature, and the inner peridium has ruptured at the apex to permit the escape of the spores. the spore mass, together with brownish threads which are intermingled, are greenish yellow with an olive tinge, then they become pale brown. the spores are rounded, . -- . µ in diameter, smooth or minutely warted. another small puff-ball everywhere common in woods is the _lycoperdon pyriforme_, so called because of its pear shape. it grows on very rotten wood or on decaying logs in woods or groves, or in open places where there is rotting wood. it is somewhat smaller than the gem-bearing lycoperdon, is almost sessile, sometimes many crowded very close together, and especially is it characterized by prominent root-like white strands of mycelium which are attached to the base where the plant enters the rotten wood. while these small species of puff-balls are not injurious to eat, they do not seem to possess an agreeable flavor. there are quite a number of species in this country which cannot be enumerated here. related to the puff-balls, and properly classed with them, are the species of _scleroderma_. this name is given to the genus because of the hard peridium, the wall being much firmer and harder than in _lycoperdon_. there are two species which are not uncommon, _scleroderma vulgare_ and _s. verrucosum_. they grow on the ground or on very rotten wood, and are sessile, often showing the root-like white strands attached to their base. they vary in size from -- cm. and the outer wall is cracked into numerous coarse areas, or warts, giving the plant a verrucose appearance, from which one of the species gets its specific name. =calostoma cinnabarinum= desv.--this is a remarkably beautiful plant with a general distribution in the eastern united states. it has often been referred to in this country under the genus name _mitremyces_, and sometimes has been confused with a rarer and different species, _calostoma lutescens_ (schw.) burnap. it grows in damp woods, usually along the banks of streams and along mountain roads. it is remarkable for the brilliant vermilion color of the inner surface of the outer layer of the wall (_exoperidium_), which is exposed by splitting into radial strips that curl and twist themselves off, and by the vermilion color of the edges of the teeth at the apex of the inner wall (_endoperidium_). the plant is -- cm. high, and -- cm. in diameter. when mature the base or stem, which is formed of reticulated and anastomosing cords, elongates and lifts the rounded or oval fruiting portion to some distance above the surface of the ground, when the gelatinous volva ruptures and falls to the ground or partly clings to the stem, exposing the peridium, the outer portion of which then splits in the manner described. when the plant is first seen above the ground it appears as a globose or rounded body, and in wet weather has a very thick gelatinous layer surrounding it. this is the volva and is formed by the gelatinization of the outer layer of threads which compose it. this gelatinous layer is thick and also viscid, and when the plants are placed on paper to dry, it glues them firmly to the sheet. when the outer layer of the peridium splits, it does so by splitting from the base toward the apex, or from the apex toward the base. of the large number of specimens which i have seen at blowing rock, n. c., the split more often begins at the apex, or at least, when the slit is complete, the strips usually stand out loosely in a radiate manner, the tips being free. at this stage the plant is a very beautiful object with the crown of vermilion strips radiating outward from the base of the fruit body at the top of the stem, and the inner peridium resting in the center and terminated by the four to seven teeth with vermilion edges. at this time also the light yellow spore mass is oozing out from between the teeth. the spores are oblong to elliptical, marked with very fine points, and measure -- × -- µ. [illustration: plate , figure .--calostoma cinnabarinum. see text for colors (natural size).] figure is from plants collected at blowing rock, n. c., in september, . the _mytremyces lutescens_ reported in my list of "some fungi of blowing rock, n. c.," in jour. elisha mitchell sci. soc. : -- , , is this _calostoma cinnabarinum_. chapter xv. the stink-horn fungi: phalloideae fries. most of the stink-horn fungi are characterized by a very offensive odor. some of them at maturity are in shape not unlike that of a horn, and the vulgar name is applied because of this form and the odor. the plants grow in the ground, or in decaying organic matter lying on the ground. the spawn or mycelium is in the form of rope-like strands which are usually much branched and matted together. from these cords the fruit form arises. during its period of growth and up to the maturity of the spores, the fruit body is oval, that is, egg form, and because of this form and the quite large size of these bodies they are often called "eggs." the outer portion of the egg forms the volva. it is always thick, and has an outer thin coat or membrane, and an inner membrane, while between the two is a thick layer of gelatinous substance, so that the wall of the volva is often -- mm. in thickness, and is very soft. the outline of the volva can be seen in fig. , which shows sections of three eggs in different stages. inside of the volva is the short stem (_receptacle_) which is in the middle portion, and covering the upper portion and sides of this short stem is the pileus; the fruit-bearing portion, which is divided into small chambers, lies on the outside of the pileus. in the figure there can be seen cross lines extending through this part from the pileus to the wall of the volva. these represent ridges or crests which anastomose over the pileus, forming reticulations. the stem or receptacle is hollow through the center, and this hollow opens out at the end so that there is a rounded perforation through the upper portion of the pileus. the spores are borne on club-shaped basidia within the chambers of the fruit-bearing portion (_gleba_), and at maturity of the spores the stem or receptacle begins to elongate. this pushes the gleba and the upper part of the receptacle through the apex of the volva, leaving this as a cup-shaped body at the base, much as in certain species of _amanita_, while the gleba is borne aloft on the much elongated stem. during this elongation of the receptacle a large part of the substance of the gleba dissolves into a thick liquid containing the spores. this runs off and is washed off by the rains, leaving the inner surface of the gleba exposed, and showing certain characters peculiar to the various genera. among the stink-horns are a number of genera which are very interesting from the peculiarities of development; and some of which are very beautiful and curious objects, although they do possess offensive odors. in some of the genera, the upper part of the plant expands into leaf-like--or petal-like, bodies, which are highly colored and resemble flowers. they are sometimes called "fungus flowers." dictyophora desvaux. =dictyophora= means "net bearer," and as one can see from fig. it is not an inappropriate name. the stem or receptacle, as one can see from the illustrations of the two species treated of here, possesses a very coarse mesh, so that not only the surface but the substance within is reticulated, pitted and irregularly perforated. in the genus _dictyophora_ an outer layer of the receptacle or stem is separated as it elongates, breaks away from the lower part of the stem, is carried aloft, and hangs as a beautiful veil. this veil is very conspicuous in some species and less so in others. =dictyophora duplicata= (bosc.) ed. fischer.--this species is illustrated in fig. , made from plants collected at ithaca. the plants are from -- cm. high, the cap about cm. in diameter, and the stem -- cm. in thickness. according to burt (bot. gaz. = =: , ) it is a common species in the eastern united states. the cap is more or less bell-shaped and the sculptured surface is marked in a beautiful manner with the reticulations. [illustration: plate , figure .--dictyophora duplicata. white (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--dictyophora ravenelii. mature plants showing volva at base; elongated receptacle, cap at the top, and veil surrounding the receptacle under the cap (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: figure .--dictyophora ravenelii. egg stage, caps just bursting through the volva (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: figure .--dictyophora ravenelii. sections of eggs, and showing cords of mycelium (natural size). copyright.] =dictyophora ravenelii= (b. & c.) burt.--this plant also has a wide distribution in the eastern united states. the stem is more slender than in the other species, _d. duplicata_, the pileus more nearly conic, and the surface of the pileus is merely granular or minutely wrinkled after the disappearance of the gleba, and does not present the strong reticulating ridges and crests which that species shows. the plants are from to cm. high. it grows in woods and fields about rotting wood, and in sawdust. the veil is very thin and delicate, forming simply a membrane, and does not possess the coarse meshes present in the veil of _d. duplicata_. the figs. , represent the different stages in the elongation of the receptacle of this plant, and the rupture of the volva. this elongation takes place quite rapidly. while photographing the plant as it was bursting through the volva, i had considerable difficulty in getting a picture, since the stem elongated so rapidly that the plant would show that it had moved perceptibly, and the picture would be blurred. in a woods near ithaca a large number of these plants have appeared from year to year in a pile of sawdust. one of the most vile smelling plants of this family is the _ithyphallus impudicus_. chapter xvi. morels, cup-fungi, helvellas, etc.: discomycetes. the remaining fungi to be considered belong to a very different group of plants than do the mushrooms, puff-balls, etc. nevertheless, because of the size of several of the species and the fact that several of them are excellent for food, some attention will be given to a few. the entire group is sometimes spoken of as _discomycetes_ or _cup-fungi_, because many of the plants belonging here are shaped something like a disk, or like a cup. the principal way in which they differ from the mushrooms, the puff-balls, etc., is found in the manner in which the spores are borne. in the mushrooms, etc., the spores, we recollect, are borne on the end of a club-shaped body, usually four spores on one of these. in this group, however, the spores are borne inside of club-shaped bodies, called sacs or asci (singular, ascus). these sacs, or asci, are grouped together, lying side by side, forming the fruiting surface or hymenium, much as the basidia form the fruiting surface in the mushrooms. in the case of the cup or disk forms, the upper side of the disk, or the upper and inner surface of the cap, is covered with these sacs, standing side by side, so that the free ends of the sacs form the outer surface. in the case of the morel the entire outer surface of the upper portion of the plant, that where there are so many pits, is covered with similar sacs. since so few of the genera and species of the morels and cup-fungi will be treated of here, i shall not attempt to compare the genera or even to give the characters by which the genera are known. in most cases the illustrations will serve this purpose so far as it is desirable to accomplish it in such a work as the present. certain of the species will then be described and illustrated. [illustration: plate , figure .--morchella esculenta (natural size). copyright.] morchella dill. the morels are all edible and they are usually easy to recognize. the plant consists of two distinct, prominent parts, the cap and the stem. the cap varies in form from rounded, ovate, conic or cylindrical, or bell-shaped, but it is always marked by rather broad pits, covering the entire outer surface, which are separated from each other by ridges forming a network. the color of the plants does not differ to any perceptible extent in our species. the cap is usually buff or light ochre yellow, becoming darker with age and in drying. the stem in all our species is usually quite stout, though it varies to some extent in some of the different species, in proportion to the thickness of the cap. the stem is marked in some of the species by large wrinkles or folds extending irregularly but with considerable uniformity over the surface. the surface is further minutely roughened by whitish or grayish elevations, giving it a granular appearance. sometimes these granules are quite evenly distributed over the surface, and in some species they are more or less separated into small areas by narrow lines. the morels appear early in the season, during may and june. they grow usually in damp situations, and are more abundant during rainy weather. three species are illustrated here. =morchella esculenta= pers. =edible.=--the name of this species, the esculent morel, indicates that it has been long known as an edible plant, especially since the man who named it lived a century ago. the plant is from -- cm. high, the stem is -- cm. in thickness, and the cap is broader than the stem. the cap is somewhat longer than broad, and is more or less oval or rounded in outline. the arrangement of the pits on the surface of the cap is regarded by some as being characteristic of certain species. in this species the pits are irregularly arranged, so that they do not form rows, and so that the ridges separating them do not run longitudinally from the base toward the apex of the cap, but run quite irregularly. this arrangement can be seen in fig. , which is from a photograph of this species. the stem is hollow. =morchella conica= pers. =edible.=--this species is very closely related to the preceding one, and is considered by some to be only a form of the _morchella esculenta_. the size is about the same, the only difference being in the somewhat longer cap and especially in the arrangement of the pits. these are arranged more or less in distinct rows, so that the ridges separating them run longitudinally and parallel from the base of the cap to the apex, with connecting ridges extending across between the pits. the cap is also more or less conic, but not necessarily so. figure illustrates this species. the plant shown here is branched, and this should not be taken to be a character of the species, for it is not, this form being rather rare. [illustration: figure .--morchella conica (natural size). copyright.] [illustration: plate , figure .--morchella crassipes (natural size). copyright.] =morchella crassipes= (vent.) pers. =edible.=--this species differs from the two preceding in the fact that the stem is nearly equal in width with the cap. figure illustrates a handsome specimen which was cm. high. the granular surface and the folds of the stem show very distinctly and beautifully. collected at ithaca. =morchella deliciosa= fr. =edible=, has the cap cylindrical or nearly so. it is longer than the stem, and is usually two or three times as long as it is broad. the plant is smaller than the preceding, though large ones may equal in size small ones of those two. the plant is from -- cm. high. =morchella semilibera= dc., and =m. bispora= sor., [_verpa bohemica_ (kromb.) schroet.] occur in this country, and are interesting from the fact that the cap is bell-shaped, the lower margin being free from the stem. in the latter species there are only two spores in an ascus. helvella l. the helvellas are pretty and attractive plants. they are smaller than the morels, usually. they have a cap and stem, the cap being very irregular in shape, often somewhat lobed or saddle-shaped. it is smooth, or nearly so, at least it is not marked by the large pits present in the cap of the morel, and this is one of the principal distinguishing features of the helvellas as compared with the morels. in one species the thin cap has its lower margin free from the stem. this is =helvella crispa= fr., and it has a white or whitish cap, and a deeply furrowed stem. it occurs in woods during the summer and autumn, and is known as the white helvella. [illustration: figure .--helvella lacunosa (natural size). copyright.] another species which has a wide range is the =helvella lacunosa=, so called because of the deep longitudinal grooves in the stem. the cap is thin, but differs from the _h. crispa_ in that the lower margin is connected with the stem. this species is illustrated in fig. from plants collected at blowing rock, n. c., during september, . the genus _gyromitra_ is very closely related to _helvella_, and is only distinguished by the fact that the cap is marked by prominent folds and convolutions, resembling somewhat the convolutions of the brain. its name means _convoluted cap_. the =gyromitra esculenta= fr., is from -- cm. high, and the cap from -- cm. broad. while this species has long been reported as an edible one, and has been employed in many instances as food with no evil results, there are known cases where it has acted as a poison. in many cases where poisoning has resulted the plants were quite old and probably in the incipient stages of decay. however, it is claimed that a poisonous principle, called _helvellic acid_, has been isolated by a certain chemist, which acts as a violent poison. this principle is very soluble in hot water, and when care is used to drain off first water in which they have been cooked, squeezing the water well from the plants, they are pronounced harmless. the safer way would be to avoid such suspicious species. [illustration: figure .--spathularia velutipes (natural size). copyright.] =spathularia velutipes= cooke & farlow.--this species represents another interesting genus of the _discomycetes_. it is in the form of a "spatula," and from this shape of the plant the genus takes its name. there are several species known in this country, and this one is quite common. the stem extends the entire length of the plant, running right through the cap, or perhaps it would be better to say that the cap or fruiting portion forms two narrow blades or wings on opposite sides of the upper part of the stem. these wing-like expansions of the cap on the opposite sides of the stem give the spathulate form to the plant. figure is from plants collected in the woods near ithaca. [illustration: figure .--leotia lubrica (natural size). copyright.] =leotia lubrica= pers.--the genus _leotia_ is quite readily recognized by its form, and because the plants are usually slimy. this species is called _lubrica_ because of the slippery character of the entire plant. it is dull yellowish or olive yellow in color. the cap, as can be seen from the figure ( ), is irregularly rounded, and broader than the stem. the plant is illustrated natural size from specimens collected near ithaca. the true cup-fungi. by far the larger number of the _discomycetes_ are cup-shaped, and are popularly called "cup-fungi." they vary from plants of very minute size, so small that they can be just seen with the eye, or some of the larger ones are several inches in breadth. they grow on the ground, on leaves, wood, etc. the variety of form and color is great. they may be sessile, that is, the cup rests immediately on the ground or wood, or leaves, or they may possess a short, or rather long stalk. the only species illustrated here has a comparatively long stalk, and the cap is deep cup-shaped, almost like a beaker. this plant is technically known as _sarcoscypha floccosa_. it is represented here natural size (fig. ). the stem is slender, and the rim of the cup is beset with long, strigose hairs. the inner surface of the cup is lined with the sacs (asci) and sterile threads (paraphyses), spoken of on a former page, when treating of the fruiting character of the morels and cup-fungi. in this plant the color of the inside of the cup is very beautiful, being a bright red. another species, _sarcoscypha coccinea_, the scarlet sarcoscypha, is a larger plant which appears in very early spring, soon after the frost is out of the ground. it grows on rotting logs and wood in the woods or in groves. the inside of the cup in this species is a rich scarlet, and from this rich color the species takes its name. [illustration: figure .--sarcoscypha floccosa (natural size). copyright.] chapter xvii. collection and preservation of the fleshy fungi. in the collection of the higher fungi it is of the utmost importance that certain precautions be employed in obtaining all parts of the plant, and furthermore that care be exercised in handling, in order not to remove or efface delicate characters. not only is it important for the beginner, but in many instances an "expert" may not be able to determine a specimen which may have lost what undoubtedly seem, to some, trivial marks. the suggestions given here should enable one to collect specimens in such a way as to protect these characters while fresh, to make notes of the important evanescent characters and to dry and preserve them properly for future study. for collecting a number of specimens under a variety of conditions the following list of "apparatus" is recommended: one or two oblong or rectangular hand baskets, capacity from -- quarts. or a rectangular zinc case with a closely fitting top (not the ordinary botanical collecting case). half a dozen or so tall pasteboard boxes, or tins, × , or × , × inches deep, to hold certain species in an upright position. a quantity of tissue paper cut × or × inches. smaller quantity of waxed tissue paper for wrapping viscid or sticky plants. trowel; a stout knife; memorandum pad and pencil. =collecting.=--during the proper season, and when rains are abundant, the mushrooms are to be found in open fields, waste places, groves and woods. they are usually more abundant in the forests. especially in dry weather are specimens more numerous in rather damp woods, along ravines or streams. in collecting specimens which grow on the ground the trowel should be used to dig up the plant carefully, to be sure that no important part of the plant is left in the ground. after one has become familiar with the habit of the different kinds the trowel will not be necessary in all cases. for example, most species of _russula_, _lactarius_, _tricholoma_, _boletus_, etc., are not deeply seated in the soil, and careful hand-picking will in most cases secure specimens properly, especially if one does not object to digging in the soil with the fingers. but in the case of most species of _amanita_, certain species of _lepiota_, _collybia_, etc., a trowel is necessary to get up the base of the plant in such a way as to preserve essential characters. even then it is possible, if the ground is not too hard, to dig them out with the fingers, or with a stout knife, but i have often found specimens which could only be taken up with a trowel or spade. species growing on sticks or leaves are easily collected by taking a portion of the substratum on which they grow. specimens on the larger limbs or trunks or stumps can sometimes be "picked," but until one is accustomed to certain individualities of the plant it is well to employ the knife and to cut off a portion of the wood if necessary, to avoid cutting off the base of the stem. it is necessary also to handle the specimens with the greatest care to avoid leaving finger marks where the surface of the stem or cap is covered with a soft and delicate outer coat, especially if one wishes to photograph the plant, since rubbed or marked places spoil the plant for this purpose. also a little careless handling will remove such important characters as a frail annulus or volva, which often are absolutely necessary to recognize the species. having collected the specimens, they should be properly placed in the basket or collecting case. those which are quite firm, and not long and slender, can be wrapped with tissue paper (waxed tissue paper if they are viscid or sticky), and placed directly in the basket, with some note or number to indicate habitat or other peculiarity which it is desirable to make at the time of collection. the smaller, more slender and fragile, specimens can be wrapped in tissue paper (a cluster of several individuals can be frequently rolled up together) made in the form of a narrow funnel and the ends then twisted. the shape of the paper enables one to wrap them in such a way as to protect certain delicate characters on the stem or cap. these can then be stood upright in the small pasteboard boxes which should occupy a portion of the basket. a number of such wrappers can be placed in a single box, unless the specimens are of considerable size and numerous. in these boxes they are prevented from being crushed by the jostling of the larger specimens in the basket. these boxes have the additional advantage of preserving certain specimens entire and upright if one wishes later to photograph them. =field notes.=--the field notes which may be taken upon the collection will depend on circumstances. if one goes to the sorting room soon after the collection is made, so that notes can be made there before the more delicate specimens dry, few notes will answer in the field, and usually one is so busy collecting or hunting for specimens there is not much inclination to make extended notes in the field. but it is quite important to note the _habitat_ and _environment_, i. e., the place where they grow, the kind and character of the soil, in open field, roadside, grove, woods, on ground, leaves, sticks, stumps, trunks, rotting wood, or on living tree, etc. it is very important also that different kinds be kept separate. the student will recognize the importance of this and other suggestions much more than the new "fungus hunter." =sorting room.=--when one returns from a collecting trip it is best to take the plants as soon as possible to a room where they can be assorted. an hour or so delay usually does not matter, but the sooner they are attended to the better. sometimes when they are carefully placed in the basket, as described above, they may be kept over night without injury, but this will depend on the _kinds_ in the collection. _coprini_ are apt to deliquesce, certain other specimens, especially in warm weather, are apt to be so infested with larvæ that they will be ruined by morning, when immediate drying might save them. other thin and delicate ones, especially in dry weather, will dry out so completely that one loses the opportunity of taking notes on the fresh specimen. specimens to be photographed should be attended to at once, unless it is too late in the day, when they should be set aside in an upright position, and if necessary under a bell-jar, until the following day. as far as possible good specimens should be selected for the photograph, representing different stages of development, and one to show the fruiting surface. sometimes it will be necessary to make more than one photograph to obtain all the stages. also on different days one is apt to obtain a specimen representing an important stage in development not represented before. the plants should be arranged close together to economize space, but not usually touching nor too crowded. they should be placed in their natural position as far as possible, and means for support, if used, should be hidden behind the plant. they should be so arranged as to show individual as well as specific character and should be photographed if possible natural size, or at least not on a plate smaller than × inches unless the plants are small; while larger ones are better on × or larger. some very small ones it may be necessary to enlarge in order to show the character of the fruiting surface, and even large specimens can sometimes have a portion of the hymenium enlarged to good advantage if it is desirable to show the characters clearly. the background should be selected to bring out the characters strongly, and in the exposure and developing it is often necessary to disregard the effect of the background in order to bring out the detail of texture on the plant itself. the background should be renewed as often as necessary to have it uniform and neat. there is much more that might be said under this head, but there is not space here. =to obtain spore prints.=--in many cases it is desirable to obtain spores in a mass on paper in order to know the exact tint of color produced by the species. often the color of the spores can be satisfactorily determined by an examination of them under the microscope. one cannot always depend on the color of the lamellæ since a number of the species possess colored cystidia or spines in the hymenium which disguise the color of the spores. the best way to determine the color of the spores in mass is to catch them as they fall from the fruiting surface on paper. for the ordinary purpose of study and reference in the herbarium the spores caught on unprepared paper, which later may be placed in the packet with the specimen, will answer. this method has the advantage of saving time, and also the danger of injury to the spores from some of the fixatives on prepared paper is avoided. if for purposes of illustration one wishes pretty spore prints, perfect caps must be cut from the stem and placed fruiting surface downward on paper prepared with some gum arable or similar preparation spread over it, while the paper is still moist with the fixative, and then the specimen must be covered with a bell-jar or other receiver to prevent even the slightest draft of air, otherwise the spores will float around more or less. the spores may be caught on a thin, absorbent paper, and the paper then be floated on the fixative in a shallow vessel until it soaks through and comes in contact with the spores. i have sometimes used white of egg as a fixative. these pieces of paper can then be cut out and either glued to card-boards, or onto the herbarium sheet. =sorting the plants.=--this should be done as soon as possible after collection. a large table in the sorting room is convenient, upon which the specimens may be spread, or grouped rather, by species, the individuals of a species together, on sheets of paper. surplus dirt, or wood, leaves, etc., can be removed. a few of the specimens can be turned so that spores can be caught on the papers. if only one or a few specimens of a given species have been found, and it is desirable not to cut off the cap from the stem, the plant can be supported in an upright position, a small piece of paper slit at one side can be slipped around the stem underneath the cap, on which the spores will fall. sometimes it will be necessary to cover the plant with a bell-jar in order to prevent it from drying before the spores are shed. experience with different species will suggest the treatment necessary. =taking notes on the specimens.=--very few probably realize the desirability of making notes of certain characters while the plants are fresh, for future reference, or for use by those to whom the plants may be sent for determination. it is some trouble to do this, and when the different kinds are plentiful the temptation is strong to neglect it. when one has available books for determination of the species, as many as possible should be studied and determined while fresh. but it is not always possible to satisfactorily determine all. some may be too difficult for ready recognition, others may not be described in the books at hand, or poorly so, and further the number of kinds may be too great for determination before they will spoil. on these as well as on some of the interesting ones recognized, it is important to make a record of certain characters. these notes should be kept either with the specimen, or a number should be given the specimen and the notes kept separately with the corresponding number. memoranda. =no.=____. locality, date. name of collector. =weather.= =habitat.=--if on ground, low or high, wet or dry, kind of soil; on fallen leaves, twigs, branches, logs, stumps, roots, whether dead or living, kind of tree; in open fields, pastures, etc., woods, groves, etc., mixed woods or evergreen, oak, chestnut, etc. =plants.=--whether solitary, clustered, tufted, whether rooting or not, taste, odor, color when bruised or cut, and if a change in color takes place after exposure to the air. =cap.=--whether dry, moist, watery in appearance (hygrophanous), slimy, viscid, glutinous; color when young, when old; whether with fine bloom, powder; kind of scales and arrangement, whether free from the cuticle and easily rubbed off. shape of cap. =margin of cap.=--whether straight or incurved when young, whether striate or not when moist. =stem.=--whether slimy, viscid, glutinous, kind of scales if not smooth, whether striate, dotted, granular, color; when there are several specimens test one to see if it is easily broken out from the cap, also to see if it is fibrous, or fleshy, or cartilaginous (firm on the outside, partly snapping and partly tough). shape of the stem. =gills or tubes.=--color when young, old, color when bruised, and if color changes, whether soft, waxy, brittle, or tough; sharp or blunt, plane or serrate edge. =milk.=--color if present, changing after exposure, taste. =veil.=--(inner veil.) whether present or not, character, whether arachnoid, and if so whether free from cuticle of pileus or attached only to the edge; whether fragile, persistent, disappearing, slimy, etc., movable, etc. =ring.=--present or absent, fragile, or persistent, whether movable, viscid, etc. =volva.=--present or absent, persistent or disappearing, whether it splits at apex or is circumscissile, or all crumbly and granular or floccose, whether the part on the pileus forms warts, and then the kind, distribution, shape, persistence, etc. =spores.=--color when caught on white paper. to the close observer additional points of interest will often be noted. =to dry the specimens.=--frequently the smaller specimens will dry well when left in the room, especially in dry weather, or better if they are placed where there is a draft of air. some dry them in the sun. but often the sun is not shining, and the weather may be rainy or the air very humid, when it is impossible to dry the specimens properly except by artificial heat. the latter method is better for the larger specimens at all times. during the autumn when radiators are heated the fungi dry well when placed on or over them. one of the best places which i have utilized is the brick work around a boiler connected with a mountain hotel. two other methods are, however, capable of wider application. st.--a tin oven about × feet, and two or several feet high, with one side hinged as a door, and with several movable shelves of perforated tin, or of wire netting; a vent at the top, and perforations around the sides at the bottom to admit air. the object being to provide for a constant current of air from below upwards between the specimens. this may be heated, if not too large, with a lamp, though an oil stove or gas jet or heater is better. the specimens are placed on the shelves with the accompanying notes or numbers. the height of this box can be extended where the number of specimens is great. d.--a very successful method which i employed at a summer resort at blowing rock, n. c., in the mountains of north carolina, during september, , was as follows: an old cook stove was set up in an unoccupied cottage, with two wire screens from × feet, one above the other, the lower one about one foot above the top of the stove. large numbers can be dried on these frames. care of course must be taken that the plants are not burned. in all cases the plants must be so placed that air will circulate under and around them, otherwise they are apt to blacken. when the plants are dry they are very brittle and must be handled carefully. when removed from the drier many kinds soon absorb enough moisture to become pliant so that they are not easily broken. others remain brittle. they may be put away in small boxes; or pressed out nearly flat, _not so as to crush the gills_, and then put in paper packets. the plants which do not absorb sufficient moisture from the air, so that they are pliant enough to press, can be placed in small boxes or on paper in a large box with peat moss in the bottom, and the box then closed tightly until they absorb enough moisture to become flexible. the plants must not get wet, and they should be examined every half hour or so, for some become limp much sooner than others. if the plants get too moist the gills crush together when pressed, and otherwise they do not make such good specimens. when the specimens are dried and placed in the herbarium they must be protected from insects. some are already infested with insects which the process of drying does not kill. they must be either poisoned with corrosive sublimate in alcohol, or fumigated with carbon disulphide, and if the latter it must be repeated one or two times at an interval of a month to catch those which were in the egg state the first time. when placed in the herbarium or in a box for storage, naphtha balls can be placed with them to keep out insects, but it should be understood that the naphtha balls will not kill or drive away insects already in the specimens. where there are enough duplicates, some specimens preserved in per cent. alcohol, under the same number, are of value for the study of structural characters. chapter xviii. selection and preparation of mushrooms for the table. in the selection of mushrooms to eat, great caution should be employed by those who are not reasonably familiar with the means of determination of the species, or those who have not an intimate acquaintance with certain forms. rarely should the beginner be encouraged to eat them upon his own determination. it is best at first to consult some one who knows, or to send first specimens away for determination, though in many cases a careful comparison of the plant with the figures and descriptions given in this book will enable a novice to recognize it. in taking up a species for the first time it would be well to experiment cautiously. =no certain rule to distinguish the poisonous from the edible.=--there is no certain test, like the "silver spoon test," which will enable one to tell the poisonous mushroom from the edible ones. nor is the presence of the so-called "death cup" a sure sign that the fungus is poisonous, for the _amanita cæsarea_ has this cup. for the beginner, however, there are certain general rules, which, if carefully followed, will enable him to avoid the poisonous ones, while at the same time necessarily excluding many edible ones. = st.=--reject all fungi which have begun to decay, or which are infested with larvæ. = d.=--reject all fungi when in the button stage, since the characters are not yet shown which enable one to distinguish the genera and species. buttons in pasture lands which are at the surface of the ground and not deep-seated in the soil, would very likely not belong to any of the very poisonous kinds. = d.=--reject all fungi which have a cup or sac-like envelope at the base of the stem, or which have a scaly or closely fitting layer at the base of the stem, and rather loose warts on the pileus, especially if the gills are white. _amanita cæsarea_ has a sac-like envelope at the base of the stem, and yellow gills as well as a yellow cap, and is edible. _amanita rubescens_ has remnants of a scaly envelope on the base of the stem and loose warts on the cap, and the flesh where wounded becomes reddish. it is edible. (see plate .) = th.=--reject all fungi with a milky juice unless the juice is reddish. several species with copious white milk, sweet or mild to the taste, are edible (see _lactarius volemus_ and _corrugis_). = th.=--reject very brittle fungi with gills nearly all of equal length, where the flesh of the cap is thin, especially those with bright caps. = th.=--reject all boleti in which the flesh changes color where bruised or cut, or those in which the tubes have reddish mouths, also those the taste of which is bitter. _strobilomyces strobilaceus_ changes color when cut, and is edible. = th.=--reject fungi which have a cobwebby veil or ring when young, and those with slimy caps and clay-colored spores. in addition, proceed cautiously in all cases, and make it a point to become very familiar with a few species first, and gradually extend the range of species, rather than attempt the first season to eat a large number of different kinds. all puff-balls are edible so long as they are white inside, though some are better than others. all coral-like or club fungi are edible. =to clean and prepare the specimens.=--the mushrooms having been collected, all tough stems, the parts to which earth clings, should be removed. after the specimens are selected, if there is danger that some of them may be infested with larvæ, it is well to cut off the stem close to the cap, for if the insects are in the stem and have not yet reached the cap they may thus be cast away. some recommend that the tubes of all boleti be removed, since they are apt to make a slimy mass in cooking. where the plants are small they may be cooked entire. large ones should be quartered, or cut, or sliced, according to the size and form of the plant, or method of cooking. chapter xix. uses of mushrooms.[c] the most prominent and at present important use of mushrooms from the standpoint of the utilitarian is as an article of food. we have now learned that their food value as a nutrient substance is not so great as has been fondly supposed, but, as mr. clark points out in chapter xxii, in addition to the value they certainly do possess as food, they have very great value as condiments or food accessories, and "their value as such is beyond the computation of the chemist or physiologist. they are among the most appetizing of table delicacies, and add greatly to the palatability of many foods when cooked with them." mushrooms undoubtedly possess a food value beyond that attributed to them by the chemist or physiologist, since it is not possible in laboratory analysis to duplicate the conditions which exist in the natural digestion and assimilation of foods. probably the larger number of persons, in america, at present interested in mushrooms, are chiefly concerned with them as an article of food, but a great many of these persons love to tramp to the fields and woods in quest of them just as the sportsman loves to hunt his game with dog and gun. it is quite likely that there will always be a large body of persons who will maintain a lively interest in the collection of _game_ mushrooms for food. there are several reasons for this. the zest of the search, the pleasure of discovery, and the healthfulness of the outdoor recreation lend an appetizing flavor to the fruits of the chase not to be obtained by purchasing a few pounds of cultivated mushrooms on the market. it cultivates powers of observation, and arouses a sympathetic feeling toward nature, and with those outdoor environments of man which lend themselves so happily in bettering and brightening life, as well as in prolonging it. many others are discovering that the observation of form and habits of mushrooms is a very interesting occupation for those who have short periods of time at their disposal weekly. it requires but a little observation to convince one that there is an interesting variety of form among these plants, that their growth and expansion operate in conformity with certain laws which result in great variation in form and habit of the numerous kinds on the ground, on leaves, on branches, on tree trunks, etc. another very favorable indication accompanying the increasing interest in the study of these plants, is the recognition of their importance as objects for nature study. there are many useful as well as interesting lessons taught by mushrooms to those who stop to read their stories. the long growth period of the spawn in the ground, or in the tree trunk, where it may sometimes be imprisoned for years, sometimes a century, or more, before the mushroom appears, is calculated to dispel the popular notion that the mushroom "grows in a night." then from the button stage to the ripe fruit, several days, a week, a month, or a year may be needed, according to the kind, while some fruiting forms are known to live from several to eighty or more years. the adjustment of the fruit cap to a position most suitable for the scattering of the spores, the different ways in which the fruit cap opens and expands, the different forms of the fruit surface, their colors and other peculiarities, suggest topics for instructive study and observation. the inclination, just now becoming apparent, to extend nature study topics to include mushrooms is an evidence of a broader and more sympathetic attitude toward nature. a little extension of one's observation on the habits of these plants in the woods will reveal the fact that certain ones are serious enemies of timber trees and timber. it is quite easy in many cases for one possessing no technical knowledge of the subject to read the story of these "wood destroying" fungi in the living tree. branches broken by snow, by wind, or by falling timber provide entrance areas where the spores, lodging on the heart wood of broken timber, or on a bruise on the side of the trunk which has broken through the living part of the tree lying just beneath the bark, provide a point for entrance. the living substance (_protoplasm_) in the spawn exudes a "juice" (_enzyme_) which dissolves an opening in the wood cells and permits the spawn to enter the heart of the tree, where decay rapidly proceeds as a result. but very few of these plants can enter the tree when the living part underneath the bark is unbroken. these observations suggest useful topics for thought. they suggest practical methods of prevention, careful forestry treatment and careful lumbering to protect the young growth when timber trees are felled. they suggest careful pruning of fruit and shade trees, by cutting limbs smooth and close to the trunk, and then painting the smooth surface with some lead paint. while we are thus apt to regard many of the mushrooms as enemies of the forest, they are, at the same time, of incalculable use to the forest. the mushrooms are nature's most active agents in the disposal of the forest's waste material. forests that have developed without the guidance of man have been absolutely dependent upon them for their continued existence. where the species of mushrooms are comparatively few which attack living trees, there are hundreds of kinds ready to strike into fallen timber. there is a degree of moisture present on the forest floor exactly suited to the rapid growth of the mycelium of numbers of species in the bark, sap wood, and heart wood of the fallen trees or shrubs. in a few years the branches begin to crumble because of the disorganizing effect of the mycelium in the wood. other species adapted to growing in rotting wood follow and bring about, in a few years, the complete disintegration of the wood. it gradually passes into the soil of the forest floor, and is made available food for the living trees. how often one notices that seedling trees and shrubs start more abundantly on rotting logs. the fallen leaves, too, are seized upon by the mycelium of a great variety of mushrooms. it is through the action of the mycelium of mushrooms of every kind that the fallen forest leaves, as well as the trunks and branches, are converted into food for the living trees. the fungi, are, therefore, one of the most important agents in providing available food for the virgin forest. the spawn of some fungi in the forest goes so far, in a number of cases, as to completely envelop those portions of the roots of certain trees as to prevent the possibility of the roots taking up food material and moisture on their own account. in such cases, the oaks, beeches, hornbeams, and the like, have the younger parts of their roots completely enveloped with a dense coat of mycelium. the mycelium in these cases absorbs the moisture from the soil or forest floor and conveys it over to the roots of the tree, and in this way supplies them with both food and water from the decaying humus, the oak being thus dependent on the mycelium. in the fields, however, where there is not the abundance of humus and decaying leaves present in the forest, the coating of mycelium on the roots of these trees is absent, and in this latter case the young roots are provided with root hairs which take up the moisture and food substances from the soil in the ordinary way. the mushrooms also prevent the forest from becoming choked or strangled by its own fallen members. were it not for the action of the mushroom mycelium in causing the decay of fallen timber in the forest, in time it would be piled so high as to allow only a miserable existence to a few choked individuals. the action of the mushrooms in thus disposing of the fallen timber in the forests, and in converting dead trees and fallen leaves into available food for the living ones, is probably the most important role in the existence of these plants. mushrooms, then, are to be given very high rank among the natural agencies which have contributed to the good of the world. when we contemplate the vast areas of forest in the world we can gain some idea of the stupendous work performed by the mushrooms in "house cleaning," and in "preparing food," work in which they are still engaged. fungi in the arts. a number of different species of mushrooms have been employed in the manufacture of useful articles. their use for such purposes, however, was more common in the past than at present, and it is largely therefore a matter of interest at the present time, though some are still employed for purposes of this kind. =tinder mushroom, or amadou.=--the _polyporus fomentarius_, or "tinder mushroom" or, as it is sometimes called, "german tinder," was once employed in the manufacture of tinder. the outer hard coat was removed and the central portion, consisting almost entirely of the tube system of several years' growth, was cut into strips and beaten to a soft condition. in this form it was used as tinder for striking fire. the inner portion was also used in making caps, chest-protectors, and similar articles. a process now in vogue in some parts of germany, is to steam the fruit bodies, remove the outer crust, and then, by machinery constructed for the purpose, shave the fruit body into a long, thin strip by revolving it against a knife in much the same way that certain woods are shaved into thin strips for the manufacture of baskets, plates, etc. some articles of clothing made from this fungus material are worn by peasants in certain parts of europe. =mushrooms for razor strops.=--the beech polyporus (_p. betulinus_) several centuries ago was used for razor strops. the fruit body after being dried was cut into strips, glued upon a stretcher, and smoothed down with pumice stone (asa gray bull. : , ). the sheets of the weeping merulius (see fig. ) were also employed for the same purpose, as were also the sheets of "punk" formed from mycelium filling in cracks in old logs or between boards in lumber piles. sometimes extensive sheets of this punk are found several feet long and a foot or more wide. these sheets of pure mycelium resemble soft chamois skin or soiled kid leather. =mushrooms employed for flower pots.=--in bohemia (according to cooke, fungi, etc., p. ) hoof-shaped fruit bodies of _polyporus fomentarius_ and _igniarius_ are used for flower pots. the inner, or tube portion, is cut out. the hoof-shaped portion, then inverted and fastened to the side of a building or place of support, serves as a receptacle for soil in which plants are grown. =curios.=--the _polyporus applanatus_ is much sought by some persons as a "curio," and also for the purpose of etching. in the latter case they serve as pastels for a variety of art purposes. the under surface of the plant is white. all collectors of this plant know that to preserve the white fruiting surface in a perfect condition it must be handled very carefully. a touch or bruise, or contact with other objects mars the surface, since a bruise or a scratch results in a rapid change in color of the injured surface. beautiful etchings can thus be made with a fine pointed instrument, the lines of color appearing as the instrument is drawn over the surface. =fungi for medicinal purposes.=--a number of the fungi were formerly employed in medicine for various purposes, but most of them have been discarded. some of the plants were once used as a purgative, as in the case of the officinal polyporus, the great puff ball, etc. the internal portion of the great puff ball has been used as an anodyne, and "formidable surgical operations have been performed under its influence." it is frequently used as a narcotic. some species are employed as drugs by the chinese. the anthelmintic polyporus is employed in burmah as a vermifuge. the ergot of rye is still employed to some extent in medicine, and the ripe puff balls are still used in some cases to stop bleeding of wounds. =luminosity of fungi.=--while the luminosity possessed by certain fungi cannot be said to be of distinct utility, their phosphorescence is a noteworthy phenomenon. that decaying wood often emits this phosphorescent light has been widely observed, especially in wooded districts. it is due to the presence of the mycelium of one of the wood destroying fungi. the luminosity is often so bright that when brought near a printed page in the dark, words can be read. hawthorne "reported the light from an improvised torch of mycelium infected wood, to have carried him safely several miles through an otherwise impassable forest." (asa gray, bull. = =: , ). the sulphur polyporus is said sometimes to be phosphorescent. the _clitocybe illudens_ (see fig. ) has long been known to emit a strong phosphorescent light, and has been called "jack-my-lantern." this plant often occurs in great abundance. at mountain hotels it is often brought in by day, and the guests at night, discovering its luminosity, trace grotesque figures, or monograms, on the ground by broken portions, which can be seen at a considerable distance. _lentinus stipticus_ in this country is also phosphorescent. in europe, the _pleurotus olearius_ (very closely related to our _clitocybe illudens_) on dead olive trunks is one of the best known of the phosphorescent species. other phosphorescent species are, according to tulasne, _a. igneus_ from amboyna, _a. noctileucus_ in manila, and _a. gardneri_ in brazil. the use of certain mushrooms in making intoxicant beverages is referred to in chapter xxii. since the artificial cultivation of mushrooms for food is becoming quite an industry in this country with some, the following chapter is devoted to a treatment of the subject. mention may be made here, however, of the attempts in parts of france to cultivate truffles, species of subterranean fungi belonging to the ascomycetes (various species of the genus _tuber_). it had long been observed that truffles grow in regions forested by certain trees, as the oak, beech, hornbeam, etc. efforts were made to increase the production of truffles by planting certain regions to these trees. especially in certain calcareous districts of france (see cooke, fungi, etc., p. ) young plantations of oak, beech, or beech and fir, after the lapse of a few years, produced truffles. the spores of the truffles are in the soil, and the mycelium seems to maintain some symbiotic relation with the roots of the young trees, which results in the increase in the production of the fruit bodies. dogs and pigs are employed in the collection of truffles from the ground. comparatively few of the truffles, or other subterranean fungi, have been found in america, owing probably to their subterranean habit, where they are not readily observed, and to the necessity of special search to find them. in california, however, dr. harkness (proc. calif. acad. sci.) has collected a large number of species and genera. recently (shear. asa gray bull. : , ) reports finding a "truffle" (_terfezia oligosperma_ tul.) in maryland, and _t. leonis_ occurs in louisiana. footnotes: [c] there is not room here to discuss the uses of other fungi than the "mushrooms." chapter xx. cultivation of mushrooms. the increasing interest in mushrooms during the past few years has not been confined to the kinds growing spontaneously in fields and woods, but the interest aroused in the collection and study of the wild varieties has been the means of awakening a general interest in the cultivation of mushrooms. this is leading many persons to inquire concerning the methods of cultivation, especially those who wish to undertake the cultivation of these plants on a small scale, in cellars or cool basements, where they may be grown for their own consumption. at somewhat frequent intervals articles appear in the newspapers depicting the ease and certainty with which mushrooms can be grown, and the great profits that accrue to the cultivator of these plants. while the profits in some cases, at least in the past, have been very great to cultivators of mushrooms, the competition has become so general that through a large part of the year the market price of mushrooms is often not sufficient to much more than pay expenses. in fact, it is quite likely that in many cases of the house cultivation of mushrooms the profits are no larger, taking the season through, than they are from the cultivation of tomatoes or other hothouse vegetables. occasionally some persons, who may be cultivating them upon a small scale in houses erected for some other purpose, or perhaps partly used for some other purpose, may succeed in growing quite a large crop from a small area with little expenditure of time and money. the profits figured from such a crop grown on a small scale where the investment in houses, heating apparatus, and time, is not counted, may appear to be very large, but they do not represent the true conditions of the industry where the expense of houses and the cost of time and labor are taken into consideration. probably the more profitable cultivation of mushrooms in this country is where the cultivation is practiced on quite a large scale, in tunnels, or caves, or abandoned mines, where no expense is necessary in the erection of houses. the temperature throughout the year is favorable for the growth of the mushrooms without artificial heating. it is possible, also, to grow them on a large scale during the warm summer months when it is impossible to grow them under the present conditions in heating house structures, and also when the market price of the mushrooms is very high, and can be controlled largely by the grower. for this reason, if it were possible to construct a house with some practical system of cooling the air through the summer, and prevent the drip, the cultivation in houses would probably be more profitable. [illustration: figure .--view in akron "tunnel," n. y. mushroom co. beds beginning to bear. copyright.] for the past few years the writer has been giving some attention to the different methods of the cultivation of mushrooms in america, and in response to the growing interest for information concerning the artificial cultivation of these plants, it has seemed well to add this chapter on the cultivation of mushrooms to the second edition of the present work. the cultivation as practiced in america exists under a great variety of conditions. all of these conditions have not been thoroughly investigated, and yet a sufficient number of them have been rather carefully studied to warrant the preparation of this chapter. the illustrations which have been made from time to time, by flash light, of the cave culture of mushrooms in america, as well as of the house culture, will serve to illustrate graphically some of the stages in the progress of the work. for present purposes we will consider, first, the conditions under which the cultivation is carried on, followed by a discussion of the principles involved in the selection and preparation of the material, the selection and planting of the spawn, as well as the harvesting of the crop. the cave culture of mushrooms in america. [illustration: figure .--view in akron "tunnel," n. y. mushroom co. beds beginning to bear. copyright.] this has been practiced for a number of years in different parts of the eastern united states, but perhaps only a small portion of the available caves or tunnels are at present used for this purpose. these subterranean mushroom farms are usually established in some abandoned mine where, the rock having been removed, the space is readily adapted to this purpose, if portions of the mine are not wet from the dripping water. the most extensive one which i have visited is located at akron, new york, and is operated by the new york mushroom company. in a single abandoned cement mine there are to acres of available space; about to acres of this area are used in the operations of the culture and handling of materials. the dry portions of the mine are selected, and flat beds are made upon the bottom rock, with the use of hemlock boards, making the beds usually feet long by feet wide, the boards being inches wide. in this case, the beds, after soiling or finishing, are inches deep, the material resting directly upon the rock, the boards being used only to hold the material on the edges in position. figures and illustrate the position of the beds and their relation to each other, as well as showing the general structural features of the mine. the pillars of rock are those which were left at the time of mining, as supports for the rock roof above, while additional wood props are used in places. in this mine all of the beds are constructed upon a single plan. [illustration: figure .--view in wheatland cave, showing ridge beds, and one flat bed. copyright.] at another place, wheatland, new york, where the wheatland cave mushrooms are grown, beds of two different styles are used, the flat beds supported by boards as described in the previous case, and the ridge beds, where the material, without any lateral support, is arranged in parallel ridges as shown in fig. . this is the method largely, if not wholly employed in the celebrated mushroom caves at paris, and is also used in some cases in the outdoor cultivation of mushrooms. as to the advantage of one system of bed over the other, one must consider the conditions involved. some believe a larger crop of mushrooms is obtained where there is an opportunity, as in the ridge beds, for the mushrooms to appear on the sides as well as on the upper surface of the beds. in the flat beds the mushrooms can appear only at the upper surface, though occasionally single ones crop out in the crevice between the side board and the rock below. [illustration: figure .--single mushroom house (wm. swayne, kennett square, pa.), "curing" shed at left. this house is heated in connection with other hothouses.] probably at paris, and perhaps also at some other places where the system of ridge beds is used, the question of the cost of the lumber is an important one, and the system of ridge beds avoids the expense of this item of lumber. in other cases, where the flat beds are used with the board supports, the cost of lumber is considered a small item when compared with the additional labor involved in making the ridge bed. the flat beds are very quickly made, and the material in some cases is not more than inches deep, allowing a large surface area compared with the amount of food material, for the growth of the mushrooms. it may be possible, with the flat, shallow bed system, that as many or more mushrooms are obtained from the same amount of manure, as in the case of the ridge beds. when we consider the cost of the manure in some places, this item is one which is well worth considering. the house culture of mushrooms. where this method of cultivation is employed, as the main issue, houses are constructed especially for the purpose. in general the houses are of two kinds. those which are largely above the ground, and those where a greater or lesser pit is excavated so that the larger part of the house is below ground. between these extremes all gradations exist. probably it is easier to maintain an equable temperature when the house is largely below ground. where it is largely above ground, however, the equability of the temperature can be controlled to a certain extent by the structure of the house. in some cases a wall air space is maintained around the sides and also over the roof of the building. and in some cases even a double air space of a foot or inches each is maintained over the roof. in some cases, instead of an air space, the space is filled with sawdust, single on the sides of the house, and also a or -inch space over the roof. the sides of the house are often banked with earth, or the walls are built of stone or brick. [illustration: figure .--double mushroom house (l. s. bigony's mushroom plant.) packing room at left, "curing" shed at right, next to this is boiler room.] all of these houses, no matter what the type of construction, require ventilation. this is provided for by protected openings or exits through the roof. in some cases the ventilators are along the side of the roof, when there would be two rows of ventilators upon the single gable roof. in other cases a row of ventilators is placed at the peak, when a single row answers. these ventilators are provided with shut-offs, so that the ventilation can be controlled at will. the size of the house varies, of course, according to the extent of the operations which the grower has in mind. the usual type of house is long and rather narrow, varying from to feet long by to or feet wide. in some cases the single house is constructed upon these proportions, as shown by fig. , with a gable roof. if it is desired to double the capacity of a house, two such houses are built parallel, the intercepting wall supporting the adjacent roof of the two houses, as shown in fig. . a still further increase in the capacity of the house is often effected by increasing the number of these houses side by side. this results in a series of or houses forming one consolidated block of houses, each with its independent ridge roof and system of ventilation. the separating walls between the several houses of such a block are probably maintained for the purpose of better controlling the temperature conditions and ventilation in various houses. if desired, communication from one house to another can be had by doors. =interior structure and position of the beds.=--the beds are usually arranged in tiers, one above the other, though in some houses the beds are confined only to the floor space. where they are arranged in tiers in a house of the proportions given above, there are three tiers of beds. there is one tier on either side, and a tier through the middle; the middle tier, on account of the peak of the roof at this point, has one more bed than the tiers on the side. the number of beds in a tier will depend on the height of the house. usually the house is constructed of a height which permits three beds in the side tier and four in the center tier, with an alley on either side of the center tier of beds, giving communication to all. if the house is very long and it is desirable, for convenience in passing from one house to another, to have cross alley-ways, they can be arranged, but the fewer cross alleys the larger surface area there is for beds. [illustration: figure .--view in mushroom house (wm. swayne), showing upper bed in left hand tier. copyright.] the size of the beds is governed by convenience in making the beds and handling the crop. the beds on the side tiers, therefore, are often three to three and one-half feet in width, affording a convenient reaching distance from the alley. the beds of the center tier have access from the alley on either side and are usually seven feet in width. the width of the alley varies according to the mind of the owner, from two to three or three and one-half feet. the narrow alley economizes space in the structure of a house; the wide alley, while slightly increasing the cost of the structure, makes it much more convenient in handling the material, and in moving about the house. the beds are constructed of one-inch boards. various kinds of lumber are used, the hemlock spruce, the oak, georgia pine, and so on. the beds are supported on framework constructed of upright scantling and cross stringers upon which the bottom boards are laid. these occur at intervals of three to four feet. the board on the side of each bed is to inches in width. the bottom bed, of course, is made on the ground. the upper beds in the tier are situated so that the distance is about three feet from the bottom of one bed to the bottom of the next above. figs. to show the general structure of the beds. =heating.=--one portion of the house is set apart for the boiler room, where a small hot water heater is located. the position of the heater in one of these houses is shown in fig. . in other cases, where the plant is quite a large one, a small separate or connecting boiler apartment is often constructed. in other cases, where the house is connected with or adjoining a system of greenhouses devoted to hothouse vegetables, the water pipes may run from the general boiler house which supplies the heat for all the houses. the water pipes in the mushroom houses are sometimes run beneath the boards or the walk in the alley, or in other cases are run just beneath the roof of the building. =cultivation of mushrooms under benches in greenhouses.=--this method is practiced to quite a large extent by some growers. in the house of mr. william swayne, kennett square, pa., a number of large houses, devoted through the winter to the growing of carnations, are also used for the cultivation of mushrooms, a single long bed being made up underneath the beds of carnations. in these houses the water pipes providing heat for the building run along the sides of the building underneath the carnation beds at this point. under these beds, where the water pipes run, no mushroom beds are made, since the heat would be too great, but under the three middle rows of beds in the house, mushroom beds are located. in this way, in a number of houses, several thousand square feet of surface for mushroom beds can be obtained. the carnations are grown, not in pots, but in a general bed on a bench. in watering the carnations, care is used in the distribution of the water, and in the amount used, to prevent a surplus of water dripping through on the mushrooms below. =cellar culture.=--for the cultivation of mushrooms on a small scale, unoccupied portions of cellars in a dwelling house are often used. the question is sometimes asked if it is injurious to the health of the family in a dwelling house when mushrooms are grown in the cellar. probably where the materials used in making up the beds are thoroughly cured before being taken into the cellar, no injurious results would come from the cultivation of the plant there. in case the manure is cured in the cellar, that is, is there carried through the process of heating and fermentation in preparation for the beds, the odors arising from the fermenting material are very disagreeable to say the least, and probably are not at all beneficial to one's general health. [illustration: figure .--view in mushroom house (wm. swayne). view down alley on right hand side. copyright.] in the cellar culture of mushrooms the places selected are along the sides of the cellar in unused portions. floor beds alone may be made by using the boards to support one side, while the wall forms the support on the other side as in the arrangement of beds on the side tiers in the mushroom houses; or tiers of beds may be arranged in the same way, one bed on the bottom, and one or two beds above. the number of beds will vary according to the available space. sometimes, where it is not convenient to arrange the larger beds directly on the bottom of the cellar, or in tiers, boxes three or four feet, or larger, may be used in place of the beds. these can be put in out of the way places in the cellar. the use of boxes of this description would be very convenient in case it was desired to entirely do away with the possibility of odors during the fermentation of the manure, or in the making up of the bed. even though the manure may be cured outside of the cellar, at the time it is made in the beds the odors released are sometimes considerable, and for several days might be annoying and disagreeable to the occupants of the dwelling, until such a time as the temperature of the manure had dropped to the point where the odors no longer were perceptible. in this case, with the use of boxes, the manure can be cured outside, made into beds in the boxes and taken into the cellar after the temperature is down to a point suitable for spawning, and very little odor will be released. if there is a furnace in the cellar it should be partitioned off from the portion devoted to mushroom culture. =cultivation in sheds or out of the way places.=--it is possible to grow mushrooms in a number of places not used for other purposes. in sheds where the beds may be well protected from the rain and from changing currents of air, they may be grown. in open sheds the beds could be covered with a board door, the sides of the bed being high enough to hold the door well above the mushrooms. in the basements of barns, or even in stables where room can be secured on one side for a bed, or tier of beds, they are often grown successfully. =garden and field culture of mushrooms.=--in europe, in some cases, mushrooms are often grown in the garden, ridge beds being made up in the spring and spawned, and then covered with litter, or with some material similar to burlaps, to prevent the complete drying out of the surface of the beds. sometimes they are cultivated along with garden crops. field culture is also practiced to some extent. in the field culture rich and well drained pastures are selected, and spawned sometime during the month of may. the portions of spawn are inserted in the ground in little t-shaped openings made by two strokes of the spade. the spade is set into the ground once, lifted, and then inserted again so that this first slit is on one side of the middle of the spade and perpendicular to it. the spade is inserted here and then bent backwards partly so as to lift open the sod in the letter t. in this opening the block of spawn is inserted, then closed by pressure with the foot. the spawn is planted in this way at distances of to feet. it runs through the summer, and then in the autumn a good crop often appears. curing the manure. =selection of manure.=--horse manure is the material which is most generally used, though sometimes a small percentage of other manures, as sheep manure, is added. in the selection of the manure it is desirable to obtain that which is as fresh as possible, which has not passed through the stage of fermentation, and which contains some straw, usually as litter, but not too large a percentage of straw. where there is a very large percentage of straw the manure is usually shaken out with a fork, and the coarser portion removed. if there is not too much of this coarse material the latter is often cured in a separate pile and used for the bottom of the beds, the finer portions of the manure, which have been separated, are used for the finishing and for the bulk of the bed. [illustration: figure .--view in mushroom house (l. s. bigony). view on top of fourth bed, middle tier. copyright.] where manure is obtained on a large scale for the cultivation in houses or in caves, it is usually obtained by the carload from liveries in large cities. it is possible to contract for manure of certain livery stables so that it may be obtained in a practically fresh condition, and handled by the liverymen according to directions, which will keep it in the best possible condition for the purpose. in the cave culture of mushrooms the manure is usually taken directly into the caves, and cured in some portion of the cave. in the house cultivation of mushrooms there is usually a shed constructed with an opening on one or two sides, at the end of the house connected with the beds, where the manure may be cured. in curing it, it is placed in piles, the size of which will depend upon the amount of manure to be cured, and upon the method employed by the operator. the usual size, where considerable manure is used, is about three feet in depth by ten or twelve feet wide, and fifteen to twenty feet long. the manure is laid in these piles to heat, and is changed or turned whenever desirable to prevent the temperature from rising too high. the object of turning is to prevent the burning of the material, which results at high degrees of temperature in fermentation. it is usually turned when the temperature rises to about ° f. at each turning the outside portions are brought to the center of the pile. the process is continued until the manure is well fermented and the temperature does not rise above to degrees, and then it is ready for making into beds. there are several methods used in the process of curing, and it does not seem necessary that any one method should be strictly adhered to. the most important things to be observed are to prevent the temperature from rising too high during the process of fermentation, to secure a thorough fermentation, and to prevent the material from drying out, or burning, or becoming too wet. the way in which the material is piled influences the rapidity of fermentation, or the increase of temperature. where the material is rather loosely piled it ferments more rapidly, and the temperature rises quickly. watering the manure tends to increase the rapidity of fermentation and the elevation of the temperature. it is necessary, though, sometimes to water the material if the heat has reached such a point that it is becoming too dry, or if there is a tendency for it to burn. the material is then turned, and watered some, but care should be used not to make it too wet, since the spawn will not run in wet material. in general we might speak of three different methods in the curing of the manure. _first, the slow process of curing._ according to this method, which is practiced by some, the time of fermentation may extend from four to five weeks. in this case the manure is piled in such a way that the temperature does not rise rapidly. during the four or five weeks the manure is turned four or five times. the turning occurs when the temperature has arisen to such a point as to require it. _another method, used by some, might be called a rapid process of curing._ according to this, the time for curing the manure extends over a period of about a week, or five to ten days. the material is piled in such a way as to cause rapid fermentation and rapid rising of temperature, the material sometimes requiring to be turned every day or two, sometimes twice a day, in order to lower the temperature and prevent the material from burning or drying out. between this rapid process of curing, and the slow process of curing, the practice may extend so that, according to the method of different operators, the period of curing extends from one week to a month or five weeks. [illustration: figure .--view in mushroom house (l. s. bigony's mushroom plant, lansdale, pa.), showing alley and side tier of beds. copyright.] _the third method of curing_ consists in putting the material at once into the beds before curing, and mixing in with the manure, as it is placed in the bed, about one part of loam or garden soil to four or five parts of the fresh manure. the material is then left in this condition to cure without changing or turning, the temperature rising perhaps not above ° f. with some experience in determining the firmness with which the bed should be made to prevent a too high rise of temperature, this practice might prove to be successful, and would certainly save considerable labor and expense in the making of the beds. mr. william swayne of kennett square, pa., in the winter of -- , made up a portion of one of his beds in this way, and no difference could be seen in the results of the crop, the crop from the beds made in this way being as good as that of the adjoining beds, and he intends the following year to make up all of his beds in the same way. =mixing soil with the manure at the time of fermentation.=--while in the cave culture of mushrooms the manure is usually fermented and used without the admixture of soil, usually in the house or cellar culture rich loam soil, or rotted sod, is mixed with the manure at the time of turning it, during the process of fermentation. at the time of the first turning, soil is mixed in, a layer of the manure being spread out on the ground, and then a sprinkling of soil over this. then another layer of the manure is added with another sprinkling of soil, and so on as the new pile is built up. in the first turning of the manure, about one part of soil is used to eight or nine parts of manure. then at the last turning another mixture of soil is added, so that there is about one-fifth part soil in the mixture. the soil aids somewhat in lowering the temperature, and also adds some to the bulk, so that more beds can be made up with the same amount of manure. =horse droppings free from straw.=--for growing mushrooms on a small scale, as in cellars or boxes, some prefer to select the horse droppings free from straw. making up the beds. =making up beds without the addition of soil.=--in the cave culture of mushrooms the beds are usually made from manure alone, there being no addition of soil. this is perhaps partly due to the expense of getting the soil in and out from the caves as well as to the low temperature prevailing there. it is believed by many that the results are equally as good in beds from the manure alone as in those which contain an admixture of soil. the method of making the beds in the akron cave, or "tunnel," is as follows: the manure, immediately after it has passed through the process of fermentation and curing in the pile, is carted to the district in the mine where the beds are to be made and is dumped in a long windrow on the ground. the length of the windrow depends of course upon the amount of material which is ready, as well as upon the amount necessary for making up the beds for that distance. two hemlock boards, sixteen feet long and ten inches wide, and two, four feet long and the same width, are then hastily nailed into the form of a rectangular frame. this is placed upon the rock bottom at one end of the row of material, perpendicular to it usually. [illustration: figure .--view in akron "tunnel," n. y. mushroom co. making up the beds. copyright.] the workmen then, with forks, distribute the material in this frame. if there is coarser material which has been separated from the finer material, this is placed in the bottom of the bed and the finer material is then filled on top. a layer of material is distributed over the bottom and then tamped down by striking with the back of the fork, as shown in fig. . in this figure the material is shown to be off at one end of the bed. this was in a section of the mine where it was not convenient to follow the beds in the direction of the pile of manure, so that the material is distributed on from the end of the bed instead of from the side, as is the usual method. after several inches have been distributed in this way and tamped down with the back of the fork, the operator tramps over the material with his feet and presses it down more firmly. another layer of material is distributed over this, and tamped and tramped down in a similar manner. the operation is repeated until the depth of the manure after tramping down is about seven inches. it is then left for the completion of the curing process and for the lowering of the temperature to the desired point. usually, after making the bed in this way, there is a rise in the temperature for several days, gradually lowering until finally it reaches the point favorable for planting the spawn. where the beds are made successively, one after another, following the windrow of manure, the material used for the first bed removes from the windrow a sufficient amount to make room for the second bed, and in like manner room for the successive beds is provided for as the material is taken for each one, so that the frames are put together and the beds are formed rapidly and easily. =making ridge beds in caves.=--in the making of the ridge beds in caves there are two methods which might be spoken of. one method is the well known one practiced in certain of the caves near paris, where the material is taken by workmen in large baskets and distributed in rows. the ridge is gradually formed into shape by walking astride of it, as additional material is emptied on from the baskets, the workmen packing and shaping the ridge by pressure from their limbs as they stand astride of the row. in this way the ridges are made as high or somewhat higher than their breadth at the base, and quite near together, so that there is just room in many cases to walk between the beds. in one cave in america, where the ridge system is used to some extent, the ridges are made with the aid of a board frame the length of the bed and the width of the base of the ridge. the long boards of this frame are slanting so that they are more or less the shape of the ridge, but not equal to its height. this frame is placed on the rock bottom, filled with manure and tramped on by the workmen. then the frame is lifted on the ridge and more material is added and tramped on in like manner, until the bulk of the ridge bed is built up in this way and compressed into shape. =beds in houses constructed for the purpose of growing mushrooms.=--where only the floor of the house is used, a middle bed and two side beds are sometimes formed in the same manner as described in the construction of the house for the tiers of beds, with an alley on either side of the large center bed, giving access to all. in some cases the entire surface of the bottom is covered with material, but divided into sections of large beds by framework of boards, but with no alleys between. access to these beds is obtained by placing planks on the top of the boards which make the frame, thus forming walks directly over portions of the bed. in some cases ridge beds, as described for cave cultivation, are made on the floor of these houses. the beds are filled in the same way as described for the cave culture of mushrooms, but usually, in the beds made in houses built for the purpose of growing mushrooms, a percentage of soil is mixed in with the manure, the soil being usually mixed in at the time of turning the manure during the process of fermentation. garden soil or rich loam is added, say at the first time the manure is turned while it is fermenting. then, some time later during the process of fermenting, another admixture of soil is added. the total amount of soil added is usually equal to about one-fifth of the bulk of the manure. as this material, formed of the manure with an admixture of soil, is placed in the beds it is distributed much in the same manner as described for the making of flat beds in caves or tunnels. usually, however, if there is coarse material which was separated from the manure at the first sorting, this without any mixture of soil is placed in the bottom of the bed, and then the manure and soil is used for the bulk of the bed above. this coarser material, however, is not always at hand, and in such cases the beds are built up from the bottom with the mixture of manure and soil. the depth of the material in the beds in these houses varies according to the experience of the operator. some make the beds about eighteen inches in depth, while others do not make the beds more than eight or ten or twelve inches in depth. where there are tiers of beds, that is, one bed above the other, very often the lowest bed, the one which rests directly upon the ground, is made deeper than the others. while it is the general custom to use material consisting of an admixture of manure and soil in the proportions described, this custom is not always followed. in the case of the beds which are made up in the summer for the fall and early winter crop, soil, being easily obtained at that season of the year, is mixed with the manure. some growers, however, in making the beds in midwinter for the spring crop, do not use any soil since it is more difficult to obtain it at that season. in such cases the beds are made up of manure alone. the experience in some cases shows that the crop resulting from this method is equally as good as that grown where soil has been added. in the experience of some other growers a bin of soil is collected during the summer or autumn which can be used in the winter for mixing in with the manure and making the beds for the spring crop. where sod is used this is collected in pastures or fence rows in june, piled, and allowed to rot during the summer. in distributing the material in the beds, the methods of packing it vary according to the wishes or experience of the grower. it is often recommended to pack the material very firmly. the feeling that this must be packed very thinly has led to the disuse of beds in tiers by some, because it is rather difficult to pack the material down very firmly where one bed lies so closely above another. where the practice is followed of packing the material very firmly in the bed, some instrument in the form of a maul is used to tamp it down. where there are tiers of beds an instrument of this kind cannot well be used. here a brick or a similar heavy and small instrument is used in the hand, and the bed is thus pounded down firmly. this is a tedious and laborious operation. many growers do not regard it as essential that the beds should be very firmly packed. in such cases the material is distributed on the beds and the successive layers are tamped down as firmly as can well be done with the back of a fork or an ordinary potato digger, which can be wielded with the two hands in between the beds. in the experience of these growers the results seem to be just as good as where the beds are more firmly packed down. it is the practice in some cases where the bed lies against the side of the house to build up the material of the bed at the rear, that is, at the side of the house, much deeper than at the front, so that the depth of the bed at the back may be eighteen to twenty inches or two feet, while the front is eight to ten or twelve inches. this provides a slightly increased surface because of the obliquity of the upper surface of the bed, but it consumes probably a greater amount of material. it probably is not advantageous where the operations are carried on on a large scale, where abundant room is available, where the material for making the beds is expensive, and it is desirable to obtain from the material all that can be drawn in a single crop. the same practice is sometimes recommended and followed in the case of the beds made in cellars. in the making of beds with fresh material, that is, with unfermented manure, as was done by mr. william swayne of kennett square, pa., one season, the coarser material is put in the bottom of the bed, and then as the manure is distributed in the bed the soil is sprinkled on also, so that finally when the bed is completed the proportions of soil and manure are the same as when it is mixed in at the time of fermentation. in making the beds in this way, should any one be led to attempt it, it would be necessary to guard against a too high temperature in the fermentation of this fresh material; the temperature should not run above degrees. it would also require a longer time from the making of the bed to planting the spawn than in the case of those beds where the manure is fermented and cured before being made up. probably the total amount of time from the beginning to the completion of the preparation of the bed for spawning would not be greater, if it would be so great. the beds all having been made, they are left until they are in a suitable condition for spawning. the determination of this point, that is, the point when the beds are ready for planting the spawn, seems to be one of the most important and critical features of the business. the material must be of a suitable temperature, preferably not above ° f., and not below °. the most favorable temperature, according to some, other conditions being congenial, ranges from ° to ° f., while many prefer to spawn at ° to °. many of the very successful growers, however, do not lay so much stress upon the temperature of the bed for the time of spawning as they do upon the ripeness, or the cured condition, of the material in the bed. this is a matter which it is very difficult to describe to one not familiar with the subject, and it is one which it is very difficult to properly appreciate unless one has learned it by experience. some judge more by the odor, or the "smell," as they say, of the manure. it must have lost the fresh manure "smell," or the "sour smell," and possess, as they say, a "sweet smell." sometimes the odor is something like that of manure when spawn has partly run through it. it sometimes has a sweetish smell, or a smell suggestive of mushrooms even when no spawn has run through it. another important condition of the material is its state of dryness or moisture. it must not be too dry or the spawn will not run. in such cases there is not a sufficient amount of moisture to provide the water necessary for the growth of the mycelium. on the other hand, it must not be too wet, especially at the time of spawning and for a few weeks after. some test the material for moisture in this way. take a handful of the material and squeeze it. if on releasing the hold it falls to pieces, it is too dry. by squeezing a handful near the ear, if there is an indication of running water, even though no water may be expressed from the material, it is too wet. if on pressure of the material there is not that sense of the movement of water in it on holding it to the ear, and if on releasing the pressure of the hand the material remains in the form into which it has been squeezed, or expands slightly, it is considered to be in a proper condition so far as moisture is concerned for planting the spawn. what spawn is. the spawn of the mushroom is the popular word used in speaking of the mycelium of the mushroom. the term is commonly used in a commercial sense of material in which the mycelium is growing. this material is horse manure, or a mixture of one or two kinds of manure with some soil, and with the threads of the mycelium growing in it. the mycelium, as is well known, is the growing or vegetative part of the mushroom. sometimes the word "fiber" is used by the mushroom growers in referring to the mycelium which appears in the spawn, or in the mushroom bed. the mycelium is that portion of the plant which, in the case of the wild varieties, grows in the soil, or in the leaf mold, in the tree trunk or other material from which the mushroom derives its food. the threads of mycelium, as we know, first originated from the spore of the mushroom. the spore germinates and produces delicate threads, which branch and increase by growth in extent, and form the mycelium. so the term spawn is rarely applied to the pure mycelium, but is applied to the substratum or material in which spawn is growing; that is, the substratum and mycelium together constitute the spawn. =natural spawn or virgin spawn.=--this is termed natural spawn because it occurs under natural conditions of environment. the original natural spawn was to be found in the fields. in the early history of mushroom culture the spawn from the pastures and meadows where mushrooms grew was one of the sources of the spawn used in planting. the earth containing the spawn underneath clumps of mushrooms was collected and used. it occurs more abundantly, however, in piles of horse manure which have stood for some time in barn yards, or very often in stalls where the manure is allowed to accumulate, has been thoroughly tramped down and then has been left in this condition for some time. it occurs also in composts, hothouse beds, or wherever accumulations of horse manure are likely to occur, if other conditions are congenial. the origin of the natural spawn under these conditions of environment is probably accounted for in many cases by the presence of the spores which have been in the food eaten by the horse, have passed through the alimentary canal and are thus distributed through the dung. the spores present in the food of the horse may be due to various conditions. horses which go out to pasture are likely to take in with the food obtained in grazing the spores scattered around on the grass, and in the upper part of the sod, coming from mushrooms which grew in the field. in other cases, the spores may be present in the hay, having been carried by the wind from adjacent fields, if not from those which have grown in the meadow. in like manner they may be present in the oats which have been fed to the horse. in the case of stable-fed animals, the inoculation of the manure in this way may not always be certain or very free. but in the case of pasture-fed horses which are stalled at night probably the inoculation is very certain and very abundant, so that a large number of spores would be present in the manure from horses fed in this way. the natural spawn also may originate from spores which are carried by the wind from the pasture or meadow mushrooms upon manure piles, or especially from spores which may lodge in the dust of the highways or street. many of these spores would cling to the hoofs of the horses and at night, or at times of feeding, would be left with the manure in the stall. at other times horse droppings may be gathered from roads or streets where spores may be present in the dust. the piles of the droppings accumulated in this way, if left a sufficient time, may provide natural spawn by this accidental inoculation from the spores. probably few attempts have been made to grow the natural spawn with certainty in this country, though it does not appear to be an impracticable thing to do, since formerly this was one source of the virgin spawn in europe. it is usually obtained by search through stables and barn yards or other places where piles of horse manure have accumulated and have remained for several months. in some cases the growers keep men employed through the summer season searching the yards and stables over a considerable area for the purpose of finding and gathering this natural spawn. it is probably termed virgin spawn because of its origin under these natural conditions, and never having been propagated artificially. the natural spawn, as indicated above, is employed for a variety of purposes. it is used for inoculating the bricks in the manufacture of brick spawn. it is used for propagating once or twice in the mushroom beds, for the purpose of multiplying it, either in the manufacture of brick spawn, or for flake spawn, which is planted directly in the beds to be used for the crop. in some places in america it is collected on a large scale and relied on as the chief source of spawn for planting beds. in such cases the natural or virgin spawn is used directly and is of the first and most vigorous generation. it is believed by growers who employ it in this way that the results in the quality and quantity of the crop exceed those produced from the market spawn. but even these growers would not always depend on the natural spawn, for the reason, that collecting it under these conditions, the quantity is certain to vary from year to year. this is due probably to varying conditions of the season and also to the varying conditions which bring about the chance inoculation, or the accumulation of the material in the yard for a sufficient amount of time to provide the mycelium. it would be interesting, and it might also prove to be profitable to growers, if some attempt were made to grow natural spawn under conditions which would perhaps more certainly produce a supply. this might be attempted in several different ways. stall-fed horses might be fed a ripe mushroom every day or two. or from the cap of ripe mushrooms the spores might be caught, then mixed with oats and fed to the horse. again, the manure piles might be inoculated by spores caught from a number of mushrooms. manure might also be collected during the summer months from the highways and aside from the probable natural inoculation which this material would probably have from the spores blown from the meadow and pasture mushrooms, additional inoculation might be made. the manure obtained in this way could be piled under sheds, packed down thoroughly, and not allowed to heat above ° f. these piles could then be left for several months, care being used that the material should have the proper moisture content, not too dry nor too wet. this is given only as a suggestion and it is hoped that some practical grower will test it upon a small scale. in all cases the temperature should be kept low during the fermentation of these piles, else the spawn will be killed. one of the methods of obtaining natural spawn recommended by cuthill ("treatise on the cultivation of the mushroom") is to collect horse droppings all along the highways during the summer, mixing it with some road sand and piling it in a dry shed. here it is packed down firmly to prevent the heat rising too high. a "trial" stick is kept in the pile. when this is pulled out, if it is so hot as to "burn the hand," the heat is too great and would kill the spawn. in several months an abundance of the spawn is generated here. =mill-track spawn.=--"mill-track" spawn originated from the spawn found in covered roadways at mills or along tram-car tracks where horses were used. the accumulation of manure trodden down in these places and sometimes mixed with sawdust or earth, provided a congenial place for the growth of the mycelium. the spawn was likely introduced here through spores taken in with the food of the horse, or brought there from highways, if they were not already in the soil from mushrooms grown there. it would be then multiplied by the growth of the spawn, and from spores of mushrooms which might appear and ripen. the well tramped material in which the mycelium grew here, when broken up, formed convenient blocks of spawn for storage and transportation, and probably led to the manufacture of brick spawn. =manufactured spawn.=--the manufactured spawn, on the other hand, is that which is propagated artificially by the special preparation of the substratum or material in which the mycelium is to grow. this material is inoculated either with a piece of natural spawn, or with pieces of previously manufactured spawn. it is put upon the market in two different forms; the brick spawn, and the flake spawn. the latter is sometimes known as the french spawn, while the former, being largely manufactured in england, is sometimes spoken of as the english spawn. [illustration: figure .--brick spawn. three "bricks," one marked to show into how many pieces one brick may be broken.] =brick spawn.=--the brick spawn is so called because the material in which the mycelium is present is in the form of bricks. these bricks are about by inches by - / inches in thickness, and weigh about - / pounds each when dried. the proportions of different kinds of material used in the manufacture of brick spawn probably vary with different manufacturers, since there is a difference in the size and texture of bricks from different sources. one method of making the brick spawn is as follows: equal parts of horse dung, and cow dung, and loam soil are thoroughly mixed together to a consistency of mortar. this is pressed into the form of bricks and stood on edge to dry. when partly dry, a piece of spawn about an inch in diameter is pressed into one side of each brick. the bricks are then stood up again until thoroughly dried. they are then piled upon a layer of fresh horse manure about inches deep, the pile of bricks being about feet high. this pile is then covered over loosely with fresh horse manure, a sufficient amount to produce, when heating, a temperature of about ° f. they are left in this condition until the mycelium or "fiber" has thoroughly permeated the bricks. the spawn is now completed, and the bricks are allowed to dry. in this condition they are put upon the market. the bricks made with a very high percentage of soil often have the appearance of dried soil, with a slight admixture of vegetable matter. brick spawn from other sources presents a very different texture and contains probably a much larger percentage of horse manure, or, at least, a much smaller percentage of soil. the appearance of the brick is not that of soil with a slight admixture of vegetable materials, but has much the appearance of a dried and compressed mixture of horse dung and cow dung, with an abundance of the "fiber" or mycelium, "the greyish moldy, or thready matter," which constitutes the vital part of the spawn. in the selection of spawn this is an important item, that is, the presence of an abundance of "fiber" or mycelium. it can be seen on the surface, usually showing an abundance of these whitish threads or sheets, or a distinct moldy appearance is presented. on breaking the brick the great abundance of the "fiber" or whitish mycelium is seen all through it. this indicates that the brick possesses a high percentage of the "fiber," an important part of the spawn. one not accustomed to the quality of spawn can therefore judge to a certain extent by the appearance of the bricks as to the quality, at least they can judge as to the presence of an abundance or a scanty quantity of the "fiber." since the spawn remains in good condition for several years, there is usually no danger in the use of spawn which may be one or two years old. but it does deteriorate to some extent with age, and young spawn is therefore to be preferred to old spawn, provided the other desirable qualities are equal. those who attempt to cultivate mushrooms, and depend on commercial or manufactured spawn, should see to it that the spawn purchased possesses these desirable qualities of texture, and the presence of an abundance of the mycelium. that which appears devoid of an abundance of mycelium should be rejected, and good spawn should be called for. there is no more reason why a grower should accept a worthless spawn from his seedsman than that he should accept "addled" eggs from his grocer. in this business, that is, the manufacture and sale of spawn, poor material is apt to be thrown on the market just as in the case of seeds, poor material may find its way upon the market. sometimes this occurs through unscrupulous dealers, at other times through their ignorance, or through their failure to know the quality of the product they are handling. there are some brands of spawn, that is, those manufactured by certain houses, which rank very high among those who know the qualities and the value of good spawn. some large growers send direct to the manufacturer for their spawn, and where it is to be obtained in large quantities this is a desirable thing to do, since the cost is much less. where obtained from seedsmen in large quantities, the prices are much lower than where small quantities are purchased. one of these brands of spawn, the barter spawn, is for sale by several different dealers, by mr. h. e. hicks, kennett square, pa., by henry f. michell, market street, philadelphia, and by henry dreer, chestnut street, philadelphia. another brick spawn, known as "watson prolific," is for sale by george c. watson, juniper and walnut streets, philadelphia. james vicks sons, rochester, n. y., and peter henderson & co., new york city, have their spawn manufactured expressly for their trade. the barter spawn is said to be made fresh every year, or every other year. instead of the "continued culture" of spawn, that is, inoculating the bricks each succeeding year from the same line of spawn, which is, as it were, used over and over again, a return is made each year, or in the alternate years, to the natural or virgin spawn, which is obtained from old manure heaps. in this way, the barter spawn[d] is within two to three, or four, generations of the natural spawn. the number of generations distant the brick is from the natural spawn, depends upon the number of times it may have been multiplied before it is inoculated into the bricks. that is, the natural spawn is probably first grown in large beds in order to multiply, to produce a sufficiently large quantity for the inoculation of the immense number of bricks to be manufactured. for it is likely that a sufficient amount of natural spawn could not be obtained to inoculate all the bricks manufactured in one year. if a sufficient amount of the natural or virgin spawn could be obtained to inoculate all the bricks of one year's manufacture, this would produce a spawn removed only one generation from that of natural spawn. if the natural spawn were first grown in beds, and from here inoculated into bricks, this particular brick spawn would be removed two generations from the natural spawn. so the number of times that successive inoculations are made to multiply the spawn, the manufactured products are removed that many generations from the natural spawn. where recourse is had to the natural, or virgin spawn only once in two years, the second year's product would then be further removed from the natural spawn than the first year's product. where we know that it is removed but one or a few generations from the natural spawn, it is a more desirable kind. for the nearer it is to the natural spawn, other things being equal, the more vigorous the mycelium, and the finer will be the mushrooms produced. the brick spawn is sometimes manufactured in this country by growers for their own use, but at present it is manufactured on such a large scale in england that little or no saving is effected by an attempt to manufacture one's own brick spawn in this country. =flake spawn.=--the flake spawn, or "flakes," is commonly known as the french spawn, because it is so extensively manufactured in france. it is made by breaking down beds through which the mycelium has run, and before the crop of mushrooms appears. that is, the bed is spawned in the ordinary way. when the mycelium has thoroughly permeated the bed, it is taken down and broken into irregular pieces, six to eight inches in diameter. thus, the french spawn, where the beds are made entirely of horse manure, with no admixture of soil, consist merely of the fermented and cured manure, through which the mycelium has run, the material, of course, being thoroughly dried. this spawn may be removed one or several generations from the natural spawn. [illustration: figure .--french spawn, or "flakes," ready to plant.] the french growers depend on natural spawn much more than american growers do. the natural spawn is collected from old manure heaps. beds made up in the ordinary way for the cultivation of mushrooms are planted with this. the mycelium is allowed to run until it has thoroughly permeated the manure. these beds are broken down and used to spawn the beds for the crop. in this case the crop would be grown from spawn only one generation removed from the virgin spawn. if a sufficient amount of natural spawn could not be obtained, to provide the amount required one generation old, it might be run through the second generation before being used. from the appearance of any spawn, of course, the purchaser cannot tell how many generations it is removed from the natural spawn. for this quality of the spawn one must depend upon the knowledge which we may have of the methods practiced by the different producers of spawn, if it is possible even to determine this. spawning the beds. the beds for growing the mushrooms having been made up, the spawn having been selected, the beds are ready for planting whenever the temperature has been sufficiently reduced and the material is properly cured. it is quite easy to determine the temperature of the beds, but it is a more difficult problem for the inexperienced to determine the best stage in the curing of the material for the reception of the spawn. some growers rely more on the state of curing of the manure than they do upon the temperature. they would prefer to spawn it at quite a low temperature, rather than to spawn at what is usually considered an optimum temperature, if the material is not properly cured. the temperature at which different treatises and growers recommend that the bed should be spawned varies from ° to ° f. ninety degrees f. is considered by many rather high, while ° f. is considered by others to be rather low; ° to ° is considered by many to be the most favorable temperature, provided of course the other conditions of the bed are congenial. but some, so far as temperature is concerned, would prefer to spawn the bed at ° f. rather than at °, while many recommend spawning at ° to °. in some cases, i have known the growers to allow the temperature of the beds to fall as low as ° before spawning, because the material was not, until that time, at the proper state of curing. yet an experienced grower, who understands the kind of spawn to plant in such a bed, can allow the temperature to go down to ° without any very great risk. fresh spawn in an active state, that is, spawn which is in a growing condition, as may be obtained by tearing up a bed, or a portion of one, through which the spawn has run, is better to plant in a bed of such low temperature. or, a bed of such low temperature, after spawning, might be "warmed up," by piling fresh horse manure over it loosely for a week or ten days, sufficient to raise the temperature to ° or °. [illustration: figure .--pieces of brick spawn ready to plant.] when the brick spawn is used, the method of planting varies, of course, with the methods of different operators. some break the bricks into the desired size and plant the pieces directly in the bed, without any special preparation. the brick is broken into pieces about two or three inches in diameter. some recommend breaking the brick of the ordinary size into about twelve pieces, some into nine pieces, so the custom varies with different operators. these pieces are planted from seven to nine inches apart in the bed. for example, if they are to be planted nine inches apart in the bed, holes are made, either with the hand or with some instrument, by pressing the material to one side sufficiently to admit of the piece of spawn being pressed in tightly. these openings are made, say, the first row on one side of the bed, about four and one-half inches from the side, and nine inches apart in the row. the second row is made nine inches from the first row, and so on. the pieces of spawn are inserted in the opening in the bed, and at a slight distance, two to three inches, below the surface. some, however, insert the piece of spawn just at the level of the bed, the opening being such that the piece of spawn pressed into the opening is crowded below in place, and the surrounding material fits snugly on the sides. thus, when the bed is spawned, the pieces may be a slight distance below the top of the bed when they can be covered by some material, or in other cases, where the operator varies the method, they would lie just at the surface of the bed. the bed is now firmed down according to the custom of the operator, either tamped down with some instrument very firmly, or by others, with the back of the fork or other similar instrument, the bed is made firm, but not quite so hard. the object in firming it down after spawning is to make the surface of the bed level, and also to bring the material in the bed very closely in touch on all sides with the spawn with which it is impregnated. [illustration: figure . piece of natural spawn. piece of french spawn. "flakes" many generations old, "running out."] some growers follow the method of giving the spawn some little preparation before putting it into the bed. this preparation varies with different operators. its object, however, is to slightly moisten the dry spawn, and perhaps, also, to very slightly start the growth. to accomplish this, some will cover the bricks, before breaking them, with fresh horse manure, and allow this to remain several days, so that the warmth and moisture generated here penetrate the material and soften somewhat the brick. some pile it in a room or compartment where there is little moisture, until the bricks are permeated to some extent with the moisture, so that they are a little easier broken. they should not, under any circumstances, be wet or soft in the sense of having absorbed an excess of water, nor should they be stored for any length of time where they will be damp. still others break the bricks into the desired pieces and place these directly on the top of the bed, at the place where they wish to plant the piece of spawn. they are left here for two or three days on the surface of the beds. these pieces absorb some moisture and take up some warmth from the bed. then they are planted in the ordinary way. =spawning with flake spawn, or natural spawn.=--in the use of the flake or natural spawn, the planting is accomplished in a similar way, but larger pieces of the spawn are used, two or three times the size of the pieces of brick employed. some use a large handful. in some few cases, the growers use a flake spawn from their own crop. that is, each year a few beds are spawned from material which has been kept over from the previous season. this is often kept in boxes, in cool places, where it does not thoroughly dry out. in this way, the spawn is used over and over again, until it becomes much less vigorous than natural spawn, or a spawn which is only one or only a few generations distant from the natural spawn. this is seen in the less certainty with which the spawn runs through the bed, in the smaller crop of mushrooms, and their gradual deterioration in size. some few practice the method of breaking down the bed after the crop has been nearly gathered, using this weak spawn to inoculate fresh beds. this practice is objectionable for the same reason that long cultivated spawn is objectionable. =soiling the beds.=--after the beds have been planted with the spawn, the next thing is to soil them. that is, the manure in the bed is covered with a layer of loam soil, or garden soil, to the depth of two inches, then spread evenly over the bed, leveled off, and tamped down, though not packed too hard, and the surface is smoothed off. the time at which the soiling is done, varies also with different operators. some soil immediately after planting the spawn. others believe that the spawn will most certainly fail to run if the beds are soiled immediately after planting. these operators wait two or three weeks after the spawn has been planted to soil it. others wait until the temperature of the bed has fallen from ° or ° at the time of spawning, to ° or ° f. soiling at this temperature, that is, at ° or ° f., probably prevents the rapid cooling down of the bed, and it is desirable to soil, at least at this temperature, for that purpose. when the beds are soiled, they are then left until the crop is ready to gather. some operators give no further attention to the beds after soiling, other than to water the beds, if that becomes necessary. it is desirable to avoid watering, if the bed can be kept at the right state of moisture without. in watering the beds while the spawn is running, there is danger of killing the young spawn with the water. wherever it is necessary, however, if the material in the bed becomes too dry, lukewarm water should be used, and it should be applied through a fine rose of a watering pot. while some operators after soiling the bed give no further care to it until the bed is bearing, others cover the beds with some litter, in the form of straw or excelsior. this is done for the purpose of conserving the moisture in the bed, and especially the moisture on the surface of the bed. sometimes where there is a tendency for the material in the bed to become too dry, this litter on the surface retards the loss of moisture. also, the litter itself may be moistened and the bed can absorb some moisture in this way, if it is desirable to increase the moisture content of the bed slightly. when the spawn has once run well through the bed, watering can be accomplished with less danger of injury, yet great care must be used even now. the spawn will run through a bed with a somewhat less moisture content in the material than is necessary for drawing off the crop of mushrooms, though, of course, the spawn will not run if the bed is too dry. the only way to see if the spawn has run satisfactorily is to open up the bed at one or two points to examine the material, opening it up slightly. if the spawn has run well, a very delicate white "fiber," the mycelium, can be seen penetrating all through the material. this handful can be replaced in the bed, packed down, and the soil covered over and firmed again at this point. when the mushrooms begin to appear, if the bed is a little dry, it should be watered from time to time through the fine rose of a watering pot. lukewarm water should be used. nearly all growers water the beds during the picking of the crop, or during the period of gathering the crop. at the first few waterings, water should not be sprinkled on the beds to wet them entirely through. enough water is applied to diffuse a short distance only through the upper surface of the bed. at the next watering, several days later, the moisture is carried further down in the bed, and so on, through the several weeks, or months, over which the harvesting season extends. the object of thus gradually moistening the bed from above, is to draw the crop from the spawn at the surface of the bed first, and then, as the moisture extends downward, to gradually bring on the crop from the "fiber" below. =gathering the mushrooms.=--in artificial cultivation, the mushrooms usually formed are very near, or on, the surface of the bed. in the case of the meadow or pasture mushrooms, they are formed further below the surface. this is probably due to the fact that the conditions under which the mushrooms grow in cultivation are such that the surface of the bed is more moist, and is less subject to variations in the content of moisture, than is the surface of the ground in pastures. although there may be abundant rains in the fields, the currents of air over the surface of the ground, at other times, quickly dries out the upper layers of the soil. but indoors the mycelium often runs to the surface of the bed, and there forms the numerous pinheads which are the beginnings of the mushrooms. the beds at this stage often present numerous clusters of the mycelium and these minute pinheads crowded very closely together. hundreds or perhaps thousands of these minute beginnings of mushrooms occur within a small space. there are very few of these, however, that reach the point of the mature mushroom. few only of the pinheads grow to form the button, and the others abort, or cease to grow. others are torn out while the larger ones are being picked. the time at which the mushrooms are picked varies within certain limits, with the different growers. most cultivators, especially those who grow the mushrooms in houses, consider ° f. the desirable temperature for the growth of mushrooms, that is, at a room temperature of ° (while some recommend °). the temperature of the beds themselves will be slightly above this. under these conditions, that is, where the mushrooms are grown at a room temperature of about °, they open very quickly. it is necessary here to gather the mushrooms before they open, that is, before the veil on the under surface breaks to expose the gill surface. this practice is followed, of course, within certain limits. it is not possible in all cases, to pick every mushroom before the veil breaks. they are collected once a day usually. at the time of collection all are taken which are of suitable size. many of them may not yet have opened. but in the case of some of the older or more rapidly growing ones, the veil may have broken, although they have not expanded very much. some follow the method of having the fireman, on his round at night, when he looks after the fires in the heating room, gather the mushrooms. he passes through all parts of the house and picks the mushrooms which are of suitable size. these are gathered by grasping a single mushroom by the cap, or where there is a cluster of mushrooms close together, several are taken in the hand. the plant is twisted slightly to free the stem from the soil, without tearing it up to any great extent. they are thrown in this condition into baskets. the collector then takes them to the packing room, and the following morning the plants are trimmed, that is, the part of the stems to which the earth is attached is cut away, the plants are weighed, put in baskets, and prepared for the markets. in other cases, the mushrooms are gathered early in the morning, in the same way, taken to the packing room, where the lower part of the stem is cut away, the plants are weighed, placed into the baskets and shipped to market. [illustration: figure .--view in packing room (h. e. hicks' mushroom house, kennett square, pa.) copyright.] in some of the caves, or abandoned mines, which i have visited, where the mushrooms are grown on a large scale, the practice in picking the mushrooms varies somewhat from that just described. in the first place, the mushrooms are allowed to stand on the bed longer, before they are picked. they are rarely, if ever, picked before they open. mushrooms may be quite large, but if they have not opened, they are not picked. very frequently, the plant may open, but, the operator says, it is not open enough. it will grow more yet. the object of the grower, in this case, is to allow the mushrooms to grow as long as it is possible, before picking, for the larger the mushroom, the more water it will take from the bed, and the more it weighs. this may seem an unprofessional thing for a grower to do, and yet it must be remembered that a large water content of the mushroom is necessary. the mushrooms grown in these mines are very firm and solid, qualities which are desired, not only by the consumer, but are desirable for shipment. these mushrooms are much thicker through the center of the cap than those usually grown in houses at a room temperature of ° f. for this reason, the mushrooms in these caves spread out more, and the edges do not turn up so soon. since the cap is so thick and firm at the center, it continues to grow and expand for some little time after having opened, without turning up on the edges, and without becoming black and unsightly underneath. these large and firm mushrooms are not only desirable for their shipping qualities, but also, if they are not too large, they are prized because they are of such a nice size for broiling. it is quite likely that one of the important conditions in producing mushrooms of this character is the low temperature of the mine. the temperature here, in july and august, rises not higher than ° f., that is, the room temperature of the mines; while in the winter it falls not lower than °. the growth of mushrooms, under these conditions, may not be quite so rapid as in a house maintaining a room temperature of °. the operator may not be able to grow so many crops from the same area, during the same length of time; but the very fact that this low temperature condition retards the growth of the mushrooms is perhaps an important item in producing the firm and more marketable product, which can be allowed to grow longer before it is picked. it is possible, also, that another condition has something to do with the firmness and other desirable qualities of these mushrooms. it is, perhaps, to be found in the fact that natural spawn is largely used in planting the beds, so that the spawn is more vigorous than that which is ordinarily used in planting, which is several or many generations distant from the virgin condition. the methods of picking in this mine differ, also, from those usually employed by growers of mushrooms. the mushrooms are pulled from the bed in the same way, but the operator carries with him two baskets and a knife. as fast as the mushrooms are pulled, and while they are still in hand, before the dirt can sift upon the other mushrooms, or fall in upon the gills of those which are open, the lower part of the stem is cut off. this stem end is then placed in one basket, while the mushrooms which have been trimmed are placed in another basket. in cutting off the stems, just enough is cut to remove the soil, so that the length of the stem of the mushroom varies. the mushrooms are then taken to the packing room in the cleanest possible condition, with no soil scattering therefrom or falling down among the gills, as occurs to a greater or lesser extent where the mushrooms are picked and thrown indiscriminately into baskets. =packing the mushrooms.=--in the packing room the mushrooms are prepared for shipment to market. the method at present usually employed is to ship them in baskets. the baskets vary in size, according to the market to which the mushrooms are to be shipped. they hold from three, to four, five, six, or ten pounds each. the larger baskets are only used where the mushrooms are shipped directly to the consumers. when the customer requires a large number of mushrooms, they can be shipped in these larger baskets. where they are shipped to commission merchants, and the final market is not known to the packer, they are usually packed in small baskets, three to four or five pounds. the baskets are sometimes lined with paper; that is, at the time of the packing the paper is placed in the basket, one or two thicknesses of paper. the number of layers of paper depends somewhat upon the conditions of transportation. the greater amount of paper affords some protection from cold, in cold weather, and some protection from the evaporation of the moisture, in dry weather. when the basket is filled with the required quantity of mushrooms, which is usually determined first by weight, the surplus paper is folded over them. this is covered in most cases by thin board strips, which are provided for basket shipment of vegetables of this kind. in some cases, however, where shipped directly to customers so that the baskets soon reach their destination, additional heavy paper, instead of the board, may be placed over and around the larger part of the basket, and then tied down neatly with cord. =placing the mushrooms in the basket.=--some growers do not give any attention to placing the mushrooms in the baskets. the stems are cut off in the packing room, they are thrown into the weighing pan, and when the beam tips at three, or four, or five pounds, as the case may be, the mushrooms are emptied into the baskets, leveled down, and the baskets closed for shipment. others use more care in the packing of the mushrooms; especially is this the case on the part of those who pick the mushrooms when they are somewhat larger and more open, though the practice of placing the mushrooms in a basket is followed even by those who pick before the mushrooms are open. in placing them, one mushroom is taken at a time and put stem downward into the basket, until the bottom is covered with one layer, and then successive layers are placed on top of these. the upper layers in the basket then present a very neat and attractive appearance. in thus placing the mushrooms in the basket, if there are any mushrooms which are quite large, they are placed in the bottom. the custom of the operator here is different from that of the grower of apples, or of other fruit, where the larger and finer samples are often placed on top, the smaller ones being covered below. it is a curious fact, however, that this practice of placing the largest mushrooms below in the basket is due to the fact that usually the larger mushrooms are not considered so marketable. [illustration: figure .--view in packing room, akron "tunnel," n. y. mushroom co.; placing mushrooms in basket. copyright.] there are several reasons why the larger mushrooms are not considered so desirable or marketable as the medium-sized or smaller ones. in the first place, the larger mushrooms, under certain conditions, especially those grown in house culture at a comparatively high temperature, are apt to be very ripe, so that the gills are black from over-ripe spores, and are thus somewhat unsightly. those grown at a lower temperature, as is the case in some mines, do not blacken so soon, and are therefore apt to be free from this objection. another objection, however, is on the part of the restaurant owner where mushrooms are served. in serving the mushrooms broiled on toast, the medium-sized one is more desirable from the standpoint of the restaurant owner, in that two medium-sized ones might be sufficient to serve two persons, while one quite large one, weighing perhaps the same as the two medium ones, would only be sufficient to serve one person at the same price, unless the large mushroom was cut in two. if this were done, however, the customer would object to being served with half a mushroom, and the appearance of a half mushroom served in this way is not attractive. =resoiling.=--once or twice a week during the harvesting period all loose earth, broken bits of spawn, free buttons, etc., should be cleaned out where the mushrooms have been picked. these places should be filled with soil and packed down by hand. all young mushrooms that "fog off" should be gathered up clean. some persons follow the practice of growing a second crop on the same bed from which the first crop has been gathered. the bed is resoiled by placing about two inches of soil over the old soil. the bed is then watered, sometimes with lukewarm water to which a small quantity of nitrate of soda has been added. the large growers, however, usually do not grow a second crop in this way, but endeavor to exhaust the material in the bed by continuous growth. =use of manure from beds which have failed.=--manure in which the spawn has failed to run is sometimes removed from the bed and mixed with fresh manure, the latter restoring the heat. if the manure was too wet, the moisture content can now be lessened by the use of dry soil. =cleaning house to prepare for successive crops.=--when the crop is harvested, all the material is cleaned out to prepare the beds for the next crop. the material is taken out "clean," and the floors, beds, walls, etc., swept off very clean. in addition, some growers whitewash the floors and all wood-work. some whitewash only the floors, depending on sweeping the beds and walls very clean. still others whitewash the floors and wash the walls with some material to kill out the vermin. some trap or poison the cockroaches, wood-lice, etc., when they appear. some growers who succeed well for several years, and then fail, believe that the house "gets tired," as they express it, and that the place must rest for a few years before mushrooms can be grown there again. others grow mushrooms successfully year after year, but employ the best sanitary methods. =number of crops during a year.=--in caves or mines, where the temperature is low, the beds are in process of formation and cropping continuously. so soon as a bed has been exhausted the material is cleaned out, and new beds are made as fast as the fresh manure is obtained. in houses where the mushrooms cannot be grown during the summer, the crops are grown at quite regular periods, the first crop during fall and early winter, and the second crop during spring. some obtain the manure and ferment it during august and september, spawning the beds in september and october. others begin work on the fermentation of the manure in june or july, make up the beds in july and august, spawn, and begin to draw off the crop somewhat earlier. the second crop is prepared for whenever the first one is drawn off, and this varies even in the experience of the same grower, since the rate of the running of the spawn varies from time to time. sometimes the crop begins to come four or five weeks from the time of planting the spawn. at other times it may be two or three months before the spawn has run sufficiently for the crop to appear. usually the crop begins to come on well in six to eight weeks. the crop usually lasts for six weeks to two months, or longer. =productivity of the beds.=--one pound of mushrooms from every two square feet of surface is considered a very good crop. sometimes it exceeds this, the beds bearing one pound for every square foot, though such a heavy yield is rare. oftener the yield is less than half a pound for a square foot of surface. =causes of failure.=--the beginner should study very carefully the conditions under which he grows his crops, and if failure results, he should attempt to analyze the results in the light of the directions given for the curing of the manure, its moisture content, "sweetness," character of the spawn, temperature, ventilation, etc. while there should be good ventilation, there should not be drafts of air. a beginner may succeed the first time, the second or third, and then may fail, and not know the cause of the failure. but given a good spawn, the right moisture content of the material at time of planting and running of the spawn, the sweet condition, or proper condition of the curing of the manure, proper sanitary conditions, there should be no failure. these are the most important conditions in mushroom culture. after the spawn has run and the crop has begun to come, the beds have been known to freeze up during the winter, and in the spring begin and continue to bear a good crop. after the spawn has run well, beds have accidentally been flooded with water so that manure water would run out below, and yet come on and bear as good a crop as adjoining beds. =volunteer mushrooms in greenhouses.=--volunteer mushrooms sometimes appear in greenhouses in considerable quantity. these start from natural spawn in the manure used, or sometimes from the spawn remaining in "spent" mushroom beds which is mixed with the soil in making lettuce beds, etc., under glass. one of the market gardeners at ithaca used old spawn in this way, and had volunteer mushrooms among lettuce for several years. in making the lettuce beds in the autumn, a layer of fresh horse manure six inches deep is placed in the bottom, and on this is placed the soil mixed with the old, spent mushroom beds. the following year the soil and the manure at the bottom, which is now rotten, is mixed up, and a fresh layer of manure is placed below. in this way the lettuce bed is self-spawned from year to year. about every six years the soil in the bed is entirely changed. this gardener, during the winter of -- , sold $ . to $ . worth of volunteer mushrooms. another gardener, in a previous year, sold over $ . worth. =planting mushrooms with other vegetables.=--in some cases gardeners follow the practice of inserting a forkful of manure here and there in the soil where other vegetables are grown under glass, and planting in it a bit of spawn. =mushroom and vegetable house combined.=--some combine a mushroom house and house for vegetables in one, there being a deep pit where several tiers of beds for mushrooms can be built up, and above this the glass house where lettuce, etc., is grown, all at a temperature of about ° f. three methods suggested for growing mushrooms in cellars and sheds. =first method.=--obtain fresh stable horse manure mixed with straw used in bedding the animals. shake it out, separating the coarse material from the droppings. put the droppings in a pile two to three feet deep. pack down firmly. when the heat rises to near ° f., turn and shake it out, making a new pile. make the new pile by layers of manure and loam soil, or rotted sod, one part of soil to eight or nine parts of manure. turn again when the heat rises to near ° f., and add the same amount of soil. when the temperature is about ° f., the material is ready for the beds. =preparing the beds.=--make the beds as described under the paragraph on pages -- , or use boxes. place the coarse litter in the bottom three to four inches deep. on this place three to four inches of the cured material, pack it down, and continue adding material until the bed is ten to fifteen inches deep. allow the beds to stand, covering them with straw or excelsior if the air in the cellar or shed is such as to dry out the surface. test the moisture content according to directions on page . watch the temperature. do not let it rise above ° f. when it is down to ° f. or ° f., if the manure has a "sweetish" or "mushroomy" smell it is ready to spawn. spawn according to directions on page . soil according to directions on page ; cover bed with straw or excelsior. =second method.=--use horse droppings freed from the coarser material. proceed as in _first_ method. =third method.=--use horse droppings freed from coarser material. pile and _pack firmly_. do not let temperature rise above ° f. when it has cooled to ° f., make up the beds, at the same time mixing in an _equal quantity_ of rich loam or rotted sod. spawn in a day or two. in beginning, practice on a small scale and study the conditions thoroughly, as well as the directions given in this chapter. footnotes: [d] i have not learned the history of the other kinds of spawn referred to above. chapter xxi. recipes for cooking mushrooms. by mrs. sarah tyson rorer. as varieties of mushrooms differ in analysis, texture and density of flesh, different methods of cooking give best results. for instance, the _coprinus micaceus_, being very delicate, is easily destroyed by over-cooking; a dry, quick pan of the "mushroom bells" retains the best flavor; while the more dense _agaricus campestris_ requires long, slow cooking to bring out the flavor, and to be tender and digestible. simplicity of seasoning, however, must be observed, or the mushroom flavor will be destroyed. if the mushroom itself has an objectionable flavor, better let it alone than to add mustard or lemon juice to overcome it. mushrooms, like many of the more succulent vegetables, are largely water, and readily part with their juices on application of salt or heat; hence it becomes necessary to put the mushroom over the fire usually without the addition of water, or the juices will be so diluted that they will lack flavor. they have much better flavor cooked without peeling, with the exception of puff-balls, which should always be pared. as they lose their flavor by soaking, wash them quickly, a few at a time; take the mushroom in the left hand and with the right hand wash the top or pileus, using either a very soft brush or a piece of flannel; shake them well and put them into a colander to dry. agaricus.[e] the wild or uncultivated _agaricus campestris_, which is usually picked in open fields, will cook in less time than those grown in caves and sold in our markets during the winter and spring. cut the stems close to the gills; these may be put aside and used for flavoring sauces or soups. wash the mushrooms carefully, keeping the gills down; throw them into a colander until drained. =stewed.=--to each pound, allow two ounces of butter. put the butter into a saucepan, and when melted, not brown, throw in the mushrooms either whole or cut into slices; sprinkle over a teaspoonful of salt; cover the saucepan closely to keep in the flavor, and cook very slowly for twenty minutes, or until they are tender. moisten a rounding tablespoonful of flour in a little cold milk; when perfectly smooth, add sufficient milk to make one gill; stir this into the mushrooms, add a saltspoon of white pepper, stir carefully until boiling, and serve at once. this makes a fairly thick sauce. less flour is required when they are to be served as a sauce over chicken, steak, or made dishes. =broiled.=--cut the stems close to the gills; wash the mushrooms and dry them with a soft piece of cheesecloth; put them on the broiler gills up. put a piece of butter, the size of a marrowfat pea, in the center of each; sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. put the broiler over the fire skin side down; in this way, the butter will melt and sort of baste the mushrooms. have ready squares of neatly toasted bread; and, as soon as the mushrooms are hot on the skin side, turn them quickly and broil about two minutes on the gill side. five minutes will be sufficient for the entire cooking. dish on toast and serve at once. =panned on cream toast.=--cut the stem close to the gills; wash and dry as directed for broiling. put them into a pan, and pour over a very little melted butter, having gill sides up; dust with salt and pepper, run into a hot oven for twenty minutes. while these are panning, toast sufficient bread to hold them nicely; put it onto a hot platter, and just as the mushrooms are done, cover the bread with hot milk, being careful not to have too much or the bread will be pasty and soft. dish the mushrooms on the toast, putting the skin side up, pour over the juices from the pan, and serve at once. these are exceedingly good served on buttered toast without the milk, and will always take the place of broiled mushrooms. =in the chafing dish.=--wash, dry the mushrooms, and cut them into slices. to each pound allow two ounces of butter. put the butter in the chafing dish, when hot put in the mushrooms, sprinkle over a teaspoonful of salt, cover the dish, and cook slowly for five minutes, stirring the mushrooms frequently; then add one gill of milk. cover the dish again, cook for three minutes longer, add the beaten yolks of two eggs, a dash of pepper, and serve at once. these must not be boiled after the eggs are added; but the yolk of egg is by far the most convenient form of thickening when mushrooms are cooked in the chafing dish. =under the glass cover or "bell" with cream.=--with a small biscuit cutter, cut rounds from slices of bread; they should be about two and a half inches in diameter, and about a half inch in thickness. cut the stems close to the gills from fresh mushrooms; wash and wipe the mushrooms. put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; when hot, throw in the mushrooms, skin side down; cook just a moment, and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. arrange the rounds of bread, which have been slightly toasted, in the bottom of your "bell" dish; heap the mushrooms on these; put a little piece of butter in the center; cover over the bell, which is either of glass, china, or silver; stand them in a baking pan, and then in the oven for twenty minutes. while these are cooking, mix a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour in a saucepan, add a half pint of milk, or you may add a gill of milk and a gill of chicken stock; stir until boiling, add a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. when the mushrooms have been in the oven the allotted time, bring them out; lift the cover, pour over quickly a little of this sauce, cover again, and send them at once to the table. =another method.=--wash and dry the mushrooms; arrange them at once on the "bell plate." the usual plates will hold six good sized ones. dust with pepper and salt; put in the center of the pile a teaspoonful of butter; pour over six tablespoonfuls of cream or milk; cover with the bell; stand the dish in a baking pan, and then in a hot oven for twenty minutes. these are arranged for individual bells. where one large bell is used, the mushrooms must be dished on toast before they are served. the object in covering with the bell is to retain every particle of the flavor. the bell is then lifted at the table, that the eater may get full aroma and flavor from the mushroom. =puree.=--wash carefully a half pound of mushrooms; chop them fine, put them into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, and if you have it, a cup of chicken stock; if not, a cup of water. cover the vessel and cook slowly for thirty minutes. in a double boiler, put one pint of milk. rub together one tablespoonful of butter and two tablespoonfuls of flour; add it to the milk; stir and cook until thick; add the mushrooms, and press the whole through a sieve; season to taste with salt and pepper only. =cream of mushroom soup.=--this will be made precisely the same as in the preceding recipe, save that one quart of milk will be used instead of a pint with the same amount of thickening, and the mushrooms will not be pressed through a sieve. coprinus comatus and coprinus atramentarius. as these varieties usually grow together and are sort of companion mushrooms, recipes given for one will answer for the cooking of the other. being soft and juicy, they must be handled with care, and are much better cooked with dry heat. remove the stems, and wash them carefully; throw them into a colander until dry; arrange them in a baking pan; dot here and there with bits of butter, allowing a tablespoonful to each half pound of mushrooms; dust with salt and pepper, run them into a very hot oven, and bake for thirty minutes; dish in a heated vegetable dish, pouring over the sauce from the pan. the _c. micaceus_ may also be cooked after the same fashion--after dishing the mushrooms boil down the liquor. =stewed.=--wash and dry them; put them into a large, flat pan, allowing a tablespoonful of butter to each half pound of mushrooms; sprinkle at once with salt and pepper; cover the pan, and stew for fifteen minutes. moisten a tablespoonful of flour in a little cold milk; when smooth, add a half cup of cream, if you have it; if not, a half cup of milk. push the mushrooms to one side; turn in this mixture, and stir until boiling. do not stir the mushrooms or they will fall apart and become unsightly. dish them; pour over the sauce, and serve at once. or they may be served on toast, the dish garnished with triangular pieces of toast. coprinus micaceus. wash and dry the mushrooms; put them into a deep saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter to each quart; stand over a quick fire, sort of tossing the saucepan. do not stir, or you will break the mushrooms. as soon as they have reached the boiling point, push them to the back part of the stove for five minutes; serve on toast. these will be exceedingly dark, are very palatable, and perhaps are the most easily digested of all the varieties. lepiota. these mushrooms, having very thin flesh and deep gills, must be quickly cooked to be good. remove the stem, take the mushrooms in your hand, gill side down, and with a soft rag wash carefully the top, removing all the little brown scales. put them into a baking pan, or on a broiler. melt a little butter, allow it to settle, take the clear, oily part from the top and baste lightly the mushrooms, gill sides up; dust with salt and pepper. place the serving dish to heat. put the mushrooms over a quick fire, skin side down, for just a moment; then turn and boil an instant on the gill side, and serve at once on the heated plate. in this way _lepiota procera_ is most delicious of all mushrooms; but if cooked in moist heat, it becomes soft, but tough and unpalatable; if baked too long, it becomes dry and leathery. it must be cooked quickly and eaten at once. all the edible forms may be cooked after this recipe. these are perhaps the best of all mushrooms for drying. in this condition they are easily kept, and add so much to an ordinary meat sauce. oyster mushrooms (pleurotus). wash and dry the mushrooms; cut them into strips crosswise of the gills, trimming off all the woody portion near the stem side. throw the mushrooms into a saucepan, allowing a tablespoonful of butter to each pint; sprinkle over a half teaspoonful of salt; cover, and cook slowly for twenty minutes. moisten a tablespoonful of flour in a half cup of milk; when perfectly smooth, add another half cup; turn this into the mushroom mixture; bring to boiling point, add just a grating of nutmeg, a few drops of onion juice, and a dash of pepper. serve as you would stewed oysters. to make this into à la poulette, add the yolks of two eggs just as you take the mixture from the fire, and serve on toast. =mock oysters.=--trim the soft gill portion of the _pleurotus ostreatus_ into the shape of an oyster; dust with salt and pepper; dip in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs, and fry in smoking hot fat as you would an oyster, and serve at once. this is, perhaps, the best method of cooking this variety. russula. while in this group we have a number of varieties, they may all be cooked after one recipe. the stems will be removed, the mushrooms carefully washed, always holding the gill side down in the water, drained in a colander; and while they apparently do not contain less water than other mushrooms, the flesh is rather dense, and they do not so quickly melt upon being exposed to heat. they are nice broiled or baked, or may be chopped fine and served with mayonnaise dressing, stuffed into peeled tomatoes, or with mayonnaise dressing on lettuce leaves, or mixed with cress and served with french dressing, as salads. the "green" or _russula virescens_ may be peeled, cut into thin slices, mixed with the leaves of water-cress which have been picked carefully from the stems, covered with french dressing, and served on slices of tomato. it is well to peel all mushrooms if they are to be served raw. to bake, follow recipes given for baking _campestris_. in this way they are exceedingly nice over the ordinary broiled steak. one of the nicest ways, however, of preparing them for steak is to wash, dry and put them, gills up, in a baking pan, having a goodly quantity; pour over just a little melted butter; dust with salt and pepper, and put them into the oven for fifteen minutes. while you are broiling the steak, put the plate upon which it is to be served over hot water to heat; put on it a tablespoonful of butter, a little salt, pepper, and some finely chopped parsley. take the mushrooms from the oven, put some in the bottom of the plate, dish the steak on top, covering the remaining quantity over the steak. add two tablespoonfuls of stock or water to the pan in which they were baked; allow this to boil, scraping all the material from the pan; baste this over the steak, and serve at once. _agaricus campestris_ and many other varieties may also be used in this same way. lactarii. remove the stems, and wash the mushrooms. put them into a saucepan, allowing a tablespoonful of butter and a half teaspoonful of salt to each pint. add four tablespoonfuls of stock to the given quantity; cover the saucepan, and _cook slowly_ three-quarters of an hour. at the end of this time you will have a rich, brown sauce to which you may add a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, and, if you like, a tablespoonful of sherry. serve in a vegetable dish. =lactarius deliciosus stewed.=--wash the mushrooms; cut them into slices; put them into a saucepan, allowing a half pint of stock to each pint of mushrooms; add a half teaspoonful of salt; cover and stew slowly for three-quarters of an hour. put a tablespoonful of butter in another saucepan, mix with it a tablespoonful of flour; add the mushrooms, stir until they have reached the boiling point; add a teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet, a dash of pepper, and serve it at once in a heated vegetable dish. a nice combination for a steak sauce is made by using a dozen good sized _lactarius deliciosus_ with four "beefsteak" mushrooms, using then the first recipe. beefsteak smothered with mushrooms. wash a dozen good sized mushrooms, either _lactarii_ or _agarici_, also wash and remove the spores from half a dozen good sized "beefsteak" mushrooms, cutting them into slices. put all these into a baking pan, sprinkle over a half teaspoonful of salt, add a tablespoonful of butter, and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. broil the steak until it is nearly done; then put it into the pan with the mushrooms, allowing some of the mushrooms to remain under the steak, and cover with the remaining portion; return it to the oven for ten minutes; dish and serve at once. boleti. these are more palatable baked or fried. wash the caps and remove the pores. dip the caps in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs, and fry them in smoking hot fat; oil is preferable to butter; even suet would make a drier fry than butter or lard. serve at once as you would egg plant. =baked.=--wash and remove the pores; put the mushrooms into a baking pan; baste them with melted butler, dust with salt and pepper, and bake in a moderately hot oven three-quarters of an hour; dish in a vegetable dish. put into the pan in which they were baked, a tablespoonful of butter. mix carefully with a tablespoonful of flour and add a half pint of stock, a half teaspoonful of kitchen bouquet or browning, the same of salt, and a dash of pepper; pour this over the mushrooms, and serve. =in fritter batter.=--beat the yolk of one egg slightly, and add a half cup of milk; stir into this two-thirds of a cup of flour; stir in the well beaten white of the egg and a teaspoonful of olive oil. wash and remove the pores from the boleti. have ready a good sized shallow pan, the bottom covered with smoking hot oil; dip the mushrooms, one at a time, into this batter, drain for a moment, and drop them into the hot fat. when brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. drain on soft paper and serve at once. =boleti in brown sauce.=--wash and dry the boleti; remove the pores; cut them into small pieces. to each pound allow a tablespoonful of butter. put the butter into a saucepan with the mushrooms; add a half teaspoonful of salt; cover the pan, and stew slowly for twenty minutes; then dust over a tablespoonful of flour; add a half cup of good beef stock; cook slowly for ten minutes longer, and serve. hydnum. as these mushrooms are slightly bitter, they must be washed, dried, and thrown into a little boiling water, to boil for just a moment; drain, and throw away this water, add a tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and a half cup of milk or stock; cover the pan, and cook slowly for twenty minutes. as the milk scorches easily, cook over a very slow fire, or in a double boiler. pour the mixture over slices of toast, and serve at once. a tablespoonful or two of sherry may be added just as they are removed from the fire. clavaria. wash, separating the bunches, and chop or cut them rather fine, measure, and to each quart allow a half pint of supreme sauce. throw the clavaria into a saucepan, cover, and allow it to stew gently for fifteen minutes while you make the sauce. put a tablespoonful of butter and one of flour in the saucepan; mix, and add a half pint of milk or chicken stock; or you may add half of one and half of the other; stir until boiling; take from the fire, add a half teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, and the yolks of two eggs. take the clavaria from the fire, and when cool stir it into the sauce. turn into a baking dish, sprinkle the top with crumbs, and brown in a quick oven. do not cook too long, as it will become watery. =pickled clavaria.=--wash the clavaria thoroughly without breaking it apart; put into a steamer; stand the steamer over a kettle of boiling water, and steam rapidly, that is, keep the water boiling hard for fifteen minutes. take from the fire, and cool. put over the fire sufficient vinegar to cover the given quantity; to each quart, allow two bay leaves, six cloves, a teaspoonful of whole mustard, and a dozen pepper corns, that is, whole peppers. put the clavaria into glass jars. bring the vinegar to boiling point, and pour it over; seal and put aside. this may be served alone as any other pickle, or on lettuce leaves with french dressing as a salad. =escalloped clavaria.=--wash, separate and cut the clavaria as in first recipe. to each quart allow a half pint of chicken stock, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley. put a layer of bread crumbs in the bottom of the dish, then a layer of chopped clavaria, and so continue until you have the dish filled. pour over the stock, which you have seasoned with salt and pepper; dot bits of butter here and there over the top, and bake in a moderate oven thirty minutes. this recipe is excellent for the young or button _hypholoma_, except that the time of baking must be forty-five minutes. puff-balls. to be eatable, the puff-balls must be perfectly white to the very center. pare off the skin; cut them into slices; dust with salt and pepper. have ready in a large, shallow pan a sufficient quantity of hot oil to cover the bottom. throw in the slices and, when brown on one side, turn and brown on the other; serve at once on a heated dish. =a la poulette.=--pare the puff-balls; cut them into slices and then into dice; put them into a saucepan, allowing a tablespoonful of butter to each pint of blocks. cover the saucepan; stew gently for fifteen minutes; lift the lid; sprinkle over a teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. beat the yolks of three eggs until light; add a half cup of cream and a half cup of milk; pour this into the hot mixture, and shake until smoking hot. do not allow them to boil. serve in a heated vegetable dish, with blocks of toast over the top. =puff-ball omelet.=--pare and cut into blocks sufficient puff-balls to make a pint. put a tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan; add the puff-balls, cover and cook for ten minutes. beat six eggs without separating, until thoroughly mixed, but not too light; add the cooked puff-balls, a level teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper. put a tablespoonful of butter into your omelet pan; when hot, turn in the egg mixture; shake over the hot fire until the bottom has thoroughly set, then with a limber knife lift the edge, allowing the soft portion to run underneath; continue this operation until the omelet is cooked through; fold and turn onto a heated dish. serve at once. other delicate mushrooms may be used in this same manner. =puff-balls with agaricus campestris.=--as the _agaricus campestris_ has a rather strong flavor and the puff-balls are mild, both are better for being mixed in the cooking. take equal quantities of _agaricus campestris_ and puff-balls; pare and cut the puff-balls into blocks; to each half pound allow a tablespoonful of butter. put the butter in a saucepan, add the mushrooms, sprinkle over the salt (allowing a half teaspoonful always to each pint); cover the saucepan and stew slowly for twenty minutes. moisten a tablespoonful of flour in a half cup of milk, add it to the mixture, stir and cook for just a moment, add a dash of pepper, and serve in a heated dish. this recipe may be changed by omitting the flour and adding the yolks of a couple of eggs; milk is preferable to stock, for all the white or light-colored varieties. morchella. select twelve large-sized morels; cut off the stalks, and throw them into a saucepan of warm water; let them stand for fifteen minutes; then take them on a skimmer one by one, and drain carefully. chop fine sufficient cold boiled tongue or chicken to make one cupful; mix this with an equal quantity of bread crumbs, and season with just a suspicion of onion juice, not more than ten drops, and a dash of pepper. fill this into the mushrooms, arrange them neatly in a baking pan, put in a half cup of stock and a tablespoonful of butter, bake in a moderate oven thirty minutes, basting frequently. when done, dish neatly. boil down the sauce that is in the pan until it is just sufficient to baste them on the dish; serve at once. =a second method.=--select large-sized morels; cut off the stalk; wash well through several waters. put into a frying pan a little butter, allowing about a tablespoonful to each dozen mushrooms. when hot, throw in the mushrooms, and toss until they are thoroughly cooked; then add a half pint of milk or stock; cover the vessel, and cook slowly twenty minutes; dust with salt and pepper, and serve in a vegetable dish. this method gives an exceedingly palatable and very sightly dish if garnished with sweet spanish peppers that have been boiled until tender. =another method.=--remove the stems, and wash the morels as directed in the preceding recipe. make a stuffing of bread crumbs seasoned with salt, pepper, chopped parsley, and sufficient melted butter to just moisten. place them in a baking pan; add a little stock and butter; bake for thirty minutes. when done, dish. into the pan in which they were cooked, turn a cupful of strained tomatoes; boil rapidly for fifteen minutes until slightly thickened; pour this over the mushrooms; garnish the dish with triangular pieces of toasted bread, and serve. general recipes. in the following recipes one may use _agaricus campestris_, _silvicola_, _arvensis_, or _pleurotus ostreatus_, or _sapidus_, or _coprinus comatus_, or any kindred mushrooms. the _agaricus campestris_, however, are to be preferred. =to serve with a boiled leg of mutton=, wash well the mushrooms and dry them; dip each into flour, being careful not to get too much on the gill side. in a saucepan have a little hot butter or oil; drop these in, skin side down; dust them lightly with salt and pepper. after they have browned on this side, turn them quickly and brown the gills; add a half pint of good stock; let them simmer gently for fifteen minutes. take them up with a skimmer, and dish them on a platter around the mutton. boil the sauce down until it is the proper consistency; pour it over, and serve at once. these are also good to serve with roasted beef. =mushroom sauce for game.=--wash well one pound of fresh mushrooms; dry, and chop them very fine. put them into a saucepan with one and a half tablespoonfuls of butter; cover, and cook slowly for eight minutes; then add a half cup of fresh rubbed bread crumbs, a half teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoon of white pepper; cover and cook again for five minutes; stir, add a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, and, if you like, two tablespoonfuls of sherry; turn into a sauce-boat. =a nice way to serve with fricassee of chicken.=--wash and dry the mushrooms; sprinkle them with salt and pepper. put some oil or butter in a shallow pan; when hot, throw in the mushrooms, skin side down; cover the pan, put in the oven for fifteen minutes; baste them once during the baking. lift them carefully and put them on a heated dish. add to the fat in the pan two tablespoonfuls of finely chopped mushrooms, a half cup of good stock; boil carefully for five minutes. have ready rounds of bread toasted; dish the mushrooms on these; put on top a good sized piece of carefully boiled marrow; season the sauce with salt, and strain it over. use these as a garnish around the edge of the plate, or you may simply dish and serve them for breakfast, or as second course at lunch. =oysters and mushrooms.=--wash and remove the stems from a half pound of fresh mushrooms; chop them fine; put them into a saucepan with a tablespoonful of butter, a half teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of pepper; cover closely, and cook over a slow fire for ten minutes. have ready, washed and drained, twenty-five good sized fat oysters; throw them perfectly dry into this mushroom mixture. pull the saucepan over a bright fire; boil, stirring carefully, for about five minutes. serve on squares of carefully toasted bread. =tomatoes stuffed with mushrooms.=--wash perfectly smooth, solid tomatoes; cut a slice from the stem end, and remove carefully the seeds and core. to each tomato allow three good sized mushrooms; wash, dry, chop them fine, and stuff them into the tomatoes; put a half saltspoon of salt on the top of each and a dusting of pepper. into a bowl put one cup of soft bread crumbs; season it with a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of pepper; pour over a tablespoonful of melted butter; heap this over the top of the tomato, forming a sort of pyramid, packing in the mushrooms; stand the tomatoes in a baking pan and bake in a moderate oven one hour. serve at once, lifting them carefully to prevent breaking. or, the mushrooms may be chopped fine, put with a tablespoonful of butter into a saucepan and cooked for five minutes before they are stuffed into the tomatoes; then the bread crumbs packed over the top, and the whole baked for twenty minutes. each recipe will give you a different flavor. footnotes: [e] the recipes for agaricus are intended for the several species of this genus (psalliota). chapter xxii. chemistry and toxicology of mushrooms. by j. f. clark. regarding the chemical composition of mushrooms, we have in the past been limited largely to the work of european chemists. recently, however, some very careful analyses of american mushrooms have been made. the results of these investigations, while in general accord with the work already done in europe, have emphasized the fact that mushrooms are of very variable composition. that different species should vary greatly was of course to be expected, but we now know that different specimens of the same species grown under different conditions may be markedly different in chemical composition. the chief factors causing this variation are the composition, the moisture content, and the temperature of the soil in which they grow, together with the maturity of the plant. the temperature, humidity, and movement of the atmosphere and other local conditions have a further influence on the amount of water present. the following table, showing the amounts of the more important constituents in a number of edible american species, has been compiled chiefly from a paper by l. b. mendel (amer. jour. phy. = =: -- ). this article is one of the most recent and most valuable contributions to this important study, and anyone wishing to look into the methods of research, or desiring more detailed information than is here given, is referred to the original paper. table i. ===================================================================+ | fresh | in water-free material. | | material.| | -------------------------------------------------------------------| | w | d m | t n| p n| e e| s i p a| f | a | | a | r a | o i| r i| t x| o n e l| i | s | | t | y t | t t| o t| h t| l r c| b | h | | e | t | a r| t r| e r| u o| r | | | r | e | l o| e o| r a| b c h| e | | | | r | g| i g| c| l e o| | | | | | e| d e| t| e n l| | | | | | n| n| | t | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------| | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | coprinus comatus | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | morchella esculenta | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | polyporus sulphureus | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | pleurotus ostreatus | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | clitocybe multiceps | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | hypholoma | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | candolleanum | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | agaricus campestris | . | . | . | . | . | -- | -- | . | ===================================================================+ =water.=--like all growing plants, the mushroom contains a very large proportion of water. the actual amount present varies greatly in different species. in the above table it will be seen that _polyporus sulphureus_, with over per cent. of water, has the least of any species mentioned, while the species of _coprinus_ and _agaricus_ have usually fully per cent. water. the amount of water present, however, varies greatly in the same species at different seasons and in different localities, and with variations in the moisture content of soil and atmosphere, also with the age and rapidity of development of the individual plant. =total nitrogen.=--the proportion of nitrogen in the dry matter of different species varies from per cent. to per cent. this comparatively high nitrogen content was formerly taken to indicate an unusual richness in proteid substances, which in turn led to very erroneous ideas regarding the nutritive value of these plants. the nitrogenous substances will be more fully discussed later, when we consider their nutritive value. =ether extract.=--this consists of a variety of fatty substances soluble in ether. it varies greatly in quality and quantity in different species. the amount is usually from per cent. to per cent. of the total dry matter. it includes, besides various other substances, several free fatty acids and their glycerides, the acids of low melting point being most abundant. these fatty substances occur in the stem, but are much more abundant in the cap, especially in the fruiting portion. just what nutritive value these fatty matters may have has never been determined. =carbohydrates.=--the largest part of the dry matter of the mushrooms is made up of various carbohydrates, including cellulose or fungocellulose, glycogen, mycoinuline, trehalose, mannite, glucose, and other related substances. the cellulose is present in larger proportion in the stem than in the cap, and in the upper part of the cap than in the fruiting surface. this is doubtless related to the sustaining and protective functions of the stem and the upper part of the cap. starch, so common as a reserve food in the higher plants, does not occur in the mushrooms. as is the case with the fats, no determination of the nutritive value of these substances has been made, but it may be assumed that the soluble carbohydrates of the mushrooms do not differ greatly from similar compounds in other plants. =ash.=--the ash of mushrooms varies greatly. _polyporus officinalis_ gives but . per cent. of ash in dry matter, _pleurotus ulmarius_ gives . per cent., and _clitopilus prunulus_ gives per cent. the average of twelve edible species gave per cent. ash in the stem and . per cent. in the cap. in regard to the constituents of the ash, potassium is by far the most abundant--the oxide averaging about per cent. of the total ash. phosphoric acid stands next to potassium in abundance and importance, constituting, on an average, about one-third of the entire ash. oxides of manganese and iron are always present; the former averaging about per cent. and the latter per cent. to per cent. of the ash. sodium, calcium, and chlorine are usually present in small and varying quantities. sulphuric acid occurs in the ash of all fungi, and is remarkable for the great variation in quantity present in different species; e. g., ash of _helvella esculenta_ contains . per cent. h_ so_ while that of _agaricus campestris_ contains the relatively enormous amount of . per cent. any discussion of the bare composition of a food is necessarily incomplete without a consideration of the nutritive value of the various constituents. this is especially desirable in the case of the mushrooms, for while they are frequently overestimated and occasionally ridiculously overpraised by their friends, they are quite generally distrusted and sometimes held in veritable abhorrence by those who are ignorant of their many excellent qualities. on the one hand, we are told that "gastronomically and chemically considered the flesh of the mushroom has been proven to be almost identical with meat, and possesses the same nourishing properties." we frequently hear them referred to as "vegetable beefsteak," "manna of the poor," and other equally extravagant and misleading terms. on the other hand, we see vast quantities of the most delicious food rotting in the fields and woods because they are regarded by the vast majority of the people as "toadstools" and as such particularly repulsive and poisonous. foods may be divided into three classes according to the functions they perform: (_a_) to form the material of the body and repair its wastes. (_b_) to supply energy for muscular exertion and for the maintenance of the body heat. (_c_) relishes. the formation of the body material and the repair of its wastes is the function of the proteids of foods. it has been found by careful experiment that a man at moderately hard muscular exertion requires . lb. of digestible proteids daily. the chief sources of our proteid foods are meats, fish, beans, etc. it has been as a proteid food that mushrooms have been most strongly recommended. referring to table i, it will be seen that nitrogen constituted . per cent. of the total dry substance of _coprinus comatus_. this high nitrogen content, which is common to the mushrooms in general, was formerly taken to indicate a very unusual richness in proteid materials. it is now known, however, that there were several sources of error in this assumption. much of the nitrogen is present in the form of non-proteid substances of a very low food value. another and very considerable portion enters into the composition of a substance closely related to cellulose. a third source of error was the assumption that all the proteid material was digestible. it is now known that a very considerable portion is not digestible and hence not available as food. thus, notwithstanding the . per cent. of nitrogen in _coprinus comatus_, we find but . per cent. in the form of actually available (i. e., digestible) proteids, or approximately one-seventh of what was formerly supposed to be present. the digestibility of the proteids varies very greatly with the species. mörner found the common field mushroom, _agaricus campestris_, to have a larger amount of proteids available than any other species studied by him. unfortunately, the digestibility of the american plant has not been tested. there is great need for further work along this line. enough has been done, however, to demonstrate that mushrooms are no longer to be regarded as a food of the proteid class. the energy for the muscular exertion and heat is most economically derived from the foods in which the carbohydrates and fats predominate. the common way of comparing foods of the first two classes scientifically is to compare their heat-giving powers. the unit of measurement is termed a _calorie_. it represents the amount of heat required to raise a kilogram of water ° centigrade. (this is approximately the heat required to raise one pound of water ° fahrenheit.) a man at moderately hard muscular labor requires daily enough food to give about _calories_ of heat-units. the major part of this food may be most economically derived from the foods of the second class, any deficiency in the . lb. of digestible protein being made up by the addition of some food rich in this substance. in the following table the value of ten pounds of several food substances of the three classes has been worked out. especial attention is called to the column headed "proteids" and to the last column where the number of heat-units which may be purchased for one cent at current market rates has been worked out. table ii. nutritive value of ten pounds of several foods. ========================================================================+ |proteids.|fats.| carbo- |calories.|cost.|calories| | | |hydrates.| | | for one| | | | | | | cent. | ------------------------------------------------------------------------| a. {beef (round) | . | . | ----| |$ . | .| | | | | | | | {beans (dried) | . | . | . | | . | .| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | b. {cabbage | . | . | . | | . | .| | | | | | | | {potatoes | . | . | . | | . | .| | | | | | | | {flour (roller | . | . | . | | . | .| process) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | c. {coprinus comatus | . | . | . | | . | . | | | | | | | | {pleurotus | . | . | . | | . | . | ostreatus | | | | | | | | | | | | | | {morchella | . | . | . | | . | . | esculenta | | | | | | | | | | | | | | {agaricus | . | . | . | | . | . | campestris | | | | | | | | | | | | | | {oysters | . | . | . | | . | . | ========================================================================+ the mushrooms have been valued at cents per pound, which is probably considerably below the average market price for a good article. it should also be remarked that the amounts given in this table are the digestible and hence available constituents of the foods. the only exception to this is in the case of the fats and carbohydrates of the mushrooms, no digestion experiments having been reported on these constituents. in the absence of data we have assumed that they were entirely digested. the beef and beans are typical animal and vegetable foods of the proteid class. a glance at the table will show how markedly they differ from the mushrooms. the latter are nearest the cabbage in composition and nutritive value. the similarity between the cabbage and the _agaricus campestris_ here analyzed is very striking. the potato is somewhat poorer in fat, but very much richer than the mushroom in carbohydrates. the figures in the last column will vary of course with fluctuations in the market price, but such variation will not interfere at any time with the demonstration that _purchased_ mushrooms are not a poor man's food. here we find that one cent invested in cabbage at - / cents per pound, gives _calories_ of nutrition, while the same amount invested in _agaricus campestris_--the common mushroom of our markets--would give but . _calories_, although they are almost identical so far as nutritive value is concerned. the same sum invested in wheat flour, with its high carbohydrate and good proteid content, would yield _calories_ or one-sixth the amount necessary to sustain a man at work for one day. the amount of mushrooms necessary for the same result is a matter of simple computation. mushrooms, however, have a distinct and very great value as a food of the third class, that is, as condiments or food accessories, and their value as such is beyond the computation of the chemist or the physiologist, and doubtless varies with different individuals. they are among the most appetizing of table delicacies and add greatly to the palatability of many foods when cooked with them. it is surely as unfair to decry the mushroom on account of its low nutritive value, as it is wrong to attribute to it qualities which are nothing short of absurd in view of its composition. in some respects its place as a food is not unlike that of the oyster, celery, berries, and other delicacies. worked out on the basis of nutritive value alone they would all be condemned; the oyster for instance presents a showing but little better than the mushroom, and vastly inferior, so far as economy is concerned, to the common potato. this, too, for oysters purchased by the quart. the nutritive value of one cent's worth of oysters "on the half shell" would be interesting! the question of the toxicology of the higher fungi is one of very great theoretical and practical interest. but on account of the great difficulties in the way of such investigations comparatively little has yet been accomplished. a few toxic compounds belonging chiefly to the class termed alkaloids have, however, been definitely isolated. =choline.=--this alkaloid is of wide occurrence in the animal and vegetable kingdoms. it has been isolated from _amanita muscaria_, _a. pantherina_, _boletus luridus_, and _helvella esculenta_. it is not very toxic, but on uniting with oxygen it passes over to muscarine. according to kobert the substance formed from choline on the decay of the mushrooms containing it is not muscarine, but a very closely related alkaloid, _neurin_. this transformation of a comparatively harmless alkaloid to an extremely deadly one simply by the partial decay of the plant in which the former is normally found, emphasizes very much the wisdom of rejecting for table use all specimens which are not entirely fresh. this advice applies to all kinds of mushrooms, and to worm-eaten and otherwise injured, as well as decayed ones. neurin is almost identical in its physiological effects with muscarine, which is described below. =muscarine.=--this is the most important because the most dangerous alkaloid found in the mushrooms. it is most abundant in _amanita muscaria_, it is also found in considerable quantity in _amanita pantherina_, and to a lesser, but still very dangerous extent in _boletus luridus_ and _russula emetica_. it is quite probably identical with bulbosine, isolated from _amanita phalloides_ by boudier. _muscarine_ is an extremely violent poison, . to . of a gram (. grain) being a very dangerous dose for a man. like other constituents of mushrooms, the amount of muscarine present varies very greatly with varying conditions of soil and climate. this, indeed, may account for the fact that _boletus luridus_ is regarded as an edible mushroom in certain parts of europe, the environment being such that little or no muscarine is developed. according to kobert, _amanita muscaria_ contains, besides choline and muscarine, a third alkaloid, _pilz-atropin_. this alkaloid, like ordinary atropin, neutralizes to a greater or less extent the muscarine. the amount of pilz-atropin present varies, as other constituents of mushrooms vary, with varying conditions of soil, climate, etc., and it may be that in those localities where the _amanita muscaria_ is used for food the conditions are favorable for a large production of pilz-atropin which neutralizes the muscarine, thus making the plant harmless. be this as it may, _amanita muscaria_, so deadly as ordinarily found, is undoubtedly used quite largely as food in parts of france and russia, and it has been eaten repeatedly in certain localities in this country without harm. fortunately muscarine has a very unpleasant taste. it is interesting in this connection to note that the _amanita muscaria_ is said to be used by the inhabitants of northern russia--particularly the koraks--as a means of inducing intoxication. to overcome the extremely unpleasant taste of the plant they swallow pieces of the dried cap without chewing them, or boil them in water and drink the decoction with other substances which disguise the taste. the symptoms of poisoning with muscarine are not at once evident, as is the case with several of the less virulent poisons. they usually appear in from one-half to two hours. for the symptoms in detail we shall quote from mr. v. k. chestnut, dept. of agr., washington (circular no. , div. of bot.): "vomiting and diarrhoea almost always occur, with a pronounced flow of saliva, suppression of the urine, and various cerebral phenomena beginning with giddiness, loss of confidence in one's ability to make ordinary movements, and derangements of vision. this is succeeded by stupor, cold sweats, and a very marked weakening of the heart's action. in case of rapid recovery the stupor is short and usually marked with mild delirium. in fatal cases the stupor continues from one to two or three days, and death at last ensues from the gradual weakening and final stoppage of the heart's action." the treatment for poisoning by muscarine consists primarily in removing the unabsorbed portion of the mushroom from the alimentary canal and in counteracting the effect of muscarine on the heart. the action of this organ should be fortified at once by the subcutaneous injection, by a physician, of atropine in doses of from one one-hundredth to one-fiftieth of a grain. the strongest emetics, such as sulphate of zinc or apomorphine, should be used, though in case of profound stupor even these may not produce the desired action. freshly ignited charcoal or two grains of a one per cent. alkaline solution of permanganate of potash may then be administered, in order, in the case of the former substance, to absorb the poison, or, in the case of the latter, to decompose it. this should be followed by oils or oleaginous purgatives, and the intestines should be cleaned and washed out with an enema of warm water and turpentine. experiments on animals poisoned by _amanita muscaria_ and with pure muscarine show very clearly that when the heart has nearly ceased to beat it may be stimulated to strong action almost instantly by the use of atropine. its use as thus demonstrated has been the means of saving numerous lives. we have in this alkaloid an almost perfect physiological antidote for muscarine, and therefore in such cases of poisoning its use should be pushed as heroically as the symptoms of the case will warrant. the presence of phallin in _amanita muscaria_ is possible, and its symptoms should be looked for in the red color of the blood serum discharged from the intestines. =phallin.=--the exact chemical nature of this extremely toxic substance is not certainly known, but it is generally conceded to be of an albuminous nature. that it is an extremely deadly poison is shown by the fact that . grain per lbs. weight of the animal is a fatal dose for cats and dogs. it is the active principle of the most deadly of all mushrooms, the _amanita phalloides_, or death-cup fungus. we quote again from mr. chestnut's account of phallin and its treatment: "the fundamental injury is not due, as in the case of muscarine, to a paralysis of the nerves controlling the action of the heart, but to a direct effect on the blood corpuscles. these are quickly dissolved by phallin, the blood serum escaping from the blood vessels into the alimentary canal, and the whole system being rapidly drained of its vitality. no bad taste warns the victim, nor do the preliminary symptoms begin until nine to fourteen hours after the poisonous mushrooms are eaten. there is then considerable abdominal pain and there may be cramps in the legs and other nervous phenomena, such as convulsions, and even lockjaw or other kinds of tetanic spasms. the pulse is weak, the abdominal pain is rapidly followed by nausea, vomiting, and extreme diarrhoea, the intestinal discharges assuming the 'rice-water' condition characteristic of cholera. the latter symptoms are persistently maintained, generally without loss of consciousness, until death ensues, which happens in from two to four days. there is no known antidote by which the effects of phallin can be counteracted. the undigested material, if not already vomited, should, however, be removed from the stomach and intestines by methods similar to those given for cases of poisoning by _amanita muscaria_. "after that the remainder of the poison, if the amount of phallin already taken up by the system is not too large, may wear itself out on the blood and the patient may recover. it is suggested that this wearing-out process may be assisted by transfusing into the veins blood freshly taken from some warm-blooded animal. the depletion of the blood serum might be remedied by similar transfusions of salt and warm water." =helvellic acid.=--this very deadly poison is sometimes found in _helvella esculenta_ persoon (gyromitra esculenta), particularly in old or decaying specimens. it has been studied and named by boehm. it is quite soluble in hot water, and in some localities this species of _helvella_ is always parboiled--the water being thrown away--before it is prepared for the table. it seems to be quite generally agreed that young and perfectly fresh specimens are free from the poison. as the poison is very violent, however, this plant should be carefully avoided. the symptoms resemble in a very marked degree those of the deadly phallin, the dissolution of the red corpuscles of the blood being one of the most marked and most dangerous; this is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and stoppage of the kidneys. there is no known antidote for this poison, hence the little that can be done would be similar to that mentioned under phallin. when poisoning by mushrooms is suspected, one cannot too strongly urge that the services of a competent physician should be secured with the least possible delay. chapter xxiii. description of terms applied to certain structural characters of mushrooms. by h. hasselbring. in fungi, as in higher plants, each organ or part of the plant is subject to a great number of variations which appeal to the eye of the student, and by which he recognizes relationship among the various individuals, species, and genera of this group. for the purpose of systematic studies of mushrooms or even for the recognition of a few species, it is of primary importance to be acquainted with terms used in describing different types of variation. only a few of the more important terms, such as are employed in this book, together with diagrams illustrating typical cases to which they are applied, will be given here. =the pileus.=--the _pileus_ or _cap_ is the first part of a mushroom which attracts the attention of the collector. it is the fleshy fruit body of the plant. this, like all other parts of the mushroom, is made up, not of cellular tissue as we find it in flowering plants, but of numerous interwoven threads, called _hyphæ_, which constitute the flesh or _trama_ of the pileus. ordinarily, the filamentous structure of the flesh is very obvious when a thin section of the cap is examined under the microscope, but in certain genera, as _russula_ and _lactarius_, many branches of the _hyphæ_ become greatly enlarged, forming little vesicles or bladders. these vesicles lie in groups all through the flesh of the pileus, sometimes forming the greater part of its substance. the filamentous _hyphæ_ pass around and through these groups, filling up the interstices. in cross section this tissue resembles parenchyma, and appears as if it were made up of rounded cells. such a trama is said to be _vesiculose_ to distinguish it from the ordinary or _floccose_ trama. the threads on the outer surface of the pileus constitute the cortex or cuticle. they are thick walled and often contain coloring matter which gives the plants their characteristic color. in many species their walls become gelatinized, covering the outside of the pileus with a viscid, slimy, or glutinous layer, often called _pellicle_. in other instances the corticle layer ceases to grow with the pileus. it is then torn and split by the continued expanding of the rest of the plant, and remains on the surface in the form of hairs, fibers, scales, etc. [illustration: figure . portion of vesiculose trama in the pileus of a russula.] [illustration: figure . portion of a floccose trama.] as an example of the most usual form of the pileus, we may take that of the common mushroom (_agaricus campestris_) when it is nearly expanded. the pileus is then quite regular in outline and evenly _convex_ (fig. ). many mushrooms during the early stages of their development have this form, which is variously changed by later growth. the convex pileus usually becomes _plane_ or _expanded_ as it grows. if the convexity is greater it is said to be _campanulate_ (fig. ), _conical hemispherical_, etc., terms which need no explanation. the pileus is _umbilicate_ when it has an abrupt, sharp depression at the center (fig. ), _infundibuliform_ when the margin is much higher than the center, so that the cap resembles a funnel (fig. ), and _depressed_ when the center is less, or irregularly, sunken. when the center of the pileus is raised in the form of a boss or knob it is _umbonate_ (fig. ). the umbo may have the form of a sharp elevation at the center, or it may be rounded or obtuse, occupying a larger part of the disc. when it is irregular or indistinct the pileus is said to be _gibbous_ (fig. ). [illustration: figure . figure . figure . figure .--omphalia campanella, pileus umbilicate, gills decurrent. figure .--lepiota procera, pileus convex, umbonate; annulus free, movable; gills free. figure .--agaricus campestris, pileus convex, gills free.] =the gills.=--the _gills_ or _lamellæ_ are thin blades on the under side of the pileus, radiating from the stem to the margin. when the pileus is cut in halves the general outline of the gills may be observed. in outline they may be broad, narrow, lanceolate, triangular, etc. in respect to their ends they are _attenuate_ when gradually narrowed to a sharp point, _acute_ when they end in a sharp angle, and _obtuse_ when the ends are rounded. again, the gills are _arcuate_ when they arch from the stem to the edge of the pileus, and _ventricose_ when they are bellied out vertically toward the earth. [illustration: figure . clitocybe infundibuliformis, pileus infundibuliform, gills decurrent.] [illustration: figure . mycena galericulata, pileus conic to campanulate, gills decurrent by a tooth, stem fistulose.] the terms given above are often used in descriptive works, but the most important feature to be noted in the section of the plant is the relation of the gills to the stem. this relation is represented by several distinct types which are sometimes used to limit genera or sub-genera, since the mode of attachment is usually constant in all species of a group. the principal relations of the gills to the stem are described as follows: _adnate_ when they reach the stem and are set squarely against it (fig. ); _decurrent_ when they run down the stem (fig. ); _sinuate_ or _emarginate_ when they have a notch or vertical curve at the posterior end (fig. ); and _free_ when they are rounded off without reaching the stem (fig. ). in all cases when the lamellæ reach the stem and are only attached by the upper angle they are said to be _adnexed_. this term is often used in combination with others, as _sinuate-adnexed_ (fig. , small figure), or _ascending adnexed_ (fig. , larger plant). sometimes the lamellæ are adnate, adnexed, etc., and have a slight decurrent process or tooth as in _mycena galericulata_ (fig. ). in many plants the gills separate very readily from the stem when the plants are handled. sometimes merely the expansion of the pileus tears them away, so that it is necessary to use great caution, and often to examine plants in different stages of development to determine the real condition of the lamellæ. [illustration: figure . figure . figure . figure .--tricholoma, gills sinuate, stipe solid. figure .--panæolus papilionaceus, gills adnate. figure .--left-hand small plant, hygrophorus, gills sinuate, adnexed. right-hand plant panæolus retirugis, gills ascending adnexed, veil appendiculate.] in certain genera the gills have special characteristics which may be noted here. usually the edge of the lamellæ is _acute_ or sharp like the blade of a knife, but in _cantharellus_ and _trogia_ the edges are very blunt or obtuse. in extreme forms the lamellæ are reduced to mere veins or ridges. again, the edge is generally _entire_, i. e., not noticeably toothed, but in _lentinus_ it is often toothed or cut in various ways. in some other plants the edges are _serrulate_, _crenulate_, etc. in _schizophyllum alneum_, a small whitish plant very common on dead sticks, the gills are split lengthwise along the edge with the halves revolute, i. e., rolled back. in _coprinus_ the gills and often a large part of the pileus melt at maturity into a dark, inky fluid. [illustration: figure .--section of portion of gill of marasmius cohærens. _t_, trama of gill; _sh_, sub-hymenium; _h_, hymenium layer. the long, dark cells are brown cystidia, termed spicules by some to distinguish them from the colorless cystidia. the long cells bearing the oval spores are the basidia.] [illustration: figure .--inocybe repanda (bull.) bres. (= entoloma repandum bull.). _t_, trama of pileus; _sh_, sub-hymenium; _h_, the hymenial layer; the long cells with a drop of moisture at the ends are cystidia (sing. cystidium).] =the hymenium.=--the term _hymenium_ is applied to the spore-bearing tissue of many fungi. in the _agaricaceæ_ the hymenium covers the entire surface of the gills and usually the portion of the pileus between the gills. it originates in the following manner: the threads forming the trama of the gills grow out from the lower side of the pileus and perpendicular to its under surface. as growth advances many branches of the threads turn outward toward either surface of the gill and finally terminate in club-shaped cells. these cells, therefore, lie side by side, perpendicular to the surface, forming a pavement, as it were, over the entire surface of the gills. some of them put out four little prongs, on each of which a spore is borne, while others simply remain as sterile cells (figs. , ). the spore-bearing cells are _basidia_; the others are called _paraphyses_. they resemble each other very much, except that the basidia bear four _sterigmata_ and a spore on each. in a few species the number of sterigmata is reduced to two and in some low forms the number is variable. the layer just beneath the basidia is usually more or less modified, being often composed of small cells different from the rest of the trama. this is called the _sub-hymenial_ layer or _sub-hymenium_ (fig. ). other cells called _cystidia_ occur in the hymenia of various species distributed through nearly all the genera of the agarics. cystidia are large, usually inflated, cells which project above the rest of the hymenium (fig. ). they originate either like the basidia, from the sub-hymenial cells (fig. ), or from special hyphæ deeper down in the trama of the gill (fig. ). they are scattered over the entire surface of the hymenium, but become more numerous on the edge of the lamellæ. their number is much smaller than that of the basidia, but in some species where they are colored they may greatly change the appearance of the gills. cystidia often secrete moisture which collects in drops at their tips, a phenomenon common to all free fungous cells. =the stem.=--the stem is usually fixed to the center of the pileus, but it may be _eccentric_, i. e., fixed to one side of the center, or entirely lateral. when the stem is wanting the pileus is _sessile_. with regard to its interior the stem is _solid_, when it is evenly fleshy throughout (fig. ), or _hollow_ when the interior is occupied by a cavity (fig. ). if the cavity is narrow and tubular the stem is _fistulose_ (fig. ); and if the center is filled with a pithy substance it is _stuffed_ (fig. ). these terms apply only to the natural condition of the stem, and not the condition brought about by larvæ, which eat out the interior of the stem, causing it to be hollow or fistulose. the terms applicable to the consistency of the stem are difficult to define. in general, stems may be either _fleshy_ or _cartilaginous_. the meaning of these terms can best be learned by careful study of specimens of each, but a few general characters can be given here. fleshy, fibrous stems occur in the genera _clitocybe_ and _tricholoma_, among the white-spored forms. their consistency is like that of the pileus, namely, made up of fleshy, fibrous tissue. they are usually stout, compared with the size of the plant, and when bent or broken they seem to be more or less spongy or tough, fibrous, so that they do not snap readily. cartilaginous stems have a consistency resembling that of cartilage. their texture is always different from that of the pileus, which is fleshy or membranous. in general such stems are rather slender, in many genera rather thin, but firm. when bent sufficiently they either snap suddenly, or break like a green straw, without separating. in regard to their external appearance some resemble fibrous stems, while others are smooth and polished as in _mycena_ and _omphalia_. =the veil.=--in the young stages of development the margin of the pileus lies in close contact with the stipe, the line of separation being indicated by a kind of furrow which runs around the young button mushroom. in many genera, as _collybia_, _mycena_, _omphalia_, etc., the pileus simply expands without having its margin ever united to the stipe by any special structure, but in other forms, which include by far the greater number of genera of the _agaricaceæ_ and some _boleti_, the interval between the stem and pileus is bridged over by threads growing from the margin of the pileus and from the outer layers of the stem. these threads interlace to form a delicate membrane, known as the _veil_, which closes the gap between the stem and pileus and covers over the young hymenium. the veil remains firm for a time, but it is finally torn by the expanding pileus, and its remnants persist on the cap and stem in the form of various appendages, whose character depends on the character of the veil. in _cortinarius_ the veil is made up of delicate threads extending radially from the stem to the margin of the cap without forming a true membrane. from its resemblance to a spider's web such a veil is said to be _arachnoid_. at maturity mere traces of it can be found on the stem. in many genera the veil consists of a delicate membrane which tears away from the stem and hangs in flakes to the margin of the pileus. in these cases the veil is _appendiculate_ (fig. ). frequently it is so delicate that no trace of it remains on the mature plant. where the veil is well developed it usually remains on the stem as a _ring_ or _annulus_ which becomes free and movable in species of _lepiota_ (fig. ) and _coprinus_, or forms a hanging annular curtain in _amanita_, or a thick, felty ring in _agaricus_, etc. in some plants (species of _lepiota_) the annulus is continuous with the outer cortex of the stem, which then appears as if it were partially enclosed in a sheath, with the annulus forming a fringe on the upper end of the sheath, from which the apex of the stem projects. no reference is here made to the _volva_, which encloses the entire plant, and which is described in connection with the genera in which it occurs. the few typical characters described here will help the student to become familiar with terms applied to them. in nature, however, typical cases rarely exist, and it is often necessary to draw distinction between differences so slight that it is almost impossible to describe them. only by patient study and a thorough acquaintance with the characters of each genus can one hope to become familiar with the many mushrooms growing in our woods and fields. chapter xxiv. analytical keys. by the author. class fungi. sub-class basidiomycetes.[f] plants of large or medium size; fleshy, membranaceous, leathery, woody or gelatinous; growing on the ground, on wood or decaying organic matter; usually saprophytic, more rarely parasitic. fruiting surface, or hymenium, formed of numerous crowded perpendicular basidia, the apex of the latter bearing two to six (usually four) basidiospores, or the basidiospores borne laterally; in many cases cystidia intermingled with the basidia. hymenium either free at the beginning, or enclosed either permanently or temporarily in a more or less perfect peridium or veil. basidiospores continuous or rarely septate, globose, obovoid, ellipsoidal to oblong, smooth or roughened, hyaline or colored, borne singly at the apex of sterigmata. order _gasteromycetes_. plants membranaceous, leathery or fleshy, furnished with a peridium and gleba, the latter being sometimes supported on a receptacle. hymenium on the surface of the gleba which is enclosed within the peridium up to the maturity of the spores or longer; spores continuous, sphæroid or ellipsoid, hyaline or colored. puff-balls, etc. order _hymenomycetes_. hymenium, at the beginning, borne on the free outer surface of the compound sporophore, or if at first enclosed by a pseudo-peridium or veil it soon becomes exposed before the maturity of the spores; mushrooms, etc. hymenomycetes. analytical key of the families. plants not gelatinous; basidia continuous. plants gelatinous or sub-gelatinous, basidia forked, or divided longitudinally or transversely. = =--hymenium uneven, i. e., in the form of radiating plates, or folds; or a honey-combed surface, or reticulate, warty, spiny, etc. hymenium smooth (not as in b, though it may be convolute and irregular, or ribbed, or veined). = =--hymenium usually on the under side, in the form of radiating plates, or strong folds. the genus phlebia in the hydnaceae has the hymenium on smooth, somewhat radiating veins which are interrupted and irregular. one exotic genus has the hymenium on numerous irregular obtuse lobes (rhacophyllus). =agaricaceæ.= hymenium usually below (or on the outer surface when the plant is spread over the substratum), honey-combed, porous, tubulose, or reticulate; in one genus with short, concentric plates. =polyporaceæ.= hymenium usually below (or on the outer surface when the plant is spread over the substratum), warted, tuberculate, or with stout, spinous processes; or with interrupted vein-like folds in resupinate forms. =hydnaceæ.= = =--plants somewhat corky or membranaceous, more or less expanded; hymenium on the under surface (upper surface sterile), or on the outer or exposed surface when the plant is spread over the substratum (margin may then sometimes be free, but upper surface, i. e., that toward the substratum, sterile). (minute slender spines are sometimes intermingled with the elements of the hymenium, and should not be mistaken for the stouter spinous processes of the hydnaceæ). =thelephoraceæ.= plants more or less fleshy, upright (never spread over the surface of the substratum), simple or branched. hymenium covering both sides and the upper surface. =clavariaceæ.= = =--basidia forked or longitudinally divided; or if continuous then globose, or bearing numerous spores; or if the plant is leathery, membranous, or floccose, then basidia as described. hymenium covering the entire free surface or confined to one portion; smooth, gyrose, folded or lobed; or hymenium lamellate, porous, reticulate or toothed forms which are gelatinous and provided with continuous basidia may be sought here. =tremellineæ.= family agaricaceae. pileus more or less expanded, convex, bell-shaped; stipe central or nearly so; or the point of attachment lateral, when the stipe may be short or the pileus sessile and shelving. fruiting surface usually on the under side and exposed toward the earth, lamellate, or prominently folded or veined. lamellæ or gills radiating from the point of attachment of the pileus with the stipe or with the substratum in the sessile forms; lamellæ simple or branched, rarely anastomosing behind, clothed externally on both surfaces with the basidia, each of which bears four spores (rarely two), cystidia often present. key to the north american genera. the white-spored agarics. (sometimes there is a faint tinge of pink or lilac when the spores are in bulk, but the color is not seen under the microscope.) =plants= soft, fleshy or nearly so, usually soon decaying; dried plants do not revive well when moistened. =plants= tough, either fleshy or gelatinous, membranaceous, corky or woody, persistent, reviving when moistened. = =--=gills= acute on the edge. =edge= of the gills obtuse, or gills fold-like, or vein-like, but prominent. = =--=trama= of the pileus of interwoven threads, not vesiculose. =trama= of the pileus vesiculose, plants rigid but quite fragile. = =--=gills= thin, not much broadened toward the pileus. =gills= broadened toward the pileus, of waxy consistency. =hygrophorus.= = =--=stipe= central or sub-central. (some species of pleurotus are sub-central, but the gills are usually not decurrent.) =stipe= on one side of the pileus, or none, rarely with the stipe sub-central. (some species of clitocybe are sub-central.) =pleurotus.= = =--=stipe= fleshy, pileus easily separating from the stipe, gills usually free. =stipe= fleshy or fibrous and elastic, pileus confluent with the stipe and of the same texture. =stipe= cartilaginous, pileus confluent with the stipe, but of a different texture. = =--=volva= and annulus present on the stipe. =amanita.= =volva= present, annulus wanting. =amanitopsis.= =volva= wanting, annulus present. =lepiota.= = =--=annulus= and volva wanting. =annulus= usually present (sometimes vague), volva wanting, gills attached to the stipe. =armillaria.= = =--=gills= sinuate. =tricholoma.= =gills= decurrent, not sinuate. =clitocybe.= = =--=gills= decurrent, pileus umbilicate. =omphalia.= =gills= not decurrent. = =--=margin= of pileus at first involute, pileus flat or nearly so, somewhat fleshy (some plants rather tough and tending toward the consistency of marasmius). =collybia.= =margin= of the pileus at first straight, pileus slightly bell-shaped, thin. =mycena.= =gills= usually free, pileus deeply plicate so that the gills are split where they are attached to the pileus, pileus membranaceous, very tender but not diffluent. =hiatula.= = =--=plants= where bruised exuding a milky or colored juice. =lactarius.= =plants= not exuding a juice where bruised. =russula.= = =--=gills= decurrent, dichotomous, edge blunt. =cantharellus.= =gills= not decurrent, plants parasitic on other mushrooms. =nyctalis.= = =--=edge= of gills not split into two laminæ. =edge= of gills split into two laminæ and revolute. =schizophyllum.= = =--=plants= leathery, either fleshy, membraneous, or gelatinous. =plants= corky or woody (placed by some in polyporaceæ). =lenzites.= = =--=stipe= separate from the pileus (hymenophore), easily separating. =stipe= continuous with hymenophore. = =--=plants= tough and fleshy, membranaceous or leathery. =marasmius.= =plants= gelatinous and leathery. =heliomyces.= = =--=edge= of the gills acute. =edge= of the gills obtuse. = =--=edge= of gills usually serrate. =lentinus.= =edge= of gills entire. =panus.= = =--=gills= dichotomous. =xerotus.= =gills= fold-like, irregular. =trogia.= there are only a few rare species of hiatula, nyctalis, heliomyces and xerotus in the united states. none are here described. the ochre-spored agarics. (the spores are yellowish brown or rusty brown.) =gills= not separating readily from =gills= sometimes separating readily from the pileus, forked or anastomosing at the base, or connected with vein-like reticulations. =paxillus.= = =--=universal veil= not arachnoid (i. e., not cobwebby). =universal veil= arachnoid, distinct from the cuticle of the pileus, gills powdery from the spores. =cortinarius.= = =--=stipe= central. =stipe= eccentric or none. =crepidotus.= = =--=volva= or annulus present on stipe. =volva= and annulus wanting. = =--=stipe= with an annulus. =pholiota.= =stipe= with a volva. =locellina= (not reported in u. s.). = =--=gills= free from the stem. =pluteolus.= =gills= attached. = =--=gills= not dissolving nor becoming powdery. =gills= dissolving into a gelatinous or powdery condition, not diffluent as in coprinus. =bolbitius.= = =--=stipe= fleshy. =stipe= cartilaginous or sub-cartilaginous. = =--=gills= somewhat sinuate. =gills= adnate or decurrent. =flammula.= = =--=cuticle= of the pileus silky or bearing fibrils. =inocybe.= =cuticle= of pileus smooth, viscid. =hebeloma.= = =--=gills= decurrent. =tubaria.= =gills= not decurrent. = =--=margin= of pileus inflexed. =naucoria.= =margin= of pileus straight, from the first. =galera.= no species of pluteolus are here described. the rosy-spored agarics. (the spores are rose color, pink, flesh or salmon color.) =stipe= central. =stipe= eccentric or none and pileus lateral. =claudopus.= = =--=pileus= easily separating from the stipe, gills free. =pileus= confluent with the stipe and of the same texture, gills attached, in some becoming almost free. = =--=volva= present and distinct, annulus wanting. =volvaria.= =volva= and annulus wanting. =pluteus.= = =--=stipe= fleshy to fibrous, margin of pileus at first incurved. =stipe= cartilaginous. = =--=gills= sinuate. =entoloma.= =gills= decurrent. =clitopilus.= = =--=gills= not decurrent (or if so only by a minute tooth), easily separating from the stipe. =gills= decurrent, pileus umbilicate. =eccilia.= = =--=pileus= slightly convex, margin at first incurved. =leptonia.= =pileus= bell-shaped, margin at first straight and pressed close against the stipe. =nolanea.= no species of nolanea are described here. the brown-spored agarics. (the spores are dark brown or purplish brown.) =pileus= easily separating from the stem; gills usually free. =pileus= continuous with the stem; gills attached. = =--=volva= wanting, annulus present. (psalliota fr.) =agaricus.= =volva= present, annulus wanting. =chitonia.= =volva= and annulus wanting. =pilosace.= = =--=veil= present. =veil= wanting or obsolete. = =--=annulus= present, gills attached. =stropharia.= =annulus= wanting, veil remaining attached to margin of pileus. =hypholoma.= = =--=stipe= tenacious, margin of pileus first incurved. =stipe= fragile, margin of pileus at first straight. =psathyra.= = =--=gills= sub-triangularly decurrent. =deconica.= =gills= not decurrent. =psilocybe.= but few species of psathyra, deconica, chitonia and pilosace are noted from the united states. none are here described. the black-spored agarics. =pileus= present to which the gills are attached. =pileus= wanting, gills attached to a disk at apex of stem from which they radiate. =montagnites.=[g] = =--=gills= more or less deliquescing, or pileus thin, membranous and splitting between the laminæ of the gills and becoming more or less plicate. =coprinus.= =gills= not deliquescing, etc. = =--=spores= globose, ovoid. =spores= elongate, fusiform (in some species brown), plants with a slimy envelope. =gomphidius.= = =--=pileus= somewhat fleshy, not striate, projecting beyond the gills at the margin; gills variegated in color from groups of dark spores on the surface. =pileus= somewhat fleshy, margin striate, gills not variegated. =psathyrella.= = =--=annulus= wanting, but veil often present. =panæolus.= =annulus= wanting, veil appendiculate on margin of cap. =chalymotta.= =annulus= present. =anellaria.= glossary of the more technical terms used in this work. abbreviations: cm. = centimeter (about - / cm. make one inch). mm. = millimeter (about mm. make inch). µ = one micron ( µ = mm.). adnate, said of the gills when they are attached squarely, or broadly, to the stem. adnexed, said of gills when they are attached only slightly or only by the upper angle of the stem. anastomose, running together in a net-like manner. annulus, the ring or collar around the stem formed from the inner or partial veil. appendiculate, said of the veil when it clings in fragments to the margin of the pileus. arachnoid, said of the veil when it is cobwebby, that is, formed of loose threads. ascus, the club-shaped body which bears the spores inside (characteristic of the ascomycetes). basidium (pl. basidia) the club-shaped body which bears the spores in the basidiomycetes. these stand parallel, and together make up the entire or large part of the hymenium or fruiting surface which covers the gills, etc. paraphyses (sterile cells) and sometimes cystidia (longer sterile cells) or spines are intermingled with the basidia. bulbous, said of the enlarged lower end of the stem in some mushrooms. circumscissile, splitting transversely across the middle, used to indicate one of the ways in which the volva ruptures. cortina, a cobwebby veil. cuticle, the skin-like layer on the outside of the pileus. decurrent, said of the gills when they extend downward on the stem. diffluent, said of the gills when they dissolve into a fluid. dimidiate, halved, said of a sessile pileus semi-circular in form and attached by the plane edge directly to the wood. echinulate, term applied to minute spinous processes, on the spores for example. eccentric, said of a stem when it is attached to some other point than the center of the pileus. fimbriate, in the form of a delicate fringe. fistulose, becoming hollow. floccose, term applied to indicate delicate and soft threads, cottony extensions from the surface of any part of the mushroom. flocculose, minutely floccose. fugacious, disappearing. fuliginous (or fuligineous), dark brown, sooty or smoky. fulvous, tawny, reddish yellow. fusiform, spindle-shaped. fusoid, like a spindle. furfuraceous, with numerous minute scales. gleba, the chambered tissue forming the hymenium (fruiting surface) in the puff-balls and their allies. hygrophanous, appearing to be water soaked. hymenium, the fruiting surface of the mushrooms and other fungi. hymenomycetes, the subdivision of the basidiomycetes in which the fruiting surface is exposed before the spores are ripe. hymenophore, the portion of the fruit body which bears the hymenium. hypha (pl. hyphæ), a single mycelium thread. imbricate, overlapping like the shingles on a roof. involute, folded or rolled inward. lamella (pl. lamellæ), the gills of the mushroom. mycelium, the vegetative or growing portion of the mushrooms, and other fungi, made up of several or many threads. ocreate, applied to the volva where it fits the lower part of the stem, as a stocking does the leg. pectinate, like the teeth of a comb. peridium, the wall of the puff-balls, etc. pileus (pl. pilei), the cap of the mushroom. plicate, plaited, or folded like a fan. punctate, with minute points. pulverulent, with a minute powdery substance. repand, wavy. resupinate, spread over the matrix, the fruiting surface external and the pileus next the wood. revolute, rolled backward. rugose, wrinkled. rugulose, with minute wrinkles. saprophytic, growing on dead organic matter. sessile, where the pileus is attached directly to the matrix without any stem. sinuate, said of the gills when they are notched at their junction with the stem. stipe, the stem. sulcate, furrowed. squamulose, with minute scales. squarrose, with prominent reflexed scales. tomentose, with a dense, matted, hairy or woolly surface. trama, the interior portion of the gills or pileus. umbo, with a prominent boss or elevation, in the center of the pileus. umbilicate, with a minute abrupt depression in the center of the cap. veil, a layer of threads extending from the margin of the cap to the stem (partial veil or marginal veil). a universal veil envelops the entire plant. veins, elevated lines or folds running over the surface of the lamellæ in some species, and often connected so as to form reticulations. ventricose, enlarged or broadened at the middle, bellied. vesiculose, full of small rounded vesicles, as the trama of the pileus of a russula. volva, a wrapper or envelope, which in the young stage completely surrounds the plant, same as universal veil. at maturity of the plant it may be left in the form of a cup at the base of the stem, or broken up into fragments and distributed over the cap and base of the stem. footnotes: [f] the sub-class ascomycetes includes the morels, helvellas, cup fungi, etc., and many microscopic forms, in which the spores are borne inside a club-shaped body, the ascus. only a few of the genera are described in this book, and the technical diagnosis will be omitted. see page . [g] one american species in texas. index of genera, and illustrations. note.--in this index the generic and specific names have been divided into syllables, and the place of the primary accent has been indicated, with the single object of securing a uniform pronunciation in accordance with the established rules of english orthoepy. agaricus (a-gar'i-cus), -- . arvensis (ar-ven'sis), , fig. . campestris (cam-pes'tris), -- , , figs. -- , . comtulus (com'tu-lus), , fig. . cretaceus (cre-ta'ce-us), . diminutivus (di-min-u-ti'vus), . echinatus (ech-i-na'tus), . fabaceus (fa-ba'ce-us), . maritimus (ma-rit'i-mus), . placomyces (pla-com'y-ces), , pl. , , figs. , , . rodmani (rod'ma-ni), , fig. . silvaticus (sil-vat'i-cus), . silvicola (sil-vic'o-la), , figs. , . subrufescens (sub-ru-fes'cens), . amanita (am-a-ni'ta), . cæsarea (cæ'-sa're-a), , pls. , , fig. . cothurnata (coth-ur-na'ta), , pl. , figs. -- . floccocephala (floc-co-ceph'a-la), , fig. . frostiana (fros-ti-a'na), , , , pl. . mappa (map'pa), . muscaria (mus-ca'ri-a), -- , pls. , , , figs. -- . pantherina (pan-the-ri'na), . phalloides (phal-loi'des), , , -- , , pl. , figs. -- . polypyramis (pol-y-pyr'a-mis), . rubescens (ru-bes'cens), , , pls. , , figs. , . spreta (spre'ta), , , fig. . solitaria (sol-i-ta'ri-a), -- , pls. , , figs. , . strobiliformis (strob-i-li-for'mis), . velatipes (ve-lat'i-pes), -- , pls. , , figs. -- . verna (ver'na), , , , figs. -- . virosa (vi-ro'sa), , , fig. . amanitopsis (a-man-i-top'sis), . farinosa (far-i-no'sa), , , fig. . livida (liv'i-da), . nivalis (ni-va'lis), . spadicea (spa-dic'e-a), . vaginata (vag-i-na'ta), -- , pl. , fig. . volvata (vol-va'ta), . armillaria (ar-mil-la'ri-a), . aurantia (au-ran'ti-a), -- , fig. . mellea (mel'le-a), , , pl. , fig. . annularia lævis (an-nu-la'ri læ'vis), . ascomycetes (as-co-my-ce'tes), . basidiomycetes (ba-sid-i-o-my-ce'tes), . black-spored agarics, . bolbitius (bol-bit'i-us), . variicolor (va-ri-ic'o-lor), , fig. . boletinus (bo-le-ti'nus), . pictus (pic'tus), , fig. . porosus (po-ro'sus), , pl. , fig. . boletus (bo-le'tus), . americanus (a-mer-i-ca'nus), , fig. . brevipes (brev'i-pes), . bulbosus (bul-bo'sus), . chromapes (chro'ma-pes), , pl. , fig. . edulis (e-du'lis), , , , pls. , , , figs. , . felleus (fel'le-us), , pl. , fig. . flavidus (flav'i-dus), . granulatus (gran-u-la'tus), . luteus (lu'te-us), , , pl. , figs. , . obsonium (ob-so'ni-um), , pl. , fig. . ornatipes (or-nat'i-pes), , . punctipes (punc'ti-pes), , fig. . retipes (re'ti-pes), -- , fig. . scaber (sca'ber), . subluteus (sub-lu'te-us), , . subtomentosus (sub-tom-en-to'sus), , . vermiculosus (ver-mic-u-lo'sus), , pl. , fig. . bovista (bo-vis'ta), . calostoma (ca-los'to-ma), . cinnabarinum (cin-na-ba-ri'num), , , pl. , fig. . lutescens (lu-tes'cens), . calvatia (cal-va'ti-a), . cantharellus (can-tha-rel'lus), . aurantiacus (au-ran-ti'a-cus), , , pl. , figs. , . cibarius (ci-ba'ri-us), , fig. . chalymotta retirugis (chal-y-mot'ta re-ti-ru'gis), . clavaria (cla-va'ri-a), . botrytes (bo-try'tes), , fig. . formosa (for-mo'sa), , pl. , fig. . mucida (mu'ci-da), , fig. . pistillaris (pis-til-la'ris), , fig. . clavariaceæ (cla-va-ri-a'ce-æ), . coral fungi, . clitocybe (cli-toc'y-be), . candida (can'di-da), , pls. , , figs. , . cyathiformis (cy-a-thi-for'mis), . illudens (il-lu'dens), , fig. . infundibuliformis (in-fun-dib-u-li-for'mis), , fig. . laccata (lac-ca'ta), . multiceps (mul'ti-ceps), , pl. , fig. . pelletieri (pel-let-i-e'ri), . clitopilus (cli-top'i-lus), . orcella (or-cel'la), . prunulus (pru'nu-lus), , pl. , fig. . collybia (col-lyb'i-a), . dryophila (dry-oph'i-la), , fig. . longipes (lon'gi-pes), . lachnophylla (lach-no-phyl'la), . platyphylla (plat-y-phyl'la), . radicata (rad-i-ca'ta), , pl. , fig. . spinulifera (spin-u-lif'e-ra), . velutipes (ve-lu'ti-pes), , pl. , fig. . coprinus (co-pri'nus), . atramentarius (a-tra-men-ta'ri-us), -- , pl. , figs. -- . comatus (co-ma'tus), -- , pl. , figs. -- . micaceus (mi-ca'ce-us), , -- , figs. , . corticium (cor-tic'i-um), . cortinarius (cor-ti-na'ri-us), . cinnamomeus (cin-na-mo'me-us), , fig. . collinitus (col-li-ni'tus), . ochroleucus (och-ro-leu'cus), , pls. , , figs. , . violaceus (vi-o-la'ce-us), . craterellus (crat-e-rel'lus), . cantharellus (can-tha-rel'lus), . cornucopioides (cor-nu-co-pi-oi'des), . pistillaris (pis-til-la'ris), . crepidotus (crep-i-do'tus), . applanatus (ap-pla-na'tus), . calolepis (ca-lol'e-pis), . chimonophilus (chi-mo-noph'i-lus), . fulvotomentosus (ful-vo-tom-en-to'sus), . herbarum (her-ba'rum), . versutus (ver-su'tus), , fig. . dædalea ambigua (dæ-da'le-a am-big'u-a), , , pl. , fig. . dictyophora (dic-ty-oph'o-ra), . duplicata (du-pli-ca'ta), , pl. , fig. . ravenelii (rav-e-nel'li-i), , , pl. , figs. -- . discomycetes (dis-co-my-ce'tes), . eccilia (ec-cil'i-a), . polita (po-li'ta), , fig. . entoloma (en-to-lo'ma), . grayanum (gray-a'num), , , fig. . jubatum (ju-ba'tum), , , fig. . repandum (re-pan'dum), , , fig. . strictius (stric'ti-us), , , fig. . exidia glandulosa (ex-id'ia glan-du-lo'sa), . fistulina (fis-tu-li'na), , . firma (fir'ma), . hepatica (he-pat'i-ca), , pl. . pallida (pal'li-da), , , pls. , , fig. . flammula (flam'mu-la), . paradoxa (par-a-dox'a), . polychroa (po-lych'ro-a), , , fig. . rhodoxanthus (rhod-o-xan'thus), . sapinea (sa-pin'e-a), . tammii (tam'mi-i), . fomes (fo'mes), , . galera (ga-le'ra), . antipoda (an-tip'o-da), . coprinoides (cop-rin-oi'des), . flava (fla'va), . lateritia (lat-e-ri'ti-a), . tenera (ten'e-ra), . geaster (ge-as'ter), . gomphidius (gom-phid'i-us), . glutinosus (glu-ti-no'sus), . nigricans (nig'ri-cans), -- , figs. , . rhodoxanthus (rhod-o-xan'thus), . gomphus (gom'phus), . gyrocephalus (gy-ro-ceph'a-lus), . rufus (ru'fus), , fig. . gyromitra esculenta (gy-rom'i-tra es-cu-len'ta), . hebeloma (he-be-lo'ma), . crustuliniforme (crus-tu-lin-i-for'me), , fig. . hedgehog fungi, . helvella (hel-vel'la), . crispa (cris'pa), . lacunosa (lac-u-no'sa), , fig. . hydnaceæ (hyd-na'ce-æ), . hydnum (hyd'num), . caput-medusæ (ca'put--me-du'sæ), . caput-ursi (ca'put--ur'si), , pl. , fig. . coralloides (cor-al-loi'des), , fig. . erinaceus (er-i-na'ce-us), , fig. . fragile (frag'i-le), . graveolens (gra-ve'o-lens), . imbricatum (im-bri-ca'tum), , fig. . repandum (re-pan'dum), , pl. , fig. . putidum (pu'ti-dum), , pl. , fig. . velutinum (ve-lu'ti-num), . hygrophorus (hy-groph'o-rus), . chrysodon (chrys'o-don), , fig. . coccineus (coc-cin'e-us), . conicus (con'i-cus), . eburneus (e-bur'ne-us), , pl. , fig. . fuligineus (fu-li-gin'e-us), , fig. . hypothejus (hy-po-the'jus), . miniatus (min-i-a'tus), , . pratensis (pra-ten'sis), . psittacinus (psit-ta-ci'nus), . hymenochæte (hy-me-no-chæ'te), . hymenomycetes (hy-me-no-my-ce'tes), . hypholoma (hyph-o-lo'ma), . appendiculatum (ap-pen-dic-u-la'tum), , , pl. , figs. , . candolleanum (can-dol-le-a'num), . lachrymabundum (lach-ry-ma-bun'dum), -- , fig. . perplexum (per-plex'um), . rugocephalum (ru-go-ceph'a-lum), , pl. , fig. . sublateritium (sub-la-te-ri'ti-um), , pl. , fig. . inocybe (i-noc'y-be), . echinata (ech-i-na'ta), . repanda (re-pan'da), , fig. . ithyphallus impudicus (ith-y-phal'lus im-pu-di'cus), . lactarius (lac-ta'ri-us), . chelidonium (chel-i-do'ni-um), , pl. . chrysorrheus (chrys-or'rhe-us), , fig. . corrugis (cor-ru'gis), , fig. . deliciosus (de-lic-i-o'sus), , pl. . fuliginosus (fu-lig-i-no'sus), , fig. . gerardii (ge-rar'di-i), . indigo (in'di-go), , pl. . lignyotus (lig-ny-o'tus), , fig. . pergamenus (per-ga-me'nus), . piperatus (pip-e-ra'tus), , fig. . resimus (re-si'mus), , figs. , . torminosus (tor-mi-no'sus), , fig. . volemus (vo-le'mus), . lentinus (len-ti'nus), . lecomtei (le-comt'e-i), . lepideus (le-pid'e-us), . stipticus (stip'ti-cus), , . vulpinus (vul-pi'nus), , pl. , figs. , . leotia lubrica (le-o'ti-a lu'bri-ca), , fig. . lepiota (lep-i-o'ta), . acutesquamosa (a-cu-te-squa-mo'sa), . americana (a-mer-i-ca'na), , , fig. . asperula (as-per'u-la), , , pl. , fig. . badhami (bad'ham-i), . cristata (cris-ta'ta), , fig. . naucina (nau-ci'na), , -- , pl. , figs. , . naucinoides (nau-ci-noi'des), . procera (pro-ce'ra), , pl. , figs. , . rachodes (ra-cho'des), . leptonia (lep-to'ni-a), . asprella (as-prel'la), , fig. . incana (in-ca'na), . lycoperdaceæ (ly-co-per-da'ce-æ), . lycoperdon (ly-co-per'don), . cyathiforme (cy-a-thi-for'me), , pl. , fig. . gemmatum (gem-ma'tum), , fig. . giganteum (gi-gan'te-um), . pyriforme (pyr-i-for'me), . marasmius (ma-ras'mi-us), . cohærens (co-hæ'rens), , , figs. , . oreades (o-re'a-des), , fig. . rotula (rot'u-la), . merulius (me-ru'li-us), , , . lacrymans (lac'ry-mans), , pl. , figs. , . tremellosus (trem-el-lo'sus), , pl. , figs. , . mitremyces lutescens (mi-trem'y-ces lu-tes'cens), . morchella (mor-chel'la), . bispora (bis'po-ra), . conica (con'i-ca), , fig. . crassipes (cras'si-pes), , pl. , fig. . deliciosa (de-lic-i-o'sa), . esculenta (es-cu-len'ta), , pl. , fig. . semilibera (sem-i-lib'e-ra), . mucronella (mu-cro-nel'la), . mycena (my-ce'na), . acicula (a-cic'u-la), , , fig. . cyanothrix (cy-an'o-thrix), , fig. . epipterygia (e-pip-te-ryg'i-a), , , fig. . galericulata (gal-e-ric-u-la'ta), , . hæmatopa (hæ-mat'o-pa), -- , fig. . polygramma (pol-y-gram'ma), , fig. . prælonga (præ-lon'ga), , . pura (pu'ra), , , fig. . succosa (suc-co'sa), . vulgaris (vul-ga'ris), , fig. . myriostoma (myr-i-os'to-ma), . naucoria (nau-co'ri-a), . semiorbicularis (sem-i-or-bic-u-la'ris), , . vernalis (ver-na'lis), , fig. . ochre-spored agarics, . omphalia (om-pha'li-a), . campanella (cam-pa-nel'la), , , pl. , figs. , . epichysium (ep-i-chys'i-um), , fig. . panæolus (pa-næ'o-lus), . fimicola (fi-mic'o-la), . papilionaceus (pa-pil-i-o-na'ce-us), , fig. . retirugis (re-ti-ru'gis), -- , pl. , figs. -- , . solidipes (so-lid'i-pes), . panus (pa'nus), . cyathiformis (cy-a-thi-for'mis), . rudis (ru'dis), . strigosus (stri-go'sus), . stipticus (stip'ti-cus), , . paxillus (pax-il'lus) . atro-tomentosus (at-ro-tom-en-to'sus), , fig. . corrugatus (cor-ru-ga'tus), , pl. , fig. . flavidus (flav'i-dus), . involutus (in-vo-lu'tus), , , fig. . panuoides (pan-u-oi'des), , pl. , fig. . rhodoxanthus (rhod-o-xan'thus), , , pl. , fig. . phalloideæ (phal-loid'e-æ), . phlebia (phle'bi-a), . merismoides (mer-is-moi'des), pls. , , figs. , . pholiota (pho-li-o'ta), . adiposa (ad-i-po'sa), , , pl. , fig. . aurivella (au-ri-vel'la), . cerasina (ce-ras'i-na), . johnsoniana (john-so-ni-a'na), , pl. , fig. . marginata (mar-gi-na'ta), , fig. . præcox (præ'cox), , , pl. , fig. . squarrosa (squar-ro'sa), . squarrosoides (squar-ro-soi'des), , pl. , fig. . subsquarrosa (sub-squar-ro'sa), . unicolor (u-nic'o-lor), . pleurotus (pleu-ro'tus), . applicatus (ap-pli-ca'tus), , , fig. . corticatus (cor-ti-ca'tus), , pl. , fig. . dryinus (dry'i-nus), , , pl. , figs. , . ostreatus (os-tre-a'tus), , pl. , fig. . petaloides (pet-a-loi'des), -- , figs. , . sapidus (sap'i-dus), , , pl. , fig. . serotinus (se-rot'i-nus), . sulfureoides (sul-fu-re-oi'des), , fig. . ulmarius (ul-ma'ri-us), -- , figs. , . pluteus (plu'te-us), . cervinus (cer-vi'nus), , , fig. . tomentosulus (to-men-tos'u-lus), , fig. . polyporaceæ (pol-y-po-ra'ce-æ), . polyporus (po-lyp'o-rus), , -- . applanatus (ap-pla-na'tus), , fig. . borealis (bo-re-a'lis), , , figs. , . brumalis (bru-ma'lis), , pl. , fig. . fomentarius (fo-men-ta'rius), . frondosus (fron-do'sus), , pls. , , figs. , . igniarius (ig-ni-a'ri-us), . intybaceus (in-ty-ba'ce-us), . leucophæus (leu-co-phæ'us), . lucidus (lu'ci-dus), , pl. , fig. . sulphureus (sul-phu're-us), , pls. , , figs. , . umbellatus (um-bel-la'tus), , fig. . polystictus (pol-y-stic'tus), . cinnabarinus (cin-na-ba-ri'nus), . cinnamomeus (cin-na-mo'me-us), , fig. . connatus (con-na'tus), . hirsutus (hir-su'tus), . oblectans (ob-lec'tans), . perennis (pe-ren'nis), , fig. . pergamenus (per-ga-me'nus), , . splendens (splen'dens), . versicolor (ver-sic'o-lor), . psalliota (psal-li-o'ta), -- , . psathyrella (psath-y-rel'la), . disseminata (dis-sem-i-na'ta), , , fig. . psilocybe foenisecii (psi-loc'y-be foe-ni-se'ci-i), . purple-brown-spored agarics, . rosy-spored agarics, . russula (rus'su-la), . adusta (ad-us'ta), , pl. . alutacea (al-u-ta'ce-a), , , pl. . emetica (e-met'i-ca), , pl. . fragilis (frag'i-lis), . furcata (fur-ca'ta), . lepida (lep'i-da), , pl. . nigricans (nig'ri-cans), . virescens (vi-res'cens), , pl. . sarcoscypha floccosa (sar-cos'cy-pha floc-co'sa), , , fig. . schizophyllum (schiz-o-phyl'lum), . alneum (al'ne-um), , , fig. . commune (com-mu'ne), . scleroderma (scler-o-der'ma), . verrucosum (ver-ru-co'sum), . vulgare (vul-ga're), . spathularia velutipes (spath-u-la'ri-a ve-lu'ti-pes), , fig. . spinellus fusiger (spi-nel'lus fu'si-ger) . macrocarpus (mac-ro-car'pus), . sterium (ste'ri-um), . strobilomyces (strob-i-lom'y-ces), . floccopus (floc'co-pus), . strobilaceus (strob-i-la'ce-us), , pl. , figs. -- . stropharia (stro-pha'ri-a), . æruginosa (æ-ru-gi-no'sa), . semiglobata (sem-i-glo-ba'ta), , fig. . stercoraria (ster-co-ra'ri-a), . thelephoraceæ (thel-e-pho-ra'ce-æ), . trametes (tra-me'tes), , . ambigua (am-big'u-a), , . trembling fungi, . tremellineæ (trem-el-lin'e-æ), . tremella (tre-mel'la), . frondosa (fron-do'sa), , fig. . fuciformis (fu-ci-for'mis), , fig. . lutescens (lu-tes'cens), . mycetophila (my-ce-toph'i-la), , fig. . tricholoma (trich-o-lo'ma), . peckii (peck'i-i), , . personatum (per-so-na'tum), , figs. , . sejunctum (se-junc'tum), , fig. . trogia (tro'gi-a), . crispa (cris'pa), , pl. , fig. . tubaria (tu-ba'ri-a), . pellucida (pel-lu'ci-da), , fig. . tube-bearing fungi, . verpa bohemica (ver'pa bo-hem'i-ca), . volvaria (vol-va'ri-a), . bombycina (bom-byc'i-na), , , fig. . speciosa (spe-ci-o'sa), , . white-spored agarics, . index to species. acicula (mycena), . acutesquamosa (lepiota), . adiposa (pholiota), . adusta (russula), . æruginosa (stropharia), . alneum (schizophyllum), . alutacea (russula), . ambigua (dædalea), . ambigua (trametes), . americana (lepiota), . americanus (boletus), . antipoda (galera), . applanatus (crepidotus), . applanatus (polyporus), . appendiculatum (hypholoma), . applicatus (pleurotus), . arvensis (agaricus), . asperula (lepiota), . asprella (leptonia), . atramentarius (coprinus), . atro-tomentosus (paxillus), . aurantia (armillaria), . aurantiacus (cantharellus), . aurivella (pholiota), . badhami (lepiota), . bispora (morchella), . bohemica (verpa), . bombycina (volvaria), . botrytes (clavaria), . brevipes (boletus), . brumalis (polyporus), . bulbosus (boletus), . cæsarea (amanita), . calolepis (crepidotus), . campestris (agaricus), . campanella (omphalia), . candida (clitocybe), . candolleanum (hypholoma), . cantharellus (craterellus), . caput-medusæ (hydnum), . caput-ursi (hydnum), . caudicinus (polyporus), . cerasina (pholiota), . cervinus (pluteus), . chelidonium (lactarius), . chimonophilus (crepidotus), . chromapes (boletus), . chrysodon (hygrophorus), . chrysorrheus (lactarius), . cibarius (cantharellus), . cinnabarinum (calostoma), . cinnabarinus (polystictus), . cinnamomeus (cortinarius), . cinnamomeus (polystictus), . coccinea (sarcoscypha), . coccineus (hygrophorus), . cohærens (marasmius), . cohærens (mycena), . collinitus (cortinarius), . comatus (coprinus), . commune (schizophyllum), . comtulus (agaricus), . conica (morchella), . conicus (hygrophorus), . connatus (polystictus), . coprinoides (galera), . coralloides (hydnum), . cornucopioides (craterellus), . corrugatus (paxillus), . corrugis (lactarius), . corticatus (pleurotus), . cothurnata (amanita), . cretaceus (agaricus), . crassipes (morchella), . crispa (helvella), . crispa (trogia), . cristata (lepiota), . crustuliniforme (hebeloma), . cyanothrix (mycena), . cyathiforme (lycoperdon), . cyathiformis (clitocybe), . cyathiformis (panus), . deliciosa (morchella), . deliciosus (lactarius), . diminutivus (agaricus), . disseminata (psathyrella), . dryinus (pleurotus), . dryophila (collybia), . duplicata (dictyophora), . eburneus (hygrophorous), . echinata (inocybe), . edulus (boletus), . emetica (russula), . epichysium (omphalia), . epipterygia (mycena), . erinaceus (hydnum), . esculenta (gyromitra), . esculenta (morchella), . farinosa (amanitopsis), . felleus (boletus), . fimicola (panæolus), . firma (fistulina), . flava (galera), . flavidus (boletus), . flavidus (paxillus), . floccocephala (amanita), . floccopus (strobilomyces), . floccosa (sarcoscypha), . foenisecii (psilocybe), . fomentarius (polyporus), . formosa (clavaria), . fragile (hydnum), . fragilis (russula), . frondosa (tremella), . frondosus (polyporus), . frostiana (amanita), . fuciformis (tremella), . fuligineus (hygrophorus), . fuliginosus (lactarius), . fulvotomentosus (crepidotus), . furcata (russula), . fusiger (spinellus), . galericulata (mycena), . gemmatum (lycoperdon), . gerardii (lactarius), . giganteum (lycoperdon), . glandulosa (exidia), . glutinosus (gomphidius), . granulatus (boletus), . graveolens (hydnum), . grayanum (entoloma), . hæmatopa (mycena), . hepatica (fistulina), . herbarum (crepidotus), . hirsutus (polystictus), . hypothejus (hygrophorus), . igniarius (polyporus), . illudens (clitocybe), . imbricatum (hydnum), . impudicus (ithyphallus), . incana (leptonia), . indigo (lactarius), . infundibuliformis (clitocybe), . intybaceus (polyporus), . involutus (paxillus), . johnsoniana (pholiota), . jubatum (entoloma), . laccata (clitocybe), . lachnophylla (collybia), . lachrymabundum (hypholoma), . lacrymans (merulius), . lacunosa (helvella), . lævis (annularia), . lateritia (galera), . lecomtei, (lentinus), . lepida (russula), . lepideus (lentinus), . lignyotus (lactarius), . livida (amanitopsis), . longipes (collybia), . lubrica (leotia), . lucidus (polyporus), . leucophæus (polyporus), . lutescens (calostoma), . lutescens (mitremyces), . lutescens (tremella), . luteus (boletus), . macrocarpus (spinellus), . mappa (amanita), . marginata (pholiota), . maritimus (agaricus), . merismoides (phlebia), . mellea (armillaria), . micaceus (coprinus), . miniatus (hygrophorus), . morgani (lepiota), . mucida (clavaria), . muscaria (amanita), . mycetophila (tremella), . naucina (lepiota), . nigricans (gomphidius), . nigricans (russula), . nivalis (amanitopsis), . oblectans (polystictus), . obsonium (boletus), . ochroleucus (cortinarius), . orcella (clitopilus), . oreades (marasmius), . ornatipes (boletus), . ostreatus (pleurotus), . pallida (fistulina), . pantherina (amanita), . panuoides (paxillus), . papilionaccus (panæolus), . paradoxa (flammula), . peckii (tricholoma), . pelletieri (clitocybe), . pellucida (tubaria), . perennis (polystictus), . pergamenus (lactarius), . pergamenus (polystictus), . perplexum (hypholoma), . personatum (tricholoma), . petaloides (pleurotus), . phalloides (amanita), . pictus (boletinus), . pinicola (polyporus), . piperatus (lactarius), . pistillaris (clavaria), . pistillaris (craterellus), . placomyces (agaricus), . platyphylla (collybia), . polita (eccilia), . polychroa (flammula), . polygramma (mycena), . polypyramis (amanita), . porosus (boletinus), . præcox, (pholiota), . prælonga (mycena), . pratensis (hygrophorus), . procera (lepiota), . prunulus (clitopilus), . psittacinus (hygrophorus), . punctipes (boletus), . pura (mycena), . putidum (hydnum), . pyriforme (lycoperdon), . rachodes (lepiota), . radicata (collybia), . ravenelii (dictyophora), . repanda (inocybe), . repandum (entoloma), . repandum (hydnum), . resimus (lactarius), . retirugis (chalymotta), . retirugis (panæolus), . rhodoxanthus (flammula), . rhodoxanthus (gomphidius), . rhodoxanthus (paxillus), . rodmani (agaricus), . rotula (marasmius), . rubescens (amanita), . rudis (panus), . rufus (gyrocephalus), . rugocephalum (hypholoma), . sapidus (pleurotus), . sapinea (flammula), . scaber (boletus), . sejunctum (tricholoma), . semiglobata (stropharia), . semilibera (morchella), . semiorbicularis (naucoria), . serotinus (pleurotus), . silvaticus (agaricus), . silvicola (agaricus), . solidipes (panæolus), . solitaria (amanita), . spadicea (amanitopsis), . speciosa (volvaria), . spinulifera (collybia), . splendens (polystictus), . spreta (amanita), . squarrosa (pholiota), . squarrosoides (pholiota), . stercoraria (stropharia), . stipticus (lentinus), . stipticus (panus), . strictius (entoloma), . strigosus (panus), . strobilaceus (strobilomyces), . strobiliformis (amanita), . sublateritium (hypholoma), . subluteus (boletus), . subrufescens (agaricus), . subsquarrosa (pholiota), . subtomentosus (boletus), . succosa (mycena), . sulphureus (polyporus), . sulfureoides (pleurotus), . tammii (flammula), . tenera (galera), . tomentosulus (pluteus), . tomninosus (lactarius), . tremellosus (merulius), . ulmarius (pleurotus), . umbellatus (polyporus), . unicolor (pholiota), . vaginata (amanitopsis), . variicolor (bolbitius), . velutinum (hydnum), . velatipes (amanita), . velutipes (collybia), . velutipes (spathularia), . vermiculosus (boletus), . verna (amanita), . vernalis (naucoria), . verrucosum (scleroderma), . versicolor (polystictus), . versutus (crepidotus), . violacens (cortinarius), . virescens (russula), . virosa (amanita), . volemus (lactarius), . volvata (amanitopsis), . vulgare (scleroderma), . vulgaris (mycena), . vulpinus (lentinus), . * * * * * * transcriber's notes: page [a] for analytical keys to the families and genera see chapter xxii. changed chapter xxii to xxiv. apparently chapters were added making these references outdated. page [b] for analytical key to the genera see chapter xxii. changed chapter xxii to xxiv. page the spores are black in mass, not purple tinged. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxii. changed xxii to xxiv. page changed kornos to kopros in accordance with printed correction list. page the spores are white in mass, or sometimes with a faint yellowish or lilac tinge. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxii. changed xxii to xxiv. page figures -- are from plants (no. c. u. herbarium) collected in an open woods near ithaca. for the poisonous property of the plant see chapter xx. changed chapter xx to chapter xxii. page condition of the circumsissle changed to circumscissile. page as _a. verna_; the pilus convex, the annulus broad and entire, changed to pileus. page a few remnants of the volva, striate on the margin, and -. cm. unchanged, although - . cm. may have been intended. page facing plate fig. .--a. cæsaria. changed to cæsarea. page often in a recticulate fashion. the =spores= are white, oblong, -- µ changed to 'reticulate'. page variations being due to numbers of colored cystida changed to cystidia. page the spores are rosy, pink, salmon colored, flesh colored, or reddish. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxii. changed chapter xxii to xxiv. page the =pileus= is convex and umbilcate, somewhat membranaceous, smooth, changed to umbilicate. page the spores are ochre yellow, rusty, rusty-brown, or some shade of yellow. for analytical keys to the genera see chapter xxii. changed xxii to xxiv. page membraneous, ovate or companulate changed to campanulate. page during may and june, , in a freshly manured grass plat between plat = a portion of flat, even ground. page were found in open woods under kalmia were the sun had an opportunity changed to 'where the sun'. page giant buff-ball, and the _l. cyathiforme_, where the wall or peridium changed to 'puff-ball'. page changed gyromytra to gyromitra in accordance with the corrections list. page then the specimen must be covered with a bell-bar or other receiver changed to 'bell-jar'. page or compartment where there is little moisture, until the bricks are unchanged. although, 'a little moisture' seems to make more sense. page also wash and remove the pores from half a dozen good sized "beefsteak" changed to 'spores'. page made, but it may be assumed that the soluble cabohydrates changed to carbohydrates. page honey-combed surface, or recticulate, changed to 'reticulate'. page =gills= not decurrent, plants parastic on other mushrooms. changed to parasitic. page = =--=stipe= tenaceous, margin of pileus first incurved. changed to tenacious. page carnucopioides (craterellus), . changed to cornucopioides. page spreta (amanita), . relocated alphbetically lines up from original. hyphenation some hyphenation is inconsistent depending on whether it is used in text or in an index/glossary. accents some accents are inconsistent between text and illustration captions. proofreading team from scans from biblioteca de la universitat de barcelona note: this book is part of the w. m. volume the queens closet opened. the compleat cook. expertly prescribing the most ready wayes, whether, { _italian_, { _spanish_, { or _french_ for dressing of _flesh_, and _fish_, ordering of _sauces_ or making of pastry. london: printed by _e.b._ for _nath. brook_, at the angel in _cornhill_, . the compleat cook: expertly prescribing the most ready wayes, whether _italian, spanish_, or _french_, for dressing of _flesh_ and _fish_, &c. _to make a posset, the earle_ of arundels _way._. take a quart of creame, and a quarter of a nutmeg in it, then put it on the fire, and let it boyl a little while, and as it is boyling take a pot or bason, that you meane to make your posset in, and put in three spoonfuls of sack, and some eight of ale, and sweeten it with sugar, then set it over the coles to warm a little while, then take it off and let it stand till it be almost cool, then put it into the pot or bason and stir it a little, and let it stand to simper over the fire an hour or more, for the longer the better. _to boyle a capon larded with lemons._ take a fair capon and truss him, boyl him by himselfe in faire water with a little small oat-meal, then take mutton broath, and half a pint of white-wine, a bundle of herbs, whole mace, season it with verjuyce, put marrow, dates, season it with sugar, then take preserved lemons and cut them like lard, and with a larding pin, lard in it, then put the capon in a deep dish, thicken your broth with almonds, and poure it on the capon. _to bake red deere._ parboyl it, and then sauce it in vinegar then lard it very thick, and season it with pepper, ginger and nutmegs, put it into a deep pye with good store of sweet butter, and let it bake, when it is baked, take a pint of hippocras, halfe a pound of sweet butter, two or three nutmeg, little vinegar, poure it into the pye in the oven and let it lye and soake an hour, then take it out, and when it is cold stop the vent hole. _to make fine pan-cakes fryed without butter or lard._ take a pint of cream, and six new laid egs, beat them very well together, put in a quarter of a pound of sugar, and one nutmeg or a little beaten mace (which you please) and so much flower as will thicken almost as much as ordinarily pan-cake batter; your pan must be heated reasonably hot & wiped with a clean cloth, this done put in your batter as thick or thin as you please. _to dresse a pig the french manner._ take it and spit it, & lay it down to the fire, and when your pig is through warme, skin her, and cut her off the spit as another pig is, and so divide it in twenty peeces more or lesse as you please; when you have so done, take some white-wine and strong broth, and stew it therein, with an onion or two mixed very small, a little time also minced with nutmeg sliced and grated pepper, some anchoves and elder vinegar, and a very little sweet butter, and gravy if you have it, so dish it up with the same liquor it is stewed in, with french bread sliced under it, with oranges and lemons. _to make a steake pye, with a french pudding in the pye._ season your steaks with pepper & nutmegs, and let it stand an hour in a tray then take a piece of the leanest of a legg of mutton and mince it small with suet and a few sweet herbs, tops of young time, a branch of penny-royal, two or three of red sage, grated bread, yolks of eggs, sweet cream, raisins of the sun; work altogether like a pudding, with your hand stiff, and roul them round like bals, and put them into the steaks in a deep coffin, with a piece of sweet butter; sprinkle a little verjuyce on it, bake it, then cut it up and roul sage leaves and fry them, and stick them upright in the wals, and serve your pye without a cover, with the juyce of an orange or lemon. _an excellent way of dressing fish._ take a piece of fresh salmon, and wash it clean in a little vinegar and water, and let it lie a while in it, then put it into a great pipkin with a cover, and put to it some six spoonfuls of water and four of vinegar, and as much of white-wine, a good deal of salt a handful of sweet herbs, a little white sorrel, a few cloves, a little stick of cinamon, a little mace; put all these in a pipkin close, and set it in a kettle of seething water, and there let it stew three hours. _you may do carps, eeles, trouts, &c. this way, and they tast also to your mind._ _to fricate sheeps-feet._ take sheeps-feet, slit the bone, and pick them very clean, then put them in a frying-pan, with a ladlefull of strong broth, a piece of butter, and a little salt, after they have fryed a while, put to them a little parsley, green chibals, a little young speremint and tyme, all shred very small, and a little beaten pepper; when you think they are fryed almost enough, have a lear made for them with the yolks of two or three eggs, some gravy of mutton, a little nutmegg, and juyce of a lemon wrung therein, and put this lear to the sheeps feet as they fry in the pan, then toss them once or twice, and put them forth into the dish you mean to serve them in. _to fricate calves chaldrons._ take a calves chaldron, after it is little more then half boyled, and when it is cold, cut it into little bits as big as walnuts; season it with beaten cloves, salt, nutmeg, mace, and a little pepper, an onion, parsley, and a little tarragon, all shred very small, then put it into a frying-pan, with a ladle-full of strong broth, and a little piece of sweet butter, so fry it; when it is fryed enough, have a little lear made with the gravy of mutton, the juyce of a lemon and orange, the yolks of three or four eggs, and a little nutmeg grated therein; put all this to your chaldrons in the pan, toss your fricat two or three times, then dish it, and so serve it up. _to fricate champigneons._ make ready your champigneons as you do for stewing, and when you have poured away the black liquor that comes from them, put your champigneons into a frying pan with a piece of sweet butter, a little parsley, tyme, sweet marjoram, a piece of onion shred very small, a little salt and fine beaten pepper, so fry them till they be enough, so have ready the lear abovesaid, and put it to the champigneons whilst they are in the pan, toss them two or three times, put them forth and serve them. _to make buttered loaves._ take the yolks of twelve eggs, and six whites, and a quarter of a pint of yeast, when you have beaten the eggs well, strain them with the yeast into a dish, then put to it a little salt, and two rases of ginger beaten very small, then put flower to it till it come to a high past that will not cleave, then you must roule it upon your hands and afterwards put it into a warm cloath and let it lye there a quarter of an hour, then make it up in little loaves, bake; against it is baked prepare a pound and a half of butter, a quarter of a pint of white wine, and halfe a pound of sugar; this being melted and beaten together with it, set them into the oven a quarter of an hour. _to murine carps, mullet, gurnet, rochet, or wale, &c._ take a quart of water to a gallon of vinegar, a good handful of bay-leaves, as much rosemary, a quarter of a pound of pepper beaten; put all these together, and let it seeth softly, and season it with a little salt, then fry your fish with frying oyle till it be enough, then put in an earthen vessell, and lay the bay-leaves and rosemary between and about the fish, and pour the broth upon it, and when it is cold, cover it, _&c_. _to make a calves chaldron pye._ take a calves chaldron, half boyl it, and cool it; when it is cold mince it as small as grated bread, with halfe a pound of marrow; season it with salt, beaten cloves, mace, nutmeg a little onion, and some of the outmost rind of a lemon minced very small, and wring in the juyce of halfe a lemon, and then mix all together, then make a piece of puff past, and lay a leaf therof in a silver dish of the bigness to contain the meat, then put in your meat, and cover it with another leaf of the same past, and bake it; and when it is baked take it out, and open it, and put in the juyce of two or three oranges, stir it well together, then cover it againe and serve it. be sure none of your orange kernels be among your pye-meat. _to make a pudding of a calves chaldron._ take your chaldron after it is half boyled and cold, mince it as small as you can with half a pound of beef suet, or as much marrow, season it with a little onion, parsley, tyme, and the outmost rind of a piece of lemon, all shred very small, salt, beaten nutmeg, cloves and mace mixed together, with the yolks of four or five eggs, and a little sweet cream; then have ready the great gutts of a mutton scraped and washed very clean; let your gutt have lain in white-wine and salt halfe a day before you use it; when your meat is mixed and made up somewhat stiff put it into the sheeps-gutt, and so boyl it, when it is boyled enough, serve it to the table in the gutt. _to make a banbury cake._ take a peck of pure wheat-flower, six pound of currans, half a pound of sugar, two pound of butter, halfe an ounce of cloves and mace, a pint and a halfe of ale-yeast, and a little rose-water; then boyle as much new-milk as will serve to knead it, and when it is almost cold, put into it as much sack as will thicken it, and so work it all together before a fire, pulling it two or three times in pieces, after make it up. _to make a devonshire white-pot._ take a pint of cream and straine four eggs into it, and put a little salt and a little sliced nutmeg, and season it with sugar somewhat sweet; then take almost a penny loaf of fine bread sliced very thin, and put it into a dish that will hold it, the cream and the eggs being put to it; then take a handfull of raisins of the sun being boyled, and a little sweet butter, so bake it. _to make rice cream._ take a quart of cream, two good handfuls of rice-flower, a quarter of a pound of sugar and flower beaten very small, mingle your sugar and flower together, put it into your cream, take the yolk of an egg, beat it with a spoonfull or two of rose-water, then put it to the cream, and stir all these together, and set it over a quick fire, keeping it continually stirring till it be as thick as water-pap. _to make a very good great oxford-shire cake._ take a peck of flower by weight, and dry it a little, & a pound and a halfe of sugar, one ounce of cinamon, half an ounce of nutmegs, a quarter of an ounce of mace and cloves, a good spoonfull of salt, beat your salt and spice very fine, and searce it, and mix it with your flower and sugar; then take three pound of butter and work it in the flower, it will take three hours working; then take a quart of ale-yeast, two quarts of cream, half a pint of sack, six grains of amber-greece dissolved in it, halfe a pint of rosewater, sixteen eggs, eight of the whites, mix these with the flower, and knead them well together, then let it lie warm by your fire till your oven be hot, which must be little hotter then for manchet; when you make it ready for your oven, put to your cake six pound of currans, two pound of raisins, of the sun stoned and minced, so make up your cake, and set it in your oven stopped close; it wil take three houres a baking; when baked, take it out and frost it over with the white of an egge and rosewater, well beat together, and strew fine sugar upon it, and then set it again into the oven, that it may ice. _to make a pumpion pye._ take about halfe a pound of pumpion and slice it, a handfull of tyme, a little rosemary, parsley and sweet marjoram slipped off the stalks, and chop them smal, then take cinamon, nutmeg, pepper, and six cloves, and beat them; take ten eggs and beat them; then mix them, and beat them altogether, and put in as much sugar as you think fit, then fry them like a froiz; after it is fryed, let it stand till it be cold, then fill your pye, take sliced apples thinne round wayes, and lay a row of the froiz, and a layer of apples with currans betwixt the layer while your pye is fitted, and put in a good deal of sweet butter before you close it; when the pye is baked, take six yolks of eggs, some white-wine or verjuyce, & make a caudle of this, but not too thick; cut up the lid and put it in, stir them well together whilst the eggs and pumpions be not perceived, and so serve it up. _to make the best sausages that ever was eat._ take a leg of young pork, and cut of all the lean, and shred it very small, but leave none of the strings or skins amongst it, then take two pound of beef suet, and shred it small, then take two handfuls of red sage, a little pepper and salt, and nutmeg, and a small piece of an onion, chop them altogether with the flesh and suet; if it is small enough, put the yolk of two or three eggs and mix altogether, and make it up in a past if you will use it, roul out as many pieces as you please in the form of an ordinary sausage, and so fry them, this past will keep a fortnight upon occasion. _to boyle a fresh fish._ take a carp, or other, & put them into a deep dish, with a pint of white-wine, a large mace, a little tyme, rosemary, a piece of sweet butter, and let him boyle between two dishes in his owne blood, season it with pepper and verjuyce, and so serve it up on sippets. _to make fritters._ take halfe a pint of sack, a pint of ale, some ale-yeast, nine eggs, yolks and whites, beat them very well, the egg first, then altogether, put in some ginger, and salt, and fine flower, then let it stand an houre or two; then shred in the apples; when you are ready to fry them, your suet must be all beef-suet, or halfe beef, and halfe hoggs-suet tryed out of the leafe. _to make loaves of cheese-curds._ take a porringer full of curds, and four eggs, whites, and yolks, and so much flower as will make it stiff, then take a little ginger, nutmeg, & some salt, make them into loaves and set them into an oven with a quick heat; when they begin to change colour take them out, and put melted butter to them, and some sack, and good store of sugar, and so serve it. _to make fine pies after the french fashion._ take a pound and half of veale, two pound of suet, two pound of great raisins stoned, half a pound of prunes, as much of currans, six dates, two nutmegs, a spoonfull of pepper, an ounce of sugar, an ounce of carrawayes, a saucer of verjuyce, and as much rosewater, this will make three fair pyes, with two quarts of flower, three yolks of egges, and halfe a pound of butter. _a singular receit for making a cake._ take halfe a peck of flower, two pound of butter, mingle it with the flower, three nutmegs, & a little mace, cinamon, ginger, halfe a pound of sugar, leave some out to strew on the top, mingle these well with the flower and butter, five pound of currans well washed, and pickt, and dryed in a warm cloth, a wine pint of ale yeast, six eggs, leave out the whites, a quart of cream boyled and almost cold againe: work it well together and let it be very lith, lay it in a warm cloth, and let it lye half an hour against the fire. then make it up with the white of an egg, a little butter, rosewater and sugar; ice it over and put it into the oven, and let it stand one whole hour and a half. _to make a great curd loaf._ take the curds of three quarts of new milk clean whayed, and rub into them a little of the finest flower you can get, then take half a race of ginger, and slice it very thin, and put it into your curds with a little salt, then take halfe a pint of good ale yeast and put to it, then take ten eggs, but three of the whites, let there be so much flower as will make it into a reasonable stiff past, then put it into an indifferant hot cloth, and lay it before the fire to rise while your oven is heating, then make it up into a loaf, and when it is baked, cut up the top of the loaf, and put in a pound and a half of melted butter, and a good deale of sugar in it. _to make buttered loaves of cheese-curds._ take three quarts of new milk, and put in as much rennet as will turn, take your whay clean away, then breake your curds very small with your hands, and put in six yolks of eggs, but one white; an handfull of grated bread, an handfull of flower, a little salt mingled altogether; work it with your hand, roul it into little loaves, then set them in a pan buttered, then beat the yolk of an egg with a little beer, and wipe them over with a feather, then set them in the oven as for manchet, and stop that close three quarters of an hour, then take halfe a pound of butter three spoonfuls of water, a nutmeg sliced thin, a little sugar, set it on the fire, stir it till it be thick; when your loaves are baked, cut off the tops and butter them with this butter, some under, some over, and strow some sugar on them. _to make cheese-loaves._ grate a wheat-loafe, and take as much curd as bread, to that put eight yolks of eggs and four whites, and beat them very well, then take a little cream but let it be very thick, put altogether, and make them up with two handfuls of flower, the curds must be made of new milk and whayed very dry, you must make them like little loaves and bake them in an oven; and being baked cut them up, and have in readinesse some sweet butter, sugar, nutmeg sliced and mingled together, put it into the loaves, and with it stir the cream well together, then cover them again with the tops, and serve them with a little sugar scraped on. _to make puff._ take four pints of new milke, rennet, take out all the whay very clean, and wring it in a dry cloth, then strain it in a wooden dish till they become as cream, then take the yolks of two egges, and beat them and put them to the curds, and leave them with the curds, then put a spoonfull of cream to them, and if you please halfe a spoonfull of rose-water, and as much flower beat in it as will make it of an indifferent stiffnesse, just to roul on a plate, then take off the kidney of mutton suet and purifie it, and fry them in it, and serve them with butter, rose-water and sugar. _to make elder vinegar._ gather the flowers of elder, pick them very clean, and dry them in the sun on a gentle heat, and take to every quart of vinegar a good handfull of flowers and let it stand to sun a fortnight, then strain the vinegar from the flowers, and put it into the barrell againe, and when you draw a quart of vinegar, draw a quart of water, and put it into the barrell luke warme. _to make good vinegar._ take one strike of malt, and one of rye ground, and mash them together, and take (if they be good) three pound of hops, if not four pound; make two hogs-heads of the best of that malt and rye, then lay the hogs-head where the sunne may have power over them, and when it is ready to tun, fill your hogs-heads where they lye, then let them purge cleer and cover them with two flate stones, and within a week after when you bake, take two wheat loaves hot out of the oven, and put into each hogs-head a loaf, you must use this foure times, you must brew this in _aprill_, and let it stand till _june_, then draw them clearer, then wash the hogs-heads cleane, and put the beer in again; if you will have it rose-vinegar, you must put in a strike and a half of roses; if elder-vinegar, a peck of the flowers; if you will have it white, put no thing in it after it is drawn, and so let it stand till _michaelmas_; if you will have it coloured red, take four gallons of strong ale as you can get, and elder berries picked a few full clear, and put them in your pan with the ale, set them ouer the fire till you guesse that a pottle is wasted, then take if off the fire, and let it stand till it be store cold, and the next day strain it into the hogs-head, then lay them in a cellar or buttery which you please. _to make a coller of beef._ take the thinnest end of a coast of beef, boyl it and lay it in pump-water, and a little salt, three dayes shifting it once every day, and the last day put a pint of claret wine to it, and when you take it out of the water, let it lye two or three hours a drayning, then cut it almost to the end in three slices, then bruise a little cochinell and a very little allum, and mingle it with the claret-wine, and colour the meat all over with it, then take a dozen of anchoves, wash them and bone them, and lay them into the beef, and season it with cloves, mace, and pepper, and two handfuls of salt, and a little sweet marjoram and tyme, and when you make it up, roul the innermost slice first, and the other two upon it, being very wel seasoned every where, and bind it hard with tape, then put it into a stone-pot, something bigger then the coller, and pour upon it a pint of claret-wine, and halfe a pint of wine-vinegar, a sprig of rosemary, and a few bay-leave and bake it very well; before it is quite cold, take it out of the pot, and you may keep it dry as long as you please. _to make an almond pudding._ take two or three french-rowles, or white penny bread, cut them in slices, and put to the bread as much cream as wil cover it, put it on the fire till your cream and bread be very warm, then take a ladle or spoon and beat it very well together, put to this twelve eggs, but not above foure whites, put in beef suet, or marrow, according to your discretion, put a pretty quantity of currans and raisins, season the pudding with nutmeg, mace, salt, and sugar, but very little flower for it will make it sad and heavy; make a piece of puff past as much as will cover your dish, so cut it very handsomely what fashion you please; butter the bottome of your dish, put the pudding into the dish, set it in a quick oven, not too hot as to burne it, let it bake till you think it be enough, scrape on sugar and serve it up. _to boyle cream with french barly._ take the third part of a pound of french barley, wash it well with fair water, and let it lie all night in fair water, in the morning set two skillets on the fire with faire water, and in one of them put your barley, and let it boyle till the water look red, then put the water from it, and put the barley into the other warme water, thus boyl it and change with fresh warm water till it boyl white, then strain the water clean from it, then take a quart of creame, put into it a nutmeg or two quartered, a little large mace and some sugar, and let it boyl together a quarter of an hour, and when it hath thus boyled put into it the yolks of three or foure eggs, well beaten with a little rose-water, then dish it forth, and eat it cold. _to make cheese-cakes._ take three eggs and beat them very well, and as you beat them, put to them as much fine flower as will make them thick, then put to them three or four eggs more, and beat them altogether; then take one quart of creame, and put into it a quarter of a pound of sweet butter, and set them over the fire, and when it begins to boyle, put to it your eggs and flower, stir it very well, and let it boyle till it be thick, then season it with salt, cinamon, sugar, and currans, and bake it. _to make a quaking pudding._ take a pint and somewhat more of thick creame, ten egges, put the whites of three, beat them very well with two spoonfuls of rose-water; mingle with your creame three spoonfuls of fine flower, mingle it so well, that there be no lumps in it, put it altogether, and season it according to your tast; butter a cloth very well, and let it be thick that it may not run out, and let it boyle for half an hour as fast as you can, then take it up and make sauce with butter, rose-water and sugar, and serve it up. _you may stick some blanched almonds upon it if you please._ _to pickle cucumbers._ put them in an earthen vessel, lay first a lay of salt and dill, then a lay of cucumbers, and so till they be all layed, put in some mace and whole pepper, and some fennel-seed according to direction, then fill it up with beer-vinegar, and a clean board and a stone upon it to keepe them within the pickle, and so keep them close covered, and if the vinegar is black, change them into fresh. _to pickle broom buds._ take your buds before they be yellow on the top, make a brine of vinegar and salt, which you must do onely by shaking it together till the salt be melted, then put in your buds, and keepe stirred once in a day till they be sunk within the vinegar, be sure to keep close covered. _to keep quinces raw all the year._ take some of the worst quinces and cut them into small pieces, and coares and parings, boyle them in water, and put to a gallon of water, some three spoonfuls of salt, as much honey; boyle these together till they are very strong, and when it is cold, put it into half a pint of vinegar in a wooden vessell or earthen pot; and take then as many of your best quinces as will go into your liquor, then stop them up very close that no aire get into them, and they will keep all the yeare. _to make a gooseberry foole._ take your gooseberries, and put them in a silver or earthen pot, and set it in a skillet of boyling water, and when they are coddled enough strain them, then make them hot again, when they are scalding hot, beat them very well with a good piece of fresh butter, rose-water and sugar, and put in the yolke of two or three eggs; you may put rose-water into them, and so stir it altogether, and serve it to the table when it is cold. _to make an otemeale pudding_. take a porringer full of oatmeale beaten to flower, a pint of creame, one nutmeg, four eggs beaten, three whites, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a pound of beefe-suet well minced, mingle all these together and so bake it. an houre will bake it. _to make a green pudding._ take a penny loafe of stale bread, grate it, put to halfe a pound of sugar, grated nutmeg, as much salt as will season it, three quarters of a pound of beef-suet shred very small, then take sweet herbs, the most of them marigolds, eight spinages: shred the herbs very small, mix all well together, then take two eggs and work them up together with your hand, and make them into round balls, and when the water boyles put them in, serve them with rose-water, sugar, and butter or sauce. _to make good sausages._ take the lean of a legge of pork, and four pound of beefe-suet, or rather butter, shred them together very small, then season it with three quarters of an ounce of pepper, and halfe an ounce of cloves and mace mixed together, as the pepper is, a handfull of sage when it is chopt small, and as much salt as you thinke will make them tast well of it; mingle all these with the meat, then break in ten eggs, all but two or three of the whites, then temper it all well with your hands, and fill it into hoggs gutts, which you must have ready for them; you must tye the ends of them like puddings, and when you eat them you must boyle them on a soft fire; a hot will crack the skins, and the goodnesse boyle out of them. _to make toasts._ cut two penny loaves in round slices and dip them in half a pint of cream or cold water, then lay them abroad in a dish, and beat three eggs and grated nutmegs, and sugar, beat them with the cream, then take your frying pan and melt some butter in it, and wet one side of your toasts and lay them in on the wet side, then pour in the rest upon them, and so fry them; send them in with rosewater, butter and sugar. _spanish cream._ put hot water in a bucket and go with it to the milking, then poure out the water, and instantly milke into it, and presently strain it into milk-pans of an ordinary fulnesse, but not after an ordinary way for you must set your pan on the ground and stand on a stool, and pour it forth that it may rise in bubbles with the fall; this on the morrow will be a very tough cream, which you must take off with your skimmer, and lay it in the dish, laying upon laying; and if you please strew some sugar between them. _to make clouted cream._ take foure quarts of milke, one of cream, six spoonfuls of rose-water, put these together in a great earthen milke-pan, & set it upon a fire of charcoale well kindled, you must be sure the fire be not too hot; then let it stand a day and a night; and when you go to take it off, loose the edge of your cream around about with a knife, then take your board, and lay the edges that is left beside the board, cut into many pieces, and put them into the dish first, and scrape some fine sugar upon them, then take your board and take off your cream as clean from the milk as you can, and lay it upon your dish, and if your dish be little, there will be some left, the which you may put into what fashion you please, and scrape good store of sugar upon it. _a good cream_ when you churn butter, take out six spoonfuls of cream, just as it is to turne to butter, that is, when it is a little frothy; then boyle good cream as must as will make a dish, and season it with sugar, and a little rose-water; when it is quite cold enough, mingle it very well with that you take out of the churn, and so dish it. _to make piramidis cream._ take a quart of water, and six ounces of harts horn, and put it into a bottle with gum-dragon, and gum-arabick, of each as much as a small nut, put all this into the bottle, which must be so big as will hold a pint more; for if it be full it will break; stop it very close with a cork, and tye a cloth about it, put the bottle into a pot of beef when it is boyling, and let it boyle three hours, then take as much cream as there is jelly, and halfe a pound of almonds well beaten with rose-water, so that you cannot discern what they be, mingle the cream and the almonds together, then strain it, and do so two or three times to get all you can out of the almonds, then put jelly when it is cold into a silver bason, and the cream to it; sweeten it as you like, put in two or three grains of musk and amber-greece, set it over the fire, stirring it continually and skimming it, till it be seething hot, but let it not boyle, then put it into an old fashion drinking-glasse, and let it stand till it is cold, and when you will use it, hold your glass in a warm hand, and loosen it with a knife, and whelm it into a dish, and have in readinesse pine apple blown, and stick it all over, and serve it in with cream or without as you please. _to make a sack cream._ set a quart of cream on the fire, when it is boyled, drop in a spoonfull of sack, and stir it well the while, that it curd not, so do till you have dropped in six spoonfuls, then season it with sugar, nutmeg, and strong water. _to boyle pigeons._ stuffe the pigeons with parsley, and butter, and put them into an earthen pot, and put some sweet butter to them and let them boyle; take parsley, tyme, and rosemary, chop them and put them to them; take some sweet butter, and put in withall some spinage, take a little gross pepper and salt, and season it withall, then take the yolk of an egge and strain it with verjuyce, and put to them, lay sippets in the dish and serve it. _to make an apple-tansey._ pare your apples and cut them in thin round slices, then fry them in good sweet butter, then take ten eggs, sweet cream, nutmeg, cinamon, ginger, sugar, with a little rose-water, beat all these together, and poure it upon your apples and fry it. _the french-barly-cream._ take a quart of cream, and boyle in a porrenger of french-barley, that hath been boyled in a nine waters, put in some large mace and a little cinamon, boyling it a quarter of an hour; then take two quarts of almonds blanched, and beat it very small with rose-water, or orange-water, and some sugar; and the almonds being strained into the liquor, put it over the fire, stirring it till it be ready to boyle; then take it off the fire, stirring it till it be halfe cold; then put to it two spoonfuls of sack or white-wine, and when it is cold, serve it in, remembring to put in some salt. _to make a chicken or pigeon-pye._ take your pigeons (if they be not very young) cut them into four quarters, one sweet-bread sliced the long way, that it may be thin, and the pieces not too big, one sheeps tongue, little more then parboyl'd, and the skin puld off, and the tongue cut in slices, two or three slices of veale, as much of mutton, young chicken (if not little) quarter them, chick-heads, lark, or any such like, pullets, coxcombs, oysters, calves-udder cut in pieces, good store of marrow for seasoning, take as much pepper and salt as you think fit to season it slightly; good store of sweet marjoram, a little time and lemon-pill fine sliced; season it well with these spices as the time of the year will afford; put in either of chesnuts (if you put in chesnuts they must first be either boyl'd or roasted) gooseberries or guage, large mace will do well in this pye, then take a little piece of veale parboyl'd and slice it very fine, as much marrow as meat stirred amongst it, then take grated bread, as much as a quarter of the meat, four yolks of eggs or more according to the stuffe you make, shred dates as small as may be, season it with salt, but not too salt. nutmeg as much as will season it, sweet marjoram pretty store very small shred, work it up with as much sweet creame as will make it up in little puddings, some long, some round, so put as many of them in the pye as you please; put therein two or three spoonfulls of gravy of mutton, or so much strong mutton broth before you put it in the oven, the bottome of boyled artichokes, minced marrow over and in the bottom of the pye after your pye is baked; when you put it up, have some five yolks of eggs minced, and the juyce of two or three oranges, the meat of one lemon cut in pieces, a little white and claret wine; put this in your pye being well mingled, and shake it very well together. _to boyle a capon or hen._ take a young capon or hen, when you draw them, take out the fall of the leafe clean away, and being well washed, fill the belly with oysters; prepare some mutton, the neck, but boyle it in smal peices and skim it well, then put your capon into the pipkin, and when it is boyled, skim it again; be sure you have no more water then will cover your meat, then put it into a pint of white wine, some mace, two or three cloves and whole pepper; a quarter of an hour before your meat be boyled enough, put into the pipkin, three anchoves stript from the bones and washed, and be sure you put salt at the first to your meat; a little parsley spinage, endive, sorrell, rose-mary, or such kind of herbs will do well to boyle with the broth, and being ready to dish it, having sippets cut then take the oysters out of the capon, and lay them in the dish with the broth, and put some juyce of lemons and orange into it according to your taste. _to make balls of veale._ take the lean of a leg of veal, and cut out the sinews, mince it very small, and with it some fat of beef suet; if the leg of veal be of a cow calfe, the udder will be good instead of beef suet; when it is very well beaten together with the mincing knife, have some cloves, mace, and pepper beaten, and with salt season your meat, putting in some vinegar, then make up your meat into little balls, and having very good strong broth made of mutton, set your balls to boyle in it; when they are boyled enough, take the yolks of five or six eggs well beaten with as much vinegar as you please to like, and some of the broth mingled together, stir it into all your balls and broth, give it a waume on the fire, then dish up the balls upon sippits and pour the sauce on it. _to make mrs._ shellyes _cake._ take a peck of fine flower, and three pound of the best butter, work your flower and butter very well together, then take ten eggs, leave out six whites, a pint and a halfe of ale-yeast: beat the eggs and yeast together, and put them to the flower; take six pound of blanched almonds, beat them very well, putting in sometime rosewater to keepe them from oyling; adde what spice you please; let this be put to the rest, with a quarter of a pint of sack, and a little saffron; and when you have made all this into past, cover it warme before the fire, and let it rise for halfe an hour, then put in twelve pound of currans well washed and dryed, two pound of raisins of the sun stoned and cut small, one pound of sugar; the sooner you put it into the oven after the fruit is put in, the better. _to make almond jumballs._ take a pound of almonds to halfe a pound of double refined sugar beaten and searced, lay your almonds in water a day before you blanch them, and beat them small with your sugar; and when it is beat very small, put in a handfull of gum-dragon, it being before over night steeped in rose-water, and halfe a white of an egge beaten to froth, and halfe a spoonfull of coriander-seed as many fennell and ani-seeds, mingle these together very well, set them upon a soft fire till it grow pretty thick, then take it off the fire, and lay it upon a clean paper, and beat it well with a rowling pin till it work like a soft past, and so make them up, and lay them upon papers oyld with oyle of almonds, then put them in your oven, and so soon as they be throughly risen, take them out before they grow hard. _to make cracknels._ take halfe a pound of fine flower, dryed and searced, as much fine sugar searced, mingled with a spoonfull of coriander-seed bruised, halfe a quarter of a pound of butter rubbed in the flower and sugar, then wet it with the yolks of two eggs, and halfe a spoonfull of white rose-water, a spoonfull or little more of cream as will wet it; knead the past till it be soft and limber to rowle well, then rowle it extreame thin, and cut them round by little plates; lay them up on buttered papers, and when they goe into the oven, prick them, and wash the top with the yolk of an egg beaten, and made thin with rose-water or faire water; they will give with keeping, therefore before they are eaten, they must be dryed in a warme oven to make them crisp. _to pickle oysters._ take oysters and wash them cleane in their own liquor, and let them settle, then strain it, and put your oysters to it with a little mace and whole pepper, as much salt as you please, and a little wine-vinegar, then set them over the fire, and let them boyle leisurely till they are pretty tender; be sure to skim them still as the skim riseth; when they are enough, take them out till the pickle be cold, then put them into any pot that will lye close, they will keep best in caper barrels, they will keep very well six weeks. _to boyle cream with codlings._ take a quart of cream and boyle it with some mace and sugar, and take two yolks of eggs, and beat them well with a spoonfull of rose-water and a grain of amber-greece, then put it into the cream with a piece of sweet butter as big as a wall-nut, and stir it together over the fire untill it be ready to boyle, then set it some time to coole, stirring it continually till it be cold; then take a quarter of a pound of codlings strained, and put them into a silver dish over a few coales till they be almost dry, and being cold, and the cream also, poure the cream upon them, and let them stand on a soft fire covered an hour, then serve them in. _to make the lady albergaveres cheese._ to one cheese take a gallon of new milk, and a pint of good cream, and mix them well together, then take a skillet of hot water as much as will make it hotter then it comes from the cow, then put in a spoonfull of rennet, and stir it well together and cover it, and when it is come, take a wet cloth and lay it on your cheese-mot, and take up the curd and not break it; and put it into your mot; and when your mot is full, lay on the suiker, and every two hours turn your cheese in wet cloathes wrung dry; and lay on a little more wet, at night take as much salt as you can between your finger and thumb, and salt your cheese on both sides; let them lye in presses all night in a wet cloth; the next day lay them on a table between a dry cloth, the next day lay them in grasse, and every other day change your grasse, they will be ready to eat in nine dayes; if you will have them ready sooner, cover them with a blanket. _to dresse snayles._ take your snayles (they are no way so as in pottage) and wash them well in many waters, and when you have done put them in a white earthen pan, or a very wide dish, and put as much water to them as will cover them, and then set your dish or pan on some coales, that it may heat by little and little, and then the snayles will come out of the shells and so dye, and being dead, take them out, and wash them very well in water and salt twice or thrice over; then put them in a pipkin with water and salt, and let them boyle a little while in that, so take away the rude slime they have, then take them out againe and put them in a cullender; then take excellent sallet oyle and beat it a great while upon the fire in a frying pan, and when it boyls very fast, slice two or three onyons in it, and let them fry well, then put the snayles in the oyle and onyons, and let them stew together a little, then put the oyle, onyons, and snayles altogether in an earthen pipkin of a fit size for your snayles, and put as much warm water to them as will serve to boyle them, and make the pottage and season them with salt, and so let them boyle three or foure hours; then mingle parsly, pennyroyall, fennell, tyme, and such herbs, and when they are minced put them in a morter, and beat them as you doe for green-sauce, and put in some crums of bread soaked in the pottage of the snayles, and then dissolve it all in the morter with a little saffron and cloves well beaten, and put in as much pottage into the morter as will make the spice and bread and herbs like thickning for a pot, so put them all into the snayles and let them stew in it, and when you serve them up, you may squeeze into the pottage a lemon, and put in a little vinegar, or if you put in a clove of garlick among the herbs, and beat it with them in the morter; it will not tast the worse; serve them up in a dish with sippets of bread in the bottom. the pottage is very nourishing, and they use them that are apt to a consumption. _to boyle a rump of beefe after the french fashion._ take a rump of beef, or the little end of the brisket, and parboyle it halfe an houre, then take it up and put it in a deep dish, then slash it in the side that the gravy may come out, then throw a little pepper and salt betweene every cut, then fill up the dish with the best claret wine, and put to it three or foure pieces of large mace, and set it on the coales close covered, and boyle it above an houre and a halfe, but turn it often in the mean time; then with a spoon take of the fat and fill it with claret wine, and slice six onyons, and a handfull of cappers or broom buds, halfe a dozen of hard lettice sliced, three spoonfuls of wine-vinegar and as much verjuyce, and then set it a boyling with these things in it till it be tender, and serve it up with brown bread and sippets fryed with butter, but be sure there be not too much fat in it when you serve it. _an excellent way of dressing fish._ take a piece of fresh salmon, and wash it clean in a little vinegar and water, and let it lye a while in it, in a great pipkin with a cover, and put to it six spoonfuls of water and four of vinegar, as much of white wine, a good deale of salt, a bundle of sweet herbs, a little whole spice, a few cloves, a little stick of cinamon, a little mace, take up all these in a pipkin close, and set in a kettle of seething water and there let it stew three hours, you may doe carps, eeles, trouts, &c. this way, alter the tast to your mind. _to make fritters of sheeps-feet._ take your sheeps feet, slit them and set them a stewing in a silver dish, with a little strong broth and salt, with a stick of cinamon, two or three cloves, and a piece of an orange pill; when they are stewed, take them from the liquor and lay them upon a pye-plate cooling; when they are cold, have some good fritter-batter made with sack, and dip them therein; then have ready to fry them, some excellent clarified butter very hot in a pan, and fry them therein; when they are fryed wring in the juyce of three or four oranges, and toss them once or twice in a dish, and so serve them to the table. _to make dry salmon calvert in the boyling._ take a gallon of water, put to it a quart of wine or vinegar, verjuyce or sour beer, and a few sweet herbs and salt, and let your liquor boyle extream fast, and hold your salmon by the tayle, and dip it in, and let it have a walme, and so dip it in and out a dozen times, and that will make your salmon calvert, and so boyle it till it be tender. _to make bisket bread._ take a pound of sugar searced very fine, and a pound of flower well dryed, and twelve eggs, a handfull of carroway-seed, six whites of eggs, a very little salt, beat all these together, and keep them with beating till you set them in the oven, then put them into your plates or tin things, and take butter and put into a cloth and rub your plate; a spoonfull into a plate is enough, and so set them in the oven, and let your oven be no hotter then to bake small pyes; if your flower be not dryed in the oven before, they will be heavy. _to make an almond pudding._ take your almonds when they are blanched, and beat them as many as will serve for your dish, then put to it foure or five yolks of eggs, rose-water, nutmeg, cloves and mace, a little sugar, and a little salt and marrow cut into it, and so set it into the oven, but your oven must not be hotter then for bisket bread; and when it is half baked, take the white of an egg, rose-water and fine sugar well beaten together and very thick, and do it over with a feather, and set it in againe, then stick it over with almonds, and so send it up. _this you may boyle in a bag if you please, and put in a few crums of bread into it, and eat it with butter and sugar without marrow._ _to make an almond caudle._ take three pints of ale, boyle it with cloves and mace, and sliced bread in it, then have ready beaten a pound of almonds blanched, & strain them out with a pint of white wine, and thicken the ale with it, sweeten it if you please, and be sure you skim the ale well when it boyles. _to make almond bread._ take almonds and lay them in water all night, then blanch them and slice them, to every pound of almonds, a pound of fine sugar finely beaten, so mingle them together, then beat the whites of three egs to high froth, and mix it well with the almonds & sugar, then have some plates and strew some flower on them, and lay wafers on them, and lay your almonds with the edges upwards, lay them as round as your can, scrape a little sugar on them, when they are ready to set in the oven, which must not be so hot as to colour white paper, and when they are a little baked, take them out, and them from the plates, and set them in again, you must keepe them in a stove. _to make almond cakes._ take halfe a pound of almonds blanched in cold water, beat them with some rose-water till they doe not glister, then they will be beaten; if you think fit, lay seven or eight musque comfits dissolved in rosewater which must not be above six or seven spoonfuls for fear of spoyling the colour; when they be thus beaten, put in half a pound of sugar finely sifted, beat them and the almonds together till it be well mixed, then take the whites of two eggs, and two spoonfuls of fine flower that hath been dried in an oven; beat these wel together and poure it to your almonds, then butter your plates and dust your cakes with sugar and flower, and when they are a little brown, draw them, and when the oven is colder set them in again on browne papers, and they will looke whiter. _master_ rudstones _posset._ take a pint of sack, a quarter of a pint of ale three quarters of a pound of sugar, boyle all these well together, take two yolks of eggs and sixteen whites very well beaten, put this to your boyling sack & slice it very well together till it be thick on the coales; then take the three pints of milk or cream being boyled to a quart, it must stand and cool till the eggs thicken, put it to your sack and eggs, and stir them well together, then cover it with a plate and so serve it. _to boyle a capon with ranioles._ take a good young capon, trusse it and draw it to boyle, and parboyle it a little, then let it lye in fair water being pickt very cleane and white, then boyle it in strong broth while it be enough, but first prepare your ranioles as followeth; take a good quantity of beet leaves, and boyle them in water very tender, then take them out, and get all the water very cleane out of them, then take six sweet breads of veale, and boyle and mince them white, mince them small, and then boyl herbs also, and four or five marrow bones, break them and get all the marrow out of them, and boyle the bigger peice of them in water by it selfe, and put the other into the minced herbs, then take halfe a pound of raisins of the sun stoned, and mince them small, and halfe a pound of dates the skin off, and mince them also, and a quarter of a pound of pomecitron minced small, then take of naples-bisket a good quantity, and put all these together on a charger or a great dish with halfe a pound of sweet butter, and worke it together with your hands as you do a peice of past, and season it with a little nutmeg, ginger, cinamon, and salt, & permasan cheese grated with hard sugar grated also, then mingle all together well, and make a past with the finest flower, six yolks of eggs, a little saffron beaten small, halfe a pound of sweet butter, a little salt, with some faire water hot (not boyling) and make up your past, then drive out a long sheet of past with an even rowling pin as thin as possible you can, and lay your ingredients in small heaps, round or long which you please in the past, then cover them with the past & cut them with a jag asunder and so make more or more till you have made two hundred or more, then have a good broad pan or kettle halfe full of strong broth, boyling leisurely, and put in your ransoles one by one, and let them boyle a quarter of an hour, then take up your capon, lay it in a great dish, and put one the ransoles, & strew on them grated cheese, naples-bisket grated, cinamon and sugar, then more and more cinamon & cheese, while you have filled your dish; then put softly on melted butter with a little strong broth, your marrow pomecitron, lemons sliced and serve it up, and so put it into the dish so ransoles may be part fryed with sweet but clarified butter, either a quarter of them or halfe as you please; if the butter be not clarified, it will spoile your ransoles. _to make a bisque of carps._ take twelve small carps, and one great one, all male carps, draw them and take out all the melts, flea the twelve small carps, cut off their heads and take out their tongues and take the fish from the bones of the flead carps, and twelve oysters, two or three yelks of hard eggs, mash altogether, season it with cloves, mace and salt, and make thereof a stiffe searce, add thereto the yolks of foure or five eggs to bind it, fashion that first into bals or lopings as you please, lay them into a deep dish or earthen pan, and put thereto twenty or thirty great oysters, two or three anchoves, the milts and tongues of your twelve carps, halfe a pound of fresh butter, the liquor of your oysters, the juyce of a lemon or two; a little white-wine some of corbilion wherein your great carpe is boyled, and a whole onyon, so set them a stewing on a soft fire and make a hoop therewith; for the great carp you must scald him and draw him, and lay him for half an hour with the other carps heads in a deep pan with so much white wine vinegar as will cover and serve to boyle him, and the other heads in; put therein pepper, whole mace, a race of ginger, nutmeg, salt sweet herbs, an onyon or two sliced, a lemon; when you boyle your carps, poure your liquor with the spice into the kettle wherein you will boyle him; when it is boyled put in your carp, let it not boyle too fast for breaking; after the carp hath boyled a while put in the head, when it is enough take off the kettle, and let the carps and the heads keep warme in the liquor till you goe to dish them. when you dresse your bisque, take a large silver dish, set it on the fire, lay therein sippets of bread, then put in a ladle-full of your corbilion, then take up your great carp and lay him in the midst of the dish, then range the twelve heads about the carp, then lay the searce of the carp, lay that in, then your oysters, milts, and tongues, then poure on the liquor wherein the searce was boyled, wring in the juyce of a lemon and two oranges; garnish your dish with pickled barberries, lemons and oranges, and serve it very hot to the table. _to boyle a pike and eele together._ take a quart of white-wine and a pint and a halfe of white-wine-vinegar, two quarts of water, and almost a pint of salt, a handfull of rose-mary and tyme; the liquor must boyle before you put in your fish and herbs; the eele with the skins must be put in a quarter of an hour before the pike, with a little large mace, and twenty cornes of pepper. _to make an outlandish dish._ take the liver of a hogg, and cut it in small pieces about the bigness of a span, then take anni-seed, or french-seed, pepper and salt, and season them therewithall, and lay every piece severally round in the caule of the hogg, and so roast them on a bird-spit. _to make a portugall dish._ take the guts, gizards and liver of two fat capons, cut away the galles from the liver, and make clean the gizards and put them into a dish of clean water, slit the gut as you do a calves chaldron but take off none of the fat, then lay the guts about an hour in white-wine, as the guts soke, half boyle gizards and livers, then take a long wooden broach, and spit your gizards and liver thereon, but not close one to another, then take and wipe the guts somewhat dry in cloth, and season them with salt and beaten pepper, cloves and mace, then wind the guts upon the wooden broach about the liver, and gizards, then tye the wooden broach to spin, and lay them to the fire to roast, and roast them very brown, and bast them not at all till they be enough, then take the gravy of mutton, the juyce of two or three oranges, and a grain of saffron, mix all well together, and with a spoon bast your roast, let it drop into the same dish. then draw it, and serve it to the table with the same sauce. _to dresse a dish of hartichoaks._ take and boyle them in the beef-pot, when they are tender sodden, take off the tops, leaving the bottoms with some round about them, then put them into a dish, put some fair water to them, two or three spoonfuls of sack, a spoonfull of sugar, and so let them boyle upon the coales, still pouring on the liquor to give it a good tast, when they have boyled halfe an hour take the liquor from them, and make ready some cream boyled and thickned with the yolk of an egge or two, whole mace, salt, and sugar with some lumps of marrow, boyle it in the cream, when it is boyled put a good piece of sweet butter into it, and toast some toasts, and lay them under your hartichoaks, and poure your cream, and butter on them, garnish it, &c. _to dresse a fillet of veale the italian way._ take a young tender fillet of veale, pick away all the skins in the fold of the flesh, after you have picked it out clean, so that no skins are left, nor any hard thing; put to it some good white-wine (that is not too sweet) in a bowl & wash it, & crush it well in the wine; doe so twice, then strew upon it a powder that is called _tamara_ in _italy_, and so much salt as will season it well, mingle the powder well upon the pasts of your meat, then poure to it so much white-wine as will cover it when it is thrust down into a narrow pan; lay a trencher on it and a weight to keep it downe, let it lye two nights and one day, put a little pepper to it when you lay it in the sauce, and after it it is sowsed so long, take it out and put it into a pipkin with some good beef-broth, but you must not take any of the pickle to it, but onely beef-broth that is sweet and not salt; cover it close and set it on the embers, onely put into it with the broth a few whole cloves and mace, and let it stew till it be enough. it will be very tender and of an excellent taste; it must be served with the same broth as much as will cover it. to make the italian, take coriander seed two ounces, aniseed one ounce, fennel-seed one ounce, cloves two ounces, cinamon one ounce; these must be beaten into a grosse powder, putting into it a little powder of winter-savoury; if you like it, keep this in a vial-glasse close stopt for your use. _to dresse soales._ take a pair of soales, lard them through with watered fresh salmon, then lay your soales on a table, or pie-plate, cut your salmon, lard all of an equal length on each side, and leave the lard but short, then flower the soales, and fry them in the best ale you can get; when they are fryed lay them in a warme pie-plate, and so serve them to the table with a sallet dish full of anchovy sauce, and three or four oranges. _to make furmity._ take a quart of creame, a quarter of a pound of french-barley the whitest you can get, and boyle it very tender in three or four severall waters, and let it be cold, then put both together, put in it a blade of mace, a nutmeg cut in quarters, a race of ginger cut in three or five pieces, and so let it boyle a good while, still stirring, and season it with sugar to your tast, then take the yolks of four eggs and beat them with a little cream, and stir them into it, and so let it boyle a little after the egs are in, then have ready blanched and beaten twenty almonds kept from oyling, with a little rose-water, then take a boulter, strainer, and rub your almonds with a little of your furmity through the strainer, but set on the fire no more, and stir in a little salt and a little sliced nutmeg, pickt out of the great peices of it, and put it in a dish, and serve it. _to make patis, or cabbage cream._ take thirty ale pints of new milke, and set it on the fire in a kettle till it be scalding hot, stirring it oft to keep it from creaming, then put in forth, into thirty pans of earth, as you put it forth, take off the bubbles with a spoon, let it stand till it be cold, then take off the cream with two such slices as you beat bisket bread with, but they must be very thin and not too broad, then when the milk is dropped off the cream, you must lay it upon a pye-plate, you must scour the kettle very clean and heat the milk again, and so four or five times. in the lay of it, first lay a stalk in the midst of the plate, let the rest of the cream be laid upon that sloping, between every laying you must scrape sugar and sprinkle rose-water, and if you will, the powder of musk, and amber-greece, in the heating of the milk be carefull of smoak. _to make pap._ take three quarts of new milk, set it on the fire in a dry silver dish, or bason, when it begins to boyle skim it, then put thereto a handfull of flour & yolks of three eggs, which you must have well mingled together with a ladle-full of cold milk, before you put it to the milk that boyles, and as it boyles, stir it all the while till it be enough, and in the boyling, season it with a little salt, and a little fine beaten sugar and so keeping it stirred till it be boyled as thick as you desire, then put it forth into another dish and serve it up. _to make spanish pap._ take three spoonfuls of rice-floure, finely beaten and searced, two yolks of eggs, three spoonfuls of sugar, three or foure spoonfuls of rose-water. temper these fouer together, then put them to a pint of cold cream, then set it on the fire and keep it stirred till it come to a reasonable thicknesse, then dish it and serve it up. _to poach eggs._ take a dozen of new laid eggs and flesh of foure or five partridges, or other; mince it so small as you can season it with a few beaten cloves, mace, and nutmeg, into a silver dish, with a ladlefull or two of the gravy of mutton, wherein two or three anchoves are dissolved; then set it a stewing on a fire of char-coales, and after it is halfe stewed, as it boyles, break in your eggs, one by one, and as you break them, poure away most part of the whites, and with one end of your egg-shell, make a place in your dish of meat, and therein put your yolks of your eggs, round in order amongst your meat, and so let them stew till your eggs be enough, then grate in a little nutmeg, and the juyce of a couple of oranges; have a care none of the seeds goe in, wipe your dish and garnish your dish, with four or five whole onions,&c. _a pottage of beef pallats._ take beefe pallats after they be boyled tender in the beefe kettle, or pot among some other meat, blanch and serve them cleane, then cut each pallat in two, and set them a stewing between two dishes with a piece of leer bacon, an handful of champignions, five or six sweetbreads of veale, a ladle-full or two of strong broth, and as much gravy of mutton, an onion or two, five or six cloves, and a blade or two of mace, and a piece of orange pils; as your pallats stew, make ready your dish with the bottoms and tops of two or three cheat loaves dryed and moystned with some gravy of mutton, and the broth your palats stew in, you must have the marrow of two or three beef-bones stewed in a little broth between two dishes in great pieces; when your pallats and marrow iss stewed, and you ready to dish it, take out all the spices, onyon and bacon, and lay it in your plates, sweetbread, and champigneons, pour in the broath they were stewed in & lay on your peices of marrow, wring the juyce of two or three oranges; and so serve it to the table very hot. _the jacobins pottage_. take the flesh of a washed capon or turkey cold, mince it so small as you can, then grate or scrape among the flesh two or three ounces of parmasants or old holland cheese, season it with beaten cloves, nutmeg, mace, and salt, then take the bottoms and tops of foure or five new rowles, dry them before the fire, or in an oven, then put them into a faire silver dish set it upon the fire, wet your bread in a ladle full of strong broth, and a ladle-full of gravy of mutton then strow on your minced meat all of an equall thicknesse in each place, then stick twelve or eighteen peices of marrow as bigge as walnuts, and pour on an handfull of pure gravy of mutton then cover your dish close, and as it stews adde now and then some gravy of mutton there to, thrust your knife sometimes to the bottome, to keep the bread from sticking to the dish, let it so stew stil, till you are ready to dish it away, and when you serve it, if need require, ad more gravy of mutton, wring the juyce of two or three oranges, wipe your dishes brims, and serve it to the table in the same dish. _to salt a goose._ take a fat goose and bone him, but leave the brest bone, wipe him with a clean cloath, then salt him one fortnight, then hang him up for one fortnight or three weeks, then boyl him in running water very tender, and serve him with bay-leaves. _a way of stewing chickens or rabbets._ take two three or foure chickens, and let them be about the bigness of a partridge, boyl them til they be half boyled enough, then take them off and cut them into little peices, putting the joynt bone one from another, and let not the meat be minced, but cut into great bits, not so exactly but more or lesse, the brest bones are not so proper to be put in, but put the meat together with the other bones (upon which there must also be some meat remaining) into a good quantity of that water or broth wherein the chickens were boyled, and set it then over a chaffing-dish of coales betweeen two dishes, that so it may stew on till it be fully enough; but first season it with salt and gross pepper, and afterwards add oyl to it, more or lesse according to the goodnesse thereof; and a little before you take it from the fire, you must adde such a quantity of juyce of lemons as may best agree with your taste. this makes an excellent dish of meat, which must be served up in the liquor; and though for a need it may be made with butter instead of oyl, and with vinegar in stead of juyce of lemons, yet is the other incomparably better for such as are not enemies to oyle. the same dish may be made also of veal, or partridge, or rabbets, and indeed the best of them all, is rabbets, if they be used so before michaelmas, for afterwards me-thinkes they grow ranke; for though they be fatter, yet the flesh is more hard and dry. _a pottage of capons._ take a couple of young capons, trusse and set them and fill their bellies with marrow, put them into a pipkin with a knuckle of veale, a neck of mutton, and a marrow bone, and some sweet bread of veale; season your broth with cloves, mace, and a little salt, set it to the fire, and let it boyle gently till your capons be enough, but boyle them not too much; as your capons boyle, make ready the bottomes and tops of eight or ten new rowles, and put them dryed into a faire silver dish wherein you serve the capons; set it on the fire, and put to your bread, two ladlefuls of broth wherein your capons are boyled and a ladlefull of the gravy of mutton; so cover your dish, and let it stand till you dish up yovr capons if need require, adde now and then a ladlefull of broth and gravy, least the bread grow dry; when you are ready to serve it, first lay in the marrow bone, then the capons on each side, then fill up your dish with the gravy of mutton, wherein you must wring the juyce of a lemon or two, then with a spoon take off all the fat that swimmeth on the pottage, then garnish your capon with the sweet breads and some lemons, and so serve it. _to dresse soales another way._ take soales, fry them halfe enough, then take wine seasoned with salt, grated ginger, and a little garlick, let the wine, and seasoning boyle in a dish, when that boyles and your soales are halfe fry'd, take the soales and put them into the wine, when they are sufficiently stewed, upon their backs, lay the two halfs open on the one side and on the other, then lay anchoves finely washed along, and on the sides over again, let them stew till they be ready to be eaten, then take them out, lay them on the dish, pour some of the clear liquor which they stew in upon them, and squeeze an orange in. _a carpe pye._ take carps scald them, take out the great bones, pound the carps in a stone morter pound some of the blood with the flesh which must be at the discretion of the cook because it must not be too soft, then lard it with the belly of a very fat eale, season it, and bake it like red deere and eat it cold. _this is meat for a pope._ _to boyle ducks after the french fashion._ take and lard them and put them upon a spit, and halfe roast them, then draw them & put them into a pipkin, and put a quart of clarit wine into it, and chesnuts, & a pint of great oysters taking the beards from them, and three onyons minced very small, some mace and a little beaten ginger, a little tyme stript, a crust of a french rowle grated put into it to thicken it, and so dish it upon sops. this may be diversified, if there be strong broth there need not be so much wine put in, and if there be no oysters or chesnuts you may put in hartichoak bottoms, turnips, colliflowers, bacon in thin slices, sweet bread's, &c. _to boyle a goose with sausages._ take your goose and salt it two or three dayes, then trusse it to boyle, cut lard as big as the top of your finger, as much as will lard the flesh of the brest, season your lard with pepper, mace, and salt; put it a boyling in beefe broth if you have any, or water, season your liquor with a little salt, and pepper grosly beaten an ounce or two, a bundle of bay-leaves, rosemary and tyme, tyed altogether; you must have prepared your cabbage or sausages boyl'd very tender, squeese all the water from them, then put them into a pipkin, put to them a little strong broth or claret wine, an onyon or two; season it with pepper, salt and mace to your tast; six anchoves dissolved, put altogether, and let them stew a good while on the fire; put a ladle of thicke butter, a little vinegar, when your goose is boyled enough, and your cabbage on sippets of bread and the goose on the top of your cabbage, and some on the cabbage on top of your goose, serve it up. _to fry chickens._ take five or six and scald them, and cut them in pieces, then flea the skin from them, fry them in butter very brown, then take them out, and put them between two dishes with the gravy of mutton, butter, and an onyon, six anchoves, nutmeg, and salt to your taste, then put sops on your dish, put fryed parsley on the top of your chicken being dished, and so serve them. _to make a battalia pye._ take four tame pigeons and trusse them to bake, and take foure oxe pallats well boyled and blanched, and cut it in little pieces; take six lamb stones, and as many good sweet breads of veale cut in halfs and parboyl'd, and twenty cockscombs boyled add blanched, and the bottoms of four hartichoaks, and a pint of oysters parboyled and bearded, and the marrow of three bones, so season all with mace, nutmeg and salt; so put your meat in a coffin of fine paste proportionable to your quantity of meat; put halfe a pound of butter upon your meat, put a little water in the pye, before it be set in the oven, let it stand in the oven an houre and a halfe, then take it out, pour out the butter at the top of the pye, and put it in leer of gravy, butter, and lemons, and serve it up. _to make a chicken pye._ take four or five chickens, cut them in peices, take two or three sweet-breads parboyl'd and cut the peices as big as walnuts; take the udder of veal cut in thin slices, or little slices of bacon, the bottom of hartichoaks boyl'd, then make your coffin proportionable to your meat, season your meat with nutmeg, mace and salt, then some butter on the top of the pye, put a little water into it as you put it into the oven, and let it bake an hour, then put in a leer of butter, gravy of mutton, eight lemons sliced; so serve it. _to make a pye of a calves head._ take a calves head, cleane it and wash it very well, put it a boyling till it be three quarters boyled, then cut off the flesh from the bones, and cut it in peices as big as walnuts. blaunch the tongue and cut it in slices, take a quart of oysters parboil'd and bearded, take the yolks of twelve eggs, put some thin slices of bacon among the meat, and on the top of the meat, when it is in the pye cut an onion small, and put it in the bottome of your pye, season it with pepper, nutmeg, mace, and salt, make your coffin to your meat what fashion you please. let it bake an hour and a half, put butter on the bottome and on the top of your pye before you close it, put a little water in before you put it into the oven, when you draw it out take off the lid, and put away all the fat on the top and put in a leer of thick butter, gravy of mutton, a lemon pared and sliced with two or three anchoves dissolved. so stew these together, and cut your lid in handsome peices, and lay it round the pye, so serve it. _to make creame with snow._ take three pints of creame, and the whites of seven or eight eggs and strain them together, and a little rose-water, and as much sugar as will sweeten it, then take a sticke as big as a childs arme, cleave one end of it a crosse, and widen your peices with your finger, beat your cream with this sticke, or else with a bundle of reeds tyed together, and rowl between your hand standing upright in your creame, now as the snow ariseth take it up with a spoon in a cullender that the thin may run out, and when you have sufficient of this snow; take the cream that is left, & seeth it in the skellet, and put thereto whole cloves, stickes of cinnamon, a little ginger bruised, and seeth it till it be thick, then strain it, and when it is cold put it into your dish, and lay your snow upon it. _to make minced pies._ take a large neats tongue, shread it very well, three pound and a halfe of suet very well shread, currans three pound, halfe an ounce of beaten cloves and mace, season it with salt when you think't fit, halfe a preserved orange, or instead of it orange pils, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a little lemon pill sliced very thin, put all these together very well, put to it two spoonfull of verjuyce, and a quarter of a pint of sack, _&c_. _to dry neats tongues._ take bay salt beaten very fine, and salt-peeter of each a like, and rub your tongues very well with that, and cover all over with it, and as it wasts put on more, and when they are very hard and stiffe they are enough, then rowle them in bran, and dry them before a soft fire, and before you boyle them, let them lie one night in pompe water, and boyle them in the same sort of water. _to make jelly of harts horn._ take six ounces of hart-horn, three ounces of ivory both finely carped, boyle it in two quarts of water in a pipkin close covered, and when it is three parts wasted, you may try it with a spoon if it will be jelly, you may know by the sticking to your lips, then straine it through a jelly bag; season it with rose-water, juyce of lemons and double refined sugar, each according to your taste, then boyle altogether two or three walmes, so put in the glasse and keep for your use. _to make chickens fat in four or five dayes._ take a pint of french wheat and a pint of wheat flower, halfe a pound of sugar, make it up into a stiff paste, and rowle it into little rowles, wet them in warme milk, and so cram them, and they will be fat in four or five dayes, if you please you may sow them up behind one or two of the last dayes. _to make angelot._ take a gallon of stroakings and a pint of creame as it comes from the cow, and put it together with a little rennet; when you fill, turne up the midst side of the cheese-fat, fill them a little at once, and let it stand all that day and the next, then turn them, and let them stand til they will slip out of the fat, salt them on both sides, and when the coats begin to come on them, neither wipe nor scrape them, for the thicker the coat is the better. _a persian dish._ take the fleshly part of a leg of mutton stript from the fat and sinews, beat that well in a morter with pepper and salt, and a little onyon or garlick water by it selfe, or with herbs according to your taste, then make it up in flat cakes and let them be kept twelve houres betweene two dishes before you use them, then fry them with butter in a frying pan and serve them with the same butter, and you will find it a dish of savory meat. _to roast a shoulder of mutton in blood._ when your sheepe is killed save the blood, and spread the caule all open upon a table that is wet, that it may not stick to it; as soone as you have flead your sheepe, cut off a shoulder, and having tyme picked, shred and cut small into some of your blood, stop your shoulder with it, inside and outside, and into every hole with a spoone, put some of the blood; after you have put in the tyme, then lay your shoulder of mutton upon the caule and wrap that about it, then lay it into a tray, and pour all the rest of the blood upon it; so let it lie all night, if it be in winter, you may let it lie twenty foure hours, then roast it. _to roast a leg of mutton to be eaten cold._ first take so much lard as you thinke sufficient to lard your leg of mutton withall, cut your lard in grosse long lardors; season the lard very deep with beaten cloves, pepper, nutmeg, and mace, and bay salt beaten fine and dryed, then take parsley, tyme, marjoram, onion, and the out-rine of an orange, shred all these very small, and mix them with the lard, then lard your legge of mutton therewith, if any of the herbs and spice remaine, put them on the legge of mutton; then take a silver dish, lay two stickes crosse the dish to keepe the mutton from sopping in the gravy and fat that goes from it, lay the legge of mutton upon the stickes, and set it into an hot oven, there let it roast, turne it once but baste it not at all, when it is enough and very tender, take it forth but serve it not till it be throughly cold; when you serve it, put in a saucer or two of mustard, and sugar, and two or three lemons whole in the same dish. _to roast oysters._ take the greatest oysters you can get, and as you open them, put them into a dish with their own liquor, then take them out of the dish, and put them into another, and pour the liquor to them, but be sure no gravell get amongst them; then set them covered on the fire, and scald them a little in their owne liquor, and when they are cold, draw eight or ten lards through each oyster; season your lard first with cloves, nutmeg beaten very small, pepper; then take two woodden lard spits, and spit your oysters thereon, then tye them to another spit, and roast them. in the roasting bast them with anchovy sauce, made with some of the oyster liquor, and let them drip into the same dish where the anchovy sauce is; when they be enough, bread them with the crust of a roul grated on them, and when they be brown, draw them off, then take the sauce wherewith you basted your oysters, and blow off the fat, then put the same to the oysters, wring in it the juyce of a lemon, so serve it. _to make a sack posset._ take a quart of cream and boyle it very well with sugar, mace, and nutmeg, take half a pint of sack, and as much ale, and boyle them well together with some sugar, then put your cream into your bason to your sacke, then heat a pewter dish very hot, and cover your bason with it, and set it by the fire side, and let it stand there two or three houres before you eat it. _another sack posset._ take eight eggs, yolks and whites, and beat them well together, straine them into a quart of cream, season them with nutmeg and sugar, put to them a pint of sack, stir them altogether, and put them into your bason, and set them in the oven no hotter then for a custard, let it stand two hours. _to make a sack posset without milk or cream_. take eighteen eggs wites and all, taking out the treads, let them be beaten very well, take a pint of sack and a quart of ale boyled, and scum it, then put in three quarters of a pound of sugar and a little nutmeg, let it boyle a little together, then take it off the fire stirring the eggs still, put into them two or three ladle-fulls of drink, then mingle all together and set it on the fire, and keepe it stirring till you finde it thick, then serve it up. _to make a stump pye._ take a leg of mutton, one pound and a half of the best suet, mince both small together, then season it with a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a small quantity of salt, and a little cloves & mace, then take a good handful of parsly half as much tyme, and mince them very small, and mingle them with the rest; then take six new laid eggs and break them into the meat and worke it well together, and put it into the past; then upon the top put raisins, currans and dates a good quantity, cover and bake it, when it is baked, and when it is very hot, put into it a quarter of a pint of white wine vinegar, and strow sugar upon it, and so serve it. _to make mrs._ leeds _cheese cakes._ take six quarts of milk and ren it prety cold, and when it is tender come drayn from it your whey in a strainer, then hang it up till all the whey be dropt from it, then presse it, change it into dry cloaths till it wet the cloth no longer, then beat it in a stone morter till it be like butter, then straine it through a thin strayner, mingle it with a pound and a halfe of butter with your hands, take one pound of almonds, and heat them with rosewater till they are like your curd, then mingle them with the yolks of twenty eggs and a quart of cream, two great nutmegs, one pound and a half of sugar, when your coffins are ready and going to set in the oven; then mingle them together, let your oven be made hot enough for a pigeon pye, and let a stone stand up till the scorcthing be past, then set them in, half an hour will bake them well, your coffins must be made with milk and butter as stiffe as for other past, then you must set them into a pretty hot oven, and fill them full of bran, and when they are harded, take them out, and with a wing, brush out the bran, they must be pricked. _to make tarts called taffaty tarts._ first wet your past with butter and cold water, and rowle it very thin, also then lay them in layes, and between every lay of apples strew some sugar, and some lemon pill, cut very small, if you please put some fennell-seed to them; then put them into a stoak hot oven, and let them stand an hour in or more, then take them out, and take rose-water and butter beaten together, and wash them over with the same, and strew fine sugar upon them; then put them into the oven again, let them stand a little while and take them out. _to make fresh cheese._ take three pints of raw cream and sweeten it well with sugar, and set it over the fire, let it boyle a while, then put in some damask-rose-water, keep it still stirring least it burn too, and when you see it thickned and turned, take it from the fire, and wash the strainer and cheesefat with rose-water, then rowl it too and fro in the strainer to draine the whey from the curd, then take up the curd with a spoon and put them into the fat, let it stand till it be cold, then put it into the cheese dish with some of the whey, and so serve it up. _to make sugar cakes or jumbals._ take two pound of flower, dry it and season it very fine, then take a pound of loaf sugar, and beat it very fine, and searce it, mingle your flower and sugar very well, then take a pound and a halfe of sweet butter and wash out the salt, and breake it into bits with your flower and sugar, then take yolks of foure new laid eggs, and four or five spoonfuls of sack, and four spoonfuls of creame; beat all these together, then put them into your flower, and knead them to a past, and make them into what fashion you please, and lay them upon paper or plates, and put them into the oven, and be carefull of them, for a very little thing bakes them. _for jumbals you must only adde the whites of two or three eggs._ _to hash a shoulder of mutton._ take a shoulder of mutton and slice it very thin till you have almost nothing but the bone, then put to the meat some claret wine, a great onion, some gravy of mutton, six anchoves, a hand full of capers, the tops of a little tyme, mince them very well together, then take nine or tenne egges, the juyce of one or two lemons, to make it tart, and make leere of them, then put the meat all in a frying-pan over the fire till it be very hot; then put in the leere of eggs and soak altogether over the fire till it be very thick; then boyle your bone, and put it on the top of your meat being dished, garnish your dish with lemons, serve it up. _to dresse flounders or playce with garlick and mustard._ take flounders very new, and cut all the fins and tailes, then take out the guts and wipe them very clean, they must not be at all washt, then with your knife scorch them on both sides very grosely; then take the tops of tyme and cut them very small, and take a little salt, mace, and nutmeg, and mingle the tyme and them together, and season the flounders; then lay them on the grid-iron and bast them with oyle or butter, let not the fire be too hot, when that side next the fire is brown; turn it, and when you turn it, bast it on both sides till you have broyl'd them brown, when they are enough make your sauce with mustard two or three spoonfull according to discretion, six anchoves dissolved very well, about halfe a pound of butter drawn up with garlick, vinegar, or bruised garlick in other vinegar, rubb the bottome of your dish with garlick. so put your sauce to them, and serve them, you may fry them if you please. _a turkish dish._ take fat of beefe or mutton cut in thin slices, wash it well, put it into a pot that hath a close cover, then put into it a good quantity of clean pick'd rice, skim it very well; then put into it a quantity of whole pepper, two or three whole onyons; let all this boyle very well, then take out the onyon and dish it in sippets, the thicker it is the better. _to dresse a pyke._ cut him in peices, and strew upon him salt and scalding vinegar, boyle him in water and white wine, when he is boyling put in sweet herbs, onyon, garlick, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; when he is boyled take him out of the liquor, and let him drayn, in the mean time beat butter and anchoves together, and pour it on the fish, squeezing a little orange and lemon upon it. _to dresse oysters._ take oysters and open them, and save the liquor, and when you have opened so many as you please, adde to this liquor, some white-wine, wherein you must wash your oysters one by one very clean, and lay them in another dish; then strain to them that mixed wine and liquor wherein they were washed, adding a little more wine to them with an onion divided with some salt and pepper, so done, cover the dish and stew them till they be more then halfe done; then take them and the liquor, and pour it in to a frying-pan, wherein they must fry a pretty while, then put into them a good peice of sweet butter, and fry them therein so much longer; in the mean time you must have beaten the yolks of some eggs, as four or five to a quart of oysters; these eggs must be beaten with some vinegar, wherein you must put some minced parsly and nutmeg finely scraped, and put therein the oysters in the pan, which must still be kept stirring least the liquor make the eggs curddle, let this all have a good warme on the fire, and serve it up. _to dresse flounders._ flea of the black skin, and scowre the fish over on that side with a knife, lay them in a dish, and poure on them some vinegar, and strew good store of salt, let them lie for halfe an houre; in the mean time set on the fire some water with a little white-wine, garlick, and sweet herbs as you please, putting into it the vinegar and salt wherein they lay, when it boyles put in the biggest fish, then the next till all be in; when they are boyled, take them out and drain them very well, then draw some sweet butter thick, and mix with it some anchoves shred small, which being dissolved in the butter, poure it on the fish, strewing a little sliced nutmeg, and minced oranges and barberries. _to dresse snails._ take snailes, and put them in a kettle of water, and let them boyle a little, then take them out, and shake them out of the shels into a bason; then take some salt and scoure them very well, and wash them in warme water, untill you find the slime cleane gone from them; then put them into a cullender and let them draine well, then mince some sweet hearbs, and put them into a dish with a little pepper and sallet-oyle together, then let them stand an hour or two; then wash the shels very well and dry them, and put into every shell a snail, and fill up the shell with sallet-oyle and herbs, then set them on a gridiron upon a soft fire, and so let them stew a little while, and dish them up warm and serve them up. _to dresse pickle fish._ wash them well while they are in the shell in salt water, put them into a kettle over the fire with out water; and stirre them till they are open, then take them out of their shels, and wash them in hot water and salt, then take some of their owne liquor that they have made in the kettle, a little white wine, butter, vinegar, spice, parsley; let all these boyle together, and when it is boyled, take the yolk of three or four eggs and put into the broth. scollops may be dressed on this manner or broiled like oysters with oyle or juyce of lemons. _to fricate beefe pallats._ take beefe pallats after they be boyled very tender, blaunch and pare them clean, season them with fine beaten cloves nutmeg, pepper, salt and some grated bread; then have some butter in a frying pan, put your pallats therein, and so fricate them till they be browne on both sides, then take them forth and put them on a dish, and put thereto some gravy of mutton, wherein two or three anchoves are dissolved, grate in your sauce a little nutmeg, wring in the juyce of a lemon, so serve them. _a spanish olio._ take a peice of bacon not very fat, but sweet and safe from being rusty, a peice of fresh beefe, a couple of hoggs eares, and foure feet if they can be had, and if not, some quantity of sheeps feet, (calves feet are not proper) a joynt of mutton, the leg, rack, or loyne, a hen, halfe a dozen pigeons, a bundle of parsley, leeks, and mint, a clove of garlick when you will, a small quantity of pepper, cloves, and saffron, so mingled that not one of them over-rule, the pepper and cloves must be beaten as fine as possible may be, and the saffron must be first dryed, and then crumble in powder and dissolved apart in two or three spoonfuls of broth, but both the spices and the saffron may be kept apart till immediately before they be used, which must not be, till within a quarter of a houre before the olio be taken off from the fire; a pottle of hard dry pease, when they have first steept in water some dayes, a pint of boyl'd chesnuts: particular care must be had that the pot wherein the olio is made, be very sweet; earthen i thinke is the best, and judgement is to be had carefully both in the size of the pot, and in the quantity of the water at the first, that so the broth may grow afterwards to be neither too much nor too little, nor too grosse, nor too thin; thy meat must be long in boyling, but the fire not too fierce, the bacon, the beef, the pease, the chesnuts, the hogs eares may be put in at the first. i am utterly against those confused olios into which men put almost all kinds of meats and roots, and especially against putting of oyle, for it corrupts the broath, instead of adding goodnesse to it. to do well, the broth is rather to be drunk out of a porringer then to be eaten with a spoon, though you add some smal slices of bread to it, you wil like it the worse. the sauce for thy meat must be as much fine sugar beaten smal to powder, with a little mustard, as can be made to drink the sugar up, and you wil find it to be excellent, but if you make it not faithfully and justly according to this prescript, but shall neither put mace, or rosemary, or tyme to the herbs as the manner is of some, it will prove very much the worse. _to make metheglin._ take all sorts of herbs that are good and wholesome, as balme, mint, fennell, rosemary, angelica, wilde tyme, isop, burnet, egrimony, and such other as you think fit; some field herbs, but you must not put in too many, but especially rosemary or any strong hearb, lesse then halfe a handfull will serve of every sort, you must boyle your herbs and straine them, and let the liquor stand till to morrow and settle them, take off the clearest liquor, two gallons and a halfe to one gallon of honey, and that proportion as much as you will make, and let it boyle an houre, then set it a cooling as you doe beere, when it is cold take some very good ale barme, and put into the bottome of the tubb a little and a little as they doe beere, keeping backe the thicke setling, that lyeth in the bottome of the vessell that it is cooled in, and when it is all put together, cover it with a cloth, and let it worke very neere three dayes, and when you mean to put it up, skim off all the barme clean, put it up into the vessell, but you must not stop your vessell very close in three or four dayes, but let it have all the vent, for it will worke, and when it is close stopped, you must looke very often to it, and have a peg in the top to give it vent; when you heare it make a noyse, as it will do, or else it will breake the vessell; sometime i make a bag and put in good store of ginger sliced, some cloves and cinnamon, and boyl it in, and other times i put it into the barrel and never boyle it, it is both good, but nutmeg and mace do not well to my tast. _to make a sallet of smelts._ take halfe a hundred of smelts, the biggest you can get, draw them and cut off their heads, put them into a pipkin with a pint of white wine, and a pint of white wine vinegar, an onion shred a couple of lemons, a race of ginger, three or foure blades of mace, a nutmeg sliced, whole pepper, a little salt, cover them, and let them stand twenty foure houres; if you will keep them three or four dayes, let not your pickle be to strong of the vinegar, when you will serve them, take them out one by one, scrape and open them as you do anchoves, but throw away the bones, lay them close one by one, round a silver dish, you must have the very utmost rind of a lemon or orange so small as grated bread and the parsley, then mix your lemon pill, orange and parsley together with a little fine beaten pepper, and strew this upon the dish of smelts with the meat of a lemon minced very small, also then power on excellent sallet oile, and wring in the juyce of two lemons, but be sure none of the lemon-seed be left in the sallet, so serve it. _to roast a fillet of veal._ take a fillet of beefe which is the tenderest part of the beast, and lieth only in the inward part of the surloyne next to the chine, cut it as big as you can, then broach it on a broach not too big, and be carefull you broach it not thorow the best of the meat, roast it leasurely and baste it with sweet butter. set a dish under it to save the gravy while the beefe is roasting, prepare the sauce for it, chop good store of parsley with a few sweet herbs shred small, and the yolks of three or foure eggs, and mince among them the pill of an orange, and a little onyon, then boyle this mixture, putting into it sweet butter, vinegar, and gravy, a spoonfull of strong broth, when it is well boyled, put it into your beef, and serve it very warm, sometimes a little grosse pepper or ginger into your sauce, or a pill of an orange or lemon. _to make a sallet of a cold hen or a capon._ take the breast of a hen or capon, and slice it as thin as you can in steaks, put therein vinegar, and a little sugar as you thinke fit, then take six anchoves, and a handfull of capers, a little long, grosse or a carrigon, and mince them together, but not too small, strew them on the sallet, garnish it with lemons, oranges or barberies, so serve it up with a little salt. _to stew mushrums._ take them fresh gathered and cut off the hard end of the stalk, & as you pil them throw them into a dish of white wine, after they have lain half an houre or thereupon draine them from the wine, and put them between two silver dishes, then set them on a soft fire without any liquor, and when they have so stewed a while, pour away the liquor that comes from them which will be very black, then put your mushrums into another clean dish with a sprig or two of tyme, an onion whole, four or five cornes of whole pepper, two or three cloves, a bit of an orange, a little salt, a bit of sweet butter, and some pure gravy of mutton, cover them, and set them on a gentle fire, so let them stew softly till they be enough and very tender, when you dish them blow off all the fat from them, and take out the time, spice, and orange, then wring in the juyce of a lemon, and grate a little nutmeg among the mushrums, tosse them two or three times; put them in a clean dish, and serve them hot to the table. _the lord_ conway _his lordships receipt for the making of amber puddings._ first take the guts of a young hog, and wash them very clean, and then take two pound of the best hogs fat, and a pound and a halfe of the best jurden almonds, the which being blancht, take one half of them, & beat them very small, and the other halfe reserve whole unbeaten, then take a pound and a halfe of fine sugar and four white loaves, and grate the loaves over the former composition, and mingle them well together in a bason having so done, put to it halfe an ounce of ambergreece, the which must be scrapt very small over the said composition, take halfe a quarter of an ounce of levant musk and bruise it in a marble morter, with a quarter of a pint of orange flower water, then mingle these all very well together, and having so done, fill the said guts therwith, this receipt was given his lordship by an italian for a great rariety, and has been found so to be by those ladies of honour to whom his lordship has imparted the said reception. _to make a partridge tart._ take the flesh of four or five partridges minced very small with the same weight of beef marrow as you have partridge flesh, with two ounces of orangeadoes and green citron minced together as small as your meate, season it with cloves and mace and nutmeg and a little salt and sugar, mix all together, and bake it in puff past; when it is baked, open it, and put in halfe a grain of muske or amber braid in a morter or dish, and with a spoonfull of rosewater and the juyce of three or four oranges, when you put all these therein, stir the meat and cover it again, and serve it to the table. _to keepe venison all the yeare._ take the hanch, and parboyle it a while, then season it with two nutmegs, a spoonfull of pepper, and a good quantity of salt, mingle them altogether, then put two spoonfulls of white wine-vinegar, and having made the venison full of holes, as you do when you lard it, when it is larded, put in the venison at the holes, the spice and vinegar, and season it therewith, then put part into the pot with the fat side downwards, cover it with two pound of butter, then close it up close with course past, when you take it out of the oven take away the past, and lay a round trencher with a weight on the top of it to keep it down till it be cold, then take off the trencher, and lay the butter flat upon the venison, then cover it close with strong white pepper, if your pot be narrow at the bottom it is the better, for it must be turned upon a plate, and stuck with bayleaves when you please to eat it. _to bake brawn._ take two buttocks and hang them up two or three dayes, then take them down and dip them into hot water, and pluck off the skin, dry them very well with a clean cloth, when you have so done, take lard, cut it in peices as big as your little finger, and season it very well with pepper, cloves, mace, nutmeg, and salt, put each of them into an earthen pot, put in a pint of claret wine, a pound of mutton suet. so close it with past let the oven be well heated; and so bake them, you must give them time for the baking according to the bignesse of the haunches, and the thicknesse of the pots, they commonly allot seven hours for the baking of them; let them stand three dayes, then take off their cover, and poure away all the liquor, then have clarified butter, and fill up both the pots, to keep it for the use, it will very well keep two or three moneths. _to roast a pike._ take a pike, scoure off the slime, take out the entralls, lard it with the backs of pickled herrings, you must have a sharp bodkin to make the holes, no larding pins will go thorow, then take some great oysters, claret wine, season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, stuff the belly of the pike with these oysters, intermix with them rosemary, tyme, winter-savory, sweet marjoram, a little onyon and garlick, sow these in the belly of the pike, prepare two sticks about the breadth of a lath, these two sticks and the spit must be as broad as the pike being tyed on the spit, tye the pike on, winding pack-thread about the pike along, but there must be tyed by the pack-thred all a long the side of the pike which is not defended by the spit, and the lathes rosemary and bayes, bast the pike with butter and claret-wine, with some anchoves dissolved in it, when it is wasted, rip up the belly of the pike and the oyster will be the same, but the herbs which are whole must be taken out. _to sauce eeles._ take two or three great eeles, rubb them in salt, draw out the guts, wash them very clean, cut them a thwart on both sides found deep, and cut them again cross way, then cut them through in such pieces as you think fit, and put them into a dish with a pint of wine-vinegar, and a handfull of salt, have a kettle over the fire with faire water, and a bundle of sweet herbs, two or thee great onyons, some mace, a few cloves, you must let these lie in wine-vinegar and salt, and put them into boyling liquor, there let them boyl according to cookery, when enough, take out the eeles, and drain them from the liquor, when they are cold, take a pint of white-wine, boyle it up with saffron to colour the wine, then take out some of the liquor, and put it in an earthen pan take out the onyons and all the herbs, only let the cloves and mace remaine, you must beat the saffron to powder, or else it will not colour. _to make sausages without skins._ take a leg of young pork, two pound of beef-suet, two handfuls of sage, two loaves of white bread, salt and pepper to your tast, halfe the pork, and halfe the suet, must be very well beat in a stone morter, the rest cut very small, be sure to cut out all the gresles and lenets in the pork, when you have mixed these altogether, knead them into a stiffe past with the yolks of two or three eggs, so rowle them into sausages. _to dresse a pike._ take a male pike, rub his skin off whil'st he lives, with bay salt, having well cleared the outside, lay him in a large dish or tray, open him so as you break not his gall, cut him according to the size of the fish, in two or three peices, from the head to the taile must be slit, this done, they are to be layd as flat as you can, in a great dish or tray, poure upon it halfe a pint of white wine-vinegar, more or lesse, according to the size of the fish, then strew upon the inside of the fish, white salt plentifully, bay salt beaten very small is better, whilest this is a doing, let a skellet with a sufficient quantity of renish wine, or good white wine be pat over the fire, with the wine, salt, ginger, nutmeg, an onion, foure or five cloves of garlick, a bunch of sweet herbs, _viz_. sweet marjoram, rosemary, peel of halfe a lemon, let these boyl to the heighth, put in the pike, with the vinegar, in such manner as not to quench or allay, if possibly the heat of the liquor, but the thickest peece first that will aske most boyling, and the vinegar last of all; while the pike boyles, take two quarters of a pound of anchoves, one quarter of very good butter, a saucer of the liquor your pike was boyled in, dissolved anchoves. note that the liquor, sauce, the spice, and the other ingredients must follow the proportion of the pike; if your sauce be too strong of the anchoves, adde more faire water to it. note also that the liquor wherein this pike was dressed, is better to boyle a second pike therein, then it was at the first. _to dresse eeles._ cut two or three eeles into pieces of a convenient length, set them end-wayes in a pot of earth, put in a spoolful or two of water, and to them put some herbs and sage chopt small, some garlick pepper, and salt, so let them be baked in an oven. _to boyle a pudding after the french fashion_. take a turkey that is very fat, and being pul'd and drest, lard him with long pieces of lard, first wholed in seasoning of salt, pepper, nutmegs, cloves and mace, then take one piece of lard whole in the seasoning, put it into the belly with a sprig of rosemary and bayes, sow it very close in a clean cloth, and let it lye all night covered with white-wine, let it be put into a pot with the same liquor, and no more, let it be close stopped, then hang it over a very soft and gentle fire, there to continue six houres in a simpering boyle, when it is cold, take it out of the cloth, not before, put it in a pye-plate, and stick it full of rosemary and bayes, so serve it up with mustard and sugar, they are wont to lay it on a napkin folded square, and lay it corner wise. _to make a fricake._ take three chickens, and pull off the skins, and cut them into little pieces then put them into water with two or three onions, and a bunch of parsly, and when it hath stewed a little, put in some salt and pepper, and a pint of white wine, so let them stew till they be enough, then take some verjuyce, and nutmegs, and three or foure yolks of eggs, beat them well together, and when you take off the chicken, put them into a frying-pan altogether with some butter, scald it well over the fire and serve it in. _to make a dish called olives._ take a fillet of veale, and the flesh frow the bones, and the fat and skin from either, cut it into very thin slices, beat them with the back of your knife, lay then abroad on a dish, season them with nutmeg, pepper, salt and sugar, chop halfe a pound of beefe-suet very small, and strew upon the top of the meat, then take a good handfull of herbs as parsly, time, winter-savoury, sorrell, and spinage, chop them very small, and strew over it, and four egges with the whites, mingle all these well together with your hands, then roul it up peice by peice, put it upon the spit, roasting it an hour and half, and if it grow dry, baste it with a little sweet butter, the sauce is verjuyce or clarret-wine with the gravy of the meat and sugar, take a whole onyon and stew it on a chafing dish of coales, and when it tastes of the onyon, pour the liquor from it on the meat, setting it a while on the coales, and serve it in. _to make an olive pye._ this you may take in a pye, putting raisins of the sun stoned and some currants in every olive, first strowing upon the meat the whites and yolks of two boyled eggs shred very small, make your olives round, and put them into puff paste, when it is halfe baked, put in a good quantity of verjuyce or clarret wine sweetned with sugar, putting it in again till it be thorow baked. _the countesse of_ rutlands _receipt of making the rare_ banbury _cake which was so much praised at her daughters (the right honourable the lady_ chawerths) _wedding._ _imprimis_ take a peck of fine flower, and halfe an ounce of large mace, halfe an ounce of nutmegs, and halfe an ounce of cinnamon, your cinnamon and nutmegs must be sifted through a searce, two pounds of butter, halfe a score of eggs, put out four of the whites of them, something above a pint of good ale-yeast, beate your eggs very well and straine them with your yeast, and a little warme water into your flowre, and stirre them together, then put your butter cold in little lumpes: the water you knead withall must be scalding hot, if you will make it good past, the which having done, lay the past to rise in a warme cloth a quarter of an hour, or thereupon; then put in ten pounds of currans, and a little muske and ambergreece dissolved in rosewater; your currans must be made very dry, or else they will make your cake heavy, strew as much sugar finely beaten amongst the currans, as you shall think the water hath taken away the sweetnesse from them; break your past into little pieces, into a kimnell or such like thing, and lay a layer of past broken into little pieces, and a layer of currans, untill your currans are all put in, mingle the past and the currans very well, but take heed of breaking the currans, you must take out a piece of past after it hath risen in a warme cloth before you put in the currans to cover the top, and the bottom, you must roule the cover something thin, and the bottom likewise, and wet it with rosewater, and close them at the bottom of the side, or the middle which you like best, prick the top and the sides with a small long pin, when your cake is ready to go into the oven, cut it in the midst of the side round about with a knife an inch deep, if your cake be of a peck of meale, it must stand two hours in the oven, your oven must be as hot as for manchet. _an excellent sillabub._ fill your sillabub-pot with syder (for that is the best for a sillabub) and good store of sugar and a little nutmeg; stir it well together, put in as much thick cream by two or three spoonfuls at a time, as hard as you can, as though you milke it in, then stir it together exceeding softly once about, and let it stand two hours at least ere it is eaten, for the standing makes the curd. _to sauce a pig._ take a faire large pigge and cut off his head, then slit him through the midst, then take forth his bones, then lay him in warme water one night, then collar him up like brawne; then boyle him tender in faire water, and when he is boyled put him in an earthen pot or pan into water and salt, for that will make him white, and season the flesh, for you must not put salt in the boyling, for that will make it black, then take a quart of the same broth, and a quart of white wine; boyl them together to make some drink for it, put into it two or three bay leaves, when it is cold uncloathe the pig, and put it into the same drink, & it will continue a quarter of a year. it is a necessary dish in any gentlemans house; when you serve it in, serve it with greene fennell, as you doe sturgion with vinegar in saucers. _to make a virginia trout._ take pickled herrings, cut off their heads, and lay the bodies two dayes and nights in water, then wash them well, then season them with mace, cinamon, cloves, pepper, and a little red saunders, then lay them close in a pot with a little onyon strewed small upon them, and cast between every layer; when you have thus done, put in a pint of clarret-wine to them, and cover them with a double paper tyed on the pot, and set them in the oven with houshould-bread. they are to be eaten cold. _to make a fat lamb of a pig._ take a fat pig and scald him, and cut off his head, slit him and trusse him up like a lamb, then being slit through the middle, and flawed, then parboyle him a little, then draw him with parsley as you do a lamb, then roast it and dridge it, and serve it up with butter, pepper, and sugar. _to make rice pancakes._ take a pound of rice, and boyle it in three quarts of water till it be very tender, then put it into a pot covered close, and that will make a jelly, then take a quart of cream or new milk, put it scalding hot to the rice, then take twenty eggs, three quarters of a pound of melted butter, a little salt, stirre all these well together, put as much flowre to them as will make them hold frying, they must be fryed with butter, they must be made overnight, best. _mrs._ dukes _cake._ take a quarter of a peck of the finest flour, a pint of cream, ten yolks of eggs well beaten, three quarters of a pound of butter gently melted, pour on the floure a little ale-yeast, a quarter of a pint of rose water, with some muske, and amber-grece dissolved in it, season all with a penny worth of mace and cloves, a little nutmeg finely beaten, currans one pound and a halfe, raisins of the sun stoned, and shred small one pound, almonds blanch'd and beaten, halfe a pound, beat them with rosewater to keep them from oyling: sugar beaten very small, half a pound; first mingle them, knead all these together, then let them lie a full houre in the dough together, then the oven being made ready, make up your cake, let not the oven be too hot, nor shut up the mouth of it too close, but stir the cake now and then that it may bake all a like, let it not stand a full hour in the oven. against you draw it have some rose water and sugar finely beaten, and well mixed together to wash the upper side of it, then set it in the oven to dry, when you draw it out, it will shew like ice. _to make fine pancakes fryed without butter, or lard._ take a pint of creame, six new layd eggs, beat them very well, put in a quarter of a pound of sugar, one nutmeg or beaten mace which you please, as much floure as will thicken them almost as thick as for ordinary pancakes, your pan must be cleane wiped with a cloth, when it is reasonably hot, put in your butter, or thick or thin as you please, to fry them. _to pot venison._ take a haunch of venison not hunted, and bone it, then take three ounces of pepper beaten, twelve nutmegs, with a handfull of salt, and mince them together with wine vinegar, then wet your venison with wine vinegar and season it, then with a knife make holes on the lean sides of the hanch, and stuff it as you would stuff beef with parsley, then put it into the pot with the fat side downward then clarifie three pound of butter, and put it thereon, and past upon the pot, and let it stand in the oven five or six hours, then take it out, and with a vent presse it down to the bottom of the pot, and let it stand till it be cold, then take the gravy of the top of the pot and melt it, and boyle it halfe away and more, then put it in again with the butter on the top of the pot. _to make a marchpan; to ice him, &c._ take two pound of almonds blanched, & beaten in a stone morter till they begin to come to a fine past, and take a pound of sifted sugar, and put it in the morter with the almonds, and so leave it till it come to a perfect past, putting in now and then a spoonfull of rosewater to keep them from oyling; when you have beaten them to a perfect past cover the marchpan in a sheet, as big as a charger, and set an edge about as you do about a tart, and a bottome of wafers under him; thus bake it in an oven or baking pan, when you see your marchpan is hard and dry, take it out and ice him with rosewater and sugar being made as thick as butter for fritters; so spread it on him with a wing-feather; so put it into the oven againe, and when you see it rise high, then take it out and garnish it with some pretty conceits made part of the same stuff, stick long cumfets uprigh in him so serve it. _to make jelly the best manner._ take a leg of veale, and pare away the fat as clean as you can, wash it throughly, let it lie soaking a quarter of an hour or more, provided you first breake the bones, then take foure calves feet, scald off the hair in boyling water, then slit them in two and put them to your veale, let them boyle over the fire in a brasse pot with two gallons of water or more acording to the proportion of your veale, scum it very clean and often; so let it boyle till it comes to three pintes or little more, then strain it through a cleane strainer, into a bason, and so let it stand till it be through cold and well jellied, then cut it in peices with a knife, and pare the top and the bottome of them, put it into a skellet, take two ounces of cynamon broken very small with your hand, three nutmegs sliced, one race of ginger, a large mace or two, a little quantity of salt, one spoonfull of wine vinegar, or rose-vinegar, one pound and three quarters of sugar, a pint of renish-wine, or white wine, and the whites of fifteen eggs, well beaten; put all these to the jelly, then set it on the fire, and let it seeth two or three walmes, ever stirring it as it seeths, then take a very clean jelly bag, wash the bottom of it in a little rose water, and wring it so hard that their remaine none behind, put a branch of rosemary in the bottom of the bag, hang it up before the fire over a bason; and pour the jelly-bag into the bason, provided in any case you stir not the bag, then take jelly in the bason and put it into your bag again, let it run the second time, and it will be very much the clearer; so you may put it into your gally-pots or glasles which you please, and set them a cooling on bay salt, and when it is cold and stiffe you may use it at your pleasure, if you will have the jelly of a red colour use it as before, onely instead of renish wine, use claret. _to make poore knights._ cut two penny loaves in round slices, dip them in half a pint of cream or faire water, then lay them abroad in a dish, and beat three eggs and grated nutmegs and sugar, beat them with the cream then melt some butter in a frying pan, and wet the sides of the toasts and lay them in on the wet side, then pour in the rest upon them, and so fry them, serve them in with rosewater, sugar and butter. _to make shrewsbury cakes._ take two pound of floure dryed in the oven and weighed after it is dryed, then put to it one pound of butter that must be layd an hour or two in rose-water, so done poure the water from the butter, and put the butter to the flowre with the yolks and whites of five eggs, two races of ginger, and three quarters of a pound of sugar, a little salt, grate your spice, and it well be the better, knead all these together till you may rowle the past, then roule it forth with the top of a bowle, then prick them with a pin made of wood, or if you have a comb that hath not been used, that will do them quickly, and is best to that purpose, so bake them upon pye plates, but not too much in the oven, for the heat of the plates will dry them very much, after they come forth of the oven, you may cut them without the bowles of what bignesse or what fashion you please. _to make beef like red deer to be eaten cold._ take a buttock of beef, cut it the long wayes with the grain, beat it well with a rowling pin, then broyl it upon the coals, a little after it is cold, draw it throw with lard, then lay in some white wine vinegar, pepper, salt, cloves, mace and bay-leaves, then let it lie three or four dayes, then bake it in rye past, and when it is cold fill it up with butter, after a fortnight it will be eaten. _to make puffs._ take a pint of cheese curds and drain them dry, bruise them small with the hand, put in two handfulls of floure, a little sugar, three or four yolks of egs, a little nutmeg and salt, mingle these together and make them little, like eyes, fry them in fresh butter, serve them up with fresh butter and sugar. _to make a hash of chickens._ take six chickens, quarter them, cover them almost with water, and season them with pepper and salt, and a good handfull of minced parsly, and a little white-wine, when they are boyled enough, put six eggs onely the yolks, put to them a little nutmeg and vinegar, give them a little wame or two with the chickens, pour them altogether into the dish and serve them in, when you put on the eggs, and a good piece of butter. _to make an almond caudle._ take three pints of ale, boyle it with cloves, mace and sliced bread into it, then have ready beaten a pound of blanched almonds stamped in a mortar with a little white-wine, then strain them out with a pint of white-wine, thick your ale with it, sweeten it as you please, and be sure you skim the ale well when it boyles. _to make scalding cheese towards the latter end of_ may. take your evening milke and put it into boules, or earthen pans, then in the morning, fleet off the cream in a boule by it selfe, put the fleet milke into a tub with the morning milk, then put in the nights cream, and stir it together, and heat the milk, and put in the rennet; as for ordinary new milk cheese, it is to be made thick; when the cheese is come, gather the curd into a cheese-cloath, and set the whey on the fire till it be seething hot, put the cheese in a cloth into a killar that hath a wafle in the bottome, and poure in the hot whey, then let out that, and put in more till your curd feele hard, then break the curd with your hands, as small as you can, and put an handfull of salt to it then put it into the fat, thrune it at noon and at night, and next day put it into a trough where cheese is salted every day, and turne it as long as any will enter, then lay it on a table or shelfe all summer; if you will have it mellow to eate within an yeare, it must be laid in hay in the spring; if to keep two yeares, let it dry on a shelfe out of the wind all the next summer, and in winter lay them in hay a while, or lay them close one to another; i seldome lay any in hay, i turne and rub them with a rotten cloth especially when they are old, once a week least they rot. _to pickle purslaine._ take purslaine, stalks and all, boyl them tender in faire water, then lay them drying upon linning cloaths, then being dryed, put them into the galley-pots and cover them with wine vinegar mixt with salt, and not make the pickle so strong as for cucumbers. _finis._ the table to the compleat cook. _to make a posset the earle of_ arundels way. _to boyle a capon larded with lemons._ _to bake red deer._ _to make fine pancakes fryed without butter or lard._ _to dresse a pig the french manner._ _to make a steak pye with a french pudding in the pye._ _an excellent way for dressing fish._ _to fricate sheeps feet._ _to fricate calves chaldrons._ _to fricate campigneons._ _to make buttered_ loaves. _to marine carps, mullet, gormet, rochet, or wale._ _to make a calves chaldron pye._ _to make a pudding of calves chaldron._ _to make a_ banbury _cake._ _to make a_ devonshire _white pot._ _to make rice cream._ _to make a very good_ oxfordshire _cake._ _to make a pompion pye._ _to make the best sausages._ _to boyle fresh fish._ _to make friters._ _to make loaves of cheese curd._ _to make fine pyes after the french fashion._ _a singular good receipt for making a cake._ _to make a great curd loafe._ _to make buttered loaves of cheese curds._ _to make cheese loaves._ _to make puffe._ _to make elder vinegar._ _to make good vinegar._ _to make a collar of beefe._ _to make an almond pudding._ _to boyle creame with french barly._ _to make cheese cakes._ _to make a quaking pudding._ _to pickle cucumbers._ _to pickle broom buds._ _to keep quinces all the yeare._ _to make a goosberry fool._ _to make an oatmeale pudding._ _to make a green pudding._ _to make good sausages._ _to make toasts._ _a spanish cream._ _to make clouted cream._ _a good cream._ _to make pyramids cream._ _to make a sack cream._ _to boyl pigeons._ _to make an apple tansey._ _a french barly cream._ _to make a chicken or pigeon pye._ _to boyle a capon or hen._ _to make bals of veal._ _to make mrs._ shelleyes _cake._ _to make almond jumbals._ _to make cracknels._ _to pickle oysters._ _to boyl cream with codlings._ _to make the lady_ abergaveers cheese. _to dresse snails._ _to boyl a rump of beefe after the french fashion._ _an excellent way of dressing fish._ _to make fritters of sheeps feet._ _to make dry salmon calvert in the boyling._ _to make bisket bread._ _to make an almond pudding._ _to make an almond caudle._ _to make almond bread._ _to make almond cakes._ _master_ rudstones _posset._ _to boyle a capon with ranioles._ _to make a bisque of carps._ _to boyle a pike and an eele together._ _to make an outlandish dish._ _to make a portugal dish._ _to dresse a dish of hartichockes._ _to dresse a fillet of veal the italian way._ _to dresse soals._ _to make furmity._ _to make a patis or cabbage cream._ _to make pap._ _to make spanish pap._ _to poach eggs._ _a pottage of beefe pallats._ _the_ jacobins _pottage_ _to salt a goose._ _a way of stewing chickens or rabbets._ _a pottage of capons._ _a carp pye._ _to boyle ducks after the french fashion._ _to boyle a goose with sausages._ _to fry chickens._ _to make a battalia pye._ _to make a chicken pye._ _to make a pye of a calves head._ _to make cream with snow._ _to make minced pyes._ _to drye neates tongues._ _to make jelly of harts horn._ _to make chickens fat in four or five dayes._ _to make angelot._ _a persian dish._ _to roast a shoulder of mutton._ _to roast a leg of mutton to be eaten cold._ _to roast oysters._ _to make a sack posset._ _another_ _to make a sack posset without milk or creame._ _to make a stump pye._ _to make mrs._ leed _cheese cakes._ _to make taffaty tarts_ _to make fresh cheese_ _to make sugar cakes or jumballs_ _to hash a shoulder of mutton_ _to dresse flounders or plaice with garlick and mustard_ _a turkish dish_ _to dresse a pike_ _to dresse oysters_ _to dresse flounders_ _to dresse snailes_ _to dresse pickle fish_ _to fricate beef pallats_ _a spanish olio_ _to make a spanish olio._ _to make metheglin_ _to make a sallet of smelts_ _to roast a fillet beefe_ _to make a sallet of a cold hen or capon._ _to stew mushrumps_ _the lord_ conway _his receipt for the makeing of amber-puddings_ _to make a partridge tart_ _to keep venison all the yeare_ _to make brawn_ _to roast a pike_ _to sauce eeles_ _to make sausages without skins_ _to dresse a pike._ _to dresse eeles_ _to boyle a pudding after the french fashion,_ _to make a fricate_ _to make a dish called olives_ _to make an olive pye_ _the countesse of_ rutlands _receipt of makeing a rare_ banbury _cake_ _an excellent syllabub_ _to sauce a pig_ _to make a virginia trout_ _to make a fat lamb of a pig._ _to make rice pancakes_ _mrs._ dukes _cakes._ _to make fine pancakes._ _to pot venison_ _to make a marchpan to ice him_ _to make jelly the best manner_ _to make poor knights_ _to make shrewsberry cakes_ _to make beefe like red deere to be eaten cold_ _to make puffe_ _to make a hash of chicken_ _to make an almond caudle_ _to make scalding cheese towards the latter end of_ may _to pickle purslain_ finis. _courteous_ reader, _these books following are printed for_ nath. brook, _and are to be sold at his shop at the angell in_ cornhill. * * * * * _excellent tracts in divinity, controversies, sermons, devotions._ the catholique history collected and gathered out of scripture, councels, and antient fathers, in answer to dr. _vanes_ lost sheep returned home: by _edward chesensale_ esq; _octavo_. . bishop _morton_ on the sacrament, in _folio_. . the grand sacriledge of the church of _rome_, in taking away the sacred cup from the laity at the lords table; by dr. _featly_ d.d. _quarto._ . the quakers cause at second hearing, being a full answer to their tenets. . re-assertion of grace: _vindiciae evangelii_, or the vindication of the gospell: a reply to mr. _anthony burghess vindiciae legis_, and to mr. _ruthford_: by _robert town_. . anabptists anatomized and silenced: or a dispute with master _tombs_, by mr. _j. crag_: where all may receive cleare satisfaction in that controversie, the best extant. _octavo._ . a glimpse of divine light, being an explication of some passages exhibited to the commissioners of _white hall_ for approbation of publique preachers, against _john harrison_ of _land chap. lancash._ . the zealous magistrate: a sermon by _t. threscos_. _quarto._ . new jerusalam, in a sermon for the society of astrologers, _quarto_. in the year . . divinity no enemy to astrology: a sermon for the society of astrologers, in the year . by d. _thomas swadling_. . _britannia rediviva_, a sermon before the judges, _august_ . by _j shaw_ minister of _hull_. . the princess royal, in a sermon before the judges, _march_ . by _j shaw_. . judgement set, and books opened, religion tried whether it be of god or man, in severall sermons: by _j webster, quarto_. . israels redemption, or the prophetical history of our saviours kingdome on earth: by _k. marton_. . the cause and cure of ignorance, error and prophaness: or a more hopefull way to grace and salvation: by k. _young, octavo_. . a bridle for the times, tending to still the murmuring, to settle the wavering, to stay the wandring, and to strengthen the fainting: by _j brinsley_ of _yarmouth_. . comforts against the fear of death; wherein are discovered severall evidences of the work of grace: by _j collins_ of _norwich_. . _jacobs_ seed: or, the excellency of seeking god by prayer, by _jer burroughs_. . the form of practical divinity; or, the grounds of religion in a chatechistical way, by mr. _christopher love_ late minister of the gospel: a useful piece. . heaven and earth shaken; a treatice shewing how kings and princes, their governments are turned and changed, by _j davis_ minister in _dover_: admirably useful and seriously to be considered in these times. . the treasure of the soul; wherein we are taught, by dying to sin, to attain to the perfect love of god. . a treatise of contestation fit for these sad & troublesome times by _j. hall_ bishop of _norwich_. . select thoughts: or, choice helps for a pious spirit, beholding the excellency of her lord jesus; by _j. hall_ bishop of _norwich_. . the holy order, or fraternity of mourners in zion; to which is added, songs in the night, or chearfulness under afflictions; by _j. hall_ bishop of _norwich_. . the celestial lamp, enlightening every distressed soul from the depth of everlasting darkness; by _t. fetisplace_. _admirable and learned treatises of occult sciences in philosophy, magick, astrology, geomancy, chymistry, physiognomy, and chyromancy._ . magick & astrology vindicated by _h. warren_ . _lux veritatis_, judicall astrology vindicated and demonology confuted; by _w. ramsey_ gent. . an introduction to the tentonick philosophy; being a determination of the original of the soul: by _c. hotham_ fellow of _peter-house_ in _cambridge_. . _curnelius agrippa_, his fourth book of occult philosophy, or geomancy: magical elements o _peter de abona_, the nature of spirits: made english by _r turner_. . _paracelsus_ occult philosophy, of the misteries of nature, and his secret alchimy. . an astrological discourse with mathematical demonstrations; proving the influence of the planets and fixed stars upon elementary bodies: by sir _chr. heydon_ knight. . _merlinus anglicus junior_; the english merlin revived: or a prediction upon the affairs of christendome, for the year , by _w. lilly_. . englands prophetical merlin; foretelling to all nations of _europe_, till _ _. the actions depending upon the influences of the conjunction of _saturn_ and _jupiter_ . by _w. lilly_. . the starry messenger: or an interpretation of that strange apparition of three suns seen in _london_, the of _november_ , being the birthday of king _charles_: by _w. lilly_. . the worlds catastrophe: or _europes_ many mutations, untill , by _w. lilly_. . an astrological prediction of the occurrences in _england_; part of the years , , . by _w. lilly_. . monarchy or no monarchy in _england_: the prophesie of the white king, _grebner_ his prophesie, concerning _charles_, son of _charles_, his greatness; illustrated with several hieroglyphicks: by _w. lilly_. . _annus tenebrosus_, or the dark year, or astrological judgements upon two lunary eclipses, and one admirable eclipse of the sun in _england_ . by _w. lilly_. . an easie and familiar method, whereby to judge the effects depending on eclipses: by _w. lilly_. . supernatural sights and apparitions seen in _london, june _ . by _w. lilly_: as also all his works in a volumn. . _catastrophe magnatum_: an ephemerides for the year . by _n. culpeper_. . _teratologia_; or, a discovery of gods wonders, manifested by bloody raine and waters, by _i.s._ . chyromancy; or the art of divining by the lines egraven in the hand of man, by dame nature in . genitures; with a learned discourse of the soul of the world; by _g. wharton_ esq. . the admired piece of physiognomy, and chyromancy, metoposcopy, and simmetricall proportions, and signal moles of the body, and interpretation of dreams: to which is added the art of memory, illustrated with figures: by _r. sanders_, in _folio_. . the no less exquisite then admirable work, _the atrum chemicum britannicum_; containing several poetical pieces of our famous english philosophers, who have written the hermitique mysteries in their own antient language; faithfully collected into one volumn, with annotations thereon: by the indefatigable industry of _elias ashmole_ esq; illustrated with figures. _excellent treatises in the mathematicks, geometry of arithmetick, surveying, and other arts or mechannicks._ . the incomparable treatise of _tactometria, sev. tetagmenometria_; or, the geometry of regulars, practically proposed, after a new and most expeditious manner, (together with the natural or vulgar, by way of mensural comparison) and in the solids, not only in respect of magnitude or demension, but also of gravity or ponderosity, according to any metall assigned: together with useful experiments of measures & weights, observations on gauging, useful for those are practised in the art metricald: by _t. wibard_. . _tectonicon_, shewing the exact measuring of all manner of land, squares, timber stone, steeples, pillars, globes; as also the making and use of the carpenters rule &c. fit to be known by all surveyors, land-meters, joyners, carpenters, and masons: by _l. digges_. . the unparalleld work for ease & expedition, instituted, the exact surveyor: or, the whole art of surveying of land, shewing how to plot all manner of grounds, whether small inclosures, champain, plain, wood-lands, or mountains, by the plain table; as also how to finde the area, or content of any land, to protect, reduce or divide the same; as also to take the plot or cart, to make a map of any manner, whether according to _rathburne_, or any other eminent surveyors method: a booke excellently useful for those that sell, purchase, or are otherwise employed about buildings; by _j. eyre_. . _moor's_ arithmetick: discovering the secrets of that art, in number and species; in two books, the first teaching by precept and example, the operations in numbers, whole and broken. the rules of practice, interest, and performed in the more facil manner by decimals, then hitherto hath been published; the excellency and new practice and use of logarithmes, _nepayres bones_. the second the great rule of _algebra_, in species, resolving all arithmetical questions by supposition. . the golden treatise of arithmetick, natural and artificial, or decimals; the theory & practice united in a simpathetical proportion, betwixt lines and numbers, in their quantities and qualities, as in respect of form, figure, magnitude and affection; demonstrated by geometry, illustrated by calculations, and confirmed with variety of examples in every species; made compendious and easie for merchants, citizens, sea-men, accomptants, &c. by _th. wilsford_ corrector of the last edition of record. . semigraphy, or the art of short-writing, as it hath been proved by many hundreds in the city of _london_, and other places, by them practised, and acknowledged to be the easiest, exactest, and swiftest method; the meanest capacity by the help of this book, with a few hours practice, may attaine to a perfection in this art: by _jer. rich_ author and teacher thereof, dwelling in _swithings lane_ in _london_. . milk for children; a plain and easie method teaching to read and write, usefull for schools and families, by _l. thomas_, d.d. . the painting of the ancients; the history of the beginning, progress, and consummating of the practice of that noble art of painting; by _f. junius_ _excellent and approved treatises in physick, chyrurgery, & other more familiar experiments in cookery, preserving, &c._ . _culpeper's semiatica uranica_, his astrological judgement of diseases from the decumbiture of the sick, much enlarged: the way and manner of finding out the cause, change, and end of the disease; also whether the sick be likely to live or dye, & the time when recovery or death is to be expected, according to the judgement of _hipocrates_, and _hermes trismegistus_; to which is added mr. _culpeper_'s censure of urines. . _culpeper_'s last legacy, left to his wife for the publick good, being the choicest and most profitable of those secrets in physick and chyrurgery; which whilst he lived, were lockt up in his breast, and resolved never to be published till after his death. . the yorkshire spaw; or the virtue and use of that water in curing of desperate diseases, with directions and rules necessary to be considered by all that repair thither. . most approved medicines and remedies for the diseeses in the body of man: by _a. read_ dr. in physick. . the art of simpling: an introduction to the knowledg of gathering of plants, wherein, the definitions, divisions, places, descriptions, differences, names, virtues, times of gathering, uses, tempratures of them are compendiously discoursed of: also a discovery of the lesser world, by _w. coles_. . _adam_ in eden, or natures paradise: the history of plants, herbs and flowers, with their several original names, the places where they grow, their descriptions and kindes, their times of flourishing and decreasing; as also their several signatures, anatomical appropriations, and particular physical virtues; with necessary observations on the seasons of planting and gathering of our english plants. a work admirably useful for apothecaries, chyrurgeons, and other ingenuous persons, who may in this herbal finde comprised all the english physical simples, that _gerard_ or _parkinson_, in their two voluminous herbals have discoursed of, even so as to be on emergent occasions their own physitians, the ingredients being to be be had in their own fields & gardens, published for the general good by _w. coles_ m.d. . the compleat midwive's practice, in the high & weighty concernments of the body of mankinde: or perfect rules derived from the experiences and writings, not onely of our english, but the most accomplisht and absolute practices of the french, spanish, italians, and other nations; so fitted for the weakest capacities, that they may in a short time attain to the knowledge of the whole art; by _dr._ t.c. with the advice of others, illustrated with copper figures. . the queens closet opened: incomparable secrets in physick, chyrurgery, preserving, candying, and cookery; as they were presented to the queen by the most experienced persons of our times; many whereof were honour'd with her own practice. _elegant treatises in humanity, history, romances, & poetry_. , times treasury, or academy, for the accomplishment of the english gentry in arguments of discourse, habit, fashion, behaviour, &c. all summed up in characters of honour: by _r. brathwait_, esq. . _oedipus_, or the resolver of the secrets of love, and other natural problemes, by way of question and answer. . the admirable and most impartial history of _new england_, of the first plantation there, in the year . brought down to these times; all the material passages performed there, exactly related. . the tears of the indians: the history of the bloody and most cruel proceedings of the spaniards in the islands of _hispaniola, cuba, jamaica, mexico, peru_, and other places of the west indies; in which to the life, are discovered the tyrannies of the spaniards, as also the justnesse of our war so successfully managed against them. . the illustrious sheperdess. the imperious brother: written originally in spanish by that incomparable wit, _don john perez de montalban_; translated at the request of the marchioness of _dorchester_, and the countess of _strafford_: by _e.p._ . the history of the golden ass, as also the loves of cupid and his mistress _psiche_: by _l. apulcius_ translated into english. . the unfortunate mother: a tragedy by _t.n._ . the rebellion, a comedy by _t. rawlins_. . the tragedy of _messalina_ the insatiate roman empress: by _n. richards_. . the floating island: a trage-comedy, acted before the king, by the students of christs-church in _oxon_; by that renowned wit, _w. strode_ the songs were set by mr. _henry lawes_. . _harvey's_ divine poems: the history of _balaam_, of _jonah_, and of st. _john_ the evangelist. . _fons lachrymarum_, or a fountain of tears; the lamentations of the prophet _jeremiah_ in verse, with an elegy on sir _charles lucas_; by _i. quarles_. . nocturnal lucubrations, with other witty epigrams and epitaphs; by _r. chamberlain_. . the admirable ingenuous satyr against hypocrites. _poetical, with several other accurately ingenious treatises, lately printed._ . wits interpreter, the english parnassus: or a sure guide to those admirable accomplishments that compleat the english gentry, in the most acceptable qualifications of discourse or writing. an art of logick, accurate complements, fancies, and experiments, poems, poetical fictions, and _all-a-mode_ letters by j.c. . wit and drollery; with other jovial poems: by sir _i.m.m.l.m.s.w.d._ . sportive wit, the muses merriment; a new sprint of drollery; jovial fancies, &c. . the conveyancer of light, or the compleat clerk, & scriviners guide; being an exact draught of all presidents and assurances now in use; as they were penned, and perfected by diverse learned judges, eminent lawyers, & great conveyancers, both ancient and modern: whereunto is added a concordance from _k. rich _. to this present. . _themis aurea_, the daws of the fraternity of the rosie cross; in which the occult secrets of their philosophical notions are brought to light: written by _count mayerus_, and now englisht by _t.h._ . the iron rod put into the lord protectors hand; a phrophetical treatise. . _medicina magica tamen physica_; magical but natural physick: containing the general cures of infirmities and diseases belonging to the bodies of men, as also to other animals and domistick creatures, by way of transplantation: with a description of the most excellent cordial out of gold; by _sam. boulton of salop_. . _i. tradiscan's_ rareties, published by himself. . the proceedings of the high court of justice against the late king charles, with his speech upon the scaffold, and other proceedings, _jan._ , . . the perfect cook; a right method in the art of cookery, whether for pastery, or all other manner af _all-a-mode_ kick shaws; with the most refined ways of dressing of flesh, fowl, or fish; making of the most poinant sawces, whether after the french or english manner, together with fifty five ways of dressing of eggs; by _m. m._ _admirable usefull treatises newly printed._ . the expert doctors dispensatory: the whole art of phisick restored to practise: the apothecaries shop, and chyrurgeons closet opened; with a survey, as also a correction of most dispensatories now extant, with a judicious cencure of their defects; & a supply of what they are deficient in: together with a learned account of the virtues and quantities, and uses of simples, and compounds; with the symptoms of diseases; as also prescriptions for their several cures: by that renowned _p. morellus_ physician to the king of _france_; a work for the order, usefulness, and plainness of the method, not to be parallel'd by any dispensatory, in what language soever. . cabinet of jewels, mans misery, gods mercy, christs treasury, &c. in eight sermons; with an appendix of the nature of tithes under the gospel; with an expediency of marriage in publique assemblies, by _i. crag_ minister of the gospel. . natures secrets; or the admirable and wonderful history of the generation of meteors; discribing the temperatures of the elements, the heights, magnitudes, and influences of stars; the causes of comets, earthquakes, deluges, epidemical diseases and prodigies of precedent times, with presages of the weather, and descriptions of the weather-glass: by _t. wilsford_. . the mysteries of love and eloquence; or the arts of wooing and complementing; as they are managed in the _spring garden, hide-park, the new exchange_, and other eminent places. a work in which are drawn to the life and deportments of the most accomplisht persons; the mode of their courtly entertainments, treatment of their ladies at balls, their accustomed sports, drolls & fancies; the witchcrafts of their perswasive language, in their approaches, or other more secret dispatches, _&c_. by _e.p._ . _helmont_ disguised; or the vulgar errors of imperical and unskilful practicers of physick confuted; more especially as they concern the cures of feavers, the stone, the plague, and some other diseases by way of dialogue; in which the chief rarities of physick are admirably discoursed by _i.t_. _books in the press, and ready for printing_. . the scales of commerce and trade: by _t. wilsford_. . geometry demonstrated by lines & numbers; from thence, astronomy, cosmgraphy, and navigation proved and delineated by the doctrine of plane and spherical trangles: by _t. wilsford_. . the english annals, from the invasion made by julius cesar to these times: by _t. wilsford_. . the fool tranformed: a comedy. . the history of _lewis_ the eleventh king of _france_: a trage-comedy. . the chast woman against her will: a comedy. . the tooth-drawer: a comedy. . honour in the end: a comedy. . the tell tale: a comedy . the history of _donquixiot_, or the knight of the illfavour'd face: a comedy. . the fair spanish captive: a trage-comedy. . sir _kenelm digby_ & other persons of honour, their rare and incomparable secrets of physick, chyrurgery, cookery, preserving, conserving, candying, distilling of waters, extraction of oyls, compounding of the costliest perfumes, with other admirable inventions, and select experiments, as they offered themselves to their observations, whether here or in forrein countreys. . the so much desired & deeply learned commentary on _psalme_ . by that reverend and eminent divine mr. _christopher carthwright_ minister of the gospel in _york_. . the soul's cordial in two treatises, the first teaching how to be eased of the guilt of sin, the second, discovering advantages by christs ascention: by that faithful labourer in the lord's vineyard mr. _christopher love_, late parson of _laurance jury_: the third volumn. . jacobs seed, the excellency of seeking god by prayer, by the late reverend divine _i. burroughs_. . the saints tombe-stone: or the remains of the blessed: a plain narrative of some remarkable passages, in the holy life, & happy death, of mrs. _dorothy shaw_, wife of mr. _john shaw_ preacher of the gospel at _kingston_ on _hull_ collected by her dearest friends especially for her sorrowful husband and six daughters consolation and invitation. . the accomplisht cook, the mistery of the whole art of cookery, revealed in a more easie and perfect method then hath been publisht in any language: expert and ready wayes for the dressing of flesh, fowl and fish, the raising of pastes, the best directions for all manner of kickshaws and the most poinant sauces, with the termes of carveing and sewing: the bills of fare, an exact account of all dishes for the season, with other all-a-mode curiosities, together with the lively illustrations of such necessary figures, as are referred to practise: approoved by the many years experience and carefull industry of _robert may_, in the time of his attendance on several persons of honor. . the exquisite letters of mr. _robert loveday_, the late admired translater of the volumes of the famed romance cleopatra, for the perpetrating of his memory, publisht by his dear brother mr. _a.l._ . the new world of english words, or a general dictionary containing the termes, dignities, definitions, and perfect interpretations of the proper significations of hard english words throughout the arts and sciences, liberal or mechannick, as also all other subjects that are useful or appertain to the language of our nation, by _i.t._ & others in _folio_. _finis._ the elegant art of dining bohemian san francisco its restaurants and their most famous recipes-- the elegant art of dining by clarence e. edwords dedication to whom shall i dedicate this book? to some good friend? to some pleasant companion? to none of these, for from them came not the inspiration. to whom, then? to the best of all bohemian comrades, my wife. foreword no apologies are offered for this book. in fact, we rather like it. many years have been spent in gathering this information, and naught is written in malice, nor through favoritism, our expressions of opinion being unbiased by favor or compensation. we have made our own investigation and given our own ideas. that our opinion does not coincide with that of others does not concern us in the least, for we are pleased only with that which pleases us, and not that with which others say we ought to be pleased. if this sound egotistical we are sorry, for it is not meant in that way. we believe that each and every individual should judge for him or herself, considering ourselves fortunate that our ideas and tastes are held in common. san franciscans, both residential and transient, are a pleasure-loving people, and dining out is a distinctive feature of their pleasure. with hundreds of restaurants to select from, each specializing on some particular dish, or some peculiar mode of preparation, one often becomes bewildered and turns to familiar names on the menu card rather than venture into fields that are new, of strange and rare dishes whose unpronounceable names of themselves frequently are sufficient to discourage those unaccustomed to the art and science of cooking practiced by those whose lives have been spent devising means of tickling fastidious palates of a city of gourmets. in order that those who come within our gates, and many others who have resided here in blindness for years, may know where to go and what to eat, and that they may carry away with them a knowledge of how to prepare some of the dishes pleasing to the taste and nourishing to the body, that have spread san francisco's fame over the world, we have decided to set down the result of our experience and study of our bohemian population and their ways, and also tell where to find and how to order the best special dishes. over north beach way we asked the chef of a little restaurant how he cooked crab. he replied: "the right way." one often wonders how certain dishes are cooked and we shall tell you "the right way." it is hoped that when you read what is herein written some of our pleasure may be imparted to you, and with this hope the story of san francisco's bohemianism is presented. clarence e. edwords. san francisco, california, september , . our toast not to the future, nor to the past; no drink of joy or sorrow; we drink alone to what will last; memories on the morrow. let us live as old time passes; to the present let bohemia bow. let us raise on high our glasses to eternity--the ever-living now. contents foreword the good gray city the land of bohemia as it was in the beginning when the gringo came early italian impression birth of the french restaurant at the cliff house some italian restaurants impress of mexico on the barbary coast the city that was passes sang the swan song bohemia of the present as it is in germany in the heart of italy a breath of the orient artistic japan old and new palace at the hotel st. francis amid the bright lights around little italy where fish come in fish in their variety lobsters and lobsters king of shell fish lobster in miniature clams and abalone's where fish abound some food variants about dining something about cooking told in a whisper out of nothing paste makes waist tips and tipping the mythical land appendix (how to serve wines, recipes) index bohemian san francisco "the best of all ways to lengthen our days is to steal a few hours from the night, my dear." the good gray city san francisco! san francisco! is there a land where the magic of that name has not been felt? bohemian san francisco! pleasure-loving san francisco! care-free san francisco! yet withal the city where liberty never means license and where bohemianism is not synonymous with boorishness. it was in paris that a world traveler said to us: "san francisco! that wonderful city where you get the best there is to eat, served in a manner that enhances its flavor and establishes it forever in your memory." were one to write of san francisco and omit mention of its gustatory delights the whole world would protest, for in san francisco eating is an art and cooking a science, and he who knows not what san francisco provides knows neither art nor science. here have congregated the world's greatest chefs, and when one exclaims in ecstasy over a wonderful flavor found in some dingy restaurant, let him not be surprised if he learn that the chef who concocted the dish boasts royal decoration for tickling the palate of some epicurean ruler of foreign land. and why should san francisco have achieved this distinction in the minds of the gourmets? do not other cities have equally as good chefs, and do not the people of other cities have equally as fine gastronomic taste? they have all this but with them is lacking "atmosphere." where do we find such romanticism as in san francisco? where do we find so many strange characters and happenings? all lending almost mystic charm to the environment surrounding queer little restaurants, where rare dishes are served, and where one feels that he is in foreign land, even though he be in the center of a high representative american city. san francisco's cosmopolitanism is peculiar to itself. here are represented the nations of earth in such distinctive colonies that one might well imagine himself possessed of the magic carpet told of in arabian nights tales, as he is transported in the twinkling of an eye from country to country. it is but a step across a street from america into japan, then another step into china. cross another street and you are in mexico, close neighbor to france. around the corner lies italy, and from italy you pass to lombardy, and on to greece. so it goes until one feels that he has been around the world in an afternoon. but the stepping across the street and one passes from one land to the other, finding all the peculiar characteristics of the various countries as indelibly fixed as if they were thousands of miles away. speech, manners, customs, costumes and religions change with startling rapidity, and as you enter into the life of the nation you find that each has brought the best of its gastronomy for your delectation. san francisco has called to the world for its best, and the response has been so prompt that no country has failed to send its tribute and give the best thought of those who cater to the men and women who know. this aggregation of cuisinaire, gathered where is to be found a most wonderful variety of food products in highest state of excellence, has made san francisco the mecca for lovers of gustatory delights, and this is why the name of san francisco is known wherever men and women sit at table. it has taken us years of patient research to learn how these chefs prepare their combinations of fish, flesh, fowl, and herbs, in order that we might put them down, giving recipes of dishes whose memories linger in the minds of world wanderers, and to which their thoughts revert with a sigh as they partake of unsatisfactory viands in other countries and other cosmopolitan cities. those to whom only the surface of things is visible are prone to express wonder at the love and enthusiasm of the san franciscan for his home city. the casual visitor cannot understand the enchantment, the mystery, the witchery that holds one; they do not know that we steal the hours from the night to lengthen our days because the gray, whispering wraiths of fog hold for us the very breath of life; they do not know that the call of the wind, and of the sea, and of the air, is the inspiration that makes san francisco the pleasure-ground of the world. it is this that makes san francisco the home of bohemia, and whether it be in the early morning hours as one rises to greet the first gray streaks of dawn, or as the sun drops through the golden gate to its ocean bed, so slowly that it seems loth to leave; whether it be in the broad glare of noon-day sun, or under the dazzling blaze of midnight lights, san francisco ever holds out her arms, wide in welcome, to those who see more in life than the dull routine of working each day in order that they may gain sufficient to enable them to work again on the morrow. the land of bohemia bohemia! what vulgarities are perpetrated in thy name! how abused is the word! because of a misconception of an idea it has suffered more than any other in the english language. it has done duty in describing almost every form of license and licentiousness. it has been the cloak of debauchery and the excuse for sex degradation. it has been so misused as to bring the very word into disrepute. to us bohemianism means the naturalism of refined people. that it may be protected from vulgarians society prescribes conventional rules and regulations, which, like morals, change with environment. bohemianism is the protest of naturalism against the too rigid, and, oft-times, absurd restrictions established by society. the bohemian requires no prescribed rules, for his or her innate gentility prevents those things society guards against. in bohemia men and women mingle in good fellowship and camaraderie without finding the sex question a necessary topic of conversation. they do not find it necessary to push exhilaration to intoxication; to increase their animation to boisterousness. their lack of conventionality does not tend to boorishness. some of the most enjoyable bohemian affairs we know of have been full dress gatherings, carefully planned and delightfully carried out; others have been impromptu, neither the hour, the place, nor the dress being taken into consideration. the unrefined get everywhere, even into the drawing rooms of royalty, consequently we must expect to meet them in bohemia. but the true bohemian has a way of forgetting to meet obnoxious personages and, as a rule, is more choice in the selection of associates than the vaunted " ." with the bohemian but one thing counts: fitness. money, position, personal appearance and even brains are of no avail if there be the bar sinister--unfit. in a restaurant, one evening, a number of men and women were seated conspicuously at a table in the center of the room. flowing neckties such as are affected by parisian art students were worn by the men; all were coarse, loud and much in evidence. they not only attracted attention by their loudness and outre actions, but they called notice by pelting other diners with missiles of bread. to us they were the last word in vulgarity, but to a young woman who had come to the place because she had heard it was "so bohemian" they were ideal, and she remarked to her companion: "i do so love to associate with real bohemians like these. can't we get acquainted with them?" "sure," was the response. "all we have to do is to buy them a drink." in san francisco there are bohemians and near-bohemians, and if you are like the young woman mentioned you are apt to miss the real and take the imitation for the genuine article. we mean no derogation of san francisco's restaurants when we say that san francisco's highest form of bohemianism is rarely in evidence in restaurants. we have enjoyed wonderful bohemian dinners in restaurants, but the other diners were not aware of it. some far more interesting gatherings have been in the rooms of bohemian friends. not always is it the artistic combination of famous chef that brings greatest delight, for we have as frequently had pleasure over a supper of some simple dish in the attic room of a good friend. this brings us to the crux of bohemianism. it depends so little on environment that it means nothing, and so much on companionship that it means all. to achieve a comprehensive idea of san francisco's bohemianism let us divide its history into five eras. first we have the old spanish days--the days "before the gringo came." then reigned conviviality held within most discreet bounds of convention, and it would be a misnomer, indeed, to call the pre-pioneer days of san francisco "bohemian" in any sense of the word. courtesy unfailing, good-fellowship always in tune, and lavish hospitality, marked the days of the dons--those wonderfully considerate hosts who always placed a pile of gold and silver coins on the table of the guest chamber, in order that none might go away in need. their feasts were events of careful consideration and long preparation, and those whose memories carry them back to the early days, recall bounteous loading of tables when festal occasion called for display. lips linger lovingly over such names as the vallejos, the picos, and those other spanish families who spread their hospitality with such wondrous prodigality that their open welcome became a by-word in all parts of the west. but it was not in the grand fiestas that the finest and most palatable dishes were to be found. in the family of each of these spanish grandees were culinary secrets known to none except the "senora de la casa," and transmitted by her to her sons and daughters. we have considered ourselves fortunate in being taken into the confidence of one of the descendants of senora benicia vallejo, and honored with some of her prize recipes, which find place in this book, not as the famous recipe of some bohemian restaurants but as the tribute to the spirit of the land that made those bohemian restaurants possible. of these there is no more tasty and satisfying dish than spanish eggs, prepared as follows: spanish eggs empty a can of tomatoes in a frying pan; thicken with bread and add two or three small green peppers and an onion sliced fine. add a little butter and salt to taste. let this simmer gently and then carefully break on top the number of eggs desired. dip the simmering tomato mixture over the eggs until they are cooked. another favorite recipe of mrs. vallejo was spanish beefsteak prepared as follows: spanish beefsteak cut the steak into pieces the size desired for serving. place these pieces on a meat board and sprinkle liberally with flour. with a wooden corrugated mallet beat the flour into the steak. fry the steak in a pan with olive oil. in another frying pan, at the same time, fry three good-sized onions and three green peppers. when the steak is cooked sufficiently put it to one side of the pan and let the oil run to the other side. on the oil pour sufficient water to cover the meat and add the onions and peppers, letting all simmer for a few minutes. serve on hot platter. spanish mode of cooking rice is savory and most palatable, and mrs. vallejo's recipe for this is as follows: spanish rice slice together three good-sized onions and three small green peppers. fry them in olive oil. take one-half cup of rice and boil it until nearly done, then drain it well and add it to the frying onions and peppers. fry all together until thoroughly brown, which will take some time. season with salt and serve. these three recipes are given because they are simple and easily prepared. many complex recipes could be given, and some of these will appear in the part of the book devoted to recipes, but when one considers the simplicity of the recipes mentioned, it can readily be seen that it takes little preparation to get something out of the ordinary. when the gringo came to its pioneer days much of san francisco's bohemian spirit is due. when the cry of "gold" rang around the world adventurous wanderers of all lands answered the call, and during the year following marshall's discovery two thousand ships sailed into san francisco bay, many to be abandoned on the beach by the gold-mad throng, and it was in some of these deserted sailing vessels that san francisco's restaurant life had its inception. with the immediately succeeding years the horde of gold hunters was augmented by those who brought necessities and luxuries to exchange for the yellow metal given up by the streams flowing from the mother lode. with them also came cooks to prepare delectable dishes for those who had passed the flap-jack stage, and desired the good things of life to repay them for the hardships, privations and dearth of woman's companionship. as the male human was largely dominant in numbers it was but natural that they should gather together for companionship, and here began the bohemian spirit that has marked the city for its own to the present day. these men were all individualists, and their individualism has been transmitted to their offspring together with independence of action. hence comes the bohemianism born of individuality and independence. it was only natural that the early san franciscans should foregather where good cheer was to be found, and the old el dorado house, at portsmouth square, was really what may be called the first bohemian restaurant of the city. so well was this place patronized and so exorbitant the prices charged that twenty-five thousand dollars a month was not considered an impossible rental. next in importance was the most fashionable restaurant of early days, the iron house. it was built of heavy sheet iron that had been brought around the horn in a sailing vessel, and catered well, becoming for several years the most famed restaurant of the city. here, in montgomery street, between jackson and pacific, was the rendezvous of pioneers, and here the society of california pioneers had its inception, receiving impressions felt to the present day in san francisco and california history. here, also, was first served chicken in the shell, the dish from which so many later restaurants gained fame. the recipe for this as prepared by the iron house is still extant, and we are indebted to a lady, who was a little girl when that restaurant was waning, whose mother secured the recipe. it was prepared as follows: chicken in a shell into a kettle containing a quart of water put a young chicken, one sliced onion, a bay leaf, two cloves, a blade of mace and six pepper-corns. simmer in the covered kettle for one hour and set aside to cool. when cool remove the meat from the bones, rejecting the skin. cut the meat into small dice. mix in a saucepan, over a fire without browning, a tablespoonful of butter, a tablespoonful of flour, then add half a pint of cream. stir this constantly until it boils, then add a truffle, two dozen mushrooms chopped fine, a dash of white pepper and then the dice of chicken. let the whole stand in a bain marie, or chafing dish, until quite hot. add the yolks of two eggs and let cook two minutes. stir in half a glass of sherry and serve in cockle shells. early italian impression almost coincident with the opening of the iron house an italian named bazzuro took possession of one of the stranded sailing vessels encumbering the bay, and anchored it out in the water at the point where davis and pacific streets now intersect. he opened a restaurant which immediately attracted attention and gained good reputation for its service and its cooking. later, when the land was filled in, bazzuro built a house at almost the same spot and opened his restaurant there, continuing it up to the time of the great fire in . after the fire one of the earliest restaurants to be established in that part of the city was bazzuro's, at the same corner, and it is still run by the family, who took charge after the death of the original proprietor. here one can get the finest italian peasant meal in the city, and many of the italian merchants and bankers still go there for their luncheons every day, preferring it to the more pretentious establishments. the french peasant style came a little later, beginning in a little dining room opened in washington street, just above kearny, by a french woman whose name was a carefully guarded secret. she was known far and wide as "ma tanta" (my aunt). her cooking was considered the best of all in the city, and her patrons sat at a long common table, neat and clean to the last degree. peasant style of serving was followed. first appeared ma tanta with a great bowl of salad which she passed around, each patron helping himself. this was followed by an immense tureen of soup, held aloft in the hands of ma tanta, and again each was his own waiter. fish, entree, roast, and dessert, were served in the same manner, and with the black coffee ma tanta changed from servitor to hostess and sat with her guests and discussed the topics of the day on equal terms. in california street, just below dupont, the california house boasted a great chef in the person of john somali, who in later years opened the maison riche, a famous restaurant that went out of existence in the fire of . gourmets soon discovered that the california house offered something unusual and it became a famed resort. somali's specialties were roast turkey, chateaubriand steak and coffee frappe. it is said of his turkeys that their flavor was of such excellence that one of the gourmands of that day, michael reece, would always order two when he gave a dinner--one for his guests and one for himself. it is also said that our well-beloved bohemian, rafael weill, still holds memories of the old california house, of which he was an habitue, and from whose excellent chef he learned to appreciate the art and science of cooking as evidenced by the breakfasts and dinners with which he regales his guests at the present day. but many of the hardy pioneers were of english and american stock and preferred the plainer foods of their old homes to the highly seasoned dishes of the latin chefs, and to cater to this growing demand the nevada was opened in pine street between montgomery and kearny. this place became noted for its roast beef and also for its corned beef and cabbage, which was said to be of most excellent flavor. most famous of all the old oyster houses was mannings, at the corner of pine and webb streets. he specialized in oysters and many of his dishes have survived to the present day. it is said that the style now called "oysters kirkpatrick," is but a variant of manning's "oyster salt roast." at the corner of california and sansome streets, where now stands the bank of california, was the tehama house, one of the most famous of the city's early hostelries, whose restaurant was famed for its excellence. the tehama house was the rendezvous of army and navy officers and high state officials. lieutenant john derby, of the united states army, one of the most widely known western authors of that day, made it his headquarters. derby wrote under the names of "john phoenix," and "squibob." perini's, in post street between grant avenue and stockton, specialized in pastes and veal risotto, and was much patronized by uptown men. the original marchand began business in a little room in dupont street, between jackson and washington, which district at that time had not been given over to the chinese, and he cooked over a charcoal brazier, in his window, in view of passing people who were attracted by the novelty and retained by the good cooking. with the extension of his fame he found his room too small and he rented a cottage at bush and dupont street, but his business grew so rapidly that he was compelled to move to more commodious quarters at post and dupont and later to a much larger place at geary and stockton, where he enjoyed good patronage until the fire destroyed his place. there is now a restaurant in geary street near mason which has on its windows in very small letters "michael, formerly of," and then in bold lettering, "marchands." but michael has neither the art nor the viands that made marchands famous, and he is content to say that his most famous dish is tripe--just plain, plebeian tripe. christian good, at washington and kearny, big john, at merchant street between montgomery and sansome, marshall's chop house, in the old center market, and johnson's oyster house, in a basement at clay and leidesdorff streets, were all noted places and much patronized, the latter laying the foundation of one of san francisco's "first families." martin's was much patronized by the old comstock crowd, and this was the favorite dining place of the late william c. ralston. one of the most famous restaurants of the early ' s was the mint, in commercial street, between montgomery and kearny, where the present restaurant of the same name is located. it was noted for its southern cooking and was the favorite resort of w. w. foote and other prominent southerners. the kitchen was presided over by old billy jackson, an old-time southern darkey, who made a specialty of fried chicken, cream gravy, and corn fritters. birth of the french restaurant french impression came strongly about this time, and the poodle dog, of paris, had its prototype at bush and dupont streets. this was one of the earliest of the type known as "french restaurants," and numerous convivial parties of men and women found its private rooms convenient for rendezvous. old pierre of later days, who was found dead out on the colma road some two years after the fire of , was a waiter at the poodle dog when it started, and by saving his tips and making good investments he was able to open a similar restaurant at stockton and market, which he called the pup. the pup was famous for its frogs' legs a la poulette. in this venture pierre had a partner, to whom he sold out a few years later and then he opened the tortoni in o'farrell street, which became one of the most famous of the pre-fire restaurants, its table d'hote dinners being considered the best in the city. when claus spreckels built the tall spreckels building pierre and his partner opened the call restaurant in the top stories. with the fire both of the restaurants went out of existence, and the old proprietor of the poodle dog having died, pierre and a partner named pon bought the place, and for a year or so after the fire it was one of the best french restaurants in the city. after pierre's untimely death the restaurant was merged with bergez and frank's, and is now in bush street above kearny. much romance attached to pierre, it being generally believed that he belonged to a wealthy french family, because of his education, his unfailing courtesy, his ready wit and his gentility. pierre specialized in fish cooked with wine, and as a favor to his patrons he would go to the kitchen and prepare the dish with his own hands. in o'farrell street the delmonico was one of the most famous of the french restaurants until the fire. it was several stories high, and each story contained private rooms. carriages drove directly into the building from the street and the occupants went by elevator to soundproof rooms above, where they were served by discreet waiters. the poodle dog, the pup, delmonico's, jacques, frank's, the mint, bergez, felix and campi's are the connecting links between the fire and the pioneer days. some of them still carry the names and memories of the old days. all were noted for their good dinners and remarkably low prices. shortly after the fire blanco, formerly connected with the old poodle dog, opened a place in o'farrell street, between hyde and larkin, calling it "blanco's." during the reconstruction period this was by far the best restaurant in the city, and it is still one of the noted places. later blanco opened a fine restaurant in mason street, between turk and eddy, reviving the old name of the poodle dog, and here all the old traditions have been revived. both of these savor of the old type of french restaurants, catering to a class of quiet spenders who carefully guard their indiscretions. in the early ' s and ' s the most noted places were not considered respectable enough for ladies, and at restaurants like the three trees, in dupont just above bush street, ladies went into little private rooms through an alley. peter job saw his opportunity and opened a restaurant where special attention was paid to lady patrons, and shortly after the new york restaurant, in kearny street, did the same. merging the post-pioneer, era with the pre-fire era came the maison doree, which became famous in many ways. it was noted for oysters a la poulette, prepared after the following recipe: oysters a la poulette one-half cup butter, three tablespoons flour, yolks of three eggs. one pint chicken stock (or veal), one tablespoonful lemon juice, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, one level teaspoon salt. beat the butter and flour together until smooth and white. then add salt, pepper and lemon juice. gradually pour boiling stock on this mixture and simmer for ten minutes. beat the yolks of eggs in a saucepan, gradually pouring the cooked sauce upon them. pour into a double boiler containing boiling water in lower part of utensil. stir the mixture for one and one-half minutes. into this put two dozen large oysters and let cook until edges curl up and serve hot. captain cropper, an old marylander, had a restaurant that was much patronized by good livers, and in addition to the usual southern dishes he specialized on terrapin a la maryland, sending back to his native state for the famous diamond-back terrapin. his recipe for this was as follows: terrapin a la maryland cut a terrapin in small pieces, about one inch long, after boiling it. put the pieces in a saute pan with two ounces of sweet butter, salt, pepper, a very little celery salt, a pinch of paprika. simmer for a few minutes and then add one glass of sherry wine, which reduce to half by boiling. then add one cup of cream, bring to a boil and thicken with two yolks of eggs mixed with a half cup of cream. let it come to a near boil and add half a glass of dry sherry and serve. you may thicken the terrapin with the following mixture: two raw yolks of eggs, two boiled yolks of eggs, one ounce of butter, one ounce corn starch. rub together and pass through a fine sieve. uncle tom's cabin, tony oakes, the hermitage, and cornelius stagg's were noted road-houses where fine meals were served, but these are scarcely to be considered as san francisco bohemian restaurants. the reception, on the corner of sutter and webb streets, which continued up to the time of the fire, was noted for its terrapin specialties, but it was rather malodorous and ladies who patronized it usually went in through the webb street entrance to keep from being seen. the old baldwin hotel, which stood where the flood building now stands, at the corner of market and powell and which was destroyed by fire some fourteen years ago, was the favorite resort of many of the noted men of the west, and the grill had the distinction of being the best in san francisco at that time. the grill of the old palace hotel was also of highest order, and this was especially true of the ladies' grill which was then, as now, noted for its artistic preparation of a wondrous variety of good things. probably the most unique place of the pioneer and post-pioneer eras was the cobweb palace, at meiggs's wharf, run by queer old abe warner. it was a little ramshackle building extending back through two or three rooms filled with all manner of old curios such as comes from sailing vessels that go to different parts of the world. these curios were piled indiscriminately everywhere, and there were boxes and barrels piled with no regard whatever for regularity. this heterogeneous conglomeration was covered with years of dust and cobwebs, hence the name. around and over these played bears, monkeys, parrots, cats, and dogs, and whatever sort of bird or animal that could be accommodated until it had the appearance of a small menagerie. warner served crab in various ways and clams. in the rear room, which was reached by a devious path through the debris, he had a bar where he served the finest of imported liquors, french brandy, spanish wines, english ale, all in the original wood. he served no ordinary liquor of any sort, saying that if anybody wanted whiskey they could get it at any saloon. he catered to a class of men who knew good liquors, and his place was a great resort for children, of whom he was fond and who went there to see the animals. the frontispiece of this book is from one of the few existing (if not the only one) photographs of the place. equally unique, yet of higher standard, was the palace of art, run by the hackett brothers, in post street near market. here were some of the finest paintings and marble carvings to be found in the city, together with beautiful hammered silver plaques and cups. curios of all sorts were displayed on the walls, and among them were many queer wood growths showing odd shapes as well as odd colorings. a large and ornate bar extended along one side of the immense room and tables were placed about the room and in a balcony that ran along one side. here meals were served to both men and women, the latter being attracted by the artistic display and unique character of the place. this was destroyed by the fire and all the works of art lost. at the cliff house three times destroyed by fire, and three times rebuilt, the cliff house stands on a rocky promontory overlooking the sundown sea, where san francisco's beach is laved by the waves of the ocean. since the first cliff house was erected this has been a place famous the world over because of its scenic beauty and its overlooking the seal rocks, where congregate a large herd of sea lions disporting much to the edification of the visitors. appealing from its romantic surroundings, interesting because of its history, and attractive through its combination of dashing waves and beautiful beach extending miles in one direction, with the rugged entrance to golden gate in the other, with the mysterious farallones in the dim distance, the cliff house may well be classed as one of the great bohemian restaurants of san francisco. lovers of the night life know it well for it is the destination of many an automobile party. during the day its terraces are filled with visitors from abroad who make this a part of their itinerary, and here, as they drink in the wondrous beauty of the scene spread before them, partake of well prepared and well served dishes such as made both the cliff house and san francisco well and favorably known and whose fame is not bounded by the continent. but for a most pleasant visit to the cliff house one should choose the early morning hours, and go out when the air is blowing free and fresh from the sea, the waves cresting with amber under the magic touch of the easterly sun. select a table next to one of the western windows and order a breakfast that is served here better than any place we have tried. this breakfast will consist of broiled breast of young turkey, served with broiled virginia ham with a side dish of corn fritters. when you sit down to this after a brisk ride out through golden gate park, you have the great sauce, appetite, and with a pot of steaming coffee whose aroma rises like the incense to the sea gods, you will feel that while you have thought you had good breakfasts before this, you know that now you are having the best of them all. of course there are many other good things to order if you like, but we have discovered nothing that makes so complete a breakfast as this. some italian restaurants "is everybody happy? oh, it is only nine o'clock and we've got all night." it was a clear, fresh young voice, full of the joy of living and came from a young woman whose carefree air seemed to say of her existence as of the night "we've got all life before us." the voice, the healthful face and vigorous form, the very live and joyous expression were all significant of the time and place. it was sunday night and the place was steve sanguinetti's, with roisterers in full swing and every table filled and dozens of patrons waiting along the walls ready to take each seat as it was emptied. here were young men and women just returned from their various picnics across the bay to their one great event of the week--a sunday dinner at sanguinetti's. over in one corner of the stifling room, on a raised platform, sat two oily and fat negroes, making the place hideous with their ribald songs and the twanging of a guitar and banjo. when, a familiar air was sounded the entire gathering joined in chorus, and when such tunes as "there'll be a hot time in the old town tonight" came, the place was pandemonium. yet through it all perfect order was kept by the fat proprietor, his muscular "bouncer" and two policemen stationed at the doors. noise was rather invited than frowned upon, and the only line drawn regarding conduct was the throwing of bread. probably steve did not want it wasted. it was all free and easy and nobody took offense at anything said or done. in fact if one were squeamish about such things sanguinetti's was no place for him or her. one found one's self talking and laughing with the people about as if they were old friends. it made no difference how you were dressed, nor how dignified you tried to be, it was all one with the crowd around the tables. if you wished to stay there in comfort you had to be one of them, and dignity had to be left outside or it would make you so uncomfortable that you would carry it out, to an accompaniment of laughter and jeers of the rest of the diners. so far as eating was concerned that was not one of the considerations when discussing sanguinetti's. it was a table d'hote dinner served with a bottle of "dago red," for fifty cents. you gave the waiter a tip of fifteen cents or "two bits" as you felt liberal, and he was satisfied. if you were especially pleased you gave the darkeys ten cents, not because you enjoyed the music, but just "because." the one merit of sanguinetti's before the fire was the fact that all the regular customers were unaffected and natural. they came from the factories, canneries, shops, and drays, and after a week of heart-breaking work this was their one relaxation and they enjoyed it to the full. many people from the residential part of the city, and many visitors at the hotels, went there as a part of slumming trips, but the real sentiment was expressed by the young girl when she sang out "is everybody happy?" sanguinetti still has his restaurant, and there is still to be found the perspiring darkeys, playing and singing their impossible music, and a crowd still congregates there, but it is not the old crowd for this, like all things else in san francisco, has changed, and instead of the old-time assemblage of young men and women whose lack of convention came from their natural environment, there is now a crowd of young and old people who patronize it because they have heard it is "so bohemian." thrifty hotel guides take tourists there and tell them it is "the only real bohemian restaurant in san francisco," and when the outlanders see the antics of the people and listen to the ribald jests and bad music of the darkeys, they go back to their hotels and tell with bated breath of one of the most wonderful things they have ever seen, and it is one of the wonderful things of their limited experience. among the pre-fire restaurants of note were several italian places which appealed to the bohemian spirit through their good cooking and absence of conventionality, together with the inexpensiveness of the dinners. among these were the buon gusto, the fior d'italia, la estrella, campi's and the gianduja. of these campi's, in clay street below sansome, was the most noted, and the primitive style of serving combined with his excellent cooking brought him fame. all of these places, or at least restaurants with these names, are still in existence. jule's, the fly trap, the st. germain and the cosmos laid claim to distinction through their inexpensiveness, up to the time of the fire. all of these names are still to be seen over restaurants and they are still in that class, jule's, possibly, being better than it was before the fire. a good dinner of seven or eight courses, well cooked and well served, could be had in these places for fifty cents. lombardi's was of the same type but his price was but twenty-five cents for a course dinner in many respects the equal of the others. pop floyd, recently killed by his bartender in an altercation, had a place down in california street much patronized by business men. he had very good service and the best of cooking, and for many years hundreds of business men gathered there at luncheon in lieu of a club. the place is still in existence and good service and good food is to be had there, but it has lost its bohemian atmosphere. in pine street above montgomery was the viticultural, a restaurant that had great vogue owing to the excellence of its cooking. its specialty was marrow on toast and broiled mushrooms, and game. to speak of bohemian san francisco and say nothing of the old hoffman saloon, on second and market streets, would be like the play of hamlet with hamlet left out. "pop" sullivan, or "billy" sullivan, according to the degree of familiarity of the acquaintance, boasted of the fact that from the day this place opened until he sold the doors were closed but once, the keys having been thrown away on opening day. during all the years of its existence the only day it was closed was the day of the funeral of sullivan's mother. here was the most magnificent bar in san francisco, and in connection was a restaurant that catered to people who not only knew good things but ordered them. the back part of the place with entrance on second street was divided off into little rooms with tables large enough for four. these rooms were most lavish in their decoration, the most interesting feature being that they were all made of different beautiful woods, highly polished. woods were here from all parts of the world, each being distinctive. in these rooms guests were served with the best the market afforded, by discreet darkeys. this place was the best patronized of all the bohemian resorts of the city up to the time of the fire. one of the special dainties served were the hoffman house biscuits, light and flaky, such as could be found nowhere else. out by marshall square, by the city hall, was good fellow's grotto, started by techau, who afterward built and ran the techau tavern. this place was in a basement and had much vogue among politicians and those connected with the city government. it specialized on beefsteaks. under the st. ann building, at eddy and powell streets, was the louvre, started and managed by carl zinkand, who afterward opened the place in market above fourth street, called zinkand's. this was distinctly german in appointments and cooking and was the best of its kind in the city. under the phelan building at o'farrell and market was the old louvre in which place one could get german cooking, but it was not a place that appealed to those who knew good service. bab's had a meteoric career and was worthy of much longer life, but babcock had too high an idealization of what san francisco wanted. he emulated the parisian restaurants in oddities, one of his rooms being patterned after the famous cabaret de la mort, and one dined off a coffin and was lighted by green colored tapers affixed to skulls. aside from its oddities it was one of the best places for a good meal for bab had the art of catering down to a nicety. there were rooms decorated to represent various countries and in each room you could get a dinner of the country represented. thompson's was another place that was too elaborate for its patronage and after a varied existence from the old oyster loaf to a cafeteria thompson was compelled to leave for other fields and san francisco lost a splendid restaurateur. he opened the place under the flood building, after the fire, in most magnificent style, taking in two partners. the enormous expense and necessary debt contracted to open the place was too much and thompson had to give up his interest. this place is now running as the portola-louvre. much could be written of these old-time restaurants, and as we write story after story amusing, interesting, and instructive come to mind, each indicative of the period when true bohemianism was to be found in the city that was. an incident that occurred in the old fior d'italia well illustrates this spirit of camaraderie, as it shows the good-fellowship that then obtained. we went to that restaurant for dinner one evening, and the proprietor, knowing our interest in human nature studies, showed us to a little table in the back part of the room, where we could have a good view of all the tables. our table was large enough to seat four comfortably, and presently, as the room became crowded, the proprietor, with many excuses, asked if he could seat two gentlemen with us. they were upper class italians, exceedingly polite, and apologized profusely for intruding upon us. in a few minutes another gentleman entered and our companions at once began frantic gesticulations and called him to our table, where room was made and another cover laid. again and again this occurred until finally at a table suited for four, nine of us were eating, laughing, and talking together, we being taken into the comradeship without question. when it came time for us to depart the entire seven rose and stood, bowing as we passed from the restaurant. impress of mexico running through all the fabric of san francisco's history is the thread of mexican and spanish romance and tradition, carrying us back to the very days when the trooper sent out by portola first set eyes on the great inland sea now known as san francisco bay. it would seem that the cuisinaire most indelibly stamped on the taste of the old san franciscan would, therefore, be of either spanish or mexican origin. that this is not a fact is because among the earliest corners to california after it passed from mexican hands to those of the united states, were french and italian cooks, and the bon vivants of both lands who wanted their own style of cooking. while the spanish did not impress their cooking on san francisco, it is the cuisine of the latin races that has given to it its greatest gastronomic prestige, and there still remains from those very early days recipes of the famous dishes which had their beginnings either in spain or mexico. there is much misconception regarding both spanish and mexican cooking, for it is generally accepted as a fact that all mexican and spanish dishes are so filled with red pepper as to be unpalatable to the normal stomach of those trained to what is called "plain american cooking." certain dishes of mexican and spanish origin owe their fine flavor to discriminating use of chili caliente or chili dulce, but many of the best dishes are entirely innocent of either. the difference between spanish and mexican cooking is largely a matter of sentiment. it is a peculiarity of the spaniard that he does not wish to be classed as a mexican, and on the other hand the mexican is angry if he be called a spaniard. but the fact remains that their cooking is much alike, so much so, in fact, as to be indistinguishable except by different names for similar dishes, and frequently these are the same. the two famous and world-known dishes of this class of cooking are tortillas and tamales. it is generally supposed that both of these are the product of mexico, but this is not the case. the tamale had its origin in spain and was carried to mexico by the conquistadors, and taken up as a national dish by the natives after many years. the tortilla, on the other hand, is made now exactly as it was made by the mexican indian when the spanish found the country. the aborigine prepared his corn on a stone metate and made it into cakes by patting it with the hand, then cooked it on a hot stone before an open fire. it is still made in that manner in the heart of mexico, and we could tell a story of how we saw this done one night in the midst of a dense tropical forest, while muleteers and mozas of a great caravan sat around their little campfires, whose fitful light served to intensify the weird appearance of the shadows of the indians as they passed to and fro among their packs, but this is not the place for such stories. of the old mexican restaurants, those of us who can look back to the days of a quarter of a century ago remember old felipe and maria, the mexican couple who kept the little place in the alley back of the old county jail, off broadway. here one had to depend entirely upon sentiment, or rather sentimentality, to be pleased. the cooking was truly mexican for it included the usual mexican disregard for dirt. chattering monkeys and parrots were hanging around the kitchen, peering into pots and fingering viands, and they served to attract attention from myriads of cockroaches that swarmed about the walls. one could go to this place just on the theory that one is willing to try anything once, but aside from its picturesque old couple, and its dantesque appearance, it offered nothing to induce a return unless it was to entertain a friend. everyone who lived in san francisco before the fire remembers ricardo, he of the one eye, who served so well at luna's, on vallejo and dupont streets. ricardo had but one eye but he could see the wants of his patrons much better than many of the later day waiters who have two. luna's brought fame to san francisco and in more than one novel of san francisco life it was featured. entering the place one came into the home life of the luna family, and reached the dining room through the parlor, where mrs. luna, busy with her drawn work, and all the little lunas and the neighbors and their children foregathered in the window spaces behind the torn nottingham curtains which partially concealed the interior from passers on the street. the elder sons and daughters attended to the wants of those who fancied any of the curios displayed in the long showcase that extended from the door to the rear of the room. passing through this family group one came to the curtained dining room proper, although there were a number of tables in the family parlor to be used in case of a rush of patrons. luna's dinners were a feature of the old san francisco. they were strictly mexican, from the unpalatable soup (mexicans do not understand how to make good soup) to the "dulce" served at the close of the meal. first came the appetizers in form of thin slices of salami and of a peculiar mexican sausage, so extremely hot with chili pepino as to immediately call for a drink of claret to assuage the burning. then came the soup which we experienced ones always passed over. the salad of modern tables was replaced by an enchilada, and then came either chili con carne or chili con polle according to the day of the week, sundays having as the extra attraction the chili con pollo, or chicken with pepper. in place of bread they served tortillas, which were rolled and used as a spoon or fork if one were so inclined. following this was what is known among unenlightened as "stuffed pepper," but which is called by the spanish, from which country it gets its name, "chili reinas." to signify the close of the meal came frijoles fritas or fried beans, and these were followed by the dessert consisting of some preserved fruit or of a sweet tamale. fifty cents paid the bill and a tip of fifteen cents to ricardo made him as happy and as profuse with his thanks as the present day waiter on receipt of half a dollar. accepting luna's as the best type of the mexican restaurant of the days before the fire, our inquiry developed the fact that the dish on which he specialized was chili reinas, and this is the recipe he used in their preparation: chili reinas roast large bell peppers until the skin turns black. wash in cold water and rub off the blackened skin. cut around the stem and remove the seed and coarse veins. take some dry monterey cheese, grated fine, and with this fill the peppers, closing the end with a wooden toothpick. prepare a batter made as follows: beat the yolks and whites of six eggs separately, then mix, and stir in a little flour to make a thin batter. have a pan of boiling lard ready and after dipping the stuffed pepper into the batter dip it into the lard. remove quickly and dip again in the batter and then again in the lard where it is to remain until fried a light, golden brown, keeping the peppers entirely covered with the boiling lard. take the seeds of the peppers, one small white onion and two tomatoes, and grind all together into a pulp, add a little salt and let cook ten minutes. when the chilies are fried turn the remainder of the batter into the tomatoes and boil twenty minutes, then turn this sauce over the peppers. this is a most delicious dish and can be varied by using finely ground meat to stuff the peppers instead of the cheese. mexican restaurants of the present day in san francisco are a delusion, and unsatisfactory. on the barbary coast much has been said and more printed regarding san francisco's barbary coast--much of truth and much mythical. probably no other individual district has been so instrumental in giving to people of other parts of the country an erroneous idea of san francisco. it is generally accepted as a fact that in barbary coast vice flaunted itself in reckless abandon before the eyes of the world, showing those things usually concealed behind walls and under cover of the darkness. according to the purists here youth of both sexes was debauched, losing both money and souls. to speak of seeing barbary coast brought furtive looks and lowered voices, as if contamination even from the thought were possible. no slumming party was completed without a visit to the "coast," after chinatown's manufactured horrors had been shuddered at. one cannot well speak of the barbary coast without bringing into consideration the social evil, for here was concentrated dozens of the poor unfortunates of the underworld, compelled to eke out miserable existence through playing on the foibles and vanities of men, or seek oblivion in a suicide's grave. we do not propose to discuss this phase of barbary coast as that is not a part of bohemianism. we have visited the coast many times, at all hours of the night, and beyond the unconcealed license of open caresses we have seen nothing shocking to our moral sense that equaled what we have seen in broadway, new york, or in some of the most fashionable hotels and restaurants of san francisco on new year's eve. dancing, singing and music--all that is embodied in the "wine, women and song" of the poets, was to be found there, but it was open, and had none of the veiled suggestion to be found in places considered among the best. in barbary coast we have seen more beautiful dancing than on any stage, or in the famous moulin rouge, or jardin mabile of paris. in fact, many of the modern dances that have become the vogue all over the country, even being carried to europe, had their origin in pacific street dance halls. texas tommy, the grizzly bear, and many others were first danced here, and some of the finest texas tommy dancers on eastern stages went from the dance halls of san francisco's barbary coast. vice was there--yes. it was open--yes. but there was the attraction of light and life and laughter that drew crowds nightly. barbary coast was a part of san francisco's bohemianism because of its unconventionality, for, you know, there is conventionality even in vice. here was the rendezvous of sailor men from all parts of the world, for here they found companionship and joviality. up to the time of the closing of barbary coast molestation of women on the streets of san francisco was almost unheard of. since its closing it is becoming more and more hazardous for women to walk alone at night in the only large city in the world that always had the reputation of guarding its womankind. the city that was passes times change and we change with them is well evidenced by the restaurant life of the present day san francisco. now, as before the fire, we have the greatest restaurant city of the world--a city where home life is subordinated to the convenience of apartment dwelling and restaurant meals-but the old-time bohemian finds neither the same atmosphere nor the same restaurants. true, many of the old names have been retained or revived, but there is not felt the old spirit of camaraderie. old personalities have passed away and old customs have degenerated. those who await the call feel that with the passing of the old city there passed much that made life worth living, and as they prepare to cross to the great beyond, they live in their memories of the past. with reverence we think of the men and women of the early san francisco--those who made the city the home of bohemia--and it is with this feeling that we now come to discuss the bohemian restaurants of the new san francisco. sang the swan song in the latter part of april, , when the fire-swept streets presented their most forbidding aspect, and when the only moving figures to be seen after nightfall were armed soldiers guarding the little remaining of value from depredations of skulking vagabonds, a number of the old bohemian spirits gathered at the corner of montgomery and commercial streets, and gazed through the shattered windows into the old dining room where they had held many a royal feast. on the blackened walls might still be seen scarred pictures, fringed by a row of black cats along the ceiling. they turned their steps out toward the presidio, hunted among the italian refugees and there found coppa--he of the wonderful black cats, and it took little persuasion to induce him to go back to his ruined restaurant and prepare a dinner, such as had made his place famous among artists, writers, and other bohemians, in the days when san francisco was care-free and held her arms wide open in welcome to all the world. it was such a dinner as has been accorded to few. few there are who have the heart to make merry amid crumbling ruins of all they held dear in the material world. the favored ones who assembled there will always hold that dinner in most affectionate memory, and to this day not one thinks of it without the choking that comes from over-full emotion. it was more than a tribute to the days of old--it marked the passing of the old san francisco and the inauguration of the new. it was bohemia's swan song, sung by those to whom san francisco held more than pleasure--more than sentimentality. it held for them close-knit ties that nothing less than a worldshaking cataclysm could sever--and the cataclysm had arrived. the old coppa restaurant in montgomery street became a memory and on its ashes came the new one, located in pine street between montgomery and kearny streets, and for a number of years this remained the idol of bohemia until changed conditions drove the tide of patronage far up toward powell, ellis, eddy and o'farrell streets. at that time there grew up a mushroom crop of so-called restaurants in columbus avenue close to barbary coast such as caesar's, the follies cabaret, jupiter and el paradiso, where space was reserved in the middle of the floor for dancing. coppa emulated the new idea by fitting out a gorgeous basement room at the corner of kearny and jackson, which he called the neptune palace. it represented a great grotto under the ocean, and here throngs gathered nightly to dance and eat until the police commissioners closed all of these resorts, as well as barbary coast. coppa became financially injured by this venture and was forced to take a partner in his old restaurant, and finally gave up his share and went beyond the city limits and opened the pompeiian garden, on the san mateo road, and there with his heroic little wife tried to rebuild his shrunken fortunes, leaving the historic restaurant with its string of black cats and its memorable pictures on the walls to less skilled hands. he struggled against hard times and at the time of this writing he, with his wife, their son and his wife, are giving the old-time dinners and trying to make the venture a success. in the old days it was considered a feat of gormandizing to go through one of coppa's dinners and eat everything set before you for one dollar. notwithstanding the delicious dishes he prepared and the wonderful recipes, the quantity served was so great that one would have to be possessed of enormous capacity, indeed, to be able to say at the end of the meal that he had eaten all that was given him. in his pompeiian garden coppa still maintains his old reputation for most tasty viands and liberal portions, and if one desire to find the true bohemian restaurant of san francisco today, one that approaches the old spirit of the days before the fire, he need but go out to coppa's and while he will not have his eyes regaled by the quaint drawings with which the old-time artists decorated the walls, nor the hurrying footsteps along the ceiling to the famous center table where sat some of the world's most notable bohemians on their visits to san francisco, nor the frieze of black cats around the cornice, nor the bohemian verse, written under inspiration of "dago red," he will find the same old cooking, done by coppa himself. we asked coppa what he considered his best dish and he gave us the irishman's reply by asking another question: "what do you think of it?" there are so many to choose from that our answer was difficult but we finally stopped at "chicken portola." it was then that the old smile came back to coppa's face. "ah! chicken portola. that is my own idea. it is the most delicious way chicken was ever cooked." this is the recipe as coppa gave it to us, his little wife standing at his side and giving, now and then, a suggestion as coppa's memory halted: chicken portola a la coppa take a fresh cocoanut and cut off the top, removing nearly all of the meat. put together three tablespoonfuls of chopped cocoanut meat and two ears of fresh, green corn, taken from the cob. slice two onions into four tablespoonfuls of olive oil, together with a tablespoonful of diced bacon fried in olive oil, add one chopped green pepper, half a dozen tomatoes stewed with salt and pepper, one clove of garlic, and cook all together until it thickens. strain this into the corn and cocoanut and add one spring chicken cut in four pieces. put the mixture into the shell of the cocoanut, using the cut-off top as a cover, and close tightly with a covering of paste around the jointure to keep in the flavors. put the cocoanut into a pan with water in it and set in the oven, well heated, for one hour, basting frequently to prevent the cocoanut's burning. a bare recital of the terms of the recipe cannot bring to the uninitiated even a suspicion of the delightful aroma that comes from the cocoanut when its top is lifted, nor can it give the slightest idea of the delicacy of the savor arising from the combination of the cocoanut with young chicken. it is not a difficult dish to prepare, and if you cannot get it at any of the restaurants, and we are sure you cannot, try it at home some time and surprise your friends with a dish to be found in only one restaurant in the world. if you desire it at coppa's on your visit to san francisco you will have to telephone out to him in advance (unless he has succeeded in getting back to the city, which he contemplates) so that he can prepare it for you, and, take our word for it, you will never regret doing so. coppa has many wonderful dishes to serve, and he delights so much in your appreciation that he is always fearful something is wrong if you fail to do full justice to his meal. he showed this one evening when he had filled a little party of us to repletion by his lavish provision for our entertainment, and nature rebelled against anything more. to us came coppa in tears. "what is the matter with the chicken, doctor? is it not cooked just right?" it was with difficulty that we made him understand that there was a limit to capacity, and that he had fed us with such bountiful hand we could eat no more. even now when we go to coppa's we have a little feeling of fear lest we offend him by not eating enough to convince him that we are pleased. coppa's walls were always adorned with strange conceits of the artists and writers who frequented his place, and after a picture, or a bit of verse had remained until it was too familiar some one erased it and replaced it with something he thought was better. we preserved one written by an unknown bohemian. we give it just as it was: through the fog of centuries, dim and dense, i sometimes seem to see the shadowy line of a backyard fence and a feline shape of me. i hear the growl, and yowl and howl of each nocturnal fight, and the throaty stir, half cry, half purr of passionate delight, as seeking an amorous rendezvous my ancient brothers go stealing through the purple gloom of night. i've seen your eyes, with a greenish glint; you move with a feline grace; and when you are pleased i catch the hint of a purr in your throat and face. then i wonder if you are dreaming, too, of temples along the nile, where you yowled and howled, and loved and prowled, with many a sensuous wile, and borrowed the grace you own today from that other life in the far-away; and if such dreams beguile. i know that you sit by your cozy fire, when shadows crowd the room, and my soul responds to an old desire to roam through the velvety gloom, so stealthily stealing, softly shod, my spirit is hurrying thence to the lure of an ancient mystic god, whose magnet is intense, where i know your soul, too, roams in fur, for i hear it call with a throaty purr, from the shadowy backyard fence. bohemia of the present san francisco's care-free spirit was fully exemplified before the ashes of the great fire of were cold. on every hand one could find little eating places established in the streets, some made of abandoned boxes, others of debris from the burned buildings, and some in vacant basements and little store rooms, while a few enterprising individuals improvised wheeled dining rooms and went from one part of the city to another serving meals. the vein of humor of irrepressible effervescence of spirit born of bohemianism gave to these eating places high sounding names, and many were covered with witty signs which laughed in the face of fate. fillmore became the great business street of the city now in ashes, and here were established the first restaurants of any pretensions, the louvre being first to open an establishment that had the old-time appearance. this was on the corner of fillmore and ellis, and had large patronage, it being crowded nightly with men and women who seemed to forget that san francisco had been destroyed. thompson opened a large restaurant in o'farrell street, just above fillmore, and for two years or more did a thriving business, his place being noted for its good cooking and its splendid service. one of his waiters, phil tyson, was one of the earlier ones to go back into the burned district to begin business and he opened a restaurant called the del monte in powell street near market, but it was too early for success and closed after a short career. thompson enlisted others to join with him in opening a magnificent place under the new flood building at the corner of powell and market street, but through faulty understanding of financial power thompson was compelled to give up his interest and the place afterward closed. it has since been reopened under the name of the portola-louvre, where now crowds assemble nightly to listen to music and witness cabaret performances. here, as well as in a number of other places, one can well appreciate the colloquial definition of "cabaret." that which takes the rest out of restaurant and puts the din in dinner. if one likes noise and distraction while eating such places are good to patronize. across the street from the portola-louvre at powell street is the modernized techau tavern now known as "techau's". here there is always good music and food well cooked and well served, and always a lively crowd during the luncheon, dinner and after-theatre hours. the room is not large but its dimensions are greatly magnified owing to the covering of mirrors which line the walls. this garish display of mirrors, and elaborate decoration of ceiling and pillars, gives it the appearance of the abode of saturnalia, but decorum is the rule among the patrons. around at o'farrell street, just opposite the orpheum theatre, is tait-zinkand restaurant, or as it is more popularly known, "tait's". john tait is the presiding spirit here, he having made reputation as club manager, and then as manager of the cliff house. one of the partners here was carl zinkand, who ran the old zinkand's before the fire. while these three restaurants are of similar type neither has the pre-fire atmosphere. they are lively, always, with music and gay throngs, and serve good food. one of the early restaurants established after the fire was blanco's, at o'farrell street, and later blanco opened the poodle dog in mason street just above eddy. both of these restaurants are of the old french type and are high class in every respect. the poodle dog has a hotel attachment where one may get rooms or full apartments. if you know how to order, and do not care to count the cost when you order, probably the best dinner at these restaurants can be had at either blanco's or the poodle dog. the cuisine is of the best and the chefs rank at the top of their art. prices are higher than at the other restaurants mentioned, but one certainly gets the best there is prepared in the best way. but the same food, prepared equally well, is to be found in a number of less pretentious places. at the two mentioned one pays for the surroundings as well as for the food, and sometimes this is worth paying for. the restaurants of the present day that approach nearest the old bohemian restaurants of pre fire days, of the french class, are jack's in sacramento street between montgomery and kearny; felix, in montgomery street between clay and washington, and the poodle dog-bergez-franks, in bush street between kearny and grant avenue. in either of these restaurants you will be served with the best the market affords, cooked "the right way." in clay street opposite the california market is the new frank's, one of the best of the italian restaurants, and much patronized by italian merchants. next to it is coppa's, but it is no longer run by coppa. in this same district is the mint, in commercial street between montgomery and kearny streets. it has changed from what it was in the old days, but is still an excellent place to dine. negro's, at merchant street, near the hall of justice, has quite a following of those whose business attaches them to the courts, and while many claim this to be one of the best of its class, we believe the claim to be based less on good cooking than on the fact that the habitues are intimate, making it a pleasant resort for them. the cooking is good and the variety what the market affords. in washington street, just off columbus avenue, is bonini's barn, making great pretense through an unique idea. so far as the restaurant is concerned the food is a little below the average of italian restaurants. one goes there once through curiosity and finds himself in a room that has all the appearance of the interior of a barn, with chickens and pigeons strutting around, harness hanging on pegs, and hay in mangers, and all the farming utensils around to give it the verisimilitude of country. tables and chairs are crude in the extreme and old-time lanterns are used for lighting. it is an idea that is worth while, but, unfortunately, the proprietors depend too much on the decorative feature and too little on the food and how they serve it. the fly trap, and charlie's fashion, the first in sutter street near kearny and the other in market near sutter, serve well-cooked foods, especially soup, salads, and fish. of course these are not the entire menus but of all the well-prepared dishes these are their best. felix, mentioned before, also makes a specialty of his family soup, which is excellent. spanish dinners of good quality are to be had at the madrilena, at eddy street, and at the castilian, at sutter street. both serve good spanish dinners at reasonable prices. they serve table d'hote dinners, but you can also get spanish dishes on special order. under the monadnock building, in market street near third, is jule's, well liked and well patronized because of its good cooking and good service. jule is one of the noted restaurateurs of the city, having attained high celebrity before the fire. his prices are moderate and his cooking and viands of the best, and will satisfy the most critical of the gourmets. at the corner of market and eddy streets is the odeon, down in a basement, with decorations of most garish order. there is a good chef and the place has quite a vogue among lovers of good things to eat. probably at no place in san francisco can one find game cooked better than at jack's, sacramento street. his ducks are always cooked so as to elicit high praise. he has an old-style french table d'hote dinner which he serves for $ . , including wine. or you may order anything in the market and you will find it cooked "the best way." one of the specialties of jack's is fish, for which the restaurant is noted. it is always strictly fresh and booked to suit the most fastidious taste. as it is in germany when you see august (do not fail to pronounce it owgoost) in repose you involuntarily say, that is if you understand german, "mir ist alles an," which is the german equivalent of "i should worry." when august is in action you immediately get a thirst that nothing but a stein of cold beer will quench. august is the pride of the heidelberg inn at ellis street. all you can see from the street as you pass around the corner from market, is a sign and some stairs leading down into a basement, but do not draw back just because it is a basement restaurant, for if you do you will miss one of the very few real bohemian restaurants of san francisco. possibly our point of view will not coincide with that of others, but while there are dozens of other bohemian restaurants there is but one heidelberg inn. here is absolute freedom from irksome conventionality of other people, and none of the near bohemianism of so many places claiming the title. at the heidelberg inn one need never fear obtrusiveness on the part of other visitors, for here everybody attends strictly to his or her own party, enjoying a camaraderie that has all the genuine, whole-souled companionship found only where german families are accustomed to congregate to seek relaxation from the toil and worry of the day. an evening spent in heidelberg inn is one replete with character study that cannot be excelled anywhere in san francisco--and this means that everybody there is worth while as a study, from the little, bald-headed waiter, heme, and the big, imposing waiter, august, to the "herr doctor" who comes to forget the serious surgical case that has been worrying him at the hospital. here you do not find obtrusive waiters brushing imaginary crumbs from your chair with obsequious hand, nor over zealous stewards solicitous of your food's quality. it is all perfect because it is made perfect by good management. here are german families, from grossfader and grossmutter, down to the newest grandchild, sitting and enjoying their beer and listening to such music as can be heard nowhere else in san francisco, as they eat their sandwiches of limburger, or more dainty dishes according to their tastes. one can almost imagine himself in one of the famous rathskellers of old heidelberg--not at the schloss, of course, for here you cannot look down on the weiser as it flows beneath the windows of the great wine stube on the hill. but you have the real atmosphere, and this is enhanced by the mottoes in decoration and the flagons, stems and plaques that adorn the pillars as well as typical german environment. it is when the martial strains of "de wacht am rhein" are heard from the orchestra, which of itself is an institution, that the true camaraderie of the place is appreciated, for then guests, waiters, barkeepers, and even the eagle-eyed gray-haired manager, join in the swelling chorus, and you can well understand why german soldiers are inspired to march to victory when they hear these stirring chords. but there is other music--sometimes neither inspiring nor beautiful when heard in a german rathskeller--the music of rag time. if there is anything funnier than a german orchestra trying to play rag-time music we have never heard it. it is unconscious humor on part of the orchestra, consequently is all the more excruciating. but if you really love good music--music that has melody and rhythm and soothing cadences, go to the heidelberg inn and listen to the concert which is a feature of the place every evening. and while you are listening to the music you can enjoy such food as is to be found nowhere else in san francisco, for it is distinctly heidelbergian. we asked for the recipe that they considered the very best in the restaurant, and hirsch, with a shrug of his shoulders, said: "oh, we have so many fine dishes." we finally got him to select the one prized above all others and this is what chef scheiler gave us: german sauer braten take four pounds of clear beef, from either the shoulder or rump, and pickle it for two days in one-half gallon of claret and one-half gallon of good wine vinegar (not cider). to the pickle add two large onions cut in quarters, two fresh carrots and about one ounce of mixed whole allspice, black peppers, cloves and bay leaves. when ready for cooking take the meat out of the brine and put in a roasting pan. put in the oven and brown to a golden color. then take it out of the roasting pan and put it into a casserole, after sprinkling it with two ounces of flour. put into the oven again and cook for half an hour, basting frequently with the original brine. when done take the meat out of the sauce. strain the sauce through a fine collander and add a few raisins, a piece of honey cake, or ginger snaps and the meat of one fresh tomato. season with salt and pepper and a little sugar to taste. slice and serve with the sauce over it. for those who like german dishes and german cooking it is not necessary to confine yourself to the heidelberg inn, for both the hof brau, in market just above fourth street, and the german house rathskeller, at turk and polk streets are good places where you can get what you want. the hof brau, however, is less distinctively german as the greater number of its patrons are americans. the specialty of the hof brau is abalone's, and they have as a feature this shell fish cooked in several ways. they also have as the chef in charge of the abalone dishes, herbert, formerly chef for one of the yacht clubs of the coast, who claims to have the only proper recipe for making abalone's tender. under ordinary circumstances the abalone is tough and unpalatable, but after the deft manipulation of herbert they are tender and make a fine dish, either fried, as chowder or a la newberg. in addition to abalone's the hof brau makes a specialty of little oregon crawfish. while there is a distinctive german atmosphere at the rathskeller of the german house, the place is too far out to gather such numbers as congregate at either the heidelberg or the hof brau, but one can get the best of german cooking here and splendid service, and for a quiet little "dutch supper" we know of no place that will accommodate you better than the rathskeller. on special occasions, when some german society or club is giving a dance or holding a meeting at the german house, the rathskeller is the most typical german place in san francisco, and if you go at such a time you will get all the "atmosphere" you will desire, as well as the best the market affords in the way of good viands. in the heart of italy what a relief it is sometimes to have a good waiter say: "you do not know what you want? will you let me bring you the best there is in the house?" sometimes, you know, you really do not know what you want, and usually when that is the case you are not very hungry. that is always a good time to try new things. it is also possible that you do not know what you want because you do not know how to order. in either instance our advice is, if the waiter gets confidential and offers his assistance you will certainly miss something if you do not accept his good offices. this was the case with us, one day when we were over at stockton street, near washington square, at the gianduja. the proper pronunciation of this is as if it were spelled zhan-du-ya. this is one of the good italian restaurants of the latin quarter. at the gianduja you get the two prime essentials to a good meal--good cooking and excellent service. it matters not whether you take their thirty-five cent luncheon or order a most elaborate meal, you will find that the service is just what it ought to be. we asked brenti what he considered his most famous dish, and like all other proprietors, he shrugged his shoulders and said, with hands emphasizing his words: "we have so many fine dishes." "of course we know that, but what do you consider the very best?" "there is no one the 'very best'. i could give you two." "let it be two, then," was our immediate rejoinder, and here is what he gave us as the best recipes of the gianduja. first, let us give you an idea of the difficulty under which we secured these recipes by printing them just as he wrote them down for us, and then we shall elaborate a little and show the result of skillful questioning. this is the way he wrote the recipe for risotto milanaise: risotto ala milanaise "onions chop fine--marrow and little butter--rice--saffron--chicken broth--wen cook add fresh butter and parmesan cheese seasoned." what was embodied in the words "wen cook" was the essential of the recipe and here is the way we got it: chop one large onion fine. cut a beef marrow into small dice and stir it with the chopped onion. put a small piece of butter in a frying pan and into this put the onion and marrow and fry to a delicate brown. now add one scant cup of rice, stirring constantly, and into this put a pinch of saffron that has been bruised. when the rice takes on a brown color add, slowly, chicken broth as needed, until the rice is thoroughly cooked. then add a lump of fresh butter about the size of a walnut, and sprinkle liberally with grated parmesan cheese, seasoning to taste with pepper and salt. this is to be served with chicken or veal. the second recipe was for fritto misto, and he wrote it as follows: fritto misto "lamb chops and brains breaded--sweetbreads--escallop of veal--fresh mushrooms--italian squash when in season--asparagus or cauliflower--fried in fresh butter--dipped in beaten eggs--lime jus." "fritto misto" means fried mixture, and the recipe as we finally elucidated it is as follows: take a lamb chop, a piece of calf brain, one sweetbread, a slice of veal, a fresh mushroom, sliced italian squash, a piece of asparagus or of cauliflower and dip these into a batter made of an egg well beaten with a little flour. sprinkle these with a little lime juice and fry to a delicate brown in butter, adding salt and pepper to taste. at the gianduja, as at all other italian restaurants not much affected by americans, you will find an atmosphere of unconventionality that is delightful to the bohemian. there is no irksome espionage on the part of other patrons, all of whom are there for the purpose of attending strictly to their own business, and the affairs of other diners are of no consequence to them. there is freedom of expression and unconsciousness, most pleasing after having experienced those other restaurants where it seems to be the business of all the rest of the guests to know just what you are eating and drinking. there is little of the obnoxious posing that one finds in restaurants of the downtown districts, for while italians, in common with all other latins, are natural born poseurs, they are not offensive in it, but rather impress you with the same feeling as the antics of a child. one of the little, out-of-the way restaurants of the italian quarter is the leon d'oro, at grant avenue, and it is one of the surprises of that district. lazzarini, he with the big voice, presides over the tiny kitchen in the rear of the room devoted to public service and family affairs. soft-voiced rita, with her demure air and her resemblance to evangeline, with her crossed apron, strings and delicate features, takes your order, and soon comes the booming sound from the neighborhood of the range, that announces to all patrons, as well as to some who may be in the vicinity on the street, that your order is ready, and then everybody knows what you are eating. as you sit, either in curtained alcove or at the common table in the main room, little andrea will visit you with his cat. both are institutions of the place and one is, prone to wonder how a cat can have so much patience with a little boy. andrea speaks italian so fluently and so rapidly that it gives you the impression of a quick rushing stream of pure water, tumbling over the stones of a steep declivity. he is not yet old enough to understand that it is not everybody who knows how to speak italian, but that makes not the slightest difference with him, for he talks without ever expecting an answer. lazzarini understands the art and science of cooking, and some of the dishes he prepares are so unusual that one goes again and again to partake of them: possibly his best dish is the following: chicken a la leon d'oro cut a spring chicken into pieces. place these in a pan containing hot olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. turn the chicken until it is thoroughly browned, and add finely chopped green peppers. let it cook awhile then add a finely chopped clove of garlic and a little sage. put in a small glass of marsala wine, tomato sauce and french mushrooms and let simmer for ten minutes. before taking from the pan add half a tablespoonful of butter and serve on a hot plate. lazzarini also makes a specialty of snails, and they are well worth trying while you are experimenting with the unusual things to eat. the recipe for these is as follows: snails a la bordelaise put ten pounds of snails in a covered barrel and keep for ten days. then put in a tub with a handful of salt and a quarter of a gallon of vinegar. stir for twenty minutes until a foam rises, then take out and wash thoroughly until the water runs clear. put in a large pot a pint of virgin olive oil, four large onions and eight cloves of garlic, all chopped fine, and a small bunch of parsley, chopped fine. put the pot over the fire and when the onions are browned stir in some white wine or marsala and then put in the snails. cover and let simmer for thirty-five minutes. while cooking add a pint of meat stock, a little butter and some anise seed. when done put in a soup tureen and serve. to remove the snails use small wooden toothpicks. a breath of the orient san francisco's world-famed chinatown, like the rest of the city, is changed since the big fire, and the chinatown of today is but a reminiscence of the old oriental city that was set in the midst of the most thriving occidental metropolis--the city that was. there has never been much of chinatown that savored of bohemianism, but it has always been the vogue for visitors to make a trip through its mysterious alleys, peering into the fearsome dark doorways, listening to the ominous slamming doors of the "clubs," and shuddering in a delightful horror at the recumbent opium smokers, pointed out to them by the industrious guide. and when they were taken into one of the gambling houses and shown the double doors, and the many contrivances used to prevent police interference with the innocent games of fan tan and then were shown the secret underground passage leading from one of the gambling houses to the stage of the great chinese theatre, two blocks away, they went home ready to believe anything told them about "the ways that are dark and tricks that are vain," for they were sure "the heathen chinee was peculiar." chinese restaurant life never appealed to bohemians, and when it became necessary to entertain visitors with a trip to a chinatown restaurant the ordinary service was of tea and rice cakes, served from lacquered trays, in gaudy rooms, and the admiring visitors could well imagine themselves in "far off cathay." then came the fire and chinatown, with the rest of the down-town portion of san francisco, passed away. in the rebuilding the owners of the properties concluded to give the quarter a more chinese aspect and pagoda like structures are now to be found in all parts of the section. the curiosity of the tourist is an available asset to chinatown, and with queer houses and queerer articles on sale there is always plenty of uninitiated to keep the guides busy, but from a city of more than twenty-five thousand orientals in the midst of an enlightened city--an asiatic city that had its own laws and executed its criminals with the most utter disregard for american laws, it has changed into one of the most law-abiding parts of the great city. with the passing of the queue came the adoption of the american style of dressing, and much of the picturesqueness of the old chinatown has disappeared. but with the changed conditions there has come a change in the restaurant life of the quarter, and now a number of places have been opened to cater to americans, and on every hand one sees "chop suey" signs, and "chinese noodles." it goes without saying that one seldom sees a chinaman eating in the restaurants that are most attractive to americans. some serve both white and yellow and others serve but the chinese, and a few favored white friends. probably the best restaurant in chinatown is that of the hang far low company, at grant avenue. here is served such a variety of strange dishes that one has to be a brave bohemian, indeed, to partake without question. ordinarily when chinese restaurants are mentioned but two dishes are thought of--chop suey and chow main. but neither is considered among the fine dishes served to chinese epicures. it is much as if one of our best restaurants were to advertise hash as its specialty. both these dishes might be termed glorified hash. the ingredients are so numerous and so varied with occasion that one is tempted to imagine them made of the table leavings, and that is not at all pleasant to contemplate. we asked one of the managers at the hang far low what he would order if he wished to get the best dish prepared in the restaurant, and he was even more emphatic in his shrugs than the french or italian managers. he protested that there were so many good things it was impossible to name just one as being the best. "you see, we have fish fins, they are very good. snails, china style. very good, too. then we have turtle brought from china, different from the turtle they have here, and we cook it china style. eels come from china and they are cooked china style, too. what is china style? that i cannot tell you for the cook knows and nobody else. when we cook china style everything is more better. we have here the very best tea." this may be taken as a sample of what to expect when visiting chinatown's restaurants, and while we confess to having some excellent dishes served us in chinatown, our preference lies in other paths of endeavor. we suppose it is all in the point of view, and our point of view is that there is nothing except superficiality in the ordinary chinese restaurants frequented by americans, and those not so frequented are impossible because of the average chinaman's disregard for dirt and the usual niceties of food preparation. artistic japan we wish it were in our power to describe a certain dinner as served us in a japanese restaurant in the days that followed the great fire. desiring to observe in fitting manner a birthday anniversary, we asked a japanese friend if he could secure admission for a little party at a restaurant noted for serving none but the highest class japanese. we did not even know where the restaurant was but had heard of such a place, and when we received word that we would be permitted to have a dinner there we invited a newspaper friend who was in the city from new york, together with two other friends and the japanese, who was the editor of the soko shimbun. he took us to a dwelling house in o'farrell street, having given previous notice of our coming. there was nothing on the outside to indicate that it was anything but a residence, but when we were ushered into the large front room, we found it beautifully decorated with immense chrysanthemums, and glittering with silver and cut glass on a magnificently arranged table. in deference to the fact that all but our japanese friend were unaccustomed to chopsticks, forks were placed on the table as well as the little sticks that the orientals use so deftly. at each place was a beautiful lacquer tray, about twelve by eighteen inches, a pair of chopsticks, a fork and a teaspoon. before the meal was over several of us became quite expert in using the chopsticks. when we were seated in came two little japanese women, in full native costume, bearing a service of tea. the cups and saucers were of a most delicate blue and white ware, with teapot to match. our first cup was taken standing in deference to a japanese custom where all drank to the host. then followed saki in little artistic bottles and saki cups that hold not much more than a double tablespoonful. saki is the japanese wine made of rice, and is taken in liberal quantities. at each serving some one drank to some one else, then a return of the compliment was necessary. having always heard that orientals turned menus topsy-turvy we were not at all surprised when the little serving women brought to each of us two silver plates and set them on our trays. these plates contained what appeared to be cake, one seeming to be angel food with icing, and the other fruit cake with the same covering. with these came bowls of soup, served in lacquer ware, made of glutinous nests of swallows, and also a salad made of shark fins. we ate the soup and salad and found it good, and then made tentative investigation of the "cake." to our great surprise we discovered the angel food to be fish and the "icing" was shredded and pressed lobster. the "fruitcake" developed into pressed dark meat of chicken, with an icing of pressed and glazed white meat of the same fowl. following this came the second service of tea, this time in cups of a rare yellow color and beautiful design, with similar teapot. the next course was a mixture of immature vegetables, served in a sort of saute. these were sprouting beans, lentils, peas and a number of others with which we were unfamiliar. the whole was delicately flavored with a peculiar sauce. after a short wait, during which the saki bottles circulated freely, one of the women came in bearing aloft a large silver tray on which reposed a mammoth crayfish, or california lobster. this appeared to be covered with shredded cocoanut, and when it was placed before the host for serving he was at loss, for no previous experience told him what to do. it developed that the shredded mass on top was the meat of the lobster which had been removed leaving the shell-fish in perfect form. it was served cold, with a peculiar sauce. now followed the piece de resistance. a tub of water was brought in and in this was swimming a live fish, apparently of the carp family. after being on view for a few minutes it was removed and soon the handmaidens appeared with thinly sliced raw fish, served with soy sauce. ordinarily one can imagine nothing more repulsive than a dish of raw fish, but we were tempted and did eat, and found it most delicious, delicate, and with a flavor of raw oysters. next came the third service of tea, this time in a deep red ware. then came a dessert of unusual flavor and appearance, followed by preserved ginger and fruit. it must be remembered that during the meal, which lasted from seven until past midnight, saki was served constantly yet no one felt its influence in more than a sense of increased exhilaration. it is customary to let the emptied bottles remain on the table until the close of the meal, and there was a mighty showing. it was impossible to eat all that was set before us, but japanese custom forbids such a breach of etiquette as an indication that the food was not perfection, consequently the serving maids appeared bearing six carved teak boxes, and placed one at each plate. into these we arranged the food that was unconsumed, and when we went away we carried it with us. to cap the climax the japanese stripped the room of its bounteous decoration of chrysanthemums and piled them into our arms and we went home loaded with food and flowers. proprietor and all his household accompanied us to the door with many bows and gesticulations, wishing us best of luck, and we went back to our homes in the desolated city with the feeling of having been transported to fairyland of the orient. we discovered later that our japanese friend was of the family of the emperor and was here on a diplomatic mission. old and new palace one cannot well write a book on bohemian restaurants of san francisco without saying something about the great hotel whose history is so intimately intertwined with that of the city since , when william c. ralston determined that the city by the golden gate should have a hotel commensurate with its importance. san francisco and the palace hotel were almost synonymous all over the world, and it was conceded by travelers that nowhere else was there a hostelry to equal this great hotel. to the bon vivant the grills of the palace hotel contained more to enhance the joy of living than anywhere else, and here the chefs prided themselves with providing the best in the land, prepared in such perfect ways as to make a meal at the palace the perfection of gastronomic art. there are three distinct eras to the history of the palace hotel, the first being from to , the second from to , and the third from to the present day. in the earlier days the grills, both that for gentlemen and that for ladies, were noted for their magnificent service and their wonderful cooking. a breakfast in the ladies' grill, with an omelet of california oysters, toast and coffee, was a meal long to be remembered. possibly the most famous dish of the old palace was this one of omelet with california oysters, and it was prepared in the following manner: oyster omelet (for two): take six eggs, one hundred california oysters, one small onion, one tablespoonful of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, salt and pepper to taste. beat the eggs to a froth and stir in the onion chopped fine. put the eggs into an omelet pan over a slow fire. mix the flour and butter to a soft paste with a little cream, and stir in with the oysters, adding salt and pepper to taste. when the eggs begin to stiffen pour the oysters over and turn the omelet together. serve on hot plate with a dash of paprika. this is the recipe of ernest arbogast, the chef for many years of the old palace. the slightly coppery taste of the california oysters gives a piquancy to the flavor of the omelet that can be obtained in no other way, and those who once ate of arbogast's california oyster omelet, invariably called for it again and again. we asked jules dauviller, the present chef of the palace, for the recipe of what he considered the best dish now prepared at the palace and he said he would give us two, as it was difficult to decide which was the best and most distinctive. these are the recipes as he wrote them for us: planked fillet mignon trim some select fillet mignon of beef, about four ounces of each, nicely. saute these in a frying pan with clarified butter on a hot fire. dress on a small round plank, about four and a half inches in diameter, decorated with a border of mashed potatoes. over the fillet mignon pour stuffed pimentoes, covered with a sauce made of fresh mushrooms, sauteed sec over which has been poured a little chateaubriand sauce. serve chateaubriand sauce in a bowl. the second is: cold fillet of sand-dabs, palace select six nice fresh sand-dabs. raise the fillets from the bone skin and pare nicely, and season with salt and paprika. arrange them in an earthenware dish. cut in julienne one stalk of celery, one green pepper, one cucumber, two or three tomatoes, depending on their size. with the bone of the sand-dab, well cleaned, make a stock with one bottle of riesling, juice of one lemon and seasoning. add chervil and tarragon. season to taste and cook the julienne ingredients with some of the stock. when the rest of the stock is boiling poach it in the fillets of sand-dab, then remove from the fire and let get cold. put the garnishing around the fillets and put on ice to get in jelly. when ready to serve decorate around the dish with any kind of salad you like, and with beets, capers, olives and marinated mushrooms. this must be served very cold and you may serve mayonnaise sauce on the side. we asked dauviller what he considered his most delicate salad and he gave us this recipe: palace grill salad select three hearts of celery and cut them julienne. cut some pineapple and pimentoes into dice. mix all well together in a bowl and add mayonnaise sauce and a little whipped cream. sprinkle some finely chopped green peppers on top and serve very cold. at the hotel st. francis on the morning of april , , one of us stood in the doorway of the hotel st. francis, and watched approaching fires that came from three directions. it was but a few hours later when all that part of the city was a mass of seething flames, and in the ruins that lay in the wake of devastation was this magnificent hostelry. before business in the down-town district was reorganized, and while the work of removing the tangled masses of debris was still in progress the merchants association of san francisco called its members together in its annual banquet, and this banquet was held in the basement of the hotel st. francis, the crumbling walls, and charred and blackened timbers hidden under a mass of bunting and foliage and flowers. here was emphasized the spirit of bohemian san francisco, and it was one of the most merry and enjoyable of feasts ever held in the city. it was made possible by the fact that the management of the hotel st. francis was undaunted in the face of almost overwhelming disaster. the same spirit has carried the hotel through stress of storm and it stands now, almost as a monument to the energy of james woods, its manager. there has always been a soft spot in our hearts for the hotel st. francis, and it is here that we have always felt a most pleasurable emotion when seeking a place where good things are served. whether it be in the magnificent white and gold dining room, or the old tapestry room that has been remodeled into a dining room, or in the electric grill below stairs, it has always been the same. we asked chef victor hertzler what he considered his best recipe and his answer was characteristic of him. "i shall give you sole edward vii. if this is not satisfactory i can give you a meat, or a salad or a soup recipe." we considered it satisfactory, and here it is: sole edward vii cut the fillets out of one sole and lay them flat on a buttered pan, and season with salt and pepper. make the following mixture and spread over each fillet of sole: take one-half pound of sweet butter, three ounces of chopped salted almonds, one-fourth pound of chopped fresh mushrooms, a little chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon, salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. add to the pan one-half glassful of white wine and put in the oven for twenty minutes. when done serve in the pan by placing it on a platter, with a napkin under it. hertzler has another recipe which he prizes greatly and which he calls "celery victor," and this is the recipe which he gave us: celery victor take six stalks of celery well washed. make a stock of one soup hen or chicken bones, and five pounds of veal bones in the usual manner, with carrots, onions, parsley, bay leaves, salt and pepper. place the celery in a vessel and strain the broth over it. boil until soft and let cool off in its own broth. when cold press the broth out of the celery with the hand, gently, and place on a plate. season with salt, fresh ground black pepper, chervil, and one-quarter white wine vinegar with tarragon to three-quarters of best olive oil. amid bright lights streets centering around powell from market up to geary, may well be termed the "great white way" of san francisco, if new york will permit the plagiarism. here are congregated the most noted of the lively restaurants of the present day san francisco. here the streets are ablaze with light at night, and thronged with people, for here is the restaurant and theatre district proper of the city. among the restaurants deserving of special mention in this district are the two solaris. when solari opened his restaurant at geary street, where he continues to attract good livers by the excellence of his cooking, he at once achieved fame which has never waned. it so happened that there were two brothers, and as sometimes occurs brothers disagreed with the result that fred solari withdrew and opened a restaurant at geary and mason, just a short distance from the original place. evidently the recipe for what is considered best in both of the solari restaurants came from common ownership, for each of these places gave in response to a request for its best recipe, the following: chicken country style cut a chicken in eight pieces and drop them into some cold milk, seasoning with salt. after soaking for a few minutes dry the chicken in flour and lay in a frying pan in good butter. place in the oven and let them cook slowly, turning them occasionally until they are nice and brown on all sides, when remove them. in the gravy put a tumblerful of cream and a pinch of paprika, mix well and let it cook for ten minutes, until it gets thick, then strain and pour over the chicken and serve. the following "don'ts" are added to the recipe: don't use frozen poultry. don't substitute corn starch and milk for cream. around little italy san francisco holds no more interesting district than that lying around the base of telegraph hill, and extending over toward north beach, even as far as fisherman's wharf. here is the part of san francisco that first felt the restoration impulse, and this was the first part of san francisco rebuilt after the great fire, and in its rebuilding it recovered all of its former characteristics, which is more than can be said of any other part of the rebuilt city. here, extending north from jackson street to the bay, are congregated italians, french, portuguese and mexicans, each in a distinct colony, and each maintaining the life, manners and customs, and in some instances the costumes, of the parent countries, as fully as if they were in their native lands. here are stores, markets, fish and vegetable stalls, bakeries, paste factories, sausage factories, cheese factories, wine presses, tortilla bakeries, hotels, pensions, and restaurants; each distinctive and full of foreign life and animation, and each breathing an atmosphere characteristic of the country from which the parent stock came. walk along the streets on the side of telegraph hill and one can well imagine himself transported to a sunny hillside in italy, for here he hears no other language than that which came from the shores of the mediterranean. here are italians of all ages, sexes and conditions of servitude, from the padrone to the bootblack who works for a pittance until he obtains enough to start himself in business. if one investigate closely it will be found that many of the people of this part of san francisco have been here for years and still understand no other language than that of their native home. why should they learn anything else, they say. everybody around them, and with whom they come in contact speaks italian. here are the corsicans, with their peculiar ideas of the vendetta and the cheapness of life in general, and the sicilians and genoese and milanese. here are some from the slopes of vesuvius or aetna, with inborn knowledge of the grape and of wine making. all have brought with them recipes and traditions, some dating back for hundreds of years, or even thousands, to the days before the christian era was born. it is just the same to them as it was across the ocean, for they hear the same dialect and have the same customs. do they desire any special delicacy from their home district, they need but go to the nearest italian grocery store and get it, for these stores are supplied direct from genoa or naples. this is the reason that many of the older men and women still speak the soft dialect of their native communities, and if you are so unfortunate as not to be able to understand them, then it is you who are the loser. do you wish to know something about conditions in mexico? would you like to learn what the mexicans themselves really think about affairs down in that disturbed republic? go along broadway west of grant avenue, and then around the corner on stockton, and you will see strange signs, and perhaps you will not know that "fonda" means restaurant, or that "tienda," means a store. but these are the signs you will see, and when you go inside you will hear nothing but the gentle spanish of the mexican, so toned down and so changed that some of the castilians profess to be unable to understand it. here you will find all the articles of household use that are to be found in the heart of mexico, and that have been used for hundreds of years despite the progress of civilization in other countries. you will find all the strange foods and all the inconsequentials that go to make the sum of mexican happiness, and if you can get sufficiently close in acquaintance you will find that not only will they talk freely to you, but they will tell you things about mexico that not even the heads of the departments in washington are aware of. perhaps you would like to know something about the bourgeoise french, those who have come from the peasant district of the mother country. go a little further up broadway and you will begin to see the signs changing from spanish to french, and if you can understand them you will know that here you will be given a dinner for twenty-five cents on week days and for thirty-five cents on sundays. the difference is brought about by the difference between the price of cheap beef or mutton and the dearer chicken. up in the second story on a large building you may see a sign that tells you meals will be served and rooms provided. one of these is the rendezvous of anarchists, who gather each evening and discuss the affairs of the world, and how to regulate them. but they are harmless anarchists in san francisco, for here they have no wrongs to redress, so they sit and drink their forbidden absinthe, and dream their dreams of fire and sword, while they talk in whispers of what they are going to do to the crowned heads of europe. it is their dream and we have no quarrel with it or them. but for real interest one must get back to the slope of telegraph hill; to the streets running up from columbus avenue, until they are so steep that only goats and babies can play on them with safety. at least we suppose the babies are as active as the goats for the sides of the hill are alive with them. let us walk first along grant avenue and do a little window shopping. just before you turn off broadway into grant avenue, after passing the fior d'italia, the buon gusto, the dante and il trovatore restaurants, we come to a most interesting window where is displayed such a variety of sausages as to make one wonder at the inventive genius who thought of them all. as you wonder you peep timidly in the door and then walk in from sheer amazement. you now find yourself surrounded with sausages, from floor to ceiling, and from side wall to side wall on both ceiling and floor, and such sausage it is! from strings so thin as to appear about the size of a lady's little finger, to individual sausages as large as the thigh of a giant, they hang in festoons, crawl over beams, lie along shelves, decorate counters, peep from boxes on the floor, and invite you to taste them in the slices that lay on the butcher's block. one can well imagine being in a cave of flesh, yet if you look closely you will discover that sausage is but a part of the strange edible things to be had here. here are cheeses in wonderful variety. cheeses from italy that are made from goats' milk, asses' milk, cows' milk and mares' milk, and also cheeses from spain, mexico, germany, switzerland, and all the other countries where they make cheese, even including the united states. these cheeses are of all sizes and all shapes, from the great, round, flat cheese that we are accustomed to see in country grocery stores, to the queer-shaped caciocavallo, which looks like an indian club and is eaten with fruit. there are dried vegetables and dried fruits such as were never dreamed of in your limited experience, and even the grocer himself, the smiling and cosmopolitan verga, confesses that he does not know the names of all of them. as you go out into the street you blink at the transformation, for you have been thousands of miles away. you think that surely there can be nothing more. wait a bit. turn the corner and walk along grant avenue toward the hill. see, here is a window full of bread. look closely at it and you will notice that it is not like the bread you are accustomed to. count the different kinds. fourteen of them in all, from the long sticks of grissini to the great slid loaves weighing many pounds. light bread, heavy bread, good bread, soft bread, hard bread, delicate bread, each having its especial use, and all satisfying to different appetites. now go a little further to the corner, cross the street and enter the store of the costa brothers. it is a big grocery store and while you will not find the sausage and mystifying mass of food products in such lavish display and profuseness, as in the previous place, if you look around you will find this even more interesting, for it is on a different plane. here you find the delicacies and the niceties of italian living. at first glance it looks as if you were in any one of the american grocery stores of down-town, but a closer examination reveals the fact that these canned goods and these boxes and jars, hold peculiar foods that you are unaccustomed to. perhaps you will find a clerk who can speak good english, but if you cannot either of the costa brothers will be glad to show you the courtesy of answering your questions. turn around and look at the shelves filled with bottles of wine. now you feel that you are on safe ground, for you know about wines and can talk about cresta blanca, and mont rouge, and asti colony tipo chianti. but wait a minute. here are labels that you do not understand and wines that you never even heard of. here are wines whose taste is so delicious that you wonder why it is the whole world is not talking about it and drinking it. here are wines from the slopes of aetna, sparkling and sweet. here are wines from grapes grown on the warm slopes of vesuvius, and brought to early perfection by the underground fires. here are wines from the colder slopes of mountains; wines from parma and from sicily and palermo where the warm italian sunshine has been the arch-chemist to bring perfection to the fruit of the vine. here are still wines and those that sparkle. here the famed lacrima christi, both spumanti and fresco, said to be the finest wine made in all italy, and the spumanti have the unusual quality for an italian wine of being dry. but to tell you of all the interesting articles to be found in these italian, and french and mexican stores, would be impossible, for some of them have not been translated into english, and even the storekeepers would be at a loss for words to explain them. this is all a part of the bohemianism of san francisco, and that is why we are telling you about it in a book that is supposed to be devoted to the bohemian restaurants. the fact is that san francisco's bohemian restaurants would be far less interesting were it not for the fact that they can secure the delicacies imported by these foreign storekeepers to supply the wants of their people. but do not think you have exhausted the wonders of little italy when you have left the stores, for there is still more to see. if you were ever in palermo and went into the little side streets, you saw the strings of macaroni, spaghetti and other pastes drying in the sun while children and dogs played through and around it, giving you such a distaste for it that you have not eaten any italian paste since. but in san francisco they do things differently. there are a number of paste factories, all good and all clean. take that of p. fiorini, for instance, at a point a short distance above costa brothers. you cannot miss it for it has a picture of fiorini himself as a sign, and on it he tells you that if you eat his paste you will get to be as fat as he is. go inside and you will find that fiorini can talk just enough english to make himself understood, while his good wife, his sole assistant, can neither speak nor understand any but her native italian. but that does not bother her in the least, for she can make signs, and you can understand them even better than you understand the english of her husband. here you will see the making of raviolis by the hundred at a time. tagliarini, tortilini, macaroni, spaghetti, capellini, percatelli, tagliatelli, and all the seventy and two other varieties. the number of kinds of paste is most astonishing, and one wonders why there are so many kinds and what is done with them. fiorini will tell you that each kind has its distinctive use. some are for soups, some for sauces, and all for special edibility. there are hundreds of recipes for cooking the various pastes and each one is said to be a little better than the others, if you can imagine such a thing. turn another corner after leaving fiorini's and look down into a basement. you do not have to go to the country to see wine making. here is one of the primitive wine presses of italy, and if you want to know why some irreverent people call the red wine of the italians "chateau la feet," you have but to watch the process of its making in these telegraph hill wine houses. the grapes are poured into a big tub and a burly man takes off his shoes and socks and emulates the oxen of biblical times when it treaded out the grain. of course he washes his feet before he gets into the wine tub. but, at that, it is not a pleasant thing to contemplate. now you look around with wider and more comprehensive eyes, and now you begin to understand something about these strange foreign quarters in san francisco. as you look around you note another thing. italian fecundity is apparent everywhere, and the farther up the steep slope of the hill you go the more children you see. they are everywhere, and of all sizes and ages, in such reckless profusion that you no longer wonder if the world is to be depopulated through the coming of the fad of eugenics. the italian mother has but two thoughts--her god and her children, and it is to care for her children that she has brought from her native land the knowledge of cookery, and of those things that help to put life and strength in their bodies. an italian girl said to us one day: "mama knows nothing but cooking and going to church. she cooks from daylight until dark, and stops cooking only when she is at church." it was evident that her domestic and religious duties dominated her life, and she knew but two things--to please her god and to care for her family, and without question if occasion demanded the pleasure of her family took precedence. san francisco's latin quarter is appealing, enticing and hypnotizing. go there and you will learn why san francisco is a bohemian city. you will find out that so many things you have thought important are really not at all worth while. go there and you will find the root of bohemian restaurants. these people have studied gastronomy as a science, and they have imparted their knowledge to san francisco, with the result that the bohemian spirit enters into our very lives, and our minds are broadened, and our views of life and our ideas have a wider scope. it is because of this condition, born on the slopes of telegraph hill, that we are drawn out of depressing influences, out of the spirit of self-consciousness, and find a world of pleasure, innocent and educational, the inspiration for which has been handed down through generations of latina since the days of early roman empire, which inspiration is still a power for good because it takes people out of themselves and places them where they can look with understanding and speak the language of perception. little italy's charm has long been recognized by artists and writers, and many of them began their careers which led to fame and fortune in little cheap rooms on telegraph hill. here have lived many whose names are now known to fame, and to name them would be almost like a directory of world renowned artists and writers. here is still the memory of bret harte and mark twain. here is where keith had his early studio. cadenasso, martinez, and many others know these slopes and love them. to all these and many more the latin quarter of san francisco possessed a charm they could find nowhere else, and if one desire to bring a saddened look to the faces of many now living elsewhere it is but necessary to talk of the good old days when bohemia was on telegraph hill in san francisco. here they had their domicile, and here they foregathered in the little restaurants, whose claims to merit lay chiefly in the fact that they were rarely visited by other than the italians of the quarter and these bohemians who lived there. here was the inspiration of many a good book and many a famous picture whose inception came from thoughts that crystallized amid these surroundings, and here many a needy bohemian struggled through the lean days with the help of these kind-hearted latina. here they, even as we, were taught something of the art of cooking. of course, if one desire to learn various methods of preparing food, it is necessary to keep both eyes open and to ask many questions, seeking the information that sometimes comes from unlooked for sources. even at that it is not always a good idea to take everything for granted or to accept every suggestion, for you may meet with the italian vegetable dealer who is so eager to please his customers that he pretends a knowledge he does not possess. we discovered him one day when he had on display a vegetable that was strange to us. "how do you cook it?" was our question. "fry it." then his partner shouted his laughter and derision. "oh, he's one fine cook. all the time he say 'fry it.' one day a lady she come into da store an' she see da big bucket of ripe olives. da lady she from the east and she never see olives like dat before. 'how you cook it?' say da lady. 'fry it,' say my partner. everything he say fry it." in another vegetable stand we found an italian girl, whose soft lisping accent pronounced her a genoese, and she, diffidently suggested "a fine italian dessert." a fine desert "you take macaroons and strawberries. put a layer of macaroons in a dish and then a layer of strawberries, cover these with sugar, and then another layer of macaroons and strawberries and sugar until you have all you want. over these pour some rum and set fire to it. after it is burned out you have a fine dessert." we bought the macaroons and strawberries on the way home and did not even wait for dinner time to try it. we pronounce it good. it was made the right way and we advise you to try it, for it is simple and leaves a most delicious memory. where fish come in it was very early one morning. so early that one of us strenuously pretended sleep while the other gave urgent reminder that this was the day we were to go to fishermen's wharf. daylight came early and it was just four o'clock when we began preparations. a cup of hot coffee while dressing served to get us wide-awake, and we were off to see the fish come in. fishermen's wharf lies over at north beach, at the end of meiggs's wharf, where the customs officers have their station, and to reach it one takes either the powell and north beach cars, or the kearny and north beach cars, and at the end of either walks two blocks. when you get that far anybody you see can tell you where to go. fog mist was stealing along the marin shore, and hiding golden gate when we arrived, and the rays of the sun took some time to make a clear path out to sea. out of the bank of white came gliding the heavy power boats of the sicilian and corsican fishermen, while from off shore were the ghostly lateen rigged boats of those who had been fishing up the sacramento and san joaquin rivers, their yards aslant to catch the faint morning breeze. as they slipped through the leaden water to their mooring at the wharf we could see the decks and holds piled with fish and crabs. roosting on piles, and lining the water's edge on everything that served to give foothold, were countless seagulls, all waiting for the breakfast they knew was coming from the discarded fish, and fit companions were the women with shawls over their heads irreverently called mud hens, and old men in dilapidated clothing, who sat along the stringers of the wharf, some with baskets, some with buckets and others with little paper bags, in which to put the fish which they could get so cheaply it meant a meal for them when otherwise they would have to go without. the earlier boats were moored and on the decks fires were burning in charcoal braziers, on which the fishermen cooked their breakfasts of fish and coffee, with the heavy black loaves of bread for which they seem to have special fancy. as the odor of the cooking fish came up from the water the waiting gulls and men and women moved a little closer. breakfast over the fishermen turned to the expectant crowd and began taking notice of the pitiful offerings of coin. tin buckets, newspapers, bags, rags and even scooped hands were held down, each containing such coin as the owner possessed, and in return came bountiful supply of fish. a fine, fat crab for which your market man would charge you forty cents was sold for ten. beautiful, fresh sand-dabs, but an hour or two out of the water, were five cents a pound, while sea bass, fresh cod, mackerel, and similar fish went at the same price. small fish, or white bait, went by quantity, ten cents securing about half a gallon. smelt, herring, flounder, sole, all went at equally low prices, and as each buyer secured his allotment he went hurrying off through the mist, as silently as the floating gulls. when these were all supplied the rest of the fish and crabs were taken up to the wharf and put on the counters of the free market, where they were sold at prices most tempting. shrimps, alive and active, crayfish, clams, squid and similar sea food was in profusion and sold at prices on a parity with that of the fish. as the day wore on the early buyers were replaced by those who knew of the free fish market and came to get good supplies for their money. here were boarding-house keepers, unmistakable anywhere, bohemians in hard luck who remembered that they could get good food here at a minimum of price, and came now while on the down turn of the wheel. as a human interest study it was better than a study of fish. fishermen's wharf is where the independent fishermen bring their catches to san francisco, but it is not where the city's great supply comes in. to see that we had to go along the docks until we came to the broadway wharf where paladini, the head of the fish trust, unloads his tugs of their tons and tons of fish. it is not nearly so interesting to look at, but it gives a good idea of what comes out of the sea every day to supply the needs of san francisco and the surrounding country. these tugs bring in the catches of dozens of smaller boats manned by fishermen who are toiling out beyond the heads, and up the two great rivers. from far out around the farallones, from up around the potato patch with its mournful fog bell constantly tolling, from down the coast as far as monterey bay where fish are in such abundance that it is said they have to give a signal when they want to turn around, from up the rivers, come fish to the man who has grown from the owner of a small sail boat to be the power who controls prices of all the fish that go to the markets of the city. by the time we finished with paladini's fish we felt ready for breakfast and took a car down to davis and pacific street where we found bazzuro's serving breakfast to dozens of market gardeners who had finished their unloading, and there, while partaking of the fresh fish we had brought from fishermen's wharf, we saw another phase of san francisco's early morning life. here were gardeners who came in the darkness of early morning to supply hucksters, small traders and a few thrifty people who knew of the cheapness, and in columbo market they drove their great wagons and discharged their day's gathering of vegetables of all kinds. but a few steps away is the great fruit market of the early morning and here tons of the finest fruits are distributed to the hundreds of wagons that crowd the street to such an extent that it takes all the ingenuity of experienced policemen to keep clearway for traffic. threading their way in and out between the wheels and the heels of horses, were men and women, all looking for bargains in food. amid a din almost deafening business was transacted with such celerity that in three hours the streets were cleared, fruits and vegetables sold and on their way to distant stands, and the tired policemen leaning against friendly walls, recuperating after the strenuous work of keeping order in chaos. it is when one goes to these places in the morning and sees the cheapness of these foods that he can understand in a small way why it is that so many italian restaurants can give such good meals for so little money. one wonders at a table d'hote dinner of six or seven courses for twenty-five cents, or even for half a dollar, and one accustomed to buying meats, fish, vegetables and fruits at the exorbitant prices charged at most of the markets and fruit and vegetable stands now sees why the thrifty foreigner can make and save money while the average american can hardly keep more than two jumps ahead of the sheriff. fish in their variety probably the most frequent question asked us by those who come to san francisco is: "where can we get the best fish?" with san francisco's wonderful natural advantages as a fish market one is sometimes surprised that more attention is not given to preparing fish as a specialty. but one restaurant in the city deals exclusively with sea food, and even there one is astonished at an overlooked opportunity. darbee & immel have catered to san francisco in oysters for many years and after the fire they opened the shell fish grotto, in o'farrell street, between powell and mason streets, and this is one of the very few distinctive fish restaurants of the country. it is when one considers the possibilities that a shock comes from the environing decorations. white and gold pillars, with twining ivy reaching to the old gold and rose mural and ceiling embellishments seem out of place in a restaurant that is devoted entirely to catering to lovers of fish. nothing in the place indicates its character except the big lobster in front of the building. not even so much as a picture to bring a sentiment of the ocean to the mind. we are going to take a liberty, and possibly darbee & immel may call it an impertinence, and give them a bit of advice. it costs them nothing consequently they can act on it or not and it will make no difference. this is our suggestion: change the interior of the place entirely by having around the walls a series of large glass aquaria, with as many different kinds of fish swimming about as it is possible to get; something on the order of the interior of the aquarium in battery park in new york. paint the ceiling to represent the surface of the water as seen from below. have seaweed and kelp in place of ivy, and a fish net or two caught up in the corners of the room, with here and there a starfish or a crab--not too many, for profuseness in this sort of decoration is an abomination. then you will have a restaurant that will be talked about wherever people sit at meat. but to get back to our talk about fish, and where to get it prepared and cooked the best. we must say that the finest fish we have eaten in san francisco was not in the high-priced restaurants at all, but in a little, dingy back room, down at fishermen's wharf, where there was sand on the floor and all the sounds of the kitchen were audible in the dining room. the place was patronized almost solely by the italian fishermen who not only know how to catch a fish but how it ought to be cooked. one may always rest assured that when he gets a fish in one of the italian restaurants it is perfectly fresh, for there are two things that an italian demands in eating, and they are fresh fish and fresh vegetables. at the gianduja at union and stockton streets, one is certain to get fish cooked well and that it is perfectly fresh. the variety is not so good as at the shell fish grotto, but otherwise it is just as good in every respect. at the grotto there is a wonderful variety but the quantity is at the minimum because there, too, they will have no fish that has been twenty-four hours out of the water. one wonders how a full course dinner entirely of fish can be prepared, but if you will go to the shell fish grotto you will find that it is done, and done well at that. here you can get a good dinner for one dollar, or if you prefer it they have a fish dinner de luxe for which they charge two dollars. both are good, the latter having additional wines and delicacies. down in washington street, just off columbus avenue, is the vesuvius, an italian restaurant of low price, but excellent cooking. a specialty there is fish which is always brought fresh from the nearby clay street market as ordered, consequently is perfect. when you give your order a messenger is dispatched to the market and usually he brings the fish alive and the chef prepares it in one of his many ways, for he is said to have more secrets about the cooking of fish than one would think it possible for one brain to contain. the trouble about this restaurant is that the rest of the menu does not come up to the fish standard, but if you desire a simple luncheon of fish there is no better place to get it. there are three things in which an easterner will be disappointed in san francisco, and these are oysters. pacific coast oysters fail in size, flavor and cooking, when compared with the luscious bivalve of the atlantic, so far as the ordinary forms of preparation is concerned. even fancy dishes, such as oysters kirkpatrick, would be better if made of the eastern oyster, not what they call the eastern oyster here, for that is a misnomer, but the oysters that grow in the atlantic ocean. of the pacific oysters the best is the toke point, that comes from oregon. they are similar in size to the blue point, but lack the flavor. when, in a san francisco restaurant, you are asked what sort of oyster you will have, and you see the familiar names on the menu card, remember that these are transplanted oysters, and have lost much of their flavor in the transplanting, or else they are oysters that have been shipped across the continent and have thereby lost their freshness. the california oyster proper, is very small, and it has a peculiar coppery taste, which bon vivants declare adds to its piquancy. instead of ordering these by the dozen you order them by the hundred, it being no difficult task to eat an hundred at a meal, especially when prepared in a pepper roast. everyone knows the staple ways of preparing oysters, and every chef looks upon the oyster as the source of new flavors in many dishes, but to our mind the best way we have found in san francisco was at a little restaurant down in washington street before the fire. it was the buon gusto, where they served fish and oysters better than anything else because the owners were the chefs, and they were from the island of catalan, off the coast of italy. their specialty was called "oysters a la catalan," and their recipe, which is given, can be prepared excellently in a chafing dish: oysters a la catalan take one tablespoonful of butter, two teaspoonfuls grated edam or parmesan cheese, four tablespoonfuls catsup, one-half teaspoonful worcestershire sauce, two tablespoonfuls cream, meat of one good-sized crab cut fine and two dozen oysters. put the cheese and butter into a double boiler and when melted smooth add the catsup and worcestershire sauce. mix well and add the cream and then the crab meat. when creamy and boiling hot drop in the oysters. as soon as the oysters are crinkled serve on hot buttered toast on hot plates. in the days before the fire when you went to a restaurant and ordered fish or oysters the waiter invariably put before you either a plate of crab salad or a dish of shrimps, with which you were supposed to amuse yourself while the meal was being prepared. shrimps and crabs were then so plentiful that their price was never considered. under our new conditions these always appear on the bill when ordered, and if they be not ordered they do not appear for they now are made to increase the income. to the uninitiated visitor the shrimps so served were always something of a mystery, and after a few futile efforts to get at the meat they generally gave it up as too much work for the little good derived. the old timer, however, cracked the shrimp's neck, pinched its tail, and out popped a delicious bonne bouche which added to the joy of the meal and increased the appetite. but there are many other ways of serving shrimps, and they are also much used to give flavor to certain fish sauces. one of the most delicious ways of preparing shrimp is what is known as "shrimp creole, a la antoine," so named after the famous new orleans antoine by a chef in san francisco who had regard for the new orleans caterer. we doubt if it can be had anywhere in san francisco now unless you are well enough known to have it prepared according to the recipe. this recipe, by the way, is a good one to use in a chafing dish supper. this is the way it was prepared at the old pup restaurant, one of the noted restaurants before the fire and earthquake changed conditions: shrimp creole take three pints of unshelled shrimps and shell them, one-half pint of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of catsup, one wine glass of sherry, paprika, chili powder and parsley. brown the flour in the butter and add the milk until it is thickened. color with the catsup and season with paprika and chili powder. stir in the sherry and make a pink cream which is to be mixed through the shrimps and not cooked. sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with squares of toast or crackers. lobsters and lobsters when is a lobster not a lobster? when it is a crayfish. this question and answer might well go into the primer of information for those who come to san francisco from the east, for what is called a lobster in san francisco is not a lobster at all but a crayfish. the true lobster is not found in the pacific along the california coast, and so far efforts at transplanting have not been successful. the pacific crayfish, however, serves every purpose, and while many contend that its meat is not so delicate in flavor as that of its eastern cousin, the californian will as strenuously insist that it is better, but, of course, something must always be allowed for the patriotism of the californian. lobster, served cold with mayonnaise, or broiled live lobster are most frequently called for, and while they are both excellent, we find so many other ways of preparing this crustacean that we rarely take the common variety of lobster dishes into consideration. probably nowhere in san francisco could one get lobster better served than in the old delmonico restaurant of the days before the fire. a book could be written about this restaurant and then all would not be told for all its secrets can never be known. in new york city they have what they are pleased to call "lobster palaces," but there is not a restaurant in that great metropolis that could approach the delmonico of san francisco in its splendid service and its cuisine arrangements; neither could they approach the romance that always surrounded the o'farrell street restaurant. it was here that most magnificent dinners were arranged; it was here that extraordinary dishes were concocted by chefs of world-wide fame; it was here that lobster a la newberg reached its highest perfection, and this is the recipe that was followed when it was prepared in the delmonico: lobster a la newberg one pound of lobster meat, one teaspoonful of butter, one-half pint of cream, yolks of four eggs, one wine glass of sherry, lobster fat. three hours before cooking pour the sherry over the lobster meat and let it stand until ready to cook. heat the butter and stir in with the lobster and wine, then place this in a stewpan, or chafing dish, and cook for eight minutes. have the yolks of eggs well beaten and add to them the cream and lobster fat, stir well and then stir in a teaspoonful of flour. put this in a double boiler and let cook until thick, stirring constantly. when this is cooked pour it over the lobster and let all cook together for three minutes. serve in a chafing dish with thin slices of dry toast. king of shell fish one has to come to san francisco to partake of the king of shell fish--the mammoth pacific crab. i say "come to san francisco" advisedly, for while the crab is found all along the coast it is prepared nowhere so deliciously as in san francisco. of course our friends in portland will take exception to this, but the fact remains that nowhere except in san francisco have so many restaurants become famous because of the way they prepare the crab. the pacific crab is peculiar, and while it has not the gigantic claws such as are to be seen on those in the parisian and london markets, its meat is much more delicate in flavor, and the dishes of crab prepared by artists of the gastronomic profession in san francisco are more savory than those found elsewhere. in the pre-fire days there were many places which paid especial attention to the cooking of the crab, among them being the cobweb palace, previously mentioned, and gobey's. gobey ran one of those places which was not in good repute, consequently when ladies went there they were usually veiled and slipped in through an alley, but the enticement of gobey's crab stew was too much for conventionality and his little private rooms were always full. gobey's passed with the fire, and the little restaurant bearing his name, and in charge of his widow, in union square avenue, has not attained the fame of the old place. it is possible that she knows the secret of preparing crab as it was prepared in the gobey's of before the fire, but his prestige did not descend to her. almost all of the italian restaurants will give you crab in many forms, and all of them are good; many restaurants use crab meat for flavoring other, dishes, but of all the recipes for cooking crab we have found none that we consider so good as that of gobey's. it is as follows: gobey's crab stew take the meat of one large crab, scraping out all of the fat from the shell. one good-sized onion, one tomato, one sweet pepper, one teaspoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of flour, half a glass of sherry, a pinch of rosemary, one clove of garlic, paprika, salt and minionette pepper. soak the crab meat in the sherry two hours before cooking. chop fine the onion, sweet pepper and tomato with the rosemary. mash the clove of garlic, rubbing thoroughly in a mortar and on this put the butter and flour, mixing well together, and gradually adding the salt and minionette pepper, and stir in two tablespoonfuls of cream. heat this in a stewpan and when simmering add the sherry and crab meat and let all cook together with a slow fire for eight minutes. serve in a chafing dish with toasted crackers or thin slices of toasted bread. a dash of worcestershire sauce just before it is taken up adds to the flavor. lobster in miniature crawfish, or ecravisse, has never been very popular in san francisco, probably because there are so many other delicate crustaceans that are more easily handled, yet the crawfish grows to perfection in pacific waters, and importation's of them from portland, oregon, are becoming quite an industry. so far it has been used mostly for garnishment of other dishes, and it is only recently that the hof brau has been making a specialty of them. all of the better class restaurants, however, will serve them if you order them. the full flavor of the crawfish is best obtained in a bisque, and the best recipe for this is by the famous chef francatelli, who boasts having been the head of the cuisine of queen victoria. his recipe is long, and its preparation requires much patience, but the result is such a gastronomic marvel that one never regrets the time spent in its accomplishment. this is the recipe for eight people, and it is well worth trying if you are giving a dinner of importance: bisque of crawfish take thirty crawfish, from which remove the gut containing the gall in the following manner: take firm hold of the crawfish with the left hand so as to avoid being pinched by its claws; with the thumb and forefinger of the right hand pinch the extreme end of the central fin of the tail, and, with a sudden jerk, the gut will be withdrawn. mince or cut into small dice a carrot, an onion, one head of celery and a few parsley roots, and to these add a bay leaf, a sprig of thyme, a little minionette pepper and two ounces of butter. put these ingredients into a stewpan and fry them ten minutes, then throw in the crawfish and pour on them half a bottle of french white wine. allow this to boil and then add a quart of strong consomme and let all continue boiling for half an hour. pick out the crawfish and strain the broth through a napkin by pressure into a basin in order to extract all the essence from the vegetables. pick the shells off twenty-five of the crawfish tails, trim them neatly and set them aside until wanted. reserve some of the spawn, also half of the body shells with which to make the crawfish butter to finish the soup. this butter is made as follows: place the shells on a baking sheet in the oven to dry; let the shells cool and then pound them in a mortar with a little lobster coral and four ounces of fresh butter, thoroughly bruising the whole together so as to make a fine paste. put this in a stewpan and set it over a slow fire to simmer for about five minutes, then rub it through a sieve with considerable pressure into a basin containing ice water. as soon as the colored crawfish butter is become firmly set, through the coldness of the water, take it out and put it into a small basin and set in the refrigerator until wanted. reverting to the original recipe: take the remainder of the crawfish and add thereto three anchovies, washed for the purpose, and also the crusts of french rolls, fried to a light brown color in butter. pound all these thoroughly together and then put them into a stewpan with the broth that has been reserved in a basin, and having warmed the bisque thus prepared rub it through a sieve into a fine puree. put this puree into a soup pot and finish by incorporating therewith the crawfish butter and season with a little cayenne pepper and the juice of half a lemon. pour the bisque quite hot into the tureen in which have been placed the crawfish tails, and send to the table. this is not so difficult as it appears when you are reading it and if you wish to have something extra fine take the necessary time and patience and prepare it. clams and abalone's we cannot dispose of the shell fish of san francisco without a word or two about clams, for certainly there is no place where they are in greater variety and better flavor. in fact the clam is the only bivalve of this part of the coast that has a distinctive and good flavor. several varieties are to be found in the markets, the best and rarest being the little rock clams that come from around drake's bay, just above the entrance to golden gate. these are most delicious in flavor and should never be eaten otherwise than raw. the sand, or hard shell, or as they are sometimes called little necks, are next in choiceness, and then come the pismo beach clams, noted for their flavor and enormous size. the mud clam is good for chowder but not so good as either of the other varieties mentioned. the bohemian way to have your clams is to go to the shore of bolinas bay or some other equally retired spot, and have a clam bake, or else take a pot along with the other ingredients and have a good clam chowder. this, however, may be prepared at any time and is always a good meal. clam fritters when prepared according to the recipe given herein, is one of the best methods of preparing the clam, and it has the peculiarity of being so tasty that one feels that there is never enough cooked. of all the ways of cooking clams chowder takes precedence as a rule, and it is good when made properly. by that we do not mean the thin, watery stuff that is served in most of the restaurants and called clam chowder just because it happens to be made every friday. that is fairly good as a clam soup but it is no more chowder than a mexican soup approaches a crawfish bisque. there is but one right way to make clam chowder, and that is either to make it yourself or closely superintend the making, and this is the way to make it: clam chowder take one quart of shelled sand clams, two large potatoes, two large onions, one clove of garlic, one sweet pepper, one thick slice of salt pork, one-half pound small oyster crackers, one-half glass sherry, one tablespoonful worcestershire sauce, one tomato, salt, and pepper. in a large stewpan place the salt pork cut into small dice, and let this fry slightly over a slow fire until the bottom of the stewpan is well greased. take this off the fire and put in a layer of potatoes sliced thin, on top of the salt pork, then a layer of onions sliced thin, and a layer of clams. put on this salt and pepper and sprinkle with a little flour and then a layer of crackers. chop the sweet pepper and tomato fine and mix with them the bruised and mashed garlic. on top of each succession of layers put a little of the mixture. continue making these layers until all the ingredients are placed in the stewpan, and then pour on the top sufficient water to just show. cover tightly and let cook gently for half an hour. pour on the worcestershire sauce and sherry just before serving. do not stir this while cooking, and in order to prevent its burning it should be cooked over an asbestos cover. when done this should be thick enough to be eaten with a fork. among the good bohemians who lived in san francisco as a child when it was in the post-pioneer days, and who has enjoyed the good things of all the famous restaurants is mrs. emma sterett, who has given us the following recipe for clam fritters which we consider the most delicious of all we have ever eaten, and when you try them you will agree with us: clam fritters take two dozen clams, washed thoroughly and drained. put in chopping bowl and chop, not too fine. add to these one clove of garlic mashed, one medium-sized onion chopped fine, add bread crumbs sufficient to stiffen the mass, chopped parsley, celery and herbs to taste. beat two eggs separately and add to the clams. if too stiff to drop from a spoon add the strained liquor of clams. drop tablespoonfuls of this mixture into hot fat, turn and cook for sufficient time to cook through, then drain on brown paper and serve. abalone's are a univalve that has been much in vogue among the chinese but has seldom found place on the tables of restaurants owing to the difficulty in preparing them, as they are tough and insipid under ordinary circumstances. when made tender either by the chinese method of pounding, or by steeping in vinegar, they serve the purpose of clams but have not the fine flavor. the hof brau restaurant is now making a specialty of abalone's, but it takes sentiment to say that one really finds anything extra good in them. another shell fish much in vogue among the italian restaurants is mussels, which are found to perfection along the coast. these are usually served bordelaise, and make quite a pleasant change when one is surfeited with other shell fish, but the best recipe is: mussels mariniere thoroughly clean the mussels and then put them in a deep pan and pour over them half a glass of white wine. chop an onion, a clove of garlic and some parsley fine and put in the pan, together with a tablespoonful of butter. let these boil very quick for twelve minutes, keeping the pan tightly covered. take off half shells and place the mussels in a chafing dish and pour over them bechamel sauce and then add sufficient milk gravy to cover. serve hot from chafing dish. where fish abound according to david starr jordan, acknowledged world authority on fish, there is greater variety of fish in monterey bay than anywhere else in the world. monterey bay is one of san francisco's sources of supply consequently we have a greater variety of fish in our markets than are to be found anywhere else. in the markets are fish from all parts of the pacific ocean, from the tropics to far north in the arctics, while denizens of the waters all the way, between add to the variety. the essential element of goodness in fish is freshness, and it is always fresh in san francisco markets, and also in the restaurants. of all varieties two rank first in the estimation of gourmets, but, of course, that is purely a matter of individual taste. according to the above-mentioned authority, "the finest fish that swims is the sand-dab." some gourmets, however, will take issue with him on this and say the pompano is better. others will prefer the mountain trout. be that as it may they all are good, with many others following close in choice. fine striped bass from the ocean, or black bass from the fresh water takes high place in preference. then there is sole, both in the fillet and rex, as prepared at jule's under the monadnock building. tom cod, rock cod, fresh mackerel and fresh cod, white bait and boned smelt all are excellent fish, but were we to attempt to tell of all the fish to be found here we would have to reproduce a piscatorial directory. there are two good methods of acquiring knowledge of the fish of san francisco. go to the wharves and see them come and and go to the wholesale markets down in clay street, below montgomery. you will then begin to realize that we certainly do have a variety of good fish. now for a little bohemianism of a different sort: recently there came to san francisco, with his wife, an actor whose name used to be almost a household word among theater-goers, and when we say "the villain still pursued her," all you old timers will know whom we mean. when he was here in the years long gone by it was his custom to go to the old california market, select what he desired to eat, then take it to the restaurant and have it cooked, and the old atmosphere came back to him on his recent arrival and he revived the old custom. "meet us at the california market," was the telephone message that came to us, and we were there, for we knew that something good was in store for us. first we went through the market from end to end and all the side aisles, "spying out the land." it is not possible to enumerate what we saw. if you want to know go there and see for yourselves. having seen we were told to go and select what we wished to have for our dinner, and then the selection began and there was a feast of buying fish, meats, vegetables and delicacies of all sorts, even to french pastry. our purchases were ordered sent to the restaurant in the corner of the market where the chef had already been duly "seen," and then came each particular idea as to how the food was to be cooked. we had sand-dabs munier, chateaubriand with mushrooms, italian squash, fried in oil with a flavor of garlic, french pastry, and coffee, together with some good california tipo chianti, all flavored with such a stream of reminiscence that we forgot that such things as clocks existed. it was the first time our theatrical friends had tasted sand-dabs, for this fish has come to san francisco markets only in recent years, and they declared that it was the "only" fish fit to be eaten. it is possible that they were prejudiced by the sentiment of the surroundings and consequently not exactly in position to be good judges. all italian restaurants serve fish well. at the new buon gusto you will find a most excellent cippino with polenti, and if you have not experienced this we advise you to try it as soon as possible. at the gianduja you will find sand-dabs au gratin to be very fine. at jack's, striped bass cooked in wine is what we think the best of the fish to be found in the market, or at the restaurants, cooked that way. jule's is famous for his rex sole. at all of the french and italian restaurants small fry is cooked to perfection. if you wish fish in any way or of any kind you will make no mistake in asking for it at any of the french or italian restaurants, or at the shell fish grotto, and if you are in doubt regarding what to order just take the proprietor into your confidence, tell him you are a stranger in the city and ask him to serve you fish the best way he prepares it. you will not be disappointed. some food variants variants of food preparation sometimes typify nationalities better even than variants of language or clothing. take the lowly corn meal, for instance. we find that italian polenti, spanish tamale, philadelphia scrapple and southern darkey crackling corn bread are but variants of the preparation of corn meal in delectable foods. it is a long step from plain corn meal mush to scrapple, which we consider the highest and best form of preparing this sort of dish, but all the intermediate steps come from a desire to please the taste with a change from simple corn meal. crackling corn bread is the first step, and here we find that the darkies of the south found good use for the remnants of the pork after lard was tried out at hog-killing time, by mixing the cracklings with their corn meal and making a pone which they cooked before an open fire on a hoe blade, the first of this being called "cracklin' hoe cake." good scrapple is one of the finest breakfast dishes that we know during the winter, and when prepared after the recipe given here it precedes all other forms of serving corn meal. to mix it properly one must know the proper values of herbs and condiments, and this recipe is the result of much discriminating study. modesty prevents us giving it more than the name of "scrapple." it is prepared in the following manner, differing from that made in philadelphia: scrapple take a young pig's head and boil it until the flesh drops from the bones, in water to which has been added two good-sized onions, quartered, five bruised cloves of garlic, one bay leaf, sweet marjoram, thyme, rosemary, a little sage, salt, and pepper. separate the meat from the bones and chop fine. strain off the liquor and boil with corn meal, adding the chopped meat. put in the corn meal gradually, until it makes a stiff mush, then cook for half an hour with the meat. put in shallow pans and let cool. to serve slice about half an inch thick and fry in olive oil or butter to a light brown. as originally prepared the tamale was made for conveyance, hence the wrappings of corn husk. this is a spanish dish, having been brought to this country by the early spanish explorers, and adopted by the indian tribes with whom they came in contact. in the genuine tamale the interior is the sauce and meat that goes with the corn meal which is alternately laid with the husks, and when made the ends are tied with fine husk. for meat, chicken, pork, and veal are considered the best. there is also a sweet tamale, made with raisins or preserves. the following recipe for tamales was given us by luna: tamales boil one chicken until the meat comes from the bones. chop the neat fine and moisten it with the liquor in which it was boiled. boil six large chili peppers in a little water until cooked so they can be strained through a fine strainer, and add to this the chopped chicken, with salt to taste and a little chopped parsley. take corn meal and work into it a lump of butter the size of an egg, adding boiling water and working constantly until it makes a paste the consistency of biscuit dough. have ready a pile of the soft inner husks of green corn and on each husk spread a lump of dough, the size of a walnut, into a flat cake covering the husk. in the center of the dough put a teaspoonful of the chopped meat with minced olive. on a large husk put several tablespoonfuls of chopped meat with olives. roll this together and lay on them other husks until the tamale is of the size desired. tie the ends together with strips of fine husk and put in boiling water for twenty minutes. either veal or pork may be used instead of chicken. polenti, properly prepared, is a dish that requires much labor, and scarcely repays for the time and exertion spent in its making. it differs from scrapple in that the ingredients are mixed in a sauce and poured over the mush instead of being mixed in the meal. in the new buon gusto restaurant, in broadway, they cook polenti to perfection, and when it is served with cippino it leaves nothing to be desired. this is the recipe: polenti for the gravy: make a little broth with veal bone, a small piece of beef, a pig's foot, neck, feet and gizzard of chicken. in a separate kettle cook in hot oil one sliced onion, one clove of garlic, a little parsley, one bell pepper, one tomato, a small piece of celery, and a carrot. cook until soft and then add this to the broth with a few dried mushrooms. cook slowly for thirty minutes and then strain. for the mush: boil corn meal until it is thoroughly done and then cool it until it can be cut in slices for frying. mix butter and olive oil and heat in a frying pan and into this put the slices of corn meal, frying to a light brown. place the fried corn meal in a platter in layers, sprinkling each with grated parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. take parsley and one clove of garlic chopped fine and a can of french mushrooms cut in quarters, and fry in butter, then add enough gravy to pour over the fried corn meal. place this in an oven for a few minutes then serve. about dining table d'hote is the feature of san francisco's restaurant life. it is the ideal method for those who wish a good dinner and who have not the inclination, or the knowledge, to order a special dinner. it is also the least expensive way of getting a good dinner. it also saves an exhibition of ignorance regarding the dishes, for if you are in doubt all you have to do is to leave it to the waiter, and he will bring the best there is on the day's menu and will serve it properly. it is really something to elicit wonder when one considers the possibilities of a table d'hote dinner in some of the less expensive restaurants. take, for instance, the buon gusto, in broadway. this restaurant boasts a good chef, and the food is the finest the market affords. here is served a six course dinner for fifty cents, and the menu card is typical of this class of restaurants. what is provided is shown by the following taken from the bill of fare as it was served us: hor d'ouvres--four kinds; five kinds of salad; two kinds of soup; seven kinds of fish; four kinds of paste; broiled spring chicken; green salad with french dressing; ice cream or rum omelet; mixed fruits; demi tasse. with this is served a pint of good table wine. as one goes up with the scale of prices in the restaurants that charge $ , $ . , $ . , $ , $ . , and $ for their dinners it will be found that the difference lies chiefly in the variety from which to choose and from the surroundings and service. take, for example, the following typical menu for a dollar dinner, served at the fior d'italia, and compare it with the fifty-cent dinner just mentioned: salami and anchovies; salad; chicken broth with italian paste; fillet of english sole, sauce tartare; spaghetti or ravioli; escallop of veal, caper sauce; french peas with butter; roast chicken with chiffon salad; ice cream or fried cream; assorted fruits and cakes; demi tasse. wine with this dinner is extra. now going a step up in the scale we come to the $ . dinner as follows: anchovies, salami (note that it is the same as above); combination salad; tortellini di bologna soup; striped bass a la livornaise; ravioli a la genoese and spaghetti with mushrooms; chicken saute, italian style, with green peas; squab with lettuce; zabaione; fruit; cheese; coffee. wine is extra. let us now look at the menu of the $ . dinner, without wine: pate 'de foie gras--truffles on toast; salad; olives; alice fallstaff; italian ham "prosciutto;" soup--semino italiani with brodo de cappone; pompano a la papillote; tortellini with fungi a funghetto; fritto misto; spring chicken saute; carcioffi all'inferno; capretto al forno con insallata; omelet celestine; fruit; cheese, and black coffee. this dinner must be ordered three days in advance. these menus will give a good idea of the different classes of dinners that can be obtained. between are dinners to suit all tastes and pocketbooks. if you wish to go beyond these there is no limit except the amount of money you have. if but the food value be taken into consideration then one will be as well pleased with the fifty-cent dinner as he will be at the higher priced meals, but if light and music and brilliant surroundings are desired, then one must pay for them as well as for the meal he eats. all of the restaurants mentioned serve good table d'hote dinners, giving an astonishing variety of foods for the money, and it is all cooked and served in a manner that leaves nothing to be desired. as before mentioned if you wish a table d'hote dinner composed entirely of sea food you can get it at the shell fish grotto for one dollar. a good rule to follow when dining at any of the restaurants is: when in doubt order a table d'hote dinner. you will always get a good meal, for the least out lay of money and least expenditure of thought. often one desires something a little different, and this is easy, too, and you can conserve your brain energy and get the most for the least money by seeing the proprietor or manager of the restaurant and telling him that you wish to give a little dinner. tell him how many will be in the party and give him the amount you wish to spend. it will be surprising, sometimes, to see how much more you can get for a slight increase in the price. of course your wines and cocktails will be extra and these must be reckoned in the cost. from this we come to the ordered dinner, and here is where your own knowledge and special desires come in. here, too, comes a marked increase in the cost. you now have the widest range of possibilities both as to viands and as to price. it is not at all difficult to have a dinner, without wine, that costs twenty-five dollars a plate, and when you come down to the more normal dinners, unless you confine yourself to one or two dishes you will find that you far exceed in price the table d'hote dinners of equal gastronomic value. while this is true it is well to be able to order your dinner for it frequently occurs that one does not care to go through the heavy course dinner provided table d'hote. sometimes one wants a simple dish, or perhaps two, and it is well to know something about them and how to order them. we have made it a rule whenever we have seen something new on the bill of fare to order it, on the theory that we are willing to try anything once, and in this way we have greatly enlarged our knowledge of good things. it is also well to remember national characteristics and understand that certain dishes are at their best at certain restaurants. for instance, you will be served with an excellent paste at a french restaurant, but if you want it at its best you will get it at an italian restaurant. on the other hand if you desire a delicate entree you will get the best at a french restaurant. for instance, one would not ask for sauer braten anywhere except at a german restaurant. it will readily be seen that the elegant art of dining in san francisco means much more than the sitting at table and partaking of what is put before you. dining is an art, and its pleasure is greatly enhanced by a knowledge of foods, cooking, serving, national characteristics, and combinations of both foods and wines. how few people are there, for instance, who know that one should never drink any hard liquor, like whisky, brandy, or gin, with oysters. many a fit of acute stomach trouble has been attributed to some food that was either bad or badly prepared when the cause of the trouble was the fact that a cocktail had been taken just prior to eating oysters. some of the possibilities of dining in san francisco may be understood when we tell you of a progressive dinner. we had entertained one of the exposition commissioners from a sister state and he was so well pleased with what he had learned in a gastronomic way that he said to us: "the governor of my state is coming and i should like to give him a dinner that will open his eyes to san francisco's possibilities. would it be asking too much of you to have you help me do it?" "we shall be glad to. what do you want us to do?" "take charge of the whole business, do as you please and go as far as you like." "that is a wide order, general. what is the limit of price, and how many will be in the party?" "just six. that will include the governor and his wife, you two and myself and wife. let it be something unusual and do not let the cost interfere. what i want is something unusual." it has been told us that when the governor got back home he tried to tell some of his friends about that dinner, but they told him he had acquired the california habit of talking wide. this is the way we carried out the dinner, everything being arranged in advance: at : we called at the rooms of the governor in the palace hotel and had served there dry martini cocktails with russian caviar on toasted rye bread. an automobile was in waiting, and at seven o'clock we were set down at felix's, in montgomery street, where a table was ready for us and on it were served salami of various kinds, artichokes in oil and ripe olives. then came a service of soup, for which this restaurant is famous, followed by a combination salad, with which was served a bottle of pontet canet. the automobile carried us then over to broadway and at the fior d'italia our table was waiting and here we were served with sand-dabs au gratin, and a small glass of sauterne. all the haste we made was on the streets, and when we finished our course at the fior d'italia we whirled away over toward north beach to the gianduja, where had been prepared especially for us tagliarini with chicken livers and mushrooms, and because of its success we had a bottle of lacrima christi spumanti, the enjoyment of which delayed us. again in the automobile to coppa's where chicken portola was served, with green peas. accompanying this was a glass of krug, and this was followed by a glass of zabaione for dessert. back again to the heart of the city and we stopped at raggi's, in montgomery street near commercial where we had a glass of brandy in which was a chinotti (a peculiar italian preserved fruit which is said to be a cross between a citron and an orange). then around the corner to gouailhardou & rondel's, the market cafe, where from a plain pine table, and on sanded floor, we had our coffee royal. as a fitting climax for this evening we directed the chauffeur to drive to the cliff house, where, over a bottle of krug, we talked it all over as we watched the dancing and listened to the singing of the cabaret performers. this dinner, including everything from the automobile to the tips cost but fifteen dollars for each one in the party. something about cooking cooking is sometimes a pleasure, sometimes a duty, sometimes a burden and sometimes a martyrdom, all according to the point of view. the extremes are rarities, and sometimes duty and burden are synonymous. in ordinary understanding we have american cooking and foreign cooking, and to one accustomed to plain american cooking, all variants, and all additions of spices, herbs, or unusual condiments is classed under the head of foreign. in the average american family cooking is a duty usually considered as one of the necessary evils of existence, and food is prepared as it is usually eaten--hastily--something to fill the stomach. the excuse most frequently heard in san francisco for the restaurant habit, and for living in cooped-up apartments, is that the wife wants to get away from the burden of the kitchen and drudgery of housework. and like many other effects this eventually becomes a cause, for both husband and wife become accustomed to better cooking than they could get at home and there is a continuance of the custom, for both get a distaste for plainly cooked food, and the wife does not know how to cook any other way. yet when all is considered the difference between plain american cooking and what is termed foreign cooking, is but the proper use of condiments and seasoning, combined with proper variety of the food supply from the markets. herein lies the secret of a good table-proper combination of ingredients and proper variation and selection of the provisions together with proper preparation and cooking of the food. we have met with many well educated and well raised men and women whose gastronomic knowledge was so limited as to be appalling. all they knew of meats was confined to ordinary poultry, i. e., chickens and turkeys, and to beef, veal, pork, and mutton. of these there were but three modes of cooking--frying, stewing and baking, sometimes boiling. their chops were always fried as they knew nothing of the delicate flavor imparted by broiling. in fact their knowledge was confined to the least healthful and least nutritious modes of preparation and cooking. not only is this true of the average american family, but their lack of knowledge of the fundamentals of cooking and food values brings about a waste largely responsible for what is called the "high cost of living." it is a trite, but nevertheless true saying that a french family could live well on what an american family wastes. waste in preparation is but the mildest form of waste. waste consequent upon lack of knowledge of food values is the waste that is doubly expensive for it not only wastes food but it also wastes the system whose energy is exhausted in trying to assimilate improper alimentation. it is a well recognized medical fact that much of the illness of americans arises from two causes, improper food and improper eating methods. in europe this fact was recognized and generally known so long ago that the study of food values and preparation for proper assimilation is one of the essential parts of every woman's education, and to such a degree has this become raised to a science that schools and even colleges in cooking are to be found in many parts of england, france and germany. francatelli, the great chef who was at the head of queen victoria's kitchen, boasts proudly of his diploma from the parisian college of cooking. the united states is now beginning to wake up to the fact that the preparation of food is something more than a necessary evil, and from the old cooking classes of our common schools has developed the classes in domestic science, that which was formerly considered drudgery now being elevated to an art and dignified as a science. in europe this stage was reached many generations ago, and there it is now an art which has elevated the primitive process of feeding to the elegant art of dining. in san francisco probably more than in any other city in the united states, not even excepting new orleans, this art has flourished for many years with the result that the average san franciscan is disappointed at the food served in other cities of his country, and always longs for his favorite restaurant even as the children of israel longed for the flesh pots of egypt. one needs to spend a day in the italian quarter of san francisco to come to a full realization of the difference between the requirements of even the poorest italian family and the average american family of the better class. we need but say that we have been studying this question for nearly twenty years yet even now we meet with surprises in the way of new delicacies and modes of using herbs and spices in food preparation. if we were to attempt even to enumerate the various herbs, spices, flavorings, delicacies, and pastes to be found in a well regulated italian shop it would take many pages of this book, yet every one of these articles has its own individual and peculiar use, and the knowledge of these articles and how to use them is what makes the difference between american and foreign cooking. each herb has a peculiar quality as a stomachic and it must be as delicately measured as if it were a medicine. the use of garlic, so much decried as plebeian, is the secret of some of the finest dishes prepared by the highest chefs. it must not be forgotten that in the use of all flavors and condiments there may be an intemperance, there lying the root of much of the bad cooking. garlic, for instance, is a flavor and not a food, yet many of the lower class foreigners eat it on bread, making a meal of dark bread, garlic and red wine. it is offensive to sensitive nostrils and vitiates the taste when thus used, but when properly added to certain foods it gives an intangible flavor which never fails to elicit praise. what is true of garlic is also true of the many herbs that are used. it is easy to pass from a rare flavor that makes a most savory dish to a taste of medicine that spoils a dinner. with the well-known prodigal and wasteful habits of america the american who learns the use of herbs usually makes the initial mistake of putting in the flavoring herbs with too lavish a hand, and it is only after years of experience that a knowledge of proper combinations is obtained. visitors have often expressed wonder at the variety of foods and delicate flavors in san francisco restaurants, and possibly this brief explanation may give some comprehension of why san franciscans always want to get back to where they "can get something to eat." told in a whisper "surely the old bohemians of san francisco did not spend all their time in restaurants. how did they live when at home?" this is what was said to us one day when we were talking about the old days and the old people. indeed they did not live all their time in restaurants. some of the most enjoyable meals we have eaten have been in the rooms and apartments of our bohemian friends, and these meals were prepared generally by each one present doing his or her part in making it a success. one would make the salad, another the main dish, and others do various forms of scullery work, and in the end we would have a meal that would often put to blush the efforts of many of the renowned chefs. many people who come to san francisco will wish to conserve their finances as much as possible, and they will wish to enjoy life in their apartments. there are also many people who live in san francisco who need a little advice on how to get the best out of life, and we are going to whisper a few words to all such as these we have mentioned. you can be a bohemian and have the very best sort of living in your own room for less than half the money it will take to live at the hotels and restaurants, and we are sure many of you would like to know something about how to do it. it is not necessary to confine yourself to the few things in your limited experience. if you are going to be in san francisco for more than a week, you will find that a little apartment, furnished ready for housekeeping, will give you opportunity to be independent and free. you will get your own breakfasts, when and how you want them. your luncheons and dinners can be gotten in your rooms or at the restaurants just as you are inclined. you will find delight and education in visiting the markets, and the foreign stores where all the strange and unusual foods of all nations are to be found. you will discover better articles at less prices at the little italian, french, mexican or chinese stores and stalls than can be had in the most aristocratic stores in the city. above all you will find a joy of invention and will be surprised at the delectable dishes you can prepare at a minimum of cost. when you visit san francisco you are desirous of so arranging your finances that you may see the most for the least outlay of money. after a strenuous day of sight-seeing you will scarcely feel like getting up a good meal, consequently then you will follow the ideas suggested in this book and visit the various restaurants, thus obtaining a variety both in foods and in information of an educational nature. but sometimes you will not be tired, or you will wish to get up a little late supper after theatre, and it is then that you will be glad of the opportunity afforded by having your own kitchen arrangements so that you can carry out your tastes, and cook some of the strange and new foods that you have discovered in your rambles through the foreign quarters. take the simple matter of sausage, for instance. ordinarily we know of but three kinds--pork sausage, frankfurter and bologna--neither very appetizing or appealing, except sometimes the pork sausage for breakfast. over in the little italian and french shops you will find some of the most wonderful sausages that mind can conceive of. some of these are so elaborate in their preparation that they cost even in that inexpensive part of the city, seventy cents a pound, and the variety is almost as infinite as that of the pastes. in the mexican stores you will find a sausage that gives a delightful flavor to anything it is cooked with, and it is when you see these sausages that your eyes begin to be opened. you now take cognizance of many things that heretofore escaped your observation. you see new canned goods; a wonderful variety of cheeses; strange dried vegetables and delicacies unheard of; preserved vegetables and fish and meats in oil; queer fish pickled and dried. you begin to learn of the many uses of olive oil in cooking and in food preparation. you see the queer shapes of bread, and note the numerous kinds of cakes and pastry that you never saw or heard of before. you see boxes of dried herbs, and begin to realize why you have never been able to reproduce certain flavors you have tasted in restaurants. you see strange-looking, flat hams, and are told that they are italian hams, and if you buy some you will find that they cut the ham the wrong way, and instead of slicing it across the grain they cut in very thin slices down the length of the bone. their flavor is more delicious than that of any ham you have tasted since you used to get the old-time, genuine country smoked hams. but if you investigate a little deeper you will learn that these hams were not put up in italy at all, but that it is a special brand that is prepared in virginia for the italians. in the french stores you will find preserved cockscombs, snails, marvelous blood sausages with nuts in them, rare cheeses, prepared meats in jellies, and hundreds of delicacies unknown to you. you can spend days in these stores, finding something new all the time. we have been going there for years and still run across new things. remember that to the people of the latin quarter these things are all usual consequently they think you know as much about them as they do, and will volunteer no information regarding them. possibly they will smile at your ignorance when you ask them questions, but do not hesitate to ask, for they are courteous and that is the only way you can find out things, and learn what all these new edibles are and what they are good for. there is no greater possibility of interest than is to be found in the stores of san francisco's latin quarter, and we mean by this the stores that cater to the people of the quarter. in stores and restaurants frequented by americans they cater to american tastes and lose much of the foreign flavor. it is also well to bear in mind that it is not in the largest stores that you find the greatest variety when it comes to odd and new goods. a little shop, barely large enough to turn around in between counter and wall, may have enough of interest to entertain you for half an hour, and here the prices will be remarkably low, for these people have so little of the outside trade that they have not learned to add to their prices when they see an american face coming. what is true of the stores is also true of the vegetable stands, the meat shops, the fish stalls, and bakeries. here you will find better and fresher food supplies than in any of the similar places in other parts of the city, and the price is generally one-third less. the high cost of living has not reached this thrifty people with their inborn knowledge of the values of foods. they live twice as well as the average american family at half the cost. they combine knowledge of food values with the art of preparation and have a resultant meal that is tasty, full flavored, and nourishing at a minimum of expense. perhaps you want a meal. your thoughts at once run to steaks and chops, and fried potatoes. nothing but a porterhouse or tenderloin steak or a kidney chop will do. it is the most expensive meat and you think that of course it is the best and most nourishing. if the knowledge of food values were with you, you would get the less expensive and more nourishing cuts. a flank steak, perhaps, prepared en casserole, and you would have a fine dish for half the money. as it is in meats so it is in all foods. for ten cents two people can have a dinner of tagliarini that is at once nourishing and satisfying in flavor. of course all this requires knowledge, but that is easily acquired, and it adds to the zest of life to know that you can do that which lifts eating from the plane of feeding to that of dining; that you can change existence into living. all because you dare to break away from conventionalities which make so many people affect ignorance of how to live because they imagine it is an evidence of refinement. if they but knew it, their affectation and their ignorance is the hall mark of low caste. now about this whisper: we have a friend who has a little apartment where he has kept bachelor's hall for many years. here some of our most pleasant evenings have been spent, and we never fear to go on account of the possibility that he may be embarrassed or inconvenienced through lack of something to eat or drink, for he is never at a loss to prepare something dainty and appetizing for us, and it really seems, sometimes, that he makes a meal out of nothing. often charlie telephones us that he has discovered a new dish and hurries us over to pass judgment on it. and, by the way, many of the good dishes of bohemia are the result of accident rather than design. out of nothing it is surprising what a good meal you can get up sometimes when "there's not a thing in the house to eat." let us give you an example. one evening two of our young friends came over to tell us their sweet secret, and with them was another young lady. while we were talking it over and making plans for the wedding another friend dropped in because he said our "light looked inviting." an hour or so of talk and then one of us signaled to the other and received the shocking signal back, "there's not a thing to eat in the house." this called for an investigation of the larder in which all joined with the following result: item--two cans of reed birds from china, each containing twelve of the little birds as large as your thumb. item--one egg. other items--one onion, two slices of dry bread, one green pepper, rather small, one dozen crackers. item--one case of imported italian vin d'oro spumanti. item--six hearty appetites to be appeased. the gentleman who saw our light saw another, and rushed off to a barber shop, and got four more eggs. barbers use eggs, and they must be fresh ones, in shampooing, and our friend remembered it. the two young ladies and the young man prepared the table, and the other lady and the two gentlemen set about getting a meal. one of us made an omelet of the five eggs, the onion and the green pepper, with crumbs of bread, and this is the recipe: omelet a la peruquier take five eggs and beat until very light. roll two slices of dried bread to crumbs and mix with the beaten eggs. chop fine one onion and one green pepper, season with salt and pepper. pour a tablespoonful of olive oil in an omelet pan and in this fry the peppers and onion to a light brown. when ready turn into this the beaten eggs, and cook until done. follow the rule of never disturbing a cooking egg or a sleeping child. serve on a hot dish. take two cans of chinese reed birds, open them and take therefrom the two dozen birds contained therein. in a hot frying pan place the birds in the grease that comes around them and heat them through. toast twelve square crackers and on each place two reed birds, and serve two on each of six hot plates. with both the omelet and the reed birds serve vin d'oro. paste makes waste in an italian grocery store we noticed a great variety of pastes in boxes arranged along the counter and began counting them. the proprietor noticed us and, with a characteristic shrug of his shoulders, said: "that is but a few of them. we have not room to show them all." in response to our inquiry regarding the number of kinds of paste made by italians he said there were more than seventy-five. ordinarily we think of one--spaghetti--or possibly two, including macaroni. if our knowledge goes a little farther we think also of tagliarini, which is the italian equivalent of noodles, as it is made with eggs. in new york we were much impressed with the stress they laid on the serving of spaghetti, and one restaurant went so far as to advertise dinners given "under the spaghetti vine." it appears that this is the only paste they know anything about. after one eats tagliarini or ravioli one feels like paraphrasing the darkey and saying, "go way spaghetti, yo done los' yo tase." then comes tortelini which, like ravioli, combines paste with meat and spinach. these may be considered the most prominent of the pastes, the others being variants in the making and cutting, each serving a special purpose in cooking, some being for soups, others for sauces and others for dressing for meats. it is more than probable that the great variety comes from individual tastes in cutting or rolling. all italian restaurants serve the paste as a releve rather than as an entree, which it usually follows, preceding the roast in the dinner. as a separate and distinct dish it can well be made to serve as a full meal, especially when tagliarini is prepared after the following recipe: tagliarini des beaux arts cook one pound of tagliarini in boiling water twenty-five minutes, then draw off the water. to the tagliarini add a handful of mushrooms which have been sliced and fried in butter. then add three chicken livers which have been chopped small and fried, one sliced truffle, one red pepper chopped fine and a little parmesan cheese. make a brown sauce of one-third beef broth thickened with melted butter and flour and two-thirds tomato sauce, and pour this over the tagliarini. sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and serve very hot from a chafing dish. (by oliver, chef of the restaurant des beaux arts, paris.) in san francisco one finds both the imported and the domestic paste, and frequently one hears the assertion that the imported is the better. this idea is born of the thought that all things from europe are better than the same made in america. in fact the paste that comes from italy is neither so good in taste, nor is it so clean in the making. we have visited a number of paste factories in san francisco and have found them all scrupulously clean, with the best of materials in the composition of the pastes. one often wonders how the pastes came to be so many and how they received their names. names of some of them are accidents, as is illustrated by macaroni. according to an italian friend who vouches for the fact, it received its name from an expression of pleasure. "macari" means "fine, excellent," and the superlative is "macaroni." a famous italian gourmet constantly desired new dishes to please his taste, and one day his chef carried to him something that was unusual. the gourmet tasted it, cried out "macari!" tasted again, threw out his arms in delight and cried "macaroni!" "what is the name of this wonderful dish?" "you have named it. it is macaroni." tips and tipping tipping is variously designated. some say it is a nuisance and should be abolished. some call it an outrage and ask for legislative interference. some say it is an extortion and refuse to pay it. some say it is a necessary evil and suffer it. the wise ones look at it a little differently. possibly it is best explained or excused, whichever way you wish to call it, by one of gouverneur morris's characters in a recent story, who says: "whenever i go anywhere i find persons in humble situations who smile at me and wish me well. i smile back and wish them well. it is because at some time or other i have tipped them. to me the system has never been an annoyance but a delightful opportunity for the exercise of tact and judgment." we look upon tipping as a part of expense to be calculated upon, necessary to insure good service, not only now but in the future, and it should always be computed in the expense of a trip or a dinner. tipping, to our minds, is the oil that makes the wheels of life run smoothly. the amount of the tip is always a matter of individual judgment, dependent upon the service rendered, and the way it is rendered. the good traveler wants to tip properly, neither too little nor too much, thereby getting the best service, for in the last analysis the pleasure of a trip depends upon the service received. american prodigality and asininity is responsible for much of the abuse of tipping. too many americans when they travel desire to appear important and the only way they can accomplish this is by buying the subserviency of menials who laugh at them behind their backs. a tip should always depend upon the service rendered. we make it a rule to withhold the tip from a careless or inconsiderate waiter, and always add to the tip a word of commendation when there has been extra good service. the amount of the tip depends, first on the service, second on the amount of the bill, and third, on the character of the place where you are served. when we order a specially prepared dinner, with our suggestions as to its composition and service, we tip the head waiter, the chef, the waiter and the bus boy. we have given dinners where the tips amounted to fully half as much as the dinner itself, and we felt that this part of the expense brought us the greatest pleasure. it is impossible to make a hard and fast rule regarding how much to give a waiter. each person must use his or her own judgment. if you are in a foreign country you might do as we did on our first trip to paris. we wanted to do what was right but not what most americans think is right we were at a hotel where only french were usually guests, and in order to do the right thing we took the proprietor into our confidence and explained to him our dilemma. we asked him whom to tip and how much to give, and he got us out of our difficulty and we found that the tips amounted to about as much for one whole week as we had been held up for in one day at the waldorf-astoria. the mythical land notwithstanding the fact that webster gives no recognition in his dictionary to the land of bohemia or the occupants thereof, the land exists, perhaps not in a material way, but certainly mentally. some have not the perception to see it; some know not the language that admits entrance; some pass it by every day without understanding it. yet it as truly exists as any of the lands told of in our childhood fables and fairy stories. the old definition of bohemian was "a vagabond, a wayfarer." possibly that definition may, to a certain extent, be true of the present-day bohemian, for he is a mental vagabond and a mental wayfarer. in our judgment the word comes from the french "bon homme," for surely the bohemian is a "good man." whatever may be the derivation the fact remains that not to all is given the perception to understand, nor the eyes to see, and therein lies one of the dangers of writing such a book as this. if you read this and then hurry off to a specified restaurant with the expectation of finding the bohemian atmosphere in evidence you are apt to be disappointed, for frequently it is necessary to create your own bohemian atmosphere. then, too, all nights are not the same at restaurants. for instance if you desire the best service afforded in any restaurant do not select saturday or sunday night, but if you will lay aside your desire for personal comfort in service, and wish to study character, then take saturday or sunday night for your visit. it is very possible that you will think the restaurant has changed hands between friday and saturday. on saturday and sunday evening the mass of san francisco's great cosmopolitan population holds holiday and the great feature of the holiday is a restaurant dinner, where there is music, and glitter, and joyous, human companionship. at such times waiters become careless and sometimes familiar. cooks are rushed to such an extent that they do not give the care to their preparation that they take pride in on other nights, consoling themselves frequently with the thought that the saturday and sunday night patrons do not know or appreciate the highest form of gastronomic art. remember, also, that the world is a looking glass. smile into it and it smiles back; frown and you get black looks. in bohemia we sometimes find it well to overlook soiled table napery, sanded floor or untidy appearance. of course this is not in the higher class of restaurants, but there are times and places when you must remember you are making a study of human interest and not getting a meal, and you must leave your fastidiousness and squeamishness at home. it takes some time to get well within the inner circle of bohemianism, but after you have arrived you have the password and all doors are open to you. if our friends think of a new story they save it up until our next coming and tell us something that always has a bearing on bohemia. for instance, how few of us know the origin of the menu card. it seems to be a natural thing, yet, like all things, it had a beginning, and this is the way it began (according to a good friend who told it to us): frederick the great was a lover of good eating and his chef took pride in providing new and rare dishes for his delectation. but it frequently occurred that the great ruler permitted his appetite to overcome his judgment, and he would eat so heartily of the food first set before him that when later and more delicious dishes came to the table he was unable to do them justice. to obviate this he ordered his chef to prepare each day a list of what was to be served, and to show their rotation during the meal, and in compliance with this order the first menu card was written. to frederick the great is also attributed the naming of the german bread now called pumpernickel. according to one of our italian friends the story runs this way: frederick wished some bread and his chef sent him in a loaf that was of unusual color and flavor. it did not please the king and he was not slow to express his disapproval. he owned a horse named nicholas but commonly called "nicho!" and when the chef appeared before him to receive his censure for sending in distasteful bread, frederick threw the loaf at his head, exclaiming, "bon pour nichol." from this it received its name which has become corrupted to "pumpernickel." after the doors are open to you, you will find not only many new stories, but you will learn of customs unusual and discover their origin dating back to the days whose history remains only in folk lore. you will be let into family secrets of the alien quarters, and will learn of hopes, aspirations, and desires, that will startle you with their strangeness. you will find artists, sculptors, and writers of verse in embryo, and if you remain long enough in the atmosphere you may see, as we have, some of these embryonic thinkers achieve fame that becomes nation wide. it is said of the islands of the south seas that when one eats of certain fruit it creates such a longing that the mind is never content until another visit is made. san francisco's bohemia lays no claim to persuasive fruit, but it is true that when one breathes in the atmosphere of this mythical world it leaves an unrest that is only appeased by a return to where the whispering winds tell of enchanted land where "you get the best there is to eat, served in a manner that enhances its flavor and establishes it forever in your memory." appendix how to serve wines a few hints regarding the proper serving of wines may not be amiss, and we give you here the consensus op opinion of the most noted gourmets who have made a study of the best results from combinations. never drink any hard liquors, such as whisky, brandy, gin, or cocktails, with oysters or clams, as it is liable to upset you for the rest of the evening. with hor d'ourves serve vermouth, sherry, marsala or madeira wine. with soup and fish serve white wines, such as rhein wine, sauterne or white burgundy. with entrees serve clarets or other red wines, such as swiss, bordeaux, hungarian or italian wines. burgandy may also be served at any of the later courses. with roasts serve champagne or any of the sparkling wines. with coffee serve kirch, french brandy or fine champagne. after coffee serve a liqueur. never serve more than one glass of any liqueur. the following wines may be considered the best types: amontillado, montilo and olorosa sherries. austrian burgundy is one of the finest wines, possessing rich flavor and fine perfume. other burgundies are: chablis: a white burgundy, dry and of agreeable aroma. chambertin: a sound, delicate wine with a flavor resembling raspberry. clos de vogeot: similar to chambertin, and often called the king of burgandy. romanee: a very rare and costly wine of rich, ruby color, with a delicate bouquet. clarets are valued for their flavor and for their tonic properties. some of the best are: chateau grille: a desert wine of good flavor and fine aroma. chateau lafitte: has beautiful color and delicate flavor. chateau la rose: greater alcoholic strength and of fine flavor. chateau margaux: rich, with delicate flavor and excellent bouquet. pontet canet: a heavier wine with good bouquet and fine flavor. st. julien: a lighter claret with good bouquet. german wines are of lighter character, and are generally termed rhein wines. the best varieties are: hochheimer: a light, pleasing and wholesome wine. brauneberger: a good variety with pleasing flavor and aroma. dreimanner: similar to brauneberger. deidesheimer: similar to brauneberger. graffenberg: light and pleasant. good aroma. johannisberger schloss: one of the best of the german wines. rudesheimer schloss: in class with johannisberger. italian wines are mostly red, the most noted in california being chianti, and its california prototype. tipo chianti, made by the asti colony. lacrima christi spumanti: the finest italian champagne. dry and of magnificent bouquet. vin d'oro spumanti: a high-class champagne. sweet and of fine bouquet and flavor. lacrima christi: a still wine of excellent flavor and bouquet. malaga: a wine of high repute. sweet and powerful. a peculiar flavor is given to it through the addition of a small quantity of burned wine. marsala: is a golden wine of most agreeable color and aroma. sauterne: is a white bordeaux, a strong luscious wine, the best known varieties being: chateau yquem: remarkable for its rich and velvety softness. barsac: rich and good. chateau filhot: of rich color and good flavor. chateau latour blanche: a white sauterne of exquisite bouquet. haut sauterne: soft and mild. of good flavor. vin de graves: good and strong. good aroma and flavor. vintage years have much to do with the quality of wines. the best vintage years are as follows: champagnes: . rhein and moselle: . burgandy: , and . claret: and . port: and . sherry: , , and . a good bohemian dinner sometimes people desire to give a dinner and are at loss as to the proper time to serve wines. the following menu will give some ideas on the subject: menu gibson cocktail canape norwegian (serve these before entering dining room) artichoke hearts in oil ripe olives celery amontillado sherry oysters on half shell bisque of ecrevisse chablis, or white sauterne sand-dabs edward vii sliced cucumbers, iced escargot francais chateau lafitte cassolette of terrapin, maryland romanee tagliarini des beaux arts punch pistache cigarettes alligator pears with cumquats, french dressing chicken portola krug private cuvee brut creamed new potatoes celery victor french peas zabaione reina cabot coffee royal cigarettes grand marnier in our travels through bohemia it has been our good fortune to gather hundreds of recipes of new, strange and rare dishes, prepared by those who look farther than the stoking of the physical system in the preparation of foods. some of these are from chefs in restaurants and hotels, some from men and women of the foreign colonies and some from good friends who lent their aid in our pleasurable occupation. that we cannot print them all in a volume of this size is our regret, but another book now in preparation will contain them, together with other talks about san francisco's foreign quarters. from our store we have selected the following as being well worth trying: onion soup cut four large onions in large pieces and put them in six ounces of butter with pepper and salt. slowly stew this in a little beef stock and a little milk, stirring constantly, for one hour. add more stock and milk and let cook slowly for another hour. in a tureen place slices of bread sprinkled with two tablespoonfuls of parmesan cheese. beat the yolks of four eggs and mix them with a tablespoonful of the soup and pour this over the bread and cheese. cover this for five minutes and then pour over it the rest of the soup. creole gumbo soup take two young chickens, cut in pieces, roll in flour and fry to light brown. take the fried chicken, a ham bone stripped of meat for flavor, a tablespoonful of chopped thyme, of rosemary, two bay leaves, a sprig of tarragon and boil in four quarts of water until the meat loosens from the bones. slice and fry brown two large onions and add two heaping quarts of sliced okra and one cut up pod of red pepper. stir all over the fire until the okra is thoroughly wilted then remove the larger bones and let cook three quarters of an hour before serving. half an hour before serving add a can of tomatoes or an equal quantity of fresh ones, and a pint of shrimps, boiled and shredded. have a dish of well boiled and dry rice and serve with two or three tablespoonfuls in each soup plate. oyster salad to a solid pint of oysters use a dressing made as follows: beat well two eggs and add to them half a gill each of cream and vinegar, half teaspoonful mustard, celery seed, salt each, one-tenth teaspoonful cayenne, and a tablespoonful of butter. put all in a double boiler and cook until it all is as thick as soft custard (about six minutes), stirring constantly. take from the fire. heat the oysters in their own liquor to a boiling point then drain and add the dressing, mixing lightly. set away in cold place until needed. italian salad soak two salt herrings in milk over night and then remove the bones and skin and cut up in small pieces. cut in small pieces one and one-half pounds each of cold roast veal and cold boiled tongue and add to these and the herrings six boiled potatoes, half a dozen small cucumber pickles and two small boiled beets, all cut up, and two raw apples, three boiled carrots and one large boiled celery root, all minced. mix all the above in salad bowl and pour over it mayonnaise dressing. garnish the tops with hard boiled eggs, sliced, and capers, and ripe olives from which the stones have been removed. garnish the bowl with parsley and in the center put hard boiled eggs stuffed with capers. solari's crab louis take meat of crab in large pieces and dress with the following: one-third mayonnaise, two-thirds chili sauce, small quantity chopped english chow-chow, a little worcestershire sauce and minced tarragon, shallots and sweet parsley. season with salt and pepper and keep on ice. soles with wine take fillets of sole and pound lightly with blade of knife then soak them two hours in beaten eggs seasoned with salt and pepper. when ready to cook roll them in bread crumbs and fry in olive oil. take a little of that oil and put in another pan with a tablespoonful of butter and season with salt and pepper and again cook fish in this, adding half a glass of dry white wine. sprinkle with chopped parsley and let cook five minutes. sprinkle with parmesan cheese and put slices of lemon around it. serve on hot plates. grilled mushrooms skin and remove stalks from large fresh mushrooms and lay on a dish with a little fine olive oil, pepper, and salt, over them for one hour. broil on a gridiron over a clear sharp fire and serve them with the following sauce: mushroom sauce mince the stalks or any spare pieces of mushrooms fine, put in a stewpan with a little broth, some chopped parsley, young onions, butter and the juice of a lemon, or instead of the latter the yolk of an egg beaten up in cream. beat all together and pour around the mushrooms. italian turta cut very fine the tender part of one dozen artichokes. take one loaf of stale bread crumbs, moisten and squeeze, and add three tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, three cloves of garlic, bruised, one onion chopped fine, several sprigs of parsley chopped fine, a little celery and half a cup of olive oil. mix all together thoroughly with plenty of pepper and salt and make into a loaf. bake slowly forty-five minutes. oeuffs au soliel poach eight fresh eggs then take them out and place in cold water until cool; lay them for a quarter of an hour to marinade in a glass of white wine with sweet herbs. dry on a cloth and dip in a batter of flour mixed with equal quantities of ale and water to the consistency of double cream. fry to light brown. eggs with wine put three cupfuls of red wine into a casserole and add three tablespoonfuls of sugar, rind of half a lemon, raisins, and sweet almonds, blanched and chopped. when the wine boils break the eggs into it as in poaching eggs. let them cook well and then put in serving dish. add one tablespoonful of flour to the wine and cook to a cream then pour over the eggs. italian risotto soak two level teacups of rice. mash two cloves of garlic and mix with a little minced parsley. soak a dozen dried mushrooms in a little water until soft, then chop fine and drain. cover the bottom of a saucepan with olive oil, place over the fire until quite hot, then put in the garlic, parsley, and mushrooms, add half a can of tomatoes and cook half an hour. drain the rice and put in a saucepan, adding a little broth, half a cup at a time, to keep from burning, and add, stirring constantly, the other ingredients, cooking all together until the rice is done. salt to taste; sprinkle with parmesan cheese. scallops of sweetbread parboil the sweetbreads and then glaze in reduced allemande sauce. dip in bread crumbs and fry in butter until a light brown. when done dish in close order and fill center with toulouse ragout, as follows: toulouse ragout prepare half a dozen fine, large cockscombs, two dozen button mushrooms, small pieces of sweetbreads and a proportionate quantity of truffles. place all in a stewpan and add a small ladleful of drawn butter sauce, and the juice of a lemon. cook a few minutes. lamb chops marinade soak kidney lamb chops in the following mixture for twelve hours and then broil: four tablespoonfuls olive oil, one tablespoonful tarragon vinegar, one small sliced onion, one mashed clove of garlic, one broken up bay leaf, twelve whole black peppers, six cloves, one saltspoon of salt, two teaspoonfuls dried thyme, strips of parsley and lemon peel. spanish chicken pie cut up a chicken and boil until tender. cut up and fry in chicken fat two onions, two green peppers, stirring in one and one-half tablespoonfuls of flour. have ready five tomatoes, stewed, and put in two dozen ripe olives with a small clove of garlic, mashed. grate seven large ears of corn, season with salt and put a layer in a greased baking pan, then chicken, then the other ingredients, with a little of the gravy. stir all together and bake until brown. chicken jambalaya cut a young chicken into small pieces and stew until tender, having the meat covered with the broth when done. remove the meat, drain and fry to light brown with two slices of onion. put in the chicken, onion, and one hundred california oysters, back into the broth and season with salt, pepper, juice of a lemon, bruised clove of garlic, chopped green pepper, and a pinch of red pepper. let all come to a boil. wash and dry two cups of rice and put into the soup and cook until thoroughly done and moderately dry (twenty-five minutes). serve hot or cold. quajatale en mole this is mexican turkey in red pepper, a favorite banquet dish. cut a young turkey into small pieces and boil with shallots and salt. take half a pound of red peppers, scalded and seeded, and grind fine with black peppers, celery seed, cloves, allspice, and mustard (about half a teaspoonful of each) and add to this some of the broth in which the turkey was cooked. put a pound of lard in a skillet and, when boiling, put in the mixture with the turkey and let cook ten minutes, sending it to the table hot. delmonico raisin sauce brown butter in a skillet and stir in a teaspoonful of flour, forming a smooth paste. add one cup of hot soup stock, stirring constantly. while boiling put into this a handful of raisins, handful of blanched almonds, pounded, half a lemon, sliced thin, a few cloves, a pinch of cinnamon, and a little horseradish. fine for roast beef. poulet a la napoli cut and trim a chicken as for fricassee. take the wings, drumsticks, thighs and two pieces of the breast and steep them in cold water half an hour. drain and wipe dry and dust over with flour and set aside. take the rest of the chicken with the giblets and chop small. with water let this simmer for two hours, making a strong broth with a little veal (two ounces or more). slice an onion into rings which place in the bottom of a stewpan with an ounce of butter. to this add the meat and giblets and a pint of white broth. let all simmer but not boil or let color. over this pour common broth until covered and bring slowly to boiling point. add a small bouquet of herbs and simmer for an hour, then strain. thicken a little and then simmer in this the stalks and peelings of a quarter of a pound of mushrooms and the chicken that was previously prepared and dusted with flour. when done strain them and drain the chicken. strain the sauce and thicken with flour until it is of the consistency of a rather thin batter. dip the pieces of chicken into the batter until well coated and set aside until it is cold. then dip the chicken into well-beaten eggs and cover with bread crumbs. let set and then repeat. in hot olive oil fry the chicken until a golden brown. serve on a napkin and garnish with parsley and potatoes duchesse. cook the peeled mushrooms in the remaining sauce before the last thickening, and serve in gravy boat to pour over the chicken. zabaione beat together, hard, for six minutes, six eggs and four teaspoonfuls of powdered sugar in a double boiler and place over a gentle fire, never ceasing to whip until the contents become stiff enough to sustain a coffee spoon upright in the middle. while whipping add three wine-glassfuls of marsala and one liqueur glass of maraschino brandy. pour into tall glasses or cups and serve either hot or cold. peaches a la princesse halve six fine peaches, not too ripe, and place in saucepan with concave side up. take one peach, peeled, and mince with a dozen macaroons, adding the yolk of an egg and half an ounce of sugar. mix all well together and with this fill the half peaches. moisten all with half a cup of white wine and sprinkle with sugar. bake in a hot oven ten minutes and pour over zabaione and serve. this will make a most delicious dessert dish. sultana roll add the beaten yolks of seven eggs to one pint of boiling milk, one cup of sugar, one-half teaspoonful of vanilla, one-quarter teaspoonful of almond extract. when thick add two and a half cups of thick cream. cool and freeze. line the bottom of a mold with sultana raisins which have been soaked in sherry wine twenty-four hours. put a layer of frozen cream, then raisins, continuing until all is used. pack in ice and salt two hours and serve with caramel sauce. caramel sauce butter the inside of a saucepan. put in two ounces of unsweetened chocolate and melt over hot water. add two cups of light brown sugar and mix well. add one ounce of butter and half a cup of rich milk. cook until mixture forms a soft ball when tested in cold water. flavor with vanilla and pour, while hot, over each service of the roll. it immediately hardens, forming a delicious caramel covering to the ice cream. welsh rarebit take one pound of mild american cheese and put in saucepan. add five wineglassful of old ale, place over the fire and stir until it is thoroughly blended and melted. pour this over slices of delicately browned toast, serving hot. coffee royal take of the best mocha coffee one part, of the best java coffee two parts. put six tablespoonfuls of the mixture into a bowl and add an egg, well beaten. stir the mixture five minutes. add half a cup of cold water, cover tightly and let stand several hours. put into a coffeepot the coffee mixture and add four large cups of boiling water, stirring constantly. let it boil briskly for five minutes only then set on the back of the stove five minutes. before serving add a small tablespoonful of pure french brandy to each cup. sweeten to taste. reina cabot mix at table and serve on hot, toasted bent's biscuit. take a quarter of a pound of ripe, dark roquefort cheese and rub with a piece of butter the size of a walnut until smooth, adding a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce and a wineglassful of sherry, with a pinch of paprika, rubbing until it is smooth. this is best mixed in shallow bowl or soup plate. virginia egg nog beat separately the yolks and whites of ten eggs, the yolks to a soft cream. to the beaten yolks add one pound of granulated sugar, beating until fully blended and very light. let one quart of fresh milk come to a boil and pour over the yolk of egg and sugar, stirring constantly until well blended. to this add one gill of french brandy or one-half pint of good whisky. on top of this place the beaten white of egg and grated nutmeg. serve either hot or cold. mint julep bruise several sprigs of mint in a mixing glass with pulverized sugar. fill the glass with ice and pour over it a jigger of whisky. let stand for ten minutes and then put in a dash of jamaica rum. dress with sprigs of mint, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. serve with straws. index bills of fare beefsteak spanish celery victor chicken, country style in the shell jambalaya leon d'oro a la napoli pie (spanish) portola chili rienas clam fritters chowder coffee royal crab louis stew dessert (italian) egg nog (virginia) eggs, spanish with wine des soliel fish: soles with wine sole edward vii sand-dab fillet, cold fritto misto lobster a la newburg lamb chops marinade mussels mariniere mushrooms, grilled mint julep menu (model) oysters a la catalan a la poulette omelette peaches a la princesse planked fillet mignon polenti quajatole en mole rice, spanish milanaise italian riena cabot salad, italian palace grill oyster sauer braten sauce, delmonico raisin caramel mushroom scrapple shrimp creole, antoine snails bordelalse soup: bisque of crawfish creole gumbo onion sultana roll sweetbreads scalloped turta (italian) toulouse ragout tamales tagliarini des beaux arts terrapin a la maryland wines, how to serve welsh rarebit zabaoine restaurants blanco's bonini's barn buon gusto castilian coppa's fashion, charlie's felix fior d'italia fly trap frank's fred solari's gianduja hang far low heidelberg inn hof brau hotel st. francis jack's jule's la madrelina leon d'oro luna's mint negro's odeon palace hotel poodle dog poodle dog--bergez-frank's portola-louvre rathskeller shell fish grotto solari's tait's techau's vesuvius old time restaurants bab's baldwin hotel bazzuro's bergez california house call captain cropper campi's christian good cliff house cobweb palace delmonico el dorado house frank's gobey's good fellows' grotto hoffman house iron house johnson's oyster house jack's louvre ma tanta manning's marchand's marshall's chop house martin's maison doree nevada new york old louvre perini's pierre poodle dog pup peter job palace of art pop floyd reception sanguinetti's tehama house three trees tortoni thompson's viticultural zinkand's corrections and additions by greg lindahl. the forme of cury, a roll of ancient english cookery. compiled, about a.d. , by the master-cooks of king richard ii, presented afterwards to queen elizabeth, by edward lord stafford, and now in the possession of gustavus brander, esq. illustrated with notes, and a copious index, or glossary. a manuscript of the editor, of the same age and subject, with other congruous matters, are subjoined. "--ingeniosa gula est." martial. to gustavus brander, esq. f.r.s. f.s.a. and cur. brit. mus. sir, i return your very curious roll of cookery, and i trust with some interest, not full i confess nor legal, but the utmost which your debtor, from the scantiness of his ability, can at present afford. indeed, considering your respectable situation in life, and that diffusive sphere of knowledge and science in which you are acting, it must be exceedingly difficult for any one, how well furnished soever, completely to answer your just, or even most moderate demands. i intreat the favour of you, however, to accept for once this short payment in lieu of better, or at least as a public testimony of that profound regard wherewith i am, sir, your affectionate friend, and most obliged servant, st. george's day, . s. pegge. preface to the curious antiquarian reader. without beginning _ab ovo_ on a subject so light (a matter of importance, however, to many a modern catius or amasinius), by investigating the origin of the art of cookery, and the nature of it as practised by the antediluvians [ ]; without dilating on the several particulars concerning it afterwards amongst the patriarchs, as found in the bible [ ], i shall turn myself immediately, and without further preamble, to a few cursory observations respecting the greeks, romans, britons, and those other nations, saxons, danes, and normans, with whom the people of this nation are more closely connected. the greeks probably derived something of their skill from the east, (from the lydians principally, whose cooks are much celebrated, [ ]) and something from egypt. a few hints concerning cookery may be collected from homer, aristophanes, aristotle, &c. but afterwards they possessed many authors on the subject, as may be seen in athenæus [ ]. and as diætetics were esteemed a branch of the study of medicine, as also they were afterwards [ ], so many of those authors were physicians; and _the cook_ was undoubtedly a character of high reputation at athens [ ]. as to the romans; they would of course borrow much of their culinary arts from the greeks, though the cook with them, we are told, was one of the lowest of their slaves [ ]. in the latter times, however, they had many authors on the subject as well as the greeks, and the practitioners were men of some science [ ], but, unhappily for us, their compositions are all lost except that which goes under the name of apicius; concerning which work and its author, the prevailing opinion now seems to be, that it was written about the time of _heliogabalus_ [ ], by one _cælius_, (whether _aurelianus_ is not so certain) and that _apicius_ is only the title of it [ ]. however, the compilation, though not in any great repute, has been several times published by learned men. the aborigines of britain, to come nearer home, could have no great expertness in cookery, as they had no oil, and we hear nothing of their butter, they used only sheep and oxen, eating neither hares, though so greatly esteemed at rome, nor hens, nor geese, from a notion of superstition. nor did they eat fish. there was little corn in the interior part of the island, but they lived on milk and flesh [ ]; though it is expressly asserted by strabo that they had no cheese [ ]. the later britons, however, well knew how to make the best use of the cow, since, as appears from the laws of _hoel dda_, a.d. , this animal was a creature so essential, so common and useful in wales, as to be the standard in rating fines, &c. [ ]. hengist, leader of the saxons, made grand entertainments for king vortigern [ ], but no particulars have come down to us; and certainly little exquisite can be expected from a people then so extremely barbarous as not to be able either to read or write. 'barbari homines a septentrione, (they are the words of dr. lister) caseo et ferina subcruda victitantes, omnia condimenta adjectiva respuerunt' [ ]. some have fancied, that as the danes imported the custom of hard and deep drinking, so they likewise introduced the practice of gormandizing, and that this word itself is derived from _gormund_, the name of that danish king whom Ælfred the great persuaded to be christened, and called Æthelstane [ ], now 'tis certain that hardicnut stands on record as an egregious glutton [ ], but he is not particularly famous for being a _curious viander_; 'tis true again, that the danes in general indulged excessively in feasts and entertainments [ ], but we have no reason to imagine any elegance of cookery to have flourished amongst them. and though guthrum, the danish prince, is in some authors named _gormundus_ [ ]; yet this is not the right etymology of our english word _gormandize_, since it is rather the french _gourmand_, or the british _gormod_ [ ]. so that we have little to say as to the danes. i shall take the later english and the normans together, on account of the intermixture of the two nations after the conquest, since, as lord lyttelton observes, the english accommodated them elves to the norman manners, except in point of temperance in eating and drinking, and communicated to them their own habits of drunkenness and immoderate feasting [ ]. erasmus also remarks, that the english in his time were attached to _plentiful and splendid tables_; and the same is observed by harrison [ ]. as to the normans, both william i. and rufus made grand entertainments [ ]; the former was remarkable for an immense paunch, and withal was so exact, so nice and curious in his repasts [ ], that when his prime favourite william fitz- osberne, who as steward of the household had the charge of the cury, served him with the flesh of a crane scarcely half-roasted, he was so highly exasperated, that he lifted up his fist, and would have strucken him, had not eudo, appointed _dapiser_ immediately after, warded off the blow [ ]. _dapiser_, by which is usually understood _steward of the king's household_ [ ], was a high officer amongst the normans; and _larderarius_ was another, clergymen then often occupying this post, and sometimes made bishops from it [ ]. he was under the _dapiser_, as was likewise the _cocus dominicæ coquinæ_, concerning whom, his assistants and allowances, the _liber niger_ may be consulted [ ]. it appears further from _fleta_, that the chief cooks were often providers, as well as dressers, of victuals [ ]. but _magister coquinæ_, who was an esquire by office, seems to have had the care of pourveyance, a.d. [ ], and to have nearly corresponded with our _clerk of the kitchen_, having authority over the cooks [ ]. however, the _magnus coquus_, _coquorum præpositus_, _coquus regius_, and _grans queux_, were officers of considerable dignity in the palaces of princes; and the officers under them, according to du fresne, were in the french court a.d. , much about the time that our roll was made, 'queus, aideurs, asteurs, paiges, souffleurs, enfans, saussiers de commun, saussiers devers le roy, sommiers, poulliers, huissiers' [ ]. in regard to religious houses, the cooks of the greater foundations were officers of consequence, though under the cellarer [ ], and if he were not a monk, he nevertheless was to enjoy the portion of a monk [ ]. but it appears from somner, that at christ church, canterbury, the _lardyrer_ was the first or chief cook [ ]; and this officer, as we have seen, was often an ecclesiastic. however, the great houses had cooks of different ranks [ ]; and manors and churches [ ] were often given _ad cibum_ and _ad victum monachorum_ [ ]. a fishing at lambeth was allotted to that purpose [ ]. but whether the cooks were monks or not, the _magistri coquinæ_, kitcheners, of the monasteries, we may depend upon it, were always monks; and i think they were mostly ecclesiastics elsewhere: thus when cardinal otto, the pope's legate, was at oxford, a. , and that memorable fray happened between his retinue and the students, the _magister coquorum_ was the legate's brother, and was there killed [ ]. the reason given in the author, why a person so nearly allied to the great man was assigned to the office, is this, 'ne procuraretur aliquid venenorum, quod nimis [i.e. valde] timebat legatus;' and it is certain that poisoning was but too much in vogue in these times, both amongst the italians and the good people of this island [ ]; so that this was a post of signal trust and confidence. and indeed afterwards, a person was employed to _taste_, or _take the assaie_, as it was called [ ], both of the messes and the water in the ewer [ ], at great tables; but it may be doubted whether a particular person was appointed to this service, or it was a branch of the _sewer's_ and cup-bearer's duty, for i observe, the _sewer_ is sometimes called _prægustator_ [ ], and the cup-bearer tastes the water elsewhere [ ]. the religious houses, and their presidents, the abbots and priors, had their days of _gala_, as likewise their halls for strangers, whom, when persons of rank, they often entertained with splendour and magnificence. and as for the secular clergy, archbishops and bishops, their feasts, of which we have some upon record [ ], were so superb, that they might vie either with the regal entertainments, or the pontifical suppers of ancient rome (which became even proverbial [ ]), and certainly could not be dressed and set out without a large number of cooks [ ]. in short, the satirists of the times before, and about the time of, the reformation, are continually inveighing against the high-living of the bishops and clergy; indeed luxury was then carried to such an extravagant pitch amongst them, that archbishop cranmer, a. , found it necessary to bring the secular clergy under some reasonable regulation in regard to the furnishing of their tables, not excepting even his own [ ]. after this historical deduction of the _ars coquinaria_, which i have endeavoured to make as short as possible, it is time to say something of the roll which is here given to the public, and the methods which the editor has pursued in bringing it to light. this vellum roll contains _formulæ_, or recipes, and belonged once to the earl of oxford [ ]. the late james west esquire bought it at the earl's sale, when a part of his mss were disposed of; and on the death of the gentleman last mentioned it came into the hands of my highly-esteemed friend, the present liberal and most communicative possessor. it is presumed to be one of the most ancient remains of the kind now in being, rising as high as the reign of king richard ii. [ ]. however, it is far the largest and most copious collection of any we have; i speak as to those times. to establish its authenticity, and even to stamp an additional value upon it, it is the identical roll which was presented to queen elizabeth, in the th year of her reign, by lord stafford's heir, as appears from the following address, or inscription, at the end of it, in his own hand writing: 'antiquum hoc monumentum oblatum et missum est majestati vestræ vicesimo septimo die mensis julij, anno regni vestri fælicissimi vicesimo viij ab humilimo vestro subdito, vestræq majestati fidelissimo e. stafford, hæres domus subversæ buckinghamiens.' [ ] the general observations i have to make upon it are these: many articles, it seems, were in vogue in the fourteenth century, which are now in a manner obsolete, as cranes, curlews, herons, seals [ ], porpoises, &c. and, on the contrary, we feed on sundry fowls which are not named either in the roll, or the editor's ms. [ ] as quails, rails, teal, woodcocks, snipes, &c. which can scarcely be numbered among the _small birds_ mentioned . . . [ ]. so as to fish, many species appear at our tables which are not found in the roll, trouts, flounders, herrings, &c. [ ]. it were easy and obvious to dilate here on the variations of taste at different periods of time, and the reader would probably not dislike it; but so many other particulars demand our attention, that i shall content myself with observing in general, that whereas a very able _italian_ critic, _latinus latinius_, passed a sinister and unfavourable censure on certain seemingly strange medlies, disgusting and preposterous messes, which we meet with in _apicius_; dr. _lister_ very sensibly replies to his strictures on that head, 'that these messes are not immediately to be rejected, because they may be displeasing to some. _plutarch_ testifies, that the ancients disliked _pepper_ and the sour juice of lemons, insomuch that for a long time they only used these in their wardrobes for the sake of their agreeable scent, and yet they are the most wholesome of all fruits. the natives of the _west indies_ were no less averse to _salt_; and who would believe that _hops_ should ever have a place in our common beverage [ ], and that we should ever think of qualifying the sweetness of malt, through good housewifry, by mixing with it a substance so egregiously bitter? most of the _american_ fruits are exceedingly odoriferous, and therefore are very disgusting at first to us _europeans_: on the contrary, our fruits appear insipid to them, for want of odour. there are a thousand instances of things, would we recollect them all, which though disagreeable to taste are commonly assumed into our viands; indeed, _custom_ alone reconciles and adopts sauces which are even nauseous to the palate. _latinus latinius_ therefore very rashly and absurdly blames _apicius_, on account of certain preparations which to him, forsooth, were disrelishing.' [ ] in short it is a known maxim, that _de gustibus non est disputandum_; and so horace to the same purpose: 'tres mihi convivæ prope dissentire videntur, poscentes vario multum diversa palato. quid dem? quid non dem? renuis tu quod jubet alter. quod petis, id sane est invisum acidumque duobus.' hor. ii. epist. ii. and our roll sufficiently verifies the old observation of martial--_ingeniosa gula est_. [addenda: after _ingeniosa gula est_, add, 'the _italians_ now eat many things which we think perfect carrion. _ray_, trav. p. . . the _french_ eat frogs and snails. the _tartars_ feast on horse-flesh, the _chinese_ on dogs, and meer _savages_ eat every thing. _goldsmith_, hist. of the earth, &c. ii. p. , . . iii. p. . iv. p. . , &c.'] our cooks again had great regard to the eye, as well as the taste, in their compositions; _flourishing_ and _strewing_ are not only common, but even leaves of trees gilded, or silvered, are used for ornamenting messes, see no. [ ]. as to colours, which perhaps would chiefly take place in suttleties, blood boiled and fried (which seems to be something singular) was used for dying black, . . saffron for yellow, and sanders for red [ ]. alkenet is also used for colouring [ ], and mulberries [ ]; amydon makes white, ; and turnesole [ ] _pownas_ there, but what this colour is the editor professes not to know, unless it be intended for another kind of yellow, and we should read _jownas_, for _jaulnas_, orange-tawney. it was for the purpose of gratifying the sight that _sotiltees_ were introduced at the more solemn feasts. rabelais has comfits of an hundred colours. cury, as was remarked above, was ever reckoned a branch of the art medical; and here i add, that the verb _curare_ signifies equally to dress victuals [ ], as to cure a distemper; that every body has heard of _doctor diet, kitchen physick_, &c. while a numerous band of medical authors have written _de cibis et alimentis_, and have always classed diet among the _non-naturals_; so they call them, but with what propriety they best know. hence junius '[greek: diaita] græcis est victus, ac speciatim certa victus ratio, qualis a _medicis_ ad tuendam valetudinem præscribitur [ ].' our cooks expressly tell us, in their proem, that their work was compiled 'by assent and avysement of maisters of phisik and of philosophie that dwellid in his [the king's] court' where _physik_ is used in the sense of medecine, _physicus_ being applied to persons prosessing the art of healing long before the th century [ ], as implying _such_ knowledge and skill in all kinds of natural substances, constituting the _materia medica_, as was necessiary for them in practice. at the end of the editor's ms. is written this rhyme, explicit coquina que est optima medicina [ ]. there is much relative to eatables in the _schola salernitana_; and we find it ordered, that a physcian should over-see the young prince's wet-nurse at every meal, to inspect her meat and drink [ ]. but after all the avysement of physicians and philosophers, our processes do not appear by any means to be well calculated for the benefit of recipients, but rather inimical to them. many of them are so highly seasoned, are such strange and heterogeneous compositions, meer olios and gallimawfreys, that they seem removed as far as possible from the intention of contributing to health; indeed the messes are so redundant and complex, that in regard to herbs, in no. , no less than ten are used, where we should now be content with two or three: and so the sallad, no. , consists of no less than ingredients. the physicians appear only to have taken care that nothing directly noxious was suffered to enter the forms. however, in the editor's ms. no. , there is a prescription for making a _colys_, i presume a _cullis_, or invigorating broth; for which see dodsley's old plays, vol. ii. . vol. v. . vol. vi. . and the several plays mentioned in a note to the first mentioned passage in the edit. [ ]. i observe further, in regard to this point, that the quantities of things are seldom specified [ ], but are too much left to the taste and judgement of the cook, if he should happen to be rash and inconsiderate, or of a bad and undistinguishing taste, was capable of doing much harm to the guests, to invalids especially. though the cooks at rome, as has been already noted, were amongst the lowest slaves, yet it was not so more anciently; sarah and rebecca cook, and so do patroclus and automedon in the ninth iliad. it were to be wished indeed, that the reader could be made acquainted with the names of our _master-cooks_, but it is not in the power of the editor to gratify him in that; this, however, he may be assured of, that as the art was of consequence in the reign of richard, a prince renowned and celebrated in the roll [ ], for the splendor and elegance of his table, they must have been persons of no inconsiderable rank: the king's first and second cooks are now esquires by their office, and there is all the reason in the world to believe they were of equal dignity heretofore [ ]. to say a word of king _richard_: he is said in the proeme to have been 'acounted the best and ryallest vyaund [curioso in eating] of all esten kynges.' this, however, must rest upon the testimony of our cooks, since it does not appear otherwise by the suffrage of history, that he was particularly remarkable for his niceness and delicacy in eating, like heliogabalus, whose favourite dishes are said to have been the tongues of peacocks and nightingales, and the brains of parrots and pheasants [ ]; or like sept. geta, who, according to jul. capitolinus [ ], was so curious, so whimsical, as to order the dishes at his dinners to consist of things which all began with the same letters. sardanapalus again as we have it in athenæus [ ], gave a _præmium_ to any one that invented and served him with some novel cate; and sergius orata built a house at the entrance of the lucrine lake, purposely for the pleasure and convenience of eating the oysters perfectly fresh. richard ii is certainly not represented in story as resembling any such epicures, or capriccioso's, as these [ ]. it may, however, be fairly presumed, that good living was not wanting among the luxuries of that effeminate and dissipated reign. [addenda: after _ninth iliad_, add, 'and dr. _shaw_ writes, p. , that even now in the east, the greatest prince is not ashamed to fetch a lamb from his herd and kill it, whilst the princess is impatient till she hath prepared her fire and her kettle to dress it.'] [addenda: after _heretofore_ add, 'we have some good families in england of the name of _cook_ or _coke_. i know not what they may think; but we may depend upon it, they all originally sprang from real and professional cooks; and they need not be ashamed of their extraction, any more than the _butlers_, _parkers_, _spencers_, &c.'] my next observation is, that the messes both in the roll and the editor's ms, are chiefly soups, potages, ragouts, hashes, and the like hotche-potches; entire joints of meat being never _served_, and animals, whether fish or fowl, seldom brought to table whole, but hacked and hewed, and cut in pieces or gobbets [ ]; the mortar also was in great request, some messes being actually denominated from it, as _mortrews_, or _morterelys_ as in the editor's ms. now in this state of things, the general mode of eating must either have been with the spoon or the fingers; and this perhaps may have been the reason that spoons became an usual present from gossips to their god-children at christenings [ ]; and that the bason and ewer, for washing before and after dinner, was introduced, whence the _ewerer_ was a great officer [ ], and the _ewery_ is retained at court to this day [ ]; we meet with _damaske water_ after dinner [ ], i presume, perfumed; and the words _ewer_ &c. plainly come from the saxon eþe or french eau, _water_. thus, to return, in that little anecdote relative to the conqueror and william fitz-osbern, mentioned above, not the crane, but _the flesh of the crane_ is said to have been under-roasted. table, or case-knives, would be of little use at this time [ ], and the art of carving so perfectly useless, as to be almost unknown. in about a century afterwards, however, as appears from archbishop neville's entertainment, many articles were served whole, and lord wylloughby was the carver [ ]. so that carving began now to be practised, and the proper terms devised. wynken de worde printed a _book of kervinge_, a. , wherein the said terms are registered [ ]. 'the use of _forks_ at table, says dr. percy, did not prevail in england land till the reign of james i. as we learn from a remarkable passage in _coryat_ [ ]'; the passage is indeed curious, but too long to be here transcribed, where brevity is so much in view; wherefore i shall only add, that forks are not now used in some parts of spain [ ]. but then it may be said, what becomes of the old english hospitaliy in this case, the _roast-beef of old england_, so much talked of? i answer, these bulky and magnificent dishes must have been the product of later reigns, perhaps of queen elizabeth's time, since it is plain that in the days of rich. ii. our ancestors lived much after the french fashion. as to hospitality, the households of our nobles were immense, officers, retainers, and servants, being entertained almost without number; but then, as appears from the northumberland book, and afterwards from the household establisliment of the prince of wales, a. , the individuals, or at least small parties, had their _quantum_, or ordinary, served out, where any good oeconomy was kept, apart to themselves [ ]. again, we find in our roll, that great quantities of the respective viands of the hashes, were often made at once, as no. , _take hennes or conynges_. , _take hares_. , _take pygges_. and , _take gees_, &c. so that hospitality and plentiful housekeeping could just as well be maintained this way, as by the other of cumbrous unwieldy messes, as much as a man could carry. as the messes and sauces are so complex, and the ingredients consequently so various, it seems necessary that a word should be spoken concerning the principal of them, and such as are more frequently employed, before we pass to our method of proceeding in the publication. butter is little used. 'tis first mentioned no. , and occurs but rarely after [ ]; 'tis found but once in the editor's ms, where it is written _boter_. the usual substitutes for it are oil-olive and lard; the latter is frequently called _grees_, or _grece_, or _whitegrece_, as no. . . _capons in grease_ occur in birch's life of henry prince of wales, p. , . and see lye in jun. etym. v. _greasie_. bishop patrick has a remarkable passage concerning this article: 'though we read of cheese in _homer_, _euripides_, _theocritus_, and others, yet they never mention _butter_: nor hath aristotle a word of it, though he hath sundry observations about cheese; for butter was not a thing then known among the _greeks_; though we see by this and many other places, it was an ancient food among the eastern people [ ].' the greeks, i presume, used oil instead of it, and butter in some places of scripture is thought to mean only cream. [ ] cheese. see the last article, and what is said of the old britons above; as likewise our glossary. ale is applied, no. , et alibi; and often in the editor's ms. as , , &c. it is used instead of wine, no. , and sometimes along with bread in the editor's ms. [ ] indeed it is a current opinion that brewing with hops was not introduced here till the reign of king henry viii. [ ] _bere_, however, is mentioned a. . [ ] wine is common, both red, and white, no. . . . this article they partly had of their own growth, [ ] and partly by importation from france [ ] and greece [ ]. they had also rhenish [ ], and probably several other sorts. the _vynegreke_ is among the sweet wines in a ms of mr. astle. rice. as this grain was but little, if at all, cultivated in england, it must have been brought from abroad. whole or ground-rice enters into a large number of our compositions, and _resmolle_, no. , is a direct preparation of it. alkenet. _anchusa_ is not only used for colouring, but also fried and yfoundred, . yfondyt, . i. e. dissolved, or ground. 'tis thought to be a species of the _buglos_. saffron. saffrwm, brit. whence it appears, that this name ran through most languages. mr. weever informs us, that this excellent drug was brought hither in the time of edward iii. [ ] and it may be true; but still no such quantity could be produced here in the next reign as to supply that very large consumption which we see made of it in our roll, where it occurs not only as an ingredient in the processes, but also is used for colouring, for flourishing, or garnishing. it makes a yellow, no. , and was imported from egypt, or cilicia, or other parts of the levant, where the turks call it safran, from the arabic zapheran, whence the english, italians, french, and germans, have apparently borrowed their respective names of it. the romans were well acquainted with the drug, but did not use it much in the kitchen [ ]. pere calmet says, the hebrews were acquainted with anise, ginger, saffron, but no other spices [ ]. pynes. there is some difficulty in enucleating the meaning of this word, though it occurs so often. it is joined with dates, no. . . with honey clarified, . with powder-fort, saffron, and salt, . with ground dates, raisins, good powder, and salt, . and lastly they are fried, . now the dish here is _morree_, which in the editor's ms. , is made of mulberries (and no doubt has its name from them), and yet there are no mulberries in our dish, but pynes, and therefore i suspect, that mulberries and pynes are the same, and indeed this fruit has some resemblance to a pynecone. i conceive _pynnonade_, the dish, no. , to be so named from the pynes therein employed; and quære whether _pyner_ mentioned along with powder-fort, saffron, and salt, no. , as above in no. , should not be read _pynes_. but, after all, we have cones brought hither from italy full of nuts, or kernels, which upon roasting come out of their _capsulæ_, and are much eaten by the common people, and these perhaps may be the thing intended. [addenda: after _intended_. add, 'see _ray_, trav. p. . . and _wright's_ trav. p. .'] honey was the great and universal sweetner in remote antiquity, and particularly in this island, where it was the chief constituent of _mead_ and _metheglin_. it is said, that at this day in _palestine_ they use honey in the greatest part of their ragouts [ ]. our cooks had a method of clarifying it, no. . . which was done by putting it in a pot with whites of eggs and water, beating them well together; then setting it over the fire, and boiling it; and when it was ready to boil over to take it and cool it, no. . this i presume is called _clere honey_, no. . and, when honey was so much in use, it appears from barnes that _refining_ it was a trade of itself [ ]. sugar, or sugur [ ], was now beginning here to take place of honey; however, they are used together, no. . sugar came from the indies, by way of damascus and aleppo, to venice, genoa, and pisa, and from these last places to us [ ]. it is here not only frequently used, but was of various sorts, as _cypre_, no. . . . named probably from the isle of cyprus, whence it might either come directly to us, or where it had received some improvement by way of refining. there is mention of _blanch-powder or white sugar_, . they, however, were not the same, for see no. . sugar was clarified sometimes with wine [ ]. spices. _species_. they are mentioned in general no. , and _whole spices_, , . but they are more commonly specified, and are indeed greatly used, though being imported from abroad, and from so far as italy or the levant (and even there must be dear), some may wonder at this: but it shouid be considered, that our roll was chiefly compiled for the use of noble and princely tables; and the same may be said of the editor's ms. the spices came from the same part of the world, and by the same route, as sugar did. the _spicery_ was an ancient department at court, and had its proper officers. as to the particular sorts, these are, cinamon. _canell_. . . _canel_, editor's ms. . _kanell_, ibid. . is the italian _canella_. see chaucer. we have the flour or powder, no. . . see wiclif. it is not once mentioned in apicius. macys, . . editor's ms. . _maces_, . editor's ms. . they are used whole, no. . and are always expressed plurally, though we now use the singular, _mace_. see junii etym. cloves. no. . dishes are flourished with them, . . editor's ms. . . where we have _clowys gylofres_, as in our roll, no. . _powdour gylofre_ occurs . . chaucer has _clowe_ in the singular, and see him v. clove-gelofer. galyngal, . and elsewhere. galangal, the long rooted cyperus [ ], is a warm cardiac and cephalic. it is used in powder, . . and was the chief ingredient in _galentine_, which, i think, took its name from it. pepper. it appears from pliny that this pungent, warm seasoning, so much in esteem at rome [ ], came from the east indies [ ], and, as we may suppose, by way of alexandria. we obtained it no doubt, in the th century, from the same quarter, though not exactly by the same route, but by venice or genoa. it is used both whole, no. , and in powder, no. . and long-pepper occurs, if we read the place rightly, in no. . ginger, gyngyn. . . alibi. powder is used, . . alibi. and rabelais iv. c. . the white powder, . and it is the name of a mess, . quære whether _gyngyn_ is not misread for _gyngyr_, for see junii etym. the romans had their ginger from troglodytica [ ]. cubebs, . . are a warm spicy grain from the east. grains of paradice, or _de parys_, . [ ] are the greater cardamoms. noix muscadez, . nutmegs. the caraway is once mentioned, no. . and was an exotic from _caria_, whence, according to mr. lye, it took its name: 'sunt semina, inquit, _carri_ vel _carrei_, sic dicti a caria, ubi copiosissimè nascitur [ ].' powder-douce, which occurs so often, has been thought by some, who have just peeped into our roll, to be the same as sugar, and only a different name for it; but they are plainly mistaken, as is evident from . . . . where they are mentioned together as different things. in short, i take powder-douce to be either powder of galyngal, for see editor's ms ii. . , or a compound made of sundry aromatic spices ground or beaten small, and kept always ready at hand in some proper receptacle. it is otherwise termed _good powders_, . . and in editor's ms . . [ ]. or _powder_ simply, no. , . _white powder-douce_ occurs no. , which seems to be the same as blanch-powder, . . called _blaynshe powder_, and bought ready prepared, in northumb. book, p. . it is sometimes used with powder-fort, . . for which see the next and last article. powder-fort, . . seems to be a mixture likewise of the warmer spices, pepper, ginger, &c. pulverized: hence we have _powder-fort of gynger, other of canel_, . it is called _strong powder_, . and perhaps may sometimes be intended by _good powders_. if you will suppose it to be kept ready prepared by the vender, it may be the _powder-marchant_, . . found joined in two places with powder- douce. this speght says is what gingerbread is made of; but skinner disapproves this explanation, yet, says mr. urry, gives none of his own. after thus travelling through the most material and most used ingredients, the _spykenard de spayn_ occurring only once, i shall beg leave to offer a few words on the nature, and in favour of the present publication, and the method employed in the prosecution of it. [illustration: take þe chese and of flessh of capouns, or of hennes & hakke smal and grynde hem smale inn a morter, take mylke of almandes with þe broth of freysh beef. oþer freysh flessh, & put the flessh in þe mylke oþer in the broth and set hem to þe fyre, & alye hem with flour of ryse, or gastbon, or amydoun as chargeaunt as þe blank desire, & with zolks of ayren and safroun for to make hit zelow, and when it is dressit in dysshes with blank desires; styk aboue clowes de gilofre, & strawe powdour of galyugale above, and serue it forth.] the common language of the _formulæ_, though old and obsolete, as naturally may be expected from the age of the ms, has no other difficulty in it but what may easily be overcome by a small degree of practice and application [ ]: however, for the further illustration of this matter, and the satisfaction of the curious, a _fac simile_ of one of the recipes is represented in the annexed plate. if here and there a hard and uncouth term or expression may occur, so as to stop or embarrass the less expert, pains have been taken to explain them, either in the annotations under the text, or in the index and glossary, for we have given it both titles, as intending it should answer the purpose of both [ ]. now in forming this alphabet, as it would have been an endless thing to have recourse to all our glossaries, now so numerous, we have confined ourselves, except perhaps in some few instances, in which the authorities are always mentioned, to certain contemporary writers, such as the editor's ms, of which we shall speak more particularly hereafter, chaucer, and wiclif; with whom we have associated junius' etymologicon anglicanum. as the abbreviations of the roll are here retained, in order to establish and confirm the age of it, it has been thought proper to adopt the types which our printer had projected for domesday-book, with which we find that our characters very nearly coincide. the names of the dishes and sauces have occasioned the greatest perplexity. these are not only many in number, but are often so horrid and barbarous, to our ears at least, as to be inveloped in several instances in almost impenetrable obscurity. bishop godwin complains of this so long ago as [ ]. the _contents_ prefixed will exhibit at once a most formidable list of these hideous names and titles, so that there is no need to report them here. a few of these terms the editor humbly hopes he has happily enucleated, but still, notwithstanding all his labour and pains, the argument is in itself so abstruse at this distance of time, the helps so few, and his abilities in this line of knowledge and science so slender and confined, that he fears he has left the far greater part of the task for the more sagacious reader to supply: indeed, he has not the least doubt, but other gentlemen of curiosity in such matters (and this publication is intended for them alone) will be so happy as to clear up several difficulties, which appear now to him insuperable. it must be confessed again, thatthe editor may probably have often failed in those very points, which he fancies and flatters himself to have elucidated, but this he is willing to leave to the candour of the public. now in regard to the helps i mentioned; there is not much to be learnt from the great inthronization-feast of archbishop robert winchelsea, a. , even if it were his; but i rather think it belongs to archbishop william warham, a. [ ]. some use, however, has been made of it. ralph bourne was installed abbot of st. augustine's, near canterbury, a. ; and william thorne has inserted a list of provisions bought for the feast, with their prices, in his chronicle [ ]. the great feast at the inthronization of george nevile archbishop of york, edward iv. is printed by mr. hearne [ ], and has been of good service. elizabeth, queen of king henry vii. was crowned a. , and the messes at the dinner, in two courses, are registered in the late edition of leland's collectenea, a. [ ], and we have profited thereby. the lenten inthronization-feast of archbishop william warham, a. [ ], given us at large by mr. hearne [ ], has been also consulted. there is a large catalogue of viands in rabelais, lib. iv. cap. . . and the english translation of mr. ozell affording little information, i had recourse to the french original, but not to much more advantage. there is also a royal feast at the wedding of the earl of devonshire, in the harleian misc. no. , and it has not been neglected. randle holme, in his multifarious _academy of armory_, has an alphabet of terms and dishes [ ]; but though i have pressed him into the service, he has not contributed much as to the more difficult points. the antiquarian repertory, vol. ii. p. , exhibits an entertainment of the mayor of rochester, a. ; but there is little to be learned from thence. the present work was printed before no. of the antiquarian repertory, wherein some ancient recipes in cookery are published, came to the editor's hand. i must not omit my acknowledgments to my learned friend the present dean of carlisle, to whom i stand indebted for his useful notes on the northumberland-household book, as also for the book itself. our chief assistance, however, has been drawn from a ms belonging to the editor, denoted, when cited, by the signature _ms. ed._ it is a vellum miscellany in small quarto, and the part respecting this subject consists of ninety-one english recipes (or _nyms_) in cookery. these are disposed into two parts, and are intituled, 'hic incipiunt universa servicia tam de carnibus quam de pissibus.' [ ] the second part, relates to the dressing of fish, and other lenten fare, though forms are also there intermixed which properly belong to flesh-days. this leads me to observe, that both here, and in the roll, messes are sometimes accommodated, by making the necessary alterations, both to flesh and fish-days. [ ] now, though the subjects of the ms are various, yet the hand-writing is uniform; and at the end of one of the tracts is added, 'explicit massa compoti, anno dñi m'lo ccc'mo octogesimo primo ipso die felicis et audacti.' [ ], i.e. aug. , in the reign of rich. ii. the language and orthography accord perfectly well with this date, and the collection is consequently contemporary with our roll, and was made chiefly, though not altogether, for the use of great tables, as appears from the _sturgeon_, and the great quantity of venison therein prescribed for. as this ms is so often referred to in the annotations, glossary, and even in this preface, and is a compilation of the same date, on the same subject, and in the same language, it has been thought adviseable to print it, and subjoin it to the roll; and the rather, because it really furnishes a considerable enlargement on the subject, and exhibits many forms unnoticed in the roll. to conclude this tedious preliminary detail, though unquestionably a most necessary part of his duty, the editor can scarcely forbear laughing at himself, when he reflects on his past labours, and recollects those lines of the poet martial; turpe est difficiles habere nugas, et stultus labor est ineptiarum. ii. . and that possibly mesdames _carter_ and _raffald_, with twenty others, might have far better acquitted themselves in the administration of this province, than he has done. he has this comfort and satisfaction, however, that he has done his best; and that some considerable names amongst the learned, humelbergius, torinus, barthius, our countryman dr. lister, almeloveen, and others, have bestowed no less pains in illustrating an author on the same subject, and scarcely of more importance, the _pseudo-apicius_. [ ] if, according to petavius and le clerc, the world was created in autumn, when the fruits of the earth were both plentiful and in the highest perfection, the first man had little occasion for much culinary knowledge; roasting or boiling the cruder productions, with modes of preserving those which were better ripened, seem to be all that was necessary for him in the way of _cury_, and even after he was displaced from paradise, i conceive, as many others do, he was not permitted the use of animal food [gen. i. .]; but that this was indulged to us, by an enlargement of our charter, after the flood, gen. ix, . but, without wading any further in the argument here, the reader is referred to gen. ii. . seq. iii. , seq. . [addenda: add 'vi. . where _noah_ and the beasts are to live on the same food.'] [ ] genesis xviii. xxvii. though their best repasts, from the politeness of the times, were called by the simple names of _bread_, or a _morsel of bread_, yet they were not unacquainted with modes of dressing flesh, boiling, roasting, baking; nor with sauce, or seasoning, as salt and oil, and perhaps some aromatic herbs. calmet v. meats and eating, and qu. of honey and cream, ibid. [ ] athenæus, lib. xii. cap. . [ ] athenæus, lib. xii. cap. . et cafaubon. see also lister ad apicium, præf. p. ix. jungerm. ad jul. polluccm, lib. vi. c. . [ ] see below. 'tamen uterque [torinus et humelbergius] hæc scripta [i, e. apicii] ad medicinam vendicarunt.' lister, præf. p. iv. viii. ix. [ ] athenaæus, p. . . [ ] priv. life of the romans, p. . lister's præf, p. iii, but ter. an, i. . casaub. ad jul. capitolin. cap. . [ ] casaub. ad capitolin. l. c. [ ] lister's præf. p. ii. vi. xii. [ ] fabric. bibl. lat. tom. ii. p. . hence dr. bentley ad hor. ii. ferm. . . stiles it _pseudapicius_. vide listerum, p. iv. [ ] cæsar de b. g. v. § . [ ] strabo, lib. iv. p. . pegge's essay on coins of cunob, p. . [ ] archæologia, iv. p. . godwin, de præsul. p. , seq. [ ] malmsb. p. . galfr. mon. vi. . [ ] lister. ad apic. p. xi. where see more to the same purpose. [ ] spelm. life of Ælfred, p. . drake, eboracum. append, p. civ. [ ] speed's history. [ ] mons. mallet, cap. . [ ] wilkins, concil. i. p. . drake, ebor. p. . append, p. civ. cv. [ ] menage, orig. v. gourmand. [ ] lord lyttelton, hist. of h. ii. vol. iii. p. . [ ] harrison, descript. of britain, p. , . [ ] stow, p. . . [ ] lord lyttelton observes, that the normans were delicate in their food, but without excess. life of hen. ii. vol. iii. p. . [ ] dugd. bar. i. p. . henry ii. served to his son. lord lyttelton, iv. p. . [ ] godwin de præsul. p. , renders _carver_ by _dapiser_, but this i cannot approve. see thoroton. p. . . dugd. bar. i. p. . . . lib. nig. p. . kennet, par. ant. p. . and, to name no more, spelm. in voce. the _carver_ was an officer inferior to the _dapiser_, or _steward_, and even under his control. vide lel. collect. vi. p. . and yet i find sir walter manny when young was carver to philippa queen of king edward iii. barnes hist. of e. iii. p. . the _steward_ had the name of _dapiser_, i apprehend, from serving up the first dish. v. supra. [ ] sim. dunelm. col. . hoveden, p. . malms. de pont. p. . [ ] lib. nig. scaccarii, p. . [ ] fleta, ii. cap. . [ ] du fresne, v. magister. [ ] du fresne, ibid. [ ] du fresne, v. coquus. the curious may compare this list with lib. nig. p. . [ ] in somner, ant. cant. append. p. . they are under the _magister coquinæ_, whose office it was to purvey; and there again the chief cooks are proveditors; different usages might prevail at different times and places. but what is remarkable, the _coquinarius_, or kitchener, which seems to answer to _magister coquinæ_, is placed before the cellarer in tanner's notitia, p. xxx. but this may be accidental. [ ] du fresne, v. coquus. [ ] somner, append. p. . [ ] somner, ant. cant. append. p. . [ ] somner, p. . [ ] somner, p. , , , sæpius. [ ] somner, l. c. [ ] m. paris, p . . [ ] dugd. bar. i. p. . stow, p. . m. paris, p. . . m. westm. p. . [ ] lel. collectan. vi. p. . seq. [ ] ibid. p. . . [ ] compare leland, p. . with godwin de præsul. p. . and so junius in etymol. v. sewer. [ ] leland, p. , . there are now _two yeomen of the mouth_ in the king's household. [ ] that of george neville, archbishop of york, edw. iv. and that of william warham, archbishop of canterbury, a.d. . these were both of them inthronization feasts. leland, collectan. vi. p. and of appendix. they were wont _minuere sanguinem_ after these superb entertainments, p. . [ ] hor. ii. od. xiv. . where see mons. dacier. [ ] sixty-two were employed by archbishop neville. and the hire of cooks at archbishop warham's feast came to l. s. d. [ ] strype, life of cranmer, p. , or lel. coll. ut supra, p. . sumptuary laws in regard to eating were not unknown in ancient rome. erasm. colloq. p. . ed. schrev. nor here formerly, see lel. coll. vi. p. . for ed. ii. [ ] i presume it may be the same roll which mr. hearne mentions in his lib. nig. scaccarii, i. p. . see also three different letters of his to the earl of oxford, in the brit. mus. in the second of which he stiles the roll _a piece of antiquity, and a very great rarity indeed_. harl. mss. no. . [ ] see the proem. [ ] this lord was grandson of edward duke of bucks, beheaded a. , whose son henry was restored in blood; and this edward, the grandson, born about , might be or years old when he presented the roll to the queen. [ ] mr. topham's ms. has _socas_ among the fish; and see archbishop nevil's feast, e. iv. to be mentioned below. [ ] of which see an account below. [ ] see northumb. book, p. , and notes. [ ] as to carps, they were unknown in england t. r. ii. fulier, worth. in sussex, p. . . stow, hist. . [ ] the italians still call the hop _cattiva erba_. there was a petition against them t. h. vi. fuller, worth. p. , &c. evelyn, sylva, p. . . ed. hunter. [ ] lister, præf. ad apicium, p. xi. [ ] so we have _lozengs of golde_. lel. collect. iv. p. . and a wild boar's head _gylt_, p. . a peacock with _gylt neb_. vi. p. . _leche lambart gylt_, ibid. [ ] no. . . . see my friend dr. percy on the northumberland- book, p. . and ms ed. . [ ] no. . . . [ ] no. . . ms ed. . [ ] perhaps turmerick. see ad loc. [ ] ter. andr. i. . where donatus and mad. dacier explain it of cooking. mr. hearne, in describing our roll, see above, p. xi, by an unaccountable mistake, read _fary_ instead of _cury_, the plain reading of the ms. [ ] junii etym. v. diet. [ ] reginaldus phisicus. m. paris, p. . . . . et in vit. p. . . chaucer's _medicus_ is a doctor of phisick, p. . v. junii etym. voce physician. for later times, v. j. rossus, p. . [ ] that of donatus is modest 'culina medicinæ famulacrix est.' [ ] lel. collect. iv. p. . 'diod. siculus refert primos Ægypti reges victum quotidianum omnino sumpsisse ex medicorum præscripto.' lister ad apic. p. ix. [ ] see also lylie's euphues, p. . cavendish, life of wolsey, p. , where we have _callis_, malè; cole's and lyttleton's dict. and junii etymolog. v. collice. [ ] see however, no. , and editor's ms ii. . [ ] vide the proeme. [ ] see above. [ ] univ. hist. xv. p. . 'Æsopus pater linguas avium humana vocales lingua cænavit; filius margaritas.' lister ad apicium, p. vii. [ ] jul. capitolinus, c. . [ ] athenæus, lib. xii. c. . something of the same kind is related of heliogabalus, lister præf. ad apic. p. vii. [ ] to omit the paps of a pregnant sow, hor. i. ep. xv. . where see mons. dacier; dr. fuller relates, that the tongue of carps were accounted by the ancient roman palate-men most delicious meat. worth. in sussex. see other instances of extravagant roman luxury in lister's præf. to apicius, p. vii. [ ] see, however, no. , , , . [addenda: add 'reflect on the spanish _olio_ or _olla podrida_, and the french fricassée.'] [ ] the king, in shakespeare, hen. viii. act iv. sc. . and . calls the gifts of the sponsors, _spoons_. these were usually gilt, and, the figures of the apostles being in general carved on them, were called _apostle spoons_. see mr. steevens's note in ed. , vol. vii. p. , also gent. mag. , p. . [ ] lel. collect. iv. p. . vi. p. . [ ] see dr. percy's curious notes on the northumb. book, p. . [ ] ibid. vi. p. . . [ ] they were not very common at table among the greeks. casaub. ad athenæum, col. . but see lel. coll. vi. p. . [ ] leland, collectan. vi. p. . archbishop warham also had his carver, ibid. p. . see also, iv. p. . . he was a great officer. northumb. book, p. . [ ] ames, typ. ant. p. . the terms may also be seen in rand. holme iii. p. . [ ] dr. percy, . c. [ ] thicknesse, travels, p., . [ ] dr. birch, life of henry prince of wales, p. . seq. [ ] no. , . . [ ] bishop patrick on genesis xviii. . [ ] calmer, v. butter. so judges iv, . compared with v. . [ ] ib. no. , , . [ ] stow, hist. p. . [ ] lel. coll. vi. p. . and see dr. percy on northumb. book, p. . [ ] archæologia, i. p. . ill, p. . [ ] barrington's observ. on statutes, p. . . edit. d. archæolog. i. p. . fitz-stephen, p. . lel. coll. vi. p. . northumb. book, p. . and notes. [ ] no. . . . [ ] no. . [ ] fun. mon. p. [ ] dr. lister, præf. ad apicium, p. xii. [ ] calmet. dict. v. eating. [ ] calmet. dict. v. meats. [ ] barnes, hist. of e. iii. p. . [ ] no. , editor's ms. . alibi. [ ] moll, geogr. ii. p. . harris, coll. of voyages, i. p. . ed. campbell. [ ] no. . . [ ] glossary to chaucer. see the northumb. book, p. and . also quincy's dispens. and brookes's nat. hist. of vegetables. [ ] lister, præf. ad apicium, p. xii. [ ] plinius, nat. hist. xii. cap. . [ ] bochart. iii. col. . [ ] see our gloss. voce greynes. [ ] lye, in junii etymolog. [ ] but see the next article. [ ] doing, hewing, hacking, grinding, kerving, &c. are easily understood. [ ] by combining the index and glossary together, we have had an opportunity of elucidating some terms more at large than could conveniently be done in the notes. we have also cast the index to the roll, and that to the editor's ms, into one alphabet; distinguishing, however, the latter from the former. [ ] godwin de præsul. p. . [ ] in dr. drake's edition of archbishop parker, p. lxiii. it is given to archbishop winchelsea: but see mr. battely's append. to _cantuaria sacra_, p. . or the archæologia, i. p. . and leland's collectanea, vi. p. . where it is again printed, and more at large, and ascribed to warham. [ ] thorne, chron. inter x script. col. . or lel. collect. vi. p. . ed. . [ ] leland, collect. vi. p. . see also randle holme, iii. p. . bishop godwin de præsul. p. . ed. richardson; where there are some considerable variations in the messes or services, and he and the roll in leland will correct one another. [ ] vol. iv. p. . [ ] see first paragraph before. [ ] leland's collect. vi. p. . [ ] holme, acad. of armory, iii. p. . [ ] it is _pissibus_ again in the title to the second part. [ ] no. . . here no. . . . [ ] in the common calendars of our missals and breviaries, the latter saint is called _adauctus_, but in the kalend. roman. of joh. fronto, paris. , p. , he is written _audactus_, as here; and see martyrolog. bedæ, p. . the forme of cury. ... fome [ ] of cury [ ] was compiled of the chef maister cokes of kyng richard the secunde kyng of .nglond [ ] aftir the conquest. the which was acounted þe [ ] best and ryallest vyand [ ] of alle csten .ynges [ ] and it was compiled by assent and avysement of maisters and [ ] phisik [ ] and of philosophie þat dwellid in his court. first it techiþ a man for to make commune potages and commune meetis for howshold as þey shold be made craftly and holsomly. aftirward it techiþ for to make curious potages & meetes and sotiltees [ ] for alle maner of states bothe hye and lowe. and the techyng of the forme of making of potages & of meetes bothe of flessh and of fissh. buth [ ] y sette here by noumbre and by ordre. sso þis little table here sewyng [ ] wole teche a man with oute taryyng: to fynde what meete þat hym lust for to have. or [ ] to make gronnden benes . . . . . i. for to make drawen benes. . . . . . . . . ii. for to make grewel forced.. . . . . . . . iii. caboches in potage. . . . . . . . . . . . iiii. rapes in potage . . . . . . . . . . . . . v. eowtes of flessh. . . . . . . . . . . . . vi. hebolas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . vii. gowrdes in potage . . . . . . . . . . . . viii. ryse of flessh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix. funges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x. bursen. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi. corat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xii. noumbles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii. roobroth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiiii. tredure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xv. mounchelet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvi. bukkenade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xvii. connat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xviii. drepee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xix. mawmenee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx. egurdouce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi. capouns in conney . . . . . . . . . . . . xxii. haares in talbotes. . . . . . . . . . . . xxiii. haares in papdele . . . . . . . . . . . . xxiiii. connynges in cynee. . . . . . . . . . . . xxv. connynges in gravey . . . . . . . . . . . xxvi. chykens in gravey . . . . . . . . . . . . xxvii. filetes in galyntyne. . . . . . . . . . . xxviii. pigges in sawse sawge . . . . . . . . . . xxix. sawse madame. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxx. gees in hoggepot. . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxi. carnel of pork. . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxii. chikens in caudell. . . . . . . . . . . . xxxiii. chikens in hocchee. . . . . . . . . . . . xxxiii. for to boyle fesauntes, partyches capons and curlewes . . . . . . . . . . . xxx. v. blank manng . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxvi. blank dessorre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxvii. morree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxviii. charlet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxxix. charlot y forced. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. cawdel ferry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. i. iusshell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. iii.[ ] iusshell enforced . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. iiii. mortrews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. v. blank mortrews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. vi. brewet of almony. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. vii. peions y stewed . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. viii. loseyns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. ix. tartletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. x. pynnonade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xi. rosee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xii. cormarye. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xiii. new noumbles of deer. . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xiiii. nota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xv. nota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xvi. ipynee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xvii. chyryse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xviii. payn foundewe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ii. xix. crotoun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. vyne grace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. i. fonnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. ii. douce ame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. iii. connynges in cirypp . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. iiii. leche lumbard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. v. connynges in clere broth. . . . . . . . . xx.iii. vi. payn ragoun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. vii. lete lardes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. viii. furmente with porpeys . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. ix. perrey of pesoun. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. x. pesoun of almayn. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xi. chiches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xii. frenche owtes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xiii. makke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xiiii. aquapates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xv. salat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xvi. fenkel in soppes. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xvii. clat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xviii. appulmoy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iii. xix. slete soppes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. letelorye . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. i. sowpes dorry. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. ii. rapey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. iii. sause sarzyne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. iiii. creme of almanndes. . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. v. grewel of almandes. . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. vi. cawdel of almandes mylk . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. vii. iowtes of almannd mylk. . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. viii. fygey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. ix. pochee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. x. brewet of ayrenn. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xi. macrows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xii. tostee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xiii. gyndawdry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xiiii. erbowle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xv. resmolle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xvi. vyannde cipre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xvii. vyannde cipre of samon. . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. xviii. vyannde ryal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.iiii. ix. compost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. gelee of fyssh. . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. i. gelee of flessh . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. ii. chysanne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. iii. congur in sawce . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. iiii. rygh in sawce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. v. makerel in sawce. . . . . . . . . . . . . c. vi. pykes in brasey . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. vii. porpeys in broth. . . . . . . . . . . . . c. viii. ballok broth. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. ix. eles in brewet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. x cawdel of samoun. . . . . . . . . . . . . c. xi. plays in cynee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. xii. for to make flaumpeyns. . . . . . . . . . c. xiii. for to make noumbles in lent. . . . . . . c. xiiii. for to make chawdoun for lent . . . . . . c. xv. furmente with porpays . . . . . . . . . . c. xvi. fylettes in galyntyne . . . . . . . . . . c. xvii. veel in buknade . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. xviii. sooles in cyney . . . . . . . . . . . . . c. ix. tenches in cyney. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. oysters in gravey . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. i muskels in brewet . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. ii oysters in cyney. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. iii. cawdel of muskels . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. iiii. mortrews of fyssh . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. v laumpreys in galyntyne. . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. vi. laumprouns in galyntyne . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. vii. losyns in fysshe day. . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. viii. sowpes in galyntyne . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. ix. sobre sawse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. x. colde brewet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. xi. peeres in confyt. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. xii. egur douce of fyssh . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. xiii. cold brewet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. xiiii. pevorat for veel and venysoun . . . . . . xx.vi. xv. sawce blaunche for capouns y sode . . . . xx.vi. xvi. sawce noyre for capons y rosted . . . . . xx.vi. xvii. galentyne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. xviii. gyngeuer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vi. xix. verde sawse . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. sawce noyre for mallard . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. i. cawdel for gees . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. ii. chawdon for swannes . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. iii. sawce camelyne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. iiii. lumbard mustard . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. v. nota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. vi. nota. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. vii. frytour blaunched . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. viii. frytour of pasturnakes. . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. ix. frytour of mylke. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. x. frytour of erbes. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xi. raisiowls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xii. whyte milates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xiii. crustardes of flessh. . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xiiii. mylates of pork . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xv. crustardes of fyssh . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xvi. crustardes of erbis on fyssh day. . . . . xx.vii. xvii. lesshes fryed in lentoun. . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xviii. wastels y farced. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.vii. xix. sawge y farced. . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. sawgeat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. i. cryspes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. ii. cryspels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. iii. tartee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. iiii. tart in ymbre day . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. v. tart de bry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. vi. tart de brymlent. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. vii. tartes of flessh. . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. viii. tartletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. ix. tartes of fyssh . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. x. sambocade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xi. erbolat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xii. nysebek . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xiii. for to make pom dorryes. & oþer þynges. . xx.viii. xiiii. cotagres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xv. hart rows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xvi. potews. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xvii. sachus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xviii. bursews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.viii. xix. spynoches y fryed . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. benes y fryed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. i. russhewses of fruyt . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. ii. daryols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. iii. flaumpens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. iiii. chewetes on flessh day. . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. v. chewetes on fyssh day . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. vi. hastletes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.xi. vii. comadore. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. viii. chastletes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. ix. for to make twey pecys of flesshe to fasten to gydre. . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. x. pur fait y pocras . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. xi. for to make blank maunnger. . . . . . . . xx.ix. xii. for to make blank desire. . . . . . . . . xx.ix. xiii. for to make mawmoune. . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. xiiii. the pety peruaunt . . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. xv. and the pete puant. . . . . . . . . . . . xx.ix. xvi. xplicit tabula. [ ] this is a kind of preamble to the roll. a space is left for the initial word, intended to be afterwards written in red ink, and presumed to be Ðis. _fome_, the _lineola_ over it being either casually omitted, or since obliterated, means _form_, written foume below, and in no. . [ ] cury. cookery. we have adopted it in the title. v. preface. [ ] ynglond. _e_ was intended to be prefixed in red ink. vide note [ ] and [ ]. [ ] þ. this saxon letter with the power of _th_, is used almost perpetually in our roll and the editor's ms. every one may not have adverted to it; but this character is the ground of our present abbreviations y'e the, y't that, y's this, &c. the y in these cases being evidently only an altered and more modern way of writing þ. [ ] vyaund. this word is to be understood in the concrete, _quasi_ vyander, a curious epicure, an _apicius_. v. preface. [ ] csten ynges. christian kings. _k_ being to be inserted afterwards (v. note [ ] and [ ]) in red ink. chaucer, v. christen. [ ] and. read _of_. [ ] phisik. v. preface. [ ] sotiltees. devices in paste, wax, and confectionary ware; reviving now, in some measure, in our grander deserts. v. index. [ ] buth. _be_, or _are_. v. index. [ ] sewing. following; from the french. hence our _ensue_ written formerly _ensew_. skelton, p. ; and _ensiew_, ames typ. ant. p. . [ ] f is omitted for the reason given in note . [ ] no. xx.ii. ii. is omitted. for to make gronden benes [ ]. i. take benes and dry hem in a nost [ ] or in an ovene and hulle hem wele and wyndewe [ ] out þe hulk and wayshe hem clene an do hem to seeþ in gode broth [ ] an ete hem with bacon. [ ] gronden benes. beans ground (y ground, as no. . . .) stript of their hulls. this was a dish of the poorer householder, as also is and , and some others. [ ] a nost. an ost, or kiln. vide gloss. _voce_ ost. [ ] wyndewe. winnow. [ ] gode broth. prepared beforehand. for to make drawen benes. ii. take benes and seeþ hem and grynde hem in a morter [ ] and drawe hem up [ ] with gode broth an do oynouns in the broth grete mynced [ ] an do þerto and colour it with safroun and serve it forth. [ ] morter. mortar. [ ] drawen hem up. mix them. [ ] grete mynced. grossly, not too small. for to make grewel forced [ ]. iii. take grewel and do to the fyre with gode flessh and seeþ it wel. take the lire [ ] of pork and grynd it smal [ ] and drawe the grewel thurgh a straynour [ ] and colour it wiþ safroun and serue [ ] forth. [ ] forced, farced, enriched with flesh. vide gloss. [ ] lire. flesh. [ ] grynd it smal. bruise or beat in a mortar. [ ] stryno'. strainer. [ ] serue. serve. vide gloss. caboches [ ] in potage. iiii. take caboches and quarter hem and seeth hem in gode broth with oynouns y mynced and the whyte of lekes y slyt and corue smale [ ] and do þer to safroun an salt and force it with powdour douce [ ]. [ ] caboches. probably cabbages. [ ] corue smale. cut small. v. _i corue_ in gloss. [ ] powdour douce. sweet aromatic powder. v. pref. rapes [ ] in potage. v. take rapus and make hem clene and waissh hem clene. quare hem [ ]. parboile hem. take hem up. cast hem in a gode broth and seeþ hem. mynce oynouns and cast þerto safroun and salt and messe it forth with powdour douce. the wise [ ] make of pasturnakes [ ] and skyrwates. [ ] [ ] rapes, or rapus. turneps. [ ] quare hem. cut them in _squares_, or small pieces. v. gloss. [ ] in the wise, _i.e._ in the same manner. _self_ or _same_, seems to be casually omitted. vide no. and . [ ] pasturnakes, for parsnips or carrots. v. gloss. [ ] skyrwates, for skirrits or skirwicks. eowtes [ ] of flessh. vi. take borage, cool [ ]. langdebef [ ]. persel [ ]. betes. orage [ ]. auance [ ]. violet [ ]. saueray [ ]. and fenkel [ ]. and whane þey buth sode; presse hem wel smale. cast hem in gode broth an seeþ hem. and serue hem forth. [ ] eowtes. _lowtes_, no. , where, in the process, it is _rowtes_. quære the meaning, as roots does not apply to the matter of the recipe. in no. it is written _owtes_. [ ] cole, or colewort. [ ] langdebef. bugloss, buglossum sylvestre. these names all arise from a similitude to an ox's tongue. v. ms. ed. no. . [ ] persel. parsley. [ ] orage. orach, _atriplex_. miller, gard. dict. [ ] auance. fortè avens. v. avens, in gloss. [ ] the leaves probably, and not the flower. [ ] savory. [ ] fenkel. fennil. hebolace [ ]. vii. take oynouns and erbes and hewe hem small and do þes to gode broth. and aray [ ] it as þou didest caboches. if þey be in fyssh day. make [ ] on the same maner [ ] with water and oyle. and if it be not in lent alye [ ] it with zolkes of eyren [ ]. and dresse it forth and cast þer to powdour douce. [ ] hebolace. contents, hebolas; for _herbolas_, from the herbs used; or, if the first letter be omitted (see the contents), _chebolas_, from the chibols employed. [ ] aray. dress, set it out. [ ] make. dress. vide gloss. [ ] maner. manner. [ ] alye. mix. v. gloss. [ ] eyren. eggs. v. gloss. gourdes in potage. viii. take young gowrdes pare hem and kerue [ ] hem on pecys. cast hem in gode broth, and do þer to a gode pertye [ ] of oynouns mynced. take pork soden. grynd it and alye it þer with and wiþ zolkes of ayrenn. do þer to safroun and salt, and messe it forth with powdour douce. [ ] kerve. cut. [ ] partye. party, i.e. quantity. ryse [ ] of flesh. ix. take ryse and waishe hem clene. and do hem in erthen pot with gode broth and lat hem seeþ wel. afterward take almaund mylke [ ] and do þer to. and colour it wiþ safroun an salt, an messe forth. [ ] ryse. rice. v. gloss. [ ] almand mylke. v. gloss. funges [ ]. x. take funges and pare hem clere and dyce hem [ ]. take leke and shred hym small and do hym to seeþ in gode broth. colour it with safron and do þer inne powdour fort [ ]. [ ] funges. mushrooms. [ ] dyce hem. cut them in squares. vide _quare_ in gloss. [ ] powdour fort. vide preface. bursen [ ]. xi. take the whyte of lekes. slype hem and shrede hem small. take noumbles [ ] of swyne and boyle hem in broth and wyne. take hym up and dresse hem and do the leke in the broth. seeþ and do the noumbles þer to make a lyour [ ] of brode blode and vynegre and do þer to powdour fort seeþ oynouns mynce hem and do þer to. the self wise make of pigges. [ ] bursen. qu. the etymon. [ ] noumbles. entrails. v. gloss. [ ] lyo', lyour. a mixture. vide _alye_ in gloss. corat [ ]. xii. take the noumbles of calf. swyne. or of shepe. parboile hem and skerne hem to dyce [ ] cast hem in gode broth and do þer to erbes. grynde chyballes [ ]. smale y hewe. seeþ it tendre and lye it with zolkes of eyrenn. do þer to verious [ ] safroun powdour douce and salt, and serue it forth. [ ] corat. qu. [ ] kerve hem to dyce. v. _quare_ in gloss. [ ] chyballes. chibols, young onions. v. gloss. [ ] verious. verjuice. noumbles. xiii. take noumbles of deer oþer [ ] of oþer beest parboile hem kerf hem to dyce. take the self broth or better. take brede and grynde with the broth. and temper it [ ] up with a gode quantite of vyneger and wyne. take the oynouns and parboyle hem. and mynce hem smale and do þer to. colour it with blode and do þer to powdour fort and salt and boyle it wele and serue it fort [ ]. [ ] oþer. other, i.e. or. [ ] temper it. temper it, i. e. mix it. [ ] fort. miswritten for _forth_. so again no. . . roo [ ] broth. xiiii. take the lire of the deer oþer of the roo parboile it on smale peces. seeþ it wel half in water and half in wyne. take brede and bray it wiþ the self broth and drawe blode þer to and lat it seeth to gedre with powdour fort of gynger oþer of canell [ ]. and macys [ ]. with a grete porcioun of vineger with raysouns of coraunte [ ]. [ ] roo. roe. the recipe in ms. ed. no. . is very different. [ ] canell. cinnamon. [ ] macys. mace. v. preface and gloss. [ ] raysouns of coraunte. currants. v. gloss. tredure [ ]. xv. take brede and grate it. make a lyre [ ] of rawe ayrenn and do þerto safroun and powdour douce. and lye it up [ ] with gode broth. and make it as a cawdel. and do þerto a lytel verious. [ ] tredure. a cawdle; but quære the etymon. the french _tres dure_ does not seem to answer. [ ] lyre. mixture. [ ] lye it up. mix it. monchelet [ ]. xvi. take veel oþer moton and smite it to gobettes seeþ it in gode broth. cast þerto erbes yhewe [ ] gode wyne. and a quantite of oynouns mynced. powdour fort and safroun. and alye it with ayren and verious. but lat not seeþ after. [ ] monchelet. _mounchelet_, contents. [ ] y hewe. shred. bukkenade [ ]. xvii. take hennes [ ] oþer conynges [ ] oþer veel oþer oþer flessh an hewe hem to gobettes waische it and hit well [ ]. grynde almandes unblaunched. and drawe hem up with þe broth cast þer inne raysons of corance. sugur. powdour gyngur erbes ystewed in grees [ ]. oynouns and salt. if it is to to [ ] thynne. alye it up with flour of ryse oþer with oþer thyng and colour it with safroun. [ ] bukkenade. vide no. . qu. [ ] hennes; including, i suppose, chicken and pullets. [ ] conynges. coneys, rabbits. [ ] hit well. this makes no sense, unless _hit_ signifies smite or beat. [ ] grees. fat, lard, _grece_. no. . [ ] to to. so again, no. . to is _too_, v. gloss. and _too_ is found doubled in this manner in _mirrour for magistrates_, p. . , and other authors. connates [ ]. xviii. take connes and pare hem. pyke out the best and do hem in a pot of erthe. do þerto whyte grece þat he stewe þer inne. and lye hem up with hony clarified and with rawe zolkes [ ] and with a lytell almaund mylke and do þerinne powdour fort and safron. and loke þat it be yleesshed [ ], [ ] connat seems to be a kind of marmalade of connes, or quinces, from fr. _coing_. chaucer, v. coines. written quinces no. . [ ] yolkes, i. e. of eggs. [ ] yleesshed. v. gloss. drepee [ ]. xix. take blanched almandes grynde hem and temper hem up with gode broth take oynouns a grete quantite parboyle hem and frye hem and do þerto. take smale bryddes [ ] parboyle hem and do þerto pellydore [ ] and salt. and a lytel grece. [ ] drepee. qu. [ ] bryddes. birds. _per metathesin; v. r. in indice_. [ ] pellydore. perhaps _pellitory_. _peletour_, . mawmenee [ ]. xx. take a pottel of wyne greke. and ii. pounde of sugur take and clarifye the sugur with a qantite of wyne an drawe it thurgh a straynour in to a pot of erthe take flour of canell [ ]. and medle [ ] with sum of the wyne an cast to gydre. take pynes [ ] with dates and frye hem a litell in grece oþer in oyle and cast hem to gydre. take clowes [ ] an flour of canel hool [ ] and cast þerto. take powdour gyngur. canel. clower, colour it with saundres a lytel yf hit be nede cast salt þerto. and lat it seeþ; warly [ ] with a slowe fyre and not to thyk [ ], take brawn [ ] of capouns yteysed [ ]. oþer of fesauntes teysed small and cast þerto. [ ] vide no. , where it is called _mawmenny_. [ ] flour of canell. powder of cinamon. [ ] medle. mix. [ ] pynes. a nut, or fruit. vide gloss. [ ] clowes. cloves. [ ] hool. whole. how can it be the flour, or powder, if whole? quære, _flower_ of cand for _mace_. [ ] warly. warily, gently. [ ] not to thyk. so as to be too thick; or perhaps, _not to thicken_. [ ] brawn. fleshy part. few capons are cut now except about darking in surry; they have been excluded by the turkey, a more magnificent, but perhaps not a better fowl. [ ] yteysed, or _teysed_, as afterwards. pulled in pieces by the fingers, called _teezing_ no. . this is done now with flesh of turkeys, and thought better than mincing. vide junius, voce _tease_. egurdouce [ ]. xxi. take conynges or kydde and smyte hem on pecys rawe. and frye hem in white grece. take raysouns of coraunce and fry hem take oynouns parboile hem and hewe hem small and fry hem. take rede wyne suger with powdour of peper. of gynger of canel. salt. and cast þerto. and lat it seeþ with a gode quantite of white grece an serue it forth. [ ] egurdouce. the term expresses _piccante dolce_, a mixture of sour and sweet; but there is nothing of the former in the composition. vide gloss. capouns in councys [ ]. xxii. take capons and rost hem right hoot þat þey be not half y nouhz and hewe hem to gobettes and cast hem in a pot, do þerto clene broth, seeþ hem þat þey be tendre. take brede and þe self broth and drawe it up yferer [ ], take strong powdour and safroun and salt and cast þer to. take ayrenn and seeþ hem harde. take out the zolkes and hewe the whyte þerinne, take the pot fro þe fyre and cast the whyte þerinne. messe the disshes þerwith and lay the zolkes hool and flour it with clowes. [ ] concys seems to be a kind of known sauce. v. gloss. [ ] yfere. together. hares [ ] in talbotes [ ]. xxiii. take hares and hewe hem to gobettes and seeþ hem with þe blode unwaisshed in broth. and whan þey buth y nowh: cast hem in colde water. pyke and waisshe hem clene. cole [ ] the broth and drawe it thurgh a straynour. take oþer blode and cast in boylyng water seeþ it and drawe it thurgh a straynour. take almaundes unblaunched. waisshe hem and grynde hem and temper it up with the self broth. cast al in a pot. tak oynouns and parboile hem smyte hem small and cast hem in to þis pot. cast þerinne powdour fort. vynegur an salt. [ ] haares, contents. so again, no. . [ ] talbotes. ms. ed. no. , _talbotays_. [ ] cole. cool. hares in papdele [ ]. xxiiii. take hares parboile hem in gode broth. cole the broth and waisshe the fleyssh. cast azeyn [ ] to gydre. take obleys [ ] oþer wafrouns [ ] in stede of lozeyns [ ]. and cowche [ ] in dysshes. take powdour douce and lay on salt the broth and lay onoward [ ] an messe forth. [ ] papdele. qu. [ ] azeyn. again. [ ] obleys, called _oblatæ_; for which see hearne ad lib. nig. i. p. . a kind of wafer, otherwise called _nebulæ_; and is the french _oublie, oble_. leland, collect. iv. p. . . [ ] wafrouns. wafers. [ ] loseyns. vide gloss. [ ] cowche. lay. [ ] onoward. upon it. connynges in cynee [ ]. xxv. take connynges and smyte hem on peces. and seeþ hem in gode broth, mynce oynouns and seeþ hem in grece and in gode broth do þerto. drawe a lyre of brede. blode. vynegur and broth do þerto with powdour fort. [ ] cynee. vide gloss. connynges in grauey. xxvi. take connynges smyte hem to pecys. parboile hem and drawe hem with a gode broth with almandes blanched and brayed. do þerinne sugur and powdour gynger and boyle it and the flessh þerwith. flour it with sugur and with powdour gynger an serue forth. chykens in gravey. xxvii. take chykens and serue hem the same manere and serue forth. fylettes [ ] of galyntyne [ ]. xxviii. take fylettes of pork and rost hem half ynowh smyte hem on pecys. drawe a lyour of brede and blode. and broth and vineger. and do þerinne. seeþ it wele. and do þerinne powdour an salt an messe it forth. [ ] fylettes. fillets. [ ] of galyntyne. in galyntyne. contents, _rectlus_. as for _galentine_, see the gloss. pygges in sawse sawge [ ]. xxix. take pigges yskaldid and quarter hem and seeþ hem in water and salt, take hem and lat hem kele [ ]. take persel sawge. and grynde it with brede and zolkes of ayrenn harde ysode. temper it up with vyneger sum what thyk. and, lay the pygges in a vessell. and the sewe onoward and serue it forth. [ ] sawge. sage. as several of them are to be used, these pigs must have been small. [ ] kele. cool. sawse madame. xxx. take sawge. persel. ysope. and saueray. quinces. and peeres [ ], garlek and grapes. and fylle the gees þerwith. and sowe the hole þat no grece come out. and roost hem wel. and kepe the grece þat fallith þerof. take galytyne and grece and do in a possynet, whan the gees buth rosted ynowh; take an smyte hem on pecys. and þat tat [ ] is withinne and do it in a possynet and put þerinne wyne if it be to thyk. do þerto powdour of galyngale. powdour douce and salt and boyle the sawse and dresse þe gees in disshes and lay þe sowe onoward. [ ] peares. pears. [ ] that tat, i.e. that that. vide gloss. gees in hoggepot [ ]. xxxi. take gees and smyte hem on pecys. cast hem in a pot do þerto half wyne and half water. and do þerto a gode quantite of oynouns and erbest. set it ouere the fyre and couere [ ] it fast. make a layour of brede and blode an lay it þerwith. do þerto powdour fort and serue it fort. [ ] hoggepot. hodge-podge. _ochepot_. ms. ed. no. . french, _hochepot_. cotgrave. see junii enym. v. _hotch-potch_. [ ] couere. cover. carnel [ ] of pork. xxxii. take the brawnn of swyne. parboile it and grynde it smale and alay it up with zolkes of ayren. set it ouere [ ] the fyre with white grece and lat it not seeþ to fast. do þerinne safroun an powdour fort and messe it forth. and cast þerinne powdour douce, and serue it forth. [ ] carnel, perhaps _charnel_, from fr. _chaire_. [ ] ouere. over. so again, no. . chykenns [ ] in cawdel. xxxiii. take chikenns and boile hem in gode broth and ramme [ ] hem up. þenne take zolkes of ayrenn an þe broth and alye it togedre. do þerto powdour of gynger and sugur ynowh safroun and salt. and set it ouere the fyre withoute boyllyng. and serue the chykenns hole [ ] oþer ybroke and lay þe sowe onoward. [ ] chikens. contents. so again in the next recipe. [ ] ramme. qu. press them close together. [ ] hole. whole. chykens in hocchee [ ]. xxxiiii. take chykenns and scald hem. take parsel and sawge withoute eny oþere erbes. take garlec an grapes and stoppe the chikenns ful and seeþ hem in gode broth. so þat þey may esely be boyled þerinne. messe hem an cast þerto powdour dowce. [ ] hochee. this does not at all answer to the french _hachis_, or our _hash_; therefore qu. for to boile fesauntes. partruches. capons and curlewes. xxxv. take gode broth and do þerto the fowle. and do þerto hool peper and flour of canel a gode quantite and lat hem seeþ þwith. and messe it forth. and þer cast þeron podour dowce. blank maunger [ ]. xxxvi. take capouns and seeþ hem, þenne take hem up. take almandes blaunched. grynd hem and alay hem up with the same broth. cast the mylk in a pot. waisshe rys and do þerto and lat it seeþ. þanne take brawn of capouns teere it small and do þerto. take white grece sugur and salt and cast þerinne. lat it seeþ. þenne messe it forth and florissh it with aneys in confyt rede oþer whyt. and with almaundes fryed in oyle. and serue it forth. [ ] blank maunger. very different from ours. vide gloss. blank dessorre [ ]. xxxvii. take almandes blaunched, grynde hem and temper hem up with whyte wyne, on fleissh day with broth. and cast þerinne flour of rys. oþer amydoun [ ], and lye it þerwith. take brawn of capouns yground. take sugur and salt and cast þerto and florissh it with aneys whyte. take a vessel yholes [ ] and put in safroun. and serue it forth. [ ] blank dessorre. v. gloss. [ ] amydoun. "fine wheat flour steeped in water, strained and let stand to settle, then drained and dried in the sun; used for bread or in broths." cotgrave. used in no. for colouring white. [ ] yholes. quære. morree [ ]. xxxviii. take almandes blaunched, waisshe hem. grynde hem. and temper hem up with rede wyne, and alye hem with flour of rys. do þerto pynes yfryed. and colour it with saundres. do þerto powdour fort and powdour douce and salt, messe it forth and flour it [ ] with aneys confyt whyte. [ ] morree. ms. ed. . _murrey_. ibid. ii. . _morrey_; probably from the mulberries used therein. [ ] flour it. flourish it. charlet [ ]. xxxix. take pork and seeþ it wel. hewe it smale. cast it in a panne. breke ayrenn and do þerto and swyng [ ] it wel togyder. do þerto cowe mylke and safroun and boile it togyder. salt it & messe it forth. [ ] charlet; probably from the french, _chair_. qu. minced meat, and the next article, forced meat. [ ] swyng. shake, mix. charlet yforced. xx.ii. take mylke and seeþ it, and swyng þerwith zolkes of ayrenn and do þerto. and powdour of gynger suger. and safroun and cast þerto. take the charlet out of the broth and messe it in dysshes, lay the sewe onoward. flour it with powdour douce. and serue it forth. cawdel ferry [ ]. xx.ii. i. take flour of payndemayn [ ] and gode wyne. and drawe it togydre. do þerto a grete quantite of sugur cypre. or hony clarified, and do þerto safroun. boile it. and whan it is boiled, alye it up with zolkes of ayrenn. and do þerto salt and messe it forth. and lay þeron sugur and powdour gyngur. [ ] ferry. quære. we have _carpe in ferry_, lel. coll. vi. p. . [ ] payndemayn. white bread. chaucer. jusshell [ ]. xx.ii. iii. take brede ygrated and ayrenn and swyng it togydre. do þerto safroun, sawge. and salt. & cast broth. þerto. boile it & messe it forth. [ ] jusshell. see also next number. _jussell_, ms. ed. , where the recipe is much the same. lat. _juscellam_, which occurs in the old scholiast on juvenal iv. ; and in apicius, v. . vide du fresne, v. _jusselium_ and _juscellum_, where the composition consists of _vinum_, _ova_, and _sagmea_, very different from this. faber in thesauro cites _juscellum gallinæ_ from theod. priscianus. n.b. no. xx.ii. ii. is omitted both here and in the contents. jusshell enforced [ ]. xx.ii. iiii. take and do þerto as to charlet yforced. and serue it forth. [ ] jusshell enforced. as the _charlet yforced_ here referred to was made of pork, compare no. with no. . so in theod. priscian we have _jussetlum gallinæ_. mortrews [ ]. xx.ii. v. take hennes and pork and seeþ hem togyder. take the lyre of hennes and of the pork, and hewe it small and grinde it all to doust [ ]. take brede ygrated and do þerto, and temper it with the self broth and alye it with zolkes of ayrenn, and cast þeron powdour fort, boile it and do þerin powdour of gyngur sugur. safroun and salt. and loke þer it be stondyng [ ], and flour it with powdour gynger. [ ] mortrews. vide gloss. [ ] doust. dust, powder. [ ] stondyng. stiff, thick. mortrews blank. xx.ii. vi. take pork and hennes and seeþ hem as to fore. bray almandes blaunched, and temper hem up with the self broth. and alye the fleissh with the mylke and white flour of rys. and boile it. & do þerin powdour of gyngur sugar and look þat it be stondyng. brewet of almony [ ]. xx.ii. vii. take conynges or kiddes and hewe hem small on moscels [ ] oþer on pecys. parboile hem with the same broth, drawe an almaunde mylke and do the fleissh þerwith, cast þerto powdour galyngale & of gynger with flour of rys. and colour it wiþ alkenet. boile it, salt it. & messe it forth with sugur and powdour douce. [ ] almony. almaine, or germany. _almany_. fox, part i. p. . _alamanie_. chron. sax. p. . v. ad no. . [ ] moscels. morsels. peiouns [ ] ystewed. xx.ii. viii. take peions and stop hem with garlec ypylled and with gode erbes ihewe. and do hem in an erthen pot. cast þerto gode broth and whyte grece. powdour fort. safroun verious & salt. [ ] peiouns, pejons, i. e. pigeons, _j_ is never written here in the middle of a word. loseyns [ ]. xx.ii. ix. take gode broth and do in an erthen pot, take flour of payndemayn and make þerof past with water. and make þerof thynne foyles as paper [ ] with a roller, drye it harde and seeþ it in broth take chese ruayn [ ] grated and lay it in disshes with powdour douce. and lay þeron loseyns isode as hoole as þou mizt [ ]. and above powdour and chese, and so twyse or thryse, & serue it forth. [ ] loseyns. vide in gloss. [ ] foyles as paper. _leaves_ of paste as thin as _paper_. [ ] chese ruyan. . vide gloss. [ ] mizt. might, i.e. can. tartlettes [ ]. xx.ii. x. take pork ysode and grynde it small with safroun, medle it with ayrenn and raisons of coraunce and powdour fort and salt, and make a foile of dowhz [ ] and close the fars [ ] þerinne. cast þe tartletes in a panne with faire water boillyng and salt, take of the clene flessh withoute ayren & bolle it in gode broth. cast þerto powdour douce and salt, and messe the tartletes in disshes & helde [ ] the sewe þeronne. [ ] tarlettes. _tartletes_ in the process. [ ] foile of dowhz, or dowght. a leaf of paste. [ ] fars. forced-meat. [ ] helde. cast. pynnonade [ ]. xx.ii. xi. take almandes iblaunched and drawe hem sumdell thicke [ ] with gode broth oþer with water and set on the fire and seeþ it, cast þerto zolkes of ayrenn ydrawe. take pynes yfryed in oyle oþer in grece and þerto white powdour douce, sugur and salt. & colour it wiþ alkenet a lytel. [ ] pynnonade. so named from the _pynes_ therein used. [ ] sumdell thicke. somewhat thick, thickish. rosee [ ]. xx.ii. xii. take thyk mylke as to fore welled [ ]. cast þerto sugur a gode porcioun pynes. dates ymynced. canel. & powdour gynger and seeþ it, and alye it with flores of white rosis, and flour of rys, cole it, salt it & messe it forth. if þou wilt in stede of almaunde mylke, take swete cremes of kyne. [ ] rosee. from the white roles therein mentioned. see no. . in mi. ed. but no. there is totally different. [ ] welled, f. _willed_; directed. cormarye [ ]. xx.ii. xiii. take colyandre [ ], caraway smale grounden, powdour of peper and garlec ygrounde in rede wyne, medle alle þise [ ] togyder and salt it, take loynes of pork rawe and fle of the skyn, and pryk it wel with a knyf and lay it in the sawse, roost þerof what þou wilt, & kepe þat þat fallith þerfro in the rosting and seeþ it in a possynet with faire broth, & serue it forth witþ þe roost anoon [ ]. [ ] cormarye. quære. [ ] golyandre. coriander. [ ] þise. these. [ ] anoon. immediately. newe noumbles of deer. xx.ii. xiiii. take noumbles and waisshe hem clene with water and salt and perboile hem in water. take hem up an dyce hem. do with hem as with ooþer noumbles. nota. xx.ii. xv. the loyne of the pork, is fro the hippe boon to the hede. nota. xx.ii. xvi. the fyletes buth two, that buth take oute of the pestels [ ]. [ ] pestels. legs. spynee [ ]. xx.ii.xvii. take and make gode thik almaund mylke as tofore. and do þerin of flour of hawthorn [ ]. and make it as a rose. & serue it forth. [ ] spynee. as made of haws, the berries of spines, or hawthorns. [ ] hawthern. hawthorn. chyryse [ ] xx.ii. xviii. take almandes unblanched, waisshe hem, grynde hem, drawe hem up with gode broth. do þerto thridde part of chiryse. þe stones. take oute and grynde hem smale, make a layour of gode brede an powdour and salt and do þerto. colour it with sandres so that it may be stondyng, and florish it with aneys and with cheweryes, and strawe þeruppon and serue it forth. [ ] chyryse. _chiryse_ in the process. _cheriseye._ ms. ed. ii. . _chiryes_ there are cherries. and this dish is evidently made of cherries, which probably were chiefly imported at this time from flanders, though they have a saxon name, [anglo-saxon: cyrre]. payn fondew [ ]. xx.ii. xix. take brede and frye it in grece oþer in oyle, take it and lay it in rede wyne. grynde it with raisouns take hony and do it in a pot and cast þerinne gleyres [ ] of ayrenn wiþ a litel water and bete it wele togider with a sklyse [ ]. set it ouer the fires and boile it. and whan the hatte [ ] arisith to goon [ ] ouer, take it adoun and kele it, and whan it is þer clarified; do it to the oþere with sugur and spices. salt it and loke it be stondyng, florish it with white coliaundre in confyt. [ ] foundewe. contents. it seems to mean _dissolved_. v. _found_ in gloss. [ ] gleyres. whites. [ ] sklyse. slice. [ ] hatte. seems to mean _bubling_ or _wallop_. [ ] goon. go. crotoun [ ]. xx.iii. take the offal of capouns oþer of oþere briddes. make hem clene and parboile hem. take hem up and dyce hem. take swete cowe mylke and cast þerinne. and lat it boile. take payndemayn [ ] and of þe self mylke and drawe thurgh a cloth and cast it in a pot and lat it seeþ, take ayren ysode. hewe the white and cast þerto, and alye the sewe with zolkes of ayren rawe. colour it with safron. take the zolkes and fry hem and florish hem þerwith and with powdour douce. [ ] crotoun. ms. ed. . has _craytoun_, but a different dish. [ ] payndemayn. whitebread. v. ad no. . vyne grace [ ]. xx.iii. i. take smale fylettes of pork and rost hem half and smyte hem to gobettes and do hem in wyne an vynegur and oynouns ymynced and stewe it yfere do þerto gode poudours an salt, an serue it forth. [ ] vyne grace. named probably from _grees_, wild swine, and the mode of dressing in _wine_. v. gloss. voce _vyne grace_. fonnell [ ]. xx.iii. ii. take almandes unblaunched. grynde hem and drawe hem up with gode broth, take a lombe [ ] or a kidde and half rost hym. or the þridde [ ] part, smyte hym in gobetes and cast hym to the mylke. take smale briddes yfasted and ystyned [ ]. and do þerto sugur, powdour of canell and salt, take zolkes of ayrenn harde ysode and cleeue [ ] a two and ypaunced [ ] with flour of canell and florish þe sewe above. take alkenet fryed and yfoundred [ ] and droppe above with a feþur [ ] and messe it forth. [ ] fonnell. nothing in the recipe leads to the etymon of this multifarious dish. [ ] lombe. lamb. [ ] thridde. third, per metathesin. [ ] yfasted and ystyned. [ ] cleeue. cloven. [ ] ypaunced. pounced. [ ] yfoundred. melted, dissolved. [ ] feþ'. feather. douce ame [ ]. xx.iii. iii. take gode cowe mylke and do it in a pot. take parsel. sawge. ysope. saueray and ooþer gode herbes. hewe hem and do hem in the mylke and seeþ hem. take capouns half yrosted and smyte hem on pecys and do þerto pynes and hony clarified. salt it and colour it with safroun an serue it forth. [ ] douce ame. _quasi_, a delicious dish. v. blank desire in gloss. titles of this tissue occur in apicius. see humelberg. p. . connynges in cyrip [ ]. xx.iii. iiii. take connynges and seeþ hem wel in good broth. take wyne greke and do þerto with a porcioun of vyneger and flour of canel, hoole clowes quybibes hoole, and ooþer gode spices with raisouns coraunce and gyngyner ypared and ymynced. take up the conynges and smyte hem on pecys and cast hem into the siryppe and seeþ hem a litel on the fyre and sue it forth. [ ] cyrip. in the process _siryppe. cirypp_, contents. _sirop_ or _sirup_, as . _syryp_, . leche lumbard [ ]. xx.iii. v. take rawe pork and pulle of the skyn. and pyke out þe skyn synewes and bray the pork in a morter with ayrenn rawe do þerto suger, salt, raysouns coraunce, dates mynced, and powdour of peper powdour gylofre. an do it in a bladder, and lat it seeþ til it be ynowhz. and whan it is ynowh, kerf it leshe it [ ] in likenesse of a peskodde [ ], and take grete raysouns and grynde hem in a morter, drawe hem up wiþ rede wyne, do þerto mylke of almaundes colour it with saunders an safroun. and do þerto powdour of peper an of gilofre and boile it. and whan it is iboiled; take powdour of canel and gynger, and temper it up with wyne. and do alle þise thynges togyder. and loke þat it be rennyns [ ], and lat it not seeþ after that it is cast togyder, an serue it forth. [ ] leche lumbard. so called from the country. randle home says, _leach_ is "a kind of jelly made of cream, ising-glass, sugar and almonds, with other compounds." [ ] leshe it. vide gloss. [ ] peskodde. hull or pod of a pea. [ ] rennyns. perhaps _thin_, from the old _renne_, to run. vide gloss. connynges in clere broth. xx.iii. vi. take connynges and smyte hem in gobetes and waissh hem and do hem in feyre water and wyne, and seeþ hem and skym hem. and whan þey buth isode pyke hem clene, and drawe the broth thurgh a straynour and do the flessh þerwith in a possynet and styne it [ ]. and do þerto vynegur and powdour or gynger and a grete quantite and salt after the last boillyng and serue it forth. [ ] styne it. close it. v. gloss. payn ragoun [ ]. xx.iii. vii. take hony suger and clarifie it togydre. and boile it with esy fyre, and kepe it wel fro brennyng and whan it hath yboiled a while; take up a drope [ ] þerof wiþ þy fyngur and do it in a litel water and loke if it hong [ ] togydre. and take it fro the fyre and do þerto the thriddendele [ ] an powdour gyngener and stere [ ] it togyder til it bigynne to thik and cast it on a wete [ ] table. lesh it and serue it forth with fryed mete on flessh dayes or on fysshe dayes. [ ] payn ragoun. it is not at all explained in the recipe. [ ] drope. drop. [ ] hong. hing, or hang. [ ] thriddendele. third part, perhaps, _of brede_, i. e. of bread, may be casually omitted here. v. gloss. [ ] stere. stir. [ ] wete. wet. lete lardes [ ]. xx.iii. viii. take parsel and grynde with a cowe mylk, medle it with ayrenn and lard ydyced take mylke after þat þou hast to done [ ] and myng [ ] þerwith. and make þerof dyuerse colours. if þou wolt have zelow, do þerto safroun and no parsel. if þou wolt have it white; nonþer parsel ne safroun but do þerto amydoun. if þou wilt have rede do þerto sandres. if þou wilt have pownas [ ] do þerto turnesole [ ]. if þou wilt have blak do þerto blode ysode and fryed. and set on the fyre in as many vessels as þou hast colours þerto and seeþ it wel and lay þise colours in a cloth first oon. and sithen anoþer upon him. and sithen the þridde and the ferthe. and presse it harde til it be all out clene. and whan it is al colde, lesh it thynne, put it in a panne and fry it wel. and serue it forth. [ ] lete lardes. _lards_ in form of dice are noticed in the process. see lel. coll. vi. p. . _lete_ is the fr. _lait_, milk. v. no. . or brit. _llaeth_. hence, perhaps, _lethe cpyrus_ and _lethe rube_. lel. coll. iv. p. . but vi. p. , it is _leche_. [ ] to done, i. e. done. [ ] myng. mix. [ ] pownas. qu. [ ] turnesole. not the flower _heliotrope_, but a drug. northumb. book, p. . . i suppose it to be _turmeric_. v. brooke's nat. hist. of vegetables, p. . where it is used both in victuals and for dying. furmente with porpays [ ]. xx.iii. ix. take almandes blanched. bray hem and drawe hem up with faire water, make furmente as before [ ] and cast þer furmente þerto. & messe it with porpays. [ ] porpays. _porpeys_, contents, and so no. . porpus. [ ] as before. this is the first mention of it. perrey of pesoun [ ]. xx.iii. x. take pesoun and seeþ hem fast and covere hem til þei berst. þenne take up hem and cole hem thurgh a cloth. take oynouns and mynce hem and seeþ hem in the same sewe and oile þerwith, cast þerto sugur, salt and safroun, and seeþ hem wel þeratt þerafter and serue hem forth. [ ] perrey of pesoun, i.e. peas. _perrey_ seems to mean pulp: vide no. . mr. ozell in rabelais, iv. c. . renders _puree de pois_ by _peas soup_. peson of almayne [ ]. xx.iii. xi take white pesoun, waisshe hem seeþ hem a grete while, take hem and cole hem thurgh a cloth, waisshe hem in colde water til the hulles go off, cast hem in a pot and couere þat no breth [ ] go out. and boile hem right wel. and cast þerinne gode mylke of allmandes and a pertye of flour of rys wiþ powdour gynger safroun. and salt. [ ] almayne. germany; called almony no. . [ ] breth. breath, air, steam. ms. ed. no. . chyches [ ]. xx.iii. xii. take chiches and wry hem [ ] in ashes all nyzt, oþer lay hem in hoot aymers [ ], at morrowe [ ], waisshe hem in clene water and do hem ouer the fire with clene water. seeþ hem up and do þerto oyle, garlec, hole safroun. powdour fort and salt, seeþ it and messe it forth. [ ] chyches. _viciæ_, vetches. in fr. _chiches_. [ ] wry hem. _dry hem_, or _cover hem_. chaucer, v. wrey. [ ] aymers. embers; of which it is evidently a corruption. [ ] at morrowe. next morning. frenche [ ]. xx.iii. xiii. take and seeþ white peson and take oute þe perrey [ ] & parboile erbis & hewe hem grete & cast hem in a pot with the perrey pulle oynouns & seeþ hem hole wel in water & do hem to þe perrey with oile & salt, colour it with safroun & messe it and cast þeron powdour douce. [ ] frenche. contents have it more fully, _frenche owtes_. v. ad no. . [ ] perrey. pulp. v. ad no. . makke [ ]. xx.iii. xiiii. take drawen benes and seeþ hem wel. take hem up of the water and cast hem in a morter grynde hem al to doust til þei be white as eny mylk, chawf [ ] a litell rede wyne, cast þeramong in þe gryndyng, do þerto salt, leshe it in disshes. þanne take oynouns and mynce hem smale and seeþ hem in oile til þey be al broun [ ]. and florissh the disshes therwith. and serue it forth. [ ] makke. _ignotum_. [ ] chawf. warm. [ ] broun. brown. aquapatys [ ]. xx.iii. xv. pill garlec and cast it in a pot with water and oile. and seeþ it, do þerto safroun, salt, and powdour fort and dresse it forth hool. [ ] aquapatys. _aquapates_, contents. perhaps named from the water used in it. salat. xx.iii. xvi. take persel, sawge, garlec, chibolles, oynouns, leek, borage, myntes, porrectes [ ], fenel and ton tressis [ ], rew, rosemarye, purslarye [ ], laue and waische hem clene, pike hem, pluk hem small wiþ þyn [ ] honde and myng hem wel with rawe oile. lay on vynegur and salt, and serue it forth. [ ] porrectes. fr. _porrette_. [ ] ton tressis. cresses. v. gloss. [ ] purslarye. purslain. [ ] þyn. thine. fenkel in soppes. xx.iii. xvii. take blades of fenkel. shrede hem not to smale, do hem to seeþ in water and oile and oynouns mynced þerwith. do þerto safroun and salt and powdour douce, serue it forth, take brede ytosted and lay the sewe onoward. clat [ ]. xx.iii. xviii. take elena campana and seeþ it water [ ]. take it up and grynde it wel in a morter. temper it up with ayrenn safroun and salt and do it ouer the fire and lat it not boile. cast above powdour douce and serue it forth. [ ] clat. qu. [ ] water; r. _in water_, as in no. . appulmoy [ ]. xx.iii. xix. take apples and seeþ hem in water, drawe hem thurgh a straynour. take almaunde mylke & hony and flour of rys, safroun and powdour fort and salt. and seeþ it stondyng [ ]. [ ] appulmoy. _appulmos_. ms. ed. no. . named from the apples employed. v. no. . [ ] stondyng. thick. slete [ ] soppes. xx.iiii. take white of lekes and slyt hem, and do hem to seeþ in wyne, oile and salt, rost brede and lay in dysshes and the sewe above and serue it forth. [ ] slete. slit. letelorye [ ]. xx.iiii. i. take ayrenn and wryng hem thurgh a styunour and do þerto cowe mylke with butter and safroun and salt and seeþ it wel. leshe it. and loke þat it be stondyng. and serue it forth. [ ] letelorye. the latter part of the compound is unknown, the first is fr. _lait_, milk. vide no. . sowpes dorry [ ]. xx.iiii. ii. take almaundes brayed, drawe hem up with wyne. ooile it, cast þeruppon safroun and salt, take brede itosted in wyne. lay þerof a leyne [ ] and anoþer of þe sewe and alle togydre. florish it with sugur powdour gyngur and serue it forth. [ ] sowpes dorry. sops endorsed. v. _dorry_ in gloss. [ ] a leyne. a layer. rape [ ]. xx.iiii. iii. take half fyges and half raisouns pike hem and waisshe hem in water skalde hem in wyne. bray hem in a morter, and drawe hem thurgh a straynour. cast hem in a pot and þerwiþ powdour of peper and ooþer good powdours. alay it up with flour of rys. and colour it with saundres. salt it. & messe it forth. [ ] rape. a dissyllable, as appears from _rapey_ in the contents. _rapy_, ms. ed. no. . _rapee_, ibid. ii. . sawse sarzyne [ ]. xx.iiii. iiii. take heppes and make hem clene. take almaundes blaunched, frye hem in oile and bray hem in a morter with heppes. drawe it up with rede wyne, and do þerin sugur ynowhz with powdour fort, lat it be stondyng, and alay it with flour of rys. and colour it with alkenet and messe it forth. and florish it with pomme garnet. if þou wilt in flesshe day. seeþ capouns and take the brawnn and tese hem smal and do þerto. and make the lico [ ] of þis broth. [ ] sawse sarzyne. _sause_. contents. _saracen_, we presume, from the nation or people. there is a recipe in ms. ed. no. for a bruet of _sarcynesse_, but there are no pomgranates concerned. [ ] lico. liquor. crÈme of almaundes. xx.iiii. v. take almaundes blaunched, grynde hem and drawe hem up thykke, set hem ouer the fyre & boile hem. set hem adoun and spryng [ ] hem wicii vyneger, cast hem abrode uppon a cloth and cast uppon hem sugur. whan it is colde gadre it togydre and leshe it in dysshes. [ ] spryng. sprinkle. grewel of almaundes. xx.iiii. vi. take almaundes blaunched, bray hem with oot meel [ ]. and draw hem up with water. cast þeron safroun & salt &c. [ ] oot meel. oat-meal. cawdel of almaund mylk. xx.iiii. vii. take almaundes blaunched and drawe hem up with wyne, do þerto powdour of gyngur and sugur and colour it with safroun. boile it and serue it forth. jowtes [ ] of almaund mylke. xx.iiii. viii. take erbes, boile hem, hewe hem and grynde hem smale. and drawe hem up with water. set hem on the fire and seeþ the rowtes with the mylke. and cast þeron sugur & salt. & serue it forth. [ ] jowtes. v. ad no. . fygey [ ]. xx.iiii. ix. take almaundes blanched, grynde hem and drawe hem up with water and wyne: quarter fygur hole raisouns. cast þerto powdour gyngur and hony clarified. seeþ it wel & salt it, and serue forth. [ ] fygey. so named from the figs therein used. a different recipe, ms. ed. no. , has no figs. pochee [ ]. xx.iiii. x. take ayrenn and breke hem in scaldyng hoot water. and whan þei bene sode ynowh. take hem up and take zolkes of ayren and rawe mylke and swyng hem togydre, and do þerto powdour gyngur safroun and salt, set it ouere the fire, and lat it not boile, and take ayrenn isode & cast þe sew onoward. & serue it forth. [ ] pochee. poached eggs. very different from the present way. brewet of ayrenn. xx.iiii. xi. take ayrenn, water and butter, and seeþ hem yfere with safroun and gobettes of chese. wryng ayrenn thurgh a straynour. whan the water hath soden awhile: take þenne the ayrenn and swyng hem with verious. and cast þerto. set it ouere the fire and lat it not boile. and serue it forth. macrows [ ]. xx.iiii. xii. take and make a thynne foyle of dowh. and kerve it on peces, and cast hem on boillyng water & seeþ it wele. take chese and grate it and butter cast bynethen and above as losyns. and serue forth. [ ] macrows. _maccherone_, according to the recipe in _altieri_, corresponds nearly enough with our process; so that this title seems to want mending, and yet i know not how to do it to satisfaction. tostee [ ]. xx.iiii. xiii. take wyne and hony and found it [ ] togyder and skym it clene. and seeþ it long, do þerto powdour of gyngur. peper and salt, tost brede and lay the sew þerto. kerue pecys of gyngur and flour it þerwith and messe it forth. [ ] tostee. so called from the toasted bread. [ ] found it. mix it. gyngawdry [ ]. xx.iiii. xiiii. take the powche [ ] and the lyuour [ ] of haddok, codlyng and hake [ ] and of ooþer fisshe, parboile hem, take hem and dyce hem small, take of the self broth and wyne, a layour of brede of galyntyne with gode powdours and salt, cast þat fysshe þerinne and boile it. & do þerto amydoun. & colour it grene. [ ] gyngawdry. qu. [ ] powche. crop or stomach. [ ] lyuour. liver. v. no. . [ ] hake. "asellus alter, sive merlucius, aldrov." so mr. ray. see pennant, iii. p. . erbowle [ ]. xx.iiii. xv. take bolas and scald hem with wyne and drawe hem with [ ] a straynour do hem in a pot, clarify hony and do þerto with powdour fort. and flour of rys. salt it & florish it with whyte aneys. & serue it forth. [ ] erbowle. perhaps from the _belas_, or bullace employed. [ ] with, i.e. thurgh or thorough. resmolle [ ]. xx.iiii. xvi. take almaundes blaunched and drawe hem up with water and alye it with flour of rys and do þerto powdour of gyngur sugur and salt, and loke it be not stondyng [ ], messe it and serue it forth. [ ] resmolle. from the rice there used; for ms. ed. ii. no. . has _rysmoyle_, where _moyle_ seems to be fr. _moile_, as written also in the roll. _rice molens potage_. lel. coll. vi. p. . [ ] not stondyng. thin, diluted. v. no. . not to [too] stondyng, . vyaunde cypre [ ]. xx.iiii. xvii. take oot mele and pike out the stones and grynde hem smal, and drawe hem thurgh a straynour. take mede oþer wyne ifonded in sugur and do þise þerinne. do þerto powdour and salt, and alay it with flour of rys and do þat it be stondyng. if thou wilt on flesh day; take hennes and pork ysode & grynde hem smale and do þerto. & messe it forth. [ ] cypre. _cipre_, contents here and no. . vyande cypre of samoun [ ]. xx.iiii. xviii. take almandes and bray hem unblaunched. take calwar [ ] samoun and seeþ it in lewe water [ ] drawe up þyn almandes with the broth. pyke out the bones out of the fyssh clene & grynde it small & cast þy mylk & þat togyder & alye it with flour of rys, do þerto powdour fort, sugur & salt & colour it with alkenet & loke þat hit be not stondyng and messe it forth. [ ] samoun. salmon. [ ] calwar. salwar, no. . r. holme says, "_calver_ is a term used to a flounder when to be boiled in oil, vinegar, and spices and to be kept in it." but in lancashire salmon newly taken and immediately dressed is called _calver salmon_: and in littleton _salar_ is a young salmon. [ ] lewe water. warm. v. gloss. vyannd ryal. xx.iiii. xix. take wyne greke, oþer rynysshe wyne and hony clarified þerwith. take flour of rys powdour of gyngur oþ of peper & canel. oþer flour of canel. powdour of clowes, safroun. sugur cypre. mylberyes, oþer saundres. & medle alle þise togider. boile it and salt it. and loke þat it be stondyng. compost [ ]. c. take rote of parsel. pasternak of rasenns [ ]. scrape hem waisthe hem clene. take rapes & caboches ypared and icorne [ ]. take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire. cast all þise þerinne. whan þey buth boiled cast þerto peeres & parboile hem wel. take þise thynges up & lat it kele on a fair cloth, do þerto salt whan it is colde in a vessel take vineger & powdour & safroun & do þerto. & lat alle þise thinges lye þerin al nyzt oþer al day, take wyne greke and hony clarified togider lumbarde mustard & raisouns corance al hool. & grynde powdour of canel powdour douce. & aneys hole. & fenell seed. take alle þise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe. and take þerof whan þou wilt & serue forth. [ ] compost. a composition to be always ready at hand. holme, iii. p. . lel. coll. vi. p. . [ ] pasternak of rasenns. qu. [ ] ypared and icorne. the first relates to the rapes, the second to the caboches, and means carved or cut in pieces. gele [ ] of fyssh. c. i. take tenches, pykes [ ], eelys, turbut and plays [ ], kerue hem to pecys. scalde hem & waische hem clene. drye hem with a cloth do hem in a panne do þerto half vyneger & half wyne & seeþ it wel. & take the fysshe and pike it clene, cole the broth thurgh a cloth into a erthen panne. do þerto powdour of pep and safroun ynowh. lat it seeþ and skym it wel whan it is ysode dof [ ] grees clene, cowche fisshes on chargeours & cole the sewe thorow a cloth onoward & serue it forth. [ ] gele. jelly. _gelee_, contents here and in the next recipe. _gely_, ms. ed. no. , which presents us with much the same prescription. [ ] it is commonly thought this fish was not extant in england till the reign of h. viii.; but see no. . . . so lucys, or tenchis, ms. ed. ii . . pygus or tenchis, ii. . pikys, chaucer, v. luce; and lel. coll. iv. p. . vi. p. . . _luce salt_. ibid. p. . mr. topham's ms. written about , mentions _lupos aquaticos five luceas_ amongst the fish which the fishmonger was to have in his shop. they were the arms of the lucy family so early as edw. i. see also pennant's zool. iii. p. , . [ ] plays. plaise, the fish. [ ] dof, i. e. do of. gele of flessh. c. ii. take swyner feet & snowter and the eerys [ ]. capouns. connynges calues fete. & wiasche hem clene. & do hem to seeþ in the þriddel [ ] of wyne & vyneger and water and make forth as bifore. [ ] eerys. ears. [ ] thriddel. v. ad no. . chysanne [ ]. c. iii. take roches. hole tenches and plays & sinyte hem to gobettes. fry hem in oyle blaunche almaundes. fry hem & cast wyne & of vyneger þer pridde part þerwith fyges drawen & do þerto powdour fort and salt. boile it. lay the fisshe in an erthen panne cast the sewe þerto. seeþ oynouns ymynced & cast þerinne. kepe hit and ete it colde. [ ] chysanne. qu. congur [ ] in sawse. c. iiii. take the conger and scald hym. and smyte hym in pecys & seeþ hym. take parsel. mynt. peleter. rosmarye. & a litul sawge. brede and salt, powdour fort and a litel garlec, clower a lite, take and grynd it wel, drawe it up with vyneger thurgh a clot. cast the fyssh in a vessel and do þe sewe onoward & serue it forth. [ ] congur. the eel called _congre_. _sawce_, contents here, and no. , . rygh [ ] in sawse. c. v. take ryghzes and make hem clene and do hem to seeþ, pyke hem clene and frye hem in oile. take almandes and grynde hem in water or wyne, do þerto almandes blaunched hole fryed in oile. & coraunce seeþ the lyour grynde it smale & do þerto garlec ygronde & litel salt & verious powdour fort & safroun & boile it yfere, lay the fysshe in a vessel and cast the sewe þerto. and messe it forth colde. [ ] rygh. a fish, and probably the _ruffe_. makerel in sawse. c. vi. take makerels and smyte hem on pecys. cast hem on water and various. seeþ hem with mynter and wiþ oother erbes, colour it grene or zelow, and messe it forth. pykes in brasey [ ]. c. vii. take pykes and undo hem on þe wombes [ ] and waisshe hem clene and lay hem on a roost irne [ ] þenne take gode wyne and powdour gynger & sugur good wone [ ] & salt, and boile it in an erthen panne & messe forth þe pyke & lay the sewe onoward. [ ] brasey. qu. [ ] wombs. bellies. [ ] roost irene. a roasting iron. [ ] good wone. a good deal. v. gloss. porpeys in broth. c. viii. make as þou madest noumbles of flesh with oynouns. balloc [ ] broth. c. ix. take eelys and hilde [ ] hem and kerue hem to pecys and do hem to seeþ in water and wyne so þat it be a litel ouer stepid [ ]. do þerto sawge and ooþer erbis with few [ ] oynouns ymynced, whan the eelis buth soden ynowz do hem in a vessel, take a pyke and kerue it to gobettes and seeþ hym in the same broth do þerto powdour gynger galyngale canel and peper, salt it and cast the eelys þerto & messe it forth. [ ] balloc. _ballok_, contents. [ ] hilde. skin. [ ] on stepid. steeped therein. v. no. . [ ] few, i.e. a few. eles in brewet. c. x. take crustes of brede and wyne and make a lyour, do þerto oynouns ymynced, powdour. & canel. & a litel water and wyne. loke þat it be stepid, do þerto salt, kerue þin eelis & seeþ hem wel and serue hem forth. cawdel of samoun c.xi. take the guttes of samoun and make hem clene. perboile hem a lytell. take hem up and dyce hem. slyt the white of lekes and kerue hem smale. cole the broth and do the lekes þerinne with oile and lat it boile togyd yfere [ ]. do the samoun icorne þerin, make a lyour of almaundes mylke & of brede & cast þerto spices, safroun and salt, seeþ it wel. and loke þat it be not stondyng. [ ] togyd yfere. one of these should be struck out. plays in cyee. c.xii. take plays and smyte hem [ ] to pecys and fry hem in oyle. drawe a lyour of brede & gode broth & vyneger. and do þerto powdour gynger. canel. peper and salt and loke þat it be not stondyng. [ ] vide no. . qu. for to make flaumpeyns. c. xiii. take clene pork and boile it tendre. þenne hewe it small and bray it smal in a morter. take fyges and boile hem tendre in smale ale. and bray hem and tendre chese þerwith. þenne waisthe hem in water & þene lyes [ ] hem alle togider wit ayrenn, þenne take powdour of pepper. or els powdour marchannt & ayrenn and a porcioun of safroun and salt. þenne take blank sugur. eyrenn & flour & make a past wit a roller, þene make þerof smale pelettes [ ]. & fry hem broun in clene grece & set hem asyde. þenne make of þat ooþer deel [ ] of þat past long coffyns [ ] & do þat comade [ ] þerin. and close hem faire with a countoer [ ], & pynche hem smale about. þanne kyt aboue foure oþer sex wayes, þanne take euy [ ] of þat kuttyng up, & þenne colour it wit zolkes of ayrenn, and plannt hem thick, into the flaumpeyns above þat þou kuttest hem & set hem in an ovene and lat hem bake eselich [ ]. and þanne serue hem forth. [ ] lyer. mix. [ ] pelettes. _pelotys_ ms. ed. no. . balls, pellets, from fr. _pelote_. [ ] deel. deal, i.e. part, half. [ ] coffyns. pies without lids. [ ] comade. qu. [ ] coutour. coverture, a lid. [ ] euy. every. [ ] eselich. easily, gently. for to make noumbles in lent. c. xiiii. take the blode of pykes oþer of conger and nyme [ ] the paunches of pykes. of conger and of grete code lyng [ ], & boile hem tendre & mynce hem smale & do hem in þat blode. take crustes of white brede & strayne it thurgh a cloth. þenne take oynouns iboiled and mynced. take peper and safroun. wyne. vynegur aysell [ ] oþer alegur & do þerto & serue forth. [ ] nyme. take. perpetually used in ms. ed. from sax. niman. [ ] code lyng. if a codling be a _small cod_, as we now understand it, _great codling_ seems a contradiction in terms. [ ] aysell. eisel, vinegar. littleton. for to make chawdon [ ] for lent. c. xv. take blode of gurnardes and congur & þe paunch of gurnardes and boile hem tendre & mynce hem smale, and make a lyre of white crustes and oynouns ymynced, bray it in a morter & þanne boile it togyder til it be stondyng. þenne take vynegur oþ aysell & safroun & put it þerto and serue it forth. [ ] chawdoun. v. gloss. furmente with porpeys. c. xvi. take clene whete and bete it small in a morter and fanne out clene the doust, þenne waisthe it clene and boile it tyl it be tendre and broun. þanne take the secunde mylk of almaundes & do þerto. boile hem togidur til it be stondyng, and take þe first mylke & alye it up wiþ a penne [ ]. take up the porpays out of the furmente & leshe hem in a dishe with hoot water. & do safroun to þe furmente. and if the porpays be salt. seeþ it by hym self, and serue it forth. [ ] penne. feather, or pin. ms. ed. . fylettes in galytyne. c. xvii. take pork, and rost it tyl the blode be tryed out & þe broth [ ]. take crustes of brede and bray hem in a morter, an drawe hem thurgh a cloth with þe broth, þenne take oynouns an leshe hem on brede an do to the broth. þanne take pork, and leshe it clene with a dressyng knyf and cast it into þe pot broth, & lat it boile til it be more tendre. þanne take þat lyour þerto. þanne take a porcion of peper and saundres & do þerto. þanne take parsel & ysope & mynce it smale & do þerto. þanne take rede wyne oþer white grece & raysouns & do þerto. & lat it boile a lytel. [ ] the broth. supposed to be prepared beforehand. veel in buknade [ ]. c. xviii. take fayr veel and kyt it in smale pecys and boile it tendre in fyne broth oþer in water. þanne take white brede oþer wastel [ ], and drawe þerof a white ... lyour wiþ fyne broth, and do þe lyour to the veel, & do safroun þerto, þanne take parsel & bray it in a morter & the juys [ ] þerof do þerto, and þanne is þis half zelow & half grene. þanne take a porcioun of wyne & powdour marchant & do þerto and lat it boile wele, and do þerto a litel of [ ] vynegur. & serue forth. [ ] buknade. v. no. . [ ] wastel. v. gloss. [ ] juys. juice. [ ] litel of vynegur. we say, _a little vinegar_, omitting _of_. so , _a lytull of lard_. sooles in cynee [ ]. c. xix. take sooles and hylde hem, seeþ hem in water, smyte hem on pecys and take away the fynnes. take oynouns iboiled & grynde the fynnes þerwith and brede. drawe it up with the self broth. do þerto powdour fort, safroun & hony clarified with salt, seeþ it alle yfere. broile the sooles & messe it in dysshes & lay the sewe above. & serue forth. [ ] cynee. _cyney_, contents, both here and no. . . see before, no. . tenches in cynee. xx.vi. take tenches and smyte hem to pecys, fry hem, drawe a lyour of raysouns coraunce witþ wyne and water, do þerto hool raisouns & powdour of gyngur of clowes of canel of peper do the tenches þerto & seeþ hem with sugur cypre & salt. & messe forth. oysters in gravey. xx.vi. i. schyl [ ] oysters and seeþ hem in wyne and in hare [ ] own broth. cole the broth thurgh a cloth. take almandes blaunched, grynde hem and drawe hem up with the self broth. & alye it wiþ flour of rys. and do the oysters þerinne, cast in powdour of gyngur, sugur, macys. seeþ it not to stondyng and serue forth. [ ] shell, take of the shells. [ ] hare. their. _her_. no. . chaucer. muskels [ ] in brewet. xx.vi. ii. take muskels, pyke hem, seeþ hem with the owne broth, make a lyour of crustes [ ] & vynegur do in oynouns mynced. & cast the muskels þerto & seeþ it. & do þerto powdour with a lytel salt & safron the samewise make of oysters. [ ] muskles. _muskels_ below, and the contents. muscles. [ ] crustes. i.e. of bread. oysters in cynee. xx.vi. iii. take oysters parboile hem in her owne broth, make a lyour of crustes of brede & drawe it up wiþ the broth and vynegur mynce oynouns & do þerto with erbes. & cast the oysters þerinne. boile it. & do þerto powdour fort & salt. & messe it forth. cawdel of muskels. xx.vi. iiii. take and seeþ muskels, pyke hem clene, and waisshe hem clene in wyne. take almandes & bray hem. take somme of the muskels and grynde hem. & some hewe smale, drawe the muskels yground with the self broth. wryng the almaundes with faire water. do alle þise togider. do þerto verious and vyneger. take whyte of lekes & parboile hem wel. wryng oute the water and hewe hem smale. cast oile þerto with oynouns parboiled & mynced smale do þerto powdour fort, safroun and salt. a lytel seeþ it not to to [ ] stondyng & messe it forth. [ ] to to, i. e. too too. vide no. . mortrews of fyssh. xx.vi. v. take codlyng, haddok, oþ hake and lynours with the rawnes [ ] and seeþ it wel in water. pyke out þe bones, grynde smale the fysshe, drawe a lyour of almaundes & brede with the self broth. and do the fysshe grounden þerto. and seeþ it and do þerto powdour fort, safroun and salt, and make it stondyng. [ ] rawnes. roes. laumpreys in galyntyne. xx.vi. vi. take laumpreys and sle [ ] hem with vynegur oþer with white wyne & salt, scalde hem in water. slyt hem a litel at þer nauel.... & rest a litel at the nauel. take out the guttes at the ende. kepe wele the blode. put the laumprey on a spyt. roost hym & kepe wel the grece. grynde raysouns of coraunce. hym up [ ] with vyneger. wyne. and crustes of brede. do þerto powdour of gyngur. of galyngale [ ]. flour of canel. powdour of clowes, and do þerto raisouns of coraunce hoole. with þe blode & þe grece. seeþ it & salt it, boile it not to stondyng, take up the laumprey do hym in a chargeour [ ], & lay þe sewe onoward, & serue hym forth. [ ] sle. slay, kill. [ ] hym up. a word seems omitted; _drawe_ or _lye_. [ ] of galyngale, i. e. powder. v. no. . [ ] chargeour. charger or dish. v. no. . laumprouns in galyntyne. xx.vi. vii. take lamprouns and scalde hem. seeþ hem, meng powdour galyngale and some of the broth togyder & boile it & do þerto powdour of gyngur & salt. take the laumprouns & boile hem & lay hem in dysshes. & lay the sewe above. & serue fort. loseyns [ ] in fyssh day. xx.vi. viii. take almandes unblaunched and waisthe hem clene, drawe hem up with water. seeþ þe mylke & alye it up with loseyns. cast þerto safroun. sugur. & salt & messe it forth with colyandre in confyt rede, & serue it forth. [ ] loseyns. _losyns_, contents. sowper of galyntyne [ ]. xx.vi. ix. take powdour of galyngale with sugur and salt and boile it yfere. take brede ytosted. and lay the sewe onoward. and serue it forth. [ ] sowpes of galyntyne. contents has _in_, recte. _sowpes_ means sops. sobre sawse. xx.vi. x. take raysouns, grynde hem with crustes of brede; and drawe it up with wyne. do þerto gode powdours and salt. and seeþ it. fry roches, looches, sool, oþer ooþer gode fyssh, cast þe sewe above, & serue it forth. cold brewet. xx.vi. xi. take crome [ ] of almaundes. dry it in a cloth. and whan it is dryed do it in a vessel, do þerto salt, sugur, and white powdour of gyngur and juys of fenel and wyne. and lat it wel stonde. lay full & messe & dresse it forth. [ ] crome. crumb, pulp. peeres [ ] in confyt. xx.vi. xii. take peeres and pare hem clene. take gode rede wyne & mulberes [ ] oþer saundres and seeþ þe peeres þerin & whan þei buth ysode, take hem up, make a syryp of wyne greke. oþer vernage [ ] with blaunche powdour oþer white sugur and powdour gyngur & do the peres þerin. seeþ it a lytel & messe it forth. [ ] peeres. pears. [ ] mulberes. mulberries, for colouring. [ ] vernage. vernaccia, a sort of italian white wine. v. gloss. egurdouce [ ] of fysshe. xx.vi. xiii. take loches oþer tenches oþer solys smyte hem on pecys. fry hem in oyle. take half wyne half vynegur and sugur & make a siryp. do þerto oynouns icorue [ ] raisouns coraunce. and grete raysouns. do þerto hole spices. gode powdours and salt. messe þe fyssh & lay þe sewe aboue and serue forth. [ ] egurdouce. vide gloss. [ ] icorue, icorven. cut. v. gloss. colde brewet. xx.vi. xiiii. take almaundes and grynde hem. take the tweydel [ ] of wyne oþer the þriddell of vynegur. drawe up the almaundes þerwith. take anys sugur & branches of fenel grene a fewe. & drawe hem up togyder with þer mylke take poudour of canell. of gyngur. clowes. & maces hoole. take kydde oþer chikenns oþer flessh. & choppe hem small and seeþ hem. take all þis flessh whan it is sodenn & lay it in a clene vessel & boile þer sewe & cast þerto salt. þenne cast al þis in þe pot with flesh. &ter. [ ] [ ] tweydel. two parts. [ ] &ter. i. e. serue forth. pevorat [ ] for veel and venysoun. xx.vi. xv. take brede & fry it in grece. drawe it up with broth and vynegur, take þerto powdour of peper & salt and sette it on the fyre. boile it and messe it forth. [ ] pevorat. peverade, from the pepper of which it is principally composed. sawse [ ] blaunche for capouns ysode. xx.vi. xvi. take almandes blaunched and grynd hem al to doust. temper it up with verions and powdour or gyngyner and messe it forth. [ ] sawse. _sawce_, contents. as no. . sawse noyre for capouns yrosted. xx.vi. xvii. take the lyuer of capons and roost it wel. take anyse and greynes de parys [ ]. gyngur. canel. & a lytill crust of brede and grinde it smale. and grynde it up with verions. and witþ grece of capouns. boyle it and serue it forth. [ ] de parys. of paradise. v. pref. galyntyne [ ]. xx.vi. xviii. take crustes of brede and grynde hem smale, do þerto powdour of galyngale, of canel, of gyngyner and salt it, tempre it with vynegur and drawe it up þurgh a straynour & messe it forth. [ ] galyntyne. galentyne, contents. gyngener [ ]. xx.vi. xix. take payndemayn and pare it clene and funde it in vinegur, grynde it and temper it wiþ vynegur, and with powdour gyngur and salt, drawe it thurgh a straynour. and serue forth. [ ] gyngener. from the powder of ginger therein used. verde [ ] sawse. xx.vii. take parsel. mynt. garlek. a litul serpell [ ] and sawge, a litul canel. gyngur. piper. wyne. brede. vynegur & salt grynde it smal with safroun & messe it forth. [ ] verde. it has the sound of _green-sauce_, but as there is no sorel in it, it is so named from the other herbs. [ ] a litul serpell. wild thyme. sawse noyre for malard. xx.vii. i. take brede and blode iboiled. and grynde it and drawe it thurgh a cloth with vynegur, do þerto powdour of gyngur ad of peper. & þe grece of the maulard. salt it. boile it wel and serue it forth. cawdel for gees. xx.vii. ii. take garlec and grynde it smale. safroun and flour þerwith & salt. and temper it up with cowe mylke. and seeþ it wel and serue it forth. chawdoun [ ] for swannes xx.vii. iii. take þe lyuer and þe offall [ ] of the swannes & do it to seeþ in gode broth. take it up. take out þe bonys. take & hewe the flessh smale. make a lyour of crustes of brede & of þe blode of þe swan ysoden. & do þerto powdour of clowes & of piper & of wyne & salt, & seeþ it & cast þe flessh þerto ihewed. and messe it forth with þe swan. [ ] chawdoun. v. gloss. [ ] offall. _exta_, gibles. sawse camelyne [ ]. xx.vii. iiii. take raysouns of coraunce. & kyrnels of notys. & crustes of brede & powdour of gyngur clowes flour of canel. bray it [ ] wel togyder and do it þerto. salt it, temper it up with vynegur. and serue it forth. [ ] camelyne. qu. if _canelyne_ from the _fluor of canel_? [ ] bray. bray. lumbard mustard. xx.vii. v. take mustard seed and waishe it & drye it in an ovene, grynde it drye. farse it thurgh a farse. clarifie hony with wyne & vynegur & stere it wel togedrer and make it thikke ynowz. & whan þou wilt spende þerof make it tnynne with wyne. nota. xx.vii. vi. cranes [ ] and herouns shul be armed [ ] with lardes of swyne. and eten with gyngur. [ ] cranes. a dish frequent formerly at great tables. archæologia, ii. p. . mentioned with herons, as here, ms. ed. . where the same recipe occurs. et v. lel. coll. iv. p. . vi. p. . rabelais, iv. c. . e. of devon's feast. [ ] armed. ms. ed. no. . has _enarmed_, as may be read there. _enarmed_, however, in lel. collect. iv. p. . means, decorated with coate of arms. sheldes of brawn are there _in armor_, p. . however, there is such a word as _enorned_. leland, p. . . . which approaches nearer. nota. xx.vii. vii. pokok and partruch shul be parboiled. lardid and rosted. and eten with gyngeuer. fry blaunched. xx.vii. viii. take almandes blaunched and grynde hem al to doust, do þise in a thynne foile. close it þerinnne fast. and fry it in oile. clarifie hony with wyne. & bake it þerwith. frytour of pasternakes of apples [ ]. xx.vii. ix. take skyrwater and pasternakes and apples, & parboile hem, make a batour of flour and ayrenn, cast þerto ale. safroun & salt. wete hem in þe batour and frye hem in oile or in grece. do þerto almaund mylk. & serue it forth. [ ] frytour, &c. contents has only, _frytours of pasternakes_. n. b. _frytour_ is _fritter_. frytour of mylke. xx.vii. x. take of cruddes [ ] and presse out þe wheyze [ ]. do þerto sum whyte of ayrenn. fry hem. do þerto. & lay on sugur and messe forth. [ ] cruddes. curds, per metathesin. [ ] wheyze. whey. frytour of erbes. xx.vii. xi. take gode erbys. grynde hem and medle [ ] hem with flour and water & a lytel zest and salt, and frye hem in oyle. and ete hem with clere hony. [ ] medle. mix. rasyols [ ]. xx.vii. xii. take swyne lyuoers and seeþ hem wel. take brede & grate it. and take zolkes of ayrenn. & make hit sowple [ ] and do þerto a lytull of lard carnoun lyche a dee [ ]. chese gratyd [ ] & whyte grece. powdour douce & of gyngur & wynde it to balles [ ] as grete as apples. take þe calle of þe swyne & cast euere [ ] by hym self þerin. make a crust in a trape [ ]. and lay þe ball þerin & bake it. and whan þey buth ynowz: put þerin a layour of ayrenn with powdour fort and safroun. and serue it forth. [ ] rasyols. rasiowls, contents. qu. the etymen. [ ] sowple. supple. [ ] carnoun lyche a dee. cut like dice, diced. fr. _de_; singular of _dice_. [ ] gratyd. grated. _igrated_, no. . [ ] wynde it to balles, make it into balls. [ ] euere. each. [ ] trape. pan, or dish. french. whyte mylates [ ]. xx.vii. xiii. take ayrenn and wryng hem thurgh a cloth. take powdour fort, brede igrated, & safroun, & cast þerto a gode quantite of vynegur with a litull salt, medle all yfere. make a foile in a trape & bake it wel þerinne. and serue it forth. [ ] mylates. contents, _milates_; but as here. qu. crustardes [ ] of flessh. xx.vii. xiiii. take peiouns [ ], chykens, and smale briddes smyte hem in gobettes. & seeþ hem alle ifere in god broþ wiþ veriaws [ ] do þerto safroun, make a crust in a trape. and pynche it. & cowche þe flessh þerinne. & cast þerinne raisouns coraunce. powdour douce and salt. breke ayrenn and wryng hem thurgh a cloth & swyng þe sewe of þe stewe þerwith and helde it [ ] uppon the flessh. couere it & bake it wel. and serue it forth. [ ] crustards. pies. [ ] peiouns. pigeons. v. ad no. . [ ] veriaws. verjuice. [ ] helde it. pour, cast. mylates of pork. xx.vii. xv. hewe pork al to pecys and medle it with ayrenn & chese igrated. do þerto powdour fort safroun & pyneres [ ] with salt, make a crust in a trape, bake it wel þerinne, and serue it forth. [ ] pyneres. vide pref. crustardes of fysshe. xx.vii. xvi. take loches, laumprouns, and eelis. smyte hem on pecys, and stewe hem wiþ almaund mylke and verions, frye the loches in oile as tofore. and lay þe fissh þerinne. cast þeron powdour fort powdour douce. with raysons coraunce & prunes damysyns. take galyntyn and þe sewe þerinne, and swyng it togyder and cast in the trape. & bake it and serue it forth. crustardes of eerbis [ ] on fyssh day. xx.vii. xvii. take gode eerbys and grynde hem smale with wallenotes pyked clene. a grete portioun. lye it up almost wiþ as myche verions as water. seeþ it wel with powdour and safroun withoute salt. make a crust in a trape and do þe fyssh þerinne unstewed wiþ a litel oile & gode powdour. whan it is half ybake do þe sewe þerto & bake it up. if þou wilt make it clere of fyssh seeþ ayrenn harde. & take out þe zolkes & grinde hem with gode powdours. and alye it up with gode stewes [ ] and serue it forth. [ ] erbis. rather _erbis and fissh_. [ ] stewes. v. no. . lesshes [ ] fryed in lenton [ ]. xx.vii. xviii. drawe a thick almaunde mylke wiþ water. take dates and pyke hem clene with apples and peeres & mynce hem with prunes damysyns. take out þe stones out of þe prunes. & kerue the prunes a two. do þerto raisouns sugur. flour of canel. hoole macys and clowes. gode powdours & salt. colour hem up with saundres. meng þise with oile, make a coffyn as þou didest bifore & do þis fars [ ] þerin. and bake it wel and serue it forth. [ ] leshes. v. leche lumbard in gloss. [ ] lenton. lentoun, contents, i. e. lent. [ ] fars. vide gloss. wastels yfarced. xx.vii. xix. take a wastel and hewe out þe crummes. take ayrenn & shepis talow & þe crummes of þe same wastell powdour fort & salt with safroun and raisouns coraunce. & medle alle þise yfere & do it in þe wastel. close it & bynde it fast togidre. and seeþ it wel. sawge yfarced. xx.viii. take sawge. grynde it and temper it up with ayrenn. a saweyster [ ] & kerf hym to gobettes and cast it in a possynet. and do þerwiþ grece & frye it. whan it is fryed ynowz cast þerto sawge with ayren make it not to harde. cast þerto powdour douce, messe it forth. if it be in ymber day; take sauge butter & ayrenn. and lat it stonde wel by þe sause [ ], & serue it forth. [ ] saweyster. qu. [ ] stonde wel by the sause. become thick with the sawce. sawgeat [ ]. xx.viii. i. take pork and seeþ it wel and grinde it smale and medle it wiþ ayren & brede. ygrated. do þerto powdour fort and safroun with pyner & salt. take & close litull balles in foiles [ ] of sawge. wete it with a batour of ayren & fry it. & serue it forth. [ ] sawgeat. so named from the sage, or _sawge_ [ ] foiles. leaves. cryspes [ ]. xx.viii. ii. take flour of pandemayn and medle it with white grece ouer the fyrer in a chawfour [ ] and do the batour þerto queyntlich [ ] þurgh þy fyngours. or thurgh a skymour. and lat it a litul [ ] quayle [ ] a litell so þe þer be hool þerinne. and if þer wilt colour it wiþ alkenet yfoundyt. take hem up & cast þerinne sugur, and serue hem forth. [ ] cryspes. ms. ed. no. . _cryppys_, meaning _crisps_, chaucer having _crips_, by transposition, for _crisp_. in kent _p_ is commonly put before the _s_, as _haps_ is _hasp_, _waps_ is _wasp_. v. junius. v. _happs_, and _haspe_, and _wasp_. [ ] chawfour. chaffing dish. [ ] quentlich'. nicely. [ ] a litul. dele. [ ] quayle. an cool? cryspels. xx.viii. iii. take and make a foile of gode past as thynne as paper. kerue it out & fry it in oile. oþer in þe [ ] grece and þe remnaunt [ ], take hony clarified and flaunne [ ] þerwith, alye hem up and serue hem forth. [ ] þe grece. dele _the_. [ ] þe remnant, i. e. as for the remnant. [ ] flaunne. french _flau_, custard. tartee. xx.viii. iiii. take pork ysode. hewe it & bray it. do þerto ayrenn. raisouns sugur and powdour of gyngur. powdour douce. and smale briddes þeramong & white grece. take prunes, safroun. & salt, and make a crust in a trape & do þer fars [ ] þerin. & bake it wel & serue it forth. [ ] þer fars, r. þe fars. tart in ymbre [ ] day. xx.viii. v. take and parboile oynouns presse out þe water & hewe hem smale. take brede & bray it in a morter. and temper it up with ayren. do þerto butter, safroun and salt. & raisouns corauns. & a litel sugur with powdour douce. and bake it in a trape. & serue it forth. [ ] ymbre. ember. tart de bry [ ]. xx.viii. vi. take a crust ynche depe in a trape. take zolkes of ayren rawe & chese ruayn [ ]. & medle it & þe zolkes togyder. and do þerto powdour gyngur. sugur. safroun. and salt. do it in a trape, bake it and serue it forth. [ ] de bry. qu. _brie_, the country. [ ] chese ruayn. qu. of roisen. v. ad . tart de brymlent [ ]. xx.viii. vii. take fyges & raysouns. & waisshe hem in wyne. and grinde hem smale with apples & peres clene ypiked. take hem up and cast hem in a pot wiþ wyne and sugur. take salwar salmoun [ ] ysode. oþer codlyng, oþer haddok, & bray hem smal. & do þerto white powdours & hool spices. & salt. and seeþ it. and whanne it is sode ynowz. take it up and do it in a vessel and lat it kele. make a coffyn an ynche depe & do þe fars þerin. plaunt it boue [ ] with prunes and damysyns. take þe stones out, and wiþ dates quarte rede [ ] dand piked clene. and couere the coffyn, and bake it wel, and serue it forth. [ ] brymlent. perhaps midlent or high lent. _bryme_, in cotgrave, is the _midst_ of winter. the fare is certainly lenten. a.s. [anglo- saxon: bryme]. solennis, or beginning of lent, from a.s. [anglo-saxon: brymm], ora, margo. yet, after all, it may be a mistake for _prymlent_. [ ] salwar samoun. v. ad no. . [ ] plaunt it above. stick it _above_, or on the top. [ ] quarte red. quartered. tartes of flesh [ ]. xx.viii. viii. take pork ysode and grynde it smale. tarde [ ] harde eyrenn isode & ygrounde and do þerto with chese ygronde. take gode powdour and hool spices, sugur, safroun, and salt & do þerto. make a coffyn as to feel sayde [ ] & do þis þerinne, & plaunt it with smale briddes istyned & counyng. & hewe hem to smale gobettes & bake it as tofore. & serue it forth. [ ] tartes of flesh. so we have _tarte poleyn_, lel. coll. iv. p. . i.e. of pullen, or poultry. [ ] tarde, r. _take_. for see no. . [ ] to feel sayde. perhaps, _to hold the same_. tartletes. xx.viii. ix. take veel ysode and grinde it smale. take harde eyrenn isode and yground & do þerto with prunes hoole [ ]. dates. icorue. pynes and raisouns coraunce. hool spices & powdour. sugur. salt, and make a litell coffyn and do þis fars þerinne. & bake it & serue it forth. [ ] hoole, whole. tartes of fysshe. xx.viii. x. take eelys and samoun and smyte hem on pecys. & stewe it [ ] in almaund mylke and verious. drawe up on almaund mylk wiþ þe stewe. pyke out the bones clene of þe fyssh. and save þe myddell pece hoole of þe eelys & grinde þat ooþer fissh smale. and do þerto powdour, sugur, & salt and grated brede. & fors þe eelys þerwith þerer as [ ] þe bonys were medle þe ooþer dele of the fars & þe mylk togider. and colour it with saundres. make a crust in a trape as before. and bake it þerin and serue it forth. [ ] it. rather hem, i.e. them. [ ] þereras. where. v. no. . sambocade [ ]. xx.viii. xi. take and make a crust in a trape. & take a cruddes and wryng out þe wheyze. and drawe hem þurgh a straynour and put in þe straynour crustes. do þerto sugur the þridde part & somdel [ ] whyte of ayrenn. & shake þerin blomes of elren [ ]. & bake it up with curose [ ] & messe it forth. [ ] sambucade. as made of the _sambucus_, or elder. [ ] somdel. some. [ ] blom of elren. elder flowers. [ ] curose. erbolates [ ]. xx.viii. xii. take parsel, myntes [ ], sauerey, & sauge, tansey, veruayn, clarry, rewe, ditayn, fenel, southrenwode, hewe hem & grinde hem smale, medle hem up with ayrenn. do butter in a trape. & do þe fars þerto. & bake it & messe it forth. [ ] erbolat, i.e. herbolade, a confection of herbs. [ ] myntes, mint. nysebek [ ]. xx.viii. xiii. take þere þridde part of sowre dokkes and flour þerto. & bete it togeder tyl it be as towh as eny lyme. cast þerto salt. & do it in a disshe holke [ ] in þe bothom, and let it out wiþ þy finger queynchche [ ] in a chowfer [ ] wiþ oile. & frye it wel. and whan it is ynowhz: take it out and cast þerto suger &c. [ ] nysebek. qu. [ ] holke. qu. hollow. [ ] queynchche. an _queyntlich'_, as no. . [ ] chowfer. chaffing dish, as no. . for to make pomme dorryle [ ] and oÞer Þnges. xx.viii. xiiii. take þe lire of pork rawe. and grynde it smale. medle it up wiþ powdre fort, safroun, and salt, and do þerto raisouns of coraunce, make balles þerof. and wete it wele in white of ayrenn. & do it to seeþ in boillyng water. take hem up and put hem on a spyt. rost hem wel and take parsel ygronde and wryng it up with ayren & a party of flour. and lat erne [ ] aboute þe spyt. and if þou wilt, take for parsel safroun, and serue it forth. [ ] pomme dorryle. contents, _pom dorryes_, rectè, for ms. ed. , has _pommedorry_; and see no. . so named from the _balls_ and _the gilding_. "pommes dorées, golden apples." cotgrave. _poundorroye_. ms. ed. ; but vide _dorry_ in gloss. [ ] erne. qu. cotagres [ ]. xx.viii. xv. take and make þe self fars [ ]. but do þerto pynes and sugur. take an hole rowsted cok, pulle hym [ ] & hylde [ ] hym al togyder saue þe legges. take a pigg and hilde [ ] hym fro þe myddes dounward, fylle him ful of þe fars & sowe hym fast togider. do hym in a panne & seeþ hym wel. and whan þei bene isode: do hem on a spyt & rost it wele. colour it with zolkes of ayren and safroun, lay þeron foyles [ ] of gold and of siluer. and serue hit forth. [ ] cotagres. this is a sumptuous dish. perhaps we should read _cokagres_, from the _cock_ and _grees_, or wild pig, therein used. v. _vyne grace_ in gloss. [ ] self fars. same as preceding recipe. [ ] pulle hym, i.e. in pieces. [ ] hylde. cast. [ ] hilde. skin. [ ] foyles. leaves; of laurel or bay, suppose; gilt and silvered for ornament. hert rowee [ ]. xx.viii. xvi. take þer mawe of þe grete swyne. and fyfe oþer sex of pigges mawe. fyll hem full of þe self fars. & sowe hem fast, perboile hem. take hem up & make smale prews [ ] of gode past and frye hem. take þese prews yfryed & seeþ [ ] hem þicke in þe mawes on þe fars made after [ ] an urchoun withoute legges. put hem on a spyt & roost hem & colour hem with safroun & messe hem forth. [ ] hert rowee. contents, _hart rows_; perhaps from _heart_. [ ] prews. qu. v. in gloss. [ ] seeþ. there is a fault here; it means stick. [ ] after, i. e. like. potews [ ]. xx.viii. xvii. take pottes of erþe lytell of half a quart and fyll hem full of fars of pomme dorryes [ ]. oþer make with þyn honde. oþer in a moolde pottes of þe self fars. put hem in water & seeþ hem up wel. and whan þey buth ynowz. breke þe pottes of erþe & do þe fars on þe spyt & rost hem wel. and whan þei buth yrosted. colour hem as pomme dorryes. make of litull prewes [ ] gode past, frye hem oþer rost hem wel in grece. & make þerof eerys [ ] to pottes & colour it. and make rosys [ ] of gode past, & frye hem, & put þe steles [ ] in þe hole þer [ ] þe spyt was. & colour it with whyte. oþer rede. & serue it forth. [ ] potews. probably from the _pots_ employed. [ ] pomme dorryes. vide ad no. . [ ] prewes. v. ad . [ ] eerys. ears _for_ the pots. v. . [ ] rosys. roses. [ ] sleles. stalks. [ ] þer. there, i.e. where. v. . sachus [ ]. xx.viii. xviii. take smale sachellis of canuas and fille hem full of þe same fars [ ] & seeþ hem. and whan þey buth ynowz take of the canvas, rost hem & colour hem &c. [ ] sachus. i suppose _sacks_. [ ] same fars. viz. as . bursews [ ]. xx.viii. xix. take pork, seeþ it and grynde it smale wiþ sodden ayren. do þerto gode powdours and hole spices and salt with sugur. make þerof smale balles, and cast hem in a batour [ ] of ayren. & wete hem in flour. and frye hem in grece as frytours [ ]. and serue hem forth. [ ] bursews. different from _bursen_ in no. ; therefore qu. etymon. [ ] batour. batter. [ ] frytours. fritters. spynoches [ ] yfryed. xx.ix. take spynoches. perboile hem in seþyng water. take hem up and presse . . . out of þe water [ ] and hem [ ] in two. frye hem in oile clene. & do þerro powdour. & serue forth. [ ] spynoches. spinage, which we use in the singular. [ ] out of the water. dele _of_; or it may mean, _when out of the water_. [ ] hem r. _hewe_. benes yfryed. xx.ix. i. take benes and seeþ hem almost til þey bersten. take and wryng out þer water clene. do þerto oynouns ysode and ymynced. and garlec þerwith. frye hem in oile. oþer in grece. & do þerto powdour douce. & serue it forth. rysshews [ ] of fruyt. xx.ix. ii. take fyges and raisouns. pyke hem and waisshe hem in wyne. grynde hem wiþ apples and peeres. ypared and ypiked clene. do þerto gode powdours. and hole spices. make bailes þerof. fryen in oile and serue hem forth. [ ] rysshews. _russhewses_, contents. qu. daryols [ ]. xx.ix. iii. take creme of cowe mylke. oþer of almandes. do þerto ayren with sugur, safroun, and salt, medle it yfere. do it in a coffyn. of ii. ynche depe. bake it wel and serue it forth, [ ] daryols. qu. flaumpens [ ]. xx.ix. iiii. take fat pork ysode. pyke it clene. grynde it smale. grynde chese & do þerto. wiþ sugur and gode powdours. make a coffyn of an ynche depe. and do þis fars þerin. make a thynne foile of gode past & kerue out þeroff smale poyntes [ ]. frye hem in fars [ ]. & bake it up &c. [ ] flaumpeyns. _flaumpens_, contents. v. no. . [ ] points, seems the same as _prews_, no. . [ ] in fars, f. _in the fars_; and yet the fars is disposed of before; ergo quære. chewetes [ ] on flesshe day. xx.ix. v. take þer lire of pork and kerue it al to pecys. and hennes þerwith and do it in a panne and frye it & make a coffyn as to [ ] a pye smale & do þerinne. & do þeruppon zolkes of ayrenn. harde. powdour of gyngur and salt, couere it & fry it in grece. oþer bake it wel and serue it forth. [ ] chewets. v. . [ ] as to, as for. v. no. . chewetes on fyssh day. xx.ix. vi. take turbut. haddok. codlyng. and hake. and seeþ it. grynde it smale. and do þerto dates. ygrounden. raysouns pynes. gode powdoer and salt. make a coffyn as tofore saide. close þis þerin. and frye it in oile. oþer stue it in gyngur. sugur. oþer in wyne. oþer bake it. & serue forth. hastletes [ ] of fruyt. xx.ix. vii. take fyges iquarterid [ ]. raysouns hool dates and almandes hoole. and ryne [ ] hem on a spyt and roost hem. and endore [ ] hem as pomme dorryes & serue hem forth. [ ] hastletes. _hasteletes_, contents. [ ] iquarterid. iquartered. [ ] ryne. run. [ ] endore. endorse, ms. ed. . ii. . v. ad . comadore [ ]. xx.ix. vii. take fyges and raisouns. pyke hem and waisshe hem clene, skalde hem in wyne. grynde hem right smale, cast sugur in þe self wyne. and founde it togyder. drawe it up thurgh a straynour. & alye up þe fruyt þerwith. take gode peerys and apples. pare hem and take þe best, grynde hem smale and cast þerto. set a pot on þe fuyrer [ ] wiþ oyle and cast alle þise þynges þerinne. and stere it warliche, and kepe it wel fro brennyng. and whan it is fyned cast þerto powdours of gynger of canel. of galyngale. hool clowes flour of canel. & macys hoole. cast þerto pynes a litel fryed in oile & salt, and whan it is ynowz fyned: take it up and do it in a vessel & lat it kele. and whan it is colde: kerue out with a knyf smale pecys of þe gretnesse & of þe length of a litel fyngur. & close it fast in gode past. & frye hen in oile. & serue forth. [ ] comadore. qu. [ ] fuyr. fire. chastletes [ ], xx.ix. ix. take and make a foyle of gode past with a roller of a foot brode. & lyngur[ ] by cumpas. make iiii coffyns of þe self past uppon þe rolleres þe gretnesse of þe smale of þyn arme. of vi ynche depnesse. make þe gretust [ ] in þe myddell. fasten þe foile in þe mouth upwarde. & fasten þee [ ] oþere foure in euery syde. kerue out keyntlich kyrnels [ ] above in þe manere of bataiwyng [ ] and drye hem harde in an ovene. oþer in þe sunne. in þe myddel coffyn do a fars of pork with gode pork & ayrenn rawe wiþ salt. & colour it wiþ safroun and do in anoþer creme of almandes. and helde [ ] it in anoþer [ ] creme of cowe mylke with ayrenn. colour it with saundres. anoþur manur. fars of fygur. of raysouns. of apples. of peeres. & holde it in broun [ ]. anoþer manere. do fars as to frytours blanched. and colour it with grene. put þis to þe ovene & bake it wel. & serue it forth with ew ardaunt [ ]. [ ] chastelets. litlle castles, as is evident from the kernelling and the battlements mentioned. _castles of jelly templewise made._ lel. coll. iv. p. . [ ] lynger. longer. [ ] gretust. greatest. [ ] þee, i. e. thou. [ ] kyrnels. battlements. v. gloss. keyntlich, quaintly, curiously. v. gloss. [ ] bataiwyng. embatteling. [ ] helde. put, cast. [ ] another. as the middle one and only two more are provided for, the two remaining were to be filled, i presume, in the same manner alternately. [ ] holde it broun. make it brown. [ ] ew ardaunt. hot water. _eau_, water; anciently written _eue_. for to make ii. [ ] pecys of flessh to fasten togyder. xx.ix. x. take a pece of fressh flesh and do it in a pot for to seeþ. or take a pece of fressh flessh and kerue it al to gobetes. do it in a pot to seeþ. & take þe wose [ ] of comfery & put it in þe pot to þe flessh & it shal fasten anon, & so serue it forth. [ ] ii. _twey_, contents. [ ] wose. roots of comfrey are of a very glutinous nature. quincy. dispens. p. . _wose_ is a.s. [anglo-saxon: paer], _humour_, juice. see junius. v. _wos_, and mr. strype's life of stow, p. viii. pur fait ypocras [ ]. xx.ix. xi. treys unces de canett. & iii unces de gyngeuer. spykenard de spayn le pays dun denerer [ ], garyngale [ ]. clowes, gylofre. poeurer long [ ], noiez mugadez [ ]. maziozame [ ] cardemonij [ ] de chescun i. quart' douce [ ] grayne & [ ] de paradys stour de queynel [ ] de chescun dim [ ] unce de toutes, soit fait powdour &c. [ ] pur fait ypocras. id est, _pour faire ypocras_; a whole pipe of which was provided for archbishop nevill's feast about a.d. , so that it was in vast request formerly. [ ] le pays d'un denerer, i.e. _le pays d'un denier_. [ ] garyngale, i.e. _galyngale_. [ ] poeurer long, r. poiurer long, i.e. _poivre long_. [ ] mugadez, r. muscadez; but q. as the french is _muguette_. nutmegs. [ ] maziozame, r. _marjorame_. [ ] cardemonij, r. _cardamones_. [ ] quartdouce, r. _d'once._. five penny weights. [ ] &. dele. [ ] queynel. perhaps _canell_; but qu. as that is named before. [ ] dim. dimid. for to make blank maunger [ ]. xx.ix. xii. put rys in water al a nyzt and at morowe waisshe hem clene, afterward put hem to þe fyre fort [ ] þey berst & not to myche. ssithen [ ] take brawn of capouns, or of hennes. soden & drawe [ ] it smale. after take mylke of almandes. and put in to þe ryys & boile it. and whan it is yboiled put in þe brawn & alye it þerwith. þat it be wel chargeaunt [ ] and mung it fynelich' [ ] wel þat it sit not [ ] to þe pot. and whan it is ynowz & chargeaunt. do þerto sugur gode part, put þerin almandes. fryed in white grece. & dresse it forth. [ ] blank maunger. very different from that we make now. v. . [ ] fyre fort. strong fire. [ ] ssithen. then. [ ] drawe. make. [ ] chargeaunt. stiff. so below, _ynowhz & chargeaunt_. v. , . v. gloss. [ ] mung it fynelich' wel. stir it very well. [ ] sit not. adheres not, and thereby burns not. used now in the north. for to make blank desne [ ]. xx.ix. xiii. take brawn of hennes or of capouns ysoden withoute þe skyn. & hewe hem as smale as þou may. & grinde hem in a morter. after take gode mylke of almandes & put þe brawn þerin. & stere it wel togyder & do hem to seeþ. & take flour of rys & amydoun & alay it. so þat it be chargeant. & do þerto sugur a gode party. & a party of white grece. and when it is put in disshes strewe uppon it blaunche powdour, and þenne put in blank desire and mawmenye [ ] in disshes togider. and serue forth. [ ] blank _desne_. _desire_, contents; rectè. v. gloss. the recipe in ms. ed. is much the same with this. [ ] mawmenye. see no. . for to make mawmenny [ ]. xx.ix. xiiii. take þe chese and of flessh of capouns or of hennes. & hakke smale in a morter. take mylke of almandes with þe broth of freissh beef, oþer freissh flessh. & put the flessh in þe mylke oþer in the broth and set hem to þe frye [ ]. & alye hem up with flour of ryse. or gastbon [ ]. or amydoun. as chargeant as with blanke desire. & with zolkes of ayren and safroun for to make it zelow. and when it is dressit in disshes with blank desire styk above clowes de gilofre. & strewe powdour of galyngale above. and serue it forth. [ ] mawmenny. _mawmoune_, contents. _maumene_ ms. ed. . . vide no. . see preface for a _fac-simile_ of this recipe. [ ] þe frye. an fyre? [ ] gastbon. qu. the pety peruaunt [ ]. xx.ix. xv. take male marow [ ]. hole parade [ ] and kerue it rawe. powdour of gynger. zolkes of ayrenn, dates mynced. raisouns of coraunce. salt a lytel. & loke þat þou make þy past with zolkes of ayren. & þat no water come þerto. and forme þy coffyn. and make up þy past. [ ] pety peruaunt. a paste; therefore, perhaps, _paty_; but qu. the latter word. [ ] male marow. qu. [ ] parade. qu. payn puff [ ]. xx.ix. xvi. eodem modo fait payn puff. but make it more tendre þe past. and loke þe past be rounde of þe payn puf as a coffyn & a pye. [ ] payn puff. contents has, _and the pete puant_. [ ]xplicit. [ ] a blank was left in the original for a large _e_. the following memorandum at the end of the roll. "antiquum hoc monumentum oblatum et missum est majestati vestræ vicesimo septimo die mensis julij, anno regno vestri fælicissimi vicesimo viij ab humilimo vestro subdito, vestræque, majestati fidelissimo edward stafford, hæres domus subversæ buckinghamiens." n.b. he was lord stafford and called edward. edw. d. of bucks beheaded . h. viii. | henry, restored in blood by h. viii.; and again ed. vi. | edw. aged , ; born . . ob. . f. . | edw. b. . ---- born. ancient cookery. a.d. . _hic incipiunt universa servicia tam de carnibus quam de pissibus_ [ ]. i. for to make furmenty [ ]. nym clene wete and bray it in a morter wel that the holys [ ] gon al of and seyt [ ] yt til it breste and nym yt up. and lat it kele [ ] and nym fayre fresch broth and swete mylk of almandys or swete mylk of kyne and temper yt al. and nym the yolkys of eyryn [ ]. boyle it a lityl and set yt adoun and messe yt forthe wyth fat venyson and fresh moton. [ ] see again, no. i. of the second part of this treatise. [ ] hulls. [ ] miswritten for _seyth_ or _sethe_, i.e. seeth. [ ] cool. [ ] eggs. ii. for to make pise of almayne. nym wyte pisyn and wasch hem and seth hem a good wyle sithsyn wasch hem in golde [ ] watyr unto the holys gon of alle in a pot and kever it wel that no breth passe owt and boyle hem ryzt wel and do therto god mylk of almandys and a party of flowr of ris and salt and safron and messe yt forthe. [ ] cold. iii. cranys and herons schulle be euarund [ ] wyth lardons of swyne and rostyd and etyn wyth gyngynyr. [ ] perhaps _enarmed_, or _enorned_. see mr. brander's roll, no. . iv. pecokys and partrigchis schul ben yparboyld and lardyd and etyn wyth gyngenyr. v. morterelys [ ]. nym hennyn and porke and seth hem togedere nym the lyre [ ] of the hennyn and the porke and hakkyth finale and grynd hit al to dust and wyte bred therwyth and temper it wyth the selve broth and wyth heyryn and colure it with safroun and boyle it and disch it and cast theron powder of peper and of gyngynyr and serve it forthe. [ ] v. mortrews in gloss. [ ] flesh. vi. caponys inc oneys. schal be sodyn. nym the lyre and brek it smal in a morter and peper and wyte bred therwyth and temper it wyth ale and ley it wyth the capoun. nym hard sodyn eyryn and hewe the wyte smal and kaste thereto and nym the zolkys al hole and do hem in a dysch and boyle the capoun and colowre it wyth safroun and salt it and messe it forthe. vii. hennys [ ] in bruet. schullyn be scaldyd and sodyn wyth porke and grynd pepyr and comyn bred and ale and temper it wyth the selve broth and boyle and colowre it wyth safroun and salt it and messe it forthe. [ ] hens. viii. harys [ ] in cmee [ ]. schul be parboylyd and lardyd and rostid and nym onyons and myce hem rizt smal and fry hem in wyte gres and grynd peper bred and ale and the onions therto and coloure it wyth safroun and salt it and serve it forth. [ ] hares. [ ] perhaps _cinee_; for see no. . ix. haris in talbotays. schul be hewe in gobbettys and sodyn with al the blod nym bred piper and ale and grynd togedere and temper it with the selve broth and boyle it and salt it and serve it forthe. x. conynggys [ ] in gravey. schul be sodyn and hakkyd in gobbettys and grynd gyngynyr galyngale and canel. and temper it up with god almand mylk and boyle it and nym macys and clowys and kest [ ] therin and the conynggis also and salt hym [ ] and serve it forthe. [ ] rabbits. [ ] cast. [ ] _it_, or perhaps _hem_. xi. for to make a colys [ ]. nym hennys and schald hem wel. and seth hem after and nym the lyre and hak yt smal and bray it with otyn grotys in a morter and with wyte bred and temper it up wyth the broth nym the grete bonys and grynd hem al to dust and kest hem al in the broth and mak it thorw a clothe and boyle it and serve it forthe. [ ] cullis. v. preface. xii. for to make nombles [ ]. nym the nomblys of the venysoun and wasch hem clene in water and salt hem and seth hem in tweye waterys grynd pepyr bred and ale and temper it wyth the secunde brothe and boyle it and hak the nomblys and do theryn and serve it forthe. [ ] umbles. xiii. for to make blanche brewet de alyngyn. nym kedys [ ] and chekenys and hew hem in morsellys and seth hem in almand mylk or in kyne mylke grynd gyngyner galingale and cast therto and boyle it and serve it forthe. [ ] kids. xiv. for to make blomanger [ ]. nym rys and lese hem and wasch hem clene and do thereto god almande mylk and seth hem tyl they al to brest and than lat hem kele and nym the lyre of the hennyn or of capouns and grynd hem smal kest therto wite grese and boyle it nym blanchyd almandys and safroun and set hem above in the dysche and serve yt forthe. [ ] blanc-manger. see again, no. , . ii. no. . chaucer writes it _blankmanger_. xv. for to make afronchemoyle [ ]. nym eyren wyth al the wyte and myse bred and schepys [ ] talwe as gret as dyses [ ] grynd peper and safroun and cast therto and do hit in the schepis wombe seth it wel and dresse it forthe of brode leches thynne. [ ] frenchemulle d'un mouton. a sheeps call, or kell. cotgrave. junius, v. _moil_, says, "a french moile chaucero est cibus delicatior, a dish made of marrow and grated bread." [ ] sheep's fat. [ ] dice; square bits, or bits as big as dice. xvi. for to make brymeus. nym the tharmys [ ] of a pygge and wasch hem clene in water and salt and seth hem wel and than hak hem smale and grynd pepyr and safroun bred and ale and boyle togedere nym wytys of eyrynn and knede it wyth flour and mak smal pelotys [ ] and fry hem with wyte grees and do hem in disches above that othere mete and serve it forthe. [ ] rops, guts, puddings [ ] balls, pellets, from the french _pelote._ xvii. for to make appulmos [ ]. nym appelyn and seth hem and lat hem kele and make hem thorw a clothe and on flesch dayes kast therto god fat breyt [ ] of bef and god wyte grees and sugar and safroun and almande mylk on fysch dayes oyle de olyve and gode powdres [ ] and serve it forthe. [ ] see no. . [ ] breth, i. e. broth. see no. . [ ] spices ground small. see no. , . . . ii. no. . . or perhaps of galingale. ii. . . xviii. for to make a froys [ ]. nym veel and seth it wel and hak it smal and grynd bred peper and safroun and do thereto and frye yt and presse it wel upon a bord and dresse yt forthe. [ ] a fraise xix. for to make fruturs [ ]. nym flowre and eyryn and grynd peper and safroun and mak therto a batour and par aplyn and kyt hem to brode penys [ ] and kest hem theryn and fry hem in the batour wyth fresch grees and serve it forthe. [ ] fritters. [ ] pieces as broad as pennies, or perhaps pecys. xx. for to make chanke [ ]. nym porke and seth it wel and hak yt smal nym eyryn wyth al the wytys and swyng hem wel al togedere and kast god swete mylke thereto and boyle yt and messe it forthe. [ ] quære. xxi. for to make jussel. nym eyryn wyth al the wytys and mice bred grynd pepyr and safroun and do therto and temper yt wyth god fresch broth of porke and boyle it wel and messe yt forthe. xxii. for to make gees [ ] in ochepot [ ]. nym and schald hem wel and hew hem wel in gobettys al rawe and seth hem in her owyn grees and cast therto wyn or ale a cuppe ful and myce onyons smal and do therto and boyle yt and salt yt and messe yt forthe. [ ] gese. [ ] hochepot. vide gloss. xxiii. for to make eyryn in bruet. nym water and welle [ ] yt and brek eyryn and kast theryn and grynd peper and safroun and temper up wyth swete mylk and boyle it and hakke chese smal and cast theryn and messe yt forthe. [ ] quære the meaning. xxiv. for to make craytoun [ ]. tak checonys and schald hem and seth hem and grvnd gyngen' other pepyr and comyn and temper it up wyth god mylk and do the checonys theryn and boyle hem and serve yt forthe. [ ] vide ad no. of the roll. xxv. for to make mylk rost. nym swete mylk and do yt in a panne nyn [ ] eyryn wyth al the wyte and swyng hem wel and cast therto and colowre yt wyth safroun and boyl it tyl yt wexe thikke and thanne seth [ ] yt thorw a culdore [ ] and nym that, leyyth [ ] and presse yt up on a bord and wan yt ys cold larde it and scher yt on schyverys and roste yt on a grydern and serve yt forthe. [ ] read _nym_. [ ] strain. see no. . [ ] cuilinder. [ ] that which is left in the cullinder. xxvi. for to make cryppys [ ]. nym flour and wytys of eyryn sugur other hony and sweyng togedere and mak a batour nym wyte grees and do yt in a posnet and cast the batur thereyn and stury to thou have many [ ] and tak hem up and messe hem wyth the frutours and serve forthe. [ ] meaning, _crisps_. v. gloss. [ ] it will run into lumps, i suppose. xxvii. for to make berandyles [ ]. nym hennys and seth hem wyth god buf and wan hi ben sodyn nym the hennyn and do awey the bonys and bray smal yn a mortar and temper yt wyth the broth and seth yt thorw a culdore and cast therto powder of gyngenyr and sugur and graynys of powmis gernatys [ ] and boyle yt and dresse yt in dysches and cast above clowys gylofres [ ] and maces and god powder [ ] serve yt forthe. [ ] quære the meaning. [ ] pomegranates. v. no. . [ ] not clove-gilliflowers, but _cloves_. see no. , , . [ ] see no. , note [ ]. xxviii. for to make capons in casselys. nym caponys and schald hem nym a penne and opyn the skyn at the hevyd [ ] and blowe hem tyl the skyn ryse from the flesshe and do of the skyn al hole and seth the lyre of hennyn and zolkys of heyryn and god powder and make a farsure [ ] and fil ful the skyn and parboyle yt and do yt on a spete and rost yt and droppe [ ] yt wyth zolkys of eyryn and god powder rostyng and nym the caponys body and larde yt and roste it and nym almaunde mylk and amydoun [ ] and mak a batur and droppe the body rostyng and serve yt forthe. [ ] head. sax. [anglo-saxon: heofod] and [anglo-saxon: hevod], hence our _head_. [ ] stuffing. [ ] baste. [ ] vide gloss. xxix. for to make the blank surry [ ]. tak brann [ ] of caponys other of hennys and the thyes [ ] wythowte the skyn and kerf hem smal als thou mayst and grynd hem smal in a morter and tak mylk of almaundys and do yn the branne and grynd hem thanne togedere and and seth hem togeder' and tak flour of rys other amydoun and lye it that yt be charchant and do therto sugur a god parti and a party of wyt grees and boyle yt and wan yt ys don in dyschis straw upon blank poudere and do togedere blank de sury and manmene [ ] in a dysch and serve it forthe. [ ] vide _blank desire_ in gloss. [ ] perhaps _brawn_, the brawny part. see no. , and the gloss. [ ] thighs. [ ] see the next number. quære _mawmeny_. xxx. for to make manmene [ ]. tak the thyys [ ] other the flesch of the caponys fede [ ] hem and kerf hem smal into a morter and tak mylk of almandys wyth broth of fresch buf and do the flesch in the mylk or in the broth and do yt to the fyre and myng yt togedere wyth flour of rys othere of wastelys als charchaut als the blank de sure and wyth the zolkys of eyryn for to make it zelow and safroun and wan yt ys dressyd in dysches wyth blank de sure straw upon clowys of gelofre [ ] and straw upon powdre of galentyn and serve yt forthe. [ ] vide number , and the gloss. [ ] thighs. [ ] quære. [ ] see no. , note [ ]. xxxi. for to make bruet of almayne. tak partrichys rostyd and checonys and qualys rostyd and larkys ywol and demembre the other and mak a god cawdel and dresse the flesch in a dysch and strawe powder of galentyn therupon. styk upon clowys of gelofre and serve yt forthe. xxxii. for ro make bruet of lombardye. tak chekenys or hennys or othere flesch and mak the colowre als red as any blod and tak peper and kanel and gyngyner bred [ ] and grynd hem in a morter and a porcion of bred and mak that bruer thenne and do that flesch in that broth and mak hem boyle togedere and stury it wel and tak eggys and temper hem wyth jus of parcyle and wryng hem thorwe a cloth and wan that bruet is boylyd do that therto and meng tham togedere wyth fayr grees so that yt be fat ynow and serve yt forthe. [ ] this is still in use, and, it seems, is an old compound. xxxiii. for to make blomanger [ ]. do ris in water al nyzt and upon the morwe wasch hem wel and do hem upon the fyre for to [ ] they breke and nozt for to muche and tak brann [ ] of caponis sodyn and wel ydraw [ ] and smal and tak almaund mylk and boyle it wel wyth ris and wan it is yboylyd do the flesch therin so that it be charghaunt and do therto a god party of sugure and wan it ys dressyd forth in dischis straw theron blaunche pouder and strik [ ] theron almaundys fryed wyt wyte grece [ ] and serve yt forthe. [ ] see no. . [ ] till. _for_, however, abounds. [ ] see no. . note d. [ ] perhaps, _strained_. see no. ; and part ii. no. . [ ] perhaps, _stik_, i.e. stick; but see . [ ] grese. fat, or lard. xxxiv. for to make sandale that party to blomanger. tak flesch of caponys and of pork sodyn kerf yt smal into a morter togedere and bray that wel. and temper it up wyth broth of caponys and of pork that yt be wel charchaunt also the crem of almaundys and grynd egges and safroun or sandres togedere that it be coloured and straw upon powder of galentyn and strik thereon clowys and maces and serve it forthe. xxxv. for to make apulmos [ ]. tak applys and seth hem and let hem kele and after mak hem thorwe a cloth and do hem im a pot and kast to that mylk of almaundys wyth god broth of buf in flesch dayes do bred ymyed [ ] therto. and the fisch dayes do therto oyle of olyve and do therto sugur and colour it wyth safroun and strew theron powder and serve it forthe. [ ] see no. . [ ] ymyced, i.e. _minced_. xxxvi. for to make mete gelee [ ] that it be wel chariaunt. tak wyte wyn and a party of water and safroun and gode spicis and flesch of piggys or of hennys or fresch fisch and boyle them togedere and after wan yt ys boylyd and cold dres yt in dischis and serve yt forthe. [ ] meat jelly. xxxvii. for to make murrey [ ]. tak mulbery [ ] and bray hem in a morter and wryng [ ] hem thorth a cloth and do hem in a pot over the fyre and do thereto fat bred and wyte gresse and let it nazt boyle no ofter than onys and do thereto a god party of sugur and zif yt be nozt ynowe colowrd brey mulburus and serve yt forthe. [ ] morrey. part ii. no. . [ ] this is to be understood pluraly, _quasi_ mulberries. [ ] read _wryng_. for see part ii. no. . b. chaucer, v. _wronge_ and _ywrong_. xxxviii. for to make a penche of egges. tak water and do it in a panne to the fyre and lat yt sethe and after tak eggs and brek hem and cast hem in the water and after tak a chese and kerf yt on fowr partins and cast in the water and wanne the chese and the eggys ben wel sodyn tak hem owt of the water and wasch hem in clene water and tak wastel breed and temper yt wyth mylk of a kow. and after do yt over the fyre and after forsy yt wyth gyngener and wyth cornyn and colowr yt wyth safroun and lye yt wyth eggys and oyle the sewe wyth boter and kep wel the chese owt and dresse the sewe and dymo [ ] eggys thereon al ful and kerf thy chese in lytyl schyms and do hem in the sewe wyth eggys and serve yt forthe. [ ] perhaps, _do mo_, i.e. put more. xxxix. for to make comyn. tak god almaunde mylk and lat yt boyle and do ther'in amydoun wyth flowr of rys and colowr yt wyth safroun and after dresse yt wyth graynis of poungarnetts [ ] other wyth reysens zyf thow hast non other and tak sugur and do theryn and serve it forthe. [ ] vide no. . xiv. for to make fruturs [ ]. tak crommys [ ] of wyte bred and the flowris of the swete appyltre and zolkys of eggys and bray hem togedere in a morter and temper yt up wyth wyte wyn and mak yt to sethe and wan yt is thykke do thereto god spicis of gyngener galyngale canel and clowys gelofre and serve yt forth; [ ] fritters. [ ] crumbs. xli. for to make rosee [ ]. tak the flowris of rosys and wasch hem wel in water and after bray hem wel in a morter and than tak almondys and temper hem and seth hem and after tak flesch of capons or of hennys and hac yt smale and than bray hem wel in a morter and than do yt in the rose [ ] so that the flesch acorde wyth the mylk and so that the mete be charchaunt and after do yt to the fyre to boyle and do thereto sugur and safroun that yt be wel ycolowrd and rosy of levys and of the forseyde flowrys and serve yt forth. [ ] vide no. . [ ] i.e. rosee. xlii. for to make pommedorry [ ]. tak buff and hewe yt smal al raw and cast yt in a morter and grynd yt nozt to smal tak safroun and grynd therewyth wan yt ys grounde tak the wyte of the eyryn zyf yt be nozt styf. cast into the buf pouder of pepyr olde resyns and of coronse set over a panne wyth fayr water and mak pelotys of the buf and wan the water and the pelots ys wel yboylyd and [ ] set yt adoun and kele yt and put yt on a broche and rost yt and endorre yt wyth zolkys of eyryn and serve yt forthe. [ ] vide no. . [ ] dele _and_. xliii. for to make longe de buf [ ]. nym the tonge of the rether [ ] and schalde and schawe [ ] yt wel and rizt clene and seth yt and sethe nym a broche [ ] and larde yt wyth lardons and wyth clowys and gelofre and do it rostyng and drop yt wel yt rostyd [ ] wyth zolkys of eyrin and dresse it forthe. [ ] neat's tongue. _make_ signifies _to dress_, as ii. . [ ] the ox or cow. lye in jun. etymolog. v. _rother_. [ ] shave, scrape. [ ] a larding-pin. [ ] pehaps, _wyle it rostyth_. xliv. for to make rew de rumsy. nym swynys fet and eyr [ ] and make hem clene and seth hem alf wyth wyn and half wyth water cast mycyd onyons thereto and god spicis and wan they be ysodyn nym and rosty hem in a grydere wan it is yrostyd kest thereto of the selve broth hy lyed wyth amydoun and anyeyd onyons [ ] and serve yt forth. [ ] to be understood plurally, _ears_. [ ] miswritten for _mycyd_, i. e. minced onyons. xlv. for to make bukkenade [ ]. nym god fresch flesch wat maner so yt be and hew yt in smale morselys and seth yt wyth gode fresch buf and cast thereto gode mynced onyons and gode spicerye and alyth [ ] wyth eyryn and boyle and dresse yt forth. [ ] vide no. . [ ] stiffen, thicken it. see no. . where _lyed_ has that sense. see also . xlvi. for to make spine [ ]. nym the flowrys of the haw thorn clene gaderyd and bray hem al to dust and temper hem wyth almaunde mylk and aly yt wyth amydoun and wyth eyryn wel rykke [ ] and boyle it and messe yt forth and flowrys and levys abovyn on [ ]. [ ] this dish, no doubt, takes its name from _spina_, of which it is made. [ ] read, þykke, _thykke_. [ ] it means _laid upon it_. xlvii. for to make rosee [ ] and fresee and swan schal be ymad in the selve maner. nym pyggus and hennys and other maner fresch flesch and hew yt in morselys and seth yt in wyth wyn and [ ] gyngyner and galyngale and gelofre and canel [ ] and bray yt wel and kest thereto and alye yt wyth amydoun other wyth flowr of rys. [ ] vide no. . [ ] perhaps, _in wyn with_. [ ] cinamon. vide gloss. xlviii. for to make an amendement formete that ys to [ ] salt and over mychyl. nym etemele and bynd yt in a fayr lynnen clowt and lat yt honge in the pot so that yt thowche nozt the bottym and lat it hongy thereynne a god wyle and seþh [ ] set yt fro the fyre and let yt kele and yt schal be fresch ynow wythoute any other maner licowr ydo thereto. [ ] id est, _too_. [ ] read, seth, i.e. then. xlix. for to make rapy [ ]. tak fygys and reysyns and wyn and grynd hem togeder tak and draw hem thorw a cloth and do thereto powder of alkenet other of rys and do thereto a god quantite of pepir and vyneger and boyle it togeder and messe yt and serve yt forth. [ ] vide part ii. no. . . l. for to make an egge dows [ ]. tak almaundys and mak god mylk and temper wyth god wyneger clene tak reysynys and boyle hem in clene water and tak the reysynis and tak hem owt of the water and boyle hem wyth mylk and zyf thow wyl colowr yt wyth safron and serve yt forth. [ ] vide ad part ii. no. . there are no eggs concerned, so no doubt it should be _eger dows_. vide gloss. li. for to make a mallard in cyney [ ]. tak a mallard and pul hym drye and swyng over the fyre draw hym but lat hym touche no water and hew hym in gobettys and do hym in a pot of clene water boyle hem wel and tak onyons and boyle and bred and pepyr and grynd togedere and draw thorw a cloth temper wyth wyn and boyle yt and serve yt forth. [ ] see no. . lii. for to make a bukkenade [ ]. tak veel and boyle it tak zolkys of eggys and mak hem thykke tak macis and powdre of gyngyner and powder of peper and boyle yt togeder and messe yt forth. [ ] vide no. . liii. for to make a roo broth [ ]. tak parsile and ysop and sauge and hak yt smal boil it in wyn and in water and a lytyl powdre of peper and messe yt forth. [ ] _deer_ or _roes_ are not mentioned, as in mr. brander's roll, no. , ergo quære. it is a meager business. can it mean _rue-broth_ for penitents? liv. for to mak a bruet of sarcynesse. tak the lyre of the fresch buf and bet it al in pecis and bred and fry yt in fresch gres tak it up and and drye it and do yt in a vessel wyth wyn and sugur and powdre of clowys boyle yt togedere tyl the flesch have drong the liycoure and take the almande mylk and quibibz macis and clowys and boyle hem togedere tak the flesch and do thereto and messe it forth. lv. for to make a gely [ ]. tak hoggys fet other pyggys other erys other partrichys other chiconys and do hem togedere and serh [ ] hem in a pot and do hem in flowre of canel and clowys other or grounde [ ] do thereto vineger and tak and do the broth in a clene vessel of al thys and tak the flesch and kerf yt in smal morselys and do yt therein tak powder of galyngale and cast above and lat yt kels tak bronches of the lorer tre and styk over it and kep yt al so longe as thou wilt and serve yt forth. [ ] jelly. [ ] seþ, i. e. _seeth_. [ ] not clearly expressed. it means either cinamon or cloves, and either in flour or ground. lvi. for to kepe venison fro restyng. tak venisoun wan yt ys newe and cuver it hastely wyth fern that no wynd may come thereto and wan thou hast ycuver yt wel led yt hom and do yt in a soler that sonne ne wynd may come thereto and dimembre it and do yt in a clene water and lef yt ther' half a day and after do yt up on herdeles for to drie and wan yt ys drye tak salt and do after thy venisoun axit [ ] and do yt boyle in water that yt be other [ ] so salt als water of the see and moche more and after lat the water be cold that it be thynne and thanne do thy venisoun in the water and lat yt be therein thre daies and thre nyzt [ ] and after tak yt owt of the water and salt it wyth drie salt ryzt wel in a barel and wan thy barel ys ful cuver it hastely that sunne ne wynd come thereto. [ ] as thy venison requires. see gloss. to chaucer for _axe_. [ ] dele. [ ] a plural, as in no. . lvii. for to do away restyn [ ] of venisoun. tak the venisoun that ys rest and do yt in cold water and after mak an hole in the herthe and lat yt be thereyn thre dayes and thre nyzt and after tak yt up and spot yt wel wyth gret salt of peite [ ] there were the restyng ys and after lat yt hange in reyn water al nyzt or more. [ ] restiness. it should be rather _restyng_. see below. [ ] pierre, or petre. lviii. for to make poundorroge [ ]. tak partrichis wit [ ] longe filettis of pork al raw and hak hem wel smale and bray hem in a morter and wan they be wel brayed do thereto god plente of pouder and zolkys of eyryn and after mak thereof a farsure formed of the gretnesse of a onyoun and after do it boyle in god breth of buf other of pork after lat yt kele and after do it on a broche of hasel and do them to the fere to roste and after mak god bature of floure and egge on bature wyt and another zelow and do thereto god plente of sugur and tak a fethere or a styk and tak of the bature and peynte thereon above the applyn so that on be wyt and that other zelow wel colourd. [ ] vide no. . [ ] with. explicit servicium de carnibus. hic incipit servicium de pissibus_ [ ]. [ ] see p. i. for to make egarduse [ ]. tak lucys [ ] or tenchis and hak hem smal in gobette and fry hem in oyle de olive and syth nym vineger and the thredde party of sugur and myncyd onyons smal and boyle al togedere and cast thereyn clowys macys and quibibz and serve yt forthe. [ ] see no. below, and part i. no. . [ ] lucy, i presume, means the _pike_; so that this fish was known here long before the reign of h. viii. though it is commonly thought otherwise. v. gloss. ii. for to make rapy [ ]. tak pyg' or tenchis or other maner fresch fysch and fry yt wyth oyle de olive and syth nym the crustys of wyt bred and canel and bray yt al wel in a mortere and temper yt up wyth god wyn and cole [ ] yt thorw an hersyve and that yt be al cole [ ] of canel and boyle yt and cast therein hole clowys and macys and quibibz and do the fysch in dischis and rape [ ] abovyn and dresse yt forthe. [ ] vide no. . [ ] strain, from lat. _colo_. [ ] strained, or cleared. [ ] this rape is what the dish takes its name from. perhaps means _grape_ from the french _raper_. vide no. . iii. for to make fygey. nym lucys or tenchis and hak hem in morsell' and fry hem tak vyneger and the thredde party of sugur myncy onyons smal and boyle al togedyr cast ther'yn macis clowys quibibz and serve yt forth. iiii. for to make pommys morles. nym rys and bray hem [ ] wel and temper hem up wyth almaunde mylk and boyle yt nym applyn and par' hem and sher hem smal als dicis and cast hem ther'yn after the boylyng and cast sugur wyth al and colowr yt wyth safroun and cast ther'to pouder and serve yt forthe. [ ] rice, as it consists of grains, is here considered as a plural. see also no. . , . v. for to make rys moyle [ ]. nym rys and bray hem ryzt wel in a morter and cast ther'to god almaunde mylk and sugur and salt boyle yt and serve yt forth. [ ] vide gloss. vi. for to make sowpys dorry. nym onyons and mynce hem smale and fry hem in oyl dolyf nym wyn and boyle yt wyth the onyouns roste wyte bred and do yt in dischis and god almande mylk also and do ther'above and serve yt forthe. vii. for to make blomanger [ ] of fysch. tak a pound of rys les hem wel and wasch and seth tyl they breste and lat hem kele and do ther'to mylk of to pound of almandys nym the perche or the lopuster and boyle yt and kest sugur and salt also ther'to and serve yt forth. [ ] see note on no. . of part i. viii. for to make a potage of rys. tak rys and les hem and wasch hem clene and seth hem tyl they breste and than lat hem kele and seth cast ther'to almand mylk and colour it wyth safroun and boyle it and messe yt forth. ix. for to make lamprey fresch in galentyne [ ]. schal be latyn blod atte navel and schald yt and rost yt and ley yt al hole up on a plater and zyf hym forth wyth galentyn that be mad of galyngale gyngener and canel and dresse yt forth. [ ] this is a made or compounded thing. see both here, and in the next number, and v. gloss. x. for to make salt lamprey in galentyne [ ]. yt schal be stoppit [ ] over nyzt in lews water and in braan and flowe and sodyn and pyl onyons and seth hem and ley hem al hol by the lomprey and zif hem forthe wyth galentyne makyth [ ] wyth strong vyneger and wyth paryng of wyt bred and boyle it al togeder' and serve yt forthe. [ ] see note [ ] on the last number. [ ] perhaps, _steppit_, i. e. steeped. see no. . [ ] perhaps, _makyd_, i.e. made. xi. for to make lampreys in bruet. they schulle be schaldyd and ysode and ybrulyd upon a gredern and grynd peper and safroun and do ther'to and boyle it and do the lomprey ther'yn and serve yt forth. xii. for to make a storchoun. he schal be shorn in besys [ ] and stepyd [ ] over nyzt and sodyn longe as flesch and he schal be etyn in venegar. [ ] perhaps, _pesys_, i.e. pieces. [ ] qu. _steppit_, i.e. steeped. xiii. for to make solys in bruet. they schal be fleyn and sodyn and rostyd upon a gredern and grynd peper and safroun and ale boyle it wel and do the sole in a plater and the bruet above serve it forth. xiv. for to make oystryn in bruet. they schul be schallyd [ ] and ysod in clene water grynd peper safroun bred and ale and temper it wyth broth do the oystryn ther'ynne and boyle it and salt it and serve it forth. [ ] have shells taken off. xv. for to make elys in bruet. they schul be flayn and ket in gobett' and sodyn and grynd peper and safroun other myntys and persele and bred and ale and temper it wyth the broth and boyle it and serve it forth. xvi. for to make a lopister. he schal be rostyd in his scalys in a ovyn other by the feer under a panne and etyn wyth veneger. xvii. for to make porreyne. tak prunys fayrist wasch hem wel and clene and frot hem wel in syve for the jus be wel ywronge and do it in a pot and do ther'to wyt gres and a party of sugur other hony and mak hem to boyle togeder' and mak yt thykke with flowr of rys other of wastel bred and wan it is sodyn dresse it into dischis and strew ther'on powder and serve it forth. xviii. for to make chireseye. tak chiryes at the fest of seynt john the baptist and do away the stonys grynd hem in a morter and after frot hem wel in a seve so that the jus be wel comyn owt and do than in a pot and do ther'in feyr gres or boter and bred of wastrel ymyid [ ] and of sugur a god party and a porcioun of wyn and wan it is wel ysodyn and ydressyd in dyschis stik ther'in clowis of gilofr' and strew ther'on sugur. [ ] perhaps, _ymycid_, i.e. minced; or _mycd_, as in no. . xix. for to make blank de sur' [ ]. tak the zolkys of eggs sodyn and temper it wyth mylk of a kow and do ther'to comyn and safroun and flowr' of ris or wastel bred mycd and grynd in a morter and temper it up wyth the milk and mak it boyle and do ther'to wit [ ] of egg' corvyn smale and tak fat chese and kerf ther'to wan the licour is boylyd and serve it forth. [ ] vide note [ ] on no. . of part i. [ ] white. so _wyt_ is _white_ in no. . below. xx. for to make grave enforse. tak tryd [ ] gyngener and safroun and grynd hem in a morter and temper hem up wyth almandys and do hem to the fir' and wan it boylyth wel do ther'to zolkys of egg' sodyn and fat chese corvyn in gobettis and wan it is dressid in dischis strawe up on powder of galyngale and serve it forth. [ ] it appears to me to be _tryd_. can it be _fryd_? xxi. for to make hony douse [ ]. tak god mylk of almandys and rys and wasch hem wel in a feyr' vessel and in fayr' hoth water and after do hem in a feyr towayl for to drie and wan that they be drye bray hem wel in a morter al to flowr' and afterward tak two partyis and do the half in a pot and that other half in another pot and colowr that on wyth the safroun and lat that other be wyt and lat yt boyle tyl it be thykke and do ther'to a god party of sugur and after dresse yt in twe dischis and loke that thou have almandys boylid in water and in safroun and in wyn and after frie hem and set hem upon the fyre sethith mete [ ] and strew ther'on sugur that yt be wel ycolouryt [ ] and serve yt forth. [ ] see part ii. no. i; and part i. no. . [ ] seth it mete, i.e. seeth it properly. [ ] coloured. see no. . below. xxii. for to make a potage feneboiles. tak wite benes and seth hem in water and bray the benys in a morter al to nozt and lat them sethe in almande mylk and do ther'in wyn and hony and seth [ ] reysons in wyn and do ther'to and after dresse yt forth. [ ] i.e. seeth. xxiii. for to make tartys in applis. tak gode applys and gode spycis and figys and reysons and perys and wan they are wel ybrayed colourd [ ] wyth safroun wel and do yt in a cofyn and do yt forth to bake wel. [ ] perhaps, _coloure_. xxiv. for to make rys alker'. tak figys and reysons and do awey the kernelis and a god party of applys and do awey the paryng of the applis and the kernelis and bray hem wel in a morter and temper hem up with almande mylk and menge hem wyth flowr of rys that yt be wel chariaunt and strew ther'upon powder of galyngale and serve yt forth. xxv. for to make tartys of fysch owt of lente. mak the cowche of fat chese and gyngener and canel and pur' crym of mylk of a kow and of helys ysodyn and grynd hem wel wyth safroun and mak the chowche of canel and of clowys and of rys and of gode spycys as other tartys fallyth to be. xxvi. for to make morrey [ ]. requir' de carnibus ut supra [ ]. [ ] vide part i. no. . [ ] part i. no. . xxvii. for to make flownys [ ] in lente. tak god flowr and mak a past and tak god mylk of almandys and flowr of rys other amydoun and boyle hem togeder' that they be wel chariaud wan yt is boylid thykke take yt up and ley yt on a feyr' bord so that yt be cold and wan the cofyns ben makyd tak a party of and do upon the coffyns and kerf hem in schiveris and do hem in god mylk of almandys and figys and datys and kerf yt in fowr partyis and do yt to bake and serve yt forth. [ ] perhaps, _flawnes_, or custards. chaucer, vide _slaunis_. fr. _flans_. xxviii. for to make rapee [ ]. tak the crustys of wyt bred and reysons and bray hem wel in a morter and after temper hem up wyth wyn and wryng hem thorw a cloth and do ther'to canel that yt be al colouryt of canel and do ther'to hole clowys macys and quibibz the fysch schal be lucys other tenchis fryid or other maner fysch so that yt be fresch and wel yfryed and do yt in dischis and that rape up on and serve yt forth. [ ] vide part i. no. . xxix. for to make a porrey chapeleyn. tak an hundred onyons other an half and tak oyle de olyf and boyle togeder' in a pot and tak almande mylk and boyle yt and do ther'to. tak and make a thynne paast of dow and make therof as it were ryngis tak and fry hem in oyle de olyve or in wyte grees and boil al togedere. xxx. for to make formenty on a fichssday [ ]. tak the mylk of the hasel notis boyl the wete [ ] wyth the aftermelk til it be dryyd and tak and coloured [ ] yt wyth safroun and the ferst mylk cast ther'to and boyle wel and serve yt forth. [ ] fishday. [ ] white. [ ] perhaps, _colour_. xxxi. for to make blank de syry [ ]. tak almande mylk and flowre of rys. tak thereto sugur and boyle thys togedere and dische yt and tak almandys and wet hem in water of sugur and drye hem in a panne and plante hem in the mete and serve yt forth. [ ] vide ad no. . of part i. xxxii. for to make a pynade or pyvade. take hony and rotys of radich and grynd yt smal in a morter and do yt thereto that hony a quantite of broun sugur and do thereto. tak powder of peper and safroun and almandys and do al togedere boyl hem long and hold [ ] yt in a wet bord and let yt kele and messe yt and do yt forth [ ]. [ ] i.e. _keep_, as in next number. [ ] this recipe is ill expressed. xxxiii. for to make a balourgly [ ] broth. tak pikys and spred hem abord and helys zif thou hast fle hem and ket hem in gobettys and seth hem in alf wyn [ ] and half in water. tak up the pykys and elys and hold hem hote and draw the broth thorwe a clothe do powder of gyngener peper and galyngale and canel into the broth and boyle yt and do yt on the pykys and on the elys and serve yt forth. [ ] this is so uncertain in the original, that i can only guess at it. [ ] perhaps, _alf in wyn_, or dele _in_ before _water_. explicit de coquina que est optima medicina. index and glossary to mr. brander's roll of cookery. the numbers relate to the order of the recipes. n.b. many words are now written as one, which formerly were divided, as al so, up on, &c. of these little notice is taken in the index, but i mention it here once for all. our orthography was very fluctuating and uncertain at this time, as appears from the different modes of spelling the same words, v. to gedre; v. wayshe; v. ynowkz; v. chargeant; v. coraunte; &c. a. a. abounds, a gode broth, . , al a nyzt, . _in_. a two, . an. and. passim. aftir. proem, like, , wiclif. aray. dress, set forth, . chaucer. alf. ms. ed. . ii. . half. alye it. . . mix, thicken, hence _alloy_ of metals. from french _allayer_. alay, . aly, ms. ed. . see junij etymolog. v. alaye. lye. here no. . lyed. thickened. ms. ed. , . randle holme interprets lyth or lything by thickening. hence lyour. a mixture, . alith_ for alyed. ms. editor. no. . awey. ms. ed. . ii. . away. auance. . forte avens. _caryophylla_, miller, gard. dict. axe. ms. ed. no. . chaucer. ayren. v. eyren. al, alle. . . proem. all. chaucer, _al to brest_. all burst. ms. ed. no. . als. ms. editor. no. . chaucer, in v. it means _as_. almandes. . very variously written at this time, almaunde, almandys, almaundys, almondes, all which occur in ms. ed. and mean almond or almonds. almaund mylke. . almonds blanched and drawn thickish with good broth or water, no. . is called _thyk mylke_, . and is called after almaunde mylke, first and second milk, . almaunds unblaunched, ground, and drawn with good broth, is called mylke, . cow's milk was sometimes used instead of it, as ms. ed. i. . creme of almands how made, . of it, lel. coll. vi. p. . we hear elsewhere of almond-butter, v. butter. azeyn. . again. lel. coll. iv. p. . alibi. chaucer. a.s. [anglo- saxon: azen]. aneys, anyse, . . aneys in confit rede other whyt, . . i.e. anis or aniseed confectioned red, or white, used for garnish, . amydon. . v. ad locum. almony. . v. ad locum. almayne. . germany, v. ad loc. ms. editor, no. . . alkenet. . a species of buglos. quincey, dispens. p. . . used for colouring, . . fryed and yfoundred, or yfondyt, . . anoon. . anon, immediately. wiclif. arn. ms. ed. ii. . are. chaucer, v. _arne_. adoun. . . down. v. chaucer, voce _adoune_. ms. edit. no. i. avysement. proem. advice, direction. chaucer. french. aymers. . embers. sax. [anglo-saxon: aemyrian], cineres. belg. _ameren_. aquapatys. . a mess or dish. alker. rys alker. ms. ed. ii. . appulmoy. . a dish. v. ad loc. appelyn, applys, apples. ms. ed. . . abrode. . abrod. ms. ed. ii. . abroad. so _brode_. ms. ed. . broad. alite. v. lite. ale. . v. pref. aside. . apart. wiclif. aysell. , . a species of vinegar. wiclif. chaucer, v. _eisel_. alegar. . armed. . v. ad loc. alygyn. v. brewet. b. bacon. no. i. benes. i. alibi beans. chaucer, v. _bene_. bef. . ms. ed. . beef, buf, buff. ms. ed. . , . buth. . . . alibi, been, are. chaucer has _beth_. ben. ms. ed. . . be. chaucer v. _bein_ and _ben_. balles. . balls or pellets. blank desire. , . bis. lel. coll. vi. p. . in no. , we meet with _blank desne_, but the contents has _desire_, which is right, as appears from the sequel. in ms. ed. . it is _blank-surry_, and _sury_, and _sure_, and _de sur_. ii. . de syry, . and here no. , it is dessorre. and we have _samon in sorry_. lel. coll. vi. p. . perches, ibid. eels p. . . where it is a potage. whence i conceive it either means _de surrey_, i. e. syria, v. chaucer. v. _surrey_. or it may mean _to be desired_, as we have _horsys of desyr_. lel. coll. iv. p. . see no. . and it is plainly written _desire_ in godwin de præsul. p. . in this case, the others are all of them corruptions. blank dessorre. v. blank desire. blank desne. v. blank desire. berandyles. ms. ed. . bred, breed. ms. ed. passim. bread. bove. . above. chaucer. belg. _boven_. blode. . alibi. blod. ms. ed. . blood. batour. . of eggs, . . batur, . batour. ibid. . batter. boter. ms. ed. . butter. borage. . betes. . beets. fr. _bete_. bursen. n. name of a dish. bursews, no. , is a different dish. brek. ms. ed. . . break, bruise. brest, breste. ms. ed. . . burst. bukkennade. . a dish. buknade, . where it means a mode of dressing. vide ms. ed. . . bryddes. . briddes, . . birds, per metathesin. chaucer. brawn of capons. . . flesh. braun. ms. ed. . v. chaucer, we now say, _brawn of the arm_, meaning the flesh. hence _brawn-fall'n_. old plays, xi. p. . lylie's euphues, p. . . chaucer. brawn is now appropriated to these rolls which are made of brawn or boar, but it was not so anciently, since in no. we have _brawn of swyne_, which shews the word was common to other kinds of flesh as well as that of the boar; and therefore i cannot agree with dr. wallis in deducing _brawn _ from _aprugna_. blank maunger. . . chaucer writes _blank manger_. blomanger. ms. ed. . . . ii. . n. b. a very different thing from what we make now under that name, and see holme, iii. p. . bronchis. ms. ed. . branches. braan. ms. ed. ii. . bran. bet. ms. ed. ii. . beaten. broche. ms. ed. . a spit. brewet of almony. . v. almony. of ayrenn, or eggs, . ms. ed. . eles in brewet, . where it seems to be composed of bread and wine. muskles in brewet, . hens in bruet, ms. ed. . cold, . . bruet and brewet are french _brouet_, pottage or broth. bruet riche, lel. coll. iv. p. . _beorwete_, p. , as i take it. _blanche brewet de alyngyn_, ms. ed. . . boon. . bone. chaucer. brennyng. . . burning, per metathesin, from _bren_ or _brenne_, used by skelton, in the invective against wolsey, and many old authors. hence the disease called brenning or burning. motte's abridgement of phil. trans. part iv. p. . reid's abridgement, part iii. p. . wiclif has _brenne_ and _bryne_. chaucer, v. _bren_, _brinne_, &c. blake. . black. chaucer. berst. . . . burst. chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: berstan]. breth. . air, steam. ms. ed. n° . hence _brether_, breather. wiclif. bronn. . brown. a.s. [anglo-saxon: brun]. butter. . . . . boter, ms. ed. . and so _boutry_ is buttery. lel. coll. iv. p. . _almonde butter_. lel. vi. p. . rabelais, iv. c. . bynethen. . under, beneath. chaucer, bineth. bolas. . bullace. chaucer. bifore. . before. wiclif. matth. xiv. chaucer has _biforne_, and byforne. brasey. a compound sauce, . ballac broth. . brymlent. tart de brymlent. . v. ad loc. bloms. . flowers, blossoms. chaucer. bothom. . bottom, pronounced _bothom_ now in the north. chaucer, bottym, ms. ed. . brode. . broad, v. abrode. bataiwyng. . embatteling. qu. if not misread for _bataillyng_. see chaucer, v. batailed. bord. ms. ed. ii. . board. chaucer. breyt, breth. ms. ed. . . broth. blank surry. ms. ed. . ii. . v. blank desire. bismeus. ms. ed. . c. c. omitted, v. cok. v. pluk. v. pryk. v. pekok. v. phisik. v. thyk. on the contrary it often abounds, hence, schulle, should; fresch, fresh; dische, dish; schepys, sheeps; flesch, flesh; fysch, fish; scher, cheer, &c. in ms. ed. v. gl. to chaucer, v. schal. craftly. proem. properly, _secundum artem_. caboches. . alibi. cabbages. f. fr. caboche, head, pate. caraway. . v. junij etymolog. carvon. . carved, cut. corvyn, ms. ed. ii. , . cut. _corue_, i. e. corve, . cut. v. ycorve. v. kerve. canell. passim. cinamon. wiclif. v. pref. cuver. ms. ed. . cover. cumpas. by cumpas, i.e. compass, . by measure, or round. lel. coll. iv. p. . cool. . cole or colwort. belg. _kool_. corat. . name of a dish. culdore. ms. ed. . . a cullender. span. coladers. casselys. ms. ed. . cranes. . _grues_. v. ad loc. chyballes. . chibolls, . young onions. littleton. ital _cibolo_. lat. cæpula, according to menage; and see lye. colys. ms. ed. ii. see the pref. cawdel. . . caudell, contents. see junius. of muskels or muscles, . cawdel ferry, . in e. of devon's feast it is _feny_. conynges. . connynges, , . coneys, rabbets. calle. . cawl of a swine. connat. . a marmolade. v. ad loc. clowes. . cloves. v. pref. canuas, or canvass. . fr, canevas. belg. kanefas. coraunte. raysouns of coraunte. . so _rasyns of corens_, northumb. book, p. . _raisin de corinthie_. fr. i.e. of corinth, whence our currants, which are small raisins, came, and took their name. _corance_, . . _coraunce_. . _coronse_, ms. ed. . raisins are called by way of contradistinction _grete_ raysouns, . . see northumb. book, p. . coronse. v. coraunte. chargeant. . stiff. v. ad loc. ms. ed. writes _charchant_, , _charghaunt_, . _charchaunt_, . _chariaunt_. i.e. _charjaunt_, . ii. . _chariand_. i.e. _charjand_, . comyn. ms. ed. . colure. ms. ed. . to colour. coneys. . seems to be a kind of sauce. ms. ed. . but the recipe there is different, v. ad no. . chanke. ms. ed. . col, cole. . . cool, also to strain, , . alibi. ms. ed. ii. . cleared. comyn. ms. ed. ii. . come. cowche. . . lay. ms. ed. ii. . chaucer, v. couche. cynee. . a certain sauce. perhaps the same with coney. no. . plays in cynee, . sooles, . tenches, . oysters, . harys [hares] in cmee. ms. ed. . where doubtless we should read cinee, since in no. there it is _cyney_. it is much the same as _bruet_, for _sooles in cynee_ here is much the same with _solys in bruet_. ms. ed. ii. . chykens. . . chicken is a plural itself. but in ms. ed. . it is _chekenys_ also; and _chyckyns_. lel. coll. iv. p. . _checonys_ ms. ed. carnel of pork. . v. ad loc. corvyn. v. carvon. curlews. . not eaten now at good tables; however they occur in archb. nevill's feast. lel. coll. vi. p. . and see northumb. book, p. . rabelais iv. c. . and earl of devon's feast. confit, or confyt. v. aneys and colyandre. charlet. . a dish. v. ad loc. chese ruayn. . . perhaps of rouen in normandy, _rouen_ in fr. signifies the colour we call _roan_. crems. . for singular cream, written _creme_, . . crem and crym, in ms. ed. . ii. . fr. _cresme, creme_. cormarye. . a dish. qu. colyandre. . . where it is _in confyt rede_, or red. white is also used for garnish, . [anglo-saxon: celenðre], a.s. [anglo-saxon: ciliandro], span. chyryse. . a made dish of cherries, v. ad loc. cheweryes. . cherries. v. ad loc. and ms. ed. ii. . ubi _chiryes_. crotoun, . a dish. v. ad loc. crayton. v. crotoun. cleeve a two. . cloven. a.s. [anglo-saxon: cleopan]. cyrip. . sirrup. v. ad loc. chyches. . vetches, v. ad loc. chawf. warm. fr. _echauffer_, whence chaucer has _eschaufe_. clat. . a dish. qu. chef. proem, chief. fr. calwar salmoun. . v. ad loc. compost. . a preparation supposed to be always at hand. v. ad loc. comfery. . comfrey. v. ad loc. chargeours. . dishes. v. ad . chysanne. . to be eaten cold. congur. . . lel. coll. vi. p. . bis. p. . _cungeri_ are among the fish in mr. topham's ms. for the conger, little used now, see pennant. iii. p. . coffyns. . pies raised without their lids, . . . . ms. ed. ii. . . in wiclif it denotes baskets. comade. . comadore. . couertour. . coverture, lid of a pye. codlyng. . grete codelyng, . v. ad loc. chawdoun. . for swans, . _swan with chawdron_. lel. coll. iv. p. . which i suppose may be true orthography. so _swann with chaudron_. earl of devon's feast. and it appears from a ms. of mr. astle's, where we have among _sawces swanne is good with chaldron_, that _chaldron_ is a sauce. crome. . pulp, kernel. crummes. . chaucer. the crum is now the soft part of a loaf, opposed to the crust. cury. proem. cookery. we have assumed it in the title. camelyne. . a sauce. an _canelyne_, from the flour of canel? crudds. . . curds, per metathesin, as common in the north. crustards. . pies, from the _crust_. quære if our _custard_ be not a corruption of crustard; junius gives a different etymon, but whether a better, the reader must judge. crustard of fish, . of herbs, . and in the earl of devon's feast we have _un paste crustade_. cryspes. . cryspels. . v. ad loc. _fritter crispayne_, lel. coll. vi. p. . which in godwin de præsal p. . is _fruter crispin_. chawfour. . cowfer, . a chafing dish. chafer. lel. coll. iv. p. . v. junius voce _chafe_. corose. . curiously. perhaps from _cure_, to cook, chaucer has _corouse_, curious. clarry. . clary. cotagres. . a dish. v. ad loc. cok. . a cock. sic. lel. coll. iv. p. . chewets. . . a dish. rand. holme, iii. p. . , . birch, life of prince henry, p. . comadore. v. comade. chastlet. . v. ad loc. christen. proem. christian. d. do. , . put, cause. ms. ed. . . chaucer. _make_. . done, . so chaucer has _do_ for _done_. dof. do off. . draw. drawen . strained, hence . . . _drawe the grewel thurgh straynour_. to boil. . . as, _drawe hem up with gode brothe_. also . . to put, . . to make. . . as, _draw an almand mylke_. dee. . singular of dice, the fr. dè. v. quare. drepee. a dish. qu. dates. . . . the fruit. dyssh. . dish. dessorre. . v. blank desire. doust. . alibi dust. dowhz. . dowh. . dow. ms. ed. ii. , dough, paste. a.s. [anglo-saxon: dah]. douce ame. . quast a delicious dish. v. blank desire. drope. . drop, to baste. ms. ed. . dorry. sowpes dorry, . sops endorsed. from _endore_, . ms. ed. , ii. . vide ad . deel. . . part, some. v. sum. chaucer. dicayn. . v. ad loc. dokks. as _sowre dokks_, . docks. dorryle. v. pomme. daryols. . a dish. a custard baked in a crust. hear junius, v. dairie. 'g. _dariole_ dicitur libi genus, quod iisdem gallis alias nuncupatur _laicteron_ vel _stan de laict_.' desne. v. blank desire. desire. v. blank. dressit. . dressed. dresse. ms. ed. . et passim. chaucer in voce. hence ydressy. ms. ed. ii. . dysis. ms. ed. . dice. v. quare. demembre, dimembre. ms. ed. . dismember. dows, douze. ms. ed. . ii. . drong. ms. ed. . drunk. e. e. with _e_ final after the consonant, for _ea_, as brede, bread; benes, beans; bete, beat; breke, break; creme, cream; clere, clear; clene, clean; mede, mead; mete, meat; stede, stead; whete, wheat; &c. e with _e_ final after the consonant, for _ee_, as betes, beets; chese, cheese; depe, deep; fete, feet; grene, green; nede, needful; swete, sweet. endorre. ms. ed. . endorse. ete. . eat. _eten_, . eaten. _etyn_. ms. ed. . a.s. [anglo-saxon: etan]. ms. ed. . oat. enforse. ms. ed. ii. . seasoned. erbes. . herbs; _herb's_, . _erbys_, . eerbis, . eyren, and ayren. , . . eyryn, s. ed. . eggs. 'a merchant at the n. foreland in kent asked for eggs, and the good wyf answerede, that she coude speak no frenshe--another sayd, that he wolde have _eyren_, then the good wyf sayd that she understood hym wel.' caxton's virgil, in lewis' life of caxton, p. . who notes 'see sewel's 'dictionary, v. _ey_.' add, urry's chaucer, v. aye and eye. note here the old plural _en_, that _eggs_ is sometimes used in our roll, and that in wicht _eye_, or _ey_ is the singular, and in the _germ_. see chaucer. v. _aie_, and _ay_. eowts. . v. ad loc. egurdouce. . v. ad loc. of fysshe, . egge dows, ms. ed. . malè. egerduse. ibid. ii. . our no. , is really an eagerdouce, but different from this here. a seville orange is aigre-douce. cotgrave. esy. . easy. eselich, . easily. chaucer. eny. . . any. elena campana. . i.e. enula campana, _elecampane_. erbowle. . a dish. v. ad loc. erbolat. . a dish. v. ad loc. eerys, eris. . . . ears. _eyr_. ms. ed. . chaucer has _ere_ and _eris_. elren. . elder. _eller_, in the north, without _d_. erne. . qu. euarund. ms. ed. . eelys. . eels. _elys_, _helys_. ms. ed. ii. . . _elis_. chaucer. f. forced. . farced, stuft. we now say, _forc'd-meat_, yfarced, , . _enforsed_. ms. ed. ii. . _fors_, . called _fars_, . it seems to mean _season_, no. . mixt. where potage is said to be _forced_ with powdour-douce. fort. passim. strong. chaucer. fresee. ms. ed. . fenkel. . . _fenel_, . . _fenell_, . fennel. germ. venikol. belg. venckel. forme. proem. . forme. funges. . mushrooms, from the french. cotgrave. holme iii. p. . the romans were fond of them. fesants. . . fynelich wel. . very wel, constantly. fro. . ms. ed. . chaucer. from. so therfro. . lel. coll. iv. p. . chaucer. fleysch. . fleissh, . flesh, a.s. [anglo-saxon: þlæþe]. germ. _fleisc_. feneboyles. ms. ed. ii. . fyletts. . fillets. florish and flour. . . . garnish. lel. coll. vi. p. . . chaucer, v. floure. foyles. . rolled paste. _foyle of dowhz_, . . et per se, . . _foile of paste_, . leaves of sage, . chaucer. v. ad . hence carpe in foile. lel. coll. iv. p. . _a dolphin in foyle_, _a suttletie_. vi. p. . _lyng in foyle_, p. . _cunger_. ibid. _samon_. ibid. _sturgen_. p. . et v. p. . n.b. foyle in these cases means paste. fars. v. forced. fle. . flea, flaw. ms. ed. ii. . flawe, flein, flain, flawed. . . . fonnell. . a dish. frot. ms. ed. ii. . rub, shake, _frote_, chaucer. feyre. . ms. ed. ii. . . _feir_. chaucer. fair. ferthe. . fourth, hence ferthing or farthing. furmente. . . _furmenty_, ms. ed. i. _formete_. ibid. . _formenty_, ib. ii. . from lat. _frumentum_, per metathesin; whence called more plausibly _frumity_ in the north, and frumetye in lel. collect. iv. p. . vi. p. . . . but see junius, v. formetie. frenche. . a dish. v. ad loc. fest. ms. ii. . feast. chaucer. fygey. . because made of figs. fygs drawen. . ms. ed. ii. . found. . mix. dissolve, . fond. . v. y fonded. lye, in junii etym. v. founder. fete. . chaucer. fet, ms. ed. . feet. flaumpeyns. . . ferst. ms. ed. ii. . first. fanne. . to fan or winnow. a.s. [anglo-saxon: pann], vannus. frytour. , , . fruturs. ms. ed. . . fritters. _fruter_, lel. coll. iv. p. . frytor. vi. p. . flaunne. . flownys. ms. ed. ii. . fr. flans, custards. chaucer. v. slaunnis. et v. junium voce _flawn_. feel. . hold, contain, perhaps same as _feal_, occultare, abscondere, for which see junii etymol. fuyre. . fire. _fyr fort_. . a strong fire. _fere_, chaucer. _fyer_, lel. coll. iv. p. . belg. _vuyn_, _fere_. ms. ed. . ferry. v. cawdel. flowr, flowre. ms. ed. . . flour. fronchemoyle. ms. ed. . froys. ms. ed. . fraise. farsure. ms. ed. . stuffing. forsy. ms. ed. . season. g. gronden. . . ground or beaten. _to grynde_ is to cut or beat small. . . . for compare . yground . . . to pound or beat in a mortar. . ms. ed. . gode. no. . alibi, good, strong. chaucer. _god_, ms. ed. passim. grete. mynced. . not too small. _gretust_, . greatest. _gret_, ms. ed. . and chaucer. gourdes. . fr. gouhourde. gobettes. . . gobbettys, gobettis. ms. ed. . alibi. chaucer. _gobbins_, holme iii. p. , . large pieces. wiclif. junii etym. grees. . . grece, . alibi. ms. ed. . . . alibi, whyte grece, . fat, lard, conys of high grece. lel. coll. iv. p. . qu. gravey. , . _grave_. ms. ed. ii. . _gravy_. lel. coll. vi. p. . galyntyne. . . a preparation seemingly made of galingale, &c. . and thence to take its name. see a recipe for making it, . as also in ms. ed. . bread of galyntyne, . soupes of galyntyne, . lampervey in galantine. lel. coll. iv. p. . vi. p. . swanne, vi. p. . garlete and garlec. . . garlick. a.s. [anglo-saxon: garleac]. grapes. . . galyngale. . the powder, . the long-rooted cyperus. gl. to chaucer. see northumberland book, p. . gleyre. of ayrenn. . the white, from fr. glaire. chaucer. _lear_ or _leir_ of an egg. holme interprets it _the white beaten into a foam_. goon. . ms. ed. . go. belg. _gaen_. gylofre. . gelofre. ms. ed. . cloves; for see no. , . . there; from gr. [greek: charuophullon]. gyngawdry. . a dish. grave. ms. ed. ii. . gravey. gele. , . jelly. fr. gelée. gawdy grene. . perhaps, light green. gurnards. . greynes de parys. . and so chaucer, meaning _greynes de paradys_, or greater cardamoms. see dr. percy on northumb. book, p. . chaucer has _greines_ for _grains_. and belg. greyn. grate. . v. i or y grated. gastbon. . f. _gastbon_, quasi _wastbon_, from _wastel_ the finest bread, which see. hence the fr. gasteau. gyngynyr, gyngenyr, gyngyner, gyngener. ms. ed. , . . . ginger. gyngyner-bred, . grotys. ms. ed. ii. oat-meal grotes, i.e. grits. grydern, grydern, gredern. ms. ed. . . ii. . h. h. for _th_, as hem, them; her, their; passim. _hare_, . chaucer. wiclif. it is sometimes omitted; as _wyt_ and _wyte_, white. sometimes abounds, as schaldyd. ms. ed. . ii. scalded. v. _thowehe_. hye. proem. high. _hy_, ms. ed. . a.s. [anglo-saxon: heah]. hem. , . i.e. hem; them. lye in junii etym. hulle. . a verb, to take off the husk or skin. littleton. hence hulkes, husks or _hulls_, as . _holys_, ms. ed. . sax. helan, to cover. v. lye in junii etym. v. hull. hulkes. v. hulle. hewe. . cut, mince. _yhewe_, . minced, hewn. ms. ed. . . _hewin_, chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: heþyan]. hakke. . ms. ed. . hack, bruise. junii etym. v. hack. ms. ed. has also _hak_ and _hac_. hebolace. . name of a dish. herdeles. ms. ed. . hurdles. hennes. . . including, i presume, the whole species, as _malard_ and _pekok_ do below. hool. . . alibi. _hole_, . . _hoole_, . whole. chaucer has hole, hool, and hoolich; and wiclif, _hole_ and _hool_. ms. ed. has _hol_ and _hole_. hooles. . holes. holsomly. proem, wholesomely. herthe. ms. ed. . earth. hit. . . . it. hytt. northumb. book, p. . _hit_, gloss. wiclif. in marg. a.s. [anglo-saxon: hit]. hoot. . alibi. hot. hares. . hoggepot. . v. ad loc. hochee. . hachè, fr. but there is nothing to intimate cutting them to pieces. hersyve. ms. ed. ii. . hair-sieve. _her_ is _hair_ in chaucer. helde. . . throw, cast, put. v. . _heelde_, poured, shed. wiclif. and lye in junii etym. v. held. holde. . make, keep. ms. ed. ii. , . hawtheen. . hawthorn. junius, v. haw. hatte. . bubling, wallop. quasi _the hot_, as in chaucer. from a.sax. [anglo-saxon: hatt]. hong. . hing, or hang. chaucer. ms. ed. . honde. . hand. chaucer. so in derbyshire now. heps. . fruit of the canker-rose. so now in derbyshire, and v. junius, voce _hippes_. hake. . . a fish. v. ad loc. hilde. . to skin, from to hull, to scale a fish, . vide . . compared with ms. ed. ii. . herons. . ms. ed. . holme, iii. p. , . but little used now. heronsew. lel. coll. iv. p. . _heronshawe_. vi. p. i. heronsews. chaucer. the poulterer was to have in his shop _ardeas sive airones_, according to mr. topham's ms. written about . and _heronns_ appear at e. of devon's feast. holke. . qu. hollow. hertrowee. . a dish. _hert_ is _the hart_ in chaucer, a.s. [anglo-saxon: heort]. hi. ms. ed. . they. hevyd. ms. ed. . v. ad loc. hom. ms. ed. . home. i. i. . for e. proem. so _ith_ for _eth_. ibid. in. . et sæpius. in. _inne_, . alibi. jushell. . a dish. v. ad loc. is. plur. for es. . . proem. nomblys. ms. ed. . nombles. v. pees. rosys, , roses. i. for y. v. y. iowtes. v. eowtes. irne. . _iren_, chaucer. and the saxon. iron. juys. . . _jus_, ms. ed. ii. . the fr. word, _ieuse_, chaucer. k. kerve. . cut. _kerf_, . ms ed. . v. carvon, and chaucer, voc. carfe, karft, kerve, kerft. kydde. . flesh of a kid. kedys. ms. ed. . kids. keel. . . . ms. ed. . gl. to chaucer and wiclif, to cool. kyt. . alibi. ms. ed. . _ket_, ibid. ii. . to cut. _kyted_, cut. lel. coll. iv. p. . chaucer, v. _kitt_. keintlick. v. queintlick. kyrnels. . a species of battlements, from _kernellare_; for which see spelman, du fresne, and chaucer. kever. ms. ed. . cover. kaste, kest. ms. ed. . . cast. v. ad loc. kow. ms. ed. . cow. l. l. for ll. ms. ed. sæpe. lat. . . alibi. ms. ed. , . let. chaucer. belg. _laten. latyn_. ms. ed, ii. . _let_. lire, and lyre. . . . ms. ed. sæpe. the fleshy part of meat. a.s. [anglo-sxon: lire]. see lyre in junii etymol. also a mixture, as _dough of bread and raw eggs_, . hence 'drawe a lyre of brede, blode, vyneg, and broth,' . so lyour and layour. ii. . all from _lye_, which see. lay seems to mean _mix_, . as _layour_ is mixture, . lye it up. . to mix; as _alye_, which see. leke. in sing. . . leeks. langdebef. . an herb. v. ad loc. _longdobeefe_ northumberland book. p. . bugloss. lytel. . passim. _litul_ and _litull_, . . 'a litel of vynegar,' . of lard, . loseyns, losyns. . . on fish-day, . a lozenge is interpreted by cotgrave, 'a little square cake of preserved herbs, flowers, &c.' but that seems to have no concern here. _lozengs_. lel. coll. iv. p. . lyche. . like. _lichi_. wiclif. _lich_. chaucer. _ylich_. idem. lombe. . lamb. hence wiclif, _lomberen_, lambs. chaucer, and germ. leche lumbard. . from the country doubtless, as the mustard, no. . see also lel. coll. vi. p. . . _leches_. ms. ed. . are cakes, or pieces. rand. holme makes _leach_, p. . to be 'a kind of jelly made of cream, ising-glass, sugar, and almonds, &c.' the _lessches_ are fried, . v. yleeshyd. _leyse damask_. lel. coll. iv. p. . _leche baked_. vi. p. . _partriche leiche_. ibid. _leche damaske_. ibid. see also, p. . _leche florentine_, p. . _leche comfort_. ibid. _leche gramor_. ibid. leche cypres, p. . which in godwin de præsul. p. . is _sipers_, malè. lete lardes. . v. ad loc. lave. . wash. leyne. . a layer. lewe water. . lews water, ms. ed. ii. . warm; see gloss. to wiclif. and junius. v. lukewarm. lumbard mustard. . from the country. v. leche. how made, no. . lef. ms. ed. . leave. _lefe_, chaucer. lite. . a few, _alite_, as they speak in the north. chaucer, v. lite, and lyte, and mr. lye in his junius. laumpreys. . lampreys, an eel-like sea fish. pennant, brit. zool. iii. p. . laumprons. . the _pride_. pennant, ibid. p. . see lel. coll. vi. p. . . bis . mr. topham's ms. has _murenulas sive lampridulas_. looches, loches. . . the fish. lardes of swyne. . i.e. of bacon. hence _lardid_, . and _lardons_. ms. ed. . . from the fr. which cotgrave explains _slices of lard_, i.e. bacon. vide ad . lorere tre. ms. ed. . laurel tree. chaucer. lyuours. . livers. a.s. [anglo-saxon: lyper]. led. ms. ed. . carry. _lide_, chaucer. lenton. . lent. lynger. . longer. chaucer has _longer_ and _lengir_. v. lange. lopuster, lopister. ms. ed. ii. . . v. junii etymolog. lust. as, hym lust. proem, he likes. chaucer, v. lest. lewys. ms. ed. . leaves. lefe, chaucer. v. lef. lie. liquor. chaucer. ms. ed. . ley. ms. ed. . lay. lese, les. ms. ed, . ii. , . pick. to _lease_, in kent, is to glean. m. make. . ms. ed. . . ii. . to dress. _make forth_, . to do. ms. ed. ii. . monchelet. . a dish. mylk, melk. ms. ii. . milk of almonds, . . . alibi. moton. . ms. ed. . mutton, see lel. coll. iv. p. . flemish. _motoen_. mawmenee. . . a dish. v. ad loc. how made, . _mamane_. lel. coll. iv. p. . mamonie. vi. p. . . royal, . manmene, ms. ed. , . _mamenge_. e. of devon's feast. morterelys. v. mortrews. medle. . . alibi. to mix. wiclif. chaucer. messe. to messe the dysshes, . messe forth, . morre. . ms. ed. . ii. . a dish. v. ad loc. mortrews. . _mortrews blank_, . of fish, . _morterelys_, ms. ed. . where the recipe is much the same. 'meat made of boiled hens, crummed bread, yolk of eggs, and safron, all boiled together,' speght ad chaucer. so called, says skinner, who writes it _mortress_, because the ingredients are all pounded together in a mortar. moscels. . morsels. chaucer has _morcills_. moscels is not amiss, as _mossil_ in chaucer is the muzle or mouth. mete. . a.s. and chaucer. meat. _meetis_, proem. meats. it means also _properly_, ms. ed. ii. . chaucer. myng. . ms. ed. . _ming_, . meng, . . ms. ed. . chaucer. to mix. so _mung_, . is to stir. wiclif. v. mengyng. a.s. [anglo-saxon: mengan]. morow. at morow. . in the morning. ms. ed. . a morrow, chaucer. on the morow. lei. coll. iv. p. . makke. . a dish. meel, mele. . . meal. _melis_, meals. chaucer. belg. _meel_. macrows. . maccharone. vide ad locum. makerel. . muskles, muskels. . muscles. a.s. [anglo-saxon: murcule]. malard, maulard. . meaning, i presume, both sexes, as ducks are not otherwise noticed. holme, iii. p. . and mr. topham's ms. mylates, whyte. . a dish of pork, . myddell. . midle. _myddes_. . the same. mawe. . stomach of a swine. chaucer. junii etym. moold. . mould. maziozame. . marjoram. see the various orthographies in junius, v. majoram. male marrow. . qu. moyle. v. ris. v. fronchemoyle. mulberries. . . v. morree. myce, myse. ms. ed. . . mince, myed. ii. . minced, ymyed, . for ymyced. myney, ii. . myneyd, ii. . mo. ms. ed. . more. chaucer. maner. _of_ omitted. ms. ed. . , . ii. . . mad, ymad. ms. ed. ii. . made. mychil. ms. ed. , much. chaucer, v. moche. junius v. mickel. myntys. ms. ed. ii. . mint. _myntys_, brit. n. a nost, i. crasis of _an oste_, or kiln; frequent in kent, where _hop-oste_ is the kiln for drying hops. 'oost or east: the same that kiln or kill, somersetshire, and elsewhere in the west,' ray. so _brykhost_ is a brick-kiln in old parish-book of _wye_ in kent, h. viii. 'we call _est_ or _oft_ the place in the house, where the smoke ariseth; and in some manors _austrum_ or _ostrum_ is that, where a fixed chimney or flew anciently hath been,' ley, in hearne's cur. disc. p. . _mannors_ here means, i suppose manor-houses, as is common in the north. hence _haister_, for which see northumb. book, p. . . and chaucer, v. estris. noumbles. . . entrails of any beast, but confined now to those of a deer. i suspect a crasis in the case, quasi _an umble_, singular for what is plural now, from lat. _umbilicus_. we at this day both say and write _umbles_. _nombles_, ms. ed. . where it is _nomblys of the venyson_, as if there were other nomblys beside. the fr. write nombles. non. . no. chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: nan]. nyme. . take, _recipe_. sax. niman. chaucer. used in ms. ed. throughout. see junius. v. nim. notys. . wallenotes, . so _not_, ms. ed. ii. . chaucer. belg. note. nysebek. . a dish. quasi, nice for the _bec_, or mouth. nazt, nozt. ms. ed. . not. o. oynons. . . . fr. oignons. onions. orage. . orache. other, oother. , . . . ms ed. sæpe. chaucer. wiclif. a.s. [anglo-saxon: oþer]. or. on, oon. . . alibi. in. as in the saxon. _one_ ms. ed . ii. . chaucer. obleys. . a kind of wafer, v. ad loc. onys. ms. ed. . once, _ones_, chaucer, v. _atones_, and _ones_. onoward, onaward. . . . onward, upon it. of. omitted, as powder gynger, powder gylofre, powder galyngale. abounds, v. lytel. oot. . alibi. oat. otyn. ms. ed. ii. oaten. opyn. ms. ed. . open. offall. . _exta_, giblets. oystryn. ms. ed. ii. . oysters. of. proem. by. ochepot. v. hochepot. ovene. i. oven. a.s. [anglo-saxon: oren]. belg. oven. _ vyn_, ms. ed. ii. . olyve, de olyve, olyf, dolyf, ms. ed. olive. owyn. ms. ed. . own. p. plurals increase a syllable, almandys, yolkys, cranys, pecokys, &c. so now in kent in words ending in _st_. this is saxon, and so chaucer. plurals in _n_, pisyn, hennyn, appelyn, oystrin. powdon douce. . pref. powdon fort. , ii. v. pref. pasturnakes. . seems to mean _parsnips_ or carrots, from _pastinaca_. _pasternak of rasens_, . of apples, . means pastes, or paties. persel. . . alibi. _persele_ ms. ed. ii. . fr. _persil_. parsley. parcyle. ms. ed. . pyke, pike. . . pick. chaucer, v. pik. pluk. . pluck, pull. a.s. [anglo-saxon: pluccian]. pellydore. . v. ad loc. peletour. . v. ad . paast. ms. ed. ii. . paste. potell. . pottle. pyncs. . alibi, v. pref. pecys. . alibi. _pece_, . _pecis_, ms. ed. . chaucer. pieces, piece, i. peper. . . ms. ed. i . has _pepyr_. pip. . . ms. ed. . _pepper_. a.s. [anglo-saxon: peopor] and [anglo-saxon: pipor]. papdele. . a kind of sauce. probably from _papp_, a kind of _panada_. pise, pisyn, ms. ed. . pease. peers. . . _pers_, . perys, ms. ed. ii. . pears. pery, a pear tree, chaucer. possynet. . . a posnet. partruches. . . _partyches_, contents. partridges. _perteryche_, e. of devon's feast. panne. . . a pan. a.s. [anglo-saxon: panna]. payndemayn. . . where it is _pared_. flour. . . , white bread. chaucer. par. ms. ed. . pare. peions. . . pigeons. if you take _i_ for _j_, it answers to modern pronunciation, and in e. of devon's feast it is written pejonns, and pyjonns. pynnonade. . from the pynes of which it is made. v. pynes. _pynade_ or _pivade_. ms. ed. ii. . pryk. . prick. pettels. . legs. we now say _the pestels of a lark_. of veneson, lel. collect. iv. p. . qu. a corruption of _pedestals_. payn foindew. . _fondew_, contents, v. ad loc. peskodde. . hull or pod of pease, used still in the north. v. coddis in wiclif, and coddes in junii etymolog. payn ragoun. . a dish. qu. payn puff, or puf. . _payne puffe_. e. of devon's feast. pownas. . a colour. qu. v. preface. porpays, porpeys. . . salted, . roasted, . _porpus_ or porpoise. _porpecia_, spelm. gl. v. geaspecia, which he corrects _seaspecia_. it is surprising he did not see it must be _graspecia_ or _craspiscis_, i.e. _gros_ or _crassus piscis_, any large fish; a common term in charters, which allow to religious houses or others the produce of the sea on their coasts. see du cange in vocibus. we do not use the porpoise now, but both these and seals occur in archb. nevill's feast. see rabelais, iv. c. . and i conceive that the _balænæ_ in mr. topham's ms. means the porpus. perrey. . v. ad loc. pesoun. , . _ pise, pisyn.,_ ms. ed. . pease. brit. _pysen._ partye. . _a partye,_ i.e. some. ms. ed. . chaucer. porrectes. . an herb. v. ad loc. purslarye. . purslain. pochee. . a dish of poached eggs, v. junius, voce _poach._ powche. . crop or stomach of a fish. _paunches,_ , . pyke. ici. the fish. v. ad loc. plays. . . . plaise; the fish. _places,_ lel. coll. vi. p. . pelettes. . balls. pellets. pelotys. ms. ed. . paunch. v. powche. penne. . a feather, or pin. ms. ed. . wiclif. v. pennes. pekok. . peacock. _pekokys,_ ms. ed. . where same direction occurs. pekok. lel. coll. iv. p. . presse. . to press. chaucer. pyner. . qu. v. pref. prunes. . junius in v. _prunes and damysyns._. . _prunes damysyns_. . . _primes,_ . should be corrected _prunes._ prunys, ms. ed. ii. . _prognes._ lel. coll. vi. p. . _ prune orendge,_ an orange plumb, p. . _prones,_ northumb. book, p. . plant it with prunes, . stick it, lel. coll. vi. p. . . as the trade with damascus is mentioned in the preface, we need not wonder at finding the plumbs here. primes, v. prunes. prews of gode past. . qu. potews. . a dish named from the pots used. pety peruant. . _petypanel, a marchpayne._ lel. coll. vi. p. . parade. hole parade. . qu. plater. ms. ed. ii. . platter. puff. v. payn. phitik. proem. physick. poumegarnet. . poungarnetts, ms. ed. . powmis gernatys. ibid. . pomgranates, per metathesin. penche. ms. ed. . partyns. ms. ed. . parts. pommedorry. ms. ed. . poundorroge, . _pomes endoryd_. e. of devon's feast. pommys morles. ms. ed. ii. . porreyne. ms. ed. ii. . porrey chapeleyn, . q. quare. . it seems to mean to quarter, or to square, to cut to pieces however, and may be the same as to _dyce_. . . dice at this time were very small: a large parcel of them were found under the floor of the hall of one of the temples, about , and were so minute as to have dropt at times through the chinks or joints of the boards. there were near pair of ivory, scarce more than two thirds as large as our modern ones. the hall was built in the reign of elizabeth. to _quare_ is from the fr. quarrer; and _quayre_ or _quaire_, subst. in chaucer, skelton, p. . . is a book or pamphlet, from the paper being in the quarto form. see annal. dunstap. p. , ames, typ. antiq. p. . . hence our quire of paper. the later french wrote _cahier_, _cayer_, for i presume this may be the same word. hence, _kerve hem to dyce_, into small squares, . _dysis_, ms. ed. . quybibes. . quibibz. ms. ed. . alibi. cubebs. quentlich. . keyntlich, . nicely, curiously. chaucer. v. _queintlie_. quayle. . perhaps, cool. it seems to mean fail or miscarry. lel. coll. vi. p. ii. sink or be dejected, p. . see junius, v. quail. queynchehe. . f. queynch. but qu. r. r. and its vowel are often transposed. v. bryddes, brennyng, crudds, poumegarnet, &c. rapes. . turneps. lat. _rapa_, or _rapum_. vide junium in voce. ryse. . . rys, . alibi. ms. ed. . ryys, . the flower, . rice. fr. ris. belg. riis. roo. . roe, the animal. rede. . alibi, red. a.s. [anglo-saxon: read]. roost. . alibi, rowsted, . substantive, . to rost. belg. roosten. rether. ms. ed. . a beast of the horned kind. ramme. . to squeeze. but qu. rennyns. . perhaps, _rennyng_, i. e. thin, from _renne_, to run. leland itin. i. p. , . alibi. skelton, p. . . alibi. indeed most of our old authors. lel. coll. iv. p. , . chaucer. ruayn. v. chese. rape. . a dish with no turneps in it. quære if same as _rapil_, holme iii. p. . rapy, ms. ed. . resmolle. . a dish. v. ad loc. ryal. . _ryallest_. proem. royal. lel. coll. iv. p. . . vi. p. . bis. . chaucer. v. rial. rote. . root. _rotys_, ms. ed. . chaucer. junius, v. root. roo broth. ms. ed. . roche. . the fish. lel. coll. vi. p. . rygh. . a fish. perhaps the ruffe. rawnes. . roes of fish. _lye_ in junius. v. roan. rest. ms. ed. rustied, of meat. restyn, restyng. no. . rustiness. junius. v. restie. rasyols. . a dish. _ransoles_. holme iii. p. . reyn. ms. ed. . rain. chaucer. rysshews. . name of a dish. qu. rew de rumsey. ms. ed. . ryne hem on a spyt. . run them on a spit. rosty. ms. ed. . rost. rounde. . round. french. rosee. . a dish. v. ad loc. resenns. . raysons, . raisins. used of currants, . v. ad loc. _reysons_, _reysins_. ms. ed. ii. . . _rassens_ pottage, is in the second course at archp. nevill's feast. s. spine. v. spynee. sue forth. . et passim. serue. . . from this short way of writing, and perhaps speaking, we have our _sewers_, officers of note, and _sewingeis_, serving, lel. coll. iv. p. . unless mis-written or mis-printed for _shewinge_. slype. ii. slip or take off the outer coat. a.s. [anglo-saxon: slipan]. skyrwates. . . skirrits or skirwicks. savory. . sauuay. . . sawey. . self. . same, made of itself, as self-broth, . the owne broth, . ms. ed. . . chaucer. seth. passim. ms. ed. i, . chaucer, to seeth. a.s. [anglo-saxon: seothan]. seyt. ms. ed. i. to strain. . . smite and smyte. . . . cut, hack. a.s. [anglo-saxon: smitan]. sode. v. ysode. storchion. ms. ed. ii. . v. fitz-stephen. p. . sum. . sumdell, . somdel, . some, a little, some part. chaucer has _sum_, and _somdele_. a.s. [anglo-saxon: sum]. saunders. . used for colouring. ms. ed. . v. northumb. book, p. . sandall wood. the translators of that very modern book the arabian nights entertainments, frequently have _sanders_ and sandal wood, as a commodity of the east. swyne. . alibi. pork or bacon. ms. ed. . bacon, on the contrary, is sometimes used for the animal. old plays, ii. p. . gloss. ad x script. in v. see. ms. ed. . sea. chaucer. sawge. . _sauge_, . ms. ed. . sage. _pigge en sage_. e. of devon's feast. shul. . schul. ms. ed. . should, as no. . schulle, schullyn. ms. ed. . . sawse madame. . qu. sauce. sandale. ms. ed. . sawse sarzyne. . v. ad loc. serpell. . wild thyme. _serpyllum_. sawse blancke. . sawse noyre. . . sawse verde. . sow. . to sew, _suere_. also . a.s. [anglo-saxon: siwian]. stoppe. . . to stuff. swyng. . . alibi. ms. ed. . . alibi. to shake, mix. a.s. [anglo-saxon: swengan]. sewe. . . . sowe. . . alibi. ms. ed. . chaucer. liquor, broth, sous. wiclif. a.s. [anglo-saxon: seaþ]. v. lye in d alphabet. schyms. ms. ed. . pieces. stondyng. , . . stiff, thick. smale. . alibi. small. lel. coll. iv. p. . spynee. . v. ad loc. straw. . strew. a.s. [anglo-saxon: streawian]. sklyse. . a slice, or flat stick for beating any thing. junius. v. sclise. siryppe. . v. ad loc. styne. . perhaps to close. v. ystyned. a.s. [anglo-saxon: tynan]. stere. . . to stir. chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: styrian]. sithen. . ssithen, . then. chaucer. v. seth and sithe. a.s. [anglo-saxon: siððan]. sithtyn, sethe, seth, syth. ms. ed. _then_. salat. a sallad. saladis, sallads. chaucer. junius, v. salad. slete soppes. . slit. a.s. [anglo-saxon: slitan]. spryng. . to sprinkle. wiclif. v. sprenge. a.s. [anglo-saxon: sprengan]. samoun. . salmon. so lel. coll. vi. p. , . fr. _saumon_. stepid. , . steeped, _frisiis_, stippen. sex. . . six. a.s. sool. . _solys_, . soale, the fish. schyl oysters. . to shell them. a.s. [anglo-saxon: scyll], a shell. sle. . to kill. _scle_, chaucer, and _slea_. a.s. [anglo-saxon: slean]. sobre sawse. . sowpes. . . sops. a.s. [anglo-saxon: sop]. dorry. ms. ed. ii. . spell. . qu. stary. ms. ed. . stir. swannes. . pye, . cygnets. lel. coll. vi. p. . sonne. ms. ed. . sun. chaucer. sarse, and _a sarse_. . a sieve or searse. souple. . supple. _sople_, chaucer; also _souple_. fr. stewes. . . liquor. to stue, . a term well known at this day. sars. . . error perhaps for _fars_. . . . sawcyster. . perhaps, a saussage. from fr. _saucisse_. soler. ms. ed. . a solar or upper floor. chaucer. sawgeat. . v. ad loc. skymour. . a skimmer. salwar. . v. calwar. sarcyness. ms. ed. . v. sawse. syve, seve. ms. ed. ii. , . a sieve, v. hersyve. southrenwode. . southernwood. sowre. . sour. _souir_, chaucer. stale. . stalk. handle. used now in the north, and elsewhere; as a fork-stale; quære a crasis for a fork's tail. hence, shaft of an arrow. lel. coll. vi. p. . chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: stele], or [anglo-saxon: stela]. spot. ms. ed. . sprinkle. sachus. . a dish. v. ad loc. sachellis. . bags. satchells. spynoches. . spinages. fr. espinars in plural. but we use it in the singular. ital. spinacchia. sit. . adhere, and thereby to burn to it. it obtains this sense now in the north, where, after the potage has acquired a most disagreeable taste by it, it is said to be _pot-sitten_, which in kent and elsewhere is expressed by being _burnt-to_. sotiltees. proem. suttlety. lel. coll. vi. p. . seq. see no. . there was no grand entertainment without these. lel. coll. iv. p. , . vi. . seq. made of sugar and wax. p. . and when they were served, or brought in, _at first_, they seem to have been called _warners_, lel. coll. vi. p. . . vi. p. , . as giving _warning_ of the approach of dinner. see notes on northumb. book, p. , . and mr. pennant's brit. zool. p. . there are three _sotiltes_ at the e. of devon's feast, a stag, a man, a tree. quere if now succeeded by figures of birds, &c. made in lard, and jelly, or in sugar, to decorate cakes. sewyng. proem. following. leland coll. iv. p. . chaucer. fr. _suivre_. spete. ms. ed. . spit. made of hazel, . as virg. georg. ii. . states. proem. persons. scher. ms. ed. . sheer, cut. chaucer. v. shere. schyveris. ms. ed. . ii. . shivers. chaucer. v. slivere. schaw. ms. ed. . shave. t. thurgh. . alibi. thorough. a.s. [anglo-saxon: ðurh]. _thorw_. ms. ed. ii. tansey. . herb, vide junii etymol. trape, traup. . alibi. pan, platter, dish. from fr. to gedre. . to gydre, . to gyder, . to geyder, . to gider, . to gyd, . to gedre, . so variously is the word _together_ here written. a.s. [anglo-saxon: togaðere]. tredure. . name of cawdel. v. ad loc. to. . . ms. ed. . . too; and so the saxon, hence to to. . v. ad loc. also, lel. coll. iv. p. . . vi. p. . _to_ is _till_, ms. ed. . . _two_. ii. . v. unto. thyk. . a verb, to grow thick, as no. . thicken taken passively. adjective, . . _thik_, . _thykke_, . _thike_, chaucer. teyse. . to pull to pieces with the fingers. v. ad loc. et junius, voce tease. hence teasing for carding wool with teasels, a specics of thistle or instrument. talbotes. . qu. v. ad loc. tat. . that. as in derbysh. _who's tat?_ for, who is that? belg. _dat_. thenne. . alibi. then. chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: ðanne]. thanne. . ms. ed. . then. a.s. [anglo-saxon: ðan]. than. ms. ed. . teer. . tear. a.s. [anglo-saxon: teran]. to fore. . alibi. before. hence our _heretofore_. wiclif. chaucer. a.s. [anglo-saxon: toforan]. thynne. . ms. ed. . thin. a.s. [anglo-saxon: ðinn]. tarlettes. . afterwards _tartletes_, rectiùs; and so the contents. _tortelletti_. holme. p. . v. tartee. godwin, de præsul. p. . renders _streblitæ_; et v. junius, voce tart. thise. . alibi. these. take. . taken. chaucer. thridde. . . alibi. third, per metathesin. chaucer. thriddendele, . thriddel, . . _thredde_, ms. ed. ii. . v. junius, voce thirdendeal. to done. . done. _to_ seems to abound, vide chaucer. v. _to_. turnesole. . colours _pownas_. vide ad loc. ther. . . they. chaucer. ton tressis. . an herb. i amend it to _ton cressis_, and explain it cresses, being the saxon [anglo-saxon: tunkerse], or [anglo-saxons: tuncærse]. see _lye_, dict. sax. cresses, so as to mean, _one of the cresses_. turbut. . tried out. . drawn out by roasting. see junius, v. try. tweydel. . twey, ms. ed. . chaucer. _twy_ for _twice_ runs now in the north. a.s. [anglo-saxon: twa], two. [anglo-saxon dæl], pars, portio. talow. . mutton sewet. v. junii etym. thyes, thyys. ms. ed. , . thighs. tartee. , . alibi. tart. de bry, . de brymlent, . tartes of flesh, . of fish, . v. tarlettes. towh. tough, thick. . see chaucer, v. tought. a.s. [anglo-saxon: toh]. tharmys. ms. ed. . rops, guts. there. . where. chaucer. thowche. ms. ed. . touch. to. . for. hence, _wherto_ is _wherefore_. chaucer. towayl. ms. ed. ii. . a towel. thee. . thou, as often now in the north. temper. ms. ed. . et sæpe. to mix. u. uppon. . alibi. upon. urchon. . urchin, _erinaceus_. unto. ms. ed. . until. v. _to_. chaucer. v. violet. . v. ad loc. verjous. . . veriaws. . verious. . verjuice, fr. verjus. v. junium. veel. . alibi. ms. ed. . veal. vessll. . a dish. vyne grace. . a mess or dish. _grees_ is the wild swine. plott, hist. of staff. p. . gloss. to douglas' virgil, v. grisis. and to chaucer. v. grys. thoroton, p. . blount, tenures. p. . _gresse_. lel. coll. iv. p. . _gres_. . both pork and wine enter into the recipe. vyaunde cypre. . from the isle of cyprus. vernage. . vernaccia. a sort of italian white-wine. in pref. to _perlin_, p. xix. mis-written vervage. see chaucer. it is a sweet wine in a ms. of tho. astle esq. p. . venyson. . often eaten with furmenty, e. of devon's feast, _in brothe_. ibid. verde sawse. . it sounds _green sauce_, but there is no sorel; sharp, sour sauce. see junius, v. verjuice. vervayn. . w. wele. . . old pronunciation of _well_, now vulgarly used in derbysh. _wel_, . alibi. _wel smale_, . very small. v. lel. coll. iv. p. . . hearne, in spelm. life of Ælfred. p. . wyndewe. . winnow. this pronunciation is still retained in derbyshire, and is not amiss, as the operation is performed by wind. v. omnino, junius. v. winnow. wayshe, waissh, waische. . . . to wash. a.s. [anglo-saxon: wæscan]. whane, whan. . . . when. so sir tho. elliot. v. britannia. percy's songs, i. . ms. romance of sir degare vers. . a.s. [anglo-saxon: hwænne]. wan, wanne. ms. ed. . . when. wole. proem. will. _wolt_. . wouldst. chaucer, v. wol. warly, warliche. . . gently, warily. a.s. [anglo-saxon: wære], wary, prudent. chaucer. v. ware. junius, v. warie. wafrouns. . wafers. junius, v. wafer. with inne. . divisim, for within. so _with oute_, . welled. . v. ad loc. ms. ed. . wete. . . wet, now in the north, and see chaucer. a.s. [anglo- saxon: wæt]. wry. . to dry, or cover. junius, v. wrie. wyn. ms. ed. . alibi. wine. v. wyneger. wryng thurgh a straynour. . . thurgh a cloth, . almandes with fair water, . wryng out the water. ibid. wryng parsley up with eggs, . chaucer, voce wrong, ywrong, and wrang. junius, v. wring. womdes, wombes. . quære the former word? perhaps being falsely written, it was intended to be obliterated, but forgotten, _wombes_ however means _bellies_, as ms. ed. . see junius, voce _womb_. wyneger. ms. ed. . vinegar. v. wyn. wone. . _a deal_ or _quantity_. chaucer. it has a contrary sense though in junius, v. whene. whete. . wete. ms. ed. . ii. . wheat. a.s. [anglo-saxon: hwæte]. wastel. . white bread. _yfarced_, . of it. ms. ed. . ii. . gloss. ad x script. v. simenellus. chaucer; where we are referred to verstegan v. but _wassel_ is explained there, and not _wastel_; however, see stat. henry iii. hoveden, p. . and junius' etymol. wheyze. . . whey. a.s. [anglo-saxon: hwæz]. serum lactis. g often dissolving into y. v. junium, in y. wynde it to balles. . make it into balls, turn it. chaucer. v. wende. junius, v. winde. wallenotes. . walnuts. see junius, in voce. wose of comfrey. . v. ad loc. juice. wex. ms. ed. . wax. were. ms. ed. . where. y. y. is an usual prefix to adjectives and participles in our old authors. it came from the saxons; hence ymynced, minced; yslyt, slit; &c. _i_ is often substituted for it. v. gloss. to chaucer, and lye in jun. etym. v. i. it occurs perpetually for _i_, as ymynced, yslyt, &c. and so in ms. editoris also. written z. . . alibi. used for _gh_, . ms. ed. . chaucer. v. z. hence ynouhz, . enough. so ms. ed. passim. quere if _z_ is not meant in mss for g or _t_ final. dotted, [anglo-saxon: y( )], after saxon manner, in ms. ed. as in mr. hearne's edition of robt. of gloucester. ycorve. , . cut in pieces. icorvin, . gloss. to chaucer. v. _icorvin_, and _throtycorve_. zelow. . _yolow_. ms. ed. . yellow. a.s. [anglo-saxon: zealuwe] and [anglo-saxon: zelew]. yolkes. . i. e. of eggs. junius, v. yelk. ygrond. v. gronden. yleesshed. . cut it into slices. so, _lesh_ it, . . _leach_ is to slice, holme iii. p. . or it may mean to _lay in the dish_, . . or distribute, . . ynouhz. . ynowh, . . ynowh, . ynow. ms. ed. . enough. chaucer has _inough_. yfer. . . id est _ifere_, together. _feer_, a companion. wiclif, in _feer_ and _scukynge feer_. chaucer. v. fere, and yfere. junius, v. yfere. yfette. proem. put down, written. yskaldid. . scalded. ysode. . _isode_, . _sodden_, . boiled. ms. ed. ii. . chaucer. all from to seeth. ysope. . . ysop. ms. ed. . the herb hyssop. chaucer. v. isope. yforced. v. forced. yfasted. . qu. zif, zyf. ms. ed. . . if. also give, ii. . . ystyned, istyned. . . to _styne_, . seems to mean to close. yteysed. . pulled in pieces. v. ad loc. and v. tease. ypaunced. . perhaps pounced, for which see chaucer. yfonndred. . _ifonded_, . . _yfondyt_, . poured, mixed, dissolved. v. _found_. fr. fondu. yholes. . perhaps, hollow. ypared. . pared. ytosted, itosted. . . toasted. iboiled. . boiled. yest. . junius, v. yeast. igrated. . grated. ybake. . baked. ymbre. . . ember. ypocras. how made, . hippocras. wafers used with it. lel. coll. iv. p. . vi. p. , . . . . and dry toasts, rabelais iv. c. . _joly ypocras_. lel. coll. iv. p. . vi. p. . bishop godwin renders it _vinum aromaticum_. it was brought both at beginning of splendid entertainments, if apicius is to be underslood of it. lib. i. c. . see lister, ad loc. and in the middle before the second course; lel. coll. iv. p. . and at the end. it was in use at st. john's coll. cambr. years ago, and brought in at christmas at the close of dinner, as anciently most usually it was. it took its name from _hippocrates' sleeve_, the bag or strainer, through which it was passed. skinner, v. claret; and chaucer. or as junius suggests, because strained _juxta doctrinam hippocratis_. the italians call it _hipocrasso_. it seems not to have differed much from _piment_, or pigment (for which see chaucer) a rich spiced wine which was sold by vintners about . mr. topham's ms. hippocras was both white and red. rabelais, iv. c. . and i find it used for sauce to lampreys. ibid. c. . there is the process at large for making ypocrasse in a ms. of my respectable friend thomas astle, esq. p. . which we have thought proper to transcribe, as follows: 'to make ypocrasse for lords with gynger, synamon, and graynes sugour, and turefoll: and for comyn pepull gynger canell, longe peper, and claryffyed hony. loke ye have feyre pewter basens to kepe in your pouders and your ypocrasse to ren ynne. and to vi basens ye muste have vi renners on a perche as ye may here see. and loke your poudurs and your gynger be redy and well paryd or hit be beton in to poudr. gynger colombyne is the best gynger, mayken and balandyne be not so good nor holsom.... now thou knowist the propertees of ypocras. your poudurs must be made everyche by themselfe, and leid in a bledder in store, hange sure your perche with baggs, and that no bagge twoyche other, but basen twoyche basen. the fyrst bagge of a galon, every on of the other a potell. fyrst do in to a basen a galon or ij of redwyne, then put in your pouders, and do it in to the renners, and so in to the seconde bagge, then take a pece and assay it. and yef hit be eny thyng to stronge of gynger alay it withe synamon, and yef it be strong of synamon alay it withe sugour cute. and thus schall ye make perfyte ypocras. and loke your bagges be of boltell clothe, and the mouthes opyn, and let it ren in v or vi bagges on a perche, and under every bagge a clene basen. the draftes of the spies is good for sewies. put your ypocrase in to a stanche wessell, and bynde opon the mouthe a bleddur strongly, then serve forthe waffers and ypocrasse.' addenda. [ the addenda have been placed above within the text where appropriate, labeled "addenda:". ] advertisement. since the foregoing sheets were printed off, the following very curious rolls have happily fallen into the editor's hand, by the favour of john charles brooke, esq. somerset herald. they are extracted from a ms. belonging to the family of nevile of chevet, near wakefield, com. ebor. and thence copied, under the direction of the rev. richard kay, d.d. prebendary of durham. these rolls are so intimately connected with our subject, as exhibiting the dishes of which our roll of _cury_ teaches dressing and preparation, that they must necessarily be deemed a proper appendix to it. they are moreover amusing, if not useful, in another respect; _viz_. as exhibiting the gradual prices of provisions, from the dates of our more ancient lists, and the time when these rolls were composed, in the reign of henry viii. for the further illustration of this subject, and extract from the old account-book of _luton_, _hen_. viii is super-added; where the prices of things in the south, at the same period, may be seen. and whoever pleases to go further into this matter of _prices_, may compare them with the particulars and expence of a dinner at stationer's-hall, a.d. . which appeared in the st. james's chronicle of april , . we cannot help thinking that, upon all accounts, the additions here presented to our friends must needs prove exceedingly acceptable to them. rolls of provisions, with their prices, dishes, &c. temp. h. viii. the marriage of my son-in-law gervas[ ] clifton and my daughter mary nevile, the th day of january, in the st year of the reigne of our soveraigne lord king henry the viiith. l s d first, for the apparell of the said gervys clifton and mary nevill, yards of russet damask, every yard s[ ], item, yards of white damask, every yard s. item, yards of tawney camlet, every yard s. d[ ]. item, yards of tawney velvet, every yard s. item, rolls of buckrom, item, black velvet bonnits for women, every bonnit s. item, a fronslet[ ] of blue velvet, item, an ounce of damask gold[ ], item, laynes[ ] of frontlets, item, an eyye[ ] of pearl, item, pair of gloves, item, yards of kersey; black, white, item, lining for the same, item, boxes to carry bonnits in, item, pasts[ ], item, a furr of white lusants[ ], item, whit heares[ ], item, black conies, item, a pair of myllen[ ] sleves of white sattin, item, white lamb skins, item, yards of white cotton, item, yards and / black sattin, item, girdles, item, ells of white ribon, for tippets, item, an ell of blue sattin, item, a wedding ring of gold, item, a millen bonnit, dressed with agletts, item, a yard of right white sattin, item, a yard of white sattin of bridge[ ], the expence of the dinner, at the marriage of said gervys clifton and mary nevile. imprimis, three hogsheads of wine, white, red, claret item, oxen, item, brawns[ ], item, swans[ ], every swan s, item, cranes[ ], every crane s. d. item, heron sews[ ], every one d. item, bitterns, each d. item, couple of conies, every couple d, item, as much wild-fowl, and the charge of the same, as cost item, capons of grease[ ], item, other capons, item, pigs, every one d. item, calves, item, other calf, item, lambs, item, withers[ ], ever wither s. d. item, quarters of barley[ ] malt, every quarter s. item, quarters of wheat, every quarter s. item, dozen of chickens , besides butter, eggs, verjuice, and vinegar in spices as followeth. two loaves of sugar[ ], weighing lb. oz. at d. per lb. item, pound of pepper, every pound d. item, pound of ginger, item, pound of currants, every pound d item, pound of proynes[ ], every pound d. item, lb. of marmalet, item, poils[ ] of sturgeon, item, a barrell for the same, item, lb. of dates, every lb. d. item, lb of great raisons[ ], item, lb. of cloves and mace, item, quarter of saffron, item, lb. of tornself[ ], item, lb. of ising-glass, item, lb. of biskitts, item, lb. of carraway seeds, item, lb of cumfitts, item, lb. of torts[ ] of portugal, item, lb. of liquorice and anniseeds, item, lb. of green ginger, item, lb. of suckets[ ], item, lb. of orange buds, s. item, lb. of oranges in syrup, ----------- totall l. ----------- [footnote : gervas] below _gervys_. so unsettled was our orthography, even in the reign of henry viii. so _nevile_, and below _nevill_. mary, third daughter of sir john nevil of chever, was first wife of sir gerv. clifton of clifton, com. nott. knight.] [footnote : s.] the sum is l. . s. d. but ought to be l. . s. so that there is some mistake here. _n.b_. this manuscript is given in our common figures; but the original, no doubt, is in the roman.] [footnote : s. d.] this again is wrongly computed. there may be other mistakes of the same kind, which is here noted once for all; the reader will easily rectify them himself.] [footnote : fronslet.] f. frontlet, as lin. .] [footnote : damask gold.] gold of damascus, perhaps for powder.] [footnote : laynes.] qu.] [footnote : eyye.] f. egg.] [footnote : pasts.] pastboards.] [footnote : lusants.] qu.] [footnote : heares]. f. hares.] [foornote : myllen], _milan_, city of lombardy, whence our _millaner_, now _milliner_, written below _millen_.] [footnote : bridge]. brugge, or bruges, in flanders.] [footnote : brawns]. the boar is now called a brawn in the north, vid. p. .] [footnote : swans]. f. swans.] [footnote : cranes]. v. p. .] [footnote : heron sews]. in one word, rather. see p. .] [footnote : of grease]. i presume fatted.] [footnote : withers]. weathers.] [footnote : barley malt]. so distinguished, because wheat and oats were at this time sometimes malted. see below, p. .] [footnote : loaves of sugar]. so that they now had a method of refining it, v. p. xxvi.] [footnote : proynes]. prunes, v. p. .] [footnote : poils]. misread, perhaps, for joils, _i.e._ jowls.] [footnote : great raisons, ] v. p. .] [footnote : tornselt]. turnfole, v. p. .] [footnote : torts]. qu.] [footnote : suckets]. these, it seems, were sold ready prepared in the shops. see the following rolls.] sir john nevile, of chete, knight. the marriage of my son-in-law, roger rockley[ ], and my daughter elizabeth nevile, the th of january, in the th year of the reigne of our soveraigne lord king henry the viiith. l s d first, for the expence of their apparel, yards of russet sattin, at s. per yard, item, mantilles of skins, for his gown, item, yards and / of black velvet, for his gown, item, yards of black sattin, for his jacket and doublet, at s. the yard, item, yards, of black sattin, for her kertill, at s. per yard, item, a roll of buckrom, item, a bonnit of black velvet, item, a frontlet for the same bonnit, item, for her smock, item, for a pair of perfumed gloves, item, for a pair of other gloves, second day. item, for yards of tawney camlet, at s. d. per yard, item, yards of black sattin, for lining her gown, at s per yard, item, yards of black velvet, for her gown, item, a roll of buckrom, for her gown, item, yards of yellow sattin bridge[ ], at s. d. per yard, item, for a pair of hose, item, for a pair of shoes, ----------- sum l. ----------- item, for dinner, and the expence of the said marriage of roger rockley, and the said elizabeth nevile. imprimis, eight quarters of barley-malt, at s. per quarter, item, quarters and / of wheat, at s. d. per quarter, item, hogheads of wine, at s. item, hogshead of read wine, at ----------- sum total l. ----------- for the first course at dinner. imprimis, brawn with musterd, served alone with malmsey. item, frumety[ ] to pottage. item, a roe roasted for standert[ ]. item, peacocks, of a dish. item, swans of a dish. item, a great pike in a dish. item, conies roasted of a dish. item, venison roasted. item, capon of grease, of a dish. item, mallards[ ], of dish. item, teals, of a dish. item, pyes baken[ ], with rabbits in them. item, baken orange. item, a flampett[ ]. item, stoke fritters[ ]. item, dulcets[ ], ten of dish. item, a tart. second course. first, marterns[ ] to pottage. item for a standert, cranes of a dish. item, young lamb, whole roasted. item, great fresh sammon gollis[ ]. item, heron sues, of a dish. item, bitterns, of a dish. item, pheasants, of a dish. item, a great sturgeon poil. item, partridges, of a dish. item, plover, of dish. item, stints[ ]., of a dish. item, curlews[ ], of a dish. item, a whole roe, baken. item, venison baken, red and fallow[ ]. item, a tart. item, a march[ ] payne. item, gingerbread. item, apples and cheese scraped with sugar and sage. for night. first a play, and straight after the play a mask, and when the mask was done then the banckett[ ], which was dishes, and all of meat; and then all the gentilmen and ladys danced; and this continued from the sunday to the saturday afternoon. the expence in the week for the flesh and fish for the same marriage. imprimis, oxen, item, brawns, item, roes s and for servants going, s. item, in swans, item, in cranes , item, in peacocks , item, in great pike, for flesh dinner, , item, in conies, dozen, item, in venison, red deer hinds , and fetching them, item, fallow deer does -- -- -- item, capons of grease , item, mallards and teal, dozen, item, lamb , item, heron sues, doz. item, shovelords[ ], doz. item, in bytters[ ] , item, in pheasants , item, in partridges , item, in curlews , item, in plover, dozen, item, in stints, doz. item, in surgeon, goyle[ ], item, seal[ ], item, porpose[ ], ----------- l. for frydays and saturdays. first, leich brayne[ ]. item, frometye pottage. item, whole ling and huberdyne[ ]. item, great goils [ ] of salt sammon. item, great salt eels. item, great salt sturgeon goils item, fresh ling. item, fresh turbut. item, great pike[ ]. item, great goils of fresh sammon. item, great ruds[ ]. item, baken turbuts. item, tarts of several meats[ ]. second course first, martens to pottage. item, a great fresh stugeon goil. item, fresh eel roasted. item, great brett. item, sammon chines broil'd. item, roasted eels. item, roasted lampreys. item, roasted lamprons[ ]. item, great burbutts[ ]. item, sammom baken, item, fresh eel baken. item, fresh lampreys, baken. item, clear jilly[ ]. item, gingerbread. waiters at the said marriage. storrers, carver. mr. henry nevile, sewer. mr. thomas drax, cupbearer. mr. george pashlew, for the sewer-board end. john merys, \ marshalls. john mitchill, / robert smallpage, for the cupboard. william page, for the celler, william barker, for the ewer, robert sike the younger, and john hiperon, for butterye. to wait in the parlour. richard thornton. edmund north. robert sike the elder. william longley. robert live. william cook. sir john burton, steward. my brother stapleton's servant. my son rockley's servant to serve in the slate. [footnote : rockley]. elizabeth eldest daughter of sir john nevile, married, roger eldest son, and afterwards heir, of sir thomas rockley of rockley, in the parish of worsborough, knight.] [footnote : bridge]. see above, p. , note [ ].] [footnote : frumety]. v. p. .] [footnote : standert]. a large or standing dish. see p. . l. .] [footnote : mallards]. v. p. .] [footnote : baken]. baked.] [footnote : flampett]. f. flaunpett, or flaumpeyn, v. p. .] [footnote : stoke fritters ]. baked on a hot-iron, used still by the brewers, called a stoker.] [footnote : dulcets]. qu.] [footnote : marterns]. qu. it is written martens, below.] [footnote : gollis]. f. jowls.] [footnote : stints]. the stint, or purre, is one of the sandpipers. pennant, brit. zool, ii. .] [footnote : curlews]. see above, p. . and below. curlew knaves, also below.] [footnote : fallow]. if i remember right, dr. goldman, says, fallow-deer were brought to us by king james i. but see again below, more than once.] [footnote : march payne]. a kind of cake, very common long after this time, v. below.] [footnote : banckett]. banquet.] [footnote : shovelords]. shovelers, a species of the wild duck. shovelards, below.] [footnote : bytters]. bitterns, above; but it is often written without _n_, as below.] [footnote : goyle]. jowl, v. above, p. . l. .] [footnote : seal]. one of those things not eaten now; but see p. above, and below, p. . l. .] [footnote : porpose]. v. p. , above.] [footnote : leich brayne] v. p. , above, but qu. as to brayne.] [footnote : huberdyne]. miswritten for haberdine, i.e. from aberdeen; written below heberdine.] [footnote : goils]. v. above, p. . l. .] [footnote : pyke]. v. above, p. . and below, often.] [footnote : ruds]. qu. roaches, v. below.] [footnote : meats]. viands, but not fleshmeats.] [footnote : lamprons]. v. p. . above.] [footnote : burbatts]. qu. turbuts.] [footnote : jilly]. jelly.] the charges of sir john nevile, of chete, knight, being sheriff of yorkshire in the th year of the reigne of king henry viii. lent assizes. l s d imprimis, in wheat quarters, item, in malt, quarters, item, in beans, quarters, item, in hay, loads, item, in litter, loads item, part of the judge's horses in the inn, item, hogsheads of wine, claret, white, red, item, salt fish, couple, item, barrells herrings, item, barrells salmon, item, seams[ ] of sea fish item, in great pike and pickering, score and , item, great pike from ramsay, item, in pickerings from holdess iiii xx, item, received of ryther great breams, item, received of said ryther, great tenches, item, received of said ryther great eels and touling[ ] eels, and lb. of brewit[ ] eels, and great ruds, item, in great fresh sammon, item, a barrell of sturgeon item, a firkin of seal, item, a little barrell of syrope[ ], item, barrells of all manner of spices, item, bag of isinglass, item, a little barrell of oranges, item, gallons of malmsey, item, little barrells of green ginger and sucketts, item, bretts, item, in vinegar, gallon, quart item, large table cloths of yards in length, of them d per yard, and one d, item, doz. manchetts[ ], item, gallons vergis[ ], item, in mayne bread[ ], item, bread bought for march payne, item, for sugar and almonds, besides the barrells, item, for salt, item, for gallons of mustard, item, a draught of fish, great pikes and breams, item, gallons of honey, item, horse-loads of charcoal, item, loads of talwood[ ] and bavings, item, streyners, item, for graines[ ], item, doz. of cups, item, elaskits and maund[ ], item, doz. earthen potts, item, staff torches, item, for yearbes[ ], days, item, for waferans[ ], days[ ], item, for onions, item, gallipots, item, for yeast, days, item, doz. borrowed vessels, item, for carriage or wheat, malt, wine, and wood, from the water-side, item, for parker the cook, and other cooks and water-bearers, item, doz. of trenchers, first, for making a cupboard, [footnote : seams]. quarter, much used in kent, v. infra.] [footnote : touling eels]. qu. see below.] [footnote : brewit eels]. _i.e._ for brewet; for which see above, p. . also here, below.] [footnote : syrope]. v. p. above.] [footnote : manchetts]. a species of bread, see below.] [footnote : vergis]. verjuice.] [footnote : mayne bread]. pain du main, v. p. . above.] [footnote : talwood and bavings]. chord-wood, and bavins. see dr. birch's life of prince henry: wetwood and bevins occur below, p. .] [footnote : grains]. qu.] [footnote : maund]. a large basket, now used for apples, &c.] [footnote : yearbes]. yerbs are often pronounced so now; whence _yerby grease_, for herb of grace.] [footnote : waferans]. v. above, p. .] [footnote : days]. qu. perhaps gathering, or fetching them.] the charge of the said sir john nevile of chete at lammas assizes, in the th year of the reign of king henry the viiith. l s d imprimis, in wheat, quarters, item, in malt, quarters, item, oxen, item, weathers, item, calves, item, capons of grease, item, other capons, item, pigs, item, hogsheads of wine, item, swans, item, cranes, item, heronsews, item, shovelards, item, bitters, item, partridges, item, pheasants, item, curlews, item, curlew knaves , item, doz. plovers, item, doz. pidgeons, item, mallards, teal and other wild fowl, item, baskets of all manner of spice, item, in malmsey, gallons, item, in bucks, item, in stags, -- -- -- fryday and saturday. first, couple of great ling, item, couple of heberdine, item, salt sammon, item, fresh sammon and great, item, great pike, item, pickerings, item, great breams, item, tenches, item, touling eels and brevet eels, and ruds, item, a firkin of sturgeon, item, in fresh seals, item, seame of fresh fish, item, bretts, item, a barrell of green ginger and sucketts, item, gallon of vinegar, / item, horse-loads of charcoal, item, load of wetwood and bevins, item, for salt, item, doz. of manchetts, item, gingerbread for march payne, item, gallon of mustard, item, for loan of doz. vessels, item, gallons of honey, item, for the costs of cooks and water-bearers, item, for the judges and clerks of the assize, for their horse-meat in the inn, and for their housekeeper's meat, and the clerk of the assize fee, item, for my livery coats, embroidered, item, for my horses provender, hay, litter, and grass, at both the assizes, in a vellum ms. account-book of the gild of the holy trinity at luton, com. bedford, from hen. viii. to the beginning of ed. vi. there are the expences of their anniversary feasts, from year to year, exhibiting the several provisions, with their prices. the feast of hen. viii. is hereunder inserted; from whence some judgement may be formed of the rest. l s d quarters, bushels of wheat, bushels of wheat flower, quarters malte, barrels beer, brewing quarters malte, bakyng, geys, pyggs, capons, / chekyns, rabetts, and carriage, beyf, quarters, a lyfte, a shodoar & cromys, moton & welle[ ] quarter, leggs of welle & shodours, a marebone & suet, & calwisfere, quarter of moton, and calwisfere, lamys, dressyng of lamys, wine, galons, a potell, & a pynte, wenegar potellis, warg[ ] galon, / spyce, lb pepur & half, oz. of clovis & mace, & quartron, lb. of sugur & half, / lb. of sinamon, lb. of great resons, lb. of smale resons, / lb. of gynger, / lb. of sandurs, lb. of lycoras, lb. of prunys, lb. of comfetts, / lb. of turnesell, lb. of grenys, lb. of anesseds, lb. of almonds, oz. of safron and quarton, lb. of dats, eggs , butter, mylke galons, galons and gal. of crem, / hone galons, salte / boshell, fyshe, fresche, and the careeg from london, a frefche samon, salte fyche for the coks, rydyng for trouts mynstrels, butlers, cokys, [footnote : veal, now in the south pronounced with _w_.] [footnote : verjuice.] finis. proofreaders team american cookery, or the art of dressing viands, fish, poultry and vegetables, and the best modes of making pastes, puffs, pies, tarts, puddings, custards and preserves, and all kinds of cakes, from the imperial plumb to plain cake. adapted to this country, and all grades of life. by amelia simmons, an american orphan. published according to act of congress. _hartford_ printed by hudson & goodwin, for the author. preface. as this treatise is calculated for the improvement of the rising generation of _females_ in america, the lady of fashion and fortune will not be displeased, if many hints are suggested for the more general and universal knowledge of those females in this country, who by the loss of their parents, or other unfortunate circumstances, are reduced to the necessity of going into families in the line of domestics, or taking refuge with their friends or relations, and doing those things which are really essential to the perfecting them as good wives, and useful members of society. the orphan, tho' left to the care of virtuous guardians, will find it essentially necessary to have an opinion and determination of her own. the world, and the fashion thereof, is so variable, that old people cannot accommodate themselves to the various changes and fashions which daily occur; _they_ will adhere to the fashion of _their_ day, and will not surrender their attachments to the _good old way_--while the young and the gay, bend and conform readily to the taste of the times, and fancy of the hour. by having an opinion and determination, i would not be understood to mean an obstinate perseverance in trifles, which borders on obstinacy--by no means, but only an adherence to those rules and maxims which have flood the test of ages, and will forever establish the _female character_, a virtuous character--altho' they conform to the ruling taste of the age in cookery, dress, language, manners, &c. it must ever remain a check upon the poor solitary orphan, that while those females who have parents, or brothers, or riches, to defend their indiscretions, that the orphan must depend solely upon _character_. how immensely important, therefore, that every action, every word, every thought, be regulated by the strictest purity, and that every movement meet the approbation of the good and wise. the candor of the american ladies is solicitously intreated by the authoress, as she is circumscribed in her knowledge, this being an original work in this country. should any future editions appear, she hopes to render it more valuable. [illustration] directions for catering, or the procuring the best viands, fish, &c. _how to choose flesh_. beef. the large stall fed ox beef is the best, it has a coarse open grain, and oily smoothness; dent it with your finger and it will immediately rise again; if old, it will be rough and spungy, and the dent remain. cow beef is less boned, and generally more tender and juicy than the ox, in america, which is used to labor. of almost every species of animals, birds and fishes, the female is the tenderest, the richest flavour'd, and among poultry the soonest fattened. _mutton_, grass-fed, is good two or three years old. _lamb_, if under six months is rich, and no danger of imposition; it may be known by its size, in distinguishing either. _veal_, is soon lost--great care therefore is necessary in purchasing. veal bro't to market in panniers, or in carriages, is to be prefered to that bro't in bags, and flouncing on a sweaty horse. _pork_, is known by its size, and whether properly fattened by its appearance. _to make the best bacon_. to each ham put one ounce saltpetre, one pint bay salt, one pint molasses, shake together or weeks, or when a large quantity is together, bast them with the liquor every day; when taken out to dry, smoke three weeks with cobs or malt fumes. to every ham may be added a cheek, if you stow away a barrel and not alter the composition, some add a shoulder. for transportation or exportation, double the period of smoaking. _fish, how to choose the best in market_. _salmon_, the noblest and richest fish taken in fresh water--the largest are the best. they are unlike almost every other fish, are ameliorated by being or days out of water, if kept from heat and the moon, which has much more injurious effect than the sun. in all great fish-markets, great fish-mongers strictly examine the gills--if the bright redness is exchanged for a low brown, they are stale; but when live fish are bro't flouncing into market, you have only to elect the kind most agreeable to your palate and the season. _shad_, contrary to the generally received opinion are not so much richer flavored, as they are harder when first taken out of the water; opinions vary respecting them. i have tasted shad thirty or forty miles from the place where caught, and really conceived that they had a richness of flavor, which did not appertain to those taken fresh and cooked immediately, and have proved both at the same table, and the truth may rest here, that a shad or hours out of water, may not cook so hard and solid, and be esteemed so elegant, yet give a higher relished flavor to the taste. every species generally of _salt water fish_, are best fresh from the water, tho' the _hannah hill, black fish, lobster, oyster, flounder, bass, cod, haddock_, and _eel_, with many others, may be transported by land many miles, find a good market, and retain a good relish; but as generally, live ones are bought first, deceits are used to give them a freshness of appearance, such as peppering the gills, wetting the fins and tails, and even painting the gills, or wetting with animal blood. experience and attention will dictate the choice of the best. fresh gills, full bright eyes, moist fins and tails, are denotements of their being fresh caught; if they are soft, its certain they are stale, but if deceits are used, your smell must approve or denounce them, and be your safest guide. of all fresh water fish, there are none that require, or so well afford haste in cookery, as the _salmon trout_, they are best when caught under a fall or cateract--from what philosophical circumstance is yet unsettled, yet true it is, that at the foot of a fall the waters are much colder than at the head; trout choose those waters; if taken from them and hurried into dress, they are genuinely good; and take rank in point of superiority of flavor, of most other fish. _perch and roach_, are noble pan fish, the deeper the water from whence taken, the finer are their flavors; if taken from shallow water, with muddy bottoms, they are impregnated therewith, and are unsavory. _eels_, though taken from muddy bottoms, are best to jump in the pan. most white or soft fish are best bloated, which is done by salting, peppering, and drying in the sun, and in a chimney; after or hours drying, are best broiled, and moistened with butter, &c. _poultry--how to choose_. having before stated that the female in almost every instance, is preferable to the male, and peculiarly so in the _peacock_, which, tho' beautifully plumaged, is tough, hard, stringy, and untasted, and even indelicious--while the _pea hen_ is exactly otherwise, and the queen of all birds. so also in a degree, _turkey_. _hen turkey_, is higher and richer flavor'd, easier fattened and plumper--they are no odds in market. _dunghill fowls_, are from their frequent use, a tolerable proof of the former birds. _chickens_, of either kind are good, and the yellow leg'd the best, and their taste the sweetest. _capons_, if young are good, are known by short spurs and smooth legs. all birds are known, whether fresh killed or stale, by a tight vent in the former, and a loose open vent if old or stale; their smell denotes their goodness; speckled rough legs denote age, while smooth legs and combs prove them young. _a goose_, if young, the bill will be yellow, and will have but few hairs, the bones will crack easily; but if old, the contrary, the bill will be red, and the pads still redder; the joints stiff and difficultly disjointed; if young, otherwise; choose one not very fleshy on the breast, but fat in the rump. _ducks_, are similar to geese. _wild ducks_, have redder pads, and smaller than the tame ones, otherwise are like the goose or tame duck, or to be chosen by the same rules. _wood cocks_, ought to be thick, fat and flesh firm, the nose dry, and throat clear. _snipes_, if young and fat, have full veins under the wing, and are small in the veins, otherwise like the woodcock. _partridges_, if young, will have black bills, yellowish legs; if old, the legs look bluish; if old or stale, it may be perceived by smelling at their mouths. _pigeons_, young, have light red legs, and the flesh of a colour, and prick easily--old have red legs, blackish in parts, more hairs, plumper and loose vents--so also of grey or green plover, blade birds, thrash, lark, and wild fowl in general. _hares_, are white flesh'd and flexible when new and fresh kill'd; if stale, their flesh will have a blackish hue, like old pigeons, if the cleft in her lip spread much, is wide and ragged, she is old; the contrary when young. _leveret_, is like the hare in every respect, that some are obliged to search for the knob, or small bone on the fore leg or foot, to distinguish them. _rabbits_, the wild are the best, either are good and tender; if old there will be much yellowish fat about the kidneys, the claws long, wool rough, and mixed with grey hairs; if young the reverse. as to their being fresh, judge by the scent, they soon perish, if trap'd or shot, and left in pelt or undressed; their taint is quicker than veal, and the most sickish in nature; and will not, like beef or veal, be purged by fire. the cultivation of rabbits would be profitable in america, if the best methods were pursued--they are a very prolific and profitable animal--they are easily cultivated if properly attended, but not otherwise.--a rabbit's borough, on which dollars may have been expended, might be very profitable; but on the small scale they would be well near market towns--easier bred, and more valuable. _butter_--tight, waxy, yellow butter is better than white or crumbly, which soon becomes rancid and frowy. go into the centre of balls or rolls to prove and judge it; if in ferkin, the middle is to be preferred, as the sides are frequently distasted by the wood of the firkin--altho' oak and used for years. new pine tubs are ruinous to the butter. to have sweet butter in dog days, and thro' the vegetable seasons, send stone pots to honest, neat, and trusty dairy people, and procure it pack'd down in may, and let them be brought in in the night, or cool rainy morning, covered with a clean cloth wet in cold water, and partake of no heat from the horse, and set the pots in the coldest part of your cellar, or in the ice house.--some say that may butter thus preserved, will go into the winter use, better than fall made butter. _cheese_--the red smooth moist coated, and tight pressed, square edged cheese, are better than white coat, hard rinded, or bilged; the inside should be yellow, and flavored to your taste. old shelves which have only been wiped down for years, are preferable to scoured and washed shelves. deceits are used by salt-petering the out side, or colouring with hemlock, cocumberries, or safron, infused into the milk; the taste of either supercedes every possible evasion. _eggs_--clear, thin shell'd, longest oval and sharp ends are best; to ascertain whether new or stale--hold to the light, if the white is clear, the yolk regularly in the centre, they are good--but if otherwise, they are stale. the best possible method of ascertaining, is to put them into water, if they lye on their bilge, they are _good_ and _fresh_--if they bob up an end they are stale, and if they rise they are addled, proved, and of no use. we proceed to roots and vegetables--_and the best cook cannot alter the first quality, they must be good, or the cook will be disappointed_. _potatoes_, take rank for universal use, profit and easy acquirement. the smooth skin, known by the name of how's potato, is the most mealy and richest flavor'd; the yellow rusticoat next best; the red, and red rusticoat are tolerable; and the yellow spanish have their value--those cultivated from imported seed on sandy or dry loomy lands, are best for table use; tho' the red or either will produce more in rich, loomy, highly manured garden grounds; new lands and a sandy soil, afford the richest flavor'd; and most mealy potato much depends on the ground on which they grow--more on the species of potatoes planted--and still more from foreign seeds--and each may be known by attention to connoisseurs; for a good potato comes up in many branches of cookery, as herein after prescribed.--all potatoes should be dug before the rainy seasons in the fall, well dryed in the sun, kept from frost and dampness during the winter, in the spring removed from the cellar to a dry loft, and spread thin, and frequently stirred and dryed, or they will grow and be thereby injured for cookery. a roast potato is brought on with roast beef, a steake, a chop, or fricassee; good boiled with a boiled dish; make an excellent stuffing for a turkey, water or wild fowl; make a good pie, and a good starch for many uses. all potatoes run out, or depreciate in america; a fresh importation of the spanish might restore them to table use. it would swell this treatise too much to say every thing that is useful, to prepare a good table, but i may be pardoned by observing, that the irish have preserved a genuine mealy rich potato, for a century, which takes rank of any known in any other kingdom; and i have heard that they renew their seed by planting and cultivating the _seed ball_, which grows on the tine. the manner of their managing it to keep up the excellency of that root, would better suit a treatise on agriculture and gardening than this--and be inserted in a book which would be read by the farmer, instead of his amiable daughter. if no one treats on the subject, it may appear in the next edition. _onions_--the madeira white is best in market, esteemed softer flavored, and not so fiery, but the high red, round hard onions are the best; if you consult cheapness, the largest are best; if you consult taste and softness, the very smallest are the most delicate, and used at the first tables. onions grow in the richest, highest cultivated ground, and better and better year after year, on, the same ground. _beets_, grow on any ground, but best on loom, or light gravel grounds; the _red_ is the richest and best approved; the _white_ has a sickish sweetness, which is disliked by many. _parsnips_, are a valuable root, cultivated best in rich old grounds, and doubly deep plowed, _late sown_, they grow thrifty, and are not so prongy; they may be kept any where and any how, so that they do not grow with heat, or are nipped with frost; if frosted, let them thaw in earth; they are richer flavored when plowed out of the ground in april, having stood out during the winter, tho' they will not last long after, and commonly more sticky and hard in the centre. _carrots_, are managed as it respects plowing and rich ground, similarly to parsnips. the yellow are better than the orange or red; middling fiz'd, that is, a foot long and two inches thick at the top end, are better than over grown ones; they are cultivated best with onions, sowed very thin, and mixed with other seeds, while young or six weeks after sown, especially if with onions on true onion ground. they are good with veal cookery, rich in soups, excellent with hash, in may and june. _garlicks_, tho' used by the french, are better adapted to the uses of medicine than cookery. _asparagus_--the mode of cultivation belongs to gardening; your business is only to cut and dress, the largest is best, the growth of a day sufficient, six inches long, and cut just above the ground; many cut below the surface, under an idea of getting tender shoots, and preserving the bed; but it enfeebles the root: dig round it and it will be wet with the juices--but if cut above ground, and just as the dew is going off, the sun will either reduce the juice, or send it back to nourish the root--its an excellent vegetable. _parsley_, of the three kinds, the thickest and branchiest is the best, is sown among onions, or in a bed by itself, may be dryed for winter use; tho' a method which i have experienced, is much better--in september i dig my roots, procure an old thin stave dry cask, bore holes an inch diameter in every stave, inches asunder round the cask, and up to the top--take first a half bushel of rich garden mold and put into the cask, then run the roots through the staves, leaving the branches outside, press the earth tight about the root within, and thus continue on thro' the respective stories, till the cask is full; it being filled, run an iron bar thro' the center of the dirt in the cask and fill with water, let stand on the south and east side of a building till frosty night, then remove it, (by slinging a rope round the cask) into the cellar; where, during the winter, i clip with my scissars the fresh parsley, which my neighbors or myself have occasion for; and in the spring transplant the roots in the bed in the garden, or in any unused corner--or let stand upon the wharf, or the wash shed. its an useful mode of cultivation, and a pleasurably tasted herb, and much used in garnishing viands. _raddish_, _salmon_ coloured is the best, _purple_ next best--_white_--_turnip_--each are produced from southern seeds, annually. they grow thriftiest sown among onions. the turnip raddish will last well through the winter. _artichokes_--the jerusalem is best, are cultivated like potatoes, (tho' their stocks grow feet high) and may be preserved like the turnip raddish, or pickled---they like. _horse raddish_, once in the garden, can scarcely ever be totally eradicated; plowing or digging them up with that view, seems at times rather to increase and spread them. _cucumbers_, are of many kinds; the prickly is best for pickles, but generally bitter; the white is difficult to raise and tender; choose the bright green, smooth and proper sized. _melons_--the water melons is cultivated on sandy soils only, above latitude / , if a stratum of land be dug from a well, it will bring the first year good water melons; the red cored are highest flavored; a hard rine proves them ripe. _muskmelons_, are various, the rough skinned is best to eat; the short, round, fair skinn'd, is best for mangoes. _lettuce_, is of various kinds; the purple spotted leaf is generally the tenderest, and free from bitter--your taste must guide your market. _cabbage_, requires a page, they are so multifarious. note, all cabbages have a higher relish that grow on _new unmatured grounds_; if grown in an old town and on old gardens, they have a rankness, which at times, may be perceived by a fresh air traveller. this observation has been experienced for years--that cabbages require new ground, more than turnips. _the low dutch_, only will do in old gardens. the _early yorkshire_, must have rich soils, they will not answer for winter, they are easily cultivated, and frequently bro't to market in the fall, but will not last the winter. the _green savoy_, with the richest crinkles, is fine and tender; and altho' they do not head like the dutch or yorkshire, yet the tenderness of the out leaves is a counterpoise, it will last thro' the winter, and are high flavored. _the yellow savoy_, takes next rank, but will not last so long; all cabbages will mix, and participate of other species, like indian corn; they are culled, best in plants; and a true gardener will, in the plant describe those which will head, and which will not. this is new, but a fact. the gradations in the savoy cabbage are discerned by the leaf; the richest and most scollup'd, and crinkled, and thickest green savoy, falls little short of a _colliflour_. the red and redest small tight heads, are best for _slaw_, it will not boil well, comes out black or blue, and tinges, other things with which it is boiled. _beans._ _the clabboard bean_, is easiest cultivated and collected, are good for string beans, will shell--must be poled. _the windsor bean_, is an earlier, good string, or shell bean. _crambury bean_, is rich, but not universally approved equal to the other two. _frost bean_, is good only to shell. _six weeks bean_, is a yellowish bean, and early bro't forward, and tolerable. _lazy bean_, is tough, and needs no pole. _english bean_, what _they_ denominate the _horse bean_, is mealy when young, is profitable, easily cultivated, and may be grown on worn out grounds; as they may be raised by boys, i cannot but recommend the more extensive cultivation of them. _the small white bean_, is best for winter use, and excellent. _calivanse_, are run out, a yellow small bush, a black speck or eye, are tough and tasteless, and little worth in cookery, and scarcely bear exportation. _peas_--_green peas._ _the crown imperial_, takes rank in point of flavor, they blossom, purple and white on the top of the vines, will run, from three to five feet high, should be set in light sandy soil only, or they run too much to vines. _the crown pea_, is second in richness of flavor. _the rondeheval_, is large and bitterish. _early carlton_, is produced first in the season--good. _marrow fats_, green, yellow, and is large, easily cultivated, not equal to others. _sugar pea_, needs no bush, the pods are tender and good to eat, easily cultivated. _spanish manratto_, is a rich pea, requires a strong high bush. all peas should be picked _carefully_ from the vines as soon as dew is off, shelled and cleaned without water, and boiled immediately; they are thus the richest flavored. _herbs, useful in cookery._ _thyme_, is good in soups and stuffings. _sweet marjoram_, is used in turkeys. _summer savory_, ditto, and in sausages and salted beef, and legs of pork. _sage_, is used in cheese and pork, but not generally approved. _parsley_, good in _soups_, and to _garnish roast beef_, excellent with bread and butter in the spring. _penny royal_, is a high aromatic, altho' a spontaneous herb in old ploughed fields, yet might be more generally cultivated in gardens, and used in cookery and medicines. _sweet thyme_, is most useful and best approved in cookery. _fruits._ _pears_, there are many different kinds; but the large bell pear, sometimes called the pound pear, the yellowest is the best, and in the same town they differ essentially. _hard winter pear_, are innumerable in their qualities, are good in sauces, and baked. _harvest_ and _summer pear_ are a tolerable desert, are much improved in this country, as all other fruits are by grafting and innoculation. _apples_, are still more various, yet rigidly retain their own species, and are highly useful in families, and ought to be more universally cultivated, excepting in the compactest cities. there is not a single family but might set a tree in some otherwise useless spot, which might serve the two fold use of shade and fruit; on which or kinds of fruit trees might easily be engrafted, and essentially preserve the orchard from the intrusions of boys, &c. which is too common in america. if the boy who thus planted a tree, and guarded and protected it in a useless corner, and carefully engrafted different fruits, was to be indulged free access into orchards, whilst the neglectful boy was prohibited--how many millions of fruit trees would spring into growth--and what a saving to the union. the net saving would in time extinguish the public debt, and enrich our cookery. _currants_, are easily grown from shoots trimmed off from old bunches, and set carelessly in the ground; they flourish on all soils, and make good jellies--their cultivation ought to be encouraged. _black currants_, may be cultivated--but until they can be dryed, and until sugars are propagated, they are in a degree unprofitable. _grapes_, are natural to the climate; grow spontaneously in every state in the union, and ten degrees north of the line of the union. the _madeira_, _lisbon_ and _malaga_ grapes, are cultivated in gardens in this country, and are a rich treat or desert. trifling attention only is necessary for their ample growth. having pointed out the _best methods of judging of the qualities of viands, poultry, fish, vegetables, &c._ we now present the best approved methods of dressing and cooking them; and to suit all tastes, present the following _receipts._ _to roast beef._ the general rules are, to have a brisk hot fire, to hang down rather than to spit, to baste with salt and water, and one quarter of an hour to every pound of beef, tho' tender beef will require less, while old tough beef will require more roasting; pricking with a fork will determine you whether done or not; rare done is the healthiest and the taste of this age. _roast mutton._ if a breast let it be cauled, if a leg, stuffed or not, let be done more gently than beef, and done more; the chine, saddle or leg require more fire and longer time than the breast, &c. garnish with scraped horse radish, and serve with potatoes, beans, colliflowers, water-cresses, or boiled onion, caper sauce, mashed turnip, or lettuce. _roast veal._ as it is more tender than beef or mutton, and easily scorched, paper it, especially the fat parts, lay it some distance from the fire a while to heat gently, baste it well; a pound piece requires one hour and a quarter roasting; garnish with green-parsley and sliced lemon. _roast lamb._ lay down to a clear good fire that will not want stirring or altering, baste with butter, dust on flour, baste with the dripping, and before you take it up, add more butter and sprinkle on a little salt and parsley shred fine; send to table with a nice sallad, green peas, fresh beans, or a colliflower, or asparagus. _to stuff a turkey._ grate a wheat loaf, one quarter of a pound butter, one quarter of a pound salt pork, finely chopped, eggs, a little sweet marjoram, summer savory, parsley and sage, pepper and salt (if the pork be not sufficient,) fill the bird and sew up. the same will answer for all wild fowl. _water fowls_ require onions. the same ingredients stuff a _leg of veal, fresh pork_ or a _loin of veal_. _to stuff and roast a turkey, or fowl._ one pound soft wheat bread, ounces beef suet, eggs, a little sweet thyme, sweet marjoram, pepper and salt, and some add a gill of wine; fill the bird therewith and sew up, hang down to a steady solid fire, basting frequently with salt and water, and roast until a steam emits from the breast, put one third of a pound of butter into the gravy, dust flour over the bird and baste with the gravy; serve up with boiled onions and cramberry-sauce, mangoes, pickles or celery. . others omit the sweet herbs, and add parsley done with potatoes. . boil and mash pints potatoes, wet them with butter, add sweet herbs, pepper, salt, fill and roast as above. _to stuff and roast a goslin._ boil the inwards tender, chop them fine, put double quantity of grated bread, ounces butter, pepper, salt, (and sweet herbs if you like) eggs moulded into the stuffing, parboil onions and chop them into the stuffing, add wine, and roast the bird. the above is a good stuffing for every kind of water fowl, which requires onion sauce. _to smother a fowl in oysters._ fill the bird with dry oysters, and sew up and boil in water just sufficient to cover the bird, salt and season to your taste--when done tender, put into a deep dish and pour over it a pint of stewed oysters, well buttered and peppered, garnish a turkey with sprigs of parsley or leaves of cellery: a fowl is best with a parsley sauce. _to stuff a leg of veal._ take one pound of veal, half pound pork (salted,) one pound grated bread, chop all very fine, with a handful of green parsley, pepper it, add ounces butter and eggs, (and sweet herbs if you like them,) cut the leg round like a ham and stab it full of holes, and fill in all the stuffing; then salt and pepper the leg and dust on some flour; if baked in an oven, put into a sauce pan with a little water, if potted, lay some scewers at the bottom of the pot, put in a little water and lay the leg on the scewers, with a gentle fire render it tender, (frequently adding water,) when done take out the leg, put butter in the pot and brown the leg, the gravy in a separate vessel must be thickened and buttered and a spoonful of ketchup added. _to stuff a leg of pork to bake or roast._ corn the leg hours and stuff with sausage meat and bake in a hot oven two hours and an half or roast. _to alamode a round of beef._ to a or pound round of beef, put one ounce salt-petre, hours after stuff it with the following: one and half pound beef, one pound salt pork, two pound grated bread, chop all fine and rub in half pound butter, salt, pepper and cayenne, summer savory, thyme; lay it on scewers in a large pot, over pints hot water (which it must occasionally be supplied with,) the steam of which in or hours will render the round tender if over a moderate fire; when tender, take away the gravy and thicken with flour and butter, and boil, brown the round with butter and flour, adding ketchup and wine to your taste. _to alamode a round_. take fat pork cut in slices or mince, season it with pepper, salt, sweet marjoram and thyme, cloves, mace and nutmeg, make holes in the beef and stuff it the night before cooked; put some bones across the bottom of the pot to keep from burning, put in one quart claret wine, one quart water and one onion; lay the round on the bones, cover close and stop it round the top with dough; hang on in the morning and stew gently two hours; turn it, and stop tight and stew two hours more; when done tender, grate a crust of bread on the top and brown it before the fire; scum the gravy and serve in a butter boat, serve it with the residue of the gravy in the dish. _to dress a turtle_. fill a boiler or kettle, with a quantity of water sufficient to scald the callapach and callapee, the fins, &c. and about o'clock hang up your turtle by the hind fins, cut of the head and save the blood, take a sharp pointed knife and separate the callapach from the callapee, or the back from the belly part, down to the shoulders, so as to come at the entrails which take out, and clean them, as you would those of any other animal, and throw them into a tub of clean water, taking great care not to break the gall, but to cut it off from the liver and throw it away, then separate each distinctly and put the guts into another vessel, open them with a small pen-knife end to end, wash them clean, and draw them through a woolen cloth, in warm water, to clear away the slime and then put them in clean cold water till they are used with the other part of the entrails, which must be cut up small to be mixed in the baking dishes with the meat; this done, separate the back and belly pieces, entirely cutting away the fore fins by the upper joint, which scald; peal off the loose skin and cut them into small pieces, laying them by themselves, either in another vessel, or on the table, ready to be seasoned; then cut off the meat from the belly part, and clean the back from the lungs, kidneys, &c. and that meat cut into pieces as small as a walnut, laying it likewise by itself; after this you are to scald the back, and belly pieces, pulling off the shell from the back, and the yellow skin from the belly, when all will be white and clean, and with the kitchen cleaver cut those up likewise into pieces about the bigness or breadth of a card; put those pieces into clean cold water, wash them and place them in a heap on the table, so that each part may lay by itself; the meat being thus prepared and laid separate for seasoning; mix two third parts of salt or rather more, and one third part of cyanne pepper, black pepper, and a nutmeg, and mace pounded fine, and mixt all together; the quantity, to be proportioned to the size of the turtle, so that in each dish there may be about three spoonfuls of seasoning to every twelve pound of meat; your meat being thus seasoned, get some sweet herbs, such as thyme, savory, &c. let them be dryed an rub'd fine, and having provided some deep dishes to bake it in, which should be of the common brown ware, put in the coarsest part of the meat, put a quarter pound of butter at the bottom of each dish, and then put some of each of the several parcels of meat, so that the dishes may be all alike and have equal portions of the different parts of the turtle, and between each laying of meat strew a little of the mixture of sweet herbs, fill your dishes within an inch an half, or two inches of the top; boil the blood of the turtle, and put into it, then lay on forcemeat balls made of veal, highly seasoned with the same seasoning as the turtle; put in each dish a gill of madeira wine, and as much water as it will conveniently hold, then break over it five or six eggs to keep the meat from scorching at the top, and over that shake a handful of shread parsley, to make it look green, when done put your dishes into an oven made hot enough to bake bread, and in an hour and half, or two hours (according to the size of the dishes) it will be sufficiently done. _to dress a calve's head._ turtle fashion. the head and feet being well scalded and cleaned, open the head, taking the brains, wash, pick and cleanse, salt and pepper and parsley them and put bye in a cloth; boil the head, feet and heartslet one and quarter, or one and half hour, sever out the bones, cut the skin and meat in slices, drain the liquor in which boiled and put by; clean the pot very clean or it will burn too, make a layer of the slices, which dust with a composition made of black pepper one spoon, of sweet herbs pulverized, two spoons (sweet marjoram and thyme are most approved) a tea spoon of cayenne, one pound butter, then dust with flour, then a layer of slices with slices of veal and seasoning till compleated, cover with the liquor, stew gently three quarters of an hour. to make the forced meat balls--take one and half pound veal, one pound grated bread, ounces raw salt pork, mince and season with above and work with whites into balls, one or one an half inch diameter, roll in flour, and fry in very hot butter till brown, then chop the brains fine and stir into the whole mess in the pot, put thereto, one third part of the fryed balls and a pint wine or less, when all is heated thro' take off and serve in tureens, laying the residue of the balls and hard boiled and pealed eggs into a dish, garnish with slices of lemon. _a stew pie._ boil a shoulder of veal, and cut up, salt, pepper, and butter half pound, and slices of raw salt pork, make a layer of meat, and a layer of biscuit, or biscuit dough into a pot, cover close and stew half an hour in three quarts of water only. a _sea pie_. four pound of flour, one and half pound of butter rolled into paste, wet with cold water, line the pot therewith, lay in split pigeons, turkey pies, veal, mutton or birds, with slices of pork, salt, pepper, and dust on flour, doing thus till the pot is full or your ingredients expended, add three pints water, cover tight with paste, and stew moderately two and half hours. a _chicken pie_. pick and clean six chickens, (without scalding) take out their inwards and wash the birds while whole, then joint the birds, salt and pepper the pieces and inwards. roll one inch thick paste no. and cover a deep dish, and double at the rim or edge of the dish, put thereto a layer of chickens and a layer of thin slices of butter, till the chickens and one and a half pound butter are expended, which cover with a thick paste; bake one and a half hour. or if your oven be poor, parboil, the chickens with half a pound of butter, and put the pieces with the remaining one pound of butter, and half the gravy into the paste, and while boiling, thicken the residue of the gravy, and when the pie is drawn, open the crust, and add the gravy. _minced pies_, a foot pie. scald neets feet, and clean well, (grass fed are best) put them into a large vessel of cold water, which change daily during a week, then boil the feet till tender, and take away the bones, when cold, chop fine, to every four pound minced meat, add one pound of beef suet, and four pound apple raw, and a little salt, chop all together very fine, add one quart of wine, two pound of stoned raisins, one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce mace, and sweeten to your taste; make use of paste no. --bake three quarters of an hour. weeks after, when you have occasion to use them, carefully raise the top crust, and with a round edg'd spoon, collect the meat into a bason, which warm with additional wine and spices to the taste of your circle, while the crust is also warm'd like a hoe cake, put carefully together and serve up, by this means you can have hot pies through the winter, and enrich'd singly to your company. _tongue pie_. one pound neat's tongue, one pound apple, one third of a pound of sugar, one quarter of a pound of butter, one pint of wine, one pound of raisins, or currants, (or half of each) half ounce of cinnamon and mace--bake in paste no. , in proportion to size. _minced pie of beef_. four pound boild beef, chopped fine; and salted; six pound of raw apple chopped also, one pound beef suet, one quart of wine or rich sweet cyder, one ounce mace, and cinnamon, a nutmeg, two pounds raisins, bake in paste no. , three fourths of an hour. _observations_. all meat pies require a hotter and brisker oven than fruit pies, in good cookeries, all raisins should be stoned.--as people differ in their tastes, they may alter to their wishes. and as it is difficult to ascertain with precision the small articles of spicery; every one may relish as they like, and suit their taste. _apple pie_. stew and strain the apples, to every three pints, grate the peal of a fresh lemon, add cinnamon, mace, rose-water and sugar to your taste--and bake in paste no. . every species of fruit such as peas, plums, raspberries, black berries may be only sweetened, without spices--and bake in paste no. . _currant pies_. take green, full grown currants, and one third their quantity of sugar, proceeding as above. _a buttered apple pie_. pare, quarter and core tart apples, lay in paste no. , cover with the same; bake half an hour, when drawn, gently raise the top crust, add sugar, butter, cinnamon, mace, wine or rose-water q: s: puddings. _a rice pudding_. one quarter of a pound rice, a stick of cinnamon, to a quart of milk (stirred often to keep from burning) and boil quick, cool and add half a nutmeg, spoons rose-water, eggs; butter or puff paste a dish and pour the above composition into it, and bake one and half hour. no. . boil ounces rice in a quart milk, on a slow fire 'till tender, stir in one pound butter, interim beet eggs, add to the pudding when cold with sugar, salt, rose-water and spices to your taste, adding raisins or currants, bake as no. . no. . spoons rice boiled in a quarts milk, when cooled add eggs, ounces butter, wine, sugar and spices, q: s: bake hours. no. . boil in water half pound ground rice till soft, add quarts milk and scald, cool and add eggs, ounces butter, pound raisins, salt, cinnamon and a small nutmeg, bake hours. no. . _a cheap one_, half pint rice, quarts milk, salt, butter, allspice, put cold into a hot oven, bake and half hours. no. . put ounces rice into water, or milk and water, let swell or soak tender, then boil gently, stirring in a little butter, when cool stir in a quart cream, or eggs well beaten, and add cinnamon nutmeg, and sugar to your taste, bake. n.b. the mode of introducing the ingredients, is a material point; in all cases where eggs are mentioned it is understood to be well beat; whites and yolks and the spices, fine and settled. _a nice indian pudding_. no. . pints scalded milk, spoons fine indian meal, stir well together while hot, let stand till cooled; add eggs, half pound raisins, ounces butter, spice and sugar, bake one and half hour. no. . pints scalded milk to one pint meal salted; cool, add eggs, ounces butter, sugar or molasses and spice q. f. it will require two and half hours baking. no. . salt a pint meal, wet with one quart milk, sweeten and put into a strong cloth, brass or bell metal vessel, stone or earthern pot, secure from wet and boil hours. _a sunderland pudding_. whip eggs, half the whites, take half a nutmeg, one pint cream and a little salt, spoons fine flour, oil or butter pans, cups, or bowls, bake in a quick oven one hour. eat with sweet sauce. _a whitpot_. cut half a loaf of bread in dices, pour thereon quarts milk, eggs, rose-water, nutmeg and half pound of sugar; put into a dish and cover with paste, no. . bake slow hour. _a bread pudding_. one pound soft bread or biscuit soaked in one quart milk, run thro' a sieve or cullender, add eggs, three quarters of a pound sugar, one quarter of a pound butter, nutmeg or cinnamon, one gill rose-water, one pound stoned raisins, half pint cream, bake three quarters of an hour, middling oven. _a flour pudding_. seven eggs, one quarter of a pound of sugar, and a tea spoon of salt, beat and put to one quart milk, spoons of flour, cinnamon and nutmeg to your taste, bake half an hour, and serve up with sweet sauce. _a boiled flour pudding_. one quart milk, eggs, spoons flour, a little salt, put into a strong cloth and boiled three quarters of an hour. _a cream almond pudding_. boil gently a little mace and half a nutmeg (grated) in a quart cream; when cool, beat yolks and whites, strain and mix with one spoon flour one quarter of a pound almonds; settled, add one spoon rose-water, and by degrees the cold cream and beat well together; wet a thick cloth and flour it, and pour in the pudding, boil hard half an hour, take out, pour over it melted butter and sugar. _an apple pudding dumplin_. put into paste, quartered apples, lye in a cloth and boil two hours, serve with sweet sauce. _pears, plumbs, &c._ are done the same way. _potato pudding_. baked. no. . one pound boiled potatoes, one pound sugar, half a pound butter, eggs. no. . one pound boiled potatoes, mashed, three quarters of a pound butter, gills milk or cream, the juice of one lemon and the peal grated, half a pound sugar, half nutmeg, eggs (taking out whites,) spoons rose-water. _apple pudding_. one pound apple sifted, one pound sugar, eggs, one quarter of a pound butter, one quart sweet cream, one gill rose-water, a cinnamon, a green lemon peal grated (if sweet apples,) add the juice of half a lemon, put on to paste no. . currants, raisins and citron some add, but good without them. _carrot pudding_. a coffee cup full of boiled and strained carrots, eggs, ounces sugar and butter each, cinnamon and rose water to your taste, baked in a deep dish without paste. _a crookneck, or winter squash pudding_. core, boil and skin a good squash, and bruize it well; take large apples, pared, cored, and stewed tender, mix together; add or spoonsful of dry bread or biscuit, rendered fine as meal, half pint milk or cream, spoons of rose-water, do. wine, or eggs beaten and strained, nutmeg, salt and sugar to your taste, one spoon flour, beat all smartly together, bake. the above is a good receipt for pompkins, potatoes or yams, adding more moistening or milk and rose water, and to the two latter a few black or lisbon currants, or dry whortleberries scattered in, will make it better. _pompkin_. no. . one quart stewed and strained, pints cream, beaten eggs, sugar, mace, nutmeg and ginger, laid into paste no. or , and with a dough spur, cross and chequer it, and baked in dishes three quarters of an hour. no. . one quart of milk, pint pompkin, eggs, molasses, allspice and ginger in a crust, bake hour. _orange pudding_. put sixteen yolks with half a pound butter melted, grate in the rinds of two seville oranges, beat in half pound of fine sugar, add two spoons orange water, two of rose-water, one gill of wine, half pint cream, two naples biscuit or the crumbs of a fine loaf, or roll soaked in cream, mix all together, put it into rich puff-paste, which let be double round the edges of the dish; bake like a custard. _a lemon pudding_. . grate the yellow of the peals of three lemons, then take two whole lemons, roll under your hand on the table till soft, taking care not to burst them, cut and squeeze them into the grated peals. . take ten ounces soft wheat bread, and put a pint of scalded white wine thereto, let soak and put to no. . . beat four whites and eight yolks, and put to above, adding three quarters of a pound of melted butter, (which let be very fresh and good) one pound fine sugar, beat all together till thorougly mixed. . lay paste no. or on a dish, plate or saucers, and fill with above composition. . bake near hour, and when baked--stick on pieces of paste, cut with a jagging iron or a doughspur to your fancy, baked lightly on a floured paper; garnished thus, they may be served hot or cold. _puff pastes for tarts_. no. . rub one pound of butter into one pound of flour, whip whites and add with cold water and one yolk; make into paste, roll in in six or seven times one pound of butter, flowring it each roll. this is good for any small thing. no. . rub six pound of butter into fourteen pound of flour, eight eggs, add cold water, make a stiff paste. no. . to any quantity of flour, rub in three fourths of it's weight of butter, (twelve eggs to a peck) rub in one third or half, and roll in the rest. no. . into two quarts flour (salted) and wet stiff with cold water roll in, in nine or ten times one and half pound of butter. no. . one pound flour, three fourths of a pound of butter, beat well. no. . to one pound of flour rub in one fourth of a pound of butter wet with three eggs and rolled in a half pound of butter. _a paste for sweet meats_. no. . rub one third of one pound of butter, and one pound of lard into two pound of flour, wet with four whites well beaten; water q: s: to make a paste, roll in the residue of shortning in ten or twelve rollings--bake quick. no. . rub in one and half pound of suet to six pounds of flour, and a spoon full of salt, wet with cream roll in, in six or eight times, two and half pounds of butter--good for a chicken or meat pie. _royal paste_. no. . rub half a pound of butter into one pound of flour, four whites beat to a foam, add two yolks, two ounces of fine sugar; roll often, rubbing one third, and rolling two thirds of the butter is best; excellent for tarts and apple cakes. custards. . one pint cream sweetened to your taste, warmed hot; stir in sweet wine, till curdled, grate in cinnamon and nutmeg. . sweeten a quart of milk, add nutmeg, wine, brandy, rose-water and six eggs; bake in tea cups or dishes, or boil in water, taking care that it don't boil into the cups. . put a stick of cinnamon to one quart of milk, boil well, add six eggs, two spoons of rose-water--bake. . _boiled custard_--one pint of cream, two ounces of almonds, two spoons of rose-water, or orange flower water, some mace; boil thick, then stir in sweetening, and lade off into china cups, and serve up. _rice custard_. boil a little mace, a quartered nutmeg in a quart of cream, add rice (well boiled) while boiling sweeten and flavor with orange or rose water, putting into cups or dishes, when cooled, set to serve up. _a rich custard_. four eggs beat and put to one quart cream, sweetened to your taste, half a nutmeg, and a little cinnamon--baked. _a sick bed custard_. scald a quart milk, sweeten and salt a little, whip eggs and stir in, bake on coals in a pewter vessel. tarts. _apple tarts_. stew and strain the apples, add cinnamon, rose-water, wine and sugar to your taste, lay in paste, royal, squeeze thereon orange juice---bake gently. _cranberries_. stewed, strained and sweetened, put into paste no. , and baked gently. _marmalade_, laid into paste no. , baked gently. _apricots_, must be neither pared, cut or stoned, but put in whole, and sugar sifted over them, as above. _orange or lemon tart_. take large lemons, rub them well in salt, put them into salt and water and let rest days, change them daily in fresh water, days, then cut slices and mince as fine as you can and boil them or hours till tender, then take pippins, pare, quarter and core them, boil in pint fair water till the pippins break, then put the half of the pippins, with all the liquor to the orange or lemon, and add one pound sugar, boil all together one quarter of an hour, put into a gallipot and squeeze thereto a fresh orange, one spoon of which, with a spoon of the pulp of the pippin, laid into a thin royal paste, laid into small shallow pans or saucers, brushed with melted butter, and some superfine sugar sifted thereon, with a gentle baking, will be very good. n.b. pastry pans, or saucers, must be buttered lightly before the paste is laid on. if glass or china be used, have only a top crust, you can garnish with cut paste, like a lemon pudding or serve on paste no. . _gooseberry tart_. lay clean berries and sift over them sugar, then berries and sugar 'till a deep dish be filled, cover with paste no. , and bake some what more than other tarts. _grapes_, must be cut in two and stoned and done like a gooseberry. syllabubs. _to make a fine syllabub from the cow_. sweeten a quart of cyder with double refined sugar, grate nutmeg into it, then milk your cow into your liquor, when you have thus added what quantity of milk you think proper, pour half a pint or more, in proportion to the quantity of syllabub you make, of the sweetest cream you can get all over it. _a whipt syllabub_. take two porringers of cream and one of white wine, grate in the skin of a lemon, take the whites of three eggs, sweeten it to your taste, then whip it with a whisk, take off the froth as it rises and put it into your syllabub glasses or pots, and they are fit for use. _to make a fine cream_. take a pint of cream, sweeten it to your pallate, grate a little nutmeg, put in a spoonful of orange flower water and rose water, and two sponfuls of wine; beat up four eggs and two whites, stir it all together one way over the fire till it is thick, have cups ready and pour it in. _lemon cream_. take the juice of four large lemons, half a pint of water, a pound of double refined sugar beaten fine, the whites of seven eggs and the yolk of one beaten very well; mix altogether, strain it, set it on a gentle fire, stirring it all the while and skim it clean, put into it the peal of one lemon, when it is very hot, but not to boil; take out the lemon peal and pour it into china dishes. _raspberry cream_. take a quart of thick sweet cream and boil it two or three wallops, then take it off the fire and strain some juices of raspberries into it to your taste, stir it a good while before you put your juice in, that it may be almost cold, when you put it to it, and afterwards stir it one way for almost a quarter of an hour; then sweeten it to your taste and when it is cold you may send it up. _whipt cream_. take a quart of cream and the whites of eggs beaten with half a pint of wine; mix it together and sweeten it to your taste with double refined sugar, you may perfume it (if you please) with musk or amber gum tied in a rag and steeped a little in the cream, whip it up with a whisk and a bit of lemon peel tyed in the middle of the whisk, take off the froth with a spoon, and put into glasses. _a trifle_. fill a dish with biscuit finely broken, rusk and spiced cake, wet with wine, then pour a good boil'd custard, (not too thick) over the rusk, and put a syllabub over that; garnish with jelley and flowers. cake. _plumb cake_. mix one pound currants, one drachm nutmeg, mace and cinnamon each, a little salt, one pound of citron, orange peal candied, and almonds bleach'd, pound of flour, (well dry'd) beat eggs, and add with quart new ale yeast, half pint of wine, half pints of cream and raisins, q: s: _plain cake_. nine pound of flour, pound of sugar, pound of butter, quart emptins, quart milk, eggs, ounce of spice, gill of rose-water, gill of wine. _another_. three quarters of a pound of sugar, pound of butter, eggs work'd into pound of flour. _a rich cake_. rub pound of butter into pound of flour, add eggs (not much beaten) pint of emptins, pint of wine, kneed up stiff like biscuit, cover well and put by and let rise over night. to and a half pound raisins, add gill brandy, to soak over night, or if new half an hour in the morning, add them with gill rose-water and and half pound of loaf sugar, ounce cinnamon, work well and bake as loaf cake, no. . _potato cake_. boil potatoes, peal and pound them, add yolks of eggs, wine and melted butter work with flour into paste, shape as you please, bake and pour over these melted butter, wine and sugar. _johny cake, or hoe cake_. scald pint of milk and put to pints of indian meal, and half pint of flower--bake before the fire. or scald with milk two thirds of the indian meal, or wet two thirds with boiling water, add salt, molasses and shortening, work up with cold water pretty stiff, and bake as above. _indian slapjack_. one quart of milk, pint of indian meal, eggs spoons of flour, little salt, beat together, baked on gridles, or fry in a dry pan, or baked in a pan which has been rub'd with suet, lard or butter. _loaf cakes_. no. . rub pound of sugar, pound of lard, pound of butter into pound of flour, add eggs, quart of milk, ounces of cinnamon, small nutmegs, a tea cup of coriander seed, each pounded fine and sifted, add one pint of brandy, half a pint of wine, pound of stoned raisins, pint of emptins, first having dried your flour in the oven, dry and roll the sugar fine, rub your shortning and sugar half an hour, it will render the cake much whiter and lighter, heat the oven with dry wood, for and a half hours, if large pans be used, it will then require hours baking, and in proportion for smaller loaves. to frost it. whip whites, during the baking, add pound of sifted loaf sugar and put on thick, as it comes hot from the oven. some return the frosted loaf into the oven, it injures and yellows it, if the frosting be put on immediately it does best without being returned into the oven. _another_. no. . rub pound of sugar, and a half pound of shortning, (half butter and half lard) into pound of flour, dozen of eggs, ounces of cinnamon, pint of milk, spoonfuls coriander seed, gills of brandy, gill of wine, gills of emptins, pounds of raisins. _another_. no. . six pound of flour, of sugar, and a half pound of shortning, (half butter, half lard) eggs, nutmeg, ounce of cinnamon and ounce of coriander seed, pint of emptins, gills brandy, pint of milk and pound of raisins. _another_. no. . five pound of flour, pound of butter, and a half pounds of loaf sugar, and a half pounds of raisins, eggs, pint of wine, pint of emptins, ounce of cinnamon, gill rose-water, gill of brandy--baked like no. . _another plain cake_. no. . two quarts milk, pound of sugar, pound of shortning, warmed hot, add a quart of sweet cyder, this curdle, add eggs, allspice and orange to your taste, or fennel, carroway or coriander seeds; put to pounds of flour, pints emptins, and bake well. _cookies_. one pound sugar boiled slowly in half pint water, scum well and cool, add two tea spoons pearl ash dissolved in milk, then two and half pounds flour, rub in ounces butter, and two large spoons of finely powdered coriander seed, wet with above; make roles half an inch thick and cut to the shape you please; bake fifteen or twenty minutes in a slack oven--good three weeks. another _christmas cookey_. to three pound flour, sprinkle a tea cup of fine powdered coriander seed, rub in one pound butter, and one and half pound sugar, dissolve three tea spoonfuls of pearl ash in a tea cup of milk, kneed all together well, roll three quarters of an inch thick, and cut or stamp into shape and size you please, bake slowly fifteen or twenty minutes; tho' hard and dry at first, if put into an earthern pot, and dry cellar, or damp room, they will be finer, softer and better when six months old. _molasses gingerbread_. one table spoon of cinnamon, some coriander or allspice, put to four tea spoons pearl ash, dissolved in half pint water, four pound flour, one quart molasses, four ounces butter, (if in summer rub in the butter, if in winter, warm the butter and molasses and pour to the spiced flour,) knead well 'till stiff, the more the better, the lighter and whiter it will be; bake brisk fifteen minutes; don't scorch; before it is put in, wash it with whites and sugar beat together. _gingerbread cakes_, or butter and sugar gingerbread. no. . three pounds of flour, a grated nutmeg, two ounces ginger, one pound sugar, three small spoons pearl ash dissolved in cream, one pound butter, four eggs, knead it stiff, shape it to your fancy, bake minutes. _soft gingerbread to be baked in pans_. no. . rub three pounds of sugar, two pounds of butter, into four pounds of flour, add eggs, ounces ginger, spoons rose water, bake as no. . _butter drop do_. no. . rub one quarter of a pound butter, one pound sugar, sprinkled with mace, into one pound and a quarter flour, add four eggs, one glass rose water, bake as no. . _gingerbread_. no. . three pound sugar, half pound butter, quarter of a pound of ginger, one doz. eggs, one glass rose water, rub into three pounds flour, bake as no. . _a cheap seed cake_. rub one pound sugar, half an ounce allspice into four quarts flour, into which pour one pound butter, melted in one pint milk, nine eggs, one gill emptins, (carroway seed and currants, or raisins if you please) make into two loaves, bake one and half hour. _queens cake_. whip half pound butter to a cream, add pound sugar, ten eggs, one glass wine, half gill rose-water, and spices to your taste, all worked into one and a quarter pound flour, put into pans, cover with paper, and bake in a quick well heat oven, or minutes. _pound cake_. one pound sugar, one pound butter, one pound flour, one pound or ten eggs, rose water one gill, spices to your taste; watch it well, it will bake in a slow oven in minutes. _another (called) pound cake_. work three quarters of a pound butter, one pound of good sugar, 'till very white, whip ten whites to a foam, add the yolks and beat together, add one spoon rose water, of brandy, and put the whole to one and a quarter of a pound flour, if yet too soft add flour and bake slowly. _soft cakes in little pans_. one and half pound sugar, half pound butter, rubbed into two pounds flour, add one glass wine, one do. rose water, eggs and a nutmeg. _a light cake to bake in small cups_. half a pound sugar, half a pound butter, rubbed into two pounds flour, one glass wine, one do rose water, two do. emptins, a nutmeg, cinnamon and currants. _shrewsbury cake_. one pound butter, three quarters of a pound sugar, a little mace, four eggs mixed and beat with your hand, till very light, put the composition to one pound flour, roll into small cakes--bake with a light oven. n.b. in all cases where spices are named, it is supposed that they be pounded fine and sifted; sugar must be dryed and rolled fine; flour, dryed in an oven; eggs well beat or whipped into a raging foam. _diet bread_. one pound sugar, eggs, beat for an hour, add to ounces flour, spoonful rose water, one do. cinnamon or coriander, bake quick. rusk.--_to make_. no. . rub in half pound sugar, half pound butter, to four pound flour, add pint milk, pint emptins; when risen well, bake in pans ten minutes, fast. no. . one pound sugar, one pound butter, six eggs, rubbed into pounds flour, one quart emptins and wet with milk, sufficient to bake, as above. no. . one pound sugar, one pound butter, rubbed into or pounds of flour, eggs, one pint emptins, wet soft with milk, and bake. no. . p.c. rusk. put fifteen eggs to pounds flour and make into large biscuit; and bake double, or one top of another. no. . one pint milk, one pint emptins, to be laid over night in spunge, in morning, melt three quarters of a pound butter, one pound sugar, in another pint of milk, add luke warm, and beat till it rise well. no. three quarters of a pound butter, one pound sugar, eggs, one quart milk, put as much flour as they will wet, a spoon of cinnamon, gill emptins, let it stand till very puffy or light; roll into small cakes and let it stand on oiled tins while the oven is heating, bake minutes in a quick oven, then wash the top with sugar and whites, while hot. _biscuit_. one pound flour, one ounce butter, one egg, wet with milk and break while oven is heating, and in the same proportion. _butter biscuit_. one pint each milk and emptins, laid into flour, in sponge; next morning add one pound butter melted, not hot, and knead into as much flower as will with another pint of warmed milk, be of a sufficient consistance to make soft--some melt the butter in the milk. _a butter drop_. four yolks, two whites, one pound flour, a quarter of a pound butter, one pound sugar, two spoons rose water, a little mace, baked in tin pans. preserves. _for preserving quinces_. take a peck of quinces, pare then, take out the core with a sharp knife, if you wish to have them whole; boil parings and cores with two pound frost grapes, in quarts water, boil the liquor an hour and an half, or till it is thick, strain it through a coarse hair sieve, add one and a quarter pound sugar to every pound of quince; put the sugar into the sirrup, scald and skim it till it is clear, put the quinces into the sirrup, cut up two oranges and mix with the quince, hang them over a gentle fire for five hours, then put them in a stone pot for use, set them in a dry cool place. _for preserving quinces in loaf sugar_. take a peck of quinces, put them into a kettle of cold water, hang them over the fire, boil them till they are soft, then take them out with a fork, when cold, pair them, quarter or halve them, if you like; take their weight of loaf sugar, put into a bell-metal kettle or sauce pan, with one quart of water, scald and skim it till it is very clear, then put in your quinces, let them boil in the sirrup for half an hour, add oranges as before if you like, then put them in stone pots for use. _for preserving strawberries_. take two quarts of strawberries, squeeze them through a cloth, add half a pint of water and two pound of sugar, put it into a sauce pan, scald and skim it, take two pound of strawberries with stems on, set your sauce pan on a chaffing dish, put as many strawberries into the dish as you can with the stems up without bruizing them, let them boil for about ten minutes, then take them out gently with a fork and put them into a stone pot for use; when you have done the whole turn the sirrup into the pot, when hot; set them in a cool place for use. _currants_ and _cherries_ may be done in the same way, by adding a little more sugar. _the american citron_. take the rine of a large watermelon not too ripe cut it into small pieces, take two pound of loaf sugar, one pint of water, put it all into a kettle, let it boil gently for four hours, then put it into pots for use. _to keep white bullace, pears, plumbs, or damsons &c. for tarts or pies_. gather them when full grown, and just as they begin to turn, pick all the largest out, save about two thirds of the fruit, to the other third put as much water as you think will cover them, boil and skim them; when the fruit is boiled very soft, strain it through a coarse hair sieve; and to every quart of this liquor put a pound and a half of sugar, boil it, and skim it very well; then throw in your fruit, just give them a scald; take them off the fire, and when cold, put them into bottles with wide mouths, pour your sirrup over them, lay a piece of white paper over them, and cover them with oil. _to make marmalade_. to two pounds of quinces, put three quarters of a pound of sugar and a pint of springwater; then put them over the fire, and boil them till they are tender; then take them up and bruize them; then put them into the liquor, let it boil three quarters of an hour, and then put it into your pots or saucers. _to preserve mulberries whole_. set some mulberries over the fire in skillet or preserving pan; draw from them a pint of juice when it is strained; then take three pounds of sugar beaten very fine, wet the sugar with the pint of juice, boil up your sugar and skim it, put in two pounds of ripe mulberries, and let them stand in the sirrup till they are thoroughly warm, then set them on the fire, and let them boil very gently; do them but half enough, so put them by in the sirrup till next day, then boil them gently again: when the sirrup is pretty thick, and will stand in round drops when it is cold, they are done enough, so put all into a gallipot for use. _to preserve goosberries, damsons, or plumbs_ gather them when dry, full grown, and not ripe; pick them one by one, put them into glass bottles that are very clean and dry, and cork them close with new corks; then put a kettle of water on the fire, and put in the bottles with care; wet not the corks, but let the water come up to the necks; make a gentle fire till they are a little codled and turn white; do not take them up till cold, then pitch the corks all over, or wax them close and thick; then set them in a cool dry cellar. _to preserve peaches_. put your peaches in boiling water, just give them a scald, but don't let them boil, take them out, and put them in cold water, then dry them in a sieve, and put them in long wide mouthed bottles: to half a dozen peaches take a quarter of a pound of sugar, clarify it, pour it over your peaches, and fill the bottles with brandy, stop them close, and keep them in a close place. _to preserve apricots_. take your apricots and pare them, then stone what you can whole; give them a light boiling in a pint of water, or according to your quantity of fruit; then take the weight of your apricots in sugar, and take the liquor which you boil them in, and your sugar, and boil it till it comes to a sirrup, and give them a light boiling, taking of the scum as it rises; when the sirrup jellies, it is enough; then take up the apricots, and cover them with the jelly, and put cut paper over them, and lay them down when cold. or, take you plumbs before they have stones in them, which you may know by putting a pin through them, then codle them in many waters, till they are as green as grass; peel them and codle them again; you must take the weight of them in sugar and make a sirrup; put to your sugar a pint of water; then put them in, set them on the fire to boil slowly, till they be clear, skimming them often, and they will be very green. put them up in glasses, and keep them for use. _to preserve cherries_. take two pounds of cherries, one pound and a half of sugar, half a pint of fair water, melt some sugar in it; when it is melted, put in your other sugar and your cherries; then boil them softly, till all the sugar be melted; then boil them fast, and skim them; take them off two or three times and shake them, and put them on again, and let them boil fast; and when they are of a good colour, and the sirrup will stand, they are boiled enough. _to preserve raspberries_. chuse raspberries that are not too ripe, and take the weight of them in sugar, wet your sugar with a little water, and put in your berries, and let them boil softly; take heed of breaking them; when they are clear, take them up, and boil the sirrup till it be thick enough, then put them in again; and when they are cold, put them up in glasses. _to preserve currants_. take the weight of the currants in sugar, pick out the seeds; take to a pound of sugar, half a pint of water, let it melt; then put in your currants and let them do very leisurely, skim them, and take them up, let the sirrup boil; then put them on again; and when they are clear, and the sirrup thick enough, take them off; and when they are cold, put them up in glasses. _to preserve plumbs_. take your plumbs before they have stones in them, which you may know by putting a pin through them, then codle them in many waters till they are as green as grass, peel them and coddle them again; you must take the weight of them in sugar, a pint of water, then put them in, set them on the fire, to boil slowly till they be clear, skiming them often, and they will be very green; put them up in glasses and keep them for use. _to keep damsons_. take damsons when they are first ripe, pick them off carefully, wipe them clean, put them into snuff bottles, stop them up tight so that no air can get to them, nor water; put nothing into the bottles but plumbs, put the bottles into cold water, hang them over the fire, let them heat slowly, let the water boil slowly for half an hour, when the water is cold take out the bottles, set the bottles into a cold place, they will keep twelve months if the bottles are stopped tight, so as no air nor water can get to them. they will not keep long after the bottles are opened; the plumbs must be hard. _currant jelly_. having stripped the currants from the stalks, put them in a stone jar, stop it close, set it in a kettle of boiling water, halfway the jar, let it boil half an hour, take it out and strain the juice through a coarse hair sieve, to a pint of juice put a pound of sugar, set it over a fine quick fire in a preserving pan, or a bell-metal skillet, keep stirring it all the time till the sugar be melted, then skim the skum off as fast as it rises. when the jelly is very clear and fine, pour it into earthern or china cups, when cold, cut white papers just the bigness of the top of the pot, and lay on the jelly, dip those papers in brandy, then cover the top of the pot and prick it full of holes, set it in a dry place; you may put some into glasses for present use. _to dry peaches_. take the fairest and ripest peaches, pare them into fair water; take their weight in double refined sugar; of one half make a very thin sirrup; then put in your peaches, boiling them till they look clear, then split and stone them, boil them till they are very tender, lay them a draining, take the other half of the sugar, and boil it almost to a candy; then put in your peaches, and let them lie all night then lay them on a glass, and set them in a stove, till they are dry, if they are sugared too much, wipe them with a wet cloth a little; let the first sirrup be very thin, a quart of water to a pound of sugar. _to pickle or make mangoes of melons_. take green melons, as many as you please, and make a brine strong enough to bear an egg; then pour it boiling hot on the melons, keeping them down under the brine; let them stand five or six days; then take them out, slit them down on one side, take out all the seeds, scrape them well in the inside, and wash them clean with cold water; then take a clove of a garlick, a little ginger and nutmeg sliced, and a little whole pepper; put all these proportionably into the melons, filling them up with mustard-seeds; then lay them in an earthern pot with the slit upwards, and take one part of mustard and two parts of vinegar, enough to cover them, pouring it upon them scalding hot, and keep them close slopped. _to pickle barberries_. take of white wine vinegar and water, of each an equal quantity; to every quart of this liquor, put in half a pound of cheap sugar, then pick the worst of your barberries and put into this liquor, and the best into glasses; then boil your pickle with the worst of your barberries, and skim it very clean, boil it till it looks of a fine colour, then let it stand to be cold, before you strain it; then strain it through a cloth, wringing it to get all the colour you can from the barberries; let it stand to cool and settle, then pour it clear into the glasses; in a little of the pickle, boil a little fennel; when cold, put a little bit at the top of the pot or glass, and cover it close with a bladder or leather. to every half pound of sugar, put a quarter of a pound of white salt. _to pickle cucumbers_. let your cucumbers be small, fresh gathered, and free from spots; then make a pickle of salt and water, strong enough to bear an egg; boil the pickle and skim it well, and then pour it upon your cucumbers, and stive them down for twenty four hours; then strain them out into a cullender, and dry them well with a cloth, and take the best white wine vinegar, with cloves, diced mace, nutmeg, white pepper corns, long pepper, and races of ginger, (as much as you please) boil them up together, and then clap the cucumbers in, with a few vine leaves, and a little salt, and as soon as they begin to turn their colour, put them into jars, stive them down close, and when cold, tie on a bladder and leather. _alamode beef_. take a round of bee£; and stuff it with half pound pork, half pound of butter, the soft of half a loaf of wheat bread, boil four eggs very hard, chop them up; add sweet marjoram, sage, parsley, summersavory, and one ounce of cloves pounded, chop them all together, with two eggs very fine, and add a jill of wine, season very high with salt and pepper, cut holes in your beef, to put your stuffing in, then stick whole cloves into the beef, then put it into a two pail pot, with sticks at the bottom, if you wish to have the beef round when done, put it into a cloth and bind it tight with or yards of twine, put it into your pot with two or three quarts of water, and one jill of wine, if the round be large it will take three or four hours to bake it. _for dressing codfish_. put the fish first into cold water and wash it, then hang it over the fire and soak it six hours in scalding water, then shift it into clean warm water, and let it scald for one hour, it will be much better than to boil. _to boil all kinds of garden stuff_. in dressing all sorts of kitchen garden herbs, take care they are clean washed; that there be no small snails, or caterpillars between the leaves; and that all coarse outer leaves, and the tops that have received any injury by the weather, be taken off; next wash them in a good deal of water, and put them into a cullender to drain, care must likewise be taken, that your pot or sauce pan be clean, well tinned, and free from sand, or grease. _to keep green peas till christmas_. take young peas, shell them, put them in a cullender to drain, then by a cloth four or five times double on a table, then spread them on, dry them very well, and have your bottles ready, fill them, cover them with mutton suet fat when it is a little soft; fill the necks almost to the top, cork them, tie a bladder and a leather over them and set them in a dry cool place. _to boil french beans_. take your beans and string them, cut in two and then across, when you have done them all, sprinkle them over with salt, stir them together, as soon as your water boils put them in and make them boil up quick, they will be soon done and they will look of a better green than when growing in the garden if; they are very young, only break off the ends, them break in two and dress them in the same manner. _to boil broad beans_. beans require a great deal of water and it is not best to shell them till just before they are ready to go into the pot, when the water boils put them in with some picked parsley and some salt, make them boil up quick, when you see them begin to fall, they are done enough, strain them off, garnish the dish with boiled parsley and send plain butter in a cup or boat. _to boil green peas_. when your peas are shelled and the water boils which should not be much more than will cover them, put them in with a few leaves of mint, as soon as they boil put in a piece of butter as big as a walnut, and stir them about, when they are done enough, strain them off, and sprinkle in a little salt, shake them till the water drains off, send them hot to the table with melted butter in a cup or boat. _to boil asparagus_. first cut the white ends off about six inches from the head, and scrape them from the green part downward very clean, as you scrape them, throw them into a pan of clear water, and after a little soaking, tie them up in small even bundles, when your water boils, put them in, and boil them up quick; but by over boiling they will lose their heads; cut a slice of bread, for a toast, and toast it brown on both sides; when your asparagus is done, take it up carefully; dip the toast in the asparagus water, and lay it in the bottom of your dish; then lay the heads of the asparagus on it, with the white ends outwards; pour a little melted butter over the heads; cut an orange into small pieces, and stick them between for garnish. _to boil cabbage_. if your cabbage is large, cut it into quarters; if small, cut it in halves; let your water boil, then put in a little salt, and next your cabbage with a little more salt upon it; make your water boil as soon as possible, and when the stalk is tender, take up your cabbage into a cullender, or sieve, that the water may drain off, and send it to table as hot as you can. savoys are dressed in the same manner. _for brewing spruce beer_. take four ounces of hops, let them boil half an hour in one gallon of water, strain the hop water then add sixteen gallons of warm water, two gallons of molasses, eight ounces of essence of spruce, dissolved in one quart of water, put it in a clean cask, then shake it well together, add half a pint of emptins, then let it stand and work one week, if very warm weather less time will do, when it is drawn off to bottle, add one spoonful of molasses to every bottle. _emptins_. take a handful of hops and about three quarts of water, let it boil about fifteen minutes, then make a thickening as you do for starch, strain the liquor, when cold put a little emptins to work them, they will keep well cork'd in a bottle five or six weeks. advertisement. the author of the american cookery, not having an education sufficient to prepare the work for the press, the person that was employed by her, and entrusted with the receipts, to prepare them for publication, (with a design to impose on her, and injure the sale of the book) did omit several articles very essential in some of the receipts, and placed others in their stead, which were highly injurious to them, without her consent---which was unknown to her, till after publication; but she has removed them as far as possible, by the following errata. page . rice pudding, no. ; for one pound butter, read half pound--for eggs read . no. ; after half pint rice, add ounces sugar. page . a nice indian pudding, no. ; boil only hours.--a flour pudding; read spoons of flour, put in scalding milk; bake an hour and half.--a boiled flour pudding; spoons of flour, boil an hour and half. page . a cream almond pudding; for yolks and whites, read eggs; for spoon flour, read --boil an hour and half. potato pudding, no. , no. . add a pint flour to each. page . puff pastes for tarts, no, ; for eggs read . page . plain cake; for quart of emptins, read pint. page . another plain cake, no. ; for pounds of flour, read pounds. in all puddings, where cream is mentioned, milk may be used. in pastes, the white of eggs only are to be used. file was produced from images produced by core historical literature in agriculture (chla), cornell university) transcriber's note: i have replaced en-dashes representing ranges of numbers within tables by the word "to." so something like " - / -- - / cups." in the original is often represented by " - / to - / cups." in this version. quantity cookery menu planning and cooking for large numbers by lenore richards, b.a. and nola treat, b.s. assistant professors of institution management college of agriculture university of minnesota boston little, brown, and company copyright, , by little, brown, and company. all rights reserved published april, printed in the united states of america preface this book has been written in response to the many requests for practical help in the planning of menus and for the recipes in use in the cafeteria under the management of the authors. this book is designed primarily to assist the managers of food departments in institutions. however, it is hoped that the chapters on menu planning, the recipes, and the list of weights and their approximate measures may prove useful as a text for those teachers of institution management who have the problem of teaching large quantity cookery and menu planning. n. t. l. r. university of minnesota january , contents chapter page i. principles underlying the planning of menus for large numbers ii. standards for judging meals iii. types of menus iv. suggestive charts and lists to be used in menu planning v. the importance and use of forms vi. recipes vii. table of weights and their approximate measures index quantity cookery chapter i principles underlying the planning of menus for large numbers well-balanced and appropriate menus are absolutely necessary to the success of any establishment serving food. given the best of raw materials and the most competent cooks, the institutional manager will fail to please his patrons if his menus show lack of careful planning. the truth of this assertion is verified by the analysis of many failures. on the other hand successful menu planning is not especially difficult. like any other art it requires careful study and observance of a few simple rules. of course, it is impossible to formulate one set of rules that will apply to all situations. each manager must make his own rules based on the conditions he has to meet. there are, however, certain basic principles to be recognized and followed. if the ensuing chapters succeed in explaining these principles and in emphasizing their importance, the authors' purpose will have been served. in planning menus for an institution the manager must: keep in mind the nature of the institution; its purpose; the character of its patronage. follow certain dietetic principles. maintain constant variety in the food. keep menus appropriate to the temperature; the weather; the season; occasional holidays. recognize the limitations imposed by equipment; amount and kind of help; range of cost permitted; left-over foods to be used; form of service. the first point to consider in planning a menu is the type of institution to be served. for reasons that are obvious, the purpose of the high school cafeteria is very different from that of the metropolitan hotel, while neither of these has the same object as the municipal tuberculosis sanitarium. the age, sex, nationality, economic condition and occupation of the patrons must be kept in mind. the adult demands a freedom of choice which may be denied children. for this reason the content of the grade school lunch may be fixed in an arbitrary way, while this will not do when one is dealing with adults of any class. for instance, grade school children are satisfied with the morning bowl of bread and milk and the noon lunch of bread and soup. adults, even in a charitable home, would undoubtedly complain of the simplicity of such meals. the high school lunchroom may eliminate coffee from its menu and have frequent "pieless" days. any such attempts to regulate the diet of adults, except for patriotic reasons such as were the incentive to denial during the war, are highly inadvisable. as far as the food elements are concerned, the same kinds of food may be served to boys and girls or to men and women. but, practically, they will not eat the same foods with equal satisfaction, and this should influence the planning of menus in different institutions. school lunch managers and social service workers have found that in order to accomplish their aims they have to recognize racial food tastes. the economic condition of the group to be served may limit variety in the menu, on the one hand, or may permit of maximum variety on the other. the eight-page menu of the fashionable tea room as definitely reflects the ability of the patrons to pay as does the simple meal of three or four dishes served the immigrants at ellis island. the occupation of the patrons, whether active or sedentary, determines to a large extent the kind of food served to them, from the dietetic standpoint and from the commercial standpoint as well. the lumberjacks of the north woods require a diet very different in quality and quantity from that of the telephone operators in a city exchange. in institutions serving set menus, with little or no choice, special attention should be given to dietetic principles. examples of such institutions are college dining halls or dormitories, hospitals, benevolent "homes," boarding houses, fraternities and clubs. for those who have had little or no training in dietetics and who yet have the responsibility of planning menus, it may be said that if ample variety is provided, with emphasis on fruits and vegetables, the dietetic requirements will probably be met. the sequence of foods in the menu is important. where several courses are to be served, and it is the aim of those planning the menu to keep the appetite stimulated, acids, meat extractives and warm foods should be served first. cloying foods such as sweets, very cold foods and foods which are satisfying tend to depress the appetite and hence have no place in the first course of a meal, except for luncheon where the menu may be very simple. in institutions which have fixed menus, it is especially desirable that the meal, no matter how simple, be so planned that it may be served in courses. children especially are likely to hurry through their meals, and the serving of food in courses prevents too rapid eating. it is true, of course, that extra service requires more labor, and so may not prove possible, even though desirable. the responsibility for maintaining a constant variety in food calls for the continued exercise of initiative, the determination to avoid monotonous repetition, a mind open to new foods and new methods of preparation and systematic marketing trips in order to keep in touch with seasonal changes. perhaps the most frequent criticism of institutions is on the lack of variety in meals. hotels, clubs and tea rooms can draw trade by serving out-of-season foods when they first appear in the market. institutions whose purchases are limited by a budget should make the most of seasonal foods when the market is at its height and the food is cheapest. such institutions should avoid serving foods that are not actually in season. serving berries or melons before the height of the season dulls the appetite of the patron for these foods so that by the time they have become economical to serve he has tired of them. variety should be introduced not only in the kinds of food but in the preparation, garnish and service. even in charitable homes and other institutions where the aim is to serve at a minimum cost, the menus can be made attractive through variety in preparation. corn meal and cottage cheese, two of the least expensive foods we have, can be utilized in a wide variety of ways. there should be no hesitation about serving new dishes, for maximum variety is essential to a happy patronage whether in the tea room or the benevolent institution. the point to be kept in mind, where the guest has the privilege of selection, is that all the variety should not come within the day or meal but within the week or month. surprise always helps to induce appetite and this fact is as applicable to the menu in the children's home as to that of the tea room. it is good business practice as well as good dietetic practice to plan meals according to the weather and the time of year. hot, heavy foods sell best in cold weather. cool, crisp, fresh foods sell best on the hottest days. the public is very susceptible to weather conditions. holidays give a popularity to certain foods which they enjoy at no other time of the year. it is good business to make the most of these foods by serving them on appropriate days. there are definite relations between the menu and the equipment available for its execution. for instance, a menu which calls for oven cooking to the exclusion of the use of the top of the stove or supplementary steamers will be impossible to carry out. the menu should be planned in order that the cooking may be divided between all the available equipment, such as ovens, steamers and top space on stoves. in the kitchen, as in the industrial plant, it is good management to give space only to efficient equipment and to use that equipment to its maximum capacity. again, incomplete equipment may have to be considered in planning the menu. if there is no power machinery the amount of hand work or heavy physical preparation called for may have to be cut down in accordance with the equipment at hand. in serving large numbers power machinery will often pay for itself in a few months through the saving in labor. it will not only do the work better and more humanely but will allow a much greater variety of food. in the matter of equipment the institution must get away from the idea that it is a large home, with working conditions as they have been in the average home. it should consider itself an industrial plant where one of the aims is maximum production with minimum labor; and it should realize that proper equipment and proper working conditions are necessary in the accomplishment of this aim. even though the labor supply may be adequate, efficient planning of menus demands that there be an adjustment between those foods requiring much labor and those requiring little, so that proper balance may be maintained. in discussing the limitations in menu making the element of cost has come up again and again. it becomes a definite restriction in institutions that work on a budget, or where the group to be served demands good wholesome food at the lowest price. as examples of such institutions there are the factory cafeteria, the school lunch and the college cafeteria. though menus must be made out in advance of the day when they are to be used, they should be sufficiently elastic to allow for proper utilization of left-overs. using left-overs may mean very little change and substitution, or may require complete revision of the day's meals. left-overs must be used, for it is only by constant care that the food cost can be kept down to a minimum. that this is true of all institutions, whether great or small, is shown by the extreme care exercised in the largest hotels to the end that no food shall be wasted. where there is family service, rather than plate service from the kitchen, there will probably be a large amount of left-over food. it requires a good deal of ingenuity to use these left-overs in some other form so as to maintain variety and that element of surprise which is so essential. in the cafeteria or other institution using _à la carte_ service the left-over problem is not so serious. it is very nicely taken care of in tea rooms and hotels which serve a club luncheon, the menu for which may be chiefly made up from the left-overs. it is obvious that the form of service may influence the kind and extent of the menu. that is, the cafeteria can serve a large variety of dishes because the patrons wait on themselves. a similar choice or variety is impracticable where there is table service, except in hotels, restaurants and tea rooms where cost is not so great a factor. chapter ii standards for judging meals provided the principles of good nutrition have not been violated, the main basis for judging any meal is palatability. palatability depends upon appearance and quality. appearance in turn depends upon quantity, color, form and service upon the plate. quality is determined by odor, flavor, temperature, texture and consistency. reduced to outline form, the elements of palatability are: | quantity | color + appearance---------+ form | | neatness | | arrangement | palatability + | | | odor | | temperature + quality------------+ flavor | texture | consistency commercially and aesthetically it is unwise to make servings too large. every one has had the experience of being served with more food than can be eaten with relish and without waste. the effect is to surfeit the appetite and to limit the variety which a patron may have, unless he is able financially to order the variety; in which case he is obliged to leave some food uneaten. in any institution which serves _à la carte_, it is better to adjust portions and prices to the end that the patron may have some variety in his meal without prohibitive expense. color is important in inducing appetite. the cafeteria counter displaying a buff-colored pie, snow pudding, rice custard and yellow cake does not tempt patrons to buy. a basket of fruit, a bright-colored gelatin dessert or attractive garnishes may transform a drab meal into a most interesting one. particularly in all kinds of plate service, attention must be paid to color, for while clashing color combinations must be avoided, some color must be used to give the food an appetizing appearance. a great deal of our food is very neutral in color and admits of a liberal use of garnishes of one kind or another. as a rule articles of food served together should be of diverse shapes. one may enjoy a croquette, a stuffed baked potato, peas in timbales and a roll in the same meal, but it is usually unwise to serve them on the same plate. the necessity for neatness and orderly arrangement of servings is obvious. at large parties where there is plate service it is wise to make up a sample plate before the time of serving in order to determine the best arrangement of food and in order actually to show those who are to dish up the food how each plate must look when it is placed before the guest. one who is inexperienced in planning menus, especially for parties, should accustom himself to visualizing the meal as it will appear when written upon the menu card and as it will appear upon the plate. a menu which has seemed very good when planned will often be unsatisfactory when actually served because some of the above points have been overlooked. odor and temperature are important factors in quality. it would seem superfluous to say that hot things must be served hot and cold things must be served cold, yet in serving large numbers the strict observance of these rules is one of the difficult problems to be solved. _it can be solved, however_, with efficient equipment properly arranged, a carefully thought out organization of service and unceasing care. repetition of texture and consistency should also be avoided. that is to say, there should be the maximum variety in preparation of food in order that no meal shall contain two or more creamed dishes, fried foods, foods with custard basis or foods with bread foundation. if a score card were made out for judging a meal, flavor would perhaps be given the most importance. here again care must be taken to avoid duplicating flavors. too many strong flavors or too many bland flavors are undesirable. while strong flavors stimulate the appetite it is unwise to employ them continually, especially where the same group of people is being served day after day. a more blandly flavored diet is likely to be less palling and more constantly inviting. in serving the public, whether it be in the hospital, the college dormitory or the commercial restaurant, the aim should always be to have the food better than that to which the patrons are accustomed. in almost any kind of food work, and especially in institutional food work, visiting trips to the best hotels, tea rooms, inns, cafeterias and restaurants are invaluable, since they impart a knowledge of the way things are done, which in turn creates a confidence and assurance that nothing else can give. chapter iii types of menus cafeteria menus though it may be necessary to offer slightly more choice in foods in the commercial cafeteria, some cafeterias offer such a wide variety of choice that the patron is confused and has difficulty in choosing his meal. furthermore too much variety makes for sameness from day to day. in all cafeterias where the same group is served each day, and where there is little or no competition, a simpler menu may be used. the following menu outline is suggested for use in the average cafeteria. a standard form for cafeteria menu soup meats ( meat substitute) kind of potatoes - vegetables - hot breads - sandwiches - salads - relishes - desserts beverages _meats_ one inexpensive meat should be served in each meal. two made-over meats should not be served in the same meal. two kinds of beef or pork or two kinds of any other variety of meat should not be served in the same meal. _potatoes_ creamed potatoes may be served with meat lacking gravy or sauce. it is seldom advisable to serve mashed potatoes unless there is a meat gravy to offer with them. _vegetables_ when possible one vegetable should be starchy and one should be succulent. two creamed or two fried or two buttered vegetables should not be served in the same meal. _breads_ raised breads and quick breads give a good variety. _salads_ there should be at least one inexpensive salad. the variety in salads may consist of one fruit salad, one vegetable salad and one salad in which protein predominates, such as cottage cheese, meat or fish. head lettuce salad is universally popular and may appear at every meal. in salad dressings, there should always be a cooked dressing, french dressing and mayonnaise. other varieties may be added as desired. _desserts_ variety in desserts includes: fruit in some form. a pudding with a dough or bread foundation. two cold puddings. one kind of ice cream. one kind of cake. one kind of pie. one-crust and two-crust pies should so far as possible be alternated in successive menus. two or more kinds of pie may be demanded, but when possible patrons should be educated to other choices in desserts. _beverages_ milk should be served in bottles (with provision for opening). thirty days' menus for a cafeteria the careful manager spends a great deal of time in menu planning. if some systematic method of menu making can be adopted and used with a mind constantly alert to seasonal changes in foods, new and attractive dishes and variety in serving, the plan may result in saving much of this time. a set of menus for thirty days has been worked out, with the idea that they may be repeated at the end of that time without too monotonous repetition. no sunday meals are included since the majority of cafeterias are closed on that day. the friday menus occur on the fifth day and every sixth day thereafter. no menu is shown for saturday night when, if a meal is served, it may consist of popular dishes such as chicken in some form, waffles or steaks, along with such left-overs as it may be desirable to use. the menus are intended to serve as a _foundation_ to which may be added new dishes and seasonable fruits and vegetables, a suggestive list of which is given elsewhere (see pages - ). from these foundation menus may be eliminated such dishes as are unpopular or out of season, or which for any reason it is impractical to serve. commercial cafeterias may find it necessary to add other choices to these menus. very small cafeterias may offer fewer choices. the majority of establishments, however, will find this variety ample, the idea being to serve the maximum variety within the week rather than within the day or meal. a star has been used to indicate those dishes in which left-overs may be used to particular advantage. cafeteria menus +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =monday= | =tuesday= | =wednesday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | grapefruit | oranges | grapefruit | | prunes | bananas | baked apples | | apples | apricots | stewed figs | | stewed cherries | canned pears | canned plums | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | cereals | cereals | cereals | | cream of wheat, | cream of barley | oatmeal | | chopped figs | post toasties | shredded wheat | | grapenuts | puffed wheat | grapenuts | | puffed rice | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | fried eggs | pancakes | fried mush | | bacon | cinnamon toast | broiled ham | | wheat muffins | poached eggs | toast | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of lima bean | oyster stew | vegetable soup | | soup | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | veal roast, gravy | pork chops | leg of lamb, mint | | creamed dried beef | **cheese fondue | sauce | | on toast | | hamburg balls | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | creamed potatoes | mashed potatoes | | buttered peas | boiled onions | scalloped tomatoes | | cabbage au gratin | buttered carrots | creamed celery | | | fried apples | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | pear salad | orange salad | peach salad | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | tomato salad | cabbage salad | tuna fish salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | cinnamon rolls | wheat muffins | corn bread | | **ham and pickle | | raisin and nut | | sandwiches | | sandwiches | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | **chocolate bread | **prunecot | carrot plum | | pudding with | shortcakes | pudding, vanilla | | vanilla sauce | fruit | sauce | | fruit | snow pudding, | fruit | | fig tapioca | custard sauce | baked rhubarb | | **fruit whip | chocolate blanc | baked custard | | caramel cake | mange with nuts | cocoanut cake | | banana cream pie | white cake, lemon | cranberry pie | | ice cream | filling, white | ice cream, chocolate | | | frosting | sauce | | | pumpkin pie | | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of celery soup | peanut butter soup | clear tomato soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | swiss steak | rib roast of beef | baked ham | | tongue, mustard | veal stew | **cottage cheese | | sauce | | croquettes, cream | | | | sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | browned potatoes | mashed potatoes | glazed sweet | | **corn pudding | creamed asparagus | potatoes | | mashed turnips | buttered beets | creamed hominy | | | | string beans | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | sardine salad | pineapple and celery | banana salad | | head lettuce salad | salad | head lettuce salad | | cottage cheese salad | head lettuce salad | deviled egg salad | | | spinach and egg | | | | salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | hot rolls | baking-powder | raised muffins | | | biscuits | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | cottage pudding, | **rice and raisin | grapenut pudding, | | lemon sauce | pudding, hard | lemon sauce | | fruit | sauce | fruit | | pineapple pudding | fruit | loganberry tapioca | | baked apples | **fruit cocktail | apricot whip | | white cake, nut | caramel tapioca | ginger cake | | icing | chocolate cake | lemon pie | | chocolate pie | apple pie | ice cream | | ice cream | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =thursday= | =friday= | =saturday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | oranges | grapefruit | grapefruit | | pineapple | peaches | oranges | | apple-sauce | apricots | royal anne cherries | | bananas | baked apples | prunes | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | malt of wheat | corn meal mush | rice boiled in milk | | grapenuts | puffed rice | grapenuts | | post toasties | shredded wheat | post toasties | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | french toast | toast | bacon and eggs | | toast | date muffins | toast | | boiled eggs | poached eggs | pancakes | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of corn soup | cream of tomato soup | noodle soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | creamed sweetbreads | baked halibut, | roast beef, gravy | | on toast | tartare sauce | **spanish rice | | beef à la mode | egg cutlets, cream | | | | sauce | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | parsley buttered | baked potato | mashed potato | | potatoes | fried parsnips | string beans | | steamed rice in | buttered asparagus |spinach and egg | | milk | on toast | | | fried eggplant | | | | buttered cabbage | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | fruit salad | prune and cottage | grapefruit salad | | head lettuce salad | cheese salad | head lettuce salad | | raisin and carrot | head lettuce salad | asparagus salad | | salad | perfection salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | baking-powder | bran muffins | parker house rolls | | biscuits and | | | | honey | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | loganberry cobbler | apple dumplings, | orange fritters, | | fruit | lemon sauce | syrup | | maple nut mold, | fruit | fruit | | custard sauce | cocoanut custard | norwegian prune | | fruit cocktail | cornstarch pudding, | pudding | | cake with fudge | chocolate sauce | **fruit gelatin | | frosting | spice cake | angel cake | | pineapple pie | blackberry pie | **mince pie | | ice cream | ice cream | ice cream | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of pea soup | creole soup | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | roast pork loin, | breaded veal chops | | | gravy | **scalloped fish in | | | macaroni and cheese | ramekins | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | creamed potatoes | | | baked lima beans | buttered onions | | | with green | rice croquettes | | | peppers and | with jelly | | | pimentos | | | | spinach and lemon | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | peach salad | orange salad | | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | | tomato salad | celery hearts | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | corn muffins | cottage rolls | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | chocolate soufflé | steamed molasses | | | fruit | pudding, egg hard | | | caramel bavarian | sauce | | | baked apples | fruit | | | sugar cookies | **fruit gelatin | | | apricot pie | tapioca cream | | | ice cream | individual tea | | | | cakes with raisins | | | | butterscotch pie | | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =monday= | =tuesday= | =wednesday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | apples | bananas | grapes | | sliced oranges | grapefruit | oranges | | plums, red canned | apricot sauce | apple sauce | | prunes | stewed, red, pitted | royal anne cherries | | | cherries | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | post toasties | shredded wheat | malt of wheat | | grapenuts | puffed rice | grapenuts | | corn meal mush | oatmeal | post toasties | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | french toast | fried mush | doughnuts | | boiled eggs | toast | toast | | toast | bacon | scrambled eggs | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | clear tomato soup | cream of potato | noodle soup | | | soup | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | baked ham | roast pork and | creamed chicken on | | spaghetti and cheese | gravy | toast | | | beef stew | meat loaf | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | browned sweet | mashed potatoes | parsley buttered | | potatoes | **corn pudding | potatoes | | creamed cabbage | buttered beets | creamed carrots | | baked navy beans | | spinach and lemon | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | banana salad | nut, celery, cabbage | sardine salad | | shredded lettuce | salad | head lettuce salad | | salad | head lettuce salad | mashed potato salad | | **potato salad | prune and peanut | | | | butter salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | brown bread | raisin bread | baking powder | | | egg and pickle | biscuits | | | sandwiches | cottage cheese, | | | | green pepper and | | | | nut sandwiches | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | peach shortcake | apple puff pudding, | **bread pudding, | | fruit | lemon sauce | vanilla sauce | | chocolate pudding | fruit | fruit | | caramel tapioca | floating island | apricot whip | | white cake with | cranberry sauce | maple nut mold, | | orange filling | chocolate cake | custard sauce | | and frosting | rhubarb pie | white cake, white | | custard pie | ice cream | icing | | ice cream | | banana cream pie | | | | ice cream | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of lima bean | cream of celery soup | cream of pea soup | | soup | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | rib roast, gravy | veal birds | short ribs of beef | | frankfurters | creamed dried beef | sausage balls | | | on toast | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | baked potatoes | browned potatoes | | stewed tomatoes | string beans | buttered onions | | scalloped eggplant | buttered asparagus | **succotash | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | fruit salad | grape and celery | banana and nut | | head lettuce salad | salad | salad | | perfection salad | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | | cottage cheese salad | tuna fish and celery | | | | salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | graham muffins | corn bread | nut bread | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | lemon rice pudding | chocolate soufflé | **brown betty, | | fruit | fruit | lemon sauce | | baked custard | **fruit cocktail | fruit | | **fruit gelatin | baked prune whip | pineapple tapioca | | raisin rocks | with nuts | **fruit bavarian | | blueberry pie | doughnuts | washington pie, | | ice cream | pineapple pie | cream filling | | | ice cream | raisin pie | | | | ice cream | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =thursday= | =friday= | =saturday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | apples | peaches | cherries | | bananas | prunes | baked apples | | pineapple | oranges | grapefruit | | pears | stewed figs | peaches | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | cream of rye | oatmeal | cream of barley | | puffed wheat | shredded wheat | puffed rice | | cornflakes | grapenuts | post toasties | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | fried eggs | poached eggs on | fried eggs | | french toast | toast | toast | | toast | toast | muffins | | broiled ham | rice pancakes | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of corn soup | **vegetable soup | cream of spinach | | | | soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | swiss steak | veal roast with | breaded pork chops | | creamed eggs on | dressing | veal hearts en | | on toast | scalloped salmon | casserole | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | baked potato | mashed potato | scalloped potatoes | | mashed rutabagas | buttered beets | buttered carrots | | creamed celery | creamed onions | string beans | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | orange salad | grapefruit salad | pineapple with | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | cottage cheese | | tomato aspic | **combination | head lettuce salad | | | vegetable salad | perfection salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | brown bread | raised muffins | cinnamon rolls | | | **fruit sandwiches | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | steamed plum | **chocolate rice | raspberry roll, | | pudding, vanilla | custard with | raspberry sauce | | sauce | meringue | fruit | | fruit | fruit | red plum whip | | baked apples | **fruit gelatin | rice bavarian | | cornstarch pudding, | lady baltimore cake | pudding | | chocolate sauce | cream puffs | banana cream cake | | sponge cake, | loganberry pie | apple pie | | whipped cream | ice cream, maple | ice cream | | butterscotch pie | nut sauce | | | ice cream | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of tomato | cream of corn soup | | | soup | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | leg of lamb, gravy | fried oysters with | | | **baked hash | lemon | | | | pot roast | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | mashed potatoes | | | creamed cabbage | scalloped tomatoes | | | buttered peas | steamed rice in milk | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | cottage cheese balls | deviled egg salad | | | rolled in nuts | shredded lettuce | | | head lettuce salad | salad | | | radishes | celery hearts | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | muffins | baking-powder | | | | biscuits | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | **baked rice pudding | peach cobbler | | | fruit | fruit | | | **date torte, whipped| apple tapioca | | | cream | **charlotte russe | | | orange custard | white cake, | | | chocolate cake | chocolate icing | | | cherry pie | lemon pie | | | ice cream | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =monday= | =tuesday= | =wednesday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | oranges | grapefruit | apple sauce | | baked apples | bananas | peaches | | cherries | plums | pineapple | | prunes | apricots | grapefruit | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | malt of wheat | oatmeal | cream of rye | | cornflakes | shredded wheat | puffed wheat | | grapenuts | puffed rice | grapenuts | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | toast | toast | toast | | **crumb pancakes | bran muffins | french toast | | fried eggs | poached eggs | bacon | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of corn soup | peanut butter soup | **vegetable soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | small steaks | roast lamb, mint | liver and bacon | | **cheese fondue | sauce | **hamburg balls | | | weiners | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | creamed potatoes | mashed potatoes | glazed sweet | | beets in vinegar | carrots and peas | potatoes | | buttered onions | creamed cabbage | **corn pudding | | | | spinach and lemon | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | pear salad | **potato salad | apple and celery | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | salad | | cabbage slaw | tomato aspic salad | head lettuce salad | | | | cottage cheese salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | **crumb muffins | cottage rolls | corn bread | | **fruit sandwiches | | **ham and pickle | | | | sandwiches | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | rice and raisins | **brown betty, lemon | lemon rice pudding | | with hard sauce | sauce | fruit | | fruit | fruit | **fruit cocktail | | **fruit gelatin | apricot whip | **date torte, whipped| | maple nut mold, | caramel custard | cream | | custard sauce | white cake, | apple-sauce cake | | spice cake | chocolate frosting | chocolate pie | | cocoanut cream pie | raspberry pie | ice cream | | ice cream | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | **tomato stock soup | oyster stew | cream of spinach | | | | soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | baked ham | roast veal, gravy | rib roast of beef, | | **meat loaf | rice and nut loaf, | gravy | | | brown sauce | salmon croquettes, | | | | cream sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | baked potatoes | mashed potatoes | mashed potatoes | | **scalloped corn | buttered turnips | spaghetti and | | mashed squash | string beans | tomatoes | | | | creamed onions | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | cottage cheese with | pineapple and celery | grapefruit salad | | nuts, green | salad | head lettuce salad | | peppers and | head lettuce salad | sliced cucumbers | | pimentos | **combination | | | head lettuce salad | vegetable salad | | | asparagus salad | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | baking-powder | nut bread | cottage rolls | | biscuits | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | baked apples | cherry steamed | grapenut pudding, | | fruit | pudding, cherry | lemon sauce | | prune pudding | sauce | fig tapioca | | pineapple pudding | tapioca cream | fruit | | jelly roll | chocolate blanc | snow pudding, | | gooseberry and | mange | custard sauce | | raisin pie | fruit | doughnuts | | ice cream | cake with fig | apricot pie | | | filling and white | ice cream | | | frosting | | | | butterscotch pie | | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =thursday= | =friday= | =saturday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | oranges | grapefruit | oranges | | apple sauce | bananas | cherries | | apricots | peaches | grapefruit | | plums | prunes | plums | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | cream of wheat | cream of barley | corn meal mush | | cornflakes | puffed wheat | shredded wheat | | grapenuts | cornflakes | grapenuts | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | toast | toast | toast | | buckwheat cakes | sausages | french toast | | poached eggs | muffins | fried eggs | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of pea soup | cream of lima bean | **chicken and rice | | | soup | soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | breaded veal | chicken and biscuit | rib roast of beef | | **mutton stew with | codfish balls, cream | tongue with mustard | | vegetables | sauce | sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | browned potatoes | baked potatoes | mashed potatoes | | **succotash | buttered peas | fried parsnips | | creamed asparagus | creamed celery | string beans | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | **fruit salad | deviled egg salad | prune and cottage | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | cheese salad | | beet and egg salad | lobster salad | head lettuce salad | | | | **potato salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | baking-powder | plain muffins | cottage rolls | | cinnamon rolls | | lettuce sandwiches | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | peach cobbler | **bread pudding, | chocolate soufflé | | fruit | vanilla sauce | fruit | | prune whip | fruit | norwegian prune | | floating island | caramel pudding | pudding | | white cake, white | baked apples | **fruit cocktail | | frosting | chocolate cake, | apple sauce cake, | | apple pie | chocolate icing | chocolate icing | | ice cream | cream pie | **mince pie | | | ice cream | ice cream | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of tomato | cream of potato | | | soup | soup | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | roast pork and | steamed whitefish, | | | dressing | egg sauce | | | **cottage cheese | breaded veal hearts | | | croquettes, | | | | cream sauce | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | creamed potatoes | | | cabbage in vinegar | stewed tomatoes | | | creamed carrots | corn with pimentos | | | | and green peppers | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | apricot salad | banana salad | | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | | celery hearts | spinach and egg | | | | salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | hot rolls | corn bread | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | carrot plum pudding, | apple dumplings, | | | vanilla sauce | lemon sauce | | | date and nut blanc | fruit | | | mange, custard | baked custard | | | sauce | orange gelatin | | | chocolate pudding | lemon filled lay | | | fruit | cake | | | cup cakes with | blueberry pie | | | fruit | ice cream | | | banana cream pie | | | | ice cream | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =monday= | =tuesday= | =wednesday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | bananas | oranges | plums | | peaches | apricots | fresh apples | | grapefruit | prunes | bananas | | baked apples | royal anne cherries | grapefruit | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | oatmeal | cream of wheat | corn meal | | puffed wheat | cornflakes | shredded wheat | | cornflakes | grapenuts | puffed rice | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | toast | toast | toast | | poached eggs | **crumb griddle cakes| creamed dried beef | | french toast | bacon and fried | on toast | | | apples | doughnuts | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of potato | **creole soup | cream of corn soup | | soup | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | baked ham | **scalloped oysters | roast lamb, gravy | | macaroni and cheese | roast beef, gravy | meat pie | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | baked sweet potatoes | parsley buttered | mashed potatoes | | spinach and egg | potatoes | fried parsnips | | **corn pudding | mashed squash | creamed peas | | | beets in vinegar | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | apple, celery and | **fruit salad | banana salad | | nut salad | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | head lettuce salad | cottage cheese, | **potato salad | | combination | chopped celery | | | vegetable salad | and pimento salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | crumb muffins | corn bread | cottage rolls | | fruit sandwiches | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | steamed plum | loganberry cobbler | **prunecot shortcake | | pudding, vanilla | fruit | fruit | | sauce | caramel bavarian | apple tapioca | | fruit | cream | **fruit cocktail | | baked custard | baked apples | washington pie, | | prune whip | ginger cake, whipped | chocolate filling | | jelly roll, | cream | custard pie | | chocolate filling | lemon pie | ice cream | | peach pie | ice cream | | | ice cream | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of tomato | cream of spinach | **chicken and rice | | soup | soup | soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | roast pork, | chicken à la king on | small steaks | | dressing, gravy | toast | **cheese and tomato | | mutton stew | **meat loaf | soufflé | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | french fried | creamed potatoes | | creamed celery | potatoes | **scalloped corn | | rice croquettes, | **scalloped tomatoes | string beans | | jelly | creamed cauliflower | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | orange salad | grapefruit salad | pear salad | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | cabbage salad | beet and egg salad | tuna fish salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | graham bread | baking-powder | **crumb muffins | | | biscuits and maple | | | | syrup | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | **brown betty, lemon | **chocolate rice | cottage pudding, | | sauce | pudding | lemon sauce | | fruit | fruit | fruit | | tapioca cream | cocoanut custard | cornstarch blanc | | chocolate blanc | pineapple pudding | mange, fruit sauce | | mange | white cake with | chocolate pudding | | spice cake | white icing | caramel cake | | cocoanut cream pie | cherry pie | **mince pie | | ice cream | ice cream | ice cream | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =thursday= | =friday= | =saturday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | peaches | grapefruit | oranges | | pineapple | bananas | plums | | oranges | prunes | baked apples | | prunes | apricots | cherries | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | cream of rice with | cream of rye | cream of barley | | raisins | cornflakes | puffed rice | | puffed wheat | shredded wheat | grapenuts | | grapenuts | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | toast | toast | toast | | french toast | muffins | poached eggs | | fried eggs | pancakes | milk toast | | | broiled ham | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of lima bean | cream of tomato | cream of celery | | soup | soup | soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | pork chops | fried salmon steak | swiss steak | | **hamburg balls | with lemon | **cottage cheese | | | **baked hash | croquettes with | | | | cream sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | glazed sweet | creamed potatoes | mashed potatoes | | potatoes | buttered cauliflower | buttered rutabagas | | buttered onions | corn with pimento | stewed tomatoes | | kidney beans | and green peppers | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | pineapple with | celery cabbage salad | shrimp salad | | cottage cheese | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | head lettuce salad | **fruit salad | string bean and | | asparagus salad | | shallot salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | nut bread | muffins | cinnamon rolls | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | apple fritters with | bread pudding, | steamed cherry | | syrup | vanilla sauce | pudding cherry | | fruit | fruit | sauce | | apricot whip | snow pudding, | fruit | | maple nut mold, | custard sauce | chocolate blanc | | custard sauce | fig tapioca | mange | | banana cream cake | cake with orange | pineapple tapioca | | blackberry pie | filling and | nut cake | | ice cream | frosting | apricot pie | | | apple pie | ice cream | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of pea soup | **vegetable soup | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | rib roast of beef | **scalloped fish | | | veal hearts en | sausage balls, cream | | | casserole | sauce | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | french fried | | | buttered beets | potatoes | | | cabbage in vinegar | buttered carrots | | | creamed asparagus | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | peach salad | orange salad | | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | | | sliced or green | celery hearts | | | onions | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | graham muffins | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | grapenut pudding, | **baked rice pudding | | | lemon sauce | fruit | | | fruit | baked rhubarb | | | **fruit gelatin | **charlotte russe | | | norwegian prune | doughnuts | | | pudding | chocolate pie | | | sponge cake | ice cream | | | pineapple pie | | | | ice cream | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =monday= | =tuesday= | =wednesday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | peaches | oranges | bananas | | red pitted cherries | grapefruit | grapes | | grapefruit | peaches | plums | | apple sauce | baked apples | grapefruit | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | rice boiled in milk | malt of wheat | oatmeal | | puffed wheat | post toasties | puffed rice | | grapenuts | shredded wheat | grapenuts | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | pancakes | creamed eggs on | ham and eggs | | cinnamon toast | toast | toast | | bacon | graham muffins | buckwheat cakes | | | toast | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of tomato | **vegetable soup | cream of asparagus | | soup | | soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | rib roast of beef | breaded veal steak | roast loin of pork, | | and gravy | **corned beef hash, | dressing, gravy | | tongue, mustard | tartare sauce | **cheese fondue | | sauce | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potato | creamed potatoes | mashed sweet | | string beans | buttered onions | potatoes | | fried eggplant | scalloped tomatoes | lima beans, with | | | | green peppers and | | | | pimentos | | | | creamed celery | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | prune and cottage | peach salad | **potato salad | | cheese salad | head lettuce salad | shredded lettuce and | | head lettuce salad | **combination | egg salad | | tuna fish salad | vegetable salad | shrimp salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | fig, raisin and nut | bran muffins | baking-powder | | sandwiches | peanut butter and | biscuits with | | | pickle sandwiches | syrup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | loganberry cobbler | steamed molasses | lemon rice pudding | | fruit | pudding, egg hard | fruit | | **fruit whip | sauce | **charlotte russe | | date and nut blanc | fruit | **fruit cocktail | | mange, custard | chocolate blanc | chocolate cake, | | sauce | mange | white icing | | cake with fudge | baked custard | pumpkin pie | | icing | lady baltimore cake | ice cream | | custard pie | gooseberry and | | | ice cream | raisin pie | | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of celery | cream of corn soup | creole soup | | soup | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | ham and eggs | roast lamb, currant | short ribs of beef | | **meat croquettes, | jelly | egg cutlets, cream | | brown sauce | **meat pie | sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | baked potato | mashed potatoes | browned potatoes | | spinach and lemon | buttered peas | creamed asparagus | | **succotash | mashed rutabagas | rice in milk | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | banana salad | grapefruit salad | apple and pineapple | | head lettuce salad | head lettuce salad | salad | | cucumber salad | cabbage slaw | head lettuce salad | | | | perfection salad | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | rolls | parker house rolls | corn muffins | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | **chocolate bread | grapenut pudding, | prune custard | | pudding, vanilla | lemon sauce | pudding | | sauce | fruit | fruit | | fruit | snow pudding, | **fruit gelatin | | norwegian prune | custard sauce | baked apples | | pudding | fig tapioca | spice cake | | **fruit cocktail | sponge cake | apricot pie | | nut loaf cake | butterscotch pie | ice cream | | blueberry pie | ice cream | | | ice cream | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =thursday= | =friday= | =saturday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | grapefruit | pears | bananas | | peaches | plums | peaches | | oranges | grapes | oranges | | prunes | apricot sauce | plum sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | fruits | fruits | fruits | | cream of barley | cream of rye | cream of wheat | | puffed wheat | shredded wheat | puffed rice | | grapenuts | post toasties | grapenuts | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | **fried corn meal | poached eggs | **scrambled eggs with| | mush | white mt. muffins | bacon | | bacon | pancakes | cinnamon toast | | toast | broiled ham | toast | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of bean soup | **chicken noodle soup| peanut butter soup | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | chicken à la king | baked whitefish | hot roast beef | | sausage balls | with dressing | sandwiches and | | | rice and nut loaf, | gravy | | | cream sauce | **veal croquettes, | | | | brown sauce | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | parsley buttered | baked potatoes | scalloped potatoes | | potatoes | cabbage in vinegar | corn and pimentos | | mashed squash | beets, buttered | fried parsnips | | creamed peas | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | banana salad | **fruit salad, | pineapple salad | | head lettuce salad | whipped cream | head lettuce salad | | **spinach and egg | head lettuce salad | cottage cheese salad | | salad | tomato salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | **ham sandwiches | corn bread | **steamed brown | | hot rolls | | bread | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | orange shortcake | steamed cherry | cottage pudding, | | fruit | pudding, cherry | lemon sauce | | baked apples stuffed | sauce | fruit | | with raisins and | fruit | pineapple pudding | | nuts | prune whip | tapioca cream | | caramel custard | date torte, whipped | **oatmeal cookies | | washington pie, | cream | raisin pie | | chocolate filling | jelly roll, cream | ice cream, chocolate | | rhubarb pie | filling | sauce | | ice cream | apple pie | | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | cream of potato | cream of pea soup | | | soup | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | roast veal, | pork chops, dressing | | | dressing, gravy | codfish balls, cream | | | **baked hash | sauce | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | mashed potatoes | baked sweet | | | buttered carrots | potatoes | | | string beans | apple fritters with | | | | syrup | | | | stewed tomatoes | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | cottage cheese balls | tuna fish salad | | | rolled in nuts | shredded lettuce | | | head lettuce salad | salad | | | asparagus salad | kidney bean salad | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | bran muffins | **crumb muffins | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | blackberry cobbler | **old-fashioned rice | | | fruit | pudding | | | floating island | fruit | | | chocolate pudding | maple nut mold, | | | apple sauce cake, | custard sauce | | | chocolate icing | orange bavarian | | | lemon pie | cream | | | ice cream | gingerbread, | | | | whipped cream | | | | chocolate pie | | | | ice cream | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ **indicates dishes in which left-overs may be used to advantage. tea-room menus the tea-room menu is characterized by daintiness and excellence in food, garnish and service. large tea rooms serve a variety such as is found in large hotels, with practically no changes in their menus from day to day. they are open to the same criticism as are the cafeterias that serve everything in the market at every meal, and so make their menu monotonous. smaller tea rooms offer limited choices,--soups, relishes, hot dishes, vegetables, salads, breads and beverages. to add choices to a menu beyond the number which will satisfy the patrons is not economy. the longer the menu list, the more labor, equipment, food wastage and spoilage. therefore the tea-room menu list should be as simple as is consistent with the demands of those to be served. the menus shown below are of the type which are changed from day to day. the first is a very good example of this type, embodying a moderate degree of choice. it is suitable for a tea room serving perhaps six hundred or more people daily. luncheon[ ] iced fruit cocktail tuna fish cocktail celery hearts iced grape fruit oyster cocktail grape fruit & mint cocktail button radishes olives soup vegetable soup lamb broth & rice oyster stew cream of corn soup chicken & tomato puree meats, fish, etc. _french bread, hot rolls, or bran muffins served with these orders_ roast chicken, dressing, mashed potatoes and gravy creamed sweetbreads on toast with french fried potatoes chicken baked with noodles in casserole and toasted bran muffins fried oysters with chili sauce and baked potato broiled tenderloin steak with sweet potatoes southern style breaded veal with browned potatoes and gravy broiled white fish with lyonnaise potatoes cheese omelet with toasted rolls and preserves rice and salmon box with mexican slaw assorted hot vegetable dinner vegetables apple fritters buttered asparagus on toast fresh spinach & egg candied sweet potatoes baby garden beets buttered or creamed peas sautéd egg plant home baked beans breads hot biscuits with orange marmalade bran muffins toasted english muffins nut bread toasted cheese rolls rye bread & swiss cheese sandwich french bread hot home made rolls hot corn bread salads combination salad sweetbread salad shrimp salad club salad chicken stuffed paradise peppers tomato stuffed with cottage cheese & almonds chicken salad tuna fish salad sliced tomato & cheese ball salad head lettuce and roquefort cheese dressing pineapple, prune and neufchatel cheese salad grape fruit & orange salad cream slaw waldorf salad california fruit and nut salad fruit salad banana and walnut salad shredded lettuce and egg salad head lettuce with thousand island dressing stuffed egg salad with thousand island dressing lazarus vegetable salad frozen desserts, pastry, etc. fresh strawberries and cream black walnut loaf cake lemon pie red raspberry roll with cream almond macaroons apple pie à la mode fresh apple pie with cheese coffee parfait chocolate ice cream charlotte russe prune whip with cream cherry parfait bittersweet chocolate parfait chocolate meringue with vanilla ice cream center apricot & almond parfait chocolate almond parfait butter scotch meringue hot fudge sundae steamed fruit pudding with hard sauce chocolate mint parfait vanilla ice cream black walnut frozen cream french cake bittersweet chocolate meringue chocolate luxurro dessert vanilla ice cream with swiss chocolate sauce date & nut parfait baked apple & whipped cream apricot à la mode [footnote : courtesy of the lazarus tea room, columbus, ohio.] less choice is shown in the following menus which would be suitable to a tea room serving from two hundred to six hundred daily. tea-room menu[ ] celery olives radishes green onions fruit cocktail spiced figs * * * * * tomato bouillon in cup tureen for two barley soup in cup tureen for two * * * * * white fish broiled to order * * * * * spring chicken, country style, jelly broiled lamb chops, peas roast leg of veal, dressing fresh mushrooms on toast boiled beef, horse radish sauce * * * * * boiled rice and cream asparagus on toast candied sweet potatoes buttered new beets * * * * * head lettuce, vinaigrette dressing waldorf salad fresh fruit salad, mayonnaise dressing combination vegetable salad, french dressing * * * * * cinnamon rolls parker house rolls nut bread corn bread maple syrup * * * * * vanilla ice cream wintergreen sherbet baked apples, whipped cream apple pie red raspberry pie whipped cream grapefruit half; whole strawberry shortcake, whipped cream ice cream sandwich, hot chocolate sauce banana custard, whipped cream fresh cake whipped cream pineapple bavarian cream, whipped cream coffee or tea [footnote : courtesy of glass block tea room, duluth, minnesota.] still less choice is offered in the menus printed below, yet they are entirely satisfactory for a very small tea room serving not more than one hundred daily. =tea-room menus= _relishes_ salted almonds celery hearts _soup_ bouillon with wafers _ready to serve_ lambs chops and peas creamed fresh mushrooms on toast _vegetables_ french fried potatoes scalloped cauliflower _salads_ tea-room special salad head lettuce salad with thousand island dressing frozen fruit salad _sandwiches_ club sandwiches olive sandwiches _breads_ hot cinnamon rolls bread and butter _desserts_ baked alaska baked apples orange bavarian wellesley fudge cake _beverages_ coffee: per cup for one per pot for one per pot for two tea: per pot for one per pot for two chocolate per cup * * * * * _relishes_ celery hearts and stuffed olives salted almonds _cocktail_ oyster cocktail _ready to serve_ fillet of sole, tartare sauce omelet with jelly _vegetables_ potatoes in half shell brussels sprouts, buttered _salads_ chicken salad head lettuce salad with thousand island dressing fruit salad _sandwiches_ cream cheese sandwiches ham and olive sandwiches _breads_ hot biscuits and honey assorted breads and butter _desserts_ chocolate meringue pudding maple mousse lady baltimore cake _beverages_ coffee: per cup for one per pot for one per pot for two tea: per pot for one per pot for two chocolate per cup * * * * * _relishes_ stuffed olives fresh shallots raspberry jam _soup_ cream of corn soup _ready to serve_ broiled tenderloin of pork corned beef hash with poached egg and tartare sauce _vegetables_ sweet potato croquettes artichokes with drawn butter sauce boston baked beans and brown bread _salads_ stuffed tomato head lettuce with thousand island dressing asparagus and cold chicken mousse _sandwiches_ date and nut sandwiches hot roast beef sandwiches _breads_ cranberry muffins assorted bread and butter _desserts_ banana cream cake individual pumpkin pies ice cream with hot maple fudge pecan sauce baked prune whip _beverages_ coffee: per cup for one per pot for one per pot for two tea: per pot for one per pot for two chocolate per cup * * * * * _relishes_ honey in glasses queen olives raspberry jam _soup_ consommé with vegetables _ready to serve_ chicken à la king in bread cases meat rosettes _vegetables_ scalloped sweet potatoes with apples fried oyster plant _salads_ lobster salad head lettuce salad with thousand island dressing delicious fruit salad _sandwiches_ toasted cheese sandwiches cold sliced tongue sandwiches _breads_ date muffins assorted breads and butter bread and butter folds _desserts_ individual orange pies baked alaska wellesley fudge cake baked custards with maple sauce _beverages_ coffee: per cup for one per pot for one per pot for two tea: per pot for one per pot for two chocolate per cup chapter iv suggestive charts and lists to be used in menu planning list of foods soups _cream soups_ cream of corn cream of pea cream of tomato cream of asparagus cream of celery cream of potato cream of browned onion cream of navy bean cream of lima bean cream of peanut butter cream of spinach oyster stew ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _stock soups_ consommé bouillon tomato bouillon vegetable soup creole soup mutton broth rice tomato soup chicken soup with rice chicken soup with noodles vermicelli clear tomato ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ meats _beef_ rib roast pot roast hot roast beef sandwiches beef à la mode swiss steak steaks, tenderloin and sirloin hungarian goulash beef loaf hamburg balls creamed dried beef on toast short ribs and browned potatoes corned beef hash; with poached eggs meat pie meat stew with vegetables meat stew with dumplings meat croquettes corned beef and cabbage beef heart and dressing mock duck ___________________ ___________________ _pork_ roast pork roast pork and dressing roast pork and apple sauce pork chops pork chops with dressing baked ham ham baked in milk broiled ham ham and eggs sausages bacon and eggs broiled pork tenderloin frankfurts spare ribs and sauerkraut spare ribs and dressing ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _lamb and mutton_ roast lamb and gravy roast lamb and mint sauce lamb stew with vegetables lamb chops roast mutton mutton chops mutton stew ___________________ ___________________ _veal_ roast veal and dressing breaded veal veal loaf calves liver and bacon veal stew, plain; with vegetables; with peas veal birds breaded veal heart veal rosettes veal croquettes scalloped veal with rice veal hearts en casserole ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _chicken_ roast chicken chicken fricassee chicken giblets with rice chicken and biscuit creamed chicken, with biscuits; on toast; in bread cases; in timbales chicken pie, white and dark meat; all white meat chicken à la king chicken croquettes hot chicken sandwich ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ fish _salmon_ fresh salmon, steamed; baked fresh salmon fried in steaks canned salmon in loaf scalloped salmon creamed salmon on toast salmon with lemon salmon croquettes _whitefish_ steamed; baked; planked; with dressing _trout_ baked; fried _codfish_ creamed, on plain boiled potatoes codfish balls _halibut_ steamed; fried; baked scalloped fish fish cakes ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ oysters scalloped creamed oysters on toast fried oyster cocktail oyster stew ___________________ eggs fried with ham with bacon egg croquettes egg cutlets scrambled eggs with minced ham with bacon with marmalade with jelly poached eggs; on toast baked eggs in ramekin; in potato nest steamed eggs creamed eggs on toast ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ cheese dishes cheese fondue cheese soufflé rice and cheese macaroni and cheese hominy and cheese spaghetti and cheese creamed cheese cottage cheese loaf with nuts and green peppers cottage cheese croquettes with white sauce meat substitutes turkish pilaf rice and nut loaf spanish rice peanut and rice loaf lentil loaf rice croquettes spaghetti and tomatoes spaghetti and tomatoes with bacon ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ miscellaneous meat dishes hash croquettes tongue heart frankfurts brains, fried with scrambled eggs sweetbreads ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ vegetables _potatoes_ baked mashed scalloped _potatoes_ (continued) creamed american fried browned lyonnaise parsley buttered potatoes stuffed baked potatoes potato chips riced potatoes potato croquettes potato cakes potato cones potato puff plain boiled potatoes diced browned potatoes potatoes au gratin sweet potatoes, boiled baked fried scalloped with apples sweet potato croquettes ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _beans_ string beans string beans creamed wax beans boiled navy beans baked navy beans green lima beans dried lima beans, boiled baked lima beans kidney beans succotash ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _celery_ creamed relish ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _asparagus_ buttered asparagus on toast creamed creamed asparagus on toast _corn_ corn with green and red peppers corn on cob corn pudding succotash scalloped corn corn fritters ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _cabbage_ creamed scalloped scalloped cabbage au gratin fried boiled sauerkraut hot slaw ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _carrots_ buttered, diced creamed buttered carrots and peas creamed carrots and peas ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _cauliflower_ creamed scalloped cauliflower in ramekins; au gratin ___________________ ___________________ _beets_ buttered beets in vinegar sauce pickled beets ___________________ ___________________ _eggplant_ fried ___________________ ___________________ _hominy_ fried creamed scalloped ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _onions_ buttered creamed scalloped fried ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _macaroni_ macaroni and tomatoes macaroni croquettes ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _spaghetti_ spaghetti and tomatoes spaghetti croquettes spaghetti and tomatoes with bacon ___________________ ___________________ _peas_ buttered buttered peas and carrots creamed creamed peas and carrots ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _peppers_ stuffed with corn stuffed with meat ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _rice_ rice with gravy, southern style rice with cream rice croquettes ___________________ ___________________ _parsnips_ fried ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _spinach_ spinach and lemon spinach and egg ___________________ ___________________ _squash_ baked mashed ___________________ ___________________ _turnips_ creamed buttered, diced mashed ___________________ ___________________ _rutabagas_ mashed creamed buttered ___________________ _tomatoes_ stewed stewed tomatoes with bread scalloped baked stuffed ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ breads _quick breads_ white muffins graham muffins bran muffins corn meal muffins date muffins rice muffins crumb muffins blueberry muffins bacon muffins cranberry muffins corn bread brown bread baking-powder biscuit baking-powder biscuit cinnamon rolls, with frosting baking-powder nut bread baking-powder nut and raisin bread baking-powder brown bread ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _yeast breads_ white bread graham bread oatmeal bread raisin bread nut bread coffee cake ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _rolls_ cottage rolls parker house rolls clover-leaf rolls cinnamon rolls raised muffins hot cross buns ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ sandwiches lettuce olive olive and egg celery celery and chicken chicken ham peanut fig and nut cheese cheese and pimento meat ham sliced ham minced meat minced fig and date raisin and nut cucumber parsley butter egg tomato and cucumber green pepper club toasted cheese ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ salads _vegetable salads_ asparagus cabbage cabbage salad with nuts cabbage salad with pickles and green peppers cabbage and ham cabbage and salmon cabbage and tuna fish cabbage and shrimp cabbage and pineapple celery and apple stuffed celery tomato salad whole, stuffed half sliced tomato and cucumber spring salad (head lettuce, tomato, onion, radishes, peppers, cucumber) string bean kidney bean spinach mounded with sliced egg head lettuce with mayonnaise head lettuce with french dressing head lettuce with thousand island dressing lettuce shredded with egg deviled eggs potato cucumber sliced cucumbers in vinegar combination vegetable salad, peas, celery, beets perfection sliced onions in vinegar egg, cheese and pickle tomato aspic tomato and celery celery, peas and nuts cabbage, celery, meat, pimento celery and beet mashed potato bean and beet sliced bermuda onion squares of new york cheese on lettuce carrot and raisin ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _fruit salads_ orange, grapefruit and pineapple waldorf apple, banana and date white grape, apple and nut orange and nut apple and pineapple pear pineapple and celery pineapple and nut date and cottage cheese prune and cottage cheese pineapple and grated cheese argyle banana prune and peanut butter grapefruit fruit salad with ginger ale banana, peanut and carrot _fish and meat salads_ salmon and celery sardine tuna fish shrimp lobster chicken ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _cottage cheese salads_ molded and sliced with celery molded and sliced with green peppers and nuts balls rolled in nuts ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ desserts _hot puddings_ rice and raisins with hard sauce rice and raisins with cream rice custard chocolate rice pudding baked rice pudding lemon rice pudding rice compote with peaches with raspberries with prunes baked tapioca custard with meringue apple tapioca prune pudding indian pudding bread pudding chocolate bread pudding cottage pudding grapenut pudding apple fritters corn fritters banana fritters pineapple fritters orange fritters plain fritters apple dumplings apple batter pudding brown betty with lemon sauce steamed suet pudding steamed cherry pudding steamed date pudding steamed carrot pudding prunecot shortcake peach shortcake orange shortcake strawberry shortcake peach cobbler apricot cobbler cherry cobbler ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _cold puddings_ baked custard caramel custard maple nut mold, custard sauce chocolate blanc mange tapioca cream raspberry tapioca caramel tapioca pineapple tapioca apple tapioca fruit whips strawberry prune apricot plum caramel bavarian cream cornstarch pudding with chocolate sauce with berry sauce with custard sauce fig tapioca fruit cocktail charlotte russe floating island orange custard fruit gelatin norwegian prune pudding pineapple pudding rice bavarian pudding rhubarb tapioca snow pudding raisin tapioca ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ fruits _sauces_ prunes apricots cranberry rhubarb apple stewed figs baked apples cherries white red oranges whole sliced bananas dates with whipped cream grapefruit pears ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ice creams _orange parfait mousse_ maple pineapple vanilla nut ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _sherbets_ lemon orange ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _ice cream_ vanilla strawberry chocolate maple macaroon greengage peach tutti frutti ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ices orange lemon strawberry apricot pineapple grape ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ cakes yellow or white cake with vanilla frosting with fig frosting with raisin frosting with cocoanut frosting with maple frosting with nut frosting with orange frosting with chocolate frosting with nut and raisin frosting with pineapple frosting with date frosting with maraschino cherry frosting chocolate cake lady baltimore cake lord baltimore cake fudge cake apple-sauce cake gingerbread with whipped cream with chocolate frosting sponge cake with frosting sponge cake with whipped cream lemon filled layer cake individual cakes spice cake banana cake with meringue marble cake sunshine cake angel food cake strawberry cake (white cake, with sliced strawberries in the frosting) french pastries martha washington pie cream puffs with vanilla custard filling with chocolate custard filling with whipped cream tarts lemon orange marguerites cookies fruit sugar spice oatmeal ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ doughnuts plain raised jelly roll with jelly filling with chocolate custard filling with vanilla custard filling ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ pies _two-crust_ canned apple fresh apple cranberry pie, latticed cranberry and raisin blueberry apricot (dried) red raspberry black raspberry blackberry loganberry gooseberry gooseberry and raisin cherry mince rhubarb peach raisin ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ _one-crust_ lemon banana cream custard pumpkin chocolate butterscotch apricot cream pineapple cream cocoanut cream sour cream ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ ___________________ beverages coffee tea green black iced chocolate with whipped cream with marshmallows cocoa hot iced milk buttermilk lemonade lemonade and orangeade orange juice ginger-ale lemonade with mint fruit punch spiced grapejuice seasonal chart of foods (spaces are left for additions) +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ | |winter |spring |summer |fall | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |soups |celery |fresh | |celery | | |oyster stew | asparagus | |oyster stew | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |meats |sausage |lamb |lamb |sausage | | |spare ribs | | |spare ribs | | |fried rabbit | | |fried rabbit | | |turkey | | |turkey | | |goose | | |goose | | |duck | | |duck | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |meat | |mushrooms | |stuffed | |substitutes| | | | peppers | | | | | |mushrooms | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |fish |oysters | | |oysters | | | creamed | | | creamed | | | scalloped | | | scalloped | | | fried | | | fried | | | cocktail | | | cocktail | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |vegetables |sweet potatoes|new potatoes |string |sweet potatoes| | | baked | buttered | beans | baked | | | boiled | with parsley|lima beans | boiled | | | browned | creamed |fresh peas | browned | | | glazed |asparagus |corn on cob| glazed | | | mashed | buttered |eggplant | mashed | | | fried | creamed |summer | fried | | | scalloped | | squash | scalloped | | | with | |tomatoes | with | | | apples | | | apples | | |cauliflower | | |hubbard | | | creamed | | | squash | | | buttered | | | baked | | | scalloped | | | mashed | | |hubbard | | |tomatoes | | | squash | | |parsnips | | | baked | | |eggplant | | | mashed | | |brussels | | |parsnips | | | sprouts | | |brussels | | |celery | | | sprouts | | | creamed | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |salads |grapefruit |fresh |cucumber |stuffed | | | | asparagus |fresh young| celery | | | |cucumber | onion |cucumbers | | | |fresh young |radishes |tomato | | | | onion |tomato |grapefruit | | | |radishes | | | | | |watercress | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |breads |cranberry |hot cross |blueberry |cranberry | | | muffins | buns | muffins | muffins | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |desserts |mince pie |baked |blueberries|mince pie | | |pumpkin pie | rhubarb |raspberries|pumpkin pie | | |cranberry pie |rhubarb | |cranberry pie | | | jelly | tapioca | | jelly | | | sauce |strawberry | | sauce | | |grapefruit | shortcake | |grapefruit | | | |fresh | |fresh pears | | | | pineapple | |baked pears | | | | sauce |fresh apple|fresh apricots| | | |fresh | sauce |fresh peaches | | | | strawberries|fresh |fresh plums | | | | | apricots |concord | | | | |fresh | grapes | | | | | peaches |tokay grapes | | | | |fresh plums|cantaloupe | | | | |concord | | | |cranberry and |rhubarb pie | grapes | | | | raisin pie | |cantaloupe | | | |raisin pie |rhubarb and | |watermelon | | | | raisin pie |watermelon |cranberry and | | | | | | raisin pie | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |beverages |hot cocoa |lemonade |lemonade | | | |hot chocolate |lemonade |lemonade | | | | | with fresh | with | | | | | mint | fresh | | | | |iced cocoa | mint | | | | |iced chocolate|iced tea | | | | |iced coffee |iced cocoa | | | | | |iced | | | | | | chocolate| | | | | |iced coffee| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ |breakfast |buckwheat | | |buckwheat | | dishes | cakes with | | | cakes with | | | sausage | | | sausage | | |fried hominy | | | | | | cakes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +-----------+--------------+--------------+-----------+--------------+ popular food combinations since it is customary to plan the menu, using the meat as a basis, and since custom and good usage make certain combinations popular, a list of such combinations is given below with the idea that others may be added as desired. suggestive and popular food combinations +---------+------------------+--------------------+------------------+ |kind of |vegetable |salad, sauce and |dessert | |meat |combination |bread combination |combination | +---------+------------------+--------------------+------------------+ |beef |potatoes-irish | | | | | (prepared in any| | | | | form) | | | | |cauliflower | | | | |beets | | | | |salsify | | | | |tomatoes | | | | |mushrooms | | | | |corn | | | | | | | | |beef, |cabbage |cabbage slaw | | | corned |boiled potatoes |perfection salad | | | |cauliflower | with mayonnaise | | | |brussels sprouts |tartare sauce | | | | | | | |chicken |sweet potatoes |head lettuce | | | |squash |tomato | | | |celery |cucumber | | | |onions |asparagus | | | |asparagus |fruit | | | |peas |cranberry muffins | | | |green corn |beaten biscuit | | | |mushrooms |hot biscuit | | | |rice |cranberry sauce | | | | | | | |fish |tomatoes |tartare sauce |lemon pie | | |onions |hollandaise sauce |fruit gelatin | | |french fried |egg sauce |fruit cocktail | | | potatoes |lemon sauce |lemon rice pudding| | |creamed potatoes |tomato sauce | | | |browned potatoes |vegetable salads |fruit tapiocas | | |spinach with lemon| (of all kinds) |baked rhubarb | | |stuffed peppers |perfection salad |pineapple pudding | | | |cucumber sauce | | | | | | | |ham |potatoes |potato salad |pumpkin pie | | | creamed |cabbage slaw |indian pudding | | | browned |all vegetable |apple pie | | | parsley buttered| combination salads|baked apples | | | baked |spinach salad |apple fritters | | |sweet potatoes |head lettuce |apple sauce | | | baked |apple salad |apple dumplings | | | glazed |mustard sauce |apple tapioca | | | fried |steamed brown |baked custard | | | mashed | bread |ginger cake | | |carrots |corn muffins | | | |hominy |corn bread | | | |rice |hot biscuit | | | |beans | | | | | lima, baked | | | | | navy, baked | | | | | string | | | | |spinach | | | | |corn | | | | |cabbage | | | | |brussels sprouts | | | | |cauliflower | | | | | | | | |lamb and |potatoes | | | | mutton | mashed | | | | | browned | | | | | parsley buttered| | | | | (with chops) | | | | |peas |sauces | | | |carrots | mint | | | |asparagus | caper | | | |tomatoes | red currant jelly | | | | | | | |pork |tomatoes |cranberry sauce |acid desserts | | (_see_ | | | | | ham) |parsnips | | | | | | | | |veal |potatoes |all vegetable salads| | | | mashed |all fruit salads | | | | browned |hot breads or rolls | | | | creamed | | | | | (with breaded | | | | | veal) | | | | |sweet potatoes | | | | | (in any form) | | | | |celery | | | | |cauliflower | | | | |cabbage | | | | |brussels sprouts | | | | |string beans | | | | |tomatoes | | | | |peas | | | +---------+------------------+--------------------+------------------+ ways of using left-over foods +---------------------------------+----------------------------------+ | left-over meats | left-over vegetables | +---------------------------------+----------------------------------+ |croquettes |buttered vegetables may be used in| |scalloped meat with rice or | soup | | or potato | creole soup | |shepherd's pie | | |ham with scrambled eggs | meat stews | |ham fondue or omelet | hash | |hash | salmon loaf (peas and celery) | |hash with poached eggs | peas in omelet | |meat pie (biscuit) | stuffed peppers | |meat pie with dressing | stuffed tomatoes | |meat balls rolled in cooked rice |rice may be used in | |minced meat on toast | scalloped rice with cheese | |mincemeat for pie | soups | |minced meat in ramekins | puddings | |stews | croquettes | |stuffed peppers | hash | |stuffed tomato | salmon or fish loaves | |meat bones cooked for stock |potatoes, used same as rice | | |all creamed vegetables can be | | | scalloped or used in soup | +---------------------------------+----------------------------------+ +-------------------+-------------------+----------------------------+ |left-over fruits |left-over breads |left-over dairy products | |and juices |and cakes |and eggs | +-------------------+-------------------+----------------------------+ |blanc manges |bread puddings |dairy | |brown betty |brown bread | sour milk | |cocktail |brown betty | cakes | |cobbler |crumb pancakes | corn bread | |scalloped fruit |crumb cookies | gingerbread | |gelatin |crumb muffins | muffins | |mince pie filling |dressing | pancakes | |fruit salads |scalloped fruit | sour cream | |sherbets and ices |fondues | butter | |tapiocas |meat loaf | corn bread | |whips |hamburg balls | spice cake | | |stewed tomatoes | salad dressing | | | | cheese | | | | bean loaf | | | | cottage cheese loaf | | | | cottage cheese | | | | croquettes | | | | rice and cheese | | | | salads | | | | soufflés | | | | fondues | | | | eggs, broken | | | | dipping mixture | | | | cakes | | | | custards | | | | croquettes | | | | salad dressing | +-------------------+-------------------+----------------------------+ garnishes clever use of garnishes will do a great deal to make servings attractive, to develop surprise and stimulate appetite. a list of garnishes appropriate to different kinds of food appears below. of course there are many others, and the number of different ways in which ordinary garnishes can be used effectively is surprisingly large. the alert manager will observe what others in his field are doing, and will discover many ingenious ideas by reading food journals and women's magazines. the garnishes used for soups are practically the same whether for cream or clear soups. wafers, cheese and plain croutons olives radishes celery hearts whipped cream (on cream soups) some meat garnishes can be used at all times; others are especially adapted to certain kinds of meat. in general parsley watercress, in season mixed pickles for steaks lemons cut in fancy shapes sautéd mushrooms potato roses stuffed tomatoes stuffed peppers grilled and buttered brussels sprouts for fish lemons, in slices and cut in fancy shapes cucumber baskets, filled with dressing parsley watercress clam shells, stuffed with clams and mushrooms mushrooms, sautéd potatoes, cut in fancy shapes, such as shoe strings or lattice, and fried in deep fat there are certain garnishes which it is customary to use with salads, especially with chicken salad. for chicken salad hard-cooked eggs, sliced or cut in eighths lemons, sliced pickles paprika parsley capers olives head lettuce cups for fish salad pickles olives lemons, cut in fancy shapes cucumber baskets holding extra salad dressing paprika parsley for fruit salad tiny cheese balls cheese balls rolled in chopped nuts tiny sandwiches olives green ripe stuffed cheese straws in fancy shapes very often where sandwiches are ordered they will serve as the main dish of the luncheon meal. they should be made as appetizing as possible by the use of suitable garnishes. pickles olives cheese balls parsley watercress attractive paper or plain linen doilies nut meats desserts by their very nature, require some garnish to make them the perfect and satisfying last course which they should be. candied fruit, marshmallows, slices of fresh orange or strawberries in season, whipped cream and bright candies add the needed bit of color. here the use of paper doilies, glasses and attractively shaped china dishes is a great factor in appearance. chapter v forms the importance and use of forms printed forms or other practical aids which may help to reduce menu planning to a systematic routine are invaluable. forms such as the party engagement blanks, shown elsewhere, and the meat order blank and menu blanks below tend to a desirable standardization. since meat orders for the week are usually made out first and the menus planned around the meats, a form similar to the one shown below, with adaptations for the particular institution, may be helpful. the lists of foods and the list of seasonal changes and garnishes contained in this book will save mental effort and tedium in planning by suggesting new combinations and variety. probably no single device will serve different kinds of institutions, but the principle of using appropriate printed forms to help in remembering details holds good for all institutions. meat order week beginning december , . where university cafeteria +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ | | | | | | | |deliver |amount |cuts |specifications |cost |use | | | | | | | | +--------+-------+----+--------+---------------+--------+------------+ |_mon._ | lb. |beef shoulder| |. |mon. night | |a.m. | | clod | | | | |a.m. | lb. |bacon |best grade, |. |tues. | | | | | cut slices | |morning | | | | | to lb. | | | |p.m. | lb. |pork loin | to lb. |. |tues. noon | | | | | loin | | | |p.m. | lb. |beef stew | -inch cubes, |. - / |tues. noon | | | | | no bones, | | | | | | | no gristle | | | +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ |_tues._ | lb. |short ribs of| |. - / |tues. noon | |a.m. | | beef | | | | |a.m. | lb. |sausage |best grade, no |. |tues. night | | | | | cereal | | | |a.m. | lb. |cottage | |. |tues. | | | | cheese | | | night | |p.m. | lb. |chickens, |to arrive |. |wed. noon | | | | to lbs. | _frozen_ | | | | | | each | | | | +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ |_wed._ | lb. |veal steak |round, cut thin|. |wed. night | |a.m. | | for rolling | | | | |a.m. | lb. |sweetbreads |veal |. |wed. night | |a.m. | qt. |oysters |standard |. |wed. night | | | | | selects, | per qt.| | | | | | to qt. | | | |p.m. | lb. |beef, round | inch thick |. - / |thurs. noon | | | | steak | | | | +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ |_thurs._| |hams | to lb. |. |thurs. night| |a.m. | | | each | | | |p.m. | lb. |veal roast |round |. |fri. noon | +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ |_fri._ | qt. |oysters |standard |. per |fri. night | |a.m. | | | selects, | qt. | | | | | | to qt. | | | |a.m. | lb. |rib roast of | |. |fri. night | | | | beef | | | | |p.m. | lb. |pork chops |cut to lb. |. |sat. noon | |p.m. | lb. |veal hearts | |. |sat. noon | +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ |_sat._ | lb. |tenderloin |prime |. |mon. noon | |a.m. | | | | | | +--------+-------+-------------+---------------+--------+------------+ menu form menus university farm and shevlin cafeterias +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | date | date | date | | =monday= | =tuesday= | =wednesday= | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breakfast | breakfast | breakfast | | fruits | fruits | fruits | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | cereals | cereals | cereals | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | hot dishes | hot dishes | hot dishes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | lunch | lunch | lunch | | soup | soup | soup | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | dinner | dinner | dinner | | soup | soup | soup | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | meats | meats | meats | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | vegetables | vegetables | vegetables | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | salads | salads | salads | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | breads | breads | breads | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ | desserts | desserts | desserts | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----------------------+----------------------+----------------------+ an outline form for special dinners the efficiency of an organization is judged by the degree of routine which each phase of the work assumes. in most institutions the serving of special dinners is quite apart from the ordinary routine of business. if this service is to be handled simply and efficiently, all of its various steps must be listed and taken up in an orderly fashion with the end in view of perfecting an emergency organization as efficient as that which regulates the daily tasks. first of all, arrangements made with those who are giving the dinner should be definite and complete. in order to prevent misunderstandings, a printed blank such as that shown below (with any adaptations found necessary) will prove helpful. this may be made out in duplicate, one copy being retained by the manager and one by those engaging the services. reduced to their simplest form, the steps to be followed in organizing this work are outlined below. i. fill in, in duplicate, the printed blank dinner engagements date ___________________ day of week _______________________ time ___________________ engagement made by ___________________ phone ___________________ organization or club ___________________ price ___________________ probable number ___________________ room desired ____________ flowers ___________________________ style of service: cafeteria service ____ table service ____ tables set and served by guests ____ date guaranteed number is to be reported ___________________ leeway granted (either way) on guaranteed number on - plates, more or less - plates, more or less - plates, more or less - plates, more or less up plates, more or less notice.--care should be taken to have the guaranteed number of plates accurately stated. ii. plan the menu. if desired, the above form may include space for writing in the menu, in order that both parties may have a clear understanding of just what is to be served iii. make out order list _a._ for food _b._ for dish rental (if necessary) _c._ for printing (if necessary) _d._ for flowers or other decorations iv. employment of help _a._ rescheduling the regular help _b._ overtime for the regular help _c._ hiring of additional help v. division of the work _a._ directions to cooks . copy of the menu . recipes and amounts to be prepared _b._ service of the food . in the kitchen (_a_) instructions for counting out and arrangement of utensils for the service of the food (_b_) organization of each serving center, where the number served is so large that more than one center is necessary (_c_) assignment of special duties to workers at the serving center (_d_) a drawing or serving of a sample plate showing arrangement of food on the plate . in the dining room (_a_) directions to the head waitress and waitresses ( ) list of dishes to be counted out and carried to serving center, warming ovens or refrigerators ( ) directions for setting the tables. a cover may be set or a sketch made to show the proper arrangement of the silver, napkin and the glass ( ) decoration of the tables ( ) arrangement of the serving tables ( ) a copy of the menu ( ) specific instructions for serving food to the guests vi. records _a._ cost of the food . cost of food should be figured on basis of recipes and quantities used, and listed according to the order in which the food appears in the meal . left-overs listed . approximate value of left-overs as listed . net food cost is total food cost less the value of usable left-overs _b._ cost of labor . time spent by regular employees . overtime spent by regular employees . extra labor employed for occasion . total labor cost _c._ overhead cost . flowers or other decorations . printing of menu cards or place cards . favors if supplied . dish rental and breakage . estimated heat, light, fuel, laundry and other overhead _d._ summary . total cost food labor overhead . total receipts . profit or loss _e._ number served _f._ per capita cost chapter vi recipes in the pages that follow are some two hundred recipes for use in institutions. it will be noted that throughout these recipes, measures are used rather than weights. this for two main reasons. first, cooks, except for highly trained professionals, use measures more easily and with greater success than weights. second, most institutions cannot afford an adequate number of accurate scales; and scales that are not accurate are worse than useless. measures, on the other hand, are inexpensive and always available. it may be said that because of the amounts and the size of the measures used in large quantity cookery there is not the degree of inaccuracy which is found in measuring small quantities. it is hoped the form of the recipes with the spaces for figuring costs and calories will be of value from the commercial and classroom standpoint. stars indicate those recipes in which left-overs may be used to particular advantage. soups bouillon ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beef, cubed | | lb.| | | bones, veal | | - / | | | water | gal. | lb.| | | peppercorns | tbsp. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | carrots, diced | c. | | | | onions, diced | c. | | | | celery, diced | c. | | | | turnips, diced | c. | | | | egg whites and shells | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cut the meat in cubes and soak two thirds of it in the cold water for about three fourths of an hour. sear the remainder and add to the meat which is soaking. heat the meat, veal bone and water to boiling and let simmer for four or five hours. add the seasonings and the vegetables and cook until the vegetables are soft. pour the whole through a colander and cool. when the fat has set, remove and clear by mixing the cold stock with the shells and slightly beaten whites of eggs. bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. let simmer to minutes. strain through two or three thicknesses of cheese cloth. number of servings - amount of one serving / to / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chicken soup ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- stock, chicken | gal. | | | | onions | - / lb. | | | | salt | / to | | | | | / c. | | | | celery salt | / c. | | | | green peppers, chopped| c. | | | | rice | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the chopped onions, green peppers, rice, salt and celery salt to the chicken stock and cook until the rice is tender. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ noodle soup ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggs | | | | | flour | c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | stock | gal. | | | | onions | | lb. | | | salt | / c. | | | | celery salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- to make the noodles, beat the eggs lightly and add the flour and salt. this makes a very stiff mixture. put the mixture on a board and roll as thin as possible. sprinkle the dough with flour and roll it into a tight roll. from this, slice the noodles. shake out and let dry. heat the stock to boiling, add the seasonings and the noodles and cook until done. noodles may be made up and kept for some time in the refrigerator. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ tomato rice soup ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- stock | gal. | | | | green peppers | | | | | onions | | / lb.| | | tomatoes | gal. | | | | rice | - / c. | | | | carrots, finely diced | - / c. | | | | flour | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- chop the onions, carrots and green peppers and add to the boiling salted stock and tomatoes. add the rice and cook until the rice is tender. melt the fat, stir in the flour and add to the hot liquid to thicken. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **vegetable soup --------------------+------------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+------------+------+--------+---------+---------- stock | - / gal. | | | | tomatoes, # cans | | | | | bay leaves | | | | | water | - / gal. | | | | carrots, diced | pt. | | | | celery, diced | qt. | | | | onions | | lb. | | | rice | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | --------------------+------------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the seasonings to the boiling stock, tomatoes and water. when the vegetables have become softened, add the rice and cook for to minutes. do not strain. number of servings amount of one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream of celery soup ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- celery stock | qt. | | | | onions | | / lb.| | | butter substitute | | / lb.| | | flour | c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | paprika | / tsp. | | | | red pepper | / tsp. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- make a celery stock by cooking the leaves and outside stalks in water to cover. rub through a sieve. cook finely chopped onion with the required amount of stock. melt the fat, stir in the flour and add the hot milk to make a white sauce. combine purée and white sauce. add paprika, red pepper and salt just before serving. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream of corn soup ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- corn | - / gal.| | | | water | qt. | | | | onion | | / lb.| | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | flour | - / c. | | | | milk | gal. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | paprika | / tsp. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+----------- cook the corn with the water and chopped onion and rub through a sieve. melt the fat, stir in the flour and add the hot milk to make a white sauce. combine white sauce with purée. add salt and paprika just before serving. number of servings amount of one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream of lima bean soup ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- butter substitute | / c. | | | | flour | - / c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | lima beans, cooked | qt. | | | | grated onion or | | | | | chives | / c. | | | | chopped parsley | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the lima beans with the onion until soft and rub through a purée sieve. melt the fat, stir in the flour and add hot milk to make a white sauce. combine the purée and white sauce and add the salt just before serving. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream of pea soup ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- peas | qt. | | | | onion | | / lb.| | | bay leaf | leaf | | | | milk | qt. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | flour | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cook the peas, together with their juice from the cans, and the onion and bay leaf until the peas are soft. rub through a purée sieve. melt the fat, stir in the flour and add the hot milk to make a white sauce. combine purée with white sauce. add salt just before serving. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream of spinach soup ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- spinach juice | c. | | | | onion | | / lb.| | | milk | qt. | | | | butter substitute | | / lb.| | | flour | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- chop the onion and add to one half of a # can of spinach and cook until the onions are tender. scald the milk. melt the fat and add the flour. when thoroughly mixed add to the hot milk, stirring constantly. when the spinach is seasoned, drain, rubbing lightly through a purée sieve until you obtain one cup of spinach juice. add the spinach juice to the thickened milk and season. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream of tomato soup ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- tomatoes | gal. | | | | bay leaves | | | | | onion | | / lb.| | | sugar | / c. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | flour | c. | | | | milk | gal. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cook the tomatoes with the bay leaves and onion. rub through a purée sieve and add the sugar and soda. melt fat, stir in the flour and add hot milk to make a white sauce. combine purée and white sauce by pouring purée into white sauce. add salt just before serving. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ oyster stew ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | gal. | | | | oysters | gal. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk and add the butter substitute, paprika and oysters. cook until the edges of the oysters begin to curl. add the salt just before serving. if the soup must stand some time before all is used, the oysters should be combined with the milk only as needed. number of servings amount of one serving c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ peanut butter soup ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peanut butter | | lbs.| | | milk | gal. | | | | celery stock | qt. | | | | water | - / gal | | | | flour | / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the water to the peanut butter and mix to a smooth paste. heat the milk and celery stock, reserving sufficient liquid to make a paste of the flour. when the liquid is hot add the flour paste. when thickened add the peanut butter mixture and the salt. number of servings amount of one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ meats beef À la mode ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beef round | | lb.| | | carrots, chopped | gal. | | | | peppers, chopped | - / c. | | | | tomatoes, # can | | | | | onions, chopped | | lb. | | | water | gal. | | | | flour | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- place the meat in a roasting pan in a hot oven to sear. when well seared, cover with water and continue cooking in a medium oven for from four to five hours. about an hour and a half before serving add the chopped carrots, peppers, onions and tomatoes, and salt. just before serving thicken the stock with the flour mixed to a paste with water. the vegetables should be served with the meat. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **corned beef hash ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- corned beef | | lb.| | | potatoes, cooked | | lb.| | | onions | | lb. | | | meat stock | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak and cook the corned beef until tender. grind or chop the beef, potatoes and onion and mix with corned beef stock or gravy. bake in a hot oven until brown. serve with tartare sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed dried beef on toast ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- dried beef | | lb. | | | flour | c. | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | white sauce | gal. | | | | bread, slices | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- shred the dried beef in small pieces. melt the fat and sauté the dried beef in it. add to this one cup of flour and let brown with the beef. follow the usual manipulation for white sauce, and when cooked combine with the beef and serve on toast. number of servings amount in one serving / c. and / slice of bread calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **hamburg balls ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ground beef | | lb. | | | crumbs | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | onion | | / lb.| | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- mix the meat well with crumbs, seasoning and milk. shape in balls or cakes and bake in well-greased pans. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **hash ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- meat, chopped | qt. | | | | potatoes | qt. | | | | onions | / lb. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | gravy or meat stock | qt. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- chop or grind the meat and potatoes. mix with the onions and salt and moisten with the gravy or meat stock. put in shallow pans and bake in the oven until brown. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **meat croquettes ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- meat, chopped | gal. | | | | rice, uncooked | qt. | | | | water | gal. | | | | onions, chopped | / lb. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | stock to mix | | | | | crumbs, sifted | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | / c. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cook the rice in the boiling salted water to which the onions have been added, until the rice is tender. add the chopped or cubed meat and if necessary additional stock to moisten. using a dipper measuring half a cup per serving, mold the mixture into croquettes. put the sifted crumbs on a board, roll the croquettes in the crumbs, dip in a dipping mixture made of eggs and milk, roll again in the crumbs and fry in deep fat. if desired, one gallon of cooked potatoes may be substituted for the rice, in which case the water also would be omitted. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **meat loaf ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- hamburger | | lb. | | | salt | / c. | | | | bread crumbs | qt. | | | | eggs, whole | | | | | egg yolks | | | | | milk | qt. | | | | onions | | lb. | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- mix the salt, bread crumbs and onions with the meat. beat the eggs slightly and add to the milk. combine with the meat and mix thoroughly. weigh out into loaf pans which have been well greased. be careful to press the meat well into the corners of the pan and avoid having the center of the meat higher than the edges. bake in a medium hot oven until the meat is done. this makes nine five-pound loaves, cutting twenty-four slices each. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **meat loaf with tomato and celery ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- meat, ground | | lb. | | | crumbs | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | tomatoes | qt. | | | | celery, chopped | qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | salt | / c. | | | | onions | | / lb.| | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- add the crumbs, tomatoes, chopped celery, salt and onions to the meat and mix well. beat the eggs slightly, add the milk and mix with the meat. weigh out into well-greased loaf pans and bake in a medium oven. in order to make the loaves uniform be careful to press the meat well into the corners of the pans and avoid having the center of the loaf higher than the sides. one pound of hamburg steak, as purchased, will make nine servings when the other ingredients that go into the loaf have been added. number of servings amount in one serving / pound, after cooking calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ meat pie ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- stew meat | lb. | | | | water | gal. | | | | onions | / c. | | | | potatoes, diced | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | flour | c. | | | | biscuit recipe (see | / | | | | page ) |of recipe| | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cut the meat in one-inch cubes and cover with boiling water. cook just below the boiling point. when the meat is almost tender add the salt, onions and potatoes. mix the flour to a paste with water and thicken the stock just before serving. serve one half cup of stew with one biscuit. the biscuit may be baked separately or the stew may be poured into baking pans, covered with biscuits and the biscuits baked in the oven. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **meat pie with dressing ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- dressing | qt. | | | | meat, cubed | - / qt.| | | | onion | | / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | meat stock | qt. | | | | flour | c. | | | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | butter substitute | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cut left-over meat into one-inch cubes and heat in a gravy made of the seasoned and thickened stock. line a baking pan with dressing, leaving a well in the center. fill this with the meat and gravy and cover with the buttered crumbs. bake in a hot oven until brown. when serving, both meat and dressing should be given. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ meat stew ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- meat, cubed | | lb. | | | water | gal. | | | | onions | | / lb.| | | carrots | - / qt.| | | | potatoes | qt. | | | | flour | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cover the cubed meat with boiling water and cook just below the boiling point until tender. about one hour before serving time add the onions, carrots and salt. the potatoes may be added later, since they require less cooking. mix the flour to a paste with water and thicken the stew after the vegetables are tender. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ rib roast of beef ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rib roast | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | water | - / to | | | | | gal .| | | | flour | - c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- place the meat in a roasting pan and sear in a hot oven. when brown, add the salt and water and continue the roasting. baste or turn as is necessary. mix the flour to a paste with water and use in making the gravy. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ swiss steak ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- round steak, in. | | | | | thick | | lb. | | | flour | - / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | water | - / gal.| | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- trim the steak. mix the flour and salt and pound into the steak. sear the steak in a pan on the top of the stove, put into a roasting pan, cover with water and cook slowly for from three to four hours. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ weiners ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- weiners | | lb. | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- wash the weiners and cut the links apart. put them in boiling water and cook until they swell and start to burst. drain and serve. number of servings - amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chicken and biscuit ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cooked chicken meat, | | | | | cubed | | lb.| | | onion | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | celery salt | / c. | | | | stock | gal. | | | | flour | qt. | | | | biscuit recipe (see | / of | | | | page ) | recipe | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- heat the stock and season with the onion, salt and celery salt. thicken with the flour mixed to a paste with some of the cold stock which has been reserved. add the chicken meat, and serve with baking-powder biscuits or on toast. _in ordering chicken_ for the above recipe, _three and a half to four pounds of chicken, new york dressed, must be ordered for every pound of cooked chicken meat which is desired_. in cooking chicken care should be taken to cool the chicken and stock as quickly as possible and then put into the refrigerator. the chicken should be cooled out of the stock. from fifty pounds of chicken, new york dressed, approximately five gallons of stock may be obtained. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chicken À la king ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- chicken fat | c. | | | | flour | - / qt. | | | | chicken stock | gal. | | | | onions, chopped | / c. | | | | milk | / gal. | | | | salt | / to | | | | | / c.| | | | cooked chicken meat, | | | | | cubed | - / qt. | | | | pimentos, chopped | qt. | | | | green peppers, chopped| qt. | | | | fresh mushrooms | | lb. | | | or | | | | | canned mushrooms | cans | | | | butter | | lb. | | | egg yolks | | | | | toast, / slices | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- heat the stock with the onion. melt the chicken fat, add the flour, and when well mixed add to the boiling stock, stirring rapidly. add the scalded milk, the green peppers, pimentos and cubed chicken. sauté the mushrooms in the butter and add. beat the yolks and add them with the salt, last. serve on toast, in bread cases or patty shells. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chicken croquettes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- chicken meat, cubed | | lb. | | | rice | c. | | | | chicken | qt. | | | | parsley | tbsp. | | | | lemon juice | tbsp. | | | | celery salt | tsp. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | onion juice | tbsp. | | | | flour | - / c. | | | | chicken stock | qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | c. | | | | crumbs, sifted | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the rice and add to the boiling chicken stock to which has been added all of the seasonings. make a thick white sauce, using the one quart of the chicken stock and the flour. combine with the rice, white sauce, and add the cubed chicken meat and cool. form the mixture into croquettes, dip into sifted crumbs, then into a dipping mixture made of the eggs and milk and then in crumbs and fry in deep fat. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ roast lamb ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- lamb | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | water | - / to | | | | | gal. | | | | flour | - c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the lamb, put in a roasting pan and sear in a hot oven. when brown, add the salt and water and continue the roasting. mix the flour to a paste with water and use in making the gravy. number of servings - amount in one serving / to / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ baked ham ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- hams, lbs. each | | lb.| | | sugar | c. | | | | vinegar | c. | | | | cloves, whole | / c. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- put the hams in a kettle, cover with water and bring to a boil. simmer for three to four hours or until they are done. when tender remove from water, peel off the skin and place in a baking pan. stick the cloves into the hams and pour over them a syrup made of the vinegar and brown sugar. sprinkle them with crumbs and brown in a hot oven. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ breaded pork chops ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pork chops | | lb.| | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | - / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a dipping mixture of the eggs and milk. add to this the salt. dip the chops in the mixture, then in the crumbs and place in a well-greased pan and cook the chops in a medium hot oven. pork should be well cooked. number of servings - amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ pork chops with dressing ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pork chops | | lb.| | | broken bread | - / gal.| | | | onion | | oz.| | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | hot water to moisten | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- place the pork chops in a well-greased baking pan. sprinkle with salt, and in the center of each put a quarter of a cup of dressing. bake in a medium hot oven until the pork is well cooked. to make the dressing, melt the fat and add to it the finely chopped onions. when brown pour over the broken bread. add the salt and hot water sufficient to moisten. avoid getting the dressing too wet. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. and / c. dressing calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ roast pork ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- loin of pork | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | water | - / to | | | | onions | gal. | lb. | | | flour | to c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- put the pork in a roasting pan in a hot oven and cook until well seared and brown. add the salt and water and continue cooking, turning the meat or basting as is necessary. when the meat is almost tender add the chopped onions to the stock to flavor. when tender remove the meat from the pan and thicken the stock on top of the stove with the flour mixed to a thin paste with water. the gravy must be strained to remove the chopped onion. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ sausage ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sausage | | lb.| | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sausage, bread crumbs and salt and mold into flattened balls. there should be four servings to the pound. an ice-cream dipper of the right size may be used to keep the balls uniform in size. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ breaded veal ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- veal, round steak | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | c. | | | | bread crumbs, sifted | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- trim the steak and cut into pieces the size of one serving. beat the eggs, add the salt and the milk. dip the meat in the milk and egg mixture, then into the crumbs, put into a well-greased roasting pan and cook in a moderate oven. turn as is necessary. veal should be thoroughly cooked. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ breaded veal hearts ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- veal hearts | | lb.| | | bread crumbs, sifted | qt | | | | milk | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash and slice the hearts. make a dipping mixture of the eggs, milk and salt. dip the hearts in this mixture, then in the crumbs. place in a well-greased roasting pan and cook in a moderate oven until brown and tender. turn as is necessary. veal should be thoroughly cooked. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ roast veal ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- veal, round | | lb. | | | salt | / c. | | | | onions | | / lb.| | | flour | c. | | | | water | - / gal.| | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- wash or wipe the meat and place in a roasting pan in a hot oven. when seared, add the salt and water and continue roasting, basting and turning frequently until the meat is tender. remove the meat from the pan, add the onion and cook. additional water may be added to the stock. thicken with the flour mixed to a paste with water. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ veal birds ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- veal round steak | | lb.| | | dressing | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | salt | c. | | | | fat | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- trim the veal and cut in pieces about four to five inches long and two and one half inches wide. the scraps of meat that are trimmed off may be added to the dressing. salt the meat, cover with dressing, roll, and fasten with toothpicks. melt the fat in a skillet on top of the stove and sear until brown. put the birds into a baking pan and pour the milk and water around them. bake in a moderate oven until tender. four birds may be obtained from one pound of meat. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ veal hearts en casserole ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- veal hearts | | lb.| | | flour | - / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | bacon fat | c. | | | | stock | - / gal.| | | | green peppers, chopped| c. | | | | onions | lb. | | | | carrots, diced | c. | | | | parsley, chopped | / c. | | | | celery salt | / c. | | | | peppercorns | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash and slice the hearts, dredge in flour and salt and brown in the bacon fat. put the hearts into a roasting pan, pour the stock over them and add the remaining seasonings and cook in a slow oven until the heart is tender. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed sweetbreads ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sweetbreads | | lb. | | | water | gal. | | | | vinegar | / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | white sauce | qts. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | bread | slices | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- if frozen, soak the sweetbreads in cold water for an hour to thaw, then parboil in acidulated, salted water until tender, about half an hour. when cooked, drain and plunge into cold water. remove the tough connecting membrane. make the white sauce using the white sauce recipe, add the fat and paprika and reheat the sweetbreads in the sauce. serve with half a slice of toast per person. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ liver and bacon ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- liver | | lb. | | | bacon | | - / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | / c. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- slice the liver thin and cut in pieces the size of a serving. pour hot water over the liver and let stand fifteen minutes. drain the liver. make a dipping mixture of the eggs and milk and add the salt to it. dip the liver in the mixture, then in the crumbs and place in a well-greased baking pan. cook in a slow oven until well browned and until the liver is done. place the bacon in rows in a baking sheet and cook in a hot oven until brown. place a strip of bacon on top of each piece of liver and serve. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. liver and slice bacon calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ tongue ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tongue, fresh | | lb.| | | water | gal. | | | | salt | c. | | | | vinegar | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the tongues thoroughly. put in a kettle and cover with boiling water to which the salt and vinegar have been added. cook below the boiling point until the tongues are tender. remove the outer skin of the tongue. slice thin and serve with mustard sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fish codfish balls ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- boneless cod | | lb. | | | eggs | | | | | potatoes, raw, diced | | lb.| | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | paprika | / tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- shred the codfish and add to the potatoes and cook in boiling water until the potatoes are tender. drain thoroughly, add the beaten eggs, butter substitute, paprika and mash until smooth. fry the codfish mixture in deep fat, using an eight-to-the-quart size ice-cream dipper to keep the servings uniform. since this mixture contains a large number of eggs, the balls do not require dipping in eggs and crumbs. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fried halibut ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- halibut | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cut the fish in pieces for serving and dip in a mixture made of the milk, eggs and salt. dip in crumbs. place in a well-greased baking pan and cook in a medium oven until the fish is tender. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fried oysters ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- oysters | gal. | | | | bread crumbs | qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- look over the oysters carefully and remove the shells. dip them in a dipping mixture made of milk, eggs and salt. let drain to remove surplus liquid, dip in the crumbs and fry in deep fat. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ oyster cocktail ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- oysters | qt. | | | | lemon juice | - / c. | | | | catsup | c. | | | | grated onion juice | / c. | | | | tabasco sauce | / tsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | celery, chopped | / c. | | | | peppers, chopped | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- look over the oysters carefully and put in cocktail glasses. mix the lemon juice, catsup, grated onion, tabasco sauce and salt, and pour over the oysters. sprinkle the top with chopped celery and peppers. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **scalloped oysters ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- broken bread | qt. | | | | broken crackers | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | salt | / tbsp. | | | | onion juice | tbsp. | | | | butter substitute | tbsp. | | | | oysters | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- look over the oysters carefully for shells. scald the milk and pour over the crackers, broken bread, salt, onion juice and butter substitute and mix. put a layer of the moistened crackers and bread over the bottom of a greased baking pan, then a layer of oysters and cover the top with the bread and cracker mixture. bake in medium oven until brown. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fried salmon ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- salmon | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cut the fish in pieces for serving and dip in a mixture made of the milk, eggs and salt. dip in crumbs. place in a well-greased baking pan and cook in a medium oven until the fish is tender. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ salmon loaf ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- salmon, lb. cans | | | | | bread crumbs | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | celery, diced | qt. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the salmon, bread crumbs, celery, paprika and salt. scald the milk and add to the beaten eggs. add to the remaining ingredients and put into well-greased loaf pans. bake in a moderate oven until the loaf is firm. this amount makes twenty-five pounds of mixture. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ scalloped salmon --------------------+-----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+-----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- salmon, lb. cans | | | | | bread, broken | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | bay leaves | / c. | | | | parsley sprigs | / c. | | | | onions | | / lb.| | | salt | - / tbsp.| | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | flour | c. | | | | paprika | / tsp. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | butter substitute | | / lb.| | | --------------------+-----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- add the bay leaves, parsley and onion to the milk and bring to the boiling point. melt the fat, add the flour and add to the milk, stirring rapidly. when the milk has thickened, strain out the seasonings and pour over the broken bread. grease a scalloping pan and line with crumbs. add a layer of salmon, then a layer of white sauce and bread, then a layer of salmon and another layer of white sauce. cover with the buttered crumbs. put in an oven to brown. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ meat substitutes **cheese fondue ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | broken bread | qt. | | | | cheese | | lb. | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | mustard | tbsp. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the grated or chopped cheese, mustard, salt, paprika and fat to the broken bread. scald the milk and add to the well-beaten egg yolks and pour over the above ingredients. fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites and bake in a greased pan in a slow oven. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **cottage cheese croquettes ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cottage cheese | qt. | | | | bread crumbs | qt. | | | | nut meats, chopped | c. | | | | paprika | tbsp. | | | | chopped onion | / c. | | | | chopped green pepper | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | milk | to | | | | | - / gal.| | | | crumbs | - / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | - / c. | | | | ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- combine the cottage cheese and crumbs with the nut meats and seasonings. add the milk and mix well. using an eight-to-the-quart size ice-cream dipper, measure the mixture into croquettes. mold, dip in a dipping mixture made of the eggs and one and a quarter cups of milk, then in crumbs. fry in deep fat. serve with a cream sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ macaroni and cheese ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- macaroni, broken | gal. | | | | water | gal. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | cheese | | lb. | | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | white sauce | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the broken macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. drain and pour cold water on the macaroni to separate. make a white sauce and add to it the cheese and macaroni. put in a well-greased baking pan and cover with buttered crumbs. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ rice and cheese ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rice | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | flour | c. | | | | cheese | | lb. | | | paprika | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the rice in boiling salted water until tender. make a white sauce of the flour and milk and add the chopped or ground cheese and paprika. combine with the rice and pour into baking pan. put in a hot oven to brown. a part of the cheese may be reserved and sprinkled over the top if desired. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ rice and nut loaf ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rice, before cooking | qt. | | | | stock or liquid | gal. | | | | milk | - / gal.| | | | nut meats, chopped | qt. | | | | green peppers | | | | | eggs | | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the rice in the boiling salted stock. as the rice absorbs the stock, add the milk gradually, to avoid curdling. when the rice is tender, remove from the fire and add the chopped nuts, peppers and beaten eggs. grease loaf pans and fill with the rice mixture. the loaf pans should be set in a pan of hot water to avoid over-baking the bottom of the loaf, thus forming a hard crust. serve with a cream or tomato sauce. number of servings amount in one serving oz. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ egg cutlets ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggs, hard cooked | doz. | | | | flour | c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | bread crumbs | qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a stiff white sauce of the flour, milk, butter substitute and salt. hard cook the eggs, peel and chop, and add to the white sauce and cool. when cold mold in the shape of a cutlet and dip in dipping mixture made of the eggs and milk, and then in crumbs and fry in deep fat. use an ice-cream dipper to keep the servings uniform in size. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **scrambled eggs and ham ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggs | | | | | milk | qt. | | | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ham, cubed | to c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beat the eggs slightly, add the milk, salt and ham. melt the fat in a skillet or kettle, pour in the egg mixture, and cook at a low temperature. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ meat sauces mustard sauce ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | tbsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | vinegar | / c. | | | | oil | c. | | | | mustard | | / lb.| | | mayonnaise dressing | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar, paprika, salt and mustard with the vinegar. add the oil gradually, stirring well. combine with the mayonnaise. this is a very strong flavored sauce and only a small amount is necessary for a serving. this makes five and a quarter cups of sauce. number of servings amount in one serving tsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ tartare sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mayonnaise | qt. | | | | or | | | | | (cooked salad dressing| qt.) | | | | pickles, chopped | c. | | | | onions, chopped | tbsp. | | | | parsley, chopped | tbsp. | | | | vinegar | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- chop the pickles, onions and parsley and add to the dressing. thin with the vinegar. this makes five and a half cups of sauce. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ tomato sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tomatoes, # can | | | | | stock, meat stock | gal. | | | | celery salt | tbsp. | | | | carrots, chopped | / c. | | | | onion | / c. | | | | bay leaf | | | | | parsley, chopped | / c. | | | | flour | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | fat | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the seasonings to the boiling stock and tomato and cook until soft. melt the fat, stir in the flour and make a paste with the hot liquid and add to the remainder of the liquid. strain to remove the chopped vegetables. number of servings amount of one serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ white sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | gal. | | | | flour | c. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk, reserving sufficient cold milk to make a paste with the flour. add the paste to the hot milk, stirring constantly. when thickened add the egg yolks and salt. total volume gal. total calories total cost vegetables creamed asparagus ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- asparagus, oz. can | | | | | white sauce | gal. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a white sauce, using the liquor from the asparagus as part of the liquid. heat the asparagus with the salt and butter substitute and add to the white sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed fresh asparagus ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- asparagus | | lb. | | | butter substitute | | / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | white sauce | - / qt.| | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- wash the asparagus and cut in two-inch pieces. cook in boiling water until tender and drain. combine with the white sauce, salt and butter substitute. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fresh asparagus on toast ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- asparagus | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | toast | slices | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the asparagus. do not break the stalks except when they are very long. tie in bundles and put in a kettle of boiling salted water to cook, so placing the bundles that the tops stand out of water. the steam from the boiling water will serve to cook the tops. when the asparagus is tender, drain. place the stalks on a slice of toast and moisten the toast with one tablespoon of hot water and two tablespoons of melted fat. the number of stalks of asparagus will be determined by the size and length of the individual stalks. from twelve pounds, sixty servings should be obtained. number of servings amount in one serving slice of toast with asparagus calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ baked beans ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beans | qt. | | | | soda | / c. | | | | molasses | c. | | | | sugar | / c. | | | | mustard | tsp. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | bacon fat or scraps | | lb. | | | or | | | | | ham fat | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the beans twelve hours or more. add the soda and boil until almost tender. drain, add the seasonings, the fat and three quarts of water and bake in a medium oven until the beans are tender and well browned. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ lima beans with green peppers and pimentos ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- lima beans | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | pimentos, oz. cans | | | | | bacon fat | c. | | | | onions | | - / lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | paprika | tbsp. | | | | green peppers | - / c.| | | | molasses | / c. | | | | corn syrup | c. | | | | ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- soak the lima beans in water over night. drain and cook them in the six quarts of boiling salted water until almost tender. add the remaining ingredients to the beans and pour into baking pans. bake in a medium oven until the beans are tender and brown. the green peppers may be reserved and used as a garnish on top of the baking pans as they come out of the oven, if desired. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ string beans ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- string beans, # can | | | | | bacon drippings | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | paprika | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- open the can of beans and unless there is an excess of liquid do not drain. add the seasonings and heat. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ buttered beets ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beets | | lb. | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the beets and steam or boil until tender. remove the skin, cube or slice, reheat, salt and pour the fat over them. number of servings - amount in one serving / - / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cabbage in vinegar ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cabbage | | lb. | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | vinegar | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut in eighths. cook the cabbage in boiling salted water until tender. avoid over-cooking to keep the cabbage from discoloring and from becoming strong in flavor. drain off the water and add the butter substitute, vinegar and paprika. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ buttered cabbage ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cabbage | | lb. | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut the heads in eighths. cook in boiling salted water until tender. avoid over-cooking, to prevent the cabbage from discoloring and from developing a strong flavor. drain off the water and add the butter substitute. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed cabbage ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cabbage | | lb. | | | white sauce | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the cabbage and cut into eighths. do not shred. cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain and cover with the white sauce. number of servings amount of one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ buttered carrots ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- carrots, diced | gal. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pare and dice the carrots. cook in boiling salted water to cover until tender. add the butter substitute and serve. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ buttered carrots and peas ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- carrots, diced | gal. | | | | peas, # cans | | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the diced carrots in boiling salted water until tender. drain and combine with the peas which have been heated in their own liquid, the butter substitute and the salt. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed carrots ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- carrots | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | white sauce | gal. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash, scrape or pare, and dice the carrots. cook in boiling water until tender. drain and mix with the white sauce and butter substitute. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed celery ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- celery, chopped | qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | cream sauce | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash and clean the celery and cut in three-fourths inch lengths. cook in boiling salted water until tender. avoid over-cooking, to prevent the discoloration of the celery. when tender, drain, and combine with the white sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ corn pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- corn, # cans | | | | | sugar | tbsp. | | | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk and add to the corn, sugar, salt, bread crumbs and well-beaten egg. pour the mixture into individual ramekins or a baking pan. place in a pan of water and bake in a medium oven until the custard has set. serve hot. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ corn with green peppers and pimentos ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- corn, # cans | | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | pimento, chopped | c. | | | | green peppers, chopped| c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the corn, butter substitute, salt, pimento, green pepper and heat. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **scalloped corn ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | onion, grated | | / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | broken bread | qt. | | | | broken crackers | qt. | | | | corn, # cans | | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- heat the milk, butter substitute and onion. add the salt and pour over the crackers and bread. cover a greased baking pan with the bread and cracker mixture, then with a layer of corn, and finally a layer of the crackers and bread. bake in a hot oven until brown. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **succotash ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- lima beans | - / qt. | | | | corn, # cans | | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | onion, grated | tbsp. | | | | paprika | / tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the beans over night in cold water to cover. drain, cover with boiling water and cook until tender. mix the beans with the corn, which has been heated, add the seasonings and butter substitute. number of servings amount in one serving between / and / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fried eggplant ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggplant | | lb.| | | water | gal. | | | | salt | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | c. | | | | crumbs, sifted | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cut the eggplant in thin slices and pare. soak it in the strong salt water about two hours. make a dipping mixture by beating the eggs and milk together. dip the eggplant in this mixture and then in the crumbs and fry in deep fat. number of servings amount in one serving - slices calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ buttered onions ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- onions | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | paprika | / tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peel the outer skins from the onions and cook in the boiling salted water until tender. drain and add the butter substitute and paprika. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed onions ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- onions | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | white sauce | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peel the outer skins from the onions and cook in the boiling salted water until tender. drain and add to the white sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ buttered peas ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peas, # cans | | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | sugar | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- open the peas and unless there is an excess of liquid do not drain. add the seasonings and heat. number of servings amount in one serving between / and / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ creamed peas ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peas | gal. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | white sauce | gal. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- open the peas and drain, reserving the juice to use as part of the liquid in making the white sauce. when using the juice of the peas, care should be taken not to add it to the white sauce until just before combining with the peas, to avoid curdling. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ browned potatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes, pared | | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | fat | qt. | | | | stock | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- steam or boil the potatoes until almost done. place the partially cooked potatoes in a roasting pan and pour the fat and hot salted stock over them. bake in a hot oven until the potatoes are brown, basting or turning as is necessary. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ steamed potatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes, after paring| | lb.| | | white sauce | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- steam or boil the potatoes until tender. drain and add the white sauce. if steamed, the salt may be sprinkled on the top of the potatoes. if boiled, add the salt to the boiling water. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ french fried potatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes, after paring| | lb.| | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cut the potatoes. dry on a cloth. put in a basket and fry in deep fat until brown. drain and empty on to a brown paper and sprinkle with salt. number of servings amount in one serving c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ mashed potatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes, pared | | lb.| | | milk, scalded | - / qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- steam or boil the potatoes until done. mash thoroughly and add the scalded milk and salt. beat until light. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ parsley buttered potatoes ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes, pared | | lb. | | | parsley, chopped | - / c.| | | | salt | / c. | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- steam or boil the potatoes until tender. when done, put the potatoes into a shallow kettle, pour the butter substitute and salt over them and sprinkle them with parsley. shake the kettle vigorously to get the potatoes covered with the fat and parsley. this may be accomplished more easily if only a few potatoes are prepared at a time. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **scalloped potatoes ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes, steamed, | | | | | sliced | gal. | | | | white sauce | - / gal.| | | | onion, grated | | / lb.| | | salt | / to | | | | | / c. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- grease a scalloping pan. cover with a layer of potatoes, then with white sauce to which the onion and salt have been added. add another layer of potato and white sauce and cover with buttered crumbs. bake until brown. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ stuffed baked potatoes ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- potatoes | | - / lb.| | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | milk | c. | | | | paprika | / tsp.| | | | chopped pimento | / c. | | | | chopped parsley | / c. | | | | ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- bake smooth, medium-sized potatoes until done. remove them from the oven, and inserting a knife, cut a cap from side. scoop out the inside of the potatoes, mash or run through a ricer and add the milk, seasonings, fat, chopped pimento and parsley. lastly, fold in the beaten egg whites. fill the potato shells with the seasoned mixture and brown in a hot oven. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ glazed sweet potatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sweet potatoes | | lb.| | | sugar, brown | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | butter substitute | | | | | or bacon fat | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- steam and peel the potatoes. if a vegetable parer is available, the potatoes may be put through the machine before steaming. when done, put in shallow baking pans and pour a syrup made of the sugar, water and melted fat over them. brown in a hot oven. number of servings amount in one serving / lb. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ rice croquettes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rice | c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | water | - / qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the rice in the milk and water until tender. remove from fire and add well-beaten eggs, salt and butter substitute. turn into shallow pans to cool. mold and dip in egg and milk mixture, then in crumbs and fry in deep fat. if desired the dipping mixture and crumbs may be omitted and the mixture molded with an ice-cream dipper and dropped at once into the hot fat. serve with jelly, jam or syrup. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ mashed rutabagas ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rutabagas | | lb.| | | butter substitute | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pare the rutabagas, steam until tender and mash. season with the butter or butter substitute, and salt. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ spinach and egg ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- spinach, # cans | | | | | vinegar | / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the salt and vinegar to the spinach and heat. hard cook the eggs and slice them. when the spinach is hot spread in steam table or scalloping pans, and arrange the sliced, hard-cooked eggs in rows on top of the spinach. sliced lemon may be used in place of the egg. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **scalloped tomatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tomatoes, # cans | | | | | broken bread | qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | grated onion | / c. | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the onion, sugar and salt to the tomatoes and heat. pour over the broken bread, which has been put in the bottom of a baking pan. cover with buttered crumbs and brown in the oven. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **stewed tomatoes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tomatoes, # cans | | | | | broken bread | qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | grated onion | / c. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- heat the tomatoes with the seasonings. add the broken bread just before serving. number of servings amount in one serving, between / and / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ breads baking-powder biscuits ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | - / c. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | shortening | c. | | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix and sift the dry ingredients. rub in the shortening lightly with the tips of the fingers. add the milk gradually, mixing to a soft dough. the amount of milk may vary, due to differences in the flour. put the dough on to a floured board and roll three quarters of an inch in thickness. to obtain one hundred and eighty biscuits, use a cutter two and one half inches in diameter. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ baking-powder cinnamon rolls ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | - / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | shortening | c. | | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | raisins | c. | | | | cinnamon | / c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a baking-powder biscuit dough. roll to one third of an inch thickness, making the dough rectangular in shape. mix the cinnamon and sugar and spread over the rolled dough. sprinkle with the raisins, dot with the fat and, starting with the longer side, roll up the dough. cut off rolls half an inch in thickness and bake in a hot oven. these rolls may be improved by adding a teaspoon of boiled frosting to the top of each before serving. number of servings amount in one serving roll calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **bacon muffins ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | milk | - / to | | | | | - / qt.| | | | bacon fat | / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | bacon, cooked | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients separately. combine by adding the liquid to the dry. add the fat and bacon pieces last. bake in well-greased muffin pans. number of servings amount in one serving / c. batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ corn-meal muffins ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | c. | | | | corn meal | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | baking powder | c. | | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients. beat the eggs and add to the milk. combine the dry and liquid ingredients. add the melted fat. put in well-greased muffin tins and bake in a hot oven. this may be baked in sheets as corn bread. number of servings amount in one serving / c. batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **crumb muffins ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- flour | - / qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | crumbs | - / qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | - / to | | | | butter substitute | qt. | / lb.| | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients and the liquid ingredients separately. combine by adding the liquid to the dry. add the melted fat last. bake in well-greased muffin tins. number of servings amount in one serving / c. batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **dark bran muffins ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | - / qt. | | | | cake crumbs | qt. | | | | bran | - / qt. | | | | soda | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | milk, sour | - / qt. | | | | molasses | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients. beat the eggs, add the milk and molasses and combine with the dry ingredients. bake in well-greased muffin pans, in a hot oven. number of servings amount in one serving / c. batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ graham muffins ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | c. | | | | flour, graham | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | - / to | | | | butter substitute, | - / qt.| | | | melted | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- prepare as for plain muffins. number of servings amount in one serving / to / c. batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ plain muffins ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | / qt. | | | | flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | - / to | | | | butter substitute, | - / qt.| | | | melted | | / lb.| | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- mix and sift the dry ingredients. beat the eggs, add the milk and pour the liquid over the dry ingredients. add the melted fat and pour the mixture into well-greased muffin tins to bake. number of servings amount in one serving / to / c. batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ raised muffins ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- milk, scalded | qt. | | | | water, cold | qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | yeast | | / lb.| | | water, lukewarm | qt. | | | | flour | to | | | | | qt. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk. soften the yeast in the lukewarm water and add to the remaining water and scalded milk. add the egg yolks, sugar, fat and salt and flour to make a soft dough. let rise. beat well and fill very well-greased muffin tins half full. let rise. bake in a hot oven. number of servings amount in one serving / c. dough calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **brown bread ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- stale cake or bread | qt. | | | | cold water | c. | | | | molasses | c. | | | | corn meal | c. | | | | graham flour | c. | | | | soda | - / tbsp.| | | | raisins | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the stale bread or cake in the cold water until soft. add the molasses and the dry ingredients. mix well and put into a well-greased pan and steam from two to three hours until done. the length of time for steaming depends on the size of the can. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ nut bread ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | tbsp. | | | | nuts | qt. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | eggs | | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients, including the nuts. add the milk to the beaten eggs. combine by adding the liquid to the dry ingredients. add the melted fat. pour the mixture into greased loaf pans and let stand one half hour. bake in a moderate oven. this will make four loaves, cutting slices per loaf. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cinnamon rolls ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | yeast | | / lb.| | | water | c. | | | | flour | - / qt.| | | | salt | / c. | | | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | fat, melted | | / lb.| | | sugar | c. | | | | cinnamon | tsp. | | | | raisins | c. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- follow the directions given under parker house rolls for the method of mixing the dough. when the dough is ready, put on a well-floured board and roll out in a rectangular shape to about half an inch in thickness. brush with melted fat and sprinkle with the mixed sugar, cinnamon and raisins. commencing with the long side of the dough, make into a roll. cut crosswise of the roll making slices half an inch in thickness. place on a greased pan, let rise until they have doubled in size, and bake in a hot oven. number of servings dozen_ amount in one serving - / oz. per roll calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ parker house rolls ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | yeast | | / lb.| | | water, lukewarm | c. | | | | flour | to | | | | | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk. soften the yeast in the two cups of lukewarm water. add the sugar and fat to the scalded milk and then add the two quarts of water. when the milk and water mixture is a little more than lukewarm add the yeast and five quarts of flour. beat to smooth batter and let rise one hour. then add the salt and the remainder of the flour. beat on the machine or knead. let rise one hour. when the dough is light, cut into small pieces, getting twelve rolls from each pound of dough. with the palm of the hand, roll these pieces into smooth balls and place them in rows to rise. when they have again become light, roll the balls flat, with a rolling pin or stick, brush with melted fat, fold over and put in pans to rise. when they have doubled in size, bake in a hot oven until well browned. the tops may be brushed with melted fat, when they come from the oven. number of servings dozen amount in one serving - / oz. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ white bread ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- yeast | | / lb.| | | water, lukewarm | pt. | | | | milk, scalded | qt. | | | | fat | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | cold water | qt. | | | | flour | to | | | | | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- soften the yeast in the pint of water. scald the milk and add the fat, sugar and cold water. when the liquid is lukewarm, add the yeast and mix to a sponge with a part of the flour. it will require about six quarts. let rise one hour and add salt and work to a stiff dough with the remainder of the flour. let rise again about one hour. cut into loaves of two pounds each. place in well-greased pans, let rise and bake about one hour. this makes twelve one and three quarter pound loaves, after baking. number of servings loaves amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ sandwiches cottage cheese sandwich filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cottage cheese | | lb. | | | green peppers, chopped| c. | | | | nuts, chopped | c. | | | | mayonnaise | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the chopped green peppers, nuts and mayonnaise to the cheese and mix. this amount makes three and one half quarts. from a one-pound loaf of bread, sixteen sandwich slices may be obtained. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ egg sandwich filling ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggs, hard cooked | doz. | | | | crumbs, sifted | c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | mayonnaise | c. | | | | lemon juice | - / tbsp.| | | | ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- hard cook the eggs, cool and chop. mix with the remaining ingredients. this amount makes two quarts, and will fill forty-eight sandwiches, using two full slices of bread for each sandwich. from a one-pound loaf, sixteen sandwich slices may be obtained. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fruit sandwich filling ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- raisins | | lb. | | | figs | | / lb.| | | sugar | - / c. | | | | flour | tbsp. | | | | cold water | / c. | | | | orange juice | / c. | | | | lemons, juice and | | | | | grated rind | | | | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- chop the raisins and figs and combine with the flour and sugar. add the orange juice, lemon juice and water and cook in a double boiler or steamer until thick. this amount will make three and three fourths cups of filling and will fill twenty-five sandwiches, using two full slices of bread. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **ham sandwich filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ham, boiled or baked | | lb. | | | (left-over) | | | | | pickles, chopped | c. | | | | bread crumbs, sifted | c. | | | | mayonnaise | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- chop the ham and pickles and mix with the bread crumbs and mayonnaise. this amount will make three quarts. one cup of mixture will fill six sandwiches, using two full slices of bread for each sandwich. from a one-pound loaf, sixteen sandwich slices may be obtained. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ salads cabbage salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cabbage | | lb. | | | pimentos, chopped | c. | | | | pickles, chopped | c. | | | | green peppers, chopped| c. | | | | boiled dressing | - / qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- shred the cabbage and let soak in cold water one hour or more. drain off the water and mix cabbage with the other ingredients. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ carrot and raisin salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- carrots | | lb. | | | raisins | - / qt. | | | | salad dressing, | | | | | mayonnaise | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash, pare or scrape the carrots and chop until fine. add the raisins and salad dressing to the carrots and mix. serve on lettuce. number of servings amount of one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **combination vegetable salad -----------------------+---------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost -----------------------+---------+------+--------+---------+---------- peas | qt. | | | | cooked beets, diced or | | | | | cooked carrots, diced| qt. | | | | celery, cut fine | qt. | | | | french dressing | qt. | | | | -----------------------+---------+------+--------+---------+---------- dice the beets or carrots very fine. drain the peas. marinate the vegetables in three separate containers. do not mix them together. heap on a lettuce leaf using two tablespoons of each vegetable and keeping each mound distinct. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. of each vegetable calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **potato salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- boiled potatoes | qt. | | | | celery | qt. | | | | salt | / c. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | french dressing | qt. | | | | chopped parsley | c. | | | | pimentos, oz. can | | | | | onions | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- dice the potatoes and add the french dressing to marinate. cut the celery fine, chop the pimento and onion and add to the marinated potatoes with remaining ingredients. serve on a lettuce leaf. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ tomato jelly salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tomatoes | qt. | | | | cloves | / c. | | | | bay leaves | | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | soda | / tsp. | | | | cayenne | / tsp. | | | | gelatin | tbsp. | | | | cold water | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the tomatoes with the seasonings and add to the gelatin which has been softened in the cup of cold water. strain and pour into molds. let set and serve on lettuce with mayonnaise. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ vegetable gelatin salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- gelatin | / c. | | | | cold water | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | boiling water | qt. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | shredded cabbage | c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | mild vinegar | c. | | | | celery, diced | qt. | | | | red pepper, cut fine | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soften the gelatin in the cold water. add to the boiling water, in which the sugar and salt have been dissolved. after the gelatin has cooled and just started to set, add the mild vinegar, lemon juice and the vegetables. pour into molds or into a shallow pan to cool and set. serve on a lettuce leaf with salad dressing. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ apple and celery salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apples | qt. | | | | celery | - / qt. | | | | dates, chopped | c. | | | | salad dressing | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pare and dice the apples and mix with the chopped dates. cut the celery fine and add to the apples and dates. mix with the salad dressing and serve on lettuce. in case there is danger of the apples turning dark, they may be covered with salt water or water containing a little vinegar, while they are being pared and diced. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ banana salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- bananas | | | | | nuts, chopped | - / c. | | | | salad dressing | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cut the bananas in halves crosswise and roll in the chopped nuts until well coated. place half a banana on a lettuce leaf. serve with a tablespoon of salad dressing. number of servings amount in one serving / banana calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fruit salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pineapple, diced | qt. | | | | oranges, diced | qt. | | | | celery, diced | qt. | | | | salad dressing | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- dice the oranges and pineapple and cut the celery fine. drain the fruit and mix with the celery. serve on a lettuce leaf with one tablespoon of dressing on top. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ grapefruit salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- grapefruit, size | | | | | celery, cut fine | qt. | | | | french dressing | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peel the grapefruit and remove the fruit in whole sections from the connecting tissue. arrange three whole sections of the fruit, one on top of the other, on a lettuce leaf, and put a teaspoon of finely cut celery at each side of the sections. put one scant teaspoon of french dressing over each salad. number of servings amount in one serving sections calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cottage cheese salad with celery and green peppers ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cheese | gal. | | | | cream | c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | celery, chopped | qt. | | | | green pepper, chopped | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the cheese with the cream and salt. more cream may be necessary to moisten the cheese if it is very dry. add celery and green pepper and serve on a lettuce leaf. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ prune and cottage cheese salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- prunes, -- size | | lb. | | | cottage cheese | c. | | | | sour cream | c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the prunes over night and cook until soft. cool. remove the seeds by cutting one side of the prunes lengthwise, being careful not to mash the prunes. season the cheese with the salt, mix with the cream, and fill the prunes, using teaspoons of cheese which have been rolled into a ball, for each prune. salad dressing may be served with the prunes if desired. number of servings amount in one serving stuffed prunes calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ deviled egg salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggs | | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | vinegar | / c. | | | | mayonnaise | / c. | | | | mustard | tsp. | | | | paprika | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the eggs until hard and cut in halves lengthwise. remove the yolks. cream the yolks together with the mayonnaise and seasonings and refill the whites of the eggs. serve half an egg on a lettuce leaf and garnish with a pickle cut in halves. number of servings amount in one serving / egg calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chicken salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- chicken, diced | qt. | | | | celery, diced | qt. | | | | mayonnaise | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the chicken and celery lightly with two thirds of the mayonnaise. serve on a lettuce leaf and garnish with the remaining mayonnaise. lemon, hard-boiled egg and capers may also be used as garnish for chicken salad. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ lobster salad ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- lobster, lb. can | | | | | celery, diced | qt. | | | | mayonnaise dressing | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- open the cans of lobster and look over. avoid breaking up into shreds or very small pieces. mix with the celery and the mayonnaise and serve on a lettuce leaf. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ boiled dressing ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cornstarch | - / c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | mustard | tbsp. | | | | paprika | / c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | vinegar | - / qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix and sift the cornstarch and sugar and add to the scalded milk. mix the mustard, paprika and salt to a paste with some of the vinegar. add the remainder of the vinegar to the thickened milk, then add the egg yolks, and cook until the eggs are done. add the seasonings and cool. total volume - / qt calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ french dressing ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- salt | tbsp. | | | | mustard | / tsp. | | | | paprika | tbsp. | | | | pepper | / tsp. | | | | vinegar | c. | | | | oil | c. | | | | onion juice | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients and add enough vinegar to make a paste. add to this the remainder of the vinegar and oil and beat thoroughly. total volume c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ mayonnaise ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- egg yolks | | | | | vinegar | / c. | | | | oil | qt. | | | | mustard | tsp. | | | | powdered sugar | tsp. | | | | paprika | / tsp. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | red pepper | / tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beat the egg yolks thoroughly, and add to them about two tablespoonfuls of vinegar and continue beating. add the oil a little at a time until a thick emulsion has been formed, and then the oil and vinegar may be added alternately in larger amounts. the seasonings may be added dry, or a little of the vinegar reserved to mix to a paste with them. total volume c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ thousand island dressing ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mayonnaise | - / qt. | | | | chili sauce | qt. | | | | green peppers, chopped| - / c. | | | | chives, chopped | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the chopped green peppers, chives and chili sauce with the mayonnaise and chill. mayonnaise to be used for thousand island dressing should be very stiff. total volume - / qt. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ hot desserts and sauces apple dumpling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | shortening | c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | milk | to | | | | | - / qt.| | | | sugar, brown | c. | | | | cinnamon | tsp. | | | | apples, quartered | - / qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rub shortening into the flour, baking powder and salt. add milk to make a soft dough. roll thin and cut in squares. place about a half to three quarters of an apple, depending on size, in each square and sprinkle with about one and one half tablespoons of cinnamon and sugar mixed together. fold the corners over the apples and bake in a moderate oven. serve with a lemon or hard sauce. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **bread pudding ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- scalded milk | qt. | | | | broken bread | c. | | | | sugar | / c. | | | | raisins | | / lb.| | | salt | tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- add the beaten eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla to the scalded milk and pour over the bread and raisins. bake in a water bath in a moderate oven until the custard sets. serve with a vanilla sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **brown betty ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apples, chopped | qt. | | | | crumbs | qt. | | | | brown sugar | - / c. | | | | cinnamon | tsp. | | | | nutmeg | / tsp. | | | | water | qt. | | | | lemon juice | tbsp. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cover the bottom of a baking pan with a layer of crumbs. cover the crumbs with chopped apples. mix sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together and sprinkle one half of it over the apples. add one half of the water and lemon juice mixed together. repeat crumbs, apples, spices and liquid. pour the melted fat on top. bake and serve with lemon sauce. number of servings to amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **chocolate bread pudding ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- scalded milk | qt. | | | | broken or cubed bread | c. | | | | sugar | / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | raisins | | / lb.| | | salt | tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- add the beaten eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla to the scalded milk and pour over the bread and raisins. bake in a pan of hot water in a moderate oven until the custard sets. serve with a vanilla sauce. number of servings amount in one serving between / and / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate soufflÉ ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | flour | / c. | | | | cocoa | c. | | | | water | - / c. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the flour, sugar and cocoa and stir into the boiling water. when thickened add the egg yolks and vanilla. cool. fold this custard mixture into the stiffly beaten egg whites. pour into a baking dish and put the dish into a pan of hot water. bake in a moderate oven until done. serve with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cottage pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- butter substitute | / c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | milk | - / c. | | | | flour | - / qt. | | | | baking powder | tbsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the sugar and fat. add the well-beaten eggs and alternate the liquid and the dry ingredients. bake. serve with lemon, vanilla, fruit or chocolate sauce. number of servings amount in one serving square in. × in. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fritters ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- eggs | | | | | sour cream | c. | | | | sweet milk | c. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | baking powder | tbsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | flour | c. | | | | sugar | / c. | | | | diced apples, } | | | | | or } | | | | | diced oranges, } | | | | | or } | | | | | diced bananas, }--- | c. | | | | or } | | | | | corn } | | | | | or } | | | | | hominy } | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and combine. drop from a spoon into hot fat, using one and a half tablespoons per fritter. number of servings amount in one serving fritters calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fruit cobbler ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | salt | - / tbsp.| | | | shortening | - / c. | | | | milk | to | | | | | - / qt. | | | | fruit, # can | | | | | cornstarch | / c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | water | - / qt. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- crust: rub shortening into well-mixed dry ingredients. add milk sufficient for a soft dough and roll on a well-floured board. make the dough the shape of the baking pan to be used. fruit: drain the fruit and heat the juice and water, adding the well-mixed sugar and cornstarch. when thickened add the fruit and lemon juice. fill the bottom of the baking dish with the fruit and juice; cover with the dough and bake in a hot oven. number of servings amount in one serving piece - / in. × in. with / c. fruit sauce calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ grapenut pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | grapenuts | c. | | | | bread crumbs | c. | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | eggs | | | | | raisins | c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk and pour over the grapenuts and bread crumbs. add the sugar, salt, beaten eggs and raisins to the bread crumbs and scalded milk. pour into a baking pan and bake in water bath in a moderate oven until the custard sets. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ carrot plum pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar, brown | - / c. | | | | suet, ground | c. | | | | carrots, grated raw | c. | | | | potatoes, grated raw | c. | | | | lemon, grated rind | | | | | and juice | | | | | flour | c. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | nutmeg | tsp. | | | | raisins | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the sugar and chopped suet to the grated carrot, potato and lemon juice. mix the dry ingredients and combine with the above mixture. add the raisins. pour the mixture into a well-greased baking pan. cover and steam for one to two hours. individual steamed puddings may be made by filling greased ramekins half full of the dough and steaming. avoid turning on too much steam when the pudding is first put into the steamer. serve with vanilla sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. of dough calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ steamed molasses pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- molasses | c. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | flour | - / c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | boiling water | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the molasses, eggs, salt and water and add the flour and soda. mix well. this makes a very thin batter. pour into a greased pan and steam from one to one and one half hours. serve with an egg hard sauce. if the molasses is very dark and strong use one half molasses and one half corn syrup. number of servings amount in one serving / c. of batter calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ prune pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | gal. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | vanilla | tsp. | | | | prunes, after cooking | | lb. | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk, mix and sift the cornstarch and sugar and add to the milk, stirring constantly. when the cornstarch has thickened add the egg yolks and salt. pour this custard mixture over the prunes which have been seeded and placed in the bottom of a pudding pan. spread the meringue and brown in the oven. number of servings amount in one serving, between / to / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ prunecot filling for shortcake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- prunes, after cooking | | lb. | | | dried apricots, after | | | | | cooking | | lb. | | | sugar | qt. | | | | lemon juice | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- seed the cooked prunes and mix with the apricots. add the sugar and lemon juice and heat. this filling may be put between layers of shortcake dough and on top. serve with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ shortcake --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | - / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | sugar | / c. | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | milk | qt. | | | | butter | c. | | | | --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- mix and sift the dry ingredients. rub in the shortening lightly, with the tips of the fingers. add the milk gradually, mixing to a soft dough. the amount of milk may vary due to differences in the flour. put the dough on to a board and roll out to about one third inch in thickness. cut out, using a cutter three inches in diameter. brush the tops with melted fat and place one biscuit on top of the other; bake in a hot oven. when baked, the shortcakes break open easily. serve with fruit between the halves and on top. number of servings amount in one serving short cake calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ strawberry shortcake filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- strawberries, after | | | | | hulling | qt. | | | | sugar | to | | | | | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- hull the strawberries and wash them in a colander. crush slightly, add the sugar, and let stand half an hour or until the sugar dissolves. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate rice pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rice uncooked | c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | cocoa | / c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | cinnamon | / tsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the rice in the scalded milk. when the rice is almost tender add the cocoa and sugar and finish cooking. pour into a baking pan and spread with a meringue and brown in the oven. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ old-fashioned baked rice pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rice | c. | | | | raisins | - / c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the rice, pour over it the scalded milk and bake in a slow oven, stirring occasionally. when the rice is almost tender add the sugar, raisins and salt, and continue cooking. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ rice with hard sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rice | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | raisins | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the rice in boiling salted water until tender. add the raisins and serve with hard sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate sauce ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | qt. | | | | cocoa | - / c | | | | cornstarch | / c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | water | qt. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | butter substitute | | / lb.| | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients well. add to boiling water, stirring constantly with wire whisk. add the fat, and when cool add the vanilla. number of servings amount in each serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ custard sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | cornstarch | / c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the cornstarch and sugar and add to the scalded milk. when the cornstarch has cooked add the thoroughly beaten egg yolks and cook for a few minutes. remove from fire and add the salt and vanilla. number of servings amount in one serving - / tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ egg hard sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- butter substitute | - / c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar thoroughly. add the beaten yolks and continue creaming. add the vanilla and fold in the beaten whites. put this sauce into the refrigerator to set. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ hard sauce ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- butter | | / lb.| | | sugar, powdered | - / c. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+---------+-------+--------+---------+---------- cream the butter, add the sugar and vanilla gradually. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ lemon sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- water | qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | cornstarch | / c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | butter or butter | | | | | substitute | c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | lemon rind, cut thin | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar and cornstarch and add to the boiling water, stirring constantly. when the starch is clear, remove from the fire and add the fat, lemon juice and salt, and lemon rind. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cold desserts apple tapioca ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tapioca, pearl | c. | | | | water, boiling | gal. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | apples | gal. | | | | cinnamon | - / tsp.| | | | lemons | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the tapioca in water over night. add to the boiling salted water and cook until clear. add the sugar, cinnamon and lemon juice and pour over the apples. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ baked apples ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apples, size | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash and core the apples. make a syrup of the sugar and water and pour over the apples. bake in the oven until the apples are tender. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ baked custard ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk, scalded | qt. | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | eggs, whole | | | | | or | | | | | eggs, yolks | | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | nutmeg | / tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- beat the eggs, sugar and salt and add to the scalded milk and pour into custard cups. put the cups into a pan and pour hot water around them. bake in a moderate oven. number of servings amount in one serving between / to / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ caramel bavarian cream ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | - / qt. | | | | hot water | - / qt. | | | | milk, scalded | qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | gelatin | / c. | | | | cold water | - / c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- add the cold water to the gelatin. caramelize the sugar, add the hot water and pour over the softened gelatin. let this mixture cool. scald the milk, add the egg yolks and cook as for a soft custard. when both mixtures are cool and the gelatin has begun to set, beat the egg whites until stiff and pour in the two mixtures and beat. pour into a pan to reset. serve with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ caramel tapioca ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pearl tapioca | c. | | | | brown sugar | c. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | water | qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | mapleine | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the tapioca over night and cook until clear in the boiling water and brown sugar. remove from the fire and add the salt and mapleine. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate blanc mange ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | gal. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | cocoa | c. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | vanilla | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar, cornstarch and cocoa and add to the scalded milk. when the mixture has thickened, remove from the fire and add the salt and vanilla. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate pudding ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | eggs | doz. | | | | vanilla | / c. | | | | chocolate | | / lb.| | | ---------------------+----------+-------+--------+---------+---------- melt the chocolate over hot water. separate the eggs and beat the sugar and egg yolks to a creamy consistency. when the chocolate is melted, add the beaten yolks and sugar to it, and continue cooking until the mixture thickens. beat the egg whites stiff, add the chocolate mixture and the vanilla to them. mix thoroughly. pour into glasses and put in the refrigerator to cool and set. serve with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cornstarch pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar and cornstarch and add to the hot milk, stirring constantly. when the starch has cooked remove from the fire and add the vanilla and salt. fold in the well-beaten egg whites and mold. number of servings amount in one serving between / and / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ date nut blanc mange ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- brown sugar | - / qt. | | | | cornstarch | - / c. | | | | boiling water | qt. | | | | egg whites | | | | | salt | / tbsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | nut meats | - / c. | | | | dates | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt and add to boiling water, stirring constantly. add this mixture to the well-beaten whites and vanilla and beat until smooth. if a kitchen mixing machine is available, combine the two mixtures on the machine and beat thoroughly. this will increase the volume and improve the consistency. add the dates and nut meats. serve with a custard sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **date torte ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- walnuts | - / c. | | | | dates | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | flour | tbsp. | | | | baking powder | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | crumbs | c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | water | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients with the dates and nuts. add the lemon juice and water, and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. pour into a well-greased baking pan, set the pan in hot water and bake in a moderate oven. this may be served hot or cold with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fig tapioca --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- tapioca, pearl | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | brown sugar | c. | | | | figs, layer | | - / lb.| | | salt | tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | nut meats, chopped | - / c. | | | | --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- soak the tapioca over night. add to the rapidly boiling water and cook until clear. remove from the fire and add the chopped figs and nuts, vanilla and salt. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fruit cocktail ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- oranges | doz. | | | | bananas | doz. | | | | pineapple | qt. | | | | lemons | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | water | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a syrup of the sugar and water and pour over the diced fruit. the juice of the lemons may be added to the syrup. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fruit gelatin ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- gelatin | / c. | | | | cold water | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | boiling water | - / qt. | | | | orange juice | - / qt. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | oranges | | | | | bananas | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the gelatin in the cold water. add the sugar to the boiling water and pour over the softened gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved. when the gelatin has begun to set, add the fruit juice and the diced fruit. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **fruit whip ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- fruit pulp | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | egg whites | | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- put the fruit pulp, sugar and unbeaten egg whites into a mixing bowl and beat until stiff. whips in this quantity should be made with a power beater or mixing machine. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ maple nut mold ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- brown sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | water | gal. | | | | egg whites | | | | | nut meats, chopped | c. | | | | mapleine | tbsp. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the cornstarch to a paste with part of the water. bring the remainder of the water to a boil, add the brown sugar and the cornstarch paste, stirring constantly. beat the egg whites stiff, and when the cornstarch mixture is clear add to the egg whites and beat. when thoroughly mixed add the mapleine, nut meats and salt. pour into pans to mold. this pudding is most satisfactory in texture, and volume is increased when beaten on a power machine. number of servings amount of one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ norwegian prune pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- prunes, after cooking | | lb. | | | cinnamon | tbsp. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | cornstarch | - / c. | | | | boiling water | | | | | or | qt. | | | | prune juice | | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- seed and cut up the cooked prunes. mix the cinnamon, sugar, salt and cornstarch together and add to the boiling water or prune juice and cook until the starch is clear. remove from the fire and add the lemon juice and prunes. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ pineapple pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- water | gal. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | lemons | | | | | pineapple, grated, # | can | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar and cornstarch and add to the boiling water. when clear, remove from the fire and add the pineapple and lemon juice. serve with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ pineapple tapioca pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pearl tapioca | c. | | | | water | qt. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | pineapple juice | c. | | | | pineapple, cut fine | c. | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the tapioca over night and cook in boiling water till transparent. remove from the fire and add the sugar, lemon, pineapple and the beaten whites of eggs. serve with whipped cream. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ prune gelatin ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cold water | c. | | | | gelatin | / c. | | | | prune juice | qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | lemons | | | | | prunes, after cooking | | lb. | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the gelatin in the cold water until softened. heat the prune juice to boiling, add the sugar and pour over the gelatin, stirring until dissolved. when the gelatin begins to set, add the lemon juice and pour over the seeded prunes which have been arranged in rows on the bottom of a pan. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ raisin tapioca ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tapioca | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | water | gal. | | | | raisins | c. | | | | mapleine | tbsp. | | | | nuts, chopped | c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the tapioca over night. add to the boiling water and sugar and cook until clear. remove from the fire and add the raisins, mapleine, nuts and salt. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ snow pudding ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- gelatin | / c. | | | | cold water | c. | | | | boiling water | qt. | | | | lemon juice | c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the gelatin in the cold water. add the sugar to the boiling water and pour over the softened gelatin, stirring until the gelatin is dissolved. when the gelatin has begun to set, add the lemon juice. beat the egg whites stiff, add the gelatin and beat. put into a pan and let the mixture harden. serve with custard sauce. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ tapioca cream ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- tapioca, pearl | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | milk | - / gal.| | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak the tapioca over night and cook until clear in the scalded milk. beat the eggs and sugar, add to the tapioca mixture and cook for a few minutes. remove from fire and add salt and vanilla. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ fruit sauces apricot sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apricots | | lb. | | | water | - / qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sort and wash the apricots. cover with cold water and soak over night. cook slowly and when nearly done add the sugar. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cranberry jelly ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cranberries | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pick over and wash the cranberries. add the water and cook until the berries are soft. rub through a purée sieve. add the sugar and again bring to the boiling point. pour into a pan to mold. cut in small squares to serve. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cranberry sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cranberries | - / qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | water | - / qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pick over and wash the cranberries. add the water and cook until the berries are soft. rub through a sieve, add the sugar and bring to a boil. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ dried peach sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peaches, dried | | lb. | | | water | - / qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sort and wash the peaches. cover with cold water and soak over night. cook slowly and when nearly done add the sugar. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ prune sauce ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- prunes | | lb. | | | water | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sort and wash the prunes. cover with cold water and soak over night. cook slowly and when nearly done add the sugar. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ baked rhubarb ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rhubarb | - / gal.| | | | sugar | c. | | | | lemons | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash the rhubarb and cut in pieces three quarters of an inch in length. mix the rhubarb with the sugar and the lemons, which have been cut in thin slices. pour into a baking pan and bake in a slow oven until tender. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cakes, fillings and frostings apple-sauce cake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apple sauce | - / qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | flour | qt. | | | | raisins | qt. | | | | nutmeg | tsp. | | | | cinnamon | tsp. | | | | cloves | tsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar. add the apple sauce, then the dry ingredients and the raisins. bake in a slow oven in loaf or sheet pans. this may be iced with a chocolate icing and cut in squares. this amount makes six pans eight inches square. number of servings amount in one serving square calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ banana cream cake -------------------+-------------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost -------------------+-------------+------+--------+---------+---------- cake recipe | | | | | (see page ) | / of recipe| | | | cream pie filling | | | | | (see page ) | / of recipe| | | | bananas | | lb. | | | -------------------+-------------+------+--------+---------+---------- follow the directions for making cake and bake the mixture in a sheet pan about twenty-four inches square. make the cream pie filling recipe. when the cake comes from the oven slice the bananas over the top, pour the pie filling over it and cover with a meringue made of the egg whites and sugar provided in the cream pie filling recipe. brown the meringue in the oven. cool and cut in squares. number of servings amount in one serving square in. × in. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | - / qt. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | baking powder | c. | | | | flour, pastry | qt. | | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar thoroughly. add the yolks and vanilla and continue creaming. mix the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk to the fat, sugar and eggs. fold in the well-beaten whites last. if a kitchen mixing machine is used for making the cake, the best results are obtained by creaming the fat and sugar twenty to thirty minutes on the machine and completing the remainder of the mixing as quickly as possible. this makes nine two-layer cakes, each cake nine and one fourth inches in diameter and cutting sixteen slices. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ caramel cake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | - / qt. | | | | fat | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | water | c. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | flour, pastry | qt. | | | | baking powder | c. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- caramelize one cup of the sugar and add two cups of water to dissolve. cool this syrup. cream the fat and remaining sugar, add the egg yolks and vanilla, and the caramelized syrup. mix the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. add the beaten whites of eggs last. this will make nine two-layer cakes, nine and one fourth inches in diameter. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate cake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | - / qt. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | flour, pastry | - / qt. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | milk | c. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | egg yolks | | | | | milk | c. | | | | cocoa | | oz.| | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a custard of the egg yolks, milk and cocoa, and cool. cream the fat and sugar thoroughly, add the egg yolks, the chocolate custard and vanilla. mix the dry ingredients and add alternately with the milk. fold in the beaten egg whites. this amount will make ten two-layer cakes, nine and one fourth inches in diameter, each cake to be cut in sixteen pieces. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ small chocolate cup cakes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- chocolate | | oz. | | | butter substitute | tbsp. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | milk | / c. | | | | flour, pastry | c. | | | | baking powder | tsp. | | | | eggs | | | | | vanilla | tsp. | | | | nuts, chopped | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- melt the chocolate over hot water and add the butter substitute to it. beat the eggs and add the sugar and vanilla and combine with the melted butter substitute and chocolate. mix and sift the dry ingredients and add alternately with the liquid. add the nuts last. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ **fruit oatmeal crumb cookies ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | sour cream | c. | | | | cinnamon | tbsp. | | | | flour | - / qt. | | | | cake crumbs | / qt. | | | | oatmeal | - / qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | soda | tbsp. | | | | raisins | - / qt. | | | | nuts | c. | | | | lemon juice | tbsp. | | | | mapleine | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar. add the eggs, sour cream, lemon juice and mapleine, and the well-mixed dry ingredients. drop on a well-greased pan using two tablespoons per cooky and bake in a hot oven; or this mixture may be spread out on a sheet and when baked cut in squares or bars. number of servings amount in one serving tbsp. dough calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ gingerbread ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | - / c. | | | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | molasses | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | soda | tbsp. | | | | cinnamon | - / tsp.| | | | ginger | - / tsp.| | | | flour | qt. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | water, hot | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar thoroughly. add the eggs and molasses and continue to beat. mix the dry ingredients and add alternately with the water. bake in well-greased and floured pans. the gingerbread may be baked in five loaf tins cutting fifteen slices per loaf or as a sheet cake. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ orange and raisin cup cakes ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | butter substitute | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | baking powder | c. | | | | pastry flour | - / qt. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | raisins | qt. | | | | oranges, size | | | | | milk and orange juice | - / qt. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar thoroughly. add the egg yolks and vanilla. mix the dry ingredients and add alternately with the liquid. chop the oranges and express the juice, to which is added the milk to make the required amount of liquid. add the chopped oranges and raisins and the stiffly beaten whites. bake in well-greased muffin tins. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ spice cake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | eggs | | | | | sour cream | qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | flour | qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | soda | tbsp. | | | | raisins | qt. | | | | cinnamon | tbsp. | | | | cloves | - / tbsp| | | | allspice | tbsp. | | | | molasses | c. | | | | lemon juice | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the sugar and egg yolks and add the sour cream. add the molasses and lemon juice. mix the dry ingredients and add to the mixture. add the raisins and the beaten egg whites. three quarts of sour milk and one and one half pounds of fat may be used instead of sour cream. this makes ten two-layer cakes, nine and one fourth inches in diameter. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ sugar cookies ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- brown sugar | qt. | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | flour | qt. | | | | soda | tsp. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | water | c. | | | | salt | - / tbsp.| | | | ---------------------+-----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar. mix the dry ingredients and add with the water to the fat and sugar. this will make a soft dough which will not roll out until thoroughly chilled. keep the dough in the refrigerator and take out only that portion which may be rolled at one time. roll very thin, cut into cookies three and one half inches in diameter and bake on a floured pan. number of servings amount in one serving one - / in. cooky calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ washington pie ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cake recipe | layers | | | | (see page ) | | | | | chocolate filling | qt. | | | | (see page ) | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- split the layers of cake in half. spread them with one cup of chocolate filling. put the top over the filling and sprinkle with powdered sugar. cut each layer in eight wedge-shaped pieces. number of servings amount in one serving piece calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ white cake ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | qt. | | | | butter substitute | | lb. | | | milk | - / qt. | | | | baking powder | / c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | flour | qt. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream the fat and sugar thoroughly. mix the dry ingredients and add alternately to the fat and sugar with the milk. fold in the well-beaten whites last. this makes eighteen two-layer cakes. if preferred, this amount may be baked in square tins, twenty-four by twenty-four inches, and will fill three pans. where a kitchen mixing machine is used in cake making the best results are obtained by creaming the fat and sugar in the machine for from twenty to thirty minutes and then adding the remainder of the ingredients and completing the mixing quickly. number of servings amount in one serving slice calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cornstarch | c. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | cocoa | - / c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | milk | qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | butter substitute | / c. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the cornstarch, sugar, cocoa and salt and add to the hot milk, stirring constantly. when cornstarch is cooked add the beaten egg yolks, butter substitute and vanilla. total volume qt. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cream pie filling | | | | | (see p. ) | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- see method under recipe for cream pie filling, p. . this filling may be used not only for pie, but for cake, cream puffs, washington pie and for similar desserts. number of servings amount of one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ lemon filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- lemon pie filling | | | | | (see p. ) | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- this filling may be used not only for pie, but for cake and similar desserts. see method under recipe for lemon pie filling, p. . number of servings amount of one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ caramel frosting ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- brown sugar | c. | | | | white sugar | c. | | | | water | - / c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the sugar and water to the soft-ball stage or until it forms a thread. pour into the stiffly beaten egg whites, add the vanilla and continue beating on the machine until the icing is stiff. this amount will frost nine two-layer cakes, nine and one quarter inches in diameter. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate icing ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cocoa | c. | | | | sugar, powdered | c. | | | | butter | | oz. | | | water | / c. | | | | vanilla | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- roll and sift the powdered sugar and cocoa, and mix with the water, melted butter and vanilla. this amount will make two cups of icing. number of servings amount of one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ white frosting ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- granulated sugar | c. | | | | water | - / c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cook the sugar and water to the soft-ball stage or until it forms a thread. pour into the stiffly beaten egg whites, add the vanilla and continue beating in the machine until the icing is stiff. this amount will frost nine two-layer cakes, nine and one quarter inches in diameter. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ pies pie crust ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- flour | | lb. | | | shortening | | - / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | iced water | | | | | ---------------------+--------+---------+--------+---------+---------- weigh the fat and flour, add the salt and work the fat into the flour lightly, using the tips of the fingers. add the iced water a little at a time, being careful to distribute the water evenly through the mixture. avoid getting the dough too wet. for this amount about one and one half cups of water is sufficient. this amount will make from eleven to twelve pie shells, using pie tins ten and three quarter inches in diameter, or it will make from six to seven two-crust pies. number of servings amount in one serving calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ apple pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apples, before peeling| | lb.| | | cinnamon | tbsp. | | | | sugar | - / qt. | | | | flour | - / c. | | | | butter substitute | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- fill the crusts with one quart of apples. cover with the sugar and flour. add the fat and cover with the top crust. bake in a moderate oven. this recipe makes fourteen, ten and three quarter inch pies, using one quart per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ apricot pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- apricots, dry | | lb. | | | water | - / qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | - / c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak and cook the apricots in the water. when the apricots are soft add the well-mixed sugar and cornstarch and cook until thickened. add the lemon juice. this amount will make ten pies, ten and three quarter inches in diameter, using three cups of filling per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ blueberry pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- blueberries, # can | | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | - / c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- drain the berries and heat the juice to boiling. mix the sugar and cornstarch and sift into boiling juice. when thickened, add the berries and lemon juice. fill pie shells, using three cups per pie. this will make nine, ten and three quarter inch pies. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cranberry and raisin pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- cranberries, uncooked | - / qt. | | | | raisins | - / qt. | | | | sugar | c. | | | | vinegar, spiced | - / c. | | | | nut meats, chopped | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash and pick over the cranberries. steam the raisins and mix with the remainder of the ingredients. fill the pie shells. this recipe makes ten, ten and three quarter inch pies, using three cups per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ dried peach pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- peaches, dried | | lb. | | | water | - / qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | - / c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- soak and cook the peaches in the water. when soft, add the well-mixed sugar and cornstarch and cook until thickened. add the lemon juice and fill the pie shells. this will fill ten, ten and three quarter inch pies, using three cups of filling per pie. number of servings amount of one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ gooseberry and raisin pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- gooseberries, # can | | | | | raisins | c. | | | | sugar | gal. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | gooseberry juice | gal. | | | | or | | | | | gooseberry juice and | gal. | | | | water | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- drain the gooseberries, retaining one gallon of the juice. heat the juice and when it reaches the boiling point add the well-mixed sugar and cornstarch, stirring constantly. when the mixture has thickened, add the gooseberries and the raisins. the raisins will be improved by steaming before adding to the mixture. this quantity makes twenty, ten and three quarter inch pies, using three cups per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ loganberry pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- berries, # can | | | | | sugar | gal. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | lemon juice | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- open the berries and pour into a colander to separate the berries from the juice. heat the juice to the boiling point and add the well-mixed cornstarch and sugar, stirring constantly. when the mixture has thickened, add the lemon juice and berries. this makes filling for eighteen pies, ten and three quarter inches in diameter and cutting eight pieces per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ rhubarb pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- rhubarb, diced | gal. | | | | sugar | - / qt. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- wash and dice the rhubarb, and put over a slow fire to cook. when the mixture is boiling, add the well-mixed cornstarch and sugar, stirring constantly. when thickened, remove from the fire and fill the pie crusts, using three cups per pie. this amount makes fourteen pies, ten and three quarter inches in diameter. number of servings amount per serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ banana cream pie filling --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | / qt. | | | | flour | - / qt.| | | | egg yolks | | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | vanilla | / c. | | | | bananas | | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- mix sugar, cornstarch and flour, and add to scalded milk, stirring constantly. when thickened add well-beaten egg yolks, butter substitute, salt and vanilla. cut one banana in pieces over bottom of crust. cover with filling, using two and one half cups per pie. cover with meringue and brown in a moderate oven. this makes twenty, ten and three quarter inch pies. number of servings amount of one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ butterscotch pie filling --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | brown sugar | qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | flour | - / qt.| | | | cornstarch | / qt. | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | vanilla | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk, reserving sufficient to make a thin paste with the flour and cornstarch. add the brown sugar to the scalded milk and pour in the thickening, stirring constantly. if a dark brown sugar is used, a little soda may be added to the milk to prevent curdling. when the mixture has thickened add the fat and egg yolks and cook for a few minutes. remove from the fire and add the salt and vanilla. this recipe makes twenty pies, using two and one half cups per pie. see chocolate pie recipe for method of making meringue. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chocolate pie filling -------------------+----------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost -------------------+----------+---------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | yolks | | | | | flour | - / qt. | | | | cocoa | c. | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | -------------------+----------+---------+--------+---------+---------- mix the cocoa, flour, salt and sugar together thoroughly. sift into the boiling water, stirring constantly. when the mixture has thickened add the well-beaten egg yolks and let cook three or four minutes. add the butter substitute. beat the egg whites until they hold their shape. add the sugar and continue beating until sugar and egg are thoroughly blended. avoid beating the sugar and egg until too stiff to spread. bake in a moderate oven. this recipe makes twenty, ten and three quarter inch pies, using two and one half cups per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ cream pie filling -------------------+----------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost -------------------+----------+---------+--------+---------+---------- milk | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | / qt. | | | | flour | - / qt. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | salt | tbsp. | | | | vanilla | / c. | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | -------------------+----------+---------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar, cornstarch and flour and add to scalded milk, stirring constantly. when thickened, add the well-beaten egg yolks, butter substitute, salt and vanilla. fill the pie shells, using two and one half cups per pie and cover with meringue. this recipe makes twenty, ten and three quarter inch pies. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ custard pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- milk | gal. | | | | eggs, whole | | | | | egg yolks | | | | | sugar | c. | | | | vanilla | tbsp. | | | | salt | tsp. | | | | nutmeg | tbsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- scald the milk. add the eggs, sugar and vanilla, beaten together. fill the pie shells and sprinkle the nutmeg over the top. bake in a slow oven. this recipe makes twelve, ten and three quarter inch pies, using three and one half cups per pie. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ lemon pie filling --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight |calories|unit cost|total cost --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- water | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | / qt. | | | | flour | - / qt.| | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | egg yolks | | | | | butter substitute | | - / lb.| | | lemons, grated rind | | | | | and juice | | | | | egg whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | --------------------+---------+---------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar, flour and cornstarch and add to the rapidly boiling water. when thickened, add the fat and egg yolks. cook for a few minutes, and when removed from the fire add the lemon juice and grated rind. put two and one half cups to each ten and three quarter inch pie shell and cover with meringue and brown in oven. for method of making meringue see chocolate pie recipe. this recipe makes twenty pies. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ pineapple pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- pineapple, # cans | | | | | juice and water | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | cornstarch | c. | | | | flour | - / qt. | | | | yolks | | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | lemon juice | tbsp. | | | | whites | | | | | sugar | - / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar, flour and cornstarch and add to the rapidly boiling water. when thickened add the egg yolks. cook for a few minutes, remove from the fire and add the lemon juice and pineapple. fill ten and three quarter inch shells, using two and one half cups of filling per pie. cover with meringue and bake in a moderate oven. for method of making meringue see chocolate pie recipe. this recipe makes twenty-seven pies. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ pumpkin pie filling ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | c. | | | | ginger | tsp. | | | | cinnamon | tbsp. | | | | cloves | tsp. | | | | cornstarch | / c. | | | | salt | tbsp. | | | | pumpkin, # can | | | | | egg yolks | | | | | milk, hot | qt. | | | | egg whites | | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the dry ingredients and add to the pumpkin. beat the eggs, add the scalded milk and pour into the pumpkin and spices, and mix thoroughly. this fills ten, ten and three quarter inch pie shells, using three and one half cups per shell. number of servings amount in one serving / pie calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ beverages fruit punch ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- grated pineapple | qt. | | | | lemon juice | qt. | | | | orange juice | qt. | | | | grape juice | qt. | | | | tea infusion | qt. | | | | water | - / gal.| | | | sugar | qt. | | | | mint leaves | / c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a syrup of the sugar and a quart of the water. while the syrup is cooling add the mint leaves. mix the syrup with the fruit juices and strain. serve the punch iced. the volume will be somewhat greater if the fruit pulp is not strained out. number of servings amount in one serving c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ ginger ale lemonade ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- lemon juice | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | ice water | gal. | | | | ginger ale | gal. | | | | mint leaves | c. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a syrup of the sugar and water, and while this is cooling add the mint leaves. combine the cold syrup, lemon juice and water, and add the ginger ale. the ginger ale should not be added until just before the lemonade is to be served. number of servings amount in one serving c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ lemonade ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- lemon juice | qt. | | | | sugar | qt. | | | | water | qt. | | | | ice water | gal. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- make a syrup of the sugar and the one quart of water, and let cool. mix with the lemon juice and add the ice water. while the syrup is cooling, mint leaves may be added if desired. number of servings amount in one serving c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ hot chocolate ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- sugar | / c. | | | | grated chocolate | - / c. | | | | salt | / tsp. | | | | boiling water | c. | | | | milk | gal. | | | | vanilla | tsp. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- mix the sugar, grated chocolate and salt with the boiling water and cook until smooth. add the hot milk and cook ten to fifteen minutes to develop the flavor. add vanilla and serve. one half teaspoon of cinnamon may be added for flavor if desired. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ urn coffee ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- ingredients |amount |weight|calories|unit cost|total cost ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- coffee, ground medium | | | | | fine | c. | | | | water | gal. | | | | ----------------------+----------+------+--------+---------+---------- put the ground coffee into an urn sack. let the boiling water from the water urn flow over the coffee. drain the coffee from the faucet of the urn, and pour the entire amount over the ground coffee twice. this should make a coffee of good strength. the important points in making coffee are that the urn should be kept perfectly clean, using clear water and steel wool or baking soda; the water bags should be kept washed and well aired; the water used in making the coffee should always be actively boiling before the coffee is made, and the water in the jacket should be maintained at boiling temperature. number of servings amount in one serving / c. calories in one serving______ cost of one serving______ chapter vii table of weights and their approximate measures +-----------------------------------+-------+---------------+--------+ |food material |weight |measure |calories| +-----------------------------------+-------+---------------+--------+ |apples, a. p.,[a] fresh | oz. | apple | | | | | size | | | | |box apples | | |apples, diced, half-inch cubes | lb. | - / c. | | |apricots, dried, a. p.[a] | lb. | c. | | | lb. apricots soaked and cooked | | | | | equals - / cups without | | | | | juice. | | | | | lb. apricots after soaking and | | | | | cooking weighs - / lb., | | | | | without juice. | | | | |baking powder | lb. | - / c. | | |bananas, a. p.[a] | lb. | medium sized | | |beans, dried lima, uncooked | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. dried lima beans soaked and| | | | | cooked equals - / cups | | | | | lb. dried lima beans after | | | | | soaking and cooking | | | | | weighs lb. oz. | | | | |beans, kidney, a. p.[a] | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. kidney beans soaked and | | | | | cooked equals cups. | | | | | lb. kidney beans after soaking | | | | | and cooking weighs | | | | | lb. - / oz. | | | | |beans, navy, a. p.[a] | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. navy beans soaked and | | | | | cooked equals cups. | | | | | lb. navy beans after soaking | | | | | and cooking weighs lb. oz. | | | | |beets, diced, cooked | lb. | - / c. | | |bran | lb. | - / c. | | |bread, soft, broken | lb. | c. | | |bread, broken stale | lb. | c. | | |bread crumbs, stale, finely sifted | lb. | - / c. | | |butter | lb. | c. | | |cabbage, shredded | lb. | - / c. | | |celery, quarter-inch pieces | lb. | c. | | |carrots, diced | lb. | c. | | |cheese, cottage, a. p.[a], unmixed | lb. | - / c. | | |cheese, n. y. or wisc. cream, | lb. | - / c. | | | fresh, cubed or cut fine | | | | |chicken, cooked and cubed | lb. | c. | | |chocolate, cut fine | lb. | - / c. | | |cinnamon, ground | lb. | c. | | |cloves, ground | lb. | - / c. | | |cocoa | lb. | c. | | |cocoanut, short | lb. | c. | | |coffee, medium ground | lb. | - / c. | | |corn, canned | lb. | - / c. | | |corn meal | lb. | c. | | | lb. corn meal when cooked | | | | | equals - / qt. | | | | |cornstarch | lb. | - / c. | | |crackers, inches by inches | lb. | | | |crackers, sodas, whole | lb. | | | |crackers, broken | lb. | c. | | |cranberries, uncooked | lb. | c. | | |eggs, whole in shell | lb. | | | |egg whites | / lb.| whites = c.| | |egg yolks | / lb.| yolks = c.| | |farina, uncooked | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. farina when cooked equals | | | | | qts. | | | | |figs, layer, whole | lb. | - / c. | | |figs, layer, cut fine | lb. | c. | | |flour, graham | lb. | - / c. | | |flour, wheat, unsifted | lb. | - / c. | | |gelatin, granulated | lb. | c. | | |ginger | lb. | - / c. | | |grapenuts | lb. | - / c. | | |grapes, cut and seeded as for salad| lb. | - / c. | | |hamburg steak, raw | lb. | c. | | |hominy, pearl | lb. | - / c. | | |lard substitute or compound | lb. | - / to | | | | | - / c. | | |lemons, size | lb. | lemons | | |lemon juice | | to | | | | | lemons = c.| | |lettuce, average head size | oz. | head or - | | | | |salad leaves | | |macaroni, broken - / inch pieces | lb. | c. | | | lb. macaroni when cooked | | | | | equals qt. | | | | |molasses | lb. | - / c. | | |mustard | lb. | c. | | |nutmeats, english walnuts, whole | lb. | - / c. | | |nutmeats, english walnuts, chopped | lb. | c. | | |nutmeg, ground | lb. | - / c. | | |oats, rolled | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. oats when cooked equals | | | | | - / qts | | | | |oils, cottonseed | lb | - / c. | | |oleomargarine | lb. | c. | | |oranges, diced | lb. | - / c. | | |oranges, whole, size | to | | | | | oz. | orange | | |onions, chopped | lb. | c. | | |paprika | lb. | - / c. | | |peaches, dried | lb. | c. | | | lb. peaches soaked and cooked | | | | | equals - / cups without | | | | | juice. | | | | | lb. peaches soaked and cooked | | | | | weighs - / lb. without juice.| | | | |peas, canned, drained | lb. | - / c. | | |pepper, white | lb. | - / c. | | |pickles, whole | lb. | if | | | | | in. length | | | | | if | | | | | in. length | | |pickles, chopped | lb. | c. | | |pineapple, canned broken pieces | lb. | c. | | |potatoes, unpeeled | lb. | medium sized | | |potatoes, peeled | / lb.| lb. before | | | |after |peeling | | | |peeling| | | |potatoes, diced for creaming | lb. | - / c. diced | | | | |before peeling | | |prunes, a. p.[a] | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. prunes soaked and cooked | | | | | equals cups without juice. | | | | | lb. prunes soaked and cooked | | | | | weighs - / lbs. without | | | | | juice. | | | | |pumpkin, canned | lb. | - / c. | | |raisins, seeded | lb. | - / c. | | |raisins, seedless | lb. | c. | | |rice, whole | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. of rice when cooked | | | | | equals qt. | | | | |salmon | lb. | c. | | |salt | lb. | - / c. | | |soda | lb. | c. | | |spaghetti | lb. | c. | | | lb. spaghetti when cooked | | | | | equals - / qt. | | | | |spinach | lb. | c. | | |string beans, canned | lb. | c. | | |sugar, brown | lb. | - / c. | | |sugar, granulated | lb. | - / c. | | |sugar, powdered | lb. | - / c. | | |tapioca, pearl | lb. | - / c. | | | lb. of tapioca soaked and | | | | | cooked equals - / c. | | | | |tea | lb. | c. | | |tuna fish | lb. | c. | | +-----------------------------------+-------+---------------+--------+ [note a: a. p. = as purchased.] index appearance of food, , apple and celery salad, apple dumpling, apple pie filling, - apple-sauce cake, apple tapioca, apples, baked, apricot pie filling, apricot sauce, asparagus, creamed, creamed fresh, - on toast, fresh, bacon muffins, baked beans, banana cream cake, - banana cream pie filling, - banana salad, beans, baked, beans, lima, with green peppers and pimentos, string, - beef, - dried, on toast, rib roast, beef à la mode, beets, buttered, beverages for cafeteria menus, for tea-room menus, , list of, recipes for, - birds, veal, biscuits, baking-powder, blanc mange, chocolate, date nut, - blueberry pie filling, - boiled salad dressing, bouillon, - bran muffins, dark, bread, brown, muffins, - nut, quick, - rolls, , , - white, yeast, bread for cafeteria menus, for tea-room menus, , , , recipes for, - bread pudding, - breaded veal, - brown betty, brown bread, browned potatoes, buttered beets, cabbage, carrots, - and peas, onions, peas, - butterscotch pie filling, cabbage, buttered, creamed, in vinegar, cabbage salad, cafeteria, menus for, , - cake, apple-sauce, banana cream, - caramel, chocolate, - chocolate cup, orange and raisin cup, spice, - white, cakes, list of, - recipes for, - carrot and raisin salad, carrot plum pudding, carrots, buttered, - and peas, creamed, cauliflower, caramel bavarian cream, caramel cake, caramel frosting, - caramel tapioca, celery, creamed, chart of foods, seasonal, - cheese dishes, cheese fondue, chicken, chicken à la king, chicken and biscuit, chicken croquettes, - chicken salad, chicken soup, chocolate, hot, chocolate blanc mange, chocolate bread pudding, - chocolate cake, - chocolate cup cakes, chocolate filling, - chocolate frosting, chocolate icing, chocolate pie filling, chocolate pudding, chocolate rice pudding, chocolate sauce, chocolate soufflé, chops, breaded pork, - pork, with dressing, cocktails, fruit, oyster, codfish, balls, - coffee, urn, - color in food, combinations of food, - combination vegetable salad, cookies, fruit oatmeal crumb, - sugar, corn, scalloped, corned beef hash, - corn-meal muffins, corn pudding, cornstarch pudding, corn with green peppers and pimentos, cost in menu-making, cottage cheese croquettes, - cottage cheese salad with celery and green peppers, - cottage cheese salads, cottage cheese sandwich filling, cottage pudding, - cranberry and raisin pie filling, cranberry jelly, cranberry sauce, creamed asparagus, - cabbage, carrots, celery, onions, peas, potatoes, cream filling, cream of celery soup, - cream of corn soup, cream of lima bean soup, - cream of pea soup, cream of spinach soup, - cream of tomato soup, cream pie filling, - cream soup, croquettes, chicken, - cottage cheese, - meat, rice, crumb muffins, - custard, baked, custard pie filling, custard sauce, cutlets, egg, date nut blanc mange, - date torte, deviled egg salad, - desserts, list of, - for cafeteria menus, for tea-room menus, , , , recipes for cold, - recipes for hot, - dietetic principles in menus, , , dressings for salad, boiled, french, mayonnaise, thousand island, dried beef on toast, creamed, dried peach pie filling, dried peach sauce, - egg cutlets, egg hard sauce, egg sandwich filling, - eggplant, fried, eggs, eggs and ham, scrambled, equipment for preparing menus, , fig tapioca, - filling, apple pie, - apricot pie, banana cream pie, - blueberry pie, - butterscotch pie, chocolate, - chocolate pie, cranberry and raisin pie, cream, cream pie, - custard pie, dried peach pie, gooseberry and raisin pie, lemon, lemon pie, - loganberry pie, - pineapple pie, pumpkin pie, rhubarb pie, fillings for cakes, - for pies, - for sandwiches, - for shortcake, - , - fish, list of, recipes for, - fish salads, flavor of food, form of service, , forms for special dinners, - meat order, - menu, - use of printed, french fried potatoes, french salad dressing, fried salmon, oysters, fritters, frostings, caramel, - chocolate, white, - fruit cobbler, - fruit cocktail, fruit gelatin, - fruit oatmeal crumb cookies, - fruit punch, - fruit salad, fruit salads, list of, fruit sandwich filling, fruit sauces, recipes for, - fruit whip, garnishes, - ginger-ale lemonade, gingerbread, glazed sweet potatoes, gooseberry and raisin pie filling, graham muffins, grapefruit salad, grapenut pudding, - halibut, fried, ham, baked, hamburg balls, ham sandwich filling, - hard sauce, - hash, corned beef, - hearts, breaded veal, veal in casserole, - hominy, ice creams, - ices, lamb, roast, left-overs, utilization of, - , - , lemonade, ginger-ale, lemon filling, lemon pie filling, - lemon sauce, liver and bacon, - lobster salad, loganberry pie filling, - macaroni, macaroni and cheese, maple nut mold, - mashed potatoes, - rutabagas, - mayonnaise dressing, measures, use of, meat croquettes, meat dishes, miscellaneous, meat for cafeteria menu, for tea-room menu, , , , meat loaf, with tomato and celery, - meat order form, - meat pie, with dressing, meat salads, meat stew, meat substitutes, recipes for, - meats, list of, - recipes for, - menu form, - menu planning, - , charts and lists for, - consideration of patrons in, dietetic principles in, , , equipment in, , for an institution, - , , , , for a school lunch, left-overs in, - variety of food in, , , menus, breakfast, , , , - , , , - , - , , - dinner, - , - , , - , - , - , , - , - , lunch, - , - , , - , - , , , - , - , , standard cafeteria, tea-room, - thirty days' menus for cafeteria, - mousse, muffins, bacon, corn-meal, crumb, - dark bran, graham, plain, raised, mustard sauce, mutton, noodle soup, norwegian prune pudding, - nut bread, odor of food, old-fashioned baked rice pudding, - onions, buttered, creamed, orange and raisin cup cakes, oyster cocktail, oyster stew, oysters, fried, scalloped, palatability of food, parsley buttered potatoes, parsnips, peanut butter soup, peas, buttered, - creamed, peppers, pie crust, pie fillings, - pie, meat, with dressing, washington, - pies, one-crust, two-crust, - pineapple pie filling, pineapple pudding, - pineapple tapioca pudding, - pork, roast, - pork chops breaded, - with dressing, potato salad, potatoes, - browned, creamed, french fried, glazed sweet, mashed, - parsley buttered, scalloped, - stuffed baked, potatoes for cafeteria menu, prune and cottage cheese salad, prunecot filling for shortcake, - prune gelatin, prune pudding, prune sauce, pudding, bread, - carrot plum, chocolate, chocolate bread, - chocolate rice, cold, - corn, cornstarch, cottage, - grapenut, - hot, - norwegian prune, old-fashioned baked rice, - pineapple, - pineapple tapioca, - prune, snow, - steamed molasses, - pumpkin pie filling, punch, fruit, - quality of food, quick bread, - raised muffins, raisin tapioca, recipes, - rhubarb, baked, rhubarb pie filling, rib roast of beef, rice, rice and cheese, rice and nut loaf, rice croquettes, rice with hard sauce, rolls, baking-powder cinnamon, cinnamon, parker house, - rutabagas, mashed, - salad, apple and celery, banana, cabbage, carrot and raisin, chicken, combination vegetable, cottage cheese, with celery and green peppers, - deviled egg, - fish, fruit, , grapefruit, lobster, meat, potato, prune and cottage cheese, tomato jelly, vegetable, gelatin, - salad dressings, - salads for cafeteria menus, for tea-room menus, , , , list of, - recipes for, - salmon, fried, scalloped, salmon loaf, sandwiches for tea-room menus, , list of, - recipes for, - sausage, sauces, apricot, chocolate, cranberry, custard, dessert, - dried peach, - egg, hard, fruit, , - hard, - lemon, meat, - mustard, prune, tartare, - tomato, white, - scalloped corn, potatoes, - oysters, salmon, tomatoes, - scrambled eggs and ham, sequence of foods in menus, servings, size of, arrangement of, shapes of food, sherbets, shortcake, prunecot filling for, - strawberry filling for, snow pudding, - soups, recipes for, - bouillon, - chicken, cream, cream of celery, - cream of corn, cream of lima bean, - cream of pea, cream of spinach, - cream of tomato, noodle, oyster stew, peanut butter, stock, tomato rice, - vegetable, soups for tea-room menus, , , , spaghetti, spice cake, - spinach, spinach and egg, squash, steak, swiss, steamed molasses pudding, - stewed tomatoes, stews, meat, - oyster, stock soups, strawberry shortcake filling, stuffed baked potatoes, succotash, sugar cookies, sweetbreads, swiss steak, table of weights and their approximate measures, - tapioca cream, tartare sauce, - tea rooms, menus for, - temperature of food, thousand island salad dressing, tomato jelly salad, tomato rice soup, - tomato sauce, tomatoes, scalloped, - stewed, trout, turnips, variety of food, , , , veal, - breaded, - roast, veal birds, veal hearts, breaded, en casserole, - vegetable gelatin salad, vegetable salads, - combination, vegetable soup, vegetables for cafeteria menus, for tea-room menus, , , , list of, - recipes for, - washington pie, - weiners, white breads, white cake, white frosting, - white sauce, - whitefish, yeast breads, foods and culinary utensils of the ancients compiled from standard historical works by charles martyn. published by the caterer publishing co., new york contents. page. "in the beginning"--the coming of the nations assyria and the other kingdoms of the "tawny men" egypt and the egyptians the "vegetable kingdom" of ancient egypt greece before the age of luxury rome in the days of her greatest prosperity the ancient jews the chinese in the beginning. the influence exerted by different foods over the physical and mental faculties of mankind is so marked as to verify the famous pun of the philosophic feuerbach, "der mensch ist was er isst" (man is what he eats). the advance of civilization has always been accompanied by an increased knowledge of culinary matters, until cooking has become a science and its various forms great in number. so in tracing back the history of foods, culinary utensils and their uses, we of necessity trace back the history of the world. it is of course impossible at this late date to determine what was the first food of primeval man; ignorant as we are of even the approximate date of his first appearance and of the manner and means of that appearance. but it is worthy of note that if he had not been endowed with an intelligence superior to that of the other inhabitants of the globe, his existence here would have been very brief. nature provided him with a body which, in those days, was well nigh useless. his prehensile organs, his teeth, jaws, feet and nails, did not fit him for overcoming any of the difficulties entailed by the adoption of most foods prepared by nature. he could not tear his prey conveniently nor crack many nuts, nor grub roots, nor graze. his digestive viscera were in the middle age too bulky and heavy for the rapid movements of the carnivora; they were not long enough to extract nourishment from raw vegetables. the only foods, therefore, primarily obtainable by him which he could use to advantage were fruits and soft-shelled nuts. as man, however, advanced in knowledge, his skill in the art of cooking rendered any or all objects used for nourishment by other mammalia fit subjects of diet for himself. this may appear a sweeping assertion, but the statements of reliable travelers prove its truth. the fact should be carefully considered by those who advocate a diet exclusively of vegetables, and by those few enthusiasts who preach that man was not "intended" to be a cooking animal. whatever else may be clouded with doubt, it is certain that man was so fashioned as to be compelled to eat in order to sustain life! in the beginning, instinct must have taught him that the consumption of food was the _sine qua non_ of his existence. when was the beginning? the biblical chronology of events prior to the deluge is not accepted by scientists. the students of to-day believe, and seek to prove, that the earth has existed for several million years, and has passed through many different stages; that animal life was first evolved from the "inanimate" state of matter; that man is the most highly finished creature that has as yet been attained in the ascending scale of evolution, and that he will, in the natural course of events, make place for a still more nearly perfect being. the exact date of the first appearance of man cannot now be ascertained. geological research has led to the assertion that he probably existed thousands of years before the time usually assigned. but if we commence our history from the last great glacial visitation we find that the conceded date of its occurrence, about , years before the birth of christ, coincides rather closely with the date of the creation as given in the book of genesis. assuming then that the neolithic, or stone age followed not only the ice visitation, but the creation (to use a familiar phrase), the theory of many scientists and the story of the bible agree on the one, to us, essential point--the birth of the first people. horace, in his third satire (first book), gives his views of the first food of the human race. (at that time, six hundred years before the christian era, it was held that man was not created in a perfectly developed form, but was engendered from beings of a different kind.) he says: "when first these creatures crawled out of the ground, dumb and foul brutes, they fought for nuts, first with nails and fists, then with sticks, and later with weapons made of metal." this coincides with the deduction made in the third paragraph, that nuts have a just claim to the title of one of the "first foods." these savages must have suffered from exposure to the occasional inclemency of the weather. to protect themselves, they, being endowed with an ever-increasing power of reason, resorted to the skins of wild animals for covering. failing to obtain a sufficient number from the carcasses of those which had died a natural death, they conceived the idea of destroying life in order to obtain the coveted article. they may not at first have availed themselves of anything but the outer covering, leaving the flesh to be eaten by other animals or birds, but the flesh adhering to the hide would soon become offensive from decomposition, and what is more probable than that their common sense soon directed them to remove it directly after being stripped from the slaughtered animal? the teeth of the primitive man were constantly in use for many purposes; so, in tearing off the pieces of flesh with them, may the first appetite for meat as food have been acquired. it is difficult to determine when food was first subjected to the influence of heat; it is still more useless to attempt to explain how the properties of fire were first discovered. it is presumed that the first fire witnessed by man, was caused by the fall of a meteorite, a volcanic eruption or a lightning flash. the observation of its peculiar effects excited the still dormant inventive spirit of the neolithic, and he essayed the production of it himself. evidence proves that he first attained his end by striking pieces of flint against iron pyrites and letting the sparks fall upon some combustible material, placed accidentally or intentionally beneath. it is easy to imagine that it was soon learned that fire would destroy human life and that the pleasing odor of the burning flesh led to the use of cooked meat as food. the cradle of the fathers of the human race was undoubtedly the southern portion of asia. they were nomadic in their habits and satisfied their acquired cravings by hunting and fishing. the stone floors of the caves in which they made their temporary abodes were admirably suited to the building of their rude fires. ultimately these neolithics became owners of flocks and herds, usually of sheep and goats, and moved about from place to place in search of fresh pastures. members of these flocks were slain from time to time as convenience dictated. when for any reason food was scarce, their other domestic animals, even their dogs, fell a prey to the insatiable appetite for blood. the forests abounded with living things, now generally classified under the title of "game," and these also contributed materially to the food supply. no fancy methods of preparing meats or game were then practiced. everything was either roasted or cooked by means of hot stones. the roasting was in all probability accomplished by suspending the whole carcass of the animal, denuded of the skin, over burning embers, composed of the limbs of trees broken up into suitable lengths--as indeed do the gypsies of europe to the present day. the roasted meat was at first separated from the body by the hand, later by sharpened sticks or flint flakes, subsequently by flint knives. there is no evidence of any metal being used for that purpose before the deluge. though these first people are known to have partaken freely of the flesh of animals and of the fruits of trees, both of the nut and pulp varieties, there is nothing that leads one to believe that fish was used as an article of food until after the deluge. turning again to the scriptures, many interesting things may be noted. the first mention made of a flesh offering and of the ownership of domestic animals is in genesis, when abel "gave of the firstlings of his flocks and of the fat thereof," while cain brought "of the fruits of the ground." the earliest mention of cooked animal flesh is found in genesis : , when noah offered up "burnt offerings of every clean beast and every clean fowl" after the deluge. in the story of the creation, man is enjoined to sustain life by vegetable food: "every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed" were given to him "for meat." nothing was said about the flesh of animals. but, after the flood, "god blessed noah and his sons and said unto them: * * * every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you, even as the green herbs have i given you all things." so in many ways scientists and the bible agree on the habits of the neolithics. both state that the primitive food of man consisted of nuts and fruits; both mention the subsequent possession of flocks and herds, and both refer to the knowledge obtained later of the effects of fire on meat--with the one difference that the evolutionists seek to prove that the meat so roasted was eaten, while the biblical man prior to the deluge offered it untouched to his maker. although it is now generally acknowledged that the deluge was not universal, it is undeniable that it marked an all-important epoch, for from it may be said to date the recorded history of the present race of men. from the posterity of noah sprang up the principal nations which have made the world what it is to-day. the coming of the nations. if we accept the biblical chronology of the events which immediately followed the deluge, we find that noah and his three sons, shem, ham and japheth, landed on mt. ararat and fixed their habitations in the plains directly below. a formal division of the earth into three portions was made by noah about a hundred years later, when he was still in the prime of life and when men were beginning to multiply sufficiently to form colonies and settlements. one portion was assigned to each of his sons with his posterity. the three territories may be roughly classed as the northern, or the region of the "ruddy men;" the central, the region of the "tawny men," and the southern, the region of the "blacks." to the offspring of japheth was allotted garbia (the north)--spain, france, the countries of the greeks, sclavonians, bulgarians and armenians. the offspring of shem were given the central region--palestine, syria, assyria, samaria, babel or babylonia, and hedjaz (arabia). the sons of ham received the southern division--teman (or idumea), africa, nigritia, egypt, nubia, ethiopia, scindia and india. various causes scattered the posterities of the three brothers, and nations were founded in many parts of the world. ultimately six great monarchies were established, chaldea, assyria, babylonia, egypt, media and persia. assyria and other kingdoms of the tawny men. the territories ruled by chaldea, assyria and babylonia were located almost entirely on the vast plains of mesopotamia. although (or rather because) these nations were continually at war with one another they may be considered, for present purposes, as one country. babylonia was the first to be settled, with nimrod, the mighty hunter, as its monarch, about b. c. although assyria advanced rather more in civilization than the other two, the constant warfare waged and the varying degrees of supremacy and subjection held by the three kingdoms necessarily resulted in much intermingling of their inhabitants and a consequent similarity of domestic manners and customs as they emerged from barbarism. agriculture soon became the most general industry. wheat, barley, millet and sesame were largely raised. other varieties of pulse and grains were plentiful also, as well as many excellent fruits, which have since been transported to our own countries with remarkable success. the different grains were ground to varying degrees of fineness between two stones. the flour or meal was then moistened with water, kneaded in a dish or bowl, and either rolled into thin cakes or pressed by the hand into small balls or loaves. the wheaten bread was generally preferred, but the poorer classes were perforce content with the cakes of coarse millet or durrha flour, eaten with milk, butter, oil or the fat of animals. dates formed an important article of diet amongst the people of chaldea and babylonia, although they do not appear to have been very favorably regarded by the assyrians. date groves flourished in many parts of the land, and the fruit was dried and pressed into cakes. these with goats' milk and such vegetables as gourds, melons and cucumbers helped nourish the great mass of the population. other fruits, some of them found in great numbers, were pomegranates, grapes, citrons, pineapples, oranges, pears, apples and many small berries. bread, wine and a kind of honey were made from the fruit of the palm tree. king sennacherib called assyria "a land of corn and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of oil, olives and honey." nature seems indeed, to have blessed her first children with an abundance of the good things of life! it does not appear that the flesh of domestic animals was eaten to any great extent, and the inference is that it was beyond the means of most persons, for when warriors, upon an expedition, were able to obtain it at the expense of others, they freely indulged their appetites. after their victories they killed and cut up sheep and oxen, and roasted the joints over the embers of a wood fire. sometimes they boiled the joints or the whole body in a huge pot or caldron, over a dead wood fire--on which, also, pieces of the flesh were fried. amongst the upper classes mutton appears to have been the favorite meat. chickens were also considered a great delicacy. as the races of those days, with the exception probably of a few people closely confined in the cities, were great hunters, a plentiful supply of game was usually obtainable--venison, antelopes' flesh, hares, partridges, etc. the flesh of the wild boar was also eaten, but there is no evidence to prove that the animal was domesticated with the intention of using it for food. according to herodotus, some of the babylonian tribes ate nothing but fish, dried in the sun, pounded in a mortar until the fibres would pass through a fine cloth, and then kneaded into a sort of bread and baked. at first a prejudice against this species of food seems to have existed, but later it was held in much esteem. the supply of both fresh and salt water fish was practically unlimited. locusts were also eaten with great gusto. the culinary arrangements and operations are not yet very clearly defined by the chroniclers. the fireplace, built presumably of well-burned bricks, was open at the top, about two feet in height, and occasionally covering an area of many square feet. whether it was of square or cylindrical shape does not appear. over the top was set or suspended a large bronze caldron. these caldrons were sometimes of great value. they were usually circular in shape, flat or nearly flat at the bottom, without feet, and furnished at the rim with ears or rings to receive an arched handle or a hooked chain. many belonging to the wealthier classes were embossed with flowers and otherwise richly ornamented. they were commonly known as "seething pots." they varied from eighteen inches to five feet in height, and from two and a half to six feet in diameter. roasting was perhaps the most common mode of preparing meat, but it was also broiled, slices being cut from the divided joints and transfixed with wooden spits. for delicate operations, a fire of coal was later on made in a portable brazier. the oven then used was cylindrical in form, much deeper than wide, and made of fire-burnt bricks or indurated clay. in the houses of the wealthy, and the palaces of the monarchs, the cooks, though usually slaves, were treated with much respect. they were distinguished by the wearing of a cap (not unlike the tiara of the reigning sovereign, except that it was devoid of jewels and unsurmounted by an apex or peak), and they had numerous assistants to relieve them from all the menial labor. the cook's knife, closely resembling the modern two-bladed dagger, was usually made of bronze, often thickly gilded, with a much ornamented hilt carved from the hard black wood of the syrian terebinth. some, however, were fashioned from bone, partly covered with metal and adorned with pins and studs of gold. others had handles of ivory carved to represent the foreparts of bulls and other animals, and many were embellished with precious stones. quite a number were of copper, with hollow handles. among the kitchen utensils was a jug with a long neck, an angular handle, and a pointed bottom. it was usually suspended from a nail or hook. there was also a plentiful and varied supply of vases, large and small, pitchers for holding water and other liquids, bowls, cups, pans, small bottles, ladles, jars and funnels--some of pottery and others of bronze, some of simple form and others elaborately patterned. the funnels were generally shaped like the wine strainers of to-day. skins were often used for holding both wine and water. the dining tables were supported by props with one or several feet, in the houses of the rich made often of ivory and carved in the form of a lion or a hero such as atlas, and among the poor of stone. the plates and dishes were of stone, alabaster or bronze. the dishes were generally made with handles, either fixed or movable, by which they could be carried or hung on pegs when not in use, and the red unglazed basins bore inscriptions, in cursive character, running round the interior in many lines to the bottom. the cups, especially those used for wine, were very beautiful. the lower part was often modeled in the form of a lion's head from which the cup itself rose in a graceful outward curve. many of them were of gold and silver. to assyria is due the birth of the "culinary art" and its gradual growth to a state closely bordering on perfection. it will be noted that it was marked also by the manufacture of utensils and vessels far more costly and elaborate than any in use at the present time. egypt and the egyptians. the recorded history of ancient egypt which was, according to herodotus, known as thebes, commences with the reign of menes, or menas, who is supposed to have been its first king. he ascended the throne about b. c. the growth of civilization among the early egyptians was much more rapid than among the people of any contemporary nation. even in the days of abraham and joseph they had attained to as high a degree of social culture as during the most glorious periods of their career. in art and science their advancement was especially marked. in her infancy, egypt contented herself with the pursuits of agriculture, the chase, and, as the habits of the people became more settled, the rearing of cattle. the domestic oxen were usually of the hump-backed variety. but not only were the ordinary domestic animals tamed and reared, but also animals such as gazelles and oryxes. sheep, though, do not appear to have been generally eaten; in some parts it was, indeed, unlawful to devour them. goats were kept, presumably for their milk, and kids were occasionally allowed to browse on the vines in order to impart to their flesh a more delicate flavor. pigs were generally looked upon as unclean, and therefore unfit for food. the chroniclers show them as used for food at only one festival. those represented on the monuments were ugly in the extreme, with long legs and necks, rough hair, and a crest of bristles running down the back. beef and goose were more generally eaten than any other kind of animal food. the flesh of the cow was, though, never consumed on account of its supposedly sacred character. the animals chiefly hunted were the gazelle, wild goat, auk, wild ox, stag, wild sheep, hare, porcupine and even the hyena. the wild boar is not represented on the monuments, but it probably thrived in ancient egypt, for the country was admirably suited to its habits, as is proved by its tenancy there at the present date. in lower egypt, people were in the habit of drying and salting birds of various kinds, such as geese, teal, quail, duck, and some of smaller size. pigeons were also very plentiful and were much liked, and many of the wading tribe, as for instance the ardea, were so highly esteemed as to have been considered choice offerings for the gods. the greatest favorite, however, was the vulpanser, known to us as the "egyptian goose," which, with some others of the same genus, was caught alive and tamed. they were also taken in a wild state to the poulterers' shops to be displayed for immediate sale, and when not so disposed of were then often salted and potted in earthenware jars. according to diodorus, the eggs of domestic birds were hatched by the use of artificial heat furnished by manure. of the wild birds, the "sic sac," a small plover, was often mentioned. the river of egypt was noted for the excellent quality of its fish (eaten both fresh and salted or dried), many varieties of which seem to have been peculiar to it. "the israelites remembered with regret the fish which they did eat in egypt freely." the kinds most highly regarded were the oxyrhynchus, lepidotus and lotus. the oxyrhynchus is now believed to have been the _mormyrus_ or the "mizdeh" of the arabs. it has a smooth skin and a long nose, pointed downwards. in some districts it was held sacred to athor. the lepidotus may have been the _salmo dentex_ or the binny (_cyprinis lepidotus_). as its name implies, its body was covered with long scales. its flesh was excellent. the lotus, sacred in the region of latopolis, is supposed by de pauw to be the _perca nilotica_. other varieties much liked were: the oulti, to modern palates the best of all; the nefareh or nile salmon, which occasionally attained the weight of one hundred pounds; the sagbosa, a kind of herring; a species of mullet, the shall, shilbeh byad, kilbel bahr, (the nile dogfish) a species of carp, eels, and turtles of the soft-shelled variety. [illustration: roasting a goose over a fire of peculiar construction. (from a tomb at thebes.)] eels were, though, considered unwholesome in summer (ibid.). crocodiles were considered sacred in the neighborhood of lake moeris and of thebes, but were eaten by the natives of the southern frontier. the many restrictions imposed by religion and custom on the diet of the early egyptians subjected them to much ridicule from the inhabitants of contemporary nations, especially from the greeks. anaxandrides taunted them in his verses. the priests lived solely on oxen, geese, wine, bread and a few vegetables. mutton, pork and fish were expressly forbidden them. they were also warned to abstain from beans, peas, lentils, onions, garlic and leeks. on fast days they ate only bread and drank only water. the people of the higher classes probably ate only two meals a day, as was the custom with the early greeks and romans. the breakfast was usually served at or a. m., and the dinner or supper in the evening. in the early ages, before men had acquired the art of smelting ore, many of the culinary utensils of the egyptians were either of stone or earthenware. knives were made of flint or stone, and were of two kinds, one broad and flat, the other narrow and pointed. the skins of the goat and gazelle were fashioned into vessels for the carrying of water, and pans, dishes and vases for kitchen purposes were made of a red ware--sometimes of a light or yellow tint, sometimes of a brilliant and polished appearance. the egyptians were acquainted with the use of glass at least as early as the reign of sesortasen ii. (more than years ago), and made for it bottles and other utensils. some of the former were made from two thicknesses of glass, enclosing between them bands of gold, alternating with a set of blue, green or other color. as the egyptians advanced in social culture, the wealthier classes gave more and more attention to the pleasures of the table. banquets became more general and increasingly more elaborate. the sums of money spent on some of these entertainments were fabulous; they have never since been equalled in their costly, wasteful magnificence. the preparation of a big dinner was in those days a weighty undertaking, for there were no big hotels to take the burden off the host's shoulders. game had to be procured, professionals engaged, extra attendants hired, etc. as all the meat used was freshly slaughtered, the kitchen and the butcher's department presented an active appearance for many hours previous to the feast. in slaughtering, it was customary to take the ox or other animal into a courtyard near the house, tie its legs together and throw it to the ground, to be held in that position by one or more persons while the butcher prepared to cut its throat, as nearly as possible from one ear to the other, sometimes continuing the opening downwards along the neck, the blood being received in a vase or basin to be utilized later in cooking. the head was then taken off and the animal skinned, the operators beginning with the leg and neck. the first joint removed was the right foreleg or shoulder, the other parts following in succession according to convenience. one of their most remarkable joints, still seen in egypt (although nowhere else) was cut from the leg and consisted of the flesh covering the tibia, whose two extremities projected slightly beyond it, as seen in the illustration. [illustration: the tibia, a peculiar egyptian joint.] servants carried the joints to the kitchen on wooden trays. there they were washed and prepared for the different processes of cooking. then the various cooks were kept busy scouring the utensils, attending to the boiling, roasting, etc., pounding spice, making macaroni and performing all the other details of kitchen work. the head of the animal was usually given away in return for extra services, such as the holding of the guests' sticks, but it was occasionally eaten by the people of the higher classes, the assertion of herodotus to the contrary notwithstanding. geese and other tame and wild fowl were served up entire, and fish also came to table deprived of only the tails and fins. vegetables were cooked in enormous quantities. bronze caldrons of various sizes were used for boiling. they were placed over the fire on metal stands or tripods or supported on stones. some of the smaller vessels, used for stewing meats, were heated over pans of charcoal. they resembled almost exactly the _magoor_ of modern egypt. the mortars used for the pounding of spices were made of hard stone and the pestles of metal. most of the bowls, ewers, jugs, buckets, basins, vases and ladles used in the kitchen were made of bronze alloyed with tin and iron. the usual proportion of tin was per cent. and iron per cent., although occasionally the amount of tin was as high as (ibid.) and as low as per cent. [illustration: slaves boiling meat and stirring fire.] simpula, or ladles, were commonly made of bronze (often gilded), with the curved summit of the handle, which served to suspend the ladle at the side of the tureen or other vessel, terminating in the likeness of a goose's head (a favorite egyptian ornament). small strainers or collanders of bronze were also used, though for kitchen purposes they were made of strong papyrus stalks or rushes. the spoons were of various forms and made from ivory, wood and divers metals. in some the handle ended in a hook, by which when required they were suspended on nails. the handles of others were made to represent men, women or animals. many were ornamented with lotus flowers. skins were also used for holding wine and water. the roasting was performed over fire burning in shallow pans. these were regulated by slaves, who raised them with pokers and blew them with bellows worked by the feet. though the egyptians, except when impelled by the desire for extravagant display, partook sparingly of all but one or two meats, they were fond of a great variety of cakes and dainty confections. the more elaborate forms of pastry were mixed with fruits and spirits, and shaped to represent animals, birds and human beings. the plainer rolls were generally mixed and shaped by hand and sprinkled with seeds before baking. at other times, though, they were prepared from a thinner mixture, first well kneaded in a large wooden bowl (the feet often being used for this purpose), and then carried in vases to the chief pastry cook, who formed it into a sort of macaroni upon a metal pan over the fire, stirring the mixture with a wooden spatula, whilst an assistant stood ready with two pointed sticks to remove it when sufficiently cooked. wine and water were placed in porous jars and fanned until cool. the water was purified by the use of paste of almonds (as it is, indeed, at the present day). in the meantime, the reception room had been arranged for the guests. chairs or stools were placed in rows or groups, extra carpets and mats strewn about, flowers put in and around vases and the house decorated in every other conceivable manner. when guests began to arrive, they were first received in the vestibule by the attendants, who presented them with bouquets, placed garlands of lotus upon their heads and sometimes collars of lotus around their necks. to those who had come from a distance, they offered water and rinsed their feet. they then anointed their heads with sweet-smelling unguents and offered them wine and other beverages. during these proceedings the visitors were generally seated on the mats. [illustration: a black and white slave waiting upon a lady.] after having received these attentions, the ladies and gentlemen intermingled and passed on to the main apartment, where the host and hostess received them and begged them to take their seats on the chairs and fauteuils which had been arranged for them. here more refreshments were handed around and more flowers offered, while the guests, generally in couples, but sometimes in groups, conversed with one another. music was next commonly introduced, sometimes accompanied by dancing. the performers in both acts were professionals and the dancing girls nearly if not quite naked. sometimes at the same party there would be two bands, which we may suppose played alternately. pet animals, such as dogs, gazelles and monkeys, were also often present (ibid.). on some occasions the music, dancing and light refreshments constituted the whole of the entertainment, but more generally the proceedings described formed only the prelude to the more important part to follow. the stone pictures show us round tables loaded with a great variety of delicacies, such as joints of meat, geese, duck and waterfowl of different kinds, cakes, pastry, fruits, etc., interspersed amongst the guests. these tables could be more accurately described as low stools supporting round trays. the stool or pillar was often in the shape of a man, usually a captive, who bore the slab on his head. the whole was made of stone or some hard wood. it was not often covered with linen, but was from time to time cleansed with a moist rag or cloth (homer). the dishes were probably handed round by the attendants and the guests helped themselves with their hands, as knives and forks were then unknown and the spoons that were manufactured do not seem to have been used for eating. the guests took as much as they could hold in their hands and, after eating, dipped them in water or wiped them in napkins which, it will be observed, the waiters carried. beer and wine were supplied to quench the thirst. as individual cups were not usually seen, the women were presented with the desired beverage in silver vases, and the men with it in hand goblets, which after being drained were returned to the attendant. women and men both imbibed freely and drunkenness was a universal and fashionable habit of both sexes. when the country was in the zenith of her power and magnificence, the drinking goblets were of gold, silver, glass, porcelain, alabaster and bronze. they varied also in form, some plain in appearance, others beautifully engraved and studded with precious stones. heads of animals often adorned the handles, the eyes frequently composed of various gems. many were without handles, while others were so shaped as to more properly come under the name of beakers and saucers. the beakers were frequently made of alabaster with a round base, which prevented their maintaining an upright position without additional support; and when empty they were turned downwards upon their rims. the saucers, which were of glazed pottery, were ornamented with lotus and fish carved or molded on their concave surface. many of the vases have never yet been surpassed in daintiness of ornamentation. the most remarkable were those fashioned from porcelain which was made of a fine sand or grit, loosely fused and covered with a thick silicious glaze of a blue, green, white, purple or yellow color. the blue tints obtained have never been equalled in modern times. herodotus tells us that, after the heavier part of a banquet, it was the custom to have a man carry round a coffin containing a wooden image in exact imitation of a corpse. showing this to each of the revelers, the bearer would say: "look upon this and then drink and enjoy yourself, for when dead you will be like unto this." a rather weird observance, which might be traced back to the death of osiris. if the phrases are correctly reported, we must suppose the figure, brought in after the eating was ended and when the drinking began, was for the purpose of stimulating the guests to still greater conviviality. but if that were the case when herodotus visited egypt it must have been originated with a very different intention. the egyptians were too much inclined to excesses in eating and drinking, both men and women (herodotus and plutarch), and the priests probably endeavored to thus check their too riotous mirth without personally interfering. plutarch said concerning it: "the skeleton which the egyptians appropriately introduce at their banquets, exhorting the guests to remember that they shall soon be like him, though he comes as an unwelcome and unseasonable boon companion, is nevertheless in a certain degree seasonable, if he exhorts them not to drink too deeply or indulge only in pleasures, but to cultivate mutual friendship and affection and not to render life, which is short in duration, long by evil deeds." [illustration: egyptian party. (from a tomb at thebes.) host and hostess receiving presents. dancing girls. slaves waiting on guests. placing collars of lotus around their necks. slaves preparing bouquets. scribe. butchers cutting up ox. carrying trays of meat. man clapping hands and singing. guitar player. harpist. slave carrying head and haunch. stick custodian rewarded.] after the skeleton, there was sung a doleful song in honor of maneros, whose identity is clouded by traditional disputes. next, music and songs of more mirthful character were resumed. sometimes jugglers, male and female, were hired for the occasion. they amused their audience with ball tossing, turning somersaults, leaping and wrestling. occasionally, games, resembling our draughts or checkers, served to amuse those present (ibid.), but as a rule the fumes of wine prevented any such quiet occupation, and the festival in many cases ended with a most riotous carousal. the foregoing is probably a true picture of a banquet in ancient egypt--except that, according to some writers, the diners were seated on the floor and ate from very low stools or tables. yet, in spite of all, the moral code of the early egyptians was purer than that of contemporary nations. and commerce and war carried abroad the advanced thoughts, great learning and luxurious tastes of these ancient people, to be the foundations in after years of divers civilizations, amongst them our own. the "vegetable kingdom" of ancient egypt. the vegetable kingdom of ancient egypt may be roughly divided into four great classes--trees and shrubs, esculent plants, grains and artificial grasses. of the first named, the most important food providing trees were the doom and date palms, the sycamore, tamarisk and mokhayp or _myxa_. the doom palm (_cucifera thebaica_) grows abundantly throughout all upper egypt. it is a very picturesque tree which, unlike its date-bearing sister, spreads out into numerous limbs or branches, reaching an elevation of about thirty feet. its wood is more solid than that of the date tree, and was found to be very serviceable for the building of boats, etc. the blossoms are of two kinds, male and female. the fruit, which is developed from the female blossom, grows in large clusters, each fruit attaining the size of a goose's egg, although the nut within the fibrous external envelope is not much bigger than a large almond. the flavor of the nut is peculiarly sweet, resembling our ginger bread. it was eaten both in a ripe and unripe condition--in the latter it has about the texture of cartilage; in the former it is harder, and has been compared to the edible portion of the cocoanut. the date palm is too well known to need any general description. two kinds, however, flourished--the wild and the cultivated. the wild variety grew from seeds, and often bore an enormous quantity of fruit. sir g. wilkinson is authority for the statement that a single bunch has been known to contain between , and , dates, and as it is a common thing for a tree to bear from five to twenty-two bunches, the average total is often from , to , dates per tree. the fruit is, though, small and of poor quality, and consequently it is not often gathered. the cultivated variety was grown from off-shoots selected with care, planted out at regular intervals and abundantly irrigated (ibid.). it began to bear in five or six years and continued productive for sixty or seventy. besides the amount of nourishing food furnished and the value of the wood of the date palm, an exhilarating drink was made from its sap and brandy or _lowbgeh_, date wine and vinegar from the fruit without much difficulty. the fruit of the sycamore (_ficus sycamorus_) ripens in june. although it was much esteemed by the ancients, it has been denounced by moderns as insipid. the mokhayt (_cardia myxa_) grows to the height of about thirty feet, commencing to branch out at a distance of twelve feet from the ground, with a diameter at the base of about three feet. its fruit is of a pale yellow color, inclosed in two skins. its texture is viscous and its taste not very agreeable. it was used extensively as a medicine, and was also, according to pliny, made into a fermented liquor ("ex myxis in aegypto et vina fiunt"). among other fruit trees and shrubs may be mentioned the fig, pomegranate, vine, olive, peach, pear, plum, apple, carob or locust (_ceratonia siliqua_), persea, palma, christi or castor oil plant, nebk (_rhamnus nabeca_), and the prickly pear or _shok_. the persea (_balanite aegyptiaca_) is a bushy tree or shrub which under favorable circumstances reaches an altitude of eighteen or twenty feet. its bark is of whitish color, its branches gracefully curved, its foliage of an ashy gray hue. its lower branches are supplied with long thorns; on its upper branches grows the fruit, which resembles a small date in general character. its exterior consists of a pulpy substance of subacid flavor; its stone is large for the size of the fruit, and incloses a kernel of yellowish-white color and an oily, rather bitter flavor. both the exterior and the kernel were eaten. the nebk or _sidr_ is another fruit of the date variety. it was eaten raw, or the flesh, detached from the stone, was dried in the sun. it enjoyed the reputation of being a sustaining as well as agreeable article. the most common fig was that known to the romans as "cottana," and by the modern arabs as "qottaya." the olives grown were large and fleshy, but contained little oil. vines were undoubtedly much cultivated, in spite of the assertion of herodotus to the contrary. the bunches of grapes, when intended for immediate consumption, were, after being gathered, placed in flat open baskets. when intended for the wine press they were closely packed in deep baskets or hampers, which were carried to the shed or storehouse on men's heads or by means of shoulder yokes. the juice was extracted by treading or squeezing in a bag. the juice of the grape was sometimes drunk in its fresh condition (genesis), but fermentation was usually awaited, and the wine was then stored away in vases or amphorae of elegant shape, closed with stoppers and hermetically sealed with moist clay, pitch, gypsum or other similar substances. the best brands came from anthylla (athenaeus), marestis (pliny and strabo), and the tract about lake marea. sebennytic, thebaid and coptos also produced light, wholesome wines. the esculent plants consisted of both wild and cultivated varieties. those most in demand were the byblus or papyrus, the nymphaea lotus, lotus coerulea and the nymphaea nelumbo (called by pliny "colocasia" and also "cyamon"). the papyrus grew luxuriantly in ancient egypt, especially in the marshy districts of the delta, although it is no longer found in the country. the pith of the upper and middle portions of the tall, smooth, triangular-shaped reed was used for paper, but that of the lower portion and the root were regarded as an edible delicacy. according to herodotus, it was prepared for the table by being baked in a closed vessel. the nymphaea lotus, which resembles our white water lily, was also a product of the lowlands. the seed vessels were collected and dried, to be afterward crushed and made into cakes. the rest of the plant was also eaten cooked or raw, and was said to be of a "pleasant sweet taste," but nineteenth century palates declare it to be no better than a bad truffle. the lotus coerulea was merely another variety of the same plant. the nymphaea nelumbo, which is, by the way, no longer found in africa, was called by the greeks and romans the "egyptian bean," and was regarded by those races as emblematic of egypt. it did not differ from the ordinary lotus except in the large dimensions of the leaves and the size and loveliness of its blossoms. the leaf of the flower varied from one to one and a half feet in diameter. it had two rows of petals six inches in length, of a crimson or rose-colored purple, and inside of these was a dense fringe of stamens surrounding and protecting the ovary. the fruit developed into a sweet, wholesome nut or almond, divided into two lobes by a bitter green leaf or corculum (removed before eating), with a shell shaped like the rose of a watering pot and studded with seeds (about the size of small acorns and to the number of twenty or thirty), which projected from the upper surface in a circle about three inches in diameter. both the nuts and roots were eaten by the poorer classes. wheat and barley were grown in all the provinces in the valley of the nile, as were also, though to a lesser extent, rice, millet, pulse, peas, beans, lentils, hommos (_cicer arietinum_), gilban (_lathyrus sativus_), carthamus, lupins, bamia, jigl (_raphanus sativus_--linn., herodot., pliny), simsin, indigo, cassia, senna, colocynth, cummin (the seeds of which were used for bread), durrha, coriander, cucurbitae, onions, cucumbers, leeks, etc. the onions were mild and of an excellent flavor. nicerates quotes homer as authority for the statement that they were much relished when eaten with wine. according to diodorus, children and even some grown persons lived at that time solely on roots and esculent herbs, eating them both raw and cooked. the bread or cake used in the homes of the wealthy was made from wheaten flour; those one degree lower in the social scale made use of barley meal, and the poorer classes ate bread of the durrha (holcus sorghum) flour. greece before the age of luxury. it is impossible within these pages to tabulate with absolute correctness any hard and fast menu as the diet of the ancient greeks, as it varied greatly according to the products of the several parts of the diversified country over which they ruled, but one can by the process of elimination arrive at fairly satisfactory generalities. the principal food of the poorer classes was bread. it was not a very appetizing kind, however, as it usually consisted of a simple dough of barley meal moistened with water, or, occasionally, poor wine. it was eaten without cooking or any further preparation. this was the universal food of the spartans. the middle and wealthy classes partook, though, of baked wheaten bread, which was called by homer "the strength of life." all other kinds of food, with the exception of sweet cakes, cheese and a few vegetables and fruits, were at first considered (save by the inhabitants of the cities) as luxuries--somewhat as even now amongst old-fashioned people in scotland, the term "kitchen" is applied to all edible articles other than dry bread. of sweet cakes there were many kinds. they were flavored with various seeds and sweetened with honey. sugar, though, if known at all, was used only for its medicinal properties. cheese was eaten mixed with wine or honey and salt. dried figs and grapes were much liked, especially by the athenians, and olives were even then pickled for a relish. the vegetables that were formerly cultivated are not easily distinguished by the names applied to them by different writers, but it is certain that lettuce, cabbage, peas, beans, vetches, leeks, onions, parsley and thyme were grown, as well as truffles and mushrooms. vegetables were eaten in the form of soup, served on hot dishes with sauce or dressed as salad. in the numerous towns large quantities of fish were sold. the salt water were more generally preferred than the fresh water varieties, although especial favor was bestowed on the eels that were obtained from lake copais in boeotia. there grew up early in history a heavy trade in fish from the black sea and even from the coasts of spain. although frequent mention is made of fish, cheese and vegetable markets, a meat market seems to have been almost unknown. from this and also from the fact that the word which designated butchers' meat also signified "victim," it may be concluded that oxen were primarily slaughtered only at sacrificial feasts. the flesh of the hare was more highly esteemed than that of any other kind of four-footed game. of wild birds the thrush was most relished. pheasants and woodcock were plentiful, and quails were made to act as combatants for the edification of the grecian youth. domestic fowls and eggs were common. butter was seldom made, as it was considered unwholesome, olive oil (as at the present time) being used in its place. although the greeks were fond of water as a beverage, the difficulty of obtaining it of good quality, combined with the tremendous production of wine, made the latter the national drink. it was, however, seldom drank in an undiluted condition, and the northerners, who were in the habit of drinking it neat, were denounced as unappreciative barbarians. but this is not very strange, as the large amount of fir resin which is still added to most greek wines, makes them too strong and bitter for the civilized palate to drink unless tempered by water. the first juice extracted from the press before treading was set apart as choice wine, the pressed grapes being then used for the making of the commoner variety or vinegar. the wine was often boiled and mixed with salt for exportation, and aromatic herbs and berries were added to impart different flavors. it was then placed in earthenware jars sealed with pitch. the various kinds may be roughly classed by colors. the black was the strongest and sweetest; the white was the weakest, and that of golden color was dry and very fine in flavor. the wines grown in the districts of lesbos, chios, sikyon, and phlios were the most esteemed. age was considered when estimating the value of wine, but the preference for any special year of vintage seems to have been unknown. even in those early days epicures whenever possible cooled their jars with snow before pouring out the wine. cow's milk was not liked, but the first milk of goats and sheep was often drank, although more generally used for the manufacture of cheese. the morning meal seldom consisted of more than bread dipped in wine and water, resembling closely the morning coffee of the continent. the principal meal of the very early grecians, as in the case of nearly all young nations, was served about noon, but as civilization advanced, the hour grew later, until o'clock became most popular, a light luncheon then being served in the middle of the day. although homer represents his chiefs as being always ready to sit down and gorge themselves with meat, the grecian gentleman was not a disciple of "high living" or indolence. he desired and appreciated the charm of sober conversation and intellectual stimulus. homer recognized this when he said, "nor did the mind of any stand in want of an equal feast." the social instincts and the warmth of feeling amongst the hellenic race made dinners and festival events of every day occurrence, and caused them to fill a prominent part in the lives of all, but the diet of the homeric age was wonderfully simple (in those early days the most elaborate dinners consisted of only two courses--the first of meat, usually roasted sheep, oxen or pigs, and vegetables; the second of cakes, sweetened with the honey of hymettus, and dried and fresh fruits), for appetites were held subordinate to the love of music and the dance. "* * * nor can i deem aught more delightful than the general joy of a whole people, when the assembled guests, seated in order in the royal hall, are listening to the minstrel, while the board is spread with bread and meats, and from the jars the cup-bearer draws wine and fills the cups. to me there is no more delightful sight." (plato.) invitations were generally given a few days in advance by the host in person in the market or any other place of common sojourn. unlike the egyptians, the grecians made their toilets and anointed themselves before arriving at their host's house. but before eating, "* * * in a bowl of silver, from a shapely ewer of gold, a maid poured water o'er the hands and set a polished table near them." then, if any had traveled from a distance, their feet were bathed in perfumed water and wine. meanwhile the male attendants were not idle-- "* * * some in the bowls tempered the wine with water, some cleansed the table with light sponges and set the banquet forth and carved the meats for all." a separate table was in those days usually provided for each guest, though the rule was not strictly observed. in some cases, diners-out were accompanied and attended by their own servants. in a few districts in modern greece this is still habitual. chairs and stools were generally used as seats, the custom of reclining on couches not being introduced until a later date. as napkins were then unknown, the guests wiped their fingers on towels and in pieces of specially prepared dough, which were thrown under the table after being used. there were spoons (of metal, often of gold--athenaeus), but hollow pieces of bread were generally used in their stead. the carver presided at a table and cut the meats into small pieces, as individual forks and knives were then unknown. the portions were usually of uniform size, although any very honored person was presented with larger or choicer morsels. the diluted wine was then transferred by ladles to the drinking cups or beakers, to be distributed by boy servants. the first cup was handed from one to another of the guests untouched as a sort of salutation. it was not customary to drink before the meal had been served. bread was handed round in little baskets woven from slips of ivory. moderation was universally observed. it was deemed gluttonous to linger long over a repast, and contemptible to imbibe too freely of wine. "* * * when the calls of thirst and hunger were appeased, the diners thought of other things that well become a feast. song and the dance." but here again all ribaldry was debarred. tender hymns and rhapsodies were sung to the accompaniment of the harp by trained singers, who were seated at special tables on silver-mounted thrones. games of various kinds usually followed, and with conversation filled out the time until the gathering dispersed. house picnics were much in vogue: "* * * * meantime came those who prepared the banquets to the halls of the great monarch. bringing sheep and strengthening wine they came. their wives, who on their brows wore snowy fillets, brought the bread, and thus within the halls of menelaus all was bustle setting forth the evening meal." among the dining room utensils should be mentioned the various baskets of copper, silver, gold and ivory wire; vessels for mixing wine, usually of silver, but sometimes of the more precious metal, and cups of elaborate design and costly workmanship. [illustration: drinking vessels: bowls, beakers and rhyta.] the cups were of various shapes and sizes. the "depas" had two handles and was made of wood, thickly covered with gold studs. another, the "kypellon," was broad and shallow, made of various metals, usually gold. the "phiate" was very similar in appearance to the kypellon. the "kotyle" was so small as to merely hold "a scanty draught, which only wet the lips, but not the palate." the "sykphos" and "kissybion" were simple wooden cups in use amongst the peasantry. they were usually made of the wood of the cypress. skilled cooks were seldom regularly employed on the domestic staff. they usually congregated in the market places and when any particular occasion necessitated their services they were hired by the day. as also nowadays they generally represented several nations, and they gained in social importance as the love of luxury gradually overcame the custom of simple fare. the regular staff of household servants, slaves in fact, were under the management of a general steward, himself a slave, who attended personally to the buying and superintended the details of all the other departments. [illustration: wine jugs or oinochoai.] but besides these private dinners, occasion often brought about banquets on a much larger scale, sometimes in honor of religion or of death. "* * * there upon the ocean's side they found the people offering coal black steers to dark haired neptune. on nine seats they sat, five hundred on each seat; nine steers were slain for each five hundred there." there was also a great difference between the foods of the ordinary people and that of the heroes described in the classics. according to homer, who was probably guilty of exaggeration, the athletes consumed enormous quantities of various meats (roasted or broiled, by the way--never boiled), which comprised their entire diet with the exception of wine and bread. beef, mutton, venison, and especially pork, were mentioned. "he spake and girt his tunic round his loins and hastened to the sties in which the herds of swine were lying. thence he took out two and slaughtered them and scraped them, sliced the flesh and fried it upon spits and when the whole was roasted, brought and placed it reeking hot, still in the spits and sprinkled with white meal." fish and cheese were only considered worthy of the athletic when animal flesh was scarce. nor were these giants possessed of very fastidious palates. "* * * * at the fire already lie the paunches of two goats preparing for our evening meal, and both are filled with fat and blood." "* * * * as one turns and turns the stomach of a bullock filled with fat and blood before a fiercely blazing fire and wishes it were done * * * *." the hospitality of the early grecians was unbounded. the high moral and social standard of the masses of the people rendered it possible to extend greater courtesy towards strangers than would have been deemed prudent in later days. every stranger or traveller who knocked at the door of a residence was sure of a welcome. no questions were asked him until he had been generously entertained in every feasible manner, for he stood under the protection of zeus xenios, guardian of the guest. this lavish friendliness was probably caused by, or was perhaps itself the cause of, the scarcity of hostelries of reputable character. a spirit of compassion also existed, as it was then considered an ill fortune that made one journey far from home. as the centuries of increasing wealth and power relaxed the rigidity of the morals of these ancient inhabitants of greece, the love of luxury gradually supplanted the absorbing desire for intellectual enjoyment which had at first raised them so far above the people of the neighboring territories. gluttonous devotion to the table, in conjunction with numerous vices, undermined the physical as well as the moral constitution, and the country which had astounded the ages with the valor of its sons, which had proved invulnerable to numerous martial forces, succumbed to the influence of sensual tastes and passions, suggested by the idleness of worldly success. and as their worship of their palates grew, the trained cook obtained an even greater influence until his position became one of extreme importance, and was so recorded by the poets and dramatists of the time. little difference, in fact, was there between the habits of the latter day greeks and the romans in the days of their great wealth, for grecian luxuries and grecian habits were the models that rome took as its models, so we will pass on to the next chapter, inferentially describing the former while depicting the latter. rome in the days of her greatest prosperity. the food of the early romans resembled to a great extent that of the greek heroes (their national dish was pulmentarium, a porridge made of pulse), but to avoid repetitions we will pass over the first centuries of roman history, choosing as our subject rome in the days of prosperity. it should, however, be mentioned that greece never attained such enormous wealth as rome, and that even in her greatest recklessness she was more refined. goethe said that in the days of their highest civilization the romans remained parvenus; that they did not know how to live, that they wasted their riches in tasteless extravagance and vulgar ostentation--but it must be remembered that, whereas the civilization of the nineteenth century is industrial, that of rome was militant, and to that should be attributed the fact that some of the simplest means of comfort were then unknown. many moderns are inclined to doubt the assertions made concerning the countless riches and marvellous expenditures of those days. they read with skepticism the writings of juvenal, seneca and the elder pliny. but, though in some cases exaggeration was doubtless resorted to, sufficient proof remains to convince the observing mind that the wealth of the roman far surpassed the wildest dreams of the richest man of the present day. the ruins of the colosseum and of the baths of caracalla, two structures raised solely for pleasure, impress us with their stupendous magnificence, and even the twentieth century has failed to equal the palaces of the nobles. moreover, it must be remembered that the wealthy roman owned many mansions. each of the larger ones was a miniature city, sheltering a small army of slaves. the buildings were surrounded by parks, vineyards, woods and artificial lakes. the atria and peristyles were embellished with valuable paintings and statues. the walls and ceilings of the chambers were decorated with gold and precious stones. nowhere else, recorded in the history of the world, with the possible exception of the palaces of the incas, has gold ever been so lavishly used. on the furniture and ornaments alone, millions were expended. a single cup of murra brought , , sesterces ($ , ). a small citrus wood table cost a similar sum--yet seneca owned of them, an outlay on that class of furniture alone of $ , , . all italy was covered with the country residences of the patricians. they were found in numbers on the coast of campania, the sabine hills and the lakes of the north. the most esteemed members of the household staff were the coqui (cooks) and the pistores (fancy bakers). they often amassed large fortunes from their salaries and the many presents they received. all the other servants (who were usually slaves) were under the jurisdiction of a headman, an _atriensis_. the first meal (_ientaculum_) was light, consisting ordinarily of bread and wine with honey, dates, olives or cheese. at the prandium (their _déjeuner à la fourchette_, which took the place of their noon dinner of former days), meats, vegetables, fruits, bread and wine were provided. after the second meal, the meridiato (or in modern language, the siesta) was enjoyed, as it is in the italy of this century--although, unlike the sleepy town we know, business rome then never slept. after the short midday rest came games and exercises. the youth betook themselves to campus martius. the older members of the family made use of the sphaeristerium, a private gymnasium and ball room, which was found in every house. with it were connected the private baths. the cena, the principal meal, commenced at , or o'clock in the afternoon. seldom less than four hours were spent at table. pliny, the elder, who was considered a very abstemious man, sat down to his meal at o'clock, and remained there "until it began to grow dark in summer and soon after night in winter," at least three hours. the amount of food consumed would be incredible were it not for the explanation recorded by seneca, "edunt ut vomant; vomant ut edunt." the dinner menu given below was of a very ordinary affair: _gustus._ sorrel lettuce pickled cabbage and gherkins radishes, mushrooms, etc. oysters sardines eggs _first course._ conger eels oysters two kinds of mussels thrushes on asparagus fat fowls ragout of oysters and other shellfish with black and white maroons. _second course._ shellfish and other marine products beccaficos haunches of venison wild boar pastry of beccaficos and other birds. _third course._ sow's udder boar's head fricassee of fish fricassee of sow's udders various kinds of ducks roast fowl hares sausages roast pig peacocks _fourth course._ pastry in wonderfully elaborate forms and colors pirentine bread _fifth course._ fruits and wines. the "gustus," or appetizer, was also variously known as the "gustatio." a favorite drink served with it was a mulsum of hymetian honey and falernian wine. toothpicks made from the leaves of the mastich pistachio were in common use. all the dishes were carved at the sideboards by expert carvers who were trained in schools by practice on jointed wooden models. salt was much used in the flavoring of dishes and also to mingle with sacrifices. [illustration: a roman bakery.] fowls were fattened in the dark. ducks and geese were fed on figs and dates. pigs were cooked in fifty different ways. boars were cooked whole; peacocks with their tails. sausages were imported from gaul. vitellius and apicius feasted on the tongues of flamingoes, and elagabalus on their brains. the greater the waste at a dinner, the more absurd the extravagance, the more successful it was deemed. this idea was carried out in every department. a mullet of ordinary size was cheap--one that was rather heavy easily brought , sesterces ($ . ). [illustration: frame work of a roman dining couch.] in order to lengthen the time, jugglers, rope-dancers, buffoons and actors were introduced between courses. beautiful andalusian girls charmed the dinners with their voluptuous dances. even gladiators were engaged. games of chance concluded the entertainment when the condition of the revellers permitted. at any large affair, an archon, or toastmaster, was selected by ballot or acclamation. his duty it was to regulate the proportions of water and wine and the size of the cups in which it was served. it was usual to commence with the smallest and end with the largest. at the table, the somber togas were exchanged for gay-colored garments (_syntheses_), and the shoes for sandals. some of the more ostentatious changed their costumes several times during the progress of a meal. the head and breast were sometimes wreathed with flowers and ornaments. the tables first used were of quadrangular shape--three sides being decorated for the guests and the fourth left vacant to facilitate the movements of the attendants. they, however, were soon supplanted by small tables of marble, bronze or citrus. these and a large sideboard supported an amount of heavy gold and silver utensils. the diners reclined on costly sofas, inlaid with tortoise shells and jewels, and the lower parts decked with embroidered gold. the pillows were stuffed with wool and covered with gorgeous purple. the cushions which supported the elbows were covered with silk stuffs, often marked to designate the places of the various guests. three people occupied each sofa. the lowest place on the middle sofa was the seat of honor. the room or hall was illuminated by lamps and candles, set on individual and very expensive stands or massed in candelabras of great magnificence. the oils and fats used for illumination were diluted with substances which under the influence of heat gave forth odors of great fragrance. each guest brought his own napkin. ivory-handled knives were manufactured, but seldom used, as the reclining position rendered the spoons (_ligulae_) more convenient. the dessert was arranged on the sideboards under the supervision of the pistor and structor before the meal commenced. a nomenclator was the regular employe of every patrician. his sole office was to prompt his master on the names of his guests and clients, or hangers-on. much care was devoted by the wealthy to their private stores of wines. they were sealed in jars or bottles of baked clay, with labels attached bearing the year of the consulship during which they were made. some old wines were very expensive. that of campania was considered the best. the caecuban falernian was very good. he was pitied who was forced to drink the vatican! [illustration: a banquet in the days of ancient rome (original taken from a stone carving excavated from the site of pompeii).] greek wines were popular and were found in many roman cellars. in winter, wine was heated with water, honey and spices in a caldarium, a vessel fitted with a small charcoal furnace, closely resembling the russian samovar. being unable to sensibly decrease their riches by ordinary methods, many novel ideas were put in use, often at great expense. nero constructed in his golden house a vaulted ceiling which turned continuously on its axis. at a banquet given by otho, tubes of gold and silver suddenly protruded from various parts of the hall and sprinkled perfumes on the assembly. petronius describes a rather fanciful affair given by trimalchio. after the company had taken their places and young egyptian slave girls had bathed their hands and feet in scented snow water, there was placed on the table a gold salver, inlaid with tortoise shell, in the middle of which stood an ass of bronze bearing silver panniers, one filled with white and the other with black olives. on his back sat a silenus pouring from a wineskin the favorite sauce the _garum_; at one side were sausages on a silver gridiron, under which were plums and red pomegranate kernels to represent glowing coals, and placed around were trays bearing vegetables, snails, oysters and other appetizers. when that course had been removed, another dish was brought in, of which the central feature was a hen of carved citrus wood with expanded wings, brooding over a nest of peafowls' eggs. these eggs were handed around on silver egg-spoons weighing each more than half a pound. when the shells were broken, some of the guests were horrified to find within them half-hatched chicks; but on closer inspection these proved to be beccaficos cooked in egg sauce. as the plates were being removed, a chorus of oriental beauties chanted their strange songs. a slave by accident let fall a silver dish; he stooped to pick it up--the atriensis boxed his ears and bade him sweep it out with the other fragments. wine of rare virtue and great age was then brought in and distributed with almost obtrusive extravagance. the first heavy course again surprised many of those who were present. it consisted apparently of the most ordinary dishes and joints. but these proved to be merely cleverly designed covers, which on being lifted, disclosed roasted pigs, field fares, capons, noble bartels and turbots. in the centre was a plump hare which, by the addition of a pair of wings, had been made to resemble a pegasus. the carving was done in the presence of the diners and to the strains of slow music. next came a huge boar roasted whole, with two palm twig baskets filled with dates, hanging from his tusks. by his side were eight small pigs, cleverly molded in paste, which were presented to guests as remembrances of the occasion. following the boar was a large swine, also cooked whole. after much acclamation, the carver was about to do his work, when with a look of disgust he announced that it had not been disemboweled. the cook was called and severely chided. he feigned regret and made many excuses; then seizing a heavy knife, ripped the animal open, letting fall into the dish a mass of sausages and rich puddings. after the pig had been carried away and while the dessert was being placed on the table, the ceiling opened and a silver hoop descended bearing gold, silver and alabaster phials of essences, silver and jewel coronets and many other things of similar character. the pastry had been made to resemble shellfish, field fares, etc. quinces were stuck full of almonds to imitate sea urchins. surrounded by flowers was a figure of vertumnus, with its bosom piled with fruits. the guests were invited to help themselves, and the pressure of their hands on the fruit caused a shower of the daintiest perfume. when all had partaken to repletion of the goods served, the spirit of bacchus was given full sway, half nude dancers and singers threw off all restraint, and there were enacted scenes of riotous carousing for which rome in its decadence became notorious. a weird dinner was once given by the emperor domitian. he invited a number of senators and knights to dine with him at a late hour. when they arrived they found that the banquet room had been draped in somber black. at each seat had been placed a tombstone bearing the inscription of a diner and naked black slaves danced weird dances and served up funeral viands on black dishes. when the company had been dismissed, its members found that all their slaves had disappeared and unknown bearers carried them to their homes. each found on his return a message and a souvenir awaiting him--a silver tombstone bearing his name. the ancient jews. readers will find recorded in this chapter many things which are matters of general knowledge, but this, they will readily understand, is unavoidable when treating on the customs of so well known a people as the jews and drawing on the bible for much of the information given. as the facts drawn from the scriptures have though been supplemented by the results of the researches of many eminent travelers and writers, it is hoped that the combination will be found worthy of the time expended on its perusal. the mosaic dietary laws which for more than three thousand years formed the text of important social and religious observances among the inhabitants of the chosen kingdom were the outcome of a comparison of the regulations and practices of contemporary nations. whether the system was compiled in the interest of humanity or health, it remains true that it has proved itself to be one of the best economic regimes ever made public. if for no other reason, the life of the ancient jew is especially interesting to those who study the foods of men, past and present--although it must be admitted that the precepts they compiled were more conducive to sound digestion than some of the practices they followed! the diet of the ancient jews consisted at first, as did that of all the pioneers of the human race, of but a few articles of food. but, though meat was not consumed in large quantities, writers err when they describe the food of orientals as being light and simple. orientals did, and do, make use of an inordinate amount of grease in cooking. eggs and rice were, whenever circumstances permitted, saturated with fat or oil and meats and vegetables were frequently simmered in fat before being stewed. it was not unusual for a family of six or seven persons to consume an average of two hundred pounds a year, and some of their compounds would have ill suited delicate stomachs. bread, as in all ancient countries, constituted the greater part of the food of the middle and lower classes. in leviticus, psalms and ezekiel, reference is made to the "staff of bread." it was most generally eaten after being dipped into cheap wine or weak gravy. the fresh green ears of wheat were often eaten without cooking, the husks being rubbed off by hand. the grain was, though, more usually roasted in a pan after being carefully sorted over, and it was sometimes bruised and dried in the sun, to be afterwards served with oil. "kibbe" was a mixture composed of cracked wheat, boiled and dried, beaten up with meat, onions, spices and the nut of a species of pine. wheat was also ground by women in hand mills formed of two stones, the under one fixed and the upper movable. the middle classes ate meat, vegetables, fruit or fish also, but always as supplementary dishes to the staple article, bread. although in the earliest days the mistress and daughters of the house did the baking, female servants were later employed by the wealthier families. in jerusalem indeed professional bakers, men, became so numerous that a section of the town bore the title of "bakers' street." the flour used in the manufacture of the common bread was mixed with water or milk and kneaded with the hands in a small wooden bowl or trough. except in cases of great haste, leavening was then added. the dough was allowed to stand for several hours, sometimes for the whole night, in moderate heat. it was next rolled out and cut into circular pieces about eight inches in diameter and three-quarters of an inch in thickness. these were occasionally punctured and soaked with oil. [illustration: a portable oven of the jews and egyptians. (from an old egyptian drawing.)] a more delicate kind of bread was twice kneaded before baking, and stimulating seeds were added to it. various varieties of thin cakes were also baked every day and biscuits of substantial character were furnished for travelers. the professional bakers did their work in fixed, specially constructed ovens, but portable ovens were usually found in private houses. they were in the shape of stone or metal jars about three feet in height, and were heated from the interior with wood, dried grass or flower stalks, the cakes being placed on the ashes or the exterior sides of the oven after the fire had burned down. in other cases, a hole dug in the ground formed the oven, the sides being covered with clay and the bottom with pebbles. again, sometimes the cakes were cooked on heated stones or by the more primitive method of laying them directly on burning logs, or between two layers of dried dung (then lighted and burned). some also baked the cakes in pans with oil and ate them whilst hot with honey, or cooked them in such thin layers that they crumbled in the fingers. figs were eaten fresh and dried. pomegranates, mulberries, sycamore figs, citrons and apples were widely cultivated. grapes were eaten raw or made into fruit cake (which possessed distinctly stimulating qualities). similar cakes were also made of raisins, dates and figs--which were compressed into bricks, and when hardened could be cut up only by the use of an axe! the bunches of grapes often attained a weight of twelve pounds. walnuts were plentiful. oranges were introduced at a later date. among the vegetables grown were lentils (which were boiled and eaten with butter oil or fat and pepper), leeks, onions, beans, barley, lettuce, endive, purslane and other herbs. vegetables were usually boiled as potage. the spices most in favor were cummin, dill, coriander, mint, mustard and salt. cummin was threshed with a rod and with salt served as a sauce. pistachio nuts and almonds were popular as whets. salads were extensively known. honey was used in some cakes as a substitute for sugar. it was also eaten raw or with other articles of food, even fish. various artificial productions made from fruits and the exudations of trees and shrubs bore the title of honey, the best known of which was the boiled down juice of the grape, then called "d'bash," known to modern arabs as "dibs." "butter and honey" and "milk and honey" are in biblical language synonyms of the diet of prosperity. the butter then used differed from our own product inasmuch as the hot sun to which the cream was exposed when being churned rendered the completed article more liquid. even to-day in some parts of the orient the butter served to visiting europeans has to be manufactured especially for them from cold cream. cheese consisted of coagulated buttermilk, dried until hard and then ground. oil was made from various vegetables, but that of the olive was most esteemed. wine and water were carried in vessels made of the skins of goats, kids or other clean animals. after the animal had been killed, the head, feet and tail were cut off and the body was drawn out of the skin, which was then tanned (acacia bark being sometimes called into service). the hairy part of the skin formed the exterior of the vessel, the legs and the end of the tail being sewn up. when filled, the neck was tied up. an ox skin was used to make a "gerba" which formed a storage chamber for large quantities of liquor. one of average size contained sixty gallons. the milk of cows, sheep, camels and goats was drank. when fresh it was known as "khalab," when sour as "khema." the latter was used in the composition of salads and for cooking meats, etc. a strengthening beverage was made by heating milk over a slow fire and then adding a small piece of old khema or other acid to make it coagulate. much of this was bottled and kept for future use. it was the universal refreshment offered strangers and the ancient jew, like the modern arab, refused to accept payment for it. the other drinks of the people were barley water; sherbet (made by partially dissolving fig cake in water); pomegranate wine; beer made from barley with herbs such as the lupin and skirret; honey, date, fig, millet and grape wines and a drink made by placing raisins in jars of water and burying them until fermentation had taken place. water was imbibed in large quantities after meals. vinegar was made by mixing barley with wine, or soured wine was used. the prohibition expressed in the ninth chapter of genesis against animal blood as an article of diet was repeated with detailed instructions in leviticus. instead of devoting a large amount of space to recounting the regulations there expressed, it will perhaps be better to make only a general classification of them. there were interdicted: _sheretz haaretz_, creeping things; _sheretz haof_, winged insects, with the exception of the fully developed locust; of _sheretz hamayim_, creatures dwelling in water, those which were not provided with fins and scales; of the feathered species those which were not furnished by nature with the implements with which to clean themselves; of the quadrupeds and animals of the chase those that did not chew the cud or were not provided with split hoofs. the fat parts of animals were also reserved for the altar and temple offerings. special interdictions were announced against dead or injured animals; though these did not extend to strangers. in the new testament, these laws are also mentioned as applying to healthy animals that had been strangled or killed in any manner other than that prescribed. in a word, the mosaic laws prohibited the use of any flesh that was diseased, bruised or rendered unwholesome by the presence of too much blood and also of the flesh of animals that were not cleanly in habits, diet or body. oxen were not eaten when older than three years. it is not necessary to give here the oft-repeated methods of jewish butchery, as they have been of late so frequently described--and highly endorsed--by medical and scientific men. fresh fish (eaten generally broiled) appears to have been the principal article of diet in the environs of the sea of galilee. the jews, however, were not well versed in the character of the different species. they roughly classed them as big, small, clean and unclean. salt fish also was imported into jerusalem. locusts were considered to be but meagre fare, but they were eaten salted, dried and roasted with butter in a pan. an ordinary kitchen was equipped with a range, a heavy caldron, a large fork or flesh hook, a wide, open metal vessel for heating water, etc., two or more earthenware pots and numerous dishes. the kid, lamb or calf, killed on the advent of a holiday or in honor of a guest, would sometimes be roasted or baked whole, but it was usually cut up and boiled in a caldron filled with water or milk and set over a wood fire, the scum being taken off from time to time and salt and spices added. the meat and broth were served up separately or together as desire might dictate. the principal meal was held in the early evening, although occasionally noon was chosen for a big banquet. the early hebrews seated themselves on the ground when partaking of a meal; but their descendants soon succumbed to the example of the egyptians and adopted the reclining couch, which was universally used in the time of christ. the first reference we have to the change in custom is found in the book of amos, where the prophet rebukes those who "lie upon beds of ivory." ezekiel also inveighs against one who "sat on a stately bed with a table prepared before it." each couch seated from three to five persons, and the women usually dined with the men. the meat and vegetables were sometimes served in one large dish, into which each in turn dipped his bread, but on other occasions portions were placed on individual plates. many events were made excuses for festivals. the "mishteh" was a drinking party, which in the apostolic age was called a "komos" and was often the occasion of gross licentiousness. the cups used were modelled after those made by the egyptians. the "cup bearer" or butler held a very important position in a rich man's household. during times of fasting or sorrow, all meats, wines, etc., were eschewed. they were called the "bread of desires." prison fare consisted of bread or pulse and water. the vine or apples of sodom, the "dead sea fruits that tempt the eye, but turn to ashes on the lips" of which josephus wrote and moore and byron sang, are worthy of more than passing notice. they have caused a great deal of discussion among scientists and travelers who have differed in their opinions as to the identity of the fruit or plant mentioned. [illustration: the colocynth--"the dead sea fruits."] as the _ecbalium elaterium_, with variations in name, it has been described by dioscorides, theophrastus, pliny, celeius, rosenmuller, winner and gesenius; as the _cucumbis prophetarium_, and _solanium sodomaeum_ by others; as the _asclepias procera_ by burckhardt, irby, mangles and dr. robinson. among still other disputing writers may be mentioned pococke, hasselquist, seetzen, elliot and chateaubriand. michaelis, oedman, dr. j. d. hooker and the rev. w. houghton agree that josephus referred to the fruit of the colocynth (_citrullus colocynthis_) which resembles an orange in appearance, and when dry will burst on pressure with a crashing noise. [illustration: tamarix gallica--the manna plant of the scriptural desert.] the varying opinions may be ascribed to the fact that in the south of palestine are found several members of the gourd tribe, as well as the fruits of several shrubs and trees, which under certain conditions answer very closely to the descriptions afforded us of the "dead sea fruits," although the colocynth is the only one that answers them in every way. the palm tree, once so plentiful in judaea, is now rare and in the vicinity of jericho is extinct, the last one having died a few years ago. all readers of the scriptures remember the important part which manna played in the history of the jews. the manna which is at the present day known in the arabian desert through which the israelites passed is collected in june from the tarfa or tamarisk shrub (_tamarix gallica_). according to burkhardt, it drops from the thorns on to the sticks and leaves which cover the ground and must be gathered early in the day or it will be melted by the heat of the sun. its fall is said to be caused by the punctures made by insects. the arabs cleanse, boil and strain it and put it up in leather bottles, and thus prepared it will retain its virtues for several years. it is used in the place of honey or butter--it is never eaten alone. it is abundant only in wet seasons, and in a very dry year it is not found at all. it is not exactly peculiar in character, as there are several shrubs in india and syria. [illustration: salvadora--the arboreous mustard plant of palestine.] niebuhr discovered at mardin, in mesopotamia, on the leaves of a tree, a species of _capparis_, a kind of manna which appears during the months of july and august, being most plentiful in wet seasons. if shaken off before sunrise, it is pure white in color. if let remain, it collects until very thick, and the leaves are then gathered and steeped in boiling water until the manna floats to the top like oil. this is called by the natives _manna essemma_, heavenly manna. burkhardt found in the valley of jordan a similar gum on the leaves and branches of the tree gharrob (a species of oak), which fell to the ground in drops of brown-gray dew. its taste at first was sweet, but after a day's exposure to the elements became acrid. the manna of european commerce is exported from calabria and sicily. it drops from punctures made in a species of ash by an insect resembling the locust. it is fluid at night, but begins to harden in the morning. the manna of scripture, which was the sole support of the israelites for forty years, must be regarded as miraculous, as ( ) manna is under ordinary circumstances stimulating rather than sustaining, ( ) the season in which it is found does not extend over a term of more than three or four months, ( ) it is found only in small quantities compared to the enormous amount-- , , pounds a week--which would have been necessary to provide each member of the israelite camp with the rations mentioned, ( ) a double quantity certainly does not fall on the day preceding the sabbath and ( ) no natural product ceases at once and forever. the mustard plant mentioned in the gospels may have been either the common mustard plant which grows to a large size in the orient, or it may have been the _salvadora persica_, an arboreous plant of abundant foliage, the seeds and leaves of which have a distinct flavor of mustard. the chinese. it would be foolish to publish any strict dietary code as descriptive of the food of the people of the vast region generally known as the chinese empire, for apart from the difference in the products of the various sections of that diversified country, it must be remembered that the numerous tribes, which when amalgamated centuries ago formed the empire, have retained most of their original customs, owing partly to the paucity of transportation facilities and the consequent impediments to an interchange of ideas, partly to the conservative nature of the people and partly to the influence of climate and surroundings. furthermore, as, excepting a few fruits which are of comparatively recent introduction, such as the pineapple, the foods of chinamen to-day closely resemble the foods of chinamen four thousand years ago, it will not be necessary in this volume to keep very strictly apart the past and the present. until quite recently it was customary to regard the chinese as uncivilized and degraded heathens who voraciously devoured all kinds of vermin and other miscellaneous tit-bits which to most people of the western hemisphere are repulsive even in suggestion, hence it may be well to repeat here that, although it remains true that cats, dogs and rats occasionally serve as articles of food, this happens only when provisions are scarce or among the very poor, who (as in all civilized countries), linger always on the threshold of starvation. the chinese, in spite of the doleful tales of some writers, are on the whole a well fed race. beef and mutton are not plentiful except in the north, but hogs, poultry and fish, with vegetables, fruits and rice are within the reach of a majority of the population. wrote a chinese sage: "the scholar forsakes not his books nor the poor man his pig." furthermore, in the preparation of their national dishes the chinese cooks (especially those in the cities and in the households of the rich) display a high degree of skill. wheat, several varieties of rice and sweet potatoes are grown in all parts of the empire, and barley, sorghum, cabbages, beans and other vegetables and sugar cane are also raised in large quantities. rice is seldom ground except when made into cakes. the sorghum, or hauliang (extensively cultivated in the north), is not used as in america for the manufacture of sugar, but the seeds are ground and made into a coarse bread or used for the preparation of some brands of whiskey. sweet potatoes are sliced into coarse strips and dried in the sun. it is, though, considered a sign of extreme poverty to be seen eating them at any meal other than a lunch or hurried repast. of the vegetables, the petsae or white cabbage is the most widely cultivated. beans grow luxuriantly. fully one-half of the crop is crushed for the sake of the oil, the residue being pressed into bricks and used as a fertilizer. "bean curds" is a very popular dish, especially for breakfast. the beans are ground to a flour, which is passed through three strainers of coarse, medium fine and very fine linen. this is boiled for an hour over a slow fire until the proper consistency is obtained. salted beans form quite an important article of commerce. four catties of beans are put in a jar with one catty of salt, half a catty of ginger and a few taels of almonds and spices. the jars are then sealed and left untouched for about a month. a more novel way is to put the beans in earthenware jars filled with very clear spring water, changing the water every four hours. in seven days tender shoots have appeared and the beans are then sold as a delicacy. peanuts are grown for the sake of their oil. hsiang-yu is a fragrant oil made from peanuts and beans, which is used for the toilet and by the poor for cooking. castor oil answers the same purposes. the juice of the sugar cane is extracted by crushing the stalks in two perpendicular cylinders, kept in motion by a yoke of buffalos, the juice being received in a tub placed beneath. lime is added to the juice and it is then immediately boiled. [illustration: a chinese poulterer's shop.] within the limits of chinese territory are found almost all known varieties of fruits, some of which are indigenous to it. the whampee is a yellow skinned fruit about the size of a grape which hangs in clusters from the glossy-leaved trees which produce it. the flavor is tart and its three or four stones are of a greenish color. the li-chi has a rough red exterior. inside is a white film which incloses a watery translucent pulp of a sweetish taste and a brownish black ovoid stone. the lo-quat is a species of medlar. oranges, ginger, etc., are preserved in sugar. ducks are raised in almost incredible numbers. their eggs and those of fowls are frequently hatched by artificial heat. eggs that have been preserved in lime for several, sometimes a great many, years are much esteemed. after a quarter of a century, the yellow assumes a dark brown color and the whites have the appearance of meat jelly--strange though it may seem, they are really excellent in that condition. all foods served at a genuine chinese dinner are previously cut into minute particles. the large roast pieces which adorn the tables at dinners given in seaport towns to foreigners of note are placed there merely in deference to the customs of the guests. [illustration: a chinese dinner party.] rice and soup are brought on to the table in large vessels from which individual saucers are filled. other dishes are partaken of by all present directly from the common bowl. it is considered a token of hospitality on the part of the host or friendliness on the part of an acquaintance to take an especially choice piece of meat or vegetable from the bowl and to place it on the plate or in the mouth of a fellow diner. the two chopsticks are both held in the right instead of separately in each hand as ordinarily believed. they are maintained by the thumb and ring finger and manipulated by the index and middle fingers. one stick remains motionless, the other is so manoeuvred as to entrap with ease a morsel of meat or even the smallest grain of rice. the sticks (square at the top and round for the rest of their length) are made of bamboo or more precious woods, ivory or silver. on the upper portions, poems and pictures are often engraved. spoons are used for liquids. [illustration: chopsticks and bowl.] an ordinary meal among the middle classes consists of eight dishes--two vegetables, eggs, fish, shell fish, bird and two meats (pork and goat; or, in some parts of the north, mutton and beef). with this will be served a large tureen of soup with rice, the latter taking the place of bread. when eating rice, the bowl is raised by the left hand to a close proximity to the mouth and the rice is rather scooped than picked up. the importance which is attached to rice as a life-sustaining article may be judged from the exclamation of a chinese sailor when he was informed that it was held in but secondary repute in america. throwing up both hands with an expression in which were combined horror and pity, he cried: "oh, the sterile region of barbarians which produces not the necessaries of life; strange that the inhabitants have not long ago died of hunger!" two good meals a day, the customary number, and a light luncheon, will in the average native home represent the expenditure of about ten cents in american money. wine is served only on special occasions. the hotels in the large cities are distinguished by titles as in this country, though the chinese proprietor gives freer rein to his imagination, choosing such titles as "cum lee" (golden profits), "cut shing" (rank conferring hotel), the "cut sing" (fortunate star), etc. they are often comparatively tall structures and are usually clustered together in one quarter of the town. [illustration: a chinese distillery.] the ground floor of the ordinary hotel is reserved for the proprietor's apartments and the kitchen. the first floor contains one public and several private dining-rooms; and the second and upper floors are divided into sleeping apartments--the partitions of which are so thin that even a whispered conversation is intelligible to a party in the adjoining room. there is not much comfort to be obtained in the villages, and the accommodations are worse in the south and central districts than in the north and mongolia. the country caravansary is built in the form of a quadrangle with the walls, in the north, of mud or clay. in the one public room, the traveler perforce mingles with cattle drovers and muleteers, but the private apartments are fairly comfortable. the stables are usually attached to the building, with large compounds for sheep or cattle. some of the larger establishments boast separate quadrangle stables, while some of the smaller have none at all, the animals being hitched to troughs or racks in the centre of the quadrangle. [illustration: a chinese restaurant.] the beds (_cangues_) are shaped like furnaces. the occupant, protected by a thick coverlet, reclines on the top of a stratum of chunam or asphalt, with an opening similar to the door of a furnace, in one of the perpendicular sides, by means of which a small fire is in cold weather built directly beneath the bed. the poorer travelers sleep in the public hall. in some cities are khans which act as depots for the goods of traveling merchants, who are boarded and lodged without charge until they have disposed of their stock, the landlord then receiving a small percentage of the sales. the proprietor of a public inn is compelled to furnish the authorities each month with a list of the persons whom he has lodged or fed, and women are not received at all in the public hotels in the south. the restaurants in the cities are often quite large, running to two and three stories in height. on the ground floor is the kitchen. on the first floor at the head of the first staircase is the public dining room where a good cheap meal can be obtained, and on the second and third floors are the private and more select chambers. in each room is a bill of fare. an ordinary first class restaurant dinner comprises from ten to thirty dishes, and for any special occasion a hundred or more are often served. below is the menu of a dinner which, if served to eight or ten persons at a good public city restaurant, would cost about seventy-five cents per head. fried ham gizzards grated meat grilled dried shrimps preserved eggs four kinds of dried fruits four kinds of fresh fruits fat duck shark's fins swallowsnest soup meats salted chicken shellfish meats oysters mushroom morels (called "ears of the forest"). rice of immortals (a species of mushrooms). tender sprouts of bamboo fish meats the diners are usually seated at square tables in groups of eight. chinese whiskey or wine is served in small double-handled cups, which are constantly replenished by the attendants from vessels resembling silver coffee pots. pipes of tobacco are also passed around at intervals. before eating, the host or most prominent guest pours out a libation. his table companions follow his example and all bow politely to each other. [illustration: chinaman spearing fresh water turtles.] pastry is brought on between courses. if salt, a cup of chicken broth; if sweet, almond milk is furnished with it. no napkins are provided, pieces of coarse brown paper being used in their stead. the last is a sort of "trial of appetite" course. it consists of large dishes--sometimes eight or ten arranged in pyramid form--and the ever forthcoming refusal to partake of it announces the termination of the meal. the attendants then bring in towels and bowls of hot water. they immerse the towels in the water, and after wringing them out present them to the guests in the order of their importance. on special occasions the water is scented with otto of roses. one habit of the attendants which is especially surprising to the novice is that as their labors during the meal increase the temperature of their bodies, the waiters divest themselves of the greater part of their clothing! one restaurant in canton which caters for the cheaper class of trade, feeds on an average five thousand persons daily. each patron is served with portions of regular size, and allowance is made for any pieces which he may not eat. the tea saloons are divided into two large rooms furnished with stools and tables. cakes, preserved fruits and tea are served. the cups are usually covered so as to prevent the aroma of the tea from evaporating. "dog and cat" restaurants consist of one large public apartment, with the entrance to the dining room through the kitchen. soup stalls are found on the street corners of the cities. they sell luncheons of fish, pork, soups, vegetables, fried locusts, etc., from one to two cents. the oven, or, to speak more accurately, the baking apparatus, of the average establishment is somewhat singular. it consists of a furnace resembling a copper in shape, built in the center of an outhouse. the hollow part (which is shallow) is filled with charcoal. a lid, which fits the aperture, is so suspended by chains from the beams above as to be capable of elevation or depression. upon this lid, pastry and cakes are placed and kept directly above or at any distance from the fire, according to the heat desired. the bakers often manufacture their bread without the use of shortening of any description. a very popular cake consists partially of mincemeat. the baker before commencing to make it, places a pile of dough on one side and opposite it a heap of mincemeat--a mixture of pork, sugar, spices, etc. he then pulls off a piece of dough, rolls it into a ball, flattens it, covers it with the meat, rolls it into a ball again, shapes it into a ring and flattens it by a stroke of the hand into a cake of definite size and thickness. among other dainty dishes of chinaland are the "t'ien ya tzu," a species of delicately flavored fat duck; "feng chi," salted chicken; a dish of amber gelatine; a salad of bamboo shoots; "huo t'ui," a dainty ham of the appearance of veal; "yü ch'ih," shark's fins, and "hai li tzu," devilled oysters with mushrooms. other items are salted earthworms, pigeon's eggs, pounded shrimps; bird's nest soup, a gelatinous article; beches de mer (sea slugs), water beetles and silkworms, the last named fried in oil after they have made their cocoons. a much admired soup, prepared for an imperial feast, was of blood and mare's milk. oysters are very cheap in winter, selling at from five to six cents per pound. the following receipts may be of interest as literal translations from a genuine chinese cook book: _steamed shark's fins._ take the sun-dried shark's fins, place in a cooking pan, add wood ashes and boil in several waters. then take out and scrape the roughness from the fins. if not clean, boil again and scrape again until clean. then change the water and boil again. take out and remove the flesh, keeping only the fins themselves. boil again and put in spring water. the frequent changing of the water is necessary to take out the lime taste. put the fins into the soup and stew until quite tender. dish in a bowl, placing crab meat below and a little ham on top. _chicken with the liquor of fermented rice._ bone a chicken and steam until just right; take out and let cool, then cut into thin slices. next, take gelatinous rice which has been fermented with yeast and water; cook this for two hours, add a little of the juice expressed from fresh ginger, soy, sesamum and oil. mix together with peanut oil. dish and add fragrant herbs. _genii ducks._ take a fat duck; open and clean. take two mace of salt, rub it both outside and inside and put into an earthen dish. take one cup of fan spirits and put (the cup with the spirits) inside the duck--only the vapor of the spirits is wanted. steam over water until quite tender, then lift out the wine cup and put the bird into a bowl. the most common native liquor are "suee chow," a rice brandy; "shas chin," an impure alcohol made from kauliang or sorghum; "huary chin," a yellow wine made from millet, and various spirits extracted from plums, apples, pears, etc. all liquors are drunk hot, and some of them are steeped with spices or the leaves of flowers. although spirits are plentiful and cheap, drunkenness is rare. tea, of course, is consumed by all classes. a curious custom annually observed is the propitiatory offering to the god of the kitchen, who is worshipped in all parts of china, and who is supposed to report his observations to the pearly emperor supreme ruler. [illustration: family offering to the kitchen god.] he is represented in each kitchen by a slip of white or red paper (changed each year as a rule) bearing his name and title and sometimes his portrait, pasted on the wall in some convenient part of the room. among the better classes the kitchen god is also known as the superintendent or inspector of good and evil. on the evening of the twenty-third day of the twelfth month a special sacrifice is made in his honor by about sixty per cent. of the population. meats, cakes, fruits and wines are offered with candles, incense, mock money, etc., and all members of the family then kneel reverently before his representation and bow their heads in homage. on the evening of the twenty-fourth those who have not participated in the ceremonies of the previous day, make a vegetable offering in a similar manner. [illustration: a chinese kitchen boat.] many of the wealthier classes make both offerings on the twenty-third. the poorest use only incense and candles. the numerous sailing vessels on the rivers and lakes are as well fitted to supply the wants of the traveler as the hotels on shore. the houseboats and some of the passenger boats rely for their meals on the kitchen boats, which are really admirably managed. the fishing boats make use of a very primitive heating apparatus--a large boiler in an earthenware furnace set in a part of the deck, serving as the general cook book. a great many pages might be covered by treating on the curious festivities which celebrate so many occasions, but they have been so often described in other works that a description of them here would perhaps savor too much of needless repetition. _other works from the book department of the caterer_ martyn's menu dictionary price $ (_ pages, two columns to a page, cloth bound._) the most complete dictionary of menu, culinary and food terms ever published. more than _five thousand items_. in two sections: french-english and english-french. the first section includes also about wine names with brief descriptive notes and both parts list a number of german words with english and french translations. how to make money in a country hotel price $ (_ pages, printed on the finest paper and handsomely bound)._ _third edition._ the reason for the great success of this work is probably to be found in the fact that the author does not content himself with merely advising "greater economy," or "better business methods"--instead he gets right down to a practical hold of the subject and shows _how_ to economize and how to increase one's trade. the financial side of hotel keeping price $ (_ pages, handsomely printed and bound._) _second edition._ this book is entirely different from any other work on the hotel business. the main "story" takes up the matter of location, investment, equipment, etc., the "financing" of the business after starting, and many points touching on policy, organization, etc., and the management of the back part of the house. following this is a series of papers on the restaurant business. the wine steward's manual price $ (_ pages, illustrated, cloth bound._) a handy volume on the care and service of wines, with contributions from the highest authorities. foods and culinary utensils of the ancients price cents compiled from standard historical works. seventy-two pages, well illustrated. dainty dishes price (cloth bound) $ by adolphe meyer, author of "the post-graduate cookery book," "eggs and how to use them," etc. a book of specially "dainty dishes" which offers many opportunities to vary the daily bill of fare or the banquet or ball supper menu--usually without adding anything to the cost and sometimes at smaller expense. the post-graduate cookery book price (cloth bound) $ by adolphe meyer, for years chef of the exclusive union club, new york. (_nearly pages. about , receipts._) "the post-graduate cookery book" is a work containing matter supplementary to, or in advance of, the regular standard works on cookery and kindred matters. it has a special intrinsic value to the purchaser, for it contains a large number of receipts for special dishes which have never appeared in print elsewhere. some of these receipts are new, others are for special dishes which have helped to enhance the reputations of famous establishments both in europe and this country. eggs and how to use them price $ by adolphe meyer, author of "the post-graduate cookery book," etc. (_third edition._) (_ pages, cloth bound._) about receipts, classified as "poached, shirred, molded, omelettes, etc., etc.," and with titles in both french and english. fables of the hotel profession and poems of good cheer price cts. _a dainty little volume of pages, bound in gilt lettered cloth._ the "fables" (by charles martyn) are little stories of the hotel business, which "hit off," in semi-humorous manner, many typical characters and conditions. "poems of good cheer" (by frank w. doolittle) is a title made generously broad to cover a number of verses on the hotel business, those engaged in it and the good things dispensed. the caterer publishing co., established . new york. publishers of the caterer, the "monthly text book" of the hotel, club and high-class restaurant business. subscription price, $ a year; $ . for six months. the caterer keeps its readers informed on everything that is new in the hotel, club and high-class restaurant business--new ideas in service, reports of special occasions (such as banquets, etc.), new items of equipment, new points in system, etc. every issue also contains a variety of other matter of general interest, "what's happening among our subscribers," etc.--all written in entertaining style. transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). page numbers enclosed by curly braces (example: { }) have been incorporated to facilitate the use of the index. * * * * * [illustration: the larder.] [illustration] the english housekeeper: or, manual of domestic management: containing advice on the conduct of household affairs, and practical instructions concerning the store-room, the pantry, the larder, the kitchen, the cellar, the dairy. the whole being intended for the use of young ladies who undertake the superintendence of their own housekeeping. _sixth edition._ (improved by the introduction of many new receipts.) by anne cobbett. london: published by a. cobbett, , strand. . [_price six shillings._] london: geo. peirce, printer, , strand. {iii}introduction. "she looketh well to the ways of her _household_, and eateth not the bread of idleness. her children arise up, and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praiseth her. many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."--proverbs, chap. xxxi., vs. , , & . i have taken so much pains to make the following work deserving of the title it bears, that i could not, without affectation, pretend to undervalue my own performance, by anticipating doubts of its utility, or by expressing any fear lest my friends should be disappointed when they look into it. every publication of this description is necessarily calculated to be of some essential service; for it must not only be practical in its descriptions and directions, but must relate to matters touching the daily and hourly wants of all mankind; and it will, of course, be approved according as it may happen to meet those wants. as a mere cookery-book, mine must submit to be placed in a lower rank than some others, because i do not profess to bring to light discoveries in the culinary art, neither do i design to favour epicurism. i have no pretension beyond that of advising young ladies who are their own housekeepers; and the receipts which will be found in my selection, are such as appeared to me suitable to any family of moderate style in living, and such as may be easily comprehended and put in practice. these have been carefully {iv}revised and amended in the present edition, and some others added. while i am offering advice with respect to the manner of conducting domestic affairs, i cannot refrain from expressing my regret that so large a proportion of the young ladies of england are sadly deficient in that information, and in those practices of economy which are the most essentially necessary to their welfare as persons of influence and authority in a house. i am by no means singular in lamenting that the advantages of a knowledge of housekeeping seem to be so entirely lost sight of by those who have the responsibility of bringing up either their own or other people's daughters; and i find it frequently the subject of remark that the ladies of the present day have become incapable of being so skilful in the discharge of their domestic duties as the ladies of a former period were, in proportion as they have become more cultivated and more accomplished. but is it so? are there now a greater proportion of women whose minds are really cultivated than there were formerly? is there not rather a greater pretence of learning with less of it in reality? it is erroneous to suppose that persons of real learning look upon the minor duties of life with contempt, because of their learning; for, though learning does not, perhaps, give sense, it surely does not destroy it, and there is not only a want of sense, but a positive folly, in that affectation of refinement, and that assumption of superiority, which has led to the result now complained of. but the system of education which has prevailed of late years is certainly in fault; a system which assigns the same species of learning, indiscriminately, to young persons of every rank and degree, without distinction even as to ability. such a method of bringing up has unavoidably been productive of very injurious effects; for, while it withdraws the daughters of farmers and tradespeople, and others, during a great part of their youth, from the practice of those homely arts which belong to their {v}stations, it leaves them, in nine cases out of ten, without anything more than the mere fancy that they possess acquirements of a higher order. the desire which many persons feel to give their children a better education than has been bestowed upon themselves is laudable, because it proceeds from sincere affection: but how often is the success equal to the motive which actuates? how often is the manner of attempting at all calculated for attaining the object so earnestly sought? an ambition to promote the welfare of children reconciles parents to part with them at that tender age when they ought to command more constant care than they generally need at a more advanced time of life; and this ambition is so strong that it will even cause little girls to be consigned to the blighting atmosphere of a crowded schoolroom, there to bewail the loss of the warm hearth, or the airy room of their own homes, and all the comforts which depend upon a mother's solicitude. with a view to their being educated, that is to say, fitted for the world, and for the discharge of their respective duties in it, girls are sent to school, and are there condemned to a dull course of lessons, before their minds have sufficient strength to imbibe any kind of learning that requires mental labour, and before their understandings are equal to any greater exertion than that of perceiving the difference between a roasted apple and a sugar-plum. a knowledge of housekeeping is not difficult to attain. it needs no natural superiority of talent, and no painful application. it is rather a habit than a science, and, like the neatness so characteristic of english women, this knowledge rarely comes to perfection at all, unless it be partly formed in early life, and by means of our very earliest associations. little girls are always prone to imitate the ways of older persons, particularly in housekeeping matters. they very soon begin to find amusement in learning to make preserves, pastry, and such things. those children, therefore, who are brought up at home, {vi}and have the daily and hourly practice of domestic duties before their eyes, will naturally fall into habits of usefulness, and acquire, by degrees and imperceptibly, a knowledge of what belongs to home, which should constitute the elementary education of every woman who is not born to rank and to luxury. but the unhappy little creatures who drag through seven or more years of continuous monotony within the walls of a school, their minds taking little or no part in the tasks which their memories are racked upon, have but little chance of learning any thing which will benefit their after lives; for, those whose mothers knead the bread, churn the butter, and help to cook the dinner, have not the benefit of that sort of society that would teach them to apply their learning, that would call forth their acquirements, or that would be able to appreciate those acquirements when displayed. during the period which these children spend at school, their mother continues her old-fashioned occupations, and, as time passes on, she looks forward, perhaps, with cheering anticipations to the _help_ which her daughters are to afford her. but alas! how often do these daughters return from school with false notions of the lives they are to lead, and with mistaken ideas of their own consequence, such as lead them to despise the humble occupations of their home, although their "education" may not have given them one single idea to justify any pretension of the kind. it is generally acknowledged, that girls educated at schools are seldom far advanced in learning. where history and geography, and other sciences, are learnt by rote, "a page of greece on monday," a "page of rome on tuesday," a "page of universal biography on wednesday," with occasional readings of the middle ages, of modern times, and application being made to maps, globes, charts, &c., to fill up the time which is not devoted to the fine arts (for it all goes on at once), the stock of real solid information which is gained by the end of the year, will be very scanty, or will probably {vii}have resolved itself into such a confused mass of imperfect information that all practical benefit may be despaired of. no wonder, if, after having undergone a course like this, a young girl is often found to have gained less from books than others have gained from vulgar report, and be puzzled to say whether it was scipio or washington who was the first president of the united states of america. they learn lessons, but they do not reason or think about what they are getting by heart; and many girls, whose education has cost a large sum of money, are unable to answer a question of name, place, or date, in their geography or history, without first running over a certain portion of one whole lesson, the sound of which has left a deeper impression on the ear, than its sense has left on the understanding. just as, when wanting to ascertain the number of days in a particular month, we repeat the words, "thirty days hath september," &c., thus recalling by means of the jingle of words, what of itself had slipped our memories. girls so educated are very much to be commiserated. they live, through that part of their lives in which the mind is most open to receive impressions, without any opportunity for exercising their powers of observation, till, at last, those powers fall into a state of inertness; and their education is finished without their having gained the least knowledge of what the world really is, or of the part which they are to be called upon to act in it. having had no intimate association with persons really well informed, it is no matter of surprise, if they become conceited of their supposed attainments, or if they remain in ignorance of the fact, that a little music, a little drawing, and a very little french and italian, are not sufficient to make an accomplished woman, and that merely going the round of primers will not, of itself, constitute what is looked for in a "good education." nor is it, indeed, to be wondered at, if the home, which has been so cherished in recollection from one holiday time to another, fail to realise all the anticipations {viii}of pleasure and of happiness which the thought of it has excited. its simple occupations are not of a kind to make them, as novelties, attractive to one who is _only_ a fine lady; the want of capacity to fill domestic duties will, of course, render them rather disagreeable than otherwise; and it is but natural that young women who, during all the early part of their lives, have been unaccustomed to think of household cares, should entertain some degree of aversion to them, and feel dissatisfied when called upon to take a part in them. many a father has repented that he did not rather lay up for his daughter, the money which has been expended to no better purpose than to cause her to repine at the condition in life in which he must leave her. and many a mother's pride, in the fancied superiority of her daughter, has been saddened by the recollection, not only that her daughter was incapable of helping her, but that the time must come when that incompetent daughter would be left to take care of herself. my readers may imagine that i forget my proper theme: they may wish me to remember that this book professes only to aid those young ladies who are uninformed on this subject, _how to keep house_, and that i am diverging from that subject, and raising objections to a very common way of bringing up children. but when it is generally acknowledged that there is, in the ladies of the present day, a great want of skill as regards the affairs of their household, an ignorance, in fact, of some of their first duties, it cannot be impertinent for me to inquire, whether this want of skill, and this ignorance, be not properly ascribable to a defective, or even to a mischievous, course of education. i certainly do think that habits of usefulness, and the cultivation of talents, may be combined, but then the acquiring of the useful, and the cultivating of the finer accomplishments must proceed hand in hand. there are, doubtless, many who do not think it beneath them to be able to make a pudding, merely because they can execute a difficult piece of music, or sing with good taste; who do not regard these as things absolutely incongruous; and who do not consider, when they receive applause for excelling in fashionable powers to charm, that the offering carries with it an excuse for their being inefficient and helpless mistresses of families. there are, however, not a few, who do think that {ix}qualifications of a refined nature render it unbecoming in their possessors to give that personal superintendence to the affairs of the kitchen, of the store-room, and of all the other branches of household arrangement, which is so necessary, that, for the want of it, moderate fortunes often prove inadequate to the support of families in the middle rank. young persons cannot be expected to entertain a proper estimation of the value of useful habits, as compared with the value of ornamental acquirements, unless they have grown up in the exercise of those habits. the idea that capability in the domestic, is incompatible with taste in the elegant accomplishments, is so deeply rooted in the minds of most persons who aspire to be fashionable, that i despair of the power to do much towards eradicating the fatal error. and yet, i would fain represent to parents, the wrong which is done to children by suffering this idea to plant itself in their minds; for it not only reduces young women to a standard of comparatively little consequence, by making them helpless in all the ordinary business of life, but it produces incidentally, a variety of injurious effects on the health, on the spirits, and even on the temper. it is proverbial, that the largest portion of happiness belongs not to the higher ranks of society; and the reason is, not that the rich and luxurious are, as a matter of course, unworthy and consequently unhappy; but that their minds are not diverted by necessary cares, that their amusements are easily obtained, and that the enjoyment of them is never interrupted by their having duties to perform. pleasures fail to excite and interest the mind, unless they come in the way of relaxation. therefore it is, that even in youth, something by way of employment is necessary to keep gaiety from subsiding into dulness; and in mature life nothing is more salutary than occupation. to have _something to do_, to be obliged to _be doing_, withdraws the mind from the contemplation of fancied sorrows, and prevents its being subdued by the recurrence of unavailing regrets. women who have been accustomed, in their youth, to be industriously engaged and to contribute to the daily happiness of others, are sure to enjoy the greatest share of tranquillity and satisfaction in a review of days gone by, to show the most courage in adversity, the most patience in sickness, and to be the most cheerful and resigned under the infirmities of age; and those parents, {x}therefore, who instil into the minds of their daughters the principle of _making themselves useful_, will confer upon them one of the greatest of blessings. let it not be supposed, however, that by _useful_, i mean that a woman should be a mere household drudge, that all her ideas should be confined within the limits of her domestic offices, or that her guests as well as her family, should be entertained by nothing better than details of the household. ladies who have houses and servants to look after, should be capable of superintending the whole in a manner so systematic, as that they may have a due portion of their time, and of their thoughts, to give to other, and, if they deem them such, higher matters. i by no means recommend, as patterns, the fussy people, who are always busy and have never done, who let you know every thing that they have to do, and who, sometimes, do very little after all. neither is it advisable to imitate, too closely, that class of housewives who are distinguished by the phrase--"very _particular_:" for even the virtue of neatness, when incessantly exercised, or manifested too much in matters of little moment, becomes an intruder upon comfort, and, consequently, offensive. what i recommend is, that quiet and orderly method of conducting the business of a house, which tends rather to conceal than to make an appearance of much to do, which puts all that part of the family, who are not immediately engaged in it, as little as possible out of the way, and which may enable strangers to remain under the roof without being constantly reminded of the trouble they occasion. every woman who presides over a home, and who wishes to preserve its attraction, should bear in mind the many minute cares which all contribute to give to that home, not only the semblance, but the substance of enjoyment; and i earnestly impress upon my youthful readers the important fact, that, as far as mere fortune is concerned, those often prove to be the most poor in reality, who may have been thought to be the most rich. competence and ease may be changed for narrowed circumstances, and a struggle may ensue, to stem a torrent of difficulties which follow in succession, and threaten to destroy the home which has been hitherto considered secure. then she who has passed her life in total listlessness, possessing no acquirements but of a showy kind, and {xi}ignorant of what is wanted to preserve the foundation of a family's happiness; then such a woman will prove as unfitted to lighten sorrow, as she has been careless to avert it: for herself, she can but quail as difficulties assail her; for others, she can only seek for protection where, if she were capable, she might be of assistance; and, instead of aiding to alleviate distress, she will become the main cause of rendering the common burden intolerable. how often do we see families stricken to the very dust, by the first, and perhaps only a slight blow, of misfortune; and this, merely for the want of a little of that practical knowledge, and that experience, which would have enabled them to husband their diminished means so that they might still supply sufficient to meet all real wants, and still procure every material comfort. from a want of this experience, some of the very best intentioned persons will so misapply the resources left to them, at one time laying out money where they ought to refrain altogether, and at another parting with more than the occasion requires, that, by degrees, those resources dwindle away to nothing before they seem to be aware of the natural consequences, and not only poverty, but destitution and misery are let into an abode where comparative ease and contentment might still have remained. the great art of economy in domestic life, is comprised in the two very homely phrases, "_to turn every thing to account_," and "_to make the most of what you have_." but their meaning is often perverted, and the habit of _turning every thing to an account_, and of _making the most of every thing_, is ascribed to those who are actuated, not by a laudable desire to produce as much comfort as their circumstances will admit, but by an inclination to indulge in a strong propensity to stinginess. but of this class of persons i am far from being the advocate; between extravagance and parsimony the widest possible interval exists; and that economy, that management and application of means, which i deem perfectly consistent with the most rigid virtue and the most generous impulse, is of too admirable a character to partake either of the spendthrift's criminality or of the miser's meanness. if my censures upon the present system of educating young ladies should appear to be presumptuous, i greatly fear that any disapproval of that which is now so {xii}universally adopted with regard to _the poor_ will be still more unpopular; but it does appear to me that _there_, there exists a mistake also, which, perhaps, in its consequences, will prove still more fatal. it appears to me that something better might be done, more advantageous to both rich and poor, by educating the latter to be useful members of society; and i think that ladies who live in the country may have ample opportunities of training up good servants, by attending to the education of poor neighbours of their own sex. by _education_, i do not mean that kind of teaching which merely qualifies them for reading letters and words. small literary accomplishments, accompanied by idle habits, are already but too common, though the fact is more generally known than acknowledged. nor do i mean that sort of education which creates expectations of gaining a livelihood by any other means than those of honest industry; or which tends to raise the ideas of persons who are born to work above the duties which fortune has assigned to them. i mean such an education as shall better their condition, by making them better servants. in large establishments, where there are old and experienced persons in service, it is very much the custom to have younger ones as helpers, and thus the latter have the benefit of learning all the duties of the household; but these establishments are comparatively few in number. the fashion of the day is opposed to my opinion, and the same ladies who now condescend to teach poor children to read and write, because it is the fashion to do so, would, in many cases, think it beneath them to teach a little girl to make a pudding. it would, in a work of this nature, be a hopeless and presumptuous attempt, to argue against the all-powerful influence of fashion, against which the keenest shafts of invective and ridicule, and in short every weapon of satire, have been so often aimed in vain; but, all are not under the dominion of so senseless and so capricious a tyranny, and i have to regret my inability to set before my readers the benefits which mistresses of families would confer and receive, from bringing up young country girls to be good servants. there might always, in a country-house, be one or more young girls, according to the size of the establishment; to be placed under older servants, or be instructed by the mistress herself, in all household occupations, from {xiii}the hardest work and most simple offices, to the more delicate arts of housekeeping, including needle-work. this practice would not only insure more good servants than there now are; but, young girls so trained would, by the force of hourly tuition and good example, imbibe a right sense of duty, and acquire good habits, before they could have had time to become vicious or unmanageable. when ladies take the trouble to teach the poor to read and write, they mean well, no doubt, and think they are doing the best they can for their pupils. but teaching industry is more to the purpose; for when learning has been found insufficient to preserve the morals of princes, nobles, and gentry, how can it be supposed that it will preserve those of their dependents? the supposition is, in fact, injurious to the cause of true learning, since the system founded upon it has been attended by no moral improvement. our well-being is best secured by an early habit of earning our bread by honest labour; and "not to know at large of things remote from use, obscure, and subtle, but to know that which before us lies in daily life, is the prime wisdom; what is more, is fume. or emptiness, or fond impertinence, and renders us in things that most concern, unpractis'd, unprepar'd, and still to seek." a country girl, the daughter of a labourer, would, by making herself in some way practically useful to society, and gaining a respectable livelihood, be more profitably employed than in going through that long course of literary exercise which has, of late, been so generally bestowed on the children of poor people, but which, i fear, has not generally imparted to them much of what milton styles "the prime wisdom." it should also be considered, that the literary education of the poor, such as it is, cannot be much more than half completed at the age when the children cease to receive lessons from their charitable instructors. they are taught to read, to write a little, and perhaps something of the elements of arithmetic. the reading, however, is the principal attainment; and in this, they generally become well enough schooled before they are eleven, or, at most, twelve years of age. but alas! have they at that age, or at the age of thirteen or fourteen, {xiv}been taught all that is necessary for girls so young to learn, with regard to the _choice of books_? with the use of _letters_, indeed, as the mere components of words, they have been made acquainted. but why have they been taught to read at all, unless there be some profit to be derived from their reading; and how can any profit be looked for from that reading, unless there be the same kind of pains taken to point out the proper objects of study as there have been to teach the little scholars to spell? surely that advice which is required by all young persons in the pursuit of book-learning, is at least as necessary to those who can do no more than just read their own native language, as it is to those who are brought up in a superior way. the education of youth, among the higher and middle classes, does not terminate, or, at least, it never should, immediately on their leaving school. at that period, a fresh series of anxieties occur to the parent or the guardian, who is quite as sedulous as before, to finish that which has been, in fact, only begun at school. if this be not the case, how is it, that though the son may have been eight or ten years at the best schools, the father, after the schooling is ended, finds it necessary to consult the most discreet and experienced advisers, concerning the right guidance of his child in the course of his future studies? the attention paid to the studies of young ladies, after they come from school, is, to be sure, not precisely the same as that which parents think requisite for their sons. but, while the daughter has generally the advantage of being with her mother, or with some female relative much older than herself; and while the success in life of our sex does not so frequently depend upon literary acquirements, and the proper employment of them; yet under such circumstances, favourable as they are, we all know that there is still much wanting, both in the way of counsel and attractive example, from the parent or guardian, to render the learning which a young girl has acquired at school, of substantial service to her in after years. if the daughters of the rich require to be taught, not merely to read, but, also, _what_ to read, why should not this be the case with the daughters of the poor? in whose fate, it is too often proved, that "a little learning is a dangerous thing," owing to the want of that discretion which is necessary to prevent the little learning becoming worthless, and even mischievous, to its possessor. {xv}in the way of practical education, there are many things of importance to the poor, which ought to be taught them in early youth. at the age of fifteen or sixteen, a girl should already have learned many of the duties of a servant; for if her education up to that age have been neglected, she must necessarily, for the next three or four years of her life, be comparatively useless and little worthy of trust. the poor do not, as some may suppose, inhale with the air they breathe any of that knowledge which is necessary to make them useful in the houses of their parents or their employers. to learn cookery, in its various branches; making bread; milking, butter-making, and all the many things that belong to a dairy; household offices innumerable; besides the nice art of getting up fine linen, and plain work with the needle; not only requires considerable time, but, also, unless the learner be uncommonly quick and willing, great attention on the part of the person who undertakes to teach them. it is lamentable to see how deficient many female servants are in some things, the knowledge of which ought to be thought indispensable. some are so ignorant of plain needle-work as to be incapable of making themselves a gown; and this, too, where they happen to be what the country-people call "scholars," from their ability to read a little, and to make an awkward use of the pen. a maid-servant who can assist her mistress in plain needle-work, is a really valuable person. strange as it may seem, however, there are but few common servants who can do so, notwithstanding that superiority in learning by which the present generation of the labouring people are said to be distinguished from their predecessors. with young servants, nothing has a better effect than _encouragement_. if they are, by nature, only good tempered, and blest with as much right principle as those who have not been spoiled generally possess, whatever you say or do in the way of encouraging them, can hardly fail to produce some good, though it may not always accomplish everything that you would desire. a cheerful tone in giving directions, a manner of address which conveys the idea of confidence in the willingness, as well as the ability, of the person directed, has great influence upon the minds of all young persons whose tempers and inclinations have not been warped by ill-usage, or soured {xvi}by disappointment. very young servants frequently take pride in their work, though of the most laborious kind, and many a young girl might be proud to improve in the more refined departments of housewifery, and would regard a little congratulation upon the lightness of her pastry, or the excellence of her cakes, as worth ten times all the thought and care which she had bestowed upon them. there is no mistress who does not acknowledge the importance of a servant who can assist in preserving, pickling, wine-making, and other things of this description, which demand both skill and labour, and which must, where there is no one but the mistress herself sufficiently acquainted with them to be trusted, take up much of her time and give her considerable trouble. to teach poor children to become useful servants, may, perhaps, be thought a serious task; but it surely cannot be said that this sort of instruction is at all more difficult than that which is necessary to give them even a tolerable proficiency in the lowest branches of literature. the learning here recommended, seems naturally more inviting, as well as more needful, than that which is taught in the ordinary course of school education; and it possesses this advantage, that while its benefits are equally lasting, they are immediately perceptible. it is sometimes said that the poor are ungrateful, and that after all the pains and trouble which may have been taken in making them good servants, it often happens, that instead of testifying a proper sense of the obligation, they become restless, and desirous of leaving those who have had all the trouble of qualifying them for better places and higher wages. servants cannot be prevented from bettering themselves, as they call it, but that constant changing of place which operates as one of the worst examples to young women who are at service, would become less frequent if their employments were occasionally varied by relaxation and amusement, and their services now and then rewarded by small presents. the influence of early habits is so universally felt and acknowledged, that it seems almost superfluous to ask why an early and industrious education of the poor, and the teaching of the youth of both sexes to look upon prosperity and right endeavour as inseparable, should not produce a taste, the reverse of that which leads to a discontented and unsettled existence. {xvii}it is equally the interest of the rich and of the poor, that the youthful inhabitants of the mansion and those of the cottage, should grow up with sentiments of mutual good will. if the poor are indebted to their opulent neighbours for the assistance which makes a hard lot tolerable, there exists a reciprocal obligation on the part of the rich, since they could not obtain the comforts and the luxuries which they enjoy, without the aid of those who are less fortunate than themselves. but there is another and superior motive, which ought to narrow the distance between the poor and the rich: the lady of the mansion, when she meets her washerwoman in the village church, must know that, in that place, she and the hard-working woman are equals. the lady of the mansion, when she beholds the ravages which but a few years of toil have wrought in the once blooming and healthful country girl, is astonished, perhaps, that her own looks and health have not undergone a similar change; but, she forgets that the pitiable creature before her has been exposed to the damp floors and steams of a wash-house, to the chill of a cold drying-ground, and the oppressive heat of an ironing stove, in order to earn her miserable portion of the necessaries of life. no wonder that her beauty has vanished; that her countenance betrays the marks of premature age, and that her air of cheerfulness is exchanged for that of a saddened resignation. but the lady of the mansion should not, in the confidence of her own happier fate, lose sight of the fact, that this poor and destitute creature is a _woman_ as well as herself; that her poor inferior is liable to all those delicacies and weaknesses of constitution of which she herself is sensible; and that, in the eyes of their maker, the peeress and the washerwoman hold equal rank. the ingratitude of the poor is often made a pretext for neglecting to relieve their wants. but are not their superiors ungrateful? is "the ingratitude of the world," of which philosophers of the earliest ages have said so much, confined to the lowly and unrefined? by no means. high birth and refinement in breeding do not, alone, ensure feelings of honour and of kindness to the heart, any more than they ensure common sense and sound judgment to the head; for these qualities seem to be in the very nature of some, while it passes the power of all art to implant them in {xviii}others. it is for those who have known what adversity is to say whether they have not met with instances of devoted attachment, of generosity, and of every other good feeling, on the part of servants, at the very time when they have been depressed by the heart-sick sensation caused by the desertion of friends. those have been unfortunate in their experience of human nature, who cannot bear testimony to the admirable conduct of servants in fulfilling that wearisome, and often most trying, but at the same time most imperative of all earthly duties, attendance upon a sick bed. perhaps it has not occurred to most others, as it has to me, to witness such proofs of virtue in poor people. among the truly charitable there are, no doubt, many in whom disgust has been excited by ingratitude; but has it been excited by the hard-working and the half-starving only? it is but a very limited acquaintance with this life, which can justify the unselfish and noble nature in denouncing the _poor_, for being ungrateful. be this, however, as it may, one thing is certain, that no probability of disappointment, no apprehensions of an ungrateful return, ought to have any influence with the mind of a christian, and that such obstacles were never yet a hinderance to any man or woman whose desire was to do good. {xix}table of contents. page introduction iii chapter i. general observations relating to housekeeping, with remarks on the fitting up of a house, and conducting its affairs. on the choice and management of servants. chapter ii. the store room; the mode of fitting up, and the uses of it chapter iii. the pantry; the uses of it, with receipts for cleaning plate and furniture. chapter iv. the larder; with directions for keeping and salting meat. seasons for meat, poultry, game, fish and vegetables chapter v. the kitchen, with observations upon the fitting it up chapter vi. directions for jointing, trussing and carving, with plates of animals and various joints chapter vii. general instructions for boiling, followed by directions for boiling various joints chapter viii. general instructions for roasting, followed by directions for roasting particular joints chapter ix. directions for baking chapter x. directions for broiling chapter xi. directions for frying chapter xii. general instructions for the making of soups and broths, and directions relating to particular sorts chapter xiii. instructions for boiling, frying, baking, pickling and potting fish chapter xiv. general instructions for made dishes, and directions relative to particular dishes chapter xv. {xx} stuffing and forcemeat chapter xvi. gravies and sauces chapter xvii. seasonings chapter xviii. general and particular instructions for cooking vegetables, and also for mixing salads chapter xix. general instructions for making pastry, with particular directions relating to meat, fish, and fruit pies chapter xx. general and particular directions for making puddings chapter xxi. directions for making bread, cakes, biscuits, rolls and muffins chapter xxii. general observations on confectionary, and particular instructions for making jellies, creams chapter xxiii. general and particular instructions for making preserves chapter xxiv. instructions for making pickles chapter xxv. instructions for making vinegars chapter xxvi. instructions for making essences chapter xxvii. instructions for making catsups chapter xxviii. general remarks upon the cellar, followed by directions for brewing beer, and the making of wines and cordials chapter xxix. general observations relating to the fitting up, and the care of the dairy, with directions for making cheese and butter chapter xxx. observations upon cooking for the sick, and receipts for broths, jellies, gruels chapter xxxi. medical recipes chapter xxxii. various receipts chapter xxxiii. observations relating to, and directions for cooking for the poor { }the english housekeeper. ---- chapter i. general observations. it would be impossible to give rules for the management of a domestic establishment, because they would necessarily be subject to many and various exceptions, produced by various circumstances. but a few general observations, accompanied by remarks on the most important matters in domestic life, may not be unacceptable to young housekeepers. in the young and thoughtless, a spirit of emulation, leading them to vie with those who are richer than themselves, is often the source of domestic unhappiness, by causing so much to be sacrificed to appearance, as to circumscribe the means of enjoying the substantial comforts of life. it sometimes manifests itself in houses, equipages, and retinues of servants; but amongst persons of moderate income, for whose use this work is principally intended, it is commonly displayed in costly furniture and expensive entertainments. many young married women conceive the notion, that unless they have as fine a house, as expensive furniture, plate, china, and glass, as some others have, and give as fine entertainments as others give; in short, unless they make the appearance of living quite as well as their richer neighbours, they will not be held in equal estimation. it is not that they derive any real pleasure from the false appearance which they make; indeed, expensive furniture is but an annoyance to its possessor, if there be not a sufficient number of good servants to keep it in order. where the whole family concur in this sort of pride, no { }mortification arises from difference of opinion, but the unanimity tends only to accelerate the ruin. the young housekeeper should consider the serious consequences that are likely to result from setting out in a style of lavish expenditure, and she should remember that, while it is easy to extend, it is extremely difficult to reduce, her establishment. one expensive article requires another to correspond with it, and one expensive entertainment imposes the necessity of other equally expensive entertainments; for it requires no small share of moral courage to risk the loss of consequence which may result by its being surmised that we are not so well off, as we have been supposed to be. and when the time comes, as sooner or later it assuredly must, when the means are not adequate to the demands, what sacrifices are made, and what unseemly contrivances are resorted to, in order to keep up, to the last, a poor remnant of "_appearance!_" and, when this can no longer be effected, then comes the humiliation, with all the bitter feelings attendant upon _retrenchment_; of all which feelings, the bitterest is, the dread of being degraded in the world's estimation. to endure privations with resignation, to feel the want of habitual comforts, yet be grateful for the blessings which are left to us, is the duty of every christian, and is the less arduous when the reverse of fortune which has befallen us, has not been produced by any fault of our own. but if, in addition to the distresses of adversity, the wife and the mother be doomed to writhe under the pang of self-reproach, great indeed must be her suffering, and one for which i can suggest no adequate relief. to the young and generous-minded, the hardest portion which accompanies reverses of fortune, is, the change which they sometimes produce in the behaviour of acquaintances. when we are become poorer than we were, and have lost the ability to entertain guests in the accustomed manner, it is painful to perceive some of those very people who have been the most hospitably entertained, and who, in our prosperity, have appeared the most attached to us, turn from us and our difficulties, while they banish from their minds the recollection of past kindness. to meet with indifference in those whose smiles have courted ours; to feel that we have thrown away sincere friendship upon mere heartlessness, is hard to be endured, even by the faultless, but how { }intolerable must it be, when aggravated by the consciousness that we have incurred it by our own misconduct. to the experienced, this is one of the severest vicissitudes of life; what, then, must it be to us, before we have acquired that equanimity of mind, which falls only to the lot of those who have passed through the ordeal of the world, and who have been amply compensated for the desertion of the many, by the sincerity, the warmth of heart, and the steadfastness of the few. houses and furniture properly belong to the extraordinary expenses of the household. when a young woman is called upon to exercise her judgment in the choice of a house, she must pause before she rejects one which, though she may consider it rather too small, might, nevertheless, be made to accommodate the family _well enough_, and might be fitted up at a less cost than a larger one. such a house would require fewer servants, and would certainly present a better appearance, than one that is rather too large for the quantity, or for the style of its furniture, and is, perhaps, larger than is actually required for the number of its inhabitants. it is easier to remove from a small to a large house, when circumstances require it, than it is to remove from a large to a small one. it is so easy to increase our wants, and so difficult to reduce them, that young persons should begin the world with caution, and not multiply their wants, lest, in time, they lack the means of gratifying them. in fitting up a house, the young housekeeper, who sets out with a determination to choose furniture suitable to her circumstances and station in life, will be content with that which is just _good enough_, rather than be induced to exceed her previous good intentions, and gratify her fancy at the expense of her comforts. she must never yield to the seductive reflection, that "_only_ five pounds more cannot make much difference;" for, the same argument may be equally applied to the sofa, the tables, the carpet, the curtains, the grate, the fire-irons and fender; all of which are necessary to furnish a dining room; to say nothing of the lamps, the mirrors, and other articles of ornament, which fashion in some cases makes of absolute necessity. if "_only five pounds_" be given for some of these, and two, or even one pound, for others, more than is necessary, she { }will find that the "difference" is very great by the time that she has fitted up only one room. the rage for vying with our superiors shows itself in the bad taste which encumbers houses with unsuitable furniture. massive sideboards, and unwieldy chairs, occupy too much space in a small room, while draperies not only obscure the light, but have an inelegant appearance, unless the room be large and lofty, or in keeping with the size and weight of cornices, cords, tassels, and other ornaments, which give offence to the eye when too gorgeous or prominent. of equal bad taste, is the habit of occasionally changing furniture, to suit the varying of fashions; which is so much the practice that even persons in trade, having families to provide for, change furniture, sufficiently good to serve its purpose for a lifetime, for other no handsomer, but a little more fashionable. it is strange that persons pretending to gentility should not rather imitate the higher class of their superiors, who value their high-backed chairs the more because they are old, and would on no account exchange them for modern finery. when expensive furniture is introduced into the houses of persons of small fortune, the long upholsterer's bill rises like a phantom before the misplaced couches, ottomans, and ottoman sofas, crowded into small drawing rooms; and my feelings of regret become almost feelings of indignation on seeing plate, which belonged to fathers and mothers, or to grandfathers and grandmothers, and spoons which have touched those lips which spoke tenderness to our infancy, about to be bartered for the "prince's," the "king's," or the "fiddle pattern," or for some other pattern that may happen to offer the newest temptation to vulgar taste. every young woman who has the good taste to wish that her house may be characterised by its simplicity, and be more remarkable for comfort than for show, will, if she wish to spare herself and her family much discomfort, avoid having show-rooms; such rooms, i mean, as are considered too fine to be habitually occupied by the family, and are, therefore, kept shut up; except when, on particular occasions, and perhaps only a few times in the year, a fire is lighted for the reception of company. upon such occasions, children are seen to look about them as if they { }had never beheld the place before; the master of the house fidgets from one seat to another, as if he were anywhere but at home; and it is probable, that before the entertainment is over, the mistress of the house is heard to remark, that she is "never so comfortable as in the room she is accustomed to;" by which her friends discover that their visit has put her out of the way. true hospitality conceals from guests any trouble which their presence may unavoidably occasion; but in the luxurious taste of the times, there is little real hospitality left: friendly intercourse seems lost in ostentatious display, and in our vain attempts to equal, if not to outshine, each other. most persons acknowledge this to be the case, and lament that it is so; yet few have the courage to pursue a different system. there is no species of decoration which produces so much effect in ornamenting a house as flowers. the artificial productions of the painter and the upholsterer, the gilded ceilings, glittering mirrors, and couches of brocade, are more splendid and durable, and are worthy of admiration for their individual beauty and the ingenuity and industry which has produced them, but they have not the lively, gay, and varied attractions of flowers. vases, whether gaudy or elegant, excite interest only as mere objects of curiosity, unless filled with flowers. to point to any particular department of the household, as demanding the greatest share of attention, would tend rather to mislead than instruct; for a due proportion ought to be bestowed upon every department; where the mistress of the house is over particular on any one point, other matters, of equal importance, may be neglected. perfect and uniform neatness is indispensable, not only for comfort, but appearance. by uniform neatness, i mean, that nothing which presents itself, whether about the house, in the dress of mistress, children, or servants, should be left open to unfavourable remark. a young lady who relaxes in attention to her own dress, merely because she has more important cares after, than she had before her marriage, does wrong; but she whose studied attire forms a contrast to the little soiled fingers which are forbidden to approach it; she who strikes the beholder as having bestowed care on herself, while her children bear the appearance of neglect, does infinitely worse. to preserve the { }neatness of a house, there must be regular attention on the part of the mistress. i am a great enemy to the system of periodical scrubbings and general house-cleanings, which prevails to so great an extent, and especially in the country, where, when the appointed day comes round, carpets are taken up, and floors, even though they be delicately clean, are washed, whether the weather be suitable or otherwise, the health of the family being left to take its chance. the day of _general house-cleaning_ is no other than a day of commotion and discomfort. one attendant evil is, the make-up dinner, which does not, perhaps, content all the family; and it is a singular piece of good fortune if friends do not select that very day for paying you a visit. it is certainly a more simple process to clean a house, than it is to keep a house clean; for mere labour is required for the one, while method is necessary for the other. but this method every young housekeeper should endeavour to acquire. sweeping, dusting, and polishing, should proceed daily. carpets should be swept every day with a hair broom; but only once a week with a carpet broom, because it wears them: and damp tea leaves should always be used, whether in sweeping carpets or boards, as they lay the dust, which would otherwise fly over the furniture, and again settle on the floor. bed room carpets should be in different pieces, not nailed to the floor, for the convenience of shaking, which may then be done once in a week. bed rooms should be swept every day, and a damp mop passed under the beds, chests of drawers, &c., &c., which will remove all the flue and dust, and prevent accumulation of dirt, so that the washing of boards will not be so often required during the winter. in summer, indeed, frequent washings refreshen the atmosphere, and are also beneficial in removing the collections of light dust which engender insects so difficult to get rid of. upon the subject of wet boards, i believe that my dislike to great scrubbings was acquired in that cleanest of cities, philadelphia; where, though american servants do not and will not work so hard as english servants, yet, because it was the custom of the place, they were, notwithstanding severe cold, everlastingly scrubbing the stairs during the months of december and january. some years afterwards, at rome, one of the dirtiest of cities, and in the middle of { }summer, i recalled to mind, with a complacency i had never bestowed on them before, the scrubbing-brushes and the curd-white pails of philadelphia, and marvelled, as every one must, that in wet and cold countries people wash their houses so much, and that, in hot and dry countries, they do not wash them at all. with regard to the ordinary expenses of housekeeping, the most important branch of domestic duty which devolves upon the mistress is, to estimate and keep an exact account of the expenditure of her family. she may make this a simple affair by first ascertaining the sum of money to be allotted to it, and then making such arrangements as will confine the expenses rigidly _within_ that sum. by keeping a strict account of every article for the first three months, and making a due allowance for casualties, she will be able to form an estimate for the year; and if she find she has exceeded in these three months the allotted sum, she must examine each article, and decide where she can best diminish the expense; and then, having this average to go by, she may calculate how much to allow each month for meat, bread, groceries, washing, and sundries. having formed her plan, whatever excess circumstances may have required in one month, she must make up for in the next. i should not advise paying for everything at the moment, but rather once a week; for if a tradesman omit to keep an account of the money received for a particular article, he may, by mistake, make a charge for it, as something had upon trust. a weekly account has every advantage of ready money, and is a more convenient mode of payment. all tradesmen may be paid on a monday morning, the bills receipted, endorsed, and put by in a portfolio or case (which should have the date of the year on the outside), and they can then be referred to as vouchers, or to refresh the memory as to the price of any particular article. it is a satisfaction, independently of the pecuniary benefit, for the head of a family to be able, at the end of the year, to account to herself for what she has done with her money. having, in the arrangement of her house, and in the choice of her servants, kept in view the two main objects, namely, the comfort of her family, and the care of her purse, the young housekeeper ought to commence her career, by strictly adhering to order and regularity in the { }performance of those duties which devolve peculiarly upon herself. if the mistress of a house be regular in the superintendence of her domestic affairs, if she proceed every day to each department at the appointed time, and never pass over any neglect, in such a manner as to give the servants an idea that it had escaped her observation; if, in short, she be regular herself, her servants must be so too, and she will find the business of housekeeping a matter of no difficulty, and of comparatively little labour. the comfort and respectability of a house depend, in a great degree, upon the servants. clean, neatly-dressed, and well-behaved servants, always impress a visitor with a favourable idea of the mistress of a house; while it is scarcely possible not to be somewhat prejudiced against her, if they be the reverse. servants who understand their work, and do it without being continually looked after, are invaluable; and, as regards wages, not to be compared with ignorant and incapable ones, who perform their services only as they are directed at every turn. a few pounds a year more to a good servant is not, therefore, a consideration; the addition in wages will occasion little additional cost; for, the bad servant consumes as much as the other, and she wastes or damages more. the hours of meals should vary as little as possible; particularly the first meal of the day; for the work may be said to commence immediately after breakfast, and when that takes place one hour only, after the usual time, the whole business of the house is retarded. in even the most regular families, the time of dining may unavoidably be postponed. but this should happen as seldom as possible: for if the dinner ordered for five, be kept waiting till half-past six, one day, and, perhaps, later still another day, the cook may be prevented from performing some other part of her work, for which she had allotted the time; she will naturally be dissatisfied in having to consume that time in watching over the dinner; and if the dinner upon which she has, perhaps, exerted her utmost skill, be spoiled by waiting, she may be excused if she reproach herself for having taken so much trouble in its preparation. if the trial of her patience and temper be repeated, she will soon take little interest in pleasing her employers; she will { }take _her_ turn to be irregular, and that, perhaps, on some occasion when it may produce inconvenience to the family. under such circumstances, it would be unreasonable to find fault with the cook, who would only be following the bad example of those whose duty it is to preserve regularity. their hours for going to bed, and getting up, should be as early as other arrangements will permit. but, those ought to be so regulated as to make it unnecessary that the servants should be kept up late, except on extraordinary occasions. late dinners have, in a great measure, done away with hot suppers. where these are not eaten, the labours of the twenty-four hours may be ended by ten o'clock at night; and that is the latest hour at which the servants of a family of the middle rank, and of regular habits, ought to remain up. some one of the family should see that fires have been put out, and doors and windows secured. the honesty of servants depends, principally, upon their bringing up. but it also depends much, with young servants especially, upon the temptations to be dishonest they may have had to contend with; and it is the duty of every master and mistress to put all such temptations out of their way, as much as possible. the practice of locking up does not, as a matter of course, imply _distrust_, but it denotes _care_; and surely carefulness is one of the first principles to impress upon the mind of a poor person. i would as scrupulously avoid anything which should lead a servant to imagine that a drawer or tea-chest was locked up from _her_, as i would avoid giving the same idea to an acquaintance; but it is a culpable practice to leave tea, sugar, wine, or other things, open at all times, or only now and then locked up. the _habit_ is bad; and it is the result, not of generosity, but of negligence; it is also a habit which cannot fail to excite, in the minds of experienced and well-disposed servants, feelings rather of contempt, than of respect for their employers; while to the young, and more particularly to those of unsettled principles, it is nothing less than a temptation to crime. little pilferings at the tea-chest, perhaps, have been the beginning of that which has ended in depriving a poor girl of her character, and, consequently, of all chance of gaining her bread by honest means. to suspect servants of being disposed to be dishonest merely because they are servants, is as silly as it is unfeeling. i should { }never hesitate to give my keys to a servant, when it happened to be inconvenient to me to leave company, any more than i should hesitate to entrust them to one of my own family; but such an act of confidence is far different in its effects, from that neglect which often proceeds from mere idleness, and, while it proclaims a disregard of the value of property, is the occasion of much waste, and, in the end, proves as ruinous to the employer as it is fatal in the way of example to servants. that "_servants are plagues_" may be the fact; but when the hardships which belong to the life of a maid-servant are taken into consideration, the wonder is, that they are not less obedient to the will of their employers, and more callous to their displeasure, than we really find them. it is too much the habit to regard servants as inferior beings, hired and paid to perform certain services, but whose feelings are unworthy of the consideration of those upon whom they wait, for whom they cook, and whom they enable to sit at their ease, or to go about, and take their pleasure. true, they are paid for what they do; but how paid? not in a degree adequate to their services. the double or the treble of what they are paid, would not compensate us for the discomfort of having to work for ourselves. yet, "they are _paid_ for it," is said in justification of unreasonable demands upon the time, strength, and patience of servants; when, in fact, the whole of the pay to a female servant consists of that food, without which she would be unable to work, and of a sum of money, barely sufficient to keep her clothed, which she is required to be, for the credit of the house she lives in. ladies who shudder as they meet the cold air, in descending to their breakfast rooms, forget the sufferings of the female servant, who has, perhaps, gone to bed over-night exhausted by fatigue, but whose duty compels her to rise again, some hours before she is rested, to begin her work afresh, and to do over again all that had been done the day before. a lady who thinks her servant _sufficiently paid_ for all she endures, has never known what it is to get up in the dark of a cold winter morning, and to spend half-an-hour on her knees, labouring to produce a polish on the bars of a grate, which bars were burnt black yesterday, and will be burnt black again to-day. such a lady has never suffered from the drudgery of a kitchen, not { }from the scorching of a kitchen fire, either of which is sufficient to impair the constitution of any woman, independently of all that wearing of the spirits, which those exposed to such trials must experience. it is true, also, that it is by their own choice that servants go to service; they are not compelled to do so by any other law than that of necessity; but starvation is their only alternative; and we should think it hard to be reduced to the alternative of either starving to death, in the bloom of our youth, and of quitting a world which was made for us, as well as for our more fortunate fellow beings, or of yielding up the whole of our lives, to promote the ease of those who deem us amply rewarded, in being fed and clothed, and suffered to repose from toil, at those times only when their wants happen not to require our attention. the apprehension of lowering our dignity and encouraging disrespect, by giving way to familiarity with inferiors, is pleaded by some as an excuse for haughty and overbearing demeanour towards servants. but such as adopt that kind of demeanour are mistaken. there are few better judges of good breeding than servants. their ideas upon this subject are not formed by rules, or by fashions; but they have generally, from observation, a remarkably correct knowledge both of what is due to themselves, and of what is most becoming to the dignity of their superiors. i have occasionally been astonished at the quickness with which a servant has made the discovery, that some upstart person, notwithstanding her lofty bearing, "was no lady." the behaviour which characterises such persons is more likely to give rise to contempt, in those who are beneath them, than any behaviour that is unaffectedly conciliating and kind. to be loved, and to be cheerfully served, is for those only who respect the feelings, and consult the comfort of their dependents; and, as a single trait is often sufficient to reveal the whole character, they will most assuredly be disappointed, who expect to meet with the qualities which conduce to the happiness of domestic life, in a woman who considers the feelings of a female servant as unworthy of the same consideration as that which she gives to the feelings of others of her own sex. with regard to the general character and merits of servants, nothing is more common than the remark, that { }"servants are not so good as they used to be." this is surely an error. there cannot be a greater predisposition to misconduct in them now than formerly. it may be said, that there are more frequent instances of bad conduct; but this does not warrant the idea, that the servants of the present day have a degree of inborn viciousness from which those of times past were free. if all who rail at the negligences, the waste, the want of care, the dislike of work, and the liking for dress and for gadding, to which servants are as much addicted as their betters; if all such were themselves as free from fault as they would have their servants be, it would probably be found that the effect, what with precept and example combined, would be quite enough to banish this commonplace remark. the truth is, that the change which has taken place in the habits of the middle class, has produced a change, but a very natural change, in the habits of those of a more humble station. there exists now a greater degree of high living than formerly; and consequently, a want of frugality, a waste in all sorts of ways, formerly unknown. persons of moderate income keep more company than persons of the same class used to keep; they imitate the late hours, and other fashionable habits which used to be reckoned among the privileges of their superiors in fortune, instead of wisely avoiding emulation in such things, and keeping to their own more simple, and less hazardous mode of life. what wonder, then, if we find the most humble copying those of the middling, when the middling are doing all they can to rival those of the highest rank. servants were formerly more the object of care with their employers than they have been of late. when ladies gave a considerable portion of their time to domestic duties, and prided themselves on their skill in household matters, they were not above maintaining a certain degree of friendly intercourse with their servants. this afforded opportunities for giving good counsel, and for superintending their conduct, and was a more efficient check upon them than "a good scolding now and then," which many think better than "being always on the watch." in addressing myself to young persons, it may not be considered impertinent or foreign to the general purpose of this work, to offer a few remarks upon the subject of { }company. i do not mean in respect to the selection of friends and acquaintance, or the _kind_ of visitors proper to be invited, but simply as to the mode of entertaining them, which must, necessarily, be a matter of importance in housekeeping, and, therefore, comes properly within the scope of domestic economy. it should be a rule, not to invite such visitors as cannot be entertained without trespassing on the comforts and conveniences of the family. true hospitality may be enjoyed without much ceremony, and may be practised in the plainest manner; but when efforts to entertain _company_ disturb the usual arrangements of a house, they are inconsistent with their object. let nothing, therefore, be attempted which cannot be performed without difficulty; let nothing be provided which cannot be provided plentifully; let nothing which is necessary be wanting, and nothing produced which may seem to be out of place or uncalled for. do nothing, in short, which you cannot really afford to do; and the result will be, that while you consult your own ease, you will, at the same time, ensure that freedom from restraint which contributes, more than all besides, to make visiting agreeable, and which never fails to create in your departing guest, those mixed feelings of regret at going, but of pleasure at the prospect of returning, which are amongst the most flattering acknowledgments that genuine hospitality can receive. { }chapter ii. the store room. every housekeeper knows the value of a good store-room; for it seems to be little less essential than a good kitchen. few modern town residences, except those for large establishments, have a store-room sufficiently large to answer all its purposes. in the country a good store-room is so indispensable that where there is none it ought to be built; it should be on the same floor with, and as near as possible to, the kitchen; and as this would be on the ground floor, it would be necessary to make a cellar underneath, or to raise the building a little distance from the ground, to prevent its being damp, above all things to be guarded against, in a place where stores are kept. it may, perhaps, be kept dry by flues from the kitchen fire; and this would be a saving of fuel and labour; but if not practicable, the room should have a fire-place. if it be sufficiently large, and there be no other place for the purpose, there might be a closet, or press, for household linen. this should always be kept in a dry situation, and in some houses a small room is fitted up, with closets or presses round it, some of these having shelves or drawers for linen, and others with hooks, for a variety of things belonging to a family; but in this room there ought to be a fire-place, unless it be aired by one adjoining. in the store-room, there should be a closet or shelves for china and glass, not in every-day use. but as these ought to be free from dust, open shelves would not be so desirable as a closet; and if expense is not of importance, glass doors would be the most convenient. preserves and pickles require air; they will ferment if shut up, or the place very warm; and, therefore, open shelves are best for them; and they should be at a convenient distance from the ground, so as not to be out of sight, for they ought to be examined frequently, and the coverings dusted. for { }bottles of green gooseberries, peas, or any kind of fruit preserved dry, without sugar, have shelves with holes in them, to turn the bottles with their necks downwards. this effectually excludes the air. a dresser is a convenience in a store-room; or a table in the middle of the room may answer the purpose; but in either of these, or at the bottom of the linen press, there should be drawers for dusters, tea-cloths, &c., &c., unless they be kept in the pantry. there should be boxes for candles and soap, but as these smell, the store-boxes may be kept in a garret, or some dry place, and a smaller quantity in the store-room for immediate use. late in the summer is the best time to provide the year's stock of candles and soap. both are the better for being kept some time before they are used: and the latter should be cut in pieces the size required for the different household purposes, and left, before packed in the box, a few days exposed to the air; but not in a thorough draught, for that would cause the soap to crack. it is mismanagement to buy candles a few at a time, and soap just as it is wanted; and not good to buy cheap candles. the dearest articles are not always the best; but it is very certain that the best are the cheapest. good candles afford more light than bad; and do not waste, particularly if they have been kept some time, even for a year. there ought to be a place in the store-room appropriated to groceries, for they, too, should be laid in, not oftener than two or three times a year. the price of starch varies with the price of flour; and, therefore, as it keeps well, a stock should be laid in when flour is at a low price. rice keeps very well, and is useful in a family, particularly in the country, where new milk and eggs are plenty. we once kept a quantity more than three years, by spreading a well-aired linen sheet in a box, and folding it over the rice, the sheet lifted out on the floor, once in two or three months, and the rice spread about upon the sheet for a day or two. this had the effect of keeping away the weevil. jars and canisters, with closely fitting lids, for tea, sugar, coffee, cocoa, mustard, pepper, spices, and such things, will last many years. by giving, in the course of the year, one or two large orders, to any respectable shop, and always to the same one, you may pretty well depend upon { }being supplied with good articles; but not so, if you send here and there, and for small quantities at a time; besides the inconvenience of finding yourself, now and then, without the very thing which you want. to dispose of these things properly, they should be kept in a closet, some in earthen jars, others in tin or japan boxes; and the spices in little drawers very closely fitted. if drawers, which are preferable, they should be labelled. as it may be convenient sometimes to perform little culinary matters in the store-room, there should be a rolling pin, pasteboard, and pestle and mortar kept there, in addition to those of the kitchen, and on this account a small marble slab would be very useful, for making pastry in hot weather. the fire-place might have an oven attached to it; for though it would be imprudent to heat the store-room, on account of preserves, &c., it may be occasionally used, when there is more cooking than usual. besides which, in the season for making preserves, a hot plate in the store-room would be found useful. weights and scales of various sizes are absolutely necessary, that the housekeeper may be able to ascertain the weight of the largest joint of meat, as well as of the smallest quantity of spice. care should be taken to keep these in good order.--a hanging shelf is also a good thing in a store-room. here the flour-bin may find a place, if there be no other more suitable. a store-room of this description is not adapted for keeping fruit; it would be too warm, besides that the fruit might prove injurious to other stores, from the smell which it occasions. there are various methods of keeping apples through the winter; but scarcely any other will be found to succeed so well as that of making layers of fruit, and layers of perfectly fresh and dry straw, in hampers, boxes, or the corner of a dry room. the apples should be examined every now and then, the specked ones taken away for use, the others wiped, and covered up again. in hard frosts, windows that have no shutters could be covered with rugs, old carpet, or mats, and something of the same kind spread over the apples. when we were in america, we were surprised to find that our neighbours took so little care to preserve their apples, during the three months of unremitting hard frost, which occur in their winter season. they merely { }laid their apples on the floor of a spare room, sometimes of the barn, or of an outhouse, each sort by itself, and then covered them with a linen sheet. the people told us that their apples never became frozen, and attributed this to the dryness of the atmosphere. apples and pears may also be preserved in the following way. gather them on a dry day: wipe, and roll them, singly, in very soft paper, then pack them in jars, each containing about a gallon. put a cover on the jar, and cement it closely, so as to keep out the air; and place the jar in a dry cellar. when a jar is opened, the fruit will eat the better for being taken out of the paper, and exposed to the air of a warm room for two or three days. large baking pears may be suspended by their stalks on lines, placed across near the ceiling of a room. there are many ways of preserving grapes; but the best way is, to gather them with about five or six inches of the branch to each bunch, to seal the end with common sealing wax, and hang them to lines in a dry room. examine them frequently, and cut out the mouldy berries. nuts of all kinds may be preserved in jars, the covers cemented, the jars in a dry cellar. in this short sketch of what a store-room ought to be, even in the plainest houses in the country, many things requisite to the fitting up of a complete one are omitted. but one thing more necessary to be observed than any other, must not be omitted; which is, that it must be always in order, and everything kept in its proper place, or the main object in having it will be defeated. a store-room out of order can be compared to nothing but a drawer in a state of confusion. a lady once dressing in haste, to keep an appointment for which she was already too late, needed the assistance of all about her, to aid in her search for different articles necessary to complete her toilet. i sought a pair of gloves, and discovered many single ones of various sorts and colours, but no two to form a perfect match. and with this ill success must have ended my labours, if the drawer had not been regularly _put to rights_: and by the time that scarfs were folded, ribands rolled, collars smoothed, and scissors disentangled from sewing silk, half a dozen gloves were paired. the saving of time occasioned by observing order, and the waste of time occasioned by want of order, are { }incalculable. a general putting to rights, every now and then, does not answer the purpose, because, in that case, it is sure to happen that some things will find new places; and persons coming in a hurry be unable to find them. the mistress of a house, when she sends her servant or a child to a store-room, should be able to say precisely where what she wants may be found. negligence, and its companion disorder, are the two demons of housekeeping. once admit them, and, like the moth, they gradually but completely destroy. chapter iii. the pantry. what is commonly called the _butler's pantry_, does not of necessity imply the presence of a butler; nor does it require to be spacious, when the china and glass not in daily use are kept in the store-room. where women servants only are kept, the care of the pantry belongs either to the parlourmaid or the housemaid, and the same servant usually performs the office of laying the cloth, and waiting at table: which is always done better by women than by men servants, except it be the higher order of men servants, those who are in the daily practice of it, and whose occupation is in the house. the same hands which, in the morning, rubbed down the horses, swept the stable, cleaned the harness, and blackened the shoes, seem unfit to be employed in placing dishes on the dining-table, folding up napkins, and handling tea-things. it is almost impossible that occupations so widely differing should be equally well suited to one and the same person. the employing of men servants in work which properly belongs to women is highly objectionable; and nothing renders travelling in the south of france and italy so disagreeable as being waited on by men, acting as housemaids and chambermaids. if, indeed, men were employed to scrub the floor, wash the stone halls, and clean the dirty doorsteps in london, the lives of many female servants might be saved. but the more delicate { }occupations, such as wiping glasses, trimming candles, and waiting in the parlour, seem more suitable for women. some women servants, it is true, never learn to wait at table well; but, then, others are very expert at it. short people are generally the most nimble, but it is desirable that the servant who waits at table be tall, for the convenience of setting on and taking off dishes; and it requires long arms to carry heavy mahogany trays. practice is as necessary to good waiting as it is in any of the higher domestic occupations. the mistress, therefore, should require the same particularity in preparing the table, arranging the sideboard, and waiting at dinner, when her family dines alone, as she requires when there are visitors; because, in the latter case, an increase in number gives sufficient additional trouble to a servant, without her being thrown into confusion by having to do what she may have forgotten, from being out of practice. there is one item of expenditure in housekeeping which should not be too narrowly restricted, and that is the washing of table-cloths and napkins. the fineness is not so much a matter of consideration with me: neither should i desire a clean table-cloth every day, merely for the sake of the change; but, if at all soiled, i would rather not see it on the table again. it is a very neat practice to spread a napkin on the centre of the table, large or small according to the size of the latter, and to remove it with the meat. in italy this napkin is clean every day, and i have seen it folded in a three-cornered shape, and then crimped at the edges with the thumb and finger, which, when the napkin was spread out, gave it a pretty appearance. it is also a neat practice to place the dessert on the table cloth, and a convenient one too, where there are few servants, because the cloth saves the table; and rubbing spots out of dining tables, day after day, seems waste of labour. but the cloth must be preserved from gravy spots, or it will disgrace the dessert. a baize between two cloths is sometimes used, and this, being rolled up with the upper cloth and removed with the dinner, leaves the under cloth for the dessert. a table cloth _once folded_ may be laid over the one which is spread, and then removed with the dinner. a table cloth press is a convenience. the fitting up of the pantry must, in a great measure, be { }regulated by the style of the establishment, but, in any case, there should be a dresser, furnished with drawers, one for table cloths, napkins and mats (unless all these be kept in sideboard drawers); another for tea cloths, glass cloths, dusters, &c. &c., and another drawer lined with baize, for the plate which is in use. plate-leathers, flannels and brushes, kept in a bag; and the cloths and brushes used in cleaning furniture, in another bag, to preserve them from dust. a small sink, with the water laid on, indispensable. there should also be a horse, or lines, for drying tea and glass cloths upon. china and glass, whether plain or of the finest kind, require to be kept equally clean; and the servant whose business this is ought to have soft cloths for the purpose. china should be washed in warm water, with a piece of flannel, and wiped with a clean and soft cloth, or it will look dull. glass washed in cold water, drained nearly dry, and then wiped; if the cloth be not clean and dry, the glasses will not look clear. for cut glass a brush, because a cloth will not reach into the crevices to polish it; and dull looking salts, or other cut glass, spoil the appearance of a table. wash lamps and lustres with soap and cold water. when looking glasses are become tarnished and dull, thump them over with a linen bag containing powdered blue, and wipe it off with a soft cloth. paper trays are the best, considering the small difference in the price, compared with the great difference in the appearance: it would be better to save in many other things, than to hear tea-things, glasses, or snuffers, jingle on japan. paper trays are very durable, if taken care of. they will seldom require washing; but when they do, the water should only be lukewarm, for if hot water be poured on them the paper will blister. wipe clean with a wet cloth, and when dry, dust a little flour over, and wipe that off with a soft cloth. to prevent their being scratched, keep tea-boards and trays in green baize cases, under the dresser of the pantry, or, if convenient, hung against the wall, to be out of the way, when not in use. plate, plain, handsome, old or new, looks badly, if not perfectly clean and polished. washing is of great consequence; and if in cold soft water, wiped dry with a linen cloth, and then polished with leather, it will not want any other cleaning oftener than once a week. unskilful { }servants may do great injury by using improper things to polish plate, or by rubbing it too hard, for that may bend it. plate should be kept covered up, when not in use, to preserve it from tarnish. tea pots, coffee pots, sugar bowls, cream jugs, candlesticks, and all large things, each in a separate bag of cloth, baize, or leather; a lined basket for that which is in daily use, preserves it from scratches. where there is neither butler, nor housekeeper, to take charge of it, the mistress of the house usually has the plate basket taken at night into her own room, or that of some one of the family, where it may, occasionally, be looked over and compared with the inventory, kept in the basket. if a spoon or any article be missing, it should be immediately inquired after; the effect of this will be that the servant who has the care of these things will take more care of them for the future. it has happened to us to have spoons found, at different times, in the pig-sty, which had been thrown out in the wash. if they had not been discovered there, the servant, who was only careless, might have been suspected of dishonesty. _to clean plate._ having ready two leathers, and a soft plate brush for crevices, and the plate being washed clean, which it always should be first, rub it with a mixture of prepared chalk, bought at the chemist's, and spirits of wine; let it dry, rub it off with flannel, and polish with leather. i find this the best way of all. much of the labour necessary to keep tables in good order might be saved, if mats were used, when jugs of hot water are placed on the table; and, also, if the servant were brought to apply a duster, the instant any accident had occurred to cause a stain. for this purpose a clean and white duster should always be in readiness. rosewood and all polished, japanned, or other ornamental furniture, is best _dusted_ with a silk handkerchief, and wiped with a soft leather. china and all ornaments dusted with clean leathers. so little furniture is now used which is not _french polished_, that i shall only give the plainest receipt i know of, for cleaning mahogany. take out ink spots with salts of lemon; wet the spot with water, put on enough to cover it, let it be a quarter of an hour, and if not disappeared, put { }a little more. wash the table clean with stale beer, let it dry, then brush it well with a clean furniture brush. to polish it, use the following furniture paste:--½ lb. beeswax, turpentine to moisten it, _or_ spirits of wine, melt it, stirring well, and put by in a jar for use. rub some on with a soft cloth, rub it off directly, and polish with another soft cloth. nothing betrays slovenliness and want of attention more than ill-used and badly cleaned knives and forks. plate, glass and china, however common, may be made to answer every purpose; but knives and forks ought to be good in quality, or they soon wear out, and nothing looks so bad on a table as bad knives and forks, and when good they are so expensive that it is unpardonable not to take care of them. carving knives are of great consequence; there should be a judicious assortment of them, to suit various joints, or different carvers, and particular attention paid to their cleaning and sharpening. when it can be done, knives and forks should be cleaned immediately after they have been used; but when not, they ought, if possible, to be dipped in warm (not hot) water, wiped dry, and laid by till the time of cleaning comes. after bath brick has been used, dip the handles into lukewarm water, or wipe them with a soaped flannel, and then with a dry soft cloth. inexperienced men servants seldom _wipe_ knives and forks sufficiently; but it is next to impossible for a woman to clean them well, and it is a masculine occupation. to preserve those not in daily use from rust, rub with mutton fat, roll each one in brown paper, and keep in a dry place. a good knife-board indispensable; covered with leather saves the steel, but the knives not so sharp as if cleaned on a board, and bath brick. both knives and forks are the better for being occasionally plunged into fresh fine earth, for a few minutes. it sweetens them. knife-trays do not always have so much care as they ought to have. out of sight when in the dining-room, they are often neglected in the pantry; but they ought to be as clean as the waiters on which glasses are handed. the tray made of basket work and lined with tin, is best; there should be a clean cloth spread in it, before it is brought into the parlour, and also one in the second tray to receive the knives and forks, as they are taken from the table. { }chapter iv. the larder. a good larder is essential to every house. it should have a free circulation of air through it, and not be exposed to the sun. if it can be so contrived, the larder ought to be near the kitchen, for the convenience of the cook. for a family of moderate style of living it need not be very roomy. there should be large and strong hooks for meat and poultry; a hanging shelf so placed as for the cook to reach it with ease; and a safe, either attached to the wall, or upon a stand, for dishes of cold meat, pastry, or anything which would be exposed to dust and flies on the shelf. wire covers should be provided for this purpose, and in hot weather, when it may be necessary to place dishes of meat on a brick floor, these covers will be found to answer every purpose of a safe. there should be a pan, with a cover, for bread, another for butter, and one for cheese. a shelf for common earthenware bowls, dishes, &c., &c., &c. cold meat, and all things left from the dinner, should be put away in common brown or yellow ware; there ought to be an ample supply of these. tubs and pans for salted meat sometimes stand in the dairy, but it is not the proper place for them, for meat ought not to be kept in a dairy. meat should be examined every day in cold, and oftener in warm weather, as it sometimes taints very soon. scrape off the outside, if the least appearance of mould, on mutton, beef, or venison; and flour the scraped parts. by well peppering meat you may keep away flies, which cause so much destruction in a short time. but a very coarse cheese-cloth, wrapped round the joint, is more effectual, if the meat is to be dressed soon. remove the kidneys, and all the suet, from loins which are wanted to hang long, in warm or close weather, and carefully wipe and flour that part of the meat. before you put meat which is rather stale to the fire, wipe it with a cloth dipped in vinegar. a { }joint of beef, mutton, or venison, may be saved by being wrapped in a cloth and buried, over night, in a hole dug in fresh mould. neither veal, pork, or lamb should be kept long. poultry and game keep for some length of time, if the weather be dry and cold, but if moist or warm, will be more liable to taint, than venison or any kind of meat, except veal. a piece of charcoal put inside of any kind of poultry will greatly assist to preserve it. poultry should be picked, drawn and cropped. do not wash, but wipe it clean, and sprinkle the parts most likely to taint with powdered loaf sugar, salt, and pepper. as i should reject the use of all chemical processes, for the preservation of meat, i do not recommend them to others. frost has a great effect upon meat, poultry, and game. some cooks will not be persuaded of the necessity for its being completely _thawed before it is put near the fire_; yet it neither roasts, boils, nor eats well, unless this be done. if slightly frozen, the meat may be recovered, by being five or six hours in the kitchen; _not_ near the fire. another method is, to plunge a joint into a tub of _cold_ water, let it remain two or three hours, or even longer, and the ice will appear on the outside. meat should be cooked immediately after it has been thawed, for it will keep no longer. if the tastes of all persons were simple and unvitiated, there would be little occasion for the cook's ingenuity to preserve meat after it has begun to putrefy. an objection to meat in that state, does not arise merely from distaste, but from a conviction of its being most unwholesome. there may have been a difference of opinion among the scientific upon this subject: but, it seems now to be generally considered by those who best understand such matters, that when meat has become poisonous to the air, it is no longer good and nutritious food. the fashion of eating meat _à la cannibale_, or half raw, being happily on the decline, we may now venture to express our dislike to eat things which are half decomposed, without incurring the charge of vulgarity. salting and curing meat. the counties of england differ materially in their modes of curing bacon and pork; but the palm of excellency in { }bacon has so long been decreed to hampshire, that i shall give no other receipts for it, but such as are practised in that, and the adjoining counties. the best method of keeping, feeding, and killing pigs, is detailed in cobbett's _cottage economy_; and there, also, will be found directions for salting and smoking the flitches, in the way commonly practised in the farm-houses in hampshire. the _smoking_ of bacon is an important affair, and experience is requisite to give any thing like perfection in the art. the process should not be too slow nor too much hurried. the skin should be made of a dark brown colour, but not black; for by smoking the bacon till it becomes black, it will also be made hard, and cease to have any flavour but that of rust.--before they are dressed, both bacon and hams require to be soaked in water; the former an hour or two, the latter, all night, or longer, if very dry. but, according to some, the best way to soak a ham is to bury it in the earth, for one, two, or three nights and days, according to its state of dryness. meat will not take salt well either in frosty or in warm weather. every thing depends upon the first rubbing; and the salt, or pickle, should not only be well rubbed in, but this is best done by a hard hand. the following general direction for salting meat may be relied on:--" lbs. of salt, lb. of coarse sugar, and oz. of saltpetre, boiled in gallons of water, skimmed and allowed to cool, forms a very strong pickle, which will preserve any meat completely immersed in it. to effect this, which is essential, either a heavy board or flat stone must be laid upon the meat. the same pickle may be used repeatedly, provided it be boiled up occasionally with additional salt to restore its strength, diminished by the combination of part of the salt with the meat, and by the dilution of the pickle by the juices of the meat extracted. by boiling, the _albumen_, which would cause the pickle to spoil, is coagulated and rises in the form of scum, which must be carefully removed." it is a good practice to wash meat before it is salted. this is not generally done; but pieces of pork, and, more particularly, beef and tongues, should first lie in cold spring water, and then be well washed to cleanse them from all impurities, in order to ensure their being free from taint; after which, drain the meat, and it will take the salt much { }quicker for the washing.--examine it well; and be careful to take all the kernels out of beef. some persons like salted meat to be red. for this purpose, saltpetre is necessary. otherwise, the less use is made of it the better, as it tends to harden the meat. sweet herbs, spices, and even garlic, may be rubbed into hams and tongues, with the pickle, according to taste. bay salt gives a nice flavour. sugar is generally used in curing hams, tongues and beef; for the two latter some recommend lump sugar, others treacle, to make the meat eat short. in cold weather salt should be warmed before the fire. indeed, some use it quite hot. this causes it to penetrate more readily into the meat than it does when rendered hard and dry by frost. salting troughs or tubs should be clean, and in an airy place. after meat of any kind has been once well rubbed, keep it covered close, not only with the lid of the vessel, but, in addition, with the thick folds of some woollen article, in order to exclude the air. this is recommended by good housekeepers; yet in hampshire the trough is sometimes left uncovered, the flitches purposely exposed to the air. _to cure bacon._ as soon as the hog is cut up, sprinkle salt thickly over the flitches, and let them lie on a brick floor all night. then wipe the salt off, and lay them in a salting trough. for a large flitch of bacon, allow gallons of salt, lb. of bay salt, cakes of salt prunella, a ¼ lb. of saltpetre, and lb. of common moist sugar; divide this mixture into two parts; rub one half into it the first day, and rub it in _well_. the following day rub the other half in, and continue to rub and turn the flitch every day for three weeks. then hang the flitches to drain, roll them in bran, and hang them to smoke, in a wood-fire chimney. the more quickly, in reason, they are smoked, the better the bacon will taste. _to cure a ham._ let a leg of pork hang for three days; then beat it with a rolling pin, and rub into it oz. of saltpetre finely { }powdered, and mixed with a small quantity of common salt; let it lie all night. make the following pickle: a quart of stale strong beer, ½ lb. of bay salt, ½ lb. of common salt, and the same of brown sugar; boil this twenty minutes, then wipe the ham dry from the salt, and with a wooden ladle, pour the pickle, by degrees, and as hot as possible, over the ham; and as it cools, rub it well into every part. rub and turn it every day, for a week; then hang it, a fortnight, in a wood-smoke chimney. when you take it down, sprinkle black pepper over the bone, and into the holes, to keep it safe from hoppers, and hang it up in a thick paper bag. _another._ for one of lb. weight. rub the rind side of the ham with ¼ lb. of brown sugar, then rub it with lb. of salt, and put it in the salting-pan, then rub a little of the sugar, and oz. of saltpetre, and oz. salt prunel, pounded, on the lean side, and press it down; in three days turn it and rub it well with the salt in the pan, then turn it in the pickle for three weeks; take it out, scrape it well, dry it with a clean cloth, rub it slightly with a little salt, and hang it up to dry. _another._ beat the ham well on the fleshy side with a rolling pin, then rub into it, on every part, oz. of saltpetre, and let it lie one night. then take a ½ pint of common salt, and a ¼ pint of bay salt, and lb. of coarse sugar or treacle; mix these ingredients, and make them very hot in a stew-pan, and rub in well for an hour. then take ½ a pint more of common salt and lay all over the ham, and let it lie on till it melts to brine; keep the ham in the pickle three weeks or a month, till you see it shrink. this is sufficient for a large ham. _another, said to be equal to the westphalian._ rub a large fat ham well, with oz. of pounded saltpetre, oz. of bay salt, and a ¼ lb. of lump sugar: let it lie two days. prepare a pickle as follows: boil in quarts { }of stale ale, lb. of bay salt, lb. of common salt, ¾ lb. of lump sugar, oz. of salt prunella, oz. of pounded black pepper, and ½ an oz. of cloves; boil this well, and pour it boiling hot over the ham. rub and turn it every day for three weeks or a month; then smoke it for about a fortnight. _to cure a mutton ham._ a hind quarter must be cut into the shape of a ham: rub into it the following mixture: ¼ lb. saltpetre, ¼ lb. bay salt, lb. common salt, and ¼ lb. loaf sugar; rub well, every other day, for a fortnight, then take it out, press it under a weight for one day, then hang it to smoke ten or fifteen days. it will require long soaking, if kept any length of time, before it is dressed. boil very gently, three hours. it is eaten cut in slices, and these broiled for breakfast or lunch.--_or_; the ham smoked longer, not boiled, but slices very thinly shaved to eat by way of relish at breakfast. _to pickle pork._ for a hog of score.--when it is quite cold, and cut up in pieces, have well mixed gallons of common salt, and ½ lb. of saltpetre; with this, rub well each piece of pork, and as you rub, pack it in a salting tub, and sprinkle salt between each layer. put a heavy weight on the top of the cover, to prevent the meat's swimming. if kept close and tight in this way, it will keep for a year or two. _leg of pork._ proceed as above, salt in proportion, but leave out the saltpetre if you choose. the hand and _spring_ also, in the same way--and a week sufficient for either. rub and turn them every day. _pig's head_ in the same way, but it will require two weeks. _to pickle a tongue._ rub the tongue over with common salt; and cut a slit in the root, so that the salt may penetrate. drain the tongue next day, and rub it over with oz. of bay salt, { } oz. of saltpetre, and oz. of lump or coarse sugar, all mixed together. this pickle should be poured over the tongue, with a spoon, every day, as there will not be sufficient liquor to cover it. it will be ready to dress in three weeks or a month. _to salt beef._ be sure to take out the _kernels_, and also be sure to fill up the holes with salt, as well as those which the butcher's skewers have made. in frosty weather, take care that the meat be not frozen; also, to warm the salt before the fire, or in a frying pan. for a piece of lb. weight.--sprinkle the meat with salt, and let it lie twenty-four hours; then hang it up to drain. take oz. of saltpetre, a ½ oz. of salt prunella, a ¼ lb. of very coarse sugar, oz. of common salt, all finely powdered, and rub it well into the beef. rub and turn it every day. it will be ready to dress in ten days, but may be kept longer. _to salt a round of beef._ for one of lb. weight.--rub common salt well into it all over and in every part, cover it well with salt: rub it well next day, pouring the brine over the meat. repeat this every day for a fortnight, when it will be ready. let it drain for minutes, when you are going to cook it. you may, if you wish it to look red, add oz. salt prunel, and lb. saltpetre to the pickle. _an edge bone._ to one of or lb. weight allow ¾ lb. of salt, and oz. of moist sugar. rub these well into the meat. repeat the rubbing every day, turning the meat also, and it will be ready to dress in four or five days. _tongue beef._ after the tongues are taken out of the pickle, wash and wipe dry a piece of flank or brisket of beef; sprinkle with salt, and let it lie a night; then hang it to drain, rub in a { }little fresh salt, and put the beef into the pickle; rub and turn it every day for three or four days, and it will be ready to dress, and if the pickle have been previously well prepared, will be found to have a very fine flavour. _to smoke beef._ cut a round into pieces of lb. weight each, and salt them very well; when sufficiently salted, hang the pieces in a wood-smoke chimney to dry, and let them hang three or four weeks. this may be grated, for breakfast or luncheon. _another._--cut a leg of beef like a ham, and to one of lb. make a pickle of lb. salt, lb. brown sugar, oz. saltpetre, and oz. bay salt. rub and turn the ham every day for a month, then roll it in bran and smoke it. hang it in a dry place. broil it in slices. _to make pickle for brawn._ to rather more than a sufficient quantity of water to cover it, put or handsful of bran, a few bay leaves, also salt enough to give a strong relish; boil this an hour and a half, then strain it. when cold, pour the pickle from the sediment into a pan, and put the meat into it. any of these pickles may be used again. first boil it up and take off all the scum. ---- the seasons for meat, poultry, game, and vegetables. it is always the best plan to deal with a respectable butcher, and to keep to the same one. he will find his interest in providing his regular customers with good meat, and the _best_ is always the _cheapest_, even though it may cost a little more money. _beef_ is best and cheapest from michaelmas to midsummer. _veal_ is best and cheapest from march to july. _mutton_ is best from christmas to midsummer. _grass lamb_ is best from easter to june. _house lamb_ comes in in february. _poultry_ is in the greatest perfection, when it is in the greatest plenty, which it is about september. { }_chickens_ come in the beginning of april, but they may be had all the year round. _fowls_ are dearest in april, may, and june, but they may be had all the year round, and are cheapest in september, october, and november. _capons_ are finest at christmas. _poulards_, with _eggs_, come in in march. _green geese_ come in in march, and continue till september. _geese_ are in full season in september, and continue till february. _turkey poults_ come in in april, and continue till june. _turkeys_ are in season from september till march, and are cheapest in october and november. _ducks_ are in season from june till february. _wild ducks_, _widgeons_, _teal_, _plovers_, _pintails_, _larks_, _snipes_, _woodcocks_, from the end of october till the end of march. _tame pigeons_ are in season all the year, _wild pigeons_ from march till september. _pea-fowl_ (young ones) from january till june. _partridges_ from st september till january. _pheasants_ from st october till january. _grouse_ from the th of august till christmas, also _black cocks_ and _grey hens_. _guinea fowls_ from the end of january till may; their eggs are much more delicate than common ones. _hares_ from september to march. _leverets_ from march to september. _rabbits_ all the year round. _fish._ the seasons of fish frequently vary; therefore the surest way to have it good is to confide in the honesty of respectable fishmongers; unless, indeed, you are well acquainted with the several sorts, and have frequent practice in the choosing of it. no fish when out of season can be wholesome food. _turbot_ is in season from september to may. fish of this kind do not all spawn at the same time; therefore, there are good as well as bad all the year round. the finest are brought from the dutch coast. the belly of a turbot { }should be cream coloured, and upon pressing your finger on this part, it should spring up. a turbot eats the better for being kept two or three days. where there is any apprehension of its not keeping, a little salt may be sprinkled on it, and the fish hung in a cool dry place. _salmon._--this favourite fish is the most unwholesome of all. it ought never to be eaten unless perfectly fresh, and in season. salmon is in season from christmas till september. the severn salmon, indeed, is in season in november, but it is then obtained only in small quantities. this, and the thames salmon, are considered the best. that which comes from scotland, packed in ice, is not so good. _salmon peel_ are very nice flavoured, but much less rich than large salmon; come in june. _cod_ is in perfection at christmas; but it comes in, generally, in october; in the months of february and march it is poor, but in april and may it becomes finer. the dogger bank cod are considered the best. good cod fish are known by the yellow spots on a pure white skin. in cold weather they will keep a day or two. _skate_, _haddocks_, _soles_, _plaice_, and _flounders_ are in season in january, as well as _smelts_ and _prawns_. in february, _lobsters_ and _herrings_ become more plentiful; _haddocks_ not in such good flavour as they were. in march _salmon_ becomes plentiful, but is still dear. and in this month the _john dory_ comes in. in april _smelts_ and _whiting_ are plentiful; and _mackerel_ and _mullet_ come in; also river _trout_. in may _oysters_ go out of season, and _cod_ becomes not so good; excepting these, all the fish that was in season at christmas, is in perfection in this month. in june _salmon_, _turbot_, _brill_, _skate_, _halibut_, _lobsters_, _crabs_, _prawns_, _soles_, _eels_ and _whiting_ are plentiful and cheap. middling sized lobsters are best, and must weigh heavy to be good. the best crabs measure about eight inches across the shoulders. the silver eel is the best, and, next to that, the copper-brown backed eel. a humane method of putting this fish to death is to run a sharp-pointed skewer or fine knitting needle into the spinal marrow, through the back part of the skin, and life will instantly cease. in july fish of all sorts plentiful, except oysters, and about at the cheapest. cod not in much estimation. { }in the months of august and september, particularly the former, fish is considered more decidedly unwholesome than at any other time of the year, and more especially in london. _oysters_ come in, and _turbot_ and _salmon_ go out of season. in choosing oysters, natives are best; they should be eaten as soon after they are opened as possible. there are various ways of _keeping_ and _feeding_ oysters, for which see index. in october _cod_ comes in good season, also _haddocks_, _brill_, _tench_, and every sort of shell fish. in november most sorts of fish are to be got, but all are dear. _oysters_ are excellent in this month. _fresh herrings_ from november to january. _river eels_ all the year. _red mullet_ come in may. _flounders_ and _plaice_ in june. _sprats_ beginning of november. _gurnet_ is best in the spring. _sturgeon_ in june. _yarmouth mackerel_ from may till august. _vegetables._ _artichokes_ are in season from july to october. _jerusalem artichokes_ from september till june. _asparagus_, forced, may be obtained in january; the natural growth, it comes in about the middle of april, and continues through may, june, and july. _french beans_, forced, may be obtained in february, of the natural growth, the beginning of july; and they continue in succession through august. _red beet_ is in season all the year. _scotch cale_ in november. _brocoli_ in october. _cabbage_ of most sorts in may, june, july, and august. _cardoons_ from november till march. _carrots_ come in in may. _cauliflowers_, the beginning of june. _celery_, the beginning of september. _corn salad_, in may. _cucumbers_ may be forced as early as march; of their natural growth they come in july, and are plentiful in august and september. { }_endive_ comes in in june, and continues through the winter. _leeks_ come in in september, and continue till the spring. _lettuce_, both the coss and the cabbage, come in about april, and continue to the end of august. _onions_, for keeping, in august. _parsley_, all the year. _parsnips_ come in in october; but they are not good until the frost has touched them. _peas_, the earliest forced, come in about the beginning of may; of their natural growth, about the beginning of june, and continue till the end of august. _potatoes_, forced, in the beginning of march; and the earliest of natural growth in may. _radishes_, about the beginning of march. _small salad_, in may and june; but may be had all the year. _salsify_ and _scorzonera_, in july and august. _sea kale_ may be found as early as december or january, but of the natural growth it comes in in april and may. _eschalots_, for keeping, in august and three following months. _spring spinach_, in march, april, and three following months. _winter spinach_ from october through the winter. _turnips_, of the garden, in may; but the field turnips, which are best, in october. { }chapter v. the kitchen. the benefit of a good kitchen is well known to every housekeeper, but it is not every mistress that is aware of the importance of having a good cook. i have seen kitchens which, though fitted up with every convenience, and certainly at considerable expense, yet failed to send forth good dinners, merely because the lady of the house was not happy in her choice of a cook. i do not in the least admire gourmands, or gourmandism; and yet i would be more particular in selecting the servant who is to perform the business of preparing the food of the family, than i should deem it necessary to be in selecting any of the other servants. in large establishments there is a greater quantity of cookery to be performed, and, consequently, a greater quantity of waste is likely to be caused by unskilful cooks, than there can be in small families; but even in the latter considerable waste may be the consequence of saving a few pounds a year in the wages of a cook. an experienced cook knows the value of the articles submitted to her care; and she knows how to turn many things to account which a person unacquainted with cooking would throw away. a good cook knows how to convert the remains of one dinner into various dishes to form the greater part of another dinner; and she will, also, be more capable than the other of forwarding her mistress's charitable intentions; for her capability in cooking will enable her to take advantage of everything which can be spared from the consumption of the family, to be converted into nourishing food for the poor, for those of her own class who have not the comfort of a home such as she herself enjoys. the cook who knows how to preserve the pot-liquor of fresh meat to make soup, will, whenever she boils mutton, fowls, or rabbits, &c., &c., carefully scum it, and, by adding peas, other vegetables, or crusts of bread, and proper seasonings, make some tolerable soup for poor { }people, out of materials which would otherwise be thrown away. to be a good cook she must take pleasure in her occupation; for the requisite painstaking cannot be expected from a person who dislikes the fire, or who entertains a disgust for the various processes necessary to convert meat into savoury dishes. but a cook who takes pride in sending a dinner well dressed to table, may be _depended upon_, and that is of great importance to the mistress of a house: for though englishmen may not be such connoisseurs in eating as frenchmen, i question whether french husbands are more dissatisfied with a badly-cooked dinner than english husbands are. dr. kitchener observes, "god sends us victuals, but _who_ sends us cooks?" and the observation is not confined to the doctor, for the walls of many a dining-room have echoed it, to the great discomfiture of the lady presiding at the head of the table. ladies might, if they would, be obliged to confess that many ill humours had been occasioned by either under or over roasted meat, cold plates, or blunt knives; and perhaps these _are_ grounds for complaint. of the same importance as the cooking is neatness in serving the dinner, for there is a vast difference in its appearance if neatly and properly arranged in hot dishes, the vegetables and sauces suitable to the meat, and _hot_--there is a vast difference between a dinner so served, and one a part of which is either too much or too little cooked, the meat parting from the bone in one case, or looking as if barely warmed through in the other case; the gravy chilled and turning to grease, some of the vegetables watery, and others crisped, while the edges of the dishes are slopped, and the block-tin covers look dull. a leg of mutton or piece of beef, either boiled or roasted--so commonly the dinner of a plain-living family--requires as much skill and nicety as the most complicated made dishes; and a plain dinner well cooked and served is as tempting to the appetite as it is creditable to the mistress of the house, who invariably suffers in the estimation of her guests for the want of ability in her servants. the elegance of the drawing-room they have just left is forgotten by those who are suffocating from the over-peppered soup; and the coldness of the plate on which is handed a piece of turbot bearing a reddish hue, may hold a place in the memory of a visitor, to { }the total obliteration of the winning graces, and agreeable conversation, of the lady at the head of the table. it is impossible to give particular directions for fitting up a kitchen, because so much must depend upon the number of servants, and upon what is required in the way of cookery. it was the fashion formerly to adorn it with a quantity of copper saucepans, stewpans, &c., &c., very expensive, and troublesome to keep clean. many of these articles, which were regularly scoured once a week, were not, perhaps, used once in the year. a young lady ought, if she has a good cook, to be guided by her, in some measure, in the purchase of kitchen utensils; for the accommodation of the cook, if she be a reasonable person, ought to be consulted. but, where there is no kitchen-maid to clean them, the fewer coppers and tins the better. it is the best plan to buy, at first, only just enough for use, and to replace these with new ones as they wear out; but all stewpans, saucepans, frying-pans, &c., &c., should be kept in good order--that is to say, clean and in good repair. some of the best cooks say that iron and block tin answer every purpose. there is an useful, but somewhat expensive, article, called the _bain-marie_, for heating made dishes and soups, and keeping them hot for any length of time, without over-cooking them. a _bain-marie_ will be found very useful to persons who are in the habit of having made dishes. a _braising_ kettle and a _stock-pot_ also; and two or three cast-iron _digesters_, of from one to two gallons, for soups and gravies. saucepans should be washed and scoured as soon as possible after they have been used: wood ashes, or very fine sand, may be used. they should be rinsed in clean water, wiped dry (or they will rust), and then be turned down on a clean shelf. the upper rim may be kept bright, but it seems labour lost to scour that part where the fire reaches; besides which, the more they are scoured the more quickly they wear out. copper utensils must be well tinned, or they become poisonous. never allow anything to be put by in a copper vessel; but the fatal consequences of neglect in this particular are too well known for it to be necessary here to say much in the way of caution. the fire-place is a matter of great importance. i have not witnessed the operations of many of the steam cooking apparatuses, which the last thirty years have produced, but { }the few i have seen do not give me satisfaction. it is certainly desirable that every _possible_ saving should be made in the consumption of coals; but it is _not possible_ to have cooking in perfection, without a proper degree of heat; and, as far as my observation has gone, meat cannot be well roasted unless before a good fire. i should save in many things rather than in coals; and am often puzzled to account for the false economy which leads persons to be sparing of their fuel, whilst they are lavish in other things infinitely less essential. a cook has many trials of her temper, but none so difficult to bear as the annoyance of a bad fire; for she cannot cook her dinner well, however much she may fret herself in the endeavour; and the waste caused by spoiling meat, fish, poultry, game, &c., is scarcely made up for by saving a few shillings in coals. "economy in fuel" is so popular, that every species of invention is resorted to, in order to go without fire; and the price of coals is talked of in a fine drawing room, where the shivering guest turns, and often in vain, to seek comfort from the fire, which, alas! the brightly polished grate does not contain. the beauty of the cold marble structure which rises above it, and is reflected in the opposite mirror, is a poor compensation for the want of warmth. i advise young housekeepers to bear in mind, that of the many things which may be saved in a house, without lessening its comforts, firing is _not_ one. it is best to lay in coals in the month of august or september, to last until the spring. they should be of the best kind; paid for in ready money, to prevent an additional charge for credit. the first year of housekeeping will give a pretty correct average to go by: and then the consumption should be watched, but not too rigidly. to return to the fire-place.--perhaps there is no apparatus more convenient for a family of moderate style of living than the common kitchen range, that which has a boiler for hot water on one side, and an oven on the other side. it is a great convenience to have a constant supply of hot water, and an advantage to possess the means of baking a pie, pudding, or cake; and this may always be done, when there is a large fire for boiling or roasting. there is a great difference in the construction of these little ovens. we have had several, and only three which { }answered; and these were all, i believe, by different makers.--a _hot plate_ is also an excellent thing, as it requires but little fire to keep it sufficiently hot for any thing requiring gradual cooking; and is convenient for making preserves, which should never be exposed to the fierceness of a fire. the charcoal stoves are useful, and so easily constructed that a kitchen should not be without one. there is a very nice thing, called a _dutch stove_, but i do not know whether it is much in use in england. on a rather solid frame-work, with four legs, about a foot from the ground, is raised a round brick-work, open at the top sufficiently deep to receive charcoal, and in the front, a little place to take out the ashes; on the top is a trivet, upon which the stew-pan, or preserving-pan, or whatever it may be, is placed. this is easily moved about, and in the summer could be placed anywhere in the cool, and would, therefore, be very convenient for making preserves.--where there is much cooking, a _steamer_ is convenient; it may be attached to the boiler of the range. i have seen lamb and mutton which had been steamed, and which in appearance was more delicate than when boiled, and equally well flavoured. but there is an _uncertainty_ in cooking meat by steam, and, besides, there is no liquor for soup. puddings cook well by steam.--the _jack_ is an article of great consequence, and also a troublesome one, being frequently out of repair. a _bottle-jack_ answers very well for a small family; and where there is a good _meat screen_ (which is indispensable), a stout nail and a skein of worsted will, provided the cook be not called away from the kitchen, be found to answer the purpose of a spit. there are now so many excellent weighing-machines, of simple construction, that there ought to be one in every kitchen, to weigh joints of meat as they come from the butcher, and this will enable the cook to weigh flour, butter, sugar, spices, &c., &c. the cook should be allowed a sufficiency of kitchen cloths and brushes, suitable to her work. plates and dishes will not look clear and bright unless rinsed in clean water, after they are washed, then drained, and wiped dry with a cloth which is not greasy. a handful of bran in the water will produce a fine polish on crockery ware. { }as they do not cost much, there need be no hesitation to allow plenty of jelly-bags, straining cloths, tapes, &c. &c. these should be very clean, and scalded in hot water before they are used. there should be a table in the middle of the kitchen, or so situated as not to be exposed to a current of air, to arrange the dishes upon, that blunders may not be committed in placing them upon the dining-table. much of the pleasure which the lady at the head of her table may feel at seeing her guests around her, is destroyed by the awkward mistakes of servants in waiting; who, when they discover that they have done wrong, frequently become too frightened and confused to repair the error they have committed. the cook in a small family should have charge of the beer; and where there are no men servants, it should be rather good than weak, for the better in quality, the more care will be taken of it. when more is drawn than is wanted, a burnt crust will keep it fresh from one meal to another, but for a longer time it should be put into a bottle, and corked close; it would be well for the cook to keep a few different sized bottles, so that the beer may not stand to become flat before she bottle it. a clock, in or near the kitchen, will tend to promote punctuality. but the lady herself should see to its being regulated, or this piece of furniture may do more harm than good. there is nothing fitter to be under lock and key than the clock, for, however true to time, when not interfered with, it is often made to bear false testimony. that good understanding which sometimes subsists between the clock and the cook, and which is brought about by the instrumentality of a broom-handle, or some such magic, should be noted by every prudent housekeeper as one of the things to be guarded against. the kitchen chimney should be frequently swept; besides which, the cook should, once or twice a week, sweep it as far as she can reach; for where there are large fires in old houses, accidents sometimes occur; and the falling of ever so little soot will sometimes spoil a dinner. every lady ought to make a receipt-book for herself. neither my receipts nor those of any cookery book can be supposed to give equal satisfaction to every palate. after { }performing any piece of cookery according to the directions given in a book, a person of common intelligence would be able to discover whatever was displeasing to the taste, and easily alter the receipt, and so enter it in her own book that the cook could not err in following it. this plan would be found to save much trouble. as soon after breakfast as she conveniently can, the mistress of a house should repair to the kitchen; which ought to be swept, the fire-place cleaned, tea-kettles, coffee-pots, and anything else used in preparing the breakfast, put in their appropriate places, and the cook ready to receive her orders for the day. without being parsimonious, the mistress should see, with her own eyes, every morning, whatever cold meat, remains of pastry, bread, butter, &c., &c., there may be in the larder, that she may be able to judge of the additional provision required. having done that, she should proceed to the store-room, to give the cook, the housemaid, and others, such stores as they may require for the day. this will occupy but very little time, if done regularly every morning; and having done this, she should proceed to make her purchases at once, lest visitors, or any accidental circumstance, cause her to be late in her marketing, and so derange the regularity of the dinner hour, the servants' work, &c., &c. many ladies, in consequence of their own ill health, or that of their children, are compelled to employ their servants to market for them; but when they can avoid doing so it is better. i do not say this from a suspicion that either tradespeople or servants are always likely to take advantage of an opportunity to impose upon their customers or their employers, but because this important part of household management ought to be conducted by some one of the family, who must necessarily be more interested in it than servants can be. besides, more judgment is required in marketing than all servants possess. a servant, for instance, is sent to a fishmonger's for a certain quantity of fish, and she obeys the order given her and brings home the fish, but at a higher price, perhaps, than her mistress expected. now if the lady had gone herself, and found that the weather, or any other circumstance, had raised the price of fish for that day, she would probably have made a less expensive one suit her purpose, or turned to the butcher or poulterer to supply her table. { }also it is a hindrance to a servant to be sent here and there during the early part of the day, not to mention the benefit which the lady of the house would derive by being compelled to be out of doors, and in exercise, for even a short time, every day. although i like french cookery, i am not sufficiently acquainted with the interior of french kitchens to know whether we should improve in the fitting up of ours by imitating our neighbours. when i was abroad, and had opportunities of informing myself upon this subject, i had not the present work in contemplation. and though it is the object of travellers in general to inquire into almost every thing while passing through a foreign country, it happened once to me to meet with so much discouragement, when prying into the culinary department of a large hotel in the south of france, that i hesitated to enter a foreign kitchen again. i was then on the way to italy, and from what was afterwards told me respecting the kitchens of the latter country, i have reason to think that my resolution was not unwise, since, had it been overcome by fresh curiosity, i might have been induced to starve from too intimate knowledge of the mode in which the dishes of our table were prepared. we had, at the hotel i am speaking of, fared sumptuously for three days. there were, among other things, the finest poultry and the most delicate pastry imaginable. but some chicken broth was wanted for an invalid of our party, and the landlord suggested that if mademoiselle would herself give directions to the cook, the broth might, perhaps, be the better made; and he went, accordingly, to announce my intended visit to the important person who commanded in the kitchen. upon receiving intimation that all was ready, i descended, and was introduced to the said cook, who met me at the door of a large, lofty, vaulted apartment, the walls of which were black, not from any effect of antiquity, but from those of modern smoke, and decorated with a variety of copper utensils, all nearly as black on their outsides as the walls on which they hung. of what hue their insides might be i did not ascertain; and, at the moment, my attention was suddenly diverted by the cook, who, begging me to be seated, placed a chair by the side of a large, wild-looking fire-place. i had not expected to see a tall, thin and bony, or a short and { }fat woman, like the cook of an english kitchen; i imagined a man, somewhat advanced in age, and retaining some traces of the _ancien regime_, with large features and a small body, with grizzly and half-powdered hair, and, perhaps, a pigtail; at all events, with slippers down at heel, hands unclean, and a large snuff-box. it was, therefore, not without surprise that i found the very contrary of this in the personage who, dressed in a white apron, white sleeves, and white night cap of unexceptionable cleanness, and bowing with a grace that would have done credit to the most accomplished _petit maître_ of the last century, proceeded to relate how he had been instructed in the art of making chicken broth by an english _miledi_, who in passing into italy for the benefit of her health, had staid some weeks at the hotel de l'europe. his detail of the process of broth-making was minute, and no doubt scientific, but unhappily for the narrator, it was interrupted by his producing a delicate white fowl, which he without ceremony laid on the kitchen table, which stood in the middle of the room, and rivalled the very walls themselves in blackness. i was assured, by the first glance at this table, by reason of the fragments of fish, fowl, and pastry, strewed over it, that the same piece of furniture served every purpose of _chopping-block_ and _paste-board_. when, therefore, under these circumstances, i saw the preparation for the broth just going to commence, the exclamation of "dirty pigs!" was making its way to my lips, and i, in order to avoid outraging the ears of french politeness, in the spot of all france most famous for the romantic, made the best of my way out of the kitchen, and endeavoured, when the next dinner-time arrived, to forget that i had ever seen it. whenever afterwards the figure of this black table appeared to my fancy, like a spectre rising to warn me against tasteful and delicate looking _entremets_, i strove to forget the reality; but i never recovered the feeling of perfect security in what i was about to eat until the sea again rolled between me and the kitchen of the hotel de l'europe, and i again actually saw the clear bright fire, the whitened hearth, the yellow-ochred walls, the polished tins, the clean-scrubbed tables and chairs, and the white dresser cloths, of the kitchen, such as i had always been used to see at my own home. { }chapter vi. jointing, trussing, and carving. below will be found the figures of the five larger animals, followed by a reference to each, by which the reader, who is not already experienced, may observe the names of all the principal joints, as well as the part of the animal from which the joint is cut. no book that i am acquainted with, except that of mrs. rundell, has taken any notice of this subject, though it is a matter of considerable importance, and one as to which many a young housekeeper often wishes for information. _venison._ [illustration] . shoulder. . neck. . haunch. . breast. . scrag. { }_beef._ [illustration] . sirloin. . rump. . edge bone. . buttock. . mouse buttock. . leg. . thick flank. . veiny piece. . thin flank. . fore rib: ribs. . middle rib: ribs. . chuck rib: ribs. . brisket. . shoulder, or leg of mutton piece. . clod. . neck, or sticking piece. . shin. . cheek. _mutton._ [illustration] . leg. . shoulder. . loin, best end. . loin, chump end. . neck, best end. . breast. . neck, scrag end. _note._ a chine is two loins; and a saddle is two loins, and two necks of the best end. { }_veal._ [illustration] . loin, best end. . fillet. . loin, chump end. . hind knuckle. . neck, best end. . breast, best end. . blade bone, or oyster-part. . fore knuckle. . breast, brisket end. . neck, scrag end. _pork._ [illustration] . leg. . hind loin. . fore loin. . spare rib. . hand. . belly or spring. { }_cod's head._--fig. . [illustration] _cod's head_ (_fig. _) is a dish in carving which you have nothing to study beyond that preference for particular parts of the fish which some persons entertain. the solid parts are helped by cutting through with the fish trowel from _a_ to _b_ and from _c_ to _d_, and so on, from the jaw-bone to the further end of the shoulder. the _sound_ lies on the inside, and to obtain this, you must raise up the thin part of the fish, near the letter _e_.--this dish never looks so well as when served dry, and the fish on a napkin neatly folded, and garnished with sprigs of parsley. _haunch of venison._--fig. . [illustration] _haunch of venison_ is cut (as in _fig. ._) first in the line _a_ { }to _b_. this first cut is the means of getting much of the gravy of the joint. then turning the dish longwise towards him, the carver should put the knife in at _c_, and cut, as deep as the bone will allow, to _d_, and take out slices on either side of the line in this direction. the fat of venison becomes cold so very rapidly, that it is advisable, when convenient, to have some means of giving it renewed warmth after the joint comes to table. for this purpose, some use water plates, which have the effect of rendering the meat infinitely nicer than it would be in a half chilled state. _haunch of mutton_ is carved in the same way as _venison_. _saddle of mutton._--fig. . [illustration] _saddle of mutton._ this is prepared for roasting as in _fig. _, the _tail_ being split in two, each half twisted back, and skewered, with one of the kidneys enclosed. you carve this by cutting, in straight lines, on each side of the backbone, as from _a_ to_ b_, from _c_ to _d_. if the saddle be a fine one, there will be fat on every part of it; but there is always more on the sides (_ee_) than in the centre. { }_edge bone of beef._--fig. . [illustration] _edge bone of beef_, like the round of beef, is easily carved. but care should be taken, with both of these, to carve neatly; for if the meat be cut in thick slices or in pieces of awkward shape, the effect will be both to cause waste and to render the dish, while it lasts, uninviting. cut slices, as thin as you please, from _a_ to _b_ (_fig. _). the best part of the fat will be found on one side of the meat, from about _c_ to _d_. the most delicate is at _c_. _fore quarter of lamb._--fig. . [illustration] _fore quarter of lamb_ is first to be cut so as to divide the _shoulder_ from the rest of the quarter, which is called { }the _target_. for this purpose, put the fork firmly into the shoulder joint, and then cut underneath the blade-bone beginning at _a_ (_fig. _), and continue all round in the direction of a circular line, and pretty close to the under part of the blade-bone. some people like to cut the shoulder large, while others take off no more meat with it than is barely necessary to remove the blade-bone. it is most convenient to place the shoulder on a separate dish. this is carved in the same way as the shoulder of mutton. (see _fig. _.) when the shoulder is removed, a lemon may be squeezed over that part of the remainder of the joint where the knife had passed: this gives a flavour to the meat which is generally approved.--then, proceed to cut completely through from _b_ to _c_, following the line across the bones as cracked by the butcher; and this will divide the ribs (_d_) from the brisket (_e_). tastes vary in giving preference to the ribs or to the brisket. _leg of mutton._--fig. . [illustration] _leg of mutton_, either boiled or roasted, is carved as in _fig. _. you begin, by taking slices from the most meaty part, which is done by making cuts straight across the joint, and quite down to the bone (_a_, _b_), and thus continuing on towards the thick end, till you come to _c_, the _cramp-bone_ (or, as some call it, the _edge-bone_). some { }mutton is superfluously fat on every part of the leg. the most delicate fat, however, is always that which is attached to the outside, about the thick end. after cutting as above directed, turn the joint over, and cut longwise the leg, as with a haunch of venison (see _fig. _). some people like the _knuckle_, that part which lies to the right of _b_, though this is always the driest and the leanest. a few nice slices may be taken at _d_, by cutting across that end: these are not juicy, but the grain of the meat is fine; and here there is also some nice fat. _shoulder of mutton._--fig. . [illustration] _shoulder of mutton._--cut first from _a_ to _b_ (_fig. _) as deep as the bone will permit, and take out slices on each side of this line. then cut in a line with and on both sides of the ridges of the blade-bone, which will be found running in the direction _c_ to _d_. the meat of this part is some of the most delicate, but there is not much of it. you may get some nice slices between _e_ and _f_, though these will sometimes be very fat. turn the joint over, and take slices from the flat surface of the under part: these are the coarsest, yet some think the best.--in small families it is sometimes the practice to cut the under side while hot; this leaves the joint better looking for the next day. { }_ham._--fig. . [illustration] _ham_ is generally cut by making a deep incision across the top of it, as from _a_ to _b_, and down to the bone. those who like the _knuckle_ end, which is the most lean and dry, may cut towards _c_; but the prime part of the ham is that between _a_ and the thick end. some prefer carving hams with a more slanting cut, beginning in a direction as from _a_ to _c_, and so continuing throughout to the thick end. the slanting mode is, however, apt to be very wasteful, unless the carver be careful not to take away too much fat in proportion to the lean. _sucking pig_ should always be cut up by the cook; at least, the principal parts should be divided before the dish is served. first, take off the _head_ immediately behind the ears: then cut the body in two, by carrying the knife quite through from the neck to the tail. the _legs_ and the _shoulders_ must next be removed from the sides, and each of them cut in two at their respective joints. the _sides_ may either be sent to table whole, or cut up: if the latter, separate the whole length of each side into three or four pieces. the _head_ should be split in two, and the lower jaws divided from the upper part of it; let the _ears_ be cut off. in serving, a neat cook will take care to arrange the different parts thus separated so that they may appear, upon the dish, as little uneven and confused as possible. the sides, whether whole or in several pieces, should be laid parallel with each other; the legs and { }shoulders on the outer side of these, and opposite to the parts to which they have respectively belonged; and the portions of the head, and the ears, may be placed, some at one end, and some at the other end, or, as taste may suggest, at the sides of the dish. _hare, or rabbit, for roasting._--fig. . [illustration] _hare, or rabbit, for roasting_, is prepared for the spit as in _fig. _.--to carve: begin by cutting through near to the back-bone, from _a_ to _b_; then make a corresponding cut on the other side of the back-bone; leaving the _back_ and the _head_ in one distinct piece. cut off the _legs_ at the hip joint (_e_), and take off the _wing_ nearly as you would the wing of a bird, carrying the knife round the circular line (_c_). the _ribs_ are of little importance, as they are bare of meat. divide the _back_ into three or four portions, as pointed out by the letters _f g h_. the _head_ is then to be cut off, and the lower jaws divided from the upper. by splitting the upper part of the head in the middle you have the _brains_, which are prized by epicures. the comparative goodness of different parts of a hare, will depend much on the age, and also upon the cooking. the back and the legs are always the best. the wing of a young hare is nice; but this is not so good in an old one, and particularly if it be not thoroughly well done. the carving of a _rabbit_ is pretty much the same as that of a hare: there is much less difficulty, however, with the former; and it would always save a good deal of trouble, as well as delay, if hares which are not quite young were sent to table already cut up. { }_rabbit, for boiling._--fig. . [illustration] _rabbit, for boiling_, should be trussed, according to the newest fashion, as in _fig. _. cut off the _ears_ close to the head, and cut off the _feet_ at the foot-joint. cut off the _tail_. then make an incision on each side of the backbone, at the _rump-end_, about an inch and a half long. this will enable you to stretch the legs further towards the head. bring the _wings_ as close to the body as you can, and bring the legs close to the outside of the wings. the _head_ should be bent round to one side, in order that, by running one skewer through the legs, wings and mouth, you may thus secure all and have the rabbit completely and compactly trussed. _turkey, for roasting._--fig. . [illustration] _turkey for roasting_, is sometimes trussed with the _feet_ on; and it is sometimes brought to table with the _head_ as { }well as the feet. but such trussing is exceedingly ugly, and altogether unworthy of a good cook. the manner here described (see _fig. _) is the most approved. if the breast-bone be sharp, it should be beaten down, to make the bird appear as plump as possible.--see _carving_, in observations on _fig. _. _goose._--fig. . [illustration] _goose._--for carving, see observations on _fig. _. _fowls, for roasting._ [illustration: fig. .] [illustration: fig. .] _fowls, for roasting._--the most modern way of trussing these is as in _figs. _ and _ _. if it be but a chicken, or a small fowl, a single skewer through the wings, and the legs simply tied, as in _fig. _, will be sufficient. but a large fowl is best kept in shape by the other method (_fig. _).--see _carving_, in observations on _fig. _. { }_turkey or fowl for boiling._--fig. . [illustration] _turkey or fowl, for boiling._--for boiling, turkeys and fowls should, according to the newest fashion, both be trussed in the same way. there is nothing peculiar in this way, excepting as to the legs, which are to be trussed _within the apron_. to do this, the cook must first cut off the feet, and then, putting her fingers into the inside of the fowl, separate the skin of the leg from the flesh, all the way to the extreme joint. the leg, being drawn back, will thus remain, as it were, in a bag, within the apron; and, if this be properly done, there need be no other break in the skin than what has been occasioned at the joint by cutting the feet. if it be a turkey, or a large fowl, the form may be better preserved, by putting a skewer through the legs as well as through the wings (_see fig. _). but with small fowls there needs no skewer for the legs. all skewers used in trussing should be taken out before the dish comes to table. to carve fowls, turkeys, &c., see _fig. _. begin by taking off the _wings_, cutting from _a_ to _b_, _c_ to _d_. next the _legs_, putting your knife in at _f f_. then, if it be a large bird, you will help slices from the breast (_e e_). but with the smaller birds, as chickens, partridges, &c., a considerable portion of the breast should come off with the wing, and then there is not enough left to spare any thing more from the breast-bone. _the merry-thought_, situated at the point of the breast-bone, is taken off by cutting straight across at _h h_. in helping, recollect that the _liver-wing_ is { }commonly thought more of than the other. the _breast-bone_ is divided from the back by simply cutting through the ribs on each side of the fowl. the _neck-bones_ are at _g g_; but for these see _fig. _, and the directions for carving the _back_. _back of a fowl._--fig. . [illustration] rest your knife firmly on the centre of the back, at the same time turning either end up with your fork, and this part will easily break in two at _a b_. the _side-bones_ are at _c d_; and to remove these, some people put the point of the knife in at midway the line, just opposite to _c d_; others at the rump end of the bones _e f_. the _neck-bones_ (at _g h_) are the most difficult part of the task. these must be taken off before the breast is divided from the back; they adhere very closely, and require the knife to be held firmly on the body of the fowl, while the fork is employed to twist them off. _duck._--fig. . [illustration: _breast._] [illustration: _back._] _duck._--this should be trussed as in _fig. _. the _leg_ is { }twisted at the joint, and the _feet_ (with the _claws_ only cut off) are turned over, and so brought to lie flat on the rump.--for _carving_, see observations on _fig. _. _pheasant._--fig. . [illustration] _partridge._--fig. . [illustration] _pheasant and partridge._--these two are trussed nearly in one way, as in _figs. _ and _ _, excepting, that the _legs_ of the partridge are raised, and tied together over the apron, crossing each other. for _carving_, see observations on _fig. _. { }chapter vii. boiling. there is no branch of cookery which requires more nicety than plain boiling, though, from its simplicity, some cooks think it does not. they think that to put a piece of meat into water, and to make that boil for a given length of time, is all that is needful; but it is not so. to boil a leg of mutton, or a fowl, properly, requires as much care as to compound a made dish. meat which is poor and tough cannot be made tender and fine flavoured by boiling; but that which was, to all appearance, very fine meat before it was put into the pot, has often been taken out really good for nothing. and many a butcher and poulterer have been blamed, when the fault was not theirs. meat should be put into cold water, enough to keep it _well_ covered. the longer in reason it is coming to a boil, the better, as a gradual heating produces tenderness, and causes a separation from the meat of the grosser particles, which rise in the shape of scum to the surface, and which should be carefully taken off. the finest leg of mutton must be disgusting, if garnished with flakes of black scum. care should be taken to watch the first moment of the scum's appearing in order to remove it, and then, by throwing in a little salt, the remainder will be caused to rise; and if the fast boiling of the water render the scumming difficult, pour in a very little cold water. the practice of boiling meat, such as poultry, veal, and lamb, in floured cloths, to keep it white, must have been the invention of lazy cooks, if not of tasteless and extravagant housewives; for the meat is rendered less juicy, and the liquor in which it has been boiled, so good for broth or gravy, must be lost. when the pot has been well scummed, and no more scum to be seen, set in such a situation on, or by, the fire, that it may continue to boil _gently_ and _regularly_, for the time required; and see that it do not stop boiling { }altogether at one time, and then be hurried to a wallop at another time, for this dries up the juices, hardens the meat, and tears it. a kettle of boiling water should be at hand, in order to replenish the pot, as the quantity diminishes, taking heed not to exceed the original quantity, namely, enough to _cover_ the meat, for the less water, the better the broth will be. salted meat, if very salt, and all smoked meat, should be washed, and in some cases, _soaked_ before it is boiled. if too little salted, it must not be either washed or scraped, and may be put on to boil in water a little heated, because a slow process would help to freshen it. no positive rule can be given for the time required to boil meat, any more than to roast, for much depends on its freshness, and a piece of _solid_ meat requires a longer time to boil than a joint of equal weight but of less thickness. salted and smoked meat require longer boiling than fresh meat, veal longer than beef, mutton, or lamb; and pork, though ever so little salted, still longer than veal. a leg of mutton which has hung long will boil in less time than one which is quite or nearly fresh; but then the former ought not to be boiled at all, but roasted, for the fire takes away mustiness, and all the impurities with which the boiling water would only tend still more to impregnate the meat. a quarter of an hour, and a quart of water, to every pound of meat, is the rule of boiling, but practice must teach this, as well as many other important parts of culinary science. by a little care and attention, a cook will soon gain sufficient experience to preserve her from the risk of sending a joint to table too little, or too much done. when meat is sufficiently boiled, take it up directly; and if it have to wait, stand it over the pot it was cooked in, to keep it hot; remaining in the water will sodden it. the next thing for consideration, after that of cooking the meat properly, is the turning to account the liquor in which it is boiled. this, be the meat what it may, is good as a foundation for _soups_ or _gravies_ unless it be the liquor of ham or bacon, and that can only be used in small quantities, to flavour. the liquor of pork makes good pease soup. when such liquor is not wanted for the family, it may always, at a trifling expense, be converted { }into wholesome and nourishing food for the poor. (_see cookery for the poor._) _round of beef._ if too large a joint to dress whole, for a small family, or where cold meat is not liked, it may be cut into two or even three pieces, taking care to give to each piece a due portion of fat; skewer it up tightly, of a good shape, then bind it with strong coarse tape, or strips of linen. the vessel roomy, the beef placed on a fish drainer (as should all large joints), and care taken to keep it covered with water. three hours for a piece of lbs. about three hours and a half to lbs., and so on, in proportion. put in carrots and turnips two hours after the meat. see that there be no scum left on, before you send it to table. garnish with sliced carrots, and serve mashed turnips or greens, in a separate dish. also dumplings, if approved. the whole round, if lbs. weight, will require to boil five hours. but remember, that the _boiling_ should be only steady _simmering_. place the vessel over the fire, that the water may come to a boil; then draw it to the side, and never let it cease to simmer. have a kettle of boiling water by the side, to fill up with. _edge bone of beef._ one of lbs. weight will require to boil three hours and a half. one of lbs. weight will be done in two hours. the soft fat is best hot, the hard fat cold. _brisket of beef._ this being a long, awkward joint, may be cut in two; it requires longer boiling than the edge bone; five hours not too much for a large piece. (see _beef to press._) for _bouilli_ and other ways of cooking beef, see the _index_. _leg of mutton._ this joint should be kept from two days to a week. cut out the pipe, and carefully wipe the meat to clear it of all { }mustiness. chop but a very small piece off the shank. boil carrots and turnips with it if you _like_, but the former will not improve the colour; and do not put them in before the pot has been carefully scummed. a leg of lbs. will take three hours _slow_ boiling. garnish with slices of carrot, or a rim of mashed turnip. serve caper sauce in a boat. _walnut_ also is good, in place of capers. if chickens or a fowl be wanted for the same dinner, they may boil in the same vessel with the mutton, but not with vegetables. the _broth_ will be better for this addition. if broth be wanted the same day, put into the water, as soon as it has been scummed, some barley or rice, and after it has boiled one hour and a half, lift out the mutton and place it by the fire, covered to keep warm; take the lid off the pot, and let it boil quickly till the liquor be reduced to the quantity you desire; put in turnips and carrots, in small pieces, a head of celery, and a little parsley; return the mutton, and boil it slowly half an hour.--a leg of mutton, if too large to cook at once, may be divided into two; roast the fillet and boil the shank. _or_: you may take cutlets off the large end two days running, and then dress the shank.--tongue is good with boiled mutton. _neck of mutton._ should be very much trimmed of its fat, and, if from to lbs. weight, boil _slowly_ two hours; it will likewise make very good broth, as the leg. garnish and serve in the same way.--some do not cut off any of the fat, until after it is cooked, then pare it off, and put it by: this, shred finely, makes light pudding crust. _leg of lamb._ a delicate dish, if nicely boiled, served with parsley and butter, and garnished with sprigs of cauliflower, brocoli, or spinach. a dish of the latter should be served with it. (_see in the index._) if small, the loin may be cut into steaks, fried, and placed round the leg, lightly garnished with crisped parsley; or they may be placed round mashed potatoes, in another dish. a leg of lbs. should _simmer_ gently two hours, counting from the time it is first put on, in cold water. { }_calf's head._ wash it well in several waters, and soak it in warm water for a quarter of an hour, but first take the brains out, and having well washed, let them soak in cold water with a little salt for an hour. _half_ the head (without the skin), will require _gentle_ boiling two hours; with the skin, another hour. put it on in cold water. boil or sage leaves, and the same quantity in bulk of parsley, half an hour, then drain, chop very fine, and spread them on a plate. scald and peel the skin off the brains, put them into a saucepan with plenty of cold water: when it boils, carefully scum it, and let it boil gently fifteen minutes; chop the brains, but not very fine, and put them into a small saucepan with the parsley and sage, also table-spoonsful of thin melted butter, a little salt, and, if you like, cayenne and lemon juice. take the tongue out of the head, trim off the roots, skin and place it in the middle of a dish, the brains round it. pour parsley and butter over the head, garnish with broiled rashers of bacon. serve ham, bacon, or pork, and greens. save a quart of the liquor to make sauce for the hash (_which see_). a very good sauce for this, eaten in france, is as follows: table-spoonsful of chopped eschalots, of parsley, of tarragon and chervil, of salt, a little pepper, table-spoonsful of salad oil, of vinegar: mix well together and serve cold. _veal._ in some parts of england a boiled fillet is considered a delicacy. it should not be large. stuff it the same as for roasting (_which see_), or with the forcemeat directed for boiled turkey. serve white sauce, and garnish with slices of lemon and barberries.--the neck is good boiled, and eaten with parsley and butter. _pork._ this must be exceedingly well done. wash and scrape a leg, and let it lie in cold water a quarter of an hour to whiten; put it on to boil in cold water; do not let it boil fast, because the knuckle will be broken to pieces, before the thick part of the meat is done. be careful to { }take off all the scum, and let a leg of lbs. weight simmer three hours. if to eat cold, do not cut it in the middle, because that will allow too much gravy to be lost, but cut from the knuckle, and it will eat more tender. peas pudding with leg of pork, also parsnips, carrots, turnips or greens, and mashed potatoes. _petit-toes._ put a thin slice of bacon at the bottom of a stew-pan, with a little broth or thin melted butter, a blade of mace, a few peppercorns, and a sprig of thyme; in this boil the feet, the heart, liver and lights, till tender; the three latter will be done first; take them out and mince them fine: put this mince and the feet into another saucepan with some good gravy thickened with butter rolled in flour, season with pepper, salt, and a small quantity of walnut and mushroom catsup; let it simmer five minutes. while this is cooking prepare some sippets of toasted bread, lay them round a dish, pour the mince and sauce into the middle, and having split the feet, lay them lightly on the top.--a little cream may be added. (_see to fry._) _poultry._ be careful in picking, that the skin be not broken. some cooks wash poultry, but if wiping will be sufficient, it is best not washed. chickens and fowls will keep two or three days, except in very hot weather. a fowl put on in cold water, should simmer by the side of the fire, from twenty-five minutes to half an hour. some cooks boil a little fresh suet sliced, and also slices of lemon peel, with fowl. some boil them in milk and water. the water must be well scummed. _boiled fowls_ with white sauce, or mushroom, oyster, celery, liver, or lemon sauce, or parsley and butter. a pretty remove of fish or soup, is, a small tongue in the centre, a boiled chicken on each side, and small heads of brocoli, with a few asparagus and french beans to fill the spaces. serve any of the above sauces.--always ham, bacon or tongue, and some sort of green vegetable, with fowl and turkey; chine with the latter. garnish with slices of lemon. { }_ducks._ choose fine fat ones. some persons salt them slightly, for two days, others boil them without. smother them with onions, or serve onion sauce. _turkey._ let it hang four days, and take care not to blacken it in singeing. it is usual to fill the crop of a turkey with forcemeat (_see forcemeats_), or with a stuffing of bread-crumbs, suet shred fine, a little parsley, thyme, and lemon peel, chopped fine, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, the whole mixed together by an egg. in america it is the practice to stuff turkeys with oysters chopped and mixed with bread-crumbs. about would be sufficient. a large turkey, with the crop filled, requires two hours _slow_ boiling; not filled, half an hour less; and a small hen turkey an hour. serve with oyster or celery sauce, and either chine, bacon or tongue. the forcemeat may be enriched by grated tongue or ham, chopped veal, an anchovy and a little bit of eschalot. (_see to hash, also grill._) _rabbits._ a full-sized one will boil in half an hour; an old one above an hour. some use _milk_ and water. serve with onion sauce poured over; or a sauce made of melted butter, and the livers, previously boiled, and minced small, with a little parsley. lay slices of lemon round the dish. ham or bacon. _bacon_ should be well washed and scraped, and old bacon soaked in cold water. after coming slowly to a boil, let a piece of lbs. simmer by the fire two hours, if young and fresh cured, less time. some cooks put fat bacon into hot water, and lean into cold. take off the rind and set it before the fire to dry up the oozing fat. strew bread-raspings over. _ham._ the main thing to be attended to is the previous soaking, and the requisite time must be left to the discretion of the cook, for, whereas one night would be sufficient for a small { }and tender ham, if very old and dry, less than four days and four nights will scarcely be enough. the water should be changed every day, and the night before it is boiled, scrape well, pour warm water over it, and trim off all the rusty, ill-looking, bits, then lay it in the water again. scum the pot, and let the ham _simmer from three to five_ hours, according to its weight. when done, take the skin off gently, and after covering the ham with bread-raspings, set it before the fire, to crisp it. twist writing paper round the shank, and garnish with greens, or little heaps of bread-raspings. the liquor, if well scummed at first, may be strained or put by, and if you boil fowls or veal on the following day, you may put the two liquors together, boil them rapidly down; add pepper, mace, eschalot, and a faggot of herbs, and you will have a highly relishing gravy. some persons contend that the practice of boiling a ham until half cooked, and then finishing by _baking_ it, improves the flavour. (_see to bake meat._) _tongue._ if you buy it salted, learn how long it has been in pickle, for according to that it must soak. if old and hard, twenty-four hours will not be too much. have plenty of water, and let it be a full hour in coming to a boil; then _simmer gently_ for three hours; longer if very large. the root is an excellent ingredient for peas soup. _tripe._ cut in cutlets, or not, as you choose, and simmer it in milk and water till quite tender. peel and boil a dozen button onions, put the tripe in a deep dish with some of the sauce, and the onions on the top; or you may boil it in plain water. mustard sauce is good.--as all persons would not choose onions, you may serve onion sauce as directed for rabbits (_which see_). serve rashers of bacon, if approved. _cow-heel._ when well boiled, cut into nice pieces, egg, bread crumb, and fry them of a light brown, and serve with fried onions or any piquant sauce. is very good only boiled, and served with parsley and butter. { }chapter viii. roasting. for roasting, meat should be kept longer than for boiling, or it will not, though ever so good, eat well. the proper length of time depends upon the state of the weather, and the age of the animal when killed, for young meat bears keeping less time than old meat. two days of hot weather will do as much to render meat fit for the spit, as a week of cold weather. next after the state of the meat, the thing of most consequence is preparing the fire, which ought to be made up (of the size required by the length and breadth of the joint) half an hour before the meat is put down. it should not at first be exposed to a fierce fire. let there be a backing of wetted cinders or small coals: this tends to throw the heat in front; lay large coals on the top, smaller ones between the bars, give the fire time to draw, and it will be clear. before you put down the meat, stir the fire, clear it at the bottom, and see that it be free from smoke in front. some cooks make a practice of washing meat, with salt and water, then wiping it dry, before it is roasted. where there is mustiness, or slimy appearance, it should be wiped off with a wet cloth, otherwise much washing is neither necessary nor beneficial. see that it be properly jointed; if there be too much fat, cut it off (it is better for puddings, in the shape of suet, than dripping); cover the meat with kitchen paper, _tied_ on with twine, and not fastened by _pins_; see also, that the spit be bright and clean, and take care to run it through the meat, in the right place, at once, for the more the meat is perforated, the greater chance will be given for the escape of the gravy. great nicety is required in spitting, that the joint may be accurately balanced. in the absence of spits and smoke-jacks, a bottle-jack, or a stout nail with a strong string or skein of worsted, will { }dangle a joint, and if the fire be made proportionably high to the length of the joint, there is no better mode of roasting. a strong skewer must be run in, at each end of the joint, in order to turn it. the larger the joint the greater distance it should, at first, be from the fire, that the outside may not be shrivelled up before the middle is warmed. a quarter of an hour to a pound of meat, is the rule for roasting, and it admits of the same exceptions as in the case of boiling, with this addition, that fat meat takes longer than lean meat, as do pork and veal longer than any other kind. fillets and legs, on account of their solidness, longer than loins and breasts. much depends upon the situation of the fire-place, and whether the joint be exposed to draughts of cold air, or whether it be preserved from them, and the fire assisted, by a meat screen. where there is none, a contrivance must be resorted to, by way of substitute, such as small wooden horses, or chairs, with cloths hung over them; these will keep off the cold, but a meat screen, lined with tin, keeps in the heat, and acts as a reflector.--twice, or if the roast be large, oftener, remove the pan, pour off the dripping (it ought to be strained), draw the spit to a distance, and stir the fire, bring forward the hot coals, and put fresh at the back. be careful that cinders do not reach the dripping-pan, for the smoke which they cause to rise from the fat, gives a disagreeable flavour to the meat, besides the injury to the dripping. (_see dripping._)--when the meat is nearly done, the steams will draw towards the fire; take the paper off, and move the joint nearer to the fire, particularly the ends, if they want more cooking; sprinkle salt lightly over the roast; then pour off all the remaining dripping, dredge flour _very lightly_ over the joint, and baste with a very little fresh butter, which will not injure the gravy in the pan, but give a delicate froth to the meat. to the gravy now flowing from the meat, the best addition is a teacupful of boiling water. (_see gravies._) with a clear strong fire (and meat cannot be well roasted without a strong fire), time allowed for gradual cooking, a cook may ensure for her roasts that fine pale brown colour, to produce which is esteemed one of the greatest proofs of a cook's skill. { }_sirloin of beef._ after reading the foregoing observations, the cook must gain, by observation and practice, that experience which will enable her to send this very best of joints to table, done enough, yet not overdone. a piece of lbs. weight will require nearly four hours to cook it well: cover it with two half sheets of foolscap paper, and put it near to the fire for a few minutes; then rub it well over with butter, and draw it back to a distance (provided always that there is a very _good, steady_ fire); and in this case do not baste at all, but put some boiling water into the dripping-pan when you first put the meat down, and this, by the time the meat is done, will be good gravy, after you have poured the fat off. the older fashion is to baste with dripping as soon as you put it down, and continue the basting every quarter of an hour; but i think the other method gives the meat the most delicate taste and appearance. however, a cook should try both ways, and afterwards follow the one which best suits the taste of her employers. the old fashion of yorkshire pudding with roast beef is too good a one to be abandoned, though its substitute of potatoe pudding is not to be rejected. garnish with finely scraped horseradish.--where cold roast beef is not liked, or if too underdone to eat cold, slices may be gently simmered over the fire in gravy or broth, or a very little water, and a little pepper and salt, eschalot vinegar, or some sort of catsup. the sirloin always came to table whole in the house in which i was brought up; therefore, i am able to give instructions for cooking it. no spit will carry round a whole sirloin; it must be _dangled_, and one which weighs (after great part of the suet has been taken out) lbs. will roast in five hours, for it is no thicker than a piece of lbs. weight. the fire must be large and high, the heat, of course, very great. many a cook's complexion, to say nothing of her temper, has suffered in the cause of our "noble sirloins." if the inside, or tender-loin, be taken out leaving all the fat to roast with the joint, this part may be cooked to resemble hare. for this purpose, spread some hare stuffing over the beef, roll that up tightly with tape, and tie it on the spit. send this to table with the sauces for roast hare. when the whole joint is roasted, the inside { }will be sufficiently underdone to make hashes. if only a part of the sirloin be cooked, the inside is best eaten hot, as it is not so good cold as the upper side.--roast beef bones should be taken care of, for soup and gravy, and used before they become musty. _rump of beef._ roast in the same manner. _half_ of this joint makes a nice family dish. parboiled potatoes, browned in the dripping-pan are good. _ribs of beef._ roasted the same as the sirloin. but it requires to be basted. is a better joint to eat cold than sirloin. or lbs. weight, three hours or more, according to the size. paper the fat and the thin part. another way is to take out the bones, lay the meat flat, and beat it with a rolling pin; soak it in two thirds of vinegar and one of water, or, better still, white wine in place of vinegar, a night; next day cover it with a rich forcemeat, of veal, suet, grated ham, lemon peel, and mixed spices. roll it tightly up, fasten with small skewers and tape, and roast it, basting constantly with butter, and serve with venison sauce.--_or:_ you may take out the bones, roll the meat up like a fillet of veal, lard it, then roast and serve with tomata sauce. _leg, loin, haunch, saddle, and shoulder of mutton._ cut out the pipe that runs along the back bone, wipe off all mustiness. rather a _quick_ fire is required for mutton, particularly if it have been kept. roast in the same manner as beef. paper it, and baste every twenty minutes till the last half hour, when lightly sprinkle with salt, baste with _butter_, and dredge flour lightly over, and as soon as the froth rises, take it up. onion, sweet sauce, or currant jelly, are eaten with mutton. some think it an improvement to the _haunch_ and _saddle_ to take the skin off; to do this you must beat it well with a rolling pin, slip the skin with a sharp knife from the meat, and with a cloth pull it off nearly to the shank. some put a thin paste over, as directed for venison, others paper only, and the latter is sufficient, if the cook baste enough, and do not let { }it burn.--a good sauce for roast mutton is made by putting glasses of port wine, of reading sauce, and a tea-spoonful of garlic vinegar into a small saucepan, and pouring the contents hot over the joint just before serving it. _haunch of mutton._ _to dress as venison._--keep it as long as you can, then rub with the following, and let it lie in it, thirty-six hours. mix oz. of coarse sugar, oz. of salt, and ½ oz. of saltpetre. a taste somewhat peculiar to our house, and of american growth, is stewed cranberries, as sauce with roast mutton, and i recommend the trial to all who can procure good cranberries. tomata sauce is also good with roast mutton. _bullock's heart._ soak it well in lukewarm water to disgorge, dry and stuff the interior with a veal stuffing, and roast it two hours. _calves'_ and _sheep's_ heart the same. _tongue._ stick a fresh tongue all over with cloves, roast it, baste with butter, and serve with port wine sauce, and currant jelly. _sucking pig._ the age at which it ought to be killed is a matter of dispute; some say at twelve days old, others at three weeks; but all agree that the sooner it is cooked after, the better. after the inside is taken out, wash the pig well with cold water. cut off the feet at the first joint, leaving the skin long enough to turn neatly over. prepare a stuffing as follows: ½ oz. of mild sage, onions, parboiled and chopped fine, a tea-cup full of grated bread crumbs, oz. of good butter, and some pepper, cayenne and salt; put this into the pig, and carefully sew the slit up. some cooks baste, at first, with salt and water, and then keep brushing the pig with a brush of feathers, dipped in salad oil. others tie a piece of butter in muslin, and diligently rub the crackling with it; either is good. it should be dredged with flour, soon after it is put down, and the { }rubbing with butter or oil never cease, or the skin will not be crisp. the fire should be brisk, and a pig iron used, or the pig will be unequally cooked, for the middle will be burnt up, before the two ends are done. a good-sized one will take two hours. a pig should never go whole to table. take the spit from the fire, and place it across a dish, then with a sharp knife cut the head off, cut down the back, and slip the spit out. lay it back to back in your dish, and the ears, one at each end, which ought to be quite crisp. for sauce, clear beef, or veal gravy, with a squeeze of lemon, and, if approved, the brains and liver, or a little of the stuffing out of the pig, mixed in it, also a very little finely chopped sage. apple sauce and currant sauce are not yet out of fashion for roast pig. chili or eschalot vinegar is an improvement to pig-sauce. the easiest way is to _bake it_. (see _baking._) _venison, haunch or shoulder._ this will hang three weeks with care, but must be watched. wet it as little as possible; a damp cloth, only, should be used to cleanse it. butter a sheet of kitchen paper, and tie it over the fat side of the joint, then lay over that a paste of about ½ an inch thick of flour and water; tie another sheet of paper over that, fasten all on firmly, and rub butter over the outside paper, that the fire may not catch it. baste well, and keep up a strong clear fire. a haunch of from to lbs. weight, in a paste, will take from four to five hours, and not be overdone. half an hour before it is ready take off the coverings, and put it nearer the fire to brown and froth. baste with fresh butter, and lightly dredge it with flour. for sauce, currant jelly in heated port wine, in one boat, and clear drawn, unspiced gravy, in another. (_see gravies._) raspberry vinegar may be used in making sauce for venison. some epicures like eschalots or small onions, served with venison, hare, or any meat, eaten with sweet sauce.--the shoulder, breast, and neck, are all roasted, but the two latter are best in pies; and if lean, may be used in soup.--serve french beans, and currant jelly. _fawn._ this should, like a sucking-pig, be dressed soon after it { }is killed. when quite young, it is trussed and stuffed like hare. but it is best, when large enough, cut in quarters, and dressed like lamb. the hind quarter is the best. it may be half roasted, and then hashed like hare or venison.--_or_: in pies the same as venison. it may also be baked. venison sauce. _veal_ must have a strong and brisk fire. it must not only be _well done through_, but be of a nice brown. for the fillet a stuffing of forcemeat made thus: two parts of stale bread-crumbs, one part suet, marrow or fresh butter, a little parsley boiled for a minute and chopped fine, tea-spoonsful of grated lemon peel, a little nutmeg, a very little cayenne and some salt, the whole to be worked to a proper consistence, with yolks of or eggs. many things may be used in flavouring stuffing, such as grated ham, beef, sausages, pickled oysters, anchovy, sweet herbs, eschalots, mushrooms, truffles, morels, currie powder and cayenne. the fillet should be covered with paper, and securely fastened in a nice shape. baste well, and half an hour before you take it up, remove the paper, and bring the meat nearer the fire, to brown it. garnish with slices of lemon. when in the dish, pour some thin melted butter over it, to mix with its own gravy. a fillet of lbs. weight will require hours' roasting. serve sausages, ham, or bacon, and greens. _shoulder of veal._ stuff it, using more suet or butter than for the fillet. serve and garnish the same. from three hours to three and a half. _loin of veal_ must be well jointed. the kidney fat papered, or it will be lost. toast half the round of a loaf, and place it in the dish under the kidney part, and serve and garnish the same as the fillet. about three hours. _breast of veal._ keep it covered with the caul till nearly done, for that will preserve the meat from being scorched, and will also { }enrich it.--from one hour and a half to two hours. some put in a very delicate stuffing. _neck, best end._ two hours to roast. _lamb._ lamb must be young, to be good, and requires no keeping to make it tender. it is roasted in _quarters_, or _saddles_, _legs_, and _shoulders_; must be well done, but does not require a strong fire. put oiled paper over a fore quarter. one of lbs. weight will require two hours.--when the shoulder is removed, the carver ought to sprinkle some salt, squeeze ½ a lemon, and pour a little melted butter (it _may_ have finely chopped parsley in it), over the target, and then replace the shoulder for a few minutes.--mint sauce; and garnish with crisp parsley, sprigs of parsley, sprigs of cauliflower, or alternate slices of lemon and sprigs of water cress.--serve salad, spinach, french beans, cauliflower or green peas. (_see sauces._) _pork_ requires a very strong fire, and must be well done. _leg of pork._ make a slit in the shank, and put in a stuffing of mild sage, and parboiled onions, chopped fine, also pepper, salt, grated stale bread-crumbs, a piece of butter, a tea-spoonful of made mustard, and an egg to cement the whole, then sew it up. rub the skin often all over with salad oil or fresh butter, while the roast is going on. the skin must be scored about twenty minutes after the pork is put down. a leg of lbs. about three hours. serve onion sauce, mustard, or apple sauce. (_see sauces._) _spare rib._ when put to the fire, dust some flour over, and baste gently with some butter. have some sage leaves dried and rubbed through a hair sieve, and about a quarter of an hour { }before the meat is done, sprinkle this over it, just after the last basting with butter. apple sauce; mashed potatoes. _loin and griskin._ score the loin, and, if you like, stuff it as the leg, or mix powdered sage and finely-chopped onion with the basting. a loin of lbs. two hours; if very fat, half an hour longer. a griskin of or lbs. one hour and a half. either of these may be baked. score the rind, rub over it well with butter or oil, and stand it in a common earthen dish, with potatoes peeled and cut in quarters; and, if you like, add some apples also, and two or three onions previously parboiled and cut up. dress the pork round with these when you serve it. _apples roasted_, and sent to table in their skins, are very good with pork. _turkey._ it is not a good practice to wash poultry, only to wipe it out quite clean; but if it be _necessary_ to wash it, then dredge flour over before you put it down to the fire. a turkey ought to hang as long as the weather will allow. take care, in drawing, not to break the gall bag, for no washing would cure the mischief. it is still the custom, in some counties, to send a roast turkey to table with its head on. press down the breast-bone. fill the craw with a stuffing as follows: a large cup of bread-crumbs, oz. minced beef suet, a little parsley (always parboiled, as well as onions, for stuffings), a little grated lemon peel, two or three sprigs of thyme, some nutmeg, pepper and salt; mix the whole well, and cement it with an egg. add, if you choose, parboiled oysters (a few), or a little grated ham. do not stuff too full, and keep back some of the stuffing to make little balls, to fry and garnish with, unless you have sausages. paper the breast. score the gizzard, dip it in melted butter, and then in bread-crumbs, fix it under the pinion, cover it with buttered paper, and be sure that it has its share of basting, as well as the liver, which must be placed under the other pinion. the fire must be the same as for beef. keep the turkey at a distance from the fire, at first, that the breast and legs may be done. a very large one will require three hours, and is never so good as a { }moderate sized one, such as will roast in little more than one hour and a half. dredge with flour, and baste with fresh butter, or wash it with salt butter. half an hour before it is done, take off the paper, to let the turkey brown, and when the steam draws towards the fire, lightly dredge it with flour; then put a good sized piece of butter in the basting ladle, hold it over the turkey, and let it drop over it as it melts. this will give a finer froth than basting from the dripping-pan. clear gravy in the dish, and more in a tureen, with egg, bread, or oyster sauce, in another. chine and greens. _capons and common fowls._ roasted the same as turkeys, and stuffed, if the size will admit. a large, full-grown fowl will take about one hour and a quarter; a chicken from thirty to forty minutes. the sauces for fowls are, gravy, parsley, and butter, either with or without the liver (roasted) chopped up in it, or mushroom, bread or egg sauce. three or four slices of fat bacon, not too thick, may be attached by skewers to the breast of a fowl, and is an improvement to a large one. _goose._ well wash and dry it in a cloth; then stuff it with four onions, parboiled, a fourth of their bulk in sage, and half, or, if you like it, the whole of the liver; parboil these together slightly, and mix them with the crumb of a penny loaf and an egg. _or_, prepare a stuffing of six good onions, two or three apples, and some sage; chop these together quite fine, season with pepper and salt, and warm it in a saucepan sufficient to half cook it. put the stuffing in the goose, tie that tightly at both ends, when on the spit: keep it papered the first hour, and baste with a little dripping. froth it the same as turkey. the fire must be kept brisk. a large goose will require two hours. take it up before the breast falls. its own gravy is not good. serve a good gravy flavoured with port wine, or cider, and walnut catsup, also a table-spoonful of made mustard.--it is a good plan for the cook to cut up the goose, remove the joints separately on another _hot_ dish, then pour the gravy boiling hot over. this may not be fashionable, but it preserves the { }goose from eating _greasy_, saves the lady of the house trouble, and insures its being hot when helped. serve apple sauce.--some persons like goose stuffed with potatoes, previously boiled, then mashed without butter, and well peppered and salted. _green geese_ will roast in half an hour; are not stuffed. put a good sized piece of butter inside, pepper and salt. froth and brown nicely. gooseberry sauce. _ducks_ will keep three days, but are better dressed the day they are killed. ducks may be stuffed or not (the same as geese), according to taste. but if two are roasted, one may be stuffed, and the other merely seasoned inside, with pepper, salt, an eschalot, and cayenne, if liked. serve green peas with ducks. from three quarters to an hour will roast them. baste well, and give a good froth. (_see sauces and forcemeats._) some persons squeeze a lemon over the breasts when dished. _wild ducks_ take from twenty-five minutes to half an hour. have a clear brisk fire. they are, generally, preferred underdone, but brown outside. cut slices in the breast, and squeeze in lemon juice with cayenne; _or_ put an oz. of butter into a stew-pan with a little cayenne, the rind of an orange cut thin and previously blanched in boiling water, and the juice of a lemon; warm this over the fire, and when melted, but not oiled, pour it over the duck and serve. (_see sauces._) _pheasants, partridges, guinea and pea-fowl_, require a brisk fire. all are trussed in the same way, and the heads left on. make a slit in the back of the neck to take out the craw; do not turn the head under the wing, but truss it like a fowl, and fasten the neck to its side with a skewer. thirty minutes will roast a young pheasant, and forty or fifty minutes a full grown one. good sized partridges take nearly as long. baste with butter, and { }froth them. clear, well-flavoured gravy, in which there should be a tea-spoonful of the essence of ham. also bread sauce. french cooks lard all these. (_see to lard._) they also have a method of dressing them thus: lay slices of lemon over the breast, and upon these, slices of fat bacon, cover with paper, and roast them. another way is to fill the bird with a delicate stuffing of veal, grated ham, lemon grated, and spice; then roast it. _woodcocks, snipes, and ortolans_, should be kept as long as they are good. do not draw woodcocks, for the trail is considered a delicacy, nor cut off their heads. they should be tied to a bird spit, or dangled singly. the fire must be clear. twenty or thirty minutes is enough for woodcocks, and less for the rest, in proportion to their size. lay some slices of toasted bread, the crust cut off, in the dripping-pan, to dish them on. serve melted butter. garnish with slices of lemon.--in france they stuff woodcocks with truffles, and other things, then roast, or stew them. _grouse, black game, plovers, rails, quails, widgeons and teal_, are roasted the same as partridges, the head of grouse twisted under the wing. do not let them be over-done. a rich gravy, and bread sauce. garnish with fried bread-crumbs. _pigeons._ clean them as soon as killed, and the sooner they are dressed the better. wash them very well, stuff each with a piece of butter the size of an egg, a few bread-crumbs, a little parsley, and the liver chopped, if you like: season well with pepper and salt. roast twenty-five or thirty minutes. pour into the dish a little thin melted butter, with or without the parsley, to mix with their own gravy. serve bread or rice sauce, or parsley and butter. they may be served on a thin toast. wood-pigeons should hang till tender, then roasted and served in rich gravy. they require less roasting than tame pigeons. { }_larks, wheat-ears, and other small birds._ some of these are nice eating, particularly the _wheat-ear_, which, from its superior flavour, has been called the english ortolan. a roast of small birds is so much the fashion in france, that you seldom travel many days together without finding it one of the principal dishes of the supper table. in the autumn, and, indeed, through the winter, you will constantly see a partridge, or a woodcock, served up in the midst of a numerous company of blackbirds, thrushes, larks, and a variety of such small birds; a truly "dainty dish to set before a king." this custom is remarkable because there is a comparative scarcity of small birds in france, whilst we in england are overstocked with them. the _sparrow-pudding_ is _known_ in many country places, but is not often seen. indeed, in this land of beef and mutton, it would be hard if these little creatures could not be left to sing and build their nests in peace. with the french there is such an avidity for all sorts of small birds, that a string of them is one of the most ordinary articles in the larder. nothing that flies in france above the order of humming-birds in its size, is too insignificant to come within the scope of the sportsman's ambition, and the purveyor's nets and springes. i am not sure whether our exquisite neighbours ever proceed so far as to devour sweet philomel herself; but they certainly do what would be deemed still more shocking in england, making no exception in favour of that little bird, to injure which is here a sort of crime; they kill the robins and cook them by dozens at a time. the forest of ardennes abounds in them, and in the season the traveller may fare sumptuously upon these pretty little creatures, without being aware of what he is eating. lovers of delicacies might find it worth their while to travel in the countries where the vine and the fig-tree abound. there the small birds feed and fatten on the grapes, even in the winter, for, long after the conclusion of the vintage, refuse grapes may always be found hanging. this food, so superior to our blackberries, hips and haws, may well cause the flavour of the birds to be in the highest perfection: for the fruit is so nutritious that the labouring people almost entirely live upon it through one whole season of the year. in sicily the grapes will keep for months { }after they are quite ripe, hanging on the vines in the open air. there is a little bird, about the size of the nightingale, called the _fig-pecker_, from its feeding upon the figs. this is one of the most prized delicacies of the south of france and italy.--all the above-named birds require to be well cleaned. then put them on a bird-spit or skewer, and tie that on another spit, or dangle it before the fire. baste constantly with good butter, and strew sifted bread-crumbs over as they roast. french cooks generally put a thin small slice of bacon over the breast of each bird, bringing it over each wing. fifteen minutes will roast them. serve larks on bread-crumbs, and garnish with slices of lemon.--_or_: dip the birds into a batter, then roll them in bread-crumbs. _hare_ should, unless a leveret, hang several days, to become tender. cooks differ as to the proper method of keeping it. some keep it unpaunched, while others see that it is paunched instantly, wiped clean and dry inside, and then let it hang as many as eight days. if really an _old_ hare, it should be made into soup at once, for it will never be tender enough to roast. the heart and liver should be taken out as soon as possible, washed, scraped, parboiled, and kept for the stuffing. most cooks maintain the practice of soaking hares for two hours in water, but more are rendered dry and tasteless by this method than would be so naturally. a slit should be cut in the neck, to let the blood out, and the hare be washed in several different waters. prepare a rich and relishing stuffing, as follows: the grated crumb of a penny loaf, a ¼ lb. beef suet, or oz. of marrow, a small quantity of parsley and eschalot, a tea-spoonful of grated lemon-peel, the same of nutmeg, salt, pepper, and the liver chopped, mix all together with the yolk of an egg; and an anchovy, if approved; put it inside the hare, and sew it up. for basting, most cooks use milk and water till within twenty minutes, or thereabouts, of the hare being done, and then baste with butter. but a cook of ours, first basted it with milk and water, for about ten minutes, to draw away the blood, then with ale, and for the last half hour with fresh dripping, until about five minutes before the hare was taken up, when she basted with butter to give { }a froth, having previously lightly floured it. where cream and eggs abound, you may, after the hare has been basted with butter, empty the dripping pan, and baste with warm cream, and the yolk of an egg mixed in it. a good-sized hare will take one hour and a quarter to roast. serve good gravy in a tureen, and currant jelly, or some piquant sauce. (_see sauces._) kid is dressed the same way. _rabbit_ is roasted in the same manner as hare; in addition to the stuffing, put three or four slices, cut very thin, of bacon. liver sauce. chapter ix. baking. some joints of meat bake to advantage. it is convenient, occasionally, to send the dinner out to be cooked, and the meat which suffers least from such cookery ought to be selected; veal is good baked, so is pork, a sucking pig, a goose, and a duck; but not mutton. some pieces of beef bake well, with peeled potatoes under to catch the gravy, and brown. some sorts of fish also bake well. (_see fish in the index._) _breast, loin, fillet, or shoulder of veal._ the two last stuffed with forcemeat; put the joint on a stand in a deep baking dish, and stick bits of butter over the top. the heat of the oven strong, but not fierce. baste often; when nearly done, sprinkle salt over, and ten minutes before it is taken out, dredge with flour. _pig._ put it in a shallow baking dish, wrap the ears and tail in buttered paper; send a good sized piece of butter tied in muslin, for the baker to rub over it frequently. _goose and duck._ prepare as for roasting: put them on a stand, and turn { }them when half done.--_wild goose_ the same, with a piece of suet inside. _ham._ boil it till half done, then cover it with a paste of flour and water, and set it in an oven, hot enough for bread, till you think it done. _ox cheek._ cover with a strong seasoning of pepper, salt, and minced onion. bake three or four hours, according to its size, then set it by till next day, take off the fat, and warm it as you want it. a _shin of beef_ in the same way. _hare and rabbit._ prepare as for roasting, and baste it constantly with butter. the stuffing should be rich. _a fawn._ put a caul over and set it in the oven; about a quarter of an hour before it is done, take off the caul and baste well with butter. it will bake in the same time that a pig requires. meat pies require the oven to be as hot as for joints of meat, yet they should not be scorched. they also require time to soak through, or the meat will not be done. fish pies require half an hour less baking than the same sized meat pies. great nicety is required in baking fruit pies and light pastry. all these ought to be baked at home; when the precise heat of the oven, required, may be attained, which it rarely can be at the bakehouse. pastry suffers, too, in being exposed to the air on its way to the oven; and it ought not to wait long before it is baked. _pork._ any joint will bake well. it must be scored. rub it over with oil, or stick bits of butter all over it. put it on a stand, and put peeled potatoes under it; also, you may put onions and apples. sprinkle dry sage over, before you serve it. stuff the pork, or not, as you choose. { }chapter x. broiling. this is seldom excelled in, though it appears simple, and is of general utility; for few like to dine on cold meat, and none dislike a broil. there is no economy in broiling, but such meat, poultry, or game, as cannot be hashed with advantage, had best be broiled. the great art in broiling is to have a suitable fire. it must be strong, bright, and clear, and entirely free from smoke; if half burnt down, so much the better. have two gridirons, one for meat and poultry, the other for fish. those which hang before the fire are useful. a gridiron should be rubbed clean immediately after being used, not set aside with a particle of grease or soot attached to it. just before you lay meat on, after you have made it hot, rub the gridiron with a piece of fresh suet, if for meat; if for fish, rub with chalk. a pair of steak-tongs is indispensable. above all things, it is necessary that the broil be served immediately, closely covered on its way from the fire to the table, and that the plates and the dish be hot. _beef steaks._ these are eaten in perfection in england only, and, it is said, best in the chop-houses in london, where daily practice makes the cooking perfect, and because in london the best beef may always be procured. no skill in broiling will render tough meat tender. steaks are best from the middle of the rump (unless it be the under part of the sirloin), after the meat has been killed five days (if the weather permit), or even longer. they should be of about ¾ of an inch in thickness; beat them a very little. sprinkle a little salt over the fire, lay the steaks on the hot gridiron, { }turn them frequently, and when the fat blazes and smokes much, quickly remove the gridiron for an instant, till it be over, and the steak will be sufficiently done, in from ten to fifteen minutes. have a hot dish by the side of the fire; and, to gratify the taste of some persons, rub it with a piece of eschalot; at all events let the dish be _hot_, and as you turn the steaks, if there be any gravy at the top, drop it into the dish. before you dish them, put a piece of fresh butter, and a spoonful of catsup in the dish; then sprinkle the dish with a little salt, lay the steaks in the dish, and turn them once or twice, to express the gravy. garnish with horse-radish, or pickles. oyster, and many other sauces may be served; some beef steak eaters say that its own gravy, pepper and salt, are all that a good beef steak requires, unless it be a little sliced raw onion or tarragon; others like fried onions. _beef steaks, with potatoes._ beat them flat; season on both sides with pepper, salt, and such mixed spices as you choose; dip the steaks in melted butter, lay them on the gridiron, and broil them, as directed in the last receipt. have a little finely-rubbed parsley, or chopped eschalot, a piece of butter, and some pepper and salt, in a hot dish; when the steaks are done, lay them in it, turn them once or twice, and arrange slices of potatoes fried, round them. _or_: spread mashed potatoes quite hot in the dish, and lay the steaks on. _blade bone of veal._ broil it till quite done. serve it with stewed mushrooms, or a garnish of pickled mushrooms and slices of lemon. _mutton and lamb chops, also rabbit and fowl cut up, sweetbread and kidneys._ these may all be broiled in the same way as plain beef steak. take care that the fat which drops from mutton and lamb, does not smoke the chops; where there is danger, take off the gridiron, and hold it aslant over the fire. { }kidneys must, to prevent their curling, be stretched on a skewer. they may be dressed in a more savoury way, thus: dip them in egg, then in a mixture of bread-crumbs, and savoury herbs, before you put them on the gridiron. for mutton, a piece of butter in a hot dish, with a little catsup, is good sauce; but no catsup for lamb; cucumber sauce is better.--(_see blade bone of pork._) _pork chops_ require a very strong fire, and more cooking than mutton, for they must be well done, about a quarter of an hour; cut them once to ascertain the state they are in. mix in a _little_ gravy, rather thin than rich, a spoonful of made mustard; pour this quite hot, over the chops, in the dish, to mix with their own gravy; then strew over them a little dry sage, rubbed small, and some chopped eschalot. pork chops may be dressed in a dutch oven. _blade bone of pork._ cut it with a small quantity of meat to it: lay it on the gridiron, and when nearly done, pepper and salt it well, then rub a piece of butter over, and serve it directly. mutton in the same way. _chickens and pigeons._ after a chicken is picked, singed and washed, or wiped clean, truss, and lay it open, by splitting down the back; season the inside with pepper and salt, and lay that side on the gridiron, at a greater distance from the fire than you put a steak, for it will take longer to cook; at least half an hour is necessary for a good sized chicken. from time to time remove the chicken from the fire, and rub it over with a piece of butter, tied in muslin. run a knife into the breast to ascertain if it be done. the gizzard should be scored, well seasoned, broiled and divided, to garnish the chicken, with the liver, and slices of lemon. serve mushroom sauce or parsley and butter. you may egg the chicken and strew grated bread over it, and broil till it is of a fine brown; take care that the fleshy side is not { }burnt. pigeons are broiled in the same way, or may be done whole; in which case truss and put inside each a large piece of butter, pepper and salt, tie close at both ends, lay them on the gridiron, and turn them frequently. you may brush them with egg, and roll them in bread-crumbs and chopped parsley, with which mixture dredge them whilst broiling. parsley and butter in the dish, with mushroom catsup, if you like. stewed mushrooms are served with these, or pickled mushrooms as garnish. chickens should be skinned before they are broiled for a sick person. _partridges._ prepare as above, and place them in a frying-pan in which you have melted a little very delicate dripping, or butter; let them stay ten minutes; turn them once, finish on the gridiron; this makes them more firm than they would otherwise be. poor man's sauce (_see sauces_) is good with all broiled birds. (_see in index for devils, also in made dishes, for cutlets._) _note._--_sauce robert_ is good with all broils. { }chapter xi. frying. not so difficult to _fry_ as it is to _broil_ well, and it is quite as good, for some things, but the fat must be good. lard, butter, dripping, topfat (i.e. the cake of fat which is taken off soup or broth, when it has stood a night), oil, and suet, are all good for frying. if butter, suet and dripping be clarified, the pan will not be so apt to burn, and the fat will be more delicate. housekeepers lose much of their credit by neglecting this, and similar niceties. the pan should be thick at the bottom: an oval shape is best, particularly for fish. the fire not fierce, as fat soon scorches, and the meat may be burnt, before it is half cooked; neither must it be too slack, for then the meat will be soddened; and if fish, of a bad colour, and not crisp. ascertain the heat by throwing a bit of bread in; if the pan be too hot the bread will be burnt up. the fat in which veal, lamb or sweetbreads have been fried, will do for fish; let it stand to settle, then pour the top carefully from the sediment, and put it by. fritters, pastry or sweet things, must be fried in good butter, lard or oil. care is required to fry fish well, and is attainable only by practice. to ascertain the heat of the pan, dip the tail of the fish into the boiling fat, and if it crisps quickly, the pan is ready. fries, as well as broils, served hot, as soon as off the fire, or they will be spoiled. _to clarify butter._ cut in pieces, and put it into a jar: set that in a kettle of boiling water, to melt; skim carefully, take the jar out of the water, let the butter cool a little, then pour it gently off, keeping back the milky sediment. { }_suet._ chop beef, mutton, or veal suet, take off all skin and fibrous parts, melt it _slowly_, as in the last receipt, or in a dutch oven, before the fire. strain, and pour it off: beef or mutton dripping may be done the same way, and is good for peas soup, and for plain pastry. for soup, it may be seasoned, after it is melted and strained. a piece of charcoal will remove a rancid taste, put into the melting fat, and stirred round a few minutes. use butter or lard in frying white meat. _beef steaks and mutton chops_ must be fried in butter. steaks the size directed for broiling will be done in from ten to fifteen minutes. when nearly done, cover with a dish and let the pan remain five minutes by the fire, after you take it off. then lay the steaks in a hot dish, and add to the gravy in the pan a piece of butter rolled in flour, a glass of port wine, or some catsup, a very little water, pepper, salt, a little minced eschalot or onion; let this boil, then pour it over the steaks. garnish with horse-radish, and serve mashed potatoes and pickles. (_see made dishes, for cutlets._) _veal cutlets_ may be cut from the fillet or the loin, ½ an inch thick: brush them over with egg, cover with bread-crumbs, and fry of a nice light brown, in a good deal of butter or lard. you may, if you choose, add to the bread-crumbs, a mixture of parsley, lemon thyme, lemon peel, and a little nutmeg and cayenne. when done place the cutlets in a hot dish, while you make some gravy in the pan; pour all the fat out, and pour in ¼ pint of boiling water, the same of melted butter, and let it boil till thickish, then add harvey sauce, white wine, and any other sauce you like: strain this over the cutlets. garnish with rashers of bacon, curled parsley, and slices of bacon. cutlets, _without gravy_, may be served round mashed potatoes. _lamb and pork chops._ pork chops may be cut from neck or loin. fry the same { }as veal, either plain or egged. garnish with slices of lemon, or crisped parsley. pork chops, egged, are improved, to some persons' tastes, by a little finely chopped onion and sage. you may make a sauce thus: put the chops on a dish, keep hot while you pour part of the fat from the pan, stir in a tea-spoonful of flour, moisten ½ pint of water, or broth, a table-spoonful of vinegar, a little salt and pepper, and small gherkins or slices (or _for lamb, pickled mushrooms_), put the chops back into the pan to re-warm in the sauce, and serve it altogether. you may add mustard to the sauce; also, chopped onions, for pork. if there be no herbs used before, you may sprinkle dried parsley over lamb chops in the dish; also, lemon peel. _sausages._ some suppose that these do not require fat to fry them. it should be butter or dripping, not lard (a little for beef or pork, more for veal), and sausages ought to cook slowly, that they may be done, without being scorched, and not burst. prick them with a darning needle to prevent this, but gradual heating is the best preventative. drain, _very_ lightly flour, and set them before the fire to froth. for dinner or supper, serve mashed potatoes with sausages. _rabbits_ _must_ be young, either tame or wild. carve in joints, brush these with egg, and dip them in bread-crumbs, in which there may be, if you like it, some dried parsley, grated ham or lemon peel; fry nicely and serve with rashers; make some gravy in the pan as directed for veal cutlets. _eggs with ham or bacon._ soak the slices, of ham or bacon, in lukewarm water, and dry them in the folds of a cloth; and they will be less hard than fried bacon usually is. the pan used to fry eggs should be delicately clean. a good method is, to melt a little fat in the pan, pour that off, and then, whilst the pan is quite hot, rub it hard with a cloth. let the bacon be nearly done, and if the fat be burnt, pour that off, and put in some fresh; then slip the eggs gently in. when they { }are done lay the slices of bacon in a dish, trim the eggs, and lay them on the bacon. the eggs may be fried in one pan, and the bacon in another; some prefer the latter broiled. for breakfast, slices of ham or bacon should not be broiled or fried, but toasted before the fire. _sweetbreads._ parboil them while fresh, and then fry them in long slices, or whole, in plain butter; or else egged, covered with bread-crumbs, and seasoned with lemon peel, pepper, and a sprig of basil. garnish with crisped parsley, and lemon sliced: serve on a toast, with either parsley and butter, or plain butter, and a very little walnut, mushroom or any other catsup. garnish with small slices of crisped bacon. (_see made dishes._) _ox, calves', and lamb's liver, and pig's harslet_, must be quite sound. cut the liver in long thin slices, soak in water, then dry them in a cloth, flour, and season with pepper, salt, a little onion, or eschalot and sage, chopped fine. fry the slices in butter or lard, of a light brown, and when nearly done, put into the pan some slices of bacon. when you take the liver and bacon out of the pan, pour in a tea-cupful of boiling water, dredge some flour in, let it boil up, and pour this gravy over the liver. you may fry a handful of parsley in the gravy. you may improve this gravy, by adding to it pepper, salt, a wineglass of vinegar, lump of sugar, and a tea-spoonful of made mustard. garnish with crisped parsley; serve mashed potatoes, or better still, stewed cucumbers. of the pig's harslet, the lights, sweetbread, and heart may be parboiled, cut up, and fried with the liver. _or_:--after the fashion of _herefordshire_, cut in slices, inches thick, the liver, griskins, heart, kidney, lights, crow, and some fat of bacon; rub these slices well with a seasoning, composed of onions, apples, a _little_ sage, and plenty of pepper and salt; then put them on a small spit in alternate slices of lean and fat, cover all over with a pig's caul, and roast it three hours, or more, if the harslet be large. when done, remove the caul and pour a kettle of boiling water over. make some gravy of the water that has been poured over, and flavour it with port wine, cyder, and walnut catsup. serve apple sauce. _harslet_ is { }very good stewed in just enough water to make gravy, and seasoned well. a little cayenne. _tripe._ boiled tender, cut in long narrow slips, these dipped in a batter of egg and flour, and, if you like, a little minced onion and salt. fry from seven to ten minutes, of a light brown. serve, if approved of, onion sauce.--(_cow-heel the same._) _to fry parsley._ after it has been washed and picked, shake the parsley backwards and forwards in a cloth till dry; then put it into a pan of hot fat, and fry it quickly of a light brown; take it out with a slice the moment it is crisp--it will be spoiled if done too much. lay it on a sieve before the fire. herbs, lemon peel, and onions, must always be chopped fine before they are mixed with bread-crumbs to fry. _or_: spread it on paper in a dutch oven before the fire, and turn it often till it is crisp. _to fry bread sippets._ cut a slice of bread about a ¼ inch thick, divide it into pieces of any shape you like. make some fat quite hot, in the frying-pan, put in the sippets, and fry of a light brown; take them up with a slice, and drain them before the fire ten minutes. take care the pan be not hot enough to burn. _to fry bread crumbs._ the bread two days old: rub it into very smooth crumbs, put them into a stew-pan with some butter; set it near a moderate fire, and stir them constantly with a wooden spoon, till of a fine light brown; spread them on a sieve to drain, and stir occasionally. serve with roasted sweetbreads, small birds, and game, if approved. (_see made dishes._) { }chapter xii. soups and broths. the prejudice against french soup, arising from a belief that it must be _maigre_, is as ridiculous as was the assuming that all frenchmen are the small, thin, miserable looking creatures which they used to be represented in caricatures. soup is nourishing, and also economical, as it converts into palatable food, the coarser parts of meat, all trimmings, and much that could not be cooked with effect in any other way. the french excel, merely because they take such pains in making soup, and not from the quality or quantity of their ingredients. a little meat with slow and regular boiling, will produce richer soup, than double the quantity, if the soup kettle be suffered to boil fast one quarter of an hour, and to stop boiling altogether the next quarter of an hour.--the fault most common in english soup is, the want of the juice of meat, caused by too quick and irregular boiling, to remedy which want, recourse is had to pepper, herbs, and wine. it is very easy to vary the _sort_ of soup, by making a good clear _stock_, or what the french call _bouillon_, and the next or following days, flavour it, or add vegetable ingredients to your taste. soup made solely of brown meat or game, without vegetables, will keep better than that made of veal, fowl, any vegetable substance, or fish. as the french are great economists in their kitchens, and are most scientific cooks, it may not be amiss to recommend their practice. read the directions for boiling meat, for they must be observed in the first process of soup making. always use the softest water; and, as a general rule, give a quart to a pound of meat for soup, rather less for gravy. place the soup-kettle over a moderate fire, that the meat may be gradually heated through, which will cause it to swell and become tender; also the water will penetrate into it, and { }extract all the gross particles, which will then go off in scum. if it be suffered to boil up quickly, it will be just as if scorched before the fire, and will never yield any gravy.--after the soup has been near to a boil for half an hour, let it boil _gently_, to throw up the scum; remove that carefully, and when you think no more will appear, put in the vegetables and a little salt: these will cause more scum to rise; watch and take it off, then cover the pot close, and place it so, by the fire, that it may boil or _simmer_ gently, and not vary its rate of boiling. from four to six hours may be enough, but an hour more would not be too much, for the bare meat and vegetables; all flavouring ingredients should be allowed the shortest possible time, because their flavour evaporates in boiling. great extravagance is often committed for the want of attention to this, for a larger quantity of costly ingredients is used, than need be if they were put in just at the proper time. it may be necessary to put in _some_ of these things earlier than others; but this must rest with the discretion of the cook. remember that where catsup is used, care must be observed not to give so much salt as where there is none. if the soup waste much in boiling, add boiling water. keep the lid close, and remove it as seldom as possible, because so much of the flavour escapes by that means. if the soup be over-watered, leave the lid half way off, that some of it may evaporate in steam. french cooks, i believe, invariably brown the meat and vegetables first, thus: put a good piece of butter in a stew or frying-pan, then the meat and vegetables and a little water (no seasoning), set it over a sharp fire, turn it frequently that none of it may burn, or the flavour will be spoiled; when it is all browned, put your quantity of water to it. the soup may, perhaps, have a finer flavour, but it will not be so clear, for after the meat has been fried the scum will not be extracted from it in boiling. thickening may be made of bread-raspings. but that most commonly used, is flour rubbed in butter or fat skimmings. flour or meal is coloured, spread on a plate, in a dutch oven before the fire. turn it with a spoon till it is of the colour you wish. keep covered close, for use. potato flour, a table-spoonful, mixed smooth in a cup of water, is a nice thickening. barley and oatmeal, also indian { }corn meal, in the same quantity. thickening should be put in after that scumming has taken place which the vegetables have made necessary. but the french mode of thickening soup is best of all. (_see roux._) some persons boil vegetables by themselves to a mash, and pulp them through a sieve into the soup. this helps to thicken it. the fatter the meat, the more of green vegetables, such as leeks and greens, may be used. meat should not be very fat, nor yet all lean, for soup. no seasoning whatever, except salt, should be given to plain stock, if not to be eaten the day it is made. thickened soup requires a greater quantity of flavouring ingredients than clear soup, as the thickening material absorbs a portion of the flavouring.--take care not to over-season, for this is a common fault. of wine, the quantity should not exceed a wine-glassful to a quart. the sort must depend upon taste, but claret is best for brown soup; madeira for mock turtle; brandy is used in soup, and so is lump sugar. vegetable soup requires a little cayenne. soup or stock to be eaten on the following day, should stand by the side of the fire a quarter of an hour to settle, before it is strained; the fat skimmed carefully off, and put by. strain the stock into an unglazed vessel. in hot weather, let it stand in a cool place; if you wish to keep it three or four days, boil it up every day. when you rewarm it, take off the cake of fat at the top, and hold back the sediment. be careful in warming soup, that it do not get smoked. also remember that it should but just come to a boil, and be taken off the fire, for every bubble tends to flatten its flavour. when macaroni, or other paste, or any kind of green vegetable, is added at the time of re-warming the soup, of course time must be given for such addition to be cooked; it is best partly cooked by itself first. ham is used for making stock; but except for ragouts, or sauces very highly flavoured, i should reject it. when cream is added, it must be boiled first, or it will curdle. pour it in by degrees, stirring all the while. the french use earthenware soup-kettles, and some prefer them to the cast-iron digester, or stock-pot. tammis cloths (bought at the oil shops) are better for straining than sieves. never use stale meat for broth or soup. vegetables as { }fresh as possible. the older and drier the onion, the stronger its flavour. _plain stock._ having read the foregoing directions, get a leg or shin of beef, break it in two or three places, wash it, and cut some nice pieces to eat. cover with water, and boil it slowly. if you wish it to be very good, add an old fowl, rabbit, any trimmings of meat, or gizzards of poultry, or bones, but mind that whatever it be, it is quite fresh; take care that you take off the first scum as it rises, then put in salt, and a large carrot, a head of celery, two turnips, and two onions. simmer this so gently as not to waste the liquor, from four to five hours, then strain as directed.--rabbits are excellent in making stock. more onions may be used than i have given directions for in this receipt; indeed, where their flavour is not objected to, it is scarcely possible to use too many, for nothing enriches soup and gravy so much. the meat of shin of beef is excellent for your family dinner; before what is cut into smallish pieces are cooked too much, take them out and keep hot to serve with a little of the soup poured over, as sauce. serve pickles. _soup and bouilli._ about lbs. of fresh, juicy rump, or flank of beef, four quarts of water, let it come slowly to a boil, put in a heaped table-spoonful of salt, taking off all the scum carefully; put in three carrots, four turnips, two leeks, one head of celery, three onions (one burnt), three cloves in each, a small bunch of herbs; this should boil very gently five hours. all the vegetables cut or sliced. some persons like a small cabbage cut up in this. serve the bouilli garnished with the vegetables; put slices of bread in your tureen and pour the soup over, without straining. tomata sauce is good with bouilli. _good plain stock._ lbs. of knuckle of veal cut in pieces, five inches in diameter, also ¾ lb. of lean ham, cut in dice, put ¼ lb. of butter into a stew-pan, turn it round, then put in the meat, two { }onions, four cloves in each, a turnip, carrot, leek and a head of celery. cover the pan and keep skimming its contents over a sharp fire, until there be a thick white glaze that will adhere to the spoon; then put in four quarts of soft water, and when coming to a boil, set it on one side of the fire, that it may _simmer_ for three hours. skim off the fat, and strain it. _very good clear gravy soup._ first heat, then rub with a coarse cloth, a good-sized stew-pan or stock-pot, then rub the bottom and sides with a marrow, or a large piece of butter. lay in about or lbs. of shin of beef chopped across, a knuckle or scrag of veal, four shanks or the knuckle part of a leg of mutton, and any trimmings of meat, game or poultry you have, a slice of carrot, a head of celery, two onions, two leeks, and turnip sliced, and two table-spoonsful of salt. let this catch, not burn, over a rather brisk fire, and add five quarts of soft water. when it has been carefully scummed once, give it a pint of cold water, to throw up more scum. simmer slowly full four hours. place it by the side of the hearth to settle, skim off the fat, and strain it. of this soup, which ought to be very clear, are made many sorts, on following days, thus:-- _vermicelli._--boil the quantity you wish to use, in a little water, till nearly cooked enough, then put it into the clear soup, when you put that on the fire to re-warm. _brown thickening, which see, in the index._ _maccaroni soup._--the same as the last, but do not make it too thick. boil the maccaroni till rather more than three parts cooked, and put it into the soup to finish while that is heating. cream is an improvement. serve grated parmesan. _white thickening._ _carrot or turnip soup._--cut red carrots in thin strips, boil them till tender, and put them into clear soup, when it is rewarmed. _or_: boil six or eight carrots quite tender, then pulp them through a sieve into the soup. scoop turnips into little balls, or cut them in any shapes you like, boil them till tender, and put into the soup. _brown thickening._ _celery and asparagus soup._--cut these in pieces rather more than ½ an inch in length, and boil them gently, till { }tender, then put them into clear gravy soup. cream may be used if the thickening be white. _julienne soup._--cut leeks and celery in squares, turnips and carrots in strips, boil them till tender, and put into clear brown soup. _or_: cut carrots and turnips in strips, put a large tea-cupful of these into a stewpan with ½ lb. of butter, and shake it over the fire till they are tender and look transparent, then pour in the stock; add young peas, two onions, two leeks, a small lettuce, some sorrel and chervil, all these cut small; simmer gently till the vegetables are cooked, then put in three lumps of sugar. _clear herb soup._ cut up what herbs you like the flavour of; also leeks, celery, carrots, turnips, cabbage, lettuce, and young onions, in preference to old ones, a handful of young peas, put the whole into boiling water, and give them just a scald. drain them on a sieve, put them into some clear stock, and simmer slowly till the roots are tender. season with salt, and a very little cayenne, if you choose. _a clear soup._ cut lbs. of gravy beef small, put it into a large stewpan, with two onions, a small carrot and turnip, a head of celery, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a pint of water. stew slowly an hour, add nine pints of boiling water. simmer it slowly six hours, strain, and let it stand till next day. take off the fat, pour it from the sediment, and boil up with whatever flavouring ingredient you choose. this may be made _julienne_ by putting in the mixture of vegetables as directed above. also _ox-tail_ by adding one to it. _brown soup._ make this as clear gravy soup, and strain it. then fry to a nice brown lbs. rump steaks, cut in small pieces, drain them from the fat, and put them in the soup. let them simmer an hour, add salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste, also a wine-glassful of any catsup you like, and when done, let it stand by the fire, to allow the fat to rise; take that off, and serve the soup with the steaks. { }_plain white soup._ soak a large knuckle of veal, put it into the soup-kettle with fowls skinned, or a rabbit, ¼ lb. of lean undressed bacon or ham, a bunch of lemon thyme, onions, carrot, turnip, a head of celery, a few white peppercorns, and blades of mace, cover with water, and boil for two hours and a half, and strain. this should form a jelly. to re-warm it, take off the top fat, clear the soup from the sediment, and put it in a stewpan. add vermicelli or maccaroni, previously boiled, till nearly done. _another white soup._ fry ½ lbs. veal, and ¼ lb. ham or bacon, with a faggot of herbs, onions, a parsnip cut small, and a head of celery. when the gravy is drawn, pour upon it quarts of water, and quarts of skim milk. boil it slowly an hour and a half. add table-spoonfuls of oatmeal, rubbed smooth in a tea-cupful of broth. boil half an hour, then strain it into the tureen. _cow heel_ and _calf's feet_ are good in making white soup; also rabbits, in place of fowls. when veal is dear, use lean beef. _another with herbs._ boil a quart of beef and a quart of veal stock together, with a table-spoonful of chopped tarragon, and one of chervil; when tender, have ready a coffee-cupful of cream and three eggs beaten together, stir them gently in, and keep stirring till cooked, but do not let it boil. _lorraine soup._ blanch ½ lb. of sweet and oz. bitter almonds, pound them in a mortar, with a very little water, to a paste. take all the white part of a cold roast fowl, skin and mince it very fine, with the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, and some fine bread-crumbs; put this into a pint of _plain white soup_, with a large piece of lemon peel, and a little mace and nutmeg; let it come to a boil, add a quart more of the same stock boiling hot, and after it has simmered a few minutes, strain the soup, and add, by degrees, a quart of cream which has been boiled. { }_onion soup._ the number of onions must depend upon taste; if or , chop and stew them, in a saucepan, with a good piece of butter; stew them gradually, and when done, add some good stock: salt, pepper, and cayenne, if the stock be not already seasoned. this may be strained, and a pint of boiling cream added, to make it more delicate.--_another_: cut small silver onions in rings, fry them of a light colour, drain and cook them for twenty minutes in _clear gravy soup_. serve toasted sippets. _onion soup maigre._ fry in clarified butter large onions, heads of celery, a large carrot and a turnip, all chopped. when soft, pulp them through a sieve, into quarts of boiled water, thickened with or oz. of butter, worked up with potato flour, and seasoned with mace and white peppercorns, lumps of sugar, or you may thicken with the beat yolks of eggs. bread sippets in the tureen. _green peas soup._ an old-fashioned, but good receipt. boil quite soft, pints of green peas, and work them through a hair sieve. put into the water in which the peas were boiled, large slices of ham, a small knuckle of veal, a few beet leaves shred small, a turnip, carrots, and a little more water. boil an hour and a half. then strain the liquor into a bowl, and mix it with the pulp. put in a little juice of spinach, which is obtained by squeezing the spinach, after it has been boiled, through a cloth. this will give a good colour. then give it a gentle boil, to take off the taste of the spinach, slice in the whitest part of a head of celery, and a lump of sugar the size of a walnut. cut a slice of bread into little square pieces, a slice of bacon in the same manner, and fry together in fresh butter, of a light brown. cut a large lettuce in slices, fry that, after the other, then put them all together into the tureen. have ready boiled, a pint of young peas, put them also into the tureen, and pour the soup over.--onions may be added if approved.--serve toasted bread, and also dry powdered mint. { }_green pea or asparagus soup._ put pints of peas, with ½ lb. of butter and ¼ lb. lean ham, in dice, into a stew-pan with two onions cut up and a little parsley, moisten it with water, and keep stirring or shaking over a sharp fire; when quite tender put in a thickening of flour rubbed smooth with water or broth, and having stirred that well in, add quarts of any stock you have; whatever salt and pepper you think is required, also cayenne if you like, and lumps of sugar: boil ten minutes and strain it. this may be served at once; or, after you have strained it, you may boil it up again with ½ pint of boiling milk, skim it, and serve on crisp sippets. _asparagus_ the same way: keep back part of the heads, and boil them separately, not very tender, cut them in pointed pieces, and put into the strained soup. _artichoke soup._ wash and peel doz. jerusalem artichokes, and cut them in thin slices. put large onions, turnip, a head of celery, bay leaves, a sprig of thyme, and lb. of lean ham into a stew-pan, with ½ lb. butter, stir all the time, and let it fry over a slow fire minutes; it will form a white glaze, then take it off, and put it all with the artichokes into a stew-pan with a pint of thin broth or soft water, and simmer it, till all the vegetables are quite tender, then put in table-spoonsful of flour rubbed smooth with broth, mix well together; add quarts of good stock and a pint of boiled milk, a tea-spoonful of salt, the same of sugar, let it just boil up, then strain it, and boil it up again with mushroom catsup, and a glass of white wine; and pour it over fried bread in the tureen. _a good maigre soup._ melt slowly, in a stew-pan, ¾ lb. butter, put in a head of celery, carrot, and turnip sliced, shake them well and let them brown; add three quarts of boiling water, ½ pint of young peas, and some black pepper; when these are done, let it settle, strain the soup into another stew-pan, leaving all sediment; put it on again with large onions in slices, { }another head of celery, and turnips and carrots in pretty shapes. boil slowly till done, then serve the soup. _yellow peas soup_ should soak the night before, and if old, again in the morning, in lukewarm water. allow ½ lb. to quarts of soft water, with lbs. of lean sinewy beef, or fresh trimmings of meat, poultry, or roast beef bones, a small piece of pickled pork, the shank of a bacon or mutton ham, or the root of a tongue a little salted, and soaked and washed; also carrots, turnips, and rather small onions. scum well, as soon as it boils, and stir the peas up from the bottom; add another quart of boiling water, or the liquor of any boiled meat. (pot liquor should always be saved for peas soup.) let it simmer till the peas will pulp. then strain through a coarse sieve. take the onions out from the pulp, and put the latter back into the soup, with a fresh head of celery, or a large tea-spoonful of celery seed, tied in muslin, and some salt and pepper. simmer it, if thin, three-quarters of an hour, to thicken it; then put it into the tureen, let it stand covered a few minutes, and remove the fat which will have gathered on the top. shake dried mint or parsley over the soup, and serve with dice of toasted bread.--this soup may be made in a very economical way, by the means of pot liquor, roast beef bones, fragments of meat, and fresh clarified dripping. the liquor in which a leg of pork has been boiled, should be saved for peas soup.--very little pieces of boiled pork may be served in peas soup, also cucumbers cut and fried, or bacon cut and fried. a pickled herring is used to give flavour, when there is no pot liquor. peas soup is very good quite maigre; the water must be soft, and the peas boiled long and slowly, before they are pulped. _carrot soup plain._ scrape and wash six large carrots, and peel off the outsides quite thick; put these into a soup-kettle, with a large head of celery, an onion cut thin, two quarts of soft water, or pot liquor, and, if you have them, roast beef bones. after this has been boiled and scummed, set it by the fire, keep it close covered and simmer it gently two hours. { }strain through a sieve, and pulp the vegetables, with a wooden spoon, into a clean saucepan, and as much broth as will make it as thick as peas soup; season with salt and pepper. make it hot, and send it to table. add what spices you like. serve toasted bread, either fried or plain.--_celery_ and _turnip_ soup the same way. when celery cannot be procured, the seed pounded fine, about ½ a drachm, put in a quarter of an hour, will give the flavour of two heads of celery. _mock turtle soup._ make it the day before it is wanted. get a good sized calf's head, the skin on, scald and split it, take out the brains, and the bones of the nose, and lay it in lukewarm water to soak. change the water often, to draw out the blood and slime. when the head is quite clean, put it into a stew-pan with rather more soft cold water than to cover it. let it come to a boil rather quickly, and scum well. then boil gently, rather more than half an hour. take out the head, place it in a dish, and when cold, cut it into small neat pieces: skin the tongue, and cut it up. keep the meat covered, and set it by till the next day. put all the bones and refuse parts of the head into the soup-kettle, in the liquor in which it was boiled, with a knuckle of veal broken, and about lbs. shin of beef, but the latter must be soaked first. let this boil, then take off all the scum, and simmer it gently from four hours and a half to six hours, strain it into a pan, and set it by. when you want to make the soup, take off the cake of fat, and pour the stock into a large stew-pan, holding back the sediment; set it on the fire, let it come quickly to a boil, then throw in a little salt to facilitate the rising of whatever scum there may still be, and take this off. put in from to sliced onions, browned in the frying-pan; also a few sprigs of fried sage, a few leaves of sweet basil, and the peel of a large lemon, not fried; a little cayenne, black pepper to your taste, a very little allspice, three blades of mace, some cloves, one eschalot, and the thickening; which latter may be of flour worked up in butter, or of brown _roux_ (which _see in the index_). let it simmer nearly two hours, or till it taste strong, and be of a good colour; pass it gently through a hair-sieve into another stew-pan, and put into that the cut { }up pieces of head, and what wine you choose, madeira, sherry, or claret, about a wine-glassful of either of the two former, to a quart of soup. when the meat is tender, the soup is done, and from half to three-quarters of an hour ought to cook it. have ready each of forcemeat and egg balls to serve in the tureen. _forcemeat balls_ are made of veal or fowl, suet and parsley, all minced very fine, mixed with bread-crumbs, salt, pepper, cayenne, lemon-peel, nutmeg, and allspice, and wetted with yoke of egg, to make up into balls. fry of a light brown, and lay them in a small sieve to drain before you put them in the tureen. _egg balls_ are eggs boiled hard, the yoke taken from the white and pounded well in a mortar, a little salt added, and as much raw yolk of egg and flour as will bind these into balls, not bigger than a marble. put them into the soup soon enough to cook them. before you serve the soup, squeeze the juice of a lemon into the tureen. some persons put ox palates, in slices, in mock turtle; pickled cucumbers cut very thin may also be an improvement. the above is not an expensive receipt, though, perhaps, quite rich enough. _cheaper mock turtle_ may be made of cow-heels or calf's feet, stewed gently, strained, and the liquor added to plain stock of beef, an onion, and what herbs and other seasonings you like. cut up the feet, and put them into the soup, just before you serve it. add lemon juice and wine, if you like. _hare soup._ the hare must be quite fresh. cut it up (washed, but not soaked), put it in a stewpan, with six middling-sized onions (two burnt), two bay leaves, a blade of mace, three cloves, a bunch of parsley, a little sweet basil, thyme, and celery, also a little broth, plain stock, or, if you have neither, soft water, to cover the meat. if you desire it to be very good, add lb. of gravy beef, notched and browned first; when it has come to a boil, and been scummed, put in three quarts of water, and simmer, if the hare be young, three hours; if old, longer. strain it, set the best pieces cut rather small apart, to serve in the tureen, and cut all the meat off the other parts, to pound with soaked crumb of { }bread, to give thickness to the soup. when this is put into the strained soup, season it to your taste, and add catsup and port wine; also fried forcemeat balls, if you like. _another, and a better._ if you happen to have two hares, one old and tough, the other young, cut up the first and put it on in three quarts of water, with three onions, two anchovies, six cloves, a blade of mace, a teaspoonful of salt, half a one of cayenne, and simmer it four hours. meantime, roast the other hare, properly stuffed, till half done, then cut it up, and put it all, with the stuffing, into the soup, and let it simmer gently nearly an hour. you will have kept back some of the best pieces to serve in the soup the next day, unless you prefer it clear without any meat, in which case put it all in. next day, when you re-warm it, add a tumbler of port wine. not having the old hare, two rabbits may be found very good. _rabbit soup._ cut up the rabbits, and if two, put the pieces into water sufficient to cover them; let it boil slowly, and take off all the scum; when no more rises, add two quarts of good stock (or soft water), prepared of shin of beef and veal, or of knuckle of veal alone, or of trimmings of veal and two or three shanks of mutton: this stock must be already flavoured with onions or eschalots, white peppercorns, and mace; simmer gently till the meat is quite tender, and then put it by till next day. take off all fat before you re-warm it; take out the liver, rub it through a sieve, moisten with a little flour and butter, and add to the soup, also a teacupful of port, the same of white wine, a table-spoonful of walnut catsup, and lemon pickle. _game and venison soup_, may be made of any and of every kind of game. skin the birds; if large ones, carve them; if small ones, only split down the back; fry them, with slices of ham or bacon, and a _little_ sliced onion and carrot. drain the pieces, lay them in a stewpan with some good _stock_, a head of celery, a little chopped parsley, and what seasonings you like. stew gently { }for an hour. if venison be at hand, fry some small steaks, and stew with the birds. serve the meat in the soup, taking out the ham. _another, and plainer._ in the season, and in houses where game abounds, make soup as follows: cut the meat off the breasts of any cold birds, and pound it in a mortar. boil the legs, and all the bones, in whatever broth you have, for an hour. boil four large turnips to a mash, and pulp them to the pounded meat, mix these well, then strain in the broth, by degrees, and let it stand close by the fire, in the stew-pan, but do not let it boil. season to your taste. just before you serve it, beat the yolks of eggs in a pint of cream, and pass through a sieve; then put the soup on the fire, and as it is coming to a boil, stir in the cream, and keep stirring a few minutes, but do not let it quite boil, or it will curdle. _stewed knuckle of veal and soup_, may be made of the breast, shoulder-blade, or scrag, but best of the knuckle. cut it in three pieces: wash, break, and place it on skewers, in the stew-pan, with lb. of streaked bacon, a head of celery, onions, carrots, turnip, a bunch of parsley and lemon thyme, and a few black and jamaica peppercorns. cover the meat with water, and let it simmer till quite tender. strain the soup, put it on the fire again, and season and thicken it to your taste. either serve the meat in the tureen with the soup, or put it in a dish with the bacon, and the vegetables round it. you may pour parsley and butter over the meat, or serve it in a boat. a little rice flour is good to thicken with. some have whole rice boiled, as for eating, and put to the soup when it is returned to the fire. others use vermicelli. eggs and cream beaten together and strained, would enrich this soup; when you put them in, stir all the time, and take off the soup before it quite boils. _mulligatawny soup._ put a few slices of bacon into a stew-pan with a knuckle of veal, and no vegetables; simmer an hour and three { }quarters; cut about ½ lbs. of breast of veal into rather small pieces, add the bones, and gristly parts of the breast, to the knuckle which is stewing; fry the pieces of meat, and sliced onions, in a stew-pan, with a piece of good clarified dripping or butter. strain the stock if done, and put the fry to it, set it on the fire, and scum carefully; simmer it an hour. have ready mixed in a batter, dessert-spoonsful of curry powder, the same of lightly browned flour, and salt and cayenne as you choose; add them to the soup. simmer the meat till quite tender. you may have chickens parboiled, and use them in place of the breast of veal. the above receipt is a plain one. _another and richer._ make a strong stock of a knuckle of veal, roast beef bones, a ham bone, a faggot of sweet herbs, carrots, turnips, onions, clove of garlic, heads of celery, previously fried in butter, cloves, some black pepper, salt, cayenne, mace, and mushroom powder; stew it all in quarts of water, eight hours, then strain through a fine sieve. when cold take off all the fat, and if the stock be not rich enough, add to quarts, a pint of good gravy; rub table-spoonsful of curry powder, of ground rice, and of turmeric with some butter and flour, then moisten with a little stock, and add it by degrees to the rest, and simmer it two hours. add or wine-glassfuls of sherry or madeira, of oyster, of walnut pickle, of eschalot or chili vinegar, table-spoonsful of soy, of harvey or reading sauce, and of essence of anchovy; simmer it a few minutes. have ready chickens, or a rabbit, parboiled, then browned in fresh butter, or pieces of ox-tail previously cooked, add whichever of these it may be to the soup, simmer it again till the meat be cooked, then squeeze in the juice of a lemon and serve. serve rice, cayenne, chili vinegar, and pickles.--_cold arrack_, or _rum punch_, after mulligatawny. _ox-tail soup._ three tails will make a good sized tureen-ful of soup; it is very strengthening, is considered an elegant, and is by no means an expensive soup. have the tails divided at the { }points, rub with suet, and soak them in lukewarm water. lay them in a stew-pan with onions, a turnip, carrots, some peppercorns, and quarts of soft water. let it simmer two hours and a half; take out the tails, cut them in small pieces, thicken it brown, then strain it into a fresh stew-pan, put in the pieces of meat, boil up and skim it; put more pepper, if wanted, and either catsup, or port wine. _grouse soup._ roast birds, cut off all the meat, reserve some nice pieces to serve in the tureen; put the bones and all the rest into quarts of good stock, and boil them half an hour; then pound the meat in a mortar; put a large onion, ½ a carrot and turnip, cut up, into a stew-pan with ½ lb. butter, sprigs each of parsley, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, and ½ a blade of mace, and stir them a few minutes over the fire; then add a pint of stock, and stew it all till tender, put in the pounded meat, and oz. of flour rubbed smooth, and the soup, mix it all well together, simmer it minutes, stirring all the while; if required, add salt, and a table-spoonful of sugar; strain it into another stew-pan, boil it up, skim it well, and pour into the tureen over the reserved slices of meat, and some fried pieces of bread, cut in any shape you please. the _stock_ for the above is good made of or lbs. of beef and or rabbits, according to the quantity, and the richness you require. i should put a large wine-glassful of port into a moderate sized tureen-ful. _partridge and pheasant soup._ the same as the above. _poacher's soup._ this excellent soup may be made of any kind of game. about lbs. of any of the coarse parts of venison, beef, or the same weight in shanks, or lean mutton, for the stock; boil in it celery, onions, carrots, turnips, what herbs you like, and ¼ oz. of mixed black and jamaica peppers. simmer three hours, then strain it. skin and cut up a black cock, a woodcock, a pheasant, half a hare, a rabbit, a brace { }of partridges, or grouse, or slices of venison; any one, or parts of several of these, according to what you may require and what game you may have. season the meat with such mixed spices as you like, then flour and fry it in the frying-pan, or put them, at once, into the strained stock, for the frying process is not actually necessary. put in with the pieces of meat, about small onions, heads of celery cut up, and peeled potatoes; when the stock comes to a boil, add a small white cabbage, or a lettuce quartered, black pepper, salt, and allspice if you like. simmer till the meat be tender. if the meat be composed of small birds, the vegetables must be put into the soup and cooked before the meat, for _that_ must not be _overdone_. this may be enriched by wine, catsup, anchovies, and forcemeat balls. _scotch barley broth._ about lbs. of mutton to quarts of water, and ¼ lb. of scotch barley (more or less according to taste), a large spoonful of salt, also a large cup of soaked split peas, if in season. scum carefully, and let the broth boil slowly an hour. then add carrots, turnips, cut small, onions, or leeks sliced, and a head of celery, or a bunch of parsley, and some green or split peas. when these are done, season to your taste. this may be made of beef, with greens instead of turnips. the meat, if mutton, is served in a dish, with parsley and butter; and the vegetables in the soup. remove the fat from the top before you serve. _hotchpotch, a german dish._ cut lbs. of either beef or mutton, or both, into nice shaped pieces, and put to them as much water as you require soup. boil and scum well, then put in carrots and turnips sliced, parsley chopped, leeks and german greens cut up, suiting the quantity to the meat. serve all together. _a pepper pot._ three quarts of water, lbs. of mutton or veal, and a small piece of lean bacon; a fowl if you have it; as many carrots, turnips, and onions as you like, and a tea-cupful of { }rice. scum well, season highly, and let it stand a little before you serve it, to take off the fat. _scotch cock-a-leekie._ make a stock of lbs. of shin of beef, strain, and put to it a large fowl trussed for boiling, and when it boils, put in six leeks (blanched), in pieces an inch long. in half an hour put in six more leeks and the seasoning; if these leeks do not make the soup thick enough, put more. when the fowl is done, serve it in the soup. _mutton broth._ put lbs. of scrag of mutton into a saucepan, with just enough water to cover, and when that is near boiling, pour it off, and carefully take all the scum off the meat; then put it back into the saucepan with four pints of boiling water, a table-spoonful of grits, a little salt, and an onion; set it over a slow fire, scum well, and then put in two turnips, and simmer it slowly two hours. (_see cooking for the sick._) _veal broth._ the knuckle is best, but the scrag is good. a gallon of water to the knuckle, add an onion, a blade of mace and salt. carefully scum, and boil it gently till the meat be thoroughly done, and the liquor greatly reduced. add vermicelli or rice. _chicken broth_ should simmer very gently, and its strength will be in proportion to the quantity of water. a good-sized chicken will make a quart of very good broth. as this is seldom made except for invalids, neither onion, carrot, nor turnip ought to be used. a bunch of parsley may be boiled in the broth, then taken out and chopped fine. skim the fat off the broth, and serve the parsley in it. _milk soup._ boil two quarts with a little salt, cinnamon, and sugar. { }lay thin slices of toasted bread in a tureen, pour a little hot milk over them, and cover close that they may soak. beat the yolks of five eggs, add them by degrees to the milk; stir it over the fire till it thickens, take it off instantly or it will curdle; pour it into the tureen upon the bread. you may stir into the boiling milk a ¼ lb. of sweet almonds, and a few bitter ones, all blanched. in france _buttermilk_ is cooked in this way, and poured on thin slices of boiled apples, spread in a tureen. _ox-head soup._ put half an ox cheek into a tub of cold water, and let it soak two hours. take it out, break the bones not already broken, and wash it well in lukewarm water. then put it in a pot, cover with cold water, and let it boil; scum carefully, put in salt, one head of celery, one turnip, two carrots, two large onions (one burnt), a bay leaf, two dozen berries of black pepper, the same of allspice, a good handful of parsley, some marjoram, savory, and lemon thyme; cover the soup kettle close, and set it over a slow fire. as the liquor is coming to a boil, scum will rise, take that off, and let the soup stew gently by the fire three hours. then take out the head, pour the soup through a fine sieve into a stone-ware pan, and set both by till the next day. cut the meat into small pieces, skim all fat from the top of the liquor, and put about two quarts of it, all the meat, and a head of celery cut up and fried with an onion, into a clean saucepan, and simmer it half an hour. cayenne may be added, a glass of white wine, or a table-spoonful of brandy. _giblet soup._ scald two sets of fresh giblets, and pick them very clean. cut off the noses, split the heads, and divide the gizzards and necks into small pieces; crack the bones of the legs, put all into a stewpan, and cover them with cold water. when it boils scum well, and put in three sprigs each of lemon thyme, winter savory, or marjoram, and a little bunch of parsley; also twenty berries of allspice, and the same of black pepper, in a muslin bag; let this _stew very gently_, till the gizzards are tender, which will be in about an hour and { }a half. lift out the giblets with a skimmer, or spoon with holes, into a tureen, and keep it, covered, by the fire. melt ½ oz. of fresh butter in a clean saucepan, stir in enough flour to make a paste, and pour in, by degrees, a ladleful of the giblet liquor, and the rest by degrees, and boil it ten minutes, stirring all the time. skim and strain the soup through a fine sieve into a bason. rince the stewpan, return the soup into it, and add a glass of port wine, a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup, and a little salt. give it one boil up, put the giblets in to get hot, and serve it.--you may make this much better by using plain stock in place of water, and a ham bone. you may add a pint of madeira also; squeeze a small seville orange into the tureen, and add three lumps of sugar and a little cayenne. _soup maigre._ cut the white part of eight-loaved lettuces small as dice, wash and drain them, also a handful of purslain, the same of parsley. cut six large cucumbers into pieces the size of a crown piece, peel and mince four large onions, and have three pints of young peas. put ¾ lb. of fresh butter into a stewpan, brown it of a high colour, and put in all the vegetables, with thirty whole peppers, and stew it ten minutes, stirring all the time, to prevent burning. add a gallon of boiling water, and one or two french rolls, cut in three pieces, and toasted of a light brown. cover the stew-pan, and let the soup stew gradually two hours. put in ½ drachm of beaten mace, two cloves bruised, nutmeg and salt to your taste; boil it up, and just before you serve, squeeze the juice of one lemon into it: do not strain it.--soup may be made of any, and of every sort of vegetable, in the same manner, but they must be thoroughly cooked. cream is an improvement, and french rolls, if not stewed in the soup, may be cut in slices, toasted, and put into the tureen before the soup. _stock for fish soup._ this may be made of either meat or fish, the latter for maigre days. if meat, make it the same as for meat soup. if fish be used, it may be cod's head, haddocks, whitings, { }eels, skate, and all white fish. boil the fish for stock in two quarts of water, with two onions, some salt, a piece of lemon peel, and a bunch of sweet herbs. scum carefully, and strain it. if the soup is to be brown, you may brown the fish for stock in the frying-pan before you boil it. fish stock will not keep. _lobster soup._ for this there should be a good stock, of beef, ham, onions, and fresh fish trimmings; strain it and pulp back the onions. pound the spawn and all the body of the lobster, and stir it smoothly into the soup. cut all the meat of the claws in small pieces, and put it in the soup also. add cayenne, white pepper, and a glass of sherry. _or_--having a stock of fish prepared, cut up the meat of the lobster in pieces, and mix the coral with it. bruise the spawn with a little flour in a mortar, wet it with a little of the strained stock, and mix it by degrees into the rest. take half of the cut up meat and coral, add oysters, an anchovy, a blade of mace, nutmeg, lemon peel grated, and a little cayenne; pound all together, with the yolks of two eggs, and a very little flour, and make forcemeat balls for the soup; fry or brown them in a dutch oven, or use them without being browned or fried. put the balls and the remainder of the cut up meat into the soup, let it simmer half an hour, then serve it, first squeezing half a lemon or seville orange in the tureen. madeira may be added. _oyster soup._ veal makes the most delicate stock; it should be strong and clear: put to it a quart of the hard part of fresh juicy oysters, which have been pounded in a mortar with the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs. simmer for half an hour, then strain it into a fresh stewpan, and put in another quart or more of oysters, trimmed, and washed from their shells, also some mace and cayenne, and let it simmer ten minutes. beat the yolks of three eggs, take out a little soup in a cup, let it cool, mix it by degrees with the eggs, and stir into the soup, having first drawn that aside from the fire; stir all the time until you send it to table, or it will curdle. give { }this soup any additional flavour you like. the oysters put in whole, may be first run on fine wire skewers, and fried. _another maigre._ into four pints of water put five onions fried in butter, some mace, salt, pepper, and what herbs you like, in a small quantity. when this has boiled, and been carefully scummed, put in lb. of fresh butter, a few mushrooms, and a oysters; thicken with vermicelli, and let the soup boil gently a quarter of an hour. _cray fish soup._ if to be maigre, the stock must be made of fish alone; it must be quite fresh, and lbs. will make two quarts; put in an onion or two, and some black and jamaica peppers. boil the fish to a mash, and keep straining the liquor till clear. about four dozen cray fish will be enough, pick and stew them in the soup, after it has been strained, till done; add a little cayenne, and the spawn of a lobster pounded, and stirred in to thicken as well as flavour the soup. _prawns_, _cockles_, and _muscles_, in the same way. it may be made of meat stock, and flavoured to be richer. _eel soup._ to lbs. of eels, cut in pieces, allow three quarts of water; after this has boiled and been scummed, add two rather large crusts of toasted bread, eight blades of mace, three onions, a few whole peppercorns, and a faggot of herbs. let this boil gently till half wasted, and then serve it with dice of toasted bread. you may add ¼ pint of cream, with a dessert-spoonful of flour, rubbed smooth in it. (_for fish forcemeats see in the index._) { }chapter xiii. fish. _to boil._ the fish-kettle ought to be roomy: the water should, according to some, be cold, and spring water, and be slow in coming to a boil. i incline to this: according to others, it ought to be hot at the time of putting in the fish, upon the supposition that the shorter time it is in water the better. experience must, however, be the best instructor; and much depends on the size, and sort of the fish. a handful of salt in the water, helps to draw the slime from the fish, and gives it firmness. vinegar is used for the latter purpose, particularly for cod and turbot.--when the water boils, take off the scum, and place the fish-kettle by the side of the fire, to simmer gently; the usual allowance of time is twelve minutes to the pound, but there is no certain rule. run a sharp knife into the thick part, and if it divide easily from the bone, it is done. when you think the fish done, lift up the strainer, and place it across the kettle to drain, and if it have to wait, put a heated cover on it, and over that, several folds of flannel; this is the best substitute for a _bain marie_. it must not stay an instant in water, after it is done. serve on a fish drainer, which, as well as the dish, ought to be quite hot, for half cold fish is very bad. crisp parsley, slices of lemon and barberries, also picked red cabbage, are used to garnish. some cooks say that _salt fish_ should scarcely _boil_ at all, but remain till tender, in hot water, just coming to a boil; put it on in cold water, and let it be a long time heating through. stock for gravy, for stewing, or sauce, is made of meat or fish, according to whether it be to be maigre or not. any white fish, and the trimmings of all quite fresh fish, may be used. these may be browned first, in the { }frying-pan, then put into or quarts of water, according to the quantity you require, with a bunch of sweet herbs, onion, eschalot, mace, and lemon peel; boil it and scum well; then strain it, and put in the fish to stew. fish stock is best made on the morning it is wanted. _court bouillon_, for boiling or stewing fish, is as follows: to a gallon of water, a handful of salt, onions, carrots, and eschalots, a bunch of parsley, thyme, and basil, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves, also a large piece of butter. stew, then strain it. this may be enriched as required. it keeps well, and is a good basis for stock. _to fry._ this is rather difficult, and requires exceeding care and attention. some people consider that lard is essential, but clarified dripping is as good. oil is used in countries where the olive tree grows. wash, and lay the fish in the folds of a clean cloth, for it must be quite dry. flour it lightly, if to be covered with bread-crumbs, for if not quite dry, the bread will not adhere to it. the crumbs of stale bread; or to be very delicate in appearance, use biscuit powder. having floured the fish, brush over with yolk and white of egg, then strew over the crumbs or powder, so as to cover every part of the fish. the frying-pan of an oval shape. the fire hot, but not fierce. if not hot enough, the fish will be soddened, if too hot, it will catch and burn. there should be fat enough to cover the fish; let it boil, (for frying is, in fact, _boiling in fat_,) skim it with an egg slice, as it becomes hot, then dip the tail of the fish in to ascertain the heat; if it become crisp at once the pan is ready, then lay in the fish. when done, lay it before the fire to dry, either on whity brown paper or a soft cloth; turn it two or three times, and if the frying fat has not been sufficiently hot, this will, in some measure, remedy the defect.--fat in which veal or lamb has been fried may be used for fish, when it has settled long enough to be poured from the sediment. _turbot to boil._ first wash well, and soak it in salt and water; when quite clean, score the skin of the back, or the belly will crack { }when the fish begins to swell. do not take off the fins, as they are a delicacy. place it on a fish-strainer, in a roomy turbot-kettle, the back downwards. you may rub it over with lemon juice, to keep it white. cover the fish with cold water, and throw in salt. allow lb. salt to a gallon and a half of water. it should be quite half an hour in coming to a boil, scum well, then draw the kettle to the side, and if a fish of lbs. weight (larger are not so good), let it simmer minutes, but if it do not simmer _gently_ the fish will be spoiled and the skin cracked. when done, garnish with slices of lemon, scraped horse-radish, parsley, barberries, whole capers, or the pea of a lobster, forced through a sieve. a very few smelts or sprats fried, laid round the turbot. lobster sauce is most esteemed, but shrimp or anchovy sauce answer very well. (_see to dress cold turbot._) _brill._ the same as turbot, except that you put it into boiling water, the flesh being softer. _or_: parboiled, covered with egg and crumbs, and browned before the fire, or in the frying-pan. if lbs. simmer it ½ an hour, but when it begins to crack it is done. _john dory._ the same as brill. _sole to boil._ wash clean, cover it with cold water, put in a handful of salt, and let it come gently to a boil, take off the scum, and set the fish-kettle aside; let it simmer very gently five minutes, and it is done, unless very large, then eight or ten minutes. oyster sauce. _cod to boil._ wash clean, and rub the inside with salt; cover it with water, in the kettle. a small fish will be done in fifteen minutes after the water boils; a large one will take half an hour; but the tail being much thinner than the thick part, it will be done too much if boiled all at once; { }therefore, the best way is to cut the tail in slices, to fry, and garnish the head and shoulders, or serve separately. lay the roe on one side, the liver on the other side of the fish. serve oyster, shrimp sauce, or plain melted butter; also scalloped oysters.--garnish with lemon, and horse-radish. if the fish be in _slices_, the water should be made to boil as soon as possible after they are in it, and minutes will cook them: pour shrimp or anchovy sauce over the slices. if you wish it to be rich, having some clear broth, put in a boned anchovy, some pickled oysters, chopped fine, pepper, salt, a glass of port wine, and a thickening of butter and flour; boil this up, skim it, and pour over the slices of cod. _cod to boil crimp._ put it into boiling hot salt and water, draw it to the side, and let it simmer or minutes, according to its size. slices less. oyster sauce. _salt cod and ling._ soak it, according to the time it has been salted. if hard and dry, two nights, changing the water two or three times. the best _dogger bank_ split fish require less. let there be plenty of water, and the fish a long time in becoming heated through. then simmer _very gently_, or it will be tough. garnish with hard-boiled eggs, in quarters. serve egg sauce, parsnips, or beet-root. _cod to fry._ cut in thick slices; flour or egg, and cover with bread-crumbs or biscuit powder. fry in hot dripping or lard. _cod's head and shoulders._ wash clean, then quickly dash boiling water over it, which will cause the slime to ooze out; this should be carefully removed with a knife, but take care not to break the skin; wipe the head clean, and lay it on a strainer, in a turbot-kettle of boiling water; put in salt and a tea-cupful of vinegar. take care that it is quite covered. simmer { }from thirty to forty minutes. drain, and put it into a rather deep dish; glaze it with beaten yolk of egg, strew bread-crumbs, pepper, salt, and lemon-peel over, stick in bits of butter, and brown it before the fire; baste with butter, constantly strewing more bread-crumbs and chopped parsley over.--a rich sauce for this is made as follows; have a quart of beef or veal stock; or, if to be maigre, a rich well-seasoned fish stock; thicken with flour rubbed in butter, and strain it; add oysters, picked and bearded, or the hard meat of a boiled lobster cut up, and the soft part pounded, glasses of sherry, and the juice of a lemon. boil it altogether, five minutes, skim and pour part into the dish where the fish is: the rest serve in a sauce tureen. it may be garnished with fried smelts, flounders, or oysters. the french stuff it with meat or fish forcemeat, with some balls of the same fried, as a garnish.--_cold cod_ may be dressed as cold turbot. the head may be baked; bits of butter stuck all over it. _cod sounds._ scald, clean, and rub them with salt; take off the outer coat, and parboil, then flour and broil them. pour over a thickened gravy, which has a tea-spoonful of made mustard, cayenne, and what other seasoning you like.--_or,_ fried, and served with the same kind of sauce.--_or_, dressed in _ragout_, parboiled, cut in pieces, and stewed in good gravy, or in white sauce. serve mustard and lemon. _cabeached cod._ boil vinegar enough to cover the pieces of fish, a little mace, a few peppercorns, a few cloves, and a little salt; when this is cold put a tea-cupful of olive oil. cut the tail part of a cod fish in slices, rub pepper and salt on each, fry them in oil, then lay them on a plate to cool; when cold, put them into a pan or jar, and pour the pickle over. if you like, lay thin slices of onion between the fish. _salmon_ is good in this way. serve salad with this. _cod to stew._ lay three slices of cod in a stewpan, with ½ pint of weak { }white wine, _not_ sweet, oz. butter, two dozen oysters and their liquor, three blades of mace, salt, pepper, and a few crumbs of bread; stew this gently, and thicken with flour before you serve it. _salmon to boil_, should be well cleaned and scaled (the less washing the better), and cut open as little as possible. let there be water enough to well cover the fish, and salt in the proportion of lb. to a gallon and a half. when it begins to boil, scum well, and put the fish in; for most cooks, i believe, are of opinion that salmon eats _firmer_ when put on in hot or boiling water. a fish of lbs. will take a full hour, or a little more, but it must only simmer all the time. let the drainer be hot, put a folded napkin on it, and serve the fish directly. garnish with curled parsley, horseradish, or slices of lemon. serve shrimp, anchovy, or lobster sauce, also plain melted butter. cucumber, and also salad, are eaten with salmon. _to boil crimp._ cut off the head, with about two inches of the neck, and clean the fish, opening it as little as possible, and do not cut it up the breast; also cut off the tail. then cut the fish in circular slices, wash them, and lay them in salt and water. put the head and tail on the strainer of the kettle, and pour in boiling water, with a little salt, and a very little vinegar; boil it five minutes, then put in the slices, and boil fifteen minutes, scumming all the time. put the head and tail in the middle of the dish, the slices round. sauces the same as the last.--mustard is good with salmon. _salmon to grill._ split the salmon, and endeavour not to mangle it in taking out the bone. cut it into fillets four inches in breadth. dry, but do not beat or press them, in the folds of a linen cloth, or dust them with flour to dry them. have a clear fire, as for steaks, rub the gridiron with chalk, lay on the slices, and turn them occasionally. serve very hot, with anchovy or shrimp sauce. french cooks steep the { }slices in oil, cover them with seasonings and fine herbs, and broil them, basting the while with oil. caper sauce with this. salmon may be thus prepared, then _fried_.--some put the slices in paper to broil. _salmon, trout, haddock, or gurnet to bake._ mix a seasoning of salt, pepper, and allspice, and rub a little in the fish. if a small salmon, turn the tail round to the mouth, and run a skewer through the fish to keep it in form. place it on a stand, in a deep dish, cover with bits of butter, and strew the remainder of the seasoning over. put it in the oven (an american or dutch oven, before the fire, is very good for this), and baste occasionally with the liquor which runs from it. garnish and serve the same sauce as boiled salmon. _slices_ of salmon may be baked this way.--or: make it richer as follows: boil in a quart of vinegar, a piece of butter, onions, the same of eschalot and carrots, a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, a bay leaf, some basil, cloves, and allspice. having cleaned and scaled the fish, fill it with fish forcemeat, sew it up, turn the tail into the mouth and skewer it. place it on a stand in a baking dish, and pour the liquor over. baste it from time to time. when the fish is done, pour off the liquor, and boil it up with an anchovy, cayenne, lemon juice, and a little thickening of butter rolled in flour. place the fish in a rather deep dish, and strain the liquor round it. a _salmon peel_ is best suited to this, being less rich than large salmon. (_see haddock to stew._) _salmon to pickle._ cut the fish in pieces, not very small, and boil them in a little water and salt, scumming carefully all the time. when done, lift the fish out into a pan, and boil the liquor up with vinegar and spices to your taste, with black pepper, mace and ginger. pour it cold over the fish.--_or_: into the best vinegar, put pint of white wine (supposing there to be quarts of liquor or water to of vinegar), add mace, ginger, horse-radish, cloves, allspice, a bay leaf, a sprig of lemon thyme, salt, and pepper. pour it cold over the fish. put away carefully, in a vegetable dish, any salmon left at table, strew over it ½ a salt-spoonful of cayenne; boil { }allspice in a pint of white wine vinegar, and pour it scalding hot over the salmon. keep it in a cool place. _salmon to dry._ cut the fish down, take out the roe, and rub the whole with common salt; let it hang twenty-four hours to drain. pound oz. saltpetre, oz. bay salt, and oz. coarse sugar; rub these into the salmon, and lay it on a large dish for two days; then rub with common salt, and in twenty-four hours it will be fit to dry. drain it, wipe it dry, stretch it open and fasten it with pieces of stick, in order that it may dry equally; hang it in a chimney corner where wood or peat is burnt, and it will be smoked in five days. broil slices for breakfast. if too much smoked, or too dry, soak the slices in lukewarm water, before you broil them. to make this more relishing, dip the slices in oil, then in a seasoning of herbs and spices, and broil them. _salmon to collar._ clean, scale, and bone the fish, then season it highly with mace, cloves, pepper and salt, roll it up into a handsome collar, and bandage it; then bake it with vinegar and butter, or simmer in vinegar and water. serve melted butter, and anchovy sauce. _salmon to pot._ do not wash, but clean with a cloth, and scale the fish, rub with salt, and let it lie three hours; then drain, and cut it into pieces. sprinkle over them a seasoning of mace, black and jamaica pepper, pounded, and lay them in a dish; cover them with melted butter, and set the dish in the oven. when done, drain the fat from the fish, and lay the pieces into little pots; when cold, cover with clarified butter. _sturgeon_ is generally roasted or baked, if the former, tie a piece of or lbs. on a lark spit, and fasten that to a large one, baste with butter, and serve with a rich meat or maigre gravy highly flavoured. serve besides, or instead of gravy, { }oyster, lobster, or anchovy sauce. _slices_ of sturgeon may be egged, rolled in bread-crumbs, seasonings, and herbs, then broiled in buttered papers. also it is _stewed_ in good beef gravy. _skate._ this should be broad, thick, and of a bluish cream colour. it must be quite fresh, if to be crimp, and put on in hot water. it will keep, in cold weather, two or three days, but will eat tender. shrimp, lobster, or caper sauce, parsley and butter, or onion sauce.--_or_: put into a stew-pan ½ pint of water, ½ pint of vinegar, all the trimmings of the skate, two onions, a clove of garlic, some parsley, and a little basil. boil till the trimmings are cooked to a mash, then strain and put the skate into the liquor; it should just come to a boil, and stand by the side of the fire ten minutes. garnish with the liver. serve caper sauce. _skate to fry._ parboil it first, then cut in thin slices, and dip them in egg and bread-crumbs. then either fried or broiled. both ways skate is good _cold,_ with mustard, pepper, oil and vinegar. _thornback and maids._ dress the same as skate. _trout to boil._ put a good-sized fish into boiling water, in which there is a handful of salt, and simmer gently minutes. melted butter plain, or with chopped gherkins. _haddock to boil._ the night before, fill the eyes with salt, and hang the fish up. _or_, for a few hours before cooking, sprinkle them with salt. serve egg sauce. it may be stuffed, as in the next receipt. _haddocks to stew, bake, or roast._ if you have six small ones, take the heads, tails and { }trimmings of all, and one whole fish, boil these in a quart of water or broth, with an onion, sweet herbs, and cayenne; boil well, and thicken with brown flour; add spices, and mushroom catsup, or essence of anchovy; strain this, boil again, and skim well; then lay in the rest of your haddocks, cut in pieces. if there require more sauce, add as much as is necessary, of any broth or gravy you have; some oysters, or oyster-pickle. when done, take the fish out with a slice, lay it in a dish, and pour the sauce, which ought to be thick, round. this fish may be stuffed with meat, or rich forcemeat, and dressed whole in the above gravy.--_another_: the fish being well cleaned, dry it, and put in the stuffing directed for fillet of veal; tie the tail to the mouth, put the haddock in a pie-dish, rub it over with flour, half fill the dish with veal stock, and bake it in a slow oven minutes. a glass of white wine, or half a one of brandy, oyster-pickle, or lemon juice, either of these may be used, according to taste. _gurnet_ the same. _to roast_: stuff a good-sized one with veal stuffing, and dangle it before the fire; baste with butter, and when nearly done, take the gravy out of the pan, skim off the fat, then boil up the gravy with pepper, salt, and a wine-glassful of port wine. _haddocks to bake, quite plain._ boil and mash some potatoes. season the fish, and put a piece of butter inside, lay it in the middle of the dish, and put a thick border of the potatoes round. brush over the whole with egg, stick bits of butter over the fish, and bake for half an hour; when in the oven a short time, pour a little melted butter and catsup in the dish. _haddock or mackerel to broil._ split the fish, bone the haddock, salt it, and hang it for two days in the chimney corner. _haddocks, soles, flounders, plaice, perch, tench, trout, whitings, and herrings to fry._ haddocks, soles, and generally whitings, are skinned. plaice wiped, not washed, and must lie three or four hours { }after being rubbed with salt. when the fish is cleaned and wiped dry, dust with flour, and lay it gently into the boiling fat; having first egged and dipped it into bread-crumbs. the fat may be either lard, butter, dripping, or oil. turn it carefully, lift it out when done, and lay it on a sheet of paper in a sieve, whilst you fry the rest; or put it before the fire, if it require drying. garnish with curled parsley, and slices of lemon. serve very hot. shrimp or anchovy sauce, and plain butter. _whitings_ and _haddocks_ should have the tail skewered into the mouth. _mackerel and herrings to boil._ the fresher these are eaten the better. they require a great deal of cleaning. choose soft roes to boil. a small mackerel will be done in a quarter of an hour. when the eye starts it is done, and should not stand in the water. serve fennel boiled and chopped, in melted butter, and garnish with lumps of chopped fennel. both these may be broiled, whole or split, and sprinkled during the cooking with chopped herbs and seasonings. _mackerel and herrings to bake._ choose fine ones, in season, cut off the heads and take out the roes. pound together some mace, nutmeg, jamaica pepper, cloves, and salt; put a little of this into each fish, then put a layer of them into a pan, and a layer of the mixture upon them, then another layer of fish, and so on. fill the vessel with vinegar, and tie over close with brown paper. bake them or hours. to be eaten cold. _mackerel and herrings to pickle._ the same as salmon.--_or_: as follows: get them as fresh as possible. take off the heads, split the fish open, and lay them in salt and water an hour; prepare the following pickle: for ½ dozen mackerel, take lb. common and lb. bay salt, oz. saltpetre, oz. lump sugar broken, and mix well together. take the fish out of the water, drain and wipe them. sprinkle a little salt over them, put a layer into a jar or cask (the skin side downwards), then a layer of { }the mixture, till the vessel is full. press it down, and cover close. ready in three months. _red herrings and sardinias to broil._ open and trim them, skin them or not, as you like. if hard, soak in lukewarm water. broil them, either over or before the fire, and rub butter over as they broil. _carp, perch, and tench to stew._ if very large, divide the fish. rub the inside with salt and mixed spices, stick in a few cloves, and a blade or two of mace, in pieces, lay them in a stew-pan, and cover with good fish, or meat stock. put in onions, an anchovy chopped, cayenne, glasses of claret, or of port. when done, take the fish up, and keep it hot, while you thicken the gravy with butter and browned flour; add mushroom catsup, oyster-pickle, chili vinegar, or the juice of a lemon; simmer the sauce, skim and pour it over the fish. the roe may be kept back and fried, to garnish the fish, with sippets of bread fried. use horse-radish and slices of lemon also, to garnish. where meat gravy is not used, more wine is required.--_cod's skull, soles, eels, flounders, trout, whitings and fillets of turbot, cod and halibut_, may be dressed the same way. _or_: having parboiled the fish, brown it in the frying-pan, and stew it in good gravy seasoned with sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, basil, onions, pepper, salt, and spices: when nearly done, thicken the sauce, and flavour it, with a small portion each, of worcester, harvey's and reading sauces, soy, anchovy sauce, oyster-pickle, catsup, and an equal portion of port and white wine. the carp's blood should not be omitted. _carp and pike (or jack) to boil or bake._ if to be maigre, make a forcemeat of the yolks of eggs, some oysters bearded, anchovies, an onion and some parsley, all chopped; mace, black pepper, allspice, and salt, pounded; mix this with biscuit flour, or crumbs of bread, and the fish being well cleaned and scaled, fill it with the stuffing, and sew it up. if to bake, lay it in a deep dish, { }stick butter over, and baste plentifully, as it bakes, in a moderate oven. serve anchovy sauce. _or_: you may take the fish out, and keep it hot, whilst you make a rich sauce thus: thicken the gravy in the dish, and boil it up with parsley and sweet herbs; then strain it, add made mustard, a glass of port wine, and one of chili or any other flavouring vinegar, also pounded mace, salt, and cayenne. pour this over the fish. _eels to stew._ skin and cut them in pieces. they may be egged and rolled in bread-crumbs, or merely floured. if to be maigre, stew them in fish stock; if otherwise, in good clear beef gravy, in which seasoning herbs, and roots have been boiled. stew the fish gently, until done, then take them out, keep them hot, and thicken the gravy with browned flour, or what you like; add a glass of white wine, and one of mushroom catsup, also a spoonful of made mustard; boil it up, strain and pour it over the fish. garnish with scraped horse-radish, and barberries. _whiting_, also _slices of turbot_, in the same way. _lampreys to stew._ after cleaning the fish carefully, remove the cartilage which runs down the back, and season well with cloves, mace, nutmeg, allspice, a tea-spoonful of mushroom powder, a little black pepper and cayenne; put it into a stew-pan with good gravy to cover it, and sherry or madeira; keep the pan covered till the fish is tender, then take it out, and keep it hot while you boil up the liquor with essence of anchovy, lemon pickle, gloucester sauce, and thickening; add the juice of a lemon, a spoonful of made mustard, of soy, and of chili vinegar. fry the spawn to put round the fish. _eels to fry._ they should always be _gently parboiled_, before they are either fried or broiled, then allowed to be cold, before they are cut up; but if very small, turn the tail round to the mouth, and fry it whole. rub with a mixture of spices, { }brush with egg, and cover them with bread-crumbs. fry of a light brown, and lay them on a sieve to drain.--small eels are sometimes boiled, and served with dried sage and parsley strewed over. _eels to collar._ choose a large eel. slit open the belly and take out the bone. rub it well with a mixture of pepper, salt, parsley, sage, thyme, and lemon peel. roll up, quite tight, and bind it with tape; then boil it gently, in salt, a little vinegar, and water to cover it, till tender. it will keep in the pickle it was boiled in. _eels to spitchcock._ they are not skinned, but well cleaned, and rubbed with salt. take out the bone, wash and dry them in a cloth. either cut in pieces, or roll them round and cook them whole. first (parboiled) dip the fish into a thick batter of eggs, chopped parsley, sage, eschalot, lemon peel, pepper and salt; then roll them in bread-crumbs or biscuit powder, dip again in batter, and again in the crumbs. broil over a clear fire. garnish with curled parsley or slices of lemon, and serve anchovy sauce, or butter flavoured with cucumber vinegar. _trout to stew._ the fish being cleaned, put it into a stew-pan, with half champagne and half rhenish, or half moselle and half sherry, in all a tumbler full; season with pepper, salt, an onion with cloves in it, and a very little parsley and thyme, also a crust of bread. when the fish is done, lift it out whilst you thicken the sauce; bruise the bread, but if that be not enough, add a little flour rubbed smooth, and a bit of butter, boil it up and pour over the trout in the dish. garnish with sliced lemon and fried bread. _sprats, smelts, and gudgeon to bake, boil, or fry._ rub the gridiron with chalk or mutton suet, and set it over a clear fire. run a long thin skewer through the heads of the sprats, and lay them on the gridiron. they { }should be eaten quite hot.--to _bake_, lay them in a deep dish, strew bits of butter, pepper, salt and spices over, cover with vinegar, and set them in the oven.--to _fry_, dip them in batter, then in a mixture of seasoning, chopped herbs, and biscuit powder, and fry them. _allice or shad._ these are broiled and eaten with caper sauce. _red mullet._ the inside is not taken out. wash the outside of the fish, fold it in oiled paper, lay in a rather shallow dish, and bake it gently. make a sauce of the liquor, a piece of butter rolled in flour, a little anchovy essence, and a glass of sherry. boil it up, and serve in a tureen. send the fish to table in the paper. _water souchy._ _eels, whitings, soles, flounders, and mackerel_ are generally used. stew it in clear fish stock, until done, eight minutes will be enough; add cayenne, catsup, an anchovy, and any other flavouring ingredient; let it boil up, skim, and serve hot altogether in a tureen. _pipers to dress._ stuff the fish with a forcemeat of suet, bread-crumbs, eggs, chopped parsley, pepper, salt and cayenne. skewer the tail in the mouth, flour and egg the fish, and bake in a hot oven. drain it, and serve with dutch sauce. _cray fish to boil._ boil in the shell; five minutes is enough. some cooks put a bunch of herbs in the water. serve on a napkin. _lobsters and crabs to boil._ have plenty of water, make it quite salt, brush the lobster or crab, and put it in. from forty to fifty minutes { }for the middling size, more if very large, less if very small. they will throw up a great deal of scum, which must be taken off. wipe the lobster with a damp cloth, rub a piece of butter over, then wipe it with a dry cloth. take off the large claws, and crack them; split down the tail, and place the whole neatly in a dish. a very nice sauce, as follows: boil hard eggs, pound the yolk in a mortar, with a little vinegar, and the spawn of the lobster, make it quite smooth, add a large spoonful of salad oil, spoonsful of good vinegar, a tea-spoonful of made mustard, and a little cayenne and salt. _lobster or crab, to eat hot._ cut the meat in pieces, or mince it fine; season with spices, nutmeg, cayenne and salt, and warm it in a little good gravy, thickened: or if maigre, fish stock, or just enough water to moisten the meat, and a good-sized piece of butter rolled in flour, a little cream, and some catsup. serve on toasted sippets; or have the shell of a lobster or crab cleaned, and serve the meat in it.--_another way_ is, not to warm the mince _over_ the fire, but to put it into the shell, and set that before the fire in a dutch oven, strew some fine bread-crumbs or biscuit powder over all, and stick some bits of butter over that; brown with a salamander, and serve quite hot. _prawns_ the same way.--lobster is sometimes fricasseed, in rich veal gravy; or with cream, and yolk of egg. garnish with pickled cucumber, or other pickle.--lobster may be cooked as follows: chop the meat of a large one, and mix with it a very little lemon peel, pepper, salt, nutmeg, butter, cream, and crumbs of stale bread; roll this well, and divide it into small quantities; put each one into light puff paste, the size of sausages, rub them over with yolk of egg, then with bread-crumbs; fry of a yellow brown, and serve with crisped parsley.--_or_: wash and clean some spinach and put it into a saucepan, with the meat of a lobster, or a pint of picked shrimps cut small, an onion, a clove of garlic minced, salt and cayenne; when nearly done, add onions sliced and fried; cover close a few minutes; garnish with slices of lemon. _lobsters and crabs to pot._ parboil the fish, cut it into small pieces, put a layer into { }a potting can, or deep tin dish, sprinkle salt, pepper, cayenne and pounded mace over, then a layer of the spawn and coral, then a layer of the meat, and so on, till all is in, press it down, pour melted butter over, and put it half an hour in a slow oven. let it then get cold, take off the butter, take out the meat and pack it into small pots; clarify the butter, and pour over. the butter left may turn to account in sauces, as it will be highly flavoured. if for sandwiches, the meat must be pounded in a mortar before it is baked, that it may spread more easily. _prawns, shrimps, and cray fish to pot._ boil them in salt and water, pick them carefully, then pound in a mortar, with, to lb. fish, a salt-spoonful of mace, the same of allspice, half the quantity of salt and cayenne, the ¼ of a nutmeg grated, and butter to make it a thick paste. put into pots, pour clarified butter over, and tie it down close. _prawns and shrimps to butter._ take them out of their shells, and warm them in gravy, with a bit of butter rolled in flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. simmer it a little, stir all the time, and serve with toasted sippets. _prawns or cray fish in jelly._ make a good calf's-feet or cow-heel jelly, and boil in it some trimmings of cod, turbot, and skate, a little horse-radish, lemon peel, an onion, a piece of pounded mace, grated nutmeg and grated tongue, hung beef, or ham. boil it well, strain, and let it get cold. take off the fat, pour the jelly from the sediment, and boil it up with glasses of white wine, and the whites of eggs whisked to a froth. do not stir this as it boils. when done, let it stand a quarter of an hour to settle; then pass it through a jelly bag: pour some of it into a mould, or deep dish, to become firm; then stick in the fish, neatly picked, in any form you like, and fill up the dish with jelly. when quite cold, turn it out. _fish cake._ pick the fish from the bones, add lb. of mashed { }potatoes to lbs. fish, a little white pepper, mace, cayenne, and lemon peel; flavour either with essence of anchovy, of lobster, of shrimp, or of oyster, according to taste and the sort of fish; add harvey's or camp or gloucester sauce, also lemon pickle and eschalot vinegar, to your taste: mix the whole with a little melted butter and an egg, dip in bread-crumbs, and fry of a light brown. use no salt with the above sauces.--_another_: having some cold boiled fish, add to it the third of its weight in bread-crumbs, a little butter beaten with a spoon, a small onion, parboiled and minced fine, pepper, salt, and the whites of eggs to bind; mixed well together, make it in the form of a thick cake, and fry on both sides of a light brown: stew it in good gravy, made from either meat or fish stock, and flavoured with onion, pepper, and salt. thicken the sauce, and add mushroom catsup. _fish to pull._ when cold, pick the fish clean from the bones, and to lb. add two table-spoonsful of anchovy, two of lemon pickle, one of harvey's, one of camp sauce, one of chili vinegar, a little cayenne, white pepper, and mace; when nearly hot, add a piece of butter rolled in flour to thicken it, then make it quite hot, put it in a dish, grate bread-crumbs over, and baste with melted butter, to moisten them, then brown with a salamander, or in a dutch oven, or on a tin before the fire, with a scotch bonnet behind it.--_or_: pick from the bones, in flakes, any cold or boiled fish, salmon, cod, turbot, sole, skate or pike; and to lb. fish, add ½ pint of cream, or ¼ lb. of butter, a table-spoonful of mustard, the same of essence of anchovy, mushroom catsup, any flavouring sauce you like, salt and pepper; heat it in a saucepan, put it into a hot dish, strew crumbs of bread over, moisten the top with thin melted butter, and brown in a dutch oven. _a salmagundi._ wash and cut open, then take out the meat from the bones of two large herrings, mince the fish with cold chicken, two hard-boiled eggs, one onion, a boned anchovy, and a little grated ham, season with cayenne, vinegar, and oil, salt, if necessary; and serve the mince, garnished with { }heaps of chopped boiled egg, parsley and pickles, also spun butter. _oysters to stew._ choose plump natives, beard and stew two dozen in their own liquor, till just coming to a boil; take them out and lay them in a dish, whilst you strain the liquor into a saucepan; add a little piece of butter rubbed in flour, a blade of mace, a few peppercorns, lemon peel, three table-spoonsful of cream, and a little cayenne. lay the oysters in, cover the saucepan, and let them simmer five minutes, very gently. have toasted sippets in a deep dish, take out the oysters when done with a silver spoon, lay them in and pour the gravy over.--the french strew grated parmesan over the oysters, before the sauce. _oysters to grill._--toss them in a stew-pan in a little of their own liquor, a piece of butter, and a little chopped parsley, but do not let them boil. clean their own shells, lay an oyster in each, and some little bits of butter. put the shells on the gridiron, in two minutes they will be done. _oysters to brown._--open carefully, lift them out of their liquor, and dip each one in yolk of egg, beaten up with flour, pepper and salt, then brown them in a frying-pan, with a piece of butter; take them out, pour the liquor into the pan, thicken with a piece of butter rolled in flour, add a little catsup, minced lemon peel, and parsley, let it boil up, put in the oysters, and stir them in it a few minutes. serve on toasted sippets. _oysters to fry._--make a batter of three or four eggs, a table-spoonful of flour, a tea-spoonful of salt, and the ¼ of one of cayenne, also a very little mace. cover the oysters well with this, and fry in boiling lard of a light brown; then grate toasted or brown bread over them, and put before the fire for three minutes in a dutch oven. _oysters or cockles to scallop._--stew the oysters in their own gravy. have ready some bread-crumbs, put a layer into the scallop shells, or dish, moisten with the oyster liquor, and put some little bits of butter, then a layer of oysters, then of crumbs, till the shell is full; a light sprinkling of salt, pepper, and cayenne; let bread-crumbs be at the top, and lay on some little bits of butter. brown before the fire in a dutch oven. _cold fish_ may be re-cooked in this way for supper or luncheon. _oysters in dean swift's way._--wash the shells { }clean, and put the oysters, unopened, into an earthen pot, with their hollow sides downwards; set the pot, covered, in a kettle of water, and make that boil. do not let the water get into the shells; three or four minutes will cook the oysters. _oysters to keep._ wash them clean, lay them, bottom downwards, into a tub, and cover them with strong salt and water, in the proportion of a large handful of salt to a pail of water. some persons sprinkle them with flour or oatmeal; this fattens them, but does not always improve the flavour. see in the index for _curry of fish_. chapter xiv. made dishes. what is generally understood in england to represent a "made dish" is something too rich, or too highly seasoned, to be available for a family dinner; but this is an error. made dishes are not of necessity rich or costly, but judgment is required in compounding them, and, by a little practice, a cook will acquire this judgment, and then will be able to convert the remains of joints, and much that would not appear to advantage if plainly cooked, into nice palatable dishes. it is the proper application of seasonings and flavouring ingredients, and not the superabundance of them, which constitutes the excellence of "made dishes."--(_see in the index for sauces._) it has been directed, in making soup, that it must not boil fast. made dishes should never boil at all; _very_ gentle simmering, and the lid of the stewpan must not be removed, { }after the necessary scumming is over. time should be allowed for gradual cooking, and that over, the stewpan ought to stand by the fire a few minutes, that the fat risen to the top be taken off, before the dish is served. indeed, ragouts are better made the day before, because then the fat is more completely taken off. shake the stewpan if there be danger of burning, but if the lid be removed, the savoury steams escape, and also much of the succulent qualities of the meat. great delicacy is required in re-warming made dishes; they should be merely heated through; and the safest mode is to place the stewpan in a vessel of boiling water. all made dishes require gravy, more or less good, and, in most houses, this, by a little previous forethought, may always be ready; for if the liquor in which meat has been boiled be saved, that seasoned, flavoured, and thickened, the cook will always be provided with gravy for a ragout or fricassee. (_see the chapter on soup, and also that on gravy._) the following is a good store gravy.--boil a ham, or part of one, in water to cover it, with four onions, a clove of garlic, six eschalots, a bay leaf, a bunch of sweet herbs, six cloves, and a few peppercorns. keep the pot covered, and let it simmer three hours. the liquor is strained, and kept till poultry or meat of any kind is boiled; put the two together, and boil down fast till reduced to three pints; when cold, it will be a jelly, and suits any sort of ragout or hash. every cook ought to learn the art of _larding_, and also of _braising_, as they are both used in made dishes. _to lard._ have larding pins of various sizes. cut strips of bacon, with a sharp knife, put one into the pin, pierce the skin and a very little of the flesh, and draw it through; the rows may be either near together or far apart. the bacon is sometimes rolled in seasonings to suit the meat. _to blanch, either meat or vegetables._ this gives plumpness as well as whiteness. put whatever it be into a saucepan with cold water to cover, and let { }it come to a boil; take it out, plunge it into cold water, and let it remain till cold. _to braise._ this is, in fact, to stew in highly seasoned fat. poultry must be trussed as for boiling. either lard, or stuff it, with good forcemeat, and provide a thick-bottomed stew-pan, large enough to hold it. line this with slices of bacon, or fat beef, sliced onion, carrot, and turnip. strew in a few chopped herbs, salt, mace, black and jamaica pepper, bay leaves, and a clove of garlic. (the seasoning to suit the meat.) lay the meat in, and cover it, first with the same quantity of herbs and spices as above, then with thin slices of bacon, and, over all, white paper; wrap a cloth about the lid of the stew-pan, and press it down, setting a weight on the top. place the stew-pan over a slow fire, and put embers on the lid. the cooking process should be very slow. braised joints are generally glazed. _to glaze._ when the meat is sufficiently cooked, take it out of the stew-pan and keep it covered. strain the gravy into a clean stew-pan, put it on the fire, and let it boil quickly, uncovered, a few minutes; brush the meat over with this, let it cool, and then brush again. what is not used may be kept in a jar tied down, in a cool place.--_fowls_, _hams_, and _tongues_, cooked by plain boiling, are often glazed, to be eaten cold.--_another way_ is, to prepare a glaze beforehand, for _hams_, _tongues_, or _fricandeaux_, thus: break the bone of a knuckle of veal, cut the meat in pieces, the same with shin of beef, add any poultry or game trimmings, and a few slices of bacon; put them in a stew-pan over a quick fire, and let them _catch_, then put in a little broth of cow-heels, or calf's-head, or feet. let this stew to a strong jelly; then strain, and put it by in jars. it may be flavoured to suit the dish, at the time it is heated to be used. glaze should be heated in a vessel of boiling water, and when quite hot, brushed over the meat. when _cream_ is used, it should be first heated (not boil), poured in by degrees, and stirred, to prevent curdling. in making a stew, remember to let it stand by the fire nearly ten minutes, not simmering, that { }you may remove the fat, before you put in the thickening. the _flour_ for this should be of the finest kind, well dried. for _ragouts_, you may brown it, before the fire, or in the oven, and keep it ready prepared. it is convenient to keep spices ready pounded; the quantity so prepared, as to be proportioned to the usual consumption. _kitchen pepper_ is: oz. ginger, ½ oz. each, of nutmeg, black and jamaica pepper, and cinnamon; pound or grind, and keep them in small phials, corked, and labelled. for _white sauces_, white pepper, nutmeg, mace, and grated lemon peel, in equal proportion, may also be kept prepared; cayenne, added or not, as taste requires; cayenne is used in preparations of brains, kidneys, or liver. made dishes are sometimes served on a _purée_ of mushrooms or vegetables. this is: boiled to a mash, just thicker than a sauce, and much used in french cookery. to _marinade_ is to _steep_ meat or fish, in a mixture of wine, vinegar, herbs and spices. _onions_, small silver ones, are blanched, peeled and boiled in good broth to serve as garnish to _bouilli_ and many other made dishes; or not blanched, but stewed with butter, if to be brown. when very strong you may parboil them with a turnip, for a stew, or forcemeat. some persons use _brandy_ in made dishes. _wine_ in the proportion of a wine-glassful to a pint of gravy; the quantity of brandy small in proportion. _truffles_ and _morells_ are a valuable addition to gravy and soup. wash oz. of each, boil them five minutes in water, then put them and the liquor into the stew. _rump of beef to stew, ragout, or braise._ cut out the bone, break it, and put it on in cold water, with any trimmings you can cut off the rump; season with onion, sweet herbs, a carrot, and a turnip. scum, and let it simmer an hour; then strain it into the stew-pan in which you stew the beef. season the rump highly with kitchen pepper (_which see_), and cayenne; skewer and bind it with tape. lay skewers at the bottom of the stew-pan, place the meat upon them, and pour the gravy over. when it has simmered, rather more than an hour, turn it, put in a carrot, turnip, and onions, all sliced, an eschalot, and a glass of flavouring vinegar. keep the lid quite close, and { }let it simmer hours. before you take it up, put in a little catsup, made mustard, and some brown _roux_, or butter rolled in flour, to thicken the gravy.--_or_: having taken out the bone, lard the beef with fat bacon, and stew it for as many hours, as the beef weighs pounds, in good gravy, or plain water, with vegetables and seasoning, as in the other receipt, to which you may add a head of celery. this dish should be nicely garnished; for which purpose have carrots boiled, and cut into any shapes you like, also button onions, brussels sprouts, sprigs of cauliflower, &c., &c.; a border of mashed potatoes round the meat, and carrot or green vegetables disposed upon it, is also nice. stewed tomatas also, or tomata sauce. _brisket of beef to stew._ wash, then rub the beef with salt and vinegar, put it into a stew-pan to just hold it, with water or broth; when it boils scum well, and let it stew an hour; add carrots, turnips, and onions, cut up. stew it hours, take out the bones, skim the gravy, add butter rolled in flour, a little catsup and mixed spices. put the meat into a dish; add made mustard, and more catsup, to the gravy, pour some into the dish, and the rest in a tureen. this may be enriched by walnut and mushroom catsup, truffles, morells, and port wine; also, carrots and turnips cut in shapes, boiled separately, and, when the meat is dished, spread over and round it. serve pickles. _beef, or veal à la mode._ the rump, the thick part of the flank, the mouse buttock, and the clod, are dressed as follows; take from to lbs. beef, rub well with mixed spices and salt, and dredge it with flour. put some skewers at the bottom of a stew-pan, and on them thin slices of bacon, table-spoonsful of vinegar, and a pint of good gravy or broth; then put in the beef, and more bacon. cover close, and let it stew slowly hours; then turn the meat, and put in cloves, black and jamaica peppers, bay leaves, and a few mushrooms, or catsup, also a few button onions, browned in the frying-pan, and a head of celery. let it stew till the meat is tender, then take out the bay leaves, put in a tea-cupful of port { }wine, and serve the meat with the gravy in the dish. the gravy will have thickened to a glaze. some cooks lard the beef with thick slices of fat bacon, first dipped in vinegar, then in a mixture ready prepared, of black pepper, allspice, a clove and parsley, chives, thyme, savoury and knotted marjoram, all chopped very fine. serve _salad_ or _cucumber_. when veal is dressed this way (the breast is best), flavour with oyster catsup, lemon peel, lemon pickle, mace, bay leaf, and white wine. garnish with pickled mushrooms, barberries, and lemon. this may be cooked in the oven, in a baking dish with a close fitting lid. _beef to collar._ the thin flank is best; the meat young, tender, not very fat. rub it with salt and a very little saltpetre, lay it across a deep dish one night, to drain; rub in a mixture of brown sugar, salt, pounded pepper and allspice; let it lie a week in the pickle; rub and turn it every day. then take out the bones, cut off the coarse and gristly parts, and the inner skin, dry it, and spread over the inside some chopped herbs of whatever flavour you choose, and mixed spices; roll it up as tight as you can, and bind with tape; allow it four or five hours' slow, but constant boiling. when done press it under a heavy weight, and put by to eat cold. it is sometimes served hot. _boeuf royale._ bone the brisket, then scoop holes or cut slits in the meat, about an inch asunder, fill one with small rolls of fat bacon, a second with chopped parsley and sweet herbs, seasoned with pepper and salt, the third with oyster cut small and powdered with a very little mace and nutmeg. when all the apertures are stuffed, tie up the meat in a roll, put it into a baking pan, pour over it a pint of sherry, quite hot, and six cloves, flour the meat, cover close and set it in the oven for three hours; pour off the gravy, and put it by to cool that you may skim off the fat; if it is not already in a jelly, which it should be, boil it a little longer. serve the beef cold, and the jelly round it. _beef to fricandeau._ lard a piece of lean beef with strips of bacon, seasoned { }with salt, pepper, cloves, mace, and allspice; put it into a stew-pan, with a pint of broth, a faggot of herbs, parsley, half a clove of garlic (if you like), one eschalot, four cloves, pepper and salt. let it stew till tender, take it out and keep hot by the fire; strain the gravy, and boil it quickly, till reduced to a glaze; and glaze the larded side of the beef. serve on stewed sorrel or cucumbers. _ox cheek to stew._ having washed the cheek, tie it up round, and stew it in good gravy, or water, with two bay leaves, a little garlic (if approved), two onions, mushrooms, two turnips, two carrots, half a small cabbage, a bunch of sweet herbs, six whole peppers, a little allspice, and a blade of mace. scum well, and when nearly done, take out the cheek, cut off the tapes, put it into a fresh stew-pan; strain the liquor, skim off the fat, add lemon juice, or vinegar, salt, cayenne, and catsup; whisk in some white of egg to clear it, pour it through a strainer, to the cheek; and stew it till quite tender. _ox palates._ parboil them till the upper skin will easily come off, and either divide, or cut them in slices. stew them slowly, in gravy thickened with browned flour, with a little minced eschalot or onion, or a spoonful of onion pickle, some catsup, and cayenne. if to be dressed high, add wine, mushrooms, truffles, and morells to the sauce, and forcemeat balls in the dish. stewed cucumbers with this.--_beef skirts_ the same way.--_or_: boil the palates in milk, and serve them in white sauce, flavoured with mushroom powder and mace. _to pickle ox palates._ clean and simmer them in water, scum well, then put as much mace, cloves, pepper, salt, and sweet herbs, as will make them highly seasoned, and let them boil gently hours, or till quite tender; then take the skin off, cut them into small pieces, and set them by, to cool. cover them with a pickle of half white wine, half vinegar, and spices as above: when this is cold, strain it, and pour over the palates; add bay leaves, if you like. cover very close. { }_bouilli._ see this in direction for soup. but if to be dressed without soup, boil a piece of the flank or brisket in water to cover it, with a sufficiency of cut carrot and turnip to garnish, also a head of celery and or button onions, browned; add a small table-spoonful of black and jamaica peppers tied in muslin; simmer it gently; and it requires a long time to cook it enough. when it has boiled till tender, take out enough of the liquor to make sauce; thicken it with brown _roux_, or flour rubbed in butter, add catsup, cayenne, and made mustard. garnish with the vegetables. caper, walnut, or tomata sauce. pickled gherkins on the table. _tongue to stew._ cut off the root, and boil a salted tongue tender enough to peel. stew it in good gravy, with herbs, celery, soy, mushroom catsup, and cayenne. to be very rich this is served with truffles, morells, and mushrooms. lard it if you like.--_or_: put the tongue into a pan that will just hold it, strew over a mixture of pepper, cloves, mace, and allspice, and thin slices of butter, put a coarse paste over, and bake it slowly, till you think a straw will pass through it. to eat cold. _ox tails to stew._ divide them at the joints. scald or parboil, then brown them in a stew-pan, with a little piece of butter, to keep from burning. stew them slowly till tender, in broth or water, enough to make sufficient gravy, seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, chopped parsley, and a spoonful of made mustard. thicken the gravy with brown flour. if you approve, put into the stew three onions (one brown), two carrots, and a bay leaf; or you may boil some cut carrots and turnips, stew them in melted butter, and serve round the pieces of meat in the gravy. _irish stew._ this excellent dish is made of mutton or beef. chops cut from a loin or neck of mutton, trimmed of most of the { }fat, and well seasoned with salt, pepper, and spices. parboil and skin as many potatoes as you think enough, the proportion is lbs. weight to lbs. of meat. peel or onions (for lbs. meat), lay some sliced suet at the bottom of the stew-pan, or a tea-cupful of melted butter, put in a layer of potatoes sliced, a layer of chops, slice a layer of onions over, then potatoes and mutton, and so on, the top layer potato; pour in half a pint of broth or water. a shank or small piece of ham is an improvement. this should stew very slowly; when the meat is tender the potatoes _may_ be boiled to a mash, therefore have some boiled whole, by themselves. beef steaks, and any of the coarser parts, make a better stew than mutton. _rump steaks to stew._ the steaks should be of one thickness, about ¾ of an inch. put about oz. of butter into a stew-pan, and onions sliced, lay in the steaks, and let them brown nicely on one side, then turn them to brown on the other side. boil a large tea-cupful of button onions three quarters of an hour, strain, and pour the liquor over the steaks; if not enough to cover them, put a little more water or broth, add salt, and peppercorns. stew them very gently half an hour, then strain off as much of the liquor as you want for sauce; put it into a saucepan, thicken with brown flour, or _roux_, add catsup, a little cayenne, also a glass of red wine. lay the steaks in a dish, and pour the sauce over. the boiled onions may be laid over the steaks. mushrooms stewed with steaks are an improvement; or tomatas, also, will help to enrich the stew, and about pickled walnuts may be put in. harvey's and reading sauces may be used to flavour, also chili or eschalot vinegar. _with cucumbers, or potatoes._--having your steak either broiled or fried, pour over it the following:-- large cucumbers and onions, pared, sliced, browned in the frying-pan, and then stewed till tender in ½ pint of gravy or water.--_or_: cut the under side of the sirloin into steaks, broil them three parts, rub a piece of butter over each, and finish in the dutch oven: serve them on potatoes, parboiled, cut in slices and browned.--_italian steak_: have a large tender one, season it with salt, pepper, { }and onion, or eschalot: put it, without any water, into an iron stew-pan, with a close-fitting lid, and set it by the side of a strong fire, but do not let it burn: in hours, or a little more, it will be tender: serve, in its own gravy. _rolled beef steaks._ prepare a forcemeat of the breast of a fowl, ½ lb. veal, ¼ lb. ham, fat and lean, the kidney of a loin of veal, and a sweetbread, all cut very small, also a few truffles and morells stewed, an eschalot, a little parsley, thyme and grated lemon peel, the yolks of eggs, ½ a nutmeg and ¼ pint of cream, stir this mixture over the fire ten minutes, then spread it on very tender steaks, roll them up and skewer them; fry them of a fine brown, then take them from the fat, and stew them a quarter of an hour with a pint of beef gravy, a spoonful of catsup, a wine-glassful of port wine, and, if you can, a few mushrooms. cut the steaks in two, serve them the cut side uppermost, and the gravy round. garnish with lemon or pickled mushrooms.--the forcemeat may be less rich, according to what you have. a _fillet of beef_, namely, the under cut of the rump, makes very nice steaks; cut in pieces ¼ inch in thickness, put them on the gridiron over a sharp fire, season them whilst broiling with pepper and salt, and turn them often, to keep the gravy in. make a sauce of the yolks of eggs, ½ lb. butter, in slices, salt, pepper, the juice of ½ a lemon, and a little chopped parsley; keep stirring it over the fire in every direction, till rather thick, then take it off and keep stirring until the butter is melted; if too thick, add milk or cream, and pour round the steak. _beef olives._ cut slices, of ½ an inch thick, about long, and inches broad. beat, dip them in egg, then in a seasoning of chopped herbs, bread-crumbs, salt, mixed spices, and a little finely shred suet. roll up and fasten them with thread. these may be roasted in a dutch oven, or stewed in clear gravy, after being browned in the frying pan. thicken the gravy, and add catsup and walnut pickle; dish { }the olives, skim, and pour the gravy hot over them. they may be made of slices of cold roast beef, forcemeat spread over them, and when neatly tied up, stewed in gravy, or boiling water, with brown flour rubbed in butter, to thicken it.--_or_: spread on the slices of beef this mixture; mashed potatoes worked to a paste, with cream, the yolks of eggs, and spoonful of flour, seasoned with salt and pepper; when this is spread on the slices, strew over each a very little finely chopped onion, parsley, and mushrooms; roll the olives up, fry in butter, or bake in a dutch oven. _beef marrow bones._ fill up the opening with a piece of paste, tie a floured cloth over that, and place them upright in the pot. two hours' boiling. serve on a napkin, with slices of dry toast. _beef heart._ soak it and cut off the lobes. put in a good stuffing, and roast, or bake it, two hours. serve gravy and currant jelly.--when cold, hash it like hare. _hunter's beef._ take the bone out of a round, and rub in the following mixture, all in fine powder: ¼ lb. saltpetre, ¼ lb. lump sugar, oz. cloves, nutmegs, and handfuls of salt; this for lbs.; rub and turn it every day, till you think it salted enough to boil; take it out of the brine, wipe it with a sponge, and bind up firmly with tape. if you choose, a stuffing may be put into the place where the bone came out. put the meat into an earthenware pan just to hold it, with a pint of broth or thin melted butter; put some pieces of butter or suet on the top of the beef, lay folds of brown paper over the pan, or a coarse crust is still better, and bake it at least five hours. this is generally eaten cold, but it may be eaten hot. the gravy left in the pan is preserved to flavour soups and sauces. it may be made of the _ribs_: rub into a piece of lbs., boned, oz. bay salt, oz. saltpetre, ½ lb. coarse brown sugar, lbs. salt, and a teacupful of juniper berries bruised: rub and turn every day for three weeks, then bake it, covered with a coarse paste. { }_hamburgh beef._ rub a rump or round of beef well with brown sugar, and let it lie five days; turn it each day. sponge, and rub into it a mixture of oz. common salt, oz. bay salt, and oz. saltpetre, well beaten, and spices to your taste. rub and turn it every other day, for a fortnight: then roll up, tie it, put it in a cloth, then under a heavy weight; that done, hang for a week in a wood-smoke chimney. cut pieces to boil as it is wanted, and when boiled enough, press the meat again under a weight, to eat cold. _hung beef._ rub the best end of the ribs well with lump sugar, or treacle, and saltpetre; on the third day rub with common salt and saltpetre; rub and turn it every day for a week; let it lie a fortnight, turning it every other day, pouring the brine over. take it out, wipe, and dust bran over, then hang it to dry (not smoke) six or eight weeks. _boeuf à la flamande._ lard a piece of ribs of beef of lbs. weight, and braise it over a slow fire, a slice of bacon under and over it; then add a pint of fresh mushrooms, lbs. truffles, doz. forcemeat balls, made with plenty of eggs, and ½ pint madeira. carrots and turnips, cut small, boiled separately in broth till quite tender, also silver onions as directed for made dishes; all or any of these may be laid over the beef. _beef to press._ bone the brisket, flank, or ribs, and rub it with a mixture of salt, sugar, and spices; let it be a week, then boil till tender, and press it under a heavy weight till cold. _beef to hash, or mince._ cut thin slices of the underdone part, leaving aside the gristly parts and burnt outside to make gravy, with the bones; put these on in a quart of water, pepper, salt, two onions, a little allspice, cayenne, sweet herbs, and parsley: when the water has wasted one half, thicken with flour, { }mixing it in by degrees, a little at a time; when this has boiled up, skim off the fat, set it by the side of the fire to settle, strain it into another saucepan, and put it again on the fire; add mushroom catsup, pickle, or whatever ingredient you choose; when hot, put in the slices of meat, and all the gravy left of the joint; let the meat slowly warm through, but not _boil_, or it will become hard; a very few minutes will be sufficient. toasted sippets round the dish. you may add any flavouring sauce you choose; eschalot vinegar is good, but use no onion. a table-spoonful of curry paste makes it a good curry. _beef cecils._ mince cold meat very finely, and mix it with bread-crumbs, chopped onion, parsley, pepper, and salt. put it into a stew-pan with a very little melted butter, and walnut pickle, stir it over the fire a few minutes, pour it in a dish, and when cool, put enough flour to make it into balls, the shape and size of large eggs; brush with egg, roll them in bread-crumbs, and brown before the fire. pour good gravy over them. the minced beef may be warmed in scallop shells, between layers of mashed potatoes, or only a layer spread thinly over the top, and little bits of butter stuck on, and then browned before the fire: this may be moistened with any gravy you have, or walnut pickle.--_or_: you may serve the mince on toasted bread, or under poached eggs. chopped _onions_, previously parboiled, make this more relishing to some persons' tastes. _beef collops._ cut thin slices of very tender beef, divide them in pieces three inches long, beat them with the blade of a knife, and flour them; fry them in butter three minutes, then stew them in a pint of water or gravy; if water add salt and pepper, half a pickled walnut, small gherkins, or a table-spoonful of capers, a lump of butter and flour to thicken it. take care it do not boil, but stew gently. the pickles all cut small.--_or_: do not stew, but fry them in butter with onion in slices, till cooked, about ten minutes; then put them in a hot dish, keep that covered, while you boil { }up in the pan a table-spoonful of boiling water, a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle, of oyster pickle, walnut catsup, soy and made mustard; pour all hot over the collops. _beef en miroton._ cut thin slices of cold boiled (not salted), or roast beef, or tongue. put onions chopped into a saucepan with ¼ lb. of butter, turn it round frequently, and in a few minutes add a little flour mixed in a tea-cup of broth, and a wine-glass of white wine; let it be on the fire until the onions are cooked; then put in the meat with salt, pepper, and a spoonful of vinegar. after one boil, stir in a spoonful of made mustard, and serve it; the edge of each slice lying a little over the other round the dish. _bubble and squeak._ cold boiled beef is best, but roast meat is very good. cut it in thin slices, pepper well and fry them in butter, then keep them hot, while you fry some boiled cabbage, chopped; when done, put this high in the middle of the dish, and lay the slices of meat round: if you like, an equal portion of cold potatoes, chopped and fried with the cabbage. serve thick melted butter, with pickled cucumbers, or onion or capers, and a little made mustard. _veal_ may be cooked this way, with spinach instead of cabbage.--_or_: what is more delicate, cut bits of cold veal without any skin, about an inch long, and warm them in the frying pan with the white part of a boiled cauliflower in little bits, ½ pint of cream, and a light sprinkling of salt and cayenne. _beef to pot._ lean meat is best. salt, and let it lie two days. drain, season with pepper, and spices; bake it in a slow oven. when done, drain it from the gravy, and set it before the fire, to draw the moisture from it. tear in pieces, and beat it up well in a mortar, with mixed spices, and enough oiled butter to make it the proper consistence. flavour with mushroom powder, anchovy or minced eschalot. put it into potting-cans, and pour clarified butter { }over, which may afterwards be used for various purposes. _potted beef_ is generally made of meat which has been used to make clear gravy, _or_ the remains of a joint. _mock hare._ put the inside of a sirloin of beef into an earthen pan, cover it with port wine, and let it lie hours: then spread over it a forcemeat of veal, suet, and anchovies, chopped, also grated bread, mace, pepper, and mushroom powder, lemon peel, lemon thyme, eschalot, and the yolks of two eggs: roll up the beef tight, and roast it, by dangling before the fire: baste with the wine in which it was soaked, till half done, then with cream, or milk and butter, and froth it, till well coated, like hare. serve a rich gravy, flavoured with walnut or mushroom catsup, and a table-spoonful of eschalot vinegar. sweet sauce.--_or_: a cold uncut inside of a roasted sirloin may be re-warmed whole, in gravy flavoured with eschalot vinegar, walnut or mushroom catsup, and port wine. _fillet of veal to stew._ stuff it with a good forcemeat, roll tightly, and skewer it. lay skewers at the bottom of a stew-pan, place the meat on them, put in a quart of broth, or soft water, lay some bits of butter on the top of the fillet, cover the stew-pan close, after taking off all the scum, and let it simmer slowly till the meat is tender; take it out, strain the sauce, thicken it, and put it on the fire to re-warm; season with white pepper, mace, nutmeg, a glass of white wine, and the juice of a lemon, pour it hot over the meat; lay slices of lemon, forcemeat balls, pickled mushrooms, or fresh ones stewed, over the meat, and round the dish. serve white sauce.--this dish is made more savoury if you put mushrooms, and ham or tongue, in the forcemeat. also, you make it richer by putting the best part of a boiled tongue, whole, where you take the bone out, fill up the cavities round the fillet with forcemeat; tie it up in a good shape, and either stew or bake it, in gravy, as above; or roast it, basting well. this may be served with a wall of mashed potatoes round, and that ornamented with pieces of tongue and bacon, cut in dice, alternately, with sprigs of green { }vegetable; or pieces of stewed cucumber; or jerusalem artichokes cooked in white sauce; or garnish with lumps of young green peas. _neck of veal to braise._ lard the best end with bacon rolled in a mixture of parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg: put it into a stew-pan with the scrag end, a slice of lean ham, onion, carrots, and heads of celery, nearly cover with water, and stew it till tender, about two hours. strain off the liquor, and put the larded veal (the upper side downwards) into another stew-pan, in which you have browned a piece of butter, then set it over the fire, till the meat is sufficiently coloured; keep it hot in a dish whilst you boil up quickly a little of the strained liquor; skim it, put in a glass of madeira, some orange or lemon juice, and pour it hot over the veal. garnish with slices of lemon.--this joint may be covered with a veal caul and roasted; ten minutes before it is done, uncover it to brown. serve it on sorrel sauce, celery, or asparagus tops: or with mushrooms fricasseed, or in sauce. _breast of veal to stew, ragout, or collar._ an elegant dish for the second course. put on the scrag and any bones of veal you have, to make gravy; put a well seasoned forcemeat into the thin part, sew it in; egg the top of the breast, brown it before the fire, and let it stew in the strained gravy an hour; when done, take it out and keep it hot over boiling water, while you thicken the sauce, and put to it oysters cut up, a few mushrooms chopped, lemon juice, white pepper and mace; or catsup and anchovy sauce may be used to flavour it; also cream, white wine, truffles, and morells, at discretion. pour the sauce hot over the meat, and garnish with slices of lemon and forcemeat balls, also pickled mushrooms.--a _scrag_ of veal is very good, stewed in thin broth or water, till very tender; make a sauce of celery, boiled in two waters to make it white, then put into very thick melted butter, stir in a coffee-cupful of cream, shake it two minutes over the fire, and pour it over the veal. _or_ tomata or onion sauce. _to ragout_--make a little gravy of the scrag and bones of { }the breast, cut the meat into neat pieces, rather long than broad, and brown them in fresh butter. drain off the fat, and stew them in the gravy, with a bunch of sweet herbs, a piece of lemon peel, a few cloves, a blade of mace, two onions, white pepper, salt, and a little allspice. simmer slowly, keeping it covered close. when done, take out the meat, skim off the fat, strain and thicken the gravy, add the juice of a lemon and a glass of white wine, and pour it hot over the veal, holding back the sediment. _breast_ and _neck of veal_ may be stewed in water, or weak broth, without forcemeat. _veal_ is sometimes stewed with green peas, chopped lettuce, and young onions.--_lamb_ may be dressed this way, and served with cucumber sauce.--_rabbit_ the same, with white onion sauce. _to collar_--bone it, take off the skin, and beat the meat with a rolling pin; season it with pepper, salt, pounded mace, and a mixture of herbs, chopped very fine, then lay on thick slices of ham or calves' tongues, boiled and skinned; bind it up in a cloth, and fasten it well with tape. simmer it in enough water to cover it, over a slow fire, till quite tender, which will be about three hours and a half; then put it under a weight till cold. you may put in, in different parts, pigs' and calves' feet boiled and taken from the bones; also yolk of hard-boiled egg, grated ham, chopped parsley, and slices of beet root. _collared veal to be eaten hot_--spread a forcemeat over the breast (boned), then roll, bind it up tight, and stew it in water or weak broth. serve it in good veal gravy, or on fricasseed mushrooms, and artichoke bottoms. this is sometimes roasted. _veal olives or veal rolls._ cut long thin slices and beat them, lay on each one a very thin slice of bacon, and then a layer of highly seasoned forcemeat, in which there is a little eschalot. roll them tight the size of two fingers inches long; fasten them with a skewer, rub egg over, and either fry them of a light brown, or stew them, slowly, in gravy. add a wine-glassful of white wine, and a little lemon juice.--if you do not choose the bacon, put only forcemeat strongly flavoured with ham; or grate ham thickly over the slices. garnish with fried balls and pickled mushrooms. { }_scotch collops._ cut small slices of the fillet, flour and brown them in fresh butter in the frying-pan, and simmer them very gently in a little weak broth or boiling water; when nearly done, add the juice of a lemon, a spoonful of catsup, a little mace, pepper and salt; take out the collops, keep them hot in the dish; thicken the sauce with browned flour, and pour it hot over the collops; garnish with curled slices of bacon. _veal en fricandeau._ the fat fleshy side of the knuckle, a little thin slice from the fillet, or the lean part of the neck boned. take off the skin, beat the meat flat, and stuff with forcemeat; lard it, or not, as you like. lay some slices of bacon at the bottom of a stew-pan, the veal on them, and slices of bacon on the top; put in ½ pint of broth, or water, the bones of the meat, or shanks of mutton; a bunch of herbs, turnip, carrot, onions sliced, a blade of mace, bay leaves, some white pepper, and lastly, more slices of bacon. let this stew slowly, after being scummed, two hours, keeping the stew-pan closely covered, except when you baste the upper side of the fricandeau. the meat ought to be cooked to eat with a spoon. take it out, when done, and keep it hot while you take all the bones out of the gravy, skim off the fat, and let it boil quickly till it thickens, and becomes a glaze; pour it over the meat. mushrooms, morells and truffles may be added. sorrel or tomata sauce.--_another_: put the veal into a stew-pan, the larded side uppermost, add tumblers of water, carrots and onions in slices, cloves, pepper and salt to taste, and a bunch of parsley: boil slowly three hours and a half; then brown the veal with a salamander; served with stewed mushrooms. _knuckle of veal to ragout, or with rice._ break the bone and put it into a stew-pan with water to make a quart of broth, with the skin, gristles, and trimmings of the meat, a bunch of parsley, a head of celery, one onion, one turnip, one carrot, and a small bunch of lemon { }thyme; this being ready, cut the meat off the knuckle, the cross way of the grain, in slices smaller than cutlets, season with salt and kitchen pepper, dredge with flour, and brown them in another stew-pan. then strain the broth, pour it over them, and stew it _very_ slowly half an hour; thicken the gravy with white _roux_, and add the juice of half a lemon. _with rice_--cut off steaks for cutlets, or a pie, so as to leave no more meat on the bone than will be eaten hot. break and wash the shank bone; put it into a stew-pan, with two quarts of water, salt, an onion, a blade of mace, and a bunch of parsley. when it boils, scum well, put in ¼ lb. of well-washed rice, and stew it at least two hours. put the meat in a deep dish, and lay the drained rice round. serve bacon and greens. _granadin of veal._ line a dish, or shape, with veal caul, letting it hang over the sides of the dish; put in, first a layer of thin slices of bacon, then a layer of forcemeat, made of herbs, suet, and crumbs of bread, then a layer of thin slices of veal, well seasoned, and so on till the dish is filled; turn the caul over the whole, tie a paper over the dish, and bake it. mushrooms may be added. when done, turn it out of the dish, and serve with a clear brown gravy. _veal à la daube._ cut off the chump, and take out the edge-bone of a loin of veal; raise the skin and put in a forcemeat; bind the loin up with tape, cover with slices of bacon, and put it into a stew-pan, with all the bones and trimmings, one or two shanks of mutton, and just cover with water, or broth; a bunch of sweet herbs, two anchovies, some white pepper, and a blade of mace. put a cloth over the stew-pan, and fit the lid tight, with a weight on the top. simmer it slowly two hours, but shake the pan occasionally. the gravy will have become a strong glaze; take out the veal, the bacon, and herbs; glaze the veal, and serve it with tomata or mushroom sauce, or stewed mushrooms. _veal to haricot._ shorten the bones of the best end of the neck; you may { }cut it in chops, or dress it whole. stew it in good brown gravy, and when nearly done, add a pint of green peas, a large cucumber pared and sliced, a blanched lettuce quartered, pepper, salt, a very little cayenne, and boiling water, or broth, to cover the stew. simmer it till the vegetables are done, put the meat in a hash dish, and pour the stew over. forcemeat balls to garnish, if you choose. _veal cutlets à la maintenon._ _see mutton steaks à la maintenon_; or cook them without paper as follows: first flatten, and then season them with mixed spices, dipped in egg first, then in bread-crumbs mixed with powdered sweet herbs, grated nutmeg, and lemon peel. broil them over a quick, clear fire, and serve directly they are done, with good gravy well flavoured with different sauces; or catsup in melted butter, or mushroom sauce. garnish with lemon and curled parsley. they may be dressed in the dutch oven, moistened, from time to time, with melted butter. the fat should be first pared off pretty closely. serve pickles. _calf's heart._ stuff it with a rich forcemeat, put the caul, or a well buttered paper over, and roast it an hour. pour a sauce of melted butter and catsup over it.--_or_: stuff, and brown it in a stew-pan, with a little butter, or a slice of bacon under it; put in enough broth or water to make a very little gravy, and let it simmer gently till done; take out the bacon, simmer and thicken the gravy, and pour it over the heart. sweet sauce, or currant jelly.--_sheep's_ hearts are very nice, in the same way; a wine-glassful of catsup, or of port wine, in the gravy. _calf's pluck._ parboil half the liver and lights, and mince them. stuff the heart with forcemeat, cover with the caul, or a buttered paper, or, instead of either, lay some slices of bacon on, and bake it. simmer the mince of the liver in gravy or broth, add salt, pepper, chopped parsley, the juice of a lemon and catsup: fry the rest of the liver in slices, with parsley. { }when done, put the mince in a dish, the heart in the middle, the slices round. garnish with fried parsley, or toasted sippets.--_or_: cut the liver into oblong slices an inch thick, turn these round, and fasten with thread, or form them into any shape you like. chop onions very fine, also mushrooms and parsley, fry these in butter, pepper and salt; then dredge flour over the pieces of liver, and put them into the frying-pan; when done enough, lay them in a dish, pepper slightly and keep them hot, whilst you pour enough broth or boiling water into the frying-pan to moisten the herbs; stew this a few minutes, and pour it over the liver. a nice supper or breakfast dish.--_lamb's pluck_ the same way.--_calf's liver_ is very good stewed. this is made rich, according to the herbs, spices, and sauces used. chili vinegar is good. _veal sweetbreads._ parboil a very little, then divide and stew them in veal broth, or milk and water. when done, season the sauce with salt and white pepper, and thicken with flour; add a little hot cream, and pour it over the sweetbreads.--_or_: when parboiled, egg the sweetbreads, dip them in a seasoned mixture of bread-crumbs, and chopped herbs; roast them gently in a dutch oven, and pour over a sauce of melted butter and catsup.--_or_: do not parboil, but brown them, in a stew-pan, with a piece of butter, then pour over just enough good gravy to cover them; let them simmer gently, till done, add salt, pepper, allspice and mushroom catsup; take out the sweetbreads, thicken the sauce with browned flour, and strain it over them. mushroom sauce and melted butter are served with sweetbreads.--_or_: par-roast before the fire, cut them in thin slices, then baste with thin melted butter, strew bread-crumbs over, and finish by broiling before the fire.--truffles and morells may be added to enrich the gravy. _calf's tails._ clean and parboil the tails, brown them in butter, then drain and stew them in good broth, with a bunch of parsley, a few onions, and a bay leaf. green peas, sliced { }cucumber, or lettuce, may be added and served altogether, when done, and the fat skimmed off. _calf's head._ wash and soak it in warm water, take out the brains, and the black part of the eyes. boil it in a large fish-kettle, with plenty of water and some salt. scum well, and let it simmer gently nearly two hours. lift it out, carefully sponge it to take off any scum that may have adhered, take out the tongue, and slightly score the head, in diamonds; brush it with egg, and sprinkle it with a mixture of bread-crumbs, herbs, pepper, salt and spices; strew some little bits of butter over, and put it in the dutch oven to brown. wash and parboil the brains; skin, and chop them with parsley and sage (parboiled); add pepper and salt, with melted butter, to a little more than moisten it, add the juice of a lemon, and a small quantity of cayenne; turn this a few minutes over the fire: skin the tongue, place it in the middle of a small dish, the brains round it; garnish with very small sprigs of curled parsley, and slices of lemon; serve the head in another dish, garnish the same. serve melted butter and parsley. if you have boiled the whole head, half may be dressed as above, and the other half as follows:--cut the meat into neat pieces along with the tongue, and re-warm it in a little good broth, well seasoned with spices and lemon peel; when it is done, put in the juice of a lemon, pour it into your dish, lay the half head on it, garnish with brain cakes and lemon.--_calf's head to stew_--prepare it as in the last receipt to boil; take out the bones, put in a delicate forcemeat, tie it up carefully, and stew it in veal broth or water; season well with mace, mushroom powder and a very little cayenne. stew very slowly, and when done, serve it with fried forcemeat balls, and a fricassee of mushrooms. it may be enriched to almost any degree, by flavouring sauces, truffles and morells, also oysters. _a collared calf's head_ in the same way: when boned season as in the last receipt; put parsley in a thick layer, then thick slices of ham or the tongue, roll it up, tie as firmly as you can in a cloth and boil it, and put it under a weight till cold. { }_brain cakes._ take off all the fibres and skins which hang about the brains and scald them; beat them in a bason, with the yolks of two eggs (or more, according to the quantity of brains), one spoonful of flour, the same of bread-crumbs, a little lemon peel grated, and two tea-spoonsful of chopped parsley; add pepper, salt, nutmeg, and what spices you like; beat well together, with enough melted butter to make a batter; then drop it, in small cakes, into boiling lard, and fry of a light brown. calf's or lamb's brains, in this way, for garnishing, or a small side dish. _brains à la maître d'hotel_: skin the brains and soak them in several waters, then boil them in salt and water, with a little piece of butter, and a table-spoonful of vinegar. fry in butter, some thin slices of bread, in the shape of scollop shells. lay these in a dish, the brains divided in two on them, and pour over a maître d'hotel sauce. _calf's head to fricassee, and to hash._ first parboil, then cut the meat into small pieces, and stew it, in a very little of the liquor in which it was boiled, or in rich white gravy, seasoned with white pepper, salt, onion and sweet herbs. simmer gently, and, when nearly done, thicken with butter, rolled in flour, and just before you dish it, add a tea-cupful of hot cream, or the yolks of two eggs beaten; let it simmer, but not boil. garnish with brain cakes, or curled slices of bacon.--_to hash_: calf's head cold, makes an excellent hash, and may be enriched to any degree, by adding to the following plain hash, some highly flavouring ingredients, such as sweetbreads, truffles, artichoke bottoms, button mushrooms, forcemeat and egg balls.--cut the head and the tongue into slices. take rather more than a quart of the liquor in which it was boiled, two shanks of mutton, or bones or trimmings of veal, and of the head; a bunch of sweet herbs, parsley, one large onion, a piece of lemon peel and some white pepper; boil this slowly, so that it may not waste too much, till it is well flavoured gravy, then thicken it with butter rubbed in flour, and strain it into a clean saucepan, add pounded mace, a large spoonful of oyster catsup or lemon pickle, sherry, and { }any sauce you like; put in the slices of meat, and warm them by gently simmering. garnish with forcemeat balls, curled slices of bacon, or fried bread, in sippets, or brain cakes. _mock turtle._ soak a large head, with the skin on, in hot water, then parboil it, in sufficient water to cover it, with a bunch of sweet herbs, onions and a carrot; and after it has boiled to throw up the scum, simmer it gently half an hour. then take the head out and let it get nearly cold before you cut it up. take out the black parts of the eyes, and cut the other part into thin round slices, the gristly parts of the head into strips, and the peeled tongue into dice or square bits. put the bones and trimmings of the head back into the stew-pan, and keep it simmering by the fire. fry some minced eschalot or onion, in plenty of butter dredged with browned flour; then put it into a clean stew-pan, with all the cut meat, toss it over the fire a few minutes, then strain into it, a sufficient quantity of the stock to make the dish a stew-soup; season with pounded mace, pepper, salt, and a pint of madeira; simmer it very slowly, till the meat is done, add a large spoonful of catsup or soy, a little chopped basil, tarragon and parsley. it must be skimmed before it is served; add the juice of a lemon, and pour it into a tureen. forcemeat balls may be used as garnish: this is made richer by a cow heel, and also, by sweetbreads parboiled, or oysters and anchovies being added. _veal to mince._ cold veal is generally used to mince, but undressed meat is the most savoury. mince it finely, only the white part, and heat it in a little broth, or water (a piece of butter rolled in flour, if the latter), salt, white pepper, pounded mace, and plenty of finely chopped or grated lemon peel; when warm, put to it a small coffee-cupful of hot cream, and serve with sippets round the dish. this preparation does for _patties_ or _cecils_ or _scallops_, the same as directed for _beef_.--you may mix with the mince some stewed mushrooms. _veal_ may be _hashed_ the same as beef; adding to the gravy, mace, nutmeg, and lemon peel. { }_veal to pot._ season a thick slice of an undressed fillet, with mace, peppercorns and cloves, bake or stew nearly four hours, pound it quite small in a mortar, with salt, and butter sufficient, just melted. put it in pots, and cover with clarified butter. a portion of ham is an improvement. _veal cake._ boil eggs hard, cut two in half, the others in rings, put some of the latter and the halves round the bottom of a deep dish or shallow mould, and between each, a light sprig of parsley to make a layer; then a layer of very thin small pieces of cold veal, ham or tongue, and sprigs of parsley between, and more egg, moisten as you go on with a very good savoury jelly, flavoured with cayenne.--_or_: make a very pretty dish; having boiled two calf's feet or a cow heel for jelly, or other purpose, put some nice little bits of the meat at the bottom of a deep round pudding mould, and little bits of ham or tongue and sprigs of parsley between, season to taste, then another layer, till full, moisten as you go on with some of the liquor. set in a rather cool oven just to stiffen, then in a cool place, and turn it out of the shape. bunches of barberries to garnish it. _mutton to haricot._ cut the neck or loin, into chops, and trim off all the fat and bones. have pints of good broth, in which a turnip, carrot, bunch of parsley and onions have been boiled. season the chops well with kitchen pepper, and flour them; then brown them in the frying-pan, with a piece of butter, put them in a stew-pan, and pour the strained broth over. let them stew very slowly half an hour, then put in large carrots, cut in slices, and notched on the edges, or pieces of turnip, cut in fanciful shapes, button onions, previously half roasted in the frying-pan, or parboiled, also a head of celery, cut up. when the chops are tender, skim the gravy, thicken it with browned flour; add pepper and salt, and a table-spoonful of walnut catsup, the same of camp sauce, of universal sauce, { }of chili or eschalot vinegar, and a wine-glassful of either port or white wine. lay the chops in a hash dish, the vegetables on them, and pour the gravy hot over. _cucumbers_ sliced, _endive_ parboiled and cut up, or _haricots_ parboiled, are good in this. _veal cutlets_, _beef steaks_, and _lamb chops_, in the same way. young lettuces and celery are more suitable to veal than turnip and carrot. garnish with pickled mushrooms. _leg of mutton with carrots._ lard the leg and put it in a stew-pan just large enough to hold it, with a piece of butter. set it over the fire five or ten minutes, and turn it to every side; take it out, and mix in the saucepan, with the butter, a spoonful of flour, and two tea-cupsful of broth or boiling water; let this simmer, turning the saucepan often; put in the mutton, and fill up with broth or boiling water; add salt and pepper, and a small bunch of herbs. boil it slowly two hours, then put in a large plate of carrots cut in small pieces, and browned in another saucepan. boil the mutton another hour after the carrots are added, and then serve it. any lean joint of mutton may be cooked in this way. _loin of mutton to roll or to stew._ keep it till quite tender, take out the bones, and put them on in water to cover them, with an onion and herbs, to make a good gravy. season the meat highly with black and jamaica pepper, mace, nutmeg and cloves, and let it lie all night. flatten the meat with a rolling-pin, and cover it with a forcemeat, as directed for roast hare; roll it up and bind with tape; bake it in a slow oven, or half roast it before the fire, and baste from time to time with the made gravy. let it get cold, skim off the fat which will have settled on it, dredge it with flour, then finish the cooking by stewing it in the gravy with which you basted, which must be carefully preserved, after the roasting or baking be over. when cooked enough, put to the gravy an anchovy pounded, a wine-glass of catsup, one of port wine, and a table-spoonful of lemon pickle. mushrooms are an improvement.--_the loin_ may be boned, larded, stuffed with { }forcemeat, then rolled, and stewed in white stock, with plenty of delicate vegetables, and served with spinach round it, and a sharp sauce. _shoulder of mutton._ the same as the loin; or stuffed with oysters solely (bearded); the meat rolled up, bound with tape, and stewed in broth, with a few peppercorns, a head of celery, and one or two onions. when done, take off the tape, and pour oyster sauce over.--_or_: half roast a well-kept shoulder of mutton, let it get nearly cold, then score it on both sides, put it in a dutch oven, before the fire, with a clean dish under to catch the gravy, and let it continue to roast. bone and chop four anchovies, melt them in the basting ladle, add pepper and salt, then mix it into ½ pint of hot gravy, ¼ pint of port wine, a spoonful of mushroom, the same of walnut catsup, and ½ a spoonful of lemon pickle; baste the meat with this as it roasts; when done, lay it on a clean hot dish, skim the dropped gravy, heat it, if necessary, and pour over the mutton.--_or_: bone the shoulder, and steep it in wine, vinegar, herbs, and spices; have ready a stuffing, in which there are either oysters or mushrooms, put it in, cover the shoulder with a veal caul, and braise it. serve with venison gravy, and sauce. some like the flavour of garlic in this. _breast of mutton to grill._ cut off all fat which will not be eaten with the lean, score that in diamonds, and season with pepper and salt. brush it with egg, and strew a mixture of bread-crumbs and chopped parsley over. either roast or broil it in a dutch oven, baste well with butter, strewing more crumbs and parsley over. serve with chopped walnut or capers in butter. _neck of mutton to stew._ cut off some of the fat, and the meat into chops, put it into a stew-pan with water or broth to cover it, pepper, salt, an onion, and what herbs you like, cover close, and let it stew very gently; when half the water is wasted, put it by the side to let the fat rise, take that off, put in ½ pint claret, { } oysters, and let it stew till quite tender; take out the herbs, thicken the gravy, and add the juice of ½ a lemon, and what catsup you like. _to dress kidneys._ skin and split mutton kidneys, rub with salt and pepper, and pin them out with small wire skewers, to keep them open. dip in melted butter, then lay them on the gridiron, the inside downwards first, that when you turn them the gravy may be saved. put the kidneys in a very hot dish, and pour melted butter into each one.--_or_: cut a fresh kidney into slices or mouthfuls; soak in warm water and well dry them, dust them with flour, and then brown with butter in the frying-pan: put them in a stew-pan with the white of young onions chopped, salt, pepper, parsley, a table-spoonful of eschalot vinegar, and then let them simmer till the kidney is quite done. mushroom or walnut catsup may be used. serve mustard with this.--_or_: mince the kidney and season well with salt, pepper, and cayenne; fry this, and moisten it with gravy or boiling water, or use what catsup or flavouring vinegar you like. serve on a hot dish for breakfast.--_or_: put the mince into a stew-pan with a bunch of sweet herbs and an onion tied up in muslin, as soon as it is just browned cover with boiling water and let it simmer hours, then take out the herbs, and sprinkle over the mince a table-spoonful of sweet herbs in powder. _mutton or lamb chops and collops._ _cutlets_ for a supper or breakfast dish may be cut from a rather underdone leg: put a good sized piece of butter in the frying-pan, when hot lay the slices of meat in, and turn them often till done, then take them out and keep them hot, while you make a little gravy in the pan, of parsley, other herbs if you like, and a very little broth or boiling water; any flavouring sauce you have, and cayenne. the gravy should be thick of herbs; dish the cutlets in the centre, and the herbs round.--_or_: pare and slice some cucumbers, sprinkle them with salt and pepper, pour a little vinegar over, and let them lie an hour; then stew them with the collops in broth, enough to make sufficient gravy; season { }with catsup and what flavouring ingredient you prefer, skim the gravy when the meat is done, and serve in a hash dish.--_or_: chop the leaves of sprigs of parsley with eschalots, very fine, season with salt and cayenne, and mix all well together with a table-spoonful of salad oil, cover the cutlets on both sides with this, then shake grated bread-crumbs over, and fry them in fresh butter. _cutlets à la maintenon._ lightly season and lay them in a pan with table-spoonsful of oil; fry over a moderate fire till parts cooked, then take them out, and fry table-spoonsful of chopped onions of a light brown, pour off the oil and put in a pint of good brown sauce, table-spoonsful of tomata sauce, a tea-cupful of chopped parsley, a little sugar, nutmeg, pepper and salt, reduce it till rather thick, then put in the cutlets for about minutes: take them out, let them be cold in the sauce, and fold each one (the gravy about it), in white paper (oiled), and broil them minutes over a moderate fire. serve in the papers. sauces for cutlets may be made of oysters, mushrooms, tomatas, anchovies, &c., &c., by stewing them in gravy, suitably seasoned; always add some lump sugar. serve with jerusalem artichokes, cooked in white sauce, round them: _or_, a bunch of asparagus in the centre, the cutlets round, and more grass cut in points to garnish: _or_, french beans or peas the same way: _or_ (a very pretty dish), divide in or pieces nicely boiled small cauliflowers, and put them into a saucepan with a tea-cupful of white sauce, a tea-spoonful of lump sugar, and a little salt; when it boils, pour in the yolk of an egg mixed with table-spoonsful of cream, and serve it as above. _mutton to hash._ when a leg of mutton comes from the table, cut slices to hash the next day, and leave them in the gravy; if the joint be underdone, all the better. make a gravy of the gristles, trimmings and any bones of mutton, pepper, salt, parsley, and or cut onions; skim off the fat, strain it, and put in the meat (having well floured each slice), with salt to { }your taste, and cayenne: simmer very gently about five minutes, to warm the meat through, and serve with toasted sippets round the dish. this may have walnut catsup or any other you choose: or pickled walnuts, cut up, and a little of the liquor; or, and this is a great improvement, when the gravy is ready, put in tomatas, and simmer for a quarter of an hour before you put in the meat. stewed mushrooms are a nice accompaniment. mutton may be minced and warmed in a pulp of cucumbers or endive, which has been stewed in weak broth.--_or_: put a good sized piece of butter into a stewpan with ½ pint of mushrooms, ½ an eschalot minced, and boil them gently; then mix in, by degrees, a table-spoonful flour, ½ pint broth, and stew till all the flavour be extracted; let it cool a little, and put in some minced underdone mutton, to heat through, without boiling. _hunter's pie._ line a mould with mashed potatoes, fill it with slices of cold beef or mutton, or mutton or lamb chops, well seasoned, cover with mashed potatoes, and bake it. some add a very little minced onion. _leg of lamb with vegetables._ cut the loin of a small hind quarter into chops, and fry them. boil the leg, delicately white, place it in the middle of the dish, a border of spinach round, and the fried chops upon that.--_or_: instead of spinach, put a sprig of boiled cauliflower between each chop. pour hot melted butter over the leg.--_or_: season the chops, brush them with egg, and roll them in a mixture of bread-crumbs, chopped parsley, grated lemon peel, nutmeg, and salt; fry them in butter, and pour over a good gravy, with oysters or mushrooms. serve hot; garnish with forcemeat balls. _breast of lamb._ stew it in good broth twenty minutes, let it cool, then score it in diamonds. season well with pepper, salt, and mixed spices; dredge flour over, stick on some little bits of butter, finish in the dutch oven, and serve on spinach, stewed cucumbers, or green peas. { }_lamb cutlets and steaks._ flatten, season, and stew them in veal broth, and a little milk; season with white pepper and mace. when nearly done, thicken the sauce with mushroom powder, a bit of butter rolled in flour, and add a tea-cupful of hot cream.--_lamb chops with potatoes_--cut handsome chops from the neck, and trim the bone. season, egg, and dip them in bread-crumbs and parsley, and fry of a pale yellow. mash some potatoes thin, with butter or cream, place this high in the centre of a dish, score it, and arrange the chops round, leaning each one on the side of the adjoining one. garnish with lemon slices, and pickled mushrooms. _shoulder of lamb stuffed._ take out the bone, and fill the vacancy with forcemeat. this may be roasted; or, if to be rich, stewed in good gravy, or braised. glaze it, if you like, and serve with sorrel, or tomata sauce.--_or_: parboiled, allowed to cool, scored in diamonds, seasoned with pepper, salt, and kitchen pepper, and finished on the gridiron, or in a dutch oven. _sauce robert_, mushroom, or sorrel sauce, or a clear gravy. _or_: bone a small shoulder, lard the under side, with strips of bacon, rolled in a mixture of cloves, mace, cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, in small proportions. roll the meat up, tie, and stew it in veal broth: or braise, and then glaze it. serve it on cucumbers stewed in cream, or on stewed mushrooms. _lamb's head_ may be dressed the same as _calf's head_.--_or_: parboil, then score, season and egg it, cover with a mixture of bread-crumbs and parsley, and brown it before the fire. mince part of the liver, the tongue, and heart, and stew till tender, in a little broth or water, with pepper and salt. fry the rest of the liver with parsley. put the mince in a dish, the head on it, and the fried liver round. _lamb fricassee._ cut the best part of the brisket into square pieces of { }inches each; wash, dry, and flour them. simmer for ten minutes oz. butter, of fat bacon, and some parsley, then put in the meat, an onion cut small, pepper, salt, and the juice of half a lemon: simmer this two hours, then add the yolks of two eggs, shake the pan over the fire five minutes, and serve it. _lamb's sweetbreads._ blanch, then stew them in clear gravy twenty minutes; put in white pepper, salt, and mace; thicken with butter rolled in flour, and add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, and stirred into a coffee-cup of cream, a little nutmeg and finely chopped parsley; pour the cream and eggs in by degrees, then heat it over the fire, but stir all the time. _veal sweetbreads_ in the same way. the best mode of re-warming _lamb_ is to _broil_, either over or before the fire. _venison to hash._ cut in thin slices, and warm it in its own gravy; season with pepper, salt, mace, grated lemon peel, one wine-glassful of port and white wine mixed, and a table-spoonful each, of mushroom and walnut catsup and soy. serve toasted sippets round it. if lean, mix with it some thin small slices of the firm fat of mutton. cold venison may be minced and dressed as directed for beef. _shoulder of venison to stew._ if too lean to roast, then bone and flatten it, lay over some thin slices of fat, well-flavoured mutton; season well with white pepper, salt, and mixed spices, roll it up tight, bind with tape, and stew it slowly in beef or mutton gravy, in a stew-pan which will just hold it; the lid close. when nearly done, put in a very little cayenne, allspice, and ½ pint of claret or port. stew three hours. take off the tape, place the meat in a dish, and strain the gravy over. venison sauce. _venison collops and steaks._ a good way to dress what is too lean to roast well. having cut thin long slices from the haunch, neck, or loin; { }make a good gravy of the bones and trimmings, strain it into a small stew-pan, put in a little piece of butter rolled in flour to thicken it, then a very little lemon, a wine-glassful of port or claret, pepper, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg; whilst this simmers gently, fry the collops, and pour the sauce hot over. you may add tarragon or eschalot vinegar, also soy and mushroom catsup. garnish with fried crumbs. season the steaks, and dip them in melted butter, then in bread-crumbs, and broil them in buttered papers, over a quick fire. serve very hot, with good gravy in a tureen. _pig to collar._ it should be three or four weeks older than for roasting. bone it, and season well with mixed spices; then spread over a layer of thin forcemeat of herbs, hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine, and a _little_ suet, then a layer of thin slices of veal, a layer of seasoning, and so on; roll it up, tie in a cloth, and stew it three hours, in just enough water to cover the pig. it will then require to be tied tighter at each end, and put under a weight till cold. _pork to roll._ bone the neck, spread over the inside a forcemeat of sage, crumbs, salt, pepper, and a very little allspice. tie it up, and roast very slowly. _pork chops with onions._ season the chops on both sides with pepper and salt, brush them over with olive oil, and roll them in bread-crumbs; put them on the gridiron, taking care that the fire be clear, and do not turn the chops more than once. put large onions in slices, into a saucepan with a large piece of butter, turn the saucepan frequently that the onions may imbibe the butter equally; add half a tea-cupful of boiling water, some pepper and salt, and let the onions simmer three quarters of an hour; strain and mix with them a little made mustard. place the onions in a dish and the chops on them. _pig's head roasted._ divide the head of a young porker in half, take out the { }brains and clean the inside; stuff it with bread-crumbs, sweet herbs, lemon peel, a very little suet, and an egg, to bind it, tie the head up carefully, and roast it. serve with brain and currant sauce. _pig's feet and ears soused._ clean carefully, soak them some hours, then boil them tender, and when cold pour over the following pickle: some of the liquor they were boiled in, ¼ part of vinegar and some salt. cut the feet in two, slice the ears, dip them in batter and fry them. serve melted butter, vinegar and mustard. _to fricassee._ boil, and when cold cut in pieces, and simmer them in a very little veal broth, with onion, mace and lemon peel; just before you serve it, add a little cream, and a bit of butter rolled in flour. _corned pork with peas._ put a large piece of butter into a stew-pan with half a table-spoonful of flour, and when it is melted add a tea-cupful of boiling water, chopped herbs and pepper. wash in three waters a small piece of corned pork, put it in the stew-pan, and when it has cooked half an hour add three pints of green peas, and let it cook one hour. take out the herbs and pork, pass the rest through a sieve; serve the peas round the pork. _hare to jug._ a tender young hare is better jugged than an old one, but one that is too old to roast, may be good jugged. cut it in rather small pieces, season with salt and pepper, and you may lard them if you like, if not put into the jar two slices of good bacon, then put in the pieces of hare with the following mixture; half a tea-spoonful of cayenne, a blade of mace and a very small bunch of sweet herbs, four silver onions, one stuck with six cloves, two wine-glassfuls of port wine, half a pint of water, or thin broth, and a table-spoonful of currant jelly. set the jug in a saucepan of boiling { }water, or put it in the oven for two or three hours, according to its age. lay the meat on a dish before the fire, strain the liquor, boil it up, and pour hot over the hare; you may add lemon juice, walnut or mushroom catsup, and another glass of port wine.--_or_: you may put lbs. of coarse beef in, to make the gravy better. this, and especially if the hare be an old one, will require an hour longer. _hare to stew._ cut off the legs and shoulders, cut down the back and divide each side into three. season these with pepper, salt, and mixed spices, and steep them or hours in eschalot vinegar, and or bay leaves. make about ½ pint of good gravy, of beef or mutton stock, the neck, head, liver, heart and trimmings of the hare, onions, a carrot, a bunch of sweet herbs, black peppers, the same of allspice, and a slice of bacon, in small pieces. strain this into a clean stew-pan, and put the hare and the vinegar into it; let it stew slowly, until done. if required, add salt, more spices, and cayenne; also good sauces, and port wine if you choose. thicken with browned flour. an _old hare_ may be larded and stewed in a braise. _hare to hash._ into a pint of gravy put silver onions, cloves, and a very little salt and cayenne, simmer gently till the flavour of the spice and vegetables is extracted, then take them out, add table-spoonsful of red currant jelly, the same of port wine, and when quite hot, put in the slices of hare, and any stuffing there may be. serve it hot with sippets and currant jelly. _rabbits with fine herbs._ joint white young rabbits, and fry the pieces in butter with some rasped bacon, a handful of chopped mushrooms, parsley, eschalot, pepper, salt, and allspice; when of a nice brown put it into a stew-pan, with a tea-cupful of good gravy and a tea-spoonful of flour. stew slowly till done, skim and strain the sauce, and serve it hot about the { }meat; the livers minced and cooked with it. when you serve it, add the juice of ½ a lemon and a very little cayenne. _rabbits to fricassee._ cut them in joints and parboil them; take off the skin, and stew them in gravy of knuckle of veal, lean ham, sweet herbs, mace, nutmeg, white pepper, lemon peel and mushroom powder; when the meat is tender, thicken the gravy with the yolks of or eggs in a pint of cream; stir in gradually table-spoonsful of oyster, of lemon pickle, and of essence of anchovy. serve very hot. stewed mushrooms are good with this. garnish with slices of lemon and pickled barberries. _rabbit, hare, and game to pot._ _rabbit_ must be seasoned with pepper, salt, cayenne, mace, and allspice, all in fine powder.--_hare_ with salt, pepper, and mace.--_partridges_, with mace, allspice, white pepper, and salt in fine powder.--read directions to pot beef, and proceed in the same way. _turkey to braise._ truss it as for boiling: put onions, a carrot, turnip, and a head of celery, all sliced, at the bottom of a stew-pan, with a bunch of parsley, a sprig of thyme, bay leaves, cloves, and a blade of mace, also ½ lb. of lean ham, and lbs. of veal cut small, put in quarts of water, and then the turkey (the breast downwards), cover close, and let it simmer over a slow fire about two hours, according to its size; then take it up, and keep it hot, strain the stock into a stew-pan, boil it over the fire, and skim off all the fat; have oz. butter melted in another stew-pan, stir in enough flour to make it thickish, and keep stirring till it is cooked enough, but keep it white, then take it from the fire, and keep stirring till half cold, pour in the stock, add a little sugar, and boil it all up, stirring all the time: place the turkey on the dish, with either some cauliflower heads or brussels sprouts round it, and pour the sauce over. { }_fowls, with mushroom sauce._ braise them the same as directed for turkey, and when the stock is strained into the stew-pan, put in some mushrooms, and stew it till they are cooked, add lump sugar, and, at the last, stir in the yolk of egg, beat up with a table-spoonful of cream, take it off the fire, and pour over the fowl in the dish.--_or_: do not braise, but stew the fowl, in good stock, and when done, thicken the gravy, and put in enough button mushrooms; serve mushroom sauce with this, or a white fricassee of mushrooms round it.--_fowl with oysters_: the same as either of the above, using oysters in the place of mushrooms. _fowl to force._ bone, then stuff a large fowl with a forcemeat made of ¼ lb. of veal, fowl, or turkey; oz. grated ham, oz. yolk of hard-boiled egg, lemon peel, mixed spices, and cayenne to taste; beat the whole in a mortar, to a paste, adding raw eggs to bind it. sew up the fowl, form it into its own natural shape, draw in the legs, and truss the wings. stew it slowly in clear white broth; when nearly done, thicken the sauce with butter, rolled in flour; just before you serve it, add a little hot cream, by degrees, to the sauce, stirring all the time. squeeze the juice of a lemon into a dish, lay the fowl in the centre, and pour the sauce over it.--_or_: the stuffing may be of pork sausage, and the fowl roasted; serve good gravy in the dish, and bread sauce in a tureen. _chickens, pigeons, or rabbits, to braise._ bone and stuff them as directed in the last receipt, and lay slices of bacon on them. brown a few sliced onions in a stew-pan, and add all the bones and trimmings, with, if you can, two shanks or a scrag of mutton, or a shank of veal, a bunch of sweet herbs, mace, and a pint of broth or soft water; simmer gently one hour. then put in the chicken, cover the lid of the stew-pan with a cloth in thick folds, and let it stew very gently till done. if you wish to glaze the chicken, pigeon, or rabbit, take it out, and keep it hot while you strain the gravy, and boil it quickly to a jelly; { }glaze the chicken, and serve with a brown fricassee of mushrooms. _chickens to fricassee._ cut them up, and season the joints with mixed spices and white pepper. put into a pint of clear gravy or stock, two onions, three blades of mace, a large piece of lemon peel, and a bunch of sweet herbs. when ready put in the chickens, and stew them gently half an hour, covered close. when done, take them out, keep hot over boiling water, strain the sauce, thicken it with butter rolled in flour, and add salt and nutmeg. just before you serve it, pour in, by degrees, ¼ pint of cream, heated, and the yolks of two eggs, beaten; keep stirring least it curdle, and do not let it boil: pour it over the chickens. a glass of white wine may be added. garnish with lemon. you may put into the stew-pan, a quarter of an hour after the chickens, some quite young green peas and lettuce.--the french _fricassée naturel_ is as follows: cut up the chickens, blanch them in hot water a few minutes, then dip them into cold water, and put them into a stew-pan with oz. butter, parsley, green onions, and a tea-cupful of trimmed button mushrooms, to warm through, and slightly brown; add salt and white pepper, and dredge flour over them; then put in a little of the liquor they were blanched in, and let it simmer half an hour, or till the chickens are done: take them out, and keep hot, strain the sauce, give it a quick boil, add the yolks of two eggs, and pour it over the chickens. _fowl à la chingara._ cut a fat fowl down the back and breast, then across, to be in four equal parts. melt a very little piece of butter in a stew-pan, put in four slices from the thickest part of a boiled ham, then the fowl, and stew it gently, till done; take out, keep it hot, pour the fat off the glaze at the bottom of the stew-pan, and pour in a little good gravy, salt, pepper, and cayenne. simmer gently a few minutes, during which, fry, in the fat you have poured off, four toasts, dust over them a little pepper and salt, place them in a dish, a quarter of the fowl on each; either with the ham or not. skim the sauce, and serve in a tureen. { }_cold fowl or turkey to pull._ take off the skin, and pull the meat off the breast and wings, in long flakes; brown these in the frying-pan with a piece of butter, drain them from the fat, put them into a saucepan with a little gravy previously seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg and mace. simmer gently, to warm the meat; during which, score and season the legs, if turkey, and broil them, with the sidebones and back. thicken the sauce with the yolks of two eggs, and add a tea-cupful of hot cream. serve the hash in the middle, the broil round. garnish with toasted sippets. mushroom sauce good with this. _boudins_ are made thus: mince the meat which is left on fowl or turkey; put a tea-spoonful of chopped onion and a piece of butter into a stew-pan and turn it over the fire, for a minute or two, then put in a table-spoonful of flour and mix it well, a pint of stock and the mince, season with pepper, salt, and sugar; simmer it till heated through, and then stir quickly in, the yolks of three eggs well beaten, stir it over the fire, but do not let it boil, and pour it out on a dish to get cold; divide it into equal parts, and roll them round or to your fancy, egg and bread-crumb them two or three times, and fry of a light brown. these may be flavoured with ham, tongue or mushroom cut up in the mince. _goose or hare to braise._ stuff it for roasting, lay thin slices of bacon over it; line a stew-pan with bacon, put the goose and giblets in the centre, or onions, carrots and turnips, a clove of garlic, all sliced, salt, black and jamaica peppers, bay leaves, and a slight sprinkling of finely chopped herbs. moisten with boiling water. lay a sheet of paper over, cover close, lay a folded cloth over the lid, put a weight on the top to keep it tight, and stew gently. (_see instructions for braising._) apple, pear, or currant jelly sauce. _turkey or hare en daube._ lard the breast and legs of the turkey with strips of bacon, with salt, pepper, spices, and herbs; and lay slices of bacon over the breast. line a stew-pan with bacon, { }and put in the turkey, with a hock of ham or a calf's foot (both if you can), also the head and feet of the turkey, onions, carrots, young onions, a few sprigs of thyme, a bunch of parsley, and cloves; moisten this, with a tea-cupful of melted butter, and cover it with white paper. simmer it five hours; take it off the fire, and let it stand by the side twenty minutes, or half an hour. take out the turkey, strain the gravy, and boil it down quickly; beat up an egg, stir it into the gravy, put it on the fire, and let it come nearly to a boil, then stand by the side of the fire half an hour, and it will be a jelly; strain it again if not clear, and pour it over the turkey. _pigeons to stew._ put a piece of butter, rolled in flour, a little chopped parsley, and the liver, into each pigeon, truss, then place them on slices of bacon, in a stew-pan; cover with more slices of bacon, and stew them three quarters of an hour. serve good brown gravy. stewed mushrooms, if liked. garnish with sprigs of boiled cauliflower, or small heads of brocoli. _or_: add bread-crumbs to the stuffing, truss them for roasting, and brown them in the frying-pan; then put them into the stew-pan, with good stock of beef, flavoured with herbs, mace, anchovies, mushroom powder, onions, and pepper; stew till tender, then add oyster, mushroom and walnut catsup, port and white wine, soy, gloucester and camp sauces. garnish with egg balls and pickled mushrooms.--_or_: first stuff them with bread-crumbs, spices, parsley, and a little fresh butter; half roast them in a dutch oven, and finish in the stew-pan, in good gravy; to which wine, lemon peel, and mushrooms may be added. pour it over the pigeons. asparagus may be laid round and between them.--_pigeons in jelly_--pick, wash, and singe two plump pigeons; leave the heads and feet on, clean them well, clip the nails close to the claws, and truss them, propping the heads up with skewers; season inside with pepper and salt, and a bit of butter in each. put a quart of the liquor of boiled knuckle of veal, or calf's head or feet, into a baking-dish, with a slice of lean ham, a blade of mace, a faggot of sweet herbs, white pepper, lemon peel, and the pigeons. bake them in a moderate oven; when done, take them out { }of the jelly, and set by to get cold, but cover them to preserve their colour. skim the fat off the jelly when cold, then boil it up with the whites of eggs beaten, to clear it, and strain through a bag. place the pigeons in a dish, the clear jelly round, and over them, in rough heaps. instead of baking, you may roast the pigeons, and when cold, put a sprig of anything you like into their bills, place them on some of the jelly, and heap more of it round.--_pigeons in forcemeat_--spread a savoury forcemeat in a dish, then in layers, very thin slices of fat bacon, young pigeons cut up, sliced sweetbreads blanched, palates boiled tender and cut up, mushrooms, asparagus tops, cockscombs and the yolks of eggs boiled hard; spread more forcemeat on the top, bake it, and turn it out in a dish, with rich gravy poured round. _pigeons en compote._--parboil large pigeons; take them out of the water, and squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the breast of each. have prepared in a stew-pan ¼ lb. of butter, a table-spoonful of flour, and tea-cupsful of weak broth, a faggot of herbs, pepper, salt, a piece of ham and mushrooms in quarters: place the pigeons in this, and stew them slowly till tender. blanch button onions, and a ¼ of an hour before they are done, put them in the stew-pan. when done, take out the herbs and ham, skim the gravy, pour it over the pigeons, in a dish, and the onions round. _ducks with peas._ season them with salt, pepper, cayenne and mixed spices. lay some very thin slices of bacon in a stew-pan, the ducks on them, more slices over them, moisten with broth, or water, and stew them from half to a whole hour, according to their age, and size. while they are stewing, parboil, and fry in butter, or with bits of bacon, or pints of young green peas, pour off the fat, put them in a stew-pan with a very little water or broth, salt, pepper, sugar, a bunch of parsley, and some young onions. take the onions and parsley out from the peas, skim off the fat, and pour the gravy over the ducks.--_or_: half roast the ducks, and stew them in a pint of good gravy, a little mint, and sage leaves chopped small, cover close and let it stew half an hour. boil a pint of green peas as for eating, and put them in, after you have thickened the { }gravy: put the ducks into a dish, and pour the gravy and peas over. _ducks to ragout._ prepare them the same as pigeons to stew, brown them all round, in the frying-pan, then stew them in good broth, till tender. season well with pepper, salt, onions, sage, and what other herbs you like. thicken the sauce with browned flour and butter. add a glass of port, if you like, and pour it over them. _ducks to hash._ cut them up, as at table, and if you have not any gravy suitable, prepare some of the trimmings, onions, a bunch of herbs, pepper, salt, sugar, and spices. strain, thicken it, and put in the pieces of duck; do not let the gravy even simmer, but keep hot by the side of the fire until the meat is heated through. port wine or catsup, and cayenne may be added.--_goose_ may be hashed in this way, the legs scored, seasoned and broiled, laid on the hash, or served by themselves. _wild fowl to ragout._ half roast the bird, score the breast in at each side, lightly strew mixed spices and cayenne into each cut, squeeze lemon juice over the spices. stew it till tender, in good brown gravy, take it out and keep hot; add or finely shred eschalots to the gravy, also a glass of port wine, and pour it over the wild fowl; any game may be re-warmed cut up, in good gravy, boiling hot, thickened with bread-crumbs, and seasoned with salt, spices to taste, wine, and lemon juice, or pickle. _snipes, landrails or woodcocks to ragout._ pick or very carefully, take out the trail, and lard them with slices of fat and lean ham, dredge well with flour, and fry in butter of a light brown: then stew in good gravy, flavoured with sherry or madeira, port or claret, anchovy, oyster, and lemon pickle, and walnut catsup, table-spoonsful of soy, cayenne and gloucester sauce. thicken with { }flour and butter. just before serving add the juice of a lemon, and table-spoonful of eschalot vinegar. pound the trail with salt, lay it on slices of buttered toast, before the fire, put it in a deep dish, serve the ragout over. _partridge or wild duck salmi._ par-roast two partridges, which have been kept long _enough_, when cold, skin and carve them, put them into a small saucepan with one eschalot, a bit of lemon peel, a very little dressed ham in small bits, all the trimmings of the birds, a large glass of madeira, half a wine-glassful of the best olive oil, pepper, salt, cayenne and the juice of a lemon. when just heated through, dish the birds on a very hot dish, pour the strained sauce over, and serve very hot, with grilled toasts. a little good sauce of veal gravy, the trimmings, cayenne, and the juice of a bitter orange; then put in the pieces of duck, and simmer till hot. _tripe to fricassee._ stew a piece of the thick part in well-seasoned veal stock. cut it in strips, shake it over the fire in white sauce, five minutes; squeeze the juice of a lemon in the dish, pour the fricassee in, and garnish with slices of lemon. if maigre, cream and yolk of egg will enrich it. _mock brawn._ having cleaned a hog's head, split it, take out the brains, cut off the ears, and rub the head well with salt. let it drain for twelve hours, spread oz. common salt and ½ oz. bay salt over it, and the next day put it into a pan, cover with cold water, and let it stand a day and night. then wash well, and boil it until the bone comes out; skin the head and tongue, and cut both into bits. put half of the skin into a pan, spread the meat in layers, season with salt and pepper, press it down hard, and cover with the other half of the skin. if too fat, add bits of lean pork. make a pickle of oz. salt, a pint of vinegar, and a quart of the liquor; boil it three times, and when cold pour it over. { }_tripe in the scotch fashion._ first boiled and cold; then simmer it gently in milk and water, with salt, and a piece of butter. when quite tender, take it out, and let it cool, whilst you prepare a thick batter of three eggs, three spoonsful of flour and some milk; add green onions or chives, parsley chopped fine, and ginger. cut the tripe in square cutlets or strips, dip them in the batter, thick enough to form a thick crust, and fry in beef dripping. _a scotch haggis._ having cleaned a sheep's pluck, cut some places in the heart and liver, to let out the blood, and parboil it all (during which the windpipe should hang over the side of the pot in a bowl, that it may empty itself). scum the water, as the pluck boils: indeed, it ought to be changed. from half to three quarters of an hour will be sufficient. take it all out, cut off about half of the liver, and put it back to boil longer. trim away all pieces of skin and black-looking parts from the other half of the liver, the heart, and part of the lights, and mince all together, with lb. of beef suet and three or four onions. the other half of the liver having boiled half an hour longer, put it in the air to get cold; then grate it to the mince, and put more onions if you like, but slightly parboiled. toast a large tea-cupful of oatmeal flour; turn it often with a spoon, that it may be dried equally of a light brown. spread the mince on a board, and strew the meal lightly over, with salt, pepper and cayenne. have ready the haggis bag (it is better to have two, for one may burst), put in the meat, with broth to make a thick stew; the richer the broth the better; add a little vinegar, but take care that the bag be not too full, for the meat must have room to swell. when it begins to boil, prick the bag with a needle; boil it slowly, three hours. the _head_ may be parboiled, minced and added. _curry of chicken, rabbit, or veal._ _read in the chapter on seasonings, the part relating to curry powder._--curry may be made of cold meat, and makes a variety with the common mode of re-warming { }meat, but not so good a _curry_ as when made of undressed meat. cut the meat into pieces, as are served at table, and brown them, in butter, with or sliced onions, over a quick fire. when of a fine amber colour, put it and the onions in a saucepan, with some veal, mutton broth, or stock of poultry and veal, or mutton trimmings; when this has simmered long enough to cook the meat, put in the curry powder, from to dessert-spoonsful, according to the quantity of meat, rubbed and mixed very smooth with a spoonful of flour; stir this carefully in the sauce, and simmer it five minutes; when done, put in the juice of a lemon, and stir in by degrees a coffee-cupful of thick cream. a small part of the meat and the livers of poultry may be pounded to thicken the sauce.--_or_: rub the powder into a thin paste, with cream, and rub each piece of meat with it, when half cooked, then return it to the saucepan to finish stewing.--_another_--fry large sliced onions in oz. of butter, and put all into a stew-pan, with either a loin of lamb in steaks, a breast of veal cut up, chicken, duck or rabbit jointed, or any thing undressed and _lean_, with a pint of good stock, or more, according to the quantity of meat; stew till tender: then take out the meat, and mix with the gravy about dessert-spoonsful of turmeric powder, pounded coriander seeds, cayenne to taste, and table-spoonsful of chili, or eschalot vinegar. boil these till thoroughly mixed and thick, and till the turmeric has lost the raw flavour; then put in the meat, and give it one boil. squeeze in the juice of a lemon or a lime, and serve it _very hot_, in a deep dish, with plenty of gravy; the rice in another.--stewed onions, stewed cucumbers, or stewed celery, _brown_, are good with curry. serve pickles (melon mangoes most suitable), and chili vinegar.--_veal cutlets_ fried with onions in butter, and stewed in gravy as above. _lamb_, _duck_, _cow-heel_, and _lobster_ make good curries. indeed tender _steaks_ and _mutton chops_ are also very good dressed in curry. _curry kebobbed._ cut into bits, either chicken and tongue, or veal and ham; season with eschalot, and fasten them in alternate slices on small skewers. mix with flour and butter dessert-spoonsful of curry powder, or of curry paste, of { }turmeric, and add by degrees ½ pint of good gravy. fry the meat with onions, chopped in butter, and put all into a stew-pan with the gravy, a tea-spoonful of mushroom powder, a wine-glassful of sherry or madeira, table-spoonsful of lemon pickle, of garlic or tarragon vinegar, of soy, of walnut pickle, of claret or port, and a tea-spoonful of cayenne vinegar.--garnish with pickles. _curry of fish._ slices of _cod_, _turbot_, _brill_, and _halibut_, also _whitings, haddocks_, and _codlings_, may all be curried. to be maigre, make the gravy of well-seasoned fish stock; if not, of beef or veal broth, in which an onion and carrot have been boiled; thicken with butter rubbed in browned flour. bone the fish, and cut them into neat pieces, rub with flour, and fry them in butter, of a light brown. drain them on a sieve. mix very smoothly a table-spoonful of curry powder (more or less according to the quantity of fish), with a dessert-spoonful of flour, and mix it to a paste with a little of the broth; add onions, beaten in a mortar, and ¼ pint of thick cream, mix this in the gravy, or roll the piece of fish in it, then put them in the gravy, and stew them gently till tender; place them in a dish, skim the fat off the sauce, and pour over the fish.--_lobsters_, _prawns_, _shrimps_, _oysters_, and _muscles_ are curried in the same way, to form a dish by themselves, or with other fish.--slices of _cold_ cod, turbot, or brill are re-warmed in curry sauce. _beef or ham chutney._ to oz. of grated meat, put small onion chopped very fine, tea-spoonful of grated ginger, and cayenne to taste; mix well together, adding vinegar or lemon juice. _fish chutney._ parboil an onion, chop it very fine, and add to the fish, which should be rather salted, and chopped fine, or grated; add cayenne and vinegar to taste. _rice to boil for curry._ pick, and soak it in water; then boil very quickly, with a { }little salt in the water, till tender, but not soft; drain, and lay it on a sieve reversed, before the fire, to dry. turn it with a fork, as lightly as possible, but do not use a spoon. serve it in a dish by itself; or round the dish in light heaps, the curry in the middle. after it is boiled, some cooks pour cold water over, and then set it before the fire to dry. every particle ought to be distinct, yet perfectly tender.--_another_ way is, to wash it in warm water, pick it carefully, pour boiling water over it in a stew-pan, cover that close, and keep it by the side of the fire to be quite hot. in an hour's time, pour off the water, set the stew-pan on the fire, and stir briskly with a fork till the rice is dry, but not hard.--the _hindostanee_ mode is this: when well picked, soak it in cold water a quarter of an hour; strain and put it into boiling water rather more than enough to cover it; boil it ten minutes, skimming, if necessary; then add a gill of milk for each lb. of rice, and boil it two or three minutes; take it off the fire, strain, and put it back into the saucepan over a slow fire; pour on it ½ oz. of butter melted, and a table-spoonful of the water in which it was boiled; boil it slowly, another eight minutes, and it will be ready.--in _carolina_ they soak the rice two hours in salt and water, wash it, put it in a bag of cheese cloth, then steam it twenty minutes, and each grain will be separated. _a pillau._ stew some rice in broth, or melted butter, till tender, season with salt, pepper, and mace. prepare a boiled fowl, or mutton chops, or veal cutlets, dressed as you like; place them in a hot dish, and if fowl or veal, slices of boiled bacon over; cover the meat with the rice, glaze it with beaten egg, and place it before the fire, to brown. garnish with hard-boiled egg and slices of lemon.--_or_: half roast a breast of veal, cut it in pieces, season with pepper and salt (curry powder, if you like), and stew them in gravy, or broth. place a high border of rice round a dish, the veal in the centre, thin slices of bacon on it, and cover with rice, glaze with yoke of egg, and brown it. a turkey capon, or old fowl, larded, may be dressed in this way; or cold poultry, or rabbit. { }_sausages._ to the following receipts saltpetre may be added, to give a red hue. mushrooms and oysters give a nice flavour, but the sausages do not keep well. sausage meat may be cooked without skins: mould it into flat cakes, moistening with yolk of egg, to bind, and then fry them. these cakes form a pretty supper dish, garnished with curled parsley; also a garnish for roast turkey or fowl. the ingredients must be _well mixed_. herbs ought to be used sparingly. _pork sausages._--cut lbs. of fat, and lbs. of lean pork, into thin slices, scrape each one, and throw away the skin; cut the meat altogether, as small as possible, with oz. salt, ½ oz. pepper, tea-spoonsful of sage, chopped fine, nutmegs, and eggs. boil a pint of water, let it get cold, put in the crumb of a penny roll, to soak all night; the next morning mix it with the other ingredients, and fill the skins. _oxford sausages._--to lb. pork, add lb. veal, oz. beef suet, oz. grated bread, eggs, well beaten, with mace, black pepper, salt, and sweet herbs, these last chopped, then pounded in a mortar, before they are put to the other ingredients. anchovy is an improvement.--_or_: leave out the bread, herbs and suet, have plenty of fat to mix with the lean, mix it with yolk of egg, into long thin cakes, and fry them. _epping sausages._--equal portions of young tender pork, and beef suet. mince them very finely, season with salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, and a little chopped sage. _veal sausages._--equal quantities of lean veal and fat bacon, ½ a handful of sage leaves, salt, pepper, and a few anchovies; beat all well in a mortar. roll this into cakes and fry them. _bologna sausages._--an equal portion of beef, veal, lean pork and fat of bacon, minced and mixed well together. season with pepper, salt, and spices; fill a large skin, and boil it an hour. _rissoles._ any sort of cold meat, but veal, chicken, turkey and sweetbreads are best. mince the meat, season with salt and pepper, and stew it two minutes in well-seasoned gravy; use no more than sufficient to moisten the mince. let it get cold, then roll into balls; dip these into egg beaten; then into bread-crumbs, and fry them of a light { }brown. when done, place them in a dish, and pour good gravy into it.--_or_: roll out thin puff paste, spread some mince on it, and roll up, in what shape you please; fry of a light brown. rissoles may be made of cold turbot, shrimps, lobster and cod; season with cayenne and thin melted butter; add the yolk of an egg to bind it, then roll up in thin puff paste and fry them. _a bread border._ cut slices of firm stale bread, the thickness of the blade of a knife, into any shape you like. heat some top fat, or oil, in a saucepan, and put in the sippets. take some out before they are much browned, and let the rest brown more. drain well, fasten each one up with white paper, until you are ready to use them; then pierce the end of an egg, let out a little of the white, beat it up with a knife, and mix in a little flour. heat a dish, dip one side or point of each sippet in the egg, and stick them, one by one, on the dish, in what form you please, and put the ragout or fricassee in the centre. _a rice border._ soak the rice well, then stew it with salt and a blade of mace; to be richer, use butter and yolk of egg. when just tender, and no more, place it round the dish, as an edging; glaze with beaten yolk of egg, and set it in the oven, or before the fire, a few minutes; then put in the curry, or hash, &c. &c. _potatoe border._ mash them nicely; and form a neat border round the edge of the dish; mark it and glaze with yolk of egg; brown it in the oven, and put the hash in the centre. _omelets._ these with practice, are easily made, and are convenient to make out a dinner or supper, especially in the country, where fresh eggs may almost always be obtained. omelets are so common in france, that the poorest inn by the road { }side will always furnish one. _fresh_ eggs are essential; the frying-pan should be round and small. the basis of most omelets is the following: beat well the yolks of and the whites of eggs, put to them a little salt and table-spoonsful of water; put ½ oz. fresh butter into the frying-pan, and hold it over the fire; when the butter is hot, pour in the eggs, shake the pan constantly, or keep stirring the eggs till they become firm, then with a knife lift the edge all round, that the butter may get under. if over done, it will be hard and dry. gather the border up, roll the omelet, and serve in a hot dish. this may be flavoured in various ways: with grated lemon peel, nutmeg and mace; _or_ with the juice of a seville orange; _or_ with grated ham, tongue, _or_ veal kidney, pepper and salt; _or_ finely chopped parsley, green onions, chives and herbs: _also_, for maigre dinners, lobster meat, shrimps or the soft parts of oysters may be pounded, seasoned and put into the eggs. a pounded anchovy, and, also, mushroom powder, may be used to give flavour. potatoe or wheaten flour, about a table-spoonful, is sometimes added to the eggs. _eggs to poach._ boil some spring water, skim it, and put in a table-spoonful of vinegar. break off the top of the egg with a knife, and let it slip gently into the boiling water, turning the shell over the egg, to gather in the white; this is said to be a better way than to break the egg into a cup, then turn it into the water. let the saucepan stand by the side of the fire till the white is set, then put it over the fire for two minutes. take them up, with a slice; trim them, and serve on toasts, spinach, brocoli, sorrel, slices of broiled ham, or in the centre of a dish, with pork sausages round. _eggs to fry._ melt a piece of butter in a frying-pan, and slip the eggs in.--_or_: lay some thin slices of bacon in a dish before the fire, to toast; break the eggs into tea-cups, and slip them gently into boiling lard, in a frying-pan. when done, little more than two minutes, trim the white, and lay each one on a slice of bacon. make a sauce of weak broth, cayenne, made mustard and vinegar. { }_eggs to butter._ beat eggs with table-spoonsful of gravy; melt ¼ lb. butter, stir the eggs and this together, in a bason with pepper, salt, and finely minced onion, if liked. pour this backwards and forwards from one bason to another, then into a stew-pan on the fire, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, to prevent burning. when of a proper thickness, serve on toast. _eggs to fricassee._ boil them hard, then cut the eggs in slices, pour a good white sauce over, and serve with sippets round the dish. _eggs to ragout._ boil eggs hard, take off the shell, cut them in quarters. have ready a pint of gravy, well seasoned and thickened, and pour it hot over the eggs.--_or_: melt some butter, thicken with flour, season with nutmeg and mace, add a tea-cupful of cream, and pour hot over the eggs. _swiss eggs._ put a piece of butter the size of a small egg into a saucepan with ¼ lb. grated cheese, a little nutmeg, parsley and chives finely chopped, and ½ a glass of white wine. stir it over a slow fire, till the cheese is melted; then mix in eggs well beaten, set it on the fire, and keep stirring till done. serve in the centre of a small dish, with toasted sippets round. _scotch eggs._ boil eggs hard, as for salad, peel and dip them, first in beaten egg, then in a forcemeat of grated ham, crumbs and spices. fry in clarified dripping, and serve in gravy. _or_: in white sauce. _eggs à la tripe._ fry sliced spanish onions in butter, then dust in some flour, let it catch to a light brown, put in a breakfast { }cupful of hot milk, salt and pepper, and let it reduce. then add hard-boiled eggs, some in halves or quarters, others in slices, mix these gently in the sauce (a tea-spoonful of made mustard if you like), and serve it. _eggs à la maitre d'hotel._ fry onions as in the last receipt, add melted butter, with plenty of parsley chopped in it, put in the eggs and serve quite hot. _fondu._ mix an equal quantity of grated parmesan and gloucester cheese, add double the weight in beaten yolk of egg and cream, or melted butter; beat all well together, add pepper and salt, then the whites of the eggs, which have been beaten separately: stir them lightly in, and bake in deep tin dish, or in paper cases, but fill only half full, as it will rise very much. serve quite hot. _ramakins._ beat an equal portion of gloucester and cheshire cheese in a mortar, with the crumb of a french roll, soaked in milk, and the yolks of eggs; season with salt and pepper, and when beaten to a paste, add the whites of eggs, and bake them in saucers, in the dutch oven.--_or_: roll paste out thin, lay a thin slice of cheese on it, cover with paste, and bake like puffs.--_or_: beat ¼ lb. cheshire cheese with eggs and oz. butter, and form it into cakes to cover thin pieces of bread cut round with a wine-glass. lay these on a dish, not touching one another, put it on a chaffing dish of coals, hold a salamander over till quite brown, and serve hot. _asparagus and eggs._ beat eggs well, with pepper and salt. cut some dressed asparagus into pieces the size of peas, and stir into the eggs. melt oz. of butter, in a small stew-pan, pour in the mixture, stir till it thickens, and serve hot on a toast. { }_mushrooms and eggs._ slice and fry some large onions and a few button mushrooms; drain them well; boil some eggs hard, and slice them; simmer in good gravy, or melted butter, with pepper, salt, mustard, and eschalot vinegar. _devils._ these are made of legs, rumps, backs and gizzards of cold turkey, goose, capon, and all kinds of game, venison, mutton kidney, the back bone of mackerel well buttered, biscuits and rusks. the meat must be well scored for the seasonings to find their way into it: salt, pepper, cayenne, curry, mushroom, truffle, and anchovy powder, must be used according to taste. broil, over a quick strong fire, and serve them dry, if to eat with wine; but they may be served with anchovy, or any _piquant_ sauce. served in a hot water dish.--_biscuits_ are spread with butter, heated before the fire and sprinkled with the seasonings. _anchovy toasts._ fry thin slices of bread, without the crust, in butter. spread them with pounded anchovies mixed with butter. _mock caviare._ bone anchovies, pound them in a mortar with dried parsley, a clove of garlic, cayenne, salt and salad oil, also lemon juice if you like. serve on toast or biscuit. _sandwiches._ the bread should be cut in thin slices with a sharp knife. various things are used. slices of beef, ham, or tongue, or either of the last two grated or scraped; also german or pork sausage, anchovies and shrimps; forcemeat, and all kinds of potted meat. some persons cut the meat in very little pieces, and spread them over the bread; a mixture of ham and chicken in this way makes delicate sandwiches: or ham and hard-boiled yolk of egg, seasoned with salt, mustard, or curry powder, according to the meat. cheese sandwiches are made thus: parts of grated parmesan or { }cheshire cheese, one of butter, and a small portion of made mustard; pound them in a mortar; cover slices of bread with a little, then thin slices of ham, or any cured meat, cover with another slice of bread, and press it lightly down; cut these sandwiches small. _maccaroni._ (_see to make the paste._) boil oz. in good broth or gravy, till tender; add a small piece of butter, and a little salt, give it a turn in the stew-pan, and put it in the dish. scrape parmesan, stilton, or any other dry rich cheese over, and brown it before the fire.--_or_: mix a pint of milk and a pint of water, put in oz. maccaroni, and simmer it slowly three hours, till the liquor is wasted, and the maccaroni tender. add grated cheese, salt, and cayenne, mix well, and brown it before the fire. maccaroni plain boiled, with a little salt, till tender, and the gravy of roast or boiled meat poured over it, is light and nourishing for an invalid. _maccaroni in the italian way._--mince about six livers of fowl or game with a very little celery, young onion, and parsley (blanched), and stew them in good butter. then have six more livers cut small, not minced, and cooked in a little butter. boil oz. of maccaroni in white gravy, season it, if necessary, add powdered mace and cayenne; when done, put a layer of it in a deep hot dish, then a layer of the mince, a layer of grated parmesan, then maccaroni, and at top the chopped livers and more cheese, and enough of the gravy to moisten it sufficiently; put it before the fire a quarter of an hour, or on a slow stove: then brown it or not as you choose. _another_ (_italian_).--boil it in water, pass it through a cullender, and having ready prepared some tomata sauce (_which see_), lift a layer of the maccaroni lightly with two forks out of the cullender into a deep vegetable or hash dish, put a light sprinkling of grated cheese, then tomata sauce, then maccaroni, and again tomata sauce, till the dish be full; if the maccaroni be dry, add butter in little bits, and cayenne, if you think proper. this is not browned. you may omit the cheese. _maccaroni maigre._--simmer oz. maccaroni in a pint of milk and a pint of water (mixed) three hours, and the liquor wasted: stir into it grated cheese, salt, and cayenne, and brown it before the fire. { }_toast and cheese._ toast a slice of stale bread half an inch thick, without the crust, butter one side, and lay on slices of toasting cheese; put it into a cheese-toaster before the fire; when done, lightly pepper and salt it, and serve it hot. _welsh or scotch rabbit._ there are many receipts for this, and the following is a good one. mix some butter with grated cheese (unless that be so fat that the butter is not required), add salt, pepper, made mustard, and a tea-cupful of brown stout or port wine; put this into a cheese-toaster, stir till the cheese be dissolved, then brown, and serve it quite hot: toasts in a separate dish. chapter xv. stuffing and forcemeat. with regard to the flavouring ingredients to be used in making these, no precise instructions can be given, because what is disagreeable to one palate is indispensable to another one, therefore, practice alone will teach a cook how to succeed in the art of forcemeat making; and so many flavouring condiments may be used that she may vary her forcemeats to almost any variety of dishes, taking care that no one flavour predominates, but the whole be so blended that the proper zest be given without too much poignancy. some choose the flavour of onions, thyme, and other herbs, to be strong, while others dislike even a very little of either. onion is milder for being parboiled in two waters, and some think the flavour of eschalot preferable.--suet is indispensable; but if it cannot be obtained, beef marrow, or good fresh butter, are the best substitutes.--bread-crumbs are better soaked in milk, than grated dry; in the former case their quantity must be { }judged by bulk, not by weight: the bread should be stale. the french use _panada_, and prepare it thus: soak slices of bread in hot milk, when moist press out the milk from the bread, and beat the latter up, with a little rich broth or white sauce, and a lump of butter. stir till somewhat dry, add the yolks of eggs, and pound the whole well together. sweetbreads make delicate forcemeat flavoured with tongue. stuffing and forcemeat require to be well pounded in a mortar, and thoroughly mixed: it ought to be firm enough to cut with a knife, but not heavy. the following flavouring ingredients may all be used. ham. tongue. eggs, boiled hard. anchovy. oysters. pickled ditto. lobsters. mushrooms. truffles. morells. salt. white pepper. jamaica pepper. nutmeg. mace. mushroom powder. cayenne. cloves. curry powder. onion. parsley. tarragon. savory. knotted marjoram. thyme and lemon thyme. basil. sage. lemon peel. chervil. garlic. eschalot. _the french preparation, called godiveau._ scrape lb. of fillet of veal, mince ½ lb. beef suet, chop scalded parsley, young onions and mushrooms, enough to season the meat, add pepper, salt, allspice, and mace; pound the whole well, mixing in raw eggs at different times, with a little water. _another, called gratin._ ½ lb. fillet of veal (if for fowl the livers parboiled), veal udder skinned and parboiled, and panada, equal parts of each; pepper, salt, cayenne, and fine herbs; with eggs. { }_forcemeat for veal, turkey, fowls, or rabbits._ scrape fine oz. of lean undressed veal, the same of ham, beef or veal suet, and bread-crumbs; add parsley, salt, pepper, and nutmeg or mace; pound well, and add the yolk of an egg to bind it. add, if you like, a little onion, parboiled and chopped; sweet herbs, according to taste. for _boiled_ turkey, the soft parts of oysters, or an anchovy may be added.--_room should be given for stuffing to swell._ _plain stuffing for veal, poultry, or fish._ chop ½ lb. of beef or veal suet, mix it with oz. bread-crumbs, chopped parsley, thyme, marjoram, a bay leaf, salt and pepper, and eggs. _stuffing for goose or duck._ mix together oz. bread-crumbs, oz. onion, parboiled, ½ oz. sage leaves, pepper and salt.--_or_: the liver, some bread-crumbs, butter the size of a walnut, a sage leaf or two, a sprig of lemon thyme, pepper and salt. _for hare._ about oz. beef suet, drachm of parsley leaves, the same of marjoram, lemon thyme, lemon peel, ½ a drachm of eschalot, and nutmeg, pepper, and salt; (an anchovy, and cayenne if you choose), mix with an egg; it must be a stiff stuffing; add the liver, parboiled and minced. _forcemeat balls for made dishes._ pound a piece of veal with an equal quantity of udder, or a third part the quantity of butter; moisten bread-crumbs with milk; (or soak a piece of bread in warm milk), then mix in a little chopped parsley and eschalot, pound it together to a smooth paste; rub through a sieve, and when cold mix it with the veal and udder, and the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs; season with salt, pepper, curry powder or cayenne, add the raw yolks of two eggs, and mix well together in a mortar. this does for small balls to fry, or to boil in soup. { }_egg balls._ boil four eggs ten minutes and put them into cold water; when quite cold, pound the yolks in a mortar with a raw yolk, a tea-spoonful of flour, chopped parsley, salt, black pepper and cayenne; roll into small balls, and boil them two minutes. _curry balls._ panada, hard-boiled yolk of egg, and fresh butter, pounded well, and seasoned with curry powder. boil two minutes. _stuffing for a pike._ grated bread-crumbs, herbs to taste, oz. beef suet, salt, pepper, mace, ½ pint of cream and the yolks of eggs; mix well, and stir over the fire till it thickens. _fish forcemeats, for fish soup, stews, or pies._ put about oz. of either turbot, sole, lobster, shrimps or oysters, free from skin, into a mortar with oz. fresh butter, oz. bread-crumbs, the yolks of eggs boiled hard, a little eschalot, grated lemon peel, and parsley, minced fine; season with salt and cayenne. break in the yolk and white of one egg, mix well, and add an anchovy pounded.--_another_: beat the meat and the soft parts of a middling sized lobster, ½ an anchovy, a large piece of boiled celery, the yolk of a hard egg, a little cayenne, mace, salt, white pepper, table-spoonsful of crumbs or panada, of oyster liquor, of mushroom catsup, oz. warmed butter, and eggs well beaten: make into balls, and fry of a fine brown. { }chapter xvi. gravies and sauces. read the directions for making stock for soup.--a cook ought never to be without stock for gravy, as she may preserve all bones and trimmings of meat, poultry and game; also liquor in which meat (unsalted), and poultry have been boiled, and thus seldom buy meat expressly for the purpose. sauces in which cream and eggs or acids are mixed, must be constantly stirred to prevent their curdling. cream heated first, then stirred in by degrees.--the greatest nicety should be observed in thickening gravy, both for look and taste. the common method is to rub flour in butter; but the french _roux_ is better. the following is a list of store sauces, to keep in the house, to flavour hashes and stews. a bottle of each lasts some time, and the cost not very great.--the basis of all sauces for made dishes of _fish_ is soy and chili vinegar.--a little practice and _great attention_ will enable a cook to use these judiciously, to suit the dish, and the taste of her employers. some like a combination of flavours, others prefer one, or two at most. worcester sauce. camp sauce. gloucester sauce. harvey's sauce. oude sauce. reading sauce. tomata sauce. lopresti's sauce. essence of shrimps. oyster catsup. walnut catsup. mushroom catsup. chili vinegar. universal sauce. essence of anchovy. essence of lobster. eschalot vinegar. tarragon vinegar. lemon pickle. gravy ought to be perfectly clear and free from fat; flavoured, to suit the dish it is intended for; and always served hot; if in a tureen, that ought to be covered. { }some very good cooks use _brandy_ in making sauces, particularly for ragouts; _sugar_ also. _white roux._ melt slowly lb. of good butter in a little water, then stir in lb. of fine, well dried flour; stir till as thick as paste, then simmer it a quarter of an hour, stirring all the time, or it will burn. it will keep two or three days. the common mode of browning soup and gravy with burnt sugar is not so good as brown flour, but the browning is prepared thus: put ¼ lb. of fresh butter with ½ lb. of lump sugar into a saucepan, shake it often, and when of a clear brown bottle it for use. _to brown flour._ spread flour on a plate, set it in the oven, or before the fire, and turn often, that it may brown equally, and any shade you like. put it by in a jar for use. _brown roux._ melt butter very slowly, and stir in browned flour; it will not require so long as to cook white _roux_, because the flour has been browned. will keep two or three days. when you use either of these _roux_, mix the quantity you wish (a table-spoonful for a tureen of soup), with a little of the soup or gravy quite smooth, then use it. the basis of most english sauces is melted butter, yet english cooks do not excel in making it, and the general fault is deficiency of butter. _to melt butter, the french sauce blanche._ break ¼ lb. of good butter in small pieces, into a saucepan, with table-spoonsful of sweet cream, or milk, milk and water, or water alone; dredge fine dried flour over, hold the saucepan over the fire, toss it quickly round (always one way) while the butter melts, and becomes as thick as very thick cream; let it just boil, turn the saucepan quickly, and it is done. butter for oysters, shrimps, lobsters, eggs, or any { }thickening ingredient, should be made rather thin, and if to be rich, a great proportion of cream. if for catsup or any flavouring ingredient, melt the butter with water only, and stir the ingredients in, by degrees, just before you serve it. _to brown butter._ toss a lump of butter in a frying-pan, over the fire, till it becomes brown. skim, then dredge browned flour over, stir round with a spoon till it boils; it ought to be quite smooth. this, adding cayenne, and some flavouring vinegar, is a good fish sauce. _parsley and butter, or maitre d'hotel sauce._ tie the parsley in a bunch, and boil it in salt and water, or minutes, according to its age, drain it, cut off the stalks, mince very fine, and stir it into melted butter. _fennel_, _basil_, _burnet_, _cress_, _chervil_, and _tarragon_ the same. when you have not the fresh vegetable, boil celery or parsley seeds in the water to be used with the butter. _ham extract._ cut away all skin and the fat of an undressed ham; cut out the bone, and put it into a large saucepan, with quarts of water, large carrots, onions ( in slices), a bunch of sweet basil and parsley, cloves, and a table-spoonful of mushroom powder: let this simmer by the fire two hours; stirring up the vegetables from time to time; then take out the bone, put in the meat, and stew it hours, or till the liquor, when strained and cold, is a jelly. a table-spoonful will flavour a tureenful of soup, and half the quantity in melted butter, is good sauce for poultry and game. also good in veal and chicken pie. _to draw plain gravy._ notch and flour lb. of gravy beef, or an ox melt, and put it in ½ pint cold water; scum carefully, and stew gently, till all the juice is extracted from the meat, and about half an hour before it is done, put in a piece of crust of bread. when done, strain and clear it from the { }fat, and pour it again into a saucepan to thicken, with butter rolled in flour; season with salt, black or cayenne pepper. _beef gravy._ this, the basis of many rich sauces, is made of lean juicy meat. cut lbs. into thin slices, and score them; place a slice of streaked bacon, or the knuckle of a ham, at the bottom of a stew-pan, the beef upon it, and bits of butter; add half a large carrot, onions, half an eschalot, and heads of celery, all cut up; also a bunch of sweet herbs. brown it over the fire, shaking the saucepan occasionally; in half an hour the juices will be drawn; then put in quarts of boiling water, scum well, and when that is no longer necessary, wipe the edges of the saucepan and lid, and cover close. simmer hours, by the side of the fire; let it stand to settle, then strain it into an earthen vessel, and put it by in a cool place. for hare, add an anchovy. _savoury gravy._ line a stew-pan with thin slices of ham or bacon, and add lbs. of fillet of veal, or of beef, in slices, a carrot and onion; moisten this with a tea-cupful of broth. the juices will form a glaze. take the meat out on a dish, pick it all over, put a little more broth, or boiling water, add young onions, parsley, and sweet herbs to taste, also celery, cayenne, a bay leaf, mushrooms, and garlic, if you like; and after it has been scummed, simmer very gently. strain, and then stand it in a cool place. this gravy may be enriched and flavoured at the cook's discretion. wine, flavoured vinegar, truffles, morells, curry powder, tarragon, anchovy, pickled mushrooms and oysters, may be used to suit the dish it is required for.--some cooks use more carrots and onions than i have directed. _white gravy sauce._ part of a knuckle of veal, and some gravy beef. (the quantity will depend upon the degree of richness required.) cut it in pieces, and put it in a stew-pan, with any { }trimmings of meat or poultry. moisten with broth or water, and add a carrot, onions, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, and chopped mushrooms, if convenient. let the meat heat through, without burning, and prick it, to let the juices flow. when the knuckle is sufficiently cooked for the table, take it out, let the stew-pan stand by the fire a few minutes, skim the fat off the sauce, strain, and boil it again till reduced to the quantity you require; thicken it with white _roux_ (it can be thinned afterwards), boil it again, and skim if needful; keep stirring, lifting it often in a spoon and letting it fall, to make it smooth and fine. sweet thick cream is a nice substitute for white _roux_, in this sauce.--_or_: put lbs. of lean gristly veal, and ¼ lb. lean bacon or ham, in little bits, into a stew-pan, in which some butter has been melted, let the gravy flow, but do not brown the meat. mix table-spoonsful of potatoe or rice flour smooth, with a little water, put it into a stew-pan, with a quart or pints of veal broth, water, or milk; also an onion, a bunch of parsley and lemon thyme, a bay leaf, a piece of lemon peel and a tea-spoonful of white peppercorns; stew it very slowly an hour and three quarters, then stand a few minutes to settle, strain it, add a tea-cupful of cream, boil it up, and strain again.--a nice sauce for boiled fowls is made of thin veal broth and milk, seasoned as above, and thickened with the yolk of an egg stirred in, just before you serve it.--mushrooms may be put in this sauce.--_another_ very good sauce for boiled fowls, veal, rabbits, and fricassees, is as follows: to ½ pint of the liquor in which either of these have been boiled, an onion sliced, a small bunch of parsley, lemon thyme and basil, a little pounded mace, nutmeg, and a few white peppercorns. strain, boil it again, with a piece of butter rolled in flour, and at the last a little cream. if for boiled fowls, put the peel of a lemon in this, and add the juice just at the last. _gravy without meat._ slice a large onion, flour, and fry it in butter; put it into a saucepan with a breakfast-cupful of good fresh beer, the same of water, a few peppercorns, salt, grated lemon peel, cloves, and a table-spoonful of catsup. simmer { }nearly half an hour, then strain it. an anchovy may be added. _gravy that will keep a week._ put some lean beef, in thin slices, into a stew-pan with butter, and what herbs and roots you like, strewed over: cover close, and set it over a slow fire. when the gravy is drawn, keep shaking the stew-pan backwards and forwards several minutes, that it may dry up again, then put in as much water as you require, let it simmer an hour and a half. keep it in a cool place. a thin slice of lean ham may be added. _jelly for cold meat_ may be made of the knuckle of a leg or shoulder of veal, or a piece of the scrag, and shanks of mutton, or a cow heel. put the meat, a slice of lean ham or bacon, some herbs, blades of mace, onions, a tea-spoonful of jamaica peppers bruised, the same of black pepper, and a piece of lemon peel, into a stew-pan; cover with about pints of water, and let it boil; scum well, and let it simmer till the liquor is strong: strain it, and when nearly cold take off all the fat. put it rough round cold poultry or veal. eaten with cold meat pies. _savoury gravy for venison._ make a pint of good gravy, of the trimmings of venison, and mutton shanks; the meat should be browned first in the frying-pan, then stewed slowly, in water, to make the quantity required; scum carefully and strain it when done: add salt, pepper, walnut pickle, and a wine-glass of port or claret. _mutton gravy, for venison or hare._ broil a scrag of mutton, in pieces, rather brown; put them into a stew-pan, with a quart of boiling water; cover close, and simmer gently an hour: uncover the stew-pan, and let it reduce to ¾ pint; pour it through a hair sieve, take the fat off, add a little salt, and serve it quite hot. { }_orange gravy sauce, for game and wild fowl._ put into a pint of clear good veal broth, an onion, twelve leaves of basil, a large piece of orange or lemon peel, and boil it slowly ten minutes; then strain, and put it back into the saucepan, with the juice of a seville orange or a lemon, ½ a tea-spoonful of salt, the same of pepper, and a wine-glass of port. serve quite hot. add cayenne, unless it be the practice to introduce it into cuts in the breast of the birds, at table. _relishing sauce for goose, duck, or pork._ steep oz. of fresh sage leaves, oz. lemon peel, oz. minced eschalot, the same of salt, ½ a drachm of cayenne and of citric acid, in a pint of claret, a fortnight; shake it well every day. let it stand hours, to settle, then strain into a clean bottle, and cork it close. a table-spoonful to ¼ pint gravy or melted butter, heat it up, and serve quite hot.--_another_, to make at once: stir a tea-spoonful of mustard, ½ tea-spoonful of salt, a little cayenne, and a wine-glass of port or claret, into a ¼ pint of good melted butter or gravy.--_or_: the mixture may be heated by itself and poured into the goose, by a slit made in the apron, just before you serve it. _sauce robert, for broils of every kind._ put oz. butter into a saucepan, with half a large onion, minced very fine; shake the saucepan frequently, or stir the butter with a wooden spoon, till the onion be of a light brown. rub a table-spoonful of browned flour smooth, into a little broth or water, add salt and pepper, a table-spoonful of port wine, and of mushroom catsup, and put this with ½ pint more of broth or water into the saucepan with the onions; boil it, add a tea-spoonful of made mustard, the juice of ½ a lemon, and two tea-spoonsful of any flavouring vinegar you like. _another grill sauce_ is: to ½ pint of clear drawn gravy, add oz. butter, rubbed smooth in flour, a table-spoonful of mushroom catsup, tea-spoonsful of lemon juice, ½ tea-spoonful of made mustard, the same of capers, tea-spoonful of essence of cayenne, ½ a one of black peppers, and of chili vinegar; simmer it a { }few minutes, pour some over the grill, and serve the rest in a tureen. _sauce for turkey or fowl._ season veal gravy with pepper and salt, the juice of a seville orange and a lemon, wine-glassfuls of port wine, and serve it in a sauce tureen. _liver sauce for fowl._ parboil the liver, and mince it fine; pare a lemon thin, take off the white part, and cut the lemon in small bits, picking out the seeds; mince a quarter part of the peel very fine, and put it with the lemon, the minced liver, and a little salt, to ½ pint of melted butter. heat it over a gentle fire, but if it boil it will become oily. parsley may be chopped with the liver.--_or_: chop the parboiled liver, and stir into thin melted butter, boil it up, and then thicken it with the yolk of an egg; add a tea-spoonful of made mustard, and the same of walnut catsup. _egg sauce for poultry and salt fish._ boil eggs hard, dip in cold water, and roll them under your hand, that the shell may come off easily; chop the whites and yolks separately, stir first the whites, then the yolks, into boiling hot melted butter. serve directly. _mushroom sauce._ wash and pick, a bason full of small button mushrooms, take off the thick skin, and stew them in veal broth, with pepper, cayenne, salt, mace, and nutmeg, lumps of sugar, also enough butter rolled in flour, or arrow root, to thicken the sauce. stew gently, till tender, stirring occasionally. when done, keep the sauce hot, and pour it over fowls, veal, or rabbit.--_or_: stew the mushrooms in thin cream, instead of broth, and thicken as above. pickled mushrooms, may be fried to make this sauce, instead of fresh ones. _celery sauce, for boiled turkey and fowls._ cut a young head of celery into slices of ½ inch long, { }season with salt, a very little white pepper, nutmeg and mace, and then simmer till the celery be quite tender, in weak broth, or water. thicken with butter rolled in white flour. the juice of a lemon may be added, when the sauce is ready. pour it over the fowls, or serve in a tureen. this may be made brown, by thickening with browned flour, and adding a glass of red wine. _rimolade, for cold turkey or fowl._ chop an eschalot very fine with sprigs of parsley; beat yolks of egg, and mix table-spoonsful of olive oil with them, beat the mixture till quite thick, then stir in the eschalot and parsley with a tea-spoonful of good vinegar, a salt-spoonful of salt and the same of cayenne. _tomata sauce._ put the tomatas into a jar, and place it in a cool oven. when soft, take off the skins, pick out the seeds, beat up the pulp, with a capsicum, a clove of garlic, a very little ginger, cayenne, white pepper, salt and vinegar; rub it through a sieve, and simmer it, a very few minutes. a little beet root juice will improve the colour.--_or_: stew them in weak broth or water with salt and pepper, when done, pass them through a rather wide sieve, add butter, stir well and serve it hot.--italians, who use tomatas a great deal, cut them open, squeeze them gently to get rid of their liquor, and just rinse them in cold water, before they dress them. _apple sauce._ pare, core, and slice large apples, and boil them gently, in a saucepan, with a very little water, to keep them from burning; add lemon peel to taste. when they are soft, pour off the water, and beat them up, with a small bit of butter and some sugar. some add a table-spoonful of brandy. _gooseberry sauce._ cut off the tops and tails of a breakfast-cupful of gooseberries; scald them, till tender, then stir them into melted { }butter.--_or_: mash the gooseberries after they are scalded, sweeten to taste, and serve, without butter. _cucumber sauce._ pare the cucumbers, slice, and cut them in small pieces, stew them in thin broth or melted butter, till tender, then press them through a sieve into melted butter, stir and beat it up; season with mace, nutmeg, lemon peel, and finely grated ham. a dish of _stewed_ cucumbers answers the purpose. _onion sauce._ peel onions, and lay them in salt and water a few minutes, to prevent their becoming black. boil them in plenty of water, changing it once. when done, chop fine, and rub them with a wooden spoon, through a sieve; stir this pulp into thin melted butter, or cream, and heat it up. the onions may be roasted, then pulped, in place of being boiled. a very little mace, or nutmeg, may be added to onion sauce having cream in it. _brown onion sauce_ is made by frying, in butter, some sliced spanish onions; simmer them in brown gravy, or broth, over a slow fire, add salt, pepper, cayenne, and a piece of butter, rolled in browned flour. skim the sauce, add ½ a glass of port or claret, the same of mushroom catsup, or a dessert-spoonful of walnut pickle, or eschalot vinegar. to make the sauce milder, boil a turnip with the onions. _eschalot sauce._ chop enough eschalot to fill a dessert-spoon, and scald it in hot water, over the fire; drain, and put it into ½ pint of good gravy or melted butter, add salt and pepper, and when done, a large spoonful of vinegar.--_or_: stew the eschalots in a little of the liquor of boiled mutton, thicken with butter rolled in flour, add a spoonful of vinegar, and this is good sauce for the mutton. _sauce partout._ take pint of walnut pickle liquor, the same of { }catsup, ½ pint of white wine, ½ lb. anchovies unwashed, cloves of garlic, one stick of horse-radish, a faggot of sweet herbs, the rind of a lemon, and cayenne to cover a sixpence. boil together till the anchovies are dissolved. strain and bottle it for use. _chetna sauce._ pour heated vinegar over eschalots, let it stand twelve hours, then strain and add ½ pint of walnut, and ½ pint of mushroom catsup, wine-glassfuls of soy, a tea-spoonful of cayenne, ½ a tea-spoonful of chili vinegar: boil five minutes, then bottle and rosin it. _carrier sauce, for mutton._ boil some chopped eschalots in gravy, seasoned with salt and pepper, and flavoured with vinegar. _horse-radish sauce._ scrape fine, or grate, a tea-cupful of horse-radish, add salt, and a little cupful of bread-crumbs, stew this in white gravy, and add a little vinegar.--this may be made brown by using browned gravy; a tea-spoonful of made mustard is an improvement. vinegar may be used alone, instead of gravy.--_or_: to table-spoonsful of cream, put table-spoonsful vinegar, tea-spoonful made mustard, a little salt, and grated horse-radish. _mint sauce._ wash and pick some young mint, and mince the leaves very fine; mix them with powdered sugar, put these into the sauce tureen, and pour good white vinegar over. _sauce for cold meat._ chop some eschalots, parsley, and mint, and put to them an equal portion of olive oil, vinegar, and a little salt.--_another_: chopped parsley, vinegar, oil, and a tea-spoonful of made mustard.--you may add to either of these an equal portion of tarragon and chervil. { }_coratch sauce._ half a clove, or less, according to taste, of garlic pounded, a large tea-spoonful of soy, the same of walnut pickle, a little cayenne, and good vinegar. _miser's sauce._ chop onions, and mix them with pepper, salt, vinegar, and melted butter. _poor man's sauce._ mince parsley and a few eschalots, and stew them in broth or water, with a few peppercorns; add a little vinegar when done. good with broils of poultry and game. _sauce for roast beef._ mix ½ table-spoonful of grated horse-radish with a dessert-spoonful of made mustard, the same of brown sugar; add vinegar to make it as thin as mustard. _lemon sauce._ pare a lemon, and take off all the white part; cut the lemon in thick slices, take out the seeds, and cut the slices into small pieces; mix them by degrees into melted butter, and stir it, that the butter may not oil. _caper sauce._ mince table-spoonful of capers very fine, and another one not so fine, put a spoonful of good vinegar to them, and mix all into ½ pint of melted butter, or gravy. stir it well or it may oil.--this is a good sauce for fish, with a little of the essence of anchovies.--a very good substitute for capers, is made by chopping pickled gherkins or nasturtiums or radish pods: a little lemon juice will improve these.--walnut sauce made in the same way, is good with boiled mutton.--some persons deem it better not to mince capers, but have them whole. { }_bread sauce._ put a small tea-cupful of grated bread-crumbs into a small saucepan, and sufficient to moisten them of the liquor in which fresh meat, or poultry, has been boiled; let it soak, then add a small onion (parboiled), salt, mace, and six or eight peppercorns. beat it up from time to time, and when the bread is smooth and stiff, take out the onions and peppercorns, and put to the sauce two table-spoonsful of cream. some persons add cayenne, a _little_. _rice sauce._ by some preferred to bread sauce. wash and pick oz. rice, and stew it in milk, with a parboiled onion, salt, and peppercorns. when tender, take out the onion and peppercorns, rub the rice through a cullender, and heat in milk, cream, or melted butter. _sweet sauce._ melt some white, or red currant jelly, with a glass or two of red, or white wine. _or_: send the jelly to table in glasses, or glass dishes. _sharp sauce._ melt ¼ lb. of loaf sugar-candy in ½ pint of champagne vinegar; take off the skim as the sugar dissolves. _store sauces for ragouts, &c., &c._ to ¼ pint good mushroom catsup, add the same of walnut catsup, of eschalot and basil wine, and soy, oz. of slices of lemon peel, drachm of concrete of lemon, a wine-glassful of essence of anchovies, drachm of the best cayenne, and wine-glassfuls of tarragon or eschalot vinegar. let these infuse ten days, then strain and bottle for use: table-spoonsful will flavour a pint of gravy. _another, for roast meat, steaks, or chops._--take ½ pint of mushroom or oyster catsup, the same of walnut pickle, add ½ oz. jamaica pepper in powder, the same of scraped horse-radish and of minced eschalot, and grains cayenne. infuse these { }ten days, strain and bottle for use. a table-spoonful or two, according to the quantity of gravy. melted butter flavoured with this, to pour over steaks or chops. _sauce for tench._ to ½ a tea-cupful of gravy an equal quantity of white wine, anchovies, eschalots and a small piece of horse-radish: simmer till the anchovies are dissolved, then strain and thicken it: add a tea-cupful of cream, also a little lemon juice. _a good store sauce for fish, stews, &c._ to pint of sherry add ½ pint of walnut pickle, ¼ pint of soy, ¼ pint of lemon pickle, pint of white wine vinegar, a wine-glassful of eschalot and the same of chili vinegar, ¾ pint of essence of anchovy, the peel of and the juice of lemon, eschalots, blades of mace, nutmegs, black and white peppers, some cayenne, and mushroom powder: boil ten minutes, and when cold strain and bottle it. good with all fried fish, and with salmon. _an excellent fish sauce._ chop cloves of eschalot, of garlic, a handful of horse-radish and anchovies; put them into pint of white, and pint of port wine, also wine-glassfuls of soy, the same of walnut catsup, and wine-glassful of chili vinegar. boil well, strain, and when cold, bottle and rosin it. _a plain fish sauce._ boil in ¼ pint water anchovies, onions, and a faggot of herbs, all chopped, a little horse-radish (scraped), and a large spoonful of vinegar. boil till the anchovies are dissolved, then strain it, and mix what proportion you like with melted butter, or send it to table in a cruet. _lobster sauce._ a hen lobster is best. pound the coral and spawn with a bit of butter, and rub it through a coarse sieve into melted { }butter, mix smooth, and season with cayenne; then add the meat of the tail, cut in very small dice, and let the sauce heat up, but not boil. a little essence of anchovy, or catsup, and spices may be added; also cream, heated first. _crab sauce_ the same way. _oyster sauce._ do not open them till ready to make the sauce, then save all the liquor; put it and the oysters into a small saucepan, and scald them; lift them out on a sieve with a spoon with holes in it; let the liquor settle, and pour all but the sediment into good melted butter; beard the oysters, put them into a saucepan, and pour the butter over them; let it nearly boil, then stand by the side of the fire till they are tender, for boiling makes them hard. when ready, stir in a little cream.--a very little mace, lemon peel, and a tea-spoonful of oyster catsup, or essence of anchovy, may be added. _anchovy sauce._ bone and pound anchovies, with a piece of butter, and stir into thick melted butter. add cayenne, soy, essence of anchovy, mustard, horse-radish or vinegar. _shrimp and cockle sauce._ shell and wash carefully, put them into thick melted butter, let it boil, and then stand covered two minutes. _roe sauce._ boil or soft roes, take off all the filaments which hang about them, bruise in a mortar with the yolk of an egg, and stir them in thin parsley, or fennel, and butter; add pepper, salt, and a small spoonful of walnut pickle. _dutch fish sauce._ boil equal quantities of water and vinegar, season with pepper and salt, and thicken with beaten yolk of egg; stir the egg in, but do not boil, or it will curdle. { }_sauce for devils._ thicken some good gravy (of either fish or meat stock,) with browned flour, till it is a batter, add a dessert-spoonful of walnut catsup, a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovies, the same of made mustard, capers and a bit of eschalot, all finely minced, a tea-spoonful of grated lemon peel, and a little cayenne. simmer for a minute, pour a little of it over the broil, and serve the rest in a tureen. chapter xvii. seasonings. except in the matter of plain roasting, boiling, or baking, the test of good cooking is the taste and skill displayed in giving _flavour_ to the composition. care is not all that is required here; there needs study, and practice. no rules can be given, except to avoid over flavouring, and to suit the ingredients, as much as possible, to the compound which is to be flavoured. in order to be able always to do this, some forethought is requisite on the part of the housekeeper, who will save herself much vexation and trouble by keeping a small assortment of seasonings always ready for use in her _store room_; and by taking some little pains, to have a sufficient _variety_. many prefer cayenne made from english chilies to any other: they are in season in september and october; cut off the stalks, and lay them before the fire to dry for twelve hours. when dry, pound them in a mortar with one fourth their weight in salt, till they are as fine as possible, and put the mixture into a close stopped bottle. before spices are rubbed into meat, they should be pounded, and well mixed. for the convenience of the cook they may be kept prepared in the following manner. { }_kitchen pepper._ fill little square bottles with an equal quantity of finely ground or pounded ginger, nutmeg, black pepper, allspice, cinnamon and cloves. keep these corked tight, and when "kitchen pepper" is required, take the proper proportion of each, and mix them, with common salt. for _white sauces_, use white pepper, nutmeg, mace, lemon peel (dried), ginger and cayenne; pounded or grated, and kept in bottles. _savoury powder._ oz. of salt, ½ oz. mustard, ¼ oz. allspice, ¼ oz. ginger, ¼ oz. nutmeg, ½ oz. black pepper, ½ oz. lemon peel, and drachms cayenne; grate and pound well together, pass the mixture through a fine sieve and bottle it.--some leave out allspice and ginger, substituting mace and cloves. _curry powder._ take oz. of coriander seeds, oz. cummin seeds, oz. fenugreek seeds, oz. ginger, oz. black pepper, oz. cayenne, and oz. pale turmeric. pound the whole and mix well together. put these ingredients before the fire, stir and rub them frequently, till quite dry. then set them by to get cold, rub through a hair sieve, and put them into a dry bottle, cork close, and keep in a dry place. a table-spoonful will make curry sufficient for one fowl.--_another_: take ¼ lb. coriander seed, ½ oz. turmeric, oz. cummin seed, ½ oz. black pepper, and cayenne to taste; then proceed in the same way.--_another_: oz. coriander seeds, ¼ lb. turmeric; of black pepper, flour of mustard, cayenne and ginger, each oz.; of lesser cardamoms ½ oz., cummin seed ¼ oz., and fenugreek seeds ¼ oz.--_another_: oz. turmeric in powder, oz. of coriander, oz. carraway seeds in powder, oz. fenugreek, and cayenne to taste.--_curry paste_ is very good, but it may be better to prepare curry powder at home; for different curries require different flavouring; as fish and veal require more acid than fowls, rabbit, &c., &c. the ingredients may be kept in bottles, and mixed when used. { }_herbs._ as these cannot always be procured green, it is convenient to have them in the house, dried and prepared, each in the proper season. the common method is to dry them in the sun, but their flavour is better preserved, by being put into a cool oven, or the meat screen, before a moderate fire, taking care not to scorch them. they should be gathered when just ripe, on a dry day. cleanse them from dirt and dust, cut off the roots, put them before the fire, and dry them quickly, rather than by degrees. pick off the leaves, pound and sift them; put the powder into bottles, and keep these closely stopped. basil, from the middle of august, to the same time in september. winter and summer savory, july and august. knotted marjoram, july. thyme, orange thyme, and lemon thyme, june and july. mint, end of june and through july. sage, august and september. tarragon, june, july, and august. chervil, may, june, july. burnet, june, july, august. parsley, may, june, july. fennel, may, june, july. elder flowers, may, june, july. orange flowers, may, june, and july. the following mixture of herb powder is good for soups or ragouts: oz. each of parsley, winter savory, sweet marjoram, and lemon thyme, oz. each of sweet basil and lemon peel, cut very thin. for made dishes, the cook may keep this mixture, with one fourth part of savory powder mixed in it. dried herbs may be infused in spirits of wine or brandy ten days or a fortnight; then strained, the spirit closely corked, and put by for use.--some recommend the following mixture: infuse in pint of wine, brandy, vinegar, or spirits of wine, ½ oz. each of lemon thyme, winter savory, sweet marjoram, and sweet basil, drachms grated lemon peel, drachms minced eschalots, and drachm celery seed: shake it every day for a fortnight, then strain and bottle it. { }_horse-radish powder._ in november and december, slice horse-radish the thickness of a shilling, and dry it, _very gradually_, in a dutch oven; pound and bottle it. _pea powder._ this gives a relish to pea soup. pound drachm celery seed, ¼ drachm cayenne pepper, ½ oz. dried mint, ½ oz. of sage; when well mixed, rub through a fine sieve, and bottle it. _mushroom powder._ wash ½ a peck of large mushrooms, quite fresh, and wipe them with a piece of flannel; scrape out the black clean, and put them into a saucepan without water, with large onions, cloves, ¼ oz. mace, and tea-spoonsful of white pepper, all in powder; simmer and shake them till all the liquor be dried up, but do not let them burn; lay them on tins or sieves, in a slow oven, till dry enough to beat to a powder, then put it in small bottles, and keep them in a dry place. cayenne, if you choose; a tea-spoonful sufficient for a tureen of soup. to flavour gravy for game, and for many made dishes. _mushrooms to dry._--wipe them clean, and take off the brown and skin; dry them on paper, in a cool oven, and keep them in paper bags. they will swell, when simmered in gravy, to their own size. _anchovy powder._ pound the anchovies, rub them through a hair sieve, then work them into thin cakes with flour, and a little flour of mustard. toast the cakes very dry, rub them to a powder, and bottle it. for sauces, or to sprinkle over toasts, or sandwiches. { }chapter xviii. vegetables. persons who live in the country, may generally have fresh vegetables; but in towns, and especially in london, the case is different; and vegetables not quite fresh are very inferior to those which have been only a short time out of the ground.--take the outside leaves off all of the cabbage kind, and plunge the part you mean to cook into cold water, the heads downwards; let there be plenty of water, and a large piece of salt, which helps to draw out the insects. examine the leaves well, and take off all the decayed parts. they should be boiled in soft water, to preserve their flavour, and alone, to preserve their colour. allow as much water as the vessel will hold, the more the better; and a handful of salt. the shorter time they are in the water the better, therefore see that it boil fast, before you put the vegetables in, and keep it boiling at the same rate afterwards; let the vessel be uncovered, and take off all scum. when done, take them out of the water instantly, and drain them; they ought then to go to table, for vegetables, particularly green ones, suffer in look and in taste, every moment they wait. in dressing vegetables, as well as in making soup, the french greatly excel us, for they always cook them enough. besides they make more of them than we do, by various ways of dressing them, with gravy and cream. several receipts are here given, by which a side or supper dish, may be prepared at very little cost, particularly in the country, where fresh vegetables are always at hand. salads, if mixed with oil, are not injurious, except in peculiar cases, for they are cooling and refreshing in hot weather, and beneficial in many respects, in the winter. most persons, particularly the londoners, eat cucumbers, but strange to say, they do not, generally, value a well made salad so highly. { }_potatoes to boil._ the best way, upon the whole, is to _boil_, not steam them. much depends upon the sort of potato, and it is unfair to condemn a cook's ability in the cooking of this article, until it be ascertained that the fault is really hers, for i have seen potatoes that no care or attention could boil enough, without their being watery, and others that it would be difficult for any species of cookery to spoil. they should be of equal size, or the small ones will be too much done before the large ones are done enough; do not pare or cut them; have a saucepan so large that they will only half fill it, and put in cold water sufficient to cover them about an inch, so that if it waste, they may still be covered; but too much water would injure them. put the saucepan on the fire, and as soon as the water boils, set it on one side, to simmer slowly till the potatoes will admit a fork; the cracking of the skin being too uncertain a test; having tried them, if tender, pour the water off, and place the saucepan by the side of the fire, take off the cover, and lay a folded cloth, or coarse flannel, over the potatoes. middling sized ones will be boiled enough in fifteen minutes. some (and i believe it is the practice in ireland), when they have poured off the water, lay the potatoes in a coarse cloth, sprinkle salt over, and cover them a few minutes, then squeeze them lightly, one by one, in the folds of a dry cloth, peel and serve them. some peel potatoes for the next day's dinner and put them into cold water enough to cover them, over night; the water is poured off just before the potatoes are boiled. after the beginning of march potatoes should be peeled before they are boiled, and after april they should always be mashed. potatoes may be dressed in various ways to make supper or side dishes, and there are sauces suitable to enrich them. _young potatoes._--rub the skin off with a cloth, then pour boiling water over them in a saucepan, let it simmer, and they will soon be done. _potatoes to fry, broil, or stew._ cold potatoes may be cut in slices and fried in dripping, or broiled on a gridiron, then laid on a sieve to drain; serve on a hot dish, and sprinkle a little pepper and salt { }over them. garnish with sprigs of curled parsley, or the parsley may be fried and strewed over.--_or_: when the potatoes are nearly boiled enough, pour off the water, peel and flour them, brush with yolk of egg, and roll them in fine bread-crumbs or biscuit-powder, and fry in butter or nice dripping.--_or_: stewed gently with butter; turn them, while stewing; pour a white sauce in the dish. _potatoes to mash._ peel them, cut out the specks, and boil them: when done, and the water poured off, put them over the fire for two or three minutes, to dry, then put in some salt and butter, with milk enough to moisten sufficiently to beat them to a mash. the rolling-pin is better than anything else. cream is better than butter, and then no milk need be used. potatoes thus mashed may be put into a shape, or scallop-shells, with bits of butter on the top, then browned before the fire; either way makes a pretty dish.--_or_: they may be rolled up, with a very little flour and yolk of egg into balls, and browned in the dripping-pan under roast meat. these balls are pretty as a garnish.--_or_: make them up into a _collar_, score it, and brown it before the fire, then serve it with a brown gravy in the dish. _colcannan._ boil lbs. potatoes, also as many of the inside leaves of curled kale as will fill a saucer. mash the two together in the saucepan the potatoes were boiled in, to keep them hot; put a piece of butter in the centre, when you serve it. some prefer parsley to kale, but use less. _potatoes to roast._ some cooks half boil them first. they should be washed and dried. if large, they will take two hours to roast, and should be all of a size, or they will not all be done alike.--_or_: pour off the water, peel and lay them in a tin pan, before the fire, by the side of roasting meat. baste, from the dripping-pan, and turn them to brown equally. { }_potatoe pie._ having washed and peeled the potatoes, slice them, and put a layer into the pie dish, strew, over a little chopped onion, small bits of butter, salt, and pepper (and, if you like, hard-boiled egg in slices), then put more potatoes, and so on, till the dish is full; add a little water, then stick over the top nearly ¼ lb. of fresh butter, in bits; cover with a light puff paste, and bake an hour and a half. _potatoe balls._ mash quite smooth or mealy potatoes, with oz. of butter, table-spoonsful cream, of essence of anchovy, and or eschalots _very finely_ chopped; make up into balls, dip them into egg beaten, and brown them. garnish with curled parsley, for a side or supper dish. _potatoe ragout._ mash lb. of potatoes with butter (no milk or cream), and grate in some ham, nutmeg, salt, pepper, eggs beaten, and a very little flour. mix well together, and form it into loaves, or long thin rolls, fry or stew of a light brown, for a garnish to veal cutlets, or a dish by themselves. _potatoes à la maître d'hotel._ boil, peel, and cut the potatoes in slices ½ an inch thick, put them into a stew-pan with some young onions skinned, chopped parsley, butter (a large piece), pepper, salt, and a little broth to moisten the potatoes. toss them till the parsley is cooked; serve with parsley and butter poured over. _cabbages to boil._ wash well, and quarter them, if large. a young cabbage is done in from twenty minutes to half an hour, a full grown one will take nearly an hour. have plenty of water, that they may be covered, all the time they are boiling; scum well. serve melted butter. _savoys, sprouts, and young greens._--boil the same as cabbages, but twenty minutes will be sufficient. { }_cabbage à la bourgeoise._ wash and pick quite clean a large cabbage; take the leaves off one by one, and spread upon each some forcemeat, made of veal, suet, parsley, salt, and pepper, mixed with a little cream and an egg; then put the leaves together, in the form of a whole cabbage, tie this up securely at each end, and stew it in a braise. when it is tender, take it out, and press in a linen cloth to clear it from the fat. cut in two, in a dish, and pour good gravy over it. _red cabbage to stew._ melt sufficient butter, to stew the quantity of cabbage; cut it into shreds and put it into a saucepan, with a chopped onion, cloves, a bay leaf, cayenne pepper and salt. keep the saucepan covered close, and when done, add a good spoonful of vinegar. this may be spread in a dish, and sausages served on it. _cabbage, greens, or spinach to curry._ after they are boiled, drain, chop and stew them in butter with curry powder to taste; the powder previously mixed with salt, pepper, and vinegar. it is an improvement to spinach, to add sorrel; and some like a small quantity of chopped onion. to these curries you may add minced veal, chicken or rabbit, and serve with a gravy of veal; _or_, if to be maigre, minced cold fish, prawns or oysters, and fish gravy. _spinach._ as spinach harbours insects, and is often gritty, wash it in two or three waters; then drain it on a sieve. some boil it in very little water, but this is not a good way. put a small handful of salt into the water, and when it boils, scum well; put in the spinach, and boil it quickly till quite tender, ten minutes will be enough. pour it into a sieve, then squeeze between two plates or trenchers, chop fine, and put it into a small saucepan, with a piece of butter and a little salt. stir with a spoon, five minutes over the fire, spread in a dish, score nicely, and serve it hot.--_spinach, sorrel, and chicory_, may be stewed, the two former in equal { }portions together, or all separately, for fricandeaus. wash, pick, and stew very slowly, in an earthen vessel, with butter, oil, or broth, just enough to moisten them.--_or_: do not put any liquid at all, but when tender, beat up the sorrel, &c. &c. with a bit of butter. _spinach au gras._ when boiled, pour through a sieve and press it, to squeeze the water out; put a large piece of butter or dripping into a saucepan, and, when it has melted, put in some sippets of toasted bread for a few minutes, take them out and put in the spinach chopped fine, and a little good gravy of the day before, or out of the dripping-pan, if you be roasting meat, or some good broth, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and flour; simmer a few minutes, and serve with the toasts round it. _au sucre._--having boiled and squeezed all the water from spinach, chop, and put it into a saucepan with a good sized piece of butter, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a little flour. shake the saucepan over the fire a few minutes, then put in some cream or very good milk, to moisten the spinach, and or lumps of sugar, according to taste. simmer very gently, and serve it garnished with toasts. _asparagus and sea kale._ scrape the stalks quite clean, and throw them into a large pan of cold water. tie them in bundles of equal size with tape, not string, as that is likely to break off the heads; cut the ends of the asparagus even, and having a pot of boiling water ready (it ought to be scummed when the water boils), put in the bundles. when the stalks are tender, the asparagus is done; but loses flavour by being a minute too long in the water; indeed, it is the only one which will bear being a _little firm_. before it is done, toast the round of a loaf, dip it into the boiling water, lay it in a dish, and the asparagus on it. serve melted butter with asparagus and kale. the french, when the butter is melted, beat up the yolk of an egg, and stir in it, by degrees, a small quantity of vinegar, enough to flavour it; stir well for two minutes over the fire, and it is an excellent sauce for asparagus, or any green vegetable. { }_cauliflower and brocoli._ choose middling sized ones, close and white, trim off the outside leaves, and cut off the stalks at the bottom. strip off all the side shoots, peel off the skin of the stalk, and cut it close at the bottom. boil and scum the water, then put the vegetables in; cauliflower will be done in fifteen or twenty minutes, and spoiled if it boil longer. brocoli in from ten to fifteen minutes. lift out of the water with a slice. serve melted butter. both may be served on toasts, and the sauce for asparagus served with them, either for the second course or for supper. _cauliflower with parmesan._ boil nicely and place it in a dish (not a close one), grate cheese over, and then pour white sauce over. brown it, grate more cheese, then pour more white sauce over. brown it again before the fire, or with a salamander. serve it with white sauce, or melted butter in a dish. _cauliflower to stew._ boil a large cauliflower till nearly done, then lift it out very gently, separate it into small pieces, put these into a stew-pan, with enough rich brown gravy to moisten, and let it stew till tender. garnish with slices of lemon.--_or_: if you have no gravy, put into a stew-pan a piece of fat bacon, or green onions, chopped small, a blade of mace, and a very little lemon thyme, shake the stew-pan over the fire, ten minutes, then put in the cauliflower, let it brown, add a very little water, and let it stew.--_or_: if to be a maigre, put a lump of butter into a saucepan, an onion minced, some nutmeg, salt, and pepper, shake the saucepan over the fire a few minutes, then put in the pieces of cauliflower, and pour in enough boiling water to moisten; simmer it a few minutes, add the yolks of eggs well beaten, turn the saucepan over the fire till the eggs are cooked, then serve the cauliflower. _cauliflower or brocoli to fry._ boil till nearly tender enough to eat, then pick it in nice { }pieces, dip them in a batter made of ¼ lb. flour, the yolks of eggs and a coffee-cupful of beer, pepper, and salt. then fry the pieces in boiling lard, of a light brown, and put them on a sieve to drain and dry before the fire.--_or_: dip them first in egg, then in fine crumbs of bread, and then egg again, before you fry them.--celery and onions the same.--serve white sauce. _peas._ they should be shelled but a short time before they are cooked. the younger, of course, the better. when the water boils, scum it, put the peas in, with a little salt, and a piece of sugar, and let them boil quickly from fifteen to twenty minutes. when done, drain, and put them in a dish with some bits of fresh butter; stir the peas with a silver spoon, and cover the dish. some like mint boiled with peas; others boiled alone, chopped, and laid in little lumps round them.--_or_: after they are partly boiled, drain and stew the peas in a little broth, with a lettuce, a little green onion, and mint, or a sliced cucumber in the place of the lettuce; stew them till nearly done before you put in the peas; add a little salt, pepper, and brown or white sugar. essence of ham, or mushroom catsup, may be added.--_or_: when the peas are partly cooked, drain, and rub in some butter kneaded in flour, then stew them in weak broth, till quite done; add salt, a bunch of parsley, and green onions. before you serve the peas, drain them, dip a lump of sugar into boiling water, stir it amongst them, and grate parmesan over. for maigre dinners, use more butter, instead of broth. _in white sauce._--put quite young peas into a stew-pan, with a piece of butter, a cabbage lettuce, and a little each of parsley and chives. do not add any liquor, but stew them very gently over a slow fire. when done, stir, by degrees, ½ pint cream, and the beat yolks of eggs, into the peas; let it thicken over the fire, but not boil, then serve it. the peas which are eaten in their shells may be dressed in this way. _windsor beans._ boil in plenty of water, with salt, and a bunch of parsley. { }serve parsley and butter; garnish with chopped parsley. the french parboil them, take off the skins, stew them, and when done pour a rich veal gravy over. _french beans._ cut off the stalks, and if the beans are not young, string them, cut them in two, slantways; if old, split first, then cut them slantways; if very young, do not cut them at all. lay them in water, with a little salt, for about half an hour. then put them into water, boiling fast, and boil till tender. serve melted butter. these beans may be stewed in all the ways directed for peas. _beans à la maitre d'hotel._--warm them up in parsley and butter. _turnips._ some think turnips are most tender when not pared before they are boiled, but the general practice is to cut off a thick peel. most persons slice them also, but it is not the best way. an hour and a half of gentle boiling is enough. when done, lift them out with a slice, and lay them on a sieve to drain; when dry, serve them. to very young turnips leave about an inch of the green top. _to mash turnips._--squeeze them as dry as possible between two trenchers, put them into a saucepan with a little new milk or cream, beat well with a wooden spoon, to mash them, add a piece of butter and a little salt; stir over the fire till the butter is melted, then serve them. it is an improvement to put in with the cream a table-spoonful of powdered sugar. _to ragout._--turnips may be made a ragout to serve under or round meat. cut in slices an inch thick, and parboil them; then stew them in broth, which, if not already seasoned, may be seasoned at the time the turnips are put to it. when done, skim off the fat, and serve in the dish with any stew or braise, or by themselves. _turnips and parsnips to stew white._--parboil, cut in four, and stew them in weak broth, or milk and water (enough liquid to keep the turnips from burning); add salt and mace. as the liquid diminishes, put in a little good cream, and grated nutmeg. when done, mix with them a piece of butter rolled in flour. { }_turnip tops._ when they have been carefully picked, let them lie in cold water an hour. boil in plenty of water, or they will taste bitter. if quite fresh and young, twenty minutes will be enough. drain them on the back of a sieve. _parsnips._ boil them the same as turnips; or longer, according to their size and quality. _carrots._ boil the same as turnips; but if old, longer.--_turnips_, _carrots_, and _parsnips_ may be dressed together, or separately, in the following way:--cut up or onions (or less, according to the quantity of roots), and put them into a stew-pan, with a large piece of butter kneaded in brown flour. shake the saucepan a few minutes over the fire, then put in a little broth, let it stew slowly while you prepare the roots. scald, or parboil, turnips, carrots, parsnips, and celery, cut them in thin slips, and put them to the onions; season with salt and pepper. when done, add a little made mustard and vinegar.--_or_: wash and parboil them, cut in thin slices, and put them in a saucepan with a large piece of butter, a bunch of parsley, sweet basil, chives, a clove of garlic, and an eschalot. shake them over the fire, add a little salt, whole pepper, a blade of mace, and some flour, then put in a very little broth or milk and water. stew it gently till they are tender, and the liquid reduced. lift out the herbs, and put in some cream (according to the quantity required), with or eggs beaten up in it. turn the saucepan, over the fire, till the sauce thickens. when done, add a little vinegar. _beet root and mangel wurzel._ wash but do not scrape it, for if the skin be broken, the colour is lost. a middling-sized beet root will take from three to four hours to boil, and the same sized mangel wurzel another hour. when quite tender it is done. serve it, cut into thin slices; thick melted butter poured over. { }_onions to boil._ peel and boil them till tender in milk and water. the time required must depend upon their size.--they may be served in white sauce. _onions to stew._--spanish onions are best. peel and parboil very gently; then stew them in good broth, or milk and water, and season with white pepper and salt. when done, thicken the sauce with butter rolled in flour, lift out the onions, place them in a dish, and pour the sauce over.--_or_: stew them in rich, brown gravy. _onions to roast._--roast them before the fire, in their skins. _cucumbers to stew._ pare the cucumbers, and cut them in four, longways; to each one put a _small_ onion, sliced; then stew them in broth, with cayenne, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. when done, lay them in a dish, thicken the sauce with butter rubbed in flour, and pour over them. for maigre dinners, stew them in enough water to moisten them, with a large piece of butter: when done, pour some cream, mixed with beaten yolk of egg, into the saucepan, enough to make a sufficiency of sauce, let it thicken over the fire, lay the cucumbers in a dish, and pour the sauce over.--_or_: cut onions and cucumbers in halves, fry in butter, and pour good broth or gravy over them; then stew till done, and skim off the fat. _celery to stew._ cut the head in pieces of inches long, and stew as directed for cucumbers. some cooks stew it whole, or, if very large, divided in two, and in strong brown gravy.--_or_: if to be white, in rich veal broth, and add some cream. it must be cooked till quite tender to eat well. _mushrooms and morels._ both are used in sauces and ragouts. for stewing, button mushrooms, or the smallest flaps, are best. trim them carefully, for a little bit of mould will spoil the whole. stew them, in their own gravy, in an earthen vessel, with a very little water to prevent their burning. when nearly done, add as much rich brown gravy as is required for { }sauce, a little nutmeg, and, if you like, finely sliced ham, cayenne, pepper, and salt, if required; thicken, by mixing the yolk of an egg, by little and little, into the gravy. if to be white, squeeze lemon juice over the mushrooms, after they have stewed in their own gravy: add a tea-spoonful of cream, a piece of butter rolled in flour, cayenne, white pepper, salt, and nutmeg; thicken with the yolk of an egg. _mushrooms to broil._--the largest flaps are best, but should be fresh gathered. skin them, and score the under side. lay them, one by one, into an earthen vessel, brushing each one with oil, or oiled butter, and strewing a little pepper and salt over each. when they have steeped in this, an hour and a half, broil, on both sides, over a clear fire, and serve with a sauce of melted butter, minced parsley, green onions, and the juice of a lemon. _salsify._ boil the young shoots, about a year old, as asparagus. _scorzonera and skirrets._ the same as carrots; and are good in soup. _artichokes._ take off the outer leaves and cut off the stalks. wash well in cold water, and let them lie in it some time. put them head downwards, into the pot, take care to keep the water boiling, and add more as it diminishes, for they ought to boil two hours, or more. float a plate or dish on the top to keep the artichokes under. draw out a leaf, and if tender, they are done, but not else. drain them dry, and serve melted butter, in a tureen. _to fry._--cut off an inch or more, of the leaves, and cut the artichoke down in slices of ¾ of an inch thick, taking out the choke. parboil the slices in salt and water, then fry them in a pan nearly full of boiling lard, to be quite crisp, and of a fine colour. drain them before the fire a few minutes. _jerusalem artichokes._ boil, but do not let them remain in the water after they { }are done, or they will spoil; pour melted butter over.--_or_: they may be cooked in a rich brown gravy, or white sauce, and served with sippets of toasted bread. _artichoke bottoms._ if dried, soak them, then stew in gravy.--_or_: boil in milk, and serve them in white sauce. _endive to stew._ trim off all the green part, wash, cut in pieces, and parboil it till about half done; drain well, and chop it, not very fine; put it into a stew-pan with a little strong gravy, and stew gently till quite tender; season with pepper and salt, and serve as sauce to roast meat or fricandeaus. _lettuce to stew._ wash, parboil, and stew, in rich brown or white gravy; if to be white, thicken with cream and yolk of egg. lay them in a dish and pour gravy over. _cabbage lettuce with forcemeat._ parboil gently, for half an hour, then dip into cold water, and press them in your hand. strip off the leaves, spread a forcemeat, rich or maigre as you please, on each leaf:--_or_: put the forcemeat into the middle of each lettuce; tie them up, neatly, in their original shape, and stew them in gravy. when done, serve with the gravy poured over. _vegetable marrow._ this may be boiled and served on toast, like asparagus; serve melted butter.--_or_: when nearly cooked enough by boiling, divide in quarters, and stew gently in gravy like cucumbers.--_or_: serve it in white sauce. _marrow to stuff_ (_italian_). cut very young ones, about six inches long, in two, lengthways; take out the seeds and pulp with a small spoon, put a little salt on each one, and lay them between { }cloths, the hollow part down, to draw the water out. soak some crumb of bread in warm broth or milk and water, beat it up like thick pap, add pepper, salt, the beaten yolks of eggs, nutmeg and lemon peel; to this the italians add grated parmesan; pour off the water, and fill the vegetable marrow with this stuffing; put the halves together, bind them slightly with thread, brush over beaten yolk of egg, cover with bread-crumbs, and lay them, singly, in a broad shallow stew-pan, well rubbed round the sides and the bottom with butter. place the stew-pan over a slow fire, cover it, and when the butter is dried up, keep the marrow moistened with broth. when nearly cooked enough, put in some tomata sauce, and then put hot coals on the lid of the stew-pan to brown the vegetables. minced fowl and grated ham may be added to the stuffing. _to fry._--cut the long shaped ones (quite young), in four, longways, and each piece into long thin slices, lay these between cloths, sprinkle salt over to draw out the water, and let them lie half an hour: during which, prepare a smooth batter of flour, water, and eggs, dip the marrow into it, and fry in lard, of a light brown. shake the pan gently, but do not touch the fry, lest the paste should break and the fat get in, and make it greasy. spread a sheet of paper on a sieve, lay the fry on it, before the fire a few minutes to dry, then serve it. _cardoons._ choose the whitest, and cut them into pieces of inches long; half boil them in salt and water, with a very little vinegar; pour off the water, take out the cardoons, and peel off the threads; finish by stewing them, in stock of fish or meat, and butter, if required, to enrich it. mix some flour with a little oil, the whites of eggs, and a little white wine. cut the pieces of cardoon in , dip them in the above mixture, and fry them in lard, of a light brown. _lentils_ are chiefly used to make cullis for soups and made dishes, as follows: pick and wash ½ a pint or more, according to the quantity wanted. stew them in broth; when done, pulp them through a sieve, and season as you like. { }_samphire to boil._ boil in a good deal of water, with salt in it, till quite tender. serve melted butter. _laver._ this is generally prepared at the sea coast, and requires only to be heated. this is done best over a lamp, or, at a distance over the fire. when hot stir in a piece of butter, and a very little lemon juice or vinegar. _haricots blanc._ these should be soaked, at least, all night. then be poured from the water, and stewed in broth, or with butter, salt, pepper, chopped parsley and young onions. they must be cooked till tender, or they are not eatable. ---- salads. lettuce, endive, and small salading, are the most commonly used, but there are many other greens which eat well, as salads. they should be fresh gathered, well washed, picked, and laid in water with a little salt in it. when you take them out, which should not be till just before they are wanted, shake them well, lay them in a cloth, shake that, to make them as dry as possible, but do not squeeze, for that will destroy their crispness. in countries where salad is in more general request than in england, the greatest pains are bestowed to have it in perfection. it is essential to a good salad, that the leaves of lettuces should be crisp; and the french people shake them in a basket, made for the purpose, which answers better than anything. the french are justly famed for their salads, but the main cause of their superiority in them, is attributable to the abundance and goodness of both the oil and the vinegar used in the mixture. _to dress salad._ do not cut it up till you are going to mix it. strew a { }little salt, and then pour over it, table-spoonsful of oil to ½ of vinegar, add a little pepper, and stir it up well with a spoon and fork. there ought not to be a drop of liquid at the bottom of the bowl. to this may be added hard-boiled yolk of egg, also beet root well boiled and sliced. any kind of salad may be dressed in this way. good oil is not dear, but exceedingly wholesome. the least degree of the flavour of garlic is liked by some in salad, and may be obtained by cutting open a clove and rubbing it a few times round the salad bowl. some persons like a very little grated parmesan, in their salad. where oil is not liked, use oiled butter, or cream. rub very smooth on a soup plate the yolks of hard-boiled eggs, with thick cream; when this is done, add more cream, or oiled butter, vinegar, pepper, and salt to your taste, and mix the salad in it: or pour the mixture into the bowl, the salad on the top, and do not stir it up at all, but leave this to be done at table. the top of a dressed salad should be garnished with slices of beet root, contrasted with rings of the white of hard-boiled eggs; or a few young radishes and green onions, or cresses, tastefully arranged on the top. plovers and sea birds' eggs may be laid on the top, arranging some herb to form each one's nest; or all in one nest, in the centre. a pretty salad is a great ornament to a table, and not an expensive one. the following list may be imperfect, but though there may be other herbs which would be useful in salads, all these are good. lettuce. radishes. water cresses. young onions. corn salad. endive. celery. mustard and cress. chervil. coriander. tarragon. nasturtiums. sorrel. young spinach. french fennel. burnet. basil. chicory. the french make salads of cold boiled cauliflower, celery, french beans, and haricots. a mixture of either with { }some green herbs, dressed with oil, is very good; by way of variety. _lobster salad._ prepare a mixture of white lettuce, and green salading, mix it with cream or oil; take out the coral of the lobster, and dispose it amongst the vegetables so as best to contrast the colours.--_or_: lobster may be cut up, dressed as eaten at table, then mixed with lettuce and small salading also cut up and dressed; the dressing of each must be according to taste. some persons dress their lobster with lemon juice and cayenne. put the mixture into a salad bowl, light sprigs of cresses on the top, and heaps of the coral amidst them. _italian salad._ about three hours before the salad is wanted, bone and chop anchovies, and mix them in a salad bowl, with an eschalot, and some small salading, or lettuce, or any herbs, fresh gathered; boil eggs hard, bruise the yolks, then mix them with spoonsful of oil, of vinegar, a little pepper, and a little made mustard. to this sauce, put very thin slices of cold roast meat of any kind, fowl, game, or lobster (and any cold gravy), and leave them to soak. garnish it prettily. cold fish may be dressed in this way; then hard-boiled eggs may be added; and, with either meat or fish, cold boiled vegetables. nicely garnished, these salads are pretty for supper tables. capsicums, barberries, and pickled fruit are of use in ornamenting them. _cucumbers_ should be fresh, mixed with onion, and never eaten without oil. { }chapter xix. pastry. practice is more requisite than judgment to arrive at perfection in making pastry, particularly raised crusts, and very little can be given in the way of general instruction on the subject.--the flour should be of the best quality, dried before the fire, and then allowed to get cool before it is wetted.--good salt butter, washed in several waters, to extract the salt, is cheaper in some seasons, and is as good as fresh butter. fresh butter should be worked, on a board, with a wooden spoon, or the hand, to extract the butter-milk, before it is used for delicate pastry; after you have well worked, dab it with a soft cloth. finely shred suet makes very good crust for fruit, as well as meat pies, and, if good, is more delicate and wholesome than lard; veal suet is the most delicate. some cooks cut the suet in pieces, and melt it in water, then, when cold, press out the water, pound the suet in a mortar, with a very little oil, till it becomes the consistence of butter, and use it for pie crust; but i prefer fresh suet very finely _shred_, not chopped. for this purpose it must be quite sweet.--lard varies much in quality; and if not good, the paste will not be light. sweet marrow is very good. a marble slab is very useful for making pastry, particularly in hot weather. pastry is never good made in a warm room, neither will it bear being exposed to a draught of air. the sooner it is baked, the lighter it will be. there is ample room for display of taste in ornamenting pastry, both for meat pies and sweets. paste cutters are not expensive, and if kept in good order, will last a long time; but, if not delicately clean, the paste will be spoiled. for very _common meat pies_, a crust may be made of mashed potatoes, spread thickly over the top. for more delicate pies, rice may be boiled in milk and water till it { }begins to swell, then drained, and mixed with or eggs well beaten, and spread in a thick layer over the meat. _a glazing_ for meat pies is made of white sugar and water; yolk of egg and water; yolk of egg and melted butter. _to ice paste_, beat the white of an egg, and brush it over the tart, when half baked; then sift finely powdered sugar over that.--_another way_: pound and sift oz. refined sugar, beat up the white of an egg, and by degrees add it to the sugar, till it looks white, and is thick; when the tarts are baked, spread the iceing over the top with a brush, and return them to the oven to harden, but take care that the iceing do not burn. be careful to keep the pasteboard and rolling-pin quite clean; and recollect that the best made paste will be spoiled, if not nicely _baked_. _plain crust for meat pies._ to lbs. of fine, well dried flour, put lb. finely sliced fresh suet, and a little salt, mix it up lightly, with enough cold water to mould it, then roll out thin, fold it up, roll again, and it is ready. put more suet to make it richer. _another._--common bread dough, or french roll dough, makes very good crust for plain pies. roll it out, and stick bits of butter and lard into it, and roll up again. if the dough be good the crust will be light. _richer crust._ for lbs. of flour, break in pieces ½ lb. washed salt butter, rub it in the flour, wet it up with the yolks of eggs well beaten, and mixed in from ½ to a whole pint of spring water. roll the paste out thin, double it, and roll out again; repeat this three times, and it is ready. _an elegant crust._ wash ¾ lb. of very good butter, and melt it carefully, so that it do not oil, let it cool, and stir into it an egg well beaten: mix this into ¾ lb. of very fine well dried flour. it should not be a stiff paste, and must be rolled out thin. { }_a flaky crust._ wet lb. of well dried flour, with as much water as will make it into a stiff dough. roll it out, and stick bits of butter over. ¾ lb. of butter should be divided in , and rolled in at three different times. _puff paste._ weigh an equal quantity of fine flour, and fresh, or well washed salt butter: crumble one third part of the butter into the flour, mix well together, and wet it with cold water to make it into dough. dust some dry flour over the pasteboard, and work the dough well, with your hands, into a stiff paste; then roll out thin, and stick little bits of butter into it, sprinkle flour lightly over, fold the paste, roll out again; stick in more butter, fold up again, and repeat the same till all the butter is used. lay a wet cloth in folds over, till you use it. _another._--rub ½ lb. fresh butter into lb. fine flour, with the yolks of eggs beaten, and some finely sifted sugar: rub all together very smoothly, wet with cold water, and work it into a stiff paste. _crisp paste._ rub ¼ lb. butter into lb. flour, add table-spoonsful of sifted loaf sugar, and the yolks of eggs, work it well with a horn spoon, roll it out very thin, touching it as little as possible. _a good light crust._ rub a piece of butter the size of an egg, the same of lard, and soda to lie on a shilling, into lb. flour; mix it into a stiff paste with egg and a little water; roll it out times, spread lightly, once with butter, and twice with lard. _short crust not rich._ rub into lb. of flour, oz. butter, oz. sifted white sugar, and the yolks of eggs mixed with a little cream or new milk. to make it richer, use more butter and perfume { }the paste with orange or rose water, or flavour with lemon juice. the butter must all be crumbled into the flour before it is wetted; the less it is rolled the better. _a nice crust for preserved fruits, cheesecakes, &c._ beat ½ lb. good fresh butter, in a bason, with a spoon, till it becomes cream, add oz. finely sifted sugar, and mix in lb. fine flour, then wet it with the whites of eggs well beaten, and roll out the paste. if not stiff enough, use more flour and sugar.--_or_: rub together equal quantities of flour and butter, with a little sifted sugar; work it into a paste with warm milk, roll it out thin and line your patty pans. _another._--melt oz. of butter in a saucepan, with a tea-spoonful of water, oz. sifted sugar, and a bit of lemon peel; when the butter is melted, take out the lemon peel, and first dredge a little flour into the liquid, shake the saucepan, then put in as much more flour, with a spoon, as the butter will take, keep the saucepan over the fire, and stir briskly with a wooden spoon. turn it out into another saucepan and let it cool; then put it over the fire, and break in, first egg, stir it well, then more eggs, and stir well again, till the paste is ropy. _raised crust for meat pies._ put ¾ of a pint of water and ½ lb. lard into a saucepan, set it on the fire; have ready on the paste-board, ½ lbs. of flour, make a hole in the middle, and when the water in the saucepan boils, pour it into it, gently mixing it by degrees with the flour, with a spoon; when well mixed, knead it into a stiff paste. dredge flour on the board, to prevent the paste from sticking, continue to roll, and knead it, but do not use a rolling-pin. let it stand to cool before you form the crust for the pie, as follows: cut out pieces for the bottom and top, roll them of the proper thickness, and roll out a piece for the sides; fix the sides round the bottom pieces, cement them together with white of egg, and pinch the bottom crust up round to keep it closed firmly; then put in the meat and lay on the top crust, pinching the edges together closely.--it must be thick in proportion to the size of the pie. { }_rice paste._ mix ½ lb. rice flour into a stiff paste with the yolk of an egg and milk, beat it out with a rolling-pin, and spread bits of butter over, roll it up, and spread more butter till you have used ½ lb. this will boil as well as bake. _maccaroni paste._ work lb. flour into a paste with eggs; it will be very stiff; must be well kneaded, and then beaten for a long time with a rolling-pin, to make it smooth; then roll out very thin, and cut it in strips. this is rather toilsome than troublesome, because it is difficult to roll thin enough, on account of its stiffness; yet is well worth the trouble, to those who like maccaroni. it cooks in much less time than that which is bought, and is much more delicate. _meat pies._ some cooks say that meat should be a _little_ stewed with seasoning, a piece of butter, and only a _very_ little water, before it is put into a pie.--common meat pies should have a thin under crust; but the covering must be thick, or it will be scorched up, before the meat is cooked. meat pies require a hot, but not a fierce oven. _venison pasty._ make a stiff paste of lbs. of flour and lb. of butter, or fresh suet shred finely, wet it with or eggs well beaten and mixed in warm water. roll it out several times, line the sides of the dish, but not the bottom.--some cooks _marinade_ or _soak_ the venison for a night, in port wine and seasonings.--take out all the bones, season the meat with salt, pepper, pounded allspice and mace, and a little cayenne, then put it into a stone jar, and pour over some gravy of the trimmings, or of mutton or beef; place the jar in a saucepan of water, and simmer it over the fire, or on a hearth two or three hours, but the meat should not be over done. put it by till the next day; remove the cake of fat from the top, lay the meat in alternate pieces of fat { }and lean in a pie dish, add more seasoning if required, the gravy, and ¼ pint of port or claret; also a little eschalot or any flavouring vinegar. if the venison want fat, slices of mutton fat may be substituted.--the breast is best for a pasty, but the neck is very good; also the shoulder if too lean to roast. if any gravy be left have it ready to pour hot into the pasty. _beef steak pie._ cut small steaks from the rump: season, and roll up as olives, or lay them flat, fat and lean mixed, seasoned with salt, pepper, and spices. then put in ½ pint of gravy, or ½ pint of water, and a table-spoonful of vinegar. if you have no gravy, a piece of kidney will enrich the gravy of the beef, and is a valuable addition to a meat pie. forcemeat in layers between the slices of beef, or in small balls, makes this much richer; if to be eaten cold, suet must not be used: some cooks put in a few large oysters also. walnut or mushroom catsup. a good gravy may be poured into the pie, when baked. _pork pie._ this is generally made in a raised crust, but in a common pie dish, with a plain crust, it is very good. season with pepper and salt. cut all the meat from the bones, and do not put any water into the pie. pork pie is best cold, and small ones are made by laying a paste in saucers or small plates, then the meat; cover with paste, turning the two edges up neatly.--the griskin is best for pies. _sausage rolls._ use sausage meat; or, take equal portions of cold roast veal and ham, or cold fowl and tongue; chop these very small, season with a tea-spoonful of powdered sweet herbs and a tea-spoonful of mixed salt and cayenne: mix well together, put table-spoonsful of the chopped and seasoned meat, well rolled together, into enough light paste to cover it, and bake half an hour in a brisk oven.--these may be tied in a cloth and boiled; the crust plainer. { }_mutton pie._ cut cutlets from the leg, or chops from the neck or loin, season with pepper and salt, and place them in a dish, fill this with gravy or water, and, if you choose, strew over a very little minced onion or eschalot and parsley, and cover with a plain crust.--_squab pie_, is made of mutton, and between each layer of meat, slices of apples, potatoes, and shred onions. _lamb pie._ the same as mutton pie; only being more delicate, it does not require so much seasoning, and is best, made to turn out of patty pans. _veal pie._ cut chops from the neck or breast, or cutlets from any other part, season with salt, pepper, mace, nutmeg, lemon peel, or what herbs you like, lay them in the dish; very thin slices of bacon over them; pour in a little gravy, made from the bones or trimmings, or a little water. forcemeat balls, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, scalded sweetbreads, veal kidneys, truffles, morels, mushrooms, oysters and thick cream, may be used to enrich this pie.--_or_: slices of veal, spread with forcemeat, and rolled up as olives; make a hole in the top part of the crust, and when it comes out of the oven, pour in some good gravy.--to be very rich: put the olives in a dish, and between and round them, small forcemeat balls, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, pickled cucumbers cut in round pieces, and pickled mushrooms; pour in good gravy, a glass of white wine, the juice of a lemon, or lemon and oyster pickle. _maccaroni pie._ swell ½ lb. in broth or water; put a thick layer at the bottom of a deep dish, buttered all round, then a layer of beef steak cut thin, or thin slices spread with forcemeat, and rolled up like olives; season the beef, then another layer of maccaroni, then more beef, the top layer maccaroni; pour over gravy or water to fill the dish, and cover with a _thin_ { }crust, and bake it. as the maccaroni absorbs the gravy, there ought to be more to pour in, when it comes from the oven. a light sprinkling of cheese over each layer of maccaroni is an improvement. this pie may be made of fowl, or veal and ham. it is excellent. to be eaten hot.--the _white chedder_ is as good as parmesan cheese. _calf's head pie._ clean and soak, then parboil the head for half an hour, with part of a knuckle of veal, or shanks of mutton, in a very little water, with onions, a bunch of parsley, and winter savory, the rind of a lemon, a few peppercorns, and blades of mace. take it up, and let it cool, cut it into neat pieces, skin and cut the tongue into small bits. boil in the liquor a few chips of isinglass, till of a strong jelly. spread a layer of thin slices of ham, or tongue, at the bottom of a dish, a layer of the head, fat and lean assorted, with forcemeat balls, hard-boiled yolks of eggs, and pickled mushrooms: then strew over salt, pepper, nutmeg, and grated lemon peel; put another layer of slices of ham, and so on, till the dish is nearly full; pour in as much of the jelly as there is room for, cover with a crust, and bake it. good cold only, and will keep several days. _sweetbread pie._ boil ½ a neck of veal and lbs. gravy beef in quarts of water, with ½ a tea-spoonful of grated nutmeg, and equal quantities of mace and cayenne, and a tea-spoonful of salt; simmer this till it is reduced to ½ pint, and strain it off. put a good puff paste round your dish; put in sweetbreads, stuffed with green truffles, and oysters with their liquor (omit either or both, as you choose); but take care that the fish and meat are distributed; then fill the dish with the gravy, put on the top crust, and bake, in a quick oven, an hour and a quarter. to be eaten hot. _pigeon, rook, or moorfowl pie._ season them inside with salt and pepper, and put in each a bit of butter, rolled in flour. (some parboil the livers, minced with parsley, and put them inside also.) lay a beef { }steak (some stew it first) at the bottom of the dish, or veal cutlets, seasoned, and thin slices of bacon; put in the pigeons, the gizzards, yolks of hard-boiled eggs (forcemeat balls, if you like), and enough water to make gravy. cover with a puff paste, and bake it. some cooks cut up the pigeons, and use no beef steak, as they say that the pigeons, if cut up, will produce a sufficiency of gravy. port and white wine may be added; also catsups, sauces, and mushroom powder.--_rooks_ must be skinned; the back-bone cut out.--_moorfowl pie_ must not be over-baked: when done, you may pour in a hot sauce of melted butter, lemon juice, and a glass of claret. _hare pie._ cut up a leveret, and season it well; to be very rich, have relishing forcemeat balls, and hard-boiled yolks of eggs, to mix with the meat in the dish. put plenty of butter, rolled in flour, and some water, and cover with a paste. this pie will require long soaking, as the meat is solid; but, unless it be a leveret, much the best way is, to stew the hare first, like venison for pasty. _chicken, or rabbit pie._ cut up the chickens, season each joint with salt, white pepper, mace, and nutmeg, lay them in the dish, with slices of ham or bacon, a few bits of butter, rolled in flour, and a little water, cover with a crust, and bake it. this pie may be made richer, by putting veal cutlets or veal udder, at the bottom of the dish, adding forcemeat balls and yolks of hard-boiled eggs; also a good jelly gravy, seasoned with peppercorns, onions, and parsley, and poured over the chickens before the pie is baked. mushrooms are an improvement. forcemeat for _rabbit_ may be made of the livers, suet, anchovies, eschalot, onion, salt, and pepper. _goose pie._ bone, then season well, a goose, and a large fowl; stuff the fowl with the following forcemeat: oz. grated ham, the same of veal and suet, a little parsley, salt, pepper, { }and eggs to bind it. place the fowl within the goose, and put that into a raised crust; fill up round with slices of tongue, or pigeons, game, and forcemeat; put pieces of butter, rolled in flour, over all, and cover with a crust. bake it three hours. _giblet pie._ stew the giblets in broth, with peppercorns, onions, and parsley. when quite tender, take them up, to get cold, then divide, and lay them, on a well-seasoned beef steak, in a pie dish, and the liquor in which they were stewed, and cover with a plain crust. when done, pour in a tea-cupful of cream. _partridge, also perigord pie._ made the same as pigeon pie.--or: instead of the steak (some use veal), at the bottom of the dish, spread a thick layer of forcemeat, put in the partridges, bits of butter rolled in flour, and a few scalded button mushrooms, or a table-spoonful of catsup. cover with a good crust, and bake (if partridges), an hour.--_perigord pie_: singe and truss partridges, lard, season highly, and stuff them with a forcemeat made of lbs. of truffles (brushed, washed, and peeled), the livers of the partridges, and a piece of veal udder parboiled; season with salt, pepper, spices, minced onion and parsley, all pounded; put a little into each partridge, and fill up with whole truffles; line a raised crust with thin slices of bacon and forcemeat, put in the partridges, cover the pie, and bake it. _pheasant pie._ cut off the heads of two pheasants, bone and stuff them, with the livers, bread-crumbs, lemon peel, ham, veal, suet, anchovies, mace, pepper, salt, mushroom powder, and a little eschalot; stew them in good gravy a few minutes, then put them into a baking dish, with some balls of the forcemeat and pickled mushrooms; fill up with good gravy, flavoured with lemon, oyster, and mushroom pickle, a table-spoonful of brandy, and the same of camp sauce. { }cover with puff paste, and bake it. good either hot or cold. _sea pie._ cut up a fowl or two, and thin slices of salt beef, the latter soaked in lukewarm water. make a good paste of half flour and half mashed potatoes, with butter, lard, or dripping; roll out thin, put a layer at the bottom of a deep tin baking dish, then a layer of fowl and beef, season with pepper, salt, and a little shred onion; then another layer of paste, and one of meat, till the dish is nearly full, fill up with cold water, and bake it; when done, turn it out and serve quite hot.--_or_: slices of bacon, and no beef. _parsley pie._ this may be made of veal, fowl, or calf's feet, but the latter partly cooked first; scald a cullender full of fresh parsley in milk, drain it, season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, add a tea-spoonful of broth, and pour it into a pie dish, over the meat. when baked, pour in ¼ pint of scalded cream. _herb pie._ one handful of spinach, and of parsley, small lettuces, a very little mustard and cress, and a few white beet leaves; wash, then parboil them, drain, press out the water, mix with a little salt, cut them small, and lay them in a dish: pour over a batter of flour, eggs, a pint of cream, and ½ pint of milk: cover with a rich crust and bake it. _fish pie._ the fish should be boiled first; indeed, the remains of the previous day's dinner may answer the purpose. as any and every sort of fish is good in pies, one receipt will do for all, leaving it to the taste of the cook to enrich or flavour it.--if _turbot_, cut the fish in slices, put a layer in the dish, strew over a mixture of pepper, salt, pounded mace, allspice, and little bits of butter, then a layer of fish, then of the seasoning and butter, till the dish is full. having saved some of the liquor in which it was boiled, { }put it on to boil again, with all the skin and trimmings of the fish, strain and pour this into the dish for gravy. lay a puff paste over, and bake in a slow oven half an hour. _cod sounds_ must be washed well, then soak several hours, and lay them in a cloth to dry. put into a stew-pan oz. fresh butter, and half an onion sliced, brown these, and add a table-spoonful of flour rubbed into a small piece of butter, and ½ pint boiling water; let it boil up, put in about cod sounds, season with pepper, the juice of a lemon, and essence of anchovies, stir it a few minutes over the fire, put it in a pie-dish, cover with a light paste, and bake it an hour.--_another and richer_: cut the fish into fillets; season them with pounded mace, pepper, cayenne, and salt; or, if whitings, eels, trout, or any fish that will admit of it, do not cut them up, but season the inside, and turn the fish round, fastening with a thread. have some good fish stock, warm it, add seasoning, and any catsup you like. if you wish it to be _very_ rich, line the dish with fish forcemeat, lay some bits of butter at the bottom, put a thick layer of the fish, then strew over chopped shrimps, prawns, or oysters, then the rest of the fish, strain the stock over it, enough for gravy, cover with a light puff paste, and bake it. _lobster pie._ this is a rich compound, at its very plainest, and may be made very rich indeed. parboil , , or , according to the size of your dish. take out all the meat, cut it in pieces, and lay them in the dish, in alternate layers, with oysters cut in two, and bread-crumbs, moisten with essence of anchovies. whilst you are doing this, let all the shells and the spawn of the lobster be stewed in half water and half vinegar: add mace and cayenne; when done, strain it; add wine and catsup, boil it up, and pour over the lobster. lay a light puff paste over, and bake it. _herring, eel, or mackerel pie._ skin eels, and cut them in pieces inches long. season highly, and put a little vinegar into the sauce. this, and all fish pies, may be baked _open_, with a paste edging. { }_shrimp and prawn pie._ having picked, put them into little shallow dishes, strew bits of butter over, season as you like, but allspice and chili vinegar should form a part, white wine, also anchovies, if you like. cover with a puff paste. _salt fish pie._ soak the fish a night. boil it till tender, take off the skin, and take out the bones. if the fish be good, it will be in layers, lay them on a fish drainer to cool. boil eggs hard, cut them with onions, and potatoes in slices; put a layer at the bottom of a pie dish, season with pepper and made mustard, then a layer of fish, season that, another layer of the mixture, and so on till the dish be full; lay some bits of butter on the top, pour in a tea-cupful of water, with a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovy, and of catsup and oyster pickle. cover with a puff paste, and bake it an hour.--the _sauces_ appropriate to fish, are suitable to fish pies. _fresh cod pie._--salt a piece of the middle of a fish, one night; wash, dry, and season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; lay it in a deep pie dish, with some oysters, put bits of butter on it, pour in some good broth, and cover with a crust. when done, pour in a ¼ pint of hot cream, with a bit of butter rolled in flour, nutmeg, and grated lemon peel. _patties._ these are convenient for a side dish at dinner, or a principal one at supper or luncheon. an expert cook may contrive to reserve meat or fish, when cooking a large dinner, to provide a dish of patties. the compound must be very nicely minced, suitably seasoned, and sent to table in baked paste; or fried in balls, for a garnish. _crust for savoury patties._ if you can, get from the pastry-cook empty puff patties, it will save you trouble; if not, make a thin puff paste, and line the patty pans; cut out the tops, on white paper, with a thin stamp, and mark them neatly; put a piece of soft { }paper crumpled, in the middle of the lined patty pan, to support the top; put it on and bake them. prepare the mince, and when the patties are baked enough, lift off the top, put the mince in (not so much as to run over the edges), and lay the top on. _chicken, or turkey and ham, or veal patties._ mince very finely, the breast, or other white parts of cold chicken, fowl, turkey, or roast veal, and about half the quantity of lean ham, or tongue. have a little delicate gravy, or jelly of roast veal or lamb, thicken it with butter, rolled in flour, add pepper, salt, cayenne, and lemon juice; put the mince in, and stir it over the fire till quite hot, and fill the baked patties with this quite hot. a few oysters may be minced with the meat. _rabbit and hare patties._ mince the best parts with a little mutton suet. thicken a little good gravy, and season with salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, mace, lemon peel, and port wine, also the stuffing that may be left of the hare or rabbit; heat the mince in it, and fill patties, as above. _beef patties._ mince a piece of tender, underdone meat, with a little of the firm fat; season with salt, pepper, onion, a chopped anchovy, and a very little chili or eschalot vinegar; warm it in gravy, and finish, like other patties. _oyster patties._ beard and wash in their own liquor, some fresh oysters; strain the liquor, and if of , put to it oz. butter rolled in flour, with the oysters cut small, a little salt, white pepper, mace, nutmeg, and lemon peel, add to the whole table-spoonful of thick cream; warm, and put it hot into the baked patties.--_or_: parts of oysters, prepared as above, and one part of fresh mushrooms, cut in dice, fried in butter, and stewed in enough gravy to moisten them; stir the oysters to the mushrooms, and fill the patties. { }_lobster and shrimp patties._ chop finely the meat of the tail and claws of a hen lobster; pound some of the spawn, with ½ oz. of butter, and a little meat gravy or jelly, or a table-spoonful of cream; season with cayenne, salt, lemon peel, and essence of anchovy. _gooseberry, or green currant pie._ top and tail fruit enough to fill your dish; lay a strip of paste round the edge, put in half the fruit, then half the sugar, the rest of the fruit, more sugar, and cover with a good puff paste. mark the edges neatly, and ornament the top. when it comes out of the oven, sift powdered sugar over.--first put a little cup in the centre of the dish, to preserve the juice. _rhubarb pie._ when old and stringy, peel the skin off, cut the stalks slantways, and make it into a pie, the same as gooseberry: if young, do not peel it.--some like lemon peel in it. _red currants, raspberries, ripe gooseberries, cherries, plums, all sorts of damsons, apricots, and peaches_, make excellent pies; allow plenty of sugar, put in a little cup, and fill the dish high in the middle with fruit. divide the apricots and peaches. _green apricot tart._ the fruit should be stewed till tender in a very little water and some sugar; baked in a pie dish with a covering of puff paste, and is an excellent tart. _apple pie._ russetings, ribstone pippins, and such apples as are a little acid, are best. pare, core, and slice them; sprinkle sugar between, as you put them in the dish, also a little pounded cinnamon and cloves. slices of quince are an improvement, or quince marmalade, or candied citron or orange peel. put a strip of paste round the edge of the dish, and { }cover with a light paste. if they are dry, put in a little lemon juice, and a wine-glassful of white wine. _green codling tart._ make the pie as directed in the last receipt, and when it comes out of the oven, with a sharp knife cut round the crust, an inch from the edge, take it off, and pour over the apples, a plain or rich custard; have ready baked on a tin, some paste leaves, and stick round the tart; or else cut the top, you have taken off, into lozenges, or the best shape you can, and stick them round. in the country, fresh cream ought to accompany fruit pies. clouted cream is excellent with fruit pies.--_apples_, _gooseberries_, and _rhubarb_ stewed, with sugar enough to sweeten, are better for children, than cooked in paste.--_or_: fruit thus prepared, may be spread on very thin paste, covered up in turn-overs, and baked on tins. _cranberry tart._ the cranberries should be stewed first, with brown sugar, and a very little water, then baked in open tarts, or in patty-pans lined, and covered with light puff paste. _tarts of preserved fruits._ cover patty-pans, or shallow tins or dishes with light puff paste, lay the preserve in them, cover with light bars of paste, or with paste stars, leaves, or flowers. for delicate preserves, the best way is to bake the paste, first, then put in the preserves, and ornament with leaves baked for the purpose, on tins. _small puffs._ roll out light paste nearly ½ an inch thick, cut it in pieces of inches wide, lay preserves on each, fold it over, wet the edges, and pinch them together, lay these on buttered paper, and bake them.--_or_: cut the paste into squares, lozenges, and leaves, bake them on tins, and then lay different preserves on each one, and arrange them tastefully in a dish. { }_spanish puffs._ boil ½ the rind of a lemon, a small stick of cinnamon, and a bit of butter the size of a nut, in ¼ pint of milk, strain it, and set it on the fire in a stew-pan; when it boils, stir in spoonsful of flour, and a large table-spoonful of brandy, take it off, and rub it well together; when quite cold, add eggs, one at a time, rubbing well all the while; divide the mixture into tea-spoonsfuls, or on a plate, let it stand to grow firm, then fry in plenty of boiling lard. _apple puffs._ stew the apples, pulp them through a sieve, and sweeten with white powdered sugar; make them as directed for _small puffs_, and bake in a quick oven. _orange and lemon puffs._ grate the peel of seville oranges, or lemons, and mix with it ¾ lb. grated lump sugar. beat up the whites of eggs to a solid froth, put that to the sugar, beat the whole, without stopping, for half an hour, pour it in little round cakes, on buttered paper laid on tins, and bake them in a moderate oven. when cold, tear off the paper. _minced pie meat._ par-roast, or slightly bake, about lbs. of lean beef (some prefer neat's tongue); when cold, chop it finely; chop lbs. beef suet, also lbs. apples, peeled and cored, lb. stoned raisins, and the same of currants; mix these together in a pan, with lb. of good moist sugar, nutmegs, grated, oz. salt, oz. ginger, ½ oz. coriander seeds, ½ oz. allspice, ½ oz. cloves, the juice of lemons and their rinds, grated, ½ lb. candied citron, the same of candied lemon, ½ pint of brandy, and the same of sweet, ginger, or madeira wine. mix well, and it will keep some time, in a cool place. to use it, stir it, and add a little more brandy. cover patty pans or shallow dishes with a puff paste, fill with the mince, and put a puff paste over: bake in a moderate oven.--_or_: lb. beef, lbs. suet, lbs. raisins, lbs. currants, ½ lbs. sugar, lbs. apples, the rind of lemons, and the { }juice of ½ lbs. candied lemon; nutmeg, ginger, and pepper to taste. these receipts are both good. _a bride's pie._ boil calf's feet quite tender, and chop the meat. chop separately lb. suet and lb. apples, quite fine; mix these with the meat, add ½ lb. currants, ½ lb. raisins (chopped fine), ¼ oz. cinnamon, drachms nutmeg, and mace (all pounded), oz. candied citron and lemon peel, sliced thin, a wine-glass of brandy, and of madeira. line a tin pan with puff paste, put in the mince, cover with a paste, and ornament it. _maigre mince meat._ to lbs. currants add lbs. raisins, oz. cloves, ½ oz. mace and nutmeg, lbs. fine powdered sugar, the rinds of lemons, and sharp apples, all these ingredients chopped or pounded separately, and then mixed together; add a pint of brandy. let it stand a day or two, and stir it from the bottom once or twice a day. it will keep in a dry place, for months. add butter or suet, when you make it into pies, also citron, if you like. _note._--mince meat is improved by the currants being plumped in brandy. raisins should be chopped _very_ fine. { }chapter xx. puddings. practice, which, generally speaking, is every thing in cooking, will not ensure success in making puddings, unless the ingredients be good. for pudding crust, nothing is so good as veal suet finely shred, though beef suet and beef marrow make light crust. fresh dripping is also very good. lard is not so good, for either meat or fruit puddings. meat puddings (or dumplings, as they are called, in some of the counties in england) are generally liked, and are, either in crust or in batter, an economical dish, when made of the trimmings of beef or mutton, or the coarser parts of meat, which, though very good, would not so well admit of any other species of cooking. the meat should be quite fresh, and a due mixture of fat and lean. a piece of kidney, cut in bits, will enrich the gravy of beef steak or hare pudding. the crust for these puddings should be less rich, and thicker than for fruit puddings. puddings will not be light unless the flour be fresh, and dried before the fire. the number of eggs must be regulated by their size, for a small egg is but half a large one. break them separately into a tea-cup, and put them into the basin one by one; by this means you ascertain their freshness before you mix them together, for if one be the least stale, it will spoil any number with which it may be mixed. beat them well, the two parts separately, and strain them to the other ingredients. butter, whether salt or fresh, should be perfectly sweet; and milk or cream, if only a little upon the turn, will render of no avail all the labour that has been bestowed upon either pudding or custard. let all seasoning spices be finely pounded; currants { }washed, rubbed dry, carefully picked, and laid on a sieve before the fire to plump; almonds must be _blanched_, namely, covered with hot water, and then peeled. puddings of both meat and fruit may be boiled in a mould or bason, but they are lighter in a cloth; but then the crust must be thicker, for if it break, the gravy or juice will be lost. spread the cloth in a cullender, or bason, flour it, lay in the crust, then the fruit or meat, put on the top, and pinch the edges firmly together, but do not let them be so thick as to form a heavy lump at the bottom, when the pudding is turned out. pudding cloths should not be washed with soap, but boiled in wood ashes, rinsed in clear water, dried, and put by in a drawer. when about to use it, dip the cloth in boiling water, squeeze dry, and dredge it with flour. do not put a pudding in the pot till the water boils fast, and let there be plenty of it; move the pudding from time to time for the first ten minutes; and, as the water diminishes, put in more, boiling hot. the water should boil _slowly_, and never for a minute cease to boil during the time the pudding is in. when you take it out of the pot, dip the pudding into cold water for an instant, and set it in a bowl or cullender, for two or three minutes; this will cause it to turn more easily out of the cloth. a pudding in which there is much bread should be tied up loosely, to allow it to swell. a batter pudding tied tight. batter requires long beating; mix the milk and eggs by degrees into the flour, to avoid making it lumpy; this will be the case sometimes, and then the batter may be strained; but such waste may be avoided, by care in mixing at first. tie meat puddings up tight. more care is necessary in baking than in boiling puddings. they should not be scorched in a too hot, nor made sodden, in a too cool oven. it is an improvement to puddings, custards, and cakes, to flavour them with orange flower, or rose water, or any of the perfumed distilled waters. _paste for meat puddings._ shred ½ lb. suet and rub it into ¼ lb. flour, sprinkle a little salt, and wet it into a stiff paste with cold water; { }then beat it a few minutes with a rolling pin. clarified dripping is not so good, but more economical. _beef steak pudding._ the more tender the steak, the better, of course, the pudding. cut it into pieces half the size of your hand, season with salt, pepper, and grated nutmeg. spread a thin crust in a buttered bason, or mould; or a thicker one in a cloth: put the meat in, and a little water, also a wine-glassful of walnut, the same of oyster catsup, or oysters, and a table-spoonful of lemon pickle; cover it with the top crust, fasten the edges firmly, and tie it up tightly. finely minced onion may be added. a piece of kidney will enrich the gravy. a beef pudding of lbs. of meat ought to boil _gently_ four hours. _hare, rabbit, and chicken_, make good puddings, the same as beef; slices of ham or bacon are an improvement to the two latter. boil _hare pudding_ as long as beef. _dumplings._--chop beef small, season well, and put it into dumplings, the same as apple dumplings, and boil one hour.--_sausage_ meat, or whole sausages, skinned, may be boiled in paste, and are very good. _suet pudding and dumplings._ chop oz. suet very fine, put it into a basin with oz. flour, oz. bread-crumbs, and a tea-spoonful of salt, stir well together, and pour in, by degrees, enough milk, or milk and water, to make it into a light pudding; put it into a floured cloth, and boil two hours. for dumplings, mix the above stiffer, make it into dumplings, and tie them separately in a cloth; boil them one hour. or eggs are an improvement. oz. of currants to the above quantity, make _currant dumplings_. _meat in batter._ cut the meat into chops or steaks, put them in a deep dish, season with pepper and salt, and fill up the dish with a batter, made of three eggs, and large table-spoonsful of flour, to a pint of milk; then bake it.--_or_: bake the meat { }whole, and if a large piece, let it be in the oven half an hour before you pour in the batter, or else they will be cooked unequally. _kidney pudding._ split and soak or ox kidneys, and season well; line a bason or cloth with a crust, put them in, and boil it two hours and a half; rather less, if in a cloth. _fish pudding._ pound some slices of whiting in a mortar, with ¼ lb. butter; soak slices of french rolls in cold milk, beat them up with pepper and salt, and mix with the fish. boil this, in a buttered bason, about an hour and a half. serve melted butter.--_mackerel_ is made into puddings; for this follow the directions for beef steak pudding. _black pudding._ they are made of hog's blood. salt, strain, and boil it _very slowly_, or it will curdle, with a little milk or broth, pepper, salt, and minced onion; stir in, by degrees, some dried oatmeal and sliced suet; add what savoury herbs you like, fill the skins, and boil them. some put in whole rice or grits (parboiled), in place of oatmeal. _hog's puddings, white._ mix ½ lb. almonds blanched and cut in pieces, with lb. grated bread, lbs. beef or mutton suet, lb. currants, some cinnamon and mace, a pint of cream, the yolks of and whites of eggs, some lisbon sugar, lemon peel, and citron sliced, and a little orange-flower water. fill the skins rather more than half, and boil in milk and water. _apple pudding to boil._ make a paste in the proportion of oz. suet, or oz. butter, lard, or dripping, to oz. flour, and a little salt. some use an egg or two, others cold water only, but it should be a _stiff_ paste. line a mould, bason, or cloth, with this paste, rolled smooth, put in the apples, pared, { }cored, and sliced; sweeten with brown sugar, and flavour with cloves, cinnamon, or lemon peel, as you like. some persons put in or cloves, or a small piece of cinnamon, also lemon peel. _green apricot pudding._ the same as the last, and is delicious. let the crust be delicate, and use white powdered sugar. _roll pudding._ roll out a paste as directed for apple pudding, spread jam or any other preserve you like on it, roll it over, tie it in a cloth, and boil it.--a very nice mixture to spread over paste in place of preserves, is composed of apples, currants, and a very little of mace, cinnamon, and sugar. _another jam pudding_: line a bason with a thin paste, spread a layer of preserve at the bottom, then a thin paste to cover it, then a layer of preserve, and so on, till the bason is filled, cover with paste, pinch it round the edges, and boil it. _apple dumplings._ peel large apples, divide them, take out the cores, then close them again, first putting clove in each. roll out thin paste, cut it into as many pieces as you have apples, and fold each one neatly up; close the paste safely. tie up each dumpling separately, very tight, and boil them an hour. when you take them up, dip each one into cold water, stand it in a bason two or three minutes, and it will turn more easily out of the cloth. _green currants_, _ripe currants_, _and raspberries_, _gooseberries_, _cherries_, _damsons_, and all the various sorts of _plums_, are made into puddings, the same as _apple pudding_. _plum pudding._ for this national compound there are many receipts, and rich plum puddings are all very much alike, but the following receipts are very good:--to oz. finely shred beef { }suet, add oz. flour, oz. stoned raisins, oz. well picked and plumped currants, pounded allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar to taste, and a tea-spoonsful of salt; mix these ingredients well, and wet them with eggs well beaten, and as much milk as is required to mix it into a rather stiff pudding. you may add a wine-glassful of brandy, or of sweet white wine; indeed, brandy is rarely omitted; some prefer the flavour of orange flower or rose-water. this pudding may be made richer by the addition of oz. candied lemon peel, and ½ oz. citron. it should boil at least four hours.--_or_: ½ lb. of slices of stale bread, pour ½ pint of boiling milk over, and cover close for fifteen or twenty minutes; beat this up with ½ lb. suet, ½ lb. raisins, and the same of currants, all chopped fine; add table-spoonsful of flour, eggs, a little salt, and as much milk as is required. this may be either boiled or baked.--_or_: to ¾ lb. currants, ¾ lb. raisins, and ½ lb. suet, add ½ lb. bread-crumbs, eggs, a wine-glassful of brandy, ½ a tea-cupful of fine sugar, ½ a nutmeg grated, and as much candied orange or lemon peel as you like: mix well, and boil three hours. no other liquid is required. _a christmas pudding._ to lb. suet add lb. flour, lb. raisins, lb. currants (chopped fine), oz. bread-crumbs, table-spoonsful sugar, of grated lemon peel, a blade of mace, ½ a nutmeg, a tea-spoonful of ginger, and eggs well beaten. mix well and boil five hours. _marrow pudding._ pour a quart of boiling milk over a large breakfast-cupful of stale crumbs, and cover a plate over. shred ½ lb. fresh marrow, mix with it oz. raisins, oz. currants, and beat them up with the soaked bread; sweeten to your taste, add a tea-spoonful of cinnamon powder, and a very little nutmeg. lay a puff paste round the edge of a shallow pudding dish, and pour the pudding in. bake from twenty-five minutes to half an hour. you may add lemon peel, a wine-glassful of brandy, some almonds blanched and slit; also candied citron and lemon peel. { }_sauce for plum pudding._ melt good fresh butter, thicken it, and stir in by degrees, a wine-glassful of white wine, the same of brandy or old rum; sweeten to your taste, and add grated lemon peel and cinnamon. _a store pudding sauce._--to ½ pint brandy, and pint sherry, add oz. thinly pared lemon peel, and ½ oz. mace; infuse these two or three weeks, then strain and bottle it. add as much as you like to thick melted butter, and sweeten to taste. _french plum pudding._ mix oz. suet, oz. grated bread, oz. sugar, eggs, a coffee-cupful of milk, a table-spoonful ratafia, or of rum, and ½ lb. french plums; let it stand two hours, stir well again, and boil it in a mould, two hours. _plum pudding of indian corn flour._ to lb. corn flour add ½ lb. shred suet, and what currants, raisins, and spices you choose; mix the whole well together, with a pint of water, and boil the pudding in a cloth three hours. _maigre plum pudding._ simmer in ½ pint milk, blades mace, and a bit of lemon peel, for ten minutes; strain into a basin, to cool. beat eggs, with oz. lump sugar, ¼ of a nutmeg grated, and oz. flour; beat well together, and add the milk by degrees; then put in oz. fresh butter, or oz. bread-crumbs, oz. currants, and oz. raisins; stir all well together. boil it in a mould two hours and a half. serve melted butter sweetened, and flavoured with brandy. _bread pudding._ pour a pint of boiling new milk over a breakfast-cupful of stale bread-crumbs, cover till cold, then beat them with a spoon; add oz. currants, or a few cut raisins, a little sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and or eggs, well beaten; beat well together, and either boil in a buttered mould, or { }bake in a dish. it may be enriched by candied citron, or lemon peel, and flavoured with orange flower or rose water. this may be baked in little cups, turned out into a dish, and served with sweet sauce. _brown bread pudding._--grate ½ lb. stale brown bread, and mix it with ½ lb. shred suet, and ½ lb. currants; sugar and nutmeg to taste, eggs, table-spoonful of brandy, and of cream. boil it three hours, and serve with sweet sauce. _sweet sauce._ flavour thick melted butter with cinnamon and grated lemon peel, sweeten to taste, add or wine-glassfuls of white wine.--_or_: sweeten some thin cream, put in a little piece of butter, heat it, then flavour with cinnamon or lemon peel, and white wine; pour it hot over the pudding, or serve in a tureen.--_or_: break a stick of cinnamon into bits, boil it ten minutes, in water enough to cover it, add ¼ pint of white wine, table-spoonsful of powdered sugar, and boil it up, strain, and pour over the pudding. _bread and butter pudding._ lay thin slices of stale bread and butter in a pudding dish, sprinkle currants over, then another layer of bread and butter, and so on till the dish is full to about an inch; pour over an unboiled custard ( eggs to a pint of milk), sweeten to taste, soak it an hour, and bake half an hour. _custard pudding._ boil a stick of cinnamon and a roll of lemon peel, in a pint of new milk, or cream, and set it by to cool. beat eggs, pour the milk to them, sweeten to taste, and bake in a dish lined with puff paste twenty minutes. you may add a wine-glassful of brandy. _to boil._--prepare a mould as follows; put into it enough powdered sugar, to cover it, set it on the stove for the sugar to melt, and take care that the syrup cover the whole inside of the mould; grate lemon peel over the sugar, and pour the above mixture of milk or cream and eggs into it; tie a cloth over, and put instantly into boiling water, and boil it half an hour. turn it out, and garnish with preserves. these puddings are good, hot or cold. { }_little puddings._ grate a penny loaf, and mix well with a handful of currants, a very little fresh butter, nutmeg, and the yolk of an egg; make it into little balls, flour them, tie separately in a cloth, and boil them half an hour. serve quite hot, with wine sauce. _an excellent pudding._ boil a bit of cinnamon in a pint of milk, pour it over thin slices of french roll, or an equal quantity of rusks, cover with a plate to cool; beat it quite smooth with oz. shred suet, ¼ lb. currants, eggs beaten, and a little brandy, old rum, or orange-flower water. bake an hour. _oatmeal pudding._ steep the oatmeal all night in milk. pour off the milk, and stir into the meal some cream, currants, spice, sugar, or salt, to your taste, and or eggs; or, if no cream, use more eggs. stir well, and boil it in a basin an hour. pour melted butter, sweetened, over it. _batter pudding._ beat eggs and mix them smoothly, with table-spoonsful of flour, then stir in by degrees, pint of new milk, beat it well, add a tea-spoonful of salt, and boil in a mould an hour, or bake it half an hour.--_black cap pudding_ is made in the same way, with the addition of oz. currants; these will fall to the bottom of the basin, and form a black cap when the pudding is turned out.--_batter pudding with fruit_ is made as follows: pare, core, and divide, large apples, put them in a deep pudding dish, pour a batter over, and bake it.--cherries, plums, damsons, and most sorts of fruit, make nice puddings in this way.--serve sweet sauce with batter puddings.--_or_: raspberry vinegar, such as is made at home, clear, and possessing the flavour of the fruit. _yorkshire pudding._ this is batter, the same as the last receipt, baked, and { }eaten with roast meat; but in some houses it is not baked, but cooked under the meat thus: pour it into a shallow tin pan, put it under roasting meat, and stir till it begins to settle. after one or two trials a cook will know when to put the pudding under the meat, for that must depend upon the size of the joint, as it ought to go to table as soon as it is done, or it will be heavy. they are much lighter not turned. the fat will require to be poured off, once or twice. _potato puddings._ boil in a quart of milk, a bit of lemon peel, and some nutmeg. rub smooth, in a little cold milk, table-spoonsful of potato flour, and stir it, by degrees, into the hot milk; when cool, add sugar, and or eggs, or more as you like, put it into a dish, and bake an hour. add brandy or orange-flower water. _carrot pudding._ mix ½ lb. grated raw carrot with ½ lb. grated bread, and stir these into a pint of thick cream and the yolks of eggs well beaten, then stir in ½ lb. fresh butter, melted, spoonsful of orange-flower water, ½ a wine-glassful of brandy, a nutmeg grated, and sugar to your taste; stir all well together, and if too thick, add a very little new milk, pour it into a dish lined with paste and bake it an hour. _hasty pudding._ beat the yolk of an egg into ½ pint new milk with a little salt, stir this by degrees into table-spoonsful of flour, and beat it to a smooth batter. set ½ pint of milk on the fire; when scalding hot pour in the batter, keep stirring that it may be smooth and not burn: let it thicken, but not boil. serve it directly. _buttermilk pudding._ use fresh buttermilk, and make the same as batter pudding, but without eggs. this is very good, with roast meat.--_or_: warm quarts of milk with a quart of { }buttermilk, then pour it through a sieve; when the curd is dry, pound it with ½ lb. sugar, the peel of a lemon boiled till tender, the crumb of a roll, bitter almonds, oz. butter, the yolks of and whites of eggs, a tea-cupful of good cream, a wine-glassful of sweet wine and of brandy; mix well, and bake in small cups, well buttered. serve quite hot, with sweet sauce. _save-all pudding._ put scraps of bread, or dry pieces of home-made cake, into a saucepan, with milk according to the quantity of bread; when it boils, beat the bread smooth, add eggs, sugar, nutmeg, ginger, and lemon peel; put it into a buttered dish, and strew over the top oz. shred suet, or butter. bake or boil it three quarters of an hour. _currants_ or _raisins_ are an improvement. _camp puddings._ melt ¼ lb. butter in ½ pint of water, with a little salt, sugar to your taste, and grated lemon peel. when melted, stir in ¼ lb. flour, and when nearly cold, add eggs well beaten. bake in cups twenty minutes, or fry them in plenty of lard. _pretty puddings._ a pint of cream, or new milk, eggs (leave out whites), ½ a nutmeg grated, the pulp of large apples (boiled), ¼ lb. butter melted, and a tea-cupful of grated bread. beat it well together, sweeten to your taste, and bake it. _nursery pudding._ cut the crumb of a twopenny loaf in slices, pour on it a quart of boiling milk, cover close for ten minutes; beat it and stir in ¼ lb. fresh butter, eggs, a little nutmeg, and sugar. bake in patty-pans, or in a dish, half an hour. _arrow root pudding._ rub dessert-spoonsful of arrow root quite smooth in a little cold milk, pour upon it by degrees, stirring all the { }time, a pint of scalded new milk; put it on the fire a few minutes to thicken, but not boil; stir carefully, or it will be lumpy. when cold add sugar, and yolks of eggs. boil, or bake it half an hour. _ground rice pudding._ mix oz. ground rice with ½ pint of cold milk; scald ½ pint of new milk, and pour the rice and milk into it, stirring over the fire till it thickens: let it cool, then add eggs well beaten, oz. of powdered sugar, nutmeg, and a spoonful of orange-flower water, stir all well together, and bake in a dish, with a paste border, half an hour. currants may be added. it may be boiled in a mould, an hour. indian corn flour makes good puddings the same way; and there are preparations of indian corn, such as _soujie_, _semolina_, and _golden polenta_, which may be dressed in the same way. _semolina pudding._ mix oz. of semolina quite smooth, with a little cold milk, then pour over it a pint of boiled milk, and sweeten to your taste, then put it into a saucepan, and keep stirring till it boils, take it off the fire, and stir till only lukewarm; add a slice of butter, the yolks of eggs, the juice of a lemon, and a wine-glassful of brandy. bake in a dish lined with paste, half an hour. _indian corn mush._ the same thing as oatmeal porridge, but made of indian corn meal. boil quarts of water with a little salt, and mix it, by degrees, into lb. corn meal; boil very gently three quarters of an hour, stirring all the time, that the meal may not adhere to the bottom of the saucepan, and burn. _hommony._ boil one third of a pound of indian meal in water to cover it, for twenty minutes, or until nearly all the water is wasted; it must be like thick paste. put a piece of butter the size of a walnut into a vegetable dish, pour in the hommony, { }and serve it, like mashed turnips. dip your spoon in the middle when you help it. in some parts of america, what they call _hommony_ is made of the _cracked_ corn: and if so, it must be something of the same kind as our peas-pudding, but not boiled in a cloth. _polenta._ the best thing to prepare this in, is a three legged iron pot, hung over the fire. let the fire be hot, and also blazing, if possible. to a quart of water, when it boils, put in a little salt, then add oz. of meal, but be careful to do it in the following manner: while the water is boiling stir in half the meal first, but be sure to stir quickly all the time, or it may be lumpy, then you may put in the remainder at once, but keep stirring constantly. when it has been on the fire a quarter of an hour, cease to stir, take the pot off the fire and set it on the floor for two minutes, then put it on the fire again, and you will see the polenta first rise in a great puff, then break and fall; as soon as you perceive this, take it off the fire, and turn it out into a dish; it ought to come out quite clean, not leaving a particle adhering to the pot, else there has been some fault in the boiling. it is stirred with a long stick, thicker at one end than the other. of this the italians make an endless variety of dishes, some of which are the following: the most simple mode of dressing the polenta is thus: pour it from the boiling into a bowl, when cold turn it out; take a coarse thread in your two hands, put it on the side of the polenta away from you, draw the thread towards you, and you will find that it cuts a clean slice of polenta off, continue till you have cut it all into slices, and then you may dress them in different ways: the commonest is to cut the slices _thick_ and brown them on a gridiron. _whole rice pudding._ rice should be soaked an hour in cold water. wash well, and pick, a tea-cupful of good rice, boil it slowly ten minutes, in a little water, pour that off, and pour over the rice ½ pint of new milk; let the milk boil up, pour it into a deep dish, stir in a bit of butter, sugar to your taste, a little pounded cinnamon, and grated lemon peel; { }bake it, and it will be a good plain pudding. this is made richer by adding to the rice and milk, when poured into the dish, some sliced suet, and raisins, or candied peel, also or eggs.--_or_: apples pared, cored, and sliced, spread at the bottom of the dish, the rice and milk poured over them.--_little rice puddings_ are made by boiling the rice (after it has been parboiled in water) in a pint of cream, with a bit of butter; let it get quite cold, then mix with it the yolks of eggs, sugar, lemon peel, and cinnamon; butter some little cups, lay slices of candied citron, or lemon, at the bottom, fill up with rice, bake, turn them out in a dish, and pour sweet sauce round. ratafia is an improvement. _rice pudding to boil._ wash and pick ¼ lb. of rice, tie it in a cloth, leaving room to swell, boil it two hours. turn it out in a dish, pour melted butter and sifted sugar over.--_or_: apples sliced may be mixed with the rice when it is put into the pudding cloth.--_or_: boil ½ lb. of rice in ½ pint of milk till tender, then mix with it ½ lb. suet, and the same of currants and raisins chopped, eggs, table-spoonful of sugar, the same of brandy, a little nutmeg and lemon peel; beat well, put table-spoonsful of flour to bind it, and boil in a mould or bason three hours. _snow balls._ boil ½ lb. whole rice tender in water, with a large piece of lemon peel; drain off the water. pare and core large apples. divide the rice into equal parts, roll out each one, put an apple in, cover with the rice, and tie each one tightly up in a cloth, and boil half an hour. pour pudding sauce round. _buxton pudding._ boil pint new milk; rub smoothly with a little cold milk, table-spoonsful of flour, and mix it by degrees to the boiled milk, and set it over the fire, let it boil five minutes, then cool; stir in oz. melted butter, eggs, oz. lump sugar, and the rind of a lemon grated. bake half an hour. { }_vermicelli pudding._ boil ½ pint of new milk, put to it oz. fine vermicelli, boil them together till the latter is cooked; add ¼ lb. butter; the yolks of eggs, ¼ lb. sugar, a little cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon peel grated. boil in a bason; or bake twenty minutes. cream is an improvement. _sago, or tapioca pudding._ wash it in several waters, then soak it an hour. boil table-spoonsful in a quart of new milk, with sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel and nutmeg, to taste; when cold add eggs, bake it in a dish with a paste border, in a slow oven. some prefer the prepared sago powder. _pearl barley pudding._ wash table-spoonsful of pearl barley in cold water, then boil it two hours or till quite soft, in a quart of milk, then beat in eggs, some sugar, and drops of essence of lemon: bake it in a pie dish. _millet pudding._ wash oz. of the seeds, pour on them ½ pint of boiling milk, add oz. butter, a little sugar, ginger, and nutmeg; cover with a plate, and let it remain till cold, then stir in eggs: boil or bake it. _maccaroni pudding._ simmer oz. pipe maccaroni in ½ pint of milk, and a little salt, till tender. (_or_: simmer it in water, pour that off, then put the hot milk to the maccaroni.) let it cool, add the yolks of eggs, a little nutmeg, cinnamon, powdered sugar, and a table-spoonful of almond-flower water, and bake it.--_or_: to make it richer, put a layer of any preserve in the centre of the maccaroni. lay a paste round the edge of the dish.--_or_: simmer oz. maccaroni till tender, pour the water off, and let the maccaroni cool. beat the yolks of eggs, the whites of , and stir them into ½ pint of good cream, with a very little salt and pepper. { }skin and mince the breast of a cold fowl, with half its quantity of lean ham; grate ½ oz. parmesan over the mince, and mix it with all the rest; then pour it into a shape or bason; boil or steam it.--_excellent._ serve a good clear gravy with this. _a pudding always liked._ put ¼ lb. ratafia drops, oz. jar raisins stoned and slit in two, oz. sweet almonds slit and blanched, oz. of citron and candied lemon (both sliced), in layers in a deep dish, and pour over a wine-glassful of sherry and the same of brandy; pour over a good, rich, unboiled custard, to fill up the dish, then bake it. _cheese pudding._ grate ½ lb. of cheshire cheese into a table-spoonful of finely grated bread-crumbs, mix them up with eggs, a tea-cupful of cream, and the same of oiled butter; bake in a small dish lined with puff paste. serve this quite hot. _ratafia pudding._ blanch, and beat to a paste, in a mortar, ½ lb. of sweet, and ½ oz. of bitter, almonds, with a table-spoonful of orange-flower water; add oz. of fresh butter, melted in a wine-glassful of hot cream, eggs, sugar to taste, a very little nutmeg, and a table-spoonful of brandy. bake in a small dish, or little cups buttered: serve white wine sauce. _staffordshire pudding._ put into a scale eggs in the shells, take the same weight of butter, of flour, and of sugar: beat the butter to a cream, then add the flour, beat it again, then the sugar and eggs. butter cups, fill them half full, and bake twenty minutes in a slow oven. serve in sweet sauce. _baked almond pudding._ beat oz. of sweet and bitter almonds to a paste; mix this with the yolks of eggs, oz. butter, the grated peel { }and juice of a lemon, ½ pint of cream, a glass of white wine, and some sugar. put a paste border round a dish, pour in the pudding, and bake it half an hour. _wafer pudding._ melt oz. butter and mix it with a gill of cream; when this is cold, work it into ½ table-spoonful flour, and eggs, mix well, and bake it in saucers, half an hour. serve with wine sauce. _orange pudding._ grate the rind of a large seville orange into a mortar, put to it oz. fresh butter and oz. finely powdered sugar; beat well, and mix in, gradually, eggs; have ready soaked in milk sponge biscuits, and mix them to the rest; beat well, pour it into a shallow dish, lined with a rich puff paste, and bake till the paste is done.--_or_: the yolks of , and whites of , eggs well beaten, table-spoonsful of orange marmalade, oz. pounded sugar, oz. fresh butter, oz. pounded naples biscuits, table-spoonsful of cream, of sherry, and of good brandy; mix all together, and bake in a dish with a very thin paste. _lemon pudding._ put ½ lb. fresh butter with ½ lb. lump sugar into a saucepan, and stir it over the fire till the sugar is melted, turn it out to cool; beat eggs, very well, add to them the juice of , and the grated peel of , lemons, and mix these well with the butter and sugar, also a wine-glassful of brandy; bake in a dish lined with puff paste, half an hour.--_or_: boil in several waters the peel of large lemons, and when cold pound it in a mortar with ½ lb. of lump sugar; add ½ lb. fresh butter beaten to a cream, yolks of eggs, whites, table-spoonsful of brandy, and the juice of lemons, mix well, and bake in a moderately quick oven; when done strew sifted sugar over.--some persons put sponge biscuits into the mixture. _cabinet or brandy pudding._ line a mould, first with raisins stoned, or with dried { }cherries, then with thin slices of french roll, then with ratafias or maccaroons, then put in preserved, or fresh, fruit as you like, mixed with sponge, and what other cakes you choose, until the mould be full, sprinkling in at times glasses of brandy. beat eggs, yolks and whites, and put them into a pint of scalded and sweetened new milk or cream, add grated nutmeg and lemon peel; let the liquid sink gradually into the solid part, tie a floured cloth tight over, and boil the pudding one hour, keeping the bottom of the bason up.--_another_: pour a pint of hot cream over ½ lb. of savoy biscuit, and cover it; when cold, beat it up, with the yolks and whites of eggs, beaten separately, sugar and grated lemon peel: butter a mould, stick some stoned raisins round, and pour in the pudding: boil or bake it. _baked apple or gooseberry pudding._ having pared and cored them, stew lb. of apples, or quart of gooseberries, in a small stew-pan, with a very little water, a stick of cinnamon, or cloves, and grated lemon peel: when soft, pulp the apples through a sieve, sweeten them, or, if they want sharpness, add the juice of half, or a whole lemon, also ¼ lb. good fresh butter, and the yolks of eggs well beaten; line a pudding dish, or patty-pans, with a good puff paste; pour the pudding in, and bake half an hour, or less, as required. a little brandy, or orange-flower water, may be used.--you may mix oz. of naples biscuit, with the pulp of gooseberries. _another._--prepare the apples as in the last receipt: butter a dish and strew a very thick coating of crumbs of bread, put in the apples and cover with more crumbs; bake in a moderate oven half an hour, then turn it carefully out, and strew bits of lemon peel and finely sifted sugar over.--rice may be used instead of crumbs of bread, first boiled till quite tender in milk, then sweetened, and flavoured with nutmeg and pounded cinnamon; stir a large piece of butter into it. _quince pudding._ scald lb. fruit till tender, pare them, and scrape off all the pulp. strew over it pounded ginger and cinnamon, { }with sugar enough to sweeten it. to a pint of cream, put the yolks of eggs, and stir enough pulp to make it as thick as you like. pour it into a dish lined with puff paste, and bake it. any stone fruit may be coddled, then baked in the same way. _swiss apple pudding._ break some rusks in bits, and soak them in boiling milk. put a layer of sliced apples and sugar in a pudding dish, then a layer of rusks, and so on; finish with rusks, pour thin melted butter over, and bake it. _peach, apricot, and nectarine pudding._ pour a pint of boiling, thin cream, over a breakfast-cupful of bread-crumbs, and cover with a plate. when cold, beat them up with the yolks of eggs, sugar to taste, and a glass of white wine. scald large peaches, peel them, take out the kernels, pound these with the fruit, in a mortar, and mix with the other ingredients; put all into a dish with a paste border, and bake it. _another apricot pudding._--coddle large apricots till quite tender, cut them in quarters, sweeten to your taste, and when cold, add yolks of eggs and whites, well beaten, also a little cream. put this in a dish lined with puff paste, and bake it half an hour in a slow oven: strew powdered sugar over, and send it to table. for this and all delicate puddings requiring little baking, rather shallow dishes are best; and if the pudding is not to be _turned out_, a pretty paste border only is required; this formed of leaves neatly cut, and laid round the dish, their edges just laying over each other. _a charlotte._ cut slices of bread, an inch thick, butter them on both sides, and cut them into dice or long slips, and make them fit the bottom, and round the sides of a small buttered dish or baking tin, and fill up with apples which have been stewed, sweetened, and seasoned to taste; have some slices { }of bread soaked in warm milk and butter, cover these over the top, put a plate or dish on the top, and a weight on that, to keep it down, and bake in a quick oven: when done, turn it out of the dish.--this is very nice, made of layers of different sorts of marmalade or preserved fruit, and slices of stale sponge cake between each layer. _another of currants._--stew ripe currants with sugar enough to sweeten them: have ready a basin or mould buttered and lined with thin slices of bread and butter, pour in the stewed fruit hot, just off the fire, cover with more slices of bread and butter, turn a plate over, and a weight on that: let it stand till the next day, then turn it out, and pour cream or a thin custard round it, in the dish. _bakewell pudding._ line a dish with puff paste, spread over a variety of preserves, and pour over them the following mixture:--½ lb. clarified butter, ½ lb. lump sugar, yolks, and whites of eggs, and any thing you choose to flavour with; bake it in a moderate oven. when cold you may put stripes of candied lemon over the top, and a few blanched almonds. to be eaten cold.--this without any preserves is called _amber pudding_. _citron pudding._ mix ½ pint of good cream by degrees, with table-spoonful of fine flour, oz. of lump sugar, a little nutmeg and the yolks of eggs; pour it into a dish or little cups, stick in oz. of citron cut very fine, and bake in a moderate oven. _maccaroon pudding._ pour a pint of boiling cream or new milk, flavoured with cinnamon and lemon peel, over ¼ lb. maccaroon and ¼ lb. almond cakes; when cold break them small, add the yolks of and the whites of eggs, table-spoonsful of orange marmalade, oz. fresh butter, oz. sifted sugar, a glass of sherry, and one of brandy mixed: mix well, put it into cups, and bake fifteen minutes. { }_new college pudding._ (the original receipt.) grate a stale penny loaf, shred fine ½ lb. suet, beat eggs, and mix all well together, with oz. of sifted sugar, a little nutmeg, a wine-glassful of brandy, a little candied orange and lemon peel, and a little rose or orange flower water. fry these in good butter, and pour melted butter with a glass of white wine over them in the dish. the several ingredients may be prepared apart, but must not be mixed till you are ready to fry them.--_another_: to oz. of grated bread add oz. suet shred fine, oz. currants, eggs, table-spoonsful of brandy, with sugar, lemon peel, and nutmeg to your taste; mix well together, make into little puddings, and boil them an hour. _paradise pudding._ pare and chop apples very fine, mix them with oz. bread-crumbs, oz. powdered sugar, oz. currants, eggs, oz. of suet, a little salt, nutmeg, and lemon peel, also a glass of brandy. boil in a bason one hour and a half. _yeast or light dumplings._ put ½ table-spoonful of good yeast into as much lukewarm water as will mix a quartern of fine flour into dough; add a little salt, knead it lightly, cover with a cloth, and let it stand in rather a warm place, not exposed to a current of air, two hours. make it into dumplings, let them stand half an hour, put them into a large vessel of boiling water, keep the lid on, and they will be done in fifteen or twenty minutes. serve melted butter. _hard dumplings._ sprinkle a little salt into the flour and mix it up rather stiff with water, make it into dumplings, and boil them with beef or pork. they may be made in cakes as broad as a small plate, about an inch thick; place a skimmer in the pot, lay the cake on it, boil it half an hour; score it deeply, and slip slices of butter in, sprinkle a little salt over, and serve it quite hot. a very little _lard_ may be rubbed into the flour. { }_pancakes._ the batter requires long beating, but the great art consists in frying them. the lard, butter, or dripping must be fresh and hot, as for fish. beat eggs and stir them, with a little salt, into table-spoonsful of flour, or allow an egg to each spoonful of flour, add pounded cinnamon, and, by degrees, a pint of new milk, and beat it to a smooth batter. make a small round frying-pan quite hot, put a piece of butter or lard into it, and, when melted, pour it out and wipe the pan; put a piece more in, and when it has melted and begins to froth, pour in a ladle or tea-cupful of the batter, toss the pan round, run a knife round the edges, and turn the pancake when the top is of a light brown; brown the other side; roll it up, and serve very hot. currant jelly, or marmalade, may be spread thinly on the pancake before it is rolled up. cream and more eggs will make it richer; also brandy or lemon juice. _whole rice pancakes._ boil ½ lb. rice in water till quite tender, strain, and let it cool; then break it very fine, and add ½ lb. clarified butter, ½ pint of scalded cream, or new milk, a little salt, nutmeg, and eggs, well beaten. mix well, and fry them. garnish with slices of lemon, or seville orange. _ground rice pancakes._ stir, by degrees, into a quart of new milk, table-spoonsful of ground rice, and a little salt; stir it over the fire till it is as thick as pap; stir in ½ lb. butter and grated nutmeg, and let it cool; add table-spoonsful of flour, a little sugar, and eggs; beat well, and fry them. _fritters._ make batter the same as pancakes, but stiffer; pour a large spoonful into boiling lard; fry as many at a time as the pan will hold. sift powdered sugar over, and serve on a hot dish. fritters are usually made with minced apple or currants, stirred into the batter, or any sweetmeat stiff enough to be cut into little bits, or candied lemon or orange { }peel.--_or_: grate the crumb of a stale roll, beat it smooth in a pint of milk over the fire, then let it get cold, and mix it with the yolks of eggs, oz. sifted sugar, and ½ a nutmeg. fry in boiling lard, and serve hot. sweet sauce in a tureen. _curd fritters_--rub a quart basin full of dried curd with the yolks of and whites of eggs; oz. sugar, ½ a nutmeg grated, and a dessert-spoonful of flour; beat well, and drop the batter into boiling lard. _apple fritters_--make a stiff common pancake batter. boil ½ a stick of cinnamon in a breakfast-cupful of water, and let it cool. peel and core some large apples, cut them in round slices, and steep them half an hour, or more, in the cinnamon water; then dip each piece in the batter, and fry them in lard, or clarified dripping. drain, dust sugar over each one, and serve hot.--_or_: to make a pretty dish, drop enough batter into the pan to form a fritter the size of the slices of apple, lay a slice of apple upon that, and drop batter on the top.--_or_: the apples may be pared, cored, half baked (whole), then dipped in the batter, and fried. _a rice white pot._ boil lb. whole rice quite tender, in quarts of new milk, strain, and beat it in a mortar with ¼ lb. blanched almonds, and a little rose water. boil quarts of cream with a blade or of mace, let it cool, and stir into it eggs well beaten, sweeten to taste, pour it into the rice, mix well, and bake half an hour. lay some slices of candied orange and citron on the top before you put it into the oven.--_or_: to a quart of new milk add the yolks of and the whites of eggs, a table-spoonful of rose water, and oz. sugar; beat well, and pour it into a pie dish, over some thin slices of bread: bake it half an hour. _pain perdu._ boil a pint of cream, or new milk; when cold, stir in eggs and put in a french roll, cut in slices, to soak an hour. fry the slices in butter, of a light brown, and serve with pudding sauce poured over. { }chapter xxi. bread, cakes, biscuits, rolls, and muffins. almost every county has its peculiar fashion of making bread: and almost every hand differs in the practice. the receipt here given is the one followed by most persons in hampshire; and i select it, being the one i am most familiar with, and not because that county is famed for excellence in bread; for much depends upon the goodness of the flour, and some other parts of england excel hampshire in this respect. good bread is so essential, that no pains ought to be spared to procure it. for this purpose the flour ought to be well prepared, and kept in a dry place. some persons like brown bread, but it is not, in general, so wholesome as that which is all white. six pounds of rye flour, to a peck of wheaten flour, makes very good bread. the advantages of making bread _at home_, in preference to buying it at the baker's, are stated in cobbett's "cottage economy"; and i refer my readers to that little work, to convince them that they will benefit greatly by following the advice there given on this subject. small beer yeast is the best for making bread, as ale, or strong beer yeast, is generally too bitter. _to take the bitter from yeast._--put the yeast to the water you use to mix the "batter," or as the country people call it, "set the sponge," and stir into it or good handfuls of bran; pour it through a sieve or jelly bag (kept for the purpose), and then mix it into the flour. the bran not only corrects the bitterness of the yeast, but communicates a sweetness to the bread.--_or_: put into the yeast or pieces of wood coal, stir them about, pour the water in, and then strain it. { }_household bread._ (from cobbett's cottage economy.) "supposing the quantity to be a bushel of flour, put it into the trough, and make a deep hole in the middle. stir into a pint (or if very thick and good, ½ or ¾ pint), of yeast, a pint of soft warm water, and pour it into the hole in the flour. in very cold weather the water should be nearly hot, in very warm weather only lukewarm. take a spoon and work it round the outside of this body of moisture, so as to bring into that body, by degrees, flour enough to form a _thin batter_, which you must stir about well for a minute or two. then take a handful of flour and scatter it thinly over the head of this batter, so as to _hide_ it. cover a cloth over the trough to keep the air from the bread, and the thickness of this covering, as well as the situation of the trough as to distance from the fire, must depend on the nature of the place and state of the weather, as to heat and cold. when you perceive that the batter has risen enough to make _cracks_ in the flour that you covered it over with, you begin to form the whole mass into _dough_, thus: you begin round the hole containing the batter, working the flour into the batter, and pouring in, as it is wanted, soft water, or half milk and half water, in winter a _little_ warm, in summer quite cold; but before you begin this, you scatter the salt over the heap, at the rate of a lb. to a bushel of flour. when you have got the whole _sufficiently moist_, you _knead it well_. this is a grand part of the business; for unless the dough be _well worked_, there will be _little round lumps of flour in the loaves_; besides which, the original batter, which is to give fermentation to the whole, will not be duly mixed. the dough must, therefore, be well worked. the _fists_ must go heartily into it. it must be rolled over; pressed out; folded up, and pressed out again, until it be completely mixed, and formed into a _stiff_ and _tough dough_." the loaves are made up according to fancy, both as to size and shape; but the time they require to bake will greatly depend upon the former, for the household loaf of a hampshire farm-house takes three hours or three hours and a half, while that of a norfolk farm-house does not, i should imagine, require half the time. { }_french bread or rolls._ warm ½ pint of milk, add ½ pint yeast; mix them with fine flour to a thick batter, put it near the fire to rise, keeping it covered. when it has risen as high as it will, add ¼ pint of warm water, ½ oz. salt, oz. butter; rub the butter first with a little dry flour, mix the dough not quite so stiff as for common bread; let it stand three quarters of an hour to rise, then make it into rolls. bake in a quick oven. _rice bread._ to ¼ lb. wheat flour, allow lb. rice; the latter first boiled in four times its weight of water, till it becomes a perfect pulp, then mix by degrees, the flour with the rice, and sufficient yeast for the quantity of bread; knead and set it to rise. it was the fashion in this country to present a variety of cakes, some hot and some cold, on the tea-table; but now, except in some of the northern counties, the good custom is obsolete. in america, it is the general custom to dine early, to take tea rather late, and no supper; and there the tea table is a matter of as much consideration as the dinner table is in england or france. every house in america, especially in the country, has one, two, or more cottage ovens of various sizes. i believe that these very useful things are known in some parts of england, but i never saw them except in america. they are particularly adapted to open fire-places, where wood or peat are burnt. they are much the same as the iron pots, which stand on legs, except that the bottom of the oven is flat, not round, and that the lid fits into the top, leaving a space sufficient to hold a layer of hot coals: the oven stands upon legs, at a little distance from the ground, to admit of hot coals being placed under it. a loaf the size of our quartern loaf may be baked in this way, as well as tarts, cakes, custards, apples, pears, &c., &c. by means of this little oven, much labour and fuel are saved. another appendage to an american kitchen, is the _girdle_ for baking many sorts of cakes, and crumpets; and on this girdle they cook their far-famed buckwheat cakes. it is a round iron plate with a handle over it, which is hung upon the crane upon which { }iron pots are hung, or it will stand upon a trivet, and then the crumpets are cooked in the same way as pancakes; and are much better thus, fresh made, than as they are generally eaten. in the country, where eggs, cream, and flour (the chief ingredients), are always to be obtained in perfection, there is no excuse for an absence of cakes for the tea, or of rolls at the breakfast table. in most houses, there are young ladies who might attend to this department, with very little loss of time, and with much credit to themselves, and i should be glad if i saw reason to hope that those who are now growing up would not despise the practice. the more difficult and intricate articles of ornamental confectionary, may be too troublesome for any but professors of the art; but all _cakes_ may be made at home. nothing worth knowing, is to be learned without trouble; but in the art of making and baking cakes, few failures can arise after any number of trials. flour for cakes should be of the best quality, well dried, and sifted. the eggs fresh, beaten separately, and beaten well. currants well washed, picked, and dried in a cloth, or before the fire. the ingredients thoroughly mixed, and the cake put into the oven _instantly_, unless there be yeast, and then time must be given for it to rise. sal volatile is used, not to make cakes rise, but to prevent their flattening, after they have risen, but though the practice may not be injurious, it had better be avoided. yeast ought to be sweet, white, and thick; and may be prepared in the manner directed for bread. pearl-ash is sometimes used to lighten bread and cakes. an iceing is made as follows: to ½ lb. finely sifted sugar put the whites of eggs, beaten with a little water; beat all well with a whisk till quite smooth, and spread it thickly over the cake, with a spoon; for small cakes, put it on lightly, with a brush. ovens vary so much, that experience alone can teach what quantity of fuel, and what portion of time may be required to heat any particular one. when such knowledge is once obtained, it will be a matter of no great difficulty so to manage the oven that it be always of the right temperature; which it must be, or all labour is lost. cakes keep moist covered with a cloth, in a pan. { }_common currant loaf._ melt ¼ lb. butter in a pint of milk, and mix it with oz. yeast and eggs, then stir it into lbs. flour, beat well with a wooden spoon, and set it before the fire to rise; then add lb. currants, and oz. sifted sugar, and bake it an hour in a moderate oven. _a rich plum cake._ to lb. each, of currants and flour, rubbed together, add oz. fresh butter beaten to a cream. beat the whites and yolks of eggs, put to them nearly lb. finely powdered sugar, set this mixture over the fire, and whisk it till the eggs are warm; then take it off, beat till cold, and stir in, first, the butter, then the flour and currants; beat well, add ½ oz. bitter almonds, beaten to a paste, oz. sweet almonds, blanched, and cut the long way, ½ oz. pounded cinnamon and mace, and ½ lb. candied peel, either citron, lemon, or orange, or a portion of each; add a little brandy or any highly flavoured liquor. paper a hoop and pour in the cake. an hour and a half, or two hours will bake it.--_another_: beat lb. butter to a cream, put to it ¾ lb. sifted sugar, and a little rose or orange flower water, beat it; then add yolks of eggs, the whites of , ½ lb. almonds, blanched and beaten, ½ lb. currants, a little each, of cinnamon, mace, cloves, nutmeg, and ginger, and lb. flour. you may add table-spoonsful of brandy, oz. citron, oz. candied lemon peel, and the same of orange peel. bake two hours. _a very good cake._ beat lbs. fresh butter, with a little rose water, till it is like cream; rub it into lbs. well dried flour; add the peel of a lemon grated, lb. loaf sugar pounded and sifted, eggs (beat the whites by themselves, the yolks with the sugar), a ¼ pint of brandy, the same of lisbon or marsala, ½ lbs. currants, ½ lb. almonds, blanched and cut in slices, beat well together, put it into a buttered tin or dish, bake two hours. candied lemon or citron may be added. { }_pound cake._ to lb. flour add lb. butter beaten to a cream, and eggs: beat well, add sifted sugar, and grated lemon peel. you may add currants or carraways, to your taste. beat well, and bake in rather a quick oven, an hour. _common cake._ to lbs. flour, add ½ lb. butter, ½ lb. sugar, eggs, lb. currants, oz. candied citron or lemon, oz. carraway seeds, a little nutmeg, and table-spoonsful yeast. beat well, for half an hour, then put it in the oven _directly_. _a cake without butter._ take the weight of eggs (in their shells), in sifted sugar, and the weight of in flour: beat the eggs, add first, the sugar, then the flour, the rinds of large lemons grated, and a wine-glassful of sherry or brandy. bake in a tin mould in a quick oven.--_another_: to a quartern of dough add ½ lb. butter, eggs, ½ lb. currants, and ½ lb. sugar, beat all well together more than half an hour, and bake in a buttered tin. _a rich seed cake._ mix lb. sifted sugar into lb. flour, and stir in, by degrees, eggs, beaten, whisk well together, and add oz. sweet almonds blanched and cut, some candied citron, lemon, and orange peel, and oz. butter, beaten to a cream; a little pounded cinnamon, mace, and carraway seeds. pour it into a papered hoop, and strew carraways on the top.--_or_: put lbs. flour into a deep pan, and mix in ¼ lb. sifted white sugar. make a hole in the centre, pour in ½ pint of lukewarm milk and table-spoonsful good yeast; stir a little of the flour in, cover a cloth lightly over, and let it stand an hour and a half to rise. then work it up, with ½ lb. melted butter, a little allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and oz. carraway seeds; adding warm milk sufficient to work it to a proper stiffness. butter a hoop or dish, and pour in the cake; let it stand in a warm place another half hour to rise, then bake it. you may add table-spoonsful of brandy. { }_a rice cake._ mix oz. ground rice, oz. sugar, the grated peel of ½ a lemon, the yolks of and whites of eggs, and table-spoonful orange flower water; break the eggs into a deep pan, and put the rice flour to them at once, mix it with a wooden spoon, then add the sugar and the other ingredients; beat well for twenty minutes, and it will be a fine light sponge; then immediately half fill the moulds, put them into a moderate oven, and bake three quarters of an hour, of a light brown colour. _little rice cakes_-- lb. ground rice, lb. oz. sugar, ¾ lb. butter, eggs, and flour to make it into a stiff paste.--_or_: lb. sugar, ½ lb. flour, ½ lb. ground rice, oz. butter, yolks and whites of eggs. both these require long beating. roll the paste out, cut it in shapes, and bake on buttered tins. some persons add a few drops of the essence of lemon, and of almond flavour. _harvest cake._ mix into lbs. flour ¼ oz. of powdered allspice; in another bowl put ¾ lb. sugar, either moist or lump, oz. butter, eggs, table-spoonsful of yeast; beat well, then mix in the flour, with ¾ lb. currants, and warm milk and water, to make up the cake; set it by the fire an hour to rise. _temperance cake._ rub ¼ lb. butter into lb. flour, add ½ lb. moist sugar, ½ lb. currants, and a tea-spoonful of carbonate of soda, dissolved in a ¼ pint of warm milk; mix well, and bake it in a tin. _sponge cake._ the weight of eggs in sifted sugar, and the weight of in fine flour; beat the eggs separately, stir the sugar into the yolks, and beat well, then put in the whites and beat again, add a little nutmeg and rose-water, and just before you put the cake into the oven, stir the flour lightly into the eggs and sugar. this cake must be beaten with a whisk. bake, in rather a quick oven, three quarters, or nearly an hour.--_or_: beat, separately, the yolks and whites of eggs, { }put them together, add grated lemon peel, and oz. fine sugar, beat again an hour and a half, then stir in as lightly as possible oz. flour, previously dried before the fire.--_or_: boil ¾ lb. lump sugar in ½ pint of water to a syrup; beat eggs well, and pour the syrup, boiling hot, into them, stirring all the time; then beat it three quarters of an hour, and just before it is put in the oven, stir in lightly oz. of fine flour, pour it in a mould, and bake in a slow oven. lemon peel may be added. some persons put in a dessert-spoonful of essence of lemon. _marlborough cake._ beat eggs, strain, and put to them lb. finely sifted sugar, and beat the mixture well half an hour; then put in ½ lb. well dried flour, and oz. carraway seeds, beat well five minutes, pour it into shallow tin pins, and bake in a quick oven. _gingerbread._ put ¼ lb. treacle on the fire, and as it gets hot, take off the scum; stir in ¼ lb. of fresh butter, and let it cool; then mix it into a paste with ½ lb. flour, oz. brown sugar, a little ginger, and allspice; cut it into shapes, and bake on tins. more butter, or a little cream may be added. candied orange, lemon peel, or carraway seeds, may be added.--_another_: mix lb. flour, ½ lb. butter (rubbed in), ½ lb. brown sugar, lemon, ginger, and ½ lb. treacle; let it stand all night, and bake it the next day. _soft gingerbread_--six tea-cupfuls of flour, of treacle, of cream, and of butter, eggs, a table-spoonful of pearl-ash, dissolved in cold water, a table-spoonful of ginger, tea-spoonful of pounded cloves, and a few raisins, stoned; mix well, and bake in a rather slow oven. _gingerbread nuts_--they may be made the same way as the receipt before the last, adding more spice. cut in small cakes, or drop them from a spoon, and bake on paper. _parliament_--melt ¾ lb. butter with lbs. treacle, and lb. sugar, add ½ oz. ginger, the juice and grated rind of a lemon, and sufficient flour to make it into a paste: roll out thin, cut it into cakes, and bake it. { }_parkin._ mix lbs. of meal with lbs. treacle, lb. sugar, lb. butter, and ½ oz. ginger, with a tumbler full of brandy and rum; add nutmeg and mace if you like, and bake in large cakes. _volatile cakes._ melt ½ lb. butter, and stir in eggs, tea-spoonful of powdered volatile salts, dissolved in a tea-spoonful of milk, ½ lb. flour, ¼ lb. finely powdered loaf sugar, a few currants and carraway seeds. mix well, and drop the cakes on tins. they will rise very much. bake in a quick oven. _ginger or hunting cakes._ to lbs. sugar, add lb. butter, oz. ginger, and a nutmeg grated; rub these into lb. flour, and wet it with a pint of warm cream, or as much as is sufficient; roll out in thin cakes, and bake in a slack oven. _rough cakes._ rub oz. butter into lb. flour, ½ lb. sifted sugar, ½ lb. currants, and a little mace or lemon peel, break in eggs, work it all into a rough paste, and drop on tins. you may add oz. almonds. _ginger rock cakes._ pound lb. of loaf sugar, leaving a part of it as large as hemp seed; beat the whites of eggs to a froth, add a dessert-spoonful of refined ginger (sold by the druggists in bottles), mix well with a tea-spoon, drop it on tins, and bake in a moderate oven, a quarter of an hour. _plain biscuits._ to lb. flour, put the yolk of egg, and milk sufficient to mix it to a stiff paste, knead it smooth, then roll out thin, cut it in round shapes, prick with a fork, and bake them in a slow oven.--_or_: to lb. flour add ¼ lb. butter, beaten to a cream, oz. loaf sugar, eggs, and some { }carraway seeds: beat well for an hour, and pour the biscuits on tins, each one a large spoonful. if not sufficiently thin and smooth, add another egg, or a little milk.--_or_: rub oz. fresh butter very smooth into oz. flour, add oz. sifted sugar, and a table-spoonful of carraways: then add the yolks of eggs, and a table-spoonful of cream. bake in a quick oven. _indian corn biscuits._ to ½ lb. butter, add oz. pounded sugar, and eggs; when well mixed, add ¾ lb. corn flour, a little nutmeg, and carraway seeds, beat well, and bake on little tins.--_or_: into ¾ lb. flour, rub oz. butter, add oz. sifted sugar, and nearly oz. carraway seeds; make into a paste with eggs, roll out thin, and cut them in any shape you like. _dr. oliver's biscuits._ put lbs. flour into a shallow pan, mix table-spoonful of yeast with a little warm water, and pour it into a hole in the middle of the flour, work a little of the flour into the yeast, and set the pan before the fire a quarter of an hour. melt ¼ lb. butter in milk to mix the flour into a stiff paste, and bake on tins. _lemon biscuits._ beat the yolks of , and the whites of eggs, with lb. loaf sugar: when the oven is ready, add table-spoonsful rose water, oz. flour, the juice and rind of lemons, grated, a few almonds if you choose. bake in a quick oven.--_or_: mix lb. sifted sugar with ¼ lb. butter melted, the rind of a lemon grated, eggs, and a very little flour: roll into little flat cakes, and bake on tins. _rusks._ boil a quart of milk, let it cool, then put to it ½ pint of yeast, eggs, oz. coriander seeds, oz. carraway seeds, a little ginger, and ¼ lb. finely pounded sugar, beat these together and add flour to make a stiff paste: divide it into { }long thin bricks, put these on tins and set them before the fire a short time to rise, then bake them. when cold, cut in slices, and dry them in a slack oven.--_or_: melt ½ lb. butter in a quart of milk, let it cool, add egg, ½ pint yeast, and oz. sifted sugar, beat this a few minutes, then work in flour to make a light dough, and set it by the fire to rise. make this into little loaves, bake them on tins, in a quick oven; when half done take them out of the oven, split, and put them back to finish. _maccaroons, and ratafia cakes._ blanch, and pound, with the whites of eggs, lb. of sweet almonds, lbs. fine sugar, and beat it to a paste; add more whites of eggs and beat well again. drop it from a knife, on buttered paper, and bake on tins. _ratafia cakes._--the same as maccaroons, only use half bitter and half sweet almonds. _jumbles._ rub ½ lb. flour, ½ lb. sifted sugar, with ¼ lb. butter, add a table-spoonful brandy and eggs; keep out part of the flour to roll them out with; twist them up, and bake on tins. if too soft, leave out white of egg. _small plum cakes._ mix lbs. flour with lb. sugar, rub in lb. butter, lb. currants, add eggs. when well mixed, roll out the paste equally thin and flat; cut it into small round cakes with a wine-glass, and bake them in a moderate oven.--_or_: do not _cut_, but _pull_ it into small cakes. _small carraway cakes._ mix lb. flour, oz. butter, or table-spoonsful of yeast, yolks of eggs and white, into a paste, with cream. set it before the fire half an hour, to rise; add a small tea-cupful of sugar and ½ lb. carraway seeds. roll out into cakes, wash them over with rose water and sugar, and prick the top, with a knife. the oven rather quick. { }_shrewsbury cakes._ beat ½ lb. butter to a cream, mix it with oz. sifted sugar, oz. flour, pounded cinnamon, carraway seeds, eggs, and a little rose water. roll out the paste a ¼ inch thick, cut the cakes into shapes, and bake on tins in a slack oven. _shortbread._ melt lb. butter and pour it on lbs. flour, ½ a tea-cupful of yeast, and oz. carraway seeds; sweeten to your taste, and knead well. roll out thin, cut this into pieces, pinch round the edges, prick well with a fork, and bake on tins.--_or_: rub ½ lb. butter, melted without water, into the th of a peck of flour, add oz. sifted sugar, oz. each of candied orange, citron and blanched almonds, all these cut in rather large pieces; work it together, but not too much, or the cake will not be crisp; roll the paste out, about ½ inch thick, divide it into cakes, pinch the edges neatly, and mark them on the top with a fork; strew carraways, strips of citron, and little bits of almonds on the top, and bake on buttered papers. _derby short cakes._ rub lb. butter into lbs. flour, ½ lb. sifted sugar, egg, and milk to make it into a paste. roll out thin, cut the cakes in slices, and bake on tins, twenty minutes. _cinnamon cakes._ beat eggs, with a coffee-cupful of rose water, add lb. sifted sugar, ¼ oz. pounded cinnamon, and sufficient flour to make it into a paste. roll out thin, and stamp it into small cakes. bake on paper. _rout cakes._ beat lb. butter to a cream, and stir in the yolks of eggs, oz. flour, some grated lemon peel, and a few pounded almonds, or some orange flower water. mix well, and pour it into a mould not more than an inch high, and lined with paper; bake it, and when it has cooled, cut it into { }shapes, with a sharp knife; moisten the sides of these with sugar, and crisp them before the fire. _queen cakes._ lb. well dried flour, lb. butter, worked to a cream, lb. sifted sugar, and eggs. beat the yolks and whites separately, put half the sugar into the butter, and the other half into the eggs, beat them well, then beat all together, except the flour, which must be lightly dredged in as you continue beating the mixture, and shaking in ½ lb. currants. _buns._ mix ½ lb. moist sugar with lbs. flour, make a hole in the centre, and stir in ½ pint of lukewarm milk and a _full_ table-spoonful of yeast. cover it for two hours, in a warm place. melt to an oil, lb. butter, stir it into the mixture in the middle of the pan, and, by degrees, work it into a soft dough, dust it over with flour, cover with a cloth, and let it stand another hour. make it into buns the size of a large egg, then lay them on a floured paste-board, and put them before the fire to rise to the proper size; bake on tins, in a hot oven; when done, brush them over with milk.--_cross buns_: in the same way, adding to the plain buns, about oz. of ground allspice, mace, and cinnamon; when half baked, take them out of the oven, and press the form of a cross on the top; brush them over with milk when done.--_another for plain buns_: melt oz. butter, mix it well with eggs, ½ lb. sifted sugar, lb. flour, and a tea-spoonful of volatile salts dissolved in a tea-spoonful of warm milk; add ¼ lb. currants, with seeds to taste, and bake ten minutes. a tea-spoonful of essence of lemon, and one drop of essence of almond may be added.--_seed or plum buns_: mix into the same quantity of bun dough as the first receipt, oz. carraway seeds, or currants, or smyrna raisins. butter small tart pans, mould the dough into buns, put one into each pan, and set them to rise; ice them, with white of egg, dust fine sugar over, and dissolve that by sprinkling water lightly over. bake them ten minutes, in a quick oven. mark the edges, and ice the top, or not, as you choose.--_bath buns_: rub ½ lb. butter { }into lb. flour, wet it with eggs, and a wine-glassful of yeast, set it before the fire to rise; add oz. sifted sugar, and a few carraway seeds. make into buns, brush them over with white of egg, and strew sugar carraways over the top. _sally lumm's tea cakes._ warm a pint of new milk, or cream, with oz. butter; then add ¼ lb. flour to make it a stiff dough. roll to the size you choose, and bake it on a tin. when done, cut it in or more slices, butter, and send it to table directly; if it wait before the fire it will quickly be spoiled.--some add eggs, a little yeast, and sugar, to make it eat shorter. _breakfast cakes._ rub oz. butter into lb. flour, and a little salt. mix egg with a table-spoonful of yeast, and a little warm milk, and wet the flour, using as much milk as is required to make a light batter, as for fritters; beat well with the hand, then cover, and let it stand three or four hours, in a warm place, to rise. add flour to make it into a paste to roll out. make the cakes the size you choose, let them stand half an hour before the fire, prick them in the middle, with a skewer, and bake in a quick oven.--_or_: mix pint of cream, eggs, a table-spoonful of yeast, and a little salt, into ½ lb. flour. cover and let it rise. bake on tins.--_or_: melt ¼ lb. butter in new milk enough to wet up lbs. flour, add eggs, table-spoonsful yeast, and wet up the flour; let it stand ten minutes, make it into cakes, prick them with a fork, and let them stand covered near the fire, half an hour; bake in a moderate oven, a quarter of an hour. _yorkshire cakes._ mix ½ pint of warm milk, with a tea-spoonful of good yeast, into flour to make a thick batter; let it stand, covered, in a warm place, to rise. rub oz. butter into a little flour, add eggs, mix well, then mix it with the batter, add flour enough to work it into a stiff dough, and let it stand again a quarter of an hour; then knead again, { }and break it into small cakes, roll round and smooth, then put them on tins, cover lightly, and set them by the fire fifteen minutes, to rise, before you put them into the oven. _roehampton rolls._ to lb. of flour, add the whites of eggs, oz. butter, and spoonful of yeast, wet it with milk into a stiff dough; let this rise, before the fire, an hour, make it into rolls, and bake ten minutes.--_or_: to ½ pint of yeast add eggs, lumps of sugar, a piece of butter the size of an egg, and quarts of milk, beat well, and strain in as much fine flour as it will take up, mix well, and divide it into rolls; set them before the fire, an hour, then bake half an hour. _muffins._ mix a pint of scalded milk, with ¼ pint fresh yeast, and flour to make a thick batter. set it in a warm place to rise. rub oz. butter in a little flour and add it to the batter, with flour to make it into dough; cover and let it stand again; knead well, and make it into muffins: put them on tins, let them stand a quarter of an hour, then bake them. _crumpets._ mix a quart of good milk into flour to make a thick batter, add a little salt, egg, and a table-spoonful of small beer yeast; beat well, cover, and let it stand near the fire half an hour, to rise. hang the girdle, or put the frying-pan over the fire, and when hot wipe it clean with a wet cloth. tie a piece of butter in muslin, and rub it over the girdle: then pour on it a tea-cupful of batter, and as it begins to cook, raise the edge all round, with a sharp knife; when one side is done, turn it and bake the other side. when done, put it in a plate before the fire, rub the girdle with the buttered rag, and pour in another cupful of batter, then spread butter over the one in the plate, and so on, till they are all baked. send a few at a time, quite hot, to table. crumpets made thus are lighter than in the common way. rye flour makes excellent cakes this way, and likewise indian corn meal. n.b.--receipts for various ways of cooking _indian corn_ flour or meal will be found in "cobbett's cottage economy." { }_scotch slim cakes._ rub oz. butter into ½ lb. flour, mix it into a light dough with eggs and warm milk. roll lightly out, and cut them round, the size of a saucer, bake them, as directed, for crumpets. butter, and serve them quite hot. chapter xxii. confectionary. as i should always have recourse to the confectioner for all ornamental dishes, i shall give under this head, only such things as may be prepared at home with comparatively little risk of failure, and consequent waste of materials; observing, at the same time, that the plainest custard requires as much attention as the richest cream, and that all sweet dishes require to be flavoured with judgment. it is impossible to produce delicate creams, jellies, &c., &c., unless the ingredients, particularly cream, milk, and eggs, be perfectly fresh, and unless there be _enough_ of them. if served in glasses or dishes, use only eggs; but, if the cream is to be turned out of a shape, isinglass must be used to stiffen it. the quantity greatly depends upon the size of the shape; oz. to a pint is the general allowance, but more is often necessary.--the sugar used in jellies ought to be clarified, for one point of excellence is clearness.--to prevent oiling, put a little rose water into the mortar in which you pound almonds.--where there is much practice in making sweet dishes, all the vessels should be kept wholly for that purpose. jelly bags and sieves delicately clean, always dipped into, and wrung out of, hot water, before they are used. _common custards._ to ½ pint new milk, put a little piece of lemon peel cut { }very thin, a little cinnamon, and bitter almonds blanched and pounded. simmer the milk ten minutes. then strain, and when cool, put to it a pint of cream, the yolks of eggs, table-spoonsful sifted sugar, and set it in a saucepan over the fire. stir one way, all the time; take care that it do not burn, and not boil. when thick enough it will be done, and a minute or two too much will cause it to turn. when taken from the fire, add half a glass of brandy, and stir a quarter of an hour before you pour it into cups. in case of no cream, use more eggs.--_or:_ mix a table-spoonful of rice flour in a little cold milk, and add the beaten yolks of eggs. have ready boiled, a quart of new milk, with a bit of lemon peel, and cinnamon; let it cool, then stir the eggs and some sugar into it: let it thicken over the fire, but not boil, stirring all the time. take it off the fire, pour it into a jug, and stir till cool. serve in cups, or a glass dish, and grate nutmeg over. some persons boil custards in a jug, set into a deep saucepan of water, which is kept boiling. _rich custards to bake, or boil._ boil a quart of cream with mace and cinnamon. take it off the fire, add sugar to taste, and let it stand till no warmer than milk from the cow; then add eggs, well beaten. strain it, and fill the cups very full. the oven must be as hot as for tarts, and the cups often turned; or finish by boiling them in a jug stood in boiling water, but keep stirring all the while. brandy is an improvement, in the proportion of a wine-glassful to a quart. some flavour with ratafia, peach water, or orange flower water. a dessert-spoonful of isinglass will add to the firmness of custards made entirely of milk. _lemon custards._ beat the yolks of eggs till they are as white as milk, add the grated rinds and juice of lemons, sweeten to taste; pour in a pint of boiling water and stir over the fire till it thickens, add a wine-glassful of white wine, and the same of brandy, stir over the fire again for a few minutes, then pour it into cups. { }_orange custards._ beat the rind of a seville orange (previously boiled), to a paste, and mix it with a dessert-spoonful of brandy, the juice of a lemon, oz. sugar, and the yolks of eggs; beat it well, a quarter of an hour, and pour in, by degrees, a pint of boiling cream; keep on beating till cold, then pour it into cups, and set them in a deep dish in boiling water, till very thick. _spanish custards._ set ½ pint of thin cream over the fire, leaving out a tea-cupful; put in or bitter almonds, and ¼ oz. isinglass dissolved in a basin with boiling water enough to cover it; simmer for three-quarters of an hour, or till the isinglass is dissolved; mix smoothly into the cold cream a table-spoonful of ground rice, pour it into the hot cream, stirring all the time, and simmer it gently till it thickens sufficiently. flavour with table-spoonsful of orange flower, or rose water, or what you like; strain through a coarse hair sieve, and stir till nearly cold, when pour it into cups dipped in cold water. let these stand in a cool place; when firm, turn them out on a dish, stick them with blanched almonds sliced, and garnish with preserved cucumber, citron, or other preserve; when about to serve, pour a little cold cream into the dish.--_or_: boil a pint of cream with a stick of cinnamon, let it cool, strain it, add table-spoonsful of rice flour, the whites of eggs well beaten, sugar, and a little rose water; set it over the fire, and simmer till as thick as hasty pudding; wet a mould with rose water, pour the custard in; when cold, turn it out. _custards with apples._ pare, core, and either stew or bake some apples, in an earthen pan, with as little water as possible, and sugar to sweeten. when they are fallen, put them into a pie dish, and let them stand to get cold; pour over an unboiled custard, and set the dish into the oven, or before the fire, until the custard is fixed. { }_custard with rice._ boil some rice in milk till quite tender, with cinnamon and a very few bitter almonds; when cold, sweeten it, and form a thick high wall round a glass dish, and pour a boiled custard in the centre. just before it goes to table, strew coloured comfits, in stripes, up the wall. _a trifle._ whisk a quart of good cream with oz. powdered sugar, a glass of white wine, the juice and grated peel of lemon, and a little cinnamon. take off the froth as it rises, and lay it on a sieve, reversed, over a bowl. this should be done early in the morning, or the day before, that the froth may be firm. place in a deep trifle dish or sponge cakes, some maccaroons, and ratafia cakes, also a few sweet almonds blanched and split, then pour over enough white wine, with a little brandy, to moisten them; when the wine is soaked up, spread over the cakes a layer of raspberry jam, or any good preserve, and pour over that a _rich_ and boiled custard. heap the whip lightly on as high as the dish will allow. the preserve used or left out, according to taste. _gooseberry or apple trifle._ scald the fruit, and pulp it through a sieve, sweeten it, and put a thick layer in a glass dish. mix ½ pint of milk, ½ pint of cream, and the yolk of egg, scald it over the fire, stirring all the time, add sugar, and let it become cold, then lay it on the fruit, and on it a whip, as directed in the last receipt.--_or_: scald, pulp, and sweeten the fruit, then stir it over the fire, into a thin custard: when cooked enough, pour it into a glass dish, to get cold. if apple, grate nutmeg and cinnamon, or lemon peel, over the top, add also lemon juice, and lay a whip on the top. _a tipsy cake._ put a stale sponge cake into a deep china or glass dish, pour round it some raisin wine or marsala, and brandy to your taste, but enough to saturate the cake: when it is { }soaked up, strew sifted sugar over, and pour in the dish a rich custard. ornament the top of the cake by sticking a light flower in the centre, or bits of clear currant jelly; _or_, sweet almonds blanched and split. _crême patisserie._ boil a quart of new milk with cinnamon and lemon peel. rub a heaped table-spoonful of flour quite smooth with a little cold milk; stir the boiled milk, by degrees, into it; add eggs, and sugar to taste. stir it over a slow fire till it thickens; pour it into a dish, and stir it slowly a few minutes. flavour with vanilla, orange-flower water, ratafia, or brandy. this is flavoured with _tea_ or _coffee_, in the following manner: put a heaped table-spoonful of green tea into the milk, boil it up, cover the saucepan, simmer it a few minutes, then strain it. this will give a strong flavour of tea. for coffee: make a breakfast-cupful of very strong coffee, and put it into the milk just before it boils: use no other flavouring ingredient, and sweeten the cream sufficiently.--_or_: boil in a pint of thin cream, the peel of a large lemon grated or pared very thin, sugar to taste, and a very small piece of cinnamon. work up a table-spoonful of flour with the juice of the lemon; pour the boiling cream to it, by degrees, and stir it over the fire till the flour is cooked; pour it into a dish, and stir slowly till nearly cold; garnish with candied sweetmeats. _chocolate cream._ boil a quart of cream, having first scraped into it oz. scented chocolate; add nearly ¼ lb. lump sugar, and whites of eggs; whisk well, and, as the froth rises, take it off, and put into glasses. _a plain cream._ boil together, or separately, a pint of cream and a pint of new milk, with lemon peel, cinnamon, and sugar to taste; then add sweet and bitter almonds, pounded to a paste, with a little rose water, also a table-spoonful of rice flour rubbed smooth in cold milk; scald it, pour into a jug to cool. serve in glasses, or a glass dish. { }_italian cream._ boil ½ pint of sweet cream with ½ pint of new milk, the rind of a lemon cut thin, and sugar to taste; then let it cool. beat the yolks of eggs, add them to the cream, set it over the fire, stir till it thickens, and put in about oz. of melted isinglass, to stiffen it. whisk well, and strain it through a fine sieve into a mould, to turn out. first try a little in a saucer to ascertain if more isinglass be wanted. it may be flavoured with _curaçoa_ or _noyeau_. _ginger cream._ the same as chocolate cream; using only cream, no milk. flavour it by boiling in the cream either preserved, or essence of ginger. serve it in cups.--_or_: after the cream has thickened over the fire, add isinglass, as directed for italian cream, and strain it into a mould. _lemon cream._ beat the whites of eggs with one yolk, till as thin as water, but not frothed, add table-spoonsful cold water, and the juice of lemons, with sugar to taste: strain it through a fine sieve, put in a piece of lemon peel, and stir it over the fire, till as thick as cream. do not let it stay long on the fire, to get too thick.--_or_: steep the peel of lemons, cut very thin, in a pint of water, all night, then sweeten and boil it; stir in the whites of eggs beaten to a froth, and keep stirring over the fire till thick, then add the yolks. you may add ¼ oz. of isinglass, which makes it more like ice.--_or_: boil up a pint of thick cream with the beaten yolks of eggs, oz. sugar, and the thin rind of a lemon; stir till nearly cold, and pour it upon the juice of a lemon, in a bowl; stir it till cold.--_white lemon cream_ is made by using whites of eggs only. _orange cream._ pare a large orange very thin, put the peel into a bason, and squeeze oranges over it; pour in pint of cream, and set it over the fire; before it quite boils take out the peel, or the cream may be too bitter. let the cream become cold, { }then stir in the yolks and whites of eggs, and sugar to taste. set it over the fire again, and just scald it. pour into cups.--_or_: squeeze and strain the juice of oranges, sweeten well with pounded loaf sugar, and stir over a slow fire till the sugar be melted, taking off the scum as it rises; when cold mix it with the beaten yolks of eggs, mixed with a pint of cream, stir it over the fire again to thicken, and serve in a glass dish or cups.--_or_: boil ¾ oz. of isinglass in ½ pint of water, till half reduced, and when nearly cold stir in the juice of oranges and lemon well sweetened, and a pint of cream previously beaten to a froth, stir it over a slow fire till it begins to thicken, and then pour it into a mould.--n.b. the juice of any fruit may he used in the same way, always adding the juice of a lemon. _lemon or orange cream frothed._ squeeze the juice of a large lemon, or orange, into a glass or china dish. sweeten a pint of cream, and let it just boil; pour it out to get cold, put it into a tea-pot, hold it up as high as possible, and pour it upon the juice. _alamode cream._ grate lemons into a bason, squeeze in the juice, add ¼ lb. sifted sugar; melt ½ oz. isinglass in a tea-cupful of hot water, strain it on the lemon, stirring all the time, then pour in a pint of cold cream, but stir all the while, or it may be lumpy. pour it in a glass dish, and keep it in a cool place. garnish with almonds and apple paste. _velvet cream._ put into a deep glass or china dish, table-spoonsful of lemon juice, a little grated peel, and preserved apricot cut small, table-spoonsful of white wine or brandy, and powdered sugar. scald a pint of cream, put in ¼ oz. of melted isinglass, stir it over the fire a few minutes, and continue to stir till no warmer than new milk; then strain, and pour it into the dish. made the day before it is wanted. _vanilla cream._ boil ½ a stick of vanilla in a tea-cupful of milk till the { }flavour is as strong as you like, and mix it with a jelly made of calf's feet, or made with oz. of isinglass in a pint of water and a pint of cream, sweeten to taste, stir it till nearly cold, then pour it into a mould which has stood in cold water. the day before it is wanted. _burnt cream._ boil a stick of cinnamon with a large piece of lemon peel, in a pint of cream; when nearly cold, stir in gently the yolks of eggs; sweeten it, take out the spice and peel, strew pounded sugar over, and brown it with a salamander. _snow cream._ pare, core, and stew, or apples and pulp them; beat the pulp nearly cold, stir in enough finely powdered sugar to sweeten, a little lemon peel, and the whites of eggs, already beaten, whisk, till it becomes stiff, and lay it in heaps in a glass dish. _currant and raspberry cream._ mash the fruit and strain ¼ pint of juice through a fine sieve, add rather more than ½ pint of cream, sugar to taste, and a little brandy; whisk it the same as a trifle.--_or_: put a very little sifted sugar into ½ pint of cream, a tea-cupful of raspberry jelly, the grated rind of and the juice of ½ a lemon, whisk well, for half an hour, till it be thick and solid, then pour it into a glass dish or cups. _strawberry cream._ the same as the last.--_or_: sweeten some cream, and make a strong whip. beat up what remains of the cream with yolk of egg ( to ½ a pint), and scald it; let it cool, mix the fruit with it, pour it into glasses or a dish, and lay the fruit on the top. the pulp of apples, apricots, and plums may be mixed with cream, in this way.--_or_: it may be formed in a mould by adding melted isinglass to the cream, just scalding, then straining it: when nearly cold, add the fruit and put it into a shape. { }_clouted cream._ put blades of mace and a wine-glassful of rose water, into a ¼ pint of new milk, scald and strain it; let it cool, stir in the yolks of eggs, and a quart of cream. stir it over the fire till scalding hot, and it is done. excellent with fruit stewed, or with fruit pies. creams and jellies are _iced_, by putting the shape (the mixture being _perfectly cold_), in a bucket of ice broken in small bits. let it stand till you are ready to send it to table, then take it out, wrap a towel, dipped into hot water, round the mould, and turn it out. _strawberry ice cream._ mash the fruit, strain off the juice, and sweeten it. mix it, in the proportion of lb. of fruit to a pint of sweet cream, whip it, pour it into glasses, and freeze as directed; or, add melted isinglass, and freeze it in a shape.--_raspberry ice cream_, the same. _pine apple ice cream._ to ½ gill of pine apple syrup, add the juice of ½ lemon, and a pint of cream, sweeten, then stand it in the ice, and let it freeze as thick as butter. if you would have it the shape of a pine, take the shape and fill it; then lay half a sheet of brown paper over the mould before you put it into the ice, and let it remain some time; be careful that no water gets into it. _coffee ice._ a refreshing preparation, and suitable to entertainments. make some strong coffee, sweeten with sugar candy, add what cream you like, pour it into a bowl, place that in an ice pail till the coffee is frozen: serve in glasses. _paris curd._ put a pint of thin cream on the fire, with the whites of eggs and the juice of a lemon; stir till it becomes a curd; hang it all night in a cloth, to drain; add oz. sweet { }almonds, beaten to a paste, sugar to taste, and a little brandy. mix well, and put it in shapes. _blancmange._ blanch oz. sweet and ½ an oz. of bitter almonds and pound them with a little brandy, put them with ½ an ounce of isinglass into a bowl with ½ a pint of milk and ½ a pint of cream, and oz. of pounded sugar, and let it stand hours; then stir it over the fire till it begins to boil, when take it off and strain it, but keep stirring it till nearly cold, and then pour it into a mould. if you choose, have bitter, no sweet almonds, a wine-glassful of brandy and a table-spoonful ratafia.--when about to turn it out, wrap a towel dipped in hot water round the mould, and draw a silver knife round the edge of the blancmange. _rice blancmange._ boil oz. of whole rice in water till it begins to swell, pour off the water, and put the rice into nearly a quart of new milk, with sugar, a little cinnamon and lemon peel. boil slowly till the rice is mashed, and smooth. do not let it burn. put it into a mould to turn out. this may be in the centre of a dish with custard round it. _blancmange with preserves._ boil pint of cream with cinnamon and lemon peel; sweeten it, add oz. isinglass dissolved in a little water, stir it over the fire till it is on the point of boiling, then pour it into a jug, stirring it occasionally; when milkwarm add a wine-glassful of brandy and a table-spoonful of ratafia. have ready in a china or glass dish, some east or west india preserves, pour the blancmange on it, and set it by till the next day. _jaunemange._ dissolve oz. isinglass in nearly a pint of boiling water; put to it ¾ pint of white wine, the juice of oranges, and lemon, the peel of a lemon shred fine, sugar to taste, a little cinnamon and brandy, and the yolks of eggs. simmer gently a few minutes, then strain it into moulds. { }_rice flummery._ boil oz. sifted ground rice in a quart of new milk, with ½ oz. bitter almonds, table-spoonsful rose water, and sugar to sweeten; keep stirring till very thick, then put it into a mould. when cold turn it out, stick blanched almonds in, and pour round it some thick cream sweetened and flavoured with white wine; or no cream, but preserves in lumps. _dutch flummery._ boil the rinds of and juice of lemons in ½ pint of white wine, ½ pint water, ¼ lb. sugar and oz. of isinglass, ten minutes, then strain and mix it gradually with the yolks of eggs, stir it over the fire five minutes, then stir till nearly cold, and pour it into a mould. _rice cups._ sweeten a pint of new milk, with sifted sugar, and boil in it a stick of cinnamon, when it boils stir in ½ oz. of sifted ground rice; then take it off the fire, and add the beaten whites of eggs, stir again over the fire, for three minutes, and pour into cups, previously dipped in cold water. when cold, turn them out, pour a custard round, and ornament with preserves or stewed pears. _syllabub._ pour a bottle of sherry or port into a china bowl, sweeten, and add plenty of nutmeg and cinnamon. milk into it nearly double the quantity, and let it froth up high. serve with sponge cakes. some add a little brandy. _solid syllabub._ scald a pint of cream, and sweeten it; when cold, add ½ a pint of white wine, the juice of a lemon, the peel grated: more sugar if required. dissolve oz. isinglass in water, strain, and when cold, stir it into the mixture, and put it into a mould the day before it is wanted. { }_whipt syllabub._ rub ½ lb. sugar on lemon rind, and put into a deep narrow pan, with ½ pint white wine, the juice of ½ a lemon, the rind of a whole one, and a pint of thick cream; whisk well, always one way and without stopping, till it is all in a good froth; put it in glasses. it will be more firm the next day.--_or_: to ½ pint of cream, add a pint of milk, ½ pint sack or white wine, sweeten with loaf sugar, and whisk it to a froth; pour a little white wine in the glasses, and the froth on the top. _calf's feet jelly._ the day before you want jelly, boil a cow heel and one foot in ½ quarts of water, till they are broken, and the water half wasted, strain and put it by till the next day. then remove all the fat as well as the sediment, put the jelly into a saucepan with sugar, wine, lemon juice, and peel to your taste. let it simmer, and when the flavour is rich, add the whites of eggs well beaten, also their shells; let it boil gently twenty minutes, but do not stir it; then pour in a tea-cupful of warm water, let it boil gently five minutes longer, take the saucepan off the fire, cover close, and let it stand by the side, half an hour. it ought to be so clear as to require only once running through the jelly bag. some mutton shanks ( to calf's feet), make the jelly richer. raisin wine is generally used, but marsala is better: it gives a more delicate colour to the jelly.--this is made _noyeau jelly_ by using noyeau in sufficient quantity to give a strong flavour. also _madeira wine jelly_. but as the firmness of the jelly may be diminished by the wine, add a little isinglass. some think that jelly eats best in the rough, not out of a mould.--_another_: boil feet in ½ quarts of water, boil twelve hours, or till all their goodness is extracted. the next day remove all fat as well as sediment, put the jelly into a saucepan with ½ pint of sherry or marsala, the peel and juice of lemons, and sugar to your taste. finish in the same way as directed above, and when strained, add a wine-glassful of champagne brandy. you may add oz. isinglass to make the jelly very stiff, but some object to this, as it makes it tough { }as well as stiff. some use a coarse brown bag, in preference to flannel. _punch jelly._ boil oz. isinglass in a pint of water, add the juice of lemons, and the grated rind of one, put to this oz. loaf sugar, previously boiled in a very little water till it is a rich clear syrup, then add table-spoonsful of rum.--_or_: make a good bowl of punch (_which see_), stronger if you like. to every pint of punch add ½ oz. isinglass, dissolved in ¼ pint of water; pour this into the punch whilst hot, then fill the moulds, taking care that they are not disturbed until the jelly is completely set. _savoury jelly._ boil lbs. knuckle of veal, lb. lean beef, and mutton shanks, in quarts of water, with salt, pepper, mace, and onion; boil till the liquor is reduced one half, then strain it; when cold, put it into a saucepan with the whites of eggs, stir well, then set it over the fire till it boils, and strain through a jelly bag. a table-spoonful of soy will improve the colour. _orange and lemon jelly._ grate the rinds of seville, sweet oranges, and lemons; squeeze the juice of sweet, seville oranges, and lemons; mix the rinds and juice together; boil slowly lb. lump sugar in a pint of water to thick syrup, turn it into a bowl; when _nearly_ cold, add the juice and stir well; boil ¼ lb. of isinglass in a pint of water till dissolved, let it cool, add it to juice, stir till cold, and fill the mould.--_another, and much better_: rub the rinds of oranges with lump sugar, and boil a quarter of an hour in the stock of calf's feet and ½ oz. isinglass, with sugar to your taste; have the juice of the oranges, the juice of lemons, and the whites of eggs in a bason, pour the stock in, stir well, and boil altogether ten minutes; then pour in a wine-glassful of cold water, let it stand ten minutes, then pour through a jelly bag.--_lemon jelly_ is made the same way; the rind of and juice of large lemons, the rind and juice of orange. { }_colouring for jelly._ boil slowly in ½ pint water, for half an hour, grains cochineal in fine powder, ½ drachm of cream of tartar, and a bit of alum the size of a pea; let it stand till the next day, then pour it off. _arrow-root jelly._ put ¼ pint of water into a saucepan, with a wine-glassful of sherry, or a spoonful of brandy, sugar, and grated nutmeg. boil up once, then mix it, by degrees, with a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root, rubbed smooth, and mixed with spoonsful of cold water. return it into the saucepan, stir, and boil it three minutes.--_or_: steep for three hours the rind of a lemon, and bitter almonds, pounded, in table-spoonsful water, strain, and mix the water with table-spoonsful arrow-root, and of lemon juice, of brandy; sweeten, stir over the fire till thick, and put it into glasses. _hartshorn jelly._ to quarts of water put lb. hartshorn shavings, and oz. isinglass, boil gently till it becomes a jelly (about four hours); the next day melt it, add the juice of lemons, half the peel, and a pint of sherry, also the whites of eggs beaten to a froth, and sugar to taste; boil for a few minutes, and pass it through a jelly bag till clear. _apple jelly._ pare firm apples, and simmer them in a quart of water till quite cooked, but not broken; strain the liquor, and put to it oz. isinglass, the juice of lemons, the peel of one cut thin, sugar to taste, and a little cochineal, tied in muslin; boil till the isinglass is dissolved and the jelly of a nice colour, strain, and pour it into a mould. _isinglass jelly._ dissolve oz. isinglass in ½ pint of water, and put to it ½ lb. lump sugar, the juice of a large lemon, the peel cut thin, and a pint of sherry; boil five minutes, then strain it into a mould. { }_gâteau de pomme._ dissolve ½ oz. isinglass in ½ pint water, and boil it with ½ lb. sugar, the juice and rind of a lemon and lb. of apples, pared and cored; boil it three quarters of an hour, pour it into a mould; when quite cold, turn it into a glass dish, and pour a good custard round. _a bird's nest._ make some clear jelly, of an amber colour, and fill a small round basin half full. have some bird's eggs blown, fill them with blancmange; when the latter is quite cold, peel off the shells, and it will represent small eggs. put some moss round a glass dish, turn the jelly out, into the middle, lay some lemon peel, cut in thin strips to represent straws, on the jelly, and the eggs on the top. _strawberry jelly._ boil oz. isinglass in ¼ pint of water till dissolved, skimming it all the time; then strain and let it cool. mash a quart of fresh fruit in an earthen vessel, with a wooden spoon; add powdered sugar and a very little water. pass it through a jelly bag, stir the melted isinglass into it, and fill your mould.--_raspberry_ and _red currant_ jelly in the same way. _lemon and orange sponge._ dissolve ½ oz. isinglass in a pint of water, strain it, and the next day put to it the juice of lemons, and the grated peel of ; then rub some raspberry jam through a hair sieve into the mixture, and whisk it well, till it is like sponge; then put it into an earthen mould in a cool place. any preserve may be used, or lemon only, or orange; or it may be flavoured with raspberry vinegar.--_or_: dissolve ¾ oz. isinglass in a little water, add ¾ pint of cream, the same of new milk, and ½ pint of raspberry jelly, and the juice of a lemon: whisk well, one way, till it is thick, and looks like sponge; then pour it into the mould.--_or_: pour a pint of boiling water on oz. isinglass, when dissolved add the strained juice of seville and sweet oranges or { }lemons, sugar to taste; whisk well, half an hour, then pour it into a mould.--_or_: dissolve oz. isinglass in ½ pint of water, strain and add to it, the juice of sweet oranges, and the grated rind of , the juice of lemon, and sugar to taste; when nearly cold whisk it till it looks like sponge, and pour it in a mould. make it in the evening, to turn out next day. some use more isinglass. _rice soufflè._ boil table-spoonsful ground rice very slowly, in ½ pint good milk, with a piece of lemon peel, stirring all the time. let it cool, then stir in the yolks of eggs, and some sugar, stir it over the fire a few minutes, and let it cool again. then add the whites of eggs, well whipped; put it into a deep and round dish, and bake in a rather slack oven till the _soufflè_ rises; send it to table _instantly_, or it will flatten. _potato soufflè_,--half the quantity of potato flour, as directed for rice flour, and make it the same way. _a good soufflè._ soak or slices of sponge cake in sherry and brandy mixed, and sweetened, cover with a layer of preserves, then pour over a rich boiled custard; beat the whites of eggs to a froth, and lay it over the top to look rough; brown it in a dutch oven, and serve _directly_, or it will be spoiled. _orange soufflè._ mix a table-spoonful of flour with a pint of cream, put it into a saucepan, with table-spoonsful rose water, some orange and lemon peel; stir till it boils, then strain and sweeten it: when cold add table-spoonsful orange marmalade. beat eggs, stir in a wine-glassful of brandy, mix with the other ingredients, and put all into a buttered shape; place it in a saucepan of boiling water, over a stove: let the water boil an hour and a quarter without any cover to the shape. _lemon soufflè._ pour ¾ pint of boiling water over oz. isinglass, the juice of lemons, and oz. sifted sugar; when dissolved, { }boil all together five minutes, pour it into a large bason, when the steam is gone off whisk it till it becomes spongy, then put it in a glass dish. it should be made the day before it is wanted, and requires long whisking. _omelet soufflè._ beat the yolks of eggs, and whip the whites; strain and sweeten the yolks with powdered sugar; add a little grated lemon peel; stir in lightly the whites, and pour the whole into a frying-pan, in which you have just melted a large piece of fresh butter. cook over a slow fire, but do not let it scorch, and, when done, turn it carefully out, and set it in the oven to rise. _sweet omelets._ mix a table-spoonful of fine flour, or potato flour, in ½ pint of new milk; then whisk together the yolks and whites of eggs, and add to the milk. put fresh butter enough to fry the omelet into a pan, about ¼ lb., make it hot over a clear fire, and pour in half the mixture; when this is a little set, put table-spoonsful of red currant jelly, or any other preserve, or apple pulp in the centre, and the remainder of the mixture on the top; as soon as the upper portion is fixed, send the dish to table.--_or_: the omelet being fried, spread the preserve on it, in the pan, and roll it. apples boiled to a pulp and sweetened, may be used instead of preserve. _soufflè of apples._ pick, wash, and scald oz. whole rice, drain off the water, and put the rice into a quart of new milk, or thin cream, which has been boiled with a bit of cinnamon or lemon peel. simmer it very slowly till the rice is swelled, (not broken), drain it, and having brushed the edge of the dish with white of egg, place the rice in the form of a high wall round it. mix with some apple jam, or pulped apples, oz. butter, sugar to taste, and the yolks of eggs; stir this over the fire, a few minutes, to cook the eggs; then stir in by degrees, the whites of or eggs, whipped, put it in the centre of the dish, and bake till it rises sufficiently. { }_gooseberry and apple fool._ pick or pare the fruit, put it in a jar, with a tea-cupful of cold water, and a little moist sugar; set the jar in a vessel of boiling water, or on a stove, till the fruit will pulp; press it through a cullender, and when nearly cold, mix in it some good cream, or thin custard. _orange fool._ to a pint of cream add the juice of seville oranges, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and sugar to taste. set this over a slow fire, and stir till as thick as melted butter; it must not boil; pour it into a dish to be eaten cold. _stewed oranges._ pare sweet oranges, and be careful to remove the white part without breaking the skin; pare lemons very thin, cut the peel in narrow lengths, and boil it in ½ pint water, with ¼ lb. lump sugar, until it becomes a thick syrup, then add the oranges, the juice of lemon, and ¼ lb. lump sugar, and simmer it a quarter of an hour. _red apples in jelly._ pare and core some fine pippins, and throw them into a pan of cold water, then boil them in a very little water, with some cochineal, and when done, put them in a dish; boil the water with sugar, lemon peel, and a little isinglass, till it jellies; let it cool, scoop it into heaps with a tea-spoon, and lay it amongst the apples. garnish with rings or straws of lemon peel, and some green sprigs. _pears to stew._ after peeling them, cut the pears in halves, take out the cores, and lay the pears, flat side upwards, in a tin saucepan, with sugar to taste, ¼ pint of port wine, water to cover them, and a few cloves; spread the peel over the pears, and stew them gently till tender; the saucepan covered. { }_apples to bake._ pare and core, but do not divide them, unless very large. bake them in an earthen dish, with sugar, a little port wine, pounded cloves, and grated lemon peel.--_or_: pare large apples, and put them with lb. sifted sugar, juice of lemon, and a tea-cupful water, in a large flat dish; cut the rind of the lemon in strips, and put them over the apples; bake in rather a quick oven, and baste from time to time with the syrup. _excellent._--_or_: pare fine large apples, scoop out the core, without dividing the fruit, and fill the hole with butter and sugar, bake in a deep dish, and baste frequently. _also very good._ _cheesecakes._ beat the curd of pints of milk quite smooth, mix with it ½ lb. currants, a little pounded cinnamon, and the rind of a lemon, rubbed off with lumps of sugar (add more sugar, as you like), the yolks of eggs, ½ pint scalded cream, and a wine-glassful of brandy. mix well, and bake in patty-pans, lined with a light puff paste, twenty minutes, in a quick oven.--for _almond cheesecakes_, mixed pounded sweet and bitter almonds, instead of currants. _lemon cheesecakes._ boil the peel of one lemon in water, till tender, then pound it in a mortar with ¼ lb. lump sugar, the juice of lemons, and a table-spoonful of brandy; stir in ¼ lb. fresh butter, melted, and eggs; mix well and pour into saucers or patty-pans, lined with a very light paste.--_or_: to lb. lump sugar (in lumps), add ¼ lb. butter, the yolks of eggs, the whites of , the juice of lemons, and the rinds of , grated. simmer over a slow fire till the sugar is dissolved, begins to thicken, and looks like honey. stir gently one way, or it will curdle. this will keep a long while, closely tied down in a jar, in a cool place.--_or_: ½ lb. butter, ½ lb. lump sugar, stir over the fire till melted, let it get cold, then add the yolks of eggs, juice of a large lemon, mix it very well, and bake in a crust to turn out.--_or_: beat eggs, leaving out whites; melt ½ lb. butter in a tea-cupful of cream, stir in ½ lb. sifted sugar, { }and when cold, stir in the eggs, then the grated rind of lemons, then the juice: stir it over the fire till near boiling, then fill your patty-pans, and put them in the oven, to brown of a light colour. you may add ½ lb. of sweet almonds, blanched and pounded with rose water. _another curd cheesecake._ beat the curd of quarts new milk, quite smooth, with oz. butter; then mix it with ½ oz. of sweet, and bitter almonds, blanched and pounded with table-spoonsful rose water, add a ¼ lb. lump sugar, the peel of lemons, the yolks of eggs, candied citron cut small, ¼ lb. currants, ½ pint of cream, and a wine-glassful of brandy. mix well, and bake in patty-pans, lined with thin paste. _orange cheesecakes._ beat ½ lb. sweet almonds with orange flower water, add ½ lb. sugar, lb. butter, melted, and nearly cold, the beaten yolks of and the whites of eggs, beat candied oranges, the peel of a fresh one (the bitterness boiled out), till they are as tender as marmalade, then beat all well together, and bake in little patty-pans, lined. _apple cheesecakes._ ½ lb. each, of grated apples, sugar and butter, the juice of lemon, and the rind cut thin, eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately: mix well and bake in lined patty-pans. _rice cheesecakes._ beat the yolks of with the whites of eggs, add oz. sifted ground rice, the same of sugar and melted butter, a wine-glassful brandy, and the grated peel of lemon; mix well and bake in patty-pans, lined with paste. _lent potatoes._ blanch, then pound with a little rose water, oz. of sweet, and or bitter almonds; add oz. butter, eggs beaten and strained, table-spoonsful white wine, { }and sugar to taste; beat well, grate in savoy biscuits, and make into balls with a very little flour, the size of walnuts; boil in lard of a pale brown, drain and serve with sweet sauce. _stewed french plums._ stew ½ pound in a pint of rhenish wine, till tender, then set them by to cool in a glass dish. some use half port and half water. _note._--those who like to use _gelatine_ will find directions with the packets, when they buy it. it is useful as a means of taking wine and brandy in the form of jelly, and is quickly prepared, but has little else to recommend it. chapter xxiii. preserves. fruit for every sort of preserve, ought to be the best of its kind; ripe enough, but not over ripe; gathered _on_ a dry day, and _after_ a dry day. the sugar of the best quality, and plenty of it, otherwise they are not good, neither will they keep; and much is wasted by boiling up a second time. long boiling injures the colour of preserves, and they _must_ be boiled too long, if there be not sugar enough. the bags and sieves should be kept delicately clean; wring them out of hot water the moment before you use them. do not squeeze the bag, or press the fruit much, or the jelly will not be clear; this is not wasteful, for the fruit which is left, and a little fresh added to it, will make jam, or black butter; a very useful preserve. in boiling jams, try a little in a saucer; if the juice runs off as it cools, the jam requires longer boiling. some persons clarify all the sugar they use, but, for common preserves for private families, good loaf sugar, not clarified, answers the same purpose. after the { }preserve is poured into the jar, let it stand uncovered two days, then put brandy paper over, and cover with bladders, or paper, tied down close. keep in a dry place, or they will be musty; but very hot, they will dry up, and be spoiled. _to clarify sugar._ break lump sugar in pieces, and to every pound you put into the preserving-pan, add ¼ pint of water, and to every lbs. sugar, the white of egg, beaten; stir over the fire, till the sugar dissolves. when it boils it will throw up scum; take that off, with a slice, and lay it on a sieve, reversed, over a basin, that the syrup may run off. pour into the pan the same quantity of cold water as you put in at first, and boil it up gently. take off the scum, and return into the pan all the syrup which drains from it; keep it gently boiling until no scum rises.--_to candy sugar_, boil it till the surface is covered with little clusters, in the form of pearls.--_moist sugar_ is clarified in the same way, but requires longer boiling and scumming; it answers for common jams, for immediate use, but they will not keep so long as when made of lump sugar. _red currant jelly._ strip the currants and put them into an earthen pan or jar, set that in a vessel of boiling water, and keep it boiling till the fruit is all burst; then pass through a jelly bag, but do not squeeze it. when the juice has all run off, put it into a preserving-pan, and to each pint allow ¼ lb. of lump sugar; less may do, but the jelly will not be so sure to keep. boil the jelly, rather quickly, from fifteen to twenty minutes, scumming carefully all the time; try a little in a saucer, to see if it be stiff enough, then fill your pots or glasses; leave them uncovered two days; cover brandy papers over, and tie skins over tight. _white currant jelly_--the same; but rather less boiling. the sugar must be very fine, to insure delicate clearness for the jelly. _black currant jelly_--the same as red currant jelly. when the juice is put into the preserving-pan, with the sugar, add a very little water. less sugar _may_ do. but boil it well. { }_currant jam._ when jelly is made, if the bag be not squeezed, the fruit in it will have juice enough for jam; or, if not, put a fourth part of fresh fruit to it, then boil it up, with its weight of sugar, fifteen or twenty minutes. _raspberry jam._ take parts of raspberries and part of red currant juice, boil it fifteen or twenty minutes, with an equal weight of sugar. skim off the dross, as it rises.--_or_: use raspberries alone, and no juice.--_or_: some persons recommend the _antwerp_, they are so juicy as to require boiling by themselves until nearly dry; then add lb. fine lump sugar to quart fruit, then boil again fifteen minutes, and no more, or the colour will be injured. _strawberry jam._ gather fine scarlet strawberries, just ripe, bruise, and put them into a preserving-pan, with about a fifth part of red currant juice; strew over nearly their weight of sifted lump sugar, and boil quickly fifteen minutes. _gooseberry jam._ this may be made of gooseberries only, in the same manner as directed for currant jam, or of a mixture of red or black currants and gooseberries. _green gooseberry jam._ first crack them in a mortar, put them into a preserving-pan with ¾ lb. lump sugar, to lb. fruit, and boil till it begins to look clear. a nice preserve for tartlets. _damson jam._ boil lb. sugar to lb. fruit, till the juice adheres to the fruit. for _open tarts_. _rhubarb jam._ boil an equal quantity of rhubarb, cut in pieces, and { }gooseberries, before they are quite ripe, with ¾ lb. loaf sugar to lb. of fruit. well boiled, it forms a rich jam, similar to apricot. _or_: boil lbs. fruit cut in square pieces, lbs. lump sugar, and let it stand a few hours, to draw out the juice, boil the juice three different times, and pour over the rhubarb. _black butter._ a very nice preserve to spread on bread, and is a mixture of currants, gooseberries, cherries, raspberries, or strawberries. to every lbs. fruit, put lb. sugar, and boil it till reduced one-fourth. _fruit for puddings._ pare apples, pears, plums, and any fruit you have, and put them in a stone jar with brown sugar, to sweeten. place the jar in a cool oven till the fruit is cooked. _to preserve damsons, bullaces, morella cherries, gooseberries, and currants, for winter use._ all these fruits may be put into wide-mouthed bottles, with about oz. lisbon sugar to each; put corks lightly in, and set them in a vessel of cold water, and then let it boil very gently till the syrup rises over the fruit; when the fruit is cold, make the corks tight, dip them in rosin, and tie bladders over. _to bottle green gooseberries and currants._ the same as the last receipt, only without sugar. let them remain in the water till the fruit begins to shrivel; take them out, and when the fruit is cold, cork the bottles tight, and dip them in melted rosin. the rough sort is best. _to bottle raspberries._ mix an equal weight of crushed fruit and powdered loaf sugar, put them into wine-bottles, cork tight, and rosin the corks. { }_damsons for tarts._ gather damsons quite dry, put them into large stone jars, having pricked them with a pin, tie bladders over, and put the jars into a vessel of cold water; set that over the fire, and let it simmer (not boil) for two hours, or till you see the damsons begin to sink (the water should reach nearly to the top of the jars), then wipe the jars, and put them away in a dry place.--_or_: choose jars to hold or lbs., of equal size at top and bottom; put in each jar one fourth of the fruit, then a fourth of good moist sugar (allow lbs. sugar to lbs. fruit), then another layer of fruit, and so on, till the jar is full; put it in an oven just hot enough to bake it through. when household bread is drawn the oven is generally hot enough for this purpose, and the jars may remain in all night. when the fruit is cold, put a clean stick, a little forked at one end, into the middle of the jar, leaving the forked end a little above the top; put a piece of white paper over the fruit (which ought to reach the neck of the jar), then run melted mutton suet over it, of an inch thick, and keep the jar in a cool place. when you open it, lift up the covering of suet by the stick. _apricots for tarts._ cut the apricots in two, but do not pare them, take out the stones, and to every pound of fruit put lb. lump sugar, pounded. let them stand all night, then stew them gently over a slow fire till tender; skim them, as they simmer, till they are quite clear. put them in pots, and when quite cold, cover with silver papers dipped in brandy, and tie down close. _apple marmalade._ pare and core the apples, leave them in a cool oven all night; the next day boil them up gently with an equal quantity of sugar, a little lemon peel and pounded cinnamon. _apple jelly._ take the blossoms and stalks out of lbs. ripe apples, but do not pare them; put them into a stew-pan with { }scarcely enough water to cover them, cover close, and stew them to a pulp, pour it into a cloth, and hang that up to drain, but do not squeeze it. to a quart of juice allow ½ lb. lump sugar, boil gently to the consistency of other jelly, and before it is quite done add the juice of lemons.--_or_: pare and core your apples as if for pies, put them in the oven till quite soft, then squeeze them through thin muslin: to every pint add lb. of lump sugar, half a wine-glassful of white wine, and a tea-spoonful of brandy, with the rind of a lemon; boil twenty minutes, or till it sets. _peach, apricot, or plum marmalade._ skin the fruit, take out the stones, and mash it in a bowl; put an equal weight of fruit and sugar into a preserving-pan, boil it fifteen minutes, taking off all the scum. the kernels may be bruised and added. _quince marmalade._ cut the fruit in quarters, and to lbs. weight, and lbs. sugar, add a pint of water; cover a piece of white paper over to keep in the steam, and simmer gently three hours; then beat them up to a jam, add ½ lb. more sugar, and simmer the jam another half hour.--_or_: take the parings and cores of lbs. quinces, cover them with water, and let it boil well; add lbs. sugar, and when that is dissolved in the liquor, set it over a slow fire, and let it boil till it becomes a thick syrup; but the scum must be taken off as it rises. let it get cold, then put in the quinces, with a little cochineal, and set it over a slow fire; stir and beat with a pewter spoon till it is done. _quince jelly._ weigh them and measure pint of water to lb. fruit; pare the quinces as quickly as possible, as they are done, throw them into the water, then simmer gently until they are a little broken, but not long enough to redden the liquid, which should be very pale. turn the whole into a jelly bag, and let it drain without pressure. weigh the juice and boil it quickly minutes, take it from the fire and stir in till dissolved, ¾ lb. lump sugar to each pound of juice, or { }rather more, if the fruit be very acid; then boil gently from ten to twenty minutes, or until it jellies strongly in falling from the skimmer, but stir it all the while, and take off all the scum as it rises. pour it into glasses or moulds: it ought to be firm enough to turn out of the latter, and be rich and transparent. _damson and bullace cheese._ put the fruit into a stone jar, cover it, and set it on a hot hearth, or in an oven, and let it coddle for about six hours, stirring it now and then. pulp the damsons through a sieve, add ½ lb. lump sugar to every lbs. of fruit, and some of the kernels, blanched, and beaten in a mortar. put it all in a stew-pan, and boil very gently for two or three hours (it can hardly boil too long, as boiling makes it firm), skimming carefully all the time. some persons boil it only one hour; it is clearer, but less firm. some add a very few bitter almonds, blanched and cut small. _apricot cheese._ pare, then boil them with their weight of sugar, previously melted with a very little water; as the fruit breaks, take out the stones, blanch and pound the kernels, and put them to the fruit. let the apricots boil, not more than half an hour. pour the cheese into shapes. _orange cheese._ scrape off the outward rind of seville oranges, take out the pulp and skin, boil the peel tender, in water, beat it in a marble mortar to a pulp, add its weight of loaf sugar (already dissolved in the juice), and boil it quickly an hour; when done pour it into moulds, or on plates, to cut in shapes. keep it in a dry place. _pine apple to preserve._ pare off the rind, and divide the pine apple into rather thick slices; boil the rind in ½ pint water, with lb. loaf sugar in powder, and the juice of a lemon, twenty minutes. strain this liquor, and boil the slices in it for half an hour; { }next day pour off the syrup, and boil it, taking care to scum as it rises, and pour it hot over the fruit; tie down the jar with a bladder, brandied paper being over the preserve. _cucumbers to preserve._ choose the greenest and most free from seeds, some small, to preserve whole, others large, to cut in long slices. put them in strong salt and water, cover with vine leaves, and set them in a warm place till yellow; then wash, and set them over the fire, in fresh water, with a little salt and fresh vine leaves; cover the pan close, but take care the fruit does not boil. if they are not of a fine green, change the water, and that will help to green them; cover as before, and make them hot. when of a good colour, take them off the fire and let them get cold; then cut the large ones into quarters, take out the seeds and soft parts, put them into cold water, for two days, but change the water twice every day to take out the salt. boil lb. loaf sugar, and ½ pint of water, scum well, add the rind of a lemon, and oz. scraped ginger. when the syrup is very thick, take it off the fire, and when cold, wipe the cucumbers dry, and put them in. the syrup should be boiled once in two or three days, for a fortnight, and you may add more to it if necessary. when you pour the syrup upon the cucumbers, be sure that it is cold. cover close and keep in a dry place. _strawberries to preserve whole._ choose fine scarlets, not over ripe; have their weight in sifted sugar, and sprinkle _half_ over the fruit, and let it stand all night. next day simmer it gently with the rest of the sugar, and pint of currant juice, to lb. of fruit, till it jellies. _raspberries whole._ gather them on a dry day, after a dry night. to lb. fruit, ¾ lb. sugar; put these in alternate layers in a preserving-pan, and keep shaking till it boils, then boil ten minutes, taking off all the scum. when cold, cover with brandy papers and bladders. { }_strawberries in wine._ fill a wide mouthed bottle three parts full of strawberries gathered quite dry, strewing amongst them table-spoonsful of finely pounded sugar; fill up with fine old sherry, and cork it close. _red gooseberries whole._ they must be just ripe, but no more. clip off the top of each berry, make a little slit in the side, with a needle, that the sugar may penetrate, and take an equal weight of fruit and of sugar: boil them together, very gently, scum well, and when the skins begin to look transparent, take out the fruit, with a skimmer, and put it into jars or glasses; boil the syrup till it jellies, then strain, and pour it over the fruit. _morella cherries._ cut off the stalks, and prick the fruit with a needle, boil a fourth more than its weight of sugar, about five minutes, with ¼ pint of red or white currant jelly; then put in the cherries, and simmer gently till they look bright. some take out the stones. _cherries en chemise._ cut off half the stalk of large ripe cherries; roll them, one by one, in beaten white of egg, and then lightly in sifted sugar. spread a sheet of thin white paper on a sieve reversed, and place that on a stove, spread the fruit on the paper, and send them from the stove to table. bunches of currants, or strawberries, in the same way. _cherries in syrup._ take out the stones, put the fruit into a preserving-pan, with lbs. lump sugar to lbs. fruit, let it come slowly to a boil, set it by till next day, boil up again, repeat this the third day, when they will begin to look bright and plump; then pot them in the syrup. { }_to dry apricots._ pare thin, then cut in half, lbs. of apricots, weighed after they are pared, and add lbs. sifted sugar. when the sugar is nearly all melted, put it into a pan, and simmer it very gently over a slow fire; as each piece becomes tender lift it out into a china bowl, and when all are done, let the syrup cool a little, then pour it over the fruit. in two days pour out the syrup, leaving only a little in each half. keep the apricots in a sunny place, and turn them every day, till quite dry. keep in boxes, between layers of paper. _dried cherries._ to every lbs. cherries, stoned, allow lb. lump sugar. scald the fruit in a preserving-pan, with very little water, then take it out, dry it: put it into the pan, with the sugar powdered, and put it over the fire to get scalding hot, then set it aside to get cold, put it on the fire again, and repeat this a third time, then drain them from the syrup, and lay them singly to dry on dishes, in the sun, or on a stove. keep in boxes, between layers of white paper. _orange chips._ cut oranges in halves, squeeze the juice through a sieve; cut the peel off very thin, and steep it a night in water, and the next day boil it till tender in the same water. then cut the peel in strips and put them with the juice, in an earthen pan, with an equal weight of lump sugar, set it high over a moderate fire or stove, till the chips candy, stirring frequently; then spread them out in a cool room for a fortnight, to dry. _orange marmalade._ get the clearest seville oranges you can; cut them in , scoop out all the pulp and juice into a basin, and pick out the seeds and skins. boil the rinds in spring water, changing that two or three times, to take off their bitterness: if for smooth marmalade, heat the rinds in a marble mortar, if for thick marmalade cut the rinds in thin pieces, { }add it to the juice and pulp, put it all into a preserving-pan, with double the weight of lump sugar, boil it over a fire, rather more than half an hour. put it into pots, cover with brandy papers, and tie down close.--_or_: put seville oranges into a scale, and weigh their weight, and half their weight again, of lump sugar: to every lb. of fruit measure a wine-pint of cold spring water. cut the fruit in quarters, remove the pips, and throw them into the water; then cut the oranges in slices on plates, so as not to lose any part of the juice or pulp, then take the pips out of the water, put all the fruit, juice, and sugar in, and boil it gently an hour, or until it is sufficiently consistent. put by in pots. both these are good receipts. _oranges to preserve._ cut a hole at the stalk end, and scoop out the pulp, tie each one in muslin, and lay them in cold spring water, to cover them, for two days, changing the water twice a day; then boil them in the last water, till tender. take the oranges out of the liquor and allow lbs. of the best lump sugar, and pint of water, to every lb. of fruit, and put it into the liquor; boil and scum till it is a clear syrup, let it cool, then put in the oranges, and boil them gently half an hour. boil the syrup every day, for a week, or till it looks clear.--_or_: grate the oranges, put them in water, change it twice a day, then boil gently, till tender, and put them in cold water again, for two or three hours. cut a small piece off the top, take out the seeds, and to every orange allow ½ lb. of lump sugar, strew it over them in a preserving-pan, without any water, and set that over a gentle fire, turning the oranges occasionally: when clear, lift them out, put them into little pots, boil up the syrup, and pour it hot over the oranges. if the oranges do not look clear, boil them half an hour, for two or three days: then boil the syrup by itself, or make a fresh one thus: pare and core some green apples, and boil them to make the water taste strong; do not stir the apples, only put them down, with the back of a spoon; strain the water till quite clear, and to every pint put lb. double refined sugar, and the juice of a lemon strained, boil it to a strong jelly, drain the oranges out of the syrup, each one in a { }jar the size of an orange, the hole upwards, and pour the jelly over. cover with brandy papers, and bladders. do _lemons_ the same way.--_or_: pare the oranges, tie them separately in cloths, boil them in water till tender, that a straw may pass through them: cut a hole in the stalk end, take out the seeds, but not the pulp. make a syrup of sweet oranges, lemons, and sugar, and when clear, put in the oranges. _apricots, peaches, magnum bonum plums, and greengages._ pare and stone the finest fruit, not over ripe, and weigh rather more than their weight of lump sugar. spread the fruit in a dish, the split part upwards, strew the sugar over, and let them stand all night. break the stones, blanch the kernels, and simmer the whole gently, till the fruit looks transparent: scum well, lift the fruit out carefully into pots, pour the syrup over, and, when quite cold, cover close. _to preserve green apricots._ spread vine or apricot leaves at the bottom of the pan, then fruit, then leaves, till the pan be full, but the upper layer thick of leaves, fill up with water, and cover quite close, to keep the steam in. keep the pan at such a distance from the fire, that in four or five hours, the fruit may be soft, not cracked. make a thin syrup of sugar and some of the water, and drain the fruit; when both are cold, put the fruit and syrup back into the pan, no leaves, and keep it over the fire till the apricots are green, but they must not boil or crack; repeat this for two or three days: then pour off as much of the syrup as you think necessary, and boil it with more sugar and some sliced ginger to make a rich syrup; when this is cold, drain the apricots, and pour it over them. what there is left of the _thin_ syrup will be useful to sweeten fruit tarts. _orlean plums._ an equal quantity of sugar and of plums. the fruit gathered before it is quite ripe. put it into a pan with { }cold water, simmer it till the skins appear to crack, so that you may peel them off. have ready, a thin clear syrup made of lb. sugar, and a gill of water, put in the plums, give them a gentle boil, and put them by in a basin, till the next day; if they then appear done enough, drain them from the syrup, if not, boil again, and remain till the following day; then drain them, add the remainder of the sugar to the syrup, boil it till rich, and quite clear; put the plums into jars, pour the syrup over, leave them open till the next day, then put brandy papers over, and over them run mutton suet. _jargonelle pears._ pare smoothly and thinly, some large, well shaped pears. simmer in a thin syrup, and let them lie two days. then pour off the syrup, add more sugar: simmer and scum it; then put the pears in, simmer till they look transparent, lift them out into pots, pour the syrup over, and tie closely. rather more than the weight of fruit in sugar. a grain of pounded cochineal may be put in the syrup; lemon juice is an improvement. _quinces._ pare the quinces very thin, and put them into a stew-pan; cover with their parings, and fill the saucepan with hard water, set it over a slow fire, and keep the lid close that the steam may not escape; when the fruit is tender take it out, and put to it quart of water, ½ lbs. lump sugar, to make a clear syrup: put in the quinces, boil them ten or twelve minutes, and set them by, for four or five hours; then boil again five or six minutes, take them off the fire, and set them by two days: boil again, ten minutes, with the juice of lemons. let the quinces be quite cold, put them into broad pans, singly, and pour the syrup over. cover with brandy papers, and skins over the whole.--_or_: cut them in quarters, and to lbs. fruit, put lbs. sugar, and ½ pint water; lay a piece of white paper over, to keep in the steam, and let them simmer gently, three hours. fruit _pastes_ are made by boiling the fruit with clarified sugar to a thick marmalade; moulded into thin cakes, and dried in a stove. { }_to candy fruit._ put fruit, finished in syrup, in a layer, in a new sieve, and dip it quickly into hot water; spread it on a napkin before the fire to drain, and do more in the sieve; sift double refined sugar over the fruit, till white all over. spread it on the shallow ends of sieves to dry in a _warm_ oven, turning it two or three times. do not let it get cold before it is dry. watch it carefully. _almacks._ lb. each of baking pears, apples, apricots, and plums; slice the two first, and open the others, put them, in alternate layers, in an earthen jar, in a slow oven. when the fruit is soft, squeeze it through a cullender, put to it lb. lump sugar, and simmer gently, stirring all the while, till it leaves the pan clear, then put it in small moulds, or drop it in little cakes; when cold, put them by. _peaches, apricots, and plums in brandy._ gather peaches before they are quite ripe, prick them with a needle, and rub off the down with a piece of flannel. pass a quill carefully round the stone to loosen it. put them into a large preserving-pan, with cold water, rather more than enough to cover them, and let it gradually become scalding hot. if the water does more than simmer very gently, or the fire be fierce, the fruit may crack. when tender, lift them carefully out, and fold them in flannel, or a soft table cloth, in several folds. have ready a quart, or more, as the peaches require, of the best brandy, and dissolve in it oz. of powdered sugar. when cool, put them into a glass jar, and pour the brandy and sugar over. cover with leather, or a bladder. _cherries in brandy._ gather morella cherries on a dry day, when quite ripe; cut off _half_ the stalk, and put them into wide mouthed bottles, strewing layers of finely pounded sugar between. allow to each bottle half the weight of the fruit in sugar. { }when the fruit reaches the neck of the bottle, fill up with brandy; cork and rosin it tight. _grapes in brandy._ put some close bunches, of any sort, into a jar (having pricked each grape), strew a good quantity of pounded sugar candy over them, and fill up the jar with brandy. tie a bladder over, and keep in a cool place. _barberries for tartlets._ pick barberries without stones, from their stalks, and put them into a stone jar, in a kettle of water, or on a hot hearth, and simmer very slowly till the fruit is soft: then put it into a pan with ¾ lb. lump sugar to lb. barberries, and boil slowly for fifteen minutes. use no metal but silver. _barberries in bunches._ tie the stalks of the fruit on little flat pieces of wood, inches long, a ¼ inch wide. simmer these in syrup two successive days, and when cold, cover them with the syrup. on the third day candy them. (see to candy fruit.) { }chapter xxiv. pickles. the great art of pickling consists in using good vinegar, and in selecting the various articles, at the proper seasons.--pickles are indigestible, but their liquor is good to give relish to cold meat, therefore the strongest vinegar should be used, because a less quantity will suffice. they should be kept in a dry place, and glass jars are best, because then it is easy to perceive whether the vinegar diminishes, and if it does, more should be boiled with spice, and poured over the pickles. fill the jars parts full with the pickles, but always let there be inches above their surface of vinegar. if earthenware jars are used, let them be unglazed; and vinegar should always be boiled in unglazed earthenware; indeed, it ought never to _boil_ at all, but be just scalding hot, for boiling causes much of the strength to evaporate. keep the bottles closely stopped, with bungs, and a bladder, wetted in the pickle. when you have opened a bottle, cork it again, put a fresh bladder over, if you wish the pickles to keep. when the pickles are all used, the vinegar should be boiled up with a little more spice, and bottled when cold. the colour of pickles is a matter of no small difficulty, though of the greatest consequence, when used by way of ornament. a fine colour is sometimes preserved by keeping pickles a long time in scalding hot vinegar, the vessel being covered. when a bottle of capers or pickles is opened, it should be kept filled, by fresh boiled vinegar. artichokes are in season in july and august. cauliflowers, in july and august. capsicum pods, end of july and beginning of august. cucumbers, the end of july to the end of august. french beans, july. { }mushrooms, september. nasturtium pods, middle of july. onions from the middle to the end of july. radish pods, july. red cabbage, august. samphire, august. tomatas, the end of july to the end of august. _walnuts._ make a strong brine of salt and water, about ¼ lb. salt to a quart of water, and steep the walnuts in it a week, previously pricking them with a large needle; then put them, with the brine, into a stew-pan, gently simmer them, pour off the liquor, lay the walnuts on a sieve to drain in the air two days, to turn them black. have ready made a pickle of strong vinegar; add to each quart oz. ginger, oz. strong pepper, oz. eschalots, oz. salt, ½ oz. allspice, and ½ a drachm of cayenne (some persons add garlic, brown mustard-seed, bay leaves, cloves, mace, chopped chilies, and horse-radish); put all into a stone jar, tie over a bladder wetted with vinegar, and over that a leather; keep it close by the side of the fire two days and nights; shake it frequently. put the walnuts into jars, and pour the pickle hot over them; when cold, put in bungs, and tie wetted bladder over. _walnuts, green._ the best time is while the shells are still tender, and before they are quite ripe. lay them in a strong brine of salt and water for ten days, changing the brine twice during that time; put in a thin board to float over, that the air may not get to them and turn them black; then pour the brine from the walnuts, and run a large needle several times through each one; lay some vine leaves at the bottom of an earthen pan, put in the walnuts, and cover with more leaves, fill up the vessel with water, and put it on the fire till scalding hot; then pour off the water, put fresh in, let that become hot, pour it off, and repeat this once again; scrape off the husks, rub the walnuts smooth with flannel, and throw them into a vessel of hot water. boil, three minutes, a quart of vinegar for every walnuts, with { }white pepper, salt, ginger, cloves, and cayenne (in the proportion of the last receipt), and after rubbing the walnuts, dry them out of the water, and pour the vinegar over them. _gherkins._ the best are about inches long, and inch in diameter. put them into unglazed jars, or open pans, and pour salt and water over (¼ lb. salt to a quart of water), cover, and set them by the side, when not convenient for them to stand before the fire; in two or three days they will be yellow; pour off the water, and cover them with scalding hot vinegar: set them again before the fire, and keep them of an equal heat, if possible, for ten days, and they will become green; then pour off the vinegar, and have ready to pour over the gherkins (in jars), the same pickle as that for walnuts, leaving out the eschalots if you choose. the vinegar poured from the gherkins should be bottled, for it will be good cucumber vinegar. _onions._ take off the tops and coats of small round silver button onions, the size of a nutmeg, and put them into a stew-pan three parts full of boiling water; put no more at once than just enough to cover the top of the water. as soon as the onions look transparent, take them up in a sieve, lay them on a folded cloth, whilst you scald the remainder. make them quite dry with these cloths, then fill the jars three parts full, and pour over them the following pickle, quite hot: to a quart of strong vinegar put oz. allspice, oz. ginger, oz. mace, oz. scraped horse-radish, oz. black pepper, and oz. salt; infuse it by the fire three or four days; when the pickle and the onions are cold, bung the jars, and cover them, first with bladder wetted in vinegar, then with leather.--_or_: put the onions into salt and water, change that every day for three days, then put them in a stew-pan with cold milk and water, let that stand over a fire till _near_ to a boil, take out the onions, dry, and put them into jars, and pour a pickle over of good vinegar, salt, mace, and pepper, boiled and become cold. { }_cucumbers and onions._ boil in pints of vinegar ¼ lb. flour of mustard, mixed as for table use; let it get cold; slice large cucumbers, and ½ gallon large onions; put them into jars with oz. ginger, ½ oz. white pepper, and a small quantity of mace and cloves, and pour the vinegar, cold, over them. _red cabbage._ cut out the stalk, and divide a firm, dark coloured middling sized cabbage, then cut in slices the breadth of straws; sprinkle salt over, and let it lie two days; then drain the slices very dry; fill the jar, parts full, and pour a hot pickle over them, of strong vinegar, heated with black pepper, ginger, and allspice. cover the jar to keep the steam in, and when the pickle is cold, put in bungs, and tie bladders over. _melon mangoes._ cut a small square piece out of one side, and take out the seeds; fill them with brown mustard seeds, garlic, eschalot, scraped horse-radish, ripe capsicums, and a little finely pounded ginger: stuff the melons as full as the space will allow, replace the square piece, and bind them up tightly with thread. boil a gallon of white wine vinegar, with ¼ oz. mace, ¼ oz. cloves, ½ oz. ginger, ½ oz. black and long pepper, and ½ oz. cayenne; as it is coming to a boil, pour in a wine-glassful of essence of horse-radish, and of garlic vinegar. _beet root._ boil them very gently from an hour and a half to two hours, or till parts done; take them out of the water to cool; peel and cut them in slices about half an inch thick. prepare a pickle of good vinegar, and to each quart oz. black pepper, ½ oz. salt, ½ oz. horse-radish, ½ oz. ginger, and a little cayenne; infuse these by the fire three days, and let the pickle be cold before you pour it over the beet-root. { }_mushrooms._ take the red inside out of the large ones, and rub both large and small, with a piece of flannel and salt; put them into a stew-pan, with a little mace and pepper, and strew salt over; keep them over a slow fire, till the liquor which will be drawn, dries up again; shake the stew-pan often; then pour over as much vinegar as will cover them, let it become hot, but not boil, and put all into a jar.--_or_: boil buttons in milk and water till rather tender, put them into a cullender, and pump cold water on them till they are cold; put them into salt and water, for twenty-four hours, then dry them in a cloth. make a pickle of distilled vinegar, mace, and ginger, if to be _white_, if not, white wine vinegar. it must be cold before you pour it over the pickle. _india pickle._ put into a jar a gallon of white wine vinegar, lb. sliced ginger, ½ oz. turmeric bruised, ½ lb. flour of mustard, ½ lb. salt, oz. long pepper, bruised; peel ½ lb. garlic, lay it on a sieve, sprinkle it with salt, let it stand in the sun, or before the fire, three days to dry, then put it into the vinegar. place the jar by the side of the fire, cover close, and let it remain three days, shake it every day, and it will be ready to receive the vegetables.--_or_: boil in a gallon of vinegar, ten minutes, oz. black and white peppercorns, oz. flour of mustard, oz. turmeric, and oz. ginger, oz. of the best cayenne, and a good quantity of young horse-radish: (you may add ½ oz. more turmeric, and oz. white mustard seed), add curry powder and eschalots.--_or_: to a gallon of the strongest vinegar allow oz. curry powder, the same of flour of mustard, rub these together with ½ pint of olive oil, oz. ginger bruised, oz. turmeric, and ½ lb. of eschalots, and oz. garlic (both these sliced and slightly baked in the dutch oven), ¼ lb. salt, and drachms cayenne; put it all into a jar, cover with bladder wetted in the vinegar, and keep it by the side of the fire three days, shake it several times during each day, and it will be ready to receive the vegetables. great care is required, to prepare the vegetables; they should be gathered, as they come in season, on a dry day. { }parboil in salt and water strong enough to bear an egg, then drain and spread them in the sun, before the fire, or on a stove, to dry; this will occupy two days; then put them into the pickle. the vegetables are, large cucumbers sliced, gherkins, large onions sliced, small onions, cauliflowers, and brocoli in branches, celery, french beans, nasturtiums, capsicums, white turnip radishes, coddling apples, siberian crabs, green peaches, a large carrot in slices, nicked round the edges, and a white cabbage cut up; neither red cabbage nor walnuts. small green melons are good; cut a slit to take out the seeds, parboil the melons in salt and water, drain and dry, then fill them with mustard seed, and or cloves, tie round, and put them into the pickle.--some persons boil it up after the vegetables are in. these receipts are all good. _lemons._ cut them across, about half way through, and put ½ tea-spoonful of salt into each one, let them lie in a deep dish five or six days; to each lemon add ½ nutmeg, grated, table-spoonful of black mustard seed, and a little mace; boil till tender, in vinegar to cover them, then put them by. keep the jar filled with vinegar.--_or_: cut the lemons in parts, but not through, fill with fine salt, put them in layers in a jar, and sprinkle fine salt over each layer. examine and turn them, every five or six days, and in six weeks they will be ready. if dry, add lemon juice to them.--_or_: grate the rind of lemons, rub well with salt, and turn them every day for a week: put them into a jar with oz. race ginger, a large stick of horse-radish sliced, tea-spoonsful flour of mustard, of cayenne, oz. turmeric, and vinegar enough to cover them. put more vinegar if required. _cauliflower_ and _brocoli_ before they are quite ripe, may be picked in neat branches, and pickled, the same way as _gherkins_; also _french beans_, nasturtiums and radish pods, in the same way. { }chapter xxv. vinegars. vinegar is seldom made at home, and as the best is made from wine only, it is scarcely worth the trouble, for, for every purpose, the best vinegar is the cheapest. _gooseberry vinegar._ to every quart of bruised ripe gooseberries, put quarts of spring water, stir well, and steep them eight and forty hours; then strain into a barrel, and to every gallon of liquor, put lbs. white pounded sugar, and a toast soaked in yeast. put it in the sun in summer, and by the fire in winter, for six months, without stopping the bung hole, but keep it always covered with a plate. white currants, stripped, in the same way.--_or_: boil lb. coarse brown sugar in a gallon of water, a quarter of an hour, scumming well; put it in a pan; when nearly cold put in a thick slice of toasted bread spread with yeast: let it work twenty-four hours, put it in a cask or jar, and place that in the sun, or near the fire. you may add some ripe gooseberries, bruised. _good common vinegar._ to every gallon of water, put lbs. coarse sugar, boil and skim. put it in a pan or tub, and when sufficiently cold add a slice of toast, spread on both sides with fresh yeast. let it stand a week, then barrel, and set it in the sun or by the fire, for six months. _cider vinegar._ to every gallon of cider, put lb. white sugar, shake well, and let it ferment, four months. { }_vinegar of wine lees._ boil the lees half an hour, during which, skim well. pour it into a cask, with a bunch of chervil. stop the cask close, and in a month it will be ready. _cayenne vinegar._ put into a quart of the best vinegar, oz. cayenne, oz. salt, oz. cloves, oz. garlic broken, and grains cochineal bruised; shake it every day, for a fortnight. _chili vinegar._ put fresh gathered red chilies into a quart of the best white wine vinegar; infuse them, ten days, shaking the bottle every other day. ½ an ounce of really good cayenne will answer the purpose of the chilies.--a spoonful or two in melted butter, for fish sauce. _chili wine._--the same way as the last, using sherry, or brandy, instead of vinegar. a fine flavouring ingredient. _eschalot vinegar or wine._ infuse in a pint of vinegar, oz. eschalots, peeled and sliced, a little scraped horse-radish, and tea-spoonsful cayenne: shake the jar or bottle, once a day for three weeks, then strain and bottle the liquor. _wine._--very good for flavouring made dishes: peel, mince and pound in a mortar, oz. eschalots and steep them in a pint of sherry ten days, pour off the liquor and put in oz. fresh eschalots, and let it stand again ten days, then pour off and bottle it. _tarragon vinegar._ pick the leaves on a dry day, about midsummer, make them perfectly dry before the fire, then put them into a wide-mouthed bottle or jar, and pour in vinegar to cover them; steep them fourteen days, then strain through a flannel jelly bag, into half pint bottles; cork carefully, and keep in a dry place. { }_vinegar for salads._ take of chives, savory, tarragon, and eschalots, each oz., of balm and mint tops, a handful each. dry, pound, and put them into a wide mouthed bottle or jar, with a gallon of the best vinegar, and cork close. set it in the sun, for a fortnight, strain it, squeeze the herbs; let it stand a day, then strain and bottle it. _garlic vinegar._ peel and bruise oz. garlic, infuse it in a quart of vinegar, three weeks. strain and bottle it. a few drops to a pint of gravy; a very slight flavour is approved of by some, which by others, is considered highly offensive. _green mint vinegar._ fill a wide mouthed bottle with the green leaves, cover with vinegar and steep them a week; pour off the vinegar, put in fresh leaves, let it stand another week, then bottle it. _horse-radish vinegar._ prepare this about november. scrape oz., also oz. eschalots, and drachm of cayenne, pour on them a quart of vinegar, and let it stand a week, then strain, and it is ready. _camp vinegar._ put into a pint of the best vinegar, drachm of cayenne, table-spoonsful soy, table-spoonsful walnut catsup, a small clove of garlic, minced fine, and anchovies chopped. steep a month, shake it every other day, strain it, pour it into pint or ½ pint bottles. _cucumber vinegar._ pare or large cucumbers, cut in thin slices, and put them into a china bowl, with onions sliced, a few eschalots, a little salt, white pepper, and cayenne. boil a quart of { }vinegar, let it cool, then pour it into the bowl; cover close, let it stand three days, and bottle it. _basil wine._ about the end of august fill a wide mouthed bottle with fresh leaves of basil, cover with sherry and infuse them ten days; strain and put in fresh leaves, infuse another ten days, then pour off, and bottle it. a table-spoonful to a tureen of mock turtle, just before it is served. _raspberry vinegar._ this, besides being a nice sauce for batter and other light puddings, is good with water, as a summer drink, also for colds, sore throat or fever. it will not be good unless made with fresh fruit; and the finer the sugar, the clearer the syrup.--to quart of fruit add pint of vinegar (cold); cover close for twenty-four hours; pour off the liquor, and put to it a quart of fresh fruit, cover close and let it again stand for twenty-four hours; repeat this for the third time. then boil up the vinegar, with a lb. of lump sugar to each pint, until it becomes a syrup. { }chapter xxvi. essences. some of the following are useful in culinary, others in medicinal compounds, and some in both. _essence of ginger._ put oz. fresh grated ginger, and oz. thinly cut lemon peel into a quart of brandy, let it stand ten days, and shake it every day.--_essence of allspice_--oil of pimento, drachm, strong spirits of wine, oz., mix them by degrees; a few drops will flavour a pint of gravy or wine.--_essence of nutmeg, clove, or mace_--put drachm of either into oz. of the strongest spirit of wine. a few drops will be sufficient.--_essence of cinnamon_-- oz. spirits of wine, and drachm of oil of cinnamon. _essence of savoury spice._ oz. black pepper, ½ oz. allspice finely pounded, ¼ oz. grated nutmeg, infused in a pint of brandy ten days. _essence of cayenne._ steep oz. good cayenne in pint of brandy, or spirits of wine, a fortnight, then strain and bottle it, for use. _essence of seville orange and lemon peel._ rub lump sugar on the lemon or orange, till quite saturated with the rind, then scrape the sugar so saturated into the jar you keep it in, rub the rind again, and so on, till you have enough, press the sugar down close, and keep it for use. this imparts a very nice flavour to custards and puddings. tincture of lemon peel is made by paring the peel, and steeping it in brandy. { }chapter xxvii. catsups. these should be made at home, as well as pickles. a small quantity of catsup every year is sufficient, and very little time and trouble will provide it. it should be put into small bottles (filled to the neck), for when a cork is once drawn, catsups, essences, and pickles begin to decay. the bottles kept lying on their side, because this tends to preserve the cork. keep them in a dry place. _mushroom catsup._ made in september. the large flaps are best. break off whatever parts are dirty or decayed, and lay the rest in pieces, in an earthen pan in layers, with salt between; put a folded cloth over, and let it stand a day and night, or longer, by the side of the fire; then strain off the liquor into the saucepan, and to every quart, put ½ oz. black peppercorns, a ¼ oz. allspice, ½ oz. sliced ginger, a few cloves, and or blades of mace. boil the liquor, fifteen minutes, over a quick fire, though it will be stronger and keep longer, if boiled until the quantity be reduced one half, and then the spices need not be put in until it has been boiling about twenty minutes. when you take it off the fire, let it stand to settle, pour off clear, and bottle it; the sediment may be strained and bottled also, for it answers for fish sauce and brown soup. anchovies, bay leaves, and cayenne, may be added to the spices. dip the corks in melted rosin. some put a table-spoonful of brandy into each pint bottle. a table-spoonful of mushroom catsup is sufficient to flavour ½ pint of sauce.--_or_: break them in a pan, sprinkle salt between and let them stand till the next day, when, if their liquor be not drawn, add fresh mushrooms and more salt: the next day pour off { }the liquor, boil it three hours, let it settle, strain and add to every quarts, ½ oz. of cloves, ½ oz, nutmegs, ½ oz. mace, oz. race ginger, oz. jamaica, and oz. black pepper, some eschalots and horse-radish, and pint of port wine, then boil it again half an hour. this will keep well. _walnut catsup._ gather them green, prick them with a large needle, and let them lie three days, in an earthen pan, sprinkled with a handful of salt, and a very little water. mash them well each day, with a rolling pin. on the fourth day, pour some scalding hot salt and water over, mash again, and let them stand the whole day; then with a spoon or cup, lift out what liquor there is, pound the walnuts well, and pour a little good vinegar and water over them, which will extract all their juice; pour this off, and put to it what you already have, boil it slowly, and scum well. when there is no longer any scum, put to every quart oz. bruised ginger, oz. allspice, oz. black pepper, a ¼ oz. each of cloves, mace, and nutmeg; simmer it three quarters of an hour, when cold, bottle it.--_or_: when of a full size, but tender, pound the walnuts, strain out the juice, let it settle and boil it up, taking off the scum as it rises: to each quarts allow lbs. anchovies, and boil gently till they are dissolved, then strain, and boil again with a small quantity of garlic and eschalots, a stick of cinnamon, ½ an oz. each of black pepper, cloves and mace, the rind of lemons, pints of vinegar, wine-glassfuls of port wine, and the same of strong beer; boil it gently three quarters of an hour; scum well. the longer this is kept the better. _oyster catsup._ use fresh melton oysters. pound them in a marble mortar, and to a pint of oysters add a pint of sherry. boil them up, then add oz. salt, drachms of pounded mace, and drachm of cayenne; boil up again, skim, then strain it through a sieve, and when cold, bottle it, and seal down the corks. brandy will assist to keep it: it is a nice catsup for white sauces.--cockles and muscles, the same way, but a pounded anchovy or two may be added to give { }flavour.--_or_: boil oysters in pints of sherry, with lb. of anchovies, and lemon sliced, for half an hour; then strain it, add a ¼ oz. cloves, ¼ oz. mace, oz. eschalots, and nutmeg sliced, boil it a quarter of an hour: when cold, bottle it, with the spice and eschalots. if the oysters are large they should be cut. _tomata catsup._ take doz. tomatas, doz. eschalots, doz. cloves of garlic, sticks of horse-radish, and bay leaves; slice and put them in ½ pint of vinegar, with a handful of salt, oz. pepper, oz. allspice, and a little mace. boil well together, ten minutes, pour it into a pan, let it stand till the next day, add a pint of sherry, give it one boil, take it off the fire, skim it, and after it has stood a few minutes, add a tea-cupful of anchovy sauce, and a tea-spoonful of cayenne. strain, and when cold, bottle it. the pulp may be rubbed through a sieve for sauce. _lobster catsup._ get a lobster of about lbs. weight, and full of spawn, pick out all the meat, and pound the coral with anchovies in a marble mortar: when completely bruised, add the meat, pound and moisten it with ½ a pint of sherry or madeira, a tea-spoonful of cayenne, a wine-glassful of chili or eschalot vinegar, and ½ pint of eschalot wine; mix well, put it into wide-mouthed bottles, on the top put a dessert-spoonful of whole black peppers, to each bottle: cork tightly, rosin them, and tie leather over. keep in a cool place. or table-spoonsful to a tureen of thick melted butter. { }chapter xxviii. the cellar. a good cellar, besides its general convenience, in regard to a variety of household purposes, is indispensable to every one who wishes to have good beer. however skilful and successful the brewer, no beer, nor, indeed, any fermented liquors (with few exceptions), can be kept good, any length of time, especially in the summer months, unless they be secured from being turned sour by heat, and by sudden variations of the atmosphere. no cellar can be considered perfect which is not below the surface of the ground. houses in the country are frequently without the convenience of underground cellaring; but every house ought, where it is practicable, to be built over cellars, which, independently of other advantages, contribute very materially to the dryness and warmth of the building. the directions for brewing, given by my father, in his "_cottage economy_," are so circumstantial, and so simple, clear, and intelligible, that any person, however inexperienced, who reads them with attention, may, without further instruction, venture to brew without risk of a failure. it is certain that many families, who had previously never thought of brewing their own beer, have been encouraged by the plainness and simplicity of his directions to attempt it, and have never since been without good home-made beer. brewing is not, perhaps, in strictness, a feminine occupation; there are, nevertheless, many women who are exceedingly skilful in the art. it is obviously not within the province of the mistress of a house, even to superintend the brewing department, but, when circumstances may render it necessary that she should undertake the task, she cannot, when about to give her directions, do better than consult the "_cottage economy_." { }the utensils necessary are: a copper, a mash-tub and stand, an under-back, to stand under the edge of the mash-tub, when the malt is put in, two buckets, a strainer, a cooler, a tun-tub, and a cask to put the beer in. having these utensils, the next thing is, materials for making the beer. these are, soft water, malt, and hops. the water should be _soft_, because hard water does not so well extract the goodness of the malt; but if you have none but hard water, soften it by letting it stand two days in some open vessel in the air. the malt should be (or, at least, usually is) ground or bruised into a very coarse meal. the hops should be fresh, of a bright yellow, and highly scented. farnham hops are the cleanest and best. i give receipts for finings, but do not recommend them, though they certainly will make beer clear which might not be so without them. the process is this: if you mean to make about a hogshead of beer, take gallons of water (soft, or softened by exposure to the air), and put it into the copper. when it has boiled, pour it into the malt. this is rather a nice matter; if you put in the malt too soon, it cakes and becomes dough. the old-fashioned rule is, to let the steam keep flying off till you can see your features in the water; but as the weather frequently renders this an uncertain criterion, take your thermometer, and plunge it into the water now and then, and when the quicksilver stands at , the heat is about right. pour the malt in gently, taking care to stir it about as it goes in, so as to separate it, and make every particle come in contact with the water; when it is all in, stir it for twenty minutes or half an hour; then put your stirring-stick across the mash-tub, and cover cloths all over to keep in the heat. let this, which is called _mashing_, go on for four or five hours. it cannot well be too long about. when the malt has remained soaking all this time, draw off the liquor by means of your buckets, and put it into the copper again. this liquor is called the "_sweet wort_." light the fire under the copper, and pour into it, for _every bushel_ of malt that you have mashed, ¾ lb. of _hops_, or, if not very good, lb. for every bushel. stir these well into the wort, and keep it on a good hard boil for an hour, being very particular to make it boil all the while. this being done, you have now to cool the beer: { }rake the fire out from under the copper, and again take out your liquor in your buckets; put the cooler in some place away from the chances of dirt falling into it, and where it may stand level; then strain the liquor into it. the next operation is, the _working_; and the most difficult part of this is, to ascertain when, precisely, the liquor is cool enough to bear it. experienced brewers generally ascertain this by the feel of the liquor, by merely putting the finger into it; but it is better to use the thermometer again; plunge it in, and when the quicksilver stands at the heat is right. then, with your buckets again, put the whole of the liquor out of the cooler into the tun-tub; and take a pint, or thereabouts, of fresh yeast (balm), and mix it in a bowl with some of the liquor; then pour it into the tun-tub with the liquor that is now cool enough to be set to work; mix it up a little by dipping the bowl in once or twice, and pouring it down from a height of two or three feet above the surface of the liquor in the tun-tub; then cover the tun-tub with cloths, as you did the mash-tub. in a few hours it will begin to work; that is, a little froth, like that of bottled porter, will begin to rise upon the surface; when this has risen to its height, and begins to flatten at the top and sink, it should be skimmed off, and is good yeast, and the beer is ready to put into the cask in your cellar. when you put it into the cask, let it stand a day, without being bunged down, because it may work a little there. when you find that it does not, then, if you use finings, put them in, and bung down tightly. the following receipt is given to me by a gentleman who is celebrated for the excellence of his beer. suppose the brewer is about to make a hogshead of beer of good strength. eight bushels of malt will be sufficient. let the water, if not _soft_, stand two days in some vessel in the open air, which will soften it. one hundred and twenty gallons will be sufficient; and, if he uses ground malt, let him remember to attend to the heat of the water in the mash-tub before he puts it in, and also to the stirring and separating as it goes in. when it has stood long enough in the mash-tub, he must draw it off, and put it into the copper, and then throw in ¾ lb. of good hops _for every bushel of malt_; or, if the hops be not really good and strong, lb. _to the bushel_. boil the liquor at least an hour; { }but be very particular to make it boil the whole time; for much depends on this. beer that has not boiled well is always crude, and soon spoils. it is the great fault of most brewers, that, to save the evaporation caused by a good boiling, they cool the liquor before it is sufficiently cooked. when it has boiled the proper time, pour it immediately, hot as it is, into a clean cask; put the bung and vent-peg in lightly; watch the cask, and when you find fermentation going on, which will show itself by a little oozing out of froth round the bung, take out both bung and vent-peg, and let them remain out till the working is over, and the froth begins to sink down into the cask; then put the bung and vent-peg in tightly, and the brewing is over. the cask should not be filled to running over, yet very little space should be left below the bung when driven in, as the body of air that would fill this vacancy would deaden the beer. this mode deviates from that practised by my father, in two essential points: namely, the _cooling_ and the _working_ of the beer; for, in the last receipt it is not cooled at all, and no yeast is required to work it. if it answers, it is a less troublesome, and, calculating the cost of the coolers, less expensive mode of brewing than that detailed in the "_cottage economy_." the "cottage economy" speaks of the necessity of keeping the casks in good order; and this is a matter, though of great importance, often neglected. new casks should be seasoned before they are used; one way recommended is, to boil pecks of bran or malt dust in a copper of water, pour it hot into the cask, stop close, and let it stand two days, then wash it out well, and drain the cask. servants are negligent about vent-pegs and bungs. they should be put in tight, the tap taken out, and a cork put in, as soon as the last beer is drawn. if the casks were kept in proper order, beer would not so often be spoiled. of equal consequence, is the cleanness of the brewing utensils. they should be scoured well with a brush and scalding water, after they have been used. do not use soap or any thing greasy. a strong ley of wood ashes may be used, if there be any apprehension of taint. when hops are dear, gentian may be substituted in part for them, in the proportion of ¼ oz. gentian, and lbs. hops, to bushels of malt. { }_to fine beer._ draw out a gallon of ale, put to it oz. isinglass, cut small and beaten; stir the beer, and whip it with a whisk, to dissolve the isinglass, then strain, and pour it back into the cask, stir well, a few minutes, and put the bung in lightly, because a fresh fermentation will take place. when that is over stop it close; let the vent-peg be loose. fermentation is over, make the vent-peg tight; and in a fortnight the beer will be fine. drink parts, and bottle the rest.--a good way to fine new beer, is to run the wort through a flannel into the tun, before it has worked. _for stale small beer._ put lb. chalk, in small pieces, into a half hogshead, and stop it close. it will be fit to drink on the third day.--_or_: put half chalk, and the other half hops. _to bottle beer._ stone bottles are best. the best corks the cheapest, put them in cold water half an hour before you use them. the bottles perfectly clean and sweet, fill them with beer, put in each bottle a small tea-spoonful of powdered sugar, and let them stand uncorked, till the next day: then cork, and lay the bottles on their sides; or, better still, stand them with the necks downwards.--when a bottle is emptied, the cork should be returned into it directly, or it will become musty. _to make cider._ the apples quite ripe, but not rotten. if the weather be frosty, gather the apples, and spread them from to feet thick, on the ground, and cover with straw; if mild, let them hang on the trees, or remain under, if fallen, until you are ready to make the cider. it should not be made in warm weather, unless they are beginning to rot, in which case you must not delay. unripe fruit should be made by itself, as the cider never keeps.--large cider mills will make from to gallons in a day, according to the difference in the quality of fruit, some sorts of apples being { }more tough and less juicy than others, consequently requiring more grinding. not more than or bushels should be put into the mill at once. they should be ground, till the kernels and rinds are all well mashed, to give the flavour to cider. pour the cider from the mill into a press; press the juice well, then pour it into hogsheads. when it has done fermenting, and the time for this is very uncertain, rack it off into other hogsheads, let it settle, and then bung it down. ---- english wines and cordials. fruit of every kind should be gathered in dry sunny weather, quite ripe. all home made wines are the better for a little brandy; though some persons never use any. _to clear wine._ dissolve ½ lb. hartshorn shavings in cider or rhenish wine; this is sufficient for a hogshead.--_or_: to table-spoonsful boiled rice, add ½ oz. burnt alum in powder: mix with a pint, or more, of the wine, stir it into the cask, with a stout stick, but do not agitate the lees.--_or_: dissolve ½ oz. isinglass, in a pint or more of the wine, mix with it ½ oz. of chalk in powder, and put it into the cask: stir the wine, but not the lees. _british sherry, or malt wine._ take quarts of the best sweet wort, from pale malt, let it cool and put it into a gallon cask. take as much water as will be required to fill up the cask, put it on the fire, with lbs. of the best lump sugar, stir from time to time, and let it boil gently about a quarter of an hour, taking off the scum as it rises. take it off the fire, let it cool, pour it into the cask, and put in a little good yeast. it may, perhaps, continue to ferment two or three weeks; when this has ceased, put in lbs. raisins, chopped fine; these may cause fresh fermentation, which must be allowed to subside; then put in the rinds of seville oranges, and their juice, also a quart of good brandy; at the end of three { }or four days, if a fresh fermentation have not taken place, put the bung in tight. keep it a year in the cask, then bottle it; the longer it is kept the better.--_or_: stir lbs. good moist sugar into gallons of water, till it is dissolved, then boil it twenty minutes; let it cool in a tub, then put in lbs. good malaga raisins, picked and chopped; when it is quite cold pour in gallons of strong beer ready to be tunned, and let it stand eight days; then taking out the raisins, put it into a gallon cask, with quarts of the best brandy, lb. bitter almonds blanched, and oz. isinglass. bottle it in a year. _british madeira._ boil lbs. moist sugar in gallons of water, half an hour, and scum well. let it cool, and to every gallon put quart of ale, out of the vat; let this work, in a tub, a day or two; then put it in the cask, with lb. sugar candy, lbs. raisins, quart of brandy, and oz. isinglass. when it has ceased to ferment, bung it tight, for a year. _english frontiniac._ boil lbs. lump sugar in gallons of water, half an hour; when only milk warm, put it to nearly a peck of elder flowers, picked clear from the stalks, the juice and peel of large lemons, cut very thin, lbs. stoned raisins, and or spoonsful yeast: stir often, for four or five days. when quite done working, bung it tight, and bottle it in a week. _red currant wine._ to lbs. of moist sugar, allow gallons of water, pour it over the sugar, and stir it well. have a sieve of currants (which usually produces between and quarts of juice), squeeze the fruit with the hand, to break the currants, and as you do so, put the crushed fruit into a horse-hair sieve, press it, and when no more will run through the sieve, wring the fruit in a coarse cloth. pour the juice on the sugar and water, mix it, and then pour it all into a gallon cask, and fill it with water, if the barrel should not be full.--the cask should be filled up { }with water every day, while the wine ferments, and be bunged up tight, when it ceases. this is a cheap and simple method of making currant wine.--_or_: put a bushel of red, and a peck of white currants, into a tub or pan, squeeze well; strain them through a sieve upon lbs. of powdered sugar; when the sugar is dissolved put in some water in the proportion of ½ gallon to gallon of juice, pour it all into the barrel, add or pints of raspberries, and a little brandy. _raisin wine._ put the raisins in at the bung-hole of a close cask (which will be the better for having recently had wine in it), then pour in spring water, in the proportion of a gallon to lbs. raisins; the cask should stand in a good cellar, not affected by external air. when the fermentation begins to subside, pour in a bottle of brandy, and put the bung in loosely; when the fermentation has wholly subsided, add a second bottle of brandy, and stop the cask close. in a year it will be fit to bottle, immediately from the cask, without refining. malaga raisins make the finest wine: smyrna, rich and full, and more resembling foreign wine. _gooseberry wine._ to every pound of green gooseberries, picked and bruised, add quart of water, steep them four days, stirring twice a day. strain the liquor through a sieve, and to every gallon add lbs. loaf sugar; also to every gallons, a quart of brandy, and a little isinglass. when the sugar is dissolved, tun the wine, and let it work, which it will do in a week, or little more, keeping back some of the wine to fill up the cask, before you stop it close. let it stand in the barrel six months, bottle it, in six more begin to drink it. _to make gallons of elder wine._ boil peck of berries in gallons of water, half an hour; strain and add ½ lbs. moist sugar. to every gallon of water add ½ oz. cloves, and oz. ginger, tied in a linen { }bag, boil it again five minutes, and pour it into a pan. when cold, toast a piece of bread on both sides, spread it with good yeast, and put it in the wine. when worked sufficiently, put it into a spirit cask, and cork it down; take the spice out of the cloth, and put it into the cask, with a tumbler of brandy. leave the vent peg out a few days; in three weeks or a month bottle it. _elder wine to drink cold._--boil gallon of berries in gallons of water, two hours and a half. add lbs. moist sugar to every gallon of wine; boil it twenty minutes. next day work it with a yeast toast. when worked enough, cask it, with ½ a bottle of brandy, and lbs. raisins. _ginger wine._ boil in gallons of water lbs. loaf sugar, lbs. of moist, oz. good ginger sliced, and the rind of lemons, half an hour, scumming all the time; let it stand till lukewarm, put it into a clean cask with the juice of the lemons, lbs. chopped raisins, and a tea-cupful of yeast, stir every day for ten days, add ¾ oz. of isinglass and quarts of brandy. stop close, and in four months bottle it.--_or_: in gallons of water boil lbs. loaf sugar, oz. ginger, and the rind of lemons, half an hour, scumming all the time; then put it in the cask with the lemon juice, lbs. raisins, and the yeast, stir every day for a fortnight, add oz. isinglass and quart of brandy. _mountain wine._ to lbs. of large malaga raisins, chopped very small, put a gallon of spring water; steep them a fortnight; squeeze out the liquor, and put it in a barrel: do not stop close until the hissing is over. _primrose wine._ boil lbs. lump sugar in gallons of water, with the juice of lemons, seville oranges, and the whites of eggs; boil half an hour, taking off the scum as it rises; when cool put in a crust of toasted bread, soaked in yeast, let it ferment thirty-six hours: put into the cask the peel of lemons, and of seville oranges, with gallons of { }primrose pips, then pour in the liquor. stir every day for a week, add pints of brandy; stop the cask close, and in six weeks bottle the wine. _cowslip wine._ boil ½ lbs. lump sugar in quarts of water an hour, skim and let it stand until lukewarm, pour it into a pan, upon quarts of cowslip flowers; add a piece of toasted bread spread with yeast, and let it stand four days: put in as many lemons, sliced, as you have gallons of wine, mix and put it into a cask, and stop close. _grape wine._ to gallon of bruised grapes (not over ripe), put gallon of water. let it stand six days, without stirring, strain it off fine, and to each gallon put lbs. moist sugar; barrel, but do not stop it, till it has done hissing.--_or_: the fruit barely half ripe, pick from the stalks, and bruise it, then put it in hair cloths, add an equal weight of water, and let it stand eighteen hours, stirring occasionally: dissolve in it from lbs. to ½ lbs. lump sugar, to each gallon, as you wish the wine to be more or less strong. put it in a cask, fill it to the brim, and have or quarts in reserve to fill up with, as it diminishes by fermenting. let it ferment ten days, when that is over, and there is no danger of the cask bursting, fasten it tight, leaving a small vent to open once a week, for a month. fine and rack the wine in march, and bottle it in october; for a _brisk_ wine, it must ferment eight days longer, and be bottled the following march, in cold weather. _parsnip wine._ boil bushel of sliced parsnips in quarts of water, one hour, then strain it, add lbs. lump sugar, boil one hour more, and when cold ferment with yeast; add a quart of brandy, then bottle it.--_or_: to each gallon of water add lbs. of parsnips, washed and peeled, which boil till tender; drain, but do not bruise them, for no remedy will make the wine clear: to each gallon of the liquor add lbs. loaf sugar, and ½ oz. crude tartar, and when cooled to the { }temperature of , put in a little new yeast; let it stand four days, in a tub, in a warm room; tun it, and bung up when the fermentation has ceased. march and october are the best seasons. it should remain twelve months in cask before it is bottled. _almond wine._ warm a gallon of water, add lbs. loaf sugar, stir well from the bottom, and put in the white of an egg well beaten. when the water boils, stir, skim, and boil it an hour, put it in a pan to cool, and add ½ pint of yeast. tun it next day, work it ten days, stirring once a day, then add to every gallon lb. of sun raisins chopped, and rather less than ¼ lb. of almonds (pounded), more of bitter than sweet, and a little isinglass. stop the cask close, for twelve months. _cherry bounce._ to quarts of brandy, lbs. of red cherries, lbs. of black cherries, and quart of raspberries, a few cloves, a stick of cinnamon, and a bit of orange peel: let it stand a month, close stopped, then bottle it; a lump of sugar in each bottle. _orange wine._ to gallons of spring water put lbs. of lump sugar: mix well, and put it on the fire with the whites of eggs well beaten; do not stir before it boils: when it has boiled half an hour, skim well, put it into a tub, and let it stand till cold. then put to it a pint of good ale yeast, and the peels of seville oranges very thin, let it stand two days, stirring night and morning. then barrel it, adding the juice of seville oranges, and their peels. when it has done working, stop it close for six months before it is bottled.--_or_: to gallons of water, put lbs. loaf sugar, and the whites of eggs, beaten, boil as long as any scum rises, take that off, pour it through a sieve, and boil again, until quite clear; then pour it into a pan. peel seville oranges, very thin; when the steam is a little gone off the water, put the peel into it, keeping back about a double handful. when the liquor is quite cold, squeeze in the { }juice; let it stand two days, stirring occasionally; then strain it, through a hair sieve, into the cask, with the peel in reserve. if the fermentation has ceased, it may be bunged down in a week or ten days. _orange brandy._ steep the rinds of seville oranges and lemons with lbs. lump sugar, in gallon of brandy, four days and nights. stir often, and run it through blotting paper. _a liqueur._ fill one third of a quart bottle with black currants and a quarter part as much of black cherries, fill up with brandy, put in a cork, and let it stand a month; strain it through linen, put in sugar to taste, let it stand again a month, then strain and bottle it.--_quince_ may he used the same way, but in _rum_. _shrub._ to quart of strained orange juice, put lbs. loaf sugar, and pints of rum or brandy; also the peels of half the oranges. let it stand one night, then strain, pour into a cask, and shake it four times a day for four days. let it stand till fine, then bottle it.--_lemon shrub_: to gallon of rum or whiskey, put ½ pint of strained lemon juice, lbs. of lump sugar, the peel of lemons, and bitter almonds. mix the lemon juice and sugar first, let it stand a week, take off all the scum, then pour it from one jug carefully to another, and bottle it. _currant rum._ to every pint of currant juice lb. lump sugar, and to every quarts of juice, pint of water, set it over the fire, in a preserving pan, boil it, take off the scum, as it rises, and pour it into a pan to cool, stir till nearly cold, add to every pints of liquor, quart of rum, and bottle it. _ratafia._ infuse oz. each of anise, dill, carraway, coriander, { }carrot, fennel, and angelica seeds, in quarts of brandy, a fortnight in summer, and three weeks in winter: in the sun in summer, and in a chimney corner in winter. shake it every day; strain through a jelly bag, and to every pint put oz. of sugar, dissolved in water. strain again, that it may be quite fine.--_or_: _for pudding sauces_: blanch an equal quantity of peach, apricot, and nectarine kernels, slit and put them into a wide-mouthed bottle, with oz. white sugar candy; fill it with brandy. _noyeau._ put ¼ lb. sweet and ¼ lb. bitter almonds with lbs. sugar and the rinds of lemons into a quart of brandy (white is best), with ½ pint new milk: shake and mix well together, every day for a fortnight; then strain and bottle it. _real drogheda usquebaugh._ oz. anise seeds, ½ oz. fennel, oz. green liquorice, drachm coriander seeds, of cloves and mace, each drachm, lb. raisins of the sun, and ½ lb. figs. slice the liquorice, bruise the other ingredients, and infuse all in a gallon of brandy eight days. shake it or times a day; strain it, add oz. of saffron in a bag: in two days bottle it. _milk punch._ take quarts of water, quart of milk, ½ pint of lemon juice, quart of brandy, and sugar to your taste: put the milk and water together a little warm, then the sugar, then the lemon juice, stir well, then add the brandy; stir again, run it through a flannel bag, till very fine; then bottle it. it will keep a fortnight or more.--_or_: steep the rinds of lemons in a bottle of rum three days; add quart of lemon juice, quarts of cold soft water, quarts of rum, lbs. lump sugar, and nutmegs grated; mix well, add quarts boiling milk, let it stand five hours; strain through a jelly bag, and bottle it. _excellent punch._ put a piece of lemon peel into pints of barley water, let { }it cool, add the juice of lemons, and ½ pint of brandy; sweeten to taste, and put it in the cool, for four hours. add a little fine old rum. _norfolk punch._ steep the pulp of lemons and oranges, in gallons of rum or brandy, twenty-four hours. boil lbs. of double refined sugar in gallons of water, with the whites of eggs, beaten to a froth; scum well; when cold, put it into the vessel with the rum, quarts of orange juice, the juice of lemons, also quarts of new milk. shake the vessel, to mix it; stop close, and let it stand in the cask two months, before you bottle it. _roman punch._ to the juice of lemons and oranges, add the peel of orange cut thin, and lbs. pounded loaf sugar, mix well, pass through a sieve, and mix it, gradually, with the whites of eggs, beaten to a froth. ice it a little, then add champagne or rum to your taste. _regent's punch._ a bottle of champagne, a ¼ pint of brandy, a wine glass of good old rum, and a pint of very strong green tea, with capillaire or any other syrup, to sweeten. _a cool tankard._ mix wine-glassfuls of sherry, and of brandy, in a tankard, with a hot toast, and sugar to taste; pour in a bottle of clear nice tasted ale, and stir it with a sprig of balm: then let it settle and serve it. _porter cup._ put a bottle of porter, the same of table ale, a wine-glass of brandy, a dessert-spoonful of syrup of ginger, lumps of sugar, and half a nutmeg grated into a covered jug, and set it in a cold place half an hour; just before you serve it stir in a table-spoonful of carbonate of soda. { }_cider cup._ begin with whatever quantity of brandy you choose, and go on, doubling the other ingredients, namely: sherry, cider, soda water, a little lemon peel and cinnamon, sugar to your taste, and a bush of borage. some persons put in a very little piece of the peel of cucumber, but this must be used sparingly, as the flavour is strong. _ginger beer._ boil lbs. lump sugar in ½ gallon of water, with oz. ginger, bruised, one hour; then add the whites of eggs, well beaten; boil a little longer, and take off the scum as it rises; strain into a tub, and let it stand till cold; put it into a cask with the peel of lemons cut thin, also the juice, a pint of brandy, and half a spoonful of ale-yeast at the top. stop the cask close for a fortnight: then bottle, and in another fortnight it will be ready. stone bottles are best.--_or_: oz. powdered ginger, ½ oz. cream of tartar, large lemon sliced, lbs. lump sugar, to gallon of water, simmered half an hour: finish as above. _ginger imperial._--boil oz. cream of tartar, the rind and juice of lemons, pieces of ginger bruised, and lb. of sugar, in quarts of water, half an hour. when cool, add or spoonsful yeast, and let it stand twenty-four hours, then bottle in ½ pint bottles, and tie down the corks. in three days it will be ready. an improvement to this is ¾ lb. sugar, ¼ lb. honey, and tea-spoonful of essence of lemon. _spruce beer._ mix a pint of spruce with lbs. of treacle, stir in gallons of water, let it stand half an hour, put in more gallons of water, and a pint of yeast, stir well, and pour it into a gallon cask, fill that with water, and let it work till fine; bottle it; let the bottles lie on their sides three days, then stand them up, in three more days it will be ready. _crême d'orange._ slice oranges, pour over them gallon of rectified { }spirits, and ¼ pint of orange flower water; in ten days, add lbs. of clarified syrup, a quart of water, and ½ oz. of tincture of saffron: keep it closed, and in a fortnight strain the liquor through a jelly bag, let it settle, then pour from the sediment, and bottle it. _raspberry or mulberry brandy or wine._ bruise fine ripe fruit with the back of a wooden spoon, and strain into a jar through a flannel bag, with lb. of fine powdered loaf sugar to every quart of juice; stir well, let it stand three days, covered close; stir each day: pour it off clear, and put quart of brandy, or of sherry, to each quart of juice; bottle it, and it will be ready in a fortnight. _spring sherbet._ scrape sticks of rhubarb and boil them, ten minutes, in a quart of water; strain the liquor through a tammis cloth into a jug, add the peel of lemon, very thin, and table-spoonsful of clarified sugar; in six hours it is ready. ---- flip. while a quart of ale is warming on the fire, beat eggs with oz. moist sugar, a tea-spoonful of grated ginger or nutmeg, and a quart of rum or brandy. when the ale is near boiling, pour it into one pitcher, the eggs and rum into another, and turn it from one to the other, until smooth as cream. _egg wine._ to quart of lisbon white wine, put quart of water, sweeten to taste, and add a little nutmeg. have ready the yolks of eggs well beaten; boil the mixed wine and water, and pour it quickly on the beaten eggs, and pour from one bason to another, until it froths high. serve in cups. _to mull wine._ boil the quantity you choose, of cinnamon, nutmeg { }grated, cloves or mace, in a ¼ pint of water; add a pint of port, and sugar to taste, boil it up, and serve it hot. _the pope's posset._ blanch, pound, then boil in a little water, ½ lb. sweet, and a very few bitter almonds, strain, and put the liquid into a quart of heated white wine, with sugar to sweeten; beat well, and serve hot. chapter xxix. the dairy. this, of all the departments of country house-keeping, is the one which most quickly suffers from neglect; and of all the appendages to a country dwelling, there is nothing which so successfully rivals the flower garden, in exciting admiration, as a nice dairy. from the show-dairy, with its painted glass windows, marble fountains and china bowls, to that of the common farm house, with its red brick floor, deal shelves, and brown milk-pans, the dairy is always an object of interest, and is associated with every idea of real comfort, as well as of imaginary enjoyment, attendant upon a country life. the management of this important department in a country establishment, from the milking of the cows, to the making of the butter and the cheese, must necessarily be almost wholly intrusted to a dairy maid, who ought to be _experienced_ in the various duties of her office, or she cannot be skilful in the performance of them. those persons who have excelled in dairy work, have generally learnt their business when quite young, as a knowledge of it is not to be hastily acquired. the great art of butter and cheese-making, consists in extreme care and scrupulous cleanliness; and an experienced dairy maid knows, that when her butter has a bad taste, some of the dairy utensils, the churn, the pail, or the pans, have been neglected in the scalding, _or_, the butter { }itself not well made: unless, indeed, as is sometimes the case, the fault lies in the food provided for the cows. _note._--cobbett's "cottage economy" contains directions for the keeping and feeding of cows. the utmost care and diligence, on the part of the dairy maid, may, however, prove ineffectual, if the dairy itself be not convenient, and provided with the proper utensils. the principal requisites of a dairy are, coolness in summer, and a temperature warmer than the external air, in very cold weather. the building should, therefore, be so constructed, as to exclude the sun in summer, and the cold in winter. the windows should never front the south, south east, or south west. they should be latticed, or, which is preferable, wired, to admit a free circulation of air, with glazed frames, to be shut and opened, at pleasure. the room should be lofty, and the walls thick, as nothing more effectually preserves an even temperature, or excludes extremes of cold and heat. it should be paved with brick or stone, and laid with a proper descent, so that all water may be drained off. the floor should be washed every day in summer, and three or four times a week in the winter. the utensils should not be scalded in the dairy, as the steam from hot water is injurious to milk. neither rennet, cheese, or cheese-press, should be kept in it, as they diffuse an acidity. the dairy should not be used as a larder; it cannot be too scrupulously devoted to its own proper purposes. the cows should be milked twice a day, and as nearly at the same hour as possible; and they should be milked _quite clean_: this is a matter of great consequence, not only as being conducive to the health of the animals, but if neglected, very much diminishes the value of their produce; for that which is milked last, is much richer than that which is first milked. some persons when they strain the milk into pans, for creaming, pour into each one, a little boiling hot water (in the proportion of quart of water to pails of milk); this was never done in our dairy in hampshire, but i believe the effect is, to destroy the taste of turnip. it is very good, for this purpose, to keep a piece of saltpetre in the cream pot. this latter should have a stick in it, and be well { }stirred up twice a day, or, every time the dairy maid goes into the dairy. the cream should not be kept longer than four days, before it is made into butter. if twice a week be too often to churn, it ought not to be less frequent than three times in a fortnight. in private families the milk is generally skimmed only once, and this leaves the milk very good; but where butter is made for sale, and quantity rather than quality, is the object, a second skimming is generally resorted to. some dairy maids object to the second skimming, on account of the bitter taste, which they say the cream so skimmed is sure to give the butter. _to make butter._ in summer the churn should be filled with cold spring water, and in winter scalded with hot water, preparatory to churning; then pour the cream in, through a straining cloth. in warm weather the churning should be performed in a cool place; and, in a general way, the butter will come in an hour; but it often does come in half the time, though it is not the better for coming so quickly. in very cold weather the churning must be done in a warm place; indeed, it is sometimes necessary to bring the churn near the fire, but this should never be allowed but in extreme cold weather, when the butter will sometimes be five or six hours in coming: when this is the case, it is almost always of a white colour and a poor taste. the butter being come, pour off the buttermilk, leaving the butter in the churn, pour in a pailful of cold water, wash the butter about, pour off the water, and pour in a fresh pailful; let the butter stand in this ten minutes. scald a milk-pan, and stand it half an hour or more in cold water, lift the butter out of the churn into it, pour fresh water over, and wash the butter about well, drain the water off as dry as possible, and then proceed to work the buttermilk out of the butter. some persons do this with the hands (which should first be dipped in hot water), others with a straining-cloth: if the latter, scald and wring it dry; then work the butter by squeezing it, by degrees, from one side of the pan to the other, pour cold water over to rinse, and pour that off; then work the butter back again, and rinse again; repeat this till the rinsing water is no longer coloured with milk, { }and then you may be sure that the buttermilk is all worked out; for, if there be any of it left, the butter will have streaks of white when cut, and will not be sweet. having worked out the milk, the next thing is, to put in the salt. the quantity must depend, in some measure, on taste; some persons like their butter very much salted, while others think that the flavour of salt should not be distinguishable in fresh butter. roll it quite fine, and you may allow ½ lb. to lbs. butter: press the butter out thin, sprinkle over it some salt, fold up the butter, press it out again, strew over more salt, fold it up again, and so on, till all the salt is in, work the butter about well, to mix the salt with it, and pour off whatever liquid there may be in the pan. take the butter out, a piece at a time (if the quantity be great), on a square wooden trencher (previously scalded and dipped into cold water), and, either with the hand, a fresh cloth, or a flat, thin piece of wood (made for the purpose), beat the butter out thin, fold it up, beat it out again, and repeat this several times, till the water is all beaten out. by the time it has arrived at this latter stage, it ought to be quite firm, except in extreme hot weather, when no pains are sufficient to make it so. when the water is all out, make up the butter, in what form and size you choose; place it on a board, or a marble slab, in a cool place, but not before a window, as too much air will not benefit it; spread over it a cheese-cloth, first scalded, then dipped in cold water, and it will harden in a few hours. different parts of england vary so much in the butter they produce, that what is considered very good in one county would be regarded as inferior in another. this is caused by difference in the pasturage, and not by variation in the mode of preparing the cream or making the butter; except, indeed, in some parts of the west of england. in devonshire the cream is always, i believe, prepared according to the following directions, which were written for me by a devonshire lady. _to make butter without a churn._ spread a linen cloth in a large bason, pour in the cream, tie it up like a pudding, fold another cloth over it, and bury it in a hole two feet deep, in light earth, put all the earth { }lightly in, lay a turf on the top, and leave it twenty-four hours; take it up, and it will be found in the state that butter is when it is just come. the buttermilk is lost, but this method answers very well in hot weather. we tried it in america. _clouted cream._ strain the milk, from the cow, into glazed earthenware vessels, and let it stand twelve hours in summer, and twenty-four, or thirty-six, in winter, before you scald it. then place the vessels over a very small fire or hearth, for half or three-quarters of an hour, until the surface begins to swell, and the shape of the bottom of the pan appears on it (but if made hot enough to simmer, it will be spoiled); then set it to cool, and in twelve hours' time in summer, and eighteen or twenty-four in winter, the cream may be taken off with a skimmer which has holes. _butter from clouted cream._ scald well a large wooden bowl, then rinse it with cold water, but do not wipe it dry. put in the cream, work it well with the hand (in one direction only), until the milk comes from it, which should be drained off, and will serve for making cakes and puddings; when the milk is all beaten out, wash the butter with cold water to cleanse it from the milk, then salt it, thus: spread it out on the bottom of the bowl, sprinkle salt over, roll it up, wash it again with cold water, beat out again, then shape and print it, as you please. the hands should be well washed in hot water, before you begin to work the butter. in winter and in weather of a moderate temperature the butter is speedily made, but in very hot weather it will take nearly or quite an hour of stirring round, and working with the hand, before it will come into butter. _to pot butter for winter use._ in the summer, when there is plenty of butter, care should be taken to preserve enough for winter use. but observe, that none but good butter, well made, and quite free from buttermilk, will pot well. have potting pans, to hold from to lbs. of butter. put a thick layer of butter { }in the pan, press it down hard, then a layer of salt, press that down, then more butter, and so on: allowing oz. of salt to every lb. of butter. if too salt, it can be freshened by being washed in cold water, before it is sent to table. always keep the top well covered with salt, and as that turns to brine, more salt may be required. tie paper over, and keep the pan in the dairy, or cellar. some persons use one quarter part of lump sugar, and the same of saltpetre, to two parts of common salt. _to make cheese._ the milk should be just lukewarm, whether skimmed or not. to a pailful put table-spoonsful of rennet, cover the milk, and let it stand, to turn: strike down the curd with the skimming dish, or break it with the hand, pour off the whey, put the curd into a cheese-cloth, and let two persons hold the four corners, and move it about, from side to side, to extract the whey: lay it into the vat, fold the cloth smoothly over the cheese, cover it with the lid of the vat, and put a weight of or lbs. on the top. let it stand twelve hours; then take it carefully out, put it on a wooden trencher, or a clean hanging shelf, and sprinkle salt thickly over the top. the next day, wipe it dry all over, turn it the other side upwards, sprinkle salt on the top, and repeat this every day, for a week: after that, turn it every day, and occasionally wipe it.--_another_: to quarts new milk, add quarts lukewarm water, and sufficient rennet to turn it: when the curd is settled put it into a small vat, about a foot square, and ½ inch deep, with holes in the bottom; place a lid on it, and put on that a lb. weight, for a day.--_another_: put quarts of the last of the milking into a pan, with table-spoonsful of rennet; when the curd is come, strike it down with the skimming dish two or three times, to break it: let it stand two hours. spread a cheese-cloth on a sieve, put the curd on it, and let the whey drain; break the curd with the hand, put it into a vat, and a lbs. weight on the top. when it has stood twelve hours, take it out and bind a cloth round it. turn it every day, from one board to another. cover the cheese with nettle leaves, and put it between pewter plates, to ripen. it will be ready in three weeks. { }chapter xxx. cookery for the sick. often when the doctor's skill has saved the life of his patient, and it remains for the diligent nurse to prepare the cooling drinks and restorative foods, the taste and the appetite of sick persons are so capricious that they will reject the very thing which they had just before chosen: and frequently, if consulted upon the subject, will object to something which, if it had appeared unexpectedly before them, they would, perhaps, have cheerfully partaken of. everything which is prepared for a sick person should be delicately clean, served quickly, in the nicest order; and in a small quantity at a time. _see, in the index_, _mutton_ and _chicken_ broths. _mutton chops to stew._ chops for an invalid may be stewed till tender, in cold water to cover them, over a _slow fire_; scum carefully, add onion, and if approved, turnips. the broth will be very delicate. _a nourishing broth._ put lb. lean beef, lb. scrag of veal, and lb. scrag of mutton, into a saucepan with water enough to cover, and a little salt, let it boil to throw up the scum, take that off, pour off the water, and take off all the scum hanging about the meat: pour in ½ quarts of warm (not hot) water, let it boil, and simmer gently till very much reduced, and the meat in rags. a faggot of herbs may be added, and a few peppercorns: also an onion, if desired. when the broth is cold remove the fat. if to serve at once, the fat may be taken off, by laying a piece of blotting paper over the top.--_tapioca_ is very nice in broths for invalids.--_or_: put { }a knuckle of veal, with very little meat, and shanks of mutton, into an earthen jar or pan, with blades of mace, peppercorns, an onion, a thick slice of bread, quarts of water, and salt: tie a paper over, and bake it, four hours: then strain, and take off the fat. _calf's-feet broth._ boil feet in quarts of water, with a little salt: it should boil up first, then simmer, till the liquor is wasted half: strain, and put it by. this may be warmed (the fat taken off), a tea-cupful at a time, with either white or port wine, and is very nourishing.--_or_: boil the feet with oz. lean veal, the same of beef, half a penny roll, a blade of mace, salt, and nutmeg, in quarts of water: when well boiled, strain it, and take off the fat. _eel broth._ this is very strengthening, ½ lb. small eels will make pint of broth. clean, and put them into a saucepan with quarts of water, parsley, a slice of onion, a few peppercorns, and salt; simmer, till the broth tastes well, then strain it. _beef tea._ notch ½ lb. of beef (the veiny piece), put it into a saucepan with a quart of water, let it boil, take off the scum, and let it continue to simmer two hours. beef tea should be free from fat and scum, and not burned. _beef jelly._ let a shin of beef be in water an hour, take it out, and drain it; cut it in small pieces, break the bones, and put all in a stew-pan or jar, with quarts of milk. put it in the oven, and stew it till reduced to quarts; skim off the fat, take out the bones, strain through a jelly bag, and add oz. hartshorn shavings and a stick of cinnamon. boil again gently over a slow fire, but be careful not to burn. take every morning fasting, and at noon, a tea-cupful, warmed with a glass of wine. { }_shank jelly_ (_very strengthening_). soak shanks of mutton, then brush and scour them very clean. lay them in a saucepan with blades of mace, an onion, jamaica and black peppers, a bunch of sweet herbs, a crust of bread, browned by toasting, and quarts of water; set the saucepan over a slow fire or hearth, keep it covered, let it simmer, as gently as possible, five hours. strain, and keep it in a cold place. you may add lb. of lean beef. _for a weak stomach._ cut lbs. of lean veal and some turnips into thin slices. put a layer of veal and a layer of turnips into a stone jar, cover close and set it in a kettle of water. boil two hours, then strain it. you may not have more than a tea-cupful of liquor, which is to be taken, a spoonful at a time, as often as agreeable. this has been known to stay on a weak stomach, when nothing else would.--_or_: put a cow heel into a covered earthen jar or pan, with pints of milk, pints of water, oz. hartshorn shavings, and a little fine sugar. let it stand six hours in a moderate oven, then strain it.--_or_: bake a neat's foot, in quarts of water and quarts of new milk, with ½ lb. sun raisins, stoned. when the foot is in pieces, set it by to get cold, and take off the fat. a tea-cupful, dissolved in warm milk or wine. _bread jelly, for a sick person._ pare all the crust off a penny roll, cut the crumb in slices, toast these on both sides, of a light brown. have ready a quart of water, boiled, and cold, put the slices of bread into it, and boil gently until the liquor is a jelly, which you will ascertain, by putting some in a spoon, to cool. strain through a thin cloth, and put it by for use. warm a tea-cupful, add sugar, grated lemon peel, and wine or milk as you choose; for children the latter. this jelly is said to be so strengthening that one spoonful contains more nourishment than a tea-cupful of any other jelly.--_or_: grate some crumbs very fine; put a large tea-cupful of water into a saucepan, with a glass of white wine, sugar and nutmeg to taste, make this boil, stir in the crumbs, by degrees, { }boil very fast, stirring all the time, till it is as thick as you like. _jelly for a sick person._ boil oz. of isinglass, in a quart of water, with jamaica peppers, and a crust of bread; let the water reduce one half. a large spoonful of this may be taken in wine and water, milk, or tea.--_or_: boil ¼ oz. of isinglass shavings in a pint of new milk, till reduced half; sweeten to taste, and take it lukewarm. _panada._ boil a chicken, till parts cooked, in a quart of water, let it get cold, take off the skin, cut the white meat into pieces, and pound it in a marble mortar, with a little of the water it was boiled in, salt and nutmeg. boil it in more of the liquid, till of the proper consistency. _strengthening jelly._ boil ¾ lb. hartshorn shavings, ½ oz. of isinglass and candied eringo root, in quarts of water, to a strong jelly, strain it, add ¼ lb. brown sugar candy, the juice of a seville orange, and ½ pint of white wine. a wine-glassful three times a day.--_or_: put oz. of the best isinglass, oz. gum arabic, oz. white sugar candy, and a little nutmeg, in a white jar with a pint of port or sherry, and simmer it twenty-four hours in a vessel of water; then strain it. take the size of a walnut three times a day. _gloucester jelly._ boil oz. hartshorn shavings, oz. pearl barley, oz. sago, ½ oz. candied eringo root, and pints of water, till reduced to a quart. a tea-cupful, warmed, morning and evening, in wine, milk, broth, or water. _port wine jelly._ boil pint of port wine, oz. isinglass, oz. sugar candy, ¼ oz. gum arabic, and ½ a nutmeg, grated, five { }minutes, and strain it through muslin. some add lemon peel and juice, cloves, and nutmeg. for table, colour it with cochineal. _arrow-root jelly._ if genuine, this is very nourishing. put ½ pint of water into a saucepan, with a wine-glass of sherry, or a table-spoonful of brandy, sugar, and grated nutmeg; let it come quickly to a boil; rub smooth a dessert-spoonful of arrow-root in two table-spoonsful of cold water; stir this by degrees into the wine and water, put it all into the same saucepan, and boil it three minutes.--_or_: pour _boiling_ (not merely _hot_) water over the arrow-root, and keep stirring; it will soon thicken. add brandy, lump sugar, and, if approved, lemon juice. _tapioca jelly._ wash well, and soak it five or six hours, changing the water two or three times; simmer it in the last water, with a piece of lemon peel, until clear; add lemon juice, wine, and sugar to taste. _sago to boil._ put a large table-spoonful into ¾ of a pint of water. stir and boil very gently, till it is as thick as you require. add wine, sugar, and nutmeg to taste.--_tapioca_ in the same way. soak both these two or three hours before they are boiled. they may be boiled in milk, like rice. _gruel._ put table-spoonsful of the best grits into ½ pint cold water; let it boil gently, and stir often, till it is as thick as you require. when done, strain, and serve it directly; or if to be put by, stir till quite cold. boil in it a piece of ginger, and, if for caudle, lemon peel also. _barley gruel_--wash oz. of pearl barley, boil it in two quarts of water, with a stick of cinnamon, till reduced half; strain, then warm it with wine-glassfuls of wine. { }_barley cream._ boil lb. of veal, free from skin and fat, with oz. pearl barley, in a quart of water, till reduced to a pint, then rub it through a sieve till it is of the consistency of cream, perfectly smooth; add salt and spice to taste. _water gruel._ put a large spoonful of oatmeal into a pint of water, mix well, and let it boil up three or four times, stirring constantly; then strain, add salt to taste, and a piece of butter. stir till the butter is melted, and the gruel will be fine and smooth. _caudle._ make some smooth gruel, well boiled, strain, and stir it. some like half brandy and half white wine; others, wine, sugar, lemon peel, and nutmeg.--_or_: add to ¼ pint gruel a large table-spoonful of brandy, the same of white wine, capillaire, a little nutmeg and lemon peel. some use _ale_; no wine or brandy. _rice caudle_--soak table-spoonsful of rice in water, an hour, then simmer it gently in ¼ pint of milk till it will pulp through a sieve; put the pulp and milk back into the saucepan, with a bruised clove and a bit of sugar. simmer ten minutes; if too thick, add warm milk.--_or_: rub smooth some ground rice with cold water, then mix with boiling water; simmer it a few minutes, add lemon peel, nutmeg pounded, cinnamon, and sugar, a little brandy, and boil it for a minute. _rice milk._ wash, pick, then soak the rice in water, boil it in milk, with lemon peel and nutmeg: stir often, or it may burn.--_ground rice milk_: rub a table-spoonful quite smooth, with a little cold water; stir in, by degrees, ½ pint of milk, with cinnamon, lemon peel, and nutmeg; boil till thick enough, and sweeten to taste. _a mutton custard for a cough._ into a pint of good skim milk, shred oz. of fresh { }mutton suet, and let it boil; then simmer gently an hour, stirring it from time to time. strain, and take it at bed-time. old fashioned, but good for tightness of the chest.--_another remedy for the same_: heat the yolk of a fresh egg, and mix with a dessert-spoonful of honey, and the same of oatmeal; beat well, put it into a tumbler, and stir in by degrees, boiling water sufficient to fill it.--_or_: mix a fresh laid egg, well beaten, with ¼ pint of new milk _warmed_, a table-spoonful of capillaire, the same of rose water, and a little grated nutmeg. do not warm the milk after the egg is added to it. _artificial asses milk._ to ½ oz. candied eringo root, add ½ oz. hartshorn shavings, and ½ oz. pearl barley; boil them in a pint of water over a slow fire till the water is reduced half. mix a tea-cupful, with the same quantity of warmed milk, and take it half an hour before rising. _onion porridge._ put small, and large onions, cut small, into a saucepan with a large piece of butter, shake over the fire, but do not let them burn: when half cooked, pour in a pint of boiling water, and simmer it till they are cooked. some thicken with flour. _french milk porridge._ stir some oatmeal and water together, and let it stand to settle; pour off the liquid, add fresh water to the oatmeal, and let it stand: the next day pass it through a sieve, boil the water, and while boiling, stir in some milk, in the proportion of parts to of water. _white wine whey._ let ½ pint new milk come to a boil, pour in as much white wine as will turn it; let it boil up, and set the saucepan aside till the curd forms: then pour the whey off, or strain it, if required. some add ½ pint of boiling water, and a bit of sugar; lemon juice may be added. { }_rennet whey._ steep a piece of rennet, about an inch square, in a small tea-cupful of water, boiled and become a little cool. then warm a quart of new milk, to the same temperature as from the cow, and when in this state, add a table-spoonful of the rennet. let it stand before the fire until it thickens, then in a vessel of boiling water, on the fire, to separate the curds from the milk. _vinegar or lemon whey._ pour into boiling milk as much vinegar or lemon juice as will make a small quantity clear, dilute with warm water till it be of an agreeable acid; sweeten it to taste. _mustard whey._ strew into a pint of milk, just coming to a boil, flour of mustard to turn it; let it stand a few minutes, then strain it. _treacle posset._ into a pint of boiling milk pour table-spoonsful of treacle, stir briskly till it curdles, then strain it. _orgeat._ beat oz. of sweet, and or bitter almonds, with a tea-spoonful of orange-flower water, to a paste: mix them with a quart of milk and water, and sweeten with sugar or capillaire. some add a little brandy. _lemonade._ pare lemons very thin, and put the rinds into pints of boiling water, and keep covered till cold. boil lb. of lump sugar in water to make a thin syrup, with the white of an egg to clear it. squeeze lemons in a separate bason, mix all together, add a quart of boiling milk, and pass it through a jelly bag till clear. keep it till the next day.--_or_: pour boiling water on a little of the peel, and cover close. boil water and sugar together to a thin { }syrup, skim, and let it cool; then mix the juice, the syrup and water, in which the peel has infused, all together, and strain through a jelly bag. some add capillaire. _barley water._ wash oz. of pearl barley, boil it in very little water, pour the latter off, then pour a quart of fresh water over, and boil it till reduced to half the quantity. some boil lemon peel in it, others add lemon juice or cream of tartar, and sugar. a small quantity of gum arabic is good boiled in it.--_another_, and by some doctors considered the best, is merely to pour boiling water on the barley, let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then pour it off clear. _capillaire._ put lbs. of loaf sugar, lbs. coarse sugar, and eggs well beaten, into quarts of water; boil it up twice, skim well, and add ¼ pint of orange-flower water. strain through a jelly bag, and bottle it. a spoonful or two in a tumbler of either warm or cold water is a pleasant drink. _linseed tea._ boil quart of water, and as it boils put in a table-spoonful of linseed; add two onions, boil a few minutes, then strain it, put in the juice of a lemon, and sugar to your taste. if it gets thick by standing, add a little boiling water.--_or_: put the linseed in a piece of muslin, then in a quart jug, pour boiling water over and cover it close, an hour. _lemon and orange water._ put slices lemon peel into a tea-pot, with a dessert-spoonful of capillaire, and pour ½ pint of boiling water over.--_or_: pour boiling water over preserved orange or lemon.--_or_: boil lemon or orange juice in some thin syrup of sugar and water. _apple water._ pour boiling water over slices of apple in a covered jug. { }_toast and water._ toast a piece of bread quite brown, without burning, put it in a covered jug, and pour boiling water on it; before the water is quite cold strain it off. _a drink for sick persons._ boil oz. of pearl barley in pints of water, with oz. sweet almonds beaten fine, and a bit of lemon peel; when boiled to a smooth liquor, add syrup of lemons and capillaire.--_or_: _to take in a fever_: boil ½ oz. tamarinds with ¾ oz. raisins and oz. currants stoned, in pints of water, till reduced half; add a little grated lemon peel. _saline draughts._ pour ½ pint spring water on drachms salt of wormwood, and table-spoonsful lemon juice; table-spoonsful lump sugar may be added, if approved.--_or_: pour table-spoonsful lemon juice on grains of salt of wormwood, add a small piece of sugar, finely pounded. when the salt is killed, add table-spoonsful of plain mint water, and the same of spring water; strain, and divide it into draughts, to be taken every six hours. if the patient be bilious, add grains of rhubarb, and of jalap, to the morning and evening draught.--_or_: pour into one glass a table-spoonful of lemon juice, and dissolve in it a lump of sugar; dissolve ½ a tea-spoonful of carbonate of soda in table-spoonsful of water, in another glass: pour the two together, and drink in a state of effervescence. for delicate persons, a wine-glassful of sherry takes away the debilitating effect. _coffee._ to be good must be made of a good kind, for poor, cheap coffee, though ever so strong, is not good. a breakfast-cup, quite full, before it is ground, makes a quart of good coffee. when the water boils in the coffee-pot, pour in the coffee, set it over the fire; the coffee will rise to the top, in boiling, and will then fall; boil it slowly three minutes longer, pour out a cupful, pour it back, then another, and let it stand five minutes by the side of the fire. a small { }piece of dried sole skin will fine it, or lumps of sugar.--coffee requires cream or boiled milk. _chocolate._ some prefer milk alone, others milk, and half its quantity in water; let it boil (be careful it do not burn), and put in the chocolate, scraped; in quantity according to the strength desired; mill it quickly, and let it boil up, then mill it again.--for sick persons, use thin gruel, not milk. _tea._ for invalids who do not take tea for breakfast, its flavour may be given, by boiling a dessert-spoonful of green tea in a pint of milk, five minutes, then strain it. this renders it comparatively harmless. _barley sugar._ put the beaten whites of eggs in an earthen pipkin with a pint of water, and lbs. clarified lump sugar, flavoured with essence or oil of lemons; boil quickly, skimming all the time, till stiff enough. pour into a shallow brown dish, and form it as you please. _everton toffy._ to ¼ lb. treacle, put ½ lb. sugar, and oz. butter, boil them together until they become hard when dropped in cold water. then take the pan off the fire, and pour the toffy immediately into a tin dish. { }chapter xxxi. medical recipes. in almost every family little illnesses are likely to occur, which may require medicine, though not, perhaps, the aid of a doctor; it is, therefore, convenient to keep a small supply of common medicines in the house, especially in the country. the list i give was written by a medical gentleman; but while i am induced to insert it in this work, from a belief that it may, in some cases, be found of use, i cannot refrain from observing that it is far from my desire to lead any young housekeeper to adopt the fatal error that _doctors_ may be dispensed with, when anything approaching to serious illness betrays itself. too many instances have occurred wherein life has been lost, for the want of timely medical skill, which might, perhaps, have arrested the progress of disease at its feeble commencement, and before it had acquired sufficient strength to baffle opposition. the following receipts have all been tried by the persons who gave them to me; many of them may be old fashioned, but some i can assert to be good. that for the _croup_ has been resorted to, several times in our own family, and always with success. the complaint is a violent one, its attacks are sudden and the progress of the disease is so rapid that there ought not to be an _instant_ of delay in administering the remedies. the _croup_ is of common occurrence in america, and the following receipt came from that country. _for the croup._ the healthiest children are the most liable to this complaint, which is caused by sudden changings in the atmosphere, draughts of cold air, and checking of the perspiration, { }it betrays itself by a hoarse croaking cough, something like the hooping cough.--put the child into a warm bath placed opposite the fire; cover it all over with flannel, or a blanket; in the meantime chop an onion or two, squeeze the juice through a piece of muslin, mix it in the proportion of tea-spoonful with table-spoonsful treacle; get the child to swallow as much of this, from time to time, as you can: when it has been in the bath ten or twelve minutes, take it out in a blanket, and as quickly as you can, rub the stomach and chest with a mixture of rum and oil, or goose grease, wrap the child in a flannel and put it to bed, or keep it in the lap by the fire; if the child go to sleep, it will be almost sure to awake free from the disorder. these remedies may not succeed if there be delay in applying them. _for weakness of stomach._ drachm of prepared columba root, and ½ drachm of rhubarb root, infused in ½ pint of boiling water, one day: add oz. tincture of columba, and a little sugar. table-spoonsful, twice a day.--_or_: put about camomile flowers into ½ a pint boiling water, with cloves, and hops, cover close and let it stand all night: a tea-cupful first in the morning, and again an hour before dinner. if giddiness ensues, the camomile does not agree with the patient, and must not be continued. where it does agree, this will be found to restore the appetite. _camphor julep._ rub ¼ oz. of camphor in a mortar, with a few drops of spirits of wine, and a few lumps of sugar; add, by degrees, a quart of water, boiled, and cold. let it stand twenty-four hours, then strain through muslin, and bottle it. _for bilious complaints and indigestion._ pour over twenty grains each of rhubarb and ginger, and a handful of camomile flowers, a pint of boiling water. a wine-glassful the first in the morning, and an hour before dinner. { }_a mild aperient._ (_to take in the spring._) put oz. of senna into a jar, and pour quart of boiling water over it; fill up the vessel, with prunes and figs; cover with paper, and set it in the oven, with household bread. take every morning, one or two prunes, and a wine-glass of the liquor.--_or_: dissolve oz. of spanish liquorice in one pint boiling water, add oz. socotrine aloes in powder, and pint brandy. take tea-spoonful in a wine-glassful of water, either in the morning, at night, or both.--_or_: a large tea-spoonful of magnesia, a lump of sugar, a dessert-spoonful of lemon juice, in ½ pint of spring water. _gout cordial._ rhubarb oz., senna, coriander seeds, sweet fennel seeds, cochineal, saffron, and liquorice root, of each, a ¼ oz., and of jar raisins oz. let the raisins be stoned, and all the ingredients be bruised. put them into a quart of french brandy. shake well every day for a fortnight. take table-spoonful, with peppermint, or plain water. _hallett's gout and bilious cordial._ infuse in a gallon of distilled aniseed water, oz. turkey rhubarb, oz. senna leaves, oz. guaiacum shavings, oz. elecampagne root, oz. fennel seed, oz. saffron, oz. cochineal, lb. sun raisins, oz. aniseed; shake it every day for a fortnight; strain and bottle it.--a table-spoonful (or two) an hour after dinner. _for nervous affections._ take a small wine-glassful of the following mixture: a tea-spoonful of sal volatile, of tincture of hops, and an equal portion of infusion of orange peel and of gentian. _mustard whey, for dropsy and for rheumatism._ boil ½ oz. bruised mustard seed, in a quart of milk and water, till the curd which forms is separated. strain it and take a tea-cupful three times a day. _another for rheumatism._--a handful of scraped horse-radish, and a { }table-spoonful of whole mustard seed, infused in a bottle of madeira; the longer the better. a wine-glassful in bed at night, and another before the patient rises. _an embrocation for rheumatism._ dissolve oz. of gum camphor in oz. of rectified spirits of wine; add by degrees, shaking the phial frequently, oz. spirits of sal ammoniac and drachms oil of lavender. this has been used with success.--_another_: (known to mitigate the tic douloureux), is the _caja peeta oil_, but it _must_ be genuine. it is also good for strains, bruises, and chilblains.--_or_: a mixture of drachms french soap, drachms ether, and oz. spirits of wine. _for a sore throat._ at the beginning of a sore throat, get fresh ivy leaves, tack them together, warm them, and put the shady side to the throat.--_or_: wet bread-crumbs with brandy, and tie them round the throat. make a gargle of carrots, sliced and boiled, and use it often.--_or_: dissolve oz. camphor in a pint of rectified spirits of wine. dip a piece of new welsh flannel into this, and apply it to the throat. be careful to wet frequently. _a remedy for a common cold._ grains compound extract of colocynth, and grains of soap, in pills, taken at going to bed. the following night, take or grains of compound powder of contrayerva, and ½ a pint vinegar whey.--breakfast in bed the next morning. _syrup for a cough._ boil oz. balsam of tolu, very gently, two hours, in a quart of water; add lb. white sugar candy, finely beaten, and boil it half an hour longer. strain through a flannel bag twice; when cold, bottle it. you may add oz. syrup of red poppies, and the same of raspberry vinegar. a spoonful when the cough is troublesome.--_or_: oz. honey, table-spoonsful vinegar, oz. syrup white poppies, and oz. gum arabic: boil gently to the consistency of treacle; { }a tea-spoonful when the cough is troublesome.--_or_: table-spoonful treacle, of honey, of vinegar, drops laudanum, and drops peppermint. simmer together a quarter of an hour. a dessert-spoonful to be taken at going to bed.--_or_: mix together in a phial, drachms of compound tincture of benjamin, drachms ethereal spirits of nitre, drachms of compound tincture of camphor, and drachms of oxymel; a tea-spoonful in a wine-glass of warm water, when the cough is troublesome.--_or_: mix oz. gum arabic, oz. sugar candy, and the juice of a lemon; pour on it a pint of boiling water; a little when the cough is troublesome. _extract of malt, for a cough._ over ½ a bushel of pale ground malt, pour hot (not boiling) water to cover it, let it stand eight and forty hours; drain off the liquor, without squeezing the grains, into a stew-pan large enough to boil quickly, without boiling over. when it begins to thicken, stir, till it is as thick as treacle. a dessert-spoonful three times a day. _for a cold and cough._ to quarts of water, put ¼ lb. linseed, two pennyworth stick liquorice, and ¼ lb. sun raisins. boil it, until the water be reduced half; add a spoonful of rum and of lemon juice. a ¼ pint at bed time, and in smaller quantities, during the night, if the cough be troublesome. _for the hooping cough._ dissolve scruple of salt of tartar in ¼ pint of cold water: add grains of pounded cochineal, and sweeten with lump sugar.--the dose increased in proportion to the age of the patient; for a child five years old, a table-spoonful is sufficient; for adults table-spoonsful times a day.--abstain from all acids. _garlic syrup, for hooping, or any other cough._ put roots of garlic, sliced thinly and transversely, with oz. honey, and oz. vinegar, into a ½ pint bason, { }and set that into a large wash-hand bason; let it infuse half an hour, then strain it. take the first in the morning, and the last at night, a tea-spoonful of the syrup, in an equal quantity of brandy and water; put the water in the glass first. _almond emulsion for a cough._ beat well in a marble mortar, drachms of sweet almonds blanched, and drachms of white sugar, add pint cold water, by degrees; strain, then add table-spoonsful of sweet spirits of nitre. cork, and keep it in a cool place, or in cold water. a tea-spoonful three times a day. _for a hoarseness._ sweeten a ¼ pint of hyssop water with sugar candy, and set it over the fire; when quite hot, stir in the yolk of an egg well beaten, and drink it off; this may be taken night and morning.--_or_: put a new laid egg in as much lemon juice as will cover it: let it stand twenty-four hours, and the shell will be dissolved. break the egg, then take away the skin. beat it well together, add oz. of brown sugar candy pounded, ¼ pint of rum, a wine-glassful of salad oil, and beat all well together. a table-spoonful the first in the morning, and the last at night. _plaster for a cough._ beat together oz. each, of bees-wax, white burgundy pitch, and rosin, ¼ oz. coarse turpentine, ½ oz. oil of mace; spread it on white leather, the shape of a heart; when it flies off, renew it, two or three times. _bark gargle._ boil oz. powdered bark and drachm myrrh, in ½ pint of water, over a slow fire, till one third is wasted; strain, then add a table-spoonful of honey, and a tea-spoonful of spirits of lavender. _an excellent gargle for a sore throat._ half fill a teapot with _dark_ red rose leaves, pour boiling { }water over; when cold strain it into a oz. bottle, add a tea-spoonful of tincture of myrrh, and drops of elixir of vitriol: if the throat be ulcerated, a tea-spoonful of tincture of cayenne. _chilblains._ make a liniment, of oz. of palma oil, oz. of expressed oil of mace, and drachms of camphor. _for burns or scalds._ keep in a bottle, tightly corked, ½ oz. of trefoil, and the same of sweet oil; apply with a feather, immediately that the accident has occurred. _linseed_ or olive oil, applied instantly, will draw out the fire; _treacle_ will have the same effect, and is recommended by some persons, in preference to anything else. others say that _fine flour_, applied _instantly_, is the best thing; as soon as it becomes warm, replace it with fresh. _wadding_ also laid on the part instantly is good to draw out the fire. _for bruises, cuts, or wounds._ keep in the house a bottle containing a mixture of ¾ oz. of scented trefoil, of rum, and of sweet oil.--_or_: have a bottle three parts full of brandy, fill it quite full with the white leaves of the flowers of the garden lily, and cork it close. lay some of the leaves on the wound, and keep it wet with the liquor. the root of the same lily is used to make _strong_ poultices. _for a sprain._ stir the white of an egg with alum, until it curdles; rub the part affected often. _vegetable ointment._ a small handful of smallage, red pimple, feverfew, rue, and pittory of the wall; simmer them in lb. of unsalted butter, over a slow fire, half an hour: stir and press well, then strain it. { }_opodeldoc._ put a pint of rectified spirits of wine in a bottle, with oz. camphor, and oz. soft soap; shake it three times a day for three days, and it is ready. _elder ointment._ melt lbs. of mutton suet in pint of olive oil, and boil in it lbs. weight of elder flowers, full blown, till nearly crisp; then strain, and press out the ointment.--_another_: take oz. each, of the inner bark of the elder tree, and the leaves, boil them in pints of linseed oil, and oz. of white wax. press it through a strainer. _a carrot poultice._ boil washed carrots, and pound them to a pulp with a wooden pestle; add an equal quantity of wheaten meal, and table-spoonsful yeast, and wet it with beer or porter. let it stand before the fire to ferment. the _soft_ part to be made into a poultice with lard. _an excellent bitter._ cut ½ oz. of gentian in thin slices into a stone jar, with the same quantity of fresh orange peel and sliced ginger. pour over them quart of boiling water, and let it stand ten hours. strain it, add a gill of sherry, and bottle it. for a weak stomach, a wine-glassful the first thing in the morning will create an appetite. _for weak eyes._ (dr. bailey's.) boil quarts of water, and stir into it ¼ oz. camphor, pounded in a mortar with a bitter almond, oz. bolalmanack, and ½ oz. copperas; when cold, bottle it. bathe the eyes often.--_or_: dissolve in spring water, grains of white vitriol, and grains of sugar of lead. wash the eyes four or five times a day.--_or_: boil in spring water five minutes, ¼ oz. white copperas and ¼ oz. of common { }salt. put a drop in the eye with a feather the last thing at night. the bottle to be marked _poison_.--_another_, and very good: put drops of laudanum and drops of goulard into a ¼ pint of elderflower water: bathe the eyes with it. _for the tooth-ache._ each of the following remedies _have_ been known to alleviate suffering. turn up a wine-glass, put a little powdered alum on the round part, rub it to a paste with sweet spirits of nitre, and apply it directly to the cavity of the tooth, if there be one, if not, on the gum round it. repeat this often.--_or_: mix drachms of alum, in impalpable powder, and drachms of nitrous spirits of ether.--_or_: drachms of alum powdered very fine, with drachms of nitrous spirits of ether.--_or_: a drop of ether and of laudanum on cotton: this will also relieve the _ear-ache_.--_or_: oz. tincture of myrrh, oz. tincture of gumlac, ½ oz. tincture of bark: mix the two last, shake well, add the myrrh by degrees, and shake well together. table-spoonful to of hot water; wash the mouth frequently, holding it in for some time.--_for an intermitting pain in the teeth_: boil ½ oz. bark, grossly powdered, in a pint of cold water, till it wastes to a pint; then strain through muslin and bottle it. when the teeth are free from pain, put table-spoonsful of laudanum, then gargle and wash the mouth well with it. repeat it several times in the day. _peppermint water._ pour drops of oil of peppermint on a lump of sugar. put the sugar into a ½ pint phial, with a tea-spoonful of brandy, and fill up with water. _soda water._ to grains of carbonate of soda, add grains of tartaric acid in small crystals. fill a soda bottle with spring water, put the mixture in, and cork it instantly, with a well fitting cork. { }_medicinal imperial._ useful in the spring, or in slight fevers, or colds. pour quarts of boiling water over ½ oz. of cream of tartar, oz. epsom salts, ¾ lb. lump sugar, the peel of lemons, and the juice of ; cover close half an hour, then boil up, skim and strain it through thin muslin, into decanters.--a wine-glassful before breakfast. _lime water._ mix oz. quick lime in pints of soft water, and let it stand covered an hour; then pour off the liquid. _seidlitz powders._ put into one tumbler, drachms of rochelle salts, and scruples of carbonate of soda; into another tumbler put scruples of tartaric acid, fill each tumbler rather more than a quarter part, then pour the two together.--_or_: mix carefully drachms of sulphate of magnesia in fine powder, with scruples of bicarbonate of soda, and mark the packet no. ; in another packet, marked no. , put grains of tartaric acid in fine powder. mix in two different tumblers, each a quarter part filled with water, and drink in a state of effervescence. _medicines to keep in the house._ camomile flowers. camphorated spirits. castor oil. epsom salts. hartshorn. jalap powder. magnesia calcined. peppermint water. rhubarb. sal. volatile. salt of wormwood. senna leaves. soda carbonate. spirits of lavender. sweet spirits of nitre. tincture rhubarb. tincture myrrh. { }chapter xxxii. various receipts. _eau de cologne._ into quarts spirits of wine, at , put drachms essence of bergamot, the same of essence of cedrat (a superior kind of bergamot), drachms essence of citron, oz. essence of rosemary, and a ¼ drachm of the essence of neroly (an oil produced from the flowers of the seville orange tree); let it stand hours, then strain through brown paper, and bottle it. _lavender water._ into pint of spirits of wine put oz. oil of lavender, ½ a drachm essence of ambergris, ½ a drachm essence of bergamot. keep it three months.--_or_: oz. spirits of wine, drachm oil of lavender, drops of ambergris, and drops of essence of bergamot. _milk of roses._ thirty grains of salt of tartar, pulverised, oz. oil of almonds, oz. of rose water; mix the two first, then the rose water by degrees.--_or_: oz. of sweet almonds in a paste, drops oil of lavender, and oz. rose water.--_or_: oz. oil of almonds, pint rose water, and drops of oil of tartar. _henry's aromatic vinegar._ camphor, drachms; oil of cloves, ½ a drachm; oil of lavender, drachm; oil of rosemary, drachm; and a ½ oz. of the best white wine vinegar; macerate for ten days, then strain it through paper. { }_wash for the skin._ an infusion of horse-radish in milk, or the fresh juice of house leek, are both good.--_honey water_, very thick, is good in frosty weather.--also, a wash made of oz. potash, oz. rose water, and oz. lemon juice, mixed with quarts of water; pour table-spoonsful in a bason of water. _pomade divine._ put ½ lb. of beef marrow into an earthen vessel, fill it with spring water, and change that every day for ten days, drain it off, put a pint of rose water to it, let it stand hours; take the marrow out, drain and wipe it thoroughly dry in a thin cloth, beat it to a fine powder, add oz. of benjamin, the same of storax, cypress nuts, florence, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ½ oz. of cloves: mix all these together first, then mix up with the marrow, and put into a pewter vessel with a close-fitting lid; put this vessel into a copper of boiling water, and boil it three hours, having boiling water to replenish the copper, so that the pewter vessel may be covered with water all the time. in three hours pour the mixture through fine muslin into pots, and, when cold, cover close with paper. _lip salve, very good._ two oz. white wax, oz. of unsalted lard, ½ oz. spermaceti, oz. oil sweet almonds, drachms balsam of peru, a lump of sugar, and drachms of alkali root; simmer together, then strain through muslin. _pomatum._ mix ½ lb. fresh lard with oz. marrow, and beat them with a shilling bottle of essence of lemon. _cold cream._ to ½ a pint of rose water add ½ a pint of oil of almonds, oz. virgin wax, and oz. spermaceti; melt over a slow fire, and beat them together till quite cold.--_or_: melt ½ lb. hog's lard in a bason over steam; add ¾ pint rose water, { }and ½ a wine-glassful of oil of almonds; stir together with care till of a proper consistency. _for chapped hands._ mix / pint double distilled rose water, ½ oz. oil of almonds and grains salt of tartar.--_or_: yolks of eggs, table-spoonsful honey, table-spoonsful brandy, and sweet almonds, pounded.--_or_: dissolve a tea-spoonful of pulverised borax in a tea-cupful of boiling soft water, add a tea-spoonful of honey, and mix well together. after washing, wipe the hands very dry, and put the mixture on with a feather.--_oil of almonds_ or spermaceti rubbed on at night are soft and healing. _almond paste for the hands._ to lb. stale bread grated, ½ lb. bitter almonds (blanched and pounded), ¼ lb. honey, and table-spoonsful of oil of almonds. beat well together and keep it in jars with bladders tied over. as you use it add more honey and oil, if it requires moisture. _tooth powder._ bol ammoniac, gum mastic, red coral, and myrrh, of each an equal quantity finely powdered.--_another_: oz. camphor, oz. powdered cinchona bark, oz. prepared charcoal, and sufficient spirits of wine to dissolve the camphor. mix thoroughly, and pass through a fine sieve.--the mixture of chalk and camphor is very good for preserving as well as cleansing teeth. _curling fluid._ melt a bit of bees-wax, about the size of a filbert kernel, slowly, in oz. of oil of almonds, and then add a drop or two of ottar of rose. _to clean carpets._ mix ox gall and water; rub the carpet with a flannel dipped into the mixture, then with a linen cloth. sometimes carpets shrink after being wetted, therefore fasten them to the floor. { }_to clean silk dresses._ the dress must be taken to pieces. take out all grease spots, with spirits of turpentine; rub the silk over, with a sponge dipped in an equal quantity of honey, and soft soap, with spirits of wine, sufficient to make it nearly liquid. when well cleaned, dip the silk in cold spring-water, hang it up to dry; when nearly cold, smooth it on the wrong side, with a cool iron.--_or_: make some strong salt and water, in the proportion of a handful of salt to a bucket of cold water, lay in the breadths of silk, do not rub, but occasionally lift them up and down singly, for three days, rinse the silk in cold spring-water, hang it up to dry, and when nearly dry, smooth it out; iron it on the wrong side with a cool iron. _to take grease out of silk or stuff._ moisten ½ lb. fuller's earth with water, dry it before the fire, then pound, sift, and mix it with oz. starch (beaten and sifted), ½ the white of an egg, ¼ pint camphorated spirits, and of turpentine; mix well, and bottle it. spread it over the spot: if too dry moisten with soft water. _to remove grease from satin, silk, muslin, drawing-paper, and other things._ drop pure water upon the spot, and scrape on it caked magnesia, until it is saturated with the powder. when dry brush it off, and the grease, in most cases, will be removed. some find _soda_ to answer. _to clean blond._ soap it well, with curd soap, in lukewarm water, and let it lie all night; then wash it out, rinse in cold water, made blue, fold in a cloth, and iron it, with a cool iron. _to wash silk stockings._ put them into lukewarm water to cover them, soap the feet well, and rub that part which is soiled, with smelt blue; lay them smooth in the water, strew some blue { }between the folds, and let them lie all night; be careful in washing to rub them well, as the blue is hard to come out: the second lather must be of equal heat, but not quite so blue. cut bear is used to tinge them pink. _to clean floor cloths._ sweep, then rub the floor cloth with a damp flannel, then with milk or milk and water, and polish with a clean dry cloth. this is better than wax. _to clean stone stairs._ boil in quarts of water ½ pint of size, the same of stone blue, table-spoonsful of whitening, and cakes of pipe-maker's clay. wet a flannel with this, wash the stones with it, and when dry, rub with a clean flannel and brush. _to take oil from stone or boards._ to a strong ley of pearl-ashes, add some unslacked lime, let it settle, pour it off clear; lower it with water, and scour the grease spots; but it must be done quickly. _to get a stopper out of a decanter._ drop a few drops of spirits of wine on it, and it will soon come out. _to take rust from steel._ rub well with sweet oil, and two days after, rub with unslacked lime till the rust disappears. _to clean steel stoves and fire irons._ rub with a piece of flannel dipped in oil, then in emery powder; polish with a leather and rotten stone. _to clean paint._ put a very little pearl-ash or soda into the water, to soften it, then wash the paint with a flannel and soft soap; wash the soap off, and wipe dry with clean linen cloths. { }_to clean papered walls._ the very best method is to rub with stale bread. cut the crust off very thick, and wipe straight down from the top, then go to the top again, and so on. _to clean tin covers._ they should be wiped dry after being used, to prevent their becoming rusty. mix a little fine whitening with sweet oil, and rub well, wipe this off clean, then polish with a leather and dry whitening. _to clean copper utensils._ if the kitchen be damp, or very hot, the coppers will turn black. rub brick dust over, then a flannel dipped in oil; polish with leather and rotten stone. _marking ink._ mix scruples of silver caustic, drachms of gum arabic, scruple of sap gum, in oz. distilled water, in a glass bottle. the _wash_ to use previously; ½ oz. of soda subcarbonate in oz. distilled water. _ink._ infuse in a gallon of rain or soft water, ¾ lb. of blue galls, bruised; stir every day, for three weeks. add oz. green copperas, oz. logwood chips, oz. gum arabic, and a wine-glassful of brandy.--_or_: put ½ oz. nut galls pounded, oz. gum arabic, oz. copperas into ½ pint of rain water: shake every day for a fortnight, and it is ready. _blacking for shoes._ boil oz. ivory black, oz. bees-wax, and oz. mutton suet, in pints of water till melted and mixed.--_or_: quart vinegar, oz. treacle, oz. ivory black, and the yolks of eggs, well beaten. boil together till well mixed, keep it covered close.--_or_: mix into a pint of small beer, oz. ivory black, oz. coarse sugar and a table-spoonful sweet oil. { }_pot pourri._ mix together one handful of orange flowers, of sweet marjoram, lemon thyme, lavender flowers, clove pinks, rosemary, of myrtle flowers, of stock flowers, of damask roses, ½ a handful of mint, and the rinds of lemons, dried and pounded; lay some bay salt at the bottom of your jar, then a layer of the mixture, till the jar is full. _to thicken the hair._ simmer ½ lb. of the best lard in a tea-cupful of olive oil half an hour, scumming all the time: add drops of any scent. rub it in three times a week. _to destroy bugs._ corrosive sublimate, in spirits of wine, poured into crevices, or put on with a feather; it should be repeated as often as necessary. a deadly poison. _paste._ mix a very small portion of white lead in paste which is to be used about books, drawings, &c., &c. this will keep away the worm which is so destructive. _poison._ { }chapter xxxiii. cookery for the poor. i have selected such receipts as appear to be the most profitable to adopt; and the insertion of these will accomplish nearly all that i can hope to effect under the above head, for we all know that a supply of food alone can avert the misery of hunger, and that if there were a thousand different _systems_ for feeding the poor by the means of voluntary aid, the success of each system must depend on the practical efforts made in its application. some persons object to making soups, &c., for the poor, on the ground that poor people are not so well satisfied with this mode of relief as they would be if the materials were given them to dispose of in their own way. this objection is just in some cases, but not so in all; because, as respects domestic management, there are two distinct classes among the poor, the one having learned arts of economy while faring well, and the other being ignorant of those arts from never having had enough means to encourage them to make such things their study. it is true that the old-fashioned english cottagers, that class so fast falling into decay, are by no means wanting in the knowledge of housekeeping and of cooking in an economical manner. not only does their labour in the fields produce fertility, bring the richest harvests, and cause those appearances on the face of the country which make it admired as one of the most beautiful in the world; but the habitations of the labourers themselves, their neat cottages, and their gardens so abounding at once with the useful and the elegant; these have always been regarded as one complete feature, and that not the least important, in the landscape of england. and, if we look at the interior of these dwellings, we there find every thing corresponding with what we have remarked without. where the father, after having done a hard day's work for his master, will continue, in the evening, to toil upon his own small { }plot of ground for a couple of hours, and where the children are bred up to respect the edges of the borders, the twigs of the shrubs, and the stems of the flowers, and to be industrious and even delighted in such things, it is natural that the mother should take the same pains with all that belongs to the inside of the dwelling. and, accordingly, those who have occasionally visited the poor of the rural districts of england, must have observed, that if they are often deficient in the means of living well, they are, as often, patterns of cleanliness, and as anxious to make a respectable appearance with their scanty furniture, to polish their half dozen pewter platters, to scrub their plain table or dresser, to keep clean and to set in order their few cups and saucers of china-ware, as their betters are to make a display of the greatest luxuries of life. these excellent habits of the people are so fixed, that we see a portion of them still clinging to those labourers, perhaps the most of all to be commiserated, who are employed in the factories of the north of england. but the condition of the other class is very different. some of these have never, from their earliest infancy, been accustomed to any of those scenes in which, though there be difficulties, there are circumstances to excite perseverance, and to reward painstaking. these are born in absolute want; their experience under the roof of their parents has been but a course of destitution; and they go forth into the world rather as fugitives from misery than as seekers to be more prosperous. if they obtain employment, their labour is perhaps repaid by wages barely sufficient to keep them alive; destitute of the means of practising anything like household management, never having known what it is to have a home, worthy to be so called, for a single day, it is scarcely possible for them to obtain that knowledge, simple as it is, which is required to contrive the various modes of making much out of a little. besides, if the poor people existing in this condition were ever so inclined to do well, there are the strongest inducements held out to them to mismanage their small stock of means; they are continually standing in need of some temporary sustenance; and, who can wonder if thus bereft of all power to _provide_ or to _economise_, they yield to destruction, and suffer themselves to be allured by the { }glare of the gin-palace, or the revelry of the pot-house! it is one of the signs of misery with such persons, that they are little acquainted with the art of cookery. here and there may be found a poor woman who has become skilful by serving in the kitchens of other persons: but this is only an exception, and too rare to be of account. in almost every family there are, occasionally, things which may be spared from its consumption, to be converted, by an experienced cook, into palatable and nourishing food for poor people, but which, if given to them in the shape of fragments, they would be totally ignorant how to make use of. such, for instance, as bones with very little meat on them, trimmings of meat, of poultry, &c., some cooked, some uncooked, crusts of bread, and pieces of dripping; yet these, with a little pepper, salt, and flour to thicken, may, by careful cooking and scumming, be made to produce an excellent meal for a family of children.--few servants are unwilling to take the trouble of helping their poor fellow creatures, and, if the head of every family would give as much as she can spare to the poor who live immediately in her own neighbourhood, more general good would be done than ladies can reasonably hope to do by subscribing their money to "societies," which, though they may have been established by the best-intentioned persons, and for the kindest of purposes, can never be so beneficial in their effects as that charity which one individual bestows on another. the relief which is doled out by a "society" is accompanied by very imperfect, if any, inquiries into the particular circumstances of the persons relieved; by no expressions of sympathy, by no encouraging promises for the future, to cheer the heart of the anxious mother as she bends her way homeward with her kettle of soup: the soup which has been obtained by presenting a ticket is apportioned to the little hungry creatures, without their being reminded who it is that has so kindly provided for them, and after it is eaten there is no more thought about the source whence it came than about the hunger which it has removed. the private mode of charity is superior to the public in every way. there are great advantages arising from the former which the latter can never procure. not only must the attentions of a known individual be the most { }gratefully appreciated by a poor man and woman, but the child which has often gone to bed satisfied and happy, after a supper provided by some good neighbour, cannot be expected to grow up without some of those feelings of personal respect and attachment for its benefactor, which, while they prevent the contrast of riches with poverty from becoming odious, are the strongest assurances of union between him who claims a property in the soil and him whose labour makes that property of value. self-interest and humanity are not the least at variance in this matter; the same course of policy is dictated to both. it may seem glorious to be advertised throughout europe, and to be read of in newspapers, as a large subscriber to a public institution; but the benefits which are confined to a single parish are the more lasting from being local, and the fame of the distributor, though bounded in distance, is all the more deserved, the longer kept alive and cherished, and, consequently, the better worth endeavouring to obtain. the soup i would recommend for poor people, should be made of the shin, or any coarse parts of beef, shanks and scrags of mutton, also trimmings of any fresh meat or poultry. pound of meat to every pint of soup (that is, every three ½ pints of water), and then all the meat should not be boiled to rags, but some be left to eat. there should be a sufficient quantity of turnips, carrots, onions and herbs; also pepper and salt; and dumplings, of either white or brown flour, would be a good addition. a quart of soup, made in this way, with about ½ lb. of meat, and a dumpling for each person, would be a good dinner for a poor man, his wife and children; and such a one as a lady who has a kitchen at her command, may often regale them with. less meat will do where there is pot-liquor. the liquor of all boiled meat should be saved, in a clean pan, and made the next day into soup. that of a leg of mutton will require but little meat in addition, to make good soup. the liquor of any fresh meat, of boiled pork, if the latter be not very salt, will make good peas soup, without any meat.--soak a quart of peas all night, in soft water, or pot-liquor, and, if the former, some bones or pieces of meat; a small piece of pork would be very good. put in onions, cut up, a head of celery, a { }bunch of sweet herbs, and what salt and pepper you think it requires. let it boil, and then simmer gently _by the side_ full three hours, or longer if the peas be not done; stir the peas up from the bottom now and then. when you have neither meat nor pot-liquor, mix or oz. of dripping with an equal quantity of oatmeal, and stir it, by degrees, into the soup, or boil in it some dumplings of flour and suet. in houses where a brick oven is heated once a week or oftener, for bread, it would give little additional trouble to bake a dish of some sort or other for a poor family. soup may be made in this way: first put the meat on the fire in just enough water to cover it; when it boils, take off the scum, pour off the water, put the meat into an earthen pan, with carrots cut up, a turnip, onions, pepper and salt, and stale dry crusts of bread; pour over boiling water, in the proportion of a gallon to lbs. meat, and let it bake three hours. shanks of mutton, cowheels, ox and sheep's head, may be cooked in this way, but the two latter must be parboiled, to cleanse them; and will require four or five hours' baking. the soup made of ox head is not so nourishing as that of shin of beef. if there be room in the oven, a plain pudding may be baked as follows. pour boiling skim milk over stale pieces of bread, and cover with a plate or dish. when it has soaked up the milk, beat the bread, dust in a little flour, add sugar, an egg or two, or shred suet, or pieces of dripping, and more milk if required; butter a brown pan, pour in the pudding, and bake it three-quarters of an hour.--_or_: a batter pudding, made with two eggs, a quart of milk; or if eggs be scarce, leave them out, and use dripping; rub it into the flour, with a little salt, mix this by degrees with some milk into a batter and bake it. a batter pudding of this kind, rather thick, is very good with pieces of meat baked in it; in the proportion of lb. solid meat, to a batter made with quart of milk. pickled pork, not very salt, makes a very good pudding. a plain rice pudding, without egg or butter, made with skim milk, and suet or dripping, is excellent food for children. but rice costs something, and my object is to point out to young housekeepers how they can best assist the poor without injury to their own purses; and, therefore, i do not { }urge the use of barley, rice, sugar, currants, &c. &c. they do not, of themselves, produce much nourishment; sufficient, perhaps, for children, and for persons who do not labour, but for hard working people, the object is to provide as much animal food as possible; therefore, when money is laid out, it ought to be for meat. puddings with suet approach very nearly to meat. a thick crust, with a slice of bacon or pork in it, and boiled, makes a good pudding. _hasty pudding_, made with skim milk, in the proportion of quart to table-spoonsful of flour, would be a good supper for children, and the cost not worth consideration, to any lady who has a dairy. _buttermilk_ puddings, too, are cheap and easily made. _milk_ is of great value to the poor. where there is a garden well stocked with vegetables, a meal for poor people may often be prepared, at little expense, by cooking cabbages, lettuces, turnips or carrots, &c. &c. in the water which has been saved from boiling meat, or thin broth. the vegetables, stewed slowly till tender, with or without a small piece of meat, and the gravy seasoned and thickened, will be much more nourishing, as well as palatable, than plain boiled. _to dress cabbages, lettuces, brocoli and cauliflower._ put ½ lb. bacon or pork, in slices, at the bottom of a stew-pan, upon them a large cabbage, or two small ones, in quarters; a small bunch of herbs, some pepper and salt, the same quantity of bacon or pork on the top, and a quart of water or pot liquor; let it simmer till the cabbage is quite tender. _another_: wash a large cabbage or lettuce, open the leaves, and put between them little pieces of bacon or pork, and any fragments of fresh meat cut up; tie up the cabbage securely, and stew it till tender in a very little broth or water, with a little butter rolled in flour, and some seasonings. a little meat will go a great way in making this a palatable dish. turnips, carrots, and potatoes, either raw, or such as have been cooked the day before, may be { }just warmed up, or stewed till tender in a little weak broth, thickened with flour, and seasoned with salt and pepper, and then, poured with the gravy on slices of bread in a tureen, they will be good food for children. in "cobbett's _cottage economy_" there will be found a variety of receipts for cooking indian corn meal. the end. { }index. page allice, to broil, anchovy toasts, artichokes, to boil, jerusalem, ib. bottoms, asparagus, to boil, bacon, to salt and cure, , to boil, to broil or fry, baking, directions for, beans, windsor, french, beef, to joint, to carve, to salt, to smoke, round of, to boil, edge-bone of, to do., ib. brisket of, to do., ib. sirloin of, to roast, rump of, to do., ribs of, to do., ib. steaks, to broil, with potatoes, to fry, to stew, ragout, or braise, à la mode, to collar, royale, ib. to fricandeau, ib. bouilli, steaks, to stew, rolled, olives, ib. marrow bones, heart, ib. hunter's, ib. hamburgh, hung, à la flamande, ib. to press, ib. to hash or mince, ib. cecils, collops, ib. en miroton, bubble and squeak, ib. to pot, ib. beer, to brew, ginger, spruce, ib. beet root, to boil, birds, small, to roast, biscuits, to make, indian corn, dr. oliver's, ib. lemon, ib. blanch, directions to, boiling, general directions for, boudins, to make, braise, directions to, brawn, mock, pickle for, bread border, a, to make, french, rice, ib. brill, to boil, brocoli, to boil, to fry, ib. broiling, general directions for, broth, scotch barley, mutton, veal, ib. chicken, ib. butter, to make, without a churn, from clouted cream, to pot, ib. to clarify, to brown, to melt, parsley and, ib. cabbage, to boil, red, to stew, ib. to curry, ib. à la bourgeoise, ib. lettuce, with forcemeat, cakes, to make, common currant, , rich plum, very good, ib. without butter, rich seed, ib. a rice, harvest, ib. temperance, ib. sponge, ib. marlborough, ib. gingerbread, ib. parkin, volatile, ib. hunting, ib. rough, ib. rock, ib. rusks, maccaroons, ratafia, ib. jumbles, ib. small plum, ib. carraway, ib. shrewsbury, shortbread, ib. derby short, ib. cinnamon, ib. rout, ib. queen, buns, ib. sally lunn's tea, breakfast, ib. yorkshire, ib. roehampton rolls, muffins, ib. crumpets, ib. scotch slim, calf's head, to boil, heart and pluck, to dress, to fricassee, brains, ib. mock turtle, tails, to dress, catsup, mushroom, walnut, oyster, ib. tomata, lobster, ib. cardoons, to boil, carp, to stew, carrots, to boil, carving, directions for, cauliflower, to boil, with parmesan, ib. to stew, ib. to fry, ib. caviare, mock, celery, to stew, cellar, observations relating to the, cheese, to make, to toast, chicken, to broil, to braise, to fricassee, curry of, chutney, beef or ham, fish, ib. cider, to make, cup, cocks, black, to roast, cod, to boil, to fry, head and shoulders, ib. to bake, sounds, ib. cabeached, ib. colcannon, cow-heel, to boil, crab, to boil, to eat hot, to pot, ib. cray fish, to boil, to pot, in jelly, ib. cream, clouted, to make, crumbs, to fry, cucumbers, to stew, to dress, curry, directions for making, kebobbed, of fish, balls, powder, vegetables to, confectionary, to make, custards, ib. rich, to bake or boil, lemon, ib. orange, spanish, ib. with apples, ib. with rice, trifle, a, ib. gooseberry or apple, ib. tipsy cake, ib. crême patisserie, cream, chocolate, ib. a plain, ib. italian, lemon, ib. orange, ib. " frothed, alamode, ib. velvet, ib. vanilla, ib. burnt, ib. snow, ib. currant and raspberry, ib. strawberry, ib. clouted, ice, ib. paris curd, ib. blancmange, rice, ib. with preserves, ib. jaunemange, ib. flummery, dutch, ib. rice cups, ib. syllabub, ib. solid, ib. whipt, ib. jelly, calf's feet, ib. punch, savoury, ib. orange and lemon, arrow-root, hartshorn, ib. apple, ib. isinglass, ib. strawberry, gâteau de pomme, ib. bird's-nest, a, ib. sponge, lemon and orange, ib. souffle, a good, rice, ib. orange, ib. lemon, ib. omelet, sweet, ib. of apples, ib. fool, gooseberry and apple, orange, ib. oranges, stewed, ib. apples, red, in jelly, ib. pears, to stew, ib. apples, to bake, cheesecakes, ib. lemon, ib. curd, orange, ib. apple, ib. rice, ib. lent potatoes, ib. plums, french, stewed, dairy, the, observations upon, devils, dory, john, to boil, duck, to truss and carve, to boil, to roast, wild, to do., ib. salmi, to bake, to dress with peas, to ragout, to hash, ib. curry of, dumplings, apple, yeast, hard, ib. eels, to stew, to fry, ib. to collar, to spitchcock, ib. eggs, to fry, , to poach, to butter, to fricassee, ib. to ragout, ib. swiss, ib. scotch, ib. à la tripe, ib. à la maître d'hotel, with asparagus, ib. with mushrooms, balls, endive, to stew, essence of ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, mace, cinnamon, ib. savoury spice, ib. cayenne, ib. orange and lemon peel, ib. fawn, to roast, to bake, fish, seasons for, directions for cooking, soups, to pull, cake, pies, patties, flounders, to fry, flour, to brown, forcemeat, balls of, fish, fondu, fowl, to truss and carve, , to boil, to roast, guinea, to do., pea, to do., ib. to broil, to force, à la chingara, to pull, wild, to ragout, fritters, to make, curd, ib. apple, frying, general directions for, furniture, to clean, game, seasons for, to truss and carve, glaze, directions to, godiveau, to make, goose, to truss and carve, to roast, green, to do., to bake, to braise, gratin, to make, gravy, directions for making, ham extract for, to draw plain, ib. beef, savoury, ib. without meat, to keep a week, jelly, for cold meat, ib. savoury, for venison, ib. mutton, for venison or hare, ib. orange, for game and wildfowl, grouse, to roast, gudgeon, to boil, to bake, ib. to fry, ib. haddock, to boil, to stew, ib. to bake, to fry, ib. to broil, ib. haggis, scotch, ham, to cure, mutton, to do., to carve, to boil, to bake, to broil or fry, haricots blanc, hare, to roast, to bake, mock, to jug, to stew, to hash, to pot, to braise, en daube, ib. heart, bullock's, to roast, heart, calf's, to roast, ib. sheep's, to roast, ib. calf's and sheep's, to dress, herrings, to fry, to boil, to bake, ib. to pickle, ib. to broil, ib. indian corn pudding, mush, hommony, ib. polenta, biscuits, irish stew, jointing, observations and directions relating to, , , kale, to boil, kidney, to broil, to dress, kitchen, directions for arranging of the, knives, to clean, lamb, to carve, to boil, to roast, chops, to broil, to fry, to dress, leg of, with vegetables, breast of, to stew, ib. cutlets and steaks, shoulder of, stuffed, ib. head, ib. fricassee, ib. sweetbreads, curry of, lard, directions to, larks, to roast, laver, to dress, lentils, to boil, lettuce, to stew, liver, to fry, lobster, to boil, to eat hot, to pot, ib. maccaroni, to dress, paste, to make, pie, mackerel, to boil, to broil, to bake, to pickle, ib. maids, to boil, marrow, vegetable, to boil, to stuff, ib. meat, the season for, to preserve, to salt, mutton, to joint, to carve, to salt and smoke, leg of, to boil, neck of, to do., leg of, to roast, loin of, to do., ib. haunch of, to do., ib. to dress as venison, saddle of, shoulder of, ib. chops, to broil, to fry, to haricot, leg of, with carrots, loin of, to roll or stew, ib. shoulder of, breast of, to grill, ib. neck of, to stew, ib. kidneys, to dress, chops and collops, ib. cutlets à la maintenon, to hash, ib. hunters' pie, ib. morels, to stew, mushrooms, to stew, ib. omelets, onions, to dress, ortolan, to roast, ox cheek, to bake, to stew, palates, ib. to pickle, ib. tails, to stew, oysters, to stew, to keep, pain perdu, to make, pancakes, to make, whole rice, ib. ground rice, ib. parsley, to fry, partridge, to truss and carve, to roast, to broil, to stew, parsnips, to boil, pastry, general directions for making, glazing for, iceing for, ib. paste, plain, for meat pies, richer, ib. elegant, ib. a flaky, puff, ib. crisp, ib. good light, ib. short, ib. for preserved fruits, raised, for meat pies, ib. rice, ib. maccaroni, ib. for patties, for puddings, patties, to make, chicken, turkey and ham, veal, rabbit and hare, ib. beef, ib. oyster, ib. lobster and shrimp, peas, to boil, perch, to fry, to stew, pheasant, to truss and carve, to roast, pickles, observations on the making of, pickle, walnuts to, gherkins, onions, ib. cucumbers and onions, cabbage, red, ib. mangoes, melon, ib. beet root, ib. mushrooms, india, ib. lemons, cauliflower and brocoli, ib. pie, meat, venison, ib. beefsteak, pork, ib. sausage, ib. mutton, lamb, ib. veal, ib. maccaroni, ib. calf's head, sweetbread, ib. pigeon, rook, or moor-fowl, ib. hare, chicken, ib. rabbit, ib. goose, ib. giblet, partridge or perigord, ib. pheasant, ib. a sea, parsley, ib. herb, ib. fish, ib. lobster, herring, eel, mackerel, ib. shrimp or prawn, salt fish, ib. rhubarb, gooseberry, or green currant, green apricot, ib. apple, ib. codling, ib. cranberry, ib. of preserved fruits, ib. small puffs, ib. spanish puffs, apple, ib. orange, ib. lemon, ib. mince, ib. without meat, a bride's, ib. pig, sucking, to roast, to bake, harslet, to fry, to roast, ib. to collar, head, to roast, ib. feet and ears, soused, to fricassee, ib. pigeons, to roast, to broil, to braise, pike or jack, to boil, to bake, ib. pillau, a, pipers, to dress, plate, to clean, plaice, to fry, plovers, to roast, potatoes, to boil, to fry, broil, or stew, to mash, ib. to roast, ib. pie, balls, ib. ragout, ib. à la maître d'hotel, ib. a border of, pork, to joint, to boil, petit-toes, to cook, to salt, to roast, griskin, to ditto, to bake, chops, to broil, bladebone of, ib. chops, to fry, with onions, to roll, ib. corned, with peas, porter, cup, poor, the, cooking for, poultry, seasons for, to truss and carve, , , , to boil, to roast, to broil, to dress, powder, curry, savoury, ib. horse-radish, pea, ib. mushroom, ib. anchovy, ib. prawns, to pot, to butter, ib. in jelly, ib. preserves, to make, sugar, to clarify, jelly, currant, ib. apple, quince, jam, currant, raspberry, ib. strawberry, ib. gooseberry, ib. green, ib. damson, ib. rhubarb, ib. butter, black, fruit, for puddings, ib. for winter use, ib. to bottle, ib. damsons for tarts, marmalade, apple, ib. orange, quince, cheese, damson, apricot, ib. orange, ib. pine apple, ib. cucumber, strawberries, ib. raspberries, ib. strawberries in wine, gooseberries, whole, ib. morella cherries, ib. in brandy, cherries en chemise, in syrup, ib. to dry, apricots to dry, ib. to preserve, orange chips, to preserve, plums, to preserve, in brandy, greengages, pears, fruit, to candy, grapes, in brandy, barberries, ib. puddings, general directions for making, paste, for meat, beefsteak, suet, ib. meat in batter, ib. kidney, fish, ib. black, ib. hog's, ib. apples, currants, gooseberries, cherries, damsons, rhubarb and plums, apple, baked, green apricot, roll, ib. plum, ib. a christmas, marrow, ib. french plum, maigre plum, ib. bread, ib. and butter, custard, ib. little, an excellent, ib. oatmeal, ib. batter, ib. yorkshire, ib. potatoe, carrot, ib. hasty, ib. buttermilk, ib. save-all, camp, ib. pretty, ib. nursery, ib. arrow root, ib. ground rice, semolina, ib. whole rice, snow balls, buxton, ib. vermicelli, sago, ib. tapioca, ib. pearl barley, ib. millet, ib. maccaroni, ib. one always liked, cheese, ib. ratafia, ib. staffordshire, ib. baked almond, ib. wafer, orange, ib. lemon, ib. cabinet, ib. gooseberry, baked, quince, ib. swiss apple, peach, apricot and nectarine, ib. a charlotte, ib. bakewell, citron, ib. maccaroon, ib. new college, paradise, ib. punch, excellent, milk, ib. norfolk, ib. roman, ib. regent's, ib. quails, to roast, rabbit, to truss and carve, to boil, to roast, to bake, to broil, to fry, with fine herbs, to fricassee, to pot, ib. to braise, curry of, welch, rails, to roast, to ragout, ramakins, recipes, medicinal, recipe, for the croup, ib. for weakness of stomach, camphor julep, ib. for bilious complaints, ib. a mild aperient, gout cordial, ib. hallett's, ib. for nervous affections, ib. mustard whey, ib. almond emulsion, for hoarseness, ib. plaster for a cough, ib. bark gargle, ib. gargle for a sore throat, ib. for chilblains, burns, ib. cuts or wounds, ib. a sprain, ib. vegetable ointment, ib. elder, opodeldoc, ib. carrot poultice, ib. for weak eyes, ib. toothache, peppermint water, ib. soda water, ib. medicinal imperial, lime water, ib. seidlitz powders, ib. medicines to keep in the house, ib. receipts, various, eau de cologne, ib. lavender water, ib. milk of roses, ib. aromatic vinegar, ib. wash for the skin, pomade divine, ib. lip salve, ib. pomatum, ib. cold cream, ib. for chapped hands, almond paste, ib. tooth powder, ib. curling fluid, ib. to clean carpets, ib. silk dresses, to take grease out of silk or stuff, to clean blond, ib. silk stockings, ib. floor cloths, stone stairs, ib. to take oil from stone or boards, ib. to take rust from steel, ib. to clean stoves and fire irons, ib. to clean paint, ib. to clean papered walls, to clean tin covers, ib. to clean copper utensils, ib. marking ink, ib. ink, to make, ib. blacking for shoes, ib. pot pourri, to thicken hair, ib. to destroy bugs, ib. paste, to make, ib. rice, to boil for curry, border, white pot, rissoles, roasting, general directions for, roux, white, brown, ib. salads, directions for making, lobster, italian, ib. salmon, to boil, to grill, ib. to bake, to pickle, ib. to dry, to collar, ib. to pot, ib. salmagundi, a, salsify, samphire, to boil, sandwiches, sardinias, to broil, sauces, directions for making, list of, ib. sauce blanche, maître d'hotel, white gravy, for game and wild fowl, for goose, duck and pork, ib. robert, for broils, ib. for turkey or fowl, liver, ib. egg, for poultry and fish, ib. mushroom, ib. celery, ib. rimolade, tomata, ib. apple, ib. gooseberry, ib. cucumber, onion, ib. eschalot, ib. partout, ib. chetna, carrier, ib. horse-radish, ib. mint, ib. for cold meat, ib. coratch, miser's, ib. poor man's, ib. for roast beef, ib. lemon, ib. caper, ib. bread, rice, ib. sweet, ib. sharp, ib. store, for ragouts, ib. for tench, good store, for fish and stews, ib. plain fish, ib. excellent fish, ib. oyster, anchovy, ib. shrimp, ib. cockle, ib. roe, ib. dutch fish, ib. for devils, sausages, to fry, to make, scorzonera and skirrets, seasonings, directions for preparing, shad, to broil, shrimps, to pot, in jelly, ib. sippets, to fry, sick, the, cooking for, chops, to stew, ib. broth, a nourishing, ib. calf's feet broth, eel broth, ib. beef tea, ib. beef jelly, ib. shank jelly, for a weak stomach, ib. bread jelly, ib. jelly for a sick person, panada, ib. gloucester jelly, ib. port wine jelly, ib. arrow root jelly, tapioca jelly, ib. sago, to boil, ib. gruel, ib. barley cream, water gruel, ib. caudle, ib. rice milk, ib. mutton custard, ib. asses milk, onion porridge, ib. milk porridge, ib. white wine whey, ib. rennet whey, vinegar or lemon whey, ib. mustard, ib. treacle posset, ib. orgeat, ib. lemonade, ib. barley water, capillaire, ib. linseed tea, ib. lemon and orange water, ib. apple water, ib. toast and water, drink for sick persons, ib. saline draughts, ib. coffee, ib. chocolate, tea, ib. barley sugar, everton toffy, ib. skate, to boil, to fry, ib. smelts, to fry, to bake, ib. to boil, ib. snipe, to roast, to ragout, sole, to boil, to fry, soup, general directions for making, stock, plain, bouilli, ib. good clear gravy, vermicelli, ib. maccaroni, ib. carrot, ib. turnip, ib. asparagus, ib. celery, ib. julienne, clear, ib. clear herb, ib. brown, ib. plain white, another white, ib. another, with herbs, ib. lorraine, onion, ib. onion maîgre, ib. green pea, ib. another, artichoke, ib. good maîgre, ib. another maîgre, yellow pea, carrot, plain, ib. mock turtle, hare, , rabbit, game and venison, ib. knuckle of veal, mulligatawny, ib. ox-tail, grouse, partridge, ib. pheasant, ib. poacher's, hotch potch, pepper pot, ib. cock-a-leekie, milk, ib. ox-head, giblet, ib. stock for fish, lobster, oyster, maîgre, ib. cray fish, ib. eel, ib. spinach, to boil, au gras, sprats, to fry, to bake, ib. to boil, ib. stuffing, to make, seasonings for, for veal, poultry, ib. fish, ib. goose, ib. duck, ib. hare, ib. pike, sturgeon, to dress, suet, to clarify, sweetbreads, to broil, to fry, to dress, , tankard, a cool, teal, to roast, tench, to fry, to stew, thornback, to boil, tongue, to pickle, to boil, to stew, tripe, to boil, to fry, to fricassee, in the scotch fashion, trout, to boil, to fry, ib. to stew, turbot, to boil, turkey, to truss and carve, to boil, to roast, to braise, to pull, turnips, to boil, tops, ib. veal, to joint, to boil, fillet of, to roast, shoulder of, to do., ib. loin of, to do., ib. breast of, to do., ib. neck of, to do., to bake, to broil, cutlets, to fry, à la mode, fillet of, to stew, neck of, to braise, to stew, ragout, or collar, ib. olives or rolls, scotch collops, en fricandeau, ib. knuckle of, with rice, ib. granadin of, à la daube, ib. to haricot, ib. cutlets à la maintenon, heart, ib. pluck, ib. sweetbread, mock turtle, to mince, ib. to pot, cake, ib. curry of, vegetables, the seasons for, directions for cooking, vinegar, gooseberry, good common, ib. cider, ib. of wine lees, cayenne, ib. chili, ib. eschalot, ib. tarragon, ib. for salads, garlic, ib. green mint, ib. horse-radish, camp, ib. cucumber, ib. basil, ib. raspberry, ib. venison, to joint, to carve, to roast, to hash, shoulder of, to stew, ib. collops and steaks, ib. wine and cordials, to make, british sherry or malt, ib. madeira, frontiniac, ib. red currant, ib. raisin, gooseberry, ib. elder, ib. ginger, mountain, ib. primrose, ib. cowslip, grape, ib. parsnip, ib. almond, cherry bounce, ib. orange, ib. brandy, a liqueur, ib. shrub, ib. currant rum, ib. ratafia, ib. noyeau, usquebaugh, ib. crême d'orange, raspberry brandy and wine, mulberry brandy, ib. sherbet, ib. flip, ib. egg, ib. to mull, ib. posset, the pope's, widgeons, to roast, wheat-ears, to roast, whitings, to fry, woodcock, to roast, to ragout, n.b.--_all the books undermentioned are published by a. cobbett, at no. , strand, london, and are to be had of all other booksellers._ selections from cobbett's political register; being _a complete abridgement of the volumes which comprise the writings of_ "porcupine," _and the_ "weekly political register" (_from to _) with notes, historical and explanatory, by john m. cobbett and james p. cobbett, esqrs., barristers-at-law, is now published, in six volumes, vo., with a complete analytical index to the whole. the index to this work gives it an advantage over the original one, which, being without any general index, and the indices to the volumes being scanty, where there are any, and being omitted in a great many of the volumes, is, in fact, a work very difficult to refer to. the great object of the editors of this abridgement has been to preserve a series of the best papers of mr. cobbett's writings, and to render them easily referred to by a general analytical index. the price of the six volumes vo. is l. s. boards. ---- the cobbett library. when i am asked what books a young man or young woman ought to read, i always answer, let him or her read _all_ the books that i have written. this does, it will doubtless be said, _smell of the shop_. no matter. it is what i recommend; and experience has taught me that it is my duty to give the recommendation. i am speaking here of books other than the register; and even these, that i call my library, consist of _thirty-nine_ distinct books; two of them being translations; _seven_ of them being written by my sons; _one_ (tull's husbandry) revised and edited, and one published by me, and written by the rev. mr. o'callaghan, a most virtuous catholic priest. i divide these books into classes, as follows:-- books for teaching language; . on domestic management and duties; . on rural affairs; . on the management of national affairs; . history; . travels; . laws; . miscellaneous politics. here is a great variety of subjects, and all of them very _dry_; nevertheless, the manner of treating them is in general such as to induce the reader to go through the book when he has once begun it. i will now speak of each book separately, under the several heads above-mentioned. n.b.--all the books are bound in boards, which will be borne in mind when the price is looked at.--w.c. . books for teaching language. english spelling-book. i have been frequently asked by mothers of families, by some fathers, and by some schoolmasters even, to write a book that they could _begin_ teaching by; one that should begin at a beginning of book learning, and smooth the way along to my own english grammar, which is the entrance-gate. i often promised to comply with these requests, and, from time to time, in the intervals of political heats, i have thought of the thing, till, at last, i found time enough to sit down and put it upon paper. the objection to the common spelling books is, that the writers aim at teaching several important sciences in a little book in which the whole aim should be the teaching of spelling and reading. we are presented with a little arithmetic, a little astronomy, a little geography, and a good deal of religion! no wonder the poor little things imbibe a hatred of books in the first that they look into! disapproving heartily of these books, i have carefully abstained from everything beyond the object in view, namely, the teaching of a child to spell and read; and this work i have made as pleasant as i could, by introducing such stories as children most delight in, accompanied by those little woodcut illustrations which amuse them. at the end of the book there is a "stepping-stone to the english grammar." it is but a step; it is designed to teach a child the different _parts of speech_, and the use of _points_, with one or two small matters of the kind. the book is in the duodecimo form, contains pages of print, and the price is s. d.--w. c. english grammar. cobbett's english grammar. (_price_ s.)--this work is in a series of letters addressed to my son james, when he was years old. i made him _copy the whole of it_ before it went to press, and that made him a _grammarian at once_; and how able an one it made him will be seen by his own grammar of the italian language, his ride in france, and his tour in italy. there are at the end of this grammar "six lessons intended to prevent statesmen from using false grammar;" and i really wish that our statesmen would attend to the instructions of the whole book. thousands upon thousands of young men have been made correct writers by it; and it is next to impossible that they should have read it with attention without its producing such effect. it is a book of principles, clearly laid down; and when once these are got into the mind they never quit it. more than , copies of this work have been sold.--w. c. french grammar. cobbett's french grammar (_price_ s.); or, _plain instructions for the learning of french_.--this book has had, and has, a very great effect in the producing of its object. more young men have, i dare say, learned french from it than from all the other books that have been published in english for the last fifty years. it is like the former, a book of _principles_, clearly laid down. i had this great advantage too, that i had learnt french _without a master._ i had grubbed it out, bit by bit, and knew well how to remove _all the difficulties_; i remembered what it was that had _puzzled_ and _retarded_ me; and i have taken care, in this, my grammar, to prevent the reader from experiencing that which, in this respect, i experienced myself. this grammar, as well as the former, is kept out of _schools_ owing to the fear that the masters and mistresses have of being looked upon as cobbettites. so much the worse for the children of the stupid brutes who are the cause of this fear, which _sensible_ people laugh at, and avail themselves of the advantages tendered to them in the books. teaching french in _english schools_ is, generally, mere delusion; and as to teaching the _pronunciation_ by _rules_, it is the grossest of all human absurdities. my knowledge of french was so complete thirty-seven years ago, that the very first thing in the shape of a book that i wrote for the press, was a grammar to _teach_ the frenchmen english; and, of course, it was _written in french._ i must know all about these two languages; and must be able to give advice to young people on the subject: their time is precious; and i advise them not to waste it upon what are called _lessons_ from masters and mistresses. to learn the pronunciation, there is no way but that of _hearing_ those, and _speaking_ with those, who speak the language well. my grammar will do the rest.--w. c. a grammar of the italian language; or, a plain and compendious introduction to the study of italian. by james paul cobbett. this work contains explanations and examples to teach the language practically; and the principles of construction are illustrated by passages from the best italian authors. price s. a latin grammar. a latin grammar, for the use of english boys; being an explanation of the rudiments of the latin language. by james paul cobbett. _price_ s. boards. french exercises. exercises to cobbett's french grammar (price s.) is just published. it is an accompaniment to the french grammar, and is necessary to the learner who has been diligent in his reading of the grammar. by james cobbett. french and english dictionary. cobbett's french and english dictionary.--this book is now published. its price is s. in boards; and it is a thick octavo volume. geographical dictionary of england and wales. this book was suggested to me by my own frequent want of the information which it contains; a suggestion which, if every compiler did but wait to feel before he puts his shears to work, would spare the world many a voluminous and useless book. i am constantly receiving letters out of the country, the writers living in obscure places, but who seldom think of giving more than the _name_ of the place that they write from; and thus have i been often puzzled to death to find out even the _county_ in which it is before i could return an answer. i one day determined, therefore, for my own convenience, to have a list made out of _every parish_ in the kingdom; but this being done, i found that i had still _townships_ and _hamlets_ to add in order to make my list complete; and when i had got the work only half done, i found it a book; and that, with the addition of bearing, and population, and distance from the next market town, or if a market town, from london, it will be a really useful _geographical dictionary._ it is a work which the learned would call _sui generis_; it prompted itself into life, and it has grown in my hands: but i will here insert the whole of the title-page, for that contains a full description of the book. it is a thick octavo volume, _price_ s.--w. c. "a geographical dictionary of england and wales; containing the names, in alphabetical order, of all the counties, with their several subdivisions into hundreds, lathes, rapes, wapentakes, wards, or divisions; and an account of the distribution of the counties into circuits, dioceses, and parliamentary divisions. also the names (under that of each county respectively), in alphabetical order, of all the cities, boroughs, market towns, villages, hamlets, and tithings, with the distance of each from london, or from the nearest market town, and with the population, and other interesting particulars relating to each; besides which there are maps; first, one of the whole country, showing the local situation of the counties relatively to each other, and then each county is also preceded by a map, showing, in the same manner, the local situation of the cities, boroughs, and market towns. four tables are added; first a statistical table of all the counties; and then three tables showing the new divisions and distributions enacted by the reform law of th june, ." ---- ii. books on domestic management and duties. cottage economy. cobbett's cottage economy (_price_ s. d.); containing information relative to the brewing of beer, making of bread, keeping of cows, pigs, bees, ewes, goats, poultry, and rabbits, and relative to other matters deemed useful in the conducting of the affairs of a labourer's family; to which are added, instructions relative to the selecting, the cutting and bleaching of the plants of english grass and grain, for the purpose of making hats and bonnets; and also instructions for erecting and using ice-houses, after the virginian manner. in my own estimation, the book that stands first is the poor man's friend; and the one that stands next is this cottage economy; and beyond all description is the pleasure i derive from reflecting on the number of happy families that this little book must have made. i dined in company with a lady in worcestershire, who desired to see me on account of this book; and she told me that until she read it she knew nothing at all about these two great matters, the making of bread and of beer; but that from the moment she read the book, she began to teach her servants, and that the benefits were very great. but, to the labouring people, there are the arguments in favour of good conduct, sobriety, frugality, industry, all the domestic virtues; here are the reasons for all these; and it must be a real devil in human shape who does not applaud the man who could sit down to write this book, a copy of which every _parson_ ought, upon pain of loss of ears, to present to every girl that he marries, rich or poor.--w. c. "differing as i do from mr. cobbett in his politics, i must say that he has been of great use to the poor. this 'cottage economy' gives them hints and advice which have, and continue to be, of the greatest service to them; it contains a little mine of wealth, of which the poor may reap the advantage; for no one understands the character of the english labourer better than mr. cobbett. since writing the above, mr. cobbett is no more; his 'cottage economy' should be considered as his legacy to the poor."--jesse's gleanings. vol. . p. . "whatever difference of opinion may exist as to cobbett's political writings, and as to his peculiar views and prejudices, there cannot be a doubt that all his works on domestic management, on rural affairs, and on the use of language, are marked by strong sense, and by great clearness of thought and precision of language. his power of conveying instruction is, indeed, almost unequalled; he seems rather to woo the reader to learn than to affect the teacher; he travels with his pupil over the field of knowledge upon which he is engaged, never seeming to forget the steps by which he himself learned. he assumes that nothing is known, and no point is too minute for the most careful investigation. above all, the pure mother english in which his instructions are conveyed, makes him a double teacher; for whilst the reader is ostensibly receiving instruction on some subject of rural economy, he is at the same time insensibly imbibing a taste for good sound saxon english--the very type of the substantial matters whereof his instructor delights to discourse. most of cobbett's works on rural and domestic economy, though written for the industrious and middle classes of this country, are admirably adapted to the use of settlers in new countries. for an old and thickly-peopled country like england, perhaps cobbett carried his notion of doing everything at home a little too far; but in a new country, where a man is at times compelled to turn his hand to everything, it is really well to know how everything connected with rural economy should be done, and we really know of no works whence this extended knowledge can be acquired so readily as from those of cobbett. he understood all the operations incidental to the successful pursuit of husbandry, and his very prejudice of surrounding the farm with a wall of brass, and having every resource within, prompted him to write on rural affairs with completeness. "the little half-crown book, which we now introduce to our readers, contains a mine of most valuable instruction, every line of which is as useful to the colonist as to those for whom it was written. we have just read it through, from the title to the imprint, with especial regard to the wants of the colonists, and we do not believe there is a single sentence of the instructional portion that need be rejected. the treatise on brewing and making bread are particularly applicable to new zealand. we observe by the published list of prices, that while flour was there selling at a moderate price, bread was enormously high. there is nobody to blame for this; it arises simply out of the high rate of retail profit which prevails in new countries, and we know no reason why bakers should be expected to keep shop for less remuneration than other tradesmen. the remedy then is, not to abuse the baker, but to bake at home. how this is to be accomplished cobbett here points out. some idea of the saving by means of home baking in our colonies, where retail profits are high, may be gleaned from the great difference between the price of flour and that of bread at wellington, at the same date. when flour was selling at _l_. per ton, the bakers of wellington were charging s. d. for the lb. loaf. now, one cwt. of flour would make from lb. to lb of bread, that is, on an average, loaves of lb. each. these would cost:--flour s, yeast s, salt d, with fuel s--together s d, or something under d per lb loaf. here, then, would be an enormous saving to the settler's family by means of home bread making:--is not cobbett right when he deprecates the idea of the farm labourer going to the baker's shop? and, if he be right in england, where the baker works for a small profit, his recommendation has ten times the force when applied to a colony like new zealand. let it be remembered also, that, by home-baking, the quality of the bread is guaranteed. doubtless, honest bakers do exist; but if there be only a few who occasionally make use potatoes, and other materials less nourishing than wheat, surely the guarantee is worth something where soundness of muscle and sinew is of so much importance. earnestly, then, do we recommend every new zealand emigrant to purchase this little book, and make himself master of all it contains."--new zealand journal, th january, . advice to young men. cobbett's advice to young men, and (incidentally) _to young women, in the middle and higher ranks of life_ (_price_ s.) it was published in fourteen numbers, and is now in one volume complete. sermons. cobbett's sermons (_price_ s. d.): there are thirteen of them on the following subjects:-- . hypocrisy and cruelty; . drunkenness; . bribery; . the rights of the poor; . unjust judges; . the sluggard; . murder; . gaming; . public robbery; . the unnatural mother; . forbidding marriage; . parsons and tithes; . good friday; or, _god's judgment on the jews_.--more of these sermons have been sold than of the sermons of all the church parsons put together since mine were published. there are some parsons who have the good sense and virtue to preach them from the pulpit.--w. c. ---- iii. books on rural affairs. tull's husbandry. cobbett's edition of tull's husbandry (_price_ s.): the horse-hoeing husbandry; or, a treatise on the principles of tillage and vegetation, wherein is taught a method of introducing a sort of vineyard culture into the corn-fields, in order to increase their product and diminish the common expense. by jethro tull, of shalborne, in the county of berks. to which is prefixed an introduction, explanatory of some circumstances connected with the history and division of the work: and containing an account of certain experiments of recent date, by william cobbett.--from this famous book i learned all my principles relative to farming, gardening, and planting. it really, without a pun, _goes to the root_ of the subject. before i read this book i had seen enough of _effects_, but really knew nothing about the _causes_. it contains the foundation of all knowledge in the cultivation of the earth.--w. c. year's residence in america. cobbett's year's residence in america, with a map (_price_ s.); treating of the face of the country, the climate, the soil, the products, the mode of cultivating the land, the prices of land, of labour, of food, of raiment, of the expenses of housekeeping, and of the usual manner of living; of the manners and customs of the people; and of the institutions of the country, civil, political, and religious; in three parts. the map is a map of the united states. the book contains a journal of the weather for one whole year; and it has an account of my farming in that country; and also an account of the causes of poor birkbeck's failure in his undertaking. a book very necessary to all men of property who emigrate to the united states.--w. c. the english gardener. cobbett's english gardener (_price_ s.); or a treatise on the situation, soil, enclosing and laying-out of kitchen gardens; on the making and managing of hot-beds and green-houses; and on the propagation and cultivation of all sorts of kitchen-garden plants, and of fruit-trees, whether of the garden or the orchard. and also on the formation of shrubberies and flower-gardens; and on the propagation and cultivation of the several sorts of shrubs and flowers; concluding with a kalendar, giving instructions relative to the sowings, plantings, prunings, and other labours to be performed in the gardens, in each month of the year.--a complete book of the kind. a plan of a kitchen-garden, and little plates to explain the works of pruning, grafting, and budding. but it is here, as in all my books, the principles that are valuable: it is a knowledge of these that fills the reader with delight in the pursuit. i wrote a gardener for america, and the vile wretch who pirated it there had the baseness to leave out the dedication. no pursuit is so rational as this, as an amusement or relaxation, and none so innocent and so useful. it naturally leads to early rising; to sober contemplation; and is conducive to health. every young man should be a gardener, if possible, whatever else may be his pursuits.--w. c. the woodlands. cobbett's woodlands (_price_ s.); or, a treatise on the preparing of ground for planting; on the planting; on the cultivating; on the pruning; and on the cutting down of forest trees and underwoods; describing the usual growth, and size, and uses of each sort of tree, the seed of each; the season and manner of collecting the seed, the manner of preserving and sowing it, and also the manner of managing the young plants until fit to plant out; the trees being arranged in alphabetical order, and the list of them, including those of america as well as those of england, and the english, french, and latin name being prefixed to the directions relative to each tree respectively.--this work takes every tree at its seed, and carries an account of it to the cutting down and converting it to its uses.--w. c. a treatise on cobbett's corn. cobbett's corn-book (_price_ s.); or, a treatise on cobbett's corn, containing instructions for propagating and cultivating the plant, and for harvesting and preserving the crop, and also an account of the several uses to which the produce is applied, with minute directions relative to each mode of application. this edition i sell at s. that it may get into _numerous hands_. i have had, even _this year_, a noble crop of this corn; and i undertake to pledge myself, that this corn will be in general cultivation in england in two or three years from this time, in spite of all that fools and malignant asses can say against it. when i get time to go out into the country, amongst the labourers in kent, sussex, hants, wilts, and berks, who are now _more worthy_ of encouragement and good living than they ever were, though they were always excellent, i promise myself the pleasure of seeing this beautiful crop growing in all their gardens, and to see every man of them once more with a bit of meat on his table and in his satchel, instead of the _infamous potato_.--w. c. ---- iv. management of national affairs. the curse of paper money. the curse of paper money; showing the evils produced in america by paper money. by william gouge; and reprinted with a preface, by william cobbett. _price_ s. poor man's friend. cobbett's poor man's friend (_price_ d.); or, a defence of the rights of those who do the work and fight the battles: my _favourite_ work. i bestowed more labour upon it than upon any large volume that i ever wrote. here it is proved, that according to all laws, divine as well as human, no one is to die of hunger amidst abundance of food.--w. c. manchester lectures; price s. d. cobbett's manchester lectures. a small duodecimo volume, containing six lectures delivered at manchester in the winter of . in these lectures i have gone fully into the state of the country, and have put forth what i deem the proper remedy for that state. i fully discussed the questions of debt, dead weight, sinecures and pensions, church, crown lands, army and navy; and i defy all the doctors of political economy to answer me that book. it contains a statement of the propositions which, please god, i intend to make as a ground-work of relief to our country.--w. c. usury laws.--price s. d. usury laws; or, lending at interest; also the exaction and payment of certain church fees, such as pew rents, burial fees, and the like, together with forestalling traffic; all proved to be repugnant to the divine and ecclesiastical law, and destructive to civil society. to which is prefixed a narrative of the controversy between the author and bishop coppinger, and of the sufferings of the former in consequence of his adherence to the truth. by the reverend jeremiah o'callaghan, roman catholic priest. with a dedication to the "society of friends," by william cobbett. every young man should read this book, the _history_ of which, besides the learned matter, is very curious. the "jesuits," as they call them, in france, ought to read this book, and then tell the world how they can find the _impudence_ to preach the _catholic religion_, and _to uphold the funding system_ at the same time.--w. c. legacy to labourers; price s. d. or, what is the right which the lords, baronets, and squires, have to the lands of england? in six letters, addressed to the working people of england; with a dedication to sir robert peel. by wm. cobbett. legacy to parsons; price s. d. or, have the clergy of the established church an equitable right to the tithes, or to any other thing called church property, greater than the dissenters have to the same? and ought there, or ought there not, to be a separation of the church from the state? in six letters addressed to the church parsons in general, including the cathedral and college clergy and the bishops; with a dedication to blomfield, bishop of london. by william cobbett. third edition. ---- v. history. protestant reformation; price s. cobbett's history of the protestant reformation in england and ireland, showing how that event has impoverished and degraded the main body of the people in these countries; in a series of letters, addressed to all sensible and just englishmen; with a list of the abbeys, priories, nunneries, hospitals, and other religious foundations, in england and wales, and in ireland, confiscated, seized on, or alienated, by the protestant "reformation" sovereigns and parliaments. this is the book that has done the business of the _established church_! this book has been translated into all living languages, and there are two stereotype editions of it in the united states of america. this is the source from whence are now pouring in the petitions for the _abolition of tithes_.--w. c. this new and cheap edition has been published in monthly parts, d. each, and is now complete in two vols., s. d. each vol. roman history; price s. cobbett's roman history; vol. i. in english and french, from the foundation of rome to the battle of actium; selected from the best authors, ancient and modern, with a series of questions at the end of each chapter; for the use of schools and young persons in general. vol. ii. an abridged history of the emperors, in french and english; being a continuation of the history of the roman republic, published by the same authors, on the same plan, for the use of schools and young persons in general. this work is in french and english. it is intended as an _exercise-book_, to be used with my french grammar, and it is sold at a _very low price_, to place it within the reach of young men in general.--w. c. life of andrew jackson; price s. regency and reign of george iv. price s. d. cobbett's history of the regency and reign of george iv.--this work is published in nos. at d. each; and it does _justice_ to the late "_mild and merciful_" king.--w. c. lafayette's life (_price_ s.); a brief account of the life of that brave and honest man, translated from the french, by mr. james cobbett. ---- vi. travels. letters from france; price s. d. mr. john cobbett's letters from france, containing observations on that country during a journey from calais to the south, as far as limoges; then back to paris, and then, after a residence, from the eastern parts of france, and through part of the netherlands; commencing in april, and ending in december, . ride in france; price s. d. mr. james cobbett's ride of eight hundred miles in france, in (the third edition); containing a sketch of the face of the country, of its rural economy, of the towns and villages, of manufactures and trade, and of such of the manners and customs as materially differ from those of england; also, an account of the prices of land, houses, fuel, food, raiment, labour, and other things in different parts of the country; the design being to exhibit a true picture of the present state of the people of france; to which is added, a general view of the finances of the kingdom. tour in italy. mr. james cobbett's tour in italy, and also in part of france and switzerland (_price_ s. d.); the route being from paris through lyons to marseilles, and thence to nice, genoa, pisa, florence, rome, naples, and mount vesuvius; and by rome, terni, perugia, arezzo, florence, bologna, ferrara, padua, venice, verona, milan, over the alps, by mount st. bernard, geneva, and the jura, back into france. the space of time being from october to september : containing a description of the country; of the principal cities and their most striking curiosities; of the climate, soil, agriculture, horticulture, and products; of the price of provisions, and of labour, and of the dresses and conditions of the people. and also some account of the laws and customs, civil and religious, and of the morals and demeanor of the inhabitants in the several states. tour in scotland. tour in scotland, by mr. cobbett; the tour taken in the autumn of , and the book written during the tour. it is a small duodecimo volume, s. d. ---- vii. law. martens's law of nations. price s. cobbett's translation of martens's law of nations; being the science of national law, covenants, power, &c. founded upon the treaties and customs of modern nations in europe. by g. f. von martens, professor of public law in the university of gottingen. translated from the french, by wm. cobbett. one of my first literary labours. an excellent commonplace book to the law of nations.--w. c. ---- viii. miscellaneous politics. collective commentaries; price s. cobbett's collective commentaries; or remarks on the proceedings in the collective wisdom of the nation, during the session which began on the th of february, and ended on the th of august, in the third year of the reign of king george the fourth, and in the year of our lord, ; being the third session of the first parliament of that king. to which are subjoined, a complete list of the acts passed during the session, with elucidations, and other notices and matters; forming, altogether, a short but clear history of the collective wisdom for the year. twopenny trash; price s. twopenny trash, complete in two vols., mo. _just published, price s., boards_, sixth edition, with many new receipts, of the english housekeeper; or, manual of domestic management; containing advice on the conduct of household affairs; in a separate treatise on each particular department, and practical instruction concerning the kitchen, the larder, the cellar, the pantry, the oven, the dairy, the store room, the brewhouse. together with hints for laying out small ornamental gardens; directions for cultivating and preserving herbs; and some remarks on the best means of rendering assistance to poor neighbours. for the use of young ladies who undertake the superintendence of their own housekeeping. by miss cobbett. books for emigrants. "if the emigrant require elementary works on any subject of domestic management--extending the term domestic matters outside as well as inside of the house--it is not too much to say that the name of cobbett may be considered a guarantee that he will find the subject treated with completeness, and in a style at once simple and attractive. whilst we say this, the reader must not be alarmed lest we design to thrust all cobbett's political views down his throat. like all strong-passioned men he was not unfrequently inconsistent; on subjects of social and politico-economical science especially, he was as often unsound as sound; he frequently threw himself into the stream of popular prejudice, not only closing his mind to the reasonings of others, but scarcely daring to use his own strong powers lest he should be convinced against his previous determination. but on the subjects embraced by the cottage economy, and others of a like character, cobbett was and is a trustworthy instructor, and we hesitate not to say that the emigrant who will follow his instructions will, in a few years, find himself a wiser, a wealthier, a better, and, above all, a happier man, in consequence of having done so. the english housekeeper is by miss cobbett, and bears evident marks of the cobbett school of domestic management. the same wholesome healthy tone--the same simplicity of taste pervades all its recommendations; and even in the good sound mother-english in which it is written we recognise the pure source whence it sprung. it cannot be expected that we should examine all the receipts and pronounce our opinion on their merits. to confess the truth, we are not competent to the task. the reader, therefore, must be content with the information that this part of the work appears to be very amply stored with the good things of this world, and, what is more to the purpose, a very cursory glance has convinced us that the colonist family might avail themselves of the greater part of this division of the book with advantage and profit. the truly valuable portions of the work are those which relate to domestic management. we have not space to go into particulars, and extracts would scarcely serve any good purpose. as one might expect from a cobbett, the chapter devoted to the cellar contains some excellent directions for the making of british wines, many of which will be found applicable to new zealand and the australian colonies, and afford a cheap luxury to colonist's family. here also we have some useful directions brewing, in addition to the instructions given in the cottage economy. cookery for the sick, and cookery for the poor, are two valuable chapters; and it is an additional recommendation that many of the articles under these heads may easily be made at sea. in conclusion, we earnestly recommend the books to the emigrant's notice. the general instructions may be studied with profit during the voyage, and when fairly settled we have no doubt the colonist's wife would insensibly find the book constantly in her hand."--_new zealand journal_, jan. , . the english housekeeper; or, manual of domestic management. "this excellent household book has now reached a third edition. we can recommend it heartily to every young lady who undertakes the management of her domestic affairs, not only for the valuable instructions it contains concerning all that relates to the kitchen and cookery, but for the sensible advice it offers to females in the most important duties of domestic life. this to us most interesting portion of the work is written in the plain, forcible, and convincing style of the author's late father. there is the same wholesome and practical advice put forward in that easy, familiar way which impresses itself indelibly upon the reader's mind. there are some observations upon the mode of educating daughters which should be attentively perused by every mother. there is a truth and beauty, and a spirit of kind womanly feeling in the chapter on servants. it is a noble vindication of the poor, which ought to be written in letters of gold upon the walls of the rich man's chamber. of the culinary receipts, the directions for managing the pantry, larder, store-room, &c., we can speak in terms of unqualified commendation. the medical and miscellaneous receipts are numerous and valuable."--sunday times, january , . "if we had seen the _twentieth_ edition on the title of the 'english housekeeper,' instead of the _third_, we should not have been surprised. we passed our humble opinion on the merits of this work upon its first appearance. now we behold a new and improved edition, enlarged, and with numerous indispensible recipes, rendering it one of the most complete works of the kind that has come under our criticism; everything as regards housekeeping being laid down in a clear, concise style, not only of essential utility to the young housekeeper, but to the already experienced practitioner. miss cobbett must have devoted years to the production of the volume, for turn to what page you will, it abounds with striking and useful, as well as practical facts, so admirably arranged, that a very young lady might become, after a few hours' perusal, well qualified to discharge the domestic duties of a wife."--blackwood's ladies' magazine, . ---- g. peirce, printer, , strand. the transcriber trusts that the reader will not take any of the advice offered in this text. [illustration: _mrs. eaton._ bungay. _published by j. & r. childs._] _the_ _cook and housekeeper's_ complete & universal dictionary including _a system of modern cookery in all its various branches,_ adapted to the use of private families. _also a variety of original & valuable information._ _relative to_ _baking brewing carving cleaning collaring curing economy of bees ---- of a dairy economy of poultry family medicine gardening home-made wines pickling potting preserving rules of health_ and every other subject connected with domestic economy. by mrs. mary eaton. bungay. _printed & published by j. & r. childs_ . the cook and housekeeper's complete and universal dictionary; including a system of modern cookery, in all its various branches, adapted to the use of _private families_: also a variety of original and valuable information. relative to baking, brewing, carving, cleaning, collaring, curing, economy of bees, ---- of a dairy, economy of poultry, family medicine, gardening, home-made wines, pickling, potting, preserving, rules of health, and every other subject connected with domestic economy. by mrs. mary eaton. _embellished with engravings._ bungay: printed and published by j. and r. childs. . introduction. nothing is more obvious, than that experience purchased by the sacrifice of independence is bought at too dear a rate. yet this is the only consolation which remains to many females, while sitting on the ashes of a ruined fortune, and piercing themselves with the recollection of the numerous imprudencies into which they have been led, simply for the want of better information. not because there is any want of valuable publications, for in the present age they abound; but rather because they contain such a variety of superfluous articles, and are too indiscriminate to become generally useful. a young female, just returned from the hymeneal altar, is ready to exclaim on the first perusal, as the philosopher did who visited the metropolis, 'how many things are here which i do not want!' the volume when purchased is often found to contain what is only or chiefly adapted to those who live in "king's houses," or "who fare sumptuously every day." indeed, it has been the failing of most works of this nature, that they have either been too contracted, or too diffuse; detailed what was unnecessary, or treated superficially what was in fact of most consequence to the great bulk of mankind. if it be objected to the present work, that it exhibits nothing new; that the experiments are founded upon the simplest rules of nature; that most of the things have been rehearsed in various forms; it is not necessary to deny or to conceal the fact, every other consideration having been subordinated to one leading object, and that is general utility. it is but justice however to add, that many of the articles are perfectly original, having been extracted from a variety of unpublished manuscripts, obligingly and expressly furnished in aid of the present undertaking. a great number of outlandish articles are intentionally omitted, as well as a farrago of french trifles and french nonsense, in order to render the work truly worthy of the patronage of the genuine english housekeeper. it may also fairly be presumed, that the superior advantages of the present work will immediately be recognized, not only as comprehending at once the whole theory of domestic management, but in a form never before attempted, and which of all others is best adapted to facilitate the acquisition of useful knowledge. the alphabetical arrangement presented in the following sheets, pointing out at once the article necessary to be consulted, prevents the drudgery of going through several pages in order to find it, and supplies by its convenience and universal adaptation, the desideratum so long needed in this species of composition. _importance of domestic habits and acquirements._ though domestic occupations do not stand so high in the general esteem as they formerly did, there are none of greater importance in social life, and none when neglected that produce a larger portion of human misery. there was a time when ladies knew nothing beyond their own family concerns; but in the present day there are many who know nothing about them. if a young person has been sent to a fashionable boarding-school, it is ten to one, when she returns home, whether she can mend her own stockings, or boil a piece of meat, or do any thing more than preside over the flippant ceremonies of the tea-table. each extreme ought to be avoided, and care taken to unite in the female character, the cultivation of talents and habits of usefulness. in every department those are entitled to the greatest praise, who best acquit themselves of the duties which their station requires, and this it is that gives true dignity to character. happily indeed there are still great numbers in every situation, whose example combines in a high degree the ornamental with the useful. instances may be found of ladies in the higher walks of life, who condescend to examine the accounts of their servants and housekeepers; and by overseeing and wisely directing the expenditure of that part of their husband's income which falls under their own inspection, avoid the inconveniences of embarrassed circumstances. how much more necessary then is domestic knowledge in those whose limited fortunes press on their attention considerations of the strictest economy. there ought to be a material difference in the degree of care which a person of a large and independent estate bestows on money concerns, and that of one in inferior circumstances: yet both may very commendably employ some portion of their time and thoughts on this subject. the custom of the times tends in some measure to abolish the distinctions in rank, the education given to young people being nearly the same in all. but though the leisure of the higher sort may very well be devoted to different accomplishments, the pursuits of those in a middle sphere, if less ornamental, would better secure their own happiness, and that of others connected with them. we sometimes bring up children in a manner calculated rather to fit them for the station we wish, than that which it is likely they will actually possess; and it is in all cases worth the while of parents to consider whether the expectation or hope of raising their offspring above their own situation be well founded. there is no opportunity of attaining a knowledge of family management at school, certainly; and during vacations, all subjects that might interfere with amusement are avoided. the consequence is, when a girl in the higher ranks returns home after completing her education, her introduction to the gay world, and a continued course of pleasures, persuade her at once that she was born to be the ornament of fashionable circles, rather than descend to the management of family concerns, though by that means she might in various ways increase the comfort and satisfaction of her parents. on the other hand, persons of an inferior sphere, and especially in the lower order of middling life, are almost always anxious to give their children such advantages of education as they themselves did not possess. whether their indulgence be productive of the happiness so kindly aimed at, must be judged by the effects, which are not very favourable if what has been taught has not produced humility in herself, and increased gratitude and respect to her parents. were a young woman brought to relish home society, and the calm delights of an easy and agreeable occupation, before she entered into the delusive scenes of pleasure, presented by the theatre and other dissipations, it is probable she would soon make a comparison much in favour of the former, especially if restraint did not give to the latter an additional relish. if our observations were extended to the marriage state, we should find a life of employment to be the source of unnumbered pleasures. to attend to the nursing, and at least the early instruction of children, and rear a healthy progeny in the ways of piety and usefulness; to preside over the family, and regulate the income allotted to its maintenance; to make home the agreeable retreat of a husband, fatigued by intercourse with a bustling world; to be his enlightened companion, and the chosen friend of his heart; these, these are woman's duties, and her highest honour. and when it is thus evident that high intellectual attainments may find room for their exercise in the multifarious occupations of the daughter, the wife, the mother, the mistress of the house; no one can reasonably urge that the female mind is contracted by domestic employ. it is however a great comfort that the duties of life are within the reach of humbler abilities, and that she whose chief aim it is to fulfil them, will very rarely fail to acquit herself well. _domestic expenditure._ the mistress of a family should always remember, that the welfare and good management of the house depend on the eye of the superior; and consequently that nothing is too trifling for her notice, whereby waste may be avoided. if a lady has never been accustomed while single to think of family management, let her not on that account fear that she cannot attain it. she may consult others who are experienced, and acquaint herself with the necessary quantities of the several articles of family expenditure, in proportion to the number it consists of, together with the value of the articles it may be necessary to procure. a minute account of the annual income, and the times of payment, should be taken in writing; likewise an estimate of the supposed amount of each item of expense. those who are early accustomed to calculations of this kind, will acquire so accurate a knowledge of what their establishment demands, as will suggest the happy medium between prodigality and parsimony, without in the least subjecting themselves to the charge of meanness. few branches of female education are so useful as great readiness at figures, though nothing is more commonly neglected. accounts should be regularly kept, and not the smallest item be omitted to be entered. if balanced every week, or month at longest, the income and outgoings will easily be ascertained, and their proportions to each other be duly observed. some people fix on stated sums to be appropriated to each different article, and keep the money separate for that purpose; as house, clothes, pocket, education of children, &c. whichever way accounts be entered, a certain mode should be adopted, and strictly adhered to. many women are unfortunately ignorant of the state of their husband's income; and others are only made acquainted with it when some speculative project, or profitable transaction, leads them to make a false estimate of what can be afforded. it too often happens also that both parties, far from consulting each other, squander money in ways that they would even wish to forget: whereas marriage should be a state of mutual and perfect confidence, with a similarity of pursuits, which would secure that happiness it was intended to bestow. there are so many valuable women who excel as wives, that it is fair to infer there would be few extravagant ones, if they were consulted by their husbands on subjects that concern the mutual interest of both parties. many families have been reduced to poverty by the want of openness in the man, on the subject of his affairs; and though on these occasions the women are generally blamed, it has afterwards appeared that they never were allowed to make particular enquiries, nor suffered to reason upon what sometimes appeared to them imprudent. many families have fully as much been indebted to the propriety of female management, for the degree of prosperity they have enjoyed, as to the knowledge and activity of the husband and the father. ready money should be paid for all such things as come not into weekly bills, and even for them some sort of check is necessary. the best places for purchasing goods should also be attended to. on some articles a discount of five per cent is allowed in london and other large cities, and those who thus pay are usually best served. under an idea of buying cheap, many go to new shops; but it is safest to deal with people of established credit, who do not dispose of goods by underselling. to make tradesmen wait for their money is very injurious, besides that a higher price must be paid: and in long bills, articles never bought are often charged. if goods are purchased at ready-money price, and regularly entered, the exact state of the expenditure will be known with ease; for it is delay of payment that occasions so much confusion. a common-place book should always be at hand, in which to enter such hints of useful knowledge, and other observations, as are given by sensible experienced people. want of attention to what is advised, or supposing things to be too minute to be worth regarding, are the causes why so much ignorance prevails on necessary subjects, among those who are not backward in frivolous ones. it is very necessary for the mistress of a family to be informed of the price and quality of all articles in common use, and of the best times and places for purchasing them. she should also be acquainted with the comparative prices of provisions, in order that she may be able to substitute those that are most reasonable, when they will answer as well, for others of the same kind, but which are more costly. a false notion of economy leads many to purchase as bargains, what is not wanted, and sometimes never is used. were this error avoided, more money would remain of course for other purposes. it is not unusual among lower dealers to put off a larger quantity of goods, by assurances that they are advancing in price; and many who supply fancy articles are so successful in persuasion, that purchasers not unfrequently go beyond their original intention, and suffer inconvenience by it. some things are certainly better for keeping, and should be laid in accordingly; but this applies only to articles in constant consumption. unvarying rules cannot be given, for people ought to form their conduct on their circumstances. some ladies charge their account with giving out to a superintending servant such quantities of household articles, as by observation and calculation they know to be sufficient, reserving for their own key the large stock of things usually laid in for extensive families in the country. should there be more visitors than usual, they can easily account for an increased consumption, and vice versa. such a degree of judgment will be respectable even in the eye of domestics, if not interested in the ignorance of their employers; and if they are, their services will not compensate the want of honesty. a bill of parcels and receipt should be required, even if the money be paid at the time of purchase; and to avoid mistakes, let the goods be compared with these when brought home. though it is very disagreeable to suspect any one's honesty, and perhaps mistakes are often unintentional; yet it is proper to weigh meat and grocery articles when brought in, and compare them with the charge. the butcher should be ordered to send the weight with the meat, and the checks regularly filed and examined. a ticket should be exchanged for every loaf of bread, which when returned will shew the number to be paid for, as tallies may be altered, unless one is kept by each party. those who are served with brewer's beer, or any other articles not paid for weekly or on delivery, should keep a book for entering the dates: which will not only serve to prevent overcharges, but will show the whole year's consumption at one view. `poole's complete housekeeper's account book,' is very well adapted to this purpose. an inventory of furniture, linen, and china, should be kept, and the things examined by it twice a year, or oftener if there be a change of servants; into each of whose care the articles are to be entrusted, with a list, the same as is done with plate. tickets of parchment with the family name, numbered, and specifying what bed it belongs to, should be sewed on each feather bed, bolster, pillow, and blanket. knives, forks, and house cloths are often deficient: these accidents might be obviated, if an article at the head of every list required the former to be produced whole or broken, and the marked part of the linen, though all the others should be worn out. glass is another article that requires care, though a tolerable price is given for broken flint-glass. trifle dishes, butter stands, &c. may be had at a lower price than cut glass, made in moulds, of which there is a great variety that look extremely well, if not placed near the more beautiful articles. _choice and treatment of servants._ the regularity and good management of a family will very much depend on the character of the servants who are employed in it, and frequently one of base and dishonest principles will corrupt and ruin all the rest. no orders, however wise or prudent, will be duly carried into effect, unless those who are to execute them are to be depended on. it behoves every mistress therefore to be extremely careful whom she takes into her service; to be very minute in investigating character, and equally cautious and scrupulously just in giving recommendations of others. were this attended to, many bad people would be incapacitated for doing mischief, by abusing the trust reposed in them. it may fairly be asserted that the robbery, or waste, which is only a milder term for the unfaithfulness of a servant, will be laid to the charge of that master or mistress, who knowing or having well-founded suspicions of such faults, is prevailed upon by false pity, or entreaty, to slide such servant into another place. there are however some who are unfortunately capricious, and often refuse to give a character because they are displeased with the servant leaving; but this is an unpardonable violation of the right of a servant, who having no inheritance, is dependant on her fair name for employment. to refuse countenance to the evil, and to encourage the good servant, are equally due to society at large; and such as are honest, frugal, and attentive to their duties, should be liberally rewarded, which would encourage merit, and stimulate servants to acquit themselves with propriety. the contrary conduct is often visited with a kind of retributive justice in the course of a few years. the extravagant and idle in servitude are ill prepared for the industry and sobriety on which their own future welfare so essentially depends. their faults, and the attendant punishment come home, when they have children of their own; and sometimes much sooner. they will see their own folly and wickedness perpetuated in their offspring, whom they must not expect to be better than the example and instruction given by themselves. those who have been faithful and industrious in service, will generally retain those habits in their own families, after they are married; while those who have borne an opposite character are seldom successful in the world, but more frequently reduced to beggary and want. it is in general a good maxim, to select servants not younger than thirty. before that age, however comfortable you may endeavour to make them, their want of experience, and the hope of something still better, prevent their being satisfied with their present state. after they have had the benefit of experience, if they are tolerably comfortable, they will endeavour to deserve the smiles of even a moderately kind master or mistress, for fear they may change for the worse. life may indeed be very fairly divided into the seasons of hope and fear. in youth, we hope every thing may be right: in age, we fear that every thing may be wrong. at any rate it is desirable to engage a good and capable servant, for one of this description eats no more than a bad one. considering also how much waste is occasioned by provisions being dressed in a slovenly and unskilful manner, and how much a good cook, to whom the conduct of the kitchen is confided, can save by careful management, it is clearly expedient to give better wages for one of this description, than to obtain a cheaper article which in the end will inevitably become more expensive. it is likewise a point of prudence to invite the honesty and industry of domestics, by setting them an example of liberality in this way; nothing is more likely to convince them of the value that is attached to talent and good behaviour, or to bind them to the interest of those whom they are engaged to serve. the office of the cook especially is attended with so many difficulties, so many disgusting and disagreeable circumstances, and even dangers, in order to procure us one of the greatest enjoyments of human life, that it is but justice to reward her attention and services, by rendering her situation every way as comfortable as we can. those who think, that to protect and encourage virtue is the best preventive to vice, should give their female servants liberal wages. how else can they provide themselves the necessary articles of clothing, and save a little to help themselves in a time of a sickness, when out of place, or amidst the infirmities of age. the want of liberality and of justice in this respect is a principal source of the distress and of the degradation to which multitudes of females are reduced, and who are driven at length to seek an asylum in foundling hospitals and female penitentiaries. good wages however are not all that a faithful servant requires; kind treatment is of far greater consequence. human nature is the same in all stations. if you can convince your servants that you have a generous and considerate regard for their health and comfort, there is no reason to imagine that they will be insensible to the good they receive. be careful therefore to impose no commands but what are reasonable, nor reprove but with justice and temper; the best way to ensure which is, not to lecture them till at least one day after the offence has been committed. if they have any particular hardship to endure in service, let them see that you are concerned for the necessity of imposing it. servants are more likely to be praised into good conduct, than scolded out of bad behaviour. always commend them when they do right; and to cherish in them the desire of pleasing, it is proper to show them that you are pleased. by such conduct ordinary servants will often be converted into good ones, and there are few so hardened as not to feel gratified when they are kindly and liberally treated. at the same time avoid all approaches to familiarity, which to a proverb is accompanied with contempt, and soon destroys the principle of obedience. when servants are sick, you are to remember that you are their patron, as well as their master or mistress; not only remit their labour, but give them all the assistance of food and physic, and every comfort in your power. tender assiduity about an invalid is half a cure; it is a balsam to the mind, which has the most powerful effect on the body; it soothes the sharpest pains, and strengthens beyond the richest cordial. the practice of some persons in sending home poor servants to a miserable cottage, or to a workhouse, in time of illness, hoping for their services if they should happen to recover, while they contribute nothing towards it, is contrary to every principle of justice and humanity. particular attention ought to be paid to the health of the cook, not only for her own sake, but also because healthiness and cleanliness are essential to the duties of her office, and to the wholesomeness of the dishes prepared by her hand. besides the deleterious vapours of the charcoal, which soon undermine the health of the heartiest person, the cook has to endure the glare of a scorching fire, and the smoke, so baneful to the complexion and the eyes; so that she is continually surrounded with inevitable dangers, while her most commendable achievements pass not only without reward, but frequently without even thanks. the most consummate cook is seldom noticed by the master, or heard of by the guests, who, while they eagerly devour his dainties, and drink his wine, care very little who dressed the one or sent the other. the same observations apply to the kitchen maid or second cook, who have in large families the hardest place, and are worse paid, verifying the old proverb, 'the more work the less wages.' if there be any thing right, the cook has the praise, when any praise is given: if any thing be wrong, the kitchen maid has the blame. for this humble domestic is expected by the cook to take the entire management of all roasts and boils, fish and vegetables, which together constitute the principal part of an englishman's dinner. the master or mistress who wishes to enjoy the rare luxury of a table well served in the best stile, should treat the cook as a friend; should watch over her health with peculiar care, and be sure that her taste does not suffer, by her stomach being deranged by bilious attacks. a small proportion of that attention usually bestowed on a favourite horse, or even a dog, would suffice to regulate her animal system. cleanliness, and a proper ventilation to carry off smoke and steam, should be particularly attended to in the construction of a kitchen. the grand scene of action, the fire-place, should be placed where it may receive plenty of light. too often the contrary practice has prevailed, and the poor cook is continually basted with her own perspiration; but a good state of health can never be preserved under such circumstances. _necessity of order and regularity._ no family can be properly managed, where the strictest order and regularity is not observed. 'a house divided against itself cannot stand;' and if the direction of its affairs be left to accident or chance, it will be equally fatal to its comfort and prosperity. it is the part of a prudent manager to see all that is doing, and to foresee and direct all that should be done. the weakest capacity can perceive what is wrong after it has occurred; but discernment and discretion are necessary to anticipate and prevent confusion and disorder, by a well-regulated system of prompt and vigorous management. if time be wisely economised, and the useful affairs transacted before amusements are allowed, and a regular plan of employment be daily laid down, a great deal may be done without hurry or fatigue. the retrospect would also be most pleasant at the end of the year, to be able to enumerate all the valuable acquirements made, and the just and benevolent actions performed, under the active and energetic management of the mistress of a family. as highly conducive to this end, early and regular hours should be kept in the evening, and an early hour especially for breakfast in the morning. there will then be more time to execute the orders that may be given, which in general should comprise the business of the day; and servants, by doing their work with ease, will be more equal to it, and fewer of them will be necessary. it is worthy of notice, that the general expense will be reduced, and much time saved, if every thing be kept in its proper place, applied to its proper use, and mended, when the nature of the accident will allow, as soon as broken or out of repair. a proper quantity of household articles should always be ready, and more bought in before the others are consumed, to prevent inconvenience, especially in the country. much trouble and irregularity would be prevented when there is company to dinner, if the servants were required to prepare the table and sideboard in similar order daily. as some preparation is necessary for accidental visitors, care should be taken to have constantly in readiness a few articles suited to such occasions, which if properly managed will be attended with little expense, and much convenience. _bad habit of keeping spare rooms._ though persons of large fortune may support an expensive establishment without inconvenience, it ill becomes those in the middle rank to imitate such an example. nothing can be more ludicrous than the contrast exhibited between two families of this description; the one living in the dignified splendour, and with the liberal hospitality, that wealth can command; the other in a stile of tinsel show, without the real appropriate distinctions belonging to rank and fortune. they are lavish, but not liberal, often sacrificing independence to support dissipation, and betraying the dearest interests of society for the sake of personal vanity, and gratifying what is significantly termed 'the pride of life.' the great point for comfort and respectability is, that all the household economy should be uniform, not displaying a parade of show in one thing, and a total want of comfort in another. besides the contemptible appearance that this must have to every person of good sense, it is often productive of fatal consequences. how common it is, in large towns especially, that for the vanity of having a showy drawing-room to receive company, the family are confined to a close back room, where they have scarcely air or light, the want of which is essentially injurious to health. to keep rooms for show belongs to the higher classes, where the house is sufficiently commodious for the family, and to admit of this also: but in private dwellings, to shut up perhaps the only room that is fit to live in, is to be guilty of a kind of self-destruction; and yet how frequently this consideration escapes persons who are disposed to render their family every comfort, but they have a grate, a carpet, and chairs too fine for every day's use. what a reflection, when nursing a sick child, to think that it may be the victim of a bright grate, and a fine carpet! or, what is equally afflicting, to see all the children perhaps rickety and diseased from the same cause! keeping a spare bed for ornament, rather than for use, is often attended with similar consequences. a stranger or a friend is allowed to occupy it once in so many months, and he does it at the peril of his health, and even of his life. another bad effect of keeping spare rooms is the seeing more company, and in a more expensive manner, than is compatible with the general convenience of the family, introducing with it an expense in dress, and a dissipation of time, from which it suffers in various ways. not the least of these is the neglect of parental instruction, which it is attempted to supply by sending the children at an improper age to school; the girls where they had better never go, and the boys where they get but little good, and perhaps are all the worse for mending. social intercourse is not improved by parade, but quite the contrary; real friends, and the pleasantest kind of acquaintance, those who like to be social, are repulsed by it. the failure therefore is general, involving the loss of nearly all that is valuable in society, by an abortive attempt to become fashionable. _setting out a table._ the direction of a table is no inconsiderable part of a lady's concern, as it involves judgment in expenditure, respectability of appearance, the comfort of her husband, and those who partake of their hospitality. it is true that the mode of covering a table, and providing for the guests, is merely a matter of taste, materially different in a variety of instances; yet nothing can be more ruinous of real comfort than the too common custom of making a profusion and a parade, unsuited not only to the circumstances of the host, but to the number of the guests; or more fatal to true hospitality than the multiplicity of dishes which luxury has made fashionable at the tables of the great, the wealthy, and the ostentatious, who are often neither great, nor wealthy, nor wise. such excessive preparation, instead of being a compliment to the party invited, is nothing better than an indirect offence, conveying a tacit insinuation that it is absolutely necessary to provide such delicacies to bribe the depravity of their palates, when we desire the pleasure of their company, and that society must be purchased on dishonourable terms before it can be enjoyed. when twice as much cooking is undertaken as there are servants, or conveniences in the kitchen to do it properly, dishes must be dressed long before the dinner hour, and stand by spoiling; and why prepare for eight or ten more than is sufficient for twenty or thirty visitors? 'enough is as good as a feast;' and a prudent provider, avoiding what is extravagant and superfluous, may entertain her friends three times as often, and ten times as well. perhaps there are few incidents in which the respectability of a man is more immediately felt, than the style of dinner to which he may accidentally bring home a visitor. and here, it is not the multiplicity of articles, but the choice, the dressing, and the neat appearance of the whole that is principally regarded. every one is to live as he can afford, and the meal of the tradesman ought not to emulate the entertainments of the higher classes; but if two or three dishes are well served, with the usual sauces, the table linen clean, the small sideboard neatly laid, and all that is necessary be at hand, the expectation of the husband and the friend will be gratified, because no irregularity of domestic arrangement will disturb the social intercourse. the same observation holds good on a larger scale. in all situations of life the entertainment should be no less suited to the station than to the fortune of the entertainer, and to the number and rank of those invited. the manner of carving is not only a very necessary branch of information, to enable a lady to do the honours of the table, but makes a considerable difference in the consumption of a family; and though in large parties she is so much assisted as to render this knowledge apparently of less consequence, yet she must at times feel the deficiency; and should not fail to acquaint herself with an attainment, the advantage of which is evident every day. some people haggle meat so much, as not to be able to help half a dozen persons decently from a large tongue, or a sirloin of beef; and the dish goes away with the appearance of having been gnawed by dogs. habit alone can make good carvers; but some useful directions on this subject will be found in the following pages, under the article carving. half the trouble of waiting at table may be saved, by giving each guest two plates, two knives and forks, two pieces of bread, a spoon, a wine glass, and a tumbler; and by placing the wines and sauces in the centre of the table, one visitor may help another. if the party is large, the founders of the feast should sit about the middle of the table, instead of at each end. they will then enjoy the pleasure of attending equally to all their friends; and being in some degree relieved from the occupation of carving, will have an opportunity of administering all those little attentions which contribute so much to the comfort of their guests. dinner tables are seldom sufficiently lighted, or attended; an active waiter will have enough to do to attend upon half a dozen persons. there should be half as many candles as there are guests, and their flame should not be more than eighteen inches above the table. the modern candelabras answer no other purpose than that of giving an appearance of pomp and magnificence, and seem intended to illuminate the ceiling, rather than to shed light upon the plates. _quality of provisions to be regarded._ the leading consideration about food ought always to be its wholesomeness. cookery may produce savoury and elegant looking dishes, without their possessing any of the real qualities of food. it is at the same time both a serious and a ludicrous reflection, that it should be thought to do honour to our friends and to ourselves to set out a table where indigestion with all its train of evils, such as fever, rheumatism, gout, and the whole catalogue of human diseases, lie lurking in almost every dish. yet this is both done, and taken as a compliment. the practice of flavouring custards, for example, with laurel leaves, and adding fruit kernels to the poison of spirituous liquors, though far too common, is attended with imminent danger: for let it be remembered, that the flavour given by laurel essence is the most fatal kind of poison. children, and delicate grown-up persons, have often died suddenly from this cause, even where the quantity of the deleterious mixture was but small. how infinitely preferable is a dinner of far less show, where nobody need to be afraid of what they are eating; and such a one will always be genteel and respectable. if a person can give his friend only a leg of mutton, there is nothing of which to be ashamed, provided it is good and well dressed. nothing can be of greater importance to the mistress of a family, than the preservation of its health; but there is no way of securing this desirable object with any degree of certainty, except her eye watches over every part of the culinary process. the subject of cookery is too generally neglected by mistresses, as something beneath their notice; or if engaged in, it is to contrive a variety of mischievous compositions, both savoury and sweet, to recommend their own ingenuity. yet it is quite evident that every good housewife ought to be well acquainted with this important branch of domestic management, and to take upon herself at least its entire direction and controul. this is a duty which her husband, children, and domestics, have a right to expect at her hands; and which a solicitude for their health and comfort will induce her to discharge with fidelity. if cookery has been worth studying as a sensual gratification, it is much more so as the means of securing the greatest of human blessings. a house fitted up with clean good furniture, the kitchen provided with clean wholesome-looking cooking utensils, good fires, in grates that give no anxiety lest a good fire should spoil them, clean good table-linen, the furniture of the table and sideboard good of the kind without ostentation, and a well-dressed plain dinner, bespeak a sound judgment and correct taste in a private family, that place it on a footing of respectability with the first characters in the country. it is only conforming to our sphere, not vainly attempting to be above it, that can command true respect. ================================================================== _explanation of the plate._ venison. . haunch. | . neck. | . shoulder. | . breast. beef. | . thick flank. | . shoulder or leg _hind quarter._ | . thin flank. | of mutton piece. . sirloin. | . leg. | . brisket . rump. | . fore rib; five ribs. | . clod. . edge bone. | | . neck or sticking . buttock. | _fore quarter._ | piece. . mouse buttock.| . middle rib; four ribs.| . shin. . veiny piece. | . chuck; three ribs. | . cheek. veal. . loin, best end. | . neck, best end. . loin, chump end. | . neck, scrag end. . fillet. | . blade bone. . hind knuckle. | . breast, best end. . fore knuckle. | . breast, brisket end. pork. . sparerib. | . fore loin. . hand. | . hind loin. . belly or spring. | . leg. mutton. . leg. | . neck, best end. | . breast. . loin, best end. | . neck, scrag end. |a chine is two loins. . loin, chump end. | . shoulder. |a saddle is two necks. [illustration] the cook and housekeeper's complete and universal dictionary. acid, lemon: a good substitute for this expensive article, suitable for soups, fish sauces, and many other purposes, may be made of a dram of lump sugar pounded, and six drops of lemon essence, to three ounces of crystal vinegar. the flavour of the lemon may also be communicated to the vinegar, by an infusion of lemon peel. acids, to remove stains caused by acids. see stains. accidents by fire. much mischief frequently arises from the want of a little presence of mind on such occasions, when it is well known that a small quantity of water speedily and properly applied, would obviate great danger. the moment an alarm of fire is given in a house, some blankets should be wetted in a tub of water, and spread on the floor of the room where the fire is, and the flames beaten out with a wet blanket. two or three pails of water thus applied, will be more effectual than a larger quantity poured on in the usual way, and at a later period. if a chimney be on fire, the readiest way is to cover the whole front of the fire-place with a wet blanket, or thrust it into the throat of the chimney, or make a complete inclosure with the chimney-board. by whatever means the current of air can be stopped below, the burning soot will be put out as rapidly as a candle is by an extinguisher, and upon the same principle. a quantity of salt thrown into water will increase its power in quenching the flames, and muddy water is better for this purpose than clear water. children, and especially females, should be informed, that as flame tends upward, it is extremely improper for them to stand upright, in case their clothes take fire; and as the accident generally begins with the lower part of the dress, the flames meeting additional fuel as they rise, become more fatal, and the upper part of the body necessarily sustains the greatest injury. if there be no assistance at hand in a case of this kind, the sufferer should instantly throw herself down, and roll or lie upon her clothes. a carpet, hearth rug, or green baize table cloth, quickly wrapped round the head and body, will be an effectual preservative; but where these are not at hand, the other method may easily be adopted. the most obvious means of preventing the female dress from catching fire, is that of wire fenders of sufficient height to hinder the coals and sparks from flying into the room; and nurseries in particular should never be without them. destructive fires often happen from the thoughtlessness of persons leaving a poker in the grate, which afterward falls out and rolls on the floor or carpet. this evil may in a great measure be prevented by having a small cross of iron welded on the poker, immediately above the square part, about an inch and a half each way. then if the poker slip out of the fire, it will probably catch at the edge of the fender; or if not, it cannot endanger the floor, as the hot end of the poker will be kept from it by resting on the cross. in cases of extreme danger, where the fire is raging in the lower part of the house, a fire escape is of great importance. but where this article is too expensive, or happens not to be provided, a strong rope should be fastened to something in an upper apartment, having knots or resting places for the hands and feet, that in case of alarm it may be thrown out of the window; or if children and infirm persons were secured by a noose at the end of it, they might be lowered down in safety. no family occupying lofty houses in confined situations ought to be without some contrivance of this sort, and which may be provided at a very trifling expense. horses are often so intimidated by fire, that they have perished before they could be removed from the spot; but if a bridle or a halter be put upon them, they might be led out of the stable as easily as on common occasions. or if the harness be thrown over a draught horse, or the saddle placed on the back of a saddle horse, the same object may be accomplished. adulterations in baker's bread may be detected, by mixing it with lemon juice or strong vinegar: if the bread contains chalk, whiting, or any other alkali, it will immediately produce a fermentation. if ashes, alum, bones, or jalap be suspected, slice the crumb of a loaf very thin, set it over the fire with water, and let it boil gently a long time. take it off, pour the water into a vessel, and let it stand till nearly cold; then pour it gently out, and in the sediment will be seen the ingredients which have been mixed. the alum will be dissolved in the water, and may be extracted from it. if jalap has been used, it will form a thick film on the top, and the heavy ingredients will sink to the bottom. see beer, flour, spirits, wine. ague. persons afflicted with the ague ought in the first instance to take an emetic, and a little opening medicine. during the shaking fits, drink plenty of warm gruel, and afterwards take some powder of bark steeped in red wine. or mix thirty grains of snake root, forty of wormwood, and half an ounce of jesuit's bark powdered, in half a pint of port wine: put the whole into a bottle, and shake it well together. take one fourth part first in the morning, and another at bed time, when the fit is over, and let the dose be often repeated, to prevent a return of the complaint. if this should not succeed, mix a quarter of an ounce each of finely powdered peruvian bark, grains of paradise, and long pepper, in a quarter of a pound of treacle. take a third part of it as soon as the cold fit begins, and wash it down with a glass of brandy. as the cold fit goes off, and the fever approaches, take a second third part, with the like quantity of brandy; and on the following morning fasting, swallow the remainder, with the same quantity of brandy as before. three doses of this excellent electuary have cured hundreds of persons, and seldom been known to fail. to children under nine years of age, only half the above quantity must be given. try also the following experiment. when the cold fit is on, take an egg beaten up in a glass of brandy, and go to bed directly. this very simple recipe has proved successful in a number of instances, where more celebrated preparations have failed. air. few persons are sufficiently aware, that an unwholesome air is the common cause of disease. they generally pay some attention to what they eat and drink, but seldom regard what goes into the lungs, though the latter often proves more fatal than the former. air vitiated by the different processes of respiration, combustion, and putrefaction, or which is suffered to stagnate, is highly injurious to health, and productive of contagious disorders. whatever greatly alters its degree of heat or cold, also renders it unwholesome. if too hot, it produces bilious and inflammatory affections: if too cold, it obstructs perspiration, and occasions rheumatism, coughs, and colds, and other diseases of the throat and breast. a damp air disposes the body to agues, intermitting fevers, and dropsies, and should be studiously avoided. some careful housewives, for the sake of bright and polished stoves, frequently expose the health of the family in an improper manner; but fires should always be made, if in the height of summer, when the weather is wet or cold, to render the air wholesome; and let the fire-irons take care of themselves. no house can be wholesome, unless the air has a free passage through it: dwellings ought therefore to be daily ventilated, by opening the windows and admitting a current of fresh air into every room. instead of making up beds as soon as people rise out of them, a practice much too common, they ought to be turned down, and exposed to dry fresh air from the open windows. this would expel any noxious vapours, and promote the health of the family. houses surrounded with high walls, trees, or plantations, are rendered unwholesome. wood, not only obstructs the free current of air, but sends forth exhalations, which render it damp and unhealthy. houses situated on low ground, or near lakes and ponds of stagnant water, are the same: the air is charged with putrid exhalations, which produce the most malignant effects. persons obliged to occupy such situations should live well, and pay the strictest regard to cleanliness. the effluvia arising from church-yards and other burying grounds is very infectious; and parish churches, in which many corpses are interred, become tainted with an atmosphere so corrupt, especially in the spring, when the ground begins to grow warm, that it is one of the principal sources of putrid fevers, which so often prevail at that season of the year. such places ought to be kept perfectly clean, and frequently ventilated, by opening opposite doors and windows; and no human dwelling should be allowed in the immediate vicinity of a burying ground.--the air of large towns and cities is greatly contaminated, by being repeatedly respired; by the vapours arising from dirty streets, the smoke of chimneys, and the innumerable putrid substances occasioned by the crowd of inhabitants. persons of a delicate habit should avoid cities as they would the plague; or if this be impracticable, they should go abroad as much as possible, frequently admit fresh air into their rooms, and be careful to keep them very clean. if they can sleep in the country, so much the better, as breathing free air in the night will in some degree make up for the want of it in the day time. air which stagnates in mines, wells, and cellars, is extremely noxious; it kills nearly as quick as lightning, and ought therefore to be carefully avoided. accidents occasioned by foul air might often be prevented, by only letting down into such places a lighted candle, and forbearing to enter when it is perceived to go out. the foul air may be expelled by leaving the place open a sufficient time, or pouring into it a quantity of boiling water. introducing fresh air into confined rooms and places, by means of ventilators, is one of the most important of modern improvements.--dyers, gilders, plumbers, refiners of metals, and artisans employed over or near a charcoal fire, are exposed to great danger from the vitiated state of the air. to avert the injury to which their lungs are thus exposed, it would be proper to place near them a flat open vessel filled with lime water, and to renew it as often as a variegated film appears on the surface. this powerfully attracts and absorbs the noxious effluvia emitted by the burning charcoal.--but if fresh air be necessary for those in health, much more so for the sick, who often lose their lives for want of it. the notion that sick people require to be kept hot is very common, but no less dangerous, for no medicine is so beneficial to them as fresh air, in ordinary cases, especially if administered with prudence. doors and windows are not to be opened at random; but the air should be admitted gradually, and chiefly by opening the windows of some other apartment which communicates with the sick room. the air may likewise be purified by wetting a cloth in water impregnated with quick lime, then hanging it in the room till it becomes dry, and removing it as often as it appears necessary. in chronic diseases, especially those of the lungs, where there is no inflammation, a change of air is much to be recommended. independently of any other circumstance, it has often proved highly beneficial; and such patients have breathed more freely, even though removed to a damp and confined situation. in short, fresh air contains the vitals of health, and must be sought for in every situation, as the only medium of human existence. alabaster. the proper way of cleaning elegant chimney pieces, or other articles made of alabaster, is to reduce some pumice stone to a very fine powder, and mix it up with verjuice. let it stand two hours, then dip into it a sponge, and rub the alabaster with it: wash it with fresh water and a linen cloth, and dry it with clean linen rags. alamode beef. choose a piece of thick flank of a fine heifer or ox. cut some fat bacon into long slices nearly an inch thick, but quite free from yellow. dip them into vinegar, and then into a seasoning ready prepared, of salt, black pepper, allspice, and a clove, all in fine powder, with parsley, chives, thyme, savoury, and knotted marjoram, shred as small as possible, and well mixed. with a sharp knife make holes deep enough to let in the larding; then rub the beef over with the seasoning, and bind it up tight with a tape. set it in a well tinned pot over a fire, or rather a stove: three or four onions must be fried brown and put to the beef, with two or three carrots, one turnip, a head or two of celery, and a small quantity of water. let it simmer gently ten or twelve hours, or till extremely tender, turning the meat twice. put the gravy into a pan, remove the fat, keep the beef covered, then put them together, and add a glass of port wine. take off the tape, and serve with vegetables; or strain them off, and cut them into dice for garnish. onions roasted, and then stewed with the gravy, are a great improvement. a tea-cupful of vinegar should be stewed with the beef.--another way is to take about eleven pounds of the mouse-buttock, or clod of beef, or a blade bone, or the sticking piece, and cut it into pieces of three or four ounces each. put two or three ounces of beef drippings, and two large onions, into a large deep stewpan; as soon as it is quite hot, flour the meat, put it into the stewpan, and keep stirring it with a wooden spoon. when it has been on about ten minutes, dredge it with flour, and keep doing so till you have stirred in as much as will thicken it. then cover it with about a gallon of boiling water, adding it by degrees, and stirring it together. skim it when it boils, and then put in a dram of ground black pepper, and two drams of allspice. set the pan by the side of the fire, or at a distance over it, and let it stew very slowly for about three hours. when the meat is sufficiently tender, put it into a tureen, and send it to table with a nice sallad. ale, allowing eight bushels of malt to the hogshead, should be brewed in the beginning of march. pour on at once the whole quantity of hot water, not boiling, and let it infuse three hours close covered. mash it in the first half hour, and let it stand the remainder of the time. run it on the hops, half a pound to the bushel, previously infused in water, and boil them with the wort two hours. cool a pailful after it has boiled, add to it two quarts of yeast, which will prepare it for putting to the rest when ready, the same night or the next day. when tunned, and the beer has done working, cover the bung-hole with paper. if the working requires to be stopped, dry a pound and a half of hops before the fire, put them into the bung-hole, and fasten it up. ale should stand twelve months in casks, and twelve in bottles, before it be drank; and if well brewed, it will keep and be very fine for eight or ten years. it will however be ready for use in three or four months; and if the vent-peg be never removed, it will have strength and spirit to the very last. but if bottled, great care must be taken to have the bottles perfectly sweet and clean, and the corks of the best quality. if the ale requires to be refined, put two ounces of isinglass shavings to soak in a quart of the liquor, and beat it with a whisk every day till dissolved. draw off a third part of the cask, and mix the above with it: likewise a quarter of an ounce of pearl ashes, one ounce of salt of tartar calcined, and one ounce of burnt alum powdered. stir it well, then return the liquor into the cask, and stir it with a clean stick. stop it up, and in a few days it will be fine. see beer, brewing. ale posset. beat up the yolks of ten eggs, and the whites of four; then put them into a quart of cream, mixed with a pint of ale. grate some nutmeg into it, sweeten it with sugar, set it on the fire, and keep it stirring. when it is thick, and before it boils, take it off, and pour it into a china bason. this is called king william's posset. a very good one may however be made by warming a pint of milk, with a bit of white bread in it, and then warming a pint of ale with a little sugar and nutmeg. when the milk boils, pour it upon the ale; let it stand a few minutes to clear, and it will make a fine cordial. alegar. take some good sweet wort before it is hopped, put it into a jar, and a little yeast when it becomes lukewarm, and cover it over. in three or four days it will have done fermenting; set it in the sun, and it will be fit for use in three or four months, or much sooner, if fermented with sour yeast, and mixed with an equal quantity of sour ale. allspice, used as an essence, is made of a dram of the oil of pimento, apothecaries' measure, mixed by degrees with two ounces of strong spirits of wine. the tincture, which has a finer flavour than the essence, is made of three ounces of bruised allspice, steeped in a quart of brandy. shake it occasionally for a fortnight, and then pour off the clear liquor. a few drops of either will be a grateful addition to a pint of gravy, or mulled wine, or in any case where allspice is used. almond biscuits. blanch a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, and pound them fine in a mortar, sprinkling them from time to time with a little fine sugar. then beat them a quarter of an hour with an ounce of flour, the yolks of three eggs, and four ounces of fine sugar, adding afterward the whites of four eggs whipped to a froth. prepare some paper moulds like boxes, about the length of two fingers square; butter them within, and put in the biscuits, throwing over them equal quantities of flour and powdered sugar. bake them in a cool oven; and when of a good colour, take them out of the papers. bitter almond biscuits are made in the same manner, except with this difference; that to every two ounces of bitter almonds must be added an ounce of sweet almonds. almond cheesecakes. blanch and pound four ounces of almonds, and a few bitter ones, with a spoonful of water. add four ounces of pounded sugar, a spoonful of cream, and the whites of two eggs well beaten. mix all as quick as possible, put it into very small pattipans, and bake in a tolerable warm oven, under twenty minutes. or blanch and pound four ounces of almonds, with a little orange-flower or rose-water; then stir in the yolks of six and the whites of three eggs well beaten, five ounces of butter warmed, the peel of a lemon grated, and a little of the juice, sweetened with fine moist sugar. when well mixed, bake in a delicate paste, in small pans. another way is, to press the whey from as much curd as will make two dozen small cheesecakes. then put the curd on the back of a sieve, and with half an ounce of butter rub it through with the back of a spoon; put to it six yolks and three whites of eggs, and a few bitter almonds pounded, with as much sugar as will sweeten the curd. mix with it the grated rind of a lemon, and a glass of brandy; put a puff-paste into the pans, and ten minutes will bake them. almond cream. beat in a mortar four ounces of sweet almonds, and a few bitter ones, with a tea-spoonful of water to prevent oiling, both having first been blanched. put the paste to a quart of cream, and add the juice of three lemons sweetened; beat it with a whisk to a froth, which take off on the shallow part of a sieve, and fill the glasses with some of the liquor and the froth. almond custard. blanch and beat four ounces of almonds fine, with a spoonful of water. beat a pint of cream with two spoonfuls of rose-water, put them to the yolks of four eggs, and as much sugar as will make it tolerably sweet. then add the almonds, stir it all over a slow fire till of a proper thickness, without boiling, and pour it into cups. almond jumbles. rub half a pound of butter into a pound of flour, with half a pound of loaf sugar powdered, a quarter of a pound of almonds beat fine with rose-water, the yolks of two eggs, and two spoonfuls of cream. make them all into a paste, roll it into any shape, and bake on tins. ice them with a mixture of fine sugar, rose-water, and the white of an egg, beat up together, and lay the icing on with a feather, before the jumbles are put into the oven. almond puddings. beat half a pound of sweet and a few bitter almonds with a spoonful of water; then mix four ounces of butter, four eggs, two spoonfuls of cream, warm with the butter, one of brandy, a little nutmeg and sugar to taste. butter some cups, half fill them, and bake the puddings. serve with butter, wine, and sugar.--for baked almond puddings, beat a quarter of a pound of sweet and a few bitter almonds with a little wine, the yolks of six eggs, the peel of two lemons grated, six ounces of butter, nearly a quart of cream, and the juice of one lemon. when well mixed, bake it half an hour, with paste round the dish, and serve it with pudding sauce. small almond puddings are made of eight ounces of almonds, and a few bitter ones, pounded with a spoonful of water. then mix four ounces of butter warmed, four yolks and two whites of eggs, sugar to taste, two spoonfuls of cream, and one of brandy. mix it together well, and bake in little cups buttered. almonds burnt. add three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar to a pound of almonds, picked and cleaned, and a few spoonfuls of water. set them on the fire, keep them stirring till the sugar is candied, and they are done. almonds iced. make an iceing similar to that for twelfth-night cakes, with fine sifted loaf sugar, orange-flower water, and whisked white of eggs. having blanched the almonds, roll them well in this iceing, and dry them in a cool oven. amber pudding. put a pound of butter into a saucepan, with three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar finely powdered. melt the butter, and mix well with it; then add the yolks of fifteen eggs well beaten, and as much fresh candied orange as will add colour and flavour to it, being first beaten to a fine paste. line the dish with paste for turning out; and when filled with the above, lay a crust over as you would a pie, and bake it in a slow oven. this makes a fine pudding as good cold as hot. american cakes, though but little known in this country, form an article of some importance in domestic economy: they are cheap, easily made, and very nutritious. mix a quarter of a pound of butter with a pound of flour; then, having dissolved and well stirred a quarter of a pound of sugar in half a pint of milk, and made a solution of about half a tea-spoonful of crystal of soda, salt of tartar, or any other purified potash, in half a tea-cupful of cold water, pour them also among the flour; work up the paste to a good consistence, roll it out, and form it into cakes or biscuits. the lightness of these cakes depending much on the expedition with which they are baked, they should be set in a brisk oven. american spruce. in the spring of the year, this valuable extract is obtained from the young shoots and tops of the pine or fir trees; and in autumn, from their cones. these are merely boiled in water, to the consistence of honey or molasses. the bark and softer part of the tops and young shoots, being easily dissolved, make the finest essence; while the cones and bark of larger branches, undergoing only a partial solution, form an inferior article, after being strained from the dregs. both sorts, when decanted clear off, are put up in casks or bottles, and preserved for making spruce beer. anchovies. these delicate fish are preserved in barrels with bay salt, and no other of the finny tribe has so fine a flavour. choose those which look red and mellow, and the bones moist and oily. they should be high-flavoured, and have a fine smell; but beware of their being mixed with red paint, to improve their colour and appearance. when the liquor dries, pour on them some beef brine, and keep the jar close tied down with paper and leather. sprats are sometimes sold for anchovies, but by washing them the imposition may be detected. see sprats. anchovy essence. chop two dozen of anchovies, without the bone, add some of their own liquor strained, and sixteen large spoonfuls of water. boil them gently till dissolved, which will be in a few minutes; and when cold, strain and bottle the liquor. the essence can generally be bought cheaper than you can make it. anchovy paste. pound them in a mortar, rub the pulp through a fine sieve, pot it, cover it with clarified butter, and keep it in a cool place. the paste may also be made by rubbing the essence with as much flour as will make a paste; but this is only intended for immediate use, and will not keep. this is sometimes made stiffer and hotter, by the addition of a little flour of mustard, a pickled walnut, spice, or cayenne. anchovy powder. pound the fish in a mortar, rub them through a sieve, make them into a paste with dried flour, roll it into thin cakes, and dry them in a dutch oven before a slow fire. to this may be added a small portion of cayenne, grated lemon peel, and citric acid. pounded to a fine powder, and put into a well-stopped bottle, it will keep for years. it is a very savoury relish, sprinkled on bread and butter for a sandwich. anchovy sauce. chop one or two anchovies without washing, put them into a saucepan with flour and butter, and a spoonful of water. stir it over the fire till it boils once or twice. when the anchovies are good, they will soon be dissolved, and distinguished both by their colour and fragrance. anchovy toast. bone and skin six or eight anchovies, pound them to a mass with an ounce of fine butter till the colour is equal, and then spread it on toast or rusks. or, cut thin slices of bread, and fry them in clarified butter. wash three anchovies split, pound them in a mortar with a little fresh butter, rub them through a hair sieve, and spread on the toast when cold. garnish with parsley or pickles. angelica tarts. take an equal quantity of apples and angelica, pare and peel them, and cut them separately into small pieces. boil the apples gently in a little water, with fine sugar and lemon peel, till they become a thin syrup: then boil the angelica about ten minutes. put some paste at the bottom of the pattipans, with alternate layers of apples and angelica: pour in some of the syrup, put on the lid, and bake them carefully. angling apparatus. fishing rods should be oiled and dried in the sun, to prevent their being worm eaten, and render them tough; and if the joints get swelled and set fast, turn the part over the flame of a candle, and it will soon be set at liberty. silk or hemp lines dyed in a decoction of oak bark, will render them more durable and capable of resisting the wet; and after they have been used they should be well dried before they are wound up, or they will be liable to rot. to make a cork float, take a good new cork, and pass a small red-hot iron through the centre of it lengthways; then round one end of it with a sharp knife, and reduce the other to a point, resembling a small peg top. the quill which is to pass through it may be secured at the bottom by putting in a little cotton wool and sealing wax, and the upper end is to be fitted with a piece of hazel like a plug, cemented like the other, with a piece of wire on the top formed into an eye, and two small hoops cut from another quill to regulate the line which passes through the float. to render it the more visible, the cork may be coloured with red wax. for fly fishing, either natural or artificial flies may be used, especially such as are found under hollow stones by the river's side, on the trunk of an oak or ash, on hawthorns, and on ant hills. in clear water the angler may use small flies with slender wings, but in muddy water a large fly is better: in a clear day the fly should be light coloured, and in dark water the fly should be dark. the rod and line require to be long; the fly when fastened to the hook should be allowed to float gently on the surface of the water, keeping the line from touching it, and the angler should stand as far as may be from the water's edge with the sun at his back, having a watchful eye and a quick hand. fish may be intoxicated and taken in the following manner. take an equal quantity of cocculus indicus, coriander, fenugreek, and cummin seeds, and reduce them to a powder. make it into a paste with rice flour and water, roll it up into pills as large as peas, and throw them into ponds or rivers which abound with fish. after eating the paste, the fish will rise to the surface of the water almost motionless, and may be taken out by the hand. antidote to opium or laudanum. the deleterious effects of opium, which are so often experienced in the form of laudanum, may in great measure be counteracted by taking a proper quantity of lemon juice immediately afterwards. four grains of opium, or a hundred drops of laudanum, are often sufficient for a fatal dose; but if an ounce of pure lemon juice, or twice that quantity of good vinegar be added to every grain of opium, or every twenty-five drops of laudanum, it will relieve both the head and the bowels; and the use of vegetable acids cannot be too strongly recommended to those who are under the necessity of taking considerable doses of opiates. ants. though it does not become us to be prodigal of life in any form, nor wantonly to seek its extinction, yet where any species of animals are found to be really noxious or annoying, the good of man requires that they should be destroyed. houses are sometimes so infested with ants, that they are not to be endured. in this case, sprinkle the places they frequent with a strong decoction of walnut-tree leaves; or take half a pound of sulphur, and a quarter of a pound of potash, and dissolve them together over the fire. afterwards beat them to a powder, add some water to it; and when sprinkled, the ants will either die or leave the place. when they are found to traverse garden walls or hot-houses, and to injure the fruit, several holes should be drilled in the ground with an iron crow, close to the side of the wall, and as deep as the soil will admit. the earth being stirred, the insects will begin to move about: the sides of the holes are then to be made smooth, so that the ants may fall in as soon as they approach, and they will be unable to climb upwards. water being then poured on them, great numbers may easily be destroyed. the same end may be answered by strewing a mixture of quick lime and soot along such places as are much frequented by the ants; or by adding water to it, and pouring it at the roots of trees infested by them. to prevent their descending from a tree which they visit, it is only necessary to mark with a piece of common chalk a circle round its trunk, an inch or two broad, and about two feet from the ground. this experiment should be performed in dry weather, and the ring must be renewed: as soon as the ants arrive at it, not one of them will attempt to cross over.--ant hills are very injurious in dry pastures, not only by wasting the soil, but yielding a pernicious kind of grass, and impeding the operation of the scythe. the turf of the ant hill should be pared off, the core taken out and scattered at a distance; and when the turf is laid down again, the place should be left lower than the ground around it, that when the wet settles into it, the ants may be prevented from returning to their haunt. the nests may more effectually be destroyed by putting quick lime into them, and pouring on some water; or by putting in some night soil, and closing it up. apple trees may be preserved from the innumerable insects with which they are annoyed, by painting the stems and branches with a thick wash of lime and water, as soon as the sap begins to rise. this will be found, in the course of the ensuing summer to have removed all the moss and insects, and given to the bark a fresh and green appearance. other fruit trees may be treated in the same manner, and they will soon become more healthy and vigorous. trees exposed to cattle, hares and rabbits, may be preserved from these depredators, without the expense of fence or rails, by any of the following experiments. wash the stems of the trees or plants to a proper height with tanner's liquor, or such as they use for dressing hides. if this does not succeed, make a mixture of night soil, lime and water, and brush it on the stems and branches, two or three times in a year: this will effectually preserve the trees from being barked. a mixture of fresh cow dung and urine has been found to answer the same purpose, and also to destroy the canker, which is so fatal to the growth of trees. apples are best preserved from frost, by throwing over them a linen cloth before the approach of hard weather: woollen will not answer the purpose. in this manner they are kept in germany and in america, during the severest winters; and it is probable that potatoes might be preserved in the same way. apples may also be kept till the following summer by putting them into a dry jar, with a few pebbles at the bottom to imbibe the moisture which would otherwise destroy the fruit, and then closing up the jar carefully with a lid, and a little fresh water round the edge. apples dried. put them in a cool oven six or seven times; and when soft enough to bear it, let them be gently flattened by degrees. if the oven be too warm they will waste; and at first it should be very cool. the biffin, the minshul crab, or any tart apples, are the best for drying. apple dumplings. pare and slice some apples, line a bason with a thin paste, fill it with the fruit, and close the paste over. tie a cloth tight over, and boil the dumpling till the fruit is done. currant and damson puddings are prepared in the same way. apple fool. stew some apples in a stone jar on a stove, or in a saucepan of water over the fire: if the former, a large spoonful of water should be added to the fruit. when reduced to a pulp, peel and press them through a cullendar; boil a sufficient quantity of new milk, and a tea-cupful of raw cream, or an egg instead of the latter, and leave the liquor to cool. then mix it gradually with the pulp, and sweeten the whole with fine moist sugar. apple fritters. pare some apples, and cut them into thin slices; put a spoonful of light batter into a frying-pan, then a layer of apples, and another spoonful of batter. fry them to a light brown, and serve with grated sugar over them. apple jelly. prepare twenty golden pippins, boil them quite tender in a pint and a half of spring water, and strain the pulp through a cullendar. to every pint add a pound of fine sugar, with grated orange or lemon peel, and then boil the whole to a jelly. or, having prepared the apples by boiling and straining them through a coarse sieve, get ready an ounce of isinglass boiled to a jelly in half a pint of water, and mix it with the apple pulp. add some sugar, a little lemon juice and peel; boil all together, take out the peel, and put the jelly into a dish, to serve at table.--when apple jelly is required for preserving apricots, or any sort of sweetmeats, a different process is observed. apples are to be pared, quartered and cored, and put into a stewpan, with as much water as will cover them. boil them to a mash as quick as possible, and add a quantity of water; then boil half an hour more, and run it through a jelly bag. if in summer, codlins are best: in autumn, golden rennets or winter pippins.--red apples in jelly are a different preparation. these must be pared and cored, and thrown into water; then put them in a preserving pan, and let them coddle with as little water as will only half cover them. observe that they do not lie too close when first put in; and when the under side is done, turn them. mix some pounded cochineal with the water, and boil with the fruit. when sufficiently done, take them out on the dish they are to be served in, the stalk downwards. make a rich jelly of the water with loaf sugar, boiling them with the thin rind and juice of a lemon. when cold, spread the jelly over the apples; cut the lemon peel into narrow strips, and put them across the eye of the apple. the colour should be kept fine from the first, or the fruit will not afterwards gain it; and use as little of the cochineal as will serve, lest the syrup taste bitter. apple marmalade. scald some apples till they come to a pulp; then take an equal weight of sugar in large lumps, just dip them in water, and boil the sugar till it can be well skimmed, and is reduced to a thick syrup. put it to the pulp, and simmer it on a quick fire a quarter of an hour. grate a little lemon peel before boiling, but if too much it will be bitter. apple pasty. make a hot crust of lard or dripping, roll it out warm, cover it with apples pared and sliced, and a little lemon peel and moist sugar. wet the edges of the crust, close it up well, make a few holes in the top, and bake it in a moderate oven. gooseberries may be done in the same way. apple pie. pare and core the fruit, after being wiped clean; then boil the cores and parings in a little water, till it tastes well. strain the liquor, add a little sugar, with a bit of bruised cinnamon, and simmer again. meantime place the apples in a dish, a paste being put round the edge; when one layer is in, sprinkle half the sugar, and shred lemon peel; squeeze in some of the juice, or a glass of cider, if the apples have lost their spirit. put in the rest of the apples, the sugar, and the liquor which has been boiled. if the pie be eaten hot, put some butter into it, quince marmalade, orange paste or cloves, to give it a flavour. apple postilla. bake codlins, or any other sour apples, but without burning them; pulp them through a sieve into a bowl, and beat them for four hours. sweeten the fruit with honey, and beat it four hours more; the longer it is beaten the better. pour a thin layer of the mixture on a cloth spread over a tray, and bake it in a slow oven, with bits of wood placed under the tray. if not baked enough on one side, set it again in the oven; and when quite done, turn it. pour on it a fresh layer of the mixture, and proceed with it in like manner, till the whole is properly baked. apple postilla is also made by peeling the apples and taking out the cores after they are baked, sweetening with sugar, and beating it up with a wooden spoon till it is all of a froth. then put it on two trays, and bake it for two hours in an oven moderately hot. after this another layer of the beaten apples is added, and pounded loaf sugar spread over. sometimes a still finer sort is made, by beating yolks of eggs to a froth, and then mixing it with the apple juice. apple pudding. butter a baking dish, put in the batter, and the apples whole, without being cut or pared, and bake in a quick oven. if the apples be pared, they will mix with the batter while in the oven, and make the pudding soft. serve it up with sugar and butter. for a superior pudding, grate a pound of pared apples, work it up with six ounces of butter, four eggs, grated lemon peel, a little sugar and brandy. line the dish with good paste, strew over it bits of candied peel, put in the pudding, and bake it half an hour. a little lemon juice may be added, a spoonful of bread crumbs, or two or three naples biscuits. another way is, to pare and quarter four large apples, boil them tender, with the rind of a lemon, in so little water that it may be exhausted in the boiling. beat the apples fine in a mortar, add the crumb of a small roll, four ounces of melted butter, the yolks of five and the whites of three eggs, the juice of half a lemon, and sugar to taste. beat all together, and lay it in a dish with paste to turn out, after baking. apple puffs. pare the fruit, and either stew them in a stone jar on a hot hearth, or bake them. when cold, mix the pulp of the apple with sugar and lemon peel shred fine, taking as little as possible of the apple juice. bake them in thin paste, in a quick oven: if small, a quarter of an hour will be sufficient. orange or quince marmalade is a great improvement; cinnamon pounded, or orange flower-water, will make an agreeable change. apple sauce. pare, core, and slice some apples; put them in a stone jar, into a saucepan of water, or on a hot hearth. if the latter, put in a spoonful or two of water, to prevent burning. when done, mash them up, put in a piece of butter the size of a nutmeg, and a little brown sugar. serve it in a sauce tureen, for goose and roast pork. apple trifle. scald some apples, pass them through a sieve, and make a layer of the pulp at the bottom of a dish; mix the rind of half a lemon grated, and sweeten with sugar. or mix half a pint of milk, half a pint of cream, and the yolk of an egg. scald it over the fire, and stir it all the time without boiling; lay it over the apple pulp with a spoon, and put on it a whip prepared the day before. apple water. cut two large apples in slices, and pour a quart of boiling water on them, or on roasted apples. strain it well, and sweeten it lightly. when cold, it is an agreeable drink in a fever. apple wine. to every gallon of apple juice, immediately as it comes from the press, add two pounds of lump sugar; boil it as long as any scum rises, then strain it through a sieve, and let it cool. add some yeast, and stir it well; let it work in the tub for two or three weeks, or till the head begins to flatten; then skim off the head, draw off the liquor clear, and tun it. when made a year, rack it off, and fine it with isinglass. to every eight gallons add half a pint of the best rectified spirits of wine, or a pint of brandy. apricots dried. pare thin and halve four pounds of apricots, put them in a dish, and strew among them three pounds of fine loaf-sugar powdered. when the sugar melts, set the fruit over a stove to do very gently; as each piece becomes tender, take it out, and put it into a china bowl. when all are done, and the boiling heat a little abated, pour the syrup over them. in a day or two remove the syrup, leaving only a little in each half. in a day or two more turn them, and so continue daily till quite dry, in the sun or in a warm place. keep the apricots in boxes, with layers of fine paper. apricots preserved. there are various ways of doing this: one is by steeping them in brandy. wipe, weigh, and pick the fruit, and have ready a quarter of the weight of loaf sugar in fine powder. put the fruit into an ice-pot that shuts very close, throw the sugar over it, and then cover the fruit with brandy. between the top and cover of the pot, fit in a piece of thick writing paper. set the pot into a saucepan of water, and heat it without boiling, till the brandy be as hot as you can bear your finger in it. put the fruit into a jar, and pour the brandy on it. when cold, put a bladder over, and tie it down tight.--apricots may also be preserved in jelly. pare the fruit very thin, and stone it; weigh an equal quantity of sugar in fine powder, and strew over it. next day boil very gently till they are clear, remove them into a bowl, and pour in the liquor. the following day, mix it with a quart of codlin liquor, made by boiling and straining, and a pound of fine sugar. let it boil quickly till it comes to a jelly; put the fruit into it, give it one boil, skim it well, and distribute into small pots.--a beautiful preserve may also be made in the following manner. having selected the finest ripe apricots, pare them as thin as possible, and weigh them. lay them in halves on dishes, with the hollow part upwards. prepare an equal weight of loaf sugar finely pounded, and strew it over them; in the mean time break the stones, and blanch the kernels. when the fruit has lain twelve hours, put it into a preserving pan, with the sugar and juice, and also the kernels. let it simmer very gently till it becomes clear; then take out the pieces of apricot singly as they are done, put them into small pots, and pour the syrup and kernels over them. the scum must be taken off as it rises, and the pots covered with brandy paper.--green apricots are preserved in a different way. lay vine or apricot leaves at the bottom of the pan, then fruit and leaves alternately till full, the upper layer being thick with leaves. then fill the pan with spring water, and cover it down, that no steam may escape. set the pan at a distance from the fire, that in four or five hours the fruit may be soft, but not cracked. make a thin syrup of some of the water, and drain the fruit. when both are cold, put the fruit into the pan, and the syrup to it; keep the pan at a proper distance from the fire till the apricots green, but on no account boil or crack them. remove the fruit very carefully into a pan with the syrup for two or three days, then pour off as much of it as will be necessary, boil with more sugar to make a rich syrup, and add a little sliced ginger to it. when cold, and the thin syrup has all been drained from the fruit, pour the thick over it. the former will serve to sweeten pies. apricot cheese. weigh an equal quantity of pared fruit and sugar, wet the latter a very little, and let it boil quickly, or the colour will be spoiled. blanch the kernels and add them to it: twenty or thirty minutes will boil it. put it in small pots or cups half filled. apricot jam. when the fruit is nearly ripe, pare and cut some in halves; break the stones, blanch the kernels, and put them to the fruit. boil the parings in a little water, and strain it: to a pound of fruit add three quarters of a pound of fine sifted sugar, and a glass of the water in which the parings were boiled. stir it over a brisk fire till it becomes rather stiff: when cold, put apple jelly over the jam, and tie it down with brandy paper. apricot pudding. halve twelve large apricots, and scald them till they are soft. meanwhile pour on the grated crumbs of a penny loaf a pint of boiling cream; when half cold, add four ounces of sugar, the yolks of four beaten eggs, and a glass of white wine. pound the apricots in a mortar, with some or all of the kernels; then mix the fruit and other ingredients together, put a paste round a dish, and bake the pudding in half an hour. aromatic vinegar. mix with common vinegar a quantity of powdered chalk or whiting, sufficient to destroy the acidity; and when the white sediment is formed, pour off the insipid liquor. the powder is then to be dried, and some oil of vitriol poured upon it, as long as white acid fumes continue to ascend. this substance forms the essential ingredient, the fumes of which are particularly useful in purifying rooms and places where any contagion is suspected. arrow root. this valuable article has often been counterfeited: the american is the best, and may generally be known by its colour and solidity. if genuine, the arrow root is very nourishing, especially for weak bowels. put into a saucepan half a pint of water, a glass of sherry, or a spoonful of brandy, grated nutmeg, and fine sugar. boil it up once, then mix it by degrees into a dessert-spoonful of arrow root, previously rubbed smooth with two spoonfuls of cold water. return the whole into the saucepan, stir and boil it three minutes. arsenic. the fatal effects of mineral poisons are too often experienced, and for want of timely assistance but seldom counteracted. arsenic and other baleful ingredients, if used for the destruction of vermin, should never be kept with common articles, or laid in the way of children. but if, unfortunately, this deadly poison should by some mistake be taken inwardly, the most effectual remedy will be a table-spoonful of powdered charcoal, mixed with honey, butter, or treacle, and swallowed immediately. two hours afterwards, take an emetic or an opening draught, to cleanse away the whole from the stomach and bowels. the baneful effects of verdigris, from the use of copper boilers and saucepans, may be counteracted by the same means, if resorted to in time, and no remedy is so likely to become effectual. artichokes. soak them in cold water, wash them well, and boil them gently in plenty of water. if young, they will be ready in half an hour; if otherwise, they will not be done in twice that time. the surest way to know when they are boiled enough is to draw out a leaf, and see whether they be tender; but they cannot be properly boiled without much water, which tends also to preserve their colour. trim and drain them on a sieve, serve with melted butter, pepper and salt, and small cups. artichoke bottoms, if dried, must be well soaked, and stewed in weak gravy. or they may be boiled in milk, and served with cream sauce, or added to ragouts, french pies, &c. if intended to keep in the winter, the bottoms must be slowly dried, and put into paper bags. asparagus. having carefully scraped the stalks till they appear white, and thrown them into cold water, tie them up in small bundles with tape, and cut the stalks of an equal length. put them into a stewpan of boiling water a little salted, and take them up as soon as they begin to be tender, or they will lose both their taste and colour. meanwhile make toasts well browned for the bottom of the dish, moisten them in the asparagus liquor, place them regularly, and pour on some melted butter. then lay the asparagus on the toasts round the dish, with the heads united at the centre, but pour no butter over them. serve with melted butter in a sauce tureen, and separate cups, that the company may season with salt and pepper to their taste.--as this vegetable is one of the greatest delicacies which the garden affords, no person should be unacquainted with the means of producing it in constant succession. toward the end of july, the stalks of the asparagus are to be cut down, and the beds forked up and raked smooth. if the weather be dry, they should be watered with the drain of a dunghill, and left rather hollow in the middle to retain the moisture. in about a fortnight the stalks will begin to appear, and the watering should be continued once a week if the weather be dry. asparagus may thus be cut till near the end of september, and then by making five or six hot-beds during the winter, a regular succession may be provided for almost every month in the year. to obviate the objection of cutting the same beds twice a year, two or three others may be left uncut in the spring, and additional beds made for the purpose. the seed is cheap, and in most places the dung may be easily procured. there is no need to continue the old beds when they begin to fail; it is better to make new ones, and to force the old roots by applying some rotten dung on the tops of the beds, and to sow seed every year for new plants. asses' milk, so beneficial in consumptive cases, should be milked into a glass that is kept warm, by being placed in a bason of hot water. the fixed air that it contains sometimes occasions pain in the stomach; at first therefore a tea-spoonful of rum may be taken with it, but should only be put in the moment it is to be swallowed. the genuine milk far surpasses any imitation of it that can be made; but a substitute may be found in the following composition. boil a quart of water with a quart of new milk, an ounce of white sugar-candy, half an ounce of eringo-root, and half an ounce of conserve of roses, till the quantity be half wasted. as this is an astringent, the doses must be proportioned accordingly, and the mixture is wholesome only while it remains sweet.--another way. mix two spoonfuls of boiling water, two of milk, and an egg well beaten. sweeten with white sugar-candy pounded: this may be taken twice or thrice a day. or, boil two ounces of hartshorn-shavings, two ounces of pearl barley, two ounces of candied eringo-root, and one dozen of snails that have been bruised, in two quarts of water till reduced to one. mix with an equal quantity of new milk, when taken, twice a day. asthma. as this complaint generally attacks aged people, the best mode of relief will be to attend carefully to diet and exercise, which should be light and easy, and to avoid as much as possible an exposure to cold and frosty air. the temperature of the apartment should be equalised to moderate summer's heat by flues and stoves, and frequently ventilated. a dish of the best coffee, newly ground and made very strong, and taken frequently without milk or sugar, has been found highly beneficial. an excellent diet drink may be made of toast and water, with the addition of a little vinegar, or a few grains of nitre. tar water is strongly recommended, and also the smoking of the dried leaves of stramonium, commonly called the thorn-apple. astringent bolus, proper to be taken in female complaints, arising from excessive evacuations. fifteen grains of powdered alum, and five grains of gum kino, made into a bolus with a little syrup, and given every four or five hours till the discharge abates. astringent mixture, in case of dysentery, may be made of three ounces of cinnamon water, mixed with as much common water, an ounce and a half of spirituous cinnamon-water, and half an ounce of japonic confection. a spoonful or two of this mixture may be taken every four hours, after the necessary evacuations have been allowed, and where the dysentery has not been of long standing, interposing every second or third day a dose of rhubarb. b. bacon, though intended to be a cheap article of housekeeping, is often, through mismanagement, rendered one of the most expensive. generally twice as much is dressed as need be, and of course there is a deal of waste. when sent to table as an accompaniment to boiled poultry or veal, a pound and a half is plenty for a dozen people. bacon will boil better, and swell more freely, if the rind is taken off before it is dressed; and when excessively salt, it should be soaked an hour or two in warm water. if the bacon be dried, pare off the rusty and smoked part, trim it neatly on the under side, and scrape the rind as clean as possible. or take it up when sufficiently boiled, scrape the under side, and cut off the rind: grate a crust of bread over it, and place it a few minutes before the fire to brown. two pounds will require to be boiled gently about an hour and a half, according to its thickness: the hock or gammon being very thick, will take more. see dried bacon. baking. this mode of preparing a dinner is undoubtedly one of the cheapest and most convenient, especially for a small family; and the oven is almost the only kitchen which the poor man possesses. much however depends on the care and ability of the baker: in the country especially, where the baking of dinners is not always considered as a regular article of business, it is rather a hazardous experiment to send a valuable joint to the oven; and more is often wasted and spoiled by the heedless conduct of the parish cook, than would have paid for the boiling or roasting at home. but supposing the oven to be managed with care and judgment, there are many joints which may be baked to great advantage, and will be found but little inferior to roasting. particularly, legs and loins of pork, legs of mutton, fillets of veal, and other joints, if the meat be fat and good, will be eaten with great satisfaction, when they come from the oven. a sucking pig is also well adapted to the purpose, and is equal to a roasted one, if properly managed. when sent to the baker, it should have its ears and tail covered with buttered paper fastened on, and a bit of butter tied up in a piece of linen to baste the back with, otherwise it will be apt to blister. a goose should be prepared the same as for roasting, placing it on a stand, and taking care to turn it when it is half done. a duck the same. if a buttock of beef is to be baked, it should be well washed, after it has been in salt about a week, and put into a brown earthen pan with a pint of water. cover the pan tight over with two or three thicknesses of writing paper, and give it four or five hours in a moderate oven. brown paper should never be used with baked dishes; the pitch and tar which it contains will give the meat a smoky bad taste. previously to baking a ham, soak it in water an hour, take it out and wipe it, and make a crust sufficient to cover it all over; and if done in a moderate oven, it will cut fuller of gravy, and be of a finer flavour, than a boiled one. small cod-fish, haddock, and mackarel will bake well, with a dust of flour and some bits of butter put on them. large eels should be stuffed. herrings and sprats are to be baked in a brown pan, with vinegar and a little spice, and tied over with paper. these and various other articles may be baked so as to give full satisfaction, if the oven be under judicious management. baked carp. clean a large carp, put in a portuguese stuffing, and sow it up. brush it all over with the yolk of an egg, throw on plenty of crumbs, and drop on oiled butter to baste with. place the carp in a deep earthen dish, with a pint of stock, a few sliced onions, some bay leaves, a bunch of herbs, such as basil, thyme, parsley, and both sorts of marjoram; half a pint of port wine, and six anchovies. cover over the pan, and bake it an hour. let it be done before it is wanted. pour the liquor from it, and keep the fish hot while you heat up the liquor with a good piece of butter rolled in flour, a tea-spoonful of mustard, a little cayenne, and a spoonful of soy. serve it on the dish, garnished with lemon and parsley, and horse-radish, and put the gravy into the sauce tureen. baked custard. boil a pint of cream and half a pint of milk with a little mace, cinnamon and lemon peel. when cold, mix the yolks of three eggs, and sweeten the custard. make the cups or paste nearly full, and bake them ten minutes. baked herrings. wash and drain, without wiping them; and when drawn, they should not be opened. season with allspice in fine powder, salt, and a few whole cloves. lay them in a pan with plenty of black pepper, an onion, and a few bay leaves. add half vinegar and half small beer, enough to cover them. put paper over the pan, and bake in a slow oven. if it be wished to make them look red, throw a little saltpetre over them the night before. baked milk. a very useful article may be made for weakly and consumptive persons in the following manner. put a gallon of milk into a jar, tie white paper over it, and let it stand all night in the oven when baking is over. next morning it will be as thick as cream, and may be drank two or three times a day. baked pears. those least fit to eat raw, are often the best for baking. do not pare them, but wipe and lay them on tin plates, and bake them in a slow oven. when done enough to bear it, flatten them with a silver spoon; and when done through, put them on a dish. they should be baked three or four times, and very gently. baked pike. scale and open it as near the throat as possible, and then put in the following stuffing. grated bread, herbs, anchovies, oysters, suet, salt, pepper, mace, half a pint of cream, four yolks of eggs; mix all over the fire till it thickens, and then sow it up in the fish. little bits of butter should be scattered over it, before it is sent to the oven. serve it with gravy sauce, butter and anchovy. in carving a pike, if the back and belly be slit up, and each slice drawn gently downwards, fewer bones will be given at table. baked soup. a cheap and plentiful dish for poor families, or to give away, may be made of a pound of any kind of meat cut in slices, with two onions, two carrots sliced, two ounces of rice, a pint of split peas, or whole ones if previously soaked, seasoned with pepper and salt. put the whole into an earthen jug or pan, adding a gallon of water: cover it very close, and bake it. balm wine. boil three pounds of lump sugar in a gallon of water; skim it clean, put in a handful of balm, and boil it ten minutes. strain it off, cool it, put in some yeast, and let it stand two days. add the rind and juice of a lemon, and let it stand in the cask six months. balsamic vinegar. one of the best remedies for wounds or bruises is the balsamic or anti-putrid vinegar, which is made in the following manner. take a handful of sage leaves and flowers, the same of lavender, hyssop, thyme, and savory; two heads of garlic, and a handful of salt. these are to be infused in some of the best white-wine vinegar; and after standing a fortnight or three weeks, it will be fit for use. banbury cakes. work a pound of butter into a pound of white-bread dough, the same as for puff paste; roll it out very thin, and cut it into bits of an even form, the size intended for the cakes. moisten some powder sugar with a little brandy, mix in some clean currants, put a little of it on each bit of paste, close them up, and bake them on a tin. when they are taken out, sift some fine sugar over them. barberries, when preserved for tarts, must be picked clean from the stalks, choosing such as are free from stones. to every pound of fruit, weigh three quarters of a pound of lump sugar; put the fruit into a stone jar, and either set it on a hot hearth, or in a saucepan of water, and let them simmer very slowly till soft. then put them and the sugar into a preserving-pan, and boil them gently fifteen minutes.--to preserve barberries in bunches, prepare some fleaks of white wool, three inches long, and a quarter of an inch wide. tie the stalks of the fruit on the stick, from within an inch of one end to beyond the other, so as to make them look handsome. simmer them in some syrup two successive days, covering them each time with it when cold. when they look clear, they are simmered enough. the third day, they should be treated like other candied fruit. see candied. barberry drops. cut off the black tops, and roast the fruit before the fire, till it is soft enough to pulp with a silver spoon through a sieve into a china bason. then set the bason in a saucepan of water, the top of which will just fit it, or on a hot hearth, and stir it till it grows thick. when cold, put to every pint a pound and a half of double refined sugar, pounded and sifted through a lawn sieve, which must be covered with a fine linen, to prevent waste while sifting. beat the sugar and juice together three hours and a half if a large quantity, but two and a half for less. then drop it on sheets of white thick paper, the size of drops sold in the shops. some fruit is not so sour, and then less sugar is necessary. to know when there is enough, mix till well incorporated, and then drop. if it run, there is not enough sugar; and if there be too much, it will be rough. a dry room will suffice to dry them. no metal must touch the juice but the point of a knife, just to take the drop off the end of the wooden spoon, and then as little as possible. barley broth. wash three quarters of a pound of scotch barley in a little cold water, put it in a soup pot with a shin or leg of beef, or a knuckle of veal of about ten pounds weight, sawn into four pieces. cover it with cold water, and set it on the fire; when it boils skim it very clean, and put in two onions. set it by the side of the fire to simmer very gently about two hours; then skim off all the fat, put in two heads of celery, and a large turnip cut into small squares. season it with salt, let it boil an hour and a half longer, and it is done. take out the meat carefully with a slice, cover it up and keep it warm by the fire, and skim the broth well before it is put into the tureen. this dish is much admired in scotland, where it is regarded, not only as highly nutricious, but as a necessary article of domestic economy: for besides the excellent soup thus obtained, the meat also becomes an agreeable dish, served up with sauce in the following manner. reserve a quart of the soup, put about an ounce of flour into a stewpan, pour the liquor to it by degrees, stirring it well together till it boils. add a glass of port wine or mushroom ketchup, and let it gently boil up; strain the sauce through a sieve over the meat, and add to it some capers, minced gherkins, or walnuts. the flavour may be varied or improved, by the addition of a little curry powder, ragout, or any other store sauces. barley gruel. wash four ounces of pearl barley, boil it in two quarts of water and a stick of cinnamon, till reduced to a quart. strain and return it into the saucepan with some sugar, and three quarters of a pint of port wine. it may be warmed up, and used as wanted. barley sugar. this well known article of confectionary is made in the following manner. put some common or clarified syrup into a saucepan with a spout, such as for melting butter, if little is wanted to be made, and boil it till it comes to what is called carimel, carefully taking off whatever scum may arise; and having prepared a marble stone, either with butter or sweet oil, just sufficiently to prevent sticking, pour the syrup gently along the marble, in long sticks of whatever thickness may be desired. while hot, twist it at each end; and let it remain till cold, when it will be fit for immediate use. the rasped rind of lemon, boiled up in the syrup, gives a very agreeable flavour to barley sugar; and indeed the best is commonly so prepared. barley water. wash a handful of common barley, then simmer it gently in three pints of water, with a bit of lemon peel. or boil an ounce of pearl barley a few minutes to cleanse it, and then put on it a quart of water. simmer it an hour: when half done, put into it a piece of fresh lemon peel, and one bit of sugar. if likely to be thick, add a quarter of a pint of water, and a little lemon juice, if approved. this makes a very pleasant drink for a sick person; but the former is less apt to nauseate. basil vinegar. sweet basil is in full perfection about the middle of august, when the fresh green leaves should be gathered, and put into a wide-mouthed bottle. cover the leaves with vinegar, and let them steep for ten days. if it be wished to have the infusion very strong, strain out the liquor, put in some fresh leaves, and let them steep for ten days more. this is a very agreeable addition to sauces and soups, and to the mixture usually made for salads. basilicon. yellow basilicon is made of equal quantities of bees-wax, white rosin, and frankincense. melt them together over a slow fire, add the same weight of fresh lard, and strain it off while it is warm. this ointment is used for cleansing and healing wounds and ulcers. basket salt. this fine and delicate article is chiefly made from the salt springs in cheshire, and differs from the common brine salt, usually called sea salt, not only in its whiteness and purity, but in the fineness of its grain. some families entertain prejudices against basket salt, notwithstanding its superior delicacy, from an idea, which does not appear warranted, that pernicious articles are used in its preparation; it may therefore be proper to mention, that by dissolving common salt, again evaporating into dryness, and then reducing it to powder in a mortar, a salt nearly equal to basket salt may be obtained, fine and of a good colour, and well adapted to the use of the table. bath buns. rub half a pound of butter into a pound of fine flour, with five eggs, and three spoonfuls of thick yeast. set it before the fire to rise; then add a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar, and an ounce of carraway seeds. mix them well in, roll it out in little cakes, strew on carraway comfits, and bake on tins. batter pudding. rub by degrees three spoonfuls of fine flour extremely smooth, into a pint of milk. simmer till it thickens, stir it in two ounces of butter, set it to cool, and then add the yolks of three eggs. flour a wet cloth, or butter a bason, and put the batter into it. tie it tight, and plunge it into boiling water, the bottom upwards. boil it an hour and a half, and serve with plain butter. if a little ginger, nutmeg, and lemon peel be added, serve with sweet sauce. bean bread. blanch half a pound of almonds, and put them into water to preserve their colour. cut the almonds edgeways, wipe them dry, and sprinkle over them half a pound of fine loaf sugar pounded and sifted. beat up the white of an egg with two spoonfuls of orange-flower water, moisten the almonds with the froth, lay them lightly on wafer paper, and bake them on tins. bean pudding. boil and blanch some old green-beans, beat them in a mortar, with very little pepper and salt, some cream, and the yolk of an egg. a little spinach-juice will give a finer colour, but it is as good without. boil it an hour, in a bason that will just hold it; pour parsley and butter over, and serve it up with bacon. bee hives. common bee hives made of straw are generally preferred, because they are not likely to be overheated by the rays of the sun; they will also keep out the cold better than wood, and are cheaper than any other material. as cleanliness however is of great consequence in the culture of these delicate and industrious insects, the bottom or floor of the hive should be covered with gypsum or plaster of paris, of which they are very fond; and the outside of their habitation should be overspread with a cement made of two-thirds of cow-dung, and one-third of ashes. this coating will exclude noxious insects, which would otherwise perforate and lodge in the straw; it will also secure the bees from cold and wet, while it exhales an odour which to them is very grateful. the inner part of the hive should be furnished with two thin pieces of oak, or peeled branches of lime tree, placed across each other at right angles, which will greatly facilitate the construction of the combs, and support them when filled with honey. a good bee-hive ought to be so planned as to be capable of enlargement or contraction, according to the number of the swarm; to admit of being opened without disturbing the bees, either for the purpose of cleaning it, of freeing it from noxious insects, or for the admission of a stock of provision for the winter. it should also admit of the produce being removed without injury to the bees, and be internally clean, smooth, and free from flaws. a hive of this description may easily be made of three or four open square boxes, fastened to each other with buttons or wooden pegs, and the joints closed with cement. the whole may be covered with a moveable roof, projecting over the boxes to carry off the rain, and kept firm on the top by a stone being laid upon it. if the swarm be not very numerous, two or three boxes will be sufficient. they should be made of wood an inch thick, that the bees and wax may be less affected by the changes of the atmosphere. this hive is so easily constructed, that it is only necessary to join four boards together in the simplest manner; and a little cement will cover all defects. within the upper part of the boxes, two bars should be fixed across from one corner to another, to support the combs. at the lower end of each box in front, there must be an aperture, or door, about an inch and an half wide, and as high as is necessary for the bees to pass without obstruction. the lowest is to be left open as a passage for the bees, and the others are to be closed by a piece of wood fitted to the aperture. a hive thus constructed may be enlarged or diminished, according to the number of boxes; and a communication with the internal part can readily be effected by removing the cover. bee house. an apiary or bee house should front the south, in a situation between the extremes of heat and cold. it should stand in a valley, that the bees may with greater ease descend loaded on their return to the hive; and near a dwelling-house, but at a distance from noise and offensive smells; surrounded with a low wall, and in the vicinity of shallow water. if there be no running stream at hand, they ought to be supplied with water in troughs or pans, with small stones laid at the bottom, that the bees may alight upon them and drink. they cannot produce either combs, honey, or food for their maggots, without water; but the neighbourhood of rivers or ponds with high banks ought to be avoided, or the bees will be blown into the water with high winds, and be drowned. care should also be taken to place the hives in a neighbourhood which abounds with such plants as will supply the bees with food; such as the oak, the pine, the willow, fruit trees, furze, broom, mustard, clover, heath, and thyme, particularly borage, which produces an abundance of farina. the garden in which the bee house stands, should be well furnished with scented plants and flowers, and branchy shrubs, that it may be easy to hive the swarms which may settle on them. see bees, hiving, &c. beef. in every sort of provisions, the best of the kind goes the farthest; it cuts out with most advantage, and affords most nourishment. the best way to obtain a good article is to deal with shops of established credit. you may perhaps pay a little more than by purchasing of those who pretend to sell cheap, but you will be more than in proportion better served. to prevent imposition more effectually, however, it is necessary to form our own judgment of the quality and value of the articles to be purchased. if the flesh of ox-beef is young, it will show a fine smooth open grain, be of a good red, and feel tender. the fat should look white rather than yellow, for when that is of a deep colour, the meat is seldom good. beef fed with oil cakes is generally so, and the flesh is loose and flabby. the grain of cow-beef is closer, and the fat whiter, than that of ox-beef; but the lean is not so bright a red. the grain of bull-beef is closer still, the fat hard and skinny, the lean of a deep red, and a stronger scent. ox-beef is the reverse; it is also the richest and the largest; but in small families, and to some tastes, heifer-beef as better still, if finely fed. in old meat there is a horny streak in the ribs of beef: the harder that is, the older: and the flesh is not finely flavoured. beef bouilli. a term given to boiled beef, which, according to the french fashion, is simmered over a slow fire, for the purpose of extracting a rich soup, while at the same time the meat makes its appearance at table, in possession of a full portion of nutricious succulence. this requires nothing more than to stew the meat very slowly, instead of keeping the pot quickly boiling, and taking up the beef as soon as it is done enough. meat cooked in this manner, affords much more nourishment than when dressed in the common way, and is easy of digestion in proportion to its tenderness. the leg or shin, or the middle of a brisket of beef, weighing seven or eight pounds, is best adapted for this purpose. put it into a soup pot or deep stewpan with cold water enough to cover it, and a quart over. set it on a quick fire to get the scum up, which remove as it rises; then put in two carrots, two turnips, two leeks, or two large onions, two heads of celery, two or three cloves, and a faggot of parsley and sweet herbs. set the pot by the side of the fire to simmer very gently, till the meat is just tender enough to eat: this will require four or five hours. when the beef is done, take it up carefully with a slice, cover it up, and keep it warm by the fire. thicken a pint and a half of the beef liquor with three table spoonfuls of flour, season it with pepper, a glass of port wine or mushroom ketchup, or both, and pour it over the beef. strain the soup through a hair sieve into a clean stewpan, take off the fat, cut the vegetables into small squares, and add them to the soup, the flavour of which may be heightened, by adding a table-spoonful of ketchup. beef broth. if intended for sick persons, it is better to add other kinds of meat, which render it more nourishing and better flavoured. take then two pounds of lean beef, one pound of scrag of veal, one pound of scrag of mutton, some sweet herbs, and ten pepper corns, and put the whole into a nice tin saucepan, with five quarts of water. simmer it to three quarts, clear it from the fat when cold, and add an onion if approved. if there be still any fat remaining, lay a piece of clean blotting or writing paper on the broth when in the bason, and it will take up every particle of the fat. beef cakes, chiefly intended for a side-dish of dressed meat. pound some beef that is under done, with a little fat bacon or ham. season with pepper, salt, a little shalot or garlick; mix them well, and make the whole into small cakes three inches long, and half as wide and thick. fry them to a light brown, and serve them in good thick gravy. beef cecils. mince some beef with crumbs of bread, a quantity of onions, some anchovies, lemon peel, salt, nutmeg, chopped parsley, pepper, and a bit of warmed butter. mix these over the fire a few minutes: when cool enough, make them into balls of the size and shape of a turkey's egg, with an egg. sprinkle them with fine crumbs, fry them of a yellow brown, and serve with gravy, as for beef olives. beef collops. cut thin slices of beef from the rump, or any other tender part, and divide them into pieces three inches long: beat them with the blade of a knife, and flour them. fry the collops quick in butter two minutes; then lay them into a small stewpan, and cover them with a pint of gravy. add a bit of butter rubbed in flour, pepper and salt, a little bit of shalot shred very fine, with half a walnut, four small pickled cucumbers, and a tea-spoonful of capers cut small. be careful that the stew does not boil, and serve in a hot covered dish. beef fricassee. cut some thin slices of cold roast beef, shred a handful of parsley very small, cut an onion into quarters, and put them all together into a stewpan, with a piece of butter, and some strong broth. season with salt and pepper, and simmer very gently for a quarter of an hour. mix into it the yolks of two eggs, a glass of port wine, and a spoonful of vinegar: stir it quick, rub the dish with shalot, and turn the fricassee into it. beef gravy. cover the bottom of a stewpan, clean and well-tinned, with a slice of good ham or lean bacon, four or five pounds of gravy beef cut in pieces, an onion, a carrot, two cloves, and a head of celery. add a pint of broth or water, cover it close, and simmer it till the liquor is nearly all exhausted. turn it about, and let it brown slightly and equally all over, but do not suffer it to burn or stick to the pan, for that would spoil the gravy. then put in three quarts of boiling water; and when it boils up, skim it carefully, and wipe off with a clean cloth what sticks round the edge and inside of the stewpan, that the gravy may be delicately clean and clear. let it stew gently by the side of the fire for about four hours, till reduced to two quarts of good gravy. take care to skim it well, strain it through silk or muslin, and set it in a cold place. beef hams. cut the leg of beef like a ham; and for fourteen pounds weight, mix a pound of salt, a pound of brown sugar, an ounce of saltpetre, and an ounce of bay salt. put it into the meat, turn and baste it every day, and let it lie a month in the pickle. then take it out, roll it in bran, and smoke it. afterwards hang it in a dry place, and cut off pieces to boil, or broil it with poached eggs. beef hash. cut some thin slices of beef that is underdone, with some of the fat; put it into a small stewpan, with a little onion or shalot, a little water, pepper and salt. add some of the gravy, a spoonful of vinegar, and of walnut ketchup: if shalot vinegar be used, there will be no need of the onion nor the raw shalot. the hash is only to be simmered till it is hot through, but not boiled: it is owing to the boiling of hashes and stews that they get hard. when the hash is well warmed up, pour it upon sippets of bread previously prepared, and laid in a warm dish. beef heart. wash it carefully, stuff it as a hare, and serve with rich gravy and currant-jelly sauce. hash it with the same, and add a little port wine. beef olives. take some cold beef that has not been done enough, and cut slices half an inch thick, and four inches square. lay on them a forcemeat of crumbs of bread, shalot, a little suet or fat, pepper and salt. roll and fasten them with a small skewer, put them into a stewpan with some gravy made of the beef bones, or the gravy of the meat, and a spoonful or two of water, and stew them till tender. beef olives may also be made of fresh meat. beef palates. simmer them in water several hours, till they will peel. then cut the palates into slices, or leave them whole, and stew them in a rich gravy till they become as tender as possible. season with cayenne, salt and ketchup: if the gravy was drawn clear, add also some butter and flour. if the palates are to be dressed white, boil them in milk, and stew them in a fricassee sauce; adding cream, butter, flour, mushroom powder, and a little pounded mace. beef pasty. bone a small rump or part of a sirloin of beef, after hanging several days. beat it well with a rolling pin; then rub ten pounds of meat with four ounces of sugar, and pour over it a glass of port, and the same of vinegar. let it lie five days and nights; wash and wipe the meat very dry, and season it high with pepper and salt, nutmeg and jamaica pepper. lay it in a dish, and to ten pounds add nearly one pound of butter, spreading it over the meat. put a crust round the edges, and cover with a thick one, or it will be overdone before the meat is soaked: it must be baked in a slow oven. set the bones in a pan in the oven, with no more water than will cover them, and one glass of port, a little pepper and salt, in order to provide a little rich gravy to add to the pasty when drawn. it will be found that sugar gives more shortness and a better flavour to meat than salt, too great a quantity of which hardens; and sugar is quite as good a preservative. beef patties. shred some dressed beef under done, with a little fat; season with salt and pepper, and a little shalot or onion. make a plain paste, roll it thin, and cut it in shape like an apple puff. fill it with mince, pinch the edges, and fry them of a nice brown. the paste should be made with a small quantity of butter, egg and milk. beef pie. season some cuttings of beef with pepper and salt, put some puff paste round the inside of the dish, and lay in the meat. add some small potatoes, if approved, fill up the dish with water, and cover it with the paste. beef pudding. roll some fine steaks with fat between, and a very little shred onion. lay a paste of suet in a bason, put in the rolled steaks, cover the bason with a paste, and pinch the edges to keep in the gravy. cover with a cloth tied close, and let the pudding boil slowly a considerable time.--if for baking, make a batter of milk, two eggs and flour, or, which is much better, potatoes boiled, and mashed through a cullender. lay a little of it at the bottom of the dish, then put in the steaks prepared as above, and very well seasoned. pour the remainder of the batter over them, and bake it. beef sanders. mince some beef small, with onion, pepper and salt, and add a little gravy. put it into scallop shells or saucers, making them three parts full, and fill them up with potatoes, mashed with a little cream. put a bit of butter on the top, and brown them in an oven, or before the fire, or with a salamander. mutton may be made into sanders in the same way. beef scallops. mince some beef fine, with onion, pepper and salt, and add a little gravy. put the mince into scallop shells or saucers three parts full, and fill them up with potatoes, mashed with a little cream. lay a bit of butter on the tops, and brown them in an oven, or before the fire. beef steaks. to have them fine, they should be cut from a rump that has hung a few days. broil them over a very clear or charcoal fire; put into the dish a little minced shalot, a table-spoonful of ketchup. the steak should be turned often, that the gravy may not be drawn out on either side. this dish requires to be eaten so hot and fresh done, that it is not in perfection if served with any thing else. pepper and salt should be added when taking it off the fire, and a bit of butter rubbed on at the moment of serving. if accompanied with oyster sauce, strain off the liquor from the oysters, and throw them into cold water to take off the grit, while you simmer the liquor with a bit of mace and lemon peel. then put in the oysters, stew them a few minutes, add a little cream, and some butter rubbed in a bit of flour. let them boil up once, and throw the sauce over the steaks at the moment of sending the dish to table. beef stew. cut into small pieces four or five pounds of beef, with some hard fat. put these into a stewpan, with three pints of water, a little salt and pepper, a sprig of sweet herbs, and three cloves. cover the pan very close, and let it stew four hours over a slow fire. throw in some carrots and turnips, cut into square pieces; the white part of a leek, with two heads of celery chopped fine; a crust of bread, and two spoonfuls of vinegar. when done, put it into a deep dish, set it over hot water, and cover it close. skim the gravy, and put in a few pickled mushrooms; thicken it with flour and butter, make it hot, and pour it over the beef. beef tea. cut a pound of fleshy beef into thin slices; simmer it with a quart of water twenty minutes, after it has once boiled, and been skimmed. season it, if approved; but a little salt only is sufficient. beef vingrette. cut a slice of under-done boiled beef three inches thick, and a little fat. stew it in half a pint of water, a glass of white wine, a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion, and a bay leaf. season it with three cloves pounded, and pepper, till the liquor is nearly wasted away, turning it once. serve it up cold. strain off the gravy, and mix it with a little vinegar for sauce. beer. during the present ruinous system of taxation, it is extremely difficult, though highly desirable, to procure a cheap and wholesome beverage, especially for the labouring part of the community, to whom it is as needful as their daily food. beer that is brewed and drunk at home, is more pure and nutricious than what is generally purchased at an alehouse; and those who cannot afford a better article, may perhaps find it convenient to adopt the following method for obtaining some cheap drink for small families.--to half a bushel of malt, add four pounds of treacle, and three quarters of a pound of hops. this will make twenty-five gallons of wholesome beer, which will be fit for use in a fortnight; but it is not calculated for keeping, especially in warm weather. beer brewed in this way will not cost one halfpenny a pint. an agreeable table beer may be made ready for drinking in three or four days, consisting of treacle and water, fermented with a little yeast. boil six or seven gallons of water, pour it on the same quantity of cold water in a cask, and a gallon of treacle. stir them well together; and when the fermentation is abated, close the bung-hole in the usual way. a little of the outer rind of an orange peel infused into the beer, and taken out as soon as it has imparted a sufficient degree of bitterness, will give it an agreeable flavour, and assist in keeping the beer from turning sour. a little gentian root boiled in the water, either with or without the orange peel, will give a wholesome and pleasant bitter to this beer. a small quantity, by way of experiment, may be made thus. to eight quarts of boiling water, put one ounce of treacle, a quarter of an ounce of ginger, and two bay leaves. let the whole boil a quarter of an hour; then cool and work it with yeast, the same as other beer. another way to make a cheap malt liquor is to take a bushel of malt, with as much water and hops as if two bushels of malt were allowed in the common way, and put seven pounds of the coarsest brown sugar into the boiling wort. this makes a very pleasant liquor; is as strong, and will keep as long without turning sour or flat, as if two bushels had been employed. twenty gallons of good beer may be made from a bushel of malt, and three quarters of a pound of hops, if care be taken to extract all their goodness. for this purpose boil twenty-four gallons of water, and steep the malt in it for three hours: then tie up the hops in a hair cloth, and boil malt, hops, and wort, all together for three quarters of an hour, which will reduce it to about twenty gallons. strain it off, and set it to work when lukewarm. see brewing.--as however it does not suit some persons to brew, in any way whatever, it may be necessary to add a few brief remarks on the distinguishing qualities of sound beer, that persons may know what it is they purchase, and how far their health may be affected by it. wholesome beer then ought to be of a bright colour, and perfectly transparent, neither too high nor too pale. it should have a pleasant and mellow taste, sharp and agreeably bitter, without being hard or sour. it should leave no pungent sensation on the tongue; and if drank in any tolerable quantity, it must neither produce speedy intoxication, nor any of the usual effects of sleep, nausea, headache, or languor; nor should it be retained too long after drinking it, or be too quickly discharged. if beer purchased at the alehouse be suspected of having been adulterated with the infusion of vitriol, for the purpose of adding to its strength, it may be detected by putting in a few nut galls, which will immediately turn it black, if it have been so adulterated; and the beer ought by all means to be rejected, as highly injurious to the constitution, and may be fatal even to life itself. bees. a hive of bees may be considered as a populous city, containing thirty thousand inhabitants. this community is in itself a monarchy, composed of a queen, of males which are the drones, and of working bees called neuters. the combs being composed of pure wax, serve as a magazine for their stores, and a nursery for their young. between the combs there is a space sufficient for two bees to march abreast, and there are also transverse defiles by which they can more easily pass from one comb to another.--the queen bee is distinguishable from the rest by the form of her body. she is much longer, unwieldy, and of a brighter colour, and seldom leaves the parent hive; but when she goes to settle a new colony, all the bees attend her to the place of destination. a hive of bees cannot subsist without a queen, as she produces their numerous progeny; and hence their attachment to her is unalterable. when a queen dies, the bees immediately cease working, consume their honey, fly about at unusual times, and eventually pine away, if not supplied with another sovereign. the death of the queen is proclaimed by a clear and uninterrupted humming, which should be a warning to the owner to provide the bees if possible with another queen, whose presence will restore vigour and exertion; of such importance is a sovereign to the existence and prosperity of this community. it is computed that a pregnant queen bee contains about five thousand eggs, and that she produces from ten to twelve thousand bees in the space of two months.--drones are smaller than the queen, but larger than the working bees, and when on the wing they make a greater noise. their office is to impregnate the eggs of the queen after they are deposited in the cells; but when this is effected, as they become useless to the hive, they are destroyed by the working bees and thrown out; and having no sting, they are without the power of resistance. after the season of the encrease of the bees is past, and when they attend to the collection of winter stores, every vestige of the drones is destroyed to make room for the honey. when drones are observed in a hive late in autumn, it is usually a sign that the stock is poor.--working bees compose the most numerous body of the state. they have the care of the hive, collect the wax and honey, fabricate the wax into combs, feed the young, keep the hive clean, expel all strangers, and employ themselves in promoting the general prosperity. the working bee has two stomachs, one to contain the honey, and another for the crude wax. among the different kinds of working bees, those are to be preferred which are small, smooth, and shining, and of a gentle disposition.--considering the rich productions of these little insects, and the valuable purposes to which they may be applied, it is truly astonishing that so important an object in rural economy has been so little attended to by the inhabitants of this country. in egypt, the cultivation of bees forms a leading object, and their productions constitute a part of its riches. about the end of october, when sustenance cannot be provided for them at home, the inhabitants of lower egypt embark their bees on the nile, and convey them to the distant regions of upper egypt, when the inundation is withdrawn, and the flowers are beginning to bud. these insects are thus conducted through the whole extent of that fertile country; and after having gathered all the rich produce of the banks of the nile, are re-conducted home about the beginning of february. in france also, floating bee-hives are very common. one barge contains from sixty to a hundred hives, which are well defended from the inclemency of the weather. thus the owners float them gently down the stream, while they gather the honey from the flowers along its banks, and a little bee-house yields the proprietors a considerable income. at other times they convey bees by land, to places where honey and wax may be collected. the hives are fastened to each other by laths placed on a thin packcloth, which is drawn up on each side and tied with packthread several times round their tops. forty or fifty hives are then laid in a cart, and the owner takes them to distant places where the bees may feed and work. but without this labour the industrious bee might be cultivated to great advantage, and thousands of pounds weight of wax and honey collected, which now are suffered to be wasted on the desert air, or perish unheeded amidst the flowers of the field.--those whose attention may be directed to the subject by these remarks, and who intend to erect an apiary, should purchase the stocks towards the close of the year, when bees are cheapest; and such only as are full of combs, and well furnished with bees. to ascertain the age of the hives it should be remarked, that the combs of the last year are white, while those of the former year acquire a darkish yellow. where the combs are black, the hive should be rejected as too old, and liable to the inroads of vermin. in order to obtain the greatest possible advantage from the cultivation of bees, it is necessary to supply them with every convenience for the support of themselves and their young. and though it may be too much trouble to transport them to distant places, in order to provide them with the richest food, and to increase their abundant stores; yet in some instances this plan might in part be adopted with considerable success. it has been seen in germany, as well as in other parts of the continent, that forty large bee hives have been filled with honey, to the amount of seventy pounds each, in one fortnight, by their being placed near a large field of buck wheat in flower; and as this and various other plants adapted to enrich the hive are to be found in many parts of england, there is no reason why a similar advantage might not be derived from such an experiment.--besides providing for them the richest food in summer, in order to facilitate their labours, it is equally necessary to attend to their preservation in the winter. to guard against the effects of cold, the bees should be examined during the winter; and if instead of being clustered between the combs, they are found in numbers at the bottom of the hive, they should be carried to a warmer place, where they will soon recover. in very severe seasons, lay on the bottom of an old cask the depth of half a foot of fine earth pressed down hard; place the stool on this with the hive, and cut a hole in the cask opposite to the entrance of the hive, in which fix a piece of reed or hollow elder, and then cover the whole with dry earth. this will preserve a communication with the external air, and at the same time keep out the cold. the bees remaining in a torpid state during the winter, they require but little food; but as every sunny day revives and prompts them to exercise, a small supply is necessary on these occasions. many hives of bees which are supposed to have died of cold, have in reality perished by famine, especially when a rainy summer prevented them from collecting a sufficient store of provision. hence the hives should be carefully examined in autumn, and ought then to weigh at least eighteen pounds each. when bees require to be fed, the honey should be diluted with water, and put into an empty comb, split reeds, or upon clear wood, which the bees will suck perfectly dry. but it is a much better way to replenish the weak hives in september, with such a portion of combs filled with honey taken from other hives as may be deemed a sufficient supply. this is done by turning up the weak hive, cutting out the empty combs, and placing full ones in their stead, so secure as not to fall down when the hive is replaced. if this be too troublesome, a plate of honey may be set under the hive, and straws laid across the plate, covered with paper perforated with small holes, through which the bees will suck the honey without difficulty.--these valuable insects are liable to various disorders, both from the food they eat, from foreign enemies, and from one another. if they have fed greedily on the blossoms of the milk thistle or the elm, it will render them incapable of working, and the hive will be stained with filth. the best cure in this case is pounded pomegranate seed, moistened with sweet wine; or raisins mixed with wine or mead, and the infusion of rosemary. when they are infested with vermin, the hive must be cleansed, and perfumed with a branch of pomegranate or the wild fig-tree, which will effectually destroy them. butterflies sometimes conceal themselves in the hives, and annoy the bees; but these intruders may easily be exterminated by placing lighted candles in deep tin pots between the hives, as they will be attracted by the flame, and so perish. in order to extirpate wasps and hornets preying upon the honey, it is only necessary to expose shallow vessels near the hive with a little water, to which those depredators eagerly repair to quench their thirst, and thus easily drown themselves. to prevent bees of one society from attacking or destroying those of another, which is frequently the case, the following method may be tried. let a board about an inch thick be laid on the bee bench, and set the hive upon it with its mouth exactly on the edge. the mouth of the hive should also be contracted to about an inch in length, and a semicircular hole made in the board immediately under the mouth of the hive. by this simple method, the bees which come to make the attack will be foiled, and constrained to act with great disadvantage. if this do not succeed, remove the hive to a distant part of the garden, and to a more easterly or colder aspect, which will frequently end the contest.--when bees are to be taken up for the purpose of obtaining the wax and honey, great care should be taken not to destroy the insects; and for this end the following method is recommended. the upper box on the hive, which principally contains the honey, is first to be taken off. the joint should be loosened, the cement scraped off, and then a piece of iron wire to be drawn through the comb so as to divide it. when the upper box is thus separated, its cover is to be taken off and immediately placed on the second box, which is now the highest. having taken out the contents of the box which has been separated, it is to be placed again on the stand, under the lower box, and its door only is to be left open. if any bees remain in the box when taken away, a little smoke will drive them out, and they will quickly return to their own hive. in this manner a second or a third box of honey may be removed in succession, when the lower part of the hive appears to be full; but care must be taken not to deprive the bees entirely of the stock which they have collected for the winter. in taking up a common straw hive of bees, the best way is to remove it into a darkened room, that it may appear to the bees as if it were late in the evening. then gently turning the hive bottom upwards, and supporting it in that position, cover it with an empty hive a little raised towards the window, to give the bees sufficient light to guide their ascent. keep the empty hive steadily supported on the edge of the full hive, and strike the hand round the full hive to frighten the bees, till they have nearly all ascended into the other. the new hive containing the bees must be placed on the stand of the apiary, to receive the absent bees as they return from the fields. beet root. this cooling and wholesome vegetable is good boiled, and sliced with a small quantity of onion, or stewed with whole onions in the following manner. boil the beet tender with the skin on, slice it into a stewpan with a little broth and a spoonful of vinegar. simmer it till the gravy is tinged with the colour; then put it into a small dish, and make a round of button onions, first boiled tender. take off the skin just before serving, and let them be quite hot and clear. or roast three large onions, and peel off the outer skins till they look clear; and serve round them the stewed beet root. the root must not be broken before it is dressed, or it will lose its colour, and look ill.--to preserve beet-root for winter use, they should not be cleared from the earth, but kept in layers of dry sand. beetles. when these insects become troublesome in the house, put some small lumps of quick lime into the chinks or holes of the wall from whence they issue, or scatter it on the ground. or at night, lay a spoonful of treacle on a piece of wood, and float it in a pan of water: beetles are so fond of syrup, that they will be drowned in attempting to get at it. the common black beetle may also be extirpated by placing a hedgehog in the room, during the summer nights; or by laying a bundle of pea straw near their holes, and afterwards burning it when the beetles have crept into it. benton cakes. mix a paste of flour, a little bit of butter, and milk. roll it as thin as possible, and bake on a backstone over the fire, or on a hot hearth. another sort of benton tea-cakes are made like biscuits, by rubbing into a pound of flour six ounces of butter, and three large spoonfuls of yeast. work up the paste with a sufficient quantity of new milk, make it into biscuits, and prick them with a clean fork. or melt six or seven ounces of butter, with a sufficient quantity of new milk warmed to make seven pounds of flour into a stiff paste. roll it thin, and make it into biscuits. benton sauce. grate some horse-radish, or scrape it very fine. add to it a little made mustard, some pounded white sugar, and four large spoonfuls of vinegar. serve it up in a saucer: this is good with hot or cold roast beef. bills of fare, or list of various articles in season in different months. january.----_poultry._ game, pheasants, partridges, hares, rabbits, woodcocks, snipes, turkeys, capons, pullets, fowls, chickens, tame pigeons.--_fish._ carp, tench, perch, eels, lampreys, crayfish, cod, soles, flounders, plaice, turbot, skate, thornback, sturgeon, smelts, whitings, crabs, lobsters, prawns, oysters.--_vegetables._ cabbage, savoys, coleworts, sprouts, brocoli, leeks, onions, beet, sorrel, chervil, endive, spinach, celery, garlic, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, shalots, lettuces, cresses, mustard, rape, salsify, herbs dry and green.--_fruit._ apples, pears, nuts, walnuts, medlars, grapes. february, march.----meat, fowls and game, as in january, with the addition of ducklings and chickens.--_fish._ as the last two months, except that cod is not thought so good, from february to july.--_vegetables._ the same as the former months, with the addition of kidney beans.--_fruit._ apples, pears, forced strawberries. april, may, june.----_meat._ beef, mutton, veal, lamb, venison in june.----_poultry._ pullets, fowls, chickens, ducklings, pigeons, rabbits, leverets.--_fish._ carp, tench, soles, smelts, eels, trout, turbot, lobsters, chub, salmon, herrings, crayfish, mackarel, crabs, prawns, shrimps.--_vegetables._ as before, and in may, early potatoes, peas, radishes, kidney beans, carrots, turnips, early cabbages, cauliflowers, asparagus, artichokes, all sorts of forced sallads.--_fruit._ in june, strawberries, cherries, melons, green apricots, gooseberries and currants for tarts. in july, cherries, strawberries, pears, melons, gooseberries, currants, apricots, grapes, nectarines, peaches; but most of these are forced. july, august, september.--meat as before.--_poultry._ pullets, fowls, chickens, rabbits, pigeons, green geese, leverets, turkey poults, plovers, wheatears, and geese in september.--_fish._ cod, haddock, flounders, plaice, skate, thornback, mullets, pike, carp, eels, shellfish, except oysters; mackarel the first two months, but are not good in august.--_vegetables._ beans, peas, french beans, and various others.--_fruit._ in july, strawberries, gooseberries, pineapples, plums, cherries, apricots, raspberries, melons, currants, damsons. in august and september, peaches, plums, filberts, figs, mulberries, cherries, apples, pears, nectarines, grapes, pines, melons, strawberries, medlars, quinces, morella cherries, damsons, and various plums. october.--meat as before, and doe-venison.----_poultry._ game, pheasants, fowls, partridges, larks, hares, dotterels, wild ducks, teal, snipes, widgeon, grouse.--_fish._ dories, smelts, pike, perch, holibets, brills, carp, salmon trout, barbel, gudgeons, tench, shellfish.--_vegetables._ as in january, french beans, runners, windsor beans.----_fruit._ peaches, pears, figs, bullace, grapes, apples, medlars, damsons, filberts, nuts, walnuts, quinces, services. november.--_meat._ beef, mutton, veal, pork, house lamb, doe venison, poultry and game. fish as the last month.--_vegetables._ carrots, turnips, parsnips, potatoes, skirrets, onions, leeks, shalots, cabbage, savoys, colewort, spinach, cardoons, cresses, endive, celery, lettuces, salad, herbs.--_fruit._ pears, apples, nuts, walnuts, bullace, chesnuts, medlars, grapes. december.--_meat._ beef, mutton, veal, house lamb, pork and venison.--_poultry._ game, turkeys, geese, pullets, pigeons, capons, fowls, chickens, rabbits, hares, snipes, woodcocks, larks, pheasants, partridges, sea-fowls, guinea-fowls, wild ducks, teal, widgeon, dotterels, dunbirds, grouse.--_fish._ turbot, cod, holibets, soles, gurnets, sturgeon, carp, gudgeons, codlings, eels, dories, shellfish.--_vegetables._ as in the last month; asparagus forced.--_fruit._ as the last, except bullace. birch wine. the season for obtaining the liquor from birch trees, is in the latter end of february or the beginning of march, before the leaves shoot out, and as the sap begins to rise. if the time be delayed, the juice will grow too thick to be drawn out. it should be as thin and clear as possible. the method of procuring the juice is by boring holes in the trunk of the tree, and fixing in facets made of elder; but care should be taken not to tap it in too many places at once, for fear of injuring the tree. if the tree is large, it may be bored in five or six places at once, and bottles are to be placed under the apertures to receive the sap. when four or five gallons have been extracted from different trees, cork the bottles very close, and wax them till the wine is to be made, which should be as soon as possible after the sap has been obtained. boil the sap, and put four pounds of loaf sugar to every gallon, also the rind of a lemon cut thin; then boil it again for nearly an hour, skimming it well all the time. into a cask that will contain it, put a lighted brimstone match, stop it up till the match is burnt out, and then pour the liquor into it as quickly as possible. when nearly cold, work it with a toast spread with yeast, and let it stand five or six days, stirring it two or three times a-day. put the bung lightly in till it has done working; then close it down, and let it stand two or three months. the wine may then be bottled, and will be fit for use in about a week. it makes a rich and salutary cordial, and its virtues are much relied on in consumptive and scorbutic cases. biscuit cake. one pound of flour, five eggs well beaten and strained, eight ounces of sugar, a little rose or orange flower water. beat the whole thoroughly, and bake it one hour. biscuits. to make hard biscuits, warm two ounces of butter in as much skimmed milk as will make a pound of flour into a very stiff paste. beat it with a rolling pin, and work it very smooth. roll it thin, and cut it into round biscuits. prick them full of holes with a fork, and about six minutes will bake them.--for plain and very crisp biscuits, make a pound of flour, the yolk of an egg, and some milk, into a very stiff paste. beat it well, and knead it quite smooth; roll the paste very thin, and cut it into biscuits. bake them in a slow oven till quite dry and crisp.--to preserve biscuits for a long time sweet and good, no other art is necessary than packing them up in casks well caulked, and carefully lined with tin, so as to exclude the air. the biscuits should be laid as close as possible; and when it is necessary to open the cask, it must be speedily closed again with care. sea bread may also be preserved on a long voyage, by being put into a bag which has been previously soaked in a quantity of liquid nitre, and dried. this has been found to preserve the biscuits from the fatal effects of the wevil, and other injurious insects, which are destructive to this necessary article of human sustenance. bitters. bruise an ounce of gentian root, and two drams of cardamom seeds together: add an ounce of lemon peel, and three drams of seville orange peel. pour on the ingredients a pint and half of boiling water, and let it stand an hour closely covered: then pour off the clear liquor, and a glass of it taken two or three times a day will be found an excellent bitter for the stomach.--or slice an ounce of gentian root, and add half a dram of snakes' root bruised, half a dram of saffron, three quarters of a dram of cardamom seeds, and the same of cochineal bruised together, and the peel of three seville oranges. steep the ingredients in a pint of brandy fourteen days, shaking them together frequently; then strain the tincture through a piece of muslin, and a tea-spoonful in a glass of wine may be taken two or three times a day. black butter. boil a pound of moist sugar with three pounds of gooseberries, currants, raspberries, and cherries, till reduced to half the quantity. put it into pots covered with brandy paper, and it will be found a pleasant sweetmeat. black caps. divide and core some fine large apples, put them in a shallow pan, strew white sugar over, and bake them. boil a glass of wine, the same of water, and sweeten it for sauce. or, take off a slice from the stalk end of some apples, and core without paring them. mix with grated lemon, and a few cloves in fine powder, as much sugar as will sweeten them. stuff the holes as close as possible with this, and turn the flat end down on a stewpan; set them on a very slow fire, with some raisin wine and water. cover them close, and now and then baste them with the liquor: when done enough, black the tops with a salamander. black ink. infuse in a gallon of rain or soft water, a pound of blue galls bruised, and keep it stirring for three weeks. then add four ounces of green copperas, four ounces of logwood chips, six ounces of gum arabac, and a glass of brandy.--to make ink of a superior quality, and fit for immediate use, prepare the following ingredients. four ounces of blue galls, two ounces of chipped logwood, two of sulphate of iron, one ounce and a half of gum arabac, half an ounce of sulphate of copper, and half an ounce of brown sugar. boil the galls and logwood in six pints of spring or distilled water, until nearly three pints of water are evaporated, then strain it through a piece of flannel. powder the salts in a mortar, dissolve the gum in a little warm water, then mix the whole together, and shake it frequently for two or three days; during which time expose it to the air, and it will become blacker. decant the liquor into stone bottles well corked, and it will be fit for use directly. those who wish to avoid the trouble of such a process, will find an excellent substitute in walkden's ink powder ready prepared, with directions how to use it. if a cup of sweet wort be added to two papers of the powder, it will give it the brightness of japan ink. black lead. the best preparation for cleaning cast-iron stoves is made of black lead, mixed with a little common gin, or the dregs of port wine, and laid on the stove with a piece of linen rag. then with a clean brush, not too hard, and dipped in some dried black lead powder, rub the stove till it comes to a beautiful brightness. this will produce a much finer black varnish on the cast-iron, than either boiling the black lead with small beer and soap, or mixing it with white of egg, as is commonly practised. black paper, for drawing patterns, may easily be made in the following manner. mix and smooth some lamp-black and sweet oil, with a piece of flannel. cover a sheet or two of large writing paper with this mixture, then dab the paper dry with a rag of fine linen, and prepare it for future use by putting the black side on another sheet of paper, and fastening the corners together with a small pin. when wanted to draw, lay the pattern on the back of the black paper, and go over it with the point of a steel pencil. the black paper will then leave the impression of the pattern on the under sheet, on which you must now draw it with ink. if you draw patterns on cloth or muslin, do it with a pen dipped in a bit of stone blue, a bit of sugar, and a little water, mixed smooth in a tea cup, in which it will be always ready for use. black puddings. the pig's blood must be stirred with a little salt till it is cold. put a full quart of it to a quart of whole grits, and let it stand all night. soak the crumb of a quartern loaf in rather more than two quarts of new milk made hot. in the meantime prepare the guts by washing, turning and scraping, with salt and water, and changing the water several times. chop fine a little winter savoury and thyme, a good quantity of pennyroyal, pepper and salt, a few cloves, some allspice, ginger and nutmeg. mix these all together, with three pounds of beef suet, and six eggs well beaten and strained. have ready some hog's fat cut into large bits; and as the skins are filling with the pudding, put in the fat at intervals. tie up in links only half filled, and boil in a large kettle, pricking them as they swell, or they will burst. when boiled, lay them between clean cloths till cold, and hang them up in the kitchen. when to be used, scald them a few minutes in water; wipe, and put them into a dutch oven. if there be not skins enough, put the stuffing into basins, and boil it covered with floured cloths. slice and fry it when used.--another way is, to soak all night a quart of bruised grits in as much boiling-hot milk as will swell them, and leave half a pint of liquid. chop a quantity of pennyroyal, savoury and thyme; add salt and pepper, and allspice finely powdered. mix the above with a quart of the blood, prepared as before directed; clean the skins thoroughly, half fill them with the stuffing, put in as much of the leaf fat of the pig as will make it pretty rich, and boil as before directed. a small quantity of leeks finely shred and well mixed, is a great improvement.--a superior article may be made as follows: boil a quart of half-grits in as much milk as will swell them to the utmost, drain them and add a quart of blood, a pint of rich cream, a pound of suet, some mace, nutmeg, allspice, and four cloves, all in fine powder. and two pounds of hog's leaf cut into dice, two leeks, a handful of parsley, ten leaves of sage, a large handful of pennyroyal, and a sprig of thyme and knotted marjoram, all finely minced; eight eggs well beaten, half a pound of bread crumbs scalded in a pint of milk, with pepper and salt. soak and clean the skins in several waters, last of all in rose-water, and half fill them with the stuffing. tie the skins in links, boil and prick them with a clean fork, to prevent their breaking, and cover them with a clean cloth till cold. blackberry jam. put some red, but not ripe, blackberries into a jar, and cover it up closely. set the jar in a kettle or deep stewpan of water over the fire, as a water bath; and when it has simmered five or six hours, force the juice through a sieve. to every pint of juice, add two pounds of powdered loaf-sugar, boiling and scumming it in the same manner as for any other jam or jelly. this simple article is said to afford effectual relief in cases of stone or gravel: a tea-spoonful to be taken every night, and repeated in the morning, if necessary. a good jam may also be made of ripe blackberries, in a similar manner; and both, like other jams, should be kept in jars, closely tied over with brandy paper. blackberry wine. pick and clean a quantity of ripe blackberries; to every quart of fruit, add a quart of cold water which has first been boiled. bruise them well, and let the whole stand twenty-four hours, stirring it occasionally during that time. express all the juice and run it through a sieve or jelly bag, on a pound and a half of sugar to each gallon of liquid. stir it till thoroughly dissolved, put it in a well seasoned barrel, add a little dissolved isinglass, and let it remain open till the next day; then bung it up. this makes a pleasant wine, which may be bottled off in about two months. blacking for shoes is made of four ounces of ivory black, three ounces of the coarsest sugar, a table-spoonful of sweet oil, and a pint of small beer, gradually mixed together cold. blacking balls. portable shoe-blacking, in the form of cakes or balls, is made in the following manner. take four ounces of mutton suet, one ounce of bees-wax, one of sweet oil, and a dram each of powdered sugar-candy and gum-arabac. melt them well together over a slow fire; add a spoonful of turpentine, and lamp-black sufficient to give it a good black colour. while hot enough to run, make the composition into a ball, by pouring it into a tin mould; or let it stand till nearly cold, and then it may be moulded into any form by the hand. blade-bone of pork. cut it from the bacon-hog, with a small quantity of meat upon it, and lay it on the gridiron. when nearly done pepper and salt it. add a piece of butter, and a tea-spoonful of mustard; and serve it up quickly. this dish is much admired in somersetshire. a blade-bone of mutton may be dressed in the same way. blamange. boil two ounces of isinglass half an hour, in a pint and half of water, and strain off the cream. sweeten it, and add some peach water, or a few bitter almonds; let it boil up once, and put it into what forms you please. be sure to let the blamange settle before you turn it into the forms, or the blacks will remain at the bottom of them, and be on the top of the blamange when taken out of the moulds. if not to be very stiff, a little less isinglass will do.--for yellow blamange, pour a pint of boiling water upon an ounce of isinglass, and the peel of one lemon. when cold, sweeten with two ounces of fine sugar: add a quarter of a pint of white wine, the yolks of four eggs, and the juice of one lemon. stir all together, and let it boil five minutes: strain through a bag, and put into cups. blankets, if not in constant use, are liable to be moth-eaten. to prevent this, they should be folded and laid under feather beds that are in use, and occasionally shaken. when soiled, they should be washed, not scoured: and well dried before they are laid by, or they will breed moths. bleaching of straw. this is generally done by the fumes of sulphur, in a place enclosed for that purpose: but to render the straw very white, and encrease its flexibility in platting, it should be dipped in a solution of oxygenated muriatic acid, saturated with potash. oxygenated muriate of lime will also answer the purpose. to repair straw bonnets, they must be carefully ripped to pieces; the plat should be bleached with the above solution, and made up afresh. blue ink. dissolve an ounce of finely powdered verdigris, and half an ounce of cream of tartar, in three ounces of water. this will make a fine blue writing ink, which has the singular property of giving to an iron nail, immersed in it for twenty-four hours, a beautiful green colour. boarded floors will preserve a beautiful appearance, if treated in the following manner. after washing them very clean with soda and warm water, and a brush, wash them with a large sponge and clean water, observing that no spot be left untouched. be careful to clean straight up and down, not crossing from board to board: then dry with clean cloths, rubbing hard up and down the same way. the floors should not be often wetted, but very thoroughly when done; and once a week dry-rubbed with hot sand, and a heavy brush, the right way of the boards. if oil or grease have stained the floor, make a strong lye of pearl-ashes and soft water, and add as much unslaked lime as it will take up. stir it together, and then let it settle a few minutes; bottle it, and stop it close. when used, lower it with a little water, and scour the part with it. if the liquor lie long on the boards, it will extract their colour; it must therefore be done with care and expedition. stone work may be freed from stains in the same way. bockings. mix three ounces of buck-wheat flour with a tea-cupful of warm milk, and a spoonful of yeast. let it rise before the fire about an hour; then mix four eggs well beaten, and as much milk as will make the batter the usual thickness for pancakes, and fry them in the same manner. boiling. cleanliness here is of great consequence; and for this purpose all culinary vessels should be made of iron, or of other metals well tinned. the pernicious effects of copper or brass may be perceived by rubbing the hand round the inside of a pot or kettle made of either of those metals, and which has been scoured clean and fit for use; for though it may not discolour the hand, yet it will cause an offensive smell, and must in some degree affect every article which is put into it. if copper or brass be used, they should be well cleaned, and nothing suffered to remain in the vessels longer than is necessary for the purposes of cooking. in small families however, block-tin saucepans and boilers are much to be preferred, as lightest and safest. if proper care be taken of them, and they are well dried after being cleaned, they are also by far the cheapest; the purchase of a new tin saucepan being little more than the expense of tinning a copper one. care should be taken to have the covers of boiling pots fit close, not only to prevent an unnecessary evaporation of the water, but that the smoke may not insinuate itself under the edge of the lid, and give the meat a bad taste. a trivet or fish drainer placed in the boiler to lay the meat on, and to raise it an inch and a half from the bottom, will prevent that side of it which comes next the bottom from being done too much, and the lower part of the meat will be as delicately done as any other. instead of a trivet, four skewers stuck into the meat transversely will answer the purpose, or a soup plate whelmed the wrong side upwards. with good management it will take less fire for boiling than for roasting, but it should be kept to a regular pitch, so as to keep the pot gently boiling all the time. if it boils too fast, it will harden the meat, by extracting too much of the gravy; but if it be allowed to simmer only, or to boil gently, it will become rich and tender. the scum must be carefully taken off as soon as the water boils, or it will sink and discolour the meat. the oftener it is scummed, and the cleaner the top of the water is kept, the cleaner will be the meat; and if a little cold water be occasionally thrown in, it will bring up the remainder of the scum to the surface. neither mixing milk with the water nor wrapping up the meat in a cloth are necessary, if the scum be attentively removed; and the meat will have a more delicate colour, and a finer flavour, if boiled in clear water only. the general rule for boiling is to allow a quarter of an hour to a pound of meat; but if it be boiled gently or simmered only, which is by far the superior way, twenty minutes to the pound will scarcely be found too much. at the same time care must be taken to keep the pot constantly boiling, and not to suffer the meat to remain in after it is done enough, or it will become sodden, and lose its flavour. the quantity of water is regulated by the size of the meat; sufficient to cover it, but not to drown it; and the less water, the more savoury will the meat be, and the better the broth. it is usual to put all kinds of fresh meat into hot water, and salt meat into cold water; but if the meat has been salted only a short time it is better to put it in when the water boils, or it will draw out too much of the gravy. lamb, veal, and pork require rather more boiling than other meat, to make them wholesome. the hind quarters of most animals require longer time to dress than the fore quarters, and all kinds of provision require more time in frosty weather than in summer. large joints of beef and mutton are better a little underdone; they make the richer hash; but meat that is fresh slain will remain tough and hard, in whatever way it may be cooked. all meat should be washed clean before it is put into the boiler, but salt meat especially. a ham of twenty pounds will take four hours and a half in boiling, and others in proportion. a dried tongue, after being soaked, will take four hours boiling: a tongue out of pickle, from two hours and a half to three hours, or more if very large: it must be judged by its feeling quite tender. boiling is in general the most economical mode of cooking, if care be taken to preserve the broth, and apply it to useful purposes. boiled bacon. soak it, and take off the rind before boiling. a pound of bacon boiled without the skin will weigh an ounce heavier than a pound boiled with it. fat bacon should be put into hot water, and lean into cold water, when it is to be dressed. young bacon will boil in about three quarters of an hour. grate some toasted bread over it, and set it near the fire to brown it a little, before it is sent to table. boiled beef. when the water boils put in the meat, whether beef or mutton, and take off the scum as it rises. if the scum be suffered to sink, it will stick to the meat, and spoil its colour. turnips, greens, potatoes, or carrots with the beef, and caper sauce with the mutton. boiled custard. set a pint of cream over a slow fire, adding two ounces of sugar, and the rind of a lemon. take it off the fire as soon as it begins to simmer; as the cream cools, add by degrees the yolks of eight eggs well beaten, with a spoonful of orange water. stir it carefully over a slow fire till it almost boils, and strain it quickly through a piece of thin muslin. put it into cups, and serve it up cold. boiled duck. choose a fine fat duck, salt it two days, and boil it slowly in a cloth. serve it with onion sauce, but melt the butter with milk instead of water. boiled eels. the small ones are best, provided they are bright, and of a good colour. after they are skinned, boil them in a small quantity of water, with a quantity of parsley, which with the liquor should be sent to table with them. serve chopped parsley and butter for sauce. boiled fowl. for boiling, choose those that are not black-legged. pick them nicely, singe, wash, and truss them. flour them, and put them into boiling water: half an hour will be sufficient for one of middling size. serve with parsley and butter; oyster, lemon, liver, or celery sauce. if for dinner, ham, tongue or bacon is usually served with them, and also greens.--when cooked with rice, stew the fowl very slowly in some clear mutton broth well skimmed, and seasoned with onion, mace, pepper and salt. about half an hour before it is ready, put in a quarter of a pint of rice well washed and soaked. simmer it till it is quite tender, strain it from the broth, and put the rice on a sieve before the fire. keep the fowl hot, lay it in the middle of the dish, and the rice round it without the broth. the broth will be nice by itself, but the less liquor the fowl is done with the better. gravy, or parsley and butter, for sauce. boiled ham. soak the ham in cold water the night before it is to be dressed, scrape it clean, and put it into the boiler with cold water. skim the liquor while boiling; let it not boil fast, but simmer only, and add a little cold water occasionally for this purpose. when the ham is done, take it up, pull off the skin carefully, and grate a crust of bread over it so as to cover it tolerably thick. set it before the fire, or put it into the oven till the bread is crisp; garnish it with carrots, or any thing that is in season. a ham of twenty pounds will require five hours boiling, and others in proportion. boiled leg of pork. salt it eight or ten days; and when it is to be dressed, weigh it. let it lie half an hour in cold water to make it white: allow a quarter of an hour for every pound, and half an hour over, from the time it boils up. skim it as soon as it boils, and frequently after. allow plenty of water, and save some of it for peas-soup. the leg should be small, and of a fine grain; and if boiled in a floured cloth, it will improve the colour and appearance. serve it with peas-pudding and turnips. boiled salmon. clean it carefully, boil it gently, and take it out of the water as soon as done. let the water be warm, if the fish be split: if underdone, it is very unwholesome. serve with shrimp or anchovy sauce. boiled turbot. the turbot kettle must be of a proper size, and in good order. set the fish in cold water sufficient to cover it completely, throw a handful of salt and a glass of vinegar into it, and let it gradually boil. be very careful that no blacks fall into it; but skim it well, and preserve the beautiful colour of the fish. serve it garnished with a complete fringe of curled parsley, lemon and horse-radish. the sauce must be the finest lobster, anchovy and butter, and plain butter, served plentifully in separate tureens.--if necessary, turbot will keep two or three days, and be in as high perfection as at first, if lightly rubbed over with salt, and carefully hung in a cold place. boiled turkey. a turkey will neither boil white nor eat tender, unless it has been killed three or four days. pick it clean, draw it at the rump, cut off the legs, stick the end of the thighs into the body, and tie them fast. flour the turkey, put it into the water while cold, let it boil gently half an hour or more, take off the scum, and cover the kettle close. make the stuffing of grated bread and lemon peel, four ounces of shred suet, a few chopped oysters, two eggs, and a little cream. fill the craw with stuffing, and make the rest into balls, which are to be boiled and laid round the dish. the stuffing may be made without oysters; or force-meat or sausage may be used, mixed with crumbs of bread and yolks of eggs. celery sauce or white sauce is very proper. boiled veal. dredge it with flour, tie it up in a cloth, and put it in when the water boils. a knuckle requires more boiling in proportion to its weight, than any other joint, to render the gristle soft and tender. parsley and butter, bacon and greens, are commonly eaten with it. boilers. copper boilers and saucepans are apt to become leaky, when they have been joined or mended, or from bruises, which sometimes render them unfit for use. in this case a cement of pounded quicklime, mixed with ox's blood, applied fresh to the injured part, will be of great advantage, and very durable. a valuable cement for such purposes may also be made of equal parts of vinegar and milk mixed together so as to produce a curd: the whey is then put to the whites of four or five eggs after they have been well beaten, and the whole reduced to a thick paste by the addition of some quicklime finely sifted. this composition applied to cracks or fissures of any kind, and properly dried, will resist the effects of fire and water. bologna sausages. cut into small pieces four pounds of lean beef, and add to it a pound of diced suet, with the same quantity of diced bacon. season with allspice, pepper, bay salt, saltpetre, and a little powder of bay leaves. mix the whole together, tie the meat up in skins about the thickness of the wrist, dry the sausages in the same manner as tongues, and eat them without boiling. bologna soup. bind close with packthread, fifteen pounds of brisket of beef, and put it into a pot with water sufficient to cover it. then add three large carrots, some good turnips, four onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, and half a white cabbage sliced and fried in butter. the pot must be well scummed before the herbs are put in. it must boil very slowly for five or six hours; and when half boiled, prepare three or four pounds of loin of mutton, with all the fat taken off, and put it into the pot. flavour the soup with whole pepper, and a head of celery; and to make it of a good colour, draw the gravy from a pound of lean beef over a slow fire, and add a ladleful to the soup, first carefully taking off all the fat. having cut and dried the crust of a french roll, lay it in a stewpan with a little soup; and after stewing it over a slow fire, place it with a slice in the soup tureen. the beef must be untied, and served up with chopped parsley strewed over it; accompanied also with gravy sauce, a few capers, and some chopped carrots, thickened with the yolk of an egg. add a little seasoning to the soup. boots. persons who travel much, or are often exposed to the weather, must be sensible of the importance of being provided with boots that will resist the wet. the following is a composition for preserving leather, the good effects of which are sufficiently ascertained. one pint of drying oil, two ounces of yellow wax, two ounces of spirit of turpentine, and half an ounce of burgundy pitch, should be carefully melted together over a slow fire. with this mixture, new shoes and boots are to be rubbed in the sun, or at some distance from the fire, with a sponge or brush. the operation is to be repeated as often as they become dry, and until they are fully saturated. in this manner the leather becomes impervious to the wet: the boots or shoes last much longer than those of common leather, acquire such softness and pliability that they never shrivel or grow hard, and in that state are the most effectual preservation against wet and cold. it is necessary to observe, however, that boots or shoes thus prepared ought not to be worn till they become perfectly dry and flexible: otherwise the leather will be too soft, and the boots unserviceable. boot tops. many of the compositions sold for the purpose of cleaning and restoring the colour of boot tops, are not found to answer, and are often injurious to the leather. a safe and easy preparation is made of a quart of boiled milk, which, when cold, is to be mixed with an ounce of the oil of vitriol, and an ounce of the spirit of salts, shaken well together. an ounce of red lavender is then to be added, and the liquid applied to the leather with a sponge. or, mix a dram of oxymuriate of potash with two ounces of distilled water; and when the salt is dissolved, add two ounces of muriatic acid. shake together in another vial, three ounces of rectified spirits of wine, with half an ounce of the essential oil of lemon, and unite the contents of the two vials, keeping the liquid closely corked for use. it is to be applied with a clean sponge, and dried gently; after which the tops may be polished with a proper brush, so as to appear like new leather. this mixture will readily take out grease, or any kind of spots, from leather or parchment. bottles. the common practice of cleaning glass bottles with shot is highly improper; for if through inattention any of it should remain, when the bottles are again filled with wine or cider, the lead will be dissolved, and the liquor impregnated with its pernicious qualities. a few ounces of potash dissolved in water will answer the purpose much better, and clean a great number of bottles. if any impurity adhere to the sides, a few pieces of blotting paper put into the bottle, and shaken with the water, will very soon remove it. another way is to roll up some pieces of blotting paper, steep them in soap and water, then put them into bottles or decanters with a little warm water, and shake them well for a few minutes: after this they will only require to be rinsed and dried. bottling liquors. here the first thing to be attended to is, to see that the bottles be perfectly clean and dry; if wet, they will spoil the liquor, and make it turn mouldy. then, though the bottles should be clean and dry, yet if the corks be not new and sound, the liquor will be damaged; for if the air can by any means penetrate, the liquor will grow flat, and never rise. as soon as a cask of liquor begins to grow vapid, and to lose its briskness, while it is on the tap, it should be drawn off immediately into bottles; and in order to quicken it, put a piece of loaf sugar into every bottle, about the size of a walnut. to forward the ripening, wrap the bottles in hay, and set them in a warm place; straw will not answer the purpose. when ale is to be bottled, it will be an improvement to add a little rice, a few raisins, or a tea-spoonful of moist sugar to each bottle. in the summer time, if table beer is bottled as soon as it has done working, it will soon become brisk, and make a very pleasant and refreshing drink. bottled currants. see that the bottles be perfectly clean and dry, and let the fruit be gathered quite ripe, and when the weather is dry. the currants should be cut from the large stalks, with the smallest bit of stalk to each, and care taken not to wound the fruit, that none of the moisture may escape. it would be best indeed to cut them under the trees, and let them drop gently into the bottles. stop up the bottles with cork and rosin, and trench them in the garden with the neck downwards: sticks should be placed opposite to where each sort of fruit begins. cherries and damsons may be kept in the same way. bottled gooseberries. pick some smooth gooseberries before they are quite full grown, put them into gooseberry bottles lightly corked, and set them up to their necks in a copper of cold water. put a little hay round the bottles to prevent their breaking, make a fire under them, and let the heat increase gradually; let them simmer ten minutes, but not boil. take out the fire, and let them remain in the copper till cold. then take them out, dry the bottles, rosin down the corks close, and set them in dry saw-dust with their necks downward. braising. to braise any kind of meat, put it into a stewpan, and cover it with fat bacon. then add six or eight onions, a bundle of herbs, carrots, celery, any bones or trimmings of meat or fowls, and some stock. the bacon must be covered with white paper, and the lid of the pan must be kept close. set it on a slow stove; and according to what the meat is, it will require two or three hours. the meat is then to be taken out, the gravy nicely skimmed, and set on to boil very quick till it is thick. the meat is to be kept hot; and if larded, put into the oven for a few minutes. then put the jelly over it, which is called glazing, and is used for ham, tongue, and various made-dishes. white wine is added to some glazing. the glaze should be of beautiful clear yellow brown, and it is best put on with a nice brush. braised chickens. bone them, and fill them with forcemeat. lay the bones and any other poultry trimmings into a stewpan, and the chickens on them. put to them a few onions, a handful of herbs, three blades of mace, a pint of stock, and a glass or two of sherry. cover the chickens with slices of bacon, and then white paper; cover the whole close, and put them on a slow stove for two hours. then take them up, strain the braise, and skim off the fat carefully: set it on to boil very quick to a glaze, and lay it over the chicken with a brush. before glazing, put the chicken into an oven for a few minutes, to give it a colour. serve with a brown fricassee of mushrooms. braised mutton. take off the chump end of a loin of mutton, cover it with buttered paper, and then with paste, as for venison. roast it two hours, but let it not be browned. have ready some french beans boiled, and drained on a sieve; and while you are glazing the mutton, give the beans one heat-up in gravy, and lay them on the dish with the meat over them. braised veal. lard the best end of a neck of veal with bacon rolled in chopped parsley, salt, pepper and nutmeg. put it into a tosser, and cover it with water. add the scrag end of the neck, a little lean bacon or ham, an onion, two carrots, two heads of celery, and a glass of madeira. stew it quickly for two hours, or till it is tender, but not too much. strain off the liquor: mix a little flour and butter in a stewpan till brown, and lay the veal in this, the upperside to the bottom of the pan. let it be over the fire till it gets coloured: then lay it into the dish, stir some of the liquor in and boil it up, skim it nicely, and squeeze orange and lemon juice into it. brandy cream. boil two dozen of blanched almonds, and pounded bitter almonds, in a little milk. when cold, add to it the yolks of five eggs beating well in cream; sweeten, and put to it two glasses of good brandy. after it is well mixed, pour to it a quart of thin cream; set it over the fire, but not to boil. stir it one way till it thickens, then pour into cups or low glasses, and when cold it will be ready. a ratafia drop may be added to each cup; and if intended to keep, the cream must be previously scalded. brandy pudding. line a mould with jar-raisins stoned, or dried cherries, then with thin slices of french roll; next to which put ratafias, or macaroons; then the fruit, rolls and cakes in succession, till the mould is full, sprinkling in at times two glasses of brandy. beat four eggs, add a pint of milk or cream lightly sweetened, half a nutmeg, and the rind of half a lemon finely grated. let the liquid sink into the solid part; then flour a cloth, tie it tight over, and boil one hour; keep the mould the right side up. serve with pudding sauce. brass. culinary vessels made of this metal, are constantly in danger of contracting verdigris. to prevent this, instead of wiping them dry in the usual manner, let them be frequently immersed in water, and they will be preserved safe and clean. brawn. young brawn is to be preferred, the horny part of which will feel moderately tender, and the flavour will be better; the rind of old brawn will be hard. for mock brawn, boil a pair of neat's feet very tender; take the meat off, and have ready a belly-piece of salt pork, which has been in pickle for a week. boil this almost enough, take out the bones if there be any, and roll the feet and the pork together. bind it tight together with a strong cloth and coarse tape, boil it quite tender, and hang it up in the cloth till cold. keep it afterwards in souse till it is wanted. bread. two very important reasons urge the propriety and necessity of using home-baked bread, in preference to baker's bread, wherever it can be done with tolerable convenience; these are, its superior quality, and its cheapness. a bushel of wheat, weighing sixty pounds, will make sixty-five pounds of household bread, after the bran has been taken out; and if the pollard be separated also, to make a finer article, a bushel of ground wheat will then make fifty-eight pounds of fine white bread, free from any foreign mixture, leaving from ten to fifteen pounds of bran and pollard, which may be applied to useful purposes. the calculation then will be easy, and the difference between purchasing and making bread will be seen at once. a bushel of ground wheat weighing sixty pounds will produce thirteen quartern loaves and a half of fine bread, after the bran and pollard have been taken out; add to the price of the wheat, nine-pence a bushel for grinding, three-pence for yeast, four-pence for salt and the expence of baking; and from this deduct six-pence at least for the value of the bran and pollard, and it gives the price of the quartern loaves made and baked at home. in general it will be found that there is a saving of one third of the expense, if the business be properly conducted. then the wholesome and nutricious quality of the bread is incomparably superior; there is no addition of alum, ground potatoes, whiting, or any other ingredient to give weight or colour to the bread, as is too often the case with baker's bread; but all is nutricious, sound, and good. but supposing their bread to be equal in quality, there is still a considerable saving in the course of a year, especially in a large family; and if household bread be made instead of fine bread, every bushel of good heavy wheat will produce nearly fifteen quartern loaves. besides this, rye, and even a little barley mixed with the wheat, will make very good bread, and render it cheaper still. rye will add a sweetness to the bread, and make it cut firmer, so as to prevent the waste of crumbs, and is unquestionably an article of good economy. the addition of potatoes is by no means to be approved, though so often recommended; any of the grains already mentioned have in them ten times the nutrition of potatoes, and in the end will be found to be much cheaper. making bread with skim milk, instead of water, where it can be done, is highly advantageous, and will produce a much better article than can be purchased at a baker's shop.--on the subject of making bread, little need be said, as every common maid-servant is or ought to be well acquainted with this necessary part of household work, or she is good for nothing. to make good bread however, the flour should be kept four or five weeks before it is baked. then put half a bushel of it into a kneading trough, mix with it between four and five quarts of warm water or skim milk, and a pint and a half of good yeast, and stir it well together with the hand till it become tough. let it rise before the fire, about an hour and a half, or less if it rise fast; then, before it falls, add four quarts more of warm water, and half a pound of salt. work it well, and cover it with a cloth. put the fire into the oven; and by the time it is heated, the dough will be ready. make the loaves about five pounds each, sweep out the oven very clean and quick, and put in the bread; shut it up close, and two hours and a half will bake it. in summer the water should be milk warm, in winter a little more, and in frosty weather as hot as the hand will bear, but not scalding, or the whole will be spoiled. bread is better baked without tins, which gives to the crust an unnatural degree of hardness.--those who are under the necessity of purchasing baker's bread, for want of other convenience, may detect the adulteration of alum by macerating a small piece of the crumb of new-baked bread in cold water, sufficient to dissolve it; and the taste of the alum, if it has been used, will acquire a sweet astringency. or a heated knife may be thrust into a loaf before it has grown cold; and if it be free from that ingredient, scarcely any alteration will be visible on the blade; but, in the contrary case, its surface, after being allowed to cool, will appear slightly covered with an aluminous incrustation. bread cake. to make a common bread cake, separate from the dough, when making white bread, as much as is sufficient for a quartern loaf, and knead well into it two ounces of butter, two of lisbon sugar, and eight of currants. warm the butter in a tea-cupful of good milk. by adding another ounce of butter or sugar, or an egg or two, the cake may be improved, especially by putting in a tea-cupful of raw cream. it is best to bake it in a pan, rather than as a loaf, the outside being less hard. bread cheesecakes. slice a penny white loaf as thin as possible, pour over it a pint of boiling cream, and let it stand two hours. beat up eight eggs, half a pound of butter, and a grated nutmeg. put in half a pound of currants, well washed and dried, and a spoonful of brandy or white wine. bake them in pattipans, or raised crusts. bread pudding. grate some white bread, pour over some boiling milk, and cover it close. when soaked an hour or two, beat it fine, and mix with it two or three eggs well beaten. put it into a bason that will just hold it, tie a floured cloth over it, and put it into boiling water. send it up with melted butter poured over: it may be eaten with salt or sugar. prunes, or french plums, make a fine pudding instead of raisins, either with suet or bread pudding.--another and richer. pour half a pint of scalding milk, on half a pint of bread crumbs, and cover it up for an hour. beat up four eggs, and when strained, add to the bread, with a tea-spoonful of flour, an ounce of butter, two ounces of sugar, half a pound of currants, an ounce of almonds beaten with orange-flower water, half an ounce of orange, of lemon, and of citron. butter a bason that will exactly hold it, flour the cloth, tie it tight over, and boil the pudding an hour. bread sauce. boil a large onion quartered, with some black pepper and milk, till the onion is quite a pap. pour the milk on white stale-bread grated, and cover it. in an hour put it into a saucepan, with a good piece of butter mixed with a little flour: boil the whole up together, and serve with it. bread soup. boil some pieces of bread crust in a quart of water, with a small piece of butter. beat it with a spoon, and keep it boiling till the bread and water be well mixed: then season it with a little salt. [illustration: _patent brewing machine._ a _the machine ready for use, with the cover raised._ b _moveable fire place._ c _cylindrical boiler to be placed on_ b, _with its cover_ d. e _extracting perforated cylinder to be placed within_ c. f _centre for ditto._ g. g _coolers, one to pack within the other._] bread and butter pudding. spread some butter on slices of bread, and lay them in a dish, with currants between each layer. to make it rich, add some sliced citron, orange, or lemon. pour over an unboiled custard of milk, two or three eggs, a few corns of pimento, and a very little ratifia, two hours at least before it is to be baked, and lade it over to soak the bread. a paste round the edge makes all puddings look better, but it is not necessary. bread and rice pudding. boil a quarter of a pound of rice in some milk till it is quite soft, put it into a bason, and let it stand till the next day. soak some sliced bread in cold milk, drain it off, mash it fine, and mix it with the rice. beat up two eggs with it, add a little salt, and boil it an hour. breakfast cakes. take a pound and a half of flour, four ounces of butter, a spoonful of yeast, and half a pint of warm milk. rub the butter into the flour, and mix the eggs, yeast, and milk together. put the liquid into the middle of the flour, and let it stand to rise for two hours. make it into cakes, let them stand to rise again, and wash them over with skimmed milk before they are put into the oven. breast of lamb. cut off the chine-bone from the breast, and set it on to stew with a pint of gravy. when the bones would draw out, put it on the gridiron to grill; and then lay it in a dish on cucumbers nicely stewed. breast of mutton. pare off the superfluous fat, and roast and serve the meat with stewed cucumbers; or to eat cold, covered with chopped parsley. or half-boil, and then grill it before the fire: cover it with bread crumbs and herbs, and serve with caper sauce. or if boned, take away a good deal of the fat, and cover it with bread, herbs, and seasoning. then roll and boil it; serve with chopped walnuts, or capers and butter. breast of veal. before roasting it, take off the two ends to fry and stew, if the joint be large, or roast the whole together, and pour butter over it. if any be left, cut it into regular pieces, put them into a stewpan, and pour some broth over it. if no broth, a little water will do: add a bunch of herbs, a blade or two of mace, some pepper, and an anchovy. stew till the meat be tender, thicken with flour and butter, and add a little ketchup. serve the sweetbread whole upon it, which may either be stewed or parboiled, and then covered with crumbs, herbs, pepper and salt, and browned in a dutch oven. the whole breast may be stewed in the same way, after cutting off the two ends. a boiled breast of veal, smothered with onion sauce, is also an excellent dish, if not old nor too fat. brentford rolls. mix with two pounds of flour, a little salt, two ounces of sifted sugar, four ounces of butter, and two eggs beaten with two spoonfuls of yeast, and about a pint of milk. knead the dough well, and set it to rise before the fire. make twelve rolls, butter tin plates, and set them before the fire to rise, till they become of a proper size, and bake them half an hour. brewing. the practice of brewing malt liquor is but seldom adopted by private families in large towns and cities, owing probably to a want of conveniences for the purpose, and an aversion to the labour and trouble which it might occasion. but if the disagreeable filthiness attending the process in large public breweries were duly considered, together with the generally pernicious quality of the beer offered to sale, as well as the additional expense incurred by this mode of procuring it, no one who regards economy, or the health and comfort of his family, would be without home-brewed beer, so long as there were any means left of obtaining it. beer as strong of malt and hops, when all the foreign ingredients are extracted, may be manufactured at home at less than one third of what it could cost at a public brewery, besides the satisfaction of drinking, what is known to be wholesome, and free from any deleterious mixture. twelve shillings for malt and hops will provide a kilderkin of beer far superior to one that could be purchased under license for a pound, while the yeast and the grains are sufficient to repay all the labour and expense of brewing. on every account, therefore, it is desirable that the practice of domestic brewing were universally adopted. the health and comfort of the community would be increased; and by a larger consumption of malt, the growth of barley would be extended, and agriculture proportionably benefited. in order to this however, the enormous duty upon malt requires to be diminished or repealed. the farmer, unable to make three shillings a bushel of his barley, is suffering severely under this grinding taxation, as well as the consumer, who is compelled to pay a duty of four shillings and six-pence for every bushel that is converted into malt.--the best seasons of the year for brewing are march and october, the weather in those months being generally free from the extremes of heat and cold, which are alike injurious to the process of fermentation. if this is not in all cases practicable, means should be used to cool the place where the liquor is set for working in the summer, and of warming it in the winter: otherwise the beer will be likely to turn sour or muddy. the beer which is brewed in march should not be tapped till october, nor that brewed in october till the following march; taking this precaution, that families of an equal number all the year round, will drink at least a third more in summer than in winter.--the most suitable water for brewing is soft river water, which having had the rays of the sun and the influence of the air upon it, will more easily penetrate and extract the virtues of the malt. hard water possesses an astringent quality, which prevents the goodness of the malt from being freely communicated to the liquor. if two parcels of beer be brewed in all respects the same, except in the quality of the water, it will be found that the beer brewed with soft river water will exceed the other in strength above five degrees, in the course of twelve months' keeping. where water is naturally of a hard quality, it may in some measure be softened by exposing it to the action of the sun and air, and infusing in it some pieces of soft chalk. throwing into it a quantity of bran while it is boiling, and before it is poured on the malt, will likewise have a good effect.--previous to commencing the process of brewing, it will be necessary to ascertain the quantity of malt and hops, which of course will be regulated by the demands of the family, the convenience of cellerage, and other circumstances. supposing two or three sorts of liquor be required, six bushels of malt, and about three quarters of a pound of hops to each bushel, will make half a hogshead of ale, half a hogshead of table beer, and the same of small beer; or about nine gallons of each to the bushel. but if in a smaller brewing, only two sorts are required, or the whole be blended into one, then eighteen gallons of wholesome beverage may be produced at something less than three farthings a pint.--having thus adjusted the proportion of malt and hops to the quantity of beer to be brewed, the next thing will be to heat water sufficient for the purpose. meanwhile see that the brewing utensils be properly cleaned and scalded, and the pen-staff in the mash tub well fixed. then put a quantity of boiling water into the mash-tub, in which it must stand till the greater part of the steam is gone off, or you can see your own shadow in it. it will then be necessary that one person should pour the malt gently in, while another is carefully stirring it. a little malt should be reserved to strew over the mash in order to prevent evaporation, and then the tub may be covered over with sacks. if it be not sufficient to contain the whole at once, the mashing must be repeated, observing that the larger the quantity that is mashed at once, the longer it will require to stand before it is drawn off. the mash of ale must be allowed to steep three hours, table beer one hour, and small beer half an hour afterwards. by this mode of proceeding, the boilings will regularly succeed each other, which will greatly expedite the business. in the course of mashing, be careful to stir it thoroughly from the bottom, especially round the basket, that there may be no adhesion, in any part of the mash. previous to running it off, be prepared with a pail to catch the first flush, as that is generally thick, and return it to the mash two or three times, till it run clear and fine. by this time the copper should be boiling, and a convenient tub placed close to the mash-tub. put into it half the quantity of boiling water intended for drawing off the best wort; after which the copper must be filled up again, and proper attention paid to the fire. meanwhile, keep slopping and wetting the mash with the hot water out of the tub, in moderate quantities, every eight or ten minutes, till all the water is added to the mash. then let off the remaining quantity, which will be boiling hot, and this will finish the process for strong beer. boil up the copper as quick as possible for the second mash, whether intended for strong or small beer. empty the boiling water into the tub by the side of the mash, as in the former instance, and renew the process. great care is required in boiling the wort after it is drawn off, and the hops must be put in with the first boiling. in filling the copper with the wort, leave sufficient room for boiling, that there may be no waste in boiling over, and make a good fire under it. quick boiling is a part of the business that requires particular attention, and great caution must be observed when the liquor begins to swell in waves in the copper. the furnace door must be opened, and the fire damped or regulated to suit the boiling of the wort. in order to ascertain the proper time for boiling the liquor, lade out some of it; and if a working be discovered, and the hops are sinking, the wort is boiled enough. long and slow boiling injures and wastes the liquor. as soon as it is sufficiently boiled, run the liquor through a cloth or fine sieve into some coolers, to free it from the hops, and to get a proper quantity cooled immediately to set it to work. if the brewhouse be not sufficiently airy to cool a quantity soon, the liquor must be emptied into shallow tubs, and placed in a passage where there is a thorough draught of air, but where it is not exposed to rain or wet. the remainder in the copper may then be let into the first cooler, taking care to attend to the hops, and to make a clear passage through the strainer. the hops must be returned into the copper, after having run off four or five pailfuls of the liquor for the first cooling, and then it must be set to work in the following manner. take four quarts of yeast, and divide half of it into small wooden bowls or basons, adding to it an equal quantity of wort nearly cold. as soon as it ferments to the top of the basons, put it into two pails; and when that works to the top, distribute it into two wide open tubs. fill them half full with cool wort, and cover them over, till it comes to a fine white head. this will be accomplished in about three hours, and then both quantities may be put together into the working tub, with the addition of as much wort as is sufficiently cooled. if the weather be mild and open, it cannot be worked too cold. if the brewing be performed in frosty weather, the brewhouse must be kept warm; but hot wort must never be added to keep the liquor to a blood heat. attention also must be paid to the quality of the yeast, or it may spoil all the beer. if it has been taken from foxed beer, or such as has been heated by ill management in the working, it will be likely to communicate the same bad quality. if the yeast be flat, and that which is fresh and lively cannot be procured, put to it a pint of warm sweetwort of the first letting off, when it is about half the degree of milk-warm. shake the vessel that contains it, and it will soon gather strength, and be fit for use.--tunning is the last and most simple operation in the business of brewing. the casks being well prepared, perfectly sweet and dry, and placed on the stand ready to receive the liquor, first skim off the top yeast, then fill the casks quite full, bung them down, and leave an aperture for the yeast to work through. if the casks stand on one end, the better way is to make a hole with a tap-borer near the summit of the stave, at the same distance from the top as the lower tap-hole is from the bottom. this prevents the slovenliness of working the beer over the head of the barrel; and the opening being much smaller than the bung-hole, the beer by being confined will sooner set itself into a convulsive motion, and work itself fine, provided proper attention be paid to filling up the casks five or six times a day.----another method of brewing, rather more simple but not more excellent than the above, may be adopted by those whose conveniences are more limited. for table beer, allow three bushels of malt to thirty-nine gallons of water, and a pound and a half of hops. pour a third part of the hot water upon the malt, cover it up warm half an hour, then stir up the mash, and let it stand two hours and a half more. set it to drain off gently; when dry, add half the remaining water, mash, and let it stand half an hour. run that into another tub, and pour the rest of the water on the malt; stir it well, cover it up, and let it infuse a full hour. run that off and mix all together. put the hops into a little hot water to open the pores, then put the hops and water into the tub, run the wort upon them, and boil them together for an hour. strain the liquor through a coarse sieve, and set it to cool. if the whole be not cool enough that day to add to it the yeast, a pail or two of wort may be prepared, and a quart of yeast added to it over night. before tunning, all the wort should be put together, and thoroughly mixed. when it has done working, paste a piece of paper on the bung-hole, and after three days it may be fastened close. in less than a month the beer will be fit for use. see ale, malt, beer. brewing utensils. the most desirable object in the process of brewing is the fixing of the copper, so as to make the fire come directly under the bottom of it. many coppers are injured, and rendered unserviceable, for want of proper attention to this particular. the method adopted by the most experienced bricklayers is to divide the heat of the fire by a stop; and if the door and the draft be in a direct line, the stop must be erected from the middle of each outline of the grating, and parallel with the centre sides of the copper. the stop is nothing more than a thin wall in the centre of the right and left sides of the copper, ascending half way to the top of it; on the top of which must be left a small cavity, four or five inches square, for a draft of that half part of the fire which is next to the copper door, to pass through, and then the building must close all round to the finishing at the top. by this method of fixing the copper, the heat will communicate from the outward part of the fire round the outward half of the copper through the cavity; as also will the furthest part of the fire, which contracts a conjunction of the whole, and causes the flame to slide gently and equally all round the bottom of the copper. considerable advantages result from this position of the copper. if the draught under it were suffered at once to ascend, without being thus divided, the hops would be scorched in the boiling, and liable to stick to the sides, which would considerably injure the flavour of the liquor, unless kept continually stirring. it will also save the consumption of fuel, and preserve the copper much longer than any other method, as there will be no difficulty in boiling half a copper full at a time without doing it any injury.--the next article of consideration in this case is the mash-tub. this should be proportioned to the size of the copper, and the quantity of beer intended to be brewed. the grains should not be kept in the tub any longer than the day after brewing, as in hot weather especially the grains begin to turn sour as soon as they are cold; and if there be any sour scent in the brewhouse at the time the liquor is tunned, it will be apt to injure the flavour of the beer.--tubs and coolers require to be kept perfectly sweet and clean, and should not be used for any other purpose. in small houses, where many vessels are cumbersome and inconvenient, it is too common to use the same tubs for both washing and brewing; but this ought not to be done where it can be avoided; and where it is unavoidable, the utmost care is necessary to give them a double washing, scouring, and scalding. coolers also require considerable care, or by the slightest taint they will soon contract a disagreeable flavour. this often proceeds from wet having infused itself into the wood, it being apt to lodge in the crevices of old vessels, and even infect them to such a degree, that it cannot be removed, even after several washings and scaldings. one cause incidental to this evil is, using the brewhouse for the purposes of washing, which ought never to be permitted, where any other convenience can be had; for nothing can be more injurious than the remains of dirty suds, left in vessels intended for brewing only. nor should water be suffered to stand too long in the coolers, as it will soak into them, and soon turn putrid, when the stench will enter the wood, and render them almost incurable. more beer is spoiled for want of attention to these niceties than can well be imagined, and the real cause is seldom known or suspected; but in some families, after all the care that is taken in the manufacture of the article, the beer is never palatable or wholesome.--barrels should be well cleaned with boiling water; and if the bung-hole will admit, they should be scrubbed inside with a hard brush. if they have acquired a musty scent, take out the heads, and let them be well scrubbed with sand and fuller's earth. then put in the head again, and scald it well; throw in a piece of unslaked lime, and close up the bung. when the cask has stood some time, rinse it well with cold water, and it will then be fit for use. new casks likewise require attention, for they are apt to give the liquor a bad taste, if they be not well scalded and seasoned several days successively before they are used; and old casks are apt to grow musty, if they stand any time out of use. to prevent this, a cork should be put into every one of them as soon as the cock or fosset is taken out; the vent and the bung-hole must also be well closed. the best way to season new casks is to boil two pecks of bran or malt dust in a copper of water, and pour it in hot; then stop it up close, and let it stand two days. when the cask is washed and dried, it will be fit for use. brewing machine. where a family usually consume ten gallons of beer, or upwards, in a week, there is a brewing machine lately invented, which will be found singularly convenient and advantageous, and comparatively of little expense. the use of it in brewing curtails the labour, shortens the time in which the operation may be performed, greatly diminishes the quantity of fuel, and may be placed within very narrow limits, in the house of any tradesman in the most crowded city. eighteen gallons of good beer may be brewed with this machine in the course of six hours, or a larger quantity with a machine of proportionate dimensions, in the same space of time. the process is so simple, that it may be comprehended by any person of ordinary capacity, and once seeing the operation performed will be sufficient. in the common mode of brewing, the principal difficulty consists in ascertaining the degrees of heat necessary to the production of good beer, without the use of a thermometer; but in the use of this machine, this difficulty is completely obviated.--the machine complete is represented by figure a; and b, c, d, e, f, represent its several parts. b is the bottom, made of strong sheet-iron, standing upon three legs. the hollow part of it contains the fire, put in at a door, the latch of which appears in front. the tube which projects upwards, is a stove pipe to carry off the smoke; and the circular pan that is seen between the legs, is a receptacle for the ashes or cinders that fall down through the grate above. c is a sheet-iron vessel, tinned on the inside, the bottom of which fits into the top of b; and the cock in c is to let off the wort, as will be seen hereafter. d is the lid of this vessel. e is made of sheet-iron, tinned inside and out, and full of holes to act as a strainer. it is to hold the malt first, and the hops afterwards; it goes into c, as may be seen in figure a. in the middle of e is a round space, f, made of the same metal, and rising up from the bottom, having itself no bottom. it has holes in it all the way up, like the outer surface of e.--in preparing for brewing, the machine is put together as in a, except placing on the lid. the first thing is to put the malt, coarsely ground, into e, and no part into f, or into the circular space between c and e; otherwise e cannot act as a strainer, when the liquor is drawn off; and in this consists its principal use. having put in the malt, then add the water which of course flows into any part of the vessel c. stir the malt well with a stick, or with something that will separate it completely, so that no adhesion may be formed by the flour of the malt. this is very apt to be the case in the common mode of brewing, when water is poured hot upon the malt; but here the water is applied in a cold state, so that there is little trouble in separating the malt completely in the water. if the small machine be used, which is adapted to a bushel of malt, and the beer is to be fully equal in strength to london porter, then eighteen gallons to the bushel may be considered as the general estimate; and for this purpose the first mash is to receive twelve gallons of cold soft water, which will produce nine gallons of wort. having stirred the malt very carefully, light the fire under it, and get the liquor quickly to or degrees of heat. this may be ascertained by lifting off the lid, and dipping the thermometer from time to time into the centre f, and keeping it there a minute to give the quicksilver time to rise. while the mash is coming to this heat, stir the malt well three or four times. when the liquor has acquired its proper heat, put out the fire, and cover the whole of the machine with sacks, or something that will exclude the external air. in this state the mash remains for two hours: the cock is then turned, and nine gallons of wort will be drained off. put the wort into a tub of some sort, and keep it warm. then put into the machine twelve gallons more of water, rekindle the fire, and bring the heat to degrees as soon as possible; when this is done, extinguish the fire, and let the mash now stand an hour. draw off the second wort; and if only one sort of beer is wanted, add it to the first quantity. now take out the grains, lift out e, clean it well, and also the inside of c. replace e, put the hops into it, and the whole of the wort into the machine. cover it with the lid, light the fire a third time, and bring the liquor to a boil as soon as possible. let it boil a full hour with the lid off, and boil briskly all the time. the use of the centre f will now appear; for the machine being nearly full to the brim, the bubbling takes place in the centre f only, where there are no hops. there is a great boiling over in this centre, but the liquor sent up falls into e, and so there is no boiling over of c. when the full hour of brisk boiling has expired, put out the fire, draw off the liquor, leaving the hops of course in e. the liquor is now to go into shallow coolers; and when the heat is reduced to degrees, take out about a gallon of the liquor, and mix it with half a pint of good yeast. distribute it equally among the different parcels of wort, afterwards mix the whole together, and leave the liquor till it comes down to about sixty degrees of heat. the next removal is into the tun-tub, in which capacity c, without the addition of e, will serve very well. while the liquor is cooling, remove the spent hops from e, the stove pipe from b, the ash-receiver from the bottom. the machine remaining now as a tun-tub, draw off the liquor as soon as it is down to degrees; or take it out of the coolers, pour it into the tun-tub, and put on the lid. if the weather be very cold, or the tun-tub be in a cold place, cover it with something to keep it warm. here the fermentation takes place, sometimes sooner and sometimes later; but it generally shows itself by a head beginning to rise in about eight or ten hours; and at the end of eight and forty hours the head assumes a brownish appearance, and is covered with yeast instead of froth. the beer is then to be tunned into well-seasoned casks, sweet and sound, or all the expense and labour will be lost. the cask being fixed on the stand in the cellar, and the beer ready, skim off the yeast, and keep it in a deep earthen vessel. draw off the beer into a pail, and with the help of a wooden funnel fill the cask quite full. the beer will now begin to ferment again, and must be allowed to discharge itself from the bung-hole. when the working has ceased, the cask is again filled up with the surplus beer; and a handful of fresh hops being added, the bung is finally closed down. if the whole process has been properly attended to, such a cask of beer will be clear in a week; and as soon as clear it may be tapped. small beer may be tapped in less time. on a larger scale, or with casks of a smaller size, two sorts may be made, ale and small beer, taking the first wort for the former, and the second for the latter.--the advantages attending the patent machine are very obvious; for though the process appears to be minute, it is easily conducted, and but little time is required for the purpose. in the common method of brewing, the water must be carried from the copper to the mash-tub, while the machine serves for both purposes at once. with the common utensils the process is necessarily much slower, and the fuel consumed is nearly ten times as much; but the great convenience of all is the little room required and the place of brewing. in the common way there is wanted a copper fixed in brick-work, and for a family of any considerable size a brewhouse is indispensable. on the contrary, the machine is set up opposite any fire place, and the pipe enters the chimney, or is put into the fire place. there is no boiling over, no slopping about; and the operation may be performed upon a boarded floor, as well as upon a brick or stone floor. if there be no fire place in the room, the pipe can be projected through an opening in the window, or through the outside of any sort of building, not liable to suffer from the heat of the pipe. even a garden walk, a court, or open field will answer the purpose, provided there be no rain, and the mash-tub be kept sufficiently warm. when the brewing is finished, the machine should be well scalded, rubbed dry, and kept in a dry place. the two coolers, g g, placed on different casks, have no necessary connection with the machine. they are made of wood or cast-iron, of a size to fit one within another to save room. the patent machine is sold by messrs. needham and co. , piccadilly, london. the price of one for brewing a bushel of malt is £ , for two bushels £ , for three £ , for four £ , for five £ , and for six £ . if the article be thought expensive, a few neighbouring families might unite in the purchase, and the money would very soon be more than saved in the economy of brewing. bride cake. mix together a pound of dried flour, two drams of powdered mace, and a quarter of a pound of powdered loaf sugar. add a quarter of a pint of cream, and half a pound of melted butter; a quarter of a pint of yeast, five eggs, with half of the whites beaten up with the yolks, and a gill of rose water. having warmed the butter and cream, mix them together, and set the whole to rise before the fire. pick and clean half a pound of currants, put them in warm and well dried. bright bars of polished stoves, may be restored to their proper lustre, by rubbing them well with some of the following mixture on a piece of broad-cloth. boil slowly one pound of soft soap in two quarts of water, till reduced to one. of this jelly take three or four spoonfuls, and mix it to a consistence with the addition of emery. when the black is removed, wipe them clean, and polish with glass, not sand-paper. brisket of beef, if intended to be stewed, should have that part of it put into a stewpot which has the hard fat upon it, with a small quantity of water. let it boil up, and skim it well; then add carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and a few pepper corns. stew it till it is quite tender; then take out the fat bones, and remove all the fat from the soup. either serve that and the meat in a tureen, or the soup alone, and the meat on a dish, garnished with vegetables. the following sauce with the beef, will be found to be very excellent.--take half a pint of the soup, and mix it with a spoonful of ketchup, a glass of port wine, a tea-spoonful of made mustard, a little flour and salt, and a bit of butter. boil all together a few minutes, and pour it round the meat. chop capers, walnuts, red cabbage, pickled cucumbers, and chives or parsley, small, and place them in separate heaps over it. broad beans. boil them tender, with a bunch of parsley, which must afterwards be chopped and put into melted butter, to serve with them. bacon or pickled pork is usually boiled with the beans, but the meat will be of a better colour, if boiled separately. brocoli. to dress brocoli, cut the heads with short stalks, and pare off the tough skin. tie the small shoots into bunches, and boil them a shorter time than the heads. a little salt should be put into the water. serve them up with or without toast. broiling. cleanliness is extremely necessary in this mode of cookery; and for this purpose the gridiron, which is too frequently neglected, ought to be carefully attended to, keeping it perfectly clean between the bars, and bright on the top. when hot, wipe it well with a linen cloth; and before using it, rub the bars with mutton suet, to prevent the meat being marked by the gridiron. the bars should be made with a small gutter in them to carry off the gravy into a trough in front, to prevent the fat from dropping into the fire and making a smoke, which will spoil the flavour of the meat. upright gridirons are therefore the best, as they can be set before the fire, without fear of smoke, and the gravy is preserved in the trough under them. a brisk and clear fire is also indispensable, that the bars of the gridiron may all be hot through before any thing be laid upon them, yet not so as to burn the meat, but to give it that colour and flavour which constitute the perfection of this mode of cooking. never hasten any thing that is broiling, lest it be smoked and spoiled; but the moment it is done, send it up as hot as possible. broiled cod. cut the fish in thick slices, dry and flour it well; rub the gridiron with chalk, set it on a clear fire, and lay on the slices of cod. keep them high from the fire, turn them often, till they are quite done, and of a fine brown. take them up carefully without breaking, and serve with lobster or shrimp sauce. broiled eels. skin and clean a large eel, cut it in pieces and broil it slowly over a good fire. dust it well with dried parsley, and serve it up with melted butter. broiled fowl. cut a large fowl into four quarters, put them on a bird-spit, and tie that on another spit, and half roast. or half roast the whole fowl, and finish it on the gridiron, which will make it less dry than if wholly broiled. another way is to split the fowl down the back, pepper, salt, and broil it, and serve with mushroom sauce. broiled herrings. flour them first, broil them of a good colour, and serve with plain butter for sauce. broiled pigeons. after cleaning, split the backs, pepper and salt them, and broil them very nicely. pour over them either stewed or pickled mushrooms in melted butter, and serve them up as hot as possible. broiled salmon. cut slices an inch thick, and season with pepper and salt. lay each slice in half a sheet of white paper, well buttered; twist the ends of the paper, and broil the slices over a slow fire six or eight minutes. serve them in the paper, with anchovy sauce. broken china. to repair any article of this description, beat some lime into the finest powder, and sift it through muslin. tie some of it into a thin muslin, put on the edges of the broken china some white of an egg, and dust on a little lime as quickly as possible; but be careful to unite the broken parts very exactly. broth. a very nourishing kind of broth for weakly persons may be made as follows. boil two pounds of loin of mutton, with a large handful of chervil, in two quarts of water, till reduced to one. any other herb or roots may be added. remove part of the fat, and take half a pint three or four times a day. if a broth is wanted to be made quickly, take a bone or two of a neck or loin of mutton, pare off the fat and the skin, set it on the fire in a small tin saucepan that has a cover, with three quarters of a pint of water, the meat being first beaten, and cut in thin bits. put in a bit of thyme and parsley, and if approved, a slice of onion. let it boil very quick, skim it nicely; take off the cover, if likely to be too weak; otherwise keep it covered. half an hour is sufficient for the whole process. brown gravy. cover the bottom of a stewpan with lean veal an inch thick, overlay it with slices of undressed gammon, two or three onions, two or three bay leaves, some sweet herbs, two blades of mace, and three cloves. cover the stewpan, and set it over a slow fire; but when the juices come out, let the fire be a little quicker. when the meat is of a fine brown, fill the pan with good beef-broth, boil and skim it, then simmer it an hour. add a little water, thickened with flour; boil it half an hour, and strain it. gravy thus made will keep a week. brown bread ice. grate some brown bread as fine as possible, soak a small proportion in cream two or three hours, sweeten and ice it. brown bread pudding. half a pound of stale brown bread grated, half a pound of currants, ditto of shred suet, sugar and nutmeg. mix it up with four eggs, a spoonful of brandy, and twice as much cream. boil it in a cloth or bason of proper size three or four hours. browning. powder four ounces of double-refined sugar, put it into a very nice iron fryingpan, with one ounce of fresh butter. mix it well over a clear fire; and when it begins to froth, hold it up higher: when of a very fine dark brown, pour in a small quantity of a pint of port, and the whole by very slow degrees, stirring it all the time. put to the above half an ounce of jamaica, and the same of black pepper, six cloves of shalots peeled, three blades of mace bruised, three spoonfuls of mushroom and the same of walnut ketchup, some salt, and the finely-pared rind of a lemon. boil gently fifteen minutes, pour it into a bason till cold, take off the scum, and bottle it for use. this article is intended to colour and flavour made-up dishes. bruises. when the contusion is slight, fomentations of warm vinegar and water, frequently applied, will generally relieve it. cataplasms of fresh cow-dung applied to bruises, occasioned by violent blows or falls, will seldom fail to have a good effect. nothing however is more certainly efficacious than a porter plaster immediately applied to the part affected. boil some porter in an earthen vessel over a slow fire till it be well thickened; and when cold spread it on a piece of leather to form the intended plaster. bubble and squeak. boil, chop and fry some cabbage, with a little butter, pepper and salt. lay on it slices of underdone beef, lightly fried. bugs. dip a sponge or brush into a strong solution of vitriol, and rub it on the bedstead, or in the places where these vermin harbour, and it will destroy both them and their nits. if the bugs appear after once using it, the application must be repeated, and some of the liquid poured into the joints and holes of the bedstead and headboard. beds that have much woodwork require to be taken down and well examined, before they can be thoroughly cleared of these vermin, and the mixture should be rubbed into all the joints and crevices with a painter's brush. it should also be applied to the walls of the room to insure success; and if mixed with a little lime, it will produce a lively yellow. the boiling of any kind of woodwork or household furniture in an iron cauldron, with a solution of vitriol, will prevent the breeding of bugs, and preserve it from rottenness and decay. sulphur made into a paste, or arsenic dissolved in water, and applied in the same manner, will also be found an effectual remedy for the bugs. but if these do not completely succeed, take half a pint of the highest rectified spirits of wine, and half a pint of spirits of turpentine; dissolve in this mixture half an ounce of camphor, and shake them well together. dust the bed or the furniture, dip a sponge or brush into the mixture, wet them all over, and pour some of the liquid into the holes and crevices. if any should afterwards appear, wet the lacings of the bed, the foldings of the curtains near the rings, and other parts where it is at all likely the bugs may nestle and breed, and it will not fail to destroy them. the smell of this mixture is not unwholesome, and may be applied to the finest damask bed without any fear of soiling it. it should be well shaked together, but never used by candle-light, for fear of its taking fire. bullace cheese. to every quart of full ripe bullace, add a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar finely powdered. put them into a pot, and bake them in a moderate oven till they are soft. rub them through a hair sieve; to every pound of pulp add half a pound of loaf sugar powdered, and in the meantime keep it stirring. pour the pulp into preserving pots, tie brandy paper over; and keep them in a dry place. when it has stood a few months, it will cut out very bright and fine. buns. to make a good plain bun, that may be eaten with or without toasting and butter, rub four ounces of butter into two pounds of flour, four ounces of sugar, a nutmeg, a few jamaica peppers, and a dessert-spoonful of caraways. put a spoonful or two of cream into a cup of yeast, and as much good milk as will make the above into a light paste. set it to rise by the fire till the oven be ready, and bake the buns quickly on tins.--to make some of a richer sort, mix one pound and a half of dried flour with half a pound of sugar. melt eighteen ounces of butter in a little warm water, add six spoonfuls of rose-water, and knead the above into a light dough, with half a pint of yeast. then mix in five ounces of caraway comfits, and put some on them. burns. in slight cases, the juice of onions, a little ink or brandy rubbed immediately on the part affected, will prevent blisters. the juice of burdock, mixed with an equal quantity of olive oil, will make a good ointment for the purpose, and the fresh leaves of that plant may also be applied as a kind of plaster. houseleek used by itself, or mixed with cream, will afford quick relief in external inflammations. a little spirit of turpentine, or linseed oil, mixed with lime water, if kept constantly to the part will remove the pain. but warm vinegar and water, frequently applied with a woollen cloth, is most to be depended on in these cases. burnt cream. boil a pint of cream with a stick of cinnamon, and some lemon peel. take it off the fire, and pour it very slowly into the yolks of four eggs, stirring it till half cold. sweeten it, take out the spice, and pour it into a dish. when cold, strew over it some white pounded sugar, and brown it with a salamander. or, make a rich custard without sugar, and boil in it some lemon peel. when cold, sift over it plenty of white sugar, and brown the top with a salamander. butter. no one article of family consumption is of greater consequence than butter of a superior quality, and no one requires more care and management. it possesses various degrees of goodness, according to the food on which the cows are pastured, and the manner in which the dairy is conducted; but its sweetness is not affected by the cream being turned, of which it is made. when cows are in turnips, or eat cabbages, the taste is strong and disagreeable; and to remedy this, the following methods have been tried with advantage. when the milk is strained into the pans, put to every six gallons one gallon of boiling water. or dissolve one ounce of nitre in a pint of spring water, and put a quarter of a pint to every fifteen gallons of milk. or, in churning, keep back a quarter of a pint of sour cream, and put it into a well-scalded pot, into which the next cream is to be gathered. stir that well, and do so with every fresh addition.--to make butter, skim the milk in the summer, when the sun has not heated the dairy. at that season it should stand for butter twenty-four hours without skimming, and forty-eight in winter. deposit the cream-pot in a very cold cellar, unless the dairy itself is sufficiently cold. if you cannot churn daily, shift the cream into scalded fresh pots; but never omit churning twice a week. if possible, place the churn in a thorough air; and if not a barrel one, set it in a tub of water two feet deep, which will give firmness to the butter. when the butter is come, pour off the buttermilk, and put the butter into a fresh scalded pan, or tubs, which have afterwards been in cold water. pour water on it, and let it lie to acquire some hardness before it is worked; then change the water, and beat it with flat boards so perfectly, that not the least taste of buttermilk remain, and that the water which must be often changed, shall be quite clear. then work some salt into it, weigh, and make it into forms; throw them into cold water, in an earthen pan with a cover. nice cool butter will then be had in the hottest weather. it requires more working in hot than in cold weather; but care should be taken at all times not to leave a particle of buttermilk, or a sour taste, as is too often done.--to preserve butter, take two parts of the best common salt, one part of fine loaf-sugar, and one of saltpetre; beat them well together. to sixteen ounces of butter, thoroughly cleansed from the milk, add one ounce of this mixture: work it well, and pot down the butter when it becomes firm and cold. butter thus preserved is the better for keeping, and should not be used under a month. this article should be kept from the air, and is best in pots of well-glazed ware, that will hold from ten to fourteen pounds each. put some salt on the top; and when that is turned to brine, if not enough to cover the butter entirely, add some strong salt and water. it then requires only to be covered from the dust, and will be good for winter use.--in purchasing butter at market, recollect that if fresh, it ought to smell like a nosegay, and be of an equal colour throughout. if sour in smell, it has not been sufficiently washed: if veiny and open, it is probably mixed with stale butter, or some of an inferior quality. to ascertain the quality of salt butter, put a knife into it, and smell it when drawn out: if there is any thing rancid or unpleasant, the butter is bad. salt butter being made at different times, the layers in casks will greatly vary; and it is not easy to ascertain its quality, except by unhooping the cask, and trying it between the staves. butter dish. roll butter in different forms, like a cake or a pine, and mark it with a tea-spoon. or roll it in crimping rollers, work it through a cullender, or scoop it with a tea-spoon; mix it with grated beef, tongue, or anchovies. garnish with a wreath of curled parsley, and it will serve as a little dish. buttermilk, if made of sweet cream, is a delicious and very wholesome article of food. those who can relish sour buttermilk, will find it still more light, and it is reckoned very beneficial in consumptive cases. if not very sour, it is also as good as cream to eat with fruit; but it should be sweetened with white sugar, and mixed with a very little milk. it does equally well for cakes and rice puddings, and of course it is economical to churn before the cream is too stale for any thing but to feed pigs.--the celebrated dr. boerhaäve recommended the frequent use of sweet buttermilk in all consumptive cases, and that it should form the whole of the patient's drink, while biscuits and rusks, with ripe and dried fruits of various kinds, should chiefly be depended on as articles of food. for this purpose take the milk from the cow into a small churn; in about ten minutes begin churning, and continue till the flakes of butter swim about pretty thick, and the milk is discharged of all the oily particles, and appears thin and blue. strain it through a sieve, and let the patient drink it as frequently as possible. buttermilk pudding. warm three quarts of new milk, turn it with a quart of buttermilk, and drain the curd through a sieve. when dry pound in a marble mortar, with nearly half a pound of sugar, a lemon boiled tender, the crumb of a roll grated, a nutmeg grated, six bitter almonds, four ounces of warm butter, a tea-cupful of good cream, the yolks of five and whites of three eggs, a glass of sweet wine and a glass of brandy. when well incorporated, bake in small cups or bowls well buttered. if the bottom be not brown, use a salamander; but serve as quick as possible, and with pudding sauce. buttered crabs. pick out the inside when boiled, beat it up in a little gravy, with wine, pepper, salt, nutmeg, a few crumbs of bread, a piece of butter rolled in a little flour, and some vinegar or lemon juice. serve it up hot. buttered eggs. beat four or five eggs, yolk and white together; put a quarter of a pound of butter in a bason, and then put that into boiling water. stir it till melted, then put that butter and the eggs into a saucepan; keep a bason in your hand, just hold the saucepan in the other over a slow part of the fire, shaking it one way, as it begins to warm. pour it into the bason and back again, then hold it over the fire, stirring it constantly in the saucepan, and pouring it into the bason, more perfectly to mix the egg and butter, until they shall be hot without boiling. serve on toasted bread, or in a bason, to eat with salt fish or red herrings. buttered loaf. take three quarts of new milk, and add as much rennet as is sufficient to turn it; then break the curd, and drain off all the whey through a clean cloth. pound it in a stone mortar, add the white of one and the yolks of six eggs, a good handful of grated bread, half as much of fine flour, and a little salt. mix them well together with the hand, divide the whole into four round loaves, and place them upon white paper. after they are well buttered, varnish them all over with a feather, dipped in the yolk of an egg stirred up with a little beer. set the loaves in a quick oven three quarters of an hour; while baking, take half a pound of new butter, add to it four spoonfuls of water, half a nutmeg grated, and sugar sufficient to sweeten it. stir them together over the fire till they boil; when sufficiently thickened, draw the loaves from the oven, open their tops, pour in the butter and sugar, and send them up with sugar strewed over them. buttered lobsters. pick out the meat, cut and warm it, with a little weak brown gravy, nutmeg, salt, pepper, butter, and a little flour. if done white, a little white gravy and cream. buttered oranges. grate off a little of the outside rind of four seville oranges, and cut a round hole at the blunt end opposite the stalk, large enough to take out the pulp and seeds and juice. then pick the seeds and skin from the pulp, rub the oranges with a little salt, and lay them in water for a short time. the bits cut out are to be saved. boil the fruit in fresh water till they are tender, shifting the water to take out the bitterness. in the meantime make a thin syrup with fine sugar, put the oranges into it, and boil them up. as the quantity of syrup need not be enough to cover them, turn them round, that each part may partake of the syrup, and let them remain in it hot till they are wanted. about half an hour before serving, put some sugar to the pulp, and set it over the fire; mix it well, and let it boil. then add a spoonful of white wine for every orange, give it a boil, put in a bit of fresh butter, and stir it over the fire to thicken. fill the oranges with it, and serve them with some of the syrup in the dish, with the bits on the top. buttered orange-juice. mix the juice of seven seville oranges with four spoonfuls of rose-water, and add the yolks of eight and the whites of four eggs well beaten. strain the liquor on half a pound of sugar pounded, stir it over a gentle fire; and when it begins to thicken, add a piece of butter the size of a small walnut. keep it over the fire a few minutes longer, then pour it into a flat dish, and serve it to eat cold. if no silver saucepan for the purpose, do it in a china bason in a saucepan of boiling water, the top of which will just receive the bason. buttered prawns. take them out of the husk; warm them with a little good gravy, a bit of butter and flour, a taste of nutmeg, pepper and salt. simmer them together a minute or two, and serve with sippets; or with cream sauce, instead of brown. shrimps are done in the same manner. buttered rice. wash and pick some rice, drain, and set it on the fire, with new milk sufficient to make it swell. when tender, pour off the milk, and add a bit of butter, a little sugar and pounded cinnamon. shake and keep it from burning on the fire, and serve it up as a sweet dish. c. cabbage. wash and pick it carefully, and if very large, quarter it. put it into a saucepan with plenty of boiling-water, and a large spoonful of salt; if any scum rises, take it off, and boil it till the stalk is tender. keep the vegetable well covered with water all the time of boiling, and see that no smoke or dirt arises from stirring the fire. with careful management the cabbage will look as beautiful when dressed, as it did when growing. the flavour of an old cabbage may be much improved, by taking it up when half done, and putting it directly into another saucepan of fresh boiling water. when taken up, drain it in a cullender. it may be chopped and warmed with a piece of butter, pepper and salt, or sent to table whole with melted butter. savoys and greens in general are dressed in the same way. cakes. in making and baking cakes the following particulars should be attended to. the currants should be nicely picked and washed, dried in a cloth, and set before the fire. if damp, they will make cakes or puddings heavy. before they are added, a dust of dry flour should be scattered among them, and then shaken together, which will make the cake or pudding lighter. eggs should be beaten a long time, whites and yolks apart, and always strained. sugar should be rubbed to a powder on a clean board, and sifted through a fine hair or lawn sieve. lemon peel requires to be pared very thin, and with a little sugar beaten to a paste in a marble mortar. it should then be mixed with a little wine or cream, so as to divide easily among the other ingredients. after all the articles are put into the pan, they should be long and thoroughly beaten, as the lightness of the cake depends much on their being well incorporated. both black and white plumb cakes, being made with yeast, require less butter and eggs, and eat equally light and rich. if the leaven be only of flour, milk and water, and yeast, it becomes more tough, and is less easily divided, than if the butter be first put with those ingredients, and the dough afterwards set to rise by the fire. the heat of the oven is of great importance for cakes, especially large ones. if not pretty quick, the batter will not rise; and if too quick, put some white paper over the cake to prevent its being burnt. if not long enough lighted to have a body of heat, or it is become slack, the cake will be heavy. to know when it is soaked, take a broad-bladed knife that is very bright, and thrust it into the centre; draw it out instantly, and if the paste in any degree adheres, return the cake to the oven, and close it up. if the heat is sufficient to raise but not to soak the baking, a little fresh fuel should be introduced, after taking out the cakes and keeping them hot, and then returning them to the oven as quickly as possible. particular care however should be taken to prevent this inconvenience, when large cakes are to be baked. cake trifle. bake a rice cake in a mould; and when cold, cut it round with a sharp knife, about two inches from the edge, taking care not to perforate the bottom. put in a thick custard, and some spoonfuls of raspberry jam; and then put on a high whip. calf's feet broth. boil two feet in three quarts of water till reduced to half the quantity; strain it, and set it by. when to be used, take off the fat, put a large tea-cupful of the jelly into a saucepan, with half a glass of sweet wine, a little sugar and nutmeg, and heat it up till it be ready to boil. then take a little of it, and beat it by degrees to the yolk of an egg, adding a bit of butter the size of a nutmeg; stir it all together, but do not let it boil. grate a little fresh lemon peel into it.--another way is to boil two calves' feet with two ounces of veal, and two of beef, the bottom of a penny loaf, two or three blades of mace, half a nutmeg, and a little salt, in three quarts of water, till reduced to half the quantity. then strain it, and take off the fat. calf's feet jelly. boil two feet, well cleaned, in five pints of water till they are broken, and the water half wasted. strain it, take off the fat when cold, and remove the jelly from the sediment. put it into a saucepan, with sugar, raisin wine, lemon juice and lemon peel. when the flavour is rich, add the whites of five eggs well beaten, and their shells broken. set the saucepan on the fire, but do not stir the jelly after it begins to warm. let it boil twenty minutes after it rises to a head, then pour it through a flannel bag, first dipping the jelly bag in hot water to prevent waste, and squeezing it quite dry. run the jelly repeatedly through the bag, until it is quite clear, and then put it into glasses or forms. the following method will greatly facilitate the clearing of the jelly. when the mixture has boiled twenty minutes, throw in a tea-cupful of cold water; let it boil five minutes longer, then take the saucepan off the fire covered close, and keep it half an hour. it will afterwards be so clear as to need only once running through the bag, and much waste will be prevented.--another way to make jelly is to take three calf's feet, or two cow-heels, that have been only scalded, and boil them in four quarts of water, till it be half wasted. remove the jelly from the fat and sediment, mix with it the juice of a seville orange and twelve lemons, the peels of three ditto, the whites and shells of twelve eggs, brown sugar to taste, nearly a pint of raisin wine, one ounce of coriander seed, a quarter of an ounce of allspice, a bit of cinnamon, and six cloves, all bruised and previously mixed together. the jelly should boil fifteen minutes without stirring, and then be cleared through a flannel bag. take a little of the jelly while running, mix it with a tea-cupful of water in which a piece of beet root has been boiled, and run it through the bag when all the rest is run out. the other jelly being cooled on a plate, this will serve to garnish it. jelly made in this way will have a fine high colour and flavour. but in all cases, to produce good jelly, the feet should only be scalded to take off the hair. those who sell them ready prepared generally boil them too long, and they become in consequence less nutricious. if scalded only, the liquor will require greater care in removing the fat; but the jelly will be far stronger, and of course allow more water. jelly is equally good if made of cow-heels nicely cleaned, and will be much stronger than what is made from calf's feet. calf's feet pudding. boil four feet quite tender, pick off the meat, and chop it fine. add some grated bread, a pound of chopped suet, half a pint of milk, six eggs, a pound of currants, four ounces of citron, two ounces of candied peel, a grated nutmeg, and a glass of brandy. butter the cloth and flour it, tie it close, and boil it three hours. calf's head boiled. clean it carefully and soak it in water, that it may look very nice, and take out the brains for sauce. wash them well, tie them up in a cloth, with a little sage and parsley; put them into the pot at the same time with the head, and scum the water while boiling. a large head will take two hours, and when the part which joined the neck becomes tender it is done. take up the brains and chop them with the sage and parsley, and an egg boiled hard. put them into a saucepan with a bit of butter, pepper and salt, and warm them up. peel the tongue, lay it in the middle of the dish, with the brain sauce round it. strew over the head some grated bread and chopped parsley, and brown it by the fire in a separate dish, adding bacon, pickled pork, and greens. calf's head collared. scald the skin off a fine head, clean it nicely, and take out the brains. boil it tender enough to remove the bones, and season it high with mace, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. put a layer of chopped parsley, then a quantity of thick slices of fine ham, or a beautiful coloured tongue skinned, and then the yolks of six nice yellow eggs stuck here and there about. roll the head quite close, and tie it up tight, placing a cloth under the tape, as for other collars. boil it, and then lay a weight upon it. calf's head fricasseed. clean and half-boil part of a head; cut the meat into small bits, and put it into a tosser, with a little gravy made of the bones, some of the water it was boiled in, a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion, and a blade of mace. the cockscombs of young cockrels may be boiled tender, and then blanched, or a sweetbread will do as well. season the gravy with a little pepper, nutmeg, and salt. rub down some flour and butter, and give all a boil together. then take out herbs and onion, and add a small cup of cream, but do not boil it in. serve with small bits of bacon rolled up and forcemeat balls. calf's head hashed. when half boiled, cut off the meat in slices, half an inch thick, and two or three inches long. brown some butter, flour, and sliced onion; and throw in the slices with some good gravy, truffles and morels. give it one boil, skim it well and set it in a moderate heat to simmer till very tender. season at first with pepper, salt, and cayenne; and ten minutes before serving, throw in some shred parsley, and a very small bit of taragon and knotted marjoram cut as fine as possible. send it up with forcemeat balls, and bits of bacon rolled round, adding the squeeze of a lemon.--another way is to boil the head almost enough, and take the meat of the best side neatly off the bone with a sharp knife. lay this into a small dish, wash it over with the yolks of two eggs, and cover it with crumbs, a few herbs nicely shred, a little pepper, salt, and grated nutmeg all mixed together first. set the dish before the fire, and turn it now and then, that all parts of the head may be equally brown. in the mean time slice the remainder of the head, peel the tongue and slice it. put a pint of good gravy into a pan with an onion, and a small bunch of herbs, consisting of parsley, basil, savoury, taragon, knotted marjoram, and a little thyme. add a small quantity of salt and cayenne, a few truffles and morels, and two spoonfuls of ketchup. then beat up half the brains, put it to the rest with a little butter and flour, and simmer the whole together. beat the other part of the brains with shred lemon peel, a little nutmeg and mace, some shred parsley and an egg. then fry it in small cakes of a beautiful yellow brown. dip some oysters into the yolk of an egg, and do the same; and also some relishing forcemeat balls, made as for mock turtle. garnish with these, and small bits of bacon just made hot before the fire. calf's head pie. stew a knuckle of veal till fit for eating, with two onions, a few isinglass shavings, a bunch of herbs, a blade of mace, and a few peppercorns, in three pints of water. keep the broth for the pie. take off a bit of the meat for the balls, and let the other be eaten; but simmer the bones in the broth till it is very good. half boil the head, and cut it into square bits; put a layer of ham at the bottom, then some head, first fat and then lean, with balls and hard eggs cut in half, and so on till the dish be full; but great care must be taken not to place the pieces close, or the pie will be too solid, and there will be no space for the jelly. the meat must be first seasoned pretty well with pepper and salt, and a scrape or two of nutmeg. put a little water and gravy into the dish, cover it with a tolerably thick crust, and bake it in a slow oven. when done, fill it up with gravy, and do not cut it till quite cold. use a very sharp knife for this purpose, first cutting out a large piece, and going down to the bottom of the dish: thinner slices may afterwards be cut. the different colours, and the clear jelly, will have a beautiful marbled appearance. a small pie may be made to eat hot, and will have a good appearance, if seasoned high with oysters, mushrooms, truffles and morels. the cold pie will keep several days, and slices of it will make a handsome side-dish. if the isinglass jelly be not found stiff enough, a calf's foot or a cow heel may be used instead. to vary the colour, pickled tongue may be cut in, instead of ham. calf's head roasted. wash the head perfectly clean, stew it with oysters, tie it together and spit it, baste it well with butter and flour rubbed smooth. stew together some of the oyster liquor, gravy, butter and salt, with a few sprigs of marjoram and savoury, adding a little claret, and pour the sauce over the dish. calf's head soup. after the head has been thoroughly cleaned, put it into a stewpan with a proper quantity of water, an onion, some sweet herbs, mace and cloves, and a little pearl barley. boil it quite tender, put in some stewed celery, and season it with pepper. pour the soup into a dish, place the head in the middle, and send it hot to table. calf's head stewed. wash and soak it for an hour, bone it, take out the brains, the tongue and the eyes. make a forcemeat with two pounds of beef suet, as much lean veal, two anchovies boned and washed, the peel of a lemon, some grated nutmeg, and a little thyme. chop them up together with some grated bread, and mix in the yolks of four eggs. make part of this forcemeat into fifteen or twenty balls; boil five eggs hard, some oysters washed clean, and half a pint of fresh mushrooms, and mix with the rest of the forcemeat. stuff that part of the head where the bones were taken out, tie it up carefully with packthread, put it into two quarts of gravy or good broth, with a blade of mace, cover it close, and stew it very slowly for two hours. while the head is doing, beat up the brains with some lemon-thyme and parsley chopped very fine, some grated nutmeg, and the yolk of an egg mixed with it. fry half the brains in dripping, in little cakes, and fry the balls. when the head is done, keep it warm with the brain-cakes and balls; strain off the liquor in which the head was stewed, add to it some stewed truffles and morels, and a few pickled mushrooms. put in the other half of the brains chopped, boil them up together, and let them simmer a few minutes. lay the head into a hot dish, pour the liquor over it, and place the balls and the brain-cakes round it. for a small family, half the head will be sufficient. a lamb's head may be done in the same way. calf's heart. chop fine some suet, parsley, sweet marjoram and a boiled egg. add some grated bread, lemon peel, pepper, salt and mustard. mix them together in a paste, and stuff the heart with it, after it has been well washed and cleaned. if done carefully, it is better baked than roasted. serve it up quite hot, with gravy and melted butter. calf's kidney. chop veal kidney, and some of the fat; likewise a little leek or onion, pepper, and salt. roll the kidney up with an egg into balls, and fry it.--a calf's heart should be stuffed and roasted as a beef's heart; or sliced and made into a pudding, the same as for a steak or kidney pudding. calf's liver. there are several ways of making this into a good dish. one is to broil it, after it has been seasoned with pepper and salt. then rub a bit of cold butter over, and serve it up hot and hot.--if the liver is to be roasted, first wash and wipe it, then cut a long hole in it, and stuff it with crumbs of bread, chopped anchovy, herbs, fat bacon, onion, salt, pepper, a bit of butter, and an egg. sew up the liver, lard or wrap it in a veal caul, and put it to the fire. serve it with good brown gravy, and currant jelly.--if the liver and lights are to be dressed together, half boil an equal quantity of each; then cut them in a middling-sized mince, add a spoonful or two of the water that boiled it, a bit of butter, flour, salt and pepper. simmer them together ten minutes, and serve the dish up hot. calf's sweetbreads. these should be half boiled, and then stewed in white gravy. add cream, flour, butter, nutmeg, salt, and white pepper. or do them in brown sauce seasoned. or parboil, and then cover them with crumbs, herbs, and seasoning, and brown them in a dutch oven. serve with butter, and mushroom ketchup, or gravy. calves. the general method of rearing calves consumes so much of the milk of the dairy, that it is highly necessary to adopt other means, or the calves must be sold to the butcher while they are young. a composition called linseed milk, made of linseed oil-cake powdered, and gradually mixed with skim-milk sweetened with treacle, has been tried with considerable effect. it must be made nearly as warm as new milk when taken from the cow. hay tea mixed with linseed and boiled to a jelly, has likewise been tried with success. a species of water gruel, made in the following manner, is strongly recommended. put a handful or two of oatmeal into some boiling water, and after it has thickened a little, leave it to cool till it is lukewarm; mix with it two or three pints of skim-milk, and give it to the calf to drink. at first it may be necessary to make the calf drink by presenting the fingers to it; but it will soon learn to drink of itself, and will grow much faster than by any other method. according to the old custom, a calf intended to be reared is allowed to suck for six or eight weeks; and if the cow give only a moderate quantity of milk, the value of it will amount to the price of the calf in half that time. by the method now recommended, only a little oatmeal or ground barley is consumed, and a small quantity of skim-milk. the calf is also more healthy and strong, and less subject to disease. small whisps of hay should be placed round them on cleft sticks, to induce the calves to eat; and when they are weaned, they should be turned into short sweet grass; for if hay and water only are used, they are liable to swellings and the rot. the fatting of calves being an object of great importance, a greater variety of food is now provided for this purpose than formerly, and great improvements have been made in this part of rural economy. grains, potatoes, malt dust, pollard, and turnips now constitute their common aliment. but in order to make them fine and fat, they must be kept as clean as possible, with fresh litter every day. bleeding them twice before they are slaughtered, improves the beauty and whiteness of the flesh, but it may be doubted whether the meat is equally good and nutricious. if calves be taken with the scouring, which often happens in a few days after being cast, make a medicine of powdered chalk and wheat meal, wrought into a ball with some gin; and it will afford relief. the shoote is another distemper to which they are liable, and is attended with a violent cholic and the loathing of food. the general remedy in this case is milk, well mulled with eggs; or eggs and flour mixed with oil, melted butter, linseed or anniseed. to prevent the sickness which commonly attends calves about michaelmas time, take newly-churned butter, without salt, and form it into a cup the size of an egg; into this cup put three or four cloves of bruised garlic, and fill it up with tar. having put the cup down the calf's throat, pour into its nostrils half a spoonful of the spirit of turpentine, rub a little tar upon its nose, and keep it within doors for an hour. calves ought to be housed a night before this medicine is given. calico furniture. when curtains or bed furniture of this description are to be taken down for the summer, shake off the loose dust, and lightly brush them with a small long-haired furniture brush. wipe them afterwards very closely with clean flannels, and rub them with dry bread. if properly done, the curtains will look nearly as well as at first, and if the colour be not very light, they will not require washing for years. fold them up in large parcels, and put them by carefully. while the furniture remains up, it should be preserved as much as possible from the sun and air, which injure delicate colours; and the dust may be blown off with bellows. curtains may thus be kept clean, even to use with the linings after they have been washed or newly dipped. camp vinegar. slice a large head of garlic, and put it into a wide-mouthed bottle, with half an ounce of cayenne, two tea-spoonfuls of soy, two of walnut ketchup, four anchovies chopped, a pint of vinegar, and enough cochineal to give it the colour of lavender drops. let it stand six weeks; then strain it off quite clear, and keep it in small bottles sealed up. camphor julep. dissolve a quarter of an ounce of camphor in half a pint of brandy. it may thus be kept fit for use; and a tea-spoonful taken in a wine glass of cold water will be found an agreeable dose.--another way. to a quarter of an ounce of camphor, add a quart of boiling water, and a quart of cold. let it stand six hours, and strain it off for use. camphor ointment. put half an ounce of camphor into an ounce of the oil of almonds, mixed with an ounce of spermaceti. scrape fine into it half an ounce of white wax, and melt it over some hot water. camphorated oil. beat an ounce of camphor in a mortar, with two ounces of florence oil, till the camphor is entirely dissolved. this liniment is highly useful in rheumatism, spasms, and other cases of extreme pain. canaries. those who wish to breed this species of birds, should provide them a large cage, with two boxes to build in. early in april put a cock and hen together; and whilst they are pairing, feed them with soft meat, or a little grated bread, scalded rapeseed and an egg mixed together. at the same time a small net of fine hay, wool, cotton, and hair should be suspended in one corner of the cage, so that the birds may pull it out as they want it to build with. tame canaries will sometimes breed three or four times in a year, and produce their young about a fortnight after they begin to sit. when hatched, they should be left to the care of the old ones, to nurse them up till they can fly and feed themselves; during which time they should be supplied with fresh victuals every day, accompanied now and then with cabbage, lettuce, and chick-weed with seeds upon it. when the young canaries can feed themselves, they should be taken from the old ones, and put into another cage. boil a little rapeseed, bruise and mix it with as much grated bread, mace seed, and the yolk of an egg boiled hard; and supply them with a small quantity every day, that it may not become stale or sour. besides this, give them a little scalded rapeseed, and a little rape and canary seed by itself. this diet may be continued till they have done moulting, or renewed at any time when they appear unhealthy, and afterwards they may be fed in the usual manner. cancer. it is asserted by a french practitioner, that this cruel disorder may be cured in three days, by the following simple application, without any surgical operation whatever. knead a piece of dough about the size of a pullet's egg, with the same quantity of hog's lard, the older the better; and when they are thoroughly blended, so as to form a kind of salve, spread it on a piece of white leather, and apply it to the part affected. this, if it do no good, is perfectly harmless.--a plaster for an eating cancer may be made as follows. file up some old brass, and mix a spoonful of it with mutton suet. lay the plaster on the cancer, and let it remain till the cure is effected. several persons have derived great benefit from this application, and it has seldom been known to fail. candied angelica. cut angelica into pieces three inches long, boil it tender, peel and boil it again till it is green; dry it in a cloth, and add its weight in sugar. sift some fine sugar over, and let them remain in a pan two days; then boil the stalks clear and green, and let them drain in a cullender. beat another pound of sugar and strew over them, lay them on plates, and dry them well in an oven. candied fruit. take the preserve out of the syrup, lay it into a new sieve, and dip it suddenly into hot water, to take off the syrup that hangs about it. put it on a napkin before the fire to drain, and then do another layer in the sieve. sift the fruit all over with double refined sugar previously prepared, till it is quite white. set it on the shallow end of sieves in a lightly-warm oven, and turn it two or three times: it must not be cold till dry. watch it carefully, and it will be beautiful. candied peel. take out the pulps of lemons or oranges, soak the rinds six days in salt and water, and afterwards boil them tender in spring water. drain them on a sieve, make a thin syrup of loaf sugar and water, and boil the peels in it till the syrup begins to candy about them. then take out the peels, grate fine sugar over them, drain them on a sieve, and dry them before the fire. candles. those made in cold weather are best; and if put in a cool place, they will improve by keeping; but when they begin to sweat and turn rancid, the tallow loses its strength, and the candles are spoiled. a stock for winter use should be provided in autumn, and for summer, early in the spring. the best candle-wicks are made of fine cotton; the coarser yarn consumes faster, and burns less steady. mould candles burn the clearest, but dips afford the best light, their wicks being proportionally larger. caper sauce. add a table-spoonful of capers to twice the quantity of vinegar, mince one third of the capers very fine, and divide the others in half. put them into a quarter of a pint of melted butter, or good thickened gravy, and stir them the same way as the melted butter, to prevent their oiling. the juice of half a seville orange or lemon may be added. an excellent substitute for capers may be made of pickled green peas, nastursions, or gherkins, chopped into a similar size, and boiled with melted butter. when capers are kept for use, they should be covered with fresh scalded vinegar, tied down close to exclude the air, and to make them soft. capillaire. take fourteen pounds of good moist sugar, three of coarse sugar, and six eggs beaten in well with the shells, boil them together in three quarts of water, and skim it carefully. then add a quarter of a pint of orange-flower water, strain it off, and put it into bottles. when cold, mix a spoonful or two of this syrup in a little warm or cold water. carachee. mix with a pint of vinegar, two table-spoonfuls of indian soy, two of walnut pickle, two cloves of garlic, one tea-spoonful of cayenne, one of lemon pickle, and two of sauce royal. carmel cover. dissolve eight ounces of double refined sugar in three or four spoonfuls of water, and as many drops of lemon juice. put it into a copper skillet; when it begins to thicken, dip the handle of a spoon in it, and put that into a pint bason of water. squeeze the sugar from the spoon into it, and so on till all the sugar is extracted. take a bit out of the water, and if it snaps and is brittle when cold, it is done enough. but let it be only three parts cold, then pour the water from the sugar, and having a copper form oiled well, run the sugar on it, in the manner of a maze, and when cold it may be put on the dish it is intended to cover. if on trial the sugar is not brittle, pour off the water, return it into the skillet, and boil it again. it should look thick like treacle, but of a light gold colour. this makes an elegant cover for sweetmeats. carp. this excellent fish will live some time out of water, and may therefore get wasted: it is best to kill them as soon as caught, to prevent this. carp should either be boiled or stewed. scale and draw it, and save the blood. set on water in a stewpan, with a little chili vinegar, salt, and horse-radish. when it boils, put in the carp, and boil it gently for twenty minutes, according to the thickness of the fish. stew the blood with half a pint of port wine, some good gravy, a sliced onion, a little whole pepper, a blade of mace, and a nutmeg grated. thicken the sauce with butter rolled in flour, season it with pepper and salt, essence of anchovy, and mushroom ketchup. serve up the fish with the sauce poured over it, adding a little lemon juice. carp are also very nice plain boiled, with common fish sauce. carpets. in order to keep them clean, they should not frequently be swept with a whisk brush, as it wears them fast; not more than once a week, and at other times with sprinkled tea-leaves, and a hair brush. fine carpets should be done gently on the knees, with a soft clothes' brush. when a carpet requires more cleaning, take it up and beat it well, then lay it down and brush it on both sides with a hand-brush. turn it the right side upwards, and scour it clean with ox-gall and soap and water, and dry it with linen cloths. lay it on the grass, or hang it up to dry thoroughly. carraway cake. dry two pounds of good flour, add ten spoonfuls of yeast, and twelve of cream. wash the salt out of a pound of butter, and rub it into the flour; beat up eight eggs with half the whites, and mix it with the composition already prepared. work it into a light paste, set it before the fire to rise, incorporate a pound of carraway comfits, and an hour will bake it. carrier sauce. chop six shalots fine, and boil them up with a gill of gravy, a spoonful of vinegar, some pepper and salt. this is used for mutton, and served in a boat. carrole of rice. wash and pick some rice quite clean, boil it five minutes in water, strain and put it into a stewpan, with a bit of butter, a good slice of ham, and an onion. stew it over a very gentle fire till tender; have ready a mould lined with very thin slices of bacon, mix the yolks of two or three eggs with the rice, and then line the bacon with it about half an inch thick. put into it a ragout of chicken, rabbit, veal, or of any thing else. fill up the mould, and cover it close with rice. bake it in a quick oven an hour, turn it over, and send it to table in a good gravy, or curry sauce. carrots. this root requires a good deal of boiling. when young, wipe off the skin after they are boiled; when old, scrape them first, and boil them with salt meat. carrots and parsnips should be kept in layers of dry sand for winter use, and not be wholly cleared from the earth. they should be placed separately, with their necks upward, and be drawn out regularly as they stand, without disturbing the middle or the sides. carrot pudding. boil a large carrot tender; then bruise it in a marble mortar, and mix with it a spoonful of biscuit powder, or three or four little sweet biscuits without seeds, four yolks and two whites of eggs, a pint of cream either raw or scalded, a little ratifia, a large spoonful of orange or rose-water, a quarter of a nutmeg, and two ounces of sugar. bake it in a shallow dish lined with paste; turn it out, and dust a little fine sugar over it. carrot soup. put some beef bones into a saucepan, with four quarts of the liquor in which a leg of mutton or beef has been boiled, two large onions, a turnip, pepper and salt, and boil them together for three hours. have ready six large carrots scraped and sliced; strain the soup on them, and stew them till soft enough to pulp through a hair sieve or coarse cloth, with a wooden spoon; but pulp only the red part of the carrot, and not the yellow. the soup should be made the day before, and afterwards boiled with the pulp, to the thickness of peas-soup, with the addition of a little cayenne. [illustration: carving] [illustration: carving.] carving. in nothing does ceremony more frequently triumph over comfort, than in the administration of 'the honours of the table.' every one is sufficiently aware that a dinner, to be eaten in perfection, should be taken the very moment it is sent hot to table; yet few persons seem to understand, that he is the best carver who fills the plates of the greatest numbers of guests in the least portion of time, provided it be done with ease and elegance. in a mere family circle, where all cannot and ought not to be choosers, it is far better to fill the plates and send them round, rather than ask each individual what particular part they would prefer; and if in a larger company a similar plan were introduced, it would be attended with many advantages. a dexterous carver, would help half a dozen people in less time than is often wasted in making civil faces to a single guest. he will also cut fair, and observe an equitable distribution of the dainties he is serving out. it would save much time, if poultry, especially large turkeys and geese, were sent to table ready cut up. when a lady presides, the carving knife should be light, of a middling size, and of a fine edge. strength is less required than address, in the manner of using, it; and to facilitate this, the butcher should be ordered to divide the joints of the bones, especially of the neck, breast, and loin of mutton, lamb, and veal; which may then be easily cut into thin slices attached to the adjoining bones. if the whole of the meat belonging to each bone should be too thick, a small slice may be taken off between every two bones. the more fleshy joints, as fillet of veal, leg or saddle of mutton and beef, are to be helped in thin slices, neatly cut and smooth; observing to let the knife pass down to the bone in the mutton and beef joints. the dish should not be too far off the carver, as it gives an awkward appearance, and makes the task more difficult. in helping fish, take care not to break the flakes; which in cod and very fresh salmon are large, and contribute much to the beauty of its appearance. a fish knife, not being sharp, divides it best on this account. help a part of the roe, milt or liver, to each person. the heads of carp, part of those of cod and salmon, sounds of cod, and fins of turbot, are likewise esteemed niceties, and are to be attended to accordingly. in cutting up any wild fowl, duck, goose, or turkey, for a large party, if you cut the slices down from pinion to pinion, without making wings, there will be more prime pieces. but that the reader may derive the full advantage of these remarks, we shall descend to particulars, and illustrate the subject with a variety of interesting plates, which will show at the same time the manner in which game and poultry should be trussed and dished.----cod's head. fish in general requires very little carving, the fleshy parts being those principally esteemed. a cod's head and shoulders, when in season, and properly boiled, is a very genteel and handsome dish. when cut, it should be done with a fish trowel, and the parts about the backbone on the shoulders are the firmest and the best. take off a piece quite down to the bone, in the direction _a_, _b_, _c_, _d_, putting in the spoon at _a_, _c_, and with each slice of fish give a piece of the sound, which lies underneath the backbone and lines it, the meat of which is thin, and a little darker coloured than the body of the fish itself. this may be got by passing a knife or spoon underneath, in the direction of _d_, _f_. about the head are many delicate parts, and a great deal of the jelly kind. the jelly part lies about the jaw, bones, and the firm parts within the head. some are fond of the palate, and others the tongue, which likewise may be got by putting a spoon into the mouth.----edge bone of beef. cut off a slice an inch thick all the length from _a_ to _b_, in the figure opposite, and then help. the soft fat which resembles marrow, lies at the back of the bone, below _c_; the firm fat must be cut in horizontal slices at the edge of the meat _d_. it is proper to ask which is preferred, as tastes differ. the skewer that keeps the meat properly together when boiling is here shewn at _a_. this should be drawn out before it is served up; or, if it is necessary to leave the skewer in, put a silver one.----sirloin of beef may be begun either at the end, or by cutting into the middle. it is usual to enquire whether the outside or the inside is preferred. for the outside, the slice should be cut down to the bones; and the same with every following helping. slice the inside likewise, and give with each piece some of the soft fat. the inside done as follows eats excellently. have ready some shalot vinegar boiling hot: mince the meat large, and a good deal of the fat; sprinkle it with salt, and pour the shalot vinegar and the gravy on it. help with a spoon, as quickly as possible, on hot plates.----round or buttock of beef is cut in the same way as fillet of veal, in the next article. it should be kept even all over. when helping the fat, observe not to hack it, but cut it smooth. a deep slice should be cut off the beef before you begin to help, as directed above for the edge-bone.----fillet of veal. in an ox, this part is round of beef. ask whether the brown outside be liked, otherwise help the next slice. the bone is taken out, and the meat tied close, before dressing, which makes the fillet very solid. it should be cut thin, and very smooth. a stuffing is put into the flap, which completely covers it; you must cut deep into this, and help a thin slice, as likewise of fat. from carelessness in not covering the latter with paper, it is sometimes dried up, to the great disappointment of the carver.----breast of veal. one part, called the brisket, is thick and gristly; put the knife about four inches from the edge of this, and cut through it, which will separate the ribs from the brisket.----calf's head has a great deal of meat upon it, if properly managed. cut slices from _a_ to _b_, letting the knife go close to the bone. in the fleshy part, at the neck end _c_, there lies the throat sweetbread, which you should help a slice of from _c_ to _d_ with the other part. many like the eye, which must be cut out with the point of a knife, and divided in two. if the jaw-bone be taken off, there will be found some fine lean. under the head is the palate, which is reckoned a nicety; the lady of the house should be acquainted with all things that are thought so, that she may distribute them among her guests.----shoulder of mutton. this is a very good joint, and by many preferred to the leg; it being very full of gravy, if properly roasted, and produces many nice bits. the figure represents it as laid in the dish with its back uppermost. when it is first cut, it should be in the hollow part of it, in the direction of _a_, _b_, and the knife should be passed deep to the bone. the prime part of the fat lies on the outer edge, and is to be cut out in thin slices in the direction _e_. if many are at table, and the hollow part cut in the line _a_, _b_, is eaten, some very good and delicate slices may be cut out on each side the ridge of the blade-bone, in the direction _c_, _d_. the line between these two dotted lines, is that in the direction of which the edge or ridge of the blade-bone lies, and cannot be cut across.----leg of mutton. a leg of wether mutton, which is the best flavoured, may be known by a round lump of fat at the edge of the broadest part, as at _a_. the best part is in the midway, at _b_, between the knuckle and further end. begin to help there, by cutting thin deep slices to _c_. if the outside is not fat enough, help some from the side of the broad end in slices from _e_ to _f_. this part is most juicy; but many prefer the knuckle, which in fine mutton will be very tender though dry. there are very fine slices on the back of the leg: turn it up, and cut the broad end, not in the direction you did the other side, but longways. to cut out the cramp bone, take hold of the shank with your left hand, and cut down to the thigh bone at _d_; then pass the knife under the cramp bone in the direction, _d_, _g_.----fore quarter of lamb. separate the shoulder from the scoven, which is the breast and ribs, by passing the knife under in the direction of _a_, _b_, _c_, _d_; keeping it towards you horizontally, to prevent cutting the meat too much off the bones. if grass lamb, the shoulder being large, put it into another dish. squeeze the juice of half a seville orange or lemon on the other part, and sprinkle a little salt and pepper. then separate the gristly part from the ribs in the line _e_, _c_; and help either from that or from the ribs, as may be chosen.----haunch of venison. cut down to the bone in the line _a_, _b_, _c_, to let out the gravy. then turn the broad end of the haunch toward you, put in the knife at _b_, and cut as deep as you can to the end of the haunch _d_; then help in thin slices, observing to give some fat to each person. there is more fat, which is a favourite part, on the left side of _c_ and _d_ than on the other: and those who help must take care to proportion it, as likewise the gravy, according to the number of the company.--haunch of mutton is the leg and part of the loin, cut so as to resemble a haunch of venison, and is to be helped at table in the same manner.----saddle of mutton. cut long thin slices from the tail to the end, beginning close to the back bone. if a large joint, the slice may be divided. cut some fat from the sides.----ham may be cut three ways. the common method is, to begin in the middle, by long slices from _a_ to _b_, from the centre through the thick fat. this brings to the prime at first, which is likewise accomplished by cutting a small round hole on the top of the ham, as at _c_, and with a sharp knife enlarging that by cutting successive thin circles: this preserves the gravy, and keeps the meat moist. the last and most saving way is, to begin at the hock end, which many are most fond of, and proceed onwards. ham that is used for pies, &c. should be cut from the under side, first taking off a thick slice.----sucking pig. the cook usually divides the body before it is sent to table, and garnishes the dish with the jaws and ears. the first thing is, to separate a shoulder from the carcase on one side, and then the leg, according to the direction given by the dotted line _a_, _b_, _c_. the ribs are then to be divided into about two helpings, and an ear or jaw presented with them, and plenty of sauce. the joints may either be divided into two each, or pieces may be cut from them. the ribs are reckoned the finest part, but some people prefer the neck end, between the shoulders.----goose. cut off the apron in the circular line _a_, _b_, _c_, and pour into the body a glass of port wine, and a large tea-spoonful of mustard, first mixed at the sideboard. turn the neck end of the goose towards you, and cut the whole breast in long slices from one wing to another; but only remove them as you help each person, unless the company is so large as to require the legs likewise. this way gives more prime bits than by making wings. take off the leg, by putting the fork into the small end of the bone, pressing it to the body; and having passed the knife at _d_, turn the leg back, and if a young bird, it will easily separate. to take off the wing, put your fork into the small end of the pinion, and press it close to the body; then put in the knife at _d_, and divide the joint, taking it down in the direction _d_, _e_. nothing but practice will enable people to hit the joint dexterously. when the leg and wing of one side are done, go on to the other; but it is not often necessary to cut up the whole goose, unless the company be very large. there are two side bones by the wing, which may be cut off; as likewise the back and lower side bones: but the best pieces are the breast and the thighs, after being divided from the drum-sticks.----hare. the best way of cutting it up is, to put the point of the knife under the shoulder at _a_, and so cut all the way down to the rump, on one side of the back-bone, in the line _a_, _b_. do the same on the other side, so that the whole hare will be divided into three parts. cut the back into four, which with the legs is the part most esteemed. the shoulder must be cut off in a circular line, as _c_, _d_, _a_. lay the pieces neatly on the dish as you cut them; and then help the company, giving some pudding and gravy to every person. this way can only be practised when the hare is young. if old, do not divide it down, which will require a strong arm: but put the knife between the leg and back, and give it a little turn inwards at the joint; which you must endeavour to hit, and not to break by force. when both legs are taken off, there is a fine collop on each side the back; then divide the back into as many pieces as you please, and take of the shoulders, which are by many preferred, and are called the sportman's pieces. when every one is helped, cut off the head; put your knife between the upper and lower jaw, and divide them, which will enable you to lay the upper one flat on your plate; then put the point of the knife into the centre, and cut the head into two. the ears and brains may be helped then to those who like them.----carve rabbits as directed the latter way for hare; cutting the back into two pieces, which with the legs are the prime.----a fowl. the legs of a boiled fowl are bent inwards, and tucked into the belly; but before it is served, the skewers are to be removed. lay the fowl on your plate; and place the joints, as cut off, on the dish. take the wing off in the direction of _a_ to _b_, in the annexed engraving, only dividing the joint with your knife; and then with your fork lift up the pinion, and draw the wing towards the legs, and the muscles will separate in a more complete form than if cut. slip the knife between the leg and body, and cut to the bone; then with the fork turn the leg back, and the joint will give way if the bird is not old. when the four quarters are thus removed, take off the merrythought from _a_, and the neck bones; these last by putting in the knife at _c_, and pressing it under the long broad part of the bone in the line _c_, _b_. then lift it up, and break it off from the part that sticks to the breast. the next thing is, to divide the breast from the carcase, by cutting through the tender ribs close to the breast, quite down to the tail. then lay the back upwards, put your knife into the bone half-way from the neck to the rump, and on raising the lower end it will separate readily. turn the rump from you, and very neatly take off the two sidebones, and the whole will be done. as each part is taken off, it should be turned neatly on the dish, and care should be taken that what is left goes properly from table. the breast and wings are looked upon as the best parts, but the legs are most juicy in young fowls. after all, more advantage will be gained by observing those who carve well, and a little practice, than by any written directions whatever.----a pheasant. the bird in the annexed engraving is as trussed for the spit, with its head under one of its wings. when the skewers are taken out, and the bird served, the following is the way to carve it. fix a fork in the centre of the breast; slice it down in the line _a_, _b_; take off the leg on one side in the dotted line _b_, _d_; then cut off the wing on the same side in the line _c_, _d_. separate the leg and wing on the other side, and then cut off the slices of breast you divided before. be careful how you take off the wings; for if you should cut too near the neck, as at _g_, you will hit on the neck-bone, from which the wing must be separated. cut off the merrythought in the line _f_, _g_, by passing the knife under it towards the neck. cut the other parts as in a fowl. the breast, wings, and merrythought, are the most esteemed; but the leg has a higher flavour.----partridge. the partridge is here represented as just taken from the spit; but before it is served up, the skewers must be withdrawn. it is cut up in the same manner as a fowl. the wings must be taken off in the line _a_, _b_, and the merrythought in the line _c_, _d_. the prime parts of a partridge are the wings, breast, and merrythought; but the bird being small, the two latter are not often divided. the wing is considered as the best, and the tip of it reckoned the most delicate morsel of the whole.----pigeons. cut them in half, either from top to bottom or across. the lower part is generally thought the best; but the fairest way is to cut from the neck to _a_, rather than from _c_ to _b_, by _a_, which is the most fashionable. the figure represents the back of the pigeon; and the direction of the knife is in the line _c_, _b_, by _a_, if done the last way. casks. new casks are apt to give beer a bad taste, if not well scalded and seasoned before they are used. boil therefore two pecks of bran or malt dust in a copper of water, pour it hot into the cask, stop it close, and let it stand two days. then wash it clean, and dry it fit for use. old casks are apt to grow musty, if allowed to stand by neglected; they should therefore be closely stopped as soon as emptied. when tainted, put in some lime, fill up with water, and let them stand a day or two. if this be not sufficient, the head must be taken out, the inside well scoured, and the head replaced. caterpillars. these noxious insects, sustained by leaves and fruit, have been known in all ages and nations for their depredations on the vegetable world. in august and september they destroy cabbages and turnips in great abundance, and commit their ravages in fields and gardens whenever the easterly winds prevail. various means have been devised for their destruction, and any of the following which may happen to be the most convenient, may be employed with very good effect. mix and heat three quarts of water and one quart of vinegar, put in a full pound of soot, and stir it with a whisk till the whole is incorporated. sprinkle the plants with this preparation, every morning and evening, by dipping in a brush and shedding it over them; and in a few days all the cankers will disappear. or sow with hemp all the borders where cabbages are planted, so as to enclose them, and not one of these vermin will approach. when gooseberry or currant bushes are attacked, a very simple expedient will suffice. put pieces of woollen rags in every bush, the caterpillars will take refuge in them during the night, and in the morning quantities of them may thus be taken and destroyed. if this do not succeed, dissolve an ounce of alum in a quart of tobacco liquor; and as soon as the leaves of the plants or bushes appear in the least corroded, sprinkle on the mixture with a brush. if any eggs be deposited, they never come forward after this application; and if changed into worms they will sicken and die, and fall off. nothing is more effectual than to dust the leaves of plants with sulphur put into a piece of muslin, or thrown upon them with a dredging box: this not only destroys the insects, but materially promotes the health of the plants. when caterpillars attack fruit trees, they may be destroyed by a strong decoction of equal quantities of rue, wormwood, and tobacco, sprinkled on the leaves and branches while the fruit is ripening. or take a chafing-dish of burning charcoal, place it under the branches of the bush or tree, and throw on it a little brimstone. the vapour of the sulphur, and the suffocating fume arising from the charcoal, will not only destroy all the insects, but prevent the plants from being infested with them any more that season. black cankers, which commit great devastation among turnips, are best destroyed by turning a quantity of ducks into the field infested by them. every fourth year these cankers become flies, when they deposit their eggs on the ground, and thus produce maggots. the flies on their first appearance settle on the trees, especially the oak, elm, and maple: in this state they should be shaken down on packsheets, and destroyed. if this were done before they begin to deposit their eggs on the ground, the ravages of the canker would in a great measure be prevented. caudle. make a fine smooth gruel of half grits, strain it after being well boiled, and stir it at times till quite cold. when to be used, add sugar, wine, lemon peel and nutmeg. a spoonful of brandy may be added, and a little lemon juice if approved. another way is to boil up half a pint of fine gruel, with a bit of butter the size of a large nutmeg, a spoonful of brandy, the same of white wine, one of capillaire, a bit of lemon peel and nutmeg.--another. beat up the yolk of an egg with sugar, mix it with a large spoonful of cold water, a glass of wine, and nutmeg. mix it by degrees with a pint of fine gruel, not thick, but while it is boiling hot. this caudle is very agreeable and nourishing. some add a glass of beer and sugar, or a tea-spoonful of brandy.--a caudle for the sick and lying-in is made as follows. set three quarts of water on the fire, mix smooth as much oatmeal as will thicken the whole, with a pint of cold water; and when the water boils pour in the thickening, and add twenty peppercorns in fine powder. boil it up to a tolerable thickness; then add sugar, half a pint of good table beer, and a glass of gin, all heated up together. cauliflowers. choose those that are close and white, cut off the green leaves, and see that there be no caterpillars about the stalk. soak them an hour in cold water, then boil them in milk and water, and take care to skim the saucepan, that not the least foulness may fall on the flower. the vegetable should be served very white, and not boiled too much.--cauliflower dressed in white sauce should be half boiled, and cut into handsome pieces. then lay them in a stewpan with a little broth, a bit of mace, a little salt, and a dust of white pepper. simmer them together half an hour; then add a little cream, butter, and flour. simmer a few minutes longer, and serve them up.--to dress a cauliflower with parmesan, boil the vegetable, drain it on a sieve, and cut the stalk so that the flower will stand upright about two inches above the dish. put it into a stewpan with a little white sauce, and in a few minutes it will be done enough. then dish it with the sauce round, put parmesan grated over it, and brown it with a salamander. cauliflowers ragout. pick and wash the cauliflowers very clean, stew them in brown gravy till they are tender, and season with pepper and salt. put them in a dish, pour gravy on them, boil some sprigs of cauliflower white, and lay round. cayenne. those who are fond of this spice had better make it themselves of english capsicums or chillies, for there is no other way of being sure that it is genuine. pepper of a much finer flavour may be obtained in this way, without half the heat of the foreign article, which is frequently adulterated and coloured with red lead. capsicums and chillies are ripe and in good condition, during the months of september and october. the flavour of the chillies is superior to that of the capsicums, and will be good in proportion as they are dried as soon as possible, taken care that they be not burnt. take away the stalks, put the pods into a cullender, and set them twelve hours before the fire to dry. then put them into a mortar, with one fourth their weight of salt; pound and rub them till they are as fine as possible, and put the powder into a well-stopped bottle. a hundred large chillies will produce about two ounces of cayenne. when foreign cayenne is pounded, it is mixed with a considerable portion of salt, to prevent its injuring the eyes: but english chillies may be pounded in a deep mortar without any danger, and afterwards passed through a fine sieve. celery sauce. cut small half a dozen heads of clean white celery, with two sliced onions. put them into a stewpan, with a small piece of butter, and sweat them over a slow fire till quite tender. add two spoonfuls of flour, half a pint of broth, salt and pepper, and a little cream or milk. boil it a quarter of an hour, and pass it through a fine hair sieve with the back of a spoon. when celery is not in season, a quarter of a dram of celery seed, or a little of the essence, will impregnate half a pint of sauce with all the flavour of the vegetable. this sauce is intended for boiled turkey, veal, or fowls. celery soup. split half a dozen heads of celery into slips about two inches long, wash them well, drain them on a hair sieve, and put them into a soup pot, with three quarts of clear gravy. stew it very gently by the side of the fire, about an hour, till the celery is tender. if any scum arise, take it off, and season with a little salt. when celery cannot be procured, half a dram of the seed, pounded fine, will give a flavour to the soup, if put in a quarter of an hour before it is done. a little of the essence of the celery will answer the same purpose. cellars. beer and ale that have been well brewed, are often injured or spoiled in the keeping, for want of paying proper attention to the state of the cellar. it is necessary however to exclude as much as possible all external air from these depositaries, as the state of the surrounding atmosphere has a most material influence upon the liquor, even after it has been made a considerable time. if the cellar is liable to damps in the winter, it will tend to chill the liquor, and make it turn flat; or if exposed to the heat of summer, it will be sure to turn sour. the great object therefore is to have a cellar that is both cool and dry. dorchester beer, generally in high esteem, owes much of its fineness to this circumstance. the soil in that county being very chalky, of a close texture and free from damps, the cellars are always cool and dry, and the liquors are found to keep in the best possible manner. the nottingham ale derives much of its celebrity also from the peculiar construction of the cellars, which are generally excavated out of a rock of sand-stone to a considerable depth, of a circular or conical form, with benches formed all round in the same way, and on these the barrels are placed in regular succession. cerate. half a pound of white wax, half a pound of calumine stone finely powdered, and a pint and a half of olive oil, will make an excellent cerate. let the calumine be rubbed smooth with some of the oil, and added to the rest of the oil and wax, which should be previously melted together. stir them together till they are quite cold. chardoons. to dress chardoons, cut them into pieces of six inches long, and tie them in a bunch. boil them tender, then flour and fry them with a piece of butter, and when brown serve them up. or tie them in bundles, and serve them on toast as boiled asparagus, with butter poured over. another way is to boil them, and then heat them up in fricassee sauce. or boil in salt and water, dry them, dip them into butter, fry, and serve them up with melted butter. or having boiled, stew, and toss them up with white or brown gravy. add a little cayenne, ketchup, and salt, and thicken with a bit of butter and flour. charlotte. rub a baking-dish thick with butter, and line the bottom and sides with very thin slices of white bread. put in layers of apples thinly sliced, strewing sugar between, and bits of butter, till the dish is full. in the mean time, soak in warm milk as many thin slices of bread as will cover the whole; over which lay a plate, and a weight to keep the bread close on the apples. to a middling sized dish use half a pound of butter in the whole, and bake slowly for three hours. cheap soup. much nutricious food might be provided for the poor and necessitous, at a very trifling expence, by only adopting a plan of frugality, and gathering up the fragments, that nothing be lost. save the liquor in which every piece of meat, ham, or tongue has been boiled, however salt; for it is easy to use only a part of it, and to add a little fresh water. then, by the addition of more vegetables, the bones of meat used in the family, the pieces of meat that come from table on the plates, and rice, scotch barley, or oatmeal, there will be some gallons of useful soup saved. the bits of meat should only be warmed in the soup, and remain whole; the bones and sinewy parts should be boiled till they yield their nourishment. if the fragments are ready to put into the boiler as soon as the meat is served, it will save lighting the fire, and a second cooking. take turnips, carrots, leeks, potatoes, leaves of lettuce, or any sort of vegetable that is at hand; cut them small, and throw in with the thick part of peas, after they have been pulped for soup, and grits, or coarse oatmeal, which have been used for gruel. should the soup be poor of meat, the long boiling of the bones, and different vegetables, will afford better nourishment than the laborious poor can generally obtain; especially as they are rarely tolerable cooks, and have not fuel to do justice to what they buy. in almost every family there is some superfluity; and if it be prepared with cleanliness and care, the benefit will be very great to the receiver, and the satisfaction no less to the giver. the cook or servant should never be allowed to wash away as useless, the peas or grits of which soup or gruel have been made, broken potatoes, the green heads of celery, the necks and feet of fowls, and particularly the shanks of mutton; all of which are capable of adding flavour and richness to the soup. the bones, heads, and fins of fish, containing a portion of isinglass, may also be very usefully applied, by stewing them in the water in which the fish is boiled, and adding it to the soup, with the gravy that is left in the dish. if strained, it considerably improves the meat soup, particularly for the sick; and when such are to be supplied, the milder parts of the spare bones and meat should be used, with very little of the liquor of the salt meats. if a soup be wanted for the weakly and infirm, put two cow heels and a breast of mutton into a large pan, with four ounces of rice, one onion, twenty corns of jamaica pepper, and twenty black, a turnip, and carrot, and four gallons of water. cover it with white paper, and bake it six hours. cheese. this well-known article of domestic consumption, is prepared from curdled milk, cleared from the whey. it differs very much in quality and flavour, according to the pasture in which the cows feed, and the manner in which the article itself is made. the same land rarely produces very fine butter, and remarkably fine cheese; yet with proper management, it may give one pretty good, where the other excels in quality. cheese made on the same land, from new milk, skimmed or mixed milk, will differ greatly, not only in richness, but also in taste. valuable cheese may be made from a tolerable pasture, by taking the whole of two meals of milk, and proportioning the thickness of the vat to the quantity, rather than having a wide and flat one, as the former will produce the mellowest cheese. the addition of a pound of fresh-made butter of a good quality, will cause the cheese made on poor land to be of a very different quality from that usually produced by it. a few cheeses thus made, when the weather is not extremely hot, and when the cows are in full feed, are well adapted to the use of the parlour. cheese for common family use may very well be produced by two meals of skim, and one of new milk; or on good land, by the skim milk only. the principal ingredient in making cheese is the rennet, maw, or inner part of a calf's stomach, which is cleaned, salted, and hung up in paper bags to dry. the night before it is used, it is washed and soaked in a little water. when the milk is ready, being put into a large tub, warm a part of it to the degree of new milk; but if made too hot, the cheese will be tough. pour in as much rennet as will curdle the milk, and then cover it over. let it stand till completely turned; then strike the curd down several times with the skimming dish, and let it separate, still keeping it covered. there are two modes of breaking the curd, and there will be a difference in the taste of the cheese, according as either is observed. one is to gather it with the hands very gently towards the side of the tub, letting the whey pass through the fingers till it is cleared; and lading it off as it collects. the other is, to get the whey from it by early breaking the curd. the last method deprives it of many of its oily particles, and is therefore less proper. in pursuing the process, put the vat on a ladder over the tub, and fill it with curd by means of the skimmer. press the curd close with the hand, add more as it sinks, and finally leave it two inches above the edge. before the vat is filled, the cheesecloth must be laid at the bottom; and when full, drawn smooth over on all sides. in salting the cheese, two modes may be adopted; either by mixing it in the curd while in the tub, after the whey is out, or by putting it in the vat, and crumbling the curd all to pieces with it, after the first squeezing with the hand has dried it. these different methods prevail in the different parts of the country. put a board under and over the vat, and place it in the press: in two hours turn it out, and put in a fresh cheesecloth. press it again for eight or nine hours, salt it all over, and turn it again in the vat. let it stand in the press fourteen or sixteen hours, observing to put the cheeses last made undermost. before putting them the last time into the vat, pare the edges if they do not look smooth. the vat should have holes at the sides, and at the bottom, to let all the whey pass through. put on clean boards, and change and scald them. when cheese is made, care must be taken to preserve it sound and good. for this purpose wash it occasionally in warm whey, wipe it once a month, and keep it on a rack. if wanted to ripen soon, a damp cellar will bring it forward. when a whole cheese is cut, the inside of the larger quantity should be spread with butter, and the outside wiped, to preserve it. to keep those in daily use moist, let a clean cloth be wrung out from cold water, and wrapt round them when carried from the table. dry cheese may be used to advantage to grate for serving with macaroni or eating without; and any thing tending to prevent waste, is of some consequence in a system of domestic economy. to preserve cheeses from decay, lay them in an airy situation, and cover them with dried leaves of the yellow star of bethlehem. the tender branches of the common birch, will prevent the ravages of mites. if cheese get hard, and lose its flavour, pour some sweet wine over four ounces of pearlash, till the liquor ceases to ferment. filter the solution, dip into it some clean linen cloths, cover the cheese with them, and put in a cool dry place. turn the cheese every day, repeat the application for some weeks, and the cheese will recover its former flavour and goodness. cheesecakes. strain the whey from the curd of two quarts of milk; when rather dry, crumble it through a coarse sieve. with six ounces of fresh butter, mix one ounce of blanched almonds pounded, a little orange-flower water, half a glass of raisin wine, a grated biscuit, four ounces of currants, some nutmeg and cinnamon in fine powder. beat them up together with three eggs, and half a pint of cream, till quite light: then fill the pattipans three parts full.--to make a plainer sort of cheesecakes, turn three quarts of milk to curd; break it and drain off the whey. when quite dry, break it in a pan, with two ounces of butter, till perfectly smooth. add a pint and a half of thin cream or good milk, a little sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and three ounces of currants.--another way is to mix the curd of three quarts of milk, a pound of currants, twelve ounces of lisbon sugar, a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon, the same of nutmeg, the peel of one lemon chopped as fine as possible, the yolks of eight and the whites of six eggs, a pint of scalded cream and a glass of brandy. put a light thin puff paste in the pattipans, and three parts fill them. cheese puffs. strain some cheese curd from the whey, and beat half a pint of it fine in a mortar, with a spoonful and a half of flour, three eggs, but only one white. add a spoonful of orange-flower water, a quarter of a nutmeg, and sugar to make it pretty sweet. lay a little of this paste, in small round cakes, on a tin plate. if the oven be hot, a quarter of an hour will bake them. serve the puffs with pudding sauce. cherry brandy. stone ten pounds of black cherries, bruise the stones in a mortar, and put them to a gallon of the best brandy. let it stand a month close covered, pour it clear from the sediment, and bottle it. morella cherries managed in this way will make a fine rich cordial. cherry jam. to twelve pounds of ripe fruit, kentish or duke cherries, weigh one pound of sugar. break the stones of part, and blanch them; then put them to the fruit and sugar, and boil all gently till the jam comes clear from the pan. pour it into china plates to come up dry to the table, and keep it in boxes with white paper between. cherry pie. this should have a mixture of other fruit; currants or raspberries, or both. currant pie is also best with raspberries. cherry wine. mash some ripe cherries, and press them through a hair sieve. allow three pounds of lump sugar to two quarts of juice, stir them together till the sugar is dissolved, and fill a small barrel with the liquor. add a little brandy, close down the bung when it has done hissing, let it stand six months and bottle it off. cherries in brandy. weigh some fine morellas, cut off half the stalk, prick them with a new needle, and drop them into a jar or wide-mouth bottle. pound three quarters of the weight of sugar or white candy, and strew over; fill the bottle up with brandy, and tie a bladder over. chervil sauce. the flavour of this fine herb, so long a favourite with the french cook, is a strong concentration of the combined taste of parsley and fennel, but more aromatic and agreeable than either, and makes an excellent sauce for boiled poultry or fish. wash the chervil, and pick it very clean; put a tea-spoonful of salt into half a pint of boiling water, boil the chervil about ten minutes, drain it on a sieve, and mince it very fine. put it into a sauce boat, mix with it by degrees some good melted butter, and send it up in the boat. cheshire cheese. in preparing this article, the evening's milk is not touched till the next morning, when the cream is taken off and warmed in a pan, heated with boiling water; one third part of the milk is heated in a similar manner. the cows being milked early in the morning, the new milk, and that of the preceding night thus prepared, are poured into a large tub along with the cream. a piece of rennet kept in lukewarm water since the preceding evening, is put into the tub in order to curdle the milk, and the curd is coloured by an infusion of marigolds or carrots being rubbed into it. it is then stirred together, covered up warm, and allowed to stand about half an hour till it is coagulated; when it is first turned over with a bowl to separate the whey from the curds, and broken soon after into small pieces. when it has stood some time, the whey is taken out, and a weight laid at the bottom of the tub to press out the remainder. as soon as it becomes more solid, it is cut into slices, and turned over several times to extract all the whey, and again pressed with weights. being taken out of the tub, it is broken very small, salted, and put into a cheese vat. it is then strongly pressed and weighted, and wooden skewers are placed round the cheese, which are frequently drawn out. it is then shifted out of the vat with a cloth placed at the bottom; and being turned it is put into the vat again. the upper part is next broken by the hand down to the middle, salted, pressed, weighted, and skewered as before, till all the whey is extracted. the cheese is then reversed into another vat, likewise warmed with a cloth under it, and a tin hoop put round the upper part of the cheese. these operations take up the greater part of the forenoon; the pressing of the cheese requires about eight hours more, as it must be twice turned in the vat, round which thin wire skewers are passed, and shifted occasionally. the next morning it ought to be turned and pressed again; and on the following day the outside is salted, and a cloth binder tied round it. the outsides are sometimes rubbed with butter, in order to give them a coat; and being turned and cleaned every day, they are left to dry two or three weeks. chickens. fowls are chiefly considered as an article of luxury, and are generally sold at a high price; yet the rearing of them is seldom productive of much pecuniary advantage. they are liable to innumerable accidents in their early stages, which require incessant watchfulness and care; and if the grain on which they feed is to be purchased, the labour and expence are scarcely requited by the price they bear in the market. the irish peasantry are in the habit of rearing a great number of fowls, by substituting the offal of potatoes instead of grain; but the flesh is neither so firm nor so good as that of chickens raised in england. it is much to be desired therefore, that encouragement could be given to the cottagers of this country for rearing a larger quantity of poultry, by means less expensive than the present, in order that the market might be supplied on better terms with an article of food so fine and delicate, and in such general respect. various artificial means have been used for brooding chickens, in order to increase their number, and to bring them forward at an earlier season, but none of them have been found to answer, though in egypt immense quantities are raised every year by the heat of ovens, bringing the eggs to a state of maturity. a well-fed hen is supposed to lay about two hundred eggs in a year; but as she does not sit more than once or twice in that time, it is but a small quantity of chickens that can be hatched in the usual way, and it would be highly desirable if some other expedient could be devised.--the most expeditious way of fattening chickens is to mix a quantity of rice flour sufficient for present use, with milk and a little coarse sugar, and stir it over the fire till it comes to a thick paste. feed the chickens with it while it is warm by putting as much into their coops as they can eat; and if a little beer be given them to drink, it will fatten them very soon. a mixture of oatmeal and treacle made into crumbs is also good food for chickens; and they are so fond of it, that they will grow and fatten much faster than in the common way. poultry in general should be fed in coops, and kept very clean. their common food is barley meal mixed with water: this should not be put in troughs, but laid upon a board, which should be washed clean every time fresh food is put upon it. the common complaint of fowls, called the pip, is chiefly occasioned by foul and heated water being given them. no water should be allowed, more than is mixed up with their food; but they should often be provided with some clean gravel in their coop.--the method of fattening poultry for the london market, is liable to great objection. they are put into a dark place, and crammed with a paste made of barley meal, mutton suet, treacle or coarse sugar, mixed with milk, which makes them ripe in about a fortnight; but if kept longer, the fever that is induced by this continual state of repletion, renders them red and unsaleable, and frequently kills them. air and exercise are as indispensable to the health of poultry as to other animals; and without it, the fat will be all accumulated in the cellular membrane, instead of being dispersed throughout the system. a barn-door fowl is preferable to any other, only that it cannot be fatted in so short a time. chicken broth. having boiled a chicken for panada, take off the skin and the rump, and put it into the water it was boiled in. add one blade of mace, a slice of onion, and ten corns of white pepper. simmer it till the broth be of a pleasant flavour, adding a little water if necessary. beat a quarter of an ounce of sweet almonds with a tea-spoonful of water till it is quite fine, boil it in the broth, and strain it. when cold, remove the fat. chicken currie. cut up the chicken raw, slice onions, and fry both in butter with great care, of a fine light brown; or if chickens that have been dressed are used, fry only the onions. having cut the joints into two or three pieces each, lay them in a stewpan, with veal or mutton gravy, and a clove or two of garlic. simmer till the chicken is quite tender. half an hour before serving it up, rub smooth a spoonful or two of currie powder, a spoonful of flour, and an ounce of butter; and add this to the stew, with four large spoonfuls of cream, and a little salt. squeeze in a small lemon, when the dish is going to table.--a more easy way to make currie is to cut up a chicken or young rabbit; if chicken, take off the skin. roll each piece in a mixture of a large spoonful of flour, and half an ounce of currie powder. slice two or three onions, and fry them in butter, of a light brown; then add the meat, and fry all together till the meat begin to brown. put all into a stewpan, cover it with boiling water, and simmer very gently two or three hours. if too thick, add more water half an hour before serving. if the meat has been dressed before, a little broth will be better than water, but the currie is richer when made of fresh meat. slices of underdone veal, turkey, or rabbit, will make excellent currie. a dish of rice boiled dry should be served with it. chicken panada. boil a chicken in a quart of water, till about three parts ready. take off the skin, cut off the white meat when cold, and pound it to a paste in a marble mortar, with a little of the liquor it was boiled in. season it with a little salt, a grate of nutmeg, and the least bit of lemon peel. boil it gently for a few minutes till it be tolerably thick, but so it may be drank. the flesh of a chicken thus reduced to a small compass, will be found very nourishing. chicken pie. cut up two young fowls, season them with white pepper, salt, a little mace, nutmeg, and cayenne, all finely powdered. put alternately in layers the chicken, slices of ham, or fresh gammon of bacon, forcemeat balls, and eggs boiled hard. if baked in a dish, add a little water, but none if in a raised crust. prepare some veal gravy from the knuckle or scrag, with some shank-bones of mutton, seasoned with herbs, onions, mace, and white pepper, to be poured into the pie when it returns from the oven. if it is to be eaten hot, truffles, morels, and mushrooms may be added; but not if it is to be eaten cold. if baked in a raised crust, the gravy must be nicely strained, and then put in cold as jelly. to make the jelly clear, give it a boil with the whites of two eggs, after taking away the meat, and then run it through a fine lawn sieve.--rabbits, if young and fleshy, will make as good a pie. their legs should be cut short, and their breast-bones must not go in, but will help to make the gravy. chicken sauce. an anchovy or two boned and chopped, some parsley and onion chopped, and mixed together, with pepper, oil, vinegar, mustard, walnut or mushroom ketchup, will make a good sauce for cold chicken, veal, or partridge. chili vinegar. slice fifty english chilies, fresh and of a good colour, and infuse them in a pint of the best vinegar. in a fortnight, this will give a much finer flavour than can be obtained from foreign cayenne, and impart an agreeable relish to fish sauce. chimney pieces. to blacken the fronts of stone chimney-pieces, mix oil varnish with lamp black that has been sifted, and a little spirit of turpentine to thin it to the consistence of paint. wash the stone very clean with soap and water, and sponge it with clear water. when perfectly dry, brush it over twice with this colour, leaving it to dry between the times, and it will look extremely well. china. broken china may be repaired with cement, made of equal parts of glue, the white of an egg, and white-lead mixed together. the juice of garlic, bruised in a stone mortar, is also a fine cement for broken glass or china; and if carefully applied, will leave no mark behind it. isinglass glue, mixed with a little finely sifted chalk, will answer the same purpose, if the articles be not required to endure heat or moisture. china chilo. mince a pint-basonful of undressed neck or leg of mutton, with some of the fat. put into a stewpan closely covered, two onions, a lettuce, a pint of green peas, a tea-spoonful of salt, the same quantity of pepper, four spoonfuls of water, and two or three ounces of clarified butter. simmer them together two hours, add a little cayenne if approved, and serve in the middle of a dish of boiled dry rice. chine of bacon. one that has been salted and dried requires to be soaked several hours in cold water, and scraped clean. then take a handful of beech, half as much parsley, a few sprigs of thyme, and a little sage, finely chopped together. make some holes in the chine with the point of a knife, fill them with the herbs, skewer the meat up in a cloth, and boil it slowly about three hours. a dried pig's face is cooked in the same manner, adding a little salt, pepper, and bread crumbs to the stuffing. chocolate. those who use much of this article, will find the following mode of preparing it both useful and economical. cut a cake of chocolate into very small pieces, and put a pint of water into the pot; when it boils, put in the chocolate. mill it off the fire till quite melted, then on a gentle fire till it boil; pour it into a bason, and it will keep in a cool place eight or ten days or more. when wanted, put a spoonful or two into some milk; boil it with sugar, and mill it well. if not made too thick, this will form a very good breakfast or supper. chocolate cream. scrape into one quart of thick cream, an ounce of the best chocolate, and a quarter of a pound of sugar. boil and mill it: when quite smooth, take it off the fire, and leave it to be cold. then add the whites of nine eggs; whisk it, and take up the froth on sieves, as other creams are done. serve up the froth in glasses, to rise above some of the cream. cholic. young children are often afflicted with griping pains in the bowels; and if attended with costiveness, it will be necessary to give them very small doses of manna and rhubarb every half hour, till they produce the desired effect. when the stools are green, a few drams of magnesia, with one or two of rhubarb, according to the age of the patient, may be given with advantage; but the greatest benefit will be derived from clysters made of milk, oil and sugar, or a solution of white soap and water. a poultice of bread, milk and oil, may likewise be applied to the lower part of the belly, and frequently renewed with a little warm milk to give it a proper consistence. the cholic in adults arises from a variety of causes, not easily distinguished except by professional persons; and therefore it is absolutely necessary to abstain from all violent remedies, or it may be attended with fatal consequences. nothing can be applied with safety but emollient clysters and fomentations, and to drink copiously of camomile tea, or any other diluting liquor, till the spasms be relieved, and the nature of the disease more clearly understood. persons who are subject to the bilious cholic in particular, should abstain from acrid, watery and oily food, especially butter, fat meat, and hot liquors: and pursue a calm and temperate course of life. chopped hands. wash in common water, and then in rose water, a quarter of a pound of hog's lard not salted; mix with it the yolks of two new laid eggs, and a large spoonful of honey. add as much fine oatmeal, or almond paste, as will work it into a paste; and by frequently rubbing it on the hands, it will keep them smooth, and prevent their being chopped. chopped lips. put into a new tin saucepan, a quarter of an ounce of benjamin, storax, and spermaceti, two pennyworth of alkanet root, a large juicy apple chopped, a bunch of black grapes bruised, a quarter of a pound of unsalted butter, and two ounces of bees wax. simmer them together till all be dissolved, and strain it through a linen. when cold melt it again, and pour it into small pots or boxes, or make it into cakes on the bottoms of tea-cups. chump of veal. to dress it _à-la-daube_, cut off the chump end of the loin, take out the edge bone, stuff the hollow with good forcemeat, tie it up tight, and lay it in a stewpan with the bone that was taken out, a little faggot of herbs, an anchovy, two blades of mace, a few white peppercorns, and a pint of good veal broth. cover the veal with slices of fat bacon, and lay a sheet of white paper over it. cover the pan close, simmer it two hours, then take out the bacon, and glaze the veal. serve it on mushrooms, with sorrel sauce, or any other that may be preferred. churning. in order to prepare for this important operation, the milk when drawn from the cow, and carefully strained through a cloth or hair sieve, should be put into flat wooden trays about three inches deep, and perfectly clean and cool. the trays are then to be placed on shelves, till the cream be completely separated; when it is to be nicely taken off with a skimming dish, without lifting or stirring the milk. the cream is then deposited in a separate vessel, till a proper quantity is collected for churning. in hot weather, the milk should stand only twenty-four hours, and be skimmed early in the morning before the dairy becomes warm, or in the evening after sun-set. in winter the milk may remain unskimmed for six and thirty or even eight and forty hours. the cream should be preserved in a deep pan during the summer, and placed in the coolest part of the dairy, or in a cellar where free air is admitted. the cream which rises first to the surface is richer in quality, and larger in quantity, than what rises afterwards. thick milk produces a smaller proportion of cream than that which is thinner, though the former is of a richer quality: if therefore the thick milk be diluted with water, it will afford more cream, but its quality will be inferior. milk carried about in pails, and partly cooled before it be strained and poured into the trays, never throws up such good and plentiful cream, as if it had been put into proper vessels immediately after it came from the cow. those who have not an opportunity of churning every other day, should shift the cream daily into clean pans, in order to keep it cool; but the churning should take place regularly twice a week in hot weather, and in the morning before sun-rise, taking care to fix the churn in a free circulation of air. in the winter time, the churn must not be set so near the fire as to heat the wood, as by this means the butter will acquire a strong rancid flavour. cleanliness being of the utmost importance, the common plunge-churn is preferable to any other; but if a barrel-churn be requisite in a large dairy, it must be kept thoroughly clean with salt and water. if a plunge-churn be used, it may be set in a tub of cold water during the time of churning, which will harden the butter in a considerable degree. the motion of the churn should be regular, and performed by one person, or the butter will in winter go back; and if the agitation be violent and irregular, the butter will ferment in summer, and acquire a disagreeable flavour. the operation of churning may be much facilitated by adding a table-spoonful or two of distilled vinegar to a gallon of cream, but not till after the latter has undergone considerable agitation. in many parts of england, butter is artificially coloured in winter, though it adds nothing to its goodness. the juice of carrots is expressed through a sieve, and mixed with the cream when it enters the churn, to give it the appearance of may butter. very little salt is used in the best epping butter; but a certain proportion of acid, either natural or artificial, must be used in the cream, in order to secure a successful churning. some keep a small quantity of the old cream for that purpose; some use a little rennet, and others a few tea-spoonfuls of lemon juice. it has been ascertained however, by a variety of experiments, that it is more profitable to churn the cream, than to churn the whole milk, as is practised in some parts of the country. cream butter is also the richest of the two, though it will not keep sweet so long. cider. particular caution is requisite in bottling this useful beverage, in order to its being well preserved. to secure the bottles from bursting, the liquor must be thoroughly fine before it be racked off. if one bottle break, it will be necessary to open the remainder, and cork them up again. weak cider is more apt to burst the bottles, than that of a better quality. good corks, soaked in hot water, will be more safe and pliant; and by laying the bottles so that the liquor may always keep the corks wet and swelled, will tend much to its preservation. for this purpose the ground is preferable to a frame, and a layer of sawdust better than the bare floor; but the most proper situation would be a stream of running water. in order to ripen bottled liquors, they are sometimes exposed to moderate warmth, or the rays of the sun, which in a few days will bring them to maturity. cider cup. to make a cooling drink, mix together a quart of cider, a glass of white wine, one of brandy, one of capillaire, the juice of a lemon, a bit of the peel pared thin, a sprig of borage or balm, a piece of toasted bread, and nutmeg grated on the top. cinnamon cakes. whisk together in a pan six eggs, and two table-spoonfuls of rose water. add a pound of fine sugar sifted, a desert-spoonful of pounded cinnamon, and flour sufficient to make it into a paste. roll it out, cut it into cakes, and bake them on writing paper. citron pudding. boil some windsor beans quite soft, take off the skins, and beat a quarter of a pound of them into a paste. then add as much butter, four eggs well beaten, with some sugar and brandy. put a puff-paste in the dish, lay some slices of citron on it, pour in the pudding, garnish with bits of citron round the edge of the dish, and bake it in a moderate oven. clarified broth. put broth or gravy into a clean stewpan, break the white and shell of an egg, beat them together and add them to the broth. stir it with a whisk; and when it has boiled a few minutes, strain it through a tammis or a napkin. clarified butter. to make clarified butter for potted things, put some butter into a sauceboat, and set it over the fire in a stewpan that has a little water in it. when the butter is dissolved, the milky parts will sink to the bottom, and care must be taken not to pour them over things to be potted. clarified dripping. mutton fat taken from the meat before it is roasted, or any kind of dripping, may be sliced and boiled a few minutes; and when it is cold, it will come off in a cake. this will make good crust for any sort of meat pie, and may be made finer by boiling it three or four times. clarified sugar. break in large lumps as much loaf sugar as is required, and dissolve it in a bowl, allowing a pound of sugar to half a pint of water. set it over the fire, and add the white of an egg well whipt. let it boil up; and when ready to run over, pour in a little cold water to give it a check. but when it rises the second time, take it off the fire, and set it by in a pan a quarter of an hour. the foulness will sink to the bottom, and leave a black scum on the top, which must be taken off gently with a skimmer. then pour the syrup very quickly from the sediment, and set it by for sweetmeats. clarified syrup. break two pounds of double-refined sugar, and put it into a stewpan that is well tinned, with a pint of cold spring water. when the sugar is dissolved, set it over a moderate fire. beat up half the white of an egg, put it to the sugar before it gets warm, and stir it well together. as soon as it boils take off the scum, and keep it boiling till it is perfectly clear. run it through a clean napkin, put it into a close stopped bottle, and it will keep for months, as an elegant article on the sideboard for sweetening. clary wine. boil fifteen gallons of water, with forty-five pounds of sugar, and skim it clean. when cool put a little to a quarter of a pint of yeast, and so by degrees add a little more. in the course of an hour put the smaller to the larger quantity, pour the liquor on clary flowers, picked in the dry: the quantity for the above is twelve quarts. if there be not a sufficient quantity ready to put in at once, more may be added by degrees, keeping an account of each quart. when the liquor ceases to hiss, and the flowers are all in, stop it up for four months. rack it off, empty the barrel of the dregs, and add a gallon of the best brandy. return the liquor to the cask, close it up for six or eight weeks, and then bottle it off. cleanliness. nothing is more conducive to health than cleanliness, and the want of it is a fault which admits of no excuse. it is so agreeable to our nature, that we cannot help approving it in others, even if we do not practise it ourselves. it is an ornament to the highest as well as to the lowest station, and cannot be dispensed with in either: it ought to be cultivated everywhere, especially in populous towns and cities. frequent washing not only improves the appearance, but promotes perspiration, by removing every impediment on the skin, while at the same time it braces the body, and enlivens the spirits. washing the feet and legs in lukewarm water, after being exposed to cold and wet, would prevent the ill effects which proceed from these causes, and greatly contribute to health. diseases of the skin, a very numerous class, are chiefly owing to the want of cleanliness, as well as the various kinds of vermin which infest the human body; and all these might be prevented by a due regard to our own persons. one common cause of putrid and malignant fevers is the want of cleanliness. they usually begin among the inhabitants of close and dirty houses, who breathe unwholesome air, take little exercise, and wear dirty clothes. there the infection is generally hatched, and spreads its desolation far and wide. if dirty people cannot be removed as a common nuisance, they ought at least to be avoided as infectious, and all who regard their own health should keep at a distance from their habitations. infectious diseases are often communicated by tainted air: every thing therefore which gives a noxious exhalation, or tends to spread infection, should be carefully avoided. in great towns no filth of any kind should be suffered to remain in the streets, and great pains should be taken to keep every dwelling clean both within and without. no dunghills or filth of any kind should be allowed to remain near them. when an infection breaks out, cleanliness is the most likely means to prevent its spreading to other places, or its returning again afterwards. it will lodge a long time in dirty clothes, and be liable to break out again; and therefore the bedding and clothing of the sick ought to be carefully washed, and fumigated with brimstone. infectious diseases are not only prevented, but even cured by cleanliness; while the slightest disorders, where it is neglected, are often changed into the most malignant. yet it has so happened, that the same mistaken care which prevents the least admission of fresh air to the sick, has introduced the idea also of keeping them dirty; than which nothing can be more injurious to the afflicted, or more repugnant to common sense. in a room too, where cleanliness is neglected, a person in perfect health has a greater chance to become sick, than a sick person has to get well. it is also of great consequence, that cleanliness should be strictly regarded by those especially who are employed in preparing food; such as butchers, bakers, brewers, dairy maids, and cooks; as negligence in any of these may prove injurious to the public health. good housekeepers will keep a careful eye on these things, and every person of reflection will see the necessity of cultivating general cleanliness as of great importance to the wellbeing of society. clear broth. to make a broth that will keep long, put the mouse round of beef into a deep pan, with a knuckle bone of veal, and a few shanks of mutton. cover it close with a dish or coarse crust, and bake with as much water as will cover it, till the beef is done enough for eating. when cold, cover it close, and keep it in a cool place. when to be used, give it any flavour most approved. clear gravy. slice some beef thin, broil a part of it over a very clear quick fire, just enough to give a colour to the gravy, but not to dress it. put that and the raw beef into a very nicely tinned stewpan, with two onions, a clove or two, whole black pepper, berries of allspice, and a bunch of sweet herbs. cover it with hot water, give it one boil, and skim it well two or three times. then cover it, and simmer till it be quite strong. clothing. those who regard their health should be careful to adapt their clothing to the state of the climate, and the season of the year. whatever be the influence of custom, there is no reason why our clothing should be such as would suit an inhabitant of the torrid or the frigid zones, but of the state of the air around us, and of the country in which we live. apparel may be warm enough for one season of the year, which is by no means sufficient for another; we ought therefore neither to put off our winter garments too soon, nor wear our summer ones too long. every change of this sort requires to be made cautiously, and by degrees. in general, all clothes should be light and easy, and in no instance ought health and comfort to be sacrificed to pride and vanity. in the early part of life it is not necessary to wear many clothes: but in the decline of life, when many diseases proceed from a defect of perspiration, plenty of warm clothing is required. attention should also be paid to the constitution, in this as well as in other cases. some persons can endure either cold or heat better than others, and may therefore be less mindful of their clothing: the great object is to wear just so many garments as is sufficient to keep the body warm, and no more. shoes in particular should be easy to the foot, and all tight bandages on every part of the body carefully avoided. clouted cream. string four blades of mace on a thread, put them to a gill of new milk, and six spoonfuls of rose water. simmer a few minutes, then by degrees strain the liquor to the yolks of two eggs well beaten. stir the whole into a quart of rich cream, and set it over the fire; keep it stirring till hot, but not boiling; pour it into a deep dish, and let it stand twenty-four hours. serve it in a cream dish, to eat with fruits. some prefer it without any flavour but that of cream; in which case use a quart of new milk and the cream, or do it as the devonshire scalded cream. when done enough, a round mark will appear on the surface of the cream, the size of the bottom of the pan, which is called the ring; and when that is seen, remove the pan from the fire. clyster. a common clyster is made of plain gruel strained, and a table-spoonful of oil or salt. a pint is sufficient for a grown person. cock chaffers. this species of the beetle, sometimes called the may bug, is a formidable enemy to the husbandman, and has been found to swarm in such numbers, as to devour every kind of vegetable production. the insect is first generated in the earth, from the eggs deposited by the fly in its perfect state. in about three months, the insects contained in these eggs break the shell, and crawl forth in the shape of a grub or maggot, which feeds upon the roots of vegetables, and continues in this state of secret annoyance for more than three years, gradually growing to the size of an acorn. it is the thick white maggot with a red head, so frequently found in turning up the soil. at the end of the fourth year, they emerge from the earth, and may be seen in great numbers in the mild evenings of may. the willow seems to be their favourite food; on this they hang in clusters, and seldom quit it till they have completely devoured its foliage. the most effectual way to destroy them, is to beat them off with poles, and then to collect and burn them. the smoke of burning heath, fern, or other weeds, will prevent their incursions in gardens, or expel them if they have entered. cock roaches. these insects, consisting of various species, penetrate into chests and drawers, and do considerable injury to linen, books, and other articles. they seldom appear till night, when they infest beds, and bite very severely, leaving an unpleasant smell. the best remedy is to fill an earthen dish with small beer, sweetened with coarse sugar, and set in the place infested. lay a board against the pan, to form a kind of ladder, and the insects will ascend and fall into the liquor. cockle ketchup. open the cockles, scald them in their own liquor, and add a little water, if there be not enough; but it is better to have a sufficient quantity of cockles, than to dilute it with water. strain the liquor through a cloth, and season it with savoury spices. if for brown sauce, add port, anchovies, and garlic: a bit of burnt sugar will heighten the colouring. if for white sauce, omit these, and put in a glass of sherry, some lemon juice and peel, mace, nutmeg, and white pepper. cod fish. in season from the beginning of december till the end of april. to be quite good, the fish should be thick at the neck, the flesh white and firm, the gills very red, and the eyes bright and fresh. when flabby, they are not good. the cod is generally boiled whole; but a large head and shoulders contain all that is relishing, the thinner parts being overdone and tasteless before the thick are ready. but the whole fish may often be purchased more reasonably; and the lower half, if sprinkled and hung up, will be in high perfection one or two days. or it may be made salter, and served with egg sauce, potatoes, and parsnips. small cod is usually very cheap. if boiled fresh, it is watery; but eats well if salted and hung up for a day, to give it firmness. then it should be stuffed and boiled, or it is equally good broiled. cod's head. the head and shoulders of the cod will eat much finer by having a little salt rubbed down the bone, and along the thick part, even if eaten the same day. tie it up, put it on the fire in cold water sufficient to cover it, and throw a handful of salt into it. great care must be taken to serve it up without the smallest speck of black, or scum. garnish with plenty of double parsley, lemon, horse radish, and the milt, roe and liver, and fried smelts, if approved. if with smelts, no water must be suffered to hang about the fish, or the beauty and flavour of the smelts will be lost. serve with plenty of oyster or shrimp sauce, anchovy and butter. cod pie. take a piece of the middle of a small cod, and salt it well one night. wash it the next day, season with pepper and salt, mixed with a very little nutmeg. lay the meat in a dish, with the addition of a little good broth of any kind, and some bits of butter on it. cover the dish with a crust, and bake it. when done, make a sauce of a spoonful of broth, a quarter of a pint of cream, a little flour and butter, and a dust of grated lemon and nutmeg. give it one boil, and pour it into the pie. oysters may be added, but parsley will do instead. mackarel may be done in the same way, but must not be salted till they are used. cod sounds boiled. soak them in warm water half an hour, then scrape and clean them. if to be dressed white, boil them in milk and water. when tender, serve them up in a napkin, with egg sauce. the salt must not be much soaked out, unless for fricassee. cod sounds broiled. scald them in hot water, rub well with salt, pull off the dirty skin, and simmer them till tender. then take them out, flour, and broil them. while this is doing, season a little brown gravy with pepper, salt, a tea-spoonful of soy, and a little mustard. give it a boil with a little flour and butter, and pour it over the sounds. cod sounds ragout. having scalded, cleaned, and rubbed them well with salt, stew them in white gravy seasoned. before they are served, add a little cream, butter and flour, gently boiling up. a bit of lemon peel, nutmeg, and the least pounded mace, will give it a good flavour. cod sounds like chickens. carefully wash three large sounds, boil them in milk and water, but not too tender. when cold, put a forcemeat of chopped oysters, crumbs of bread, a bit of butter, nutmeg, pepper, salt, and the yolks of two eggs. spread it thin over the sounds, roll up each in the form of a chicken, and skewer it. then lard them as chickens, dust a little flour over, and roast them slowly in a tin oven. when done enough, pour over them a fine oyster sauce, and place them on the table as a side or corner dish. codlins. this fruit may be kept for several months, if gathered of a middling size at midsummer, and treated in the following manner. put them into an earthen pan, pour boiling water over them, and cover the pan with cabbage leaves. keep them by the fire till ready to peel, but do not peel them; then pour off the water, and leave them cold. place the codlins in a stone jar with a smallish mouth, and pour on the water that scalded them. cover the pot with bladder wetted and tied very close, and then over it coarse paper tied again. the fruit is best kept in small jars, such as will be used at once when opened. codlin cream. pare and core twenty good codlins; beat them in a mortar with a pint of cream, and strain it into a dish. put to it sugar, bread crumbs, and a glass of wine; and stir it well. codlin tart. scald the fruit, and take off the skin. put a little of the liquor on the bottom of a dish, lay in the apples whole, and strew them over with lisbon or fine sugar. when cold, put a paste round the edges, and over the fruit. moisten the crust with the white of an egg, and strew some fine sugar over it; or cut the lid in quarters, without touching the paste on the edge of the dish. remove the lid when cold, pour in a good custard, and sift it over with sugar. another way is to line the bottom of a shallow dish with paste, lay in the scalded fruit, sweeten it, and lay little twists of paste over in bars. coffee. put two ounces of fresh-ground coffee, of the best quality, into a coffee pot, and pour eight coffee cups of boiling water on it. let it boil six minutes, and return it; then put in two or three chips of isinglass, and pour on it one large spoonful of boiling water. boil it five minutes more, and set the pot by the fire for ten minutes to keep it hot: the coffee will then be of a beautiful clearness. fine cream should always be served with coffee, and either pounded sugar-candy, or fine lisbon sugar. if for foreigners, or those who like it very strong, make only eight dishes from three ounces. if not fresh roasted, lay it before the fire until perfectly hot and dry; or put the smallest bit of fresh butter into a preserving pan, and when hot, throw the coffee into it, and toss it about until it be freshened, but let it be quite cold before it is ground.--but as coffee possesses a raw and astringent quality, which often disagrees with weak stomachs, and by being drank too warm is as frequently rendered unwholesome, the following is recommended as an improved method of preparing it. to an ounce of coffee, add a tea-spoonful of the best flour of mustard, to correct its acidity, and improve its fragrance; and in order to render it truly fine and wholesome, it should be made the evening before it is wanted. let an ounce of fresh-ground coffee be put into a clean coffee pot well tinned, pour upon it a full pint of boiling water, set it on the fire, and after it has well boiled, let it stand by to settle. next morning pour off the clear liquor, add to it a pint of new milk, warm it over the fire, and sweeten it to taste. coffee made in this way, will be found particularly suitable to persons of a weak and delicate habit.--a substitute for foreign coffee may be prepared from the acorns of the oak, by shelling and dividing the kernels, drying and roasting them gradually in a close vessel, and keeping them constantly stirring. grind it like other coffee, and either use it alone, or mix with it a small quantity of foreign coffee. the seeds of the flower de luce, or common waterflag, being roasted in the same manner as coffee, very much resembles it in colour and flavour. coffee made of these seeds is extremely wholesome, in the proportion of an ounce to a pint of boiling water. coffee cakes. melt some fresh butter in a pint of thin cream, and work up with it four pounds of dried flour. add a pound of sugar, a pint of yeast, and half an ounce of carraways. stir them all together, set it before the fire to rise, roll the paste out thin, cut it into small cakes, and bake them on buttered paper. coffee cream. boil a calf's foot in water till reduced to a pint of jelly, clear of sediment and fat. make a tea-cupful of strong fresh coffee, clear it perfectly bright with isinglass, and pour it to the jelly. add a pint of very good cream, sweeten it with fine lisbon sugar, boil it up once, and pour it into the dish. this article is much admired, but the jelly must not be stiff, and the coffee must be fresh. coffee milk. boil a dessert-spoonful of ground coffee, in nearly a pint of milk, a quarter of an hour. then put in a shaving or two of isinglass to clear it; let it boil a few minutes, and set it on the side of the fire to grow fine. this makes a very fine breakfast; it should be sweetened with real lisbon sugar of a good quality. cold caudle. boil a quart of spring water; when cold, add the yolk of an egg, the juice of a small lemon, six spoonfuls of sweet wine, sugar to taste, and syrup of lemons one ounce. cold fish. soles, cod, whitings, or smelts may be cut into bits, and put into scallop shells, with cold oyster, lobster, or shrimp sauce. having added some bread crumbs, they may be put into a dutch oven, and browned like scalloped oysters. cold meat. if it be a little underdone, the best way to warm it up is to sprinkle over a little salt, and put it into a dutch oven at some distance before a gentle fire, that it may warm gradually. watch it carefully, and keep turning it till it is quite hot and brown, and serve it up with gravy. this is preferable to hashing, as it will retain more of its original flavour. roast beef or mutton, of course, are best for this purpose. cold sallad. boil an egg quite hard, put the yolk into a sallad dish, mash it with a spoonful of water, then add a little of the best sallad oil or melted butter, a tea-spoonful of ready-made mustard, and some vinegar. cut the sallad small and mix it together, adding celery, radishes, or other sallad herbs with it. onions may be served in a saucer, rather than mixed in the bowl. an anchovy may be washed, cut small, and mixed with it; also a bit of beet root, and the white of an egg. celery may be prepared in the same way. colds. for a bad cold take a large tea-cupful of linseed, two pennyworth of stick liquorice, and a quarter of a pound of sun raisins. put them into two quarts of water, and let it simmer over a slow fire till reduced one half. then add a quarter of a pound of sugar-candy pounded, a table-spoonful of rum, and the same of lemon juice or vinegar. the rum and lemon juice are better added when the mixture is taken, or they are apt to grow flat. take half a pint just warm at bed time. collared beef. choose the thin end of the flank of fine mellow beef, but not too fat: lay it into a dish with salt and saltpetre, turn and rub it every day for a week, and keep it cool. then take out every bone and gristle, remove the skin of the inside part, and cover it thick with the following seasoning cut small; a large handful of parsley, the same of sage, some thyme, marjoram and pennyroyal, pepper, salt, and allspice. roll the meat up as tight as possible, and bind it round with a cloth and tape; then boil it gently for seven or eight hours. put the beef under a good weight while hot, without undoing it: the shape will then be oval. part of a breast of veal rolled in with the beef, looks and eats very well. collared eel. bone a large eel, but do not skin it. mix up pepper, salt, mace, allspice, and a clove or two, in the finest powder, and rub over the whole inside: roll it tight, and bind it with a coarse tape. boil it in salt and water till done enough, then add vinegar, and when cold keep the collar in pickle. serve it either whole or in slices. chopped parsley, sage, a little thyme, knotted marjoram, and savoury, mixed with the spices, greatly improve the taste. collared mackarel. do them the same as eels, omitting the herbs. collared mutton. take out the bones and gristle of a breast of mutton, lay the meat flat, and rub it over with egg. mix some grated bread, pounded cloves and mace, pepper, salt, and lemon peel, and strew over it. two or three anchovies, washed and boned, may be added. roll the meat up hard, bind it with tape and boil it; or if skewered, it may either be roasted or baked. collared pork. bone a breast of pork, and season it with thyme, parsley and sage. roll it hard, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it. press it well, take it out of the cloth when cold, and keep it in the liquor it was boiled in. collared pork's head. clean it well, take out the brains, rub it with a handful of salt, and two ounces of saltpetre. let it lie a fortnight in brine, then wash it, and boil it till the bones will easily come out. lay it in a dish, take off the skin carefully, take out the bones, and peel the tongue. mix a handful of sage, a little thyme, and four shalots chopped fine. put the meat to it, and chop it into pieces about an inch square. put a thin cloth into an earthen pot, lay in the meat, cover the cloth over, and press it down. set the pot in the liquor again, boil it nearly an hour longer, then take it out, place a weight on the cover within side, and let it remain all night. take it out, strip off the cloth, and eat the collar with mustard and vinegar. collared salmon. split such part of the fish as may be sufficient to make a handsome roll, wash and wipe it; and having mixed salt, white pepper, pounded mace, and jamaica pepper, in quantity to season it very high, rub it inside and out well. then roll it tight and bandage it, put as much water and one third vinegar as will cover it, adding bay leaves, salt, and both sorts of pepper. cover it close, and simmer till it is done enough. drain and boil the liquor, put it on when cold, and serve with fennel. it is an elegant dish, and extremely good. collared veal. bone the breast and beat it, rub it with egg, and strew over it a seasoning of pounded mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, minced parsley, sweet marjoram, lemon peel, crumbs of bread, and an anchovy. roll it up tight in a cloth, and boil it two hours and a half in salt and water. hang it up, or press it: make a pickle for it of the liquor it was boiled in, and half the quantity of vinegar. college puddings. grate the crumb of a two-penny loaf, shred eight ounces of suet, and mix with eight ounces of currants, one of citron mixed fine, one of orange, a handful of sugar, half a nutmeg, three eggs beaten, yolk and white separately. mix and make into the size and shape of a goose-egg. put half a pound of butter into a fryingpan; and when melted and quite hot, stew them gently in it over a stove; turn them two or three times, till they are of a fine light brown. mix a glass of brandy with the batter, and serve with pudding sauce. colouring for jellies. for a beautiful red, take fifteen grains of cochineal in the finest powder, and a dram and a half of cream of tartar. boil them in half a pint of water very slowly for half an hour, adding a bit of alum the size of a pea; or use beet root sliced, and some liquor poured over. for white, use cream; or almonds finely powdered, with a spoonful of water. for yellow, yolks of eggs, or a little saffron steeped in the liquor and squeezed. for green, spinach or beet leaves bruised and pressed, and the juice boiled to take off the rawness. any of these will do to stain jellies, ices, or cakes. colouring for soups. put four ounces of lump sugar, a gill of water, and half an ounce of fine butter into a small tosser, and set it over a gentle fire. stir it with a wooden spoon, till of a light brown. then add half a pint of water; let it boil and skim it well. when cold, bottle and cork it close. add to either soup or gravy as much of this as will give it a proper colour. common cake. mix three quarters of a pound of flour with half a pound of butter, four ounces of sugar, four eggs, half an ounce of carraways, and a glass of raisin wine. beat it well, and bake it in a quick oven.--a better sort of common cake may be made of half a pound of butter, rubbed into two pounds of dried flour; then add three spoonfuls of yeast that is not bitter, and work it to a paste. let it rise an hour and a half; then mix in the yolks and whites of four eggs beaten separately, a pound of lisbon sugar, about a pint of milk to make it of a proper thickness, a glass of sweet wine, the rind of a lemon, and a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger. a pound of currants, or some carraways may be added, and let the whole be well beaten together. common plants. the virtues of a great number of ordinary plants and weeds being but little understood, they are generally deemed useless; but they have properties nevertheless which might be rendered useful, if carefully and judiciously applied. the young shoots and leaves of chick-weed, for example, may be boiled and eaten like spinach, are equally wholesome, and can scarcely be distinguished from it. the juice expressed from the stem and leaves of goose-grass, taken to the amount of four ounces, night and morning for several weeks, is very efficacious in scorbutic complaints, and other cutaneous eruptions. the smell of garlic is an infallible remedy against the vapours, faintings, and other hysteric affections. the common poppy is an antidote to the stings of venomous insects, and a remedy for inflammation of the eyes: it also cures the pleurisy, and spitting of blood. sage taken in any form tends to cleanse and enrich the blood: it makes a good cordial, and is highly useful in cases of nervous debility. it is often given in fevers with a view to promote perspiration, and with the addition of a little lemon juice it makes a grateful and cooling beverage. cool tankard. put into a quart of mild ale a glass of white wine, one of brandy, one of capillaire, the juice of a lemon, and a little piece of the rind. add a sprig of borage or balm, a bit of toasted bread, and nutmeg grated on the top. copper. many serious accidents have been occasioned by the use of copper in kitchen requisites. the eating of fruit especially that has been prepared in a copper stewpan, where some of the oxide was insensibly imbibed, has been known to produce death; or if coffee grounds are suffered to remain long in a copper coffee-pot, and afterwards mixed with fresh coffee, for the sake of economy, the effects will be highly injurious, if not fatal. the best antidote in such cases, when they unhappily occur, is to take immediately a large spoonful of powdered charcoal, mixed with honey, butter, or treacle; and within two hours afterwards, an emetic or a cathartic to expel the poison. coppers. in domestic economy, the necessity of keeping copper vessels always clean, is generally acknowledged; but it may not perhaps be so generally known, that fat and oily substances, and vegetable acids, do not attack copper while hot; and therefore, that if no liquor were suffered to remain and grow cold in copper vessels, they might be used for every culinary purpose with perfect safety. the object is to clean and dry the vessels well before they turn cold. copying letters. dissolve a little sugar in the ink, and write with it as usual. when a copy is required, moisten a piece of unsized paper lightly with a sponge, and apply it to the writing; then smooth the wet paper over with a warm iron, such as is used in a laundry, and the copy is immediately produced without the use of a machine. copying prints. moisten a piece of paper with a solution of soap and alum, lay it on the print or picture, and pass it under a rolling press. another method is to have a small frame in the form of a basin stand, enclosing a square of glass on the pot, on which the print is laid with the paper upon it; and then placing a candle under the glass, the print may be traced with a pencil, or pen and ink. impressions may also be transferred by mixing a little vermillion with linseed oil so as to make it fluid; then with a pen dipped in it, trace every line of the print accurately. turn the print with its face downwards on a sheet of white paper, wet the back of the print, lay another sheet upon it, and press it till the red lines are completely transferred. corks. economy in corks is very unwise: in order to save a mere trifle in the purchase, there is a danger of losing some valuable article which it is intended to preserve. none but velvet taper corks should be used for liquors that are to be kept for any length of time; and when a bottle of ketchup or of anchovy is opened, the cork should be thrown away, and a new one put in that will fit it very tight. if a cork is forced down even with the mouth of the bottle, it is too small, and should be drawn, that a larger one may be put in. cork cement. liquors and preserves, intended to be kept a long time, are often spoiled by the clumsy and ineffectual manner in which they are fastened down. bottles therefore should be secured with the following cement, spread upon the cork after it is cut level with the top of the bottle. melt in an earthen or iron pot half a pound of black rosin, half a pound of sealing wax, and a quarter of a pound of bees wax. when it froths up, and before all is melted and likely to boil over, stir it with a tallow candle, which will settle the froth till all is melted and fit for use. corns. apply to warts and corns, a piece of soft brown paper moistened with saliva, and a few dressings will remove them. a convenient plaster may also be made of an ounce of pitch, half an ounce of galbanum dissolved in vinegar, one scruple of ammoniac, and a dram and a half of diachylon mixed together. costiveness. from whatever cause it may arise, frequent exercise in the open air, and abstinence from heating liquors, will be found very beneficial. to those who are afflicted with this complaint, it is particularly recommended that they should visit the customary retreat every morning at a stated hour, that nature may in this respect, by perseverance, acquire a habit of regularity. in obstinate cases, three drams of carbon may be taken two or three times a day, mixed with three ounces of lenitive electuary, and two drams of carbonate of soda, as circumstances may require. half an ounce of epsom salts, dissolved in a tumbler or two of cold water, and drank at intervals, will have a very salutary effect. cottenham cheese. though this is so much noted for its superior flavour and delicacy, it does not appear to be owing to any particular management of the dairy, but rather to the fragrance of the herbage on which the cows feed in that part of the country. coughs. the extract of malt will be found an excellent remedy for coughs or colds. pour as much hot water over half a bushel of pale ground malt as will just cover it; the water must not be boiling. in forty-eight hours drain off the liquor entirely, but without squeezing the grains. put the former into a large sweetmeat pan, or saucepan, that there may be room to boil as quick as possible, without boiling over. when it begins to thicken, stir it constantly, till it becomes as thick as treacle. take a dessert-spoonful of it three times a day.--another remedy for a bad cough may be prepared as follows. mix together a pint of simple mint water, two table-spoonfuls of sallad oil, two tea-spoonfuls of hartshorns, sweetened with sugar, and take two large spoonfuls of the mixture two or three times a day. court plaister. dissolve half an ounce of isinglass in an ounce of water, and boil it till the water is nearly all consumed; then add gradually a dram of friar's balsam, and stir them well together. dip a brush in the hot mixture, and spread it on a piece of clean silk. cows. in the management of cows intended for the dairy, a warm stable or cowhouse is of great importance. cows kept at pasture will require from one to two acres of land each to keep them during the summer months; but if housed, the produce of one fourth part will be sufficient. their dung, which would otherwise be wasted on the ground by the action of the sun and weather, is hereby easily preserved, and given to the soil where it is most wanted, and in the best condition. the treading on the grass and pasture, which diminishes its value, is prevented; the expence of division-fences is avoided, and the time and trouble of driving them about is all saved. they are also kept more cool, are less tormented by flies than if pastured, acquire good coats and full flesh, though they consume a much smaller quantity of food. they are in all respects more profitably kept in the house, than out of doors; but they must be regularly and gradually trained to it, or they will not thrive. cows should always be kept clean, laid dry, and have plenty of good water to drink. they should never be suffered to drink at stagnant pools, or where there are frogs, spawn, or filth of any kind; or from common sewers or ponds that receive the drainings of stables, or such kind of places; all which are exceedingly improper. one of the most effectual means of rendering their milk sweet and wholesome, as well as increasing its quantity, is to let them drink freely of water in which the most fragrant kind of clover or lucern has been steeped: and if they are curried in the same manner as horses, they will not only receive pleasure from it, but give their milk more freely. in holland, where the greatest attention is paid to all kinds of domestic animals, the haunches of dairy cows are washed morning and evening with warm water previous to milking, and after calving are clothed with sacking. the floors of their cowhouses are paved with brick, with a descent in the middle, where a gutter carries off the drain, and the place is kept perfectly clean with a broom and pails of water. the filthy state in which cows are confined in the vicinity of london, and other large cities, and the manner in which they are literally crammed, not with wholesome food, but with such things as are calculated to produce an abundance of milk, cannot be too severely reprobated as injurious to the public health. it is also notorious, that vessels of hot and cold water are always kept in these cowhouses for the accommodation of mercenary retailers, who purchase a quantity of milk at a low price, and then mix it with such a proportion of water as they think necessary to reduce it to a proper standard; when it is hawked about at an exorbitant price. the milk is not pure in its original state, and being afterwards adulterated, it is scarcely fit for any purpose in a family. the first object in the article of food, is wholesomeness; and grass growing spontaneously on good meadow-land is in general deemed most proper for cows intended to supply the dairy. the quantity of milk produced by those which feed on sainfoin is however nearly double to that of any other provender: it is also richer in quality, and will yield a larger quantity of cream: of course the butter will be better coloured and flavoured than any other. turnips and carrots form an excellent article, and cannot be too strongly recommended, especially as a winter food; but they should be cleaned and cut; and parsnips, with the tops taken off will produce abundance of milk, of a superior quality; and cows will eat them freely though they are improper for horses. of all vegetable productions, perhaps the cabbage is the most exuberant for this purpose, and ought by all means to be encouraged. the drum-headed cabbage, and the hardy variety of a deep green colour with purple veins, and of the same size with the drum-head, are particularly useful in the feeding of cows, and afford an increase of milk far superior to that produced by turnips. they are also excellent for the fattening of cattle, which they will do six weeks sooner than any other vegetables, though the cabbage plant is generally supposed to impart a disagreeable flavour to butter and cheese made from the milk of cows fed upon it, yet this may easily be prevented by putting a gallon of boiling water to six gallons of milk, when it is standing in the trays; or by dissolving an ounce of saltpetre in a quart of spring water, and mixing about a quarter of a pint of it with ten or twelve gallons of milk as it comes from the cow. by breaking off the loose leaves, and giving only the sound part to the cows, this disagreeable quality may also be avoided, as other cattle will eat the leaves without injury. when a cow has been milked for several years, and begins to grow old, the most advantageous way is to make her dry. to effect this, bruise six ounces of white rosin, and dissolve it in a quart of water. the cow having been housed, should then be bled and milked; and after the mixture has been administered, she should be turned into good grass. she is no longer to be milked, but fattened on rich vegetables. cows intended for breeding, should be carefully selected from those which give plenty of milk. during three months previously to calving, if in the spring, they should be turned into sweet grass; or if it happen in the winter, they ought to be well fed with the best hay. the day and night after they have calved, they should be kept in the house, and lukewarm water only allowed for their drink. they may be turned out the next day, if the weather be warm, but regularly taken in for three or four successive nights; or if the weather be damp and cold, it is better to girt them round with sacking, or keep them wholly within. cows thus housed should be kept in every night, till the morning cold is dissipated, and a draught of warm water given them previously to their going to the field. if the udder of a milking cow becomes hard and painful, it should be fomented with warm water and rubbed with a gentle hand. or if the teats are sore, they should be soaked in warm water twice a day; and either be dressed with soft ointment, or done with spirits and water. if the former, great cleanliness is necessary: the milk at these times is best given to the pigs. or if a cow be injured by a blow or wound, the part affected should be suppled several times a day with fresh butter; or a salve prepared of one ounce of castile soap dissolved in a pint and a half of fresh milk over a slow fire, stirring it constantly, to form a complete mixture. but if the wound should turn to an obstinate ulcer, take castile soap, gum ammoniac, gum galbanum, and extract of hemlock, each one ounce; form them into eight boluses, and administer one of them every morning and evening. to prevent cows from sucking their own milk, as some of them are apt to do, rub the teats frequently with strong rancid cheese, which will prove an effectual remedy. cow heels. these are very nutricious, and may be variously dressed. the common way is to boil, and serve them in a napkin, with melted butter, mustard, and a large spoonful of vinegar. or broil them very tender, and serve them as a brown fricassee. the liquor will do to make jelly sweet or relishing and likewise to give richness to soups or gravies. another way is to cut them into four parts, to dip them into an egg, and then dredge and fry them. they may be garnished with fried onions, and served with sauce as above. or they may be baked as for mock turtle. cowslip mead. put thirty pounds of honey into fifteen gallons of water, and boil till one gallon is wasted; skim it, and take it off the fire. have a dozen and a half of lemons ready quartered, pour a gallon of the liquor boiling hot upon them, and the remainder into a tub, with seven pecks of cowslip pips. let them remain there all night; then put the liquor and the lemons to eight spoonfuls of new yeast, and a handful of sweet-briar. stir all well together, and let it work for three or four days; then strain and tun it into a cask. let it stand six months, and bottle it for keeping. cowslip wine. to every gallon of water, weigh three pounds of lump sugar; boil them together half an hour, and take off the scum as it rises. when sufficiently cool, put to it a crust of toasted bread dipped in thick yeast, and let the liquor ferment in the tub thirty six hours. then put into the cask intended for keeping it, the peel of two and the rind of one lemon, for every gallon of liquor; also the peel and the rind of one seville orange, and one gallon of cowslip pips. pour the liquor upon them, stir it carefully every day for a week, and for every five gallons put in a bottle of brandy. let the cask be close stopped, and stand only six weeks before it be bottled off. crabs. the heaviest are best, and those of a middling size the sweetest. if light they are watery: when in perfection the joints of the legs are stiff, and the body has a very agreeable smell. the eyes look dead and loose when stale. the female crab is generally preferred: the colour is much brighter, the claws are shorter, and the apron in front is much broader. to dress a hot crab, pick out the meat, and clear the shell from the head. put the meat into the shell again, with a little nutmeg, salt, pepper, a bit of butter, crumbs of bread, and three spoonfuls of vinegar. then set the crab before the fire, or brown the meat with a salamander. it should be served on a dry toast.--to dress a cold crab, empty the shell, mix the flesh with a small quantity of oil, vinegar, salt, white pepper and cayenne. return the mixture, and serve it up in the shell. cracknels. mix with a quart of flour, half a nutmeg grated, the yolks of four eggs beaten, and four spoonfuls of rose water. make the whole into a stiff paste, with cold water. then roll in a pound of butter, and make the paste into the shape of cracknels. boil them in a kettle of water till they swim, and then put them into cold water. when hardened, lay them out to dry, and bake them on tin plates. cracknuts. mix eight ounces of fine flour, with eight ounces of sugar, and melt four ounces of butter in two spoonfuls of raisin wine. with four eggs beaten and strained, make the whole into a paste, and add carraway seed. roll the paste out as thin as paper, cut it into shapes with the top of a glass, wash them with the white of an egg, and dust them over with fine sugar. cramp. persons subject to this complaint, being generally attacked in the night, should have a board fixed at the bottom of the bed, against which the foot should be strongly pressed when the pain commences. this will seldom fail to afford relief. when it is more obstinate, a brick should be heated, wrapped in a flannel bag at the bottom of the bed, and the foot placed against it. the brick will continue warm, and prevent a return of the complaint. no remedy however is more safe or more certain than that of rubbing the affected part, to restore a free circulation. if the cramp attack the stomach or bowels, it is attended with considerable danger: medicine may relieve but cannot cure. all hot and stimulating liquors must be carefully avoided, and a tea-cupful of lukewarm gruel or camomile tea should be frequently given, with ten or fifteen drops of deliquidated salt of tartar in each. cranberries. if for puddings and pies, they require a good deal of sugar. if stewed in a jar, it is the same: but in this way they eat well with bread, and are very wholesome. if pressed and strained, after being stewed, they yield a fine juice, which makes an excellent drink in a fever. cranberry gruel. mash a tea-cupful of cranberries in a cup of water, and boil a large spoonful of oatmeal in two quarts of water. then put in the jam, with a little sugar and lemon peel; boil it half an hour, and strain it off. add a glass of brandy or sweet wine. cranberry jelly. make a very strong isinglass jelly. when cold, mix it with a double quantity of cranberry juice, pressed and strained. sweeten it with fine loaf sugar, boil it up, and strain it into a shape.--to make cranberry and rice jelly, boil and press the fruit, strain the juice, and by degrees mix it into as much ground rice as will, when boiled, thicken to a jelly. boil it gently, keep it stirring, and sweeten it. put it in a bason or form, and serve it up with milk or cream. cray fish. make a savoury fish-jelly, and put some into the bottom of a deep small dish. when cold, lay the cray-fish with their back downwards, and pour more jelly over them. turn them out when cold, and it will make a beautiful dish. prawns may be done in the same way. cream. rich cream for tea or coffee is prepared in the following manner. put some new milk into an earthen pan, heat it over the fire, and set it by till the next day. in order to preserve it a day or two longer, it must be scalded, sweetened with lump sugar, and set in a cool place. if half a pint of fresh cream be boiled in an earthen pot with half a pound of sugar, and corked up close in phials when cold, it will keep for several weeks, and be fit for the tea-table. cream for pies. boil a pint of new milk ten minutes, with a bit of lemon peel, a laurel leaf, four cloves, and a little sugar. mix the yolks of six eggs and half a tea-spoonful of flour, strain the milk to them, and set it over a slow fire. stir it to a consistence, but do not let it curdle: when cold it may be spread over any kind of fruit pies. cream for whey butter. set the whey one day and night, and skim it till a sufficient quantity is obtained. then boil it, and pour it into a pan or two of cold water. as the cream rises, skim it till no more comes, and then churn it. where new-milk cheese is made daily, whey butter for common and present use may be made to advantage. cream cheese. to make this article, put into a pan five quarts of strippings, that is, the last of the milk, with two spoonfuls of rennet. when the curd is come, strike it down two or three times with the skimming dish just to break it. let it stand two hours, then spread a cheese cloth on a sieve, lay the curd on it, and let the whey drain. break the curd a little with the hand, and put it into a vat with a two-pound weight upon it. let it stand twelve hours, take it out, and bind a fillet round. turn it every day till dry, from one board to another; cover them with nettles or clean dock-leaves, and lay them between two pewter plates to ripen. if the weather be warm, the cheese will be ready in three weeks.--another way. prepare a kettle of boiling water, put five quarts of new milk into a pan, five pints of cold water, and five of hot. when of a proper heat, put in as much rennet as will bring it in twenty minutes, likewise a bit of sugar. when the curd is come, strike the skimmer three or four times down, and leave it on the curd. in an hour or two lade it into the vat without touching it; put a two-pound weight on it when the whey has run from it, and the vat is full.--to make another sort of cream cheese, put as much salt to three pints of raw cream as will season it. stir it well, lay a cheese cloth several times folded at the bottom of a sieve, and pour the curd upon it. when it hardens, cover it with nettles on a pewter plate.--what is called rush cream cheese is made as follows. to a quart of fresh cream put a pint of new milk, warm enough to give the cream a proper degree of warmth; then add a little sugar and rennet. set it near the fire till the curd comes; fill a vat made in the form of a brick, of wheat straw or rushes sewed together. have ready a square of straw or rushes sewed flat, to rest the vat on, and another to cover it; the vat being open at top and bottom. next day take it out, change it often in order to ripen, and lay a half pound weight upon it.--another way. take a pint of very thick sour cream from the top of the pan for gathering butter, lay a napkin on two plates, and pour half into each. let them stand twelve hours, then put them on a fresh wet napkin in one plate, and cover with the same. repeat this every twelve hours, till the cheese begins to look dry. then ripen it with nut leaves, and it will be ready in ten days. fresh nettles, or two pewter plates, will ripen cream cheese very well. cream pudding. slice the crumb of a penny loaf into a quart of cream, scald it over the fire, and break it with a spoon. add to it six eggs, with three of the whites only, half a pound of fine raisins, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little rose water and nutmeg. beat it all up together, stir in a little marrow if approved, and bake it in a dish with paste. creams. to make an excellent cream, boil half a pint of cream and half a pint of milk with two bay leaves, a bit of lemon peel, a few almonds beaten to paste, with a drop of water, a little sugar, orange flower water, and a tea-spoonful of flour rubbed down with a little cold milk. when the cream is cold, add a little lemon juice, and serve it up in cups or lemonade glasses.--for a superior article, whip up three quarters of a pint of very rich cream to a strong froth, with some finely-scraped lemon peel, a squeeze of the juice, half a glass of sweet wine, and sugar to make it pleasant, but not too sweet. lay it on a sieve or in a form, next day put it on a dish, and ornament it with very light puff paste biscuits, made in tin shapes the length of a finger, and about two thick. fine sugar may be sifted over, or it may be glazed with a little isinglass. macaroons may be used to line the edges of the dish. cress vinegar. dry and pound half an ounce of the seed of garden cresses, pour upon it a quart of the best vinegar, and let it steep ten days, shaking it up every day. being strongly flavoured with the cresses, it is suitable for salads and cold meat. celery vinegar is made in the same manner. crickets. the fume of charcoal will drive them away: or a little white arsenic mixed with a roasted apple, and put into the holes and cracks where the crickets are, will effectually destroy them. scotch snuff dusted upon the holes where they come out, will also have the same effect. crimp cod. boil a handful of salt in a gallon of pump water, and skim it clean. cut a fresh cod into slices an inch thick, and boil it briskly in the brine a few minutes; take the slices out very carefully, and lay them on a fish plate to drain. dry and flour them, and lay them at a distance upon a clear fire to broil. serve with lobster or shrimp sauce. crimp salmon. when the salmon is scaled and cleaned, take off the head and tail, and cut the body through into large slices. throw them into a pan of pump water, sprinkle on a handful of bay salt, stir it about, and then take out the fish. set on a deep stewpan, boil the head and tail whole, put in some salt, but no vinegar. when they have boiled ten minutes, skim the water clean, and put in the slices. when boiled enough, lay the head and tail in the dish, and the slices round; or either part may be dressed separately. crisp parsley. pick and wash some young parsley, shake it in a dry cloth to drain the water from it, spread it on a sheet of white paper, in a dutch oven before the fire, and turn it frequently until it is quite crisp. this is a much better way of preparing it than by frying, which is seldom well done; and it will serve as a neat garnish for fish or lamb chops. cross buns. warm before the fire two pounds and a half of fine flour; add half a pound of sifted loaf sugar, some coriander seeds, cinnamon and mace finely pounded. melt half a pound of butter in half a pint of milk; after it has cooled, stir in three table-spoonfuls of thick yeast, and a little salt. work the whole into a paste, make it into buns, and cut a cross on the top. put them on a tin to rise before the fire, brush them over with warm milk, and bake in a moderate oven. crows. these birds are extremely useful to the farmer, in devouring multitudes of locusts, caterpillars, and other insects, which are highly injurious to the crops; but at certain seasons they have become so numerous, and committed such depredations on the corn fields, that an act of parliament has been passed for their destruction. the most successful method is to prepare a kind of table between the branches of a large tree, with some carrion and other meat, till the crows are accustomed to resort to the place for food. afterwards the meat may be poisoned; and the birds still feeding on it, will be destroyed. the drug called _nux vomica_ is best adapted to the purpose. crumpets. warm before the fire two pounds of fine flour, with a little salt, and mix it with warm milk and water till it becomes stiff. work up three eggs with three spoonfuls of thick yeast, and a cupful of warm milk and water; put it to the batter, and beat them well together in a large bowl, with as much milk and water as will make the batter thick. set it before the fire to rise, and cover it close. set on the fryingpan, rub it over with a bit of butter tied up in muslin, and pour in as much batter at a time as is sufficient for one crumpet. let it bake slowly till it comes to a pale yellow; and when cold, the crumpets may be toasted and buttered. cucumbers. the best way of cultivating this delicious vegetable is as follows. when the plants have been raised on a moderate hot bed, without forcing them too much, they should be set in the open ground against a south wall in the latter end of may, and trained upon the wall like a fruit tree. when they have run up about five feet, they will send forth blossoms, and the fruit will soon appear. cucumbers of the slender prickly sort are to be preferred, and they should not be watered too much while growing, as it will injure the fruit. the flesh of cucumbers raised in this way, will be thicker and firmer, and the flavour more delicious, than those planted in the usual manner, where the runners are suffered to trail upon the ground. melons may also be treated in the same manner, and the quality of both will be greatly improved.--when cucumbers are to be prepared for the table, pare and score them in several rows, that they may appear as if slightly chopped. add some young onions, pepper and salt, a glass of white wine, the juice of a lemon, and some vinegar. or cut them in thin slices, with pepper, salt, vinegar, and sliced onions. or send them to table whole, with a sliced onion in a saucer. cucumber ketchup. pare some large old cucumbers, cut them in slices, and mash them; add some salt, and let them stand till the next day. drain off the liquor, boil it with lemon peel, mace, cloves, horse-radish, shalots, white pepper, and ginger. strain it; and when cold put it into bottles, with the mace, cloves and peppercorns, but not the rest. a little of this ketchup will give an agreeable taste to almost any kind of gravy sauce. cucumber vinegar. pare and slice fifteen large cucumbers, and put them into a stone jar, with three pints of vinegar, four large onions sliced, two or three shalots, a little garlic, two large spoonfuls of salt, three tea-spoonfuls of pepper, and half a tea-spoonful of cayenne. keep the vinegar in small bottles, to add to sallad, or to eat with meat. cullis. to make cullis for ragouts, cut in pieces two pounds of lean veal, and two ounces of ham. add two cloves, a little nutmeg and mace, some parsley roots, two carrots sliced, some shalots, and two bay leaves. put them into an earthen jar on a hot hearth, or in a kettle of boiling water. cover them close, let them simmer for half an hour, observing that they do not burn; then put in beef broth, stew it, and strain it off. cumberland pudding. to make what is called the duke of cumberland's pudding, mix six ounces of grated bread, the same quantity of currants well cleaned and picked, the same of beef suet finely shred, the same of chopped apples, and also of lump sugar. add six eggs, half a grated nutmeg, a dust of salt, and the rind of a lemon minced as fine as possible; also a large spoonful each of citron, orange, and lemon cut thin. mix them thoroughly together, put the whole into a basin, cover it close with a floured cloth, and boil it three hours. serve it with pudding sauce, add the juice of half a lemon, boiled together. curd pudding. rub the curd of two gallons of milk well drained through a sieve. mix it with six eggs, a little cream, two spoonfuls of orange-flower water, half a nutmeg, flour and crumbs of bread each three spoonfuls, currants and raisins half a pound of each. boil the pudding an hour in a thick well-floured cloth. curd puffs. turn two quarts of milk to curd, press the whey from it, rub it through a sieve, and mix four ounces of butter, the crumb of a penny loaf, two spoonfuls of cream, half a nutmeg, a little sugar, and two spoonfuls of white wine. butter some small cups or pattipans, and fill them three parts. orange-flower water is an improvement. bake the puffs with care, and serve with sweet sauce in a boat. curd star. set on the fire a quart of new milk, with two or three blades of mace; and when ready to boil, put to it the yolks and whites of nine eggs well beaten, and as much salt as will lie upon a six-pence. let it boil till the whey is clear; then drain it in a thin cloth, or hair sieve. season it with sugar, and a little cinnamon, rose water, orange-flower water, or white wine. put it into a star form, and let it stand some hours before it be turned into a dish: then pour round it some thick cream or custard. curds and cream. put three or four pints of milk into a pan a little warm, and then add rennet or gallina. when the curd is come, lade it with a saucer into an earthen shape perforated, of any form you please. fill it up as the whey drains off, without breaking or pressing the curd. if turned only two hours before wanted, it is very light; but those who like it harder may have it so, by making it earlier, and squeezing it. cream, milk, or a whip of cream, sugar, wine, and lemon, may be put into the dish, or into a glass bowl, to serve with the curd.--another way is to warm four quarts of new milk, and add a pint or more of buttermilk strained, according to its sourness. keep the pan covered till the curd be sufficiently firm to cut, three or four times across with a saucer, as the whey leaves it. put it into a shape, and fill up until it be solid enough to take the form. serve with plain cream, or mixed with sugar, wine and lemon. curds and whey. according to the italian method, a more delicate and tender curd is made without the use of common rennet. take a number of the rough coats that line the gizzards of turkeys and fowls, clean them from the pebbles they contain, rub them well with salt, and hang them up to dry. when to be used, break off some bits of the skin, and pour on some boiling water. in eight or nine hours the liquor may be used as other rennet. curing butter. it is well known, that butter as it is generally cured, does not keep for any length of time, without spoiling or becoming rancid. the butter with which london is supplied, may be seen at every cheesemonger's in the greatest variety of colour and quality; and it is too often the case, that even the worst butter is compounded with better sorts, in order to procure a sale. these practices ought to be discountenanced, and no butter permitted to be sold but such as is of the best quality when fresh, and well cured when salted, as there is hardly any article more capable of exciting disgust than bad butter. to remedy this evil, the following process is recommended, in preparing butter for the firkin. reduce separately to fine powder in a dry mortar, two pounds of the whitest common salt, one pound of saltpetre, and one pound of lump sugar. sift these ingredients one upon another, on two sheets of paper joined together, and then mix them well with the hands, or with a spatula. preserve the whole in a covered jar, placed in a dry situation. when required to be used, one ounce of this composition is to be proportioned to every pound of butter, and the whole is to be well worked into the mass. the butter may then be put into pots or casks in the usual way. the above method is practised in many parts of scotland, and is found to preserve the butter much better than by using common salt alone. any housekeeper can make the experiment, by proportioning the ingredients to the quantity of butter; and the difference between the two will readily be perceived. butter cured with this mixture appears of a rich marrowy consistency and fine colour, and never acquires a brittle hardness, nor tastes salt, as the other is apt to do. it should be allowed to stand three weeks or a month before it is used, and will keep for two or three years, without sustaining the slightest injury. butter made in vessels or troughs lined with lead, or in glazed earthenware pans, which glaze is principally composed of lead, is too apt to be contaminated by particles of that deleterious metal. it is better therefore to use tinned vessels for mixing the preservative with the butter, and to pack it either in wooden casks, or in jars of the vauxhall ware, which being vitrified throughout, require no inside glazing. curing hams. when hams are to be cured, they should hang a day or two; then sprinkle them with a little salt, and drain them another day. pound an ounce and a half of saltpetre, the same quantity of bay salt, half an ounce of sal-prunelle, and a pound of the coarsest sugar. mix these well, and rub them into each ham every day for four days, and turn it. if a small one, turn it every day for three weeks: if a large one, a week longer, but it should not be rubbed after four days. before it is dried, drain and cover it with bran, and smoke it ten days.--or choose the leg of a hog that is fat and well fed, and hang it up a day or two. if large, put to it a pound of bay salt, four ounces of saltpetre, a pound of the coarsest sugar, and a handful of common salt, all in fine powder, and rub the mixture well into the ham. lay the rind downwards, and cover the fleshy part with the salts. baste it frequently with the pickle, and turn it every day for a month. drain and throw bran over it, then hang it in a chimney where wood is burnt, and turn it now and then for ten days.--another way is, to hang up the ham, and sprinkle it with salt, and then to rub it daily with the following mixture. half a pound of common salt, the same of bay salt, two ounces of saltpetre, and two ounces of black pepper, incorporated with a pound and a half of treacle. turn it twice a day in the pickle for three weeks; then lay it into a pail of water for one night, wipe it quite dry, and smoke it two or three weeks.--to give hams a high flavour, let them hang three days, when the weather will permit. mix an ounce of saltpetre with a quarter of a pound of bay salt, the same quantity of common salt, and also of coarse sugar, and a quart of strong beer. boil them together, pour the liquor immediately upon the ham, and turn it twice a day in the pickle for three weeks. an ounce of black pepper, and the same quantity of allspice, in fine powder, added to the above will give a still higher flavour. wipe and cover it with bran, smoke it three or four weeks; and if there be a strong fire, it should be sewed up in a coarse wrapper.--to give a ham a still higher flavour, sprinkle it with salt, after it has hung two or three days, and let it drain. make a pickle of a quart of strong beer, half a pound of treacle, an ounce of coriander seed, two ounces of juniper berries, an ounce of pepper, the same quantity of allspice, an ounce of saltpetre, half an ounce of sal-prunelle, a handful of common salt, and a head of shalot, all pounded or cut fine. boil these together for a few minutes, and pour them over the ham. this quantity is sufficient for a ham of ten pounds. rub and turn it every day for a fortnight; then sew it up in a thin linen bag, and smoke it three weeks. drain it from the pickle, and rub it in bran, before drying. in all cases it is best to lay on a sufficient quantity of salt at first, than to add more afterwards, for this will make the ham salt and hard. when it has lain in pickle a few days, it would be advantageous to boil and skim the brine, and pour it on again when cold. bacon, pig's face, and other articles may be treated in the same manner. currant cream. strip and bruise some ripe currants, strain them through a fine sieve, and sweeten the juice with refined sugar. beat up equal quantities of juice and cream, and as the froth rises put it into glasses. currant fritters. thicken half a pint of ale with flour, and add some currants. beat it up quick, make the lard boil in the frying-pan, and put in a large spoonful of the batter at a time, which is sufficient for one fritter. currant gruel. make a pint of water gruel, strain and boil it with a table-spoonful of clean currants till they are quite plump. add a little nutmeg and sugar, and a glass of sweet wine. this gruel is proper for children, or persons of a costive habit. currant jam. whether it be made of black, red, or white currants, let the fruit be very ripe. pick it clean from the stalks, and bruise it. to every pound put three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar, stir it well, and boil it half an hour. currant jelly. strip the fruit, whether red or black, and put them into a stone jar, to boil on a hot hearth, or over the fire in a saucepan of water. strain off the liquor, and to every pint add a pound of loaf sugar in large lumps. put the whole into a china or stone jar, till nearly dissolved; then put it into a preserving pan, and skim it while simmering on the fire. when it will turn to jelly on a plate, keep it in small jars or glasses. currant pie. put a paste round the dish, fill it with fruit and good moist sugar, add a little water, and cover it with paste. place a tea-cup in the dish, bottom upwards, to prevent the juice from boiling over. baked currants are better mixed with raspberries or damsons. currant sauce. to make the old sauce for venison, boil an ounce of dried currants in half a pint of water a few minutes. then add a small tea-cupful of bread crumbs, six cloves, a glass of port wine, and a bit of butter. stir it till the whole is smooth. currant shrub. strip some white currants, and prepare them in a jar as for jelly. strain the juice, of which put two quarts to one gallon of rum, and two pounds of lump sugar. strain the whole through a jelly bag. currant wine. to every three pints of fruit, carefully picked and bruised, add one quart of water. in twenty-four hours strain the liquor, and put to every quart a pound of good lisbon sugar. if for white currants use lump sugar. it is best to put the whole into a large pan; and when in three or four days the scum rises, take that off before the liquor be put into the barrel. those who make from their own gardens, may not have fruit sufficient to fill the barrel at once; but the wine will not be hurt by being made in the pan at different times, in the above proportions, and added as the fruit ripens; but it must be gathered in dry weather, and an account taken of what is put in each time.--another way. put five quarts of currants, and a pint of raspberries, to every two gallons of water. let them soak all night, then squeeze and break them well. next day rub them well on a fine wire sieve, till all the juice is obtained, and wash the skins again with some of the liquor. to every gallon put four pounds of good lisbon sugar, tun it immediately, lay the bung lightly on, and leave it to ferment itself. in two or three days put a bottle of brandy to every four gallons, bung it close, but leave the vent peg out a few days. keep it three years in the cask, and it will be a fine agreeable wine; four years would make it still better.--black currant wine is made as follows. to every three quarts of juice add the same quantity of water, and to every three quarts of the liquor put three pounds of good moist sugar. tun it into a cask, reserving a little for filling up. set the cask in a warm dry room, and the liquor will ferment of itself. when the fermentation is over, take off the scum, and fill up with the reserved liquor, allowing three bottles of brandy to forty quarts of wine. bung it close for nine months, then bottle it; drain the thick part through a jelly bag, till that also be clear and fit for bottling. the wine should then be kept ten or twelve months. curries. cut fowls or rabbits into joints; veal, lamb or sweetbreads into small pieces. put four ounces of butter into a stewpan; when melted, put in the meat, and two sliced onions. stew them to a nice brown, add half a pint of broth, and let it simmer twenty minutes. mix smooth in a basin one table-spoonful of currie powder, one of flour, and a tea-spoonful of salt, with a little cold water. put the paste into the stewpan, shake it well about till it boils, and let it simmer twenty minutes longer. just before it is dished up, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, and add a good table-spoonful of melted butter. currie balls. take some bread crumbs, the yolk of an egg boiled hard, and a bit of fresh butter about half the size; beat them together in a mortar, season with a little currie powder, roll the paste into small balls, and boil them two or three minutes. these will serve for mock turtle, veal, poultry, and made dishes. currie of cod. this should be made of sliced cod, that has either been crimped, or sprinkled with salt for a day, to make it firm. fry it of a fine brown with onions, and stew it with a good white gravy, a little currie powder, a bit of butter and flour, three or four spoonfuls of rich cream, salt, and cayenne, if the powder be not hot enough. currie of lobsters. take them from the shells, lay them into a pan with a small piece of mace, three or four spoonfuls of veal gravy, and four of cream. rub smooth one or two tea-spoonfuls of currie powder, a tea-spoonful of flour, and an ounce of butter. simmer them together an hour, squeeze in half a lemon, and add a little salt. currie of prawns is made in the same way. currie powder. dry and reduce the following articles to a fine powder. three ounces of coriander seed, three ounces of turmeric, one ounce of black pepper, and one of ginger; half an ounce of lesser cardamoms, and a quarter of an ounce each of cinnamon, cummin seed, and cayenne. thoroughly pound and mix them together, and keep it in a well-stopped bottle. currie sauce. stir a small quantity of currie powder in some gravy, melted butter, or onion sauce. this must be done by degrees, according to the taste, taking care not to put in too much of the currie powder. currie soup. cut four pounds of a breast of veal into small pieces, put the trimmings into a stewpan with two quarts of water, twelve peppercorns, and the same of allspice. when it boils, skim it clean; and after boiling an hour and a half, strain it off. while it is boiling, fry the bits of veal in butter, with four onions. when they are done, add the broth to them, and put it on the fire. let it simmer half an hour, then mix two spoonfuls of currie powder, and the same of flour, with a little cold water and a tea-spoonful of salt, and add these to the soup. simmer it gently till the veal is quite tender, and it is ready. or bone a couple of fowls or rabbits, and stew them in the same manner. instead of black pepper and allspice, a bruised shalot may be added, with some mace and ginger. custards. to make a cheap and excellent custard, boil three pints of new milk with a bit of lemon peel, a bit of cinnamon, two or three bay leaves, and sweeten it. meanwhile rub down smooth a large spoonful of rice flour in a cup of cold milk, and mix with it the yolks of two eggs well beaten. take a basin of the boiling milk and mix with the cold, then pour it to the boiling, stirring it one way till it begin to thicken, and is just going to boil up; then pour it into a pan, stir it some time, add a large spoonful of peach water, two spoonfuls of brandy, or a little ratafia. marbles boiled in custard, or any thing likely to burn, will prevent it from catching if shaked about in the saucepan.--to make a richer custard, boil a pint of milk with lemon peel and cinnamon. mix a pint of cream, and the yolks of five eggs well beaten. when the milk tastes of the seasoning, sweeten it enough for the whole; pour into the cream, stirring it well; then give the custard a simmer, till it come to a proper thickness. stir it wholly one way, season it as above, but do not let it boil. if the custard is to be very rich, add a quart of cream to the eggs instead of milk. custard paste. six ounces of butter, three spoonfuls of cream, the yolks of two eggs, and half a pound of flour, are to be mixed well together. let it stand a quarter of an hour, work it well, and roll it out thin. custard pudding. mix by degrees a pint of good milk with a large spoonful of flour, the yolks of five eggs, some orange-flower water, and a little pounded cinnamon. butter a bason that will just hold it, pour in the batter, and tie a floured cloth over. put it in when the water boils, turn it about a few minutes to prevent the egg settling on one side, and half an hour will boil it. put currant jelly over the pudding, and serve it with sweet sauce. cutlets maintenon. cut slices of veal three quarters of an inch thick, beat them with a rolling-pin, and wet them on both sides with egg. dip them into a seasoning of bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, knotted marjoram, pepper, salt, and a little grated nutmeg. then put them into white papers folded over, and broil them. have ready some melted butter in a boat, with a little mushroom ketchup.--another way is to fry the cutlets, after they have been prepared as above. dredge a little flour into the pan, and add a piece of butter; brown it, pour in a little boiling water, and boil it quick. season with pepper, salt, and ketchup, and pour over them.--or, prepare as before, and dress the cutlets in a dutch oven. pour over them melted butter and mushrooms. neck steaks especially are good broiled, after being seasoned with pepper and salt; and in this way they do not require any herbs. cutting glass. if glass be held in one hand under water, and a pair of scissors in the other, it may be cut like brown paper; or if a red hot tobacco pipe be brought in contact with the edge of the glass, and afterwards traced on any part of it, the crack will follow the edge of the pipe. cutting of teeth. great care is required in feeding young children during the time of teething. they often cry as if disgusted with food, when it is chiefly owing to the pain occasioned by the edge of a silver or metal spoon pressing on their tender gums. the spoon ought to be of ivory, bone, or wood, with the edges round and smooth, and care should be taken to keep it sweet and clean. at this period a moderate looseness, and a copious flow of saliva, are favourable symptoms. with a view to promote the latter, the child should be suffered to gnaw such substances as tend to mollify the gums, and by their pressure to facilitate the appearance of the teeth. a piece of liquorice or marshmallow root will be serviceable, or the gums may be softened and relaxed by rubbing them with honey or sweet oil. d. dairy. in a publication intended for general usefulness, the management of the dairy, the source of so many comforts, demands some attention, in addition to the information conveyed under various other articles, connected with this interesting part of female economy. a dairy house then ought to be so situated that the windows or lattices may front the north, and it should at all times be kept perfectly cool and clean. lattices are preferable to glazed lights, as they admit a free circulation of air; and if too much wind draws in, oiled paper may be pasted over the lattice, or a frame constructed so as to slide backwards and forwards at pleasure. dairies cannot be kept too cool in the summer: they ought therefore to be erected, if possible, near a spring of running water. if a pump can be fixed in the place, or a stream of water conveyed through it, it will tend to preserve a continual freshness and purity of the air. the floor should be neatly paved with red brick, or smooth stone, and laid with a proper descent, so that no water may stagnate: it should be well washed every day, and all the utensils kept with the strictest regard to cleanliness. neither the cheese, rennet, or cheesepress, must be suffered to contract any taint; nor should the churns be scalded in the dairy, as the steam arising from the hot water tends greatly to injure the milk. the utensils of the dairy should all be made of wood: lead, copper, and brass are poisonous, and cast iron gives a disagreeable taste to the productions of the dairy. milk leads in particular should be utterly abolished, and well-glazed earthen pans used in their stead. sour milk has a corroding tendency, and the well known effects of the poison of lead are, bodily debility, palsy, and death. the best of all milk vessels are flat wooden trays about three inches deep, and wide enough to contain a full gallon of milk. these may be kept perfectly clean with good care, and washing and scalding them well with salt and water. as soon as the operation of churning is performed, the butter should be washed immediately in several waters, till thoroughly cleansed from the milk, which should be forced out with a flat wooden ladle, or skimming dish, provided with a short handle. this should be quickly performed, with as little working of the butter as possible; for if it be too much beaten and turned, it will become tough and gluey, which greatly debases its quality. to beat it up with the hand is an indelicate practice, as the butter cannot fail to imbibe the animal effluvia: a warm hand especially will soften it, and make it appear greasy. if the heat of the weather should render it too soft to receive the impression of the mould, it may be put into small vessels, and allowed to swim in a trough of cold water, provided the butter do not come in contact with the water, which would diminish some of its best qualities. a little common salt must be worked up in the butter at the time of making it, and care must be taken not to handle it too much. meat hung in a dairy will taint the air, and spoil the milk.--see butter, cheese, churning, &c. damp beds. of all other means of taking cold, damp beds are the most dangerous, and persons who keep them in their houses are guilty of a species of murder, though it unfortunately happens that no housewife is willing to acknowledge that _her_ beds were ever damp. there is however no other effectual way of preventing the dreadful effects so often experienced in this way, than by keeping the beds in constant use, or causing them frequently to be slept in till they are wanted by a stranger. in inns, where the beds are used almost every night, nothing more is necessary than to keep the rooms well aired, and the linen quite dry. if a bed be suspected of dampness, introduce a glass goblet between the sheets with its bottom upwards, immediately after the warming pan is taken out. after a few minutes, if any moisture adheres to the inside of the glass, it is a certain sign that the bed is damp: but if only a slight steam appears, all is safe. if a goblet be not at hand, a looking glass will answer the purpose. the safest way in all such cases is to take off the sheets, and sleep between the blankets. damp houses. nothing is more common than for persons to hazard their lives by inhabiting a dwelling almost as soon as the plasterer or the painter has performed his work, and yet this ought to be guarded against with the utmost care. the custom of sitting in a room lately washed, and before it is thoroughly dried, is also highly injurious to health. colds occasioned by these means often bring on asthmas and incurable consumptions. damp walls. when a house has undergone repairs, the walls are apt to become damp, as well as when it has been new built. to prevent the ill effects, powder some glass fine, mix it with slacked lime, dry the mixture well in an iron pot, and pass it through a flour sieve. then boil some tar with a little grease for a quarter of an hour, and make a cement of the whole together. care must be taken to prevent any moisture from mixing with the cement, which must be used as soon as made. lay it on the damp part of the wall like common plaster about a foot square at a time, or it will quickly become too hard for use: if the wall be very wet, a second coating will be required. common hair mortar may then be laid on, with the addition of a little paris plaster, which will prevent the walls in future from becoming damp. damson cheese. pick the damsons clean, bake them slowly, till they may be rubbed through a cullender, leaving nothing but the skins and stones. boil the pulp and juice three hours over a slow fire, with some moist sugar, and keep it stirring to prevent burning. blanch the kernels, and mix them with the jam a few minutes before it be taken off the fire. put it into cups, tie it down with writing paper dipped in brandy, and the cheese will keep several years, if kept in a dry place. damson pudding. line a bason with tolerably thin paste, fill with the fruit, and cover the paste over it. tie a cloth tight over, and boil till the fruit is done enough. damson wine. take a considerable quantity of damsons and common plums inclining to ripeness; slit them in halves, so that the stones may be taken out, then mash them gently, and add a little water and honey. add to every gallon of the pulp a gallon of spring water, with a few bay leaves and cloves: boil the mixture, and add as much sugar as will sweeten it, skim off the froth, and let it cool. now press the fruit, squeezing out the liquid part; strain all through a fine cloth, and put the water and juice together in a cask. having allowed the whole to stand and ferment for three or four days, fine it with white sugar, flour, and whites of eggs. draw it off into bottles, then cork it well: in twelve days it will be ripe, and will taste like weak port, having a flavour of canary. damsons preserved. to keep damsons for winter pies, put them in small stone jars, or wide-mouthed bottles; set them up to their necks in a boiler of cold water, and scald them. next day, when perfectly cold, fill up the bottles with spring water, and close them down.--another way is to boil one third as much sugar as fruit over a slow fire, till the juice adheres to the fruit, and forms a jam. keep it in small jars in a dry place. if too sweet, mix with it some of the fruit done without sugar.--or choose some pots of equal size top and bottom, sufficient to hold eight or nine pounds each. put in the fruit about a quarter up, strew in a quarter of the sugar, then another quantity of fruit, and so on till all of both are in. the proportion of sugar is to be three pounds to nine pounds of fruit. set the jars in the oven, and bake the fruit quite through. when cold, put a piece of clean-scraped stick into the middle of the jar, and let the upper part stand above the top. cover the fruit with writing paper, and pour melted mutton-suet over, full half an inch thick. keep the jars in a cool dry place, and use the suet as a cover, which may be drawn up by the stick, if a forked branch be left to prevent its slipping out. davenport fowls. hang up young fowls for a night. take the liver, hearts, and tenderest parts of the gizzards, and shred them small, with half a handful of young clary, an anchovy to each fowl, an onion, and the yolks of four eggs boiled hard, seasoning the whole with pepper, salt, and mace. stuff the fowls with this mixture, and sew up the vents and necks quite close, that the water may not get in. boil them in salt and water till almost done; then drain them, and put them into a stewpan with butter enough to brown them. serve them with fine melted butter, and a spoonful of ketchup of either sort, in the dish. debility. a general relaxation of the nervous system is the source of numerous disorders, and requires a treatment as various as the causes on which it depends. in general, gentle heat possesses both stimulating and strengthening properties, and this is best communicated by a warm bath, which instead of relaxing will invigorate the whole frame. diet must also be attended to; and weakly persons should be careful to eat light and nourishing food, and plenty of nutricious vegetables. new laid eggs, soup, strong meat-broth, and shell-fish are also very nourishing. clothing should be accommodated to the climate and changes of weather, so as to preserve as much as possible a middle temperature between cold and heat. invalids of this description require longer and less disturbed rest than persons in perfect health and vigour; labour and exercise adapted to their habits and strength, a clean but not too soft bed, an airy and capacious apartment, and particularly a calm and composed mind, which last possesses a most powerful influence in preserving health and life, for without tranquility, all other means will be ineffectual. derbyshire bread. rub four ounces of butter into four pounds of flour, add four eggs well beaten, a pint of milk, and a large spoonful of yeast. mix them into a paste, make it into rolls, and let them stand half an hour to rise before the fire. put them into the oven, dip them in milk the next day, and then let them stand by the fire in a dutch oven about twenty minutes. the rolls will then be very good, and keep a fortnight. devonshire junket. put warm milk into a bowl, and turn it with rennet. then without breaking the curd, put on the top some scalded cream, sugar and cinnamon. diet bread. beat nine eggs, and add their weight in sifted sugar, and half as much flour. mix them well together, grate in the rind of a lemon, and bake it in a hoop. diet drink. infuse in five gallons of small beer, twelve ounces of red dock-roots, the pith taken out; three ounces of chicary roots, two handfuls of sage, balm, brooklime, and dandelion; two ounces of senna, two of rhubarb, four ounces of red saunders, and a few parsley and carraway seeds. or boil a pound of the fine raspings of guaiacum, with six gallons of sweetwort, till reduced to five; and when it is set to work, put in the above ingredients. if a little salt of wormwood be taken with it, this diet drink will act as a diuretic, as well as a purgative. dinners. the first course for large dinner parties, generally consists of various soups, fish dressed many ways, turtle, mock turtle, boiled meats and stewed: tongue, ham, bacon, chawls of bacon, boiled turkey and fowls: rump, sirloin, and ribs of beef roasted: leg, saddle, and other roast mutton: roast fillet, loin, neck, breast, and shoulder of veal: leg of lamb, loin, fore-quarter, chine, lamb's head and mince: mutton stuffed and roasted, steaks variously prepared, ragouts and fricassees: meat pies raised, and in dishes: patties of meat, fish, and fowl: stewed pigeons, venison, leg of pork, chine, loin, spare-rib, rabbits, hare, puddings, boiled and baked: vegetables, boiled and stewed: calf's head different ways, pig's feet and ears different ways.--dishes for the second course, birds, and game of all sorts: shell-fish, cold and potted: collared and potted fish, pickled ditto, potted birds, ribs of lamb roasted, brawn, vegetables, stewed or in sauce: french beans, peas, asparagus, cauliflower, fricassee, pickled oysters, spinach, and artichoke bottoms: stewed celery, sea kale, fruit tarts, preserved-fruit tarts, pippins stewed, cheesecakes, various sorts: a collection of sweet dishes, creams, jellies, mince pies, and all the finer sorts of puddings: omlet, macaroni, oysters in scallops, stewed or pickled.--for removes of soup and fish, one or two joints of meat or fowl are served; and for one small course, the article suited to the second must make a part. where vegetables, fowls, or any other meat are twice dressed, they add to the appearance of the table the first time; and three sweet articles may form the second appearance, without greater expence. in some houses, one dish at a time is sent up with the vegetables, or sauces proper to it, and this in succession hot and hot. in others, a course of soups and fish: then meats and boiled fowls, turkey, &c. made dishes and game follow; and lastly, sweet dishes; but these are not the common modes. it ought also to be remarked, that cooks in general do not think of sending up such articles as are in the house, unless ordered; though by so doing, the addition of something collared or pickled, some fritters, fried patties, or quick-made dumplings, would be useful when there happen to be accidental visitors: and at all times it is proper to improve the appearance of the table rather than let things spoil below, by which an unnecessary expence is incurred.--any of the following articles may be served as a relish, with the cheese, after dinner. baked or pickled fish done high, dutch pickled herrings: sardinias, which eat like anchovy, but are larger: anchovies, potted char, ditto lampreys: potted birds made high, caviare and sippets of toast: salad, radishes, french pie, cold butter, potted cheese, anchovy toast. distress for rent. in these days of general complaint and general distress, when so many families and individuals are suffering from the extortions of tax-gatherers, and the severity of landlords, it is proper that householders and occupiers of land should be furnished with a little information on the subject of their legal rights and liabilities, in order to guard against injustice, or the fatal consequences of illegal proceedings. it must therefore be observed, that rent is recoverable by action of debt at common law; but the general remedy is distress, by taking the goods and chattels out of the possession of the tenant, to procure satisfaction for rent. a distress for rent therefore must be made for nonpayment, or rent in arrears, and cannot be made on the day in which the rent becomes due. neither can distress be made after the rent has been tendered; or if it be tendered while the distress is making, the landlord must deliver up the distress. any goods or effects that are damaged by the proceedings of the landlord, must be made good by him.--when distress is levied, it should be for the whole of the rent in arrears; not a part at one time and the remainder at another, if there was at first a sufficiency; but if the landlord should mistake the value of the things, he may make a second distress to supply the deficiency. he must be careful to demand neither more nor less than is due; he must also shew the certainty of the rent, and when it was due; otherwise the demand will not be good, nor can he obtain a remedy.--a landlord may distrain whatever he finds on the premises, whether it be the property of his tenant or not, except such things as are for the maintenance and benefit of trade; such as working tools and implements, sacks of corn, or meal in a mill. neither fixtures in a house nor provisions can be distrained, nor any other article which cannot be restored in as good a state as when it was taken; but wearing apparel may be distrained when they are not in use. money out of a bag cannot be distrained, because it cannot be known again; but money sealed up in a bag may. a horse in a cart cannot be distrained, without also taking the cart; and if a man be in the cart, these cannot be taken. a horse bringing goods to market, goods brought to market to be sold, goods for exportation on a wharf or in a warehouse, goods in the hands of a factor, goods delivered to a carrier to be conveyed for hire, wool in a neighbour's barn, are all considered as goods in the hands of a third person, and cannot therefore be distrained by a landlord for rent. but goods left at an inn or other place of conveyance, a chaise or horse standing in a stable, though the property of a third person, may be distrained for rent. a distress must not be made after dark, nor on the sabbath day.--where a landlord means to distrain for rent, it is not necessary to demand his rent first, unless the tenant is on the premises on the day of payment, and ready to pay it. but if goods are distrained, and no cause given for so doing, the owner may rescue them, if not impounded. distraining part of the goods for rent in arrear, in the name of the whole goods, will be deemed a lawful seizure. but if distress and sale be made for rent when it can be proved that no rent is due or in arrear, the person so injured may recover double the value of such goods distrained, with full costs of suit. if goods be impounded, though they have been distrained without a cause, a tenant cannot touch them, because they are then in the hands of the law; but if not impounded or taken away, he is at liberty to rescue them.--if distress be made for rent, and the goods are not replevied within five days after the distress is made, and notice left on the premises stating the cause of such distress, the person distraining may have the goods appraised by two persons, sworn by the constable of the place for that purpose, and may after such appraisement sell them to the best advantage. the rent may then be taken, including all expences, and the overplus left in the hands of the constable for the owner's use. if a landlord commit an unlawful act or any other irregularity, in making distress for rent which is justly due, the distress itself will not on that account be deemed unlawful; but full damages may be demanded by the injured party, with full costs of suit; either in an action of trespass, or on the case. but if full recompense be tendered to the tenant for such trespass before the action is commenced, he is bound to accept it, or the action will be discharged.--if a tenant clandestinely remove his goods, to prevent the landlord from distraining them for rent, he may seize the goods within thirty days, wherever they shall be found; and if not actually sold previous to the seizure, he may dispose of them in order to recover his rent. any tenant or assistant removing goods to prevent a distress, is liable to double the value of the goods, which the landlord may recover by action at law. if under the value of fifty pounds, complaint may be made in writing to two neighbouring magistrates, who will enforce the payment by distress, or commit the offenders to the house of correction for six months. if any person after the distress is made, shall presume to remove the goods distrained, or take them away from the person distraining, the party aggrieved may sue for the injury, and recover treble costs and damages against the offender.--a landlord may not break a lock, nor open a gate; but if the outer door of the house be open he may enter, and break open the inner doors. but where goods are fraudulently removed, and locked up to prevent their being seized, the landlord may break open every place where they are and seize them. if in a dwelling house, an oath must first be made before a magistrate, that is was suspected the goods were lodged there. the most eligible way is to remove the goods immediately, and to give the tenant notice where they are removed to; but it is usual to leave them under the protection of a person on the premises for five whole days, after which it is lawful to sell them. in making the distress, it is necessary to give the bailiff a written order for that purpose, which the landlord may do himself without any stamp, only specifying the person's name, place of abode, and rent in arrears for which the goods and chattels are to be seized. after this an inventory is to be made of the articles, a copy of which is to be given to the tenant, accompanied with a notice that unless the arrears of rent and charges of distress be paid, or the goods replevied at the expiration of five days from the day of distress, the said goods will be appraised and sold according to law. if the landlord chooses to indulge the tenant with a longer time to raise the money, a memorandum must be taken of the tenant, stating that possession is lengthened at his request, or the landlord will be liable to an action for exceeding the time of his original notice.--see tenants. double rent. if a tenant has received a written notice, and he refuse to quit, after such notice has been regularly served, and will not give possession at the time required, he is liable to pay at the rate of double the annual value of the land or tenement so detained, for so long time as the same are detained in his possession, and the payment may be recovered by action of debt. or if the tenant shall give notice of his intention to quit the premises, and do not deliver up possession according to such notice, he is liable to the payment of double rent, as in the other case.--the following is the form of a notice to a tenant to quit, or to pay double rent. 'mr. a. b. i hereby give you notice to deliver up possession and quit, on or before next michaelmas day, the house and premises which you now hold of me, situate in the parish of ------inthe county of ------: and in default of your compliance therewith, i do and will insist on your paying me for the same, the yearly rent of ------ being double the annual rent, for such time as you shall detain the key, and keep possession, over the said notice. witness my hand this day of ------ -. c. d. landlord of the said premises. witness e. f.'--if, after notice of double rent be expired, a single rent is accepted, such acceptance will prevent the penalty, until notice is again given, and the time expired. down. this valuable part of goose coating, which contributes so much to the comfort and even the luxury of life, comes to maturity when it begins to fall off of itself; and if removed too soon, it is liable to be attacked by worms. lean geese furnish more than those that are fat, and the down is more valuable. neither the feathers nor the down of geese which have been dead some time are fit for use: they generally smell bad, and become matted. none but what is plucked from living geese, or which have just been killed, ought to be exhibited for sale; and in this case the down should be plucked soon, or before the geese are entirely cold. draught for a cough. beat a fresh-laid egg, and mix it with a quarter of a pint of new milk warmed, but do not heat it after the egg is put in. add a large spoonful of capillaire, the same of rose water, and a little nutmeg scraped. take it the first and last thing, and it will be found a fine soft draught for those who are weakly, or have a cold.--another remedy. take a handful of horehound, a handful of rue, a handful of hyssop, and the same quantity of ground ivy and of tormentil, with a small quantity of long plantain, pennyroyal, and five finger. boil them in four quarts of water till reduced to two quarts. strain it off, then add two pounds of loaf sugar; simmer it a little, add a quart of brandy and bottle it for use. a wine glassful of this to be taken occasionally. dried bacon. when two flitches are to be cured, divide the hog, cut off the hams, and take out the chine. it is common to remove the spare-ribs, but the bacon will be preserved better from being rusty, if they are left in. salt the bacon six days, then drain it from that first pickle: mix a proper quantity of salt with half a pound of bay-salt, three ounces of saltpetre, and a pound of coarse sugar, to each hog. rub the salts well in, and turn it every day for a month. drain and smoke it for a few days, or dry it with bran or flour, and hang it in the kitchen, or on a rack suspended from the ceiling.--good bacon may be known, if you are going to purchase it, by the rind being thin, the fat firm, and of a red tinge, the lean tender, of a good colour, and adhering to the bone. if there are yellow streaks in it, it is going, if not already rusty. dried cherries. stone six pounds of kentish cherries, and put them into a preserving pan with two pounds of loaf sugar pounded and strewed among them. simmer them till they begin to shrivel, then strain them from the juice, lay them on a hot hearth or in an oven, when either is cool enough to dry without baking them. the same syrup will do another six pounds of fruit.--to dry cherries without sugar, stone, and set them over the fire in a preserving pan. simmer them in their own liquor, and shake them in the pan. put them by in common china dishes: next day give them another scald, and when cold put them on sieves to dry, in an oven moderately warm. twice heating, an hour each time, will be sufficient. place them in a box, with a paper between each layer.--a superior way of preserving cherries is to allow one pound of double-refined sugar to every five pounds of fruit, after they are stoned; then to put both into a preserving pan with very little water, till they are scalding hot. take the fruit out immediately and dry them; return them into the pan again, strewing the sugar between each layer of cherries. let it stand to melt, then set the pan on the fire, and make it scalding hot as before; take it off, and repeat this thrice with the sugar. drain them from the syrup, and lay them singly to dry on dishes, in the sun or on a stove. when dry, put them into a sieve, dip it into a pan of cold water, and draw it instantly out again, and pour them on a fine soft cloth; dry them, and set them once more in the sun, or on a stove. keep them in a box, with layers of white paper, in a dry place. this is the best way to give plumpness to the fruit, as well as colour and flavour. dried haddock. choose them of two or three pounds weight; take out the gills, eyes, and entrails, and remove the blood from the backbone. wipe them dry, and put some salt into the bodies and sockets. lay them on a board for a night, then hang them up in a dry place, and after three or four days they will be fit to eat. skin and rub them with egg, and strew crumbs over them. lay them before the fire, baste with butter till they are quite brown, and serve with egg sauce.--whitings, if large, are excellent in this way; and where there is no regular supply of fish, it will be found a great convenience. dried salmon. cut the fish down, take out the inside and roe. after scaling it, rub it with common salt, and let it hang twenty-four hours to drain. pound three or four ounces of saltpetre, according to the size of the fish, two ounces of bay salt, and two ounces of coarse sugar. mix them well, rub it into the salmon, and lay it on a large dish for two days; then rub it with common salt, wipe it well after draining, and in twenty-four hours more it will be fit to dry. hang it either in a wood chimney, or in a dry place, keeping it open with two small sticks.--dried salmon is broiled in paper, and only just warmed through. egg sauce and mashed potatoes may be eaten with it; or it may be boiled, especially the part next the head. an excellent dish of dried salmon may also be made in the following manner. prepare some eggs boiled hard and chopped large, pull off some flakes of the fish, and put them both into half a pint of thin cream, with two or three ounces of butter rubbed in a tea-spoonful of flour. skim and stir it till boiling hot, make a wall of mashed potatoes round the inner edge of a dish, and pour the above into it. drink for the sick. pour a table-spoonful of capillaire, and the same of good vinegar, into a tumbler of fresh cold water. tamarinds, currants, fresh or in jelly, scalded currants or cranberries, make excellent drinks; with a little sugar or not, as most agreeable. or put a tea-cupful of cranberries into a cup of water, and mash them. in the meantime boil two quarts of water with one large spoonful of oatmeal, and a bit of lemon peel; then add the cranberries, and as much fine lisbon sugar as shall leave a smart flavour of the fruit. add a quarter of a pint of sherry, or less, as may be proper: boil all together for half an hour, and strain off the drink. dripping, if carefully preserved, will baste every thing as well as butter, except fowls and game; and for kitchen pies nothing else should be used. the fat of a neck or loin of mutton makes a far lighter pudding than suet. dripping crust. rub a pound of clarified dripping into three pounds of fine flour, and make it into a paste with cold water. or make a hot crust with the same quantity, by melting the dripping in water, and mixing it hot with the flour. drop cakes. rub half a pound of butter into a pound of fine flour; mix it with half a pound of sugar, and the same of currants. mix it into a paste, with two eggs, a large spoonful of rose water, brandy, and sweet wine; and put it on plates ready floured. dropsy. gentle exercise and rubbing the parts affected, are highly proper in this complaint, and the tepid bath has often procured considerable relief. the patient ought to live in a warm dry place, not expose himself to cold or damp air, and wear flannel next the skin. vegetable acids, such as vinegar, the juice of lemons and oranges, diluted with water, should be drank in preference to wine or spirits, either of which are generally hurtful. the diet should be light and nourishing, easy of digestion, and taken in moderation. horseradish, onions and garlic, may be used instead of foreign spices; but tea, coffee, and punch, are alike improper. drowning. if a person unfortunately fall into the water, and is supposed to be drowned, he should be carefully undressed as soon as he is taken out; then laid on a bed or mattrass in a warm apartment, with the head and upper part a little raised, and the nostrils cleaned with a feather dipped in oil. let the body be gently rubbed with common salt, or with flannels dipped in spirits; the pit of the stomach fomented with hot brandy, the temples stimulated with spirits of hartshorn, and bladders of lukewarm water applied to different parts of the body, or a warming-pan wrapped in flannel gently moved along the back. a warm bath, gradually increased to seventy-five degrees, would be highly proper; or the body may be carried to a brewhouse, and covered up with warm grains for an hour or two. an attempt should be made to inflate the lungs, either by the help of a pair of bellows, or a person's blowing with his mouth through the nostril, which in the first instance is much better. if the patient be very young, or the animation do not appear altogether suspended, he may be placed in bed between two persons to promote natural warmth, or covered with blankets or warm flannels. stimulating clysters of warm water and salt, or six ounces of brandy, should be speedily administered. the means should be persevered in for several hours, as there are instances of persons recovering after all hope was given up, and they had been abandoned by their attendants. as soon as the first symptoms of life are discernible, care must be taken to cherish the vital action by the most gentle and soothing means. fomentations of aromatic plants may then be applied to the pit of the stomach, bladders of warm water placed to the left side, the soles of the feet rubbed with salt, and a little white wine dropped on the tongue. the patient should then be left in a quiet state till able to drink a little warm wine, or tea mixed with a few drops of vinegar. the absurd practice of rolling persons on casks, lifting the feet over the shoulders, and suffering the head to remain downwards, in order to discharge the water, has occasioned the loss of many lives, as it is now fully and clearly established, that the respiration being impeded is in this case the sole cause of the suspension of life; and which being restored, the vital functions soon recover their tone. no attempt must be made to introduce liquor of any kind into the mouth, till there are strong signs of recovery. ducks. in rearing this species of poultry, they should be accustomed to feed and rest in one place, to prevent their straggling too far to lay. places near the water to lay in are advantageous, and these might consist of small wooden houses, with a partition in the middle, and a door at each end. they generally begin to lay in the month of february. their eggs should be daily taken away except one, till they seem inclined to set, and then they should be left with a sufficient quantity of eggs under them. they require no attention while setting, except to give them food at the time they come out to seek it; and water should be placed at a convenient distance, that their eggs may not be spoiled by their long absence in seeking it. twelve or thirteen eggs will be sufficient. in an early season it is best to place them under a hen, that the ducks may have less time for setting, for in cold weather they cannot so well be kept from the water, and would scarcely have strength to bear it. they should be placed under cover, especially in a wet season; for though water is the natural element of ducks, yet they are apt to be killed by the cramp before they are covered with feathers to defend them. ducks will eat any thing; and when to be fatted, they should have plenty of food, however coarse it may be, and in three weeks they will be ready. duck pie. bone a full-grown young duck and a fowl. wash and season them with pepper and salt, and a small proportion of mace and allspice in the finest powder. put the fowl within the duck, and in the former a calf's tongue, boiled very tender and peeled. press the whole close, and draw the legs inwards, that the body of the fowl may be quite smooth. the space between the sides of the crust may be filled with fine forcemeat, the same as for savoury pies. bake it in a slow oven, either in a raised crust or pie dish, with a thick ornamented crust. large staffordshire pies are made as above, but with a goose outwards, then a turkey, a duck next, then a fowl; and either tongue, small birds, or forcemeat in the middle. duck sauce. put a rich gravy into the dish, and slice the breast. cut a lemon, put on it some pepper and salt, squeeze it on the breast, and pour a spoonful of gravy over the meat, before it is sent round.--see roast duck. dun birds. roast and baste them with butter, and sprinkle a little salt before they are taken up. pour a good gravy over them, and serve with shalot sauce in a boat. dunelm of veal. stew a few small mushrooms in their own liquor and a bit of butter, a quarter of an hour. mince them fine, and put them with their liquor to some cold minced veal. add a little pepper and salt, some cream, and a bit of butter rubbed in less than half a tea-spoonful of flour. simmer the mince three or four minutes, and serve it on thin sippets of bread. cold fowl may be treated in the same manner. dutch beef. take a lean piece of beef, rub it well with treacle or brown sugar, and let it be turned often. in three days wipe it, and salt it with common salt and saltpetre beaten fine: rub these well in, and turn it every day for a fortnight. roll it tight in a coarse cloth, and press it under a large weight: hang it to dry in a wood smoke, but turn it upside down every day. boil it in pump water, and press it: it will then grate or cut into shivers, like dutch beef. dutch flummery. boil two ounces of isinglass in a pint and half of water very gently half an hour; add a pint of white wine, the juice of three lemons, and the thin rind of one. rub a few lumps of sugar on another lemon to obtain the essence, and add with them a sufficient quantity of sugar to sweeten. beat up the yolks of seven eggs, mix it with the above, and give them together one scald. keep the flummery stirring all the time, pour it into a bason, stir it till half cold, let it settle, and then put it into a melon shape. dutch pudding. melt a pound of butter in half a pint of milk; mix it into two pounds of flour, eight eggs, and four spoonfuls of yeast. add a pound of currants, and a quarter of a pound of sugar beaten and sifted, and bake it an hour in a quick oven. this is a very good pudding hot, and equally so as a cake when cold. if for the latter, carraways must be used instead of currants. dutch rice pudding. soak four ounces of rice in warm water half an hour; drain away the water, put the rice into a stewpan, with half a pint of milk, and half a stick of cinnamon, and simmer it till tender. when cold, add four eggs well beaten, two ounces of butter melted in a tea-cupful of cream; and add three ounces of sugar, a quarter of a nutmeg, and a good piece of lemon peel. put a light puffpaste into a mould or dish, or grated tops and bottoms, and bake in a quick oven. dutch waffles. these form a delicious article in the shape of puff cakes, which are instantly prepared and exhibited for sale in stalls or tents, in the fairs of holland, where they are eaten hot as they come from the plate or baking pan, with fine sugar strewed over them. mix together three pounds of fine flour, a dozen eggs, a pound of melted butter, half a pint of ale, some milk, and a little yeast. beat it well, till it forms a thick paste, and let it stand three or four hours before the fire to rise. lay it in small pieces on a hot iron or fryingpan, with a pair of buttered tongs, till it is lightly browned. eat the waffles with fine sugar sifted over, or a little sack and melted butter. dyeing. nankeen dye is made of equal parts of arnetto and common potash, dissolved in boiling water. to dye cotton, silk, woollen, or linen of a beautiful yellow, the plant called weld, or dyer's weed, is used for that purpose. blue cloths dipped in a decoction of it will become green. the yellow colour of the dutch pink is obtained from the juice of the stones and branches of the weld. black dye is obtained from a strong decoction of logwood, copperas, and gum arabic. oak saw-dust, or the excrescences on the roots of young oaks, may be used as a substitute for galls, both in making ink and black dye. e. earthenware. an ounce of dry lean cheese grated fine, and an equal quantity of quicklime mixed well together in three ounces of skim milk, will form a good cement for any articles of broken earthenware, when the rendering of the joint visible is reckoned of no consequence. a cement of the same nature may be made of quicklime tempered with the curd of milk, but the curd should either be made of whey or buttermilk. this cement, like the former, requires to be applied immediately after it is made, and it will effectually join any kind of earthenware or china. earwigs. these insects are often destructive in gardens, especially where carnations, nuts, or filberts, pears and apples are reared. their depredations on the flowers may be prevented by putting the bowl of a tobacco-pipe on the sticks which support them, into which they will creep in the day time, and may be destroyed. green leaves of elder laid near fruit trees, or flower roots, will prevent their approach. large quantities may be taken by placing short cuts of reed, bean or wheat straw, among the branches of fruit trees, and laying some on the ground near the root. having committed their depredations in the night, they take refuge in these in the day time; the reed or straw may be taken away and burnt, and more put in its stead.--if unfortunately one of these disagreeable insects have crept into the ear, from their running so frequently about our garments, let the afflicted person lay his head upon a table, while some friend carefully drop into the ear a little sweet oil, or oil of almonds. a drop or two will be sufficient to destroy the insect, and remove the pain. an earwig may be extracted by applying a piece of apple to the ear, which will entice the insect to come out. edgebone of beef. skewer it up tight, and tie a broad fillet round it, to keep the skewers in their places. put it in with plenty of cold water, and carefully catch the scum as it rises. when all the scum is removed, place the boiler on one side of the fire, to keep simmering slowly till it is done. a piece weighing ten pounds will take two hours, and larger in proportion. the slower it boils the better it will look, and the tenderer it will be: if allowed to boil quick at first, no art can make it tender afterwards. dress plenty of carrots, as cold carrots are a general favourite with cold beef. eel broth. clean half a pound of small eels, and set them on the fire with three pints of water, some parsley, a slice of onion, and a few peppercorns. let them simmer till the eels are broken, and the broth good. add salt, and strain it off. the above should make three half pints of broth, nourishing and good for weakly persons. eel pie. cut the eels in lengths of two or three inches, season with pepper and salt, and place them in a dish with some bits of butter, and a little water. cover the dish with a paste, and bake it. eel soup. put three pounds of small eels to two quarts of water, a crust of bread, three blades of mace, some whole pepper, an onion, and a bunch of sweet herbs. cover them close, stew till the fish is quite broken, and then strain it off. toast some bread, cut it into dice, and pour the soup on it boiling hot. part of a carrot may be put in at first. this soup will be as rich as if made of meat. a quarter of a pint of rich cream, with a tea-spoonful of flour rubbed smooth in it, is a great improvement. eggs. in new-laid eggs there is a small division of the skin at the end of the shell, which is filled with air, and is perceptible to the eye. on looking through them against the sun or a candle, they will be tolerably clear; but if they shake in the shell, they are not fresh. another way to distinguish fresh eggs, is to put the large end to the tongue; if it feels warm, it is new and good. eggs may be bought cheapest in the spring, when the hens first begin to lay, before they set: in lent and at easter they become dear. they may be preserved fresh for some time by dipping them in boiling water, and instantly taking them out, or by oiling the shell, either of which will prevent the air from passing through. they may also be kept on shelves with small holes to receive one in each, and be turned every other day; or close packed in a keg, and covered with strong lime water. a still better way of preserving eggs in a fresh state is to dip them in a solution of gum-arabic in water, and then imbed them in powdered charcoal. the gum-arabic answers the purpose of a varnish for the eggs, much better than any resinous gum, as it can easily be removed by washing them in water, and is a much cheaper preparation than any other. if eggs are greased the oily matter becomes rancid, and infallibly hastens the putrefaction of the eggs. but being varnished with gum water, and imbedded in charcoal, they will keep for many years, and may be removed from one climate to another. eggs and bacon. lay some slices of fine streaked bacon in a clean dish, and toast them before the fire in a cheese-toaster, turning them when the upper side is browned; or if it be wished to have them mellow and soft, rather than curled and crisp, parboil the slices before they are toasted and do them lightly. clear dripping or lard is to be preferred to butter for frying the eggs, and be sure that the fryingpan is quite clean before it is put in. when the fat is hot, break two or three eggs into it. do not turn them; but while they are frying, keep pouring some of the fat over them with a spoon. when the yolk just begins to look white, which it will in about two minutes, they are enough, and the white must not be suffered to lose its transparency. take up the eggs with a tin slice, drain the fat from them, trim them neatly, and send them up with the bacon round them. eggs and onions. boil some eggs hard, take out the yolks whole, and cut the whites in slices. fry some onions and mushrooms, put in the whites, and keep them turning. pour off the fat, flour the onions, and add a little gravy. boil them up, then put in the yolks, with a little pepper and salt. simmer the whole about a minute, and serve it up. eggs for sallad. boil a couple of eggs for twelve minutes, and put them into a bason of cold water, to render the yolks firm and hard. rub them through a sieve with a wooden spoon, and mix them with a spoonful of water, or fine double cream, and add two table-spoonfuls of oil or melted butter. when these are well mixed, add by degrees a tea-spoonful of salt, or powdered lump sugar, and the same of made mustard. add very gradually three table-spoonfuls of vinegar, rub it with the other ingredients till thoroughly incorporated, and cut up the white of the egg to garnish the top of the sallad. let the sauce remain at the bottom of the bowl, and do not stir up the sallad till it is to be eaten. this sauce is equally good with cold meat, cold fish, or for cucumbers, celery, and radishes. eggs for the sick. eggs very little boiled or poached, when taken in small quantities, convey much nourishment. the yolk only, when dressed, should be eaten by invalids. an egg divided, and the yolk and white beaten separately, then mixed with a glass of wine, will afford two very wholesome draughts, and prove lighter than when taken together. an egg broken into a cup of tea, or beaten and mixed with a bason of milk, makes a breakfast more supporting than tea only. eggs for turtle. beat in a mortar three yolks of eggs that have been boiled hard. make it into a paste with the yolk of a raw one, roll it into small balls, and throw them into boiling water for two minutes to harden. egg balls. boil the eggs hard, and put them in cold water. take out the yolks, and pound them fine in a mortar, wetting them with raw yolks, about one to three. season them with salt and white pepper, dry them with flour, and roll them into small balls, as they swell very much in boiling. when dressed, boil them in gravy for a minute. egg pie. boil twelve eggs hard, and chop them with one pound of marrow, or beef suet. season with a little cinnamon and nutmeg finely beaten, adding one pound of currants clean washed and picked, two or three spoonfuls of cream, a little sweet wine, and rose water. mix all together, and fill the pie: when it is baked, stir in half a pound of fresh butter, and the juice of a lemon. egg mince pies. boil six eggs hard, shred them small, and double the quantity of shred suet. then add a pound of currants washed and picked, or more if the eggs were large; the peel of one lemon shred very fine, and the juice; six spoonfuls of sweet wine, mace, nutmeg, sugar, a very little salt; orange, lemon, and citron, candied. cover the pies with a light paste. egg sauce. boil the eggs hard, chop them fine, and put them into melted butter. if thrown into cold water after being boiled, the yolks will become firmer, will be easier to cut, and the surface be prevented from turning black. egg sauce will be found an agreeable accompaniment to roast fowl, or salt fish. egg wine. beat up an egg, and mix it with a spoonful of cold water. set on the fire a glass of white wine, half a glass of water, with sugar and nutmeg. when it boils, pour a little of it to the egg by degrees, till the whole is mixed, and stir it well. then return the whole into the saucepan, put it on a gentle fire, stir it one way for about a minute. if it boil, or the egg be stale, it will curdle. the wine may be made without warming the egg; it is then lighter on the stomach, though not so pleasant to the taste. serve it with toast. elder. the foetid smell of the common elder is such, especially of the dwarf elder, that if the leaves and branches be strewed among cabbage and cauliflower plants, or turnips, it will secure them from the ravages of flies and caterpillars; and if hung on the branches of trees, it will protect them from the effects of blight. or if put into the subterraneous paths of the moles, it will drive them from the garden. an infusion of the leaves in water, and sprinkled over rose-buds and other flowers, will preserve them from the depredations of the caterpillar. elder rob. clear some ripe elder-berries from the stalks, bake them in covered jars for two hours, and squeeze the juice through a strainer. to four quarts of juice put one pound of sugar, and stir it over the fire till reduced to one quart. when cold, tie it down with a bladder, and keep it in a dry place. it is very good for sore throats and fevers. elder syrup. pick off the elder berries when fully ripe, bake them in a stone jar, strain them through a coarse sieve, and put the juice into a clean kettle. to every quart of juice add a pound of fine soft sugar, boil and skim it well: when it is clear, pour it into a jar, cool it, and cover it down. half a pint of this syrup added to a gallon of new made wine, will give it a very rich flavour, or it may be used for other purposes. elder wine. pick the berries from the stalk, and to every quart allow two quarts of water. boil them half an hour, run the liquor and break the fruit through a hair sieve, and to every quart of juice put three quarters of a pound of moist sugar. boil the whole a quarter of an hour, with some peppercorns, ginger, and a few cloves. pour it into a tub, and when of a proper warmth, into the barrel, with toast and yeast to work, which there is more difficulty to make it do than most other liquors. when it ceases to hiss, put a quart of brandy to eight gallons, and stop it up. bottle it in the spring, or at christmas.--to make white elder wine, very much like frontiniac, boil eighteen pounds of white powder sugar with six gallons of water, and two whites of eggs well beaten. skim it clean, and but in a quarter of a peck of elder flowers from the tree that bears white berries, but do not keep them on the fire. stir it when nearly cold, and put in six spoonfuls of lemon juice, four or five spoonfuls of yeast, and beat it well into the liquor. stir it every day, put into the cask six pounds of the best raisins stoned, and tun the wine. stop it close, and bottle it in six months. when well kept, this wine will pass for frontiniac. elder flower wine. to six gallons of spring water put six pounds of sun raisins cut small, and a dozen pounds of fine sugar: boil the whole together for about an hour and a half. when the liquor is cold, put in half a peck of ripe elder flowers, with about a gill of lemon juice, and half the quantity of ale yeast. cover it up, and after standing three days, strain it off. pour it into a cask that is quite clean, and that will hold it with ease. when this is done, add a quart of rhenish wine to every gallon of liquor, and let the bung be lightly put in for twelve or fourteen days. then stop it down fast, and put it in a cool dry place for four or five months, till it is quite settled and fine: then bottle it off. english bamboo. about the middle of may, cut some large young shoots of elder; strip off the outward peel, and soak them all night in some strong salt and water. dry them separately in a cloth, and have in readiness the following pickle. to a quart of vinegar put an ounce of white pepper, an ounce of sliced ginger, a little mace and pimento, all boiled together. put the elder shoots into a stone jar, pour on the liquor boiling hot, stop it up close, and set it by the fire two hours, turning the jar often to keep it hot. if not green when cold, strain off the liquor, pour it on boiling again, and keep it hot as before.--or if it be intended to make indian pickle, the addition of these shoots will be found to be a great improvement. in this case it will only be necessary to pour boiling vinegar and mustard seed on them, and to keep them till the jar of pickles shall be ready to receive them. the cluster of elder flowers before it opens, makes a delicious pickle to eat with boiled mutton. it is prepared by only pouring vinegar over the flowers. english brandy. english or british brandy may be made in smaller quantities, according to the following proportions. to sixty gallons of clear rectified spirits, put one pound of sweet spirit of nitre, one pound of cassia buds ground, one pound of bitter almond meal, (the cassia and almond meal to be mixed together before they are put to the spirits) two ounces of sliced orris root, and about thirty or forty prune stones pounded. shake the whole well together, two or three times a day, for three days or more. let them settle, then pour in one gallon of the best wine vinegar; and add to every four gallons, one gallon of foreign brandy. english champaigne. take gooseberries before they are ripe, crush them with a mallet in a wooden bowl; and to every gallon of fruit, put a gallon of water. let it stand two days, stirring it well. squeeze the mixture with the hands through a hop sieve, then measure the liquor, and to every gallon put three pounds and a half of loaf sugar. mix it well in the tub, and let it stand one day. put a bottle of the best brandy into the cask, which leave open five or six weeks, taking off the scum as it rises. then stop it up, and let it stand one year in the barrel before it is bottled. english sherry. boil thirty pounds of lump sugar in ten gallons of water, and clear it of the scum. when cold, put a quart of new alewort to every gallon of liquor, and let it work in the tub a day or two. then put it into a cask with a pound of sugar candy, six pounds of fine raisins, a pint of brandy, and two ounces of isinglass. when the fermentation is over, stop it close: let it stand eight months, rack it off, and add a little more brandy. return it to the cask again, and let it stand four months before it is bottled. english wines. during the high price of foreign wine, home-made wines will be found particularly useful; and though sugar is dear, they may be prepared at a quarter of the expence. if carefully made, and kept three or four years, a proportionable strength being given, they would answer the purpose of foreign wines for health, and cause a very considerable reduction in the expenditure. sugar and water are the principal basis of home-made wine; and when these require to be boiled, it is proper to beat up the whites of eggs to a froth, and mix them with the water when cold, in the proportion of one egg to a gallon. when the sugar and water are boiled, the liquor should be cooled quickly; and if not for wines that require fermenting, it may be put into the cask when cold. if the wine is to be fermented, the yeast should be put into it when it is milk-warm; but must not be left more than two nights to ferment, before it is put into the cask. particular care should be taken to have the cask sweet and dry, and washed inside with a little brandy, before the wine is tunned, but it should not be bunged up close till it has done fermenting. after standing three or four months, it will be necessary to taste the wine, to know whether it be fit to draw off. if not sweet enough, some sugar should be added, or draw it off into another cask, and put in some sugar-candy: but if too sweet, let it stand a little longer. when the wine is racked, the dregs may be drained through a flannel bag; and the wine, if not clear enough for the table, may be used for sauce. essence of allspice. take a dram of the oil of pimento, and mix it by degrees with two ounces of strong spirit of wine. a few drops will give the flavour of allspice to a pint of gravy, or mulled wine. essence of anchovy. put into a marble mortar ten or twelve fine mellow anchovies, that have been well pickled, and pound them to a pulp. put this into a clean well-tinned saucepan, then put a table-spoonful of cold water into the mortar, shake it round, and pour it to the pounded anchovies. set them by the side of a slow fire, frequently stirring them together till they are melted, which they will be in the course of five minutes. now stir in a quarter of a dram of good cayenne, and let it remain by the fire a few minutes longer. rub it through a hair sieve with the back of a wooden spoon, and keep it stopped very closely: if the air gets to it, it is spoiled directly. essence of anchovy is made sometimes with sherry, or madeira, instead of water, or with the addition of mushroom ketchup. essence of cayenne. put half an ounce of cayenne pepper into half a pint of wine or brandy, let it steep a fortnight, and then pour off the clear liquor. this article is very convenient for the extempore seasoning and finishing of soups and sauces, its flavour being instantly and equally diffused. essence of celery. steep in a quarter of a pint of brandy, or proof spirit, half an ounce of celery seed bruised, and let it stand a fortnight. a few drops will immediately flavour a pint of broth, and are an excellent addition to pease, and other soups. essence of cloves. mix together two ounces of the strongest spirit of wine, and a dram of the oil of cloves. nutmeg, cinnamon, and mace are prepared in the same manner. essence of flowers. select a quantity of the petals of any flowers which have an agreeable fragrance, lay them in an earthen vessel, and sprinkle a little fine salt upon them. then dip some cotton into the best florence oil, and lay it thin upon the flowers; continue a layer of petals, and a layer of cotton, till the vessel is full. it is then to be closed down with a bladder, and exposed to the heat of the sun. in about a fortnight a fragrant oil may be squeezed away from the whole mass, which will yield a rich perfume. essence of ginger. grate three ounces of ginger, and an ounce of thin lemon peel, into a quart of brandy, or proof spirit, and let it stand for ten days, shaking it up each day. if ginger is taken to produce an immediate effect, to warm the stomach, or dispel flatulence, this will be found the best preparation. essence of lavender. take the blossoms from the stalks in warm weather, and spread them in the shade for twenty-four hours on a linen cloth; then bruise and put them into warm water, and leave them closely covered in a still for four or five hours near the fire. after this the blossoms may be distilled in the usual way. essence of lemon peel. wash and brush clean the lemons, and let them get perfectly dry. take a lump of fine sugar, and rub them till all the yellow rind is taken up by the sugar; scrape off the surface of the sugar into a preserving pot, and press it hard down. cover it very close, and it will keep for some time. by this process is obtained the whole of the fine essential oil, which contains the flavour. essence of mushrooms. this delicate relish is made by sprinkling a little salt over some mushrooms, and mashing them three hours after. next day strain off the liquor, put it into a stewpan, and boil it till reduced one half. it will not keep long, but is preferable to any of the ketchups. an artificial bed of mushrooms would supply this article all the year round. essence of oysters. take fine fresh milton oysters, wash them in their own liquor, skim it, and pound them in a marble mortar. to a pint of oysters add a pint of sherry, boil them up, and add an ounce of salt, two drams of pounded mace, and one of cayenne. let it just boil up again, skim it, and rub it through a sieve. when cold, bottle and cork it well, and seal it down. this composition very agreeably heightens the flavour of white sauces, and white made-dishes. if a glass of brandy be added to the essence, it will keep a considerable time longer than oysters are out of season. essence of shalot. peel, mince, and pound in a mortar, three ounces of shalots, and infuse them in a pint of sherry for three days. then pour off the clear liquor on three ounces more of shalots, and let the wine remain on them ten days longer. an ounce of scraped horseradish may be added to the above, and a little thin lemon peel. this will impart a fine flavour to soups, sauces, hashes, and various other dishes. essence of soap. for washing or shaving, the essence of soap is very superior to what is commonly used for these purposes, and a very small quantity will make an excellent lather. mix two ounces of salt of tartar with half a pound of soap finely sliced, put them into a quart of spirits of wine, in a bottle that will contain twice the quantity. tie it down with a bladder, prick a pin through it for the air to escape, set it to digest in a gentle heat, and shake up the contents. when the soap is dissolved, filter the liquor through some paper to free it from impurities, and scent it with burgamot or essence of lemon. essence of turtle. mix together one wine-glassful of the essence of anchovy, one and a half of shalot wine, four wine-glassfuls of basil wine, two ditto of mushroom ketchup, one dram of lemon acid, three quarters of an ounce of lemon peel very thinly pared, and a quarter of an ounce of curry powder, and let them steep together for a week. the essence thus obtained will be found convenient to flavour soup, sauce, potted meats, savoury patties, and various other articles. evacuations. few things are more conducive to health than keeping the body regular, and paying attention to the common evacuations. a proper medium between costiveness and laxness is highly desirable, and can only be obtained by regularity in diet, sleep, and exercise. irregularity in eating and drinking disturbs every part of the animal economy, and never fails to produce diseases. too much or too little food will have this effect: the former generally occasions looseness, and the latter costiveness; and both have a tendency to injure health. persons who have frequent recourse to medicine for preventing costiveness, seldom fail to ruin their constitution. they ought rather to remove the evil by diet than by drugs, by avoiding every thing of a hot or binding nature, by going thinly clothed, walking in the open air, and acquiring the habit of a regular discharge by a stated visit to the place of retreat. habitual looseness is often owing to an obstructed perspiration: persons thus afflicted should keep their feet warm, and wear flannel next the skin. their diet also should be of an astringent quality, and such as tends to strengthen the bowels. for this purpose, fine bread, cheese, eggs, rice milk, red wine, or brandy and water would be proper.--insensible perspiration is one of the principal discharges from the human body, and is of such importance to health, that few diseases attack us while it goes on properly; but when obstructed, the whole frame is soon disordered, and danger meets us in every form. the common cause of obstructed perspiration, or taking cold, is the sudden changes of the weather; and the best means of fortifying the body is to be abroad every day, and breathe freely in the open air. much danger arises from wet feet and wet clothes, and persons who are much abroad are exposed to these things. the best way is to change wet clothes as soon as possible, or to keep in motion till they be dry, but by no means to sit or lie down. early habits may indeed inure people to wet clothes and wet feet without any danger, but persons of a delicate constitution cannot be too careful. perspiration is often obstructed by other means, but it is in all cases attended with considerable danger. sudden transitions from heat to cold, drinking freely of cold water after being heated with violent exercise, sitting near an open window when the room is hot, plunging into cold water in a state of perspiration, or going into the cold air immediately after sitting in a warm room, are among the various means by which the health of thousands is constantly ruined; and more die of colds than are killed by plagues, or slain in battle. eve's pudding. grate three quarters of a pound of bread; mix it with the same quantity of shred suet, the same of apples, and also of currants. mix with these the whole of four eggs, and the rind of half a lemon shred fine. put it into a shape, and boil it three hours. serve with pudding sauce, the juice of half a lemon, and a little nutmeg. exercise. whether man were originally intended for labour or not, it is evident from the human structure, that exercise is not less necessary than food, for the preservation of health. it is generally seen among the labouring part of the community, that industry places them above want, and activity serves them instead of physic. it seems to be the established law of the animal creation, that without exercise no creature should enjoy health, or be able to find subsistence. every creature, except man, takes as much of it as is necessary: he alone deviates from this original law, and suffers accordingly. weak nerves, and glandular obstructions, which are now so common, are the constant companions of inactivity. we seldom hear the active or laborious complain of nervous diseases: indeed many have been cured of them by being reduced to the necessity of labouring for their own support. this shews the source from which such disorders flow, and the means by which they may be prevented. it is evident that health cannot be enjoyed where the perspiration is not duly carried on; but that can never be the case where exercise is neglected. hence it is that the inactive are continually complaining of pains of the stomach, flatulencies, and various other disorders which cannot be removed by medicine, but might be effectually cured by a course of vigorous exercise. but to render this in the highest degree beneficial, it should always be taken in the open air, especially in the morning, while the stomach is empty, and the body refreshed with sleep. the morning air braces and strengthens the nerves, and in some measure answers the purpose of a cold bath. every thing that induces people to sit still, except it be some necessary employment, ought to be avoided; and if exercise cannot be had in the open air, it should be attended to as far as possible within doors. violent exertions however are no more to be recommended than inactivity; for whatever fatigues the body, prevents the benefit of exercise, and tends to weaken rather than strengthen it. fast walking, immediately before or after meals, is highly pernicious, and necessarily accelerates the circulation of the blood, which is attended with imminent danger to the head or brain. on the other hand, indolence not only occasions diseases, and renders men useless to society, but it is the parent of vice. the mind, if not engaged in some useful pursuit, is constantly in search of ideal pleasures, or impressed with the apprehension of some imaginary evil; and from these sources proceed most of the miseries of mankind. an active life is the best guardian of virtue, and the greatest preservative of health. f. facsimiles. to produce a facsimile of any writing, the pen should be made of glass enamel, the point being small and finely polished, so that the part above the point may be large enough to hold as much or more ink than a common writing pen. a mixture of equal parts of frankfort black, and fresh butter, is now to be smeared over sheets of paper, and is to be rubbed off after a certain time. the paper thus smeared is to be pressed for some hours, taking care to have sheets of blotting paper between each of the sheets of black paper. when fit for use, writing paper is put between sheets of blackened paper, and the upper sheet is to be written on, with common ink, by the glass or enamel pen. by this method, not only the copy is obtained on which the pen writes, but also two or more, made by means of the blackened paper. family pies. to make a plain trust for pies to be eaten hot, or for fruit puddings, cut some thin slices of beef suet, lay them in some flour, mix it with cold water, and roll it till it is quite soft. or make a paste of half a pound of butter or lard, and a pound and a half of flour. mix it with water, work it up, roll it out twice, and cover the dish with it. family wine. an excellent compound wine, suited to family use, may be made of equal parts of red, white, and black currants, ripe cherries and raspberries, well bruised, and mixed with soft water, in the proportion of four pounds of fruit to one gallon of water. when strained and pressed, three pounds of moist sugar are to be added to each gallon of liquid. after standing open for three days, during which it is to be stirred frequently, it is to be put into a barrel, and left for a fortnight to work, when a ninth part of brandy is to be added, and the whole bunged down. in a few months it will be a most excellent wine. fatting fowls. chickens or fowls may be fatted in four or five days, by setting some rice over the fire with skimmed milk, as much as will serve for one day. let it boil till the rice is quite swelled, and add a tea-spoonful of sugar. feed them three times a day, in common pans, giving them only as much as will quite fill them at once. before they are fed again, set the pans in water, that no sourness may be conveyed to the fowls, as that would prevent their fattening. let them drink clean water, or the milk of the rice; but when rice is given them, after being perfectly soaked, let as much of the moisture as possible be drawn from it. by this method the flesh will have a clean whiteness, which no other food gives; and when it is considered how far a pound of rice will go, and how much time is saved by this mode, it will be found nearly as cheap as any other food, especially if it is to be purchased. the chicken pen should be cleaned every day, and no food given for sixteen hours before poultry is to be killed. fawn. a fawn, like a sucking pig, should be dressed almost as soon as it is killed. when very young, it is trussed, stuffed, and spitted the same as a hare. but they are better eating when of the size of a house lamb, and then roasted in quarters: the hind quarter is most esteemed. the meat must be put down to a very quick fire, and either basted all the time it is roasting, or be covered with sheets of fat bacon. when done, baste it with butter, and dredge it with a little salt and flour, till a nice froth is set upon it. serve it up with venison sauce. if a fawn be half roasted as soon as received, and afterwards made into a hash, it will be very fine. fear. sudden fear, or an unexpected fright, often produces epileptic fits, and other dangerous disorders. many young people have lost their lives or their senses by the foolish attempts of producing violent alarm, and the mind has been thrown into such disorders as never again to act with regularity. a settled dread and anxiety not only dispose the body to diseases, but often render those diseases fatal, which a cheerful mind would overcome; and the constant dread of some future evil, has been known to bring on the very evil itself. a mild and sympathizing behaviour towards the afflicted will do them more good than medicine, and he is the best physician and the best friend who administers the consolation of hope. feathers. where poultry is usually sold ready picked, the feathers which occasionally come in small quantities are neglected; but care should be taken to put them into a clean tub, and as they dry to change them into paper bags, in small quantities. they should hang in a dry kitchen to season; fresh ones must not be added to those in part dried, or they will occasion a musty smell, but they should go through the same process. in a few months they will be fit to add to beds, or to make pillows, without the usual mode of drying them in a cool oven, which may be pursued if they are wanted before five or six months. feathers cleaned. in order to clear feathers from animal oil, dissolve a pound of quick lime in a gallon of clear water; and pour off the clear lime-water for use, at the time it is wanted. put the feathers to be cleaned in a tub, and add to them a sufficient quantity of the clear lime-water, so as to cover them about three inches. the feathers, when thoroughly moistened, will sink down, and should remain in the lime-water for three or four days; after which, the foul liquor should be separated from them by laying them on a sieve. they are afterwards to be washed in clean water, and dried on nets, the meshes being about the same fineness as those of cabbage nets. they must be shaken from time to time on the nets; as they dry, they will fall through the meshes, and are to be collected for use. the admission of air will be serviceable in the drying, and the whole process may be completed in about three weeks. the feathers, after being thus prepared, want nothing farther than beating, to be used either for beds, bolsters, pillows, or cushions. feet. to prevent corns from growing on the feet, wear easy shoes, and bathe the feet often in lukewarm water, with a little salt and potash dissolved in it. the corn itself may be completely destroyed by rubbing it daily with a little caustic solution of potash, till a soft and flexible skin is formed. for chilblains, soak the feet in warm bran and water and rub them well with flour of mustard. this should be done before the chilblains begin to break. fennel sauce. boil fennel and parsley, tied together in a bunch; chop it small, and stir it up with melted butter. this sauce is generally eaten with mackarel. fever drink. to make a refreshing drink in a fever, put into a stone jug a little tea sage, two sprigs of balm, and a small quantity of wood sorrel, having first washed and dried them. peel thin a small lemon, and clear from the white; slice it, and put in a bit of the peel. then pour in three pints of boiling water, sweeten, and cover it close.--another drink. wash extremely well an ounce of pearl barley; shift it twice, then put to it three pints of water, an ounce of sweet almonds beaten fine, and a bit of lemon peel. boil the liquor smooth, put in a little syrup of lemons, and capillaire.--another way is to boil three pints of water with an ounce and a half of tamarinds, three ounces of currants, and two ounces of stoned raisins, till nearly a third is consumed. strain it on a bit of lemon peel, which should be removed in the course of an hour, or it will infuse a bitter taste. fillet of veal. stuff it well under the udder, at the bone, and quite through to the shank. put it into the oven, with a pint of water under it, till it comes to a fine brown. then put it in a stewpan with three pints of gravy, and stew it quite tender. add a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle, a large spoonful of browning, one of ketchup, and a little cayenne; thicken it with a bit of butter rolled in flour. put the veal in a dish, strain the gravy over it, and lay round it forcemeat balls. garnish with pickle and lemon. fine cake. to make an excellent cake, rub two pounds of fine dry flour with one of butter, washed in plain and then in rose water. mix with it three spoonfuls of yeast, in a little warm milk and water. set it to rise an hour and a half before the fire, and then beat into it two pounds of currants, carefully washed and picked, and one pound of sifted sugar. add four ounces of almonds, six ounces of stoned raisins chopped fine, half a nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and a few cloves, the peel of a lemon shred very fine, a glass of wine, one of brandy, twelve yolks and whites of eggs beat separately, with orange, citron, and lemon. beat them up well together, butter the pan, and bake in a quick oven.--to make a still finer cake, wash two pounds and a half of fresh butter in water first, and then in rose water, and beat the butter to a cream. beat up twenty eggs, yolks and whites, separately, half an hour each. have ready two pounds and a half of the finest flour well dried and kept hot, likewise a pound and a half of loaf sugar pounded and sifted, an ounce of spice in very fine powder, three pounds of currants nicely cleaned and dry, half a pound of almonds blanched, and three quarters of a pound of sweetmeats cut small. let all be kept by the fire, and mix the dry ingredients. pour the eggs strained to the butter, mix half a glass of sweet wine with a full glass of brandy, and pour it to the butter and eggs, mixing them well together. add the dry ingredients by degrees, and beat them together thoroughly for a great length of time. having prepared and stoned half a pound of jar raisins, chopped as fine as possible, mix them carefully, so that there shall be no lumps, and add a tea-cupful of orange flower water. beat the ingredients together a full hour at least. have a hoop well buttered, or a tin or copper cake-pan; take a white paper, doubled and buttered, and put in the pan round the edge, if the cake batter fill it more than three parts, for space should be allowed for rising. bake it in a quick oven: three hours will be requisite. fine crust. for orange cheesecakes, or sweetmeats, when intended to be particularly nice, the following fine crust may be prepared. dry a pound of the finest flour and mix with it three ounces of refined sugar. work up half a pound of butter with the hand till it comes to a froth, put the flour into it by degrees, adding the yolks of three and the whites of two eggs, well beaten and strained. if too thin, add a little flour and sugar to make it fit to roll. line some pattipans, and fill them: a little more than fifteen minutes will bake them. beat up some refined sugar with the white of an egg, as thick as possible, and ice the articles all over as soon as they are baked. then return them to the oven to harden, and serve them up cold, with fresh butter. salt butter will make a very fine flaky crust, but if for mince pies, or any sweet things, it should first be washed. fire arms. the danger of improperly loading fire arms chiefly arises from not ramming the wadding close to the powder; and then when a fowling-piece is discharged, it is very likely to burst in pieces. this circumstance, though well known, is often neglected, and various accidents are occasioned by it. hence when a screw barrel pistol is to be loaded, care should be taken that the cavity for the powder be entirely filled with it, so as to leave no space between the powder and the ball. for the same reason, if the bottom of a large tree is to be shivered with gunpowder, a space must be left between the charge and the wadding, and the powder will tear it asunder. but considering the numerous accidents that are constantly occurring, from the incautious use of fire arms, the utmost care should be taken not to place them within the reach of children or of servants, and in no instance to lay them up without previously drawing the charge. fire irons. to preserve them from rust, when not in use, they should be wrapped up in baize, and kept in a dry place. or to preserve them more effectually, let them be smeared over with fresh mutton suet, and dusted with unslaked lime, pounded and tied up in muslin. irons so prepared will keep many months. use no oil for them at any time, except a little salad oil, there being water in all other, which would soon produce rust. firmity. to make somersetshire firmity, boil a quart of fine wheat, and add by degrees two quarts of new milk. pick and wash four ounces of currants, stir them in the jelly, and boil them together till all is done. beat the yolks of three eggs, and a little nutmeg, with two or three spoonfuls of milk, and add to the boiling. sweeten the whole, and serve it in a deep dish, either warm or cold. fish. in dressing fish of any kind for the table, great care is necessary in cleaning it. it is a common error to wash it too much, and by this means the flavour is diminished. if the fish is to be boiled, after it is cleaned, a little salt and vinegar should be put into the water, to give it firmness. codfish, whiting, and haddock, are far better if a little salted, and kept a day; and if the weather be not very hot, they will be good two days. when fish is cheap and plentiful, and a larger quantity is purchased than is immediately wanted, it would be proper to pot or pickle such as will bear it, or salt and hang it up, or fry it a little, that it may serve for stewing the next day. fresh water fish having frequently a muddy smell and taste, should be soaked in strong salt and water, after it has been well cleaned. if of a sufficient size, it may be scalded in salt and water, and afterwards dried and dressed. fish should be put into cold water, and set on the fire to do very gently, or the outside will break before the inner part is done. crimp fish is to be put into boiling water; and when it boils up, pour in a little cold water to check extreme heat, and simmer it a few minutes. the fish plate on which it is done, may be drawn up, to see if it be ready, which may be known by its easily separating from the bone. it should then be immediately taken out of the water, or it will become woolly. the fish plate should be set crossways over the kettle, to keep hot for serving; and a clean cloth over the fish, to prevent its losing its colour. small fish nicely fried, covered with egg and crumbs, make a dish far more elegant than if served plain. great attention is required in garnishing fish, by using plenty of horseradish, parsley, and lemon. when well done, and with very good sauce, fish is more attended to than almost any other dish. the liver and roe should be placed on the dish in order that they may be distributed in the course of serving.--if fish is to be fried or broiled, it must be dried in a nice soft cloth, after it is well cleaned and washed. if for frying, smear it over with egg, and sprinkle on it some fine crumbs of bread. if done a second time with the egg and bread, the fish will look so much the better. put on the fire a stout fryingpan, with a large quantity of lard or dripping boiling hot, plunge the fish into it, and let it fry tolerably quick, till the colour is of a fine brown yellow. if it be done enough before it has obtained a proper degree of colour, the pan must be drawn to the side of the fire. take it up carefully, and either place it on a large sieve turned upwards, and to be kept for that purpose only, or on the under side of a dish to drain. if required to be very nice, a sheet of writing paper must be placed to receive the fish, that it may be free from all grease; it must also be of a beautiful colour, and all the crumbs appear distinct. the same dripping, adding a little that is fresh, will serve a second time. butter gives a bad colour, oil is the best, if the expense be no objection. garnish with a fringe of fresh curled parsley. if fried parsley be used, it must be washed and picked, and thrown into fresh water; when the lard or dripping boils, throw the parsley into it immediately from the water, and instantly it will be green and crisp, and must be taken up with a slice.--if fish is to be broiled, it must be seasoned, floured, and laid on a very clean gridiron, which when hot, should be rubbed with a bit of suet, to prevent the fish from sticking. it must be broiled over a very clear fire, that it may not taste smoky; and not too near, that it may not be scorched. fish gravy. skin two or three eels, or some flounders; gut and wash them very clean, cut them into small pieces, and put them into a saucepan. cover them with water, and add a little crust of toasted bread, two blades of mace, some whole pepper, sweet herbs, a piece of lemon peel, an anchovy or two, and a tea-spoonful of horse-radish. cover the saucepan close, and let it simmer; then add a little butter and flour, and boil with the above. fish pie. to make a fine fish pie, boil two pounds of small eels. cut the fins quite close, pick off the flesh, and return the bones into the liquor, with a little mace, pepper, salt, and a slice of onion. then boil it till it is quite rich, and strain it. make forcemeat of the flesh, with an anchovy, a little parsley, lemon peel, salt, pepper, and crumbs, and four ounces of butter warmed. lay it at the bottom of the dish: then take the flesh of soles, small cod, or dressed turbot, and rub it with salt and pepper. lay this on the forcemeat, pour on the gravy, and bake it. if cod or soles are used, the skin and fins must be taken off. fish sauce. put into a very nice tin saucepan a pint of port wine, a gill of mountain, half a pint of fine walnut ketchup, twelve anchovies with the liquor that belongs to them, a gill of walnut pickle, the rind and juice of a large lemon, four or five shalots, a flavour of cayenne, three ounces of scraped horse-radish, three blades of mace, and two tea-spoonfuls of made mustard. boil it all gently, till the rawness goes off, and put it into small bottles for use. cork them very close and seal the top.--or chop two dozen of anchovies not washed, and ten shalots, and scrape three spoonfuls of horseradish. then add ten blades of mace, twelve cloves, two sliced lemons, half a pint of anchovy liquor, a quart of hock or rhenish wine, and a pint of water. boil it down to a quart, and strain it off. when cold, add three large spoonfuls of walnut ketchup, and put the sauce into small bottles well corked.--to make fish sauce without butter, simmer very gently a quarter of a pint of vinegar, and half a pint of soft water, with an onion. add four cloves, and two blades of mace, slightly bruised, and half a tea-spoonful of black pepper. when the onion is quite tender, chop it small with two anchovies, and set the whole on the fire to boil for a few minutes, with a spoonful of ketchup. prepare in the mean time the yolks of three fresh eggs, well beaten and strained, and mix the liquor with them by degrees. when all are well mixed, set the saucepan over a gentle fire, keeping a bason in one hand, to toss the sauce to and fro in, and shake the saucepan over the fire, that the eggs may not curdle. do not let it boil, only make the sauce hot enough to give it the thickness of melted butter.--fish sauce à la craster, is made in the following manner. thicken a quarter of a pound of butter with flour, and brown it. add a pound of the best anchovies cut small, six blades of pounded mace, ten cloves, forty corns of black pepper and allspice, a few small onions, a faggot of sweet herbs, consisting of savoury, thyme, basil, and knotted marjoram, also a little parsley, and sliced horse-radish. on these pour half a pint of the best sherry, and a pint and a half of strong gravy. simmer all gently for twenty minutes, then strain it through a sieve, and bottle it for use. the way of using it is, to boil some of it in the butter while melting. flannels. in order to make flannels keep their colour and not shrink, put them into a pail, and pour on boiling water. let them lie till cold, before they are washed. flat beer. much loss is frequently sustained from beer growing flat, during the time of drawing. to prevent this, suspend a pint or more of ground malt in it, tied up in a large bag, and keep the bung well closed. the beer will not then become vapid, but rather improve the whole time it is in use. flat cakes. mix two pounds of flour, one pound of sugar, and one ounce of carraways, with four or five eggs, and a few spoonfuls of water. make all into a stiff paste, roll it out thin, cut it into any shape, and bake on tins lightly floured. while baking, boil to a thin syrup a pound of sugar in a pint of water. when both are hot, dip each cake into the syrup, and place them on tins to dry in the oven for a short time. when the oven is a little cooler, return them into it, and let them remain there four or five hours. cakes made in this way will keep good for a long time. flat fish. flounders, plaice, soles, and other kinds of flat fish, are good boiled. cut off the fins, draw and clean them well, dry them with a cloth, and boil them in salt and water. when the fins draw out easily, they are done enough. serve them with shrimp, cockle, or mustard sauce, and garnish with red cabbage. flatulency. wind in the stomach, accompanied with pain, is frequently occasioned by eating flatulent vegetables, or fat meat, with large draughts of beverage immediately afterwards, which turn rancid on the stomach; and of course, these ought to be avoided. hot tea, turbid beer, and feculent liquors will have the same effect. a phlegmatic constitution, or costiveness, will render the complaint more frequent and painful. gentle laxatives and a careful diet are the best remedy; but hot aromatics and spirituous liquors should be avoided. fleas. want of cleanliness remarkably contributes to the production of these offensive insects. the females of this tribe deposit their eggs in damp and filthy places, within the crevices of boards, and on rubbish, when they emerge in the form of fleas in about a month. cleanliness, and frequent sprinkling of the room with a simple decoction of wormwood, will soon exterminate the whole breed of these disagreeable vermin; and the best remedy to expel them from bed clothes is a bag filled with dry moss, the odour of which is to them extremely offensive. fumigation with brimstone, or the fresh leaves of pennyroyal sewed in a bag, and laid in the bed, will also have the desired effect. dogs and cats may be effectually secured from the persecutions of these vermin, by occasionally anointing their skin with sweet oil, or oil of turpentine; or by rubbing into their coats some scotch snuff. but if they be at all mangy, or their skin broken, the latter would be very painful and improper. flies. if a room be swarming with these noisome insects, the most ready way of expelling them is to fumigate the apartment with the dried leaves of the gourd. if the window be opened, the smoke will instantly drive them out: or if the room be close, it will suffocate them. but in the latter case, no person should remain within doors, as the fume is apt to occasion the headache. another way is to dissolve two drams of the extract of quassia in half a pint of boiling water; and, adding a little sugar or syrup, pour the mixture upon plates. the flies are extremely partial to this enticing food, and it never fails to destroy them. camphor placed near any kind of provision will protect it from the flies. flip. to make a quart of flip, put the ale on the fire to warm, and beat up three or four eggs, with four ounces of moist sugar. add a tea-spoonful of grated nutmeg or ginger, and a quartern of good old rum or brandy. when the ale is nearly boiling, put it into one pitcher, and the rum and eggs into another: turn it from one pitcher to another, till it is as smooth as cream. floating island. mix three half pints of thin cream with a quarter of a pint of raisin wine, a little lemon juice, orange flower water, and sugar. put it into a dish for the middle of the table, and lay on with a spoon the following froth ready prepared. sweeten half a pound of raspberry or currant jelly, add to it the whites of four eggs beaten, and beat up the jelly to a froth, until it will take any form you please. it should be raised high, to represent a castle or a rock.--another way. scald a codlin before it be ripe, or any other sharp apple, and pulp it through a sieve. beat the whites of two eggs with sugar, and a spoonful of orange flower water; mix in the pulp by degrees, and beat all together till it produces a large quantity of froth. serve it on a raspberry cream, or colour the froth with beet root, raspberry, or currant jelly, and set it on a white cream, which has already been flavoured with lemon, sugar, and raisin wine. the froth may also be laid on a custard. floor cloths. the best are such as are painted on a fine cloth, well covered with colour, and where the flowers do not rise much above the ground, as they wear out first. the durability of the cloth will depend much on these two particulars, but more especially on the time it has been painted, and the goodness of the colours. if they have not been allowed sufficient space for becoming thoroughly hardened, a very little use will injure them: and as they are very expensive articles, care is necessary in preserving them. it answers to keep them some time before they are used, either hung up in a dry airy place, or laid down in a spare room. when taken up for the winter, they should be rolled round a carpet roller, and care taken not to crack the paint by turning in the edges too suddenly. old carpets answer quite well, painted and seasoned some months before they are laid down. if intended for passages, the width must be directed when they are sent to the manufactory, as they are cut before painting. floor cloths cleaned. sweep them first, then wipe them with a flannel; and when the dust and spots are removed, rub with a wax flannel, and dry them with a plain one. use but little wax, and rub only with the latter to give a little smoothness, or it will make the floor cloth slippery, and endanger falling. washing now and then with milk, after the above sweeping and dry rubbing, will give as good an appearance, and render the floor cloths less slippery. flounders. these are both sea and river fish: the thames produces the best. they are in season from january to march, and from july to september. their flesh should be thick and firm, and their eyes bright: they very soon become flabby and bad. before they are dressed, they should be rubbed with salt inside and out, and lie two hours to acquire firmness. then dip them in eggs, cover with grated bread, and fry them. flour. good wheat flour may be known by the quantity of glutinous matter it contains, and which will appear when kneaded into dough. for this purpose take four ounces of fine flour, mix it with water, and work it together till it forms a thick paste. the paste is then to be well washed and kneaded with the hands under the water, and the water to be renewed till it ceases to become white by the operation. if the flour be sound, the paste which remains will be glutinous and elastic, and brittle after it has been baked.--adulterated meal and flour are generally whiter and heavier than the good, and may be detected in a way similar to that already mentioned, under the article adulterations. or pour boiling water on some slices of bread, and drop on it some spirits of vitriol. put them in the flour; and if it contain any quantity of whiting, chalk, or lime, a fermentation will ensue. vitriol alone, dropped on adulterated bread or flour, will produce a similar effect.--american flour requires nearly twice as much water to make it into bread as is used for english flour, and therefore it is more profitable. fourteen pounds of american flour will make twenty-one pounds and a half of bread, while the best sort of english flour produces only eighteen pounds and a half. flour caudle. into five large spoonfuls of pure water, rub smooth one dessert-spoonful of fine flour. set over the fire five spoonfuls of new milk, and put into it two pieces of sugar. the moment it boils, pour into it the flour and water, and stir it over a slow fire twenty minutes. it is a nourishing and gently astringent food, and excellent for children who have weak bowels. flower garden. the pleasures of the garden are ever various, ever new; and in every month of the year some attention is demanded, either in rearing the tender plant, in preparing the soil for its reception, or protecting the parent root from the severity of the winter's blast. ranunculuses, anemones, tulips, and other bulbous roots, if not taken up, will be in great danger from the frost, and their shoots in the spring will either be impaired, or totally destroyed.----january. cover the flower beds with wheat straw, to protect them from the cold; but where the shoots begin to appear, place behind them a reed edge, sloping three feet forward. a mat is to be let down from the top in severe weather, and taken up when it is mild. this will preserve them, without making them weak or sickly. the beds and boxes of seedling flowers should also be covered, and the fence removed when the weather is mild. clean the auricula plants, pick off dead leaves, and scrape away the surface of the mould. replenish them with some that is fine and fresh, set the pots up to the brim in the mould of a dry bed, and place behind them a reed edging. cover carnation plants from wet, and defend them from mice and sparrows.----february. make hotbeds for annual flowers, of the dung reserved for that purpose, and sow them upon a good thickness of mould, laid regularly over the dung. transplant perennial flowers, and hardy shrubs, canterbury bells, lilacs, and the like. break up and new lay the gravel walks. weed, rake, and clean the borders; and where the box of the edging is decayed, make it up with a fresh plantation. sow auricula and polyanthus seeds in boxes, made of rough boards six inches deep, with holes at the bottom to run off the water. fill the boxes with light mould, scatter the seeds thinly over the surface, sift some more mould over them about a quarter of an inch thick, and place them where they may enjoy the morning sun. plant out carnations into pots for flowering.----march. watch the beds of tender flowers, and throw mats over them, supported by hoops, in hard weather. continue transplanting all the perennial fibrous rooted flowers, such as golden-rods, and sweet-williams. dig up the earth with a shovel about those which were planted in autumn, and clean the ground between them. all the pots of flowering plants must now be dressed. pick off dead leaves, remove the earth at the top, and put fresh instead; then give them a gentle watering, and set them in their places for flowering. be careful that the roots are not wounded, and repeat the watering once in three days. the third week in march is the time to sow sweet peas, poppies, catchflies, and all the hardy annual plants. the last week is proper for transplanting evergreens, and a showery day should be chosen for the purpose. hotbeds should now be made, to receive the seedlings of annual flowers raised in the former bed.----april. tie up to sticks the stalks of tall flowers, cut the sticks about two feet long, thrust them eight inches into the ground, and hide them among the leaves. clean and rake the ground between them. take off the slips of auriculas, and plant them out carefully for an increase. transplant perennial flowers and evergreens, as in the former months; take up the roots of colchichams, and other autumnal bulbous plants. sow french honeysuckles, wallflowers, and other hardy plants, upon the natural ground, and the more tender sorts on hotbeds. transplant those sown last month, into the second hotbed. sow carnations and pinks on the natural ground, and on open borders.----may. when the leaves of sowbreads are decayed, take up the roots, and lay them by carefully till the time of planting. take up the hyacinth roots which have done flowering, and lay them sideways in a bed of dry rich mould, leaving the stems and leaves to die away: this will greatly strengthen the roots. roll the gravel walks carefully and frequently, and keep the grass clean mowed. clean all the borders from weeds, take off the straggling branches from the large flowering plants, and train them up in a handsome shape. plant out french and african marigolds from the hotbeds, with other autumnals, the last week of this month, choosing a cloudy warm day. tie up the stalks of carnations, pot the tender annuals, such as balsams and amaranths, and set them in a hotbed frame, till summer is more advanced for planting them in the open ground.----june. choose the evening of a mild showery day, and plant out into the open ground, the tender annuals hitherto kept in pots in the hotbed frame. they must be carefully loosened from the sides of the pot, and taken out with all the mould about them; a large hole must be opened for each, to set them upright in it; and when settled in the ground by gentle watering, they must be tied up to sticks. let pinks, carnations, and sweet-williams, be laid this month for an increase. let the layers be covered lightly, and gently watered every other day. spring flowers being now over, and their leaves faded, the roots must be taken up, and laid by for planting again at a proper season. snow-drops, winter-aconite, and such sorts, are to be thus managed. the hyacinth roots, laid flat in the ground, must now be taken up, and the dead leaves clipped off; and when cleared from the mould, they must be spread upon a mat in an airy room to dry, and laid by for future planting. tulip roots also must now be taken up, as the leaves decay: anemones and ranunculuses are treated in the same manner. cut in three or four places, the cups or poles of the carnations that are near blowing, that they may show regularly. at the same time inoculate some of the fine kind of roses.----july. clip box edgings, cut and trim hedges, look over all the borders, clear them from weeds, and stir up the mould between the plants. roll the gravel frequently, and mow the grass plats. inoculate roses and jasmines that require this kind of propagation, and any of the other flowering shrubs. gather the seeds of flowers intended to be propagated, and lay them upon a shelf in an airy room in the pods. when they are well hardened, tie them up in paper bags, but do not take them out of the pods till they are wanted. lay pinks and sweet-williams in the earth as formerly, cut down the stalks of those plants which have done flowering, and which are not kept for seed. tie up with sticks such as are coming into flower, as for the earlier kinds. sow lupins, larkspurs, and similar sorts, on dry warm borders, to stand the winter, and flower early next year.----august. dig up a mellow border, and draw lines at five inches distance, lengthways and across. in the centre of these squares, plant the seedling polyanthuses, one in each square. in the same manner plant out the seedling auriculas. shade them till they have taken root, and water them once a day. see whether the layers of sweet-williams, carnations, and such like, have taken root; transplant such as are rooted, and give frequent gentle waterings to the others in order to promote it. cut down the stalks of plants that have done flowering, saving the seed that may be wanted, as it ripens, and water the tender annuals every evening. sow anemones and ranunculuses, tulip, and narcissus seed. dig up a border for early tulip roots, and others for hyacinths, anemones, and ranunculuses. sow annuals to stand through the winter, and shift auriculas into fresh pots.----september. during this month, preparation should be made for the next season. tear up the annuals that have done flowering, and cut down such perennials as are past their beauty. bring in other perennials from the nursery beds, and plant them with care at regular distances. take up the box edgings where they have outgrown their proper size, and part and plant them afresh. plant tulip and other flower roots, slip polyanthuses, and place them in rich shady borders. sow the seeds of flower de luce and crown imperial, as also of auriculas and polyanthuses, according to the method before recommended. part off the roots of flower de luce, piony, and others of a similar kind. in the last week transplant hardy flowering shrubs, and they will be strong the next summer.----october. let all the bulbous roots for spring flowering be put into the ground; narcissus, maragon, tulips, and such ranunculuses and anemones as were not planted sooner. transplant columbines, monkshood, and all kinds of fibrous rooted perennials. place under shelter the auriculas and carnations that are in pots. dig up a dry border, and if not dry enough, dig in some sand, and set in the pots up to the brim. place the reed fence sloping behind them, and fasten a mat to its top, that may be let down in bad weather. take off the dead leaves of the auriculas, before they are thus planted. bring into the garden some fresh flowering shrubs, wherever they may be wanted, and at the end of the month prune some of the hardier kind.----november. prepare a good heap of pasture ground, with the turf among it, to rot into mould for the borders. transplant honeysuckles and spireas, with other hardy flowering shrubs. rake over the beds of seedling flowers, and strew some peas straw over to keep out the frost. cut down the stems of perennials which have done flowering, pull up annuals that are spent, and rake and clear the ground. place hoops over the beds of ranunculuses and anemones, and lay mats or cloths in readiness to draw over them, in case of hard rains or frost. clean up the borders in all parts of the garden, and take care to destroy not only the weeds, but all kinds of moss. look over the seeds of those flowers which were gathered in summer, to see that they are dry and sweet; and prepare a border or two for the hardier kind, by digging and cleaning.----december. during frost or cold rain, draw the mats and cloths over the ranunculuses; give the anemones a little air in the middle of every tolerable day; and as soon as possible, uncover them all day, but draw on the mats at night. throw up the earth where flowering shrubs are to be planted in the spring, and turn it once a fortnight. dig up the borders that are to receive flower roots in the spring, and give them the advantage of a fallow, by throwing up the ground in a ridge. scatter over it a very little rotten dung from a melon bed, and afterwards turn it twice during the winter. examine the flowering shrubs, and prune them. cut away all the dead wood, shorten luxuriant branches, and if any cross each other, take away one. leave them so that the air may have a free passage between them. sift a quarter of an inch of good fresh mould over the roots of perennial flowers, whose stalks have been cut down, and then rake over the borders. this will give the whole an air of culture and good management, which is always pleasing. flower pots. as flowers and plants should enjoy a free circulation of air to make them grow well, sitting rooms are not very well adapted to the purpose, unless they could be frequently ventilated by opening the doors and windows. in every severe frost or damp weather, moderate fires should be made in the rooms where the plants are placed, and the shutters closed at night. placing saucers under the pots, and pouring water continually into them, is highly improper: it should be poured on the mould, that it may filter through it, and thereby refresh the fibres of the plant. many kinds of annuals, sown in march and the beginning of april, may be transplanted into pots about the end of may, and should be frequently watered till they have taken root. if transplanted in the summer season, the evening is the proper time, and care must be taken not to break the fibres of the root. when the plants are attacked by any kind of crawling insects, the evil may be prevented by keeping the saucers full of water, so as to form a river round the pot, and rubbing some oil round the side. oil is fatal to most kinds of insects, and but few of them can endure it. flower seeds. when the seeds begin to ripen they should be supported with sticks, to prevent their being scattered by the wind; and in wet weather they should be removed to a dry place, and rubbed out when convenient. august is in general the proper time for gathering flower seeds, but many kinds will ripen much sooner. to ascertain whether the seed be fully ripe, put a little of it into water: if it be come to maturity, it will sink to the bottom, and if not it will swim upon the surface. to preserve them for vegetation, it is only necessary to wrap the seed up in cartridge paper, pasted down and varnished over with gum, or the white of an egg. some kinds of seeds are best enclosed in sealing wax. flummery. steep in cold water, for a day and a night, three large handfuls of very fine white oatmeal. pour it off clear, add as much more water, and let it stand the same time. strain it through a fine hair sieve, and boil it till it is as thick as hasty pudding, stirring it well all the time. when first strained, put to it one large spoonful of white sugar, and two of orange flower water. pour it into shallow dishes, and serve it up with wine, cider, and milk; or it will be very good with cream and sugar. fomentations. boil two ounces each of camomile flowers, and the tops of wormwood, in two quarts of water. pour off the liquor, put it on the fire again, dip in a piece of flannel, and apply it to the part as hot as the patient can bear it. when it grows cold, heat it up again, dip in another piece of flannel, apply it as the first, and continue changing them as often as they get cool, taking care not to let the air get to the part affected when the flannel is changed.--to relieve the toothache, pain in the face, or any other acute pain, the following anodyne fomentation may be applied. take two ounces of white poppy heads, and half an ounce of elder flowers, and boil them in three pints of water, till it is reduced one third. strain off the liquor, and foment the part affected. food. in the early ages of the world, mankind were chiefly supported by berries, roots, and such other vegetables as the earth produced of itself, according to the original grant of the great proprietor of all things. in later ages, especially after the flood, this grant was enlarged; and man had recourse to animals, as well as to vegetables artificially raised for their support, while the art of preparing food has been brought to the highest degree of perfection. vegetables are however, with a few exceptions, more difficult of digestion than animal food; but a due proportion of both, with the addition of acids, is the most conducive to health, as well as agreeable to the palate. animal as well as vegetable food may be rendered unwholesome by being kept too long; and when offensive to the senses, they become alike injurious to health. diseased animals, and such as die of themselves, ought never to be eaten. such as are fed grossly, stalled cattle and pigs, without any exercise, do not afford food so nourishing or wholesome as others. salt meat is not so easily digested as fresh provisions, and has a tendency to produce putrid diseases, especially the scurvy. if vegetables and milk were more used, there would be less scurvy, and fewer inflammatory fevers. our food ought neither to be too moist, nor too dry. liquid food relaxes and renders the body feeble: hence those who live much on tea, and other watery diet, generally become weak, and unable to digest solid food. they are also liable to hysterics, with a train of other nervous affections. but if the food be too dry, it disposes the body to inflammatory disorders, and is equally to be avoided. families would do well to prepare their own diet and drink, as much as possible, in order to render it good and wholesome. bread in particular is so necessary a part of daily food, that too much care cannot be taken to see that it be made of sound grain duly prepared, and kept from all unwholesome ingredients. those who make bread for sale, seek rather to please the eye than to promote health. the best bread is that which is neither too coarse nor too fine, well fermented, and made of wheat flour, or wheat and rye mixed together. good fermented liquors, neither too weak nor too strong, are to be preferred. if too weak, they require to be drunk soon, and then they produce wind and flatulencies in the stomach. if kept too long, they turn sour, and then become unwholesome. on the other hand, strong liquor, by hurting the digestion, tends to weaken and relax: it also keeps up a constant fever, which exhausts the spirits, inflames the blood, and disposes the body to numberless diseases. beer, cider, and other family liquors, should be of such strength as to keep till they are ripe, and then they should be used. persons of a weak and relaxed habit should avoid every thing hard of digestion: their diet requires to be light and nourishing, and they should take sufficient exercise in the open air. those who abound with blood, should abstain from rich wines and highly nourishing food, and live chiefly on vegetables. corpulent persons ought frequently to use radish, garlic, or such things as promote perspiration. their drink should be tea, coffee, or the like; they ought also to take much exercise, and but little sleep. those who are of a thin habit, should follow the opposite course. such as are troubled with sour risings in the stomach, should live chiefly on animal food; and those who are afflicted with hot risings and heartburn, should have a diet of acid vegetables. persons of low spirits, and subject to nervous disorders, should avoid all flatulent food, whatever is hard of digestion, or apt to turn sour on the stomach. their diet should be light, cool, and of an opening nature; not only suited to the age and constitution, but also to the manner of life. a sedentary person should live more sparingly than one who labours hard without doors, and those who are afflicted with any particular disease ought to avoid such aliment as has a tendency to increase it. those afflicted with the gravel ought to avoid every thing astringent; and the scorbutic of every description, salted or smoked provisions. in the first period of life, the food should be light, but nourishing, and frequently taken. for infants in particular, it ought to be adapted to their age, and the strength of their digestive powers. no food whatever that has been prepared for many hours should be given them, especially after being warmed up; for it creates flatulence, heartburn, and a variety of other disorders. sudden changes from liquid to solid food should be avoided, as well as a multiplicity of different kinds; and all stimulating dishes and heating liquors, prepared for adults, should be carefully withheld from children. the common but indecent practice of introducing chewed victuals into their mouth, is equally disgusting and unwholesome. solid food is most proper for the state of manhood, but it ought not to be too uniform. nature has provided a great variety for the use of man, and given him an appetite suited to that variety: the constant use of one kind of food therefore is not good for the constitution, though any great or sudden change in diet ought as well to be avoided. the change should be gradual, as any sudden transition from a low to a rich and luxurious mode of living, may endanger health, and even life itself. the diet suited to the last period of life, when nature is on the decline, approaches nearly to that of the first: it should be light and nourishing, and more frequently taken than in vigorous age. old people are generally afflicted with wind, giddiness, and headachs, which are frequently occasioned by fasting too long, and even many sudden deaths arise from the same cause. the stomach therefore should never be allowed in any case to be too long empty, but especially in the decline of life. proper attention to diet is of the utmost importance, not only to the preservation of health, but in the cure of many diseases, which may be effected by diet only. its effects indeed are not always so quick as those of medicine, but they are generally more lasting, and are obtained with greater ease and certainty. temperance and exercise are the two best physicians in the world; and if they were duly regarded, there would be little occasion for any other. food for birds. an excellent food for linnets, canaries, and other singing birds, may be prepared in the following manner. knead together one pound of split peas ground to flour, half a pound each of coarse sugar and fine grated bread, two ounces of unsalted butter, and the yolks of two eggs. brown the paste gently in a fryingpan, and when cold mix with it two ounces of mace seed, and two pounds of bruised hemp seed, separated from the husk. this paste given to birds in small quantities will preserve them in health, and prompt them to sing every month in the year. forcemeat. this article, whether in the form of stuffing balls, or for patties, makes a considerable part of good cooking, by the flavour it imparts to whatsoever dish it may be added. yet at many tables, where every thing else is well done, it is common to find very bad stuffing. exact rules for the quantity cannot easily be given; but the following observations may be useful, and habit will soon give knowledge in mixing it to the taste. the selection of ingredients should of course be made, according to what they are wanted for, observing that of the most pungent, the smallest quantity should be used. no one flavour should greatly preponderate; yet if several dishes be served the same day, there should be a marked variety in the taste of the forcemeat, as well as of the gravies. it should be consistent enough to cut with a knife, but neither dry nor heavy. the following are the articles of which forcemeat may be made, without giving it any striking flavour. cold fowl or veal, scraped ham, fat bacon, beef suet, crumbs of bread, salt, white pepper, parsley, nutmeg, yolk and white of eggs well beaten to bind the mixture. to these, any of the following may be added, to vary the taste, and give it a higher relish. oysters, anchovy, taragon, savoury, pennyroyal, knotted marjoram, thyme, basil, yolks of hard eggs, cayenne, garlic, shalot, chives, jamaica pepper in fine powder, or two or three cloves. forcemeat balls. to make fine forcemeat balls for fish soups, or stewed fish, beat together the flesh and soft parts of a lobster, half an anchovy, a large piece of boiled celery, the yolk of a hard egg, a little cayenne, mace, salt, and white pepper. add two table-spoonfuls of bread crumbs, one of oyster liquor, two ounces of warmed butter, and two eggs well beaten. make the whole into balls, and fry them in butter, of a fine brown. forcemeat for fowls. shred a little ham or gammon, some cold veal or fowl, beef suet, parsley, a small quantity of onion, and a very little lemon peel. add salt, nutmeg, or pounded mace, bread crumbs, and either white pepper or cayenne. pound it all together in a mortar, and bind it with one or two eggs beaten and strained. the same stuffing will do for meat, or for patties. for fowls, it is usually put between the skin and the flesh. forcemeat for goose. chop very fine about two ounces of onion, and an ounce of green sage. add four ounces of bread crumbs, the yolk and white of an egg, a little pepper and salt; and if approved, a minced apple. this will do for either goose or duck stuffing. forcemeat for hare. chop up the liver, with an anchovy, some fat bacon, a little suet, some sweet herbs, and an onion. add salt, pepper, nutmeg, crumbs of bread, and an egg to bind all together. forcemeat for savoury pies. the same as for fowls, only substituting fat or bacon, instead of suet. if the pie be of rabbit or fowls, the livers mixed with fat and lean pork, instead of bacon, will make an excellent stuffing. the seasoning is to be the same as for fowls or meat. forcemeat for turkey. the same stuffing will do for boiled or roast turkey as for veal, or to make it more relishing, add a little grated ham or tongue, an anchovy, or the soft part of a dozen oysters. pork sausage meat is sometimes used to stuff turkies or fowls, or fried, and sent up as garnish. forcemeat for turtle. a pound of fine fresh suet, one ounce of cold veal or chicken, chopped fine; crumbs of bread, a little shalot or onion, white pepper, salt, nutmeg, mace, pennyroyal, parsley, and lemon thyme, finely shred. beat as many fresh eggs, yolks and whites separately, as will make the above ingredients into a moist paste. roll it into small balls, and boil them in fresh lard, putting them in just as it boils up. when of a light brown take them out, and drain them before the fire. if the suet be moist or stale, a great many more eggs will be necessary. balls made in this way are remarkably light; but being greasy, some people prefer them with less suet and eggs. forcemeat for veal. scrape two ounces of undressed lean veal, free from skin and sinews; two ounces of beef or veal suet, and two of bread crumbs. chop fine two drams of parsley, one of lemon peel, one of sweet herbs, one of onion, and add half a dram of mace or allspice reduced to a fine powder. pound all together in a mortar, break into it the yolk and white of an egg, rub it all up well together, and season it with a little pepper and salt. this may be made more savoury, by the addition of cold boiled tongue, anchovy, shalot, cayenne, or curry powder. forehand of pork. cut out the bone, sprinkle the inside with salt, pepper, and dried sage. roll the pork tight, and tie it up; warm a little butter to baste it, and then flour it. roast it by a hanging jack, and about two hours will do it. forequarter of lamb. roast it either whole, or in separate parts. if left to be cold, chopped parsley should be sprinkled over it. the neck and breast together are called a scoven. fowls. in purchasing fowls for dressing, it is necessary to see that they are fresh and good. if a cock bird is young, his spurs will be short; but be careful to observe that they have not been cut or pared, which is a trick too often practised. if fresh, the vent will be close and dark. pullets are best just before they begin to lay, and yet are full of egg. if hens are old, their combs and legs will be rough: if young, they will be smooth. a good capon has a thick belly and a large rump: there is a particular fat at his breast, and the comb is very pale. black-legged fowls being moist, are best for roasting. freckles. the cosmetics generally recommended for improving the skin and bloom of the face are highly pernicious, and ought by no means to be employed. temperance in diet and exercise, with frequent washing and bathing, are the best means of preserving a healthful countenance. but those who desire to soften and improve the skin, may use an infusion of horseradish in milk, or the expressed juice of houseleek mixed with cream, which will be useful and inoffensive. freckles on the face, or small discolourations on other parts of the skin, are constitutional in some cases; and in others, they are occasioned by the action of the sun upon the part, and frequent exposures to the morning air. for dispersing them, take four ounces of lemon juice, one dram of powdered borax, and two drams of sugar: mix them together, and let them stand a few days in a glass bottle till the liquid is fit for use, and then rub it on the face. but for chaps and flaws in the skin, occasioned by cold, rub on a little plain unscented pomatum at bed-time, and let it remain till morning. or, which is much better, anoint the face with honey water, made to the consistence of cream, which will form a kind of varnish on the skin, and protect it from the effects of cold. french beans. string, and cut them into four parts; if smaller, they look so much the better. lay them in salt and water; and when the water boils, put them in with some salt. as soon as they are done, serve them immediately, to preserve their colour. or when half done, drain off the water, and add two spoonfuls of broth strained. in finishing them, put in a little cream, with flour and butter. french bread. with a quarter of a peck of fine flour, mix the yolks of three and the whites of two eggs, beaten and strained; a little salt, half a pint of good yeast that is not bitter, and as much lukewarm milk as will work it into a thin light dough. stir it about, but do not knead it. divide the dough into three parts, put them into wooden dishes, set them to rise, then turn them out into the oven, which must be quick, and rasp the bread when done. french dumplings. grate a penny loaf, add half a pound of currants, three quarters of a pound of beef suet finely shred, and half a grated nutmeg. beat up the yolks of three eggs with three spoonfuls of cream, as much white wine, and a little sugar. mix all together, work it up into a paste, make it into dumplings of a convenient size, and tie them up in cloths. put them into boiling water, and let them boil three quarters of an hour. french pie. lay a puff paste round the edge of the dish, and put in either slices of veal, rabbits or chickens jointed; with forcemeat balls, sweetbreads cut in pieces, artichoke bottoms, and a few truffles. french porridge. stir together some oatmeal and water, and pour off the latter. put fresh in, stir it well, and let it stand till the next day. strain it through a fine sieve, and boil the water, which must be small in quantity, adding some milk while it is doing. with the addition of toast, this is much in request abroad, for the breakfast of weakly persons. french pudding. grate six ounces of brown bread, and shred half a pound of suet. add four eggs well beaten, half a pound of currants picked and washed, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a little nutmeg. mix all together, tie the pudding up close in a cloth, and boil it two hours. serve it up with a sauce of melted butter, a little sugar and sweet wine. french rolls. rub one ounce of butter into a pound of flour; mix one egg beaten, a little yeast that is not bitter, and as much milk as will make the dough tolerably stiff. beat it well, but do not knead it: let it rise, and bake it on tins. french salad. mince up three anchovies, a shalot, and some parsley. put them into a bowl with two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one of oil, and a little salt and mustard. when well mixed, add by degrees some cold roast or boiled meat in very thin slices: put in a few at a time, not exceeding two or three inches long. shake them in the seasoning, and then put more: cover the bowl close, and let the salad be prepared three hours before it is to be eaten. garnish with parsley, and a few slices of the fat. fricandeau of beef. take a nice piece of lean beef; lard it with bacon seasoned with pepper, salt, cloves, mace, and allspice. put it into a stewpan with a pint of broth, a glass of white wine, a bundle of parsley, all sorts of sweet herbs, a clove of garlic, a shalot or two, four cloves, pepper and salt. when the meat is become tender, cover it close. skim the sauce well, strain it, set it on the fire, and let it boil till reduced to a glaze. glaze the larded side with this, and serve the meat on sorrel sauce. fricandeau of veal. cut a large piece from the fat side of the leg, about nine inches long and half as thick and broad. beat it with the rolling pin, take off the skin, and trim the rough edges. lard the top and sides, cover it with fat bacon, and then with white paper. lay it into a stewpan with any pieces of undressed veal or mutton, four onions, a sliced carrot, a faggot of sweet herbs, four blades of mace, four bay leaves, a pint of good veal or mutton broth, and four or five ounces of lean ham or gammon. cover the pan close, and let it stew slowly for three hours; then take up the meat, remove all the fat from the gravy, and boil it quick to a glaze. keep the fricandeau quite hot, and then glaze it. serve it with the remainder of the glaze in the dish, and sorrel sauce in a tureen.--the following is a cheaper way of making a good fricandeau of veal. with a sharp knife cut the lean part of a large neck from the best end, scooping it from the bones a hand's length, and prepare it in the manner above directed. three or four bones only will be necessary, and they will make the gravy; but if the prime part of the leg is cut off, it spoils the whole.--another way is to take two large round sweetbreads, and prepare them like veal. make a rich gravy with truffles, morels, mushrooms, and artichoke bottoms, and serve it round. fricassee of chickens. boil rather more than half, in a small quantity of water, and let them cool. cut them up, simmer in a little gravy made of the liquor they were boiled in, adding a bit of veal or mutton, onion, mace, lemon peel, white pepper, and a bunch of sweet herbs. when quite tender, keep them hot, while the following sauce is prepared. strain off the liquor, return it into the saucepan with a little salt, a scrape of nutmeg, and a little flour and butter. give it one boil, and when ready to serve, beat up the yolk of an egg, add half a pint of cream, and stir them over the fire, but do not let it boil. it will be quite as good however without the egg. without the addition of any other meat, the gravy may be made of the trimmings of the fowls, such as the necks, feet, small wing bones, gizzards, and livers. fricassee of rabbits. skin them, cut them in pieces, soak in warm water, and clean them. then stew them in a little fresh water, with a bit of lemon peel, a little white wine, an anchovy, an onion, two cloves, and a sprig of sweet herbs. when tender take them out, strain off the liquor, put a very little of it into a quarter of a pint of thick cream, with a piece of butter, and a little flour. keep it constantly stirring till the butter is melted; then put in the rabbit, with a little grated lemon peel, mace, and lemon juice. shake all together over the fire, and make it quite hot. if more agreeable, pickled mushrooms may be used instead of lemon.--to make a brown fricassee, prepare the rabbits as above, and fry them in butter to a nice brown. put some gravy or beef broth into the pan, shake in some flour, and keep it stirring over the fire. add some ketchup, a very little shalot chopped, salt, cayenne, and lemon juice, or pickled mushrooms. boil it up, put in the rabbit, and shake it round till it is quite hot. frying. this is often a very convenient and expeditious mode of cooking; but though one of the most common, it is as commonly performed in a very imperfect manner, and meets with less attention than the comfort of a good meal requires. a fryingpan should be about four inches deep, with a perfectly flat and thick bottom, and perpendicular sides. when used it should be half filled with fat, for good frying is in fact, boiling in fat. to make sure that the pan is quite clean, rub a little fat over it, then make it warm, and wipe it out with a clean cloth. great care must be taken in frying, never to use any oil, butter, lard, or drippings, but what is quite clean, fresh, and free from salt. any thing dirty spoils the appearance, any thing bad tasted or stale spoils the flavour, and salt prevents its browning. fine olive oil is the most delicate for frying, but it is very expensive, and bad oil spoils every thing that is dressed with it. for general purposes, and especially for fish, clean fresh lard is not near so expensive as oil or clarified butter, and does almost as well, except for collops and cutlets. butter often burns before any one is aware, and what is fried with it will get a dark and dirty appearance. dripping, if nicely clean and fresh, is almost as good as any thing: if not clean, it may easily be clarified. whatever fat be used, let it remain in the pan a few minutes after frying, and then pour it through a sieve into a clean bason. if not burnt, it will be found much better than it was at first; but the fat in which fish has been fried, will not serve any other purpose. to fry fish, parsley, potatoes, or any thing that is watery, the fire must be very clear, and the fat quite hot, which will be the case when it has done hissing. fish will neither be firm nor crisp, nor of a good colour, unless the fat be of a proper heat. to determine this, throw a little bit of bread into the pan: if it fries crisp, the fat is ready: if it burns the bread, it is too hot. whatever is fried before the fat is hot enough, will be pale and sodden, and offend the palate and the stomach, as well as the eye. the fat also must be thoroughly drained from the fry, especially from such things as are dressed in bread crumbs, or the flavour will be impaired. the dryness of fish depends much upon its having been fried in fat of a due degree of heat, they are then crisp and dry in a few minutes after being taken out of the pan: when they are not, lay them on a soft cloth before the fire, and turn them till they are dry. fried carp. scale, draw, and wash them clean; dry them in flour, and fry them in hog's lard to a light brown. fry some toast, cut three-corner ways, with the roes; lay the fish on a coarse cloth to drain, and serve them up with butter, anchovy sauce, and the juice of a lemon. garnish with the bread, roe, and lemon. fried eels. there is a greater difference in the goodness of eels than of any other fish. the true silver-eel, so called from the bright colour of the belly, is caught in the thames. the dutch eels sold at billingsgate are very bad; those taken in great floods are generally good, but in ponds they have usually a strong rank flavour. except the middle of summer, they are always in season. if small, they should be curled round and fried, being first dipped into eggs and crumbs of bread. fried eggs. boil six eggs for three minutes, put them in cold water, and take off the shells, without breaking the whites. wrap the eggs up in a puff paste, smear them over with egg, and grate some bread over them. put into a stewpan a sufficient quantity of lard or butter to swim the eggs; and when the lard is hot, put in the eggs, and fry them of a good colour. lay them on a cloth to drain. fried herbs. clean and drain a good quantity of spinach leaves, two large handfuls of parsley, and a handful of green onions. chop the parsley and onions, and sprinkle them among the spinach. stew them together with a little salt, and a bit of butter the size of a walnut. shake the pan when it begins to grow warm, and let it lie closely covered over a slow stove till done enough. it is served with slices of broiled calves' liver, small rashers of bacon, and fried eggs. the latter on the herbs, and the other in a separate dish. this is the mode of dressing herbs in staffordshire. fried mackarel. stuff the fish with grated bread, minced parsley and lemon peel, pepper and salt, nutmeg, and the yolk of an egg, all mixed together. serve with anchovy and fennel sauce. or split the fish open, cut off their heads, season and hang them up four or five hours, and then broil them. make the sauce of fennel and parsley chopped fine, and mixed with melted butter. fried oysters. to prepare a garnish for boiled fish, make a batter of flour, milk, and eggs. season it a very little, dip the oysters into the batter, and fry them of a fine yellow brown. a little nutmeg should be put into the seasoning, and a few crumbs of bread into the flour. fried parsley. pick some young parsley very clean, and put it into a fryingpan with a bit of butter. stir it with a knife till it becomes crisp, and use it for garnishing. or rub the picked parsley in a cloth to clean it, and set it before the fire in a dutch oven till it is crisp. this is better than fried parsley, and may be rubbed on steaks, calf's liver, or any other dish of the kind. fried patties. mince a bit of cold veal, and six oysters; mix them with a few crumbs of bread, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and a very small bit of lemon peel. add the liquor of the oysters, warm all together in a tosser, but it must not boil, and then let it grow cold. prepare a good puff-paste, roll it thin, and cut it into round or square pieces. put some of the mixture between two of them, twist the edges to keep in the gravy, and fry them of a fine brown. if baked, it becomes a fashionable dish. all patties should be washed over with egg before they are baked. fried potatoes. slice them thin, and fry them in butter till they are brown; then lay them in a dish, and pour melted butter over them. potatoes may likewise be fried in butter, and served up with powder sugar strewed over them. any kind of fruit may be fried in the same manner, and all batter should be fried in hog's lard. fried rabbit. cut it into joints, and fry it in butter of a nice brown. send it to table with fried or dried parsley, and gravy or liver sauce. fried smelts. wipe them clean, take away the gills, rub them over with a feather dipped in egg, and strew on some grated bread. fry them in hog's lard over a clear fire, and put them in when the fat is boiling hot. when they are of a fine brown, take them out and drain off the fat. garnish with fried parsley and lemon. fried soles. divide two or three soles from the backbone, and take off the head, fins, and tail. sprinkle the inside with salt, roll them up tight from the tail and upwards, and fasten with small skewers. small fish do not answer, but if large or of a tolerable size, put half a fish in each roll. dip them into yolks of eggs, and cover them with crumbs. egg them over again, and then put more crumbs. fry them of a beautiful colour in lard, or in clarified butter. or dip the soles in egg, and cover them with fine crumbs of bread. set on a fryingpan of the proper size, and put into it a good quantity of fresh lard or dripping. let it boil, and immediately put the fish into it, and do them of a fine brown. soles that have been fried, eat good cold with oil, vinegar, salt and mustard. fried tench. scale and clean the fish well, dry and lay them before the fire, dust them with flour, and fry them in dripping or hog's lard. serve with crisped parsley, and plain butter. perch, trout, and grayling may be done the same. fried turbot. cut a small turbot across in ribs, dry and flour it, put it into a fryingpan, and cover it with boiling lard. fry it brown, and drain it. clean the pan, put in a little wine, an anchovy, salt, nutmeg, and a little ginger. put in the fish, and stew it till the liquor is half wasted. then take it out, put in some butter rolled in flour, with a minced lemon, and simmer them to a proper thickness. rub a hot dish with a piece of shalot, lay the turbot in the dish, and pour the sauce over it. fried venison. cut the meat into slices, fry it of a bright brown, and keep it hot before the fire. make gravy of the bones, add a little butter rolled in flour, stir it in the pan till it is thick and brown, and put in some port and lemon juice. warm the venison in it, put in the dish, and pour the sauce over it. send up currant jelly in a glass. fritters. make them of pancake batter, dropped in small quantities into the pan: or put apple into batter, pared and sliced, and fry some of it with each slice. currants, or very thinly-sliced lemon, make an agreeable change. fritters for company should be served on a folded napkin in the dish. any sort of sweetmeat, or ripe fruit, may be made into fritters. frontiniac. boil twelve pounds of loaf sugar, and six pounds of raisins cut small, in six gallons of water. when the liquor is almost cold, put in half a peck of elder flowers; and the next day six spoonfuls of the syrup of lemons, and four of yeast. let it stand two days, put it into a barrel that will just hold it, and bottle it after it has stood about two months. frost and blights. when a fruit tree is in full blossom, the best way to preserve it from frost and blights is to twine a rope upon its branches, and bring the end of it into a pail of water. if a light frost happen in the night, the tree will not be affected by it; but an ice will be formed on the surface of the water, in which the end of the rope is immersed. this experiment may easily be tried on wall fruit, and has been found to answer. if trees be infected with an easterly blight, the best way is to fumigate them with brimstone strewed on burning charcoal: this will effectually destroy the insects, and preserve the fruit. afterwards it will be proper to dash them with water, or wash the branches with a woollen cloth, and clear them of all glutinous matter and excrescences of every kind, which would harbour the insects; but the washing should be performed in the early part of a warm day, that the moisture may be exhaled before the cold of the evening approaches. frosted potatoes. if soaked three hours in cold water, before they are to be prepared as food, changing the water every hour, these valuable roots will recover their salubrious quality and flavour. while in cold water, they must stand where a sufficiency of artificial heat may prevent freezing. if much frozen, allow a quarter of an ounce of saltpetre to every peck of potatoes, and dissolve it in the water. but if so much penetrated by the frost as to render them unfit for culinary purposes, they may be made into starch, and will yield a large quantity of flour for that purpose. froth for creams. sweeten half a pound of the pulp of damsons, or any other scalded fruit. put to it the whites of four eggs beaten, and beat up the pulp with them till it will stand up, and take any form. it should be rough, to imitate a rock, or the billows of the ocean. this froth looks and eats well, and may be laid on cream, custard, or trifle, with a spoon. fruit. the method of preserving any kind of fruit all the year, is to put them carefully into a wide-mouthed glass vessel, closed down with oiled paper. the glasses are to be placed in a box filled with a mixture of four pounds of dry sand, two pounds of bole-armeniac, and one pound of saltpetre, so that the fruit may be completely covered. the fruit should be gathered by the hand before it be thoroughly ripe, and the box kept in a dry place. fruit biscuits. to the pulp of any scalded fruit, put an equal weight of sugar sifted, and beat it two hours. then make it into little white-paper forms, dry them in a cool oven, and turn them the next day. they may be put into boxes in the course of two or three days. fruit for children. to prepare fruit for children, far more wholesome than in puddings or pies, put some sliced apples, plums or gooseberries, into a stone jar, and sprinkle among them a sufficient quantity of fine moist sugar. set the jar on a hot hearth, or in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it remain till the fruit is well done. slices of bread, or boiled rice, may either be stewed with the fruit, or added when eaten. fruit paste. put any kind of fruit into a preserving pan, stir it till it will mash quite soft, and strain it. to one pint of juice, add a pound and a half of fine sugar; dissolve the sugar in water, and boil it till the water is dried up. then mix it with the juice, boil it once, pour it into plates, and dry it in a stove. when wanted for use, cut it in strips, and make paste knots for garnishing. fruit puddings. make up a thick batter of milk and eggs, with a little flour and salt; put in any kind of fruit, and either bake or boil it. apples should be pared and quartered, gooseberries and currants should be picked and cleaned, before they are put into the batter. or make a thick paste, roll it out, and line a bason with it, after it has been rubbed with a little butter. then fill it with fruit, put on a lid, tie it up close in a cloth, and boil it for two hours. the pudding will be lighter, if only made in a bason, then turned out into a pudding cloth, and boiled in plenty of water. fruit stains. if stains of fruit or wine have been long in the linen, rub the part on each side with yellow soap. then lay on a thick mixture of starch in cold water, rub it well in, and expose the linen to the sun and air till the stain comes out. if not removed in three or four days, rub off the mixture, and renew the process. when dry, it may be sprinkled with a little water.--many other stains may be taken out by only dipping the linen into sour buttermilk, and drying it in a hot sun. then wash it in cold water and dry it, two or three times a day. fruit for tarts. to preserve fruit for family desserts, whether cherries, plums, or apples, gather them when ripe, and put them in small jars that will hold about a pound. strew over each jar six ounces of fine pounded sugar, and cover each with two bladders, separately tied down. set the jars in a large stewpan of water up to the neck, and let it boil three hours gently. keep these and all other sorts of fruit free from damp. fruit trees. when they have the appearance of being old or worn out, and are covered with moss and insects, they may be revived and made fruitful by dressing them well with a brush, dipped in a solution of strong fresh lime. the outer rind, with all its incumbrance, will then fall off; a new and clean one will be formed, and the trees put on a healthy appearance. fruits in jelly. put half a pint of calf's foot jelly into a bowl; when stiff, lay in three peaches, and a bunch of grapes with the stalk upwards. cover over with vine leaves, and fill up the bowl with jelly. let it stand till the next day, and then set it to the brim in hot water. when it gives way from the bowl, turn the jelly out carefully, and send it to table. any kind of fruit may be treated in the same way. fuel. coals constitute a principal article of domestic convenience, especially during the severity of winter. at that season they often become very scarce, and are sold at an extravagant price. to remedy this evil in some measure, take two-thirds of soft clay, free from stones, and work it into three or four bushels of small coals previously sifted: form this composition into balls or cakes, about three or four inches thick, and let them be thoroughly dried. when the fire burns clear, place four or five of these cakes in the front of the grate, where they will soon become red, and yield a clear and strong heat till they are totally consumed. the expense of a ton of this composition is but trifling, when compared with that of a chaldron of coals, as it may be prepared at one-fourth of the cost, and will be of greater service than a chaldron and a half of the latter. coal dust worked up with horse dung, cow dung, saw dust, tanner's waste, or any other combustible matter that is not too expensive, will also be found a saving in the article of fuel. nearly a third of the coals consumed in large towns and cities might be saved, if the coal ashes were preserved, instead of being thrown into the dust bins, and afterwards mixed with an equal quantity of small coal, moistened with water. this mixture thrown behind the fire, with a few round coals in front, would save the trouble of sifting the ashes, and make a cheerful and pleasant fire.----the best mode of lighting a fire.--fill the grate with fresh coals quite up to the upper bar but one; then lay on the wood in the usual manner, rather collected in a mass than scattered. over the wood place the cinders of the preceding day, piled up as high as the grate will admit, and placed loosely in rather large fragments, in order that the draft may be free: a bit or two of fresh coal may be added to the cinders when once they are lighted, but no small coal must be thrown on at first. when all is prepared, light the wood, when the cinders in a short time being thoroughly ignited, the gas rising from the coals below, which will now be affected by the heat, will take fire as it passes through them, leaving a very small portion of smoke to go up the chimney. one of the advantages of this mode of lighting a fire is, that small coal is better suited to the purpose than large, except a few pieces in front to keep the small from falling out of the grate. a fire lighted in this way will burn all day, without any thing being done to it. when apparently quite out, on being stirred, you have in a few minutes a glowing fire. when the upper part begins to cake, it must be stirred, but the lower must not be touched. fumigation. to prevent infection from fever, take a handful each of rue, sage, mint, rosemary, and lavender, all fresh gathered. cut them small, put them into a stone jar, pour on a pint of the best white-wine vinegar, cover the jar close, and let it stand eight days in the sun, or near the fire. then strain it off, and dissolve in it an ounce of camphor. this liquid sprinkled about the chamber, or fumigated, will much revive the patient, and prevent the attendants from receiving the infection. or mix a spoonful of salt in a cup, with a little powdered magnesia: pour on the mixture at different times a spoonful of strong vitriolic acid, and the vapour arising from it will destroy the putrid effluvia. furniture linings. these articles require to be first washed, and afterwards dyed of a different colour, in order to change and improve their appearance.--for a buff or salmon colour, according to the depth of the hue, rub down on a pewter plate two pennyworth of spanish arnatto, and then boil it in a pail of water a quarter of an hour. put into it two ounces of potash, stir it round, and instantly put in the lining. stir it all the time it is boiling, which must be five or six minutes; then put it into cold spring water, and hang the articles up singly without wringing. when almost dry, fold the lining, and mangle it.--for pink, the calico must be washed extremely clean, and thoroughly dried. then boil it in two gallons of soft water, and four ounces of alum; take it out, and dry it in the air. meanwhile boil in the alum water two handfuls of wheat bran till quite slippery, and then strain it. take two scruples of cochineal, and two ounces of argall finely pounded and sifted, and mix it with the liquor a little at a time. put the calico into the liquor, keep it stirring and boiling, till the liquor is nearly wasted. then take out the calico, wash it first in chamber lye, and afterwards in cold water. rinse it in water-starch strained, dry it quick without hanging it in folds, and let it be well mangled. it would be better still to have it callendered.--blue. the calico must be washed clean and dried. then mix some of scott's liquid blue in as much water as will be sufficient to cover the things to be dyed, and add some starch to give it a light stiffness. dry a small piece of the lining to see whether the colour is deep enough; and if approved, put it in and wash it in the dye. dry the articles singly, and mangle or callender them. furs. to preserve them from the moth, comb them occasionally while in use. when not wanted, mix among them bitter apples from the druggists, in small muslin bags, sewing them in several folds of linen, carefully turned in at the edges. keep the furs in a cool place, free from damp. g. gad fly. cows and oxen are often so distressed by the darts of the gad fly, that they rush into the water for refuge till night approaches. the only remedy is to wash the backs of the cattle in the spring with strong tobacco-water, which would greatly prevent the generating of these vermin. when sheep are struck with the fly, the way is to clip off the wool, to rub the parts affected with powdered lime or wood ashes, and afterwards to anoint them with currier's oil, which will heal the wounds, and secure the animals from future attack. or dissolve half an ounce of corrosive sublimate in two quarts of soft water, and add a quarter of a pint of spirits of turpentine. cut off the wool as far as it is infected, pour a few drops of the mixture in a circle round the maggots produced by the flies, and afterwards rub a little of it among them, and the maggots will immediately be destroyed. game. game ought not to be thrown away even after it has been kept a long time, for when it seems to be spoiled it may often be made fit for eating, by carefully cleaning and washing it with vinegar and water. if there is danger of birds not keeping, the best way is to crop and draw them. pick them clean, wash them in two or three waters, and rub them with salt. plunge them into a kettle of boiling water one by one, and draw them up and down by the legs, that the water may pass through them. let them remain in the water five or six minutes, and then hang them up in a cool place. when drained, season the insides well with pepper and salt, and wash them before they are roasted. the most delicate birds, even grouse, may thus be preserved. those that live by suction cannot be done this way, as they are never drawn; and perhaps the heat might make them worse, as the water could not pass through them; but they will bear a high flavour. lumps of charcoal put about birds and meat will preserve them from taint, and restore what is spoiling. game sauce. wash and pare a head of celery, cut it into thin slices, boil it gently till it becomes tender; then add a little beaten mace, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. thicken it with flour and butter, boil it up, pour some of it in the dish, and some in a boat. lemon pickle or lemon juice may be added to it. gammon. take off the rind of the ham and gammon, and soak it in water; cover the fat part with writing paper, roast, and baste it with canary. when done, sprinkle it over with crumbs of bread and parsley. serve it with brown gravy, after it is well browned, and garnish it with raspings of bread. garden hedges. a well trained hawthorn fence is the strongest, but as it is apt to get thin and full of gaps at the bottom, the barberry is to be preferred, especially on high banks with a light soil. it may be raised from the berries as easily as hawthorn, and will grow faster, if the suckers be planted early. the barberry puts up numerous suckers from the roots; it will therefore always grow close at the bottom, and make an impenetrable fence. in trimming any kind of close hedge, care should be taken to slope the sides, and make it pointed at the top: otherwise, the bottom being shaded by the upper part, will make it grow thin and full of gaps. the sides of a young hedge may be trimmed, to make it bush the better; but it should not be topped till it has arrived at a full yard in height, though a few of the points may be taken off. the bottom of hawthorn hedges may be conveniently thickened, by putting in some plants of common sweet briar, or barberry. garden rhubarb. to cultivate the common garden rhubarb, it should not only have a depth of good soil, but it should be watered in dry weather, and well covered with straw or dung in the winter season. it will then become solid when taken out of the ground; and if cut into large slices, and hung up in a warm kitchen, it will soon be fit for use. the plants may be taken up when the leaves are decayed, either in spring or in autumn, while the weather is dry; and when the roots are cleared from dirt, without washing, they should be dried in the sun for a few days before they are hung up. the better way would be to wrap them up separately in whited brown paper, and dry them on the hob of a common stove. lemon and orange peel will dry remarkably well in the same manner. gargles. common gargles may be made of figs boiled in milk and water, with a little sal-ammoniac; or sage-tea, with honey and vinegar mixed together. a sore throat may be gargled with it two or three times a day. geese. the rearing of this species of poultry incurs but little expense, as they chiefly support themselves on commons or in lanes, where they can get at water. the largest are esteemed the best, as also are the white and the grey: the pied and dark coloured are not so good. thirty days are generally the time that the goose sets, but in warm weather she will sometimes hatch sooner. give them plenty of food, such as scalded bran and light oats. as soon as the goslings are hatched, keep them housed for eight or ten days, and feed them with barley meal, bran, and curds. green geese should begin to fatten at six or seven weeks old, and be fed as above. stubble geese require no fattening, if they have the run of good fields and pasture.--if geese are bought at market, for the purpose of cooking, be careful to see that they are fresh and young. if fresh, the feet will be pliable: if stale, dry and stiff. the bill and feet of a young one will be yellow, and there will be but few hairs upon them: if old, they will be red. green geese, not more than three or four months old, should be scalded: a stubble goose should be picked dry. george pudding. boil very tender a handful of whole rice in a small quantity of milk, with a large piece of lemon peel. let it drain; then mix with it a dozen apples, boiled to a pulp as dry as possible. add a glass of white wine, the yolks of five eggs, two ounces of orange and citron cut thin, and sweeten it with sugar. line a mould or bason with a very good paste, beat the five whites of the eggs to a very strong froth, and mix it with the other ingredients. fill the mould, and bake it of a fine brown colour. serve it bottom upwards with the following sauce: two glasses of wine, a spoonful of sugar, the yolks of two eggs, and a piece of sugar the size of a walnut. simmer without boiling, and pour to and from the saucepan till the sauce is of a proper thickness, and then put it in the dish. german puddings. melt three ounces of butter in a pint of cream, and let it stand till nearly cold. then mix two ounces of fine flour, and two ounces of sugar, four yolks and two whites of eggs, and a little rose or orange flower water. bake in little buttered cups half an hour. they should be served the moment they are done, and only when going to be eaten, or they will not be light. turn the puffs out of the cups, and serve with white wine and sugar. german puffs. mix together two ounces of blanched almonds well beaten, a spoonful of rose water, one white and two yolks of eggs, a spoonful of flour, half a pint of cream, two ounces of butter, and sugar to taste. butter some cups, half fill them, and put them in the oven. serve with white wine sauce, butter, and sugar. this is esteemed a good middle dish for dinner or supper. giblets. let the giblets be picked clean and washed, the feet skinned, the bill cut off, the head split in two, the pinion bones broken, the liver and gizzard cut in four, and the neck in two pieces. put them into a pint of water, with pepper and salt, an onion, and sweet herbs. cover the saucepan close, and stew them on a slow fire till they are quite tender. take out the onion and herbs, and put them into a dish with the liquor. giblet pie. clean and skin the giblets very carefully, stew them with a small quantity of water, onion, black pepper, and a bunch of sweet herbs, till nearly done. let them grow cold: and if not enough to fill the dish, lay at the bottom two or three slices of veal, beef, or mutton. add the liquor of the stew; and when the pie is baked, pour into it a large teacupful of cream. sliced apples added to the pie are a great improvement. duck giblets will do; but goose giblets are much to be preferred. giblet soup. scald and clean three or four sets of goose or duck giblets, and stew them slowly with a pound or two of gravy beef, scrag of mutton, or the bone of a knuckle of veal, an ox tail, or some shanks of mutton. add a large bunch of sweet herbs, a tea-spoonful of white pepper, a large spoonful of salt, and three onions. put in five pints of water, cut each of the gizzards into four pieces, and simmer till they become quite tender. skin the stew carefully, add a quarter of a pint of cream, two tea-spoonfuls of mushroom powder, and an ounce of butter mixed with a dessert-spoonful of flour. let it boil a few minutes, then put it into a tureen, add a little salt, and serve up the soup with the giblets. instead of cream, it may be seasoned with a large spoonful of ketchup, some cayenne, and two glasses of sherry. gilded frames. these valuable articles cannot be preserved from fly stains, without covering them with strips of paper, and suffering them to remain till the flies are gone. previous to this, the light dust should be blown from the gilding, and a feather or a clean brush lightly passed over it. linen takes off the gilding, and deadens its brightness; it should therefore never be used for wiping it. some means should be used to destroy the flies, as they injure furniture of every kind, and the paper likewise. bottles hung about with sugar and vinegar, or beer, will attract them; or fly water, put into little shells placed about the room, but out of the reach of children. gilliflower wine. to three gallons of water put six pounds of the best raw sugar; boil the sugar and water together for the space of half an hour, and keep skimming it as the scum rises. let it stand to cool, beat up three ounces of syrup of betony with a large spoonful of ale yeast, and put it into the liquor. prepare a peck of gilliflowers, cut from the stalks, and put them in to infuse and work together for three days, the whole being covered with a cloth. strain it, and put it into a cask; let it settle for three or four weeks, and then bottle it. ginger beer. to every gallon of spring water add one ounce of sliced white ginger, one pound of lump sugar, and two ounces of lemon juice. boil the mixture nearly an hour, and take off the scum; then run it through a hair sieve into a tub, and when cool, add yeast in the proportion of half a pint to nine gallons. keep it in a temperate situation two days, during which it may be stirred six or eight times. then put it into a cask, which must be kept full, and the yeast taken off at the bunghole with a spoon. in a fortnight, add half a pint of fining to nine gallons of the liquor, which will clear it by ascent, if it has been properly fermented. the cask must still be kept full, and the rising particles taken off at the bunghole. when fine, which may be expected in twenty-four hours, bottle and cork it well; and in summer it will be ripe and fit to drink in a fortnight. ginger drops. beat two ounces of fresh candied orange in a mortar, with a little sugar, till reduced to a paste. then mix an ounce of the powder of white ginger, with a pound of loaf sugar. wet the sugar with a little water, and boil all together to a candy, and drop it on white paper the size of mint drops. these make an excellent stomachic. ginger wine. to seven gallons of water put nineteen pounds of moist sugar, and boil it for half an hour, taking off the scum as it rises. then take a small quantity of the liquor, and add to it nine ounces of the best ginger bruised. put it all together, and when nearly cold, chop nine pounds of raisins very small, and put them into a nine gallon cask, with one ounce of isinglass. slice four lemons into the cask, taking out all the seeds, and pour the liquor over them, with half a pint of fresh yeast. leave it unstopped for three weeks, and in about three months it will be fit for bottling. there will be one gallon of the sugar and water more than the cask will hold at first: this must be kept to fill up as the liquor works off, as it is necessary that the cask should be kept full, til it has done working. the raisins should be two thirds malaga, and one third muscadel. spring and autumn are the best seasons for making this wine.--another. boil nine quarts of water with six pounds of lump sugar, the rinds of two or three lemons very thinly pared, and two ounces of bruised white ginger. let it boil half an hour, and skim it well. put three quarters of a pound of raisins into the cask; and when the liquor is lukewarm, turn it, adding the juice of two lemons strained, with a spoonful and a half of yeast. stir it daily, then put in half a pint of brandy, and half an ounce of isinglass shavings. stop it up, and bottle it in six or seven weeks. the lemon peel is not to be put into the barrel. gingerbread. mix with two pounds of flour, half a pound of treacle, and half a pound of butter, adding an ounce of ginger finely powdered and sifted, and three quarters of an ounce of caraway seeds. having worked it very much, set it to rise before the fire. then roll out the paste, cut it into any shape, and bake it on tins. if to be made into sweetmeats, add some candied orange-peel, shred into small pieces.--another sort. to three quarters of a pound of treacle, put one egg beaten and strained. mix together four ounces of brown sugar, half an ounce of sifted ginger, and a quarter of an ounce each of cloves, mace, allspice, and nutmeg, beaten as fine as possible; also a quarter of an ounce of coriander and caraway seeds. melt a pound of butter, and mix with the above, adding as much flour as will knead it into a pretty stiff paste. roll it out, cut it into cakes, bake them on tin plates in a quick oven, and a little time will do them. gingerbread buttons or drops may be made of a part of the paste.--a plain sort of gingerbread may be prepared as follows. mix three pounds of flour with half a pound of butter, four ounces of brown sugar, and half an ounce of pounded ginger. make it into a paste, with a pound and a quarter of warm treacle. or make the gingerbread without butter, by mixing two pounds of treacle with the following ingredients. four ounces each of orange, lemon, citron, and candied ginger, all thinly sliced; one ounce each of coriander seeds, caraways, and pounded ginger, adding as much flour as will make it into a soft paste. lay it in cakes on tin plates, and bake it in a quick oven. keep it dry in a covered earthen vessel, and the gingerbread will be good for some months. if cakes or biscuits be kept in paper, or a drawer, the taste will be disagreeable. a tureen, or a pan and cover, will preserve them long and moist; or if intended to be crisp, laying them before the fire, or keeping them in a dry canister, will make them so. gingerbread nuts. carefully melt half a pound of butter, and stir it up in two pounds of treacle. add an ounce of pounded ginger, two ounces of preserved lemon and orange peel, two ounces of preserved angelica cut small, one of coriander seed pounded, and the same of caraway whole. mix them together, with two eggs, and as much flour as will bring it to a fine paste. make it into nuts, put them on a tin plate, and bake them in a quick oven. glass. broken glass may be mended with the same cement as china, or if it be only cracked, it will be sufficient to moisten the part with the white of an egg, strewing it over with a little powdered lime, and instantly applying a piece of fine linen. another cement for glass is prepared from two parts of litharge, one of quick lime, and one of flint glass, each separately and finely powdered, and the whole worked up into a paste with drying oil. this compound is very durable, and acquires a greater degree of hardness when immersed in water. glasses. these frail and expensive articles may be rendered less brittle, and better able to bear sudden changes of temperature, by first plunging them into cold water, then gradually heating the water till it boils, and suffering it to cool in the open air. glasses of every description, used for the table, will afterwards bear boiling water suddenly poured into them, without breaking. when they have been tarnished by age or accident, their lustre may be restored by strewing on them some fuller's earth, carefully powdered and cleared of sand and dirt, and then rubbing them gently with a linen cloth, or a little putty. gloves. leather gloves may be repaired, cleaned, and dyed of a fine yellow, by steeping a little saffron in boiling water for about twelve hours; and having lightly sewed up the tops of the gloves, to prevent the dye from staining the insides, wet them over with a sponge or soft brush dipped in the liquid. a teacupful will be sufficient for a single pair. gloucester cheese. this article is made of milk immediately from the cow; and if it be too hot in the summer, a little skim milk or water is added to it, before the rennet is put in. as soon as the curd is come it is broken small, and cleared of the whey. the curd is set in the press for about a quarter of an hour, in order to extract the remainder of the liquid. it is then put into the cheese tub again, broken small, and scalded with water mixed with a little whey. when the curd is settled, the liquor is poured off; the curd is put into a vat, and worked up with a little salt when about half full. the vat is then filled up, and the whole is turned two or three times in it, the edges being pared, and the middle rounded up at each turning. at length, the curd being put into a cloth, it is placed in the press, then laid on the shelves, and turned every day till it becomes sufficiently firm to bear washing. gloucester jelly. take rice, sago, pearl barley, hartshorn shavings, and eringo root, each one ounce. simmer with three pints of water till reduced to one, and then strain it. when cold it will be a jelly; of which give, dissolved in wine, milk, or broth, in change with other nourishment. gnats. the stings of these troublesome insects are generally attended with a painful swelling. one of the most effectual remedies consists of an equal mixture of turpentine and sweet oil, which should immediately be applied to the wounded part, and it will afford relief in a little time. olive oil alone, unsalted butter, or fresh lard, if rubbed on without delay, will also be found to answer the same purpose. they may be destroyed by fumigation, the same as for flies. gold. to clean gold, and restore its lustre, dissolve a little sal ammoniac in common wine. boil the gold in it, and it will soon recover its brilliance. to clean gold or silver lace, sew it up in a linen cloth, and boil it with two ounces of soap in a pint of water: afterwards wash the lace in clear water. when the lace happens to be tarnished, the best liquor for restoring its lustre is spirits of wine, which should be warmed before it is applied. this application will also preserve the colour of silk or embroidery. gold rings. if a ring sticks tight on the finger, and cannot easily be removed, touch it with mercury, and it will become so brittle that a slight blow will break it. goose feathers. these being deemed particularly valuable, the birds in some counties are plucked four or five times in a year. the first operation is performed in the spring for feathers and quills, and is repeated for feathers only, between that period and michaelmas. though the plucking of geese appears to be a barbarous custom, yet experience has proved, that if carefully done, the birds thrive better, and are more healthy, when stripped of their feathers, than if they were left to drop them by moulting. geese intended for breeding in farm yards, and which are called old geese, may be plucked three times a year, at an interval of seven weeks, but not oftener. every one should be thirteen or fourteen weeks old before they are subject to this operation, or they are liable to perish in cold summers; and if intended for the table, they would become poor and lose their quality, were they stripped of their feathers at an earlier period. goose pie. quarter a goose, season it well, put it in a baking dish, and lay pieces of butter over it. put on a raised crust, and bake it in a moderate oven. to make a richer pie, forcemeat may be added, and slices of tongue. duck pie is made in the same manner. goose sauce. put into melted butter a spoonful of sorrel juice, a little sugar, and some scalded gooseberries. pour it into boats, and send it hot to table. gooseberry fool. put the fruit into a stone jar, with some good lisbon sugar. set the jar on a stove, or in a saucepan of water over the fire: if the former, a large spoonful of water should be added to the fruit. when it is done enough to pulp, press it through a cullender. have ready a sufficient quantity of new milk, and a tea-cupful of raw cream, boiled together, or an egg instead of the latter. when cold, sweeten it pretty well with fine lisbon sugar, and mix the pulp with it by degrees. gooseberry hops. gather the largest green gooseberries of the walnut kind, and slit the tops into four quarters, leaving the stalk end whole. pick out the seeds, and with a strong needle and thread fasten five or six together, by running the thread through the bottoms, till they are of the size of a hop. lay vine leaves at the bottom of a tin preserving-pan, cover them with the hops, then a layer of leaves, and so on: lay a good many on the top, and fill the pan with water. stop it down so close that no steam can escape, set it by a slow fire till scalding hot, and then take it off to cool. repeat the operation till the gooseberries, on being opened, are found to be of a good green. then drain them on sieves, and make a thin syrup of a pound of sugar to a pint of water, well boiled and skimmed. when the syrup is half cold, put in the fruit; give it a boil up, and repeat it thrice. gooseberry hops look well and eat best dried, and in this case they may be set to dry in a week. but if to be kept moist, make a syrup in the above proportions, adding a slice of ginger in the boiling. when skimmed and clear, give the gooseberries one boil, and pour the syrup cold over them. if found too sour, a little sugar may be added, before the hops that are for drying receive their last boil. the extra syrup will serve for pies, or go towards other sweetmeats. gooseberry jam. gather some ripe gooseberries, of the clear white or green sort, pick them clean and weigh them. allow three quarters of a pound of lump sugar to a pound of fruit, and half a pint of water. boil and skim the sugar and water, then put in the fruit, and boil it gently till it is quite clear. break the gooseberries into jam, and put into small pots.--another. gather some ripe gooseberries in dry weather, of the red hairy sort, and pick off the heads and tails. put twelve pounds of them into a preserving pan, with a pint of currant juice, drawn as for jelly. boil them pretty quick, and beat them with a spoon; when they begin to break, add six pounds of white lisbon sugar, and simmer them slowly to a jam. they require long boiling, or they will not keep; but they make an excellent jam for tarts and puffs. when the jam is put into jars, examine it after two or three days; and if the syrup and fruit separate, the whole must be boiled again. in making white gooseberry jam, clarified sugar should be used; and in all cases great care must be taken to prevent the fruit from burning to the bottom of the pan. gooseberry pudding. stew some gooseberries in a jar over a hot hearth, or in a saucepan of water, till reduced to a pulp. take a pint of the juice pressed through a coarse sieve, and mix it with three eggs beaten and strained. add an ounce and a half of butter, sweeten it well, put a crust round the dish, and bake it. a few crumbs of roll should be mixed with the above to give it a little consistence, or four ounces of naples biscuits. gooseberry trifle. scald as much fruit as when pulped through a sieve, will cover the bottom of a dish intended to be used. mix with it the rind of half a lemon grated fine, sweetened with sugar. put any quantity of common custard over it, and a whip on the top, as for other trifles. gooseberry vinegar. boil some spring water; and when cold, put to every three quarts, a quart of bruised gooseberries in a large tub. let them remain two or three days, stirring often; then strain through a hair bag, and to each gallon of liquor add a pound of the coarsest sugar. put it into a barrel, with yeast spread upon a toast, and cover the bung hole with a piece of slate. the greater the quantity of sugar and fruit, the stronger the vinegar. gooseberry wine. when the weather is dry, gather gooseberries about the time they are half ripe. pick them clean as much as a peck into a convenient vessel, and bruise them with a piece of wood, taking as much care as possible to keep the seeds whole. now having put the pulp into a canvas bag, press out all the juice; and to every gallon of the gooseberries, add about three pounds of fine loaf sugar. mix the whole together by stirring it with a stick, and as soon as the sugar is quite dissolved, pour it into a cask which will exactly hold it. if the quantity be about eight or nine gallons, let it stand a fortnight: if twenty gallons, forty days, and so on in proportion. set it in a cool place; and after standing the proper time, draw it off from the lees. put it into another clean vessel of equal size, or into the same, after pouring out the lees and making it clean. let a cask of ten or twelve gallons stand for about three months, and twenty gallons for five months, after which it will be fit for bottling off. gooseberries preserved. gather some dry gooseberries of the hairy sort, before the seeds become large, and take care not to cut them in taking off the stalks and buds. if gathered in the damp, or the gooseberry skins are the least broken in the preparation, the fruit will mould. fill some jars or wide-mouthed bottles, put the corks loosely in, and set the bottles up to the neck in a kettle of water. when the fruit looks scalded, take them out; and when perfectly cold, cork them down close, and rosin the top. dig a trench sufficiently deep to receive all the bottles, and cover them with the earth a foot and a half. when a frost comes on, a little fresh litter from the stable will prevent the ground from hardening, so that the fruit may more easily be dug up.--green gooseberries may also be preserved for winter use, without bedding them in the earth. scald them as above, and when cold, fill the bottles up with cold water. cork and rosin them down, and keep them in a dry place.--another way. having prepared the gooseberries as above, prepare a kettle of boiling water, and put into it as much roche alum as will harden the water, or give it a little roughness when dissolved: but if there be too much it will spoil the fruit. cover the bottom of a large sieve with gooseberries, without laying one upon another; and hold the sieve in the water till the fruit begins to look scalded on the outside. turn them gently out of the sieve on a cloth on the dresser, cover them with another cloth, putting some more to be scalded, till the whole are finished. observe not to put one quantity upon another, or they will become too soft. the next day pick out any bad or broken ones, bottle the rest, and fill up the bottles with the alum water in which they were scalded. if the water be left in the kettle, or in a glazed pan, it will spoil; it must therefore be quickly put into the bottles. gooseberries prepared in this way, and stopped down close, will make as fine tarts as when fresh from the trees.--another way. in dry weather pick some full grown but unripe gooseberries, top and tail them, and put them into wide-mouthed bottles. stop them lightly with new velvet corks, put them into the oven after the bread is drawn, and let them stand till they are shrunk one fourth. take them out of the oven, fasten the corks in tight, cut off the tops, and rosin them down close. set them in a dry place; and if well secured from the air, they will keep the year round. currants and damsons may be preserved in the same way. goosegrass ointment. melt some hog's lard, add as much clivers or goosegrass as the lard will moisten, and boil them together over a slow fire. keep the mixture stirring till it becomes a little brown, and then strain it through a cloth. when cold, take the ointment from the water, and put it up in gallipots. gout. gouty patients are required to abstain from all fermented and spirituous liquors, and to use wine very moderately; carefully to avoid all fat, rancid, and salted provisions, and high seasoned dishes of every description. the constant use of barley bread is recommended, with large doses of powdered ginger boiled in milk for breakfast. absorbent powders of two scruples of magnesia, and three or four grains each of rhubarb and purified kali, should be taken during the intervals of gouty fits, and repeated every other morning for several weeks. the feet should be kept warm, sinapisms frequently applied to them, and the part affected should be covered with flannel. gout cordial. take four pounds of sun raisins sliced and stoned, two ounces of senna, one ounce of fennel seed, one of coriander, half an ounce of cochineal, half an ounce of saffron, half an ounce of stick liquorice, and half a pound of rhubarb: infuse them all in two gallons of brandy, and let it stand for ten days. stir it occasionally, then strain it off, and bottle it. take a small wine-glass full, when the gout is in the head or stomach; and if the pain be not removed, take two large spoonfuls more.--or take six drams of opium, half an ounce of soap of tartar, half an ounce of castile soap, one dram of grated nutmeg, three drams of camphor, two scruples of saffron, and nine ounces of sweet spirit of sal-ammoniac. put them all into a wine flask in a sand-heat for ten days, shaking it occasionally till the last day or two: then pour it off clear, and keep it stopped up close for use. take thirty or forty drops in a glass of peppermint two hours after eating; it may also be taken two or three times in the day or night if required. granaries. these depositaries are very liable to be infested with weasels, and various kinds of insects. to prevent their depredations, the floors of granaries should be laid with poplars of lombardy. grapes. to preserve this valuable fruit, prepare a cask or barrel, by carefully closing up its crevices to prevent access of the external air. place a layer of bran, which has been well dried in an oven; upon this place a layer of bunches of grapes, well cleaned, and gathered in the afternoon of a dry day, before they are perfectly ripe. proceed then with alternate layers of bran and grapes till the barrel is full, taking care that the bunches of grapes do not touch each other, and to let the last layer be of bran; then close the barrel so that the air may not be able to penetrate. grapes thus packed will keep for a twelvemonth. to restore their freshness, cut the end of each bunch, and put that of white grapes into white wine, and that of black grapes into red wine, as flowers are put into water to keep them fresh. it is customary in france to pack grapes for the london market in saw dust, but it must be carefully dried with a gentle heat, or the turpentine and other odours of the wood will not fail to injure the fruit. oak saw dust will answer the purpose best. grape wine. to every gallon of ripe grapes put a gallon of soft water, bruise the grapes, let them stand a week without stirring, and draw the liquor off fine. to every gallon of liquor allow three pounds of lump sugar, put the whole into a vessel, but do not stop it till it has done hissing; then stop it close, and in six months it will be fit for bottling.--a better wine, though smaller in quantity, will be made by leaving out the water, and diminishing the quantity of sugar. water is necessary only where the juice is so scanty, or so thick, as in cowslip, balm, or black currant wine, that it could not be used without it. gravel. the gout or rheumatism has a tendency to produce this disorder; it is also promoted by the use of sour liquor, indigestible food, especially cheese, and by a sedentary life. perspiration should be assisted by gentle means, particularly by rubbing with a warm flannel; the diet regulated by the strictest temperance, and moderate exercise is not to be neglected. for medicine, take the juice of a horseradish, made into a thin syrup by mixing it with sugar; a spoonful or two to be taken every three or four hours. gravel walks. to preserve garden walks from moss and weeds, water them frequently with brine, or salt and water, both in the spring and in autumn. worms may be destroyed by an infusion of walnut-tree leaves, or by pouring into the holes a ley made of wood ashes and lime. if fruit trees are sprinkled with it, the ravages of insects will be greatly prevented. gravies. a few general observations are necessary on the subject of soups and gravies. when there is any fear of gravy meat being spoiled before it be wanted, it should be well seasoned, and lightly fried, in order to its keeping a day or two longer; but the gravy is best when the juices are fresh. when soups or gravies are to be put by, let them be changed every day into fresh scalded pans. whatever liquor has vegetables boiled in it, is apt to turn sour much sooner than the juices of meat, and gravy should never be kept in any kind of metal. when fat remains on any soup, a tea-cupful of flour and water mixed quite smooth, and boiled in, will take it off. if richness or greater consistence be required, a good lump of butter mixed with flour, and boiled in the soup or gravy, will impart either of these qualities. long boiling is necessary to obtain the full flavour; and gravies and soups are best made the day before they are wanted. they are also much better when the meat is laid in the bottom of the pan, and stewed with herbs, roots, and butter, than when water is put to the meat at first; and the gravy that is drawn from the meat, should almost be dried up before the water is added. the sediment of gravies that have stood to be cold, should not be used in cooking. when onions are strong, boil a turnip with them, if for sauce; and this will make them mild and pleasant. if soups or gravies are too weak, do not cover them in boiling, that the watery particles may evaporate. a clear jelly of cow heels is very useful to keep in the house, being a great improvement to soups and gravies. truffles and morels thicken soups and sauces, and give them a fine flavour. the way is to wash half an ounce of each carefully, then simmer them a few minutes in water, and add them with the liquor to boil in the sauce till quite tender. as to the materials of which gravy is to be made, beef skirts will make as good as any other meat. beef kidney, or milt, cut into small pieces, will answer the purpose very well; and so will the shank end of mutton that has been dressed, if much be wanted. the shank bones of mutton, if well soaked and cleaned, are a great improvement to the richness of the gravy. taragon gives the flavour of french cookery, and in high gravies it is a great improvement; but it should be added only a short time before serving. to draw gravy that will keep for a week, cut some lean beef thin, put it into a fryingpan without any butter, cover it up, and set it on the fire, taking care that it does not burn. keep it on the fire till all the gravy that comes out of the meat is absorbed, then add as much water as will cover the meat, and keep it stewing. put in some herbs, onions, spice, and a piece of lean ham. let it simmer till it is quite rich, and keep it in a cool place; but do not remove the fat till the gravy is to be used. gravy for fowl. when there is no meat to make gravy of, wash the feet of the fowl nicely, and cut them and the neck small. simmer them with a little bread browned, a slice of onion, a sprig of parsley and thyme, some salt and pepper, and the liver and gizzard, in a quarter of a pint of water, till half wasted. take out the liver, bruise it, and strain the liquor to it. then thicken it with flour and butter, and a tea-spoonful of mushroom ketchup will make the gravy very good. gravy for wild fowl. set on a saucepan with half a pint of veal gravy, adding half a dozen leaves of basil, a small onion, and a roll of orange or lemon peel. let it boil up for a few minutes, and strain it off. put to the clear gravy the juice of a seville orange, half a teaspoonful of salt, the same of pepper, and a glass of red wine. shalot and cayenne may be added. this is an excellent sauce for all kinds of wild water-fowl, and should be sent up hot in a boat, as some persons like wild fowl very little done, and without any sauce. the common way of gashing the breast, and squeezing in a lemon, cools and hardens the flesh, and compels every one to eat it that way, whether they approve of it or not. gravy for mutton. to make mutton taste like venison, provide for it the following gravy. pick a very stale woodcock or snipe, and cut it to pieces, after having removed the bag from the entrails. simmer it in some meat gravy, without seasoning; then strain it, and serve it with the mutton. gravy soup. wash and soak a leg of beef; break the bone, and set it on the fire with a gallon of water, a large bunch of sweet herbs, two large onions sliced and fried to a fine brown, but not burnt; add two blades of mace, three cloves, twenty berries of allspice, and forty black peppers. stew the soup till it is rich, and then take out the meat, which may be eaten at the kitchen table, with a little of the gravy. next day take off the fat, which will serve for basting, or for common pie crust. slice some carrots, turnips, and celery, and simmer them till tender. if not approved, they can be taken out before the soup is sent to table, but the flavour will be a considerable addition. boil vermicelli a quarter of an hour, and add to it a large spoonful of soy, and one of mushroom ketchup. a french roll should be made hot, then soaked in the soup, and served in the tureen. gravy without meat. put into a bason a glass of small beer, a glass of water, some pepper and salt, grated lemon peel, a bruised clove or two, and a spoonful of walnut pickle, or mushroom ketchup. slice an onion, flour and fry it in a piece of butter till it is brown. then turn all the above into a small tosser, with the onion, and simmer it covered for twenty minutes. strain it off for use, and when cold take off the fat. grayline. having scaled and washed the fish, then dry them. dust them over with flour, and lay them separately on a board before the fire. fry them of a fine colour with fresh dripping; serve them with crimp parsley, and plain butter. perch and tench may be done the same way. grease extracted. the ashes of burnt bones finely powdered, or calcined hartshorn, heated over the fire in a clean vessel, and laid on each side of the grease spot, if on books or paper, with a weight laid upon it to assist the effect, will completely remove it; or the powder may be wrapped in thin muslin, and applied in the same manner. when prints get foul and dirty, they may readily be cleaned in the same manner as linen is bleached, by being exposed to the sun and air, and frequently wetted with clean water. if this do not fully succeed, the print may be soaked in hot water; and if pasted on canvas, it should first be taken off by dipping it in boiling water, which will loosen it from the canvas. the dirt occasioned by flies, may be gently taken off with a wet sponge, after the print has been well soaked. spots of white-wash may be removed by spirit of sea salt diluted with water.--if grease spots appear in leather, a different process must be pursued. a paste made of mealy potatoes, dry mustard, and spirits of turpentine, mixed together, and applied to the spot, will extract the grease from leather, if rubbed off after it has been allowed sufficient time to dry. a little vinegar may be added, to render the application more effectual. green fruit. green peaches, plums, or other fruit, should be put into a preserving pan of spring water, covered with vine leaves, and set over a clear fire. when they begin to simmer take them off, and take the fruit out carefully with a slice. peel and preserve them as other fruit. green gages. in order to preserve them for pies and tarts, choose the largest when they begin to soften. split them without paring; and having weighed an equal quantity of sugar, strew a part of it over the fruit. blanch the kernels with a small sharp knife. next day pour the syrup from the fruit, and boil it gently six or eight minutes with the other sugar; skim it, and add the plums and kernels. simmer it till clear, taking off any scum that rises; put the fruit singly into small pots, and pour the syrup and kernels to it. if the fruit is to be candied, the syrup must not be added: for the sake of variety, it may be proper to do some each way. green goose pie. bone two young green geese, of a good size; but first take away every plug, and singe them nicely. wash them clean, and season them well with salt, pepper, mace, and allspice. put one inside the other, and press them quite close, drawing the legs inward. put a good deal of butter over them, and bake them either with or without a crust: if the latter, a cover to the dish must fit close to keep in the steam. green peas. peas should not be shelled till they are wanted, nor boiled in much water. put them in when the water boils, with a little salt, and a lump of sugar. when they begin to dent in the middle, they are done enough. strain them through a cullender, put a piece of butter in the dish, and stir them till it is melted. garnish with boiled mint. green peas preserved. if it be wished to keep them for winter use, shell the peas, and put them into a kettle of water when it boils. warm them well, without boiling, and pour them into a cullender. when the water drains off, turn them out on a dresser covered with a cloth, and put over another cloth to dry them perfectly. deposit them in wide-mouth bottles, leaving only room to pour clarified mutton suet upon them an inch thick, and also for the cork. rosin it down, and keep it in the cellar or in the earth, the same as other green fruit. when the peas are to be used, boil them tender, with a piece of butter, a spoonful of sugar, and a little mint.--another way. shell the peas, scald and dry them as above. put them on tins or earthen dishes in a cool oven once or twice to harden, and keep them in paper bags hung up in the kitchen. when they are to be used, let them be an hour in water; then set them on with cold water, a piece of butter, and a sprig of dried mint, and boil them. green peas soup. in shelling the peas, divide the old from the young. stew the old ones to a pulp, with an ounce of butter, a pint of water, a leaf or two of lettuce, two onions, pepper and salt. put to the liquor that stewed them some more water, the hearts and tender stalks of the lettuces, the young peas, a handful of spinach cut small, salt and pepper to relish, and boil them till quite soft. if the soup be too thin, or not rich enough, add an ounce or two of butter, mixed with a spoonful of rice or flour, and boil it half an hour longer. before serving, boil in the soup some green mint shred fine. when the peas first come in, or are very young, the stock may be made of the shells washed and boiled, till they are capable of being pulped. more thickening will then be wanted. green peas stewed. put into a stewpan a quart of peas, a lettuce and an onion both sliced, and no more water than hangs about the lettuce from washing. add a piece of butter, a little pepper and salt, and stew them very gently for two hours. when to be served, beat up an egg, and stir it into them, or a bit of flour and butter. chop a little mint, and stew in them. gravy may be added, or a tea-spoonful of white powdered sugar; but the flavour of the peas themselves is much better. green sauce. mix a quarter of a pint of sorrel juice, a glass of white wine, and some scalded gooseberries. add sugar, and a bit of butter, and boil them up, to serve with green geese or ducklings. gridiron. the bars of a gridiron should be made concave, and terminate in a trough to catch the gravy, and keep the fat from dropping into the fire and making a smoke, which will spoil the broiling. upright gridirons are the best, as they can be used at any fire, without fear of smoke, and the gravy is preserved in the trough under them. the business of the gridiron may be done by a dutch oven, when occasion requires. grief. in considering what is conducive to health or otherwise, it is impossible to overlook this destructive passion, which like envy is 'the rottenness of the bones.' anger and fear are more violent, but this is more fixed: it sinks deep into the mind, and often proves fatal. it may generally be conquered at the beginning of any calamity; but when it has gained strength, all attempts to remove it are ineffectual. life may be dragged out for a few years, but it is impossible that any one should enjoy health, whose mind is bowed down with grief and trouble. in this case some betake themselves to drinking, but here the remedy only aggravates the disease. the best relief, besides what the consolations of religion may afford, is to associate with the kind and cheerful, to shift the scene as much as possible, to keep up a succession of new ideas, apply to the study of some art or science, and to read and write on such subjects as deeply engage the attention. these will sooner expel grief than the most sprightly amusements, which only aggravate instead of relieving the anguish of a wounded heart. grill sauce. to half a pint of gravy add an ounce of fresh butter, and a table-spoonful of flour, previously well rubbed together; the same of mushroom or walnut ketchup, two tea-spoonfuls of lemon juice, one of made mustard, one of caper, half a one of black pepper, a little lemon peel grated fine, a tea-spoonful of essence of anchovies, a very small piece of minced shalot, and a little chili vinegar, or a few grains of cayenne. simmer them all together for a few minutes, pour a little of it over the grill, and send up the rest in a sauce tureen. grilled mutton. cut a breast of mutton into diamonds, rub it over with egg, and strew on some crumbs of bread and chopped parsley. broil it in a dutch oven, baste it with butter, and pour caper sauce or gravy into the dish. ground rice milk. boil one spoonful of ground rice, rubbed down smooth, with three half pints of milk, a little cinnamon, lemon peel, and nutmeg. sweeten it when nearly done. ground rice pudding. boil a large spoonful of ground rice in a pint of new milk, with lemon peel and cinnamon. when cold, add sugar, nutmeg, and two eggs well beaten. bake it with a crust round the dish. a pudding of russian seed is made in the same manner. grouse. twist the head under the wing, and roast them like fowls, but they must not be overdone. serve with a rich gravy in the dish, and bread sauce. the sauce recommended for wild fowl, may be used instead of gravy. grubs. various kinds of grubs or maggots, hatched from beetles, are destructive of vegetation, and require to be exterminated. in a garden they may be taken and destroyed by cutting a turf, and laying it near the plant which is attacked, with the grass side downwards. but the most effectual way is to visit these depredators at midnight, when they may be easily found and destroyed. gudgeons. these delicate fish are taken in running streams, where the water is clear. they come in about midsummer, and are to be had for five or six months. they require to be dressed much the same as smelts, being considered as a species of fresh-water smelts. guinea fowl. pea and guinea fowl eat much like pheasants, and require to be dressed in the same way. guinea hens. these birds lay a great number of eggs; and if their nest can be discovered, it is best to put them under common hens, which are better nurses. they require great warmth, quiet, and careful feeding with rice swelled in milk, or bread soaked in it. put two peppercorns down their throat when first hatched. gunpowder. reduce to powder separately, five drams of nitrate of potass, one dram of sulphur, and one of new-burnt charcoal. mix them together in a mortar with a little water, so as to make the compound into a dough, which roll out into round pieces of the thickness of a pin, upon a slab. this must be done by moving a board backwards and forwards until the dough is of a proper size. when three or four of these strings or pieces are ready, put them together, and with a knife cut the whole off in small grains. place these grains on a sheet of paper in a warm place, and they will soon dry. during granulation, the dough must be prevented from sticking, by using a little of the dry compound powder. this mode of granulation, though tedious, is the only one to be used for so small a quantity, for the sake of experiment. in a large way, gunpowder is granulated by passing the composition through sieves. h. haddocks. these fish may be had the greater part of the year, but are most in season during the first three months. in choosing, see that the flesh is firm, the eyes bright, and the gills fresh and red. clean them well, dry them in a cloth, and rub them with vinegar to prevent the skin from breaking. dredge them with flour, rub the gridiron with suet, and let it be hot when the fish is laid on. turn them while broiling, and serve them up with melted butter, or shrimp sauce. hair. frequent cutting of the hair is highly beneficial to the whole body; and if the head be daily washed with cold water, rubbed dry, and exposed to the air, it will be found an excellent preventive of periodical headachs. pomatums and general perfumery are very injurious; but a mixture of olive oil and spirits of rosemary, with a few drops of oil of nutmeg, may be used with safety. if a lead comb be sometimes passed through the hair, it will assume a darker colour, but for health it cannot be recommended. hair powder. to know whether this article be adulterated with lime, as is too frequently the case, put a little of the powder of sal-ammoniac into it, and stir it up with warm water. if the hair powder has been adulterated with lime, a strong smell of alkali will arise from the mixture. hair water. to thicken the hair, and prevent its falling off, an excellent water may be prepared in the following manner. put four pounds of pure honey into a still, with twelve handfuls of the tendrils of vines, and the same quantity of rosemary tops. distil as cool and as slowly as possible, and the liquor may be allowed to drop till it begins to taste sour. hams. when a ham is to be dressed, put it into water all night, if it has hung long; and let it lie either in a hole dug in the earth, or on damp stones sprinkled with water, two or three days, to mellow it. wash it well, and put it into a boiler with plenty of water; let it simmer four, five, or six hours, according to the size. when done enough, if before the time of serving, cover it with a clean cloth doubled, and keep the dish hot over some boiling water. take off the skin, and rasp some bread over the ham. preserve the skin as whole as possible, to cover the ham when cold, in order to prevent its drying. garnish the dish with carrot when sent to table. if a dried ham is to be purchased, judge of its goodness by sticking a sharp knife under the bone. if it comes out with a pleasant smell, the ham is good: but if the knife be daubed, and has a bad scent, do not buy it. hams short in the hock are best, and long-legged pigs are not fit to be pickled. ham sauce. when a ham is almost done with, pick all the meat clean from the bone, leaving out any rusty part. beat the meat and the bone to a mash, put it into a saucepan with three spoonfuls of gravy, set it over a slow fire, and stir it all the time, or it will stick to the bottom. when it has been on some time, put to it a small bundle of sweet herbs, some pepper, and half a pint of beef gravy. cover it up, and let it stew over a gentle fire. when it has a good flavour of the herbs, strain off the gravy. a little of this sauce will be found an improvement to all gravies. hands. when the hands or feet are severely affected with the cold, they should not immediately be exposed to the fire, but restored to their usual tone and feeling, by immersing them in cold water, and afterwards applying warmth in the most careful and gradual manner. persons subject to chopped hands in the winter time, should be careful to rub them quite dry after every washing; and to prevent their being injured by the weather, rub them with a mixture of fresh lard, honey, and the yolks of eggs; or a little goose fat will answer the purpose. hard dumplings. make a paste of flour and water, with a little salt, and roll it into balls. dust them with flour, and boil them nearly an hour. they are best boiled with a good piece of meat, and for variety, a few currants may be added. hares. if hung up in a dry cool place, they will keep a great time; and when imagined to be past eating, they are often in the highest perfection. they are never good if eaten when fresh killed. a hare will keep longer and eat better, if not opened for four or five days, or according to the state of the weather. if paunched when it comes from the field, it should be wiped quite dry, the heart and liver taken out, and the liver scalded to keep for stuffing. repeat this wiping every day, rub a mixture of pepper and ginger on the inside, and put a large piece of charcoal into it. if the spice be applied early, it will prevent that musty taste which long keeping in the damp occasions, and which also affects the stuffing. if an old hare is to be roasted, it should be kept as long as possible, and well soaked. this may be judged of, in the following manner. if the claws are blunt and rugged, the ears dry and tough, and the haunch thick, it is old. but if the claws are smooth and sharp, the ears easily tear, and the cleft in the lip is not much spread, it is young. if fresh and newly killed, the body will be stiff, and the flesh pale. to know a real leveret, it is necessary to look for a knob or small bone near the foot on its fore leg: if there be none, it is a hare. hare pie. cut up the hare, and season it; bake it with eggs and forcemeat, in a dish or raised crust. when cold take off the lid, and cover the meat with savoury jelly: see the article. hare sauce. this usually consists of currant jelly warmed up; or it may be made of half a pint of port, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, simmered together over a clear fire for about five minutes. it may also be made of half a pint of vinegar, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, reduced to a syrup. hare soup. take an old hare unfit for other purposes, cut it into pieces, and put it into a jar; add a pound and a half of lean beef, two or three shank bones of mutton well cleaned, a slice of lean bacon or ham, an onion, and a bunch of sweet herbs. pour on two quarts of boiling water, cover the jar close with bladder and paper, and set it in a kettle of water. simmer till the hare is stewed to pieces, strain off the liquor, boil it up once, with a chopped anchovy, and add a spoonful of soy, a little cayenne, and salt. a few fine forcemeat balls, fried of a good brown, should be served in the tureen. harrico of mutton. remove some of the fat, and cut the middle or best end of the neck into rather thin steaks. flour and fry them in their own fat, of a fine light brown, but not enough for eating. then put them into a dish while you fry the carrots, turnips, and onions; the carrots and turnips in dice, the onions sliced. they must only be warmed, and not browned. then lay the steaks at the bottom of a stewpan, the vegetables over them, and pour on as much boiling water as will just cover them. give them one boil, skim them well, and then set the pan on the side of the fire to simmer gently till all is tender. in three or four hours skim them; add pepper and salt, and a spoonful of ketchup. harrico of veal. take the best end of a small neck, cut the bones short, but leave it whole. then put it into a stewpan, just covered with brown gravy; and when it is nearly done, have ready a pint of boiled peas, six cucumbers pared and sliced, and two cabbage-lettuces cut into quarters, all stewed in a little good broth. add them to the veal, and let them simmer ten minutes. when the veal is in the dish, pour the sauce and vegetables over it, and lay the lettuce with forcemeat balls round it. hartshorn jelly. simmer eight ounces of hartshorn shavings with two quarts of water, till reduced to one. strain and boil it with the rinds of four china oranges, and two lemons pared thin. when cool, add the juice of both, half a pound of sugar, and the whites of six eggs beaten to a froth. let the jelly have three or four boils without stirring, and strain it through a jelly bag. hashed beef. put into a stewpan, a pint and a half of broth or water, a large table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, with the gravy saved from the beef. add a quarter of an ounce of onion sliced very fine, and boil it about ten minutes. put a large table-spoonful of flour into a basin, just wet it with a little water, mix it well together, then stir it into the broth, and boil it five or ten minutes. rub it through a sieve, return it to the stewpan, put in the hash, and let it stand by the side of the fire till the meat is warm. a tea-spoonful of parsley chopped very fine, and put in five minutes before it is served up, will be an agreeable addition; or to give a higher relish, a glass of port wine, and a spoonful of currant jelly. hashes and meats dressed a second time, should only simmer gently, till just warmed through. hashed duck. cut a cold duck into joints, and warm it in gravy, without boiling, and add a glass of port wine. hashed hare. season the legs and wings first, and then broil them, which will greatly improve the flavour. rub them with cold butter and serve them quite hot. the other parts, warmed with gravy, and a little stuffing, may be served separately. hashed mutton. cut thin slices of dressed mutton, fat and lean, and flour them. have ready a little onion boiled in two or three spoonfuls of water; add to it a little gravy, season the meat, and make it hot, but not to boil. serve up the hash in a covered dish. instead of onion, a clove, a spoonful of currant jelly, and half a glass of port wine, will give an agreeable venison flavour, if the meat be fine. for a change, the hash may be warmed up with pickled cucumber or walnut cut small. hashed venison. warm it with its own gravy, or some of it without seasoning; but it should only be warmed through, and not boiled. if no fat be left, cut some slices of mutton fat, set it on the fire with a little port wine and sugar, and simmer it dry. then put it to the hash, and it will eat as well as the fat of venison. hasty dish of eggs. beat up six eggs, pour them into a saucepan, hold it over the fire till they begin to thicken, and keep stirring from the bottom all the time. then add a piece of butter the size of a walnut, stir it about till the eggs and water are thoroughly mixed, and the eggs quite dry. put it on a plate, and serve it hot. hasty fritters. melt some butter in a saucepan, put in half a pint of good ale, and stir a little flour into it by degrees. add a few currants, or chopped apples; beat them up quick, and drop a large spoonful at a time into the pan, till the bottom is nearly covered. keep them separate, turn them with a slice; and when of a fine brown, serve them up hot, with grated sugar over them. hasty pudding. boil some milk over a clear fire, and take it off. keep putting in flour with one hand, and stirring it with the other, till it becomes quite thick. boil it a few minutes, pour it into a dish, and garnish with pieces of butter. to make a better pudding, beat up an egg and flour into a stiff paste, and mince it fine. put the mince into a quart of boiling milk, with a little butter and salt, cinnamon and sugar, and stir them carefully together. when sufficiently thickened, pour it into a dish, and stick bits of butter on the top. or shred some suet, add grated bread, a few currants, the yolks of four eggs and the whites of two, with some grated lemon peel and ginger. mix the whole together, and make it into balls the size and shape of an egg, with a little flour. throw them into a skillet of boiling water, and boil them twenty minutes; but when sufficiently done, they will rise to the top. serve with cold butter, or pudding sauce. hats. gentlemen's hats are often damaged by a shower of rain, which takes off the gloss, and leaves them spotted. to prevent this, shake out the wet as much as possible, wipe the hat carefully with a clean handkerchief, observing to lay the beaver smooth. then fix the hat in its original shape, and hang it to dry at a distance from the fire. next morning, brush it several times with a soft brush in the proper direction, and the hat will have sustained but little injury. a flat iron moderately heated, and passed two or three times gently over the hat, will raise the gloss, and give the hat its former good appearance. haunch of mutton. keep it as long as it can be preserved sweet, and wash it with warm milk and water, or vinegar if necessary. when to be dressed especially, observe to wash it well, lest the outside should contract a bad flavour from keeping. lay a paste of coarse flour on strong paper, and fold the haunch in it; set it a great distance from the fire, and allow proportionate time for the paste. do not remove it till nearly forty minutes before serving, and then baste it continually. bring the haunch nearer the fire before the paste is taken off, and froth it up the same as venison. a gravy must be made of a pound and a half of a loin of old mutton, simmered in a pint of water to half the quantity, and no seasoning but salt. brown it with a little burnt sugar, and send it up in the dish. care should be taken to retain a good deal of gravy in the meat, for though long at the fire, the distance and covering will prevent its roasting out. serve with currant-jelly sauce. haunch of venison. if it be the haunch of a buck, it will take full three hours and a half roasting; if a doe, about half an hour less. venison should be rather under than overdone. sprinkle some salt on a sheet of white paper, spread it over with butter, and cover the fat with it. then lay a coarse paste on strong white paper, and cover the haunch; tie it with fine packthread, and set it at a distance from a good fire. baste it often: ten minutes before serving take off the paste, draw the meat nearer the fire, and baste it with butter and a good deal of flour, to make it froth up well. gravy for it should be put into a boat, and not into the dish, unless there is none in the venison. to make the gravy, cut off the fat from two or three pounds of a loin of old mutton, and set it in steaks on a gridiron for a few minutes just to brown one side. put them into a saucepan with a quart of water, keep it closely covered for an hour, and simmer it gently. then uncover it, stew it till the gravy is reduced to a pint, and season it with salt only. currant-jelly sauce must be served in a boat. beat up the jelly with a spoonful or two of port wine, and melt it over the fire. where jelly runs short, a little more wine must be added, and a few lumps of sugar. serve with french beans. if the old bread sauce be still preferred, grate some white bread, and boil it with port wine and water, and a large stick of cinnamon. when quite smooth, take out the cinnamon, and add some sugar. hay stacks. in making stacks of new hay, care should be taken to prevent its heating and taking fire, by forming a tunnel completely through the centre. this may be done by stuffing a sack full of straw, and tying up the mouth with a cord; then make the rick round the sack, drawing it up as the rick advances, and taking it out when finished. head ache. this disorder generally arises from some internal cause, and is the symptom of a disease which requires first to be attended to; but where it is a local affection only, it may be relieved by bathing the part affected with spirits of hartshorn, or applying a poultice of elder flowers. in some cases the most obstinate pain is removed by the use of vervain, both internally in the form of a decoction, and also by suspending the herb round the neck. persons afflicted with headache should beware of costiveness: their drink should be diluting, and their feet and legs kept warm. it is very obvious, that as many disorders arise from taking cold in the head, children should be inured to a light and loose covering in their infancy, by which means violent headaches might be prevented in mature age: and the maxim of keeping the feet warm and the head cool, should be strictly attended to. head and pluck. whether of lamb or mutton, wash the head clean, take the black part from the eyes, and the gall from the liver. lay the head in warm water; boil the lights, heart, and part of the liver; chop them small, and add a little flour. put it into a saucepan with some gravy, or a little of the liquor it was boiled in, a spoonful of ketchup, a small quantity of lemon juice, cream, pepper, and salt. boil the head very white and tender, lay it in the middle of the dish, and the mince meat round it. fry the other part of the liver with some small bits of bacon, lay them on the mince meat, boil the brains the same as for a calf's head, beat up an egg and mix with them, fry them in small cakes, and lay them on the rim of the dish. garnish with lemon and parsley. heart burn. persons subject to this disorder, ought to drink no stale liquors, and to abstain from flatulent food. take an infusion of bark, or any other stomachic bitter; or a tea-spoonful of the powder of gum arabic dissolved in a little water, or chew a few sweet almonds blanched. an infusion of anise seeds, or ginger, have sometimes produced the desired effect. hedge hog. make a cake of any description, and bake it in a mould the shape of a hedge hog. turn it out of the mould, and let it stand a day or two. prick it with a fork, and let it remain all night in a dish full of sweet wine. slit some blanched almonds, and stick about it, and pour boiled custard in the dish round it. herb pie. pick two handfuls of parsley from the stems, half the quantity of spinach, two lettuces, some mustard and cresses, a few leaves of borage, and white beet leaves. wash and boil them a little, drain and press out the water, cut them small; mix a batter of flour, two eggs well beaten, a pint of cream, and half a pint of milk, and pour it on the herbs. cover with a good crust, and bake it. herb tea. if betony be gathered and dried before it begins to flower, it will be found to have the taste of tea, and all its good qualities, without any of its bad ones: it is also considered as a remedy for the headache. hawthorn leaves dried, and one third of balm and sage, mixed together, will make a wholesome and strengthening drink. an infusion of ground ivy, mixed with a few flowers of lavender, and flavoured with a drop of lemon juice, will make an agreeable substitute for common tea. various other vegetables might also be employed for this purpose; such as sage, balm, peppermint, and similar spicy plants; the flowers of the sweet woodroof, those of the burnet, or pimpernel rose; the leaves of peach and almond trees, the young and tender leaves of bilberry, and common raspberry; and the blossoms of the blackthorn, or sloe tree. most of these when carefully gathered and dried in the shade, especially if they be managed like indian tea-leaves, bear a great resemblance to the foreign teas, and are at the same time of superior flavour and salubrity. herbs for winter. take any sort of sweet herbs, with three times the quantity of parsley, and dry them in the air, without exposing them to the sun. when quite dry, rub them through a hair sieve, put them in canisters or bottles, and keep them in a dry place: they will be useful for seasoning in the winter. mint, sage, thyme, and such kind of herbs, may be tied in small bunches, and dried in the air: then put each sort separately into a bag, and hang it up in the kitchen. parsley should be picked from the stalks as soon as gathered, and dried in the shade to preserve the colour. cowslips and marigolds should be gathered dry, picked clean, dried in a cloth, and kept in paper bags. hessian soup. clean the root of a neat's tongue very nicely, and half an ox's head, with salt and water, and soak them afterwards in water only. then stew them in five or six quarts of water, till tolerably tender. let the soup stand to be cold, take off the fat, which will do for basting, or to make good paste for hot meat pies. put to the soup a pint of split peas, or a quart of whole ones, twelve carrots, six turnips, six potatoes, six large onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, and two heads of celery. simmer them without the meat, till the vegetables are done enough to pulp with the peas through a sieve; and the soup will then be about the thickness of cream. season it with pepper, salt, mace, allspice, a clove or two, and a little cayenne, all in fine powder. if the peas are bad, and the soup not thick enough, boil in it a slice of roll, and pass it through the cullender; or add a little rice flour, mixing it by degrees.--to make a ragout with the above, cut the nicest part of the head, the kernels, and part of the fat from the root of the tongue, into small thick pieces. rub these with some of the above seasoning, putting them into a quart of the liquor reserved for that purpose before the vegetables were added; flour them well, and simmer till they are nicely tender. then add a little mushroom and walnut ketchup, a little soy, a glass of port wine, and a tea-spoonful of made mustard, and boil all up together. serve with small eggs and forcemeat balls. this furnishes an excellent soup and a ragout at a small expense. hiccough. a few small draughts of water in quick succession, or a tea-spoonful of vinegar, will often afford immediate relief. peppermint water mixed with a few drops of vitriolic acid may be taken; and sometimes sneezing, or the stench of an extinguished tallow candle, has been found sufficient. hind quarter of lamb. boil the leg in a floured cloth an hour and a quarter; cut the loin into chops, fry them, lay them round the leg, with a bit of parsley on each, and serve it up with spinach or brocoli. hind quarter of pig. to dress this joint lamb fashion, take off the skin, roast it, and serve it up with mint sauce. a leg of lamb stuffed like a leg of pork, and roasted, with drawn gravy, is very good. a loin of mutton also, stuffed like a hare, and basted with milk. put gravy in the dish, served with currant jelly, or any other sauce. hiving of bees. when it is intended to introduce a swarm of bees into a new hive, it must be thoroughly cleaned, and the inside rubbed with virgin wax. a piece of nice honeycomb, made of very white wax, and about nine inches long, should be hung on the cross bars near the top of the hive, to form a kind of nest for the bees, and excite them to continue their work. the new hive being thus prepared, is then to be placed under an old one, before the bees begin to swarm, in such a manner as to be quite close, and to leave the bees no passage except into the new hive. as these insects generally work downwards, they will soon get into their new habitation; and when it is occupied by one half of the swarm, some holes must be made in the top of the old hive, and kept covered till the proper time of making use of them. preparation being thus made, take the opportunity of a fine morning, about eight or nine o'clock, at which time most of the bees are out, gathering their harvest. the comb is to be cut through by means of a piece of iron wire, and the old hive separated from the new one. an assistant must immediately place the cover, which should be previously fitted, upon the top of the new one. the old hive is then to be taken to the distance of twenty or thirty yards, and placed firm upon a bench or table, but so as to leave a free space both above and below. the holes at the top being opened, one of the new boxes is to be placed on the top of the old hive, having the cover loosely fastened on it; and is to be done in such a manner, by closing the intervals between them with linen cloths, that the bees on going out by the holes on the top of the old hive can only go into the new one. but in order to drive the bees into the new hive, some live coals must be placed under the old one, upon which some linen may be thrown, to produce a volume of smoke; and the bees feeling the annoyance, will ascend to the top of the old hive, and at length will go through the holes into the new one. when they have nearly all entered, it is to be removed gently from the old hive, and placed under the box already mentioned, the top or cover having been taken off. if it should appear the next morning that the two boxes, of which the new hive is now composed, do not afford sufficient room for the bees, a third or fourth box may be added, under the others, as their work goes on, changing them from time to time so long as the season permits the bees to gather wax and honey. when a new swarm is to be hived, the boxes prepared as above and proportioned to the size of the swarm, are to be brought near the place where the bees have settled. the upper box with the cover upon it, must be taken from the others. the cross bars at the top should be smeared with honey and water, the doors must be closed, the box turned upside down, and held under the swarm, which is then to be shaken into it as into a common hive. when the whole swarm is in the box, it is to be carried to the other boxes, previously placed in their destined situation, and carefully put upon them. the interstices are to be closed with cement, and all the little doors closed, except the lowest, through which the bees are to pass. the hive should be shaded from the sun for a few days, that the bees may not be tempted to leave their new habitation. it is more advantageous however to form artificial swarms, than to collect those which abandon their native hives; and the hive here recommended is more particularly adapted to that purpose. by this mode of treatment, we not only avoid the inconveniences which attend the procuring of swarms in the common way, but obtain the advantage of having the hives always well stocked, which is of greater consequence than merely to increase their number; for it has been observed, that if a hive of four thousand bees give six pounds of honey, one of eight thousand will give twenty-four pounds. on this principle it is proper to unite two or more hives, when they happen to be thickly stocked. this may be done by scattering a few handfuls of balm in those hives which are to be united, which by giving them the same smell, they will be unable to distinguish one another. after this preparation, the hives are to be joined by placing them one upon the other, in the evening when they are at rest, and taking away those boxes which are nearly empty. all the little doors must be closed, except the lowest.----if bees are kept in single straw hives in the usual way, the manner of hiving them is somewhat different. they are first allowed to swarm, and having settled, they are then taken to the hive. if they fix on the lower branch of a tree, it may be cut off and laid on a cloth, and the hive placed over it, so as to leave room for the bees to ascend into it. if the queen can be found, and put into the hive, the rest will soon follow. but if it be difficult to reach them, let them remain where they have settled till the evening, when there will be less danger of escaping. after this the hive is to be placed in the apiary, cemented round the bottom, and covered from the wet at top. the usual method of uniting swarms, is by spreading a cloth at night upon the ground close to the hive, in which the hive with the new swarm is to be placed. by giving a smart stroke on the top of the hive, all the bees will drop into a cluster upon the cloth. then take another hive from the beehouse, and place it over the bees, when they will ascend into it, and mix with those already there. another way is to invert the hive in which the united swarms are to live, and strike the bees of the other hive into it as before. one of the queens is generally slain on this occasion, together with a considerable number of the working bees. to prevent this destruction, one of the queens should be sought for and taken, when the bees are beaten out of the hive upon the cloth, before the union is effected. bees never swarm till the hive is too much crowded by the young brood, which happens in may or june, according to the warmth of the season. a good swarm should weigh five or six pounds; those that are under four pounds weight, should be strengthened by a small additional swarm. the size of the hive ought to be proportionate to the number of the bees, and should be rather too small than too large, as they require to be kept dry and warm in winter. in performing these several operations, it will be necessary to defend the hands and face from the sting of the bees. the best way of doing this is to cover the whole head and neck with a coarse cloth or canvas, which may be brought down and fastened round the waist. through this cloth the motion of the bees may be observed, without fearing their stings; and the hands may be protected by a thick pair of gloves. hodge podge. boil some slices of coarse beef in three quarts of water, and one of small beer. skim it well, put in onions, carrots, turnips, celery, pepper and salt. when the meat is tender, take it out, strain off the soup, put a little butter and flour into the saucepan, and stir it well, to prevent burning. take off the fat, put the soup into a stewpan, and stew the beef in it till it is quite tender. serve up the soup with turnips and carrots, spinage or celery. a leg of beef cut in pieces, and stewed five or six hours, will make good soup; and any kind of roots or spices may be added or omitted at pleasure. or stew some peas, lettuce, and onions, in a very little water, with a bone of beef or ham. while these are doing, season some mutton or lamb steaks, and fry them of a nice brown. three quarters of an hour before serving, put the steaks into a stewpan, and the vegetables over them. stew them, and serve all together in a tureen. another way of making a good hodge podge, is to stew a knuckle of veal and a scrag of mutton, with some vegetables, adding a bit of butter rolled in flour. hog's cheeks. if to be dried as usual, cut out the snout, remove the brains, and split the head, taking off the upper bone to make the chawl a good shape. rub it well with salt, and next day take away the brine. on the following day cover the head with half an ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of bay salt, a little common salt, and four ounces of coarse sugar. let the head be often turned, and after ten days smoke it for a week like bacon. hog's ears forced. parboil two pair of ears, or take some that have been soused. make a forcemeat of an anchovy, some sage and parsley, a quarter of a pound of chopped suet, bread crumbs, and only a little salt. mix all these with the yolks of two eggs, raise the skin of the upper side of the ears, and stuff them with the mixture. fry the ears in fresh butter, of a fine colour; then pour away the fat, and drain them. prepare half a pint of rich gravy, with a glass of fine sherry, three tea-spoonfuls of made mustard, a little butter and flour, a small onion whole, and a little pepper or cayenne. put this with the ears into a stewpan, and cover it close; stew it gently for half an hour, shaking the pan often. when done enough, take out the onion, place the ears carefully in a dish, and pour the sauce over them. if a larger dish is wanted, the meat from two feet may be added to the above. hog's head. to make some excellent meat of a hog's head, split it, take out the brains, cut off the ears, and sprinkle it with salt for a day. then drain it, salt it again with common salt and saltpetre for three days, and afterwards lay the whole in a small quantity of water for two days. wash it, and boil it till all the bones will come out. skin the tongue, and take the skin carefully off the head, to put under and over. chop the head as quick as possible, season it with pepper and salt, and a little mace or allspice berries. put the skin into a small pan, with the chopped head between, and press it down. when cold it will turn out, and make a kind of brawn. if too fat, a few bits of lean pork may be prepared in the same way, and added to it. add salt and vinegar, and boil these with some of the liquor for a pickle to keep it. hog's lard. this should be carefully melted in a jar placed in a kettle of water, and boiled with a sprig of rosemary. after it has been prepared, run it into bladders that have been extremely well cleaned. the smaller they are, the better the lard will keep: if the air reaches it, it becomes rank. lard being a most useful article for frying fish, it should be prepared with care. mixed with butter, it makes fine crust. hollow biscuits. mix a pound and a quarter of butter with three pounds and a half of flour, adding a pint of warm water. cut out the paste with a wine glass, or a small tin, and set them in a brisk oven, after the white bread is drawn. hones. for joining them together, or cementing them to their frames, melt a little common glue without water, with half its weight of rosin, and a small quantity of red ochre. honey. the honey produced by young bees, and which flows spontaneously, is purer than that expressed from the comb; and hence it is called virgin honey. the best sort is of a thick consistence, and of a whitish colour, inclining to yellow: it possesses an agreeable smell, and a pleasant taste. when the combs are removed from the hive, they are taken by the hand into a sieve, and left to drain into a vessel sufficiently wide for the purpose. after it has stood a proper time to settle, the pure honey is poured into earthen jars, tied down close to exclude the air. honey vinegar. when honey is extracted from the combs, by means of pressure, take the whole mass, break and separate it, and into each tub or vessel put one part of combs, and two of water. set them in the sun, or in a warm place, and cover them with cloths. fermentation takes place in a few days, and continues from eight to twelve days, according to the temperature of the situation in which the operation is carried on. during the fermentation, stir the matter from time to time, and press it down with the hand, that it may be perfectly soaked. when the fermentation is over, put the matter to drain on sieves or strainers. at the bottom of the vessels will be found a yellow liquor, which must be thrown away, because it would soon contract a disagreeable smell, which it would communicate to the vinegar. then wash the tubs, put into them the water separated from the other matter, and it will immediately begin to turn sour. the tubs must then be covered again with cloths, and kept moderately warm. a pellicle or skin is formed on the surface, beneath which the vinegar acquires strength. in a month's time it begins to be sharp, but must be suffered to stand a little longer, and then put into a cask, of which the bunghole is to be left open. it may then be used like any other vinegar. all kinds of vinegar may be strengthened by suffering it to be repeatedly frozen, and then separating the upper cake of ice or water from it. hooping cough. this disorder generally attacks children, to whom it often proves fatal for want of proper management. those who breathe an impure air, live upon poor sustenance, drink much warm tea, and do not take sufficient exercise, are most subject to this convulsive cough. in the beginning of the disorder, the child should be removed to a change of air, and the juice of onions or horseradish applied to the soles of the feet. the diet light and nourishing, and taken in small quantities; the drink must be lukewarm, consisting chiefly of toast and water, mixed with a little white wine. if the cough be attended with feverish symptoms, a gentle emetic must be taken, of camomile flowers, and afterwards the following liniment applied to the pit of the stomach. dissolve one scruple of tartar emetic in two ounces of spring water, and add half an ounce of the tincture of cantharides: rub a tea-spoonful of it every hour on the lower region of the stomach with a warm piece of flannel, and let the wetted part be kept warm with flannel. this will be found to be the best remedy for the hooping cough. hops. the quality of this article is generally determined by the price; yet hops may be strong, and not good. they should be bright, of a pleasant flavour, and have no foreign leaves or bits of branches among them. the hop is the husk or seed pod of the hop vine, as the cone is that of the fir tree; and the seeds themselves are deposited, like those of the fir, round a little soft stalk, enveloped by the several folds of this pod or cone. if in the gathering, leaves or tendrils of the vine are mixed with the hops, they may help to increase the weight, but will give a bad taste to the beer; and if they abound, they will spoil it. great attention therefore must be paid to see that they are free from any foreign mixture. there are also numerous sorts of hops, varying in size, in form, and quality. those that are best for brewing are generally known by the absence of a brown colour, which indicates perished hops; a colour between green and yellow, a great quantity of the yellow farina, seeds not too large or hard, a clamminess when rubbed between the fingers, and a lively pleasant smell, are the general indications of good hops. at almost any age they retain the power of preserving beer, but not of imparting a pleasant flavour; and therefore new hops are to be preferred. supposing them to be of a good quality, a pound of hops may be allowed to a bushel of malt, when the beer is strong, or brewed in warm weather; but under other circumstances, half the quantity will be sufficient. hop-top soup. take a quantity of hop-tops when they are in the greatest perfection, tie them in small bunches, soak them in water, and put them to some thin peas-soup. boil them up, add three spoonfuls of onion juice, with salt and pepper. when done enough, serve them up in a tureen, with sippets of toasted bread at the bottom. horseradish powder. in november or december, slice some horseradish the thickness of a shilling, and lay it to dry very gradually in a dutch oven, for a strong heat would very soon evaporate its flavour. when quite dry, pound it fine, and bottle it. horseradish vinegar. pour a quart of the best vinegar on three ounces of scraped horseradish, an ounce of minced shalot, and a dram of cayenne. let it stand a week, and it will give an excellent relish to cold beef, or other articles. a little black pepper and mustard, celery or cress seed, may be added to the above. house drains. the smell of house drains is oftentimes exceedingly offensive, but may be completely prevented by pouring down them a mixture of lime water, and the ley of wood ashes, or suds that have been used in washing. an article known by the name of a sink trap may be had at the ironmongers, which is a cheap and simple apparatus, for carrying off the waste water and other offensive matter from sinks and drains. but as the diffusion of any collection of filth tends to produce disease and mortality, it should not be suffered to settle and stagnate near our dwellings, and every possible care should be taken to render them sweet and wholesome. house tax. as the present system of taxation involves so important a part of the annual expenditure, and is in many instances attended with so much vexation and trouble, it concerns every housekeeper to be acquainted with the extent of his own liability, and of course to regulate his conveniences accordingly. it appears then, that every inhabited dwellinghouse, containing not more than six windows or lights, is subject to the yearly sum of six shillings and six-pence, if under the value of five pounds a year. but every dwellinghouse worth five pounds and under twenty pounds rent by the year, pays the yearly sum of one shilling and six-pence in the pound; every house worth twenty pounds and under forty pounds a year, two shillings and three-pence in the pound; and for every house worth forty pounds and upwards, the yearly sum of two shillings and ten-pence in the pound. these rents however are to be taken from the rates in which they are charged, and not from the rents which are actually paid. household bread. four ounces of salt are dissolved in three quarts of water, and mixed with a pint of yeast. this mixture is poured into a cavity made in a peck of second flour, placed in a large pan or trough. when properly kneaded and fermented, it is divided into pieces of a certain weight, and baked. sometimes, in farm houses, a portion of rice flour, boiled potatoes, or rye meal, is mixed with the flour, previous to kneading the dough. the rye and rice serve to bind the bread, but the potatoes render it light and spongy.--or, for a larger quantity, put a bushel of flour into a trough, two thirds wheat and one of rye. mix a quart of yeast with nine quarts of warm water, and work it into the flour till it becomes tough. leave it to rise about an hour; and as soon as it rises, add a pound of salt, and as much warm water as before. work it well, and cover it with flannel. make the loaves a quarter of an hour before the oven is ready; and if they weigh five pounds each, they will require to be baked two hours and a half. hung beef. make a strong brine with bay salt, common salt, and saltpetre, and put in ribs of beef for nine days. then dry it, or smoke it in a chimney. or rub the meat with salt and saltpetre, and repeat it for a fortnight, and dry it in wood smoke. hungary water. to one pint of highly rectified spirits of wine, put an ounce of the oil of rosemary, and two drams of the essence of ambergris. shake the bottle well several times, and let the cork remain out twenty-four hours. shake it daily for a whole month, and then put the water into small bottles for use. hunter's beef. to a round of beef that weighs twenty-five pounds, allow three ounces of saltpetre, three ounces of the coarsest sugar, an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of allspice, a nutmeg, and three handfuls of common salt, all in the finest powder. the beef should hang two or three days; then rub the above mixture well into it, and turn and rub it every day for two or three weeks. the bone must be taken out first. when to be dressed, dip it into cold water, to take off the loose spice; bind it up tight with tape, and put it into a pan with a tea-cupful of water at the bottom. cover the top of the meat with shred suet, and the pan with a brown crust and paper, and bake it five or six hours. when cold, take off the paste and tape. the gravy is very fine, and a little of it is a great improvement to any kind of hash or soup. both the gravy and the meat will keep some time. the meat should be cut with a very sharp knife, and quite smooth, to prevent waste. hunter's pudding. mix together a pound of suet, a pound of flour, a pound of currants, and a pound of raisins stoned and cut. add the rind of half a lemon finely shred, six peppercorns in fine powder, four eggs, a glass of brandy, a little salt, and as much milk as will make it of a proper consistence. boil it in a floured cloth, or a melon mould, eight or nine hours. a spoonful of peach water may sometimes be added to change the flavour. this pudding will keep six months after it is boiled, if tied up in the same cloth when cold, and hung up, folded in writing paper to preserve it from the dust. when to be eaten, it must be boiled a full hour, and served with sweet sauce. hysterics. the sudden effusion of water on the face and hands, while the fit is on, and especially immersing the feet in cold water, will afford relief. fetid smells are also proper; such as the burning of feathers, leather, or the smoke of sulphur, and the application of strong volatile alkali, or other pungent matters to the nostrils. to effect a radical cure, the cold bath, mineral waters, and other tonics are necessary. in germany however, they cure hysteric affections by eating carraway seeds finely powdered, with a little ginger and salt, spread on bread and butter every morning. i. ice for iceing. to prepare artificial ice for articles of confectionary, procure a few pounds of real ice, reduce it nearly to powder, and throw a large handful or more of salt amongst it. this should be done in as cool a place as possible. the ice and salt being put into a pail, pour some cream into an ice pot, and cover it down. then immerse it in the ice, and draw that round the pot, so as to enclose every part of it. in a few minutes stir it well with a spoon or spatula, removing to the centre those parts which have iced round the edges. if the ice cream or water be in a a form, shut the bottom close, and move the whole in the ice, as a spoon cannot be used for that purpose without danger of waste. there should be holes in the pail, to let off the ice as it thaws. when any fluid tends towards cold, moving it quickly will encrease that tendency; and likewise, when any fluid is tending to heat, stirring it will facilitate its boiling. ice creams. mix the juice of the fruits with as much sugar as will be wanted, before the cream is added, and let the cream be of a middling richness. ice waters. rub some fine sugar on lemon or orange, to give the colour and flavour; then squeeze the juice of either on its respective peel. add water and sugar to make a fine sherbet, and strain it before it be put into the ice-pot. if orange, the greater proportion should be of the china juice, and only a little of seville, and a small bit of the peel grated by the sugar. the juice of currants or raspberries, or any other sort of fruit, being squeezed out, sweetened, and mixed with water, may be prepared for iceing in the same way. iceing for cakes. beat and sift half a pound of fine sugar, put it into a mortar with four spoonfuls of rose water, and the whites of two eggs beaten and strained. whisk it well, and when the cake is almost cold, dip a feather in the iceing, and cover the cake well. set it in the oven to harden, but suffer it not to remain to be discoloured, and then keep it in a dry place.--for a very large cake, beat up the whites of twenty fresh eggs, and reduce to powder a pound of double refined sugar, sifted through a lawn sieve. mix these well in a deep earthen pan, add orange flower water, barely sufficient to give it a flavour, and a piece of fresh lemon peel. whisk it for three hours till the mixture is thick and white, then with a thin broad piece of board spread it all over the top and sides, and set it in a cool oven, and an hour will harden it. iceing for tarts. beat well together the yolk of an egg and some melted butter, smear the tarts with a feather, and sift sugar over them as they are put into the oven. or beat up the white of an egg, wash the paste with it, and sift over some white sugar. iliac passion. this dangerous malady, in which the motion of the bowels is totally impeded or inverted, arises from spasms, violent exertions of the body, eating of unripe fruit, drinking of sour liquors, worms, obstinate costiveness, and various other causes, which produce the most excruciating pain in the region of the abdomen. large blisters applied to the most painful part, emollient clysters, fomentations, and the warm bath, are amongst the most likely means; but in many instances, this disorder is not to be controuled by medicine. no remedy however can be applied with greater safety or advantage, than frequent doses of castor oil: and if this fail, quicksilver in a natural state is the only medicine on which any reliance can be placed. imperial. put into a stone jar two ounces of cream of tartar, and the juice and paring of two lemons. pour on them seven quarts of boiling water, stir it well, and cover it close. when cold, sweeten it with loaf sugar; strain, bottle, and cork it tight. this makes a very pleasant and wholesome liquor; but if drunk too freely, it becomes injurious. in bottling it off, add half a pint of rum to the whole quantity. imperial cream. boil a quart of cream with the thin rind of a lemon, and stir it till nearly cold. have ready in a dish or bowl, in which it is to be served, the juice of three lemons strained, mixed with as much sugar as will sweeten the cream. pour this into the dish from a large tea-pot, holding it high, and moving it about to mix with the juice. it should be made at least six hours before it is used; and if the day before, it would be still better. imperial water. put into an earthen pan, four ounces of sugar, and the rind of three lemons. boil an ounce of cream of tartar in three quarts of water, and pour it on the sugar and lemon. let it stand all night, clear it through a bag, and bottle it. incense. compound in a marble mortar, a large quantity of lignum rhodium, and anise, with a little powder of dried orange peel, and gum benzoin. add some gum dragon dissolved in rose water, and a little civet. beat the whole together, form the mixture into small cakes, and place them on paper to dry. one of these cakes being burnt, will diffuse an agreeable odour throughout the largest apartment. indelible ink. gum arabic dissolved in water, and well mixed with fine ivory black, will make writing indelible. if the writing be afterwards varnished over with the white of an egg clarified, it will preserve it to any length of time. indian pickle. lay a pound of white ginger in water one night; then scrape, slice, and lay it in salt in a pan, till the other ingredients are prepared. peel and slice a pound of garlic, lay it in salt three days, and afterwards dry it in the sun. salt and dry some long pepper in the same way: then prepare various sorts of vegetables in the following manner. quarter some small white cabbages, salt them three days, then squeeze and lay them in the sun to dry. cut some cauliflowers into branches, take off the green part of radishes, cut celery into lengths of about three inches, put in young french beans whole, and the shoots of elder, which will look like bamboo. choose apples and cucumbers of a sort the least seedy, quarter them, or cut them in slices. all must be salted, drained, and dried in the sun, except the latter, over which some boiling vinegar must be poured. in twelve hours drain them, but use no salt. put the spice into a large stone jar, adding the garlic, a quarter of a pound of mustard seed, an ounce of turmeric, and vinegar sufficient for the quantity of pickle. when the vegetables are dried and ready, the following directions must be observed. put some of them into a half-gallon stone jar, and pour over them a quart of boiling vinegar. next day take out those vegetables; and when drained, put them into a large stock jar. boil the vinegar, pour it over some more of the vegetables, let them lie all night, and complete the operation as before. thus proceed till each set is cleansed from the dust they may have contracted. then to every gallon of vinegar, put two ounces of flour of mustard, gradually mixing in a little of it boiling hot, and stop the jar tight. the whole of the vinegar should be previously scalded, and set to cool before it is put to the spice. this pickle will not be ready for a year, but a small quantity may be got ready for eating in a fortnight, by only giving the cauliflower one scald in water, after salting and drying as above, but without the preparative vinegar: then pour the vinegar, which has the spice and garlic, boiling hot over it. if at any time it be found that the vegetables have not swelled properly, boiling the pickle, and pouring it hot over them, will make them plump.--another way. cut the heads of some good cauliflowers into pieces, and add some slices of the inside of the stalk. put to them a white cabbage cut in pieces, with inside slices of carrot, turnips, and onions. boil a strong brine of salt and water, simmer the vegetables in it one minute, drain them, and dry them on tins over an oven till they are shriveled up; then put them into a jar, and prepare the following pickle. to two quarts of good vinegar, put an ounce of the flour of mustard, one of ginger, one of long pepper, four of cloves, a few shalots, and a little horseradish. boil the vinegar, put the vegetables into a jar, and pour it hot over them. when cold, tie them down, and add more vinegar afterwards, if necessary. in the course of a week or two, the pickle will be fit for use. indigestion. persons of weak delicate habits, particularly the sedentary and studious, are frequently subject to indigestion. the liberal use of cold water alone, in drinking, washing, and bathing, is often sufficient to effect a cure. drinking of sea water, gentle purgatives, with bark and bitters, light and nourishing food, early rising, and gentle exercise in the open air, are also of great importance. infection. during the prevalence of any infectious disease, every thing requires to be kept perfectly clean, and the sick room to be freely ventilated. the door or window should generally be open, the bed curtains only drawn to shade the light, clothes frequently changed and washed in cold water, all discharges from the patient instantly removed, and the floor near the bed rubbed every day with a wet cloth. take also a hot brick, lay it in an earthen pan, and pour pickle vinegar upon it. this will refresh the patient, as well as purify the surrounding atmosphere. those who are obliged to attend the patients, should not approach them fasting, nor inhale their breath; and while in their apartment, should avoid eating and drinking, and swallowing their own saliva. it will also be of considerable service to smell vinegar and camphor, to fumigate the room with tobacco, and to chew myrrh and cinnamon, which promote a plentiful discharge from the mouth. as soon as a person has returned from visiting an infected patient, he ought immediately to wash his mouth and hands with vinegar, to change his clothes, and expose them to the fresh air; and to drink an infusion of sage, or other aromatic herbs. after the disorder has subsided, the walls of the room should be washed with hot lime, which will render it perfectly sweet. inflammations. in external inflammations, attended with heat and swelling of the part affected, cooling applications and a little opening medicine are the best adapted; and in some cases, cataplasms of warm emollient herbs may be used with advantage. inflammation of the eyes. in this case leeches should be applied to the temples; and after the bleeding has ceased, a small blister may be tried, with a little opening medicine. much benefit has been derived from shaving the head, cutting the hair, and bathing the feet in warm water. if the inflammation has arisen from particles of iron or steel falling into the eyes, the offending matter is best extracted by the application of the loadstone. if eyes are blood-shotten, the necessary rules are, an exclusion from light, cold fomentations, and abstinence from animal food and stimulating liquors. for a bruise in the eye, occasioned by any accident, the best remedy is a rotten apple, and some conserve of roses. fold them in a piece of thin cambric, apply it to the part affected, and it will take out the bruise. inflammation of the bowels. this is a complaint that requires great care. if the belly be swelled, and painful to the touch, apply flannels to it, dipped in hot water and wrung out, or use a warm bath. a blister should be employed as soon as possible, and mild emollient injections of gruel or barley water, till stools be obtained. the patient should be placed between blankets, and supplied with light gruel; and when the violence of the disorder is somewhat abated, the pain may be removed by opiate clysters. a common bread and milk poultice, applied as warm as possible to the part affected, has also been attended with great success: but as this disorder is very dangerous, it would be proper to call in medical assistance without delay. ink. to make an excellent writing ink, take a pound of the best aleppo galls, half a pound of copperas, a quarter of a pound of gum arabic, and a quarter of a pound of white sugar candy. bruise the galls and beat the other ingredients fine, and infuse them together in three quarts of rain water. let the mixture stand by the fire three or four days, and then boil it gently over a slow fire; or if infused in cold water, and afterwards well strained, it will nearly answer the same purpose. care must be taken to obtain good materials, and to mix them in due proportion. to preserve the ink from mouldiness, it should be put into a large glass bottle with a ground stopper, and frequently shaked; but if a crust be formed, it should be carefully taken out, and not mixed with the ink. a little more gum and sugar candy may be added, to render the ink more black and glossy; but too much will make it sticky, and unfit for use.--another method is to bruise a pound of good galls, black and heavy, and put them into a stone jar. then pour on a gallon of rain water, nearly of a boiling heat, and let it stand by the fire about a fortnight. afterwards add four ounces of green copperas or sulphate of iron, four ounces of logwood shavings, one ounce of alum, one of sugar candy, and four of gum arabic. let the whole remain about two days longer in a moderate heat, stir the ingredients together once or twice a day, and keep the jar slightly covered. the ink is then to be strained through a flannel, put into a bottle with a little brandy at the top, well corked, and set by for use in a temperate place. a few cloves bruised with gum arabic, and put into the bottle, will prevent the ink from getting mouldy; and if some of superior quality be required, white wine or vinegar must be used instead of water. ink powder. for the convenience of travellers by sea or by land, ink powders have been invented, which consist of nothing else than the substances employed in the composition of common ink, pounded and pulverized, so that it be instantaneously converted into ink by mixing it up with a little water. walkden's ink powder is by far the best. ink stains. the stains of ink, on cloth, paper, or wood, may be removed by almost all acids; but those acids are to be preferred, which are least likely to injure the texture of the stained substance. the muriatic acid, diluted with five or six times its weight of water, may be applied to the spot; and after a minute or two, may be washed off, repeating the application as often as it is found necessary. but the vegetable acids are attended with less risk, and are equally effectual. a solution of lemon or tartareous acid, in water, may be applied to the most delicate fabrics, without any danger of injuring them: and the same solution will discharge writing, but not printing ink. hence they may be employed in cleaning books which have been defaced by writing on the margin, without impairing the text. lemon juice and the juice of sorrel will also remove ink stains, but not so easily as the concrete acid of lemons, or citric acid. on some occasions it will be found sufficient, only to dip the spotted part in the fine melted tallow of a mould candle, and afterwards wash it in the usual way. insects. the most effectual remedy against the whole tribe of insects, which prey upon plants and vegetables, is the frequent use of sulphur, which should be dusted upon the leaves through a muslin rag or dredging box, or fumed on a chaffing dish of burning charcoal. this application will also improve the healthiness of plants, as well as destroy their numerous enemies. another way is to boil together an equal quantity of rue, wormwood, and tobacco, in common water, so as to make the liquor strong, and then to sprinkle it on the leaves every morning and evening. by pouring boiling water on some tobacco and the tender shoots of elder, a strong decoction may also be made for this purpose, and shed upon fruit trees with a brush: the quantity, about an ounce of tobacco and two handfuls of elder to a gallon of water. elder water sprinkled on honeysuckles and roses, will prevent insects from lodging on them. if a quantity of wool happen to be infected with insects, it may be cleansed in the following manner. dissolve a pound of alum, and as much cream of tartar, in a quart of boiling water, and add two full gallons of cold water to it. the wool is then to be soaked in it for several days, and afterwards to be washed and dried. inside of a sirloin. cut out all the meat and a little fat, of the inside of a cold sirloin of beef, and divide it into pieces of a finger's size and length. dredge the meat with flour, and fry it in butter, of a nice brown. drain the butter from the meat, and toss it up in a rich gravy, seasoned with pepper, salt, anchovy, and shalot. it must not be suffered to boil; and before serving, add two spoonfuls of vinegar. garnish with crimped parsley. invisible ink. boil half an ounce of gold litharge well pounded, with a little vinegar in a brass vessel for half an hour. filter the liquid through paper, and preserve it in a bottle closely corked. this ink is to be used with a clean pen, and the writing when dry will become invisible. but if at any time it be washed over with the following mixture, it will instantly become black and legible. put some quicklime and red orpiment in water, place some warm ashes under it for a whole day, filter the liquor, and cork it down. whenever applied in the slightest degree, it will render the writing visible. irish beef. to twenty pounds of beef, put one ounce of allspice, a quarter of an ounce of mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and half an ounce each of pepper and saltpetre. mix all together, and add some common salt. put the meat into a salting pan, turn it every day, and rub it with the seasoning. after a month take out the bone, and boil the meat in the liquor it was pickled in, with a proper quantity of water. it may be stuffed with herbs, and eaten cold. irish pancakes. beat eight yolks and four whites of eggs, strain them into a pint of cream, sweeten with sugar, and add a grated nutmeg. stir three ounces of butter over the fire, and as it melts pour it to the cream, which should be warm when the eggs are put to it. mix it smooth with nearly half a pint of flour, and fry the pancakes very thin; the first with a bit of butter, but not the others. serve up several at a time, one upon another. irish stew. take five thick mutton chops, or two pounds off the neck or loin; four pounds of potatoes, peeled and divided; and half a pound of onions, peeled and sliced. put a layer of potatoes at the bottom of a stewpan, then a couple of chops, and some of the onions, and so on till the pan is quite full. add a small spoonful of white pepper, about one and a half of salt, and three quarters of a pint of broth or gravy. cover all close down, so as to prevent the escape of steam, and let them stew two hours on a very slow fire. it must not be suffered to burn, nor be done too fast: a small slice of ham will be an agreeable addition. iron moulds. wet the injured part, rub on a little of the essential salt of lemons, and lay it on a hot waterplate. if the linen becomes dry, wet it and renew the process, observing that the plate is kept boiling hot. much of the powder sold under the name of salt of lemons is a spurious preparation, and therefore it is necessary to dip the linen in a good deal of water, and to wash it as soon as the stain is removed, in order to prevent the part from being worn into holes by the acid. iron pots. to cure cracks or fissures in iron pots or pans, mix some finely sifted lime with whites of eggs well beaten, till reduced to a paste. add some iron file dust, and apply the composition to the injured part, and it will soon become hard and fit for use. iron and steel. various kinds of polished articles, in iron and steel, are in danger of being rusted and spoiled, by an exposure to air and moisture. a mixture of nearly equal quantities of fat, oil varnish, and the rectified spirits of turpentine, applied with a sponge, will give a varnish to those articles, which prevents their contracting any spots of rust, and preserves their brilliancy, even though exposed to air and water. common articles of steel or iron may be preserved from injury by a composition of one pound of fresh lard, an ounce of camphor, two drams of black lead powder, and two drams of dragon's blood in fine powder, melted over a slow fire, and rubbed on with a brush or sponge, after it has been left to cool. isinglass jelly. boil an ounce of isinglass in a quart of water, with a few cloves, lemon peel, or wine, till it is reduced to half the quantity. then strain it, and add a little sugar and lemon juice. issue ointment. for dressing blisters, in order to keep them open, make an ointment of half an ounce of spanish flies finely powdered, mixed with six ounces of yellow basilicon ointment. italian beef steaks. cut a fine large steak from a rump that has been well kept, or from any tender part. beat it, and season with pepper, salt, and onion. lay it in an iron stewpan that has a cover to fit it quite close, and set it by the side of the fire without water. it must have a strong heat, but care must be taken that it does not burn: in two or three hours it will be quite tender, and then serve with its own gravy. itch. rub the parts affected with the ointment of sulphur, and keep the body gently open by taking every day a small dose of sulphur and treacle. when the cure is effected, let the clothes be carefully fumigated with sulphur, or the contagion will again be communicated. the dry itch requires a vegetable diet, and the liberal use of anti-scorbutics: the parts affected may be rubbed with a strong decoction of tobacco. ivory. bones and ivory may be turned to almost any use, by being softened in the following manner. boil some sage in strong vinegar, strain the liquor through a piece of cloth, and put in the articles. in proportion to the time they are steeped in the liquor, ivory or bones will be capable of receiving any new impression. j. japan blacking. take three ounces of ivory black, two ounces of coarse sugar, one ounce of sulphuric acid, one ounce of muriatic acid, a lemon, a table-spoonful of sweet oil, and a pint of vinegar. first mix the ivory black and sweet oil together, then the lemon and sugar, with a little vinegar to qualify the blacking; then add both the acids, and mix them all well together. the sugar, oil, and vinegar prevent the acids from injuring the leather, and add to the lustre of the blacking.--a cheap method is to take two ounces of ivory black, an ounce and a half of brown sugar, and half a table-spoonful of sweet oil. mix them well, and then gradually add half a pint of small beer.--or take a quarter of a pound of ivory black, a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, a table-spoonful of flour, a piece of tallow about the size of a walnut, and a small piece of gum arabic. make a paste of the flour, and whilst hot, put in the tallow, then the sugar, and afterwards mix the whole well together in a quart of water. jarganel pears. these may be preserved in a fine state, in the following manner. pare them very thin, simmer in a thin syrup, and let them lie a day or two. make the syrup richer, and simmer them again. repeat this till they are clear; then drain, and dry them in the sun or a cool oven a very little time. they may also be kept in syrup, and dried as wanted, which makes them more moist and rich. jaundice. the diet of persons affected with the jaundice ought to be light and cooling, consisting chiefly of ripe fruits, and mild vegetables. many have been effectually cured, by living for several days on raw eggs. buttermilk whey sweetened with honey, or an infusion of marshmallow roots, ought to constitute the whole of the patient's drink. honey, anti-scorbutics, bitters, and blisters applied to the region of the liver, have all been found serviceable in the cure of the jaundice. jelly for cold fish. clean a maid, and put it into three quarts of water, with a calf's foot, or cow heel. add a stick of horseradish, an onion, three blades of mace, some white pepper, a piece of lemon peel, and a good slice of lean gammon. stew it to a jelly, and strain it off. when cold, remove every particle of fat, take it up from the sediment, and boil it with a glass of sherry, the whites of four or five eggs, and a piece of lemon. boil without stirring; after a few minutes set it by to stand half an hour, and strain it through a bag or sieve, with a cloth in it. cover the fish with it when cold. jerusalem artichokes. these must be taken up the moment they are boiled enough, or they will be too soft. they may be served plain, or with fricassee sauce. jugged hare. after cleaning and skinning an old hare, cut it up, and season it with pepper, salt, allspice, pounded mace, and a little nutmeg. put it into a jar with an onion, a clove or two, a bunch of sweet herbs, a piece of coarse beef, and the carcase bones over all. tie the jar down with a bladder and strong paper, and put it into a saucepan of water up to the neck, but no higher. keep the water boiling five hours. when it is to be served, boil up the gravy with flour and butter; and if the meat get cold, warm it up in the gravy, but do not boil it. jugged veal. cut some slices of veal, and put them into an earthen jug, with a blade of mace, a little pepper, salt, and nutmeg. add a sprig of sweet herbs, and a bit of lemon peel. cover the jug close, that the steam may not escape; set it in a pot of boiling water, and about three hours will do it. half an hour before it is done, put in a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a little lemon juice, or lemon pickle. turn it out of the jug into a dish, take out the herbs and lemon peel, and send it to table garnished with lemon. jumbles. powder and sift half a pound of fine lump sugar, and mix it with half a pound of dried flour. beat up two eggs in a table-spoonful of orange or rose water, shred the peel of half a lemon very fine, mix the whole together, and make it into a paste. cut the paste into fancy shapes, bake them slightly on tins, and take them out of the oven as soon as the edges begin to brown. k. ketchup. the liquor obtained from mushrooms, approaches the nearest to meat gravy, in flavour and quality, of any other vegetable juice, and is the best substitute for it, in any of those savoury dishes intended to please the palate. but in order to have it wholesome and good, it must be made at home, the mushrooms employed in preparing ketchup for sale being generally in a state of putrefaction; and in a few days after the mushrooms are gathered, they become the habitation of myriads of insects. in order to procure and preserve the flavour of the vegetable for any considerable time, the mushrooms should be sought from the beginning of september, and care taken to select only the right sort, and such as are fresh gathered. full grown flaps are the best for ketchup. place a layer of these at the bottom of a deep earthen pan, and sprinkle them with salt; then another layer of mushrooms, and some more salt on them, and so on alternately. let them remain two or three hours, by which time the salt will have penetrated the mushrooms, and rendered them easy to break. then pound them in a mortar, or mash them with the hand, and let them remain two days longer, stirring them up, and mashing them well each day. then pour them into a stone jar, and to each quart add an ounce of whole black pepper. stop the jar very close, set it in a stewpan of boiling water, and keep it boiling at least for two hours. take out the jar, pour the juice clear from the settlings through a hair sieve into a clean stewpan, and let it boil very gently for half an hour. if intended to be exquisitely fine, it may be boiled till reduced to half the quantity. it will keep much better in this concentrated state, and only half the quantity be required. skim it well in boiling, and pour it into a clean dry jar; cover it close, let it stand in a cool place till the next day, and then pour it off as gently as possible, so as not to disturb the settlings. if a table-spoonful of brandy be added to each pint of ketchup, after standing a while, a fresh sediment will be deposited, from which the liquor is quietly to be poured off, and bottled into half pints, as it is best preserved in small quantities, which are soon used. it must be closely corked and sealed down, or dipped in bottle cement, that the air may be entirely excluded. if kept in a cool dry place, it may be preserved for a long time; but if it be badly corked, and kept in a damp place, it will soon spoil. examine it from time to time, by placing a strong light behind the neck of the bottle; and if any pellicle appears about it, it must be boiled up again with a few peppercorns. no more spice is required than what is necessary to feed the ketchup, and keep it from fermenting. brandy is the best preservative to all preparations of this kind. keeping provisions. when articles of food are procured, the next thing to be considered is, how they may be best preserved, in order to their being dressed. more waste is oftentimes occasioned by the want of judgment or of necessary care in this particular, than by any other means; and what was procured with expense and difficulty is rendered unwholesome, or given to the dogs. very few houses have a proper place to keep provisions in; the best substitute is a hanging-safe, suspended in an airy situation. a well-ventilated larder, dry and shady, would be better for meat and poultry, which require to be kept a proper time to be ripe and tender. the most consummate skill in culinary matters, will not compensate the want of attention to this particular. though animal food should be hung up in the open air, till its fibres have lost some degree of their toughness; yet if kept till it loses its natural sweetness, it is as detrimental to health as it is disagreeable to the taste and smell. as soon therefore as you can detect the slightest trace of putrescence, it has reached its highest degree of tenderness, and should be dressed immediately. much of course will depend on the state of the atmosphere: if it be warm and humid, care must be taken to dry the meat with a cloth, night and morning, to keep it from damp and mustiness. during the sultry months of summer, it is difficult to procure meat that is not either tough or tainted. it should therefore be well examined when it comes in; and if flies have touched it, the part must be cut off, and then well washed. meat that is to be salted should lie an hour in cold water, rubbing well any part likely to have been fly-blown. when taken out of the water, wipe it quite dry, then rub it thoroughly with salt, and throw a handful over it besides. turn it every day, and rub in the pickle, which will make it ready for the table in three or four days. if to be very much corned, wrap it in a well-floured cloth, after rubbing it with salt. this last method will corn fresh beef fit for the table the day it comes in, but it must be put into the pot when the water boils. if the weather permit, meat eats much better for hanging two or three days before it is salted. in very cold weather, meat and vegetables touched by the frost should be brought into the kitchen early in the morning, and soaked in cold water. putting them into hot water, or near the fire, till thawed, makes it impossible for any heat to dress them properly afterwards. in loins of meat, the long pipe that runs by the bone should be taken out, as it is apt to taint; as also the kernels of beef. rumps and edgebones of beef when bruised, should not be purchased. to preserve venison, wash it well with milk and water, then dry it with clean cloths till not the least damp remains, and dust it all over with pounded ginger, which will protect it against the fly. by thus managing and watching, it will hang a fortnight. when to be used, wash it with a little lukewarm water, and dry it. pepper is likewise good to keep it. kidney pudding. split and soak the kidney, and season it. make a paste of suet, flour, and milk; roll it, and line a bason with some of it. put in the kidney, cover the paste over, and pinch it round the edge. tie up the bason in a cloth, and boil it a considerable time. a steak pudding is made in the same way. kitchen economy. many articles thrown away, or suffered to be wasted in the kitchen, might by proper management be turned to a good account. the shank bones of mutton, so little esteemed in general, would be found to give richness to soups or gravies, if well soaked and brushed, before they are added to the boiling. they are also particularly nourishing for sick persons. roast beef-bones, or shank bones of ham, make fine peas-soup; and should be boiled with the peas the day before the soup is to be eaten, that the fat may be taken off. the liquor in which meat has been boiled makes an excellent soup for the poor, by adding to it vegetables, oatmeal, or peas. when whites of eggs are used for jelly, or other purposes, a pudding or a custard should be made to employ the yolks. if not immediately wanted, they should be beat up with a little water, and put in a cool place, or they will soon harden, and become useless. it is a great mistake to imagine that the whites of eggs make cakes and puddings heavy: on the contrary, if beaten long and separately, they contribute greatly to give lightness. they are also an advantage to paste, and make a pretty dish beaten with fruit, to set in cream. all things likely to be wanted should be in readiness; sugars of different sorts, currants washed, picked, and perfectly dry; spices pounded, and kept in very small bottles closely corked, but not more than are likely to be used in the course of a month. much waste may be prevented by keeping every article in the place best suited to it. vegetables will keep best on a stone floor, if the air be excluded. meat in a cold dry place. salt, sugar, and sweetmeats require to be kept dry; candles cold, but not damp. dried meats and hams the same. rice, and all sorts of seeds for puddings and saloops, should be close covered to preserve from insects; but that will not prevent it, if long kept. kitchen garden. here a little attention will be requisite every month in the year, as no garden can be long neglected, without producing weeds which exhaust the soil, as well as give a very slovenly appearance.--january. throw up a heap of new dung to heat, that it may be ready to make hotbeds for early cucumbers, and raising of annuals for the flower garden. dig up the ground that is to be sown with the spring crops, that it may lie and mellow. nurse the cauliflower plants kept under glasses, carefully shut out the frost, but in the middle of milder days let in a little air. pick up the dead leaves, and gather up the mould about the stalks. make a slight hotbed in the open ground for young sallads, and place hoops over it, that it may be covered in very cold weather. sow a few beans and peas, and seek and destroy snails and other vermin.--february. dig and level beds for sowing radishes, onions, carrots, parsnips, and dutch lettuce. leeks and spinage should also be sown in this month, likewise beets, celery, sorrel, and marigolds, with any other of the hardy kinds. the best way with beans and peas, is to sow a new crop every fortnight, that if one succeeds and another fails, as will often be the case, there still may be a constant supply of these useful articles for the table. plant kidney beans upon a hotbed for an early crop; the dwarf, the white and battersea beans, are the best sorts. they must have air in the middle of mild days when they are up, and once in two days they should be gently watered. transplant cabbages, plant out silesia and cos lettuce from the beds where they grew in winter, and plant potatoes and jerusalem artichokes.--march. sow more carrots, and also some large peas, rouncevals and gray. in better ground sow cabbages, savoys, and parsnips for a second crop; and towards the end of the month, put in a larger quantity of peas and beans. sow parsley, and plant mint. sow cos and imperial lettuce, and transplant the finer kinds. in the beginning of the month, sow dutch parsley for the roots. the last week take advantage of the time, or the dry days, to make beds for asparagus. clear up the artichoke roots, slip off the weakest, and plant them out for a new crop, leaving four on each good root to bear, and on such as are weaker two. dig up a warm border, and sow some french beans; let them have a dry soil, and give them no water till they appear above ground.--april. on a dry warm border, plant a large crop of french beans. plant cuttings of sage, and other aromatics. sow marrowfat peas, and plant some beans for a late crop. sow thyme, sweet marjoram, and savoury. sow young sallads once in ten days, and some cos and silesia lettuces. the seeds of all kinds being now in the ground, look to the growing crops, clear away the weeds every where among them, dig up the earth between the rows of beans, peas, and all other kinds that are distantly planted. this gives them a strong growth, and brings them much sooner to perfection than can be done in any other way. draw up the mould to the stalks of the cabbage and cauliflower plants, and in cold nights cover the glasses over the early cucumbers and melons.--may. once in two days water the peas, beans, and other large growing plants. destroy the weeds in all parts of the ground, dig up the earth between the rows, and about the stems of all large kinds. sow small sallads once in two days, as in the former month: at the same time choose a warm border, and sow some purslain. sow also some endive, plant peas and beans for a large crop, and french beans to succeed the others. the principal object with these kinds of vegetables, is to have them fresh and young throughout the season. choose a moist day, and an hour before sunset plant out some savoys, cabbages, and red cabbages. draw the earth carefully up to their stems, and give them a few gentle waterings.--june. transplant the cauliflowers sown in may, give them a rich bed, and frequent waterings. plant out thyme, and other savoury herbs sown before, and in the same manner shade and water them. take advantage of cloudy weather to sow turnips; and if there be no showers, water the ground once in two days. sow brocoli upon a rich warm border, and plant out celery, for blanching. this must be planted in trenches a foot and a half deep, and the plants must be set half a foot asunder in the rows. endive should also be planted out for blanching, but the plants should be set fifteen inches asunder, and at the same time some endive seed should be sown for a second crop. pick up snails, and in the damp evenings kill the naked slugs.--july. sow a crop of french beans to come in late, when they will be very acceptable. clear all the ground from weeds, dig between the rows of beans and peas, hoe the ground about the artichokes, and every thing of the cabbage kind. water the crops in dry weather, and the cucumbers more freely. watch the melons as they ripen, but give them very little water. clear away the stalks of beans and peas that have done bearing. spinach seed will now be ready for gathering, as also that of the welch onion, and some others: take them carefully off, and dry them in the shade. take up large onions, and spread them upon mats to dry for the winter.--august. spinach and onions should be sowed on rich borders, prepared for that purpose. these two crops will live through the winter, unless very severe, and be valuable in the spring. the second week in this month sow cabbage seed of the early kind, and in the third week sow cauliflower seed. this will provide plants to be nursed up under bell glasses in the winter. some of these may also be planted in the open ground in a well defended situation. the last week of this month sow another crop, to supply the place of these in case of accidents; for if the season be very severe, they may be lost; and if very mild, they will run to seed in the spring. these last crops must be defended by a hotbed frame, and they will stand out and supply deficiencies. sow cabbage lettuces, and the brown dutch kinds, in a warm and well sheltered border. take up garlic, and spread it on a mat to harden. in the same manner take up onions and rocambole, and shalots at the latter end of the month.--september. sow various kinds of lettuces, silesia, cos, and dutch, and when they come up, shelter them carefully. the common practice is to keep them under hand-glasses, but they will thrive better under a reed fence, placed sloping over them. make up fresh warm beds with the dung that has lain a month in the heap. plant the spawn in these beds, upon pasture mould, and raise the top of the bed to a ridge, to throw off the wet. look to the turnip beds and thin them, leaving the plants six inches apart from each other. weed the spinach, onions, and other new-sown plants. earth up the celery, and sow young sallads upon warm and well-sheltered borders. clean asparagus beds, cut down the stalks, pare off the earth from the surface of the alleys, throw it upon the beds half an inch thick, and sprinkle over it a little dung from an old melon bed. dig up the ground where summer crops have ripened, and lay it in ridges for the winter. the ridges should be disposed east and west, and turned once in two months, to give them the advantage of a fallow. sow some beans and peas on warm and well-sheltered borders, to stand out the winter.--october. set out cauliflower plants, where they can be sheltered; and if glasses are used, put two under each, for fear of one failing. sow another crop of peas, and plant more beans; choose a dry spot for them, where they can be sheltered from the winter's cold. transplant the lettuces sown last month, where they can be defended by a reed fence, or under a wall. transplant cabbage plants and coleworts, where they are to remain. take great care of the cauliflower plants sown early in summer; and as they now begin to show their heads, break in the leaves upon them to keep off the sun and rain; it will both harden and whiten them.--november. weed the crops of spinach, and others that were sown late, or the wild growth will smother and starve the crop. dig up a border under a warm wall, and sow some carrots for spring; sow radishes in a similar situation, and let the ground be dug deep for both. turn the mould that was trenched and laid up for fallowing; this will destroy the weeds, and enrich the soil by exposing it to the air. prepare some hotbeds for salading, cover them five inches with mould, and sow them with lettuces, mustard, rape, cresses, and radish. plant another crop of beans, and sow more peas for a succession. trench the ground between the artichokes, and throw a thick ridge of earth over the roots: this will preserve them from the frost, and prevent their shooting at an improper time. make a hotbed for asparagus. take up carrots and parsnips, and put them in sand to be ready for use. give air occasionally to the plants under hand-glasses and on hotbeds, or they will suffer as much for want of it, as they would have done by an exposure to the cold.--december. plant cabbages and savoys for seed: this requires to be done carefully. dig up a dry border, and break the mould well; then take up some of the stoutest cabbage and savoy plants, hang them up by the stalks four or five days, and afterwards plant them half way up the stalks into the ground. draw up a good quantity of mould about the stalk that is above ground, make it into a kind of hill round each, and leave them to nature. sow another crop of peas, and plant some more beans, to take their chance for succeeding the other. make another hotbed for asparagus, to yield a supply when the former is exhausted. continue to earth up celery, and cover some endive with a good quantity of peas straw, as it is growing, that it may be taken up when wanted, and be preserved from the winter's frost. kitchen pepper. mix in the finest powder, one ounce of ginger, half an ounce each of cinnamon, black pepper, nutmeg, and jamaica pepper; ten cloves, and six ounces of salt. keep it in a bottle, and it will be found an agreeable addition to any brown sauces or soups. spice in powder, kept in small bottles close stopped, goes much farther than when used whole. it must be dried before it is pounded, and should be done in quantities that may be used in three or four months. nutmeg need not be done, but the others should be kept in separate bottles, with a label on each. kitchen utensils. continual attention must be paid to the condition of the boilers, saucepans, stewpans, and other kitchen requisites, which ought to be examined every time they are used. their covers also must be kept perfectly clean, and well tinned. stewpans in particular should be cleaned, not only on the inside, but about a couple of inches on the outside, or the broths and soups will look green and dirty, and taste bitter and poisonous. not only health but even life depends on the perfectly clean and wholesome state of culinary utensils. if the tinning of a pan happens to be scorched or blistered, it is best to send it directly to be repaired, to prevent any possible danger arising from the solution of the metal. stewpans and soup pots should be made with thick round bottoms, similar to those of copper saucepans; they will then wear twice as long, and may be cleaned with half the trouble. the covers should be made to fit as close as possible, that the broth or soup may not waste by evaporation. they are good for nothing, unless they fit tight enough to keep the steam in, and the smoke out. stewpans and saucepans should always be bright on the upper rim, where the fire does not burn them; but it is not necessary to scour them all over, which would wear out the vessels. soup pots and kettles should be washed immediately after being used, and carefully dried by the fire, before they are put by. they must also be kept in a dry place, or damp and rust will soon destroy them. copper utensils should never be used in the kitchen; or if they be, the utmost care should be taken not to let the tin be rubbed off, and to have them fresh done when the least defect appears. neither soup nor gravy should at any time be suffered to remain in them longer than is absolutely necessary for the purposes of cookery, as the fat and acid employed in the operation, are capable of dissolving the metal, and so of poisoning what is intended to be eaten. stone and earthen vessels should be provided for soups and gravies intended to be set by, as likewise plenty of common dishes, that the table-set may not be used for such purposes. vegetables soon turn sour, and corrode metals and glazed red ware, by which a strong poison is produced. vinegar, by its acidity, does the same, the glazing being of lead or arsenic. care should be taken of sieves, jelly bags, and tapes for collared articles, to have them well scalded and kept dry, or they will impart an unpleasant flavour when next used. stewpans especially, should never be used without first washing them out with boiling water, and rubbing them well with a dry cloth and a little bran, to clean them from grease and sand, or any bad smell they may have contracted since they were last used. in short, cleanliness is the cardinal virtue of the kitchen; and next to this, economy. knife board. common knife boards with brick dust, soon wear out the knives that are sharpened upon them. to avoid this, cover the board with thick buff leather, and spread over it a thin paste of crocus martis, with a little emery finely powdered, and mixed up with lard or sweet oil. this will give a superior edge and polish to the knives, and make them wear much longer than in the usual way of cleaning them. knuckle of veal. as few persons are fond of boiled veal, it may be well to cut the knuckle small, and take off some cutlets or collops before it is dressed; but as the knuckle will keep longer than the fillet, it is best not to cut off the slices till wanted. break the bones to make it take less room, wash the joint well, and put it into a saucepan with three onions, a blade or two of mace, and a few peppercorns. cover it with water, and simmer it till quite done. in the mean time some macaroni should be boiled with it if approved, or rice, or a little rice flour, to give it a small degree of thickness; but avoid putting in too much. before it is served, add half a pint of milk and cream, and let it go to table either with or without the meat.--a knuckle of veal may also be fried with sliced onion and butter, to a good brown. prepare some peas, lettuce, onion, and a cucumber or two, stewed in a small quantity of water for an hour. add these to the veal, and stew it till the meat is tender enough to eat, but not overdone. put in pepper, salt, and a little shred mint, and serve all together. l. lamb. in purchasing this meat, observe particularly the neck of a fore-quarter. if the vein is bluish, it is fresh: if it has a green or yellow cast, it is stale. in the hind-quarter, if there is a faint smell under the kidney, and the knuckle is limp, the meat is stale. if the eyes are sunk, the head is not fresh. grass lamb comes into season in april or may, and continues till august. house lamb may be had in large towns almost all the year, but it is in highest perfection in december and january. lamb chops. cut up a neck or loin, rub the chops with egg, and sprinkle them over with grated bread, mixed with a little parsley, thyme, marjoram, and lemon peel, chopped fine. fry them in butter till they are of a light brown, put them in a warm dish, garnished with crisped parsley. or make a gravy in the pan with a little water, and butter rolled in flour, and pour it over them. lamb cutlets. cut some steaks from the loin, and fry them. stew some spinach, put it into a dish, and lay the cutlets round it. lamb's fry. serve it fried of a beautiful colour, and with a good deal of dried or fried parsley over it. lamb's head. a house-lamb's head is the best; but any other may be made white by soaking it in cold water. boil the head separately till it is very tender. have ready the liver and lights three parts boiled and cut small: stew them in a little of the water in which they were boiled, season and thicken with flour and butter, and serve the mince round the head. lamb pie. make it of the loin, neck, or breast; the breast of house-lamb especially, is very delicate and fine. it should be lightly seasoned with pepper and salt, the bone taken out, but not the gristle. a small quantity of jelly gravy is to be put in hot, but the pie should not be cut till cold. put in two spoonfuls of water before baking. grass lamb makes an excellent pie, and should only be seasoned with pepper and salt. put in two spoonfuls of water before baking, and as much gravy when it comes from the oven. it may generally be remarked, that meat pies being fat, it is best to let out the gravy on one side, and put it in again by a funnel, at the centre, when a little may be added. lamb steaks. quarter some cucumbers, and lay them into a deep dish; sprinkle them with salt, and pour vinegar over them. fry the steaks of a fine brown, and put them into a stewpan; drain the cucumbers, and put them over the steaks. add some sliced onions, pepper and salt; pour hot water or weak broth on them, and stew and skim them well. lamb steaks brown. season some house-lamb steaks with pepper, salt, nutmeg, grated lemon peel, and chopped parsley: but dip them first into egg, and fry them quick. thicken some good gravy with a little flour and butter, and add to it a spoonful of port wine, and some oysters. boil up the liquor, put in the steaks warm, and serve them up hot. palates, balls, or eggs, may be added, if approved. lamb steaks white. steaks of house-lamb should be stewed in milk and water till very tender, with a bit of lemon peel, a little salt, mace, and pepper. have ready some veal gravy, and put the steaks into it; mix some mushroom powder, a cup of cream, and a dust of flour; shake the steaks in this liquor, stir it, and make it quite hot. just before taking up the steaks, put in a few white mushrooms. when poultry is very dear, this dish will be found a good substitute. lamb's sweetbreads. blanch them, and put them a little while into cold water. stew them with a ladleful of broth, some pepper and salt, a few small onions, and a blade of mace. stir in a bit of butter and flour, and stew them half an hour. prepare two or three eggs well beaten in cream, with a little minced parsley, and a dust of grated nutmeg. add a few tops of boiled asparagus, stir it well over the fire, but let it not boil after the cream is in, and take great care that it does not curdle. young french beans or peas may be added, but should first be boiled of a beautiful colour. lambstones fricasseed. skin and wash, dry and flour them; then fry them of a beautiful brown in hog's lard. lay them on a sieve before the fire, till the following sauce is prepared. thicken nearly half a pint of veal gravy with flour and butter, and then add to it a slice of lemon, a large spoonful of mushroom ketchup, a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle, a taste of nutmeg, and the yolk of an egg well beaten in two large spoonfuls of thick cream. put this over the fire, stir it well till it is hot, and looks white; but do not let it boil, or it will curdle. then put in the fry, shake it about near the fire for a minute or two, and serve it in a very hot dish and cover.--a fricassee of lambstones and sweetbreads may be prepared another way. have ready some lambstones blanched, parboiled, and sliced. flour two or three sweetbreads: if very thick, cut them in two. fry all together, with a few large oysters, of a fine yellow brown. pour off the butter, add a pint of good gravy, some asparagus tops about an inch long, a little nutmeg, pepper, and salt, two shalots shred fine, and a glass of white wine. simmer them ten minutes, put a little of the gravy to the yolks of three eggs well beaten, and mix the whole together by degrees. turn the gravy back into the pan, stir it till of a fine thickness without boiling, and garnish with lemon. lameness. much lameness, as well as deformity, might certainly be prevented, if stricter attention were paid to the early treatment of children. weakness of the hips, accompanied with a lameness of both sides of the body, is frequently occasioned by inducing them to walk without any assistance, before they have strength sufficient to support themselves. such debility may in some measure be counteracted, by tying a girdle round the waist, and bracing up the hips; but it requires to be attended to at an early period, or the infirmity will continue for life. it will also be advisable to bathe such weak limbs in cold water, or astringent decoctions, for several months. if the lameness arise from contraction, rather than from weakness, the best means will be frequent rubbing of the part affected. if this be not sufficient, beat up the yolk of a new laid egg, mix it well with three ounces of water, and rub it gently on the part. perseverance in the use of this simple remedy, has been successful in a great number of instances. lamprey. to stew lamprey as at worcester, clean the fish carefully, and remove the cartilage which runs down the back. season with a small quantity of cloves, mace, nutmeg, pepper, and allspice. put it into a small stewpot, with beef gravy, port, and sherry. cover it close, stew it till tender, take out the lamprey, and keep it hot. boil up the liquor with two or three anchovies chopped, and some butter rolled in flour. strain the gravy through a sieve, add some lemon juice, and ready-made mustard. serve with sippets of bread and horseradish. when there is spawn, it must be fried and laid round. eels done the same way, are a good deal like the lamprey. larks. to dress larks and other small birds, draw and spit them on a bird spit. tie this on another spit, and roast them. baste gently with butter, and strew bread crumbs upon them till half done. brown them in dressing, and serve with bread crumbs round. lavender water. to a pint of highly rectified spirits of wine, add an ounce of the essential oil of lavender, and two drams of the essence of ambergris. put the whole into a quart bottle, shake it frequently, and decant it into small bottles for use. laver. this is a plant that grows on the rocks near the sea in the west of england, and is sent in pots prepared for eating. place some of it on a dish over the lamp, with a bit of butter, and the squeeze of a seville orange. stir it till it is hot. it is eaten with roast meat, and tends to sweeten the blood. it is seldom liked at first, but habit renders it highly agreeable. leaf impressions. to take impressions of leaves and plants, oil a sheet of fine paper, dry it in the sun, and rub off the superfluous moisture with another piece of paper. after the oil is pretty well dried in, black the sheet by passing it over a lighted lamp or candle. lay the leaf or plant on the black surface, with a small piece of paper over it, and rub it carefully till the leaf is thoroughly coloured. then take it up undisturbed, lay it on the book or paper which is to receive the impression, cover it with a piece of blotting paper, and rub it on the back a short time with the finger as before. impressions of the minutest veins and fibres of a plant may be taken in this way, superior to any engraving, and which may afterwards be coloured according to nature. a printer's ball laid upon a leaf, which is afterwards pressed on wet paper, will also produce a fine impression; or if the leaf be touched with printing ink, and pressed with a rolling pin, nearly the same effect will be produced. leather. to discharge grease from articles made of leather, apply the white of an egg; let it dry in the sun, and then rub it off. a paste made of dry mustard, potatoe meal, and two spoonfuls of the spirits of turpentine, applied to the spot and rubbed off dry, will also be found to answer the purpose. if not, cleanse it with a little vinegar. tanned leather is best cleaned with nitrous acid and salts of lemon diluted with water, and afterwards mixed with skimmed milk. the surface of the leather should first be cleaned with a brush and soft water, adding a little free sand, and then repeatedly scoured with a brush dipped in the nitrous mixture. it is afterwards to be cleaned with a sponge and water, and left to dry. leavened bread. take two pounds of dough from the last baking, and keep it in flour. put the dough or leaven into a peck of flour the night before it is baked, and work them well together in warm water. cover it up warm in a wooden vessel, and the next morning it will be sufficiently fermented to mix with two or three bushels of flour: then work it up with warm water, and a pound of salt to each bushel. cover it with flannel till it rises, knead it well, work it into broad flat loaves or bricks, and bake them as other bread. leek milk. wash a large handful of leeks, cut them small, and boil them in a gallon of milk till it become as thick as cream. then strain it, and drink a small bason full twice a day. this is good for the jaundice. leek soup. chop a quantity of leeks into some mutton broth or liquor, with a seasoning of salt and pepper. simmer them an hour in a saucepan; mix some oatmeal with a little cold water quite smooth, and pour it into the soup. simmer it gently over a slow fire, and take care that it does not burn to the bottom. this is a scotch dish. leg of lamb. to make it look as white as possible, it should be boiled in a cloth. at the same time the loin should be fried in steaks, and served with it, garnished with dried or fried parsley. spinach to eat with it. the leg may be roasted, or dressed separately. leg of mutton. if roasted, serve it up with onion or currant-jelly sauce. if boiled, with caper sauce and vegetables. leg of pork. salt it, and let it lie six or seven days in the pickle, turn and rub it with the brine every day. put it into boiling water, if not too salt; use a good quantity of water, and let it boil all the time it is on the fire. send it to table with peas pudding, melted butter, turnips, carrots, or greens. if it is wanted to be dressed sooner, it may be hastened by putting a little fresh salt on it every day. it will then be ready in half the time, but it will not be quite so tender.--to dress a leg of pork like goose, first parboil it, then take off the skin, and roast it. baste it with butter, and make a savoury powder of finely minced or dried and powdered sage, ground black pepper, and bread crumbs rubbed together through a cullender; to which may be added an onion, very finely minced. sprinkle the joint with this mixture when it is almost roasted, put half a pint of made gravy into the dish, and goose stuffing under the knuckle skin, or garnish with balls of it, either fried or boiled. leg of veal. let the fillet be cut large or small, as best suits the size of the company. take out the bone, fill the space with a fine stuffing, skewer it quite round, and send it to table with the large side uppermost. when half roasted, or before, put a paper over the fat, and take care to allow sufficient time: as the meat is very solid, place it at a good distance from the fire, that it may be gradually heated through. serve it up with melted butter poured over it. some of it would be good for potting. lemon brandy. pare two dozen of lemons, and steep the peels in a gallon of brandy. squeeze the lemons on two pounds of fine sugar, and add six quarts of water. the next day put the ingredients together, pour on three pints of boiling milk, let it stand two days, and strain it off. lemon cake. beat up the whites of ten eggs, with three spoonfuls of orange flower water; put in a pound of sifted sugar, and the rind of a lemon grated. when it is well mixed, add the juice of half a lemon, and the yolks of ten eggs beaten smooth. stir in three quarters of a pound of flour, put the cake into a buttered pan, and bake it an hour carefully. lemon cheesecakes. mix four ounces of fine sifted sugar and four ounces of butter, and melt it gently. then add the yolks of two and the white of one egg, the rind of three lemons shred fine, and the juice of one and a half; also one savoy biscuit, some blanched almonds pounded, and three spoonfuls of brandy. mix them well together, and put in the following paste. eight ounces of flour, six ounces of butter, two thirds of which must first be mixed with the flour; then wet it with six spoonfuls of water, and roll in the remainder.--another way. boil two large lemons, or three small ones, and after squeezing, pound them well together in a mortar, with four ounces of loaf sugar, the yolks of six eggs, and eight ounces of fresh butter. fill the pattipans half full. orange cheesecakes are done in the same way, only the peel must be boiled in two or three waters to take out the bitterness: or make them of orange marmalade well beaten in a mortar. lemon cream. put to a pint of thick cream, the yolks of two eggs well beaten, four ounces of fine sugar, and the thin rind of a lemon. boil it up, and stir it till nearly cold. put the juice of a lemon into a bowl, and pour the cream upon it, stirring it till quite cold. white lemon cream is made in the same way, only put the whites of the eggs instead of the yolks, whisking it extremely well to a froth. lemon custards. beat the yolks of eight eggs till they are as white as milk; then put to them a pint of boiling water, the rinds of two lemons grated, and the juice sweetened to taste. stir it on the fire till it thickens; then add a large glass of rich wine, and half a glass of brandy. give the whole one scald, and put it in cups to be eaten cold. lemon drops. grate three large lemons, with a large piece of double-refined sugar. then scrape the sugar into a plate, add half a tea-spoonful of flour, mix well, and beat it into a light paste with the white of an egg. drop it upon white paper, and put the drops into a moderate oven on a tin plate. lemon honeycomb. sweeten the juice of a lemon to your taste, and put it in the dish that you intend to serve it in. mix the white of an egg well beaten, with a pint of rich cream, and a little sugar. whisk it; and as the froth rises, put it on the lemon juice. prepare it the day before it is to be used. lemon juice. in order to keep this article ready for use, the best way is to buy the fruit when it is cheap, and lay it two or three days in a cool place. if too unripe to squeeze immediately, cut the peel off some of them, and roll them under the hand, to make them part with the juice more freely. others may be left unpared for grating, when the pulp is taken out, and they are dried. squeeze the juice into a china bason, and strain it through some muslin which will not permit any of the pulp to pass. having prepared some small phials, perfectly dry, fill them with the juice so near the top as only to admit half a tea-spoonful of sweet oil into each. cork the bottles tight, and set them upright in a cool place. when the lemon juice is wanted, open only such a sized bottle as will be used in two or three days. wind some clean cotton round a skewer, and dipping it in, the oil will be attracted; and when all of it is removed, the juice will be as fine as when first bottled. hang the peels up to dry, and keep them from the dust. lemon mince pies. squeeze a large lemon, boil the outside till tender enough to beat to a mash. add to it three large apples chopped, four ounces of suet, half a pound of washed currants, and four ounces of sugar. put in the juice of a lemon, and candied fruit, as for other pies. make a short crust, and fill the pattipans as usual. lemon pickle. wipe six lemons, and cut each into eight pieces. put on them a pound of salt, six large cloves of garlic, two ounces of horseradish sliced thin; likewise of cloves, mace, nutmeg, and cayenne, a quarter of an ounce of each, and two ounces of flour of mustard. to these add two quarts of vinegar, and boil it a quarter of an hour in a well-tinned saucepan; or, which is better, do it in a jar, placed in a kettle of boiling water, or set the jar on a hot hearth till done. then set the jar by closely covered, stirring it daily for six weeks, and afterwards put the pickle into small bottles. lemon pudding. beat the yolks of four eggs; add four ounces of white sugar, the rind of a lemon being rubbed with some lumps of it to take the essence. then peel and beat it into a paste, with the juice of a large lemon, and mix all together with four or five ounces of warmed butter. put a crust into a shallow dish, nick the edges, and put the above into it. when sent to table, turn the pudding out of the dish. lemon puffs. beat and sift a pound and a quarter of double-refined sugar; grate the rind of two large lemons, and mix it well with the sugar. then beat the whites of three new-laid eggs a great while; add them to the sugar and peel, and beat it together for an hour. make it up into any shape, put it on paper laid on tin plates, and bake in a moderate oven. oiling the paper will make it come off with ease, but it should not be removed till quite cold. lemon sauce. cut thin slices of lemon into very small dice, and put them into melted butter. give it one boil, and pour it over boiled fowls. lemon and liver sauce. pare off as thin as possible the rind of a lemon, or of a seville orange, so as not to cut off any of the white with it. then peel off all the white, and cut the lemon into slices, about as thick as two half crowns. pick out the peps, and divide the slices into small squares. prepare the liver as for liver and parsley sauce, and add to it the slices of lemon, and a little of the peel finely minced. warm up the sauce in melted butter, but do not let it boil. lemon syrup. put a pint of fresh lemon juice to a pound and three quarters of lump sugar. dissolve it by a gentle heat, skim it till the surface is quite clear, and add an ounce of lemon peel cut very thin. let them simmer very gently for a few minutes, and run the syrup through a flannel. when cold, bottle and cork it closely, and keep it in a cool place. lemon water. a delightful drink may be made of two slices of lemon, thinly pared into a teapot, with a little sugar, or a large spoonful of capillaire. pour in a pint of boiling water, and stop it close two hours. lemon whey. pour into boiling milk as much lemon juice as will make a small quantity quite clear; dilute it with hot water to an agreeable smart acid, and add a bit or two of sugar. this is less heating than if made of wine; and if intended only to excite perspiration, will answer the purpose as well. vinegar whey is made in the same manner, by using vinegar only, instead of lemon juice. lemon white sauce. cut the peel of a small lemon very thin, and put it into a pint of sweet rich cream, with a sprig of lemon thyme, and ten white peppercorns. simmer gently till it tastes well of the lemon, then strain and thicken it with a quarter of a pound of butter, and a dessert-spoonful of flour rubbed in it. boil it up, stir it well, and pour the juice of the lemon strained into it. dish up the chickens, and mix with the cream a little white gravy quite hot, but do not boil them together: add a little salt to flavour. lemons for puddings. to keep oranges or lemons for puddings, squeeze out the pulp, and put the outsides into water for a fortnight. then boil them in the same water till they are quite tender, strain the liquor from them, and when they are tolerably dry, put them into any jar of candy that happens to be left from old sweetmeats. or boil a small quantity of syrup of lump sugar and water, and put over them. in a week or ten days boil them gently in it till they look clear, and cover them with it in the jar. if the fruit be cut in halves, they will occupy less space. lemonade. to prepare lemonade a day before it is wanted for use, pare two dozen lemons as thin as possible. put eight of the rinds into three quarts of hot water, not boiling, and cover it over for three or four hours. rub some fine loaf sugar on the lemons to attract the essence, and put it into a china bowl, into which the juice of the lemons is to be squeezed. add a pound and a half of fine sugar, then put the water to the above, and three quarts of boiling milk. pour the mixture through a jelly bag, till it is perfectly clear.--another way. pare a quantity of lemons, and pour some hot water on the peels. while infusing, boil some sugar and water to a good syrup, with the white of an egg whipt up. when it boils, pour a little cold water into it. set it on again, and when it boils take off the pan, and let it stand by to settle. if there be any scum, take it off, and pour it clear from the sediment, to the water in which the peels were infused, and the lemon juice. stir and taste it, and add as much more water as shall be necessary to make a very rich lemonade. wet a jelly bag, and squeeze it dry; then strain the liquor, and it will be very fine.--to make a lemonade which has the appearance of jelly, pare two seville oranges and six lemons very thin, and steep them four hours in a quart of hot water. boil a pound and a quarter of loaf sugar in three pints of water, and skim it clean. add the two liquors to the juice of six china oranges, and twelve lemons; stir the whole well, and run it through a jelly bag till it is quite clear. then add a little orange water, if approved, and more sugar if necessary. let it be well corked, and it will keep.--lemonade may be prepared in a minute, by pounding a quarter of an ounce of citric or crystalised lemon acid, with a few drops of quintessence of lemon peel, and mixing it by degrees with a pint of clarified syrup or capillaire. lent potatoes. beat three or four ounces of almonds, and three or four bitter ones when blanched, putting a little orange flower water to prevent oiling. add eight ounces of butter, four eggs well beaten and strained, half a glass of raisin wine, and sugar to taste. beat all together till quite smooth, and grate in three savoy biscuits. make balls of the above with a little flour, the size of a chesnut; throw them into a stewpan of boiling lard, and boil them of a beautiful yellow brown. drain them on a sieve, and serve with sweet sauce in a boat. lethargy. this species of apoplexy discovers itself by an invincible drowsiness, or inclination to sleep; and is frequently attended with a degree of fever, and coldness of the extremities. blisters and emetics have often procured relief. the affusion of cold water upon the head, and the burning of feathers or other fetid substances, held near the nostrils, are also attended with advantage. lice. want of cleanliness, immoderate warmth, violent perspiration, and a corrupted state of the fluids, tend to promote the generation of this kind of vermin. the most simple remedy is the seed of parsley, reduced to a fine powder and rubbed to the roots of the hair, or to rub the parts affected with garlic and mustard. to clean the heads of children, take half an ounce of honey, half an ounce of sulphur, an ounce of vinegar, and two ounces of sweet oil. mix the whole into a liniment, and rub a little of it on the head repeatedly. lice which infest clothes, may be destroyed by fumigating the articles of dress with the vapour of sulphur. garden lice may be treated in the same way as for destroying insects. light cake. mix a pound of flour, half a pound of currants, and a little nutmeg, sugar, and salt. melt a quarter of a pound of butter in a quarter of a pint of milk, and strain into it two spoonfuls of yeast and two eggs. stir it well together, set it before the fire to rise, and bake it in a quick oven. light paste. for tarts and cheesecakes, beat up the white of an egg to a strong froth, and mix it with as much water as will make three quarters of a pound of fine flour into a very stiff paste. roll it out thin, lay two or three ounces of butter upon it in little bits, dredge it with a little flour, and roll it up tight. roll it out again, and add the same proportion of butter, and so proceed till the whole is worked up. light puffs. mix two spoonfuls of flour, a little grated lemon peel, some nutmeg, half a spoonful of brandy, a little loaf-sugar, and one egg. fry it enough, but not brown; beat it in a mortar with five eggs, whites and yolks. put a quantity of lard in a fryingpan; and when quite hot, drop a dessert-spoonful of batter at a time, and turn them as they brown. send the puffs to table quickly, with sweet sauce. lime water. pour two gallons of water upon a pound of fresh-burnt lime; and when the ebullition ceases, stir it up well, and let it stand till the lime is settled. filter the liquor through paper, and keep it for use closely stopped. it is chiefly used for the gravel, in which case a pint or more may be drunk daily. for the itch, or other diseases of the skin, it is to be applied externally. linen. linen in every form is liable to all the accidents of mildew, iron moulds, ink spots, and various other stains, which prove highly injurious, if not speedily removed. in case of mildew, rub the part well with soap, then scrape and rub on some fine chalk, and lay the linen out to bleach. wet it a little now and then, and repeat the operation if necessary. ink spots and iron moulds may be removed, by rubbing them with the salt of sorrel, or weak muriatic acid, and laying the part over a teapot or kettle of boiling water, so that it may be affected by the steam. or some crystals of tartar powdered, and half the quantity of alum, applied in the same manner, will be found to extract the spots. the spirits of salts diluted with water, will remove iron moulds from linen; and sal ammoniac with lime, will take out the stains of wine. fruit stains may generally be removed by wetting the part with water, and exposing it to the fumes of brimstone. when ink has been suddenly spilled on linen, wet the place immediately with the juice of sorrel or lemon, or with vinegar, and rub it with hard white soap. or add to the juice a little salts, steam the linen over boiling water, and wash it afterwards in ley. if ink be spilled on a green tablecloth or carpet, the readiest way is to take it up immediately with a spoon, and by pouring on fresh water, while the spoon is constantly applied, the stains will soon be removed. scorched linen may be restored by means of the following application. boil two ounces of fuller's earth, an ounce of hen's dung, half an ounce of soap, and the juice of two onions, in half a pint of vinegar, till reduced to a good consistency. spread the composition over the damaged part, let it dry on, and then wash it well once or twice. if the threads be not actually consumed by the scorch, the linen will soon be restored to its former whiteness. lip salve. put into a small jar two ounces of white wax, half an ounce of spermaceti, and a quarter of a pint of oil of sweet almonds. tie it down close, and put the jar into a small saucepan, with as much water as will nearly reach the top of the jar, but not so as to boil over it, and let it simmer till the wax is melted. then put in a pennyworth of alkanet root tied up in a rag, with the jar closed, and boil it till it becomes red. take out the alkanet root, and put in two pennyworth of essence of lemon, and a few drops of bergamot. pour some into small boxes for present use, and the remainder into a gallipot tied down with a bladder.--another. an ounce of white wax and ox marrow, with three ounces of white pomatum, melted together over a slow fire, will make an agreeable lip salve, which may be coloured with a dram of alkanet, and stirred till it becomes a fine red. little bread puddings. steep the crumb of a penny loaf grated, in about a pint of warm milk. when sufficiently soaked, beat up six eggs, whites and yolks, and mix with the bread. add two ounces of warmed butter, some sugar, orange flower water, a spoonful of brandy, a little nutmeg, and a tea-cupful of cream. beat all well together, bake in buttered teacups, and serve with pudding sauce. a quarter of a pound of currants may be added, but the puddings are good without. orange or lemon will be an agreeable addition. liver and herbs. clean and drain a good quantity of spinach, two large handfuls of parsley, and a handful of green onions. chop the parsley and onions, and sprinkle them among the spinach. stew them together with a little salt and butter, shake the pan when it begins to grow warm, and cover it close till done enough over a slow fire. lay on slices of liver, fried of a nice brown and slices of bacon just warmed at the fire. on the outside part of the herbs lay some eggs nicely fried, and trimmed round. or the eggs may be served on the herbs, and the liver garnished with the bacon separately. liver sauce. chop some liver of rabbits or fowls, and do it the same as for lemon sauce, with a very little pepper and salt, and some parsley. liver and parsley sauce. wash the fresh liver of a fowl or rabbit, and boil it five minutes in a quarter of a pint of water. chop it fine, or pound or bruise it in a little of the liquor it was boiled in, and rub it through a sieve. wash about one third the bulk of parsley leaves, put them into boiling water, with a tea-spoonful of salt, and let them boil. then lay the parsley on a hair sieve, mince it very fine, and mix it with the liver. warm up the sauce in a quarter of a pint of melted butter, but do not let it boil. lobsters. if they have not been long taken, the claws will have a strong motion, when the finger is pressed upon the eyes. the heaviest are the best, and it is preferable to boil them at home. if purchased ready boiled, try whether their tails are stiff, and pull up with a spring; otherwise that part will be flabby. the male lobster is known by the narrow back part of his tail, and the two uppermost fins within it are stiff and hard: those of the hen are soft, and the tail broader. the male, though generally smaller, has the highest flavour, the flesh is firmer, and the colour when boiled is a deeper red. lobster patties. to be made as oyster patties, gently stewed and seasoned, and put into paste baked in pattipans, with the addition of a little cream, and a very small piece of butter. lobster pie. boil two or three small lobsters, take out the tails, and cut them in two. take out the gut, cut each into four pieces, and lay them in a small dish. put in the meat of the claws, and that picked out of the body; pick off the furry parts of the latter, and take out the lady; beat the spawn in a mortar, and likewise all the shells. stew them with some water, two or three spoonfuls of vinegar, pepper, salt, and some pounded mace. a large piece of butter rolled in flour must be added, when the goodness of the shells is obtained. give it a boil or two, and pour it into a dish strained; strew some crumbs, and put a paste over all. bake it slowly, and only till the paste is done. lobster salad. make a salad, cut some of the red part of the lobster, and add to it. this will form a pleasing contrast to the white and green of the vegetables. be careful not to put in too much oil, as shell-fish absorbs the sharpness of the vinegar. serve it up in a dish, not in a bowl. lobster sauce. pound the spawn with two anchovies, pour on two spoonfuls of gravy, and strain all into some melted butter. then put in the meat of the lobster, give it all one boil, and add the squeeze of a lemon. or leave out the anchovies and gravy, and do it as above, either with or without salt and ketchup, as may be most approved. many persons prefer the flavour of the lobster and salt only. lobster soup. take the meat from the claws, bodies, and tails, of six small lobsters. remove the brown fur, and the bag in the head; beat the fins in a mortar, the chine, and the small claws. boil it very gently in two quarts of water, with the crumb of a french roll, some white pepper, salt, two anchovies, a large onion, sweet herbs, and a bit of lemon peel, till all the goodness is extracted, and then strain it off. beat the spawn in a mortar with a bit of butter, a quarter of a nutmeg, and a tea-spoonful of flour, and then mix it with a quart of cream. cut the tails into pieces, and give them a boil up with the cream and soup. serve with forcemeat balls made of the remainder of the lobster, mace, pepper, salt, a few crumbs, and an egg or two. let the balls be made up with a little flour, and heated in the soup. lodgings. the tenure on which the generality of houses are held, does not warrant a tenant to let, or a lodger to take apartments by the year. to do this, the tenant ought himself to be the proprietor of the premises, or to hold possession by lease for an unexpired term of several years, which would invest him with the right of a landlord to give or receive half a year's notice, or proceed as in other cases of landlord and tenant. unfurnished lodgings are generally let by the week, month, or quarter; and if ever they be let by the year, it is a deviation from a general custom, and attended with inconvenience. if a lodger should contend that he agreed for a whole year, he must produce some evidence of the fact; such as a written agreement, or the annual payment of rent; otherwise he must submit to the general usage of being denominated a quarterly lodger. in the case of weekly tenants, the rent must be paid weekly; for if once allowed to go to a quarter, and the landlord accept it as a quarter's rent, he breaks the agreement; the inmate then becomes a quarterly lodger, and must receive a quarter's notice to quit. more care however is still required in letting lodgings that are ready furnished, as the law does not regard them in the same light as other tenements. such apartments are generally let by the week, on payment of a certain sum, part of which is for the room, and part for the use of the furniture which is attended with some difficulty. properly considered, the payment is not rent, nor are the same remedies lawful as in unfurnished lodgings. the best way to let furnished lodgings is to have a written agreement, with a catalogue of all the goods, and to let the apartments and the furniture for separate sums: in which case, if the rent be not paid, distress may be made for it, though not for the furniture. persons renting furnished apartments frequently absent themselves, without apprising the housekeeper, and as often leave the rent in arrear. in such a case, the housekeeper should send for a constable, after the expiration of the first week, and in his presence enter the apartment, take out the lodger's property and secure it, until a request be made for it. if after fourteen days' public notice in the gazette, the lodger do not come and pay the arrears, the housekeeper may sell the property for the sum due. when a housekeeper is troubled with a disagreeable character, the best way to recover possession of the apartment is to deliver a written notice by a person that can be witness, stating that if the lodger did not quit that day week, the landlord would insist on his paying an advance of so much per week; and if he did not quit after such notice, he would make the same advance after every following week. in the city of london, payment may be procured by summoning to the court of requests at guildhall, for any sum not exceeding five pounds. in other parts of the kingdom there are similar courts of conscience, where payment may be enforced to the amount of forty shillings. loin of mutton. if roasted, it is better to cut it lengthways as a saddle; or if for steaks, pies, or broth. if there be more fat on the loin than is agreeable, take off a part of it before it is dressed; it will make an excellent suet pudding, or crust for a meat pie, if cut very fine. london bread. according to the method practised by the london bakers, a sack of flour is sifted into the kneading trough, to make it lie loose. six pounds of salt, and two pounds of alum, are separately dissolved in hot water; and the whole being cooled to about ninety degrees, is mixed with two quarts of yeast. when this mixture has been well stirred, it is strained through a cloth or sieve, and is then poured into a cavity made in the flour. the whole is now mixed up into a dough, and a small quantity of flour being sprinkled over it, it is covered up with cloths, and the lid of the trough is shut down, the better to retain the heat. the fermentation now goes on, and the mass becomes enlarged in bulk. in the course of two or three hours, another pailful of warm water is well mixed with the sponge, and it is again covered up for about four hours. at the end of this time, it is to be kneaded for more than an hour, with three pailfuls of warm water. it is now returned to the trough in pieces, sprinkled with dry flour, and at the end of four hours more, it is again kneaded for half an hour, and divided into quartern and half-quartern loaves. the weight of a quartern loaf, before baking, should be four pounds fifteen ounces; after baking, four pounds six ounces, avoirdupois. when the dough has received its proper shape for loaves, it is put into the oven, at a heat that will scorch flour without burning, where it is baked two hours and a half, or three hours. london porter. a late writer has given considerable information respecting the brewing of porter. his intention being to exhibit the advantages derived from domestic brewing, he has annexed the price of each article of the composition, though it will be seen that the expense on some of the principal articles has been considerably reduced since that estimate was given. £ _s._ _d._ one quarter of malt lb. of hops lb. of treacle lb. of liquorice root bruised lb. of essentia bina lb. of colouring capsicum half an ounce spanish liquorice two ounces india berries one ounce salt of tartar two drams heading a quarter of an ounce ginger three ounces lime four ounces linseed one ounce cinnamon bark two drams --------- coals --------- total expense £ this will produce ninety gallons of good porter, and fifty gallons of table beer; the cost of the porter at the large breweries being £ _s._ and that of the beer £ _s._ leaves a profit of £ to the brewer.--the 'essentia bina' is composed of eight pounds of moist sugar, boiled in an iron vessel, for no copper one could withstand the heat sufficiently, till it becomes of a thick syrupy consistence, perfectly black, and extremely bitter. the 'colouring' is composed of eight pounds of moist sugar, boiled till it attains a middle state, between bitter and sweet. it gives that fine mellow colour usually so much admired in good porter. these ingredients are added to the first wort, and boiled with it. the 'heading' is a mixture of half alum, and half copperas, ground to a fine powder. it is so called, from its giving to porter that beautiful head or froth, which constitutes one of the peculiar properties of porter, and which publicans are so anxious to raise to gratify their customers. the linseed, ginger, limewater, cinnamon, and several other small articles, are added or withheld according to the taste or practice of the brewer, which accounts for the different flavours so observable in london porter. of the articles here enumerated, it is sufficient to observe, that however much they may surprise, however pernicious or disagreeable they may appear, they have always been deemed necessary in the brewing of porter. they must invariably be used by those who wish to continue the taste, the flavour and appearance, to which they have been accustomed.--omitting however those ingredients which are deemed pernicious, it will be seen by the following estimate how much more advantageous it is to provide even a small quantity of home-brewed porter, where this kind of liquor is preferred. ingredients necessary for brewing five gallons of porter. _s._ _d._ one peck of malt quarter of a pound of liquorice bruised spanish liquorice essentia colour treacle hops capsicum and ginger coals ------- total expense ------- this will produce five gallons of good porter, which if bought of the brewer would cost but being brewed at home, for ------- leaves a clear gain of this saving is quite enough to pay for time and trouble, besides the advantage of having a wholesome liquor, free from all poisonous ingredients. porter thus brewed will be fit for use in a week, and may be drunk with pleasure. to do ample justice to the subject however, it may be proper briefly to notice the specific properties of the various ingredients which enter into the composition of london porter. it is evident that some porter is more heady than others, and this arises from the greater or less quantity of stupefying ingredients intermixed with it. malt itself, to produce intoxication, must be used in such large quantities as would very much diminish the brewer's profit. of the wholesomeness of malt there can be no doubt; pale malt especially is highly nutritive, containing more balsamic qualities than the brown malt, which being subject to a greater degree of fire in the kiln, is sometimes so crusted and burnt, that the mealy part loses some of its best qualities. amber malt is that which is dried in a middling degree, between pale and brown, and is now much in use, being the most pleasant, and free from either extreme. hops are an aromatic grateful bitter, very wholesome, and undoubtedly efficacious in giving both flavour and strength to the beer. yeast is necessary to give the liquor that portion of elastic air, of which the boiling deprives it. without fermentation, or working, no worts, however rich, can inebriate. liquorice root is pleasant, wholesome, and aperient; and opposes the astringent qualities of some of the other ingredients; it ought therefore to be used, as should spanish liquorice, which possesses the same properties. capsicum disperses wind, and when properly used, cannot be unwholesome: it leaves a glow of warmth on the stomach, which is perceptible in drinking some beers. ginger has the same effect as capsicum, and it also cleanses and flavours the beer. but capsicum being cheaper is more used, and by its tasteless though extremely hot quality, cannot be so readily discovered in beer as ginger. treacle partakes of many of the properties of liquorice; and by promoting the natural secretions, it renders porter and beer in general very wholesome. treacle also is a cheaper article than sugar, and answers the purpose of colour, where the beer is intended for immediate consumption; but in summer, when a body is required to withstand the temperature of the air, and the draught is not quick, sugar alone can give body to porter. treacle therefore is a discretionary article. coriander seed, used principally in ale, is warm and stomachic; but when used in great quantity, it is pernicious. coculus indicus, the india berry, is poisonous and stupefying, when taken in any considerable quantity. when ground into fine powder it is undiscoverable in the liquor, and is but too much used to the prejudice of the public health. what is called heading, should be made of the salt of steel; but a mixture of alum and copperas being much cheaper, is more frequently used. alum is a great drier, and causes that thirst which some beer occasions; so that the more you drink of it, the more you want. alum likewise gives a taste of age to the beer, and is penetrating to the palate. copperas is well known to be poisonous, and may be seen in the blackness which some beer discovers. salt is highly useful in all beers; it gives a pleasing relish, and also fines the liquor.--these remarks are sufficient to show the propriety of manufacturing at home a good wholesome article for family use, instead of resorting to a public house for every pint of beer which nature demands, and which when procured is both expensive and pernicious. and lest any objection should be made, as to the difficulty and inconvenience of brewing, a few additional observations will here be given, in order to facilitate this very important part of domestic economy. be careful then to procure malt and hops of the very best quality, and let the brewing vessels be closely inspected; the least taint may spoil a whole brewing of beer. the mash tub should be particularly attended to, and a whisp of clean hay or straw is to be spread over the bottom of the vessel in the inside, to prevent the flour of the malt running off with the liquor. the malt being emptied into the mash tub, and the water brought to boil, dash the boiling water in the copper with cold water sufficient to stop the boiling, and leave it just hot enough to scald the finger, always remembering to draw off the second mash somewhat hotter than the first. the water being thus brought to a proper temperature by the addition of cold water, lade it out of the copper over the malt till it becomes thoroughly wet, stirring it well to prevent the malt from clotting. when the water is poured on too hot, it sets the malt, and closes the body of the grain, instead of opening it so as to dissolve in the liquor. cover up the mash tub close to compress the steam, and prevent the liquid from evaporating. let the wort stand an hour and a half or two hours after mashing, and then let the liquor run off into a vessel prepared to receive it. if at first it runs thick and discoloured, draw off a pailful or two, and pour it back again into the mash tub till it runs clear. in summer it will be necessary to put a few hops into the vessel which receives the liquor out of the mash tub, to prevent its turning sour, which the heat of the weather will sometimes endanger. let the second mash run out as before, and let the liquor stand an hour and a half, but never let the malt be dry: keep lading fresh liquor over it till the quantity of wort to be obtained is extracted, always allowing for waste in the boiling. the next consideration is boiling the wort when obtained. the first copperful must be boiled an hour; and whilst boiling, add the ingredients specified above, in the second estimate. the hops are now to be boiled in the wort, but are to be carefully strained from the first wort, in order to be boiled again in the second. eight pounds is the common proportion to a quarter of malt; but in summer the quantity must be varied from eight to twelve pounds, according to the heat of the atmosphere. after the wort has boiled an hour, lade it out of the copper and cool it. in summer it should be quite cold before it is set to work; in winter it should be kept till a slight degree of warmth is perceptible by the finger. when properly cooled set it to work, by adding yeast in proportion to the quantity. if considerable, and if wanted to work quick, add from one to two gallons. porter requires to be brought forward quicker than other malt liquor: let it work till it comes to a good deep head, then cleanse it by adding the ginger. the liquor is now fit for tunning: fill the barrels full, and let the yeast work out, adding fresh liquor to fill them up till they have done working. now bung the barrels, but keep a watchful eye upon them for some time, lest the beer should suddenly ferment again and burst them, which is no uncommon accident where due care is not taken. the heat of summer, or a sudden change of weather, will occasion the same misfortune, if the barrels are not watched, and eased when they require it, by drawing the peg. the only part which remains to complete the brewing, is fining the beer. to understand this, it is necessary to remark, that london porter is composed of three different sorts of malt; pale, brown, and amber. the reason for using these three sorts, is to attain a peculiar flavour and colour. amber is the most wholesome, and for home brewing it is recommended to use none else. in consequence of the subtleness of the essentia, which keeps continually swimming in the beer, porter requires a considerable body of finings; but should any one choose to brew without the essentia, with amber malt, and with colour only, the porter will soon refine of itself. the finings however are composed of isinglass dissolved in stale beer, till the whole becomes of a thin gluey consistence like size. one pint is the usual proportion to a barrel, but sometimes two, and even three are found necessary. particular care must be taken that the beer in which the isinglass is dissolved, be perfectly clear, and thoroughly stale.--by attending to these directions, any person may brew as good, if not better porter, than they can be supplied with from the public houses. many notions have been artfully raised, that porter requires to be brewed in large quantities, and to be long stored, to render it sound and strong; but experience will prove the falsehood of these prejudices, which have their origin with the ignorant, and are cherished by the interested. one brewing under another will afford ample time for porter to refine for use, and every person can best judge of the extent of his own consumption. porter is not the better for being brewed in large quantities, except that the same trouble which brews a peck, will brew a bushel. this mode of practice will be found simple and easy in its operation, and extremely moderate in point of trouble and expense. london syllabub. put a pint and a half of port or white wine into a bowl, nutmeg grated, and a good deal of sugar. then milk into it near two quarts of milk, frothed up. if the wine be rather sharp, it will require more for this quantity of milk. in devonshire, clouted cream is put on the top, with pounded cinnamon and sugar. looking glasses. in order to clean them from the spots of flies and other stains, rub them over with a fine damp cloth. then polish with a soft woollen cloth, and powder blue. love. as health is materially affected by the passions, it is of some consequence to observe their separate influence, in order to obviate some of their ill effects. love is unquestionably the most powerful, and is less under the controul of the understanding than any of the rest. it has a kind of omnipotence ascribed to it, which belongs not to any other. 'love is strong as death; many waters cannot quench it, neither can the floods drown it.' other passions are necessary for the preservation of the individual, but this is necessary for the continuation of the species: it was proper therefore that it should be deeply rooted in the human breast. there is no trifling with this passion: when love has risen to a certain height, it admits of no other cure but the possession of its object, which in this case ought always if possible to be obtained. the ruinous consequences arising from disappointment, which happen almost every day, are dreadful to relate; and no punishment can be too great for those whose wilful conduct becomes the occasion of such catastrophes. parents are deeply laden with guilt, who by this means plunge their children into irretrievable ruin; and lovers are deserving of no forgiveness, whose treacherous conduct annihilates the hopes and even the existence of their friends. m. macaroni. the usual way of preparing macaroni is to boil it in milk, or weak veal broth, flavoured with salt. when tender, put it into a dish without the liquor. add to it some bits of butter and grated cheese; over the top grate more, and add a little more butter. set the dish into a dutch oven a quarter of an hour, but do not let the top become hard.--another way. wash it well, and simmer in half milk and half broth, of veal or mutton, till it is tender. to a spoonful of this liquor, put the yolk of an egg beaten in a spoonful of cream; just make it hot to thicken, but not to boil. spread it on the macaroni, and then grate fine old cheese all over, with bits of butter. brown the whole with a salamander.--another. wash the macaroni, then simmer it in a little broth, with a little salt and pounded mace. when quite tender, take it out of the liquor, lay it in a dish, grate a good deal of cheese over, and cover it with fine grated bread. warm some butter without oiling, and pour it from a boat through a small earthen cullender all over the crumbs; then put the dish into a dutch oven to roast the cheese, and brown the bread of a fine colour. the bread should be in separate crumbs, and look light. macaroni pudding. simmer in a pint of milk, an ounce or two of the pipe sort of macaroni, and a bit of lemon and cinnamon. when quite tender, put it into a dish with milk, two or three eggs, but only one white. add some sugar, nutmeg, a spoonful of peach water, and the same of raisin wine. bake with a paste round the edges. a layer of orange marmalade, or raspberry jam, in a macaroni pudding, is a great improvement. in this case omit the almond water, or ratifia, which would otherwise be wanted to give it a flavour. macaroni soup. boil a pound of the best macaroni in a quart of good stock, till it is quite tender. then take out half, and put it into another stewpot. add some more stock to the remainder, and boil it till all the macaroni will pulp through a fine sieve. then add together the two liquors, a pint or more of boiling cream, the macaroni that was first taken out, and half a pound of grated parmesan cheese. make it hot, but do not let it boil. serve it with the crust of a french roll, cut into the size of a shilling. macaroons. blanch four ounces of almonds, and pound them with four spoonfuls of orange water. whisk the whites of four eggs to a froth, mix it with the almonds, and a pound of sifted sugar, till reduced to a paste. lay a sheet of wafer paper on a tin, and put on the paste in little cakes, the shape of macaroons. mackarel. their season is generally may, june, and july; but may sometimes be had at an earlier period. when green gooseberries are ready, their appearance may at all times be expected. they are so tender a fish that they carry and keep worse than any other: choose those that are firm and bright, and sweet scented. after gutting and cleaning, boil them gently, and serve with butter and fennel, or gooseberry sauce. to broil them, split and sprinkle with herbs, pepper and salt; or stuff with the same, adding crumbs and chopped fennel. magnum bonum plums. though very indifferent when eaten raw, this fruit makes an excellent sweetmeat, or is fine in the form of tarts. prick them with a needle to prevent bursting, simmer them very gently in a thin syrup, put them in a china bowl, and when cold pour the syrup over. let them lie three days, then make a syrup of three pounds of sugar to five pounds of fruit, with no more water than hangs to large lumps of the sugar dipped quickly, and instantly brought out. boil the plums in this fresh syrup, after draining the first from them. do them very gently till they are clear, and the syrup adheres to them. put them one by one into small pots, and pour the liquor over. reserve a little syrup in the pan for those intended to be dried, warm up the fruit in it, drain them out, and put them on plates to dry in a cool oven. these plums are apt to ferment, if not boiled in two syrups; the former will sweeten pies, but will have too much acid to keep. a part may be reserved, with the addition of a little sugar, to do those that are dry, for they will not require to be so sweet as if kept wet, and will eat very nicely if boiled like the rest. one parcel may be done after another, and save much sugar, but care must be taken not to break the fruit. mahogany. to give a fine colour to mahogany, let the furniture be washed perfectly clean with vinegar, having first taken out any ink stains there may be, with spirits of salt, taking the greatest care to touch the stained part very slightly, and then the spirits must be instantly washed off. use the following liquid. put into a pint of cold-drawn linseed oil, four pennyworth of alkanet root, and two pennyworth of rose pink. let it remain all night in an earthen vessel, then stirring it well, rub some of it all over the mahogany with a linen rag; and when it has lain some time, rub it bright with linen cloths. dining tables should be covered with mat, oil cloth, or baize, to prevent staining; and should be instantly rubbed when the dishes are removed, while the board is still warm. maids. this kind of fish, as well as skate, requires to be hung up a day before it is dressed, to prevent its eating tough. maids may either be broiled or fried; or if a tolerable size, the middle part may be boiled, and the fins fried. they should be dipped in egg, and covered with crumbs. malt. this article varies very much in value, according to the quality of the barley, and the mode of manufacture. when good it is full of flour, and in biting a grain asunder it will easily separate; the shell will appear thin, and well filled up with flour. if it bite hard and steely, the malt is bad. the difference of pale and brown malt arises merely from the different degrees of heat employed in the drying: the main object is the quantity of flour. if the barley was light and thin, whether from unripeness, blight, or any other cause, it will not malt so well; but instead of sending out its roots in due time, a part of it will still be barley. this will appear by putting a handful of unground malt in cold water, and stirring it about till every grain is wetted; the good will swim, and the unmalted barley sink to the bottom. but if the barley be well malted, there is still a variety in the quality: for a bushel of malt from fine, plump, heavy barley, will be better than the same quantity from thin and light barley. weight therefore here is the criterion of quality; and a bushel of malt weighing forty-five pounds is cheaper than any other at almost any price, supposing it to be free from unmalted barley, for the barley itself is heavier than the malt. the practice of mixing barley with the malt on a principle of economy, is not to be approved; for though it may add a little to the strength of the wort, it makes the beer flat and insipid, and of course unwholesome. marble. chimney pieces, or marble slabs, may be cleaned with muriatic acid, either diluted or in a pure state. if too strong, it will deprive the marble of its polish, but may be restored by using a piece of felt and a little putty powdered, rubbing it on with clean water. another method is, making a paste of a bullock's gall, a gill of soap lees, half a gill of turpentine, and a little pipe clay. the paste is then applied to the marble, and suffered to remain a day or two. it is afterwards rubbed off, and applied a second or third time, to render the marble perfectly clean, and give it the finest polish. marble cement. if by any accident, marble or alabaster happen to be broken, it may be strongly cemented together in the following manner. melt two pounds of bees' wax, and one pound of rosin. take about the same quantity of marble or other stones that require to be joined, and reduce it to a powder; stir it well together with the melted mixture, and knead the mass in water, till the powder is thoroughly incorporated with the wax and rosin. the parts to be joined must be heated and made quite dry, and the cement applied quite hot. melted sulphur, laid on fragments of stone previously heated, will make a firm and durable cement. little deficiencies in stones or corners that have been stripped or broken off, may be supplied with some of the stone powdered and mixed with melted sulphur: but care must be taken to have both parts properly heated. marble paper. for marbling books or paper, dissolve four ounces of gum arabac in two quarts of water, and pour it into a broad vessel. mix several colours with water in separate shells: with small brushes peculiar to each colour, sprinkle and intermix them on the surface of the gum water, and curl them with a stick so as to form a variety of streaks. the edges of a book pressed close may then be slightly dipped in the colours on the surface of the water, and they will take the impression of the mixture. the edges may then be glazed with the white of an egg, and the colours will remain. a sheet of paper may be marbled in the same way. marble stains. to take stains out of marble, make a tolerably thick mixture of unslaked lime finely powdered, with some strong soap-ley. spread it instantly over the marble with a painter's brush, and in two month's time wash it off perfectly clean. prepare a fine thick lather of soft soap, boiled in soft water; dip a brush in it, and scour the marble well with powder. clear off the soap, and finish with a smooth hard brush till the stains are all removed. after a very good rubbing, the marble will acquire a beautiful polish. if the marble has been injured by iron stains, take an equal quantity of fresh spirits of vitriol and lemon juice. mix them in a bottle, shake it well, and wet the spots. rub with a soft linen cloth, and in a few minutes they will disappear. marble veal. the meat is prepared in the same way as potted beef or veal. then beat up a boiled tongue, or slices of ham, with butter, white pepper, and pounded mace. put a layer of veal in the pot, then stick in pieces of tongue or ham, fill up the spaces with veal, and pour clarified butter over it. marking ink. mix two drams of the tincture of galls with one dram of lunar caustic, and for marking of linen, use it with a pen as common ink. the cloth must first be wetted in a strong solution of salt of tartar, and afterwards dried, before any attempt be made to write upon it. a beautiful red ink may also be prepared for this purpose by mixing half an ounce of vermillion, and a dram of the salt of steel, with as much linseed oil as will make it of a proper consistency, either to use with a pen or a hair pencil. other colours may be made in the same way, by substituting the proper ingredients instead of vermillion. mangoes. cut off the tops of some large green cucumbers, take out the seeds, and wipe them dry. fill them with mustard-seed, horseradish, sliced onion, ginger, and whole pepper. sow on the tops, put the mangoes into a jar, cover them with boiling vinegar, and do them the same as any other pickle. melons are done in the same way. marigold wine. boil three pounds and a half of lump sugar in a gallon of water, put in a gallon of marigold flowers, gathered dry and picked from the stalks, and then make it as for cowslip wine. if the flowers be gathered only a few at a time, measure them when they are picked, and turn and dry them in the shade. when a sufficient quantity is prepared, put them into a barrel, and pour the sugar and water upon them. put a little brandy into the bottles, when the wine is drawn off. marmalade. for a cough or cold, take six ounces of malaga raisins, and beat them to a fine paste, with the same quantity of sugarcandy. add an ounce of the conserve of roses, twenty-five drops of oil of vitriol, and twenty drops of oil of sulphur. mix them well together, and take a small tea-spoonful night and morning. marrow bones. cover the top of them with a floured cloth, boil and serve them with dry toast. marshmallow ointment. take half a pound of marshmallow roots, three ounces of linseed, and three ounces of fenugreek seed; bruise and boil them gently half an hour in a quart of water, and then add two quarts of sweet oil. boil them together till the water is all evaporated, and strain off the oil. add a pound of bees' wax, half a pound of yellow rosin, and two ounces of common turpentine. melt them together over a slow fire, and keep stirring till the ointment is cold. mashed parsnips. boil the roots tender, after they have been wiped clean. scrape them, and mash them in a stewpan with a little cream, a good piece of butter, pepper and salt. mashed potatoes. boil the potatoes, peel them, and reduce them to paste. add a quarter of a pint of milk to two pounds weight, a little salt, and two ounces of butter, and stir it all well together over the fire. they may either be served up in this state, or in scallops, or put on the dish in a form, and the top browned with a salamander. mattrasses. cushions, mattrasses, and bed clothes stuffed with wool, are particularly liable to be impregnated with what is offensive and injurious, from persons who have experienced putrid and inflammatory fevers, and cannot therefore be too carefully cleaned, carded, and washed. it would also be proper frequently to fumigate them with vinegar or muriatic gas. if these articles be infested with insects, dissolve a pound and a half of alum, and as much cream of tartar, in three pints of boiling water. mix this solution in three gallons of cold water, immerse the wool in it for several days, and then let it be washed and dried. this operation will prevent the insects from attacking it in future. mead. dissolve thirty pounds of honey in thirteen gallons of water; boil and skim it well. then add of rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and sweetbriar, about a handful altogether. boil the whole for an hour, and put it into a tub, with two or three handfuls of ground malt. stir it till it is about blood warm, then strain it through a cloth, and return it into the tub. cut a toast, spread it over with good ale yeast, and put it into the tub. when the liquor has sufficiently fermented, put it into a cask. take an ounce and a half each of cloves, mace, and nutmegs, and an ounce of sliced ginger. bruise the spices; tie them up in a cloth, and hang it in the vessel, which must be stopped up close for use.--another way. put four or five pounds of honey into a gallon of boiling water, and let it continue to boil an hour and a half. skim it quite clean, put in the rinds of three or four lemons, and two ounces of hops sewed up in a bag. when cold, put the liquor into a cask, stop it up close, and let it stand eight or nine months. measles. in general, all that is needful in the treatment of this complaint is to keep the body open by means of tamarinds, manna, or other gentle laxatives; and to supply the patient frequently with barley water, or linseed tea sweetened with honey. bathe the feet in warm water; and if there be a disposition to vomit, it ought to be promoted by drinking a little camomile tea. if the disorder appear to strike inward, the danger may be averted by applying blisters to the arms and legs, and briskly rubbing the whole body with warm flannels. meat. in all sorts of provisions, the best of the kind goes the farthest; it cuts out with most advantage, and affords most nourishment. round of beef, fillet of veal, and leg of mutton, are joints that bear a higher price; but as they have more solid meat, they deserve the preference. those joints however which are inferior, may be dressed as palatably; and being cheaper, they should be bought in turn; for when weighed with the prime pieces, it makes the price of these come lower. in loins of meat, the long pipe that runs by the bone should be taken out, as it is apt to taint; as also the kernels of beef. rumps and edgebones of beef are often bruised by the blows which the drovers give the beasts, and the part that has been struck always taints; these joints therefore when bruised should not be purchased. and as great loss is often sustained by the spoiling of meat, after it is purchased, the best way to prevent this is to examine it well, wipe it every day, and put some pieces of charcoal over it. if meat is brought from a distance in warm weather, the butcher should be desired to cover it close, and bring it early in the morning, to prevent its being fly-blown.--all meat should be washed before it is dressed. if for boiling, the colour will be better for the soaking; but if for roasting, it should afterwards be dried. particular care must be taken that the pot be well skimmed the moment it boils, otherwise the foulness will be dispersed over the meat. the more soups or broth are skimmed, the better and cleaner they will be. boiled meat should first be well floured, and then put in while the water is cold. meat boiled quick is sure to be hard; but care must be taken, that in boiling slow it does not stop, or the meat will be underdone. if the steam be kept in, the water will not be much reduced; but if this be desirable, the cover must be removed. as to the length of time required for roasting and boiling, the size of the joint must direct, as also the strength of the fire, and the nearness of the meat to it. in boiling, attention must be paid to the progress it makes, which should be regular and slow. for every pound of meat, a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes is generally allowed, according as persons choose to have it well or underdone. in preparing a joint for roasting, care must be taken not to run the spit through the best parts of the meat, and that no black stains appear upon it at the time of serving. meat sauce. put to a clean anchovy, a glass of port wine, a little strong broth, a sliced shalot, some nutmeg, and the juice of a seville orange. stew them together, and mix it with the gravy that runs from the meat. meat screen. this is a great saver of coals, and should be sufficiently large to guard what is roasting from currents of air. it should be placed on wheels, have a flat top, and not be less than about three feet and a half wide, with shelves in it, about one foot deep. it will then answer all the purposes of a large dutch oven, a plate warmer, and a hot hearth. some are made with a door behind, which is convenient; but the great heat to which they are exposed soon shrinks the materials, and the currents of air through the cracks cannot be prevented. those without a door are therefore best. medley pie. cut into small pieces some fat pork, or other meat underdone, and season it with salt and pepper. cover the sides of the dish with common crust, put in a layer of sliced apples with a little sugar, then a layer of meat, and a layer of sliced onions, till the dish is full. put a thick crust over it, and bake it in a slow oven. currants or scalded gooseberries may be used instead of apples, and the onions omitted. melon flummery. put plenty of bitter almonds into some stiff flummery, and make it of a pale green with spinach juice. when it becomes as thick as cream, wet the melon mould, and put the flummery into it. put a pint of calf's foot jelly into a bason, and let it stand till the next day: then turn out the melon, and lay it in the midst of the bason of jelly. fill up the bason with jelly beginning to set, and let it stand all night. turn it out the next day, the same as for fruit in jelly: make a garland of flowers, and place it on the jelly. melon mangoes. there is a particular sort for preserving, which must be carefully distinguished. cut a square small piece out of one side, and through that take out the seeds, and mix with them mustard-seed and shred garlic. stuff the melon as full as the space will allow, replace the square piece, and bind it up with fine packthread, boil a good quantity of vinegar, to allow for wasting, with peppercorns, salt, and ginger. pour the liquor boiling hot over the mangoes four successive days; and on the last day put flour of mustard, and scraped horseradish into the vinegar just as it boils up. observe that there is plenty of vinegar before it is stopped down, for pickles are soon spoiled if not well covered. also the greater number of times that boiling vinegar is poured over them, the sooner they will be ready for eating. mangoes should be pickled soon after they are gathered. large cucumbers, called green turley, prepared as mangoes, are very excellent, and come sooner to table. melted butter. though a very essential article for the table, it is seldom well prepared. mix on a trencher, in the proportion of a tea-spoonful of flour to four ounces of the best butter. put it into a saucepan, and two or three table-spoonfuls of hot water; boil it quick for a minute, and shake it all the time. milk used instead of water, requires rather less butter, and looks whiter. mice. the poisonous substances generally prepared for the destruction of mice are attended with danger, and the use of them should by all means be avoided. besides the common traps, baited with cheese, the following remedy will be found both safe and efficacious. take a few handfuls of wheat flour, or malt meal, and knead it into a dough. let it grow sour in a warm place, mix with it some fine iron filings, form the mass into small balls, and put them into the holes frequented by the mice. on eating this preparation, they are inevitably killed. cats, owls, or hedgehogs, would be highly serviceable in places infested with mice. an effectual mousetrap may be made in the following manner. take a plain four square trencher, and put into the two contrary corners of it a large pin, or piece of knitting needle. then take two sticks about a yard long, and lay them on the dresser, with a notch cut at each end of the sticks, placing the two pins on the notches, so that one corner of the trencher may lie about an inch on the dresser or shelf that the mice come to. the opposite corner must be baited with some butter and oatmeal plastered on the trencher; and when the mice run towards the butter, it will tip them into a glazed earthen vessel full of water, which should be placed underneath for that purpose. to prevent the trencher from tipping over so as to lose its balance, it may be fastened to the shelf or dresser with a thread and a little sealing wax, to restore it to its proper position. to prevent their devastations in barns, care should be taken to lay beneath the floor a stratum of sharp flints, fragments of glass mixed with sand, or broken cinders. if the floors were raised on piers of brick, about fifteen inches above the ground, so that dogs or cats might have a free passage beneath the building, it would prevent the vermin from harbouring there, and tend greatly to preserve the grain. field mice are also very destructive in the fields and gardens, burrowing under the ground, and digging up the earth when newly sown. their habitations may be discovered by the small mounds of earth that are raised near the entrance, or by the passages leading to their nests; and by following these, the vermin may easily be destroyed. to prevent early peas being eaten by the mice, soak the seed a day or two in train oil before it is sown, which will promote its vegetation, and render the peas so obnoxious to the mice, that they will not eat them. the tops of furze, chopped and thrown into the drills, when the peas are sown, will be an effectual preventive. sea sand strewed thick on the surface of the ground, round the plants liable to be attacked by the mice, will have the same effect. mildew. to remove stains in linen occasioned by mildew, mix some soft soap and powdered starch, half as much salt, and the juice of a lemon. lay it on the part on both sides with a painter's brush, and let it lie on the grass day and night till the stain disappears. milk butter. this article is principally made in cheshire, where the whole of the milk is churned without being skimmed. in the summer time, immediately after milking, the meal is put to cool in earthen jars till it become sufficiently coagulated, and has acquired a slight degree of acidity, enough to undergo the operation of churning. during the summer, this is usually performed in the course of one or two days. in order to forward the coagulation in the winter, the milk is placed near the fire; but in summer, if it has not been sufficiently cooled before it is added to the former meal, or if it has been kept too close, and be not churned shortly after it has acquired the necessary degree of consistence, a fermentation will ensue; in which case the butter becomes rancid, and the milk does not yield that quantity which it would, if churned in proper time. this also is the case in winter, when the jars have been placed too near the fire, and the milk runs entirely to whey. milk butter is in other respects made like the common butter. milk and cream. in hot weather, when it is difficult to preserve milk from becoming sour, and spoiling the cream, it may be kept perfectly sweet by scalding the new milk very gently, without boiling, and setting it by in the earthen dish or pan that it is done in. this method is pursued in devonshire, for making of butter, and for eating; and it would answer equally well in small quantities for the use of the tea table. cream already skimmed may be kept twenty-four hours if scalded, without sugar; and by adding as much pounded lump sugar as shall make it pretty sweet, it will be good two days, by keeping it in a cool place. milk porridge. make a fine gruel of half grits well boiled, strain it off, add warm or cold milk, and serve with toasted bread. milk punch. pare six oranges and six lemons as thin as possible, and grate them afterwards with sugar to extract the flavour. steep the peels in a bottle of rum or brandy, stopped close twenty-four hours. squeeze the fruit on two pounds of sugar, add to it four quarts of water, and one of new milk boiling hot. stir the rum into the above, and run it through a jelly bag till perfectly clear. bottle and cork it close immediately. milk of roses. mix an ounce of oil of almonds with a pint of rose water, and then add ten drops of the oil of tartar. milk soup. boil a pint of milk with a little salt, cinnamon, and sugar. lay thin slices of bread in a dish, pour over them a little of the milk, and keep them hot over a stove without burning. when the soup is ready, beat up the yolks of five or six eggs, and add them to the milk. stir it over the fire till it thickens, take it off before it curdles, and pour it upon the bread in the dish. milking. cows should be milked three times a day in the summer, if duly fed, and twice in the winter. great care should be taken to drain the milk completely from the udder; for if any be suffered to remain, the cow will give less every meal, till at length she becomes dry before her proper time, and the next season she will scarcely give a sufficient quantity of milk to pay the expences of her keeping. the first milk drawn from a cow is also thinner, and of an inferior quality to that which is afterwards obtained: and this richness increases progressively, to the very last drop that can be drawn from the udder. if a cow's teats be scratched or wounded, her milk will be foul, and should not be mixed with that of other cows, but given to the pigs. in warm weather, the milk should remain in the pail till nearly cold, before it is strained; but in frosty weather this should be done immediately, and a small quantity of boiling water mixed with it. this will produce plenty of cream, especially in trays of a large surface. as cows are sometimes troublesome to milk, and in danger of contracting bad habits, they always require to be treated with great gentleness, especially when young, or while their teats are tender. in this case the udder ought to be fomented with warm water before milking, and the cow soothed with mild treatment; otherwise she will be apt to become stubborn and unruly, and retain her milk ever after. a cow will never let down her milk freely to the person she dreads or dislikes. millet pudding. wash three spoonfuls of the seed, put it into a dish with a crust round the edge, pour over it as much new milk as will nearly fill the dish, two ounces of butter warmed with it, sugar, shred lemon peel, and a dust of ginger and nutmeg. as you put it in the oven, stir in two beaten eggs, and a spoonful of shred suet. mince pies. of scraped beef, free from skin and strings, weigh two pounds, of suet picked and chopped four pounds, and of currants nicely cleaned and perfectly dry, six pounds. then add three pounds of chopped apples, the peel and juice of two lemons, a pint of sweet wine, a nutmeg, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same of mace, and pimento, in the finest powder. mix the whole well together, press it into a deep pan, and keep it covered in a dry cool place. a little citron, orange, and lemon peel, should be put into each pie when made. the above quantity of mince meat may of course be reduced, in equal proportions, for small families.--mince pies without meat, are made in the following manner. pare, core, and mince six pounds of apples; shred three pounds of fresh suet, and stone three pounds of raisins minced. add to these, a quarter of an ounce each of mace and cinnamon, and eight cloves, all finely powdered. then three pounds of the finest powder sugar, three quarters of an ounce of salt, the rinds of four and the juice of two lemons, half a pint of port, and half a pint of brandy. mix well together, and put the ingredients into a deep pan. prepare four pounds of currants, well washed and dried, and add them when the pies are made, with some candied fruit. minced beef. shred fine the underdone part, with some of the fat. put it into a small stewpan with some onion, or a very small quantity of shalot, a little water, pepper and salt. boil it till the onion is quite soft; then put some of the gravy of the meat to it, and the mince, but do not let it boil. prepare a small hot dish with sippets of bread, mix a large spoonful of vinegar with the mince, and pour it into the dish. if shalot vinegar is used, the raw onion and shalot may be dispensed with. minced collops. chop and mince some beef very small, and season it with pepper and salt. put it, in its raw state, into small jars, and pour on the top some clarified butter. when to be used, put the clarified butter into a fryingpan, and fry some sliced onions. add a little water to it, put in the minced meat, and it will be done in a few minutes. this is a favourite scotch dish, and few families are without it. it keeps well, and is always ready for an extra dish. minced veal. cut some cold veal as fine as possible, but do not chop it. put to it a very little lemon-peel shred, two grates of nutmeg, some salt, and four or five spoonfuls either of weak broth, milk, or water. simmer these gently with the meat, adding a bit of butter rubbed in flour, but take care not to let it boil. put sippets of thin toasted bread, cut into a three-cornered shape, round the dish. mint sauce. pick and wash the mint clean, and chop it fine. put it into a small bason, and mix it with sugar and vinegar. mint vinegar. as fresh mint is not at all times to be had, a welcome substitute will be found in the preparation of mint vinegar. dry and pound half an ounce of mint seed, pour upon it a quart of the best vinegar, let it steep ten days, and shake it up every day. this will be useful in the early season of house lamb. mites. though they principally affect cheese, there are several species of this insect which breed in flour and other eatables, and do considerable injury. the most effectual method of expelling them is to place a few nutmegs in the sack or bin containing the flour, the odour of which is insupportable to mites; and they will quickly be removed, without the meal acquiring any unpleasant flavour. thick branches of the lilac, or the elder tree, peeled and put into the flour, will have the same effect. quantities of the largest sized ants, scattered about cheese-rooms and granaries, would presently devour all the mites, without doing any injury. mixed wine. take an equal quantity of white, red, and black currants, cherries, and raspberries; mash them, and press the juice through a strainer. boil three pounds of moist sugar in three quarts of water, and skim it clean. when cold, mix a quart of juice with it, and put it into a barrel that will just hold it. put in the bung, and after it has stood a week, close it up, and let it stand three or four months. when the wine is put into the barrel, add a little brandy to it. mock brawn. boil two pair of neat's feet quite tender, and pick all the flesh off the bone. boil the belly piece of a porker nearly enough, and bone it. roll the meat of the feet up in the pork, tie it up in a cloth with tape round it, and boil it till it becomes very tender. hang it up in the cloth till it is quite cold, put it into some souse, and keep it for use. mock turtle. divide a calf's head with the skin on, and clean it well. half boil it, take all the meat off in square pieces, break the bones of the head, and boil them in some veal and beef broth, to add to the richness. fry some shalot in butter, and dredge in flower enough to thicken the gravy; stir this into the browning, and give it one or two boils. skim it carefully, and then put in the head; add a pint of madeira, and simmer till the meat is quite tender. about ten minutes before serving, put in some basil, tarragon, chives, parsley, cayenne pepper, and salt; also two spoonfuls of mushroom ketchup, and one of soy. squeeze the juice of a lemon into the tureen, and pour the soup upon it. serve with forcemeat balls, and small eggs.--a cheaper way. prepare half a calf's head as above, but without the skin. when the meat is cut off, break the bones, and put them into a saucepan with some gravy made of beef and veal bones, and seasoned with fried onions, herbs, mace, and pepper. have ready prepared two or three ox-palates boiled so tender as to blanch, and cut into small pieces; to which a cow heel, likewise cut into pieces, is a great improvement. brown some butter, flour, and onion, and pour the gravy to it; then add the meats as above, and stew them together. add half a pint of sherry, an anchovy, two spoonfuls of walnut ketchup, the same of mushroom ketchup, and some chopped herbs as before. the same sauce as before.--another way. put into a pan a knuckle of veal, two fine cow heels, two onions, a few cloves, peppercorns, berries of allspice, mace, and sweet herbs. cover them with water, tie a thick paper over the pan, and set it in an oven for three hours. when cold, take off the fat very nicely, cut the meat and feet into bits an inch and a half square, remove the bones and coarse parts, and then put the rest on to warm, with a large spoonful of walnut and one of mushroom ketchup, half a pint of sherry or madeira, a little mushroom powder, and the jelly of the meat. if it want any more seasoning, add some when hot, and serve with hard eggs, forcemeat balls, a squeeze of lemon, and a spoonful of soy. this is a very easy way of making an excellent dish of mock turtle.--another. stew a pound and a half of scrag of mutton, with three pints of water till reduced to a quart. set on the broth, with a calf's foot and a cow heel; cover the stewpan tight, and let it simmer till the meat can be separated from the bones in proper pieces. set it on again with the broth, adding a quarter of a pint of sherry or madeira, a large onion, half a tea-spoonful of cayenne, a bit of lemon peel, two anchovies, some sweet herbs, eighteen oysters chopped fine, a tea-spoonful of salt, a little nutmeg, and the liquor of the oysters. cover it close, and simmer it three quarters, of an hour. serve with forcemeat balls, and hard eggs in the tureen.--an excellent and very cheap mock turtle may be made of two or three cow heels, baked with two pounds and a half of gravy beef, herbs, and other ingredients as above. moles. as these little animals live entirely on worms and insects, of which they consume incalculable numbers, they may be considered as harmless, and even useful, rather than otherwise; and it has been observed in fields and gardens where the moles had been caught, that they afterwards abounded with vermin and insects. but when the moles become too numerous, they are hurtful to vegetation, and require to be destroyed. besides the common method of setting traps in their subterraneous passages, many might be dug out of the earth by carefully watching their situation and motions before the rising of the sun, and striking in a spade behind them to cut off their retreat. the smell of garlic is so offensive to them, that if a few heads of that plant were thrust into their runs, it would expel them from the place. moonshine pudding. put into a baking dish a layer of very thin bread and butter, strewed over with currants and sweetmeats, and so on till the dish is full. mix together a pint and a half of cream, the yolks of six eggs, half a grated nutmeg, and some sugar. pour the mixture on the top of the pudding, and bake it three quarters of an hour. moor fowl. to dress moor fowl with red cabbage, truss the game as for boiling. set them on the fire with a little soup, and let them stew for half an hour. cut a red cabbage into quarters, add it to the moor fowl, season with salt and white pepper, and a little piece of butter rolled in flour. a glass of port may be added, if approved. lift out the cabbage, and place it neatly in the dish, with the moor fowl on it. pour the sauce over them, and garnish with small slices of fried bacon. morella cherries. when the fruit is quite ripe, take off the stalks, prick them with a pin, and allow a pound and a half of lump sugar to every pound of cherries. reduce part of the sugar to powder, and strew it over them. next day dissolve the remainder in half a pint of currant juice, set it over a slow fire, put in the cherries with the sugar, and give them a gentle boil. take out the cherries carefully, boil the syrup till it is thick, pour it upon the cherries, and tie them down.--any other kind of fruit may be treated in the same way, only using such kind of juice to boil in the syrup as is most suitable to the fruit to be preserved. it is proper to put apple jelly over jam or preserved fruit, or to sift sugar over the tops of the jars; and when cold, cover them with brandy paper. if the air be admitted, they will not keep. morella wine. cleanse from the stalks sixty pounds of morella cherries, and bruise them as to break the stones. press out the juice, mix it with six gallons of sherry wine, and four gallons of warm water. powder separately an ounce of nutmeg, cinnamon, and mace, and hang them separately in small bags, in the cask containing the liquor. bung it down; and in a few weeks it will become a deliciously flavoured wine. morels. in their green state they have a very rich, high flavour, and are delicious additions to some dishes, or sent up as a stew by themselves, when they are fresh and fine. when dried they are of very little use, and serve only to soak up good gravy, from which they take more flavour than they give. moss. to destroy moss on trees, remove it with a hard brush early in the spring of the year, and wash the trees afterwards with urine or soap suds, and plaster them with cow dung. when a sort of white down appears on apple trees, clear off the red stain underneath it, and anoint the infected parts with a mixture of train oil and scotch snuff, which will effectually cure the disease. moths. one of the most speedy remedies for their complete extirpation, is the smell of turpentine, whether it be by sprinkling it on woollen stuffs, or placing sheets of paper moistened with it between pieces of cloth. it is remarkable that moths are never known to infest wool unwashed, or in its natural state, but always abandon the place where such raw material is kept. those persons therefore to whom the smell of turpentine is offensive, may avail themselves of this circumstance, and place layers of undressed wool between pieces of cloth, or put small quantities in the corners of shelves and drawers containing drapery of that description. this, or shavings of the cedar, small slips of russia leather, or bits of camphor, laid in boxes or drawers where furs or woollen clothes are kept, will effectually preserve them from the ravages of the moth and other insects. muffins. stir together a pint of yeast with a pint and half of warm milk and water, and a little salt. strain it into a quarter of a peck of fine flour, knead it well, and set it an hour to rise. pull it into small pieces, roll it into balls with the hand, and keep them covered up warm. then spread them into muffins, lay them on tins, and bake them; and as the bottoms begin to change colour, turn them on the other side. a better sort may be made by adding two eggs, and two ounces of butter melted in half a pint of milk. muffins should not be cut, but pulled open. mulberry syrup. put the mulberries into a kettle of water, and simmer them over the fire till the juice runs from them. squeeze out the juice, and add twice the weight of sugar. set it over a slow fire, skim it clean, and simmer it till the sugar is quite dissolved. mulberry wine. gather mulberries on a dry day, when they are just changed from redness to a shining black. spread them thinly on a fine cloth, or on a floor or table, for twenty-four hours, and then press them. boil a gallon of water with each gallon of juice, putting to every gallon of water an ounce of cinnamon bark, and six ounces of sugarcandy finely powdered. skim and strain the water when it is taken off and settled, and put it to the mulberry juice. now add to every gallon of the mixture, a pint of white or rhenish wine. let the whole stand in a cask to ferment, for five or six days. when settled draw it off into bottles, and keep it cool. mulled ale. boil a pint of good sound ale with a little grated nutmeg and sugar, beat up three eggs, and mix them with a little cold ale. then pour the hot ale to it, and return it several times to prevent its curdling. warm and stir it till it is thickened, add a piece of butter or a glass of brandy, and serve it up with dry toast. mulled wine. boil some spice in a little water till the flavour is gained, then add an equal quantity of port, with sugar and nutmeg. boil all together, and serve with toast.--another way. boil a blade of cinnamon and some grated nutmeg a few minutes, in a large tea-cupful of water. pour to it a pint of port wine, add a little sugar, beat it up, and it will be ready. good home-made wine may be substituted instead of port. mumbled hare. boil the hare, but not too much; take off the flesh, and shred it very fine. add a little salt, nutmeg, lemon peel, and the juice of a lemon. put it into a stewpan with a dozen eggs, and a pound of butter, and keep it stirring. muscle plum cheese. weigh six pounds of the fruit, bake it in a stone jar, remove the stones, and put in the kernels after they are broken and picked. pour half the juice on two pounds and a half of lisbon sugar; when melted and simmered a few minutes, skim it, and add the fruit. keep it doing very gently till the juice is much reduced, but take care to stir it constantly, to prevent its burning. pour it into small moulds, pattipans, or saucers. the remaining juice may serve to colour creams, or be added to a pie. mushrooms. before these are prepared for eating, great care must be taken to ascertain that they are genuine, as death in many instances has been occasioned by using a poisonous kind of fungus, resembling mushrooms. the eatable mushrooms first appear very small, of a round form, and on a little stalk. they grow very fast, and both the stalk and the upper part are white. as the size increases, the under part gradually opens, and shows a kind of fringed fur, of a very fine salmon colour; which continues more or less till the mushroom has gained some size, and then it turns to a dark brown. these marks should be attended to, and likewise whether the skin can be easily parted from the edges and middle. those that have a white or yellow fur should be carefully avoided, though many of them have a similar smell, but not so strong and fragrant, as the genuine mushroom. great numbers of these may be produced, by strewing on an old hotbed the broken pieces of mushrooms; or if the water in which they have been washed be poured on the bed, it will nearly answer the same purpose. mushrooms dried. wipe them clean, take out the brown part of the large ones, and peel off the skin. lay them on paper to dry in a cool oven, and keep them in paper bags in a dry place. when used, simmer them in the gravy, and they will swell to nearly their former size. or before they are made into powder, it is a good way to simmer them in their own liquor till it dry up into them, shaking the pan all the time, and afterwards drying them on tin plates. spice may be added or not. tie the mushrooms down close in a bottle, and keep it in a dry place. mushroom ketchup. take the largest broad mushrooms, break them into an earthen pan, strew salt over, and stir them occasionally for three days. then let them stand twelve days, till there is a thick scum over. strain and boil the liquor with jamaica and black peppers, mace, ginger, a clove or two, and some mustard seed. when cold, bottle it, and tie a bladder over the cork. in three months boil it again with fresh spice, and it will then keep a twelvemonth.--another way. fill a stewpan with large flap mushrooms, that are not worm-eaten, and the skins and fringe of such as have been pickled. throw a handful of salt among them, and set them by a slow fire. they will produce a great deal of liquor, which must be strained; then add four ounces of shalots, two cloves of garlic, a good deal of whole pepper, ginger, mace, cloves, and a few bay leaves. boil and skim it well, and when cold, cork it up close. in two months boil it up again with a little fresh spice, and a stick of horseradish. it will then keep a year, which mushroom ketchup rarely does, if not boiled a second time. mushroom powder. wash half a peck of large mushrooms while quite fresh, and free them from grit and dirt with flannel. scrape out the black part clean, and do not use any that are worm-eaten. put them into a stewpan over the fire without any water, with two large onions, some cloves, a quarter of an ounce of mace, and two spoonfuls of white pepper, all in powder. simmer and shake them till all the liquor be dried up, but be careful they do not burn. lay them on tins or sieves in a slow oven till they are dry enough to beat to powder; then put the powder into small bottles, corked, and tied closely, and kept in a dry place. a tea-spoonful of this powder will give a very fine flavour to any soup or gravy, or any sauce; and it is to be added just before serving, and one boil given to it after it is put in. mushroom sauce. melt some butter with flour, in a little milk or cream. put in some mushrooms, a little salt and nutmeg, and boil it up together in a saucepan. or put the mushrooms into melted butter, with veal gravy, salt, and nutmeg. muslin patterns. in order to copy muslin patterns, the drawing is to be placed on a sheet of white paper, and the outline pricked through with a pin. the white sheet may then be laid on a second clear one, and a muslin bag of powdered charcoal sifted or rubbed over it. the pierced paper being removed, a perfect copy may be traced on the other; and in this way, patterns may be multiplied very expeditiously. mustard. mix by degrees, the best durham flour of mustard with boiling water, rubbing it perfectly smooth, till it comes to a proper thickness. add a little salt, keep it in a small jar close covered, and put only as much into the glass as will be used soon. the glass should be wiped daily round the edges. if for immediate use, mix the mustard with new milk by degrees, till it is quite smooth, and a little raw cream. it is much softer this way, does not taste bitter, and will keep well. a tea-spoonful of sugar, to half a pint of mustard, is a great improvement, and tends much to soften it. patent mustard is nearly as cheap as any other, and is generally preferred. musty flour. when flour has acquired a musty smell and taste, from dampness and other causes, it may be recovered by the simple use of magnesia, allowing thirty grains of the carbonate to one pound of flour. it is to be leavened and baked in the usual way of making bread. the loaves will be found to rise well in the oven, to be more light and spongy, and also whiter than bread in the common way. it will likewise have an excellent taste, and will keep well. the use of magnesia in bread making is well worthy of attention, for if it improves musty flour, and renders it palatable, it would much more improve bread in general, and be the interest of families to adopt it. the use of magnesia in bread, independent of its improving qualities, is as much superior to that of alum as one substance can be to another. mutton. in cutting up mutton, in order to its being dressed, attention should be paid to the different joints. the pipe that runs along the bone of the inside of a chine must be removed, and if the meat is to be kept some time, the part close round the tail should be rubbed with salt, after first cutting out the kernel. a leg is apt to be first tainted in the fat on the thick part, where the kernel is lodged, and this therefore should be removed, or the meat cannot be expected to keep well. the chine and rib bones should be wiped every day, and the bloody part of the neck be cut off to preserve it. the brisket changes first in the breast; and if it is to be kept, it is best to rub it with a little salt, should the weather be hot. every kernel should be taken out of all sorts of meat as soon as it is brought in, and then wiped dry. for roasting, it should hang as long as it will keep, the hind quarter especially, but not so long as to taint; for whatever may be authorised by the prevailing fashion, putrid juices certainly ought not to be taken into the stomach. great care should be taken to preserve by paper the fat of what is roasted. mutton for boiling will not look of a good colour, if it has hung long.--in purchasing this meat, choose it by the fineness of the grain, the goodness of its colour, and see that the fat be firm and white. it is not the better for being young: if it be wether mutton, of a good breed and well fed, it is best for age. the flesh of ewe mutton is paler, and the texture finer. ram mutton is very strong flavoured, the flesh is of a deep red, and the fat is spongy: wether mutton is the best. mutton broth. soak a neck of mutton in water for an hour, cut off the scrag, and put it into a stewpot, with two quarts of water. as soon as it boils, skim it well, and simmer it an hour and a half. cut the best end of the mutton into pieces, two bones in each, and take off some of the fat. prepare four or five carrots, as many turnips, and three onions, all sliced, but not cut small. put them soon enough to get quite tender, and add four large spoonfuls of scotch barley, first wetted with cold water. twenty minutes before serving, put in some chopped parsley, add a little salt, and send up all together. this is a scotch dish, and esteemed very excellent in the winter. mutton chops. cut them from the loin or neck, broil them on a clear fire, and turn them often, or the fat dropping into the fire will smoke them. when done, put them into a warm dish, rub them with butter, slice a shalot in a spoonful of boiling water, with a little salt and ketchup, and pour it over the chops. the ketchup may be omitted, and plain butter used instead. mutton chops in disguise. prepare a seasoning of chopped parsley and thyme, grated bread, pepper and salt. smear the chops over with egg, strew the seasoning on them, and roll each in buttered paper. close the ends, put them in a dutch oven or fryingpan, and let them broil slowly. when done, send them to table in the paper, with gravy in a boat. mutton collops. from a loin of mutton that has been well kept, cut some thin collops nearest to the leg. take out the sinews, season the collops with salt, pepper, and mace; and strew over them shred parsley, thyme, and two or three shalots. fry them in butter till half done; add half a pint of gravy, a little lemon juice, and a piece of butter rubbed in flour. simmer them together very gently for five minutes, and let the collops be served up immediately, or they will become hard. mutton cutlets. to do them in the portuguese way, half fry the chops with sliced shalot or onion, chopped parsley, and two bay leaves. season with pepper and salt; then lay a forcemeat on a piece of white paper, put the chop on it, and twist the paper up, leaving a hole for the end of the bones to go through. broil the cutlets on a gentle fire, serve them with a little gravy, or with sauce robart. mutton ham. choose a fine-grained leg of wether mutton, of twelve or fourteen pounds weight; cut it ham shape, and let it hang two days. then put into a stewpan half a pound of bay salt, the same of common salt, two ounces of saltpetre, and half a pound of coarse sugar, all in powder. mix, and make it quite hot; then rub it well into the ham. let it be turned in the liquor every day; at the end of four days add two ounces more of common salt; in twelve days take it out, dry it, and hang it up a week in wood smoke. it is to be used in slices, with stewed cabbage, mashed potatoes, or eggs. mutton hashed. cut thin slices of dressed mutton, fat and lean, and flour them. boil the bones with a little onion, season the meat, and warm it up with the gravy, but it should not boil. instead of onion, a clove, a spoonful of currant jelly, and a glass of port wine, will make it taste like venison. mutton kebobbed. take all the fat out of a loin of mutton, and that on the outside also if too fat, and remove the skin. joint it at every bone, mix a small nutmeg grated with a little salt and pepper, crumbs of bread, and herbs. dip the steaks into the yolks of three eggs, and sprinkle the above mixture all over them. then place the steaks together as they were before they were cut asunder, tie and fasten them on a small spit. roast them before a quick fire; set a dish under, and baste them with a good piece of butter, and the liquor that comes from the meat, but throw some more of the above seasoning over. when done enough, lay the meat in a dish. prepare an additional half pint of good gravy, put into it two spoonfuls of ketchup, and rub down a tea-spoonful of flour with it. give it a boil, skim off all the fat, and pour it over the mutton. be careful to keep the meat hot, till the gravy is quite ready. mutton pie. cut steaks from a loin or neck of mutton that has hung some time; beat them, and remove some of the fat. season with salt, pepper, and a little onion. put a little water at the bottom of the dish, and a little paste on the edge; then cover it with a tolerably thick paste. or raise small pies, breaking each bone in two to shorten it; cover it over, and pinch the edges together. when the pies come from the oven, pour into each a spoonful of good mutton gravy. mutton pudding. season some chops with salt and pepper, and a taste of onion. place a layer of meat at the bottom of the dish, pour over them a batter of potatoes boiled and pressed through a cullender, and mixed with an egg and milk. put in the rest of the chops, and the batter, and bake it. batter made of flour eats very well, but requires more egg, and is not so good as potatoe. another way is to cut slices off a leg that has been underdone, and put them into a bason lined with a fine suet crust. season with pepper and salt, and finely shred onion or shalot. mutton rumps and kidneys. stew six rumps in some good mutton gravy half an hour; then take them up, and let them stand to cool. clear the gravy from the fat, and put into it four ounces of boiled rice, an onion stuck with cloves, and a blade of mace. boil them till the rice is thick. wash the rumps with yolks of eggs well beaten, and strew over them crumbs of bread, a little pepper and salt, chopped parsley and thyme, and grated lemon peel, fried in butter, of a fine brown. while the rumps are stewing, lard the kidneys, and set them to roast in a dutch oven. when the rumps are ready, the grease must be drained from them before they are put in the dish; the pan being cleared likewise from the fat, warm up the rice in it. lay the latter on the dish, place the rumps round upon the rice, the narrow ends towards the middle, and the kidneys between. garnish with hard eggs cut in halves, the white being left on, or with different coloured pickles. mutton sauce. two spoonfuls of the liquor in which the mutton is boiled, the same quantity of vinegar, two or three shalots finely shred, with a little salt, put into a saucepan with a bit of butter rolled in flour, stirred together and boiled once, will make good sauce for boiled mutton. mutton sausages. take a pound of the rawest part of a leg of mutton that has been either roasted or boiled; chop it quite small, and season it with pepper, salt, mace, and nutmeg. add to it six ounces of beef suet, some sweet herbs, two anchovies, and a pint of oysters, all chopped very small; a quarter of a pound of grated bread, some of the anchovy liquor, and two eggs well beaten. when well mixed together, put it into a small pot; and use it by rolling it into balls or sausages, and fry them. if approved, a little shalot may be added, or garlick, which is a great improvement. mutton steaks. these should be cut from a loin or neck that has been well kept; if a neck, the bones should not be long. broil them on a clear fire, season them when half done, and let them be often turned. take them up into a very hot dish, rub a bit of butter on each, and serve them up hot and hot the moment they are done.--to do them maintenon, half fry them first, then stew them while hot, with herbs, crumbs, and seasoning. rub a bit of butter on some writing paper, to prevent its catching the fire, wrap the steaks in it, and finish them on the gridiron. n. nankeen dye. the article generally sold under this title, and which produces a fine buff colour so much in use, is made of equal parts of arnetto and common potash, dissolved and boiled in water. the yellow colour called dutch pink, is made from a decoction of weld or dyer's weed; and if blue cloths be dipped in this liquid, they will take the colour of a fine green. nasturtions, if intended for capers, should be kept a few days after they are gathered. then pour boiling vinegar over them, and cover them close when cold. they will not be fit to eat for some months; but are then finely flavoured, and by many are preferred to capers. neat's tongue. if intended to be stewed, it should be simmered for two hours, and peeled. then return it to the same liquor, with pepper, salt, mace, and cloves, tied up in a piece of cloth. add a few chopped capers, carrots and turnips sliced, half a pint of beef gravy, a little white wine, and sweet herbs. stew it gently till it is tender, take out the herbs and spices, and thicken the gravy with butter rolled in flour. neck of mutton. this joint is particularly useful, because so many dishes may be made of it; but it is not esteemed advantageous for a family. the bones should be cut short, which the butchers will not do unless particularly desired. the best end of the neck may be boiled, and served with turnips; or roasted, or dressed in steaks, in pies, or harrico. the scrags may be stewed in broth; or with a small quantity of water, some small onions, a few peppercorns, and a little rice, and served together. when a boiled neck is to look particularly nice, saw down the chine bone, strip the ribs halfway down, and chop off the ends of the bones about four inches. the skin should not be taken off till boiled, and then the fat will look the whiter. when there is more fat than is agreeable, it makes a very good suet pudding, or crust for a meat pie if cut very fine. neck of pork. a loin or neck of pork should be roasted. cut the skin across with a sharp penknife, at distances of half an inch. serve with vegetables and apple sauce. neck of veal. cut off the scrag to boil, and cover it with onion sauce. it should be boiled in milk and water. parsley and butter may be served with it, instead of onion sauce. or it may be stewed with whole rice, small onions, and peppercorns, with a very little water. it may also be boiled and eaten with bacon and greens. the best end of the neck may either be roasted, broiled as steaks, or made into a pie. neck of venison. rub it with salt, and let it lie four or five days. flour it, and boil it in a cloth, allowing to every pound a quarter of an hour. cauliflower, turnips, and cabbages, are eaten with it, and melted butter. garnish the dish with some of the vegetables. nelson puddings. put into a dutch oven six small cakes, called nelson balls or rice cakes, made in small teacups. when quite hot, pour over them boiling melted butter, white wine, and sugar. new casks. if not properly prepared before they are used, new casks are apt to give beer and other liquor a bad taste. they must therefore be well scalded and seasoned several days successively before they are used, and frequently filled with fresh water. the best way however is to boil two pecks of bran or malt dust in a copper of water, and pour it hot into the cask; then stop it up close, let it stand two days, wash it out clean, and let the cask be well dried. newcastle pudding. butter a half melon mould or quart basin, stick it all round with dried cherries or fine raisins, and fill it up with custard and layers of thin bread and butter. boil or steam it an hour and a half. newmarket pudding. put on to boil a pint of good milk, with half a lemon peel, a little cinnamon, and a bay leaf. boil it gently for five or ten minutes, sweeten with loaf sugar, break the yolks of five and the whites of three eggs into a basin, beat them well, and add the milk. beat it all up well together, and strain it through a tammis, or fine hair sieve. prepare some bread and butter cut thin, place a layer of it in a pie dish, and then a layer of currants, and so on till the dish is nearly full. pour the custard over it, and bake it half an hour. norfolk dumplins. make a thick batter with half a pint of milk and flour, two eggs, and a little salt. take a spoonful of the batter, and drop it gently into boiling water; and if the water boil fast, they will be ready in a few minutes. take them out with a wooden spoon, and put them into a dish with a piece of butter. these are often called drop dumplins, or spoon dumplins. norfolk punch. to make a relishing liquor that will keep many years, and improve by age, put the peels of thirty lemons and thirty oranges into twenty quarts of french brandy. the fruit must be pared so thin and carefully, that not the least of the white is left. let it infuse twelve hours. prepare thirty quarts of cold water that has been boiled, put to it fifteen pounds of double-refined sugar, and when well incorporated, pour it upon the brandy and peels, adding the juice of the oranges and of twenty-four lemons. mix them well, strain the liquor through a fine hair sieve, into a very clean cask, that has held spirits, and add two quarts of new milk. stir the liquor, then bung it down close, and let it stand six weeks in a warm cellar. bottle off the liquor, but take care that the bottles be perfectly clean and dry, the corks of the best quality, and well put in. of course a smaller quantity of this punch may be made, by observing only the above proportions.--another way. pare six lemons and three seville oranges very thin, squeeze the juice into a large teapot, put to it three quarts of brandy, one of white wine, one of milk, and a pound and a quarter of lump sugar. let it be well mixed, and then covered for twenty-four hours. strain it through a jelly bag till quite clear, and then bottle it off. northumberland pudding. make a hasty pudding with a pint of milk and flour, put it into a bason, and let it stand till the next day. then mash it with a spoon, add a quarter of a pound of clarified butter, as many currants picked and washed, two ounces of candied peel cut small, and a little sugar and brandy. bake it in teacups, turn them out on a dish, and pour wine sauce over them. nose bleeding. violent bleeding at the nose may sometimes be prevented by applying lint dipped in vinegar, or a strong solution of white vitriol, with fomentations of the temples and forehead made of nitre dissolved in water. but as bleeding at the nose is often beneficial, it should not be suddenly stopped. notice to quit. the usual mode of letting houses is by the year, at a certain annual rent to be paid quarterly: therefore unless a written agreement can be produced, to show that the premises were engaged for a shorter period, the law considers the tenant as entered for one whole year, provided the rent exceeds forty shillings per annum, and this consideration must govern the notice to quit. every tenant who holds from year to year, which is presumed to be the case in every instance where proof is not given to the contrary, is entitled to half a year's notice, which must be given in such a manner that the tenant must quit the premises at the same quarter day on which he took possession: so that if his rent commenced at michaelmas, the notice must be served at or before lady-day, that he may quit at michaelmas. if a tenant come in after any of the regular quarter days, and pay a certain sum for the remainder of the quarter, he does not commence annual tenant until the remainder of the quarter is expired; but if he pay rent for the whole quarter, he is to be considered as yearly tenant from the commencement of his rent, and his notice to quit must be regulated accordingly. should it happen that the landlord cannot ascertain the precise time when the tenancy commenced, he may enquire of the tenant, who must be served with notice to quit at the time he mentions, and must obey the warning agreeably to his own words, whether it be the true time or not. if he refuse to give the desired information, the landlord, instead of 'on or before midsummer next,' must give in his notice, 'at the end and expiration of the current year of your tenancy, which shall expire next after the end of one half year from the date hereof.' if notice be given up to a wrong time, or a quarter instead of half a year, such warning will be sufficient, if the party make no objection at the time he receives it. when premises are held by lease, the expiration of the term is sufficient notice to quit, without giving any other warning for that purpose. the following is the form of a landlord's notice to his tenant:--'i do hereby give you notice to quit the house and premises you hold of me, situate in the parish of ------ in the county of ------ on or before midsummer next. dated the ------ day of ------ in the year ------ r. c.'--the following is a tenant's notice to his landlord:--'sir, i hereby give you warning of my intention to quit your house in the parish of ------ on or before michaelmas next. dated the ------ day of ------ in the year ------ c. r.'--these forms will also serve for housekeepers and lodgers, if 'apartment' be added instead of house or premises. care however must be taken to give the address correctly: 'r. c. landlord of the said premises, to c. r. the tenant thereof.' or, 'to mr. r. c. the landlord of the said premises.' nottingham pudding. peel six large apples, take out the core with the point of a small knife or an apple scoop, but the fruit must be left whole. fill up the centre with sugar, place the fruit in a pie dish, and pour over a nice light batter, prepared as for batter pudding, and bake it an hour in a moderate oven. nutmeg graters. those made with a trough, and sold by the ironmongers, are by far the best, especially for grating fine and fast. nuts. hazel nuts may be preserved in great perfection for several months, by burying them in earthen pots well closed, a foot or two in the ground, especially in a dry or sandy place. o. oat cakes. these may be made the same as muffins, only using fine yorkshire oatmeal instead of flour. another sort is made of fine oatmeal, warm water, yeast and salt, beat to a thick batter, and set to rise in a warm place. pour some of the batter on a baking stone, to any size you please, about as thick as a pancake. pull them open to butter them, and set them before the fire. if muffins or oat cakes get stale, dip them in cold water, and crisp them in a dutch oven. oatmeal. this article has undergone a very considerable improvement, since the introduction of what are termed embden groats, manufactured in england it is true, out of dutch oats, but of a quality superior to any thing before known in this country under the name of oatmeal, and which may now be had of almost all retailers at a moderate price. oatmeal flummery. put three large handfuls of fine oatmeal into two quarts of spring water, and let it steep a day and a night. pour off the clear water, put in the same quantity of fresh water, and strain the oatmeal through a fine sieve. boil it till it is as thick as hasty pudding, keep it stirring all the time, that it may be smooth and fine. when first strained, a spoonful of sugar should be added, two spoonfuls of orange flower-water, two or three spoonfuls of cream, a blade of mace, and a bit of lemon peel. when boiled enough, pour the flummery into a shallow dish, and serve it up. oatmeal pudding. pour a quart of boiling milk over a pint of the best oatmeal, and let it soak all night. next day beat two eggs, and mix a little salt. butter a bason that will just hold it, cover it tight with a floured cloth, and boil it an hour and a half. eat it with cold butter and salt. when cold, slice and toast it, and eat it as oat-cake, buttered. old writings. when old deeds or writings are so much defaced that they can scarcely be deciphered, bruise and boil a few nut galls in white wine; or if it be a cold infusion, expose it to the sun for two or three days. then dip a sponge into the infusion, pass it over the writing that is sunk, and it will instantly be revived, if the infusion be strong enough of the galls. vitriolic or nitrous acid a little diluted with water, will also render the writing legible; but care must be taken that the solution be not too strong, or it will destroy the paper or the parchment which contains the writing. ointments. an excellent ointment for burns, scalds, chilblains, and dressing blisters, may be made in the following manner. take eight ounces of hog's lard quite fresh, one ounce of bees' wax, and one of honey. put them into a kettle over the fire, and stir it together till it is all melted. pour it into a jar for keeping, add a large spoonful of rose water, and keep stirring it till it is cold.--bad scalds and burns should first have a poultice of grated potatoes applied to them for several hours, and then a plaster of the ointment, which must be renewed morning and evening.--for blisters, a plaster of this should be spread rather longer than the blister, and put on over the blister plaster when it has been on twenty-four hours, or sooner if it feel uneasy. by this means the blister plaster will slip off when it has done drawing, without any pain or trouble.--for chilblains, it has never been known to fail of a cure, if the feet have been kept clean, dry, and warm.--an emollient ointment, for anointing any external inflammations, may be made as follows. take two pounds of palm oil, a pint and a half of olive oil, half a pound of yellow wax, and a quarter of a pound of venice turpentine. melt the wax in the oil over the fire, mix in the turpentine, and strain off the ointment. ointment for burns. scrape two ounces of bees' wax into half a pint of sallad oil, and let it simmer gently over the fire till the whole is incorporated. take it off the fire, beat up the yolks of three eggs with a spoonful of oil, and stir up all together till it is quite cold. ointment for the eyes. this is made of four ounces of fresh lard, two drams of white wax, and one ounce of prepared tutty. melt the wax with the lard over a gentle fire, and sprinkle in the tutty, continually stirring them till the ointment is cold. ointment of lead. this should consist of half a pint of olive oil, two ounces of white wax, and three drams of the sugar of lead finely powdered. rub the sugar of lead with some of the oil, add to it the other ingredients, which should be previously melted together, and stir them till the ointment is quite cold. this cooling ointment may be used in all cases where the intention is to dry and skin over the wound, as in burns and scalds. ointment of marshmallows. take half a pound of marshmallow roots, three ounces of linseed, and three ounces of fennugreek seed. bruise and boil them gently half an hour in a quart of water, and then add two quarts of sweet oil. boil them together till the water is all evaporated: then strain off the oil, and add to it a pound of bees' wax, half a pound of yellow rosin, and two ounces of common turpentine. melt them together over a slow fire, and keep stirring till the ointment is cold. ointment of sulphur. this is the safest and best application for the itch, and will have no disagreeable smell, if made in the following manner. take four ounces of fresh lard, an ounce and a half of flour of sulphur, two drams of crude sal-ammoniac, and ten or a dozen drops of lemon essence. when made into an ointment, rub it on the parts affected. olives. this foreign article, sent over in a state of preservation, requires only to be kept from the air. olives are of three kinds, italian, spanish, and french, of different sizes and flavour. each should be firm, though some are most fleshy. omlet. make a batter of eggs and milk, and a very little flour. add chopped parsley, green onions, or chives, or a very small quantity of shalot, a little pepper and salt, and a scrape or two of nutmeg. boil some butter in a small frying-pan, and pour the above batter into it. when one side is of a fine yellow brown, turn it and do the other: double it when served. some lean ham scraped, or grated tongue, put in at first, is a very pleasant addition. four eggs will make a pretty omlet, but some will use eight or ten, and only a small proportion of flour, but a good deal of parsley. if the taste be approved, a little tarragon will give a fine flavour. ramakins and omlet, though usually served in the course, would be much better if they were sent up after, that they might be eaten as hot as possible. onion gravy. peel and slice some onions into a small stewpan, with an ounce of butter, adding cucumber or celery if approved. set it on a slow fire, and turn the onion about till it is lightly browned; then stir in half an ounce of flour, a little broth, a little pepper and salt, and boil it up for a few minutes. add a table-spoonful of port wine, the same of mushroom ketchup, and rub it through a fine sieve. it may be sharpened with a little lemon juice or vinegar. the flavour of this sauce may be varied by adding tarragon, or burnt vinegar. onion sauce. peel the onions and boil them tender. squeeze the water from them, chop and add them to butter that has been melted rich and smooth, with a little good milk instead of water. boil it up once, and serve it for boiled rabbits, partridges, scrag or knuckle of veal or roast mutton. a turnip boiled with the onions makes them milder. onion soup. put some carrots, turnips, and a shank bone, into the liquor in which a leg or neck of mutton has been boiled, and simmer them together two hours. strain it on six onions, sliced and fried of a light brown; simmer the soup three hours, and skim it carefully. put a small roll into it, or fried bread, and serve it up hot. onions. in order to obtain a good crop of onions, it is proper to sow at different seasons. on light soils sow in august, january, or early in february: on heavy wet soils in march, or early in april. onions however should not be sown so soon as january, unless the ground be in a dry state, which is not often the case at that time of the year: otherwise, advantage should be taken of it. as this valuable root is known frequently to fail by the common method of culture, the best way is to sow the seed successively, that advantage may be taken of the seasons as they happen. orange biscuits. boil whole seville oranges in two or three waters, till most of the bitterness is gone. cut them, and take out the pulp and juice; then beat the outside very fine in a mortar, and put to it an equal weight of double-refined sugar beaten and sifted. when extremely well mixed to a paste, spread it thin on china dishes, and set them in the sun, or before the fire. when half dry, cut it into what form you please, and turn the other side up to dry. keep the biscuits in a box, with layers of paper. they are intended for desserts, and are also useful as a stomachic, to carry in the pocket on journeys, and for gouty stomachs. orange brandy. steep the peels of twenty seville oranges in three quarts of brandy, and let it stand a fortnight in a stone bottle. boil two quarts of water with a pound and a half of loaf sugar nearly an hour, clarify,it with the white of an egg, strain it, and boil it till reduced nearly one half. when cold, strain the brandy into the syrup. orange butter. boil six hard eggs, beat them in a mortar with two ounces of fine sugar, three ounces of butter, and two ounces of blanched almonds beaten to a paste. moisten with orange-flower water; and when all is mixed, rub it through a cullender on a dish, and serve with sweet biscuits between. orange cheesecakes. blanch half a pound of almonds, beat them very fine, with orange-flower water, half a pound of fine sugar beaten and sifted, a pound of butter that has been melted carefully without oiling, and which must be nearly cold before it is used. then beat the yolks of ten and the whites of four eggs. pound in a mortar two candied oranges, and a fresh one with the bitterness boiled out, till they are as tender as marmalade, without any lumps. beat the whole together, and put it into pattipans. orange chips. cut oranges in halves, squeeze the juice through a sieve, and soak the peels in water. next day boil them in the same till tender; then drain and slice the peels, add them to the juice, weigh as much sugar, and put all together into a broad earthen dish. place the dish at a moderate distance from the fire, often stirring till the chips candy, and then set them in a cool room to dry, which commonly requires about three weeks. orange cream. boil the rind of a seville orange very tender, and beat it fine in a mortar. add to it a spoonful of the best brandy, the juice of a seville orange, four ounces of loaf sugar, and the yolks of four eggs. beat them all together for ten minutes; then by gentle degrees, pour in a pint of boiling cream, and beat it up till cold. set some custard cups into a deep dish of boiling water, pour the cream into the cups, and let it stand again till cold. put at the top some small strips of orange paring cut thin, or some preserved chips. orange-flower cakes. soak four ounces of the leaves of the flowers in cold water for an hour; drain, and put them between napkins, and roll with a rolling-pin till they are bruised. have ready boiled a pound of sugar to add to it in a thick syrup, give them a simmer until the syrup adheres to the sides of the pan, drop it in little cakes on a plate, and dry them in a cool room. orange fool. mix the juice of three seville oranges, three eggs well beaten, a pint of cream, a little nutmeg and cinnamon, and sweeten it to taste. set the whole over a slow fire, and stir it till it becomes as thick as good melted butter, but it must not be boiled. then pour it into a dish for eating cold. orange jam. lay half a dozen oranges in water four or five days, changing the water once or twice every day. take out the oranges, and wipe them dry. tie them up in separate cloths, and boil them four hours in a large kettle, changing the water once or twice. peel off the rinds and pound them well in a marble mortar, with two pounds of fine sugar to one pound of orange. then beat all together, and cover the jam down in a pot. orange jelly. grate the rind of two seville and two china oranges, and two lemons. squeeze the juice of three of each, and strain it; add a quarter of a pound of lump sugar dissolved in a quarter of a pint of water, and boil it till it nearly candies. prepare a quart of jelly, made of two ounces of isinglass; add to it the syrup, and boil it once up. strain off the jelly, and let it stand to settle before it is put into the mould. orange juice. when the fresh juice cannot be procured, a very useful article for fevers may be made in the following manner. squeeze from the finest fruit, a pint of juice strained through fine muslin. simmer it gently with three quarters of a pound of double-refined sugar twenty minutes, and when cold put it into small bottles. orange marmalade. rasp the oranges, cut out the pulp, then boil the rinds very tender, and beat them fine in a marble mortar. boil three pounds of loaf sugar in a pint of water, skim it, and add a pound of the rind; boil it fast till the syrup is very thick, but stir it carefully. then add a pint of the pulp and juice, the seeds having been removed, and a pint of apple liquor; boil it all gently about half an hour, until it is well jellied, and put it into small pots. lemon marmalade may be made in the same way, and both of them are very good and elegant sweetmeats. orange peel. scrape out all the pulp, soak the peels in water, and stir them every day. in a week's time put them in fresh water, and repeat it till all the bitterness is extracted. boil the peels in fresh water over a slow fire till they are quite tender, and reduce the liquor to a quantity sufficient to boil it to a thick syrup. put the peels into the syrup, simmer them gently, take them out of the syrup, and let them cool. lay them to dry in the sun, and the peel will be nicely candied. orange pudding. grate the rind of a seville orange, put to it six ounces of fresh butter, and six or eight ounces of lump sugar pounded. beat them all in a marble mortar, and add at the same time the whole of eight eggs well beaten and strained. scrape a raw apple, and mix it with the rest. put a paste round the bottom and sides of the dish, and over the orange mixture lay cross bars of paste. half an hour will bake it.--another. mix two full spoonfuls of orange paste with six eggs, four ounces of fine sugar, and four ounces of warm butter. put the whole into a shallow dish, with a paste lining, and bake it twenty minutes.--another. rather more than two table-spoonfuls of the orange paste, mixed with six eggs, four ounces of sugar, and four ounces of butter melted, will make a good pudding, with a paste at the bottom of the dish. twenty minutes will bake it.--or, boil the rind of a seville orange very soft, and beat it up with the juice. then add half a pound of butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, two grated biscuits, and the yolks of six eggs. mix all together, lay a puff paste round the edge of the dish, and bake it half an hour. orange tart. squeeze, pulp, and boil two seville oranges quite tender. weigh them, add double the quantity of sugar, and beat them together to a paste. add the juice and pulp of the fruit, and a little bit of fresh butter the size of a walnut, and beat all together. choose a very shallow dish, line it with a light puff-crust, lay the orange paste in it, and ice it over. or line a tart pan with a thin puff-paste, and put into it orange marmalade made with apple jelly. lay bars of paste, or a croquant cover over, and bake it in a moderate oven.--another. squeeze some seville oranges into a dish, grate off the outside rind, throw the peel into water, and change it often for two days. boil a saucepan of water, put in the oranges, and change the water three or four times to take out the bitterness: when they are quite tender, dry and beat them fine in a mortar. take their weight in double refined sugar, boil it to a syrup, and skim it clean: then put in the pulp, and boil it till it is quite clear. put it cold into the tarts, and the juice which was squeezed out, and bake them in a quick oven. lemon tarts are made in the same way. orange wine. to six gallons of water put fifteen pounds of soft sugar: before it boils, add the whites of six eggs well beaten, and take off the scum as it rises. when cold, add the juice of fifty oranges, and two thirds of the peels cut very thin; and immerse a toast covered with yeast. in a month after it has been in the cask, add a pint of brandy, and two quarts of rhenish wine. it will be fit to bottle in three or four months, but it should remain in bottles for twelve months before it is drunk. oranges. if intended to be kept for future use, the best way is to dry and bake some clean sand; and when it is cold, put it into a vessel. place on it a layer of oranges or lemons with the stalk end downwards, so that they do not touch each other, and cover them with the sand two inches deep. this will keep them in a good state of preservation for several months. another way is to freeze the fruit, and keep them in an ice-house. when used they are to be thawed in cold water, and will be good at any time of the year. if oranges or lemons are designed to be used for juice, they should first be pared to preserve the peel dry. some should be halved, and when squeezed, the pulp cut out, and the outsides dried for grating. if for boiling in any liquid, the first way is the best. oranges carved. with a penknife cut on the rinds any shape you please, then cut off a piece near and round the stalk, and take all the pulp out carefully with an apple scoop. put the rinds into salt and water two days, and change the water daily. boil them an hour or more in fresh salt and water, and drain them quite dry. let them stand a night in plain water, and then another night in a thin syrup, in which boil them the next day a few minutes. this must be repeated four days successively. then let them stand six or seven weeks, observing often whether they keep well; otherwise the syrup must be boiled again. then make a rich syrup for the oranges. oranges in jelly. cut a hole in the stalk part, the size of a shilling, and with a blunt knife scrape out the pulp quite clear without cutting the rind. tie each part separately in muslin, and lay them in spring water two days, changing the water twice a day. in the last water boil them over a slow fire till they are quite tender. observe that there is enough at first to allow for wasting, as they must be kept covered till the last. to every pound of fruit, allow two pounds of double-refined sugar, and one pint of water. boil the two latter, with the juice of the orange, till reduced to a syrup. clarify it, skim it well, and let it stand to be cold. then boil the fruit in the syrup half an hour; and if not clear, repeat it daily till they are done.--lemons are preserved in a similar way. pare and core some green pippins, and boil them in water till it is strongly flavoured with them. the fruit should not be broken, only gently pressed with the back of a spoon, and the water strained through a jelly bag till it is quite clear. to every pint of liquor put a pound of double-refined sugar, the peel and juice of a lemon, and boil the whole to a strong syrup. drain off the syrup from the fruit, and turning each lemon with the hole upwards in the jar, pour the apple jelly over it. the bits cut out must undergo the same process with the fruit, and the whole covered down with brandy paper. oranges preserved. to fill preserved oranges for a corner dish, take a pound of naples biscuits, some blanched almonds, the yolks of four eggs beaten, four ounces of butter warmed, and sugar to taste. grate the biscuits, mix them with the above, and some orange-flower water. fill the preserved oranges, and bake them in a very slow oven. if to be frosted, sift some fine sugar over them, as soon as they are filled; otherwise they should be wiped. or they may be filled with custard, and then the fruit need not be baked, but the custard should be put in cold. orangeade. squeeze out the juice of an orange, pour boiling water on a little of the peel, and cover it close. boil water and sugar to a thin syrup, and skim it. when all are cold, mix the juice, the infusion, and the syrup, with as much more water as will make a rich sherbet. strain the whole through a jelly bag; or squeeze the juice and strain it, and water and capillaire. orchard. fruit trees, whether in orchards, or espaliers, or against walls, require attention, in planting, pruning, or other management, almost every month in the year, to render them productive, and to preserve the fruit in a good state.--january. cut out dead wood and irregular branches, clean the stumps and boughs from the moss with a hollow iron. repair espaliers by fastening the stakes and poles with nails and wire, and tying the shoots down with twigs of osier. put down some stakes by all the new-planted trees. cut grafts to be ready, and lay them in the earth under a warm wall.--february. most kinds of trees may be pruned this month, though it is generally better to do it in autumn; but whatever was omitted at that season, should be done now. the hardiest kinds are to be pruned first; and such as are more tender, at the latter end of the month, when there will be less danger of their suffering in the wounded part from the frost. transplant fruit trees to places where they are wanted. open a large hole, set the earth carefully about the roots, and nail them at once to the wall, or fasten them to strong stakes. sow the kernels of apples and pears, and the stones of plums for stocks. endeavour to keep off the birds that eat the buds of fruit trees at this season of the year.--march. the grafts which were cut off early and laid in the ground, are now to be brought into use; the earliest kinds first, and the apples last of all. when this is done, take off the heads of the stocks that were inoculated the preceding year. a hand's breadth of the head should be left, for tying the bud securely to it, and that the sap may rise more freely for its nourishment. the fruit trees that were planted in october should also be headed, and cut down to about four eyes, that the sap may flow more freely.--april. examine the fruit trees against the walls and espaliers, take off all the shoots that project in front, and train such as rise kindly. thin apricots upon the trees, for there are usually more than can ripen; and the sooner this is done, the better will the rest succeed. water new-planted trees, plant the vine cuttings, and inspect the grown ones. nip off improper shoots; and when two rise from the same eye, take off the weakest of them. weed strawberry beds, cut off the strings, stir the earth between them, and water them once in two or three days. dig up the borders near the fruit trees, and never plant any large kind of flowers or vegetables upon them. any thing planted or sown near the trees, has a tendency to impoverish the fruit.--may. if any fresh shoots have sprouted upon the fruit trees, in espaliers, or against walls, take them off. train the proper ones to the walls or poles, at due distances, and in a regular manner. look over vines, and stop every shoot that has fruit upon it, to three eyes beyond the fruit. then train the branches regularly to the wall, and let such as are designed for the next year's fruiting grow some time longer, as their leaves will afford a suitable shade to the fruit. water the trees newly planted, keep the borders about the old ones clear, and pick off the snails and other vermin.--june. renew the operation of removing from wall trees and espaliers, all the shoots that project in front. train proper branches to their situations, where they are wanted. once more thin the wall fruit: leave the nectarines four inches apart, and the peaches five, but none nearer: the fruit will be finer, and the next year the tree will be stronger, if this precaution be adopted. inoculate the apricots, and choose for this purpose a cloudy evening. water trees lately planted, and pick up snails and vermin.--july. inoculate peaches and nectarines, and take off all projecting shoots in espaliers and wall fruit-trees. hang phials of honey and water upon fruit-trees, to protect them from the depredations of insects, and look carefully for snails, which also will destroy the fruit. keep the borders clear from weeds, and stir the earth about the roots of the trees; this will hasten the ripening of the fruit. examine the fruit trees that were grafted and budded the last season, to see that there are no shoots from the stocks. whenever they rise, take them off, or they will deprive the intended growth of its nourishment. attend to the trees lately planted, and water them often; and whatever good shoots they make, fasten them to the wall or espalier. repeat the care of the vines, take off improper or irregular shoots, and nail up the loose branches. let no weeds rise in the ground about them, for they will exhaust the nourishment, and impoverish the fruit.--august. watch the fruit on the wall trees, and keep off the devourers, of which there will be numberless kinds swarming about them during this month. send away the birds, pick up snails, and hang bottles of sweet water for flies and wasps. fasten loose branches, and gather the fruit carefully as it ripens. examine the vines all round, and remove those trailing branches which are produced so luxuriantly at this season of the year. suffer not the fruit to be shaded by loose and unprofitable branches, and keep the ground clear of weeds, which otherwise will impoverish the fruit.--september. the fruit must now be gathered carefully every day, and the best time for this purpose is an hour after sun-rise: such as is gathered in the middle of the day is always flabby and inferior. the fruit should afterwards be laid in a cool place till wanted. grapes as they begin to ripen will be in continual danger from the birds, if not properly watched and guarded. transplant gooseberries and currants, and plant strawberries and raspberries: they will then be rooted before winter, and flourish the succeeding season.--october. it is a useful practice to prime the peach and nectarine trees, and also the vines, as it invigorates the buds in the spring of the year. cut grapes for preserving, with a joint of the vine to each bunch. for winter keeping, gather fruits as they ripen. transplant all garden trees for flowering, prune currant bushes, and preserve the stones of the fruit for sowing.--november. stake up all trees planted for standards, or the winds will rock them at the bottom, and the frost will be let in and destroy them. throw a good quantity of peas straw about them, and lay on it some brick bats or pebbles to keep it fast: this will mellow the ground, and keep the frost from the roots. continue to prune wall fruit-trees, and prune also at this time the apple and pear kinds. pull off the late fruit of figs, or it will decay the branches.--december. prepare for planting trees where they will be wanted in the spring, by digging the ground deep and turning it well, in the place intended for planting. scatter over the borders some fresh mould and rotted dung, and in a mild day dig it in with a three-pronged fork. look over the orchard trees, and cut away superfluous wood and dead branches. let the boughs and shoots stand clear of each other, that the air may pass between, and the fruit will be better flavoured. this management is required for old trees: those that are newly planted are to be preserved by covering the ground about their roots. orgeat. boil a quart of new milk with a stick of cinnamon, sweeten it to taste, and let it cool. then pour it gradually over three ounces of almonds, and twenty bitter almonds that have been blanched and beaten to a paste, with a little water to prevent oiling. boil all together, and stir it till cold, then add half a glass of brandy.--another way. blanch and pound three quarters of a pound of almonds, and thirty bitter ones, with a spoonful of water. stir in by degrees two pints of water, and three pints of milk, and strain the whole through a cloth. dissolve half a pound of fine sugar in a pint of water, boil and skim it well; mix it with the other, adding two spoonfuls of orange-flower water, and a teacupful of the best brandy. orgeat for the sick. beat two ounces of almonds with a tea-spoonful of orange-flower water, and a bitter almond or two; then pour a quart of milk and water to the paste. sweeten with sugar, or capillaire. this is a fine drink for those who feel a weakness in the chest. in the gout also it is highly useful, and with the addition of half an ounce of gum arabic, it has been found to allay the painfulness of the attendant heat. half a glass of brandy may be added, if thought too cooling in the latter complaint, and the glass of orgeat may be put into a basin of warm water. ortolans. pick and singe, but do not draw them. tie them on a bird spit, and roast them. some persons like slices of bacon tied between them, but the taste of it spoils the flavour of the ortolan. cover them with crumbs of bread. ox cheek. soak half a head three hours, and clean it in plenty of water. take off all the meat, and put it into a stewpan with an onion, a sprig of sweet herbs, pepper, salt, and allspice. lay the bones on the top, pour on two or three quarts of water, and close it down. let it stand eight or ten hours in a slow oven, or simmer it on a hot hearth. when tender skim off the fat, and put in celery, or any other vegetable. slices of fried onion may be put into it a little before it is taken from the fire. ox cheek soup. break the bones of the cheek, wash it clean, put it into a stewpan, with a piece of butter at the bottom. add half a pound of lean ham sliced, one parsnip, two carrots, three onions, four heads of celery, cut small, and three blades of mace. set it over a slow fire for a quarter of an hour, then add a gallon of water, and simmer it gently till reduced to half the quantity. if intended as soup only, strain it off, and put in a head of sliced celery, with a little browning, to give it a fine colour. warm two ounces of vermicelli and put into it; boil it ten minutes, and pour it into a tureen, with the crust of a french roll. if to be used as stew, take up the cheek as whole as possible; put in a boiled carrot cut in small pieces, a slice of toasted bread, and some cayenne pepper. strain the soup through a hair sieve upon the meat, and serve it up. ox feet. these are very nutricious, in whatever way they are dressed. if to be eaten warm, boil them, and serve them up in a napkin. melted butter for sauce, with mustard, and a large spoonful of vinegar. or broil them very tender, and serve them as a brown fricassee. the liquor will do to make jelly sweet or relishing, and likewise to give richness to soups or gravies. they may also be fried, after being cut into four parts, dipped in egg, and properly floured. fried onions may be served round the dish, with sauce as above. or they may be baked for mock turtle. if to be eaten cold, they only require mustard, pepper, and vinegar.--another way. extract the bones from the feet, and boil the meat quite tender; then put it into a fryingpan with a little butter. after a few minutes, add some chopped mint and parsley, the yolks of two eggs beat up fine, half a pint of gravy, the juice of a lemon, and a little salt and nutmeg. put the meat into a dish, and pour the sauce over it. ox feet jelly. take a heel that has been only scalded, not boiled, slit it in two, and remove the fat from between the claws. simmer it gently for eight hours in a quart of water, till reduced to a pint and half, and skim it clean while it is doing. this strong jelly is useful in making calves' feet jelly, or may be added to mock turtle, and other soups. ox palates. boil them tender, blanch and scrape them. rub them with pepper, salt, and bread, and fry them brown on both sides. pour off the fat, put beef or mutton gravy into the stewpan for sauce, with an anchovy, a little lemon juice, grated nutmeg and salt. thicken it with butter rolled in flour: when these have simmered a quarter of an hour, dish them up, and garnish with slices of lemon. oxford dumplins. mix together two ounces of grated bread, four ounces of currants, the same of shred suet, a bit of lump sugar, a little powdered pimento, and plenty of grated lemon peel. add two eggs and a little milk; then divide the whole into five dumplins, and fry them of a fine yellow brown. made with half the quantity of flour, instead of bread, they are very excellent. serve them up with sweet sauce. oxford sausages. chop a pound and a half of pork, and the same of veal, cleared of skin and sinews. add three quarters of a pound of beef suet, mince and mix them together. steep the crumb of a penny loaf in water, and mix it with the meat; add also a little dried sage, pepper and salt. oyster loaves. open a quart of fresh oysters, wash and stew them in their own liquor, with two anchovies, a bunch of sweet herbs, a blade of mace, and a bit of lemon peel. drain off the liquor, boil up a quarter of a pound of butter till it turns brown; add half a spoonful of flour, and boil it up again. put in some of the oyster liquor, with a little gravy, white wine, mace, nutmeg, a few cloves, and a small piece of shalot. stew all together till it becomes as thick as cream; then put in the oysters, and stew them a few minutes. fry some bread crumbs in butter or sweet dripping till they are crisp and brown, drain them well, put in the oysters, and dish them up.--another. open the oysters, and save the liquor; wash them in it, and strain it through a sieve. put a little of the liquor into a tosser, with a bit of butter and flour, white pepper, a scrape of nutmeg, and a little cream. stew the oysters in the liquor, cut them into dice, and then put them into rolls sold for the purpose. oyster patties. put a fine puff-crust into small pattipans, and cover with paste, with a bit of bread in each. while they are baking, take off the beard of the oysters, cut the oysters small, put them in a small tosser, with a dust of grated nutmeg, white pepper and salt, a taste of lemon peel, shred as fine as possible, a spoonful of cream, and a little of the oyster liquor. simmer them together a few minutes, and fill the pattipans as soon as they are baked, first taking out the bread. a bread crust should be put into all patties, to keep them hollow while baking. oyster pie. open the oysters, take off the beards, parboil the oysters, and strain off the liquor. parboil some sweetbreads, cut them in slices, place them in layers with the oysters, and season very lightly with salt, pepper and mace. then add half a teacup of liquor, and the same of gravy. bake in a slow oven; and before the pie is sent to table, put in a teacup of cream, a little more oyster liquor, and a cup of white gravy, all warmed together, but not boiled. oyster sauce. save the liquor in opening the oysters, boil it with the beards, a bit of mace and lemon peel. in the mean time, throw the oysters into cold water, and drain it off. strain the liquor, put it into a saucepan with the oysters, and as much butter, mixed with a little milk, as will make sauce enough; but first rub a little flour with it. set them over the fire, and keep stirring all the time. when the butter has boiled once or twice, take them off, and keep the saucepan near the fire, but not on it; for if done too much, the oysters will be hard. squeeze in a little lemon juice, and serve it up. if for company, a little cream is a great improvement. observe, the oysters will thin the sauce, and therefore allow butter accordingly. oyster soup. beat the yolks of ten hard eggs, and the hard part of two quarts of oysters, in a mortar, and put them to two quarts of fish stock. simmer all together for half an hour, and strain it off. having cleared the oysters of the beards, and washed them well, put them into the soup, and let it simmer five minutes. beat up the yolks of six raw eggs, and add them to the soup. stir it all well together one way, by the side of the fire, till it is thick and smooth, but do not let it boil. serve up all together. oyster mouth soup. make a rich mutton broth, with two large onions, three blades of mace, and a little black pepper. when strained, pour it on a hundred and fifty oysters, without the beards, and a bit of butter rolled in flour. simmer it gently a quarter of an hour, and serve up the soup. oysters. of the several kinds of oysters, the pyfleet, colchester, and milford, are much the best. the native milton are fine, being white and fleshy; but others may be made to possess both these qualities in some degree, by proper feeding. colchester oysters come to market early in august, the milton in october, and are in the highest perfection about christmas, but continue in season till the middle of may. when alive and good, the shell closes on the knife; but if an oyster opens its mouth, it will soon be good for nothing. oysters should be eaten the minute they are opened, with their own liquor in the under shell, or the delicious flavour will be lost. the rock oyster is the largest, but if eaten raw it tastes coarse and brackish, but may be improved by feeding. in order to do this, cover the oysters with clean water, and allow a pint of salt to about two gallons; this will cleanse them from the mud and sand contracted in the bed. after they have lain twelve hours, change it for fresh salt and water; and in twelve hours more they will be fit to eat, and will continue in a good state for two or three days. at the time of high water in the place from whence they were taken, they will open their shells, in expectation of receiving their usual food. the real colchester or pyfleet barrelled oysters, that are packed at the beds, are better without being put into water; they are carefully and tightly packed, and must not be disturbed till wanted for the table. in temperate weather these will keep good for a week or ten days. to preserve barrelled oysters however, the best way is to remove the upper hoop, so that the head may fall down upon the oysters, and then to place a weight upon it. this will compress the oysters, keep in the liquor, and preserve them for several days. p. pain in the ear. this complaint is sometimes so prevalent as to resemble an epidemic, particularly amongst children. the most effectual remedy yet discovered has been a clove of garlic, steeped for a few minutes in warm sallad oil, and put into the ear, rolled up in muslin or fine linen. when the garlic has accomplished its object, and is removed from the ear, it should be replaced with cotton, to prevent the patient taking cold. paint. painted doors and windows may be made to look well for a considerable time, if properly cleaned. a cloth should never be used, for it leaves some lint behind; but take off the dust with a painter's brush, or a pair of bellows. when the painting is soiled or stained, dip a sponge or a bit of flannel in soda water, wash it off quickly, and dry it immediately, or the strength of the soda will eat off the colour. when wainscot requires scouring, it should be done from the top downwards, and the soda be prevented from running on the uncleaned part as much as possible, or marks will appear after the whole is finished. one person should dry the board with old linen, as fast as the other has scoured off the dirt, and washed away the soda. paint for iron. for preserving palisadoes and other kinds of iron work exposed to the weather, heat some common litharge in a shovel over the fire. then scatter over it a small quantity of sulphur, and grind it in oil. this lead will reduce it to a good lead colour, which will dry very quickly, get remarkably hard, and resist the weather better than any other common paint. paintings. oil paintings frequently become smoked or dirty, and in order to their being properly cleaned, require to be treated with the greatest care. dissolve a little common salt in some stale urine, dip a woollen cloth in the liquid, and rub the paintings over with it till they are quite clean. then wash them with a sponge and clean water, dry them gradually, and rub them over with a clean cloth. paling preserved. the following cheap and valuable composition will preserve all sorts of wood work exposed to the vicissitudes of the weather. take some well-burnt lime, and expose it to the air till it falls to powder, without putting any water to it, and mix with it two thirds of wood ashes, and one third of fine sand. sift the whole through a fine sieve, and work it up with linseed oil to the consistence of common paint, taking care to grind it fine, and mix it well together. the composition may be improved by the addition of an equal quantity of coal tar with the linseed oil; and two coats of it laid on any kind of weather boards, will be found superior to any kind of paint used for that purpose. palpitation of the heart. persons of a full habit may find relief in bleeding; but where it is accompanied with nervous affections, as is generally the case, bleeding must by all means be avoided. frequent bathing the feet in warm water, a stimulating plaster applied to the left side, and gentle exercise, are the most proper. palsy. the luxurious, the sedentary, and those who have suffered great anxiety and distress of mind, are the most subject to this disorder, which generally attacks the left side, and is attended with numbness and drowsiness. the parts affected ought to be frequently rubbed with a flesh brush, or with the hand. blisters, warm plasters, volatile liniments, and electricity should likewise be employed. the following electuary is also recommended. mix an ounce of flour of mustard, and an ounce of the conserve of roses, in some syrup of ginger; and take a tea-spoonful of it three or four times a day. panada. to make panada in five minutes, set a little water on the fire with a glass of white wine, some sugar, and a scrape of nutmeg and lemon peel, grating meanwhile some crumbs of bread. the moment the mixture boils up, keeping it still on the fire, put in the crumbs, and let it boil as fast as it can. when of a proper thickness just to drink, take it off.--another way. make the panada as above, but instead of a glass of wine, put in a tea-spoonful of rum, a little butter and sugar. this makes a very pleasant article for the sick.--another. put into the water a bit of lemon peel, and mix in the crumbs: when nearly boiled enough, add some lemon or orange syrup. observe to boil all the ingredients; for if any be added after, the panada will break, and not turn to jelly. pancakes. make a light batter of eggs, flour, and milk. fry it in a small pan, in hot dripping or lard. salt, nutmeg, or ginger, may be added. sugar and lemon should be served, to eat with them. when eggs are very scarce, the batter may be made of flour and small beer, with the addition of a little ginger; or clean snow, with flour, and a very little milk, will serve instead of egg. fine pancakes, fried without butter or lard, are made as follows. beat six fresh eggs extremely well, strain and mix them with a pint of cream, four ounces of sugar, a glass of wine, half a nutmeg grated, and as much flour as will make it almost as thick as ordinary pancake batter, but not quite. heat the fryingpan tolerably hot, wipe it with a clean cloth, and pour in the batter so as to make the pancakes thin.--new england pancakes are made of a pint of cream, mixed with five spoonfuls of fine flour, seven yolks and four whites of eggs, and a very little salt. they are then fried very thin in fresh butter, and sent to table six or eight at once, with sugar and cinnamon strewed between them.--another way to make cream pancakes. stir a pint of cream gradually into three spoonfuls of flour, and beat them very smooth. add to this six eggs, half a pound of melted butter, and a little sugar. these pancakes will fry from their own richness, without either butter or lard. run the batter over the pan as thin as possible, and when the pancakes are just coloured they are done enough. pap bread. to prepare a light nourishing food for young children, pour scalding water on some thin slices of good white bread, and let it stand uncovered till it cools. then drain off the water, bruise the bread fine, and mix it with as much new milk as will make a pap of a moderate thickness. it will be warm enough for use, without setting it on the fire. it is common to add sugar, but the pap is better without it, as is almost all food intended for children; and the taste will not require it, till habit makes it familiar. paper. all sorts of paper improve by keeping, if laid in a dry place, and preserved from mould and damp. it is bought much cheaper by the ream, than by the quire. the expense of this article is chiefly occasioned by the enormous duty laid upon it, and the necessity of importing foreign rags to supply the consumption. if more care were taken in families generally, to preserve the rags and cuttings of linen from being wasted, there would be less need of foreign imports, and paper might be manufactured a little cheaper. paper hangings. to clean these properly, first blow off the dust with the bellows, and then wipe the paper downwards in the slightest manner with the crumb of a stale white loaf. do not cross the paper, nor go upwards, but begin at the top, and the dirt of the paper and the crumbs will fall together. observe not to wipe more than half a yard at a stroke, and after doing all the upper part, go round again, beginning a little above where you left off. if it be not done very lightly, the dirt will adhere to the paper; but if properly attended to, the paper will look fresh and new. paper paste. to make a strong paste for paper, take two large spoonfuls of fine flour, and as much pounded rosin as will lie upon a shilling. mix them up with as much strong beer as will make the paste of a due consistence, and boil it half an hour. it is best used cold. parsley. to preserve parsley through the winter, gather some fine fresh sprigs in may, june, or july. pick and wash them clean, set on a stewpan half full of water, put a little salt in it, boil and scum it clean. then add the parsley, let it boil for two minutes, and take it out and lay it on a sieve before the fire, that it may be dried as quick as possible. put it by in a tin box, and keep it in a dry place. when wanted, lay it in a basin, and cover it with warm water for a few minutes before you use it. parsley and butter. wash some parsley very clean, and pick it carefully leaf by leaf. put a tea-spoonful of salt into half a pint of boiling water, boil the parsley in it about ten minutes, drain it on a sieve, mince it quite fine, and then, bruise it to a pulp. put it into a sauce boat, and mix with it by degrees about half a pint of good melted butter, only do not put so much flour to it, as the parsley will be sure to add to its thickness. parsley and butter should not be poured over boiled dishes, but be sent up in a boat. the delicacy of this elegant and innocent relish, depends upon the parsley being minced very fine. with the addition of a slice of lemon cut into dice, a little allspice and vinegar, it is made into dutch sauce. parsley pie. lay a fowl, or a few bones of the scrag of veal, seasoned, into a dish. scald a cullenderful of picked parsley in milk; season it, and add it to the fowl or meat, with a tea-cupful of any sort of good broth or gravy. when baked, pour into it a quarter of a pint of cream scalded, with a little bit of butter and flour. shake it round, and mix it with the gravy in the dish. lettuces, white mustard leaves, or spinach, well scalded, may be added to the parsley. parsley sauce. when no parsley leaves are to be had, tie up a little parsley seed in a piece of clean muslin, and boil it in water ten minutes. use this water to melt the butter, and throw into it a little boiled spinach minced, to look like parsley. parsnips. carrots and parsnips, when laid up for the winter, should have the tops cut off close, be cleared of the rough earth, and kept in a dry place. lay a bed of dry sand on the floor, two or three inches thick, put the roots upon it close together, with the top of one to the bottom of the next, and so on. cover the first layer with sand two inches thick, and then place another layer of roots, and go on thus till the whole store are laid up. cover the heap with dry straw, laid on tolerably thick. beet roots, salsify, hamburgh parsley roots, horseradish, and turnips, should all be laid up in the same manner, as a supply against frosty weather, when they cannot be got out of the ground. parsnips boiled. these require to be done very tender, and may be served whole with melted butter, or beaten smooth in a bowl, warmed up with a little cream, butter, flour, and salt. parsnips are highly nutricious, and make an agreeable sauce to salt fish. parsnips fricasseed. boil them in milk till they are soft. then cut them lengthways into bits, two or three inches long, and simmer them in a white sauce, made of two spoonfuls of broth. add a bit of mace, half a cupful of cream, a little flour and butter, pepper and salt. parsnip wine. to twelve pounds of sliced parsnips, add four gallons of water, and boil them till they become soft. squeeze the liquor well out of them, run it through a sieve, and add to every gallon three pounds of lump sugar. boil the whole three quarters of an hour, and when it is nearly cold, add a little yeast. let it stand in a tub for ten days, stirring it from the bottom every day, and then put it into a cask for twelve months. as it works over, fill it up every day. partridge boiled. this species of game is in season in the autumn. if the birds be young, the bill is of a dark colour, and the legs inclined to yellow. when fresh and good, the vent will be firm; but when stale, this part will look greenish. boiled partridges require to be trussed the same as chickens: from twenty to twenty-five minutes will do them sufficiently. serve them up with either white or brown mushroom sauce, or with rice stewed in gravy, made pretty thick, and seasoned with pepper and salt. pour the sauce over them, or serve them up with celery sauce. a boiled pheasant is dressed in the same manner, allowing three quarters of an hour for the cooking. partridge pie. pick and singe four partridges, cut off the legs at the knee, season with pepper, salt, chopped parsley, thyme, and mushrooms. lay a veal steak and a slice of ham at the bottom of the dish, put in the partridge, and half a pint of good broth. lay puff paste on the edge of the dish, and cover with the same; brush it over with egg, and bake it an hour. partridge soup. skin two old partridges, and cut them into pieces, with three or four slices of ham, a stick of celery, and three large onions sliced. fry them all in butter till brown, but take care not to burn them. then put them into a stewpan, with five pints of boiling water, a few peppercorns, a shank or two of mutton, and a little salt. stew it gently two hours, strain it through a sieve, and put it again into a stewpan, with some stewed celery and fried bread. when it is near boiling, skim it, pour it into a tureen, and send it up hot. paste puddings. make a paste of butter and flour, roll it out thin, and spread any kind of jam, or currants over it, with some suet chopped fine. roll it up together, close the paste at both ends, and boil it in a cloth. pastry. an adept in pastry never leaves any part of it adhering to the board or dish, used in making it. it is best when rolled on marble, or a very large slate. in very hot weather, the butter should be put into cold water to make it as firm as possible; and if made early in the morning, and preserved from the air until it is to be baked, the pastry will be found much better. an expert hand will use much less butter and produce lighter crust than others. good salt butter well washed, will make a fine flaky crust. when preserved fruits are used in pastry, they should not be baked long; and those that have been done with their full proportion of sugar, require no baking at all. the crust should be baked in a tin shape, and the fruit be added afterwards; or it may be put into a small dish or tart pans, and the covers be baked on a tin cut out into any form. patties. slice some chicken, turkey, or veal, with dressed ham, or sirloin of beef. add some parsley, thyme, and lemon peel, chopped very fine. pound all together in a mortar, and season with salt and white pepper. line the pattipans with puff paste, fill them with meat, lay on the paste, close the edges, cut the paste round, brush it over with egg, and bake the patties twenty minutes. pavements. for cleaning stone stairs, and hall pavements, boil together half a pint each of size and stone-blue water, with two table-spoonfuls of whiting, and two cakes of pipe-clay, in about two quarts of water.--wash the stones over with a flannel slightly wetted in this mixture; and when dry, rub them with a flannel and brush. payment of rent. rent due for tenements let from year to year, is commonly paid on the four quarter days; and when the payments are regularly made at the quarter, the tenant cannot be deprived of possession at any other time than at the end of a complete year from the commencement of his tenancy. if therefore he took possession at midsummer, he must quit at midsummer, and notice thereof must be sent at or before the preceding christmas. a similar notice is also required from the tenant to the landlord, when it is intended to leave the premises.--every quarter's rent is deemed a separate debt, for which the landlord can bring a separate action, or distress for nonpayment. the landlord himself is the proper person to demand rent: if he employs another person, he must be duly authorised by power of attorney, clearly specifying the person from whom, and the premises for which the rent is due: or the demand will be insufficient, if the tenant should be inclined to evade payment. the following is the form of a receipt for rent:--'received of r. c. february , , the sum of ten pounds twelve shillings for a quarter's rent, due at christmas last.' '£ j. w. m.' pea fowl. these require to be fed the same as turkeys. they are generally so shy, that they are seldom to be found for some days after hatching; and it is very wrong to pursue them, as many ignorant people do, under the idea of bringing them home. it only causes the hen to carry the young ones through dangerous places, and by hurrying she is apt to tread upon them. the cock bird kills all the young chickens he can get at, by one blow on the centre of the head with his bill, and he does the same by his own brood, before the feathers of the crown come out. nature therefore directs the hen to hide and keep them out of his way, till the feathers rise. pea powder. pound together in a marble mortar half an ounce each of dried mint and sage, a dram of celery seed, and a quarter of a dram of cayenne, and rub them through a fine sieve. this gives a very savoury relish to pea soup, and to water gruel. a dram of allspice, or black pepper, may be pounded with the above, as an addition, or instead of the cayenne. peach wine. take peaches, apricots, and nectarines, when they are full of juice, pare them, and take out the stones. then slice them thin, pour over them from one to two gallons of water, and a quart of white wine. simmer the whole gently for a considerable time, till the sliced fruit becomes soft. pour off the liquid part into another vessel, containing more peaches that have been sliced but not heated; let them stand for twelve hours, then pour out the liquid part, and press what remains through a fine hair bag. let the whole be now put into a cask to ferment, and add a pound and a half of loaf sugar to each gallon. boil an ounce of beaten cloves in a quart of white wine, and put it into the cask; the morella wine will have a delicious flavour. wine may be made of apricots by only bruising, and pouring the hot water upon them: this wine does not require so much sweetening. to give it a curious flavour, boil an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of nutmegs, in a quart of white wine; and when the wine is fermenting, pour the liquid in hot. in about twenty days or a month, these wines will be fit for bottling. pearl barley pudding. cleanse a pound of pearl barley, and put to it three quarts of milk, half a pound of sugar, and a grated nutmeg. bake it in a deep pan, take it out of the oven, and beat up six eggs with it. then butter a dish, pour in the pudding, and bake it again an hour. pearls. to make artificial pearls, take the blay or bleak fish, which is very common in the rivers near london, and scrape off the fine silvery scales from the belly. wash and rub them in water; let the water settle, and a sediment will be found of an oily consistence. a little of this is to be dropped into a hollow glass bead of a bluish tint, and shaken about, so as to cover all the internal surface. after this the bead is filled up with melted white wax, to give it weight and solidity. pears. large ones, when intended to be kept, should be tied and hung up by the stalk. peas. young green peas, well dressed, are one of the greatest delicacies of the vegetable kingdom. they must be quite young; it is equally indispensable that they be fresh gathered, and cooked as soon as they are shelled, for they soon lose both their colour and sweetness. of course they should never be purchased ready shelled. to have them in perfection, they must be gathered the same day that they are dressed, and be put on to boil within half an hour after they are shelled. as large and small peas cannot be boiled together, the small ones should be separated from the rest, by being passed through a riddle or coarse sieve. for a peck of young peas, which will not be more than sufficient for two or three persons, after they are shelled, set on a saucepan with a gallon of water. when it boils, put in the peas with a table-spoonful of salt. skim it well, keep them quickly boiling from twenty to thirty minutes, according to their age and size. to judge whether they are done enough, take some out with a spoon and taste them, but be careful not to boil them beyond the point of perfection. when slightly indented, and done enough, drain them on a hair sieve. put them into a pie dish, and lay some small bits of butter on the peas; put another dish over them, and turn them over and over, in order to diffuse the butter equally among them. or send them to table plain from the saucepan, with melted butter in a sauce tureen. garnish the dish with a few sprigs of mint, boiled by themselves. peas and bacon. cut a piece of nice streaked bacon, lay it in water to take out some of the salt, and boil it with some dried peas, in a little water. add two carrots or parsnips, two onions, and a bunch of sweet herbs. when the peas are done enough, pulp them through a cullender or sieve, and serve them over the bacon. peas cultivated. instead of sowing peas in straight rows, they should be formed into circles of three or four feet diameter, with a space of two feet between each circle. by this means they will blossom nearer the ground, than when enclosed in long rows, and will ripen much sooner. or if set in straight rows, a bed of ten or twelve feet wide should be left between, for onions and carrots, or any crops which do not grow tall. the peas will not be drawn up so much, but will grow stronger, and be more productive. scarlet beans should be treated in the same manner. peas and pork. two pounds of the belly part of pickled pork will make very good broth for peas soup, if the pork be not too salt. if it has been in salt several days, it must be laid in water the night before it is used. put on three quarts of soft water, or liquor in which meat has been boiled, with a quart of peas, and let it boil gently for two hours. then put in the pork, and let it simmer for an hour or more, till it is quite tender. when done, wash the pork clean in hot water, send it up in a dish, or cut into small pieces and put with the soup into the tureen. peas porridge. boil the peas, and pulp them through a cullender. heat them up in a saucepan with some butter, chopped parsley and chives, and season with pepper and salt. peas pudding. soak the peas an hour or two before they are boiled; and when nearly done, beat them up with salt and pepper, an egg, and a bit of butter. tie it up in a cloth, and boil it half an hour. peas soup. save the liquor of boiled pork or beef: if too salt, dilute it with water, or use fresh water only, adding the bones of roast beef, a ham or gammon bone, or an anchovy or two. simmer these with some good whole or split peas; the smaller the quantity of water at first the better. continue to simmer till the peas will pulp through a cullender; then set on the pulp to stew, with more of the liquor that boiled the peas, two carrots, a turnip, a leek, and a stick of chopped celery, till all is quite tender. the last requires less time, an hour will do it. when ready, put into a tureen some fried bread cut into dice, dried mint rubbed fine, pepper and salt if needed, and pour in the soup. when there is plenty of vegetables, no meat is necessary; but if meat be preferred, a pig's foot or ham bone may be boiled with the peas, which is called the stock. more butter than is above mentioned will be necessary, if the soup is required to be very rich. pencil drawings. to prevent chalk or pencil drawings from rubbing out, it is only necessary to lay them on the surface of some skim milk, free from cream and grease; and then taking off the drawing expeditiously, and hanging it up by one corner to dry. a thin wash of isinglass will also answer the same purpose. pepper pot. to three quarts of water, put any approved vegetables; in summer, peas, lettuce, spinach, and two or three onions; in winter, carrot, turnip, onions, and celery. cut them very small, and stew them with two pounds of neck of mutton, and a pound of pickled pork. half an hour before serving, clear a lobster or crab from the shell, and put it into the stew, adding a little salt and cayenne. some people choose very small suet dumplings, boiled in the above, or fowl may be used instead of mutton. a pepper pot may indeed be made of various things, and is understood to consist of a proper mixture of fish, flesh, fowl, vegetables, and pulse. a small quantity of rice should be boiled with the whole. peppermint drops. pound and sift four ounces of double-refined sugar, and beat it with the whites of two eggs till perfectly smooth. then add sixty drops of oil of peppermint; beat it well, drop it on white paper, and dry it at a distance from the fire. perch. when of a good size, as in holland, they are a remarkably fine fresh-water fish, though not so delicate as carp or tench. clean them carefully, and if to be boiled, put them into a fish-kettle, with as much cold spring water as will cover them, and add a handful of salt. set them on a quick fire till they boil, and then place them on one side to boil gently for about ten minutes, according to their size. if to be fried, wipe them on a dry cloth, after they have been well cleaned and washed, and flour them lightly all over. fry them about ten minutes in hot lard or dripping, lay them on a hair sieve to drain, and send them up on a hot dish. garnish with sprigs of green parsley, and serve them with anchovy sauce. perfumery. oil of lavender and other essences are frequently adulterated with a mixture of the oil of turpentine, which may be discovered by dipping a piece of paper or rag into the oil to be tried, and holding it to the fire. the fine scented oil will quickly evaporate, and leave the smell of the turpentine distinguishable, if the essence has been adulterated with this ingredient. permanent ink. this useful article for marking linen is composed of nitrate of silver, or lunar caustic, and the tincture or infusion of galls; in the proportion of one dram of the former in a dry state, to two drams of the latter. the linen, cotton, or other fabric, must be first wetted with the following liquid; namely, an ounce of the salt of tartar, dissolved in an ounce and a half of water; and must be perfectly dry before any attempt is made to write upon it. pettitoes. boil them very gently in a small quantity of water, along with the liver and the heart. then cut the meat fine, split the feet, and simmer them till they are quite tender. thicken with a bit of butter, a little flour, a spoonful of cream, and a little pepper and salt. give it a boil up, pour the liquor over a sippets of bread, and place the feet on the mince. pewter and tin. dish covers and pewter requisites should be wiped dry immediately after being used, and kept free from steam or damp, which would prevent much of the trouble in cleaning them. where the polish is gone off, let the articles be first rubbed on the outside with a little sweet oil laid on a piece of soft linen cloth. then clear it off with pure whitening on linen cloths, which will restore the polish. pheasants. the cock bird is reckoned the best, except when the hen is with egg. if young, its spurs are short and blunt; but if old, they are long and sharp. a large pheasant will require three quarters of an hour to boil; if small, half an hour. if for roasting, it should be done the same as a turkey. serve it up with a fine gravy, including a very small piece of garlic, and bread sauce or fried bread crumbs instead. when cold the meat may be made into excellent patties, but its flavour should not be overpowered with lemon. for the manner of trussing a pheasant or partridge, see plate. phosphoric match bottle. two thirds of calcined oyster shells, and one third of sulphur, put into a hot crucible for an hour, and afterwards exposed to the air for half an hour, become phosphorus. this is put into a bottle, and when used to procure a light, a very small quantity is taken out on the point of a common match, and rubbed upon a cork, which produces an immediate flame. if a small piece of phosphorus be put into a vial, and a little boiling oil poured upon it, a luminous bottle will be formed; for on taking out the cork, to admit the atmospheric air, the empty space in the vial will become luminous; and if the bottle be well closed, it will preserve its illuminative power for several months. pickle. for hams, tongues, or beef, a pickle may be made that will keep for years, if boiled and skimmed as often as it is used. provide a deep earthen glazed pan that will hold four gallons, having a cover that will fit close. put into it two gallons of spring water, two pounds of coarse sugar, two pounds of bay salt, two pounds and a half of common salt, and half a pound of salt petre. keep the beef or hams as long as they will bear, before they are put into the pickle; sprinkle them with coarse sugar in a pan, and let them drain. then rub them well with the pickle, and pack them in close, putting as much as the pan will hold, so that the pickle may cover them. the pickle is not to be boiled at first. a small ham may be fourteen days, a large one three weeks, a tongue twelve days, and beef in proportion to its size. they will eat well out of the pickle without drying. when they are to be dried, let each be drained over the pan; and when it will drop no longer, take a clean sponge and dry it thoroughly. six or eight hours will smoke them, and there should be only a little saw-dust and wet straw used for this purpose; but if put into a baker's chimney, they should be sown up in a coarse cloth, and hang a week. pickles. the free or frequent use of pickles is by no means to be recommended, where any regard is paid to health. in general they are the mere vehicles for taking a certain portion of vinegar and spice, and in the crisp state in which they are most admired are often indigestible, and of course pernicious. the pickle made to preserve cucumbers and mangoes, is generally so strongly impregnated with garlic, mustard, and spice, that the original flavour of the vegetable, is quite overpowered, and the vegetable itself becomes the mere absorbent of these foreign ingredients. but if pickles must still be regarded for the sake of the palate, whatever becomes of the stomach, it will be necessary to watch carefully the proper season for gathering and preparing the various articles intended to be preserved. frequently it happens, after the first week that walnuts come in season, that they become hard and shelled, especially if the weather be hot and dry; it is therefore necessary to purchase them as soon as they first appear at market; or in the course of a few months after being pickled, the nuts may be found incased in an impenetrable shell. the middle of july is generally the proper time to look for green walnuts. nasturtiums are to be had about the same. garlic and shalots, from midsummer to michaelmas. onions of various kinds for pickling, are in season by the middle of july, and for a month after. gherkins, cucumbers, melons, and mangoes, are to be had by the middle of july, and for a month after. green, red, and yellow capsicums, the end of july, and following month. chilies, tomatas, cauliflowers, and artichokes, towards the end of july, and throughout august. jerusalem artichokes for pickling, july and august, and for three months after. french beans and radish pods, in july. mushrooms, for pickling and for ketchup, in september. red cabbage, and samphire, in august. white cabbage, in september and october. horseradish, november and december.--pickles, when put down, require to be kept with great care, closely covered. when wanted for use they should be taken out of the jar with a wooden spoon, pierced with holes, the use of metal in this case being highly improper. pickles should be well kept from the air, and seldom opened. small jars should be kept for those more frequently in use, that what is not eaten may be returned into the jar, and the top kept closely covered. in preparing vinegar for pickles, it should not be boiled in metal saucepans, but in a stone jar, on a hot hearth, as the acid will dissolve or corrode the metal, and infuse into the pickle an unwholesome ingredient. for the same reason pickles should never be put into glazed jars, as salt and vinegar will penetrate the glaze, and render it poisonous. pickled asparagus. cut some asparagus, and lay it in an earthen pot. make a brine of salt and water, strong enough to bear an egg; pour it hot on the asparagus, and let it be closely covered. when it is to be used, lay it for two hours in cold water; boil and serve it up on a toast, with melted butter over it. if to be used as a pickle, boil it as it comes out of the brine, and lay it in vinegar. pickled bacon. for two tolerable flitches, dry a stone of salt over the fire, till it is scalding hot. beat fine two ounces of saltpetre, and two pounds of bay salt well dried, and mix them with some of the heated salt. rub the bacon first with that, and then with the rest; put it into a tub, and keep it close from the air. pickled beet root. boil the roots till three parts done, or set them into a cool oven till they are softened. cut them into slices of an inch thick, cover them with vinegar, adding some allspice, a few cloves, a little mace, black pepper, horseradish sliced, some onions, shalots, a little pounded ginger, and some salt. boil these ingredients together twenty minutes, and when cold, add to them a little bruised cochineal. put the slices of beet into jars, pour the pickle upon them, and tie the jars down close. pickled cabbage. slice a hard red cabbage into a cullender, and sprinkle each layer with salt. let it drain two days, then put it into a jar, cover it with boiling vinegar, and add a few slices of red beet-root. the purple red cabbage makes the finest colour. those who like the flavour of spice, will boil some with the vinegar. cauliflower cut in branches, and thrown in after being salted, will look of a beautiful red. pickled carrots. half boil some middle sized yellowish carrots, cut them into any shape, and let them cool. take as much vinegar as will cover them, boil it with a little salt, and a pennyworth of saffron tied in a piece of muslin. put the carrots into a jar; when the pickle is cold, pour it upon them, and cover the jar close. let it stand all night, then pour off the pickle, and boil it with jamaica pepper, mace, cloves, and a little salt. when cold, pour it upon the carrots, and tie them up for use. pickled cucumbers. cut them into thick slices, and sprinkle salt over them. next day drain them for five or six hours, then put them into a stone jar, pour boiling vinegar over them, and keep them in a warm place. repeat the boiling vinegar, and stop them up again instantly, and so on till quite green. then add peppercorns and ginger, and keep them in small stone jars. cucumbers are best pickled with sliced onions. pickled gherkins. select some sound young cucumbers, spread them on dishes, salt and let them lie a week. drain and put them in a jar, pouring boiling vinegar over them. set them near the fire, covered with plenty of vine leaves. if they do not come to a tolerably good green, pour the vinegar into another jar, set it on a hot hearth, and when the vinegar boils, pour it over them again, and cover them with fresh leaves. repeat this operation as often as is necessary, to bring the pickle to a good colour. too many persons have made pickles of a very fine green, by using brass or bellmetal kettles; but as this is highly poisonous, the practice ought never to be attempted. pickled ham. after it has been a week in the pickle, boil a pint of vinegar, with two ounces of bay salt. pour it hot on the ham, and baste it every day; it may then remain in the brine two or three weeks. pickled herring. procure them as fresh as possible, split them open, take off the heads, and trim off all the thin parts. put them into salt and water for one hour, drain and wipe the fish, and put them into jars, with the following preparation, which is enough for six dozen herrings. take salt and bay salt one pound each, saltpetre and lump sugar two ounces each, and powder and mix the whole together. put a layer of the mixture at the bottom of the jar, then a layer of fish with the skin side downwards; so continue alternately till the jar is full. press it down, and cover it close: in two or three months they will be fit for use. pickled lemons. they should be small, and with thick rinds. rub them with a piece of flannel, and slit them half down in four quarters, but not through to the pulp. fill the openings with salt hard pressed in, set them upright in a pan for four or five days, until the salt melts, and turn them thrice a day in their own liquor till quite tender. make enough pickle to cover them, of rape vinegar, the brine of the lemons, peppercorns, and ginger. boil and skim it; when cold put it to the lemons, with two ounces of mustard seed, and two cloves of garlic to six lemons. when the lemons are to be used, the pickle will be useful in fish or other sauces. pickled mackarel. clean and divide the fish, and cut each side into three; or leave them undivided, and cut each side into five or six pieces. to six large mackarel, take nearly an ounce of pepper, two nutmegs, a little mace, four cloves, and a handful of salt, all finely powdered. mix them together, make holes in each bit of fish, put the seasoning into them, and rub some of it over each piece. fry them brown in oil, and when cold put them into a stone jar, and cover them with vinegar. thus prepared, they will keep for months; and if to be kept longer, pour oil on the top. mackarel preserved this way are called caveach. a more common way is to boil the mackarel after they are cleaned, and then to boil up some of the liquor with a few peppercorns, bay leaves, and a little vinegar; and when the fish is cold, the liquor is poured over them. collared mackarel are prepared the same way as collared eel. pickled melons. take six melons, cut a slice out of them, and scrape out the seeds and pulp quite clean. put them into a tin stewpan with as much water as will cover them; add a small handful of salt, and boil them over a quick fire. when they boil take them off the fire, put them into an earthen pan with the water, and let them stand till the next day. the melons must then be taken out and wiped dry, both within and without. put two small cloves of garlic into each, a little bit of ginger, and bruised mustard seed, enough to fill them. replace the slice that was cut out, and tie it on with a thread. boil some cloves, mace, ginger, pepper, and mustard seed, all bruised, and some garlic, in as much vinegar as will cover them. after a little boiling, pour the whole, boiling-hot, upon the melons. they must be quite covered with the pickle, and tied down close, when cold, with a bladder and leather. they will not be fit for use in less than three or four months, and will keep two or three years. pickled mushrooms. rub the buttons with a piece of flannel, and salt. take out the red inside of the larger ones, and when old and black they will do for pickling. throw some salt over, and put them into a stewpan with mace and pepper. as the liquor comes out, shake them well, and keep them over a gentle fire till all of it be dried into them again. then put as much vinegar into the pan as will cover them, give it one warm, and turn all into a glass or stone jar. mushrooms pickled in this way will preserve their flavour, and keep for two years. pickled nasturtium. take the buds fresh off the plants when they are pretty large, but before they grow hard, and put them into some of the best white wine vinegar, boiled up with such spices as are most agreeable. keep them in a bottle closely stopped, and they will be fit for use in a week or ten days. pickled onions. in the month of september, choose the small white round onions, take off the brown skin, have ready a very nice tin stewpan of boiling water, and throw in as many onions as will cover the top. as soon as they look clear on the outside, take them up with a slice as quick as possible, and lay them on a clean cloth. cover them close with another cloth, and scald some more, and so on. let them lie to be cold, then put them in a jar or wide-mouthed glass bottles, and pour over them the best white-wine vinegar, just hot, but not boiling, and cover them when cold. they must look quite clear; and if the outer skin be shriveled, peel it off. pickled oysters. open four dozen large oysters, wash them in their own liquor, wipe them dry, and strain off the liquor. add a dessert-spoonful of pepper, two blades of mace, a table-spoonful of salt, if the liquor require it; then add three spoonfuls of white wine, and four of vinegar. simmer the oysters a few minutes in the liquor, then put them into small jars, boil up the pickle, and skim it. when cold, pour the liquor over the oysters, and cover them close.--another way. open the oysters, put them into a saucepan with their own liquor for ten minutes, and simmer them very gently. put them into a jar one by one, that none of the grit may stick to them; and when cold, cover them with the pickle thus made. boil the liquor with a bit of mace, lemon peel, and black peppers; and to every hundred of these corns, put two spoonfuls of the best undistilled vinegar. the pickle should be kept in small jars, and tied close with bladder, for the air will spoil them. pickled pigeons. bone them, turn the inside out, and lard it. season with a little salt and allspice in fine powder; then turn them again, and tie the neck and rump with thread. put them into boiling water; when they have boiled a minute or two to make them plump, take them out and dry them well. then put them boiling hot into the pickle, which must be made of equal quantities of white wine and white-wine vinegar, with white pepper and allspice, sliced ginger and nutmeg, and two or three bay leaves. when it boils up, put in the pigeons. if they are small, a quarter of an hour will do them; if large, twenty minutes. then take them out, wipe them, and let them cool. when the pickle is cold, take the fat from it, and put them in again. keep them in a stone jar, tied down with a bladder to keep out the air. instead of larding, put into some a stuffing made of yolks of eggs boiled hard, and marrow in equal quantities, with sweet herbs, pepper, salt, and mace. pickled pork. the hams and shoulders being cut off, take for pickling the quantities proportioned to the middlings of a pretty large hog. mix and pound fine, four ounces of salt petre, a pound of coarse sugar, an ounce of salprunel, and a little common salt. sprinkle the pork with salt, drain it twenty four hours, and then rub it with the above mixture. pack the pieces tight in a small deep tub, filling up the spaces with common salt. place large pebbles on the pork, to prevent it from swimming in the pickle which the salt will produce. if kept from the air it will continue very fine for two years. pickled roses. take two pecks of damask rose buds, pick off the green part, and strew in the bottom of a jar a handful of large bay salt. put in half the roses, and strew a little more bay salt upon them. strip from the stalk a handful of knotted marjoram, a handful of lemon thyme, and as much common thyme. take six pennyworth of benjamin, as much of storax, six orris roots, and a little suet; beat and bruise them all together, and mix them with the stripped herbs. add twenty cloves, a grated nutmeg, the peel of two seville oranges pared thin, and of one lemon shred fine. mix them with the herbs and spices, strew all on the roses, and stir them once in two days till the jar is full. more sweets need not be added, but only roses, orange flowers, or single pinks. pickled salmon. after scaling and cleaning, split the salmon, and divide it into convenient pieces. lay it in the kettle to fill the bottom, and as much water as will cover it. to three quarts add a pint of vinegar, a handful of salt, twelve bay-leaves, six blades of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of black pepper. when the salmon is boiled enough, drain and lay it on a clean cloth; then put more salmon into the kettle, and pour the liquor upon it, and so on till all is done. after this, if the pickle be not smartly flavoured with the vinegar and salt, add more, and boil it quick three quarters of an hour. when all is cold, pack the dish in a deep pot, well covered with the pickle, and kept from the air. the liquor must be drained from the fish, and occasionally boiled and skimmed. pickled samphire. clear the branches of the samphire from the dead leaves, and lay them into a large jar, or small cask. make a strong brine of white or bay salt, skim it clean while it is boiling, and when done let it cool. take the samphire out of the water, and put it into a bottle with a broad mouth. add some strong white-wine vinegar, and keep it well covered down. pickled sturgeon. the following is an excellent imitation of pickled sturgeon. take a fine large turkey, but not old; pick it very nicely, singe, and make it extremely clean. bone and wash it, and tie it across and across with a piece of mat string washed clean. put into a very nice tin saucepan a quart of water, a quart of vinegar, a quart of white wine, not sweet, and a large handful of salt. boil and skim it well, and then boil the turkey. when done enough, tighten the strings, and lay upon it a dish with a weight of two pounds over it. boil the liquor half an hour; and when both are cold, put the turkey into it. this will keep some months, and eats more delicately than sturgeon. vinegar, oil, and sugar, are usually eaten with it. if more vinegar or salt should be wanted, add them when cold. garnish with fennel. pickled tongues. to prepare neats' tongues for boiling, cut off the roots, but leave a little of the kernel and fat. sprinkle some salt, and let it drain from the slime till next day. then for each tongue mix a large spoonful of common salt, the same of coarse sugar and about half as much of salt petre; rub it in well, and do so every day. in a week add another spoonful of salt. if rubbed every day, a tongue will be ready in a fortnight; but if only turned in the pickle daily, it will keep four or five weeks without being too salt. when tongues are to be dried, write the date on a parchment, and tie it on. tongues may either be smoked, or dried plain. when a tongue is to be dressed, boil it five hours till it is quite tender. if done sooner, it is easily kept hot for the table. the longer it is kept after drying, the higher it will be; and if hard, it may require soaking three or four hours.--another way. clean and prepare as above; and for two tongues allow an ounce of salt petre, and an ounce of salprunella, and rub them in well. in two days after well rubbing, cover them with common salt, turn them every day for three weeks, then dry them, rub bran over, and smoke them. keep them in a cool dry place, and in ten days they will be fit to eat. pickled walnuts. when they will bear a pin to go into them, boil a brine of salt and water, strong enough to swim an egg, and skim it well. when the brine is quite cold, pour it on the walnuts, and let them soak for six days. change the brine, and let them stand six more; then drain and put them into a jar, pouring over them a sufficient quantity of the best vinegar. add plenty of black pepper, pimento, ginger, mace, cloves, mustard seed, and horseradish, all boiled together, but put on cold. to every hundred of walnuts put six spoonfuls of mustard seed, and two or three heads of garlic or shalot, but the latter is the mildest. the walnuts will be fit for use in about six months; but if closely covered, they will be good for several years: the air will soften them. the pickle will be equal to ketchup, when the walnuts are used.--another way. put the walnuts into a jar, cover them with the best vinegar cold, and let them stand four months. then, pour off the pickle, and boil as much fresh vinegar as will cover the walnuts, adding to every three quarts of vinegar a quarter of a pound of the best mustard, a stick of horseradish sliced, half an ounce of black pepper, half an ounce of allspice, and a good handful of salt. pour the whole boiling hot upon the walnuts, and cover them close: they will be fit for use in three or four months. two ounces of garlic or shalot may be added, but must not be boiled in the vinegar. the pickle in which the walnuts stood the first four months, may be used as ketchup. pictures. the following simple method of preventing flies from sitting on pictures, or any other furniture, is well experienced, and if generally adopted, would prevent much trouble and damage. soak a large bunch of leeks five or six days in a pail of water, and wash the pictures with it, or any other piece of furniture. the flies will never come near any thing that is so washed. pie sauce. mix some gravy with an anchovy, a sprig of sweet herbs, an onion, and a little mushroom liquor. boil and thicken it with butter rolled in flour, add a little red wine, and pour the sauce into the pie. this serves for mutton, lamb, veal, or beef pies, when such an addition is required. pies and tarts. attention should be paid to the heat of the oven for all kinds of pies and tarts. light paste should be put into a moderate oven: if too hot the crust will not rise, but burn: if too slack, the paste will be heavy, and not of a good colour. raised paste should have a quick oven, and well closed. iced tarts should be done in a slack oven, or the iceing will become brown before the tarts are baked. pigeons. in order to breed pigeons, it is best to take two young ones at a time; and if well looked after, and plentifully fed, they will breed every month. they should be kept very clean, and the bottom of the dove-cote be strewed with sand once a month or oftener. tares and white peas are their proper food, and they should be provided with plenty of fresh water. starlings and other birds are apt to come among them, and suck the eggs. vermin likewise are their enemies, and frequently destroy them. if the brood should be too small, put among them a few tame pigeons of their own colour. observe not to have too large a proportion of cock birds, for they are quarrelsome, and will soon thin the dove-cote. pigeons are fond of salt, and it keeps them in health. lay a large piece of clay near their dwelling, and pour upon it any of the salt brine that may be useless in the family. bay salt and cummin seeds mixed together, is a universal remedy for the diseases of pigeons. the backs and breasts are sometimes scabby, but may be cured in the following manner. take a quarter of a pound of bay salt, and as much common salt; a pound of fennel seed, a pound of dill seed, as much cummin seed, and an ounce of assafoetida; mix all with a little wheat flour, and some fine wrought clay. when all are well beaten together, put it into two earthen pots, and bake them in the oven. when the pots are cold, put them on the table in the dove-cote; the pigeons will eat the mixture and get well. pigeons dressed. these birds are particularly useful, as they may be dressed in so many ways. the good flavour of them depends very much on their being cropped and drawn as soon as killed. no other bird requires so much washing. pigeons left from dinner the day before may be stewed, or made into a pie. in either case, care must be taken not to overdo them, which will make them stringy. they need only be heated up in gravy ready prepared; and forcemeat balls may be fried and added, instead of putting a stuffing into them. if for a pie, let beef steaks be stewed in a little water, and put cold under them. cover each pigeon with a piece of fat bacon to keep them moist, season as usual, and put in some eggs.--in purchasing pigeons, be careful to see that they are quite fresh: if they look flabby about the vent, and that part is discoloured, they are stale. the feet should be supple: if old the feet are harsh. the tame ones are larger than the wild, and by some they are thought to be the best. they should be fat and tender; but many are deceived in their size, because a full crop is as large as the whole body of a small pigeon. the wood-pigeon is large, and the flesh dark coloured: if properly kept, and not over roasted, the flavour is equal to teal. pigeons in disguise. draw the pigeons, take out the craw very carefully, wash them clean, cut off the pinions, and turn their legs under their wings. season them with pepper and salt, roll each pigeon in a puff paste, close them well, tie them in separate cloths, and boil them an hour and a half. when they are untied be careful they do not break; put them in a dish, and pour a little good gravy over them. pigeons in a hole. truss four young pigeons, as for boiling, and season them with pepper, salt, and mace. put into the belly of each a small piece of butter, lay them in a pie dish, and pour batter over them, made of three eggs, two spoonfuls of flour, and half a pint of milk. bake them in a moderate oven, and send them to table in the same dish. pigeons in jelly. save some of the liquor in which a knuckle of veal has been boiled, or boil a calf's or a neat's foot; put the broth into a pan with a blade of mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, some white pepper, lemon peel, a slice of lean bacon, and the pigeons. bake them, and let them stand to be cold; but season them before baking. when done, take them out of the liquor, cover them close to preserve the colour, and clear the jelly by boiling it with the whites of two eggs. strain it through a thick cloth dipped in boiling water, and put into a sieve. the fat must be all removed, before it be cleared. put the jelly roughly over and round the pigeons.--a beautiful dish may be made in the following manner. pick two very nice pigeons, and make them look as well as possible by singeing, washing, and cleaning the heads well. leave the heads and the feet on, but the nails must be clipped close to the claws. roast them of a very nice brown; and when done, put a small sprig of myrtle into the bill of each. prepare a savoury jelly, and with it half fill a bowl of such a size as shall be proper to turn down on the dish intended for serving in. when the jelly and the birds are cold, see that no gravy hangs to the birds, and then lay them upside down in the jelly. before the rest of it begins to set, pour it over the birds, so as to be three inches above the feet. this should be done full twenty four hours before serving. the dish thus prepared will have a very handsome appearance in the mid range of a second coarse; or when served with the jelly roughed large, it makes a side or corner dish, being then of a smaller size. the head of the pigeons should be kept up, as if alive, by tying the neck with some thread, and the legs bent as if the birds sat upon them. pigeon pie. rub the pigeons with pepper and salt, inside and out. put in a bit of butter, and if approved, some parsley chopped with the livers, and a little of the same seasoning. lay a beef steak at the bottom of the dish, and the birds on it; between every two, a hard egg. put a cup of water in the dish; and if a thin slice or two of ham be added, it will greatly improve the flavour. when ham is cut for gravy or pies, the under part should be taken, rather than the prime. season the gizzards, and two joints of the wings, and place them in the centre of the pie. over them, in a hole made in the crust, put three of the feet nicely cleaned, to show what pie it is. pig's cheek. to prepare a pig's cheek for boiling, cut off the snout, and clean the head. divide it, take out the eyes and the brains, sprinkle the head with salt, and let it drain twenty-four hours. salt it with common salt and saltpetre; and if to be dressed without being stewed with peas, let it lie eight or ten days, but less if to be dressed with peas. it must first be washed, and then simmered till all is tender. pig's feet and ears. clean them carefully, soak them some hours, and boil them quite tender. then take them out, and boil a little salt and vinegar with some of the liquor, and pour it over them when cold. when to be dressed, dry them, cut the feet in two, and slice the ears. fry them, and serve with butter, mustard, and vinegar. they may be either done in batter, or only floured. pig's feet and ears fricasseed. if to be dressed with cream, put no vinegar into the pickle. cut the feet and ears into neat bits, and boil them in a little milk. pour the liquor from them, and simmer in a little veal broth, with a bit of onion, mace, and lemon peel. before the dish is served up, add a little cream, flour, butter, and salt. pig's feet jelly. clean the feet and ears very carefully, and soak them some hours. then boil them in a very small quantity of water, till every bone can be taken out. throw in half a handful of chopped sage, the same of parsley, and a seasoning of pepper, salt, and mace in fine powder. simmer till the herbs are scalded, and then pour the whole into a melon form. pig's harslet. wash and dry some liver, sweetbreads, and fat and lean bits of pork, beating the latter with a rolling-pin to make it tender. season with pepper, salt, sage, and a little onion shred fine. when mixed, put all into a cawl, and fasten it up tight with a needle and thread. roast it on a hanging jack, or by a string. serve with a sauce of port wine and water, and mustard, just boiled up, and put into the dish. or serve it in slices with parsley for a fry. pig's head collared. scour the head and ears nicely, take off the hair and snout, and remove the eyes and the brain. lay the head into water one night, then drain it, salt it extremely well with common salt and saltpetre, and let it lie five days. boil it enough to take out the bones, then lay it on a dresser, turning the thick end of one side of the head towards the thin end of the other, to make the roll of equal size. sprinkle it well with salt and white pepper, and roll it with the ears. the pig's feet may also be placed round the outside when boned, or the thin parts of two cow heels, if approved. put it in a cloth, bind it with a broad tape, and boil it till quite tender. place a good weight upon it, and do not remove the covering till the meat is cold. if the collar is to be more like brawn, salt it longer, add a larger proportion of saltpetre, and put in also some pieces of lean pork. then cover it with cow heel to make it look like the horn. this may be kept in a pickle of boiled salt and water, or out of pickle with vinegar: it will be found a very convenient article to have in the house. if likely to spoil, slice and fry it, either with or without batter. pig sauce. take a tea-spoonful of white gravy, a small piece of anchovy, with the gravy from the roasting of the pig, and mix the brains with it when chopped. add a quarter of a pound of butter, a little flour to thicken it, a slice of lemon, and a little salt. shake it over the fire, and put it hot into the dish. good sauce may also be made by putting some of the bread and sage, which has been roasted in the pig, into good beef gravy, and adding the brains to it. pilau. stew a pound of rice in white gravy till it is tender. half boil a well grown fowl, then lay it into a baking dish with some pepper and salt strewed over it. lay truffles, morels, mushrooms, hard eggs, or forcemeat balls, any or all of them round it at pleasure; put a little gravy into the dish, and spread the rice over the whole like a paste. bake it gently, till the fowl is done enough. if it seem dry, cut a hole carefully at the top, and pour in some white gravy, made pretty warm, before it is sent to table. partridges or pheasants are very nice, dressed the same way. pilchard pie. soak two or three salted pilchards for some hours, the day before they are to be dressed. clean and skin the white part of some large leeks, scald them in milk and water, and put them in layers into a dish, with the pilchards. cover the whole with a good plain crust. when the pie is taken out of the oven, lift up the side crust with a knife, and empty out all the liquor: then pour in half a pint of scalded cream. pile ointment. cut some green shoots of elder early in the spring, clear away the bark, and put two good handfuls into a quart of thick cream. boil it till it comes to an ointment, and as it rises take it off with a spoon, and be careful to prevent its burning. strain the ointment through a fine cloth, and keep it for use. piles. if this complaint be occasioned by costiveness, proper attention must be paid to that circumstance; but if it originate from weakness, strong purgatives must be avoided. the part affected should be bathed twice a day with a sponge dipped in cold water, and the bowels regulated by the mildest laxatives. an electuary, consisting of one ounce of sulphur, and half an ounce of cream of tartar, mixed with a sufficient quantity of treacle, may be taken three or four times a day. the patient would also find relief by sitting over the steam of warm water. a useful liniment for this disorder may be made of two ounces of emollient ointment, and half an ounce of laudanum. mix them with the yolk of an egg, and work them well together. pills. opening pills may be made of two drams of castile soap, and two drams of succotrine aloes, mixed with a sufficient quantity of common syrup. or when aloes will not agree with the patient, take two drams of the extract of jalap, two drams of vitriolated tartar, and as much syrup of ginger as will form them of a proper consistence for pills. four or five of these pills will generally prove a sufficient purge; and for keeping the body gently open, one may be taken night and morning.--composing pills may consist of ten grains of purified opium, and half a dram of castile soap, beaten together, and formed into twenty parts. when a quieting draught will not sit upon the stomach, one or two of these pills may be taken to great advantage.--pills for the jaundice may be made of one dram each of castile soap, succotrine aloes, and rhubarb, mixed up with a sufficient quantity of syrup. five or six of these pills taken twice a day, more or less, to keep the body open, with the assistance of a proper diet, will often effect a cure. pipers. boil or bake them with a pudding well seasoned. if baked, put a large cup of rich broth into the dish; and when done, boil up together for sauce, the broth, some essence of anchovy, and a squeeze of lemon. pippin pudding. coddle six pippins in vine leaves covered with water, very gently, that the inside may be done without breaking the skins. when soft, take off the skin, and with a tea-spoon take the pulp from the core. press it through a cullender, add two spoonfuls of orange-flower water, three eggs beaten, a glass of raisin wine, a pint of scalding cream, sugar and nutmeg to taste. lay a thin puff paste at the bottom and sides of the dish; shred some very thin lemon peel as fine as possible, and put it into the dish; likewise lemon, orange, and citron, in small slices, but not so thin as to dissolve in the baking. pippin tarts. pare two seville or china oranges quite thin, boil the peel tender and shred it fine. pare and core twenty pippins, put them in a stewpan, with as little water as possible. when half done, add half a pound of sugar, the orange peel and juice, and boil all together till it is pretty thick. when cold, put it in a shallow dish, or pattipans lined with paste, to turn out, and be eaten cold. pistachio cream. blanch four ounces of pistachio nuts, beat them fine with a little rose-water, and add the paste to a pint of cream. sweeten it, let it just boil, and then put it into glasses. pistachio tart. shell and peel half a pound of pistachio nuts, beat them very fine in a marble mortar, and work into them a piece of fresh butter. add to this a quarter of a pint of cream, or of the juice of beet leaves, extracted by pounding them in a marble mortar, and then draining off the juice through a piece of muslin. grate in two macarones, add the yolks of two eggs, a little salt, and sugar to the taste. bake it lightly with a puff crust under it, and some little ornaments on the top. sift some fine sugar over, before it is sent to table. plaice. the following is an excellent way of dressing a large plaice, especially if there be a roe. sprinkle it with salt, and keep it twenty four hours. then wash, and wipe it dry, smear it over with egg, and cover it with crumbs of bread. boil up some lard or fine dripping, with two large spoonfuls of vinegar; lay in the fish, and fry it of a fine colour. drain off the fat, serve it with fried parsley laid round, and anchovy sauce. the fish may be dipped in vinegar, instead of putting vinegar in the pan. plain bread pudding. prepare five ounces of bread crumbs, put them in a basin, pour three quarters of a pint of boiling milk over them, put a plate over the top to keep in the steam, and let it stand twenty minutes. then beat it up quite smooth, with two ounces of sugar, and a little nutmeg. break four eggs on a plate, leaving out one white, beat them well, and add them to the pudding. stir it all well together, put it into a mould that has been well buttered and floured, tie a cloth tight over it, and boil it an hour. plain cheesecakes. three quarters of a pound of cheese curd, and a quarter of a pound of butter, beat together in a mortar. add a quarter of a pound of fine bread soaked in milk, three eggs, six ounces of currants well washed and picked, sugar to the taste, a little candied orange peel, and a little sack. bake them in a puff crust in a quick oven. plain fritters. grate a fine penny loaf into a pint of milk, beat it smooth, add the yolks of five eggs, three ounces of fine sugar, and a little nutmeg. fry them in hog's lard, and serve them up with melted butter and sugar. plain peas soup. the receipts too generally given for peas are so much crowded with ingredients, that they entirely overpower the flavour of the peas. nothing more is necessary to plain good soup, than a quart of split peas, two heads of celery, and an onion. boil all together in three quarts of broth or soft water; let them simmer gently on a trivet over a slow fire for three hours, and keep them stirring, to prevent burning at the bottom of the kettle. if the water boils away, and the soup gets too thick, add some boiling water to it. when the peas are well softened, work them through a coarse sieve, and then through a tammis. wash out the stewpan, return the soup into it, and give it a boil up; take off any scum that rises, and the soup is ready. prepare some fried bread and dried mint, and send them up with it on two side dishes. this is an excellent family soup, produced with very little trouble or expense, the two quarts not exceeding the charge of one shilling. half a dram of bruised celery seed, and a little sugar, added just before finishing the soup, will give it as much flavour as two heads of the fresh vegetable. plain rice pudding. wash and pick some rice, scatter among it some pimento finely powdered, but not too much. tie up the rice in a cloth, and leave plenty of room for it to swell. boil it in a good quantity of water for an hour or two, and serve it with butter and sugar, or milk. lemon peel may be added to the pudding, but it is very good without spice, and may be eaten with butter and salt. planting. in rendering swampy ground useful, nothing is so well adapted as planting it with birch or alder, which grows spontaneously on bogs and swamps, a kind of soil which otherwise would produce nothing but weeds and rushes. the wood of the alder is particularly useful for all kinds of machinery, for pipes, drains, and pump trees, as it possesses the peculiar quality of resisting injury from wet and weather. the bark is also highly valuable to black dyers, who purchase it at a good price; and it is much to be lamented that the properties of this useful tree are not duly appreciated. plantations. young plantations are liable to great injury, by being barked in the winter season. to prevent this, take a quantity of grease, scent it with a little tar, and mix them well together. brush it round the stems of young trees, as high at least as hares and rabbits can reach, and it will effectually prevent their being barked by these animals. tar must not be used alone, for when exposed to the sun and air, it becomes hard and binding, and hinders the growth of the plantation. grease will not have this effect, and the scent of the tar is highly obnoxious to hares and rabbits. plasters. common plaster is made of six pints of olive oil, and two pounds and a half of litharge finely powdered. a smaller quantity may of course be made of equal proportions. boil them together over a gentle fire, in about a gallon of water, and keep the ingredients constantly stirring. after they have boiled about three hours, a little of the salve may be taken out, and put into cold water. when of a proper consistence, the whole may be suffered to cool, and the water pressed out of it with the hands. this will serve as a basis for other plasters, and is generally applied in slight wounds and excoriations of the skin. it keeps the part warm and supple, and defends it from the air, which is all that is necessary in such cases.--adhesive plaster, which is principally used for keeping on other dressings, consists of half a pound of common plaster, and a quarter of a pound of burgundy pitch melted together.--anodyne plaster is as follows. melt an ounce of the adhesive, and when cooling, mix with it a dram of powdered opium, and the same of camphor, previously rubbing with a little oil. this plaster generally gives ease in acute pains, especially of the nervous kind.--blistering plaster is made in a variety of ways, but seldom of a proper consistence. when compounded of oils, and other greasy substances, its effects are lessened, and it is apt to run, while pitch and rosin render it hard and inconvenient. the following will be found the best method. take six ounces of venice turpentine, two ounces of yellow wax, three ounces of spanish flies finely powdered, and one ounce of the flour of mustard. melt the wax, and while it is warm, add the turpentine to it, taking care not to evaporate it by too much heat. after the turpentine and wax are sufficiently incorporated, sprinkle in the powders, and stir the mass till it is cold. when the blistering plaster is not at hand, mix with any soft ointment a sufficient quantity of powdered flies, or form them into a plaster with flour and vinegar. plate. the best way to clean plate, is to boil an ounce of prepared hartshorn powder in a quart of water; and while on the fire, put in as much plate as the vessel will hold. let it boil a little, then take it out, drain it over the saucepan, and dry it before the fire. put in more, and serve it the same, till all is done. then soak some clean rags in the water, and when dry they will serve to clean the plate. cloths thus saturated with hartshorn powder, are also the best things for cleaning brass locks, and the finger plates of doors. when the plate is quite dry, it must be rubbed bright with soft leather. in many plate powders there is a mixture of quicksilver, which is very injurious; and among other disadvantages, it makes silver so brittle that it will break with a fall. in common cases, whitening, properly purified from sand, applied wet, and rubbed till dry, is one of the cheapest and best of all plate powders. plating of glass. pour some mercury on a tin foil, smoothly laid on a flat table, and rub it gently with a hare's foot. it soon unites itself to the tin, which then becomes very splendid, or is what they call quickened. a plate of glass is then cautiously, passed upon the tin leaf, in such a manner as to sweep off the redundant mercury, which is not incorporated with the tin. leaden weights are then to be placed on the glass; and in a little time the quicksilvered tin foil adheres, so firmly to the glass, that the weights may be removed without any danger of its falling off. the glass thus coated is a common looking-glass. about two ounces of mercury are sufficient for covering three square feet of glass. plovers. in purchasing plovers, choose those that feel hard at the vent, which shows they are fat. in other respects, choose them by the same marks as other fowl. when stale, the feet are harsh and dry. they will keep a long time. there are three sorts of these birds, the grey, the green, and the bastard plover, or lapwing. green plovers are roasted in the same way as snipes and woodcocks, without drawing, and are served on toast. the grey ones may be roasted, or stewed with gravy, herbs, and spice. plovers' eggs. boil them ten minutes, and serve them either hot or cold on a napkin. these make a nice and fashionable dish. plum cake. this is such a favourite article in most families, and is made in so many different ways, that it will be necessary to give a variety of receipts, in order that a selection may be made agreeably to the taste of the reader, or the quality of the article to be preferred.--for a good common plum cake, mix five ounces of butter in three pounds of fine dry flour, and five ounces of the best moist sugar. add six ounces of currants, washed and dried, and some pimento finely powdered. put three spoonfuls of yeast into a pint of new milk warmed, and mix it with the above into a light dough.--a cake of a better sort. mix thoroughly a quarter of a peck of fine flour well dried, with a pound of dry and sifted loaf sugar, three pounds of currants washed and very dry, half a pound of raisins stoned and chopped, a quarter of an ounce of mace and cloves, twenty peppercorns, a grated nutmeg, the peel of a lemon cut as fine as possible, and half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with orange-flower water. melt two pounds of butter in a pint and a quarter of cream, but not too hot; add a pint of sweet wine, a glass of brandy, the whites and yolks of twelve eggs beaten apart, and half a pint of good yeast. strain this liquid by degrees into the dry ingredients, beating them together a full hour; then butter the hoop or pan, and bake it. when the batter is put into the pan, throw in plenty of citron, lemon, and orange candy. if the cake is to be iced, take half a pound of double refined sugar sifted, and put a little with the white of an egg; beat it well, and by degrees pour in the remainder. it must be whisked nearly an hour, with the addition of a little orange-flower water, but not too much. when the cake is done, pour the iceing over it, and return it to the oven for fifteen minutes. but if the oven be quite warm, keep it near the mouth, and the door open, lest the colour be spoiled.--another. dried flour, currants washed and picked, four pounds; sugar pounded and sifted, a pound and a half; six orange, lemon, and citron peels, cut in slices. these are to be mixed together. beat ten eggs, yolks and whites separately. melt a pound and a half of butter in a pint of cream; when cold, put to it half a pint of yeast, near half a pint of sweet wine, and the eggs. then strain the liquid to the dry ingredients, beat them well, and add of cloves, mace, cinnamon, and nutmeg, half an ounce each. butter the pan, and put it into a quick oven. three hours will bake it.--another. mix with a pound of well-dried flour, a pound of loaf sugar, and the eighth of an ounce of mace, well beaten. beat up five eggs with half the whites, a gill of rose water, and a quarter of a pint of yeast, and strain them. melt half a pound of butter in a quarter of a pint of cream, and when cool, mix all together. beat up the batter with a light hand, and set it to rise half an hour. before it is put into the oven, mix in a pound and a half of currants, well washed and dried, and bake it an hour and a quarter.--for a rich cake, take three pounds of well-dried flour, three pounds of fresh butter, a pound and a half of fine sugar dried and sifted, five pounds of currants carefully cleaned and dried, twenty-four eggs, three grated nutmegs, a little pounded mace and cloves, half a pound of almonds, a glass of sack, and a pound of citron or orange peel. pound the almonds in rose water, work up the butter to a thin cream, put in the sugar, and work it well; then the yolks of the eggs, the spices, the almonds, and orange peel. beat the whites of the eggs to a froth, and put them into the batter as it rises. keep working it with the hand till the oven is ready, and the scorching subsided; put it into a hoop, but not full, and two hours will bake it. the almonds should be blanched in cold water. this will make a large rich plum cake.--a small common cake may be made of a pound of dough, a quarter of a pound of butter, two eggs, a quarter of a pound of lump sugar, a quarter of a pound of currants, and a little nutmeg.--another. take a pound and a half of fine white dough, roll into it a pound of butter, as for pie crust, and set it by the fire. beat up the yolks of four eggs, with half a pound of fine powdered sugar; pour it upon the mass, and work it well by the fire. add half a pound of currants, well picked and washed, and send it to the oven. half the quantity of sugar, eggs, and butter, will make a very pleasant cake.--another. a pound and a half of well-dried flour, a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, and a pound of currants, picked and washed. beat up eight eggs, warm the butter, mix all together, and beat it up for an hour.--for little plum cakes, intended to keep for some time, dry a pound of fine flour, and mix it with six ounces of finely pounded sugar. beat six ounces of butter to a cream, and add to three eggs well beaten, half a pound of currants nicely washed and dried, together with the sugar and flour. beat all for some time, then dredge some flour on tin plates, and drop the batter on them the size of a walnut. if properly mixed, it will be a stiff paste. bake in a brisk oven. to make a rich plum cake, take four pounds of flour well dried, mix with it a pound and a half of fine sugar powdered, a grated nutmeg, and an ounce of mace pounded fine. when they are well mixed, make a hole in the middle, and pour in fifteen eggs, but seven whites, well beaten, with a pint of good yeast, half a quarter of a pint of orange-flower water, and the same quantity of sack, or any other rich sweet wine. then melt two pounds and a half of butter in a pint and a half of cream; and when it is about the warmth of new milk, pour it into the middle of the batter. throw a little of the flour over the liquids, but do not mix the whole together till it is ready to go into the oven. let it stand before the fire an hour to rise, laying a cloth over it; then have ready six pounds of currants well washed, picked, and dried; a pound of citron and a pound of orange peel sliced, with a pound of blanched almonds, half cut in slices lengthways, and half finely pounded. mix all well together, butter the tin well, and bake it two hours and a half. this will make a large cake.--another, not quite so rich. three pounds of flour well dried, half a pound of sugar, and half an ounce of spice, nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, well pounded. add ten eggs, but only half the whites, beaten with a pint of good yeast. melt a pound of butter in a pint of cream, add it to the yeast, and let it stand an hour to rise before the fire. then add three pounds of currants well washed, picked and dried. butter the tin, and bake it an hour.--a common plum cake is made of three pounds and a half of flour, half a pound of sugar, a grated nutmeg, eight eggs, a glass of brandy, half a pint of yeast, a pound of butter melted in a pint and half of milk, put lukewarm to the other ingredients. let it rise an hour before the fire, then mix it well together, add two pounds of currants carefully cleaned, butter the tin, and bake it. plum jam. cut some ripe plums to pieces, put them into a preserving pan, bruise them with a spoon, warm them over the fire till they are soft, and press them through a cullender. boil the jam an hour, stir it well, add six ounces of fine powdered sugar to every pound of jam, and take it off the fire to mix it. then heat it ten minutes, put it into jars, and sift some fine sugar over it. plum pudding. take six ounces of suet chopped fine, six ounces of malaga raisins stoned, eight ounces of currants nicely washed and picked, three ounces of bread crumbs, three ounces of flour, and three eggs. add the sixth part of a grated nutmeg, a small blade of mace, the same quantity of cinnamon, pounded as fine as possible; half a tea-spoonful of salt, nearly half a pint of milk, four ounces of sugar, an ounce of candied lemon, and half an ounce of citron. beat the eggs and spice well together, mix the milk with them by degrees, and then the rest of the ingredients. dip a fine close linen cloth into boiling water, and put it in a hair sieve, flour it a little, and tie the pudding up close. put it into a saucepan containing six quarts of boiling water; keep a kettle of boiling water near it, to fill up the pot as it wastes, and keep it boiling six hours. if the water ceases to boil, the pudding will become heavy, and be spoiled. plum puddings are best when mixed an hour or two before they are boiled, as the various ingredients by that means incorporate, and the whole becomes richer and fuller of flavour, especially if the various ingredients be thoroughly well stirred together. a table-spoonful of treacle will give the pudding a rich brown colour.--another. beat up the yolks and whites of three eggs, strain them through a sieve, gradually add to them a quarter of a pint of milk, and stir it well together. rub in a mortar two ounces of moist sugar, with as much grated nutmeg as will lie on a six-pence, and stir these into the eggs and milk. then put in four ounces of flour, and beat it into a smooth batter; by degrees stir into it seven ounces of suet, minced as fine as possible, and three ounces of bread crumbs. mix all thoroughly together, at least half an hour before the pudding is put into the pot. put it into an earthenware pudding mould, well buttered, tie a pudding cloth tight over it, put it into boiling water, and boil it three hours. half a pound of raisins cut in halves, and added to the above, will make a most admirable plum pudding. this pudding may also be baked, or put under roast meat, like a yorkshire pudding. in the latter case, half a pint more milk must be added, and the batter should be an inch and a quarter in thickness. it will take full two hours, and require careful watching; for if the top get burned, an unpleasant flavour will pervade the whole pudding. or butter some saucers, and fill them with batter; in a dutch oven they will bake in about an hour.--another. to three quarters of a pound of flour, add the same weight of stoned raisins, half a pound of suet or marrow, cut small, a pint of milk, two eggs, three spoonfuls of moist sugar, and a little salt. boil the pudding five hours.--to make a small rich plum pudding, take three quarters of a pound of suet finely shred, half a pound of stoned raisins a little chopped, three spoonfuls of flour, three spoonfuls of moist sugar, a little salt and nutmeg, three yolks of eggs, and two whites. boil the pudding four hours in a basin of tin mould, well buttered. serve it up with melted butter, white wine and sugar, poured over it.--for a large rich pudding, take three pounds of suet chopped small, a pound and a half of raisins stoned and chopped, a pound and a half of currants, three pounds of flour, sixteen eggs, and a quart of milk. boil it in a cloth seven hours. if for baking, put in only a pint of milk, with two additional eggs, and an hour and a half will bake it.--a plum pudding without eggs may be made of three quarters of a pound of flour, three quarters of a pound of suet chopped fine, three quarters of a pound of stoned raisins, three quarters of a pound of currants well washed and dried, a tea-spoonful of ground ginger, and rather more of salt. stir all well together, and add as little milk as will just mix it up quite stiff. boil the pudding four hours in a buttered basin.--another. the same proportions of flour and suet, and half the quantity of fruit, with spice, lemon, a glass of white wine, an egg and milk, will make an excellent pudding, but it must be well boiled. poached eggs. set a stewpan of water on the fire; when boiling, slip an egg, previously broken into a cup, into the water. when the white looks done enough, slide an egg-slice under the egg, and lay it on toast and butter, or boiled spinach. as soon as done enough, serve them up hot. if the eggs be not fresh laid, they will not poach well, nor without breaking. trim the ragged parts of the whites, and make them look round. poison. whenever a quantity of arsenic has been swallowed, by design or mistake, its effects may be counteracted by immediately drinking plenty of milk. the patient should afterwards take a dram of the liver of sulphur, in a pint of warm water, a little at a time as he can bear it; or he may substitute some soap water, a quantity of common ink, or any other acid, if other things cannot be readily procured.--to obviate the ill effects of opium, taken either in a liquid or solid form, emetics should be given as speedily as possible. these should consist of an ounce each of oxymel squills and spearmint water, and half a scruple of ipecacuanha, accompanied with frequent draughts of water gruel to assist the operation.--those poisons which may be called culinary, are generally the most destructive, because the least suspected; no vessels therefore made of copper or brass should be used in cooking. in cases where the poison of virdigris has been recently swallowed, emetics should first be given, and then the patient should drink abundance of cold water.--if any one has eaten of the deadly nightshade, he should take an emetic as soon as possible, and drink a pint of vinegar or lemon juice in an equal quantity of water, a little at a time; and as sleep would prove fatal, he should keep walking about to prevent it.--for the bite of the mad dog, or other venomous animals, nothing is to be depended on for a cure but immediately cutting out the bitten part with a lancet, or burning it out with a red-hot iron.--to prevent the baneful effects of burning charcoal, set an open vessel of boiling water upon the pan containing the charcoal, and keep it boiling. the steam arising from the water will counteract the effects of the charcoal. painters, glaziers, and other artificers, should be careful to avoid the poisonous effects of lead, by washing their hands and face clean before meals, and by never eating in the place where they work, nor suffering any food or drink to remain exposed to the fumes or dust of the metal. every business of this sort should be performed as far as possible with gloves on the hands, to prevent the metal from working into the pores of the skin, which is highly injurious, and lead should never be touched when it is hot. poivrade sauce. pick the skins of twelve shalots, chop them small, mix with them a table-spoonful of veal gravy, a gill and a half of vinegar, half an anchovy pressed through a fine sieve, and a little salt and cayenne. if it is to be eaten with hot game, serve it up boiling: if with cold, the sauce is to be cold likewise.--another way. put a piece of butter the size of half an egg into a saucepan, with two or three sliced onions, some of the red outward part, of carrots, and of the part answering to it of parsnip, a clove of garlic, two shalots, two cloves, a bay leaf, with basil and thyme. shake the whole over the fire till it begins to colour, then add a good pinch of flour, a glass of red wine, a glass of water, and a spoonful of vinegar. boil it half an hour, take off the fat, pass the sauce through a tammis, add some salt and pepper, and use it with any thing that requires a relishing sauce. polished stoves. steel or polished stoves may be well cleaned in a few minutes, by using a piece of fine-corned emery stone, and afterwards polishing with flour of emery or rottenstone. if stoves or fire irons have acquired any rust, pound some glass to fine powder; and having nailed some strong woollen cloth upon a board, lay upon it a thick coat of gum water, and sift the powdered glass upon it, and let it dry. this may be repeated as often as is necessary to form a sharp surface, and with this the rust may easily be rubbed off; but care must be taken to have the glass finely powdered, and the gum well dried, or the polish on the irons will be injured. fire arms, or similar articles, may be kept clean for several months, if rubbed with a mixture consisting of one ounce of camphor dissolved in two pounds of hog's lard, boiled and skimmed, and coloured with a little black lead. the mixture should be left on twenty four hours to dry, and then rubbed off with a linen cloth. pomade divine. clear a pound and a half of beef marrow from the strings and bone, put it into an earthen pan of fresh water from the spring, and change the water night and morning for ten days. then steep it in rose water twenty four hours, and drain it in a cloth till quite dry. take an ounce of each of the following articles, namely, storax, gum benjamin, odoriferous cypress powder, or of florence; half an ounce of cinnamon, two drams of cloves, and two drams of nutmeg, all finely powdered. mix them with the marrow above prepared, and put all the ingredients into a pewter pot that holds three quarts. make a paste of flour and the white of an egg, and lay it upon a piece of rag. over that must be another piece of linen, to cover the top of the pot very close, that none of the steam may evaporate. set the pot into a large copper pot of water, observing to keep it steady, that it may not reach to the covering of the pot that holds the marrow. as the water shrinks add more, boiling hot, for it must boil incessantly for four hours. strain the ointment through a linen cloth into small pots, and cover them when cold. do not touch it with any thing but silver, and it will keep many years. a fine pomatum may also be made by putting half a pound of fresh marrow prepared as above, and two ounces of fresh hog's lard, on the ingredients; and then observing the same process as above. pomatum. to make soft pomatum, beat half a pound of unsalted fresh lard in common water, then soak and beat in two different rose-waters. drain it, and beat it, with two spoonfuls of brandy. let it drain from this, then add some essence of lemon, and keep it in small pots. or soak half a pound of clear beef marrow, and a pound of unsalted fresh lard, in water two of three days, changing and beating it every day. put it into a sieve; and when dry, into a jar, and the jar, into a saucepan of water. when melted, pour it into a bason, and beat it with two spoonfuls of brandy. drain off the brandy, and add essence of lemon, bergamot, or any other scent that is preferred.--for hard pomatum, prepare as before equal quantities of beef marrow and mutton suet, using the brandy to preserve it, and adding the scent. then pour it into moulds, or phials, of the size intended for the rolls. when cold break the bottles, clear away the glass carefully, and put paper round the balls. ponds. stagnant or running water is often infected with weeds, which become troublesome and injurious to the occupier, but which might easily be prevented by suffering geese, or particularly swans, to feed upon the surface. these water fowls, by nibbling the young shoots as fast as they arise, will prevent their growth and appearance on the surface of the water, and all the expense which might otherwise be incurred in clearing them away. poor man's sauce. pick a handful of parsley leaves from the stalks, mince them very fine, and strew over a little salt. shred fine half a dozen young green onions, add these to the parsley, and put them into a sauce boat, with three table-spoonfuls of oil, and five of vinegar. add some ground black pepper and salt, stir them together, and it is ready. pickled french beans or gherkins cut fine, may be added, or a little grated horseradish. this sauce is much esteemed in france, where people of taste, weary of rich dishes, occasionally order the fare of the peasant. pork. this is a strong fat meat, and unless very nicely fed, it is fit only for hard working people. young pigs, like lamb and veal, are fat and luscious, but afford very little nutriment. pork fed by butchers, or at distilleries, is very inferior, and scarcely wholesome; it is fat and spongy, and utterly unfit for curing. dairy fed pork is the best. to judge of pork, pinch the lean; and if young and good, it will easily part. if the rind is tough, thick, and cannot easily be impressed with the finger, it is old. a thin rind denotes a good quality in general. when fresh, the meat will be smooth and cool: if clammy, it is tainted. what is called in some places measly pork, is very unwholesome; and may be known by the fat being full of kernels, which in good pork is never the case. bacon hogs and porkers are differently cut up. hogs are kept to a larger size; the chine or backbone is cut down on each side, the whole length, and is a prime part either boiled or roasted. the sides of the hog are made into bacon, and the inside is cut out with very little meat to the bone. on each side there is a large sparerib, which is usually divided into two, a sweet bone and a blade bone. the bacon is the whole outside, and contains a fore leg and a ham; the last of these is the hind leg, but if left with the bacon it is called a gammon. hog's lard is the inner fat of the bacon hog, melted down. pickled pork is made of the flesh of the hog, but more frequently of smaller and younger meat. porkers are not so large as hogs, and are generally divided into four quarters. the fore quarter has the spring or fore leg, the fore loin or neck, the sparerib, and the griskin. the hind quarter has the leg and the loin. pig's feet and ears make various good dishes, and should be cut off before the legs and cheeks are cured. the bacon hog is sometimes scalded, to take off the hair, and sometimes singed. the porker is always scalded. pork chops. cut the chops nearly half an inch thick, trim them neatly, and beat them flat. put a piece of butter into the fryingpan; as soon as it is hot, put in the chops, turn them often, and they will be nicely browned in fifteen minutes. take one upon a plate and try it; if done, season it with a little finely minced onion, powdered sage, pepper and salt. or prepare some sweet herbs, sage and onion chopped fine, and put them into a stewpan with a bit of butter. give them one fry, beat two eggs on a plate with a little salt, and the minced herbs, and mix it all well together. dip the chops in one at a time, then cover them with bread crumbs, and fry them in hot lard or drippings, till they are of a light brown. veal, lamb, or mutton chops, are very good dressed in the same manner. pork griskin. as this joint is usually very hard, the best way is to cover it with cold water, and let it boil up. then take it out, rub it over with butter, and set it before the fire in a dutch oven; a few minutes will do it. pork jelly. take a leg of well-fed pork, just as cut up, beat it, and break the bone. set it over a gentle fire, with three gallons of water, and simmer it down to one. stew with it half an ounce of mace, and half an ounce of nutmegs, and strain it through a fine sieve. when cold, take off the fat, and flavour it with salt. this jelly is reckoned a fine restorative in consumptive cases, and nervous debility, a chocolate-cupful to be taken three times a day. pork as lamb. to dress pork like lamb, kill a young pig four or five months old, cut up the fore-quarter for roasting as you do lamb, and truss the shank close. the other parts will make delicate pickled pork, steaks, or pies. pork pies. raise some boiled crust into a round or oval form, and have ready the trimming and small bits of pork when a hog is killed. if these be not sufficient, take the meat of a sweet bone. beat it well with a rolling-pin, season with pepper and salt, and keep the fat and lean separate. put it in layers, quite up to the top; lay on the lid, cut the edge smooth round, and pinch it together. as the meat is very solid, it must be baked in a slow soaking oven. the pork may be put into a common dish, with a very plain crust, and be quite as good. observe to put no bone or water into pork pie: the outside pieces will be hard, unless they are cut small, and pressed close. pork pies in a raised crust, are intended to be eaten cold. pork sauce. take two ounces of the leaves of green sage, an ounce of lemon peel thinly pared, an ounce of minced shalot, an ounce of salt, half a dram of cayenne, and half a dram of citric acid. steep them for a fortnight in a pint of claret, shake it often, and let it stand a day to settle. decant the clear liquor, and cork it up close. when wanted, mix a table-spoonful in a quarter of a pint of gravy, or melted butter. this will give a fine relish to roast pork, or roast goose. pork sausages. chop fat and lean pork together, season it with pepper, salt, and sage. fill hogs' guts that have been thoroughly soaked and cleaned, and tie up the ends carefully. or the minced meat may be kept in a very small pan, closely covered, and so rolled and dusted with flour before it is fried. serve them up with stewed red cabbage, mashed potatoes, or poached eggs. the sausages should be pricked with a pin, before they are boiled or fried, or they will be liable to burst. pork steaks. cut them from a loin or neck, and of middling thickness. pepper and broil them, and keep them turning. when nearly done, put on salt, rub a bit of butter over, and serve the moment they are taken off the fire, a few at a time. porker's head. choose a fine young head of pork, clean it well, and put bread and sage as for pig. sow it up tight, roast it as a young pig, on the hanging jack, and serve it with the same kind of sauce. portable soup. boil one or two knuckles of veal, one or two shins of beef, and three pounds of beef, in as much water only as will cover them. take the marrow out of the bones, put in any kind of spice, and three large onions. when the meat is done to rags, strain it off, and set it in a very cold place. take off the cake of fat, which will do for common pie crusts, and put the soup into a double-bottomed tin saucepan. set it on a pretty quick fire, but do not let it burn. it must boil fast and uncovered, and be stirred constantly for eight hours. put it into a pan, and let it stand in a cold place a day; then pour it into a round soup-dish, and set the dish into a stewpan of boiling water on a stove, and let it boil. stir it now and then, till the soup is thick and ropy; then it is enough. pour it into the little round part at the bottom of cups and basons turned upside down, to form it into cakes; and when cold, turn them out on flannel to dry. keep them in tin canisters; and when to be used, dissolve them in boiling water. the flavour of herbs may be added, by first boiling and straining off the liquor, and melting the soup in it. this preparation is convenient in travelling, or at sea, where fresh meat is not readily obtained, as by this means a bason of soup may be made in five minutes. porter. this pleasant beverage may be made with eight bushels of malt to the hogshead, and eight pounds of hops. while it is boiling in the copper, add to it three pounds of liquorice root bruised, a pound of spanish liquorice, and twelve pounds of coarse sugar or treacle. portugal cakes. take a pound of well-dried flour, a pound of loaf sugar, a pound of butter well washed in orange-flower water, and a large blade of mace. take half the flour, and fifteen eggs, leaving out two of the whites, and work them well together with the butter for half an hour, shaking in the rest of the flour with a dredger. put the cakes into a cool oven, strewing over them a little sugar and flour, and let them bake gently half an hour. portuguese soles. if the fish be large, cut it in two: if small, they need only be split open. the bones being taken out, put the fish into a pan with a bit of butter, and some lemon juice. fry it lightly, lay it on a dish, spread a forcemeat over each piece, and roll it round, fastening the roll with a few small skewers. lay the rolls into a small earthen pan, beat up an egg and smear them, and strew some crumbs over. put the remainder of the egg into the bottom of the pan, with a little meat gravy, a spoonful of caper liquor, an anchovy chopped fine, and some minced parsley. cover the pan close, and bake in a slow oven till the fish is done enough. place the rolls in a dish for serving, and cover it to keep them hot till the baked gravy is skimmed. if not enough, a little fresh gravy must be prepared, flavoured as above, and added to the fish. this is the portuguese way of dressing soles. portuguese stuffing. pound lightly some cold beef, veal, or mutton. add some fat bacon lightly fried and cut small, some onions, a little garlic or shalot, some parsley, anchovy, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. pound all fine with a few crumbs, and bind it with two or three yolks of eggs. this stuffing is for baked soles, the heads of which are to be left on one side of the split part, and kept on the outer side of the roll; and when served, the heads are to be turned towards each other in the dish. garnish with fried or dried parsley. pot herbs. as some of these are very pungent, they require to be used with discretion, particularly basil, savoury, thyme, or knotted marjoram. the other sorts are milder, and may be used more freely. pot pourri. put into a large china jar the following ingredients in layers, with bay salt strewed between. two pecks of damask roses, part in buds and part blown; violets, orange flowers and jasmine, a handful of each; orris root sliced, benjamin and storax, two ounces of each; a quarter of an ounce of musk, a quarter of a pound of angelica root sliced, a quart of the red parts of clove gilliflowers, two handfuls of lavender flowers, half a handful of rosemary flowers, bay and laurel leaves, half a handful of each; three seville oranges, stuck as full of cloves as possible, dried in a cool oven and pounded, and two handfuls of balm of gilead dried. cover all quite close, and when the pot is uncovered the perfume is very fine. potatoe balls. mix some mashed potatoes with the yolk of an egg, roll the mass into balls, flour them, or put on egg and bread crumbs, and fry them in clean drippings, or brown them in a dutch oven.--potatoe balls ragout are made by adding to a pound of potatoes, a quarter of a pound of grated ham, or some chopped parsley, or sweet herbs; adding an onion or shalot, salt and pepper, a little grated nutmeg or other spice, and the yolks of two eggs. they are then to be dressed as potatoe balls. potatoe bread. weigh half a pound of mealy potatoes after they are boiled or steamed, and rub them while warm into a pound and a half of fine flour, dried a little before the fire. when thoroughly mixed, put in a spoonful of good yeast, a little salt, and warm milk and water sufficient to work into dough. let it stand by the fire to rise for an hour and a half, then make it into a loaf, and bake it in a tolerably brisk oven. if baked in a tin the crust will be more delicate, but the bread dries sooner.--another. to two pounds of well-boiled mealy potatoes, rubbed between the hands till they are as fine as flour, mix in thoroughly two large double handfuls of wheat flour, three good spoonfuls of yeast, a little salt, and warm milk enough to make it the usual stiffness of dough. let it stand three or four hours to rise, then mould it, make it up, and bake it like common bread. potatoe cheesecakes. boil six ounces of potatoes, and four ounces of lemon peel; beat the latter in a marble mortar, with four ounces of sugar. then add the potatoes, beaten, and four ounces of butter melted in a little cream. when well mixed, let it stand to grow cold. put crust in pattipans, and rather more than half fill them. this quantity will make a dozen cheesecakes, which are to be baked half an hour in a quick oven, with some fine powdered sugar sifted over them. potatoe fritters. boil two large potatoes, scrape them fine; beat up four yolks and three whites of eggs, and add a large spoonful of cream, another of sweet wine, a squeeze of lemon, and a little nutmeg. beat this batter at least half an hour, till it be extremely light. put a good quantity of fine lard into a stewpan, and drop a spoonful of the batter at a time into it, and fry the fritters. serve for sauce a glass of white wine, the juice of a lemon, one dessert spoonful of peach leaf or almond water, and some white sugar. warm them together, but do not put the sauce into the dish.--another way. slice some potatoes thin, dip them in a fine batter, and fry them. lemon peel, and a spoonful of orange-flower water, should be added to the batter. serve up the fritters with white sugar sifted over them. potatoe paste. pound some boiled potatoes very fine, and while warm, add butter sufficient to make the mash hold together. or mix it with an egg; and before it gets cold, flour the board pretty well to prevent it from sticking, and roll the paste to the thickness wanted. if suffered to get quite cold before it be put on the dish, it will be apt to crack. potatoe pasty. boil, peel, and mash some potatoes as fine as possible. mix in some salt, pepper, and a good piece of butter. make a paste, roll it out thin like a large puff, and put in the potatoe. fold over one half, pinching the edges, and bake it in a moderate oven. potatoe pie. skin some potatoes, cut them into slices, and season them. add some mutton, beef, pork, or veal, and put in alternate layers of meat and potatoes. potatoe pudding. to make a plain potatoe pudding, take eight ounces of boiled potatoes, two ounces of butter, the yolks and whites of two eggs, a quarter of a pint of cream, a spoonful of white wine, the juice and rind of a lemon, and a little salt. beat all to a froth, sweeten it to taste, make a crust to it, or not, and bake it. if the pudding is required to be richer, add three ounces more of butter, another egg, with sweetmeats and almonds. if the pudding is to be baked with meat, boil the potatoes and mash them. rub the mass through a cullender, and make it into a thick batter with milk and two eggs. lay some seasoned steaks in a dish, then some batter; and over the last layer of meat pour the remainder of the batter, and bake it of a fine brown.--another. mash some boiled potatoes with a little milk, season it with pepper and salt, and cut some fat meat into small pieces. put a layer of meat at the bottom of the dish, and then a layer of potatoe till the dish is full. smooth the potatoes on the top, shake a little suet over it, and bake it to a fine brown. mashed potatoes may also be baked as a pudding under meat, or placed under meat while roasting, or they may be mixed with batter instead of flour. potatoe rolls. boil three pounds of potatoes, bruise and work them with two ounces of butter, and as much milk as will make them pass through a cullender. take nearly three quarters of a pint of yeast, and half a pint of warm water; mix them with the potatoes, pour the whole upon five pounds of flour, and add some salt. knead it well: if not of a proper consistence, add a little more warm milk and water. let it stand before the fire an hour to rise; work it well, and make it into rolls. bake them about half an hour, in an oven not quite so hot as for bread. the rolls will eat well, toasted and buttered. potatoe snow. the whitest sort of potatoes must be selected, and free from spots. set them over the fire in cold water; when they begin to crack, strain off the water, and put them into a clean stewpan by the side of the fire till they are quite dry, and fall to pieces. rub them through a wire sieve on the dish they are to be sent up in, and do not disturb them afterwards. potatoe soup. cut a pound and a half of gravy beef into thin slices, chop a pound of potatoes, and an onion or two, and put them into a kettle with three quarts of water, half a pint of blue peas, and two ounces of rice. stew these till the gravy is quite drawn from the meat, strain it off, take out the beef, and pulp the other ingredients through a coarse sieve. add the pulp to the soup, cut in two or three roots of celery, simmer in a clean saucepan till this is tender, season with pepper and salt, and serve it up with fried bread cut into it. potatoe starch. raw potatoes, in whatever condition, constantly afford starch, differing only in quality. the round grey or red produce the most, affording about two ounces of starch to a pound of pulp. the process is perfectly easy. peel and wash a pound of full grown potatoes, grate them on a bread grater into a deep dish, containing a quart of clear water. stir it well up, then pour it through a hair sieve, and leave it ten minutes to settle, till the water is quite clear. then pour off the water, and put a quart of fresh water to it; stir it up, let it settle, and repeat this till the water is quite clear. a fine white powder will at last be found at the bottom of the vessel. the criterion of this process being completed, is the purity of the water that comes from it after stirring it up. lay the powder on a sheet of paper in a hair sieve to dry, either in the sun or before the fire, and it is ready for use. put into a well stopped bottle, it will keep good for many months. if this be well made, a table-spoonful of it mixed with twice the quantity of cold water, and stirred into a soup or sauce, just before it is taken up, will thicken a pint of it to the consistence of cream. this preparation much resembles the indian arrow root, and is a good substitute for it. it gives a fulness on the palate to gravies and sauces at hardly any expense, and is often used to thicken melted butter instead of flour. being perfectly tasteless, it will not alter the flavour of the most delicate broth or gruel. potatoes. the following is allowed to be a superior method of raising potatoes, and of obtaining a larger and finer growth. dig the earth twelve inches deep, if the soil will admit, and afterwards open a hole about six inches deep, and twelve wide. fill it with horse dung, or long litter, about three inches thick, and plant a whole potatoe upon it; shake a little more dung over it, and mould up the earth. in this way the whole plot of ground should be planted, placing the potatoes at least sixteen inches apart. when the young shoots make their appearance, they should have fresh mould drawn round them with a hoe; and if the tender shoots are covered, it will prevent the frost from injuring them. they should again be earthed, when the roots make a second appearance, but not covered, as in all probability the season will be less severe. a plentiful supply of mould should be given them, and the person who performs this business should never tread upon the plant, or the hillock that is raised round it, as the lighter the earth is the more room the potatoe will have to expand. in holland, the potatoes are strangely cultivated, though there are persons who give the preference to dutch potatoes, supposing them to be of a finer grain than others. they are generally planted in the fields, in rows, nearly as thick as beans or peas, and are suffered to grow up wild and uncultivated, the object being to raise potatoes as small as possible, while the large ones, if such there happen to be, are thrown out and given to the pigs. the mode of cultivation in ireland, where potatoes are found in the greatest perfection, is far different, and probably the best of all. the round rough red are generally preferred, and are esteemed the most genuine. these are planted in rows, and only just put in beneath the soil. these rows are divided into beds about six feet wide, a path or trench is left between the beds, and as the plants vegetate the earth is dug out of the trench, and thrown lightly over the potatoes. this practice is continued all the summer, the plants are thus nourished by the repeated accession of fresh soil, and the trench as it deepens serves the purpose of keeping the beds dry, and of carrying off the superfluous water. the potatoes are always rich and mealy, containing an unusual quantity of wholesome flour. potatoes boiled. the vegetable kingdom scarcely affords any food more wholesome, more easily procured, easily prepared, or less expensive than the potatoe; yet although this most useful vegetable is dressed almost every day, in almost every family,--for one plate of potatoes that comes to table as it should, ten are spoiled. there is however a great diversity in the colour, size, shape, and quality of the potatoe, and some are of a very inferior description. the yellow are better than the white, but the rough red are the most mealy and nutritive. choose those of a moderate size, free from blemishes, and fresh. it is best to buy them in the mould, as they come from the bed, and they should not be wetted till they are cleaned for cooking. protect them from the air and frost, by laying in heaps in a dry place, covering them with mats, or burying them in dry sand. if the frost affects them, the life of the vegetable is destroyed, and the potatoe speedily rots. when they are to be dressed, wash them, but do not pare or cut them, unless they are very large. fill a saucepan half full of potatoes of an equal size, and add as much cold water as will cover them about an inch. most boiled things are spoiled by having too little water, but potatoes are often spoiled by too much: they should merely be covered, and a little allowed for waste in boiling. set them on a moderate fire till they boil, then take them off, and place them on the side of the fire to simmer slowly, till they are soft enough to admit a fork. the usual test of their skin cracking is not to be depended on, for if they are boiled fast this will happen when the potatoes are not half done, and the inside is quite hard. pour off the water the minute the potatoes are done, or they will become watery and sad; uncover the saucepan, and set it at such a distance from the fire as will prevent its burning; the superfluous moisture will then evaporate, and the potatoes become perfectly dry and mealy. this method is in every respect equal to steaming, and the potatoes are dressed in half the time. potatoes broiled. parboil, then slice and broil them. or parboil, and set them whole on the gridiron over a very slow fire. when thoroughly done, send them up with their skins on. this method is practised in many irish families. potatoes in cream. half boil some potatoes, drain and peel them nicely, and cut into neat pieces. put them into a stewpan with some cream, fresh butter, and salt, of each a proportion to the quantity of potatoes; or instead of cream, put some good gravy, with pepper and salt. stew them very gently, and be careful to prevent their breaking. potatoes fried. if they are whole potatoes, first boil them nearly enough, and then put them into a stewpan with a bit of butter, or some nice clean beef drippings. to prevent their burning, shake them about till they are brown and crisp, and then drain them from the fat. it would be an elegant improvement, to flour and dip them in the yolk of an egg previous to frying, and then roll them in fine sifted bread crumbs: they would then deserve to be called potatoes full dressed.--if to be fried in slices or shavings, peel some large potatoes, slice them about a quarter of an inch thick, or cut them in shavings round and round, as in peeling a lemon. dry them well in a clean cloth, and fry them in lard or dripping. take care that the fat and the fryingpan are both perfectly clean. put the pan on a quick fire; as soon as the lard boils, and is still, put in the potatoe slices, and keep moving them till they are crisp. take them up and lay them to drain on a sieve, and then send them to table with a very little salt sprinkled over.--to fry cold potatoes, put a bit of clean dripping into a fryingpan. when melted, slice in the potatoes with a little pepper and salt; set them on the fire, and keep them stirring. when quite hot, they are ready. this is a good way of re-dressing potatoes, and making them palatable. potatoes mashed. when the potatoes are thoroughly boiled, drain and dry them well, and pick out every speck. rub them through a cullender into a clean stewpan: to a pound of potatoes allow half an ounce of butter, and a spoonful of milk. mix it up well, but do not make it too moist. after lady day, when potatoes are getting old and specked, and also in frosty weather, this is the best way of dressing them. if potatoes are to be mashed with onions, boil the onions, and pass them through a sieve. mix them with the potatoes, in such a proportion as is most approved. potatoes preserved. to keep potatoes from the frost, lay them up in a dry store room, and cover them with straw, or a linen cloth. if this be not convenient, dig a trench three or four feet deep, and put them in as they are taken up. cover them with the earth taken out of the trench, raise it up in the middle like the roof of a house, and cover it with straw so as to carry off the rain. better still if laid above ground, and covered with a sufficient quantity of mould to protect them from the frost, as in this case they are less likely to be injured by the wet. potatoes may also be preserved by suffering them to remain in the ground, and digging them up in the spring of the year, as they are wanted. potatoes roasted. choose them nearly of a size, wash and dry the potatoes, and put them in a dutch oven, or cheese toaster. take care not to place them too near the fire, or they will burn on the outside before they are warmed through. large potatoes will require two hours to roast them properly, unless they are previously half boiled. when potatoes are to be roasted under meat, they should first be half boiled, drained from the water, and placed in the pan under the meat. baste them with some of the dripping, and when they are browned on one side, turn and brown them on the other. send them up round the meat, or in a small dish. potatoes scalloped. having boiled and mashed the potatoes, butter some clean scallop shells, or pattipans, and put in the potatoes. smooth them on the top, cross a knife over them, strew on a few fine bread crumbs, sprinkle them a little with melted butter from a paste brush, and then set them in a dutch oven. when they are browned on the top, take them carefully out of the shells, and brown the other side. potatoes steamed. the potatoes must be well washed, but not pared, and put into the steamer when the water boils. moderate sized potatoes will require three quarters of an hour to do them properly. they should be taken up as soon as they are done enough, or they will become watery: peel them afterwards. potted beef. take two pounds of lean beef, rub it with saltpetre, and let it lie one night. then lay on common salt, and cover it with water four days in a small pan. dry it with a cloth, season it with black pepper, lay it into as small a pan as will hold it, cover it with coarse paste, but put in no liquor, and bake it five hours in a very cool oven. when cold, pick out the strings and fat. beat the meat very fine, with a quarter of a pound of fine butter just warm, but not oiled, and as much of the gravy as will make it into a paste. put it into very small pots, and cover them with clarified butter.--another way. take beef that has been dressed, either boiled or roasted; beat it in a mortar with some pepper and salt, a few cloves, grated nutmeg, and a little fine butter just warm. this eats as well as the former, but the colour is not so fine. it is however a good way for using the remains of a large joint. potted birds. having cleaned them nicely, rub every part well with a seasoning of white pepper and salt, mace and allspice in fine powder. put them in a pan, lay on some butter, cover it with a paste of coarse flour, and a paper tied closely over. when baked and grown cold, cut them into pieces proper for helping, pack them close into a large potting-pan, and leave as little space as possible to receive the butter. cover them with butter, and one third less will be wanted than when the birds are done whole. potted cheese. cut and pound four ounces of cheshire cheese, one ounce and a half of fine butter, a tea-spoonful of white powdered sugar, a little bit of mace, and a glass of white wine. press it down in a deep pot. potted damsons. weigh the damsons, and wipe them dry one by one, allowing one pound of fine sugar to three pounds of fruit. spread a little of the sugar at the bottom of the jar, then a layer of fruit, and so on till the jar is full. then add three or four spoonfuls of water, tie it down close, and put it several times into a cool oven. potted dripping. boil six pounds of good beef dripping in soft water, strain it into a pan, and let it stand to cool. take off the hard fat, scrape off the gravy, and repeat it several times. when the fat is cold and hard, put it into a saucepan with six bay leaves, six cloves, half a pound of salt, and a quarter of a pound of whole pepper. let the fat be entirely melted; and when it has cooled a little, strain it through a sieve into the pot, and tie it down. turn the pot upside down, that no rats or mice may get at it, and it will keep a long time, and make good puff paste, or crust for puddings. potted hare. an old hare will do well for this purpose, likewise for soup and pie. after seasoning it, bake it with butter. when cold, take the meat from the bones, and beat it in a mortar. if not high enough, add salt, mace, pepper, and a piece of fresh butter melted in a spoonful or two of gravy that came from the hare. when well mixed, put it into small pots, and cover it with butter. the legs and back should be baked at the bottom of the jar, to keep them moist, and the bones be put over them. potted herrings. scale, clean, and season them well. bake them in a pan with spice, bay leaves, and some butter. when cold, lay them in a potting pot, and cover them over with butter. they are very fine for a supper dish. potted lobsters. half boil them, pick out the meat, cut it into small pieces, season with mace, white pepper, nutmeg, and salt. press it close into a pot, and cover it with butter; bake it half an hour, and then put in the spawn. when cold take out the lobster, and put it into pots with a little of the butter. beat the rest of the butter in a mortar, with some of the spawn, mix the coloured butter with as much as will be sufficient to cover the pots, and strain it. cayenne may be added, if approved.--another way. take out the meat as whole as possible, split the tail, and remove the gut; and if the inside be not watery, it may be added. season with mace, nutmeg, white pepper, salt, and a clove or two, in the finest powder. lay a little fine butter at the bottom of the pan, and the lobster smooth over it, with bay leaves between; cover it with butter, and bake it gently. when done, pour the whole on the bottom of a sieve; and with a fork lay the pieces into potting pots, some of each sort, with the seasoning about it. when cold, pour clarified butter over, but not hot. it will be good the next day; but if highly seasoned, and well covered with butter, it will keep some time. potted lobster may be used cold, or as a fricassee, with a cream sauce. it then looks very nicely, and eats well, especially if there is spawn. mackarel, herrings, and trout, are good potted in the same way. potted mackerel. clean, season, and bake them in a pan with spice, bay leaves, and some butter. when cold, lay them in a pot for potting, and cover them over with butter. potted moor game. pick, singe, and wash the birds nicely. dry and season them pretty high, inside and out, with pepper, mace, nutmeg, allspice, and salt. pack them in as small a pot as will hold them, cover them with butter, and bake in a very slow oven. when cold, take off the butter, dry them from the gravy, and put one bird into each pot, which should just fit. add as much more butter as will cover them, but take care that it be not oiled. the best way to melt it is, by warming it in a bason placed in a bowl of hot water. potted partridge. clean them nicely, and season with mace, allspice, white pepper, and salt, all in fine powder. rub every part well, then lay the breast downwards in a pan, and pack the birds as close as possible. put a good deal of butter on them, cover the pan with a paste of coarse flour and a paper over, tie it close and bake it. when cold, put the birds into pots, and cover them with butter. the butter that has covered potted things will serve for basting, or for paste for meat pies. potted pigeons. let them be quite fresh, clean them carefully, and season them with salt and pepper. lay them close in a small deep pan; for the smaller the surface, and the closer they are packed, the less butter will be wanted. cover them with butter, then with very thick paper tied down, and bake them. when cold, put them dry into pots that will hold two or three in each, and pour butter over them, using that which was baked in part. if they are to be kept, the butter should be laid pretty thick over them. if pigeons were boned, and then put in an oval form into the pot, they would lie closer, and require less butter. they may be stuffed with a fine forcemeat made with veal, bacon, and the other ingredients, and then they will eat very fine. if a high flavour is preferred, add mace, allspice, and a little cayenne, before baking. potted rabbits. cut up two or three young but full-grown rabbits, and take off the leg bones at the thigh. pack them as closely as possible in a small pan, after seasoning them with pepper, salt, mace, allspice, and cayenne, all in very fine powder. make the top as smooth as possible. keep out the heads and the carcase bones, but take off the meat about the neck. put in a good deal of butter, and bake the whole gently. keep it two days in the pan, then shift it into small pots, with some additional butter. when a rabbit is to be blanched, set it on the fire with a small quantity of cold water, and let it boil. it is then to be taken out immediately, and put into cold water for a few minutes. potted salmon. scale and wipe a large piece of salmon, but do not wash it. salt it, and let it lie till the salt is melted and drained from it; then season it with pounded mace, cloves, and whole pepper. lay in a few bay leaves, put it close into a pan, cover it over with butter, and bake it. when well done, drain it from the gravy, put it into pots to keep, and when cold cover it with clarified butter. any kind of firm fish may be potted in the same manner. potted shrimps. when boiled, take them out of the skins, and season them with salt, white pepper, and a very little mace and cloves. press them into a pot, set it in the oven ten minutes, and when cold lay on butter. potted trout. scale and draw out the entrails of the fish without opening the belly, give them a wash, and let them drain from the water. season the fish well with salt, pepper, cloves, mace, and ginger. lay them into a broad pan in two layers, cover them with butter, and then with paper. lay some sticks across the pan to keep the paper up. bake them moderately, then take them out and drain them. put them into pots in two layers, and fill up the pots with clarified butter, as cool as it can be to run properly. any other fish may be potted in the same way. potted veal. cold fillet makes the finest potted veal, or it may be done as follows. season a large slice of the fillet before it is dressed, with some mace, peppercorns, and two or three cloves. lay it close into a potting pan that will but just hold it, fill the pan up with water, and bake it three hours. then pound it in a mortar, and flavour it with salt. in pounding, put to it a little of the baked gravy, if the meat is to be eaten soon; otherwise only a little butter just melted. when done, cover it over with butter. to pot veal or chicken with ham, pound some cold veal or the white of a chicken, seasoned as above, and place layers of it with layers of ham pounded, or rather shred. press down each, and cover the whole with clarified butter. potted venison. if the venison be stale, rub it with vinegar, dry it with a cloth, and rub it well with red wine. season it with pepper, salt, and mace, and put it into a jar. pour over it half a pint of red wine, lay in a pound of butter, and bake it tender. when it is done, clean it from the bones and skin, and beat it in a marble mortar with the fat and gravy. press it hard into the pots, and pour clarified butter over it. poultices. common poultice is best made of white bread, put into boiling water till it is of a proper thickness. then let it boil, and add a bit of lard, or a little sweet oil. water answers the purpose better than milk, as the poultice thus made will retain the moisture longer.--a poultice to ripen tumours or swellings, should consist of two ounces of white lily roots, half a pound of figs, and two ounces of meal or bean flour. these are to be boiled in water till it comes to a proper consistence; the poultice is then spread on a thick cloth, applied warm, and shifted as often as it grows dry.--carrot poultice is made of clean grated carrots mixed with water, so as to form a soft pulp. this is an excellent poultice to ease pain arising from a sore; it not only cleanses it, but takes off the offensive smell which generally attends such complaints. it also affords great relief in cancers, and should be changed twice a day. poultry. previously to their being dressed, every description of game and poultry requires to be carefully picked, and neatly trussed; every plug should be removed, and the hair nicely singed with white paper. in drawing poultry, care must be taken not to break the gall bag, for no washing will take off the bitter where it has touched. in dressing wild fowl, a brisk clear fire must be kept up, that they may be done of a fine yellow brown, but so as to leave the gravy in: the fine flavour is lost if done too much. tame fowls require more roasting, and are longer in heating through than others. all sorts should be continually basted, that they may be served up with a froth, and appear of a fine colour. a large fowl will take three quarters of an hour, a middling one half an hour, and a small one, or a chicken, twenty minutes. the fire must be very quick and clear, before any fowls are put down. a capon will take from half an hour to thirty-five minutes, a goose an hour, wild ducks a quarter of an hour, pheasants twenty minutes, a small stuffed turkey an hour and a quarter, turkey poults twenty minutes, grouse a quarter of an hour, quails ten minutes, and partridges about twenty-five minutes. a hare will take nearly an hour, and the hind part requires most heat. pigs and geese require a brisk fire, and quick turning. hares and rabbits must be well attended to, and the extremities brought to the quick part of the fire, to be done equally with the backs. poultry yard. in the rearing of poultry, care should be taken to choose a fine large breed, or the ends of good management may be defeated. the dartford sort is generally approved, but it is difficult to say which is to be preferred, if they be but healthy and vigorous. the black sort are very juicy, but as their legs are so much discoloured, they are not well adapted for boiling. those hens are usually preferred for setting, which have tufts of feathers on their head; those that crow are not considered so profitable. some fine young fowls should be reared every year, to keep up a stock of good breeders, and bad layers and careless nurses should be excluded. the best age for a setting hen is from two to five years, and it is necessary to remark which among them are the best breeders. hens set twenty days, and convenient places should be provided for their laying, which will also serve for setting and hatching. a hen house should be large and high, should be frequently cleaned out, and well secured from the approach of vermin, or the eggs will be sucked, and the fowls destroyed. hens must not be disturbed while sitting, for if frightened, they are apt to forsake their nests. wormwood and rue should be planted about their houses; some of the former should occasionally be boiled, and sprinkled about the floor, which should not be paved, but formed of smooth earth. the windows of the house should be open to the rising sun, and a hole left at the door to let in the smaller fowls; the larger may be let in and out by opening the door. there should be a small sliding board to shut down when the fowls are gone to roost, to prevent the ravages of vermin, and a strong door and lock should be added, to secure the poultry from thieves and robbers. let the hens lay some time before they are allowed to set, the proper time for which will be from the end of february to the beginning of may. broods of chickens are hatched all through the summer, but those that come out very late require care till they have gained sufficient strength. feed the hens well during the time of laying, and give them oats occasionally. if the eggs of any other sort are put under a hen with some of her own, observe to add her own as many days after the others as there is a difference in the length of their setting. a turkey and duck set thirty days, the hen only twenty. choose large clear eggs to put her upon, and such a number as she can properly cover; about ten or twelve are quite sufficient. if the eggs be very large, they sometimes contain a double yolk, and in that case neither will be productive. when some of the chickens are hatched, long before the others, it may be necessary to keep them in a basket of wool till the others come forth. the day after they are hatched, give them some crumbs of white bread or grots soaked in milk, which are very nourishing. as soon as they have gained a little strength, feed them with curd, cheese parings cut small, or any soft food, but nothing that is sour, and provide them with clean water twice a day. keep the hen under a pen till the young have strength to follow her about, which will be in two or three weeks; and be sure to feed the hen well. poultry in general should be fed as nearly as possible at the same hour of the day, and in the same place, as this will be the surest way of collecting them together. potatoes boiled in a little water, so as to be dry and mealy, and then cut, and wetted with skim milk that is not sour, will form an agreeable food for poultry, and young turkies will thrive much on it. grain should however be given occasionally, or the constant use of potatoe food will make their flesh soft and insipid. the food of fowls goes first into the crop, which softens it; it then passes into the gizzard, which by constant friction macerates it; this is facilitated by small stones which are generally found there, and which help to digest the food. if a setting hen be troubled with vermin, let her be well washed with a decoction of white lupins. the pip in fowls is occasioned by drinking dirty water, or taking filthy food. the general symptom is a white thin scale on the tongue, which should be pulled off with the finger; afterwards rub the tongue with a little salt, and the disorder will be removed.--geese require a somewhat different management. they generally breed once in a year; but if well kept, they will frequently hatch twice within that period. three of these birds are usually allotted to a gander; if there were more, the eggs would be rendered abortive. the quantity of eggs to be placed under each goose while setting, is about a dozen or thirteen. while brooding, they should be well fed with corn and water, which must be placed near them, so that they may eat at pleasure. the ganders should never be excluded from their company, because they are then instinctively anxious to watch over and guard their own geese. the nests of geese should be made of straw, and so confined that the eggs may not roll out, as the geese turn them every day. when they are nearly hatched, it is proper to break the shell near the back of the young gosling, as well for the purpose of admitting the air, as to enable it to make its escape at the proper time. to fatten young geese, the best way is to coop them up in a dark narrow place, where they are to be fed with ground malt mixed with milk; or if milk be scarce, with barley meal mashed up with water. a less expensive way will be to give them boiled oats, with either duck's meat or boiled carrots; and as they are very fond of variety, these may be given them alternately. they will then become fat in a few weeks, and their flesh will acquire a fine flavour. in order to fatten stubble geese at michaelmas time, the way is to turn them out on the wheat stubble, or those pastures that grow after wheat has been harvested. they are afterwards to be pent up, and fed with ground malt mixed with water. boiled oats or wheat may occasionally be substituted.--ducks are fattened in the same manner, only they must be allowed a large pan of water to dabble in. those kept for breeders, should have the convenience of a large pond; and such as have their bills a little turned up will generally be found the most prolific. in the spring of the year, an additional number of ducks may be reared by putting the eggs under the care of the hen, who will hatch them as her own brood.--turkies, early in the spring, will often wander to a distance in order to construct their nest, where the hen deposits from fourteen to seventeen eggs, but seldom produces more than one brood in a season. great numbers are reared in the northern counties, and driven by hundreds to the london market by means of a shred of scarlet cloth fastened to the end of a pole, which from their antipathy to this colour serves as a whip. turkies being extremely delicate fowls, are soon injured by the cold: hence it is necessary, soon after they are hatched, to force them to swallow one whole peppercorn each, and then restore them to the parent bird. they are also liable to a peculiar disorder, which often proves fatal in a little time. on inspecting the rump feathers, two or three of their quills will be found to contain blood; but on drawing them out, the chickens soon recover, and afterwards require no other care than common poultry. young turkies should be fed with crumbs of bread and milk, eggs boiled hard and chopped, or with common dock leaves cut fine, and mixed with fresh butter-milk. they also require to be kept in the sunshine or a warm place, and guarded from the rain, or from running among the nettles. they are very fond of the common garden peppercress, or cut-leaved cress, and should be supplied with as much of it as they will eat, or allowed to pick it off the bed. in norfolk they are fed with curds and chopped onions, also with buck wheat, and are literally crammed with boluses of barley meal till their crops are full, which perhaps may account for the superior excellence of the turkies in that part of the kingdom. pounce. this article, used in writing, is made of gum sandaric, powdered and sifted very fine; or an equal quantity of rosin, burnt alum, and cuttle fishbone well dried, and mixed together. this last is of a superior quality. pound cake. beat a pound of butter to a cream, and mix with it the whites and yolks of eight eggs beaten apart. have ready warm by the fire, a pound of flour, and the same of sifted sugar. mix them and a few cloves, a little nutmeg and cinnamon, in fine powder together; then by degrees work the dry ingredients into the butter and eggs. it must be well beaten for a full hour, adding a glass of wine, and some carraway seeds. butter a pan, and bake it a full hour in a quick oven. the above proportions, leaving out four ounces of the butter, and the same of sugar, make a less luscious cake, but a very pleasant one. pounded cheese. cut a pound of good mellow cheese into thin slices, add to it two or three ounces of fresh butter, rub them well together in a mortar till quite smooth. when cheese is dry, and for those whose digestion is feeble, this is the best way of eating it; and spread on bread, it makes an excellent supper. the flavour of this dish may be encreased by pounding it with curry powder, ground spice, black cayenne, and a little made mustard; or it may be moistened with a glass of sherry. if pressed down hard in a jar, and covered with clarified butter, it will keep for several days in cool weather. prawns and shrimps. when fresh they have a sweet flavour, are firm and stiff, and of a bright colour. shrimps are of the prawn kind, and may be judged by the same rules. prawn soup. boil six whitings and a large eel, in as much water as will cover them, after being well cleaned. skim them clean, and put in whole pepper, mace, ginger, parsley, or onion, a little thyme, and three cloves, and boil the whole to a mash. pick fifty crawfish, or a hundred prawns; pound the shells, and a small roll. but first boil them with a little water, vinegar, salt, and herbs. put this liquor over the shells in a sieve, and then pour the soup, clear from the sediment. chop a lobster, and add this to it, with a quart of good beef gravy. add also the tails of the crawfish, or the prawns, with some flour and butter. the seasoning may be heightened, if approved. preserves. these can never be done to perfection, without plenty of good sugar. fruits may be kept with small quantities of sugar, but then they must boil so long that there is as much waste in the boiling away, as some more sugar added at first would have cost, and the quality of the preserve will neither be so proper for use, nor of so good an appearance, as with a larger proportion of sugar, and moderate boiling. fruits are often put up without any sugar at all, but if they do not ferment and spoil, which is very common, they must have a good deal of sugar added to them when used, and thus the risk of spoiling seems hardly compensated by any saving. the only real economy that can be exercised in this case is, not to make any preserves at all. the most perfect state in which fruits in general can be taken for preserving is, just when they are full ripe. sooner than this they have not acquired their best qualities, and if they hang long after it they begin to lose them. some persons will delay the doing them, under an idea that the longer they hang the less sugar they require. but it is a false economy that would lose the perfection of the fruit to save some of the sugar, and probably quite unfounded in fact, as all things will naturally keep the best that are taken at their highest perfection, and hence do with as little sugar then as at any time. preserved cucumbers. choose such as are most free from seed; some should be small to preserve whole, and others large to cut in pieces. put them into a jar, with strong salt and water, and a cabbage leaf to keep them down, and set them in a warm place till they turn yellow. then wash and set them over the fire in fresh water, with a little salt, and a fresh cabbage leaf over them; cover the pan close, but they must not be boiled. if not of a fine green, change the water, cover them as before, and make them hot; when of a good green, take them off the fire, and let them stand till cold. cut the large cucumbers in quarters, and take out the seeds and pulp; put them into cold water for two days, and change the water twice each day. place on the fire a pound of refined sugar, with half a pint of water; skim it clean, put in the rind of a lemon, and an ounce of ginger with the outside scraped off. when the syrup is pretty thick take it off, and when cold wipe the cucumbers dry, and put them in. boil the syrup every two or three days, continuing to do so for three weeks, and make it stronger if necessary. be sure to put the syrup to the cucumbers quite cold, cover them close, and keep them in a dry place. preserved oysters. open the oysters carefully, so as not to cut them, except in dividing the gristle which attaches the shells. put them into a mortar, and add about two drams of salt to a dozen oysters. pound and then rub them through the back of a hair sieve, and put them into the mortar again, with as much well-dried flour as will make them into a paste. roll it out several times, and at last flour and roll it out the thickness of a half crown, and divide it into pieces about an inch square. lay them in a dutch oven, that they may dry gently without being burnt; turn them every half hour, and when they begin to dry, crumble them. they will take about four hours to dry, then pound them fine, sift and put them into bottles, and seal them down. to make half a pint of oyster sauce, put one ounce of butter into a stewpan, with three drams of oyster powder, and six spoonfuls of milk. set it on a slow fire, stir it till it boils, and season it with salt. this powder, if made of plump juicy natives, will abound with the flavour of the fish; and if closely corked, and kept in a dry place, will remain good for some time. it is also an agreeable substitute when oysters are out of season, and is a valuable addition to the list of fish sauces. it is equally good with boiled fowl, or rump steak; and sprinkled on bread and butter, it makes a very good sandwich. preserved walnuts. put the walnuts into cold water, let them boil five minutes, strain off the water, and change it three times. dry the nuts in a cloth, and weigh them; to every pound of nuts allow a pound of sugar, and stick a clove in each. put them into a jar with some rose vinegar; boil up a syrup, with a pint of water and half a pound of sugar, and pour over them. let them stand three or four days, and boil up the syrup again. repeat this three times, and at last give the walnuts a good scald, and let them remain in the syrup. preservation of butter. butter, as it is generally cured, does not keep well for any length of time, without spoiling or becoming rancid. the following method of preserving butter, supposing it to have been previously well made, is recommended as the best at present known. reduce separately to fine powder in a dry mortar, two pounds of the whitest common salt, one pound of saltpetre, and one pound of lump sugar. sift these ingredients one above another, on two sheets of paper joined together, and then mix them well with the hands, or with a spatula. preserve the whole in a covered jar, placed in a dry situation. when required to be used, one ounce of this composition is to be proportioned to every pound of butter, and the whole is to be well worked into the mass: the butter is then to be packed in casks in the usual way. butter cured with this mixture will be of a rich marrowy consistence, and will never acquire that brittle hardness so common to salt butter. it has been known to keep for three years, as sweet as it was at first; but it must be observed, that butter thus cured requires to stand at least three weeks or a month before it is used. if it be opened sooner, the salts are not sufficiently blended with it, and sometimes the coolness of the nitre will then be perceived, which totally disappears afterwards. cleanliness in this article is indispensable, but it is not generally suspected, that butter made or kept in vessels or troughs lined with lead, or put into glazed earthenware pans, is too apt to be contaminated with particles of that deleterious metal. if the butter is in the least degree rancid, this can hardly fail to take place; and it cannot be doubted, that during the decomposition of the salts, the glazing is acted upon. it is better therefore to use tinned vessels for mixing the preservative with the butter, and to pack it either in wooden vessels, or in stone jars which are vitrified throughout, and do not require any inside glazing. pressed beef. salt a piece of the brisket, a thin part of the flank, or the tops of the ribs, with salt and saltpetre five days. boil it gently till extremely tender, put it under a great weight, or in a cheesepress, and let it remain till perfectly cold. it is excellent for sandwiches, or a cold dish. primrose vinegar. boil four pounds of moist sugar in ten quarts of water for about a quarter of an hour, and take off the scum. then pour the liquor on six pints of primroses, add some fresh yeast before it is quite cold, and let it work all night in a warm place. when the fermentation is over, close up the barrel, and still keep it in a warm place. prince of wales's pudding. put half a pound of loaf sugar, and half a pound of fresh butter, into a saucepan; set it over the fire till both are melted, stirring it well, as it is very liable to burn, but do not let it boil. pour this into an earthen pan, grate the rind of a lemon into it, and leave it to cool. have ready two sponge biscuits soaked in a quarter of a pint of cream, bruise them fine and stir them into the sugar and butter. beat the yolks of ten, and the whites of five eggs well with a little salt; squeeze and strain the juice of the lemon into them, and mix these well in with the other ingredients. lay a puff paste into the dish, strew it with pieces of candied lemon peel, put in the pudding, and bake it three quarters of an hour in a moderate oven. sift fine sugar over it, before it is sent to the table. provisions. the first of all requisites for human sustenance is bread, which with great propriety is denominated 'the staff of life.' the next to this is meat, which though not alike essential, is of great importance in strengthening and invigorating the human frame. the former of these constituting the principal food of great numbers, and a part of the sustenance of all people, it is highly necessary to attend carefully to the ingredients of which it is composed, and to the manner in which it is prepared. a person's health must inevitably be injured by bad corn and flour, and even by what is good, when improperly prepared. the best flour is often made into bad bread by not suffering it to rise sufficiently; by not kneading it well, by not baking it enough, and by keeping it too long. mixing other substances with the flour also injures the quality of the bread in a very high degree. these faults have a bad effect on those who generally eat such bread, but the injury is still more serious to children and weakly persons. where the flour is corrupted, the use of it in every other article of food, will of course be as unwholesome as in that of bread. the mere exposure to the air will evaporate and deaden all flour, though the grain may never have passed through any fermentation or digestion; as in the instance of wheat flour, the strongest and the best of any other. for this reason, flour which has been ground five or six weeks, or longer, though it be kept close in sacks or barrels, will not make so sweet a loaf, nor one so moist and pleasant, as that which is newly ground. hence all bread made in london eats drier and harsher than bread in the country, which is made within a few days after the grinding of the wheat. all grains which are ground, ought therefore to be used as soon afterwards as possible. but this is not the most profitable to the dealers in meal, as meal newly ground will not part so freely from the bran, nor consequently yield so much flour, as when it lies a certain time after the grinding; for this disposes the branny and floury parts to give way from each other, and thus they separate easier and more completely than when dressed immediately. the flour also then looks finer, but the bread made of such meal is not of so good a quality as that made of meal fresh ground. all sorts of grain kept entire, will remain sound and good for a long time: but flour will in a comparatively short time, corrupt, and generate worms. this therefore requires peculiar attention, or much loss and injury may be sustained. the health of mankind depends in great measure on the good or bad preparation of food, and on the purity of all sorts of provisions: and grain being the most essential article of sustenance, very much depends on the conduct of millers, bakers, and mealmen. those who acquit themselves honestly in these vocations are entitled to a fair profit, and the goodwill of their fellow-men: but such as betray the confidence reposed in them, by corrupting or withholding it when needed, are undoubtedly amongst the worst enemies of mankind. so far as health is concerned, bread made with leaven is preferable to that made with yeast; the sour quality of leaven is more agreeable to the ferment of the stomach than yeast; it is also easier of digestion, and more cleansing. it opens the vessels, and gives a healthy appetite; and a little use will make it familiar and pleasant to the eater. this bread however seldom agrees with weak stomachs, especially such as are liable to acidity and heartburn. one of the best kinds of bread for sickly people, is made of wheaten flour, the coarse or husky bran being taken out, but not finely dressed; otherwise it would be dry, and obstructing to the stomach. the inner skin or branny parts of wheat contain a moisty quality, which is opening and cleansing, while the fine floury parts afford more nourishment. bread therefore of a middling quality is the wholesomest, and the best. mixing in much salt is injurious, from the change it occasions in bread of every description. finding no matter liable to putrefaction to work on, it acts upon the best qualities of the flour, which it alters and corrupts. hence, when bread is intended to be kept a considerable time, as biscuits for a long voyage, no salt is put into it. but bread for common use will admit of a moderate portion of salt. it may be remarked however, that bread, notwithstanding it is so excellent with meat, milk, and vegetables, is not so substantial and nourishing as flour, when prepared in porridges and other articles. to have good bread, it should not be baked in too close an oven, but a free passage should be left for the air. the best way is to make it into thin cakes, and bake them on a stone, which many in the northern counties use for that purpose, making a wood fire under it. this sort of bread is sweeter, of a more innocent taste, and far easier of digestion, than bread baked the common way in ovens. in the same manner cakes may be made of any kind of grain, such as rye, oats, or barley, and will be found more wholesome and nourishing, and more agreeable to nature, than bread made in the usual manner. oat cakes are often preferred to those made of wheat flour, as they tend to open the body, and are rather warmer, to cold and weak stomachs. barley is not so nourishing, and requires more preparation to render it digestible, than the other kinds of grain. cakes, biscuits, muffins, buns, crumpets, and small bread, made with eggs, butter, or sugar, seldom agree with delicate persons. biscuits made without leaven, yeast, butter, or sugar, are more difficult of digestion, than bread when it is fermented. where bread is fixed to a standard weight and price, bakers are very apt to mix alum and pearlash with it, for the purpose of hastening its rising, and of encreasing its weight, by causing it to retain its moisture. if a piece of bread be soaked in water, and turns the juice of a red cabbage into a green colour, it is a proof that it contains an alkali or earthy substance, which is most probably pearlash. it is said that a compound salt is clandestinely sold in london, under the name of baker's salt, and is composed of the above ingredients. when there is reason to suspect that bread is adulterated with alum, it may be detected thus. cut about a pound of bread into an earthen vessel, pour upon it a quart of boiling water, and let it stand till cold. strain the liquor off gently through a piece of fine linen, boil it down to about a wine glass full, and set it by to cool. if there be a mixture of alum, it will form itself into crystals. the observance of the following rules may be considered as essential to the making of good bread. the corn must be sound and clean, and newly ground, and not contaminated with any extraneous mixtures. to make it easy of digestion it should be leavened, and moderately seasoned with salt. let it rise for several hours, and be well wrought and kneaded with the hands. it must be well baked, but neither over nor under-done. if baked too little, the bread will be heavy, clammy, and unwholesome: if too much, its strength and goodness will be consumed. in general, bread should not be eaten hot; it is then more viscid, and harder of digestion. bread is in its best state the first and second day after it is baked. economical bread, or bread of an inferior quality, depraved by other mixtures, has frequently been recommended to poor people in times of scarcity; but except where absolute necessity exists, this is a kind of policy that cannot be too severely condemned. the labouring classes, whose dependence is almost entirely upon bread, ought to be provided with what is of the purest and most nutricious quality, and at a reasonable price. they might then live upon their labour, and in health and activity would feel that labour itself was sweet. if potatoes, rice, or any other ingredients are to be mixed with the bread, to lower its nutricious qualities, let it not be offered to the labourer; but if economy of this kind be required, let it be exercised by those whose eyes are standing out with fatness, and to whom a sparer diet might be beneficial.--meat in general, as well as all other kinds of food, is nourishing or otherwise, according to its quality, and the manner in which it is prepared. there are peculiar constitutions, or particular diseases and periods of life, when animal food is highly detrimental; and others again, when it is essentially necessary; but it is the general use of it, and not these exceptions, that will be the subject of the following observations. as a part of our habitual diet, the main points to be attended to are, the kinds of animal food, and the modes of dressing it, which are most to be recommended. a choice of meat is desirable, but if the animals subject to this choice be neither sound nor healthy, it is of little consequence which kind is preferred, for they, are alike unwholesome. it is proper therefore to avoid the flesh of all such as are fatted in confinement, or upon pernicious substances, which can never make wholesome food. oil cakes and rank vegetables, with want of air and exercise, will produce such sort of meat as will shew immediately from its appearance, that it must be unwholesome. animals may eat rancid fulsome food, and grow fat upon it, and yet the meat they produce may be highly offensive. hunger and custom will induce the eating of revolting substances, both in the brute and human species; and growing fat is by no means a certain sign of health. on the contrary, it is frequently the symptom of a gross habit, and a tendency to disease. the distinct effects of various kinds of food upon animals, are very obvious in the instance of milch cows. grass, hay, straw, grains, turnips, and oil cakes, produce milk of such different qualities as must be at once distinguished; and the preference to that where cows are fed upon grass or hay, and next to them straw, appears very decided. the inference would be fair, that it must be the same with respect to flesh, even if it were less obvious than it is. it is an unwise economy, in the management of cows, that withholds from them a sufficient quantity of the best and most nourishing food. if duly appreciated, the quality of milk is even of superior importance to that of flesh, from its general excellence and utility as an article of food. if milk was plentiful and good, the want of meat would in many instances not be felt, and in others, the consumption of it might be lessened with great advantage. to confine cows with a view to increase their supply of milk, is as injurious to the quality of it, as the confinement of animals is in other instances. the over feeding them also with a similar view, is an injurious practice. cleanliness too is no less essential to keeping them in a wholesome state, than to animals intended to be slaughtered. it is no uncommon effect of confining and cramming animals, that they become diseased in the liver, besides acquiring a general tendency to putridity in their juices and muscular substances, from want of air and exercise, excess of feeding and bad food, and the dirt in which they live. a brute, no more than a human being, can digest above a certain quantity of food, to convert it into actual nourishment; and good chyle can only be produced from wholesome food, cleanliness, air, and exercise. to be well fleshed rather than fat, is the desirable state of animals destined for slaughter. there will always be with this a sufficient proportion of fat; and labouring by artificial means to produce more, is only encreasing that part of animal substance, which from its gross indigestible nature is not proper for human diet, unless in a very limited degree. venison, which in its domestic state is never fatted like other animals; game, and every wild animal proper for food; possess superior qualities to the tame, from the total contrast in their habits, more than from the food they eat. they have an extensive range in the open air, take much exercise, and choose their own sustenance, the good effects of which are very evident in a short delicate texture of flesh found only in them. their juices and flavour are more pure, and their fat is far more delicious than that of home-bred animals. the superiority of welch mutton and scotch beef is owing to a similar cause, and is still more in point than the former, as a contrast between animals of the same species under different management. the preferences just mentioned are not a mere matter of taste, which might readily be dispensed with, but are founded on more important considerations. a short delicate texture renders the meat more digestible, in a very high degree, than the coarse, heavy, stringy kind of substance produced by the misapplied art of man. a pure animal juice too, is something more than a luxury; for if what we use as food is not pure, neither can our blood nor our juices be so. if we would but be content with unadulterated luxuries, we have them at our command; and provided they are not indulged to excess, are of decided advantage to our health. supposing all animal flesh to be good of its kind, there is still abundant room for selection and choice. mutton, beef, venison, game, wild rabbits, fowls, turkies, and various small birds, are preferable to lamb, veal, pork, young pigs, ducks, geese, and tame rabbits. beef and mutton are much easier of digestion and more nutricious than veal and lamb, especially if not slaughtered before they come to proper maturity. nothing arrives at perfection under a stated period of growth, and till this is attained it will afford only inferior nutriment. if the flesh of mutton and lamb, beef and veal, are compared, they will be found of a different texture, and the two young meats of a more stringy indivisible nature than the others, which makes them harder of digestion. neither are their juices so nourishing when digested; as any one at all in the habit of observing what is passing within and about them will readily perceive from their own experience. lamb and veal leave a craving nausea in the stomach, not perceived after taking other kinds of animal food. veal broth soon turns sour by standing, owing to the sugar of milk contained in the blood of a calf; and the same change takes place in a weak stomach. persons in the habit of drinking strong liquors with their meals, cannot competently judge of such an effect; as these liquors harden all kinds of animal food, and therefore little distinction can be perceived amongst them. pork and young pigs are liable to the same objections as lamb and veal, but in a greater degree; they are fat and luscious, but afford no nutriment. ducks and geese are of a coarse oily nature, and only fit for very strong stomachs. tame rabbits are of a closer heavier texture than wild ones, and hence of inferior quality. pigeons are of a hot nature, and should therefore be used sparingly. fowls and turkies are of a mild proper nature for food, but the fattening them in confinement is equally prejudicial, as to other animals already mentioned. if left at large, well fed with good barley, and with clean water to drink, they will be little inferior to game. barley is preferable to barley meal, as retaining all the natural qualities of the grain in greater perfection than when ground; and as these birds are provided with grinders in the gizzard, the concocting their own food is more nourishing and wholesome for them. these, like other animals, should be suffered to attain their full growth, in order to have them in the best state for nutriment. some parts of birds, and other animals, are hard and viscid, as the head, neck, feet, and tail; the parts about the wings, back, and breast of birds, are in general the most tender, and of the finest flavour. in four-footed animals, the upper part of the leg and shoulder, the back, breast, and long bones of the neck, are generally superior to the rest. the heart and other viscera are nutricious, but hard of digestion, and improper for weak stomachs. the larger an animal is of its kind, the flesh of it will be stronger, and more difficult to digest; the juices also will be more rank than those of smaller ones of the same species, supposing them to have arrived at the same maturity. animals which abound with fat and oily substances are harder to digest, than those of a drier and more fleshy nature; and to persons who use but little exercise, or have weak stomachs, this kind of food is very improper. its tendency is to weaken the tone and force of the stomach, the fat and oil being enclosed in little bladders, which are with difficulty broken and separated. hence fat meat is not so digestible as that of well fed animals, which do not abound with fat. the flesh of very old animals is unwholesome, being hard, dry, sinewy, innutricious, and difficult to digest. those which are the longest in coming to maturity have the coarsest juices, such as oxen, cows, and boars. these are less tender and digestible than sheep, venison, hares, rabbits, poultry, game, and other birds. in almost all cases, the strong and pungent in flavour are harder to digest than those of a milder nature. the flesh of birds is lighter, drier, and easier of digestion, than that of four-footed animals. a difference also arises from the place of pasturage, from food and exercise. animals living in high places, refreshed with wholesome winds, and cherished with the warm beams of the sun, where there are no marshes, lakes, or standing waters, are preferable to those living in pools, as ducks and geese, and other kinds of fowl.--fish is less nourishing than flesh, because it is gross, phlegmatic, cold, and full of watery superfluities: but under certain restrictions, it may be safely used as a part of our general diet. it is unsuitable to cold phlegmatic constitutions, but very well adapted to such as are hot and choleric. the white kinds of fish, which contain neither fat nor oil, are preferable to the rest; such as whitings, turbot, soles, skate, haddock, flounders, smelts, trout, and graylings. these are easier of digestion than salmon, mackarel, eels, lampreys, herrings, or sprats, and therefore more wholesome. shell-fish, such as oysters, muscles, cockles, crabs, and lobsters, are very far from being easy of digestion, and are particularly improper for invalids, though too commonly imagined to be suitable in such cases. in general it may be observed, that those kinds of fish which are well grown, nourish better than the young and immature. sea-fish are wholesomer than fresh-water fish: they are of a hotter nature, not so moist, and more approaching to flesh meat. of all sea and river fish, those are the best which live in rocky places. next to these, in gravelly or sandy places, in sweet, clear, running water, where there is nothing offensive. those which live in pools, muddy lakes, marshes, or stagnant water, are bad. whether sea or river fish, those are the best which are not too large, whose flesh is not hard and dry, but crisp and tender; which taste and smell well, and have many fins and scales. all fresh fish should be eaten hot, and less in quantity than fresh meat. fish should not be eaten very often, and never after great labour and exercise, nor after eating other solid food. fish and milk are not proper to be eaten at the same meal, nor should eggs be used with fish, except with salt fish, and that should be well soaked in water before it is dressed. it may be eaten with carrots or parsnips, instead of egg sauce. if salt fish be eaten too often, or without this precaution, it produces gross humours and bad juices in the body; occasions thirst, hoarseness, sharpness in the blood, and other unfavourable symptoms. it is therefore a kind of food which should be used very sparingly, and given only to persons of a strong constitution. all kinds of salted and dried fish are innutricious and unwholesome, and their injurious effects are often visible in the habits of seafaring people. even prawns and shrimps, if eaten too freely, are known to produce surfeits, which end in st. anthony's fire.--if proper attention be paid to health, every kind of sustenance intended for the use of man, must be provided in its season; for to every thing there is both time and season, which the wisdom and goodness of providence have pointed out. every production is the most pure in quality, and of course the most wholesome, when nature has perfected her work, and prepared it for human sustenance. to anticipate her seasons, or to prolong them, is a misapplication of labour, and a perversion of the bounties of providence into secret poisons, to indulge the wanton cravings of a depraved appetite. the properties of animal food in general seem not to restrict the use of it to any particular season, but rather to admit its common use at all times. the only period in which it is less seasonable than at any other, appears to be in hot weather, when animal substances of all kinds are very liable to taint. the profuse supply of vegetables too in the warmer months, seems to lessen the occasion for animal food. attention should be paid however at all times to the proper season for using the different kinds of animal food, and to the various circumstances that may contribute to its being more or less wholesome. the killing of animals by the easiest means, and not previously abusing them by over-driving, or in any other way, materially affects their fitness for food, and ought therefore to be carefully attended to. the high flavour, or taint in meat, which so many english palates prefer, is in fact the commencement of putrefaction; and of course meat in this state is very improper for food, particularly for persons with any tendency to putrid disorders. at a time when bad fevers prevail, food of this description ought to be generally avoided, as it disposes the blood and juices to receive infection. with respect to grain, its adaptedness to keep the whole year round, evidently denotes that it was intended for constant use. but the recurrence of an annual supply seems to be the voice of nature, forbidding its being kept in ordinary cases to a longer period, especially as new corn is generally preferred to the old. all other vegetables, including fruits, seem designed only for a transient season. roots, and a few late fruits, have indeed the property of keeping for some months, and may thus provide a store for the winter, when fresh vegetables are less plentiful. other kinds will not keep without undergoing a culinary process, by which they are rendered less wholesome, however palatable they may be considered. provisions of almost every description may be preserved from putrefaction by being partially dressed and then closely stopped down, as has been fully demonstrated by messrs. donkin and gamble of bermondsey, who by means of air-tight canisters are in the habit of preparing all kinds of meat, which will keep perfectly sweet and fresh for a considerable length of time in any climate, and are incomparably better than those preserved in the ordinary way by salting or drying. but however applicable these preserves may be to the purposes of a long voyage, or a foreign expedition, where no fresh supplies can be obtained, they are by no means to be recommended to private families, who enjoy the superior advantages of going to market for fresh provisions. time, which devours all things, cannot fail to impair, though not immediately, the flavour and other properties of whatever is preserved, in defiance of every precaution against its influence. the appearance and flavour of such articles may not be revolting to us, but if compared with the same things when fresh and well dressed, their inferiority is sufficiently obvious. pickled salmon is a familiar instance of this kind. it is very generally relished, and often preferred to fresh salmon; yet if brought into comparison, the substance of the one is heavy, that of the other light and elastic. the flavour of the pickled salmon is sophisticated and deadened, if not vapid; that of the other is natural, fresh, and delicate, the pure volatile spirit not being destroyed by improper cookery, or long keeping. instances of violent surfeits often occur from eating pickled salmon, soused mackarel, and other rich preserves, not from their being in a state of decay, but from the unwholesomeness of their preparation. people acquire tastes indeed, that reconcile them to any thing; that even make them fond of corrupted flavours, such as decayed cheese, tainted meat, and other things of a similar description. our taste therefore is very likely to betray us into error; and to guard against it, it is necessary to be able to distinguish between what is really wholesome and what is otherwise, for this is rather a matter of judgment than of taste.--a few brief remarks may very properly be added on the important article of milk, which forms, or ought to form, an essential part of the food of every family, in one shape or another. as far as regards the general properties of milk, it is in season at all times; and by judicious management it might always be supplied in sufficient quantities to become a plentiful source of human sustenance. it is of the best quality however, five or six months after a cow has calved. when she becomes with calf again, her milk will of course fall off, both in quantity and in quality. the impatient greediness of cow-keepers would have calves and milk at the same time, and on this account they seldom allow their dairies a fair interval for keeping up a successive supply of the best milk. to keep cows in the healthiest condition, and their milk consequently in the purest state, they should not be confined in houses, nor in yards, but suffered to go at large in the open fields. they should also be well fed with wholesome provender, and have access to good water. if kept quite clean, by occasionally rubbing them down, and washing their bag, and legs and feet, their health would be promoted, and of course the nutricious quality of the milk. if the comfort and welfare of society were consulted, the higher classes would not slight their dairies for studs of horses, kept more for ostentation than for use. in reference to the same subject, the breaking up of small farms is deeply to be regretted, not only as ruinous to a numerous class of deserving persons, but as depriving the markets and the neighbourhoods of those articles of necessity which their industry produced. it was an object to a small farmer to make the most of his dairy and poultry yard, which to an occupier on a larger scale is regarded as a matter of indifference. the consequence is, there is neither so plentiful a supply of these things, nor are they so good in quality as formerly. the wife of a small farmer attended to her own business, her poultry was brought up at the barn door, and killed when it was sweet and wholesome, while the produce of her dairy redounded to her credit, and afforded ample satisfaction to her customers.--the most judicious choice of food however will avail but little, if the manner of preparing it is not equally judicious. the principal error in cooking lies in overdoing what is intended for the table; the qualities of the meat are then so entirely changed, that it ceases to be nourishing, and becomes hard of digestion. it is literally put into the stomach only to be pressed out of it again by some unnatural exertion, which at last throws the oppressive load into the rest of the system, from whence it will not pass off without leaving some injury behind it. this, frequently repeated, ends at last in acute or chronic diseases, no less certainly than constant friction upon a stone will at length wear it away, though it may be a long time before any impression upon it is perceived. similar effects arise from drinking, but generally with a more rapid progress, from the extension and collapse of the vessels being more sudden and violent. plain cookery, in the exact medium between under and over doing, is the point to be attained to render our food salutary. the mixture of a great variety of ingredients should be avoided, for if good in themselves separately, they are often rendered indigestible by being compounded one with another. as we must eat every day, there is opportunity enough for all things in turn, without attempting any unwholesome composition. much seasoning with spices, contributes to make animal food indigestible. they are much safer when used just before serving up the dish, or by adding them at the time of eating it. beef and pork long salted, and hams, bacon, tongues, and hung beef, are very indigestible, and particularly improper for weak stomachs, though they will often crave them. boiled meat is generally preferable to roast meat, for nourishment and digestion. boiling extracts more of the rank strong juices, and renders it lighter and more diluted. roasting leaves it fuller of gravy, but it adds to the rigidity of the fibres. the flesh of young animals is best roasted. fried and broiled meats are difficult to be digested, though they are very nourishing: weak stomachs had better avoid them. meat pies and puddings cannot be recommended, but strong stomachs may sustain but little inconvenience from them. it is a confined mode of cookery, and the meat therefore is not at all purified of its grossness. when meat pies and puddings are used, they should be moderately seasoned. baking meat, instead of roasting it, is a worse manner of dressing it, from the closeness of the oven, and the great variety of things often baking at the same time. stewing is not a good way of dressing meat, unless it is done very carefully. if it is stewed till all the juices are drawn from the meat, the latter becomes quite unfit for food: and if the stewpan be kept close covered, there are the same objections to it as meat pies and puddings. hashing is a very bad mode of cooking. it is doing over again what has already been done enough, and makes the meat vapid and hard. what would have been good nourishment in the cold meat, is thus totally lost, as the juices, which are all drawn into the gravy, are spoiled by this second cookery, which exposes them too long to the fire. prune pudding. mix four spoonfuls of flour in a quart of milk; add six eggs, two tea-spoonfuls of powdered ginger, a little salt, and a pound of prunes. tie it in a cloth, and boil it an hour. prune tart. scald some prunes, take out the stones and break them. put the kernels into a little cranberry juice, with the prunes and sugar; simmer them together, and when cold, make a tart of the sweetmeat. pruning. in pruning wall fruit, care should be taken to cut off all fresh shoots that will not readily bind to the wall; for if any be twisted or bruised in the binding, they will in time decay, and the sap will issue from the place. vines should not be cut too close to please the eye, as by that means they have sometimes been rendered barren of fruit. two knots should generally be left on new shoots, which will produce two bunches of grapes, and which are to be cut off at the next pruning. new branches are to be left every year, and some of the old ones must be removed, which will increase the quantity of fruit. puddings. the only puddings which can with propriety be recommended, as really wholesome diet, are those of the simplest kind, such as are seldom met with except in families in the middle ranks of life. the poor unfortunately cannot get them, and the rich prefer those of a more complex kind, of which the best that can be hoped is, that they will not do much harm. the principal ingredients of common puddings are so mild and salutary, that unless they are over-cooked, or too many of them mixed together, such puddings are generally wholesome. to make them of the best and most nutricious quality, the materials should all be fresh and good of their kind; such as, flour newly ground, new milk, fresh laid eggs, and fresh suet. millet, sago, tapioca, whole rice, will all keep a considerable time, if put into a dry place. when rice, millet, or sago, are wanted to be used ground, they had better be ground at home for the sake of having them fresh, and the certainty of having them pure. such a mill as is used for grinding coffee, will grind them extremely well. the whites of eggs should never be used in puddings for children, or persons of weak stomachs, or for those who are any way indisposed, on account of their being indigestible. omitting them altogether would indeed be attended with no disadvantage. the yolk of an egg alone answers the same purpose, as when the white is used with it. to prove this, let two cups of batter pudding be made, one with the yolk of an egg only, the other with the yolk and white together, and the result will be, that the pudding with the yolk only is quite as light, if not lighter, than the one with the whole egg. in other instances also, of several kinds of puddings, where the whites of eggs have been totally omitted, without at all encreasing the number of eggs, the result has been the same. there is a species of economy practised by good housewives, of making compositions on purpose to use up the whites of eggs which have been left out of any preparation made with eggs. but this is a false economy; for surely it is far better to reject as food what is known to be injurious, and to find other uses for it, than to make the human stomach the receptacle for offal. economy would be much more judiciously exerted in retrenching superfluities, than exercised in this manner. two or three good dishes of their kind, and well cooked, are infinitely preferable to a whole course of indigestible compositions. a soup might as well be made of cabbage stalks and pea shells, as any preparation of food with whites of eggs, when there is no doubt of their being positively prejudicial. as cabbage stalks then go to the dunghill, and pea shells to the pigs, so let whites of eggs go to the book-binder, or find some other destination. there are also various kinds of fruit that require to be used with great caution. currants, raisins, prunes, french plums, figs, and all kinds of preserves, are prepared either by the heat of the sun, or by cookery to the full extent that they will bear, and beyond which any application of heat gives them a tendency to putridity. they are therefore certainly prejudicial to weak stomachs when used in puddings, and cannot be good for any; though strong stomachs may not perceive an immediate ill effect from them. eaten without any farther preparation, and especially with bread, these things may be used in moderation. for the reasons just given, spices are better not put into puddings, they are already in a sufficiently high state of preparation. the warm climates in which they grow, brings them to a state of far greater maturity than the general productions of our northern latitude. when they are used, it is better to add them ground, at the time of eating what is to be seasoned, or put in the last thing before serving up the dish. these are also better ground at home, both to have them fresh, and free from adulteration. almonds used in puddings are liable to the same objection. the danger of using laurel leaves in cooking, cannot be too frequently repeated. bay leaves, bitter almonds, and fruit kernels, if not equally dangerous, are pernicious enough to make it very advisable not to use them. fresh fruits often become more unwholesome from being cooked in puddings and tarts, yet will in many cases agree then with stomachs that cannot take them raw; but unripe fruits are not good, either dressed or in any other state.--to prepare puddings in the best manner, they should boil briskly over a clear fire, with the pot lid partly if not entirely off, as the access of fresh air makes every thing dress sweeter. as butter is generally an expensive article, dripping, nicely prepared, may on many occasions be used as a substitute. it will answer the purpose of rubbing basins with, quite as well as butter, and never gives any unpleasant flavour to the pudding. it is also very proper to dredge a basin with flour, after it is rubbed with butter or dripping. economy in eggs is both rational and useful, as puddings with a moderate number of eggs are more wholesome, than when used extravagantly or with profusion. pudding cloths, and every utensil in making puddings, should be quite clean, or the food cannot be wholesome. the outside of a boiled pudding often tastes disagreeably, which arises from the cloth not being nicely washed, and kept in a dry place. it should be dipt in boiling water, squeezed dry, and floured, when to be used. a bread pudding should be loosely tied, and a batter pudding tight over. the water should boil quick when the pudding is put in, and it should be moved about for a minute, lest the ingredients should not mix. batter pudding should be strained through a coarse sieve, when all is mixed: in others, the eggs should be strained separately. pans and basins in which puddings are to be boiled, should always be buttered, or rubbed with clean dripping. a pan of cold water should be prepared, and the pudding dipped in as soon as it comes out of the pot, to prevent its adhering to the cloth. good puddings may be made without eggs; but they must have as little milk as is sufficient to mix the batter, and must boil three or four hours. a few spoonfuls of fresh small beer, or one of yeast, will answer instead of eggs. snow is also an excellent substitute for eggs, either in puddings or pancakes. two large spoonfuls will supply the place of one egg, and the article it is used in will be equally good. this is a useful piece of information, especially as snow often falls when eggs are scarce and dear. fresh small beer, or bottled malt liquors, will likewise serve instead of eggs. the yolks and whites beaten long and separately, make the article they are put into much lighter. pudding cakes. put four yolks and two whites of eggs to a pint of milk; mix with it half a pint of bread crumbs grated fine, half a nutmeg, six ounces of currants washed and dried, a quarter of a pound of beef suet chopped small, a little salt, and flour sufficient to make it of a moderate thickness. fry these cakes in lard, of about the usual size of a fritter. pudding ketchup. steep an ounce of thin-pared lemon peel, and half an ounce of mace, in half a pint of brandy, or a pint of sherry, for fourteen days. then strain it, and add a quarter of a pint of capillaire. this will keep for years, and being mixed with melted butter, it is a delicious relish to puddings and sweet dishes. pudding with meat. make a batter with flour, milk, and eggs. pour a little into the bottom of a pudding-dish; then put seasoned meat of any kind into it, and a little shred onion. pour the remainder of the batter over, and bake it in a slow oven. a loin of mutton baked in batter, being first cleared of most of the fat, makes a good dish. puffs. they should be made of light puff crust, rolled out and cut into shapes according to the fancy. then bake them, and lay some sweetmeat in the middle. or roll out the crust, cut it into pieces of any shape, lay sweetmeats over one half, and turn the other half of the crust over; press them together round the edge, and bake them. puff crust. take a pound and a half of flour, put it upon a pie board with a little salt, and mix in gradually just water sufficient to make it into a paste, taking care that it be neither too thin nor too stiff. mould it lightly together, and let it lie for two hours before it is finished. roll out the paste, put a pound of butter into the middle of it, fold the two ends of the paste over it, and roll it out; then fold it together, and roll it out again. repeat this six times in the winter, and five in the summer. it should be rolled rather less than half an inch in thickness, dusting a little flour lightly over and under it, to prevent its sticking to the rolling-pin. when finished, roll it out for use as occasion requires. this makes a very nice and delicate crust.--another. to a pound and a half of flour, allow a pound of butter, and three quarters of an ounce of salt. put the flour on a clean pie board, make a hole in the middle, and put in the salt with the butter cut into small pieces. pour in the water carefully, as it is of great importance that the crust should not be made too thin; there should only be water enough just to make it hold well together, and to roll it out smooth. work the butter and water up well together with the hand, and then by degrees mix in the flour. when the flour is all mixed in, mould the paste till it is quite smooth and free from lumps, and then let it lie two hours before it be used. this is a very nice crust for putting round the dish for baked puddings, tarts, or pies. puff paste. puffs may be made of any sort of fruit, but it should be prepared first with sugar. to make a rich paste, weigh an equal quantity of butter with as much fine flour as is necessary. mix a little of the former with the latter, and wet it with as little water as will make it into a stiff paste. roll it out, and put all the butter over it in slices; turn in the ends, and roll it thin. do this twice, and tough it no more than can be avoided. the butter may be added at two different times; and to those who are not accustomed to make paste, it may be better to do so. the oven must be rather quicker than for a short crust.--a less rich paste may be made of a pound of flour, and a quarter of a pound of butter, rubbed together. mix it into a paste with a little water, and an egg well beaten; of the former as little as will suffice, or the paste will be tough. roll it out, and fold it three or four times. or rub extremely fine, six ounces of butter in one pound of dried flour, with a spoonful of white sugar. work up the whole into a stiff paste, with as little hot water as possible. puits d' amour. cut a fine rich puff paste rolled thin, with tin shapes made on purpose, one size less than another, in a pyramidal form, and lay them so. then bake in a moderate form, that the paste may be done sufficiently, but very pale. lay different coloured sweetmeats on the edges. pulled chickens. take off the skin, and pull the flesh off the bones of a cold fowl, in large pieces. dredge it with flour, and fry it of a nice brown in butter. drain the butter from it, simmer the flesh in a good well-seasoned gravy, thickened with a little butter and flour, adding the juice of half a lemon.--another way. cut off the legs, and the whole back, of an underdone chicken. pull all the white part into little flakes free from skin, toss it up with a little cream thickened with a piece of butter rolled in flour, half a blade of powdered mace, some white pepper, salt, and the squeeze of a lemon. cut off the neck end of the chicken, broil the back and sidesmen in one piece, and the two legs seasoned. put the hash in the middle of the dish, with the back on it, and the two legs at the end. pulled turkey. divide the meat of the breast by pulling instead of cutting. then warm in a spoonful or two of white gravy, and a little cream, grated nutmeg, salt, and a little flour and butter, but do not let it boil. the leg should be seasoned, scored, and broiled, and put into the dish with the above round it. cold chicken may be treated in the same manner. punch. in preparing this favourite liquor, it is impossible to take too much pains in the process of mixing, that all the different articles may be thoroughly incorporated together. take then two large fresh lemons with rough skins, quite ripe, and some lumps of double-refined sugar. rub the sugar over the lemons, till it has absorbed all the yellow part of the rinds. put these lumps into a bowl, and as much more as the juice of the lemons may be supposed to require: no certain weight or quantity can be mentioned, as the acidity of a lemon cannot be known till tried, and therefore this must be determined by the taste. then squeeze the lemon juice upon the sugar, and with a bruiser press the sugar and the juice particularly well together, for a great deal of the richness and fine flavour of the punch depends on this rubbing and mixing being thoroughly performed. having well incorporated the juice and the sugar, mix it up with boiling soft water, and let it stand a little to cool. when this mixture, which is now called the sherbet, is made of a pleasant flavour, take equal quantities of rum and brandy and put into it, mixing the whole well together. the quantity of liquor must be according to taste: two good lemons are generally enough to make four quarts of punch, including a quart of liquor, with half a pound of sugar: but this depends much on taste, and on the strength of the spirit. as the pulp of the lemon is disagreeable to some persons, the sherbet may be strained before the liquor is put in. some strain the lemon before they put it to the sugar, which is improper; as when the pulp and sugar are well mixed together, it adds much to the richness of the punch. when only rum is used, about half a pint of porter will soften the punch; and even when both rum and brandy are used, the porter gives a richness, and also a very pleasant flavour. a shorter way is to keep ready prepared a quarter of an ounce of citric or crystallized lemon acid, pounded with a few drops of the essence of lemon peel, gradually mixed with a pint of clarified syrup or capillaire. brandy or rum flavoured with this mixture, will produce good punch in a minute. punch royal. take thirty seville oranges and thirty lemons quite sound, pare them very thin, and put the parings into an earthen pan, with as much rum or brandy as will cover them. take ten gallons of water, and twelve pounds of lump sugar, and boil them. when nearly cold, put in the whites of thirty eggs well beaten, stir it and boil it a quarter of an hour, then strain it through a hair sieve into an earthen pan, and let it stand till the next day. then put it into a cask, strain the spirit from the parings, and add as much more as will make it up five gallons. put it into the cask with five quarts of seville orange juice, and three quarts of lemon juice. stir it all together with a cleft stick, and repeat the same once a day for three successive days; then stop it down close, and in six weeks it will be fit to drink. purple gloves. to dye white gloves of a beautiful purple, boil four ounces of logwood, and two ounces of roche alum, in three pints of soft water, till half wasted. strain off the liquid, and let it stand to be cold. mend the gloves neatly, brush them over with the dye, and when dry repeat it. twice is sufficient, unless the colour is to be very dark. when quite dry, rub off the loose dye with a coarse cloth. beat up the white of an egg, and with a sponge rub it over the leather. the dye will stain the hands, but wetting them with vinegar will take it off before they are washed. q. quails. these are dressed in the same manner as snipes and woodcocks. they should be roasted without drawing, served on toast, and eaten with butter only. quaking pudding. scald a quart of cream; when almost cold, put to it four eggs well beaten, a spoonful and a half of flour, with nutmeg and sugar. tie it close in a buttered cloth, boil it an hour, and turn it out carefully, without cracking it. serve it with melted butter, a little wine, and sugar. quarter of lamb. a fore-quarter may either be roasted whole, or in separate parts. if left to be cold, chopped parsley should be sprinkled over it. the neck and breast together are called a scoven. queen cakes. mix a pound of dried flour, a pound of sifted sugar, and a pound of currants, picked and cleaned. wash a pound of butter in rose water, beat it well, and mix with it eight eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. put in the dry ingredients by degrees, beat the whole an hour, butter little tins, teacups or saucers, fill them half full of batter, and bake them. sift over them a little fine sugar, just before they are put into the oven.--another way. beat eight ounces of butter, and mix it with two eggs, well beaten and strained. mix eight ounces of dried flour, the same of lump sugar, and the grated rind of a lemon. put the whole together, and beat it full half an hour with a silver spoon. butter small pattipans, half fill them, and bake twenty minutes in a quick oven. queen anne's biscuits. a pound of flour well dried, half a pound of fine sugar powdered and sifted, a pound of currants well washed and picked, and half a pound of butter. rub the butter into the flour, then mix in the sugar and currants; add ten spoonfuls of cream, the yolks of three eggs, three spoonfuls of sack, and a little mace finely pounded. when the paste is well worked up, set it in a dish before the fire till it be thoroughly warm. make it up into cakes, place them on a tin well buttered, prick them full of holes on the top, and bake them in a quick oven. queen anne's kitchen. the economy of the royal kitchen a century ago, though not equal perhaps to the refinement of modern times, was sufficiently sumptuous; and what it wanted in delicacies, was abundantly compensated by a profusion of more substantial dishes of truly english fare. the following are only a few specimens of the stile of cooking approved by queen anne, sufficient to show in what manner royalty was provided for in the days of our forefathers. under the article of roasting, a few particulars will occur. when a turkey, capon, or fowl was to be dressed, it was laid down to the fire, at a proper distance, till it became thoroughly hot. it was then basted all over with fresh butter, and afterwards dredged thinly with flour. the heat of the fire converted this into a thin crust, to keep in the gravy; and no more basting was allowed till the roasting was nearly done, when it was once more basted all over with butter. as the meat began to brown, it was sprinkled a little with large salt, and the outside finished with a fine brown. it was sometimes the custom to baste such meats with the yolks of fresh eggs beaten thin, which was continued during the time of roasting. the following directions were given for roast veal. chop some parsley and thyme very small. beat up the yolks of five or six eggs with some cream, add the chopped herbs, some grated bread, a few cloves, a little mace and nutmeg, some currants and sugar. mix these well together, raise the skin of the breast of veal, put the stuffing under it, and skewer it down close. lay the veal before the fire, and baste it with butter. when sufficiently roasted, squeeze on the juice of a lemon, and serve it up. for roast pig, chop up some sage, and sow it up in the belly of the pig. roast and baste it with butter, sprinkled with a little salt. when roasted fine and crisp, serve it upon a sauce made of chopped sage and currants, well boiled in vinegar and water, the gravy and brains of the pig, a little grated bread, some barberries and sugar, all well mixed together, and heated over the fire. another way. fill the belly of the pig with a pudding made of grated bread, a little minced beef suet, the yolks of two or three raw eggs, three or four spoonfuls of good cream, and a little salt. sow it up in the belly of the pig, lay it down to roast, and baste it with yolks of eggs beat thin. a few minutes before it is taken up, squeeze on the juice of a lemon, and strew it over with bread crumbs, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. make a sauce with vinegar, butter, and the yolks of eggs boiled hard and minced. boil the whole together, with the gravy of the pig, and then serve it up in this sauce. when a hare is to be dressed, wash it well, and dry it in a cloth. sow up a pudding in the belly, truss the hare as if it were running, and roast it. make a sauce of claret wine, grated bread, sugar, ginger, barberries, and butter, boiled all together, and serve it up with the hare.--boiled dishes were prepared in the following manner. if a capon, pullet, or chicken, boil it in good mutton broth. put in some mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, a little sage, spinage, marigold leaves and flowers, white or green endive, borage, bugloss, parsley, and sorrel. serve it up on sippets of white bread. if to be dressed with cauliflower, cut the vegetable into small heads, with about an inch and a half of stalk to them. boil them in milk with a little mace, till they are very tender, and beat up the yolks of two eggs with a quarter of a pint of sack. melt some butter very thick, with a little vinegar and sliced lemon. pour this and the eggs to and fro till they are well mixed, then take the cauliflower out of the milk, and put it into the sauce. having boiled the chicken tender, serve it upon sippets of white bread, finely carved, and pour the sauce over it. pigeons are to be put into a skillet with some strong broth, or spring water. boil and skim them, put in some mace, a bunch of sweet herbs, some white endive, marigold flowers, and salt. when finely boiled, serve them upon sippets of white bread, and garnish the dish with mace and white endive. small birds, such as woodcocks, snipes, blackbirds, thrushes, fieldfares, rails, quails, wheatears, larks, martins, and sparrows, are to be boiled in strong broth, or in salt and water. when boiled, take out the trails, and chop them and the livers small. add some crumb of grated bread, a little of the liquor in which the birds were boiled, some mace, and stew them all together in some gravy. beat up the yolks of two eggs, with a little white wine vinegar and grated nutmeg; and when ready to serve, stir these into the sauce with a small piece of butter. dish up the birds upon sippets of white bread, and pour the sauce over them with some capers, lemon finely minced, and barberries, or pickled grapes, whole. carrots and onions boiled together in broth, separately from the sauce, are sometimes added to it. when no onion is put in, rub the bottom of the dish with a clove or two of garlic. a goose, before it is boiled, is to be salted for a day or two. steep some oatmeal in warm milk, or some other liquor, and mix it with some shred beef suet, minced apples and onions, sweet herbs chopped, and a seasoning of cloves, mace, and pepper. fill the belly of the goose with this stuffing, and tie it close at the neck and vent. boil and serve it on slices of bread, dipped in any kind of broth, with cauliflowers, cabbage, turnips, and barberries. pour melted butter over it. a wild duck, being first drawn and trussed, must be parboiled, and then half roasted. having carved it, put the gravy into a pipkin with plenty of onion and parsley, sliced ginger, mace, some washed currants, barberries, and a quart of claret. boil all together, skim it clean, add some butter and sugar, and serve up the duck with the sauce poured over it. a rabbit is to be boiled in salt and water. chop some parsley and thyme together, a handful of each, and boil it in a little of the liquor in which the rabbit is boiling. then add to it three or four spoonfuls of verjuice, a piece of butter, and two or three eggs well beaten. stir the whole together, thicken it over the fire, and serve up the rabbit with this sauce poured over it.--in the royal kitchen, a florentine pie was made of a leg of veal or mutton, cut into thin slices, and seasoned with sweet marjoram, thyme, savory, parsley, rosemary, an onion and a clove of garlic, all cut small. to these were added, nutmeg and pepper beaten fine, some grated manchet, a little salt, and the yolks of three or four raw eggs, to mix and make them adhere together. the meat is laid in a dish, with a crust under it, intermixed with some thin slices of streaked bacon. a few bay leaves and some oyster liquor are added, the dish covered with a crust, and baked. for a veal pie, cut a fillet into pieces, about the size of walnuts, and season them with cinnamon, ginger, sugar, and salt. use a raised crust or dish, at pleasure, lay in the meat with roasted chesnuts peeled and quartered, dates sliced, and the marrow from two beef bones. put on the top crust, bake the pie; and when done, serve it up with the following sauce poured into it. beat up the yolk of an egg with some white wine, cinnamon, ginger, and sugar. heat it over the fire till it thickens a little, taking care not to let the egg curdle. sauce for a loin of veal was made of all kinds of sweet herbs, with the yolks of two or three hard eggs minced very fine. they were then boiled up with some currants, a little grated bread, pounded cinnamon, sugar, and two whole cloves. the sauce was poured into the dish intended for the veal, with two or three slices of an orange. a cod's head was directed to be dressed in the following manner. cut the head large, and a good piece of the shoulder with it, and boil it in salt and water. have prepared a quart of cockles, with the shelled meat of two or three crabs. put these into a pipkin with nearly half a pint of white wine, a bunch of sweet herbs, two onions, a little mace, a little grated nutmeg, and some oyster liquor. boil these till the liquor is wasted, then add three or four large spoonfuls of melted butter. drain the cod's head well over a chafing-dish of coals, and serve it up with the above sauce, taking out the bunch of herbs, and adding more butter, if required. serve up the liver and roe on the sides of the dish. quick hedges. a great variety of different sorts of plants is employed in forming and constructing these hedges, as those of the hawthorn, the black-thorn, the crab-tree, the hazel, the willow, the beech, the elder, the poplar, the alder, and several other kinds, according to particular circumstances and situations. whatever sort of plants may be employed for this purpose, the work should constantly be well performed in the first instance, and the hedges and plants be afterwards kept in due order and regularity by suitable pruning, cutting in, and other proper management. excellent hawthorn hedges are raised by planting one row only at six inches asunder, rather than two rows nine inches or a foot apart. those planted six inches apart do not require to be cut down to thicken them at the bottom, and will form a complete protection against hogs, and in other respects form a beautiful and effectual fence. quicksilver, when rubbed down and blended with unctuous matters, forms a sort of ointment, which is useful in the curing of different diseases of the skin, as well as in destroying lice and other vermin that infest animals of different kinds, which form the live stock of the farmer. it has also been found useful in its crude state in destroying insects on fruit trees. take a small awl, and pierce sloping, through the rind, and into part of the wood of the branch, but not to the heart or pith of it; and pour in a small drop or two of the quicksilver, and stop it up with a small wooden plug made to fit the orifice, and the insects will drop off from that very branch the next day; and in a day or two more, from the other branches of the trees without any other puncture, and the tree will continue in full vigour and thrive well through the summer. honeysuckles and other shrubs may be cleared of insects, by scraping away the top of the ground with a trowel, and running an awl in the same sloping manner, into the main stem just above the roots; but with the same caution as above, not quite to the inner pith, and then applying the quicksilver. the insects will drop off the day after the experiment. quills. to harden and prepare them for use, dip them for a minute in some boiling water in which alum has been dissolved; or thrust them into hot ashes till they become soft, and afterwards press and scrape them with the back of a knife. when they are to be clarified, the barrels must be scraped and cut at the end, and then put into boiling water for a quarter of an hour, with a quantity of alum and salt. afterwards they are dried in an oven, or in a pan of hot sand. quin's fish sauce. half a pint of walnut pickle, the same of mushroom pickle, six anchovies pounded, six anchovies whole, and half a tea-spoonful of cayenne. shake it up well, when it is to be used. quince. the fruit of the quince is astringent and stomachic; and its expressed juice, in small quantities, as a spoonful or two, is of considerable service in nausea, vomitings, eructations, &c. quince trees are very apt to have rough bark, and to be bark-bound; in these cases it will be necessary to shave off the rough bark with a draw-knife, and to scarify them when bark-bound, brushing them over with the composition. it is also advised to plant quince trees at a proper distance from apple and pears, as bees and the wind may mix the farina, and occasion the apples and pears to degenerate. these trees may be raised from the kernels of the fruit sown in autumn; but there is no depending on having the same sort of good fruit from seedlings, nor will they soon become bearers. but the several varieties may be continued the same by cuttings and layers; also by suckers from such trees as grow upon their own roots, and likewise be increased by grafting and budding upon their own pear-stocks raised from the kernels in the same manner as for apples. standard quinces, designed as fruit trees, may be stationed in the garden or orchard, and some by the sides of any water, pond, watery ditch, &c. as they delight in moisture. quince jelly. when quinces have been boiled for marmalade, take the first liquor and pass it through a jelly bag. to every pint allow a pound of fine loaf sugar, and boil it till it is quite clear and comes to a jelly. the quince seeds should be tied in a piece of muslin, and boiled in it. quince marmalade. pare and quarter some quinces, and weigh an equal quantity of sugar. to four pounds of the latter put a quart of water, boil and skim it well, by the time the quinces are prepared. lay the fruit in a stone jar, with a teacupful of water at the bottom, and pack them with a little sugar strewed between. cover the jar close, set it in a cool oven, or on a stove, and let the quinces soften till they become red. then pour the syrup and a quart of quince juice into a preserving pan, and boil all together till the marmalade be completed, breaking the lumps of fruit with the ladle; otherwise the fruit is so hard, that it will require a great deal of time. stewing quinces in a jar, and then squeezing them through a cheese cloth, is the best method of obtaining the juice; and in this case the cloth should first be dipped in boiling water, and then wrung out. quince pudding. scald six large quinces very tender, pare off the thin rind, and scrape them to a pulp. add powdered sugar enough to make them very sweet, and a little pounded ginger and cinnamon. beat up the yolks of four eggs with some salt, and stir in a pint of cream. mix these with the quince, and bake it in a dish, with a puff crust round the edge. in a moderate oven, three quarters of an hour will be sufficient. sift powdered sugar over the pudding before it is sent to table. quince wine. gather the quinces in a dry day, when they are tolerably ripe; rub off the down with a linen cloth, and lay them in hay or straw for ten days to perspire. cut them in quarters, take out the cores, and bruise them well in a mashing tub with a wooden pestle. squeeze out the liquid part by degrees, by pressing them in a hair bag in a cider press. strain the liquor through a fine sieve, then warm it gently over a fire, and skim it, but do not suffer it to boil. now sprinkle into it some loaf sugar reduced to powder, and boil a dozen or fourteen quinces thinly sliced, in a gallon of water mixed with a quart of white wine. add two pounds of fine sugar, strain off the liquor, and mingle it with the natural juice of the quinces. put this into a cask, but do not fill it, and mix them well together. let it stand to settle, put in two or three whites of eggs, and draw it off. if it be not sweet enough, add more sugar, and a quart of the best malmsey. to make it still better, boil a quarter of a pound of stone raisins, and half an ounce of cinnamon bark, in a quart of the liquor, till a third part is reduced. then strain it, and put it into the cask when the wine is fermenting. quinces preserved. wipe clean a quantity of golden pippins, not pared but sliced, and put them into two quarts of boiling water. boil them very quick, and closely covered, till the water is reduced to a thick jelly, and then scald the quinces, either whole or cut in halves. to every pint of pippin jelly add a pound of the finest sugar, boil and skim it clear. put those quinces that are to be done whole into the syrup at once, and let it boil very fast; and those that are to be in halves by themselves. skim it carefully, and when the fruit is clear, put some of the syrup into a glass, to try whether it jellies, before taking it off the fire. a pound of quinces is to be allowed to a pound of sugar, and a pound of jelly already boiled with the sugar. quinsey. for a quinsey, or inflammation of the throat, make a volatile liniment, by shaking together an ounce of florence oil, and half an ounce of the spirit of hartshorn; or an equal quantity of each, if the patient be able to bear it. moisten a piece of flannel with the liniment, and apply it to the throat every four or five hours. after bleeding, it will seldom fail to lessen or carry off the complaint. r. rabbits. wild ones have the finest flavour, and are by far the best. tame rabbits are scarcely eatable, unless kept delicately clean. the doe brings forth every month, and must be allowed to go with the buck as soon as she has kindled. the sweetest hay, oats, beans, sow-thistle, parsley, carrot tops, cabbage leaves, and bran, should be given to the rabbits, fresh and fresh. if not carefully attended, their own stench will destroy them, and be very unwholesome to those who live near them. constant care is requisite to prevent this inconvenience.--when rabbits are to be dressed, they may have gravy and stuffing like hare; or they may be larded, and roasted without stuffing. for the manner of trussing a rabbit, either for roasting or boiling, see the plate. if boiled, it should be smothered with onion sauce, the butter to be melted with milk instead of water. if fried in joints, it must be dressed with dried or fried parsley, and liver sauce made for it, the same as for roasting. chop up the liver with parsley, and put it into melted butter, with pepper and salt. if fricasseed, the same as for chickens. young rabbits are good in a pie, with forcemeat as for chicken pie.--when rabbits are to be purchased for cooking, the following things must be observed. if the claws are blunt and rugged, the ears dry and tough, and the haunch thick, it is old. but if the claws are smooth and sharp, the ears easily tear, and the cleft in the lip is not much spread, it is young. if fresh and newly killed, the body will be stiff, and in hares the flesh is pale. they keep a good while by proper care, and are best when rather beginning to turn, if the inside is preserved from being musty. to distinguish a real leveret from a hare, a knob or small bone will be discovered near the foot on its fore leg.----_tame rabbits_ may be bred with much success and ornamental effect in a small artificial warren, in a lawn in the garden, made in the following manner. pare off the turf of a circle about forty feet diameter, and lay it on the outside; then dig a ditch within this circle, the outside perpendicular, the inner sloping, and throw earth sufficient into the middle to form a little hill, two or three feet higher than the level of the lawn; the rest must be carried away. then lay down the turf on the hill, and beat it well to settle. the ditch at bottom should be about three feet wide, and three and a half deep, with two or three drains at the bottom, covered with an iron grate, or a stone with holes, to carry off the hasty rains, in order to keep the rabbits dry. in the outside bank should be six alcoves, the sides and top supported, either by boards or brick-work, to give the rabbits their dry food in; by their different situations some will always be dry; six boxes or old tea-chests, let into the bank will do very well. if the ground be very light, the outside circle should have a wall built round it, or some stakes driven into the ground, and boards or hurdles nailed to them, within a foot of the bottom, to prevent the bank from falling in. the entrance must either be by a board to turn occasionally across the ditch, or by a ladder. the turf being settled, and the grass beginning to grow, turn in the rabbits, and they will immediately go to work to make themselves burrows in the sides, and in the hill. by way of inducing them rather to build in the sides, to keep the turf the neater, make a score of holes about a foot deep, and they will finish them to their own mind; and if there be a brick wall round it, it should be built on pillars, with an arch from each, to leave a vacancy for a burrow. lucern, parsley and carrots are very proper food for them; and they should also be fed upon some of the best upland pasture hay. rabbits are subject to several diseases, as the _rot_, which is caused by giving them too large a quantity of green food, or the giving it fresh gathered, with the dew or rain hanging in fresh drops upon it, as it is over-moisture that always causes the disease; the green food should therefore always be given dry, and a sufficient quantity of hay, or other dry food, intermixed with it, to counteract the bad effects of it. and a sort of _madness_ often seizes them: this may be known by their tumbling about; their heels upwards, and hopping in an odd manner into the boxes. this distemper is supposed to be owing to the rankness of their feeding; and the general cure is the keeping them low and giving them the prickly herb called tare-thistle to eat as much as possible. they are also subject to a sort of scabby eruption, which is seldom removed. these should, however, be directly separated from the rest of the stock. rabbit like hare. choose a full-grown young rabbit, and hang it up three or four days. then skin it, and without washing, lay it in a seasoning of black pepper and allspice, in very fine powder. add a glass of port wine, and the same quantity of vinegar. baste it occasionally for forty hours, then stuff and roast it as hare, and with the same sauce. do not wash off the liquor that it was soaked in. radishes. these are raised from seed by different sowings from the end of october till april, or the following month. they should have a light fine mould, and the more early sowings be made on borders, under warm walls, or other similar places, and in frames covered by glasses. the common spindle-rooted, short-topped sorts are mostly made use of in these early sowings, the seed being sown broadcast over the beds after they have been prepared by digging over and raking the surface even, being covered in with a slight raking. some sow carrots with the early crops of radishes. it is usual to protect the early sown crops in the borders, during frosty nights and bad weather, by mats or dry wheat straw, which should be carefully removed every mild day. by this means they are brought more forward, as well as form better roots. when mats are used, and supported by pegs or hoops, they are readily applied and removed. a second more general sowing should be made in january or february. when the crops have got their rough leaf; they should be thinned out, where they are too thick, to the distance of two inches, as there will be constantly more thinning by the daily drawing of the young radishes. when the weather is dry in march, or the following month, the crops should be occasionally well watered, which not only forwards the growth of the crops, but increases the size of the roots, and renders them more mild and crisp in eating. and the sowings should be continued at the distance of a fortnight, till the latter end of march, when they should be performed every ten days, until the end of april or beginning of the following month. in sowing these later crops, it is the practice of some gardeners to sow coss-lettuces and spinach with them, in order to have the two crops coming forward at the same time; but the practice is not to be much recommended, where there is sufficient room. but in sowing the main general crops in the open quarters, the market-gardeners generally put them in on the same ground where they plant out their main crops of cauliflowers and cabbages, mixing spinach with the radish-seed as above, sowing the seeds first, and raking them in, then planting the cauliflowers or cabbages; the radishes and spinach come in for use before the other plants begin to spread much, and as soon as those crops are all cleared off for use, hoe the ground all over to kill weeds and loosen the soil, drawing earth about the stems of the cauliflowers and cabbages. the turnip radish should not be sown till the beginning of march, the plants being allowed a greater distance than for the common spindle-rooted sort. the seeds of this sort are apt to degenerate, unless they are set at a distance from that kind. the white and black spanish radishes are usually sown about the middle of july, or a little earlier, and are fit for the table by the end of august, or the beginning of september, continuing good till frost spoils them. these should be thinned to a greater distance than the common sort, as their roots grow as large as turnips, and should not be left nearer than six inches. to have these roots in winter, they should be drawn before hard frost comes on, and laid in dry sand, as practised for carrots, carefully guarding them from wet and frost; as in this way they may be kept till the spring. in regard to the culture of the general crops, they require very little, except occasional thinning, where they are too thick, when the plants are come into the rough leaf, either by hoeing or drawing them out by hand: though for large quantities, small hoeing is the most expeditious mode of thinning, as well as most beneficial to the crop by loosening the ground; in either method thinning the plants to about two or three inches distance, clearing out the weakest, and leaving the strongest to form the crop. in order to save the seed, about the beginning of may some ground should be prepared by digging and levelling; then drawing some of the straightest and best coloured radishes, plant them in rows three feet distant, and two feet asunder in the rows; observing, if the season be dry, to water them until they have taken root: after which they will only require to have the weeds hoed down between them, until they are advanced so high as to overspread the ground. when the seed begins to ripen, it should be carefully guarded against the birds. when it is ripe, the pods will turn brown: then it must be cut, and spread in the sun to dry; after which it must be thrashed, and laid up for use where no mice can come at it. in order to have the roots early, as in january or the following month, the method of raising them in hot-beds is sometimes practised. they should have eighteen inches depth of dung to bring them up, and six or seven inches depth of light rich mould. the seed should be sown moderately thick, covering it in half an inch thick, and putting on the lights: the plants usually come up in a week or less; and when they appear, the lights should be lifted or taken off occasionally, according to the weather; and in a fortnight thin the plants to the distance of an inch and half or two inches, when in six weeks they will be fit to draw. where there are no frames to spare, the beds may be covered with mats over hoops, and the sides secured by boards and straw-bands. and when in want of dung, if the beds be covered with frames, and the lights put on at night and in bad weather, the plants may be raised for use a fortnight sooner than in the open borders.--to raise them in constant succession, steep the seed in rain water for twenty-four hours, tie it up in a linen bag, and hang it in the sun all day. the seed beginning to shoot, is then to be sown in fresh earth well exposed to the sun, and covered with a tub. in three days the radishes will be produced fit for salad, and much more delicate than those grown in the common way. in the winter the seeds should be steeped in warm water, and the bag put in a place sufficiently hot to make them sprout. then fill a tub with rich mould, sow the seeds in it, and cover them over closely with another tub, taking care to sprinkle them now and then with warm water. the two tubs closely joined should be set in a warm place, and in about a fortnight some fine salad will be produced. radishes may be raised in this manner all the year round, and by the quickness of their growth they will be rendered fine and delicate. ragout of eggs. boil eight eggs hard, then shell and cut them into quarters. have ready a pint of good gravy, well seasoned, and thickened over the fire with two ounces of butter rolled in flour. when quite smooth and hot, pour it over the eggs, and serve them up. by using cream instead of gravy, this will make a fricassee. ragout of morels. cut them in long slices, then wash and drain them well. put them into a stewpan with a piece of butter, some chopped parsley, a bunch of herbs, and some gravy. simmer them over a gentle fire, and when nearly done, add a little pepper, salt, and flour. set them over the fire, till the sauce is properly thickened. stewed with a little water and a blade of mace, and thickened with cream, and yolks of eggs, they make a white ragout. serve them with sippets of bread toasted. ragout of truffles. peel the truffles, cut them in slices, wash and drain them well. put them into a saucepan with a little gravy, and stew them gently over a slow fire. when they are nearly done enough, thicken them with a little butter and flour. stewed in a little water, and thickened with cream and yolk of egg, they make a nice white ragout. truffles, mushrooms, and morels, are all of them very indigestible, and therefore not to be recommended to general use. raised crust. for meat pies or fowls, boil some water with a little fine lard, and an equal quantity of fresh dripping or butter, but not much of either. while hot, mix this with as much fine flour as is necessary, making the paste as stiff as possible, to be smooth. good kneading will be required for this purpose, and beating it with a rolling-pin. when quite smooth, put a part of it into a cloth, or under a pan, to soak till nearly cold. those who are not expert in raising a crust, may roll the paste of a proper thickness, and cut out the top and bottom of the pie, then a long piece for the sides. cement the bottom to the sides with egg, bringing the former rather farther out, and pinching both together. put egg between the edges of the paste, to make it adhere at the sides. fill the pie, put on the cover, and pinch it and the side crust together. the same mode of uniting the paste is to be observed, if the sides are pressed into a tin form, in which the paste must be baked, after it is filled and covered; but in the latter case, the tin should be buttered, and carefully taken off when done enough; and as the form usually makes the sides of a lighter colour than is proper, the paste should be put into the oven again for a quarter of an hour. the crust should be egged over at first with a feather.--another. put four ounces of butter into a saucepan with water; and when it boils, pour it into a quantity of flour. knead and beat it quite smooth, cover it with small bits of butter, and work it in. if for custard, put a paper within to keep out the sides till half done. mix up an egg with a little warm milk, adding sugar, a little peach water, lemon peel, or nutmeg, and fill up the paste.--another way. to four pounds of flour, allow a pound of butter, and an ounce of salt. heap the flour on a pie board, and make a hole in the middle of it, and put in the butter and salt. pour in water nearly boiling, but with caution, that the crust be not too flimsey. work the butter with the hand till it is melted in the water, then mix in the flour, mould it for a few minutes as quick as possible, that it may be free from lumps, and the stiffer it is the better. let it be three hours before it is used. raisin wine. to every gallon of spring water, allow eight pounds of fresh smyrnas, and put them together in a large tub. stir it thoroughly every day for a month, then press the raisins in a horse-hair bag as dry as possible, and put the liquor into a cask. when it has done hissing, pour in a bottle of the best brandy, stop it close for twelve months, and then rack it off free from the dregs. filter the dregs through a bag of flannel of three or four folds, add what is clear to the general quantity, and pour on a quart or two of brandy, according to the size of the vessel. stop it up, and at the end of three years it may either be bottled, or drank from the cask. if raisin wine be made rich of the fruit, and well kept, the flavour will be much improved.--to make raisin wine with cider, put two hundred-weight of malagas into a cask, and pour upon them a hogshead of good sound cider that is not rough; stir it well two or three days, stop it up, and let it stand six months. then rack it into a cask that it will fill, and add a gallon of the best brandy. if raisin wine be much used, it would answer well to keep a cask always for it, and bottle off one year's wine just in time to make the next, which, allowing the six months of infusion, would make the wine to be eighteen months old. in cider counties this way is found to be economical; and if the wine is not thought strong enough, the addition of another stone or two of raisins would be sufficient, and the wine would still be very cheap. when the raisins are pressed through a horse-hair bag, they will either produce a good spirit by distillation, if sent to a chemist, or they will make excellent vinegar.--raisin wine without cider. on four hundred-weight of malagas pour a hogshead of spring water, stir it well every day for a fortnight, then squeeze the raisins in a horse-hair bag in a press, and tun the liquor. when it ceases to hiss, stop it close. in six months rack it off into another cask, or into a tub; and after clearing out the sediment, return it into the cask without washing it. add a gallon of the best brandy, stop it close, and bottle it off in six months. the pressed fruit may be reserved for making vinegar. ramakins. scrape a quarter of a pound of cheshire cheese, and the same of gloucester cheese, and add them to a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. beat all in a mortar, with the yolks of four eggs, and the inside of a small french roll boiled soft in cream. mix the paste with the whites of the eggs previously beaten, put it into small paper pans made rather long than square, and bake in a dutch oven to a fine brown. they should be eaten quite hot. some like the addition of a glass of white wine. the batter for ramakins is equally good over macaroni, when boiled tender; or on stewed brocoli, celery, or cauliflower, a little of the gravy they have been stewed in being put in the dish with them, but not enough to make the vegetable swim. raspberry brandy. pick some fine dry fruit, put them into a stone jar, and the jar into a kettle of water, or on a hot hearth, till the juice will run. after straining it, add to every pint of juice, half a pound of sugar; give it one boil, and skim it. when cold, put equal quantities of juice and brandy; shake it well, and bottle it. some persons prefer it stronger of the brandy. raspberry cakes. pick out some fine ripe raspberries, weigh and boil them. when mashed, and the liquor is wasted, add sugar equal to the first weight of the fruit. take it off the fire, mix it well, until perfectly dissolved, and then put it on china plates to dry in the sun. as soon as the top part dries, cut the paste into small cakes with the cover of a canister; then turn them on fresh plates, and put them into boxes when dry, with layers of white paper. raspberry cream. mash the fruit gently, and let them drain; sprinkle some sugar over, and that will produce more juice. then put the juice to some cream, and sweeten it. after this it may be lowered with milk; but if the milk be put in before the cream, it will curdle it. when fresh fruit cannot be obtained, it is best made of raspberry jelly, instead of jam.--another way. boil an ounce of isinglass shavings in three pints of cream and new milk mixed, for fifteen minutes, or till the shavings be melted. strain it through a hair sieve into a bason; when cool, add about half a pint of raspberry juice or syrup, to the milk and cream. stir it till it is well incorporated; sweeten, and add a glass of brandy. whisk it about till three parts cold, and then put it into a mould till it is quite cold. in summer, use the fresh juice; in winter, syrup of raspberries. raspberry jam. weigh equal quantities of fruit and sugar; put the former into a preserving-pan, boil and break it, stir it constantly, and let it boil very quickly. when most of the juice is wasted, add the sugar, and simmer it half an hour. by this mode of management the jam is greatly superior in colour and flavour, to that which is made by putting the sugar in at first.--another way. put the fruit in a jar, and the jar in a kettle of water on a hot hearth, and let it remain till the juice will run from it. then take away a quarter of a pint from every pound of fruit, boil and bruise it half an hour. put in the weight of the fruit in sugar, add the same quantity of currant juice, and boil it to a strong jelly. the raspberry juice will serve to put into brandy, or may be boiled with its weight in sugar, for making the jelly for raspberry ice or cream. raspberry tarts. roll out some thin puff paste, and lay it in a pattipan. put in the raspberries, strew some fine sugar over them, cover with a thin lid, and bake the tart. mix a pint of cream with the yolks of two or three eggs well beaten, and a little sugar. cut open the tart, pour in the mixture, and return it to the oven for five or six minutes.--another. line the dish with puff paste, put in sugar and fruit, lay bars across, and bake them. currant tarts are done in the same way. raspberry vinegar. put a pound of fine fruit into a china bowl, and pour upon it a quart of the best white wine vinegar. next day strain the liquor on a pound of fresh raspberries, and the following day do the same; but do not squeeze the fruit, only drain the liquor as dry as possible from it. the last time pass it through a canvas, previously moistened with vinegar, to prevent waste. put it into a stone jar, with a pound of sugar to every pint of juice, broken into large lumps. stir it when melted, then put the jar into a saucepan of water, or on a hot hearth; let it simmer, and skim it clean. when cold, bottle it up. this is one of the most useful preparations that can be kept in a house, not only as affording the most refreshing beverage, but being of singular efficacy in complaints of the chest. a large spoonful or two in this case is to be taken in a tumbler of water. no glazed or metal vessel of any kind should be used in this preparation. the fruit, with an equal quantity of sugar, makes excellent raspberry cakes, without boiling. raspberry wine. to every quart of well-picked raspberries put a quart of water; bruise, and let them stand two days. strain off the liquor; and to every gallon add three pounds of lump sugar. when dissolved, put the liquor in a barrel; and when fine, which will be in about two months, bottle it off. to each bottle put a spoonful of brandy, or a glass of wine. ratifia. blanch two ounces of peach and apricot kernels, bruise and put them into a bottle, and fill it nearly up with brandy. dissolve half a pound of white sugar-candy in a cup of cold water, and add it to the brandy after it has stood a month on the kernels, and they are strained off. then filter through paper, and bottle it up for use. the leaves of peaches and nectarines, when the trees are cut in the spring, being distilled, are an excellent substitute for ratifia in puddings. ratifia cakes. blanch and beat fine in a mortar, four ounces of bitter almonds, and two ounces of sweet almonds. prepare a pound and a half of loaf sugar, pounded and sifted; beat up the whites of four eggs to a froth, and add the sugar to it a little at a time, till it becomes of the stiffness of dough. stir and beat it well together, and put in the almonds. drop the paste on paper or tins, and bake it in a slow oven. try one of the cakes, and if it rises out of shape, the oven is too hot. the cakes must not be handled in making, but a spoon or a knife must be used. ratifia cream. boil three or four laurel, peach, or nectarine leaves, in a full pint of cream, and strain it. when cold, add the yolks of three eggs beaten and strained, sugar, and a large spoonful of brandy stirred quick into it. scald and stir it all the time, till it thickens. or mix half a quarter of a pint of ratifia, the same quantity of mountain wine, the juice of two or three lemons, a pint of rich cream, and agreeably sweetened with sugar. beat it with a whisk, and put it into glasses. the cream will keep eight or ten days.--another. blanch a quarter of an ounce of bitter almonds, and beat them with a tea-spoonful of water in a marble mortar. rub with the paste two ounces of loaf sugar, simmer it ten minutes with a tea-cupful of cream, and then strain and ice it. ratifia drops. blanch and beat in a mortar four ounces of bitter almonds, and two ounces of sweet almonds, with a small part of a pound of fine sugar sifted. add the remainder of the sugar, and the whites of two eggs, and make the whole into a paste. divide the mass into little balls the size of a nutmeg, put them on wafer paper, and bake them gently on tin plates. rats. the first step taken by rat-catchers, in order to clear a house, &c. of those vermin, is to allure them all together, to one proper place, before they attempt to destroy them; for there is such an instinctive caution in these animals, accompanied with a surprising sagacity in discovering any cause of danger, that if any of them be hurt, or pursued, in an unusual manner, the rest take the alarm, and become so shy and wary, that they elude all the devices and stratagems of their pursuers for some time after. the place where the rats are to be assembled, should be some closet, or small room, into which all the openings, but one or two, may be secured; and this place should be, as near as may be, in the middle of the house, or buildings. it is the practice, therefore, to attempt to bring them all together in some such place before any attempt be made to take them; and even then to avoid any violence, hurt, or fright to them, before the whole be in the power of the operator. in respect to the means used to allure them to one place, they are various; one of those most easily and efficaciously practised is the trailing some piece of their most favourite food, which should be of the kind that has the strongest scent, such as toasted cheese, or broiled red-herring, from the holes or entrances to their accesses in every part of the house, or contiguous buildings, whence it is intended to allure them. at the extremities, and in different parts of the course of this trailed tract, small quantities of meal, or any other kind of their food, should be laid, to bring the greater number into the tracks, and to encourage them to pursue it to the centre place, where they are intended to be taken; at that place, where time admits of it, a more plentiful repast is laid for them, and the trailing repeated for two or three nights. but besides this trailing, and way-baiting, some of the most expert of the rat-catchers have a shorter, and, perhaps, more effectual method of bringing them together, which is, the calling them, by making such a kind of whistling noise as resembles their own call, and by this means, with the assistance of the way-baits, they call them out of their holes, and lead them to the repast prepared for them at the place designed for taking them. but this is much more difficult to be practised than the art of trailing; for the learning the exact notes, or cries, of any kind of beasts or birds, so as to deceive them, is a peculiar talent, not easily attained to in other cases. and in practising either of these methods, great caution must be used by the operator to suppress, and prevent, the scent of his feet and body from being perceived; which is done by overpowering that scent by others of a stronger nature. in order to this the feet are to be covered with cloths rubbed over with assafoetida, or other strong smelling substances; and even oil of rhodium is sometimes used for this purpose, but sparingly, on account of its dearness, though it has a very alluring, as well as disguising effect. if this caution of avoiding the scent of the operator's feet, near the track, and in the place where the rats are proposed to be collected, be not properly observed, it will very much obstruct the success of the attempt to take them; for they are very shy of coming where the scent of human feet lies very fresh, and intimates, to their sagacious instinct, the presence of human creatures, whom they naturally dread. to the above-mentioned means of alluring by trailing, way-baiting, and calling, is added another of very material efficacy, which is the use of the oil of rhodium, which, like the marum syriacum in the case of cats, has a very extraordinary fascinating power on these animals. the oil is extremely dear, and therefore very sparingly used. it is exhaled in a small quantity in the place, and at the entrance of it, where the rats are intended to be taken, particularly at the time when they are to be last brought together in order to their destruction; and it is used also, by smearing it on the surface of some of the implements used in taking them, by the method before described, and the effect it has in taking off their caution and dread, by the delight they appear to have in it, is very extraordinary. it is usual, likewise, for the operator to disguise his figure as well as scent, which is done by putting on a sort of gown or cloak, of one colour, that hides the natural form, and makes him appear like a post, or such inanimate thing; which habit must likewise be scented as above, to overpower the smell of his person; and besides this he is to avoid all motion, till he has secured his point of having all the rats in his power. when the rats are thus enticed and collected, where time is afforded, and the whole in any house or outbuildings are intended to be cleared away, they are suffered to regale on what they most like, which is ready prepared for them; and then to go away quietly for two or three nights; by which means those which are not allured the first night are brought afterwards, either by their fellows, or the effects of the trailing, &c. and will not fail to come duly again, if they are not disturbed or molested. but many of the rat-catchers make shorter work, and content themselves with what can be brought together in one night or two; but this is never effectual, unless where the building is small and entire, and the rats but few in number. with respect to the means of taking them when they are brought together, they are various. some entice them into a very large bag, the mouth of which is sufficiently capacious to cover nearly the whole floor of the place where they are collected; which is done by smearing some vessel, placed in the middle of the bag, with oil of rhodium, and laying in the bag baits of proper food. this bag, which before laid flat on the ground, with the mouth spread open, is to be suddenly closed when the rats are all in it. others drive or frighten them, by slight noises or motions, into a bag of a long form, the mouth of which, after all the rats are come in, is drawn up to the opening of the place by which they entered, all other ways of retreat being secured. others, again, intoxicate or poison them, by mixing with the repast prepared for them the cocculus indicus, or the nux vomica. a receipt for this purpose has appeared, which directs four ounces of cocculus indicus, with twelve ounces of oatmeal, and two ounces of treacle or honey, to be made up into a moist paste with strong beer; but if the nux vomica be used, a much less proportion will serve than is here given of the cocculus. any similar composition of these drugs, with that kind of food the rats are most fond of, and which has a strong flavour, to hide that of the drugs, will equally well answer the end. if, indeed, the cocculus indicus be well powdered, and infused in strong beer for some time, at least half the quantity here directed will serve as well as the quantity before mentioned. when the rats appear to be thoroughly intoxicated with the cocculus, or sick with the nux vomica, they may be taken with the hand, and put into a bag or cage, the door of the place being first drawn to, lest those which have strength and sense remaining should escape. by these methods, when well conducted, a very considerable part of the rats in a farm, or other house, and the contiguous buildings, may be taken and destroyed. but various other methods have been practised.--the following compositions are advised for destroying these mischievous creatures, and which are stated to have been attended with great success. first, to a quart of oatmeal, add six drops of oil of rhodium, one grain of musk, and two or three of the nuts of nux vomica finely powdered; make them into pellets, and put them into the rat-holes. this, it is said, was at first greedily eaten, and did great execution; but the wise animals, after a time, ceased to eat it. secondly; this consisted of three parts of oatmeal and one of stave's-acre, mixed well into a paste with honey. pieces of this paste were laid in their holes, and again did great execution. thirdly; this is a method of destroying them by laying a large box down on its front side, with the lid supported open by a string over a pulley; and by trailing toasted cheese and a red-herring from their holes to this box, and placing oatmeal and other food in it, which they are for a few nights to be permitted to eat unmolested; and finally to watch them by moon-light, the inside of the box being painted white; and, when many of them are seen, to let down the lid; by which contrivance sixty of them are stated to have been taken at one time.--but though the usual ways of destroying rats are by traps and poison, it is advised never to use arsenic, or corrosive sublimate, for that purpose, except under particular circumstances, as they are deadly poisons: nux vomica will generally answer the end as well, without the danger. it is a very good plan, to prevent accidents, to enclose the traps in cases, having holes in the ends of them large enough to admit rats, but small enough to exclude dogs, cats, &c. as a bait for rat-traps, the following composition may be made use of with advantage. take a pound of good flour, three ounces of treacle, and six drops of the oil of carraways: put them all in a dish, and rub them well together till they are properly mixed: then add a pound of crumb of bread. the traps baited with this mixture should be set as near their haunts as possible; but, for two or three days, so as not to fall or strike on the rats going in, but letting them have free liberty to go in and out at pleasure, as this makes them fearless. some of the bait should also be laid at the rat-holes, and a little of it scattered quite up to the traps, and so on to the bridge of each trap, where a handful may be placed. it may also be proper to scent the traps with the following mixture, for the purpose of enticing the rats into them. take twenty drops of the oil of rhodium, six or seven grains of musk, and half an ounce of oil of aniseed; put them in a small phial, and shake it well before using; then dip a piece of twisted paper or rag in the mixture, and rub each end of the trap with it, if a box trap, and put two or three drops on the bridge, leaving the paper or rag in the trap. of whatever kind the trap is, it should be scented; but once in a twelvemonth will be sufficient. then throw some chaff mixed with a little wheat about the bottom of the trap, in order to deceive the rats; for they are very sagacious, and will not enter a suspicious place. this will be necessary to be done only at the first time of setting the traps; for, after some rats have been caught and have watered and dunged in them, rats will enter boldly when they find others have been there before them: do not, therefore, wash or clean out the trap, as some people do before they set it again, but let the dung and urine remain in it. keep the places where the traps are set as private as possible; and when they are set for catching, mix no bread with the bait, as the rats will, in that case, be apt to carry it away. and it is useful, when the holes are found quiet, and that no rats use them, to stop them up with the following composition. take a pint of common tar, half an ounce of pearl-ashes, an ounce of oil of vitriol, and a good handful of common salt, mix them all well together in an old pan or pot. take some pieces of paper, and lay some of the above mixture very thick on them; then stop the holes well up with them, and build up the mouth of the holes with brick or stone, and mortar; if this be properly done, rats will no more approach these while either smell or taste remains in the composition. but with a view to destroy rats in places where traps cannot be set, it is recommended to take a quart of the above bait, then to rasp into it three nuts of nux vomica, and add a quarter of a pound of crumb of bread, if there was none before; mix them all well together, and lay it into the mouth of their holes, and in different places where they frequent; but first give them of the bait without nux vomica, for three or four succeeding nights; and when they find it agrees with them, they will eat that mixed with the nut with greediness. however, as it is frequently found that rats are very troublesome in sewers and drains, in such cases arsenic may be used with success in the following manner. take some dead rats, and having put some white arsenic, finely powdered, into an old pepper-box, shake a quantity of it on the foreparts of the dead rats, and put them down the holes, or avenues, by the sides of the sewers at which they come in; this puts a stop to the live ones coming any further; for when they perceive the arsenic, they will retire immediately; whereas, if they were put down without the arsenic, the live ones would eat them. it is by means of arsenic, notwithstanding the above observations, that the most certain method of destroying these troublesome vermin, (provided they can be made to eat it,) takes place; which has been found to answer best when it is prepared by being finely levigated, and mixed up with very strong old cheese and oatmeal. but after all, it is probable that this highly destructive animal, and great pest to the farmer, might be most readily exterminated by parishes uniting for the purpose, and raising certain sums of money to be applied in this way, under the direction of a proper person who is fully acquainted with the business.--in many grain and other districts in the kingdom these animals prevail very much, especially the grey kind, particularly in all those where there are no regular raised staddles or stands for the grain stacks to rest upon, which is the case in a great number. the mischief, injury, and destruction of grain which is produced in this way, is scarcely to be calculated; and they are besides very mischievous, troublesome, and inconvenient in several others; so that they should be every where extirpated as much as possible. and in corn tracts, stands or staddles should every where be provided in order to prevent mischief being done by them. razor straps. nothing makes a better razor strap than crocus martis with a little sweet oil, rubbed well on doe skin with a glass bottle; and to keep it in perfect order, it should not be left too long dry. red cabbage. slice a red cabbage crossways, put it in an earthen dish, and throw on it a handful of salt. cover it over till the next day, drain it in a cullender, and put it into a jar. boil some good vinegar, with cloves and allspice; pour it hot on the cabbage till the jar is full, and when cold tie it down close. red herrings. choose those that are large and moist, cut them open, and pour over them some boiling small beer. let them soak half an hour, then drain and dry them; make them just hot through before the fire, and rub them over with cold butter. serve with egg sauce, or buttered eggs; mashed potatoes should also be sent up with them. red ink. infuse a quarter of a pound of brazil wood, rasped, in two pints of vinegar, for three days. then boil the liquid and the wood over a gentle fire, for an hour, and strain it off quite hot. put it again over the fire, and dissolve in it, first, half an ounce of gum arabic, and afterwards, half an ounce of alum, and the same quantity of white sugar. when the alum is dissolved, remove it from the fire, and preserve it for use. red mullet. this sort of fish are in season in august; and to be good, they should be quite firm. sea mullets are preferred to the river ones, and the red to the grey. this fish is sometimes called the sea woodcock. to dress mullets, clean them, but leave the inside. fold them in oiled paper, and bake them gently in a small dish. make a sauce of the liquor that comes from the fish, with a piece of butter, a little flour, a little essence of anchovy, and a glass of sherry. give it a boil, serve in a boat, and the fish in the paper cases. regimen. it may be difficult accurately to ascertain the predominant qualities of particular constitutions, or of the food that is best adapted in particular instances; yet it is certain, that health is dependent on regimen and diet, more than on any other cause. there are things so decidedly injurious, and so well known to be so, as to require no admonition; the instincts of nature will teach us to refrain; and generally speaking, the best rule for our practice is to observe by experience, what it is that hurts or does us good, and what our stomachs are best able to digest. we must at the same time keep our judgment unbiassed, and not suffer it to become a pander to the appetite; or the stomach and the health will be betrayed to the mere indulgence of sensuality. the gratification of our taste in the abundant supplies of nature, converted by art to the purposes of wholesome food, is perfectly compatible with the necessary maintenance of health; it is only the indiscriminate or inordinate indulgence of our appetites, regardless of the consequences, that is the proper object of censure. many of the diseases to which we are subject might be traced to this source; yet we are generally so little aware of it, that we impute them to the state of the weather, to infection, or any other imaginary cause, rather than the true one. the weather has very little serious effect upon a person in health, unless exposed to it in some unusual manner that suddenly checks perspiration, or some of the ordinary evacuations. infection, though of formidable import, is almost divested of its power over those whose temperance in food and diet keeps the blood and juices pure. the closest attendance upon an infected person has often been found perfectly consistent with personal safety under such circumstances. even diseases, said to be hereditary, may with great probability be assigned to errors in domestic life, of which the children partake, and fall into the same disorders as their parents, and remote progenitors. but even if this be not exactly so, an originally indifferent constitution may certainly be much amended by proper management. amongst a variety of causes producing ill health, there can be no doubt but bad air, want of cleanliness, want of exercise, excessive fatigue, and mental uneasiness, must have an unfavourable influence; yet none of these have so immediate an effect as the food we eat, which if not wholesome and nutricious, tends directly to contaminate the system. we derive the renewal of our blood and juices, which are constantly exhausting, from the substances converted into food. as our food therefore is proper or improper, too much or too little, so will our blood and juices be good or bad, overcharged or deficient, and our state of health accordingly good or diseased. it is not only necessary however, that our aliment should be plain and wholesome; it is requisite also that it should contain active principles; such as salts, oils, and spirits, which have the property of stimulating the solids, quickening the circulation, and make the fluids thinner; thus rendering them more suited to undergo the necessary secretions of the body. the art of preserving health, and of prolonging life, consists therefore in the use of a moderate quantity of such diet as shall neither encrease the salts and oils so as to produce disease, nor to diminish them so as to suffer the solids to become relaxed. eating too little is hurtful, as well as eating too much. neither excess nor hunger, nor any thing else that passes the bounds of nature, can be good for man. temperance and moderation in eating and drinking, are nature's great preservatives. 'the throat has destroyed more than the sword.' some people are apt to think, the more plentifully they eat and drink, the better they thrive, and the stronger they grow. but this is not the case: a little, well digested, will render the body more vigorous than when it is glutted with superfluity, most of which is turned to excrementitious, not alimentary, fluid, and must soon be evacuated, or sickness will follow. it is said of the highly celebrated dr. boerhaäve, that having long promised to a friend the secret of preserving health and long life, his friend became impatient to obtain the secret, when he perceived that the physician was dying. to his repeated solicitations, the doctor as frequently replied, 'do not eat too much--do not eat too much;' and left this advice as his last legacy to his valued friend. by loading the stomach, digestion is impeded; for the natural juice of the stomach, which is the great medium of digestion, has not then room to exert itself. the stomach therefore nauseates its contents, and is troubled with eructations; the spirits are oppressed, obstructions ensue, and disease is the consequence. besides, when thus overfilled, the stomach presses on the diaphragm, prevents the proper play of the lungs, and occasions difficulty and uneasiness in breathing. hence arise various bad symptoms and effects, throughout the whole of the animal economy; prostrating the strength, impairing the senses, hastening old age, and shortening life. though these unhappy consequences may not be immediately perceived, yet they are the certain attendants of intemperance; and it has been generally observed in great eaters, that though from custom, a state of youth, and a strong constitution, they suffer no present inconvenience, but have digested their food, and sustained the surfeit; yet if they have not been unexpectedly cut off, they have found the symptoms of old age come on early in life, attended with pains and innumerable disorders. if health is to be regarded, we must ever make it a rule not to eat to satiety or fulness, but desist while the stomach feels quite easy. thus we shall be refreshed, light, and cheerful; not dull, heavy, or indisposed. should we ever be tempted to eat too much at one time, we should eat the less at another: abstinence is the best remedy for repletion. if our dinner has been larger than usual, let our supper be less, or rather, quite omitted. with regard to the times of eating, they must to a certain degree be conformed to family convenience, but ought to be quite independent of the caprice of fashion, instead of being as they are, governed by it. this, and a want of punctuality to the dinner hour, are the cause of more real harm to the constitution than thoughtless people of fashion, and their more thoughtless imitators, are apt to imagine. when a dinner is dressed, nothing can prevent its being injured by standing. it may be kept hot, and this imposes on those who think no farther upon the subject; but the very means made use of for this purpose, only help to spoil it the more. if things boiled are kept in the water after they are done enough, they become sodden, vapid, and heavy. the invention of hot closets for keeping other things hot, dry away the juices, and make them strong and rancid. from such dinners, indigestions will ensue, frequent head-aches, nervousness, and many other uneasy sensations, which finally bring on maladies of a more serious nature. the great points to be guarded against, respecting the times of eating, are either eating too soon after a former meal, or fasting too long. the stomach should always have time to empty itself, before it is filled again. some stomachs digest their contents sooner than others, and if long empty it may destroy the appetite, and greatly disturb both the head and animal spirits; because from the great profusion of nerves spread over the stomach, there is an immediate sympathy between that and the head. hence the head is sure to be affected by whatever disorders the stomach, whether from any particular aliment that disagrees with it, or being over filled, or too long empty. hence also, too frequently, arise apoplexy, or paralytic affections, especially in aged people. such as feel a gnawing in the stomach, as it is called, should not wait till the stated time of the next meal, but take a small quantity of food, light, and easy of digestion, that the stomach may have something to work on. children, with craving appetites, do and may eat often, allowing only a proper interval to empty the stomach. young persons in health, who use much exercise, may eat three times a day. but such as are in years, such as are weak, as do no work, or lead a sedentary life, eating twice in the day is quite sufficient: or if in the present habits of society it is found to be difficult to arrange for two meals only, let them take three very moderate ones. weak and aged persons may eat often, but then it should be very little at a time. the diseases to which we are liable often require substances of more active principles than what are found in common aliment, and hence the need of medicine, in order to, produce sudden alterations. but where such alterations are not immediately necessary, the same effect may be produced with much greater safety, by a proper attention to diet only. abstinence is in short, one of the best remedies to which we can resort; and if employed in time, will entirely cure many disorders, and check the violence of such as cannot be entirely carried off by it. in all cases where there is any inflammation, and in stomach complaints, it is particularly necessary, and may be safely continued till the symptoms of disease disappear. where the digestion is habitually weak, a day of abstinence once a week will always be beneficial. the quality of our food is a subject of greater difficulty than the quantity. moderation is an invariably safe guide in the latter case; but though always favourable to prevent ill effects from any error in quality, it will not always be effectual. to a person in good health, with a strong stomach, and whose constant beverage is water, or some weak liquor, the niceties in food and cooking are less material, than to persons with naturally weak stomachs, or to those in sickness, or for children. but all persons who would to a certainty preserve their health and faculties, and live out the natural term of life, should use plain food, as all high seasonings and compound mixtures, have an injurious effect, sooner or later, on the strongest constitutions. if a few instances can be shewn to the contrary, these, like other anomalies in nature, cannot constitute an exception to a well established fact. a prevailing error in the diet of this country is a too great use of animal food. the disease called the sea scurvy, often occurs from this cause, in every large town in england; and it is probable that the frequency and fatality of putrid and scarlet fevers may justly be attributed to it also. the prejudices of this country are very strong in favour of animal food, but the evidence of facts is equally strong against its absolute necessity. instances of this are seen in the natives of hindostan, who live upon rice, and who by way of opprobrium call the inhabitants of this country 'flesh eaters;' in the poor of ireland, who live upon potatoes, and in the poor of scotland, who live upon oatmeal. after all, the medium is in all probability the best; neither animal nor vegetable diet exclusively, but a reasonable proportion of both. persons of indifferent health should be particularly cautious in their diet, and those labouring under any particular malady should carefully conform to the regimen prescribed for them by their medical advisers.--our beverage is another very important article, in reference to health. it is essential to moisten and convey more solid food into the stomach, and from thence to the respective parts of the system. also to allay thirst, to dilute the blood, that it may circulate through the minutest vessels, and to dissolve and carry off by watery secretions the superfluous salts taken in with the food. no liquid is so effectual for this purpose as pure water; with the exception only of a few cases. no other liquid circulates so well, or mixes so immediately with our fluids. other liquids are impregnated with particles which act strongly upon the solids or fluids, or both; but water being simple, operates only by diluting, moistening, and cooling, which are the great uses of drink pointed out to us by nature. hence it is evident that water in general is the best and most wholesome drink; but as some constitutions require something to warm and stimulate the stomach, fermented liquors may be proper, if taken in moderation. it is necessary however, that beer, ale, cider, and wine, be taken in a sound state and of proper age, or they will be highly detrimental. spirituous liquors, taken too freely, or in a raw state, are attended with direful effects, and are the destruction of thousands. from the degree of heat they have undergone in distillation, they acquire a corrosive and burning quality, which makes them dangerous to the constitution. they contract the fibres and smaller vessels, especially where they are tenderest, as in the brain, and thus destroy the intellectual faculties. they injure the coat of the stomach, and so expose the nerves and relax the fibres, till the whole stomach becomes at last soft and flabby. hence ensues loss of appetite, indigestion, and diseases that generally terminate in premature death. light wines of a moderate strength, and matured by age, are more wholesome than strong, rich, and heavy wines, and pass off the stomach with less difficulty. red port is strong and astringent, but white port and spanish wines are stimulating and attenuating. french wines are lighter, and not so strong as the portuguese and spanish wines, which renders them wholesomer for thin and dry constitutions. rhenish and moselle wines are the most wholesome of any, where acidity is not hurtful. home made wines are prejudicial to all constitutions, being very windy and heady. the notion that liquors of any kind assist digestion, is quite erroneous, as wine and all other strong liquors are as hard to digest as strong solid food. those who drink only water or small beer at their meals, are able to eat and digest almost double the quantity of what they could, if they drank strong liquors. when the stomach is uneasy from too much food, or such as is indigestible, strong liquors produce a deceitful glow in the stomach, which induces a belief of their having the beneficial effect of assisting digestion. the fallacy of this conclusion is sufficiently apparent from the state in which cherries are found, after they have been steeped in brandy: instead of becoming more tender, they are rendered as tough as leather. similar effects are produced on food in the stomach, as well as out of it. strong liquors are plainly improper at meals, as by their heat and activity they hurry the food undigested into the habit, and so lay the foundation for various distempers, such as the gout, rheumatism, apoplexy, and palsy. rennet. this article, so necessary in making of cheese, is prepared as follows. take out the stomach of a calf as soon as killed, and scour it inside and out with salt, after it is cleared of the curd always found in it. let it drain a few hours, then sow it up with two good handfuls of salt in it, or stretch it on a stick well salted, and hang it up to dry.--another way. clean the maw as above, and let it drain a day. then put into two quarts of fresh spring-water a handful of hawthorn tops, a handful of sweet briar, a handful of rose leaves, a stick of cinnamon, forty cloves, four blades of mace, a sprig of knotted marjoram, and two large spoonfuls of salt. let them boil gently till the liquor is reduced to three pints, and strain it off; when only milk warm, pour it on the maw. slice a lemon into it, let it stand two days, strain it again, and bottle it for use. it will keep good at least for twelve months, and has a very fine flavour. sweet aromatic herbs may also be added. the liquor must be pretty salt, but not made into brine: a little of it will turn the milk. salt the maw again for a week or two, and dry it stretched on cross sticks, and it will be nearly as strong as before. the rennet when dried must be kept in a cool place. resentment. this is a dangerous passion, and often fatal to health. anger disorders the whole frame, hurries on the circulation of the blood, occasions fevers and other acute disorders, and sometimes ends in sudden death. resentment also preys upon the mind, and occasions the most obstinate disorders, which gradually waste the constitution. those who value health therefore, will guard against indulging this malignant propensity, and endeavour to preserve a happy degree of tranquillity. rheumatism. in this complaint the diet should be nourishing, with a little generous wine; costiveness must be carefully avoided. the painful part should be kept warm with flannel, should be frequently rubbed, occasionally electrified, and supplied with the volatile liniment. blisters, cataplasms of mustard or horseradish, may be applied with advantage. if these be not effectual, take a pint of the spirits of turpentine, and add half an ounce of camphor. let it stand till the camphor is dissolved, then rub it on the part affected night and morning, and it will seldom fail to afford effectual relief. this mixture is also very proper for sprains and bruises, and should be kept for family use. but several of our own domestic plants as above may be used with advantage in the rheumatism. one of the best is the white _mustard_. a table-spoonful of the seed of this plant may be taken twice or thrice a day, in a glass of water or small wine. the water trefoil is likewise of great use in this complaint. it may be infused in wine or ale, or drunk in the form of tea. the ground-ivy, camomile, and several other bitters, are also beneficial, and may be used in the same manner. no benefit, however, is to be expected from these, unless they be taken for a considerable time. cold bathing, especially in salt water, often cures the rheumatism. it is also advisable to take exercise, and wear flannel next the skin. issues are likewise very proper, especially in chronic cases. if the pain affects the shoulders, an issue may be made in the arm; but if it affects the loins, it should be put into the leg or thigh. such as are subject to frequent attacks of the rheumatism ought to make choice of a dry, warm situation, to avoid the night air, wet clothes, and wet feet, as much as possible. their clothing should be warm, and they should wear flannel next their skin, and make frequent use of the flesh brush. one of the best articles of dress, not only for the prevention of rheumatism, but for powerful co-operation in its cure, is fleecy hosiery. in low marshy situations, the introduction of that manufacture has prevented more rheumatisms, colds, and agues, than all the medicines ever used there. such of the inhabitants of marshy counties as are in easy circumstances, could not, perhaps, direct their charity and humanity to a better object than to the supplying their poor neighbours with so cheap and simple a preservative. rhubarb. by proper attention in the growth and preparation of this root, it may be obtained here nearly in equal goodness to the foreign. the plants are all increased by seeds, which should be sown in autumn soon after they are ripe, where the plants are designed to remain, as their roots being large and fleshy when they are removed, they do not recover it soon; nor do the roots of such removed plants ever grow so large and fair as those which remain where they were sown. when the plants appear in the spring, the ground should be well hoed over, to cut up the weeds; and where they are too close, some should be cut up, leaving them at the first hoeing six or eight inches asunder; but at the second they may be separated to a foot and a half distance, and more. when any weeds appear, the ground should be scuffled over with a dutch hoe in dry weather; but after the plants cover the ground with their broad leaves, they keep down the weeds without any farther trouble. the ground should be cleaned in autumn when the leaves decay, and in the spring, before the plants begin to put up their new leaves, be dug well between them. in the second year, many of the strongest plants will produce flowers and seeds, and in the third year most of them. it is advised, that the seeds be carefully gathered when ripe, and not permitted to scatter, lest they grow and injure the old plants. the roots continue many years without decaying, and the old roots of the true rhubarb are much preferable to the young ones. the roots may be generally taken up after four years, but if they remain longer it is so much the better. these plants delight in a rich soil, which is not too dry nor over moist: and where there is depth in such land for their roots to run down, they attain a great size, both in the leaves and roots. rhubarb pie. peel the stalks of the plant, cut them about an inch long, put them into a dish with moist sugar, a little water and lemon peel. put on the crust, and bake it in a moderate oven. rhubarb pudding. put four dozen clean sticks of rhubarb into a stewpan, with the peel of a lemon, a bit of cinnamon, two cloves, and as much moist sugar as will sweeten it. set it over the fire, and reduce it to a marmalade. pass it through a hair sieve, then add the peel of a lemon, half a nutmeg grated, a quarter of a pound of good butter, the yolks of four eggs, and one white, and mix all well together. line a pie dish with good puff paste, put in the mixture, and bake it half an hour. this will make a good spring pudding. rhubarb sauce. to make a mock gooseberry-sauce for mackarel, reduce three dozen sticks of rhubarb to a marmalade, and sweeten it with moist sugar. pass it through a hair sieve, and serve it up in a boat.--mock gooseberry-fool is made of rhubarb marmalade, prepared as for a pudding. add a pint of good thick cream, serve it up in glasses, or in a deep dish. if wanted in a shape, dissolve two ounces of isinglass in a little water, strain it through a tammis, and when nearly cold put it to the cream. pour it into a jelly mould, and when set, turn it out into a dish, and serve it up plain. rhubarb sherbet. boil six or eight sticks of clean rhubarb in a quart of water, ten minutes. strain the liquor through a tammis into a jug, with the peel of a lemon cut very thin, and two table-spoonfuls of clarified sugar. let it stand five or six hours, and it will be fit to drink. rhubarb soup. there are various ways of dressing garden rhubarb, which serves as an excellent substitute for spring fruit. peel and well wash four dozen sticks of rhubarb, blanch it in water three or four minutes, drain it on a sieve, and put it into a stewpan with two sliced onions, a carrot, an ounce of lean ham, and a good bit of butter. let it stew gently over a slow fire till tender, then put in two quarts of rich soup, to which add two or three ounces of bread crumbs, and boil it about fifteen minutes. skim off all the fat, season with salt and cayenne, pass it through a tammis, and serve it up with fried bread. rhubarb tart. cut the stalks in lengths of four or five inches, and take off the thin skin. lay them in a dish, pour on a thin syrup of sugar and water, cover them with another dish, and let it simmer very slowly for an hour on a hot hearth; or put the rhubarb into a block-tin saucepan, and simmer it over the fire. when cold, make it into a tart; the baking of the crust will be sufficient, if the rhubarb be quite tender. ribs of beef. the following is an excellent way of dressing this rich and valuable joint. hang up three ribs three or four days, take out the bones from the whole length, sprinkle it with salt, roll the meat tight, and roast it. if done with spices, and baked as hunter's beef, it is excellent, and nothing can look nicer. rice broth. put a quarter of a pound of whole rice into a gallon of water. let it simmer till it is quite soft, then put in a knuckle of veal, or the scrag end of a leg of mutton, with two or three pounds of gravy beef. stew this very gently for two hours, then put in turnips, carrots, celery, leeks, or any other vegetables. continue to stew slowly, and when the whole is sufficiently done, season it with salt, and serve it up. rice cake. mix ten ounces of ground rice, three ounces of flour, and eight ounces of pounded sugar. sift the composition by degrees into eight yolks and six whites of eggs, and the peel of a lemon shred so fine that it is quite mashed. mix the whole well in a tin stewpan with a whisk, over a very slow fire. put it immediately into the oven in the same, and bake it forty minutes.--another. beat twelve yolks and six whites of eggs, with the peels of two lemons grated. mix one pound of rice flour, eight ounces of fine flour, and a pound of sugar pounded and sifted. beat it well with the eggs by degrees, for an hour, with a wooden spoon. butter a pan well, and put it in at the oven mouth. a gentle oven will bake it in an hour and a half. rice caudle. when the water boils, pour into it some grated rice, with a little cold water. when of a proper consistence, add sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon, and a spoonful of brandy, and boil all smooth.--another way. soak in water some fine rice for an hour, strain it, and put two spoonfuls of the rice into a pint and a quarter of milk. simmer till it will pulp through a sieve, then put the pulp and milk into the saucepan, with a bruised clove, and a bit of lump sugar. simmer all together ten minutes; if too thick, add a spoonful or two of milk, and serve with thin toast. rice cheesecakes. boil four ounces of ground rice in milk, with a blade of cinnamon: put it into a pot, and let it stand till the next day. mash it fine with half a pound of butter; add to it four eggs, half a pint of cream, a grated nutmeg, a glass of brandy, and a little sugar. or the butter may be stirred and melted in the rice while it is hot, and left in the pot till the next day. rice custard. boil three pints of new milk with a little cinnamon, lemon peel, and sugar. mix the yolks of two eggs well beaten, with a large spoonful of rice flour, smothered in a cup of cold milk. take a basin of the boiling milk, mix it with the cold that has the rice in it, and add it to the remainder of the boiling milk, stirring it one way till it begins to thicken. pour it into a pan, stir it till it is cool, and add a spoonful of brandy or orange water. this is a good imitation of cream custard, and considerably cheaper. rice edging. after soaking and picking some fine carolina rice, boil it in salt and water, until sufficiently tender, but not to mash. drain, and put it round the inner edge of the dish, to the height of two inches. smooth it with the back of a spoon, wash it over with the yolk of an egg, and put it into the oven for three or four minutes. this forms an agreeable edging for currie or fricassee, with the meat served in the middle. rice flummery. boil with a pint of new milk, a bit of lemon peel and cinnamon. mix with a little cold milk as much rice flour as will make the whole of a good consistence, add a little sugar, and a spoonful of peach water, or a bitter almond beaten. boil it, but do not let it burn; pour it into a shape or pint basin, taking out the spice. when cold, turn the flummery into a dish, and serve with cream, milk, or custard round. or put a tea-cupful of cream into half a pint of new milk, a glass of white wine, half a lemon squeezed, and sugar. rice milk. boil half a pound of rice in a quart of water, with a bit of cinnamon, till the water is wasted. add three pints of milk, an egg beaten up with a spoonful of flour, and stir it till it boils. then pour it out, sweeten it, and put in currants and nutmeg. rice pancakes. boil half a pound of rice to a jelly in a small quantity of water; when cold, mix it with a pint of cream, eight eggs, a little salt and nutmeg. stir in eight ounces of butter just warmed, and add flour sufficient to thicken the batter. fry in as little lard or dripping as possible. rice paste. to make a rice paste for sweets, boil a quarter of a pound of ground rice in the smallest quantity of water. strain from it all the moisture possible, beat it in a mortar with half an ounce of butter, and one egg well beaten. it will make an excellent paste for tarts, and other sweet dishes.--to make a rich paste for relishing things, clean some rice, and put it into a saucepan. add a little milk and water, or milk only, and an onion, and simmer it over the fire till it swells. put some seasoned chops into a dish, and cover it with the rice. the addition of an egg will make the rice bind the better. rabbits fricasseed, and covered with rice paste, are very good. rice pudding. if for family use, swell the rice with a very little milk over the fire. then add more milk, an egg, some sugar, allspice, and lemon peel; and bake it in a deep dish. or put into a deep pan half a pound of rice washed and picked, two ounces of butter, four ounces of sugar, a little pounded allspice, and two quarts of milk. less butter will do, or some suet: bake the pudding in a slow oven. another. boil a quarter of a pound of rice in a quart of milk, with a stick of cinnamon, till it is thick; stir it often, that it does not burn; pour it into a pan, stir in a quarter of a pound of butter, and grate half a nutmeg; add sugar to your taste, and a small tea-cup of rose-water; stir all together till cold; beat up eight eggs, (leave out half the whites) stir all well together, lay a thin puff paste at the bottom of the dish, and nip the edge; then pour in the pudding and bake it.--another. to make a plain rice pudding, put half a pound of rice well picked, into three quarts of milk; add half a pound of sugar, a small nutmeg grated, and half a pound of butter; butter the dish with part, and break the rest into the milk and rice; stir all well together, pour it into a dish, and bake it.--another. to make a boiled rice pudding, take a quarter of a pound of rice well picked and washed, tie it in a cloth, leaving room for it to swell; boil it for an hour; take it up and stir in a quarter of a pound of butter, some nutmeg and sugar; tie it up again very tight, and boil it an hour more. when you send it to table, pour butter and sugar over it.--another. to make a ground rice pudding. to a pint of milk put four ounces of ground rice; boil it for some time, keeping it stirring, lest it should burn; pour it into a pan, and stir in a quarter of a pound of butter; then beat up six eggs, leaving out half the whites, a little lemon peel finely shred, a little nutmeg grated, a quarter of a pound of sugar, a gill of cream, a little rose-water, and as much salt as you can take up between your thumb and finger; mix all well together, make a puff paste, lay it round the rim of the dish, and bake it.--lay citron or orange cut very thin, on the top, and strew a few currants on.--another. to make rice pudding with fruit. swell half a pound of rice with a very little milk over the fire, and then mix with it any kind of fruit; such as currants, scalded gooseberries, pared and quartered apples, raisins, or black currants. put an egg into the pudding to bind it, boil it well, and serve it up with sugar. rice sauce. steep a quarter of a pound of rice in a pint of milk, with an onion, a dozen pepper corns or allspice, and a little mace. when the rice is quite tender, take out the spice, and rub the rice through a sieve into a clean stewpan: if too thick, put a little milk or cream to it. this makes a very delicate white sauce; and at elegant tables, is frequently used instead of bread sauce. rice souffle. blanch some carolina rice, strain and boil it in milk, with lemon peel and a bit of cinnamon. let it boil till the rice is dry; then cool it, and raise a rim three inches high round the dish, having egged the dish where it is put, to make it stick. then egg the rice all over. fill the dish half way up with a marmalade of apples; have ready the whites of four eggs beaten to a fine froth, and put them over the marmalade. sift fine sugar over, and set it in the oven, which should be warm enough to give it a beautiful colour. rice soup. boil a pound of rice with a little cinnamon, in two quarts of water. take out the cinnamon, add a little sugar and nutmeg, and let it stand to cool. then beat up the yolks of three eggs in a little white wine, and mix it with the rice. set it on a slow fire, stir it well, and take it up as soon as it has boiled to a proper thickness. rich giblet soup. take four pounds of gravy beef, two pounds of scrag of mutton, two pounds of scrag of veal; stew them well down together in a sufficient quantity of water for a strong broth, let it stand till it is quite cold, then skim the fat clean off. take two pair of giblets well scalded and cleaned, put them into your broth, and let them simmer till they are stewed tender; then take out your giblets, and run the soup through a fine sieve to catch the small bones; then take an ounce of butter and put it into a stew-pan, mixing a proper quantity of flour, which make of a fine light brown. take a small handful of chives, the same of parsley, a very little penny-royal, and a very little sweet marjoram; chop all these herbs together excessive small, put your soup over a slow fire, put in your giblets, butter and flour, and small herbs; then take a pint of madeira wine, some cayenne pepper, and salt to your palate. let them all simmer together, till the herbs are tender, and the soup is finished. send it to the table with the giblets in it. let the livers be stewed in a saucepan by themselves, and put in when you dish. rich gravy. cut lean beef into small slices, according to the quantity wanted; slice some onions thin, and flour them both. fry them of a light pale brown, but do not suffer them on any account to get black. put them into a stewpan, pour boiling water on the browning in the fryingpan, boil it up, and pour it on the meat. add a bunch of parsley, thyme, and savoury, a small piece of marjoram, the same of taragon, some mace, berries of allspice, whole black pepper, a clove or two, and a bit of ham, or gammon of bacon. simmer till the juice of the meat is extracted, and skim it the moment it boils. if for a hare, or stewed fish, anchovy should be added. rich gravy soup. take a pound of lean beef, two pounds of veal, and a pound of mutton cut in pieces; put them into a pot, with six quarts of water, a large faggot of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with cloves, some whole pepper, a little mace, and the upper crust of bread toasted brown. put in an ox palate well cleaned and blanched whole; set it over a slow fire, and let it stew till half is wasted; strain it off, and put it into a clean saucepan. take off the ox palate, shred small, some cock's combs blanched, an ounce of morels cut in pieces, four large heads of celery well washed, and cut small, with the heart of four or five savoys, about as big as a turkey's egg, put in whole; cover it close, and let it stew softly for an hour and a half. if it want any more seasoning, add it; cut some french bread toasts thin, and crisp them before the fire. when your soup is ready, lay your bread in the dish, and put in your soup. rich home-made wine.--take new cider from the press, mix it with as much honey as will support an egg, boil it gently fifteen minutes, but not in an iron, brass, or copper pot. skim it well, and tun it when cool, but the cask must not be quite full. bottle it in the following march, and it will be fit to drink in six weeks, but it will be less sweet if kept longer in the cask. this will make a rich and strong wine, suitable for culinary purposes, where milk or sweet wine is to be employed. honey, besides its other valuable uses, is a fine ingredient to assist and render palatable, new or harsh cider. rich plum pudding. to make a small, but very rich plum pudding, shred fine three quarters of a pound of suet, and half a pound of stoned raisins, chopped a little. add three spoonfuls of flour, as much moist sugar, a little salt and nutmeg, the yolks of three, and the whites of two eggs. let it boil four hours in a basin or tin mould, well buttered. when the pudding is served up, pour over it some melted butter, with white wine and sugar.--for a larger pudding of the same description, shred three pounds of suet; add a pound and a half of raisins stoned and chopped, a pound and a half of currants, three pounds of good flour, sixteen eggs, and a quart of milk. boil it in a cloth seven hours. rich rice pudding. boil half a pound of rice in water, till it is quite tender, adding a little salt. drain it dry, mix it with four eggs, a quarter of a pint of cream, and two ounces of fresh butter melted in the cream. add four ounces of beef suet or marrow, or veal suet taken from the fillet, finely shred; three quarters of a pound of currants, two spoonfuls of brandy, a spoonful of peach water or ratifia, nutmeg, and grated lemon peel. when well mixed, put a paste round the edge, fill the dish, and bake it in a moderate oven. slices of candied orange, lemon, and citron, may be added. rickets. this disease generally attacks children between the age of nine months and two years; and as it is always attended with evident signs of weakness and relaxation, the chief aim in the cure must be to brace and strengthen the solids, and to promote digestion and the due preparation of the fluids. these important ends will be best answered by wholesome nourishing diet, suited to the age and strength of the patient, open dry air, and sufficient exercise. the limbs should be rubbed frequently with a warm hand, and the child kept as cheerful as possible. biscuit is generally reckoned the best bread; and pigeons, pullet, veal, rabbits, or mutton roasted or minced, are the most proper meat. if the child be too young for animal food, he may have rice, millet, or pearl barley, boiled with raisins, to which may be added a little wine and spice. his drink may be good claret, mixed with an equal quantity of water. those who cannot afford claret, may give the child now and then a wine glass of mild ale, or good porter. the disease may often be cured by the nurse, but seldom by the physician. in children of a gross habit, gentle vomits and repeated purges of rhubarb may sometimes be of use, but they will seldom carry off the disease; that must depend chiefly upon such things as brace and strengthen the system; for which purpose, besides the regimen mentioned above, the cold bath, especially in the warm season, is highly recommended. it must, however, be used with prudence, as some ricketty children cannot bear it. the best time for using the cold bath is in the morning, and the child should be well rubbed with a dry cloth immediately after he comes out of it. ring worm. this eruption, which generally appears on the head, in a circular form, attended with painful itching, is sometimes removed by rubbing it with black ink, or mushroom ketchup. the following preparation is also recommended. wash some roots of sorrel quite clean, bruise them in a mortar, and steep them in white wine vinegar for two or three days. then rub the liquor on the ring worm three or four times a day, till it begin to disappear. roasting. the first requisite for roasting is to have a clear brisk fire, proportioned to the joint that is to be roasted; without this every attempt must prove abortive. next to see that the spit is properly cleaned before it enters the meat, and the less it passes through it the better. neck and loins require to be carefully jointed before they are put on the spit, that the carver may separate them easily and neatly. the joint should be balanced evenly on the spit, that its motion may be regular, and the fire operate equally on every part; for this purpose cook-holds and balancing skewers are necessary. all roasting should be done open to the air, to ventilate the meat from its own fumes, and by the radiant heat of a glowing fire; otherwise it is in fact baked, and rendered less wholesome. hence what are called rumford roasters, and the machines invented by economical gratemakers, are utterly to be rejected. if they save any thing in fuel, which is doubtful, they are highly injurious to the flavour and best qualities of the meat. for the same reason, when a joint is dressed, it is better to keep it hot by the fire, than to put it under a cover, that the exhalations may freely escape. in making up the fire for roasting, it should be three or four inches longer at each end than the article on the spit, or the ends of the meat cannot be done nice and brown. half an hour at least before the roasting begins, prepare the fire, by putting on a few coals so as to be sufficiently lighted by the time the fire is wanted. put some of them between the bars, and small coals or cinders wetted at the back of the fire; and never put down meat to a burnt up fire. in small families, not provided with a jack or spit, a bottle jack, sold by the ironmongers, is a valuable instrument for roasting; and where this cannot be had, a skewer and a string, or rather a quantity of coarse yarn loosely twisted, is as philosophical as any of them, and will answer the purpose as well. do not put meat too near the fire at first. the larger the joint, the farther it must be kept from the fire: if once it gets scorched, the outside will become hard, and acquire a disagreeable taste. if the fire is prevented from penetrating into it, the meat will appear done, before it is little more than half ready, besides losing the pale brown colour which is the beauty of roast meat. from ten to fourteen inches is the usual distance at which it is put from the grate, when first laid down; and afterwards it should be brought nearer by degrees. if the joint is thicker at one end than the other, lay the spit slanting, with the thickest part nearest the fire. when the article is thin and tender, the fire should be small and brisk; but for a large joint the fire should be strong, and equally good in every part of the grate, or the meat cannot be equally roasted, nor possess that uniform colour which is the test of good cooking. give the fire a good stirring before the meat is laid down, keep it clear at the bottom, and take care that there are no smoky coals in the front, to spoil the look and taste of the meat. if a jack be used, it should be carefully oiled and kept clean, and covered from the dust, or it will never go well. the dripping pan should be placed at such a distance from the fire as just to catch the drippings; if it be too near, the ashes will fall into it, and spoil the drippings. if too far from the fire to catch them, the drippings will not only be lost, but the meat will be blackened, and spoiled by the fetid smoke, which will arise when the fat falls on the live cinders. the meat must be well basted, to keep it moist. when it does not supply dripping enough for this purpose, add some that has been saved on former occasions, and nicely prepared, which answers as well or better than butter. meat should not be sprinkled with salt till nearly done, as it tends to draw out the gravy. basting with a little salt and water, when the meat is first laid down, is often done, but the practice is not good. where the fat is very fine and delicate, it is best to cover it with writing paper to prevent its wasting; but in general it is as well to expose it to the action of the fire, and let it fall into the dripping pan. half an hour before the meat is done, prepare some gravy if necessary; and just before it is taken up, put it nearer the fire to brown it. if it is to be frothed, baste and dredge it carefully with flour. the common fault is that of using too much flour; the meat should have a fine light varnish of froth, not the appearance of being covered with a paste; and those who are particular about the froth, use butter instead of dripping. when the roast is quite done, it is best to take it up directly, as every moment beyond doing it enough does it an injury. if it cannot be sent to table immediately, which is most desirable, it should be kept hot, but so as to suffer the fumes to escape. with respect to the time required for roasting, the general rule of a quarter of an hour to a pound of meat, is a pretty fair one, but it will not do for all kinds of joints. the use of a meat screen must also be considered, as it tends materially to assist the operation, by concentrating the heat, and excluding the cold drafts of air. attention must be paid to the nature of the joint, whether thick or thin, the strength of the fire, the nearness of the meat to it, and the frequency with which it is basted. the more it is basted the less time it will take, as it keeps the meat soft and mellow on the outside, and the fire acts upon it with greater force. much will depend on the time the meat has been kept, and on the temperature of the weather. the same weight will be twenty minutes or half an hour longer in cold weather, than it will be in warm weather; and when the meat is fresh slain, than when it has been kept till it is tender. if meat get frozen, it should be thawed by lying some time in cold water; and then be well dried in a clean cloth, before it is laid down to the fire. a sirloin of beef, weighing from twenty-five to thirty pounds, will generally take four hours; a part of it, from twelve to fifteen pounds, two hours and three quarters, or three hours. a piece of ribs of the same weight, much the same time, and a rump four hours. a sheet of paper should be tied over the thin part, or it will burn before the thick part is done enough. a leg of mutton, weighing eight or nine pounds, will require two hours and a quarter; a shoulder of seven pounds, an hour and three quarters; a chine of ten or eleven pounds, two hours and a half; a loin, rather more than an hour and a half; a neck, the same; a breast, an hour. a haunch of mutton should be dressed like venison, only in proportion as it may be less, it must not roast quite so long. a fillet of veal, from twelve to fourteen pounds weight, requires three hours and twenty minutes. this is usually stuffed, either in the place of the bone, when that is taken out, or under the flap. a loin takes two hours and a half, a shoulder two hours and twenty minutes, a neck nearly two hours, and a breast an hour and a half. these directions suppose the joints to be of a common size. if they are very thick, a little more time must be allowed. when veal is quite small, the time must be reduced accordingly. a quarter of lamb, of a moderate size, will require two hours; a leg, an hour and forty minutes; a shoulder, an hour and twenty minutes; a loin, the same; a neck, an hour and ten minutes; a breast, three quarters of an hour; and ribs, an hour and a half. a leg of pork, weighing seven pounds, will require nearly two hours; a loin of five pounds, an hour and twenty minutes. both these should be scored across in narrow stripes, before they are laid down to the fire. a sparerib of eight or nine pounds, will take an hour and three quarters; a griskin of six or seven pounds, an hour and a quarter; a chine, if parted down the back-bone so as to have but one side, two hours; if not parted, it will take four hours.--the bastings proper for roast meat, are fresh butter, clarified suet, salt and water, yolks of eggs, grated biscuit, and orange juice. for mutton and lamb, minced sweet herbs, butter and claret; and for roast pig, melted butter and cream. the dredgings, are flour mixed with grated bread; sweet herbs dried and powdered, and mixed with grated bread; lemon peel dried and pounded, or orange peel mixed with flour; sugar finely powdered, and mixed with pounded cinnamon, and flour, or grated bread; fennel seeds, corianders, cinnamon, sugar finely powdered, and mixed with grated bread or flour; sugar, bread, and salt mixed. for young pigs, grated bread or flour mixed with pounded nutmeg, ginger, pepper, sugar, and yolks of eggs. roast beef. take care that your spit and dripping-pan be very clean; and to prepare your fire according to the size of the joint you have to dress. if it be a sirloin or chump, butter a piece of writing paper, and fasten it on to the back of your meat, with small skewers, and lay it down to a good clear fire, at a proper distance. as soon as your meat is warm, dust on some flour, and baste it with butter; then sprinkle some salt, and at times baste with what drips from it. about a quarter of an hour before you take it up, remove the paper, dust on a little flour, and baste with a piece of butter, that it may go to table with a good froth, but not look greasy. a piece of ten pounds requires about two hours and a half, and others in proportion. salad and vegetables are eaten with it, also mustard and horseradish. roast calf's head. wash the head very clean, take out the brains, and dry it well with a cloth. make a seasoning of pepper, salt, nutmeg, and cloves; add a slice of bacon finely minced, and some grated bread. strew the seasoning over the head, roll it up, skewer and tie it close with tape. roast and baste it with butter. make veal gravy thickened with butter rolled in flour, and garnish the edge of the dish with fried brains. roast calf's liver. cut a hole in the liver, and stuff it with crumbs of bread, mixed with chopped onions and herbs, salt, pepper, butter, and an egg. sew up the liver, wrap it up in a veal caul, and roast it. serve it up with brown gravy, and currant jelly. roast cheese. grate three ounces of fat cheshire cheese, mix it with the yolks of two eggs, four ounces of grated bread, and three ounces of butter. beat the whole well in a mortar, with a dessert-spoonful of mustard, and a little salt and pepper. toast some bread, cut it into proper pieces, lay the above paste thick upon them, and lay them into a dutch oven covered with a dish till they are hot through. remove the dish, to let the paste brown a little, and serve it up as hot as possible, immediately after dinner. roast chickens. being cleaned and trussed, put them down to a good fire. singe them, dust them with flour, and baste them well with butter. make gravy of their necks and gizzards, or of beef. strain the gravy, and pour it into the dish, adding parsley and butter, or egg sauce. roast collared beef. take out the inside meat from a sirloin of beef, sprinkle it with vinegar, and let it hang till the next day. prepare a stuffing as for a hare, put this at one end of the meat, roll the rest round it, bind it very close, and roast it gently for an hour and three quarters, or a little more or less, proportioned to the thickness. serve it up with gravy the same as for hare, and with currant jelly. roast collared mutton. if a loin of mutton has been collared, take off the fat from the upper side, and the meat from the under side. bone the joint, season it with pepper and salt, and some shalot or sweet herbs, chopped very small. let it be rolled up very tight, well tied round, and roasted gently. about an hour and a half will do it. while this is roasting, half boil the meat taken from the under side, then mince it small, put it into half a pint of gravy; and against the time that the mutton is ready, heat this and pour it into the dish when it is served up. roast collared pork. when a neck of pork has been collared, and is intended for roasting, the bones must be taken out. strew the inside with bread crumbs, chopped sage, a very little pounded allspice, some pepper and salt, all mixed together. roll it up very close, bind it tight, and roast it gently. an hour and a half or little more, according to the thickness, will roast it enough. a loin of pork with the fat and kidney taken out and boned, and a forehand of pork boned, are very nice dressed in the same way. roast duck. if two are dressed, let one of them be unseasoned, in order to suit the company. stuff the other with sage and onion, a dessert-spoonful of crumbs, a bit of butter, with pepper and salt. serve them up with a fine gravy. roast eel. take a good large silver eel, draw and skin it, and cut it in pieces of four inches long. spit them crossways on a small spit, with bay leaves, or large sage leaves between each piece. when roasted, serve up the fish with butter beaten with orange or lemon juice, and some grated nutmeg. or serve it with venison sauce, and dredge it with pounded carraway seeds, cinnamon, or grated bread. roast fowl. a large barn-door fowl, well hung, should be stuffed in the crop with sausage meat. the head should be turned under the wing, as a turkey. serve with gravy in the dish, and bread sauce. roast fowl in general may be garnished with sausages, or scalded parsley. egg sauce or bread sauce are equally proper. roast goose. after the fowl is picked, the plugs of the feathers pulled out, and the hairs carefully singed, let it be well washed and dried. put in a seasoning of shred onion and sage, pepper and salt. fasten it tight at the neck and rump, and then roast it. put it first at a distance from the fire, and by degrees draw it nearer, and baste it well. a slip of paper should be skewered on the breast-bone; when the breast is rising, take off the paper, and be careful to serve it before the breast falls, or it will be spoiled by coming flat to the table. send up a good gravy in the dish, with apple and gravy sauce. for a green goose, gooseberry sauce. roast griskin. put a piece of pork griskin into a stewpan, with very little more water than will just cover it. let it boil gradually, and when it has fairly boiled up, take it out. rub it over with a piece of butter, strew it with a little chopped sage and a few bread crumbs, and roast it in a dutch oven. it will require doing but a little while. roast hare. after it is skinned, let it be extremely well washed, and then soaked an hour or two in water. if an old hare, lard it, which will make it tender, as also will letting it lie in vinegar. but if put into vinegar, it should be very carefully washed in water afterwards. make a stuffing of the liver, with an anchovy, some fat bacon, a little suet, all finely minced; adding pepper, salt, nutmeg, a little onion, some sweet herbs, crumbs of bread, and an egg to bind it all. then put the stuffing, a pretty large one, into the belly of the hare, and sew it up. baste it well with milk till half done, and afterwards with butter. if the blood has settled in the neck, soaking the part in warm water, and putting it to the fire, will remove it, especially if the skin be nicked a little with a small knife to let it out. the hare should be kept at a distance from the fire at first. serve it up with a fine froth, some melted butter, currant-jelly sauce, and a rich gravy in the dish. the ears being reckoned a dainty, should be nicely cleaned and singed. for the manner of trussing a hare or rabbit, see plate. roast heart. take some suet, parsley, and sweet marjoram, chopped fine. add some bread crumbs, grated lemon peel, pepper, salt, mustard, and an egg. mix these into a paste, and stuff the heart with it. whether baked or roasted, serve it up with gravy and melted butter. baking is best, if it be done carefully, as it will be more regularly done than it can be by roasting. calf's or bullock's heart are both dressed in the same way. roast lamb. lay the joint down to a good clear fire, that will want little stirring; then baste it with butter, and dust on a little flour; after that, baste it with what falls from it; and a little before you take it up baste it again with butter, and sprinkle on a little salt. roast larks. put a dozen larks on a skewer, and tie both ends of the skewer to the spit. dredge and baste them, and let them roast ten minutes. take the crumb of a penny loaf, grate it, and put it into a fryingpan, with a little bit of butter. shake it over a gentle fire till it becomes brown; lay it between the birds on a dish, and pour melted butter over it. roast leg of pork. choose a small leg of fine young pork, cut a slit in the knuckle with a sharp knife, fill the space with chopped sage and onion, mixed together with a little pepper and salt. when half roasted, score the skin in slices, but do not cut deeper than the outer rind. eat it with potatoes and apple sauce. roast lobster. when the lobster is half boiled, take it out of the water; and while hot, rub it with butter, and lay it before the fire. continue basting it with butter till it has a fine froth. roast mutton and lamb. these require to be well roasted, before a quick clear fire. a small fore quarter of lamb will take an hour and a half. baste the joint as soon as it is laid down, and sprinkle on a little salt. when nearly done, dredge it with flour. in dressing a loin or saddle of mutton, the skin must be loosened, and then skewered on; but it should be removed before the meat is done, and the joint basted and made to froth up. when a fore quarter is sent to table, the shoulder may be taken off, the ribs a little seasoned with pepper and salt, and a lemon squeezed over them. serve up the joint with vegetables and mint sauce. for a breast of mutton, make a savoury forcemeat, if the bones are taken out, and wash it over with egg. spread the forcemeat upon it, roll it up, bind it with packthread, and serve it up with gravy sauce. or roast it with the bones in, without the forcemeat. roast onions. they should be roasted with all the skins on. they eat well alone, with only salt and cold butter; or with beet root, or roast potatoes. roast pheasants. dust them with flour, baste them often with butter, and keep them at a good distance from the fire. make the gravy of a scrag of mutton, a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle, a large spoonful of ketchup, and the same of browning. strain it, and put a little of it into the dish. serve them up with bread sauce in a basin, and fix one of the principal feathers of the pheasant in its tail. a good fire will roast them in half an hour. guinea and pea fowls eat much like pheasants, and are to be dressed in the same way. roast partridges. partridges will take full twenty minutes. before they are quite done, dredge them with flour, and baste them with fresh butter; let them go to table with a fine froth, and gravy sauce in the dish, and bread sauce in a tureen. the bread sauce should be made as follows. take a good piece of stale bread, and put it into a pint of water, with some whole pepper, a blade of mace, and a bit of onion: let it boil till the bread is soft; then take out the spice and onion; pour out the water, and beat the bread with a spoon till it is like pap; put in a good piece of butter, and a little salt; set it over the fire for two or three minutes. roast pig. a sucking pig for roasting, should be put into cold water for a few minutes, as soon as it is killed. then rub it over with a little rosin finely powdered, and put it into a pail of scalding water half a minute. take it out, lay it on a table, and pull off the hair as quickly as possible: if any part does not come off, put it in again. when quite clean from hair, wash it well in warm water, and then in two or three cold waters, that no flavour of the rosin may remain. take off all the feet at the first joint, make a slit down the belly, and take out the entrails: put the liver, heart, and lights to the feet. wash the pig well in cold water, dry it thoroughly, and fold it in a wet cloth to keep it from the air. when thus scalded and prepared for roasting, put into the belly a mixture of chopped sage, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and sow it up. lay it down to a brisk fire till thoroughly dry; then have ready some butter in a dry cloth, and rub the pig with it in every part. dredge over it as much flour as will lie on, and do not touch it again till it is ready for the table. then scrape off the flour very carefully with a blunt knife, rub it well with the buttered cloth, and take off the head while it is at the fire. take out the brains, and mix them with the gravy that comes from the pig. the legs should be skewered back before roasting, or the under part will not be crisp. take it up when done, and without drawing the spit, cut it down the back and belly, lay it into the dish, mince the sage and bread very fine, and mix them with a large quantity of good melted butter that has very little flour. pour the sauce into the dish after the pig has been split down the back, and garnish with the ears and the two jaws: take off the upper part of the head down to the snout. in devonshire it is served up whole, if very small; the head only being cut off to garnish the dish.--another way. spit your pig, and lay it down to a clear fire, kept good at both ends: put into the belly a few sage leaves, a little pepper and salt, a little crust of bread, and a bit of butter, then sew up the belly; flour him all over very well, and do so till the eyes begin to start. when you find the skin is tight and crisp, and the eyes are dropped, put two plates into the dripping pan, to save what gravy comes from him: put a quarter of a pound of butter into a clean coarse cloth, and rub all over him, till the flour is clean taken off; then take it up into your dish, take the sage, &c. out of the belly, and chop it small; cut off the head, open it, and take out the brains, which chop, and put the sage and brains into half a pint of good gravy, with a piece of butter rolled in flour; then cut your pig down the back, and lay him flat in the dish: cut off the two ears, and lay one upon each shoulder; take off the under jaw, cut it in two, and lay one on each side; put the head between the shoulders, pour the gravy out of the plates into your sauce, and then into the dish. send it to table garnished with a lemon. roast pigeons. stuff them with parsley, either cut or whole, and put in a seasoning of pepper and salt. serve with parsley and butter. peas or asparagus should be dressed to eat with them. roast pike. clean the fish well, and sew up in it the following stuffing. grated bread crumbs, sweet herbs and parsley chopped, capers and anchovies, pepper, salt, a little fresh butter, and an egg. turn it round with the tail in its mouth, and roast it gently till it is done of a fine brown. it may be baked, if preferred. serve it up with a good gravy sauce. roast plovers. green plovers should be roasted like woodcocks, without drawing, and served on a toast. grey plovers may either be roasted, or stewed with gravy, herbs, and spice. roast pork. pork requires more doing than any other meat; and it is best to sprinkle it with a little salt the night before you use it, and hang it up; by that means it will take off the faint, sickly taste. when you roast a chine of pork, lay it down to a good fire, and at a proper distance, that it may be well soaked, otherwise it eats greasy and disagreeable. a spare-rib is to be roasted with a fire that is not too strong, but clear; when you lay it down, dust on some flour and baste it with butter: a quarter of an hour before you take it up, shred some sage small; baste your pork; strew on the sage; dust on a little flour, and sprinkle a little salt just before you take it up. a loin must be cut on the skin in small streaks, and then basted; but put no flour on, which would make the skin blister; and see that it is jointed before you lay it down to the fire. a leg of pork is often roasted with sage and onion shred fine, with a little pepper and salt, and stuffed at the knuckle, with gravy in the dish; but a leg of pork done in this manner, parboil it first, and take off the skin; lay it down to a good clear fire; baste it with butter, then shred some sage fine, and mix it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and bread crumbs; strew this over it the time it is roasting; baste it again with butter, just before you take it up, that it may be of a fine brown, and have a good froth; send up some good gravy in the dish; a griskin roasted in this manner eats finely. roast porker's head. clean it well, put bread and sage into it as for a young pig, sew it up tight, and put it on a hanging jack. roast it in the same manner as a pig, and serve it up the same. roast potatoes. half boil them first, then take off the thin peel, and roast them of a beautiful brown. roast pullet. to roast a small hen turkey or a pullet with batter, the bird must first be boned, and filled with forcemeat or stuffing. then paper it round, and lay it down to roast. when nearly half done, drop off the paper, and baste the bird with a very smooth light batter. when the first basting is dry, baste it again, and repeat this till the bird is nicely crusted over, and sufficiently done. it will require ten minutes or a quarter of an hour longer roasting than a bird of the same size in the common way, on account of its being stuffed with forcemeat. serve it up with white gravy, or mushroom sauce. roast quails. quails may be dressed and served up like woodcocks; or dressed with the insides stuffed with sweet herbs and beef suet chopped fine, and mixed with a little spice. they must roast rather a shorter time than woodcocks. roast rump of beef. let it lie in salt for two days, then wash it, and soak it an hour in a quart of claret, and a pint of elder vinegar. baste it well with the liquor while roasting. make a gravy of two beef palates cut thin and boiled, and thickened with burnt butter. add to it mushrooms and oysters, and serve it up hot. roast sirloin. when a sirloin of beef is about three parts roasted, take out the meat from the under side, and mince it nicely. season it with pepper and salt, and some shalot chopped very small. by the time the beef is roasted, heat this with gravy just sufficient to moisten it. dish up the beef with the upper side downwards, put the mince in the inside, and strew it with bread crumbs ready prepared. brown them of a fine colour on a hot salamander over the fire, and then serve up the beef with scraped horseradish laid round it. roast snipes. snipes and land rails are dressed exactly in the same manner as woodcocks, but only require a shorter time in roasting. roast sturgeon. put the fish on a lark spit, then tie it on a large spit, and baste it constantly with butter. serve it with a good gravy, an anchovy, a squeeze of seville orange or lemon, and a glass of sherry.--another way is, to put into a stewpan a piece of butter rolled in flour, with four cloves, a bunch of sweet herbs, two onions, pepper and salt, half a pint of water, and a glass of vinegar. stir it over the fire till hot, then let it become lukewarm, and steep the fish in it an hour or two. butter a paper well, tie it round, and roast it without letting the spit run through. serve it with sorrel and anchovy sauce. roast sweetbreads. parboil two large ones, and then roast them in a dutch oven. use gravy sauce, or plain butter, with mushroom ketchup. roast tongue. after well cleaning a neat's tongue, salt it for three days with common salt and saltpetre. this makes an excellent dish, with the addition of a young udder, having some fat to it, and boiled till tolerably tender. then tie the thick part of one to the thin part of the other, and roast the tongue and udder together. a few cloves should be stuck in the udder. serve them with good gravy, and currant-jelly sauce. some people like neats' tongues cured with the root, in which case they look much larger; but otherwise the root must be cut off close to the gullet, next to the tongue, but without taking away the fat under the tongue. the root must be soaked in salt and water, and extremely well cleaned, before it is dressed; and the tongue should be laid in salt a day and a night before it is pickled. roast turkey. the sinews of the leg should be drawn, whichever way it is dressed. the head should be twisted under the wing; and in drawing it, take care not to tear the liver, nor let the gall touch it. put a stuffing of sausage meat; or if sausages are to be served in the dish, a bread stuffing. as this makes a large addition to the size of the fowl, observe that the heat of the fire is constantly to that part, for the breast is often not done enough. a little strip of paper should be put on the bone, to prevent its being scorched while the other parts are roasting. baste it well, and froth it up. serve with gravy in the dish, and plenty of bread sauce in a sauce tureen. add a few crumbs and a beaten egg to the stuffing of sausage meat. another way. bone your turkey very nicely, leaving on the pinions, rump, and legs; then take the flesh of a nice fowl, the same weight of bread grated, and half a pound of beef suet, nicely picked; beat these in a marble mortar, season with mace, one clove, pepper, nutmeg, salt beat fine, a little lemon peel shred very small, and the yolks of two eggs; mix all up together very well; then fill all the parts that the bones came out of, and raise the breast to the form it was before the bone was taken out; sew up the skin of the back, and skewer down the legs close as you do a chicken for roasting; spit it and let it be nicely roasted: send good gravy in the dish. roast veal. veal must be well done before a good fire. cover the fat of the loin and fillet with paper. stuff the fillet and shoulder in the following manner. take a quarter of a pound of suet, parsley, and sweet herbs, and chop them fine. add grated bread, lemon peel, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and an egg. mix all well together, and put the stuffing safely into the veal. roast the breast with the caul on: when nearly done, take it off, and baste and dredge the meat. lay it in the dish, pour a little melted butter over it, and serve it up with salad, boiled vegetables, or stewed celery. roast venison. after a haunch of venison is spitted, take a piece of butter and rub all over the fat, dust on a little flour, and sprinkle a little salt: then take a sheet of writing paper, butter it well, and lay over the fat part; put two sheets over that, and tie the paper on with small twine: keep it well basting, and let there be a good soaking fire. if a large haunch, it will take full three hours to do it. five minutes before you send it to table take off the paper, dust it over with a little flour, and baste it with butter; let it go up with a good froth; put no gravy in the dish, but send it in one boat; and currant jelly melted, in another; or if you have no currant jelly, boil half a pint of red wine with a quarter of a pound of lump sugar, a stick of cinnamon, and a piece of lemon peel in it, to a syrup. the neck and shoulder are dressed the same way; and as to the time, it depends entirely on the weight, and the goodness of your fire: if you allow a quarter of an hour to each pound, and the fire be tolerably kept up, you cannot well err. a breast of venison is excellent dressed in the following way: flour it, and fry it brown on both sides in fresh butter: keep it hot in a dish, dust flour into the butter it was fried in, till it is thick and brown. keep it stirring that it may not burn; pour in half a pint of red wine, and a quarter of a pound of powdered sugar: stir it and let it boil to a proper thickness. squeeze in the juice of a lemon, take off the scum very clean, and pour it over your venison, then send it to table. roast wheat-ears. these birds should be spitted sideways, with a vine leaf between each. baste them with butter, and cover them with bread crumbs while roasting. ten or twelve minutes will do them. serve them up with fried bread crumbs in the dish, and gravy in a tureen. roast wild duck. a wild duck or a widgeon will require twenty or twenty-five minutes roasting, according to the size. a teal, from fifteen to twenty minutes; and other birds of this kind, in proportion to their size, a longer or a shorter time. serve them up with gravy, and lemons cut in quarters, to be used at pleasure. roast woodcocks. whether for woodcocks or snipes, put a toast of fine bread under the birds while at the fire; and as they are not to be drawn before they are spitted, let the tail drop on the toast while roasting, and baste them with butter. when done, lay the birds on the toast in a dish, and send it warm to the table. a woodcock takes twenty minutes roasting, and a snipe fifteen. robert sauce. put an ounce of butter into a pint stewpan, and when melted, add to it half an ounce of onion minced very fine. turn it with a wooden spoon till it takes a light brown colour, and then stir into it a table-spoonful of flour, a table-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, the like quantity of port wine, half a pint of weak broth, and half a tea-spoonful of pepper and salt mixed together. give them a boil, then add a tea-spoonful of mustard, the juice of half a lemon, and one or two tea-spoonfuls of vinegar, basil, taragon, or burnet vinegar. this sauce is in high repute, and is adapted for roast pork or roast goose. rolls. warm an ounce of butter in half a pint of milk, put to it a spoonful or more of small beer yeast, and a little salt. mix in two pounds of flour, let it rise an hour, and knead it well. make the paste into seven rolls, and bake them in a quick oven. if a little saffron, boiled in half a tea-cupful of milk, be added, it will be a great improvement. rolled beef. soak the inside of a large sirloin in a glass of port wine and a glass of vinegar mixed, for eight and forty hours: have ready a very fine stuffing, and bind it up tight. roast it on a hanging spit, baste it with a glass of port wine, the same quantity of vinegar, and a tea-spoonful of pounded allspice. larding it improves the flavour and appearance: serve it with a rich gravy in the dish, with currant jelly and melted butter in tureens. this article will be found very much to resemble a hare. rolled breast of veal. bone it, take off the thick skin and gristle, and beat the meat with a rolling-pin. season it with herbs chopped very fine, mixed with salt, pepper, and mace. roll the meat in some thick slices of fine ham, or in two or three calves' tongues of a fine red, first boiled an hour or two and peeled. bind the meat up tight in a cloth, and tie it round with tape. simmer it over the fire for some hours, in a small quantity of water, till it is quite tender. lay it on the dresser with a board and weight upon it till quite cold. then take off the tape, and pour over it the liquor, which must be boiled up twice a week, or it will not keep. pigs' or calves' feet boiled and taken from the bones, may be put in or round the veal. the different colours placed in layers look well when cut. boiled yolks of eggs, beet root, grated ham, and chopped parsley, may be laid in different parts to encrease the variety, and improve the general appearance. rolled loin of mutton. hang the joint up till tender, and then bone it. lay on a seasoning of pepper, allspice, mace, nutmeg, and a few cloves, all in fine powder. next day prepare a stuffing as for hare, beat the meat with a rolling-pin, cover it with the stuffing, roll it up tight and tie it. half bake it in a slow oven, let it grow cold, take off the fat, and put the gravy into a stewpan. flour the meat, and put it in likewise. stew it till almost ready, and add a glass of port, an anchovy, some ketchup, and a little lemon pickle. serve it in the gravy, and with jelly sauce. a few mushrooms are a great improvement; but if to eat like hare, these must not be added, nor the lemon pickle. rolled neck of pork. bone it first, then put over the inside a forcemeat of chopped sage, a very few crumbs of bread, salt, pepper, and two or three berries of allspice. then roll the meat up very tight, place it at a good distance from the fire, and roast it slowly. rolled steaks. cut a large steak from a round of beef, spread over it a forcemeat, such as is made for veal, roll it up like collared eel, and tie it up in a cloth. boil it an hour and a half, and when done enough, cut it into slices. prepare a rich gravy, a little thickened, and pour over the steaks. roman cement. to make a mortar for outside plastering, or brick-work, or to line reservoirs, so as no water can penetrate it, mix together eighty-four pounds of drifted sand, twelve pounds of unslaked lime, and four pounds of the poorest cheese grated through an iron grater. when well mixed, add enough hot water, not boiling, to make it into a proper consistence for plastering, such a quantity of the above as is wanted. it requires very good and quick working. one hod of this mortar will go a great way, as it is to be laid on in a thin smooth coat, without the least space being left uncovered. the wall or lath work should be first covered with common hair mortar well dried. suffolk cheese will be found to make the best cement. rook pie. skin and draw some young rooks, cut out the backbones, and season with pepper and salt. lay them in a dish with a little water, strew some bits of butter over them, cover the dish with a thick crust, and bake it well. rose water. when the roses are full blown, pick off the leaves carefully, and allow a peck of them to a quart of water. put them in a cold still over a slow fire, and distil it very gradually. bottle the water, and cork it up in two or three days. rot in sheep. when sheep are newly brought in, it will preserve their health to give them a table-spoonful of the juice of rue leaves, mixed with a little salt. if they are in danger of the rot, this mixture may be repeated every week or oftener, as the case requires. round of beef. cut out the bone first, then skewer and tie up the beef to make it quite round. salt it carefully, and moisten it with the pickle for eight or ten days. it may be stuffed with parsley, if approved; in which case the holes to admit the parsley must be made with a sharp-pointed knife, and the parsley coarsely cut and stuffed in tight. when dressed it should be carefully skimmed as soon as it boils, and afterwards kept boiling very gently. rout cakes. to make rout drop-cakes, mix two pounds of flour with one pound of butter, one pound of sugar, and one pound of currants, cleaned and dried. moisten it into a stiff paste with two eggs, a large spoonful of orange-flower water, as much rose water, sweet wine, and brandy. drop the paste on a tin plate floured, and a short time will bake them. royal cakes. put into a saucepan a quarter of a pint of water, a piece of butter half the size of an egg, two ounces of fine sugar, a little grated lemon peel, and a little salt. when it has boiled about half a minute, stir in by degrees four spoonfuls of flour, keeping it constantly stirring all the time, till it becomes a smooth paste, pretty stiff, and begins to adhere to the saucepan. then take it off the fire, and add three eggs well beaten, putting them in by degrees, and stirring the paste all the time to prevent its being lumpy. add a little orange-flower water, and a few almonds pounded fine. make it into little cakes, and bake them upon a sheet of tin well buttered. half an hour will bake them in a moderate oven. royal punch. take thirty seville oranges and thirty lemons, quite sound, and pare them very thin. put the parings into an earthen pan, with as much rum or brandy as will cover them. cover up the pan, and let them stand four days. take ten gallons of water, and twelve pounds of lump sugar, and boil them. when nearly cold, put in the whites of thirty eggs well beaten, and stir it and boil it a quarter of an hour. strain it through a hair sieve into an earthen pan, and let it stand till next day. then put it into a cask, strain the spirit from the parings of the oranges and lemons, and add as much more to it as will make it up five gallons. put it into the cask with five quarts of seville orange juice and three quarts of lemon juice. stir it all together with a cleft stick, and repeat the same once a day for three successive days: then stop it down close, and in six weeks it will be fit to drink. ruffs and reeves. these are to be trussed and skewered the same as snipes and quails. place bars of bacon over them, roast them in about ten minutes, and serve with a good gravy in the dish. rump of beef. take a rump of beef, or about eight pounds of the brisket, and stew it till it is quite tender, in as much water as will cover it. when sufficiently done, take out the bones, and skim off the fat very clean. to a pint of the liquor, add the third part of a pint of port wine, a little walnut or mushroom ketchup, and some salt. tie up some whole white pepper and mace in a piece of muslin, and stew all together for a short time. have ready some carrots and turnips boiled tender and cut into squares, strew them upon the beef, putting a few into the dish. truffles and morels may be added, or artichoke bottoms. rump soup. two or three rumps of beef will make a stronger soup, and of a far more nourishing quality, than a larger quantity of meat without them. it may be made like gravy soup, and thickened and flavoured in any way that is most approved. rump steaks. the best steaks are those cut from the middle of a rump of beef, that has been killed at least four days in moderate weather, and much longer in cold weather, when they can be cut about six inches long, four inches wide, and half an inch thick. do not beat them, unless you suspect they will not be tender. take care to have a very clear brisk fire, throw on it a little salt, make the gridiron hot, and set it slanting, to prevent the fat from dropping into the fire, and making a smoke. it requires more practice and care than is generally supposed to do steaks to a nicety; and for want of these little attentions, this very common dish, which every body is supposed capable of dressing, seldom comes to table in perfection. it may be underdone or thoroughly done, as happens to be preferred. it is usual to put a table-spoonful of ketchup into a dish before the fire, with a little minced shalot. in broiling, turn the steak with a pair of meat tongs, and it will be done in about ten or fifteen minutes. rub a bit of butter over it, and send it up quite hot, garnished with pickles, and scraped horseradish.--if onion gravy is to be added, prepare it in the following manner. peel and slice two large onions, put them into a stewpan with two table-spoonfuls of water, cover the stewpan close, and set it on a slow fire till the water has boiled away, and the onions have got a little browned. then add half a pint of good broth, or water with a large spoonful of ketchup, and boil the onions till they are quite tender. strain off the liquor, and chop them very fine. thicken the broth with butter rolled in flour, and season it with mushroom ketchup, pepper and salt. put the onion into it, let it boil gently for five minutes, and pour it over the broiled steak. good beef gravy, instead of broth, will make the sauce superlative.--if a cold rump steak is to be warmed up, lay it in a stewpan, with a large onion cut in quarters, six berries of allspice, and six of black pepper. cover the steak with boiling water, let it stew gently for an hour, thicken the liquor with butter rolled in flour, shake it well over the fire for five minutes, and it is ready. lay the steaks and onion on a dish, and pour the gravy over them through a sieve. rusks. beat seven eggs well, and mix them with half a pint of new milk, in which four ounces of butter have been previously melted. add a quarter of a pint of yeast, and three ounces of sugar, and put them by degrees into as much flour as will make a very light paste, rather like a batter, and let it rise before the fire half an hour. then add some more flour, to make it a little stiffer, but not much. work it well, and divide it into small loaves, or cakes, about five or six inches wide, and flatten them. when baked and cold, slice them the thickness of rusks, and put them into the oven to brown a little. the cakes when first baked, eat deliciously buttered for tea; or made with carraways, they eat well cold. russian sauce. to four spoonfuls of grated horseradish, put two tea-spoonfuls of patent mustard, a little salt, one tea-spoonful of sugar, and a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover the ingredients. this sauce is used for cold meat, but makes a good fish sauce, with the addition of melted butter. rust. to prevent iron and steel from rusting, mix with fat oil varnish, at least half, or at most four fifths of its quantity of highly rectified spirits of turpentine. this varnish must be lightly and evenly applied with a sponge; after which the article is left to dry in some situation not exposed to dust. articles thus varnished retain their metallic lustre, and do not contract any spots of rust. this varnish may also be applied to copper, of which it preserves the polish and heightens the colour. s. sack cream. boil a pint of raw cream, the yolk of an egg well beaten, two or three spoonfuls of white wine, sugar, and lemon peel. stir it over a gentle fire till it be as thick as rich cream, and afterwards till it becomes cold. then serve it in glasses, with long pieces of dry toast. sack dumplins. grate the crumb of two penny rolls, add three quarters of a pound of suet cut small, three quarters of a pound of currants washed clean, a grated nutmeg, a little sugar, the yolks of eight eggs, and two wine glasses of sack. make the paste into dumplins of a moderate size, tie them in cloths, and boil them two hours. melted butter for sauce, with white wine and sugar. sack mead. to every gallon of water put four pounds of honey, and boil it three quarters of an hour, taking care to skim it. to every gallon add an ounce of hops; then boil it half an hour, and let it stand till the next day. put it into a cask, and to thirteen gallons of the liquor add a quart of brandy. stop it lightly till the fermentation is over, and then bung it up close. a large cask should be suffered to stand a year. sacks of corn. seeds, and various kinds of grain, are liable to damage when kept in sacks or bins, from the want of being sufficiently aired. make a small wooden tube nearly the length of the sack, closed and pointed at one end, and perforated with holes about an inch asunder, nearly two thirds of its length from the point end. then at the other end fasten a leather tube, and thrust it into the corn to the bottom of the sack. put the pipe of a pair of bellows into the leather tube, and blow into it, so that the air may be diffused among the corn throughout the holes of the wooden tube. if corn be thus treated every other day after it is first put into sacks, it will prevent the damp sweats which would otherwise injure it, and it will afterwards keep sweet with very little airing. saddle of mutton. when it has been well kept, raise the skin, and then skewer it on again. take it off a quarter of an hour before serving, sprinkle on some salt, baste and dredge it well with flour. the rump should be split, and skewered back on each side. the joint may be cut large or small, according to the company: the latter is the most elegant. being broad, it requires a high and strong fire. saffron cake. take a quarter of a peck of fine flour, a pound and a half of fresh butter, a quarter of an ounce of mace and cinnamon together, beat fine, and mix the spice in the flour. set on a quart of milk to boil, break the butter in, and stir it till the milk boils; take off all the butter, and a little of the milk; mix with the flour a pound of sugar beat fine, a penny-worth of saffron made into a tincture; take a pint of yeast that is not bitter, and stir it well into the remainder of the milk; beat up six eggs very well, and put to the yeast and milk, strain it to the flour, with some rose-water, and the tincture of saffron; beat up all together with your hands lightly, and put it into a hoop or pan well buttered. it will take an hour and a half in a quick oven. you may make the tincture of saffron with the rose-water. sage is raised from seed, or from slips. to have it at hand for winter it is necessary to dry it; and it ought to be cut for this purpose before it comes out into bloom, as indeed is the case with all other herbs. sage cheese. to make this kind of cheese, bruise the tops of young red sage in a mortar, with some leaves of spinach, and squeeze out the juice. mix it with the rennet in the milk, more or less, according as the taste and colour may be preferred. when the curd is come, break it gently, and put it in with the skimmer, till it is pressed two inches above one vat. press it eight or ten hours, salt and turn it every day. sago. to prevent the earthy taste, soak it an hour in cold water; pour off the water, and wash it well. then add more, and simmer it gently till the berries are clear, with lemon peel and spice, if approved. add wine and sugar, and boil all up together.--if intended for the sick, or those whom disease has left very feeble, boil a teacupful of washed, sago in a quart of water, and a taste of lemon peel. when thickened, grate in some ginger, and add half a pint of raisin wine, some brown sugar, and two spoonfuls of geneva: boil all up together. sago milk. cleanse the sago as in the former article, and boil it slowly in new milk. it swells so much, that a small quantity will be sufficient for a quart; and when done, it will be diminished to about a pint. it requires no sugar or flavouring. sago pudding. boil a pint and a half of new milk, with four spoonfuls of sago nicely washed and picked; then add lemon peel, cinnamon, and nutmeg. sweeten the pudding, mix in four eggs, put a paste round the dish, and bake it slowly. sail cloth. the old mode of painting canvas was to wet it, and prime it with spanish brown. then to give it a second coat of a chocolate colour, made by mixing spanish brown and black paint; and lastly, to finish it with black. this was found to harden to such a degree as to crack, and eventually to break, the canvas, and so to render it unserviceable in a short time. the new method, which is greatly superior, is to grind ninety-six pounds of english ochre with boiled oil, and to add sixteen pounds of black paint, which mixture forms an indifferent black. a pound of yellow soap, dissolved in six pints of water over the fire, is mixed while hot, with the paint. this composition is then laid upon the canvas, without being wetted as formerly, and as stiff as can conveniently be done with a brush, so as to form a smooth surface. two days afterwards, a second coat of ochre and black is laid on, with a very small portion of soap; and allowing this coat an intermediate day for drying, the canvas is then finished with black paint as usual. three days being then allowed for it to dry and harden, it does not stick together when taken down, and folded in cloths of sixty or seventy yards each. salad mixture. salad herbs should be gathered in the morning, as fresh as possible, or they must be put into cold spring water for an hour. carefully wash and pick them, trim off all the dry or cankered leaves, put them into a cullender to drain, and swing them dry in a coarse clean napkin. then pound together the yolks of two hard eggs, an ounce of scraped horseradish, half an ounce of salt, a table-spoonful of made mustard, four drams of minced shalots, one dram of celery seed, one dram of cress seed, and half a dram of cayenne. add by degrees a wine glass of salad oil, three glasses of burnet, and three of tarragon vinegar. when thoroughly incorporated, set it over a very gentle fire, and stir it with a wooden spoon till it has simmered to the consistence of cream. then pass it through a tammis or fine sieve, and add it to the salad. salad sauce. mix two yolks of eggs boiled hard, as much grated parmesan cheese as will fill a dessert-spoon, a little patent mustard, a small spoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a large one of ketchup. stir them well together, then put in four spoonfuls of salad oil, and one spoonful of elder vinegar, and beat them up very smooth. salads. cold salads are proper to be eaten at all seasons of the year, but are particularly to be recommended from the beginning of february to the end of june. they are in greater perfection, and consequently more powerful, during this period, than at any other, in opening obstructions, sweetening and purifying the blood. the habit of eating salad herbs tends considerably to prevent that pernicious and almost general disease the scurvy, and all windy humours which offend the stomach. also from the middle of september till december, and during the winter, if the weather be mild and open, all green herbs are wholesome, and highly beneficial. it is true that they have not so much vigour in the winter season, nor are they so medicinal as in the spring of the year; yet those which continue fresh and green, will retain a considerable portion of their natural qualities; and being eaten as salads, with proper seasoning, they will operate much in the same way as at other periods of the year. it is a necessary consequence of cold weather, that the heat of the body is driven more inward than in warm weather, as the cold of the atmosphere repels it from the surface. hence arises an appetite for strong and solid food, and strong drinks, which for want of temperance and care, lays the foundation for diseases that commonly make their appearance in the summer following. eating freely of salads and other vegetables in the winter, will prevent in a great treasure these ill effects; and if properly seasoned and prepared, they will warm the stomach, and be found exhilarating. the effect produced is in unison with all the operations of the human constitution, while the use of strong stimulants excites to unnatural action, which is soon succeeded by a cold and chilling languor. green herbs in winter are much more beneficial than is generally imagined; they are particularly salutary to aged persons, and such as are subject to stoppages, or shortness of breath. in this case, instead of an onion, a clove of garlic may be put into the salad, which is a preferable way of eating it. this will open and warm the stomach, and give a general glow to the whole system.--the following are the principal herbs used as salads. basil, balm, borage, burnet, celery, chervil, colewort, coriander, corn-salad, cresses, endive, french fennel, lettuce, mint, mustard, nasturtiums, nettle-tops, parsley, pennyroyal, radishes, rape, sage, sorrel, spinage, tarragon, and water-cresses. onions, both young and full grown, shalots, garlic, and chives, are all used as seasoning to salads. red beet-root, boiled and cold, is often sliced into them. several of these herbs are very little in use as salads, but there are none of them that may not be recommended as good for the purpose. the usual salads are too much limited to what is specifically called small salading, lettuce, celery, and endive. these are all excellent in their kind, but to prefer them to the exclusion of every thing else, is a mere prejudice. with a wish therefore to counteract it, and to provide a larger assortment of wholesome salads, the following particulars are given, with directions for preparing several different dishes of this description. in general it may be proper to observe, that salads of all kinds should be very fresh; or if not immediately procured in this state, they may be refreshed by being put into cold spring water. they should be very carefully washed and picked, and drained quite dry in a clean cloth. in dressing lettuce, or small herbs, it is best to arrange them, properly picked and cut, in the salad dish; then to mix the sauce in something else, and pour it to the salad down the side of the dish, so as to let it run to the bottom, and not to stir it up till used at table. this preserves the crispness of the salad, which is one of its principal delicacies. with celery and endive the sauce should be poured upon them, and the whole well stirred together to mix it equally. lettuce, endive, and celery, may be eaten with salt only; and if well chewed, as all salads ought to be, they often agree better than when mixed with seasonings. if mustard in salad sauces occasion sickness, or otherwise disagrees, cayenne pepper will often prove an excellent substitute.--the following salads are remarkably wholesome, and have a cooling and salutary effect upon the bowels. . take spinage, parsley, sorrel, lettuce, and a few onions. then add oil, vinegar, and salt, to give it a high taste and relish, but let the salt rather predominate above the other ingredients. the wholesomest way of eating salads is with bread only, in preference to bread and butter, bread and cheese, or meat and bread; though any of these may be eaten with it, when the salad is seasoned only with salt and vinegar. it is not advisable to eat butter, cheese, or meat with salads, or any thing in which there is a mixture of oil. all fat substances are heavy of digestion, and to mix such as disagree in their nature, is to encrease this evil to a degree that the stomach can hardly overcome. . prepare some lettuce, spinage tops, pennyroyal, sorrel, a few onions, and some parsley. then season them with oil, vinegar, and salt. . another salad may be made of lettuce, sorrel, spinage, tops of mint, and onions, seasoned as before. . take spinage, lettuce, tarragon, and parsley, with some leaves of balm. or sorrel, tarragon, spinage, lettuce, onions, and parsley. or tops of pennyroyal, mint, lettuce, spinage, sorrel, and parsley. or lettuce, spinage, onions, pennyroyal, balm, and sorrel. or sage, lettuce, spinage, sorrel, onions, and parsley; seasoned with salt, oil, and vinegar. . make a salad of pennyroyal, sage, mint, balm, a little lettuce, and sorrel; seasoned with oil, vinegar, and salt. this is an excellent warming salad, though the above are all of an exhilarating tendency. . mix some lettuce, sorrel, endive, celery, spinage, and onions, seasoned as above. . take the fresh tender leaves of cole wort, or cabbage plants, with lettuce, sorrel, parsley, tarragon, nettle tops, mint, and pennyroyal; and season them with salt, oil, and vinegar. if highly seasoned, this is a very warm and relishing salad. . for winter salad, take some tender plants of colewort, sorrel, lettuce, endive, celery, parsley, and sliced onions; and season them as before. . another winter salad may be made of lettuce, spinage, endive, celery, and half a clove of garlic. season it well with oil, vinegar, and salt. this salad is very warming and wholesome. all these aromatic herbs are particularly proper for phlegmatic and weakly persons, as they have the property of warming the stomach, and improving the blood. to supply the want of oil in salads, make some thick melted butter, and use it in the same proportion as oil. some sweet thick cream is a still better substitute, and will do as well as oil, especially as some persons have an aversion to oil. cream also looks well in salads. a good salad sauce may be made of two yolks of eggs boiled hard, mixed with a spoonful of parmesan cheese grated, a little patent mustard, a spoonful of tarragon vinegar, and a larger one of ketchup. when stirred well together, add four spoonfuls of salad oil, and one of elder vinegar, and beat them up very smooth. it is very common in france, amongst all classes of people, to dress cauliflowers and french beans to eat cold, as salads, with a sauce of oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. in some parts of france, raw salads, composed entirely of herbs growing wild in the fields, are in frequent use; and for distinction sake, are called rural salads. the english, who are not so fond of pungent flavours, are in the habit of substituting sugar instead of pepper and salt, where oil is not used, in order to soften the asperity of the vinegar. salmagundy. this is a beautiful small dish, if in a nice shape, and the colours of the ingredients be properly varied. for this purpose chop separately the white part of cold chicken or veal, yolks of eggs boiled hard, the whites of eggs, beet root, parsley, half a dozen anchovies, red pickled cabbage, ham and grated tongue, or any thing well flavoured and of a good colour. some people like a small proportion of onion, but it may be better omitted. a saucer, large teacup, or any other base, must be put into a small dish; then make rows round it wide at the bottom, and growing smaller towards the top, choosing such ingredients for each row as will most vary the colours. at the top, a little sprig of curled parsley may be stuck in; or without any thing on the dish, the salmagundy may be laid in rows, or put into the half-whites of eggs, which may be made to stand upright by cutting off a little bit at the round end. in the latter case, each half egg receives but one ingredient. curled butter and parsley may be put as garnish between. salmon. if fresh and good, the flesh will be of a fine red, the gills particularly; the scales very bright, and the whole fish stiff. when just killed there is a whiteness between the flakes, which gives great firmness; by keeping, this melts down, and the fish is more rich. the thames salmon bears the highest price; that caught in the severn is next in goodness, and by some it is preferred. those with small heads, and thick in the neck, are best. salmon au court-bouillon. scale and clean a fresh salmon very well, score the sides deep, to take the seasoning; take of mace and cloves, and white pepper, a quarter of an ounce each, a small nutmeg, and an ounce of salt; beat these very fine in a mortar; cut a little lemon peel fine, and shred some parsley, mix all together, and season the fish inside and out; then work up near a pound of butter in flour, and fill up the notches; the rest put into the belly of the fish; lay it in a clean cloth or napkin, roll it up, and bind it round with packthread, lay it into a fish-kettle, and put to it as much white wine vinegar, and water in an equal quantity, as will be sufficient to boil it in. set it over a good charcoal fire, and when you think it is enough, draw it off your stove, so that it may but just simmer. fold a clean napkin the length of your dish the fish is to go up in; take up the fish, unbind it, and lay it on the napkin. garnish your dish with picked raw parsley, and horseradish. send plain butter in a bason, and shalots chopped fine, and simmered in vinegar in a boat. salmon a la braise. clean a middling salmon, take the flesh of a tench, or a large eel, and chop it very fine, with two anchovies, a little lemon peel shred, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a little thyme and parsley; mix all together with a good piece of butter, put into the belly of the fish, and sew it up; put it into an oval stew-pan that will just hold it; brown about half a pound of fresh butter, and put to it a pint of fish broth, and a pint and a half of white wine; pour this over your fish; if it does not cover it, add some more wine and broth; put in a bundle of sweet herbs, and an onion, a little mace, two or three cloves, and some whole pepper tied up in a piece of muslin: cover it close, and let it stew gently over a slow fire. before it is quite done, take out your onion, herbs, and spice; then put in some mushrooms, truffles, and morels, cut in pieces; let them stew all together, till the salmon is enough; take it up carefully, take off all the scum, and pour your sauce over. garnish with horseradish, barberries, and lemon. either of these is a fine dish for a first course. salmon pie. make puff paste, and lay over your dish; clean and scale a middling piece of salmon; cut it into three or four pieces, according to the size of your dish, and season it pretty high with mace, cloves, pepper, and salt; put some butter at the bottom, and lay in the salmon; take the meat of a lobster cut small, and bruise the body with an anchovy; melt as much butter as you think proper, stir the lobster into it, with a glass of white wine, and a little nutmeg; pour this over the salmon, lay on the top crust, and let it be well baked. saloop. boil together a little water, wine, lemon peel, and sugar. mix in a small quantity of saloop powder, previously rubbed smooth with a little cold water. stir it all together, and boil it a few minutes. salt. the properties of common salt are such as to render it an article of the greatest importance in the preparation of food, and in the preservation of health. if salt be withheld for any length of time, diseases of the stomach become general, and worms are gendered in the bowels, which are removed with great difficulty. in ireland, salt is a well-known common remedy for bots in the horse; and among the poor people, a dose of common salt is esteemed a sufficient cure for the worms. it is supposed by some medical men, that salt furnishes soda to be mixed with the bile: without this necessary addition, the bile would be deprived of the qualities necessary to assist in the operation of digestion. one of the greatest grievances of which the poor man can complain is the want of salt. many of the insurrections and commotions among the hindoos, have been occasioned by the cruel and unjust monopolies of certain unworthy servants of the east india company, who to aggrandize their own fortunes have oftentimes bought up, on speculation, all the salt in the different ports and markets, and thus have deprived the ingenious but wretched natives of their only remaining comfort, salt being the only addition they are usually enabled to make to their poor pittance of rice. many of the poor in england, previously to the late reduction especially, have loudly lamented the high price of salt, which thousands are in the habit of using as the only seasoning to their meal of potatoes. salt is also of the greatest use in agriculture. from one to two bushels makes fine manure for an acre of land, varied according to the quality of the soil. this answers better than almost any other compost. the chinese have for ages been accustomed to manure their fields by sprinkling them with sea water. the persians sprinkle the timber of their buildings with salt, to prevent them from rotting. it is used in abyssinia instead of money, where it passes from hand to hand, under the shape of a brick, worth about eighteen pence. in feeding of cattle, it is also found to be highly beneficial. a nobleman who purchased two hundred merino sheep in spain, attributes the health of his flock principally to the constant use of salt. these sheep having been accustomed to that article in their native land, it was thought necessary to supply them with it, especially in this damp climate, and in the rich pastures of some parts of this country. a ton of salt is used annually for every thousand sheep: a handful is put in the morning on a flat stone or slate, ten of which, set a few yards apart, are sufficient for a hundred sheep. this quantity is given twice a week. out of a flock of nearly a thousand, there were not ten old sheep that did not readily take it, and not a single lamb which did not consume it greedily. salt is likewise a preventive of disorders in stock fed with rank green food, as clover or turnips, and it is deemed a specific for the rot. horses and horned cattle are also very fond of salt: the cow gives more milk, and richer in quality, when salt is mixed with her food. the wild beasts of the american forests leave their haunts at certain seasons, and travel in company to various places where salt is to be found. there they lick the ground on which the salt lies, or which is strongly impregnated by it. cattle fed on grass which grows on the sea shore, are always fatter and in better condition, than those which graze on in land-pastures. considering its various uses in agriculture, as an article of food, and as a preservative from putrefaction, salt may be pronounced one of the most generally useful and necessary of all the minerals; and it is truly lamentable, that in almost all ages and countries, particularly in those where despotism prevails, this should be one of those necessaries of life, on which the most heavy taxes are imposed. bay salt is a kind of brownish impure salt, obtained in france, italy, and other countries, by evaporating sea water in pits. the principal part of bay salt sold in this country is however of home manufacture, being a coarse grained chrystalized salt, made dirty by powdered turkey umber, or some such colouring material, to give it the appearance of a foreign article. the only utility which this salt appears to possess, beyond that of the common fine-grained salt usually found in the shops, is that it dissolves more slowly by moisture, and therefore is better calculated for salting of fish, and other animal substances, which cannot be wholly covered with brine. basket salt is made from the water of the salt springs in cheshire and other places. it differs from the common brine salt in the fineness of the grain, as well as on account of its whiteness and purity. it is principally used at table. salt beef. great attention is requisite in salting meat; and in the country, where large quantities are often cured, this is of particular importance. beef and pork should be well sprinkled, and a few hours afterwards hung to drain, before it is rubbed with the salt. this method, by cleansing the meat from the blood, serves to keep it from tasting strong. it should be turned every day; and if wanted soon, it should be rubbed daily. a salting tub or lead may be used, and a cover to fit close. those who use a good deal of salt meat will find it answer well to boil up the pickle, and skim it clean; and when cold, pour it over meat that has been sprinkled and drained.--to salt beef red, which is extremely good to eat fresh from the pickle, or to hang to dry, choose a piece of the flank, or any part that has but little bone. sprinkle it, and let it drain a day. then rub it with common salt, bay salt, and a small proportion of saltpetre, all in fine powder. a few grains of cochineal may be added. rub the pickle into the meat every day for a week, and afterwards turning it only will be sufficient. it will be excellent in about eight days; and in sixteen days it may be drained from the pickle. smoke it at the mouth of the oven, when heated with wood, or send it to the baker's; a few days will be sufficient to smoke it. a little of the coarsest sugar added to the salt, will be an improvement. red beef boiled tender, eats well with greens or carrots. if it is to be grated as dutch beef, then cut a lean bit, boil it extremely tender, and put it hot under a press. when cold fold it in a sheet of paper, and it will keep in a dry place two or three months, ready for serving on bread and butter.--if a piece of beef is to be prepared for eating immediately, it should not weigh more than five or six pounds. salt it thoroughly before it is to be put into the pot, take a coarse cloth, flour it well, put the meat into it, and fold it up close. put it into a pot of boiling water, and boil it as another piece of salt meat of the same size, and it will be as salt as if it had been in pickle four or five days. salt cod. soak and clean the piece intended to be dressed, and lay it all night in water, with a glass of vinegar. boil it enough, then break it into flakes on the dish; pour over it parsnips boiled, beaten in a mortar, and boiled up with cream. add to it a large piece of butter, rubbed in a little flour. egg sauce may be sent up instead, or the parsnip root whole. the fish may also be boiled without flaking, and served with either of the sauces as above. salt fish. backlio, old ling, and tusk, are reckoned the best salt fish. old ling and backlio, must be laid in water for ten or twelve hours, then taken out, and scaled very clean; wash the fish, and let it lay out of water till you want to use it; if it is the next day, it will be the better. when you dress it, put it into cold water, and let it do as gently as possible; let it be boiled so tender, that you may put a fork into any part of it without sticking, then it is enough. lay a clean napkin over your dish, take up the fish, lay it upon the napkin, and throw the corners over each other. send it to table with egg sauce in a basin, parsnips sliced, and butter and mustard in a boat. salt fish with cream. soak and boil some good barrel cod, till about three parts done. divide it into flakes, put them into a saucepan with some cream, a little pepper, and a handful of parsley scalded and chopped. stew it gently till tender, thicken the sauce with two or three yolks of eggs, and serve it up. salt fish pie. boil a side of salt fish as you would for eating; cut a square bit out of the middle, about the bigness of your hand; take the skin off the other, and take out all the bones; mince this very small with six eggs boiled hard; season it with pepper, nutmeg, and beaten mace, then slice the crumb of french rolls thin into a pan, pour over it a quart of boiling milk, and let it stand to soak; in the mean time, make a good puff paste, and sheet the dish all over; have in readiness the quantity of two spoonfuls of parsley shred very fine, beat the bread well together, then put in the fish and eggs, and chopped parsley; stir all well together; melt about three quarters of a pound of butter, and stir it into the ingredients, with a gill of mountain; pour this into the dish, lay the square piece of fish in the middle; lay on the lid, and bake it an hour, or a little more.--you may make ling, or stock-fish pie in this manner; but you are to observe, that all the skin is to be taken off, and not to put a piece whole into the pie, according to this receipt; but mince all the fish with the yolks of hard eggs, leaving out the whites, and adding a large spoonful of made mustard when you stir the ingredients together, before you put them into the pie. salt pork. to a hundred weight of pork or beef, take ten pounds of common salt, and half a pound of saltpetre. let the meat be well cleaned from those particles of blood which hang about it when cut into four pound pieces: this is best done by washing it in salt and water, or brine that has been used, provided it be sweet. lay the meat in rows, and rub the upper side moderately with salt; then place another layer of meat, and repeat the operation as on the first layer. in this manner continue the same proportion of salt and saltpetre, till the whole quantity is heaped up in a tub, or some other vessel, not of lead, in order to preserve the pickle from issuing from it. in this state it must remain for three days, then turn it into another tub, sprinkling it with salt in the act of turning the meat. when all is turned and salted, let the pickle procured by the first salting, be slowly poured about the meat. in this state let it remain for a week, and it will be excellent for home use. if wanted for exportation, pack it in this state into casks. but as the greatest care is required for its preservation, when sent abroad, a layer of salt must first be put into the barrel, and then a layer of meat, till the cask is full, taking care to use the hand only in packing in the pieces. when the barrel is headed, the pickle must be filtered through a coarse cloth; and when perfectly fine, fill up the cask with the pickle to the bung hole. let it remain in this state till the next day, in order to ascertain whether the cask be quite tight, and then bung it up. beef or pork cured in this manner will not fail to keep any reasonable length of time. the too great rubbing of meat will not keep it the better, it frequently retards the operation of the salt by filling the outward pores of the meat only to the destruction of the middle of the piece, which frequently perishes. salting of butter. after the butter is well worked up and cleared from the milk, it is ready for salting. the tub in which it is to be preserved being perfectly clean, should be rubbed in the whole inside with common salt; and a little melted butter should be poured into the cavity between the bottom and the sides, before the butter is put in. although common salt is generally employed on this occasion, yet the following composition not only preserves the butter more effectually from taint, but also makes it look better, taste sweeter, richer, and more marrowy, than if it had been cured with common salt only. take of best common salt two parts, saltpetre one part, lump sugar one part, and beat them up together in a mortar, so that they may be completely blended. to every pound of butter, add one ounce of this composition: mix it well in the mass, and close it up for use. butter prepared in this manner will keep good for three years, and cannot be distinguished from that which is recently salted; but it does not taste well till it has stood a fortnight or three weeks. to preserve butter for winter use, take some that is fresh and good in the month of august or september, and put it into an unglazed jar, in layers about two inches thick, till the jar is full, within three inches of the top. make a strong brine of salt and water, boil and skim it; and when it is quite cold, pour a sufficient quantity over the butter, so that the brine may be an inch deep. tie paper over it, and set it in a cool place. when wanted for use, cut it no deeper than the first layer till that is all used. then cut the second in the same manner, and so on to the bottom of the tub or jar. by this means there will be no more than a part of one layer that is not covered with the brine. to make it eat like fresh butter, dip each piece into water when it is cut out of the jar; or work it over again in fresh buttermilk or milk, and make it into shapes like fresh butter. it will eat much better with toast, than most of the fresh butter that is made in winter. it is a false idea, that butter, to be preserved for winter use, requires a greater quantity of salt: experience has proved the contrary. butter salted in the common way, and put in pots with brine over the top, retains its flavour, and is better preserved than by an additional quantity of salt. one more observation on the preservation of butter is necessary. it is universally allowed that cleanliness is indispensible, but it is not generally suspected, that butter from being made in vessels or troughs lined with lead, or in glazed earthenware pans, which glaze is principally composed of lead, is too apt to be contaminated by particles of that deleterious metal. if the butter is in the least degree rancid, this can hardly fail to take place, and it cannot be doubted, that during the decomposition of the salts, the glazing is acted on. it is better therefore to use tinned vessels for mixing the preservative with the butter, and to pack it either in wooden vessels, or in jars of the vauxhall ware, which being vitrified throughout, do not require an inside glazing. samphire. this should be boiled in plenty of water, with a good deal of salt in it. put it in when the water boils, and let it boil till quite tender. serve it up with melted butter. sandwiches. properly prepared, these form an elegant and convenient luncheon; but they have got much out of fashion, from the bad manner in which they are commonly made. they have consisted of any offal or odd ends, that cannot be sent to table in any other form, merely laid between slices of bread and butter. whatever kind of meat is used however, it must be carefully trimmed from every bit of skin and gristle, and nothing introduced but what is relishing and acceptable. sandwiches may be made of any of the following materials. cold meat, poultry, potted meat, potted shrimps or lobsters, potted cheese; grated ham, beef, or tongue; anchovy, sausages, cold pork; hard eggs, pounded with a little butter and cheese; forcemeats, and curry powder. mustard, pepper, and salt, are to be added, as occasion requires. savoury beef. the tongue side of a round of beef is best adapted for the purpose; and if it weighs about fifteen pounds, let it hang two or three days. then take three ounces of saltpetre, one ounce of coarse sugar, a quarter of an ounce of black pepper, some minced herbs, and three quarters of a pound of salt. incorporate these ingredients by pounding them together in a mortar; and if approved, add a quarter of an ounce of ginger. take out the bone, and rub the meat well with the above mixture, turning it and rubbing it every day for a fortnight. when it is to be dressed, put it into a pan with a quart of water. cover the meat with about three pounds of mutton suet chopped, and an onion or two minced small. put the whole into a pan, cover it with a flour crust, and bake it in a moderate oven for six hours. instead of baking it may be covered with water, and stewed very gently for about five hours; and when sent to table, cover the top of it with finely chopped parsley. the gravy will be excellent for sauce or soup, or making of soy, or browning; and being impregnated with salt, it will keep several days. that the suet may not be wasted, when the dish comes from the oven, take out the beef, and strain the contents of the pan through a sieve. clarify the fat when cold, and it will do for frying. the meat should not be cut till it is cold, and then with a sharp knife to prevent waste, and keep it smooth and even. this is a most excellent way of preparing savoury beef for sandwiches, and for other elegant and economical purposes. savoury jelly. if to put over cold pies, make it of a small bare knuckle of veal, or of a scrag of mutton. if the pie be of fowl or rabbit, the carcases, necks, and heads, added to any piece of meat, will be sufficient, observing to give it a consistence by adding cow heel, or shanks of mutton. put the meat into a stewpan that shuts very close, adding a slice of lean ham or bacon, a faggot of different herbs, two blades of mace, an onion or two, a small bit of lemon peel, a tea-spoonful of jamaica pepper bruised, and the same of whole pepper, with three pints of water. as soon as it boils skim it well, let it simmer very slowly till it is quite strong, and then strain it. when cold take off the fat with a spoon first, and then, to remove every particle of grease, lay on it a clean piece of blotting paper. if not clear, after being cold, boil it a few minutes with the whites of two eggs, but do not add the sediment. pour it through a clean sieve, with a napkin in it, which has been dipped in boiling water, to prevent waste. savoury pies. few articles of cookery are more generally approved than relishing pies, if properly made; and there are various things adapted to this purpose. some eat best cold, and in that case, no suet should be put into the forcemeat that is used with them. if the pie is either made of meat that will take more dressing, to make it quite tender, than the baking of the crust will allow; or if it is to be served in an earthen pie-form, the following preparation must be observed. for instance, take three pounds of a veiny piece of beef, that has fat and lean; wash it, and season it with salt, pepper, mace, and allspice, in fine powder, rubbing them in well. set it by the side of a slow fire, in a stewpot that will just hold it. add about two ounces of butter, cover it quite close, and let it just simmer in its own steam till it begins to shrink. when it is cold, add more seasoning, forcemeat, and eggs. if in a dish, put some gravy to it before baking: if in a crust only, the gravy must not be added till after it is cold, and in a jelly. forcemeat may be put both under and over the meat, if preferred to balls. savoury rice. wash and pick some rice quite clean, stew it very gently in a small quantity of veal or rich mutton broth, with an onion, a blade of mace, pepper and salt. when swelled, but not boiled to a mash, dry it on the shallow part of a sieve before the fire, and either serve it dry, or put it in the middle of a dish, and pour hot gravy round it. savoury veal pie. make a good puff-paste, and sheet your dish; cut the veal into pieces, season it with pepper, mace, and nutmeg, finely beat, and a little salt; lay it into the crust, with lambstones, sweetbreads, the yolks of hard eggs, an artichoke bottom boiled, and cut in dice, and the tops of asparagus; put in about half a pint of water, lay pieces of butter over the top, put on the lid, and ornament it to your fancy. in a quick oven about an hour and an half will bake it. make a caudle for it thus: take half a pint of strong veal broth, a gill of white wine, and the yolks of three eggs; set this over the stove, and keep it stirring; put in some grated nutmeg, and a little salt; when it boils, if there is any scum, take it off; pour in a gill of cream, keep it stirring till it simmers, then take the lid of your pie off carefully, and pour the caudle over it, shake it round, lay on the lid as exact as you can, and send it to table. you may do lamb this way. savoury vegetables. wash a dish with the white of eggs. make several divisions with mashed potatoes and yolks of eggs mixed together and put on the dish, and bake it of a nice colour. in the first division put stewed spinach, in the second mashed turnips, in the third slices of carrots, in the fourth some button onions stewed in gravy, or any other kind of vegetables to make a variety. savoy biscuits. take six eggs, separate the yolks and whites, mix the yolks with six ounces of sugar finely powdered, and the rind of a grated lemon. beat them together for a quarter of an hour, then whisk the whites up in a broad dish till they are well frothed, and mix them with the yolks, adding five ounces of flour well dried. stir the whole well together; then, with a piece of flat ivory, take out the batter, and draw it along clean white paper to the proper size of the biscuit. sift some sugar over them, and bake them in a very hot oven. they must however be carefully watched, for they are soon done, and a few seconds over the proper time will scorch and spoil them. savoy cake. put four eggs into a scale, and then take their weight in fine sugar, powdered and sifted, with the weight of seven eggs in flour well dried. break the eggs, putting the yolks into one basin, and the whites into another. mix with the yolks the sugar that has been weighed, a little grated lemon peel, and a little orange-flower water. beat them well together for half an hour, then add the whites whipped to a froth, and mix in the flour by degrees, continuing to beat them all the time. then put the batter into a tin well buttered, and bake it an hour and a half. this is a very delicate light cake for serving at table, or in a dessert, and is pretty when baked in a melon mould, or any other kind of shape. it may be iced at pleasure. sauce for boiled meat. the sauces usually sent to table with boiled meat, not poured over the dish, but put into boats, are the following. gravy, parsley and butter, chervil, caper, oyster, liver and parsley, onion, celery, shalot, and curry. the ingredients for compound sauces should be so nicely proportioned, that no one may be predominant, but that there may be an equal union of the combined flavours. all sauces should be sent to table as hot as possible, for nothing is more unsightly than the surface of a sauce in a frozen state, or garnished with grease on the top. sauce for brawn. take a peck of bran, seven gallons of water, a pound of salt, a sprig of bay and rosemary. boil the whole half an hour, strain it off, let it stand till it is cold, and then put it in the brawn. sauce for carp. rub half a pound of butter with a tea-spoonful of flour, melt it in a little water, and add nearly a quarter of a pint of thick cream. put in half an anchovy chopped fine, but not washed; set it over the fire, and as it boils up, add a large spoonful of real india soy. if that does not give it a fine colour, add a little more. turn it into the sauce tureen, and put in some salt and half a lemon. stir it well to keep it from curdling. sauce for chickens. an anchovy or two boned and chopped, some parsley and onion chopped, adding pepper, oil, vinegar, mustard, and walnut or mushroom ketchup. these mixed together will make a good sauce for cold chicken, partridge, or veal. sauce for chops. to make a relishing sauce for steaks or chops, pound an ounce of black pepper, and half an ounce of allspice, with an ounce of salt, and half an ounce of scraped horseradish, and the same of shalot peeled and quartered. put these ingredients into a pint of mushroom ketchup, or walnut pickle; let them steep for a fortnight, and then strain off the liquor. a tea-spoonful or two mixed with the gravy usually sent up for chops and steaks, or added to thick melted butter, will be found an agreeable addition. sauce for fish. simmer very gently a quarter of a pint of vinegar, and half a pint of soft water, with an onion, a little horseradish, and the following spices lightly bruised: four cloves, two blades of mace, and half a tea-spoonful of black pepper. when the onion becomes tender, chop it small, with two anchovies, and boil it for a few minutes with a spoonful of ketchup. beat the yolks of three eggs, strain them, and mix the liquor with them by degrees. when well mixed, set the saucepan over a gentle fire, keeping the basin in one hand, into which toss the sauce to and fro, and shake the saucepan over the fire that the eggs may not curdle. the sauce must not be boiled, but made hot enough to give it the thickness of melted butter.--the following sauces for fish will be found excellent.--lobster sauce. take a lobster, bruise the body and spawn, that is in the inside, very fine, with the back of a spoon, mince the meat of the tail and claws small, melt your butter of a good thickness, put in the bruised part, and shake it well together, then put in the minced meat with a very little nutmeg grated, and a spoonful of white wine; let it just boil up, and pour it into boats, or over your fish.--shrimp sauce. put half a pint of shrimps, clean picked, into a gill of good gravy; let it boil up with a lump of butter rolled in flour, and a spoonful of red wine.--oyster sauce. take a pint of oysters that are tolerably large; put them into a saucepan with their own liquor, a blade of mace, a little whole pepper, and a bit of lemon peel; let them stew over the fire till the oysters are plump; pour all into a clean pan, and wash them carefully, one by one, out of the liquor; strain about a gill of the liquor through a fine sieve, add the same quantity of good gravy, cut half a pound of fresh butter in pieces, roll up some in flour, and then put all to your oysters; set it over a clear fire, shake it round often till it boils, and add a spoonful of white wine: let it just boil, and pour it into your bason or boat.--anchovy sauce. strip an anchovy, bruise it very fine, put it into half a pint of gravy, a quarter of a pound of butter rolled in flour, a spoonful of red wine, and a tea-spoonful of ketchup; boil all together till it is properly thick, and serve it up.--another. half a pint of water, two anchovies split, a clove, a bit of mace, a little lemon peel, a few peppercorns, and a large spoonful of red wine; boil all together, till your anchovy is dissolved; then strain it off, and thicken it with butter rolled in flour. this is the best sauce for skate, maid, or thornback. sauce for fish pies. take equal quantities of white wine, not sweet; of vinegar, oyster liquor, and mushroom ketchup. boil them up with an anchovy, strain the liquor, and pour it through a funnel into the pie after it is baked. or chop an anchovy small, and boil it up with three spoonfuls of gravy, a quarter of a pint of cream, and a little butter and flour. sauce for fowls. cut up the livers, add slices of lemon in dice, scalded parsley, some hard eggs, and a little salt. mix them with butter, boil them up, and pour the sauce over the fowls. this will be found an excellent sauce for rabbit or fowl, especially to hide the bad colour of fowls. or boil some veal gravy, with pepper and salt, the juice of a seville orange and a lemon, and a little port wine. pour it into the dish, or send it up in a boat. sauce for goose. mix a table-spoonful of made mustard, and half a tea-spoonful of cayenne, in a glass and a half of port wine. heat and pour it hot into the inside of a roast goose when it is taken up, by a slit made in the apron. what is sauce for a goose will not make bad sauce for a duck. it must be understood that this is not adapted to green geese or ducklings. sauce for hashes. chop the bones and fragments of the joint, put them into a stewpan, and cover them with boiling water. add six peppercorns, the same of allspice, a handful of parsley, half a head of celery cut in pieces, and a small sprig of savoury, lemon thyme, or sweet marjoram. cover it up, and let it simmer gently for half an hour. slice half an ounce of onion, put it into a stewpan with an ounce of butter, and fry it over a quick fire for two or three minutes, till it takes a little colour. thicken it with flour, and mix with it by degrees the gravy made from the bones. let it boil very gently for a quarter of an hour, till it acquires the consistence of cream, and strain it through a fine sieve into a basin. return it to the stewpan, season it a little, and cut in a few pickled onions, walnuts, or gherkins. add a table-spoonful of ketchup or walnut pickle, or some capers and caper liquor, or a table-spoonful of ale, a little shalot, or tarragon vinegar. cover the bottom of the dish with sippets of bread, to retain the gravy, and garnish with fried sippets. to hash meat in perfection, it should be laid in this gravy only just long enough to get properly warmed through. sauce for lent. melt some butter in a saucepan, shake in a little flour, and brown it by degrees. stir in half a pint of water, half a pint of ale, an onion, a piece of lemon peel, two cloves, a blade of mace, some whole pepper, a spoonful of ketchup, and an anchovy. boil it all together a quarter of an hour, strain it, and it will make good sauce for various dishes. sauce for lobster. bruise the yolks of two hard boiled eggs with the back of a wooden spoon, or pound them in a marble mortar, with a tea-spoonful of water, and the soft inside and the spawn of the lobster. rub them quite smooth with a tea-spoonful of made mustard, two table-spoonfuls of salad oil, and five of vinegar. season it with a very little cayenne, and some salt. tarragon vinegar, or essence of anchovy, may be added occasionally. sauce for minced veal. take the bones of cold roast or boiled veal, dredge them well with flour, and put them into a stewpan. add a pint and a half of weak broth, a small onion, a little grated or finely minced lemon peel, half a tea-spoonful of salt, and a blade of pounded mace. thicken it with a table-spoonful of flour rubbed into half an ounce of butter, stir it into the broth, and let it boil gently for about half an hour. strain it through a tammis or sieve, and it is ready to put to the veal to warm up, which is to be done by placing the stewpan by the side of the fire. squeeze in half a lemon, cover the bottom of the dish with sippets of toasted bread cut into triangles, and garnish the dish with slices of ham or bacon. a little basil wine gives an agreeable vegetable relish to minced veal. sauce for partridge. rub down in a mortar the yolks of two eggs boiled hard, an anchovy, two dessert-spoonfuls of oil, three of vinegar, a shalot, cayenne if approved, and a tea-spoonful of mustard. all should be pounded before the oil is added, and strained when done. shalot vinegar is preferable to the shalot. sauce for poultry. wash and pick some chervil very carefully, put a tea-spoonful of salt into half a pint of boiling water, boil the chervil about ten minutes, drain it on a sieve, mince it quite fine, and bruise it to a pulp. mix it by degrees with some good melted butter, and send it up in a sauce boat. this makes a fine sauce for either fish or fowl. the flavour of chervil is a strong concentration of the combined taste of parsley and fennel, but is more aromatic and agreeable than either. sauce for quails. shred two or three shalots, and boil them a few minutes in a gill of water, and half a gill of vinegar. add to this a quarter of a pint of good gravy, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. shake it over the fire till it thickens, and then serve it in the dish with roast quails, or any other small birds. sauce robart. this is a favourite sauce for rump steaks, and is made in the following manner. put a piece of butter, the size of an egg, into a saucepan; and while browning over the fire, throw in a handful of sliced onions cut small. fry them brown, but do not let them burn. add half a spoonful of flour, shake the onions in it, and give it another fry. then put four spoonfuls of gravy, some pepper and salt, and boil it gently ten minutes. skim off the fat, add a tea-spoonful of made mustard, a spoonful of vinegar, and the juice of half a lemon. boil it all together, and pour it round the steaks, which should be of a fine yellow brown, and garnished with fried parsley and lemon. sauce for steaks. when the steaks are taken out of the fryingpan, keep back a spoonful of the fat, or put in an ounce of butter. add flour to thicken it, and rub it well over the fire till it is a little browned. then add as much boiling water as will reduce it to the consistence of cream, and a table-spoonful of ketchup or walnut pickle. let it boil a few minutes, and pour it through a sieve upon the steaks. to this may be added a sliced onion, or a minced shalot, with a glass of port wine. broiled mushrooms are favourite relishes to beef steaks. garnish with finely scraped horseradish, pickled walnuts, or gherkins. sauce for veal. mince any kind of sweet herbs with the yolks of two or three hard eggs. boil them together with some currants, a little grated bread, pounded cinnamon, sugar, and two whole cloves. pour the sauce into the dish intended for the veal, with two or three slices of orange. sauce for wild fowl. simmer a tea-cupful of port wine, the same quantity of good meat gravy, a little shalot, a little pepper and salt, a grate of nutmeg, and a bit of mace, for ten minutes. put in a piece of butter, and flour; give it all one boil, and pour it through the birds. in general they are not stuffed as tame fowl, but may be done so if approved. sausages. chop fat and lean pork together, season it with sage, pepper, salt, and two or three berries of allspice. half fill some hog's guts that have been soaked and made extremely clean; or the meat may be kept in a very small pan closely covered, and so rolled and dusted with a very little flour before it is fried. the sausages must be pricked with a fork before they are dressed, or they will burst in the frying. serve them on stewed red cabbage, or mashed potatoes put in a form, and browned with a salamander.--the following is the way of making excellent sausages to eat cold. season some fat and lean pork with salt, saltpetre, black pepper, and allspice, all in fine powder. rub the mixture into the meat, and let it lie in pickle for six days. then cut it small, and mix with it some shred shalot or garlic, as fine as possible. have ready an ox-gut that has been scoured, salted, and well soaked, and fill it with the above stuffing. tie up the ends, and hang it to smoke as you would hams, but first wrap it in a fold or two of old muslin. it must be high dried. some choose to boil it, but others eat it without boiling. the skin should be tied in different places, so as to make each link about eight or nine inches long. sausages with apples. fry some sliced apples with the sausages, till they are of a light brown. lay the sausages in the middle of the dish, and the apples round them. or fry them without apples, and serve them up on fried bread, with mashed potatoes. or put the sausages into boiling water, simmer them about five minutes, and serve them up with poached eggs, or roasted potatoes. scalds. when a burn or scald is trifling, and occasions no blister, it is sufficient to put a compress of several folds of soft linen upon it, dipped in cold water, and to renew it every quarter of an hour till the pain is entirely removed. when a burn or scald blisters, a compress of fine linen spread over with soft pomatum should be applied to it, and changed twice a day. if the skin is burnt through, and the flesh under it injured, the same pomatum may be applied; but instead of a compress of linen, it should be spread upon a piece of soft lint, applied directly over it, and this cover with a slip of simple adhesive plaster. for an extensive burn or scald, skilful advice should immediately be obtained, as it always endangers the life of the sufferer. a linen rag dipped in laudanum, or spread thick with honey, will be sufficient in ordinary cases. the pomatum proper, where any serious injury has been sustained, is made in the following manner. take an ounce of the ointment called nutritum, the yolk of a small egg, or the half of a large one, and mix them well together. the nutritum may easily be made by rubbing two drains of cerus, or white lead, with half an ounce of vinegar, and three ounces of common oil, and mixing them well together. if the ingredients for making nutritum are not at hand, to make the pomatum, one part of wax should be melted with eight parts of oil, and the yolk of an egg added to two ounces of this mixture. a still more simple application, and sooner prepared, is to beat up a whole egg with two spoonfuls of sweet oil, free from any rankness. when the pain of the burn and all its other symptoms have nearly subsided, it will be sufficient to apply the following plaster. boil together to a proper consistence, half a pound of oil of roses, a quarter of a pound of red lead, and two ounces of vinegar. dissolve in the mixture three quarters of an ounce of yellow wax, and one dram of camphor, stirring the whole well together. take it off the fire, and spread it upon sheets or slips of paper, of any size that may be most convenient. for an adhesive plaster, melt four ounces of white wax, and add one or two spoonfuls of oil. dip into this mixture, slips of moderately thin linen, and let them dry; or spread it thin and evenly over them.--the following is a highly esteemed method of curing scalds or burns. take half a pound of alum in powder, dissolve it in a quart of water; bathe the burn or scald with a linen rag wet in this mixture; then bind the wet rag thereon with a slip of linen, and moisten the bandage with the alum water frequently, without removing it, in the course of two or three days. a workman who fell into a copper of boiling liquor, where he remained three minutes before taken out, was immediately put into a tub containing a saturated solution of alum in water, where he was kept two hours; his sores were then dressed with cloths and bandages, wet in the above mixture, and kept constantly moistened for twenty-four hours, and in a few days he was able to return to business.--the application of vinegar to burns and scalds is to be strongly recommended. it possesses active powers, and is a great antiseptic and corrector of putrescence and mortification. the progressive tendency of burns of the unfavourable kind, or ill-treated, is to putrescence and mortification. where the outward skin is not broken, it may be freely used every hour or two; where the skin is broken, and if it gives pain, it must be gently used. but equal parts of vinegar and water, in a tepid state, used freely every three or four hours, are generally the best application, and the best rule to be directed by.--house-leek, either applied by itself, or mixed with cream, gives present relief in burns, and other external inflammations. scald head. this disorder is chiefly incident to children, and is seated in the roots of the hair. it is frequently cured by changing the nurse, weaning the child, and removing it to a dry and airy situation. if the itching of the head becomes very troublesome, it may be allayed by gently rubbing it with equal parts of the oil of sweet almonds, and the juice expressed from the leaves of the common burdock, simmered together till they form a soapy liniment, adding a few grains only of pearlash. if this treatment be not sufficient, cut off the hair, or apply an adhesive plaster made of bees' wax, pitch, and mutton suet. after it is removed, the head should be washed with warm soapy water, and the whole body cleansed in a lukewarm bath. scalded codlins. wrap each in a vine leaf, and pack them close in a nice saucepan: when full, pour in as much water as will cover them. set the saucepan over a gentle fire, and let them simmer slowly till done enough to take the thin skin off when cold. place them in a dish, with or without milk, cream or custard: if the latter, there should be no ratafia. dust some fine sugar over the apples. scalded cream. let the milk stand twenty-four hours in winter, and twelve at least in summer. place the milk pan on a hot hearth, or in a wide brass kettle of water, large enough to receive the pan. it must remain on the fire till quite hot, but on no account boil, or there will be a skim instead of cream upon the milk. when it is done enough, the undulations on the surface will begin to look thick, and a ring will appear round the pan, the size of the bottom. the time required to scald cream depends on the size of the pan, and the heat of the fire; but the slower it is done the better. when the cream is scalded, remove the pan into the dairy, and skim it the next day. in cold weather it may stand thirty-six hours, and never less than two meals. in the west of england, butter is usually made of cream thus prepared; and if made properly it is very firm. scalding fruit. the best way of scalding any kind of fruit, is to do it in a stone jar on a hot iron hearth; or by putting the vessel into a saucepan of water, called a water-bath. vinegar also is best boiled in the same manner. scalding pudding. from a pint of new milk take out enough to mix three large spoonfuls of flour into a smooth batter. set the remainder of the milk on the fire, and when it is scalding hot, pour in the batter, and keep it on the fire till it thickens. stir it all the time to prevent its burning, but do not let it boil. when of a proper thickness, pour it into a basin, and let it stand to cool. then put in, six eggs, a little sugar, and some nutmeg. boil it an hour in a basin well buttered. scalloped oysters. having opened the oysters, and washed them from the grit, put them into scallop shells or saucers, and bake them before the fire in a dutch oven. add to them some crumbs of bread, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a bit of butter, before they are set to the fire.--another way. to fill four scallop shells, have a pint and a half of oysters, put them on the fire, in their own liquor, with a blade of mace, a little salt, and some whole pepper; (put a salamander in the fire to be red hot,) grate some crumbs of bread sufficient for your shells; butter the inside of the shells very well, and strew bread crumbs thereon; take your oysters off the fire, pour them into a pan, take off the beards, and fill the shells; grate a little nutmeg into every shell, put a spoonful or two of the liquor upon the oysters, and fill up the shells quite full with bread crumbs; set them before the fire, and baste them with butter all over the bread, then set them upon a gridiron over a clear fire, for about half an hour; hold your salamander over them, till they are of a fine brown, then send them to table for a side-dish. in the same manner do shrimps, muscles, or cockles. scalloped potatoes. when boiled, mash them with milk, pepper, salt, and butter. fill some scallop shells, smooth the tops, set them in a dutch oven to brown before the fire; or add the yolk of an egg, and mash them with cream, butter, salt, and pepper. score the top with a knife, and put thin slices over, before they are put into the oven. scalloped veal. mince it fine, set it over the fire a few minutes, with pepper and salt, a little nutmeg and cream. put it into scallop shells, and fill them up with grated bread; over which put a little butter, and brown them before the fire. scarlet dye. wool may be dyed scarlet, the most splendid of all colours, by first boiling it in a solution of muris-sulphate of tin; then dying it a pale yellow with quercitron bark, and afterwards crimson with cochineal. scorched linen. boil to a good consistency, in half a pint of vinegar, two ounces of fuller's earth, an ounce of hen's dung, half an ounce of cake soap, and the juice of two onions. spread this composition over the whole of the damaged part; and, if the scorching were not quite through, and the threads actually consumed, after suffering it to dry on, and letting it receive a subsequent good washing or two, the place will appear full as white and perfect as any other part of the linen. scotch barley broth. cut a leg of beef into pieces, and boil it in three gallons of water, with a sliced carrot and crust of bread, till reduced to half the quantity. strain it off, and put it again into the pot. boil it an hour, with half a pound of scotch barley, a few heads of celery cut small, a sprig of sweet herbs, an onion, a little minced parsley, and a few marigolds. put in a large fowl, and boil it till the broth is good. season it with salt, take out the onion and herbs, and serve it up with the fowl in the middle. broth may be made with a sheep's head chopped in pieces, or six pounds of thick flank of beef, boiled in six quarts of water. put the barley in with the meat, and boil it gently for an hour, keeping it clear from scum. the articles before-mentioned may then be added, with sliced turnips and carrots, and boiled together till the broth is good. season it, take it up, pour the broth into a tureen, with the meat in the middle, and carrots and turnips round the dish. scotch burgoo. this is a sort of oatmeal hasty pudding without milk, much used by the scotch peasantry; and as an example of economy, is worthy of being occasionally adopted by all who have large families and small incomes. it is made in the following easy and expeditious manner. to a quart of oatmeal, add gradually two quarts of water, so that the whole may mix smoothly. stir it continually over the fire, and boil it for a quarter of an hour. take it up, and stir in a little salt and butter, with or without pepper. this quantity will provide five or six persons with a tolerable meal. scotch collops. cut veal into thin round slices, about three inches over, and beat them with a rolling-pin. grate a little nutmeg over, dip them into the yolk of an egg, and fry them in a little butter of a fine brown. pour off the butter, and have ready warmed half a pint of gravy, with a little butter and flour in it, the yolk of an egg, two large spoonfuls of cream, and a dust of salt. do not boil the sauce, but stir it till it comes to a fine thickness, and pour it over the collops.--another way. take what quantity of veal you want, cut into collops, and beat it with the back of a knife; season as above, and fry them in butter of a fine brown; pour off the butter, and put in half a pint of good gravy, and a small glass of white wine: you may add what other ingredients you please. roll a piece of butter as big as a walnut in flour, toss it up, and when it boils, take off the scum very clean: let your sauce be thick enough to hang; dish it up, and garnish to your fancy.--another way: dressed white. take three or four pounds of a fillet of veal, cut in small thin slices; then take a clean stewpan, butter it on the inside; season your collops with beaten mace, nutmeg, and salt; dust them over with flour, and lay them into your stewpan, piece by piece, till all your meat is in: set it over the stove, and toss it up together, till all your meat be white. put in half a pint of strong veal broth; let them boil, and take off all the scum clean; beat up the yolks of two eggs in a gill of cream, and put it to your collops, and keep it tossing all the while, till it just boils up; then squeeze in a little lemon, toss it round, and dish it up. garnish your dish with sliced lemon. if you would make a fine dish of it, when you put in your veal broth, you must add morels, truffles, mushrooms, artichoke bottoms cut in small dice, force-meat balls boiled, not fried, and a few cock's combs; then garnish your dish with fried oysters, petit-pasties, lemon, and barberries. remember when you make a made dish, and are obliged to use cream, that it should be the last thing; for it is apt to curdle if it boils at any time. scotch eggs. boil five pullet's eggs, quite hard; and without removing the white, cover them completely with a fine relishing forcemeat, in which, let scraped ham, or chopped anchovy, bear a due proportion. fry of a beautiful yellow brown, and serve with good gravy in the dish. scotch leek soup. prepare a sheep's head, either by cleaning the skin very nicely, or taking it off, as preferred. split the head in two, take out the brains, and put it into a kettle with plenty of water. add a large quantity of leeks cut small, with pepper and salt. stew these very slowly for three hours. mix as much oatmeal as will make the soup pretty thick, and make it very smooth with cold water. pour it into the soup, continue stirring it till the whole is smooth and well done, and then serve it up. scotch pancakes. to a pint of cream beat up eight eggs, leaving out two whites, a quarter of a pound of butter melted, one spoon-full of flour, a nutmeg grated, three spoonfuls of sack, and a little sugar. when the butter is cool, mix all together into a batter; have ready a stove with charcoal, and a small fryingpan no bigger than a plate, tie a piece of butter in a clean cloth; when the pan is hot rub this round it, and put in the batter with a spoon, run it round the pan very thin and fry them only on one side; put a saucer into the middle of the dish, and lay pancakes over it, till it is like a little pyramid; strew pounded sugar between every pancake, and garnish the dish with seville oranges cut in small quarters. scouring balls. portable balls for removing spots from clothes, may be thus prepared. dry some fuller's-earth, so that it crumbles into a powder; then moisten it with the clear juice of lemons, and add a small quantity of pure pearl-ash. knead the whole carefully together, till it acquires the consistence of a thick elastic paste: form it into convenient small balls, and dry them in the sun. to be used, first moisten the spot on the clothes with water, then rub it with the ball, and let the spot dry in the sun. after having washed it with pure water, the spot will entirely disappear. scrophula. the principal difficulty in curing the scrophula, or king's evil, arises from the circumstance, that it may remain concealed for a long time, and thus become deeply rooted in the constitution before its effects are evident. the system requires to be strengthened by the free use of peruvian bark, sea water and sea bathing, and moderate exercise in the open air. hemlock plasters applied to the swellings, and drinking of milk whey, have also been found useful. but in the progress of the disorder, medical advice will be necessary. scurvy. when the scurvy proceeds chiefly from the long-continued use of salt provisions, it will be necessary to take large portions of the juice of lemons, oranges, or tamarinds; to eat water cresses, scurvy grass, and fresh vegetables of every description. but where these cannot be procured, pickled cabbage, cucumber, onions, and other fruits, as well as horseradish and mustard, may be taken with considerable advantage. take also a pound of water-dock roots, and boil them in six pints of water, adding an ounce or two of chrystals of tartar, till one third part of the liquor be evaporated; and drink half a pint or more of it every day. raw carrots eaten are also very good for the scurvy; and during a voyage, they should be packed up in casks of sand and kept for use. if the limbs be swelled, or joints stiff, it will be proper to foment them with warm vinegar, or bathe them in lukewarm water. a valuable ointment may be made of a pound of fresh lard, and as much cliver or goose-grass as the lard will moisten. boil them together over a slow fire, stir the mixture till it turns brown, and strain it through a cloth. take the ointment from the water, and rub it on the parts affected. scurvy grass ale. brew it as for other ale, omitting the hops; and when the liquor boils, put in half a bushel of fine wormwood, a bushel of scurvy grass, and twelve pounds of sugar. this quantity of ingredients is sufficient for a hogshead. sea-kale is a highly nutritious and palatable culinary vegetable. it is an early esculent plant, the young shoots of which are used somewhat in the manner of asparagus, and may, it is said, be grown by the method of cultivation which is given hereafter, to a size and of a delicacy of flavour greatly superior to that which is commonly brought to the table. in the cultivation of it in the garden, the improved method which has lately been advised, is that of preparing the ground for it by trenching it two feet and a half deep, about the close of the year or in the beginning of it: when not that depth naturally, and of a light quality, it is to be made so by artificial means, such as the applying of a suitable proportion of fine white sand, and very rotten vegetable mould: if the ground be wet in the winter season, it should be completely drained, that no water may stagnate in it near the bottom of the cultivated mould, as the strength of the plants depends upon the dryness and richness of the bottom soil. after which the ground is to be divided into beds, four feet in width, with alleys of eighteen inches between them; then, at the distance of every two feet each way, five or six seeds are to be sown, in a circle of about four inches diameter, to the depth of two inches. this business should be performed in a strictly regular and exact manner, as the plants are afterwards to be covered by means of pots for blanching them, and the health and beauty of the crops equally depend upon their standing at regular distances. if the seeds which were sown were sound and perfect, they will come up and shew themselves in the last spring or beginning summer months; which as soon as they have made three or four leaves, all but three of the strongest and best plants should be taken away from each circle; planting out those which are pulled up, which, when done by a careful hand, may be performed so as for them to have the whole of their tap-root in a spare bed for extra forcing, or the repairs of accidents. the turnip fly and wire worm are to be carefully guarded against, the latter by picking them by the hand from out of the ground, and the former by the use of lime laid round the young plants in a circle. when the summer months prove dry, the beds should be plentifully watered. as soon as the leaves decay in the autumn they should be cleared away, and the beds be covered with light fresh earth and sand to the thickness of an inch; the compost thus used having laid some time in a heap, and been turned several times, so as to be free from weeds, and the ova of insects as well as grubs. upon the sandy loam dressing, about six inches in depth of light stable litter is to be applied, which completes the work of the first year. in the spring of the second, when the plants are beginning to push, the stable litter is to be raked off, a little of the most rotten being dug into the alleys, and another inch depth of loam and sand applied. cutting this year is to be refrained from, notwithstanding some of the plants may rise strong, and the beds managed exactly as before during this winter season. in the third season, a little before the plants begin to stir, the covering laid on for the winter is to be raked off, and an inch in depth of pure dry sand or fine gravel now laid on. then each circle of plants is to be covered with one of the blanching-pots already alluded to, pressing it firmly into the ground, so as to exclude all light and air, as the colour and flavour of the shoots are greatly injured by exposure to either of them. when the beds are twenty-six feet long, and four wide, they will hold twenty-four blanching-pots, with three plants under each, making seventy-two plants in a bed. they are to be examined from time to time, the young stems being cut, when about three inches above the ground, care being taken not to injure any of the remaining buds below, some of which will immediately begin to swell. in this way a succession of gatherings may be continued for the space of six weeks, after which period the plants are to be uncovered, and their leaves suffered to grow, that they may acquire and return nutriment to the root for the next year's buds. when seeds are not wanted, the flowers should be pinched off by the finger and thumb, as long as they appear. where the expence of blanching-pots is objected to, the beds must be covered with a large portion of loose gravel and mats; but the saving is trifling, when the time and trouble of removing and replacing the gravel, for the cutting of the crop and securing the plant, are considered. by this mode of management, sea-kale is said to have been cut which measured ten, eleven, and even twelve inches in circumference, and that each blanching-pot on the average afforded a dish of it twice in the season. the blanching-pots for this use are somewhat of the same shape and size as the large bell-glasses commonly employed in market gardens for raising tender vegetable crops, but made of the same materials as the common earthenware, having a handle at the top. they may be about a foot and a half in diameter at the rim where they apply to the ground. _forcing sea-kale._--it is supposed that no vegetable can be so easily and cheaply forced as this, or require so little trouble; as the dung is in the finest state possible for spring hot-beds, after the common crop has been cut and gathered. the principal circumstance necessary in this business, is that of being very attentive and particular in guarding against too great a heat. the temperature under the blanching-pots should constantly be kept as near fifty-five degrees of fahrenheit's scale as possible, and on no account higher than sixty at any time. in this intention, in either of the two concluding months of the year, as the sea-kale may be wanted more early or late, a suitable quantity of fresh stable dung should be collected and prepared, to cover both the beds and the alleys from two to three feet in height; as in the quantity to be laid on, a great deal must always be left to the judgment of the gardener, as well as to the state of the season as to mildness or severity. it should invariably be well pressed down between the blanching-pots, heat-sticks being placed at proper intervals, by the occasional examination of which the heat below will be readily shewn. when the dung has remained in this situation four or five days, the pots should be examined to see the state of the shoots it not unfrequently happens that worms spring above the surface, and spoil the delicacy of flavour in the young shoots. in order to prevent this, it is best to cover it with dry sea-coal ashes, which have been sifted neither very small nor very large. salt has also the power of destroying them in an effectual manner, without injuring the sea-kale. the crop, it is said, will be ready to cut and gather in three weeks or a month from the first application of the heat; but as much danger and mischief are the consequence when this is violent, it is advised to begin soon enough, and to force slowly, rather than in too quick a manner. it is likewise necessary to cut the leaves off a fortnight or three weeks before they decay, in those plants which are intended to be forced at a very early period. it is also suggested that the blanching-pots used in forcing should be made in two pieces, the uppermost of which should fit like a cap upon the lower; as the crop might then be examined at all times without disturbing the hot dung. sea-kale is cooked, and sent to the table in the same manner as asparagus. sea sickness. this disorder may in a great measure be prevented, by taking a few drops of vitriolic æther on a bit of sugar dissolved in the mouth, or drinking a few drops of æther in water, with a little sugar. sea water. to render salt water fit for washing linen at sea, a quantity of soda should be kept at hand, and used for that purpose, as often as occasion requires. as much soda should be put into sea water as will render it turbid, and completely precipitate the lime and magnesia which it contains. the water will then become sufficiently alkaline for the purpose of washing. shaving soap. cut half a pound of fine white soap in thin slices, add half an ounce of salt of tartar, and mix them with full half a pint of spirits of wine. put the ingredients into a quart bottle, tie it down with a bladder, digest it in a gentle heat till the soap is dissolved, and let the air escape through a pinhole in the bladder. filter the mixture through paper, and scent it with a little bergamot, or essence of lemon. it will have the appearance of fine oil. a small quantity mixed with water will produce an excellent lather, and is much superior to any other composition in washing or shaving. sealing of letters. to secure letters from being opened, beat up some fine bean flour with the white of an egg, and make it into a paste. use a little of it in the form of a wafer, close the letters with it, and hold the sealed part to the spout of a tea-pot of boiling water. the steam will harden the cement so that the letter cannot be opened without tearing, and will render it more secure than either wax or wafer. seasoning. though general rules may be given for stuffings and seasoning, yet much must be left to common discretion. the different tastes of people require more or less of the flavour of spices, salt, garlic, butter, and other ingredients; and the proportions must of course be regulated accordingly, taking care that a variety of flavour be given to the different dishes served at the same time. the proper articles should be kept ready for use; but if suet or bacon be not at hand, butter must be used instead, and fish gravy instead of stock or meat gravy. more depends on judgment and care than on the ingredients merely, of which the dish is composed. seasoning mahogany. having provided a steam-tight wooden box, capable of holding such pieces of mahogany as are wanted for chairs or other purposes, a pipe from a boiler must be adapted to it, by means of which the box is to be filled with steam, to a temperature about equal to that of boiling water. the time required for wood an inch and a half thick, is about two hours; and pieces of this thickness become sufficiently dry to work, after being placed in a warm room for twenty-four hours. by this treatment the wood is something improved in colour, and the blemishes of green veins are entirely removed. the eggs also of any insect contained in the wood, will be destroyed by the heat of the steam. by this process, two important advantages are gained. there is a saving of capital, vested in wood lying to season during several months; and the warping of small pieces of wood is entirely prevented. seed cake. mix a quarter of a peck of flour with half a pound of sugar, a quarter of an ounce of allspice, and a little ginger. melt three quarters of a pound of butter, with half a pint of milk; when just warm, put to it a quarter of a pint of yeast, and work it up to a good dough. add seeds or currants, let it stand before the fire a few minutes before it goes to the oven, and bake it an hour and a half.--another way is to mix a pound and a half of flour, a pound of lump sugar, eight eggs beaten separately, an ounce of seeds, two spoonfuls of yeast, and the same of milk and water. milk alone soon causes cake and bread to get dry.--another. break eighteen eggs into a large pan, and leave out eight of the whites; add to them two pounds of fresh butter, and with your hand work the butter and eggs till they are well mixed, and like thick barme; put in two or three spoonfuls of sack, two pounds of lump sugar sifted, two pounds of fine flour, and two ounces of carraway seeds, mix the sugar, flour, and seeds, well together, and set it before the fire for half an hour, covering it with a cloth, and remember to put the flour, &c. in by degrees. tin pudding pans are the best things to bake it in, and take care it be not over-done; they will rise very high in the oven, and when they begin to sink again, they are baked enough.--a cheap seed cake. take half a peck of flour, set a pint of milk on the fire, and break in a pound and a half of butter; when all the butter is melted, stir in half a pint of ale yeast that is not bitter. take half an ounce of allspice beat fine, and a pound of sugar sifted; mix these with the flour first, then make a hole in the middle of the flour, and pour in the butter, milk, and yeast. while you are working it, strew in some carraway seeds, and set it before the fire to rise; bake it an hour and a half in a quick oven. it is best baked in two cakes; if you make it in two, put currants in one, and carraway seeds in the other.--seed cake the nun's way. to four pounds of the finest flour, add three pounds of double-refined sugar beat and sifted; mix this with the flour, and set it before the fire to dry; beat up four pounds of nice fresh butter to a cream, break three dozen of eggs (leaving out sixteen whites) and beat them up very well, with a tea-cupful of orange-flower water, strain them into the butter, and beat them well therewith; take the flour and sugar, and mix in six ounces of carraway seeds; put these ingredients to the butter and eggs by degrees, and beating all continually for two hours: butter a hoop, and bake it three hours in a moderate oven. if you please, you may add two or three grains of ambergris. seed water. bruise a spoonful of coriander seeds, and half a spoonful of carraway. boil them in a pint of water, strain them, beat up the yolk of an egg and mix with the water, add a little sweet wine and lump sugar. seeds. to discover when seeds of any kind are fully ripe and good, throw them into a basin of water. if not sufficiently ripe, they will swim on the surface; but when arrived at full maturity, they will be found uniformly to sink to the bottom; a fact that is said to hold equally true of all seeds, from the cocoa nut to the orchis.--seeds of plants may be preserved, for many months at least, by causing them to be packed, either in husks, pods, &c. in absorbent paper, with raisins or brown moist sugar; or a good way, practised by gardeners, is to wrap the seed in brown paper or cartridge paper, pasted down, and then varnished over.--to preserve seeds, when sown, from vermin. steep the grain or seed three or four hours, or a sufficient time for it to penetrate the skin, or husk, in a strong solution of liver of sulphur. shads. they must be scaled very clean, then gut and wash them, dry them in a cloth, score them on the sides, rub them with butter, sprinkle salt over them, and broil them of a fine brown; boil sorrel, chervil, onion and parsley, chop it fine; melt a piece of butter in cream sufficient for your sauce, then put in your herbs, season it with salt, pepper, and a little nutmeg, toss it up together, and pour over your fish; or you may serve it with a ragout of mushrooms, or a brown sauce with capers, garnished with lemon. seville orange posset. squeeze seville orange or lemon juice into a glass dish, or mix them together if preferred, and sweeten it well with fine sugar. then warm some cream over the fire, but do not let it boil. put it into a teapot and pour it into the juice, holding the teapot up very high, that it may froth and curdle the better. instead of cream, milk thickened with one or two yolks of eggs may be used, if more convenient. shalot. as the habits of growth in roots of this nature differ greatly in the different sorts, some requiring to be nearly or quite on the surface of the ground, while others stand in need of being a considerable depth below it, which has not been well attended to in the garden culture of such roots; it may be readily supposed that these have considerable influence and effect on the growth of such root crops. in consequence of finding that crops of this root generally became mouldy and perished, and that they were usually planted, from the directions of garden cultivators, at the depth of two or three inches from the surface; the injury, failure, and destruction of such crops, were naturally ascribed to this cause. a few bulbs or bunches of this root were consequently divided, as far as possible, into single buds or bulbs, and planted upon or rather above the surface of the ground, some very rich soil being placed underneath them, and the mould on each side raised to support them, until they became firmly rooted. this mould was then removed by means of a hoe, and the use of the watering-pot, and the bulbs of course left wholly out of the ground. the growth of the plants had now so near a resemblance to that of the common onion, as not readily to be distinguished from it, until their irregularity of form, the consequence of the numerous germs within each bulb, became evident. the forms of the bulbs, however, continued constantly different from all those raised in the ordinary method, being much more broad, but of less length. the crop was a great deal better in quality, and at the same time much more abundant in quantity. it may consequently not be unworthy of the gardener's attention.--garlic, rocambole, and shalot are chiefly used in ragouts and sauces which require to be highly flavoured, unless a separate sauce is made of them only; and indeed, the mixing of animal juices in preparations of vegetables is by no means to be recommended, where the health is to be consulted. the substitution of butter and flour, yolks of eggs and cream, mushroom or walnut ketchup, is greatly to be preferred to rich gravies, in dressing of vegetables. shalot sauce. put a few chopped shalots into a little gravy boiled clear, and nearly half as much vinegar. season with pepper and salt, and boil it half an hour. shalot vinegar. split six or eight shalots; put them into a wide-mouthed quart bottle, and fill it up with vinegar. stop it close; and in a month the vinegar will be fit for use. shalot wine. peel, mince, and pound in a mortar, three ounces of shalots, and infuse them in a pint of sherry for ten days. pour off the clear liquor on three ounces more of shalots, and let the wine stand on them ten days longer. an ounce of scraped horseradish may be added to the above, and a little lemon peel cut thin. this is rather the most expensive, but by far the most elegant preparation of shalot. it imparts the onion flavour to soups and sauces, for chops, steaks, hashes, or boiled meats, more agreeably than any other, without leaving any unpleasant taste in the mouth. shank jelly. boil fifteen shanks of mutton in three quarts of water. two cow heels, three calf's feet, or five sheep's feet, will answer the same purpose. let them stew no longer than to extract a good jelly, and when cold take off the fat, and clear it from the settlement at the bottom. the jelly may be cleared with whites of eggs, and running it through a jelly bag. orange or lemon juice, or wine, and sugar, may be added, as is suitable for the patient. wine however should never be given to any invalid, without the express permission of the medical attendant, as it may do more harm than good, unless used with great discretion. much less should any kind of spirits be allowed, as they are of a much more dangerous nature than wine in such cases. sharp sauce. put into a silver saucepan, or one that is very clean and well tinned, half a pint of the best white wine vinegar, and a quarter of a pound of pounded loaf sugar. simmer it gently over the fire, skim it well, pour it through a tammis or fine sieve, and send it up in a basin. this sauce is adapted for venison, and is often preferred to the sweet wine sauces. sheep's ears. take a dozen and a half of sheep's ears, scald and clean them very well; then make a forcemeat of veal, suet, crumbs of bread, a little nutmeg, pepper, salt, and beaten mace, parsley and thyme shred fine; mix these ingredients with the yolk of an egg; fill the ears, and lay one over the other, press them close, flour them, and fry them in clean beef dripping, of a fine brown; serve them up with gravy sauce in the dish, garnished with lemon. this is a pretty side dish. shelford pudding. mix three quarters of a pound of currants or raisins, one pound of suet, a pound of flour, six eggs, some good milk, lemon peel, and a little salt. boil it in a melon shape six hours. sherbet. this liquor is a species of negus without the wine. it consists of water, lemon, or orange juice, and sugar, in which are dissolved perfumed cakes, made of the best damascus fruit, and containing also an infusion of some drops of rose-water: another kind is made of violets, honey, juice of raisins, &c. it is well calculated for assuaging thirst, as the acidity is agreeably blended with sweetness. it resembles, indeed, those fruits which we find so grateful when one is thirsty. shin of beef. a shin or leg of beef, weighing full six pounds, will make a large tureen of excellent soup. cut half a pound of bacon into slices about half an inch thick, lay it at the bottom of a soup kettle or deep stewpan, and place the meat on this, after having first chopped the bone in two or three places. add two carrots, two turnips, a head of celery, two large onions with two or three cloves stuck in them, a dozen black peppercorns, the same of jamaica pepper, and a bundle of lemon thyme, winter savoury, and parsley. just cover the meat with cold water, boil it over a quick fire, skim it well, and then let it stew very gently by the side of the fire for four hours till it is quite tender. take out all the meat, strain off the soup, and remove the fat from the surface when cold. cut the meat into small pieces, and put them into the soup, when it is to be warmed up for the table. a knuckle of veal may be dressed in the same way. shingles. this disorder, of the same nature as st. anthony's fire, and requiring a similar mode of treatment, attacks various parts of the body, but chiefly the waist, around which it appears in numerous pimples of a livid hue, and seldom attended with fever. no attempt should be made to repel the eruption; the body should be kept gently open, and the part affected rubbed with a little warm wheaten flour. then linen bags of oatmeal, camomile flowers, and a little bruised camphor may also be applied, which will effectually relieve the inflammation. shoe blacking. in three pints of small beer, put two ounces of ivory black, and one pennyworth of brown sugar. as soon as they boil, put a dessert-spoonful of sweet oil, and then boil slowly till reduced to a quart. stir it up with a stick every time it is used; and put it on the shoe with a brush when wanted.--another. two ounces of ivory black; one tea-spoonful of oil of vitriol, one table-spoonful of sweet oil; and two ounces of brown sugar; roll the same into a ball, and to dissolve it add half a pint of vinegar.--another. take ivory black and brown sugar candy, of each two ounces; of sweet oil a table-spoonful; add gradually thereto a pint of vinegar, cold, and stir the whole till gradually incorporated.--another. to one pint of vinegar add half an ounce of vitriolic acid, half an ounce of copperas, two ounces of sugar candy, and two ounces and a half of ivory black: mix the whole well together.--another. sweet oil, half an ounce; ivory black and treacle, of each half a pound; gum arabic half an ounce; vinegar, three pints; boil the vinegar, and pour it hot on the other ingredients.--another. three ounces of ivory black, one ounce of sugar candy, one ounce of oil of vitriol, one ounce of spirits of salts, one lemon, one table-spoonful of sweet oil, and one pint of vinegar.--first mix the ivory black and sweet oil together, then the lemon and sugar candy, with a little vinegar to qualify the blacking, then add your spirits of salts and vitriol, and mix them all well together. n. b. the last ingredients prevent the vitriol and salts from injuring the leather, and add to the lustre of the blacking.--another. ivory black, two ounces; brown sugar, one ounce and a half; sweet oil, half a table-spoonful. mix them well, and then gradually add half a pint of small beer.--another. a quarter of a pound of ivory black, a quarter of a pound of moist sugar, a table-spoonful of flour, a piece of tallow about the size of a walnut, and a small piece of gum arabic.--make a paste of the flour, and while hot put in the tallow, then the sugar, and afterwards mix the whole well together in a quart of water, and you will have a beautiful shining blacking. shoes. the best way of cleaning shoes in the winter time is to scrape off the dirt with the back of a knife, or with a wooden knife made for that purpose, while the shoes are wet, and wipe off the remainder with a wet sponge, or piece of flannel. set them to dry at a distance from the fire, and they will afterwards take a fine polish. this will save much of the trouble in cleaning, when the dirt is suffered to dry on; and by applying a little sweet oil occasionally, the leather will be prevented from growing hard. to secure the soles of shoes or boots from being penetrated with rain or snow, melt a little bees' wax and mutton suet, and rub it slightly over the edges of the sole where the stitches are; this will be sufficient to repel the wet. occasionally rubbing the soles with hot tar, and dusting over it a small quantity of iron filings, will tend to fill up the pores of the leather, and preserve the feet dry and warm in winter. the practice of pouring brandy or spirits into shoes or boots, with a view to prevent the effects of wet or cold, is very pernicious, and often brings on inflammation of the bowels. the best remedy for damp feet is to bathe them in warm water; and if they become sore or blistered, rub them with a little mutton suet. as many evils and inconveniences arise from wearing improper shoes, it may be necessary to observe, that an easy shoe, adapted to the size and shape of the foot, is of considerable consequence. the soles should be thick, and their extremities round rather than pointed, in order to protect the toes from being injured by sharp stones, or other rough substances, that may occur in walking. persons wearing narrow or fashionable shoes, merely for the sake of appearance, not only suffer immediate fatigue and languor when walking only a short distance, but are exposed to the pain and inconvenience of warts and corns, and numerous other maladies; while the want of dry easy shoes checks the necessary perspiration, which extends its influence to other parts of the body. for children, a kind of half boots, such as may be laced above the ancles, are superior to shoes, as they not only have the advantage of fitting the leg, but are likewise not easily trodden down at the heels, and children can walk more firmly in them than in shoes. short biscuits. beat half a pound of butter to a cream, then add half a pound of loaf sugar finely powdered and sifted, the yolks of two eggs, and a few carraways. mix in a pound of flour well dried, and add as much cream as will make it a proper stiffness for rolling. roll it out on a clean board, and cut the paste into cakes with the top of a glass or cup. bake them on tins for about half an hour.--another way. a quarter of a pound of butter beat to a cream, six ounces of fine sugar powdered and sifted, four yolks of eggs, three quarters of a pound of flour, a little mace, and a little grated lemon peel. make them into a paste, roll it out, and cut it into cakes with the top of a wine glass. currants or carraways may be added if agreeable. short cakes. rub into a pound of dried flour, four ounces of butter, four ounces of powdered sugar, one egg, and a spoonful or two of thin cream to make it into a paste. when mixed, put currants into one half, and carraways into the rest. cut them into little cakes with the top of a wine glass, or canister lid, and bake them a few minutes on floured tins. short crust. dry two ounces of white sugar; after it has been pounded and sifted. mix it with a pound of flour well dried, and rub into it three ounces of butter, so fine as not to be seen. put the yolks of two eggs well beaten into some cream, mix it with the above into a smooth paste, roll it out thin, and bake it in a moderate oven.--another. mix with a pound of fine flour dried, an ounce of sugar pounded and sifted. crumble three ounces of butter into it, till it looks all like flour; and with a glass of boiling cream, work it up to a fine paste.--to make a richer crust, but not sweet, rub six ounces of butter into eight ounces of fine flour. mix it into a stiffish paste, with as little water as possible; beat it well, and roll it thin. this, as well as the former, is proper for tarts of fresh or preserved fruit.--another. to a pound of flour allow six ounces of butter, and a little salt. rub the butter well into the flour with the hand, till the whole is well united, and then put in a small quantity of cold water, just enough to mix it to a paste. mould it quite smooth with the hand, and roll it out for use. short paste. rub a quarter of a pound of butter into a pound of flour, mixed with water and two eggs. work it up to a good stiffness, and roll it out. if for sweet tarts, two table-spoonfuls of sugar should be added. shoulder of lamb forced. bone a shoulder of lamb, and fill it up with forcemeat; braise it two hours over a slow stove. take it up and glaze it, or it may be glazed only, and not braised. serve with sorrel sauce under the lamb. shoulder of lamb grilled. roast a shoulder of lamb till about three parts done, score it both ways into squares about an inch large, rub it over with yolks of egg, season it with pepper and salt, and strew it over with bread crumbs and chopped parsley. set it before the fire, brown it with a salamander, and serve it up with gravy, mushroom ketchup, lemon juice, and a piece of butter rolled in flour. heat it over the fire till it is well thickened. shoulder of mutton. if intended to be boiled with oysters, hang it up some days, and then salt it well for two days. bone it, sprinkle it with pepper, and a little pounded mace. lay some oysters over it, and roll the meat up tight and tie it. stew it in a small quantity of water, with an onion and a few peppercorns, till it is quite tender. prepare a little good gravy, and some oysters stewed in it; thicken this with flour and butter, and pour it over the mutton when the tape is taken off. the stewpan should be kept close covered. if the shoulder is to be roasted, serve it up with onion sauce. the blade-bone may be broiled. shoulder of pork. a shoulder or a breast of pork is best put into pickle. salt the shoulder as a leg; and when very nice it may be roasted, instead of being boiled. shoulder of veal. cut off the knuckle for a stew or gravy, and roast the other part with stuffing. it may be larded, and served with melted butter. the blade-bone, with a good deal of meat left on it, eats extremely well with mushroom or oyster sauce, or with mushroom ketchup in butter. shoulder of venison. the neck and shoulder are roasted the same as the haunch, and served with the same sauce. but if the shoulder is to be stewed, take out the bone, and beat the meat with a rolling-pin. lay amongst it some slices of mutton fat, that have lain a few hours in a little port wine; sprinkle a little pepper and allspice over it in fine powder, roll and tie it up tight. set it in a stewpan that will just hold it, with mutton or beef gravy, half a pint of port wine, with pepper and allspice. simmer it close covered, and very slowly, for three or four hours. when quite tender, take off the tape, set the meat on a dish, and strain the gravy over it. serve with currant-jelly sauce. this is the best way of dressing a shoulder of venison, unless it be very fat, and then it should be roasted. the bone should be stewed with it. shrewsbury cakes. sift one pound of sugar, some pounded cinnamon, and nutmeg grated, into three pounds of fine flour. add a little rose water to three eggs well beaten, and mix with the flour; then pour into it as much melted butter as will make it a good thickness to roll out. mould it well, roll it thin, and cut it into any shape you please. shrimp pie. pick a quart of shrimps; if they be very salt, season them only with mace and a clove or two. mince two or three anchovies, mix them with the spice, and then season the shrimps. put some butter at the bottom of the dish, and over the shrimps, with a glass of sharp white wine. the pie will not take long in baking, and the paste must be light and thin. shrimp sauce. if the shrimps be not ready picked pour over a little water to wash them. put them to butter melted thick and smooth, give them one boil, and add the juice of a lemon. shrub. to a gallon of rum, put a quart of the juice of seville oranges, and two pounds and a half of loaf sugar beaten fine, and then barrel it. steep the rinds of half a dozen oranges in a little rum, the next day strain it into the vessel, and make it up ten gallons with water that has been boiled. stir the liquor twice a day for a fortnight, or the shrub will be spoiled. sick rooms. to purify sick rooms from noxious vapours, exhalations, and all kinds of infected air, put half an ounce of finely pulverized black oxide of manganese into a saucer, and pour upon it nearly an ounce of muriatic acid. place the saucer on the floor of the infected apartment, leave it and shut the door, and the contagion will be completely destroyed. muriatic acid with red oxide of lead will have a similar effect. sulphur burnt for the same purpose, has the power of overcoming the effects of noxious vapours. shallow vessels filled with lime water are of great use in absorbing carbonic acid gas, especially in workshops where charcoal is burnt. newly prepared charcoal will absorb various kinds of noxious effluvia, and might be used with considerable advantage for the purification of privies, if small pieces of it are strewed upon the floor. never venture into a sick room if you are in a violent perspiration (if circumstances require your continuance there for any time,) for the moment your body becomes cold, it is in a state likely to absorb the infection, and give you the disease. nor visit a sick person, (especially if the complaint be of a contagious nature) with an empty stomach; as this disposes the system more readily to receive the contagion. in attending a sick person, place yourself where the air passes from the door or window to the bed of the diseased, not betwixt the diseased person and any fire that is in the room, as the heat of the fire will draw the infectious vapour in that direction, and you would run much danger from breathing in it. silk dyes. silk is usually dyed red with cochineal, or carthamus, and sometimes with brazil wood. archil is employed to give silk a bloom, but it is seldom used by itself, unless when the colour wanted is lilac. silk may be dyed crimson, by steeping it in a solution of alum, and then dyeing it in the usual way in a cochineal bath. poppy colour, cherry, rose, and flesh colour, are given to silk by means of carthamus. the process consists merely in keeping the silk as long as it extracts any colour, in an alkaline solution of carthamus, into which as much lemon juice has been poured, as is sufficient to give it a fine cherry red colour. silk cannot be dyed a full scarlet; but a colour approaching to scarlet may be given to it, by first impregnating the stuff with murio-sulphate of tin, and afterwards dyeing it in equal parts of cochineal and quercitron bark. silk stockings. to clean silk stockings properly, it is necessary first to wash them in a lukewarm liquor of white soap, then to rinse them in clean water, and wash them again as before. they are to be washed a third time in a stronger soap liquor, made hot and tinged with blueing, and rinsed in clean water. before they are quite dry, they are to be stoved with brimstone, and afterwards polished with glass upon a wooden leg. gauzes are whitened in the same manner, only a little gum is put in the soap liquor before they are stoved. silks cleaned. the best method of cleaning silks, woollens, and cottons, without damage to their texture and colour, is to grate some raw potatoes to a fine pulp in clean water, and pass the liquid matter through a coarse sieve into another vessel of water. let the mixture stand till the fine white particles of the potatoes are precipitated; then pour off the liquor, and preserve it for use. the article to be cleaned should then be laid upon a linen cloth on a table; and having provided a clean sponge, dip it into the potatoe liquor, and apply it to the article to be cleaned, till the dirt is made to disappear; then wash it in clean water several times. two middle-sized potatoes will be sufficient for a pint of water. the coarse pulp, which does not pass through the sieve, is of great use in cleaning worsted curtains, tapestry, carpets, and other coarse articles. the mucilaginous liquor will clean all sorts of silk, cotton or woollen goods, without hurting or spoiling the colour. it may also be used in cleaning oil paintings, or furniture that is soiled. dirtied painted wainscots may be cleaned by wetting a sponge in the liquor, then dipping it in a little fine clean sand, and afterwards rubbing the wainscot with it. silvering. for silvering glass globes, and such kind of articles, one part of mercury, and four of tin, are generally used. but if two parts of mercury, one of tin, one of lead, and one of bismuth, are melted together, the compound which they form will answer the purpose better. either of them must be made in an iron ladle, over a clear fire, and be frequently stirred. the glass to be silvered must be very clean and dry. the alloy is poured in at the top, and shaken till the whole internal surface is covered. silvering of ivory. prepare a diluted solution of nitrate of silver, and immerse in it an ivory paper knife. when the ivory has become yellow, in that part where it is in contact with the fluid, take it out and immerse it in an ale glass containing distilled water, placed in a window. in a short time, by exposure to the rays of the sun, it will become intensely black. take it out of the water, wipe it dry, and rub it with a piece of leather. the silver will now appear on the ivory in a metallic state, and the knife will retain its silvery coat for a long time. silvering on silk. paint flowers or figures of any kind on a white silk ribbon, with a camel hair pencil, dipped in a solution of nitrate of silver. immerse this whilst wet in a jar of sulphurous acid gas, by burning sulphur under a jar of atmospheric air. the penciling will then assume a beautiful metallic brilliance. sinapisms. the sinapism is a poultice made of vinegar instead of milk, and rendered warm and stimulating by the addition of mustard, horseradish, or garlic. the common sinapism is made of equal quantities of bread crumbs and mustard, a sufficient quantity of strong vinegar, and mixing all together into a poultice. when a sinapism is required to be more stimulating, a little bruised garlic may be added. sinapisms are employed to recal the blood and spirits to a weak part, as in the case of palsy; they are also of service in deep-seated pains, as in the case of sciatica. when the gout seizes the head or stomach, they are applied to the feet to bring the disorder down, and are likewise applied to the soles of the feet in a low state of fever. they should not be suffered to lie on till they have raised blisters, but till the parts become red, and will continue so when pressed with the finger. sippets. when the stomach is too weak to receive meat, put on a very hot plate two or three sippets of bread, and pour over them some beef, mutton, or veal gravy. flavour with a little salt. simple waters. the most expeditious method of distilling waters is to tie a piece of muslin or gauze, over a glazed earthen pot, whose mouth is just large enough to receive the bottom of a warming pan; on this lay your herb, clipped, whether mint, lavender, or whatever else you please; then place upon them the hot warming-pan, with live coals in it, to cause heat just enough to prevent burning, by which means, as the steam issuing out of the herb cannot mount upwards, by reason of the bottom of the pan just fitting the brim of the vessel below it, it must necessarily descend, and collect into water at the bottom of the receiver, and that strongly impregnated with the essential oil and salt of the vegetable thus distilled; which, if you want to make spirituous, or compound water of, is easily done, by simply adding some good spirits, or french brandy to it, which will keep good for a long time, and be much better than if the spirits had passed through a still, which must of necessity waste some of their strength. care should be taken not to let the fire be too strong, lest it scorch the plants; and to be made of charcoal, for continuance and better regulation, which must be managed by lifting up and laying down the lid, as you want to increase or decrease the degrees of heat. the cooler the season, the deeper the earthen pan; and the less fire at first (afterwards to be gradually raised) in the greater perfection will the distilled water be obtained.--as the more moveable, or volatile parts of vegetables, are the aqueous, the oily, the gummy, the resinous, and the saline, these are to be expected in the waters of this process; the heat here employed being so great as to burst the vessels of the plants, some of which contain so large a quantity of oil, that it may be seen swimming on the surface of the water.--medical waters thus procured will afford us nearly all the native virtues of vegetables, and give us a mixture of their several principles, whence they in a manner come up to the expressed juice, or extract gained therefrom: and if brandy be at the same time added to these distilled waters, so strong of oil and salt, a compound, or spirituous water, may be likewise procured, at a cheap and easy rate.--although a small quantity only of distilled water can be obtained at a time by this confined operation, yet it compensates in strength what is deficient in quantity. such liquors, if well corked up from the air, will keep good a long time, especially if about a twentieth part of any spirits be added, in order to preserve the same more effectually. size from potatoes. one of the beneficial uses of potatoes, not perhaps generally known, is, that the starch of them, quite fresh, and washed only once, may be employed to make size, which, mixed with chalk, and diluted in a little water, forms a very beautiful and good white for ceilings. this size has no smell, while animal size, which putrefies so readily, always exhales a very disagreeable odour. that of potatoes, as it is very little subject to putrefaction, appears, from experience, to be more durable in tenacity and whiteness; and, for white-washing, should be preferred to animal size, the decomposition of which is always accompanied with unhealthy exhalations. skate. in the purchase of this article, observe that it be very white and thick. it requires to be hung up one day at least before it is dressed; if too fresh, it eats tough. skate may either be boiled, or fried in crumbs, being first dipped in egg. crimp skate should be boiled and sent up in a napkin, or it may be fried as above. skate soup. this is made of the stock fish for soup, with an ounce of vermicelli boiled in it, a little before it is served. then add half a pint of cream, beaten with the yolks of two eggs. stir it by the side of the fire, but not on it. serve it up with a small french roll warmed in a dutch oven, and then soaked an hour in the soup. skirrets. hamburgh parsley, scorzonera, and skirrets, are much esteemed for their roots, the only part which is eaten. they should be boiled like young carrots, and they will eat very well with meat, or alone, or in soups. the shoots of salsify in the spring, from the roots of a year old, gathered green and tender, will eat very nice, if boiled in the same manner as asparagus. slate, a well-known, neat, convenient, and durable material, for the covering of the roofs of buildings. there are great varieties of this substance; and it likewise differs very greatly in its qualities and colours. in some places it is found in thick laminæ, or flakes; while in others it is thin and light. the colours are white, brown, and blue. it is so durable, in some cases, as to have been known to continue sound and good for centuries. however, unless it should be brought from a quarry of well reputed goodness, it is necessary to try its properties, which may be done by striking the slate sharply against a large stone, and if it produce a complete sound, it is a mark of goodness; but if in hewing it does not shatter before the edge of the _sect_, or instrument commonly used for that purpose, the criterion is decisive. the goodness of slate may be farther estimated by its colour: the deep black hue is apt to imbibe moisture, but the lighter is always the least penetrable: the touch also may be in some degree a guide, for a good firm stone feels somewhat hard and rough, whereas an open slate feels very smooth, and as it were, greasy. and another method of trying the goodness of slate, is to place the slate-stone lengthwise and perpendicularly in a tub of water, about half a foot deep, care being taken that the upper or unimmersed part of the slate be not accidentally wetted by the hand, or otherwise; let it remain in this state twenty-four hours; if good and firm stone, it will not draw water more than half an inch above the surface of the water, and that perhaps at the edges only, those parts having been a little loosened in the hewing; but a spongy defective stone will draw water to the very top. there is still another mode, held to be infallible. first, weigh two or three of the most suspected slates, noting the weight; then immerge them in a vessel of water twelve hours; take them out, and wipe them as clean as possible with a linen cloth; and if they weigh more than at first, it denotes that quality of slate which imbibes water: a drachm is allowable in a dozen pounds, and no more. it may be noticed, that in laying of this material, a bushel and a half of lime, and three bushels of fresh-water sand, will be sufficient for a square of work; but if it be pin plastered, it will take above as much more: but good slate, well laid and plastered to the pin, will lie an hundred years; and on good timber a much longer time. it has been common to lay the slates dry, or on moss only, but they are much better when laid with plaster. when they are to be plastered to the pin, then about the first quantity of lime and sand will be sufficient for the purpose, when well mixed and blended together, by properly working them. slates differ very much in thickness as well as colour, which suits them for different situations and purposes. a great deal of good slate of various kinds is raised in different parts of wales, and much excellent blue and other coloured sorts is procured from the northern parts of lancashire, and other neighbouring places, as well as from different other counties throughout the kingdom. in some parts the slate is distributed into three kinds, as the best, the middling, and the waste or common sort. sleep. 'tired nature's sweet restorer, balmy sleep,' is indispensible to the continuance of health and life; and the night is appropriated for the recovery of that strength which is expended on the various exercises of the day. but sleep, as well as diet and exercise, ought to be duly regulated; for too little of it, as well as too much, is alike injurious. a medium ought therefore to be observed, though the real proportion cannot be ascertained by any given time, as one person will be more refreshed by five or six hours sleep, than another by eight or ten. children may be allowed to take as much as they please; but for adults, six hours is generally sufficient, and no one ought to exceed eight. to make sleep refreshing, it is necessary to take sufficient exercise in the open air. too much exertion will prevent sleep, as well as too little; yet we seldom hear the active and laborious complain of restless nights, for they generally enjoy the luxury of undisturbed repose. refreshing sleep is often prevented by the use of strong tea, or heavy suppers; and the stomach being loaded, occasions frightful dreams, and broken and interrupted rest. it is also necessary to guard against anxiety and corroding grief: many by indulging these, have banished sleep so long that they could never afterwards enjoy it. sleep taken in the forepart of the night is most refreshing, and nothing more effectually undermines and ruins the constitution than night watching. how quickly the want of rest in due season will destroy the most blooming complexion, or best state of health, may be seen in the ghastly countenances of those who turn the day into night, and the night into day. sliced cucumbers. cut some cucumbers into thick slices, drain them in a cullender, and add some sliced onions. use some strong vinegar, and pickle them in the same manner as gherkins and french beans. slices of beef. to prepare red beef for slices, cut off a piece of thin flank, and remove the skin. rub the beef well with a mixture made of two pounds of common salt, two ounces of bay salt, two ounces of saltpetre, and half a pound of moist sugar, pounded together in a marble mortar. put it into an earthen pan, and turn and rub it daily for a week. then take it out of the brine and wipe it, strew over it pounded mace, cloves, pepper, a little allspice, plenty of chopped parsley, and a few shalots. roll it up, bind it round with tape, boil it quite tender, and press it. when cold cut it into slices, and garnish it with pickled barberries, fresh parsley, or any other approved article. slices of cod. to boil slices of codfish, put plenty of salt into some spring water. boil it up quick, and then put in the fish. keep it boiling, and skim it very clean. it will be done sufficiently in eight or ten minutes. some small pieces may be fried and served round it. oyster, shrimp, or anchovy sauce, should be served with it. slices of ham. bacon or ham may be fried, broiled on a gridiron over a clear fire, or toasted with a fork. the slices should be of the same thickness in every part. to have it curled, the slices should be cut about two inches long, then rolled up, and a little wooden skewer passed through them. put them into a cheese toaster or dutch oven, for eight or ten minutes, turning the slices as they crisp. this is considered the handsomest way of dressing rashers of bacon, but it is best uncurled, because it is crisper, and more equally done. slices of ham or bacon should not be more than half a quarter of an inch thick, and will eat much more mellow if soaked in hot water for a quarter of an hour, and then dried in a cloth, before they are toasted. slices of salmon. when washed, wipe the salmon quite dry. rub the slices over with a soft brush dipped in sweet oil, season with pepper and salt, fold them neatly in clean white paper, and broil them over a clear fire. slight wounds. when fresh wounds bleed much, lint dipped in vinegar or spirits of turpentine, may be pressed upon the surface for a few minutes, and retained by a moderately tight bandage; but if the blood spirts out violently, it shows that an artery is wounded, and it must be held very firmly till a surgeon arrives. but when the blood seems to flow equally from every part of the wound, and there is no reason therefore to suppose that any considerable vessel is wounded, it may be permitted to bleed while the dressings are preparing. the edges of the wound are then to be gently pressed together, and retained by straps of sticking plaster. these may remain on for three or four days, unless the sore becomes painful, or the matter smells offensive, in which case the straps of plaster must be taken off, the parts washed clean with warm water, and fresh slips of plaster applied, nicely adjusted to keep the wound closed. the slips must be laid over the wound crossways, and reach several inches beyond each side of it, in order to hold the parts firmly together. by keeping the limb or part very still, abstaining from strong liquors, taking only light mild food, and keeping the bowels open, all simple wounds may easily be healed in this manner. but poultices, greasy salves, or filling the wound with lint, will have an opposite effect. even ragged or torn wounds may be drawn together and healed by sticking plaster, without any other salves or medicines. a broken shin, or slight ruffling of the skin, may be covered with lint dipped in equal parts of vinegar and brandy, and left to stick on, unless the place inflames; and then weak goulard is the best remedy. common cuts may be kept together by sticking plaster, or with only a piece of fine linen rag, or thread bound round them. the rag applied next to a cut or wound of any kind, should always be of white linen; but calico, or coloured rags, will do quite as well for outward bandages. important wounds should always be committed to the care of a skilful surgeon. slugs. these reptiles do great damage in fields and gardens, especially to crops of lettuces, cabbages, or turnips. their track is perceived by the shining and slimy substance which they leave behind them. there are several kinds of these little animals. the white and brown leathery kind often even destroy the strong stems of young cabbage, and other similar plants. the destruction of them has been suggested to be effected by the use of tar-water, sprinkled over the ground; and also by having recourse to lime, in the preparation of the land for such crops. they conceal themselves in the holes and crevices, only making their appearance early in mornings and late in the evenings. the white slug or snail is likewise very destructive to young turnip crops, by rising out of the holes of the soils, on wet and dewy mornings and evenings. rolling the ground with a heavy implement, before the sun rises, has been advised as a means of destroying them in these cases. slugs of this sort are likewise very destructive, in some districts, to the roots of corn crops, during the day-time, in the early spring months, while they lie concealed in the ground, by eating and devouring them; and by coming out in the evenings, and during the night-time, to commit ravages on the blades, and other parts above the ground. numbers of them are sometimes met with upon the same plant, and they may easily be extirpated and removed from the land by the above practice, while they are at work, especially in moon-light seasons, and any further injury to the crops be guarded against. warm moist weather is always a great encouragement to their coming out of their hiding-places; and advantage should constantly be taken of it for their extermination, as they suddenly retire under ground during the time of cold. the strong lands of other places are occasionally much infested with them in the pea, bean, and rye crops and stubbles, as well as clover roots, when a wheat crop is put in upon them. the slugs, in some cases, are of about half an inch in length, having their backs of a blueish cast in the skin part, and their under parts wholly of a white appearance. a mixture of sulphur and lime, made so as to be conveniently applied, has been found to be highly destructive of them in general.--the use of lime-water has lately been advised as an excellent and cheap mode of destroying slugs in gardens, as well as fields, in the second volume of the transactions of the horticultural society of london. it is found to be far preferable, in this intention, to quicklime, which is liable to become too soon saturated with moisture, and rendered ineffectual. the manner of employing the water is after it has been newly made from stone lime, by means of hot water poured upon it, to pour it through the fine rose of a watering-pot over the slugs, which have been collected by means of pea-haulm, or some other similar substance, laid down on the ground in portions, at the distance of about a pole from each other. in proper weather, the slugs soon collect in this way, in great numbers, for shelter as well as to get food. when a boy takes up the substance, and by a gentle shake leaves the whole of the slugs on the ground, another person then pours a small quantity of lime-water on them, and the boy removes the haulmy material to some intermediate place, in order that the same practice may be repeated. by persevering in this method for a little while, the whole of the slugs may be destroyed, as the least drop of the water speedily kills them. this practice, it is supposed, will be found highly beneficial in the flower-garden, as by watering the edgings of box, thrift, or other kinds, the slugs will be killed with certainty, even when the weather is moist. the application is considered simple, the effect certain, and the expence trifling, whether in the garden or the field; a few pots only being required, in the latter case, to the acre, which can be made with a very small quantity of lime. and the labour is not of any material consequence, so that the whole charge will not, it is imagined, exceed five shillings the acre.--to prevent slugs from getting into fruit trees. if the trees are standards, tie a coarse horse-hair rope about them, two or three feet from the ground. if they are against the wall, nail a narrow slip of coarse horse-hair cloth against the wall, about half a foot from the ground, and they will never get over it, for if they attempt it, it will kill them, as their bellies are soft, and the horse-hair will wound them. small coal. there is generally a great waste in the article of coal, owing to the quantity of dust found amongst it; but this if wetted makes the strongest fire for the back of the grate, where it should remain untouched till it is formed into a cake. cinders lightly wetted give a great degree of heat, and are better than coal for furnaces, ironing stoves, and ovens. they should be carefully preserved and sifted in a covered tin bucket, which prevents the dispersion of the dust. small pox. previous to the appearance of the eruption, the patient should be kept in a cool dry apartment, and abstain from all animal food, cheese, and pastry. the diet should consist of cooling vegetables, ripe fruit, pearl barley, and sago. the drink may be barley water, with a few drops of vinegar or cream of tartar, or lukewarm milk and water; but neither beer nor wine must be allowed. in case of an obstruction of the bowels, mild laxatives or clysters may be given; and if the throat be affected, it should be gargled with vinegar and water. warm fomentations should be applied to the neck, and mustard poultices to the feet. after the eruption has made its appearance, the recovery of the patient may be chiefly entrusted to nature, while proper attention is paid to diet and regimen. but if the pustules begin to disappear, blisters ought to be immediately applied to the calves of the legs, and parsley-root boiled in milk should frequently be eaten, in order to encourage the eruption. when the pustules suddenly sink in, it denotes danger, and medical assistance should speedily be procured. in case of inoculation, which introduces the disease in a milder form, and has been the means of saving the lives of many thousands, a similar mode of treatment is required. for about a week or ten days previous to inoculation, the patient should adhere to a regular diet; avoiding all animal food, seasoned dishes, wine and spirits, and should live sparingly on fruit pies, puddings, and vegetables. the same regimen must be observed as in the former instance, during the progress of the disease, and then, but little medicine will be required. small rice puddings. wash two large spoonfuls of rice, and simmer it with half a pint of milk till it is thick. put in a piece of butter the size of an egg, and nearly half a pint of thick cream, and give it one boil. when cold, mix four yolks and two whites of eggs well beaten, sugar and nutmeg to taste. add grated lemon, and a little cinnamon. butter some small cups, and fill them three parts full, putting at bottom some orange or citron. bake them three quarters of an hour in a slowish oven. serve them up the moment they are to be eaten, with sweet sauce in the dish, or in a boat. smell of paint. when a room is newly painted, place three or four tubs full of water near the wainscot, and renew the water daily. in two or three days it will absorb all the offensive effluvia arising from the paint, and render the room wholesome. the smell of paint may also be prevented, by dissolving some frankincense in spirits of turpentine over a slow fire, and mixing it with the paint before it be laid on. smelling bottle. reduce to powder an equal quantity of sal-ammoniac and quicklime separately, put two or three drops of the essence of bergamot into a small bottle, then add the other ingredients, and cork it close. a drop or two of æther will improve it. smelts. this delicate fish is caught in the thames, and some other large rivers. when good and in season, they have a fine silvery hue, are very firm, and have a refreshing smell like cucumbers newly cut. they should not be washed more than is necessary merely to clean them. dry them in a cloth, lightly flour them, and shake it off. dip them in plenty of eggs, then into bread crumbs grated fine, and plunge them into a good pan of boiling lard. let them continue gently boiling, and a few minutes will make them a bright yellow-brown. take care not to take off the light roughness of the crumbs, or their beauty will be lost. smoked herrings. clean and lay them in salt one night, with saltpetre; then hang them on a stick, through the eyes, in a row. have ready an old cask, in which put some saw-dust, and in the midst of it a heater red-hot. fix the stick over the smoke, and let them remain twenty-four hours. smoky chimnies. the plague of a smoking chimney is proverbial, and has engaged considerable attention from observers of various descriptions. smoky chimnies in a new house, are such, frequently, for want of air. the workmanship of the rooms being all good and just out of the workman's hands, the joints of the flooring and of the pannels of the wainscoting are all true and tight; the more so as the walls, perhaps not yet thoroughly dry, preserve a dampness in the air of the room which keeps the woodwork swelled and close: the doors and the sashes too being worked with truth, shut with exactness, so that the room is perfectly tight, no passage being left open for the air to enter except the key-hole, and even that is frequently closed by a little dropping shutter. in this case it is evident that there can be no regular current through the flue of the chimney, as any air escaping from its aperture would cause an exhaustion in the air of the room similar to that in the receiver of an air-pump, and therefore an equal quantity of air would rush down the flue to restore the equilibrium; accordingly the smoke, if it ever ascended to the top, would be beat down again into the room. those, therefore, who stop every crevice in a room to prevent the admission of fresh air, and yet would have their chimney carry up the smoke, require inconsistencies and expect impossibilities. the obvious remedy in this case is, to admit more air, and the question will be how and where this necessary quantity of air from without is to be admitted, so as to produce the least inconvenience; for if the door or window be left so much open, it causes a cold draft of air to the fire-place, to the great discomfort of those who sit there. various have been the contrivances to avoid this, such as bringing in fresh air through pipes in the jambs of the chimney, which, pointing upwards, should blow the smoke up the funnel; opening passages in the funnel above to let in air for the same purpose; but these produce an effect contrary to that intended, for as it is the constant current of air passing from the room through the opening of the chimney into the flue, which prevents the smoke coming out into the room, if the funnel is supplied by other means with the air it wants, and especially if that air be cold, the force of that current is diminished, and the smoke in its efforts to enter the room finds less resistance. the wanted air must then indispensably be admitted into the room to supply what goes off through the opening of the chimney, and it is advisable to make the aperture for this purpose as near the ceiling as possible, because the heated air will naturally ascend and occupy the highest part of the room, thus causing a great difference of climate at different heights, a defect which will be in some measure obviated by the admission of cold air near the ceiling, which descending, will beat down and mingle the air more effectually. another cause of smoky chimnies is too short a funnel, as, in this case, the ascending current will not always have sufficient power to direct the smoke up the flue. this defect is frequently found in low buildings, or the upper stories of high ones, and is unavoidable, for if the flue be raised high above the roof to strengthen its draft, it is then in danger of being blown down and crushing the roof in its fall. the remedy in this case is to contract the opening of the chimney so as to oblige all the entering air to pass through or very near the fire, by which means it will be considerably heated, and by its great rarefaction, cause a powerful draft, and compensate for the shortness of its column. the case of too short a funnel is more general than would be imagined, and often found where one would not expect it; for it is not uncommon in ill-contrived buildings, instead of having a separate funnel for each fire-place, to bend and turn the funnel of an upper room so as to make it enter the side of another flue that comes from below. by this means the funnel of the upper room is made short, of course, since its length can only be reckoned from the place where it enters the lower funnel, and that flue is also shortened by all the distance between the entrance of the second funnel and the top of the stack; for all that part being readily supplied with air through the second flue, adds no strength to the draft, especially as that air is cold when there is no fire in the second chimney. the only easy remedy here, is to keep the opening shut of that flue in which there is no fire. another very common cause of the smoking of chimnies is, their overpowering one another. for instance, if there be two chimnies in one large room, and you make fires in both of them, you will find that the greater and stronger fire shall overpower the weaker, and draw air down its funnel to supply its own demand, which air descending in the weaker funnel will drive down its smoke, and force it into the room. if, instead of being in one room, the two chimnies are in two different rooms communicating by a door, the case is the same whenever that door is open. the remedy is, to take care that every room have the means of supplying itself from without, with the air its chimney may require, so that no one of them may be obliged to borrow from another, nor under the necessity of lending. another cause of smoking is, when the tops of chimnies are commanded by higher buildings, or by a hill, so that the wind blowing over such eminences falls like water over a dam, sometimes almost perpendicularly on the tops of the chimnies that lie in its way, and beats down the smoke contained in them. the remedy commonly applied in this case is, a turn-cap, made of tin or plate-iron, covering the chimney above, and on three sides, open on one side, turning on a spindle, and which being guided or governed by a vane, always presents its back to the wind. this method will generally be found effectual, but if not, raising the flues, where practicable, so as their tops may be on a level with or higher than the commanding eminence, is more to be depended on. there is another case of command, the reverse of that last mentioned; it is where the commanding eminence is farther from the wind than the chimney commanded. for instance, suppose the chimney of a building to be so situated as that its top is below the level of the ridge of the roof, which, when the wind blows against it, forms a kind of dam against its progress. in this case, the wind being obstructed by this dam, will, like water, press and search for passages through it, and finding the top of the chimney below the top of the dam, it will force itself down that funnel in order to get through by some door or window open on the other side of the building, and if there be a fire in such chimney, its smoke is of course beat down and fills the room. the only remedy for this inconvenience is, to raise the funnel higher than the roof, supporting it, if necessary, by iron bars; for a turn-cap in this case has no effect, the dammed up air pressing down through it in whatever position the wind may have placed its opening. chimnies otherwise drawing well are sometimes made to smoke by the improper and inconvenient situation of a door. when the door and chimney are placed on the same side of a room, if the door is made to open from the chimney, it follows, that when only partly opened, a current of air is admitted and directed across the opening of the chimney, which is apt to draw out some of the smoke. chimnies which generally draw well, do, nevertheless, sometimes give smoke into the room, it being driven down by strong winds passing over the tops of their flues, though not descending from any commanding eminence. to understand this, it may be considered that the rising light air, to obtain a free issue from the funnel, must push out of its way, or oblige the air that is over it to rise. in a time of calm, or of little wind, this is done visibly; for we see the smoke that is brought up by that air rise in a column above the chimney. but when a violent current of wind passes over the top of a chimney, its particles have received so much force, which keeps them in a horizontal direction, and follow each other so rapidly, that the rising light air has not strength sufficient to oblige them to quit that direction, and move upwards to permit its issue. add to this, that some of the air may impinge on that part of the inside of the funnel which is opposed to its progress, and be thence reflected downwards from side to side, driving the smoke before it into the room. the simplest and best remedy in this case is the application of a chimney-pot, which is a hollow truncated cone of earthenware placed upon the top of the flue. the intention of this contrivance is, that the wind and eddies which strike against the oblique surface of these covers may be reflected upwards instead of blowing down the chimney. the bad construction of _fire-places_ is another cause of smoking chimneys; and this case will lead us to the consideration of the methods of increasing the heat and diminishing the consumption of fuel; for it will be found that the improvements necessary to produce the last-mentioned end will also have a general tendency to cure smoky chimnies. on this subject the meritorious labours of count rumford are conspicuous, and we shall proceed to give an abridged account of his method. in investigating the best form of a fire-place, it will be necessary to consider, first, what are the objects which ought principally to be had in view in the construction of a fire-place; and, secondly, to consider how these objects can best be attained. now the design of a chimney-fire being simply to warm a room, it is essential to contrive so that this end shall be actually attained, and with the least possible expence of fuel, and also that the air of the room be preserved perfectly pure and fit for respiration, and free from smoke and all disagreeable smells. to cause as many as possible of the rays, as they are sent off from the fire in straight lines, to come directly into the room, it will be necessary, in the first place, to bring the fire as far forward, and to leave the opening of the fire-place as wide and high as can be done without inconvenience; and secondly, to make the sides and back of the fire-place of such form, and of such materials, as to cause the direct rays from the fire which strike against them, to be sent into the room by reflection in the greatest abundance. now, it will be found, upon examination, that the best form for the vertical sides of a fire-place, or the _covings_, as they are called, is that of an upright plane, making an angle with the plane of the back of the fire-place of about degrees. according to the old construction of chimnies, this angle is degrees, or forms a right angle; but, as in this case the two covings are parallel to each other, it is evident that they are very ill contrived for throwing into the room, by reflection, the rays from the fire which fall on them. the next improvement will be to reduce the throat of the chimney, the immoderate size of which is a most essential fault in their construction; for, however good the formation of a fire-place may be in other respects, if the opening left for the passage of the smoke is larger than is necessary for that purpose, nothing can prevent the warm air of the room from escaping through it; and whenever this happens, there is not only an unnecessary loss of heat, but the warm air, which leaves the room to go up the chimney, being replaced by cold air from without, produces those drafts of air so often complained of. but though these evils may be remedied, by reducing the throat of the chimney to a proper size, yet, in doing this, several considerations will be necessary to determine its proper situation. as the smoke and hot vapour which rise from a fire naturally tend upwards, it is evident that it will be proper to place the throat of the chimney perpendicularly over the fire; but to ascertain its most advantageous distance, or how far above the burning fuel it ought to be placed, is not so easy, and requires several advantages and disadvantages to be balanced. as the smoke and vapour rise in consequence of their being rarefied by heat, and made lighter than the air of the surrounding atmosphere, and as the degree of their rarefraction is in proportion to the intensity of their heat, and as this heat is greater near the fire than at a distance from it, it is clear, that the nearer the throat of a chimney is to the fire, the stronger will be what is commonly called its draught, and the less danger there will be of its smoking, or of dust coming into the room when the fire is stirred. but, on the other hand, when a very strong draught is occasioned by the throat of the chimney being very near the fire, it may happen that the influx of air into the fire may become so strong as to cause the fuel to be consumed too rapidly. this however will very seldom be found to be the case, for the throats of chimnies are in general too high. in regard to the materials which it will be most advantageous to employ in the construction of fire-places, little difficulty will attend the determination of that point. as the object in view is to bring radiant heat into the room, it is clear that that material is best for the construction of a fire-place which reflects the most, or which absorbs the least of it, for that heat which is absorbed cannot be reflected. now, as bodies which absorb radiant heat are necessarily heated in consequence of that absorption; to discover which of the various materials that can be employed for constructing fire-places are best adapted for that purpose, we have only to find, by an experiment very easy to be made, what bodies acquire least heat, when exposed to the direct rays of a clear fire; for those which are least heated evidently absorb the least, and consequently reflect the most radiant heat. and hence it appears that iron, and in general metals of all kinds, which are well known to grow very hot when exposed to the rays projected by burning fuel, are to be reckoned among the very worst materials that it is possible to employ in the construction of fire-places. perhaps the best materials are fire-stone and common bricks and mortar. these substances are fortunately very cheap, and it is not easy to say to which of the two the preference ought to be given. when bricks are used, they should be covered with a thin coating of plaster, which, when perfectly dry, should be white-washed. the fire-stone should likewise be white-washed, when that is used; and every part of the fire-place which does not come into actual contact with the burning fuel should be kept as white and clean as possible. the bringing forward of the fire into the room, or rather bringing it nearer to the front of the opening of the fire-place, and the diminishing of the throat of the chimney, being two objects principally had in view in the alterations of fire-places recommended, it is evident that both these may be attained merely by bringing forward the back of the chimney. it will then remain to be determined how far the back should be brought forward. this point will be limited by the necessity of leaving a proper passage for the smoke. now, as this passage, which in its narrowest part is called the throat of the chimney, ought, for reasons before stated, to be immediately or perpendicularly over the fire, it is evident that the back of the chimney should be built perfectly upright. to determine therefore the place of the new back, nothing more is necessary than to ascertain how wide the throat of the chimney ought to be left. this width is determined by count rumford from numerous experiments, and comparing all circumstances, to be four inches. therefore, supposing the breast of the chimney, or the wall above the mantle, to be nine inches thick, allowing four inches for the width of the throat, this will give thirteen inches for the depth of the fire-place. the next consideration will be the width which it will be proper to give to the back. this, in fire-places of the old construction, is the same with the width of the opening in front; but this construction is faulty, on two accounts; first, because the covings being parallel to each other, are ill contrived to throw out into the room the heat they receive from the fire in the form of rays; and, secondly, the large open corners occasion eddies of wind which frequently disturb the fire and embarrass the smoke in its ascent, in such a manner as to bring it into the room. both these defects may be entirely remedied, by diminishing the width of the back of the fire-place. the width which in most cases it will be best to give it, is one-third of the width of the opening of the fire-place in front. but it is not absolutely necessary to conform rigorously to this decision, nor will it always be possible. where a chimney is designed for warming a room of moderate size, the depth of the fire-place being determined by the thickness of the breast to thirteen inches, the same dimensions would be a good size for the width of the back, and three times thirteen inches, or three feet three inches, for the width of the opening in front, and the angles made by the back of the fire-place, and the sides of it, or covings, would be just degrees, which is the best position they can have for throwing heat into the room. in determining the width of this opening in front, the chimney is supposed to be perfectly good, and well situated. if there is any reason to apprehend its ever smoking, it will be necessary to reduce the opening in front, placing the covings at a less angle than degrees, and especially to diminish the height of the opening by lowering the mantle. if from any consideration, such as the wish to accommodate the fire-place to a grate or stove already on hand, it should be wished to make the back wider than the dimension recommended, as for instance, sixteen inches; it will be advisable not to exceed the width of three feet three inches for the opening in front, as in a very wide and shallow fire-place, any sudden motion of the air in front would be apt to bring out puffs of smoke into the room. the throat of the chimney being reduced to four inches, it will be necessary to make a provision for the passage of a chimney sweeper. this is to be done in the following manner. in building up the new back of the fire-place, when this wall is brought up so high that there remains no more than about ten or eleven inches between what is then the top of it and the underside of the mantle, an opening or door-way, eleven or twelve inches wide, must be begun in the middle of the back, and continued quite to the top of it, which according to the height that it will commonly be necessary to carry up the back, will make the opening twelve or fourteen inches high, which will be quite sufficient for the purpose. when the fire-place is finished, this door-way is to be closed by a few bricks laid without mortar, or a tile or piece of stone confined in its place by means of a rebate made for that purpose in the brick-work. as often as the chimney is swept, the chimney sweeper removes this temporary wall or stone, which is very easily done, and when he has finished his work, he again puts it in its place. the new back and covings may be built either of brick-work or of stone, and the space between them and the old back and covings, ought to be filled up to give greater solidity to the structure. this may be done with loose rubbish or pieces of broken bricks or stones, provided the work be strengthened by a few layers or courses of bricks laid in mortar; but it will be indispensably necessary to finish the work where these new walls end, that is to say, at the top of the throat of the chimney, where it ends abruptly in the open canal or flue, by a horizontal course of bricks well secured with mortar. it is of much importance that they should terminate in this manner; for were they to be sloped outward and raised in such a manner as to swell out the upper extremity of the throat of the chimney in the form of a trumpet, and increase it by degrees to the size of the flue of the chimney, this construction would tend to assist the winds which may attempt to blow down the chimney, in forcing their way through the throat, and throwing the smoke backward into the room. the internal form of the breast of the chimney is also a matter of great importance, and which ought to be particularly attended to. the worst form it can have is that of a vertical plane or upright flat, and next to this the worst form is an inclined plane. both these forms cause the current of warm air from the room which will, in spite of every precaution, sometimes find its way into the chimney, to cross upon the current of smoke which rises from the fire in a manner most likely to embarrass it in its ascent and drive it back. the current of air which, passing under the mantle, gets into the chimney, should be made gradually to bend its course upwards, by which means it will unite quietly with the ascending current of smoke, and will be less likely to check and impede its progress. this is to be effected by rounding off the inside of the breast of the chimney, which may be done by a thick coating of plaster. when the breast or wall of the chimney in front is very thin, it may happen, that the depth of the fire-place determined according to the preceding rules may be too small. thus supposing the breast to be only four inches thick, which is sometimes the case, particularly in rooms situated near the top of a house, taking four inches for the width of the throat, will give only eight inches for the depth of the fire-place. in this case, it would be proper to increase the depth of the fire-place at the hearth to twelve or thirteen inches, and to build up the back perpendicularly to the height of the top of the grate, and then sloping the back by a gentle inclination forward, bring it to its proper place directly under the back part of the throat of the chimney. this slope, though it ought not to be too abrupt, yet should be quite finished at the height of eight or ten inches above the fire, otherwise it may perhaps cause the chimney to smoke; but when it is very near the fire, its heat will enable the current of rising smoke to overcome the obstacle which this slope will oppose to its ascent, which it could not so easily do, were the slope situated at a greater distance from the burning fuel. there is one important circumstance respecting chimney fire-places designed for burning coals which remains to be examined, and that is the grate. although there are few grates that may not be used in chimnies, altered or constructed on the principles recommended by count rumford, yet they are not by any means all equally well adapted for that purpose. those whose construction is most simple, and which of course are the cheapest, are beyond comparison the best on all accounts. nothing being wanted but merely a grate to contain the coals, and all additional apparatus being not only useless but pernicious; all complicated and expensive grates should be laid aside, and such as are more simple substituted in their room. the proper width for grates in rooms of a middling size, will be from six to eight inches, and their length may be diminished more or less according to the difficulty of heating the room, or the severity of the weather. but where the width of a grate is not more than five inches, it will be very difficult to prevent the fire from going out. it has been before observed that the use of metals is as much as possible to be avoided in the construction of fire-places, it will therefore be proper always to line the back and sides of a grate with fire stone, which will cause the fire to burn better and give more heat into the room. snails. these are a species of slugs covered with shell, and which are very destructive to wall fruit. to prevent their ascending the standard trees, tie a coarse horse-hair rope about them, two or three feet from the ground; and to secure the wall trees, nail a narrow slip of horse-hair cloth against the wall, about half an inch from the ground, underneath the branches of the tree. in the winter time the snails may be found in the holes of walls, under thorns, behind old trees or close hedges, and might be taken and destroyed. when they attack vegetables, a few sliced turnips laid on the borders will attract them in the evening, when they may easily be gathered up. lime and ashes strewed on the ground, will also prevent their depredations. snipes. these birds will keep several days, and should be roasted without drawing, and then served on toast. butter only should be eaten with them, as gravy takes off from the fine flavour. the thigh and back are most esteemed. snipes in ragout. slit them down the backs, but do not take out the insides; toss them up with a little melted bacon fat, seasoned with pepper and salt, and a little mushroom ketchup; when they are enough, squeeze in a little juice of lemon, and serve them up. snipes in surtout. half roast your snipes, and save the trail; then make a forcemeat with veal, and as much beef suet chopped, and beat in a mortar; add an equal quantity of bread crumbs: season it with beaten mace, pepper, salt, parsley, and sweet herbs shred fine; mix all together, and moisten it with the yolks of eggs: lay a rim of this forcemeat round the dish, then put in your snipes. take strong gravy, according to your dish, with morels and truffles, a few mushrooms, a sweetbread cut in pieces, and an artichoke bottom cut small: let all stew together, then beat up the yolks of two or three eggs with a little white wine; pour this into your gravy, and keep it stirring till it is of a proper thickness, then let it stand to cool; work up the remainder of your forcemeat, and roll it out as you do paste; pour your sauce over the birds, and lay on your forcemeat; close the edges, and wash it over with the yolks of eggs, and strew bread crumbs over that; send it to the oven about half an hour, and then to table as hot as you can. snow balls. swell some rice in milk, and strain it off. having pared and cored some apples, put the rice round them, and tie up each in a cloth. add to each a bit of lemon peel, a clove, or cinnamon, and boil them well. snow cream. put to a quart of cream the whites of three eggs well beaten, four spoonfuls of sweet wine, sugar to sweeten, and a bit of lemon peel. whip it to a froth, remove the peel, and serve the cream in a dish. soldering. put into a crucible two ounces of lead, and when it is melted, throw in an ounce of tin. this alloy is that generally known by the name of solder. when heated by a hot iron, and applied to tinned iron, with powdered rosin, it acts as a cement or solder. it is also used to join leaden pipes, and other articles. soles. a fine thick sole is almost as good eating as turbot, and may be boiled in the same way. wash the fish and clean it nicely, put it into a fish-kettle with a handful of salt, and as much cold water as will cover it. set it on the side of the fire, take off the scum as it rises, and let it boil gently about five minutes, or longer if it be very large. send it up on a fish-drainer, garnished with slices of lemon and sprigs of curled parsley, or nicely fried smelts, or oysters. slices of lemon for garnish are universally approved, either with fried or boiled fish. parsley and butter, or fennel and butter, make an excellent sauce; chervil sauce, or anchovies, are also approved. boiled soles are very good warmed up like eels, or covered with white wine sauce. when soles are very large, the best way is to take off the fillets, trim them neatly, and press them dry in a soft cloth. egg them over, strew on fine bread crumbs, and fry them. or skin and wash a pair of large soles very clean, dry them in a cloth, wash them with the yolk of an egg on both sides, and strew over them a little flour, and a few bread crumbs; fry them of a fine gold colour, in florence oil, enough to cover them; when done, drain them, and lay them into an earthen dish that will hold them at length, and set them by to cool; then make the marinate with a pint of the best vinegar, half a pint of sherry, some salt, pepper, nutmeg, two cloves, and a blade of mace; boil all together for about ten minutes, then pour it over the fish hot, the next day they will be fit for use. when you dish them up, put some of the liquor over them; garnish the dish with fennel, sliced lemon, barberries, and horseradish. if you have any fried fish cold, you may put it into this marinate.--to fricassee soles white. clean your soles very well, bone them nicely, and if large, cut them in eight pieces, if small, only in four; take off the heads; put the heads and bones, an anchovy, a faggot of sweet herbs, a blade or two of mace, some whole pepper, salt, an onion, and a crust of bread, all into a clean saucepan, with a pint of water, cover it close, and let it boil till a third is wasted; strain it through a fine sieve into a stew-pan; put in your soles with a gill of white wine, a little parsley chopped fine, a few mushrooms cut in two, a piece of butter rolled in flour, enough to thicken your sauce; set it over your stove, shake your pan frequently, till they are enough, and of a good thickness; take the scum off very clean, dish them up, and garnish with lemon and barberries.--another way. strip off the black skin of the fish, but not the white; then take out the bones, and cut the flesh into slices about two inches long; dip the slices in the yolks of eggs, and strew over them raspings of bread; then fry them in clarified butter, and when they are fried enough, take them out on a plate, and set them by the fire till you have made the following sauce. take the bones of the fish, boil them up with water, and put in some anchovy and sweet herbs, such as thyme and parsley, and add a little pepper, cloves and mace. when these have boiled together some time, take the butter in which the fish was fried, put it into a pan over the fire, shake flour into it, and keep it stirring while the flour is shaking in; then strain the liquor into it, in which the fish bones, herbs, and spice were boiled, and boil it together, till it is very thick, adding lemon juice to your taste. put your fish into a dish, and pour the sauce over it; serve it up, garnished with slices of lemon and fried parsley. this dish may take place on any part of the table, either in the first or second course.--another way. take a pair of large soles, skin and clean them well, pour a little vinegar, and strew some salt over them; let them lay in this till they are to be used. when you want to boil them, take a clean stew-pan, put in a pint of white wine, and a little water, a faggot of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with three or four cloves, a blade of mace, a little whole pepper, and a little salt. when your soles are enough, take them up, and lay them into a dish, strain off the liquor, put it into the stew-pan, with a good piece of butter rolled in flour, and half a pint of white shrimps clean picked; toss all up together, till it is of a proper thickness; take care to skim it very clean, pour it over the fish. garnish the dish with scraped horseradish, and sliced lemon; or you may send them to table plain, and for sauce, chop the meat of a lobster, bruise the body very smooth with a spoon, mix it with your liquor, and send it to table in a boat or bason. this is much the best way to dress a small turbot. sole pie. split some soles from the bone, and cut the fins close. season with a mixture of salt, pepper, a little nutmeg and pounded mace, and put them in layers, with oysters. a pair of middling-sized soles will be sufficient, and half a hundred oysters. put in the dish the oyster liquor, two or three spoonfuls of broth, and some butter. when the pie comes from the oven, pour in a cupful of thick cream, and it will eat excellently.--another way. clean and bone a pair of large soles; boil about two pounds of eels tender; take off all the meat, put the bones into the water they were boiled in, with the bones of the soles, a blade of mace, whole pepper, and a little salt; let this boil till you have about half a pint of strong broth. take the flesh off the eels, and chop it very fine, with a little lemon peel, an anchovy, parsley, and bread crumbs: season with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and beaten mace; melt a quarter of a pound of butter, and work all up to a paste. sheet the dish with a good puff-paste; lay the forcemeat on the paste, and then lay in the soles; strain off the broth, scum it clean, pour over the fish a sufficient quantity, and lay on the lid. when it comes from the oven, if you have any of the broth left, you may warm it, and pour it into the pie. solid syllabubs. mix a quart of thick raw cream, one pound of refined sugar, a pint and a half of fine raisin wine, in a deep pan; and add the grated peel and the juice of three lemons. beat or whisk it one way, half an hour; then put it on a sieve, with a piece of thin muslin laid smooth in the shallow end, till the next day. put it in glasses: it will keep good in a cool place ten days. somersetshire syllabub. put into a large china bowl a pint of port, a pint of sherry, or other white wine, and sugar to taste. milk the bowl full. in twenty minutes' time, cover it pretty high with clouted cream. grate nutmeg over it, add pounded cinnamon, and nonpareil comfits. sore breasts. sore breasts in females, during the time of suckling, are often occasioned by the improper practice of drawing the breasts, which is both painful and dangerous. if they get too full and hard before the infant can be applied, it is better to let them remain a few hours in that state, than to use any unnatural means, or else to present the breast to a child that is a few months old. it is the application of too great force in drawing them, placing a child to suck at improper times, the use of stimulating liquors and heated rooms, which frequently occasion milk fevers and abscesses in the breast. the nipple is sometimes so sore, that the mother is sometimes obliged to refuse the breast, and a stagnation takes place, which is accompanied with ulcerations and fever. to prevent these dangerous affections, the young mother should carefully protrude the nipple between her fingers to make it more prominent, and cover it with a hollow nutmeg several weeks previous to her delivery. but if the parts be already in a diseased state, it will be proper to bathe them with lime water, or diluted port wine. after this the breast should be dressed with a little spermaceti ointment, or a composition of white wax and olive oil, which is mild and gentle. if this do not answer the purpose, take four ounces of diachylon, two ounces of olive oil, and one ounce of vinegar. boil them together over a gentle fire, keep stirring them till reduced to an ointment, and apply a little of it to the nipple on a fine linen rag. if accompanied with fever, take the bark in electuary three or four times a day, the size of a nutmeg, and persevere in it two or three weeks if necessary. sore eyes. pound together in a mortar, an ounce of bole-ammoniac, and a quarter of an ounce of white copperas. shred fine an ounce of camphor, and mix the ingredients well together. pour on them a quart of boiling water, stir the mixture till it is cold, and apply a drop or two to the eye, to remove humours or inflammation. a cooling eye-water may be made of a dram of lapis calaminaris finely powdered, mixed with half a pint of white wine, and the same of plantain water. sore throat. an easy remedy for this disorder is to dip a piece of broad black ribband into hartshorn, and wear it round the throat two or three days. if this be not sufficient, make a gargle in the following manner. boil a little green sage in water, strain it, and mix it with vinegar and honey. or pour a pint of boiling verjuice on a handful of rosemary tops in a basin, put a tin funnel over it with the pipe upwards, and let the fume go to the throat as hot as it can be borne. a common drink for a sore throat may be made of two ounces of turkey figs, the same quantity of sun raisins cut small, and two ounces of pearl barley, boiled in three pints of water till reduced to a quart. boil it gently, then strain it, and take it warm. sometimes a handful of salt heated in an earthen pan, then put into a flannel bag, and applied as hot as possible round the throat, will answer the purpose. a fumigation for a sore throat may be made in the following manner. boil together a pint of vinegar, and an ounce of myrrh, for half an hour, and pour the liquor into a basin. place over it the large part of a funnel that fits the basin, and let the patient inhale the vapour by putting the pipe of the funnel into his mouth. the fumigation must be applied as hot as possible, and renewed every quarter of an hour, till the patient is relieved. for an inflammation or putrid sore throat, or a quinsey, this will be found of singular use if persisted in. sorrel sauce. wash and clean a quantity of sorrel, put it into a stewpan that will just hold it, with a piece of butter, and cover it close. set it over a slow fire for a quarter of an hour, pass the sorrel with the back of a wooden spoon through a hair sieve, season it with pepper and salt, and a dust of powdered sugar. make it hot, and serve it up under lamb, veal, or sweetbreads. cayenne, nutmeg, and lemon juice, are sometimes added. sorrel soup. make a good gravy with part of a knuckle of veal, and the scrag end of a neck or a chump end of a loin of mutton. season it with a bunch of sweet herbs, pepper, and salt, and two or three cloves. when the meat is quite stewed down, strain it off, and let it stand till cold. clear it well from the fat, put it into a stewpan with a young fowl nicely trussed, and set it over a slow fire. wash three or four large handfuls of sorrel, chop it a little, fry it in butter, put it into the soup, and let the whole stew till the fowl is well done. skim it very clean, and serve it up with the fowl in the soup. soups. it has generally been considered as good economy to use the cheapest and most inferior kind of meat for broths and soups, and to boil it down till it is entirely destroyed, and hardly worth giving to the pigs. but this is a false frugality; and it is far better to buy good pieces of meat, and only stew them till they are tender enough to be eaten. lean juicy beef, mutton, or veal, form the basis of good broth; and it is therefore advisable to procure those pieces which afford the richest succulence, and such as is fresh slain. stale meat will make the broth grouty and bad tasted, and fat is not so well adapted to the purpose. the following herbs, roots, and seasonings, are proper for making and giving a relish to broths and soups, according as the taste may suit. scotch barley, pearl barley, wheat flour, oatmeal, bread, raspings, peas, beans, rice, vermicelli, maccaroni, isinglass, potatoe mucilage, mushroom, or mushroom ketchup, champignons, parsnips, carrots, beet root, turnips, garlic, shalots, and onions. sliced onions fried with butter and flour till they are browned, and then rubbed through a sieve, are excellent to heighten the colour and flavour of brown soups and sauces, and form the basis of most of the fine relishes furnished by the cook. the older and drier the onion, the stronger will be its flavour, and the quantity must be regulated accordingly. leeks, cucumber, or burnet vinegar; celery, or celery seed pounded. the latter, though equally strong, does not impart the delicate sweetness of the fresh vegetable; and when used as a substitute, its flavour should be corrected by the addition of a bit of sugar. cress seed, parsley, common thyme, lemon thyme, orange thyme, knotted marjoram, sage, mint, winter savoury, and basil. as fresh green basil is seldom to be procured, and its fine flavour is soon lost, the best way of preserving the extract is by pouring wine on the fresh leaves. bay leaves, tomata, tarragon, chervil, burnet, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, clove, mace, black pepper, white pepper, essence of anchovy, lemon peel, lemon juice, and seville orange juice. the latter imparts a finer flavour than the lemon, and the acid is much milder. the above materials, with wine and mushroom ketchup, combined in various proportions, will make an endless variety of excellent broths and soups. the general fault of english soups seems to be the employment of an excess of spice, and too small a proportion of roots and herbs. this is especially the case with tavern soups, where cayenne and garlic are often used instead of black pepper and onion, for the purpose of obtaining a higher relish. soups, which are intended to constitute the principal part of a meal, certainly ought not to be flavoured like sauces, which are only designed to give a relish to some particular dish. the principal art in composing a good rich soup, is so to proportion the several ingredients one to another, that no particular taste be stronger than the rest; but to produce such a fine harmonious relish, that the whole becomes delightful. in order to this, care must be taken that the roots and herbs be perfectly well cleaned, and that the water be proportioned to the quantity of meat, and other ingredients. in general a quart of water may be allowed to a pound of meat for soups; and half the quantity for gravies. if they stew gently, little more water need be put in at first, than is expected at the end; for when the pot is covered quite close, and the fire gentle, very little is wasted. gentle stewing is incomparably the best; the meat is more tender, and the soup better flavoured. the cover of a soup kettle should fit very close, or the most essential parts of the broth will soon evaporate, as will also be the case with quick boiling. it is not merely the fibres of the meat that afford nourishment, but chiefly the juices they contain; and these are not only extracted but exhaled, if it be boiled fast in an open vessel. a succulent soup can never be made but in a well closed vessel, which preserves the nutritive parts by preventing their dissipation, yet the flavour is perhaps more wholesome by an exposure to the air. place the soup kettle over a moderate fire, sufficient to make the water hot, without causing it to boil; for if the water boils immediately, it will not penetrate the meat, and cleanse it from the clotted blood and other matters, which ought to go off in scum. the meat will be hardened all over by violent heat, will shrink up as if it were scorched, and afford very little gravy. on the contrary, by keeping the water heating about half an hour without boiling, the meat swells, becomes tender, and its fibres are dilated. by this process, it yields a quantity of scum, which must be taken off as soon as it appears. after the meat has had a good infusion for half an hour, the fire may be improved to make the pot boil, and the vegetables be put in with a little salt. these will cause more scum to rise, which must be taken off immediately. then cover the boiler very closely, and place it at a proper distance from the fire, where it is to boil very gently and equally, but not fast. soups will generally take from three to six hours doing. the better way is to prepare them the evening before, as that will give more time to attend to the dinner the next day. when the soup is cold, the fat may much more easily and completely be removed; and when it is decanted, take care not to disturb the settlings at the bottom of the vessel, which are so fine that they will escape through a sieve. a tammis is the best strainer, the soup appears smoother and finer, and the cloth is easier cleaned than any sieve. if you strain it while it is hot, let the tammis or napkin be previously soaked in cold water; the coldness of the strainer will tend to coagulate the fat, and only suffer the pure broth to pass through. the full flavour of the ingredients can only be extracted by long and slow simmering, during which the boiler must be kept close covered, to prevent evaporation. clear soups must be perfectly transparent, thickened soups about the consistence of cream; the latter will require nearly double the quantity of seasoning, but too much spice makes it unwholesome. to thicken and give body to soups and sauces, the following materials are used. bread raspings, potatoe mucilage, isinglass, flour and butter, barley, rice, or oatmeal and water rubbed well together. any of these are to be mixed gradually with the soup, till thoroughly incorporated, and it should afterwards have at least half an hour's gentle simmering. if it appears lumpy, it must be passed through a tammis or fine sieve. a piece of boiled beef pounded to a pulp, with a bit of butter and flour, and rubbed through a sieve, and gradually incorporated with the soup, will be found an excellent addition. if the soup is too thin or too weak, take off the cover of the boiler, and let it boil till some of the watery part of it has evaporated; or add some of the thickening materials before mentioned. when soups and gravies are kept from day to day, in hot weather, they should be warmed up every day, and put into fresh scalded pans or tureens, and placed in a cool cellar. in temperate weather, every other day may be sufficient.--it has been imagined that soups tend to relax the stomach; but so far from being prejudicial in this way, the moderate use of such kind of liquid food may rather be considered as salutary, and affording a good degree of nourishment. soup of a good quality, if not eaten too hot, or in too great a quantity, is attended with great advantages, especially to those who drink but little. warm fluids in the form of soup, unite with our juices much sooner and better, than those which are cold and raw. on this account, what is called restorative soup is the best food for those who are enfeebled by disease or dissipation, and for old people, whose teeth and digestive organs are impaired. after taking cold, or in nervous headachs, cholics, indigestions, and different kinds of cramps and spasms in the stomach, warm broth or soup is of excellent service. after intemperate eating, to give the stomach a holiday for a day or two, by a diet on mutton broth, is the best way to restore its tone. the stretching of any power to its utmost extent, weakens it; and if the stomach be obliged every day to do as much as it can, it will every day be able to do less. it is therefore a point of wisdom to be temperate in all things, frequently to indulge in soup diet, and occasionally in almost total abstinence, in order to preserve the stomach in its full tone and vigour.--cheap soups for charitable purposes are best made of fat meat, well boiled with vegetables. much unreasonable prejudice has prevailed on this subject, as if fat was unsuitable for such a purpose, when it is well known that the nutritious parts of animal and vegetable diet depend on the oil, jelly, mucilage, and sweetness which they contain. the farina of grain, and the seeds of vegetables, contain more of the nutritious and essential parts of the plant than any other, as is evident from the use of celery seed, the eighth part of an ounce of which will give more relish to a gallon of soup, than a large quantity of the root or stalk. on the same principle, the fat is the essence of meat, nearly so as the seeds of plants are of their respective species. to establish this fact, a simple experiment will be sufficient. boil from two to four ounces of the lean part of butcher's meat in six quarts of water, till reduced to a gallon. thicken it with oatmeal, and the result of the decoction will be found to be water gruel, or something like it. but dissolve the same quantity of the fat of meat in a gallon of water, thicken it over the fire with oatmeal, and the result will be a very pleasant broth, possessing the identical taste of the meat in a considerable degree, whether of beef or mutton. if some of the gelatinous parts of meat be added, the broth is then of a rich and nutritious quality, and can be made very cheap. for example: take from four to six ounces of barley, oatmeal two ounces, onions or leeks a small quantity; beef fat, suet, or drippings, from two to four ounces; celery seed half a spoonful, pepper and salt to give the soup a relish, and water sufficient to make a gallon. boil the barley, previously washed, in six quarts of water, which when boiled sufficiently soft will be reduced to a gallon. it will be necessary to skim it clean in the course of the boiling, and to stir it well from the bottom of the boiler. the celery seed should be bruised, and added with the leeks and onions, towards the end of the process. the oatmeal is to be mixed in a little cold water, and put in about an hour before the soup is done. in the last place add the fat, melted before the fire, if not in a state of drippings, and season with pepper and salt. a few grains of cayenne would give the soup a higher relish. wheat flour may be used instead of oatmeal, but in a smaller proportion. the addition of turnips, carrots, and cabbages, will be a considerable improvement. the intention of the oatmeal or flour is, by the mucilage they contain, assisted with barley broth, to unite the fat with the liquid, so as to form one uniform mass. where the fat is suspended in the soup, and not seen floating on the top, by which it is rendered easier of digestion, and more readily convertible into good chyle, it is evident that it must be more palatable, as well as abundantly more nutritious. some may think this kind of soup unwholesome, from the quantity of fat it contains; but a little reflection will shew the contrary. suet puddings and dumplins are not unwholesome, neither are mutton drippings with potatoes or other vegetables. in short, fat is eaten daily by all ranks of people, in some way or other, in much larger quantities than is prescribed for soup. a labouring man would find no difficulty in eating as much suet at one meal, in a flour pudding, or as much drippings as is necessary for a gallon of soup, in a mass of potatoes or cabbages; while at the same time a quart of soup with a slice of bread, would be a very hearty meal. in no other way could meat drippings be applied to so good a purpose, as in the manufacture of a gallon of soup, sufficient to give a dinner to a whole family. the quantity of fat or drippings necessary for the soup is so small, that it may easily be spared from a joint of roast meat, while enough will remain for other purposes. when mutton dripping is made into soup, wheat flour is better than oatmeal; but the mucilage of potatoe is better still, requiring only one ounce to the gallon. when pork is roasted, peas should be used in preference to boiled barley, and the soup will be very superior in flavour to any that is made with the bones of meat, or combined with bacon. fat pork is eaten daily in large quantities, in most of the counties of england; and in some parts, hog's lard is spread on bread instead of butter, besides the abundance of lard that is used by all ranks of people, in puddings, cakes, and pasties. fat enters so much into the composition of our diet, that we could scarcely subsist without it; and the application of it to soups is only a different mode of using it, and certainly more frugal and economical than any other. it may readily be perceived how soups made from lean meat might be improved by the addition of a little fat, mixed up and incorporated with a mucilage of potatoes, of wheat flour, oatmeal, peas, and barley. but where a quantity of fat swims on the surface of the broth, made from a fat joint of meat, and it cannot from its superabundance be united with the liquid, by means of any mucilage, it had better be skimmed off, and preserved for future use; otherwise the soup will not be agreeable, for it is the due proportion of animal and vegetable substance that makes soup pleasant and wholesome. to make good soup of a leg of beef or an ox cheek, which is generally called stew, a pretty large quantity of the vegetable class ought to be added; and none seems better adapted than scotch barley, by which double and treble the quantity of soup may be made from the same given weight of meat. one pint of well prepared leg of beef, or ox cheek soup, together with the fat, will make a gallon of good soup at the trifling expense of four-pence. in the same way soups may be made from the stew of beef, mutton, veal, or pork, choosing those parts where mucilage, jelly, and fat abound. bacon is allowed to be a considerable improvement to the taste of veal, whether roasted or boiled; and it is the same in soup. when therefore veal broth is made for family use, two ounces of fat bacon should be added to every gallon, melted before the fire or in a fryingpan. the soup should then be thickened with flour, potatoe starch, and barley. the last article should seldom be omitted in any soup, it being so very cheap and pleasant, as well as wholesome and nutritious. soup made of tripe is another cheap article. boil a pound of well cleaned tripe in a gallon of barley broth, with onions and parsley, adding two ounces of bacon fat, with salt and pepper. this produces an extremely nutritious soup, from the gelatinous principle with which the tripe abounds. cow heels, calves and sheep's feet, are also well adapted to the purpose. excellent soups may be made from fried meat, where the fat and gravy are added to the boiled barley; and for that purpose, fat beef steaks, pork and mutton chops, should be preferred, as containing more of the nutritious principle. towards the latter end of frying the steaks, add a little water to produce a gravy, which is to be put to the barley broth. a little flour should also be dredged in, which will take up all the fat left in the fryingpan. a quantity of onions should previously be shred, and fried with the fat, which gives the soup a fine flavour, with the addition of pepper, salt, and other seasoning. there would be no end to the variety of soups that might be made from a number of cheap articles differently combined; but perhaps the distribution of soup gratis does not answer so well as teaching people how to make it, and to improve their comforts at home. the time lost in waiting for the boon, and fetching it home, might by an industrious occupation, however poorly paid for labour, be turned to a better account than the mere obtaining of a quart of soup. but it unfortunately happens, that the best and cheapest method of making a nourishing soup, is least known to those who have most need of it. the labouring classes seldom purchase what are called the coarser pieces of meat, because they do not know how to dress them, but lay out their money in pieces for roasting, which are far less profitable, and more expensive in the purchase. to save time, trouble, and firing, these are generally sent to the oven to be baked, the nourishing parts are evaporated and dried up, the weight is diminished nearly one third, and what is purchased with a week's earnings is only sufficient for a day or two's consumption. if instead of this improvident proceeding, a cheap and wholesome soup were at least occasionally substituted, it would banish the still more pernicious custom of drinking tea two or three times a day, for want of something more supporting and substantial. in addition then to the directions already given, the following may be considered as one of the cheapest and easiest methods of making a wholesome soup, suited to a numerous family among the labouring classes. put four ounces of scotch barley washed clean, and four ounces of sliced onions, into five quarts of water. boil it gently for one hour, and pour it into a pan. put into a saucepan nearly two ounces of beef or mutton drippings, or melted suet, or two or three ounces of minced bacon; and when melted, stir into it four ounces of oatmeal. rub these together into a paste, and if properly managed, the whole of the fat will combine with the barley broth, and not a particle, appear on the surface to offend the most delicate stomach. now add the barley broth, at first a spoonful at a time, then the rest by degrees, stirring it well together till it boils. put into a teacup a dram of finely pounded cress or celery seed, and a quarter of a dram of finely pounded cayenne, or a dram and a half of ground black pepper or allspice, and mix it up with a little of the soup. put this seasoning into the whole quantity, stir up the soup thoroughly, let it simmer gently a quarter of an hour, and add a little salt. the flavour may be varied by doubling the portion of onions, or adding a clove of garlic or shalot, and leaving out the celery seed. change of food is absolutely necessary, not only as a matter of pleasure and comfort, but also of health. it may likewise be much improved, if instead of water, it be made of the liquor that meat has been boiled in. this soup has the advantage of being very soon made, with no more fuel than is necessary to warm a room. those who have not tasted it, cannot imagine what a savoury and satisfying meal is produced by the combination of these cheap and homely ingredients. soup with cucumbers. pare and cut the cucumbers, then stew them with some good broth, and veal gravy to cover them. when done enough, heat the soup with the liquor they were stewed in, and season it with salt. serve up the soup garnished with the cucumbers. these will be a proper garnish for almost any kind of soup. soup a l' eau. put into a saucepan holding about three pints, a quarter of a cabbage, four carrots, two parsnips, six onions, and three or four turnips. add a root of celery, a small root of parsley, some sorrel, a bunch of white beet leaves and chervil, and half a pint of peas tied in a piece of linen. add water in proportion to the vegetables, and stew the whole for three hours. strain off the broth, add some salt, heat it and serve it up, garnished with the vegetables. soup gravy. take some good juicy lean beef, free from sinews or other offal substance; or take the lean of a neck, or loin, or the fleshy part of a leg of mutton, or well-grown fowl, in the proportion of a pound of meat to a quart of water to beef, and rather less to mutton or fowl. cut the meat in pieces, and let it stew very gently till the pure gravy is fairly drawn from the meat, without extracting the dregs. the time required for this will vary according to the quantity, the proper degree of heat being of course longer in penetrating the larger portion. from an hour and a half to three hours, at discretion, will allow sufficient time for any quantity that is likely to be wanted at once for soup, at least in private families. when done, strain the gravy through a hair sieve into an earthen pot, and let it stand till cold. take off the fat, and pour the gravy clear from the sediment at the bottom. soup maigre. melt half a pound of butter into a stewpan, shake it round, and throw in half a dozen sliced onions. shake the pan well for two or three minutes, then put in five heads of celery, two handfuls of spinach, two cabbage lettuces cut small, and some parsley. shake the pan well for ten minutes, put in two quarts of water, some crusts of bread, a tea-spoonful of beaten pepper, and three or four blades of mace. a handful of white beet leaves, cut small, may be added. boil it gently an hour. just before serving, beat in two yolks of eggs, and a large spoonful of vinegar.--another. flour and fry a quart of green peas, four sliced onions, the coarse stalks of celery, a carrot, a turnip, and a parsnip. pour on three quarts of water, let it simmer till the whole will pulp through a sieve, and boil in it the best of the celery cut thin.--another way. take a bunch of celery washed clean and cut in pieces, a large handful of spinage, two cabbage lettuces, and some parsley; wash all very clean, and shred them small; then take a large clean stewpan, put in about half a pound of butter, and when it is quite hot, slice four large onions very thin, and put into your butter; stir them well about for two or three minutes; then put in the rest of your herbs; shake all well together for near twenty minutes, dust in some flour, and stir them together; pour in two quarts of boiling water; season with pepper, salt, and beaten mace: chip a handful of crust of bread, and put in; boil it half an hour, then beat up the yolks of three eggs in a spoonful of vinegar; pour it in, and stir it for two or three minutes; then send it to table. soup with onions. blanch some small white onions in scalding water, peel off the first skin, and stew them in a little broth. when ready, lay them in a row round the edge of the dish intended for the soup. to keep them in their place, put a thin slip of bread rubbed with white of egg round the rim of the dish, and set the dish for a moment over a stove to fasten the bread. slips of bread may be used in this manner to keep all kinds of garnishing to soups in their proper place. soup a la reine. blanch and beat very fine in a marble mortar, three quarters of a pound of sweet almonds, with the white part of a cold roasted fowl. slice to these the crumb of four small rolls, and then strain to it three quarts of good veal gravy, boiled with a blade of mace. simmer these all together for a quarter of an hour, then rub them through a tammis, season it with salt, give it a boil, and serve it up with a small tea-cupful of cream stirred into it, and the slices of crust cut off the rolls laid on the top.--another way. have ready a strong veal broth that is white, and clean scummed from all fat; blanch a pound of almonds, beat them in a mortar, with a little water, to prevent their oiling, and the yolks of four poached eggs, the lean part of the legs, and all the white part of a roasted fowl; pound all together, as fine as possible; then take three quarts of the veal broth, put it into a clean stew-pot, put your ingredients in, and mix them well together; chip in the crust of two french rolls well rasped; boil all together over a stove, or a clear fire. take a french roll, cut a piece out of the top, and take out all the crumb: mince the white part of a roasted fowl very fine, season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a little beaten mace; put in about an ounce of butter, and moisten it with two spoonfuls of your soup strained to it; set it over the stove to be thoroughly hot: cut some french roll in thin slices, and set them before the fire to crisp; then strain off your soup through a tammis or a lawn strainer, into another clean stew-pot; let it stew till it is as thick as cream; then have your dish ready; put in some of your crisp bread; fill your roll with your mince, and lay on the top as close as possible; put it into the middle of your dish, and pour a ladleful of your soup over it; put in your bread first, then pour in your soup, till your dish is full. garnish with petty patties; or make a rim for your dish, and garnish with lemon raced. if you please, you may send a chicken boned in the middle, instead of your roll; or you may send it to table with only crisp bread. soup a-la sap. boil half a pound of grated potatoes, a pound of beef sliced thin, a pint of grey peas, an onion, and three ounces of rice, in six pints of water till reduced to five. strain it through a cullender, pulp the peas into it, and return it into the saucepan with two heads of sliced celery. stew it tender, add pepper and salt, and serve it with fried bread. sour beer. if beer be brewed ever so well, much will depend on the management afterwards, to prevent its becoming sour or vapid. different conveniences of cellarage will materially affect beer. if the cellar is bad, there should not be more than six weeks between brewing and brewing. where beer is kept too long in a bad cellar, so as to be affected by the heat of the weather, it will putrefy, though ever so well bunged. hops may prevent its turning sour, but will not keep it from becoming vapid. it should be well understood, that there is no certainty in keeping beer, if not brewed at the proper season. in winter there is a danger of wort getting too cold, so as to prevent the process of fermentation; and in the summer, of its not being cool enough, unless brewed in the dead of night. in temperate weather, at the spring or autumn, the spirit of the beer is retained, and it is thereby enabled to work the liquor clear; whereas in hot weather, the spirit quickly evaporates, leaving the wort vapid and flat, unable to work itself clear, but keeping continually on the fret, till totally spoiled. this is the obvious reason for the use of sugar, prepared for colour, because sugar will bear the heat better than malt; and when thoroughly prepared, possesses such a strong principle of heat in itself, as to bid defiance to the hottest temperature of the air, and to render its turning sour almost impossible. clean casks are also essential to the preservation of good beer. to keep the casks sweet and in order, never allow them to remain open; but whenever the beer is drawn off, bung them up tight with the lees within them. in a good cellar they will never spoil. should the casks get musty, the following method will remedy the evil. soak them well for three or four days in cold water, then fill them full of boiling hot water; put in a lump or two of lime, shake it thoroughly till quite dissolved, let the casks stand about half an hour, then wash them out with cold water, and they will be clean and sweet. if still apprehensive of the beer getting flat or sour, put into a cask containing eighteen gallons, a pint of ground malt suspended in a bag, and close the bung perfectly. this will prevent the mischief, and the beer will improve during the whole time of drawing it. when beer has actually turned sour, put in some oyster shells, calcined to whiteness, or a little powdered chalk. either of these will correct the acidity, and make it brisk and sparkling. salt of tartar, or soda powder, put into the beer at the time of drinking it, will also destroy the acidity, and make it palatable. sour krout. take some full-grown hard cabbages of the closest texture, and cut them into slices about an inch thick, opening them a little, that they may receive the salt more effectually. rub a good deal of salt amongst them, lay them into a large pan, and sprinkle more salt over them. let them remain twenty-four hours, turning them over four or five times, that every part may be alike saturated. next day put the cabbage into a tub or large jar, pressing it down well, and then pour over it a pickle made of a pint of salt to a quart of water. this pickle must be poured on boiling hot, and the cabbage entirely covered with it. let it stand thus twenty-four hours longer, when it will have shrunk nearly a third. then take the cabbage out, and put it into a fresh tub or jar, pressing it down well as before, and pour over it a pickle made as follows. to one quart of the salt and water pickle which had been used the day before, put three quarts of vinegar, four ounces of allspice, and two ounces of carraway seeds. this must be poured on cold, so as to cover the cabbage completely. let it stand one day loosely covered, and then stop it down quite close. sour sauce for fish. boil two blades of mace in a wine glass of water, and half as much sharp vinegar, for a quarter of an hour. then take out the mace, and put in a quarter of a pound of butter, and the yolk of an egg well beaten. shake these over the fire one way till the sauce is properly thickened, without suffering it to boil. souse for brawn. boil a quarter of a pint of wheat bran, a sprig of bay, and a sprig of rosemary, in two gallons of water for half an hour, adding four ounces of salt. strain it, and let it cool. this will do for pig's feet and ears, as well as brawn. soused sturgeons. draw and divide the fish down the back, and then into pieces. put the fish into salt and water, clean it well, bind it with tape, and boil it very carefully in vinegar, salt, and water. when done lay it to cool, and pack it up close in the liquor it was boiled in. soused tripe. boil the tripe, but not quite tender; then put it into salt and water, which must be changed every day till it is all used. when the tripe is to be dressed, dip it into a batter of eggs and flour, and fry it of a good brown. soy. to make english soy, pound some walnuts when fit for pickling, in a marble mortar, very small. squeeze them through a strainer, let the liquor stand to settle, and then pour off the fine. to every quart of liquor put a pound of anchovies, and two cloves of shalot. boil it enough to make the scum rise, and clear it well. add two ounces of jamaica pepper, a quarter of an ounce of mace, and half a pint of vinegar. boil it again, until the anchovies are dissolved and the shalot tender, and let it stand till the next day. then pour off the fine, and bottle it for use. strain the thick through a sieve, and put it by separately. when used for fish, put some of the soy to the usual anchovies and butter, or to plain butter. spanish cardoons. cut them three inches long, leaving out any that are hollow and green. boil them in water half an hour, and then put them into warm water to pick them. stew them with some broth, with a spoonful of flour mixed in it. add salt, onions, roots, a bunch of sweet herbs, a dash of verjuice, and a little butter. when they are well done take them out, and put them into a good cullis, with a little broth. boil them half an hour in this sauce to give them a flavour, and then serve them up. let the sauce be neither too clear nor too thick, and of a fine light colour. spanish flummery. scald a quart of cream, with a little cinnamon or mace. mix this gradually into half a pound of rice flour, and then stir it over a gentle fire till it acquires the thickness of jelly. sweeten it to the taste, and pour it into cups or shapes. turn it out when cold, and serve it up. cream, wine, or preserves eat well with it, or it may be eaten alone as preferred. oatmeal may be used instead of rice. spanish fritters. cut the crumb of a french roll into square lengths, of the thickness of one's finger, nutmeg, sugar, pounded cinnamon, and an egg. when well soaked, fry the fritters of a nice brown; and serve with butter, wine, and sweet sauce. spanish puffs. boil a stick of cinnamon, a piece of lemon peel, and a little sugar, in three quarters of a pint of water for ten minutes. let it cool, then add three eggs well beaten, and shake in three large spoonfuls of flour. beat these well together, add three more eggs, and simmer the whole over the fire, till it thickens almost to a paste. drop this with a tea-spoon into boiling lard, and fry these little puffs of a delicate light brown. spanish sauce. put some gravy into a saucepan with a glass of white wine, and the same of good broth. add a bunch of parsley and chives, two cloves of garlic, half a bay leaf, a pinch of coriander seed, two cloves, a sliced onion, a carrot, half a parsnip, and two spoonfuls of salad oil. stew these for two hours over a very slow fire. skim off the fat, pass the sauce through a tammis, season it with pepper and salt, and use it with any thing as approved. sparerib. baste it with a very little butter and flour; and when done, sprinkle it with dried sage crumbled. serve it with potatoes and apple sauce. sparrow. a mischievous destructive bird in corn-fields, and which should mostly be destroyed. it is observed, that were all the farmers in a neighbourhood to agree to their destruction, by offering rewards for their heads, their numbers might be lessened; and that were the practice general, surely the whole race might be extirpated. it is supposed that six-pence a dozen the first year, nine-pence the second, and a shilling the third year, would nearly reach their complete extirpation. to enforce which it should be considered how soon twelve sparrows destroy twelve penny-worth of wheat. in kent, they use a species of trap, which is very effectual in taking them. it consists of a small wicker basket, resembling a fruit-sieve of the london markets, with a cover of the same material fitted to it, and formed on the principle of the fish-pot, and the vermin trap, into which the entrance is easy, but the return difficult. these traps, which are an ordinary article of sale in the markets of the district, are constituted of brown unpeeled oziers. the diameter about two feet; the depth nine inches; the cover is somewhat dishing, with a tunnel or inverted cone, in the centre, reaching to within an inch of the bottom of the basket; the aperture or entrance, formed by the points of the twigs, of which the tunnel is constructed, being about an inch and a half in diameter. and the usual bait is wheat scattered in the basket. the number caught at once, is frequently more than theory would suggest; the contentions of a few that have entered, seldom failing to bring others to the combat. these mischievous birds, however, soon grow too cunning to be taken in any sort of trap to any extent, which has a chance of extirpating and destroying the race; consequently some more effectual and certain plan, such as that suggested above, or some other, which is better and more fully adapted to the purpose, must be had recourse to in order to completely exterminate them, and prevent the injury they do annually to the farmer, in the destruction of his wheat and other crops. though these are only small birds, they destroy vast quantities of grain, much more than has indeed been commonly supposed. it is stated to have been calculated to have amounted to a hundred sacks of wheat besides the oats and barley, in the course of only one season, in a township of no very great extent in the north-western part of the kingdom. where rewards or sums of money are paid for the taking or destroying them, no advantages are gained, except where there are sufficiently ample and proper regulations entered into and enforced, the whole district, parish, or township, becomes partakers in the business. no languid or half measures will do any thing useful, or to the purpose, in this sort of undertaking. it is not improbable, but that these destructive birds might be greatly extirpated and thinned down in their numbers, by the use of some tasteless infusion of a strongly poisonous nature, either to the ears of the grain at the time of harvest, or to the naked grain in the winter season, when they are extremely eager for food, as they are constantly found to remain hovering about houses or other buildings, where the effects of such trials might easily be ascertained. if such a method should succeed, the whole race might readily, and with great facility and certainty, be exterminated. spasms. an involuntary and painful contraction of the muscles may arise from various causes, and require different modes of treatment. but if no medical assistance be at hand, the application of volatile liniments to the part affected, a clyster with a little laudanum in it, or the warm bath, may be tried with advantage. spermaceti ointment. this is made of a quarter of a pint of fine salad oil, a quarter of a pound of white wax, and half an ounce of spermaceti, melted over a gentle fire, and kept stirring till the ointment is cold. spices. as it regards health, spices are generally improper; but black pepper, ginger, and cayenne, may be esteemed the best. nutmegs, cloves, mace, cinnamon, and allspice, are generally productive of indigestion and headach, in persons of a weakly habit. spiders. these industrious insects are generally loathed and destroyed, though they are extremely useful in reducing the quantity of flies, and serve as a very accurate barometer for the weather. when they are totally inactive, it is a certain sign that rain will shortly follow; but if they continue to spin during a shower, it indicates that the rain will soon be over, and that calm and fine weather will succeed. if the weather be about to change, and become wet or windy, the spider will make the supporters of his web very short; but if the threads be extended to an unusual length, the weather will continue serene for ten or twelve days, or more, according to the length of the threads which support the web. the red spider however is very injurious and destructive to different sorts of plants and fruit-trees, especially in forcing houses. it is found particularly so to those of the forced french bean, melon; peach, vine, cherry, currant, and some other kinds. the generation and production of this insect are greatly caused and promoted by the dry warm heat that is constantly kept up in the houses which contain these sorts of plants and trees, and there are many other circumstances which combine in bringing it forth. it is an insect which has no wings, and the female is oviparous. several different methods have been attempted in order to the removal and destruction of it. constant daily watering, or washing the trees, are said to have the power of subduing it, but in the execution of the work, care is always to be taken that every part of the leaves be wetted, otherwise the insects shelter and save themselves in the dry parts, and are preserved from the effects of the water. moisture conveyed in some way or other is certainly found to be the most destructive, of any thing yet discovered, of these pernicious insects, as well as many others that infest hot-houses. throwing weak lime-water in a plentiful manner on the under sides of the leaves, where these insects are commonly found, will, for the most part, soon destroy them. the following directions have been given for the destruction of this sort of spider, when it becomes injurious to melon plants; and the same may probably be found useful for those of the forced french bean, and some other similar kinds. in cases of dry weather, and with a dry heat, melon plants are very subject to be infested with the red spider; and the appearances of it may constantly be long noticed before the insects can be seen with the naked eye, by the leaves beginning to curl and crack in their middle parts. whenever they are discovered to be in this state or condition, and there is fine warm sunny weather, the watering of them all over the leaves, both on the under and upper sides, is advised; a watering-pot, with a rose finely perforated with holes, or a garden-engine, which disperses the water in a fine dew-like manner, being employed for the purpose. the work should be performed about six o'clock in the morning, and the plants be shaded with mats about eight, if the sun shine with much power, shutting the frames down closely until about eleven; and then admitting a small quantity of fresh air, letting the mats remain until about three in the afternoon, when they should be wholly taken away. the shade which is thus afforded by the mats prevents the leaves of the plants from being scorched or otherwise injured by the action of the heat of the sun while they are in a wet cooled down state. where a southerly breeze prevails, watering them again about three in the afternoon is recommended, shutting them up close as before, to keep the heat in, which causes a strong exhalation of the moisture, and is greatly destructive of the spiders. in all these waterings, the water is to be thrown as much and as finely as possible on the under sides of the leaves, where the insects mostly lodge; the vines or stems of the plants being gently turned in that intention, taking great care not to injure them, by which means the water is capable of being easily thrown over the whole of the under sides of the leaves, it being done in a gentle manner, in the modes already suggested, so as not to wash up the mouldy matters unto the plants: the lights and sides of the frames which contain the plants, should also, at the same time, have water plentifully thrown on and against them. when these waterings are finished, the vines or stems of the plants are to be carefully laid down again in their former positions. and if the day be sunny, the mats may be let remain, as already directed, until the leaves of the plants become perfectly dry, air being admitted according to the heat that may be present at the time. it is likewise further advised as a precautionary measure, that, before the frames and lights, which are to contain plants of this sort, are employed, they should be well washed, both inside and out, first with clean water, and then with a mixture of soap-suds and urine; a brush or woollen rag being made use of in the operation; as by this method the ova or eggs of the spiders or other insects that may have been deposited and lodged in or on them, in the preceding season, may be cleared away and destroyed. the exhalations of the water which has been thrown upon the plants, and the frames or boxes that contain them, may also be useful in killing these insects, in other cases by keeping them in a close state. these washings should never, however, be performed in cold frosty seasons; and the water made use of in such cases should always be of the rain or soft kind. spinach. this vegetable requires to be carefully washed and picked. when that is done, throw it into a saucepan that will just hold it, sprinkle it with a little salt, and cover it close. set the pan on the fire, and shake it well. when sufficiently done, beat up the spinach with some butter, but it must be sent to table pretty dry. it would look well, if pressed into a tin mould in the form of a large leaf, which is sold at the tin shops. a spoonful of cream is an improvement. spinach cream. beat the yolks of eight eggs with a whisk or a wooden spoon, sweeten it well, and add a stick of cinnamon, a pint of rich cream, and three quarters of a pint of new milk. stir it well, and then add a quarter of a pint of spinach juice. set it over a gentle stove, and stir it constantly one way, till it is as thick as a hasty pudding. put into a custard dish some naples biscuits, or preserved orange, in long slices, and pour the mixture over them. it is to be eaten cold, and is a dish either for supper, or for a second course. spinach and eggs. the spinach must be well washed, then throw a small handful of salt into a saucepan of boiling water, before the spinach is put in, and press it down as it boils. when it becomes tender, press it well in a sieve or cullender. break the eggs into cups, and put them into a stewpan of boiling water. when done, take them out with a slice, and lay them on the spinach. send them to table with melted butter. spinach pudding. scald and chop some spinach very fine, four ounces of biscuit soaked in cream, the yolks of eight eggs beat up, a quarter of a pound of melted butter, a little salt and nutmeg, and sugar to your taste; beat up all together, and set it over the fire till it is stiff, but do not let it boil; cool it, and bake it in puff-paste; or you may butter a bason, and boil it.--another. boil a pint of cream, with some lemon-peel, a blade of mace, half a nutmeg cut in pieces; strain it off, and stir it till it is cold, then boil a good handful of young spinach tender; chop it very fine; beat up eight eggs, leave out four whites, add some fine sugar pounded, and a glass of sack; mix all well together, put it into the dish, with a puff-paste at the bottom, and lay on the top candied orange and lemon cut in thin slices. half an hour, or a little better, will bake it. spinach soup. shred two handfuls of spinach, a turnip, two onions, a head of celery, two carrots, and a little parsley and thyme. put all into a stewpot, with a bit of butter the size of a walnut, and a pint of good broth, or the liquor in which meat has been boiled. stew till the vegetables are quite tender, and work them with a spoon through a coarse cloth or sieve. to the vegetable pulp and liquor, add a quart of fresh water, salt and pepper, and boil all together. have ready some suet dumplins the size of a walnut, and put them into a tureen, before the soup is poured over. the suet must be quite fresh, and not shred too fine. spirits. good pure spirits ought to be perfectly clear, pleasant, and strong, though not of a pungent odour, and somewhat of a vinous taste. to try the purity of spirits, or whether they have been diluted with water, see whether the liquor will burn away without leaving any mixture behind, by dipping in a piece of writing paper, and lighting it at the candle. as pure spirit is much lighter than water, put a hollow ivory ball into it: the deeper the ball sinks, the lighter the liquor, and consequently the more spirituous. spirits of clary. distil a peck of clary flowers in a cold still, and then another peck of flowers, adding to them the distilled liquor. put to this a bottle of sack or sweet wine, and another peck of flowers, and put all together into a glass still. let it distil on white sugar candy, with the addition of a little ambergris. spirits of lavender. take fourteen pounds of lavender flowers, ten gallons and a half of rectified spirits of wine, and one gallon of water. draw off ten gallons by a gentle fire, or which is much better, by a sand-bath heat. to convert this into the red liquid known by the name of compound lavender spirits, take of the above lavender spirits two gallons, of hungary water one gallon, cinnamon and nutmegs three ounces each, and of red saunders one ounce. digest the whole for three days in a gentle heat, and then filtre it for use. some add saffron, musk, and ambergris, of each half a scruple; but these are now generally omitted. spirits of saffron. pick eight ounces of english saffron very clean, cut it fine, and steep it twenty-four hours in a gallon of the best white wine. put it into an alembic with three gallons of water, draw it off gently so long as the saffron tastes, and sweeten it with white sugar candy. dissolve the candy in some of the weaker extract, after the stronger part is drawn off, by setting it on the fire, and then mix the whole together. spits. roasting spits require to be kept bright and clean, and should be scoured with nothing but sand and water. if they are wiped clean, as soon as the meat is drawn from them, and while they are hot, a very little cleaning will be necessary. a very useful kind of spit is sold at the ironmongers, which sustains the meat without the necessity of passing it through, which is much to be preferred. spitchcock eels. take one or two large eels, leave the skin on, cut them into pieces of three inches long, open them on the belly side, and clean them nicely. wipe them dry, smear them over with egg, and strew on both sides chopped parsley, pepper and salt; a very little sage, and a bit of mace pounded fine and mixed with the seasoning. rub the gridiron with a bit of suet, broil the fish of a fine colour, and serve with anchovy and butter sauce. splinters. to run splinters, prickles or thorns, such as those of roses, thistles, or chesnuts, into the hands, feet, or legs, is a very common accident; and provided any such substance is immediately extracted, it is seldom attended with any bad consequences. but the more certainly to prevent any ill effects, a compress of linen dipped in warm water, may be applied to the part, or it may be bathed a little while in warm water. if the thorn or splinter cannot be extracted directly, or if any part of it be left in, it causes an inflammation, and nothing but timely precaution will prevent its coming to an abscess. a plaster of shoemaker's wax spread upon leather, draws these wounds remarkably well. when it is known that any part of it remains, an expert surgeon would open the place and take it out; but if it be unobserved, as will sometimes happen, when the thorn or splinter is very small, till the inflammation begins, and no advice can be at once procured, the steam of water should be applied to it at first, and then a poultice of bread and milk, with a few drops of peruvian balsam. it is absolutely necessary that the injured part should be kept in the easiest posture, and as still as possible. if this does not soon succeed, good advice must be obtained without delay, as an accident of this kind neglected, or improperly treated, may be the occasion of losing a limb. in this and all cases of inflammation, a forbearance from animal food, and fermented liquors, is always advisable. sponge cake. weigh ten eggs, add their weight in very fine sugar, and of flour the weight of six eggs. beat the yolks with the flour, and the whites alone, to a very stiff froth. mix by degrees the whites and the flour with the other ingredients, beat them well half an hour, and bake the cake an hour in a quick oven.--another, without butter. dry a pound of flour, and a pound and a quarter of sugar. grate a lemon, add a spoonful of brandy, and beat the whole together with the hand for an hour. bake the cake in a buttered pan, in a quick oven. sweetmeats may be added if approved. spoonmeats for infants. it is something more than a human axiom, that milk is for babes; and as this forms the basis of nearly all the food from which their nourishment is derived, it is necessary to observe, that the best way of using it is without either skimming or boiling it. the cream is the most nutritious balsamic part of milk, and to deprive it of this is to render it less nourishing, and less easy of digestion, than in its pure state. in some particular cases skimmed milk may be preferable, but it may be adopted as a general rule, that new milk is the wholesomest and the best. if it stands any time before it is used, instead of taking off the cream, it should be mixed in with the milk. boiling the milk, if it be only a little, fixes it, and entirely alters its qualities. as a proof of this, it will not afterwards afford any cream, but merely a thin skin. in this state it is hard of digestion, and therefore apt to occasion obstructions. it is most proper for food in its natural state, or when only scalded.--one of the first and simplest preparations for infants is bread pap, made by pouring scalding water on thin slices of good white bread, and letting it stand uncovered till it cools. the water is then drained off, the bread bruised fine, and mixed with as much new milk as will make it of a tolerable consistence. it is then warm enough for use, without setting it upon the fire. sugar is very commonly put into this pap, but it is much better without it. the palate of the child will not require sugar in any kind of food, till habit makes it familiar.--egg pap is another suitable article for young children. set a quart of spring water on a clear brisk fire. mix two spoonfuls of fresh fine flour with the yolks of two or three eggs well beaten, adding a little cold water. when the water is ready to boil, stir in the batter before it boils, till of a sufficient thickness. then take it off the fire, add a little salt, pour it into a basin, and let it cool of itself till it become about as warm as milk from the cow. if eggs cannot be procured, a small piece of butter may be added with the salt, and stirred in gently till well mixed, to prevent its oiling. eggs however are to be preferred. this food is extremely wholesome, affords real nourishment, opens all the passages, breeds good blood and lively spirits, is pleasant to the palate, and grateful to the stomach. the frequent use of it purifies the blood and all the humours, prevents windy distempers and griping pain, both of the stomach and bowels. from all the ingredients bearing a resemblance to each other, no predominant quality prevails, so that it may justly claim the first place amongst all spoonmeats or paps, and as food for infants it is next to the milk of the breast. in some cases it is much better, on account of the various diseases to which suckling women are subject, and the improper food in which they too frequently indulge. no other ingredients should however be added to this kind of food, such as sugar, spices, or fruits, which tend only to vitiate the diet, and to render it less nutritious. this and other sorts of spoonmeat should be made rather thin than otherwise, and abounding with liquid, whether milk or water. all porridges and spoonmeats that are made thin, and quickly prepared, are sweeter, brisker on the palate, and easier of digestion, than those which are thick, and long in preparing. food should never be given to children more than milk warm, and the proper way to cool it is by letting it stand uncovered to cool itself; for much stirring alters the composition, and takes off the sweetness. covering it down too, keeps in the fumes that ought to go off, and by excluding the air, renders it less pure.--flour pap. to two thirds of new milk, after it has stood five or six hours from the time of milking, add one third of spring water, and set it on a quick clear fire. make a batter of milk and fine flour, and just as the milk and water is ready to boil, pour in the batter, and stir it a few minutes. when it is ready to boil again, take it off, add a little salt, and let it stand to cool. a good spoonful of flour is sufficient to thicken a pint of milk, or milk and water. this will make it about the thickness of common milk porridge, which is what will eat the sweetest, and be the easiest of digestion. this kind of food affords substantial nourishment, it neither binds nor loosens the body, but keeps it in proper order, nourishes the blood, and tends to produce a lively disposition. pap prepared in this way is far more friendly to nature than in the common way of boiling, and may be constantly eaten with much better effect, and without ever tiring or cloying the stomach.--oatmeal pap. mix a pint of milk and water, in the proportion of two thirds milk and one third water, with a good spoonful of oatmeal, but it is best not to be too thick. set it in a saucepan upon a quick clear fire, and when it is near boiling take it off. pour it from one basin into another, backwards and forwards seven or eight times, which will bring out the fine flour of the oatmeal, and incorporate it with the milk. then return it into the saucepan, set it upon the fire, and when it is again ready to boil take it off, and let it stand in the saucepan a little to fine, for the husky part of the oatmeal will sink to the bottom. when settled, pour it off into a basin, add a little salt, and let it stand to cool. this is an excellent pap, very congenial to a weak constitution, affording good nourishment, and easy of digestion.--water gruel. take a spoonful and a half of fresh ground oatmeal, mix with it gradually a quart of spring water, and set it on a clear fire. when ready to boil take it off, pour it from one basin into another, backwards and forwards five or six times, and set it on the fire again. take it off again just before it boils, and let it stand a little time in the saucepan, that the coarse husks of the oatmeal may sink to the bottom. then pour it out, add a little salt, and let it stand to cool. when water gruel is made with grots, it must boil gently for some time. the longer it boils the more it will jelly; but moderation must be observed in this respect, for if it be very long boiled and becomes very thick, it will be flat and heavy. a mistaken idea very generally prevails, that water gruel is not nourishing; on the contrary, it is a light, cleansing, nourishing food, good either in sickness or in health, both for old and young.--milk porridge. make some water gruel, and when it has stood awhile to cool, add to it about one third part of new milk without boiling. it may be eaten with or without salt. milk porridge is exceedingly cleansing and easy of digestion, and is agreeable to the weakest stomach. there is also another way of making it, which some prefer. stir a pint of water gradually into three large spoonfuls of fresh oatmeal, let it stand till clear, and then pour off the water. put a pint of fresh water to the oatmeal, stir it up well, and leave it till the next day. strain off the liquor through a fine sieve, and set it in a saucepan over a clear brisk fire. add about half the quantity of milk gradually while it is warming, and when it is just ready to boil take it off, pour it into a basin, add a little salt, and let it stand to cool. this as well as the former porridge is very light, and proper for weak stomachs.--indian arrow root is another excellent preparation for children. put a dessert-spoonful of the powdered root into a basin, and mix with it as much cold new milk as will make it into a paste. pour upon this half a pint of milk scalding-hot, stirring it briskly to keep it smooth. set it on the fire till it is ready to boil, then take it off, pour it into a basin, and let it cool. this may be made with water instead of milk, and some cold milk mixed with it afterwards; or if the stomach be very weak, it will be best without any milk at all. great care must be taken to procure the genuine arrow root, which makes a very strengthening and excellent food for infants or invalids.--sago jelly. soak a large spoonful of sago for an hour in cold water, then pour off the water, add a pint of fresh water to the sago, and stew it gently till it is reduced to about half the quantity. when done, pour it into a basin, and let it cool.--sago with milk. prepare a large spoonful of sago by soaking it for an hour in cold water, but instead of adding water afterwards, put in a pint and a half of new milk. boil it gently till reduced to about half the quantity, then pour it into a basin, and let it cool.--tapioca jelly. wash two good spoonfuls of the large sort of tapioca in cold water, and then soak it in a pint and a half of water for four hours. stew it gently in the same water till it is quite clear. let it stand to cool after it is poured out of the saucepan, and use it either with or without the addition of a little new milk.--pearl barley gruel. put two ounces of pearl barley, after it has been well washed, into a quart of water. simmer it gently till reduced to a pint, then strain it through a sieve, and let it cool.--rice gruel. soak two large spoonfuls of rice in cold water for an hour. pour off the water, and put a pint and a quarter of new milk to the rice. stew it gently till the rice is sufficiently tender to pulp it through a sieve, and then mix the pulp into the milk that the rice was stewed in. simmer it over the fire for ten minutes, and if it appear too thick, gradually add a little more milk, so as not to damp it from simmering. when done, pour it into a basin to cool.--rice milk. to four large spoonfuls of whole rice, washed very clean in cold water, add a quart of new milk, and stew them together very gently for three hours. let it stand in a basin to cool before it is used. another way of making rice milk is boiling the rice first in water, then pouring off the water, and boiling the rice with milk. a better way perhaps is, after washing the rice well, setting it over the fire for half an hour with a little water to break it. add a little at a time some warm milk, till it is sufficiently done, and of a proper thickness. let it simmer slowly, and season it with salt and sugar; but for children the sugar had better be omitted.--ground rice milk. mix a large spoonful of ground rice into a batter, with two or three spoonfuls of new milk. set a pint of new milk on the fire, and when it is scalding hot, stir in the batter, and keep it on the fire till it thickens, but it must not boil. it should be carefully stirred to prevent its burning, and cooled by standing by in a basin.--millet milk. wash three spoonfuls of millet seed in cold water, and put it into a quart of new milk. simmer it gently till it becomes moderately thick, and cool it in a basin till wanted for use. all those preparations which require some time in doing, also require the precaution of being carefully stirred, to prevent their burning.--drinks for young children, in addition to their diet, are best made of milk and water, whey, barley water, pearl barley water, apple water, and toast and water. for milk and water, put one third of new milk to two thirds of spring water. this is best drunk cold; but if it must be warmed, it should be by putting warm water to cold milk. it ought not to be made more than milk warm. for whey, take a quart of new milk before it is cold, and put in as much rennet as will turn it to a clear whey. let it stand till it is properly turned, and pour it off through a cheesecloth without pressing the curd, that the whey may be the purer. it may be drunk cold, or just warmed by setting it before the fire for a little while. if new milk cannot be had, other milk must be warmed to the degree of new milk.--barley water is made of a handful of common barley well washed, and simmered in three pints of water, till of a proper thickness for use; but the longer the barley boils, the thinner the liquor will become. pearl barley water is made of an ounce of pearl barley, heated in half a pint of water over the fire in order to clean it. the water is then poured off, and a quart of fresh water added to the pearl barley. simmer it half an hour, and if it appears too thick, add more water, but let it be kept warm, as any quantity of cold water would damp it too suddenly, and thus tend to spoil it. both this and barley water may be used cold, or milk warm.--apple water. slice into a jug two or three sound ripe apples, and pour on them a quart of scalding hot water. let it stand to cool, and it will be fit for use. the apples should not be pared, as it takes off their spirit.--toast and water is made of a slice of white bread toasted quite dry, and of a dark brown colour. it is then put into a jug, and spring water poured upon it. after an hour it is fit for use. as all these preparations, both of drinks and spoonmeats, become flat and good for little by long standing, it is better to make only such quantities of them at a time as will soon be used. when they are warmed up, no more should be done at once than is just sufficient for the occasion, as repeated warming injures the nutritious quality of every thing. when it can be avoided it is better not to set things on the fire to warm them up, but to place them before or on the side of the fire. care however must be taken not to let them dry and scorch, as it makes them very strong and unwholesome. some earthenware vessel should be used for this purpose, as less liable to produce an injurious effect. a very good method of warming things is by setting them in a basin over boiling water, or by placing them in it. sprains. these generally proceed from some external injury, attended with pain, swelling, and inflammation. a fomentation of vinegar, or camphorated spirits of wine, if applied immediately, will generally be sufficient: if not, a few drops of laudanum should be added. the fomentation should be frequently renewed, and the sprained part kept in a state of rest and relaxation. sprats. when quite good and fresh, their gills are of a fine red, their eyes and whole body beautifully bright. after being scaled and cleaned, they should be fastened in rows by a skewer run through the heads; then broiled, and served up hot and hot. sprats like anchovies. salt them well, and let the salt drain from them. in twenty-four hours wipe them dry, but do not wash them. mix four ounces of common salt, an ounce of bay salt, an ounce of saltpetre, a quarter of an ounce of sal-prunella, and half a tea-spoonful of cochineal, all in the finest powder. sprinkle it amongst three quarts of the fish, and pack them in two stone jars. keep them in a cool place, fastened down with a bladder. these artificial anchovies are pleasant on bread and butter, but the genuine should be used for sauce. spring fruit pudding. peel and wash four dozen sticks of rhubarb, put them into the stewpan with a lemon, a little cinnamon, and sweeten the whole with moist sugar. set it over the fire, and reduce it to a marmalade. pass it through a hair sieve, add the yolks of four eggs and one white, a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, half a nutmeg, and the peel of a lemon grated. beat all well together, line the inside of a pie dish with good puff paste, put in the pudding, and bake it half an hour. spring soup. put a pint of peas into a saucepan with some chervil, purslain, lettuce, sorrel, parsley, three or four onions, and a piece of butter. shake them over the fire a few minutes, add warm water in proportion to the vegetables, and stew them till they are well done. strain off the soup, and pulp the vegetables through a tammis or sieve. heat the pulp with three parts of the soup, mix six yolks of eggs with the remainder of it, and thicken it over the fire. when ready to serve, add this to the soup, and season the whole with salt. sprouts. before the sprouts of greens are boiled, trim and wash them very nicely, and drain them in a cullender. then put them into boiling water, with some salt thrown in, and sprinkle a little more upon the sprouts. boil them very fast, and clear off any scum that may arise. when the stalks are quite tender, drain the sprouts off directly into a cullender, or they will lose both their flavour and colour. serve them up laid neatly in the dish with a fork, as that will not break them like a spoon. borecole and brussel sprouts, like all the cabbage species, should be boiled in plenty of water, changing it when about half done, and boiling them well. spruce beer. pour sixteen gallons of warm water into a barrel, with twelve pounds of molasses, and half a pound of the essence of spruce. when cool, add a pint of yeast, stir it well for two or three days, and put it into stone bottles. wire down the corks, pack the bottles in saw dust, and the liquor will ripen in about a fortnight. squab pie. prepare apples as for other pies, and lay them in rows with mutton chops. shred some onion, and sprinkle it among them, and also some sugar.--another. make a good crust, and sheet your dish all over; lay a layer of pippins, and strew sugar over them; cut a loin of mutton into steaks, season them with pepper and salt; lay a layer of steaks, then pippins; then lay some onions sliced thin on the apples, then the rest of your mutton, and apples and onions over all; pour in a pint of water, and lid your pye; let it be well baked. staffordshire beef steaks. beat them a little with a rollingpin, then flour and season, and fry them of a fine light brown, with sliced onions. lay the steaks into a stewpan, and pour over them as much boiling water as will serve for sauce. stew them very gently for half an hour, and add a spoonful of ketchup or walnut liquor, before they are served up. staffordshire syllabub. put into a bowl a pint of cider, and a glass of brandy, with sugar and nutmeg. pour into it some warm milk, from a large tea-pot, held up high, and moved over it. stains by acids. wet the injured part, and lay on some salt of wormwood; then rub it, without diluting it with more water. or let the cloth imbibe a little water without dipping, and hold the part over a lighted match at a due distance. the spots will be removed by the sulphureous gas. another way is to tie up some pearl ash in the stained part, then scrape some soap into cold soft water to make a lather, and boil the linen till the stain disappears. stains in mahogany. if any kind of furniture get stained with ink, dilute half a tea-spoonful of oil of vitriol with a large spoonful of water, and touch the stained part with a feather dipped in the liquid. it must be watched, and not suffered to remain too long, or it will leave a white mark. it is better to rub it quick, and to moisten it again, if the stain be not entirely removed. staining of bone. this article must first be prepared, by being steeped for several days in a mixture of roche alum, vitriol, verdigris, and copper filings, infused in white wine vinegar. when the ingredients are dissolved, the mixture may be boiled with the bone in it, and it will take a fine green colour. by infusing brazil wood, french berries, or indigo in the vinegar, with a little roche alum, either red, yellow, or blue may be produced. either bone, ivory, or wood, may be coloured in this manner. staining of parchment. paper or parchment may be stained of a green colour, by gradually dissolving some copper filings in aqua-fortis, or the spirits of salt, putting in the filings till the ebullition ceases. a solution of verdigris in vinegar, or the crystals of verdigris in water, will answer the same purpose. a fine crimson stain may be produced by a tincture of the indian lake, made by infusing the lake several days in spirits of wine, and pouring off the tincture from the dregs. a beautiful yellow may be formed from the tincture of turmeric, made in the same way. if the colours be wanted of a deeper cast, arnatto or dragon's blood may be added to the tincture. staining of wood. to stain wood of a mahogany colour, put it into a mixture of oil of turpentine and pounded dragon's blood, and let it stand an hour over a slow fire. when taken off the fire, the wood may remain in the liquor all night. the dye may be made stronger or weaker, by using more or less of dragon's blood, and by a greater or less degree of digestion and boiling. the best wood for this purpose is plane tree, because it may easily be sawn and polished, and is beautifully veined and spotted. to stain wood a fine black, drop a little oil of vitriol into a small quantity of water, rub it on the wood, and hold it to the fire. it will then become a fine black, and receive a beautiful polish. stalks of beet leaves. trim and well wash the stalks of green and white beet leaves, and boil them in water, moving them frequently, to prevent the upper ones from turning black. when done enough, drain them in a cullender. make a white sauce with a little flour and water, a piece of butter, some pepper and salt, and a taste of vinegar. thicken this over the fire, and put in the stalks to stew gently for a few minutes, to give them a flavour. if the butter oils, it is a sign that the sauce is too thick. in this case add another spoonful or two of water, and shake the stewpan till the sauce recovers it appearance. starch is a substance which is extracted from wheaten flour, by washing it in water. all farinaceous seeds, and the roots of most vegetables, afford this substance in a greater or less degree; but it is most easily obtained from the flour of wheat, by moistening any quantity thereof with a little water, and kneading it with the hand into a tough paste: this being washed with water, by letting fall upon it a very slender stream, the water will be rendered turbid as it runs off, in consequence of the fecula or starch which it extracts from the flour, and which will subside when the water is allowed to stand at rest. the starch so obtained, when dried in the sun, or by a stove, is usually concreted into small masses of a long figure and columnar shape, which have a fine white colour, scarcely any smell, and very little taste. if kept dry, starch in this state continues a long time uninjured, although exposed to the air. it is not soluble in cold water; but forms a thick paste with boiling-hot water, and when this paste is allowed to cool, it becomes semi-transparent and gelatinous, and being dried, becomes brittle, and somewhat resembles gum. starch, although found in all nutritive grains, is only perfect when they have attained maturity, for before this it is in a state approaching to mucilage, and so mixed with saccharine matter and essential oils, that it cannot be extracted in sufficient purity to concrete into masses. wheat, or such parts of it as are not used for human food, are usually employed for manufacturing starch, such as the refuse wheat and bran; but when the finest starch is required, good grain must be used. this, being well cleaned, and sometimes coarsely bruised, is put into wooden vessels full of water to ferment: to assist the fermentation, the vessels are exposed to the greatest heat of the sun, and the water is changed twice a day, during eight or twelve days, according to the season. when the grain bursts easily under the finger, and gives out a milky white liquor when squeezed, it is judged to be sufficiently softened and fermented. in this state, the grains are taken out of the water by a sieve, and put into a canvas sack, and the husks are separated and rubbed off, by beating and rubbing the sack upon a plank: the sack is then put into a tub filled with cold water, and trodden or beaten till the water becomes milky and turbid, from the starch which it takes up from the grain. a scum sometimes swims upon the surface of the water, which must be carefully removed; the water is then run off through a fine sieve into a settling-vessel, and fresh water is poured upon the grains, two or three times, till it will not extract any more starch, or become coloured by the grain. the water in the settling-vessels being left at rest, precipitates the starch which it held suspended; and to get rid of the saccharine matter, which was also dissolved by the water, the vessels are exposed to the sun, which soon produces the acetous fermentation, and takes up such matter as renders the starch more pure and white. during this process, the starch for sale in the shops receives its colour, which consists of smalt mixed with water and a small quantity of alum, and is thoroughly incorporated with the starch; but this starch is unfit for medicinal purposes. when the water becomes completely sour, it is poured gently off from the starch, which is washed several times afterwards with clean water, and at last is placed to drain upon linen cloths supported by hurdles, and the water drips through, leaving the starch upon the cloths, in which it is pressed or wrung, to extract as much as possible of the water; and the remainder is evaporated, by cutting the starch into pieces, which are laid up in airy places, upon a floor of plaster or of slightly burnt bricks, until it becomes completely dried from all moisture, partly by the access of warm air, and partly by the floor imbibing the moisture. in winter time, the heat of a stove must be employed to effect the drying. lastly, the pieces of dried starch are scraped, to remove the outside crust, which makes inferior starch, and these pieces are broken into smaller pieces for sale. the grain which remains in the sack after the starch is extracted, contains the husks and the glutinous part of the wheat, which are found very nutritious food for cattle. the french manufacturers, according to "les arts et metiers," pursue a more economical method, as they are enabled, by employing an acid water for the fermentation in the first instance, to use the most inferior wheat, and the bran or husks of wheat. this water they prepare, by putting a pailful of warm water into a tub, with about two pounds of leaven, such as some bakers use to make their dough rise or ferment. the water stands two days, and is then stirred up, and half a pailful of warm water added to it; then being left to settle till it is clear, it is poured off for use. to use this water in the fermentation of the materials, a quantity of it is poured into a tub, and about as much fair water is poured upon it as will fill the tub half full: the remainder of the tub is then filled up with the materials, which are one half refuse wheat, and the other half bran. in this tub it continues to steep and ferment during ten days, or less, according to the strength of the leaven-water, and according to the disposition of the weather for fermentation. when the materials have been sufficiently steeped, or fermented, an unctuous matter, which is the oil of the grain, will be seen swimming on the surface, having been thrown up by the fermentation. this must be scummed off; and the fermented grain, being taken out of the tub, is put into a fine hair sieve, placed over a settling-tub, when fair water is poured upon it, and washed through the sieve into the tub; by which means the starch is carried through the sieve with the water, of which about six times the quantity of the grain are used. the water stands in the settling tub for a day, and becomes clear at top; when it is carefully laded out of the tub, leaving at the bottom a white sediment, which is the starch. the water which is taken off is sour, and is called _sure_ water: this is the proper leaven for the first steeping of the materials. the starch now obtained must be rendered marketable; for which purpose, as much water is poured upon it as will enable it to be pounded and broken up with a shovel, and then the tub is filled up with fair water. two days after this, the water is laded out from the tub, and the starch appears in the bottom, but covered over with a dark-coloured and inferior kind of starch, which is taken off, and employed for fattening hogs. the remainder of the sediment, which is good starch, is washed several times, to remove all the inferior starch; and when this is done, about four inches of thick starch should be found at the bottom of each tub: but the quantity varies, according to the goodness of the meal or bran which has been used. it is evident that the refuse wheat, when employed for making starch, ought to afford more, the whole being used, than the bran or husks; but the starch so extracted is always of an inferior quality to that which is extracted from the bran of good wheat, particularly in the whiteness of its colour. the starch in the different tubs is brought together into one, and there worked up with as much water as will dissolve it into a thin paste, which is put into a silk sieve, and strained through with fresh water. this water is settled in a tub, and afterwards poured off, but before it is so completely settled as to lose all its white colour: this renders the starch which is deposited, still finer and whiter; and the starch which is deposited by the water so poured off, is of a more common quality. the starch, thus purified, is taken out of the bottom of the tubs, and put into wicker-baskets, about eighteen inches long and ten deep, rounded at the corners, and lined with linen cloths, which are not fastened to the baskets. the water drips from the starch through the cloths for a day, and the baskets are then carried up to apartments at the top of the house, where the floor is made of very clean white plaster; and the windows are thrown open, to admit a current of air. here the baskets are turned downwards upon the plaster-floor, and the linen cloths, not being fastened to the baskets, follow the starch, and when taken off, leave loaves, or cakes of starch, which are left to dry a little, and are then broken into smaller pieces, and left on the plaster-floor, till very dry. but if the weather is at all humid, the starch is removed from the plaster-floor and spread out upon shelves, in an apartment which is warmed by a stove, and there it remains till perfectly dry. the pieces are afterwards scraped, to remove the outside crust, which makes common starch; and the scraped pieces being again broken small, the starch is carried to the stove, and spread out to a depth of three inches, on hurdles covered with cloths. the starch must be turned over every morning and evening, to prevent it from turning to a greenish colour, which it would otherwise do. those manufacturers who are not provided with a stove, make use of the top of a baker's oven to spread the starch upon; and after being thoroughly dried here, it is ready for sale. starch may be made from potatoes, by soaking them about an hour in water, and taking off their roots and fibres, then rubbing them quite clean by a strong brush: after this they are reduced to a pulp, by grating them in water. this pulp is to be collected in a tub, and mixed up with a large quantity of clear water: at the same time, another clean tub must be provided; and a hair sieve, not too fine, must be supported over it by two wooden rails extended across the tub. the pulp and water are thrown into the sieve, and the flour of starch is carried through with the water; fresh water must then be poured on, till it runs through quite clear. the refuse pulp which remains in the sieve, being boiled in water, makes an excellent food for animals; and the quantity of this pulp is near seven-eighths of all the potatoes employed. the liquor which has passed through the sieve is turbid, and of a darkish colour, from the extractive matter which is dissolved in it. when it is suffered to rest for five or six hours, all this matter deposits or settles to the bottom, and the liquor which remains is to be poured off as useless; and a large quantity of fresh water is thrown upon the flour, and stirred up: it is then settled for a day, and the water being poured off, the flour will be found to have again settled in a whiter state. but to improve it, another quantity of water is poured on, and mixed up with it; in which state it is passed through a fine silk sieve, to arrest any small quantity of the pulp which may have escaped the first hair sieve. the whole must afterwards be suffered to stand quiet, till the flour is entirely settled, and the water above become perfectly clear; but if the water has any sensible colour or taste, the flour must be washed again with fresh water, for it is absolutely necessary that none of the extractive matter be suffered to remain with it. the flour, when thus obtained pure, and drained from the water, may be taken out of the tub with a wooden shovel, and placed upon wicker-frames covered with paper, to be dried in some situation properly defended from dust. when the manufacture of starch from potatoes is attempted in a large way, some kind of mill must be used to reduce them to a pulp, as the grating of them by hand is too tedious an operation. a mill invented by m. baumé is very complete for this purpose. in its general structure it resembles a large coffee-mill: the grater consists of a cone of iron plate, about seven inches in diameter, and eight inches in height, the exterior surface of which is made toothed, like a rasp, by piercing holes through the plate from the inside. this cone is fixed upon a verticle axle, with a handle at the top to turn it by; and is mounted on the pivots of the axle, within a hollow cylinder of plate-iron, toothed withinside like the outside of the cone; the smallest end of the interior cone being uppermost, and the lower or larger end being as large as the interior diameter of the hollow cylinder. a conical hopper is fixed to the hollow cylinder, round the top of it, into which the potatoes are thrown; and falling down into the space between the outside of the cone and the inside of the hollow cylinder, they are ground, and reduced to a pulp, when the interior cone is turned round by its handle; and as the lower part of the cone is fitted close to the interior diameter of the cylinder, the potatoes must be ground to a fine pulp before they can pass through between the two. the machine, when at work, is placed in a tub filled with water; and as fast as the grinding proceeds, the pulp mixes regularly with the water, ready for the process before described. poland starch is reckoned the best: its quality may be judged of by the fineness of the grain, its being very brittle, and of a good colour. the price of starch depends upon that of flour; and when bread is cheap, starch may be bought to advantage. if it be of good quality it will keep for some years, covered close, and laid up in a dry warm room. in the year , lord william murray obtained a patent for manufacturing starch from horse-chesnuts. the method was to take the horse-chesnuts out of the outward green prickly husk, and either by hand, with a knife or tool, or else with a mill adapted for the purpose, the brown rind was carefully removed, leaving the chesnuts perfectly white, and without the smallest speck. in this state the nuts were rasped or ground to a pulp with water, and the pulp washed with water through a coarse horse-hair sieve, and twice afterwards through finer sieves, with a constant addition of clear cold water, till all the starch was washed clean from the pulp which remained in the sieve; and the water being settled, deposited the starch, which was afterwards repeatedly washed, purified, and dried, in the same manner as the potatoe-starch before described. we are not informed if this manufacture has been carried into effect. the sour, nauseous, milky liquor obtained in the process of starch-making, appears, upon analysis, to contain acetous acid, ammonia, alcohol, gluten, and phosphate of lime. the office of the acid is to dissolve the gluten and phosphate of lime, and thus to separate them from the starch. starch is used along with smalt, or stone-blue, to stiffen and clear linen. the powder of it is also used to whiten and powder the hair. it is also used by the dyers, to dispose their stuffs to take colours the better. starch is sometimes used instead of sugar-candy for mixing with the colours that are used in strong gum-water, to make them work more freely, and to prevent their cracking. it is also used medicinally for the same intentions with the viscous substance which the flour of wheat forms with milk, in fluxes and catarrhs, under various forms of powders, mixtures, &c. a drachm of starch, with three ounces of any agreeable simple water, and a little sugar, compose an elegant jelly, of which a spoonful may be taken every hour or two. these gelatinous mixtures are likewise an useful injection in some diarrhoeas, particularly where the lower intestines have their natural mucus rubbed off by the flux, or are constantly irritated by the acrimony of the matter. steaks fried. moisten the pan with butter, put in some beef steaks, and when done, lay them on a dish. put to the gravy that comes out of them, a glass of port wine, half an anchovy, a sliced shalot with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. give it a boil in the pan, pour it over the steaks, and send them hot to table. in a plainer way, put a little flour and water into the pan with the gravy when the steaks are taken out, adding a spoonful of ketchup, an onion or shalot. the wine and anchovy may be omitted. garnish with scraped horse-radish round the dish. steak pie. raise a crust pretty deep and thick. divide a breast or neck of mutton into steaks, beat and season them with nutmeg, pepper, and salt. add some sweet herbs cut very fine, two onions sliced, the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced, and two spoonfuls of capers. scatter these among the steaks as they are laid into the pie. put on the top crust, and let the pie soak in a moderately hot oven for two hours or longer, according to its size. have some gravy ready to put into it through a funnel, when it is to be served up. steak pudding. make a paste of suet or dripping and flour, roll it out, and line a basin with it. season the meat, and put it in. cover it with the paste, pinch it close round the edge, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it two hours, but be careful not to break it.--another way. make a good paste, with suet shred very fine, and flour; mix it up with cold water, and a little salt, and make your crust pretty stiff; about two pounds of suet to a quarter of a peck of flour. let the steaks be either beef or mutton, well seasoned with pepper and salt; make it up like an apple-pudding, tie it in a cloth tight, and put it into the water boiling. if it be a large pudding, it will take four or five hours; if a middling one, three hours. steaks rolled. after beating them to make them tender, spread them over with any quantity of high seasoned forcemeat. then roll them up, and skewer them tight. fry the steaks in nice dripping, till they become of a delicate brown. then take them out of the fat in which they were fried, and put them into a stewpan with some good gravy, a spoonful of port wine, and some ketchup. when sufficiently stewed, serve them up with the gravy, and a few pickled mushrooms. steam. steam is employed to great advantage for culinary purposes. it is made to communicate with vessels in the form of boilers, as a substitute for having fires under them, which is a great advantage, both in the economy of fuel, and in avoiding at the same time the nuisance of ashes and smoke. the most convenient application of steam for culinary purposes is, when it directly acts upon the substance to be heated. this has been generally effected by placing the substance, whether meat or vegetables, in a vessel without water, and allowing the steam to enter and condense upon it. the most convenient apparatus of this kind we have yet heard of, consists of a cast-iron plate about thirty inches or three feet square, standing horizontally in a recess in the wall, like a table. round the edge of this plate is a groove, about half an inch wide and two inches deep. into this groove fits an inverted tin vessel, like a dish-cover. this is capable of being elevated and depressed by a pulley and chain, having a counterpoise, in order to expose the table at any time. the steam comes under the table and enters in the centre. the dishes to receive the heat are placed on any part within the groove, the steam being common to all. the water resulting from the condensation runs into the groove, and at a point short of the top runs off. the water which remains forms a complete water-lute, to prevent the escape of steam. the table being placed in a recess, like a common stone hearth, a small flue is placed over it to take away any steam that may escape when the cover is lifted up. the great quantity of hot water required in a scullery should be perpetually kept up by a supply of steam. for this purpose a large cylindrical vessel of cast-iron should be elevated in a corner of the scullery, in order that water may be drawn from it by a cock. this vessel should be connected from the bottom with a cold-water cistern, the bottom of which is level with the top of the cylinder, by which the latter is kept constantly full. the hot-water cylinder is closed firmly at the top, and therefore, when the air is allowed to escape, the water rises to the top. if now a pipe be connected with the top, coming down to where it is to be drawn off, if any portion is drawn out here, as much will come in at the bottom of the cylinder from the reservoir above. so far we have described this cylinder without its steam-vessel. within this cylinder, and about the middle, is a distinct vessel, nearly of the width of the cylinder; but having a free space round the inner vessel about an inch wide. the depth of the inner vessel must be about one-sixth that of the outer one. this inner vessel must have no connection with the outer one, and must be so water-tight, that although it is surrounded with the water of the outer one, none should get in. the inner vessel is on one side connected by a pipe with a steam-boiler, having another pipe to allow the condensed water to run off, which may be preserved as distilled water, and is valuable for many purposes. the heat arising from the condensation is communicated to the water in the outer vessel, the hottest being at the top, where the mouth of the exit-pipe is placed. when, therefore, a portion of hot water is drawn from the cock, the pipe of which comes from the top of the vessel immediately under the cover, an equal quantity comes in at the bottom from the reservoir. this useful apparatus is the invention of an ingenious economist of derby, and is at present in use in his kitchen. the art of boiling vegetables of all kinds in steam instead of water, might probably be managed to advantage, as a greater degree of heat might be thus given them, by contriving to increase the heat of the steam after it has left the water; and thus the vegetable mucilage in roots and seeds, as in potatoes and flour puddings, as well as in their leaves, stems, and flower-cups, might be rendered probably more nutritive, and perhaps more palatable; but that many of the leaves of vegetables, as the summits of cabbage-sprouts, lose their green colour by being boiled in steam, and look like blanched vegetables. steam has likewise lately been applied in gardening to the purpose of forcing plants of different kinds in the winter season, in order to have their produce at an early period, as to the cucumber, and some other vegetables of a somewhat similar nature; but the exact manner of its application in this intention, so far as we know, has not yet been communicated to the public; it is, however, by some mode of flues, pipes, and other contrivances for conveying and containing it, so as that its heat may be uninterruptedly, equally, and regularly afforded to the roots of the plants which it is designed to push forward into the fruiting state. it is said to have been used in some instances in different parts of lancashire with great success. but how far the expense and advantage of such a method may admit of and encourage its being introduced into general practice, have not, probably, yet been well or fully ascertained. if it should be found capable of perfectly succeeding in this use, on more full and correct experience, it will, however, constitute not only a neat and clean, but an elegant mode of forcing plants into fruit at early seasons. steamed potatoes. the potatoes must be well washed, but not pared, and put into the steamer when the water boils. moderate sized potatoes will require three quarters of an hour to do them properly. they should be taken up as soon as they are done enough, or they will become watery. steel. to transform iron into steel, put four ounces of cast iron into a crucible, with a considerable degree of heat. while in a state of fusion, immerse in it a polished iron wire of some thickness, and keep it there for some time, but not so long as to fuse it. when cold, the wire will be so hard as to resist the action of a common file, being converted into steel. steel rust. the prevention of rust, on such articles of furniture as are made of polished steel, is an object of great importance in domestic economy. the cutlers in sheffield, when they have given a knife or razor blade the requisite degree of polish, rub them with powdered quick-lime, in order to prevent them from tarnishing; and it seems that articles made of polished steel are dipped in lime water, before they are sent into the retail market. but when steel has contracted rust, the method of cleaning and polishing it is to oil the rusty parts, and let it remain in that state two or three days. then wipe it dry with clean rags, and polish with emery or pumice stone, or hard wood. after the oil is cleared off, a little fresh lime finely powdered will often be found sufficient; but where a higher polish is required, it will be necessary to use a paste composed of finely levigated bloodstone and spirits of wine. steel stoves. to preserve them effectually from rust, beat into three pounds of unsalted lard, two drams of camphor sliced thin, till the whole is absorbed. then take as much black lead as will make it of the colour of broken steel; dip a rag into it, rub it thick on the stove, and the steel will never rust, even if wetted. when the stove is to be used, the grease must be washed off with hot water, and the steel be dried before polishing. stewed artichokes. wash and pare some jerusalem artichokes, and part them in two. boil them in a small quantity of gravy till almost done, and the liquor nearly consumed. then add some cream, a piece of butter rolled in flour and a little salt, all in proportion to the number of artichokes. stew them gently for ten minutes, and serve them up with sippets of white bread fried. stewed artichoke bottoms. boil some artichokes till about half done, and then take off the leaves and the choke. trim the bottoms nicely, and stew them gently in some gravy, with a little lemon-juice or vinegar, and some salt, till they are quite tender. before serving them up, wipe them dry, then lay them in a dish with sippets of toasted or fried bread laid round it, and pour some strong clear gravy over them. dried artichoke bottoms may also be used for stewing, but should first be soaked a little while in warm water. stewed breast of veal. take a nice breast of veal, cut off the thin end, and boil it down for your sauce, with a faggot of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with three cloves, two blades of mace, some whole pepper and salt; put to it a quart of water, and let it stew gently till half is wasted, then raise the skin off your breast of veal, and make a forcemeat of the sweetbread first parboiled, a few crumbs of bread, a little beef suet, and some parsley shred very fine; season it with pepper, salt, and nutmeg; moisten it with a spoonful of cream, and an egg; mix all well together, and force your veal; skewer it down close, dredge it over with flour, tie it up in a clean cloth, and let it boil an hour and a half. if your gravy is done, strain it off, and take off the fat very clean; blanch and beard half a pint of oysters, a gill of pickled mushrooms, a little lemon-peel shred very fine: put this to your gravy, and thicken it with a piece of butter rolled in flour; fry six or eight large oysters, dipped in batter for garnish. when your veal is enough, dish it up, and pour your sauce over. garnish your dish with lemon, oysters, and barberries. stewed brisket of beef. stew nine pounds of brisket of beef, in two gallons of water, for two or three hours over night. when made sufficiently tender, take out the bones, and carefully skim off the fat. boil in some of the liquor a few carrots, turnips, onions, celery, and white cabbage, till they become quite tender. add some salt, and the remainder of the broth to the beef, and stew all together till sufficiently done. stewed calf's liver larded. take a calf's liver, and lard it, and put it into a stewpan, with some water, a bundle of sweet herbs, an onion, a blade of mace, some whole pepper, and a little salt; cover it close, and let it stew till it is enough; then take up your liver, and put it into the dish you intend; cover it over, and take out your herbs and spice; skim off all the fat very clean; put in a piece of butter rolled in flour; boil it till it is of a proper thickness; pour it over your liver, and send it to table garnished with lemon. stewed cardoons. cut them into pieces, not more than five or six inches long. take off the outward skin, and wash and scald them. put them into a stewpan, with gravy enough to cover them, and let them stew gently till almost done, and the liquor nearly exhausted. add a small quantity of fresh gravy, and continue stewing them gently till quite tender. serve them up with sippets of toasted bread round the edge of the dish. if the gravy is not sufficiently seasoned, add a little salt and cayenne. stewed carp. scale and clean the fish, and preserve the roe. lay the carp in a stewpan, with a rich beef-gravy, an onion, eight cloves, a dessert-spoonful of jamaica pepper, the same of black pepper, and a glass of port or cider. simmer it closely covered; when nearly done, add two anchovies chopped fine, a dessert-spoonful of made mustard, a little fine walnut ketchup, and a bit of butter rolled in flour. shake it, and let the gravy boil a few minutes. serve with sippets of fried bread, the roe fried, and a good deal of horseradish and lemon.--another way. scale your carp, then gut and wash them very clean, and dry them in a cloth; put a piece of butter into a stewpan, when it is hot, fry them as quick as you can, till they are of a fine brown; boil the roes, then fry them of a fine gold colour; take them up, and keep them hot before the fire: then put to your carp half port wine and half water, as much as will cover them a little more than half way; put in some thyme, parsley, a piece of lemon-peel, whole pepper, a few cloves, a blade or two of mace, an onion, some horse-radish sliced, and two spoonfuls of ketchup; put on your cover, and let it stew very gently, till your fish is enough; do not turn them in the pan, but with a ladle take some of the liquor, and pour over your fish every now and then, while they are stewing, then cover them close again: when they are done enough, take them out of the pan with a slice, and take care not to break them; put them into the dish you intend to send them to table in, then strain the liquor, and thicken it up with a piece of butter rolled in flour; let it boil till it is pretty thick, pour the sauce over the fish, and garnish your dish with the roes, lemon, and horseradish, and send it to table. you may squeeze a little lemon into the sauce, if you like it, and add oysters fried in butter; or you may stew them in cider, instead of wine, and it is very little inferior. tench may be done the same way.--to stew carp white. scale and gut your fish very clean, save the roes and melts, then stove them in some good white broth; season them with mace, salt, whole pepper, an onion stuck with cloves, a faggot of sweet herbs, and about half a pint of white wine; cover them close, and let them stew gently over a charcoal fire. dip the roes and melts in the yolk of an egg; flour them, and fry them of a fine brown, and have fried parsley and sippets ready. when the fish is near done, take out the onion and faggot, beat up the yolks of four or five eggs, take up the fish carefully, and put it into the dish you serve it in; pour off the sauce, then strain it into a stewpan, and put in your eggs; keep it stirring till it is as fine as cream, then pour it over the dish. garnish with the roes, fried parsley, sippets, horseradish scraped, and lemon: send it as hot as possible to table.--a plain way to stew carp. clean your carp very well, cut them in two, put them into a stewpan, with a little onion shred fine, pepper, salt, a little beaten mace, a few capers chopped small, and some crusts of bread chipped in. then pour in a gill of white, and a gill of red wine, and as much water as will just cover them; cover the pan close, and let them stew till they are enough, and the sauce grown thick. serve it up with lemon and horseradish for garnish. stewed carrots. half boil, scrape them nicely, and slice them into a stewpan. add half a tea-cupful of weak broth, the same quantity of cream, with pepper and salt. simmer till the carrots are quite tender, but not broken. before serving, warm them up with a bit of butter rubbed in flour. chopped parsley may be added, if approved, ten minutes before serving. stewed celery. wash six heads, and strip off the outer leaves. either divide or leave them whole, according to their size, and cut them into lengths of four inches. put them into a stewpan with a cup of broth, or weak gravy, and stew them tender. add two spoonfuls of cream, and a little flour and butter seasoned with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and simmer them all together. stewed chickens. cut two chickens into quarters; wash them clean, and put them into a stewpan, with half a pint of red wine, and a gill of water, an onion, a faggot of sweet herbs, seasoned with mace, pepper, and salt; cover them close, and let them stew half an hour, then take the quantity of an egg of butter rolled in flour; take out the onion and sweet herbs; shake it round till it is of a good thickness, and take off all the scum very clean: dish it up garnished with lemon.--to stew chickens for a tender stomach. take two nice chickens, and half boil them; then take them up into a small soup-dish; separate all the joints, and add three or four spoonfuls of the liquor they are boiled in, with a little beaten mace, and salt; then cover them close with another dish, and keep in all the steam; set it over a clear stove, and let it stew till the chickens are enough, and send them hot to table in the same dish they were stewed in. stewed cod. cut a cod in slices, as you would for crimping, lay it in a clean stewpan; season it with nutmeg, a little mace finely beaten, pepper, and salt, and a bundle of sweet herbs; then pour in white wine and water an equal quantity, just to cover it: put on the cover, and let it simmer for six or eight minutes; skim it very clean, put in half a pint of shrimps clean picked, a good piece of butter rolled in flour, and the juice of a lemon; cover it, and shake your pan round gently: as soon as it begins to boil, take off all the scum as it rises: if your sauce is of a proper thickness, your fish will be enough; wipe the rim of the pan very clean, and slide the fish into your dish, taking care not to break it. garnish with lemon and scraped horse-radish.--another way. lay the slices into a large stewpan, so that they need not be laid one upon another. season with nutmeg, pepper, and salt, a bundle of sweet herbs, and an onion. add half a pint of white wine, and a quarter of a pint of water. simmer it gently a few minutes, squeeze in a lemon, add a few oysters, the liquor strained, a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a little mace. cover it close, and let it stew gently, shaking the pan often. when done take out the herbs and onions, and serve it up with the sauce poured over it. stewed cucumbers. slice them thick, or halve and divide them into two lengths. strew over them some salt and pepper, and sliced onions: add a little broth, or a bit of butter. simmer very slowly, and put in a little flour and butter before serving.--another way. slice the onions, and cut the cucumbers large. flour and fry them in butter, then stew them in good broth or gravy, and skim off the fat. stewed duck. half roast a duck, put it into a stewpan with a pint of beef gravy, a few leaves of sage and mint cut small, pepper and salt, and a small bit of onion shred as fine as possible. simmer them a quarter of an hour, skim it clean, and add nearly a quart of green peas. cover the stewpan close, and simmer near half an hour longer. put in a piece of butter and a little flour, give it one boil, and serve all together in a dish. stewed eels. melt an ounce of butter in a stewpan, add a handful of sorrel cut in large pieces, a dozen sage leaves finely minced, five pounds of eels cut in pieces, and seasoned with pepper and salt. then put in two anchovies boned and minced, half a nutmeg, and half a pint of water. stew them gently together for half an hour, take out the onion, squeeze in a lemon, and lay toasted bread round the dish. half this quantity will be sufficient for a small dish.--another way. take what quantity of eels you please; after they are cleaned, fry them in butter, then pour the butter clear off; put into your pan a bundle of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with two or three cloves, a blade of mace, some whole pepper, and a little salt; then add a pint of red wine and water, and let them stew till they are tender: put the eels into a dish, strain off the sauce, and thicken it up with a piece of butter rolled in flour, or a piece of thickened burnt butter. garnish your dish with horse-radish and lemon.--another way. having cleaned your eels very well, cut them in pieces, put them into a stewpan, with a bundle of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with cloves, mace, whole pepper, and a little salt; put to them a gill of white wine, half a pint of red, and a gill of water; cover them close, and let them stew till tender; strain off the gravy, thicken it up, and send it to table.--to stew an eel whole. take a fine large eel, clean it well, force the inside with crumbs of bread, an anchovy cut fine, salt, pepper, a little nutmeg, and two or three oysters bruised, with some parsley shred fine; fill the inside as full as you can, sew it up with fine thread, turn it round, and run a small skewer through it, to keep it in its folds; put it into a small stewpan, with an onion stuck with cloves, and a faggot of herbs; put over it red wine; cover the pan down very close, and let it stew gently till tender; take out the onion, &c. put the eel into a dish, and a plate over it; thicken the sauce with butter rolled in flour, and squeeze a little lemon into the plate. if you have any forcemeat left, make them into small balls, and fry them; put them into the sauce, give them a toss, and pour it over the eel. garnish the dish with fried oysters, horseradish, and lemon. stewed endive. trim off all the green parts of the endive, wash and cut into pieces, and scald it till about half done. drain it well, chop it a little, put it into a stewpan with a little strong gravy, and stew it gently till quite tender. season it with some pepper and salt, and serve it up as a sauce to any kind of roast meat; or it eats well with potatoes. stewed fowl with celery. take a fowl or turkey trussed short as for boiling, press down the breast-bone, put it into a clean stewpan, with good veal broth, as much as will cover it; season it with beaten mace, pepper and salt, a faggot of sweet herbs, and an onion; cover it close, and let it boil; in the mean time, take a large bunch of celery, cut all the white part small, and wash it very clean; if your turkey or fowl boils, take out the onion and herbs; scum it very clean, and put in your celery; cover it down close, and let it stew till your celery is very tender, and your fowl likewise; take a clean stewpan, and set it over your stove; take up your fowl or turkey, and keep it hot; pour your celery and sauce into your stewpan; beat up the yolks of two or three eggs in half a pint of cream, and a large spoonful of white wine; stir it till it is of a good thickness, and just at boiling squeeze in a little juice of lemon, or a little mushroom pickle; shake it round, and pour it over your fowl. garnish your dish with lemon. stewed french beans. prepare some young beans as for boiling, and boil them in plenty of water, with salt in it, till they are rather more than half done. drain them in a cullender, beat up the yolks of three eggs with a quarter of a pint of cream, put them into a stewpan with two ounces of fresh butter, and set it over a slow fire. when hot, put in the beans, with a spoonful of vinegar, and simmer them quite tender, stirring the mixture to keep it from curdling or burning. to stew french beans with gravy, pursue the same method, only instead of the eggs and cream, put half a pint of gravy. use only half the quantity of butter, and add that rolled in flour, to thicken up the whole after the beans are put in. the vinegar should be omitted, and cayenne and salt added if required. stewed giblets. after very nicely cleaning goose or duck giblets, and removing the thick membrane from the gizzards, stew them, in a little water. season them with salt and pepper, and a very small piece of mace. before serving, give them one boil with a cup of cream, and a piece of butter rubbed in a tea-spoonful of flour. stewed green peas. to a quart of peas add a quart of gravy, two or three lumps of sugar, with pepper and salt. stew them gently till the peas are quite tender, and if the gravy is not sufficiently thick, add a piece of butter rolled in flour. if the peas are old, half boil them first in hard water, before they are stewed. whether for young or old peas, the gravy must be strong. to stew them in a mild way, put a pint of young peas into a stewpan, with very little water, and two young lettuces cut small. stew them gently till the peas are tender, then add four spoonfuls of cream, a lump of sugar, and the yolks of two eggs. stir the whole together over the fire for a short time, but do not allow it to boil. a little salt should be added before serving up the stew. another way is to take a quart of young peas, a small onion sliced, two lettuces cut small, and a sprig or two of mint. put them into a stewpan, adding some salt, a little pepper and mace, and half a pint of hard water. stew these gently for twenty minutes, then put in a quarter of a pound of butter rolled in flour, and a spoonful of mushroom ketchup. keep the stewpan over the fire till the peas are quite tender, shaking it frequently, and never suffering them to boil. receipts for stewing peas might be multiplied to almost any extent, for there is no one preparation in cookery perhaps more varied than this, though without any very material difference. stewed hare. take off the legs and shoulders, cut out the backbone, cut into pieces the meat which comes off the sides, and put all into a stewpan. add three quarters of a pint of small beer, the same of water, a large onion stuck with cloves, some whole pepper, a slice of lemon, and a little salt. stew it gently for an hour, close covered, and put to it a quart of gravy. stew it gradually two hours longer, or till it is quite tender. take out the hare, rub smooth half a spoonful of flour in a little gravy, add it to the sauce, and boil it up. then add a little salt and cayenne, and put in the hare again. when heated through, serve it up in a tureen or deep dish, adding port wine if approved. stewed knuckle of veal. take a knuckle of veal of about five pounds; wash it clean, and put it into a clean stewpan, with two quarts of water, a faggot of sweet herbs, two blades of mace, an onion stuck with three or four cloves, some whole pepper, and a little salt; put in a crust of the upper part of a loaf, cover it down close, and make it boil, then scum it very clean, and let it just simmer for full two hours. when you take it up, put your veal into the dish first, and strain your broth through a fine sieve over it, then take off all the fat very clean, and put some thin slices of french roll in your dish, and toasted bread cut in dice, in a plate. serve it up hot. you may boil a quarter of a pound of rice in fair water, till it is very tender; then strain it off; and when you send your veal to table, lay your rice all over it.--rice is better boiled by itself, for when you boil it with the meat, the scum is apt to discolour it, and make it eat greasy. stewed lobster. pick the meat out of the shell, put it into a dish that has a lamp, and rub it down with a bit of butter. add two spoonfuls of any sort of gravy, one of soy or walnut ketchup, a little salt and cayenne, and a spoonful of port. a lobster thus stewed will have a very fine relish. stewed muscles. wash your muscles very clean, then put them into a large stewpan over a good fire; put over them a coarse wet cloth doubled: when they begin to boil, take up the cloth; if the shells are open, take them off the fire, and pick out the fish, beard them, and cut off the tongue: when you have picked about a quart, strain half a pint of the liquor to them, roll two ounces of butter in flour, add a glass of white wine, a little beaten mace, and squeeze in a little lemon juice; let them stew till of a proper thickness, put toasted sippets in the dish, pour in the muscles, and send them to table. cockles may be done the same way. stewed mushrooms. the large buttons are best, and the small flaps while the fur is still red. rub the large buttons with salt and a piece of flannel, cut out the fur, and take off the skin from the others. sprinkle them with salt, put them into a stewpan, and add some peppercorns. let it simmer slowly till it is done, then put in a small bit of butter and flour, and two spoonfuls of cream. give it one boil, and serve up the dish with sippets of bread. stewed mutton chops. take some chops of the best end of a loin of mutton, or some slices out of the middle part of a leg. season them with pepper and salt, lay them into a stewpan with some sliced onion, and cover them with water and a little gravy. when done on one side, turn the steaks on the other, and thicken the gravy at the same time with some butter and flour. a little shalot or ketchup, or both, may be added at pleasure. twenty or twenty-five minutes will stew them, but long stewing will make them hard. stewed onions. peel six large onions, fry them gently of a fine brown, but do not blacken them. then put them into a small stewpan, with a little weak gravy, pepper and salt. cover and stew them gently two hours, and let them be lightly floured at first. stewed ox cheek. soak and cleanse a fine cheek the day before it is to be eaten. put it into a stewpan that will cover close, with three quarts of water; simmer it after it has first boiled up, and been well skimmed. in two hours put in plenty of carrots, leeks, two or three turnips, a bunch of sweet herbs, some whole pepper, and four ounces of allspice. skim it often, and when the meat is tender, take it out. let the soup get cold, take off the cake of fat, and serve the soup separately, or with the meat. it should be of a fine brown, which may be done by adding a little burnt sugar, or by frying some onions quite brown with flour, and simmering them with it. this last method improves the flavour of all soups and gravies of the brown sort. if vegetables are not approved, they may be taken out of the soup, and a small roll be toasted, or bread fried and added. celery is a great addition, and should always be served. when out of season, the seed of it gives quite as good a flavour, boiled in, and strained off.--another way. soak an ox cheek three hours, and clean it with plenty of water. take the meat off the bones, and put it into a stewpan with a large onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, some bruised allspice, pepper and salt. lay the bones on the top, pour on two or three quarts of water, and cover the pan close with stout paper, or a dish that will fit close. let it stand eight or ten hours in a slow oven, or simmer it by the side of the fire, or on a hot hearth. when done tender, put the meat into a clean pan, and let it get cold. take off the cake of fat, and warm the head in pieces in the soup. serve with any sort of vegetables. stewed oysters. open the shells, separate the liquor from the oysters, and wash them from the grit. strain the liquor, add to the oysters a bit of mace, lemon peel, and a few white peppers. simmer them very gently, put in some cream, a little flour and butter, and serve them up with sippets. boiled oysters should be served in the shell, and eaten with cold butter. stewed parsnips. boil the parsnips in milk and water, or milk alone, till fully half done. slice and divide them into two, down the middle and across. stew them gently with some good gravy, seasoned with pepper and salt; and five minutes before they are taken up, add a piece of butter rolled in flour. if parsnips are to be stewed white, put in broth and cream in equal quantities, instead of gravy. stewed pears. pare and quarter some large pears; throw them into water as soon as pared, and before they are divided, to prevent their turning black. pack them round a block-tin stewpan, and sprinkle as much sugar over as will make them pretty sweet. add lemon peel, a clove or two, and some bruised allspice; just cover them with water, and add a little red liquor. cover them close, and stew three or four hours: when tender, take them out, and pour the liquor upon them. stewed peas. steep some old peas in water all night, if not fine boilers; otherwise only half an hour. put them into a stewpan of water, just enough to cover them, with a good bit of butter, or a piece of beef or pork. stew them very gently till the peas are soft, and the meat is tender. if it be not salt meat, add salt and a little pepper, and serve the peas round the meat. stewed pheasants. stew your pheasants in a strong veal gravy. while they are simmering, prepare artichoke bottoms cut in dice, and some chesnuts roasted, blanched, and cut in four: let your pheasants stew till your gravy is half wasted, then scum it very clean, and put in your chesnuts and artichoke bottoms; season with a little beaten mace, pepper, and salt, a small glass of white wine, and a little juice of lemon. if your sauce is not thick enough, roll a piece of butter in flour, and let it boil up: in case any scum arises, take it clean off; dish your pheasants, and pour the sauce over them; garnish with lemon. stewed pigeons. see that they are quite fresh, carefully cropped, drawn, and washed; then soak them half an hour. in the mean time cut a hard white cabbage in slices, as if for pickling, and put it in water. then drain and boil it in milk and water; drain it again, and lay some of it at the bottom of a stewpan. put the pigeons upon it, but first season them well with salt and pepper, and cover them with the remainder of the cabbage. add a little broth, and stew gently till the pigeons are tender; then put among them two or three spoonfuls of cream, and a piece of butter and flour for thickening. after a boil or two, serve up the birds in the middle of the dish, with the cabbage placed round them.--another way is to stew the birds in a good brown gravy, either stuffed or not; and seasoned high with spice and fresh mushrooms, or a little ketchup.--another way. take your pigeons trussed as for baking; bruise the livers, and mix them up with a few bread crumbs, parsley, and a little lemon peel chopped small; season it with mace, nutmeg, pepper, and salt; work all up with a piece of butter, and stuff the bellies of your pigeons; tie up the necks and vents; then stew them with some butter, till they are brown all over; put them into another pan that will just hold them, with as much strong gravy as will cover them; let them stew till they are tender, then bruise an anchovy, a shalot shred fine, a piece of butter rolled in flour, and a spoonful of white wine; let all boil together to a proper thickness; scum very clean; dish up, and garnish with crisp bacon and lemon. stewed pippins. scoop out the core of some golden pippins, pare them very thin, and throw them into water. for every pound of fruit, make half a pound of refined sugar into a syrup, with a pint of water. when skimmed, put in the pippins, and stew them quite clear. grate some lemon over, be careful not to break them, and serve them up in the syrup. they make an elegant corner dish, or a dessert.--another way. pare your pippins nicely, cut them in halves, and take out the cores; to a quart of spring water, put a pound of double refined sugar, and a piece of lemon-peel; boil it almost to a syrup; take out the peel, and put in the pippins; boil them till they are pretty tender, then draw them to one side of the fire, and let them stew till clear; take them out carefully one at a time, and lay them in a china or earthen dish for use. if golden pippins are done this way, they are very little inferior to apricots. stewed pork steaks. cut some steaks from the best end of a loin or neck of pork. take off the skin, and nearly all the fat, and fry them of a nice brown. put the steaks into a stewpan, with good gravy enough to make a proper sauce to them, adding pepper and salt. ten minutes before they are done, thicken the gravy with a piece of butter rolled in flour. a little shalot, or ketchup, or both may be added. stewed potatoes. half boil some potatoes, drain and peel them nicely, and cut them into neat pieces. put them into a stewpan with some cream, fresh butter, and salt, each proportioned to the quantity of potatoes; or stew them in good gravy, with pepper and salt. simmer them gently till they are well done and be careful not to let them break. stewed prunes. stew some prunes gently in a little water, till the stones will slip out easily, but they must not be boiled too much. these are useful in fevers, or in any complaint where fruit is proper; and when fruit more acid would not agree. stewed rabbit. divide them into quarters, flour and fry them in butter; then put them into a stewpan, with some good gravy, and a glass of white wine. season with salt, pepper, and a sprig of sweet herbs. cover them close, and let them stew till they become tender. strain off the sauce, thicken it with flour and butter, and pour it over them. stewed red cabbage. slice a small red cabbage, or half a large one, and wash it clean. put it into a saucepan with pepper, salt, and butter, but no water except what hangs about the cabbage. stew it tender, and when ready to serve, add two or three spoonfuls of vinegar, and give it one boil over the fire. it may be eaten with cold meat, or with sausages laid upon it.--another way. shred the cabbage, and wash it. put it into a saucepan with pepper, salt, some slices of onion; and a little plain gravy. when it is boiled quite tender, add a bit of butter rubbed with flour, a few minutes before serving, with two or three spoonfuls of vinegar, and boil it up.--another. cut the cabbage very thin, put it into a stewpan with a small slice of ham, and half an ounce of butter at the bottom. put in half a pint of broth, and a gill of vinegar, and let it stew three hours covered down. when it is very tender, add a little more broth, salt, pepper, and a table-spoonful of pounded sugar. mix these well, and boil it till the liquor is wasted. then put it into the dish, and lay fried sausages upon it. stewed rump of beef. wash it well, and season it high with pepper, cayenne, salt, allspice, three cloves, and a blade of mace, all in fine powder. bind it up tight, and lay it into a pot that will just hold it. fry three large onions sliced, and put them to it, with three carrots, two turnips, one shalot, four cloves, a blade of mace, and some celery. cover the meat with good beef broth, or weak gravy. simmer it as gently as possible for several hours, till quite tender. clear off the fat, and add to the gravy half a pint of port wine, a glass of vinegar, and a large spoonful of ketchup; half a pint of beer may be added. simmer for half an hour, and serve in a deep dish. the herbs to be used should be burnet, tarragon, parsley, thyme, basil, savoury, marjoram, pennyroyal, knotted marjoram, and some chives; a good handful all together. but observe to proportion the quantities to the pungency of the several sorts. garnish with carrots, turnips, or truffles and morels, or pickles of different colours, cut small, and laid in little heaps separate. chopped parsley, chives, and beet root may be added. if there is too much gravy for the dish, take only a part to season for serving, the less the better; and to increase the richness, add a few beef bones and shanks of mutton in stewing. a spoonful or two of made mustard is a great improvement to the gravy.--another way. half roast the rump, then put it into a large pot with three pints of water, one of small beer, one of port vine, some salt, three or four spoonfuls of vinegar, and two of ketchup. add a bunch of sweet herbs, consisting of burnet, tarragon, parsley, thyme, basil, savoury, pennyroyal, marjoram, knotted marjoram, and a leaf or two of sage; also some onions, cloves, and cayenne. cover it close, and simmer it for two or three hours, till quite tender. when done lay it into a deep dish, set it over some hot water, and cover it close. skim the gravy, put in a few pickled mushrooms, truffles, morels, and oysters if agreeable, but it is very good without. thicken the gravy with flour and butter, heat it with the above, and pour it over the beef. forcemeat balls of veal, anchovies, bacon, suet, herbs, spice, bread, and eggs to bind, are a great improvement. a rump of beef is excellent roasted; but in the country it is generally sold whole with the edge-bone, or cut across instead of lengthways as in london, where one piece is for boiling, and the rump for stewing or roasting. this must be attended to, the whole being too large to dress together.--another way. raise the lean next the chump-end; cut that bone off, but leave the chine-bone, then with two skewers fasten the meat as if the bone was not taken away: put it into a pot with a little more water than will cover it: add parsley, thyme, two or three large onions, a handful of salt, whole pepper half an ounce, half a quarter of an ounce of cloves, the same quantity of mace; cover it close down, and stew it over a slow fire for three hours, till your beef is very tender. to make your sauce, take two pounds of gravy beef, cut it in pretty thick slices, and flour them well; put a piece of butter into your stewpan, over a stove, or a quick fire. when that is brown, put in the slices of beef, and fry them brown, as quick as you can; then add water as much as you think will be sufficient to make a very strong gravy; cut an onion cross with parsley, thyme, pepper, and salt, two or three cloves, and a blade of mace; let this stew till your gravy is very rich, then strain it off, and thicken it up with a piece of butter rolled in flour. stewed savoys. these may be done in the same manner as red cabbage; but the better way is to boil the savoy in water till about half done, and then stew it. this takes off the strong flavour, and makes it much more agreeable. stewed scallops. boil them very well in salt and water; take out the fish, stew them in some of their liquor, with a little white wine, two or three blades of mace, a little nutmeg, and a good piece of butter rolled in flour; let them be thoroughly stewed, then pour in a little cream, shake your pan round, and squeeze in the juice of a seville orange. send them to table garnished with baked sippets and orange. stewed soles. half fry them in butter, take out the fish, and put a quart of water or gravy into the pan, two anchovies, and a sliced onion. when they have boiled slowly for a quarter of an hour, put the fish in again, and stew them gently about twenty minutes. take them out, thicken the liquor with butter and flour, boil it gently, strain it over the fish, and serve it with oyster, cockle, or shrimp sauce. stewed sorrel. wash it clean, and put it into a silver vessel, or stone jar, with no more water than hangs to the leaves. simmer it as slowly as possible; and when done enough, beat it up with a piece of butter. this is very fine with a fricandeau, with roast meat, mackarel, or any thing usually eaten with an acid sauce. the same thickening may be added, as for spinach and sorrel. it is as well prepared in a stone jar set before the fire, only it requires a longer time. stewed spinach with cream. boil the spinach till nearly done enough, then squeeze all the water from it, and put it into a stewpan, with a piece of butter and some salt. stir it over the fire till the butter is well mixed in with it, and add as much cream as will make it of a moderate thickness. shake it for a minute or two over the fire, and serve it up with sippets of bread, either fried or toasted. stewed spinach with gravy. pick the spinach nicely, then wash it well, and put it into a stewpan, with a few spoonfuls of water, and a little salt. stew this till quite tender, shaking the pan very often to prevent its burning. when done enough, put it into a sieve to drain, and give it a slight squeeze. beat the spinach well, then return it to the stewpan with some gravy, pepper, salt, and a piece of butter. let it stew about a quarter of an hour, stirring it frequently. serve it up either in a dish by itself, or with poached eggs upon it, according to the occasion for which it is wanted. stewed spinach with sorrel. take spinach and sorrel, in the proportion of three fourths of spinach to one of sorrel. pick and wash these very nicely; cut them a little, and put them into a stewpan, with two or three spoonfuls of water. keep them stirring over the fire, till they begin to soften and to liquify. then leave it to stew at a distance over the fire for an hour or more, stirring it every now and then. thicken it with a little flour, and when quite done, add some pepper and salt, and serve it up. this will form an excellent sauce to all kinds of meat, or to eat with potatoes. almost any kind of cold vegetables may be added to this stew. they should be put in just long enough to heat, and mixed in properly with the spinach before it is served up. stewed tongue. prepare a tongue with saltpetre and common salt for a week, and turn it every day. boil it tender enough to peel, and afterwards stew it in a moderately strong gravy. season it with soy, mushroom ketchup, cayenne, pounded cloves, and salt if necessary. serve with truffles, morels, and mushrooms. the roots of the tongue must be removed before it is salted, but some fat should be left. stewed turkey. have a nice hen turkey trussed close, and the breast-bone broken; put it into a stewpan with a good piece of butter; let the breast and pinions be glazed of a fine brown; then put it into a stewpan that is very clean; and a faggot of sweet herbs, an onion stuck with three cloves, two blades of mace, some whole pepper, and a little salt; then put in as much strong broth or gravy as will just cover it; cover it very close, and let it stew over a moderate fire, till you think it is tender; in the mean time make some forcemeat balls of veal, &c. and let them be fried of a fine brown, in readiness. when your turkey is done, take it up, put it into your dish, and keep it hot; strain off your liquor into a clean stewpan, and scum it very clean: if it is not thick enough, roll apiece of butter in flour; put in half a glass of white wine, and your forcemeat balls; toss up all together, till your sauce is of a good thickness; squeeze in a little lemon; pour your sauce over the turkey, and garnish your dish with lemon. in the same manner you may do a large fowl; and you may add morels, truffles, artichoke bottoms, &c.--another. put turkey or fowl into a stewpan, with a sufficient quantity of gravy or good broth, a head of celery cut small, whole pepper, and a sprig of thyme tied up in a muslin bag. when these are stewed enough, take them up, thicken the liquor with flour and butter, lay the meat in a dish, and pour the sauce over it. stewed veal. cut off the neck end of a breast of veal, and stew it for gravy. make a forcemeat of the sweetbread boiled, a few crumbs of bread, a little beef suet, an egg, pepper and salt, a spoonful or two of cream, and a little grated nutmeg. mix them all together, raise the thin part of the breast, and put in the stuffing. skewer the skin close down, dredge it over with flour, tie it up in a cloth, and stew it in milk and water rather more than an hour: if a large one, an hour and a half. the proper sauce for this dish is made of a little gravy, a few oysters, a few mushrooms chopped fine, and a little lemon juice, thickened with flour and butter. if preferred, the veal may be stewed in broth, or weak gravy. then thicken the gravy it was stewed in, pour it over the veal, and garnish with forcemeat balls. stewed venison. let the meat hang as long as it will keep sweet. take out the bone, beat the meat with a rolling-pin, lay on some slices of mutton fat, sprinkle over it a little pepper and salt, roll it up light and tie it. stew it in mutton or beef gravy, with a quarter of a pint of port wine, some pepper and allspice. cover it close, and simmer it as slowly as possible for three or four hours. when quite tender take off the tape, lay the meat on a dish, strain the gravy over it, and serve it up with currant jelly. stewed water cresses. pick and wash a quantity of water cresses, and boil them for a few minutes. drain and press them dry, chop them slightly, and put them into a stewpan, either with good gravy or cream, and a seasoning of salt and pepper. add a thickening of butter rolled in flour, if necessary. stew them gently for ten minutes, or a quarter of an hour, and serve them up with a garnish of sippets, of fried or toasted bread. sticking plaster. melt three ounces of diachylon with half an ounce of rosin, and when cooled to about the thickness of treacle, spread it upon a piece of smooth soft linen. stilton cheese. this rich and relishing article is made in the following manner. the night's cream is put into the morning's milk, with the rennet. when the curd is come, it is not broken, as is usually done with other cheese, but taken out whole, and put into a sieve to drain. here it is pressed till it becomes firm and dry, when it is placed in a wooden hoop made to fit it, in order to prevent its breaking. after being taken out of the hoop, the cheese is bound with cloths, which are changed every day, till it is sufficiently firm to support itself. the cloths are then removed, and the cheese is rubbed with a brush and turned every day. the rennet bag should be kept perfectly sweet and fresh: if it be in the least degree tainted, the cheese will never have a good flavour. stings. the stings of bees are often more virulent than those of wasps, and attended with more painful effects. the sting being barbed, it is always left in the wound. when therefore a person is stung by a bee, the sting should be instantly extracted, or it will communicate more of its poison, according to the time it is permitted to remain. it should be carefully pulled out with a steady hand, for if any of it break in, remedies will in a great measure be ineffectual. when the sting is completely extracted, the wounded part should be sucked, and very little inflammation will ensue. if a few drops of the spirits of hartshorn be immediately rubbed on the part affected, the cure will be more speedily accomplished. another simple remedy is, a solution of indigo in water, or of potash, a little oil of tartar, or common sweet oil, rubbed upon the part. honey and olive oil, or some bruised mallows, may occasionally be substituted with advantage; but their application should be repeated till the pain ceases. rubbing on a little common salt, after it has been moistened, is also said to be an effectual cure. if a wasp or bee has been incautiously swallowed in a glass of liquor, take a spoonful of common salt, or repeated doses of salt and water. this will immediately kill the insect, and prevent the injurious effects of the sting. to remove the disagreeable itching which arises from the sting of gnats, wash the part directly with cold water; or at night, rub on fuller's earth mixed with water. stock. to make a clear brown stock, for gravy or gravy soup, put into a stewpan with two quarts of water, a pound of lean beef, a pound of the lean of a gammon of bacon, all sliced. add two or three scraped carrots, two onions, two turnips, and two heads of sliced celery. stew the meat quite tender, but do not let it brown. when thus prepared, it will serve either for soup, or brown or white gravy. if for brown, put in some soup colouring, and boil it a few minutes. stock-fish. put it into water, and let it remain there two days, shifting the water often; then take it out, and clean the skin and inner part with a hard brush, and hang it up for one night in the air. in the morning put it again into water, and let it remain till the next morning, shifting the water often; take it out, and hang it up for another day, when it will be fit for dressing. roll up the fish round, and tie it close with a tape; put it into a fish-kettle, the water of which simmers when you put it on: let it remain simmering for three quarters of an hour, then let it boil for five minutes, and the fish is enough. stomachic tincture. in low nervous affections arising from a languid circulation, and when the stomach is in a state of debility, the following tincture will be found to be strengthening and beneficial. an ounce and a half of peruvian bark bruised, and an ounce of orange peel, steeped in a pint of the best brandy, for ten days. shake the bottle every day, then let it settle for two days, and decant off the clear liquor. take a tea-spoonful of the tincture in a wine glass of water, twice a day, when the stomach feels empty and uneasy, an hour before dinner, and also in the evening. this agreeable aromatic tonic will procure an appetite, and aid digestion. tea made with dried seville orange peel, in the same way as common tea, and drunk with milk and sugar, has been taken by nervous persons with great benefit. sucking a bit of dried orange peel about an hour before dinner, when the stomach is empty, is very grateful and strengthening. stone stairs and halls. in order to clean these properly, boil a pound of pipe-maker's clay with a quart of water, a quart of small beer, and a bit of stone blue. wash the stairs or the floor with this mixture, and when dry, rub it with flannel and a brush. stopples. when a glass stopple is set fast, in a bottle or decanter, rub a drop or two of olive oil round it, close to the mouth of the decanter, and place it near the fire. the oil will soon insinuate itself downwards, and the stopple may then be loosened by the hand, or by striking it lightly with a piece of soft wood. sometimes the rubbing of the neck of the bottle with a small key, and striking the head of the stopper, will be sufficient to loosen it, without the application of any oil. storing. the storing of fruits, vegetables, and roots, has been performed in various ways, which are well known already; but lately some better modes have been suggested for this purpose. for apples and pears, after they have been carefully gathered from the trees, and laid in heaps covered with clean cloths or mats for sweating, which is effected in three or four days, they remaining for that length of time afterwards, they are to be wiped separately with clean cloths; when some glazed earthen jars are to be provided with tops and covers, and likewise a quantity of pure pit-sand, which is quite free from any mixture. this is to be thoroughly dried upon a flue. then put a layer of this sand an inch thick on the bottoms of the jars; above this layer of fruit, a quarter of an inch free of each other; covering the whole with sand to the depth of an inch; then a second course of fruit is to be laid in, and again covered with an inch of the sand, proceeding in the same way until the whole be finished and completed. an inch and a half in depth of sand may be laid over the last or uppermost layer of fruit; when the jars are to be closed and placed in some dry situation, as cool as possible, but entirely out of the way of frost. the usual time at which each kind of such fruits should be ready for the table being known, the jars containing such fruit may, it is said, be examined, by turning out the sand and fruit together cautiously into a sieve. the ripe fruit may then be laid upon the shelves of the fruit-room for use, and the unripe be carefully replaced in the jars as before, but with fresh dry sand. some kinds of apples managed in this way, will, it is said, keep a great while, as till july; and pears until april, and in some sorts till june. it is not improbable but that many other sorts of fruit might be stored and preserved in somewhat the same way. vegetables of the cauliflower kind have been stored and kept well through a great part of the winter, by putting them, when in full head, on a dry day, into pits about eighteen inches in depth, and much the same breadth, in a perfectly dry soil, with the stalks and leaves to them, the latter being carefully doubled over and lapped round the heads, instead of hanging them up in sheds or other places, as is the usual practice in preserving them. in performing the work, it is begun at one end of the pits, laying the heads in with the root-stalks uppermost, so as that the former may incline downwards, the roots of the one layer covering the tops or heads of the other, until the whole is completed. the pits are then to be closely covered up with the earth into a sort of ridge, and beaten quite smooth with the back of the spade, in order that the rain-water may be fully thrown off. fine cauliflowers have been thus stored and kept for the occasional supply of the table until the middle of the following january. for storing and preserving different kinds of roots for common summer use, until the coming in or return of the natural crops, the following method has likewise been proposed. as the ice in ice-houses has commonly subsided some feet, as four, five, or more, by the beginning of the spring, it is proposed to deposit in the rooms or vacancies so left empty, the roots that are to be preserved. as soon as any openings in the places have been well stuffed with straw, and the surfaces of the ice covered with the sort of material, case-boxes, dry ware, casks, baskets, or any other such vessels, are to be placed upon it, which are then to be filled with the roots, such as turnips, carrots, beets, celery, potatoes in particular, and some others. in cases where there are not ice-houses, vegetation may be greatly retarded, and the roots preserved by storing them in deep vaulted cellars, caves, coal-pits, mines, or in any place seated deep in the earth. potatoes have also been well stored and preserved, it is said, by earthing them in small parcels, as about two bolls each, heaped up, and covered in the usual way with straw and earth; which are turned over into other pits in the early spring, first rubbing off all the sprouts or shoots, and having the roots well watered in small quantities as they are put into the other pits, the whole earthy covering being also well watered and beaten together at the time with the back part of the spade. this covering is to be made to the thickness of about two feet. the same practice or process is to be repeated every time the potatoes are turned over, which should be about once in three weeks, as the state of the weather may be. and where the pits or heaps are not in the shade, it is sometimes proper, when the season is very hot, to cover them with mats supported on sticks, so as to permit a free current of air between the mats and the heaps. in this way it is stated that these roots have been preserved quite plump and entire in the taste until the end of september, or till the succeeding crop becomes perfectly ripe, so as to be used without loss, as that must always be the case where the roots are largely employed before they are in a state of mature growth. it is asserted, too, that in this manner potatoes are even capable of recovering in plumpness and taste, where they have been suffered, by improper exposure to air or heat, to become deficient in these qualities. stove blacking, for backs of grates, hearths, and the fronts of stoves, is made in the following manner. boil a quarter of a pound of the best black lead, with a pint of small beer, and a bit of soap the size of a walnut. when that is melted, dip in a painter's brush, and wet the grate, having first cleared off all the soot and dust. then take a hard brush, and rub it till it is quite bright. a mixture of black lead and whites of eggs well beaten together, will answer the same purpose. stramonium. this celebrated plant, commonly called the thorn apple, often grows on dunghills, and flowers in the month of july. having lately been discovered as possessing very powerful medical properties, and as affording the most effectual remedy for the asthma, it is now frequently transplanted into gardens, though its odour is extremely offensive. a kind of herb tobacco is made of the dried leaves, mixed with a little rosemary to prevent nausea, and a pipeful is smoked in the evening before going to bed. the practice should be continued for some time, or as often as asthma returns, and it will afford very sensible relief. the plant may easily be raised from seed; but an elegant preparation of the stramonium, or the asthmatic tobacco, may be had of several medicine vendors in the kingdom. strawberries. sir joseph banks, from a variety of experiments, and the experience of many years, recommends a general revival of the now almost obsolete practice of laying straw under strawberry plants, when the fruit begins to swell; by which means the roots are shaded from the sun, the waste of moisture by evaporation prevented, the leaning fruit kept from damage, by resting on the ground, particularly in wet weather, and much labour in watering saved. twenty trusses of long straw are sufficient for feet of plants. on the management of strawberries in june and july, the future prosperity of them greatly depends; and if each plant has not been kept separate, by cutting off the runners, they will be in a state of confusion, and you will find three different sorts of plants. . old plants, whose roots are turned black, hard, and woody. . young plants, not strong enough to flower. . flowering plants, which ought only to be there, and perhaps not many of them. before the time of flowering is quite over, examine them, and pull up every old plant which has not flowered; for, if once they have omitted to flower you may depend upon it they will never produce any after, being too old, and past bearing; but to be fully convinced, leave two or three, set a stick to them, and observe them next year. if the young plants, runners of last year, be too thick, take some of them away, and do not leave them nearer than a foot of the scarlet, alpines, and wood, and fifteen or sixteen inches of all the larger sorts; and in the first rainy weather in july or august, take them all up, and make a fresh plantation with them, and they will be very strong plants for flowering next year. old beds, even if the plants be kept single at their proper distance, examine, and pull all the old plants which have not flowered. when the fruit is nearly all gathered examine them again, and cut off the runners; but if you want to make a fresh plantation, leave some of the two first, and cut off all the rest. then stir up the ground with a trowel, or three-pronged fork, and in august they will be fit to transplant. if you have omitted in july do not fail in august, that the runners may make good roots to be transplanted in september, for, if later, the worms will draw them out of the ground, and the frost afterwards will prevent them from striking root; the consequence of which is, their not flowering the next spring; and you will lose a year. strawberry and raspberry fool. bruise a pint of scarlet strawberries, and a pint of raspberries, pass them through a sieve, and sweeten them with half a pound of fine sugar pounded, add a spoonful of orange-flower water, then boil it over the fire, for two or three minutes; take it off, and set on a pint and a half of cream, boil it and stir it till it is cold; when the pulp is cold, put them together, and stir them till they are well mixed; put the fool into glasses, or basins, as you think proper. strawberry jam. dissolve four pounds of lump sugar in a quart of currant juice, then boil and scum it quite clean. mash four quarts of raspberries, and mix with it. let it boil quick, over a clear fire, for nearly an hour, or till the sugar and raspberries are quite mixed. this may be known by putting a little on a plate; if the juice drains from the fruit, it must be boiled longer. when done enough, put it into pots, and the next day put brandy papers over them. tie them down with another paper, and set the jars in a dry place. strawberries preserved. to keep whole strawberries, take equal weights of the fruit and double refined sugar. lay the strawberries in a large dish, and sprinkle over them half the sugar in fine powder. shake the dish gently, that the sugar may touch the under side of the fruit. next day make a thin syrup with the remainder of the sugar, and instead of water, allow to every pound of strawberries a pint of red currant juice. simmer the fruit in this, until sufficiently jellied. choose the largest scarlet strawberries, before they are dead ripe. they will eat well in thin cream, served up in glasses. strawberries in wine. put a quantity of the finest strawberries into a gooseberry bottle, and strew in three spoonfuls of fine sugar. fill up the bottle with madeira, or fine sherry. strengthening draught. for weakly persons, any of the following preparations will be highly beneficial. put two calves' feet in two pints of water, and the same quantity of new milk; bake them in a jar closely covered, three hours and a half. when cold remove the fat, and take a large teacupful of the mucilage, morning and evening. it may be flavoured by baking in it lemon peel, cinnamon, or mace: sugar is to be added afterwards.--or simmer six sheeps' trotters, with two blades of mace, a bit of cinnamon, lemon peel, a few hartshorn shavings, and a little isinglass, in two quarts of water till reduced to one. when cold, remove the fat, and take nearly half a pint twice a day, warming it with a little new milk.--another way. boil an ounce of isinglass shavings, forty peppercorns, and a bit of brown crust of bread, in a quart of water, till reduced to a pint, and strain it. this makes a pleasant jelly to keep in case of sickness, and a large spoonful may be taken in wine and water, in milk, tea, soup, or any other way.--or boil a quarter of an ounce of isinglass shavings with a pint of new milk, till reduced one half. add a little sugar, and for a change a bitter almond. take this at bed-time, but not too warm. dutch flummery, jellies, or blamange, if not too rich, are also very strengthening. strengthening jelly. put an ounce of isinglass shavings, with a few jamaica peppercorns, and a toast of bread. boil it to a pint, and strain it off. a large spoonful of the jelly may be taken in wine and water, milk, tea, or any other agreeable liquor. or boil a quarter of an ounce of isinglass shavings in a pint of new milk, till it is reduced to half a pint, adding a bitter almond, or a little sugar, by way of change. strong gravy. take a stewpan that will hold four quarts, lay at the bottom of it a slice or two of undressed ham or bacon, about a quarter of an inch thick, and two pounds of beef or veal. add a carrot, a large onion with four cloves stuck in it, one head of celery, a bundle of parsley, lemon thyme, and savoury; a few leaves of sweet basil, a bay leaf, a shalot, a piece of lemon peel, and a dozen corns of allspice. pour on half a pint of water, cover it close, and let it simmer gently on a slow fire for half an hour, in which time it will be almost dry. watch it very carefully, and let it take a nice brown colour. turn the meat and herbs, to brown on all sides; then put in a pint of water to a pound of meat, and let it boil for two hours. it will now be formed into a rich strong gravy, easily converted into cullis, or thickened gravy. stucco. a stucco for walls, &c. may be formed of the grout or putty, made of good stone-lime, or the lime of cockle-shells, which is better, properly tempered and sufficiently beat, mixed with sharp grit-sand, in a proportion which depends on the strength of the lime: drift-sand is best for this purpose, and it will derive advantage from being dried on an iron plate or kiln, so as not to burn; for thus the mortar would be discoloured. when this is properly compounded, it should be put up in small parcels against walls, or otherwise, to mellow, as the workmen term it; reduced again to a soft putty, or paste, and spread thin on the walls without any undercoat, and well trowelled. a succeeding coat should be laid on, before the first is quite dry, which will prevent joints of brick-work appearing through it. much depends upon the workmen giving it sufficient labour, and trowelling it down. if this stucco, when dry, is laid over with boiling linseed oil, it will last a long time, and not be liable, when once hardened, to the accidents to which common stucco is liable. liardet's, or, as it is commonly called, _adams oil-cement_, or stucco, is prepared in the following manner: for the first coat, take twenty-one pounds of fine whiting, or oyster-shells, or any other sea-shells calcined, or plaster of paris, or any calcareous material calcined and pounded, or any absorbent material whatever, proper for the purpose; add white or red lead at pleasure, deducting from the other absorbent materials in proportion to the white or red lead added; to which put four quarts, beer measure, of oil; and mix them together with a grinding-mill, or any levigating machine: and afterwards mix and beat up the same well with twenty-eight quarts, beer measure, of any sand or gravel, or of both, mixed and sifted, or of marble or stone pounded, or of brick-dust, or of any kind of metallic or mineral powders, or of any solid material whatever, fit for the purpose. for the second coat, take sixteen pounds and a half of super-fine whiting, or oyster-shells, or any sea-shells calcined, &c. as for the first coat; add sixteen pounds and a half of white or red lead, to which put six quarts and a half of oil, wine measure, and mix them together as before: afterwards mix and beat up the same well with thirty quarts, wine measure, of fine sand or gravel sifted, or stone or marble pounded, or pyrites, or any kind of metallic or mineral powder, &c. this composition requires a greater proportion of sand, gravel, or other solids, according to the nature of the work, or the uses to which it is to be applied. if it be required to have the composition coloured, add to the above ingredients such a proportion of painter's colours, as will be necessary to give the tint or colour required. in making the composition, the best linseed or hempseed, or other oils proper for the purpose, are to be used, boiled or raw, with drying ingredients, as the nature of the work, the season, or the climate requires; and in some cases, bees' wax may be substituted in place of oil: all the absorbent and solid materials must be kiln-dried. if the composition is to be of any other colour than white, the lead may be omitted, by taking the full proportion of the other absorbents; and also white or red lead may be substituted alone, instead of any other absorbent material. the first coat of this composition is to be laid on with a trowel, and floated to an even surface with a rule or darby, (i. e. a handle-float.) the second coat, after it is laid on with a trowel, when the other is nearly dry, should be worked down and smoothed with floats edged with horn, or any hard smooth substance that does not stain. it may be proper, previously to laying on the composition, to moisten the surface on which it is to be laid by a brush with the same sort of oil and ingredients which pass through the levigating machine, reduced to a more liquid state, in order to make the composition adhere the better. this composition admits of being modelled or cast in moulds, in the same manner as plasterers or statuaries model or cast their stucco work. it also admits of being painted upon, and adorned with landscape, or ornamental, or figure-painting, as well as plain painting.--to make an excellent stucco, which will adhere to wood work, take a bushel of the best stone lime, a pound of yellow ochre, and a quarter of a pound of brown umber, all in fine powder. mix them to a proper thickness, with a sufficient quantity of hot water, but not boiling, and lay it on with a new white-washer's brush. if the wall be quite smooth, one or two coats will do; but each must be dry before the next is put on. the month of march is the best season for doing this. stucco washes. the most beautiful white-wash is made of clean good lime mixed with skim milk instead of water. for blue wash, put four pounds of blue vitriol into an iron or brass pot, with a pound of the best whiting, and a gallon of water. let it boil an hour, stirring it all the time. then pour it into an earthen pan, and set it by for a day or two till the colour is settled. pour off the water, and mix the colour with the white-washer's size. wash the walls over three or four times, according as it may be necessary. to make yellow wash, dissolve in soft water over the fire equal quantities of umber, bright ochre, and blue black. add as much white-wash as is necessary for the work, and stir it all together. if either cast predominates, put in more of the others, till the proper tint is obtained. stuffings. forcemeat or stuffing is generally considered as a necessary accompaniment to most of the made dishes, and when composed with good taste, it gives to them additional spirit and relish. it is often employed in making of patties, for stuffing of veal, game, and poultry. the ingredients should be so proportioned, that no one flavour predominates; and instead of using the same stuffing for veal, hare, and other things, it is easy to make a suitable variety. the poignancy of forcemeat should be regulated by the savouriness of the viands, to which it is intended to give an additional zest. some dishes require a very delicately flavoured stuffing, while for others it should be full and high seasoned. the consistence of forcemeats is attended with some difficulty; they are almost always either too heavy or too light. they should be mixed perfectly smooth, and the ingredients thoroughly incorporated. forcemeat balls must not be larger than a small nutmeg. if for brown sauce, flour and fry them: if for white sauce, put them into boiling water, and boil them for three minutes: the latter are by far the most delicate. parboiled sweetbreads and tongues are the principal ingredients for stuffing or forcemeat. besides these, yolks of hard eggs, flour, bread crumbs, boiled onion, mashed potatoe, mutton, beef, veal suet, marrow, calf's udder or brains, veal minced and pounded, and potted meats. also of garden herbs and roots, parsley, thyme, spinach, marjoram, savoury, tarragon, sage, chervil, basil, burnet, bay leaf, truffles, morels, mushrooms, leeks, shalot, onions, and garlic. of fish, shrimps, prawns, crabs, oysters, lobsters, and anchovies. of spices, pepper, mace, allspice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cayenne, and cloves. these, with bacon and ham, form the principal ingredients for various kinds of stuffing. the liquids in general consist of meat gravy, lemon juice, syrup of lemons, essence of anchovy, mushroom ketchup, vegetable essences, and the essence of spices. stuffing for goose. chop very fine one or two onions, and a little green sage. add a large teacupful of bread crumbs, a very little pepper and salt, half the liver parboiled, and the yolks of two eggs. incorporate the whole well together, put it into the goose, but leave a little room for the stuffing to swell. stuffing for hare. two ounces of beef suet chopped fine, three ounces of fine bread crumbs, a little parsley, marjoram, lemon thyme, or winter savory; a dram of grated lemon peel, half a dram of nutmeg, of shalot, and the same of pepper and salt. mix these with an egg, so as to make them cohesive; but if the stuffing be not of a sufficient consistence, it will be good for nothing. if the liver be quite sound, it may be parboiled, minced very fine, and added to the above. put the stuffing into the hare, and sow it up. stuffing for pig. rub some of the crumb of a stale loaf through a cullender, mince fine a handful of sage, and a large onion. mix these together with an egg, some pepper and salt, and a piece of butter. fill the belly of the pig with the stuffing, and sow it up. lay the pig to the fire, and baste it with salad oil, without leaving it for a moment. stuffing for pike. take equal parts of fat bacon, beef suet, and fresh butter; some parsley, thyme, and savoury; a small onion, and a few leaves of scented marjoram shred fine; an anchovy or two, a little salt and nutmeg, and some pepper. oysters will be an improvement, with or without anchovies; add some crumbs, and an egg to bind. stuffing for poultry. mince a quarter of a pound of beef suet, (marrow is better,) the same weight of bread crumbs, two drams of parsley leaves, nearly as much of sweet marjoram or lemon thyme, and the same of grated lemon peel. add an onion or shalot, chopped as fine as possible, a little grated nutmeg, pepper and salt. pound all together thoroughly, with the yolk and white of two eggs. this is about the quantity for a turkey poult; a very large turkey will take nearly twice as much. to the above may be added an ounce of dressed ham. stuffing for veal. take an equal quantity of grated bread and beef suet, shred very fine. add parsley and sweet herbs chopped small, a minced anchovy, some nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and a little grated lemon peel. mix these well together with raw egg or milk. this stuffing will do for roast turkey or hare. sturgeon. fresh sturgeon should be cut in slices, rubbed over with egg, and sprinkled with grated bread, parsley, salt and pepper. then fold the slices in white paper, and broil them gently. for sauce, send up butter, anchovy, and soy.--another way. clean the sturgeon, and prepare as much liquor as will cover it, thus: take a pint of vinegar, about two quarts of water, a stick of horseradish cut in slips, some lemon peel, two or three bay leaves, and a small handful of salt, boil it in this pickle, till you think it is enough, and serve it with the following sauce: melt a pound of butter, with an anchovy bruised, a blade or two of mace, the body of a crab, or lobster bruised, a little ketchup, a small glass of white wine, half a pint of white shrimps, boil all together, till it is of a proper thickness, squeeze in some lemon, and scraped horseradish; pour a little sauce over your fish, the rest send in boats. sturtiums. gather them young and dry, and put them into a jar of old vinegar, which has been taken from green pickles and onions. the vinegar must be boiled afresh, or boil some fresh vinegar with salt and spice, and when cold, put in the sturtiums. substitute for cream. as milk or cream is difficult to procure in some situations, particularly during a long voyage, a very good substitute may be found in beating up a fresh egg, and gradually pouring on boiling water to prevent its curdling. the taste of this composition in tea will scarcely be distinguished from the richest cream, and eggs may easily be preserved for a considerable length of time. substitute for gravy. mix a gill of water, a gill of table beer, a spoonful of ketchup, an onion sliced thin, a clove or two, three or four peppercorns, and a little salt, all together. melt a piece of butter, the size of an egg in a small saucepan, and when hot dredge in some flour, stirring it till the froth subsides, by which time it will be browned. add to it the mixture already prepared, give it a boil, and flavour it with a very small quantity of the essence of anchovy. succory. wild white succory is only good to eat in salads. the green is used to put into cooling broths, and to make decoctions in medicine. common white succory is eaten in salads, and used for ragouts. first pick and wash it, then scald it half an hour in water, put it afterwards into fresh water, in order to press it well with the hands. stew it with some broth, a little butter, and some cullis, if any at hand. if not, brown a little flour to thicken the sauce. when done enough, take off the fat, season it nicely, and add a little shalot. serve it under a shoulder, a leg, or neck of mutton, roasted. suckers. the season for taking up or transplanting suckers of trees and shrubs, is almost any time, in open weather, from october till march, being careful to dig them up from the mother-plant with as much and many root-fibres as possible, and trimming them ready for planting, by shortening the long straggling fibres, and cutting off any thick-nobbed part of the old root that may adhere to the bottom, leaving only the fibres arising from the young wood; though it is probable some will appear with hardly any fibres; but as the bottom part, having been under ground, and contiguous to the root of the main plant, is naturally disposed to send forth fibres for rooting; preparatory to planting them out, the stems of the shrub and tree-suckers should likewise be trimmed occasionally, by cutting off all lower laterals; and any having long, slender, and weak tops, or such as are intended to assume a more dwarfish or bushy growth, may be shortened at top in proportion, to form about half a foot to one or two feet in length, according to their nature or strength; and others that are more strong, or that are designed to run up with taller stems, may have their tops left entire, or shortened but little: when thus taken up and trimmed, they should be planted out in rows in the nursery; the weak suckers separately in close rows; and also the shortened and stronger plants, each separately in wider rows; so that the rows may be from one to two feet asunder, in proportion to the size and strength of the suckers: and after being thus planted out, they should have the common nursery-culture of cleaning from weeds in summer, and digging the ground between the rows in winter, &c. and in from one to two or three years they will be of a proper size for planting out where they are to remain: and some kinds of trees, large shrubs, &c. produce suckers strong enough in one season to be fit for planting where they are to remain; as well as some sorts of roses, and numerous other flowering shrubs; also some plants of the strong shooting gooseberries, currants, raspberries, and others of similar kinds. it may generally be observed of such trees and shrubs as are naturally disposed to send up many suckers, that by whatsoever method they are propagated, whether by seeds, suckers, layers, cuttings, &c. they commonly still continue their natural tendency in this respect. when it is, therefore, required to have any sorts to produce as few suckers as possible, not to over-run the ground, or disfigure the plants, it is proper, both at the time of separating the suckers, or planting them off from the main plants, and at the time of their final removal from the nursery, to observe if at the bottom part they shew any tendency to emit suckers, by the appearance of prominent buds, which, if the case, should all be rubbed off as close as possible: as, however, many sorts of trees and shrubs are liable to throw out considerably more than may be wanted, they should always be cleared away annually at least, and in such as are not wanted for increase, it is proper to eradicate them constantly, as they are produced in the spring and summer seasons. also numerous herbaceous and succulent plants are productive of bottom offset suckers from the roots, by which they may be increased. in slipping and planting these sorts of offset suckers, the smaller ones should be planted in nursery beds, pots, &c. according to the nature of growth and temperature of the different sorts, to have the advantage of one summer's advanced growth; and the larger ones be set at once, where they are to remain, in beds, borders, pots, &c. according to the different sorts or descriptions of them. the suckers of many of the finer kinds of flower-plants, as in the auricula and others, may be separated or taken off from the parent plants any time between the month of february and that of august, as they may become of a proper size, or be wanted for increase; but if they be not wanted for this use, they should never be suffered to remain. they can often be slipped off by the fingers, or a sharp piece of wood, without removing much earth, or the plants from the pots; but when they are large, and cannot be thus separated with a sufficient number of fibres to their bottom parts, they may be taken out of the pots, and be removed by the knife without danger, which is perhaps the best way, as affording most fibres. the suckers of such old flower-plants, when they are wanted to blow strong, should always be taken off without disturbing the plants in the pots, especially when they are few. the suckers, in all cases of this sort, should constantly be planted as soon as possible after they are slipped, in proper small upright pots, giving a slight watering at the time, with suitable temporary shade. they should be placed in proper situations out of the droppings of trees. they thus soon become rooted. the suckers of such flower-plants must, however, never be removed after the latter of the above periods, as they have then done shooting, and are become inactive, and as the winter immediately succeeds, seldom do well, especially without great care and trouble. sucking pig. when the pig has been killed and well cleaned, cut off the feet at the first joint, and put them with the heart, liver, and lights, to boil for gravy. before the pig is spitted, chop a little sage very fine, mix it with a handful of bread crumb, a little pepper and salt, and sow it up in the belly. lay it down to a brisk fire, rub it with butter tied up in a piece of thin rag, during the whole time of roasting. take off the head while at the fire, take out the brains and chop them, mix them with the gravy that comes from the pig, and add a little melted butter. before the spit is drawn, cut the pig down the back and belly, and lay it in the dish. put a little of the sauce over it, take the bottom jaws and ears to garnish with, and send brown gravy sauce to table, mixed with the bread and sage that comes out of the pig. currant sauce is frequently eaten with it. a moderate sized pig will require about an hour and a half roasting. suet. the proper way of treating suet, is to choose the firmest part as soon as it comes in, and pick it free from skin and veins. set it in a nice saucepan at some distance from the fire, that it may melt without frying, or it will taste. when melted, pour it into a pan of cold water. when it comes to a hard cake, wipe it very dry, fold it in fine paper, and then in a linen bag. keep it in a dry cool place. suet prepared in this way, will keep a twelvemonth. when used, scrape it fine, and it will make a good crust, either with or without butter. suet dumplins. take a pound of suet, or the outward fat of loins or necks of mutton, and shred it very fine. mix it well with a pound and a quarter of flour, two eggs, a sufficient quantity of milk to make it, and a little salt. drop the batter into boiling water, or boil the dumplins in a cloth. suet dumplins with currants. take a pint of milk, four eggs, a pound of suet shred fine, and a pound of currants well cleaned, two tea-spoonfuls of salt, and three of beaten ginger; first take half the milk and mix it like a thick batter, then put in the eggs, the salt, and ginger, then the rest of the milk by degrees, with the suet and currants, and flour enough to make it like a light paste. make them up about the bigness of a large turkey's egg, flat them a little, and put them into boiling water; move them softly that they do not stick together, keep the water boiling, and a little more than half an hour will do them. suet dumplins with eggs. mix up a pint of milk, two eggs, three quarters of a pound of beef suet chopped fine, a tea-spoonful of grated ginger, and flour enough to make it into a moderately stiff paste. make the paste into dumplins, roll them in a little flour, and put them into boiling water. move them gently for a little while to prevent their sticking together. if the dumplins are small, three quarters of an hour will boil them; if large, the time must be proportioned to their size. they will boil equally well in cloths, which is often preferred for keeping the outside drier. suet pudding. shred a pound of suet; mix with it a pound and a quarter of flour, two eggs beaten separately, some salt, and as little milk as will make it. boil the pudding four hours. it eats well the next day, cut in slices and broiled. the outward fat of a loin or neck of mutton finely shred, makes a more delicate pudding than suet. suet pudding with eggs. to a pound of beef suet chopped very fine, add six large spoonfuls of flour, a tea-spoonful of grated ginger, and a tea-spoonful of salt. gradually mix with these ingredients a quart of milk, and four eggs well beaten. boil it three hours in a buttered basin, or two hours and a half in a cloth well floured. suffocation. immediately on discovering a person in this unfortunate situation, whatever be the cause, the windows and doors ought to be opened; the body undressed, covered with blankets, removed to the open air, and supported in a leaning posture on a chair. the patient's face should be sprinkled with vinegar, the pit of the stomach with water, and the legs plunged into a cold bath; at the same time rubbing the skin with flannel, or a soft brush. clysters of vinegar and water will also be useful, and an attempt should be made to promote sickness, by tickling the throat with a feather dipped in oil. when the patient is able to swallow, the most proper drink is vinegar and water, or infusions of mint and balm. suffolk cheese. the curd is broken up in the whey, which is poured off as soon as the former has subsided. the remainder, with the curd, is put into a coarse strainer, left to cool, and is then pressed as tightly as possible. after this it is put into the vat, and set in a press to discharge the remaining whey. the curd is then taken out, broken again as finely as possible, salted, and returned to the press. suffolk dumplins. make a very light dough with yeast, as for bread; add a little salt, and use milk instead of water. let it rise an hour before the fire. round the dough into balls, the size of a middling apple; throw them into boiling water, and let them boil twenty minutes. to ascertain when they are done enough, stick a clean fork into one; and if it come out clear, they are ready to take up. do not cut, but tear them apart on the top with two forks, for they become heavy by their own steam. they should be eaten immediately, with gravy or cold butter, or with meat. sugars. these being an article of considerable expense in all families, the purchase demands particular attention. the cheapest does not go so far as the more refined, and there is a difference even in the degree of sweetness. of white sugar that should be preferred which is close, heavy, and shining. the best sort of brown sugar has a bright gravelly appearance, and it is often to be bought pure as imported. east india sugars are finer for the price, but not so strong, consequently unfit for wines and sweetmeats, but do well for common purposes, if good of their kind. to prepare white sugar pounded, rolling it with a bottle and sifting it, wastes less than pounding it in a mortar. sugar cakes. make into a paste a pound of flour, twelve ounces of fine sugar sifted, the yolks of two eggs, a little nutmeg, and orange-flower water. roll it out thin, cut out the cakes with a tin or glass, sift sugar over them, and bake them in a quick oven. sugar paste. to a pound of flour put two ounces of loaf sugar rolled and sifted, and rub in half a pound of butter. mix it up with one egg well beaten, and cold water sufficient to make it into a paste. mould it with the hand till it is quite smooth, and roll it out for use. sugar vinegar. to every gallon of water, add two pounds of the coarsest sugar; then boil and skim it thoroughly, and add one quart of cold water for every gallon of hot. when cool, put in a toast spread with yeast. stir it nine days, then barrel it off, and set it in the sun, with a piece of slate on the bung hole. make the vinegar in march, and it will be ready in six months. when sufficiently sour it may be bottled, or may be used from the cask with a wooden spigot and faucet. sun flower. the valuable properties of the sun flower are too much neglected, and might be rendered of general advantage. the leaves furnish abundance of agreeable fodder for cattle, the flower is enriched with honey for the bees, the dry stalks burn well, affording a considerable quantity of alkali from the ashes, and the seed is highly valuable in feeding pigs and poultry. the cultivation of this plant cannot be too much recommended, and requires but little management. supper dish. to make a pretty supper dish, wash a tea-cupful of rice in milk, and boil it tender. strain off the milk, lay the rice in small heaps on a dish, strew over them some finely-powdered sugar and cinnamon, and put warm wine and a little butter into the dish. suppers. hot suppers are not much in use where people dine late, nor indeed in ordinary cases. when required, the top and bottom of the table may be furnished with game, fowls, rabbit; boiled fish, such as soles, mackarel, oysters, stewed or scalloped; french beans, cauliflower, or jerusalem artichokes, in white sauce; brocoli with eggs, stewed spinach with eggs, sweetbreads, small birds, mushrooms, scalloped potatoes; cutlets, roast onions, salmagundi, buttered eggs on toast, cold neat's tongue, ham, collared things, sliced hunter's beef, buttered rusks with anchovies, grated hung beef with butter, with or without rusks; grated cheese round, and butter dressed in the middle of a plate; radishes the same, custards in glasses with sippets, oysters cold or pickled; potted meats, fish, birds, cheese; good plain cake sliced, pies of birds or fruit; lobsters, prawns, cray fish, any sweet things, and fruits. a sandwich set with any of the above articles, placed on the table at a little distance from each other, will look well. the lighter the things, the better they appear, and glass intermixed has the best effect. jellies, different coloured things, and flowers, add to the beauty of the table. an elegant supper may be served at a small expense, by those who know how to make trifles that are in the house form the greatest part of the entertainment. susan pudding. boil some windsor beans, just as they begin to be black-eyed, till they are quite tender. then peel them, and beat up half a pound of them very smooth in a marble mortar. add four spoonfuls of thick cream, sugar to taste, half a pound of clarified butter, and eight eggs, leaving out half the whites. beat up the eggs well with a little salt, and white wine sufficient to give it an agreeable flavour. line a dish with puff paste, add a pretty good layer of candied citron cut in long pieces, pour in the other ingredients, and bake it in a moderate oven three quarters of an hour. sweeping of chimnies. the common practice of employing poor children to sweep narrow chimnies, is most inhuman and unwise: many lives are lost by this means, and much injury is done to the building. the children being obliged to work themselves up by pressing with their feet and knees on one side, and their back on the other, often force out the bricks which divide the chimnies, and thereby encrease the danger, in case a foul chimney should take fire, as the flames frequently communicate by those apertures to other apartments, which were not suspected to be in any danger. to avoid these consequences, a rope twice the length of the chimney should be provided, to the middle of which a bunch of furze or broom is to be tied, sufficient to fill the cavity of the chimney. put one end of the rope down the chimney, with a stone fastened to it, and draw the brush after it, which will clear the sides of the chimney, and bring down the soot. if necessary, a person at top may draw the brush up again to the top of the chimney, keeping hold of the rope, and thus clean the chimney thoroughly without difficulty or danger. sweet herbs. it is of some importance to know when the various seasons commence for procuring sweet and savoury herbs, fit for culinary purposes. all vegetables are in the highest state of perfection, and fullest of juice and flavour, just before they begin to flower. the first and last crop have neither the fine flavour nor the perfume of those which are gathered in the height of the season; that is, when the greater part of the crop of each species is ripe. let them be gathered on a dry day, and they will have a better colour after being preserved. cleanse them well from dust and dirt, cut off the roots, separate the bunches into smaller ones, and dry them by the heat of a stove, or in a dutch oven before the fire. take them in small quantities, that the process may be speedily finished, and thus their flavour will be preserved. drying them in the sun exhausts some of their best qualities. in the application of artificial heat, the only caution requisite is to avoid burning; and of this, a sufficient test is afforded by the preservation of the colour. the common custom is, when they are perfectly dried, to put them in bags, and lay them in a dry place. but the best way to preserve the flavour of aromatic plants, is to pick off the leaves as soon as they are dried; then to pound and pass them through a hair sieve, and keep them in well-stopped bottles.--basil is in the best state for drying, from the middle of august, and three weeks afterwards. knotted marjoram, from the beginning of july to the end of the month. winter savoury, the latter end of july, and throughout august. thyme, lemon thyme, and orange thyme, during june and july. mint, the latter end of june, and throughout july. sage, august and september. tarragon, june, july, and august. chervil, may, june, and july. burnet, june, july, and august. parsley, may, june, and july. fennel, the same. elder flowers, and orange flowers, may, june, and july. herbs carefully dried, are a very agreeable substitute; but when fresh ones can be had, their flavour and fragrance are much finer, and therefore to be preferred. sweet lamb pie. make a good puff paste; then cut a loin of lamb into chops, and season with salt and nutmeg; lay a paste over the bottom of your dish; put in your chops, with a handful of currants washed and picked very clean; lay on your lid, and bake it. when it comes from the oven, take off the lid nicely, and pour over a caudle made of white wine, the yolks of eggs, a little nutmeg, and sugar pounded: lay the lid on again, and send it to table as hot as you can. sweet macaroni. to make a very nice dish of macaroni, boil two ounces of it in a pint of milk, with a bit of cinnamon and lemon peel, till the pipes are swelled to their utmost size without breaking. lay them on a custard dish, pour a custard over them, and serve them up cold. sweet patties. chop the meat of a boiled calf's foot, the liquor of which is intended for jelly; two apples, one ounce of orange and lemon peel candied, and some fresh peel and juice. mix with them half a nutmeg grated, the yolk of an egg, a spoonful of brandy, and four ounces of currants washed and dried. fill some small pattipans lined with paste, and bake them.--to make patties resembling mince pies, chop the kidney and fat of cold veal, apple, orange and lemon peel candied; adding some fresh currants, a little wine, two or three cloves, a little brandy and sugar. sweet pot. take three handfuls of orange flowers, three of clove gilliflowers, three of damask roses, one of knotted marjoram, one of lemon thyme, six bay leaves, a handful of rosemary, one of myrtle, one of lavender, half one of mint, the rind of a lemon, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves. chop all together, and put them in layers, with pounded bay-salt between, up to the top of the jar. if all the ingredients cannot be got at once, put them in when obtained, always throwing in salt with every fresh article. this will be found a quick and easy way of making a sweet-scented pot. sweet sauce. put some currant jelly into a stewpan, and when melted, pour it into a sauce boat. this is a more salubrious relish for venison or hare, than either spice or salt, and is an agreeable accompaniment to roast or hashed meats. sweetbreads fricassee. cut the sweetbreads in pretty thick slices, boil them till about half done, with a little more water than just to cover them. add a little salt, white pepper, and mace. then some butter, the yolks of four eggs beaten with a little white wine, and some verjuice. keep this over the fire, shaking it well, till the sauce is properly thickened. serve it up with the juice of a seville orange squeezed over it. if it is to be a brown fricassee, fry the sweetbreads first in butter till the outside is browned. then pour away the butter, put water to the sweetbreads, and boil and finish them as before. an onion or a clove of garlic may be added to the water; or if broth be used instead of water, it will make the fricassee more savoury. sweetbreads fried. cut them into long slices, rub them over with egg, season with pepper, salt, and grated bread, and fry them in butter. serve them up with melted butter and ketchup, garnished with crisped parsley, and thin slices of toasted bacon. sweetbreads ragout. cut them about the size of a walnut, wash and dry them, then fry them of a fine brown. pour on them a good gravy, seasoned with salt, pepper, allspice, and either mushrooms or mushroom ketchup, adding truffles and morels, if approved. strain, and thicken with butter and a little flour. sweetbreads roasted. parboil two large ones; when cold, lard them with bacon, and roast them in a dutch oven. for sauce, plain butter and mushroom ketchup. sweetmeats. preserves or sweetmeats should be carefully kept from the air, and set in a very dry place. if they have only a small proportion of sugar, a warm situation would not injure them; but if they have not been sufficiently boiled, the heat will make them ferment, and the damp will cause them to grow mouldy. they should be inspected two or three times in the first two months that they may be gently boiled again, if not likely to keep. it is necessary to observe, that the boiling of sugar more or less, constitutes the chief art of the confectioner; and those who are not practically acquainted with the subject, and only preserve fruit in a plain way for family use, are not aware that in two or three minutes, a syrup over the fire will pass from one gradation to another, called by the confectioners, degrees of boiling, of which there are six, and those sub-divided. without entering, however, into the minutiæ of the business, it is only necessary to make the observation in order to guard against under boiling, which prevents sweetmeats from keeping; and quick and long boiling, which reduces them to candy. attention, without much practice, will enable a person to do any of the following sorts of sweetmeats and preserves, which are quite sufficient for a private family. the higher articles of preserved fruits may be bought at less expense than made. jellies of fruit are made with an equal quantity of sugar, that is, a pound to a pint, and require no very long boiling. a pan should be kept for the purpose of preserving, of double block tin, with a bow handle for safety, opposite the straight one: and if when done with, it be carefully cleaned and set by in a dry place, it will last for several years. pans of copper or brass are extremely improper, as the tinning wears out by the scraping of the ladle. sieves and spoons should likewise be kept on purpose for sweetmeats. sweetmeats keep best in drawers that are not connected with a wall. if there be the least damp, cover them only with paper dipped in brandy, and laid on quite close; and to prevent the mouldiness occasioned by insects, cover them with fresh paper in the spring. when any sweetmeats are to be dried in the sun, or in a stove, it will be best in private families, where there is not a regular stove for the purpose, to place them in the sun on flag stones, which reflect the heat, and to cover them with a garden glass to keep off the insects. if put into an oven, take care that it be not too warm, and watch to see them done properly and slowly. when green fruits are to be preserved, take pippins, apricots, pears, plums, or peaches, and put them into a block tin preserving pan, with vine leaves under and over them, and cover them with spring water. put on the tin cover to exclude the air, and set the pan on the side of the fire. when the fruit begins to simmer, remove the pan from the fire, pour off the water, and if not green, put fresh leaves when cold, and repeat the same. take them out carefully with a slice, peel and do them as directed for the different kinds of preserves. when fruit is plentiful, and sweetmeats are wanted for tarts, divide two pounds of apricots just ripe, and take out and break the stones. put the kernels without their skins to the fruit; add three pounds of greengages, and two pounds and a half of lump sugar. the sugar should be broken in large pieces, and just dipped in water, and added to the fruit over a slow fire. simmer it till reduced to a clear jam, but observe that it does not boil, and skim it well. if the sugar be clarified, it will make the jam the better. put it into small pots, which art the best for preserving sweetmeats. sweetmeat pies. sweetmeats made with syrups are made into pies the same as raw fruit, and the same crusts may be used for them. tarts made of any kind of jam are commonly made with a crust round the bottom of the dish, the sweetmeat then put in, and only little ornaments of crust cut with a jagging iron, and laid over the top. sugar paste may be used if preferred. little tartlets are made in the same way, only baked in tins and turned out. swoons. in a swooning fit, the patient should immediately be exposed to the open air, and the face and neck sprinkled with cold water. pungent odours, or volatile spirits, should be held to the nostrils, and the feet rubbed with hot flannels, or put into warm water. syllabub. put a pint of cider and a bottle of strong beer into a large punch bowl, grate in a nutmeg, and sweeten it. put in as much new milk from the cow as will make a strong froth, and let it stand an hour. clean and wash some currants, and make them plump before the fire: then strew them over the syllabub, and it will be fit for use. a good imitation of this may be made by those who do not keep cows, by pouring new milk out of a tea-pot into the cider and beer, or wine.--a fine syllabub from the cow. make your syllabub either of wine or cyder, (if cyder, put a spoonful of brandy in) sweeten it, and grate in some nutmeg; then milk into the liquor till you have a fine light curd; pour over it half a pint, or a pint of good cream, according to the quantity of syllabub you make: you may send it in the basin it was made in, or put it into custard-cups, and tea-spoons with it on a salver.--to make very fine syllabubs. take a quart and half a pint of cream, a pint of rhenish, and half a pint of sack; grate the rind of three lemons into the cream; with near a pound of double-refined sugar; squeeze the juice of three lemons into the wine, and put it to the cream; then beat all together with a whisk half an hour, take it up together with a spoon, and fill the glasses. it is best at three or four days old, and will keep good nine or ten days. these are called the everlasting syllabubs. sympathetic ink. write on paper with a solution of nitrate of bismuth, and smear the writing over with a feather, moistened with an infusion of galls. the letters which were before invisible, will now appear of a brown colour. or write with a solution of muriate of antimony, and smear the writing over with a feather dipped in a solution of galls. the writing before invisible, will now turn yellow. or write with a transparent infusion of gall nuts, and smear it over with a solution of metallic salt; and on a slight exposure to the air, the writing will turn quite black. if written with a solution of sulphate of iron, and rubbed over with a solution of prussiate of potass, it will appear of a beautiful blue colour. syrup of cream. scald a pint of perfectly fresh cream, add to it a pound and a quarter of powdered lump sugar. keep it in a cool place for two or three hours, then put it into small phials, holding one or two ounces each, and cork it close. it will keep good thus for several weeks, and will be found very useful in voyages. syrup of diacodium. steep two pounds and a quarter of poppy heads in a gallon of water, and let it infuse twenty-four hours. boil the infusion till reduced to three pints, and add to it a pound and a half of sugar. syrup of mulberries. put the mulberries into a jar, and the jar into a kettle of water over the fire, till the juice runs from them. then squeeze the fruit, and add to the juice twice its weight in sugar. set it over a slow fire, skim it clean, and keep it simmering till the sugar is all dissolved. t. table beer. if the quantity to be brewed is taken as a barrel, or six and thirty gallons, two bushels and a half of malt will be sufficient. the dimensions of the vessels may be supposed to correspond with those used in a moderate family, and the copper holding about thirty gallons. a quantity of boiling water being poured into the mash tub, is suffered to remain there till the steam is nearly all evaporated. the malt previously ground, is then thrown into the water, and thoroughly stirred and mixed with it. this agitation of the malt and water, commonly called mashing, is kept up for a quarter of an hour, by which the malt is more effectually brought into contact with the water, and a greater proportion of its soluble matter extracted. after this the mash tub is covered over in order to retain as much heat as possible, and the whole is suffered to remain undisturbed for an hour and a half or two hours. at the end of that time, the water thus impregnated with the malt, in which state it is commonly called sweet wort, is slowly drawn off into another vessel. the quantity of water used in the first mashing is about twenty-five gallons; of which, not above fifteen are afterwards obtained, the rest being absorbed by the malt, with the exception of a small quantity carried off by evaporation. this first wort being drawn off from the malt, a fresh portion of hot water is thrown into the mash tub, and the process of mashing is repeated for ten minutes. the tub being again covered, the whole is suffered to remain for about an hour, when a second wort is drawn off. the quantity of water used in this second mashing is about fifteen gallons; and the malt having already retained as much water as is sufficient to saturate it, the whole amount of the fifteen gallons is afterwards recovered from the mash tub. about twelve gallons of hot water is now added to the malt, and the mixture being mashed for a few minutes, is suffered to remain another hour, in order to form a third wort. in the meantime a part of the two first worts is poured into the copper, with a pound and a half or two pounds of hops, and boiled for an hour, or an hour and a half; after which it is strained through a sieve into another vessel. the third wort is now drawn off from the mash tub, and being mixed with the remaining part of the first and second wort, it is boiled for an hour or more, with the hops used in the former instance. the three worts are then distributed into shallow vessels or coolers, and suffered to remain there till the liquor is reduced to a lukewarm state. it is then collected into the tun tub, and fermented with about a quart of yeast, which converts it into beer. but as table beer is sometimes brewed in considerable quantities for the use of large families, and in a still more economical manner, an estimate will be given, in order to show the saving that is made in private brewing. the following is a preparation for ten barrels. £ _s._ _d._ malt, one quarter hops, eight pounds colouring, ditto spanish liquorice, oz. treacle, ten pounds --------- --------- ten barrels bought at the brewery at _s._ ten barrels brewed at home --------- clear gain --------- liquorice root and other flavouring substances may be added: what are here inserted are only the general requisites.--another way of making a cheap and wholesome table beer, is to dissolve four pounds of coarse sugar in ten gallons of water. then put in three ounces of hops, boil the whole for three quarters of an hour, and let it work as usual. it should be kept a week or ten days before it is tapped, and it will improve daily afterwards, if not kept too long. or for a still smaller quantity, put a pound of treacle to eight quarts of boiling water: add two bay leaves, and a quarter of an ounce of powdered ginger. boil the whole for fifteen minutes, then let it cool, and work it with yeast. tainted meat. when the weather is so hot that meat will scarcely keep from day to day, wrapping it in a thin cloth dipped in vinegar, and not wrung very dry, will help to keep it from being tainted. or rubbing the meat with black pepper will preserve it, and let it be hung up as usual. it is much better however, that meat should not be kept so long as to risk its being tainted. tan gloves. to dye gloves to look like york tan or limerick, put some saffron into a pint of water boiling hot, and let it infuse all night. next morning wet the leather over with a brush, but take care that the tops of the gloves be sewn close, to prevent the colour from getting in. tansey. to make a tansey, beat up seven eggs, yolks and whites separately. add a pint of cream, nearly the same of spinach juice, and a little tansey juice, gained by pounding it in a stone mortar; a quarter of a pound of naples biscuit, a glass of white wine, and a little sugar and nutmeg. set all in a saucepan, just to thicken, over the fire; then put it into a dish, lined with paste to turn out, and bake it.--another. beat ten eggs very well with a little salt, half a pound of loaf sugar pounded, half a pint of spinach juice, and a spoonful of the juice of tansey; mix them well together, and strain it to a quart of cream; grate in half a pound of naples biscuits, and a nutmeg; add a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds blanched and beat fine, with a little rose water, and mix all well together; put it into a stewpan, with a piece of butter the bigness of a golden pippin. set it over a slow charcoal fire; keep it stirring till it is hardened; then butter a dish very well, that will just hold it: put in the tansey, bake it in a moderate oven, taking care that it is not scorched. when it comes home, turn it upon a pie plate, cut seville oranges in small quarters, and lay round it, and on the tansey, citron, and orange peel cut thin, with double refined sugar laid in little heaps between. if you have not naples biscuits, grate seven ounces of the finest stale bread you have.--_a boiled tansey._ cut the crumb of a stale penny loaf thin, pour over as much hot cream as will wet it, and cover it over till cold; then beat and strain six eggs to it, a little lemon peel shred fine, a little grated nutmeg, and salt; green it as you did the baked tansey, and sweeten it to your taste; stir all very well together, butter a bason, that will hold it, butter also a cloth to lay over the top, tie it tight, and boil it an hour and quarter; turn it into a dish, and garnish with seville orange; stick candied orange cut thin on the top. tansey pudding. grate four ounces of bread, blanch two ounces of sweet almonds, and beat them fine in a marble mortar, with orange-flower water. mix these, and four ounces of fine powdered sugar with the bread. add five eggs, a little salt, a pint of cream, a grated nutmeg, half a pint of spinach juice expressed from the leaves, beaten in a marble mortar, and strained through a cloth, and two or three spoonfuls of tansey juice beaten out and strained in the same manner. stir the whole together, and put it into a saucepan with a small piece of butter. set it over the fire till it thickens, stirring it all the time, but do not let it boil. when done, cool it in a basin, then pour it into a dish well buttered, and bake it half an hour. turn it out of the dish before it is sent to table, sift some fine sugar over it, and lay a seville orange round it cut in pieces, and squeeze the juice upon it. tapioca jelly. choose the largest sort, pour on cold water to wash in two or three times, and then soak it in fresh water five or six times. simmer it in the same until it become quite clear, with a bit of lemon peel. then add lemon juice, wine, and sugar. tapioca pudding. wash six spoonfuls of the large kind of tapioca, and stew it gently in a quart of milk till it is pretty thick. let it stand uncovered to cool. add two eggs well beaten with some salt, and sugar to the taste. bake it with a crust round the edge of a dish, in a moderate oven, for an hour. tar water. pour a gallon of cold water on a quart of tar, and stir and mix them thoroughly with a ladle or flat stick, for the space of three or four minutes; after which the vessel must stand forty-eight hours, that the tar may have time to subside; when the clear water is to be poured off, and kept for use, no more being made from the same tar, which may still serve for common purposes. the general rule for taking it is, about half a pint night and morning, on an empty stomach, which quantity may be varied according to the case and age of the patient; provided it be always taken on an empty stomach, and about two hours before or after a meal. tar water cures indigestion, and gives a good appetite. it is an excellent medicine in an asthma; it imparts a kindly warmth, and quick circulation to the juices, without heating, and is therefore useful, not only as a pectoral and balsamic, but also as a powerful and a safe deobstruent in cachectic and hysteric cases. as it is both healing and diuretic, it is very good for the gravel. it is believed to be of great use in a dropsy, having been known to cure a very bad anasarca in a person whose thirst, though very extraordinary, was in a short time removed by the drinking of tar water. it is also believed to be the best and safest medicine, either for preventing the gout, or for so strengthening nature against the fit, as to drive it from the vitals. it may likewise be safely used in inflammatory cases; and, in fact, hath been found an admirable febrifuge, at once the safest cooler and cordial. the salts and more active spirits of tar are got by infusion in cold water; but the resinous part is not to be dissolved thereby. hence the prejudice which some, perhaps, may entertain against tar water, the use of which might inflame the blood by its sulphur and resin, as a medicine, appears not to be well grounded. it is observed by chemists, that all sorts of balsamic wood afford an acid spirit, which is the volatile oily salt of the vegetable. herein is chiefly contained their medicinal virtues; and it appears that the acid spirit in tar water possesses the virtues, in an eminent degree, of that of guaiacum, and other medicinal woods. it is certain tar water warms, and therefore some may perhaps still think it cannot cool. the more effectually to remove this prejudice, let it be farther considered, that, as on one hand, opposite causes do sometimes produce the same effect; for instance, heat by rarefaction, and cold by condensation, do both increase the air's elasticity; so, on the other hand, the same cause shall sometimes produce opposite effects. heat, for instance, in one degree thins, in another coagulates, the blood. it is not therefore strange, that tar water should warm one habit and cool another; have one good effect on a cold constitution, and another good effect on an inflamed one; nor, if this be so, that it should cure opposite disorders. a medicine of so great virtue in so many different disorders, and especially in that grand enemy the fever, must needs be a benefit to mankind in general. there are nevertheless three sorts of people to whom it may be peculiarly recommended; seafaring persons, ladies, and men of studious and sedentary lives. if it be asked, what precise quantity, or degree of strength is required in tar water? it is answered, that the palate, the stomach, the particular case and constitution of the patient, the very season of the year, will dispose and require him to drink more or less in quantity, stronger or weaker in degree. precisely to measure its strength by a scrupulous exactness, is by no means necessary. it is to be observed, that tar water should not be made in unglazed earthen vessels, these being apt to communicate a nauseous sweetness to the water. tar water is also recommended in the plague, and for the distemper among horned cattle; with what success must be left to experience. tarragon vinegar. fill a wide-mouthed bottle with tarragon leaves, gathered on a dry day, just before the plant begins to flower. dry the leaves a little before the fire, steep them a fortnight in the best vinegar, and strain it fine through a flannel jelly bag. pour it into half-pint bottles, cork them up carefully, and keep them in a dry place. this forms an agreeable addition to soups and salad sauce, and to mix with mustard. tartar wine. add to a quantity of mare's milk a sixth part of water, and pour the mixture into a wooden vessel. use as a ferment an eighth part of sour cow's milk; but at any future preparation, a small portion of old koumiss will answer better. cover the vessel with a thick cloth, and set it in a place of moderate warmth, leaving it at rest for twenty four hours. at the end of this time the milk will become sour, and a thick substance will be gathered on its surface. now with a churn-staff, beat it till the thick substance just mentioned, be intimately blended with the subjacent fluid. in this situation leave it at rest for twenty four hours more. afterwards pour it into a higher and narrower vessel, resembling a churn, where the agitation must be repeated as before, till the liquor appear to be perfectly combined. in this state it is called koumiss, the taste of which ought to be a pleasant mixture of sweet and sour. agitation must be employed every time before it is used. this wine, prepared by the tartars, is cooling and antiseptic. sometimes aromatic herbs, as angelica, are infused in the liquor during fermentation. tarts. sweetmeats made with syrups are formed into pies and tarts the same as raw fruits, and the same crusts may be used for them. tarts made of any kind of jam are usually formed with a crust round the bottom of the dish, the sweetmeat is then put in, and little ornaments of crust placed over the top, made with a jagging iron. sugar paste is suitable for these. little tartlets are made in the same way, only baked in tins and turned out.----take apples, or pears, cut them in small quarters, and set them over the fire, with a piece of lemon peel, and some cinnamon; let them simmer in as much water as will cover them, till tender; and if you bake them in tin pattipans, butter them first, and lay over a thin paste; lay in some sugar, then the fruit, with three or four tea-spoonfuls of the liquor they were simmered in; put in a little more sugar, and lid them over. if your tarts are made of apricots, green almonds, nectarines, or green plums, they must be scalded before you use them, and observe to put nothing to them but sugar, and as little water as possible; make use of the syrup they were scalded in, as you did for your apples, &c. cherries, currants, raspberries, and all ripe fruits need not be scalded; and if you make your tarts in china, or glass patties, lay the sugar at bottom, then the fruit, with a little more sugar on the top; put no paste at the bottom, only lid them over, and bake them in a slack oven. you have receipts how to make crust for tarts; mince pies must be baked in tin patties, that you may slip them out into a dish, and a puff paste is the best for them. when you make sweetmeat tarts, or a crocant tart, lay in the sweetmeats, or preserved fruit either in glass or china patties that are small, for that purpose; lay a very thin crust on the top, and let them be baked no more than till your crust is nicely coloured, and that in a slow oven. if you would have a crocant tart for the middle of the table, or a side-dish, have a glass, or china dish, of what size you please, and lay in the preserved fruit of different sorts, (you must have a round cover just the size of the inside of your dish) roll out a sugar crust, the thickness of an half crown, and lay over the cover; mark it with marking irons made on purpose for that use, of what shapes you please; then put the crust, with the cover, into a very slack oven, not to discolour it, only to have it crisp. when you take it out of the oven, loosen it from the cover very gently, and when quite cold, take it carefully off, and lay over your sweetmeats, and it being hollow, you will see the fruit through it. if the tart is not eaten, only take off the lid, and your sweetmeats may be put into the pots again. tea. the habit of drinking tea frequently, and in large quantities, cannot fail to be injurious, as it greatly weakens and relaxes the tone of the stomach. this produces indigestion, nervous trembling and weakness, attended with a pale, wan complexion. when tea is taken only at intervals, and after solid food, it is salutary and refreshing; but when used as a substitute for plain nourishing diet, as is too commonly the case amongst the lower classes, it is highly pernicious, especially as large quantities of a spurious description are too frequently imposed upon the public. the policy which compels a very numerous class to purchase this foreign article, for procuring which immense sums are sent out of the country, while the produce of our own soil is comparatively withheld by an exorbitant system of taxation, cannot be too severely condemned, as alike injurious to health, to the interests of agriculture, and to the comfort and industry of the people. the duty on foreign tea has indeed been greatly encreased, but at the same time, so has the duty on malt and beer; no encouragement therefore is given to the home consumption, but the money which ought to be paid for the production of barley and malt is given to the foreigner, while by the enormous price of the article, a powerful stimulus is furnished for attempting an illicit importation, and for the pernicious adulteration of what is now esteemed almost a common necessary of life. it is desirable to lessen the injurious effects of tea as much as possible by mixing it with milk, which will render it softer and more nutritious. with the addition of sugar it may be made to form a wholesome breakfast for those who are strong and live freely, operating as a diluent for cleansing the bladder and kidnies, and the alimentary passages. persons of weak nerves ought however to abstain from tea, as they would from drains and cordials, as it causes the same kind of irritation on the delicate fibres of the stomach, which ends in lowness, trembling, and vapours. tea should never be drunk hot at any time, as it tends still more to produce that relaxation which ought to be carefully avoided. green tea is less wholesome than black or bohea. tea cakes. rub four ounces of butter into eight ounces of flour, mix with it eight ounces of currants, and six of fine lisbon sugar. add two yolks and one white of eggs, and a spoonful of brandy. roll the paste about the thickness of a biscuit, and cut it out with a wine glass into little cakes. the white of the other egg beaten up, may be washed over them, and then they may be dusted with fine sugar. tea-kettles. hard water used for tea is apt to form an offensive crust inside the tea-kettle, which may be prevented by frequent cleaning, or putting a flat oyster shell at the bottom. this will attract the stony particles that are in the water, and the concretion will be formed upon it. tea-pots. an infusion of tea is always more perfect in a metal tea-pot, than in one of stone or earthenware. if boiling water be poured into two tea-pots, one of bright silver or polished tin, and the other of black stoneware, and they be left in a room of moderate temperature, it will be found that the former will retain its heat nearly twice as long as the other. tea-pots of polished metal are therefore to be preferred. teats. sore teats, in neat cattle, is an affection in those of the cow kind, to which some are much more subject than others; especially such as have newly or lately calved. when the teats of these animals are affected during the summer months, they often become ulcerated, and by the teazing of the flies, the cattle are rendered difficult to be milked; they also become a very great nuisance at the periods of milking, as the discharges from them are apt, without much attention, to pass between the fingers of the operator into the milk-pail, and spoil the milk. the affection is caused by inflammation, irritation, and too much distention of the parts by the milk. in order to the removal of it, the milk should be first frequently drawn, and the parts well washed with soft soap and warm water; after which, a substance composed of elder ointment and wax melted together, to which is then added a little alum and sugar of lead, in fine powder, may be used to the parts after milking at night and in the morning; or a weak solution of white vitriol and a little sugar of lead, in soft water may be made use of in the same way, in some cases, with more advantage. the addition of a little assafoetida, and such like substances, in powder, is, it is said, beneficial in the summer season in driving away the flies. great care is to be taken to keep the teats as clean as possible during the time of cure. teeth and gums. in order to preserve the teeth and gums, they require to be cleaned very carefully; for if the enamel of the teeth be worn off by an improper mode of cleaning, they will suffer more injury than by a total neglect. a common skewer of soft wood, bruised and bitten at the end, will make the best brush for this purpose. once a week dip the skewer brush into a few grains of gunpowder, after they have been bruised, and it will remove every spot and blemish till the teeth appear beautifully white. the mouth should be well washed after the operation, to prevent any ill effects of the gunpowder. teeth, if not regularly cleaned, are apt to contract a false kind of enamel which is injurious to the gums, leaving the fangs of the teeth bare, so that they are soon destroyed, by being exposed to the air, and for want of being protected by the gums. this tartarous enamel must therefore be scaled off, that the gums may grow up to their proper place. raspberries or strawberries eaten plentifully have been found to dissolve these concretions, and contribute to the preservation of the teeth and gums. tooth powders and tinctures also have their use. a very convenient powder may be made of charcoal pounded in a mortar, and sifted fine. apply a little of it to the teeth twice a week, and it will not only render them beautifully white, but also make the breath sweet, and the gums firm and comfortable. the charcoal may be ground in water, and so preserved for use. a tincture for the gums may be made of three ounces of the tincture of bark, and half an ounce of sal ammoniac, mixed together. dip the finger into a tea-spoonful of the tincture, and rub the gums and teeth with it, which are afterwards to be washed with warm water. this tincture not only cures the toothache, but preserves the teeth and gums, and causes them to adhere to each other. tenant at sufferance. when a lease is expired, and the tenant keeps possession without any new contract, he is deemed a tenant at sufferance. but on the landlord's acceptance of any rent after the expiration of the lease, the tenant may hold the premises from year to year, till half a year's notice is given. tenant at will. a tenant at will is one who holds an estate or tenement at the will of the landlord, and may at any time be ejected. meanwhile he is at liberty to leave when he chooses, on giving proper notice, and cannot be compelled to occupy. tench. these are a fine flavoured fresh-water fish, and should be killed and dressed as soon as caught. they abound very much in the dykes of lincolnshire. when they are to be bought, examine whether the gills are red and hard to open, the eyes bright, and the body stiff. the tench has a slimy matter about it, the clearness and brightness of which indicate freshness. the season for this delicate fish is july, august, and september. when to be dressed, put them into cold water, boil them carefully, and serve with melted butter and soy. they are also very fine stewed, or fricasseed, as follows. to fricassee tench white. having cleaned your tench very well, cut off their heads, slit them in two, and if large, cut each half in three pieces, if small, in two: melt some butter in a stewpan, and put in your tench; dust in some flour, and pour in some boiling water, and a few mushrooms, and season it with salt, pepper, a bundle of sweet herbs, and an onion stuck with cloves: when this boils, pour in a pint of white wine boiling hot; let it stew till sufficiently wasted; take out the fish, and strain the liquor, saving the mushrooms; bind your fricassee with the yolk of three or four eggs beaten up with a little verjuice, some parsley chopped fine, and a little nutmeg grated; stir it all the time it boils, scum it very clean, pour your sauce over the fish, and send it to table.--to fricassee tench brown. prepare your tench as in the other receipt; put some butter and flour into a stewpan, and brown it; then put in the tench with the same seasoning you did your white fricassee; when you have tossed them up, moisten them with a little fish broth; boil a pint of white wine, and put to your fricassee, stew it till enough, and properly wasted; then take the fish up, and strain the liquor, bind it with a brown cullis, and serve it up. if asparagus or artichokes are in season, you may boil these, and add them to your fricassee. tench broth. clean the fish, and set them on the fire with three pints of water; add some parsley, a slice of onion, and a few peppercorns. simmer till the fish is broken, the broth become good, and reduced one half. add some salt, and strain it off. tench broth is very nutricious, and light of digestion. thick milk. beat up an egg, and add to it a tea spoonful of flour. mix it smooth with a tea-spoonful of cold milk, and put to it a pint of boiling milk. stir it over a slow fire till it boils, then pour it out, and add a little sugar and nutmeg. the saucepan should have a little cold water put into it first, to prevent the milk from burning at the bottom, or marbles boiled in it will answer the same purpose. thickened gravy. to a quart of gravy allow a table-spoonful of thickening, or from one to two table-spoonfuls of flour, according to the thickness required. put a ladleful of the gravy into a basin with the thickening, stir it up quick, add the rest by degrees, till it is all well mixed. then pour it back into a stewpan, and leave it by the side of the fire to simmer for half an hour longer, that the thickening may be thoroughly incorporated with the gravy. let it neither be too pale nor too dark a colour. if not thick enough, let it stew longer, or add to it a little glaze or portable soup. if too thick, it may be diluted with a spoonful or too of warm broth or water. thickened soup. put into a small stewpan three table-spoonfuls of the fat taken off the soup, and mix it with four table-spoonfuls of flour. pour in a ladleful of the soup, mix it with the rest by degrees, and boil it up till it is smooth. this may be rendered more savoury by adding a little ketchup. the soup should be strained through a tammis. thickening. clarified butter is best for this purpose, or put some fresh butter into a stewpan over a slow clear fire. when it is melted, add fine flour sufficient to make it the thickness of paste. stir it well together with a wooden spoon for fifteen or twenty minutes, till it is quite smooth, and the colour of a guinea. this must be done very gradually and patiently, or it will be spoiled. pour it into an earthen pan, and it will keep good a fortnight in summer, and longer in winter. particular attention must be paid in making it; if it gets any burnt smell or taste, it will spoil every thing it is put into. when cold, it should be thick enough to cut out with a knife, like a solid paste. this is a very essential article in the kitchen, and the basis of consistency in most made dishes, soups, sauces, and ragouts. in making this thickening, the less butter and the more flour is used the better. they must be thoroughly worked together, and the broth or soup added by degrees. unless well incorporated, the sauce will taste floury, and have a greasy disagreeable appearance. to prevent this, it must be finished and cleansed, after it is thickened, by adding a little broth or warm water, and setting it by the side of the fire to raise any fat that is not thoroughly incorporated with the gravy, that it may be carefully removed as it comes to the top. some cooks merely thicken their soups and sauces with flour, or the farina of potatoe; and others use the fat skimmings off the top of broth, as a substitute for butter. thorns and splinters. to run prickles or thorns, such as those of roses, thistles, and chesnuts, or little splinters of wood or bone, into the hands, feet, or legs, is a very common accident, and provided any such substance be immediately extracted, it is seldom attended with any bad consequences. but the more certain prevention is a compress of linen dipped in warm water, and applied to the part, or to bathe it a little while in warm water. if the thorn or splinter cannot be extracted directly, or if any part of it be left in, it causes an inflammation, and nothing but timely precaution will prevent its coming to an abscess. a plaster of shoemaker's wax spread upon leather, draws these wounds remarkably well. when it is known that any part of the splinter remains, an expert surgeon would open the place and take it out; but if it be unobserved, as will sometimes happen when the substance is very small, till the inflammation begins, and no advice can at once be procured, the steam of water should be applied to it first, and then a poultice of bread crumb and milk, with a few drops of peruvian balsam. it is quite necessary that the injured part should be kept in the easiest posture, and as still as possible. if this does not soon succeed, good advice must be procured without delay, as an accident of this kind neglected, or improperly treated, may be the occasion of losing a limb. in this and all other cases of inflammation, a forbearance from animal food and fermented liquors, is always advisable. thrush. this disorder in children affects the mouth and throat, and sometimes the stomach. in the former case it will be sufficient to cleanse the mouth with a little sage tea, sweetened with the honey of roses, and mixed with a dram of borax. in the latter, great benefit may be derived from a decoction of carrots in water, or an ounce of linseed boiled in a pint of water till reduced to a consistence, and sweetened with two ounces of honey, a table-spoonful of which may be given occasionally. this complaint may generally be prevented by a due attention to cleanliness, daily washing and bathing the child in lukewarm water, washing its mouth after it has been applied to the breast, giving it pure air, and removing any obstruction in the bowels by the use of manna or tamarinds. thyme. these plants may be easily raised from seed, by slipping the roots and branches, and by cuttings; but the seed method is seldom practised, except with the second sort, or garden thyme. the seed should be sown in the early spring on light, rich, dry ground, which should be properly dug over, and the surface be made moderately smooth with the spade. as the seed is small, it should not be sown too thick, or be covered too deep: the seed is best sown while the ground is fresh stirred, either broad-cast on the surface, raking it in lightly, or in flat shallow drills, earthed over thinly: the plants appear in two or three weeks. it is necessary to be careful to keep them well weeded, giving occasional light waterings in dry weather; and by june they will require thinning, especially if the plants are to grow stocky, and with bushy full heads; in which case they should be set out to six or eight inches distance; when those thinned out may be planted in another place, in rows six or eight inches asunder, giving water till fresh rooted, keeping the whole clean from weeds by occasional hoeing between them in dry days, which will also stir the surface of the earth, and much improve the growth of the plants: they will be in perfection for use in summer, or early in autumn. some think the common thyme best cultivated for kitchen use in beds or borders, in rows at least half a foot apart, employing for the purpose either the young seedling plants, which are fit to set out, or the root slips of old plants, each of which soon increase into plants of bushy growths proper for being cropped for the above use. it may also often be well cultivated as an edging to herbary and other compartments; in both of which methods the plants multiply exceedingly fast by offsets, and are abiding, furnishing the means of great future increase. some should, however, always be annually raised from seed in the above manner, as such plants possess a stronger aromatic quality than those from old ones. when it is intended to increase any particular varieties, and continue them the same with certainty, it can only be effected by slips and cuttings. in respect to the offsets and slips, all the sorts multiply by offsets of the root and slips of the branches: the rooted slips are the most expeditious method, as the old plants increase into many offset stems rising from the root, each furnished with fibres; and by taking up the old plants in the spring, &c. and slipping or dividing them into separate parts, not too small, with roots to each, and planting them in beds of good earth, in rows half a foot asunder, giving water directly, and repeating it occasionally in dry weather till they have taken root, and begin to shoot at top; they soon grow freely, and form good bushy plants in two or three months. the strong slips of the branches without roots, succeed when planted any time in the early spring season in a shady border, in rows four or five inches distant, giving due waterings; and become good plants by autumn, when they may be planted out where they are to remain. the cuttings of the young branches grow readily, the same as the slips, when planted at the same season in a shady place, and well watered. the common thyme is in universal use as a pot-herb for various culinary purposes; it may also be employed in assemblage with other small plants, to embellish the fronts of flower-borders, shrubbery clumps, small and sloping banks, &c. placing the plants detached or singly, to form little bushy tufts, and in which the variegated sorts, and the silver thyme and lemon thyme particularly, form a very agreeable variety. the lemon thyme is also in much estimation for its peculiar odoriferous smell. some of each of these sorts may also be potted, in order to be moved occasionally to any particular places as may be required, and under occasional shelter in severe winters, to preserve the plants more effectually in a lively state; likewise some of the mastick thyme. spanish and portugal thymes are also sometimes potted for the same purpose, and to place under the protection of a garden frame or greenhouse in winter, to continue them in a more fresh and lively growth; and sometimes some of the smaller thymes are sown or planted for edgings to particular beds or borders for variety, such as the lemon thyme, silver-leaved and variegated sorts; also occasionally the common thyme; and all kept low, close and regular, by clipping them at the sides and tops annually in the summer season. all the several sorts and varieties possess an aromatic quality, which principally resides in the leaves, whence it is imparted and affords a line agreeable fragrance. but the first three kinds are much the most noted and valued in kitchen gardens, and more especially the common thyme, which is so very useful as a culinary herb. tin covers. properly to clean tin covers and pewter pots, get the finest whiting, which is only sold in large cakes, the small being mixed with sand. powder and mix a little of it with a drop of sweet oil, rub the pots and covers well with it, and wipe them clean. then dust over some dry whiting in a muslin bag, and rub the articles bright with dry leather. the last is to prevent rust, which must be carefully guarded against by wiping thoroughly dry, and setting them by the fire when they come from table. if covers are once hung up without wiping, the steam will be sure to rust the inside. tincture of allspice. bruise three ounces of allspice, and steep it in a quart of brandy. shake it up occasionally and after a fortnight pour off the clear liquor. it makes a most grateful addition in all cases where allspice is used, in gravies, or to flavour and preserve potted meats. tincture of bark. to make the compound tincture, take two ounces of peruvian bark powdered, half an ounce of seville orange peel, and half an ounce of bruised cinnamon. infuse the whole in a pint and a half of brandy, let it stand five or six days in a close vessel, and then strain off the tincture. take one or two tea-spoonfuls twice a day in any suitable liquor, sharpened with a few drops of the spirits of vitriol. this tincture is highly beneficial in intermitting fevers, and in slow, nervous, or putrid fevers, especially towards their decline. tincture of cinnamon. this exhilirating cordial is made by pouring a bottle of the best brandy on three ounces of bruised cinnamon. a tea-spoonful of it, and a lump of sugar, in a glass of good sherry or madeira, with the yolk of an egg beaten up in it, was formerly considered as the balsam of life. two tea-spoonfuls of it in a wine glass of water, are at present a very pleasant remedy in nervous languors, and in relaxations of the bowels. in the latter case, five drops of laudanum may be added to each dose. tincture of cloves. bruise three ounces of cloves, steep them for ten days in a quart of brandy, and strain off the tincture through a flannel sieve. it imparts an excellent flavour to mulled wine. in all cases tinctures are to be preferred to essences, as affording a much finer flavour. tincture of lemon peel. a very easy and economical way of obtaining and preserving the flavour of lemon peel, is to fill a wide-mouthed pint bottle half full of brandy or rum; and when a lemon is used, pare off the rind very thin, and put it into the spirits. in the course of a fortnight the liquor will be strongly flavoured with the lemon. tincture of nutmeg. steep three ounces of nutmeg in a quart of brandy, and let it stand a fortnight. shake it up occasionally, and then pour off the clear liquor. tincture of rhubarb. take two ounces and a half of rhubarb, and half an ounce of lesser cardamon seeds; steep them for a week in a quart of brandy, and strain off the tincture. to make the bitter tincture of rhubarb, add an ounce of gentian root, and a dram of snake root. the tincture is of great use in case of indigestion, pain or weakness of the stomach; and from one to three or four spoonfuls may be taken every day. tingeing of glass. the art of tingeing glass of various colours is by mixing with it, while in a state of fusion, some of the metallic oxides; and on this process, well conducted, depends the formation of pastes. blue glass is formed by means of oxide of cobalt; green, by the oxide of iron or copper; violet, by oxide of manganese; red, by a mixture of the oxides of copper and iron; purple, by the purple oxide of gold; white, by the oxides of arsenic and of zinc; yellow, by the oxide of silver, and by combustible bodies. toast and water. take a slice of fine and stale loaf-bread, cut very thin, (as thin as toast is ever cut) and let it be carefully toasted on both sides, until it be completely browned all over, but no wise blackened or burned in any way. put this into a common deep stone or china jug, and pour over it, from the tea kettle, as much clean boiling water as you wish to make into drink. much depends on the water being actually in a boiling state. cover the jug with a saucer or plate, and let the drink stand until it be quite cold; it is then fit to be used; the fresher it is made the better, and of course the more agreeable. the above will be found a pleasant, light, and highly diuretic drink. it is peculiarly grateful to the stomach, and excellent for carrying off the effects of any excess in drinking. it is also a most excellent drink at meals, and may be used in the summer time, if more agreeable to the drinker. toasted cheese. mix some fine butter, made mustard, and salt, into a mass. spread it on fresh made thin toasts, and grate some gloucester cheese upon them. tomatoes. these are chiefly used in soups and sauces, and serve as little dishes at table at any part of a dinner. when they are to be baked, cut the tomatoes lengthways in the middle, with the part where there is a rind downwards. strew upon each a seasoning of pepper, salt, and sweet herbs chopped small. set them in the oven till they are soft, and serve them up, without any other sauce. the fruit of the purple egg plant is eaten, prepared in the same manner. tomata sauce. for hot or cold meats put tomatas, when perfectly ripe, into an earthen jar. set it in an oven when the bread is drawn, till they are quite soft; then separate the skins from the pulp, and mix this with capsicum vinegar, and a few cloves of pounded garlic, which must both be proportioned to the quantity of fruit. add powdered ginger and salt to taste. some white wine vinegar and cayenne may be used instead of capsicum vinegar. keep the mixture in small wide-mouthed bottles, well corked, and in a cool dry place. tongues. when a tongue is intended to be eaten cold, season it with common salt and saltpetre, brown sugar, a little bay salt, pepper, cloves, mace, and allspice, in fine powder, and let it lie a fortnight. then take away the pickle, put the tongue into a small pan, and lay some butter on it. cover it with brown crust, and bake it slowly till it becomes so tender that a straw would go through it. the thin part of tongues, when hung up to dry, grates like hung beef, and also makes a fine addition to the flavour of omlets.--to boil a tongue. if it is a dried tongue, soak it over night; the next day put it into cold water, and let it have a good deal of room; it will take at least four hours. if it is a green tongue out of the pickle, you need not soak it, but it will require near the same time. about an hour before you send it to table, take it out and blanch it, then put it into the pot again till you want it, by this means it will eat the tenderer. tongue and udder. clean the tongue nicely, rub it with salt, a very little saltpetre, and a little coarse sugar, and let it lie for two or three days. when to be dressed, have a fresh tender udder with some fat to it, and boil that and the tongue gently till half done. take them very clean out of the water, then tie the thick end of the one to the thin end of the other, and roast them with a few cloves stuck into the udder. serve them up with gravy in the dish, and currant jelly in a tureen. a dried tongue to be boiled, requires to be previously soaked for ten or twelve hours. a tongue out of pickle is only to be washed, and boiled in the same way. it will take four hours to do it well, and for the first two hours it should only simmer. about an hour before it is done it should be taken up and peeled, and then put into the boiler again to finish it. serve it up with turnips nicely mashed, and laid round it. tooth ach. the best possible preventive of this disorder is to keep the teeth clean, as directed for the teeth and gums. if the gums be inflamed, recourse should be had to bleeding by leeches, and blisters behind the ears. a few drops of laudanum in cotton, laid on the tooth, will sometimes afford relief. in some cases, vitriolic æther dropped on the cheek, and the hand held to the part till the liquid is evaporated, is found to answer the purpose. but it is much easier to prescribe the means of preventing the disorder, than to point out a specific remedy; and the nostrums generally given on this subject are either ineffectual or injurious. tourte crust. to make a crust for french pies called tourtes, take a pound and a half of fine flour, a pound of butter, and three quarters of an ounce of salt. put the flour upon a clean pie board, make a hole in the middle, and put in the salt, with the butter cut into small pieces. pour in the water carefully, as it is of great importance that the crust be rather stiff; and for this purpose there should only be just water enough to make it hold together so as to roll it out smooth. work up the butter and water well together with the hand, and mix it in the flour by degrees. when the flour is all mixed in, mould the paste till it is quite smooth and free from lumps, and let it lie two hours before it be used. this is a very nice crust for putting round the dish for baked puddings. tourtes of fish. prepare the crust and put it into the dish, as for meat tourtes. then take almost any kind of fish, cut them from the backbone, and lay them in slices upon the crust, with a little bunch of sweet herbs in the middle, some salt and pounded spice, according to the taste. lay butter all over the top crust, and bake it an hour and a half. cut the crust round after it is baked, take out the herbs, skim off the remainder of the fat, pour on a sauce of fish gravy, and serve it up. mushrooms are very nice in the sauce, and so are capers, but the flavour of the sauce must be regulated by the taste. truffles and morels may also be put in, as in the meat tourtes. eels, pike, salmon, tench, whiting, are proper for the purpose. nothing makes a nicer tourte in this way than large soles, taking off the flesh from the backbone, without the side fins. lobsters also make an excellent tourte, and oysters are very nice mixed with other fish. tourtes of meat. prepare a crust of paste, roll it out, and line a dish with it not deeper than a common plate. veal, chicken, pigeons, sweetbread, or game of any kind, may be prepared as follows. cut in pieces whichever is preferred, just heat it in water, drain it, season it with pepper and salt, lay it upon the crust without piling it up high, and leave a border round the rim of the dish. place some pieces of butter upon the meat to keep it moist, and add truffles, mushrooms, morels, artichoke bottoms, or forcemeat balls, at pleasure. cover the whole with slices of fat bacon, and then lay a crust over it exactly corresponding with that underneath. glaze over the upper crust with yolk of egg, and set the tourte into an oven. when it has been in a quarter of an hour, draw it to the mouth of the oven, and make a hole in the centre of the crust to let out the fumes. let it stand nearly three hours longer in the oven, then take it out, cut the crust round with the rim, take it off, take out the bacon, and clear off any fat that may remain on the top. have ready a rich ragout sauce to pour over it, then replace the crust, and serve it up. this dish is according to the french fashion. transparent marmalade. cut the palest seville oranges in quarters, take out the pulp, and put it in a bason, picking out the seeds and skins. let the outsides soak in water with a little salt all night, then boil them in a good quantity of spring water till tender; drain, and cut them in very thin slices, and put them to the pulp. to every pound, add a pound and a half of double-refined sugar beaten fine; boil them together twenty minutes, but be careful not to break the slices. it must be stirred all the time very gently, and put into glasses when cold. transparent paintings. the paper must be fixed in a straining frame, in order to place it between the eye and the light, when required. after tracing the design, the colours must be laid on, in the usual method of stained drawings. when the tints are got in, place the picture against the window, on a pane of glass framed for the purpose, and begin to strengthen the shadows with indian ink, or with colours, according as the effect requires; laying the colours sometimes on both sides of the paper, to give greater force and depth of colour. the last touches for giving final strength to shadows and forms, are to be done with ivory black or lamp black, prepared with gum water; as there is no pigment so opaque, and capable of giving strength and decision. when the drawing is finished, and every part has got its depth of colour and brilliancy, being perfectly dry, touch very carefully with spirits of turpentine, on both sides, those parts which are to be the brightest, such as the moon and fire; and those parts requiring less brightness, only on one side. then lay on immediately with a pencil, a varnish made by dissolving one ounce of canada balsam in an equal quantity of spirit of turpentine. be cautious with the varnish, as it is apt to spread. when the varnish is dry, tinge the flame with red lead and gamboge, slightly touching the smoke next the flame. the moon must not be tinted with colour. much depends on the choice of the subject, and none is so admirably adapted to this species of effect, as the gloomy gothic ruin, whose antique towers and pointed turrets finely contrast their dark battlements with the pale yet brilliant moon. the effect of rays passing through the ruined windows, half choked with ivy; or of a fire among the clustering pillars and broken monuments of the choir, round which are figures of banditti, or others, whose haggard faces catch the reflecting light; afford a peculiarity of effect not to be equaled in any other species of painting. internal views of cathedrals also, where windows of stained glass are introduced, have a beautiful effect. the great point to be attained is, a happy coincidence between the subject and the effect produced. the fine light should not be too near the moon, as its glare would tend to injure her pale silver light. those parts which are not interesting, should be kept in an undistinguishing gloom; and where the principal light is, they should be marked with precision. groups of figures should be well contrasted; those in shadow crossing those that are in light, by which means the opposition of light against shade is effected. transparent pudding. beat up eight eggs, put them into a stewpan, with half a pound of sugar finely pounded, the same quantity of butter, and some grated nutmeg. set it on the fire, and keep it stirring till it thickens. then set it into a basin to cool, put a rich puff paste round the dish, pour in the pudding, and bake it in a moderate oven. it will cut light and clear. candied orange and citron may be added if approved. transplanting of flowers. annuals and perennials, sown in march or april, may be transplanted about the end of may. a showery season is preferable, or they must frequently be watered till they have taken root. in the summer time the evening is the proper season, and care should be taken not to break the fibres in digging up the root. chinasters, columbines, marigolds, pinks, stocks, hollyhocks, mallows, sweetwilliams, wallflowers, and various others, may be sown and transplanted in this manner. traps. garden traps, such as are contrived for the purpose of destroying mice and other vermin; which are often conveyed into such places with the straw, litter, and other matters that are made use of in them; and which are extremely hurtful and troublesome in the spring season, in destroying peas and beans, as well as lettuces, melons, and cucumbers in frames. traps for this purpose are contrived in a great many ways; but as field vermin are very shy, and will rarely enter traps which are close, the following simple cheap form has been advised, though it has nothing of novelty in it. these traps may be made by stringing garden beans on a piece of fine pack-thread, in the manner of beads, and then driving two small stake-like pieces of wood into the ground at the breadth of a brick from each other, and setting up a brick, flat stone, or board with a weight on it, inclining to an angle of about forty-five degrees; tying the string, with the beans on it, round the brick or other substances and stakes, to support them in their inclining position, being careful to place all the beans on the under sides of the bricks or other matters. the mice in eating the beans, in such cases, will also destroy the pack-thread, and by such means disengage the brick or other weighty body, which by falling on them readily destroys them. mice are always best got rid of by some sort of simple open traps of this nature. treacle beer. pour two quarts of boiling water on a pound of treacle, and stir them together. add six quarts of cold water, and a tea-cupful of yeast. tun it into a cask, cover it close down, and it will be fit to drink in two or three days. if made in large quantities, or intended to keep, put in a handful of malt and hops, and when the fermentation is over, stop it up close. treacle posset. add two table-spoonfuls of treacle to a pint of milk, and when ready to boil, stir it briskly over the fire till it curdles. strain it off after standing covered a few minutes. this whey promotes perspiration, is suitable for a cold, and children will take it very freely. treatment of children. it ought to be an invariable rule with all who have the care of children, to give them food only when it is needful. instead of observing this simple and obvious rule, it is too common, throughout every period of childhood, to pervert the use of food by giving it when it is not wanted, and consequently when it does mischief, not only in a physical but in a moral point of view. to give food as an indulgence, or in a way of reward, or to withhold it as a matter of punishment, are alike injurious. a proper quantity of food is necessary in all cases, to sustain their health and growth; and their faults ought to be corrected by more rational means. the idea of making them suffer in their health and growth on account of their behaviour, is sufficient to fill every considerate mind with horror. it is the project only of extreme weakness, to attempt to correct the disposition by creating bodily sufferings, which are so prone to hurt the temper, even at an age when reason has gained a more powerful ascendancy. eatables usually given to children by well-meaning but injudicious persons, in order to pacify or conciliate, are still worse than the privations inflicted by way of punishment. sugar plums, sugar candy, barley sugar, sweetmeats, and most kinds of cakes, are unwholesome, and cloying to the appetite. till children begin to run about, the uniformity of their lives makes it probable that the quantity of food they require in the day is nearly the same, and that it may be given to them statedly at the same time. by establishing a judicious regularity with regard to both, much benefit will accrue to their health and comfort. the same rule should be applied to infants at the breast, as well as after they are weaned. by allowing proper intervals between the times of giving children suck, the breast of the mother becomes duly replenished with milk, and the stomach of the infant properly emptied to receive a fresh supply. the supposition that an infant wants food every time it cries, is highly fanciful; and it is perfectly ridiculous to see the poor squalling thing thrown on its back, and nearly suffocated with food to prevent its crying, when it is more likely that the previous uneasiness arises from an overloaded stomach. even the mother's milk, the lightest of all food, will disagree with the child, if the administration of it is improperly repeated. a very injurious practice is sometimes adopted, in suckling a child beyond the proper period, which ought by all means to be discountenanced, as evidently unnatural, and tending to produce weakness both in body and mind. suckling should not be continued after the cutting of the first teeth, when the clearest indication is given, that the food which was adapted to the earliest stage of infancy ceases to be proper. attention should also be paid to the quantity as well as to quality of the food given, for though a child will sleep with an overloaded stomach, it will not be the refreshing sleep of health. when the stomach is filled beyond the proper medium, it induces a similar kind of heaviness to that arising from opiates and intoxicating liquors; and instead of awakening refreshed and lively, the child will be heavy and fretful. by the time that children begin to run about, the increase of their exercise will require an increase of nourishment: but those who overload them with food at any time, in hopes of strengthening them, are very much deceived. no prejudice is equally fatal to such numbers of children. whatever unnecessary food a child receives, weakens instead of strengthening it: for when the stomach is overfilled, its power of digestion is impaired, and food undigested is so far from yielding nourishment, that it only serves to debilitate the whole system, and to occasion a variety of diseases. amongst these are obstructions, distention of the body, rickets, scrophula, slow fevers, consumptions, and convulsion fits. another pernicious custom prevails with regard to the diet of children, when they begin to take other nourishment besides their mother's milk, and that is by giving them such as their stomachs are unable to digest, and indulging them also in a mixture of such things at their meals as are hurtful to every body, and more especially to children, considering the feeble and delicate state of their organs. this injudicious indulgence is sometimes defended on the plea of its being necessary to accustom them to all kinds of food; but this idea is highly erroneous. their stomachs must have time to acquire strength sufficient to enable them to digest varieties of food; and the filling them with indigestible things is not the way to give them strength. children can only acquire strength gradually with their proper growth, which will always be impeded if the stomach is disordered. food for infants should be very simple, and easy of digestion. when they require something more solid than spoonmeats alone, they should have bread with them. plain puddings, mild vegetables, and wholesome ripe fruits, eaten with bread, are also good for them. animal food is better deferred till their increased capacity for exercise will permit it with greater safety, and then care must be taken that the exercise be proportioned to this kind of food. the first use of it should be gradual, not exceeding two or three times in a week. an exception should be made to these rules in the instances of scrophulous and rickety children, as much bread is always hurtful in these cases, and fruits are particularly pernicious. plain animal food is found to be the most suitable to their state. the utmost care should be taken under all circumstances to procure genuine unadulterated bread for children, as the great support of life. if the perverted habits of the present generation give them an indifference as to what bread they eat, or a vitiated taste for adulterated bread, they still owe it to their children as a sacred duty, not to undermine their constitution by this injurious composition. the poor, and many also of the middling ranks of society are unhappily compelled to this species of infanticide, as it may almost be called, by being driven into large towns to gain a subsistence, and thus, from the difficulty of doing otherwise, being obliged to take their bread of bakers, instead of making wholesome bread at home, as in former times, in more favourable situations. while these are to be pitied, what shall be said of those whose fortunes place them above this painful necessity. let them at at least rear their children on wholesome food, and with unsophisticated habits, as the most unequivocal testimony of parental affection performing its duty towards its offspring. it is proper also to observe, that children ought not to be hurried in their eating, as it is of great importance that they should acquire a habit of chewing their food well. they will derive from it the various advantages of being less likely to eat their food hot, of thus preparing what they eat properly for the stomach, instead of imposing upon it what is the real office of the teeth; and also that of checking them from eating too much. when food is not properly masticated, the stomach is longer before it feels satisfied; which is perhaps the most frequent, and certainly the most excusable cause of eating more than is fairly sufficient. thoughtless people will often, for their own amusement, give children morsels of high dishes, and sips of spirituous or fermented liquors, to see whether they will relish them, or make faces at them. but trifling as this may seem, it would be better that it were never practised, for the sake of preserving the natural purity of their tastes as long as possible. treatment of the sick. though an unskilful dabbling in cases of illness, which require the attention of the most medical practitioners, is both dangerous and presumptuous; yet it is quite necessary that those who have the care of a family should be able to afford some relief in case of need, as well as those whose duty it is more immediately to attend upon the sick. uneasy symptoms are experienced at times by all persons, not amounting to a decided state of disease, which if neglected may nevertheless issue in some serious disorder that might have been prevented, not only without risk, but even with greater advantage to the individual than by an application to a positive course of medicine. attention to the state of the bowels, and the relief that may frequently be afforded by a change of diet, come therefore very properly within the sphere of domestic management, in connection with a few simple medicines in common use. the sensations of lassitude or weariness, stiffness or numbness, less activity than usual, less appetite, a load or heaviness at the stomach, some uneasiness in the head, a more profound degree of sleep, yet less composed and refreshing than usual; less gaiety and liveliness, a slight oppression of the breast, a less regular pulse, a propensity to be cold, or to perspire, or sometimes a suppression of a former disposition to perspire, are any of them symptomatic of a diseased state, though not to any very serious or alarming degree. yet under such circumstances persons are generally restless, and scarcely know what to do with themselves; and often for the sake of change, or on the supposition that their sensations proceed from lowness, they unhappily adopt the certain means of making them terminate in dangerous if not fatal diseases. they increase their usual quantity of animal food, leave off vegetables and fruit, drink freely of wine or other strong liquors, under an idea of strengthening the stomach, and expelling wind; all of which strengthen nothing but the disposition to disease, and expel only the degree of health yet remaining. the consequence of this mistaken management is, that all the evacuations are restrained, the humours causing and nourishing the disease are not at all attempered and diluted, nor rendered proper for evacuation. on the contrary they become sharper, and more difficult to be discharged. by judicious management it is practicable, if not entirely to prevent a variety of disorders, yet at least to abate their severity, and so to avert the ultimate danger. as soon as any of the symptoms begin to appear, the proper way is to avoid all violent or laborious exercise, and to indulge in such only as is gentle and easy. to take very little or no solid food, and particularly to abstain from meat, or flesh broth, eggs, and wine, or other strong liquors. to drink plentifully of weak diluting liquor, by small glasses at a time, at intervals of about half an hour. if these diluents are not found to answer the purpose of keeping the bowels open, stronger cathartics must be taken, or injections for the bowels, called lavements. by pursuing these precautions, the early symptoms of disease will often be removed, without coming to any serious issue: and even where this is not the case, the disorder will be so lessened as to obviate any kind of danger from it. when confirmed diseases occur, the only safe course is to resort to the most skilful medical assistance that can be obtained. good advice and few medicines will much sooner effect a cure, than all the drugs of the apothecary's shop unskilfully administered. but the success of the best advice may be defeated, if the patient and his attendants will not concur to render it effectual. if the patient is to indulge longings for improper diet, and his friends are to gratify them, the advantage of the best advice may be defeated by one such imprudent measure. patients labouring under accidents which require surgical assistance, must be required strictly to attend to the same directions. general regulations are all that a physician or surgeon can make respecting diet, many other circumstances will therefore require the consideration of those who attend upon the sick, and it is of consequence that they be well prepared to undertake their charge, for many fatal mistakes have arisen from ignorance and prejudice in these cases. a few rules that may be referred to in the absence of a medical adviser, are all that are necessary in the present instance, more especially when the patient is so far recovered as to be released from medicines, and put under a proper regimen, with the use of a gentle exercise, and such other regulations as a convalescent state requires.--when for example, persons are labouring under acute disorders, or accidents, they are frequently known to suffer from the injudiciousness of those about them, in covering them up in bed with a load of clothes that heat and debilitate them exceedingly, or in keeping them in bed when the occasion does not require it, without even suffering them to get up and have it new made, and by never allowing a breath of fresh air to be admitted into the room. the keeping patients quiet is undoubtedly of essential importance; they should not be talked to, nor should more persons be admitted into the room than are absolutely necessary. every thing that might prove offensive should immediately be removed. sprinkling the room sometimes with vinegar, will contribute to keep it in a better state. the windows should be opened occasionally for a longer or shorter time, according to the weather and season of the year, without suffering the air to come immediately upon the patient. waving the chamber door backward and forward for a few minutes, two or three times in a day, ventilates the room, without exposing the sick person to chilness. occasionally burning pastils in the room, or a roll of paper, is also useful. the bed linen, and that of the patient, should be changed every day, or in two or three days, as circumstances may require. a strict forbearance from giving sick persons any nourishment beyond what is prescribed by their medical attendant, should invariably be observed. some persons think they do well in this respect to cheat the doctor, while in fact they cheat the patient out of the benefit of his advice, and endanger his life under a pretence of facilitating his recovery. in all cases it is important to wait with patience the slow progress of recovery, rather than by injudicious means to attempt to hasten it; otherwise the desired event will only be retarded. what has long been undermining the stamina of health, which is commonly the case with diseases, or what has violently shocked it by accident, can only be removed by slow degrees. medicines will not operate like a charm; and even when they are most efficacious, time is required to recover from the languid state to which persons are always reduced, both by accident and by disease. when the period is arrived at which sick persons may be said to be out of danger, a great deal of patience and care will still be necessary to prevent a relapse. much of this will depend on the convalescent party being content for some time with only a moderate portion of food, for we are not nourished in proportion to what we swallow, but to what we are well able to digest. persons on their recovery, who eat moderately, digest their food, and grow strong from it. those in a weak state, who eat much, do not digest it; instead therefore of being nourished and strengthened by it, they insensibly wither away. the principal rules to be observed in this case are, that persons in sickness, or those who are slowly recovering, should take very little nourishment at a time, and take it often. let them have only one sort of food at each meal, and not change their food too often; and be careful that they chew their food well, to make it easy of digestion. let them diminish their quantity of drink. the best drink for them in general is water, with a third or fourth part of white wine. too great a quantity of liquids at such a time prevents the stomach from recovering its tone and strength, impairs digestion, promotes debility, increases the tendency to a swelling of the legs; sometimes it even occasions a slow fever, and throws back the patient into a languid state. persons recovering from sickness should take as much exercise in the open air as they are able to bear, either on foot, in a carriage, or on horseback: the latter is by far the best. the airing should be taken in the middle of the day, when the weather is temperate, or before the principal meal. exercise taken before a meal strengthens the organs of digestion, and therefore tends to health; but when taken after a meal, it is injurious. as persons in this state are seldom quite so well towards night, they should take very little food in the evening, in order that their sleep may be less disturbed and more refreshing. it would be better not to remain in bed above seven or eight hours; and if they feel fatigued by sitting up, let them lie down for half an hour to rest. the swelling of the legs and ancles, which happens to most persons in a state of weakness and debility, is attended with no danger, and will generally disappear of itself, if they live soberly and regularly, and take moderate exercise. the most solicitous attention must be paid to the state of the bowels; and if they are not regular, they must be kept open every day by artificial means, or it will produce heat and restlessness, and pains in the head. care should be taken not to return to hard labour too soon after recovering from illness; some persons have never recovered their usual strength for want of this precaution.--common colds, though lightly regarded, are often of serious consequence. a cold is an inflammatory disease, though in no greater degree than to affect the lungs or throat, or the thin membrane which lines the nostrils, and the inside of certain cavities in the bones of the cheeks and forehead. these cavities communicate with the nose in such a manner, that when one part of this membrane is affected with inflammation, it is easily communicated to the rest. when the disorder is of this slight kind, it may easily be cured without medicine, by only abstaining from meat, eggs, broth, and wine; from all food that is sharp, fat, and heavy. little or no supper should be eaten, but the person should drink freely of an infusion of barley, or of elder flowers, with the addition of a third or fourth part of milk. bathing the feet in warm water before going to bed, will dispose the patient to sleep. in colds of the head, the steam of warm water alone, or of water in which elder flowers or some mild aromatic herbs have been boiled, will generally afford speedy relief. these also are serviceable in colds which affect the breast. hot and close rooms are very hurtful in colds, as they tend to impede respiration; and sitting much over the fire increases the disorder. spermaceti is often taken in colds and coughs, which must from its greasy nature impair the digestive faculty, and cannot operate against the cause of a cold; though the cure of it, which is effected in due time by the economy of nature, is often ascribed to such medicines as may rather have retarded it. whenever a cold does not yield to the simple treatment already described, good advice should be procured, as a neglected cold is often the origin of very serious disorders.--a few observations on the nature of the diet and drink proper for sickly persons, will be necessary at the close of this article, for the information of those who occasionally undertake the care of the afflicted. as the digestion of sick persons is weak, and very similar to that of children, the diet suited to the latter is generally proper for the former, excepting in the two great classes of diseases called putrid and intermittent fevers. in case of putrid fever no other food should be allowed, during the first weeks of recovery, than the mildest vegetable substances. when recovering from agues and intermittent fevers, animal jellies, and plain animal food, with as little vegetable as possible, is the proper diet. meat and meat broth, generally speaking, are not so well adapted for the re-establishment of health and strength, as more simple diets. flesh being the food most used by old and young at all other times, is consequently that from which their distempers chiefly proceed, or at least it nourishes those disorders which other causes may have contributed to introduce. it is of a gross, phlegmatic nature and oily quality, and therefore harder of digestion than many other sorts of food, tending to generate gross humours and thick blood, which are very unfavourable to the recovery of health. the yolk of an egg lightly boiled or beaten up raw with a little wine may be taken, when animal food is not forbidden, and the party cannot chew or swallow more solid food. the spoonmeats and drinks directed for children, and simple puddings made as for them, may all be used for invalids, subject only to the restrictions imposed by their medical attendant. puddings and panadoes made of bread are better for weak stomachs than those made of flour.--diet drinks may be made of an infusion of herbs, grains, or seeds. for this purpose the herbs should be gathered in their proper season, then dried in the shade, and put into close paper bags. when wanted for use, take out the proper quantity, put it into a linen bag, suspend it in the beer or ale, while it is fermenting, from two to six or eight hours, and then take it out. wormwood ought not to be infused so long; three or four hours will be sufficient, or it will become nauseous, and soon turn to putrefaction. the same is to be understood in infusing any sort of well-prepared herbs, and great care is required in all preparations of this kind that the pure properties are neither evaporated, nor overpowered by the bad ones. beer, ale, or any other liquor in which herbs are infused, must be unadulterated, or the benefit of these infusions will be destroyed by its pernicious qualities. nothing is more prejudicial to health than adulterated liquors, or liquors that are debased by any corrupting vegetable substance. those things which in their purest state are of a doubtful character, and never to be trusted without caution, are by this means converted into decided poisons.--herb tea of any kind should always be made with a moderate proportion of the herb. when the tea is of a proper strength, the herb should be taken out, or it will become nauseous by long infusion. these kinds of tea are best used quite fresh.--herb porridge may be made of elder buds, nettle tops, clivers, and water cresses. mix up a proper quantity of oatmeal and water, and set it on the fire. when just ready to boil, put in the herbs, cut or uncut; and when ready again to boil, lade it to and fro to prevent its boiling. continue this operation six or eight minutes, then take it off the fire, and let it stand awhile. it may either be eaten with the herbs, or strained, and should not be eaten warmer than new milk. a little butter, salt, and bread, may be added. another way is, to set some oatmeal and water on a quick fire; and when it is scalding hot, put in a good quantity of spinage, corn salad, tops of pennyroyal, and mint cut small. let it stand on the fire till ready to boil, then pour it up and down six or seven minutes, and let it stand off the fire that the oatmeal may sink to the bottom. strain it, and add butter, salt, and bread. when it is about milk-warm it will be fit to eat. this is an excellent porridge, pleasant to the palate and stomach, cleansing the passages by opening obstructions. it also breeds good blood, thus enlivens the spirits, and makes the whole body active and easy.--a cooling drink may be made of two ounces of whole barley, washed and cleansed in hot water, and afterwards boiled in five pints of water till the barley opens. add a quarter of an ounce of cream of tartar, and strain off the liquor. or bruise three ounces of the freshest sweet almonds, and an ounce of gourd melon seeds in a marble mortar, adding a pint of water, a little at a time, and then strain it through a piece of linen. bruise the remainder of the almonds and seeds again, with another pint of water added as before; then strain it, and repeat this process a third time. after this, pour all the liquor upon the bruised mass, stir it well, and finally strain it off. half an ounce of sugar may safely be bruised with the almonds and seeds at first; or if it be thought too heating, a little orange-flower water may be used instead.--currant drink. put a pound of the best red currants, fully ripe and clean picked, into a stone bottle. mix three spoonfuls of good new yeast with six pints of hot water, and pour it upon the currants. stop the bottle close till the liquor ferments, then give it as much vent as is necessary, keep it warm, and let it ferment for about three days. taste it in the mean time to try whether it is become pleasant; and as soon as it is so, run it through a strainer, and bottle it off. it will be ready to drink in five or six days.--boniclapper is another article suited to the state of sickly and weakly persons. boniclapper is milk which has stood till it has acquired a pleasant sourish taste, and a thick slippery substance. in very hot weather this will be in about twenty-four hours from the time of its being milked, but longer in proportion as the weather is colder. if put into vessels which have been used for milk to be soured in, it will change the sooner. new milk must always be used for this purpose. boniclapper is an excellent food at all times, particularly for those who are troubled with any kind of stoppages; it powerfully opens the breast and passages, is itself easy of digestion, and helps to digest all hard or sweeter foods. it also cools and cleanses the whole body, renders it brisk and lively, and is very efficacious in quenching thirst. no other sort of milkmeat or spoonmeat is so proper and beneficial for consumptive persons, or such as labour under great weakness and debility. it should be eaten with bread only, and it will be light and easy on the stomach, even when new milk is found to disagree. if this soured milk should become unpleasant at first, a little custom and use will not only render it familiar, but agreeable to the stomach and palate; and those who have neither wisdom nor patience to submit to a transient inconvenience, will never have an opportunity of knowing the intrinsic value of any thing. to these may be added a variety of other articles adapted to a state of sickness and disease, which will be found under their respective heads; such as beef tea, flummery, jellies of various kinds, lemon whey, vinegar whey, cream of tartar whey, mustard whey, treacle posset, buttermilk, onion porridge, water gruel, and wormwood ale. trees. several different methods have been proposed of preventing the bark being eaten off by hares and rabbits in the winter season; such as twisting straw-ropes round the trees; driving in small flat stakes all about them; and the use of strong-scented oils. but better and neater modes have lately been suggested; as with hog's lard, and as much whale-oil as will work it up into a thin paste or paint, with which the stems of the trees are to be gently rubbed upwards, at the time of the fall of the leaf. it may be done once in two years, and will, it is said, effectually prevent such animals from touching them. another and still neater method, is to take three pints of melted tallow to one pint of tar, mixing them well together over a gentle fire. then, in the month of november, to take a small brush and go over the rind or bark of the trees with the composition in a milk-warm state, as thin as it can be laid on with the brush. it is found that such a coating does not hinder the juices or sap from expanding in the smallest degree; and the efficacy of the plan is proved, in preventing the attacks of the animals, by applying the liquid composition to one tree and missing another, when it was found that the former was left, while the latter was attacked. its efficacy has been shewn by the experience of five years. the trees that were gone over the first two years have not been touched since; and none of them have been injured by the hares.--the mossing of trees is their becoming much affected and covered with the moss-plant or mossy substance. it is found to prevail in fruit-grounds of the apple kind, and in other situations, when they are in low, close, confined places, where the damp or moisture of the trees is not readily removed. it is thought to be an indication of weakness in the growth, or of a diseased state of the trees, and to require nice attention in preventing or eradicating it. the modes of removing it have usually been those of scraping, rubbing, and washing, but they are obviously calculated for trees only on a small scale. how far the use of powdery matters, such as lime, chalk, and others, which are capable of readily absorbing and taking up the wetness that may hang about the branches, and other parts of the trees, by being well dusted over them, may be beneficial, is not known, but they would seem to promise success by the taking away the nourishment and support of the moss, when employed at proper seasons. and they are known to answer in destroying moss in some other cases, when laid about the stems of the plants, as in thorn-hedges, &c. the mossing in all sorts of trees is injurious to their growth by depriving them of a portion of their nourishment, but more particularly hurtful to those of the fruit-tree kind, as preventing them from bearing full good crops of fruit by rendering them in a weak and unhealthy state.----the following are substances destructive of insects infesting fruit shrubs and trees in gardening, or of preventing their injurious ravages and effects on trees. many different kinds of substances have been recommended for the purpose, at different times; but nothing perhaps has yet been found fully effectual in this intention, in all cases. the substances and modes directed below have lately been advised as useful in this way. as preventives against gooseberry caterpillars, which so greatly infest and injure shrubs of that kind, the substances mentioned below have been found very simple and efficacious. in the autumnal season, let a quantity of cow-urine be provided, and let a little be poured around the stem of each bush or shrub, just as much as merely suffices to moisten the ground about them. this simple expedient is stated to have succeeded in an admirable manner, and that its preventive virtues have appeared to extend to two successive seasons or years. the bushes which were treated in this manner remained free from caterpillars, while those which were neglected, or intentionally passed by, in the same compartment, were wholly destroyed by the depredations of the insects. another mode of prevention is proposed, which, it is said, is equally simple and effectual; but the good effects of which only extend to the season immediately succeeding to that of the application. this is, in situations near the sea, to collect as much drift or sea-weed from the beach, when occasion serves, as will be sufficient to cover the whole of the gooseberry compartment to the depth of four or five inches. it should be laid on in the autumn, and the whole covering remain untouched during the winter and early spring months; but as the fruiting season advances, be dug in. this method, it is said, has answered the most sanguine expectations; no caterpillars ever infesting the compartments which are treated in this manner. another method, which is said to have been found successful, in preventing or destroying caterpillars on the above sort of fruit shrubs, is this: as the black currant and elder bushes, growing quite close to those of the gooseberry kind, were not attacked by this sort of vermin, it was conceived that an infusion of their leaves might be serviceable, especially when prepared with a little quick-lime, in the manner directed below. six pounds each of the two first sorts of leaves are to be boiled in twelve gallons of soft water; then fourteen pounds of hot lime are to be put into twelve gallons of water, and, after being well incorporated with it, they are both to be mixed well together. with this mixture the infested gooseberry bushes by fruit trees are to be well washed or the hand garden-engine; after which a little hot lime is to be taken and laid about the root of each bush or tree so washed, which completes the work. thus the caterpillars will be completely destroyed, without hurting the foliage of the bushes or trees in any way. a dull day is to be preferred for performing the work of washing, &c. as soon as all the foliage is dropped off from the bushes or trees, they are to be again washed over with the hand-engine, in order to clean them of all decayed leaves, and other matters; for which purpose any sort of water will answer. the surface of the earth, all about the roots of the bushes and trees, is then to be well stirred, and a little hot lime again laid about them, to destroy the ova or eggs of the insects. this mode of management has never failed of success, in the course of six years' practice. it is noticed, that the above quantity of prepared liquid will be sufficient for about two acres of ground in this sort of plantation, and cost but little in providing. the use of about a gallon of a mixture of equal proportions of lime-water, chamber-ley, and soap-suds, with as much soot as will give it the colour and consistence of dunghill drainings, to each bush in the rows, applied by means of the rose of a watering-pot, immediately as the ground between them is dug over, and left as rough as possible, the whole being gone over in this way without treading or poaching the land, has also been found highly successful by others. the whole is then left in the above state until the winter frosts are fairly past, when the ground between the rows and bushes are levelled, and raked over in an even manner. by this means of practice, the bushes have been constantly kept healthy, fruitful, and free from the annoyance of insects. the bushes are to be first pruned, and dung used where necessary. a solution of soft soap, mixed with an infusion of tobacco, has likewise been applied with great use in destroying caterpillars, by squirting it by the hand-syringe upon the bushes, while a little warm, twice in the day. but some think that the only safety is in picking them off the bushes, as they first appear, together with the lower leaves which are eaten into holes: also, the paring, digging over, and clearing the foul ground between the bushes, and treading and forcing such foul surface parts into the bottoms of the trenches. watering cherry-trees with water prepared from quick-lime new burnt, and common soda used in washing, in the proportion of a peck of the former and half a pound of the latter to a hogshead of water, has been found successful in destroying the green fly and the black vermin which infest such trees. the water should stand upon the lime for twenty-four hours, and be then drawn off by a cock placed in the cask, ten or twelve inches from the bottom, when the soda is to be put to it, being careful not to exceed the above proportion, as, from its acridity, it would otherwise be liable to destroy the foliage. two or three times watering with this liquor, by means of a garden engine, will destroy and remove the vermin. the application of clay-paint, too, has been found of great utility in destroying the different insects, such as the coccus, thrips, and fly, which infest peach, nectarine, and other fine fruit trees, on walls, and in hot-houses. this paint is prepared by taking a quantity of the most tenacious brown clay, and diffusing it in as much soft water as will bring it to the consistence of a thick cream or paint, passing it through a fine sieve or hair-searce, so as that it may be rendered perfectly smooth, unctuous, and free from gritty particles. as soon as the trees are pruned and nailed in, they are all to be carefully gone over with a painter's brush dipped in the above paint, especially the stems and large branches, as well as the young shoots, which leaves a coat or layer, that, when it becomes dry, forms a hard crust over the whole tree, which, by closely enveloping the insects, completely destroys them, without doing any injury to either the bark or buds. and by covering the trees with mats or canvas in wet seasons, it may be preserved on them as long as necessary. where one dressing is not effectual, it may be repeated; and the second coating will mostly be sufficient. where peach and nectarine trees are managed with this paint, they are very rarely either hide-bound or attacked by insects. this sort of paint is also useful in removing the mildew, with which these kinds of trees are often affected; as well as, with the use of the dew-syringe, in promoting the equal breaking of the eyes of vines, trained on the rafters of pine stoves. watering the peach tree borders with the urine of cattle, in the beginning of winter, and again in the early spring, has likewise been thought beneficial in destroying the insects which produce the above disease. careful and proper cleaning and washing these trees, walls, and other places in contact with them, has, too, been found of great utility in preventing insects from accumulating on them. trifle. to make an excellent trifle, lay macaroons and ratifia drops over the bottom of a dish, and pour in as much raisin wine as they will imbibe. then pour on them a cold rich custard, made with plenty of eggs, and some rice flour. it must stand two or three inches thick: on that put a layer of raspberry jam, and cover the whole with a very high whip made the day before, of rich cream, the whites of two well-beaten eggs, sugar, lemon peel, and raisin wine, well beat with a whisk, kept only to whip syllabubs and creams. if made the day before it is used, the trifle has quite a different taste, and is solid and far better. tripe. after being well washed and cleaned, tripe should be stewed with milk and onion till quite tender. serve it in a tureen, with melted butter for sauce. or fry it in small pieces, dipped in batter. or cut the thin part into bits, and stew them in gravy. thicken the stew with butter and flour, and add a little ketchup. tripe may also be fricasseed with white sauce. troughs. water troughs of various kinds, which require to be rendered impervious to the wet, may be lined with a strong cement of gypsum and quicklime, mixed up with water. four fifths of pulverised coal or charcoal, and one fifth of quicklime, well mixed together, and infused in boiling pitch or tar, will also form a useful cement for this purpose. it requires to be of the consistence of thin mortar, and applied hot with a trowel. trout. open them along the belly, wash them clean, dry them in a cloth, and season them with pepper and salt. set the gridiron over the fire, and when it is hot rub the bars with a piece of fresh suet. lay on the fish, and broil them gently over a very clear fire, at such a distance as not to burn them. when they are done on one side, turn them carefully on the other, and serve them up the moment they are ready. this is one of the best methods of dressing this delicate fish; but they are sometimes broiled whole, in order to preserve the juices of the fish, when they are fresh caught. another way is, after they are washed clean and well dried in a napkin, to bind them about with packthread, and sprinkle them with melted butter and salt; then to broil them over a gentle fire, and keep them turning. make a sauce of butter rolled in flour, with an anchovy, some pepper, nutmeg, and capers. add a very little vinegar and water, and shake it together over a moderate fire, till it is of a proper thickness. put the trout into a dish, and pour this sauce over them. trout of a middle size are best for broiling. the gurnet or piper is very nice broiled in the same manner, and served with the same kind of sauce. mullets also admit of the same treatment. trout are very commonly stewed, as well as broiled; and in this case they should be put into a stewpan with equal quantities of champaigne, rhenish, or sherry wine. season the stew with pepper and salt, an onion, a few cloves, and a small bunch of parsley and thyme. put into it a crust of french bread, and set it on a quick fire. when the fish is done, take out the bread, bruise it, and then thicken the sauce. add a little flour and butter, and let it boil up. lay the trout on a dish, and pour the thickened sauce over it. serve it with sliced lemon, and fried bread. this is called trout á la genevoise. a plainer way is to dry the fish, after it has been washed and cleaned, and lay it on a board before the fire, dusted with flour. then fry it of a fine colour with fresh dripping; serve it with crimp parsley and plain butter. trout pie. scale and wash the fish, lard them with pieces of silver eel, rolled up in spice and sweet herbs, with bay leaves finely powdered. slice the bottoms of artichokes, lay them on or between the fish, with mushrooms, oysters, capers, and sliced lemon or seville orange. use a dish or raised crust, close the pie, and bake it gently.--another way. clean and scale your trouts, and cut off the heads and fins; boil an eel for forcemeat; when you have cut off the meat of the eel, put the bones and the heads of the trout into the water it was boiled in, with an onion, mace, whole pepper, a little salt, and a faggot of sweet herbs; let it boil down till there is but enough for the pie. chop the meat of the eel very fine, add grated bread, an anchovy chopped small, sweet herbs, and a gill of oysters blanched and bearded, the yolks of two hard eggs chopped very fine, and as much melted butter as will make it into a stiff forcemeat; season the trout with mace, pepper and salt; fill the belly with the forcemeat, and make the remainder into balls; sheet your dish with a good paste, lay some butter on that, then the trout and forcemeat; strain off the fish broth, and scum it very clean, and add a little white wine, and a piece of butter rolled in flour; when it is all melted, pour it into the pie, and lid it over; bake it in a gentle oven, and let it be thoroughly done. truffles. the largest are the most esteemed; those which are brought from perigord are the best. they are usually eaten dressed in wine, and broth seasoned with salt, pepper, a bunch of sweet herbs, some roots and onions. before being dressed they must be soaked in warm water, and well rubbed with a brush, that no earth may adhere to them. when dressed, serve them in a plate as an entremet. the truffle is also very excellent in all sorts of ragouts, either chopped or out into slices, after they are peeled. it is one of the best seasonings that can be used in a kitchen. truffles are also used dried, but their flavour is then much diminished. truffles ragout. peel the truffles, cut them in slices, wash and drain them well. put them into a saucepan with a little gravy, and stew them gently over a slow fire. when they are almost done enough, thicken them with a little butter and flour. stewed in a little water, and thickened with cream and yolk of egg, they make a nice white ragout. truffles, mushrooms, and morels are all of them very indigestible. tunbridge cakes. rub six ounces of butter quite fine into a pound of flour; then mix six ounces of sugar, beat and strain two eggs, and make the whole into a paste. roll it very thin, and cut it with the top of a glass. prick the cakes with a fork, and cover them with carraways; or wash them with the white of an egg, and dust a little white sugar over. turbot. this excellent fish is in season the greatest part of the summer. when fresh and good, it is at once firm and tender, and abounds with rich gelatinous nutriment. being drawn and washed clean, it may be lightly rubbed with salt, and put in a cold place, and it will keep two or three days. an hour or two before dressing it, let it soak in spring water with some salt in it. to prevent the fish from swelling and cracking on the breast, score the skin across the thickest part of the back. put a large handful of salt into a fish kettle with cold water, lay the turbot on a fish strainer and put it in. when it is beginning to boil, skim it well; then set the kettle on the side of the fire to boil as gently as possible for about fifteen or twenty minutes; if it boil fast, the fish will break to pieces. rub a little of the inside coral spawn of the lobster through a hair sieve, without butter; and when the turbot is dished, sprinkle the spawn over it. garnish the dish with sprigs of curled parsley, sliced lemon, and finely scraped horseradish. send up plenty of lobster sauce. the thickest part of the fish is generally preferred. the spine bone should be cut across to make it easier for carving. turbot pie. take a middling turbot, clean it very well, cut off the head, tail, and fins. make a forcemeat thus; take a large eel, boil it tender, then take off the flesh; put the bones of the turbot and eel into the water the eel was boiled in, with a faggot of herbs, whole pepper, an onion, and an anchovy; let this boil till it becomes a strong broth. in the mean time, cut the eel very fine; add the same quantity of grated bread, a little lemon-peel, an anchovy, parsley, and the yolks of two or three hard eggs, and half a pint of oysters blanched and bearded; chop all these as fine as possible; mix all together with a quarter of a pound of melted butter; and with this forcemeat lay a rim in the inside of the dish; put in the turbot, and fill up the vacancies with forcemeat; strain off the broth, scum it very clean, and add a lump of butter rolled in flour, and a glass of white wine; pour this over the fish. make a good puff paste, cover the pie with it, and let it be thoroughly baked. when it comes from the oven, warm the remainder of the liquor; pour it in, and send it to table. turkeys. when young they are very tender, and require great attention. as soon as hatched, put three peppercorns down their throat. they must be carefully watched, or they will soon perish. the hen turkey is so careless, that she will stalk about with one chicken, and leave the remainder, or even tread upon and kill them. turkeys are violent eaters, and must therefore be left to take charge of themselves in general, except one good feed a day. the hen sets twenty-five or thirty days, and the young ones must be kept warm, as the least cold or damp kills them. they must be fed often, and at a distance from the hen, or she will pick every thing from them. they should have curds, green cheese parings cut small, and bread and milk with chopped wormwood in it. their drink milk and water, but must not be left to turn sour. all young fowls are a prey for vermin, therefore they should be kept in a safe place where none can come. weasels, stoats, and ferrets will creep in at a very small crevice. the hen should be under a coop, in a warm place exposed to the sun, for the first three or four weeks; and the young ones should not be suffered to wander about in the dew, at morning or evening. twelve eggs are enough to put under a turkey; and when she is about to lay, lock her up till she has laid every morning. they usually begin to lay in march, and set in april. feed them near the hen-house, and give them a little meat in the evening, to accustom them to roosting there. fatten them with sodden oats or barley for the first fortnight; and the last fortnight give them as above, and rice swelled with warm milk over the fire twice a day. the flesh will be beautifully white and fine flavoured. the common way in norfolk is to cram them, but they are so ravenous that it seems unnecessary, if they are not suffered to wander far from home, which keeps them lean and poor.--when fat turkeys are to be purchased in the market, in order to judge of their quality it is necessary to observe, that the cock bird when young has a smooth black leg, and a short spur. if fresh and sweet, the eyes are full and bright, and the feet moist and supple. if stale, the eyes will be sunk, and the feet stiff and dry. the hen turkey is known by the same rules; but if old, the legs will be red and rough. turkey patties. mince some of the white part, and season it with grated lemon, nutmeg, salt, a dust of white pepper, a spoonful of cream, and a very small piece of butter warmed. fill the patties, and bake them. turkey pie. break the bones, and beat the turkey flat on the breast. lard it with bacon, lay it into a raised crust with some slices of bacon under it, and well seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg, whole cloves, and bay leaves. lay a slice of bacon over it, cover it with a crust, and bake it. when baked, put a clove of garlic or shalot into the whole in the middle of the crust, and let it stand till cold. the turkey may be boned if preferred. duck or goose pie may be made in the same manner. turkey sauce. open some oysters into a bason, and pour the liquor into a saucepan as soon as it is settled. add a little white gravy, and a tea-spoonful of lemon pickle. thicken it with flour and butter, boil it a few minutes, add a spoonful of cream, and then the oysters. shake them over the fire, but do not let them boil. or boil some slices or fine bread with a little salt, an onion, and a few peppercorns. beat it well, put in a bit of butter, and a spoonful of cream. this sauce eats well with roast turkey or veal. turkish yogurt. let a small quantity of milk stand till it be sour, then put a sufficient quantity of it to new milk, to turn it to a soft curd. this may be eaten with sugar only, or both this and the fresh cheese are good eaten with strawberries and raspberries, as cream, or with sweetmeats of any kind. turnips. to dress this valuable root, pare off all the outside coat, cut them in two, and boil them with beef, mutton, or lamb. when they become tender take them up, press away the liquor, and mash them with butter and salt, or send them to table whole, with melted butter in a boat. young turnips look and eat well with a little of the top left on them. to preserve turnips for the winter, cut off the tops and tails, and leave the roots a few days to dry. they should then be stacked up with layers of straw between, so as to keep them from the rain and frost, and let the stack be pointed at the top. turnips mashed. pare and boil them quite tender, squeeze them as dry as possible between two trenchers, put them into a stewpan, and mash them with a wooden spoon. then rub them through a cullender, add a little bit of butter, keep stirring them till the butter is melted and well mixed with them, and they are ready for the table. turnip butter. in the fall of the year, butter is apt to acquire a strong and disagreeable flavour, from the cattle feeding on turnips, cabbages, leaves of trees, and other vegetable substances. to correct the offensive taste which this produces, boil two ounces of saltpetre in a quart of water, and put two or more spoonfuls of it into a pail before milking, according to the quantity of milk. if this be done constantly, the evil will be effectually cured: if not, it will be owing to the neglect of the dairy maid. turnip fly. to prevent the black fly from injuring the turnip crop, mix an ounce of sulphur daily with three pounds of turnip seed for three days successively, and keep it closely covered in an earthen pan. stir it well each time, that the seed may be duly impregnated with the sulphur. sow it as usual on an acre of ground, and the fly will not attack it till after the third or fourth leaf be formed, when the plant will be entirely out of danger. if garden vegetables be attacked by the fly, water them freely with a decoction of elder leaves. turnip pie. season some mutton chops with salt and pepper, reserving the ends of the neck bones to lay over the turnips, which must be cut into small dice, and put on the steaks. add two or three spoonfuls of milk, also a sliced onion if approved, and cover with a crust. turnip sauce. pare half a dozen turnips, boil them in a little water, keep them shaking till they are done, and the liquor quite exhausted, and then rub them through a tammis. take a little white gravy and cut more turnips, as if intended for harrico. shake them as before, and add a little more white gravy. turnip soup. take from a knuckle of veal all the meat that can be made into cutlets, and stew the remainder in five pints of water, with an onion, a bundle of herbs, and a blade of mace. cover it close, and let it do on a slow fire, four or five hours at least. strain it, and set it by till the next day. then take the fat and sediment from it, and simmer it with turnips cut into small dice till tender, seasoning it with salt and pepper. before serving, rub down half a spoonful of flour with half a pint of good cream, and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. let a small roll simmer in the soup till fully moistened, and serve this with it. the soup should be as thick as middling cream. turnip tops. these are the shoots which come out in the spring from the old turnip roots, and are to be dressed in the same way as cabbage sprouts. they make very nice sweet greens, and are esteemed great purifiers of the blood and juices. turnpikes. mix together a quarter of a pound each of flour, butter, currants, and lump sugar powdered. beat up four eggs with two of the whites, make the whole into a stiff paste, with the addition of a little lemon peel. roll the paste out thin, and cut it into shapes with a wine glass. the addition of a few carraway seeds will be an improvement. turtle. the morning that you intend to dress the turtle, fill a boiler or kettle with a quantity of water sufficient to scald the callapach and callapee, the fins, &c. and about nine o'clock hang up your turtle by the hind fins, cut off its head, and save the blood; then with a sharp pointed knife separate the callapach from the callapee (or the back from the belly part) down to the shoulders, so as to come at the entrails, which take out, and clean them, as you would those of any other animal, and throw them into a tub of clean water, taking great care not to break the gall, but cut it off the liver, and throw it away. then separate each distinctly, and take the guts into another vessel, open them with a small penknife, from end to end, wash them clean, and draw them through a woollen cloth in warm water, to clear away the slime, and then put them into clean cold water till they are used, with the other part of the entrails, which must all be cut up small to be mixed in the baking dishes with the meat. this done, separate the back and belly pieces entirely, cutting away the four fins by the upper joint, which scald, peel off the loose skin, and cut them into small pieces, laying them by themselves, either in another vessel, or on the table, ready to be seasoned. then cut off the meat from the belly part, and clean the back from the lungs, kidneys, &c. and that meat cut into pieces as small as a walnut, laying it likewise by itself. after this you are to scald the back and belly pieces, pulling off the shell from the back and the yellow skin from the belly; when all will be white and clean, and with the kitchen cleaver cut those up likewise into pieces about the bigness or breadth of a card. put those pieces into clean cold water, wash them out, and place them in a heap on the table, so that each part may lie by itself. the meat, being thus prepared and laid separately for seasoning, mix two third parts of salt, or rather more, and one third part of cayenne pepper, black pepper, and a spoonful of nutmeg and mace pounded fine, and mixed together; the quantity to be proportioned to the size of the turtle, so that in each dish there may be about three spoonfuls of seasoning to every twelve pounds of meat. your meat being thus seasoned, get some sweet herbs, such as thyme, savoury, &c. let them be dried and rubbed fine, and having provided some deep dishes to bake it in, (which should be of the common brown ware) put in the coarsest parts of the meat at the bottom, with about a quarter of a pound of butter in each dish, and then some of each of the several parcels of meat, so that the dishes may be all alike, and have equal portions of the different parts of the turtle; and between each laying of the meat, strew a little of this mixture of sweet herbs. fill your dishes within an inch and an half, or two inches of the top; boil the blood of the turtle, and put into it; then lay on forcemeat balls made of veal, or fowl, highly seasoned with the same seasoning as the turtle; put into each dish a gill of good madeira wine, and as much water as it will conveniently hold; then break over it five or six eggs, to keep the meat from scorching at the top, and over that shake a small handful of shred parsley, to make it look green; which done, put your dishes into an oven made hot enough to bake bread, and in an hour and half, or two hours, (according to the size of the dishes) it will be sufficiently done. send it to the table in the dishes in which it is baked, in order to keep it warm while it is eating. turtle fins. put into a stewpan five large spoonfuls of brown sauce, with a bottle of port wine, and a quart of mushrooms. when the sauce boils, put in four fins; and after taking away all the small bones that are seen breaking through the skin, add a few sprigs of parsley, a bit of thyme, one bay leaf, and four cloves, and let it simmer one hour. ten minutes before it is done, put in five dozen of button onions ready peeled, and see that it is properly salted. turtle soup. the best sized turtle is one from sixty to eighty pounds weight, which will make six or eight tureens of fine soup. kill the turtle the evening before; tie a cord to the hind fins, and hang it up with the head downwards. tie the fore fins by way of pinioning them, otherwise it would beat itself, and be troublesome to the executioner. hold the head in the left hand, and with a sharp knife cut off the neck as near the head as possible. lay the turtle on a block on the back shell, slip the knife between the breast and the edge of the back shell; and when the knife has been round, and the breast is detached from the back, pass the fingers underneath, and detach the breast from the fins, always keeping the edge of the knife on the side of the breast; otherwise if the gall be broken, the turtle will be spoiled. cut the breast into four pieces, remove the entrails, beginning by the liver, and cut away the gall, to be out of danger at once. when the turtle is emptied, throw the heart, liver, kidneys, and lights, into a large tub of water. cut away the fins to the root, as near to the back shell as possible; then cut the fins in the second joint, that the white meat may be separated from the green. scrape the fat from the back shell by skimming it, and put it aside. cut the back shell into four pieces. set a large turbot pan on the fire, and when it boils dip a fin into it for a minute, then take it out and peel it very clean. when that is done, take another, and so on till all are done; then the head, next the shell and breast, piece by piece. be careful to have the peel and shell entirely cleaned off, then put in the same pan some clean water, with the breast and back, the four fins, and the head. let it boil till the bones will leave the meat, adding a large bundle of turtle herbs, four bay leaves, and some thyme. if two dishes are to be made of the fins, they must be removed when they have boiled one hour. put into a small stewpan the liver, lights, heart, and kidneys, and the fat that was laid aside. take some of the liquor that the other part was boiled in, cover the stewpan close, and let it boil gently for three hours. clean the bones, breast, and back from the green fat, and cut it into pieces an inch long, and half an inch wide, but suffer none of it to be wasted. put all these pieces on a dish, and set it by till the broth is ready. to prepare the broth, put on a large stockpot, and line the bottom of it with a pound and a half of lean ham, cut into slices. cut into pieces a large leg of veal, except a pound of the fillet to be reserved for forcemeat; put the rest upon the ham, with all the white meat of the turtle, and a couple of old fowls. put it on a smart fire, with two ladlefuls of rich broth, and reduce it to a glaze. when it begins to stick to the bottom, pour the liquor in which the turtle was boiled into the pot where the other part of the turtle has been boiled. add to it a little more sweet herbs, twenty-four grains of allspice, six blades of mace, two large onions, four carrots, half an ounce of whole pepper, and some salt. let it simmer for four hours, and then strain the broth through a cloth sieve. put into it the green part of the turtle that has been cut in pieces and nicely cleaned, with two bottles of madeira. when it has boiled a few minutes with the turtle, add the broth to it. melt half a pound of butter in a stewpan, add four large spoonfuls of flour, stir it on the fire till of a fine brown colour, and pour some of the broth to it. mix it well, and strain it through a hair sieve into the soup. cut the liver, lights, heart, kidneys, and fat into small square pieces, and put them into the soup with half a tea-spoonful of cayenne, two of curry powder, and four table-spoonfuls of the essence of anchovies. let it boil an hour and a half, carefully skimming off the fat. pound the reserved veal in a marble mortar for the forcemeat, and rub it through a hair sieve, with as much of the udder as there is of meat from the leg of veal. put some bread crumbs into a stewpan with milk enough to moisten it, adding a little chopped parsley and shalot. dry it on the fire, rub it through a wire sieve, and when cold mix it all together, that every part may be equally blended. boil six eggs hard, take the yolks and pound them with the other ingredients; season it with salt, cayenne, and a little curry powder. add three raw eggs, mix all well together, and make the forcemeat into small balls the size of a pigeon's egg. ten minutes before the soup is ready put in the forcemeat balls, and continue to skim the soup till it is taken off the fire. if the turtle weighs eighty pounds, it will require nearly three bottles of madeira for the soup. when the turtle is dished, squeeze two lemons into each tureen. it is also very good with eggs boiled hard, and a dozen of the yolks put in each tureen. this is a highly fashionable soup, and such as is made in the royal kitchen; but it is difficult of digestion, and fit only for those who 'live to eat.' foreigners in general are extremely fond of it; and at the spanish dinner in , eight hundred guests attended, and two thousand five hundred pounds weight of turtle were consumed. tusk. lay the tusk in water the first thing in the morning; after it has lain three or four hours, scale and clean it very well; then shift the water, and let it lie till you want to dress it. if it is large, cut it down the back, and then across; if small, only down the back; put it into cold water, and let it boil gently for about twenty minutes. send it to table in a napkin, with egg sauce, butter and mustard, and parsnips cut in slices, in a plate. twopenny. the malt beverage thus denominated, is not formed to keep, and therefore not likely to be brewed by any persons for their own consumption. the following proportions for one barrel, are inserted merely to add to general information in the art of brewing. £ _s._ _d._ malt, a bushel and a half hops, one pound liquorice root, a pound and a half capsicum, a quarter of an ounce spanish liquorice, ounces treacle, five pounds ---------- ---------- £ _s._ _d._ one barrel of twopenny, paid for at the publican's, quarts, at _ d._ per quart brewed at home, coals included ---------- clear gain, ---------- it is sufficient to observe respecting this liquor, that it requires no storing, being frequently brewed one week, and consumed the next. the quantity of capsicum in one barrel of twopenny, is as much as is commonly contained in two barrels of porter: this readily accounts for the preference given to it by the working classes, in cold winter mornings. twopenny works remarkably quick, and must be carefully attended to, in the barrels. v. vaccine inoculation. one of the most important discoveries in the history of animal nature is that of the cow pox, which was publicly announced by dr. jenner in the year , though it had for ages been known by some of the dairymen in the west of england. this malady appears on the nipples of cows in the form of irregular pustules, and it is now ascertained that persons inoculated with the matter taken from them are thereby rendered incapable of the small pox infection. innumerable experiments have been made in different countries, in asia and america, with nearly the same success; and by a series of facts duly authenticated, in many thousands of instances, it is fully proved that the vaccine inoculation is a milder and safer disease than the inoculated small pox; and while the one has saved its tens of thousands, the other is going on to save its millions. with a view of extending the beneficial effects of the new inoculation to the poor, a new dispensary, called the vaccine institution, has been established in london, where the operation is performed gratis, and the vaccine matter may be had by those who wish to promote this superior method of inoculation. the practice itself is very simple. nothing more is necessary than making a small puncture in the skin of the arm, and applying the matter. but as it is of great consequence that the matter be good, and not too old, it is recommended to apply for the assistance of those who make it a part of their business, as the expense is very trifling. varnish for boots. to render boots and shoes impervious to the wet, take a pint of linseed oil, half a pound of mutton suet, six or eight ounces of bees' wax, and a small piece of rosin. boil all together in a pipkin, and let it cool to milk warm. then with a hair brush lay it on new boots or shoes; but it is better still to lay it on the leather before the articles are made. the shoes or boots should also be brushed over with it, after they come from the maker. if old boots or shoes are to be varnished, the mixture is to be laid on when the leather is perfectly dry. varnish for brass. put into a pint of alcohol, an ounce of turmeric powder, two drams of arnatto, and two drams of saffron. agitate the mixture during seven days, and filter it into a clean bottle. now add three ounces of clean seed-lac, and agitate the bottle every day for fourteen days. when the lacquer is used, the pieces of brass if large are to be first warmed, so as to heat the hand, and the varnish is to be applied with a brush. smaller pieces may be dipped in the varnish, and then drained by holding them for a minute over the bottle. this varnish, when applied to rails for desks, has a most beautiful appearance, like that of burnished gold. varnish for drawings. mix together two ounces of spirits of turpentine, and one ounce of canada balsam. the print is first to be sized with a solution of isinglass water, and dried; the varnish is then to be applied with a camel-hair brush. but for oil paintings, a different composition is prepared. a small piece of white sugar candy is dissolved and mixed with a spoonful of brandy; the whites of eggs are then beaten to a froth, and the clear part is poured off and incorporated with the mixture. the paintings are then brushed over with the varnish, which is easily washed off when they are required to be cleaned again, and on this account it will be far superior to any other kind of varnish for this purpose. varnish for fans. to make a varnish for fans and cases, dissolve two ounces of gum-mastic, eight ounces of gum-sandaric, in a quart of alcohol, and then add four ounces of venice turpentine. varnish for figures. fuse in a crucible half an ounce of tin, with the same quantity of bismuth. when melted, add half an ounce of mercury; and when perfectly combined, take the mixture from the fire and cool it. this substance, mixed with the white of an egg, forms a very beautiful varnish for plaster figures. varnish for furniture. this is made of white wax melted in the oil of petrolium. a light coat of this mixture is laid on the wood with a badger's brush, while a little warm, and the oil will speedily evaporate. a coat of wax will be left behind, which should afterwards be polished with a woollen cloth. varnish for hats. the shell of the hat having been prepared, dyed, and formed in the usual manner, is to be stiffened, when perfectly dry, with the following composition, worked upon the inner surface. one pound of gum kino, eight ounces of gum elemi, three pounds of gum olibanum, three pounds of gum copal, two pounds of gum juniper, one pound of gum ladanum, one pound of gum mastic, ten pounds of shell lac, and eight ounces of frankincense. these are pounded small and mixed together; three gallons of alcohol are then placed in an earthen vessel to receive the pounded gums, and the vessel is then to be frequently agitated. when the gums are sufficiently dissolved by this process, a pint of liquid ammonia is added to the mixture, with an ounce of oil of lavender, and a pound of gum myrrh and gum opoponax, dissolved in three pints of spirit of wine. the whole of the ingredients being perfectly incorporated and free from lumps, constitute the patent water-proof mixture with which the shell of the hat is stiffened. when the shell has been dyed, shaped, and rendered perfectly dry, its inner surface and the under side of the brim are varnished with this composition by means of a brush. the hat is then placed in a warm drying-room until it becomes hard. this process is repeated several times, taking care that the varnish does not penetrate through the shell, so as to appear on the outside. to allow the perspiration of the head to evaporate, small holes are to be pierced through the crown of the hat from the inside outward; and the nap of silk, beaver, or other fur, is to be laid on by the finisher in the usual way. that on the under side of the brim, which has been prepared as above, is to be attached with copal varnish. varnish for paintings. mix six ounces of pure mastic gum with the same quantity of pounded glass, and introduce the compound into a bottle containing a pint of oil of turpentine. now add half an ounce of camphor bruised in a mortar. when the mastic is dissolved, put in an ounce of venice turpentine, and agitate the whole till the turpentine is perfectly dissolved. when the varnish is to be applied to oil paintings, it must be gently poured from the glass sediment, or filtered through a muslin. varnish for paling. a varnish for any kind of coarse wood work is made of tar ground up with spanish brown, to the consistence of common paint, and then spread on the wood with a large brush as soon as made, to prevent its growing too stiff and hard. the colour may be changed by mixing a little white lead, whiting, or ivory black, with the spanish brown. for pales and weather boards this varnish is superior to paint, and much cheaper than what is commonly used for that purpose. it is an excellent preventive against wet and weather, and if laid on smooth wood it will have a good gloss. varnish for silks. to one quart of cold-drawn linseed oil, add half an ounce of litharge. boil them for half an hour, and then add half an ounce of copal varnish. while the ingredients are heating in a copper vessel, put in one ounce of rosin, and a few drops of neatsfoot oil, stirring the whole together with a knife. when cool, it is ready for use. this varnish will set, or keep its place on the silk in four hours, the silk may then be turned and varnished on the other side. varnish for straw hats. for straw or chip hats, put half an ounce of black sealing-wax powdered into two ounces of spirits of wine or turpentine, and place it near the fire till the wax is dissolved. if the hat has lost its colour or turned brown, it may first be brushed over with writing ink, and well dried. the varnish is then to be laid on warm with a soft brush, in the sun or before the fire, and it will give it a new gloss which will resist the wet. varnish for tinware. put three ounces of seed-lac, two drams of dragon's blood, and one ounce of turmeric powder, into a pint of well-rectified spirits. let the whole remain for fourteen days, but during that time, agitate the bottle once a day at least. when properly combined, strain the liquid through a piece of muslin. this varnish is called lacquer; it is brushed over tinware to give it a resemblance to brass. varnish for wood. the composition which is the best adapted to preserve wood from the decay occasioned both by the wet and the dry rot, is as follows. melt twelve ounces of rosin in an iron kettle, and when melted, add eight ounces of roll brimstone. when both are in a liquid state, pour in three gallons of train oil. heat the whole slowly, gradually adding four ounces of bees' wax in small pieces, and keep the mixture stirring. as soon as the solid ingredients are dissolved, add as much spanish brown, red or yellow ochre, ground fine with some of the oil, as will give the whole a deep shade. lay on this varnish as hot and thin as possible; and some days after the first coat becomes dry, give a second. this will preserve planks and other wood for ages. veal. in purchasing this article, the following things should be observed. the flesh of a bull calf is the firmest, but not so white. the fillet of the cow calf is generally preferred for the udder. the whitest meat is not the most juicy, having been made so by frequent bleeding, and giving the calf some whiting to lick. choose that meat which has the kidney well covered with fat, thick and white. if the bloody vein in the shoulder look blue, or of a bright red, it is newly killed; but any other colour shows it stale. the other parts should be dry and white: if clammy or spotted, the meat is stale and bad. the kidney turns first in the loin, and the suet will not then be firm. this should carefully be attended to, if the joint is to be kept a little time. the first part that turns bad in a leg of veal, is where the udder is skewered back: of course the skewer should be taken out, and both that and the part under it wiped every day. it will then keep good three or four days in hot weather. take care also to cut out the pipe that runs along the chine of a loin of veal, the same as in beef, to hinder it from tainting. the skirt of the breast of veal is likewise to be taken off, and the inside of the breast wiped and scraped, and sprinkled with a little salt. veal blanquets. cut thin slices off a fillet of veal roasted. put some butter into a stewpan, with an onion chopped small; fry them till they begin to brown, then dust in some flour, and add some gravy, and a faggot of sweet herbs, seasoned with pepper, salt, and mace; let this simmer till you have the flavour of the herbs, then put in your veal; beat up the yolks of two eggs in a little cream, and grated nutmeg, some chopped parsley, and a little lemon peel shred fine. keep it stirring one way till it is smooth, and of a good thickness: squeeze in a little juice of orange, and dish it up. garnish with orange and barberries. veal broth. to make a very nourishing veal broth, take off the knuckle of a leg or shoulder of veal, with very little meat to it, and put it into a stewpot, with three quarts of water. add an old fowl, four shank-bones of mutton extremely well soaked and bruised, three blades of mace, ten peppercorns, an onion, and a large slice of bread. cover it close, boil it up once, and skim it carefully. simmer it four hours as slowly as possible, strain and take off the fat, and flavour it with a little salt.--another way. take a scrag of veal, of about three pounds; put it into a clean saucepan, with a tea-spoonful of salt; when it boils, scum it clean; put in a spoonful of ground rice, some mace, a faggot of herbs, and let it boil gently for near two hours, or till you have about two quarts: send it to table with your veal in the middle, toasted bread, and parsley and butter in a boat. veal a la creme. take the best end of a loin of veal, joint it, and cut a little of the suet from the kidney. make it lie flat, then cut a place in the middle of the upper part about three inches deep and six inches long, take the piece out and chop it, add a little beef suet or beef marrow, parsley, thyme, green truffles, mushrooms, shalots, lemon peel chopped fine, and season it with pepper, salt, and a little beaten allspice. put all together into a marble mortar, add the yolks of two eggs, and a little french bread soaked in cream. pound the ingredients well, fill the cavity with the forcemeat, and cover it with a piece of veal caul. then tie it down close, cover the whole with a large piece of caul, and roast it gently. when to be served up, take off the large caul, let it colour a little, glaze it lightly, and put under it a white sauce. a fillet of veal may be done in the same way, instead of using plain stuffing for it. veal cake. boil six or eight eggs hard; cut the yolks in two, and lay some of the pieces in the bottom of the pot. shake in a little chopped parsley, some slices of veal and ham, and then eggs again; shaking in after each, some chopped parsley, with pepper and salt, till the pot is full. then put in water enough to cover it, and lay on it about an ounce of butter: tie it over with a double paper, and bake it about an hour. then press it close together with a spoon, and let it stand till cold. the cake may be put into a small mould, and then it will turn out beautifully for a supper or side dish. veal collops. cut long thin collops, beat them well, and lay on them a bit of thin bacon of the same size. spread forcemeat over, seasoned high, and also a little garlic and cayenne. roll them up tight, about the size of two fingers, but not more than two or three inches long. fasten each firmly with a small skewer, smear them over with egg, fry them of a fine brown, and pour a rich brown gravy over.--to dress collops quickly in another way, cut them as thin as paper, and in small bits, with a very sharp knife. throw the skin and any odd bits of veal into a little water, with a dust of pepper and salt. set them on the fire while the collops are preparing and beating, and dip them into a seasoning of herbs, bread, pepper, salt, and a scrape of nutmeg, having first wetted them with egg. then put a bit of butter into a fryingpan, and give the collops a very quick fry; for as they are so thin, two minutes will do them on both sides. put them into a hot dish before the fire, strain and thicken the gravy, give it a boil in the fryingpan, and pour it over the collops. the addition of a little ketchup will be an improvement.--another way is to fry the collops in butter, seasoned only with salt and pepper. then simmer them in gravy, either white or brown, with bits of bacon served with them. if white, add lemon peel and mace, and a little cream. veal cutlets. cut the veal into thin slices, dip them in the yolks of egg, strew them over with grated bread and nutmeg, sweet herbs and parsley, and lemon peel minced fine, and fry them with butter. when the meat is done, lay it on a dish before the fire. put a little water into the pan, stir it round and let it boil; add a little butter rolled in flour, and a little lemon juice, and pour it over the cutlets. or fry them without the bread and herbs, boil a little flour and water in the pan with a sprig of thyme, and pour it on the cutlets, but take out the thyme before the dish is sent to table. veal gravy. make it as for cullis; but leave out the spices, herbs, and flour. it should be drawn very slowly; and if for white dishes, the meat should not be browned. veal larded. take off the under bone of a neck of veal, and leave only a part of the long bones on. trim it neatly, lard and roast it gently with a veal caul over it. ten minutes before it is done, take off the caul, and let the veal be of a very light colour. when it is to be served up, put under it some sorrel sauce, celery heads, or asparagus tops, or serve it with mushroom sauce. veal olives. cut some long thin collops, beat them, lay them on thin slices of fat bacon, and over these a layer of forcemeat highly seasoned, with some shred shalot and cayenne. roll them tight, about the size of two fingers, but not more than two or three inches long. fasten them round with a small skewer, rub egg over them, and fry them of a light brown. serve with brown gravy, in which boil some mushrooms pickled or fresh, and garnish with fried balls. veal olive pie. having prepared the veal olives, lay them round and round the dish, making them highest in the middle. fill it nearly up with water, and cover it with paste. when baked, mix some gravy, cream, and flour, and pour it hot into the pie. veal patties. mince some veal that is not quite done, with a little parsley, lemon peel, a dust of salt and nutmeg. add a spoonful of cream, gravy sufficient to moisten the meat, and a little scraped ham. this mixture is not to be warmed till the patties are baked. veal pie. take some of the middle or scrag of a small neck, and season it, adding or not a few slices of lean bacon or ham. if wanted of a high relish, add mace, cayenne, and nutmeg, to the salt and pepper; also forcemeat, and eggs. to these likewise may be added, truffles, morels, mushrooms, sweetbreads cut into small bits, and cocks' combs blanched, if approved. it will be very good without any of the latter additions, but a rich gravy must be prepared, and poured in after baking.--to make a rich veal pie, cut steaks from a neck or breast of veal, season them with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a very little clove in powder. slice two sweetbreads, and season them in the same manner. lay a puff paste on the ledge of the dish, put in the meat, yolks of hard eggs, the sweetbreads, and some oysters, up to the top of the dish. lay over the whole some very thin slices of ham, and fill up the dish with water. cover it with a crust, and when taken out of the oven, pour in at the top, through a funnel, a few spoonfuls of good veal gravy, and fill it up with cream; but first boil and thicken it with a tea-spoonful of flour. veal and parsley pie. cut some slices from a leg or neck of veal; if the leg, from about the knuckle. season them with salt, scald some pickled parsley, and squeeze it dry. cut the parsley a little, and lay it at the bottom of the dish; then put in the meat, and so on, in layers. fill up the dish with new milk, but not so high as to touch the crust. when baked, pour out a little of the milk, and put in half a pint of good scalded cream. chicken may be cut up, skinned, and dressed in the same way. veal porcupine. bone a fine large breast of veal, and rub it over with the yolks of two eggs. spread it out, and lay on it a few slices of bacon, cut as thin as possible. add a handful of parsley shred fine, the yolks of five eggs, boiled hard and chopped, and a little lemon peel finely shred. steep the crumb of a penny loaf in cream, and add to it, seasoning the whole together with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. roll the veal close, and skewer it up. cut some fat bacon, the lean of boiled ham, and pickled cucumbers, about two inches long. place these in rows upon the veal, first the ham, then the bacon, and last the cucumbers, till the whole is larded. put the meat into a deep earthen pan with a pint of water, cover it close, and set it in a slow oven for two hours. skim off the fat afterwards, and strain the gravy through a sieve into a stewpan. add a glass of white wine, a little lemon pickle and caper liquor, and a spoonful of mushroom ketchup, and thicken the gravy with a bit of butter rolled in flour. lay the porcupine on a dish, and pour the sauce over it. have ready prepared a thin forcemeat, made of the crumb of a penny loaf, half a pound of beef suet shred fine, the yolks of four eggs, and a few oysters chopped. mix these together, season the forcemeat with cayenne, salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and spread it on the veal caul. having rolled the whole up tight, like collared eel, bind it in a cloth, and boil it an hour. when done enough, cut it into four slices, laying one at each end, and the others on the sides of the dish. have the sweetbreads ready prepared, cut in slices and fried, and lay them round the dish, with a few mushrooms pickled. this is allowed to make a fine bottom dish, when game is not to be had. veal rolls. cut thin slices of either fresh or cold veal, spread on them a fine seasoning of a very few crumbs, a little chopped bacon or scraped ham, and a little suet, parsley, and shalot. or instead of the parsley and shalot, some fresh mushrooms stewed and minced. then add pepper and salt, and a small piece of pounded mace. this stuffing may either fill up the roll like a sausage, or be rolled with the meat. in either case tie it up very tight, and stew very slowly in good gravy, and a glass of sherry. skim it very carefully, and serve it up quite tender.--another way. take slices of veal, enough to make a side dish; lay them on your dresser, and lay forcemeat upon each slice; roll them up, and tie them round with coarse thread. rub them over with the yolk of an egg, spit them on a bird spit, and roast them of a fine brown. for sauce, have good gravy, with morels, truffles, and mushrooms, tossed up to a proper thickness. lay your rolls in your dish, and pour your sauce over. garnish with lemon. veal sausages. chop equal quantities of lean veal and fat bacon, a handful of sage, a little salt and pepper, and a few anchovies. beat all in a mortar; and when used, roll and fry it. serve it with fried sippets, or on stewed vegetables, or on white collops. veal scallops. mince some cold veal very small, and set it over the fire with a scrape of nutmeg, a little pepper and salt, and a little cream. heat it for a few minutes, then put it into the scallop shells, and fill them with crumbs of bread. lay on some pieces of butter, and brown the scallops before the fire. either veal or chicken looks and eats well, prepared in this way, and lightly covered with crumbs of fried bread; or these may be laid on in little heaps. veal-suet pudding. cut the crumb of a threepenny loaf into slices, boil and sweeten two quarts of new milk, and pour over it. when soaked, pour out a little of the milk; mix it with six eggs well beaten, and half a nutmeg. lay the slices of bread into a dish, with layers of currants and veal suet shred, a pound of each. butter the dish well, and bake it; or if preferred, boil the pudding in a bason. veal sweetbread. parboil a fine fresh sweetbread for five minutes, and throw it into a basin of water. when the sweetbread is cold, dry it thoroughly in a cloth, and roast it plain. or beat up the yolk of an egg, and prepare some fine bread crumbs. run a lark spit or a skewer through it, and tie it on the ordinary spit. egg it over with a paste brush, powder it well with bread crumbs, and roast it. serve it up with fried bread crumbs round it, and melted butter, with a little mushroom ketchup and lemon juice. or serve the sweetbread on toasted bread, garnished with egg sauce or gravy. instead of spitting the sweetbread, it may be done in a dutch oven, or fried. vegetables. there is nothing in which the difference between an elegant and an ordinary table is more visible, than in the dressing of vegetables, especially greens. they may be equally as fine at first, at one place as at another, but their look and taste afterwards are very different, owing entirely to the careless manner in which they have been prepared. their appearance at table however is not all that should be considered; for though it is certainly desirable that they should be pleasing to the eye, it is of still greater consequence that their best qualities should be carefully preserved. vegetables are generally a wholesome diet, but become very prejudicial if not properly dressed. cauliflowers, and others of the same species, are often boiled only crisp, to preserve their beauty. for the look alone, they had better not be boiled at all, and almost as well for the purpose of food, as in such a crude state they are scarcely digestible by the strongest stomach. on the other hand, when overboiled they become vapid, and in a state similar to decay, in which they afford no sweet purifying juices to the stomach, but load it with a mass of mere feculent matter. the same may be said of many other vegetables, their utility being too often sacrificed to appearance, and sent to table in a state not fit to be eaten. a contrary error often prevails respecting potatoes, as if they could never be done too much. hence they are popped into the saucepan or steamer, just when it happens to suit, and are left doing, not for the time they require, but till it is convenient to take them up; when perhaps their nutricious qualities are all boiled away, and they taste of nothing but water. ideas of nicety and beauty in this case ought all to be subservient to utility; for what is beauty in vegetables growing in the garden is not so at table, from the change of circumstances. they are brought to be eaten, and if not adapted properly to the occasion, they are deformities on the dish instead of ornaments. the true criterion of beauty is their suitableness to the purposes intended. let them be carefully adapted to this, by being neither under nor over done, and they will not fail to please both a correct eye and taste, while they constitute a wholesome species of diet. a most pernicious method of dressing vegetables is often adopted, by putting copper into the saucepan with them in the form of halfpence. this is a dangerous experiment, as the green colour imparted by the copperas, renders them in the highest degree unwholesome, and even poisonous. besides, it is perfectly unnecessary, for if put into boiling water with a little salt, and boiled up directly, they will be as beautifully green as the most fastidious person can require. a little pearlash might safely be used on such an occasion, and with equal effect, its alkaline properties tending to correct the acidity. many vegetables are more wholesome, and more agreeable to the taste, when stewed a good while, only care must be taken that they stew merely, without being suffered to boil. boiling produces a sudden effect, stewing a slower effect, and both have their appropriate advantages. but if preparations which ought only to stew, are permitted to boil, the process is destroyed, and a premature effect produced, that cannot be corrected by any future stewing. in order to have vegetables in the best state for the table, they should be gathered in their proper season, when they are in the greatest perfection, and that is when they are most plentiful. forced vegetables seldom attain their true flavour, as is evident from very early asparagus, which is altogether inferior to that which is matured by nature and common culture, or the mere operation of the sun and climate. peas and potatoes are seldom worth eating before midsummer; unripe vegetables being as insipid and unwholesome as unripe fruit, and are liable to the same objections as when they are destroyed by bad cooking. vegetables are too commonly treated with a sort of cold distrust, as if they were natural enemies. they are seldom admitted freely at our tables, and are often tolerated only upon a sideboard in small quantities, as if of very inferior consideration. the effect of this is like that of all indiscriminate reserve, that we may negatively be said to lose friends, because we have not the confidence to make them. from the same distrust or prejudice, there are many vegetables never used at all, which are nevertheless both wholesome and palatable, particularly amongst those best known under the denomination of herbs. the freer use of vegetable diet would be attended with a double advantage, that of improving our health, and lessening the expense of the table. attention should however be paid to their size and quality, in order to enjoy them in their highest degree of perfection. the middle size are generally to be preferred to the largest or the smallest; they are more tender, and full of flavour, just before they are quite full grown. freshness is their chief value and excellence, and the eye easily discovers whether they have been kept too long, as in that case they lose all their verdure and beauty. roots, greens, salads, and the various productions of the garden, when first gathered, are plump and firm, and have a fragrant freshness which no art can restore, when they have lost it by long keeping, though it will impart a little freshness to put them into cold spring water for some time before they are dressed. they should neither be so young as not to have acquired their good qualities, nor so old as to be on the point of losing them. to boil them in soft water will best preserve the colour of such as are green; or if only hard water be at hand, a tea-spoonful of potash should be added. great care should be taken to pick and cleanse them thoroughly from dust, dirt, and insects, and nicely to trim off the outside leaves. if allowed to soak awhile in water a little salted, it will materially assist in cleansing them from insects. all the utensils employed in dressing vegetables should be extremely clean and nice; and if any copper vessel is ever used for the purpose, the greatest attention must be paid to its being well tinned. the scum which arises from vegetables as they boil should be carefully removed, as cleanliness is essential both to their looking and eating well. the lid of the saucepan should always be taken off when they boil, to give access to the air, even if it is not otherwise thought necessary. put in the vegetables when the water boils, with a little salt, and let them boil quickly; when they sink to the bottom, they are generally done enough. take them up immediately, or they will lose their colour and goodness. drain the water from them thoroughly, before they are sent to table. when greens are quite fresh gathered, they will not require so much boiling by at least a third of the time, as when they have been gathered a day or two and brought to the public market. the following table shows when the various kinds of vegetables are in season, or the time of their earliest natural growth, and when they are most plentiful, or in their highest perfection. artichokes, july, september, ---- jerusalem ditto, sept. november, angelica stalks, may, june, asparagus, april, june, beet roots, dec. january, boricole, november, january cabbage, may, july, ---- red ditto, july, august, ---- white ditto, october, cardoons, nov. december, carrots, may, august, cauliflowers, june, august, celery, sept. november, chervil, march, may, corn salad, may, june, cucumbers, july, september, endive, june, october, kidney beans, july, august, leeks, sept. december, lettuce, april, july, onions, august, november, parsley, february, march, parsnips, july, october, peas, june, august, potatoes, june, november, radishes, march, june, ---- spanish ditto, august, september, scarlet beans, july, august, small salad, may, june, salsify, july, august, scorzonera, july, august, sea kale, april, may, shalots, august, october, savory cabbage, sept. november, sorrel, june, july, spinage, march, july, ---- winter ditto, oct. november, turnips, may, july, turnip tops, april, may, windsor beans, june, august. vegetables and fish. pick, wash, and chop some sorrel, spinage, small onions or chives, and parsley. put them into a stewpan with fresh butter, a good spoonful of lemon or seville orange juice, or vinegar and water, some essence of anchovy, and cayenne pepper. do these gently over the fire till the vegetables are tender, then put in the fish, and stew them till well done. vegetable essences. the flavour of the various sweet and savoury herbs may be obtained, by combining their essential oils with rectified spirit of wine, in the proportion of one dram of the former to two ounces of the latter; by picking the leaves, and laying them in a warm place to dry, and then filling a wide-mouth bottle with them, and pouring on them wine, brandy, or vinegar, and letting them steep for fourteen days. vegetable marrow. take off all the skin of six or eight gourds, put them into a stewpan with water, salt, lemon juice, and a bit of butter, or fat bacon. let them stew gently till quite tender, and serve them up with rich dutch sauce, or any other sauce highly flavoured. vegetable pie. scald and blanch some broad beans, and cut in some young carrots, turnips, artichoke bottoms, mushrooms, peas, onions, parsley, celery, or any of these. make the whole into a nice stew, with some good veal gravy. bake a crust over a dish, with a little lining round the edge, and a cup turned up to keep it from sinking. when baked, open the lid, and pour in the stew. vegetable soup. pare and slice five or six cucumbers, add the inside of as many cos-lettuces, a sprig or two of mint, two or three onions, some pepper and salt, a pint and a half of young peas, and a little parsley. put these into a saucepan with half a pound of fresh butter, to stew in their own liquor half an hour, near a gentle fire. pour on the vegetables two quarts of boiling water, and stew them two hours. rub a little flour in a tea-cupful of water, boil it with the rest nearly twenty minutes, and serve it.--another way. peel and slice six large onions, six potatoes, six carrots, and four turnips; fry them in half a pound of butter, and pour on them four quarts of boiling water. toast a crust of bread quite brown and hard, but do not burn it; add it to the above, with some celery, sweet herbs, white pepper, and salt. stew it all together gently four hours, and strain it through a coarse cloth. put in a sliced carrot, some celery, and a small turnip, and stew them in the soup. an anchovy, and a spoonful of ketchup, may be added if approved. vegetable syrup. to a pint of white wine vinegar, put two pounds of the best brown sugar. boil them to a syrup; and when quite cold, add two table-spoonfuls of paregoric elixir, which is made in the following manner. steep in a pint of brandy a dram of purified opium, a dram of flowers of benjamin, and two scruples of camphor, adding a dram of the oil of anniseed. let it stand ten days, occasionally shaking it up, and then strain it off. this added to the above composition, forms the celebrated godbold's vegetable syrup. the paregoric elixir taken by itself, a tea-spoonful in half a pint of white wine whey or gruel at bed time, is an agreeable and effectual medicine for coughs and colds. it is also excellent for children who have the hooping cough, in doses of from five to twenty drops in a little water, or on a small piece of sugar. the vegetable syrup is chiefly intended for consumptive cases. velvets. when the pile of velvet requires to be raised, it is only necessary to warm a smoothing iron, to cover it with a wet cloth, and hold it under the velvet. the vapour arising from the wet cloth will raise the pile of the velvet, with the assistance of a whisk gently passed over it. to remove spots and stains in velvet, bruise some of the plant called soapwort, strain out the juice, and add to it a small quantity of black soap. wash the stain with this liquor, and repeat it several times after it has been allowed to dry. to take wax out of velvet, rub it frequently with hot toasted bread. venison. if it be young and good, the fat of the venison will be clear, bright, and thick, and the cleft part smooth and close: but if the cleft is wide and tough, it is old. to judge of its sweetness, run a very sharp narrow knife into the shoulder or haunch, and the meat will be known by the scent. few people like it when it is very high. venison pasty. to prepare venison for pasty, take out all the bones, beat and season the meat, and lay it into a stone jar in large pieces. pour over it some plain drawn beef gravy, not very strong; lay the bones on the top, and set the jar in a water bath, or saucepan of water over the fire, and let it simmer three or four hours. the next day, when quite cold, remove the cake of fat, and lay the meat in handsome pieces on the dish. if not sufficiently seasoned, add more pepper, salt, or pimento. put in some of the gravy, and keep the remainder for the time of serving. when the venison is thus prepared, it will not require so much time to bake, or such a very thick crust as usual, and by which the under part is seldom done through. a shoulder of venison makes a good pasty, and if there be a deficiency of fat, it must be supplied from a good loin of mutton, steeped twenty-four hours in equal parts of rape, vinegar, and port. the shoulder being sinewy, it will be of advantage to rub it well with sugar for two or three days; and when to be used, clear it perfectly from the sugar and the wine with a dry cloth. a mistake used to prevail, that venison could not be baked too much; but three or four hours in a slow oven will be sufficient to make it tender, and the flavour will be preserved. whether it be a shoulder or a side of venison, the meat must be cut in pieces, and laid with fat between, that it may be proportioned to each person, without breaking up the pasty to find it. lay some pepper and salt at the bottom of the dish, and some butter; then the meat nicely packed, that it may be sufficiently done, but not lie hollow to harden at the edges. in order to provide gravy for the pasty, boil the venison bones with some fine old mutton, and put half a pint of the gravy cold into the dish. then lay butter on the venison and cover as well as line the sides with a thick crust, but none must be put under the meat. keep the remainder of the gravy till the pasty comes from the oven; pour it quite hot into the middle by means of a funnel, and mix it well in the dish by shaking. it should be seasoned with pepper and salt.--another way. take a side of venison, bone it, and season it with pepper and salt, cloves, and mace finely beaten; cut your venison in large pieces, and season it very well with your spices then lay it into an earthen pan; make a good gravy of two pound of beef, and pour this gravy over the venison; take three quarters of a pound of beef suet, well picked from the skins, wet a coarse cloth, lay your suet on it, and cover it over, and beat it with a rolling-pin, till it is as fine as butter; as your cloth dries, wet it, and shift your suet, and put it over the top of the venison; make a paste of flour and water, and cover the pan, and send it to the oven to bake; it is best baked with a batch of bread; when it comes from the oven, and is quite cold, make a puff-paste; lay a paste all over your dish, and a roll round the inside, then put in your venison with the fat, and all the gravy, if the dish will hold it; put on the lid, and ornament it as your fancy leads. it will take two hours and a half in a quick oven. a sheet of paper laid on the top, will prevent it from catching, and the crust will be of a fine colour. by baking your venison in this manner, it will keep four or five days before you use it, if you do not take off the crust. venison sauce. boil an ounce of dried currants in half a pint of water, and some crumbs of bread, a few cloves or grated nutmeg, a glass of port wine, and a piece of butter. sweeten it to your taste, and send it to table in a boat. verjuice. lay some ripe crabs together in a heap to sweat, then take out the stalks and decayed ones, and mash up the rest. press the juice through a hair cloth into a clean vessel, and it will be fit to use in a month. it is proper for sauces where lemon is wanted. vermicelli pudding. boil a pint of milk with lemon peel and cinnamon, and sweeten it with loaf sugar. strain it through a sieve, add a quarter of a pound of vermicelli, and boil it ten minutes. then put in the yolks of five and the whites of three eggs, mix them well together, and steam the pudding an hour and a quarter, or bake it half an hour. vermicelli soup. boil two ounces of vermicelli in three quarts of veal gravy, then rub it through a tammis, season it with salt, give it a boil, and skim it well. beat up the yolks of four eggs, mix with them half a pint of cream, stir them gradually into the soup, simmer it for a few minutes, and serve it up. a little of the vermicelli may be reserved to serve in the soup, if approved.--another way. take two quarts of strong veal broth, put into a clean saucepan a piece of bacon stuck with cloves, and half an ounce of butter worked up in flour; then take a small fowl trussed to boil, break the breastbone, and put it into your soup; stove it close, and let it stew three quarters of an hour; take about two ounces of vermicelli, and put to it some of the broth; set it over the fire till it is quite tender. when your soup is ready, take out the fowl, and put it into your dish; take out your bacon, skim your soup as clean as possible; then pour it on the fowl, and lay your vermicelli all over it; cut some french bread thin, put it into your soup, and send it to table. if you chuse it, you may make your soup with a knuckle of veal, and send a handsome piece of it in the middle of your dish, instead of the fowl. vicarage cake. mix a pound and a half of fine flour, half a pound of moist sugar, a little grated nutmeg and ginger, two eggs well beaten, a table-spoonful of yeast, and the same of brandy. make it into a light paste, with a quarter of a pound of butter melted in half a pint of milk. let it stand half an hour before the fire to rise, then add three quarters of a pound of currants, well washed and cleaned, and bake the cake in a brisk oven. butter the tin before the cake is put into it. vinegar. allow a pound of lump sugar to a gallon of water. while it is boiling, skim it carefully, and pour it into a tub to cool. when it is no more than milk warm, rub some yeast upon a piece of bread and put into it, and let it ferment about twenty-four hours. then tun the liquor into a cask with iron hoops, lay a piece of tile over the bung-hole, and set it in the kitchen, which is better than placing it in the sun. it will be fit to bottle in about six months. march is the best time of the year for making vinegar, though if kept in the kitchen, this is of less consequence. a cheap sort of vinegar may be made of the refuse of the bee hives, after the honey is extracted. put the broken combs into a vessel, and add two parts of water: expose it to the sun, or keep it in a warm place. fermentation will succeed in a few days, when it must be well stirred and pressed down to make it soak; and when the fermentation is over, the matter is to be laid upon sieves to drain. the yellow liquor which forms at the bottom of the vessel must be removed, the vessel well cleaned, and the liquor which has been strained is to be returned to the vessel. it will immediately begin to turn sour; it should therefore be covered with a cloth, and kept moderately warm. a pellicle will be formed on the surface, beneath which the vinegar acquires strength: it must be kept standing for a month or two, and then put into a cask. the bunghole should be left open, and the vinegar will soon be fit for use. the prunings of the vine, being bruised and put into a vat or mash tub, and boiling water poured on them, will produce a liquor of a fine vinous quality, which may be used as vinegar.--another method. to every pound of coarse sugar add a gallon of water; boil the mixture, and take off the scum as long as any rises. then pour it into proper vessels, and when sufficiently cooled put into it a warm toast covered with yeast. let it work about twenty-four hours, and then put it into an iron-bound cask, fixed either near a constant fire, or where the summer sun shines the greater part of the day. in this situation it should not be closely stopped up, but a tile or something similar should be laid on the bunghole, to keep out the dust and insects. at the end of three months or less it will be clear, and fit for use, and may be bottled off. the longer it is kept after it is bottled, the better it will be. if the vessel containing the liquor is to be exposed to the sun's heat, the best time to begin making it is in the month of april. vinegar for salads. take three ounces each of tarragon, savory, chives, and shalots, and a handful of the tops of mint and balm, all dry and pounded. put the mixture into a wide-mouthed bottle, with a gallon of the best vinegar. cork it down close, set it in the sun, and in a fortnight strain off and squeeze the herbs. let it stand a day to settle, and filter it through a tammis bag. vinegar whey. set upon the fire as much milk as is wanted for the occasion, and when it is ready to boil, put in vinegar sufficient to turn it to a clear whey. let it stand some minutes, and then pour it off. if too acid, a little warm water may be added. this whey is well adapted to promote perspiration. lemon or seville orange juice may be used instead of vinegar. vingaret. chop some mint, parsley, and shalot; and mix them up with oil and vinegar. serve the sauce in a boat, for cold fowl or meat. vipers. the bites of such reptiles should constantly be guarded against as much as possible, as they are not unfrequently attended with dangerous consequences. animals of the neat-cattle kind are more liable to be bitten and stung by these reptiles, than those of any other sort of live stock. instances have been known where the tongues of such cattle have been even bitten or stung while grazing or feeding, which have proved fatal. such stock are, however, seldom attacked by reptiles of the adder kind, except in cases where these are disturbed by the animals in pasturing or feeding; which is the main reason why so many of them are bitten and stung about the head, and occasionally the feet. there are mostly much pain, inflammation, and swelling produced by these bites and stings; the progress of which may commonly be checked or stopped, and the complaint removed, by the use of such means as are directed below. a sort of soft liquid of the liniment kind may be prepared by mixing strong spirit of hartshorn, saponaceous liniment, spirit of turpentine, and tincture of opium, with olive oil; the former in the proportion of about two ounces each to three of the last, incorporating them well together by shaking them in a phial, which will be found very useful in many cases. a proper quantity of it should be well rubbed upon the affected part, two or three times in the course of the day, until the inflammation and swelling begin to disappear, after the bottle has been well shaken. in the more dangerous cases, it may often be advantageous to use fomentations to the affected parts, especially when about the head, with the above application; such as those made by boiling white poppy-heads with the roots of the marshmallow, the leaves of the large plantain, and the tops of wormwood, in the quantities of a few ounces of the first, and a handful of each of the latter, when cut small, and bruised in five or six quarts of the stale grounds of malt liquor. they may be applied frequently to the diseased parts, rubbing them afterwards each time well with the above soft liquid liniment. where there are feverish appearances, as is often the case in the summer season, a proper quantity of blood may sometimes be taken away with great benefit, and a strong purge be afterwards given of the cooling kind with much use. in slight cases of this kind, some think the continued free use of spirit of hartshorn, given internally, and applied externally to the affected parts, is the best remedy of any that is yet known. as they are so dangerous, these reptiles should always be destroyed as much as possible in all pastures and grazing grounds. u. udder sweet pie. either parboil or roast a tongue and udder, slice them into tolerably thin slices, and season them with pepper and salt. stone half a pound of sun raisins, raise a crust, or put a puff crust round the edge of a dish, place a layer of tongue and udder at the bottom, and then some raisins, and so on till the dish is full. cover the top with a crust, and when the pie is baked, pour in the following sauce. beat up some yolks of eggs, with vinegar, white wine, sugar, and butter. shake them over the fire till ready to boil, and add it to the pie immediately before it is sent to table. ulcers. ulcers should not be healed precipitately, for it may be attended with considerable danger. the first object is to cleanse the wound with emollient poultices, and soften it with yellow basilicon ointment, to which may be added a little turpentine or red precipitate. they may also be washed with lime water, dressed with lint dipped in tincture of myrrh, with spermaceti, or any other cooling ointment. umbrella varnish. make for umbrellas the following varnish, which will render them proof against wind and rain. boil together two pounds of turpentine, one pound of litharge in powder, and two or three pints of linseed oil. the umbrella is then to be brushed over with the varnish, and dried in the sun. universal cement. to an ounce of gum mastic add as much highly rectified spirits of wine as will dissolve it. soak an ounce of isinglass in water until quite soft, then dissolve it in pure rum or brandy, until it forms a strong glue, to which add about a quarter of an ounce of gum ammoniac well rubbed and mixed. put the two mixtures in an earthen vessel over a gentle heat; when well united, the mixture may be put into a phial, and kept well stopped. when wanted for use, the bottle must be set in warm water, and the china or glass articles having been also warmed, the cement must be applied. it will be proper that the broken surfaces, when carefully fitted, should be kept in close contact for twelve hours at least, until the cement is fully set, after which the fracture will be found as secure as any other part of the vessel, and scarcely perceptible. w. wafers. dry some flour well, mix with it a little pounded sugar, and finely pounded mace. make these ingredients into a thick batter with cream. butter the wafer irons, and make them hot; put a tea-spoonful of the batter into them, bake them carefully, and roll them off the iron with a stick. wainscots. dirty painted wainscots may be cleaned with a sponge wetted in potato water, and dipped in a little fine sand. for this purpose grate some raw potatoes into water, run the pulp through a sieve, and let it stand to settle; the clear liquor will then be fit for use. if applied in a pure state, without the sand, it will be serviceable in cleaning oil paintings, and similar articles of furniture. when an oak wainscot becomes greasy, and has not been painted, it should be washed with warm beer. then boil two quarts of ale, and put into it a piece of bees' wax the size of a walnut, with a large spoonful of sugar. wet the wainscot all over with a brush dipped in the mixture, and when dry, rub it bright: this will give it a fine gloss. walnut ketchup. to make the finest sort of walnut ketchup, boil or simmer a gallon of the expressed juice of walnuts when they are tender, and skim it well. then put in two pounds of anchovies, bones and liquor; two pounds of shalot, one ounce of mace, one ounce of cloves, one of whole pepper, and one of garlic. let all simmer together till the shalots sink; then put the liquor into a pan till cold; bottle it up, and make an equal distribution of the spice. cork it well, and tie a bladder over. it will keep twenty years, but is not good at first. be careful to express the juice at home, for what is sold as walnut ketchup is generally adulterated. some people make liquor of the outside shell when the nut is ripe, but neither the colour nor the flavour is then so fine.--another way. take four quarts of walnut juice, two quarts of white wine vinegar, three ounces of ginger sliced, two ounces of black pepper bruised, two ounces of white pepper bruised, half a pound of anchovies; let these simmer gently, till half the quantity is evaporated; then add to it a quart of red wine, two heads of garlic, the yellow rind of eight seville oranges, or half a pound of dried orange peel cut very small, and forty bay leaves: give it one boil together, then cover it close in an earthen vessel, and let it stand till it is cold. when it is cold put it into wide-mouthed quart bottles; and into each of the bottles put one ounce of shalots skinned and sliced: cork the bottles close, and put them by for two months, when it will be fit for use. the shalots will likewise eat very fine when taken out, though they will look of a bad colour.--another way, for fish sauce. take walnuts, when they are fit for pickling, bruise them well in a marble mortar, and strain off the liquor from them through a cloth, let it stand to settle, pour off the clear, and to every pint of it add one pound of anchovies, half a quarter of an ounce of mace, half a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half a quarter of an ounce of jamaica pepper, bruised fine; boil them together till the anchovies are dissolved; then strain it off, and to the strained liquor add half a pint of the best vinegar, and eight shalots; just boil it up again, pour it into a stone pan or china bowl, and let it stand till cold, when it is fit to put up in bottles for use. it will keep for years, and is excellent with fish sauce. warts and corns. warts may safely be destroyed by tying them closely round the bottom with a silk thread, or a strong flaxen thread well waxed. or they may be dried away by some moderately corroding application, such as the milky juice of fig leaves, of swallow wort, or of spurge. warts may also be destroyed by rubbing them with the inside of bean shells. but these corrosives can only be procured in summer; and persons who have very delicate thin skins should not use them, as they may occasion a painful swelling. instead therefore of these applications, it may be proper to use a little vinegar impregnated with as much salt as it will dissolve. a plaster may also be made of sal ammoniac and some galbanum, which well kneaded together and applied, seldom fails of destroying them. the general and principal cause of corns is, shoes too hard and stiff, or else too small. the cure consists in softening the corns by repeated washing, and soaking the feet in warm or hot water; then cutting the corn very carefully when softened, with a sharp penknife without wounding the quick, and afterwards applying a leaf of houseleek, ground ivy, or purslain, dipped in vinegar. or instead of these leaves, they may be dressed every day with a plaster of simple diachylon, or of gum ammoniacum softened in vinegar. the bark of the willow tree burnt to ashes, and mixed with strong vinegar, forms a lixivium which by repeated applications eradicates, warts, corns, and other cutaneous excrescences. it is however the wisest way to obviate the cause which produces them. wash. an infusion of horseradish in milk, makes one of the safest and best washes for the skin; or the fresh juice of houseleek, mixed with an equal quantity of new milk or cream. honey water made rather thick, so as to form a kind of varnish on the skin, is a useful application in frosty weather, when the skin is liable to be chipped; and if it occasions any irritation or uneasiness, a little fine flour or pure hair powder should be dusted on the hands or face. a more elegant wash may be made of four ounces of potash, four ounces of rose water, and two of lemon juice, mixed in two quarts of water. a spoonful or two of this mixture put into the basin, will scent and soften the water intended to be used. wash balls. shave thin two pounds of new white soap, into about a teacupful of rose water, and pour on as much boiling water as will soften it. put into a brass pan a pint of sweet oil, four pennyworth of oil of almonds, half a pound of spermaceti, and dissolve the whole over the fire. then add the soap, and half an ounce of camphor that has first been reduced to powder by rubbing it in a mortar with a few drops of spirits of wine, or lavender water, or any other scent. boil it ten minutes, then pour it into a basin, and stir till it is quite thick enough to roll up into hard balls, which must then be done as soon as possible. if essence is used, stir it in quick after it is taken off the fire, that the scent may not fly off. washing. soda, by softening the water, saves a great deal of soap. it should be melted in a large jug of water, and some of it poured into the tubs and boiler; and when the lather becomes weak, more is to be added. the new improvement in soft soap is, if properly used, a saving of nearly half in quantity; and though something dearer than the hard, it reduces the expence of washing considerably. many good laundresses advise soaping linen in warm water the night previous to washing, as facilitating the operation with less friction. wasps. these insects are not only destructive to grapes, peaches, and the more delicate kinds of fruit, but also to bees; the hives of which they attack and plunder, frequently compelling those industrious inmates to forsake their habitation. about the time when the wasps begin to appear, several phials should be filled three parts full of a mixture consisting of the lees of beer or wine, and the sweepings of sugar, or the dregs of molasses, and suspended by yellow packthread on nails in the garden wall. when the bottles are filled with insects, the liquor must be poured into another vial, and the wasps crushed on the ground. if they settle on wall fruit, they may be destroyed by touching them with a feather dipped in oil; or may be taken with birdlime put on the end of a stick or lath, and touched while sitting on the fruit. the number of these noxious insects might be greatly reduced by searching for their nests in the spring of the year. the places to find them are at new posts, pales, melon frames, or any solid timber; for as they make their combs of the shavings of sound wood, which they rasp off with their fangs, and moisten up with a mucus from their bodies, they may often be found near such materials. water. as it is difficult in some places to obtain a sufficient quantity of fresh spring water for constant use, especially in large towns and cities, it is important to know that river water or such as becomes turbid, may be rendered fit for use by the following easy experiment. dissolve half an ounce of alum in a pint of warm water, and stir it about in a puncheon of water taken from the river; the impurities will soon settle to the bottom, and in a day or two it will become as clear as the finest spring water. to purify any kind of water that has become foul by being stagnant, place a piece of wicker work in the middle of a vessel; spread on this a layer of charcoal four or five inches thick, and above the charcoal a quantity of sand. the surface of the sand is to be covered with paper pierced full of holes, to prevent the water from making channels in the sand. the water to be purified is to be poured on, to filter through the sand and charcoal, and the filter is to be removed occasionally. by this simple process, any person may procure good limpid water at a very trifling expense, and preserve what would otherwise become useless and offensive. water for brewing. the most proper water for brewing is soft river water, which has had the rays of the sun, and the influence of the air upon it, which have a tendency to permit it easily to penetrate the malt, and extract its virtues. on the contrary, hard waters astringe and bind the power of the malt, so that its virtues are not freely communicated to the liquor. some people hold it as a maxim, that all water that will mix with soap is fit for brewing, which is the case with the generality of river water; and it has frequently been found from experience, that when an equal quantity of malt has been used to a barrel of river water, as to a barrel of spring water, the brewing from the former has exceeded the other in strength above five degrees in the course of twelve months keeping. it has also been observed, that the malt was not only the same in quantity for one barrel as for the other, but was the same in quality, having all been measured from the same heap. the hops were also the same, both in quality and in quantity, and the time of boiling equal in each. they were worked in the same manner, and tunned and kept in the same cellar; a proof that the water only could be the cause of the difference. dorchester beer, which is generally in much esteem, is chiefly brewed with chalky water, which is plentiful in almost every part of that county; and as the soil is mostly chalk, the cellars, being dug in that dry soil, contribute much to the good keeping of their drink, it being of a close texture, and of a dry quality, so as to dissipate damps; for it has been found by experience, that damp cellars are equally injurious to the casks and the good keeping of the liquor. where water is naturally of a hard quality, it may in some measure be softened by an exposure to the sun and air, and by infusing in it some pieces of soft chalk; or when the water is set on to boil, in order to be poured on the malt, put into it a quantity of bran, and it will have a very good effect. water cakes. dry three pounds of fine flour, and rub into it a pound of sifted sugar, a pound of butter, and an ounce of carraway seeds. make it into a paste with three quarters of a pint of boiling new milk; roll the paste very thin, and cut it into any form or size. punch the cakes full of holes, and bake on tin plates in a cool oven. water gruel. mix by degrees a large spoonful of oatmeal with a pint of water in a saucepan, and when smooth, boil it. or rub the oatmeal smooth in a little water, and put it into a pint of water boiling on the fire. stir it well, and boil it quick, but do not suffer it to boil over. in a quarter of an hour strain it off, add salt and a bit of butter when eaten, and stir it together till the whole is incorporated. to make it however in the quickest manner, mix a spoonful of ground oatmeal very smooth, with as much hot water as will just liquify it. then gradually pour upon it a pint of boiling water, stirring it all the time to keep it smooth. it may be cooled by pouring it from one basin to another till it is fit to drink. water gruel made in this way is very smooth and good, and being prepared in a few minutes, it is particularly useful when wanted in haste, to assist the operation of medicine. water pipes. to prevent their freezing when full of water, preserve a little circulation by leaving the cock dripping; or by tying up the ball cock during the winter's frost, the water may be preserved for use. care should be taken however to lay the pipe which supplies the cistern in such a position as not to retain the water, and of course it will not be liable to freeze. water souchy. stew two or three flounders, some parsley leaves and roots, thirty peppercorns, and a quart of water, till the fish are boiled to pieces, and then pulp them through a sieve. set over the fire the pulped fish, the liquor that boiled them, some perch, tench, and flounders, and some fresh leaves or roots of parsley. simmer them together till done enough, and serve in a deep dish. slices of bread and butter are to be sent to table, to eat with the souchy. wax. bees' wax is obtained from the combs, after the sweet and liquid parts are extracted, by heating and pressing them between iron plates. the best sort is firm and hard, of a clear yellow colour and an agreeable odour, similar to that of honey. new wax is tough, yet easily broken; by long keeping it becomes harder and more brittle, loses its colour, and partly also its fragrance. with a view to bleach the wax, it is cut into small pieces, melted, and poured into cold water. in this state it is exposed to the sun, afterwards melted again, poured into water, and exposed to the air, two or three times over, till it is perfectly blanched. it is then dissolved for the last time, cast into flat moulds, and again exposed to the air for a day or two, in order to render it more transparent. wax plaster. this is made of a pound of yellow wax, half a pound of white rosin, and three quarters of mutton suet, melted together. this forms a proper plaster for blisters, and in other cases where a gentle digestive is necessary. weak eyes. dimness of sight, arising from weakness or inflammation, is best relieved by frequent washing of the eyes with cold water. if this do not succeed, the following solution may be applied. dissolve four grains each of the sugar of lead and crude sal-ammoniac, in eight ounces of water, to which a few drops of laudanum may occasionally be added, and bathe the eyes with it night and morning. a tea-spoonful of brandy in a cup of water will also make good eye-water, or a little simple rose water may supply the place. wedding cake. take two pounds of butter, beat it to a cream with the hand, and put in two pounds of fine sugar sifted. mix well together two pounds of fine dried flour, half a pound of almonds blanched and pounded with orange-flower water, and an ounce of beaten mace. beat up sixteen eggs, leaving out three whites, and put to them half a glass of sack, and the same of brandy. put a handful of the flour and almonds to the sugar and butter, then a spoonful of the eggs, and so on till they are all mixed together. beat it an hour with the hand, add two pounds of currants, half a pound of citron, half a pound of orange peel, and two spoonfuls of orange-flower water. butter the tin, and bake it three hours and a half. an iceing should be put over the cake after it is baked. weeds. weeds are in their most succulent state in the month of june, and there is scarcely a hedge border but might be rendered useful by mowing them at this season, but which afterwards would become a nuisance. after the weeds have lain a few hours to wither, hungry cattle will eat them with great freedom, and it would display the appearance of good management to embrace the transient opportunity. welch ale. to brew very fine welch ale, pour forty-two gallons of hot but not boiling water, on eight bushels of malt; cover it up, and let it stand three hours. mean while infuse four pounds of hops in a little hot water, and put the water and hops into a tub; run the wort upon them, and boil them together three hours. strain off the hops, and reserve them for the small beer. let the wort stand in a high tub till cool enough to receive the yeast, of which put in two quarts of the best quality: mix it thoroughly and often. when the wort has done working, the second or third day, the yeast will sink rather than rise in the middle: remove it then, and tun the ale as it works out. pour in a quart at a time gently, to prevent the fermentation from continuing too long, which weakens the liquor. put paper over the bung-hole two or three days before it is closed up. welch beef. rub three ounces of saltpetre into a good piece of the round or buttock. after four hours apply a handful of common salt, a quarter of an ounce of jamaica pepper, and the same of black pepper, mixed together. continue it in the pickle a fortnight, then stuff it with herbs, cover it with a thick paste, and bake it. take off the paste, pour the liquor from it, and pour over it some melted beef suet. welch pudding. melt half a pound of fine butter gently, beat with it the yolks of eight and the whites of four eggs. mix in six ounces of loaf sugar, and the rind of a lemon grated. put a paste into a dish for turning out, pour in the batter, and bake it nicely. welch rabbit. toast a slice of bread on both sides, and butter it. toast a slice of gloucester cheese on one side, and lay that on the bread; then toast the other side with a salamander, rub mustard over, and serve it up hot under a cover. wens. these are prevalent chiefly among the inhabitants of marshy countries, bordering on rivers and standing waters, especially among females, and persons of a delicate habit; but they very often arise from scrophula. camphor mixed with sweet oil, or a solution of sal ammoniac, have often been applied to these tumours with success. in derbyshire, where this disorder greatly prevails, they use the following preparation. fifteen grains of burnt sponge are beaten up with a similar quantity of millipede, and from eight to ten grains of cinnabar antimony. the whole is to be mixed with honey, and taken every morning before breakfast. westphalia ham. rub the ham with half a pound of coarse sugar, let it lie twelve hours, then rub it with an ounce of saltpetre pounded, and a pound of common salt. let it lie three weeks, turning it every day. dry it over a wood fire, and put a pint of oak sawdust into the water when it is boiled.--another way. take spring water that is not hard, add saltpetre and bay salt to it till it will bear an egg, the broad way, then add a pound and a half of coarse sugar; mix all together, and let the ham lay in this pickle a fortnight or three weeks; then lay it in the chimney to dry. when you boil it, put some hay into the copper with it. you may keep the pickle as long as you please by often boiling it up. wet clothes. when a person has the misfortune to get wet, care should be taken not to get too near the fire, or into a warm room, so as to occasion a sudden heat. the safest way is to keep in constant motion, until some dry clothes can be procured, and to exchange them as soon as possible. wheat bread. to make it in the most economical way, the coarsest of the bran only is to be taken from the flour, and the second coat, or what is called pollard, is to be left in the meal. five pounds of the bran are to be boiled in somewhat more than four gallons of water, in order that, when perfectly smooth, three gallons and three quarts of clear bran water may be poured into and kneaded up with forty-six pounds of the meal; adding salt as well as yeast, in the same way as for other bread. when the dough is ready to bake, the loaves are to be made up, and baked two hours and a half in a tolerably hot oven. as flour when thus made up will imbibe three quarts more of this bran liquor than of common water, it evidently produces not only a more nutricious and substantial food, but increases one fifth above the usual quantity; consequently it makes a saving of at least one day's consumption in every week. if this meal bread were in general use, it would be a saving to the nation of nearly ten millions a year. besides, this bread has the following peculiar property: if put into the oven and baked for twenty minutes, after it is ten days old, it will appear again like new bread. wheat ears. to roast wheat ears and ortolans, they should be spitted sideways, with a vine leaf between each. baste them with butter, and strew them with bread crumbs while roasting. ten or twelve minutes will do them. serve them up with fried bread crumbs in the dish, and gravy in a tureen. whey. cheese whey is a very wholesome drink for weakly persons, especially when the cows are in fresh pasture. tending to quench thirst, and to promote sleep, it is well adapted to feverish constitutions. it is the most relaxing and diluting of all drinks, dissolving and carrying off the salts, and is a powerful remedy in the hot scurvy. whey butter. the whey is first set in mugs, to acquire a sufficient degree of consistence and sourness for churning, either by the warmth of the season, or by a fire, as in the making of milk butter. sometimes the green and white whey are boiled together, and turned by a little sour ale. when the green whey is boiled alone, it is necessary to keep it over the fire about half an hour, till it begins to break and separate, but it must be allowed to simmer only. the process is much the same as in milk butter, but it will keep only a few days, and does not cut so firm as the butter which is made of cream. whigs. mix with two pounds of fine flour, half a pound of sugar pounded and sifted, and an ounce of carraway seeds. melt half a pound of butter in a pint of milk; when as warm as new milk, put to it three eggs, leaving out one white, and a spoonful of yeast. mix them well together, and let the paste stand four hours to rise. make them into whigs, and bake them on buttered tins.--another way. rub half a pound of butter into a pound and a half of flour, add a quarter of a pound of sugar, a very little salt, and three spoonfuls of new yeast. make it into a light paste with warm milk, let it stand an hour to rise, and then form it into whigs. bake them upon sheets of tin in a quick oven. carraway seeds may be added if preferred.--another way. take two pounds and a half of flour, dry it before the fire, and when cold rub in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and six ounces of sugar; mix half a pint of yeast that is not bitter, with warm milk, put this to the flour with some carraway seeds; mix all together to a light dough, set it before the fire to rise, then make it into what shape you please; bake them in a slack oven. you may add allspice beat fine, instead of carraways, if you please.--another way. take a pound and a half of flour, add a quarter of a pint of ale yeast to half a pint of warm milk, mix these together, and let it lie by the fire half an hour; then work in half a pound of sugar and half a pound of fresh butter to a paste; make them up, and let them be put into a quick oven. whipt cream. take a quart of thick cream, the whites of eight eggs well beaten, with half a pint of sack; mix all together, and sweeten it to your taste, with double-refined sugar; (you may perfume it if you please, with a little musk, or ambergris, tied in a piece of muslin, and steeped a little while in the cream) pare a lemon, and tie some of the peel in the middle of the whisk, then whip up the cream, take off the froth with a spoon, and lay it in the glasses, or basons. this does well over a fine tart. whipt syllabubs. put some rich cream into an earthen pot, add some white wine, lemon juice, and sugar to the taste. mill them well together with a chocolate mill, and as the froth keeps rising take it off with a spoon, and put it into syllabub glasses. they should be made the day before they are to be used. syllabubs are very pretty in the summer time made with red currant juice, instead of lemon juice.--another way. take a quart of cream, boil it, and let it stand till cold; then take a pint of white wine, pare a lemon thin, and steep the peel in the wine two hours before you use it; to this add the juice of a lemon, and as much sugar as will make it very sweet; put all together into a bowl, and whisk it one way till it is pretty thick, fill the glasses, and keep it a day before you use it. it will keep good for three or four days. let the cream be full measure, and the wine rather less; if you like it perfumed, put in a grain or two of ambergris.--another way. to a quart of thick cream put half a pint of sack, the juice of two seville oranges, or lemons, grate the peel of two lemons, and add half a pound of double-refined sugar well pounded; mix a little sack with sugar, and put it into some of the glasses, and red wine and sugar into others, the rest fill with syllabub only. then whisk your cream up very well, take off the froth with a spoon, and fill the glasses carefully, as full as they will hold. observe, that this sort must not be made long before they are used. white bread. this is made the same as household bread, except that it consists of fine flour unmixed. the water to be used should be lukewarm in summer, and in very cold weather it must be hot, but not so as to scald the yeast. bricks are made by moulding the loaves long instead of round, and cutting the sides in several places before they are put into the oven. white cakes. dry half a pound of flour, rub into it a very little pounded sugar, one ounce of butter, an egg, a few carraways, and as much milk and water as will make it into a paste. roll it thin, cut it into little cakes with a wine glass, or the top of a canister, and bake them fifteen minutes on tin plates. white caudle. boil four spoonfuls of oatmeal in two quarts of water, with a blade or two of mace, and a piece of lemon peel; stir it often, and let it boil a full quarter of an hour, then strain it through a sieve for use; when you use it, grate in some nutmeg, sweeten it to your palate, and add what white wine you think proper: if it is not for a sick person, you may squeeze in a little lemon juice. white cerate. take four ounces of olive oil, half an ounce of spermaceti, and four ounces of white wax. put them into an earthen pipkin, and stir the mixture with a stick till it is quite cold. white gravy. boil in a quart of water a pound and a half of veal, from the knuckle or scrag end of the neck. add a small onion, a bunch of sweet herbs, a blade of mace, a little whole pepper and salt. after an hour's simmering over the fire, strain off the gravy, and it is ready for use. white gravy for soups. to a few slices of lean ham, add a knuckle of veal cut in pieces, some turnips, parsnips, leeks, onions, and celery. put them all into a stewpan with two quarts of water, and let it simmer till the meat is nearly tender, without allowing it to colour. add to this half as much clear beef gravy, and boil it an hour, skimming off the fat very clean. strain it, and set it by for use. white herrings. if good, their gills are of a fine red, and the eyes bright; as is likewise the whole fish, which must be stiff and firm. having scaled, drawn, and cleaned them, dust them with flour, and fry them of a light brown. plain or melted butter for sauce. white lead. white oxide of lead is often adulterated by the carbonate of lime. to detect this pour four drams of pure acetous acid, over a dram of the suspected oxide. this will dissolve both oxide and chalk; but if a few drops of a solution of oxalic acid be now poured in, a very abundant white precipitate of oxalate of lime will take place. white paint. an excellent substitute for white oil paint may be made of fresh curds bruised fine, and kneaded with an equal quantity of slacked lime. the mixture is to be well stirred, without any water, and it will produce an excellent white paint for inside work. as it dries very quickly, it should be used as soon as made; and if two coats be laid on, it may afterwards be polished with a woollen cloth till it becomes as bright as varnish. if applied to places exposed to moisture, the painting should be rubbed over with the yolk of an egg, which will render it as durable as the best of oil painting. no kind of painting can be so cheap; and as it dries speedily, two coats of it may be laid on in a day and polished, and no offensive smell will arise from it. white pot. the antient way of making a white pot is to put the yolks of four or five eggs well beaten to a pint of cream, adding some pulps of apples, sugar, spices, and sippets of white bread. it may be baked either in a dish, or in a crust.--another way. beat eight eggs, leaving out four whites, with a little rose water; strain them to two quarts of new milk, and a small nutmeg grated, and sugar to your taste; cut a french roll in thin slices, and lay in the bottom of a soup dish (after buttering it) then pour over your milk and eggs, and bake it in a slow oven. white puddings. pour two pints and a half of scalding hot milk upon half a pound of naples biscuits, or bread; let it stand uncovered, and when well soaked, bruise the bread very fine. add half a pound of almonds well beaten with orange-flower water, three quarters of a pound of sugar, a pound of beef suet or marrow shred fine, a quarter of an ounce of salt, ten yolks of eggs and five whites. mix the whole thoroughly together, and put it into the skins well prepared, filling them but half full, and tying them at proper distances like sausages. the skins must be carefully cleaned, and laid in rose water some hours before they are used. currants may be used instead of almonds, if preferred. white hog's puddings. when the skins have been well soaked and cleaned, rinse and soak them all night in rose water, and put into them the following preparation. mix half a pound of blanched almonds cut into seven or eight parts, with a pound of grated bread, two pounds of marrow or rich suet, a pound of currants, some beaten cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg; a quart of cream, the yolks of six and whites of two eggs, a little orange-flower water, a little fine lisbon sugar, and some lemon peel and citron sliced, and half fill the skins. to know whether it be sweet enough, warm a little in a panikin. much care must be taken in boiling, to prevent the puddings from bursting. prick them with a small fork as they rise, and boil them in milk and water. lay them in a table cloth till cold. white onion sauce. peel half a dozen white spanish onions, cut them in half, and lay them in a pan of spring water for a quarter of an hour. boil them an hour, or till quite tender, drain them well on a hair sieve, and then chop and bruise them fine. put them into a clean saucepan with flour and butter, half a tea-spoonful of salt, and some cream or good milk. stir it till it boils, rub the whole through a sieve, adding milk or cream to make it of a proper thickness. this is the usual sauce for boiled rabbits, mutton, or tripe; but there requires plenty of it. white sauce. this favourite sauce is equally adapted to fowls, fricassee, rabbits, white meat, fish, and vegetables; and it is seldom necessary to purchase any fresh meat to make it, as the proportion of that flavour is but small. the liquor in which fowls, veal, or rabbit have been boiled, will answer the purpose; or the broth of whatever meat happens to be in the house, such as necks of chickens, raw or dressed veal. stew with a little water any of these, with a bit of lemon peel, some sliced onion, some white peppercorns, a little pounded mace or nutmeg, and a bunch of sweet herbs. keep it on the fire till the flavour is good; then strain it, and add a little good cream, a piece of butter, a very little flour, and salt to your taste. a squeeze of lemon may be added after the sauce is taken off the fire, shaking it well. yolk of egg is often used in fricassee, cream is better, as the former is apt to curdle. white soup. take a scrag of mutton, a knuckle of veal, after cutting off as much meat as will make collops, two or three shank bones of mutton nicely cleaned, and a quarter of very fine undressed lean gammon of bacon. add a bunch of sweet herbs, a piece of fresh lemon peel, two or three onions, three blades of mace, and a dessert-spoonful of white pepper. boil all in three quarts of water, till the meat falls quite to pieces. next day take off the fat, clear the jelly from the sediment, and put it into a nice tin saucepan. if maccaroni be used, it should be added soon enough to get perfectly tender, after soaking in cold water. vermicelli may be added after the thickening, as it requires less time to do. prepare the thickening beforehand thus: blanch a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, and beat them to a paste in a marble mortar, with a spoonful of water to prevent their oiling. then mince a large slice of cold veal or chicken, and beat it with a piece of stale white bread; add all this to a pint of thick cream, a bit of fresh lemon peel, and a blade of pounded mace. boil it a few minutes, add to it a pint of soup, and strain and pulp it through a coarse sieve. this thickening is then fit for putting to the rest, which should boil for half an hour afterwards.--to make a plainer white soup, boil a small knuckle of veal, till the liquor is reduced to three pints. add seasoning as above, and a quarter of a pint of good milk. two spoonfuls of cream, and a little ground rice, will give it a proper thickness. the meat and the soup may both be served together.--another. take a scrag or knuckle of veal, slices of undressed gammon of bacon, onions, mace, and simmer them in a small quantity of water, till it is very strong. lower it with a good beef broth made the day before, and stew it till the meat is done to rags. add cream, vermicelli, a roll, and almonds. white wine whey. set on the fire half a pint of new milk; the moment it boils up, pour in as much sound raisin wine as will completely turn it, and until it looks clear. let it boil up, then set the saucepan aside till the curd subsides, and do not stir it. pour the whey off, add to it half a pint of boiling water, and a little lump sugar. the whey will thus be cleared of milky particles, and may be made to any degree of weakness. whitings. these may be had almost at any time, but are chiefly in season during the first three months of the year. in choosing them, the firmness of the body and fins is chiefly to be looked to; and in places where there is no regular supply of fish, it will be found an accommodation to dry them for keeping. the largest are best for this purpose. take out the gills, the eyes, and the entrails, and remove the blood from the backbone. wipe them dry, salt the inside, and lay them on a board for the night. hang them up in a dry place, and after three or four days they will be fit to eat. when to be dressed, skin and rub them over with egg, and cover them with bread crumbs. lay them before the fire, baste with butter till sufficiently browned, and serve them with egg sauce. whitlows. as soon as the disorder is apparent, the finger affected is to be plunged into warm water, or the steam of boiling water may be applied to it. the application must be very frequently repeated the first day, and the complaint will soon be dispersed. unfortunately however it is too generally supposed, that such slight attacks can have only slight consequences, and hence they are too apt to be neglected till the complaint has considerably increased. but in this state no time should be lost in resorting to skilful advice, as the danger attending these small tumours is much greater than is usually imagined. whole rice pancakes. stew half a pound of whole rice in water till it is very tender, and let it stand in a basin to cool. break it small, put to it half a pint of scalded cream, half a pound of clarified butter, a handful of flour, a little nutmeg and salt, and five eggs well beaten. stir these well together, and fry them in butter or lard. serve them up with sugar sifted over them, and a seville orange or lemon cut and laid round the dish. this preparation may be made into a pudding, either baked or boiled, and with currants added or not, as approved. three quarters of an hour will bake it, and an hour will boil it. whole rice pudding. stew very gently a quarter of a pound of whole rice, in a pint and a half of new milk. when the rice is tender, pour it into a basin, stir in a piece of butter, and let it stand till quite cool. then put in four eggs, a little salt, some nutmeg and sugar. boil it an hour in a basin well buttered. wild ducks. a wild duck, or a widgeon, will require twenty or twenty-five minutes roasting, according to the size. a teal, from fifteen to twenty minutes; and other birds of this kind, in proportion to their size, a longer or a shorter time. baste them with butter, and take them up with the gravy in, sprinkling a little over them before they are quite done. serve them up with shalot sauce in a boat, or with good gravy, and lemons cut in quarters. wild fowl. season with salt and pepper, and put a piece of butter into each; but the flavour is best preserved without stuffing. to take off the fishy taste which wild fowl sometimes have, put an onion, salt, and hot water, into the dripping pan, and baste them with this for the first ten minutes: then take away the pan, and baste constantly with butter. wild fowl require much less dressing than tame: they should be served of a fine colour, and well frothed up. a rich brown gravy should be sent in the dish; and when the breast is cut into slices, before taking off the bone, a squeeze of lemon, with pepper and salt, is a great improvement to the flavour. wiltshire bacon. the way to cure wiltshire bacon is to sprinkle the flitch with salt, and let the blood drain off for twenty-four hours. then mix a pound and a half of coarse sugar, the same quantity of bay salt, not quite so much as half a pound of saltpetre, and a pound of common salt. rub this mixture well on the bacon, turning it every day for a month: then hang it to dry, and afterwards smoke it ten days. the quantity of salts above mentioned is sufficient for the whole hog. wiltshire cheese. this is made of new milk, a little lowered with water and skim milk. the curd is first broken with the hand and dish, care being taken to let the whey run off gradually, to prevent its carrying away with it the fat of the cowl. for thin cheese the curd is not broken so fine as in gloucestershire; for thick cheese it is crushed finer still. the whey is poured off as it rises, and the curd pressed down. the mass is then pared down three or four times over, in slices about an inch thick, in order to extract all the whey from it, and then it is pressed and scalded as before. after separating the whey, the curd is sometimes broken again, and salted in the cowl; and at others it is taken warm out of the liquor, and salted in the vat. thin cheeses are placed in one layer, with a small handful of salt; and thick ones in two layers, with two handfuls of salt; the salt being spread and rubbed uniformly among the curd. windsor beans. these should be boiled in plenty of water, with a little salt, and be put in when the water boils. serve them up with boiled bacon, and parsley and butter in a boat. windsor beans fricasseed. when grown large, but not mealy, boil, blanch, and lay them in a white sauce previously heated up. warm them through in the sauce, and serve them up. no beans but what are of a fine green should be used for this dish. windsor pudding. shred half a pound of suet very fine, grate into it half a pound of french roll, a little nutmeg, and the rind of a lemon. add to these half a pound of chopped apple, half a pound of currants clean washed and fried, half a pound of jar raisins stoned and chopped, a glass of rich sweet wine, and five eggs well beaten, with a little salt. mix all thoroughly together, and boil it in a basin or mould for three hours. sift fine sugar over it when sent to table, and pour white wine sauce into the dish. windsor soap. cut the best white soap into thin slices, melt it over a slow fire, and scent it with oil of carraway, or any other agreeable perfume. shaving boxes may then be filled with the melted soap, or it may be poured into a small drawer or any other mould; and after it has stood a few days to dry, it may be cut into square pieces ready for use. wine. the moderate use of wine is highly conducive to health, especially in weak and languid habits, and in convalescents who are recovering from the attacks of malignant fevers. hence it forms an extensive article of commerce, and immense quantities are consumed in this country. but nothing is more capable of being adulterated, or of producing more pernicious effects on the human constitution, and therefore it requires the strictest attention. a few simple means only will be sufficient to detect such adulterations, and to prevent their fatal consequences. if new white wine, for example, be of a sweetish flavour, and leave a certain astringency on the tongue; if it has an unusually high colour, disproportionate to its nominal age and real strength; or if it has a strong pungent taste, resembling that of brandy or other ardent spirits, such liquor may be considered as adulterated. when old wine presents either a very pale or a very deep colour, or possesses a very tart and astringent taste, and deposits a thick crust on the sides or bottom of glass vessels, it has then probably been coloured with some foreign substance. this may easily be detected by passing the liquor through filtering paper, when the colouring ingredients will remain on the surface. the fraud may also be discovered by filling a small vial with the suspected wine, and closing its mouth with the finger: the bottle is then to be inverted, and immersed in a basin of clear water. the finger being withdrawn, the tinging or adulterating matter will pass into the water, so that the former may be observed sinking to the bottom by its own weight. wines becoming tart or sour, are frequently mixed with the juice of carrots and turnips; and if this do not recover the sweetness to a sufficient degree, alum or the sugar of lead is sometimes added; but which cannot fail to be productive of the worst effects, and will certainly operate as slow poison. to detect the alum, let the suspected liquor be mixed with a little lime water. at the end of ten or twelve hours the composition must be filtered, and if crystals be formed, it contains no alum. but if it be adulterated, the sediment will split into small segments, which will adhere to the filtering paper on which it is spread. in order to detect the litharge or sugar of lead, a few drops of the solution of yellow orpiment and quicklime should be poured into a glass of wine. if the colour of the liquor change, and become successively dark red, black or brown, it is an evident proof of its being adulterated with lead. as orpiment is poisonous, it would be better to use a few drops of vitriolic acid for this purpose, which should be introduced into a small quantity of the suspected liquor. this will cause the lead to sink to the bottom of the glass, in the form of a white powder. a solution of hepatic gas in distilled water, if added to wine sophisticated with lead, will produce a black sediment, and thus discover the smallest quantity of that poisonous metal; but in pure wine, no precipitation will take place. the following preparation has been proved to be a sufficient test for adulterated wine or cider. let one dram of the dry liver of sulphur, and two drams of the cream of tartar, be shaken in two ounces of distilled water, till the whole become saturated with hepatic gas: the mixture is then to be filtered through blotting paper, and kept in a vial closely corked. in order to try the purity of wine, about twenty drops of this test are to be poured into a small glass: if the wine only become turbid with white clouds, and a similar sediment be deposited, it is then not impregnated with any metallic ingredients. but if it turn black or muddy, its colour approach to a deep red, and its taste be at first sweet, and then astringent, the liquor certainly contains the sugar, or other pernicious preparation of lead. the presence of iron is indicated by the wine acquiring a dark blue coat, after the test is put in, similar to that of pale ink; and if there be any particles of copper or verdigris, a blackish grey sediment will be formed. a small portion of sulphur is always mixed with white wines, in order to preserve them; but if too large a quantity be employed, the wine thus impregnated becomes injurious. sulphur however may easily be detected, for if a piece of an egg shell, or of silver, be immersed in the wine, it instantly acquires a black hue. quicklime is also mixed with wine, for imparting a beautiful red colour. its presence may easily be ascertained by suffering a little wine to stand in a glass for two or three days; when the lime, held in solution, will appear on the surface in the form of a thin pellicle or crust. the least hurtful but most common adulteration of wine, is that of mixing it with water, which may be detected by throwing into it a small piece of quicklime. if it slack or dissolve the lime, the wine must have been diluted; but if the contrary, which will seldom be the case, the liquor may be considered as genuine. wine cooled. the best way of cooling wine or other liquors in hot weather, is to dip a cloth in cold water, and wrap it round the bottle two or three times, then place it in the sun. the process should be renewed once or twice. wine posset. boil some slices of white bread in a quart of milk. when quite soft, take it off the fire, grate in half a nutmeg, and a little sugar. pour it out, and add by degrees a pint of sweet wine, and serve it with toasted bread. wine refined. in order to refine either wine or cider, beat up the whites and shells of twenty eggs. mix a quart of the liquor with them, and put it into the cask. stir it well to the bottom, let it stand half an hour, and stop it up close. in a few days it may be bottled off. wine roll. soak a penny french roll in raisin wine till it will hold no more: put it in a dish, and pour round it a custard, or cream, sugar, and lemon juice. just before it is served, sprinkle over it some nonpareil comfits, or stick into it a few blanched almonds slit. sponge biscuits may be used instead of the roll. wine sauce. for venison or hare, mix together a quarter of a pint of claret or port, the same quantity of plain mutton gravy, and a table-spoonful of currant jelly. let it just boil up, and send it to table in a sauce boat. wine vinegar. after making raisin wine, when the fruit has been strained, lay it on a heap to heat; then to every hundred weight, put fifteen gallons of water. set the cask in the sun, and put in a toast of yeast. as vinegar is so necessary an article in a family, and one on which so great a profit is made, a barrel or two might always be kept preparing, according to what suited. if the raisins of wine were ready, that kind might be made; if gooseberries be cheap and plentiful, then gooseberry vinegar may be preferred; or if neither, then the sugar vinegar; so that the cask need not be left empty, or be liable to grow musty. wine whey. put on the fire a pint of milk and water, and the moment it begins to boil, pour in as much sweet wine as will turn it into whey, and make it look clear. boil it up, and let it stand off the fire till the curd all sinks to the bottom. do not stir it, but pour off the whey for use. or put a pint of skimmed milk and half a pint of white wine into a basin, let it stand a few minutes, and pour over it a pint of boiling water. when the curd has settled to the bottom, pour off the whey, and put in a piece of lump sugar, a sprig of balm, or a slice of lemon. winter vegetables. to preserve several vegetables to eat in the winter, observe the following rules. french beans should be gathered young, and put into a little wooden keg, a layer of them about three inches deep. then sprinkle them with salt, put another layer of beans, and so on till the keg is full, but be careful not to sprinkle too much salt. lay over them a plate, or a cover of wood that will go into the keg, and put a heavy stone upon it. a pickle will rise from the beans and salt; and if they are too salt, the soaking and boiling will not be sufficient to make them palatable. when they are to be eaten, they must be cut, soaked, and boiled as fresh beans. carrots, parsnips, and beet root, should be kept in layers of dry sand, and neither they nor potatoes should be cleared from the earth. store onions keep best hung up in a dry cold room. parsley should be cut close to the stalks, and dried in a warm room, or on tins in a very cool oven. its flavour and colour may thus be preserved, and will be found useful in winter. artichoke bottoms, slowly dried, should be kept in paper bags. truffles, morels, and lemon peel, should be hung in a dry place, and ticketed. small close cabbages, laid on a stone floor before the frost sets in, will blanch and be very fine, after many weeks' keeping. wood. an excellent glue, superior to the common sort, and suitable for joining broken furniture or any kind of wood, may be made of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in a pint of brandy. the isinglass should be pounded, dissolved by gentle heat, strained through a piece of muslin, and kept in a glass closely stopped. when required for use, it should be dissolved with moderate heat, and applied the same as common glue. its effect is so powerful as to join the parts of wood stronger than the wood itself, but should not be exposed to damp or moisture. woodcocks. these will keep good for several days. roast them without drawing, and serve them on toast. the thigh and back are esteemed the best. butter only should be eaten with them, as gravy diminishes the fineness of the flavour. to roast woodcocks and snipes in the french method, take out the trails and chop them, except the stomachs, with some minced bacon, or a piece of butter. add some parsley and chives, and a little salt. put this stuffing into the birds, sow up the opening, and roast them with bacon covered with paper. serve them up with spanish sauce. woollens. to preserve articles of this sort from the moths, let them be well brushed and shaken, and laid up cool and dry. then mix among them bitter apples from the druggists', in small muslin bags, carefully sewn up in several folds of linen, and turned in at the edges. worms. a strong decoction of walnut tree leaves thrown upon the ground where there are worm casts, will cause them to rise up. they may then be given to the poultry, or thrown into the fish pond. salt and water, or a ley of wood ashes, poured into worm-holes on a gravel walk, will effectually destroy them. sea water, the brine of salted meat, or soot, will be found to answer the same purpose. worms. worms in children are denoted by paleness of the face, itching of the nose, grinding of the teeth during sleep, offensive breath, and nausea. the belly is hard and painful, and in the morning there is a copious flow of saliva, and an uncommon craving for dry food. amongst a variety of other medicines for destroying worms in the human body, the following will be found effectual. make a solution of tartarised antimony, two grains in four ounces of water, and take two or three tea-spoonfuls three times a day, for four days; and on the following day a purging powder of calomel and jalap, from three to six grains each. or take half a pound of senna leaves well bruised, and twelve ounces of olive oil, and digest them together in a sand heat for four or five days. strain off the liquor, take a spoonful in the morning fasting, persevere in it, and it will be found effectual in the most obstinate cases. a more simple remedy is to pour some port wine into a pewter dish, and let it stand for twenty-four hours. half a common wine-glassful is a sufficient dose for an infant, and a whole one for an adult. wormwood ale. the proper way to make all sorts of herb drinks, is to gather the herbs in the right season. then dry them in the shade, and put them into closed paper bags. when they are wanted for use, take out the proper quantity, put it into a linen bag, and suspend it in the beer or ale, while it is working or fermenting, from two to six or eight hours, and then take it out. wormwood ought not to lie so long, three or four hours will be quite sufficient. if the herbs are properly gathered and prepared, all their pure and balsamic virtues will readily infuse themselves into the liquor, whether wine or beer, as the pure sweet quality in malt does into the warm liquor in brewing, which is done effectually in about an hour. but if malt is suffered to remain more than six hours, before the liquor is drawn off, all the nauseous properties will be extracted, and overpower the good ones. it is the same in infusing any sort of well-prepared herbs, and great care therefore is requisite in all preparations, that the pure qualities are neither evaporated or overpowered. otherwise, whatever it be, it will soon tend to putrefaction, and become injurious and loathsome. beer, ale, or other liquor, into which herbs are infused, must be unadulterated, or the infusion will be destroyed by its pernicious qualities. nothing is more prejudicial to the health, or the intellectual faculties of mankind, than adulterated liquors. articles which in their purest state are of an equivocal character, and never to be trusted without caution, are thus converted into decided poisons.--another way of making wormwood ale. take a quantity of the herb, according to the intended strength of the liquor, and infuse it for half an hour in the boiling wort. then strain it off, and set the wort to cool. wormwood beer prepared either ways, is a fine wholesome liquor. it is gentle, warming, assisting digestion, and refining to the blood, without sending any gross fumes to the head. the same method should be observed in making all sorts of drinks, in which any strong bitter herbs are infused. it renders them pleasant and grateful, both to the stomach and palate, and preserves all the medicinal virtues. most bitter herbs have a powerful tendency to open obstructions, if judiciously managed; but in the way in which they are too commonly made, they are not only rendered extremely unpleasant, but their medicinal properties are destroyed. wounds. if occasioned by a cut, it will be proper immediately to close the wounded part, so as to exclude the air and prevent its bleeding, and then any common sticking plaister may be applied. when the wound is deep and difficult to close, a bandage should be applied; and if the skin be lacerated, or the edges of the wound begin to be rough, lay on some lint dipped in sweet oil, and cover the whole with a piece of fine oil cloth. new honey spread on folded linen affords an excellent remedy for fresh and bleeding wounds, as it will prevent inflammation and the growth of proud flesh. in wounds which cannot readily be healed, on account of external inflammation and feverish heat, emollient poultices, composed of the crumb of bread boiled in milk, must be applied, and renewed several times in a day, without disturbing or touching the wounded part with the fingers. wounds of the joints will heal most expeditiously by the simple application of cold water, provided the orifice of such wounds be immediately closed by means of adhesive plaster. wow wow. for stewed beef, chop some parsley leaves very fine, quarter two or three pickled cucumbers or walnuts, and divide them into small squares, and set them by ready. put into a saucepan a good bit of butter, stir up with it a table-spoonful of fine flour, and about half a pint of the broth in which the beef was boiled. add a table-spoonful of vinegar, as much ketchup or port wine, or both, and a tea-spoonful of made mustard. let it simmer gently till it is sufficiently thickened, put in the parsley and pickles ready prepared, and pour it over the beef, or send it up in a sauce tureen. writ of ejectment. when a tenant has either received or given a proper notice to quit at a certain time, and fails to deliver up possession, it is at the option of the landlord to give notice of double rent, or issue a writ to dispossess the tenant. in the latter case he recovers the payment of the rent, or the surrender of the premises. in all cases between landlord and tenant, when half a year's rent is due, such landlord may serve a declaration or ejectment for the recovery of the premises, without any formal demand or re-entry. if the premises be unoccupied, though not surrendered, he may affix the declaration to the door, or any other conspicuous part of the dwelling, which will be deemed legal, and stand instead of a deed of re-entry. y. yeast. this is the barm or froth which rises in beer, and other malt liquors, during a state of fermentation. when thrown up by one quantity of malt or vinous liquid, it may be preserved to be put into another, at a future period; on which it will exert a similar fermentative action. yeast is likewise used in the making of bread, without which it would be heavy and unwholesome. it has a vinous sour odour, a bitter taste arising from the hops in the malt liquor, and it reddens the vegetable blues. when it is filtered, a matter remains which possesses properties similar to vegetable gluten; by this separation the yeast loses the property of exciting fermentation, but recovers it again when the gluten is added. the addition of yeast to any vegetable substance, containing saccharine matter, excites fermentation by generating a quantity of carbonic acid gas. this very useful substance cannot always be procured conveniently from malt liquor for baking and brewing: the following method will be found useful for its extemporaneous preparation. mix two quarts of soft water with wheat flour, to the consistence of thick gruel; boil it gently for half an hour, and when almost cold, stir into it half a pound of sugar and four spoonfuls of good yeast. put the whole into a large jug, or earthen vessel, with a narrow top, and place it before the fire, that by a moderate heat it may ferment. the fermentation will throw up a thin liquor, which pour off and throw away; keep the remainder in a bottle, or jug tied over, and set it in a cool place. the same quantity of this as of common yeast will suffice to bake or brew with. four spoonfuls of this yeast will make a fresh quantity as before, and the stock may always be kept up, by fermenting the new with the remainder of the former quantity.--another method. take six quarts of soft water, and two handfuls of wheaten meal or barley. stir the latter in the water before the mixture is placed over the fire, where it must boil till two thirds are evaporated. when this decoction becomes cool, incorporate with it, by means of a whisk, two drams of salt of tartar, and one dram of cream of tartar, previously mixed. the whole should now be kept in a warm place. thus a very strong yeast for brewing, distilling, and baking, may be obtained. for the last-mentioned purpose, however, it ought to be diluted with pure water, and passed through a sieve, before it is kneaded with the dough, in order to deprive it of its alkaline taste.--in countries where yeast is scarce, it is a common practice to twist hazel twigs so as to be full of chinks, and then to steep them in ale yeast during fermentation. the twigs are then hung up to dry, and at the next brewing they are put into the wort instead of yeast. in italy the chips are frequently put into turbid wine for the purpose of clearing it, which is effected in about twenty-four hours.--a good article for baking bread may be made in the following manner. boil a pound of fine flour, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar, and a little salt, in two gallons of water, for one hour. let it stand till it is milk warm, then bottle and cork it close, and it will be fit for use in twenty-four hours. a pint of this yeast will make eighteen pounds of bread. or mash a pound of mealy potatoes, and pulp them through a cullender; add two ounces of brown sugar, and two spoonfuls of common yeast. keep it moderately warm while fermenting, and it will produce a quart of good yeast.--the best method of preserving common yeast, produced from beer or ale, is to set a quantity of it to settle, closely covered, that the spirit may not evaporate. provide in the mean time as many small hair sieves as will hold the thick barm: small sieves are mentioned, because dividing the yeast into small quantities conduces to its preservation. lay over each sieve a piece of coarse flannel that may reach the bottom, and leave at least eight inches over the rim. pour off the thin liquor, and set it by to subside, as the grounds will do for immediate baking or brewing, if covered up for a few hours. fill the sieves with the thick barm, and cover them up for two hours: then gather the flannel edges as a bag, and tie them firmly with twine. lay each bag upon several folds of coarse linen, changing these folds every half hour, till they imbibe no more moisture. then cover each bag with another piece of flannel, changing it if it becomes damp, and hang them in a cool airy place. the yeast should be strained before it is set to settle, and while the flannel bags are laid upon the folds of linen, they must be covered with a thick cloth. when the yeast is wanted for use, prepare a strong infusion of malt; to a gallon of which add a piece of dried barm, about the size of a goose's egg. the proportion indeed must depend upon its quality, which experience only can ascertain. the malt infusion must be nearly milk warm when the yeast is crumbled into it: for two hours it will froth high, and bake two bushels of flour into well-fermented bread. a decoction of green peas, or of ripened dry peas, with as much sugar as will sweeten it, makes fairer bread than the malt infusion; but it will take a larger quantity of dried yeast to produce fermentation. it was usual some years ago to reduce porter yeast to dryness, and in that state it was carried to the west indies, where it was brought by means of water to its original state, and then employed as a ferment.--another method of preserving yeast. take a quantity of yeast, and work it well with a whisk till it becomes thin; then have a broad wooden platter, or tub, that is very clean and dry, and, with a soft brush, lay a layer of yeast all over the bottom, and turn the mouth downwards that no dust can fall in, but so that the air may come to it, to dry it. when that coat is very dry, lay on another; do so till you have as much as you intend to keep, taking care that one coat is dry before you lay on another. when you have occasion to make use of this yeast, cut a piece off, and lay it in warm water; stir it till it is dissolved, and it is fit for use. if it is for brewing, take a whisk, or a large handful of birch tied together, and dip it into the yeast, and hang it up to dry; when it is dry wrap it up in paper, and keep it in a dry place; thus you may do as many as you please. when your beer is fit to work, throw in one of your whisks, and cover it over; it will set it a working as well as fresh yeast. when you find you have a head sufficient, take out your whisk and hang it up. if the yeast is not all off, it will do for your next brewing. yeast cakes. the inhabitants of long island in america are in the habit of making yeast cakes once a year. these are dissolved and mixed with the dough, which it raises in such a manner as to form it into very excellent bread. the following is the method in which these cakes are made. rub three ounces of hops so as to separate them, and then put them into a gallon of boiling water, where they are to boil for half an hour. now strain the liquor through a fine sieve into an earthen vessel, and while it is hot, put in three pounds and a half of rye flour, stirring the liquid well and quickly as the flour is put in. when it has become milk warm, add half a pint of good yeast. on the following day, while the mixture is fermenting, stir well into it seven pounds of indian corn meal, and it will render the whole mass stiff like dough. this dough is to be well kneaded and rolled out into cakes about a third of an inch in thickness. these cakes are to be cut out into large disks or lozenges, or any other shape, by an inverted glass tumbler or any other instrument; and being placed on a sheet of tinned iron, or on a piece of board, are to be dried by the heat of the sun. if care be taken to turn them frequently, and to see that they take no wet or moisture, they will become as hard as ship biscuit, and may be kept in a bag or box, which is to be hung up or kept in an airy and perfectly dry situation. when bread is to be made, two cakes of the above-mentioned thickness, and about three inches in diameter, are to be broken and put into hot water, where they are to remain all night, the vessel standing near the fire. in the morning they will be entirely dissolved, and then the mixture is to be employed in setting the sponge, in the same way as beer yeast is used. in making a farther supply for the next year, beer or ale yeast may be used as before; but this is not necessary where a cake of the old stock remains, for this will act on the new mixture precisely in the same way. if the dry cakes were reduced to powder in a mortar, the same results would take place, with perhaps more convenience, and in less time. indian meal is used because it is of a less adhesive nature than wheat flour, but where indian meal cannot easily be procured, white pea-meal, or even barley-meal, will answer the purpose equally well. the principal art or requisite in making yeast cakes, consists in drying them quickly and thoroughly, and in preventing them from coming in contact with the least particle of moisture till they are used. yeast dumplins. make a very light dough as for bread, only in a smaller quantity. when it has been worked up, and risen a sufficient time before the fire, mould it into good sized dumplins, put them into boiling water, and let them boil twenty minutes. the dough may be made up with milk and water if preferred. these dumplins are very nice when done in a potatoe steamer, and require about thirty-five minutes, if of a good size. the steamer must not be opened till they are taken up, or it will make the dumplins heavy. dough from the baker's will answer the purpose very well, if it cannot conveniently be made at home. the dough made for rolls is the most delicate for dumplins. if not eaten as soon as they are taken up, either out of the water or the steamer, they are apt to fall and become heavy. eaten with cold butter they are much better than with any kind of sauce, except meat dripping directly from the pan. the addition of a few currants will make good currant dumplins. yellow blamange. pour a pint of boiling water to an ounce of isinglass, and add the peel of one lemon. when cold, put in two ounces of sifted sugar, a quarter of a pint of white wine, the yolks of four eggs, and the juice of a lemon. stir all well together, let it boil five minutes, strain it through a bag, and put it into cups. yellow dye. there is a new stain for wood, and a yellow dye for cloth, which consists of a decoction of walnut or hickory bark, with a small quantity of alum dissolved in it, in order to give permanency to the colour. wood of a white colour receives from the application of this liquid a beautiful yellow tinge, which is not liable to fade. it is particularly for furniture made of maple, especially that kind of it which is called bird's eye, and which is commonly prepared by scorching its surface over a quick fire. the application of the walnut dye gives a lustre even to the darkest shades, while to the paler and fainter ones it adds somewhat of a greenish hue, and to the whiter parts various tints of yellow. after applying this stain to cherry and apple wood, the wood should be slightly reddened with a tincture of some red dye, whose colour is not liable to fade. a handsome dye is thus given to it which does not hide the grain, and which becomes still more beautiful as the wood grows darker by age. walnut bark makes the most permanent yellow dye for dyeing cloth of any of the vegetable substances used in this country. care should be taken that the dye be not too much concentrated: when this happens, the colour is far less bright and delicate, and approaches nearer to orange. it is hardly necessary to add, that the dye should be boiled and kept in a brass vessel, or in some other which has no iron in its composition. a lively yellow colour for dyeing cloth, may be produced from potato tops. gather them when ready to flower, press out the juice, mix it with a little water, and suffer the cloth to remain in it for twenty-four hours. the cloth, whether of wool, cotton, or flax, is then to be dipped in spring water. by plunging the cloth thus tinged with yellow, into a vessel of blue dye, a brilliant and lasting green is obtained. yellow lemon cream. pare four lemons very thin into twelve large spoonfuls of water, and squeeze the juice on seven ounces of finely powdered sugar. beat well the yolks of nine eggs; then add the peels and juice of the lemons, and work them together for some time. strain the whole through a flannel, into a silver saucepan, or one of very nice block-tin, and set it over a gentle fire. stir it one way till it is pretty thick, and scalding hot, but not boiling, or it will curdle. pour it into jelly glasses. a few lumps of sugar should be rubbed hard on the lemons before they are pared, to attract the essence, and give a better colour and flavour to the cream. yorkshire cakes. mix two pounds of flour with four ounces of butter melted in a pint of good milk, three spoonfuls of yeast, and two eggs. beat all well together, and let it rise; then knead it, and make it into cakes. let them first rise on tins, and then bake in a slow oven.--another sort is made as above, leaving out the butter. the first sort is shorter; the last lighter. yorkshire knead cakes. rub six ounces of butter into a pound of flour till it is very fine, and mix it into a stiff paste with milk. knead it well, and roll it out several times. make it at last about an inch thick, and cut it into cakes, in shapes according to the fancy. bake them on an iron girdle, and when done on one side turn them on the other. cut them open and butter them hot. they also eat well cold or toasted. half a pound of currants well washed and dried may be added at pleasure. yorkshire hams. mix half a pound of salt, three ounces of saltpetre, half an ounce of sal prunella, and five pounds of coarse sugar. rub the hams with this mixture, after it has been well incorporated, and lay the remainder of it upon the top. then put some water to the pickle, adding salt till it will bear an egg. boil and strain it, cover the hams with it, and let them lie a fortnight. rub them well with bran, and dry them. the above ingredients are sufficient for three good hams. yorkshire pudding. mix five spoonfuls of flour with a quart of milk, and three eggs well beaten. butter the pan. when the pudding is brown by baking under the meat, turn the other side upwards, and brown that. set it over a chafing-dish at first, and stir it some minutes. it should be made in a square pan, and cut into pieces before it comes to table. young fowls. the following will be found to be a nice way of dressing up a small dish. bone, singe, and wash a young fowl. make a forcemeat of four ounces of veal, two ounces of lean ham scraped, two ounces of fat bacon, two hard yolks of eggs, a few sweet herbs chopped, two ounces of beef suet, a tea-spoonful of lemon peel minced fine, an anchovy, salt, pepper, and a very little cayenne. beat all in a mortar, with a tea-cupful of crumbs, and the yolks and whites of three eggs. stuff the inside of the fowl, draw the legs and wings inwards, tie up the neck and rump close. stew the fowl in a white gravy; when it is done through and tender, add a large cupful of cream, with a bit of butter and flour. give it one boil, add the squeeze of a lemon, and serve it up. young onion sauce. peel a pint of button onions, and lay them in water. put them into a stewpan with a quart of cold water, and let them boil for half an hour or more, till they are quite tender. they may then be put to half a pint of mushroom sauce. finis. j. and r. childs, printers, bungay. * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired with the exception of emdashes and long dashes which seem to have been chosen on a whim. this was retained as no clear usage could be determined. varied hyphenation was retained. archaic spelling was retained, this includes words such as "controul" and "bason." decisions on what to correct were mainly made on the spelling occurring more than once in the text. the dictionary portion of the text places the letter v before the letter u. page viii, "coudescend" changed to "condescend" (who condescend to examine) page xiv, "sometims" changed to "sometimes" (and sometimes never is) page , extra word "a". original reads: (pint add a a pound) page , "fricasee" changed to "fricassee" (fricassee sauce; adding cream) page , "salsafy" changed to "salsify" (rape, salsify, herbs) page , "composion" changed to "composition" (sifted. this composition) page , "perper" changed to "pepper" (parsely, salt, pepper) page , "artle" changed to "article" (a much better article) page , "or" changed to "of" (of as much wort) page , "housleek" changed to "houseleek" (houseleek used by) page , "boorhaave" changed to "boorhaäve" (boerhaäve recommended the) page , "runnet" changed to "rennet" (rennet as is sufficient) page , "of" changed to "off" (take off the fat) page , "trufflles" changed to "truffles" (cayenne, a few truffles) page , "thorougly" changed to "thoroughly" (thoroughly blended, so as) page , "boi" changed to "boil" (days; then boil) page , "wisk" changed to "whisk" (swept with a whisk) page , "seady" changed to "ready" (ready cut up) page , "prerides" changed to "presides" (a lady presides) page , "clarifed" changed to "clarified" (clarified sugar. break) page , "degress" changed to "degrees" (be added by degrees, keeping) page , "them" changed to "then" (then be oval) page , "accomodation" changed to "accommodation" (accommodation of mercenary) page , "acacording" changed to "according" (buttermilk strained, according) page , "gizards" changed to "gizzards" (line the gizzards of turkeys) page , "marjarom" changed to "marjoram" (marjoram, pepper, salt) page , "scissars" changed to "scissors" (scissors in the other) page , "rhubard" changed to "rhubarb" (two of rhubarb, four) page , "tkem" changed to "them" (liberty to rescue them) page , "but' changed to "put" (and put in six) page , "peefectly" changed to "perfectly" (after being perfectly soaked) page , "soakd" changed to "soaked" (after being perfectly soaked) page , " e" changed to "lie" (let it lie closely) page , "i" changed to "in" (saving in the article) page , "candid" changed to "candied" (sweetmeats, add some candied) page , "ot" changed to "of" (of coarse sugar. let) page , "vingear" changed to "vinegar" (vinegar, to change his) page , "coppera" changed to "copperas" (mixture of alum and copperas) page , "und" changed to "and" (and take a small) page , word "do" added to text (in order to do this) page , "trough" changed to "through" (passed through a riddle) page , "penicious" changed to "pernicious" (of course pernicious) page , "dey" changed to "dry" (three weeks, then dry) page , "crums" changed to "crumbs" (with crumbs of bread) page , "smootly" changed to "smoothly" (on a tin foil, smoothly) page , "surperfluous" changed to "superfluous" (burning; the superflous) page , "than" changed to "then" (the pan, then shift) page , "d wn" changed to "down" (press down each, and) page , word "be" added to text (flour. these are to be) page , "infeority" changed to "inferiority" (dressed, their inferiority) page , "chaffing" changed to "chafing" (over a chafing-dish) page , "out" changed to "cut" (of morels. cut) page , "stir it is till it cool" changed to "stir it till it is cool" (stir it till it is cool) page , repeated word "it" removed from text. original read (it it in pieces of four) page , "o" changed to "of" (one pound of currants) page , "binns" changed to "bins" (kept in sacks or bins) page , "ofe th" changed to "of the" (strain the contents of the) page , "rgeat" changed to "great" (great rarefaction, causes) page , "injuririous" changed to "injurious" (to produce an injurious) page , "celebated" changed to "celebrated" (stramonium. this celebrated) page , "cherries" changed to "cherries" (apples, &c. cherries,) page , "regulary" changed to "regularly" (regularly cleaned, are apt) page , "chessnut" changed to "chesnut" (thistles, and chesnuts,) page , "brililant" changed to "brilliant" (the pale yet brilliant) page , "trasplanting" changed to "transplanting" (transplanting of flowers) page , "romoved" changed to "removed" (removed by slow degrees) page , "yourt" changed to "yogurt" (turkish yogurt. let a small) page , the entry for "wild ducks" was moved to before "wild fowl." page , "close" changed to "closed" (closed paper bags) public school domestic science by mrs. j. hoodless, president school of domestic science, hamilton. this book may be used as a text-book in any high or public school, if so ordered by a resolution of the trustees. toronto: the copp, clark company, limited, . entered according to act of the parliament of canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety-eight, by the copp, clark company, limited, toronto, ontario, in the office of the minister of agriculture. [illustration: a young housekeeper.] "i have come to the conclusion that more than half the disease which embitters the latter half of life is due to avoidable errors in diet, and that more mischief in the form of actual disease, of impaired vigour, and of shortened life, accrues to civilized man in england and throughout central europe from erroneous habits of eating than from the habitual use of alcoholic drink, considerable as i know that evil to be."--_sir henry thompson._ * * * * * "knowledge which subserves self-preservation by preventing loss of health is of primary importance. we do not contend that possession of such knowledge would by any means wholly remedy the evil. but we do contend that the right knowledge impressed in the right way would effect much; and we further contend that as the laws of health must be recognized before they can be fully conformed to, the imparting of such knowledge must precede a more rational living."--_herbert spencer._ * * * * * "cooking means the knowledge of medea and circe, and of calypso and helen, and of rebekah, and of the queen of sheba. it means the knowledge of all fruits, and herbs, and balms, and spices, and of all that is healing and sweet in fields and groves, and savory in meats; it means carefulness, and inventiveness, and watchfulness, and willingness, and readiness of appliance; it means much tasting and no wasting; it means english thoroughness, and french art, and arabian hospitality; it means, in fine, that you are to be perfect and always 'ladies'--'loaf-givers.'"--_ruskin._ preface. an eminent authority[ ] says: "up to the age of sixteen even a lucid statement of principles is received by all but a few pupils as dogma. they do not and cannot in any adequate sense realize the reasoning process by which scientific conclusions are reached. they are taught not only facts but classifications and laws, and causes in relation to their effect. these are not, in the majority of cases, elaborated by the pupil. the teaching of them accordingly degenerates into a statement of facts, and the learning of them into an act of memory." to obviate this condition, or to at least neutralize its effects somewhat, is one of the principal reasons for introducing domestic science into the public school curriculum; a science which relates so closely to the daily life that it cannot be left to an act of memory; where cause and effect are so palpable that the pupil may readily arrive at an individual conclusion. the aim of this text-book is to assist the pupil in acquiring a knowledge of the fundamental principles of correct living, to co-ordinate the regular school studies so as to make a practical use of knowledge already acquired. arithmetic plays an important part in the arranging of weights and measures, in the study of the analysis and relative value of various kinds of food, in estimating the cost of manufactured products in proportion to their market value, in the purchase of food material, etc. history and geography are closely allied to the study of the diet and customs of the different countries, with their variety of climate and products. physiology and temperance principles permeate the whole course of study. in addition to these are the direct lessons, provided by the practice work, in neatness, promptness and cleanliness. it will therefore be necessary to have a wide general knowledge before entering upon a course in domestic science. owing to the limited time allowed for this course in the public schools, it will be impossible to teach more than a few of the first principles governing each department of the work, viz., a knowledge of the constituent parts of the human body; the classification of food and the relation of each class to the sustenance and repair of the body; simple recipes illustrating the most wholesome and economical methods of preparing the various kinds of food; the science of nutrition, economy and hygiene; general hints on household management, laundry work, and care of the sick. to enter more fully into the chemistry of food, bacteriology, etc., would tend to cause confusion in the mind of the average school girl, and possibly create a distaste for knowledge containing so much abstract matter. this book is not a teacher's manual, nor is it intended to take the place of the teacher in any way. the normal training prescribed for teachers will enable them to supplement the information contained herein, by a much more general and comprehensive treatment of the various questions, than would be possible or judicious in a primary text-book. it has been found difficult for pupils to copy the recipes given with each lesson, or to write out the instructions carefully without infringing upon the time which should be devoted to practice work.[ ] in order to meet this difficulty, also to enable the pupil to work at home under the same rules which govern the class work, simple recipes are given, beginning with a class requiring a knowledge of heat and its effect, going on to those requiring hand dexterity, before attempting the more difficult subjects. after the pupils have acquired a knowledge of the "why and wherefore" of the different processes required in cooking, they will have little difficulty in following the more elaborate recipes given in the numberless cook-books provided for household use. once the art--and it is a fine art--of cookery is mastered, it becomes not only a pleasant occupation but provides excellent mental exercise, thereby preventing the reaction which frequently follows school life. the tables given are to be used for reference, and _not to be memorized_ by the pupil. the writer is greatly indebted to prof. atwater for his kindly interest and assistance in providing much valuable information, which in some instances is given verbatim; also to dr. gilman thompson for permission to give extracts from his valuable book, "practical dietetics"; to prof. kinne, columbia university (domestic science dept.), for review and suggestions; to miss watson, principal hamilton school of domestic science, for practical hints and schedule for school work. the boston cook book (with normal instruction), by mrs. m.j. lincoln; and the chemistry of cooking and cleaning, by ellen h. richards (prof. of sanitary science, boston institute of technology), and miss talbot, are recommended to students who desire further information on practical household matters. the publications of the u.s. experiment stations, by prof. atwater and other eminent chemists, contain much valuable information. to the school-girls, and future housekeepers of ontario, this book is respectfully dedicated. adelaide hoodless. "eastcourt," hamilton, june, . footnotes: [ ] s.s. laurie, a.m., ll.d., prof. of the institutes and history of education, edinburgh university. [ ] where time is allowed, much benefit may be derived from writing notes, as a study in composition, spelling, etc. suggestions to teacher. owing to the limitations of a text-book, it will be necessary for the teacher to enter very carefully into all the details of the various questions; to explain the underlying principles so thoroughly that "the why and the wherefore" of every action in the preparation of food will be clearly understood. she should endeavor to impress upon the pupils the value of thoroughly understanding the relation of food to the body. in practice lessons frequent _reference_ should be made to the analysis of the various foods, as given in the tables and charts. the first practice lesson should be given on the making and care of a fire, regulating dampers, cleaning stove, etc. the pupils should then be taught the name and place of all the utensils. special attention should be given to the explanation of weights and measures; the table of abbreviations should be memorized. arrange the class work so that each pupil may in alternation share the duties of both kitchen work and cooking. personal cleanliness must be insisted upon. special attention should be given to the hands and nails. the hair should be carefully pinned back or confined in some way, and covered by a cap. a large clean apron and a holder should be worn while at work. never allow the pupils to use a handkerchief or their aprons in place of a holder. untidy habits must not be allowed in the class-room. set an example of perfect order and neatness, and insist upon pupils following that example. teach the pupils that cooking may be done without soiling either hands or clothes. the pupils should do all the work of the class-room, except scrubbing the floor. everything must be left in perfect order at the close of each lesson. frequent _reviews_ are absolutely necessary. urge the pupils to think for themselves, and not to rely upon the text-book. where pupils are backward, or have not had previous practice in kitchen work, give special attention to their manner of holding a knife or spoon in preparing articles for use, and in beating or stirring mixtures. encourage deftness and light handling of kitchen ware. insist upon promptness and keeping within the time limit, both in preparing the food and in the cooking. owing to the variety of climate and markets, it would be impossible to arrange the lessons in the text-book in regular order. a few sample menus are given at the back of the book, but each teacher must be governed by circumstances in arranging the lessons for her class. for instance, recipes without eggs should be given in mid-winter, when eggs are dear. fruits and vegetables must be given in season. the recipes given in the text-book are suitable for class work; in some cases it may be necessary to divide them, as the quantities given are intended for home practice. the teacher should consider herself at liberty to substitute any recipe which she may consider valuable. the digestibility of food, the effect of stimulants--especially of tea and coffee, the value of fresh air, etc., should be carefully impressed upon the pupil. the teacher must keep the object of this instruction constantly before her: ( ) to co-ordinate other school studies, such as arithmetic, history, geography, physiology and temperance; ( ) to develop the mental in conjunction with the manual powers of the children; ( ) to enable pupils to understand the reason for doing certain things in a certain way; in other words, to work with an intelligent conception of the value, both physically and hygienically, of knowing how the daily duties should be performed. in order that material may not be needlessly destroyed, each class of food should be introduced by an experimental lesson. for instance, before giving a lesson in the preparation of starches, each pupil should be given an opportunity to learn how to mix and stir the mixture over the fire, so as to prevent it from burning or becoming lumpy; this may be done by using water and common laundry starch, or flour. the same test applies to sauces, etc. a few cheap apples and potatoes may be used in learning to pare these articles. the effect of cold and hot water on albumen and tissues may be illustrated by the cheaper pieces of meat. although the more scientific studies are grouped together, it does not follow that they are to be studied in the order given. the teacher must arrange her lessons--from the beginning--so as to include a certain amount of the theory with the practice work. frequent reference should be made during practice lessons to the various chapters bearing more directly upon the science of cooking, so as to interest the pupil in the theoretical study of the food question. the teacher should insist upon the pupils taking careful notes while she is demonstrating a lesson, so that they may not be entirely dependent upon the text-book, which from its limitations must simply serve as the key-note for further study. special attention must be given to the chapter on "digestion," page , in the public school physiology. this chapter should be studied--especially pages - --in conjunction with "food classifications" (chap. ); also in dealing with the digestibility of starches, etc. composition of food materials--(_atwater_) _nutritive ingredients, refuse, and food value._ nutrients: p--protein. f--fats. c--carbohydrates. m--mineral matters. non-nutrients: w--water. r--refuse. fuel value: x--calories. _protein_ compounds, e.g., lean of meat, white of egg, casein (curd) of milk, and gluten of wheat, make muscle, blood, bone, etc. _fats_, e.g., fat of meat, butter, and oil, \ \ serve as fuel to yield / heat and muscular power. _carbohydrates_, e.g., starch and sugar, / nutrients, etc., p.c | ---------------------+-------------------------------------------------| fuel value of lb. | | | | | | | | | | | | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppppppp|ffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrr| beef, round |xxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppppppppp|fffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww| beef, round[a] |xxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppppppp|ffffffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrr| beef, sirloin |xxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppppp|ffffffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww| beef, sirloin[a] |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppp|ffffffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrrrrrr| beef, rib |xxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppppp|ffffffffffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww| beef, rib[a] |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppppppp|ffffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrrr| mutton, leg |xxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppp|ffffffffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrr| pork, spare rib |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pp|ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff|mm|wwwwww|rrr| pork, salt |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppp|fffffffffffffffff|mm|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrr| ham, smoked |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppppp|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrrrrrrrrr| codfish, fresh |xxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppppp|mmmmmmm|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrrrrrrr| codfish, salt |xxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pp|f|cc|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww| oysters |xxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |p|f|cc|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww| milk |xxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |p|ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff|c|m|wwww| butter |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppppppppp|fffffffffffffffff|c|mm|wwwwwwwwwwwww| cheese |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ppppp|ffff|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrr| eggs |xxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppp|f|ccccccccccccccccccccccccc|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwww| wheat bread |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppp|f|cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc|m|wwwww| wheat flour |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppp|ff|cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc|m|wwwwww| cornmeal |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppp|fff|ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc|m|ww| oatmeal |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pppppppppp|f|ccccccccccccccccccccccccccc|mm|wwwww| beans, dried |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |pp|f|cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc|m|wwwww| rice |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |p|cccc|m|wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww|rrrrrr| potatoes |xxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| |ccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc| sugar |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | ---------------------+----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| [a] without bone. pecuniary economy of food--(_atwater_). _amounts of actually nutritive ingredients obtained in different food materials for cents._ p--protein. f--fats. c--carbohydrates. x--fuel value. _protein_ compounds, e.g., lean of meat, white of egg, casein (curd) of milk, and gluten of wheat, make muscle, blood, bone, etc. _fats_, e.g., fat of meat, butter and oil, \ \ serve as fuel to yield / heat and muscular power. _carbohydrates_, e.g., starch and sugar, / --------------+-------+------+--------------------------------------------| | price | ten | | | per | cents| pounds of nutrients and calories of | | pound.| will | fuel value in cents worth. | | | buy--| | --------------+-------+------+--------------------------------------------| | cents.| lbs. | lb. lbs. lbs. lbs. | | | | cal. cal. cal. cal.| | | | | | | | | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |pp|f| | beef, round | | . |xxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |p|f| | beef, sirloin | | . |xxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |p|f| | beef, rib | | . |xxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |pp|f| | mutton, leg | | . |xxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| pork, | | |pp|ff| | spare rib | | . |xxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| pork, | | |p|ffff| | salt, fat | | . |xxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |p|fff| | ham, smoked | | . |xxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| codfish, | | |pp| | fresh | | . |xx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| codfish, | | |ppp| | salt | | . |xxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| oysters, | | |p| | cents quart | | . |x| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| milk, cents | | |p|f|c| | quart | | . |xxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |ffff| | butter | | . |xxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |pp|ff| | cheese | | . |xxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| eggs, | | |p|f| | cents dozen | - / | . |xxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |pp|f|cccccccccccc| | wheat bread | | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |ppp|f|ccccccccccccccccccccccc| | wheat flour | - / | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |ppp|ff|cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc| | cornmeal | | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |pp|ff|ccccccccccccccc| | oatmeal | | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| beans, white, | | |pppp|f|cccccccccccccc| | dried | | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |p|cccccccccccccc| | rice | | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| potatoes, | | |p|cccccccccccccc| | cents bushel| | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| | | |ccccccccccccccccccc| | sugar | | . |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| | --------------+-------+------+---------|---------|---------|---------|----| contents. page. preface v suggestions to teachers ix composition of food materials (_atwater_) xii pecuniary economy of food (_atwater_) xiii chapter i. the relation of food to the body chapter ii. food classification chapter iii. nutrition chapter iv. food and economy chapter v. foods containing protein or nitrogenous matter chapter vi. fats and oils chapter vii. carbohydrate foods chapter viii. fruits chapter ix. preparing food recipes: batters, biscuits and bread bread sauces and milk soups eggs fruit vegetables salads macaroni cheese beverages soups fish meat poultry hot puddings plain sauces pastry miscellaneous general hints suggestions for young housekeepers caring for invalids general hints for school children suggestions for school children's diet infants' diet planning and serving meals consideration of menus suggestive questions schedule of lessons for public school classes appendix public school domestic science chapter i. the relation of food to the body. in order to understand the relation of food to the sustenance and repairing of the body, it will be necessary to learn, first, of what the body is composed, and the corresponding elements contained in the food required to build and keep the body in a healthy condition. the following table gives the approximate analysis of a man weighing pounds:-- oxygen . pounds. hydrogen . " carbon . " nitrogen . " phosphorus . " calcium . " sulphur . " chlorine . " sodium . " iron . " potassium . " magnesium . " silica ? " fluorine . " ------ total . pounds. as food contains all these elements, and as there is constant wearing and repair going on in the body, it will be readily seen how necessary some knowledge of the relation of food to the body is, in order to preserve health. hydrogen and oxygen combined form water, hence we find from the above calculation that about three-fifths of the body is composed of water. carbon is a solid: diamonds are nearly pure carbon; "lead" of lead pencils, anthracite coal and coke are impure forms of carbon. carbon combined with other elements in the body makes about one-fifth of the whole weight. carbon with oxygen will burn. in this way the carbon taken into the body as food, when combined with the oxygen of the inhaled air, yields heat to keep the body warm, and force--muscular strength--for work. the carbonic acid (or carbon dioxide) is given out through the lungs and skin. in the further study of carbonaceous foods, their relation to the body as fuel will be more clearly understood, as carbon is the most important fuel element. phosphorus is a solid. according to the table, about one pound six ounces would be found in a body weighing pounds. united with oxygen, phosphorus forms what is known as phosphoric acid; this, with lime, makes phosphate of lime, in which form it is found in the bones and teeth; it is found also in the brain and nerves, flesh and blood. hydrogen is a gas, and like carbon unites with the oxygen of the inhaled air in the body, thus serving as fuel. the water produced is given off in the respiration through the lungs and as perspiration through the skin.[ ] calcium is a metal. the table given allows three pounds of calcium; united with oxygen, calcium forms lime. this with phosphoric acid makes phosphate of lime, the basis of the bones and teeth, in which nearly all the calcium of the body is found. the elements which bear no direct relation to the force production of the body, but which enter into tissue formation, are chlorine, sulphur, iron, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. bone tissue contains about per cent. of lime phosphate, hence the need of this substance in the food of a growing infant, in order that the bones may become firm and strong. lack of iron salts in the food impoverishes the coloring matter of the red blood corpuscles on which they depend for their power of carrying oxygen to the tissues; anæmia and other disorders of deficient oxidation result. the lack of sufficient potash salts is a factor in producing scurvy, a condition aggravated by the use of common salt. a diet of salt meat and starches may cause it, with absence of fresh fruit and vegetables. such illustrations show the need of a well-balanced diet. in order to understand the value of the various classes of food and their relation to the body as force producers, tissue builders, etc., the following table may prove helpful:-- | | c.h. | | combustibles | nitrogen. | calculated as | | carbon. ---------------------------------------------+-----------+-------------- beef, uncooked | . | . roast beef | . | . calf's liver | . | . foie-gras | . | . sheep's kidneys | . | . skate | . | . cod, salted | . | . herring, salted | . | . herring, fresh | . | . whiting | . | . mackerel | . | . sole | . | . salmon | . | . carp | . | . oysters | . | . lobster, uncooked | . | . eggs | . | . milk (cows') | . | . cheese (brie) | . | . cheese (gruyere) | . | . cheese (roquefort) | . | . chocolate | . | . wheat (hard southern, variable average) | . | . wheat (soft southern, variable average) | . | . flour, white (paris) | . | . rye flour | . | . winter barley | . | . maize | . | . buckwheat | . | . rice | . | . oatmeal | . | . bread, white (paris, per cent. water) | . | . bread, brown (soldiers' rations formerly) | . | . bread, brown (soldiers' rations at present) | . | . bread, from flour of hard wheat | . | . potatoes | . | . beans | . | . lentils, dry | . | . peas, dry | . | . carrots | . | . mushrooms | . | . figs, fresh | . | . figs, dry | . | . coffee (infusion of grams) | . | . tea (infusion of grams) | . | . bacon | . | . butter | . | . olive oil | trace | . beer, strong | . | . wine | . | . ---------------------------------------------+-----------+-------------- "the hydrogen existing in the compound in excess of what is required to form water with the oxygen present is calculated as carbon. it is only necessary to multiply the nitrogen by . to obtain the amount of dry proteids in grams of the fresh food substance." (dujardin-beauretz.) the following simple rules are given by parks:--" st. to obtain the amount of nitrogen in proteid of foods, divide the quantity of food by . . nd. to obtain the carbon in fat multiply by . . rd. to obtain the carbon in carbohydrate food multiply by . . . to obtain the carbon in proteid food multiply by . ." finding that our food and our bodies contain essentially the same elements, we must also bear in mind that the body cannot create anything for itself, neither material nor energy; all must be supplied by the food we eat, which is transformed into repair material for the body. therefore, the object of a course of study dealing with the science of this question, as it relates to the daily life, should be to learn something of how food builds the body, repairs the waste, yields heat and energy, and to teach the principles of food economy in its relation to health and income. this, with the development of executive ability, is all that can be attempted in a primary course. footnote: [ ] an illustration of vapor rising may be given by breathing upon a mirror. chapter ii. food classification. the following are familiar examples of compounds of each of the four principal classes of nutrients: protein: _proteids._ _albuminoids_, _e.g._, albumen of eggs; myosin, the basis of muscle (lean meat); the albuminoids which make up the gluten of wheat, etc. _gelatinoids_, constituents of connective tissue which yield gelatin and allied substances, _e.g._, collagen of tendon; ossein of bone. "nitrogenous extractives" of flesh, _i.e._, of meats and fish. these include kreatin and allied compounds, and are the chief ingredients of beef tea and most meat extracts. amids: this term is frequently applied to the nitrogenous non-albuminoid compounds of vegetable foods and feeding stuffs, among which are amido acids, such as aspartic acid and asparagin. some of them are more or less allied in chemical constitution to the nitrogenous extractives of flesh. _fats._ fat of meat: fat of milk; oil of corn, wheat, etc. the ingredients of the "ether extract" of animal and vegetable foods and feeding stuffs, which it is customary to group together roughly as fats, include, with the true fats, various other substances, as lecithians, and chlorophylls. _carbohydrates_, sugars, starches, celluloses, gums, woody fibre, etc. _mineral matter._ potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium chlorids, sulphates and phosphates. (atwater). the terms (_a_) "nitrogenous" and (_b_) "carbonaceous" are frequently used to designate the two distinct classes of food, viz.: (_a_) the tissue builders and flesh formers; (_b_) fuel and force producers. each of these classes contains food material derived from both the animal and vegetable kingdom, although the majority of the animal substances belong to the nitrogenous, and the majority of the vegetable substances to the carbonaceous group. therefore, for practical purposes, we will confine ourselves to the more general terms used in atwater's table. uses of food. first, food is used to form the materials of the body and repair its waste; second, to yield energy in the form of ( ) heat to keep the body warm, ( ) to provide muscular and other power for the work it has to do. in forming the tissues and fluids of the body the food serves for building and repair. in yielding energy, it serves as fuel for heat and power. the principal tissue formers are the albuminoids; these form the frame-work of the body. they build and repair the nitrogenous materials, as those of muscle, tendon and bone, and supply the albuminoids of blood, milk and other fluids. the chief fuel ingredients of food are the carbohydrates and fats. these are either consumed in the body or are stored as fat to be used as occasion demands. water. by referring to a preceding chapter we find that water composes three-fifths of the entire body. the elasticity of muscles, cartilage, tendons, and even of bones is due in great part to the water which these tissues contain. the amount of water required by a healthy man in twenty-four hours (children in proportion) is on the average between and ounces, beside about ounces taken as an ingredient of solid food, thus making a total of from to ounces. one of the most universal dietetic failings is neglect to take enough water into the system. dr. gilman thompson gives the following uses of water in the body:-- ( ) it enters into the chemical composition of the tissues; ( ) it forms the chief ingredient of all the fluids of the body and maintains their proper degree of dilution; ( ) by moistening various surfaces of the body, such as the mucous and serous membranes, it prevents friction and the uncomfortable symptoms which might result from drying; ( ) it furnishes in the blood and lymph a fluid medium by which food may be taken to remote parts of the body and the waste matter removed, thus promoting rapid tissue changes; ( ) it serves as a distributer of body heat; ( ) it regulates the body temperature by the physical processes of absorption and evaporation. salts (mineral matter).--use of salts in food. ( ) to regulate the specific gravity of the blood and other fluids of the body; ( ) to preserve the tissues from disorganization and putrefaction; ( ) to enter into the composition of the teeth and bones. these are only a few of the uses of salts in the body, but are sufficient for our purpose. fruits and nuts contain the least quantity of salts, meat ranks next, then vegetables and pulses, cereals contain most of all (chambers). sodium chloride (common salt) is the most important and valuable salt. it must not however be used in excess. potassium salts rank next in importance.[ ] calcium, phosphorus, sulphur and iron are included in this class. the quantity of salts or mineral matter contained in some important articles of vegetable and animal food is shown in this table (church): _mineral matter in , lbs. of vegetable products._ lbs. apples rice wheaten flour turnips potatoes barley cabbage bread watercress maize oatmeal peas cocoa nibs wheaten bran _mineral matter in , lbs. of animal products._ lbs. fat pork cow's milk eggs (without shells) lean of mutton flesh of common fowl bacon gloucester cheese salted herrings "in most seeds and fruits there is much phosphate in the mineral matter, and in most green vegetables much potash. one important kind of mineral matter alone is deficient in vegetable food, and that is common salt." footnote: [ ] see vegetables, chap. vii. chapter iii. nutrition. it is not within the scope of this book to deal with the science of nutrition; but a few general principles may be given which concern the effect upon the system of the different classes of food. animal food requires a considerable quantity of oxygen for its complete combustion. meat in general has a more stimulating effect upon the system and is more strengthening than vegetable food. there is, however, a tendency to eat too much meat, and when its effects are not counter-balanced by free outdoor exercise, it causes biliousness and sometimes gout and other troubles. albuminous foods can be eaten longer alone without exciting loathing than can fats, sugars or starches. a carbonaceous diet taxes the excretory organs less than animal food. meat is not necessary to life. nitrogenous food man must have, but it need not be in the form of meat. the estimate commonly given is, that meat should occupy one-fourth and vegetable food three-fourths of a mixed diet, but in many cases the meat eaten is much in excess of this allowance. the proper association of different foods always keeps healthy people in better condition; there are times, however, when it may be necessary to abstain from certain articles of diet. it may be well to bear in mind, that the protein compounds can do the work of the carbohydrates and fats in being consumed for fuel, but the carbohydrates and fats cannot do the work of protein in building and repairing the tissues of the body. as already stated, a mixed diet is the only rational one for man. an exclusively vegetable diet, while it may maintain a condition of health for a time, eventually results in a loss of strength and power to resist disease. therefore it is necessary to understand the approximate value of each class of food in arranging the daily dietary. chapter iv. food and economy. it has been stated that "a quart of milk, three-quarters of a pound of moderately lean beef, and five ounces of wheat flour contain about the same amount of nutritive material;" but we pay different prices for them, and they have different values for nutriment. the milk comes nearest to being a perfect food. it contains all the different kinds of nutritive materials that the body requires. bread made from wheat flour will support life. it contains all the necessary ingredients for nourishment, but not in the proportion best adapted for ordinary use. a man might live on beef alone, but it would be a very one-sided and imperfect diet. meat and bread together make the essentials of a healthful diet. in order to give a general idea of food economy, it will be necessary to deal briefly with the functions of the various food principles. as our bodies contain a great deal of muscle, the waste of which is repaired by protein found in such food as lean meat, eggs, cheese, beans, peas, oatmeal, fish, etc., a supply of these articles must be considered in purchasing the daily supply. fatty tissue (not muscle) serves as fuel, therefore the value of such foods as butter, cream, oils, etc., is apparent. carbohydrates form fat and serve as fuel and force producers; these come in the form of starches, sugars,--vegetables and grains being the most important. in being themselves burned to yield energy, the nutrients protect each other from being consumed. the protein and fats of body tissue are used like those of foods. an important use of the carbohydrates and fats is to protect protein (muscle, etc.) from consumption. "the most healthful food is that which is best fitted to the wants of the user: the cheapest food is that which furnishes the largest amount of nutriment at the least cost: the best food is that which is both healthful and cheap." by referring to the various charts a fair estimate of food values may be obtained. as will be noticed, the animal foods contain the most protein and fats, while the vegetable foods are rich in carbohydrates. a pound of cheese may have . pound of protein, as much as a man at ordinary work needs for a day's sustenance, while a pound of milk would have only . , and a pound of potatoes . pound of protein. the materials which have the most fats and carbohydrates have the highest fuel value. the fuel value of a pound of fat pork may reach . calories, while that of a pound of salt codfish would be only . calories. on the other hand, the nutritive material of the codfish would consist almost entirely of protein, while the pork contains very little. among the vegetable foods, peas and beans have a high proportion of protein. oatmeal contains a large proportion also. potatoes are low in fuel value as well as in protein, because they are three-fourths water. for the same reason milk, which is seven-eights water, ranks low in respect to both protein and fuel value, hence the reason why it is not so valuable as food for an adult as many of the other food materials. these few illustrations will help to show the need of an intelligent idea of food values before attempting to purchase the supplies for family use. as one-half a laboring man's income goes towards providing food, it must follow that such knowledge will help the housewife very materially in securing the best results from the amount expended. the _average daily diet_ of an adult should contain (church):-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- nutrients. | in parts. | each hours. --------------------------------|-----------------|-------------------- | | lb. oz. gr. water | . | . albuminoids | . | . fat | . | . common salt | . | . phosphates, potash, salts, etc. | . | . ----------------------------------------------------------------------- quantity of food required. the quantity of food required to maintain the body in a vigorous condition depends upon the following conditions:--( ) climate and season, ( ) clothing, ( ) occupation, ( ) age and sex. in civilized countries more food is eaten, as a rule, than is necessary to maintain health and strength. climate and seasons influence the quantity of food eaten. a cold, bracing atmosphere stimulates the appetite, tempts one to exercise, while a hot climate has the contrary effect; hence the need for more or less food. abundant clothing in cold weather conserves the body heat; less food is therefore required to maintain life. exercise and muscular work cause greater oxidation in the tissues and greater waste of the muscles; this must be replaced by proper food. outdoor work requires more food than indoor, and physical labor more than mental. it has been estimated "that a child of ten years requires half as much food as a grown woman, and one of fourteen an equal amount. the rapidly growing active boy often eats as much as a man, and the middle-aged man requires more than the aged. a man of seventy years may preserve health on a quantity which would soon starve his grandson." just what ingredients of the food serve for nourishment of the brain and nerves, and how they do that service, are mysteries which have not yet been solved. brain and nerve contain the elements nitrogen and phosphorus, which are found in protein compounds but not in the true fats, sugars, and starches, which contain only carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. we naturally infer that the protein compounds must be especially concerned in building up brain and nerve, and keeping them in repair. just how much food the brain worker needs is a question which has not yet been decided. in general it appears that a man or a woman whose occupation is what we call sedentary, who is without vigorous exercise and does but little hard muscular work, needs much less than the man at hard manual labor, and that the brain worker needs comparatively little of carbohydrates or fats. many physicians, physiologists and students of hygiene have become convinced that well-to-do people, whose work is mental rather than physical, eat too much; that the diet of people of this class as a whole is one-sided as well as excessive, and that the principal evil is the use of too much fat, starch and sugar. it is well to remember that it is the quantity of food digested which builds the body, and more injury is likely to result from over-eating than from a restricted diet, hence the value of having food cooked so as to aid digestion. the following dietary standards may be interesting to the more advanced pupils, housewives, etc.:-- standards for daily diet of laboring man at moderate muscular work. ========================+==========+=======+============================ | | | nutrients in daily food. author. | protein. | fats. |---------------+------------ | | | carbohydrates.| fuel value. ------------------------+----------+-------+---------------+------------ | lb. | lb. | lb. | calories. playfair, england | . | . | . | . moleschotte, italy | . | . | . | . wolff, germany | . | . | . | . voit, germany | . | . | . | . atwater, united states | . | . | . . | . ------------------------+----------+-------+---------------+------------ quality of food. it is a great mistake to think that the best is the cheapest in regard to the food question, that the higher priced meats, fish, butter, etc., contain special virtues lacking in the cheaper articles. _poor cooking is the chief cause of this error in judgment._ no doubt a well broiled steak is more appetizing and delicate in flavor than some of the cheaper cuts, but in proportion to the cost is not equal in nutritive value; careful cooking and judicious flavoring render the cheaper pieces of beef equally palatable. that expensive food is not necessary to maintain life has been clearly demonstrated by the traditional diet of the scotch people with their oatmeal and herring; the irish, potatoes and buttermilk; new england, codfish and potatoes, and pork and beans; the chinese, rice, etc. monotony of diet, however, is not recommended, for reasons given in a previous chapter, and in the countries where a special diet prevails owing to the climate, nature of soil and markets, the results have not warranted us in believing that it is as good as a mixed diet. from this necessarily brief outline of the food question we have learned ( ) that a knowledge of the requirements of the body are absolutely necessary in regulating a proper diet; ( ) to furnish the food principles in a cheap rather than a dear form; ( ) to understand the art of cookery so as to secure the full nutritive value and at the same time stimulate the appetite; ( ) the value of economy in regard to food principles. when the housekeeper has acquired this knowledge she will have covered the field of food economy. prof. atwater says: "when we know what are the kinds and amount of nutritive substances our bodies need and our food materials contain, then and not till then shall we be able to adjust our diet to the demands of health and purse." cooking of food. it is sometimes asked, why do we cook our food? as many opportunities will occur during this course of instruction for a comparison of the customs and diet of the various countries, and the advance of civilization in this direction, we will confine ourselves to the definition of the term as it concerns ourselves. mr. atkinson says, that "cooking is the right application of heat for the conversion of food material." as much of our food requires cooking, how we shall cook it so as to render it more palatable, more digestible, and with the greatest economy of time, fuel and money, is an object deserving the most careful attention. the art of cooking lies in the power to develop certain flavors which are agreeable to the palate, or in other words, which "make the mouth water," without interfering with the nutritive qualities of the food prepared, to understand by what method certain foods may be rendered more digestible, and to provide variety. monotony of diet and of flavor lessens the appetite and fails to stimulate the digestive organs. the chemical changes, produced by cooking food properly, aid digestion, beside destroying any germs which may be contained in the food. nearly all foods--except fruit--require cooking. the digestibility of starch depends almost entirely upon the manner in which it is cooked, especially the cereal class. gastric troubles are sure to follow the use of improperly cooked grains or starches. (see chap. vii.) methods. the following are the usual methods observed in cooking, viz.: ( ) boiling, ( ) stewing, ( ) roasting, ( ) broiling, ( ) frying, ( ) braising, ( ) baking, ( ) steaming. boiling. water boils at a temperature of ° f. simmering should be at a temperature of from ° f. to ° f. when water has reached the boiling point, its temperature cannot be raised, but will be converted into steam; hence the folly of adding fuel to the fire when water has already reached the boiling point. stewing. stewing allows the juices of the meat to become dissolved in water heated to the simmering point. the juices thus dissolved are eaten with the meat. if not injured by the addition of rich sauces or fats, this is usually a very digestible method of preparing certain kinds of meat. broiling. broiling is cooking directly over the hot coals. a coating of coagulated albumen is formed upon the outer surface. this coating prevents the evaporation of the juices, which with the extractive materials are retained and improve the flavor. meat cooked in this way has a decided advantage, in both flavor and nutritive value, over that which has been boiled or stewed. there are, however, only certain kinds of meat that are suitable for broiling. frying. frying is cooking in hot fat. the boiling point of fat is far above that of water. fat should not be heated above ° f., as it will then turn dark and emit a disagreeable odor. fried food, unless very carefully prepared, is considered unwholesome. the only proper method for frying is to immerse the food completely in a bath of hot fat. braising. braising is cooking meat in a covered vessel surrounded by a solution of vegetable and animal juices in a strong but not boiling temperature. tough meat may be rendered very palatable and nutritious by cooking in this way. the cover of the pan or kettle must fit closely enough to prevent evaporation. it requires long, steady cooking. the flavor is improved by browning the meat in either hot fat or in a very hot oven before braising. baking. baking is cooking in confined heat. meat properly cooked in an oven is considered by many authorities as quite equal in delicacy of flavor to that roasted before a fire, and is equally digestible. steaming. steaming is cooking food over condensed steam, and is an excellent method for preparing food which requires long, slow cooking. puddings, cereals, and other glutinous mixtures are often cooked in this way. it is an economical method, and has the advantage of developing flavor without loss of substance. food preservation. food is preserved by the following processes: ( ) drying, ( ) smoking, ( ) salting, ( ) freezing, ( ) refrigerating, ( ) sealing, ( ) addition of antiseptic and preservative substances. drying. drying in the sun and before a fire is the usual method employed by housekeepers. fruits and vegetables, meat and fish may be preserved by drying, the latter with the addition of salt. smoking. smoking is chiefly applied to beef, tongue, bacon, ham, and fish, which are hung in a confined chamber, saturated with wood smoke for a long time until they absorb a certain percentage of antiseptic material, which prevents the fat from becoming rancid, and the albumen from putrefying. well smoked bacon cut thin and properly cooked is a digestible form of fatty food, especially for tubercular patients. smoking improves the digestibility of ham. salting. salting is one of the oldest methods of preserving food. the addition of a little saltpetre helps to preserve the color of the meat. brine is frequently used to temporarily preserve meat and other substances. corned beef is a popular form of salt preservation. all salted meats require long, slow cooking. they should always be placed in cold water and heated gradually in order to extract the salt. salt meats are less digestible and not quite so nutritious as fresh meats. freezing. food may be kept in a frozen condition almost indefinitely, but will decompose very quickly when thawed, hence the necessity for cooking immediately. frozen meat loses per cent. of its nutritive value in cooking. refrigerating. this process does not involve actual freezing, but implies preservation in chambers at a temperature maintained a few degrees above freezing point. this method does not affect the flavor or nutritive value of food so much as freezing. sealing. sealing is accomplished not only in the process of canning but by covering with substances which are impermeable. beef has been preserved for considerable time by immersing in hot fat in which it was allowed to remain after cooling. chemicals. chemicals are sometimes used in the preservation of food, but the other methods are safer. chapter v. foods containing protein, or nitrogenous matter. animal foods contain nutritive matter in a concentrated form, and being chemically similar to the composition of the body is doubtless the reason why they assimilate more readily than vegetable foods, although the latter are richer in mineral matter. the most valuable animal foods in common use are meat, eggs, milk, fish, gelatin and fats. meat. meat is composed of muscular tissue, connective tissue or gristle, fatty tissue, blood-vessels, nerves, bone, etc. the value of meat as food is due chiefly to the nitrogenous compound it contains, the most valuable being the albuminoids: the gelatinoid of meat is easily changed into gelatin by the action of hot water. gelatin when combined with the albuminoids and extractives has considerable nutritive value. extractives are meat bases, or rather meat which has been dissolved by water, such as soup stock and beef tea. the object in cooking meat is to soften and loosen the tissue, which renders it more easily digested. another object is to sterilize or kill any germs which may exist and to make it more palatable. the digestibility of meat is influenced by the age of the animal killed and the feeding. the following table is given as an average of the digestibility of animal foods:-- table of comparative digestibility. _commencing with the most digestible and ending with the least digestible of meats and other animal foods._ (thompson.) oysters. soft cooked eggs. sweetbread. whitefish, etc. chicken, boiled or broiled. lean roast beef or beefsteak. eggs, scrambled, omelette. mutton. bacon. roast fowl, chicken, turkey, etc. tripe, brains, liver. roast lamb. chops, mutton or lamb. corn beef. veal. duck and other game. salmon, mackerel, herring. roast goose. lobster and crabs. pork. fish, smoked, dried, pickled. cooking affects the digestibility of meat, which is evident from the figures given in the following table (church):-- time of digestion. --------------------+---------------- | hours. --------------------+---------------- beef, raw | beef, half boiled | - / beef, well boiled | - / to beef, half roasted | - / to beef, well roasted | - / to mutton, raw | mutton, boiled | mutton, roasted | - / veal, raw | - / pork, raw | pork, roasted | - / fowl, boiled | turkey, boiled | - / venison, broiled | - / --------------------+---------------- it may be well to add here that animal food is more digestible when cooked between ° and ° f. than at a higher temperature. cooking of meat. _(for more general information, see recipes.)_ in boiling meat two principles must be considered, the softening of the fibre and preserving of the juices. if the meat alone is to be used it should be placed in sufficient boiling water to completely cover, and kept at boiling point ( ° f.) for at least ten minutes, so as to harden the albumen and prevent the escape of the juices. the temperature should then be allowed to fall to simmering point ( ° f.). if the water is kept boiling it will render the meat tough and dry. if the juice is to be extracted and the broth used, the meat should be placed in cold water; if bones are added they should be cut or broken into small pieces in order that the gelatin may be dissolved. if the water is heated gradually the soluble materials are more easily dissolved. the albumen will rise as a scum to the top, but should not be skimmed off, as it contains the most nutriment and will settle to the bottom as sediment. stewing. if both meat and broth are to be used the process of cooking should be quite different. in stewing, the meat should be cut into small pieces, put into cold water in order that the juices, flavoring material and fibre may be dissolved. the temperature should be gradually raised to simmering point and remain at that heat for at least three or four hours, the vessel being kept closely covered. cooked in this way the broth will be rich, and the meat tender and juicy. any suitable flavoring may be added. this is a good method for cooking meat containing gristle. roasting and broiling. when the meat alone is to be eaten, either roasting, broiling or frying in deep fat is a more economical method, as the juices are saved. the shrinkage in a roast of meat during cooking is chiefly due to a loss of water. a small roast will require a hotter fire than a larger one, in order to harden the exterior and prevent the juices from escaping. meat is a poor conductor of heat, consequently a large roast exposed to this intense heat would become burned before the interior could be heated. the large roast should be exposed to intense heat for a few minutes, but the temperature should then be reduced, and long steady cooking allowed. broiling (see broiling in previous chapter, p. .) varieties of meat. beef tongue. beef tongue is a tender form of meat, but contains too much fat to agree well with people of delicate digestion. veal. veal, when obtained from animals killed too young, is apt to be tough, pale and indigestible, but good veal is considered fairly nutritious. it contains more gelatin than beef, and in broth is considered valuable, especially for the sick. mutton. mutton is considered to be more digestible than beef, that is well fed mutton from sheep at least three years old; but as it is more difficult to obtain tender mutton than beef, the latter is more generally preferred. mutton broth is wholesome and valuable in sickness. lamb. lamb, when tender and of the right age, is quite as digestible as beef or mutton, but the flesh contains too large a proportion of fat. [illustration: fig. .--diagram of cuts of beef.] [illustration: fig. .--diagram of cuts of veal.] [illustration: fig. .--diagram of cuts of pork.] [illustration: fig. .--diagram of cuts of mutton.] venison. venison is a tender meat with short fibres, which is very digestible when obtained from young deer, but is considered to be rather too stimulating. its chemical composition is similar to lean beef. pork. pork is a tender-fibred meat, but is very indigestible owing to the high percentage of fat, which is considerably more than the nitrogenous material it contains. pork ribs may have as much as per cent. of fat. ham and bacon. ham is more digestible when well boiled and eaten cold. bacon is more easily digested than either ham or pork; when cut thin and cooked quickly--until transparent and crisp--it can often be eaten by dyspeptics, and forms an excellent food for consumptives. fowl. chicken is one of the most digestible of meats, contains considerable phosphorus and is particularly valuable as food for invalids. turkey is somewhat less digestible than chicken. ducks and geese are difficult of digestion, unless quite young, on account of the fat they contain. game. game, if well cooked, is fairly digestible. sweetbread. sweetbread, which is thymus gland of the calf, is a delicate and agreeable article of diet, particularly for invalids. tripe, heart, liver and kidneys are other forms of animal viscera used as food--valuable chiefly as affording variety. fish. the chief difference in fish is the coarseness of fibre and the quantity of fat present. fish which are highly flavored and fat, while they may be nutritious, are much less easy of digestion than flounder, sole, whitefish, and the lighter varieties. the following fish contain the largest percentage of albuminoids:--red snapper, whitefish, brook trout, salmon, bluefish, shad, eels, mackerel, halibut, haddock, lake trout, bass, cod and flounder. the old theory that fish constituted "brain food," on account of the phosphorus it contained, has proved to be entirely without foundation, as in reality many fish contain less of this element than meat. the tribes which live largely on fish are not noted for intellectuality. fish having white meat when broiled or boiled--not fried--are excellent food for invalids or people of weak digestion. fish should be well cooked. oysters. oysters are a nutritious food, and may be eaten either raw or cooked. lobsters, crabs and shrimps are called "sea scavengers," and unless absolutely fresh are not a desirable food. milk. milk contains all the elements which are necessary to maintain life; and constitutes a complete diet for infants. it will sustain life in an adult for several months. although milk furnishes a useful food, it is not essential to a diet required for active bodily exercise. it is seldom given to athletes while in active training. adults who are able to eat any kind of food are kept in better health by abstaining from milk, except as used for cooking purposes. an occasional glass of hot milk taken as a stimulant for tired brain and nerves is sometimes beneficial. milk is composed of water, salts, fat, milk sugar or lactose, albumen and casein. average milk has from to per cent. of cream. good milk should form a layer of cream about - / in. thick as it stands in a quart bottle. lactose (milk sugar) is an important ingredient in milk. it is less liable to ferment in the stomach than cane sugar. in the presence of fermenting nitrogenous material it is converted into lactic acid, making the milk sour. casein is present in milk chiefly in its alkaline form, and in conjunction with calcium phosphate. milk absorbs germs from the air and from unclean vessels very readily. good, clean, uncontaminated milk ought to keep fresh, exposed in a clean room at a temperature of ° f., for hours without souring. if the milk is tainted in any way it will sour in a few hours. boiled milk will keep fresh half as long again as fresh milk. milk absorbs odors very quickly, therefore should never be left in a refrigerator with stale cheese, ham, vegetables, etc., unless in an air-tight jar. it should never be left exposed in a sick room or near waste pipes. absolute cleanliness is necessary for the preservation of milk; vessels in which it is to be kept must be thoroughly scalded with boiling water, not merely washed out with warm water. _methods of preserving milk._ sterilized milk. milk to be thoroughly sterilized and germ free must be heated to the boiling point ( ° f.). this may be done by putting the milk into perfectly clean bottles and placing in a rack, in a kettle of boiling water, remaining until it reaches the necessary degree of heat. the bottle should be closely covered _immediately_ after with absorbent cotton or cotton batting in order to prevent other germs getting into the milk. pasteurized milk. the difference between pasteurizing and sterilizing is only in the degree of heat to which the milk is subjected. in pasteurizing, the milk is kept at a temperature of ° f. from to minutes. this is considered a better method for treating milk which is to be given to young children, as it is more easily digested than sterilized milk. all milk should be sterilized or pasteurized in warm weather, especially for children. cheese. cheese is one of the most nutritious of foods, and when meat is scarce makes an excellent substitute, as it contains more protein than meat. cheese is the separated casein of milk, which includes some of the fats and salts. eggs. eggs contain all the ingredients necessary to support life. out of an egg the entire structure of the bird--bones, nerves, muscles, viscera, and feathers--is developed. the inner portion of the shell is dissolved to furnish phosphate for the bones. the composition of a hen's egg is about as follows (church):-- ----------------------+------------++---------------------+------------ | white--in || | yolk--in | parts. || | parts. ----------------------+------------++---------------------+------------ water | . || water | . albumen | . || casein and albumen | . fat, sugar, | || oil and fat | . extractives, etc. | . || pigment | mineral matter | . || extractives, etc. | . | || mineral matter | . ----------------------+------------++---------------------+------------ the albumen--or the "white"--of an egg is greatly altered by cooking. when heated beyond boiling point it becomes a very indigestible substance. eggs cooked at a temperature of about ° f., leaving the whites soft, are easily digested. a raw egg is ordinarily digested in - / hour, while a baked egg requires from to hours. eggs _baked_ in puddings, or in any other manner, form one of the most insoluble varieties of albumen. gelatin. gelatin is obtained from bones, ligaments, and other connective tissues. in combinations with other foods it has considerable nutritive value. the place given to it by scientists is to save the albumen of the body; as it does not help to form tissue or repair waste it cannot replace albumen entirely. gelatin will not sustain life, but when used in the form of soup stock, etc., is considered valuable as a stimulant. * * * * * legumes--peas, beans and lentils. these vegetables contain as much protein as meat; yet, this being inferior in quality to that contained in meat, they can scarcely be given a place in the same class; therefore we will give them an intermediate position in food value between meat and grains. from the standpoint of economy they occupy a high place in nutritive value, especially for outdoor workers. (see recipes.) chapter vi. fats and oils. fats and oils contain three elements--carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. about one-fifth of the body is composed of fat. before death results from starvation per cent. of the body fat is consumed. uses of fat. ( ) to furnish energy for the development of heat; ( ) to supply force; ( ) to serve as covering and protection in the body; ( ) to lubricate the various structures of the body; and ( ) to spare the tissues. the fats and oils used as food all serve the same purpose, and come before the carbohydrates in fuel and force value; in combination with proteids, they form valuable foods for those engaged in severe muscular exercise, such as army marching, mining expeditions, etc. fats and oils are but little changed during digestion. the fat is divided into little globules by the action of the pancreatic juice and other digestive elements, and is absorbed by the system. fat forms the chief material in adipose tissue, a fatty layer lying beneath the skin, which keeps the warmth in the body, and is re-absorbed into the blood, keeping up heat and activity, and preserving other tissues during abstinence from food. fat sometimes aids the digestion of starchy foods by preventing them from forming lumpy masses in the mouth and stomach, hence the value of using butter with bread, potatoes, etc. the animal fats are more nutritive than the vegetable, butter and cream heading the list. cooking fats at a very high temperature, such as frying, causes a reaction or decomposition, which irritates the mucous membrane and interferes with digestion. the principal animal fats are butter, cream, lard, suet, the fat of mutton, pork, bacon, beef, fish and cod liver oil. the vegetable fats and oils chiefly used as food are derived from seeds, olives, and nuts. the most important fats and oils for household purposes are: butter. butter, which contains from to per cent. of water, . per cent. fat, . per cent. casein, . per cent. milk sugar (konig). the addition of salt to butter prevents fermentation. butter will not support life when taken alone, but with other foods is highly nutritious and digestible. cream. cream is one of the most wholesome and agreeable forms of fat. it is an excellent substitute for cod liver oil in tuberculosis. ice cream when eaten slowly is very nutritious. lard. lard is hog fat, separated by melting. suet. suet is beef fat surrounding the kidneys. cottolene. cottolene is a preparation of cotton-seed oil. oleomargarine. oleomargarine is a preparation of beef fat provided as a substitute for butter. olive oil. olive oil is obtained from the fruit, and is considered to be very wholesome; in some cases being preferred to either cod-liver oil or cream for consumptives. cotton seed oil. cotton seed oil is frequently substituted for olive oil. nuts. nuts contain a good deal of oil. chapter vii. carbohydrate foods. the idea of starchy foods is usually connected with such substances as laundry starch, cornstarch, arrow root, etc. these are, of course, more concentrated forms of starch than potatoes, rice, etc. many starchy foods contain other ingredients, and some are especially rich in proteids. the following table may help to make this clear (atwater):-- percentage of starch in vegetable foods. -----------------+----------- | per cent. -----------------+----------- wheat bread | . wheat flour | . graham flour | . rye flour | . buckwheat flour | . beans | . oatmeal | . cornmeal | . rice | . potatoes | . sweet potatoes | . turnips | . carrots | . cabbage | . melons | . apples | . pears | . bananas | . -----------------+----------- it is estimated that starch composes one-half of peas, beans, wheat, oats and rye, three-fourths of corn and rice, one-fifth of potatoes. vegetable proteids, as already stated, are less easily digested than those belonging to the animal kingdom, therefore it must be remembered that a purely vegetable diet, even though it may be so arranged as to provide the necessary protein, is apt to over-tax the digestive organs more than a mixed diet from both the animal and vegetable kingdoms. much depends upon the cooking of the starchy foods in order to render them digestible. (study chapter on digestion in the public school physiology.) starch. the digestion of starch--which is insoluble in cold water--really begins with the cooking, which by softening the outer coating or fibre of the grains, causes them to swell and burst, thereby preparing them for the chemical change which is caused by the action of the saliva in converting the starch into a species of sugar before it enters the stomach. substances which are insoluble in cold water cannot be absorbed into the blood, therefore are not of any value as food until they have become changed, and made soluble, which overtaxes the digestive organs and causes trouble. the temperature of the saliva is too low to dissolve the starch fibre unaided. each of the digestive juices has its own work to do, and the saliva acts directly upon the starchy food; hence the importance of thoroughly masticating such food as bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, etc. the action of heat, in baking, which causes the vapor to rise, and forms the crust of starchy food, produces what is called dextrine, or partially digested starch. dextrine is soluble in cold water, hence the ease with which crust and toast--when properly made--are digested. it is more important to thoroughly chew starchy food than meat, as it is mixed with another digestive juice, which acts upon it in the stomach. sugars. sugar. there are many varieties of sugar in common use, viz.: cane sugar, grape sugar or glucose, and sugar of milk (lactose). as food, sugars have practically the same use as starch; sugar, owing to its solubility, taxes the digestive organs very little. over-indulgence in sugar, however, tends to cause various disorders of assimilation and nutrition. sugar is also very fattening, it is a force producer, and can be used with greater safety by those engaged in active muscular work. cane sugar is the clarified and crystallized juice of the sugar cane. nearly half the sugar used in the world comes from sugar cane, the other half from beet roots. the latter is not quite so sweet as the cane sugar. sugar is also made from the sap of the maple tree, but this is considered more of a luxury; consequently, not generally used for cooking purposes. molasses and treacle. molasses and treacle are formed in the process of crystallizing and refining sugar. treacle is the waste drained from moulds used in refining sugar, and usually contains more or less dirt. glucose. glucose, or grape sugar, is commonly manufactured from starch. it is found in almost all the sweeter varieties of fruit. it is not so desirable for general use as cane sugar. honey. honey is a form of sugar gathered by bees from the nectar of flowering plants, and stored by them in cells. honey contains water . , fruit sugar . , cane sugar . , nitrogenous matter . , mineral matter . per cent. (konig.) grains. while the grains contain less proteid than the legumes, they are more valuable on account of the variety of the nutrients contained in them, and are more easily adapted to the demands of the appetite. they, however, require long, slow cooking in order to soften the fibre and render the starch more soluble. among the most important we may place: wheat. a wheat kernel may be subdivided into three layers. the first or outer one contains the bran; second, the gluten, fats and salts; third, the starch. some of the mineral matter for which wheat is so valuable is contained in the bran, hence the value of at least a portion of that part of the wheat being included in bread flour--not by the addition of coarse bran (which is indigestible) to the ordinary flour, but by the refining process employed in producing whole wheat flour. while wheat is used in other forms, its principal use as food is in the form of flour. the following table, giving the composition of bread from wheat and maize, will be of interest (stone):-- composition of bread from wheat and maize. -------------------------+-------------------------------------------- | in air-dry material. +------+-----+-----+-------+--------+-------- | | | | | |nitrogen |water.| ash.| fat.| fibre.|protein.| free | | | | | |extract. -------------------------+------+-----+-----+-------+--------+-------- |p.ct. |p.ct.|p.ct.| p.ct. | p.ct. | p.ct. bread from whole winter | | | | | | wheat | . | . | . | . | . | . bread from whole spring | | | | | | wheat | . | . | . | . | . | . bread from fine flour, | | | | | | winter wheat | . | . | . | . | . | . bread from fine flour, | | | | | | spring wheat | . | . | . | . | . | . corn bread from whole | | | | | | maize | . | . | . | . | . | . -------------------------+------+-----+-----+-------+--------+-------- -------------------------+------------------------------------------ | in dry matter +------+------+--------+---------+--------- | | | | | nitrogen | ash. | fat. | fibre. | protein.| free | | | | | extract. -------------------------+------+------+--------+---------+--------- |p.ct. |p.ct. | p.ct. | p.ct. | p.ct. bread from whole winter | | | | | wheat | . | . | . | . | . bread from whole spring | | | | | wheat | . | . | . | . | . bread from fine flour, | | | | | winter wheat | . | . | . | . | . bread from fine flour, | | | | | spring wheat | . | . | . | . | . corn bread from whole | | | | | maize | . | . | . | . | . -------------------------+------+------+--------+---------+--------- bread. the most valuable food product manufactured from flour is bread. bread contains so many of the ingredients required to nourish the body, viz.: fat, proteid, salts, sugar and starch, that it may well be termed the "staff of life." as it does not contain enough fat for a perfect food the addition of butter to it renders it more valuable as an article of diet. mrs. ellen h. richards gives the following explanation of what constitutes ideal bread: "( ) it should retain as much as possible of the nutritive principles of the grain from which it is made; ( ) it should be prepared in such a manner as to secure the complete assimilation of these nutritive principles; ( ) it should be light and porous, so as to allow the digestive juices to penetrate it quickly and thoroughly; ( ) it should be nearly or quite free from coarse bran, which causes too rapid muscular action to allow of complete digestion. this effect is also produced when the bread is sour." bread is made from a combination of flour, liquid (either milk or water), and a vegetable ferment called yeast (see yeast recipes). the yeast acts slowly or rapidly according to the temperature to which it is exposed. the starch has to be changed by the ferment called diastase (diastase is a vegetable ferment which converts starchy foods into a soluble material called maltose) into sugar, and the sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid gas (carbon dioxide), when it makes itself known by the bubbles which appear and the gradual swelling of the whole mass. it is the effect of the carbonic acid gas upon the gluten, which, when checked at the proper time before the ferment becomes acetic (sour) by baking, produces the sweet, wholesome bread which is the pride of all good housekeepers. the kneading of bread is to break up the gas bubbles into small portions in order that there may be no large holes and the fermentation be equal throughout. the loaf is baked in order to kill the ferment, to render the starch soluble, to expand the carbonic acid gas and drive off the alcohol, to stiffen the gluten and to form a crust which shall have a pleasant flavor. much of the indigestibility of bread is owing to the imperfect baking; unless the interior of the loaf has reached the sterilizing point, ° f., the bacteria contained in the yeast will not be killed, and some of the gas will remain in the centre of the loaf. the scientific method of baking bread is to fix the air cells as quickly as possible at first. this can be done better by baking the bread in small loaves in separate pans, thereby securing a uniform heat and more crust, which is considered to be the most easily digested part of the bread. some cooks consider that long, slow baking produces a more desirable flavor and renders bread more digestible. one hundred pounds of flour will make an average of one hundred and thirty-five pounds of bread. this increase of weight is due to the addition of water. macaroni. macaroni is a flour preparation of great food value. it contains about six per cent. more gluten than bread, and is regarded by sir henry thompson as equal to meat for flesh-forming purposes. dieticians say that macaroni, spaghetti and vermicelli are not used so extensively as their value deserves. buckwheat. buckwheat is the least important of the cereals. rye. rye is almost equal to wheat in nutritive value. its treatment in regard to bread making is similar to that of wheat. corn. corn contains fat, proteid and starch, and produces heat and energy. it is very fattening, and when eaten as a vegetable is considered difficult of digestion. cornmeal is a wholesome food; it contains more fat than wheat flour, and less mineral matter. rice. rice constitutes a staple food of a great many of the world's inhabitants. it contains more starch than any other cereal, but when properly cooked is very easily digested. it should be combined with some animal food, as it contains too little nitrogen to satisfy the demands of the system. it forms a wholesome combination with fruit, such as apples, peaches, prunes, berries, etc. barley. barley is almost equal to wheat in nutritive value. it contains more fat, mineral matter and cellulose (cellulose is often called indigestible fibre, as it resists the solvent action of the digestive juices, and is of no value as a nutrient), and less proteid and digestible carbohydrates. oatmeal. oatmeal is one of the most valuable foods. oats contain fat, proteid, salts and cellulose, in addition to a large percentage of starch. the nutritive value of oatmeal is great, but much depends upon the manner of cooking. (see recipes.) people who eat much oatmeal should lead a vigorous outdoor life. the following analysis of oatmeal is given (letheby):-- nitrogenous matter . per cent. carbohydrates, starch, etc. . " fatty matter . " mineral matter . " water . " ---- total . vegetables. legumes--peas, beans and lentils--have an exceedingly leathery envelope when old; and unless soaked for a long time in cold water--in order to soften the woody fibre--and are then cooked slowly for some hours, are very indigestible. pea and bean soups are considered very nutritious. lentils grow in france; they are dried and split, in which form they are used in soups. potatoes. potatoes are the most popular of all the tubers. as an article of diet they possess little nutritive value, being about three-fourths water. they contain some mineral matter, hence the reason why they are better boiled and baked in their skins, so as to prevent the escape of the salts into the water. potatoes are more easily digested when baked than cooked in any other form. beets. beets contain between and per cent. of starch and sugar, some salts, and a little over one per cent. of proteid matter. young beets, either in the form of a vegetable or a salad, are considered to be very wholesome. carrots, turnips, parsnips, oyster plant. carrots, turnips, parsnips and oyster plant, although containing a large percentage of water, are considered valuable as nutrients, the turnip being the least nutritious. green vegetables. green vegetables do not contain much nutriment, and are chiefly valuable as affording a pleasing variety in diet; also for supplying mineral matter and some acids. in this class we may include cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce and celery. tomatoes. tomatoes are wholesome vegetables; on account of the oxalic acid they contain they do not always agree with people of delicate digestion. cucumbers. cucumbers are neither wholesome nor digestible. asparagus. asparagus is a much prized vegetable. the substance called asparagin which it contains is supposed to possess some value. rhubarb. rhubarb is a wholesome vegetable. onions, garlic, shallots. onions, garlic, and shallots are valuable both as condiments and eaten separately. they contain more nutrients than the last vegetables considered. chapter viii. fruits. fruits are composed largely of water, with starches, a vegetable jelly, pectin, cellulose and organic acids. the most important acids in fruit are citric, malic and tartaric. citric acid is found in lemons, limes and oranges; tartaric acid in grapes; malic acid in apples, pears, peaches, apricots, gooseberries and currants. among the least acid are peaches, sweet apples, bananas and prunes. strawberries are moderately acid, while lemons and currants contain the most acid of all. uses of fruit. ( ) to furnish nutriment; ( ) to convey water to the system and relieve thirst; ( ) to introduce various mineral matter (salts) and acids which improve the quality of the blood; ( ) as anti-scorbutics; ( ) as laxatives and cathartics; ( ) to stimulate the appetite, improve digestion and provide variety in the diet. apples, lemons and oranges are especially valuable for the potash salts, lime and magnesia they contain. fruit as a common article of daily diet is highly beneficial, and should be used freely in season. cooked fruit is more easily digested than raw, and when over-ripe should always be cooked in order to prevent fruit poisoning. nuts. nuts contain proteid, with some starch and sugar, but are not considered valuable as nutrients. cocoanuts, almonds and english walnuts are the most nutritious. beverages. tea. tannin is an astringent of vegetable origin which exists in tea, is also found in coffee and wines, and is very injurious. tea is a preparation made from the leaves of a shrub called thea. the difference between black and green tea is due to the mode of preparation, and not to separate species of plant. green tea contains more tannin than black. the following table will show the difference:-- =======================+===================+=================== | green tea. | black tea. -----------------------+-------------------+------------------- crude protein | . | . fibre | . | . ash (mineral matter) | . | . theine | . | . tannin | . | . total nitrogen | . | . -----------------------+-------------------+------------------- the stimulating properties which tea possesses, as well as its color and flavor, depend upon the season of the year at which the leaves are gathered, the variety of the plant, the age of the leaves, which become tough as they grow older, and the care exercised in their preparation. much depends upon the manner in which tea is infused. ( ) use freshly boiled water; ( ) allow it to infuse only three or four minutes, in order to avoid extracting the tannin. when carefully prepared as above, tea is not considered unwholesome for people in good health. coffee. coffee is made from the berries of coffee-arabica, which are dried, roasted and browned. the following table gives an approximate idea of the composition of coffee beans (konig):-- water . fat . crude fibre . ash (mineral matter) . caffeine . albuminoids . other nitrogenous matter . sugar, gum and dextrin . coffee is frequently adulterated with chicory, which is harmless. coffee should not be allowed to boil long or stand in the coffee pot over a fire, as the tannin is extracted, which renders it more indigestible. much controversy has been indulged in over the effect of coffee upon the system, but like many other similar questions it has not reached a practical solution. the general opinion seems to be that when properly made and used in moderation it is a valuable stimulant and not harmful to adults. cocoa. cocoa and chocolate contain more food substances than tea or coffee, although their use in this respect is not of much value. the following table gives the analysis of cocoa (stutzer):-- theobromine . total nitrogenous substance . fat . water . ash (mineral matter) . fibre and non-nitrogenous extract . alcohol. the use of alcohol is wholly unnecessary for the health of the human organism. (see public school physiology and temperance.) condiments. condiments and spices are used as food adjuncts; they supply little nourishment, the effect being mainly stimulating, and are very injurious when used in excess. they add flavor to food and relieve monotony of diet. the use of such condiments as pepper, curry, pickles, vinegar and mustard, if abused, is decidedly harmful. salt is the only necessary condiment, for reasons given in the chapter on mineral matter. the blending of flavors so as to make food more palatable without being injured is one of the fine arts in cookery. some flavors, such as lemon juice, vinegar, etc., increase the solvent properties of the gastric juice, making certain foods more digestible. chapter ix. preparing food. the knowledge of food values and their relation to the body will be of little use for practical purposes unless combined with the knowledge of how the various foods should be prepared, either by cooking or in whatever form circumstances and the material may require. the first requisite for cooking purposes is heat; this necessitates the use of fuel. the fuels chiefly used for household purposes are wood, coal, kerosene oil and gas. soft woods, such as pine or birch, are best for kindling and for a quick fire. hard woods, oak, ash, etc., burn more slowly, retain the heat longer, and are better adapted for cooking purposes. coal. coal (anthracite) is about per cent. carbon. it kindles slowly, gives a steady heat, and burns for a longer time without attention than wood. stoves for burning oil and gas have become popular, and are very convenient and satisfactory for cooking purposes. oil. oil is considered to be the cheapest fuel. gas. gas is a very satisfactory fuel for cooking purposes, but can only be used in certain localities. making and care of a fire. care of a fire. great care should be exercised in the selection of a stove or range. the plainer the range the easier it will be to keep it clean. there should be plenty of dampers that can be used to hasten the fire or to check it. learn thoroughly the management of the range before beginning to cook. in lighting a fire, remove the covers, brush the soot from the top of the oven into the fire-box; clean out the grate (saving all the unburned coal, and cinders). put in shavings or paper, then kindling arranged crosswise, allowing plenty of air space between the pieces, a little hard wood and a single layer of coal. put on the covers, open the direct draft and oven damper, then light the paper. when the wood is thoroughly kindled and the first layer of coal heated, fill the fire-box with coal even with the top of the oven. when the blue flame becomes white, close the oven damper, and when the coal is burning freely, shut the direct draft. when coal becomes bright red all through it has lost most of its heat. a great deal of coal is wasted by filling the fire-box too full and leaving the drafts open till the coal is red. to keep a steady fire it is better to add a little coal often rather than to add a large quantity and allow it to burn out. never allow dust or cinders to accumulate around a range, either inside or out. learn to open and shut the oven door quietly and quickly. study the amount of fire required to heat the oven to the desired temperature. learn which is the hotter or cooler side of the oven, and move the article which is being baked as required, being very careful to move it gently. measurements. accurate measurement is necessary to insure success in cooking. as there is such a diversity of opinion as to what constitutes a heaping spoonful, all the measurements given in this book will be by level spoonfuls. a cupful is all the cup will hold without running over, and the cup is one holding / pint. the following table may be used where scales are not convenient:-- cups of flour = pound or quart. cups of solid butter = " / cup butter = / " cups granulated sugar = " - / cups powdered sugar = " cups meal = " pint of milk or water = " pint chopped meat, packed solidly = " large eggs, medium eggs = " level tablespoonfuls butter = ounce. " " " = ounces or / cup. butter the size of an egg = " " " level tablespoonfuls sugar = " " " flour = " " " coffee = " " " powdered sugar = " table of abbreviations. saltspoon ssp. tablespoon tbsp. pint pt. gallon gal. teaspoon tsp. cupful cf. quart qt. peck pk. a speck (spk.) is what you can put on a quarter inch square surface. time-table for cooking. baking bread, cakes and puddings. loaf bread to m. graham gems to m. sponge cake to m. cookies to m. rice and tapioca hr. custards to m. pastry (thin puff) to m. pie crust to m. baked beans to hrs. scalloped dishes to m. rolls, biscuit to m. gingerbread to m. fruit cake to hrs. bread pudding hr. indian pudding to hrs. steamed pudding to hrs. pastry (thick) to m. potatoes to m. braised meat to hrs. baking meats. beef, sirloin, rare, per lb. to m. beef, well done, per lb. to m. beef, rolled rib or rump, per lb. to m. beef, fillet, per lb. to m. mutton, rare, per lb. m. mutton, well done, per lb. m. lamb, well done, per lb. m. veal, well done, per lb. m. pork, well done, per lb. m. turkey, lbs. weight - / hrs. chicken, to lbs. weight to - / hr. goose, lbs. hrs. tame duck to - / hr. game to m. grouse to m. small birds to m. venison, per lb. m. fish, to lbs. hr. fish, small to m. vegetables (boiling). rice, green corn, peas, tomatoes, asparagus (hard boiled eggs) to m. potatoes, macaroni, squash, celery, spinach to m. young beets, carrots, turnips, onions, parsnips, cauliflower to m. young cabbage, string beans, shell beans, oyster plant to m. winter vegetables, oatmeal, hominy and wheat to hrs. frying (deep). smelts, croquettes, fish balls to m. muffins, fritters, doughnuts to m. fish, breaded chops to m. broiling. steak, inch thick to m. steak, - / inch thick to m. fish, small to m. fish, thick to m. chops to m. chicken m. table of proportions. qt. of liquid to qts. of flour for bread. qt. of liquid to qts. of flour for muffins. qt. of liquid to qt. of flour for batters. cup of yeast ( yeast cake) to qt. of liquid. tsp. of soda (level), of cream tartar to qt. of flour. tsp. of soda to pt. of sour milk. tsp. of soda to cup of molasses. tsps. of baking powder to qt. of flour. tsp. of salt to qt. of soup stock. ssp. of salt to loaf of cake. tbsp. of each vegetable, chopped, to qt. of stock. - / tbsp. of flour to qt. of stock for thickening soup. tbsp. of flour to pt. of stock for sauces. tsp. of salt to pt. of stock for sauces. tbsps. (level) cornstarch to pt. of milk (to mould). tsp. of salt to qts. of flour for biscuits, etc. methods for flour mixtures. stirring. stirring is simply blending two or more materials by moving the spoon round and round until smooth and of the proper consistency. beating. beating is bringing the spoon up through the mixture with a quick movement so as to entangle as much air as possible. cutting or folding. cutting or folding is adding the beaten white of egg to a mixture without breaking the air bubbles, by lifting and turning the mixture over and over as in folding. do not stir or beat. * * * * * recipes. * * * * * batters, biscuits and bread. popovers. cups of flour. eggs. cups of milk. / tsp. salt. beat the eggs (without separating) until very light, then add the milk and salt; pour this mixture on the flour (slowly), beating all the while. beat until smooth and light, about five minutes. grease gem pans or small cups, and bake in a moderately hot oven about thirty-five minutes. they should increase to four times their original size. (this recipe may be divided for class work.) pancakes. pint of flour. tbsp. of melted butter. pint of milk. eggs. tsps. baking powder. / tsp. salt. beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately; add the yolks to the milk, then the melted butter; salt. sift the baking powder and flour together, add slowly to the liquid, stir until smooth. lastly, add the whites of the eggs. these may be cooked in waffle irons or on a griddle. pancakes with buttermilk. pint of buttermilk. flour to make a medium batter. / tsp. salt. / tsp. soda. crush the soda, add it and the salt to the buttermilk, add the flour gradually, beat until the batter is smooth, and bake on a hot griddle. an egg may be added. cornmeal griddle cakes. pint of indian meal. cup of flour. tsp. salt. eggs. (l.) tsps. baking powder. pint of milk. put the meal into a bowl, and pour over it just enough boiling water to scald it; do not make it soft; let stand until cool. then add the milk; beat the eggs until very light, add them to the batter, add the flour and salt in which the baking powder has been sifted. mix well, beat vigorously for a minute or two, and bake on a hot griddle. bread griddle cakes. pt. of milk. / tsp. of salt. / tsp. of soda and tsp. cream tartar. (l.) tsps. baking powder. / pt. stale bread crumbs. eggs. flour to make a thin batter. soak the bread in the milk for one hour, then beat it smooth. beat the eggs separately till very light, add first the yolks, then the flour and salt and baking powder. beat again, add the whites, and bake quickly on a hot griddle. buckwheat cakes. pt. boiling water. / tsp. salt. / cup white flour. ssp. soda. / cup corn or graham meal. / yeast cake. cup buckwheat flour. pour the boiling water on the corn or graham meal, add the salt, and when lukewarm add the flour, beat until smooth, then add the yeast. let it rise over night. in the morning add the soda just before baking (milk may be used instead of water). a tablespoonful of molasses is sometimes added in order to make the cakes a darker brown. fritters. beat two eggs together until light, add to them cup of milk, / tsp. salt and sufficient flour to make a batter that will drop from the spoon. beat until smooth. have ready a deep pan of hot fat; add (l.) tsps. of baking powder to the batter, mix thoroughly and drop by spoonfuls into the hot fat. when brown on one side turn and brown on the other; take out with a skimmer and serve very hot. do not pierce with a fork as it allows the steam to escape and makes the fritter heavy. gems--whole wheat or graham gems. cups of whole wheat flour. / tsp. salt. tbsp. sugar. eggs, beaten separately. cup milk. cup water. mix flour, salt and sugar. beat the eggs until light, add the milk and water, stir this into the dry mixture. bake in hot gem pans for minutes. corn muffins. cup cornmeal. cup flour. - / cups milk. tbsps. butter. tbsps. sugar. / tsp. salt. - / tsps. baking powder. egg. mix all the dry ingredients together. melt the butter in a hot cup. beat the egg till light. add the milk to it and turn this mixture into the bowl containing the dry ingredients. add the melted butter and beat vigorously and quickly. pour into buttered muffin or gem pans, and bake for one-half hour in a moderate oven. quick muffins or gems. pt. of milk. oz. butter. cups of flour. tsps. baking powder. tsp. salt. eggs. beat the eggs separately till light, add the yolks to the milk, then the flour, which must be more or less, according to the quality. the batter must be thin and pour from the spoon. now add the melted butter and salt; give the whole a vigorous beating. now add the baking powder and the well beaten whites, stir till thoroughly mixed. bake in muffin rings in a quick oven or on the griddle. tea biscuit. pt. of flour. cup milk. - / tsps. baking powder. / tsp. salt. tbsp. lard or butter. / tsp. sugar. mix thoroughly in a sieve the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder, and rub through the sieve. rub the butter or lard into this mixture. now add the milk, stirring quickly with a strong spoon. sprinkle the board with flour, turn out the dough upon it. roll to the thickness of about / inch, cut with a small cutter. bake in a quick oven. do not crowd the biscuit in the pan. they should bake from to minutes. (all biscuit doughs should be mixed as soft as it is possible to handle. sour milk may be used in this recipe by substituting soda for the baking powder.) hot corn bread. qt. of cornmeal. tsp. of salt. pt. sour milk or buttermilk. oz. of butter. eggs. tsp. of soda. put the cornmeal in a large bowl and pour over it just enough boiling water to scald it through. let it stand until cold, then add the eggs well beaten, the milk or buttermilk, salt, and butter (melted); beat thoroughly. dissolve the soda in two tbsps. of boiling water, stir into the mixture, turn quickly into a greased square, shallow pan, put into a hot oven and bake minutes. shortcakes. (_suitable for strawberries or any sweetened fruit._) pint flour. cup sweet or sour milk. / cup butter. - / tsps. baking powder, or / tsp. soda and tsp. cream tartar. / tsp. salt. mix the salt, soda, cream tartar or baking powder with the flour, sift; rub in the butter until fine like meal. add the liquid gradually, mixing with a knife, and use just enough to make it of a light spongy consistency. turn the dough out on a well floured board, pat lightly into a flat cake and roll gently till half inch thick. bake either in a spider or pie plate in the oven; split, butter, and spread with the fruit. doughnuts. egg tbsp. melted butter. / tsp. salt. tsp. cream tartar. flour enough to make into a soft dough. / cup sugar. cup milk. / tsp. soda. ssp. cinnamon. mix all the dry ingredients, beat the egg until light, add to this the milk, sugar and melted butter. pour into the flour, mixing carefully into a soft dough. have the board well floured. roll only a large spoonful at a time. cut into the desired shape and drop into hot fat. the fat should be hot enough for the dough to rise to the top instantly. * * * * * bread. as bread is one of the most important articles of the daily diet, it naturally follows that special attention should be given to a subject upon which the health of the family, to a great extent, depends. a knowledge of the chemical changes and their effect (see chap. vii) must be understood before proficiency in bread-making can be attained. the first element to consider is the _yeast_, and the generating of carbonic acid gas, so as to have the bread light, tender, and porous. yeast is a plant or vegetable growth produced from grain which has commenced to bud or sprout, and which forms the substance called diastase. this substance has the power to convert starch into sugar. (see chap. vii for effect of yeast upon flour.) the temperature at which fermentation takes place, and when to check it, are important features of bread-making. the liquid (milk or water) should be tepid when mixed, as too great heat destroys the growth of the yeast. the dough should rise in a temperature of °. after fermentation has become active the temperature may be gradually lowered--as in setting bread over night--without injury. avoid a cold draft or sudden change of temperature, as it checks fermentation and affects the flavor. never allow bread to rise until it "settles," or runs over the side of the bowl. the usual rule is to let it rise until it is double in bulk, both in the bowl and after it is put into the pans. if it is not convenient to bake the bread when ready, it may be kneaded again and kept in a cool place, to prevent souring. bread should be mixed in a stone or granite bowl. the only necessary ingredients for bread are water, flour, salt, and yeast. sugar may be added to restore the natural sweetness of the flour which has been lost during fermentation, but it is not necessary. if milk is used, and the bread well kneaded, no other shortening is required; but with water, the addition of a little butter or dripping makes the bread more tender, therefore it is more easily penetrated by the digestive fluids. tough, leathery bread is not easily digested, no matter how light it may be. as already stated, by the action of heat the ferment is killed, the starch-grains ruptured, the gas carried off, and the crust formed. in order that bread may be thoroughly cooked, and plenty of crust formed, each loaf should be baked in a pan about inches deep, to inches wide, and from to inches long. smaller loaves are even more desirable. it is very difficult to bake a large loaf so as to insure the escape of all the carbonic acid gas, and to cook the starch sufficiently without injuring the crust, besides entailing an unnecessary waste of fuel. the custom of baking several loaves together in one large pan is contrary to all scientific rules of bread-making. the oven should be hot enough to brown a spoonful of flour in five minutes, for bread. the dough should rise during the first fifteen minutes, then begin to brown; keep the heat steady for the next fifteen or twenty minutes, then decrease it. if the oven is too hot a hard crust will form and prevent the dough from rising, which will not only cause the bread to be heavy, but will prevent the gas from escaping. if, on the other hand, the oven is not hot enough, the bread will go on rising until it becomes sour. a loaf, the size already mentioned, should take from fifty-five to sixty minutes to bake, and should give a hollow sound, if tapped, when removed from the oven. better take too long than not long enough, as doughy bread is most objectionable and unwholesome. if the crust is beginning to burn, cover the loaf with brown paper, and reduce the heat, but have a brown crust, not a whity-brown, which is usually hard and without flavor. upon removing the loaves from the pans, place them on a rack, where the air may circulate freely. never leave warm bread on a pine table, or where it will absorb odors. bread made with water. quarts flour. tbsp. sugar. pint lukewarm water. tsp. salt. tbsp. butter, dripping or lard. / cake compressed yeast, dissolved in / cup water. (this recipe is for manitoba flour. a little more fine flour would be necessary.) sift the flour. put the salt, sugar and butter into a large bowl, pour on the warm water, stir until they are dissolved. add the flour gradually until it forms a thin batter, then add the yeast; beat vigorously for at least five minutes. add more flour until the dough is stiff enough to knead. turn out on the board and knead for half hour. cover and let rise until double its bulk. form into separate loaves, put into the pans, cover, and let rise again till double its bulk. bake in a hot oven about an hour. (milk or half milk may be substituted in this recipe.) bread (with a sponge). tbsp. butter. tbsp. sugar. / cup yeast or / yeast cake. tsp. salt. pt. water. about qts. flour. put the butter, sugar and salt in the mixing bowl, add / cup boiling water to dissolve them; then add enough lukewarm water to make a pint, cups of flour, then the yeast (if the cake is used dissolve in / cup tepid water). give it a vigorous beating, cover, and let it rise over night. in the morning add flour to make it stiff enough to knead. knead for / hour. cover closely, let it rise till it doubles its bulk; shape into loaves; let it rise again in the pans; bake as directed in previous recipe. whole wheat or graham bread. pt. milk, scalded and cooled. tsp. salt. cups white flour. tbsps. sugar. or cups whole wheat flour. / yeast cake or / cup yeast. mix in the same order as given in previous recipes. whole wheat flour makes a softer dough, consequently does not require so much kneading, otherwise it should be treated the same as other bread, allowing it a little longer time for baking; if too moist, a cupful of white flour may be added. yeast. steep / cup of loose hops in quart of boiling water, in a granite kettle, minutes. mix cup of flour, / of a cup sugar and tbsp. salt. strain the hop liquor and pour it boiling into the flour mixture. boil minute, or till thick. when cooled add cup of yeast. cover and set in a warm place until foamy, which will be in or hours. pour into stone jars, which should be not more than half full, and keep in a cool place. (three boiled potatoes may be mashed smoothly and added to this yeast if desired.) * * * * * sauces and milk soups. white sauce. (_for vegetables, eggs, etc._) pt. milk. (l.) tbsps. flour. / ssp. white pepper. tbsps. butter. / tsp. salt. heat the milk over hot water. put the butter in a granite saucepan and stir till it melts, being careful not to brown. add the dry flour, and stir quickly till well mixed. add the milk gradually, stirring carefully (especially from the sides) until perfectly smooth. let it boil until it thickens, then add salt and pepper. in using this sauce for creamed oysters, add / tsp. of celery salt, a few grains of cayenne pepper, and a tsp. of lemon juice. drawn butter sauce. pt. hot water or stock. / cup butter. / ssp. pepper. (l.) tbsps. flour. / tsp. salt. put the butter in the saucepan; when melted add the dry flour, and mix well. add the hot water or stock a little at a time, and stir rapidly till it thickens; when smooth add the salt and pepper. be careful to have all sauces free from lumps. (hard boiled eggs may be added to this sauce for baked or boiled fish. two tbsps. of chopped parsley may be added if parsley sauce is desired.) brown sauce. pt. hot stock. tbsps. butter. / tsp. salt. tbsp. lemon juice. tbsps. minced onions. tbsps. flour. / ssp. pepper. caramel enough to color. mince the onion and fry it in the butter minutes. be careful not to burn it. when the butter is browned add the dry flour, and stir well. add the hot stock a little at a time; stir rapidly until it thickens and is perfectly smooth. add the salt and pepper. simmer minutes, and strain to remove the onion. caramel for coloring soups and sauces. melt cup of sugar with tbsp. of water in a frying-pan. stir until it becomes of a dark brown color. add cup of boiling water, simmer minutes, and bottle when cool. this coloring is useful for many purposes, and is more wholesome than browned butter. mock bisque soup. pt. stewed tomatoes. tbsps. flour. / tsp. soda. tsp. salt. pt. milk. tbsps. butter. / tsp. pepper. reserve / cup of the milk, put the remainder on to cook in a stew-pan. mix the flour with the cold milk, and stir into the boiling milk. cook for minutes, then add the salt, pepper and butter. stir the soda into the hot tomatoes and stir / minute, then rub through a strainer. add the strained tomatoes to the thickened milk, and serve at once. potato soup. potatoes, medium size. tbsps. minced celery. tbsps. of flour. / tsp. of pepper. / tsp. minced parsley. - / pints of milk. tbsps. minced onions. tsp. of salt. tbsp. of butter. pare the potatoes, place on the fire in enough boiling water to cover, and cook for minutes. reserve / cup milk, put the remainder in the double boiler with the onion and celery and place on the fire. mix the cold milk with the flour and stir into the boiling milk. when the potatoes are cooked pour off the water, mash them until fine and light. gradually beat into them the milk; now add salt, pepper and butter, and rub the soup through a sieve. return to the fire and add the minced parsley; simmer for minutes and serve immediately. (the parsley may be omitted and celery salt substituted for the minced celery.) celery soup. head celery. pint milk. tbsp. butter. / tsp. salt. pint water. tbsp. chopped onion. tbsps. flour. / ssp. pepper. wash and scrape the celery, cut into / inch pieces, put it into the pint of boiling salted water and cook until very soft. mash in the water in which it was boiled. cook the onion with the milk in a double boiler minutes and add it to the celery. rub all through a strainer and put on to boil again. melt the butter in a saucepan, stir in the flour and cook until smooth, but not brown, then stir it into the boiling soup. add the salt and pepper; simmer minutes and strain into the tureen. serve very hot. * * * * * eggs. while eggs are nutritious and valuable as food they should not be used too freely, as they are a highly concentrated form of food. the albumen (white) of egg is one of the most valuable tissue builders. much depends upon the manner in which they are cooked. eggs fried in fat or hard boiled are very indigestible. do not use an egg until it has been laid some hours, as the white does not become thick till then and cannot be beaten stiff. eggs should be kept in a cool dark place, and handled carefully in order to avoid mixing the white and yolk, which causes the egg to spoil quickly. boiled eggs. have the water boiling in a saucepan. put in the eggs and move to the back of the stove where the water will keep hot, about or f., for from to minutes. if the back of the stove is too hot, move to the hearth. the white should be of a soft, jelly-like consistency, the yolks soft but not liquid. an egg to be cooked soft should never be cooked in boiling water. hard boiled eggs. cook eggs for minutes in water just below the boiling point. the yolk of an egg cooked minutes is tough and indigestible; minutes will make it dry and mealy, when it is more easily penetrated by the gastric fluid. poached eggs. have a clean, shallow pan nearly full of salted and boiling water. remove the scum and let the water just simmer. break each egg carefully into a saucer and slip it gently into the water. dip the water over it with the end of the spoon, and when a film has formed over the yolk and the white is like a soft jelly, take up with a skimmer and place on a piece of neatly trimmed toast. this is the most wholesome way of cooking eggs for serving with ham or bacon. omelet. beat the yolks of two eggs, add two tbsps. of milk, ssp. of salt and / of a ssp. of pepper. beat the whites till stiff and dry. cut and fold them into the yolks till just covered. have a clean, smooth omelet pan (or spider). when hot, rub well with a teaspoonful of butter; see that the butter is all over the pan, turn in the omelet and spread evenly on the pan. cook until slightly browned underneath, being careful not to let it burn; set in a hot oven until dry on top. when dry throughout, run a knife round the edge, tip the pan to one side, fold the omelet and turn out on a hot platter. this may be made by beating the whites and yolks together for a plain omelet. a little chopped parsley, a little fine grated onion, a tbsp. or two of chopped ham, veal or chicken may be spread on the omelet before folding. cup custards. pt. of milk. / cup of sugar. eggs. / ssp. grated nutmeg. beat the eggs until light, then add the sugar; beat again, add the milk and nutmeg, stir until the sugar is dissolved. pour into custard cups, stand the cups in a pan of boiling water and then put the pan in the oven. bake until the custards are set, or until a knife may be slipped into the centre without anything adhering to it. when done, take them out of the water and stand away to cool. (this custard may be poured into a baking dish and baked in a quick oven until firm in the centre.) boiled custard. pt. of milk. tbsps. sugar. eggs. / tsp. vanilla. put the milk on in the double boiler, beat the sugar and yolks of eggs together until light, then stir them into the boiling milk; stir until it begins to thicken, then take it from the fire; add the vanilla and stand aside to cool. when cool, pour into a glass dish. beat the whites until stiff, add three tbsps. of powdered sugar gradually. heap them on a dinner plate and stand in the oven a moment until slightly brown, then loosen from the plate, slip off gently on top of the custard; serve very cold. * * * * * fruit. if people would only realize the value of fruit in its natural state, much of the time devoted to the preparation of pies, puddings, etc., would be saved. all uncooked fruit should be thoroughly ripe and served fresh and cold. sometimes fruit is more easily digested when the woody fibre has been softened by cooking than when in its natural state, therefore a few simple recipes for cooking fruit are given. applesauce. pare, core and quarter or tart apples. make a syrup with / cup of sugar, / cup of water, and a little grated lemon peel. when boiling, add the apples and cook carefully till they are just tender, but not broken. remove them carefully, boil the syrup down a little and pour it over the apples. (for serving with roast goose, etc., cook the apples in a little water, mash until smooth, add sugar to taste.) coddled apples. pare tart apples of uniform size; remove the cores without breaking the apples. stand them in the bottom of a granite kettle, sprinkle thickly with sugar, cover the bottom of the kettle with boiling water, cover closely and allow the apples to steam on the back part of the stove till tender. lift carefully without breaking, pour the syrup over them and stand away to cool (delicious served with whipped cream). stewed prunes. wash carefully and soak in water an hour before cooking, put them into a porcelain or granite kettle, cover with boiling water and let them simmer until tender. add a tbsp. of sugar for each pint of prunes, and boil a few moments longer. cranberries. put pint of cranberries in a granite saucepan, cup of sugar, cup of water. after they begin to boil cook minutes, closely covered. (this may be pressed through a sieve while hot, removing the skins, if desired for a mould.) stewed rhubarb. wash the rhubarb (if young and tender it will not be necessary to remove the skin), cut into pieces about inch long. to every lb. of rhubarb allow lb. of sugar. put the rhubarb into a porcelain or granite kettle, cover with the sugar, and stand on the back part of the fire until the sugar melts. move forward, let simmer for a few minutes without stirring, turn it out carefully to cool. baked pears. take large, sweet pears, wipe them but do not remove the stems. stand them in an earthen baking dish, pour around them a cup of boiling water, add tbsps. sugar, cover with another dish and bake slowly until the pears are tender, basting occasionally with the liquor. when done, stand away to cool in the dish in which they were baked. when cold put them into a glass dish, pour the liquor over them and serve. baked apples. pare and core, without breaking, tart apples. put them into a shallow earthen dish, fill the cavities with sugar, add water to cover the bottom of the dish. bake in a quick oven till soft, basting often with the syrup. (quinces may be baked in the same way.) * * * * * vegetables. vegetables should be used very freely, as they contain saline substances which counteract the effect of too much meat, and are the chief source of mineral supply for the body. in cooking vegetables, a common rule is to add salt, while cooking, to all classes growing above ground (including onions), and to omit salt in the cooking of vegetables growing underground. in cooking vegetables care must be taken to preserve the flavor, and to prevent the waste of mineral matter. cabbage. cut a small head of cabbage in quarters, soak in cold water hour, drain and shake dry. remove the stalk, or hard part, and chop the remainder rather fine. put it into a stew-pan with enough boiling water to cover, and boil minutes. drain in a colander. turn into a hot dish, and pour over it cream sauce or a little melted butter, pepper and salt. cauliflower. pick off the outside leaves, soak in cold salted water, top downwards, for hour. tie it round with a piece of twine to prevent breaking. cook in boiling salted water until tender, remove the string, turn into a hot dish with the top up, cover with cream sauce or drawn butter sauce. (when cold, it may be picked to pieces and served in a salad.) celery. scrape clean and cut the stalks into -inch pieces: cook in salted water until tender, drain and cover with a white sauce. the sauce should be made with the water in which the celery has been stewed. boiled beets. wash, but do not cut them, as that injures the color. cook in boiling water until tender. when cooked put them into a pan of cold water and rub off the skins. they may be cut in slices and served hot with pepper, butter and salt, or sliced, covered with vinegar, and served cold. they may be cut into dice and served as a salad, either alone or mixed with potatoes and other vegetables. beans (dried). lima beans should be soaked in warm water over night. in the morning drain off this water and cover with fresh warm water. two hours before needed drain, cover with boiling water and boil minutes; drain again, cover with fresh boiling water, and boil until tender. add a teaspoonful of salt while they are boiling. when cooked drain them, add a little butter, pepper and salt, or a cream sauce. asparagus. wash the asparagus well in cold water, reject the tough parts, tie in a bunch or cut into pieces inch long. put it in a kettle, cover with boiling water, and boil until tender. put it in a colander to drain. serve with melted butter, pepper and salt, or with a cream or drawn butter sauce. onions. scald in boiling water, then remove the skins. put them in boiling salted water; when they have boiled minutes, change the water. boil until tender but not until broken. drain and serve with either cream sauce or butter, pepper and salt. potatoes. wash and scrub with a brush. if old, soak in cold water after paring. put them in boiling water, when about half cooked add a tbsp. of salt. cook until soft but not broken. drain carefully. expose the potatoes for a minute to a current of air, then cover and place on the back of the stove to keep hot, allowing the steam to escape. rice potatoes. press the cooked potatoes through a coarse strainer into the dish in which they are to be served. mashed potatoes. to pint of hot boiled potatoes, add tbsp. butter, / tsp. of salt, / ssp. of white pepper and hot milk or cream to moisten. mash in the kettle in which they were boiled, beat with a fork until they are light and creamy. turn lightly into a dish. potato puffs. prepare as for mashed potatoes, adding a little chopped parsley or celery salt if the flavor is liked. beat eggs, yolks and whites separately. stir the beaten whites in carefully, shape into smooth balls or cones, brush lightly with the beaten yolks, and bake in a moderately hot oven until brown. creamed potatoes. cut cold boiled potatoes into thin slices. put them in a shallow pan, cover with milk and cook until the potatoes have absorbed nearly all the milk. to pint of potatoes, add tbsp. of butter, / tsp. of salt, / ssp. of pepper and a little chopped parsley or onion. baked potatoes. select smooth potatoes of uniform size, wash and scrub well. bake in a hot oven about minutes or until soft. break the skin or puncture with a fork to let the steam escape and serve at once. this is the most wholesome method of cooking potatoes, as the mineral matter is retained. fried potatoes. pare, wash and cut into slices or quarters. soak in cold salted water, drain and dry between towels. have sufficient fat in a kettle to more than cover the potatoes. when it is very hot drop the potatoes in, a few at a time, so as not to reduce the heat of the fat too quickly. when brown, which should be in about or minutes for quarters and about minutes if sliced, drain and sprinkle with salt. tomatoes (raw). scald and peel sometime before using, place on ice, and serve with salt, sugar and vinegar, or with a salad dressing. scalloped tomatoes. scald and peel as many tomatoes as required. butter a deep dish and sprinkle with fine bread or cracker crumbs, then a layer of sliced tomato, over this sprinkle a little salt, pepper and sugar; then add a layer of bread crumbs, another of tomatoes, sprinkle again with salt, pepper and sugar: put bread crumbs on the top, moisten with a little melted butter, and bake until brown. stewed tomatoes. pour boiling water over the tomatoes, remove the skins and the hard green stem, cut into quarters or slices and stew in a granite kettle until the pulp is soft, add salt, pepper, butter and a little sugar if desired. if too thin the tomato may be thickened with crumbs or cornstarch wet in a little cold water. spinach. pick over carefully, discarding all decayed leaves. wash thoroughly, then place in a pan of cold water, let stand for a few minutes. drain and put in a large kettle with just enough water to keep it from burning. cook very slowly until tender. drain and chop fine, add tbsp. of butter, a tsp. of salt, a ssp. of pepper. it may be served on toast (hot) or garnished with hard boiled eggs. carrots and turnips. carrots as a vegetable for the table are more palatable when young and tender. they should be washed and scraped, boiled until tender, and served with butter, pepper and salt or a white sauce. turnips contain little nutriment; having no starch, they are very suitable for eating with potatoes. they require more salt than any other vegetable, and should be served with fat meat, corned beef, roast pork or mutton. turnips should be washed, pared, cut into slices or strips, boiled until tender. drain, mash and season with pepper and salt. peas (green). wash the pods, which should be green, crisp and plump, before shelling, then the peas will not require washing. put the peas into a strainer or colander and shake out all the fine particles. boil until tender. when nearly done add the salt. use little water in cooking, when they may be served without draining; season with a little butter, pepper and salt. if drained, serve either dry with butter, pepper and salt, or with a white sauce. green sweet corn. remove the husk and silky fibre, cover with boiling water (the flavor is improved by adding a few of the clean inner husks) and cook, if young and tender, from to minutes. try a kernel and take up the corn as soon as the milk has thickened and the raw taste is destroyed. * * * * * salads. french dressing. tbsps. of olive oil. / tsp. of salt. tbsp. vinegar. / ssp. of pepper or speck of cayenne. mix these ingredients together and serve. this makes a particularly good dressing for lettuce or vegetable salads. salad dressing. / cup vinegar. tbsp. sugar. / tsp. salt. / cup cream. eggs. / tsp. mustard. a speck of cayenne pepper. beat the eggs well, mix the sugar, salt, mustard and pepper together, add to the beaten eggs, then add the vinegar. place the saucepan on the range in a pan of boiling water. stir constantly until the dressing becomes thick and light. take from the fire and turn into a cold bowl at once to prevent curdling. beat the cream to a thick froth and stir it into the cold dressing. (when cream is not available use the same quantity of milk, previously thickened to the consistency of cream with a little cornstarch, add a tsp. of butter; when cold, add to the dressing.) mayonnaise dressing. / pt. of olive oil. tsp. mustard. / tsp. salt. yolks of uncooked eggs. tbsp. lemon juice. tbsp. vinegar. / tsp. sugar. a speck of cayenne. put the yolks of the eggs into a cold bowl, stir in the dry ingredients, beat well, using a silver or small wooden spoon. then add the oil, drop by drop. when the mixture gets so thick that it is difficult to stir, add a few drops of the vinegar to thin it. continue stirring in the oil and vinegar alternately until all are used, when it should be very thick; add the lemon juice last and beat for a few minutes longer; a cupful of whipped cream may be stirred into this dressing before using. (the following rules must be observed in order to insure success: ( ) to beat the yolks and dry ingredients until thick; ( ) to add the oil only in drops at first; ( ) always beat or stir in one direction, reversing the motion is apt to curdle the dressing.) lettuce salad. choose crisp, fresh lettuce, wash clean, let it remain for a little time in cold or ice water, drain thoroughly, break or tear the leaves into convenient pieces, dress with a french or cooked dressing; serve at once, cold. potato salad. pt. cold boiled potatoes. / tsp. salt. / cup cooked dressing. or the french dressing, as given. tsp. finely chopped onion. sp. pepper. cut the potatoes into pieces about the size of dice, mix the seasonings with the potatoes, turn into a dish in alternate layers of potatoes and dressing, having a little dressing on top. garnish with parsley, and allow to stand at least an hour in a cold place before serving, so that the potatoes may absorb the seasoning. (cold boiled beets cut into cubes may be added in alternate layers with the potatoes in this recipe, using a little more dressing.) tomato salad. peel the tomatoes (without scalding) and put them on ice until very cold, have crisp leaves of lettuce which have been washed and dried. when ready to serve, cut the tomatoes in halves, place one-half on a leaf of lettuce (the curly leaves being the best), on this put a tbsp. of mayonnaise or cooked dressing, and serve immediately. cabbage salad. cabbage or celery may be used as a salad by cutting rather fine, allowing it to get cold and crisp, and serving with a cooked or french dressing. indeed almost any vegetable may be used for a salad. string beans, asparagus, cauliflower, which have been cooked, are suitable for salad, either alone or in combination with nasturtium, cress, hard boiled eggs, etc. chicken salad. one pint each of cold boiled or roasted chicken and celery. cut the chicken into / -inch dice, scrape, wash and cut the celery into dice, put the celery in a napkin and lay on the ice for or minutes; season the chicken with vinegar, salt, pepper and oil (or the french dressing-oil may be omitted if the flavor is not agreeable, substituting cream or melted butter). add the celery to the seasoned chicken, add half the dressing (using either a cooked or mayonnaise), heap in a dish, add the remainder of the dressing, garnish with the tiny bleached celery leaves or small curly lettuce leaves. (a few capers and a hard boiled egg may be used as a garnish if desired.) in summer the chicken may be served on a tender lettuce leaf, adding a spoonful of dressing, and serving very cold. fruit salad. oranges. cup water. / package gelatine. bananas. juice of lemons. - / cup sugar. dissolve the gelatine in the water, add the sugar and lemon juice, strain and pour over the oranges and bananas, which have been peeled and sliced and placed in alternate layers in a mould. set away to cool. when needed, turn out and serve. garnish with malaga grapes, cherries, currants, or any suitable fruit. * * * * * cereals. all cereals require thorough cooking, because of the starch in them, also to soften the woody fibre. no matter what the cereal product may be, it should be cooked not less than three-quarters of an hour, and better if cooked longer. oatmeal porridge. pt. of boiling water. / cup of oatmeal. / tsp. salt. be sure to have the water boiling. sprinkle in the oatmeal slowly, stirring all the time. add the salt, and move back or set in a vessel of boiling water where it will cook gently for hour. do not stir the porridge after the first minutes. all porridge (or mush) is made on the same principle. cracked wheat should be cooked at least or hours. cornmeal should be cooked an hour or more. rice. wash cup of rice. have quarts of water, with tbsp. salt, boiling rapidly. sprinkle in the rice gradually, when you have it all in cover the kettle and boil minutes. if too thick add a little boiling water. test the grains, and the moment they are soft, and before the starch begins to cloud the water, pour into a colander to drain. stand it in the oven a few minutes to dry, leaving the door open. turn carefully into a heated dish and serve without a cover. (do not stir the rice while cooking.) rice croquettes. pint of milk. (l.) tbsps. of sugar. / cup raisins. / cup of rice. / tsp. vanilla. yolks of two eggs. wash the rice and put it into the boiling milk in a double boiler. cook until very thick; add the yolks of the eggs and the sugar, beat thoroughly. take from the fire, add the vanilla and the fruit, which has been well floured. turn out on a dish to cool, when cold form in pyramids or cylinders; dip first in beaten egg, then in fine bread crumbs and fry in deep, boiling fat. put a little jelly on the top of each croquette, dust the whole with powdered sugar, and serve with vanilla sauce or cream and sugar. baked rice. wash / cup of rice, turn into a buttered pudding dish, add tbsps. sugar, grate / of a small nutmeg, add qt. of milk, bake slowly for at least - / hour. farina. pint of milk. level tbsps. of farina. put the milk in the double boiler, when the milk boils add the salt, then sprinkle in the farina, stirring all the while; beat the mixture well and cook for minutes. serve with cream and sugar. (this may be made into a pudding by adding an egg, tbsps. sugar, / tsp. vanilla, baking in the oven until brown.) * * * * * macaroni. macaroni is quite as valuable as bread for food, and should be used very freely. boiled macaroni. break the macaroni in pieces about inches long. have boiling water, add a tsp. of salt; throw in the macaroni and boil rapidly minutes, put it into a colander to drain, return to the kettle, rub a tbsp. of butter and flour together until smooth, add either milk or water until the sauce is as thick as rich cream. cook it a few minutes before pouring over the macaroni, and serve (add salt to taste). macaroni with tomato sauce. / lb. macaroni. tbsp. butter. salt and pepper to taste. tbsp. flour. cup stewed tomatoes. hold the long sticks of macaroni in the hand; put the end into boiling salted water, as it softens bend and coil in the water without breaking. boil rapidly minutes. when done put it in a colander to drain. put the butter in a saucepan to melt, add to it the flour, mix until smooth, then add the tomatoes (which have been strained), stir carefully until it boils. pour over the hot macaroni and serve at once. macaroni and cheese. / lb. of macaroni. / lb. grated cheese. salt and white pepper to taste. / pt. milk. tsp. butter. break the macaroni in pieces about inches long. put it into plenty of boiling water. add tsp. salt and boil rapidly minutes; drain, throw into cold water to blanch for minutes. put the milk into the double boiler, add to it the butter, then the macaroni which has been drained, and cheese; stir until heated, add the salt and pepper, and serve. (the macaroni may be placed in a baking dish in alternate layers with the cheese, sprinkling each layer with pepper and salt, pouring the milk over the top, cutting the butter in small bits distributed over the top, and bake until brown in a moderately quick oven.) * * * * * cheese. cheese souffle. / lb. of cheese. ssp. of soda. a speck of cayenne. tbsps. flour. / cup of milk. tsp. mustard. eggs. tbsps. butter. put the butter in a saucepan, when melted stir in the flour, add the milk slowly, then the salt, mustard and cayenne, which have been mixed together. add the yolks of the eggs which have been well beaten, then the grated cheese; stir all together, lift from the fire and set away to cool. when cold, add the stiff beaten whites, turn into a buttered dish and bake or minutes. serve immediately. welsh rarebit. / lb. cheese. tsp. mustard. a speck of cayenne. tsp. butter. / cup cream or milk. / tsp. salt. egg. grate the cheese, put it with the milk in the double boiler. while this is heating, make some toast. mix the mustard, salt and pepper, add the egg and beat well. when the cheese has melted, stir in the egg and butter, and cook about two minutes, or until it thickens a little, but do not let it curdle. pour it over the hot toast and serve at once. * * * * * beverages. tea. in making tea, the following rules should be observed. the water should be freshly boiled. the teapot, which should be of earthen or china (never of tin), should be scalded and heated before putting in the tea. pour on the boiling water and cover closely, and let stand for or minutes before using. never, under any circumstances, allow tea to boil. the usual proportion is a small teaspoonful of tea to cup of boiling water, but this is too strong for general use. coffee. coffee may be made in various ways; by filtering, clarifying with an egg, or made with cold water. a common rule for making coffee is as follows: heaping tbsp. ground coffee to cups of freshly boiling water, egg shell. scald the coffee-pot, put in the coffee and the egg shell, add the boiling water, cover and boil just minutes. before serving, add a tbsp. of cold water; let stand for a few minutes before using. coffee made with an egg. egg is sufficient to clear cup of ground coffee; if a smaller quantity be desired, half the egg may be used. add / cup cold water to the portion of egg to be used, and / cup of ground coffee. beat well, put it in the coffee-pot, add qt. of boiling water, and boil minutes. move back where it will keep hot, but not boil, for minutes. pour out a little and pour it back again to clear the spout before serving. cocoa. pt. of milk. tbsps. of water. (l.) tsps. of cocoa. put the milk in the double boiler and set on the fire, mix the cocoa to a smooth paste with the cold water. when the milk boils, add the cocoa and boil for minute. serve very hot. if more water and less milk be used, allow a little more cocoa. * * * * * soups. soups may be divided into two classes, soup made with stock, and with milk. as soup should form part of the regular daily diet, and may be made from the cheaper materials, it is absolutely necessary that every housekeeper should understand the art of making it properly. in the first place it is well to know what may be used in the process of soup making. the first and most important step is to prepare the stock. for this purpose have a large earthen bowl or "catch all," as some teachers call it. into this put all the bones, trimmings, bits of steak or chop and gravy which has been left over. keep in a cold place. when needed, cover with cold water and simmer or hours; strain and set away to cool. when cold, remove the fat which will have formed a solid coating on the top. the stock is now ready for use. by saving the remains of vegetables cooked for the table, the outer stocks of celery, a hard boiled egg, etc., a very palatable and nutritious soup may be made at a trifling cost. in families where large quantities of meat are used, there should be sufficient material without buying meat for soup. it is not necessary to have all the ingredients mentioned in some recipes in order to secure satisfactory results. it will, however, be necessary to understand soup flavorings, so as to know which ones may be left out. stock made from the shin of beef, or from the cheaper pieces which contain the coarser fibre and gristle, require long, slow cooking (see methods). never soak meat in water before cooking in any form. wipe carefully with a damp cloth before cutting or preparing for use. for soup break or saw the bones into small pieces, and for each pound of meat and bone allow qt. of cold water. cover the kettle closely and let it heat slowly until it reaches the simmering point, when it should be moved back and kept at that degree for several hours. soup should never be allowed to boil hard. the scum which rises to the surface is the albumen and juices of the meat, and should not be skimmed off. if the kettle is clean, and all impurities removed from the meat, there will not be anything objectionable in the scum. stock must always be allowed to remain until cold, so that the fat may be removed before using. a strong, greasy soup is rarely relished, and is one of the principal reasons why so many people dislike this valuable article of diet. do not add salt to the meat which is being prepared for stock until a few minutes before removing from the fire. salt hardens the water if added at first and makes the tissues more difficult to dissolve. stock may be kept for several days by occasionally bringing it to the boiling point. this is not necessary in winter if it is kept in a cold place. vegetable soup. qt. stock. / cup each chopped turnip and cabbage. tsp. sugar. ssp. pepper. / cup each of onion, carrot, celery (chopped). - / tsp. salt. if all these vegetables are not available, a little macaroni, rice or barley may be added. chop all the vegetables very fine, cabbage or onions should be parboiled minutes, drain carefully. put all the vegetables together, cover with qt. of water and simmer until tender, then add the stock, the seasoning, and allow it to simmer about minutes. serve without straining. tomato soup. pt. of canned or stewed tomatoes. / tsp. salt. tsp. sugar. tbsp. butter. whole cloves or / bay leaf. pt. of stock. / ssp. pepper. tbsp. minced onion. tbsp. flour or cornstarch. a speck of cayenne may be added if desired. put the tomato and stock in a saucepan and set on the fire. cook the vegetables in the butter for minutes; then press out the butter and put the vegetables in the soup. into the butter remaining in the pan put the flour and stir until smooth, then add to the soup. allow all to simmer for minutes; strain and serve. split pea soup. pt. of split peas. - / qt. of boiling water. qt. of stock. salt and pepper to taste. wash the peas in cold water (rejecting those which float) and soak them over night. in the morning drain the water off and cover them again with qt. of the boiling water. boil until tender, about - / hour. now add the stock and pt. of the boiling water. press the whole through a sieve; wash the soup kettle, return the soup, boil up once, add salt and pepper and serve with croutons. dried pea soup may be made in exactly the same manner, using pt. of dried peas instead of the split ones. onion soup. large spanish onion. qt. stock. tbsp. flour. tbsps. butter. salt and pepper to taste. peel and chop the onion. put the butter in a frying-pan, add the onion, and stir until a nice brown. put the stock on to boil. skim the onions out of the butter and add them to the stock. stir tbsp. of flour into the remaining butter, thin with a little of the stock, put all together, and simmer for minutes. add salt and pepper, and it is ready to serve. macaroni soup. qt. clear soup. tsp. salt. sticks macaroni. break the macaroni into small pieces and throw it into quart of boiling water containing the tsp. of salt. let it boil uncovered minutes. drain off the water and add the macaroni to the hot stock, cover and cook slowly for or minutes. a little more seasoning may be added if desired. oyster soup. pt. oysters. / pt. cold water. / tsp. pepper. salt to taste. pt. milk. (l.) tbsps. flour. tbsps. butter. put a strainer over a bowl and turn the oysters into it. pour the water over the oysters and stir with a spoon until all the liquid has passed through the strainer. reserve / cup of the milk, pouring the remainder into the double boiler, set it on the fire. put the oyster liquor in a stew-pan, and heat slowly. mix the cold milk with the flour, and stirring into the boiling milk; cook for minutes. when the oyster liquor boils, skim it. when the flour and milk have cooked for minutes, add the oysters, butter, salt, pepper and oyster liquor. cook until the oysters curl on the edge and are plump. serve at once. bean soup (without stock). qt. dried white beans. large tbsp. butter. qts. water. salt and pepper to taste. wash the beans, cover them with water, and soak over night. next morning drain, put them on to boil with quarts of fresh cold water. as soon as they come to a boil drain this water off and throw it away. cover again with quarts of fresh boiling water, add ssp. of soda, and boil until soft. press the beans through a sieve, return to the kettle, and if too thick add enough boiling water to make the soup about the consistency of cream. add the salt, pepper and butter, and serve. (minced onion, carrot, or celery fried in a little butter or dripping, and added to this soup before straining, improves the flavor.) bouillon. lbs. lean beef. small onion. a sprig of parsley. qt. cold water. stalk celery, or / tsp. celery seed. bay leaf. remove all the fat and chop the meat very fine. put it into the soup kettle with the water, bay leaf, parsley, onion and celery. cover the kettle closely and place it in the back part of the range for hours. then move it over and let it come to a boil; skim at the first boil. move back and simmer gently for hours. strain, return to the kettle, add salt and pepper. beat the white of one egg with / cup of cold water until thoroughly mixed. wash the egg shell, mash it and add to the white. now add the white, shell and water to the boiling bouillon; let it boil hard for minutes, then throw in / cup of cold water and boil minutes longer. take the kettle off the fire, strain through a flannel bag, add salt to taste, and color with caramel. (see recipe for caramel.) this is an excellent preparation for invalids. * * * * * fish. fish is an invaluable article of food. it provides variety in diet, and while less stimulating than meat, is usually more easily digested. fish should be perfectly fresh and thoroughly cooked. the most wholesome as well as the most palatable methods for cooking fish are broiling and baking. the flesh of fresh fish is firm and will not retain the impress of the finger if pressed into it. the eyes should be bright and glassy, the gills red and full of blood. fish should be cleaned as soon as possible and thoroughly wiped with a cloth wet in salt water, and should be kept in a cool place. do not put it near other food such as milk, butter, etc., as they will absorb the odor. broiled fish. rub a double broiler well with a piece of suet before putting in the fish. lay the fish flat so that the flesh side will be exposed on one side of the broiler and the skin on the other. broil carefully, as the skin side burns very quickly. a fish weighing lbs. will take about or minutes to broil. when cooked sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve very hot. baked fish. cup cracker or bread crumbs. ssp. salt. tsp. chopped onion. tsp. chopped parsley. ssp. pepper. / cup melted butter or dripping. clean, wipe and dry the fish, rub with salt; fill with stuffing and sew or tie carefully. rub all over with butter (or dripping), salt and pepper, dredge with flour, put it into a hot oven; baste when the flour is brown, and often afterwards. remove carefully from the pan and place upon a hot platter. scalloped fish. pick over carefully any remnants of cold boiled or baked fish, put into a shallow dish in alternate layers with bread crumbs and cream sauce. cover with crumbs and bake till brown. salt fish balls. cup salt fish. tsp. butter. / ssp. pepper. pint potatoes. egg, well beaten. more salt if needed. wash the fish, pick in pieces and free from bones. pare the potatoes and cut in quarters. put the potatoes and fish in a stew-pan and cover with boiling water. boil until the potatoes are tender. drain off all the water; mash and beat the fish and potatoes till very light. add the butter and pepper, and when slightly cooled add the egg. lift in a tbsp. and drop into smoking hot fat minute, drain on brown paper; they may be formed into balls and browned in a very hot oven. * * * * * meat. (_see analysis, chap. v._) as meat is composed of several substances, fibrine, albumen, gelatin, fat and the juices, it is necessary to understand the various methods of cooking in order to secure the best results. meat has its season as well as many other foods. pork is better in autumn and winter; veal in the spring and summer; fowl in autumn and winter; lamb in the summer and autumn; mutton and beef may be used any time. meat should not be allowed to remain in the paper in which it comes from market, as it absorbs the juices and injures the flavor. wipe all over with a clean wet cloth. examine carefully, remove any tainted or unclean portions and keep in a clean, cool place until required. good beef should be a bright red color, well mixed with fat, and a layer of fat on the outside; the suet should be dry and crumble easily. (see meat diagrams for different cuts.) mutton should have an abundance of clear, white fat, the flesh fine grained and a bright red color. the fat of veal should be clear and white, the lean pink, and should always be thoroughly cooked. pork is more indigestible when fresh than when cured, as in bacon and ham. fresh pork should be firm, the fat white, the lean a pale red. roast of beef. wipe, trim, and tie or skewer into shape the cut for roasting. if there be a large piece of the flank, cut it off and use for soups or stews. if you wish to roast it, turn it underneath and fasten with a skewer. lay the meat on a rack in a pan, and dredge all over with flour. put on the top of a roast or tbsps. of dripping or pieces of the fat; put it in a very hot oven at first. after the outside has become seared, check off the heat and allow to cook slowly, basting frequently. (see time table for baking.) broiled steak. trim the steak free from all suet (save all trimmings for stews or the stock pot). put the meat plate to warm, grease the broiler with a little of the fat. see that the fire is clear. put the steak on the hot broiler and place it over the fire, turning every seconds. it will take about minutes if the steak is inch thick. when done, place it on the hot plate, dredge it with salt and pepper; turn over and season the other side. serve immediately. pan-broiled steak. when the fire is not suitable for broiling, heat the frying pan until smoking hot; trim the steak as for broiling, place firmly on the hot pan, turn frequently as in broiling, with a broad knife or pancake turner; never insert a fork, as it allows the juice to escape. it will cook in minutes. season, and serve the same as broiled steak. if a gravy is desired, fry a little of the suet and trimmings in the pan--after the steak has been removed--until brown, lift out the meat or suet, add tbsp. of flour, stir until brown, add pepper and salt to taste, then add teacup of boiling water. cook for or minutes and strain over the steak. hamburg steak. lb. of steak from the upper side of the round, or any piece of lean beef free from gristle; chop very fine, add tbsp. of onion juice (or finely minced onion), / tsp. salt, / ssp. black pepper, mix well together; dip the hands in cold water, take tbsps. of the mixture and form with the hands into small round cakes. have the frying pan very hot, put in tbsps. of dripping; when hot, put in the steaks, brown on both sides--or they may be pan-broiled. place them on a hot dish, add a tbsp. of flour to the fat remaining in the pan, mix until smooth and brown; add a cupful of boiling water, stir until it boils, add pepper and salt to taste, and pour over the steak. beef stew with dumplings. lbs. of lean beef (cheaper cuts). cut into pieces about inch square, dredge with flour. put tbsps. of dripping into a frying pan; as soon as it is very hot put in the meat and shake or stir until nicely browned. skim out the meat and put it in a saucepan. add tbsp. of flour to the dripping remaining in the pan, mix and add quart of boiling water; stir over the fire until it boils, then strain it over the meat; add one small onion, pepper and salt to taste. cover the saucepan closely and let it simmer for hours. make the dumplings by sifting pint of flour, to which has been added tsps. baking powder. add / tsp. salt and enough milk to make a soft dough. lift the dough in spoonfuls, placing them over the meat, cover quickly and let boil minutes. do not uncover the saucepan while the dumplings are cooking or they will fall immediately. be careful not to allow the stew to burn while the dumplings are cooking. pot roast. trim off the rough parts of a brisket of beef or any of the cheaper cuts. place it in a kettle over a good fire; brown on one side, then turn and brown on the other; add pint of boiling water, cover closely and simmer, allowing minutes to every pound. add pepper and salt when the meat is nearly done. braised beef. from to lbs. of beef from the lower part of the round or rump. trim and rub well with salt, pepper and flour. chop small onions and fry until light brown in pork fat or dripping; skim them out and put them into the pan in which the meat is to be braised, then brown the meat all over, adding more fat if needed (this may be done in a very hot oven). put the meat into the pan, on skewers to keep it from sticking, with the onions around it. add qt. of boiling water, cover closely, putting a brick or heavy weight on the cover to keep it down, and cook in a moderate oven hours, basting occasionally. turn once and add more water as it evaporates, so as to have pt. left for gravy. when tender take up the meat, remove the fat, add more salt and pepper, and if liked, a little lemon juice or tomato may be added. thicken with tbsps. of flour wet in a little cold water. cook minutes and pour the gravy over the meat. any tough meat may be cooked in this way. hash. take any pieces left of a cold roast, steaks or stews, chop very fine; take tbsp. butter or dripping, tbsp. of flour, stir together in a hot frying pan, when brown add cup boiling water; add tbsp. chopped onion, pepper and salt to taste, let simmer for minutes, then add the meat, stir until heated thoroughly and serve on toast. corned beef or sausage hash. pt. hashed corn beef or sausage. tsp. salt. tbsp. butter or dripping. pt. of hashed potatoes. / tsp. pepper. / cup of milk. (omit the milk if sausage is used). mix the potato and meat, season with the pepper and salt, add the milk and stir lightly. put the butter or dripping into a hot frying pan, when melted put in the hash, spread it lightly and evenly, but do not stir it. cover the pan and set where the hash will cook slowly for or minutes. move over to a hotter part of the stove and let it remain until a rich, brown crust has formed on the bottom. fold over and serve on a hot dish. mutton--boiled leg of mutton. wipe the leg with a damp towel. dust a cloth with flour and wrap the leg up with it. put it into a kettle of boiling water and simmer gently minutes to every pound; add salt when the leg is nearly done. when cooked remove the cloth carefully, garnish with parsley and serve with caper sauce. save the liquor in which it was boiled for broth, stews, etc. irish stew. lbs. of the neck of mutton. good sized onions. potatoes cut into dice. qts. of water. salt and pepper to taste. cut the meat into small pieces, cover with the water, which should be boiling, add the onions sliced, and simmer gently for hours. about / hour before the meat is done add the potatoes, season with pepper and salt, and serve. to bake or roast a quarter of lamb. wipe the meat with a damp cloth, place in a baking pan, dredge with pepper, put tsp. of salt in the pan, add just enough water to keep the pan from burning until enough of its own fat has fried out to use for basting. baste at least every minutes; allow minutes to every pound in a very hot oven. serve with mint sauce. lamb chops are broiled or pan-broiled the same as beefsteak. veal--veal cutlets. have the cutlets about / of an inch thick, dredge with salt, pepper and flour. put a tbsp. of dripping in a frying pan, and when very hot put in the cutlets; when brown on one side turn and brown on the other, take out and place on a hot dish. add a tbsp. of flour to the fat remaining in the pan, mix and stir until brown; add a cupful of boiling water, pepper and salt to taste, stir until it boils, pour over the cutlets, and serve. stewed knuckle of veal. wipe the knuckle well with a damp cloth. cut it into pieces. put into a kettle with quarts of boiling water, add onion chopped, / lb. of chopped ham, and bay leaf, pepper and salt to taste. cover and stew slowly for - / hours (a half cup of rice may be added to this stew). jellied veal. knuckle of veal. blade of mace. whole cloves. / cup of vinegar. onion. bay leaf. pepper corns. salt and pepper to taste. wipe the knuckle and cut it into pieces. put into a kettle with quarts of cold water; bring slowly to simmering point; skim and simmer gently for hours; then add the onion, mace, bay leaf, cloves, pepper corns, and simmer hour longer. take out the knuckle, carefully remove the bones and put the meat into a mould or square pan. boil the liquor until reduced to quart, add the vinegar, pepper and salt to taste, strain and pour over the meat. stand away until cold, when it may be turned out and garnished with parsley and lemon. fillet of veal (stuffed). cup of bread crumbs. tsp. of summer savory. ssp. of pepper. / cup of chopped salt pork or ham. tsp. of salt. have the bone removed from the shoulder, fill the space from which the bone was taken with the stuffing, fasten the meat together with a skewer to prevent the stuffing from coming out, put into the pan with or tbsps. of dripping, allowing minutes to each pound, basting frequently in a moderately hot oven. pork and beans. soak the beans over night in cold water. in the morning wash them well in a colander, put them on to boil in cold water, at the first boil drain this water off and cover with fresh boiling water. score the rind of the pork and put it in with the beans. simmer gently until you can blow off the skin of the beans. to do this, take or beans in your hand, blow hard on them, and if the skin cracks they are done. take out the pork and drain. put the beans into an earthen pot or granite kettle with a cover; almost bury the pork in the centre of the beans. add tsp. of salt to pint of the water in which the beans were boiled, pour this into the pot, sprinkle with pepper, pour over the beans large spoonful of molasses, put on the lid, bake in a moderate oven for or hours. if baked in an ordinary iron baking pan they must be covered with another on which has been placed a weight, carefully watched, and baked only hours. roast spare ribs. put the spare ribs in a baking pan, sprinkle lightly with pepper, add / tsp. of salt to / cup of boiling water, and pour in the bottom of the pan. roast minutes to every lb., basting often. when done, make a gravy and serve as for any other roast. (spare ribs may be stuffed, the ribs cracked crosswise, the stuffing placed in the centre, the two ends folded over, roast as above.) broiled ham. have the ham cut into slices about / inch thick, trim off the rind and rusty edge. broil the same as steak or chops. (this is a very nice way to serve ham with poached eggs.) ham may be pan-broiled as directed in former recipes. fried bacon. cut into very thin slices, put into a very hot frying pan, and cook until clear and crisp. sausage. prick the skins with a sharp fork so as to prevent bursting; place them in a frying pan over a moderate fire and fry in their own fat until a nice brown. after taking the sausage from the pan, add tbsp. of flour to the fat in the pan, add cup of boiling water, stir until it boils, pour over the sausage and serve. liver and bacon. have the bacon cut in thin slices and keep it cold until the time to cook it. have the liver cut into slices about / of an inch thick. if it be calf or sheep's liver, wash it in cold water and let it drain; but if it be beef liver, after washing it, cover with boiling water and let it stand for minutes, then drain it. cook the bacon as directed, then take it up. lay the slices of liver in the hot fat, cook them for or minutes, turning often; season with pepper and salt. arrange the liver on a warm platter, make a gravy as directed in other recipes, pour over the liver, placing the bacon round the outside. (always cook bacon quickly and liver slowly.) * * * * * poultry. the best chickens have soft yellow feet, short thick legs, smooth, moist skin and plump breast; the cartilage on the end of the breast bone is soft and pliable. pin feathers always indicate a young bird and long hairs an older one. all poultry should be dressed as soon as killed. cut off the head, and if the fowl is to be roasted, slip the skin back from the neck and cut the neck off close to the body, leaving skin enough to fold over on the back. remove the windpipe, pull the crop away from the skin on the neck and breast, and cut off close to the opening in the body. cut through the skin about inches below the leg joint, bend the leg at the cut by pressing it on the edge of the table and break off the bone. then pull out the tendon. if care be taken to cut only through the skin, these cords may be pulled out easily, one at a time, with the fingers; or by putting the foot of the fowl against the casing of a door, then shut the door tightly and pull on the leg. the drum stick of a roast chicken or turkey is greatly improved by removing the tendons. cut out the oil bag in the tail, make an incision near the vent, insert two fingers, keeping the fingers up close to the breast bone until you can reach in beyond the liver and heart, and loosen on either side down toward the back. draw everything out carefully. see that the kidneys and lungs are not left in, and be very careful not to break any of the intestines. when the fowl has been cleaned carefully it will not require much washing. rinse out the inside quickly and wipe dry. in stuffing and trussing a fowl, place the fowl in a bowl and put the stuffing in at the neck, fill out the breast until plump. then draw the neck skin together at the ends and sew it over on the back. put the remainder of the stuffing into the body at the other opening and sew with coarse thread or fine twine. draw the thighs up close to the body and tie the legs over the tail firmly with twine. put a long skewer through the thigh into the body and out through the opposite thigh, turn the tips of the wings under the back of the fowl, put a long skewer through from one wing to the other. wind a string from the tail to the skewer in the thigh, then up to the one in the wing across the back to the other wing, then down to the opposite side and tie firmly round the tail. if you have no skewers, the fowl may be kept in shape by tying carefully with twine. clean all the giblets, cut away all that looks green near the gall bladder, open the gizzard and remove the inner lining without breaking. put the gizzard, heart, liver, and the piece of neck which has been cut off, into cold water, wash carefully, put in a saucepan, cover with cold water, place on the back of the stove and simmer till tender. use the liquid for making the gravy; the meat may be chopped and used for giblet soup. roast chicken (or turkey). singe carefully, remove the pin feathers, draw as directed above. wipe, stuff, sew and tie or skewer into shape, dredge with flour, cover with plenty of dripping; roast in a hot oven. when the flour is brown check the heat, baste frequently with the fat, and when nearly cooked dredge with pepper and salt and again with flour. bake a lb. chicken - / hour, or until the joints separate easily. if browning too fast, cover with paper. (roast chicken is considered to be more wholesome and to have a better flavor when cooked without stuffing.) fricassee of chicken. the first attempt of an inexperienced cook in the preparation of a chicken should be a fricassee, as it will provide an opportunity for her to study the anatomy of a chicken while cutting it in pieces, and also show her the position of the intestines, so that when she attempts to draw a fowl she will know just where to place her hand so as to remove them without breaking. to prepare a chicken for a fricassee, clean and singe. cut the chicken at the joints in pieces for serving. place in a kettle, cover with boiling water, add level tsps. of salt, a ssp. of pepper (some like a small piece of salt pork). simmer until tender, reducing the water to a pint or less, lift the chicken, melt tbsp. of butter in a saucepan, add tbsps. of flour, and when well mixed pour on slowly the chicken liquor. add more salt if needed, pepper, / tsp. of celery salt, tsp. of lemon juice (an egg may be used by beating and pouring the sauce slowly on the egg, stirring well before adding it to the chicken). pour this gravy over the chicken and serve; dumplings may be added if desired, or it may be placed in a deep dish, covered with pastry and baked for chicken pie. (the chicken may be browned in a little hot fat as in braising meat, and cooked in the same way.) broiled chicken. singe and split a young chicken down the back. break the joints, clean and wipe with a wet cloth, sprinkle with pepper and salt, rub well with butter or dripping, place in a double grid-iron and broil minutes over a clear fire. the chicken may be covered with fine bread crumbs or dredged with flour, allowing a plentiful supply of butter or dripping, and baked in a hot oven / hour. meat souffle. make cup of white sauce and season with chopped parsley and onion juice. stir cup of chopped meat (chicken, tongue, veal or lamb) into the sauce. when hot, add the beaten yolks of two eggs; cook minute and set away to cool. when cool, stir in the whites, beat very stiff. bake in a buttered dish about twenty minutes and serve immediately. croquettes. these may be made with any kind of cooked meat, fish, rice, potatoes, etc., or from a mixture of several ingredients, when mixed with a thick white sauce, as follows: pint hot milk, tbsps. butter or beef dripping, (l.) tbsps. flour, or (l.) tbsps. cornstarch, / tsp. salt, / ssp. white pepper, / tsp. celery salt, a speck of cayenne. melt the butter or dripping in a saucepan, when hot add the dry cornstarch or flour. stir till well mixed. add / of the hot milk and stir as it boils and thickens, add the remainder of the hot milk gradually. the sauce should be very thick. add the seasoning, and mix it while hot with the meat or fish. it is improved by adding a beaten egg just before the sauce is taken from the fire. when cold, shape into rolls or like a pear, roll lightly in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs, and fry in deep hot fat. drain on coarse brown paper. if the mixture be too soft to handle easily stir in enough fine cracker or soft bread crumbs to stiffen it, but never flour. * * * * * hot puddings. apple pudding (baked). pint flour. / cup butter or dripping. cup milk. tsp. cream of tartar. tbsps. sugar. / tsp. salt. egg. / tsp. soda sifted into the flour. tart apples. mix the dry ingredients, beat the egg and mix it with the milk, stir this into the dry mixture. core, pare and cut the apples into quarters (if large into eighths). place in the bottom of a pudding dish, sprinkle over them the sugar, a little nutmeg or cinnamon may be added if desired. put the mixture over this, lifting the apples with a fork or spoon so as to let the mixture penetrate to the bottom of the pan. bake in a moderately hot oven about minutes. serve with lemon sauce or thin custard. cottage pudding. / pint sifted flour. / cup sugar. / tsp. salt. egg. / cup milk. tbsp. butter. tsps. baking powder (level). beat the butter and sugar to a cream, add the unbeaten egg, beat vigorously for or minutes, add the salt, then the flour, with which the baking powder should be mixed. beat for a few seconds, then turn the batter into a small, buttered pudding dish, bake about minutes in a moderate oven; serve with lemon sauce. lemon pudding. level tbsps. granulated sugar. ssp. of salt. tbsps. milk. the juice and grated rind of a small lemon. (l.) tsps. cornstarch. tbsp. butter. / cup water. egg. mix the cornstarch with tbsps. cold water; put the remainder of the water in the saucepan and set on to boil. stir into this the mixed cornstarch and cook until clear. take from the fire, add the salt and lemon, reserving / tsp. of the lemon. beat the butter to a cream, gradually beat into it the sugar, the yolk of the egg, lastly the milk. stir this mixture into the cooked ingredients, and bake in a moderate oven for minutes. beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth, beat into it tbsp. of powdered sugar and the / tsp. of lemon juice. spread this over the hot pudding and leave in the oven until slightly browned. (this pudding is better served very cold.) bread pudding. pint stale bread crumbs. quart of sugar. ssp. of nutmeg or cinnamon. eggs. / tsp. salt. soak the bread crumbs for hour in quart of milk. beat the eggs, add the sugar and seasoning, stir all into the bread crumbs, bake hour in a buttered pudding dish. (raisins or currants may be added if desired.) another method for making bread pudding is to butter thin slices of stale bread, spread with a little jam or sprinkle a few currants (well washed) over each layer, lay them in a pudding dish, pour over a quart of milk, to which has been added well beaten eggs, / cup sugar. bake until the custard thickens. this pudding may be served either hot or cold. steamed apple pudding. pints pared and quartered apples. / pint flour. / cup sugar. tbsp. butter. / of a grated nutmeg. / cup milk. / pint water. / tsp. salt. (l.) tsps. baking powder. put the apples, water, sugar, and nutmeg into a porcelain or granite saucepan and set on the fire. when the apples begin to boil, set back where they will cook gently. mix the flour, salt and baking powder together. rub the butter into this dry mixture, wet with the milk, stir quickly into a soft dough. press or roll the dough lightly into a round piece about the size of the top of the saucepan. lay this on the apples; put on a close cover and continue cooking gently for minutes. the crust may be lifted to a plate for a moment, the apples turned into a pudding dish, then placing the crust over the top. to be served with lemon or nutmeg sauce. boiled rice pudding. / cup rice. / tsp. salt. pint milk. / cup raisins. wash the rice well. put it on the fire in pint of cold water and let it cook for minutes. drain off the water, add the salt and milk; then cook in the double boiler for hours, add the raisins when about half cooked. do not stir the rice while it is cooking. brown betty. pare, core and slice or tart apples. put a layer of stale bread crumbs in the bottom of the baking dish, then a layer of the apples, another layer of bread crumbs and apples, and so on until all are used, having the last layer crumbs. add / cup of water to / cup molasses, stir in tbsps. of brown sugar; pour it over the crumbs and bake in a moderate oven for hour. apple snow. apples. juice of lemon. cup white sugar. whites of eggs. pare, core and steam the apples until tender, then press them through a sieve and put aside to cool; when cold add the sugar and lemon juice. beat the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth, add the apples to them by spoonfuls, beating all the while. heap in a glass dish and serve immediately. (this is a very delicate and wholesome pudding for an invalid.) scalloped apples. made the same as brown betty, omitting the molasses, adding water and a little lemon juice instead. suet pudding. cup suet. cup molasses. cups flour. / tsp. salt. cup raisins. cup milk. tsp. cinnamon. tsps. baking powder. chop the suet very fine. stone the raisins. add the molasses to the suet, then the milk: mix well and add the salt, flour and cinnamon. beat vigorously for or minutes, then add the raisins. rub in the flour, to which has been added the baking powder; mix thoroughly, turn into a buttered mould, steam for hours. tapioca pudding. cup tapioca. eggs. / cup sugar. quart milk. / tsp. salt. tsp. vanilla. wash the tapioca carefully, then add it to the milk and soak hours. beat the eggs and sugar together, add the salt, stir into the tapioca and milk, and bake in a moderate oven at least / of an hour. serve hot or cold. chocolate pudding. egg. tbsps. cornstarch. tbsps. sugar. / tsp. vanilla. pint milk. tbsp. boiling water. / tsp. salt. oz. shaved chocolate. reserve / cup milk, put the remainder on the fire in a double boiler. mix the cold milk with the cornstarch and salt. beat the egg well and add to the cornstarch mixture. stir this into the boiling milk and stir well. put the chocolate, sugar and boiling water into a small frying pan or saucepan, and set over a hot fire. stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy; beat this into the pudding and cook for minutes longer. take from the fire and add the vanilla. dip a mould into cold water and turn the pudding into it. set away to cool. when cold and stiff, turn out on a flat dish and surround with whipped cream; or serve with cream and sugar or a soft custard. snow pudding. / box gelatine. cup boiling water. cup sugar. tbsps. cold water. juice of one lemon. whites of eggs. soak the gelatine in cold water for hours. pour upon this the boiling water and stir until the gelatine is dissolved; then add the sugar and lemon juice, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. set the bowl in a pan of cold water, or broken ice. stir frequently; when it begins to thicken, stir in the beaten whites of the eggs, pour into a mould and set away until firm. serve with boiled custard. cream pie. make a plain cup cake, and bake it in a shallow cake pan. when cooked and cold, split it carefully. put pint of milk on to boil in a farina boiler. beat the yolks of eggs and / cup of sugar together until light, then add the well-beaten whites, and stir them into the boiling milk; stir over the fire for about minute, then take from the fire, add tsp. of vanilla, and stand away to cool. when cold, and ready to serve, put a thick layer of this sauce between the layers of cake, pour the remaining sauce around the pie, and serve immediately. blanc mange. pint milk. tbsps. sugar. (l.) tbsps. cornstarch. / ssp. salt. put the milk on to boil. moisten the cornstarch with a little cold milk, then add it to the boiling milk, and stir until it thickens; let it cook slowly for minutes; add the sugar and salt, take from the fire, pour into a mould and set away to harden. strawberry shortcake. pint flour. / tsp. salt. (l.) tsps. baking powder. oz. butter. cup milk. mix the salt, flour and butter together. sift, then add the baking powder and sift again. add the liquid gradually, mixing and cutting with a knife until the dough is light and spongy; turn it out on a well floured board, pat into a flat cake and roll gently till / an inch thick. bake in a spider or pie plate in a rather hot oven. split and spread with sweetened berries and serve either hot or cold. * * * * * pudding sauces. plain sauce. cup water. tsp. butter. / ssp. grated nutmeg. tbsps. sugar. tsps. flour or cornstarch. melt the butter and flour together, stir in the hot water, add the sugar and flavoring, cook until smooth and clear. molasses sauce. / cup molasses. / cup water or / tbsp. vinegar. (l.) tsps. flour. / cup sugar. tbsp. lemon juice. tbsp. butter. / ssp. salt. mix the flour and sugar together. pour the boiling water upon it. add the molasses and place on the range. simmer for minutes. add the other ingredients; boil up once and serve. (omit lemon if vinegar is used.) cream sauce. egg. tsp. butter. tsp. cornstarch. / cup powdered sugar. tsp. vanilla. cup boiling milk. beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth; then gradually beat into it the powdered sugar and cornstarch. next add the yolk of the egg and beat well. pour upon this the cupful of boiling milk and place on the fire. stir until it boils, then add the butter and vanilla. lemon sauce. tbsp. cornstarch. / cup sugar. pint boiling water. tbsp. butter. egg. lemon. beat the egg, add the cornstarch and sugar, stir them well together; add the boiling water gradually and stir over the fire until thick; add the butter, juice and grated rind of one lemon. serve hot. vanilla sauce. cup milk. (l.) tbsps. sugar. eggs. / tsp. vanilla. put the milk on to boil, beat the yolks and sugar till very light; add them to the boiling milk; stir over the fire until creamy. have the whites beaten, pour over them the boiling mixture; beat thoroughly and serve at once. * * * * * cake. there are practically two kinds of cake, that made with butter, and cake made without butter. when these two methods are understood, cake making becomes easy. a few simple rules must govern all cake making. st. regulate the heat. cakes without butter require a quick oven; with butter, a moderate oven. nd. beat whites and yolks separately. rd. beat butter and sugar to a cream. th. add the whites last. th. currants should be cleaned, washed and dried and floured (to which flour some of the baking powder should be added). th. add the milk or water gradually. th. sift the flour before measuring. th. level tsps. of baking powder are equal to / tsp. soda and tsp. cream of tartar. th. when looking at a cake while baking, do it quickly and without jarring the stove. th. to find out if it is baked, run a broom straw through the centre, if no dough adheres the cake is done. th. if browning too quickly, cover with brown paper and reduce the heat gradually. this is usually necessary in baking fruit cake. th. mix cake in an earthen bowl, never in tin. th. soda, cream of tartar, and baking powder should be crushed and sifted with the flour. always attend to the fire before beginning to make cake. coarse granulated sugar makes a coarse, heavy cake. if cake browns before rising the oven is too hot. when it rises in the centre and cracks open it is too stiff with flour. it should rise first round the edge, then in the middle and remain level. gingerbread. cup molasses. tbsps. butter. tsp. ginger. pint flour. / cup sour milk. tsp. soda. egg. put the molasses and butter in a pan and set on the stove. when the mixture boils up add the soda and ginger, and take from the fire immediately. add the milk, the well-beaten egg and the flour, beat well. bake in a shallow cake pan in a rather quick oven for minutes. spice cake. / cup butter. / cup molasses. / cup sour milk. / ssp. salt. / tsp. soda. the juice and rind of / lemon. / cup sugar. - / cups flour. / tsp. ginger. tsp. cinnamon. / nutmeg, grated. egg. beat the butter to a cream. gradually beat into it the sugar, then the spice and lemon, next the molasses. now dissolve the soda in one tbsp. cold water and stir it into the sour milk; add this, and the egg well beaten, to the other ingredients. lastly add the flour, and beat briskly for / minute. pour into a well buttered pan and bake in a moderate oven for about minutes. sponge cake. eggs. / cup flour. / cup pulverized sugar. the grated rind and juice of / lemon. beat the yolks of the eggs and sugar until very light, now add the juice and rind of the lemon and half the flour; beat the whites to a very stiff froth, add the remainder of the flour and the whites alternately, stirring lightly, pour into a greased cake pan. bake in a quick oven from to minutes. roll jelly cake. eggs. cup sugar. - / cup flour. / tsp. salt. cup sweet milk. (l.) tsps. baking powder. beat the eggs separately till very light, then beat them together, add the sugar, then the milk gradually, then the flour in which the salt and baking powder have been mixed. spread very thin on long shallow pans. spread with jelly while warm and roll up. seed cake. cup butter. cup milk. tsps. caraway seeds. tsps. baking powder. - / cup sugar. eggs. cups flour. cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, then the yolks of the eggs, then the seeds; sift the baking powder with the flour; add the flour and milk alternately a little at a time, lastly the whites which have been beaten stiff and dry; bake from to minutes. cookies (plain). / cup butter. / cup milk. even tsps. baking powder. cup sugar. egg. flour to roll out thin. cream the butter, add the sugar, milk, egg beaten lightly, and the baking powder mixed with two cups of flour, then enough more flour to roll out. roll a little at a time. cut out. bake about minutes. layer cake. / cup butter. cup sugar. - / cups flour. eggs. / cup milk. (l.) tsps. baking powder. beat the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the yolks of the eggs gradually; then the flour and milk alternately (sifting the baking powder with the flour), add the well-beaten whites last. bake in tins in a moderate oven about minutes. (flavoring has been omitted in this recipe as the cake is more delicate by allowing the filling to provide the flavor.) plain fruit cake. eggs. cup milk. oz. candied lemon. (l.) tsps. baking powder. / cup butter. (l.) cups flour. cup raisins. mix as directed in preceding recipe, only mixing the fruit with the flour and baking powder. icing. whites of eggs. / lb. powdered sugar. tsp. of lemon juice. have the material very cold. break the eggs carefully, beat the whites until frothy (not stiff); sift the sugar in gradually, beating all the while; add the lemon juice and continue beating until fine and white, and stiff enough to stand alone. keep in a cool place, when using, spread with a knife dipped in cold water. if used for ornamenting press through a tube. it may be divided and different colorings added. boiled icing. cup granulated sugar. / cup boiling water. / tsp. cream of tartar. white of egg. boil the sugar and water together until it hangs from the spoon. beat the egg to a stiff froth, add the cream of tartar, then pour on the syrup, beating all the while. beat until cold and thick. * * * * * pastry. pastry, unless light and tender, should never be eaten; even then it should be avoided by people with poor digestion. there are so many food preparations superior to pastry in both nutritive value and cost of time and material, that it will be wise to give it a very secondary place in the training of a culinary artist. however, as it is still a popular fancy with many, we may as well make the best of it. butter is more wholesome in pastry than lard, although the latter makes a light crust. in order to secure satisfactory results in pastry making--especially puff pastry--three things should be observed: ( ) have all the materials cold; ( ) use as little liquid as possible; ( ) handle lightly and quickly. pastry should be very cold when it is put into the oven. have the oven very hot. puff paste. lb. flour. lb. butter. enough ice water to make into a very stiff dough. if the butter is salty, wash it as follows: scald a large bowl, then fill with cold water; wash the hands in hot soapy water, then rinse them in cold water, as this will prevent the butter from sticking to the hands. turn the cold water out of the bowl; fill it with ice water, put the butter into it and work with the hands until soft and elastic. drain the water from the butter and place on ice until hard. sift the flour, put / of the butter into the flour, cut with a knife or chopping knife until thoroughly mixed; then gradually add ice water until it is moist enough to hold together, turn out on the board or marble slab. press into shape, roll lightly until about / inch thick; cut the remainder of the butter into small pieces, and lay over this layer of dough. fold carefully over and over, roll three times. if the dough should get soft and sticky, place it in a tin or cold plate on the ice to harden between the rollings. always fold pastry so as to keep it in layers--even when cutting off the roll keep the layers one above the other, not turning them on their sides. for patties, or especially flaky pastry, roll five or six times, provided it is not allowed to get soft. pastry should be rolled about as thin as the edge of a plate for tarts, etc., and about / inch thick for a cover for chicken pie. plain pastry. cups flour. cup butter or lard. add the butter to the flour, chop with a knife, add enough ice water to make a firm dough. roll out, fold, set on ice or in a cold place for at least / hour before baking. paste for meat pies, etc. pint flour. / tsp. soda. tsp. cream tartar or level tsps. baking powder. egg. / tsp. salt. tsp. cream tartar. / cup butter or dripping. cup milk. mix as for biscuit or shortcake. * * * * * miscellaneous. shepherd's pie. three cups of any kind of cold meat, or potatoes, small onion, cupful of boiling milk, salt, pepper, - / cup gravy or stock thickened with tbsp. of flour. cut the meat in small pieces and put in a deep earthen dish. grate the onion into the gravy and pour over the meat. pare, boil, and mash the potatoes. add the salt, pepper and milk, and tbsp. of butter or dripping. cover the meat with this and bake in a moderate oven until nicely brown. beef stew. take the bones and hard tough parts left from a roast of beef. remove all the meat from the bones and cut it into small pieces. cut about / of a lb. of the fat into pieces; put it in the stew-pan to fry. when it begins to brown put in / carrot, a piece of turnip and small onions cut fine. stir over the fire for minutes. take out the fat and vegetables and put the bones in the bottom of the kettle. add the meat and cooked vegetables, but not the fat. dredge with salt and pepper, and flour, using at least / cup flour. add pints of water and simmer gently hour; pare and cut in slices potatoes, simmer until the potatoes are well cooked. draw forward where it will boil more rapidly, have dough ready for dumplings (see recipe for dumplings). put the dumplings on the top of the stew; cover closely and cook just minutes. stuffed tomatoes. take large smooth tomatoes, / tsp. salt, / ssp. pepper, / tbsp. butter, / tbsp. sugar, / tsp. onion juice, / cupful bread crumbs. arrange the tomatoes in a baking pan. cut a thin slice from the smooth end of each. with a small spoon scoop out as much of the pulp and juice as possible without injuring the shape. mix the pulp and juice with the other ingredients and fill the tomatoes with this mixture. put on the tops and bake slowly / of an hour. lift the tomatoes carefully and place on a hot flat dish, garnish with parsley, and serve. stewed kidneys. cut the kidneys in thin, round slices. cover them with cold water and let them stand for / hour; wash them clean, and put them in a saucepan with qt. of water or stock, cloves, tbsps. of onion juice, salt and pepper. simmer hours. put tbsp. of butter in the frying pan, and when hot add of flour; stir until it is brown and smooth, and add to the kidneys. add a little sweet herbs, and simmer / hour longer. if not seasoned enough, add a little more salt and pepper, and, if desired, tbsp. of lemon juice. this dish can be prepared at any time, as it is quite as good warmed over as when it is prepared. creamed eggs. boil eggs minutes. make pint of cream sauce. have slices of toast on a hot dish. put a layer of sauce on each slice of toast, then part of the whites of the eggs, cut in thin strips, rub part of the yolks through a sieve, or a potato ricer, on to the toast. repeat this, and finish with a third layer of sauce. place in the oven for about minutes, then serve. buttered toast. cut the bread / of an inch thick. turn the bread twice (so as to draw out the moisture) before browning. have some melted butter on a plate, dip one side of the toast in this before serving. croutons (for soup). cut stale bread into / inch slices, remove the crust and cut into / inch cubes. drop them into hot fat, which should be hot enough to brown them, while you count ; drain and sprinkle with salt. french toast. egg. cup milk. ssp. salt. to slices of stale bread. beat the egg lightly with a fork in a shallow dish, add the salt and milk. dip the bread in this, turn; have a griddle hot and well buttered, put the dipped bread on the hot griddle, brown, then put a little piece of butter on the top of each slice, turn and brown on the other side. to be eaten hot with jelly or with butter and sugar. sandwiches. chop very fine cold ham, corned beef or tongue, adding a little of the fat. mix tsp. of dry mustard, ssp. of salt, a few drops of lemon juice with cold water to a stiff paste; add to it / cup butter creamed. cut bread--at least day old--in very thin slices, spread with the mustard and butter paste, then with the meat. put two slices together and cut into any shape desired. (chicken or veal sandwiches may be made by chopping the meat very fine, and adding to it a little of the cooked salad dressing or mayonnaise.) * * * * * a few general hints. how to blanch almonds. shell the nuts, and pour boiling water over them; let them stand in the water a minute or two and then throw them into cold water. rub between the hands. to clean currants. sprinkle thickly with flour, rub well until they are separated and the flour, grit, and fine stems have loosened. throw them into a strainer and wash thoroughly in cold water; change the water often; shake well in the strainer; then drain between towels, pick over carefully, and dry them in a warm place, but not in the oven. put away in jars, cover closely, and they are ready for use at any time. serving food. hot food should be served hot, and on hot plates. cold food should be served very cold. a little garnish of parsley, hard-boiled egg, sliced lemon, toast, watercress or centre of a lettuce head adds much to the attractiveness of a dish. small rolls, a square of bread, or croutons should be served with soup. sliced lemon with fish. cold beets, carrots, turnips, and the whites of hard-boiled eggs, stamped out with a fancy vegetable cutter, make a pretty garnish for cold meats. toast cut into triangles makes a suitable garnish for many dishes. whipped cream is the most delicate garnish for all cold, light puddings; a little coloring may be added to part of it in order to vary the decoration. canning and preserving. canning fruit is simply sterilizing and sealing in air-tight jars. any fresh ripe fruit may be kept in this way. by observing a few general rules any housekeeper may preserve fruit successfully. st. have good fruit, ripe and fresh. nd. have air-tight jars--test by filling with water and inverting. rd. see that the jars have been well scalded and are free from odor of any kind. th. have rims and covers at hand so that the jars may be sealed immediately when the fruit is put into them. th. fill the jars till they overflow. th. let the syrup simmer for a few minutes before putting in the fruit. th. cook the fruit slowly so as to avoid breaking; place carefully in the jars, fill up with syrup and seal at once. a good method for canning fruit is to cook the fruit in the jars, by placing them in a boiler or kettle of water with a wire frame or something underneath to avoid breaking. fill the jar with fruit; pour over a syrup of the desired consistency, screw on the top loosely--so as to allow the gas to escape--and place in the boiler; fill the boiler with cold water up to the rim of the jar and bring slowly to boiling point. allow small fruits to remain minutes, and peaches, pears, etc., minutes after the water boils. remove the tops, fill to overflowing with boiling syrup, and seal at once. by this method fruit retains the flavor somewhat more than by cooking in an open kettle. an average syrup for canning fruit is made by adding a pound of sugar to a pint of water (see rule ). in order to prevent fruit jars from cracking, wring a cloth out of cold water on which the jar should be placed before filling with the hot fruit, or by placing a silver spoon or fork in the jar before putting in the syrup, fruit or jelly. always see that the tops are screwed on tightly before putting the jar away in a cool place, which should not be done until the fruit has become cold. preserving. preserving differs from canning in the amount of sugar used; otherwise the method is similar. preserves are usually made from equal weights of sugar and fruit, and cooked at least minutes. jellies. fruit jellies are made of equal parts of clear fruit juice and sugar. crab apples, currants, and quinces are the most reliable fruits for jelly. cook the fruit--currants may be mashed and drained without cooking--until soft. drain over night through a flannel bag. in the morning measure pint of sugar for each pint of juice. heat the sugar in a large earthen bowl in the oven, stirring often to prevent burning. let the juice boil minutes; then add the hot sugar and boil about minutes longer, or until it thickens when dropped from a spoon. * * * * * suggestions for young housekeepers. carefully supervise the daily dietary so that a reasonable proportion of the necessary food elements may be provided. see that the proportion of proteid is one part to four of carbohydrates and fats. adapt the dietary to the season and climate. do not waste time and money in preparing rich puddings, entrees, cakes, etc., when fresh fruit, vegetables, salads, etc., are so much more nutritious, economical and convenient. arrange to have a variety of food--different kinds of meat, fish, and poultry--cooked in various ways. see that suitable food is provided for the children; especially pure milk and food containing mineral salts. do not allow children to use tea, coffee, or other stimulants. a glass of hot milk (not boiled) is the best stimulant for a child when wearied with study or over exertion of any kind. see that the water which has stood in the pipes over night is drawn before filling the tea-kettle for breakfast, or using the water for porridge or other purposes. rinse the tea-kettle every morning before using. never use water from the hot tank for cooking. see that the water used for drinking purposes is pure; if suspicious, either have it filtered or boiled before using. do not allow soiled rags, dish cloths or towels to lie around the kitchen. wash and scald the dish cloths and towels after each dish washing, hanging them outside to dry--if possible. keep plenty of clean towels; some fine ones for glass and china, coarser ones for general use. have special cloths for kitchen use. keep a holder within reach of the oven so as to avoid burning the fingers, or using an apron. see that a kettleful of boiling water is poured down the sink pipes every day. all boxes, jars and shelves in which food is kept, must be kept scrupulously clean and well aired. the refrigerator requires special attention; see that the drain pipe and interior of ice-box are kept thoroughly clean. a stiff wire with a piece of cloth fastened on the end may be used to clean the drain pipe at least once a week. do not have any closet under the sink or places of concealment for dirty pots and pans. bowls which have been used for flour mixtures should be filled with cold water if not washed immediately after using. never put kitchen knives and forks into the dish water, as it loosens the handles; hold them in the hand and wash with the dish cloth. burn all refuse, both for convenience and as a sanitary measure. if a refuse pail is used, it should be scalded frequently and a solution of carbolic acid, chloride of lime or other disinfectant used. do not put pans and kettles half filled with water on the stove to soak, as it only hardens whatever may have adhered to the kettle and makes it more difficult to clean. dish washing. many young housekeepers look upon dish washing as the "bug-bear" of the kitchen. it need not be disagreeable work; indeed the washing of china, glass and silver ware may be placed among the arts of housekeeping. it should be the ambition of every young housekeeper to know how everything pertaining to household management should be done, and how to do it; whether she has to do it herself or direct others. one of the most important duties is dish-washing. a few simple rules may help to make this duty less objectionable. . collect knives, forks and spoons by themselves. scrape the dishes, empty the cups, and arrange neatly in the order in which they are to be washed. . never pile dishes indiscriminately in a dish pan, as each kind requires separate treatment. . have two pans half full of water; one with soapy water, the other with clear hot water for rinsing. . wash the glassware first, in moderately hot water, slip the glasses in sideways so that the hot water may strike inside and outside at once, which will prevent breaking. rinse and wipe at once, as they will be much brighter and clearer than if allowed to drain. . if the glass is cut, use a brush to cleanse out all the grooves. as it is difficult to dry such glassware, it should be dipped in clear cold water after washing, and allowed to drain. . always keep the towel between the hands and the glass so as to avoid finger marks. rinse glasses which have contained milk in cold water before washing. . next wash the silver and wipe at once; then the china, first in the hot suds, then rinse in the clear hot water; wipe while warm. . change dish water often, especially if the dishes are greasy; and do not leave the soap in the water to waste and stick to the dishes. . use fresh water for the kitchen crockery, and pots and pans. after wiping tinware, place it on the hearth to dry, as it rusts very easily. . polish the knives with bathbrick, wood ashes or sandsoap. wash, and wipe perfectly dry; hold in the hand and wash with the dish cloth; do not under any circumstances allow knives and forks to lie in hot water. next wash the tray, the rinsing pan, the table and the sink. finally, the dish towels, dish cloth and dish pan. pans in which fish or onions have been cooked should be washed and scalded, then filled with water, in which put a tsp. of soda. place them on the top of the stove for / hour; this will remove the flavor of fish or onions. if the steel of knives or forks should become rusted, dip them in sweet oil and let stand for twenty-four hours, then rub with powdered quick-lime and the stain will be removed. rub the ivory handles which have become stained, with whiting and spirits of turpentine. ventilation and sanitation. as pure air is one of the essentials of good health, it follows that one of the chief duties of a housekeeper is to see that the family supply of this necessary element is properly regulated. very few housekeepers realize the importance of ventilation in promoting the general health and comfort of the family. as the scope of this book prevents anything further than a few suggestions or a brief outline of the principles underlying these important questions, we will adopt the rule followed in the preceding chapter, beginning with the cellar: . see that surface water is carried away from all sides, by either natural or artificial drains, and that the cellar is perfectly dry. have enough windows in the cellar to secure plenty of light and air, and see that they are opened every day. . have the cellar thoroughly cleaned and whitewashed with lime at least once a year, twice if possible, in the spring and fall. . keep the coal in a dry place. . do not allow decomposed vegetables, or old bottles, which may cause unpleasant odors, to accumulate in the cellar. unless there is a special cellar for vegetables, where they may be kept at a proper temperature and carefully looked after, it is much better for the housekeeper to purchase in small quantities. remember the ventilation of the cellar is of the greatest importance, and should never be neglected. one of the most noted authorities in america, on the question of ventilation, says: "the three important objects are, ( ) to provide an abundance of pure air in every part of the house; ( ) to avoid drafts, either hot or cold; ( ) to provide means of escape for foul air and odors." as before stated, much of the vigor, comfort and happiness of the family depends upon attention to these matters. next to the cellar, we will take the living and sleeping rooms, which should be thoroughly aired every day, not simply by opening the window a few inches at the bottom, or--as in some double or outside windows--by a little opening a few inches wide; but by causing a circulation of air in the room, and providing an outlet for foul air near the ceiling, which may be done by lowering the window from the top. an outlet for foul air is quite as important as an inlet for fresh air. if there is a skylight at the top of the house, it should be kept open a few inches all the time as an outlet for impure air; an attic window will serve the same purpose. have doors and windows so arranged that a draft may be made possible when needed to change the air of a room quickly, or in airing bedclothes; two windows being of course more desirable. after dressing in the morning, open the window of the sleeping room, top and bottom; turn back the clothes over one or two chairs; place pillows and mattress where they will have a current of fresh air; also open the closet door. do not allow water to remain in a bedroom more than twenty-four hours. when a sleeping room has been used for a sewing or sitting room during the day, it should be thoroughly aired before bedtime. open the bathroom window frequently, top and bottom, for a few minutes, so as to allow the air to escape out of doors instead of into other parts of the house. a nursery, sitting room or school room, which has been occupied by a number of people, should have the windows open, top and bottom, while the occupants are at meals or elsewhere. a room which has been occupied as a family sitting room during the evening should be aired by the last member of the family to retire, in order to prevent the impure air making its way through the house during the night. special attention should be given to kitchen ventilation. in order to prevent kitchen odors from penetrating through the other parts of the house, it is necessary to have an outlet for steam and impure air near the ceiling in the kitchen. if windows are placed so as to secure a draft, they may be opened at the top only, when they will serve the purpose admirably. there should be a ventilating flue in all kitchen chimneys. in building a house, see that register ventilators are placed in the kitchen on different walls, which may be closed in very cold weather. laundry work. as the first essential of laundry work is a plentiful supply of water, a word concerning that necessary article may not be out of place. pure water is a chemical compound of hydrogen and oxygen. it has great absorbent and solvent powers, therefore pure water is seldom found. the first fall of any shower is mixed with the impurities of the air; among these may be acids, ammonia and carbon in the form of soot and creosote. it is these impurities which cause the stain left when rain water stands on the window-sill or other finished wood. rain water absorbs more or less carbon dioxide from various sources, and soaking into the soil often comes in contact with lime, magnesia and other compounds. water saturated with carbon dioxide will dissolve these substances, forming carbonates or other salts which are soluble; such water is known as "hard." water for domestic uses is called either "hard" or "soft," according to the amount of salts which it may contain. when soap is added to hard water, the new compound formed by the union of the lime with the fatty acid of the soap is insoluble, and is deposited upon the surface of any article with which it comes in contact. this is the reason why "hard" water requires more soap when used for laundry work. it is much better to soften the water by the addition of alkalies, ammonia or sal-soda before using for laundry purposes than to depend entirely upon soap for cleansing. another important material used in the laundry is soap. in purchasing soap, it is safer to choose the make of some well-known firm, who have a reputation to lose if their products are not good; and for anything stronger than soap, it is better to buy sal-soda and use it knowingly than to trust to the various packages so extensively advertised. washing soda should always be dissolved in a separate vessel, and added to the water to be used. ammonia may be used, but its too frequent use will yellow bleached fabrics. borax is an effectual cleanser, disinfectant and bleacher. it is more expensive than ammonia or soda but is the safest alkali to use. turpentine is valuable in removing grease; tbsp. to a quart of water will serve for washing silks and other delicate materials. it should never be used in hot water. _removing stains._--all spots and stains should be taken out before the clothes are put into the general wash to be treated with soap. fruit stains are the most frequent and the most indelible, when neglected. the composition of fruit juice is readily dissolved by boiling water. stretch the stained part over an earthen dish and pour boiling water upon the stain until it disappears. if fruit stains are allowed to remain, they will require an acid, or in some cases a bleaching liquid like chloride of lime to remove them. wine stains should be immediately covered with a thick layer of salt. boiling milk may be used for taking out wine or fruit stains. medicine stains usually yield to alcohol. iodine dissolves in ether or chloroform. coffee, tea and cocoa stain badly; the latter, if neglected, will resist to the destruction of the fabric. these all contain tannin, besides various coloring matters, and are "fixed" by soap and water. clear boiling water will often remove fresh coffee and tea stains, although it is safer to sprinkle the stains with borax and soak in cold water first. an alkaline solution of great use and convenience is javelle water. it will remove stains and is a general bleacher. it is composed of lb. of sal-soda with / lb. of chloride of lime in quarts of boiling water. when the substances have dissolved as much as they will, and become cool and settled, pour off the clear liquid and bottle it for use. be careful not to allow any of the solid portions to pass into the bottle. use the dregs for scouring unpainted woodwork, or to cleanse waste pipes. when a spot is found on a white tablecloth place under it an inverted plate. apply javelle water with a soft tooth brush (the use of the brush protects the skin and the nails). rub gently till the stain disappears, then rinse in clear water and finally in ammonia. blood stains require clear cold or tepid water; hot water and soap render the red coloring matter less soluble. when the stain is nearly gone soap and hot water may be used. stains from meat juice should be treated in the same way. when blood is mixed with mucous, as in the case of handkerchiefs, it is well to soak the stains for some hours in a solution of salt and cold water-- tablespoonfuls to a quart. grass stains dissolve in alcohol. if applied immediately, ammonia and water will sometimes wash them out. the following methods have proved successful, and may be tried where colors are likely to be affected by alcohol. molasses, or a paste of soap and cooking soda may be spread over the stain and left for some hours, or the stain may be kept moist in the sunshine until the green color has changed to brown, when it will wash out in pure water. mildew requires different treatment from any previously considered. strong soap suds, a layer of soft soap and pulverized chalk, or one of chalk and salt, are all effective, if in addition the moistened cloth be subjected to strong sunlight, which kills the plant and bleaches the fibre. javelle water may be tried in cases of advanced growth, but success is not always assured. some of the animal and vegetable oils may be taken out by soap and cold water, or dissolved in naphtha, chloroform, ether, etc. some of the vegetable oils are soluble in hot alcohol (care being taken that the temperature be not raised to the point of igniting). vaseline stains should be soaked in kerosene before water and soap touch them. ink spots on white goods are the same in character as on colored fabrics. where the ink is an iron compound, the stain may be treated with oxalic, muriatic or hot tartaric acid, applied in the same manner as for iron rust stains. no definite rule can be given, for some inks are affected by strong alkalies, others by acids, while some will dissolve in clear water. red iron rust spots must be treated with acid. fill an earthen dish two-thirds full of hot water and stretch the stained cloth over this. have two other dishes with clear water in one and ammonia water in the other. the steam from the hot water will furnish the heat and moisture favorable for chemical action. drop a little muriatic acid on the stain; let it remain a moment, then lower the cloth into the clear water. repeat until the stain disappears. rinse carefully in the clear water and finally immerse in the ammonia water, that any excess of acid may be neutralized and the fabric protected. salt and lemon juice are often sufficient for a slight stain. many spots appear upon white goods, which resemble those made by iron rust, or the fabrics themselves acquire a yellowish tinge. this is the result of the use of blueing and soap, where the clothes have been imperfectly rinsed. therefore, if all dirt is removed, and the clothes thoroughly rinsed from all soap or alkalies used in removing the dirt, and exposed for a long time to air and sunshine, the use of blueing is unnecessary. in cities, where conveniences for drying and bleaching in the sunshine are few, a thorough bleaching two or three times a year is a necessity; but in the country it is wiser to abolish all use of blueing and let the sun, in its action with moisture and the oxygen of the air, keep the clothes white and pure. freezing aids in bleaching, for it retains the moisture upon which the sun can act so much longer. when clean grass, dew and sunshine are not available, use a bleaching powder. directions for the use of the powder usually accompany the can in which it is bought. care must be taken to completely rinse out the acid present in the powder. grease is more quickly acted upon by hot water than by cold, but other organic matter is fixed by the hot water. an effective method is to soak thoroughly the most soiled portion of the clothes, fold these together towards the centre, roll the whole tightly and soak in cold water. the water should just cover the articles. in this way the soap is kept where it is most needed, and not washed away before it has done its work. when the clothes are unrolled, the dirt may be washed out with less rubbing. too long soaking, when a strong soap is used, will weaken the fabric. whether to boil clothes or not, depends largely upon the purity of the materials used and the care exercised. many feel that the additional disinfection which boiling insures, is an element of cleanness not to be disregarded, while others insist that boiling yellows the clothes. this yellowness may be caused by impure material in the soap, the deposit of iron from the water or the boiler; the imperfect washing of the clothes, that is, the organic matter is not thoroughly removed. the safer process is to put the clothes into cold water, with little or no soap, let the temperature rise gradually to boiling point and remain there for a few minutes. soap is more readily dissolved by hot than by cold water, hence the boiling should help in the complete removal of the soap, and should precede the rinsing. one tablespoonful of borax to every gallon of water added to each boilerful, serves as a bleacher and disinfectant. scalding or pouring boiling water over the clothes is not so effectual for their disinfection as boiling, because the temperature is so quickly lowered. the main points in laundry cleansing seem to be: ( ) the removal of all stains; ( ) soft water and a good quality of soap; ( ) the use of alkalies in solution only; ( ) not too hot nor too much water, while the soap is acting on the dirt; ( ) thorough rinsing, that all alkali may be removed; ( ) long exposure to sunlight, the best bleacher and disinfectant. washing of woollens. all wool goods require the greatest care in washing. the different waters used should be of the same temperature, and never too hot to be borne comfortably by the hands. soap should always be used in the form of a solution. no soap should be rubbed on the fabric, and only a good white soap, free from resin, or a soft potash soap is allowable. make each water slightly soapy, and leave a very little in the fabric at the last rinsing, in order to furnish a dressing as nearly like the original as possible. ammonia or borax is sometimes used in preference to soap. for pure white flannel borax is the most satisfactory, on account of its bleaching quality. only enough of any alkali should be used to make the water very soft. wool fibres collect much dust, and should therefore be thoroughly brushed or shaken before the fabric is put into the water. woollen fabrics should be cleansed by squeezing, and not by rubbing. wool should not be wrung by hand. either run the fabric smoothly through a wringer or squeeze the water out, so that the fibres may not become twisted. woollen articles may be dried more quickly by rolling the article tightly in a thick, dry towel or sheet, and squeezing the whole till all moisture is absorbed. shake the article thoroughly before placing to dry. woollen goods should not be allowed to freeze, for the teeth become knotted and hard. colored cottons. colored cottons should have their colors fixed before washing. salt will set most colors, but the process must be repeated at each washing. alum sets the colors permanently, and at the same time renders the fabric less combustible, if used in strong solution after the final rinsing. dish cloths and dish towels must be kept clean as a matter of health, as well as a necessity for clean, bright tableware. the greasy dish cloth furnishes a most favorable field for the growth of germs. it must be washed with soap and hot water and dried thoroughly each time. all such cloths should form part of the weekly wash and receive all the disinfection possible, with soap, hot water and long drying in the sunshine and open air. beware of the disease-breeding, greasy, damp, dish cloth hung in a warm, dark place. oven towels, soiled with soot, etc., may be soaked over night in just enough kerosene to cover, then washed in cold water and soap. laundry tubs should be carefully washed and dried. wooden tubs, if kept in a dry place, should be turned upside down, and have the bottoms covered with a little water. the rubber rollers of the wringer may be kept clean and white by rubbing them with a clean cloth and a few drops of kerosene (coal oil). all waste pipes, from that of the kitchen sink to that of the refrigerator, become foul with grease, lint, dust and other organic matters which are the result of bacterial action. they are sources of contamination to the air of the entire house and to the food supply, thereby endangering health. all bath, wash basin and water-closet pipes should be flushed generously (as stated in a previous chapter) once a day at least. the kitchen sink pipe and laundry pipes should have a thorough cleaning with a strong boiling solution of washing soda daily, and a monthly flushing with crude potash. the soda solution should be used for cleansing the drain pipe of the refrigerator. * * * * * caring for invalids. one of the first considerations in caring for an invalid is the ventilation of the sick room. care must be taken that the air is not vitiated by anything in the room, such as a kerosene lamp, wilted cut flowers, soiled clothing, etc. the bed should be so arranged as to avoid a draft--especially when airing the room. if the room is too small to allow this, a very good way to protect the patient is to raise an umbrella and place it over the head and shoulders; over this put a blanket while the room is being aired; allowing it to remain until the room has reached the desired temperature again. never turn the wick of a lamp below the point of free combustion in the room of either sick or well, as the odor is not only disagreeable but injurious. one of the most important essentials in a sick room is perfect cleanliness of the room, the bed linen and clothing of the patient. never air or dry cloths or garments in the sick room. cover the broom with a damp flannel cloth in sweeping, so as to avoid noise and prevent the dust from rising. avoid noise in placing coal on the fire by putting the coal in a paper bag, placing bag and all upon the fire. do not allow loud talking or discussion in the sick room; neither is whispering desirable, as it is apt to irritate the patient. do not consult the patient about the food, but see that tempting, wholesome varieties are provided, in accordance with the doctor's orders concerning the diet. serve food in small quantities, and either hot or cold, as the article may require. a warm dish which should be hot, and a tepid drink, or food, which should be cold, is one of the most objectionable and unappetizing forms of serving food. do not allow fresh fruit, which is intended for the patient, to remain in the sick room, but keep in a cool place and serve when needed. never visit a sick room when in a violent perspiration or with an empty stomach, as the system at that time is more susceptible to contagion. one of the most important qualifications in a nurse is a thorough knowledge of the nature, use and digestibility, as well as the best methods of preparing the different kinds of food, so as to adapt them to the different forms of disease. in some cases, when the system has been overtaxed, either mentally or physically, a complete rest is necessary, and the diet should be food which merely satisfies the hunger--neither stimulating nor especially nourishing. such foods come under the head of gruels, soups, jellies, fruit and drinks. on the other hand when a patient has become wasted from a long continued illness and requires building up, more nourishment is required to supply the waste. in some cases the food must be given in concentrated form. milk is one of the most valuable foods in this class; sometimes it requires the addition of a little pepsin in order to facilitate digestion; sometimes the addition of a pinch of salt makes milk not only more agreeable to the patient, but aids digestion. eggs, either lightly boiled or in egg-nog, are easily digested and very nourishing. meat and milk soups, farina and oatmeal gruel, port wine jelly, albumen and milk (which is the white of egg and milk shaken together), and in some cases a bit of carefully broiled steak or chop, with dry toast, are suitable foods for this class of patient. in convalescence, any well cooked, easily digested food may be given. fried food, rich puddings and pastry must be carefully avoided. people with consumptive tendencies should eat wholesome, easily digested food, with plenty of fat, such as cream, butter, fat of bacon and of roast beef, mutton, olive oil, salads, cornmeal and cereals, and take plenty of outdoor exercise. soups which have in them cream or milk are better for invalids than those containing a greater amount of gelatine. a few simple recipes are given, which are suitable for invalids. beverages. _barley water._--take ounces of pearl barley and wash well with cold water at least or times. put into a saucepan with - / pint of water, and allow it to boil for minutes closely covered. strain and sweeten, and flavor with lemon juice; a little lemon peel may be added while boiling if desired. _apple water._--take or tart apples. after baking, put them in a bowl and pour over them cup of boiling water, strain and sweeten to taste; serve when cold. _flax seed tea._--one-half cupful of flax seed--which has been carefully washed in cold water--to quart of boiling water; boil slowly minutes, move to the back of the stove and allow it to remain or minutes longer. strain, and flavor to taste with lemon juice and sugar. _lemonade._--slice lemon, add tablespoonful of sugar, press the lemon and sugar, add cup of boiling water. strain and serve hot or cold as required. _orange water._--made the same as lemonade. meat extractives. _beef juice_ is prepared by broiling until the meat is heated through, then placing it in a lemon squeezer and pressing until all the juice is extracted. heat until warm enough to be palatable, add a little salt, and by way of variety it may be poured over a slice of hot dry toast. _beef tea._--cut juicy pieces of steak--the round steak is the best--into small pieces, cover with cold water and heat gradually to f. allow it to remain at this temperature or minutes. press, strain, and flavor with salt and pepper. _beef tea_ (_no. _).--put a pound of finely minced beef into a glass fruit jar, add a pint of cold water. let it stand for an hour, stirring and pressing occasionally. place the jar in a kettle of water; place over the fire and allow the water to reach boiling point. move back where the water will just simmer for an hour, keeping the jar closely covered. strain the beef tea through a fine wire strainer; allowing the fine sediment to pass through, which should be drunk with the liquid. flavor with salt. (for an especially strong beef stimulant, see recipe for bouillon, in a former chapter.) _beef essence._--(this method is highly recommended.) one ounce of finely chopped fresh beef, free from fat; pour over it ounces of soft water, add or drops of dilute hydrochloric acid, and or grains of common salt, stir well, and leave for hours in a cool place. strain the fluid through a hair sieve, pressing the meat slightly; adding gradually toward the end of the straining, ounces of water. the liquid is of a bright red color, tasting like soup. it should be served cold, in a small quantity at a time. if preferred warm it must not be put on the fire, but heated in a covered vessel placed in hot water. _chicken broth._--singe and clean a small chicken. one-half of the chicken may be used for broth, and the other half for broiling or a fricassee. disjoint, and cut the meat into small pieces. break or crush the bones. dip the feet into boiling water and scald until the skin and nails will peel off (as the feet contain gelatin). cover the meat, feet and bones with cold water; heat very slowly, and simmer till the meat is tender. a few minutes before removing from the fire add salt and pepper to taste, also / teaspoonful of sugar. strain, and when cool remove the fat. when needed, heat the necessary quantity, and if desired very clear add the shell and white of egg. let this boil slowly or minutes. skim and strain through a fine cloth. a little lemon juice may be added to vary the flavor. this may be poured into small cups and kept in a cool place; or if the patient can take it some of the breast meat may be cut into small pieces and moulded with it. if the broth is served hot, it should not be cleared with the egg. _mutton broth._--chop pound of lean, juicy mutton very fine; pour over it pint of cold water. let it stand until the water is very red, then heat it slowly. allow it to simmer minutes. strain, season, and if liked thick, tablespoonfuls of soft boiled rice may be added; or it may be thickened with a little cornstarch wet with cold water and stirred into the hot broth. serve very hot. if there is not enough time to cool the broth and reheat, the fat may be removed by using a piece of tissue, coarse brown or blotting paper, which, by passing over the surface, will remove any fat which cannot be taken off with a spoon. _oatmeal gruel._--to quart of boiling water add tablespoonfuls of oatmeal, salt to taste. boil hour, strain and serve with or without milk. another method is to cover the oatmeal with cold water. stir well; let it settle, then pour off the mealy water into a saucepan. then boil the water. _egg soup._--put ounce of sago with / pint of milk into a double boiler, and cook minutes. strain through a sieve and add / pint of beef extract (or bouillon). when hot take it from the fire and stir gradually into it the yolks (well beaten) of eggs. season to taste, and serve. chicken or mutton broth may be used. _albumen and milk._--put the white of egg into / pint of milk. pour into a pint fruit jar, screw on the top tightly and shake well for minute, when it should be light and smooth. serve at once. a pinch of salt may be added if desired. _egg-nog._--beat egg until very light, add teaspoonfuls of sugar, and beat again; add / cup of cold milk, mix well, and if ordered, teaspoonfuls of brandy may be added. a pinch of salt added to the yolk of the egg makes it more palatable. _orange soup._--soak the juice of an orange, / of the grated rind, and teaspoonful of lemon juice for / hour. strain, and make the liquid up to a cupful with water. bring to boiling point and add two level teaspoonfuls of arrowroot, moistened with a very little cold water, stirring constantly until it thickens. when it reaches the boiling point, add tablespoonful of sugar, turn into a bowl and stand away to cool. serve very cold. (any tart fruit juice may be used for this soup.) _arrowroot gruel._--dissolve level teaspoonfuls of arrowroot in a little cold water, add cup of boiling water, cook for a few seconds; take from the fire, add a tablespoonful of sugar, tablespoonful of lemon juice. (one egg may be beaten, white and yolk separately, until very light, mix them carefully and pour over the egg slowly one pint of hot arrowroot gruel, made as above; stir until well mixed.) _rice water or jelly._--pick over and wash carefully tablespoonfuls of rice, and cook in water until the rice is dissolved. add salt and sugar to taste. if intended to jelly, add lemon juice and strain into a mould. serve cold with cream and sugar. if to be used as a drink, add enough hot water to make a thin liquid, and boil longer. a little stick cinnamon may be added a few minutes before straining. serve hot or cold. _stewed figs._--take some choice figs, wash, then cover them with cold water. soak over night. in the morning bring them to boiling point, and keep them over the fire, just simmering for minutes, or until the figs are plump and soft. lift them out carefully, and boil down the liquor until it forms a syrup. pour this over the figs and serve cold. whipped or plain cream may be served with them. _jellied chicken._--take a young, tender chicken. prepare and disjoint it as for a fricassee. put a bay leaf, a stock of celery about inches long, and whole pepper corns in the bottom of a bowl. then put in the chicken. stand the bowl in a pot of boiling water, being careful that the steam shall not drip, or the water boil over into the chicken. cover the pot closely and keep the water boiling until the meat is tender enough to allow the bones to slip out. remove the skin and bones and put the remainder of the chicken into a pint bowl or mould. season the remaining liquor with salt, and strain over the meat. stand in a cool place to harden. (do not add water to the chicken when cooking.) _raw meat sandwiches._--three ounces of raw beef, which may be chopped very fine and rubbed through a hair sieve or scraped from a slice of steak. mix with it ounce of fine bread crumbs, teaspoonful of sugar, pepper and salt to taste. spread it between thin slices of brown or white bread and butter. (a few drops of lemon juice may be added if the flavor is liked.) _broiled steak, hamburg steak, broiled white fish, stews, etc._ (see recipes in preceding chapters.) * * * * * a few general hints for school children. "too much attention cannot be given by parents to the diet of school children, or by teachers to the diet of pupils under their care in boarding schools and colleges. the average age of school children is from six to sixteen years. during this time both mind and body are undergoing development. throughout school period the growth of the body is continued until almost completed. there are unusual demands, therefore, upon the functions of absorption and assimilation. the food must be abundant, and of the character to furnish new tissue, and to yield energy in the form of heat and muscular activity. the food should also contain salts of lime to meet the requirements of formation of the bones and teeth. many children acquire habits of dislike for certain articles of food, which become so fixed in later life that they find it very inconvenient, especially when placed in circumstances, as in travelling, where one cannot always obtain the accustomed diet; it therefore is unwise to cultivate such habits, which are often a serious obstacle to normal development. "a physician is often baffled in the treatment of a severe disease by the vitiated taste of the patient. many cases of anæmia and chlorosis, which are so commonly seen in young girls, are directly traceable to a faulty diet. it should be the imperative duty of all teachers to consider the responsibility of rightly developing the physical constitutions of those entrusted to their care. they should remember that the mind keeps on developing long after the body, and that the period under discussion is one in which the constitution of the individual is established for the remainder of life. at this stage success in digestion and assimilation is of greater importance than success in mental attainments." (thompson.) an important consideration in school diet is to avoid monotony, which becomes so common from economic reasons, or more often from carelessness. it is so much easier to yield to routine and force of habit than to study the question. the hours for study and for meals should be so regulated that sufficient time will be allowed before each meal for children to wash and prepare themselves comfortably without going to the table excited by hurry, and they should be required to remain at the table for a fixed time, and not allowed to hastily swallow their food in order to complete an unfinished task or game. an interval of at least half an hour should intervene after meals before any mental exertion is required. constant nibbling at food between meals should be forbidden; it destroys the appetite, increases the saliva, and interferes with gastric digestion. the habit of chewing gum cannot be too strongly condemned, both for the reason given in the preceding sentence and for its effect upon the muscles and nerves. it is being more and more realized by the public in general, that the breaking down of health at school is more often due to impoverished nutrition than to overwork. delicate children should not be allowed too long intervals between meals, as for instance, the evening meal at six o'clock and breakfast the following morning at seven or half past. a glass of milk and a piece of whole wheat bread and butter should be given--if they awaken--during the night. delicate children whose appetites are poor, and who do not do proper justice to their regular meals, should be given an extra allowance of hot broth or hot milk with bread and butter, between meals. these rules are applicable in cases of children who, during one or two years, seem to develop with extraordinary rapidity, growing sometimes two inches or more in six months. the demands of this rapid growth must be met by proper nutrition, or serious subsequent impairment of vitality may result. such children should have their meals made tempting by good cooking and pleasant variety, as well as an agreeable appearance of the food. meat which is carved in unsightly masses and vegetables which are sodden and tasteless will be refused, and an ill attempt is made to supply the deficiency in proper food by eating indigestible candy, nuts, etc. children often have no natural liking for meat, and prefer puddings, pastry or sweets when they can obtain them; it is therefore more important that meat and other wholesome foods should be made attractive to them at the age when they need it. * * * * * suggestions for school children's diet. if early rising is insisted upon, a child should never be set at any task before breakfast, especially in winter; and if it is not expedient to serve a full breakfast at half-past six or seven, the child should be given a bowl of milk and bread, a cup of cocoa with a roll or other light food. breakfast may be served later, after the first exercises of the morning, and should consist of porridge of wheaten grits, hominy, fish, eggs, fruit (raw or cooked), bread and butter. dinner, which should always be served near the middle of the day, should comprise meat, potatoes, one or two green vegetables, some form of light pudding or sweet. supper, it is generally admitted, should comprise easily digested articles of food; such substances as pastry, cheese and meats are better omitted; it should consist of a porridge, with milk or cream, or a light, farinacious pudding of rice, tapioca or sago, with bread and butter, and some simple form of preserve, stewed apples or prunes, or very light, plain cake. a good bowl of nutritious broth--or soup--with bread or crackers, may be substituted for the porridge or pudding. it will sometimes be found best to serve this meal at seven or half-past seven o'clock; in this case the child should be given a slice of bread and butter or a glass of milk (drinking it slowly), at half-past four or five. some of the more important articles of school diet require special mention; the following extract from dr. thompson's practical dietetics may prove helpful:-- _bread._--"bread, as a rule, should be made of whole meal, but must not be too coarse. the advantage of this bread for children consists in its containing a larger proportion of salts, which they need, than is found in refined white flour, and butter should be freely served with it to supply the deficiency of fats which exist in meat. children need fat, but they do not digest meat fat well, as a rule, and are very apt to dislike it. they will often take suet pudding, however, when hot mutton fat wholly disagrees with them." _milk._--"milk should be freely supplied, not only in the form of puddings and porridges, but as an occasional beverage, and children should be made to understand that when hungry, they can obtain a glass of milk, or a bowl of crackers or bread and milk, for the asking. chambers says, 'the best lunch that a growing young man can have is a dish of roast potatoes, well buttered and peppered, and a draft of milk.'" _meat._--"meat may be given twice a day, but not oftener. it may sometimes be advisable to give it but once a day when fish or eggs are supplied; it should, however, be given at least once daily, to rapidly growing children." _sweets._--"the greater number of children have a natural craving for sweets." the energy developed in active childhood necessitates the consumption of a larger proportion of sugar than is required by adults. the craving of children for confections, candy, etc., furnishes a true indication of the actual requirements of nature, and it must be admitted that a certain amount of wholesome candy not only does most children no harm, but may serve them as an excellent food. the main difficulty with such forms of sugar, however, is that children are not furnished with a proper proportion of sugar with their meals, and the meals themselves are not so regulated as to prevent their becoming very hungry between times; consequently, if they can obtain candy, which satisfies them for the time, they are very apt to eat too much, with the result of producing more or less dyspepsia and diminishing the normal appetite. alcohol in every form should be absolutely excluded. if given during early youth, it is particularly prone to develop a taste which may become uncontrollable in later years. (children should not indulge in tea and coffee.) _exercise._--as a general rule, active muscular exercise in children disturbs their digestive process far less than mental effort, when taken immediately after meals; and every adult is familiar with the romping which children can undertake straightway after dinner, often, though not always, with impunity, whereas a proportionate amount of exercise on the part of an adult might produce a severe dyspeptic attack. much of the headache and inattention of pupils during school hours is the direct result of an ill-regulated diet, or from vitiated appetites. * * * * * infants' diet. one of the most important subjects included in a domestic science course of study is the feeding and care of infants. a subject requiring special intelligence and consideration; one which embodies the condensed information of the preceding chapters, and is the foundation upon which the future physical structure is built. it is not upon the mother alone that the baby depends for care and attention. many young girls, especially elder sisters and nurse-maids, have this responsibility placed upon them when they are little more than children themselves. to these, as well as to young mothers, the following suggestions may prove helpful. the first demand of an infant is for food, and upon the quality and quantity of the article provided depends the health of the child, as well as the comfort of the household. milk is the only food required by an infant until it is, at least, seven or eight months old, or until sufficient saliva is secreted to assist digestion; some authorities say one year, others until the child has sufficient teeth with which to masticate food. if nature's supply is not available, or sufficient, the best substitute is cow's milk. as cow's milk contains less sugar of milk, and fat (cream), than human milk, these must be supplied. being more acid than alkaline, this must be corrected by the use of lime water. there is more casein (curd) in cow's milk than in mother's milk, therefore water must be added to reduce this. the following proportions have been submitted as a digestible form of preparing cow's milk for young infants (dr. meigs):-- cream, tbsps. milk, tbsp. lime water, tbsps. milk-sugar water, tbsps. one quarter of this amount to be given every two hours during the day, and once or twice at night. after the baby is a week old, the quantity may be increased to one-half at each meal; at two months the whole amount prepared may be given at once. the proportion of milk should be gradually increased, and the water and cream decreased, until at two months old the proportion should be:-- tbsps. milk. tbsp. cream. tbsp. lime water. tbsps. sugar water. when six months old the quantity of milk is doubled. it should be increased every day until ten tablespoonfuls are given at a feeding. barley water. tbsps. pearl barley. pt. boiling water. wash the barley carefully. pour over it the boiling water. let it simmer for two hours. strain and sweeten with a pinch of sugar of milk. milk-sugar water. / oz. sugar of milk. / pt. boiling water. dissolve, and keep closely covered. it will not keep long, so should be made when required to use. lime water. take a lump of lime weighing about one ounce. put in a bottle with a quart of cold water (which has been boiled). shake the bottle well until the lime is dissolved, and let it stand for hours. pour the clear liquid into another bottle, being careful not to disturb the sediment. keep carefully corked. water will only absorb a certain quantity of lime, so there is no danger of its being too strong. as cow's milk is more difficult to digest than mother's milk, it is sometimes necessary to substitute barley water in place of the lime water and milk, using the same amount of cream as given in recipe. malted food. oz. wheat flour or barley meal. - / qts. water. tsp. extract of malt. mix the flour to a paste with a little water, gradually add a quart of the water; put it in a double boiler and boil minutes. dissolve the malt extract in tbsps. of the water (cold). lift out the inner vessel and add the malt and remainder of the cold water. let it stand minutes, replace, and boil again for minutes. strain through a wire gauze strainer. (half this quantity may be made.) this preparation is used when both barley water and lime-water disagree. it must always be given with milk. it prevents the large tough curds forming, which is such an objectionable feature in using cow's milk. peptonized milk. in cases of especially weak digestion it may be necessary to peptonize the milk, which may be done as follows: add grains of extract of pancreas and grains of baking soda to pint of milk. (tablets of pancreatin and soda may be used.) after adding the peptonizing material put the milk in a double boiler or in a vessel which may be set in a larger one, holding water, as hot as the hand can bear being dipped into quickly, or about ° fah. leave the milk in the hot water about minutes, then place on the ice. if heated too long the milk will taste bitter. the preparation given in recipe no. , or with the barley water added, may be peptonized. sterilized or pasteurized milk. (_see milk, chapter v._) put the amount of milk required for a meal into pint or half pint bottles, allowing for the number of times the child is to be fed in hours. use cotton batting as a stopper. place a wire frame, or invert a perforated tin pie plate, in the bottom of a saucepan; stand the bottles on this, pour around them enough water to come well above the milk, cover the saucepan or kettle, and when the water boils lift the saucepan from the fire and allow the bottles to remain in the hot water for hour. keep in the ice box or stand them in cold water until needed. if milk is to be used during a long journey it will be necessary to repeat the above operation three times, letting the milk cool between each time. unless the milk is perfectly fresh, and has been handled with great care, it is safer to sterilize or pasteurize it. the former, if any doubt is entertained as to the quality of the milk, the latter in every case. temperature of food. food should be "milk warm," or about ° fah., when given to a baby. hot food is very injurious. nursing bottles and feeding. have two plain bottles with rubber tops, _without tubes_. bottles with ounces and tablespoonfuls marked on them can be purchased, and are a great convenience in measuring the amount of food required. after using the bottle, empty the remaining milk; rinse in cold water, then in _scalding water_. if particles of milk adhere to the bottle use coarse salt or raw potato cut in small pieces. if the glass looks cloudy, add a little ammonia to the water. turn the rubber tops inside out and scrub with a stiff brush; boil them every alternate day for minutes. _absolute cleanliness is a necessity_ in the care of a baby's food, bottles and rubber tops. the bottle should be held, while the baby is feeding, in such a position that the top is full of milk. if air is sucked in with the milk stomach-ache will likely result. starchy food should not be given to a child until it is able to masticate. (see digestion of starch, chap. viii.) arrowroot, cornstarch, rice, etc., _must not be given to infants_. flour ball. put a bowlful of flour into a strong cloth, tie it up like a pudding, and place it in a kettle of boiling water. boil for or hours. when boiled turn it out of the cloth and cut away the soft outside coating. when cool, grate the hard inside portion and use a teaspoonful at each feeding, for a baby months old, increasing the amount for an older child. this may be prepared in the same manner as cornstarch or flour. the long boiling converts the starch into dextrine, which is more easily digested than starch. this is especially valuable in cases of diarrhoea, and may be used instead of barley gruel as a food. oatmeal gruel. pound a cupful of oatmeal in a pestle or on a bread board. put in a bowl and pour over it pint of cold water. stir it up, then let the mixture settle for a few minutes. pour off the milky fluid, repeat this process. boil this water for an hour, adding a pinch of salt, and use it to dilute the milk instead of water. a thicker gruel may be made from oatmeal by allowing tablespoonful to a cup of boiling water. let it boil hour, then strain through a wire strainer. farina gruel. tbsp. farina. cups boiling water. a spk. of salt. cook for minutes; use as directed for oatmeal. beef juice. (_see page ._) _beef juice_ is sometimes ordered for delicate babies. for a child months old, or tablespoonfuls may be given once a day. albuminized food. when milk cannot be taken, albuminized food proves an excellent substitute. shake the white of egg with / a pint of water (filtered or boiled and cooled) in a glass jar until they are thoroughly mixed. add a few grains of salt. children do not require a great variety in their food. give one article of diet at a time and see how it agrees before trying another. after a child is a year old the various cereals may be given as porridge instead of gruel, with the addition of a little sugar. remember, all cereals should be thoroughly cooked (see page ). biscuits. gluten, soda, oatmeal or graham biscuits may be soaked in milk or given alone. do not give the fancy or sweet biscuits to young children. eggs. a properly boiled egg (see page ) may be given every alternate day to a child year old. junket. junket is much better for young children than custards or puddings, and sometimes agrees well with babies. take pint of milk, heat it to ° fah., or milk warm. add teaspoonful of rennet and teaspoonful of sugar. stir all together and let it stand in a warm place until it becomes as thick as jelly. remove at once to a cool place or whey will appear. baked potatoes. potatoes should not be given to a child under years old in any other form than baked. the potash salts are the most valuable constituent, and are lost when they are peeled and boiled. they should be dry and mealy. a little salt, butter or cream should be added. macaroni. (_see page ._) macaroni is an excellent food for young children. fruit. baked apples and the juice of an orange are the only fruits which should be given to children under two years of age. rice. rice is an excellent food for young children, but not for infants. ventilation. foul air is injurious to grown persons, but it is infinitely more dangerous to the sensitive organization of a child. therefore special attention should be given to the ventilation of rooms occupied by a baby (see page ). fresh air, wholesome food, regular bathing, and plenty of sleep will insure the normal growth of the average baby, and are within reach of every one who has the care of young children. the writer is indebted to miss scovil, superintendent of newport hospital, and one of the associate editors of the _ladies' home journal_, for many of the above hints concerning the diet of infants. emergencies. as frequent accidents occur during the performance of household duties, a few suggestions as to how slight injuries should be treated may prove useful to the young housekeeper. _cuts._--a cut should be washed with cold water, covered with a small pad of cotton, bound up, and left alone. should matter form, the bandage must be taken off, the wound bathed with carbolized water, - , and a little carbolized vaseline spread on a bit of linen and laid over it. the washing and dressing should be repeated two or three times a day if there is much discharge. _bruises._--a flannel wrung out of very hot water, and laid on a bruise, relieves the soreness. for bruises on the face, apply ice. brown paper wet in vinegar is an old-fashioned remedy. if the skin is broken, treat as a wound, with carbolized water and carbolized vaseline. _sprains._--both hot and cold treatment is recommended. immerse the joint in water as hot as can be borne. keep up the temperature by gradually adding more hot water. let it soak for an hour or more. then wrap in warm flannel, and surround with hot water bags or bottles. _stings._--bathe the part in ammonia, or baking soda and water; wet a cloth in the same, and bind over it. _burns._--the best household remedies for burns are baking soda and carbolized vaseline. for slight burns mix the soda to a paste with water, and spread thickly over the part; cover with linen or old cotton. this may be kept wet by squeezing water over it. if shreds of clothing adhere to a burn, they should be soaked with oil, and not pulled off until softened. if the skin is gone, spread carbolized vaseline on linen, and bind on the part until the doctor arrives. in burns caused by acids, water should not be applied to the parts. cover with dry baking soda. if caused by an alkali, such as lye, ammonia, or quick-lime, use an acid, as vinegar or lemon juice, diluted. _poisoning._--for poison ivy, saturate a cloth in a solution of baking soda, or ammonia and water, and lay over the part. when poison has been swallowed, the first thing to do is to get it out of the stomach. secondly, to prevent what remains from doing more mischief. give an emetic at once. one tbsp. of salt in a glass of _tepid_ water; tsp. of mustard, or tsp. of powdered alum in a glass of tepid water. a tsp. of wine of ipecac, followed by warm water. repeat any of these three or four times if necessary. the quantities given are for children; larger doses may be given to adults. it is well to give a dose of castor oil after the danger is over, to carry off any remnants of the poison that may have lodged in the intestines. after a poison has burned the mouth and throat, plenty of milk may be given, also flour, arrowroot, or cornstarch gruel. for drowning and other serious accidents, see public school physiology. furnishing a class-room. the furnishing of a class-room should be so complete that each pupil should be able to attend to the appointed task without delay. the furniture should consist of a stove, or range, gas stove if more convenient, a hot water tank or boiler, sink, table (side), towel rack, dozen chairs, or seats with tablet arms, a cupboard or kitchen "dresser" for table ware, a large cupboard or arrangement for lockers, in which caps, aprons, etc., should be kept, a large table--horseshoe shape is the most satisfactory--with drawers, and space for rolling pin, bread board, etc., underneath. the table should be large enough to allow at least ft. in. for each pupil. twenty pupils is the limit of a practice class. on the table should be placed at regular intervals, gas burners with frame. the teacher's table should stand in the opening at the end of the table so that she may see each pupil while at work, and when demonstrating may be seen by each pupil. the following list of utensils will be found sufficient for practice work for a class of pupils. earthen, china and glass ware. dinner set. quart pitchers. pint pitchers. small oval baking dishes. small round baking dishes. -quart bowls, with lips. -quart bowls, with lips. -quart bowls. baking cups. kitchen cups. small platters. medium size platters. deep pie plates. shallow pie plates. jelly moulds. teapot. dozen quart gem jars. dozen pint gem jars. -quart stone jars or crocks. dozen fancy plates, and glass dishes for serving. woodenware. wash-board. small bread boards. rolling pins. chopping trays. potato mashers. potato ricer. water pail. scrubbing pail. pail or bucket for refuse. flour bucket, with cover. wooden spoons--small. -gallon ice cream freezer. broom. whisk-broom. crumb pan and brush. floor scrubbing brush. small scrubbing brushes. stove brush. pastry brush. small refrigerator. spice boxes. dish mops. lemon squeezers, etc. agate ware. double boilers. -quart kettles. -quart saucepans. -quart saucepans. pt. saucepans. oval pudding dishes. -quart preserving kettle. hand basin. tea kettle. iron ware. spider. griddle. pan for meat. pan for fish. meat fork. can opener. meat cleaver. wooden-handled spoons. braising pan (cover). scales, etc. tin and wire ware. large graters. nutmeg grater. flour dredges. measuring cups. funnel. basting spoon. wire broiler, for toast. wire broilers, for steak. wire soap dish. dover egg beaters. small wire strainers. large wire strainer. flour scoop. flour sifters. gravy strainer. colander. dish pans. -qt. milk cans. quart measure. pint measure. steamer. small bread pans. small jelly moulds. set gem pans. doz. muffin rings. dustpans. plain cake cutters. doughnut cutter. small biscuit cutter. frying basket. dipper. long, shallow cake tins. egg whisks. round cake tin. wire frame. vegetable cutter. miscellaneous. doz. dish towels. floor cloths. holders. cheese cloth. pudding cloth. needles. twine. scissors. skewers. screw driver. corkscrew. doz. knives and forks. hammer. tacks and nails. ironing sheet and holder. coal scuttle. fire shovel. coal sieve. ash hod. flat irons. paper for cake tins. wrapping paper. small tub for laundry work. tablespoons. doz. teaspoons. while this may seem a formidable list, it will not be found expensive. some of the above articles may be omitted and others substituted. it must be remembered that the utensils will be well cared for, consequently will last for many years. in country schools, or where gas is not available, oil stoves may be used. in some schools, where space is limited, one small table is used, two or more pupils demonstrating the lesson under the supervision of the teacher, the pupils taking this duty in alternation. the remainder of the class observe and take notes. the cost of material is trifling. it should not average more than fifty cents per pupil per annum, and for a large number should average less than this amount. the boston school kitchens are, many of them, furnished at a cost of from $ to $ . a fair average cost for ontario should be about $ . * * * * * planning and serving meals. during the last quarter of school work each pupil should submit a typical menu for breakfast, dinner and supper, allowing for a certain number of people. consider the occupation, and give reasons for the choice of food for each meal. state how long it should take to prepare the meal, and give the cost. insist upon variety in menus, and request the pupil to describe how the meal should be served. _system_, neatness and promptness should be especially emphasized. clean table linen--no matter how coarse--is possible for every one. a dish of fruit or flowers, if only a bunch of green foliage, improves the appearance of the table. during the school course a special lesson should be devoted to setting the table and serving meals, with and without a waitress, so as to give a knowledge of how a meal should be served, no matter what the pupil's position in life may be or what part she may have to perform. a few general hints on setting the table. although every housekeeper has her own method for serving meals, a few general principles govern all properly regulated service. when setting the table, cover first with a canton-flannel or felt cloth, in order to prevent noise and protect the table. place each article in its proper place and not in a confused "jumble." see that the tablecloth is spread smoothly, that the corners are of equal length, that the crease--if the cloth has been folded instead of rolled--is exactly in the centre. place the fruit or flowers in the centre of the table. for each person place knife, spoon and glass on the right, fork and napkin on the left. place the glass at the point of the knife. turn the edge of the knife towards the plate and the fork tines up, the spoon with the bowl up. if soup is to be served, place a square of bread or a roll on top of the napkin or between the folds. place the pepper and salt at the corners of the table, unless individual salts are used, when they should be placed at the head of the plates, where the dessert spoon may be placed--the handle towards the right--for convenience. the general rule in serving simple family meals, with or without a waitress, is for the hostess to serve the porridge and coffee at breakfast; the soup, salad and dessert at dinner, and pour the tea at the evening meal. when luncheon is served in the middle of the day the hostess usually does the greater part of the serving, as luncheon is considered to be the most informal meal of the day. a few hints for waitresses. learn to move quickly and quietly. be scrupulously clean and neat in every detail of dress and habit. before serving a meal see that hands and finger nails are clean. always have a fresh white apron ready to put on before the meal is announced. look over the table and see that everything is in its place before announcing a meal. fill the glasses with water either before the family enter the dining room or immediately after they are seated. lift the covers from hot dishes and turn them over at once in order to prevent the steam from dropping on the cloth. take the plate from the host or hostess, and place before each person from the right side--keep the thumb well under the plate. when passing anything from which the persons seated at table help themselves, such as vegetables, sauces, etc., always go to the left, so as to leave the right hand of the one to be served free. keep a watchful eye over the table and pass anything apparently required. learn to receive instructions from the hostess in an undertone. do not get excited and try to do too many things at once. it is an accomplishment to be a good waitress, as it requires special refinement and deftness, which are scarcely compatible with an untidy nature. when serving meals without a waitress, the daughters of the house should consider it their special privilege to save the mother any annoyance or discomfort during the meal time. never allow dishes, which have been used, to accumulate on the table or allow the table to become disordered. as much of the food as possible should be placed on the table before the family are seated, and the plates or dishes removed at once after using. no matter how simple the meal may be, every housekeeper should see that it is served neatly and on time. teachers may exercise a far-reaching influence in the refining of home life by impressing upon the pupils the importance of these--too often considered--minor matters, and by giving minute instructions in the setting of table and serving the meal. one carefully planned _practice_ lesson will convey more knowledge of such matters than any number of lectures or pages of theory. * * * * * consideration of menus. the following menus and analyses are taken from bulletin no. , prepared in the united states experiment stations, and are inserted so as to give some idea of the cost and relative value of various foods in combination. _it must be remembered that the prices given are in excess of prices in ontario, therefore the cost per menu would be less than is given in these illustrations._ the more expensive menus have been omitted. the writer of the article says:-- "in planning a well balanced diet the following points must be considered:-- ( ) the use of any considerable amount of fat meat or starchy food should be offset by the use of some material rich in protein. thus, if roast pork is to be eaten for dinner, veal, fish, or lean beef might well be eaten for breakfast or supper, or both. bean soup furnishes a considerable amount of protein, while bouillon, consommé, and tomato soup are practically useless as a source of nutriment. skim milk also furnishes protein, with but very little accompanying fats and carbohydrates to increase the fuel value. ( ) the use of lean meats or fish for all three meals would require the use of such foods as rice, tapioca, or cornstarch pudding, considerable quantities of sugar and butter, and more vegetables, in order to furnish sufficient fuel value. ( ) since flour, sugar, and butter or lard enter very largely into pastries and desserts, the larger the quantities of these dishes that are consumed the larger does the fuel value tend to become as compared with the protein." the principal classes of food materials may be roughly grouped as follows as regards the proportion of protein to fuel value, beginning with those which have the largest proportion of protein and ending with those which contain little or no protein:-- foods containing a large amount of protein as compared with the fuel value. fish; veal; lean beef, such as shank, shoulder, canned corned, round, neck, and chuck; skim milk. foods containing a medium amount of protein. fowl; eggs; mutton leg and shoulder; beef, fatter cuts, such as rib, loin, rump, flank, and brisket; whole milk; beans and peas; mutton chuck and loin; cheese; lean pork; oatmeal and other breakfast foods; flour; bread, etc. foods containing little or no protein. vegetables and fruit; fat pork; rice; tapioca; starch; butter and other fats and oils; sugar, syrups. the menus. to illustrate the ways in which milk may be combined with other food materials, to form daily dietaries with about the amount of protein and the fuel value called for by the standard for men at moderate muscular work, a few menus are given in the following pages. these menus are intended to show how approximately the same nutritive value may be obtained by food combinations differing widely as regards the number, kind, and price of the food materials used to make up three daily meals. they also illustrate how the cost of the daily menu may vary greatly with the kind and variety of materials purchased, though the nutritive value remains the same. these sample menus should not, however, be regarded as in any sense "models" to be followed in actual practice. the daily menus for any family will necessarily vary with the market supply, the season, and the relative expensiveness of different food materials, as well as with the tastes and purse of the consumers. the point to which we wish here to draw especial attention is that the prudent buyer of foods for family consumption can not afford to wholly neglect their nutritive value in making such purchases. with reference to the following daily menus, several points must be definitely borne in mind. ( ) the amounts given represent about what would be called for in a family equivalent to four full-grown men at ordinary manual labor, such as machinists, carpenters, mill-workers, farmers, truckmen, etc., according to the usually accepted standards. sedentary people would require somewhat less than the amounts here given. ( ) children as a rule may be considered as having "moderate muscular exercise," and it may easily be understood that the -year-old boy eats as much as his father who is engaged in business or professional occupation, both requiring, according to the tentative standard, . of the food needed by a man with moderate muscular work. ( ) it is not assumed that any housewife will find it convenient to follow exactly the proportions suggested in the menus. the purpose is to show her about what amounts and proportions of food materials would give the required nutrients. a family equivalent to four men having little muscular exercise--_i.e._, men with sedentary occupation--would require but about . the quantities indicated in the following menus. it would be very doubtful, however, if they would eat proportionally less of every food material. it would, in fact, be more probable that the amounts of meat, fish, eggs, potatoes, and bread eaten would be reduced in a much greater proportion than fruit, pastry, coffee, etc. pecuniary economy of milk and other foods. _amounts of actual nutrients obtained in different food materials for cts._ _food material._ _lbs. oz._ whole milk, cts. per qt. " " " " " " " " " " " " " " " skim " " skim " " butter, cts. per lb. cheese, " beef, round, cts. per lb. " sirloin, " mutton, loin, " pork, salt " cod, salt " eggs, cts. per doz. oysters, cts. per qt. potatoes, cts. per bushel beans, dried, cts. per qt. wheat flour, cts. per lb. menu i.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate muscular work._ ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | fuel food materials. | weight. | cost. | protein.| value. ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | _breakfast._ |lbs. oz. | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | bananas, (or grapes, | | | | pound) | | - / | . | breakfast cereal | |\ | / . | milk | | > |< . | sugar | - / |/ | \ ... | veal cutlets | | | . | potatoes | | - / | . | butter | | | ... | rolls | | | . | , coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+--------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _dinner._ | | | | | | | | pea soup: | | | | split peas | |\ | / . | butter | | > |< ... | flour | |/ | \ . | roast beef, chuck rib | | | . | , potatoes | | - / | . | turnips | | | . | cottage pudding with | | | | lemon sauce: | | | | cup flour | |\ | / . | sugar | | \ |/ ... | butter | - / | / - / |\ ... | cup milk | |/ | \ . | sugar | |\ | / ... | cornstarch | - / | > - / |< ... | butter | / |/ | \ ... | coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , | | | | _supper._ | | | | | | | | milk toast: | | | | milk | |\ | / . | bread | | \ |/ . | , butter | | / |\ ... | cornstarch | |/ | \ ... | canned salmon | | | . | fried potatoes: | | | | potatoes | |\ |/ . | lard | / |/ |\ ... | cake | | | . | coffee or tea | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for day | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for one man | | | . | , ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- menu ii.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate muscular work._ ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | fuel food materials. | weight. | cost. | protein.| value. ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | _breakfast._ |lbs. oz. | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | oatmeal | |\ | / . | milk | - / | > |< . | sugar | |/ | \ ... | fresh pork sausage | | | . | , potatoes | | | . | bread | | | . | butter | | | ... | coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _dinner._ | | | | | | | | beef, for stew | | | . | , potatoes | | | . | turnips | | | . | bread | | | . | butter | | | ... | indian pudding: | | | | cornmeal | |\ | / . | molasses | | \ |/ . | butter | / | / |\ ... | skim milk | |/ | \ . | coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _supper._ | | | | | | | | corned beef hash: | | | | corned beef, canned | | | . | potatoes | | | . | bread | | | . | butter | | | ... | apples | | | . | milk | | | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total per day | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for one man | | | . | , ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- in these menus the amount of milk has, as a rule, been taken as representing somewhere near the average consumption. the amount of milk can be increased in any of the menus given above either by substituting it to some extent for coffee or tea, or by using more milk and smaller quantities of meats, butter or eggs. roughly speaking, quart of whole milk could be substituted for half a pound of meat or eggs and the amount of nutrients would be the same, while a pint of milk would give as large a fuel value as - / ounces of butter, and in addition considerable protein not furnished by the latter. this replacement of meats by milk is illustrated in the following menu, in which a diet with a rather small quantity of milk is so changed as to include a much larger amount. thus for breakfast in the modified ration a pint and a half of milk is made to take the place of half a pound of broiled steak. for dinner a quart of skim milk (or buttermilk) is called for, or a glass for each person unless some of it is used in the cooking. at the same time, ounces less roast pork is required. in the same way a glass of whole milk is allowed each person for supper, or the bread can be made into milk toast and the most of the extra milk used in this way. this allows the canned salmon to be reduced ounces. menu iii.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate exercise._ --------------------------+---------------------------------- | weight of food. |-----------------+---------------- food materials. | with | with | small | large | amount | amount | of milk. | of milk. --------------------------+-----------------+---------------- | | _breakfast._ | lbs. oz. | lbs. oz. | | bananas, apples, or pears | | wheat preparation | | milk | | sugar | | broiled sirloin steak | | baked potatoes | | hot rolls | | butter | - / | - / extra milk | | | | _dinner._ | | | | tomato soup | | roast pork | | mashed potatoes | | turnips | | apple fritters: | | apples | | flour | | egg | | lard | - / | - / bread | | butter | | extra skim milk | | | | _supper._ | | | | canned salmon | | potatoes | | bread | | butter | | berries, canned or fresh | | extra milk | | --------------------------+-----------------+----------------- _cost, protein, and fuel value of the above._ -----------------------------+-------------+--------------+------------ | cost. | protein. | fuel | | | value. -----------------------------+-------------+--------------+------------ | | | _with small amount of milk._ | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | | | breakfast | | . | , dinner | | . | , supper or lunch | - / | . | , |-------------+--------------+------------ total per day | - / | . | , |=============|==============|============ total for one man | | . | , |=============|==============|============ | | | _with large amount of milk._ | | | | | | breakfast | | . | , dinner | - / | . | , supper or lunch | - / | . | , |-------------|--------------|------------ total per day | | . | , |=============|==============|============ total for one man | | . | , -----------------------------+-------------+--------------+------------ menus vi and vii, following, are intended to illustrate how nourishing food can be procured in sufficient quantities and moderate variety at a cost of not over cents per day. the cost to the farmer would be much less, since these menus call for considerable amounts of milk, which is hardly worth more than one-half or one-third as much on the farm as it costs in the towns and cities. coffee has not always been indicated, but can be introduced for any meal at a cost of from / to - / cents per cup, according to how much coffee is used in making the infusion, and how much sugar, milk, and cream are added. it is, of course, not important that each meal, or the total food of each individual day, should have just the right amount of nutrients, or that the proportions of protein and fuel ingredients should be exactly correct so as to make the meal or day's diet well balanced. the body is continually storing nutritive materials and using them. it is not dependent any day upon the food eaten that particular day. hence an excess one day may be made up by a deficiency the next or _vice versa_. healthful nourishment requires simply that the nutrients as a whole, during longer or shorter periods, should be fitted to the actual needs of the body for use. menu iv.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate muscular work._ ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | fuel food materials. | weight. | cost. | protein.| value. ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | _breakfast._ |lbs. oz. | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | bananas, (or grapes, | | | | pound) | | - / | . | breakfast cereal | |\ | / . | milk | | > |< . | sugar | |/ | \ ... | mutton chops | | | . | , potatoes | | - / | . | butter | | | ... | rolls | | | . | , coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+--------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _dinner._ | | | | | | | | tomato soup | | | . | roast pork | | | . | , potatoes | | - / | . | turnips | | | . | | | | | tapioca pudding: | | | | tapioca | |\ | / . | apples | | \ |/ . | sugar | | / |\ ... | cream | |/ | \ . | coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , | | | | _supper._ | | | | | | | | milk toast: | | | | milk | |\ | / . | bread | | \ |/ . | , butter | | / |\ ... | cornstarch | |/ | \ ... | sliced cold pork | | | . | fried potatoes: | | | | potatoes | |\ |/ . | lard | / |/ |\ ... | cake | | | . | coffee or tea | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for day | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for one man | | - / | . | , ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- menu v.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate muscular work._ ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | fuel food materials. | weight. | cost. | protein.| value. ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | _breakfast._ |lbs. oz. | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | baked apples | | | . | boiled hominy | |\ | / . | milk | | > - / |< . | sugar | |/ | \ ... | broiled sirloin | | | . | potatoes | | | . | muffins: | | | | egg | |\ |/ . | cups flour | |/ |\ . | butter | | | ... | coffee | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , | | | | _dinner._ | | | | | | | | tomato soup | | | . | veal stew, shoulder | | | . | , potatoes | | - / | . | apple dumpling: | | | | egg | |\ | / . | apples | | \ |/ . | / cup lard | | / |\ ... | , cup flour | |/ | \ . | | | | | sauce for dumpling: | | | | butter | |\ |/ ... | sugar | |/ |\ ... | bread | | | . | butter | | | ... | coffee or tea | ... | - / | . | |-----------+----------+---------+--------- total | | | . | , | | | | | | | | _supper or lunch._ | | | | | | | | dried canned corned beef | | | . | potato croquette | | | . | biscuit | | | . | , butter | - / | | ... | oranges, | | | . | skim milk | | | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for day | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for one man | | | . | , ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- menu vi.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate muscular work._ ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | fuel food materials. | weight. | cost. | protein.| value. ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | _breakfast._ |lbs. oz. | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | cornmeal, in mush or cake | | | . | milk | | | . | sugar | | / | ... | toast | | - / | . | butter ( cents per pound) | | | ... | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , | | | | _dinner._ | | | | | | | | beef roll (for roasting) | | | . | , potatoes | | | . | beets | | | . | bread | | - / | . | butter | | | ... | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _supper._ | | | | | | | | beans, baked | | | . | , pork | | | . | , potatoes, fried | | | . | lard | | | ... | bread | | - / | . | butter | | | ... | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for day | | - / | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for one man | | | . | , ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- menu vii.--_for family equivalent to men at moderate muscular work._ ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | fuel food materials. | weight. | cost. | protein.| value. ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- | | | | _breakfast._ |lbs. oz. | cents. | pounds. | calories. | | | | oatmeal | | | . | skim milk, pint | | - / | . | sugar | | / | ... | bread (homemade) | | | . | , sausage | | | . | , butter ( cents per pound) | | - / | ... | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _dinner._ | | | | | | | | beef flank, stew | | | . | , potatoes ( cents per | | | | bushel) | | | . | cabbage | | | . | cornmeal pudding: | | | | cornmeal | | / | . | skim milk, quart | | | . | molasses | | | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | - / | . | , | | | | _supper._ | | | | | | | | beef, warmed in gravy | | | . | hot biscuit | | | . | , butter | | | ... | milk, quart | | | . | |-----------+----------+---------+---------- total | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total per day | | | . | , |===========|==========|=========|========== total for one man | | | . | , ----------------------------+-----------+----------+---------+---------- discussion of the menus. these menus attempt to give, as nearly as convenient, the range of food materials and the variety of combination which might be found in the average well-to-do household. some of the menus are more varied and costly than others, and a few are given showing the effect of the use of more milk, and also how a diet might easily become one-sided. the quantities of the different foods used per meal will not, it is believed, be found out of proportion to each other, though of course they will not suit every family. the weights of all materials, oatmeal and other cereals, meat, vegetables, etc., are for these substances as purchased. the calculation of the quantities of nutrients contained in the different foods is based upon the average percentage composition of these materials. inasmuch as the fats and carbohydrates are used simply as fuel they are not shown in the menus, only the quantity of protein and the fuel value of the food being of interest. the cost of the different food materials must of necessity be more or less of a varying quantity, depending upon the season of the year, the character of the markets, large or small, city or country, etc. of the more important food materials the assumed price per pound is as follows: beef loin, to cents; shoulder, cents; round, cents; chicken, cents; mutton loin, cents; lamb leg, cents; bacon, cents; sausage, cents; milk, cents ( cents per quart); skim milk, - / cents ( cents per quart); butter, cents; cheese, cents; eggs, cents ( cents per dozen); flour and meal, - / to cents; cereals, to cents; bread, cents; potatoes and other vegetables, - / cent ( cents per bushel); bananas, about cents ( cents per dozen); oranges, about cents ( to cents per dozen); apples, - / cent per pound ( cents per bushel). it is probable that the above figures represent more nearly the average prices of the different food materials in the eastern part of the country than in the central and western portions, where meats, cereals, and many other products are somewhat cheaper. it is also to be borne in mind that by observing the markets many food materials can be purchased much cheaper than here indicated, while on the other hand there may be times when they will be much more expensive. the choice of vegetables and fruits will naturally be governed by their abundance and cost. another point that must not be overlooked is that the quantities, and consequently the costs, here given are for four working men; that is to say, men engaged in moderately hard muscular labor. of course, different individuals differ greatly in their needs for food. these figures express only general averages and are based upon the best information accessible. a few points to be considered in planning meals. dietetic authorities advise people who are engaged in active muscular work to partake of the more substantial meal in the middle of the day, leaving such articles of food as soup--which is a valuable stimulant after a day of hard work--fruit, cake, etc., for the evening meal, when the system is too much exhausted to digest the more concentrated foods. when men are obliged to take cold lunches in the middle of the day the housewife should see that the lunch basket contains the necessary nourishment in the form of cheese, cold meat, meat or fish sandwiches, hard boiled eggs, a fish or vegetable salad, cold pork and beans, rice pudding, whole wheat bread and butter, a bottle of milk or _strained_ tea or coffee, pie, doughnuts, etc. remember, a man working in the open air or in a large building requires food which will not oxidize too quickly, or in other words, food which will keep up the fuel and force necessary for his work. supper in such cases should consist of a good broth or well made soup, and the lighter foods; but breakfast and dinner should be more substantial. it is a question of economy to provide suitable food for the wage-earner. the children may be equally well nourished on a less expensive diet, such as whole wheat bread and butter, milk puddings, fruit, green vegetables, cereals, milk, and meat once a day. on the other hand the individual engaged in sedentary employment, such as book-keeping, teaching, needlework, etc., should dine later in the day, as it leaves a longer interval for digestion, which is much slower when the individual is confined in a close office or work-room, and where little exercise is taken.[ ] care should be taken in planning meals for this class to avoid food which requires much oxygen, such as fresh pork, fried food, sausage, warm bread, pastry, griddle cakes, etc. the mid-day meal of a brain worker or business man should be light; a soup, glass of milk (hot or cold), fruit, bread and butter, vegetable salad, a broiled chop or steak, etc., are suitable for luncheon. special attention should be given to the diet of school children. (see p. .) students and children who are obliged to study at night should, as a rule, take some light nourishment before retiring; a biscuit, a piece of bread and butter, or a glass of hot milk, is sufficient. young girls, who are employed in shops, factories, etc., frequently hurry away to their work in the morning without taking a substantial breakfast. it is needless to say that such action is sure to be followed by a physical breakdown. a glass of hot milk or an egg beaten and added to a glass of milk will serve as an occasional substitute for a more substantial meal, but is not enough to sustain active exercise for any length of time. another point to consider in the planning of meals is economy of fuel. the thoughtful housekeeper will arrange to have food requiring long, slow cooking, such as stews, soup stock, bread, etc., and ironing done by the same fuel. broiling, toasting, omelets, etc., require a quick fire. it is in the careful consideration of details that economy in both food and fuel may be exercised. footnote: [ ] the teacher may make this clear by comparing the digestion of the two classes to the action of the air upon coal in a range with the drafts open and closed, the more rapid combustion, effect of oxygen, etc. * * * * * suggestive questions. in giving instruction in domestic science, the teacher must be careful to explain the meaning of any words used which the pupils would not be likely to understand; for instance, oxidation, combustion, solubility, etc., and many of the terms used in the analysis, such as fermentation, casein of milk, albumen, cellulose, etc. in order to keep the attention of pupils fixed on a subject, frequent illustrations and comparisons should be made. questioning is one of the best methods of riveting attention, and as every teacher has not the faculty of asking questions, a few suggestive ones are given which may prove helpful. why do we eat food? what is nitrogenous food? what is its chief office? where is it to be found? in what section of vegetable kingdom is this compound abundant? what is the chief nitrogenous compound in meat and eggs? of what is it composed? why do we call these compounds nitrogenous? do they serve any other purpose besides building up flesh? which are the most important heat-giving compounds? what is the proportion in food they should bear to the flesh-forming compounds? what other compounds are necessary to form a perfect food? give their use? where are they to be found? what is common salt? where is it found? why do we use it? give the three digestive juices. what kind of mineral matter do we find in vegetables? why should potato parings, leaves and stalks of cabbage not be put in the dust bin or garbage pail? what should be done with them? which are the most important warmth-giving foods? give another name for these foods? why are they so called? what is combustion? how do these foods produce force, etc.? what other elements do these foods contain? why are fats and oils more valuable as heat-givers than starch or sugar? what elements unite and form water? what is the proportion of water in the body? give its use? explain the difference in the digestion of starch and fat? why does starch need cooking? to what kingdom does it belong? which section is of most value? how is starch changed into sugar? what changes food into blood? what gives the red color to blood? what mineral helps digestion most? what is sugar? what causes sugar to ferment? what is the result? where is it to be found? what are food adjuncts? of what value are they? give the names of combustible nutrients. give the names of incombustible nutrients. for a substance to undergo combustion, what must it contain? what supports combustion? what is chemically pure water? what causes the hardness of water? what is gluten? what is dextrine? where is it found? in what way does dextrine differ from starch? what is decomposition? * * * * * schedule of lessons for public school classes. lesson. i. information regarding the conduct of classes. practice in measuring. practice in lighting gas-burners and oven. practice in lighting and regulating a range. ii. fruit--applesauce. coddled apples. stewed prunes. iii. starch--boiled rice. potatoes, boiled and mashed. iv. starch--thickening liquids with flour. v. starch--practice in no. . vi. vegetables--onions, cabbage, parsnips, etc. vii. eggs--boiled eggs. poached eggs. toast. viii. eggs and milk--boiled and baked custard. ix. flour mixtures--popovers, griddle cake. x. flour mixtures--milk biscuits. corn bread. apple pudding. xi. bread--making sponge, kneading, and setting to rise. xii. bread--moulding and baking. xiii. fish--boiled and baked fish. creamed fish and sauce. xiv. review of theory and recipes. xv. meat--roasting meat. soup stock. xvi. meat--stewed meat. xvii. meat--cold meat and broiling. xviii. salads. xix. beans. xx. plain puddings. note.--after this each teacher must arrange lessons according to circumstances, age of pupils, etc., alternating cooking with lessons in care of kitchen and utensils, and lectures on sanitary matters, laundry work, setting table, and serving. * * * * * appendix. outlines nos. i and ii, for class work, are contributed by prof. kinne, of teachers' college, columbia university, n.y. city. outline i. the following outline is offered as a tentative plan of work, for an average class of girls, in the highest grades of the public school. the exact order of lessons depends in a measure on the skill and interest of the pupils, and the special dishes selected to illustrate a principle, upon the circumstances of the pupils, and upon the season of the year. it should be noted that beginning with the third lesson, there are four lessons on the cooking of carbohydrates; then four on the cooking of nitrogenous foods; next the batters, combining the two, and introducing the use of fat, and so on. it is the purpose of this arrangement to enforce the effects produced by heat on the food principles, singly and in combination; to alternate the groups, so that there is a constant review of principles already established; and to give practical work of increasing difficulty. the course in cooking should be preceded by a few lessons in house-work; and at least one on the care of the kitchen. it is taken for granted that the lessons are accompanied by a study of food values, the cost of food, marketing, etc. . simple experiments in combustion--to illustrate the structure of stoves and the care of such stoves. study of the fuel and apparatus to be used in the school kitchen; practice in using the apparatus; comparison with other apparatus. . utensils--what they are, of what materials, and why. it is well to have pupils make a list in note-book of simple kitchen furnishing. experiments with the boiling of water, in florence flask, in tea-kettle, and in covered saucepan, using thermometer. use of double boiler. compare with boiling water the temperature of fat hot enough for frying, and also that of the oven. to illustrate the two latter, croutons may be made. . measuring--experiment with the cooking of starch in water; cornstarch pudding, or tapioca or sago jelly. develop the idea of the effect of the boiling temperature on the starch grains, the bursting of the grains, and the change in flavor due to continued cooking. . a cereal and a fruit,--say, baked apples. in the cereal, in addition to the starch, is the cooking of the woody fibre. note in both cereal and fruit the flavors developed by heat, the cooking being a continuation, as it were, of the ripening process. . a starchy and a green vegetable; as, for instance, potatoes and cabbage. here, again, are the two principles, cookery of starch and vegetable fibre; again the development of flavor by heat. cookery of peas and beans would better be deferred until the pupils are familiar with the effect of water on nitrogenous substances. if time allows, a sauce may be made to serve with a vegetable, or this may be given in the next lesson. . vegetable soups, without meat stock. this is in part a review lesson. opportunity is offered here for the study of proportions, several ingredients being used, how much vegetable pulp or juice to how much liquid; how much thickening, and how much salt to a quart of soup. . eggs. experiments to show the coagulating point of the white and yolk, followed by soft and hard cooking of eggs, and possibly a plain omelet. . eggs and milk. . oysters. . fish. , , . batters. in these three lessons study especially proportions, methods of mixing and baking. a good sequence of batters is the following: popovers, griddle cakes, muffins, and baking powder biscuit; or a sweet batter in the form of a plain cake may be given for sake of variety. . tender meat. pan broiling and broiling. . tender meat. roasting and making of gravy. . tough meat. soups and stews. . tough meat. soups and stews. made dishes of meat can be given in these two lessons also. . beverages. . salads. . desserts. . a breakfast. . a luncheon. . a dinner; or, dinner and supper. other topics, in addition to these, or in place of some of them; bacon, and trying out of fat; cheese dishes; canning and preserving; dishes for invalids; other desserts and made dishes. outline ii. this outline has been found practical in a short course where it was advisable to give the pupils work in the preparation of simple meals. the plan can be followed in a longer course. _introductory lesson: fire-making, measuring, etc._ . a cereal and fruit. . eggs. . bacon, and the trying out of fat. . plain muffins, or griddle cakes. coffee. . a breakfast. . vegetables. vegetable soup. . a made dish of meat or fish. . salad and dressing. . muffins or biscuit. . a luncheon or supper. . vegetables. macaroni. . meat. . sauces and gravies. a dessert. . bread or rolls. . a dinner. proofreaders team the white house cook book _cooking, toilet and household recipes,_ _menus, dinner-giving, table etiquette,_ _care of the sick, health suggestions,_ _facts worth knowing, etc., etc._ the whole comprising a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home by mrs. f.l. gillette and hugo ziemann, steward of the white house to the wives of our presidents, those noble women who have graced the white house, and whose names and memories are dear to all americans, this volume is affectionately dedicated by the author. publishers' preface in presenting to the public the "white house cook book," the publishers believe they can justly claim that it more fully represents the progress and present perfection of the culinary art than any previous work. in point of authorship, it stands preëminent. hugo ziemann was at one time caterer for that prince napoleon who was killed while fighting the zulus in africa. he was afterwards steward of the famous hotel splendide in paris. later he conducted the celebrated brunswick café in new york, and still later he gave to the hotel richelieu, in chicago, a cuisine which won the applause of even the gourmets of foreign lands. it was here that he laid the famous "spread" to which the chiefs of the warring factions of the republican convention sat down in june, , and from which they arose with asperities softened, differences harmonized and victory organized. mrs. f.l. gillette is no less proficient and capable, having made a life-long and thorough study of cookery and housekeeping, especially as adapted to the practical wants of average american homes. the book has been prepared with great care. every recipe has been _tried_ and _tested_, and can be relied upon as one of the _best_ of its kind. it is comprehensive, filling completely, it is believed, the requirements of housekeepers of all classes. it embodies several original and commendable features, among which may be mentioned the _menus_ for the holidays and for one week in each month in the year, thus covering all varieties of seasonable foods; the convenient classification and arrangement of topics; the simplified method of explanation in preparing an article, in the order of manipulation, thereby enabling the most inexperienced to clearly comprehend it. the subject of carving has been given a prominent place, not only because of its special importance in a work of this kind, but particularly because it contains entirely new and original designs, and is so far a departure from the usual mode of treating the subject. interesting information is given concerning the _white house_; how its hospitality is conducted, the menus served on special occasions, views of the interior, portraits of all the ladies of the white house, etc. convenience has been studied in the make-up of the book. the type is large and plain; it is sewed by patent flexible process, so that when opened it will not close of itself, and it is bound in enameled cloth, adapted for use in the kitchen. the publishers. contents. articles required for the kitchen biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc. bread butter and cheese cakes canned fruits carving catsups coffee, tea and beverages coloring for fruit, etc. confectionery custards, creams and desserts dinner giving dumplings and puddings dyeing or coloring eggs and omelets facts worth knowing fillings for layer cakes fish for the sick french words in cooking frosting or icing health suggestions housekeepers' time-table ice-cream and ices macaroni management of state dinner at white house measures and weights in ordinary use meats menus miscellaneous miscellaneous recipes modes of frying mutton and lamb pastry, pies and tarts pickles pork poultry and game preserves, jellies, etc. salads sandwiches sauces and dressing sauces for, pudding shell fish small points on table etiquette soups soups without meats special menus toast toilet recipes and items varieties of seasonable food vegetables [illustration: helen herron taft. copyright, photo clinediust, washington.] white house cook book. carving. carving is one important acquisition in the routine of daily living, and all should try to attain a knowledge or ability to do it well, and withal gracefully. when carving use a chair slightly higher than the ordinary size, as it gives a better purchase on the meat, and appears more graceful than when standing, as is often quite necessary when carving a turkey, or a very large joint. more depends on skill than strength. the platter should be placed opposite, and sufficiently near to give perfect command of the article to be carved, the knife of medium size, sharp with a keen edge. commence by cutting the slices thin, laying them carefully to one side of the platter, then afterwards placing the desired amount on each guest's plate, to be served in turn by the servant. in carving fish, care should be taken to help it in perfect flakes; for if these are broken the beauty of the fish is lost. the carver should acquaint himself with the choicest parts and morsels; and to give each guest an equal share of those _tidbits_ should be his maxim. steel knives and forks should on no account be used in helping fish, as these are liable to impart a _very_ disagreeable flavor. a fish-trowel of silver or plated silver is the proper article to use. gravies should be sent to the table very _hot_, and in helping one to gravy or melted butter, place it on a vacant side of the plate, not _pour_ it over their meat, fish or fowl, that they may use only as much as they like. when serving fowls, or meats, accompanied with stuffing, the guests should be asked if they would have a portion, as it is not every one to whom the flavor of stuffing is agreeable; in filling their plates, avoid heaping one thing upon another, as it makes a bad appearance. a word about the care of carving knives: a fine steel knife should not come in contact with intense heat, because it destroys its temper, and therefore impairs its cutting qualities. table carving knives should not be used in the kitchen, either around the stove, or for cutting bread, meats, vegetables, etc.; a fine whetstone should be kept for sharpening, and the knife cleaned carefully to avoid dulling its edge, all of which is quite essential to successful carving. * * * * * [illustration] beef. hind-quarter. no. . used for choice roasts, the porterhouse and sirloin steaks. no. . rump, used for steaks, stews and corned beef. no. . aitch-bone, used for boiling-pieces, stews and pot roasts. no. . buttock or round, used for steaks, pot roasts, beef _á la mode_; also a prime boiling-piece. no. . mouse-round, used for boiling and stewing. no. . shin or leg, used for soups, hashes, etc. no. . thick flank, cut with under fat, is a prime boiling-piece, good for stews and corned beef, pressed beef. no. . veiny piece, used for corned beef, dried beef. no. . thin flank, used for corned beef and boiling-pieces. fore-quarter. no. . five ribs called the fore-rib. this is considered the primest piece for roasting; also makes the finest steaks. no. . four ribs, called the middle ribs, used for roasting. no. . chuck ribs, used for second quality of roasts and steaks. no. . brisket, used for corned beef, stews, soups and spiced beef. no. . shoulder-piece, used for stews, soups, pot-roasts, mince-meat and hashes. nos. , . neck, clod or sticking-piece used for stocks, gravies, soups, mince-pie meat, hashes, bologna sausages, etc. no. . shin or shank, used mostly for soups and stewing. no. . cheek. the following is a classification of the qualities of meat, according to the several joints of beef, when cut up. _first class_.--includes the sirloin with the kidney suet ( ), the rump steak piece ( ), the fore-rib ( ). _second class_.--the buttock or round ( ), the thick flank ( ), the middle ribs ( ). _third class_.--the aitch-bone ( ), the mouse-round ( ), the thin flank ( , ), the chuck ( ), the shoulder-piece ( ), the brisket ( ). _fourth class_.--the clod, neck and sticking-piece ( , ). _fifth class_.--shin or shank ( ). [illustration] veal. hind-quarter. no. . loin, the choicest cuts used for roasts and chops. no. . fillet, used for roasts and cutlets. no. . loin, chump-end used for roasts and chops. no. . the hind-knuckle or hock, used for stews, pot-pies, meat-pies. fore-quarter. no. . neck, best end used for roasts, stews and chops. no. . breast, best end used for roasting, stews and chops. no. . blade-bone, used for pot-roasts and baked dishes. no. . fore-knuckle, used for soups and stews. no. . breast, brisket-end used for baking, stews and pot-pies. no. . neck, scrag-end used for stews, broth, meat-pies, etc. in cutting up veal, generally, the hind-quarter is divided into loin and leg, and the fore-quarter into breast, neck and shoulder. _the several parts of a moderately-sized, well-fed calf_, about eight weeks old, are nearly of the following weights:--loin and chump, lbs.; fillet, - / lbs.; hind-knuckle, - / lbs.; shoulder, lbs.; neck, lbs.; breast, lbs., and fore-knuckle, lbs.; making a total of lbs. weight. [illustration] mutton. no. . leg, used for roasts and for boiling. no. . shoulder, used for baked dishes and roasts. no. . loin, best end used for roasts, chops. no. . loin, chump-end used for roasts and chops. no. . rack, or rib chops, used for french chops, rib chops, either for frying or broiling; also used for choice stews. no. . breast, used for roast, baked dishes, stews, chops. no. . neck or scrag-end, used for cutlets, stews and meat-pies. note.--a saddle of muton or double loin is two loins cut off before the carcass is split open down the back. french chops are a small rib chop, the end of the bone trimmed off and the meat and fat cut away from the thin end, leaving the round piece of meat attached to the larger end, which leaves the small rib-bone bare. very tender and sweet. mutton is _prime_ when cut from a carcass which has been fed out of doors, and allowed to run upon the hillside; they are best when about three years old. the fat will then be abundant, white and hard, the flesh juicy and firm, and of a clear red color. for mutton roasts, choose the shoulder, the saddle, or the loin or haunch. the leg should be boiled. almost any part will do for broth. lamb born in the middle of the winter, reared under shelter, and fed in a great measure upon milk, then killed in the spring, is considered a great delicacy, though lamb is good at a year old. like all young animals, lamb ought to be thoroughly cooked, or it is most unwholesome. [illustration] pork. no. . leg, used for smoked hams, roasts and corned pork. no. . hind-loin, used for roasts, chops and baked dishes. no. . fore-loin or ribs, used for roasts, baked dishes or chops. no. . spare-rib, used for roasts, chops, stews. no. . shoulder, used for smoked shoulder, roasts and corned pork. no. . brisket and flank, used for pickling in salt and smoked bacon. the cheek is used for pickling in salt, also the shank or shin. the feet are usually used for souse and jelly. for family use the leg is the most economical, that is when fresh, and the loin the richest. the best pork is from carcasses weighing from fifty to about one hundred and twenty-five pounds. pork is a white and close meat, and it is almost impossible to over-roast or cook it too much; when underdone it is exceedingly unwholesome. [illustration] venison. no. . shoulder, used for roasting; it may be boned and stuffed, then afterwards baked or roasted. no. . fore-loin, used for roasts and steaks. no. . haunch or loin, used for roasts, steaks, stews. the ribs cut close may be used for soups. good for pickling and making into smoked venison. no. . breast, used for baking dishes, stewing. no. . scrag or neck, used for soups. the choice of venison should be judged by the fat, which, when the venison is young, should be thick, clear and close, and the meat a very dark red. the flesh of a female deer about four years old, is the sweetest and best of venison. buck venison, which is in season from june to the end of september, is finer than doe venison, which is in season from october to december. neither should be dressed at any other time of year, and no meat requires so much care as venison in killing, preserving and dressing. [illustration:] sirloin of beef. this choice roasting-piece should be cut with one good firm stroke from end to end of the joint, at the upper part, in thin, long, even slices in the direction of the line from to , cutting across the grain, serving each guest with some of the fat with the lean; this may be done by cutting a small, thin slice from underneath the bone from to , through the tenderloin. another way of carving this piece, and which will be of great assistance in doing it well, is to insert the knife just above the bone at the bottom, and run sharply along, dividing the meat from the bone at the bottom and end, thus leaving it perfectly flat; then carve in long, thin slices the usual way. when the bone has been removed and the sirloin rolled before it is cooked, it is laid upon the platter on one end, and an even, thin slice is carved across the grain of the upper surface. roast ribs should be carved in thin, even slices from the thick end towards the thin in the same manner as the sirloin; this can be more easily and cleanly done if the carving knife is first run along between the meat and the end and rib-bones, thus leaving it free from bone to be cut into slices. _tongue_.--to carve this it should be cut crosswise, the middle being the best; cut in very _thin_ slices, thereby improving its delicacy, making it more tempting; as is the case of all well-carved meats. the root of the tongue is usually left on the platter. [illustration] breast of veal. this piece is quite similar to a fore-quarter of lamb after the shoulder has been taken off. a breast of veal consists of two parts, the rib-bones and the gristly brisket. these parts may be separated by sharply passing the carving knife in the direction of the line from to ; and when they are entirely divided, the rib-bones should be carved in the direction of the line from to , and the brisket can be helped by cutting slices from to . the carver should ask the guests whether they have a preference for the brisket or ribs; and if there be a sweetbread served with the dish, as is frequently with this roast of veal, each person should receive a piece. though veal and lamb contain less nutrition than beef and mutton, in proportion to their weight, they are often preferred to these latter meats on account of their delicacy of texture and flavor. a whole breast of veal weighs from nine to twelve pounds. [illustration] a fillet of veal. a fillet of veal is one of the prime roasts of veal; it is taken from the leg above the knuckle; a piece weighing from ten to twelve pounds is a good size and requires about four hours for roasting. before roasting, it is dressed with a force meat or stuffing placed in the cavity from where the bone was taken out and the flap tightly secured together with skewers; many bind it together with tape. to carve it, cut in even thin slices off from the whole of the upper part or top, in the same manner as from a rolled roast of beef, as in the direction of the figs. and ; this gives the person served some of the dressing with each slice of meat. veal is very unwholesome unless it is cooked thoroughly, and when roasted should be of a rich brown color. bacon, fried pork, sausage-balls, with greens, are among the accompaniments of roasted veal, also a cut lemon. [illustration] neck of veal. the best end of a neck of veal makes a very good roasting-piece; it, however, is composed of bone and ribs that make it quite difficult to carve, unless it is done properly. to attempt to carve each chop and serve it, you would not only place _too_ large a piece upon the plate of the person you intend to serve, but you would waste much time, and should the vertebræ have not been removed by the butcher, you would be compelled to exercise such a degree of strength that would make one's appearance very ungraceful, and possibly, too, throwing gravy over your neighbor sitting next to you. the correct way to carve this roast is to cut diagonally from fig. to , and help in slices of moderate thickness; then it may be cut from to , in order to separate the small bones; divide and serve them, having first inquired if they are desired. this joint is usually sent to the table accompanied by bacon, ham, tongue, or pickled pork, on a separate dish and with a cut lemon on a plate. there are also a number of sauces that are suitable with this roast. [illustration] leg of mutton. the best mutton, and that from which most nourishment is obtained is that of sheep from three to six years old, and which have been fed on dry, sweet pastures; then mutton is in its _prime_, the flesh being firm, juicy, dark colored and full of the richest gravy. when mutton is two years old, the meat is flabby, pale and savorless. in carving a roasted leg, the best slices are found by cutting quite down to the bone, in the direction from to , and slices may be taken from either side. some very good cuts are taken from the broad end from to , and the fat on this ridge is very much liked by many. the cramp-bone is a delicacy, and is obtained by cutting down to the bone at , and running the knife under it in a semicircular direction to . the nearer the knuckle the drier the meat, but the under side contains the most finely grained meat, from which slices may be cut lengthwise. when sent to the table a frill of paper around the knuckle will improve its appearance. [illustration] fore-quarter of lamb. the first cut to be made in carving a fore-quarter of lamb is to separate the shoulder from the breast and ribs; this is done by passing a sharp carving knife lightly around the dotted line as shown by the figs. , and , so as to cut through the skin, and then, by raising with a little force the shoulder, into which the fork should be firmly fixed, it will easily separate with just a little more cutting with the knife; care should be taken not to cut away too much of the meat from the breast when dividing the shoulder from it, as that would mar its appearance. the shoulder may be placed upon a separate dish for convenience. the next process is to divide the ribs from the brisket by cutting through the meat in the line from to ; then the ribs may be carved in the direction of the line to , and the brisket from to . the carver should always ascertain whether the guest prefers ribs, brisket, or a piece of the shoulder. [illustration] ham. the carver in cutting a ham must be guided according as he desires to practice economy, or have at once fine slices out of the prime part. under the first supposition, he will commence at the knuckle end, and cut off thin slices toward the thick and upper part of the ham. to reach the choicer portion of the ham, the knife, which must be very sharp and thin, should be carried quite down to the bone through the thick fat in the direction of the line from to . the slices should be even and thin, cutting both lean and fat together, always cutting down to the bone. some cut a circular hole in the middle of a ham gradually enlarging it outwardly. then again many carve a ham by first cutting from to , then across the other way from to . remove the skin after the ham is cooked and send to the table with dots of dry pepper or dry mustard on the top, a tuft of fringed paper twisted about the knuckle, and plenty of fresh parsley around the dish. this will always insure an inviting appearance. _roast pig_.--the modern way of serving a pig is not to send it to the table whole, but have it carved partially by the cook; first, by dividing the shoulder from the body; then the leg in the same manner; also separating the ribs into convenient portions. the head may be divided and placed on the same platter. to be served as hot as possible. a spare rib of pork is carved by cutting slices from the fleshy part, after which the bones should be disjointed and separated. a leg of pork may be carved in the same manner as a ham. [illustration: haunch of venison] haunch of venison a haunch of venison is the _prime_ joint, and is carved very similar to almost any roasted or boiled leg; it should be first cut crosswise down to the bone following the line from to ; then turn the platter with the knuckle farthest from you, put in the point of the knife, and cut down as far as you can, in the directions shown by the dotted lines from to ; then there can be taken out as many slices as is required on the right and left of this. slices of venison should be cut thin, and gravy given with them, but as there is a special sauce made with red wine and currant jelly to accompany this meat, do not serve gravy before asking the guest if he pleases to have any. the fat of this meat is like mutton, apt to cool soon, and become hard and disagreeable to the palate; it should, therefore, be served always on warm plates, and the platter kept over a hot-water dish, or spirit lamp. many cooks dish it up with a white paper frill pinned around the knuckle bone. a haunch of mutton is carved the same as a haunch of venison. [illustration] turkey. a turkey having been relieved from strings and skewers used in trussing should be placed on the table with the head or neck at the carver's right hand. an expert carver places the fork in the turkey, and does not remove it until the whole is divided. first insert the fork firmly in the lower part of the breast, just forward of fig. , then sever the legs and wings on both sides, if the whole is to be carved, cutting neatly through the joint next to the body, letting these parts lie on the platter. next, cut downward from the breast from to , as many even slices of the white meat as may be desired, placing the pieces neatly on one side of the platter. now unjoint the legs and wings at the middle joint, which can be done very skillfully by a little practice. make an opening into the cavity of the turkey for dipping out the inside dressing, by cutting a piece from the rear part , , called the apron. consult the tastes of the guests as to which part is preferred; if no choice is expressed, serve a portion of both light and dark meat. one of the most delicate parts of the turkey are two little muscles, lying in small dish-like cavities on each side of the back, a little behind the leg attachments; the next most delicate meat fills the cavities in the neck bone, and next to this, that on the second joints. the lower part of the leg (or drumstick, as it is called) being hard, tough and stringy, is rarely ever helped to any one, but allowed to remain on the dish. [illustration] roast goose. to carve a goose, first begin by separating the leg from the body, by putting the fork into the small end of the limb, pressing it closely to the body, then passing the knife under at , and turning the leg back as you cut through the joint. to take off the wing, insert the fork in the small end of the pinion, and press it close to the body; put the knife in at fig. , and divide the joint. when the legs and wings are off, the breast may be carved in long, even slices, as represented in the lines from to . the back and lower side bones, as well as the two lower side bones by the wing, may be cut off; but the best pieces of the goose are the breast and thighs, after being separated from the drumsticks. serve a little of the dressing from the inside, by making a circular slice in the apron at fig. . a goose should never be over a year old; a tough goose is very difficult to carve, and certainly most difficult to eat. fowls. first insert the knife between the leg and the body, and cut to the bone; then turn the leg back with the fork, and if the fowl is tender the joint will give away easily. the wing is broken off the same way, only dividing the joint with the knife, in the direction from to . the four quarters having been removed in this way, take off the merry-thought and the neck-bones; these last are to be removed by putting the knife in at figs. and , pressing it hard, when they will break off from the part that sticks to the breast. to separate the breast from the body of the fowl, cut through the tender ribs close to the breast, quite down to the tail. now turn the fowl over, back upwards; put the knife into the bone midway between the neck and the rump, and on raising the lower end it will separate readily. turn now the rump from you, and take off very neatly the two side bones, and the fowl is carved. in separating the thigh from the drumstick, the knife must be inserted exactly at the joint, for if not accurately hit, some difficulty will be experienced to get them apart; this is easily acquired by practice. there is no difference in carving roast and boiled fowls if full grown; but in very young fowls the breast is usually served whole; the wings and breast are considered the best parts, but in young ones the legs are the most juicy. in the case of a capon or large fowl, slices may be cut off at the breast, the same as carving a pheasant. [illustration] roast duck. a young duckling may be carved in the same manner as a fowl, the legs and wings being taken off first on either side. when the duck is full size, carve it like a goose; first cutting it in slices from the breast, beginning close to the wing and proceeding upward towards the breast bone, as is represented by the lines to . an opening may be made by cutting out a circular slice, as shown by the dotted lines at number . some are fond of the feet, and when dressing the duck, these should be neatly skinned and never removed. wild duck is highly esteemed by epicures; it is trussed like a tame duck, and carved in the same manner, the breast being the choicest part. partridges. partridges are generally cleaned and trussed the same way as a pheasant, but the custom of cooking them with the heads on is going into disuse somewhat. the usual way of carving them is similar to a pigeon, dividing it into two equal parts. another method is to cut it into three pieces, by severing a wing and leg on either side from the body, by following the lines to , thus making two servings of those parts, leaving the breast for a third plate. the third method is to thrust back the body from the legs, and cut through the middle of the breast, thus making four portions that may be served. grouse and prairie-chicken are carved from the breast when they are large, and quartered or halved when of medium size. [illustration] pheasant. place your fork firmly in the centre of the breast of this large game bird and cut deep slices to the bone at figs. and ; then take off the leg in the line from and , and the wing and , severing both sides the same. in taking off the wings, be careful not to cut too near the neck; if you do you will hit upon the neck-bone, from which the wing must be separated. pass the knife through the line , and under the merry-thought towards the neck, which will detach it. cut the other parts as in a fowl. the breast, wings and merry-thought of a pheasant are the most highly prized, although the legs are considered very finely flavored. pheasants are frequently roasted with the head left on; in that case, when dressing them, bring the head round under the wing, and fix it on the point of a skewer. pigeons. a very good way of carving these birds is to insert the knife at fig. , and cut both ways to and , when each portion may be divided into two pieces, then served. pigeons, if not too large, may be cut in halves, either across or down the middle, cutting them into two equal parts; if young and small they may be served entirely whole. tame pigeons should be cooked as soon as possible after they are killed, as they very quickly lose their flavor. wild pigeons, on the contrary, should hang a day or two in a cool place before they are dressed. oranges cut into halves are used as a garnish for dishes of small birds, such as pigeons, quail, woodcock, squabs, snipe, etc. these small birds are either served whole or split down the back, making two servings. [illustration] mackerel. the mackerel is one of the most beautiful of fish, being known by its silvery whiteness. it sometimes attains to the length of twenty inches, but usually, when fully grown, is about fourteen or sixteen inches long, and about two pounds in weight. to carve a baked mackerel, first remove the head and tail by cutting downward at and ; then split them down the back, so as to serve each person a part of each side piece. the roe should be divided in small pieces and served with each piece of fish. other whole fish may be carved in the same manner. the fish is laid upon a little sauce or folded napkin, on a hot dish, and garnished with parsley. boiled salmon. this fish is seldom sent to the table whole, being _too_ large for any ordinary sized family; the middle cut is considered the choicest to boil. to carve it, first run the knife down and along the upper side of the fish from to , then again on the lower side from to . serve the thick part, cutting it lengthwise in slices in the direction of the line from to , and the thin part breadthwise, or in the direction from to . a slice of the thick with one of the thin, where lies the fat, should be served to each guest. care should be taken when carving not to break the flakes of the fish, as that impairs its appearance. the flesh of the salmon is rich and delicious in flavor. salmon is in season from the first of february to the end of august. soups. consommé, or stock, forms the basis of all meat soups, and also of all principal sauces. it is, therefore, essential to the success of these culinary operations to know the most complete and economical method of extracting from a certain quantity of meat the best possible stock or broth. fresh, uncooked beef makes the best stock, with the addition of cracked bones, as the glutinous matter contained in them renders it important that they should be boiled with the meat, which adds to the strength and thickness of the soup. they are composed of an earthy substance--to which they owe their solidity--of gelatine, and a fatty fluid, something like marrow. _two ounces_ of them contain as much gelatine as _one pound_ of meat; but, in them, this is so encased in the earthy substance, that boiling water can dissolve only the surface of the whole bones, but by breaking them they can be dissolved more. when there is an abundance of it, it causes the stock, when cold, to become a jelly. the flesh of old animals contains more flavor than the flesh of young ones. brown meats contain more flavor than white. mutton is too strong in flavor for good stock, while veal, although quite glutinous, furnishes very little nutriment. some cooks use meat that has once been cooked; this renders little nourishment and destroys the flavor. it might answer for ready soup, but for stock to keep it is not as good, unless it should be roasted meats. those contain higher fragrant properties; so by putting the remains of roast meats in the stock-pot you obtain a better flavor. the shin bone is generally used, but the neck or "sticking-piece," as the butchers call it, contains more of the substance that you want to extract, makes a stronger and more nutritious soup, than any other part of the animal. meats for soup should always be put on to cook in _cold_ water, in a covered pot, and allowed to simmer slowly for several hours, in order that the essence of the meat may be drawn out thoroughly, and should be carefully skimmed to prevent it from becoming turbid, never allowed to _boil fast_ at any time, and if more water is needed, use boiling water from the tea-kettle; cold or lukewarm water spoils the flavor. never salt it before the meat is tender (as that hardens and toughens the meat), especially if the meat is to be eaten. take off every particle of scum as it rises, and before the vegetables are put in. allow a little less than a quart of water to a pound of meat and bone, and a teaspoonful of salt. when done, strain through a colander. if for clear soups, strain again through a hair sieve, or fold a clean towel in a colander set over an earthen bowl, or any dish large enough to hold the stock. as stated before, stock is not as good when made entirely from cooked meats, but in a family where it requires a large joint roasted every day, the bones, and bits and underdone pieces of beef, or the bony structure of turkey or chicken that has been left from carving, bones of roasted poultry, these all assist in imparting a rich dark color to soup, and would be sufficient, if stewed as above, to furnish a family, without buying fresh meat for the purpose; still, with the addition of a little fresh meat it would be more nutritious. in cold weather you can gather them up for several days and put them to cook in cold water, and when done, strain, and put aside until needed. soup will be as good the second day as the first if heated to the boiling point. it should never be left in the pot, but should be turned into a dish or shallow pan, and set aside to get cold. never cover it up, as that will cause it to turn sour very quickly. before heating a second time, remove all the fat from the top. if this be melted in, the flavor of the soup will certainly be spoiled. thickened soups require nearly double the seasoning used for thin soups or broth. coloring is used in some brown soups, the chief of which is brown burnt sugar, which is known as caramel by french cooks. pounded spinach leaves give a fine green color to soup. parsley, or the green leaves of celery put in soup, will serve instead of spinach. pound a large handful of spinach in a mortar, then tie it in a cloth, and wring out all the juice; put this in the soup you wish to color green five minutes before taking it up. mock turtle, and sometimes veal and lamb soups, should be this color. okras gives a green color to soup. to color soup red, skin six red tomatoes, squeeze out the seeds, and put them into the soup with the other vegetables--or take the juice only, as directed for spinach. for white soups, which are of veal, lamb or chicken, none but white vegetables are used; rice, pearl barley, vermicelli, or macaroni, for thickening. grated carrot gives a fine amber color to soup; it must be put in as soon as the soup is free from scum. hotel and private-house stock is quite different. hotels use meat in such large quantities that there is always more or less trimmings and bones of meat to add to fresh meats; that makes very strong stock, which they use in most all soups and gravies and other made dishes. the meat from which soup has been made is good to serve cold thus: take out all the bones, season with pepper and salt, and catsup, if liked, then chop it small, tie it in a cloth, and lay it between two plates, with a weight on the upper one; slice it thin for luncheon or supper; or make sandwiches of it; or make a hash for breakfast; or make it into balls, with the addition of a little wheat flour and an egg, and serve them fried in fat, or boil in the soup. an agreeable flavor is sometimes imparted to soup by sticking some cloves into the meat used for making stock; a few slices of onions fried very brown in butter are nice; also flour browned by simply putting it into a saucepan over the fire and stirring it constantly until it is a dark brown. clear soups must be perfectly transparent, and thickened soups about the consistency of cream. when soups and gravies are kept from day to day in hot weather, they should be warmed up every day, and put into fresh-scalded pans or tureens, and placed in a cool cellar. in temperate weather, every other day may be sufficient. herbs and vegetables used in soups. of vegetables the principal ones are carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, green peas, okra, macaroni, green corn, beans, rice, vermicelli, scotch barley, pearl barley, wheat flour, mushroom, or mushroom catsup, parsnips, beetroot, turnips, leeks, garlic, shallots and onions; sliced onions fried with butter and flour until they are browned, then rubbed through a sieve, are excellent to heighten the color and flavor of brown sauces and soups. the herbs usually used in soups are parsley, common thyme, summer savory, knotted marjoram, and other seasonings, such as bay-leaves, tarragon, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, mace, black and white pepper, red pepper, lemon peel and juice, orange peel and juice. the latter imparts a finer flavor and the acid much milder. these materials, with wine, and the various catsups, combined in various proportions, are, with other ingredients, made into almost an endless variety of excellent soups and gravies. soups that are intended for the principal part of a meal certainly ought not to be flavored like sauces, which are only intended to give relish to some particular dish. stock. six pounds of shin of beef, or six pounds of knuckle of veal; any bones, trimmings of poultry, or fresh meat; one-quarter pound of lean bacon or ham, two ounces of butter, two large onions, each stuck with cloves; one turnip, three carrots, one head of celery, two ounces of salt, one-half teaspoonful of whole pepper, one large blade of mace, one bunch of savory herbs except sage, four quarts and one-half-pint of cold water. cut up the meat and bacon, or ham, into pieces of about three inches square; break the bones into small pieces, rub the butter on the bottom of the stewpan; put in one-half a pint of water, the broken bones, then meat and all other ingredients. cover the stewpan, and place it on a sharp fire, occasionally stirring its contents. when the bottom of the pan becomes covered with a pale, jelly-like substance, add the four quarts of cold water, and simmer very gently for five or six hours. as we have said before, do not let it boil quickly. when nearly cooked, throw in a tablespoonful of salt to assist the scum to rise. remove every particle of scum whilst it is doing, and strain it through a fine hair sieve; when cool remove all grease. this stock will keep for many days in cold weather. stock is the basis of many of the soups afterwards mentioned, and this will be found quite strong enough for ordinary purposes. keep it in small jars, in a cool place. it makes a good gravy for hash meats; one tablespoonful of it is sufficient to impart a fine flavor to a dish of macaroni and various other dishes. good soups of various kinds are made from it at short notice; slice off a portion of the jelly, add water, and whatever vegetables and thickening preferred. it is best to partly cook the vegetables before adding to the stock, as much boiling injures the flavoring of the soup. season and boil a few moments and serve hot. [illustration: frances folsom cleveland.] white stock. white stock is used in the preparation of white soups, and is made by boiling six pounds of a knuckle of veal, cut up in small pieces, poultry trimmings, and four slices of lean ham. proceed according to directions given in stock, on opposite page. to clarify stock. place the stock in a clean saucepan, set it over a brisk fire. when boiling, add the white of one egg to each quart of stock, proceeding as follows: beat the whites of the eggs up well in a little water; then add a little hot stock; beat to a froth and pour gradually into the pot; then beat the whole hard and long; allow it to boil up once, and immediately remove and strain through a thin flannel cloth. beef soup. select a small shin of beef of moderate size, crack the bone in small pieces, wash and place it in a kettle to boil, with five or six quarts of _cold_ water. let it boil about two hours, or until it begins to get tender, then season it with a tablespoonful of salt, and a teaspoonful of pepper; boil it one hour longer, then add to it one carrot, two turnips, two tablespoonfuls of rice or pearl barley, one head of celery, and a teaspoonful of summer savory powdered fine; the vegetables to be minced up in small pieces like dice. after these ingredients have boiled a quarter of an hour, put in two potatoes cut up in small pieces, let it boil half an hour longer; take the meat from the soup, and if intended to be served with it, take out the bones and lay it closely and neatly on a dish, and garnish with sprigs of parsley. serve made mustard and catsup with it. it is very nice pressed and eaten cold with mustard and vinegar, or catsup. four hours are required for making this soup. should any remain over the first day, it may be heated, with the addition of a little boiling water, and served again. some fancy a glass of brown sherry added just before being served. serve very hot. veal soup. (excellent.) put a knuckle of veal into three quarts of cold water, with a small quantity of salt, and one small tablespoonful of uncooked rice. boil slowly, hardly above simmering, four hours, when the liquor should be reduced to half the usual quantity; remove from the fire. into the tureen put the yolk of one egg, and stir well into it a teacupful of cream, or, in hot weather, new milk; add a piece of butter the size of a hickory nut; on this strain the soup, boiling hot, stirring all the time. just at the last, beat it well for a minute. scotch mutton broth. six pounds neck of mutton, three quarts water, five carrots, five turnips, two onions, four tablespoonfuls barley, a little salt. soak mutton in water for an hour, cut off scrag, and put it in stewpan with three quarts of water. as soon as it boils, skim well, and then simmer for one and one-half hours. cut best end of mutton into cutlets, dividing it with two bones in each; take off nearly all fat before you put it into broth; skim the moment the meat boils, and every ten minutes afterwards; add carrots, turnips and onions, all cut into two or three pieces, then put them into soup soon enough to be thoroughly done; stir in barley; add salt to taste; let all stew together for three and one-half hours; about one-half hour before sending it to table, put in little chopped parsley and serve. cut the meat off the scrag into small pieces, and send it to table in the tureen with the soup. the other half of the mutton should be served on a separate dish, with whole turnips boiled and laid round it. many persons are fond of mutton that has been boiled in soup. you may thicken the soup with rice or barley that has first been soaked in cold water, or with green peas, or with young corn, cut down from the cob, or with tomatoes, scalded, peeled and cut into pieces. game soup. two grouse or partridges, or, if you have neither, use a pair of rabbits; half a pound of lean ham; two medium-sized onions; one pound of lean beef; fried bread; butter for frying; pepper, salt and two stalks of white celery cut into inch lengths; three quarts of water. joint your game neatly; cut the ham and onions into small pieces, fry all in butter to a light brown. put into a soup-pot with the beef, cut into strips, add a little pepper. pour on the water; heat slowly, and stew gently two hours. take out the pieces of bird, and cover in a bowl; cook the soup an hour longer; strain; cool; drop in the celery and simmer ten minutes. pour upon fried bread in the tureen. venison soup made the same, with the addition of a tablespoonful of brown flour wet into a paste with cold water, adding a tablespoonful of catsup, worcestershire, or other pungent sauce, and a glass of madeira or brown sherry. consomme soup. take good strong stock (see pages and ), remove all fat from the surface, and for each quart of the stock allow the white and shell of one egg and a tablespoonful of water, well whipped together. pour this mixture into a saucepan containing the stock; place it over the fire and heat the contents gradually, stirring often to prevent the egg from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan. allow it to boil gently until the stock looks perfectly clear under the egg, which will rise and float upon the surface in the form of a thick white scum. now remove it and pour it into a folded towel laid in a colander set over an earthen bowl, allowing it to run through without moving or squeezing it. season with more salt if needed, and quickly serve very hot. this should be a clear amber color. julienne soup. cut carrots and turnips into quarter-inch pieces the shape of dice; also celery into thin slices. cover them with boiling water; add a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful pepper, and cook until soft. in another saucepan have two quarts of boiling stock (see pages and ), to which add the cooked vegetables, the water and more seasoning if necessary. serve hot. in the spring and summer season use asparagus, peas and string beans--all cut into small uniform thickness. cream of spinach. pick, wash and boil enough spinach to measure a pint, when cooked, chopped and pounded into a soft paste. put it into a stewpan with four ounces of fresh butter, a little grated nutmeg, a teaspoonful of salt. cook and stir it about ten minutes. add to this two quarts of strong stock (see pages and ); let boil up, then rub it through a strainer. set it over the fire again, and, when on the point of boiling, mix with it a tablespoonful of butter, and a teaspoonful of granulated sugar. chicken cream soup. an old chicken for soup is much the best. cut it up into quarters, put it into a soup kettle with half a pound of corned ham, and an onion; add four quarts of cold water. bring slowly to a gentle boil, and keep this up until the liquid has diminished one-third, and the meat drops from the bones; then add half a cup of rice. season with salt, pepper and a bunch of chopped parsley. cook slowly until the rice is tender, then the meat should be taken out. now stir in two cups of rich milk thickened with a little flour. the chicken could be fried in a spoonful of butter and a gravy made, reserving some of the white part of the meat, chopping it and adding it to the soup. plain economical soup. take a cold roast-beef bone, pieces of beefsteak, the rack of a cold turkey or chicken. put them into a pot with three or four quarts of water, two carrots, three turnips, one onion, a few cloves, pepper and salt. boil the whole gently four hours; then strain it through a colander, mashing the vegetables so that they will all pass through. skim off the fat, and return the soup to the pot. mix one tablespoonful of flour with two of water, stir it into the soup and boil the whole ten minutes. serve this soup with sippits of toast. sippits are bits of dry toast cut into a triangular form. a seasonable dish about the holidays. [illustration: edith carow roosevelt.] ox-tail soup. two ox-tails, two slices of ham, one ounce of butter, two carrots, two turnips, three onions, one leek, one head of celery, one bunch of savory herbs, pepper, a tablespoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of catsup, one-half glass of port wine, three quarts of water. cut up the tails, separating them at the joints; wash them, and put them in a stewpan with the butter. cut the vegetables in slices and add them with the herbs. put in one-half pint of water, and stir it over a quick fire till the juices are drawn. fill up the stewpan with water, and, when boiling, add the salt. skim well, and simmer very gently for four hours, or until the tails are tender. take them out, skim and strain the soup, thicken with flour, and flavor with the catsup and port wine. put back the tails, simmer for five minutes and serve. another way to make an appetizing ox-tail soup. you should begin to make it the day before you wish to eat the soup. take two tails, wash clean, and put in a kettle with nearly a gallon of cold water; add a small handful of salt; when the meat is well cooked, take out the bones. let this stand in a cool room, covered, and next day, about an hour and a half before dinner, skim off the crust or cake of fat which has risen to the top. add a little onion, carrot, or any vegetables you choose, chopping them fine first; summer savory may also be added. corn soup. cut the corn from the cob, and boil the cobs in water for at least an hour, then add the grains, and boil until they are thoroughly done; put one dozen ears of corn to a gallon of water, which will be reduced to three quarts by the time the soup is done; then pour on a pint of new milk, two well-beaten eggs, salt and pepper to your taste; continue the boiling a while longer, and stir in, to season and thicken it a little, a tablespoonful of good butter rubbed up with two tablespoonfuls of flour. corn soup may also be made nicely with water in which a pair of grown fowls have been boiled or parboiled, instead of having plain water for the foundation. split pea soup. no. . wash well a pint of split peas and cover them well with cold water, adding a third of a teaspoonful of soda; let them remain in it over night to swell. in the morning put them in a kettle with a close fitting cover. pour over them three quarts of cold water, adding half a pound of lean ham or bacon cut into slices or pieces; also a teaspoonful of salt and a little pepper, and some celery chopped fine. when the soup begins to boil, skim the froth from the surface. cook slowly from three to four hours, stirring occasionally till the peas are all dissolved, adding a little more boiling water to keep up the quantity as it boils away. strain through a colander, and leave out the meat. it should be quite quick. serve with small squares of toasted bread, cut up and added. if not rich enough, add a small piece of butter. cream of asparagus. for making two quarts of soup, use two bundles of fresh asparagus. cut the tops from one of the bunches and cook them twenty minutes in salted water, enough to cover them. cook the remainder of the asparagus about twenty minutes in a quart of stock or water. cut an onion into thin slices and fry in three tablespoonfuls of butter ten minutes, being careful not to scorch it; then add the asparagus that has been boiled in the stock; cook this five minutes, stirring constantly; then add three tablespoonfuls of dissolved flour, cook five minutes longer. turn this mixture into the boiling stock and boil twenty minutes. rub through a sieve; add the milk and cream and the asparagus heads. if water is used in place of stock, use all cream. green pea soup. wash a small quarter of lamb in cold water, and put it into a soup-pot with six quarts of cold water; add to it two tablespoonfuls of salt, and set it over a moderate fire--let it boil gently for two hours, then skim it clear; add a quart of shelled peas, and a teaspoonful of pepper; cover it, and let it boil for half an hour; then having scraped the skins from a quart of small young potatoes, add them to the soup; cover the pot and let it boil for half an hour longer; work quarter of a pound of butter and a dessertspoonful of flour together, and add them to the soup ten or twelve minutes before taking it off the fire. serve the meat on a dish with parsley sauce over it, and the soup in a tureen. dried bean soup. put two quarts of dried white beans to soak the night before you make the soup, which should be put on as early in the day as possible. take two pounds of the lean of fresh beef--the coarse pieces will do. cut them up and put them into your soup-pot with the bones belonging to them (which should be broken in pieces), and a pound of lean bacon, cut very small. if you have the remains of a piece of beef that has been roasted the day before, and so much underdone that the juices remain in it, you may put it into the pot and its bones along with it. season the meat with pepper only, and pour on it six quarts of water. as soon as it boils, take off the scum, and put in the beans (having first drained them) and a head of celery cut small, or a tablespoonful of pounded celery seed. boil it slowly till the meat is done to shreds, and the beans all dissolved. then strain it through a colander into the tureen, and put into it small squares of toasted bread with the crust cut off. turtle soup from beans. soak over night one quart of black beans; next day boil them in the proper quantity of water, say a gallon, then dip the beans out of the pot and strain them through a colander. then return the flour of the beans, thus pressed, into the pot in which they were boiled. tie up in a thin cloth some thyme, a teaspoonful of summer savory and parsley, and let it boil in the mixture. add a tablespoonful of cold butter, salt and pepper. have ready four hard-boiled yolks of eggs quartered, and a few force meat balls; add this to the soup with a sliced lemon, and half a glass of wine just before serving the soup. this approaches so near in flavor to the real turtle soup that few are able to distinguish the difference. philadelphia pepper pot. put two pounds of tripe and four calves' feet into the soup-pot and cover them with cold water; add a red pepper, and boil closely until the calves' feet are boiled very tender; take out the meat, skim the liquid, stir it, cut the tripe into small pieces, and put it back into the liquid; if there is not enough liquid, add boiling water; add half a teaspoonful of sweet marjoram, sweet basil, and thyme, two sliced onions, sliced potatoes, salt. when the vegetables have boiled until almost tender, add a piece of butter rolled in flour, drop in some egg balls, and boil fifteen minutes more. take up and serve hot. squirrel soup. wash and quarter three or four good sized squirrels; put them on, with a small tablespoonful of salt, directly after breakfast, in a gallon of cold water. cover the pot close, and set it on the back part of the stove to simmer gently, _not_ boil. add vegetables just the same as you do in case of other meat soups in the summer season, but especially good will you find corn, irish potatoes, tomatoes and lima beans. strain the soup through a coarse colander when the meat has boiled to shreds, so as to get rid of the squirrels' troublesome little bones. then return to the pot, and after boiling a while longer, thicken with a piece of butter rubbed in flour. celery and parsley leaves chopped up are also considered an improvement by many. toast two slices of bread, cut them into dice one-half inch square, fry them in butter, put them into the bottom of your tureen, and then pour the soup boiling hot upon them. very good. tomato soup. no. . place in a kettle four pounds of beef. pour over it one gallon of cold water. let the meat and water boil slowly for three hours, or until the liquid is reduced to about one-half. remove the meat and put into the broth a quart of tomatoes, and one chopped onion; salt and pepper to taste. a teaspoonful of flour should be dissolved and stirred in, then allowed to boil half an hour longer. strain and serve hot. canned tomatoes in place of fresh ones may be used. tomato soup. no. . place over the fire a quart of peeled tomatoes, stew them soft with a pinch of soda. strain it so that no seeds remain, set it over the fire again, and add a quart of hot boiled milk; season with salt and pepper, a piece of butter the size of an egg, add three tablespoonfuls of rolled cracker, and serve hot. canned tomatoes may be used in place of fresh ones. tomato soup. no. . peel two quarts of tomatoes, boil them in a saucepan with an onion, and other soup vegetables; strain and add a level tablespoonful of flour dissolved in a third of a cup of melted butter; add pepper and salt. serve very hot over little squares of bread fried brown and crisp in butter. an excellent addition to a cold meat lunch. mullagatawny soup. (as made in india.) cut four onions, one carrot, two turnips, and one head of celery into three quarts of liquor, in which one or two fowls have been boiled; keep it over a brisk fire till it boils, then place it on a corner of the fire, and let it simmer twenty minutes; add one tablespoonful of currie powder, and one tablespoonful of flour; mix the whole well together, and let it boil three minutes; pass it through a colander; serve with pieces of roast chicken in it; add boiled rice in a separate dish. it must be of good yellow color, and not too thick. if you find it too thick, add a little boiling water and a teaspoonful of sugar. half veal and half chicken answers as well. a dish of rice, to be served separately with this soup, must be thus prepared: put three pints of water in a saucepan and one tablespoonful of salt; let this boil. wash well, in three waters, half a pound of rice; strain it, and put it into the boiling water in saucepan. after it has come to the boil--which it will do in about two minutes--let it boil twenty minutes; strain it through a colander, and pour over it two quarts of cold water. this will separate the grains of rice. put it back in the saucepan, and place it near the fire until hot enough to send to the table. this is also the proper way to boil rice for curries. if these directions are strictly carried out every grain of the rice will separate, and be thoroughly cooked. mock turtle soup, of calf's head. scald a well-cleansed calf's head, remove the brain, tie it up in a cloth, and boil an hour, or until the meat will easily slip from the bone; take out, save the broth; cut it in small square pieces, and throw them into cold water; when cool, put it in a stewpan, and cover with some of the broth; let it boil until quite tender, and set aside. in another stewpan melt some butter, and in it put a quarter of a pound of lean ham, cut small, with fine herbs to taste; also parsley and one onion; add about a pint of the broth; let it simmer for two hours, and then dredge in a small quantity of flour; now add the remainder of the broth, and a quarter bottle of madeira or sherry; let all stew quietly for ten minutes and rub it through a medium sieve; add the calf's head, season with a very little cayenne pepper, a little salt, the juice of one lemon, and, if desired, a quarter teaspoonful pounded mace and a dessert-spoon sugar. having previously prepared force meat balls, add them to the soup, and five minutes after serve hot. green turtle soup. one turtle, two onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, juice of one lemon, five quarts of water, a glass of madeira. after removing the entrails, cut up the coarser parts of the turtle meat and bones. add four quarts of water, and stew four hours with the herbs, onions, pepper and salt. stew very slowly, do not let it cease boiling during this time. at the end of four hours strain the soup, and add the finer parts of the turtle and the green fat, which has been simmered one hour in two quarts of water. thicken with brown flour; return to the soup-pot, and simmer gently for an hour longer. if there are eggs in the turtle, boil them in a separate vessel for four hours, and throw into the soup before taking up. if not, put in force meat balls; then the juice of the lemon, and the wine; beat up at once and pour out. some cooks add the finer meat before straining, boiling all together five hours; then strain, thicken and put in the green fat, cut into lumps an inch long. this makes a handsomer soup than if the meat is left in. green turtle can now be purchased preserved in air-tight cans. _force meat balls for the above._--six tablespoonfuls of turtle meat chopped very fine. rub to a paste, with the yolk of two hard-boiled eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, and, if convenient, a little oyster liquor. season with cayenne, mace, half a teaspoonful of white sugar and a pinch of salt. bind all with a well-beaten egg; shape into small balls; dip in egg, then powdered cracker; fry in butter, and drop into the soup when it is served. macaroni soup. to a rich beef or other soup, in which there is no seasoning other than pepper or salt, take half a pound of small pipe macaroni, boil it in clear water until it is tender, then drain it and cut it in pieces of an inch length; boil it for fifteen minutes in the soup and serve. turkey soup. take the turkey bones and boil three-quarters of an hour in water enough to cover them; add a little summer savory and celery chopped fine. just before serving, thicken with a little flour (browned), and season with pepper, salt and a small piece of butter. this is a cheap but good soup, using the remains of cold turkey which might otherwise be thrown away. gumbo or okra soup. fry out the fat of a slice of bacon or fat ham, drain it off, and in it fry the slices of a large onion brown; scald, peel and cut up two quarts fresh tomatoes, when in season (use canned tomatoes otherwise), and cut thin one quart okra; put them, together with a little chopped parsley, in a stew-kettle with about three quarts of hot broth of any kind; cook slowly for three hours, season with salt and pepper. serve hot. in chicken broth the same quantity of okra pods, used for thickening instead of tomatoes, forms a chicken gumbo soup. tapioca cream soup. one quart of white stock; one pint of cream or milk; one onion; two stalks celery; one-third of a cupful of tapioca; two cupfuls of cold water; one tablespoonful of butter; a small piece of mace; salt, pepper. wash the tapioca and soak over night in cold water. cook it and the stock together very gently for one hour. cut the onion and celery into small pieces, and put on to cook for twenty minutes with the milk and mace. strain on the tapioca and stock. season with salt and pepper, add butter and serve. soups without meat. onion soup. one quart of milk, six large onions, yolks of four eggs, three tablespoonfuls of butter, a large one of flour, one cup full of cream, salt, pepper. put the butter in a frying pan. cut the onions into thin slices and drop in the butter. stir until they begin to cook; then cover tight and set back where they will simmer, but not burn, for half an hour. now put the milk on to boil, and then add the dry flour to the onions and stir constantly for three minutes over the fire; then turn the mixture into the milk and cook fifteen minutes. rub the soup through a strainer, return to the fire, season with salt and pepper. beat the yolks of the eggs well, add the cream to them and stir into the soup. cook three minutes, stirring constantly. if you have no cream, use milk, in which case add a tablespoonful of butter at the same time. pour over fried croutons in a soup tureen. this is a refreshing dish when one is fatigued. winter vegetable soup. scrape and slice three turnips and three carrots and peel three onions, and fry all with a little butter until a light yellow; add a bunch of celery and three or four leeks cut in pieces; stir and fry all the ingredients for six minutes; when fried, add one clove of garlic, two stalks of parsley, two cloves, salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg; cover with three quarts of water and simmer for three hours, taking off the scum carefully. strain and use. croutons, vermicelli, italian pastes, or rice may be added. vermicelli soup. swell quarter of a pound of vermicelli in a quart of warm water, then add it to a good beef, veal, lamb, or chicken soup or broth, with quarter of a pound of sweet butter; let the soup boil for fifteen minutes after it is added. swiss white soup. a sufficient quantity of broth for six people; boil it; beat up three eggs well, two spoonfuls of flour, one cup milk; pour these gradually through a sieve into the boiling soup; salt and pepper. spring vegetable soup. half pint green peas, two shredded lettuces, one onion, a small bunch of parsley, two ounces butter, the yolks of three eggs, one pint of water, one and a half quarts of soup stock. put in a stewpan the lettuce, onion, parsley and butter, with one pint of water, and let them simmer till tender. season with salt and pepper. when done, strain off the vegetables, and put two-thirds of the liquor with the stock. beat up the yolks of the eggs with the other third, toss it over the fire, and at the moment of serving add this with the vegetables to the strained-off soup. celery soup. celery soup may be made with _white stock_. cut down the white of half a dozen heads of celery into little pieces and boil it in four pints of white stock, with a quarter of a pound of lean ham and two ounces of butter. simmer gently for a full hour, then strain through a sieve, return the liquor to the pan, and stir in a few spoonfuls of cream with great care. serve with toasted bread, and if liked, thicken with a little flour. season to taste. irish potato soup. peel and boil eight medium-sized potatoes with a large onion sliced, some herbs, salt and pepper; press all through a colander; then thin it with rich milk and add a lump of butter, more seasoning, if necessary; let it heat well and serve hot. pea soup. put a quart of dried peas into five quarts of water; boil for four hours; then add three or four large onions, two heads of celery, a carrot, two turnips, all cut up rather fine. season with pepper and salt. boil two hours longer, and if the soup becomes too thick add more water. strain through a colander and stir in a tablespoonful of cold butter. serve hot, with small pieces of toasted bread placed in the bottom of the tureen. noodles for soup. beat up one egg light, add a pinch of salt, and flour enough to make a _very stiff_ dough; roll out very thin, like thin pie crust, dredge with flour to keep from sticking. let it remain on the bread board to dry for an hour or more; then roll it up into a tight scroll, like a sheet of music. begin at the end and slice it into slips as thin as straws. after all are cut, mix them lightly together, and to prevent them sticking, keep them floured a little until you are ready to drop them into your soup which should be done shortly before dinner, for if boiled _too long_ they will go to pieces. force meat balls for soup. one cupful of cooked veal or fowl meat, minced; mix with this a handful of fine bread crumbs, the yolks of four hard-boiled eggs rubbed smooth together with a tablespoon of milk; season with pepper and salt; add a half teaspoon of flour, and bind all together with two beaten eggs; the hands to be well floured, and the mixture to be made into little balls the size of a nutmeg; drop into the soup about twenty minutes before serving. egg balls for soup. take the yolks of six hard-boiled eggs and half a tablespoonful of wheat flour, rub them smooth with the yolks of two raw eggs and a teaspoonful of salt; mix all well together; make it in balls, and drop them into the boiling soup a few minutes before taking it up. used in green turtle soup. egg dumplings for soup. to half a pint of milk put two well-beaten eggs, and as much wheat flour as will make a smooth, rather _thick_ batter free from lumps; drop this batter, a tablespoonful at a time, into boiling soup. _another mode._--one cupful of sour cream and one cupful of sour milk, three eggs, well beaten, whites and yolks separately; one teaspoonful of salt, one level teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a spoonful of water, and enough flour added to make a _very stiff_ batter. to be dropped by spoonfuls into the broth and boiled twenty minutes, or until no raw dough shows on the outside. suet dumplings for soup. three cups of sifted flour in which three teaspoonfuls of baking powder have been sifted; one cup of finely chopped suet, well rubbed into the flour, with a teaspoonful of salt. wet all with sweet milk to make a dough as stiff as biscuit. make into small balls as large as peaches, well floured. drop into the soup three-quarters of an hour before being served. this requires steady boiling, being closely covered, and the cover not to be removed until taken up to serve. a very good form of pot-pie. soyer's recipe for force meats. take - / lbs. of lean veal from the fillet, and cut it in long thin slices; scrape with a knife till nothing but the fibre remains; put it in a mortar, pound it ten minutes or until in a purée; pass it through a wire sieve (use the remainder in stock), then take lb. of good fresh beef suet, which skin, shred and chop very fine; put it in a mortar and pound it, then add oz. of panada (that is, bread soaked in milk, and boiled till nearly dry) with the suet; pound them well together, and add the veal, season with teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of pepper, / that of nutmeg; work all well together; then add four eggs by degrees, continually pounding the contents of the mortar. when well mixed, take a small piece in a spoon, and poach it in some boiling water, and if it is delicate, firm, and of a good flavor, it is ready for use. croutons for soup. in a frying pan have the depth of an inch of boiling fat; also have prepared slices of stale bread cut up into little half-inch squares; drop into the frying pan enough of these bits of bread to cover the surface of the fat. when browned, remove with a skimmer and drain; add to the hot soup and serve. some prefer them prepared in this manner: take very thin slices of bread, butter them well; cut them up into little squares three-fourths of an inch thick, place them in a baking pan, buttered side up, and brown in a quick oven. fish stock. place a saucepan over the fire with a good-sized piece of sweet butter and a sliced onion; put into that some sliced tomatoes, then add as many different kinds of fish as you can get--oysters, clams, smelts, pawns, crabs, shrimps and all kinds of pan-fish; cook all together until the onions are well browned; then add a bunch of sweet herbs, salt and pepper, and sufficient water to make the required amount of stock. after this has cooked for half an hour pound it with a wooden pestle, then strain and cook again until it jellies. fish soup. select a large, fine fish, clean it thoroughly, put it over the fire with a sufficient quantity of water, allowing for each pound of fish one quart of water; add an onion cut fine and a bunch of sweet herbs. when the fish is cooked, and is quite tasteless, strain all through a colander, return to the fire, add some butter, salt and pepper to taste. a small tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce may be added if liked. serve with small squares of fried bread and thin slices of lemon. lobster soup, or bisque. have ready a good broth made of three pounds of veal boiled slowly in as much water as will cover it, till the meat is reduced to shreds. it must then be well strained. having boiled one fine middle-sized lobster, extract all the meat from the body and claws. bruise part of the coral in a mortar, and also an equal quantity of the meat. mix them well together. add mace, cayenne, salt and pepper, and make them up into force meat balls, binding the mixture with the yolk of an egg slightly beaten. take three quarts of the veal broth and put it into the meat of the lobster cut into mouthfuls. boil it together about twenty minutes. then thicken it with the remaining coral (which you must first rub through a sieve), and add the force meat balls and a little butter rolled in flour. simmer it gently for ten minutes, but do not let it come to a boil, as that will injure the color. serve with small dice of bread fried brown in butter. oyster soup, no. . two quarts of oysters, one quart of milk, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teacupful of hot water; pepper, salt. strain all the liquor from the oysters; add the water, and heat. when near the boil, add the seasoning, then the oysters. cook about five minutes from the time they begin to simmer, until they "ruffle." stir in the butter, cook one minute, and pour into the tureen. stir in the boiling milk and send to table. some prefer all water in place of milk. [illustration: ida saxton mckinley.] oyster soup. no. . scald one gallon of oysters in their own liquor. add one quart of rich milk to the liquor, and when it comes to a boil, skim out the oysters and set aside. add the yolks of four eggs, two good tablespoonfuls of butter, and one of flour, all mixed well together, but in this order--first, the milk, then, after beating the eggs, add a little of the hot liquor to them gradually, and stir them rapidly into the soup. lastly, add the butter and whatever seasoning you fancy besides plain pepper and salt, which must both be put in to taste with caution. celery salt most persons like extremely; others would prefer a little marjoram or thyme; others again mace and a bit of onion. use your own discretion in this regard. clam soup. (french style.) mince two dozen hard shell clams very fine. fry half a minced onion in an ounce of butter; add to it a pint of hot water, a pinch of mace, four cloves, one allspice and six whole pepper corns. boil fifteen minutes and strain into a saucepan; add the chopped clams and a pint of clam-juice or hot water; simmer slowly two hours; strain and rub the pulp through a sieve into the liquid. return it to the saucepan and keep it lukewarm. boil three half-pints of milk in a saucepan (previously wet with cold water, which prevents burning) and whisk it into the soup. dissolve a teaspoonful of flour in cold milk, add it to the soup, taste for seasoning; heat it gently to near the boiling point; pour into a tureen previously heated with hot water, and serve with or without pieces of fried bread--called _croutons_ in kitchen french. clam soup. twenty-five clams chopped fine. put over the fire the liquor that was drained from them, and a cup of water; add the chopped clams and boil half an hour; then season to taste with pepper and salt and a piece of butter as large as an egg; boil up again and add one quart of milk boiling hot, stir in a tablespoon of flour made to a cream with a little cold milk, or two crackers rolled fine. some like a little mace and lemon juice in the seasoning. modes of frying the usual custom among professional cooks is to entirely immerse the article to be cooked in boiling fat, but from inconvenience most households use the half-frying method of frying in a small amount of fat in a frying pan. for the first method a shallow iron frying kettle, large at the top and small at the bottom, is best to use. the fat should half fill the kettle, or an amount sufficient to float whatever is to be fried; the heat of the fat should get to such a degree that, when a piece of bread or a teaspoonful of the batter is dropped in it, it will become brown almost instantly, but should not be so hot as to burn the fat. some cooks say that the fat should be smoking, but my experience is, that is a mistake, as that soon ruins the fat. as soon as it begins to smoke it should be removed a little to one side, and still be kept at the boiling point. if fritters, crullers, croquettes, etc., are dropped into fat that is too hot, it crusts over the outside before the inside has fully risen, making a heavy, hard article, and also ruining the fat, giving it a burnt flavor. many french cooks prefer beef fat or suet to lard for frying purposes, considering it more wholesome and digestible, does not impart as much flavor, or adhere or soak into the article cooked as pork fat. in families of any size, where there is much cooking required, there are enough drippings and fat remnants from roasts of beef, skimmings from the soup kettle, with the addition of occasionally a pound of suet from the market, to amply supply the need. all such remnants and skimmings should be clarified about twice a week, by boiling them all together in water. when the fat is all melted, it should be strained with the water and set aside to cool. after the fat on the top has hardened, lift the cake from the water on which it lies, scrape off all the dark particles from the bottom, then melt over again the fat; while hot strain into a small clean stone jar or bright tin pail, and then it is ready for use. always after frying anything, the fat should stand until it settles and has cooled somewhat; then turn off carefully so as to leave it clear from the sediment that settles at the bottom. refined cotton-seed oil is now being adopted by most professional cooks in hotels, restaurants and many private households for culinary purposes, and will doubtless in future supersede animal fats, especially for frying, it being quite as delicate a medium as frying with olive oil. it is now sold by leading grocers, put up in packages of two and four quarts. the second mode of frying, using a frying pan with a small quantity of fat or grease, to be done properly, should, in the first place, have the frying pan hot over the fire, and the fat in it _actually boiling_ before the article to be cooked is placed in it, the intense heat quickly searing up the pores of the article and forming a brown crust on the lower side, then turning over and browning the other the same way. still, there is another mode of frying; the process is somewhat similar to broiling, the hot frying pan or spider replacing the hot fire. to do this correctly, a thick bottomed frying pan should be used. place it over the fire, and when it is so hot that it will siss, oil over the bottom of the pan with a piece of suet, that is if the meat is all lean; if not, it is not necessary to grease the bottom of the pan. lay in the meat quite flat, and brown it quickly, first on one side, then on the other; when sufficiently cooked, dish on a _hot_ platter and season the same as broiled meats. fish. in selecting fish, choose those only in which the eye is full and prominent, the flesh thick and firm, the scales bright and fins stiff. they should be thoroughly cleaned before cooking. the usual modes of cooking fish are boiled, baked, broiled, fried and occasionally stewed. steaming fish is much superior to boiling, but the ordinary conveniences in private houses do not admit of the possibility of enjoying this delicate way of cooking it. large fish are generally boiled, medium-sized ones baked or boiled, the smaller kinds fried or broiled. very large fish, such as cod, halibut, etc., are cut in steaks or slices for frying or broiling. the heads of some fish, as the cod, halibut, etc., are considered tidbits by many. small fish, or pan-fish, as they are usually called, are served without the heads, with the exception of brook-trout and smelts; these are usually cooked whole, with the heads on. bake fish slowly, basting often with butter and water. salmon is considered the most nutritious of all fish. when boiling fish, by adding a little vinegar and salt to the water, it seasons and prevents the nutriment from being drawn out; the vinegar acting on the water hardens the water. fill the fish with a nicely prepared stuffing of rolled cracker or stale bread crumbs, seasoned with butter, pepper, salt, sage and any other aromatic herbs fancied; sew up; wrap in a well-floured cloth, tied closely with twine, and boil or steam. the garnishes for boiled fish are: for turbot, fried smelts; for other boiled fish, parsley, sliced beets, lemon or sliced boiled egg. do not use the knives, spoons, etc., that are used in cooking fish, for other food, as they will be apt to impart a fishy flavor. fish to be boiled should be put into _cold water_ and set on the fire to cook very gently, or the outside will break before the inner part is done. unless the fish are small, they should never be put into warm water; nor should water, either hot or cold, be poured _on_ to the fish, as it is liable to break the skin; if it should be necessary to add a little water while the fish is cooking, it ought to be poured in gently at the side of the vessel. fish to be broiled should lie, after they are dressed, for two or three hours, with their inside well sprinkled with salt and pepper. salt fish should be soaked in water before boiling, according to the time it has been in salt. when it is hard and dry, it will require thirty-six hours soaking before it is dressed, and the water must be changed three or four times. when fish is not very salt, twenty-four hours, or even one night, will suffice. when frying fish the fire must be hot enough to bring the fat to such a degree of heat as to sear the surface and make it impervious to the fat, and at the same time seal up the rich juices. as soon as the fish is browned by this sudden application of heat, the pan may be moved to a cooler place on the stove, that the process may be finished more slowly. fat in which fish has been fried is just as good to use again for the same purpose, but it should be kept by itself and not put to any other use. to fry fish. most of the smaller fish (generally termed pan-fish) are usually fried. clean well, cut off the head, and, if quite large, cut out the backbone, and slice the body crosswise into five or six pieces; season with salt and pepper. dip in indian meal or wheat flour, or in beaten egg, and roll in bread or fine cracker crumbs--trout and perch should not be dipped in meal; put into a thick bottomed iron frying pan, the flesh side down, with hot lard or drippings; fry slowly, turning when lightly browned. the following method may be deemed preferable: dredge the pieces with flour; brush them over with beaten egg; roll in bread crumbs, and fry in hot lard or drippings sufficient to cover, the same as frying crullers. if the fat is very hot, the fish will fry without absorbing it, and it will be palatably cooked. when browned on one side, turn it over in the fat and brown the other, draining when done. this is a particularly good way to fry slices of large fish. serve with tomato sauce; garnish with slices of lemon. pan-fish. place them in a thick bottomed frying pan with heads all one way. fill the spaces with smaller fish. when they are fried quite brown and ready to turn, put a dinner plate over them, drain off the fat; then invert the pan, and they will be left unbroken on the plate. put the lard back into the pan, and when _hot_ slip back the fish. when the other side is brown, drain, turn on a plate as before, and slip them on a warm platter, to be sent to the table. leaving the heads on and the fish a crispy-brown, in perfect shape, improves the appearance if not the flavor. garnish with slices of lemon. _hotel lafayette, philadelphia._ baked pickerel. carefully clean and wipe the fish, and lay in a dripping pan with enough hot water to prevent scorching. a perforated sheet of tin, fitting loosely, or several muffin rings may be used to keep it off the bottom. lay it in a circle on its belly, head and tail touching, and tied, or as directed in note on fish; bake slowly, basting often with butter and water. when done, have ready a cup of sweet cream or rich milk to which a few spoons of hot water has been added; stir in two large spoons of melted butter and a little chopped parsley; heat all by setting the cup in boiling water; add the gravy from the dripping-pan, and let it boil up once; place the fish in a hot dish and pour over it the sauce. or an egg sauce may be made with drawn butter; stir in the yolk of an egg quickly, and then a teaspoon of chopped parsley. it can be stuffed or not, just as you please. boiled salmon. the middle slice of salmon is the best. sew up neatly in a mosquito-net bag, and boil a quarter of an hour to the pound in hot salted water. when done, unwrap with care, and lay upon a hot dish, taking care not to break it. have ready a large cupful of drawn butter, very rich, in which has been stirred a tablespoonful of minced parsley and the juice of a lemon. pour half upon the salmon and serve the rest in a boat. garnish with parsley and sliced eggs. broiled salmon. cut slices from an inch to an inch and an half thick, dry them in a cloth, season with salt and pepper, dredge them in sifted flour, and broil on a gridiron rubbed with suet. _another mode._--cut the slices one inch thick, and season them with pepper and salt; butter a sheet of white paper, lay each slice on a separate piece, envelop them in it with their ends twisted; broil gently over a clear fire, and serve with anchovy or caper sauce. when higher seasoning is required, add a few chopped herbs and a little spice. fresh salmon fried. cut the slices three-quarters of an inch thick, dredge them with flour, or dip them in egg and crumbs; fry a light brown. this mode answers for all fish cut into steaks. season well with salt and pepper. salmon and caper sauce. two slices of salmon, one-quarter pound butter, one-half teaspoonful of chopped parsley, one shallot; salt and pepper to taste. lay the salmon in a baking dish, place pieces of butter over it, and add the other ingredients, rubbing a little of the seasoning into the fish; place it in the oven and baste it frequently; when done, take it out and drain for a minute or two; lay it in a dish, pour caper sauce over it and serve. salmon dressed in this way, with tomato sauce, is very delicious. broiled salt salmon or other salt fish. soak salmon in tepid or cold water twenty-four hours, changing water several times, or let stand under faucet of running water. if in a hurry, or desiring a very salt relish, it may do to soak a short time, having water warm, and changing, parboiling slightly. at the hour wanted, broil sharply. season to suit taste, covering with butter. this recipe will answer for all kinds of salt fish. pickled salmon. take a fine, fresh salmon, and, having cleaned it, cut it into large pieces, and boil it in salted water as if for eating. then drain it, wrap it in a dry cloth, and set it in a cold place till next day. then make the pickle, which must be in proportion to the quantity of fish. to one quart of the water in which the salmon was boiled, allow two quarts of the best vinegar, one ounce of whole black pepper, one nutmeg grated and a dozen blades of mace. boil all these together in a kettle closely covered to prevent the flavor from evaporating. when the vinegar thus prepared is quite cold, pour it over the salmon, and put on the top a tablespoonful of sweet oil, which will make it keep the longer. cover it closely, put it in a dry, cool place, and it will be good for many months. this is the nicest way of preserving salmon, and is approved by all who have tried it. smoked salmon. smoked salmon to be broiled should be put upon the gridiron first, with the flesh side to the fire. smoked salmon is very nice when shaved like smoked beef, and served with coffee or tea. fricassee salmon. this way of cooking fresh salmon is a pleasant change from the ordinary modes of cooking it. cut one and one-half pounds of salmon into pieces one inch square; put the pieces in a stewpan with half a cupful of water, a little salt, a little white pepper, one clove, one blade of mace, three pieces of sugar, one shallot and a heaping teaspoonful of mustard mixed smoothly with half a teacupful of vinegar. let this boil up once and add six tomatoes peeled and cut into tiny pieces, a few sprigs of parsley finely minced, and one wine-glassful of sherry. let all simmer gently for three-quarters of an hour. serve very hot, and garnish with dry toast cut in triangular pieces. this dish is good, very cold, for luncheon or breakfast. salmon patties. cut cold, cooked salmon into dice. heat about a pint of the dice in half a pint of cream. season to taste with cayenne pepper and salt. fill the shells and serve. cold, cooked fish of any kind may be made into patties in this way. use any fish sauce you choose--all are equally good. fish and oyster pie. any remains of cold fish, such as cod or haddock, dozen oysters, pepper and salt to taste, bread crumbs, sufficient for the quantity of fish; / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, teaspoonful of finely chopped parsley. clear the fish from the bones, and put a layer of it in a pie-dish, which sprinkle with pepper and salt; then a layer of bread crumbs, oysters, nutmeg and chopped parsley. repeat this till the dish is quite full. you may form a covering either of bread crumbs, which should be browned, or puff-paste, which should be cut off into long strips, and laid in cross-bars over the fish, with a line of the paste first laid round the edge. before putting on the top, pour in some made melted butter, or a little thin white sauce, and the oyster-liquor, and bake. _time_.--if of cooked fish, / hour; if made of fresh fish and puff-paste, / hour. steamed fish. secure the tail of the fish in its mouth, the body in a circle; pour over it half a pint of vinegar, seasoned with pepper and salt; let it stand an hour in a cool place; pour off the vinegar, and put it in a steamer over boiling water, and steam twenty minutes, or longer for large fish. when the meat easily separates from the bone it is done. drain well and serve on a very clean white napkin, neatly folded and placed on the platter; decorate the napkin around the fish with sprigs of curled parsley, or with fanciful beet cuttings, or alternately with both. to broil a shad. split and wash the shad and afterwards dry it in a cloth. season it with salt and pepper. have ready a bed of clear, bright coals. grease your gridiron well, and as soon as it is hot, lay the shad upon it, the flesh side down; cover with a dripping-pan and broil it for about a quarter of an hour, or more, according to the thickness. butter it well and send it to the table. covering it while broiling gives it a more delicious flavor. baked shad. many people are of the opinion that the very best method of cooking a shad is to bake it. stuff it with bread crumbs, salt, pepper, butter and parsley, and mix this up with the beaten yolk of egg; fill the fish with it, and sew it up or fasten a string around it. pour over it a little water and some butter, and bake as you would a fowl. a shad will require from an hour to an hour and a quarter to bake. garnish with slices of lemon, water cress, etc. _dressing for baked shad._--boil up the gravy in which the shad was baked, put in a large tablespoonful of catsup, a tablespoonful of brown flour which has been wet with cold water, the juice of a lemon, and a glass of sherry or madeira wine. serve in a sauce boat. to cook a shad roe. drop into boiling water and cook gently for twenty minutes; then take from the fire and drain. butter a tin plate and lay the drained roe upon it. dredge well with salt and pepper and spread soft butter over it; then dredge thickly with flour. cook in the oven for half an hour, basting frequently with salt, pepper, flour, butter and water. to cook shad roe. (another way.) first partly boil them in a small covered pan, take out and season them with salt, a little pepper, dredge with flour and fry as any fish. boiled bass. after thoroughly cleaning it place in a saucepan with enough water to cover it; add two tablespoonfuls of salt; set the saucepan over the fire, and when it has boiled about five minutes try to pull out one of the fins; if it loosens easily from the body carefully take the fish out of the water, lay it on a platter, surround it with half a dozen hard-boiled eggs, and serve it with a sauce. boiled bluefish. boiled the same as bass. baked bluefish. baked the same as baked shad--see page . fried eels. after cleaning the eels well, cut them in pieces two inches long; wash them and wipe them dry; roll them in wheat flour or rolled cracker, and fry, as directed for other fish, in hot lard or beef dripping, salted. they should be browned all over and thoroughly done. eels are sometimes dipped in batter and then fried, or into egg and bread crumbs. serve with crisped parsley. sheepshead with drawn butter. select a medium-sized fish, clean it thoroughly, and rub a little salt over it; wrap it in a cloth and put it in a steamer; place this over a pot of fast-boiling water and steam one hour; then lay it whole upon a hot side-dish, garnish with tufts of parsley and slices of lemon, and serve with drawn butter, prepared as follows: take two ounces of butter and roll it into small balls, dredge these with flour; put one-fourth of them in a saucepan, and as they begin to melt, whisk them; add the remainder, one at a time, until thoroughly smooth; while stirring, add a tablespoonful of lemon juice, half a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; pour into a hot sauce boat and serve. baked white fish. thoroughly clean the fish; cut off the head or not, as preferred; cut out the backbone from the head to within two inches of the tail, and stuff with the following: soak stale bread in water, squeeze dry; cut in pieces a large onion, fry in butter, chop fine; add the bread, two ounces of butter, salt, pepper and a little parsley or sage; heat through, and when taken off the fire, add the yolks of two well-beaten eggs; stuff the fish rather full, sew up with fine twine, and wrap with several coils of white tape. rub the fish over slightly with butter; just cover the bottom of a baking pan with hot water, and place the fish in it, standing back upward, and bent in the form of an s. serve with the following dressing: reduce the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs to a smooth paste with two tablespoonfuls good salad oil; stir in half a teaspoon english mustard, and add pepper and vinegar to taste. halibut boiled. the cut next to the tail-piece is the best to boil. rub a little salt over it, soak it for fifteen minutes in vinegar and cold water, then wash it and scrape it until quite clean; tie it in a cloth and boil slowly over a moderate fire, allowing seven minutes' boiling to each pound of fish; when it is half-cooked, turn it over in the pot; serve with drawn butter or egg sauce. boiled halibut minced with boiled potatoes and a little butter and milk makes an excellent breakfast dish. steamed halibut. select a three-pound piece of white halibut, cover it with a cloth and place it in a steamer; set the steamer over a pot of fast-boiling water and steam two hours; place it on a hot dish surrounded with a border of parsley and serve with egg sauce. fried halibut. no. . select choice, firm slices from this large and delicate looking fish, and, after carefully washing and drying with a soft towel, with a sharp knife take off the skin. beat up two eggs and roll out some brittle crackers upon the kneading board until they are as fine as dust. dip each slice into the beaten egg, then into the cracker crumbs (after you have salted and peppered the fish), and place them in a hot frying pan half full of boiling lard, in which a little butter has been added to make the fish brown nicely; turn and brown both sides, remove from frying pan and drain. serve hot. fried halibut. no. . first fry a few thin slices of salt pork until brown in an iron frying pan; then take it up on a hot platter and keep it warm until the halibut is fried. after washing and drying two pounds of sliced halibut, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, dredge it well with flour, put it into the hot pork drippings and fry brown on both sides; then serve the pork with the fish. halibut broiled in slices is a very good way of cooking it, broiled the same as spanish mackerel. baked halibut. take a nice piece of halibut weighing five or six pounds and lay it in salt water for two hours. wipe it dry and score the outer skin. set it in a dripping pan in a moderately hot oven and bake an hour, basting often with butter and water heated together in a sauce pan or tin cup. when a fork will penetrate it easily, it is done. it should be a fine, brown color. take the gravy in the dripping pan, add a little boiling water, should there not be enough, stir in a tablespoonful of walnut catsup, a teaspoonful of worcestershire sauce, the juice of a lemon, and thicken with brown flour, previously wet with cold water. boil up once and put in a sauce boat. halibut broiled. broil the same as other fish, upon a buttered gridiron, over a clear fire, first seasoning with salt and pepper, placed on a hot dish when done, buttered well and covered closely. fried brook trout. these delicate fish are usually fried, and form a delightful breakfast or supper dish. clean, wash and dry the fish, split them to the tail, salt and pepper them, and flour them nicely. if you use lard instead of the fat of fried salt pork, put in a piece of butter to prevent their sticking, and which causes them to brown nicely. let the fat be hot; fry quickly to a delicate brown. they should be sufficiently browned on one side before turning on the other. they are nice served with slices of fried pork, fried crisp. lay them side by side on a heated platter, garnish and send hot to the table. they are often cooked and served with their heads on. fried smelts. fried with their heads on the same as brook trout. many think that they make a much better appearance as a dish when cooked whole with the heads on, and nicely garnished for the table. boiled white fish. _taken from mrs. a. w. ferry's cook book, mackinac, ._ the most delicate mode of cooking white fish. prepare the fish as for broiling, laying it open; put it into a dripping pan with the back down; nearly cover with water; to one fish two tablespoonfuls of salt; cover tightly and simmer (not boil) one-half hour. dress with gravy, a little butter and pepper, and garnish with hard-boiled eggs. baked white fish. (bordeaux sauce.) clean and stuff the fish. put it in a baking pan and add a liberal quantity of butter, previously rolled in flour, to the fish. put in the pan half a pint of claret, and bake for an hour and a quarter. remove the fish and strain the gravy; add to the latter a gill more of claret, a teaspoonful of brown flour and a pinch of cayenne, and serve with the fish. _plankington house, milwaukee._ baked salmon trout. this deliciously flavored game-fish is baked precisely as shad or white fish, but should be accompanied with cream gravy to make it perfect. it should be baked slowly, basting often with butter and water. when done have ready in a saucepan a cup of cream, diluted with a few spoonfuls of hot water, for fear it might clot in heating, in which have been stirred cautiously two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a scant tablespoonful of flour, and a little chopped parsley. heat this in a vessel set within another of boiling water, add the gravy from the dripping-pan, boil up once to thicken, and when the trout is laid on a suitable hot dish, pour this sauce around it. garnish with sprigs of parsley. this same fish boiled, served with the same cream gravy (with the exception of the fish gravy), is the proper way to cook it. to bake smelts. wash and dry them thoroughly in a cloth, and arrange them nicely in a flat baking-dish; the pan should be buttered, also the fish; season with salt and pepper, and cover with bread or cracker crumbs. place a piece of butter over each. bake for fifteen or twenty minutes. garnish with fried parsley and cut lemon. broiled spanish mackerel. split the fish down the back, take out the backbone, wash it in cold water, dry it with a clean, dry cloth, sprinkle it lightly with salt and lay it on a buttered gridiron, over a clear fire, with the flesh side downward, until it begins to brown; then turn the other side. have ready a mixture of two tablespoonfuls of butter melted, a tablespoonful of lemon juice, a teaspoonful of salt, some pepper. dish up the fish hot from the gridiron on a hot dish, turn over the mixture and serve it while hot. broiled spanish mackerel is excellent with other fish sauces. boiled spanish mackerel is also very fine with most of the fish sauces, more especially "matre d'hotel sauce." boiled salt mackerel. wash and clean off all the brine and salt; put it to soak with the meat side down, in cold water over night; in the morning rinse it in one or two waters. wrap each up in a cloth and put it into a kettle with considerable water, which should be cold; cook about thirty minutes. take it carefully from the cloth, take out the backbones and pour over a little melted butter and cream; add a light sprinkle of pepper. or make a cream sauce like the following: heat a small cup of milk to scalding. stir into it a teaspoonful of cornstarch wet up with a little water. when this thickens, add two tablespoonfuls of butter, pepper, salt and chopped parsley, to taste. beat an egg light, pour the sauce gradually over it, put the mixture again over the fire, and stir one minute, not more. pour upon the fish, and serve it with some slices of lemon, or a few sprigs of parsley or water-cress, on the dish as a garnish. baked salt mackerel. when the mackerel have soaked over night, put them in a pan and pour on boiling water enough to cover. let them stand a couple of minutes, then drain them off, and put them in the pan with a few lumps of butter; pour on a half teacupful of sweet cream, or rich milk, and a little pepper; set in the oven and let it bake a little until brown. fried salt mackerel. select as many salt mackerel as required; wash and cleanse them well, then put them to soak all day in _cold_ water, changing them every two hours; then put them into fresh water just before retiring. in the morning drain off the water, wipe them dry, roll them in flour, and fry in a little butter on a hot, thick-bottomed frying pan. serve with a little melted butter poured over, and garnish with a little parsley. boiled fresh mackerel. fresh mackerel are cooked in water salted, and a little vinegar added; with this exception they can be served in the same way as the salt mackerel. broiled ones are very nice with the same cream sauce, or you can substitute egg sauce. potted fresh fish. after the fish has laid in salt water six hours, take it out, and to every six pounds of fish take one-quarter cupful each of salt, black pepper and cinnamon, one-eighth cupful of allspice, and one teaspoonful of cloves. cut the fish in pieces and put into a half gallon stone baking-jar, first a layer of fish, then the spices, flour, and then spread a thin layer of butter on, and continue so until the dish is full. fill the jar with equal parts of vinegar and water, cover with tightly fitting lid, so that the steam cannot escape; bake five hours, remove from the oven, and when it is cold it is to be cut in slices and served. this is a tea or lunch dish. scalloped crabs. put the crabs into a kettle of boiling water, and throw in a handful of salt. boil from twenty minutes to half an hour. take them from the water when done and pick out all the meat; be careful not to break the shell. to a pint of meat put a little salt and pepper; taste, and if not enough add more, a little at a time, till suited. grate in a very little nutmeg and add one spoonful of cracker or bread crumbs, two eggs well beaten, and two tablespoonfuls of butter (even full); stir all well together; wash the shells clean, and fill each shell full of the mixture; sprinkle crumbs over the top and moisten with the liquor; set in the oven till of a nice brown; a few minutes will do it. send to the table hot, arranged on large dishes. they are eaten at breakfast or supper. fish in white sauce. flake up cold boiled halibut and set the plate into the steamer, that the fish may heat without drying. boil the bones and skin of the fish with a slice of onion and a _very_ small piece of red pepper; a bit of this the size of a kernel of coffee will make the sauce quite as hot as most persons like it. boil this stock down to half a pint; thicken with one teaspoonful of butter and one teaspoonful of flour, mixed together. add one drop of extract of almond. pour this sauce over your halibut and stick bits of parsley over it. fresh sturgeon steak marinade. take one slice of sturgeon two inches thick; let it stand in hot water five minutes; drain, put it in a bowl and add a gill of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, half a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of black pepper and the juice of half a lemon; let it stand six hours, turning it occasionally; drain and dry on a napkin; dip it in egg; roll in bread crumbs and fry, or rather boil, in very hot fat. beat up the yolks of two raw eggs, add a teaspoonful of french mustard, and by degrees, half of the marinade, to make a smooth sauce, which serve with the fish. potted fish. take out the backbone of the fish; for one weighing two pounds take a tablespoonful of allspice and cloves mixed; these spices should be put into little bags of not too thick muslin; put sufficient salt directly upon each fish; then roll in cloth, over which sprinkle a little cayenne pepper; put alternate layers of fish, spice and sage in an earthen jar; cover with the best cider vinegar; cover the jar closely with a plate, and over this, put a covering of dough, rolled out to twice the thickness of pie crust. make the edges of paste, to adhere closely to the sides of the jar, so as to make it air tight. put the jar into a pot of cold water and let it boil from three to five hours, according to quantity. ready when cold. mayonnaise fish. take a pound or so of cold boiled fish (halibut, rock or cod), not chop, but cut, into pieces an inch in length. mix in a bowl a dressing as follows: the yolks of four boiled eggs rubbed to a smooth paste with salad oil or butter; add to these salt, pepper, mustard, two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, and, lastly, six tablespoonfuls of vinegar. beat the mixture until light, and just before pouring it over the fish, stir in lightly the frothed white of a raw egg. serve the fish in a glass dish, with half the dressing stirred in with it. spread the remainder over the top, and lay lettuce leaves (from the core of the head of lettuce) around the edges, to be eaten with it. fish chowder. (rhode island.) fry five or six slices of fat pork crisp in the bottom of the pot you are to make your chowder in; take them out and chop them into small pieces, put them back into the bottom of the pot with their own gravy. (this is much better than having the slices whole.) cut four pounds of fresh cod or sea-bass into pieces two inches square, and lay enough of these on the pork to cover it. follow with a layer of chopped onions, a little parsley, summer savory and pepper, either black or cayenne. then a layer of split boston, or butter, or whole cream crackers, which have been soaked in warm water until moistened through, but not ready to break. above this put a layer of pork and repeat the order given above--onions, seasoning (not too much), crackers and pork, until your materials are exhausted. let the topmost layer be buttered crackers well soaked. pour in enough cold water to barely cover all. cover the pot, stew gently for an hour, watching that the water does not sink too low. should it leave the upper layer exposed, replenish cautiously from the boiling tea-kettle. when the chowder is thoroughly done, take out with a perforated skimmer and put into a tureen. thicken the gravy with a tablespoonful of flour and about the same quantity of butter; boil up and pour over the chowder. serve sliced lemon, pickles and stewed tomatoes with it, that the guests may add if they like. codfish balls. take a pint bowl of codfish picked very fine, two pint bowls of whole raw peeled potatoes, sliced thickly; put them together in plenty of cold water and boil until the potatoes are thoroughly cooked; remove from the fire and drain off all the water. mash them with the potato masher, add a piece of butter the size of an egg, one well-beaten egg, and three spoonfuls of cream or rich milk. flour your hands and make into balls or cakes. put an ounce each of butter and lard into a frying pan; when hot, put in the balls and fry a nice brown. do not freshen the fish before boiling with the potatoes. many cooks fry them in a quantity of lard similar to boiled doughnuts. stewed codfish. (salt.) take a thick, white piece of salt codfish, lay it in cold water for a few minutes to soften it a little, enough to render it more easily to be picked up. shred it in very small bits, put it over the fire in a stew pan with cold water; let it come to a boil, turn off this water carefully, and add a pint of milk to the fish, or more according to quantity. set it over the fire again and let it boil slowly about three minutes, now add a good-sized piece of butter, a shake of pepper and a thickening of a tablespoonful of flour in enough cold milk to make a cream. stew five minutes longer, and just before serving stir in two well-beaten eggs. the eggs are an addition that could be dispensed with, however, as it is very good without them. an excellent breakfast dish. codfish a la mode. pick up a teacupful of salt codfish very fine and freshen--the desiccated is nice to use; two cups mashed potatoes, one pint cream or milk, two well-beaten eggs, half a cup butter, salt and pepper; mix; bake in an earthen baking dish from twenty to twenty-five minutes; serve in the same dish, placed on a small platter, covered with a fine napkin. boiled fresh cod. sew up the piece of fish in thin cloth, fitted to shape; boil in salted water (boiling from the first), allowing about fifteen minutes to the pound. carefully unwrap and pour over it warm oyster sauce. a whole one boiled the same. _hotel brighton._ scalloped fish. pick any cold fresh fish, or salt codfish, left from the dinner, into fine bits, carefully removing all the bones. take a pint of milk in a suitable dish and place it in a saucepan of boiling water; put into it a few slices of onion cut very fine, a sprig of parsley minced fine, add a piece of butter as large as an egg, a pinch of salt, a sprinkle of white pepper, then stir in two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, or flour, rubbed in a little cold milk; let all boil up and remove from the fire. take a dish you wish to serve it in, butter the sides and bottom. put first a layer of the minced fish, then a layer of the cream, then sprinkle over that some cracker or bread crumbs, then a layer of fish again, and so on until the dish is full; spread cracker or bread crumbs last on the top to prevent the milk from scorching. this is a very good way to use up cold fish, making a nice breakfast dish, or a side dish for dinner. fish fritters. take a piece of salt codfish, pick it up very fine, put it into a saucepan, with plenty of _cold_ water; bring it to a boil, turn off the water, and add another of cold water; let this boil with the fish about fifteen minutes, very slowly; strain off this water, making the fish quite dry, and set aside to cool. in the meantime, stir up a batter of a pint of milk, four eggs, a pinch of salt, one large teaspoonful of baking powder in flour, enough to make thicker than batter cakes. stir in the fish and fry like any fritters. very fine accompaniment to a good breakfast. boiled salt codfish. (new england style.) cut the fish into square pieces, cover with cold water, set on the back part of the stove; when hot, pour off water and cover again with cold water; let it stand about four hours and simmer, not boil; put the fish on a platter, then cover with a drawn-butter gravy and serve. many cooks prefer soaking the fish over night. boiled codfish and oyster sauce. lay the fish in cold, salted water half an hour before it is time to cook it, then roll it in a clean cloth dredged with flour; sew up the edges in such a manner as to envelop the fish entirely, yet have but _one_ thickness of cloth over any part. put the fish into boiling water slightly salted; add a few whole cloves and peppers and a bit of lemon peel; pull gently on the fins, and when they come out easily the fish is done. arrange neatly on a folded napkin, garnish and serve with oyster sauce. take six oysters to every pound of fish and scald (blanch) them in a half-pint of hot oyster liquor; take out the oysters and add to the liquor, salt, pepper, a bit of mace and an ounce of butter; whip into it a gill of milk containing half of a teaspoonful of flour. simmer a moment; add the oysters, and send to table in a sauce boat. egg sauce is good with this fish. baked codfish. if salt fish, soak, boil and pick the fish, the same as for fish-balls. add an equal quantity of mashed potatoes, or cold, boiled, chopped potatoes, a large piece of butter, and warm milk enough to make it quite soft. put it into a buttered dish, rub butter over the top, shake over a little sifted flour, and bake about thirty minutes, and until a rich brown. make a sauce of drawn butter, with two hard-boiled eggs sliced, served in a gravy boat. codfish steak. (new england style.) select a medium-sized fresh codfish, cut it in steaks crosswise of the fish, about an inch and a half thick; sprinkle a little salt over them, and let them stand two hours. cut into dice a pound of salt fat pork, fry out all the fat from them and remove the crisp bits of pork; put the codfish steaks in a pan of corn meal, dredge them with it, and when the pork fat is smoking hot, fry the steaks in it to a dark brown color on both sides. squeeze over them a little lemon juice, add a dash of freshly ground pepper, and serve with hot, old-fashioned, well-buttered johnny cake. salmon croquettes. one pound of cooked salmon (about one and a half pints when chopped), one cup of cream, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one tablespoonful of flour, three eggs, one pint of crumbs, pepper and salt; chop the salmon fine, mix the flour and butter together, let the cream come to a boil, and stir in the flour and butter, salmon and seasoning; boil one minute; stir in one well-beaten egg, and remove from the fire; when cold make into croquettes; dip in beaten egg, roll in crumbs and fry. canned salmon can be used. shell-fish stewed water turtles, or terrapins. select the largest, thickest and fattest, the females being the best; they should be alive when brought from market. wash and put them alive into boiling water, add a little salt, and boil them until thoroughly done, or from ten to fifteen minutes, after which take off the shell, extract the meat, and remove carefully the sand-bag and gall; also all the entrails; they are unfit to eat, and are no longer used in cooking terrapins for the best tables. cut the meat into pieces, and put it into a stewpan with its eggs, and sufficient fresh butter to stew it well. let it stew till quite hot throughout, keeping the pan carefully covered, that none of the flavor may escape, but shake it over the fire while stewing. in another pan make a sauce of beaten yolk of egg, highly flavored with madeira or sherry, and powdered nutmeg and mace, a gill of currant jelly, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste, enriched with a large lump of fresh butter. stir this sauce well over the fire, and when it has almost come to a boil take it off. send the terrapins to the table hot in a covered dish, and the sauce separately in a sauce tureen, to be used by those who like it, and omitted by those who prefer the genuine flavor of the terrapins when simply stewed with butter. this is now the usual mode of dressing terrapins in maryland, virginia, and many other parts of the south, and will be found superior to any other. if there are no eggs in the terrapin, "egg balls" may be substituted. (see recipe.) stewed terrapin, with cream. place in a saucepan, two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter and one of dry flour; stir it over the fire until it bubbles; then gradually stir in a pint of cream, a teaspoonful of salt, a quarter of a teaspoonful of white pepper, the same of grated nutmeg, and a very small pinch of cayenne. next, put in a pint of terrapin meat and stir all until it is scalding hot. move the saucepan to the back part of the stove or range, where the contents will keep hot but not boil; then stir in four well-beaten yolks of eggs; do not allow the terrapin to boil after adding the eggs, but pour it immediately into a tureen containing a gill of good madeira and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. serve hot. stewed terrapin. plunge the terrapins alive into boiling water, and let them remain until the sides and lower shell begin to crack--this will take less than an hour; then remove them and let them get cold; take off the shell and outer skin, being careful to save all the blood possible in opening them. if there are eggs in them put them aside in a dish; take all the inside out, and be very careful not to break the gall, which must be immediately removed or it will make the rest bitter. it lies within the liver. then cut up the liver and all the rest of the terrapin into small pieces, adding the blood and juice that have flowed out in cutting up; add half a pint of water; sprinkle a little flour over them as you place them in the stewpan; let them stew slowly ten minutes, adding salt, black and cayenne pepper, and a very small blade of mace; then add a gill of the best brandy and half a pint of the very best sherry wine; let it simmer over a slow fire very gently. about ten minutes or so, before you are ready to dish them, add half a pint of rich cream, and half a pound of sweet butter, with flour, to prevent boiling; two or three minutes before taking them off the fire peel the eggs carefully and throw them in whole. if there should be no eggs use the yolks of hens' eggs, hard boiled. this recipe is for four terrapins. _rennert's hotel, baltimore._ [illustration: basting the turkey.] oiled lobster. put a handful of salt into a large kettle or pot of boiling water. when the water boils very hard put in the lobster, having first brushed it and tied the claws together with a bit of twine. keep it boiling from twenty minutes to half an hour, in proportion to its size. if boiled too long the meat will be hard and stringy. when it is done take it out, lay it on its claws to drain, and then wipe it dry. it is scarcely necessary to mention that the head of a lobster and what are called the lady fingers are not to be eaten. very large lobsters are not the best, the meat being coarse and tough. the male is best for boiling; the flesh is firmer and the shell a brighter red. it may readily be distinguished from the female; the tail is narrower, and the two uppermost fins within the tail are stiff and hard. those of the hen lobster are not so, and the tail is broader. hen lobsters are preferred for sauce or salad, on account of their coral. the head and small claws are never used. they should be alive and freshly caught when put into the boiling kettle. after being cooked and cooled, split open the body and tail and crack the claws, to extract the meat. the sand pouch found near the throat should be removed. care should be exercised that none of the feathery, tough, gill-like particles found under the body shell get mixed with the meat, as they are indigestible and have caused much trouble. they are supposed to be the cause of so-called poisoning from eating lobster. serve on a platter. lettuce and other concomitants of a salad should also be placed on the table or platter. scalloped lobster. butter a deep dish and cover the bottom with fine bread crumbs; put on this a layer of chopped lobster, with pepper and salt; so on, alternately, until the dish is filled, having crumbs on top. put on bits of butter, moisten with milk and bake about twenty minutes. deviled lobster. take out all the meat from a boiled lobster, reserving the coral; season highly with mustard, cayenne, salt and some kind of table sauce; stew until well mixed and put it in a covered saucepan, with just enough hot water to keep from burning; rub the coral smooth, moistening with vinegar until it is thin enough to pour easily, then stir it into the saucepan. the dressing should be prepared before the meat is put on the fire, and which ought to boil but once before the coral is put in; stir in a heaping teaspoonful of butter, and when it boils again it is done and should be taken up at once, as too much cooking toughens the meat. lobster croquettes. take any of the lobster remaining from table and pound it until the dark, light meat and coral are well mixed; put with it not quite as much fine bread crumbs; season with pepper, salt and a very little cayenne pepper; add a little melted butter, about two tablespoonfuls if the bread is rather dry; form into egg-shaped or round balls; roll them in egg, then in fine crumbs, and fry in boiling lard. lobster patties. cut some boiled lobster in small pieces; then take the small claws and the spawn, put them in a suitable dish, and jam them to a paste with a potato masher. now add to them a ladleful of gravy or broth, with a few bread crumbs; set it over the fire and boil; strain it through a strainer, or sieve, to the thickness of a cream, and put half of it to your lobsters, and save the other half to sauce them with after they are baked. put to the lobster the bigness of an egg of butter, a little pepper and salt; squeeze in a lemon, and warm these over the fire enough to melt the butter, set it to cool, and sheet your patty pan or a plate or dish with good puff paste, then put in your lobster, and cover it with a paste; bake it within three-quarters of an hour before you want it; when it is baked, cut up your cover, and warm up the other half of your sauce above mentioned, with a little butter, to the thickness of cream, and pour it over your patty, with a little squeezed lemon; cut your cover in two, and lay it on the top, two inches distant, so that what is under may be seen. you may bake crawfish, shrimps or prawns the same way; and they are all proper for plates or little dishes for a second course. lobster Á la newburg. take one whole lobster, cut up in pieces about as large as a hickory nut. put in the same pan with a piece of butter size of a walnut, season with salt and pepper to taste, and thicken with heavy cream sauce; add the yolk of one egg and two oz. of sherry wine. cream sauce for above is made as follows: oz. butter, melted in saucepan; oz. flour, mixed with butter, thin down to proper consistency with boiling cream. _rector's oyster house, chicago._ baked crabs. mix with the contents of a can of crabs, bread crumbs or pounded crackers. pepper and salt the whole to taste; mince some cold ham; have the baking pan well buttered, place therein first a layer of the crab meat, prepared as above, then a layer of the minced ham, and so on, alternately until the pan is filled. cover the top with bread crumbs and bits of butter, and bake. deviled crabs. half a dozen fresh crabs, boiled and minced, two ounces of butter, one small teaspoonful of mustard powder; cayenne pepper and salt to taste. put the meat into a bowl and mix carefully with it an equal quantity of fine bread crumbs. work the butter to a light cream, mix the mustard well with it, then stir in very carefully, a handful at a time, the mixed crabs, a tablespoonful of cream and crumbs. season to taste with cayenne pepper and salt; fill the crab shells with the mixture, sprinkle bread crumbs over the tops, put three small pieces of butter upon the top of each, and brown them quickly in a hot oven. they will puff in baking and will be found very nice. half the quantity can be made. a crab shell will hold the meat of two crabs. crab croquettes. pick the meat of boiled crabs and chop it fine. season to taste with pepper, salt and melted butter. moisten it well with rich milk or cream, then stiffen it slightly with bread or cracker crumbs. add two or three well-beaten eggs to bind the mixture. form the croquettes, egg and bread, crumb them and fry them delicately in boiling lard. it is better to use a wire frying basket for croquettes of all kinds. to make a crab pie. procure the crabs alive, and put them in boiling water, along with some salt. boil them for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, according to the size. when cold pick the meat from the claws and body. chop all together, and mix it with crumbs of bread, pepper and salt, and a little butter. put all this into the shell and brown in a hot oven. a crab shell will hold the meat of two crabs. crabs. (soft shell.) crabs may be boiled as lobsters. they make a fine dish when stewed. take out the meat from the shell, put it into a saucepan with butter, pepper, salt, a pinch of mace and a very little water; dredge with flour and let simmer five minutes over a slow fire. serve hot; garnish the dish with the claws laid around it. the usual way of cooking them is frying them in plenty of butter and lard mixed; prepare them the same as frying fish. the spongy substance from the sides should be taken off, also the sand bag. fry a nice brown and garnish with parsley. oysters. oysters must be fresh and fat to be good. they are in season from september to may. the small ones, such as are sold by the quart, are good for pies, fritters, or stews; the largest of this sort are nice for frying or pickling for family use. fried oysters. take large oysers from their own liquor into a thickly folded napkin to dry them; then make hot an ounce each of butter and lard in a thick-bottomed frying pan. season the oysters with pepper and salt, then dip each one into egg and cracker crumbs rolled fine, until it will take up no more. place them in the hot grease and fry them a delicate brown, turning them on both sides by sliding a broad-bladed knife under them. serve them crisp and hot. _boston oyster house._ some prefer to roll oysters in corn meal and others use flour, but they are much more crisp with egg and cracker crumbs. oysters fried in batter. _ingredients._--one-half pint of oysters, two eggs, one-half pint of milk, sufficient flour to make the batter; pepper and salt to taste; when liked, a little nutmeg; hot lard. scald the oysters in their own liquor, beard them, and lay them on a cloth to drain thoroughly. break the eggs into a basin, mix the flour with them, add the milk gradually, with nutmeg and seasoning, and put the oysters in a batter. make some lard hot in a deep frying pan; put in the oysters one at a time; when done, take them up with a sharp pointed skewer and dish them on a napkin. fried oysters are frequently used for garnishing boiled fish, and then a few bread crumbs should be added to the flour. stewed oysters. (in milk or cream.) drain the liquor from two quarts of oysters; mix with it a small teacupful of hot water, add a little salt and pepper and set it over the fire in a saucepan. let it boil up once, put in the oysters, let them come to a boil, and when they "ruffle" add two tablespoonfuls of butter. the instant it is melted and well stirred in, put in a pint of boiling milk and take the saucepan from the fire. serve with oyster or cream crackers. serve while hot. if thickening is preferred, stir in a little flour or two tablespoonfuls of cracker crumbs. plain oyster stew. same as milk or cream stew, using only oyster liquor and water instead of milk or cream, adding more butter after taking up. oyster soup. for oyster soup, see soups. dry oyster stew. take six to twelve large oysters and cook them in half a pint of their own liquor; season with butter and white pepper; cook for five minutes, stirring constantly. serve in hot soup plates or bowls. _fulton market, new york._ boston fry. prepare the oysters in egg batter and fine cracker meal; fry in butter over a slow fire for about ten minutes; cover the hollow of a hot platter with tomato sauce; place the oysters in it, but not covering; garnished with chopped parsley sprinkled over the oysters. _boston oyster house._ broiled oysters. dry a quart of oysters in a cloth, dip each in melted butter well peppered; then in beaten egg, or not, then in bread or cracker crumbs also peppered. broil on a wire broiler over live coals three to five minutes. dip over each a little melted butter. serve hot. roast oysters in the shell. no. . select the large ones, those usually termed "saddle rocks," formerly known as a distinct variety, but which are now but the large oysters selected from any beds; wash and wipe them, and place with the upper or deep shell down, to catch the juice, over or on live coals. when they open their shells, remove the shallow one, being careful to save all the juice in the other; place them, shells and all, on a hot platter, and send to the table hot to be seasoned by each person with butter and pepper to taste. if the oysters are fine, and they are just cooked enough and served hot, this is, _par excellence_, the style. oyster roast. no. . put one quart of oysters in a basin with their own liquor and let them boil three or four minutes; season with a little salt, pepper and a heaping spoonful of butter. serve on buttered toast. steamed oysters. wash and drain a quart of counts or select oysters; put them in a shallow pan and place in a steamer over boiling water; cover and steam till they are plump, with the edges ruffled, but no longer. place to a heated dish, with butter, pepper, and salt, and serve. _baltimore style_ steamed oysters in the shell. wash and place them in an air-tight vessel, laying them the upper shell downward, so that the liquor will not run out when they open. place this dish or vessel over a pot of boiling water where they will get the steam. boil them rapidly until the shells open, about fifteen to twenty minutes. serve at once while hot, seasoned with butter, salt and pepper. pan oysters. no. . cut some stale bread into thin slices, taking off all the crust, round the slices to fit patty-pans; toast, butter, place them in the pans and moisten with three or four teaspoonfuls of oyster liquor; place on the toast a layer of oysters, sprinkle with pepper, and put a small piece of butter on top of each pan; place all the pans in a baking-pan, and place in the oven, covering tightly. they will cook in seven or eight minutes if the oven is hot; or, cook till the beards are ruffled; remove the cover, sprinkle lightly with salt, replace, and cook one minute longer. serve in patty pans. they are delicious. _new york style._ pan oysters. no. . lay in a thin pie tin or dripping-pan, half a pint of large oysters, or more if required; have the pan large enough so that each oyster will lie flat on the bottom; put in over them a little oyster liquor, but not enough to float; place them carefully in a hot oven and just heat them through thoroughly--do not bake them--which will be in three to five minutes, according to fire; take them up and place on toast; first moistened with the hot juice from the pan. are a very good substitute for oysters roasted in the shell, the slow cooking bringing out the flavor. _french restaurant, new orleans, la._ oyster fritters. select plump, good-sized oysters; drain off the juice, and to a cup of this juice add a cup of milk, a little salt, four well-beaten eggs, and flour enough to make batter like griddle-cakes. envelope an oyster in a spoonful of this batter (some cut them in halves or chop them fine), then fry in butter and lard, mixed in a frying pan the same as we fry eggs, turning to fry brown on both sides. send to the table very hot. _delmonico._ most cooks fry oyster fritters the same as crullers, in a quantity of hot lard, but this is not always convenient; either way they are excellent. oyster patties. line patty-pans with thin pastry, pressing it well to the tin. put a piece of bread or a ball of paper in each. cover them with paste and brush them over with the white of an egg. cut an inch square of thin pastry, place on the centre of each, glaze this also with egg, and bake in a quick oven fifteen to twenty minutes. remove the bread or paper when half cold. scald as many oysters as you require (allowing two for each patty, three if small) in their own liquor. cut each in four and strain the liquor. put two tablespoonfuls of butter and two of flour into a thick saucepan; stir them together over the fire till the flour smells cooked, and then pour half a pint of oyster liquor and half a pint of milk into the flour and butter. (if you have cream use it instead of milk.) stir till it is a thick, smooth sauce. put the oysters into it and let them boil once. beat the yolks of two eggs. remove the oysters for one minute from the fire, then stir the eggs into them till the sauce looks like thick custard. fill the patties with this oyster fricassee, taking care to make it hot by standing in boiling water before dinner on the day required, and to make the patty cases hot before you fill them. fulton market roast. it is still known in new york from the place at which it was and is still served. take nine large oysters out of the shell; wash, dry and roast over a charcoal fire, on a broiler. two minutes after the shells open they will be done. take them off quickly, saving the juice in a small shallow, tin pan; keep hot until all are done; butter them and sprinkle with pepper. this is served for one person when calling for a roast of this kind. it is often poured over a slice of toast. scalloped oysters. have ready about a pint of fine cracker crumbs. butter a deep earthen dish; put a layer of the cracker crumbs on the bottom; wet this with some of the oyster liquor; next have a layer of oysters; sprinkle with salt and pepper, and lay small bits of butter upon them; then add another layer of cracker crumbs and oyster juice; then oysters, pepper, salt and butter, and so on, until the dish is full; the top layer to be cracker crumbs. beat up an egg in a cup of milk and turn over all. cover the dish and set it in the oven for thirty or forty-five minutes. when baked through, uncover the top, set on the upper grate and brown. oyster pot-pie. scald a quart can of oysters in their own liquor; when it boils, skim out the oysters and set them aside in a warm place. to the liquor add a pint of hot water; season well with salt and pepper, a generous piece of butter, thicken with flour and cold milk. have ready nice light biscuit dough, rolled twice as thick as pie crust; cut out into inch squares, drop them into the boiling stew, cover closely, and cook forty minutes. when taken up, stir the oysters into the juice and serve all together in one dish. a nice side _entrée_. _prince's bay, s. i._ boston oyster pie. having buttered the inside of a _deep_ pie plate, line it with puff paste, or common pie crust, and prepare another sheet of paste for the lid; put a clean towel into the dish (folded so as to support the lid), set it into the oven and bake the paste well; when done, remove the lid and take out the towel. while the paste is baking, prepare the oysters. having picked off carefully every bit of shell that may be found about them, drain the liquor into a pan and put the oysters into a stewpan with barely enough of the liquor to keep them from burning; season them with pepper, salt and butter; add a little sweet cream or milk, and one or two crackers rolled fine; let the oysters simmer, but _not boil_, as that will shrivel them. remove the upper crust of pastry and fill the dish with the oysters and gravy. replace the cover and serve hot. some prefer baking the upper crust on a pie plate, the same size as the pie, then slipping it off on top of the pie after the same pie is filled with the oysters. mock oysters. grate the corn, while green and tender, with a coarse grater, into a deep dish. for two ears of corn, allow one egg; beat the whites and yolks separately, and add them to the corn, with one tablespoonful of wheat flour and one of butter, a teaspoonful of salt and pepper to taste. drop spoonfuls of this batter into a frying pan with hot butter and lard mixed, and fry a light brown on both sides. in taste, they have a singular resemblance to fried oysters. the corn _must_ be _young_. fricasseed oysters. take a slice of raw ham, which has been pickled, but not smoked, and soak in boiling water for half an hour; cut it in quite small pieces, and put in a saucepan with two-thirds of a pint of veal or chicken broth, well strained; the liquor from a quart of oysters, one small onion, minced fine, a little chopped parsley, sweet marjoram, and pepper; let them simmer for twenty minutes, and then boil rapidly for two or three minutes; skim well and add one scant tablespoon of cornstarch, mixed smoothly in one-third cup of milk; stir constantly, and when it boils add the oysters and one ounce of butter; after which, just let it come to a boil, and remove the oysters to a deep dish; beat one egg, and add to it gradually some of the hot broth, and, when cooked, stir it into the pan; season with salt, and pour the whole over the oysters. when placed upon the table, squeeze the juice of a lemon over it. small oyster pies. for each pie take a tin plate half the size of an ordinary dinner plate; butter it, and cover the bottom with a puff paste, as for pies; lay on it five or six select oysters, or enough to cover the bottom; butter them and season with a little salt and plenty of pepper; spread over this an egg batter, and cover with a crust of the paste, making small openings in it with a fork. bake in a hot oven fifteen to twenty minutes, or until the top is nicely browned. _boston oyster house._ stewed clams. wash clean as many round clams as required; pile them in a large iron pot, with half a cupful of hot water in the bottom, and put over the fire; as soon as the shells open take out the clams, cut off the hard, uneatable "fringe" from each with strong, clean scissors, put them into a stewpan with the broth from the pot, and boil slowly till they are quite tender; pepper well and thicken the gravy with flour stirred into melted butter. or, you may get two dozen freshly opened _very_ small clams. boil a pint of milk, a dash of white pepper and a small pat of butter. now add the clams. let them come to a boil and serve. longer boiling will make the clams almost indigestible. roast clams in the shell. roast in a pan over a hot fire, or in a hot oven, or, at a "clam bake," on hot stones; when they open, empty the juice into a saucepan; add the clams, with butter, pepper and a very little salt. _rye beach._ clam fritters. take fifty small or twenty-five large sand clams from their shells; if large, cut each in two, lay them on a thickly-folded napkin; put a pint bowl of wheat flour into a basin, add to it three well-beaten eggs, half a pint of sweet milk and nearly as much of their own liquor; beat the batter until it is smooth and perfectly free from lumps, then stir in the clams. put plenty of lard or beef fat into a thick-bottomed frying pan, let it become boiling hot; put in the batter by the spoonful; let them fry gently; when one side is a delicate brown turn the other. clam chowder. the materials needed are fifty round clams (quahogs), a large bowl of salt pork cut up fine, the same of onions finely chopped, and the same (or more, if you desire) of potatoes cut into eighths or sixteenths of original size; wash the clams very thoroughly and put them in a pot with half a pint of water; when the shells are open they are done; then take them from the shells and chop fine, saving all the clam water for the chowder; fry out the pork very gently, and when the scraps are a good brown take them out and put in the chopped onions to fry; they should be fried in a frying pan, and the chowder kettle be made very clean before they are put in it, or the chowder will burn. (the chief secret in chowder-making is to fry the onions so delicately that they will be missing in the chowder.) add a quart of hot water to the onions; put in the clams, clam-water and pork scraps. after it boils, add the potatoes, and when they are cooked, the chowder is finished. just before it is taken up, thicken it with a cup of powdered crackers, and add a quart of fresh milk. if too rich, add more water. no seasoning is needed but good black pepper. with the addition of six sliced tomatoes, or half a can of the canned ones, this is the best recipe of this kind, and is served in many of our best restaurants. _new bedford recipe_. scalloped clams. purchase a dozen large soft clams in the shell and three dozen opened clams. ask the dealer to open the first dozen, care being used not to injure the shells, which are to be used in cooking the clams. clean the shells well, and put two soft clams on each half shell; add to each a dash of white pepper, and half a teaspoonful of minced celery. cut a slice of fat bacon into the smallest dice, add four of these to each shell, strew over the top a thin layer of cracker dust; place a piece of table butter on top, and bake in the oven until brown. they are delightful when properly prepared. scallops. if bought in the shell boil them and take out the hearts, which is the only part used. dip them in beaten egg and fry in the same manner as oysters. some prefer them stewed the same as oysters. frogs fried. frog are usually fried, and are considered a great delicacy. only the hind-legs and quarters are used. clean them well, season, and fry in egg batter, or dip in beaten egg and fine cracker crumbs, the same as oysters. frogs stewed. wash and skin the quarters, parboil them about three minutes, drain them. now put into a stewpan two ounces of butter. when it is melted, lay in the frogs, and fry about two minutes, stirring them to prevent burning; shake over them a tablespoonful of sifted flour and stir it into them; add a sprig of parsley, a pinch of powdered summer savory, a bay leaf, three slices of onion, salt and pepper, a cup of hot water and one of cream. boil gently until done; remove the legs, strain and mix into the gravy the yolks of two eggs, well beaten to a cream; put the legs in a suitable dish, pour over the gravy and serve. poultry and game in choosing poultry, select those that are fresh and fat, and the surest way to determine whether they are young is to try the skin under the leg or wing. if it is easily broken, it is young; or, turn the wing backwards, if the joint yields readily, it is tender. when poultry is young the skin is thin and tender, the legs smooth, the feet moist and limber, and the eyes full and bright. the body should be thick and the breast fat. old turkeys have long hairs, and the flesh is purplish where it shows under the skin on the legs and back. about march they deteriorate in quality. young ducks and geese are plump, with light, semi-transparent fat, soft breast bone, tender flesh, leg-joints which will break by the weight of the bird, fresh-colored and brittle beaks, and windpipes that break when pressed between the thumb and forefinger. they are best in fall and winter. young pigeons have light red flesh upon the breast, and full, fresh-colored legs; when the legs are thin and the breast very dark the birds are old. fine game birds are always heavy for their size; the flesh of the breast is firm and plump and the skin clear; and if a few feathers be plucked from the inside of the leg and around the vent, the flesh of freshly-killed birds will be fat and fresh-colored; if it is dark and discolored, the game has been hung a long time. the wings of good ducks, geese, pheasants and woodcock are tender to the touch; the tips of the long wing feathers of partridges are pointed in young birds and round in old ones. quail, snipe and small birds should have full, tender breasts. poultry should never be cooked until six or eight hours after it has been killed, but it should be picked and drawn as soon as possible. plunge it in a pot of scalding hot water; then pluck off the feathers, taking care not to tear the skin; when it is picked clean, roll up a piece of white paper, set fire to it and singe off all the hairs. the head, neck and feet should be cut off, and the ends of the legs skewered to the body, and a string tied tightly around the body. when roasting a chicken or small fowl there is danger of the legs browning or becoming too hard to be eaten. to avoid this, take strips of cloth, dip them into a little melted lard, or even just rub them over with lard, and wind them around the legs. remove them in time to allow the legs to brown delicately. fowls, and also various kinds of game, when bought at our city markets, require a more thorough cleansing than those sold in country places, where as a general thing the meat is wholly dressed. in large cities they lay for some length of time with the intestines undrawn, until the flavor of them diffuses itself all through the meat, rendering it distasteful. in this case, it is safe, after taking out the intestines, to rinse out in several waters, and in next to the last water, add a teaspoonful of baking soda, say to a quart of water. this process neutralizes all sourness, and helps to destroy all unpleasant taste in the meat. poultry may be baked so that its wings and legs are soft and tender, by being placed in a deep roasting pan with close cover, thereby retaining the aroma and essences by absorption while confined. these pans are a recent innovation, and are made double with a small opening in the top for giving vent to the accumulation of steam and gases when required. roast meats of any kind can also be cooked in the same manner, and it is a great improvement on the old plan. roast turkey. select a young turkey; remove all the feathers carefully, singe it over a burning newspaper on the top of the stove; then "draw" it nicely, being very careful not to break any of the internal organs; remove the crop carefully; cut off the head, and tie the neck close to the body by drawing the skin over it. now rinse the inside of the turkey out with several waters, and in the next to the last, mix a teaspoonful of baking soda; oftentimes the inside of a fowl is very sour, especially if it is not freshly killed. soda, being cleansing, acts as a corrective, and destroys that unpleasant taste which we frequently experience in the dressing when fowls have been killed for some time. now, after washing, wipe the turkey dry, inside and out, with a clean cloth, rub the inside with some salt, then stuff the breast and body with "dressing for fowls." then sew up the turkey with a strong thread, tie the legs and wings to the body, rub it over with a little soft butter, sprinkle over some salt and pepper, dredge with a little flour; place it in a dripping-pan, pour in a cup of boiling water, and set in the oven. baste the turkey often, turning it around occasionally so that every part will be uniformly baked. when pierced with a fork and the liquid runs out perfectly clear, the bird is done. if any part is likely to scorch, pin over it a piece of buttered white paper. a fifteen pound turkey requires between three and four hours to bake. serve with cranberry sauce. _gravy for turkey._--when you put the turkey in to roast, put the neck, heart, liver and gizzard into a stewpan with a pint of water; boil until they become quite tender; take them out of the water, chop the heart and gizzard, mash the liver and throw away the neck; return the chopped heart, gizzard and liver to the liquor in which they were stewed; set it to one side, and when the turkey is done it should be added to the gravy that dripped from the turkey, having first skimmed off the fat from the surface of the dripping-pan; set it all over the fire, boil three minutes and thicken with flour. it will not need brown flour to color the gravy. the garnishes for turkey or chicken are fried oysters, thin slices of ham, slices of lemon, fried sausages, or force meat balls, also parsley. dressing or stuffing for fowls. for an eight or ten pound turkey, cut the brown crust from slices or pieces of stale bread until you have as much as the inside of a pound loaf; put it into a suitable dish and pour tepid water (not warm, for that makes it heavy) over it; let it stand one minute, as it soaks very quickly. now take up a handful at a time and squeeze it hard and dry with both hands, placing it, as you go along, in another dish; this process makes it very light. when all is pressed dry, toss it all up lightly through your fingers; now add pepper, salt--about a teaspoonful--also a teaspoonful of powdered summer savory, the same amount of sage, or the green herb minced fine; add half a cup of melted butter, and a beaten egg, or not. work thoroughly all together, and it is ready for dressing either fowls, fish or meats. a little chopped sausage in turkey dressing is considered by some an improvement, when well incorporated with the other ingredients. for geese and ducks the stuffing may be made the same as for turkey, with the addition of a few slices of onion chopped fine. oyster dressing or stuffing. this is made with the same ingredients as the above, with the exception of half a can of oysters drained and slightly chopped and added to the rest. this is used mostly with boiled turkey and chicken, and the remainder of the can of oysters used to make an oyster sauce to be poured over the turkey when served; served generally in a separate dish, to be dipped out as a person desires. these recipes were obtained from an old colored cook, who was famous for his fine dressing for fowls, fish and meats, and his advice was, _always_ soak stale bread in _cold_ liquid, either milk or water, when _used_ for stuffings or for puddings, as they were much lighter. hot liquid makes them heavy. boiled turkey. prepare as you would for baking or roasting; fill with an oyster stuffing, made as the above. tie the legs and wings close to the body, place in salted boiling water with the breast downward; skim it often and boil about two hours, but not till the skin breaks. serve with oyster or celery sauce. boil a nicely pickled piece of salt pork, and serve at table a thin slice to each plate. some prefer bacon or ham instead of pork. some roll the turkey in a cloth dipped in flour. if the liquor is to be used afterwards for soup, the cloth imparts an unpleasant flavor. the liquor can be saved and made into a nice soup for the next day's dinner, by adding the same seasoning as for chicken soup. turkey scallop. pick the meat from the bones of cold turkey and chop it fine. put a layer of bread crumbs on the bottom of a buttered dish, moisten them with a little milk, then put in a layer of turkey with some of the filling, and cut small pieces of butter over the top; sprinkle with pepper and salt; then another layer of bread crumbs, and so on until the dish is nearly full; add a little hot water to the gravy left from the turkey and pour over it; then take two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of milk, one of melted butter, a little salt and cracker crumbs as much as will make it thick enough to spread on with a knife; put bits of butter over it, and cover with a plate. bake three-quarters of an hour. ten minutes before serving, remove the plate and let it brown. turkey hashed. cut the remnants of turkey from a previous dinner into pieces of equal size. boil the bones in a quart of water, until the quart is reduced to a pint; then take out the bones, and to the liquor in which they were boiled add turkey gravy, if you have any, or white stock, or a small piece of butter with salt and pepper; let the liquor thus prepared boil up once; then put in the pieces of turkey, dredge in a little flour, give it one boil-up, and serve in a hot dish. turkey warmed over. pieces of cold turkey or chicken may be warmed up with a little butter in a frying pan; place it on a warm platter, surround it with pieces of small thick slices of bread or biscuit halved, first dipping them in hot salted water; then place the platter in a warm oven with the door open. have already made the following gravy to pour over all:-- into the frying pan put a large spoonful of butter, one or two cupfuls of milk, and any gravy that may be left over. bring it to a boil; then add sufficient flour, wet in a little cold milk or water, to make it the consistency of cream. season with salt, pepper and add a little of the dark meat chopped _very_ fine. let the sauce cook a few moments, then pour over the biscuit and fowl. this will be found a really nice dish. boned turkey. clean the fowl as usual. with a sharp and pointed knife, begin at the extremity of the wing, and pass the knife down close to the bone, cutting all the flesh from the bone, and preserving the skin whole; run the knife down each side of the breast bone and up the legs, keeping close to the bone; then split the back half way up, and draw out the bones; fill the places whence the bones were taken with a stuffing, restoring the fowl to its natural form, and sew up all the incisions made in the skin. lard with two or three rows of slips of fat bacon on the top, basting often with salt and water, and a little butter. some like a glass of port wine in the gravy. this is a difficult dish to attempt by any but skillful hands. carve across in slices, and serve with tomato sauce. roast goose. the goose should not be more than eight months old, and the fatter the more tender and juicy the meat. stuff with the following mixture: three pints of bread crumbs, six ounces of butter, or part butter and part salt pork, one teaspoonful each of sage, black pepper and salt, one chopped onion. do not stuff very full, and stitch openings firmly together to keep flavor in and fat out. place in a baking pan with a little water, and baste frequently with salt and water (some add vinegar); turn often so that the sides and back may be nicely browned. bake two hours or more; when done take from the pan, pour off the fat, and to the brown gravy left add the chopped giblets which have previously been stewed until tender, together with the water they were boiled in; thicken with a little flour and butter rubbed together, bring to a boil and serve, english style. roast chicken. pick and draw them, wash out well in two or three waters, adding a little soda to the last but one to sweeten it, if there is doubt as to its being fresh. dry it well with a clean cloth, and fill the crop and body with a stuffing the same as "dressing for fowls." lay it in a dripping-pan; put a pint of hot water and a piece of butter in the dripping-pan, add to it a small tablespoonful of salt, and a small teaspoonful of pepper; baste frequently, and let it roast quickly, without scorching; when nearly done, put a piece of butter the size of a large egg to the water in the pan; when it melts, baste with it, dredge a little flour over, baste again, and let it finish; half an hour will roast a full grown chicken, if the fire is right. when done, take it up. having stewed the necks, gizzards, livers and hearts in a very little water, strain it and mix it hot with the gravy that has dripped from the fowls, and which must be first skimmed. thicken it with a little browned flour, add to it the livers, hearts and gizzards chopped small. or, put the giblets in the pan with the chicken and let them roast. send the fowls to the table with the gravy in a boat. cranberry sauce should accompany them, or any tart sauce. boiled chicken. clean, wash and stuff, as for roasting. baste a floured cloth around each and put into a pot with enough boiling water to cover them well. the hot water cooks the skin at once and prevents the escape of the juice. the broth will not be so rich as if the fowls are put on in cold water, but this is a proof that the meat will be more nutritious and better flavored. stew very slowly, for the first half hour especially. boil an hour or more, guiding yourself by size and toughness. serve with egg, bread or oyster sauce. (see sauces.) steamed chicken. rub the chicken on the inside with pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt; place in a steamer in a kettle that will keep it as near the water as possible, cover and steam an hour and a half; when done, keep hot while dressing is prepared, then cut up, arrange on the platter, and serve with the dressing over it. the dressing is made as follows: boil one pint of gravy from the kettle without the fat, add cayenne pepper and half a teaspoonful of salt; stir a tablespoonful of flour into a quarter of a pint of cream until smooth and add to the gravy. cornstarch may be used instead of the flour, and some cooks add nutmeg or celery salt. fricassee chicken. cut up two young chickens, put them in a stewpan with just enough cold water to cover them. cover closely and let them heat very slowly; then stew them over an hour, or until tender. if they are old chickens they will require long, slow boiling, often from three to four hours. when tender, season with salt and pepper, a piece of butter as large as an egg, and a little celery, if liked. stir up two tablespoonfuls of flour in a little water or milk and add to the stew, also two well-beaten yolks of eggs; let all boil up one minute; arrange the chicken on a warm platter, pour some of the gravy over it and send the rest to the table in a boat. the egg should be added to a little of the cooled gravy before putting with the hot gravy. stewed whole spring chicken. dress a full-grown spring chicken the same as for roasting, seasoning it with salt and pepper inside and out; then fill the body with oysters; place it in a tin pail with a close-fitting cover. set the pail in a pot of fast-boiling water and cook until the chicken is tender. dish up the chicken on a warm dish, then pour the gravy into a saucepan, put into it a tablespoonful of butter, half a cupful of cream or rich milk, three hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, some minced herbs and a tablespoonful of flour. let all boil up and then pour it over the chicken. serve hot. pickled chicken. boil four chickens till tender enough for meat to fall from bones; put meat in a stone jar and pour over it three pints of cold, good cider vinegar and a pint and a half of the water in which the chickens were boiled; add spices if preferred, and it will be ready for use in two days. this is a popular sunday evening dish; it is good for luncheon at any time. rissoles of chicken. mince up finely the remains of a cold chicken together with half the quantity of lean, cold ham. mix them well, adding enough white sauce to moisten them. now have light paste rolled out until about a quarter of an inch or a little more in thickness. cut the paste into pieces, one inch by two in size, and lay a little of the mixture upon the centres of half of the pieces and cover them with the other halves, pressing the edges neatly together and forming them into little rolls. have your frying pan ready with plenty of boiling hot lard, or other frying medium, and fry until they become a golden-brown color. a minute or two will be sufficient for this. then drain them well and serve immediately on a napkin. chicken patties. mince up fine cold chicken, either roasted or boiled. season it with pepper and salt, and a little minced parsley and onion. moisten it with chicken gravy or cream sauce, fill scalloped shells that are lined with pastry with the mixture, and sprinkle bread crumbs over the tops. put two or three tiny pieces of butter over each, and bake brown in a hot oven. to broil chicken. after dressing and washing the chickens as previously directed, split them open through the backbone; frog them by cutting the cords under the wings and laying the wings out flat; cut the sinews under the second joint of the leg and turn the leg down; press down the breast-bone without breaking it. season the chicken with salt and pepper, lay it upon the gridiron with the inside first to the fire; put the gridiron over a slow fire, and place a tin sheet and weight upon the chicken, to keep it flat; let it broil ten minutes, then turn and proceed in the same manner with the other side. the chicken should be perfectly cooked, but not scorched. a broiled chicken brought to the table with its wings and legs burnt, and its breast half cooked, is very disagreeable. to avoid this, the chicken must be closely watched while broiling, and the fire must be arranged so that the heat shall be equally dispensed. when the fire is too hot under any one part of the chicken, put a little ashes on the fire under that part, that the heat may be reduced. dish a broiled chicken on a hot plate, putting a large lump of butter and a tablespoonful of hot water upon the plate, and turning the chicken two or three times that it may absorb as much of the butter as possible. garnish with parsley. serve with poached eggs on a separate dish. it takes from thirty to forty minutes to broil a chicken well. chicken pie. prepare the chicken as for fricassee. when the chicken is stewed tender, seasoned, and the gravy thickened, take it from the fire; take out the largest bones, scrape the meat from the neck and backbone, throw the bones away; line the sides of a four or six quart pudding-dish with a rich baking powder or soda biscuit dough, a quarter of an inch thick; put in part of the chicken, a few lumps of butter, pepper and salt, if needed, some cold boiled eggs cut in slices. add the rest of the chicken and season as before; a few new potatoes in their season might be added. pour over the gravy, being sure to have enough to fill the dish, and cover with a crust a quarter of an inch thick, made with a hole in the centre the size of a teacup. brush over the top with beaten white of egg and bake for half to three-quarters of an hour. garnish the top with small bright celery leaves, neatly arranged in a circle. fried chicken. wash and cut up a young chicken, wipe it dry, season with salt and pepper, dredge it with flour, or dip each piece in beaten egg and then in cracker crumbs. have in a frying pan one ounce each of butter and sweet lard made boiling hot. lay in the chicken and fry brown on both sides. take up, drain it and set aside in a covered dish. stir into the gravy left, if not too much, a large tablespoonful of flour, make it smooth, add a cup of cream or milk, season with salt and pepper, boil up and pour over the chicken. some like chopped parsley added to the gravy. serve hot. if the chicken is old, put into a stewpan with a little water and simmer gently till tender; season with salt and pepper, dip in flour or cracker crumb and egg, and fry as above. use the broth the chicken was cooked in to make the gravy, instead of the cream or milk, or use an equal quantity of both. fried chicken Á la italienne. make common batter; mix into it a cupful of chopped tomatoes, one onion chopped, some minced parsley, salt and pepper. cut up young, tender chickens, dry them well and dip each piece in the batter; then fry brown in plenty of butter in a thick-bottomed frying pan. serve with tomato sauce. chicken croquettes. no. . put a cup of cream or milk in a saucepan, set it over the fire, and when it boils add a lump of butter as large as an egg, in which has been mixed a tablespoonful of flour. let it boil up thick; remove from the fire, and when cool mix into it a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, a bit of minced onion or parsley, one cup of fine bread crumbs, and a pint of finely-chopped cooked chicken, either roasted or boiled. lastly, beat up two eggs and work in with the whole. flour your hands and make into small, round, flat cakes; dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry like fish cakes in butter and good sweet lard mixed, or like fried cakes in plenty of hot lard. take them up with a skimmer and lay them on brown paper to free them from the grease. serve hot. chicken croquettes. no. . take any kind of fresh meat or fowl, chop very fine, add an equal quantity of smoothly mashed potatoes, mix, and season with butter, salt, black pepper, a little prepared mustard, and a little cayenne pepper; make into cakes, dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry a light brown. a nice relish for tea. to fry croquettes. beat up two eggs in a deep bowl; roll enough crackers until you have a cupful of crumbs, or the same of fine stale bread crumbs; spread the crumbs on a large plate or pie-tin. have over the fire a kettle containing two or three inches of boiling lard. as fast as the croquettes are formed, roll them in the crumbs, then dip them in the beaten egg, then again roll them in crumbs; drop them in the smoking hot fat and fry them a light golden brown. pressed chicken. clean and cut up your chickens. stew in just enough water to cover them. when nearly cooked, season them well with salt and pepper. let them stew down until the water is nearly all boiled out, and the meat drops easily from the bones. remove the bones and gristle; chop the meat rather coarsely, then turn it back into the stew-kettle, where the broth was left (after skimming off all fat), and let it heat through again. turn it into a square bread pan, placing a platter on the top, and a heavy weight on the platter. this, if properly prepared, will turn out like a mold of jelly and may be sliced in smooth, even slices. the success of this depends upon not having too much water; it will not jelly if too weak, or if the water is allowed to boil away entirely while cooking. a good way to cook old fowls. chicken lunch for traveling. cut a young chicken down the back; wash and wipe dry; season with salt and pepper; put in a dripping-pan and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. this is much better for traveling lunch than when seasoned with butter. all kinds of poultry and meat can be cooked quicker by adding to the water in which they are boiled a little vinegar or a piece of lemon. by the use of a little acid there will be a considerable saving of fuel, as well as shortening of time. its action is beneficial on old tough meats, rendering them quite tender and easy of digestion. tainted meats and fowls will lose their bad taste and odor if cooked in this way, and if not used too freely no taste of it will be acquired. potted chicken. strip the meat from the bones of a cold roast fowl; to every pound of meat allow a quarter of a pound of butter, salt and cayenne pepper to taste; one teaspoonful of pounded mace, half a small nutmeg. cut the meat into small pieces, pound it well with the butter, sprinkle in the spices gradually and keep pounding until reduced to a perfectly smooth paste. pack it into small jars and cover with clarified butter, about a quarter of an inch in thickness. two or three slices of ham minced and pounded with the above will be an improvement. keep in a dry place. a luncheon or breakfast dish. old fowls can be made very tender by putting into them, while boiling, a piece of soda as large as a bean. scalloped chicken. divide a fowl into joints and boil till the meat leaves the bone readily. take out the bones and chop the meat as small as dice. thicken the water in which the fowl was boiled with flour and season to taste with butter and salt. fill a deep dish with alternate layers of bread crumbs and chicken and slices of cooked potatoes, having crumbs on top. pour the gravy over the top and add a few bits of butter and bake till nicely browned. there should be gravy enough to moisten the dish. serve with a garnish of parsley. tiny new potatoes are nice in place of sliced ones when in season. breaded chicken. prepare young chickens as for fricassee by cutting them into pieces. dip each piece in beaten egg, then in grated bread crumbs or rolled cracker; season them with pepper and salt and a little minced parsley. place them in a baking pan and put on the top of each piece a lump of butter, add half of a cupful of hot water; bake slowly, basting often. when sufficiently cooked take up on a warm platter. into the pan pour a cup of cream or rich milk, a cupful of bread crumbs. stir it well until cooked, then pour it over the chicken. serve while hot. broiled chicken on toast. broil the usual way and when thoroughly done take it up in a square tin or dripping-pan, butter it well, season with pepper and salt and set it in the oven for a few minutes. lay slices of moistened buttered toast on a platter; take the chicken up over it, add to the gravy in the pan part of a cupful of cream, if you have it; if not, use milk. thicken with a little flour and pour over the chicken. this is considered most excellent. curry chicken. cut up a chicken weighing from a pound and a half to two pounds, as for fricassee, wash it well, and put it into a stewpan with sufficient water to cover it; boil it, closely covered, until tender; add a large teaspoonful of salt, and cook a few minutes longer; then remove from the fire, take out the chicken, pour the liquor into a bowl, and set it one side. now cut up into the stewpan two small onions, and fry them with a piece of butter as large as an egg; as soon as the onions are brown, skim them out and put in the chicken; fry for three or four minutes; next sprinkle over two teaspoonfuls of curry powder. now pour over the liquor in which the chicken was stewed, stir all well together, and stew for five minutes longer, then stir into this a tablespoonful of sifted flour made thin with a little water; lastly, stir in a beaten yolk of egg, and it is done. serve with hot boiled rice laid around on the edge of a platter, and the chicken curry in the centre. this makes a handsome side dish, and a fine relish accompanying a full dinner of roast beef or any roast. all first-class grocers and druggists keep this "india curry powder," put up in bottles. beef, veal, mutton, duck, pigeons, partridges, rabbits or fresh fish may be substituted for the chicken, if preferred, and sent to the table with or without a dish of rice. _to boil rice or curry._--pick over the rice, a cupful. wash it thoroughly in two or three cold waters; then leave it about twenty minutes in cold water. put into a stewpan two quarts of water with a teaspoonful of salt in it; and when it boils, sprinkle in the rice. boil it briskly for twenty minutes, keeping the pan covered. take it from the fire, and drain off the water. afterwards set the saucepan on the back of the stove, with the lid off, to allow the rice to dry and the grains to separate. rice, if properly boiled, should be soft and white, and every grain stand alone. serve it hot in a separate dish or served as above, laid around the chicken curry. chicken pot-pie. no. . cut and joint a large chicken, cover with cold water, and let it boil gently until tender. season with salt and pepper, and thicken the gravy with two tablespoonfuls of flour, mixed smooth with a piece of butter the size of an egg. have ready nice light bread-dough, cut with the top of a wine-glass about a half an inch thick; let them stand half an hour and rise, then drop these into the boiling gravy. put the cover on the pot closely, wrap a cloth around it, in order that no steam shall escape; and by no means allow the pot to cease boiling. boil three-quarters of an hour. chicken pot-pie. no. . this style of pot-pie was made more in our grandmother's day than now, as most cooks consider that cooking crust so long destroys its spongy lightness, and renders it too hard and dry. take a pair of fine fowls, cut them up, wash the pieces, and season with pepper only. make a light biscuit dough, and plenty of it, as it is always much liked by the eaters of pot-pie. roll out the dough not very thin, and cut most of it into long squares. butter the sides of a pot, and line them with dough nearly to the top. lay slices of cold ham at the bottom of the pot, and then the pieces of fowl, interspersed all through with squares of dough and potatoes, pared and quartered. pour in a quart of water. cover the whole with a lid of dough, having a slit in the centre, through which the gravy will bubble up. boil it steadily for two hours. half an hour before you take it up, put in through the hole in the centre of the crust some bits of butter rolled in flour, to thicken the gravy. when done, put the pie on a large dish, and pour the gravy over it. you may intersperse it all through with cold ham. a pot-pie may be made of ducks, rabbits, squirrels or venison. also of beefsteak. a beefsteak, or some porksteaks (the lean only), greatly improve a chicken pot-pie. if you use no ham, season with salt. [illustration: top left abigail adams; top right martha jefferson; middle martha washington; bottom left mrs james monroe; bottom right d. p. maddison] chicken stewed with biscuit. take chickens, and make a fricassee; just before you are ready to dish it up, have ready two baking-tins of rich soda or baking-powder biscuits; take them from the oven hot, split them apart by breaking them with your hands, lay them on a large meat platter, covering it, then pour the hot chicken stew over all. send to the table hot. this is a much better way than boiling this kind of biscuit in the stew, as you are more sure of its being always light. chicken dressed as terrapin. select young chickens, clean and cut them into pieces; put them into a stewpan with just _enough_ water to cook them. when tender stir into it half of a cup of butter and one beaten egg. season it with salt and pepper, a teaspoonful of powdered thyme; add two hard-boiled eggs coarsely minced and a small glass of wine. boil up once and serve with jelly. chicken roly-poly. one quart of flour, two teaspoonfuls of cream tartar mixed with the flour, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a teacupful of milk; a teaspoonful of salt; do not use shortening of any kind, but roll out the mixture half an inch thick, and on it lay minced chicken, veal or mutton. the meat must be seasoned with pepper and salt and be free from gristle. roll the crust over and over, and put it on a buttered plate and place in a steamer for half an hour. serve for breakfast or lunch, giving a slice to each person with gravy served with it. chicken turnovers. chop cold roast chicken very fine. put it into a saucepan, place it over the fire, moisten it with a little water and gravy, or a piece of butter. season with salt and pepper; add a small tablespoonful of sifted flour dissolved in a little water; heat all through and remove from the fire to become cool. when cooled roll out some plain pie-crust quite thin, cut out in rounds as large as a saucer; wet the edge with cold water and put a large spoonful of the minced meat on one-half of the round; fold the other half over and pinch the edges well together, then fry them in hot drippings or fat a nice brown. they may also be cooked in a moderate oven. chicken pudding. cut up two young chickens into good-sized pieces; put them in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them well. when boiled quite tender, season with salt and pepper; let them simmer ten or fifteen minutes longer; then take the chicken from the broth and remove all the large bones. place the meat in a well-buttered pudding dish, season again, if necessary, adding a few bits of butter. pour over this the following batter:-- eight eggs beaten light and mixed with one quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of melted butter, a teaspoonful of salt and two large teaspoonfuls of baking powder, added to enough sifted flour to make a batter like griddle-cakes. bake one hour in a _moderate_ oven. make a gravy of the broth that remained from the cooking of the chicken, adding a tablespoonful of flour stirred into a third of a cup of melted butter; let it boil up, putting in more water if necessary. serve hot in a gravy boat with the pudding. chicken and macaroni. boil a chicken until very tender, take out all the bones, and pick up the meat quite fine. boil half a pound of macaroni until tender, first breaking it up to pieces an inch long. butter a deep pudding dish, put on the bottom a layer of the cooked macaroni, then a layer of the minced chicken, bits of butter, pepper and salt, then some of the chicken liquor, over this put another layer of macaroni, and so on, until, the dish is filled. pour a cup of cream over the whole, and bake half an hour. serve on a platter. roast duck. (tame.) pick, draw, clean thoroughly, and wipe dry. cut the neck close to the back, beat the breast-bone flat with a rolling pin, tie the wings and legs securely, and stuff with the following:-- three pints bread crumbs, six ounces butter, or part butter and salt pork, two chopped onions and one teaspoonful each of sage, black pepper and salt. do not stuff very full, and sew up the openings firmly to keep the flavor in and the fat out. if not fat enough, it should be larded with salt pork, or tie a slice upon the breast. place in a baking pan, with a little water, and baste frequently with salt and water--some add onion, and some vinegar; turn often, so that the sides and back may all be nicely browned. when nearly done, baste with butter and a little flour. these directions will apply to tame geese as well as ducks. young ducks should roast from twenty-five to thirty minutes, and full-grown ones for an hour or more, with frequent basting. some prefer them underdone and served very hot; but, as a rule, thorough cooking will prove more palatable. make a gravy out of the necks and gizzards by putting them in a quart of cold water, that must be reduced to a pint by boiling. the giblets, when done, may be chopped fine and added to the juice. the preferred seasonings are one tablespoonful of madeira or sherry, a blade of mace, one small onion, and a little cayenne pepper; strain through a hair sieve; pour a little over the ducks and serve the remainder in a boat. served with jellies or any tart sauce. braised duck. prepare a pair of fine young ducks, the same as for roasting, place them in a stewpan together with two or three slices of bacon, a carrot, an onion stuck with two cloves, and a little thyme and parsley. season with pepper, and cover the whole with a broth, adding to the broth a gill of white wine. place the pan over a gentle fire and allow the ducks to simmer until done, basting them frequently. when done remove them from the pan, and place them where they will keep hot. a turnip should then be cut up and fried in some butter. when nicely browned, drain the pieces and cook them until tender in the liquor in which the ducks were braised. now strain and thicken the gravy, and after dishing up the ducks, pour it over them, garnishing with the pieces of turnip. _palmer house, chicago._ stewed duck. prepare them by cutting them up the same as chicken for fricassee. lay two or three very thin slices of salt pork upon the bottom of a stewpan; lay the pieces of duck upon the pork. let them stew slowly for an hour, closely covered. then season with salt and pepper, half a teaspoonful of powdered sage, or some green sage minced fine; one chopped onion. stew another half hour until the duck is tender. stir up a large tablespoonful of brown flour in a little water and add it to the stew. let it boil up, and serve all together in one dish, accompanied with green peas. _palmer house, chicago._ duck pie. cut all the meat from cold roast ducks; put the bones and stuffing into cold water; cover them and let boil; put the meat into a deep dish; pour on enough of the stock made from the bones to moisten; cover with pastry slit in the centre with a knife, and bake a light brown. warmed up duck. a nice dish for breakfast, and very relishing, can be made from the remains of a roast of duck. cut the meat from the bones, pick out all the little tidbits in the recesses, lay them in a frying pan, and cover with water and the cold gravy left from the roast; add a piece of butter; let all boil up once and if not quite thick enough, stir in a little dissolved flour. serve hot. roast wild duck. wild duck should not be dressed too soon after being killed. if the weather is cold it will be better for being kept several days. bake in a hot oven, letting it remain for five or ten minutes without basting to keep in the gravy, then baste frequently with butter and water. if over-done it loses flavor, thirty to forty minutes in the right kind of an oven being sufficient. serve on a very hot dish, and send to table as hot as possible with a cut lemon and the following sauce:-- put in a tiny saucepan a tablespoonful each of worcestershire sauce and mushroom catsup, a little salt and cayenne pepper and the juice of half a lemon. mix well, make it hot, remove from the fire and stir in a teaspoonful of made mustard. pour into a hot gravy boat. _california style, lick house._ wild ducks. most wild ducks are apt to have the flavor of fish, and when in the hands of inexperienced cooks are sometimes unpalatable on this account. before roasting them, parboil them with a small peeled carrot put within each duck. this absorbs the unpleasant taste. an onion will have the same effect, but unless you use onions in the stuffing the carrot is preferable. roast the same as tame duck. or put into the duck a whole onion peeled, plenty of salt and pepper and a glass of claret, bake in a hot oven twenty minutes. serve hot with the gravy it yields in cooking and a dish of currant jelly. canvas-back duck. the epicurean taste declares that this special kind of bird requires no spices or flavors to make it perfect, as the meat partakes of the flavor of the food that the bird feeds upon, being mostly wild celery; and the delicious flavor is best preserved when roasted quickly with a hot fire. after dressing the duck in the usual way by plucking, singeing, drawing, wipe it with a wet towel, truss the head under the wing; place it in a dripping-pan, put it in the oven, basting often, and roast it half an hour. it is generally preferred a little underdone. place it when done on a hot dish, season well with salt and pepper, pour over it the gravy it has yielded in baking and serve it immediately while hot. _delmonico._ roast pigeons. pigeons lose their flavor by being kept more than a day after they are killed. they may be prepared and roasted or broiled the same as chickens; they will require from twenty to thirty minutes' cooking. make a gravy of the giblets or not, season it with pepper and salt, and add a little flour and butter. stewed pigeons. clean and stuff with onion dressing, thyme, etc.,--do not sew up; take five or more slices of corned pork, let it fry a while in a pot so that the fat comes out and it begins to brown a little; then lay the pigeons all around in the fat, leaving the pork still in; add hot water enough to partially cover them; cover tightly and boil an hour or so until tender; then turn off some of the liquid, and keep turning them so they will brown nicely; then heat and add the liquor poured off; add extra thyme, pepper, and keep turning until the pigeons and gravy are nicely browned. thicken with a little flour, and serve with the gravy poured over them; garnish with parsley. pigeon pie. take half a dozen pigeons; stuff each one with a dressing the same as for turkey; loosen the joints with a knife, but do not separate them. put them in a stewpan with water enough to cover them, let them cook until nearly tender, then season them with salt and pepper and butter. thicken the gravy with flour, remove and cool. butter a pudding dish, line the sides with a rich crust. have ready some hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. put in a layer of egg and birds and gravy until the dish is full. cover with a crust and bake. broiled pigeons or squabs. split them down the back and broil the same as chicken; seasoning well with salt, pepper and plenty of butter. broil slices of salt pork, very thin; place a slice over each bird and serve. squab pot-pie. cut into dice three ounces of salt pork; divide six wild squabs into pieces at the joints; remove the skin. cut up four potatoes into small squares, and prepare a dozen small dough balls. put into a yellow, deep baking dish the pork, potatoes and squabs, and then the balls of dough, season with salt, white pepper, a dash of mace or nutmeg; add hot water enough to cover the ingredients, cover with a "short" pie-crust and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. _palmer house, chicago._ woodcock, roasted. skin the head and neck of the bird, pluck the feathers, and truss it by bringing the beak of the bird under the wing, and fastening the pinion to the thigh; twist the legs at the knuckles and press the feet upon the thigh. put a piece of bread under each bird to catch the drippings, baste with butter, dredge with flour, and roast fifteen or twenty minutes with a sharp fire. when done, cut the bread in diamond shape, each piece large enough to stand one bird upon, place them aslant on your dish, and serve with gravy enough to moisten the bread; serve some in the dish and some in the tureen; garnish with slices of lemon. roast from twenty to twenty-five minutes. snipe. snipe are similar to woodcock, and may be served in the same manner; they will require less time to roast. reed birds. pick and draw them very carefully, salt and dredge with flour, and roast with a quick fire ten or fifteen minutes. serve on toast with butter and pepper. you can put in each one an oyster dipped in butter and then in bread crumbs before roasting. they are also very nice broiled. roast quail. rinse well and steam over boiling water until tender, then dredge with flour, and smother in butter; season with salt and pepper and roast inside the stove; thicken the gravy; serve with green grape jelly, and garnish with parsley. to roast partridges, pheasants, quail or grouse. carefully cut out all the shot, wash thoroughly but quickly, using soda in the water; rinse again, and dry with a clean cloth. stuff them and sew them up. skewer the legs and wings to the body, larder the breast with very thin slices of fat salt pork, place them in the oven, and baste with butter and water before taking up, having seasoned them with salt and pepper; or you can leave out the pork and use only butter, or cook them without stuffing. make a gravy of the drippings thickened with browned flour. boil up and serve in a boat. these are all very fine broiled, first splitting down the back, placing on the gridiron the inside down, cover with a baking tin, and broil slowly at first. serve with cream gravy. game pie. clean well, inside and out, a dozen small birds, quail, snipe, woodcock, etc., and split them in half; put them in a saucepan with about two quarts of water; when it boils, skim off all scum that rises; then add salt and pepper, a bunch of minced parsley, one onion chopped fine, and three whole cloves. cut up half a pound of salt pork into dice, and let all boil until tender, using care that there be enough water to cover the birds. thicken this with two tablespoonfuls of browned flour and let it boil up. stir in a piece of butter as large as an egg; remove from the fire and let it cool. have ready a pint of potatoes cut as small as dice, and a rich crust made. line the sides of a buttered pudding dish with the crust; lay in the birds, then some of the potatoes, then birds and so on, until the dish is full. pour over the gravy, put on the top crust, with a slit cut in the centre, and bake. the top can be ornamented with pastry leaves in a wreath about the edge, with any fancy design placed in the centre across the slit. _rockaway beach._ snowbirds. one dozen thoroughly cleaned birds; stuff each with an oyster, put them into a yellow dish, and add two ounces of boiled salt pork and three raw potatoes cut into slices; add a pint of oyster liquor, an ounce of butter; salt and pepper; cover the dish with a crust and bake in moderate oven. squirrel. they are cooked similar to rabbits, are excellent when broiled or made into a stew, and, in fact, are very good in all the different styles of cooking similar to rabbit. there are many species common to this country; among them the black, red, gray and fox. gophers and chipmunks may also be classed as another but smaller variety. roast hare or rabbit. a very close relationship exists between the hare and the rabbit, the chief difference being in the smaller size and shorter legs and ears of the latter. the manner of dressing and preparing each for the table is, therefore, pretty nearly the same. to prepare them for roasting, first skin, wash well in cold water and rinse thoroughly in lukewarm water. if a little musty from being emptied before they were hung up, and afterward neglected, rub the insides with vinegar and afterward remove all taint of the acid by a thorough washing in lukewarm water. after being well wiped with a soft cloth put in a dressing as usual, sew the animal up, truss it, and roast for half or three-quarters of an hour, until well browned, basting it constantly with butter and dredging with flour, just before taking up. to make a gravy, after the rabbits are roasted, pour nearly all the fat out of the pan, but do not pour the bottom or brown part of the drippings; put the pan over the fire, stir into it a heaping tablespoonful of flour, and stir until the flour browns. then stir in a pint of boiling water. season the gravy with salt and pepper; let it boil for a moment. send hot to the table in a tureen with the hot rabbits. serve with currant jelly. fricassee rabbit. clean two young rabbits, cut into joints, and soak in salt and water half an hour. put into a saucepan with a pint of cold water, a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion finely minced, a pinch of mace, half a nutmeg, a pinch of pepper and half a pound of salt pork cut in small thin slices. cover and stew until tender. take out the rabbits and set in a dish where they will keep warm. add to the gravy a cup of cream (or milk), two well-beaten eggs, stirred in a little at a time, a tablespoonful of butter, and a thickening made of a tablespoonful of flour and a little milk. boil up once; remove the saucepan from the fire, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, stirring all the while, and pour over the rabbits. do not cook the head or neck. fried rabbit. after the rabbit has been thoroughly cleaned and washed, put it into boiling water, and let it boil ten minutes; drain it, and when cold, cut it into joints, dip into beaten egg, and then in fine bread crumbs; season with salt and pepper. when all are ready, fry them in butter and sweet lard, mix over a moderate fire until brown on both sides. take them out, thicken the gravy with a spoonful of flour, turn in a cup of milk or cream; let all boil up, and turn over the rabbits. serve hot with onion sauce. (see sauces.) garnish with sliced lemon. rabbit pie. this pie can be made the same as "game pie" excepting you scatter through it four hard-boiled eggs cut in slices. cover with puff paste, cut a slit in the middle, and bake one hour, laying paper over the top should it brown too fast. broiled rabbits. after skinning and cleaning the rabbits, wipe them dry, split them down the back lengthwise, pound them flat, then wrap them in letter paper well buttered, place them on a buttered gridiron, and broil over a clear, brisk fire, turning them often. when sufficiently cooked, remove the papers, lay them on a very hot platter, season with salt, pepper and plenty of butter, turning them over and over to soak up the butter. cover and keep hot in a warming oven until served. salmi of game. this is a nice mode of serving the remains of roasted game, but when a superlative salmi is desired, the birds must be scarcely more than half roasted for it. in either case, carve them very neatly, and strip every particle of skin and fat from the legs, wings and breasts; bruise the bodies well, and put them with the skin and other trimmings into a very clean stewpan. if for a simple and inexpensive dinner, merely add to them two sliced onions, a bay-leaf, a small blade of mace and a few peppercorns; then pour in a pint or more of good veal gravy, or strong broth, and boil it briskly until reduced nearly half; strain the gravy, pressing the bones well to obtain all the flavor; skim off the fat, add a little cayenne and lemon juice, heat the game very gradually in it, but do not on any account allow it to boil; place pieces of fried bread around a dish, arrange the birds in good form in the centre, give the sauce a boil, and pour it on them. roast haunch of venison. to prepare a haunch of venison for roasting, wash it slightly in tepid water and dry it thoroughly by rubbing it with a clean, soft cloth. lay over the fat side a large sheet of thickly-buttered paper, and next a paste of flour and water about three-quarters of an inch thick; cover this again with two or three sheets of stout paper, secure the whole well with twine, and put down to roast, with a little water, in the dripping-pan. let the fire be clear and strong; baste the paper immediately with butter or clarified drippings, and roast the joint from three to four hours, according to its weight and quality. doe venison will require half an hour less time than buck venison. about twenty minutes before the joint is done remove the paste and paper, baste the meat in every part with butter, and dredge it very lightly with flour; let it take a pale brown color, and serve hot with unflavored gravy made with a thickening in a tureen and good currant jelly. venison is much better when the deer has been killed in the autumn, when wild berries are plentiful, and it has had abundant opportunities to fatten upon this and other fresh food. _windsor hotel, montreal._ broiled venison steak. venison steaks should be broiled over a clear fire, turning often. it requires more cooking than beef. when sufficiently done, season with salt and pepper, pour over two tablespoonfuls of currant jelly melted with a piece of butter. serve hot on hot plates. delicious steaks, corresponding to the shape of mutton chops, are cut from the loin. baked saddle of venison. wash the saddle carefully; see that no hairs are left dried on to the outside. use a saddle of venison of about ten pounds. cut some salt pork in strips about two inches long and an eighth of an inch thick, with which lard the saddle with two rows on each side. in a large dripping-pan cut two carrots, one onion and some salt pork in thin slices; add two bay-leaves, two cloves, four kernels of allspice, half a lemon sliced, and season with salt and pepper; place the saddle of venison in the pan, with a quart of good stock boiling hot and a small piece of butter, and let it boil about fifteen minutes on top of the stove; then put it in a hot oven and bake, basting well every five minutes, until it is medium rare, so that the blood runs when cut; serve with jelly or a wine sauce. if the venison is desired well done, cook much longer, and use a cream sauce with it, or stir cream into the venison gravy. (for cream sauce see sauces.) venison should never be roasted unless very fat. the shoulder is a roasting piece and may be done without the paper or paste. in ordering the saddle request the butcher to cut the ribs off pretty close, as the only part that is of much account is the tenderloin and thick meat that lies along the backbone up to the neck. the ribs which extend from this have very little meat on them, but are always sold with the saddle. when neatly cut off they leave the saddle in a better shape, and the ribs can be put into your stock-pot to boil for soup. _windsor hotel, montreal._ venison pie or pastry. the neck, breast and shoulder are the parts used for a venison pie or pastry. cut the meat into pieces (fat and lean together) and put the bones and trimmings into the stewpan with pepper and salt, and water or veal broth enough to cover it. simmer it till you have drawn out a good gravy. then strain it. in the meantime make a good rich paste, and roll it rather thick. cover the bottom and sides of a deep dish with one sheet of it, and put in your meat, having seasoned it with pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace. pour in the gravy which you have prepared from the trimmings, and a glass of port wine. lay on the top some bits of butter rolled in flour. cover the pie with a thick lid of paste and ornament it handsomely with leaves and flowers formed with a tin cutter. bake two or more hours according to the size. just before it is done, pull it forward in the oven, and brush it over with beaten egg; push it back and let it slightly brown. _windsor hotel, montreal._ venison hashed. cut the meat in nice small slices, and put the trimmings and bones into a saucepan with barely water enough to cover them. let them stew for an hour. then strain the liquid into a stewpan; add to it some bits of butter, rolled in flour, and whatever gravy was left of the venison the day before. stir in some currant jelly, and give it a boil up. then put in the meat, and keep it over the fire just long enough to warm it through; but do not allow it to boil, as it has been once cooked already. fried venison steak. cut a breast of venison into steaks; make a quarter of a pound of butter hot in a pan; rub the steaks over with a mixture of a little salt and pepper; dip them in wheat flour, or rolled crackers, and fry a rich brown; when both sides are done, take them up on a dish, and put a tin cover over; dredge a heaping teaspoonful of flour into the butter in the pan, stir it with a spoon until it is brown, without burning; put to it a small teacupful of boiling water, with a tablespoonful of currant jelly dissolved into it; stir it for a few minutes, then strain it over the meat and serve. a glass of wine, with a tablespoonful of white sugar dissolved in it, may be used for the gravy, instead of the jelly and water. venison may be boiled, and served with boiled vegetables, pickled beets, etc., and sauce. [illustration] meats. in the selection of meat it is most essential that we understand how to choose it; in beef it should be a smooth, fine grain, of a clear bright red color, the fat white, and will feel tender when pinched with the fingers. will also have abundant kidney fat or suet. the most choice pieces for roast are the sirloin, fore and middle ribs. veal, to be good, should have the flesh firm and dry, fine grained and of a delicate pinkish color, and plenty of kidney fat; the joints stiff. mutton is good when the flesh is a bright red, firm and juicy and a close grain, the fat firm and white. pork, if young, the lean will break on being pinched smooth when nipped with the fingers, also the skin will break and dent; if the rind is rough and hard it is old. in roasting meat, allow from fifteen to twenty minutes to the pound, which will vary according to the thickness of the roast. a great deal of the success in roasting depends on the heat and goodness of the fire; if put into a cool oven it loses its juices, and the result is a tough, tasteless roast; whereas, if the oven is of the proper heat, it immediately sears up the pores of the meat and the juices are retained. the oven should be the hottest when the meat is put into it, in order to quickly crisp the surface and close the pores of the meat, thereby confining its natural juices. if the oven is too hot to hold the hand in for only a moment, then it is right to receive the meat. the roast should first be washed in pure water, then wiped dry with a clean dry cloth, placed in a baking pan without any seasoning; some pieces of suet or cold drippings laid under it, but _no water_ should be put into the pan, for this would have a tendency to soften the outside of the meat. the water can never get so hot as the hot fat upon the surface of the meat, and the generating of the steam prevents its crispness, so desirable in a roast. it should be frequently basted with its own drippings, which flow from the meat when partly cooked, and well seasoned. lamb, veal and pork should be cooked rather slower than beef, with a more _moderate_ fire, covering the fat with a piece of paper, and _thoroughly_ cooked till the flesh parts from the bone, and nicely browned, without being burned. an onion sliced and put on top of a roast while cooking, especially roast of pork, gives a nice flavor. remove the onion before serving. larding meats is drawing ribbons of fat pork through the upper surface of the meat, leaving both ends protruding. this is accomplished by the use of a larding needle, which may be procured at house-furnishing stores. boiling or stewing meat, if fresh, should be put into _boiling_ water, closely covered and boiled _slowly_, allowing twenty minutes to each pound, and, when partly cooked, or when it begins to get tender, salted, adding spices and vegetables. salt meats should be covered with _cold_ water, and require thirty minutes _very slow_ boiling, from the time the water boils, for each pound; if it is very salt, pour off the first water and put it in another of boiling water, or it may be soaked one night in cold water. after meat commences to boil the pot should _never stop_ simmering and always be replenished from the _boiling_ tea-kettle. frying may be done in two ways. one method, which is most generally used, is by putting one ounce or more (as the case requires) of beef drippings, lard or butter into a frying pan, and when at the _boiling point_ lay in the meat, cooking both sides a nice brown. the other method is to _completely immerse_ the article to be cooked in sufficient _hot_ lard to cover it, similar to frying doughnuts. broiled meats should be placed over clear, red coals free from smoke, giving out a good heat, but not too brisk, or the meat will be hardened and scorched; but if the fire is dead the gravy will escape and drop upon the coals, creating a blaze, which will blacken and smoke the meat. steaks and chops should be turned often, in order that every part should be evenly done--never sticking a fork into the lean part, as that lets the juices escape; it should be put into the outer skin or fat. when the meat is sufficiently broiled it should be laid on a _hot_ dish and seasoned. the best pieces for steak are the porterhouse, sirloin and rump. thawing frozen meat, etc. if meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, or any other article of food, when found frozen, is thawed by putting it into _warm water_ or placing it before the fire, it will most certainly spoil by that process, and be rendered unfit to eat. the only way to thaw these things is by immersing them in _cold_ water. this should be done as soon as they are brought in from market, that they may have time to be well thawed before they are cooked. if meat that has been frozen is to be boiled, put it on in cold water. if to be roasted, begin by setting it at a distance from the fire, for if it should not chance to be thoroughly thawed all through to the centre, placing it at first too near the fire will cause it to spoil. if it is expedient to thaw the meat or poultry the night before cooking, lay it in cold water early in the evening, and change the water at bed-time. if found crusted with ice in the morning, remove the ice, and put the meat in fresh cold water, letting it lie in it till wanted for cooking. potatoes are injured by being frozen. other vegetables are not the worse for it, provided they are always thawed in cold water. to keep meat from flies. put in sacks, with enough straw around it so the flies cannot reach through. three-fourths of a yard of yard-wide muslin is the right size for the sack. put a little straw in the bottom, then put in the ham and lay straw in all around it; tie it tightly and hang it in a cool, dry place. be sure the straw is all around the meat, so the flies cannot reach through to deposit the eggs. (the sacking must be done early in the season before the fly appears.) muslin lets the air in and is much better than paper. thin muslin is as good as thick, and will last for years if washed when laid away when emptied. _national stockman._ roast beef. one very essential point in roasting beef is to have the oven well heated when the beef is first put in; this causes the pores to close up quickly, and prevents the escape of the juices. take a rib piece or loin roast of seven or eight pounds. wipe it thoroughly all over with a clean wet towel. lay it in a dripping-pan, and baste it well with butter or suet fat. set it in the oven. baste it frequently with its own drippings, which will make it brown and tender. when partly done season with salt and pepper, as it hardens any meat to salt it when raw, and draws out its juices, then dredge with sifted flour to give it a frothy appearance. it will take a roast of this size about two hours' time to be properly done, leaving the inside a little rare or red--half an hour less would make the inside quite rare. remove the beef to a heated dish, set where it will keep hot; then skim the drippings from all fat, add a tablespoonful of sifted flour, a little pepper and a teacupful of boiling water. boil up once and serve hot in a gravy boat. some prefer the clear gravy without the thickening. serve with mustard or grated horse-radish and vinegar. yorkshire pudding. this is a very nice accompaniment to a roast of beef; the ingredients are, one pint of milk, four eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one teaspoonful of salt, and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted through two cups of flour. it should be mixed very smooth, about the consistency of cream. regulate your time when you put in your roast, so that it will be done half an hour or forty minutes before dishing up. take it from the oven, set it where it will keep hot. in the meantime have this pudding prepared. take two common biscuit tins, dip some of the drippings from the dripping-pan into these tins, pour half of the pudding into each, set them into the hot oven, and keep them in until the dinner is dished up; take these puddings out at the last moment and send to the table hot. this i consider much better than the old way of baking the pudding under the meat. beefsteak. no. . the first consideration in broiling is to have a clear, glowing bed of coals. the steak should be about three-quarters of an inch in thickness, and should be pounded only in extreme cases, _i.e._, when it is cut _too_ thick and is "stringy." lay it on a buttered gridiron, turning it often, as it begins to drip, attempting nothing else while cooking it. have everything else ready for the table; the potatoes and vegetables dished and in the warming closet. do not season it until it is done, which will be in about ten to twelve minutes. remove it to a warm platter, pepper and salt it on both sides and spread a liberal lump of butter over it. serve at once while hot. no definite rule can be given as to the _time_ of cooking steak, individual tastes differ so widely in regard to it, some only liking it when well done, others so rare that the blood runs out of it. the best pieces for broiling are the porterhouse and sirloin. beefsteak. no. . take a smooth, thick-bottomed frying pan, scald it out with hot water, and wipe it dry; set it on the stove or range, and when _very_ hot, rub it over the bottom with a rag dipped in butter; then place your steak or chops in it, turn often until cooked through, take up on a warm platter, and season both sides with salt, pepper and butter. serve hot. many prefer this manner of cooking steak rather than broiling or frying in a quantity of grease. beefsteak and onions. prepare the steak in the usual way. have ready in a frying pan a dozen onions cut in slices and fried brown in a little beef drippings or butter. dish your steak, and lay the onions thickly over the top. cover and let stand five minutes, then send to the table hot. beefsteak and oysters. broil the steak the usual way. put one quart of oysters with very little of the liquor into a stewpan upon the fire; when it comes to a boil, take off the scum that may rise, stir in three ounces of butter mixed with a tablespoonful of sifted flour, let it boil one minute until it thickens, pour it over the steak. serve hot. _palace hotel, san francisco._ to fry beefsteaks. beefsteak for frying should be cut much thinner than for broiling. take from the ribs or sirloin and remove the bone. put some butter or nice beef dripping into a frying pan and set it over the fire, and when it has boiled and become hot lay in the steaks; when cooked quite enough, season with salt and pepper, turn and brown on both sides. steaks when fried should be thoroughly done. have ready a hot dish, and when they are done take out the steaks and lay them on it, with another dish cover the top to keep them hot. the gravy in the pan can be turned over the steaks, first adding a few drops of boiling water, or a gravy to be served in a separate dish made by putting a large tablespoonful of flour into the hot gravy left in the pan after taking up the steaks. stir it smooth, then pour in a pint of cream or sweet rich milk, salt and pepper, let it boil up once until it thickens, pour hot into a gravy dish and send to the table with the steaks. pot roast. (old style.) this is an old-fashioned dish, often cooked in our grandmothers' time. take a piece of fresh beef weighing about five or six pounds. it must not be _too fat_. wash it and put it into a pot with barely sufficient water to cover it. set it over a slow fire, and after it has stewed an hour salt and pepper it. then stew it slowly until tender, adding a little onion if liked. do not replenish the water at the last, but let all nearly boil away. when tender all through take the meat from the pot and pour the gravy in a bowl. put a large lump of butter in the bottom of the pot, then dredge the piece of meat with flour and return it to the pot to brown, turning it often to prevent its burning. take the gravy that you have poured from the meat into the bowl and skim off all the fat; pour this gravy in with the meat and stir in a large spoonful of flour wet with a little water; let it boil up ten or fifteen minutes and pour into a gravy dish. serve both hot, the meat on a platter. some are very fond of this way of cooking a piece of beef which has been previously placed in spiced pickle for two or three days. spiced beef. (excellent.) for a round of beef weighing twenty or twenty-four pounds, take one-quarter of a pound of saltpetre, one-quarter of a pound of coarse brown sugar, two pounds of salt, one ounce of cloves, one ounce of allspice and half an ounce of mace; pulverize these materials, mix them well together, and with them rub the beef thoroughly on every part; let the beef lie for eight or ten days in the pickle thus made, turning and rubbing it every day; then tie it around with a broad tape, to keep it in shape; make a coarse paste of flour and water, lay a little suet finely chopped over and under the beef, inclose the beef entirely in the paste, and bake it six hours. when you take the beef from the oven, remove the paste, but do not remove the tape until you are ready to send it to the table. if you wish, to eat the beef cold, keep it well covered that it may retain its moisture. beef Á la mode. mix together three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, one of ginger, one of mace, one of cinnamon, and two of cloves. rub this mixture into ten pounds of the upper part of a round of beef. let this beef stand in this state over night. in the morning, make a dressing or stuffing of a pint of fine bread crumbs, half a pound of fat salt pork cut in dice, a teaspoonful of ground thyme or summer savory, two teaspoonfuls sage, half a teaspoonful of pepper, one of nutmeg, a little cloves, an onion minced fine, moisten with a little milk or water. stuff this mixture into the place from whence you took out the bone. with a long skewer fasten the two ends of the beef together, so that its form will be circular, and bind it around with tape to prevent the skewers giving way. make incisions in the beef with a sharp knife; fill these incisions very closely with the stuffing, and dredge the whole with flour. put it into a dripping-pan and pour over it a pint of hot water; turn a large pan over it to keep in the steam, and roast slowly from three to four hours, allowing a quarter of an hour to each pound of meat. if the meat should be tough, it may be stewed first in a pot, with water enough to cover it, until tender, and then put into a dripping-pan and browned in the oven. if the meat is to be eaten hot, skim off the fat from the gravy, into which, after it is taken off the fire, stir in the beaten yolks of two eggs. if onions are disliked you may omit them and substitute minced oysters. tenderloin of beef. to serve tenderloin as directed below, the whole piece must be extracted before the hind-quarter of the animal is cut out. this must be particularly noted, because not commonly practiced, the tenderloin being usually left attached to the roasting pieces, in order to furnish a tidbit for a few. to dress it whole, proceed as follows: washing the piece well, put it in an oven; add about a pint of water, and chop up a good handful of each of the following vegetables as an ingredient of the dish, _viz._, irish potatoes, carrots, turnips and a large bunch of celery. they must be washed, peeled and chopped up raw, then added to the meat; blended with the juice, they form and flavor the gravy. let the whole slowly simmer, and when nearly done, add a teaspoonful of pounded allspice. to give a richness to the gravy, put in a tablespoonful of butter. if the gravy should look too greasy, skim off some of the melted suet. boil also a lean piece of beef, which, when perfectly done, chop fine, flavoring with a very small quantity of onion, besides pepper and salt to the taste. make into small balls, wet them on the outside with eggs, roll in grated cracker or fine bread crumbs. fry these force meat balls a light brown. when serving the dish, put these around the tenderloin, and pour over the whole the rich gravy. this dish is a very handsome one, and, altogether, fit for an epicurean palate. a sumptuous dish. stewed steak with oysters. two pounds of rump steak, one pint of oysters, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, three of butter, one of flour, salt, pepper, one cupful of water. wash the oysters in the water and drain into a stewpan. put this liquor on to heat. as soon as it comes to a boil, skim and set back. put the butter in a frying pan, and when hot, put in a steak. cook ten minutes. take up the steak, and stir the flour into the butter remaining in the pan. stir until a dark brown. add the oyster liquor and boil one minute. season with salt and pepper. put back the steak, cover the pan, and simmer half an hour or until the steak seems tender, then add the oysters and lemon juice. boil one minute. serve on a hot dish with points of toast for a garnish. smothered beefsteak. take _thin_ slices of steak from the upper part of the round or one large thin steak. lay the meat out smoothly and wipe it dry. prepare a dressing, using a cupful of fine bread crumbs, half a teaspoonful of salt, some pepper, a tablespoonful of butter, half a teaspoonful of sage, the same of powdered summer savory, and enough milk to moisten it all into a stiff mixture. spread it over the meat, roll it up carefully, and tie with a string, securing the ends well. now fry a few thin slices of salt pork in the bottom of a kettle or saucepan, and into the fat that has fried out of this pork, place this roll or rolls of beef, and brown it on all sides, turning it until a rich color all over, then add half a pint of water, and stew until tender. if the flavor of onion is liked, a slice may be chopped fine and added to the dressing. when cooked sufficiently, take out the meat, thicken the gravy, and turn over it. to be carved cutting crosswise, in slices, through beef and stuffing. beefsteak rolls. this mode is similar to the above recipe, but many might prefer it. prepare a good dressing, such as you like for turkey or duck; take a round steak, pound it, but not very hard, spread the dressing over it, sprinkle in a little salt, pepper, and a few bits of butter, lap over the ends, roll the steak up tightly and tie closely; spread two great spoonfuls of butter over the steak after rolling it up, then wash with a well-beaten egg, put water in the bake-pan, lay in the steak so as not to touch the water, and bake as you would a duck, basting often. a half-hour in a brisk oven will bake. make a brown gravy and send to the table hot. to collar a flank of beef. procure a well-corned flank of beef--say six pounds. wash it, and remove the inner and outer skin with the gristle. prepare a seasoning of one teaspoonful each of sage, parsley, thyme, pepper and cloves. lay your meat upon a board and spread this mixture over the inside. roll the beef up tight, fasten it with small skewers, put a cloth over it, bandage the cloth with tape, put the beef into the stewpot, cover it with water to the depth of an inch, boil gently six hours; take it out of the water, place it on a board without undoing it; lay a board on top of the beef, put a fifty pound weight upon this board, and let it remain twenty-four hours. take off the bandage, garnish with green pickles and curled parsley, and serve. dried beef. buy the best of beef, or that part which will be the most lean and tender. the tender part of the round is a very good piece. for every twenty pounds of beef use one pint of salt, one teaspoonful of saltpetre, and a quarter of a pound of brown sugar. mix them well together, and rub the beef well with one-third of the mixture for three successive days. let it lie in the liquor it makes for six days, then hang up to dry. a large crock or jar is a good vessel to prepare the meat in before drying it. beef corned or salted. (red.) cut up a quarter of beef. for each hundred weight take half a peck of coarse salt, a quarter of a pound of saltpetre, the same weight of saleratus and a quart of molasses, or two pounds of coarse brown sugar. mace, cloves and allspice may be added for spiced beef. strew some of the salt in the bottom of a pickle-tub or barrel, then put in a layer of meat, strew this with salt, then add another layer of meat, and salt and meat alternately, until all is used. let it remain one night. dissolve the saleratus and saltpetre in a little warm water, and put it to the molasses or sugar; then put it over the meat, add water enough to cover the meat, lay a board on it to keep it under the brine. the meat is fit for use after ten days. this recipe is for winter beef. rather more salt may be used in warm weather. towards spring take the brine from the meat, make it boiling hot, skim it clear, and when it is cooled, return it to the meat. beef tongues and smoking pieces are fine pickled in this brine. beef liver put in this brine for ten days, and then wiped dry and smoked, is very fine. cut it in slices, and fry or broil it. the brisket of beef, after being corned, may be smoked, and is very good for boiling. lean pieces of beef, cut properly from the hind-quarter, are the proper pieces for being smoked. there may be some fine pieces cut from the fore-quarter. after the beef has been in brine ten days or more, wipe it dry, and hang it in a chimney where wood is burned, or make a smothered fire of sawdust or chips, and keep it smoking for ten days; then rub fine black pepper over every part to keep the flies from it, and hang it in a _dry, dark, cool place_. after a week it is fit for use. a strong, coarse brown paper, folded around the beef, and fastened with paste, keeps it nicely. tongues are smoked in the same manner. hang them by a string put through the root end. spiced brine for smoked beef or tongues will be generally liked. roast beef pie with potato crust. when you have a cold roast of beef, cut off as much as will half fill a baking-dish suited to the size of your family; put this sliced beef into a stewpan with any gravy that you may have also saved, a lump of butter, a bit of sliced onion and a seasoning of pepper and salt, with enough water to make plenty of gravy; thicken it, too, by dredging in a tablespoonful of flour; cover it up on the fire, where it may stew gently, but not be in danger of burning. meanwhile there must be boiled a sufficient quantity of potatoes to fill up your baking-dish, after the stewed meat has been transferred to it. the potatoes must be boiled done, mashed smooth, and beaten up with milk and butter, as if they were to be served alone, and placed in a thick layer on top of the meat. brush it over with egg, place the dish in an oven, and let it remain there long enough to be brown. there should be a goodly quantity of gravy left with the beef, that the dish be not dry and tasteless. serve with it tomato sauce, worcestershire sauce or any other kind that you prefer. a good, plain dish. roast beef pie. cut up roast beef, or beefsteak left from a previous meal, into thin slices, lay some of the slices into a deep dish which you have lined _on the sides_ with rich biscuit dough, rolled very thin (say a quarter of an inch thick); now sprinkle over this layer a little pepper and salt; put in a small bit of butter, a few slices of cold potatoes, a little of the cold gravy, if you have any left from the roast. make another layer of beef, another layer of seasoning, and so on, until the dish is filled; cover the whole with paste leaving a slit in the centre, and bake half an hour. beefsteak pie. cut up rump or flank steak into strips two inches long and about an inch wide. stew them with the bone, in just enough water to cover them, until partly cooked; have half a dozen of cold boiled potatoes sliced. line a baking-dish with pie paste, put in a layer of the meat with salt, pepper, and a little of thinly-sliced onion, then one of the sliced potatoes, with bits of butter dotted over them. then the steak, alternated with layers of potato, until the dish is full. add the gravy or broth, having first thickened it with brown flour. cover with a top crust, making a slit in the middle; brush a little beaten egg over it, and bake until quite brown. frizzled beef. shave off _very thin_ slices of smoked or dried beef, put them in a frying pan, cover with cold water, set it on the back of the range or stove, and let it come to a very slow heat, allowing it time to swell out to its natural size, but not to boil. stir it up, then drain off the water. melt one ounce of sweet butter in the frying pan and add the wafers of beef. when they begin to frizzle or turn up, break over them three eggs; stir until the eggs are cooked; add a little white pepper, and serve on slices of buttered toast. flank steak. this is cut from the boneless part of the flank and is secreted between an outside and inside layer of creamy fat. there are two ways for broiling it. one is to slice diagonally across the grain; the other is to broil it whole. in either case brush butter over it and proceed as in broiling other steaks. it is considered by butchers the finest steak, which they frequently reserve for themselves. to boil corned beef. the aitch-bone and the brisket are considered the best pieces for boiling. if you buy them in the market already corned, they will be fit to put over the fire without a previous soaking in water. if you corn them in the brine in which you keep your beef through the winter, they must be soaked in cold water over night. put the beef into a pot, cover with sufficient _cold_ water, place over a brisk fire, let it come to a boil in half an hour; just before boiling remove all the scum from the pot, place the pot on the back of the fire, let it boil very slowly until quite tender. a piece weighing eight pounds requires two and a half hours' boiling. if you do not wish to eat it hot, let it remain in the pot after you take it from the fire until nearly cold, then lay it in a colander to drain, lay a cloth over it to retain its fresh appearance; serve with horse-radish and pickles. if vegetables are to accompany this, making it the old-fashioned "boiled dinner," about three-quarters of an hour before dishing up skim the liquor free from fat and _turn part of it out into another kettle_, into which put a cabbage carefully prepared, cutting it into four quarters; also half a dozen peeled medium-sized white turnips, cut into halves; scrape four carrots and four parsnips each cut into four pieces. into the kettle with the meat, about half an hour before serving, pour on more water from the boiling tea-kettle, and into this put peeled medium-sized potatoes. this dinner should also be accompanied by boiled beets, sliced hot, cooked separate from the rest, with vinegar over them. cooking the cabbage separately from the meat prevents the meat from having the flavor of cabbage when cold. the carrots, parsnips and turnips will boil in about an hour. a piece of salt pork was usually boiled with a "new england boiled dinner." spiced beef relish. take two pounds of raw, tender beefsteak, chop it _very fine_, put into it salt, pepper and a little sage, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter; add two rolled crackers made very fine, also two well-beaten eggs. make it up into the shape of a roll and bake it; baste with butter and water before baking. cut in slices when cold. fried beef liver. cut it in rather thin slices, say a quarter of an inch thick; pour over it _boiling_ water, which closes the pores of the meat, makes it impervious to the fat, and at the same time seals up the rich juice of the meat. it may be rolled in flour or bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, dipped in egg and fried in hot fat mixed with one-third butter. pressed beef. first have your beef nicely pickled; let it stay in pickle a week; then take the thin, flanky pieces, such as will not make a handsome dish of themselves, put on a large potful, and let them boil until perfectly done; then pull to pieces, and season just as you do souse, with pepper, salt and allspice; only put it in a coarse cloth and press down upon it some very heavy weight. the advantage of this recipe is that it makes a most acceptable, presentable dish out of a part of the beef that otherwise might be wasted. french stew. grease the bottom of an iron pot, and place in it three or four pounds of beef; be very careful that it does not burn, and turn it until it is nicely browned. set a muffin ring under the beef to prevent its sticking. add a few sliced carrots, one or two sliced onions, and a cupful of hot water; keep covered and stew slowly until the vegetables are done. add pepper and salt. if you wish more gravy, add hot water, and thicken with flour. serve on a dish with the vegetables. to pot beef. the round is the best piece for potting, and you may use both the upper and under part. take ten pounds of beef, remove all the fat, cut the lean into square pieces, two inches thick. mix together three teaspoonfuls of salt, one of pepper, one of cloves, one of mace, one of cinnamon, one of allspice, one of thyme, and one of sweet basil. put a layer of the pieces of beef into an earthen pot, sprinkle some of this spice mixture over this layer, add a piece of fat salt pork, cut as thin as possible, sprinkle a little of the spice mixture over the pork, make another layer of the beef with spices and pork, and so on, until the pot is filled. pour over the whole three tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar, or, if you prefer it, half a pint of madeira wine; cover the pot with a paste made of flour and water, so that no steam can escape. put the pot into an oven, moderately heated, and let it stand there eight hours; then set it away to use when wanted. beef cooked in this manner will keep good for a fortnight in moderate weather. it is an excellent relish for breakfast, and may be eaten either warm or cold. when eaten warm, serve with slices of lemon. stewed brisket of beef. put the part that has the hard fat into a stewpot with a small quantity of water; let it boil up and skim it thoroughly; then add carrots, turnips, onions, celery and a few pepper-corns. stew till extremely tender; then take out all the flat bones and remove all the fat from the soup. either serve that and the meat in tureen, or the soup alone, and the meat on a dish garnished with some vegetables. the following sauce is much admired served with the beef: take half a pint of the soup and mix it with a spoonful of catsup, a teaspoonful of made mustard, a little flour, a bit of butter and salt; boil all together a few minutes, then pour it round the meat. dried beef with cream. shave your beef _very fine_. put it into a suitable dish on the back of the stove; cover with cold water and give it time to soak out to its original size before being dried. when it is quite soft and the water has become hot (it must not boil) take it off, turn off the water, pour on a cup of cream; if you do not have it use milk and butter, a pinch of pepper; let it come to a boil, thicken with a tablespoonful of flour wet up in a little milk. serve on dipped toast or not, just as one fancies. a nice breakfast dish. beef croquettes. no. . chop fine one cup of cold, cooked, lean beef, half a cup of fat, half a cup of cold boiled or fried ham; cold pork will do if you have not the ham. also mince up a slice of onion. season all with a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, and a teaspoonful of powdered sage or parsley if liked. heat together with half a cup of stock or milk; when cool add a beaten egg. form the mixture into balls, slightly flattened, roll in egg and bread crumbs, or flour and egg. fry in hot lard or beef drippings. serve on a platter and garnish with sprigs of parsley. almost any cold meats can be used instead of beef. beef croquettes. no. . take cold roast or corned beef. put it into a wooden bowl and chop it fine. mix with it about twice the quantity of hot mashed potatoes well seasoned with butter and salt. beat up an egg and work it into the potato and meat, then form the mixture into little cakes the size of fish balls. flatten them a little, roll in flour or egg and cracker crumbs, fry in butter and lard mixed, browning on both sides. serve piping hot. meat and potato croquettes. put in a stewpan an ounce of butter and a slice of onion minced fine; when this simmers add a level tablespoonful of sifted flour; stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and frothy; then add half of a cupful of milk, some seasoning of salt and pepper; let all boil, stirring it all the while. now add a cupful of cold meat chopped fine, and a cupful of cold or hot mashed potato. mix all thoroughly and spread on a plate to cool. when it is cool enough, shape it with your hands into balls or rolls. dip them in beaten egg and roll in cracker or bread crumbs. drop them into hot lard and fry about two minutes a delicate brown; take them out with a skimmer and drain them on a piece of brown paper. serve immediately while hot. these are very nice. cold rice or hominy may be used in place of the potato; or a cupful of cold fish minced fine in place of the meat. cold roast, warmed. no. . cut from the remains of a cold roast the lean meat from the bones into small, thin slices. put over the fire a frying pan containing a spoonful of butter or drippings. cut up a quarter of an onion and fry it brown, then remove the onion, add the meat gravy left from the day before, and if not thick enough add a little flour; salt and pepper. turn the pieces of meat into this and let them _simmer_ a few minutes. serve hot. cold roast, warmed. no. . cold rare roast beef may be made as good as when freshly cooked by slicing, seasoning with salt, pepper and bits of butter; put it in a plate or pan with a spoonful or two of water, covering closely, and set in the oven until hot, but no longer. cold steak may be shaved very fine with a knife and used the same way. or, if the meat is in small pieces, cover them with buttered letter paper, twist each end tightly, and boil them on the gridiron, sprinkling them with finely chopped herbs. still another nice way of using cold meats is to mince the lean portions very fine and add to a batter made of one pint of milk, one cup of flour and three eggs. fry like fritters and serve with drawn butter or sauce. cold meat and potato, baked. put in a frying pan a round tablespoonful of cold butter; when it becomes hot, stir into it a teaspoonful of chopped onion and a tablespoonful of flour, stirring it constantly until it is smooth and frothy; then add two-thirds of a cupful of cold milk or water. season this with salt and pepper and allow it to come to a boil; then add a cupful of cold meat finely chopped and cleared from bone and skin; let this all heat thoroughly; then turn it into a shallow dish well buttered. spread hot or cold mashed potatoes over the top, and cook for fifteen or twenty minutes in a moderate hot oven. cold hominy, or rice may be used in place of mashed potatoes, and is equally as good. beef hash. no. . chop rather finely cold roast beef or pieces of beefsteak, also chop twice as much cold boiled potatoes. put over the fire a stewpan or frying pan, in which put a piece of butter as large as required to season it well, add pepper and salt, moisten with beef gravy if you have it, if not, with hot water; cover and let it steam and heat through thoroughly, stirring occasionally, so that the ingredients be evenly distributed, and to keep the hash from sticking to the bottom of the pan. when done it should not be at all watery, nor yet dry, but have sufficient adhesiveness to stand well on a dish or buttered toast. many like the flavor of onion; if so, fry two or three slices in the butter before adding the hash. corned beef makes excellent hash. beef hash. no. . chop cold roast beef, or pieces of beefsteak; fry half an onion in a piece of butter; when the onion is brown, add the chopped beef; season with a little salt and pepper; moisten with the beef gravy, if you have any, if not, with sufficient water and a little butter; cook long enough to be hot, but no longer, as much cooking toughens the meat. an excellent breakfast dish. _prof. blot._ some prefer to let a crust form on the bottom and turn the hash brown side uppermost. served with poached eggs on top. hamburger steak. take a pound of raw flank or round steak, without any fat, bone or stringy pieces. chop it until a perfect mince, it cannot be chopped too fine. also chop a small onion quite fine and mix well with the meat. season with salt and pepper; make into cakes as large as a biscuit, but quite flat, or into one large flat cake a little less than half an inch thick. have ready a frying pan with butter and lard mixed; when boiling hot put in the steak and fry brown. garnish with celery top around the edge of the platter and two or three slices of lemon on the top of the meat. a brown gravy made from the grease the steak was fried in and poured over the meat enriches it. to roast beef heart. wash it carefully and open it sufficiently to remove the ventricles, then soak it in cold water until the blood is discharged; wipe it dry and stuff it nicely with dressing, as for turkey; roast it about an hour and a half. serve it with the gravy, which should be thickened with some of the stuffing and a glass of wine. it is very nice hashed. served with currant jelly. _palmer house, chicago._ stewed beef kidney. cut the kidney into slices, season highly with pepper and salt, fry it a light brown, take out the slices, then pour a little warm water into the pan, dredge in some flour, put in slices of kidney again; let them stew very gently; add some parsley if liked. sheep's kidneys may be split open, broiled over a clear fire and served with a piece of butter placed on each half. beefs heart stewed. after washing the heart thoroughly cut it up into squares half an inch long; put them into a saucepan with water enough to cover them. if any scum rises skim it off. now take out the meat, strain the liquor and put back the meat, also add a sliced onion, some parsley, a head of celery chopped fine, pepper and salt and a piece of butter. stew until the meat is very tender. stir up a tablespoonful of browned flour with a small quantity of water and thicken the whole. boil up and serve. boiled beef tongue. wash a fresh tongue and just cover it with water in the pot; put in a pint of salt and a small red pepper; add more water as it evaporates, so as to keep the tongue nearly covered until done--when it can be easily pierced with a fork; take it out, and if wanted soon, take off the skin and set it away to cool. if wanted for future use, do not peel until it is required. a cupful of salt will do for three tongues, if you have that number to boil; but do not fail to keep water enough in the pot to keep them covered while boiling. if salt tongues are used, soak them over night, of course omitting the salt when boiling. or, after peeling a tongue, place it in a saucepan with one cup of water, half a cup vinegar, four tablespoonfuls sugar, and cook until the liquor is evaporated. spiced beef tongue. rub into each tongue a mixture made of half a pound of brown sugar, a piece of saltpetre the size of a pea and a tablespoonful of ground cloves, put it in a brine made of three-quarters of a pound of salt to two quarts of water and keep covered. pickle two weeks, then wash well and dry with a cloth; roll out a thin paste made of flour and water, smear it all over the tongue and place in a pan to bake slowly; baste well with lard and hot water; when done scrape off the paste and skim. to boil tripe. wash it well in warm water, and trim it nicely, taking off all the fat. cut into small pieces, and put it on to boil five hours before dinner in water enough to cover it very well. after it has boiled four hours, pour off the water, season the tripe with pepper and salt, and put it into a pot with milk and water mixed in equal quantities. boil it an hour in the milk and water. boil in a saucepan ten or a dozen onions. when they are quite soft, drain them in a colander and mash them. wipe out your saucepan and put them on again, with a bit of butter rolled in flour and a wine-glass of cream or milk. let them boil up, and add them to the tripe just before you send it to table. eat it with pepper, vinegar and mustard. it is best to give tripe its first and longest boiling the day before it is wanted. to fry tripe. boil the tripe the day before till it is quite tender, which it will not be in less than four or five hours. then cover it and set it away. next day cut it into long slips, and dip each piece into beaten yolk of egg, and afterwards roll them in grated bread crumbs. have ready in a frying pan over the fire some good beef drippings. when it is boiling hot put in the tripe, and fry it about ten minutes, till of a light brown. you may serve it with onion sauce. boiled tripe that has been left from the dinner of the preceding day may be fried in this manner. fricasseed tripe. cut a pound of tripe in narrow strips, put a small cup of water or milk to it, add a bit of butter the size of an egg, dredge in a large teaspoonful of flour, or work it with the butter; season with pepper and salt, let it simmer gently for half an hour, serve hot. a bunch of parsley cut small and put with it is an improvement. some put in oysters five minutes before dishing up. tripe lyonnaise. cut up half a pound of cold boiled tripe into neat squares. put two ounces of butter and a tablespoonful of chopped onion in a frying pan and fry to a delicate brown; add to the tripe a teaspoonful of chopped parsley and a little strong vinegar, salt and cayenne; stir the pan to prevent burning. cover the bottom of a platter with tomato sauce, add the contents of the pan and serve. to clarify beef drippings. drippings accumulated from different cooked meats of beef or veal can be clarified by putting it into a basin and slicing into it a raw potato, allowing it to boil long enough for the potato to brown, which causes all impurities to disappear. remove from the fire, and when cool drain it off from the sediment that settles at the bottom. turn it into basins or small jars and set it in a cool place for future use. when mixed with an equal amount of butter it answers the same purpose as clear butter for frying and basting any meats except game and poultry. mutton drippings impart an unpleasant flavor to anything cooked outside of its kind. roast loin of veal. prepare it the same as any roast, leaving in the kidney, around which put considerable salt. make a dressing the same as for fowls; unroll the loin, put the stuffing well around the kidney, fold and secure with several coils of white cotton twine wound around in all directions; place in a dripping-pan with the thick side down, and put in a rather hot oven, graduated after it commences to roast to moderate; in half an hour add a little hot water to the pan, and baste often; in another half hour turn over the roast, and when about done dredge lightly with flour and baste with melted butter. before serving carefully remove the twine. a roast of four to five pounds will bake in about two hours. for a gravy, skim off some of the fat if there is too much in the drippings; dredge in some flour, stir until brown, add some hot water if necessary; boil a few minutes, stir in such sweet herbs as fancied, and put in a gravy boat. serve with green peas and lemon jelly. is very nice sliced cold for lunch, and worcestershire or chili sauce forms a fine relish. roast fillet of veal. select a nice fillet, take out the bone, fill up the space with stuffing, and also put a good layer under the fat. truss it of a good shape by drawing the fat round and tie it up with tape. cook it rather moderately at first, and baste with butter. it should have careful attention and frequent basting, that the fat may not burn. roast from three to four hours, according to the size. after it is dished pour melted butter over it; serve with ham or bacon, and fresh cucumbers if in season. veal, like all other meat, should be well washed in cold water before cooking and wiped thoroughly dry with a clean cloth. cold fillet of veal is very good stewed with tomatoes and an onion or two. in roasting veal, care must be taken that it is not at first placed in too hot an oven; the fat of a loin, one of the most delicate joints of veal, should be covered with greased paper; a fillet, also, should have on the caul until nearly done enough. boiled fillet of veal. choose a small, delicate fillet; prepare as for roasting, or stuff it with an oyster force meat; after having washed it thoroughly, cover it with water and let it boil very gently three and a half or four hours, keeping it well skimmed. send it to the table with a rich white sauce, or, if stuffed with oysters, a tureen of oyster sauce. garnish with stewed celery and slices of bacon. a boiled tongue should be served with it. veal pudding. cut about two pounds of lean veal into small collops a quarter of an inch in thickness; put a piece of butter the size of an egg into a very clean frying pan to melt; then lay in the veal and a few slices of bacon, a small sprig of thyme and a seasoning of pepper and salt; place the pan over a slow fire for about ten minutes, then add two or three spoonfuls of warm water. just boil it up and then let it stand to cool. line a pudding-dish with a good suet crust, lay in the veal and bacon, pour the gravy over it; roll out a piece of paste to form a lid, place it over, press it close with the thumb, tie the basin in a pudding cloth and put it into a saucepan of boiling water, keeping continually boiling until done, or about one hour. fried veal cutlets. put into a frying pan two or three tablespoonfuls of lard or beef drippings. when boiling hot lay in the cutlets, well seasoned with salt and pepper and dredged with flour. brown nicely on both sides, then remove the meat, and if you have more grease than is necessary for the gravy put it aside for further use. reserve a tablespoonful or more and rub into it a tablespoonful of flour, with the back of the spoon, until it is a smooth, rich brown color; then add gradually a cup of _cold water_ and season with pepper and salt. when the gravy is boiled up well return the meat to the pan and gravy. cover it closely and allow it to stew gently on the back of the range for fifteen minutes. this softens the meat, and with this gravy it makes a nice breakfast dish. another mode is to simply fry the cutlets, and afterwards turning off some of the grease they were fried in and then adding to that left in the pan a few drops of hot water, turning the whole over the fried chops. fried veal chops. (plain.) sprinkle over them salt and pepper, then dip them in beaten egg and cracker crumbs, and fry in drippings, or hot lard and butter mixed. if you wish a gravy with them, add a tablespoonful of flour to the gravy they were fried in and turn in cream or milk; season to taste with salt and pepper. boil up and serve hot with the gravy in separate dish. this dish is very fine accompanied with a few sound fresh tomatoes, sliced and fried in the same grease the cutlets were, and all dished on the same platter. veal collops. cut veal from the leg or other lean part into pieces the size of an oyster. season with pepper, salt and a little mace; rub some over each piece; dip in egg, then into cracker crumbs and fry. they both look and taste like oysters. veal olives. cut up a slice of a fillet of veal, about half an inch thick, into squares of three inches. mix up a little salt pork, chopped with bread crumbs, one onion, a little pepper, salt, sweet marjoram, and one egg well beaten; put this mixture upon the pieces of veal, fastening the four corners together with little bird skewers; lay them in a pan with sufficient veal gravy or light stock to cover the bottom of the pan, dredge with flour and set in a hot oven. when browned on top, put a small bit of butter on each, and let them remain until quite tender, which will take twenty minutes. serve with horse-radish. veal cheese. prepare equal quantities of boiled sliced veal and smoked tongue. pound the slices separately in a mortar, moistening with butter as you proceed; then pack it in a jar or pail, mixing it in alternate layers; first the tongue and then the veal, so that when cut it will look variegated. press it down hard and pour melted butter over the top. keep it well covered and in a dry place. nice for sandwiches, or sliced cold for lunch. veal croquettes. mince a coffee cup of cold veal in a chopping bowl, adding a little cold ham and two or three slices of onion, a pinch of mace, powdered parsley and pepper, some salt. let a pint of milk or cream come to the boiling point, then add a tablespoonful of cold butter, then the above mixture. beat up two eggs and mix with a teaspoonful of cornstarch or flour, and add to the rest; cook it all about ten minutes, stirring with care. remove from the fire, and spread it on a platter, roll it into balls, when cooled flatten each; dip them in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in a wire basket, dipped in hot lard. broiled veal cutlets. (fine.) two or three pounds of veal cutlets, egg and bread crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of minced savory herbs, salt and pepper to taste, a little grated nutmeg. cut the cutlets about three-quarters of an inch in thickness; flatten them, and brush them over with the yolk of an egg; dip them into bread crumbs and minced herbs, season with pepper and salt, and fold each cutlet in a piece of white letter paper well buttered; twist the ends, and broil over a clear fire; when done remove the paper. cooked this way, they retain all the flavor. veal pot-pie. procure a nice breast or brisket of veal, well jointed, put the pieces into the pot with one quart of water to every five pounds of meat; put the pot over a slow fire; just before it comes to a boil, skim it well and pour in a teacupful of cold water; then turn over the meat in order that all the scum may rise; remove all the scum, boil quite hard, season with pepper and salt to your taste, always remembering that the crust will take up part of the seasoning; when this is done cut off your crust in pieces of equal size, but do not roll or mould them; lay them on top of the meat, so as to cover it; put the lid on the pot closely, let the whole boil slowly one hour. if the lid does not fit the pot closely, wrap a cloth around it, in order that no steam shall escape; and by no means allow the pot to _stop boiling_. the crust for pot-pie should be raised with yeast. to three pints of flour add two ounces of butter, a little salt, and wet with milk sufficient to make a soft dough; knead it well and set it away to rise; when quite light, mould and knead it again, and let it stand, in winter, one hour, in summer, one-half hour, when it will be ready to cut. in summer you had better add one-half a teaspoonful of soda when you knead it the second time, or you may wet it with water and add another bit of butter. veal pie. cut the veal into rather small pieces or slices, put it in a stewpan with hot water to cover it; add to it a tablespoonful of salt and set it over the fire; take off the scum as it rises; when the meat is tender turn it into a dish to cool; take out all the small bones, butter a tin or earthen basin or pudding-pan, line it with pie paste, lay some of the parboiled meat in to half fill it; put bits of butter in the size of a hickory nut all over the meat; shake pepper over, dredge wheat flour over until it looks white, then fill it nearly to the top with some of the water in which the meat was boiled; roll a cover for the top of the crust, puff-paste it, giving it two or three turns, and roll it to nearly half an inch thickness; cut a slit in the centre and make several small incisions on either side of it, put the crust on, trim the edges neatly with a knife; bake one hour in a quick oven. a breast of veal will make two two-quart basin pies; half a pound of nice corned pork, cut in thin slices and parboiled with the meat, will make it very nice, and very little, if any, butter will be required for the pie; when pork is used not other salt will be necessary. many are fond of thin slices of sweet ham cooked with the veal for pie. veal stew. cut up two or three pounds of veal into pieces three inches long and one thick. wash it, put it into your stewpan with two quarts of water, let it boil, skim it well, and when all the scum is removed, add pepper and salt to your taste, and a small piece of butter; pare and cut in halves twelve small irish potatoes, put them into the stewpan; when it boils, have ready a batter made with two eggs, two spoonfuls of cream or milk, a little salt, and flour enough to make it a little thicker than for pancakes; drop this into the stew, a spoonful at a time, while it is boiling; when all is in, cover the pan closely so that no steam can escape; let it boil twenty minutes and serve in a deep dish. veal loaf. three pounds of raw veal chopped very fine, butter the size of an egg, three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk; if milk use a small piece of butter; mix the eggs and cream together; mix with the veal four pounded crackers, one teaspoonful of black pepper, one large tablespoonful salt, one large tablespoonful of sage; mix well together and form into a loaf. bake two and one-half hours, basting with butter and water while baking. serve cut in thin slices. veal for lunch. butter a good-sized bowl, and line it with thin slices of hard-boiled eggs; have veal and ham both in very thin slices; place, in the bowl a layer of veal, with pepper and salt, then a layer of ham, omitting the salt, then a layer of veal, and so on, alternating with veal and ham, until the bowl is filled; make a paste of flour and water as stiff as it can be rolled out; cover the contents of the bowl with the paste, and over this tie a double cotton cloth; put the bowl into a saucepan, or other vessel, with water just up to the rim of the bowl, and boil three hours; then take it from the fire, remove the cloth and paste, and let it stand until the next day, when it may be turned out and served in very thin slices. an excellent lunch in traveling. veal patties. cut portions of the neck or breast of veal into small pieces, and, with a little salt pork cut fine, stew gently for ten or fifteen minutes; season with pepper and salt, and a small piece of celery chopped coarsely, also of the yellow top, picked (not chopped) up; stir in a paste made of a tablespoonful of flour, the yolk of one egg, and milk to form a thin batter; let all come to a boil, and it is ready for the patties. make the patties of a light, flaky crust, as for tarts, cut round, the size of a small sauceplate; the centre of each, for about three inches, cut half way through, to be raised and serve as a cover. put a spoonful of the stew in each crust, lay on the top and serve. stewed oysters or lamb may be used in place of veal. braised veal. take a piece of the shoulder weighing about five pounds. have the bone removed and tie up the meat to make it firm. put a piece of butter the size of half an egg, together with a few shavings of onion, into a kettle or stone crock and let it get hot. salt and pepper the veal and put it into the kettle, cover it tightly and put it over a medium fire until the meat is brown on both sides, turning it occasionally. then set the kettle back on the stove, where it will simmer slowly for about two hours and a half. before setting the meat back on the stove, see if the juice of the meat together with the butter do not make gravy enough, and if not, put in about two tablespoonfuls of hot water. when the gravy is cold it will be like jelly. it can be served hot with the hot meat, or cold with the cold meat. baked calf's head. boil a calf's head (after having cleaned it) until tender, then split it in two, and keep the best half (bone it if you like); cut the meat from the other in uniform pieces, the size of an oyster; put bits of butter, the size of a nutmeg, all over the best half of the head; sprinkle pepper over it, and dredge on flour until it looks white, then set it on a trivet or muffin rings in a dripping-pan; put a cup of water into the pan, and set it in a hot oven; turn it that it may brown evenly; baste once or twice. whilst this is doing, dip the prepared pieces of the head in wheat flour or batter, and fry in hot lard or beef drippings a delicate brown; season with pepper and salt and slices of lemon, if liked. when the roast is done put it on a hot dish, lay the fried pieces around it, and cover it with a tin cover; put the gravy from the dripping-pan into the pan in which the pieces were fried, with the slices of lemon, and a tablespoonful of browned flour, and, if necessary, a little hot water. let it boil up once, and strain it into a gravy boat, and serve with the meat. calf's head cheese. boil a calf's head in water enough to cover it, until the meat leaves the bones; then take it with a skimmer into a wooden bowl or tray; take from it every particle of bone; chop it small; season with pepper and salt, a heaping tablespoonful of salt and a teaspoonful of pepper will be sufficient; if liked, add a tablespoonful of finely chopped sweet herbs; lay in a cloth in a colander, put the minced meat into it, then fold the cloth closely over it, lay a plate over, and on it a gentle weight. when cold it may be sliced thin for supper or sandwiches. spread each slice with made mustard. brain cutlets. well wash the brains and soak them in cold water until white. parboil them until tender in a small saucepan for about a quarter of an hour; then thoroughly drain them and place them on a board. divide them into small pieces with a knife. dip each piece into flour, and then roll them in egg and bread crumbs, and fry them in butter or well-clarified drippings. serve very hot with gravy. another way of doing brains is to prepare them as above, and then stew them gently in rich stock, like stewed sweetbreads. they are also nice plainly boiled and served with parsley and butter sauce. calfs head boiled. put the head into boiling water and let it remain about five minutes; take it out, hold it by the ear, and with the back of the knife scrape off the hair (should it not come off easily dip the head again in boiling water.) when perfectly clean take out the eyes, cut off the ears and remove the brain, which soak for an hour in warm water. put the head to soak in hot water a few minutes to make it look white, and then have ready a stewpan, into which lay the head; cover it with cold water and bring it gradually to boil. remove the scum and add a little salt, which increases it and causes it to rise to the top. simmer it very gently from two and a half to three hours, or until the bones will slip out easily, and when nearly done, boil the brains fifteen or twenty minutes; skin and chop them (not too finely), add a tablespoonful of minced parsley which has been previously scalded; also a pinch of pepper, salt; then stir into this four tablespoonfuls of melted butter; set it on the back of the range to keep it hot. when the head is done, take it up and drain very dry. score the top and rub it over with melted butter; dredge it with flour and set it in the oven to brown. when you serve the head, have it accompanied with a gravy boat of melted butter and minced parsley. calf's liver and bacon. slice the liver a quarter of an inch thick; pour hot water over it and let it remain for a few minutes to clear it from blood; then dry it in a cloth. take a pound of bacon, or as much as you require, and cut the same number of thin slices as you have of liver; fry the bacon to a nice crisp; take it out and keep it hot; then fry the liver in the same pan, having first seasoned it with pepper and salt and dredged in a little flour; lay it in the hot bacon fat and fry it a nice brown. serve it with a slice of bacon on the top of each slice of liver. if you wish a gravy with it, pour off most of the fat from the frying pan, put in about two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of flour well rubbed in, add a cup of water, salt and pepper, give it one boil and serve in a gravy boat. _another way._--cut the liver in nice thin slices, pour boiling water over it and let it stand about five minutes; then drain and put in a dripping-pan with three or four thin slices of salt pork or bacon; pepper and salt and put in the oven, letting it cook until thoroughly done, then serve with a cream or milk gravy poured over it. calf's liver and bacon are very good broiled after cutting each in thin slices. season with butter, pepper and salt. croquettes of sweetbreads. take four veal sweetbreads, soak them for an hour in cold salted water, first removing the pipes and membranes; then put them into boiling salted water with a tablespoonful of vinegar, and cook them twenty minutes, then drop them again into cold water to harden. now remove them, chop them very fine, almost to a paste. season with salt, pepper and a teaspoonful of grated onion; add the beaten yolks of three raw eggs, one tablespoonful of butter, half a cupful of cream, and sufficient fine cracker crumbs to make stiff enough to roll out into little balls or cork-shaped croquettes. have ready a frying kettle half full of fat over the fire, a dish containing three smoothly beaten eggs, a large platter of cracker dust; wet the hands with cold water and make the mixture in shape; afterwards rolling them in the cracker dust, then into the beaten egg, and again in the cracker dust; smooth them on the outside and drop them carefully in the hot fat. when the croquettes are fried a nice golden brown, put them on a brown paper a moment to free them from grease. serve hot with sliced lemon or parsley. sweetbreads. there are two in a calf, which are considered delicacies. select the largest. the color should be clear and a shade darker than the fat. before cooking in any manner let them lie for half an hour in tepid water; then throw into hot water to whiten and harden, after which draw off the outer casing, remove the little pipes, and cut into thin slices. they should always be thoroughly cooked. fried sweetbreads. after preparing them as above they are put into hot fat and butter, and fried the same as lamb chops, also broiled the same, first rolling them in egg and cracker crumbs. baked sweetbreads. three sweetbreads, egg and bread crumbs, oiled butter, three slices of toast, brown gravy. choose large, white sweetbreads, put them into warm water to draw out the blood, and to improve their color; let them remain for rather more than one hour; then put them into boiling water, and allow them to simmer for about ten minutes which renders them firm. take them up, drain them, brush over the egg, sprinkle with bread crumbs; dip them in egg again, and then into more bread crumbs. drop on them a little oiled butter, and put the sweetbreads into a moderately heated oven, and let them bake for nearly three-quarters of an hour. make three pieces of toast; place the sweetbreads on the toast, and pour round, but not over, them a good brown gravy. fricasseed sweetbreads. if they are uncooked, cut into thin slices, let them simmer in a rich gravy for three-quarters of an hour, add a well-beaten egg, two tablespoonfuls of cream and a tablespoonful of chopped parsley; stir all together for a few minutes and serve immediately. mutton and lamb. roast mutton. the pieces mostly used for roasting are the hind-quarter of the sheep, called the loin and leg, the fore-quarter, the shoulder, also the chine or saddle, which is the two loins together. every part should be trimmed off that cannot be eaten; then wash well and dry with a clean cloth; lay it in your dripping-pan and put in a little water to baste it with at first; then afterward with its own gravy. allow, in roasting, about twelve minutes to the pound; that is, if your fire is strong, which it should be. it should not be salted at first, as that tends to harden it, and draws out too much of the blood or juices; but salt soon after it begins to roast well. if there is danger of its browning too fast, cover it with a sheet of white paper. baste it often, and about a quarter of an hour before you think it will be done dredge the meat very lightly with flour and baste it with butter. skim the gravy well and thicken very slightly with brown flour. serve with currant jelly or other tart sauce. boned leg of mutton roasted. take the bone out of a small leg of mutton, without spoiling the skin if possible, then cut off most of the fat. fill the hole whence the bone was taken with a stuffing made the same as for fowls, adding to it part of an onion finely minced. sew the leg up underneath to prevent the dressing or stuffing from falling out. bind and tie it up compactly; put it in a roasting pan, turn in a cup of hot water and place it in a moderately hot oven, basting it occasionally. when partly cooked season with salt and pepper. when thoroughly cooked, remove and place the leg on a warm platter; skim the grease from the top of the drippings, add a cup of water and thicken with a spoonful of dissolved flour. send the gravy to the table in a gravy dish, also a dish of currant jelly. boiled leg of mutton. to prepare a leg of mutton for boiling, wash it clean, cut a small piece off the shank bone, and trim the knuckle. put it into a pot with water enough to cover it, and boil gently from two to three hours, skimming well. then take it from the fire, and keeping the pot well covered, let it finish by remaining in the steam for ten or fifteen minutes. serve it up with a sauce boat of melted butter, into which a teacupful of capers or nasturtiums have been stirred. if the broth is to be used for soup, put in a little salt while boiling; if not, salt it well when partly done, and boil the meat in a cloth. braised leg of mutton. this recipe can be varied either by preparing the leg with a stuffing, placed in the cavity after having the bone removed, or cooking it without. having lined the bottom of a thick iron kettle or stewpan with a few thin slices of bacon, put over the bacon four carrots, three onions, a bunch of savory herbs; then over these place the leg of mutton. cover the whole with a few more slices of bacon, then pour over half a pint of water. cover with a tight cover and stew very gently for four hours, basting the leg occasionally with its own liquor, and seasoning it with salt and pepper as soon as it begins to be tender. when cooked strain the gravy, thicken with a spoonful of flour (it should be quite brown), pour some of it over the meat and send the remainder to the table in a tureen, to be served with the mutton when carved. garnish the dish around the leg with potatoes cut in the shape of olives and fried a light brown in butter. leg of mutton Á la venison. remove all the rough fat from the mutton and lay it in a deep earthen dish; rub into it thoroughly the following: one tablespoonful of salt, one each of celery-salt, brown sugar, black pepper, english mustard, allspice, and some sweet herbs, all powdered and mixed; after which pour over it slowly a teacup of good vinegar, cover tightly, and set in a cool place four or five days, turning it and basting often with the liquid each day. to cook, put in a kettle a quart of boiling water, place over it an inverted shallow pan, and on it lay the meat just as removed from the pickle; cover the kettle tightly and stew for four hours. do not lat the water touch the meat. add a cup of hot water to the pickle remaining and baste with it. when done, thicken the liquid with flour and strain through a fine sieve, to serve with the meat; also a relish of currant jelly, the dame as for venison. this is a fine dish when the directions are faithfully followed. steamed leg of mutton. wash and put the leg in a steamer and cook it until tender, then place in a roasting pan, salt and dredge well with flour and set it in a hot oven until nicely browned; the water that remains in the bottom of the steamer may be used for soup. serve with currant jelly. hashed mutton. cut into small pieces the lean of some cold mutton that has been underdone, and season it with pepper and salt. take the bones and other trimmings, put them in a sauce-pan with as much water as will cover them, and some sliced onions, and let them stew till you have drawn from them a good gravy. having skimmed it well, strain the gravy into a stew-pan, and put the mutton into it. have ready-boiled some carrots, turnips, potatoes and onions. slice them and add to the meat and gravy. set the pan on the fire and let it simmer till the meat is warmed through, but do not allow it to boil, as it has been once cooked already. cover the bottom of the dish with slices of buttered toast. lay the meat and vegetables upon it, and pour over them the gravy. tomatoes will be found an improvement. if green peas or lima beans are in season, you may boil them and put them to the hashed mutton, leaving out the other vegetables, or serving them up separately. broiled mutton chops. loin of mutton, pepper and salt, a small piece of butter. cut the chops from a tenderloin of mutton, remove a portion of the fat, and trim them into a nice shape; slightly beat and level them; place the gridiron over a bright clear fire, rub the bars with a little fat, and lay on the chops. while broiling frequently turn them, and in about eight minutes they will be done. season with pepper and salt, dish them on a very hot dish, rub a small piece of butter on each chop, and serve very hot and expeditiously. nice with tomato sauce poured over them. fried mutton chops. no. . put in a frying-pan a tablespoonful of cold lard and butter mixed; have some fine mutton chops without much fat; trim off the skin. dip into wheat flour, or rolled cracker, and beaten egg, then lay them into the hot grease, sprinkle with salt and pepper, fry on both sides a fine brown. when dine, take them up and place on a hot dish. if you wish a made gravy, turn off the superfluous grease, if any, stir into the hot gravy remaining a heaping spoonful of cold water or milk; season with pepper and salt, let it boil up thick. you can serve it in a separate dish or pour it over the chops. tomato sauce is considered fine, turned over a dish of hot fried or broiled chops. fried mutton chops. no. . prepare the chops by trimming off all extra fat and skin, season them with salt and pepper; dip each chop in beaten egg, then in rolled cracker or bread-crumbs; dip again in the egg and crumbs, and so on until they are well coated with the crumb. have ready a deep spider containing a pound or more of lard, hot enough to fry crullers. drop into this hot lard the chops, frying only a few at a time, as too many cool the fat. fry them brown, and serve them up hot and dry, on a warm platter. mutton cutlets. (baked.) prepare them the same as for frying, lay them in a dripping-pan with a _very_ little water at the bottom. bake quickly, and baste often with butter and water. make a little brown gravy and turn over them when they are served. baked mutton chops and potatoes. wash and peel some good potatoes and cut them into slices the thickness of a penny-piece. the quantity of potatoes must, of course, be decided according to the number of persons to whom they have to be served; but it is a safe plan to allow two, or even three, potatoes for each person. after the potatoes are sliced, wash them in two or three waters to thoroughly cleanse them, then arrange them neatly (in layers) in a brown stone dish proper for baking purposes. sprinkle a little salt and pepper between each layer, and add a sufficient quantity of cold water to prevent their burning. place the dish in a very hot oven--oil the top shelf--so as to brown the potatoes in a few minutes. have ready some nice loin chops (say one--for each person); trim off most of the fat; make them into a neat round shape by putting a small skewer through each. when the potatoes are nicely browned, remove the dish from the oven, and place the chops on the top. add a little more salt and pepper, and water if required, and return the dish to a cooler part of the oven, where it may be allowed to remain until sufficiently cooked, which will be in about three-quarters of an hour. when the upper sides of the chops are a nice crisp brown, turn them over so as to brown the other side also. if, in the cooking, the potatoes appear to be getting too dry, a little more water may be gently poured in at one corner of the dish, only care must be taken to see that the water is hot this time--not cold as at first. the dish in which the chops and potatoes are baked must be as neat looking as possible, as it has to be sent to the table; turning the potatoes out would, of course, spoil their appearance. those who have never tasted this dish have no idea how delightful it is. while the chops are baking the gravy drips from them among the potatoes, rendering the whole most delicious. muttonettes. cut from a leg of mutton slices about half an inch thick. on each slice lay a spoonful of stuffing made with bread crumbs, beaten egg, butter, salt, pepper, sage and summer savory. roll up the slices, pinning with little skewers or small wooden toothpicks to keep the dressing in. put a little butter and water in a baking-pan with the muttonettes, and cook in hot oven three-quarters of an hour. baste often, and when done thicken the gravy, pour over the meat, garnish with parsley, and serve on hot platter. irish stew. time about two hours. two and a half pounds of chops, eight potatoes, four turnips, four small onions, nearly a quart of water. take some chops from loin of mutton, place them in stewpan in alternate layers of sliced potatoes and chops; add turnips and onions cut into pieces, pour in nearly a quart of cold water; cover stewpan closely, let it stew gently till vegetables are ready to mash and the greater part of the gravy is absorbed; then place in a dish; serve it up hot. mutton pudding. line a two-quart pudding basin with some beef suet paste; fill the lining with thick mutton cutlets, slightly trimmed, or, if preferred, with steaks cut from the leg; season with pepper and salt some parsley, a little thyme and two slices of onion chopped fine, and between each layer of meat, put some slices of potatoes. when the pudding is filled, wet the edges of the paste around the top of the basin, and cover with a piece of paste rolled out the size of the basin. fasten down the edge by bearing all around with the thumb; and then with the thumb and forefinger twist the edges of the paste over so as to give it a corded appearance. this pudding can be set in a steamer and steamed, or boiled. the time required for cooking is about three hours. when done, turn it out carefully on a platter and serve with a rich gravy under it. this is a very good recipe for cooking small birds. scrambled mutton. two cups of chopped cold mutton, two tablespoonfuls of hot water, and a piece of butter as large as an english walnut. when the meat is hot, break in three eggs, and constantly stir until the eggs begin to stiffen. season with pepper and salt. scalloped mutton and tomatoes. over the bottom of an earthen baking-dish place a layer of bread crumbs, and over it alternate layers of cold roast mutton cut in thin slices, and tomatoes peeled and sliced; season each with salt, pepper and bits of butter, as laid in. the top layer should be of tomatoes, spread over with bread crumbs. bake three-quarters of an hour, and serve immediately. lamb sweetbreads and tomato sauce. lamb sweetbreads are not always procurable, but a stroll through the markets occasionally reveals a small lot of them, which can invariably be had at a low price, owing to their excellence being recognized by but few buyers. wash them well in salted water and parboil fifteen minutes; when cool, trim neatly and put them in a pan with just butter enough to prevent their burning; toss them about until a delicate color; season with salt and pepper and serve, surrounded with tomato sauce. (see sauces.) roast quarter of lamb. procure a nice hind-quarter, remove some of the fat that is around the kidney, skewer the lower joint up to the fillet, place it in a moderate oven, let it heat through slowly, then dredge it with salt and flour; quicken the fire, put half a pint of water into the dripping-pan, with a teaspoonful of salt. with this liquor baste the meat occasionally; serve with lettuce, green peas and mint sauce. a quarter of lamb weighing seven or eight pounds will require two hours to roast. a breast of lamb roasted is very sweet and is considered by many as preferable to hind-quarter. it requires nearly as long a time to roast as the quarter, and should be served in the same manner. make the gravy from the drippings, thickened with flour. the mint sauce is made as follows: take fresh, young spearmint leaves stripped from stems; wash and drain them or dry on a cloth, chop very fine, put in a gravy tureen, and to three tablespoonfuls of mint add two of finely powdered cut-loaf sugar; mix, and let it stand a few minutes, then pour over it six tablespoonfuls good cider or white-wine vinegar. the sauce should be made some time before dinner, so that the flavor of the mint may be well extracted. to broil the fore-quarter of lamb. take off the shoulder and lay it upon the gridiron with the breast; cut in two parts, to facilitate its cooking; put a tin sheet on top of the meat, and a weight upon that; turn the meat around frequently to prevent its burning; turn over as soon as cooked on one side; renew the coals occasionally, that all parts may cook alike; when done, season with butter, pepper and salt--exactly like beefsteak. it takes some time to broil it well; but when done it will be found to be equal to broiled chicken, the flavor being more delicate than when cooked otherwise. serve with cream sauce, made as follows: heat a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan, add a teaspoonful of flour and stir until perfectly smooth; then add, slowly stirring in, a cup of cold milk; let it boil up once, and season to taste with salt and pepper and a teaspoonful of finely chopped fresh parsley. serve in a gravy boat, all hot. lamb stew. cut up the lamb into small pieces (after removing all the fat) say about two inches square. wash it well and put it over the fire, with just enough cold water to cover it well, and let it heat gradually. it should stew gently until it is partly done; then add a few thin slices of salt pork, one or two onions sliced up fine, some pepper and salt if needed, and two or three raw potatoes cut up into inch pieces. cover it closely and stew until the meat is tender. drop in a few made dumplings, made like short biscuit, cut out _very_ small. cook fifteen minutes longer. thicken the gravy with a little flour moistened with milk. serve. pressed lamb. the meat, either shoulder or leg, should be put to boil in the morning with water just enough to cover it; when tender, season with salt and pepper, then keep it over the fire until _very_ tender and the juice nearly boiled out. remove it from the fire-place in a wooden chopping bowl, season more if necessary, chop it up like hash. place it in a bread-pan, press out all the juice, and put it in a cool place to harden. the pressing is generally done by placing a dish over the meat and putting a flat-iron upon that. nice cut up cold into thin slices, and the broth left from the meat would make a nice soup served with it, adding vegetables and spices. croquettes of odds and ends. these are made of any scraps or bits of good food that happen to be left from one or more meals, and in such small quantities that they cannot be warmed up separately. as, for example, a couple of spoonfuls of frizzled beef and cream, the lean meat of one mutton chop, one spoonful of minced beef, two cold hard-boiled eggs, a little cold chopped potato, a little mashed potato, a chick's leg, all the gristle and hard outside taken from the meat. these things well chopped and seasoned, mixed with one raw egg, a little flour and butter, and boiling water; then made into round cakes, thick like fish-balls and browned well with butter in a frying pan or on a griddle. scraps of hash, cold rice, boiled oatmeal left from breakfast, every kind of fresh meat, bits of salt tongue, bacon, pork or ham, bits of poultry, and crumbs of bread may be used. they should be put together with care, so as not to have them too dry to be palatable, or too moist to cook in shape. most housekeepers would be surprised at the result, making an addition to the breakfast or lunch table. serve on small squares of buttered toast, and with cold celery if in season. pork. the best parts, and those usually used for roasting, are the loin, the leg, the shoulder, the sparerib and chine. the hams, shoulders and middlings are usually salted, pickled and smoked. pork requires more thorough cooking than most meats; if the least underdone it is unwholesome. to choose pork: if the rind is thick and tough, and cannot be easily impressed with the finger, it is old; when fresh, it will look cool and smooth, and only corn-fed pork is good; swill or still-fed pork is unfit to cure. fresh pork is in season from october to april. when dressing or stuffing is used, there are more or less herbs used for seasoning--sage, summer savory, thyme and sweet marjoram; these can be found (in the dried, pulverized form, put up in small, light packages) at most of the best druggists; still those raised and gathered at home are considered more fresh. roast pig. prepare your dressing as for dressing for fowls, adding half an onion, chopped fine; set it inside. take a young pig about six weeks old, wash it thoroughly inside and outside; and in another water put a teaspoonful of baking soda, and rinse out the inside again; wipe it dry with a fresh towel, salt the inside and stuff it with the prepared dressing; making it full and plump, giving it its original size and shape. sew it up, place it in a kneeling posture in the dripping-pan, tying the legs in proper position. pour a little hot salted water into the dripping-pan, baste with butter and water a few times as the pig warms, afterwards with gravy from the dripping-pan. when it begins to smoke all over rub it often with a rag dipped in melted butter. this will keep the skin from cracking and it still will be crisp. it will take from two to three hours to roast. make the gravy by skimming off most of the grease; stir into that remaining in the pan a good tablespoonful of flour, turn in water to make it the right consistency, season with pepper and let all boil up once. strain, and if you like wine in it, add half a glass; turn it into a gravy boat. place the pig upon a large, hot platter, surrounded with parsley or celery tops; place a green wreath around the neck, and a sprig of celery in its mouth. in carving, cut off its head first; split down the back, take off its hams and shoulders, and separate the ribs. roast loin of pork. score the skin in strips about a quarter of an inch apart; place it in a dripping-pan with a _very little_ water under it; cook it moderately at first, as a high heat hardens the rind before the meat is heated through. if it is very lean, it should be rubbed with fresh lard or butter when put into the pan. a stuffing might be made of bread crumbs, chopped sage and onions, pepper and salt, and baked separately on a pie dish; this method is better than putting it in the meat, as many persons have a great aversion to its flavor. a loin weighing about six pounds will roast in two hours; allow more time if it should be very fat. make a gravy with flour stirred into the pork drippings. serve with apple sauce and pickles. roast leg of pork. choose a small leg of fine young pork; cut a slit in the knuckle with a sharp knife, and fill the space with sage and onion chopped, and a little pepper and salt. when half done, score the skin in slices, but do not cut deeper than the outer rind. apple sauce and potatoes should be served with it. the gravy is to be made the same way as for beef roast, by turning off all the superfluous fat and adding a spoonful of flour stirred with a little water; add water to make the right consistency. serve in a gravy boat. boiled leg of pork. for boiling, choose a small, compact, well-filled leg, and rub it well with salt; let it remain in pickle for a week or ten days, turning and rubbing it every day. an hour before dressing it put it into cold water for an hour, which improves the color. if the pork is purchased ready salted, ascertain how long the meat has been in pickle and soak it accordingly. put it into a boiling-pot, with sufficient cold water to cover it, let it gradually come to a boil, and remove the scum as it rises. simmer it very gently until tender, and do not allow it to boil fast, or the knuckle will fall to pieces before the middle of the leg is done. carrots, turnips or parsnips may be boiled with the pork, some of which should be laid around the dish as a garnish. _time._--a leg of pork weighing eight pounds, three hours after the water boils, and to be simmered very gently. fresh pork pot-pie. boil a sparerib, after removing all the fat and cracking the bones, until tender; remove the scum as it rises, and when tender season with salt and pepper; half an hour before time for serving the dinner thicken the gravy with a little flour. have ready another kettle, into which remove all the bones and most of the gravy, leaving only sufficient to cover the pot half an inch above the rim that rests on the stove; put in the crust, cover tight, and boil steadily forty-five minutes. to prepare the crust, work into light dough a _small_ bit of butter, roll it out thin, cut it in small, square cakes, and lay them on the moulding-board until very light. no steam should possibly escape while the crust is cooking, and by no means allow the pot to cease boiling. roast sparerib. trim off the rough ends neatly, crack the ribs across the middle, rub with salt and sprinkle with pepper, fold over, stuff with turkey dressing, sew up tightly, place in a dripping-pan with a pint of water, baste frequently, turning over once so as to bake both sides equally until a rich brown. pork tenderloins. the tenderloins are unlike any other part of the pork in flavor. they may be either fried or broiled; the latter being drier, require to be well-buttered before serving, which should be done on a hot platter before the butter becomes oily. fry them in a little lard, turning them to have them cooked through; when done, remove, and keep hot while making a gravy by dredging a little flour into the hot fat; if not enough add a little butter or lard, stir until browned, and add a little milk or cream, stir briskly, and pour over the dish. a little worcestershire sauce may be added to the gravy if desired. pork cutlets. cut them from the leg, and remove the skin; trim them and beat them, and sprinkle on salt and pepper. prepare some beaten egg in a pan, and on a flat dish a mixture of bread crumbs, minced onion and sage. put some lard or drippings into a frying pan over the fire, and when it boils put in the cutlets, having dipped every one first in the egg, and then in the seasoning. fry them twenty or thirty minutes, turning them often. after you have taken them out of the frying pan, skim the gravy, dredge in a little flour, give it one boil, and then pour it on the dish round the cutlets. have apple sauce to eat with them. pork cutlets prepared in this manner may be stewed instead of being fried. add to them a little water, and stew them slowly till thoroughly done, keeping them closely covered, except when you remove the lid to skim them. pork chops and fried apples. season the chops with salt and pepper and a little powdered sage; dip them into bread crumbs. fry about twenty minutes or until they are done. put them on a hot dish; pour off part of the gravy into another pan to make a gravy to serve with them, if you choose. then fry apples which you have sliced about two-thirds of an inch thick, cutting them around the apple so that the core is in the centre of each piece; then cut out the core. when they are browned on one side and partly cooked, turn them carefully with a pancake turner, and finish cooking; dish around the chops or on a separate dish. fried pork chops. fry them the same as mutton chops. if a sausage flavor is liked, sprinkle over them a little powdered sage or summer savory, pepper and salt, and if a gravy is liked, skim off some of the fat in the pan and stir in a spoonful of flour; stir it until free from lumps, then season with pepper and salt and turn in a pint of sweet milk. boil up and serve in a gravy boat. pork pie. make a good plain paste. take from two and a half to three pounds of the thick ends of a loin of pork, with very little fat on it; cut into very thin slices three inches long by two inches wide; put a layer at the bottom of a pie-dish. wash and chop finely a handful of parsley, also an onion. sprinkle a small portion of these over the pork, and a little pepper and salt. add another layer of pork, and over that some more of the seasoning, only be sparing of the nutmeg. continue this till the dish is full. now pour into the dish a cupful of stock or water, and a spoonful or two of catsup. put a little paste around the edge of the dish; put on the cover and place the pie in a rather hot oven. when the paste has risen and begins to take color, place the pie at the bottom of the oven, with some paper over it, as it will require to be baked at least two hours. some prefer to cook the meat until partly done, before putting into the crust. _palmer house, chicago_. pork pot-pie. take pieces of ribs of lean salt pork, also a slice or two of the fat of salt pork; scald it well with hot water so as to wash out the briny taste. put it into a kettle and cover it with cold water, enough for the required want. cover it and boil an hour, season with pepper; then add half a dozen potatoes cut into quarters. when it all commences to boil again, drop in dumplings made from this recipe:-- one pint of sour or buttermilk, two eggs, well beaten, a teaspoonful of salt, a level teaspoonful of soda; dissolve in a spoonful of water as much flour as will make a very stiff batter. drop this into the kettle or broth by spoonfuls, and cook forty minutes, closely covered. pork and beans. (baked.) take two quarts of white beans, pick them over the night before, put to soak in cold water; in the morning put them in fresh water and let them scald, then turn off the water and put on more, hot; put to cook with them a piece of salt pork, gashed, as much as would make five or six slices; boil slowly till soft (not mashed), then add a tablespoonful of molasses, half a teaspoonful of soda, stir in well, put in a deep pan, and bake one hour and a half. if you do not like to use pork, salt the beans when boiling, and add a lump of butter when preparing them for the oven. boston pork and beans. pick over carefully a quart of small, white beans; let them soak over night in cold water; in the morning wash and drain in another water. put on to boil in plenty of cold water with a piece of soda the size of a bean; let them come to a boil, then drain again, cover with water once more, and boil them fifteen minutes, or until the skin of the beans will crack when taken out and blown upon. drain the beans again, put them into an earthen pot, adding a tablespoonful of salt; cover with hot water, place in the centre a pound of salt pork, first scalding it with hot water, and scoring the rind across the top, a quarter of an inch apart to indicate where the slices are to be cut. place the pot in the oven, and bake six hours or longer. keep the oven a moderate heat; add hot water from the tea-kettle as needed, on account of evaporation, to keep the beans moist. when the meat becomes crisp and looks cooked, remove it, as too long baking the pork destroys its solidity. fried salt pork. cut in thin slices, and freshen in cold water, roll in flour, and fry crisp. if required quickly pour boiling water over the slices, let stand a few minutes, drain and roll in flour as before; drain off most of the grease from the frying pan; stir in while hot one or two tablespoonfuls of flour, about half a pint of milk, a little pepper, and salt if over freshened; let it boil, and pour into a gravy dish. a teaspoonful of finely-chopped parsley will add pleasantly to the appearance of the gravy. grilled salt pork. take quite thin slices of the thick part of side pork, of a clear white, and thinly streaked with lean; hold one on a toasting fork before a brisk fire to grill; have at hand a dish of cold water, in which immerse it frequently while cooking, to remove the superfluous fat and render it more delicate. put each slice as cooked in a warm covered pan; when all are done, serve hot. fried ham and eggs. cut slices of ham quite thin, cut off the rind or skin, put them into a hot frying pan, turning them often until crisp, taking care not to burn the slices; three minutes will cook them well. dish them on a hot platter; then turn off the top of the grease, rinse out the pan, and put back the clear grease to fry the eggs. break the eggs separately in a saucer, that in case a bad one should be among them it may not mix with the rest. slip each egg gently into the frying pan. do not turn them while they are frying, put keep pouring some of the hot lard over them with a kitchen spoon; this will do them sufficiently on the upper side. they will be done enough in about three minutes; the white must retain its transparency so that the yolk will be seen through it. when done take them up with a tin slice; drain off the lard, and if any part of the white is discolored or ragged, trim it off. lay a fried egg upon each slice of the ham, and send to table hot. cold bacon and eggs. an economical way of using bacon and eggs that have been left from a previous meal is to put them in a wooden bowl and chop them quite fine, adding a little mashed or cold chopped potato, and a little bacon gravy, if any was left. mix and mould it into little balls, roll in raw egg and cracker crumbs, and fry in a spider the same as frying eggs; fry a light brown on both sides. serve hot. very appetizing. scrappel. scrappel is a most palatable dish. take the head, heart and any lean scraps of pork, and boil until the flesh slips easily from the bones. remove the fat, gristle and bones, then chop fine. set the liquor in which the meat was boiled aside until cold, take the cake of fat from the surface and return to the fire. when it boils put in the chopped meat and season well with pepper and salt. let it boil again, then thicken with corn meal as you would in making ordinary corn meal mush, by letting it slip through the fingers slowly to prevent lumps. cook an hour, stirring constantly at first, afterwards putting back on the range in a position to boil gently. when done, pour into a long, square pan, not too deep, and mould. in cold weather this can be kept several weeks. cut into slices when cold, and fried brown, as you do mush, is a cheap and delicious breakfast dish. to bake a ham. (corned.) take a medium-sized ham and place it to soak for ten or twelve hours. then cut away the rusty part from underneath, wipe it dry, and cover it rather thickly over with a paste made of flour and water. put it into an earthen dish, and set it in a moderately heated oven. when done, take off the crust carefully, and peel off the skin, put a frill of cut paper around the knuckle, and raspings of bread over the fat of the ham, or serve it glazed and garnished with cut vegetables. it will take about four or five hours to bake it. cooked in this way the flavor is much finer than when boiled. pigs' feet pickled. take twelve pigs' feet, scrape and wash them clean, put them into a saucepan with enough hot (not boiling) water to cover them. when partly done, salt them. it requires four to five hours to boil them soft. pack them in a stone crock, and pour over them spiced vinegar made hot. they will be ready to use in a day or two. if you wish them for breakfast, split them, make a batter of two eggs, a cup of milk, salt, a teaspoonful of butter, with flour enough to make a thick batter; dip each piece in this and fry in hot lard. or, dip them in beaten egg and flour and fry. souse is good eaten cold or warm. boiled ham. first remove all dust and mold by wiping with a coarse cloth; soak it for an hour in cold water, then wash it thoroughly. cut with a sharp knife the hardened surface from the base and butt of the ham. place it over the fire in _cold_ water, and let it come to a moderate boil, keeping it steadily at this point, allowing it to cook twenty minutes for every pound of meat. a ham weighing twelve pounds will require four hours to cook properly, as underdone ham is very unwholesome. when the ham is to be served hot, remove the skin by pealing it off, place it on a platter, the fat side up, and dot the surface with spots of black pepper. stick in also some whole cloves. if the ham is to be served cold, allow it to remain in the pot until the water in which it was cooked becomes cold. this makes it more juicy. serve it in the same manner as when served hot. broiled ham. cut your ham into thin slices, which should be a little less than one quarter of an inch thick. trim very closely the skin from the upper side of each slice, and also trim off the outer edge where the smoke has hardened the meat. if the ham is very salt lay it in _cold_ water for one hour before cooking, then wipe with a dry cloth. never soak ham in tepid or hot water, as it will toughen the meat. broil over a brisk fire, turning the slices constantly. it will require about five minutes, and should be served the last thing directly from the gridiron, placed on a warm platter, with a little butter and a sprinkle of pepper on the top of each slice. if ham or bacon is allowed to stand by the fire after it has been broiled or fried, it will speedily toughen, loosing all its grateful juices. cold boiled ham is very nice for broiling, and many prefer it to using the raw ham. potted ham. to two pounds of lean ham allow one pound of fat, two teaspoonfuls of powdered mace, half a nutmeg, grated, rather more than half a teaspoonful of cayenne. _mode._--mince the ham, fat and lean together, in the above proportion, and pound it well in a mortar, seasoning it with cayenne pepper, pounded mace and nutmeg; put the mixture into a deep baking-dish, and bake for half an hour; then press it well into a stone jar, fill up the jar with clarified lard, cover it closely, and paste over it a piece of thick paper. if well seasoned, it will keep a long time in winter, and will be found very convenient for sandwiches, etc. bologna sausage. (cooked.) two pounds of lean pork, two pounds of lean veal, two pounds of fresh lean beef, two pounds of fat salt pork, one pound of beef suet, ten tablespoonfuls of powdered sage, one ounce each of parsley, savory, marjoram and thyme mixed. two teaspoonfuls of cayenne pepper, the same of black, one grated nutmeg, one teaspoonful of cloves, one minced onion, salt to taste. chop or grind the meat and suet; season, and stuff into beef skins; tie these up, prick each in several places to allow the escape of steam; put into hot, not boiling, water, and heat gradually to the boiling point. cook slowly for one hour; take out the skins and lay them to dry in the sun, upon clean sweet straw or hay. rub the outside of the skins with oil or melted butter, and place in a cool, dry cellar. if you wish to keep them more than a week, rub ginger or pepper on the outside, then wash it off before using. this is eaten without further cooking. cut in round slices and lay sliced lemons around the edge of the dish, as many like to squeeze a few drops upon the sausage before eating. these are very nice smoked like hams. country pork sausages. six pounds lean fresh pork, three pounds of chine fat, three tablespoonfuls of salt, two of black pepper, four tablespoonfuls of pounded and sifted sage, two of summer savory. chop the lean and fat pork finely, mix the seasoning in with your hands, taste to see that it has the right flavor, then put them into cases, either the cleaned intestines of the hog, or make long, narrow bags of stout muslin, large enough to contain each enough sausage for a family dish. fill these with the meat, dip in melted lard, and hang them in a cool, dry, dark place. some prefer to pack the meat in jars, pouring melted lard over it, covering the top, to be taken out as wanted and made into small round cakes with the hands, then fried brown. many like spices added to the seasoning--cloves, mace and nutmeg. this is a matter of taste. _marion harland_. to fry sausages. put a small piece of lard or butter into the frying pan. prick the sausages with a fork, lay them in the melted grease, keep moving them about, turning them frequently to prevent bursting; in ten or twelve minutes they will be sufficiently browned and cooked. another sure way to prevent the cases from bursting is to cover them with cold water and let it come to the boiling point; turn off the water and fry them. sausages are nicely cooked by putting them in a baking-pan them in the oven, turning them once or twice. in this way you avoid all smoke and disagreeable odor. a pound will cook brown in ten minutes in a hot oven. head cheese. boil the forehead, ears and feet, and nice scraps trimmed from the hams of a fresh pig, until the meat will almost drop from the bones. then separate the meat from the bones, put in a large chopping-bowl, and season with pepper, salt, sage and summer savory. chop it rather coarsely; put it back in the same kettle it was boiled in, with just enough of the liquor in which it was boiled to prevent its burning; warm it through thoroughly, mixing it well together. now pour it into a strong muslin bag, press the bag between two flat surfaces, with a heavy weight on top; when cold and solid it can be cut in slices. good cold, or warmed up in vinegar. to cure hams and bacon. (a prize recipe.) for each hundred pounds of hams, make a pickle of ten pounds of salt, two pounds of brown sugar, two ounces of saltpetre, one ounce of red pepper, and from four to four and a half gallons of water, or just enough to cover the hams, after being packed in a water-tight vessel, or enough salt to make a brine to float a fresh egg high enough, that is to say, out of water. first rub the hams with common salt and lay them into a tub. take the above ingredients, put them into a vessel over the fire, and heat it hot, stirring it frequently; remove all the scum, allow it to boil ten minutes, let it cool and pour over the meat. after laying in this brine five or six weeks, take out, drain and wipe, and smoke from two to three weeks. small pieces of bacon may remain in this pickle two weeks, which would be sufficient. to smoke hams and fish at home. take an old hogshead, stop up all the crevices, and fix a place to put a cross-stick near the bottom, to hang the article to be smoked on. next, in the side, cut a hole near the top, to introduce an iron pan filled with hickory wood sawdust and small pieces of green wood. having turned the hogshead upside down, hang the articles upon the cross-stick, introduce the iron pan in the opening, and place a piece of red-hot iron in the pan, cover it with sawdust, and all will be complete. let a large ham remain ten days, and keep up a good smoke. the best way for keeping hams is to sew them in coarse cloths, white-washed on the outside. to cure english bacon. this process is called the "dry cure," and is considered far preferable to the new england or yankee style of putting prepared brine or pickle over the meat. first the hog should not be too large or too fat, weighing not over two hundred pounds, then after it is dressed and cooled cut it up into proper pieces; allow to every hundred pounds a mixture of four quarts of common salt, one quarter of a pound of saltpetre and four pounds of sugar. rub this preparation thoroughly over and into each piece, then place them into a tight tub or suitable cask; there will a brine form of itself from the juices of the meat, enough at least to baste it with, which should be done two or three times a week; turning each piece every time. in smoking this bacon, the sweetest flavor is derived from black birch chips, but if these are not to be had, the next best wood is hickory; the smoking with corn-cobs imparts a rank flavor to this bacon, which is very distasteful to english people visiting this country. it requires three weeks or a month to smoke this bacon properly. _berkshire recipe_. to try out lard. skin the leaf lard carefully, cut it into small pieces, and put it into a kettle or saucepan; pour in a cupful of water to prevent burning; set it over the fire where it will melt slowly. stir it frequently and let it simmer until nothing remains but brown scraps. remove the scraps with a perforated skimmer, throw in a little salt to settle the fat, and, when clear, strain through a coarse cloth into jars. remember to watch it constantly, stirring it from the bottom until the salt is thrown in to settle it; then set it back on the range until clear. if it scorches it gives it a very bad flavor. sauces and dressings. drawn butter. melted butter is the foundation of most of the common sauces. have a covered saucepan for this purpose. one lined with porcelain will be best. take a quarter of a pound of the best fresh butter, cut it up, and mix with it about one tablespoonful of flour. when it is thoroughly mixed, put it into the saucepan, and add to it half a teacupful of hot water. cover the saucepan and set it in a large tin pan of boiling water. shake it round continually (always moving it the same way) till it is entirely melted and begins to simmer. then let it rest till it boils up. if you set it on too hot a fire it will be oily. if the butter and flour are not well mixed, it will be lumpy. if you put in too much water, it will be thin and poor. all these defects are to be carefully avoided. in melting butter for sweet or pudding sauce, you may use milk instead of water. tartare sauce. the raw yolks of two eggs, half a teacupful of pure olive oil, three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one of made mustard, one teaspoonful of sugar, a quarter of a teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of salt, one of onion juice, one tablespoonful of chopped capers, one of chopped cucumber pickle. put together the same as mayonnaise dressing, adding the chopped ingredients the last thing. this sauce is good for fried or boiled fish, boiled tongue, fish salad, and may be used with fried and broiled meats. egg sauce, or white sauce. mix two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour with half a teacup of warm butter. place over the fire a saucepan containing a pint of sweet milk and a saltspoon of salt, and a dash of white pepper; when it reaches the boiling point, add the butter and flour, stirring briskly until it thickens and becomes like cream. have ready three cold hard-boiled eggs, sliced and chopped, add them to the sauce; let them heat through thoroughly, and serve in a boat. if you have plenty of cream, use it and omit the butter. by omitting the eggs, you have the same as "white sauce." oyster sauce. take a pint of oysters and heat them in their own liquor long enough to come to a boil, or until they begin to ruffle. skim out the oysters into a warm dish, put into the liquor a teacup of milk or cream, two tablespoonfuls of cold butter, a pinch of cayenne and salt; thicken with a tablespoonful of flour stirred to a paste, boil up and then add the oysters. oyster sauce is used for fish, boiled turkey, chickens and boiled white meats of most kinds. lobster sauce. put the coral and spawn of a boiled lobster into a mortar with a tablespoonful of butter; pound it to a smooth mass, then rub it through a sieve; melt nearly a quarter of a pound of sweet butter, with a wine-glass of water or vinegar; add a teaspoonful of made mustard, stir in the coral and spawn, and a little salt and pepper; stir it until it is smooth and serve. some of the meat of the lobster may be chopped fine and stirred into it. sauce for salmon and other fish. one cupful of milk heated to a boil and thickened with a tablespoonful of cornstarch previously wet up with cold water, the liquor from the salmon, one great spoonful of butter, one raw egg beaten light, the juice of half a lemon, mace and cayenne pepper to taste. add the egg to thickened milk when you have stirred in the butter and liquor; take from the fire, season and let it stand in hot water three minutes, covered. lastly put in lemon juice and turn out immediately. pour it all over and around the salmon. sauce for boiled cod. to one gill of boiling water add as much milk; stir into this while boiling two tablespoonfuls of butter gradually, one tablespoonful of flour wet up with cold water; as it thickens, the chopped yolk of one boiled egg, and one raw egg beaten light. take directly from the fire, season with pepper, salt, a little chopped parsley and the juice of one lemon, and set covered in boiling water (but not over fire) five minutes, stirring occasionally. pour part of the sauce over fish when dished; the rest in a boat. serve mashed potatoes with it. fish sauce. no. . make a pint of drawn butter, add one tablespoonful of pepper sauce or worcestershire sauce, a little salt and six hard-boiled eggs chopped fine. pour over boiled fish and garnish with sliced lemon. very nice. fish sauce. no. . half a cupful of melted butter, half a cupful of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, salt, and a tablespoonful of made mustard. boil ten minutes. celery sauce. mix two tablespoonfuls of flour with half a teacupful of butter; have ready a pint of boiling milk; stir the flour and butter into the milk; take three heads of celery, cut into small bits, and boil for a few minutes in water, which strain off; put the celery into the melted butter, and keep it stirred over the fire for five or ten minutes. this is very nice with boiled fowl or turkey. another way to make celery sauce is: boil a head of celery until quite tender, then put it through a sieve; put the yolk of an egg in a basin, and beat it well with the strained juice of a lemon; add the celery and a couple of spoonfuls of liquor in which the turkey was boiled; salt and pepper to taste. caper sauce. chop the capers a very little, unless quite small; make half a pint of drawn butter, to which add the capers, with a large spoonful of the juice from the bottle in which they are sold; let it just simmer and serve in a tureen. nasturtiums much resemble capers in taste, though larger, and may be used, and, in fact, are preferred by many. they are grown on a climbing vine, and are cultivated for their blossom and for pickling. when used as capers they should be chopped more. if neither capers nor nasturtiums are at hand, some pickles chopped up form a very good substitute in the sauce. [illustration] bread sauce. one cup of stale bread crumbs, one onion, two ounces of butter, pepper and salt, a little mace. cut the onion fine, and boil it in milk till quite soft; then strain the milk on to the stale bread crumbs, and let it stand an hour. put it in a saucepan with the boiled onion, pepper, salt and mace. give it a boil, and serve in sauce tureen. this sauce can also be used for grouse, and is very nice. roast partridges are nice served with bread crumbs, fried brown in butter, with cranberry or currant jelly laid beside them in the platter. tomato sauce. take a quart can of tomatoes, put it over the fire in a stewpan, put in one slice of onion and two cloves, a little pepper and salt; boil about twenty minutes; then remove from the fire and strain it through a sieve. now melt in another pan an ounce of butter, and as it melts, sprinkle in a tablespoonful of flour; stir it until it browns and froths a little. mix the tomato pulp with it, and it is ready for the table. excellent for mutton, chops, roast beef, etc. onion sauce. work together until light a heaping tablespoonful of flour and half a cupful of butter, and gradually add two cups of boiling milk; stir constantly until it come to a boil; then stir into that four tender boiled onions that have been chopped fine. salt and pepper to taste. serve with boiled veal, poultry of mutton. chili sauce. boil together two dozen ripe tomatoes, three small green peppers, or a half teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one onion cut fine, half a cup of sugar. boil until thick; then add two cups of vinegar; then strain the whole, set back on the fire and add a tablespoonful of salt, and a teaspoonful each of ginger, allspice, cloves and cinnamon; boil all five minutes, remove and seal in glass bottles. this is very nice. mint sauce. take fresh young spearmint leaves stripped from the stems; wash and drain them, or dry on a cloth. chop very fine, put in a gravy boat, and to three tablespoonfuls of mint put two of white sugar; mix and let it stand a few minutes, then pour over it six tablespoonfuls of good cider or white-wine vinegar. the sauce should be made some time before it is to be used, so that the flavor of the mint may be well extracted. fine with roast lamb. sharp brown sauce. put in a saucepan one tablespoonful of chopped onion, three tablespoonfuls of good cider vinegar, six tablespoonfuls of water, three of tomato catsup, a little pepper and salt, half a cup of melted butter, in which stir a tablespoonful of sifted flour; put all together and boil until it thickens. this is most excellent with boiled meats, fish and poultry. bechamel sauce. put three tablespoonfuls of butter in a saucepan; add three tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, quarter of a teaspoonful of nutmeg, ten peppercorns, a teaspoonful of salt; beat all well together; then add to this three slices of onion, two slices of carrot, two sprigs of parsley, two of thyme, a bay leaf and half a dozen mushrooms cut up. moisten the whole with a pint of stock or water and a cup of sweet cream. set it on the stove and cook slowly for half an hour, watching closely that it does not burn; then strain through a sieve. most excellent with roast veal, meats and fish. _st. charles hotel, new orleans_. maitre d'hotel sauce. make a teacupful of drawn butter; add to it the juice of a lemon, two tablespoonfuls of minced onion, three tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley, a teaspoonful of powdered thyme or summer savory, a pinch of cayenne and salt. simmer over the fire and stir well. excellent with all kinds of fish. wine sauce for game. half a glass of currant jelly, half a glass of port wine, half a glass of water, a tablespoonful of cold butter, a teaspoonful of salt, the juice of half a lemon, a pinch of cayenne pepper and three cloves. simmer all together a few minutes, adding the wine after it is strained. a few spoonfuls of the gravy from the game may be added to it. this sauce is especially nice with venison. _taber house, denver_. hollandaise sauce. half a teacupful of butter, the juice of half a lemon, the yolk of two eggs, a speck of cayenne pepper, half a cupful of boiling water, half a teaspoonful of salt; beat the butter to a cream, add the yolks of eggs one by one; then the lemon juice, pepper and salt, beating all thoroughly; place the bowl in which is the mixture in a saucepan of boiling water; beat with an egg-beater until it begins to thicken which will be in about a minute; then add the boiling water, beating all the time; stir until it begins to thicken like soft custard; stir a few minutes after taking from the fire; be careful not to cook it too long. this is very nice with baked fish. currant jelly sauce. three tablespoonfuls of butter, one onion, one bay leaf, one sprig of celery, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, half a cupful of currant jelly, one tablespoonful of flour, one pint of stock, salt, pepper. cook the butter and onion until the latter begins to color. add the flour and herbs. stir until brown; add the stock, and simmer twenty minutes. strain and skim off all the fat. add the jelly and stir over the fire until it is melted. serve with game. brown sauce. delicious sauce for meats is made in this way: slice a large onion and fry in butter till it is brown; then cover the onion with rich brown gravy, which is left from roast beef; add mustard, salt and pepper, and if you choose a tablespoonful of worcestershire sauce; let this boil up, and if too thick, thin it with a little stock or gravy, or even a little hot water with butter. pour this when done through a fine sieve. of course a larger quantity can be prepared at once than is mentioned here. mushroom sauce. wash a pint of small button mushrooms, remove the stems and outside skins, stew them slowly in veal gravy or milk or cream, adding an onion, and seasoning with pepper, salt and a little butter rolled in flour. their flavor will be heightened by salting a few the night before, to extract the juice. in dressing mushrooms only those of a dull pearl color on the outside and the under part tinged with pale pink should be selected. if there is a poisonous one among them, the onion in the sauce will turn black. in such a case throw the whole away. used for poultry, beef or fish. apple sauce. when you wish to serve apple sauce with meat prepare it in this way: cook the apples until they are very tender, then stir them thoroughly so there will be no lumps at all; add the sugar and a little gelatine dissolved in warm water, a tablespoonful in a pint of sauce; pour the sauce into bowls, and when cold it will be stiff like jelly, and can be turned out on a plate. cranberry sauce can be treated in the same way. many prefer this to plain stewing. apples cooked in the following way look very pretty on a tea-table, and are appreciated by the palate. select firm, round greenings; pare neatly and cut in halves; place in a shallow stewpan with sufficient boiling water to cover them, and a cupful of sugar to every six apples. each half should cook on the bottom of the pan, and be removed from the others so as not to injure its shape. stew slowly until the pieces are very tender; remove to a dish carefully; boil the syrup half an hour longer; pour it over the apples and eat cold. a few pieces of lemon boiled in the syrup adds to the flavor. these sauces are a fine accompaniment to roast pork or roast goose. cider apple sauce. boil four quarts of new cider until it is reduced to two quarts; then put into it enough pared and quartered apples to fill the kettle; let the whole stew over a moderate fire four hours; add cinnamon if liked. this sauce is very fine with almost any kind of meat. old-fashioned apple sauce. pare and chop a dozen medium-sized apples, put them in a deep pudding-dish; sprinkle over them a heaping coffeecupful of sugar and one of water. place them in the oven and bake slowly two hours or more, or until they are a deep red brown; quite as nice as preserves. cranberry sauce. one quart of cranberries, two cupfuls of sugar and a pint of water. wash the cranberries, then put them on the fire with the water, but in a covered saucepan. let them simmer until each cranberry bursts open; then remove the cover of the saucepan, add the sugar and let them all boil twenty minutes without the cover. the cranberries must never be stirred from the time they are placed on the fire. this is an unfailing recipe for a most delicious preparation of cranberries. very fine with turkey and game. apple omelet. apple omelet, to be served with broiled sparerib or roast pork, is very delicate. take nine large, tart apples, four, eggs, one cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of butter; add cinnamon or other spices to suit your taste; stew the apples till they are very soft; mash them so that there will be no lumps; add the butter and sugar while they are still warm; but let them cool before putting in the beaten eggs; bake this till it is brown; you may put it all in a shallow pudding-dish or in two tin plates to bake. very good. flavored vinegars. almost all the flavorings used for meats and salads may be prepared in vinegar with little trouble and expense, and will be found useful to impart an acid to flavors when lemons are not at hand. tarragon, sweet basil, burnet, green mint, sage, thyme, sweet marjoram, etc., may be prepared by putting three ounces of either of these herbs, when in blossom, into one gallon of sharp vinegar, let stand ten days, strain off clear, and bottle for use. celery and cayenne may be prepared, using three ounces of the seed as above. cucumber vinegar. _ingredients_.--ten large cucumbers, or twelve smaller ones, one quart of vinegar, two onions, two shallots, one tablespoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of pepper, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cayenne. _mode_.--pare and slice the cucumbers, put them in a stone jar, or wide-mouthed bottle, with the vinegar; slice the onions and shallots, and add them, with all the other ingredients, to the cucumbers. let it stand four or five days; boil it all up, and when cold, strain the liquor through a piece of muslin, and store it away in small bottles well sealed. this vinegar is a very nice addition to gravies, hashes, etc., as well as a great improvement to salads, or to eat with cold meat. curry powder. to make curry powder, take one ounce of ginger, one ounce of mustard, one ounce of pepper, three ounces of coriander seed, three ounces of turmeric, half an ounce of cardamoms, one-quarter ounce of cayenne pepper, one-quarter ounce of cinnamon, and one-quarter ounce of cumin seed. pound all these ingredients very fine in a mortar; sift them and cork tight in a bottle. this can be had ready prepared at most druggists, and it is much less trouble to purchase it than to make it at home. curry sauce. one tablespoonful of butter, one of flour, one teaspoonful of curry powder, one large slice of onion, one large cupful of stock, salt and pepper to taste. cut the onion fine, and fry brown in the butter. add the flour and curry powder. stir for one minute, add the stock and season with the salt and pepper. simmer five minutes; then strain and serve. this sauce can be served with a broil or _sauté_ of meat or fish. to brown butter. put a lump of butter into a hot frying pan and toss it about until it browns. stir brown flour into it until it is smooth and begins to boil. use it for coloring gravies, and sauces for meats. to brown flour. spread flour upon a tin pie-plate, set it upon the stove or in a _very_ hot oven, and stir continually, after it begins to color, until it is brown all through. keep it always on hand; put away in glass jars covered closely. it is excellent for coloring and thickening many dishes. to make mustard. boil some vinegar; take four spoonfuls of mustard, half of a teaspoonful of sugar, a saltspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of melted butter; mix well. french mustard. three tablespoonfuls of mustard, one tablespoonful of granulated sugar, well worked together, then beat in an egg until it is smooth; add one teacupful of vinegar, a little at a time, working it all smooth; then set on the stove and cook three or four minutes, stirring all the time; when cool, add one tablespoonful of the best olive oil, taking care to get it all thoroughly worked in and smooth. you will find this very nice. _mrs. d. riegel_. kitchen pepper. mix one ounce of ground ginger, half an ounce each of black pepper, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice, one teaspoonful of ground cloves, and six ounces of salt. keep in a tightly corked bottle. _the caterer_. prepared cocoanut. (for pies, puddings, etc.) to prepare cocoanut for future use, first cut a hole through the meat at one of the holes in the end, draw off the milk, then loosen the meat by pounding the nut well on all sides. crack the nut and take out the meat, and place the pieces of meat in a cool open oven over night, or for a few hours, to dry; then grate it. if there is more grated than is needed for present use, sprinkle it with sugar, and spread out in a cool dry place. when dry enough put away in dry cans or bottles. will keep for weeks. spices. ginger is the root of a shrub first known in asia, and now cultivated in the west indies and sierra leone. the stem grows three or four feet high and dies every year. there are two varieties of ginger--the white and black--caused by taking more or less care in selecting and preparing the roots, which are always dug in winter, when the stems are withered. the white is the best. _cinnamon_ is the inner bark of a beautiful tree, a native of ceylon, that grows from twenty to thirty feet in height and lives to be centuries old. _cloves_.--native to the molucca islands, and so called from resemblance to a nail (_clavis_). the east indians call them "changkek" from the chinese "techengkia" (fragrant nails). they grow on a straight, smooth-barked tree, about forty feet high. cloves are not fruits, but blossoms, gathered before they are quite unfolded. _allspice_.--a berry so called because it combines the flavor of several spices--grows abundantly on the allspice or bayberry tree; native of south america and the west indies. a single tree has been known to produce one hundred and fifty pounds of berries. they are purple when ripe. _black pepper_ is made by grinding the dried berry of a climbing vine, native to the east indies. white pepper is obtained from the same berries, freed from their husk or rind. red or cayenne pepper is obtained by grinding the scarlet pod or seed-vessel of a tropical plant that is now cultivated in all parts of the world. _nutmeg_ is the kernel of a small, smooth, pear-shaped fruit that grows on a tree in the molucca islands, and other parts of the east. the trees commence bearing in the seventh year, and continue fruitful until they are seventy or eighty years old. around the nutmeg or kernel is a bright, brown shell. this shell has a soft, scarlet covering, which, when flattened out and dried, is known as mace. the best nutmegs are solid, and emit oil when pricked with a pin. herbs for winter. to prepare herbs for winter use, such as sage, summer savory, thyme, mint or any of the sweet herbs, they should be gathered fresh in their season, or procure them from the market. examine them well, throwing out all poor sprigs; then wash and shake them; tie into small bundles, and tie over the bundles a piece of netting or old lace (to keep off the dust); hang up in a warm, dry place, the leaves downward. in a few days the herb will be thoroughly dry and brittle. or you may place them in a cool oven and let them remain in it until perfectly dry. then pick off all the leaves and the tender tops of the stems; put them in a clean, large-mouthed bottle that is perfectly dry. when wanted for use, rub fine, and sift through a sieve. it is much better to put them in bottles as soon as dried, as long exposure to the air causes them to lose strength and flavor. meats and their accompaniments. with roast beef: tomato sauce, grated horse-radish, mustard, cranberry sauce, pickles. with roast pork: apple sauce, cranberry sauce. with roast veal: tomato sauce, mushroom sauce, onion sauce and cranberry sauce. horse-radish and lemons are good. with roast mutton: currant jelly, caper sauce. with boiled mutton: onion sauce, caper sauce. with boiled fowls: bread sauce, onion sauce, lemon sauce, cranberry sauce, jellies. also cream sauce. with roast lamb: mint sauce. with roast turkey: cranberry sauce, currant jelly. with boiled turkey: oyster sauce. with venison or wild ducks: cranberry sauce, currant jelly, or currant jelly warmed with port wine. with roast goose: apple sauce, cranberry sauce, grape or currant jelly. with boiled fresh mackerel: stewed gooseberries. with boiled blue fish: white cream sauce, lemon sauce. with broiled shad: mushroom sauce, parsley or egg sauce. with fresh salmon: green peas, cream sauce. pickles are good with all roast meats, and in fact are suitable accompaniments to all kinds of meats in general. spinach is the proper accompaniment to veal; green peas to lamb. lemon juice makes a very grateful addition to nearly all the insipid members of the fish kingdom. slices of lemon cut into very small dice and stirred into drawn butter and allowed to come to the boiling point, served with fowls, is a fine accompaniment. vegetables appropriate to different dishes. potatoes are good with all meats. with fowls they are nicest mashed. sweet potatoes are most appropriate with roast meats, as also are onions, winter squash, cucumbers and asparagus. carrots, parsnips, turnips, greens and cabbage are generally eaten with boiled meat, and corn, beets, peas and beans are appropriate to either boiled or roasted meat. mashed turnip is good with roast pork and with boiled meats. tomatoes are good with almost every kind of meats, especially with roasts. warm dishes for breakfast. the following of hot breakfast dishes may be of assistance in knowing what to provide for the comfortable meal called breakfast. broiled beefsteak, broiled chops, broiled chicken, broiled fish, broiled quail on toast, fried pork tenderloins, fried pig's feet, fried oysters, fried clams, fried liver and bacon, fried chops, fried pork, ham and eggs fried, veal cutlets breaded, sausages, fricasseed tripe, fricasseed kidneys, turkey or chicken hash, corn beef hash, beef croquettes, codfish balls, creamed codfish, stewed meats on toast, poached eggs on toast, omelettes, eggs boiled plain, and eggs cooked in any of the various styles. vegetables for breakfast. potatoes in any of the various modes of cooking, also stewed tomatoes, stewed corn, raw radishes, cucumbers sliced, tomatoes sliced raw, water cress, lettuce. to be included with the breakfast dishes: oatmeal mush, cracked wheat, hominy or corn-meal mush, these with cream, milk and sugar or syrup. then numberless varieties of bread can be selected, in form of rolls, fritters, muffins, waffles, corn-cakes, griddle-cakes, etc., etc. for beverages, coffee, chocolate and cocoa, or tea if one prefers it; these are all suitable for the breakfast table. when obtainable always have a vase of choice flowers on the breakfast table; also some fresh fruit, if convenient. salads. everything in the make-up of a salad should be of the freshest material, the vegetables crisp and fresh, the oil or butter the very best, meats, fowl and fish well cooked, pure cider or white wine vinegar--in fact, every ingredient first class, to insure success. the vegetables used in salad are: beet-root, onions, potatoes, cabbage, lettuce, celery, cucumbers, lentils, haricots, winter cress, peas, french beans, radish, cauliflower--all these may be used judiciously in salad, if properly seasoned, according to the following directions. chervil is a delicious salad herb, invariably found in all salads prepared by a french _gourmet_. no man can be a true epicure who is unfamiliar with this excellent herb. it may be procured from the vegetable stands at fulton and washington markets the year round. its leaves resemble parsley, but are more divided, and a few of them added to a breakfast salad give a delightful flavor. _chervil vinegar_.--a few drops of this vinegar added to fish sauces or salads is excellent, and well repays the little trouble taken in its preparation. half fill a bottle with fresh or dry chervil leaves; fill the bottle with good vinegar and heat it gently by placing it in warm water, which bring to boiling point; remove from the fire; when cool cork, and in two weeks it will be ready for use. mayonnaise dressing. put the yolks of four fresh raw eggs, with two hard-boiled ones, into a cold bowl. rub these as smooth as possible before introducing the oil; a good measure of oil is a tablespoonful to each yolk of raw egg. all the art consists in introducing the oil by degrees, a few drops at a time. you can never make a good salad without taking plenty of time. when the oil is well mixed, and assumes the appearance of jelly, put in two heaping teaspoonfuls of dry table salt, one of pepper and one of made mustard. never put in salt and pepper before this stage of the process, because the salt and pepper would coagulate the albumen of the eggs, and you could not get the dressing smooth. two tablespoonfuls of vinegar added gradually. the _mayonnaise_ should be the thickness of thick cream when finished, but if it looks like curdling when mixing it, set in the ice-box or in a _cold_ place for about forty minutes or an hour, then mix it again. it is a good idea to place it in a pan of cracked ice while mixing. for lobster salad, use the _coral_, mashed and pressed through a sieve, then add to the above. salad dressing should be kept in a separate bowl in a cold, place, and not mixed with the salad until the moment it is to be served, or it may lose its crispness and freshness. dressing for cold slaw. (cabbage salad.) beat up two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, add a piece of butter the size of half an egg, a teaspoonful of mustard, a little pepper, and lastly a teacup of vinegar. put all of these ingredients into a dish over the fire and cook like a soft custard. some think it improved by adding half a cupful of thick sweet cream to this dressing; in that case use less vinegar. either way is very fine. salad cream dressing. no. . one cup fresh cream, one spoonful fine flour, the whites of two eggs beaten stiff, three spoonfuls of vinegar, two spoonfuls of salad oil or soft butter, two spoonfuls of powdered sugar, one teaspoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful pepper, one teaspoonful of made mustard. heat cream almost to boiling; stir in the flour, previously wet with cold milk; boil two minutes, stirring all the time; add sugar and take from fire. when half cold, beat in whipped whites of egg; set aside to cool. when quite cold, whip in the oil or butter, pepper, mustard and salt; if the salad is ready, add vinegar and pour at once over it. cream dressing. no. . two tablespoonfuls of whipped sweet cream, two of sugar and four of vinegar; beat well and pour over the cabbage, previously cut very fine and seasoned with salt. french salad dressing. mix one saltspoon of pepper with one of salt; add three tablespoonfuls of olive oil and one even tablespoonful of onion scraped fine; then one tablespoonful of vinegar; when well mixed, pour the mixture over your salad and stir all till well mingled. the merit of a salad is that it should be cool, fresh and crisp. for vegetables use only the delicate white stalks of celery, the small heart-leaves of lettuce; or tenderest stalks and leaves of the white cabbage. keep the vegetable portion crisp and fresh until the time for serving, when add the meat. for chicken and fish salads use the "mayonnaise dressing." for simple vegetable salads the french dressing is most appropriate, using onion rather than garlic. mixed summer salad. three heads of lettuce, two teaspoonfuls of green mustard leaves, a handful of water cresses, five tender radishes, one cucumber, three hard-boiled eggs, two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of pepper, one teaspoonful of made mustard, one teacupful of vinegar, half a teacupful of oil. mix all well together, and serve with a lump of ice in the middle. "_common sense in the household_." chicken salad. boil the fowls tender and remove all the fat, gristle and skin; mince the meat in small pieces, but do not hash it. to one chicken put twice and a half its weight in celery, cut in pieces of about one-quarter of an inch; mix thoroughly and set it in a cool place--the ice chest. in the meantime prepare a "mayonnaise dressing," and when ready for the table pour this dressing over the chicken and celery, tossing and mixing it thoroughly. set it in a cool place until ready to serve. garnish with celery tips, or cold hard-boiled eggs, lettuce leaves, from the heart, cold boiled beets or capers, olives. crisp cabbage is a good substitute for celery; when celery is not to be had use celery vinegar in the dressing. turkey makes a fine salad. lobster salad. no. . prepare a sauce with the _coral_ of a fine, new lobster, boiled fresh for about half an hour. pound and rub it smooth, and mix very gradually with a dressing made from the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs, a tablespoonful of made mustard, three of salad oil, two of vinegar, one of white powdered sugar, a small teaspoonful of salt, as much black pepper, a pinch of cayenne and yolks of two fresh eggs. next fill your salad bowl with some shred lettuce, the better part of two leaving the small curled centre to garnish your dish with. mingle with this the flesh of your lobster, torn, broken or cut into bits seasoned with salt and pepper and a small portion of the dressing. pour over the whole the rest of the dressing; put your lettuce-hearts down the centre and arrange upon the sides slices of hard-boiled eggs. lobster salad. no. . using canned lobsters, take a can, skim off all the oil on the surface, and chop the meat up coarsely on a flat dish. prepare the same way six heads of celery; mix a teaspoonful of mustard into a smooth paste with a little vinegar; add yolks of two fresh eggs; a tablespoonful of butter, creamed, a small teaspoonful of salt, the same of pepper, a quarter of a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, a gill of vinegar, and the mashed yolks of two hard-boiled eggs. mix a small portion of the dressing with the celery and meat, and turn the remainder over all. garnish with the green tops of celery and a hard-boiled egg, cut into thin rings. fish salad. take a fresh white fish or trout, boil and chop it, but not too fine; put with the same quantity of chopped cabbage, celery or lettuce; season the same as chicken salad. garnish with the tender leaves of the heart of lettuce. oyster salad. drain the liquor from a quart of fresh oysters. put them in hot vinegar enough to cover them placed over the fire; let them remain until _plump_, but not cooked; then drop them immediately in cold water, drain off, and mix with them two pickled cucumbers cut fine, also a quart of celery cut in dice pieces, some seasoning of salt and pepper. mix all well together, tossing up with a silver fork. pour over the whole a "mayonnaise dressing." garnish with celery tips and slices of hard-boiled eggs arranged tastefully. dutch salad. wash, split and bone a dozen anchovies, and roll each one up; wash, split and bone one herring, and cut it up into small pieces; cut up into dice an equal quantity of bologna or lyons sausage, or of smoked ham and sausages; also, an equal quantity of the breast of cold roast fowl, or veal; add likewise, always in the same quantity, and cut into dice, beet-roots, pickled cucumbers, cold boiled potatoes cut in larger dice, and in quantity according to taste, but at least thrice as much potato as anything else; add a tablespoohful of capers, the yolks and whites of some hard-boiled eggs, minced separately, and a dozen stoned olives; mix all the ingredients well together, reserving the olives and anchovies to ornament the top of the bowl; beat up together oil and tarragon vinegar with white pepper and french mustard to taste; pour this over the salad and serve. ham salad. take cold boiled ham, fat and lean together, chop it until it is thoroughly mixed and the pieces are about the size of peas; then add to this an equal quantity of celery cut fine, if celery is out of season, lettuce may be substituted. line a dish thickly with lettuce leaves and fill with the chopped ham and celery. make a dressing the same as for cold slaw and turn over the whole. very fine. crab salad. boil three dozen hard-shell crabs twenty-five minutes; drain and let them cool gradually; remove the upper shell and the tail, break the remainder apart and pick out the meat carefully. the large claws should not be forgotten, for they contain a dainty morsel, and the creamy fat attached to the upper shell should not be overlooked. line a salad bowl with the small white leaves of two heads of lettuce, add the crab meat, pour over it a "mayonnaise" garnish with crab claws, hard-boiled eggs and little mounds of cress leaves, which may be mixed with the salad when served. cold slaw. select the finest head of bleached cabbage--that is to say one of the finest and most compact of the more delicate varieties; cut up enough into shreds to fill a large vegetable dish or salad bowl--that to be regulated by the size of the cabbage and the quantity required; shave very fine and after that chop up, the more thoroughly the better. put this into a dish in which it is to be served, after seasoning it well with salt and pepper. turn over it a dressing made as for cold slaw; mix it well and garnish with slices of hard-boiled eggs. plain cold slaw. slice cabbage very fine; season with salt, pepper and a little sugar; pour over vinegar and mix thoroughly. it is nice served in the centre of a platter with fried oysters around it. hot slaw. cut the cabbage as for cold slaw; put it into a stewpan and set it on the top of the stove for half an hour, or till hot all through; do not let it boil. then make a dressing the same as for cold slaw, and, while hot, pour it over the hot cabbage. stir it until well mixed and the cabbage looks coddled. serve immediately. tomato salad. peel and slice twelve good, sound, fresh tomatoes; the slices about a quarter of an inch thick. set them on the ice or in a refrigerator while you make the dressing. make the same as "mayonnaise," or you may use "cream dressing." take one head of the broad-leaved variety of lettuce, wash, and arrange them neatly around the sides of a salad bowl. place the cold, sliced tomatoes in the centre. pour over the dressing and serve. endive. this ought to be nicely blanched and crisp, and is the most wholesome of all salads. take two, cut away the root, remove the dark green leaves, and pick off all the rest; wash and drain well, add a few chives. dress with "mayonnaise dressing." endive is extensively cultivated for the adulteration of coffee; is also a fine relish, and has broad leaves. endive is of the same nature as chicory, the leaves being curly. celery salad. prepare the dressing the same as for tomato salad; cut the celery into bits half an inch long, and season. serve at once before the vinegar injures the crispness of the vegetables. lettuce salad. take the yolks of three hard-boiled eggs, and salt and mustard to taste; mash it fine; make a paste by adding a dessertspoonful of olive oil or melted butter (use butter always when it is difficult to get _fresh_ oil); mix thoroughly, and then dilute by adding _gradually_ a teacupful of vinegar, and pour over the lettuce. garnish by _slicing_ another egg and laying over the lettuce. this is sufficient for a moderate-sized dish of lettuce. potato salad, hot. pare six or eight large potatoes, and boil till done, and slice thin while hot; peel and cut up three large onions into small bits and mix with the potatoes; cut up some breakfast bacon into small bits, sufficient to fill a teacup and fry it a light brown; remove the meat, and into the grease stir three tablespoonfuls of vinegar, making a sour gravy, which with the bacon pour over the potato and onion; mix lightly. to be eaten when hot. potato salad, cold. chop cold boiled potatoes fine, with enough raw onions to season nicely; make a dressing as for lettuce salad, and pour over it. bean salad. string young beans; break into half-inch pieces or leave whole; wash and cook soft in salt water; drain well; add finely chopped onions, pepper, salt and vinegar; when cool, add olive oil or melted butter. to dress cucumbers raw. they should be as fresh from the vine as possible, few vegetables being more unwholesome when long gathered. as soon as they are brought in lay them in cold water. just before they are to go to the table take them out, pare them and slice them into a pan of fresh cold water. when they are all sliced, transfer them to a deep dish; season them with a little salt and black pepper, and pour over them some of the best vinegar. you may mix with them a small quantity of sliced onions, not to be eaten, but to communicate a slight flavor of onion to the vinegar. celery undressed. celery is sometimes sent to the table without dressing. scrape the outside stalks, and cut off the green tops and the roots; lay it in cold water until near the time to serve, then change the water, in which let it stand three or four minutes; split the stalks in three, with a sharp knife, being careful not to break them, and serve in goblet-shaped salad glasses. to crisp celery, let it lie in ice-water two hours before serving; to fringe the stalks, stick several coarse needles into a cork, and draw the stalk half way from the top through the needles several times and lay in the refrigerator to curl and crisp. radishes. all the varieties are generally served in the same manner, by scraping and placing on the table in glasses containing some cold water to keep them fresh looking. peppergrass and cress. these are used mostly as an appetizer, served simply with salt. cresses are occasionally used in making salad. horse-radish. horse-radish is an agreeable relish, and has a particularly fresh taste in the spring; is scraped fine or grated, and set on the table in a small covered cup; much that is bottled and sold as horse-radish is adulterated with grated turnip. lettuce. wash each leaf separately, breaking them from the head; crisp in ice-water and serve the leaves whole, to be prepared at table, providing hard-boiled eggs cut in halves or slices, oil and other ingredients, to be mixed at table to individual taste. catsups. tomato catsup. no. . put into two quarts of tomato pulp (or two cans of canned tomatoes) one onion, cut fine, two tablespoonfuls of salt and three tablespoonfuls of brown sugar. boil until quite thick; then take from the fire and strain it through a sieve, working it until it is all through but the seeds. put it back on the stove, and add two tablespoonfuls of mustard, one of allspice, one of black pepper and one of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of ground cloves, half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one grated nutmeg, one pint of good vinegar; boil it until it will just run from the mouth of a bottle. it should be watched, stirred often, that it does not burn. if sealed tight while _hot_, in large-mouthed bottles, it will keep good for years. tomato catsup. no. . cook one gallon of choice ripe tomatoes; strain them, and cook again until they become quite thick. about fifteen minutes before taking up put into them a small level teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful of mustard seed, half a tablespoonful of whole cloves, one tablespoonful of whole allspice, all tied in a thin muslin bag. at the same time, add one heaping tablespoonful of sugar, and one teacupful of best vinegar and salt to suit the taste. seal up air-tight, either in bottles or jugs. this is a valuable southern recipe. green tomato catsup. one peck of green tomatoes and two large onions sliced. place them in layers, sprinkling salt between; let them stand twenty-four hours and then drain them. add a quarter of a pound of mustard seed, one ounce allspice, one ounce cloves, one ounce ground mustard, one ounce ground ginger, two tablespoonfuls black pepper, two teaspoonfuls celery seed, a quarter of a pound of brown sugar. put all in preserving-pan, cover with vinegar and boil two hours; then strain through a sieve and bottle for use. walnut catsup. one hundred walnuts, six ounces of shallots, one head of garlic, half a pound of salt, two quarts of vinegar, two ounces of anchovies, two ounces of pepper, a quarter of an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves; beat in a large mortar a hundred green walnuts until they are thoroughly broken; then put them into a jar with six ounces of shallots cut into pieces, a head of garlic, two quarts of vinegar and the half pound of salt; let them stand for a fortnight, stirring them twice a day. strain off the liquor, put into a stewpan with the anchovies, whole pepper, half an ounce of cloves and a quarter of an ounce of mace; boil it half an hour, skimming it well. strain it off, and, when cold, pour it clear from any sediment into small bottles, cork it down closely and store it in a dry place. the sediment can be used for flavoring sauces. oyster catsup. one pint of oyster meats, one teacupful of sherry, a tablespoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper, the same of powdered mace, a gill of cider vinegar. procure the oysters very fresh and open sufficient to fill a pint measure; save the liquor and scald the oysters in it with the sherry; strain the oysters and chop them fine with the salt, cayenne and mace, until reduced to a pulp; then add it to the liquor in which they were scalded; boil it again five minutes and skim well; rub the whole through a sieve, and, when cold, bottle and cork closely. the corks should be sealed. mushroom catsup. use the larger kind known as umbrellas or "flaps." they must be very fresh and not gathered in very wet weather, or the catsup will be less apt to keep. wash and cut them in two to four pieces, and place them in a wide, flat jar or crock in layers, sprinkling each layer with salt, and let them stand for twenty-four hours; take them out and press out the juice, when bottle and cork; put the mushrooms back again, and in another twenty-four hours press them again; bottle and cork; repeat this for the third time, and then mix together all the juice extracted; add to it pepper, allspice, one or more cloves according to quantity, pounded together; boil the whole, and skim as long as any scum rises; bottle when cool; put in each bottle two cloves and a pepper-corn. cork and seal, put in a dry place, and it will keep for years. gooseberry catsup. ten pounds of fruit gathered just before ripening, five pounds of sugar, one quart of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls each of ground black pepper, allspice and cinnamon. boil the fruit in vinegar until reduced to a pulp, then add sugar and the other seasoning. seal it hot. grape catsup is made in the same manner. cucumber catsup. take cucumbers suitable for the table; peel and grate them, salt a little, and put in a bag to drain over night; in the morning season to taste with salt, pepper and vinegar, put in small jars and seal tight for fall or winter use. currant catsup. four pounds of currants, two pounds of sugar, one pint of vinegar, one teaspoonful of cloves, a tablespoonful of cinnamon, pepper and allspice. boil in a porcelain saucepan until thoroughly cooked. strain through a sieve all but the skins; boil down until just thick enough to run freely from the mouth of a bottle when cold. cork and set aside. apple catsup. peel and quarter a dozen sound, tart apples; stew them until soft in as little water as possible, then pass them through a sieve. to a quart of the sifted apple, add a teacupful of sugar, one teaspoonful of pepper, one of cloves, one of mustard, two of cinnamon, and two medium-sized onions, chopped _very_ fine. stir all together, adding a tablespoonful of salt and a pint of vinegar. place over the fire and boil one hour, and bottle while hot; seal very tight. it should be about as thick as tomato catsup, so that it will just run from the bottle. celery vinegar. a quart of fresh celery, chopped fine, or a quarter of a pound of celery seed; one quart of best vinegar; one tablespoonful of salt, and one of white sugar. put the celery or seed into a jar, heat the vinegar, sugar and salt; pour it boiling hot over the celery, let it cool, cover it tightly and set away. in two weeks strain and bottle. spiced vinegar. take one quart of cider vinegar, put into it half an ounce of celery seed, one-third of an ounce of dried mint, one-third of an ounce of dried parsley, one garlic, three small onions, three whole cloves, a teaspoonful of whole pepper-corns, a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, salt to taste and a tablespoonful of sugar; add a tablespoonful of good brandy. put all into a jar, and cover it well; let it stand for three weeks, then strain and bottle it well. useful for flavoring salad and other dishes. pickles. pickles should never be put into vessels of brass, copper or tin, as the action of the acid on such metals often results in poisoning the pickles. porcelain or granite-ware is the best for such purposes. vinegar that is used for pickling should be the best cider or white-wine, and should never be boiled more than five or six minutes, as it reduces its strength. in putting away pickles, use stone or glass jars; the glazing on common earthenware is rendered injurious by the action of the vinegar. when the jar is nearly filled with the pickles, the vinegar should completely cover them, and if there is any appearance of their not doing well, turn off the vinegar, cover with fresh vinegar and spices. alum in small quantities is useful in making them firm and crisp. in using ground spices, tie them up in muslin bags. to green pickles, put green grape-vine leaves or green cabbage leaves between them when heating. another way is to heat them in strong ginger tea. pickles should be kept closely covered, put into glass jars and sealed tightly. "turmeric" is india saffron, and is used very much in pickling as a coloring. a piece of horse-radish put into a jar of pickles will keep the vinegar from losing its strength, and the pickles will keep sound much longer, especially tomato pickles. cucumber pickles. select the medium, small-sized cucumbers. for one bushel make a brine that will bear up an egg; heat it boiling hot and pour it over the cucumbers; let them stand twenty-four hours, then wipe them dry; heat some vinegar boiling hot and pour over them, standing again twenty-four hours. now change the vinegar, putting on fresh vinegar, adding one quart of brown sugar, a pint of white mustard seed, a small handful of whole cloves, the same of cinnamon sticks, a piece of alum the size of an egg, half a cup of celery seed; heat it all boiling hot and pour over the cucumbers. sliced cucumber pickle. take one gallon of medium-sized cucumbers, put them into a jar or pail. put into enough _boiling_ water to cover them a small handful of salt, turn it over them and cover closely; repeat this three mornings, and the fourth morning scald enough cider vinegar to cover them, putting into it a piece of alum as large as a walnut, a teacup of horse-radish root cut up fine; then tie up in a small muslin bag, one teaspoonful of mustard, one of ground cloves, and one of cinnamon. slice up the cucumbers half of an inch thick, place them in glass jars and pour the scalding vinegar over them. seal tight and they will keep good a year or more. _mrs. lydia c. wright, south vernon, vermont._ cucumber pickles. (for winter use.) a good way to put down cucumbers, a few at a time:-- when gathered from the vines, wash, and put in a firkin or half barrel layers or cucumbers and rock-salt alternately, enough salt to make sufficient brine to cover them, no water; cover with a cloth; keep them under the brine with a heavy board; take off the cloth, and rinse it every time you put in fresh cucumbers, as a scum will rise and settle upon it. use plenty of salt and it will keep a year. to prepare pickles for use, soak in hot water, and keep in a warm place until they are fresh enough, then pour spiced vinegar over them and let them stand over night, then pour that off and put on fresh. green tomato pickles. (sweet.) one peck of green tomatoes, sliced the day before you are ready for pickling, sprinkling them through and through with salt, not _too_ heavily; in the morning drain off the liquor that will drain from them. have a dozen good-sized onions rather coarsely sliced; take a suitable kettle and put in a layer of the sliced tomatoes, then of onions, and between each layer sprinkle the following spices: six _red_ peppers chopped coarsely, one cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of ground allspice, one tablespoonful of ground cinnamon, a teaspoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful of mustard. turn over three pints of good vinegar, or enough to completely cover them; boil until tender. this is a choice recipe. if the flavor of onions is objectionable, the pickle is equally as good without them. green tomato pickles. (sour.) wash and slice, without peeling, one peck of sound green tomatoes, put them into a jar in layers with a slight sprinkling of salt between. this may be done over night; in the morning drain off the liquor that has accumulated. have two dozen medium-sized onions peeled and sliced, also six red peppers chopped fine. make some spiced vinegar by boiling for half an hour a quart of cider vinegar with whole spices in it. now take a porcelain kettle and place in it some of the sliced tomatoes, then some of the sliced onions; shake in some black pepper and some of the chopped red peppers; pour over some of the spiced vinegar; then repeat with the tomatoes, onions, etc., until the kettle is full; cover with cold, pure cider vinegar and cook until tender, but not too soft. turn into a jar well covered and set in a cool place. pickled mushrooms. sufficient vinegar to cover the mushrooms; to each quart of mushrooms two blades pounded mace, one ounce ground pepper, salt to taste. choose some nice young button mushrooms for pickling and rub off the skin with a piece of flannel and salt, and cut off the stalks; if very large, take out the red inside, and reject the black ones, as they are too old. put them in a stewpan, sprinkle salt over them, with pounded mace and pepper in the above proportion; shake them well over a clear fire until the liquor flows and keep them there until it is all dried up again; then add as much vinegar as will cover them; just let it simmer for one minute and store it away in stone jars for use. when cold tie down with bladder and keep in a dry place; they will remain good for a length of time, and are generally considered excellent for flavoring stews and other dishes. pickled cabbage. (purple.) cut a sound cabbage into quarters, spread it on a large flat platter or dish and sprinkle thickly with salt; set it in a cool place for twenty-four hours; then drain off the brine, wipe it dry and lay it in the sun two hours, and cover with cold vinegar for twelve hours. prepare a pickle by seasoning enough vinegar to cover the cabbage with equal quantities of mace, allspice, cinnamon and black pepper, a cup of sugar to every gallon of vinegar, and a teaspoonful of celery seed to every pint. pack the cabbage in a stone jar; boil the vinegar and spices five minutes and pour on hot. cover and set away in a cool, dry place. it will be good in a month. a few slices of beetroot improves the color. pickled white cabbage. this recipe recommends itself as of a delightful flavor yet easily made, and a convenient substitute for the old-fashioned, tedious method of pickling the same vegetable. take a peck of quartered cabbage, put a layer of cabbage and one of salt, let it remain over night; in the morning squeeze them and put them on the fire, with four chopped onions covered with vinegar; boil for half an hour, then add one ounce of turmeric, one gill of black pepper, one gill of celery seed, a few cloves, one tablespoonful of allspice, a few pieces of ginger, half an ounce of mace, and two pounds of brown sugar. let it boil half an hour longer, and when cold it is fit for use. four tablespoonfuls of made mustard should be added with the other ingredients. pickled cauliflower. break the heads into small pieces and boil ten or fifteen minutes in salt and water; remove from the water and drain carefully. when cold, place in a jar, and pour over it hot vinegar, in which has been scalded a liberal supply of whole cloves, pepper, allspice and white mustard. tie the spices in a bag, and, on removing the vinegar from the fire, stir into each quart of it two teaspoonfuls of french mustard, and half a cup of white sugar. cover tightly and be sure to have the vinegar cover the pickle. pickled green peppers. take two dozen large, green, bell peppers, extract the seeds by cutting a slit in the side (so as to leave them whole). make a strong brine and pour over them; let them stand twenty-four hours. take them out of the brine, and soak them in water for a day and a night; now turn off this water and scald some vinegar, in which put a small piece of alum, and pour over them, letting them stand three days. prepare a stuffing of two hard heads of white cabbage, chopped fine, seasoned slightly with salt and a cup of white mustard seed; mix it well and stuff the peppers hard and full; stitch up, place them in a stone jar, and pour over spiced vinegar scalding hot. cover tightly. green pepper mangoes. select firm, sound, green peppers, and add a few red ones as they are ornamental and look well upon the table. with a sharp knife remove the top, take out the seed, soak over night in salt water, then fill with chopped cabbage and green tomatoes, seasoned with salt, mustard seed and ground cloves. sew on the top. boil vinegar sufficient to cover them, with a cup of brown sugar, and pour over the mangoes. do this three mornings, then seal. chowchow. (superior english recipe.) this excellent pickle is seldom made at home, as we can get the imported article so much better than it can be made from the usual recipes. this we vouch for being as near the genuine article as can be made: one quart of young, tiny cucumbers, not over two inches long, two quarts of _very_ small white onions, two quarts of tender string beans, each one cut in halves, three quarts of green tomatoes, sliced and chopped very coarsely, two fresh heads of cauliflower, cut into small pieces, or two heads of white, hard cabbage. after preparing these articles, put them in a stone jar, mix them together, sprinkling salt between them sparingly. let them stand twenty-four hours, then drain off _all_ the brine that has accumulated. now put these vegetables in a preserving kettle over the fire, sprinkling through them an ounce of turmeric for coloring, six red peppers, chopped coarsely, four tablespoonfuls of mustard seed, two of celery seed, two of whole allspice, two of whole cloves, a coffee cup of sugar, and two-thirds of a teacup of best ground mixed mustard. pour on enough of the best cider vinegar to cover the whole well; cover tightly and simmer all well until it is cooked all through and seems tender, watching and stirring it often. put in bottles or glass jars. it grows better as it grows older, especially if sealed when hot. pickled onions. peel small onions until they are white. scald them in salt and water until tender, then take them up, put them into wide-mouthed bottles, and pour over them hot spiced vinegar; when cold cork them close. keep in a dry, dark place. a tablespoonful of sweet oil may be put in the bottles before the cork. the best sort of onions for pickling are the small white buttons. pickled mangoes. let the mangoes, or young musk-melons, lie in salt water, strong enough to bear an egg, for two weeks; then soak them in pure water for two days, changing the water two or three times; then remove the seeds and put the mangoes in a kettle, first a layer of grape leaves, then mangoes, and so on until all are in, covering the top with leaves; add a lump of alum the size of a hickory nut; pour vinegar over them and boil them ten or fifteen minutes; remove the leaves and let the pickles stand in this vinegar for a week; then stuff them with the following mixture: one pound of ginger soaked in brine for a day or two, and cut in slices, one ounce of black pepper, one of mace, one of allspice, one of turmeric, half a pound of garlic, soaked for a day or two in brine and then dried; one pint grated horse-radish, one of black mustard seed and one of white mustard seed; bruise all the spices and mix with a teacup of pure olive oil; to each mango add one teaspoonful of brown sugar; cut one solid head of cabbage fine; add one pint of small onions, a few small cucumbers and green tomatoes; lay them in brine a day and a night, then drain them well and add the imperfect mangoes chopped fine and the spices; mix thoroughly, stuff the mangoes and tie them; put them in a stone jar and pour over them the best cider vinegar; set them in a bright, dry place until they are canned. in a month add three pounds of brown sugar; if this is not sufficient, add more until agreeable to taste. this is for four dozen mangoes. pickle of ripe cucumbers. this is a french recipe and is the most excellent of all the high-flavored condiments; it is made by _sun-drying_ thirty _old_, full grown cucumbers, which have first been pared and split, had the seeds taken out, been salted and let stand twenty-four hours. the sun should be permitted to _dry_, not simply drain them. when they are moderately dry, wash them with vinegar and place them in layers in a jar, alternating them with a layer of horse-radish, mustard seed, garlic and onions for each layer of cucumbers. boil in one quart of vinegar, one ounce of race ginger, half an ounce of allspice and the same of turmeric; when cool pour this over the cucumbers, tie up tightly and set away. this pickle requires several months to mature it, but is delicious when old, keeps admirably, and only a little is needed as a relish. pickled oysters. one gallon of oysters; wash them well in their own liquor; carefully clear away the particles of shell, then put them into a kettle, strain the liquor over them, add salt to your taste, let them just come to the boiling point, or until the edges curl up; then skim them out and lay in a dish to cool; put a sprig of mace and a little cold pepper and allow the liquor to boil some time, skimming it now and then so long as any skum rises. pour it into a pan and let it cool. when perfectly cool, add a half pint of strong vinegar, place the oysters in a jar and pour the liquor over them. ripe cucumber pickles. (sweet.) pare and seed ripe cucumbers. slice each cucumber lengthwise into four pieces, or cut it into fancy shapes, as preferred. let them stand twenty-four hours covered with cold vinegar. drain them; then put them into fresh vinegar, with two pounds of sugar and one ounce of cassia buds to one quart of vinegar, and a tablespoonful of salt. boil all together twenty minutes. cover them closely in a jar. piccalilli. one peck of green tomatoes; eight large onions chopped fine, with one cup of salt well stirred in. let it stand over night; in the morning drain off all the liquor. now take two quarts of water and one of vinegar, boil all together twenty minutes. drain all through a sieve or colander. put it back into the kettle again; turn over it two quarts of vinegar, one pound of sugar, half a pound of white mustard seed, two tablespoonfuls of ground pepper, two of cinnamon, one of cloves, two of ginger, one of allspice, and half a teaspoonful of cayenne pepper. boil all together fifteen minutes or until tender. stir it often to prevent scorching. seal in glass jars. a most delicious accompaniment for any kind of meat or fish. _mrs. st. johns._ pickled eggs. pickled eggs are very easily prepared and most excellent as an accompaniment for cold meats. boil quite hard three dozen eggs, drop in cold water and remove the shells, and pack them when entirely cold in a wide-mouthed jar, large enough to let them in or out without breaking. take as much vinegar as you think will cover them entirely and boil it in white pepper, allspice, a little root ginger; pack them in stone or wide-mouthed glass jars, occasionally putting in a tablespoonful of white and black mustard seed mixed, a small piece of race ginger, garlic, if liked, horse-radish ungrated, whole cloves, and a very little allspice. slice two of three green peppers, and add in very small quantities. they will be fit for use in eight or ten days. an ornamental pickle. boil fresh eggs half an hour, then put them in cold water. boil red beets until tender, peel and cut in dice form, and cover with vinegar, spiced; shell the eggs and drop into the pickle jar. east india pickle. lay in strong brine for two weeks, or until convenient to use them, small cucumbers, very small common white onions, snap beans, gherkins, hard white cabbage quartered, plums, peaches, pears, lemons, green tomatoes and anything else you may wish. when ready, take them out of the brine and simmer in pure water until tender enough to stick a straw through--if still too salt, soak in clear water; drain thoroughly and lay them in vinegar in which is dissolved one ounce of turmeric to the gallon. for five gallons of pickle, take two ounces of mace, two of cloves, two of cinnamon, two of allspice, two of celery seed, a quarter of a pound of white race ginger, cracked fine, half a pound of white mustard seed, half a pint of small red peppers, quarter of a pound of grated horse-radish, half a pint of flour mustard, two ounces of turmeric, half a pint of garlic, if you like; soak in two gallons of cider vinegar for two weeks, stirring daily. after the pickles have lain in the turmeric vinegar for a week, take them out and put in jars or casks, one layer of pickle and one of spice out of the vinegar, till all is used. if the turmeric vinegar is still good and strong, add it and the spiced vinegar. if the turmeric vinegar be much diluted do not use it, but add enough fresh to the spiced to cover the pickles; put it on the fire with a pound of brown sugar to each gallon; when boiling, pour over the pickle. repeat this two or three times as your taste may direct. mixed pickles. scald in salt water until tender cauliflower heads, small onions, peppers, cucumbers cut in dice, nasturtiums and green beans; then drain until dry and pack into wide-mouthed bottles. boil in each pint of cider vinegar one tablespoonful of sugar, half a teaspoonful of salt and two tablespoonfuls of mustard; pour over the pickle and seal carefully. other spices may be added if liked. blueberry pickles. for blueberry pickles, old jars which have lost their covers, or whose edges have been broken so that the covers will not fit tightly, serve an excellent purpose as these pickles _must not_ be kept air-tight. pick over your berries, using only sound ones; fill your jars or wide-mouthed bottles to within an inch of the top, then pour in molasses enough to settle down into _all_ the spaces; this cannot be done in a moment, as molasses does not _run_ very freely. only lazy people will feel obliged to stand by and watch its progress. as it settles, pour in more until the berries are covered. then tie over the top a piece of cotton cloth to keep the flies and other insects out and set away in the preserve closet. cheap molasses is good enough, and your pickles will soon be "sharp." wild grapes may be pickled in the same manner. pickled butternuts and walnuts. these nuts are in the best state for pickling when the outside shell can be penetrated by the head of a pin. scald them and rub off the outside skin, put them in a strong brine for six days, changing the water every other day, keeping them closely covered from the air. then drain and wipe them (piercing each nut through in several places with a large needle) and prepare the pickle as follows: for a hundred large nuts, take of black pepper and ginger root each an ounce; and of cloves, mace and nutmeg, each a half ounce. pound all the spices to powder and mix them well together, adding two large spoonfuls of mustard seed. put the nuts into jars (having first stuck each of them through in several places with a large needle), strewing the powdered seasoning between every layer of nuts. boil for five minutes a gallon of the very best cider vinegar and pour it boiling hot upon the nuts. secure the jars closely with corks. you may begin to eat the nuts in a fortnight. watermelon pickle. ten pounds of watermelon rind boiled in pure water until tender; drain the water off, and make a syrup of two pounds of white sugar, one quart of vinegar, half an ounce of cloves, one ounce of cinnamon. the syrup to be poured over the rind boiling hot three days in succession. sweet pickle for fruit. most of the recipes for making a sweet pickle for fruit, such as cling-stone peaches, damsons, plums, cherries, apricots, etc., are so similar, that we give that which is most successfully used. to every quart of fruit, allow a cup of white sugar and a large pint of good cider vinegar, adding half an ounce of _stick_ cinnamon, one tablespoonful of _whole_ cloves, the same of whole allspice. let it come to a boil, and pour it hot over the fruit; repeat this two or three days in succession; then seal hot in glass jars if you wish to keep it for a long time. the _fruit_, not the liquor, is to be eaten, and used the same as any pickle. some confound this with "spiced fruit," which is not treated the same, one being a pickle, the other a spiced preserve boiled down thick. damsons and plums should be pricked with a needle, and peaches washed with a weak lye, and then rubbed with a coarse cloth to remove the fur. pear pickle. select small, sound ones, remove the blossom end, stick them with a fork, allow to each quart of pears one pint of cider vinegar and one cup of sugar, put in a teaspoonful allspice, cinnamon and cloves to boil with the vinegar; then add the pears and boil, and seal in jars. spiced currants. seven pounds of fruit, four pounds of sugar, one pint of good cider vinegar, one tablespoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves. put into a kettle and boil until the fruit is soft; then skim out the fruit, putting it on dishes until the syrup is boiled down thick. turn the fruit back into the syrup again, so as to heat it all through; then seal it hot in glass jars, and set it in a cool, dark place. any tart fruit may be put up in this way, and is considered a very good embellishment for cold meats. spiced plums. seven pounds of plums, one pint of _cider_ vinegar, four pounds of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of broken cinnamon bark, half as much of whole cloves and the same of broken nutmeg; place these in a muslin bag and simmer them in a little vinegar and water for half an hour; then add it all to the vinegar and sugar, and bring to a boil; add the plums and boil carefully until they are cooked tender. before cooking the plums they should be pierced with a darning needle several times; this will prevent the skins bursting while cooking. spiced grapes. take the pulp from the grapes, preserving the skins. boil the pulp and rub through a colander to get out the seeds; then add the skins to the strained pulp and boil with the sugar, vinegar and spices. to every seven pounds of grapes use four and one-half pounds of sugar, one pint of good vinegar. spice quite highly with ground cloves and allspice, with a little cinnamon. pickled cherries. select sound, large cherries, as large as you can get them; to every quart of cherries allow a large cupful of vinegar, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a dozen whole cloves, and half a dozen blades of mace; put the vinegar and sugar on to heat with the spices; boil five minutes, turn out into a covered stoneware vessel; cover and let it get perfectly cold; pack the cherries into jars, and pour the vinegar over them when cold; cork tightly and set away; they are fit for use almost immediately. vegetables. vegetables of all kinds should be thoroughly picked over, throwing out all decayed or unripe parts, then well washed in several waters. most vegetables, when peeled, are better when laid in cold water a short time before cooking. when partly cooked a little salt should be thrown into the water in which they are boiled, and they should cook steadily after they are put on, not allowed to stop boiling or simmering until they are thoroughly done. every sort of culinary vegetable is much better when freshly gathered and cooked as soon as possible, and, when done, thoroughly drained, and served immediately while hot. onions, cabbage, carrots and turnips should be cooked in a great deal of water, boiled only long enough to sufficiently cook them, and immediately drained. longer boiling makes them insipid in taste, and with _too little_ water they turn a dark color. potatoes rank first in importance in the vegetable line, and consequently should be properly served. it requires some little intelligence to cook even so simple and common a dish as boiled potatoes. in the first place, all defective or green ones should be cast out; a bad one will flavor a whole dish. if they are not uniform in size, they should be made so by cutting after they are peeled. the best part of a potato, or the most nutritious, is next to the skin, therefore they should be pared very thinly, if at all; then, if old, the cores should be cut out, thrown into _cold_ water salted a little, and boiled until soft enough for a fork to pierce through easily; drain immediately, and replace the kettle on the fire with the cover partly removed, until they are completely dried. new potatoes should be put into boiling water, and when partly done salted a little. they should be prepared just in time for cooking by scraping off the thin outside skin. they require about twenty minutes to boil. to boil new potatoes. do not have the potatoes dug long before they are dressed, as they are never good when they have been out of the ground for some time. well wash them, rub off the skins with a coarse cloth, and put them in _boiling_ water salted. let them boil until tender; try them with a fork, and when done pour the water away from them; let them stand by the side of the fire with the lid of the saucepan partly removed, and when the potatoes are thoroughly dry, put them in a hot vegetable dish, with a piece of butter the size of a walnut; pile the potatoes over this and serve. if the potatoes are too old to have the skins rubbed off; boil them in their jackets; drain, peel and serve them as above, with a piece of butter placed in the midst of them. they require twenty to thirty minutes to cook. serve them hot and plain, or with melted butter over them. mashed potatoes. take the quantity needed, pare off the skins and lay them in cold water half an hour; then put them into a saucepan with a little salt; cover with water and boil them until done. drain off the water and mash them fine with a potato masher. have ready a piece of butter the size of an egg, melted in half a cup of boiling hot milk and a good pinch of salt; mix it well with the mashed potatoes until they are a smooth paste, taking care that they are not too wet. put them into a vegetable dish, heaping them up and smooth over the top, put a small piece of butter on the top in the centre, and have dots of pepper here and there on the surface as large as a half dime. some prefer using a heavy fork or wire beater, instead of a potato masher, beating the potatoes quite light and heaping them up in the dish without smoothing over the top. browned potatoes. mash them the same as the above, put them into a dish that they are to be served in, smooth over the top and brush over with the yolk of an egg, or spread on a bountiful supply of butter and dust well with flour. set in the oven to brown; it will brown in fifteen minutes with a quick fire. mashed potatoes. (warmed over.) to two cupfuls of cold mashed potatoes add a half cupful of milk, a pinch of salt, a tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of flour and two eggs beaten to a froth. mix the whole until thoroughly light; then put into a pudding or vegetable dish, spread a little butter over the top and bake a golden brown. the quality depends upon very thoroughly beating the eggs before adding them, so that the potato will remain light and porous after baking, similar to sponge cake. potato puffs. prepare the potatoes as directed for mashed potato. while _hot_, shape in balls about the size of an egg. have a tin sheet well buttered, and place the balls on it. as soon as all are done, brush over with beaten egg. brown in the oven. when done, slip a knife under them and slide them upon a hot platter. garnish with parsley and serve immediately. potatoes Á la crÊme. heat a cupful of milk; stir in a heaping tablespoonful of butter cut up in as much flour. stir until smooth and thick; pepper and salt, and add two cupfuls of cold boiled potatoes, sliced, and a little very finely chopped parsley. shake over the fire until the potatoes are hot all through, and pour into a deep dish. new potatoes and cream. wash and rub new potatoes with a coarse cloth or scrubbing-brush; drop into boiling water and boil briskly until done, and no more; press a potato against the side of the kettle with a fork; if done, it will yield to a gentle pressure; in a saucepan have ready some butter and cream, hot, but not boiling, a little green parsley, pepper and salt; drain the potatoes, add the mixture, put over hot water for a minute or two, and serve. saratoga chips. peel good-sized potatoes, and slice them as evenly as possible. drop them into ice-water; have a kettle of very hot lard, as for cakes; put a few at a time into a towel and shake, to dry the moisture out of them, and then drop them into the boiling lard. stir them occasionally, and when of a light brown take them out with a skimmer, and they will be crisp and not greasy. sprinkle salt over them while hot. fried raw potatoes. peel half a dozen medium-sized potatoes very evenly, cut them in slices as thin as an egg-shell, and be sure to cut them from the _breadth_, not the length, of the potato. put a tablespoonful each of butter and sweet lard into the frying pan, and as soon as it boils add the sliced potatoes, sprinkling over them salt and pepper to season them. cover them with a tight-fitting lid, and let the steam partly cook them; then remove it, and let them fry a bright gold color, shaking and turning them carefully, so as to brown equally. serve very hot. fried, cold cooked potatoes may be fried by the same recipe, only slice them a little thicker. _remark_.--boiled or steamed potatoes chopped up or sliced while they are yet warm never fry so successfully as when cold. scalloped potatoes. (kentucky style.) peel and slice raw potatoes thin, the same as for frying. butter an earthen dish, put in a layer of potatoes, and season with salt, pepper, butter, a bit of onion chopped fine, if liked; sprinkle a little flour. now put another layer of potatoes and the seasoning. continue in this way till the dish is filled. just before putting into the oven, pour a quart of hot milk over. bake three-quarters of an hour. cold boiled potatoes may be cooked the same. it requires less time to bake them; they are delicious either way. if the onion is disliked it can be omitted. steamed potatoes. this mode of cooking potatoes is now much in vogue, particularly where they are wanted on a large scale, it being so very convenient. pare the potatoes, throw them into cold water as they are peeled, then put them in a steamer. place the steamer over a saucepan of boiling water, and steam the potatoes from twenty to forty minutes, according to the size and sort. when the fork goes easily through them, they are done; then take them up, dish and serve very quickly. potato snow. choose some mealy potatoes that will boil exceedingly white; pare them and cook them well, but not so as to be watery; drain them, and mash and season them well. put in the saucepan in which they were dressed, so as to keep them as hot as possible; then press them through a wire sieve into the dish in which they are to be served; strew a little fine salt upon them previous to sending them to table. french cooks also add a small quantity of pounded loaf sugar while they are being mashed. hasty cooked potatoes. wash and peel some potatoes; cut them into slices of about a quarter of an inch in thickness; throw them into _boiling_ salted water, and, if of good quality, they will be done in about ten minutes. strain off the water, put the potatoes into a hot dish, chop them slightly, add pepper, salt, and a few small pieces of fresh butter, and serve without loss of time. favorite warmed potatoes. the potatoes should be boiled _whole with the skins on_ in plenty of water, well _salted_, and are much better for being boiled the day before needed. care should be taken that they are not over cooked. strip off the skins (not pare them with a knife) and slice them nearly a quarter of an inch thick. place them in a chopping-bowl and sprinkle over them sufficient salt and pepper to season them well; chop them all one way, then turn the chopping-bowl half way around and chop across them, cutting them into little square pieces the shape of dice. about twenty-five minutes before serving time, place on the stove a saucepan (or any suitable dish) containing a piece of butter the size of an egg; when it begins to melt and run over the bottom of the dish, put in a cup of rich sweet milk. when this boils up put in the chopped potatoes; there should be about a quart of them; stir them a little so that they become moistened through with the milk; then cover and place them on the back of the stove, or in a moderate oven, where they will heat through gradually. when heated through, stir carefully from the bottom with a spoon and cover tightly again. keep hot until ready to serve. baked potatoes are very good warmed in this manner. crisp potatoes. cut cold raw potatoes into shavings, cubes, or any small shape; throw them, a few at a time, into boiling fat and toss them about with a knife until they are a uniform light brown; drain and season with salt and pepper. fat is never hot enough while bubbling--when it is ready it is still and smoking, but should never burn. lyonnaise potatoes. take eight or ten good-sized cold boiled potatoes, slice them end-wise, then crosswise, making them like dice in small squares. when you are ready to cook them, heat some butter or good drippings in a frying pan; fry in it one small onion (chopped fine) until it begins to change color and look yellow. now put in your potatoes, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, stir well and cook about five minutes, taking care that you do not break them. _they must not brown._ just before taking up stir in a tablespoonful of minced parsley. drain dry by shaking in a heated colander. serve _very hot_. _delmonico_ potato fillets. pare and slice the potatoes thin; cut them if you like in small fillets about a quarter of an inch square, and as long as the potato will admit; keep them in cold water until wanted, then drop them into boiling lard; when nearly done, take them out with a skimmer and drain them, boil up the lard again, drop the potatoes back and fry till done; this operation causes the fillets to swell up and puff. potato croquettes. no. . wash, peel and put four large potatoes in cold water, with a pinch of salt, and set them over a brisk fire; when they are done pour off all the water and mash them. take another saucepan, and put in it ten tablespoonfuls of milk and a lump of butter half the size of an egg; put it over a brisk fire; as soon as the milk comes to a boil, pour the potatoes into it, and stir them very fast with a wooden spoon; when thoroughly mixed, take them from the fire and put them on a dish. take a tablespoonful and roll it in a clean towel, making it oval in shape; dip it in a well-beaten egg, and then in bread crumbs, and drop it in hot drippings or lard. proceed in this manner till all the potato is used, four potatoes making six croquettes. fry them a light brown all over, turning them gently as may be necessary. when they are done, lay them on brown paper or a hair sieve, to drain off all fat; then serve on a napkin. potato croquettes. no. . take two cups of cold mashed potatoes, season with a pinch of salt, pepper and a tablespoonful of butter. beat up the whites of two eggs, and work all together thoroughly; make it into small balls slightly flattened, dip them in the beaten yolks of the eggs, then roll either in flour or cracker crumbs; fry the same as fish-balls. _delmonico's._ potatoes Á la delmonico. cut the potatoes with a vegetable cutter into small balls about the size of a marble; put them into a stewpan with plenty of butter and a good sprinkling of salt; keep the saucepan covered, and shake occasionally until they are quite done, which will be in about an hour. fried potatoes with eggs. slice cold boiled potatoes and fry in good butter until brown; beat up one or two eggs, and stir into them just as you dish them for the table; do not leave them a moment on the fire after the eggs are in, for if they harden they are not half so nice; one egg is enough for three or four persons, unless they are very fond of potatoes; if they are, have plenty and put in two. baked potatoes. potatoes are either baked in their jackets or peeled; in either case they should not be exposed to a fierce heat, which is wasteful, inasmuch as thereby a great deal of vegetable is scorched and rendered uneatable. they should be frequently turned while being baked and kept from touching each other in the oven or dish. when done in their skins, be particular to wash and brush them before baking them. if convenient, they may be baked in wood-ashes, or in a dutch oven in front of the fire. when pared they should be baked in a dish and fat of some kind added to prevent their outsides from becoming burnt; they are ordinarily baked thus as an accessory to baked meat. never serve potatoes, boiled or baked whole, in a closely covered dish. they become sodden and clammy. cover with a folded napkin that allows the steam to escape, or absorbs the moisture. they should be served promptly when done and require about three-quarters of an hour to one hour to bake them, if of a good size. browned potatoes with a roast. no. . about three-quarters of an hour before taking up your roasts, peel middling-sized potatoes, boil them until partly done, then arrange them in the roasting-pan around the roast, basting them with the drippings at the same time you do the meat, browning them evenly. serve hot with the meat. many cooks partly boil the potatoes before putting around the roast. new potatoes are very good cooked around a roast. browned potatoes with a roast. no. . peel, cook and mash the required quantity, adding while hot a little chopped onion, pepper and salt; form it into small oval balls and dredge them with flour; then place around the meat about twenty minutes before it is taken from the oven. when nicely browned, drain dry and serve hot with the meat. sweet potatoes. boiled, steamed and baked the same as irish potatoes; generally cooked with their jackets on. cold sweet potatoes may be cut in slices across or lengthwise, and fried as common potatoes; or may be cut in half and served cold. boiled sweet potatoes are very nice. boil until partly done, peel them and bake brown, basting them with butter or beef drippings several times. served hot. they should be a nice brown. baked sweet potatoes. wash and scrape them, split them lengthwise. steam or boil them until nearly done. drain, and put them in a baking dish, placing over them lumps of butter, pepper and salt; sprinkle thickly with sugar, and bake in the oven to a nice brown. hubbard squash is nice cooked in the same manner. onions boiled. the white silver-skins are the best species. to boil them peel off the outside, cut off the ends, put them into cold water, and into a stewpan and let them scald two minutes; then turn off that water, pour on cold water salted a little, and boil slowly till tender, which will be in thirty or forty minutes, according to their size; when done drain them quite dry, pour a little melted butter over them, sprinkle them with pepper and salt and serve hot. an excellent way to peel onions so as not to affect the eyes is to take a pan _full_ of water and hold and peel them under the water. onions stewed. cook the same as boiled onions, and, when quite done, turn off all the water; add a teacupful of milk, a piece of butter the size of an egg, pepper and salt to taste, a tablespoonful of flour stirred to a cream; let all boil up once and serve in a vegetable dish hot. onions baked. use the large spanish onion, as best for this purpose; wash them clean, but do not peel, and put into a saucepan with slightly salted water; boil an hour, replacing the water with more boiling hot as it evaporates; turn off the water and lay the onions on a cloth to dry them well; roll each one in a piece of buttered tissue paper, twisting it at the top to keep it on, and bake in a slow oven about an hour, or until tender all through; peel them; place in a deep dish and brown slightly, basting well with butter for fifteen minutes; season with salt and pepper and pour some melted butter over them. fried onions. peel, slice and fry them brown in equal quantities of butter and lard or nice drippings; cover until partly soft, remove the cover and brown them; salt and pepper. scalloped onions. take eight or ten onions of good size, slice them and boil until tender. lay them in a baking-dish, put in bread crumbs, butter in small bits, pepper and salt, between each layer until the dish is full, putting bread crumbs last; add milk or cream until full. bake twenty minutes or half an hour. a little onion is not an injurious article of food, as many believe. a judicious use of plants of the onion family is quite as important a factor in successful cookery as salt and pepper. when carefully concealed by manipulation in food, it affords zest and enjoyment to many who could not otherwise taste of it were its presence known. a great many successful compounds derive their excellence from the partly concealed flavor of the onion, which imparts a delicate appetizing aroma highly prized by epicures. cauliflower. when cleaned and washed, drop them into boiling water, into which you have put salt and a teaspoonful of flour, or a slice of bread; boil till tender; take off, drain and dish them; serve with a sauce spread over and made with melted butter, salt, pepper, grated nutmeg, chopped parsley and vinegar. another way is to make a white sauce (see sauces) and when the cauliflowers are dished as above, turn the white sauce over, and serve warm. they may also be served in the same way with a milk, cream, or tomato sauce, or with brown butter. it is a very good plan to loosen the leaves of a head of cauliflower and let lie, the top downward, in a pan of cold salt water, to remove any insects that might be hidden between them. fried cauliflower. boil the cauliflower till about half done. mix two tablespoonfuls of flour with two yolks of eggs, then add water enough to make a rather thin paste; add salt to taste; the two whites are beaten till stiff, and then mixed with the yolks, flour and water. dip each branch of the cauliflower into the mixture, and fry them in hot fat. when done, take them off with a skimmer, turn into a colander, dust salt all over and serve warm. asparagus, celery, egg-plant, oyster plant are all fine when fried in this manner. cabbage boiled. great care is requisite in cleaning a cabbage for boiling, as it frequently harbors numerous insects. the large drumhead cabbage requires an hour to boil; the green savory cabbage will boil in twenty minutes. add considerable salt to the water when boiling. do not let a cabbage boil too long--by a long boiling it becomes watery. remove it from the water into a colander to drain and serve with drawn butter, or butter poured over it. red cabbage is used for slaw, as is also the white winter cabbage. for directions to prepare these varieties, see articles slaw and sourcrout. cabbage with cream. remove the outer leaves from a solid, small-sized head of cabbage, and cut the remainder as fine as for slaw. have on the fire a spider or deep skillet, and when it is hot put in the cut cabbage, pouring over it right away a pint of boiling water. cover closely and allow it to cook rapidly for ten minutes. drain off the water and add half a pint of new milk, or part milk and cream; when it boils, stir in a large teaspoonful of either wheat or rice flour moistened with milk; add salt and pepper, and as soon as it comes to a boil, serve. those who find slaw and other dishes prepared from cabbage indigestible will not complain of this. steamed cabbage. take a sound, solid cabbage, and with a large sharp knife shave it _very fine_. put it in a saucepan, pour in half a teacupful of water, or just enough to keep it from burning; cover it very tightly, so as to confine the steam; watch it closely, add a little water now and then, until it begins to be tender; then put into it a large tablespoonful of butter; salt and pepper to taste, dish it hot. if you prefer to give it a tart taste, just before taking from the fire add a third of a cup of good vinegar. ladies' cabbage. boil a firm white cabbage fifteen minutes, changing the water then for more from the boiling tea-kettle. when tender, drain and set aside until perfectly cold. chop fine and add two beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of butter, pepper, salt, three tablespoonfuls of rich milk or cream. stir all well together, and bake in a buttered pudding-dish until brown. serve very hot. this dish resembles cauliflower and is very digestible and palatable. fried cabbage. place in a frying pan an ounce of butter and heat it boiling hot. then take cold boiled cabbage chopped fine, or cabbage hot, cooked the same as steamed cabbage, put it into the hot butter and fry a light brown, adding two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. very good. french way of cooking cabbage. chop cold boiled white cabbage and let it drain till perfectly dry: stir in some melted butter to taste; pepper, salt and four tablespoonfuls of cream; after it is heated through add two well-beaten eggs; then turn the mixture into a buttered frying pan, stirring until it is very hot and becomes a delicate brown on the under side. place a hot dish over the pan, which must be reversed when turned out to be served. sourcrout. barrels having held wine or vinegar are used to prepare sourcrout in. it is better, however, to have a special barrel for the purpose. strasburg, as well as all alsace, has a well-acquired fame for preparing the cabbages. they slice very white and firm cabbages in fine shreds with a machine made for the purpose. at the bottom of a small barrel they place a layer of coarse salt and alternately layers of cabbage and salt, being careful to have one of salt on the top. as each layer of cabbage is added, it must be pressed down by a large and heavy pestle and fresh layers are added as soon as the juice floats on the surface. the cabbage must be seasoned with a few grains of coriander, juniper berries, etc. when the barrel is full it must be put in a dry cellar, covered with a cloth, under a plank, and on this heavy weights are placed. at the end of a few days it will begin to ferment, during which time the pickle must be drawn off and replaced by fresh, until the liquor becomes clear. this should be done every day. renew the cloth and wash the cover, put the weights back and let stand for a month. by that time the sourcrout will be ready for use. care must be taken to let the least possible air enter the sourcrout and to have the cover perfectly clean. each time the barrel has to be opened it must be properly closed again. these precautions must not be neglected. this is often fried in the same manner as fried cabbage, excepting it is first boiled until soft in just water enough to cook it, then fry and add vinegar. to boil rice. pick over the rice carefully, wash it in warm water, rubbing it between the hands, rinsing it in several waters, then let it remain in cold water until ready to be cooked. have a saucepan of water slightly salted; when it is boiling hard, pour off the cold water from the rice, and sprinkle it in the boiling water by degrees, so as to keep the particles separated. boil it steadily for twenty minutes, then take it off from the fire and drain off all the water. place the saucepan with the lid partly off, on the back part of the stove, where it is only moderately warm, to allow the rice to dry. the moisture will pass off and each grain of rice will be separated, so that if shaken the grains will fall apart. this is the true way of serving rice as a vegetable and is the mode of cooking it in the southern states where it is raised. parsnips, boiled. wash, scrape and split them. put them into a pot of boiling water; add a little salt, and boil them till quite tender, which will be in from two to three hours, according to their size. dry them in a cloth when done and pour melted butter or white sauce (see sauces) over them in the dish. serve them up with any sort of boiled meat or with salt cod. parsnips are very good baked or stewed with meat. fried parsnips. boil tender in a little hot water salted; scrape, cut into long slices, dredge with flour; fry in hot lard or dripping, or in butter and lard mixed; fry quite brown. drain off fat and serve. parsnips may be boiled and mashed the same as potatoes. stewed parsnips. after washing and scraping the parsnips slice them about half of an inch thick. put them in a saucepan of boiling water containing just enough to barely cook them; add a tablespoonful of butter, season with salt and pepper, then cover closely. stew them until the water has cooked away, watching carefully and stirring often to prevent burning, until they are soft. when they are done they will be of a creamy light straw color and deliciously sweet, retaining all the goodness of the vegetable. parsnip fritters. boil four or five parsnips; when tender take off the skin and mash them fine; add to them a teaspoonful of wheat flour and a beaten egg; put a tablespoonful of lard or beef drippings in a frying pan over the fire, add to it a saltspoonful of salt; when boiling hot put in the parsnips; make it in small cakes with a spoon; when one side is a delicate brown turn the other; when both are done take them on a dish, put a very little of the fat in which they were fried over and serve hot. these resemble very nearly the taste of the salsify or oyster plant, and will generally be preferred. creamed parsnips. boil tender, scrape and slice lengthwise. put over the fire with two tablespoonfuls of butter, pepper and salt and a little minced parsley. shake until the mixture boils. dish the parsnips, add to the sauce three tablespoonfuls of cream or milk in which has been stirred a quarter of a spoonful of flour. boil once and pour over the parsnips. stewed tomatoes. pour boiling water over a dozen sound ripe tomatoes; let them remain for a few moments; then peel off the skins, slice them and put them over the fire in a well-lined tin or granite-ware saucepan. stew them about twenty minutes, then add a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to taste; let them stew fifteen minutes longer and serve hot. some prefer to thicken tomatoes with a little grated bread, adding a teaspoonful of sugar; and others who like the flavor of onion chop up one and add while stewing; then again, some add as much green corn as there are tomatoes. to peel tomatoes. put the tomatoes into a frying basket and plunge them into hot water for three or four minutes. drain and peel. another way is to place them in a flat baking-tin and set them in a hot oven about five minutes; this loosens the skins so that they readily slip off. scalloped tomatoes. butter the sides and bottom of a pudding-dish. put a layer of bread crumbs in the bottom; on them put a layer of sliced tomatoes; sprinkle with salt, pepper and some bits of butter, and a very _little_ white sugar. then repeat with another layer of crumbs, another of tomato and seasoning until full, having the top layer of slices of tomato, with bits of butter on each. bake covered until well cooked through; remove the cover and brown quickly. stuffed baked tomatoes. from the blossom end of a dozen tomatoes--smooth, ripe and solid--cut a thin slice and with a small spoon scoop out the pulp without breaking the rind surrounding it; chop a small head of cabbage and a good-sized onion fine and mix with them fine bread crumbs and the pulp; season with pepper, salt and sugar and add a cup of sweet cream; when all is well mixed, fill the tomato shells, replace the slices and place the tomatoes in a buttered baking-dish, cut ends up and put in the pan just enough water to keep from burning; drop a small lump of butter on each tomato and bake half an hour or so, till well done; place another bit of butter on each and serve in same dish. very fine. another stuffing which is considered quite fine. cut a slice from the stem of each and scoop out the soft pulp. mince one small onion and fry it slightly; add a gill of hot water, the tomato pulp and two ounces of cold veal or chicken chopped fine, simmer slowly and season with salt and pepper. stir into the pan cracker dust or bread crumbs enough to absorb the moisture; take off from the fire and let it cool; stuff the tomatoes with this mass, sprinkle dry crumbs over the top; add a small piece of butter to the top of each and bake until slightly browned on top. baked tomatoes. (plain.) peel and slice quarter of an inch thick; place in layers in a pudding-dish, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper, butter and a very little white sugar. cover with a lid or large plate and bake half an hour. remove the lid and brown for fifteen minutes. just before taking from the oven pour over the top three or four tablespoonfuls of whipped cream with melted butter. to prepare tomatoes. (raw.) carefully remove the peelings. only perfectly ripe tomatoes should ever be eaten raw and if ripe the skins easily peel off. scalding injures the flavor. slice them and sprinkle generously with salt, more sparingly with black pepper, and to a dish holding one quart, add a light tablespoonful of sugar to give a piquant zest to the whole. lastly, add a gill of best cider vinegar; although, if you would have a dish yet better suited to please an epicurean palate, you may add a teaspoonful of made mustard and two tablespoonfuls of rich sweet cream. fried and broiled tomatoes. cut firm, large, ripe tomatoes into thick slices, rather more than a quarter of an inch thick. season with salt and pepper, dredge well with flour, or roll in egg and crumbs, and fry them brown on both sides evenly, in hot butter and lard mixed. or, prepare them the same as for frying, broiling on a well-greased gridiron, seasoning afterward the same as beefsteak. a good accompaniment to steak. or, having prepared the following sauce, a pint of milk, a tablespoonful of flour and one beaten egg, salt, pepper and a very little mace; cream an ounce of butter, whisk into it the milk and let it simmer until it thickens; pour the sauce on a hot side-dish and arrange the tomatoes in the centre. scrambled tomatoes. remove the skins from a dozen tomatoes; cut them up in a saucepan; add a little butter, pepper and salt; when sufficiently boiled, beat up five or six eggs and just before you serve turn them into the saucepan with the tomatoes, and stir one way for two minutes, allowing them time to be done thoroughly. cucumber Á la crÊme. peel and cut into slices (lengthwise) some fine cucumbers. boil them until soft; salt to taste, and serve with delicate cream sauce. for tomato salad, see salads, also for raw cucumbers. fried cucumbers. pare them and cut lengthwise in very thick slices; wipe them dry with a cloth; sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour, and fry in lard and butter, a tablespoonful of each mixed. brown both sides and serve warm. green corn, boiled. this should be cooked on the same day it is gathered; it loses its sweetness in a few hours and must be artificially supplied. strip off the husks, pick out all the silk and put it in boiling water; if not entirely fresh, add a tablespoonful of sugar to the water, but _no salt_; boil twenty minutes, fast, and serve; or you may cut it from the cob, put in plenty of butter and a little salt, and serve in a covered vegetable dish. the corn is much sweeter when cooked with the husks on, but requires longer time to boil. will generally boil in twenty minutes. green corn left over from dinner makes a nice breakfast dish, prepared as follows: cut the corn from the cob, and put into a bowl with a cup of milk to every cup of corn, a half cup of flour, one egg, a pinch of salt, and a little butter. mix well into a thick batter, and fry in small cakes in very hot butter. serve with plenty of butter and powdered sugar. [illustration: the famous east room.] [illustration: the red room.] [illustration: the blue room.] corn pudding. this is a virginia dish. scrape the substance out of twelve ears of tender, green, uncooked corn (it is better scraped than grated, as you do not get those husky particles which you cannot avoid with a grater); add yolks and whites, beaten separately, of four eggs, a teaspoonful of sugar, the same of flour mixed in a tablespoonful of butter, a small quantity of salt and pepper, and one pint of milk. bake about half or three-quarters of an hour. stewed corn. take a dozen ears of green sweet corn, very tender and juicy; cut off the kernels, cutting with a large sharp knife from the top of the cob down; then scrape the cob. put the corn in a saucepan over the fire with just enough water to make it cook without burning; boil about twenty minutes, then add a teacupful of milk or cream, a tablespoonful of cold butter, and season with pepper and salt. boil ten minutes longer and dish up hot in a vegetable dish. the corn would be much sweeter if the scraped cobs were boiled first in the water that the corn is cooked in. many like corn cooked in this manner, putting half corn and half tomatoes; either way is very good. fried corn. cut the corn off the cob, taking care not to bring off any of the husk with it and to have the grains as separate as possible. fry in a little butter--just enough to keep it from sticking to the pan; stir very often. when nicely browned, add salt and pepper and a little rich cream. do not set it near the stove after the cream is added, as it will be apt to turn. this makes a nice dinner or breakfast dish. roasted green corn. strip off all the husk from green corn and roast it on a gridiron over a bright fire of coals, turning it as one side is done. or, if a wood fire is used, make a place clean in front of the fire, lay the corn down, turn it when one side is done; serve with salt and butter. succotash. take a pint of fresh shelled lima beans, or any large fresh beans, put them in a pot with cold water, rather more than will cover them. scrape the kernels from twelve ears of young sweet corn; put the cobs in with the beans, boiling from half to three-quarters of an hour. now take out the cobs and put in the scraped corn; boil again fifteen minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste, a piece of butter the size of an egg and half a cup of cream. serve hot. fried egg-plant. take fresh, purple egg-plants of a middling size; cut them in slices a quarter of an inch thick, and soak them for half an hour in cold water, with a teaspoonful of salt in it. have ready some cracker or bread crumbs and one beaten egg; drain off the water from the slices, lay them on a napkin, dip them in the crumbs and then in the egg, put another coat of crumbs on them and fry them in butter to a light brown. the frying pan must be hot before the slices are put in--they will fry in ten minutes. you may pare them before you put them into the frying pan, or you may pull off the skins when you take them up. you must not remove them from the water until you are ready to cook them, as the air will turn them black. stuffed egg-plant. cut the egg-plant in two; scrape out all the inside and put it in a saucepan with a little minced ham; cover with water and boil until soft; drain off the water; add two tablespoonfuls of grated crumbs, a tablespoonful of butter, half a minced onion, salt and pepper; stuff each half of the hull with the mixture; add a small lump of butter to each and bake fifteen minutes. minced veal or chicken in the place of ham, is equally as good and many prefer it. string beans. break off the end that grew to the vine, drawing off at the same time the string upon the edge; repeat the same process from the other end; cut them with a sharp knife into pieces half an inch long, and boil them in _just enough_ water to _cover_ them. they usually require one hour's boiling; but this depends upon their age and freshness. after they have boiled until tender and the water _boiled nearly out_, add pepper and salt, a tablespoonful of butter and a half a cup of cream; if you have not the cream add more butter. many prefer to drain them before adding the seasoning; in that case they lose the real goodness of the vegetable. lima and kidney beans. these beans should be put into boiling water, a little more than enough to cover them, and boiled till tender--from half an hour to two hours; serve with butter and salt upon them. these beans are in season from the last of july to the last of september. there are several other varieties of beans used as summer vegetables, which are cooked as above. for baked beans, see pork and beans. celery. this is stewed the same as green corn, by boiling, adding cream, butter, salt and pepper. stewed salsify or oyster-plant. wash the roots and scrape off their skins, throwing them, as you do so, into cold water, for exposure to the air causes them to immediately turn dark. then cut crosswise into little thin slices; throw into fresh water, enough to cover; add a little salt and stew in a covered vessel until tender, or about one hour. pour off a little of the water, add a small lump of butter, a little pepper, and a gill of sweet cream and a teaspoonful of flour stirred to a paste. boil up and serve hot. salsify may be simply boiled and melted butter turned over them. fried salsify. stew the salsify as usual till very tender; then with the back of a spoon or a potato jammer mash it very fine. beat up an egg, add a teacupful of milk, a little flour, butter and seasoning of pepper and salt. make into little cakes, and fry a light brown in boiling lard. beets boiled. select small-sized, smooth roots. they should be carefully washed, but not cut before boiling, as the juice will escape and the sweetness of the vegetable be impaired, leaving it white and hard. put them into boiling water, and boil them until tender, which requires often from one to two hours. do not probe them, but press them with the finger to ascertain if they are sufficiently done. when satisfied of this, take them up, and put them into a pan of cold water, and slip off the outside. cut them into thin slices, and while hot season with butter, salt, a little pepper and very sharp vinegar. baked beets. beets retain their sugary, delicate flavor to perfection if they are baked instead of boiled. turn them frequently while in the oven, using a knife, as the fork allows the juice to run out. when done remove the skin, and serve with butter, salt and pepper on the slices. stewed beets. boil them first and then scrape and slice them. put them into a stewpan with a piece of butter rolled in flour, some boiled onion and parsley chopped fine, and a little vinegar, salt and pepper. set the pan on the fire, and let the beets stew for a quarter of an hour. okra. this grows in the shape of pods, and is of a gelatinous character, much used for soup, and is also pickled; it may be boiled as follows: put the young and tender pods of long white okra in salted boiling water in granite, porcelain or a tin-lined saucepan--as contact with iron will discolor it; boil fifteen minutes; remove the stems, and serve with butter, pepper, salt and vinegar if preferred. asparagus. scrape the stems of the asparagus lightly, but very clean; throw them into cold water and when they are all scraped and very clean, tie them in bunches of equal size; cut the large ends evenly, that the stems may be all of the same length, and put the asparagus into plenty of boiling water, well salted. while it is boiling, cut several slices of bread half an inch thick, pare off the crust and toast it a delicate brown on both sides. when the stalks of the asparagus are tender (it will usually cook in twenty to forty minutes) lift it out directly, or it will lose both its color and flavor and will also be liable to break; dip the toast quickly into the liquor in which it was boiled and dish the vegetable upon it, the heads all lying one way. pour over white sauce, or melted butter. asparagus with eggs. boil a bunch of asparagus twenty minutes; cut off the tender tops and lay them in a deep-pie plate, buttering, salting and peppering well. beat up four eggs, the yolks and whites separately to a stiff froth; add two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, a tablespoonful of warm butter, pepper and salt to taste. pour evenly over the asparagus mixture. bake eight minutes or until the eggs are set. very good. green peas. shell the peas and wash in cold water. put in boiling water just enough to cover them well and keep them from burning; boil from twenty minutes to half an hour, when the liquor should be nearly boiled out; season with pepper and salt and a good allowance of butter; serve very hot. this is a very much better way than cooking in a larger quantity of water and draining off the liquor, as that diminishes the sweetness, and much of the fine flavor of the peas is lost. the salt should never be put in the peas before they are tender, unless very young, as it tends to harden them. stewed green peas. into a saucepan of boiling water put two or three pints of young green peas and when nearly done and tender drain in a colander dry; then melt two ounces of butter in two of flour; stir well and boil five minutes longer; should the pods be quite clean and fresh boil them first in the water, remove and put in the peas. the germans prepare a very palatable dish of sweet young pods alone by simply stirring in a little butter with some savory herbs. squashes, or cymblings. the green or summer squash is best when the outside is beginning to turn yellow, as it is then less watery and insipid than when younger. wash them, cut them into pieces and take out the seeds. boil them about three-quarters of an hour, or till quite tender. when done, drain and squeeze them well till you have pressed out all the water; mash them with a little butter, pepper and salt. then put the squash thus prepared into a stewpan, set it on hot coals and stir it very frequently till it becomes dry. take care not to let it burn. summer squash is very nice steamed, then prepared the same as boiled. boiled winter squash. this is much finer than the summer squash. it is fit to eat in august, and, in a dry warm place, can be kept well all winter. the color is a very bright yellow. pare it, take out the seeds, cut it in pieces, and stew it slowly till quite soft in a very little water. afterwards drain, squeeze and press it well; then mash it with a very little butter, pepper and salt. they will boil in from twenty to forty minutes. baked winter squash. cut open the squash, take out the seeds and without paring cut it up into large pieces; put the pieces on tins or in a dripping-pan, place in a moderately hot oven and bake about an hour. when done, peel and mash like mashed potatoes, or serve the pieces hot on a dish, to be eaten warm with butter like sweet potatoes. it retains its sweetness much better baked this way than when boiled. vegetable hash. chop rather coarsely the remains of vegetables left from a boiled dinner, such as cabbage, parsnips, potatoes, etc.; sprinkle over them a little pepper, place in a saucepan or frying pan over the fire; put in a piece of butter the size of a hickory nut; when it begins to melt, tip the dish so as to oil the bottom and around the sides; then put in the chopped vegetables, pour in a spoonful or two of hot water from the tea-kettle, cover quickly so as to keep in the steam. when heated thoroughly take off the cover and stir occasionally until well cooked. serve hot. persons fond of vegetables will relish this dish very much. spinach. it should be cooked so as to retain its bright green color and not sent to table, as it so often is, of a dull brown or olive color; to retain its fresh appearance, do not cover the vessel while it is cooking. spinach requires dose examination and picking, as insects are frequently found among it and it is often gritty. wash it through three or four waters. then drain it and put it in boiling water. fifteen to twenty minutes is generally sufficient time to boil spinach. be careful to remove the scum. when it is quite tender, take it up, and drain and squeeze it well. chop it fine, and put it into a saucepan with a piece of butter and a little pepper and salt. set it on the fire and let it stew five minutes, stirring it all the time, until quite dry. turn it into a vegetable dish, shape it into a mound, slice some hard-boiled eggs and lay around the top. greens. about a peck of greens are enough for a mess for a family of six, such as dandelions, cowslips, burdock, chicory and other greens. all greens should be carefully examined, the tough ones thrown out, then be thoroughly washed through several waters until they are entirely free from sand. the addition of a handful of salt to each pan of water used in washing the greens will free them from insects and worms, especially if after the last watering they are allowed to stand in salted water for a half hour or longer. when ready to boil the greens, put them into a large pot half full of boiling water, with a handful of salt, and boil them steadily until the stalks are tender; this will be in from five to twenty minutes, according to the maturity of the greens; but remember that long-continued boiling wastes the tender substances of the leaves, and so diminishes both the bulk and the nourishment of the dish; for this reason it is best to cut away any tough stalks before beginning to cook the greens. as soon as they are tender drain them in a colander, chop them a little and return them to the fire long enough to season them with salt, pepper and butter; vinegar may be added if it is liked; the greens should be served as soon as they are hot. all kinds of greens can be cooked in this manner. stewed carrots. wash and scrape the carrots and divide them into strips; put them into a stewpan with water enough to cover them; add a spoonful of salt and let them boil slowly until tender; then drain and replace them in the pan, with two tablespoons of butter rolled in flour, shake over a little pepper and salt, then add enough cream or milk to moisten the whole; let it come to a boil and serve hot. carrots mashed. scrape and wash them; cook them tender in boiling water salted slightly. drain well and mash them. work in a good piece of butter and season with pepper and salt. heap up on a vegetable dish and serve hot. carrots are also good simply boiled in salted water and dished up hot with melted butter over them. turnips. turnips are boiled plain with or without meat, also mashed like potatoes and stewed like parsnips. they should always be served hot. they require from forty minutes to an hour to cook. stewed pumpkins. see stewed pumpkin for pie. cook the same, then after stewing season the same as mashed potatoes. pumpkin is good baked in the same manner as baked winter squash. stewed endive. _ingredients._--six heads of endive, salt and water, one pint of broth, thickening of butter and flour, one tablespoonful of lemon juice, a small lump of sugar. _mode._--wash and free the endive thoroughly from insects, remove the green part of the leaves, and put it into boiling water, slightly salted. let it remain for ten minutes; then take it out, drain it till there is no water remaining and chop it very fine. put it into a stewpan with the broth, add a little salt and a lump of sugar, and boil until the endive is perfectly tender. when done, which may be ascertained by squeezing a piece between the thumb and finger, add a thickening of butter and flour and the lemon juice; let the sauce boil up and serve. _time._--ten minutes to boil, five minutes to simmer in the broth. baked mushrooms. prepare them the same as for stewing. place them in a baking-pan in a moderate oven. season with salt, pepper, lemon juice and chopped parsley. cook in the oven fifteen minutes, baste with butter. arrange on a dish and pour the gravy over them. serve with sauce made by heating a cup of cream, two ounces of butter, a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a little cayenne pepper, salt, a tablespoonful of white sauce and two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice. put in a saucepan and set on the fire. stir until thick, but do not let boil. mushrooms are very nice placed on slices of well-buttered toast when set into the oven to bake. they cook in about fifteen minutes. stewed mushrooms. time, twenty-one minutes. button mushrooms, salt to taste, a little butter rolled in flour, two tablespoonfuls of cream or the yolk of one egg. choose buttons of uniform size. wipe them clean and white with a wet flannel; put them in a stewpan with a little water and let them stew very gently for a quarter of an hour. add salt to taste, work in a little flour and butter, to make the liquor about as thick as cream, and let it boil for five minutes. when you are ready to dish it up, stir in two tablespoonfuls of cream or the yolk of an egg; stir it over the fire for a minute, but do not let it boil, and serve. stewed button mushrooms are very nice, either in fish stews or ragouts, or served apart to eat with fish. another way of doing them is to stew them in milk and water (after they are rubbed white), add to them a little veal gravy, mace and salt and thicken the gravy with cream or the yolks of eggs. mushrooms can be cooked in the same manner as the recipes for oysters, either stewed, fried, broiled, or as a soup. they are also used to flavor sauces, catsups, meat gravies, game and soups. canned mushrooms. canned mushrooms may be served with good effect with game and even with beefsteak if prepared in this way: open the can and pour off every drop of the liquid found there; let the mushrooms drain, then put them in a saucepan with a little cream and butter, pepper and salt; let them simmer gently for from five to ten minutes, and when the meat is on the platter pour the mushrooms over it. if served with steak, that should be very tender and be broiled, never in any case fried. mushrooms for winter use. wash and wipe free from grit the small fresh button mushrooms. put into a frying pan a quarter of a pound of the very best butter. add to it two whole cloves, a saltspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of lemon juice. when hot add a quart of the small mushrooms, toss them about in the butter for a moment only, then put them in jars; fill the top of each jar with an inch or two of the butter and let it cool. keep the jars in a cool place, and when the butter is quite firm add a top layer of salt. cover to keep out dust. the best mushrooms grow on uplands or in high open fields, where the air is pure. truffles. the truffle belongs to the family of the mushrooms; they are used principally in this country as a condiment for boned turkey and chicken, scrambled eggs, fillets of beef, game and fish. when mixed in due proportion, they add a peculiar zest and flavor to sauces that cannot be found in any other plant in the vegetable kingdom. italian style of dressing truffles. ten truffles, a quarter of a pint of salad oil, pepper and salt to taste, one tablespoonful of minced parsley, a very little finely minced garlic, two blades of pounded mace, one tablespoonful of lemon juice. after cleansing and brushing the truffles, cut them into thin slices and put them in a baking-dish, on a seasoning of oil or butter, pepper, salt, parsley, garlic and mace in the above proportion. bake them for nearly an hour, and just before serving add the lemon juice and send them to the table very hot. truffles au naturel. select some fine truffles; cleanse them by washing them in several waters with a brush until not a particle of sand or grit remains on them; wrap each truffle in buttered paper and bake in a hot oven for quite an hour; take off the paper; wipe the truffles and serve them in a hot napkin. macaroni. macaroni Á la italienne. divide a quarter of a pound of macaroni into four-inch pieces. simmer fifteen minutes in plenty of boiling water, salted. drain. put the macaroni into a saucepan and turn over it a strong soup stock, enough to prevent burning. strew over it an ounce of grated cheese; when the cheese is melted, dish. put alternate layers of macaroni and cheese, then turn over the soup stock and bake half an hour. macaroni and cheese. break half a pound of macaroni into pieces an inch or two long; cook it in boiling water, enough to cover it well; put in a good teaspoonful of salt; let it boil about twenty minutes. drain it well and then put a layer in the bottom of a well-buttered pudding-dish; upon this some grated cheese and small pieces of butter, a bit of salt, then more macaroni, and so on, filling the dish; sprinkle the top layer with a thick layer of cracker crumbs. pour over the whole a teacupful of cream or milk. set it in the oven and bake half an hour. it should be nicely browned on top. serve in the same dish in which it was baked with a clean napkin pinned around it. timbale of macaroni. break in very short lengths small macaroni (vermicelli, spaghetti, tagliarini). let it be rather overdone; dress it with butter and grated cheese; then work into it one or two eggs, according to quantity. butter and bread crumb a plain mold, and when the macaroni is nearly cold fill the mold with it, pressing it well down and leaving a hollow in the centre, into which place a well-flavored mince of meat, poultry or game; then fill up the mold with more macaroni, pressed well down. bake in a moderately heated oven, turn out and serve. macaroni Á la crÊme. boil one-quarter of a pound of macaroni in plenty of hot water, salted, until tender; put half a pint of milk in a double boiler, and when it boils stir into it a mixture of two tablespoonfuls of butter and one of flour. add two tablespoonfuls of cream, a little white and cayenne pepper; salt to taste, and from one-quarter to one-half a pound of grated cheese, according to taste. drain and dish the macaroni; pour the boiling sauce over it and serve immediately. macaroni and tomato sauce. divide half a pound of macaroni into four-inch pieces, put it into boiling salted water enough to cover it; boil from fifteen to twenty minutes then drain; arrange it neatly on a hot dish and pour tomato sauce over it, and serve immediately while hot. see sauces for tomato sauce. [illustration] butter and cheese to make butter. thoroughly scald the churn, then cool well with ice or spring water. now pour in the thick cream; churn fast at first, then, as the butter forms, more slowly; always with perfect regularity; in warm weather, pour a little cold water into the churn, should the butter form slowly; in the winter, if the cream is too cold, add a little warm water to bring it to the proper temperature. when the butter has "come", rinse the sides of the churn down with cold water and take the butter up with a perforated dasher or a wooden ladle, turning it dexterously just below the surface of the buttermilk to catch every stray bit; have ready some very cold water in a deep wooden tray; and into this plunge the dasher when you draw it from the churn; the butter will float off, leaving the dasher free. when you have collected all the butter, gather behind a wooden butter ladle and drain off the water, squeezing and pressing the butter with the ladle; then pour on more cold water and work the butter with the ladle to get the milk out, drain off the water, sprinkle salt over the butter--a tablespoonful to a pound; work it in a little and set in a cool place for an hour to harden, then work and knead it until not another drop of water exudes, and the butter is perfectly smooth, and close in texture and polish; then with the ladle make up into rolls, little balls, stamped pats, etc. the churn, dasher, tray and ladle should be well scalded before using, so that the butter will not stick to them, and then cooled with very cold water. when you skim cream into your cream jar, stir it well into what is already there, so that it may all sour alike; and no _fresh cream should be put with it_ within twelve hours before churning, or the butter will not come quickly; and perhaps, not at all. butter is indispensable in almost all culinary preparations. good fresh butter, used in moderation, is easily digested; it is softening, nutritious and fattening, and is far more easily digested than any other of the oleaginous substances sometimes used in its place. to make butter quickly. immediately after the cow is milked, strain the milk into clean pans, and set it over a moderate fire until it is scalding hot; do not let it boil; then set it aside; when it is cold, skim off the cream; the milk will still be fit for any ordinary use; when you have enough cream put it into a clean earthen basin; beat it with a wooden spoon until the butter is made, which will not be long; then take it from the milk and work it with a little cold water, until it is free from milk; then drain off the water, put a small tablespoonful of fine salt to each pound of butter and work it in. a small teaspoonful of fine white sugar, worked in with the salt, will be found an improvement--sugar is a great preservative. make the butter in a roll; cover it with a bit of muslin and keep it in a cool place. a reliable recipe. a brine to preserve butter. first work your butter into small rolls, wrapping each one carefully in a clean muslin cloth, tying them up with a string. make a brine, say three gallons, having it strong enough of salt to bear up an egg; add half a teacupful of pure, white sugar, and one tablespoonful of saltpetre; boil the brine, and when cold strain it carefully. pour it over the rolls so as to more than cover them, as this excludes the air. place a weight over all to keep the rolls under the surface. putting up butter to keep. take of the best pure common salt two quarts, one ounce of white sugar and one of saltpetre; pulverize them together completely. work the butter well, then thoroughly work in an ounce of this mixture to every pound of butter. the butter is to be made into half-pound rolls, and put into the following brine--to three gallons of brine strong enough to bear an egg, add a quarter of a pound of white sugar. _orange co., n. y. style_ curds and cream. one gallon of milk will make a moderate dish. put one spoonful of prepared rennet to each quart of milk, and when you find that it has become curd, tie it loosely in a thin cloth and hang it to drain; do not wring or press the cloth; when drained, put the curd into a mug and set in cool water, which must be frequently changed (a refrigerator saves this trouble). when you dish it, if there is whey in the mug, lie it gently out without pressing the curd; lay it on a deep dish, and pour fresh cream over it; have powdered loaf-sugar to eat with it; also hand the nutmeg grater. prepared rennet can be had at almost any druggist's, and at a reasonable price. new jersey cream cheese. first scald the quantity of milk desired; let it cool a little, then add the rennet; the directions for quantity are given on the packages of "prepared rennet." when the curd is formed, take it out on a ladle without breaking it; lay it on a thin cloth held by two persons; dash a ladleful of water over each ladleful of curd, to separate the curd; hang it up to drain the water off, and then put it under a light press for one hour; cut the curd with a thread into small pieces; lay a cloth between each two, and press for an hour; take them out, rub them with fine salt, let them lie on a board for an hour, and wash them in cold water; let them lie to drain, and in a day or two the skin will look dry; put some sweet grass under and over them, and they will soon ripen. cottage cheese. put a pan of sour or loppered milk on the stove or range where it is not too hot; let it scald until the whey rises to the top (be careful that it does not boil, or the curd will become hard and tough). place a clean doth or towel over a sieve and pour this whey and curd into it, living it covered to drain two or three hours; then put it into a dish and chop it fine with a spoon, adding a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of butter and enough sweet cream to make the cheese the consistency of putty. with your hands make it into little balls flattened. keep it in a cool place. many like it made rather thin with cream, serving it in a deep dish. you may make this cheese of sweet milk by forming the curd with prepared rennet. slip. slip is bonny-clabber without its acidity, and so delicate is its flavor that many persons like it just as well as ice cream. it is prepared thus:--make a quart of milk moderately warm; then stir into it one large spoonful of the preparation called rennet; set it by, and when cool again it will be as stiff as jelly. it should be made only a few hours before it is to be used, or it will be tough and watery; in summer set the dish on ice after it has jellied. it must be served with powdered sugar, nutmeg and cream. cheese fondu. melt an ounce of butter and whisk into it a pint of boiled milk. dissolve two tablespoonfuls of flour in a gill of cold milk, add it to the boiled milk and let it cool. beat the yolks of four eggs with a heaping teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper and five ounces of grated cheese. whip the whites of the eggs and add them, pour the mixture into a deep tin lined with buttered paper, and allow for the rising, say four inches. bake twenty minutes and serve the moment it leaves the oven. cheese soufflÉ. melt an ounce of butter in a saucepan; mix smoothly with it one ounce of flour, a pinch of salt and cayenne and a quarter of a pint of milk; simmer the mixture gently over the fire, stirring it all the time, till it is as thick as melted butter, stir into it about three ounces of finely-grated parmesan, or any good cheese. turn it into a basin and mix with it the yolks of two well-beaten eggs. whisk three whites to a solid froth, and just before the souffle is baked put them into it, and pour the mixture into a small round tin. it should be only half filled, as the fondu will rise very high. pin a napkin around the dish in which it is baked, and serve the moment it is baked. it would be well to have a metal cover strongly heated. time twenty minutes. sufficient for six persons. scalloped cheese. any person who is fond of cheese could not fail to favor this recipe. take three slices of bread well-buttered, first cutting off the brown outside crust. grate fine a quarter of a pound of any kind of good cheese; lay the bread in layers in a buttered baking-dish, sprinkle over it the grated cheese, some salt and pepper to taste. mix four well-beaten eggs with three cups of milk; pour it over the bread and cheese. bake it in a hot oven as you would cook a bread pudding. this makes an ample dish for four people. pastry ramakins. take the remains or odd pieces of any light puff paste left from pies or tarts; gather up the pieces of paste, roll it out evenly, and sprinkle it with grated cheese of a nice flavor. fold the paste in three, roll it out again, and sprinkle more cheese over; fold the paste, roll it out, and with a paste-cutter shape it in any way that may be desired. bake the ramakins in a brisk oven from ten to fifteen minutes; dish them on a hot napkin and serve quickly. the appearance of this dish may be very much improved by brushing the ramakins over with yolk of egg before they are placed in the oven. where expense is not objected to, parmesan is the best kind of cheese to use for making this dish. very nice with a cup of coffee for a lunch. cayenne cheese straws. a quarter of a pound of flour, two ounces butter, two ounces grated parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt and a few grains of cayenne pepper. mix into a paste with the yolk of an egg. roll out to the thickness of a silver quarter, about four or five inches long; cut into strips about a third of an inch wide, twist them as you would a paper spill and lay them on a baking-sheet slightly floured. bake in a moderate oven until crisp, but they must not be the least brown. if put away in a tin these straws will keep a long time. serve cold, piled tastefully on a glass dish. you can make the straws of remnants of puff pastry, rolling in the grated cheese. cheese cream toast. stale bread may be served as follows: toast the slices and cover them slightly with grated cheese; make a cream for ten slices out of a pint of milk and two tablespoonfuls of plain flour. the milk should be boiling, and the flour mixed in a little cold water before stirring in. when the cream is nicely cooked, season with salt and butter; set the toast and cheese in the oven for three or four minutes and then pour the cream over them. welsh rarebit. grate three ounces of dry cheese and mix it with the yolks of two eggs, put four ounces of grated bread and three of butter; beat the whole together in a mortar with a dessertspoonful of made mustard, a little salt and some pepper; toast some slices of bread, cut off the outside crust, cut it in shapes and spread the paste thick upon them, and put them in the oven, let them become hot and slightly browned, serve hot as possible. eggs and omelets. there are so many ways of cooking and dressing eggs, that it seems unnecessary for the ordinary family to use those that are not the most practical. to ascertain the freshness of an egg, hold it between your thumb and forefinger in a horizontal position, with a strong light in front of you. the fresh egg will have a clear appearance, both upper and lower sides being the same. the stale egg will have a clear appearance at the lower side, while the upper side will exhibit a dark or cloudy appearance. another test is to put them in a pan of cold water; those that are the first to sink are the freshest; the stale will rise and float on top; or, if the large end turns up in the water, they are not fresh. the best time for preserving eggs is from july to september. to preserve eggs. there are several recipes for preserving eggs and we give first one which we know to be effectual, keeping them fresh from august until spring. take a piece of quick-lime as large as a good-sized lemon and two teacupfuls of salt; put it into a large vessel and slack it with a gallon of boiling water. it will boil and bubble until thick as cream; when it is cold, pour off the top, which will be perfectly clear. drain off this liquor, and pour it over your eggs; see that the liquor more than covers them. a stone jar is the most convenient--one that holds about six quarts. another manner of preserving eggs is to pack them in a jar with layers of salt between, the large end of the egg downward, with a thick layer of salt at the top; cover tightly and set in a cool place. some put them in a wire basket or a piece of mosquito net and dip them in boiling water half a minute; then pack in sawdust. still another manner is to dissolve a cheap article of gum arabic, about as thin as muscilage, and brush over each egg with it; then pack in powdered charcoal; set in a cool, dark place. eggs can be kept for some time by smearing the shells with butter or lard; then packed in plenty of bran or sawdust, the eggs not allowed to touch one another; or coat the eggs with melted paraffine. boiled eggs. eggs for boiling cannot be too fresh, or boiled too soon after they are laid; but rather a longer time should be allowed for boiling a new-laid egg than for one that is three or four days old. have ready a saucepan of boiling water; put the eggs into it gently with a spoon, letting the spoon touch the bottom of the saucepan before it is withdrawn, that the egg may not fall and consequently crack. for those who like eggs lightly boiled, three minutes will be found sufficient; three and three-quarters to four minutes will be ample time to set the white nicely; and if liked hard, six or seven minutes will not be found too long. should the eggs be unusually large, as those of black spanish fowls sometimes are, allow an extra half minute for them. eggs for salad should be boiled for ten or fifteen minutes, and should be placed in a basin of cold water for a few minutes to shrink the meat from the shell; they should then be rolled on the table with the hand and the shell will peel off easily. soft boiled eggs. when properly cooked eggs are done evenly through, like any other food. this result may be obtained by putting the eggs into a dish with a cover, or a tin pail, and then pouring upon them _boiling_ water--two quarts or more to a dozen of eggs--and cover and set them away where they will keep _hot_ and _not_ boil for ten to twelve minutes. the heat of the water cooks the eggs slowly, evenly and sufficiently, leaving the centre or yolk harder than the white, and the egg tastes as much richer and nicer as a fresh egg is nicer than a stale egg. scalloped eggs. hard-boil twelve eggs; slice them thin in rings; in the bottom of a large well-buttered baking-dish place a layer of grated bread crumbs, then one of eggs; cover with bits of butter and sprinkle with pepper and salt. continue thus to blend these ingredients until the dish is full; be sure, though, that the crumbs cover the eggs upon top. over the whole pour a large teacupful of sweet cream or milk and brown nicely in a moderately heated oven. shirred eggs. set into the oven until quite hot a common white dish large enough to hold the number of eggs to be cooked, allowing plenty of room for each. melt in it a small piece of butter, and breaking the eggs carefully in a saucer, one at a time, slip them into the hot dish; sprinkle over them a small quantity of pepper and salt and allow them to cook four or five minutes. adding a tablespoonful of cream for every two eggs, when the eggs are first slipped in, is a great improvement. this is far more delicate than fried eggs. or prepare the eggs the same and set them in a steamer over boiling water. they are usually served in hotels baked in individual dishes, about two in a dish, and in the same dish they were baked in. scrambled eggs. put a tablespoonful of butter into a hot frying pan; tip around so that it will touch all sides of the pan. having ready half a dozen eggs broken in a dish, salted and peppered, turn them (without beating) into the hot butter; stir them one way briskly for five or six minutes or until they are mixed. be careful that they do not get too hard. turn over toast or dish up without. poached or dropped eggs. have one quart of _boiling_ water and one tablespoonful of salt in a frying pan. break the eggs, one by one, into a saucer, and slide carefully into the salted water. dash with a spoon a little water over the egg, to keep the top white. the beauty of a poached egg is for the yolk to be seen blushing through the white, which should only be just sufficiently hardened to form a transparent veil for the egg. cook until the white is firm, and lift out with a griddle cake turner and place on toasted bread. serve immediately. a tablespoonful of vinegar put into the water keeps the eggs from spreading. open gem rings are nice placed in the water and an egg dropped into each ring. fried eggs. break the eggs, one at a time, into a saucer, and then slide them carefully off into a frying pan of lard and butter mixed, dipping over the eggs the hot grease in spoonfuls, or turn them over, frying both sides without breaking them. they require about three minutes' cooking. eggs can be fried round like balls, by dropping one at a time into a quantity of hot lard, the same as for fried cakes, first stirring the hot lard with a stick until it runs round like a whirlpool; this will make the eggs look like balls. take out with a skimmer. eggs can be poached the same in boiling water. eggs aux fines herbes. roll an ounce of butter in a good teaspoonful of flour; season with pepper, salt and nutmeg; put it into a coffeecupful of fresh milk, together with two teaspoonfuls of chopped parsley; stir and simmer it for fifteen minutes, add a teacupful of thick cream. hard-boil five eggs and halve them; arrange them in a dish with the ends upwards, pour the sauce over them, and decorate with little heaps of fried bread crumbs round the margin of the dish. poached eggs Á la crÊme. put a quart of hot water, a tablespoonful of vinegar and a teaspoonful of salt into a frying pan, and break each egg separately into a saucer; slip the egg carefully into the hot water, simmer three or four minutes until the white is set, then with a skimmer lift them out into a hot dish. empty the pan of its contents, put in half a cup of cream, or rich milk; if milk, a large spoonful of butter; pepper and salt to taste, thicken with a very little cornstarch; let it boil up once, and turn it over the dish of poached eggs. it can be served on toast or without. it is a better plan to warm the cream in butter in a separate dish, that the eggs may not have to stand. eggs in cases. make little paper cases of buttered writing paper; put a small piece of butter in each, and a little chopped parsley or onion, pepper and salt. place the cases upon a gridiron over a moderate fire of bright coals, and when the butter melts, break a fresh egg into each case. strew in upon them a few seasoned bread crumbs, and when nearly done, glaze the tops with a hot shovel. serve in the paper cases. minced eggs. chop up four or five hard-boiled eggs; do not mince them too fine. put over the fire in a suitable dish a cupful of milk, a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper, and some savory chopped small. when this comes to a boil stir into it a tablespoonful of flour, dissolved in a little cold milk. when it cooks thick like cream put in the minced eggs. stir it gently around and around for a few moments and serve, garnished with sippets of toast. any particular flavor may be given to this dish, such as that of mushrooms, truffles, catsup, essence of shrimps, etc., or some shred anchovy may be added to the mince. mixed eggs and bacon. take a nice rasher of mild bacon; cut it into squares no larger than dice; fry it quickly until nicely browned; but on no account burn it. break half a dozen eggs into a basin, strain and season them with pepper, add them to the bacon, stir the whole about and, when sufficiently firm, turn it out into a dish. decorate with hot pickles. mixed eggs generally--savory or sweet. much the same method is followed in mixed eggs generally, whatever may be added to them; really it is nothing more than an omelet which is stirred about in the pan while it is being dressed, instead of being allowed to set as a pancake. chopped tongue, oysters, shrimps, sardines, dried salmon, anchovies, herbs, may be used. cold eggs for a picnic. this novel way of preparing cold egg for the lunch-basket fully repays one for the extra time required. boil hard several eggs, halve them lengthwise; remove the yolks and chop them fine with cold chicken, lamb, veal or any tender, roasted meat; or with bread soaked in milk and any salad, as parsley, onion, celery, the bread being half of the whole; or with grated cheese, a little olive oil, drawn butter, flavored. fill the cavity in the egg with either of these mixtures, or any similar preparation. press the halves together, roll twice in beaten egg and bread crumbs, and dip into boiling lard. when the color rises delicately, drain them and they are ready for use. omelets. in making an omelet, care should be taken that the omelet pan is hot and dry. to insure this, put a small quantity of lard or suet into a clean frying pan, let it simmer a few minutes, then remove it; wipe the pan dry with a towel, and then put in a tablespoonful of butter. the smoothness of the pan is most essential, as the least particle of roughness will cause the omelet to stick. as a general rule, a small omelet can be made more successfully than a large one, it being much better to make two small ones of four eggs each, than to try double the number of eggs in one omelet and fail. allow one egg to a person in making an omelet and one tablespoonful of milk; this makes an omelet more puffy and tender than one made without milk. many prefer them without milk. omelets are called by the name of what is added to give them flavor, as minced ham, salmon, onions, oysters, etc., beaten up in the eggs in due quantity, which gives as many different kind of omelets. they are also served over many kinds of thick sauces or purees, such as tomato, spinach, endive, lettuce, celery, etc. if vegetables are to be added, they should be already cooked, seasoned and hot; place in the centre of the omelet, just before turning; so with mushroom, shrimps, or any cooked ingredients. all omelets should be served the moment they are done, as they harden by standing, and care taken that they do not _cook too much_. sweet omelets are generally used for breakfast or plain desserts. plain omelet. put a smooth, clean, iron frying pan on the fire to heat; meanwhile, beat four eggs very light, the whites to a stiff froth and the yolks to a thick batter. add to the yolks four tablespoonfuls of milk, pepper and salt; and, lastly, stir in the whites lightly. put a piece of butter nearly half the size of an egg into the heated pan; turn it so that it will moisten the entire bottom, taking care that it does not scorch. just as it begins to boil, pour in the eggs. hold the frying pan handle in your left hand, and, as the eggs whiten, carefully, with a spoon, draw up lightly from the bottom, letting the raw part run out on the pan, till all be equally cooked; shake with your left hand, till the omelet be free from the pan, then turn with a spoon one half of the omelet over the other; let it remain a moment, but continue shaking, lest it adhere; toss to a warm platter held in the right hand, or lift with a flat, broad shovel; the omelet will be firm around the edge, but creamy and light inside. meat or fish omelets. take cold meat, fish, game or poultry of any kind; remove all skin, sinew, etc., and either cut it small or pound it to a paste in a mortar, together with a proper proportion of spices and salt; then either toss it in a buttered frying pan over a clear fire till it begins to brown and pour beaten eggs upon it, or beat it up with the eggs, or spread it upon them after they have begun to set in the pan. in any case serve hot, with or without a sauce, but garnish with crisp herbs in branches, pickles, or sliced lemon. the right proportion is one tablespoonful of meat to four eggs. a little milk, gravy, water, or white wine, may be advantageously added to the eggs while they are being beaten. potted meats make admirable omelets in the above manner. vegetable omelet. make a purée by mashing up ready-dressed vegetables, together with a little milk, cream or gravy and some seasoning. the most suitable vegetables are cucumbers, artichokes, onions, sorrel, green peas, tomatoes, lentils, mushrooms, asparagus tops, potatoes, truffles or turnips. prepare some eggs by beating them very light. pour them into a nice hot frying pan, containing a spoonful of butter; spread the purée upon the upper side; and when perfectly hot, turn or fold the omelet together and serve. or cold vegetables may be merely chopped small, then tossed in a little butter, and some beaten and seasoned eggs poured over. omelet of herbs. parsley, thyme and sweet marjoram mixed gives the famous _omelette aux fines herbes_ so popular at every wayside inn in the most remote corner of sunny france. an omelet "jardiniere" is two tablespoonfuls of mixed parsley, onion, chives, shallots and a few leaves each of sorrel and chevril, minced fine and stirred into the beaten eggs before cooking. it will take a little more butter to fry it than a plain one. cheese omelet. beat up three eggs, and add to them a tablespoonful of milk and a tablespoonful of grated cheese; add a little more cheese before folding; turn it out on a hot dish; grate a little cheese over it before serving. asparagus omelet. boil with a little salt, and until about half cooked, eight or ten stalks of asparagus, and cut the eatable part into rather small pieces; beat the egg and mix the asparagus with them. make the omelet as above directed. omelet with parsley is made by adding a little chopped parsley. tomato omelet. no. . peel a couple of tomatoes, which split into four pieces; remove the seeds and cut them into small dice; then fry them with a little butter until nearly done, adding salt and pepper. beat the eggs and mix the tomatoes with them, and make the omelet as usual. or stew a few tomatoes in the usual way and spread over before folding. tomato omelet. no. . cut in slices and place in a stewpan six peeled tomatoes; add a tablespoonful of cold water, a little pepper and salt. when they begin to simmer, break in six eggs, stir well, stirring one way, until the eggs are cooked, but not too hard. serve warm. rice omelet. take a cup of cold boiled rice, turn over it a cupful of warm milk, add a tablespoonful of butter melted, a level teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper; mix well, then add three well-beaten eggs. put a tablespoonful of butter in a hot frying pan, and when it begins to boil pour in the omelet and set the pan in a hot oven. as soon as it is cooked through, fold it double, turn it out on a hot dish, and serve at once. very good. ham omelet. cut raw ham into dice, fry with butter and when cooked enough, turn the beaten egg over it and cook as a plain omelet. if boiled ham is used, mince it and mix with the egg after they are beaten. bacon may be used instead of raw ham. chicken omelet. mince rather fine one cupful of cooked chicken, warm in a teacupful of cream or rich milk a tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper; thicken with a large tablespoonful of flour. make a plain omelet, then add this mixture just before turning it over. this is much better than the dry minced chicken. tongue is equally good. mushroom omelet. clean a cupful of large button mushrooms, canned ones may be used; cut them into bits. put into a stewpan an ounce of butter and let it melt; add the mushrooms, a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper and half a cupful of cream or milk. stir in a teaspoonful of flour, dissolved in a little milk or water to thicken, if needed. boil ten minutes, and set aside until the omelet is ready. make a plain omelet the usual way, and just before doubling it, turn the mushrooms over the centre and serve hot. oyster omelet. parboil a dozen oysters in their own liquor, skim them out and let them cool; add them to the beaten eggs, either whole or minced. cook the same as a plain omelet. thicken the liquid with butter rolled in flour; season with salt, cayenne pepper and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. chop up the oysters and add to the sauce. put a few spoonfuls in the centre of the omelet before folding; when dished, pour the remainder of the sauce around it. fish omelet. make a plain omelet, and when ready to fold, spread over it fish prepared as follows: add to a cupful of any kind of cold fish, broken fine, cream enough to moisten it, seasoned with a tablespoonful of butter; then pepper and salt to taste. warm together. onion omelet. make a plain omelet, and when ready to turn spread over it a teaspoonful each of chopped onion and minced parsley; then fold, or, if preferred, mix the minces into the eggs before cooking. jelly omelet. make a plain omelet, and just before folding together, spread with some kind of jelly. turn out on a warm platter. dust it with powdered sugar. bread omelet. no. . break four eggs into a basin and carefully remove the treadles; have ready a tablespoonful of grated and sifted bread; soak it in either milk, water, cream, white wine, gravy, lemon juice, brandy or rum, according as the omelet is intended to be sweet or savory. well beat the eggs together with a little nutmeg, pepper and salt; add the bread, and, beating constantly (or the omelet will be crumbly), get ready a frying pan, buttered and made thoroughly hot; put in the omelet; do it on one side only; turn it upon a dish, and fold it double to prevent the steam from condensing. stale sponge-cake, grated biscuit, or pound cake, may replace the bread for a sweet omelet, when pounded loaf sugar should be sifted over it, and the dish decorated with lumps of currant jelly. this makes a nice dessert. bread omelet. no. . let one teacupful of milk come to a boil, pour it over one teacupful of bread crumbs and let it stand a few minutes. break six eggs into a bowl, stir (not beat) till well mixed; then add the milk and bread, season with pepper and salt, mix all well together and turn into a hot frying pan, containing a large spoonful of butter boiling hot. fry the omelet slowly, and when brown on the bottom cut in squares and turn again, fry to a delicate brown and serve hot. cracker omelet may be made by substituting three or four rolled crackers in place of bread. baked omelet. beat the whites and yolks of four or six eggs separately; add to the yolks a small cup of milk, a tablespoonful of flour or cornstarch, a teaspoonful of baking powder, one-half teaspoonful of salt, and, lastly, the stiff-beaten whites. bake in a well-buttered pie-tin or plate about half an hour in a steady oven. it should be served the moment it is taken from the oven, as it is liable to fall. omelet soufflÉ. break six eggs into separate cups; beat four of the yolks, mix with them one teaspoonful of flour, three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, very little salt. flavor with extract lemon or any other of the flavors that may be preferred. whisk the whites of six eggs to a firm froth; mix them lightly with the yolks; pour the mixture into a greased pan or dish; bake in a quick oven. when well-risen and lightly browned on the top, it is done; roll out in warm dish, sift pulverized sugar over, and send to table. rum omelet. put a small quantity of lard into the pan; let it simmer a few minutes and remove it; wipe the pan dry with a towel, and put in a little fresh lard in which the omelet may be fried. care should be taken that the lard does not burn, which would spoil the color of the omelet. break three eggs separately; put them into a bowl and whisk them thoroughly with a fork. the longer they are beaten, the lighter will the omelet be. beat up a teaspoonful of milk with the eggs and continue to beat until the last moment before pouring into the pan, which should be over a hot fire. as soon as the omelet sets, remove the pan from the hottest part of the fire. slip a knife under it to prevent sticking to the pan. when the centre is almost firm, slant the pan, work the omelet in shape to fold easily find neatly, and when slightly browned, hold a platter against the edge of the pan and deftly turn it out on to the hot dish. dust a liberal quantity of powdered sugar over it, and singe the sugar into neat stripes with a hot iron rod, heated in the coals; pour a glass of warm jamaica rum around it, and when it is placed on the table set fire to the rum. with a tablespoon dash the burning rum over the omelet, put out the fire and serve. salt _mixed_ with the eggs prevents them from rising, and when it is so used the omelet will look flabby, yet without salt it will taste insipid. add a little salt to it just before folding it and turning out on the dish. _"the cook."_ sandwiches. ham sandwiches. make a dressing of half a cup of butter, one tablespoonful of mixed mustard, one of salad oil, a little red or white pepper, a pinch of salt and the yolk of an egg; rub the butter to a cream, add the other ingredients and mix thoroughly; then stir in as much chopped ham as will make it consistent and spread between thin slices of bread. omit salad oil and substitute melted butter if preferred. ham sandwiches, plain. trim the crusts from thin slices of bread; butter them and lay between every two some thin slices of cold boiled ham. spread the meat with a little mustard if liked. chicken sandwiches. mince up fine any cold boiled or roasted chicken; put it into a saucepan with gravy, water or cream enough to soften it; add a good piece of butter, a pinch of pepper; work it very smooth while it is heating until it looks almost like a paste. then spread it on a plate to cool. spread it between slices of buttered bread. sardine sandwiches. take two boxes of sardines and throw the contents into hot water, having first drained away all the oil. a few minutes will free the sardines from grease. pour away the water and dry the fish in a cloth; then scrape away the skins and pound the sardines in a mortar till reduced to paste; add pepper, salt and some tiny pieces of lettuce, and spread on the sandwiches, which have been previously cut as above. the lettuce adds very much to the flavor of the sardines. or chop the sardines up fine and squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into them, and spread between buttered bread or cold biscuits. water cress sandwiches. wash well some water cress and then dry them in a cloth, pressing out every atom of moisture as far as possible; then mix with the cress hard-boiled eggs chopped fine, and seasoned with salt and pepper. have a stale loaf and some fresh butter, and with a sharp knife cut as many thin slices as will be required for two dozen sandwiches; then cut the cress into small pieces, removing the stems; place it between each slice of bread and butter, with a slight sprinkling of lemon juice; press down the slices hard, and cut them sharply on a board into small squares, leaving no crust. _nantasket beach._ egg sandwiches. hard boil some very fresh eggs and when cold cut them into moderately thin slices and lay them between some bread and butter cut as thin as possible; season them with pepper, salt and nutmeg. for picnic parties, or when one is traveling, these sandwiches are far preferable to hard-boiled eggs _au naturel_. mushroom sandwiches. mince beef tongue and boiled mushrooms together, add french mustard and spread between buttered bread. cheese sandwiches. these are extremely nice and are very easily made. take one hard-boiled egg, a quarter of a pound of common cheese grated, half a teaspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of pepper, half a teaspoonful of mustard, one tablespoonful of melted butter, and one tablespoonful of vinegar or cold water. take the yolk of the egg and put it into a small bowl and crumble it down, put into it the butter and mix it smooth with a spoon, then add the salt, pepper, mustard and the cheese, mixing each well. then put in the tablespoonful of vinegar, which will make it the proper thickness. if vinegar is not relished, then use cold water instead. spread this between two biscuits or pieces of oat-cake, and you could not require a better sandwich. some people will prefer the sandwiches less highly seasoned. in that case, season to taste. bread. among all civilized people bread has become an article of food of the first necessity; and properly so, for it constitutes of itself a complete life sustainer, the gluten, starch and sugar which it contains representing ozotized and hydro-carbonated nutrients, and combining the sustaining powers of the animal and vegetable kingdoms in one product. as there is no one article of food that enters so largely into our daily fare as bread, so no degree of skill in preparing other articles can compensate for lack of knowledge in the art of making good, palatable and nutritious bread. a little earnest attention to the subject will enable any one to comprehend the theory, and then ordinary care in practice will make one familiar with the process. general directions. the first thing required for making wholesome bread is the utmost cleanliness; the next is the soundness and sweetness of all the ingredients used for it; and, in addition to these, there must be attention and care through the whole process. salt is always used in bread-making, not only on account of its flavor, which destroys the insipid raw state of the flour, but because it makes the dough rise better. in mixing with milk, the milk should be boiled--not simply scalded, but heated to boiling over hot water--then set aside to cool before mixing. simple heating will not prevent bread from turning sour in the rising, while boiling will act as a preventative. so the milk should be thoroughly scalded, and should be used when it is just blood warm. too small a proportion of yeast, or insufficient time allowed for the dough to rise, will cause the bread to be heavy. the yeast must be good and fresh if the bread is to be digestible and nice. stale yeast produces, instead of vinous fermentation, an acetous fermentation, which flavors the bread and makes it disagreeable. a poor, thin yeast produces an imperfect fermentation, the result being a heavy, unwholesome loaf. if either the sponge or the dough be permitted to overwork itself--that is to say, if the mixing and kneading be neglected when it has reached the proper point for either--sour bread will probably be the consequence in warm weather, and bad bread in any. the goodness will also be endangered by placing it so near a fire as to make any part of it hot, instead of maintaining the gentle and equal degree of heat required for its due fermentation. heavy bread will also most likely be the result of making the dough very hard and letting it become quite cold, particularly in winter. an almost certain way of spoiling dough is to leave it half made, and to allow it to become cold before it is finished. the other most common causes of failure are using yeast which is no longer sweet, or which has been frozen, or has had hot liquid poured over it. as a general rule, the oven for baking bread should be rather quick and the heat so regulated as to penetrate the dough without hardening the outside. the oven door should not be opened after the bread is put in until the dough is set or has become firm, as the cool air admitted will have an unfavorable effect upon it. the dough should rise and the bread begin to brown after about fifteen minutes, but only slightly. bake from fifty to sixty minutes and have it brown, not black or whitey brown, but brown all over when well baked. when the bread is baked, remove the loaves immediately from the pans and place them where the air will circulate freely around them, and thus carry off the gas which has been formed, but is no longer needed. never leave the bread in the pan or on a pin table to absorb the odor of the wood. if you like crusts that are crisp do not cover the loaves; but to give the soft, tender, wafer-like consistency which many prefer, wrap them while still hot in several thicknesses of bread-cloth. when cold put them in a stone jar, removing the cloth, as that absorbs the moisture and gives the bread an unpleasant taste and odor. keep the jar well covered and carefully cleansed from crumbs and stale pieces. scald and dry it thoroughly every two or three days. a yard and a half square of coarse table linen makes the best bread-cloth. keep in good supply; use them for no other purpose. some people use scalding water in making wheat bread; in that case the flour must be scalded and allowed to cool before the yeast is added--then proceed as above. bread made in this manner keeps moist in summer much longer than when made in the usual mode. home-made yeast is generally preferred to any other. compressed yeast, as now sold in most grocery stores, makes fine light, sweet bread, and is a much quicker process, and can always be had fresh, being made fresh every day. wheat bread. sift the flour into a large bread-pan or bowl; make a hole in the middle of it, and pour in the yeast in the ratio of half a teacupful of yeast to two quarts of flour; stir the yeast lightly, then pour in your "wetting," either milk or water, as you choose,--which use warm in winter and cold in summer; if you use water as "wetting," dissolve in it a bit of butter of the size of an egg,--if you use milk, no butter is necessary; stir in the "wetting" very lightly, but do not mix all the flour into it; then cover the pan with a thick blanket or towel, and set it, in winter, in a warm place to rise,--this is called "_putting the bread in sponge_." in summer the bread should not be wet over night. in the morning add a teaspoonful of salt and mix all the flour in the pan with the sponge, kneading it well; then let it stand two hours or more until it has risen quite light; then remove the dough to the molding-board and mold it for a long time, cutting it in pieces and molding them together again and again, until the dough is elastic under the pressure of your hand, using as little flour as possible; then make it into loaves, put the loaves into baking-tins. the loaves should come half way up the pan, and they should be allowed to rise until the bulk is doubled. when the loaves are ready to put into the oven, the oven should be ready to receive them. it should be hot enough to brown a teaspoonful of flour in five minutes. the heat should be greater at the bottom than at the top of the oven, and the fire so arranged as to give sufficient strength of heat through the baking without being replenished. let them stand ten or fifteen minutes, prick them three or four times with a fork, bake in a quick oven from forty-five to sixty minutes. if these directions are followed, you will obtain sweet, tender and wholesome bread. if by any mistake the dough becomes sour before you are ready to bake it, you can rectify it by adding a little dry super-carbonate of soda, molding the dough a long time to distribute the soda equally throughout the mass. all bread is better, if naturally sweet, without the soda; but _sour bread_ you should never eat, if you desire good health. keep well covered in a tin box or large stone crock, which should be wiped out every day or two, and scalded and dried thoroughly in the sun once a week. compressed yeast bread. use for two loaves of bread three quarts of sifted flour, nearly a quart of warm water, a level tablespoonful of salt and an ounce of compressed yeast. dissolve the yeast in a pint of lukewarm water; then stir into it enough flour to make a thick batter. cover the bowl containing the batter or sponge with a thick folded cloth and set it in a warm place to rise; if the temperature of heat is properly attended to the sponge will be foamy and light in half an hour. now stir into this sponge the salt dissolved in a little warm water, add the rest of the flour and sufficient warm water to make the dough stiff enough to knead; then knead it from five to ten minutes, divide it into loaves, knead again each loaf and put them into buttered baking tins; cover them with a double thick cloth and set again in a warm place to rise twice their height, then bake the same as any bread. this bread has the advantage of that made of home-made yeast as it is made inside of three hours, whereas the other requires from twelve to fourteen hours. home-made yeast. boil six large potatoes in three pints of water. tie a handful of hops in a small muslin bag and boil with the potatoes; when thoroughly cooked drain the water on enough flour to make a thin batter; set this on the stove or range and scald it enough to cook the flour (this makes the yeast keep longer); remove it from the fire and when cool enough, add the potatoes mashed, also half a cup of sugar, half a tablespoonful of ginger, two of salt and a teacupful of yeast. let it stand in a warm place, until it has thoroughly risen, then put it in a large mouthed jug and cork tightly; set away in a cool place. the jug should be scalded before putting in the yeast. two-thirds of a coffeecupful of this yeast will make four loaves. unrivaled yeast. on one morning boil two ounces of the best hops in four quarts of water half an hour; strain it, and let the liquor cool to the consistency of new milk; then put it in an earthen bowl and add half a cupful of salt and half a cupful of brown sugar; beat up one quart of flour with some of the liquor; then mix all well together, and let it stand till the third day after; then add six medium-sized potatoes, boiled and mashed through a colander; let it stand a day, then strain and bottle and it is fit for use. it must be stirred frequently while it is making, and kept near a fire. one advantage of this yeast is its spontaneous fermentation, requiring the help of no old yeast; if care be taken to let it ferment well in the bowl, it may immediately be corked tightly. be careful to keep it in a cool place. before using it shake the bottle up well. it will keep in a cool place two months, and is best the latter part of the time. use about the same quantity as of other yeast. dried yeast or yeast cakes. make a pan of yeast the same as "home-made yeast;" mix in with it corn meal that has been sifted and dried, kneading it well until it is thick enough to roll out, when it can be cut into cakes or crumble up. spread out and dry thoroughly in the shade; keep in a dry place. when it is convenient to get compressed yeast, it is much better and cheaper than to make your own, a saving of time and trouble. almost all groceries keep it, delivered to them fresh made daily. salt-raising bread. while getting breakfast in the morning, as soon as the tea-kettle has boiled, take a quart tin cup or an earthen quart milk pitcher, scald it, then fill one-third full of water about as warm as the finger could be held in; then to this add a teaspoonful of salt, a pinch of brown sugar and coarse flour enough to make a batter of about the right consistency for griddle-cakes. set the cup, with the spoon in it, in a closed vessel half-filled with water moderately hot, but not scalding. keep the temperature as nearly even as possible and add a teaspoonful of flour once or twice during the process of fermentation. the yeast ought to reach to the top of the bowl in about five hours. sift your flour into a pan, make an opening in the centre and pour in your yeast. have ready a pitcher of warm milk, salted, or milk and water (not too hot, or you will scald the yeast germs), and stir rapidly into a pulpy mass with a spoon. cover this sponge closely and keep warm for an hour, then knead into loaves, adding flour to make the proper consistency. place in warm, well-greased pans, cover closely and leave till it is light. bake in a steady oven, and when done let all the hot steam escape. wrap closely in damp towels and keep in closed earthen jars until it is wanted. this, in our grandmothers' time, used to be considered the prize bread, on account of its being sweet and wholesome and required no prepared yeast to make it. nowadays yeast-bread is made with very little trouble, as the yeast can be procured at almost any grocery. bread from milk yeast. at noon the day before baking, take half a cup of corn meal and pour over it enough sweet milk boiling hot to make it the thickness of batter-cakes. in the winter place it where it will keep warm. the next morning before breakfast pour into a pitcher a pint of boiling water; add one teaspoonful of soda and one of salt. when cool enough so that it will not scald the flour, add enough to make a stiff batter; then add the cup of meal set the day before. this will be full of little bubbles. then place the pitcher in a kettle of warm water, cover the top with a folded towel and put it where it will keep warm, and you will be surprised to find how soon the yeast will be at the top of the pitcher. then pour the yeast into a bread-pan; add a pint and a half of warm water, or half water and half milk, and flour enough to knead into loaves. knead but little harder than for biscuit and bake as soon as it rises to the top of the tin. this recipe makes five large loaves. do not allow it to get too light before baking, for it will make the bread dry and crumbling. a cup of this milk yeast is excellent to raise buckwheat cakes. graham bread. one teacupful of wheat flour, one-half teacupful of porto rico molasses, one-half cupful of good yeast, one teaspoonful of salt, one pint of warm water; add sufficient graham flour to make the dough as stiff as can be stirred with a strong spoon; this is to be mixed at night; in the morning, add one teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little water; mix well, and pour into two medium-sized pans; they will be about half full; let it stand in a warm place until it rises to the top of the pans, then bake one hour in a pretty hot oven. this should be covered about twenty minutes when first put into the oven with a thick brown paper, or an old tin cover; it prevents the upper crust hardening before the loaf is well-risen. if these directions are correctly followed the bread will not be heavy or sodden, as it has been tried for years and never failed. graham bread. (unfermented.) stir together three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, three cups of graham flour and one cup of white flour; then add a large teaspoonful of salt and half a cup of sugar. mix all thoroughly with milk or water into as stiff a batter as can be stirred with a spoon. if water is used, a lump of butter as large as a walnut may be melted and stirred into it. bake immediately in well-greased pans. boston brown bread. one pint of rye flour, one quart of corn meal, one teacupful of graham flour, all fresh; half a teacupful of molasses or brown sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, and two-thirds of a teacupful of home-made yeast. mix into as stiff a dough as can be stirred with a spoon, using warm water for wetting. let it rise several hours, or over night; in the morning, or when light, add a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a spoonful of warm water; beat it well and turn it into well-greased, deep bread-pans, and let it rise again. bake in a _moderate_ oven from three to four hours. _palmer house, chicago_. boston brown bread. (unfermented.) one cupful of rye flour, two cupfuls of corn meal, one cupful of white flour, half a teacupful of molasses or sugar, a teaspoonful of salt. stir all together _thoroughly_, and wet up with sour milk; then add a level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of water. the same can be made of sweet milk by substituting baking powder for soda. the batter to be stirred as thick as can be with a spoon, and turned into well-greased pans. virginia brown bread. one pint of corn meal; pour over enough boiling water to thoroughly scald it; when cool add one pint of light, white bread sponge, mix well together, add one cupful of molasses, and graham flour enough to mold; this will make two loaves; when light, bake in a moderate oven one and a half hours. rhode island brown bread. two and one-half cupfuls of corn meal, one and one-half cupfuls of rye meal, one egg, one cup of molasses, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one teaspoonful of soda, a little salt and one quart of milk. bake in a covered dish, either earthen or iron, in a moderately hot oven three hours. steamed brown bread. one cup of white flour, two of graham flour, two of indian meal, one teaspoonful of soda, one cup of molasses, three and a half cups of milk, a little salt. beat well and steam for four hours. this is for sour milk; when sweet milk is used, use baking powder in place of soda. this is improved by setting it into the oven fifteen minutes after it is slipped from the mold. to be eaten warm with butter. most excellent. rye bread. to a quart of warm water stir as much wheat flour as will make a smooth batter; stir into it half a gill of home-made yeast, and set it in a warm place to rise; this is called setting a sponge; let it be mixed in some vessel which will contain twice the quantity; in the morning, put three pounds and a half of rye flour into a bowl or tray, make a hollow in the centre, pour in the sponge, add a dessertspoonful of salt, and half a small teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little water; make the whole into a smooth dough, with as much warm water as may be necessary; knead it well, cover it, and let it set in a warm place for three hours; then knead it again, and make it into two or three loaves; bake in a quick oven one hour, if made in two loaves, or less if the loaves are smaller. rye and corn bread. one quart of rye meal or rye flour, two quarts of indian meal, scalded (by placing in a pan and pouring over it just enough _boiling_ water to merely wet it, but not enough to make it into a batter, stirring constantly with a spoon), one-half cup of molasses, two teaspoonfuls salt, one teacup yeast, make it as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, mixing with warm water and let rise all night. in the morning add a level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water; then put it in a large pan, smooth the top with the hand dipped in cold water; let it stand a short time and bake five or six hours. if put in the oven late in the day, let it remain all night. graham may be used instead of rye, and baked as above. this is similar to the "rye and injun" of our grandmothers' days, but that was placed in a kettle, allowed to rise, then placed in a covered iron pan upon the hearth before the fire, with coals heaped upon the lid, to bake all night. french bread. beat together one pint of milk, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, or half butter and half lard, half a cupful of yeast, one teaspoonful of salt and two eggs. stir into this two quarts of flour. when this dough is risen, make into two large rolls and bake as any bread. cut across the top diagonal gashes just before putting into the oven. twist bread. let the bread be made as directed for wheat bread, then take three pieces as large as a pint bowl each; strew a little flour over the paste-board or table, roll each piece under your hands to twelve inches length, making it smaller in circumference at the ends than in the middle; having rolled the three in this way, take a baking-tin, lay one part on it, joint one end of each of the other two to it, and braid them together the length of the rolls and join the ends by pressing them together; dip a brush in milk and pass it over the top of the loaf; after ten minutes or so, set it in a quick oven and bake for nearly an hour. new england corn cake. one quart of milk, one pint of corn meal, one teacupful of wheat flour, a teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. scald the milk and gradually pour it on the meal; when cool add the butter and salt, also a half cup of yeast. do this at night; in the morning beat thoroughly and add two well-beaten eggs, and a half teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a spoonful of water. pour the mixture into buttered deep earthen plates, let it stand fifteen minutes to rise again, then bake from twenty to thirty minutes. german bread. one pint of milk well boiled, one teacupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of nice lard or butter, two-thirds of a teacupful of baker's yeast. make a rising with the milk and yeast; when light, mix in the sugar and shortening, with flour enough to make as soft a dough as can be handled. flour the paste-board well, roll out about one-half inch thick; put this quantity into two large pans; make about a dozen indentures with the finger on the top; put a small piece of butter in each, and sift over the whole one tablespoonful of sugar mixed with one teaspoonful of cinnamon. let this stand for a second rising; when perfectly light, bake in a quick oven fifteen or twenty minutes. corn bread. two cups of sifted meal, half a cup of flour, two cups of sour milk, two well-beaten eggs, half a cup of molasses or sugar, a teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. mix the meal and flour smoothly and gradually with the milk, then the butter, molasses and salt, then the beaten eggs, and lastly dissolve a level teaspoonful of baking soda in a little milk and beat thoroughly altogether. bake nearly an hour in well-buttered tins, not very shallow. this recipe can be made with sweet milk by using baking powder in place of soda. _st. charles hotel, new orleans._ virginia corn bread. three cups of white corn meal, one cup of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one tablespoonful of lard, three cups of milk and three eggs. sift together the flour, corn meal, sugar, salt and baking powder; rub in the lard cold, add the eggs well beaten and then the milk. mix into a moderately stiff batter; pour it into well-greased, shallow baking pans (pie-tins are suitable). bake from thirty to forty minutes. boston corn bread. one cup of sweet milk, two of sour milk, two-thirds of a cup of molasses, one of wheat flour, four of corn meal and one teaspoonful of soda; steam for three hours, and brown a few minutes in the oven. the same made of sweet milk and baking powder is equally as good. indian loaf cake. mix a teacupful of powdered white sugar with a quart of rich milk, and cut up in the milk two ounces of butter, adding a saltspoonful of salt. put this mixture into a covered pan or skillet, and set it on the fire till it is scalding hot. then take it off, and scald with it as much yellow indian meal (previously sifted) as will make it of the consistency of thick boiled mush. beat the whole very hard for a quarter of an hour, and then set it away to cool. while it is cooling, beat three eggs very light, and stir them gradually into the mixture when it is about as warm as new milk. add a teacupful of good strong yeast and beat the whole another quarter of an hour, for much of the goodness of this cake depends on its being long and well beaten. then have ready a tin mold or earthen pan with a pipe in the centre (to diffuse the heat through the middle of the cake). the pan must be very well-buttered as indian meal is apt to stick. put in the mixture, cover it and set it in a warm place to rise. it should be light in about four hours. then bake it two hours in a moderate oven. when done, turn it out with the broad surface downwards and send it to table hot and whole. cut it into slices and eat it with butter. this will be found an excellent cake. if wanted for breakfast, mix it and set it to rise the night before. if properly made, standing all night will not injure it. like all indian cakes (of which this is one of the best), it should be eaten warm. _st. charles hotel, new orleans._ johnnie cake. sift one quart of indian meal into a pan; make a hole in the middle and pour in a pint of warm water, adding one teaspoonful of salt; with a spoon mix the meal and water gradually into a soft dough; stir it very briskly for a quarter of an hour or more, till it becomes light and spongy; then spread the dough smoothly and evenly on a straight, flat board (a piece of the head of a flour-barrel will serve for this purpose); place the board nearly upright before an open fire and put an iron against the back to support it; bake it well; when done, cut it in squares; send it hot to table, split and buttered. _old plantation style_. spider corn-cake. beat two eggs and one-fourth cup sugar together. then add one cup sweet milk and one cup of sour milk in which you have dissolved one teaspoonful soda. add a teaspoonful of salt. then mix one and two-thirds cups of granulated corn meal and one-third cup flour with this. put a spider or skillet on the range and when it is hot melt in two tablespoonfuls of butter. turn the spider so that the butter can run up on the sides of the pan. pour in the corn-cake mixture and add one more cup of sweet milk, but do not stir afterwards. put this in the oven and bake from twenty to thirty-five minutes. when done, there should be a streak of custard through it. southern corn meal pone or corn dodgers. mix with cold water into a soft dough one quart of southern corn meal, sifted, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of butter or lard melted. mold into oval cakes with the hands and bake in a very hot oven, in well-greased pans. to be eaten hot. the crust should be brown. raised potato-cake. potato-cakes, to be served with roast lamb or with game, are made of equal quantities of mashed potatoes and of flour, say one quart of each, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a little salt and milk enough to make a batter as for griddle-cakes; to this allow half a teacupful of fresh yeast; let it rise till it is light and bubbles of air form; then dissolve half a teaspoonful of soda in a spoonful of warm water and add to the batter; bake in muffin tins. these are good also with fricasseed chicken; take them from the tins and drop in the gravy just before sending to the table. biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc. general suggestions. in making batter-cakes, the ingredients should be put together over night to rise, and the eggs and butter added in the morning; the butter melted and eggs well beaten. if the batter appears sour in the least, dissolve a little soda and stir into it; this should be done early enough to rise some time before baking. water can be used in place of milk in all raised dough, and the dough should be thoroughly light before making into loaves or biscuits; then when molding them use as little flour as possible; the kneading to be done when first made from the sponge, and should be done well and for some length of time, as this makes the pores fine, the bread cut smooth and tender. care should be taken not to get the dough too stiff. where any recipe calls for baking powder, and you do not have it, you can use cream of tartar and soda, in the proportion of one level teaspoonful of soda to two of cream of tartar. when the recipe calls for sweet milk or cream, and you do not have it, you may use in place of it sour milk or cream, and, in that case, baking powder or cream of tartar _must not_ be used, but baking-soda, using a _level_ teaspoonful to a quart of sour milk; the milk is always best when just turned, so that it is solid, and not sour enough to whey or to be watery. when making biscuits or bread with baking powder or soda and cream of tartar, the oven should be prepared first; the dough handled quickly and put into the oven immediately, as soon as it becomes the proper lightness, to ensure good success. if the oven is _too slow_, the article baked will be heavy and hard. as in beating cake, never _stir_ ingredients into batter, but beat them in, by beating down from the bottom, and up, and over again. this laps the air into the batter which produces little air-cells and causes the dough to puff and swell as it comes in contact with the heat while cooking. to renew stale rolls. to freshen stale biscuits or rolls, put them into a steamer for ten minutes, then dry them off in a hot oven; or dip each roll for an instant in cold water and heat them crisp in the oven. warm bread for breakfast.. dough after it has become once sufficiently raised and perfectly light, cannot afterwards be injured by setting aside in any cold place where it cannot _freeze_; therefore, biscuits, rolls, etc., can be made late the day before wanted for breakfast. prepare them ready for baking by molding them out late in the evening; lay them a little apart on buttered tins; cover the tins with a cloth, then fold around that a newspaper, so as to exclude the air, as that has a tendency to cause the crust to be hard and thick when baked. the best place in summer is to place them in the ice-box, then all you have to do in the morning (an hour before breakfast time, and while the oven is heating) is to bring them from the ice-box, take off the cloth and warm it, and place it over them again; then set the tins in a warm place near the fire. this will give them time to rise and bake when needed. if these directions are followed rightly, you will find it makes no difference with their lightness and goodness, and you can always be sure of warm raised biscuits for breakfast in one hour's time. stale rolls may be made light and flakey by dipping for a moment in cold water, and placing immediately in a very hot oven to be made crisp and hot. soda biscuit. one quart of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of soda, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, one teaspoonful of salt; mix thoroughly, and rub in two tablespoonfuls of butter and wet with one pint of sweet milk. bake in a quick oven. baking powder biscuit. two pints of flour, butter the size of an egg, three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one teaspoonful of salt; make a soft dough of sweet milk or water, knead as little as possible, cut out with the usual biscuit-cutter and bake in rather a quick oven. sour milk biscuit. rub into a quart of sifted flour a piece of butter the size of an egg, one teaspoonful of salt; stir into this a pint of sour milk, dissolve one teaspoonful of soda and stir into the milk just as you add it to the flour; knead it up quickly, roll it out nearly half an inch thick and cut out with a biscuit-cutter; bake immediately in a quick oven. very nice biscuit may be made with sour cream without the butter by the same process. raised biscuit. sift two quarts of flour in a mixing-pan, make a hole in the middle of the flour, pour into this one pint of warm water or new milk, one teaspoonful of salt, half a cup of melted lard or butter, stir in a little flour, then add half a cupful of yeast, after which stir in as much flour as you can conveniently with your hand, let it rise over night; in the morning add nearly a teaspoonful of soda, and more flour as is needed to make a rather soft dough; then mold fifteen to twenty minutes, the longer the better; let it rise until light again, roll this out about half an inch thick and cut out with a biscuit-cutter, or make it into little balls with your hands; cover and set in a warm place to rise. when light, bake a light brown in a moderate oven. rub a little warm butter or sweet lard on the sides of the biscuits when you place them on the tins, to prevent their sticking together when baked. light biscuit. no. . take a piece of bread dough that will make about as many biscuits as you wish; lay it out rather flat in a bowl; break into it two eggs, half a cup of sugar, half a cup of butter; mix this thoroughly with enough flour to keep it from sticking to the hands and board. knead it well for about fifteen or twenty minutes, make into small biscuits, place in a greased pan, and let them rise until about even with the top of the pan. bake in a quick oven for about half an hour. these can be made in the form of rolls, which some prefer. light biscuit. no. . when you bake take a pint of sponge, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one tablespoonful of sugar, the white of one egg beaten to a foam. let rise until light, mold into biscuits, and when light bake. graham biscuits, with yeast. take one pint of water or milk, one large tablespoonful of butter, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a half cup of yeast and a pinch of salt; take enough wheat flour to use up the water, making it the consistency of batter-cakes; add the rest of the ingredients and as much graham flour as can be stirred in with a spoon; set it away till morning; in the morning grease a pan, flour your hands, take a lump of dough the size of an egg, roll it lightly between the palms of your hands, let them rise twenty minutes, and bake in a tolerably hot oven. egg biscuit. sift together a quart of dry flour and three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. rub into this thoroughly a piece of butter the size of an egg; add two well-beaten eggs, a tablespoonful of sugar, a teaspoonful of salt. mix all together quickly into a soft dough, with one cup of milk, or more if needed. roll out nearly half of an inch thick. cut into biscuits, and bake immediately in a quick oven from fifteen to twenty minutes. parker house rolls. one pint of milk, boiled and cooled, a piece of butter the size of an egg, one-half cupful of fresh yeast, one tablespoonful of sugar, one pinch of salt, and two quarts of sifted flour. melt the butter in the warm milk, then add the sugar, salt and flour, and let it rise over night. mix rather soft. in the morning, add to this half of a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a spoonful of water. mix in enough flour to make the same stiffness as any biscuit dough; roll out not more than a quarter of an inch thick. cut with a large round cutter; spread soft butter over the tops and fold one-half over the other by doubling it. place them apart a little so that there will be room to rise. cover and place them near the fire for fifteen or twenty minutes before baking. bake in rather a quick oven. parker house rolls. (unfermented.) these rolls are made with baking powder, and are much sooner made, although the preceding recipe is the old original one from the "parker house." stir into a quart of sifted flour three large teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a tablespoonful of cold butter, a teaspoonful of salt and one of sugar, and a well-beaten egg; rub all well into the flour, pour in a pint of cold milk, mix up quickly into a smooth dough, roll it out less than half an inch thick, cut with a large biscuit-cutter, spread soft butter over the top of each; fold one-half over the other by doubling it, lay them a little apart on greased tins. set them immediately in a pretty hot oven. rub over the tops with sweet milk before putting in the oven, to give them a glaze. french rolls. three cups of sweet milk, one cup of butter and lard, mixed in equal proportions, one-half cup of good yeast, or half a cake of compressed yeast, and a teaspoonful of salt. add flour enough to make a stiff dough. let it rise over night; in the morning, add two well-beaten eggs; knead thoroughly and let it rise again. with the hands, make it into balls as large as an egg; then roll between the hands to make _long rolls_ (about three inches). place close together in even rows on well-buttered pans. cover and let them rise again, then bake in a quick oven to a delicate brown. beaten biscuit. two quarts of sifted flour, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sweet lard, one egg; make up with half a pint of milk, or if milk is not to be had, plain water will answer; beat well until the dough blisters and cracks; pull off a two-inch square of the dough; roll it into a ball with the hand; flatten, stick with a fork, and bake in a quick oven. it is not beating hard that makes the biscuit nice, but the regularity of the motion. beating hard, the old cooks say, _kills_ the dough. _an old-fashioned southern recipe._ potato biscuit. boil six good-sized potatoes with their jackets on; take them out with a skimmer, drain and squeeze with a towel to ensure being dry; then remove the skin, mash them perfectly free from lumps, add a tablespoonful of butter, one egg and a pint of sweet milk. when cool, beat in half a cup of yeast. put in just enough flour to make a stiff dough. when this rises, make into small cakes. let them rise the same as biscuit and bake a delicate brown. this dough is very fine dropped into meat soups for pot-pie. vinegar biscuits. take two quarts of flour, one large tablespoonful of lard or butter, one tablespoonful and a half of vinegar and one teaspoonful of soda; put the soda in the vinegar and stir it well; stir in the flour; beat two eggs very light and add to it; make a dough with warm water stiff enough to roll out, and cut with a biscuit-cutter one inch thick and bake in a _quick_ oven. [illustration:] grafton milk biscuits. boil and mash two white potatoes; add two teaspoonfuls of brown sugar; pour boiling water over these, enough to soften them. when tepid, add one small teacupful of yeast; when light, warm three ounces of butter in one pint of milk, a little salt, a third of a teaspoonful of soda and flour enough to make stiff sponge; when risen, work it on the board, put it back in the tray to rise again; when risen, roll into cakes and let them stand half an hour. bake in a _quick_ oven. these biscuits are fine. sally lunn. warm one-half cupful of butter in a pint of milk; add a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, and seven cupfuls of _sifted_ flour; beat thoroughly and when the mixture is blood warm, add four beaten eggs and last of all, half a cup of good lively yeast. beat hard until the batter breaks in blisters. set it to rise over night. in the morning, dissolve half a teaspoonful of soda, stir it into the batter and turn it into a well-buttered, shallow dish to rise again about fifteen or twenty minutes. bake about fifteen to twenty minutes. the cake should be torn apart, not cut; cutting with a knife makes warm bread heavy. bake a light brown. this cake is frequently seen on southern tables. sally lunn. (unfermented.) rub a piece of butter as large as an egg into a quart of flour; add a tumbler of milk, two eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of baking powder and a teaspoonful of salt. scatter the baking powder, salt and sugar into the flour; add the eggs, the butter, melted, the milk. stir all together and bake in well-greased round pans. eat warm with butter. london hot-cross buns. three cups of milk, one cup of yeast, or one cake of compressed yeast dissolved in a cup of tepid water, and flour enough to make a thick batter; set this as a sponge over night. in the morning add half a cup of melted butter, one cup of sugar, half a nutmeg grated, one saltspoonful of salt, half a teaspoonful of soda, and flour enough to roll out like biscuit. knead well and set to rise for five hours. roll the dough half an inch thick; cut in round cakes and lay in rows in a buttered baking-pan, and let the cakes stand half an hour, or until light; then put them in the oven, having first made a deep cross on each with a knife. bake a light brown and brush over with white of egg beaten stiff with powdered sugar. rusks, with yeast. in one large coffeecup of warm milk dissolve half a cake of compressed yeast, or three tablespoonfuls of home-made yeast; to this add three well-beaten eggs, a small cup of sugar and a teaspoonful of salt; beat these together. use flour enough to make a smooth, light dough, let it stand until very light, then knead it in the form of biscuits; place them on buttered tins and let them rise until they are almost up to the edge of the tins; pierce the top of each one and bake in a quick oven. glaze the top of each with sugar and milk, or the white of an egg, before baking. some add dried currants, well-washed and dried in the oven. rusks. two cups of raised dough, one of sugar, half a cup of butter, two well-beaten eggs, flour enough to make a stiff dough; set to rise, and when light mold into high biscuit and let rise again; rub damp sugar and cinnamon over the top and place in the oven. bake about twenty minutes. rusks. (unfermented.) three cups of flour sifted, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt, three tablespoonfuls of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter, three eggs, half a nutmeg grated and a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon, two small cups of milk; sift together salt, flour, sugar and baking powder; rub in the butter cold; add the milk, beaten eggs and spices; mix into a soft dough, break off pieces about as large as an egg, roll them under the hands into round balls, rub the tops with sugar and water mixed, and then sprinkle dry sugar over them. bake immediately. scotch scones. thoroughly mix, while dry, one quart of sifted flour, loosely measured, with two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder; then rub into it a tablespoonful of cold butter and a teaspoonful of salt. be sure that the butter is well worked in. add sweet milk enough to make a _very_ soft paste. roll out the paste about a quarter of an inch thick, using plenty of flour on the paste-board and rolling pin. cut it into triangular pieces, each side about four inches long. flour the sides and bottom of a biscuit tin, and place the pieces on it. bake immediately in a quick oven from twenty to thirty minutes. when half done, brush over with sweet milk. some cooks prefer to bake them on a floured griddle, and cut them a round shape the size of a saucer, then scarred across to form four quarters. cracknels. two cups of rich milk, four tablespoonfuls of butter and a gill of yeast, a teaspoonful of salt; mix warm, add flour enough to make a light dough. when light, roll thin and cut in long pieces three inches wide, prick well with a fork and bake in a slow oven. they are to be mixed rather hard and rolled very thin, like soda crackers. raised muffins. no. . make a batter of one pint of sweet milk, one teaspoonful of sugar, one of salt, a tablespoonful of butter or sweet lard and a half cup of yeast; add flour enough to make it moderately thick; keep it in a warm, _not hot_, place until it is quite light, then stir in one or two well-beaten eggs, and half a teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little warm water. let the batter stand twenty-five or thirty minutes longer to rise a little, turn into well-greased muffin-rings or gem-pans, and bake in a quick oven. to be served hot and torn open, instead of cut with a knife. raised muffins. no. . three pints of flour, three eggs, a piece of butter the size of an egg, two heaping teaspoonfuls of white sugar, one-half cake of compressed yeast and a quart of milk; warm the milk with the butter in it; cool a little, stir in the sugar and add a little salt; stir this gradually into the flour, then add the eggs well beaten; dissolve the yeast in half a cup of lukewarm water and add to the other ingredients; if the muffins are wanted for luncheon, mix them about eight o'clock in the morning; if for breakfast, set them at ten o'clock at night; when ready for baking, stir in half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a teaspoonful of hot water; butter the muffin-rings or gem-irons and bake in a quick oven. egg muffins. (fine.) one quart of flour, sifted twice; three eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, three teacups of sweet milk, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of sugar, a large tablespoonful of lard or butter and two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder. sift together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder; rub in the lard cold, add the beaten eggs and milk; mix quickly into a smooth batter, a little firmer than for griddle-cakes. grease well some muffin-pans and fill them two-thirds full. bake in a hot oven fifteen or twenty minutes. these made of cream, omitting the butter, are excellent. plain muffins. one egg well beaten, a tablespoonful of butter and a tablespoonful of sugar, with a teaspoonful of salt, all beaten until very light. one cup of milk, three of sifted flour and three teaspoonfuls of baking powder. one-half graham and one-half rye meal may be used instead of wheat flour, or two cups of corn meal and one of flour. drop on well-greased patty-pans and bake twenty minutes in a rather quick oven, or bake on a griddle in muffin-rings. muffins without eggs. one quart of buttermilk, a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in the milk, a little salt, and flour enough to make a stiff batter. drop in hot gem-pans and bake in a quick oven. two or three tablespoonfuls of sour cream will make them a little richer. tennessee muffins. one pint of corn meal, one pint of flour, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, three of baking powder, one tablespoonful of lard or butter, two eggs and a pint of milk. sift together corn meal, flour, sugar, salt and powder; rub in lard or butter cold, and eggs beaten and milk; mix into batter of consistency of cup-cake; muffin-rings to be cold and well greased, then fill two-thirds full. bake in hot oven fifteen minutes. corn meal muffins. (without eggs.) one cup of flour, one cup of corn meal, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, water to make a thick batter, or sour milk is better; mix at night; in the morning add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and one teaspoonful of soda; bake in cake rounds. hominy muffins. two cups of boiled hominy; beat it smooth, stir in three cups of sour milk, half a cup of melted butter, two teaspoonfuls of salt, two tablespoonfuls of sugar; add three eggs well beaten, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in hot water, two cups of flour. bake quickly. rice muffins may be made in the same manner. graham gems. no. . two cupfuls of graham flour, one cupful of wheat flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a tablespoonful of sugar, one of salt and one well-beaten egg. mix with sweet milk to make a thin batter; beat it well. bake in gem-irons; have the irons well greased; fill two-thirds full and bake in a hot oven. will bake in from fifteen to twenty minutes. graham gems. no. . three cups of sour milk, one teaspoonful of soda, one of salt, one tablespoonful of brown sugar, one of melted lard or butter, one or two beaten eggs; to the egg add the milk, then the sugar and salt, then the graham flour (with the soda mixed in), together with the lard or butter; make a stiff batter, so that it will _drop_, not pour, from the spoon. have the gem-pans very hot, fill and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. the same can be made of sweet milk, using three teaspoonfuls of baking powder instead of soda, and if you use sweet milk, put in no shortening. excellent. muffins of all kinds should only be cut just around the edge, then pulled open with the fingers. plain graham gems. two cupfuls of the best graham meal, two of water, fresh and cold, or milk and water, and a little salt. stir briskly for a minute or two. have the gem-pan, hot and well greased, on the top of the stove while pouring in the batter. then place in a very hot oven and bake forty minutes. it is best to check the heat a little when they are nearly done. as the best prepared gems may be spoiled if the heat is not sufficient, care and judgment must be used in order to secure this most healthful as well, as delicious bread. waffles. take a quart of flour and wet it with a little sweet milk that has been boiled and cooled, then stir in enough of the milk to form a thick batter. add a tablespoonful of melted butter, a teaspoonful of salt, and yeast to raise it. when light add two well-beaten eggs, heat your waffle-iron, grease it well and fill it with the batter. two or three minutes will suffice to bake on one side; then turn the iron over, and when brown on both sides the cake is done. serve immediately. continental hotel waffles. put into one quart of sifted flour three teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of salt, one of sugar, all thoroughly stirred and sifted together; add a tablespoonful of melted butter, six well-beaten eggs and a pint of sweet milk; cook in waffle-irons heated and well greased. serve hot. newport waffles. make one pint of indian meal into mush in the usual way. while hot, put in a small lump of butter and a dessertspoonful of salt. set the mush aside to cool. meanwhile, beat separately till very light the whites and yolks of four eggs. add the eggs to the mush, and cream in gradually one quart of wheaten flour. add half a pint of buttermilk, or sour cream, in which has been dissolved half a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. lastly, bring to the consistency of thin batter by the addition of sweet milk. waffle-irons should be put on to heat an hour in advance, that they may be in the proper condition for baking as soon as the batter is ready. have a brisk fire, butter the irons thoroughly, but with nicety, and bake quickly. fill the irons only half full of batter, that the waffles may have room to rise. cream waffles. one pint of sour cream, two eggs, one pint of flour, one tablespoonful of corn meal, one teaspoonful of soda, half a teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs separately, mix the cream with the beaten yolks, stir in the flour, corn meal and salt; add the soda dissolved in a little sweet milk, and, lastly, the whites beaten to a stiff froth. rice waffles. no. . one quart of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of sugar, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one large tablespoonful of butter, two eggs, one and a half pints of milk, one cupful of hot boiled rice. sift the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder well together; rub the butter into the flour; beat the eggs well, separately, and add the stiff whites last of all. rice waffles. no. . rub through a sieve one pint of boiled rice, add it to a tablespoonful of dry flour, two-thirds of a teaspoonful of salt, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. beat separately the yolks and whites of three eggs; add to the yolks a cup and a half of milk, work it into the flour, then add an ounce of melted butter; beat the whites of eggs thoroughly; mix the whole together. heat the waffle-iron and grease it evenly; pour the batter into the half of the iron over the range until nearly two-thirds full, cover, allow to cook a moment, then turn and brown slightly on the other side. german rice waffles. boil a half pound of rice in milk until it becomes thoroughly soft then remove it from the fire, stirring it constantly, and adding, a little at a time, one quart of sifted flour, five beaten eggs, two spoonfuls of yeast, a half pound of melted butter, a little salt and a teacupful of warm milk. set the batter in a warm place, and, when risen, bake in the ordinary way. berry tea-cakes. nice little tea-cakes to be baked in muffin-rings are made of one cup of sugar, two eggs, one and a half cups of milk, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, a piece of butter the size of an egg and flour sufficient to make a stiff batter. in this batter stir a pint bowl of fruit--any fresh are nice--or canned berries with the juice poured off. serve while warm and they are a dainty addition to the tea-table. eaten with butter. rye drop-cakes. one pint of warm milk, with half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it, a little salt, four eggs well beaten, and rye flour enough to make a thin batter; bake in small cups, buttered, and in a hot oven, or in small cakes upon a hot griddle. wheat drop-cakes. one pint of cream, six eggs well beaten, a little salt, and wheat flour enough to make a thin batter; bake in little cups buttered and in a hot oven fifteen minutes. pop-overs. two cups of flour, two cups of sweet milk, two eggs, one teaspoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of salt, bake in cups in a quick oven fifteen minutes. serve hot with a sweet sauce. flannel cakes. (with yeast.) heat a pint of sweet milk and into it put two heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, let it melt, then add a pint of cold milk and the well-beaten yolks of four eggs--placing the whites in a cool place; also, a teaspoonful of salt, four tablespoonfuls of home-made yeast and sufficient flour to make a stiff batter; set it in a warm place to rise; let it stand three hours or over night; before baking add the beaten whites; bake like any other griddle-cakes. be sure to make the batter stiff enough, for flour must not be added after it has risen, unless it is allowed to rise again. these, half corn meal and half wheat, are very nice. feather griddle-cakes. (with yeast.) make a batter, at night, of a pint of water or milk, a teaspoonful of salt, and half a teacupful of yeast; in the morning, add to it one teacupful of thick, sour milk, two eggs well beaten, a level tablespoonful of melted butter, a level teaspoonful of soda and flour enough to make the consistency of pancake batter; let stand twenty minutes, then bake. this is a convenient way, when making sponge for bread over night, using some of the sponge. wheat griddle-cakes. three cups of flour, one teaspoonful of salt, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted together; beat three eggs and add to three cupfuls of sweet milk, also a tablespoonful of melted butter; mix all into a smooth batter, as thick as will run in a stream from the lips of a pitcher. bake on a well-greased, hot griddle, a nice light brown. very good. sour milk griddle-cakes. make a batter of a quart of sour milk and as much sifted flour as is needed to thicken so that it will run from the dish; add two beaten eggs, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of melted butter, and a level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little milk or cold water, added last; then bake on a hot griddle, well greased, brown on both sides. corn meal griddle-cakes. (with yeast.) stir into one quart of boiling milk three cups of corn meal; after it cools add one cup of white flour, a teaspoonful of salt and three tablespoonfuls of home-made yeast. mix this over night. in the morning add one tablespoonful of melted butter or lard, two beaten eggs and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water. this batter should stand a few minutes, after adding the butter and soda, that it should have time to rise a little; in the meantime the griddle could be heating. take a small stick like a good-sized skewer, wind a bit of cloth around the end of it, fasten it by winding a piece of thread around that and tying it firm. melt together a tablespoonful of butter and lard. grease the griddle with this. between each batch of cakes, wipe the griddle off with a clean paper or cloth and grease afresh. put the cakes on by spoonfuls, or pour them carefully from a pitcher, trying to get them as near the same size as possible. as soon as they begin to bubble all over turn them, and cook on the other side till they stop puffing. the second lot always cooks better than the first, as the griddle becomes evenly heated. corn meal griddle-cakes. scald two cups of sifted meal, mix with a cup of wheat flour and a teaspoonful of salt. add three well-beaten eggs; thin the whole with sour milk enough to make it the right consistency. beat the whole till very light and add a teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved in a little water. if you use sweet milk, use two large teaspoonfuls of baking powder instead of soda. griddle-cakes. (very good.) one quart of graham flour, half a pint of indian meal, one gill of yeast, a teaspoonful of salt; mix the flour and meal, pour on enough warm water to make batter rather thicker than that for buckwheat cakes, add the yeast, and when light bake on griddle not too hot. graham griddle-cakes. mix together dry two cups of graham flour, one cup wheat flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder and one teaspoonful of salt. then add three eggs well beaten, one tablespoonful of lard or butter melted and three cups of sweet milk. cook immediately on a hot griddle. bread griddle-cakes. one quart of milk, boiling hot; two cups fine bread crumbs, three eggs, one tablespoonful melted butter, one-half teaspoonful salt, one-half teaspoonful soda dissolved in warm water; break the bread into the boiling milk, and let stand for ten minutes in a covered bowl, then beat to a smooth paste; add the yolks of the eggs well whipped, the butter, salt, soda, and finally the whites of the eggs previously whipped stiff, and add half of a cupful of flour. these can also be made of sour milk, soaking the bread in it over night and using a little more soda. rice griddle-cakes. two cupfuls of cold boiled rice, one pint of flour, one teaspoonful sugar, one-half teaspoonful salt, one and one-half teaspoonfuls baking powder, one egg, a little more than half a pint of milk. sift together flour, sugar, salt and powder; add rice free from lumps, diluted with beaten egg and milk; mix into smooth batter. have griddle well heated, make cakes large, bake nicely brown, and serve with maple syrup. potato griddle-cakes. twelve large potatoes, three heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one-half teaspoonful salt, one or two eggs, two teacupfuls of boiling milk. the potatoes are peeled, washed and grated into a little cold water (which keeps them white), then strain off water and pour on boiling milk, stir in eggs, salt and flour, mixed with the baking powder; if agreeable, flavor with a little fine chopped onion; bake like any other pancakes, allowing a little more lard or butter. serve with stewed or preserved fruit, especially with huckleberries. green corn griddle-cakes. one pint of milk, two cups grated green corn, a little salt, two eggs, a teaspoonful of baking powder, flour sufficient to make a batter to fry on the griddle. butter them hot and serve. huckleberry griddle-cakes. made the same as above, leaving out one cup of milk, adding one tablespoonful of sugar and a pint of huckleberries rolled in flour. blackberries or raspberries can be used in the same manner. french griddle-cakes. beat together until smooth six eggs and a pint sifted flour; melt one ounce of butter and add to the batter, with one ounce of sugar and a cup of milk; beat until smooth; put a tablespoonful at a time into a frying pan slightly greased, spreading the batter evenly over the surface by tipping the pan about; fry to a light brown; spread with jelly, roll up, dust with powdered sugar and serve hot. raised buckwheat cakes. take a small crock or large earthen pitcher, put into it a quart of warm water or half water and milk, one heaping teaspoonful of salt; then stir in as much buckwheat flour as will thicken it to rather a stiff batter; lastly, add half a cup of yeast; make it smooth, cover it up warm to rise over night; in the morning add a small, level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water; this will remove any sour taste, if any, and increase the lightness. not a few object to eating buckwheat, as its tendency is to thicken the blood, and also to produce constipation; this can be remedied by making the batter one-third corn meal and two-thirds buckwheat, which makes the cakes equally as good. many prefer them in this way. buckwheat cakes without yeast. two cups of buckwheat flour, one of wheat flour, a little salt, three teaspoonfuls baking powder; mix thoroughly and add about equal parts of milk and water until the batter is of the right consistency then stir until free from lumps. if they do not brown well, add a little molasses. buckwheat cakes. half a pint of buckwheat flour, a quarter of a pint of corn meal, a quarter of a pint of wheat flour, a little salt, two eggs beaten very light, one quart of new milk (made a little warm and mixed with the eggs before the flour is put in), one tablespoonful of butter or sweet lard, two large tablespoonfuls of yeast. set it to rise at night for the morning. if in the least sour, stir in before baking just enough soda to correct the acidity. a very nice, but more expensive, recipe. swedish griddle-cakes. one pint of white flour, sifted; six eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately to the utmost; one saltspoonful of salt; one saltspoonful of soda dissolved in vinegar; milk to make a thin batter. beat the yolks light, add the salt, soda, two cupfuls of milk, then the flour and beaten whites alternately; thin with more milk if necessary. corn meal fritters. one pint of sour milk, one teaspoonful of salt, three eggs, one tablespoonful of molasses or sugar, one handful of flour, and corn meal enough to make a stiff batter; lastly, stir in a small teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little warm water. this recipe is very nice made of rye flour. cream fritters. one cup of cream, five eggs--the whites only, two full cups prepared flour, one saltspoonful of nutmeg, a pinch of salt. stir the whites into the cream in turn with the flour, put in nutmeg and salt, beat all up hard for two minutes. the batter should be rather thick. fry in plenty of hot, sweet lard, a spoonful of batter for each fritter. drain, and serve upon a hot, clean napkin. eat with jelly sauce. pull, not cut, them open. very nice. currant fritters. two cupfuls dry, fine bread crumbs, two tablespoonfuls of prepared flour, two cups of milk, one-half pound currants, washed and well dried, five eggs whipped very light, one-half cup powdered sugar, one tablespoonful butter, one-half teaspoonful mixed cinnamon and nutmeg. boil the milk and pour over the bread. mix and put in the butter. let it get cold. beat in next the yolks and sugar, the seasoning, flour and stiff whites; finally, the currants dredged whitely with flour. the batter should be thick. drop in great spoonfuls into the hot lard and fry. drain them and send hot to table. eat with a mixture of wine and powdered sugar. wheat fritters. three eggs, one and a half cups of milk, three teaspoonfuls baking powder, salt, and flour enough to make quite stiff, thicker than batter cakes. drop into hot lard and fry like doughnuts. _a good sauce for the above._--one cup of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter, one teaspoonful of flour beaten together; half a cup boiling water; flavor with extract lemon and boil until clear. or serve with maple syrup. apple fritters. make a batter in the proportion of one cup sweet milk to two cups flour, a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, two eggs beaten separately, one tablespoonful of sugar and a saltspoon of salt; heat the milk a little more than milk-warm, add it slowly to the beaten yolks and sugar; then add flour and whites of the eggs; stir all together and throw in thin slices of good sour apples, dipping the batter up over them; drop into boiling hot lard in large spoonfuls with pieces of apple in each, and fry to a light brown. serve with maple syrup, or a nice syrup made with clarified sugar. bananas, peaches, sliced oranges and other fruits can be used in the same batter. pineapple fritters. make a batter as for apple fritters; then pare one large pineapple, cut it in slices a quarter of an inch thick, cut the slices in halves, dip them into the batter and fry them, and serve them as above. peach fritters. peel the peaches, split each in two and take out the stones; dust a little powdered sugar over them; dip each piece in the batter and fry in hot fat. a sauce to be served with them may be made as follows: put an ounce of butter in a saucepan and whisk it to a cream; add four ounces of sugar gradually. beat the yolks of two eggs; add to them a dash of nutmeg and a gill each of cold water and rum; stir this into the luke-warm batter and allow it to heat gradually. stir constantly until of a smooth, creamy consistency, and serve. the batter is made as follows: beat the yolks of three eggs; add to them a gill of milk, or half of a cupful, a saltspoonful of salt, four ounces of flour; mix. if old flour is used a little more milk may be found necessary. golden-ball fritters. put into a stewpan a pint of water, a piece of butter as large as an egg and a tablespoonful of sugar. when it boils stir into it one pint of sifted flour, stirring briskly and thoroughly. remove from the fire, and when nearly cooled beat into it six eggs, each one beaten separately and added one at a time, beating the batter between each. drop the stiff dough into boiling lard by teaspoonfuls. eat with syrup, or melted sugar and butter flavored. stirring the boiling lard around and around, so that it whirls when you drop in the fritters, causes them to assume a round shape like balls. cannelons, or fried puffs. half a pound of puff paste, apricot or any kind of preserve that may be preferred, hot lard. cannelons, which are made of puff paste rolled very thin, with jam enclosed, and cut out in long, narrow rolls or puffs, make a very pretty and elegant dish. make some good puff paste, roll it out very thin, and cut it into pieces of an equal size, about two inches wide and eight inches long; place upon each piece a spoonful of jam, wet the edges with the white of egg and fold the paste over _twice_; slightly press the edges together, that the jam may not escape in the frying, and when all are prepared, fry them in boiling lard until of a nice brown, letting them remain by the side of the fire after they are colored, that the paste may be thoroughly done. drain them before the fire, dish on a d'oyley, sprinkle over them sifted sugar and serve. these cannelons are very delicious made with fresh instead of preserved fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries or currants; they should be laid in the paste, plenty of pounded sugar sprinkled over and folded and fried in the same manner as stated above. german fritters. take slices of stale bread cut in rounds or stale cake; fry them in hot lard, like crullers, to a _light_ brown. dip each slice when fried in boiling milk, to remove the grease; drain quickly, dust with powdered sugar or spread with preserves. pile on a hot plate and serve. sweet wine sauce poured over them is very nice. hominy fritters. take one pint of hot boiled hominy, two eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt and a tablespoonful of flour; thin it a little with cold milk; when cold add a teaspoonful of baking powder, mix thoroughly, drop tablespoonfuls of it into hot fat and fry to a delicate brown. parsnip fritters. take three or four good-sized parsnips. boil them until tender. mash and season with a little butter, a pinch of salt and a slight sprinkling of pepper. have ready a plate with some sifted flour on it. drop a tablespoonful of the parsnip in the flour and roll it about until well coated and formed into a ball. when you have a sufficient number ready, drop them into boiling drippings or lard, as you would a fritter; fry a delicate brown and serve hot. do not put them in a covered dish, for that would steam them and deprive them of their crispness, which is one of their great charms. these are also very good fried in a frying pan with a small quantity of lard and butter mixed, turning them over so as to fry both sides brown. green corn fritters. one pint of grated, young and tender, green corn, three eggs, two tablespoonfuls of milk or cream, one tablespoonful of melted butter, if milk is used, a teaspoonful of salt. beat the eggs well, add the corn by degrees, also the milk and butter; thicken with just enough flour to hold them together, adding a teaspoonful of baking powder to the flour. have ready a kettle of hot lard, drop the corn from the spoon into the fat and fry a light brown. they are also nice fried in butter and lard mixed, the same as fried eggs. cream short-cake. sift one quart of fine white flour, rub into it three tablespoonfuls of cold butter, a teaspoonful of salt, a tablespoonful of white sugar. add a beaten egg to a cup of sour cream, turn it into the other ingredients, dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in a spoonful of water, mix all together, handling as little as possible; roll lightly into two round sheets, place on pie-tins and bake from twenty to twenty-five minutes in a quick oven. this crust is delicious for fruit short-cake. strawberry short-cake. make a rule of baking powder biscuit, with the exception of a little more shortening; divide the dough in half; lay one-half on the molding board (half the dough makes one short-cake), divide this half again, and roll each piece large enough to cover a biscuit-tin, or a large sized pie-tin; spread soft butter over the lower one and place the other on top of that; proceed with the other lump of dough the same, by cutting it in halves, and putting on another tin. set them in the oven; when sufficiently baked take them out, separate each one by running a large knife through where the cold soft butter was spread. then butter plentifully each crust, lay the bottom of each on earthen platters or dining-plates; cover thickly with a quart of strawberries that have been previously prepared with sugar, lay the top crusts on the fruit. if there is any juice left pour it around the cake. this makes a delicious short-cake. peaches, raspberries, blackberries and huckleberries can be substituted for strawberries. always send to the table with a pitcher of sweet cream. orange short-cake. peel two large oranges, chop them fine, remove the seeds, add half a peeled lemon and one cup of sugar. spread between the layers of short-cake while it is hot. [illustration: icing the cakes.] lemon short-cake. make a rich biscuit dough, same as above recipe. while baking, take a cup and a quarter of water, a cup and a half of sugar, and two lemons, peel, juice and pulp, throwing away the tough part of the rind; boil this for some little time; then stir in three crackers rolled fine; split the short-cakes while hot, spread with butter, then with the mixture. to be eaten warm. huckleberry short-cake. two cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of butter, one pint of sweet milk, one tablespoonful of salt, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted into a quart of flour, or enough to form a thick batter; add a quart of the huckleberries; to be baked in a dripper; cut into squares for the table and served hot with butter. blackberries may be used the same. fried dinner-rolls. when making light raised bread, save out a piece of dough nearly the size of a small loaf. roll it out on the board, spread a tablespoonful of melted butter over it. dissolve a quarter of a teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of water and pour that also over it; work it all well into the dough, roll it out into a sheet not quite half an inch thick. cut it in strips three inches long and one inch wide. lay them on buttered tins, cover with a cloth and set away in a cool place until an hour before dinner time; then set them by the fire where they will become light. while they are rising, add to a frying-pan a tablespoonful of cold butter and one of lard; when it boils clear and is _hot_, lay as many of the rolls in as will fry nicely. as soon as they brown on one side turn them over and brown the other; then turn them on the edges and brown the sides. add fresh grease as is needed. eat them warm in place of bread. nice with warm meat dinner. newport breakfast-cakes. take one quart of dough from the bread at an early hour in the morning; break three eggs, separating yolks and whites, both to be whipped to a light froth; mix them into the dough and gradually add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, one of sugar, one teaspoonful of soda, and enough warm milk with it until it is a batter the consistency of buckwheat cakes; beat it well and let it rise until breakfast time. have the griddle hot and nicely greased, pour on the batter in small round cakes and bake a light brown, the same as any griddle cake. puff balls. to a piece of butter as large as an egg stirred until soft; add three well-beaten eggs, a pinch of salt and half a teacupful of sour cream. stir well together, then add enough flour to make a very thick batter. drop a spoonful of this into boiling water. cook until the puffs rise to the surface. dish them hot with melted butter turned over them. nice accompaniment to a meat dinner as a side-dish--similar to plain macaroni. breakfast puffs. two cups of sour milk, one teaspoonful of soda, one teaspoonful of salt, one egg and flour enough to roll out like biscuit dough. cut into narrow strips an inch wide and three inches long, fry brown in hot lard like doughnuts. serve hot; excellent with coffee. or fry in a spider with an ounce each of lard and butter, turning and browning all four of the sides. english crumpets. one quart of warm milk, half a cup of yeast, one teaspoonful of salt, flour enough to make a stiff batter; when light, add half a cupful of melted butter, a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water and a very little more flour; let it stand twenty minutes or until light. grease some muffin-rings, place them on a hot griddle and fill them half full of the batter; when done on one side turn and bake the other side. butted them while hot; pile one on another and serve immediately. plain crumpets. mix together thoroughly while dry one quart of sifted flour, loosely measured, two heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder and a little salt; then add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter and sweet milk enough to make a thin dough. bake quickly in muffin-rings or patty-pans. prepared bread crumbs. take pieces of stale bread, break them in small bits, put them on a baking pan and place them in a moderate oven, watching closely that they do not scorch; then take them while hot and crisp and roll them, crushing them. sift them, using the fine crumbs for breading cutlets, fish, croquettes, etc. the coarse ones may be used for puddings, pancakes, etc. crackers. sift into a pint of flour a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, four tablespoonfuls of melted butter, half a teaspoonful salt and the white of an egg beaten and one cup of milk; mix it with more flour, enough to make a very stiff dough, as stiff as can be rolled out; pounded and kneaded a long time. roll very thin like pie crust and cut out either round or square. bake a light brown. stale crackers are made crisp and better by placing them in the oven a few moments before they are needed for the table. french crackers. six eggs, twelve tablespoonfuls of sweet milk, six tablespoonfuls of butter, half a teaspoonful of soda; mold with flour, pounding and working half an hour; roll it thin. bake with rather quick fire. corn meal mush or hasty pudding. put two quarts of water into a clean dinner-pot or stewpan, cover it and let it become boiling hot over the fire; then add a tablespoonful of salt, take off the light scum from the top, have sweet, fresh yellow or white corn meal; take a handful of the meal with the left hand and a pudding-stick in the right, then with the stick, stir the water around and by degrees let fall the meal; when one handful is exhausted, refill it; continue to stir and add meal until it is as thick as you can stir easily, or until the stick will stand in it; stir it awhile longer; let the fire be gentle; when it is sufficiently cooked, which will be in half an hour, it will bubble or puff up; turn it into a deep basin. this is eaten cold or hot, with milk or with butter and syrup or sugar, or with meat and gravy, the same as potatoes or rice. fried mush. make it like the above recipe, turn it into bread tins and when cold slice it, dip each piece in flour and fry it in lard and butter mixed in the frying pan, turning to brown well both sides. must be served hot. graham mush. sift graham meal slowly into boiling salted water, stirring briskly until thick as can be stirred with one hand; serve with milk or cream and sugar, or butter and syrup. it will be improved by removing from the kettle to a pan, as soon as thoroughly mixed, and steaming three or four hours. it may also be eaten cold, or sliced and fried, like corn meal mush. oatmeal. soak one cup of oatmeal in a quart of water over night, boil half an hour in the morning, salted to taste. it is better to cook it in a dish set into a dish of boiling water. rice croquettes. boil for thirty minutes one cup of well-washed rice in a pint of milk; whip into the hot rice the following ingredients: two ounces of butter, two ounces of sugar, some salt, and when slightly cool add the yolks of two eggs well beaten; if too stiff pour in a little more milk; when cold, roll into small balls and dip in beaten eggs, roll in fine cracker or bread crumbs, and fry same as doughnuts. or they may be fried in the frying pan, with a tablespoonful each of butter and lard mixed, turning and frying both sides brown. serve very hot. hominy. this form of cereal is very little known and consequently little appreciated in most northern households. "big hominy" and "little hominy," as they are called in the south, are staple dishes there and generally take the place of oatmeal, which is apt to be too heating for the climate. the former is called "samp" here. it must be boiled for at least eight hours to be properly cooked, and may then be kept on hand for two or three days and warmed over, made into croquettes or balls, or fried in cakes. the fine hominy takes two or three hours for proper cooking, and should be cooked in a dish set into another of boiling water, and kept steadily boiling until thoroughly soft. hominy croquettes. to a cupful of cold boiled hominy, add a teaspoonful of melted butter, and stir it well, adding by degrees a cupful of milk, till all is made into a soft, light paste; add a teaspoonful of white sugar, a pinch of salt, and one well-beaten egg. roll it into oval balls with floured hands, dipped in beaten egg, then rolled in cracker crumbs, and fry in hot lard. the hominy is best boiled the day or morning before using. boiled rice. take half or quarter of a pound of the best quality of rice; wash it in a strainer, and put it in a saucepan, with a quart of clean water and a pinch of salt; let it boil slowly till the water is all evaporated--see that it does not burn--then pour in a teacupful of new milk; stir carefully from the bottom of the saucepan, so that the upper grain may go under, but do not smash it; close the lid on your saucepan carefully down, and set it on a cooler part of the fire, where it will not boil; as soon as it has absorbed the added milk, serve it up with fresh new milk, adding fruit and sugar for those who like them. another nice way to cook rice is to take one teacupful of rice and one quart of milk, place in a steamer, and steam from two to three hours; when nearly done, stir in a piece of butter as large as the yolk of an egg, and a pinch of salt. you can use sugar if you like. the difference in the time of cooking depends on your rice--the older the rice, the longer it takes to cook. samp, or hulled corn. an old-fashioned way of preparing hulled corn was to put a peck of old, dry, ripe corn into a pot filled with water, and with it a bag of hardwood ashes, say a quart. after soaking a while it was boiled until the skins or hulls came off easily. the corn was then washed in cold water to get rid of the taste of potash, and then boiled until the kernels were soft. another way was to take the lye from the leaches where potash was made, dilute it, and boil the corn in this until the skins or hulls came off. it makes a delicious dish, eaten with milk or cream. cracked wheat. soak the wheat over night in cold water, about a quart of water to a cup of wheat; cook it as directed for oatmeal; should be thoroughly done. eaten with sugar and cream. oat flakes. this healthful oat preparation may be procured from the leading grocers and is prepared as follows: put into a double saucepan or porcelain-lined pan a quart of boiling water, add a saltspoonful of salt, and when it is boiling add, or rather stir in gradually, three ounces of flakes. keep stirring to prevent burning. let it boil from fifteen to twenty minutes and serve with cream and sugar. ordinarily oatmeal requires two hours' steady cooking to make it palatable and digestible. wheaten grits and hominy one hour, but a half hour longer cooking will not injure them and makes them easier of digestion. never be afraid of cooking cereals or preparations from cereals too long, no matter what the directions on the package may be. steamed oatmeal. to one teacupful oatmeal add a quart of cold water, a teaspoonful of salt; put in a steamer over a kettle of cold water, gradually heat and steam an hour and a half after it begins to cook. hominy. hominy is a preparation of indian corn, broken or ground, either large or small, and is an excellent breakfast dish in winter or summer. wash the hominy thoroughly in on or two waters, then cover it with twice its depth of cold water and let it come to a boil slowly. if it be the large hominy, simmer six hours; if the small hominy, simmer two hours. when the water evaporates add hot water; when done it may be eaten with cream, or allowed to become cold and warmed up in the frying pan, using a little butter to prevent burning. toast. toast should be made of stale bread, or at least of bread that has been baked a day. cut smoothly in slices, not more than half an inch thick; if the crust is baked very hard, trim the edges and brown very evenly, but if it happens to burn, that should be scraped off. toast that is to be served with anything turned over it, should have the slices first dipped quickly in a dish of hot water turned from the boiling tea-kettle, with a little salt thrown in. cold biscuits cut in halves, and the under crust sliced off, then browned evenly on both sides, make equally as good toast. the following preparations of toast are almost all of them very nice dishes, served with a family breakfast. milk toast. put over the fire a quart of milk, put into it a tablespoonful of cold butter, stir a heaping teaspoonful of flour into half a gill of milk; as soon as the milk on the fire boils, stir in the flour, add a teaspoonful of salt; let all boil up once, remove from the fire, and dip in this slices of toasted bread. when all are used up, pour what is left of the scalded milk over the toast. cover and send to the table hot. cream toast. heat a pint of milk to boiling and add a piece of butter the size of an egg; stir a tablespoonful of flour smoothly into a cup of rich cream, and add some of the boiling milk to this; heat it gradually and prevent the flour from lumping; then stir into the boiling milk and let it cook a few moments; salt to taste. after taking from the fire stir in a beaten egg; strain the mixture on to toast lightly buttered. american toast. to one egg thoroughly beaten, put one cup of sweet milk and a little salt. slice light bread and dip into the mixture, allowing each slice to absorb some of the milk; then brown on a hot buttered griddle or thick-bottomed frying pan; spread with butter and serve hot. nuns' toast. cut four or five hard-boiled eggs into slices. put a piece of butter half the size of an egg into a saucepan and when it begins to bubble add a finely chopped onion. let the onion cook a little without taking color, then stir in a teaspoonful of flour. add a cupful of milk and stir until it becomes smooth; then put in the slices of eggs and let them get hot. pour over neatly trimmed slices of hot buttered toast. the sauce must be seasoned to taste with pepper and salt. cheese toast. no. . toast thin slices of bread an even, crisp brown. place on a warm plate, allowing one small slice to each person, and pour on enough melted cheese to cover them. rich new cheese is best. serve while warm. many prefer a little prepared mustard spread over the toast before putting on the cheese. cheese toast. no. . put half an ounce of butter in a frying pan; when hot add gradually four ounces of mild american cheese. whisk it thoroughly until melted. beat together half a pint of cream and two eggs; whisk into the cheese, add a little salt, pour over the crisp toast, and serve. the two above recipes are usually called "welsh rarebit." oyster toast. select the large ones, used for frying, and first dip them in beaten egg, then in either cracker or bread crumbs and cook upon a fine wire gridiron, over a quick fire. toast should be made ready in advance, and a rich cream sauce poured over the whole. after pouring on the sauce, finely cut celery strewn over the top adds to their delicacy. or wash oysters in the shell and put them on hot coals, or upon the top of a hot stove, or bake them in a hot oven; open the shells with an oyster-knife, taking care to lose none of the liquor. dip the toast into hot, salted water quickly and turn out the oyster and liquor over the toast; season with salt and pepper and a teaspoonful of melted butter over each. oysters steamed in the shell are equally as good. mushrooms on toast. peel a quart of mushrooms and cut off a little of the root end. melt an ounce of butter in the frying pan and fry in it half a pound of raw minced steak; add two saltspoonfuls of salt, a pinch of cayenne and a gill of hot water; fry until the juices are extracted from the meat; tilt the pan and squeeze the meat with the back of the spoon until there is nothing left but dry meat, then remove it; add the mushrooms to the liquid and if there is not enough of it, add more butter; toss them about a moment and pour out on hot toast. some add a little sherry to the dish before removing from the fire. tomato toast. pare and stew a quart of ripe tomatoes until smooth. season with salt, pepper and a tablespoonful of butter. when done, add one cup sweet cream and a little flour. let it scald, but not boil; remove at once. pour over slices of dipped toast, well buttered. eggs on toast. various preparations of eggs can be served on toast, first dipping slices of well-toasted bread quickly in hot salted water, then turning over them scrambled, poached or creamed eggs, all found in the recipes among eggs. baked eggs on toast. toast six slices of stale bread, dip them in hot salted water and butter them lightly. after arranging them on a platter or deep plate, break enough eggs to cover them, breaking one at a time and slip over the toast so that they do not break; sprinkle over them salt and pepper and turn over all some kind of thickened gravy--either chicken or lamb, cream or a cream sauce made the same as "white sauce;" turn this over the toast and eggs and bake in a hot oven until the eggs are set, or about five minutes. serve at once. ham toast. take a quarter of a pound of either boiled or fried ham, chop it fine, mix it with the yolks of two eggs, well beaten, a tablespoonful of butter, and enough cream or rich milk to make it soft, a dash of pepper. stir it over the fire until it thickens. dip the toast for an instant in hot salted water; spread over some melted butter, then turn over the ham mixture. serve hot. reed birds on toast. remove the feathers and legs of a dozen reed birds, split them down the back, remove the entrails, and place them on a double broiler; brush a little melted butter over them and broil the inner side thoroughly first; then lightly broil the other side. melt one quarter of a pound of butter, season it nicely with salt and pepper, dip the birds in it, and arrange them nicely on slices of toast. minced fowls on toast. remove from the bones all the meat of either cold roast or boiled fowls. clean it from the skin, and keep covered from the air until ready for use. boil the bones and skin with three-fourths of a pint of water until reduced quite half. strain the gravy and let it cool. next, having skimmed off the fat, put it into a clean saucepan with half a cup of cream, three tablespoonfuls of butter, well mixed with a tablespoonful of flour. keep these stirred until they boil. then put in the fowl finely minced, with three hard-boiled eggs, chopped, and sufficient salt and pepper to season. shake the mince over the fire until just ready to serve. dish it over hot toast and serve. hashed beef on toast. chop a quantity of cold roast beef rather fine and season it well with pepper and salt. for each pint of meat add a level tablespoonful of flour. stir well and add a small teacupful of soup-stock or water. put the mixture into a small stewpan and, after covering it, simmer for twenty minutes. meanwhile, toast half a dozen slices of bread nicely and at the end of the twenty minutes spread the meat upon them. serve at once on a hot dish. in case water be used instead of soup-stock, add a tablespoonful of butter just before spreading the beef upon the toast. any kind of cold meat may be prepared in a similar manner. _maria parloa_. veal hash on toast. take a teacupful of boiling water in a saucepan, stir in an even teaspoonful of flour, wet in a tablespoonful of cold water, and let it boil five minutes; add one-half teaspoonful of black pepper, as much salt and two tablespoonfuls of butter, and let it keep hot, but not boil. chop the veal fine and mix with it half as much stale bread crumbs. put it in a pan and pour the gravy over it, then let it simmer ten minutes. serve this on buttered toast. codfish on toast. (cuban style.) take a teacupful of freshened codfish picked up fine. fry a sliced onion in a tablespoonful of butter; when it has turned a light brown, put in the fish with water enough to cover it; add half a can of tomatoes, or half a dozen of fresh ones. cook all nearly an hour, seasoning with a little pepper. serve on slices of dipped toast, hot. very fine. plain creamed codfish is very nice turned over dipped toast. halibut on toast. put into boiling salted water one pound of fresh halibut; cook slowly for fifteen minutes, or until done; remove from the water and chop it fine; then add half a cup of melted butter and eight eggs well beaten. season with salt and pepper. place over the fire a thick-bottomed frying pan containing a tablespoonful of cold butter; when it begins to melt, tip the pan so as to grease the sides; then put in the fish and eggs and stir one way until the eggs are cooked, but not _too_ hard. turn over toast dipped in hot salted water. chicken hash with rice toast. boil a cup of rice the night before; put it into a square, narrow bread-pan, set it in the ice-box. next morning cut it in half inch slices, rub over each slice a little warm butter and toast them on a broiler to a delicate brown. arrange the toast on a warm platter and turn over the whole a chicken hash made from the remains of cold fowl, the meat picked from the bones, chopped fine, put into the frying pan with butter and a little water to moisten it, adding pepper and salt. heat hot all through. serve immediately. apple toast. cut six apples into quarters, take the core out, peel and cut them in slices; put in the saucepan an ounce of butter, then throw over the apples about two ounces of white powdered sugar and two tablespoonfuls of water; put the saucepan on the fire, let it stew quickly, toss them up, or stir with a spoon; a few minutes will do them. when tender cut two or three slices of bread half an inch thick; put in a frying pan two ounces of butter, put on the fire; when the butter is melted put in your bread, which fry of a nice yellowish color; when nice and crisp take them out, place them on a dish, a little white sugar over, the apples about an inch thick. serve hot. cakes. suggestions in regard to cake-making. use none but the best materials, and all the ingredients should be properly prepared before commencing to mix any of them. eggs beat up much lighter and sooner by being placed in a cold place sometime before using them; a small pinch of soda sometimes has the same effect. flour should always be sifted before using it. cream of tartar or baking powder should be thoroughly mixed with the flour; butter be placed where it will become moderately soft, but _not_ melted in the least, or the cake will be sodden and heavy. sugar should be rolled and sifted; spices ground or pounded; raisins or any ether fruit looked over and prepared; currants, especially, should be nicely washed, picked, dried in a cloth and then carefully examined, that no pieces of grit or stone may be left amongst them. they should then be laid on a dish before the fire to become thoroughly dry; as, if added damp to the other ingredients, cakes will be liable to be heavy. eggs should be well beaten, the whites and yolks separately, the yolks to a thick cream, the whites until they are a stiff froth. always stir the butter and sugar to a cream, then add the beaten yolks, then the milk, the flavoring, then the beaten whites, and, lastly, the flour. if fruit is to be used, measure and dredge with a little sifted flour, stir in gradually and thoroughly. pour all in well-buttered cake-pans. while the cake is baking care should be taken that no cold air enters the oven, only when necessary to see that the cake is baking properly; the oven should be an even, moderate heat, not too cold or too hot; much depends on this for success. cake is often spoiled by being looked at too often when first put into the oven. the heat should be tested before the cake is put in, which can be done by throwing on the floor of the oven a tablespoonful of new flour. if the flour takes fire, or assumes a dark brown color, the temperature is too high and the oven must be allowed to cool; if the flour remains white after the lapse of a few seconds, the temperature is too low. when the oven is of the proper temperature the flour will slightly brown and look slightly scorched. another good way to test the heat, is to drop a few spoonfuls of the cake batter on a small piece of buttered letter paper, and place it in the oven during the finishing of the cake, so that the piece will be baked before putting in the whole cake; if the little drop of cake batter bakes evenly without burning around the edge, it will be safe to put the whole cake in the oven. then, again, if the oven seems too hot, fold a thick brown paper double, and lay on the bottom of the oven; then after the cake has risen, put a thick brown paper over the top, or butter well a thick white paper and lay carefully over the top. if, after the cake is put in, it seems to bake too fast, put a brown paper loosely over the top of the pan, care being taken that it does not touch the cake, and do not open the door for five minutes at least; the cake should then be quickly examined, and the door shut carefully, or the rush of cold air will cause it to fall. setting a _small dish_ of hot water in the oven, will also prevent the cake from scorching. to ascertain when the cake is done, run a broom straw into the middle of it; if it comes out clean and smooth, the cake will do to take out. where the recipe calls for baking powder, and you have none, you can use cream of tartar and soda in proportion to one level teaspoonful of soda, two heaping teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar. when sour milk is called for in the recipe, use only soda. cakes made with molasses burn much more easily than those made with sugar. never stir cake after the butter and sugar is creamed, but beat it down from the bottom, up and over; this laps air into the cake batter, and produces little air cells, which cause the dough to puff and swell when it comes in contact with the heat while cooking. when making most cakes, especially sponge cake, the flour should be added by degrees, stirred very slowly and lightly, for if stirred hard and fast it will make it porous and tough. cakes should be kept in tight tin cake-cans, or earthen jars, in a cool, dry place. cookies, jumbles, ginger-snaps, etc., require a quick oven; if they become moist or soft by keeping, put again into the oven a few minutes. to remove a cake from a tin after it is baked, so that it will not crack, break or fall, first butter the tin well all around the sides and bottom; then cut a piece of letter paper to exactly fit the tin, butter that on both sides, placing it smoothly on the bottom and sides of the tin. when the cake is baked, let it remain in the tin until it is _cold_; then set it in the oven a minute, or just long enough to warm the tin through. remove it from the oven; turn it upside down on your hand, tap the edge of the tin on the table and it will slip out with ease, leaving it whole. if a cake-pan is too shallow for holding the quantity of cake to be baked, for fear of its being so light as to rise above the pan, that can be remedied by thoroughly greasing a piece of thick glazed letter paper with soft butter. place or fit it around the sides of the buttered tin, allowing it to reach an inch or more above the top. if the oven heat is moderate the butter will preserve the paper from burning. frosting or icing. in the first place, the eggs should be cold, and the platter on which they are to be beaten also cold. allow, for the white of one egg, one small teacupful of powdered sugar. break the eggs and throw a small handful of the sugar on them as soon as you begin beating; keep adding it at intervals until it is all used up. the eggs must _not_ be beaten until the sugar has been added in this way, which gives a smooth, tender frosting, and one that will dry much sooner than the old way. spread with a broad knife evenly over the cake, and if it seems too thin, beat in a little more sugar. cover the cake with two coats, the second after the first has become dry, or nearly so. if the icing gets too dry or stiff before the last coat is needed, it can be thinned sufficiently with a little water, enough to make it work smoothly. a little lemon juice, or half a teaspoonful of tartaric acid, added to the frosting while being beaten, makes it white and more frothy. the flavors mostly used are lemon, vanilla, almond, rose, chocolate and orange. if you wish to ornament with figures or flowers, make up rather more icing, keep about one-third out until that on the cake is dried; then, with a clean glass syringe, apply it in such forms as you desire and dry as before; what you keep out to ornament with may be tinted pink with cochineal, blue with indigo, yellow with saffron or the grated rind of an orange strained through a cloth, green with spinach juice and brown with chocolate, purple with cochineal and indigo. strawberry, or currant and cranberry juices color a delicate pink. set the cake in a cool oven with the door open to dry, or in a draught in an open window. almond frosting. the whites of three eggs, beaten up with three cups of fine, white sugar. blanch a pound of sweet almonds, pound them in a mortar with a little sugar, until a fine paste, then add the whites of eggs, sugar and vanilla extract. pound a few minutes to thoroughly mix. cover the cake with a very thick coating of this, set in a cool oven to dry, afterwards cover with a plain icing. chocolate frosting. the whites of four eggs, three cups of powdered sugar and nearly a cup of grated chocolate. beat the whites a very little, they must not become white, stir in the chocolate, then put in the sugar gradually, beating to mix it well. plain chocolate icing. put into a shallow pan four tablespoonfuls of scraped chocolate, and place it where it will melt gradually, but not scorch; when melted, stir in three tablespoonfuls of milk or cream and one of water; mix all well together, and add one scant teacupful of sugar; boil about five minutes, and while hot, and when the cakes are nearly cold, spread some evenly over the surface of one of the cakes; put a second one on top, alternating the mixture and cakes; then cover top and sides, and set in a warm oven to harden. all who have tried recipe after recipe, vainly hoping to find one where the chocolate sticks to the cake and not to the fingers, will appreciate the above. in making those most palatable of cakes, "chocolate eclairs," the recipe just given will be found very satisfactory. tutti frutti icing. mix with boiled icing one ounce each of chopped citron, candied cherries, seedless raisins, candied pineapple and blanched almonds. sugar icing. to one pound of extra refined sugar add one ounce of fine white starch; pound finely together and then sift them through gauze; then beat the whites of three eggs to a froth. the secret of success is to beat the eggs long enough, and always one way; add the powdered sugar by degrees, or it will spoil the froth of the eggs. when all the sugar is stirred in continue the whipping for half an hour longer, adding more sugar if the ice is too thin. take a little of the icing and lay it aside for ornamenting afterward. when the cake comes out of the oven, spread the sugar icing smoothly over it with a knife and dry it at once in a cool oven. for ornamenting the cake the icing may be tinged any color preferred. for pink, use a few drops of cochineal; for yellow, a pinch of saffron dissolved; for green, the juice of some chopped spinach. whichever is chosen, let the coloring be first mixed with a little colorless spirit and then stirred into the white icing until the tint is deep enough. to ornament the cake with it, make a cone of stiff writing paper and squeeze the colored icing through it, so as to form leaves, beading or letters, as the case may be. it requires nicety and care to do it with success. boiled frosting. to one pound of finest pulverized sugar add three wine-glassfuls of clear water. let it stand until it dissolves; then boil it until it is perfectly clear and threads from the spoon. beat well the whites of four eggs. pour the sugar into the dish with the eggs, but do not mix them until the syrup is luke-warm; then beat all well together for one-half hour. season to your taste with vanilla, rose-water, or lemon juice. the first coating may be put on the cake as soon as it is well mixed. rub the cake with a little flour before you apply the icing. while the first coat is drying continue to beat the remainder; you will not have to wait long if the cake is set in a warm place near the fire. this is said to be a most excellent recipe for icing. frosting without eggs. an excellent frosting may be made without eggs or gelatine, which will keep longer and cut more easily, causing no breakage or crumbling and withal is very economical. take one cup of granulated sugar; dampen it with one-fourth of a cup of milk, or five tablespoonfuls; place it on the fire in a suitable dish and stir it until it boils; then let it boil for five minutes without stirring; remove it from the fire and set the dish in another of cold water; add flavoring. while it is cooling, stir or beat it constantly and it will become a thick, creamy frosting. gelatine frosting. soak one teaspoonful of gelatine in one tablespoonful of cold water half an hour, dissolve in two tablespoonfuls of hot water; add one cup of powdered sugar and stir until smooth. golden frosting. a very delicious and handsome frosting can be made by using the yolks of eggs instead of the whites. proceed exactly as for ordinary frosting. it will harden just as nicely as that does. this is particularly good for orange cake, harmonizing with the color of the cake in a way to please those who love rich coloring. fillings for layer cakes. no. . cream filling. cream filling is made with one pint of new milk, two eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sifted flour (or half cup of cornstarch), one cup of sugar. put two-thirds of the milk on the stove to boil, stir the sugar, flour and eggs in what is left. when the milk boils, put into it the whole and cook it until it is as thick as custard; when cool, add vanilla extract. this custard is nice with a cup of hickory nuts, kernels chopped fine and stirred into it. spread between the layers of cake. this custard can be made of the yolks of the eggs only, saving the whites for the cake part. no. . another cream filling. one cup powdered sugar, one-fourth cup hot water. let them simmer. beat white of an egg and mix with the above; when cold, add one-half cup chopped raisins, one-half cup chopped walnuts, one tablespoonful of grated cocoanut. no. . ice-cream filling. make an icing as follows: three cups of sugar, one of water; boil to a thick, clear syrup, or until it begins to be brittle; pour this, boiling hot, over the _well-beaten_ whites of three eggs; stir the mixture very briskly, and pour the sugar in slowly; beat it, when all in, until cool. flavor with lemon or vanilla extract. this, spread between any white cake layers, answers for "ice-cream cake." no. . apple filling. peel and slice green tart apples, put them on the fire with sugar to suit; when tender, remove, rub them through a fine sieve and add a small piece of butter. when cold, use to spread between the layers; cover the cake with plenty of sugar. no. . another apple filling. one coffeecup of sugar, one egg, three large apples grated, one lemon grated, juice and outside of the rind; beat together and cook till quite thick. to be cooled before putting on the cake. spread between layers of cake. no. . cream frosting. a cup of sweet thick cream whipped, sweetened and flavored with vanilla; cut a loaf of cake in two, spread the frosting between and on the top; this tastes like charlotte russe. no. . peach-cream filling. cut peaches into thin slices, or chop them and prepare cream by whipping and sweetening. put a layer of peaches between the layers of cake and pour cream over each layer and over the top. bananas, strawberries or other fruits may be used in the same way, mashing strawberries and stewing thick with powdered sugar. no. . chocolate cream for filling. five tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate, enough cream or milk to wet it, one cupful of sugar, one egg, one teaspoonful vanilla flavoring. stir the ingredients over the fire until thoroughly mixed, having beaten the egg well before adding it; then add the vanilla flavoring after it is removed from the fire. no. . another chocolate filling. the whites of three eggs beaten stiff, one cup of sugar and one cup of grated chocolate, put between the layers and on top. no. . banana filling. make an icing of the whites of two eggs and one cup and a half of powdered sugar. spread this on the layers, and then cover thickly and entirely with bananas sliced thin or chopped fine. this cake may be flavored with vanilla. the top should be simply frosted. no. . lemon jelly filling. grate the yellow from the rind of two lemons and squeeze out the juice; two cupfuls of sugar, the yolks and whites of two eggs beaten separately. mix the sugar and yolks, then add the whites and then the lemons. now pour on a cupful of boiling water; stir into this two tablespoonfuls of sifted flour, rubbed smooth in half a cup of water; then add a tablespoonful of melted butter; cook until it thickens. when cold, spread between the layers of cake. oranges can be used in place of lemons. another filling of lemon (without cooking) is made of the grated rind and juice of two lemons and the whites of two eggs beaten with one cup of sugar. no. . orange cake filling. peel two large oranges, remove the seeds, chop them fine, add half a peeled lemon, one cup of sugar and the well-beaten white of an egg. spread between the layers of "silver cake" recipe. no. . fig filling. take a pound of figs, chop fine, and put into a stewpan on the stove; pour over them a teacupful of water and add a half cup of sugar. cook all together until soft and smooth. when cold spread between layers of cake. no. . fruit filling. four tablespoonfuls of _very finely_ chopped citron, four tablespoonfuls of finely chopped seeded raisins, half a cupful of blanched almonds chopped fine, also a quarter of a pound of finely chopped figs. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, adding half of a cupful of sugar; then mix thoroughly into this the whole of the chopped ingredients. put it between the layers of cake when the cake is _hot_, so that it will cook the egg a little. this will be found delicious. bread or raised cake. two cupfuls of raised dough; beat into it two-thirds of a cup of butter and two cups of sugar creamed together, three eggs, well beaten, one even teaspoonful of soda dissolved in two tablespoonfuls of milk, half a nutmeg grated, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, a teaspoonful of cloves, one cup of raisins. mix all well together, put in the beaten whites of eggs and raisins last; beat all hard for several minutes; put in buttered pans and let it stand half an hour to rise again before baking. bake in a _moderate_ oven. half a glass of brandy is an improvement, if you have it convenient. fruit cake. (superior.) three pounds dry flour, one pound sweet butter, one pound sugar, three pounds stoned raisins, two pounds currants, three-quarters of a pound sweet almonds blanched, one pound citron, twelve eggs, one tablespoonful allspice, one teaspoonful cloves, two tablespoonfuls cinnamon, two nutmegs, one wine-glass of wine, one wine-glass of brandy, one coffeecupful molasses with the spices in it; steep this gently twenty or thirty minutes, not boiling hot; beat the eggs very lightly; put the fruit in last, stirring it gradually, also a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of water; the fruit should be well floured; if necessary add flour after the fruit is in; butter a sheet of paper and lay it in the pan. lay in some slices of citron, then a layer of the mixture, then of citron again, etc., till the pan is nearly full. bake three or four hours, according to the thickness of the loaves, in a tolerably hot oven, and with steady heat. let it cool in the oven gradually. ice when cold. it improves this cake very much to add three teaspoonfuls of baking powder to the flour. a fine wedding cake recipe. fruit cake by measure, (excellent.) two scant teacupfuls of butter, three cupfuls of dark brown sugar, six eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one pound of raisins, seeded, one of currants, washed and dried, and half a pound of citron cut in thin strips; also half a cupful of cooking molasses and half a cupful of sour milk. stir the butter and sugar to a cream, add to that half a grated nutmeg, ope tablespoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves, one teaspoonful of mace, add the molasses and sour milk. stir all well; then put in the beaten yolks of eggs, a wine-glass of brandy; stir again all thoroughly, and then add four cupfuls of sifted flour alternately with the beaten whites of eggs. now dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda and stir in thoroughly. mix the fruit together and stir into it two heaping tablespoonfuls of flour; then stir it in the cake. butter two common-sized baking tins carefully, line them with letter paper well buttered, and bake in a moderate oven two hours. after it is baked, let it cool in the pan. afterward put it into a tight can, or let it remain in the pans and cover tightly. best recipe of all. _mrs. s. a. camp, grand rapids, mich._ white fruit cake. one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of sweet milk, two and one-half cups of flour, the whites of seven eggs, two even teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one pound each of seeded raisins, figs and blanched almonds, and one quarter of a pound of citron, all chopped fine. mix all thoroughly before adding the fruit; add a teaspoonful of lemon extract. put baking powder in the flour and mix it well before adding it to the other ingredients. sift a little flour over the fruit before stirring it in. bake slowly two hours and try with a splint to see when it is done. a cup of grated cocoanut is a nice addition to this cake. molasses fruit cake. one teacupful of butter, one teacupful of brown sugar, worked well together; next, two teacupfuls of cooking molasses, one cupful of milk with a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it, one tablespoonful of ginger, one tablespoonful of cinnamon and one teaspoonful of cloves, a little grated nutmeg. now add four eggs well beaten and five cups of sifted flour, or enough to make a stiff batter. flour a cup of raisins and one of currants; add last. bake in a very _moderate_ oven one hour. if well covered will keep six months. sponge cake. separate the whites and yolks of six eggs. beat the yolks to a cream, to which add two teacupfuls of powdered sugar, beating again from five to ten minutes, then add two tablespoonfuls of milk or water, a pinch of salt and flavoring. now add part of the beaten whites; then two cups of flour in which you have sifted two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; mix gradually into the above ingredients, stirring slowly and lightly, only enough to mix them well; lastly add the remainder of the whites of the eggs. line the tins with buttered paper and fill two-thirds full. white sponge cake. whites of five eggs, one cup of flour, one cup sugar, one teaspoonful baking powder; flavor with vanilla. bake in a quick oven. almond sponge cake. the addition of almonds makes this cake very superior to the usual sponge cake. sift one pint of fine flour; blanch in scalding water two ounces of sweet and two ounces of bitter almonds, renewing the hot water when expedient; when the skins are all off wash the almonds in cold water (mixing the sweet and bitter) and wipe them dry; pound them to a fine, smooth paste (one at a time), adding, as you proceed, water or white of egg to prevent their boiling. set them in a cool place; beat ten eggs, the whites and yolks separately, till very smooth and thick, and then beat into them gradually two cups powdered sugar in turn with the pounded almonds; lastly, add the flour, stirring it round slowly and lightly on the surface of the mixture, as in common sponge cake; have ready buttered a _deep_ square pan; put the mixture carefully into it, set into the oven and bake till thoroughly done and risen very high; when cool, cover it with plain white icing flavored with rose-water, or with almond icing. with sweet almonds always use a small portion of bitter; without them, _sweet_ almonds have little or no taste, though they add to the richness of the cake. use two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder in the flour. old-fashioned sponge cake. two cups of sifted white sugar, two cups of flour measured before sifting, ten eggs. stir the yolks and sugar together until perfectly light; add a pinch of salt; beat the whites of the eggs to a very stiff froth and add them with the flour, after beating together lightly; flavor with lemon. bake in a _moderate_ oven about forty-five minutes. baking powder is an improvement to this cake, using two large teaspoonfuls. lemon sponge cake. into one level cup of flour put a level teaspoonful of baking powder and sift it. grate off the yellow rind of a lemon. separate the whites from the yolks of four eggs. measure a scant cup of white granulated sugar and beat it to a cream with the yolks, then add the grated rind and a tablespoonful of the juice of the lemon. stir together until thick and creamy; now beat the whites to a stiff froth; then quickly and lightly mix _without beating_ a third of the flour with the yolks; then a third of the whites; then more flour and whites until all are used. the mode of mixing must be very light, rather cutting down through the cake batter than to beating it; beating the eggs makes them light, but beating the batter makes the cake tough. bake immediately until a straw run into it can be withdrawn clean. this recipe is especially nice for charlotte russe, being so light and porous. plain sponge cake. beat the yolks of four eggs together with two cups of fine powdered sugar. stir in gradually one cup of sifted flour and the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, then a cup of sifted flour in which two teaspoonfuls of baking powder have been stirred, and, lastly, a scant teacupful of boiling water, stirred in a little at a time. flavor, add salt and, however thin the mixture may seem, do not add any more flour. bake in shallow tins. bride's cake. cream together one scant cup of butter and three cups of sugar; add one cup of milk, then the beaten whites of twelve eggs; sift three teaspoonfuls of baking powder into one cup of cornstarch mixed with three cups of sifted flour and beat in gradually with the rest; flavor to taste. beat all thoroughly, then put in buttered tins lined with letter paper well buttered; bake slowly in a _moderate_ oven. a beautiful white cake. ice the top. double the recipe if more is required. english pound cake. one pound of butter, one and one-quarter pounds of flour, one pound of pounded loaf sugar, one pound of currants, nine eggs, two ounces of candied peel, one-half ounce of citron, one-half ounce of sweet almonds; when liked, a little pounded mace. work the butter to a cream; add the sugar, then the well-beaten yolks of eggs, next the flour, currants, candied peel, which should be cut into neat slices, and the almonds, which should be blanched and chopped, and mix all these well together; whisk the whites of eggs and let them be thoroughly blended with the other ingredients. beat the cake well for twenty minutes and put it into a round tin, lined at the bottom and sides with strips of white buttered paper. bake it from two hours to two and a half, and let the oven be well heated when the cake is first put in, as, if this is not the case, the currants will all sink to the bottom of it. a glass of wine is usually added to the mixture, but this is scarcely necessary, as the cake will be found quite rich enough without it. plain pound cake. this is the old-fashioned recipe that our mothers used to make, and it can be kept for weeks in an earthen jar, closely covered, first dipping letter paper in brandy and placing over the top of the cake before covering the jar. beat to a cream one pound of butter with one pound of sugar, after mixing well with the beaten yolks of twelve eggs, one grated nutmeg, one glass of wine, one glass of rose-water. then stir in one pound of sifted flour and the well-beaten whites of the eggs. bake a nice light brown. cocoanut pound cake. one-half cupful of butter, two cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of milk, and five eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; one teaspoonful of soda and two of cream of tartar, stirred into four cups of sifted flour. beat the butter and sugar until very light; to which add the beaten yolks, then the milk, the beaten whites of eggs, then the flour by degrees. after beating all well together, add a small cocoanut grated. line the cake-pans with paper well buttered, fill rather more than half full and bake in a _moderate_ oven. spread over the top a thin frosting, sprinkled thickly with grated cocoanut. citron pound cake. stir two cups of butter to a cream, then beat in the following ingredients each one in succession: one pint of powdered sugar, one quart of flour, a teaspoonful of salt; eight eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately, and a wine-glass of brandy; then last of all add a quarter of a pound of citron cut into thin slices and floured. line two cake pans with buttered paper and turn the cake batter in. bake in a _moderate_ oven about three-quarters of an hour. citron cake. three cups of white sugar and one cup of butter creamed together; one cup of sweet milk, six eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, one teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon extract, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, sifted with four cups and a half of flour. one cup and a half of citron, sliced thin and dredged with flour. divide into two cakes and bake in tins lined with buttered letter paper. lemon cake. three teacupfuls of sugar, one cupful of butter, five eggs, a level teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a cup of sweet milk, four full cups of sifted flour and lastly the grated peel and juice of a lemon, the juice to be added the very last. bake in two shallow tins. when cold ice with lemon icing and cut into squares. delicate cake. one cup of cornstarch, one of butter, two of sugar, one of sweet milk, two of flour, the whites of seven eggs; rub butter and sugar to a cream; mix one teaspoonful cream of tartar with the flour and cornstarch; one-half teaspoonful soda with the sweet milk; add the milk and soda to the sugar and butter, then add flour, then the whites of eggs; flavor to taste. never fails to be good. silver, or delicate cake. whites of six eggs, one cupful of sweet milk, two cupfuls of sugar, four cupfuls of sifted flour, two-thirds of a cup of butter, flavoring and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. stir the sugar and butter to a cream, then add the milk and flavoring, part of the flour, the beaten whites of eggs, then the rest of the flour. bake carefully in tins lined with buttered white paper. when using the whites of eggs for nice cakes, the yolks need not be wasted; keep them in a cool place and scramble them. serve on toast or with chipped beef. gold cake. after beating to a cream one cup and a half of butter and two cups of white sugar, stir in the well-whipped yolks of one dozen eggs, four cupfuls of sifted flour, one teaspoonful of baking powder. flavor with lemon. line the bake-pans with buttered paper and bake in a moderate oven for one hour. gold or lemon cake. two cups of sugar, half a cup of butter, the yolks of six eggs and one whole one, the grated rind and juice of a lemon or orange, half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in half a cup of sweet milk, four cups of sifted flour, sifted twice; cream the butter and sugar, then add the beaten yolks and the flour, beating hard for several minutes. lastly, add the lemon or orange and bake, frosting if liked. this makes a more suitable _lemon_ cake than if made with the white parts of eggs added. snow cake. (delicious.) one pound of arrowroot, quarter of a pound of pounded white sugar, half a pound of butter, the whites of six eggs, flavoring to taste of essence of almonds, or vanilla, or lemon; beat the butter to a cream; stir in the sugar and arrowroot gradually, at the same time beating the mixture; whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth; add them to the other ingredients and beat well for twenty minutes; put in which-ever of the above flavorings may be preferred; pour the cake into a buttered mold or tin and bake it in a _moderate_ oven from one to one and a half hours. _this is a genuine scotch recipe_. marble cake. _white part._--whites of four eggs, one cup of white sugar, half a cup of butter, half a cup of sweet milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, one teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon and two and a half cups of sifted flour. _dark part._--yolks of four eggs, one cup of brown sugar, half a cup of cooking molasses, half a cup of butter, half a cup of sour milk, one teaspoonful of ground cloves, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of mace, one nutmeg grated, one teaspoonful of soda, the soda to be dissolved in a little milk and added after part of the flour is stirred in, one and a half cups of sifted flour. drop a spoonful of each kind in a well-buttered cake-dish, first the light part, then the dark, alternately. try to drop it so that the cake shall be well-streaked through, so that it has the appearance of marble. superior loaf cake. two cups of butter, three cups of sugar, two small cups of milk, seven cups of sifted flour; four eggs, the whites and yolks separately beaten; one teacupful of seeded raisins, one teacupful of well-washed and dried currants, one teacupful of sliced citron, one tablespoonful of powdered cinnamon, one teaspoonful of mace, one teaspoonful of soda and one teacupful of home-made yeast. take part of the butter and warm it with the milk; stir in part of the flour and the yeast and let it rise; then add the other ingredients with a wine-glass of wine or brandy. turn all into well-buttered cake-tins and let rise again. bake slowly in a _moderate_ oven for two hours. french chocolate cake. the whites of seven eggs, two cups of sugar, two-thirds of a cup of butter, one cup of milk and three of flour and three teaspoonfuls of baking powder. the chocolate part of the cake is made just the same, only use the yolks of the eggs with a cup of grated chocolate stirred into it. bake it in layers--the layers being light and dark; then spread a custard between them, which is made with two eggs, one pint of milk, one-half cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of flour or cornstarch; when cool flavor with vanilla, two teaspoonfuls. fine. chocolate cake. no. . one cup of butter and two cups of sugar stirred to a cream, with the yolks of five eggs added after they have been well beaten. then stir into that one cup of milk, beat the whites of two pf the eggs to a stiff froth and add that also; now put in three cups and a half of sifted flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder having been stirred into it. bake in jelly-cake tins. _mixture for filling._--take the remaining three whites of the eggs beaten _very_ stiff, two cupfuls of sugar boiled to almost candy or until it becomes stringy or almost brittle; take it hot from the fire and pour it very slowly on the beaten whites of egg, beating quite fast; add one-half cake of grated chocolate, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. stir it all until cool, then spread between each cake and over the top and sides. this, when well made, is the _premium_ cake of its kind. chocolate cake. no. . one-half cup butter, two cups sugar, three-quarters of a cup sweet milk, two and one-half cups flour, whites of eight eggs, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful soda; bake in shallow pans. _for the frosting._--take the whites of three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sugar and one tablespoonful of grated chocolate (confectioners') to one egg; put the cake together with the frosting, then frost the top of the cake with the same. chocolate cake. no. . two cups sugar, one cup butter, yolks of five eggs and whites of two and one cup milk. thoroughly mix two teaspoonfuls baking powder with three and one-half cups flour while dry; then mix all together. bake in jelly tins. _mixture for filling._--whites of three eggs, one and one-half cups of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate, one teaspoonful of vanilla. beat together and spread between the layers and on top of the cake. cocoanut cake. cream together three-quarters of a cup of butter and two of white sugar; then add one cup of sweet milk, four eggs, whites and yolks separately beaten, the yolks added first to the butter and sugar, then the whites; flavor with lemon or vanilla; mix three heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder in three cups of sifted flour and add last; bake in jelly pans. _for filling._--make an icing by beating the whites of three eggs and a cup of powdered sugar to a stiff froth. when the cake is cooled, spread a thick layer of this frosting over each cake, and sprinkle very thickly with grated cocoanut. cocoanut and almond cake. two and one-half cups powdered sugar, one cup butter, four full cups prepared flour, whites of seven eggs whisked stiff, one small cup of milk, with a mere pinch of soda, one grated cocoanut, one-half teaspoonful nutmeg, the juice and half the grated peel of one lemon; cream butter and sugar; stir in lemon and nutmeg; mix well; add the milk and whites and flour alternately. lastly, stir in the grated cocoanut swiftly and lightly. bake in four jelly-cake tins. _filling._--one pound sweet almonds, whites of four eggs whisked stiff, one heaping cup powdered sugar, two teaspoonfuls rose-water. blanch the almonds. let them get cold and dry; then pound in a wedgewood mortar, adding rose-water as you go. save about two dozen to shred for the top. stir the paste into the icing after it is made; spread between the cooled cakes; make that for the top a trifle thicker and lay it on heavily. when it has stiffened somewhat, stick the shred almonds closely over it. set in the oven to harden, but do not let it scorch. coffee cake. one cup of brown sugar, one cup of butter, two eggs, one-half cup of molasses, one cup of strong, cold coffee, one teaspoonful of soda, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves, one cup of raisins or currants and five cups of sifted flour. add the fruit last, rubbed in a little of the flour. bake about one hour. feather cake. one egg, one cup of sugar, one tablespoonful of cold butter, half a cup of milk, one and one-half cups of flour, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, half a teaspoonful of soda. a nice plain cake--to be eaten while it is fresh. a spoonful of dried apple sauce or of peach sauce, a spoonful of jelly, the same of lemon extract, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and spice--ground--or half a cupful of raisins might be added for a change. election cake. three cups milk, two cups sugar, one cup yeast; stir to a batter and let stand over night; in the morning add two cups sugar, two cups butter, three eggs, half a nutmeg, one tablespoonful cinnamon, one pound raisins, a gill of brandy. brown sugar is much better than white for this kind of cake, and it is improved by dissolving a half-teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of milk in the morning. it should stand in the greased pans and rise some time until quite light before baking. cream cake. four eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two teacups of sugar, one cup of sweet cream, two heaping cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of soda, mix two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar in the flour before sifting. add the whites the last thing before the flour and stir that in gently without beating. golden cream cake. yolks of eight eggs beaten to the lightest possible cream, two cupfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt, three teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted well with flour. bake in three jelly-cake pans. make an icing of the whites of three eggs and one pound of sugar. spread it between the cakes and sprinkle grated cocoanut thickly over each layer. it is delicious when properly made. dried apple fruit cake. soak three cupfuls of dried apples over night in cold water enough to swell them; chop them in the morning and put them on the fire with three cups of molasses; stew until almost soft; add a cupful of nice raisins (seedless, if possible) and stew a few moments; when cold, add three cupfuls of flour, one cupful of butter, three eggs and a teaspoonful of soda; bake in a steady oven. this will make two good-sized panfuls of splendid cake; the apples will cook like citron and taste deliciously. raisins may be omitted; also spices to taste may be added. this is not a dear but a delicious cake. cake without eggs. beat together one teacupful of butter and three teacupfuls of sugar, and when quite light stir in one pint of sifted flour. add to this one pound of raisins seeded and chopped, then mixed with a cup of sifted flour one-teaspoonful of nutmeg, one teaspoonful of powdered cinnamon and lastly one pint of thick sour cream or milk in which a teaspoonful of soda is dissolved. bake immediately in buttered tins one hour in a _moderate_ oven. white mountain cake no. . two cups of sugar, two-thirds cup of butter, the whites of seven eggs well beaten, two-thirds cup of sweet milk, two cups of flour, one cup of cornstarch, two teaspoonfuls baking powder. bake in jelly-cake tins. _frosting._--whites of three eggs and some sugar beaten together not quite as stiff as usual for frosting; spread over the cake, add some grated cocoanut, then put your cakes together; put cocoanut and frosting on top. white mountain cake. no. . cream three cupfuls of sugar and one of butter, making it very light, then add a cupful of milk. beat the whites of eight eggs very stiff, add half of those to the other ingredients. mix well into four cups of sifted flour one tablespoonful of baking powder; stir this into the cake, add flavoring, then the remaining beaten whites of egg. bake in layers like jelly cake. make an icing for the filling, using the whites of four eggs beaten to a very stiff froth, with two cups of fine white sugar and the juice of half a lemon. spread each layer of the cake thickly with this icing, place one on another, then ice all over the top and sides. the yolks left from this cake may be used to make a spice cake from the recipe of "golden spice cake." queen's cake. beat well together one cupful of butter and three cupfuls of white sugar, add the yolks of six eggs and one cupful of milk, two teaspoonfuls of vanilla or lemon extract. mix all thoroughly. to four cupfuls of flour add two heaping teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and sift gently over the cake stirring all the time. to this add one even teaspoonful of soda dissolved in one tablespoonful of warm water. mix it well. stir in gently the whites of six eggs beaten to a stiff foam. bake slowly. it should be put in the oven as soon as possible after putting in the soda and whites of eggs. this is the same recipe as the one for "citron cake," only omitting the citron. angel cake. put into one tumbler of flour one teaspoonful of cream of tartar, then sift it five times. sift also one glass and a half of white powdered sugar. beat to a stiff froth the whites of eleven eggs; stir the sugar into the eggs by degrees, very lightly and carefully, adding three teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract. after this add the flour, stirring quickly and lightly. pour it into a clean, bright tin cake-dish, which should _not_ be buttered or lined. bake at once in a moderate oven about forty minutes, testing it with a broom splint. when done let it remain in the cake-tin, turning it upside down, with the sides resting on the tops of two saucers so that a current of air will pass under and over it. this is the best recipe found after trying several. a perfection cake. washington loaf cake. three cups of sugar, two scant cups of butter, one cup of sour milk, five eggs and one teaspoonful of soda, three tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, half a nutmeg grated and two cups of raisins, one of currants and four cups of sifted flour. mix as usual and stir the fruit in at the last, dredged in flour. line the cake-pans with paper well buttered. this cake will take longer to bake than plain; the heat of the oven must be kept at an even temperature. [illustration: making the pies.] ribbon cake. this cake is made from the same recipe as marble cake, only make double the quantity of the white part, and divide it in one-half; put into it a very little cochineal. it will be a delicate pink. bake in jelly-cake tins and lay first the white, then the dark, then the pink one on top of the others; put together with frosting between. it makes quite a fancy cake. frost the top when cool. golden spice cake. this cake can be made to advantage when you have the yolks of eggs left, after having used the whites in making white cake. take the yolks of seven eggs and one whole egg, two cupfuls of brown sugar, one cupful of molasses, one cupful of butter, one large coffeecupful of sour milk, one teaspoonful of soda (just even full) and five cupfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of ground cloves, two teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, two teaspoonfuls of ginger, one nutmeg and a small pinch of cayenne pepper; beat eggs, sugar and butter to a light batter before putting in the molasses, then add the molasses, flour and milk; beat it well together and bake in a _moderate_ oven; if fruit is used, take two cupfuls of raisins, flour them well and put them in last. almond cake. one-half cupful butter, two cupfuls sugar, four eggs, one-half cupful almonds, blanched--by pouring water on them until skins easily slip off--and cut in fine shreds, one-half teaspoonful extract bitter almonds, one pint flour, one and one-half teaspoonful baking powder, one glass brandy, one-half cupful milk. rub butter and sugar to a smooth white cream; add eggs, one at a time, beating three or four minutes between each. sift flour and powder together, add to the butter, etc., with almonds, extract of bitter almonds, brandy and milk; mix into a smooth, medium batter; bake carefully in a rather hot oven twenty minutes. rochester jelly cake. one and one-half cups sugar, two eggs, one-half cup butter, three-fourths cup milk, two heaping cups flour with one teaspoonful cream of tartar, one-half teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in the milk. put half the above mixture in a small shallow tin, and to the remainder add one teaspoonful molasses, one-half cup raisins (chopped) or currants, one-half teaspoonful cinnamon, cloves, allspice, a little nutmeg and one tablespoonful flour. bake this in same kind of tins. put the sheets of cake together, while warm, with jelly between. fruit layer cake. this is a delicious novelty in cake-making. take one cup of sugar, half a cup of butter, one cup and a half of flour, half a cup of wine, one cup of raisins, two eggs and half a teaspoonful of soda; put these ingredients together with care; just as if it were a very rich cake; bake it in three layers and put frosting between--the frosting to be made of the whites of two eggs with enough powdered sugar to make it thick. the top of the cake may be frosted if you choose. whipped cream cake. one cup of sugar and two tablespoonfuls of soft butter stirred together; add the yolks of two eggs well beaten, then add four tablespoonfuls of milk, some flavoring, then the beaten whites of the eggs. mix a teaspoonful of cream of tartar and half a teaspoon of soda in a cup of flour, sift it into the cake batter and stir lightly. bake in a small whipping-pan. when the cake is cool, have ready half of a pint of sweet cream sweetened and whipped to a stiff froth, also flavored. spread it over the cake while fresh. to whip the cream easily, set it on ice before whipping. rolled jelly cake. three eggs, one teacup of fine sugar, one teacup of flour; beat the yolks until light, then add the sugar, then add two tablespoonfuls of water, a pinch of salt; lastly stir in the flour, in which there should be a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder. the flour added gradually. bake in long, shallow biscuit-tins, well greased. turn out on a damp towel on a bread-board, cover the top with jelly, and roll up while warm. to cut layer cake. when cutting layer cakes, it is better to first make a round hole in the cake with a knife or tin tube about an inch and a quarter in diameter. this prevents the edge of the cake from crumbling when cutting it. when making custard filling for layer cake always set the dish containing the custard in another dish of boiling water over the fire; this prevents its burning, which would destroy its flavor. layer jelly cake. almost any soft cake recipe can be used for jelly cake. the following is excellent: one cup of sugar, half a cup of butter, three eggs, half a cup of sweet milk, two cups of flour, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, flavoring. for white, delicate cake the rule for "silver cake" is fine; care should be taken, however, that the oven is just right for this cake, as it browns very easily. to be baked in jelly-cake tins in layers, with filling put between when done. custard or cream cake. cream together two cups of sugar and half a cup of butter; add half a cup of sweet milk in which is dissolved half a teaspoonful of soda. beat the whites of six eggs to a stiff froth and add to the mixture. have one heaping teaspoonful of cream of tartar stirred thoroughly into three cups of sifted flour and add quickly. bake in a moderate oven in layers like jelly cake, and, when done, spread custard between. _for the custard._--take two cups of sweet milk, put it into a clean suitable dish, set it in a dish of _boiling_ water on the range or stove. when the milk comes to a boil add two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch or flour stirred into half a cup of sugar, adding the yolks of four eggs and a little cold milk. stir this into the boiling milk and when cooked thick enough set aside to cool; afterwards add the flavoring, either vanilla or lemon. it is best to make the custard first, before making the cake part. hickory nut or walnut cake. two cups of fine white sugar creamed with half a cup of butter, three eggs, two-thirds of a cup of sweet milk, three cups of sifted flour, one heaping teaspoonful of baking powder sifted through the flour; a tablespoonful (level) of powdered mace, a coffeecup of hickory nut or walnut meats chopped a little. fill the cake-pans with a layer of the cake, then a layer of raisins upon that, then strew over these a handful of nuts, and so on until the pan is two-thirds full. line the tins with well-buttered paper and bake in a steady, but not quick, oven. this is most excellent. cheap cream cake. one cup of sugar, one egg, one cup sweet milk, two cups flour, one tablespoonful butter, two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder; flavor to taste. divide into three parts and bake in round shallow pans. _cream._--beat one egg and one-half cup sugar together, then add one-quarter cup flour, wet with a very little milk and stir this mixture into one-half pint of boiling milk, until thick; flavor to taste. spread the cream when cool between the cakes. soft ginger cake. stir to a cream one cupful of butter and half a cupful of brown sugar; add to this two cupfuls of cooking molasses, a cupful of sweet milk, a tablespoonful of ginger, a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon; beat all thoroughly together, then add three eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately; beat into this two cups of sifted flour, then a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a spoonful of water and last, two more cupfuls of sifted flour. butter and paper two common square bread-pans, divide the mixture and pour half into each. bake in a moderate oven. this cake requires long and slow baking, from forty to sixty minutes. i find that if sour milk is used the cakes are much lighter, but either sweet or sour is most excellent. hard gingerbread. made the same as "soft gingerbread," omitting the eggs and mixing hard enough to roll out like biscuit; rolled nearly half an inch thick and cut out like small biscuits, or it can be baked in a sheet or on a biscuit-tin; cut slits a quarter of an inch deep across the top of the tin from side to side. when baked and while hot, rub over the top with molasses and let it dry on. these two recipes are the best i have ever found among a large variety that i have tried, the ingredients giving the best proportion for flavor and excellence. plain gingerbread. one cup of _dark_ cooking molasses, one cup of sour cream, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little warm water, a teaspoonful of salt and one heaping teaspoonful of ginger; make about as thick as cup cake. to be eaten warm. white ginger biscuit. one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, one cup of sour cream or milk, three eggs, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of warm water, one tablespoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of ground cinnamon and five cups of sifted flour, or enough to roll out _soft_. cut out rather thick like biscuits; brush over the tops, while hot, with the white of an egg, or sprinkle with sugar while hot. the grated rind and the juice of an orange add much to the flavor of ginger cake. gold and silver cake. this cake is baked in layers like jelly cake. divide the silver cake batter and color it pink with a little cochineal; this gives you pink, white and yellow layers. put together with frosting. frost the top. this can be put together like marble cake, first a spoonful of one kind, then another, until the dish is full. boston cream cakes. put into a large-sized saucepan half a cup of butter and one cup of hot water; set it on the fire; when the mixture begins to boil, turn in a pint of sifted flour at once, beat and work it well with a vegetable masher until it is very smooth. remove from the fire, and when cool enough add five eggs that have been well beaten, first the yolks and then the whites, also half a teaspoonful of soda and a teaspoonful of salt. drop on buttered tins in large spoonfuls about two inches apart. bake in a quick oven about fifteen minutes. when done and quite cold, open them on the side with a knife or scissors and put in as much of the custard as possible. _cream for filling._--made of two eggs, three tablespoonfuls of sifted flour (or half cup of cornstarch) and one cup of sugar. put two-thirds of a pint of milk over the fire in a double boiler; in a third of a pint of milk, stir the sugar, flour and beaten eggs. as soon as the milk looks like boiling, pour in the mixture and stir briskly for three minutes, until it thickens; then remove from the fire and add a teaspoonful of butter; when cool, flavor with vanilla or lemon and fill your cakes. chocolate eclairs. make the mixture exactly like the recipe for "boston cream cakes." spread it on buttered pans in oblong pieces about four inches long and one and a half wide, to be laid about two inches apart; they must be baked in a rather quick oven about twenty-five minutes. as soon as baked ice with chocolate icing, and when this is cold split them on one side and fill with the same cream as "boston cream cakes." huckleberry cake. beat a cup of butter and two cups of sugar together until light, then add a half cup of milk, four eggs beaten separately, the yolks to a cream and the whites to a stiff froth, one teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, the same of cinnamon and two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. the baking powder to be rubbed into the flour. bub one quart of huckleberries well with some flour and add them last, but do not mash them. pour into buttered pans, about an inch thick; dust the tops with sugar and bake. it is better the day after baking. sweet strawberry cake. three eggs, one cupful of sugar, two of flour, one tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful, heaped, of baking powder. beat the butter and sugar together and add the eggs well beaten. stir in the flour and baking powder well sifted together. bake in deep tin plate. this quantity will fill four plates. with three pints of strawberries mix a cupful of sugar and mash them a little. spread the fruit between the layers of cake. the top layer of strawberries may be covered with a meringue made with the white of an egg and a tablespoonful of powdered sugar. save out the largest berries and arrange them around in circles on the top in the white frosting. makes a very fancy dish, as well as a most delicious cake. molasses cup cakes. one cup of butter, one of sugar, six eggs, five cupfuls of sifted flour, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, two tablespoonfuls of ginger, three teacupfuls of cooking molasses and one heaping teaspoonful of soda. stir the butter and sugar to a cream; beat the eggs very light, the yolks and whites separately, and add to it; after which put in the spices; then the molasses and flour in rotation, stirring the mixture all the time; beat the whole _well_ before adding the soda and but little afterwards. put into well-buttered patty-pan tins and bake in a _very moderate_ oven. a baker's recipe. bakers' ginger snaps. boil all together the following ingredients: two cups of brown sugar, two cups of cooking molasses, one cup of shortening, which should be part butter, one _large_ tablespoonful of ginger, one tablespoonful of ground cinnamon, one teaspoonful of cloves; remove from the fire and let it cool. in the meantime, sift four cups of flour and stir part of it into the above mixture. now dissolve a teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water and beat into this mixture, stir in the remainder of the flour and make stiff enough to roll into long rolls about an inch in diameter, and cut off from the end into half-inch pieces. place them on well-buttered tins, giving plenty of room to spread. bake in a moderate oven. let them cool before taking out of the tins. ginger cookies. one cup sugar, one cup molasses, one cup butter, one egg, one tablespoonful vinegar, one tablespoonful ginger, one teaspoonful soda dissolved in boiling water, mix like cooky dough, rather soft. ginger snaps. one cup brown sugar, two cups molasses, one large cup butter, two teaspoonfuls soda, two teaspoonfuls ginger, three pints flour to commence with; rub shortening and sugar together into the flour; add enough more flour to roll very smooth, very thin, and bake in a quick oven. the dough can be kept for days by putting it in the flour barrel under the flour, and bake a few at a time the more flour that can be worked in and the smoother they can be rolled, the better and more brittle they will be. should be rolled out to wafer-like thinness. bake quickly without burning. they should become perfectly cold before putting aside. dominoes. have a plain cake baked in rather thin sheets and cut into small oblong pieces the size and shape of a domino, a trifle larger. frost the top and sides. when the frosting is hard, draw the black lines and make the dots with a small brush dipped in melted chocolate. these are very nice for children's parties. fancy cakes. these delicious little fancy cakes may be made by making a rich jumble-paste--rolling out in any desired shape; cut some paste in thick, narrow strips and lay around your cakes, so as to form a deep, cup-like edge; place on a well-buttered tin and bake. when done, fill with iced fruit prepared as follows: take rich, ripe peaches (canned ones will do if fine and well drained from all juice) cut in halves; plums, strawberries, pineapples cut in squares or small triangles, or any other available fruit, and dip in the white of an egg that has been very slightly beaten and then in pulverized sugar, and lay in the centre of your cakes. wafers. dissolve four ounces of butter in half a teacup of milk; stir together four ounces of white sugar, eight ounces of sifted flour and the yolk of one egg, adding gradually the butter and milk, a tablespoonful of orange-flour water and a pinch of salt; mix it well. heat the wafer-irons, butter their inner surfaces, put in a tablespoonful of the batter and close the irons immediately; put the irons over the fire, and turn them occasionally, until the wafer is cooked; when the wafers are all cooked roll them on a small round stick, stand them upon a sieve and dry them; serve with ices. peach cakes. take the yolks and whites of five eggs and beat them separately (the whites to a stiff froth.) then mix the beaten yolks with half a pound of pulverized and sifted loaf or crushed sugar, and beat the two together thoroughly. fifteen minutes will be none too long for the latter operation if you would have excellence with your cakes. now add half a pound of fine flour, dredging it in a little at a time, and then put in the whites of the eggs, beating the whole together for four or five minutes. then with a large spoon, drop the batter upon a baking tin, which has been buttered and floured, being careful to have the cakes as nearly the same size as possible and resembling in shape the half of a peach. have a quick oven ready and bake the cakes about ten minutes, watching them closely so that they may only come to a light brown color. then take them out, spread the flat side of each with peach jam, and stick them together in pairs, covering the outside with a thin coat of icing, which when dry can be brushed over on one side of the cake, with a little cochineal water. cup cakes. two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, one cup of milk, three cups and a half of flour and four eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda, large spoon cream of tartar; stir butter and sugar together and add the beaten yolks of the eggs, then the milk, then flavoring and the whites. put cream of tartar in flour and add last. bake in buttered gem-pans, or drop the batter, a teaspoonful at a time, in rows on flat buttered tins. to this recipe may be added a cup of english currants or chopped raisins; and also another variety of cake may be made by adding a half cup citron sliced and floured, a half cupful of chopped almonds and lemon extract. variegated cakes. one cup powdered sugar, one-half cup of butter creamed with the sugar, one-half cup of milk, four eggs, the whites only, whipped light, two and one-half cups prepared flour. bitter almond flavoring, spinach juice and cochineal. cream the butter and sugar; add the milk, flavoring, the whites and flour. divide the batter into three parts. bruise and pound a few leaves of spinach in a thin muslin bag until you can express the juice. put a few drops of this into one portion of the batter, color another with cochineal, leaving the third white. put a little of each into small, round pans or cups, giving a light stir to each color as you add the next. this will vein the cakes prettily. put the white between the pink and green, that the tints may show better. if you can get pistachio nuts to pound up for the green, the cakes will be much nicer. ice on sides and top. cornstarch cakes. one cupful each of butter and sweet milk and half a cup of cornstarch, two cupfuls each of sugar and flour, the whites of five eggs beaten to a stiff froth, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and one of soda; flavor to taste. bake in gem-tins or patty-pans. sponge drops. beat to a froth three eggs and one teacup of sugar; stir into this one heaping coffeecup of flour, in which one teaspoonful of cream of tartar and half a teaspoonful of saleratus are thoroughly mixed. flavor with lemon. butter tin sheets with washed butter and drop in teaspoonfuls about three inches apart. bake instantly in a very quick oven. watch closely as they will burn easily. serve with ice cream. savory biscuits or lady fingers. put nine tablespoonfuls of fine white sugar into a bowl and put the bowl into hot water to heat the sugar; when the sugar is thoroughly heated, break nine eggs into the bowl and beat them quickly until they become a little warm and rather thick; then take the bowl from the water and continue beating until it is nearly or quite cold; now stir in lightly nine tablespoonfuls of sifted flour; then with a paper funnel, or something of the kind, lay this mixture out upon papers, in biscuits three inches long and half an inch thick, in the form of fingers; sift sugar over the biscuits and bake them upon tins to a light brown; when they are done and cold, remove them from the papers, by wetting them on the back; dry them and they are ready for use. they are often used in making charlotte russe. pastry sandwiches. puff paste, jam of any kind, the white of an egg, sifted sugar. roll the paste out thin; put half of it on a baking sheet or tin, and spread equally over it apricot, greengage, or any preserve that may be preferred. lay over this preserve another thin paste, press the edges together all round, and mark the paste in lines with a knife on the surface, to show where to cut it when baked. bake from twenty minutes to half an hour; and, a short time before being done, take the pastry out of the oven, brush it over with the white of an egg, sift over pounded sugar and put it back in the oven to color. when cold, cut it into strips; pile these on a dish pyramidically and serve. this may be made of jelly-cake dough, and, after baking, allowed to cool before spreading with the preserve; either way is good, as well as fanciful. neapolitaines. one cup of powdered sugar, half a cup of butter, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, three whole eggs and three yolks, beaten separately, three cups of sifted flour. put this all together with half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of milk. if it is too stiff to roll out, add just enough more milk. roll it a quarter of an inch thick and cut it out with any tin cutter. place the cakes in a pan slightly greased and color the tops with beaten egg and milk, with some chopped almonds over them. bake in a rather quick oven. brunswick jelly cakes. stir one cup of powdered white sugar and one-half cup of butter together, till perfectly light; beat the yolks of three eggs till very thick and smooth; sift three cups of flour and stir it into the beaten eggs with the butter and sugar; add a teaspoonful of mixed spice (nutmeg, mace and cinnamon) and half a glass of rose-water or wine; stir the whole well and lay it on your paste-board, which must first be sprinkled with flour; if you find it so moist as to be unmanageable, throw in a little more flour; spread the dough into a sheet about half an inch thick and cut it out in round cakes with a biscuit-cutter; lay them in buttered pans and bake about five or six minutes; when cold, spread over the surface of each cake a liquor of fruit jelly or marmalade; then beat the whites of three or four eggs till they stand alone; beat into the froth, by degrees, a sufficiency of powdered loaf sugar to make it as thick as icing; flavor with a few drops of strong essence of lemon, and with a spoon heap it up on each cake, making it high in the centre; put the cakes into a cool oven, and as soon as the tops are colored a pale brown, take them out. little plum cakes. one cup of sugar and half a cup of butter beaten to a smooth cream; add three well-beaten eggs, a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, four cups of sifted flour, one cup of raisins and one of currants, half of a teaspoonful of baking soda dissolved in a little water, and milk enough to make a stiff batter; drop this batter in drops on well-buttered tins and bake in a _quick_ oven. jumbles. cream together two cups of sugar and one of butter, add three well-beaten eggs and six tablespoonfuls of sweet milk, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, flavor to taste, flour enough to make into a soft dough; do not roll it on the paste-board, but break off pieces of dough the size of a walnut and make into rings by rolling out rolls as large as your finger, and joining the ends; lay them on tins to bake, an inch apart, as it rises and spreads; bake in a _moderate_ oven. these jumbles are very delicate and will keep a long time. wine jumbles. one cup of butter, two of sugar, three eggs, one wine-glass of wine, one spoonful of vanilla and flour enough to roll out. roll as thin as the blade of a knife and cut with an oval cutter. bake on tin-sheets in a quick oven until a dark brown. these will keep a year if kept in a tin box and in a dry place. cocoanut jumbles. grate one large cupful of cocoanut; rub one cupful of butter with one and a half cupfuls of sugar; add three beaten eggs, whites and yolks separately, two tablespoonfuls of milk and five cupfuls of sifted flour; then add by degrees the grated nut, so as to make a stiff dough, rolled thin and cut with a round cutter, having a hole in the middle. bake in a quick oven from five to ten minutes. philadelphia jumbles. two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, eight eggs beaten light; essence of bitter almond or rose to taste; enough flour to enable you to roll them out. stir the sugar and butter to a light cream, then add the well-whipped eggs, the flavoring and flour; mix well together, roll out in powdered sugar in a sheet a quarter of an inch thick; cut into rings with a jagging-iron and bake in a quick oven on buttered tins. almond jumbles. three cupfuls of soft sugar, two cupfuls of flour, half a cupful of butter, one teacupful of loppered milk, five eggs well beaten, two tablespoonfuls of rose-water, three-quarters of a pound of almonds, blanched and chopped _very_ fine, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in boiling water. cream butter and sugar; stir in the beaten yolks the milk, flour, rose-water, almonds and, lastly, the beaten whites very lightly and quickly; drop in rings on buttered paper and bake at once. fruit jumbles. two cups of sugar, one cup of butter, five cupfuls of flour, five eggs, one small teacupful of milk, in which dissolve half a teaspoonful of soda; cream the butter, add the sugar, cream again; then add yolks of eggs, the milk, beaten whites and flour; a little cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ground cloves and one-quarter of a pound of currants, rolled in flour. cookies. one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, a _small_ teacupful of sweet milk, half a grated nutmeg and five cups of sifted flour, in which there has been sifted with it two teaspoonfuls of baking powder; mix into a soft dough and cut into round cakes; roll the dough as thin as pie crust. bake in a quick oven a light brown. these can be made of sour milk and a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it, or sour or sweet cream can be used in place of butter. water cookies made the same as above, using water in place of milk. water cookies keep longer than milk cookies. favorite cookies. one cup of butter, one and a half cups of sugar, one-half cup of sour milk one level teaspoonful of soda, a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg flour enough to roll; make quite soft. put a tablespoonful of fine sugar on a plate and dip the tops of each as you cut them out. place on buttered tins and bake in a quick oven a light brown. fruit cookies. one cupful and a half of sugar, one cupful of butter, one-half cup of sweet milk, one egg, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, three tablespoonfuls of english currants or chopped raisins. mix soft and roll out, using just enough flour to stiffen sufficiently. cut out with a large cutter, wet the tops with milk and sprinkle sugar over them. bake on buttered tins in a quick oven. crisp cookies. (very nice.) one cup of butter, two cups of sugar, three eggs well beaten, a teaspoonful of soda and two of cream of tartar, spoonful of milk, one teaspoonful of nutmeg and one of cinnamon. flour enough to make a soft dough just stiff enough to roll out. try a pint of sifted flour to begin with, working it in gradually. spread a little sweet milk over each and sprinkle with sugar. bake in a quick oven a light brown. lemon cookies. four cups of sifted flour, or enough for a stiff dough, one teacupful of butter, two cups of sugar, the juice of one lemon and the grated peel from the outside, three eggs whipped very light. beat thoroughly each ingredient, adding, after all is in, a half teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a tablespoonful of milk. roll out as any cookies and bake a light brown. use no other wetting. cocoanut cookies. one cup grated cocoanut, one and one-half cups sugar, three-fourths cup butter, one-half cup milk, two eggs, one large teaspoonful baking powder, one-half teaspoonful extract of vanilla and flour enough to roll out. doughnuts or fried cakes. success in making good fried cakes depends as much on the _cooking_ as the mixing. in the first place, there should be boiling lard enough to free them from the bottom of the kettle, so that they swim on the top, and the lard should never be so hot as to smoke or so cool as not to be at the boiling point; if it is, they soak grease and are spoiled. if it is at the right heat, the doughnuts will in about ten minutes be of a delicate brown outside and nicely cooked inside. five or six minutes will cook a cruller. try the fat by dropping a bit of the dough in first; if it is right, the fat will boil up when it is dropped in. they should be turned over almost constantly, which causes them to rise and brown evenly. when they are sufficiently cooked, raise them from the hot fat and drain them until every drop ceases dripping. crullers or fried cakes. one and a half cupfuls of sugar, one cupful of sour milk, two eggs, two scant tablespoonfuls of melted butter, half a nutmeg grated, a large teaspoonful of cinnamon, a teaspoonful of salt and one of soda; make a little stiffer than biscuit dough, roll out a quarter of an inch thick, and cut with a fried-cake cutter, with a hole in the centre. fry in hot lard. these can be made with sweet milk and baking powder, using two heaping teaspoonfuls of the baking powder in place of soda. raised doughnuts. old-fashioned "raised doughnuts" are seldom seen nowadays, but are easily made. make a sponge as for bread, using a pint of warm water or milk, and a large half cupful of yeast; when the sponge is very light, add half a cupful of butter or sweet lard, a coffeecupful of sugar, a teaspoonful of salt and one small teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water, one tablespoonful of cinnamon, a little grated nutmeg; stir in now two well-beaten eggs, add sifted flour until it is the consistency of biscuit dough, knead it well, cover and let rise; then roll the dough out into a sheet half an inch thick, cut out with a very small biscuit-cutter, or in strips half an inch wide and three inches long, place them on greased tins, cover them well and let them rise before frying them. drop them in very hot lard. raised cakes require longer time than cakes made with baking powder. sift powdered sugar over them as fast as they are fried, while warm. our grandmothers put allspice into these cakes; that, however, is a matter of taste. bakers' raised doughnuts. warm a teacupful of lard in a pint of milk; when nearly cool add enough flour to make a thick batter and add a small cupful of yeast; beat it well and set it to rise; when light work in gradually and carefully three cupfuls of sugar, the whipped whites of six eggs, half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a spoonful of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon and half of a nutmeg grated; then work in gradually enough flour to make it stiff enough to roll out; let it rise again and when very light roll it out in a sheet an inch thick; cut into rounds; put into the centre of each round a large sultana raisin, seeded, and mold into perfectly round balls; flatten a little; let them stand a few minutes before boiling them; have plenty of lard in the pot and when it boils drop in the cakes; when they are a light, brown take them out with a perforated skimmer; drain on soft white paper and roll, while warm, in fine powdered sugar. _purcell's bakery, new york city._ crullers or wonders. three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of melted lard or butter, three tablespoonfuls of sugar; mix very hard with sifted flour, as hard as can be rolled, and to be rolled very thin like pie crust; cut in squares three inches long and two wide, then cut several slits or lines lengthwise to within a quarter of an inch of the edges of the ends; run your two forefingers through every other slit; lay them down on the board edgewise and dent them. these are very dainty when fried. fry in hot lard a light brown. german doughnuts. one pint of milk; four eggs, one small tablespoonful of melted butter, flavoring, salt to taste; first boil the milk and pour it, while hot, over a pint of flour; beat it very smooth and when it is cool have ready the yolks of the eggs well beaten; add them to the milk and flour, beaten well into it, then add the well-beaten whites; then, lastly, add the salt and as much more flour as will make the whole into a soft dough; flour your board, turn your dough upon it, roll it in pieces as thick as your finger and turn them in the form of a ring; cook in plenty of boiling lard. a nice breakfast cake with coffee. [illustration: cutting pumpkin for pies.] nut cakes. (fried.) beat two eggs well, add to them one ounce of sifted sugar, two ounces of warmed butter, two tablespoonfuls of yeast, a teacupful of luke-warm milk and a little salt. whip all well together, then stir in by degrees one pound of flour, and, if requisite, more milk, making thin dough. beat it until it falls from the spoon, then set it to rise. when it has risen make butter or lard hot in a frying pan, cut from the light dough little pieces the size of a walnut, and, without molding or kneading, fry them pale brown. as they are done lay them on a napkin to absorb any of the fat. trifles. work one egg and a tablespoonful of sugar to as much flour as will make a stiff paste; roll it as thin as a dollar piece and cut it into small round or square cakes; drop two or three at a time into the boiling lard; when they rise to the surface and turn over they are done; take them out with a skimmer and lay them on an inverted sieve to drain. when served for dessert or supper put a spoonful of jelly on each. puff-ball doughnuts. these doughnuts, eaten fresh and warm, are a delicious breakfast dish and are quickly made. three eggs, one cupful of sugar, a pint of sweet milk, salt, nutmeg and flour enough to permit the spoon to stand upright in the mixture; add two heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder to the flour; beat all until very light. drop by the dessertspoonful into boiling lard. these will not absorb a bit of fat and are not at all rich and consequently are the least injurious of this kind of cakes. pastry, pies and tarts. general remarks. use the very best materials in making pastry; the shortening should be fresh, sweet and hard; the water cold (ice-water is best), the paste rolled on a cold board and all handled as little as possible. when the crust is made, it makes it much more flaky and puff much more to put it in a dish covered with a cloth and set in a very cold place for half an hour, or even an hour; in summer, it could be placed in the ice box. a great improvement is made in pie crust by the addition of about a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder to a quart of flour, also brushing the paste as often as rolled out, and the pieces of butter placed thereon, with the white of an egg, assists it to rise in _leaves_ or _flakes_. as this is the great beauty of puff paste, it is as well to try this method. if currants are to be used in pies, they should be carefully picked over and washed in several waters, dried in a towel and dredged with flour before they are suitable for use. raisins, and all dried fruits for pies and cakes, should be seeded stoned and dredged with flour before using. almonds should be blanched by pouring boiling water upon them and then slipping the skin off with the fingers. in pounding them, always add a little rose or orange-water, with fine sugar, to prevent their becoming oily. great care is requisite in heating an oven for baking pastry. if you can hold your hand in the heated oven while you count twenty, the oven has just the proper temperature and it should be kept at this temperature as long as the pastry is in; this heat will bake to a light brown and will give the pastry a fresh and flaky appearance. if you suffer the heat to abate, the under crust will become heavy and clammy and the upper crust will fall in. another good way to ascertain when the oven is heated to the proper degree for puff paste: put a small piece of the paste in previous to baking the whole, and then the heat can thus be judged of. pie crust can be kept a week, and the last be better than the if put in a tightly covered dish and set in the ice chest in summer and in a cool place in winter, and thus you can make a fresh pie every day with little trouble. in baking custard, pumpkin or squash pies, it is well, in order that the mixture may not be absorbed by the paste, to first partly bake the paste before adding it, and when stewed fruit is used the filling should be perfectly cool when put in, or it will make the bottom crust sodden. how to make a pie. after making the crust, take a portion of it, roll it out and fit it to a buttered pie-plate by cutting it off evenly around the edge; gather up the scraps left from cutting and make into another sheet for the top crust; roll it a little thinner than the under crust; lap one-half over the other and cut three or four slits about a quarter of an inch from the folded edge (this prevents the steam from escaping through the rim of the pie, and causing the juices to run out from the edges). now fill your pie-plate with your prepared filling, wet the top edge of the rim, lay the upper crust across the centre of the pie, turn back the half that is lapped over, seal the two edges together by slightly pressing down with your thumb, then notch evenly and regularly with a three-tined fork, dipping occasionally in flour to prevent sticking. bake in a rather quick oven a light brown, and until the filling boils up through the slits in the upper crust. to prevent the juice soaking through into the crust, making it soggy wet the under crust with the white of an egg, just before you put in the pie mixture. if the top of the pie is brushed over with the egg, it gives it a beautiful glaze. for icing pastry. to ice pastry, which is the usual method adopted for fruit tarts and sweet dishes of pastry, put the white of an egg on a plate and with the blade of a knife beat it to a stiff froth. when the pastry is nearly baked, brush it over with this and sift over some pounded sugar; put it back into the oven to set the glaze and in a few minutes it will be done. great care should be taken that the paste does not catch or burn in the oven, which is very liable to do after the icing is laid on. or make a meringue by adding a tablespoonful of white sugar to the beaten white of one egg. spread over the top and slightly brown in the oven. fine puff paste. into one quart of sifted flour mix two teaspoonfuls of baking powder and a teaspoonful of salt; _then sift again_. measure out one teacupful of butter and one of lard, hard and cold. take the lard and rub into the flour until a very fine smooth paste. then put in just enough _ice-water_, say half a cupful, containing a beaten white of egg, to mix a very stiff dough. boll it out into a thin sheet, spread with one-fourth of the butter, sprinkle over with a little flour, then roll up closely in a long roll, like a scroll, double the ends towards the centre, flatten and re-roll, then spread again with another quarter of the butter. repeat this operation until the butter is used up. put it on an earthen dish, cover it with a cloth and set it in a cold place, in the ice box in summer; let it remain until _cold_; an hour or more before making out the crust. tarts made with this paste cannot be cut with a knife when fresh; they go into flakes at the touch. you may roll this pastry in any direction, from you, toward you, sideways, any way, it matters not, but you must have nice flour, _ice-water_ and very _little_ of it, and strength to roll it, if you would succeed. this recipe i purchased from a colored cook on one of the lake michigan steamers many years ago, and it is, without exception, the finest puff paste i have ever seen. puff paste for pies. one quart of pastry flour, one pint of butter, one tablespoonful of salt, one of sugar, one and a quarter cupfuls of ice-water. wash the hands with soap and water and dip them first in very hot and then in cold water. rinse a large bowl or pan with boiling water and then with cold. half fill it with cold water. wash the butter in this, working it with the hands until it is light and waxy. this frees it from the salt and buttermilk and lightens it, so that the pastry is more delicate. shape the butter into two thin cakes and put in a pan of ice-water to harden. mix the salt and sugar with the flour. with the hands, rub one-third of the butter into the flour. add the water, stirring with a knife. stir quickly and vigorously until the paste is a smooth ball. sprinkle the board _lightly_ with flour. turn the paste on this and pound quickly and lightly with the rolling-pin. do not break the paste. roll from you and to one side; or if easier to roll from you all the time, turn the paste around. when it is about one-fourth of an inch thick, wipe the remaining butter, break it in bits and spread these on the paste. sprinkle lightly with flour. fold the paste, one-third from each side, so that the edges meet. now fold from the ends, but do not have these meet. double the paste, pound lightly and roll down to about one-third of an inch in thickness. fold as before and roll down again. repeat this three times if for pies and six times if for _vol-au-vents_, patties, tarts, etc. place on the ice to harden, when it has been rolled the last time. it should be in the ice chest at least an hour before being used. in hot weather, if the paste sticks when being rolled down, put it on a tin sheet and place on ice. as soon as it is chilled, it will roll easily. the less flour you use in rolling out the paste, the tenderer it will be. no matter how carefully every part of the work may be done, the paste will not be good if much flour is used. _maria parloa_. soyer's recipe for puff paste. to every pound of flour allow the yolk of one egg, the juice of one lemon, half a saltspoonful of salt, cold water, one pound of fresh butter. put the flour onto the paste-board; make a hole in the centre, into which put the yolk of the egg, the lemon juice and salt; mix the whole with cold water (this should be iced in summer if convenient) into a soft, flexible paste with the right hand, and handle it as little as possible; then squeeze all the buttermilk from the butter, wring it in a cloth and roll out the paste; place the butter on this and fold the edges of the paste over, so as to hide it; roll it out again to the thickness of a quarter of an inch; fold over one-third, over which again pass the rolling-pin; then fold over the other third, thus forming a square; place it with the ends, top and bottom before you, shaking a little flour both under and over, and repeat the rolls and turns twice again as before. flour a baking-sheet, put the paste on this and let it remain on ice or in some cool place for half an hour; then roll twice more, turning it as before; place it again upon the ice for a quarter of an hour, give it two more rolls, making seven in all, and it is ready for use when required. rule for under crust. a good rule for pie crust for a pie requiring only an under crust, as a custard or pumpkin pie, is: three _large_ tablespoonfuls of flour sifted, rubbing into it a _large_ tablespoonful of cold butter, or part butter and part lard, and a pinch of salt, mixing with _cold_ water enough to form a smooth, stiff paste, and rolled quite thin. plain pie crust. two and a half cupfuls of sifted flour, one cupful of shortening, half butter and half lard cold, a pinch of salt, a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder sifted through the flour. rub thoroughly the shortening into the flour. mix together with half a teacupful of _cold_ water, or enough to form a rather stiff dough; mix as little as possible, just enough to get it into shape to roll out; it must be handled very lightly. this rule is for two pies. when you have a little pie crust left do not throw it away; roll it thin, cut in small squares and bake. just before tea put a spoonful of raspberry jelly on each square. puff paste of suet. two cupfuls of flour, one-half teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of baking powder, one cup of chopped suet, freed of skin, and chopped very fine, one cupful of water. place the flour, sifted with the powder in a bowl, add suet and water; mix into smooth, rather firm dough. this paste is excellent for fruit puddings and dumplings that are boiled; if it is well made, it will be light and flaky and the suet impreceptible. it is also excellent for meat pies, baked or boiled. all the ingredients should be very cold when mixing, and the suet dredged with flour after it is chopped, to prevent the particles from adhering to each other. potato crust. boil and mash a dozen medium-sized potatoes, add one good teaspoonful of salt, two tablespoonfuls of cold butter and half a cupful of milk or cream. stiffen with flour sufficient to roll out. nice for the tops of meat pies. to make pie crust flaky. in making a pie, after you have rolled out your top crust, cut it about the right size, spread it over with butter, then shake sifted flour over the butter, enough to cover it well. cut a slit in the middle place it over the top of your pie, and fasten the edges as any pie. now take the pie on your left hand and a dipper of cold water in your right hand; tip the pie slanting a little, pour over the water sufficiently to rinse off the flour. enough flour will stick to the butter to fry into the crust, to give it a fine, blistered, flaky look, which many cooks think is much better than rolling the butter into the crust. tartlets. no. . tarts of strawberry or any other kind of preserves are generally made of the trimmings of puff paste rolled a little thicker than the ordinary pies; then cut out with a round cutter, first dipped in hot water, to make the edges smooth, and placed in small tart-pans, first pricking a few holes at the bottom with a fork before placing them in the oven. bake from ten to fifteen minutes. let the paste cool a little; then fill it with preserve. by this manner, both the flavor and color of the jam are preserved, which would be lost were it baked in the oven on the paste; and, besides, so much jam is not required. tartlets. no. . tartlets are nice made in this manner: roll some good puff paste out thin, and cut it into two and a half inch squares; brush each square over with the white of an egg, then fold down the corners, so that they all meet in the middle of each piece of paste; slightly press the two pieces together, brush them over with the egg, sift over sugar and bake in a nice quick oven for about a quarter of an hour. when they are done, make a little hole in the middle of the paste and fill it up with apricot jam, marmalade, or red currant jelly. pile them high in the centre of a dish on a napkin and garnish with the same preserves the tartlets are filled with. patties, or shells for tarts. roll out a nice puff paste thin; cut out with a glass or cookie-cutter and with a wine-glass or smaller cutter, cut out the centre of two out of three; lay the rings thus made on the third, and bake at once. may be used for veal or oyster patties, or filled with jelly, jam or preserves, as tarts. or shells may be made by lining patty-pans with paste. if the paste is light, the shells will be fine. filled with jelly and covered with meringue (tablespoonful of sugar to the white of one egg) and browned in oven, they are very nice to serve for tea. if the cutters are dipped in _hot water_, the edges of the tartlets will rise much higher and smoother when baking. tarts. larger pans are required for tarts proper, the size of small, shallow pie-tins; then after the paste is baked and cooled and filled with the jam or preserve, a few stars or leaves are placed on the top, or strips of paste, criss-crossed on the top, all of which have been previously baked on a tin by themselves. dried fruit, stewed until thick, makes fine tart pies, also cranberries stewed and well sweetened. green apple pie. peel, core and slice tart apples enough for a pie; sprinkle over about three tablespoonfuls of sugar, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, a small level tablespoonful of sifted flour, two tablespoonfuls of water, a few bits of butter, stir all together with a spoon; put it into a pie-tin lined with pie paste; cover with a top crust and bake about forty minutes. the result will be a delicious, juicy pie. apple custard pie. no. . three cupfuls of milk, four eggs and one cupful of sugar, two cupfuls of thick stewed apples, strained through a colander. beat the whites and yolks of the eggs lightly and mix the yolks well with the apples, flavoring with nutmeg. then beat into this the milk and, lastly, the whites. let the crust partly bake before turning in this filling. to be baked with only the one crust, like all custard pies. apple custard pie. no. . select fair sweet apples, pare and grate them, and to every teacupful of the apple add two eggs well beaten, two tablespoonfuls of fine sugar, one of melted butter, the grated rind and half the juice of one lemon, half a wine-glass of brandy and one teacupful of milk; mix all well and pour into a deep plate lined with paste; put a strip of the paste around the edge of the dish and bake thirty minutes. apple custard pie. no. . lay a crust in your plates; slice apples thin and half fill your plates; pour over them a custard made of four eggs and one quart of milk, sweetened and seasoned to your taste. apple custard pie. no. . peel sour apples and stew until soft, and not much water left in them; then rub through a colander; beat three eggs for each pie to be baked and put in at the rate of one cupful of butter and one of sugar for three pies; season with nutmeg. irish apple pie. pare and take out the cores of the apples, cutting each apple into four or eight pieces, according to their size. lay them neatly in a baking dish, seasoning them with brown sugar and any spice, such as pounded cloves and cinnamon, or grated lemon peel. a little quince marmalade gives a fine flavor to the pie. add a little water and cover with puff paste. bake for an hour. mock apple pie. crush finely with a rolling pin, one large boston cracker; put it into a bowl and pour upon it one teacupful of cold water; add one teacupful of fine white sugar, the juice and pulp of one lemon, half a lemon rind grated and a little nutmeg; line the pie-plate with half puff paste, pour in the mixture, cover with the paste and bake half an hour. these are proportions for one pie. apple and peach meringue pie. stew the apples or peaches and sweeten to taste. mash smooth and season with nutmeg. fill the crusts and bake until just done. put on no top crust. take the whites of three eggs for each pie and whip to a stiff froth, and sweeten with three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. flavor with rose-water or vanilla; beat until it will stand alone; then spread it on the pie one-half to one inch thick; set it back into the oven until the meringue is well "set." eat cold. cocoanut pie. no. . one-half cup desiccated cocoanut soaked in one cupful of milk, two eggs, one small cupful of sugar, butter the size of an egg. this is for one small-sized pie. nice with a meringue on top. cocoanut pie. no. . cut off the brown part of the cocoanut, grate the white part, mix it with milk and set it on the fire and let it boil slowly eight or ten minutes. to a pound of the grated cocoanut, allow a quart of milk, eight eggs, four tablespoonfuls of sifted white sugar, a glass of wine, a small cracker, pounded fine, two spoonfuls of melted butter and half a nutmeg. the eggs and sugar should be beaten together to a froth, then the wine stirred in. put them into the milk and cocoanut, which should be first allowed to get quite cool; add the cracker and nutmeg, turn the whole into deep pie plates, with a lining and rim of puff paste. bake them as soon as turned into the plates. chocolate custard pie. no. . one-quarter cake of baker's chocolate, grated; one pint of boiling water, six eggs, one quart of milk, one-half cupful of white sugar, two teaspoonfuls of vanilla. dissolve the chocolate in a very little milk, stir into the boiling water and boil three minutes. when nearly cold beat up with this the yolks of all the eggs and the whites of three. stir this mixture into the milk, season and pour into shells of good paste. when the custard is "set"--but not more than half done--spread over it the whites whipped to a froth, with two tablespoonfuls of sugar. you may bake these custards without paste, in a pudding dish or cups set in boiling water. chocolate pie. no. . put some grated chocolate into a basin and place on the back of the stove and let it melt (do not add any water to it); beat one egg and some sugar in it; when melted, spread this on the top of a custard pie. lovers of chocolate will like this. lemon pie. no. . (superior.) take a deep dish, grate into it the outside of the rind of two lemons; add to that a cup and a half of white sugar, two heaping tablespoonfuls of unsifted flour, or one of cornstarch; stir it well together, then add the yolks of three well-beaten eggs, beat this thoroughly, then add the juice of the lemons, two cups of water and a piece of butter the size of a walnut. set this on the fire in another dish containing boiling water and cook it until it thickens, and will dip up on the spoon like cold honey. remove from the fire, and when cooled, pour it into a deep pie-tin, lined with pastry; bake, and when done, have ready the whites, beaten stiff, with three small tablespoonfuls of sugar. spread this over the top and return to the oven, to set and brown slightly. this makes a deep, large sized pie, and very superior. _ebbitt house, washington._ lemon pie. no. . one coffee cupful of sugar, three eggs, one cupful of water, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one heaping tablespoonful of flour, the juice and a little of the rind of one lemon. reserve the whites of the eggs, and after the pie is baked, spread them over the top beaten lightly-with a spoonful of sugar, and return to the oven until it is a light brown. this may be cooked before it is put into the crust or not, but it is rather better to cook it first in a double boiler or dish. it makes a medium-sized pie. bake from thirty-five to forty minutes. lemon pie. no. . moisten a heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch with a little cold water, then add a cupful of boiling water; stir over the fire till it boils and cook the cornstarch, say two or three minutes; add teaspoonful of butter and a cupful of sugar; take off the fire and, when slightly cooled, add an egg well beaten and the juice and grated rind of a fresh lemon. bake with a crust. this makes one small pie. lemon pie. no. . two large, fresh lemons, grate off the rind, if not bitter reserve it for the filling of the pie, pare off every bit of the white skin of the lemon (as it toughens while cooking); then cut the lemon into very thin slices with a sharp knife and take out the seeds; two cupfuls of sugar, three tablespoonfuls of water and two of sifted flour. put into the pie a layer of lemon, then one of sugar, then one of the grated rind and, lastly, of flour, and so on till the ingredients are used; sprinkle the water over all, and cover with upper crust. be sure to have the under crust lap over the upper, and pinch it well, as the syrup will cook all out if care is not taken when finishing the edge of crust. this quantity makes one medium-sized pie. orange pie. grate the rind of one and use the juice of two large oranges. stir together a large cupful of sugar and a heaping tablespoonful of flour; add to this the well-beaten yolks of three eggs, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter. reserve the whites for frosting. turn this into a pie-pan lined with pie paste and bake in a quick oven. when done so as to resemble a finely baked custard, spread on the top of it the beaten whites, which must be sweetened with two tablespoonfuls of sugar; spread evenly and return to the oven and brown slightly. the addition of the juice of half a lemon improves it, if convenient to have it. bakers' custard pie. beat up the yolks of three eggs to a cream. stir thoroughly a tablespoonful of sifted flour into three tablespoonfuls of sugar; this separates the particles of flour so that there will be no lumps; then add it to the beaten yolks, put in a pinch of salt, a teaspoonful of vanilla and a little grated nutmeg; next the well-beaten whites of the eggs; and, lastly, a pint of scalded milk (not boiled) which has been cooled; mix this in by degrees and turn all into a deep pie-pan lined with puff paste, and bake from twenty-five to thirty minutes. i received this recipe from a celebrated cook in one of our best new york bakeries. i inquired of him "why it was that their custard pies had that look of solidity and smoothness that our home-made pies have not." he replied, "the secret is the addition of this _bit of flour_--not that it thickens the custard any to speak of, but prevents the custard from breaking or wheying and gives that smooth appearance when cut." cream pie. pour a pint of cream upon one and a half cupfuls of sugar; let it stand until the whites of three eggs have been beaten to a stiff froth; add this to the cream and beat up thoroughly; grate a little nutmeg over the mixture and bake without an upper crust. if a tablespoonful of sifted flour is added to it, as the above custard pie recipe, it would improve it. whipped cream pie. line a pie plate with a rich crust and bake quickly in a hot oven. when done, spread with a thin layer of jelly or jam, then whip one cupful of thick sweet cream until it is as light as possible; sweeten with powdered sugar and flavor with vanilla; spread over the jelly or jam; set the cream where it will get very cold before whipping. custard pie. beat together until very light the yolks of four eggs and four tablespoonfuls of sugar, flavor with nutmeg or vanilla; then add the four beaten whites, a pinch of salt and, lastly, a quart of sweet milk; mix well and pour into tins lined with paste. bake until firm. boston cream pie. _cream part._--put on a pint of milk to boil. break two eggs into a dish and add one cup of sugar and half a cup of flour previously mixed after beating well, stir it into the milk just as the milk commences to boil; add an ounce of butter and keep on stirring one way until it thickens; flavor with vanilla or lemon. _crust part._--three eggs beaten separately, one cup of granulated sugar, one and a half cups of sifted flour, one large teaspoonful of baking powder and two tablespoonfuls of milk or water. divide the batter in half and bake on two medium-sized pie-tins. bake in a rather quick oven to a straw color. when done and cool, split each one in half with a sharp broad-bladed knife, and spread half the cream between each. serve cold. the cake part should be flavored the same as the custard. mock cream pie. take three eggs, one pint of milk, a cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch or three of flour; beat the sugar, cornstarch and yolks of the eggs together; after the milk has come to a boil, stir in the mixture and add a pinch of salt and about a teaspoonful of butter. make crust the same as any pie; bake, then fill with the custard, grate over a little nutmeg and bake again. take the whites of the eggs and beat to a stiff froth with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, spread over the top and brown in a quick oven. fruit custard pie. any fruit custard, such as pineapple, banana, can be readily made after the recipe of apple custard pie. cherry pie. line your pie plate with good crust, fill half full with ripe cherries; sprinkle over them about a cupful of sugar, a teaspoonful of sifted flour, dot a few bits of butter over that. now fill the crust full to the top. cover with the upper crust and bake. this is one of the best of pies, if made correctly, and the cherries in any case should be stoned. currant pie. make in just the same way as the "cherry pie," unless they are somewhat green, then they should be stewed a little. ripe currant pie. one cupful of mashed ripe currants, one of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of water, one of flour, beaten with the yolks of two eggs. bake; frost the top with the beaten whites of the eggs and two tablespoonfuls powdered sugar and brown in oven. green tomato pie. take medium-sized tomatoes, pare and cut out the stem end. having your pie-pan lined with paste made as biscuit dough, slice the tomatoes _very thin_, filling the pan somewhat heaping, then grate over it a nutmeg; put in half a cup of butter and a medium cup of sugar, if the pan is rather deep. sprinkle a small handful of flour over all, pouring in half a cup of vinegar before adding the top crust. bake half an hour in a moderately hot oven, serving hot. is good; try it. apricot meringue pie. a canned apricot meringue pie is made by cutting the apricots fine and mixing them with half a cup of sugar and the beaten yolk of an egg; fill the crust and bake. take from the oven, let it stand for two or three minutes, cover with a meringue made of the beaten white of an egg and one tablespoonful of sugar. set back in a slow oven until it turns a golden brown. the above pie can be made into a tart without the addition of the meringue by adding criss-cross strips of pastry when the pie is first put into the oven. all of the above are good if made from the dried and stewed apricots instead of the canned and are much cheaper. stewed dried apricots are a delicious addition to mince meat. they may be used in connection with minced apples, or to the exclusion of the latter. huckleberry pie. put a quart of picked huckleberries into a basin of water; take off, whatever floats; take up the berries by the handful, pick out all the stems and unripe berries and put them into a dish; line a buttered pie, dish with a pie paste, put in the berries half an inch deep, and to a quart of berries, put half of a teacupful of brown sugar; dredge a teaspoonful of flour over, strew a saltspoonful of salt and a little nutmeg grated over; cover the pie, cut a slit in the centre, or make several small incisions on either side of it; press the two crusts together around the edge, trim it off neatly with a sharp knife and bake in a quick oven for three-quarters of an hour. blackberry pie. pick the berries clean, rinse them in cold water and finish as directed for huckleberries. molasses pie. two teacupfuls of molasses; one of sugar, three eggs, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one lemon, nutmeg; beat and bake in pastry. lemon raisin pie. one cup of chopped raisins, seeded, and the juice and grated rind of one lemon, one cupful of cold water, one tablespoonful of flour, one cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter. stir lightly together and bake with upper and under crust. rhubarb pie. cut the large stalks off where the leaves commence, strip off the outside skin, then cut the stalks in pieces half an inch long; line a pie dish with paste rolled rather thicker than a dollar piece, put a layer of the rhubarb nearly an inch deep; to a quart bowl of cut rhubarb put a large teacupful of sugar; strew it over with a saltspoonful of salt and a little nutmeg grated; shake over a little flour; cover with a rich pie crust, cut a slit in the centre, trim off the edge with a sharp knife and bake in a quick oven until the pie loosens from the dish. rhubarb pies made in this way are altogether superior to those made of the fruit stewed. rhubarb pie. (cooked.) skin the stalks, cut them into small pieces, wash and put them in a stewpan with no more water than what adheres to them; when cooked, mash them fine and put in a small piece of butter; when cool, sweeten to taste; if liked, add a little lemon-peel, cinnamon or nutmeg; line your plate with thin crust, put in the filling, cover with crust and bake in a _quick_ oven; sift sugar over it when served. pineapple pie. a grated pineapple, its weight in sugar, half its weight in butter, one cupful of cream, five eggs; beat the batter to a creamy froth, add the sugar and yolks of the eggs, continue beating till very light; add the cream, the pineapple grated and the whites of the eggs beaten to a stiff froth. bake with an under crust. eat cold. grape pie. pop the pulps out of the skins into one dish and put the skins into another. then simmer the pulp a little over the fire to soften it; remove it and rub it through a colander to separate it from the seeds. then put the skins and pulp together and they are ready for pies or for canning or putting in jugs for other use. fine for pies. damson or plum pie. stew the damsons whole in water only sufficient to prevent their burning; when tender and while hot, sweeten them with sugar and let them stand until they become cold; then pour them into pie dishes lined with paste, dredge flour upon them, cover them with the same paste, wet and pinch together the edges of the paste, cut a slit in the centre of the cover through which the vapor may escape and bake twenty minutes. [illustration: chopping the mincemeat.] peach pie. peel, stone and slice the peaches. line a pie plate with crust and lay in your fruit, sprinkling sugar liberally over them in proportion to their sweetness. allow three peach kernels chopped fine to each pie; pour in a very little water and bake with an upper crust, or with cross-bars of paste across the top. dried fruit pies. wash the fruit thoroughly, soak over night in water enough to cover. in the morning stew slowly until nearly done in the same water. sweeten to taste. the crust, both upper and under, should be rolled thin; a thick crust to a fruit pie is undesirable. ripe berry pies. all made the same as "cherry pie." line your pie-tin with crust, fill half full of berries, shake over a tablespoonful of sifted flour (if very juicy) and as much sugar as is necessary to sweeten sufficiently. now fill up the crust to the top, making quite full. cover with crust and bake about forty minutes. huckleberry and blackberry pies are improved by putting into them a little ginger and cinnamon. jelly and preserved fruit pies. preserved fruit requires no baking; hence, always bake the shell and put in the sweetmeats afterwards; you can cover with whipped cream, or bake a top crust shell; the former is preferable for delicacy. cranberry pie. take fine, sound, ripe cranberries and with a sharp knife split each one until you have a heaping coffeecupful; put them in a vegetable dish or basin; put over them one cupful of white sugar, half a cup of water, a tablespoon _full_ of sifted flour; stir it all together and put into your crust. cover with an upper crust and bake slowly in a moderate oven. you will find this the true way of making a cranberry pie. _newport style._ cranberry tart pie. after having washed and picked over the berries, stew them well in a little water, just enough to cover them; when they burst open and become soft, sweeten them with plenty of sugar, mash them smooth (some prefer them not mashed); line your pie-plates with thin puff paste, fill them and lay strips of paste across the top. bake in a moderate oven. or you may rub them through a colander to free them from the skins. gooseberry pie. can be made the same as "cranberry tart pie," or an upper crust can be put on before baking. serve with boiled custard or a pitcher of good sweet cream. stewed pumpkin or squash for pies. deep-colored pumpkins are generally the best. cut a pumpkin or squash in half, take out the seeds, then cut it up in thick slices, pare the outside and cut again in small pieces. put it into a large pot or saucepan with a very little water; let it cook slowly until tender. now set the pot on the back of the stove, where it will not burn, and cook slowly, stirring often until the moisture is dried out and the pumpkin looks dark and red. it requires cooking a long time, at least half a day, to have it dry and rich. when cool press through a colander. baked pumpkin or squash for pies. cut up in several pieces, do not pare it; place them on baking tins and set them in the oven; bake slowly until soft, then take them out, scrape all the pumpkin from the shell, rub it through a colander. it will be fine and light and free from lumps. pumpkin pie. no. . for three pies: one quart of milk, three cupfuls of boiled and strained pumpkin, one and one-half cupfuls of sugar, one-half cupful of molasses, the yolks and whites of four eggs beaten separately, a little salt, one tablespoonful each of ginger and cinnamon. beat all together and bake with an under crust. boston marrow or hubbard squash may be substituted for pumpkin and are much preferred by many, as possessing a less strong flavor. pumpkin pie. no. . one quart of stewed pumpkin pressed through a sieve, nine eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, two scant quarts of milk, one teaspoonful of mace, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and the same of nutmeg, one and one-half cupfuls of white sugar, or very light brown. beat all well together and bake in crust without cover. a tablespoonful of brandy is a great improvement to pumpkin, or squash pies. pumpkin pie without eggs. one quart of properly stewed pumpkin pressed through a colander; to this add enough good, rich milk, sufficient to moisten it enough to fill two good-sized earthen pie-plates, a teaspoonful of salt, half a cupful of molasses or brown sugar, a tablespoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon or nutmeg. bake in a moderately slow oven three-quarters of an hour. squash pie. one pint of boiled dry squash, one cupful of brown sugar, three eggs, two tablespoonfuls of molasses, one tablespoonful of melted butter one tablespoonful of ginger, one teaspoonful of cinnamon, a pinch of salt and one pint of milk. this makes two pies, or one large deep one. sweet potato pie. one pound of steamed sweet potatoes finely mashed,-two cups sugar, one cup cream, one-half cup butter, three well-beaten eggs, flavor with lemon or nutmeg and bake in pastry shell. fine. cooked meat for mince pies. in order to succeed in having good mince pie, it is quite essential to cook the meat properly, so as to retain its juices and strength of flavor. select four pounds of lean beef, the neck piece is as good as any; wash it and put it into a kettle with just water enough to cover it; take off the scum as it reaches the boiling point, add hot water from time to time, until it is tender, then season with salt and pepper; take off the cover and let it boil until almost dry, or until the juice has boiled back into the meat. when it looks as though it was beginning to fry in its own juice, it is time to take up and set aside to get cold, which should be done the day before needed. next day, when making the mince meat, the bones, gristle and stringy bits should be well picked out before chopping. mince pies. no. . the "astor house," some years ago, was _famous_ for its "mince pies." the chief pastry cook at that time, by request, published the recipe. i find that those who partake of it never fail to speak in laudable terms of the superior excellence of this recipe when strictly followed. four pounds of lean boiled beef chopped fine, twice as much of chopped green tart apples, one pound of chopped suet, three pounds of raisins, seeded, two pounds of currants picked over, washed and dried, half a pound of citron, cut up fine, one pound of brown sugar, one quart of cooking molasses, two quarts of sweet cider, one pint of boiled cider, one tablespoonful of salt, one tablespoonful of pepper, one tablespoonful of mace, one tablespoonful of allspice and four tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, two grated nutmegs, one tablespoonful of cloves; mix thoroughly and warm it on the range until heated through. remove from the fire and when nearly cool, stir in a pint of good brandy and one pint of madeira wine. put into a crock, cover it tightly and set it in a cold place where it will not freeze, but keep perfectly cold. will keep good all winter. _chef de cuisine, astor house, n. y._ mince pies. no. . two pounds of lean fresh beef, boiled and, when cold, chopped fine. one pound of beef suet, cleared of strings and minced to powder. five pounds of apples, pared and chopped, two pounds of raisins, seeded and chopped, one pound of sultana raisins, washed and picked over, two pounds of currants washed and _carefully_ picked over, three-quarters of a pound of citron cut up fine, two tablespoonfuls cinnamon, one of powdered nutmeg, two of mace, one of cloves, one of allspice, one of fine salt, two and a quarter pounds of brown sugar, one quart brown sherry, one pint best brandy. mince-meat made by this recipe will keep all winter. cover closely in a jar and set in a cool place. _common sense in the household._ for preserving mince meat, look for canned mince meat. mock mince meat without meat. one cupful of cold water, half a cupful of molasses, half a cupful of brown sugar, half a cupful of cider vinegar, two-thirds of a cupful of melted butter, one cupful of raisins seeded and chopped, one egg beaten light, half a cupful of rolled cracker crumbs, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, a teaspoonful each of cloves, allspice, nutmeg, salt and black pepper. put the saucepan on the fire with the water and raisins; let them cook a few minutes, then add the sugar and molasses, then the vinegar, then the other ingredients; lastly, add a wine-glassful of brandy. very fine. fruit turnovers. (suitable for picnics.) make a nice puff paste; roll it out the usual thickness, as for pies; then cut it out into circular pieces about the size of a small tea saucer; pile the fruit on half of the paste, sprinkle over some sugar, wet the edges and turn the paste over. press the edges together, ornament them and brush the turnovers over with the white of an egg; sprinkle over sifted sugar and bake on tins, in a brisk oven, for about twenty minutes. instead of putting the fruit in raw, it may be boiled down with a little sugar first and then enclosed in the crust; or jam of any kind may be substituted for fresh fruit. plum custard tartlets. one pint of greengage plums, after being rubbed through a sieve, one large cup of sugar, the yolks of two eggs well beaten. whisk all together until light and foamy, then bake in small patty-pans shells of puff paste a light brown. then fill with the plum paste, beat the two whites until stiff, add two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, spread over the plum paste and set the shells into a moderate oven for a few moments. these are much more easily handled than pieces of pie or even pies whole, and can be packed nicely for carrying. lemon tartlets. no. . put a quart of milk into a saucepan over the fire. when it comes to the boiling point put into it the following mixture: into a bowl put a heaping tablespoonful of flour, half a cupful of sugar and a pinch of salt. stir this all together thoroughly; then add the beaten yolks of six eggs; stir this one way into the boiling milk until cooked to a thick cream; remove from the fire and stir into it the grated rind and juice of one large lemon. have ready baked and hot some puff paste tart shells. fill them with the custard and cover each with a meringue made of the whites of the eggs, sweetened with four tablespoonfuls of sugar. put into the oven and bake a light straw color. lemon tartlets. no. . mix well together the juice and grated rind of two lemons, two cupfuls of sugar, two eggs and the crumbs of sponge cake; beat it all together until smooth; put into twelve patty-pans lined with puff paste and bake until the crust is done. orange tartlets. take the juice of two large oranges and the grated peel of one, three-fourths of a cup of sugar, a tablespoonful of butter; stir in a good teaspoonful of cornstarch into the juice of half a lemon and add to the mixture. beat all well together and bake in tart shells without cover. meringue custard tartlets. select deep individual pie-tins; fluted tartlet pans are suitable for custard tarts, but they should be about six inches in diameter and from two to three inches deep. butter the pan and line it with ordinary puff paste, then fill it with a custard made as follows: stir gradually into the beaten yolks of six eggs two tablespoonfuls of flour, a saltspoonful of salt and half a pint of cream. stir until free from lumps and add two tablespoonfuls of sugar; put the saucepan on the range and stir until the custard coats the spoon. do not let it boil or it will curdle. pour it in a bowl, add a few drops of vanilla flavoring and stir until the custard becomes cold; fill the lined mold with this and bake in a moderate oven. in the meantime, put the whites of the eggs in a bright copper vessel and beat thoroughly, using a baker's wire egg-beater for this purpose. while beating, sprinkle in lightly half a pound of sugar and a dash of salt. when the paste is quite firm, spread a thin layer of it over the tart and decorate the top with the remainder by squeezing it through a paper funnel. strew a little powdered sugar over the top, return to the oven, and when a delicate yellow tinge remove from the oven and when cold serve. berry tarts. line small pie-tins with pie crust and bake. just before ready to use fill the tarts with strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, or whatever berries are in season. sprinkle over each tart a little sugar; after adding berries add also to each tart a tablespoonful of sweet cream. they form a delicious addition to the breakfast table. cream strawberry tarts. after picking over the berries carefully, arrange them in layers in a deep pie-tin lined with puff paste, sprinkling sugar thickly between each layer: fill the pie-tin pretty full, pouring in a quantity of the juice: cover with a thick crust, with a slit in the top and bake. when the pie is baked, pour into the slit in the top of the pie the following cream mixture: take a small cupful of the cream from the top of the morning's milk, heat it until it comes to a boil, then stir into it the whites of two eggs beaten light, also a tablespoonful of white sugar and a teaspoonful of cornstarch wet in cold milk. boil all together a few moments until quite smooth; set it aside and when cool pour it into the pie through the slit in the crust. serve it cold with powdered sugar sifted over it. raspberry, blackberry and whortleberry may be made the same. green gooseberry tart. top and tail the gooseberries. put into a porcelain kettle with enough water to prevent burning and stew slowly until they break. take them off, sweeten _well_ and set aside to cool. when cold pour into pastry shells and bake with a top crust of puff paste. brush all over with beaten egg while hot, set back in the oven to glaze for three minutes. eat cold. _common sense in the household._ cocoanut tarts. take three cocoanuts, the meats grated, the yolks of five eggs, half a cupful of white sugar, season, a wine-glass of milk; put the butter in cold and bake in a nice puff paste. chocolate tarts. four eggs, whites and yolks, one-half cake of baker's chocolate, grated, one tablespoonful of cornstarch, dissolved in water, three tablespoonfuls of milk, four of white sugar, two teaspoonfuls of vanilla, one saltspoonful of salt, one-half teaspoonful of cinnamon, one teaspoonful of butter, melted; rub the chocolate smooth in the milk and heat to boiling over the fire, then stir in the cornstarch. stir five minutes until well thickened, remove from the fire and pour into a bowl. beat all the yolks and the whites of two eggs well with the sugar, and when the chocolate mixture is almost cold, put all together with the flavoring and stir until light. bake in open shells of pastry. when done, cover with a meringue made of the whites of two eggs and two tablespoonfuls of sugar flavored with a teaspoonful of lemon juice. eat cold. these are nice for tea, baked in patty-pans. _common sense in the household._ maids of honor. take one cupful of sour milk, one of sweet milk, a tablespoonful of melted butter, the yolks of four eggs, juice and rind of one lemon and a small cupful of white pounded sugar. put both kinds of milk together in a vessel, which is set in another and let it become sufficiently heated to set the curd, then strain off the milk, rub the curd through a strainer, add butter to the curd, the sugar, well-beaten eggs and lemon. line the little pans with the richest of puff paste and fill with the mixture; bake until firm in the centre, from ten to fifteen minutes. german fruit pie. sift together a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder and a pint of flour; add a piece of butter as large as a walnut, a pinch of salt, one beaten egg and sweet milk enough to make a soft dough. roll it out half an inch thick; butter a square biscuit tin and cover the bottom and sides with the dough; fill the pan with quartered juicy apples, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and molasses. bake in rather quick oven until the crust and apples are cooked a light brown. sprinkle a little sugar over the top five minutes before removing from the oven. ripe peaches are fine used in the same manner. apple tarts. pare, quarter, core and boil in half a cupful of water, until quite soft, ten large, tart apples; beat until very smooth and add the yolks of six eggs, or three whole ones, the juice and grated outside rind of two lemons, half a cap of butter; one and a half of sugar (or more, if not sufficiently sweet); beat all thoroughly, line patty-pans with a puff paste and fill; bake five minutes in a hot oven. _meringue._--if desired very nice, cover them when removed from the oven with the meringue made of the whites of three eggs remaining, mixed with three tablespoonfuls of sugar; return to the oven and delicately brown. cream tarts. make a rich, brittle crust, with which cover your patty-pans, smoothing off the edges nicely and bake well. while these "shells" are cooling, take one teacupful (more or less according to the number of tarts you want) of perfectly sweet and fresh cream, skimmed free of milk; put this into a large bowl or other deep dish, and with your egg-beater whip it to a thick, stiff froth; add a heaping tablespoonful of fine white sugar, with a teaspoonful (a small one) of lemon or vanilla. fill the cold shells with this and set in a cool place till tea is ready. open jam tarts. time to bake until paste loosens from the dish. line shallow tin dish with puff paste, put in the jam, roll out some of the paste, wet it lightly with the yolk of an egg beaten with a little milk, and a tablespoonful of powdered sugar. cut it in narrow strips, then lay them across the tart, lay another strip around the edge, trim off outside, and bake in a quick oven. chess cakes. peel and grate one cocoanut; boil one pound of sugar fifteen minutes in two-thirds of a pint of water; stir in the grated cocoanut and boil fifteen minutes longer. while warm, stir in a quarter of a pound of butter; add the yolks of seven eggs well beaten. bake in patty-pans with rich paste. if prepared cocoanut is used, take one and a half coffeecupfuls. fine. custards, creams and desserts. the usual rule for custards is, eight eggs to a quart of milk; but a very good custard can be made of six, or even less, especially with the addition of a level tablespoonful of sifted flour, thoroughly blended in the sugar first, before adding the other ingredients. they may be baked, boiled or steamed, either in cups or one large dish. it improves custard to first boil the milk and then cool it before being used; also a little salt adds to the flavor. a very small lump of butter may also be added, if one wants something especially rich. to make custards look and taste better, duck's eggs should be used when obtainable; they add very much to the flavor and richness, and so many are not required as of ordinary eggs, four duck's eggs to the pint of milk making a delicious custard. when desired extremely rich and good, cream should be substituted for the milk, and double the quantity of eggs used to those mentioned, omitting the whites. when making boiled custard, set the dish containing the custard into another and larger dish, partly filled with boiling water, placed over the fire. let the cream or milk come almost to a boil before adding the eggs or thickening, then stir it briskly one way every moment until smooth and well cooked; it must _not_ boil or it will curdle. to bake a custard, the fire should be moderate and the dish well buttered. everything in baked custard depends upon the _regularly heated slow_ oven. if made with nicety it is the most delicate of all sweets; if cooked till it wheys it is hardly eatable. frozen eggs can be made quite as good as fresh ones if used as soon as thawed soft. drop them into boiling water, letting them remain until the water is cold. they will be soft all through and beat up equal to those that have not been touched with the frost. eggs should always be thoroughly well beaten separately, the yolks first, then the sugar added, beat again, then add the beaten whites with the flavoring, then the cooled scalded milk. the lighter the eggs are beaten, the thicker and richer the custard. eggs should always be broken into a cup, the whites and yolks separated, and they should always be strained. breaking the eggs thus, the bad ones may be easily rejected without spoiling the others and so cause no waste. a meringue, or frosting for the top, requires about a tablespoonful of fine sugar to the beaten white of one egg; to be placed on the top after the custard or pudding is baked, smoothed over with a broad-bladed knife dipped in cold water, and replaced in the oven to brown slightly. soft caramel custard. one quart of milk, half a cupful of sugar, six eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt. put the milk on to boil, reserving a cupful. beat the eggs and add the cold milk to them. stir the sugar in a small frying pan until it becomes liquid and just begins to smoke. stir it into the boiling milk; then add the beaten eggs and cold milk and stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. set away to cool. serve in glasses. baked custard. beat five fresh eggs, the whites and yolks separately, the yolks with half a cup of sugar, the whites to a stiff froth; then stir them gradually into a quart of sweet rich milk previously boiled and cooled; flavor with extract of lemon or vanilla and half a teaspoonful of salt. rub butter over the bottom and sides of a baking-dish or tin basin; pour in the custard, grate a little nutmeg over and bake in a quick oven. it is better to set the dish in a shallow pan of hot water reaching nearly to the top, the water to be kept boiling until the custard is baked; three-quarters of an hour is generally enough. run a teaspoon handle into the middle of it; if it comes out clean it is baked sufficiently. cup custard. six eggs half a cupful of sugar, one quart of new milk. beat the eggs and the sugar and milk, and any extract or flavoring you like. fill your custard cups, sift a little nutmeg or cinnamon over the tops, set them in a moderate oven in a shallow pan half filled with hot water. in about twenty minutes try them with the handle of a teaspoon to see if they are firm. judgment and great care are needed to attain skill in baking custard, for if left in the oven a minute too long, or if the fire is too hot, the milk will certainly whey. serve cold with fresh fruit sugared and placed on top of each. strawberries, peaches or raspberries, as preferred. boiled custard. beat seven eggs very light, omitting the whites of two; mix them gradually with a quart of milk and half a cupful of sugar; boil in a dish set in another of boiling water; add flavoring. as soon as it comes to the boiling point remove it, or it will be liable to curdle and become lumpy. whip the whites of the two eggs that remain, adding two heaping tablespoonfuls of sugar. when the custard is cold heap this on top; if in cups, put on a strawberry or a bit of red jelly on each. set in a cold place till wanted. _common sense in the household._ boiled custard, or mock cream. take two even tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, one quart of milk, three eggs, half a teaspoonful of salt and a small piece of butter; heat the milk to nearly boiling and add the starch, previously dissolved in a little cold milk; then add the eggs well beaten with four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; let it boil up once or twice, stirring it briskly, and it is done. flavor with lemon, or vanilla, or raspberry, or to suit your taste. a good substitute for ice cream, served _very_ cold. french custard. one quart of milk, eight eggs, sugar and cinnamon to taste; separate the eggs, beat the yolks until thick, to which add the milk, a little vanilla, and sweeten to taste; put it into a pan or farina kettle, place it over a slow fire and stir it all the time until it becomes custard; then pour it into a pudding-dish to get cold; whisk the whites until stiff and dry; have ready a pan of boiling water on the top of which place the whites; cover and place them where the water will keep sufficiently hot to cause a steam to pass through and cook them; place in a dish (suitable for the table) a layer of custard and white alternately; on each layer of custard grate a little nutmeg with a teaspoonful of wine; reserve a layer of white for the cover, over which grate nutmeg; then send to table and eat cold. german custard. add to a pint of good, rich, boiled custard an ounce of sweet almonds, blanched, roasted and pounded to a paste, and half an ounce of pine-nuts or peanuts, blanched, roasted and pounded; also a small quantity of candied citron cut into the thinnest possible slips; cook the custard as usual and set it on the ice for some hours before using. apple custard. pare, core and quarter a dozen large juicy pippins. stew among them the yellow peel of a large lemon grated very fine, and stew them till tender in a very small portion of water. when done, mash them smooth with the back of a spoon (you must have a pint and a half of the stewed apple); mix a half cupful of sugar with them and set them away till cold. beat six eggs very light and stir them gradually into a quart of rich milk alternately with the stewed apple. put the mixture into cups, or into a deep dish and bake it about twenty minutes. send it to table cold, with nutmeg grated over the top. almond custard. no. . scald and blanch half a pound of shelled sweet almonds and three ounces of bitter almonds, throwing them, as you do them, into a large bowl of cold water. then pound them one at a time into a paste, adding a few drops of wine or rose-water to them. beat eight eggs very light with two-thirds of a cup of sugar, then mix together with a quart of rich milk, or part milk and part cream; put the mixture into a saucepan and set it over the fire. stir it one way until it begins to thicken, but not till it curdles; remove from the fire and when it is cooled put in a glass dish. having reserved part of the whites of the eggs, beat them to a stiff froth, season with three tablespoonfuls of sugar and a teaspoonful of lemon extract, spread over the top of the custard. serve cold. almond custard. no. . blanch a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, pound them, as in no. on preceding page, with six ounces of fine white sugar and mix them well with the yolks of four eggs; then dissolve one ounce of patent gelatine in one quart of boiling milk, strain it through a sieve and pour into it the other mixture; stir the whole over the fire until it thickens and is smooth; then pour it into your mold and keep it upon ice, or in a cool place, until wanted; when ready to serve dip the mold into warm water, rub it with a cloth and turn out the cream carefully upon your dish. snowball custard. soak half a package of cox's gelatine in a teacupful of cold water one hour, to which add a pint of boiling water, stir it until the gelatine is thoroughly dissolved. then beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth, put two teacupfuls of sugar in the gelatine water first, then the beaten white of egg and one teaspoonful of vanilla extract, or the grated rind and the juice of a lemon. whip it some time until it is all quite stiff and cold. dip some teacups or wine-glasses in cold water and fill them; set in a cold place. in the meantime, make a boiled custard of the yolks of three of the eggs, with half a cupful of sugar and a pint of milk; flavor with vanilla extract. now after the meringue in the cups has stood four or five hours, turn them out of the molds, place them in a glass dish and pour this custard around the base. baked cocoanut custard. grate as much cocoanut as will weigh a pound. mix half a pound of powdered white sugar with the milk of the cocoanut, or with a pint of cream, adding two tablespoonfuls of rose-water. then stir in gradually a pint of rich milk. beat to a stiff froth the whites of eight eggs and stir them into the milk and sugar, a little at a time, alternately with the grated cocoanut; add a teaspoonful of powdered nutmeg and cinnamon. then put the mixture into cups and bake them twenty minutes in a moderate oven, set in a pan half filled with boiling water. when cold, grate loaf sugar over them. whipped cream. no. . to the whites of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, add a pint of thick sweet cream (previously set where it is very cold) and four tablespoonfuls of sweet wine, with three of fine white sugar and a teaspoonful of the extract of lemon or vanilla. mix all the ingredients together on a board platter or pan and whip it to a standing froth; as the froth rises, take it off lightly with a spoon and lay it on an inverted sieve with a dish under it to catch what will drain through; and what drains through can be beaten over again. serve in a glass dish with jelly or jam and sliced sponge cake. this should be whipped in a cool place and set in the ice box. whipped cream. no. . three coffeecupfuls of good thick sweet cream, half a cup of powdered sugar, three teaspoonfuls of vanilla; whip it to a stiff froth. dissolve three-fourths of an ounce of best gelatine in a teacup of hot water and when cool pour it in the cream and stir it gently from the bottom upward, cutting the cream into it, until it thickens. the dish which contains the cream should be set in another dish containing ice-water, or cracked ice. when finished pour in molds and set on ice or in any very cold place. spanish cream. take one quart of milk and soak half a box of gelatine in it for an hour; place it on the fire and stir often. beat the yolks of three eggs very light with a cupful of sugar, stir into the scalding milk and heat until it begins to thicken (it should not boil, or it will curdle); remove from the fire and strain through thin muslin or tarlatan, and when nearly cold flavor with vanilla or lemon; then wet a dish or mold in cold water and set aside to stiffen. bavarian cream. one quart of sweet cream, the yolks of four eggs beaten together with a cupful of sugar. dissolve half an ounce of gelatine or isinglass in half a teacupful of warm water; when it is dissolved stir in a pint of boiling hot cream; add the beaten yolks and sugar; cook all together until it begins to thicken, then remove from the fire and add the other pint of cold cream whipped to a stiff froth, adding a little at a time and beating hard. season with vanilla or lemon. whip the whites of the eggs for the top. dip the mold in cold water before filling; set it in a cold place. to this could be added almonds, pounded, grated chocolate, peaches, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, or any seasonable fruit. strawberry bavarian cream. pick off the hulls of a box of strawberries, bruise them in a basin with a cup of powered sugar; rub this through a sieve and mix with it a pint of whipped cream and one ounce and a half of clarified isinglass or gelatine; pour the cream into a mold previously oiled. let it in rough ice and when it has become firm turn out on a dish. raspberries or currants may be substituted for strawberries. golden cream. boil a quart of milk; when boiling stir into it the well-beaten yolks of six eggs; add six tablespoonfuls of sugar and one tablespoonful of sifted flour, which have been well beaten together; when boiled, turn it into a dish, and pour over it the whites beaten to a stiff froth, mixing with them six tablespoonfuls, of powdered sugar. set all in the oven and brown slightly. flavor the top with vanilla and the bottom with lemon. serve cold. chocolate cream. no. . three ounces of grated chocolate, one-quarter pound of sugar, one and one-half pints of cream, one and one-half ounces of clarified isinglass, or gelatine, the yolks of six eggs. beat the yolks of the eggs well; put them into a basin with the grated chocolate, the sugar and one pint of the cream; stir these ingredients well together, pour them into a basin and set this basin in a saucepan of boiling water; stir it one way until the mixture thickens, but _do not allow it to boil_, or it will curdle. strain the cream through a sieve into a basin, stir in the isinglass and the other one-half pint of cream, which should-be well whipped; mix all well together, and pour it into a mold which has been previously oiled with the purest salad oil, and, if at hand, set it in ice until wanted for table. [illustration: mrs ulysses s. grant, lucy webb hayes, mrs andrew johnson] chocolate cream or custard. no. . take one quart of milk, and when nearly boiling stir in two ounces of grated chocolate; let it warm on the fire for a few moments, and then remove and cool; beat the yolks of eight eggs and two whites with eight tablespoonfuls of sugar, then pour the milk over them; flavor and bake as any custard, either in cups or a large dish. make a meringue of the remaining whites. lemon cream. no. . one pint of cream, the yolks of two eggs, one quarter of a pound of white sugar, one large lemon, one ounce isinglass or gelatine. put the cream into a _lined_ saucepan with the sugar, lemon peel and isinglass, and simmer these over a gentle fire for about ten minutes, stirring them all the time. strain the cream into a basin, add the yolks of eggs, which should be well beaten, and put the basin into a saucepan of boiling water; stir the mixture one way until it thickens, _but do not allow it to boil_; take it off the fire and keep stirring it until nearly cold. strain the lemon juice into a basin, gradually pour on it the cream, and _stir it well_ until the juice is well mixed with it. have ready a well-oiled mold, pour the cream into it, and let it remain until perfectly set. when required for table, loosen the edges with a small blunt knife, put a dish on the top of the mold, turn it over quickly, and the cream should easily slip away. lemon cream. no. . pare into one quart of boiling water the peels of four large lemons, the yellow outside only; let it stand for four hours; then take them out and add to the water the juice of the four lemons and one cupful of fine white sugar. beat the yolks of ten eggs and mix all together; strain it through a piece of lawn or lace into a porcelain lined stewpan; set it over a slow fire; stir it one way until it is as thick as good cream, _but do not let it boil_; then take it from the fire, and, when cool, serve in custard cups. lemon cream. no. . peel three lemons and squeeze out the juice into one quart of milk. add the peel; cut in pieces and cover the mixture for a few hours; then add six eggs, well beaten, and one pint of water, well sweetened. strain and simmer over a gentle fire till it thickens; _do not let it boil._ serve very cold. orange cream. whip a pint of cream so long that there will be but one-half the quantity left when skimmed off. soak in half a cupful of cold water a half package of gelatine and then grate over it the rind of two oranges. strain the juice of six oranges and add to it a cupful of sugar; now put the half pint of unwhipped cream into a double boiler, pour into it the well-beaten yolks of six eggs, stirring until it begins to thicken, then add the gelatine. remove from the fire, let it stand for two minutes and add the orange juice and sugar; beat all together until about the consistency of soft custard and add the whipped cream. mix well and turn into molds to harden. to be served with sweetened cream. fine. solid cream. four tablespoonfuls of pounded sugar, one quart of cream, two tablespoonfuls of brandy, the juice of one large lemon. strain the lemon juice over the sugar and add the brandy, then stir in the cream, put the mixture into a pitcher and continue pouring from one pitcher to another, until it is quite thick; or it may be whisked until the desired consistency is obtained. it should be served in jelly glasses. banana cream. after peeling the bananas, mash them with an iron or wooden spoon; allow equal quantities of bananas and sweet cream; to one quart of the mixture, allow one-quarter of a pound of sugar. beat them all together until the cream is light. tapioca cream custard. soak three heaping tablespoonfuls of tapioca in a teacupful of water over night. place over the fire a quart of milk; let it come to a boil, then stir in the tapioca, a good pinch of salt, stir until it thickens; then add a cupful of sugar and the beaten yolks of three eggs. stir it quickly and pour it into a dish and stir gently into the mixture the whites beaten stiff, the flavoring and set it on ice, or in an ice chest. peach cream. no. . mash very smooth two cupfuls of canned peaches, run them through a sieve and cook for three minutes in a syrup made by boiling together one cupful of sugar and stirring all the time. place the pan containing the syrup and peaches into another of boiling water and add one-half packet of gelatine prepared the same as in previous recipes, and stir for five minutes to thoroughly dissolve the gelatine, then take it from the fire, place in a pan of ice-water, beat until nearly cool and then add the well-frothed whites of six eggs. beat this whole mixture until it commences to harden. then pour into a mold, set away to cool and serve with cream and sugar. it should be placed on the ice to cool for two or three hours before serving. peach cream. no. . a quart of fine peaches, pare and stone the fruit and cut in quarters. beat the whites of three eggs with a half cupful of powdered sugar until it is stiff enough to cut with a knife. take the yolks and mix with half a cupful of granulated sugar and a pint of milk. put the peaches into the mixture, place in a pudding-dish and bake until almost firm; then put in the whites, mixing all thoroughly again, and bake a light brown. eat ice cold. italian cream. put two pints of cream into two bowls; with one bowl mix six ounces of powdered loaf sugar, the juice of two large lemons and two glassfuls of white wine; then add the other pint of cream and stir the whole very hard; boil two ounces of isinglass or gelatine with four small teacupfuls of water till reduced to one-half; then stir the mixture luke-warm into the other ingredients; put them in a glass dish to congeal. snow cream. heat a quart of thick, sweet cream; when ready to boil, stir into it quickly three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch flour, blended with some cold cream; sweeten to taste and allow it to boil gently, stirring for two or three minutes; add quickly the whites of six eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; do not allow it to boil up more than once after adding the eggs; flavor with lemon, vanilla, bitter almond or grated lemon peel; lay the snow thus formed quickly in rocky heaps on silver or glass dishes, or in shapes. iced, it will turn out well. if the recipe is closely followed, any family may enjoy it at a trifling expense, and it is really worthy the table of an epicure. it can be made the day before it is to be eaten; kept cold. mock ice. take about three tablespoonfuls of some good preserve; rub it through a sieve with as much cream as will fill a quart mold; dissolve three-quarters of an ounce of isinglass or gelatine in half a pint of water; when almost cold, mix it well with the cream; put it into a mold, set in a cool place and turn out next day. peach meringue. pare and quarter (removing stones) a quart of sound, ripe peaches; place them all in a dish that it will not injure to set in the oven and yet be suitable to place on the table. sprinkle the peaches with sugar, and cover them well with the beaten whites of three eggs. stand the dish in the oven until the eggs have become a delicate brown, then remove, and when cool enough, set the dish on ice, or in a very cool place. take the yolks of the eggs, add to them a pint of milk, sweeten and flavor, and boil same in a custard kettle, being careful to keep the eggs from curdling. when cool pour into a glass pitcher and serve with the meringue when ready to use. apple float. one dozen apples, pared and cored, one pound and a half of sugar. put the apples on with water enough to cover them and let them stew until they look as if they would break; then take them out and put the sugar in the same water; let the syrup come to a boil, put in the apples and let them stew until done through and clear; then take them out, slice into the syrup one large lemon and add an ounce of gelatine dissolved in a pint of cold water. let the whole mix well and come to a boil; then pour upon the apples. the syrup will congeal. it is to be eaten cold with cream. or you may change the dish by making a soft custard with the yolks of four eggs, three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a scant quart of milk. when cold, spread it over the apples. whip the whites of the egg, flavor with lemon and place on the custard. color in the oven. syllabub. one quart of rich milk or cream, a cupful of wine, half a cupful of sugar; put the sugar and wine into a bowl and the milk lukewarm in a separate vessel. when the sugar is dissolved in the wine, pour the milk in, holding it high; pour it back and forth until it is frothy. grate nutmeg over it. cream for fruit. this recipe is an excellent substitute for pure cream, to be eaten on fresh berries and fruit. one cupful of sweet milk; heat it until boiling. beat together the whites of two eggs, a tablespoonful of white sugar and a piece of butter the size of a nutmeg. now add half a cupful of cold milk and a teaspoonful of cornstarch; stir well together until very light and smooth, then add it to the boiling milk; cook it until it thickens; it must not boil. set it aside to cool. it should be of the consistency of real fresh cream. serve in a creamer. strawberry sponge. one quart of strawberries, half a package of gelatine, one cupful and a half of water, one cupful of sugar, the juice of a lemon, the whites of four eggs. soak the gelatine for two hours in half a cupful of the water. mash the strawberries and add half the sugar to them. boil the remainder of the sugar and the water gently twenty minutes. rub the strawberries through a sieve. add the gelatine to the boiling syrup and take from the fire immediately; then add the strawberries. place in a pan of ice-water and beat five minutes. add the whites of eggs and beat until the mixture begins to thicken. pour in the molds and set away to harden. serve with sugar and cream. raspberry and blackberry sponges are made in the same way. lemon sponge. lemon sponge is made from the juice of four lemons, four eggs, a cupful of sugar, half a package of gelatine and one pint of water. strain lemon juice on the sugar; beat the yolks of the eggs and mix with the remainder of the water, having used a half cupful of the pint in which to soak the gelatine. add the sugar and lemon to this and cook until it begins to thicken, then add the gelatine. strain this into a basin, which place in a pan of water to cool. beat with a whisk until it has cooled but not hardened; now add the whites of the eggs until it begins to thicken, turn in a mold and set to harden. remember the sponge hardens very rapidly when it commences to cool, so have your molds all ready. serve with powdered sugar and cream. apple snow. stew some fine-flavored sour apples tender, sweeten to taste, strain them through a fine wire sieve and break into one pint of strained apples the white of an egg; whisk the apple and egg very briskly till quite stiff and it will be as white as snow; eaten with a nice boiled custard it makes a very desirable dessert. more eggs may be used if liked. quince snow. quarter five fair-looking quinces and boil them till they are tender in water, then peel them and push them through a coarse sieve. sweeten to the taste and add the whites of three or four eggs. then with an egg-whisk beat all to a stiff froth and pile with a spoon upon a glass dish and set away in the ice box, unless it is to be served immediately. orange trifle. take the thin parings from the outside of a dozen oranges and put to steep in a wide-mouthed bottle; cover it with good cognac and let it stand twenty-four hours; skin and seed the oranges and reduce to a pulp; press this through a sieve, sugar to taste, arrange in a dish and heap with whipped cream flavored with the orange brandy, ice two hours before serving. lemon trifle. the juice of two lemons and grated peel of one, one pint of cream, well sweetened and whipped stiff, one cupful of sherry, a little nutmeg. let sugar, lemon juice and peel lie together two hours before you add wine and nutmeg. strain through double tarlatan and whip gradually into the frothed cream. serve very soon heaped in small glasses. nice with cake. fruit trifle. whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, two tablespoonfuls each of sugar, currant jelly and raspberry jam. eaten with sponge cakes, it is a delicious dessert. grape trifle. pulp through a sieve two pounds of ripe grapes, enough to keep back the stones, add sugar to taste. put into a trifle dish and cover with whipped cream, nicely flavored. serve very cold. apple trifle. peel, core and quarter some good tart apples of nice flavor, and stew them with a strip of orange and a strip of quince peel, sufficient water to cover the bottom of the stewpan, and sugar in the proportion of half a pound to one pound of fruit; when cooked, press the pulp through a sieve, and, when cold, dish and cover with one pint of whipped cream flavored with lemon peel. quinces prepared in the same manner are equally as good. peach trifle. select perfect, fresh peaches, peel and core and cut in quarters; they should be _well sugared_, arranged in a trifle dish with a few of their own blanched kernels among them, then heaped with whipped cream as above; the cream should not be flavored; this trifle should be set on the ice for at least an hour before serving; home-made sponge cakes should be served with it. gooseberry trifle. one quart of gooseberries, sugar to taste, one pint of custard, a plateful of whipped cream. put the gooseberries into a jar, with sufficient moist sugar to sweeten them, and boil them until reduced to a pulp. put this pulp at the bottom of a trifle dish; pour over it a pint of custard, and, when cold, cover with whipped cream. the cream should be whipped the day before it is wanted for table, as it will then be so much firmer and more solid. this dish may be garnished as fancy dictates. lemon honey. one coffeecupful of white sugar, the grated rind and juice of one large lemon, the yolks of three eggs and the white of one, a tablespoonful of butter. put into a basin the sugar and butter, set it in a dish of boiling water over the fire; while this is melting, beat up the eggs, and add to them the grated rind from the outside of the lemon; then add this to the sugar and butter, cooking and stirring it until it is thick and clear like honey. this will keep for some days, put into a tight preserve jar, and is nice for flavoring pies, etc. floating islands. beat the yolks of five eggs and the whites of two very light, sweeten with five tablespoonfuls of sugar and flavor to taste; stir them into a quart of scalded milk and cook it until it thickens. when cool pour it into a glass dish. now whip the whites of the three remaining eggs to a _stiff_ froth, adding three tablespoonfuls of sugar and a little flavoring. pour this froth over a shallow dish of boiling water; the steam passing through it cooks it; when sufficiently cooked, take a tablespoon and drop spoonfuls of this over the top of the custard, far enough apart so that the "little white islands" will not touch each other. by dropping a teaspoonful of bright jelly on the top or centre of each island, is produced a pleasing effect; also by filling wine-glasses and arranging them around a standard adds much to the appearance of the table. floating island. one quart of milk, five eggs and five tablespoonfuls of sugar. scald the milk, then add the beaten yolks and one of the whites together with the sugar. first stir into them a little of the scalded milk to prevent curdling, then all of the milk. cook it the proper thickness; remove from the fire, and, when cool, flavor; then pour it into a glass dish and let it become very cold. before it is served beat up the remaining four whites of the eggs to a _stiff_ froth and beat into them three tablespoonfuls of sugar and two tablespoonfuls of currant jelly. dip this over the top of the custard. tapioca blanc mange. half a pound of tapioca soaked an hour in one pint of milk and boiled till tender; add a pinch of salt, sweeten to taste and put into a mold; when cold turn it out and serve with strawberry or raspberry jam around it and a little cream. flavor with lemon or vanilla. blanc mange. no. . in one teacupful of water boil until dissolved one ounce of clarified isinglass, or of patent gelatine (which is better); stir it continually, while boiling. then squeeze the juice of a lemon upon a cupful of fine, white sugar; stir the sugar into a quart of rich cream and half a pint of madeira or sherry wine; when it is well mixed, add the dissolved isinglass or gelatine, stir all well together, pour it into molds previously wet with cold water; set the molds upon ice, let them stand until their contents are hard and cold, then serve with sugar and cream or custard sauce. blanc mange. no. . dissolve two ounces of patent gelatine in cold water; when it is dissolved stir it into two quarts of rich milk, with a teacupful of fine white sugar; season it to your taste with lemon, or vanilla, or peach water; place it over the fire and boil it, stirring it continually; let it boil five minutes; then strain it through a cloth, pour it into molds previously wet with cold water and salt; let it stand on ice, or in any cool place until it becomes hard and cold; turn it out carefully upon dishes and serve; or, half fill your mold; when this has set, cover with cherries, peaches in halves, strawberries or sliced bananas, and add the remainder. chocolate blanc mange. half a box of gelatine soaked in a cupful of water for an hour, half a cupful of grated chocolate, rubbed smooth in a little milk. boil two cupfuls of milk, then add the gelatine and chocolate and one cupful of sugar; boil all together eight or ten minutes. remove from the fire, and when nearly cold beat into this the whipped whites of three eggs, flavored with vanilla. should be served cold with custard made of the yolks, or sugar and cream. set the molds in a cold place. cornstarch blanc mange. take one quart of sweet milk and put one pint upon the stove to heat; in the other pint mix four heaping tablespoonfuls of cornstarch and half a cupful of sugar; when the milk is hot, pour in the cold milk with the cornstarch and sugar thoroughly mixed in it and stir altogether until there are no lumps and it is thick; flavor with lemon; take from the stove and add the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth. _a custard for the above._--one pint of milk boiled with a little salt in it; beat the yolks of three eggs with half a cupful of sugar and add to the boiling milk; stir well, but do not let it boil until the eggs are put in; flavor to taste. fruit blanc mange. stew nice, fresh fruit (cherries, raspberries and strawberries being the best), or canned ones will do; strain off the juice and sweeten to taste; place it over the fire in a double kettle until it boils; while boiling, stir in cornstarch wet with a little cold water, allowing two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch to each pint of juice; continue stirring until sufficiently cooked; then pour into molds wet in cold water and set away to cool. served with cream and sugar. orange charlotte. for two molds of medium size, soak half a box of gelatine in half a cupful of water for two hours. add one and a half cupfuls of boiling water and strain. then add two cupfuls of sugar, one of orange juice and pulp and the juice of one lemon. stir until the mixture begins to cool, or about five minutes; then add the whites of six eggs, beaten to a stiff froth. beat the whole until so stiff that it will only just pour into molds lined with sections of orange. set away to cool. strawberry charlotte. make a boiled custard of one quart of milk, the yolks of six eggs and three-quarters of a cupful of sugar; flavor to taste. line a glass fruit-dish with slices of sponge cake dipped in sweet cream; lay upon this ripe strawberries sweetened to taste; then a layer of cake and strawberries as before. when the custard is cold pour over the whole. now beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add a tablespoonful of sugar to each egg and put over the top. decorate the top with the largest berries saved out at the commencement. raspberry charlotte may be made the same way. charlotte russe. (fine.) whip one quart of rich cream to a stiff froth and drain well on a nice sieve. to one scant pint of milk add six eggs beaten very light; make very sweet; flavor high with vanilla. cook over hot water till it is a thick custard. soak one full ounce of cox's gelatine in a very little water and warm over hot water. when the custard is very cold beat in lightly the gelatine and the whipped cream. line the bottom of your mold with buttered paper, the side with sponge cake or lady-fingers fastened together with the white of an egg. fill with the cream, put in a cold place, or, in summer, on ice. to turn out, dip the mold for a moment in hot water. in draining the whipped cream, all that drips through can be re-whipped. charlotte russe. cut stale sponge cake into slices about half an inch thick and line three molds with them, leaving a space of half an inch between each slice; set the molds where they will not be disturbed until the filling is ready. take a deep tin pan and fill about one-third full of either snow or pounded ice and into this set another pan that will hold at least four quarts. into a deep bowl or pail (a whip churn is better) put one and a half pints of cream (if the cream is very thick take one pint of cream and a half pint of milk); whip it to a froth and when the bowl is full, skim the froth into the pan which is standing on the ice and repeat this until the cream is all froth; then with a spoon draw the froth to one side and you will find that some of the cream has gone back to milk; turn this into the bowl again and whip as before; when the cream is all whipped, stir into it two-thirds of a cup of powdered sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla and half of a box of gelatine, which has been soaked in cold water enough to cover it for one hour and then put in boiling water enough to dissolve it (about half a cup); stir from the bottom of the pan until it begins to grow stiff; fill the molds and set them on ice in the pan for one hour, or until they are sent to the table. when ready to dish them, loosen lightly at the sides and turn out on a flat dish. have the cream ice cold when you begin to whip it; and it is a good plan to put a lump of ice into the cream while whipping it. _maria parloa._ another charlotte russe. two tablespoonfuls of gelatine soaked in a little cold milk two hours, two coffeecupfuls of rich cream, one teacupful of milk. whip the cream stiff in a large bowl or dish; set on ice. boil the milk and pour gradually over the gelatine until dissolved, then strain; when nearly cold, add the whipped cream, a spoonful at a time. sweeten with powdered sugar, flavor with extract of vanilla. line a dish with lady-fingers or sponge cake; pour in cream and set in a cool place to harden. this is about the same recipe as m. parloa's, but is not as explicit in detail. plain charlotte russe. no. . make a rule of white sponge cake; bake in narrow shallow pans. then make a custard of the yolks after this recipe. wet a saucepan with cold water to prevent the milk that will be scalded in it from burning. pour out the water and put in a quart of milk, boil and partly cool. beat up the yolks of six eggs and add three ounces of sugar and a saltspoonful of salt; mix thoroughly and add the lukewarm milk. stir and pour the custard into a porcelain or double saucepan and stir while on the range until of the consistency of cream; do not allow it to boil, as that would curdle it; strain, and when almost cold add two teaspoonfuls of vanilla. now, having arranged your cake (cut into inch slices) around the sides and on the bottom of a glass dish, pour over the custard. if you wish a meringue on the top, beat up the whites of four eggs with four tablespoonfuls of sugar; flavor with lemon or vanilla, spread over the top and brown slightly in the oven. plain charlotte russe. no. . put some thin slices of sponge cake in the bottom of a glass sauce dish; pour in wine enough to soak it; beat up the whites of three eggs until very light; add to it three tablespoonfuls of finely powdered sugar, a glass of sweet wine and one pint of thick sweet cream; beat it well and pour over the cake. set it in a cold place until served. naple biscuits, or charlotte russe. make a double rule of sponge cake; bake it in round deep patty-pans; when cold cut out the inside about one-quarter of an inch from the edge and bottom, leaving the shell. replace the inside with a custard made of the yolks of four eggs beaten with a pint of boiling milk, sweetened and flavored; lay on the top of this some jelly or jam; beat the whites of three eggs with three heaping tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar until it will stand in a heap; flavor it a little; place this on the jelly. set them aside in a cold place until time to serve. economical charlotte russe. make a quart of nicely flavored mock custard, put it into a large glass fruit dish, which is partly filled with stale cake (of any kind) cut up into small pieces about an inch square, stir it a little, then beat the whites of two or more eggs stiff, sweetened with white sugar; spread over the top, set in a refrigerator to become cold. or, to be still more economical: to make the cream, take a pint and a half of milk, set it on the stove to boil; mix together in a bowl the following named articles: large half cup of sugar, one moderately heaped teaspoonful of cornstarch, two tablespoonfuls of grated chocolate one egg, a small half cup of milk and a pinch of salt. pour into the boiling milk, remove to top of the stove and let simmer a minute or two. when the cream is cold pour over the cake just before setting it on the table. serve in saucers. if you do not have plenty of eggs you can use all cornstarch, about two heaping teaspoonfuls; but be careful and not get the cream too thick, and have it free from lumps. the cream should be flavored either with vanilla or lemon extract. nutmeg might answer. tipsy charlotte. take a stale sponge cake, cut the bottom and sides of it, so as to make it stand even in a glass fruit dish; make a few deep gashes through it with a sharp knife, pour over it a pint of good wine, let it stand and soak into the cake. in the meantime, blanch, peel and slice lengthwise half a pound of sweet almonds; stick them all over the top of the cake. have ready a pint of good boiled custard, well flavored, and pour over the whole. to be dished with a spoon. this is equally as good as any charlotte. orange charlotte. one-third of a box of gelatine, one-third of a cupful of cold water, one-third of a cupful of boiling water and one cup of sugar, the juice of one lemon and one cupful of orange juice and pulp, a little grated orange peel and the whites of four eggs. soak the gelatine in the cold water one hour. pour the boiling water over the lemon and orange juice, cover it and let stand half an hour; then add the sugar, let it come to a boil on the fire, stir in the gelatine and when it is thoroughly dissolved, take from the fire. when cool enough, beat into it the four beaten whites of eggs, turn into the mold and set in a cold place to stiffen, first placing pieces of sponge cake all around the mold. burnt almond charlotte. one cupful of sweet almonds, blanched and chopped fine, half a box of gelatine soaked two hours in half a cupful of cold water; when the gelatine is sufficiently soaked, put three tablespoonfuls of sugar into a saucepan over the fire and stir until it becomes liquid and looks dark; then add the chopped almonds to it and stir two minutes more; turn it out on a platter and set aside to get cool. after they become cool enough break them up in a mortar, put them in a cup and a half of milk, and cook again for ten minutes. now beat together the yolks of two eggs with a cupful of sugar, and add to the cooking mixture; add also the gelatine; stir until smooth and well dissolved; take from the fire and set in a basin of ice-water and beat it until it begins to thicken; then add to that two quarts of whipped cream, and turn the whole carefully into molds, set away on the ice to become firm. sponge cake can be placed around the mold or not, as desired. charlotte russe, with pineapple. peel and cut a pineapple in slices, put the slices into a stewpan with half a pound of fine white sugar, half an ounce of isinglass, or of patent gelatine (which is better), and half a teacupful of water; stew it until it is quite tender, then rub it through a sieve, place it upon ice, and stir it well; when it is upon the point of setting, add a pint of cream well whipped, mix it well and pour it into a mold lined with sponge cake, or prepared in any other way you prefer. country plum charlotte. stone a quart of ripe plums; first stew and then sweeten them. cut slices of bread and butter and lay them in the bottom and around the sides of a large bowl or deep dish. pour in the plums boiling hot, cover the bowl and set it away to cool gradually. when quite cool, send it to the table and eat it with cream. velvet cream, with strawberries. dissolve half an ounce of gelatine in a gill of water; add to it half a pint of light sherry, grated lemon peel and the juice of one lemon and five ounces of sugar. stir over the fire until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. then strain and cool. before it sets beat into it a pint of cream; pour into molds and keep on ice until wanted. half fill the small molds with fine strawberries, pour the mixture on top, and place on ice until wanted. cornstarch meringue. heat a quart of milk until it boils, add four heaping teaspoonfuls of cornstarch which has previously been dissolved in a little cold milk. stir constantly while boiling for fifteen minutes. remove from the fire, and gradually add while hot the yolks of five eggs, beaten together with three-fourths of a cupful of sugar, and flavored with lemon, vanilla or bitter almond. bake this mixture for fifteen minutes in a well-buttered pudding-dish or until it begins to "set." make a meringue of the whites of five eggs, whipped stiff with a half cupful of jelly, and spread evenly over the custard, without removing the same farther than the edge of the oven. use currant jelly if vanilla is used in the custard, crab apple for bitter almond and strawberry for lemon. cover and bake for five minutes, after which take off the lid and brown the meringue a very little. sift powdered sugar thickly over the top. to be eaten cold. washington pie. this recipe is the same as "boston cream pie" (adding half an ounce of butter), which may be found under the head of pastry, pies and tarts. in summer time, it is a good plan to bake the pie the day before wanted; then when cool, wrap around it a paper and place it in the ice box so to have it get _very cold_; then serve it with a dish of fresh strawberries or raspberries. a delicious dessert. cream pie. make two cakes as for washington pie, then take one cup of sweet cream and three tablespoonfuls of white sugar. beat with egg-beater or fork till it is stiff enough to put on without running off and flavor with vanilla. if you beat it after it is stiff it will come to butter. put between the cakes and on top. dessert puffs. puffs for dessert are delicate and nice; take one pint of milk and cream each, the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, one heaping cupful of sifted flour, one scant cupful of powdered sugar, add a little grated lemon peel and a little salt; beat these all together till very light, bake in gem-pans, sift pulverized sugar over them and eat with sauce flavored with lemon. peach cake for dessert. bake three sheets of sponge cake, as for jelly cake; cut nice ripe peaches in thin slices, or chop them; prepare cream by whipping, sweetening and adding flavor of vanilla, if desired; put layers of peaches between the sheets of cake; pour cream over each layer and over the top. to be eaten soon after it is prepared. fruit short-cakes. for the recipes of strawberry, peach and other fruit short-cakes, look under the head of biscuits, rolls and muffins. they all make a very delicious dessert when served with a pitcher of fresh sweet cream, when obtainable. salted or roasted almonds. blanch half a pound of almonds. put with them a tablespoonful of melted butter and one of salt. stir them till well mixed, then spread them over a baking-pan and bake fifteen minutes, or till crisp, stirring often. they must be bright yellow-brown when done. they are a fashionable appetizer and should be placed in ornamental dishes at the beginning of dinner, and are used by some in place of olives, which, however, should also be on the table, or some fine pickles may take their place. roast chestnuts. peel the raw chestnuts and scald them to remove the inner skin; put them in a frying pan with a little butter and toss them about a few moments; add a sprinkle of salt and a suspicion of cayenne. serve them after the cheese. peanuts may be blanched and roasted the same. after-dinner croutons. these crispy _croutons_ answer as a substitute for hard-water crackers and are also relished by most people. cut sandwich bread into slices one-quarter of an inch thick; cut each slice into four small triangles; dry them in the oven slowly until they assume a delicate brownish tint, then serve either hot or cold. a nice way to serve them is to spread a paste of part butter and part rich creamy cheese, to which may be added a very little minced parsley. orange float. to make orange float, take one quart of water, the juice and pulp of two lemons, one coffeecupful of sugar. when boiling hot, add four tablespoonfuls of cornstarch. let it boil fifteen minutes, stirring all the time. when cold, pour it over four or five oranges that have been sliced into a glass dish and over the top spread the beaten whites of three eggs, sweetened and flavored with vanilla. a nice dessert. lemon toast. this dessert can be made very conveniently without much preparation. take the yolks of six eggs, beat them well and add three cupfuls of sweet milk; take baker's bread, not too stale, and cut into slices; dip them into the milk and eggs and lay the slices into a spider, with sufficient melted butter, hot, to fry a delicate brown. take the whites of the six eggs and beat them to a froth, adding a large cupful of white sugar; add the juice of two lemons, heating well and adding two cupfuls of boiling water. serve over the toast as a sauce and you will find it a very delicious dish. sweet omelet. no. . one tablespoonful of butter, two of sugar, one cupful of milk, four eggs. let the milk come to a boil. beat the flour and butter together; add to them gradually the boiling milk and cook eight minutes; stirring often; beat the sugar and the yolks of the eggs together; add to the cooked mixture and set away to cool. when cool, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and add to the mixture. bake in a buttered pudding-dish for twenty minutes in a moderate oven. serve _immediately_ with creamy sauce. sweet omelet. no. . four eggs, two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt, half a teaspoonful of vanilla extract, one cupful of whipped cream. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and gradually beat the flavoring and sugar into them. when well beaten add the yolks and, lastly, the whipped cream. have a dish holding about one quart slightly buttered. pour the mixture into this and bake just twelve minutes. serve the moment it is taken from the oven. salad of mixed fruits. put in the centre of a dish a pineapple properly pared, cored and sliced, yet retaining as near as practicable its original shape. peel, quarter and remove the seeds from four sweet oranges; arrange them in a border around the pineapple. select four fine bananas, peel and cut into slices lengthwise; arrange these zigzag-fence fashion around the border of the dish. in the v-shaped spaces around the dish put tiny mounds of grapes of mixed colors. when complete, the dish should look very appetizing. to half a pint of clear sugar syrup add half an ounce of good brandy, pour over the fruit and serve. orange cocoanut salad. peel and slice a dozen oranges, grate a cocoanut and slice a pineapple. put alternate layers of each until the dish is full. then pour over them sweetened wine. served with small cakes. when oranges are served whole, they should be peeled and prettily arranged in a fruit dish. a small knife is best for this purpose. break the skin from the stem into six or eight even parts, peel each section down half way, and tuck the point in next to the orange. crystallized fruit. pick out the finest of any kind of fruit, leave on their stalks, beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff froth, lay the fruit in the beaten egg with the stalks upward, drain them and beat the part that drips off again; select them out, one by one and dip them into a cup of finely powdered sugar; cover a pan with a sheet of fine paper, place the fruit inside of it, and put it in an oven that is cooling; when the icing on the fruit becomes firm, pile them on a dish and set them in a cool place. for this purpose, oranges or lemons should be carefully pared, and all the white inner skin removed that is possible, to prevent bitterness; then cut either in thin horizontal slices if lemons, or in quarters if oranges. for cherries, strawberries, currants, etc., choose the largest and finest, leaving stems out. peaches should be pared and cut in halves and sweet juicy pears may be treated in the same way, or look nicely when pared, leaving on the stems and iced. pineapples should be cut in thin slices and these again divided into quarters. peaches and cream. pare and slice the peaches just before sending to table. cover the glass dish containing them to exclude the air as much as possible, as they soon change color. do not sugar them in the dish--they then become preserves, not fresh fruit. pass the powdered sugar and cream with them. snow pyramid. beat to a stiff foam the whites of half a dozen eggs, add a small teacupful of currant jelly and whip all together again. fill half full of cream as many saucers as you have guests, dropping in the centre of each saucer a tablespoonful of the beaten eggs and jelly in the shape of a pyramid. jelly fritters. make a batter of three eggs, a pint of milk and a pint bowl of wheat flour or more, beat it light; put a tablespoonful of lard or beef fat in a frying or omelet pan, add a saltspoonful of salt, making it boiling hot, put in the batter by the large spoonful, not too close; when one side is a delicate brown, turn the other; when done, take them on to a dish with a d'oyley over it; put a dessertspoonful of firm jelly or jam on each and serve. a very nice dessert. stewed apples. no. . take a dozen green tart apples, core and slice them, put into a saucepan with just enough water to cover them, cover the saucepan closely, and stew the apples until they are tender and clear; then take them out, put them into a deep dish and cover them; add to the juice in the saucepan a cupful of loaf sugar for every twelve apples, and boil it half an hour, adding to the syrup a pinch of mace and a dozen whole cloves just ten minutes before taking from the fire; pour scalding hot over the apples and set them in a cold place; eat ice cold with cream or boiled custard. stewed apples. no. . apples cooked in the following way look very pretty on a tea-table and are appreciated by the palate. select firm round greenings, pare neatly and cut in halves; place in a shallow stewpan with sufficient boiling water to cover them and a cup of sugar to every six apples. each half should cook on the bottom of the pan and be removed from the others so as not to injure its shape. stew slowly until the pieces are very tender; remove to a glass dish carefully, boil the syrup a half hour longer, pour it over the apples and eat cold. a few pieces of lemon boiled in the syrup add to the flavor. baked pears. pare and core the pears without dividing; place them in a pan and fill up the orifice with brown sugar; add a little water and let them bake until perfectly tender. nice with sweet cream or boiled custard. stewed pears. stewed pears with a thick syrup make a fine dessert dish accompanied with cake. peel and cut them in halves, leaving the stems on and scoop out the cores. put them into a saucepan, placing them close together, with the stems uppermost. pour over sufficient water, a cup of sugar, a few whole cloves and some sticks of cinnamon, a tablespoonful of lemon juice. cover the stewpan closely, to stew gently till the fruit is done, which will depend on the quality of the fruit. then take out the fruit carefully and arrange it on a dish for serving. boil down the syrup until quite thick; strain it and allow it to cool enough to set it; then pour it over the fruit. the juice could be colored by a few drops of liquid cochineal, or a few slices of beets, while boiling. a teaspoonful of brandy adds much to the flavor. serve with cream or boiled custard. baked quinces. take ripe quinces, pare and quarter them, cut out the seeds; then stew them in clear water until a straw will pierce them; put into a baking dish with half a cupful of loaf sugar to every eight quinces; pour over them the liquor in which they were boiled, cover closely and bake in the oven one hour; then take out the quinces and put them into a covered dish; return the syrup to the saucepan and boil twenty minutes; then pour over the quinces and set them away to cool. gooseberry fool. stew a quart of ripe gooseberries in just enough water to cover them; when soft, rub them through a colander to remove the skins and seeds; while hot stir into them a tablespoonful of melted butter and a cupful of sugar. beat the yolks of three eggs and add that; whip all together until light. fill a large glass fruit dish and spread on the top the beaten whites mixed with three tablespoonfuls of sugar. apples or any tart fruit is nice made in this manner. meringues or kisses. a coffeecupful of fine white sugar, the whites of six eggs; whisk the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and with a wooden spoon stir in _quickly_ the pounded sugar; and have some boards put in the oven thick enough to prevent the bottom of the meringues from acquiring too much color. cut some strips of paper about two inches wide; place this paper on the board and drop a tablespoonful at a time of the mixture on the paper, taking care to let all the meringues be the same size. in dropping it from the spoon, give the mixture the form of an egg and keep the meringues about two inches apart from each other on the paper. strew over them some sifted sugar and bake in a moderate oven for half an hour. as soon as they begin to color, remove them from the oven; take each slip of paper by the two ends and turn it gently on the table and with a small spoon take out the soft part of each meringue. spread some clean paper on the board, turn the meringues upside down and put them into the oven to harden and brown on the other side. when required for table, fill them with whipped cream, flavored with liquor or vanilla and sweeten with pounded sugar. join two of the meringues together and pile them high in the dish. to vary their appearance, finely chopped almonds or currants may be strewn over them before the sugar is sprinkled over; and they may be garnished with any bright-colored preserve. great expedition is necessary in making this sweet dish, as, if the meringues are not put into the oven as soon as the sugar and eggs are mixed, the former melts and the mixture would run on the paper instead of keeping its egg-shape. the sweeter the meringues are made the crisper will they be; but if there is not sufficient sugar mixed with them, they will most likely be tough. they are sometimes colored with cochineal; and if kept well-covered in a dry place, will remain good for a month or six weeks. jelly kisses. kisses, to be served for dessert at a large dinner, with other suitable confectionery, may be varied in this way: having made the kisses, heap them in the shape of half an egg, placed upon stiff letter paper lining the bottom of a thick baking pan; put them in a moderate oven until the outside is a little hardened; then take one off carefully, take out the soft inside with the handle of a spoon, and put it back with the mixture, to make more; then lay the shell down. take another and prepare it likewise; fill the shells with currant jelly or jam; join two together, cementing them with some of the mixture; so continue until you have enough. make kisses, cocoanut drops, and such like, the day before they are wanted. this recipe will make a fair-sized cake basket full. it adds much to their beauty when served up to tint half of them pale pink, then unite white and pink. serve on a high glass dish. cocoanut macaroons. make a "kiss" mixture, add to it the white meat, grated, and finish as directed for kisses. almond macaroons. half a pound of sweet almonds, a coffeecupful of white sugar, the whites of two eggs; blanch the almonds and pound them to a paste; add to them the sugar and the beaten whites of eggs; work the whole together with the back of a spoon, then roll the mixture in your hands in balls about the size of a nutmeg, dust sugar over the top, lay them on a sheet of paper at least an inch apart. bake in a cool oven a light brown. chocolate macaroons. put three ounces of plain chocolate in a pan and melt on a slow fire; then work it to a thick paste with one pound of powdered sugar and the whites of three eggs; roll the mixture down to the thickness of about one-quarter of an inch; cut it in small, round pieces with a paste-cutter, either plain or scalloped; butter a pan slightly, and dust it with flour and sugar in equal quantities; place in it the pieces of paste or mixture, and bake in a hot but not too quick oven. lemon jelly. no. . wash and prepare four calf's feet, place them in four quarts of water, and let them simmer gently five hours. at the expiration of this time take them out and pour the liquid into a vessel to cool; there should be nearly a quart. when cold, remove every particle of fat, replace the jelly into the preserving-kettle, and add one pound of loaf sugar, the rind and juice of two lemons; when the sugar has dissolved, beat two eggs with their shells in one gill of water, which pour into the kettle and boil five minutes, or until perfectly clear; then add one gill of madeira wine and strain through a flannel bag into any form you like. lemon jelly. no. . to a package of gelatine add a pint of cold water, the juice of four lemons and the rind of one; let it stand one hour, then add one pint of boiling water, a pinch of cinnamon, three cups of sugar; let it all come to a boil; strain through a napkin into molds, set away to get cold. nice poured over sliced bananas and oranges. wine jelly. one package of gelatine, one cupful of cold water soaked together two hours; add to this three cupfuls of sugar, the juice of three lemons and the grated rind of one. now pour over this a quart of boiling water and stir until dissolved, then add a pint of sherry wine. strain through a napkin, turn into molds dipped in cold water and place in the ice box for several hours. one good way to mold this jelly is to pour some of it into the mold, harden it a little, put in a layer of strawberries or raspberries, or any fresh fruit in season, pour in jelly to set them; after they have set, another layer of jelly, then another of berries, and so fill each mold, alternating with jelly and berries. cider jelly. this can be made the same, by substituting clear, sweet cider in place of the wine. orange jelly. orange jelly is a great delicacy and not expensive. to make a large dish, get six oranges, two lemons, a two-ounce package of gelatine. put the gelatine to soak in a pint of water, squeeze the orange juice into a bowl, also the lemon juice, and grate one of the lemon skins in with it. put about two cupfuls of sugar with the gelatine, then stir in the orange juice, and pour over all three pints of boiling water, stirring constantly. when the gelatine is entirely dissolved, strain through a napkin into molds or bowls wet with cold water, and set aside to harden. in three or four hours it will be ready for use and will last several days. variegated jelly. after dividing a box of cox's gelatine into halves, put each half into a bowl with half a cupful of cold water. put three-quarters of an ounce or six sheets of pink gelatine into a third bowl containing three-fourths of a cupful of cold water. cover the bowls to keep out the dust and set them away for two hours. at the end of that time, add a pint of boiling water, a cupful of sugar, half a pint of wine, and the juice of lemon to the pink gelatine, and, after stirring till the gelatine is dissolved, strain the liquid through a napkin. treat one of the other portions of the gelatine in the same way. beat together the yolks of four eggs and half a cupful of sugar, and, after adding this mixture to the third portion of gelatine, stir the new mixture into a pint and a third of boiling milk, contained in a double boiler. stir on the fire for three minutes, then strain through a fine sieve, and flavor with a teaspoonful of vanilla extract. place in a deep pan two molds, each holding about three pints, and surround them with ice and water. pour into these molds, in equal parts, the wine jelly which was made with the clear gelatine, and set it away to harden. when it has become set, pour in the pink gelatine, which should have been set away in a place not cold enough to make it harden. after it has been transferred and has become hard, pour into the molds the mixture of eggs, sugar and gelatine, which should be in a liquid state. set the molds in an ice chest for three or four hours. at serving time, dip them into tepid water to loosen the contents, and gently turn the jelly out upon flat dishes. the clear jelly may be made first and poured into molds, then the pink jelly and finally the egg jelly. strawberry jelly. strawberries, pounded sugar; to every pint of juice allow half a package of cox's gelatine. pick the strawberries, put them into a pan, squeeze them well with a wooden spoon, add sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten them nicely, and let them remain for one hour that the juice may be extracted; then add half a pint of water to every pint of juice. strain the strawberry juice and water through a napkin; measure it and to every pint allow half a package of cox's gelatine dissolved in a teacupful of water. mix this with the juice, put the jelly into a mold and set the mold on ice. a little lemon juice added to the strawberry juice improves the flavor of the jelly, if the fruit is very ripe; but it must be well strained before it is put with the other ingredients, or it will make the jelly muddy. delicious and beautiful. recipe for cheese custard. for three persons, two ounces of grated parmesan cheese; the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth, a little pepper, salt and cayenne, a little milk or cream to mix; bake for a quarter of an hour. ice cream and ices ice-cream. one pint of milk, the yolks of two eggs, six ounces of sugar and one tablespoonful of cornstarch. scald but do not boil. then put the whites of the two eggs into a pint of cream; whip it. mix the milk and cream, flavor and freeze. one teaspoonful of vanilla or lemon is generally sufficient. the quantity, of course, can be increased to any amount desired, so long as the relative proportions of the different ingredients are observed. pure ice-cream. genuine ice-cream is made of the pure sweet cream in this proportion: two quarts of cream, one pound of sugar; beat up, flavor and freeze. for family use, select one of the new patent freezers, as being more rapid and less laborious for small quantities than the old style turned entirely by hand. all conditions being perfect, those with crank and revolving dashers effect freezing in eight to fifteen minutes. fruit ice-cream. _ingredients._--to every pint of fruit juice allow one pint of cream; sugar to taste. let the fruit be well ripened; pick it off the stalks and put it into a large earthen pan. stir it about with a wooden spoon, breaking it until it is well mashed; then, with the back of the spoon, rub it through a hair-sieve. sweeten it nicely with pounded sugar; whip the cream for a few minutes, add it to the fruit, and whisk the whole again for another five minutes. put the mixture into the freezer and freeze. raspberry, strawberry, currant, and all fruit ice-creams are made in the same manner. a little powdered sugar sprinkled over the fruit before it is mashed assists to extract the juice. in winter, when fresh fruit is not obtainable, a little jam may be substituted for it; it should be melted and worked through a sieve before being added to the whipped cream; and if the color should not be good, a little prepared cochineal may be put in to improve its appearance. in making berry flavoring for ice-cream, the milk should never be heated; the juice of the berries added to _cold_ cream, or fresh rich milk, mixed with _cold_ cream, the juice put in just before freezing, or when partly frozen. chocolate ice-cream. no. . (very fine.) add four ounces of grated chocolate to a cupful of sweet milk, then mix it thoroughly to a quart of thick sweet cream; no flavoring is required but vanilla. sweeten with a cupful of sugar; beat again and freeze. chocolate ice-cream. no. . beat two eggs very light and cream them with two cupfuls of sugar. scald a pint of milk and turn on by degrees, mixing well with the sugar and eggs. stir in this half a cupful of grated chocolate; return to the fire and heat until it thickens, stirring briskly; take off and set aside to cool. when thoroughly cold, freeze. cocoanut ice-cream. one quart of cream, one pint of milk, three eggs, one cupful and a half of sugar and one of prepared cocoanut, the rind and juice of a lemon. beat together the eggs and grated lemon rind and put with the milk in the double boiler. stir until the mixture begins to thicken. add the cocoanut and put away to cool. when cool add the sugar, lemon juice and cream. freeze. custard ice-cream. sweeten one quart of cream or rich milk with half a pound of sugar and flavor to taste; put it over the fire in a farina-kettle; as soon as it begins to boil, stir into it a tablespoonful of cornstarch or rice flour which has been previously mixed smooth with a little milk; after it has boiled a few minutes, take it off the fire and stir in very gradually six eggs which have been beaten until thick; when quite cold, freeze it as ice-cream. strawberry ice-cream. mix a cupful of sugar with a quart of ripe strawberries, let them stand half a day, then mash and strain them through a coarse towel, then add to the juice a full cupful of sugar and when dissolved, beat in a quart of fresh thick cream. raspberries, pineapple and other fruits made the same. fruit cream. make a rich, boiled custard; flavor with wine and vanilla; pour it into a freezer. when half frozen, add pounded almonds, chopped citron and brandy, peaches or chopped raisins. have the freezer half full of custard and fill up with the fruit. mix well and freeze again. almost any kind of fruits that are preferred may be substituted for the above. tutti frutti ice-cream. take two quarts of the richest cream and add to it one pound of pulverized sugar and four whole eggs; mix well together; place on the fire, stirring constantly, and just bring to boiling point; now remove immediately and continue to stir until nearly cold; flavor with a tablespoonful of extract of vanilla; place in freezer and, when half frozen, mix thoroughly into it one pound of preserved fruits, in equal parts of peaches, apricots, gages, cherries, pineapples, etc.; all of these fruits are to be cut up into small pieces and mixed well with frozen cream. if you desire to _mold_ this ice sprinkle it with a little carmine, dissolved in a teaspoonful of water, with two drops of spirits of ammonia; mix in this color, so that it will be streaky or in veins like marble. ice-cream without a freezer. beat the yolks of eight eggs very light, and add thereto four cupfuls of sugar, and stir well. add to this, little by little, one quart of rich milk that has been heated almost to boiling, beating all the while; then put in the whites of eight eggs beaten to a stiff froth. then boil the mixture in a pail set inside another containing hot water. boil about fifteen minutes or until it is as thick as a boiled custard, stirring steadily meanwhile. pour into a bowl to cool. when quite cold, beat into it three pints of rich sweet cream and five teaspoonfuls of vanilla, or such other flavoring as you prefer. put it into a pail having a close-fitting cover and pack in pounded ice and salt,--_rock salt_, not the common kind,--about three-fourths ice and one-forth salt. when packed, before putting the ice on top of the cover, beat the custard as you would batter, for five minutes steady; then put on the cover and put the ice and salt over it, and cover the whole with a thick mat, blanket or carpet and let it stand for an hour. then carefully uncover and scrape from the bottom and sides of the pail the thick coating of frozen custard, making every particle clear, and beat again very hard, until the custard is a smooth, half-congealed paste. do this thoroughly. put on the cover, ice, salt and blanket, and leave it for five or six hours, replenishing the ice and salt if necessary. _common sense in the household._ frozen peaches. one can or twelve large peaches, two coffeecupfuls of sugar, one pint of water and the whites of three eggs beaten to a stiff froth; break the peaches rather fine and stir all the ingredients together; freeze the whole into form. frozen fruit of any kind can be made the same way; the fruit should be mashed to a smooth pulp, but not thinned too much. in freezing, care should be taken to prevent its getting lumpy. frozen fruits. the above recipe, increasing the quantity of peaches, raspberries or whatever fruit you may use, and adding a small amount of rich cream, make fine frozen fruits. in freezing, you must be especially careful to prevent its getting lumpy. lemon ice. the juice of six lemons and the grated rind of three, a large sweet orange, juice and rind; squeeze out all the juice and steep it in the rind of orange and lemons a couple of hours; then squeeze and strain through a towel, add a pint of water and two cupfuls of sugar. stir until dissolved, turn into a freezer, then proceed as for ice-cream, letting it stand longer, two or three hours. when fruit jellies are used, gently heat the water sufficiently to melt them; then cool and freeze. other flavors may be made in this manner, varying the flavoring to taste. pineapple sherbet. grate two pineapples and mix with two quarts of water and a pint of sugar; add the juice of two lemons and the beaten whites of four eggs. place in a freezer and freeze. raspberry sherbet. two quarts of raspberries, one cupful of sugar, one pint and a half of water, the juice of a large lemon, one tablespoonful of gelatine. mash the berries and sugar together and let them stand two hours. soak the gelatine in cold water to cover. add one pint of the water to the berries and strain. dissolve the gelatine in half a pint of boiling water, add this to the strained mixture and freeze. orange-water ice. add a tablespoonful of gelatine to one gill of water; let it stand twenty minutes and add half a pint of boiling water; stir until dissolved and add four ounces of powdered sugar, the strained juice of six oranges and cold water enough to make a full quart in all. stir until the sugar is dissolved; pour into the freezing can and freeze. (see lemon ice.) almond ice. two pints of milk, eight ounces of cream, two ounces of orange-flower water, eight ounces of sweet almonds, four ounces of bitter almonds; pound all in a marble mortar, pouring in from time to time a few drops of water; when thoroughly pounded add the orange-flower water and half of the milk; pass this, tightly squeezed, through a cloth; boil the rest of the milk with the cream and keep stirring it with a wooden spoon; as soon as it is thick enough, pour in the almond milk; give it one boiling, take it off and let it cool in a bowl or pitcher before pouring it into the mold for freezing. currant ice. a refreshing ice is made of currants or raspberries, or equal portions of each. squeeze enough fruit in a jelly-bag to make a pint of juice; add a pint each of the water and sugar; pour the whole, boiling hot, onto whites of three eggs, beaten to a stiff froth, and whip the mixture thoroughly. when cool, freeze in the usual manner. part red raspberry juice is a much finer flavor. any juicy fruit may be prepared in this manner. dumplings and puddings it depends as much upon the judgment of the cook as on the materials used to make a good pudding. everything should be the best in the way of materials, and a proper attention to the rules, with some practice, will ensure success. puddings are either boiled, baked or steamed; if boiled, the materials should be well worked together, put into a thick cloth bag, previously dipped in hot water, wringing it slightly and dredging the inside _thickly_ with flour; tie it firmly, allowing room for it to swell; drop it into a kettle of _boiling_ water, with a small plate or saucer in the bottom to keep it from sticking to the kettle. it should not cease boiling one moment from the time it is put in until taken out, and the pot must be tightly covered, and the cover not removed except when necessary to add water from the _boiling_ tea-kettle when the water is getting low. when done, dip immediately in cold water and turn out. this should be done just before placing on the table. or butter a tin pudding-mold or an earthen bowl; close it tight so that water cannot penetrate; drop it into boiling water and boil steadily the required time. if a bowl is used it should be well buttered and not quite filled with the pudding, allowing room for it to swell; then a cloth wet in hot water, slightly wringing it, then floured on the inner side, and tied over the bowl, meeting under the bottom. to steam a pudding, put it into a tin pan or earthen dish; tie a cloth over the top, first dredging it in flour, and set it in a steamer. cover the steamer closely; allow a little longer time than you do for boiling. molds or basins for baking, steaming or boiling should be well buttered before the mixture is put into them. allow a little longer time for steaming than for boiling. dumplings boiled the same way, put into little separate cloths. batter puddings should be smoothly mixed and free from lumps. to ensure this, first mix the flour with a very small portion of milk, the yolks of the eggs and the sugar thoroughly beaten together, and added to this; then add the remainder of the milk by degrees, then the seasoning, then the beaten whites of eggs last. much success in making this kind of pudding depends upon a strict observance of this rule; for, although the materials may be good, if the eggs are put into the milk before they are mixed with the flour, there will be a custard at the top and a soft dough at the bottom of your dish. all sweet puddings require a _little_ salt to prevent insipidity and to draw out the flavor of the several ingredients, but a grain too much will spoil any pudding. in puddings where wine, brandy, cider, lemon juice or any acid is used, it should be stirred in last and gradually, or it is apt to curdle the milk or eggs. in making _custard puddings_ (puddings made with eggs and milk), the yolks of the eggs and sugar should be thoroughly beaten together before any of the milk or seasoning is added, and the beaten whites of eggs last. in making puddings of bread, rice, sago, tapioca, etc., the eggs should be beaten very light, and mixed with a portion of the milk, before adding them to the other ingredients. if the eggs are mixed with the milk, without having been thus beaten, the milk will be absorbed by the bread, rice, sago, tapioca, etc., without rendering them light. the freshness of all pudding ingredients is of much importance, as one bad article will taint the whole mixture. when the _freshness_ of eggs is _doubtful_, break each one separately in a cup before mixing them all together. should there be a bad one amongst them, it can be thrown away; whereas, if mixed with the good ones, the entire quantity would be spoiled. the yolks and whites beaten separately make the articles they are put into much lighter. raisins and dried fruit for puddings should be carefully picked and, in many cases, stoned. currants should be well washed, pressed in a cloth and placed on a dish before the fire to get thoroughly dry; they should be then picked carefully over, and _every piece of grit or stone_ removed from amongst them. to plump them, some cooks pour boiling water over them and then dry them before the fire. [illustration: state dining room.] [illustration: the blue room.] many baked pudding recipes are quite as good boiled. as a safe rule boil the pudding _twice as long_ as you would bake it; and remember that a boiling pudding should never be touched after it is once put on the stove; a jar of the kettle destroys the lightness of the pudding. if the water boils down and more must be added, it must be done so carefully that the mold will not hit the side of the kettle, and it must not be allowed to stop boiling for an instant. batter should never-stick to the knife when it is sent to the table; it will do this both when less than sufficient number of eggs is mixed with it and when it is not cooked enough; about four eggs to the half pound of flour will make it firm enough to cut smoothly. when baked or boiled puddings are sufficiently solid, turn them out of the dish they were baked in, bottom uppermost and strew over them finely sifted sugar. when pastry or baked puddings are not done through, and yet the outside is sufficiently brown, cover them over with a piece of white paper until thoroughly cooked; this prevents them from getting burnt. to clean currants. put them in a sieve or colander and sprinkle them thickly with flour; rub them well until they are separated, and the flour, grit and fine stems have passed through the strainer. place the strainer and currants in a pan of water and wash thoroughly; then lift the strainer and currants together, and change the water until it is clear. dry the currants between clean towels. it hardens them to dry in an oven. to chop suet. break or cut in small pieces, sprinkle with sifted flour, and chop in a cold place to keep it from becoming sticky and soft. to stone raisins. put them in a dish and pour _boiling_ water over them; cover and let them remain in it ten minutes; it will soften so that by rubbing each raisin between the thumb and finger, the seeds will come out clean; then they are ready for cutting or chopping if required. apple dumplings. make a rich biscuit dough, the same as soda or baking-powder biscuit, only adding a little more shortening. take a piece of dough out on the molding-board, roll out almost as thin as pie crust; then cut into square pieces large enough to cover an apple. put into the middle of each piece two apple halves that have been pared and cored; sprinkle on a spoonful of sugar and a pinch of ground cinnamon, turn the ends of the dough over the apple and lap them tight. lay the dumplings in a dripping-pan buttered, the smooth side upward. when the pans are filled, put a small piece of butter on top of each, sprinkle over a large handful of sugar, turn in a cupful of boiling water, then place in a moderate oven for three-quarters of an hour. baste with the liquor once while baking. serve with pudding-sauce or cream and sugar. boiled apple dumplings. the same recipe as the above, with the exception that they are put into a small coarse cloth well floured after being dipped in hot water. each cloth to be tied securely, but leaving room enough for the dumpling to swell. put them in a pot of boiling water and boil three-quarters of an hour. serve with sweet sauce. peaches and other fruits used in the same manner. boiled rice dumplings, custard sauce. boil half a pound of rice, drain and mash it moderately fine. add to it two ounces of butter, three ounces of sugar, half a saltspoonful of mixed ground spice, salt and the yolks of two eggs. moisten a trifle with a tablespoonful or two of cream. with floured hands shape the mixture into balls, and tie them in floured pudding cloths. steam or boil forty minutes and send to table with a custard sauce made as follows:-- mix together four ounces of sugar and two ounces of butter (slightly warmed). beat together the yolks of two eggs and a gill of cream; mix and pour the sauce in a double saucepan; set this in a pan of hot water and whisk thoroughly three minutes. set the saucepan in cold water and whisk until the sauce is cooled. suet dumplings. no. . one pint bowl of fine bread crumbs, one-half cupful of beef suet chopped fine, the whites and yolks of four eggs beaten separately and very light, one teaspoonful of cream of tartar sifted into half a cupful of flour, half a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little water, and a teaspoonful of salt. wet it all together with milk enough to make a stiff paste. flour your hands and make into balls. tie up in separate cloths that have been wrung out in hot water and floured inside; leave room, when tying, for them to swell. drop them into _boiling_ water and boil about three-quarters of an hour. serve _hot_, with wine sauce, or syrup and butter. suet dumplings. no. . one cupful of suet chopped fine, one cupful of grated english muffins or bread, one cupful of flour, half a teaspoonful of baking powder, half a cupful of sugar, two eggs, one pint of milk, a large pinch of salt. sift together powder and flour, add the beaten eggs, grated muffins, sugar, suet and milk; form into smooth batter, which drop by tablespoonfuls into a pint of boiling milk, three or four at a time; when done, dish and pour over the milk they were boiled in. a danish dish; very good. preserve dumplings. preserved peaches, plums, quinces, cherries or any other sweetmeat; make a light crust, and roll a small piece of moderate thickness and fill with the fruit in quantity to make the size of a peach dumpling; tie each one in a dumpling cloth, well floured inside, drop them into hot water and boil half an hour; when done, remove the cloth, send to table hot and eat with cream. oxford dumplings. beat until quite light one tablespoonful of sugar and the yolks of three eggs, add half a cupful of finely chopped suet, half a cupful of english currants, one cupful of sifted flour, in which there has been sifted a heaping teaspoonful of baking powder, a little nutmeg, one teaspoonful of salt and, lastly, the beaten whites of the eggs; flour your hands and make it into balls the size of an egg; boil in separate cloth one hour or more. serve with wine sauce. lemon dumplings. mix together a pint of grated bread crumbs, half a cupful of chopped suet, half a cupful of moist sugar, a little salt and a small tablespoonful of flour, adding the grated rind of a lemon. moisten it all with the whites and yolks of two eggs _well_ beaten and the juice of the lemon, strained. stir it all well together and put the mixture into small cups well buttered; tie them down with a cloth dipped in flour and boil three-quarters of an hour. turn them out on a dish, strew sifted sugar over them and serve with wine sauce. boiled apple puffets. three eggs, one pint of milk, a little salt, sufficient flour to thicken as waffle batter, one and one-half teaspoonfuls of baking powder. fill teacups alternately with a layer of batter and then of apples chopped fine. steam one hour. serve hot with flavored cream and sugar. you can substitute any fresh fruit or jams your taste prefers. common batter. for boiled puddings, fritters, etc., is made with one cupful of milk, a pinch of salt, two eggs, one tablespoonful of melted butter, one cupful of flour and a small teaspoonful of baking powder. sift the flour, powder and salt together, add the melted butter, the eggs well beaten and the milk; mix into a very smooth batter, a little thicker than for griddle-cakes. almond pudding. turn boiling water on to three-fourths of a pound of sweet almonds, let it remain until the skin comes off easily; rub with a dry cloth; when dry, pound fine with one large spoonful of rose-water; beat six eggs to a stiff froth with three spoonfuls of fine white sugar; mix with one quart of milk, three spoonfuls of pounded crackers, four ounces of melted butter, and the same of citron cut into bits; add almonds, stir altogether and bake in a small pudding-dish with a lining and rim of pastry. this pudding is best when cold. it will bake in half an hour in a quick oven. apple pudding, baked. stir two tablespoonfuls of butter and half a cupful of sugar to a cream; stir into this the yolks of four eggs, well beaten, the juice and grated rind of one lemon and half a dozen sound, green tart grated. now stir in the four beaten whites of the eggs, season with cinnamon or nutmeg; bake. to be served cold with cream. boiled apple pudding. take three eggs, three apples, a quarter of a pound of bread crumbs, one lemon, three ounces of sugar, three ounces of currants, half a wine-glassful of wine, nutmeg, butter and sugar for sauce. pare, core and mince the apples and mix with the bread crumbs, nutmeg, grated sugar, currants; the juice of the lemon and half the rind grated. beat the eggs well, moisten the mixture with these and beat all together, adding the wine last; put the pudding in a buttered mold, tie it down with a cloth; boil one hour and a half and serve with sweet sauce. birds' nest pudding. core and peel eight apples, put in a dish, fill the places from which the cores have been taken with sugar and a little grated nutmeg; cover and bake. beat the yolks of four eggs light, add two teacupfuls of flour, with three even teaspoonfuls of baking powder sifted with it, one pint of milk with a teaspoonful of salt; then add the whites of the eggs well beaten, pour over the apples and bake one hour in a moderate oven. serve with sauce. bread and butter pudding. no. . butter the sides and bottom of a deep pudding-dish, then butter thin slices of bread, sprinkle thickly with sugar, a little cinnamon, chopped apple, or any fruit you prefer between each slice, until your dish is full. beat up two eggs, add a tablespoonful of sifted flour; stir with the three cupfuls of milk and a little salt; pour over this the bread, let it stand one hour and then bake slowly, with a cover on, three-quarters of an hour; then take the cover off and brown. serve with wine and lemon sauce. pie-plant, cut up in small pieces with plenty of sugar, is fine made in this manner. bread and butter pudding. no. . place a layer of stale bread, rolled fine, in the bottom of a pudding-dish, then a layer of any kind of fruit; sprinkle on a little sugar, then another layer of bread crumbs and of fruit; and so on until the dish is full, the top layer being crumbs. make a custard as for pies, add a pint of milk and mix. pour it over the top of the pudding and bake until the fruit is cooked. stale cake, crumbed fine, in place of bread, is an improvement. cold berry pudding. take rather stale bread--baker's bread or light home-made--cut in thin slices and spread with butter. add a very little water and a little sugar to one quart or more of huckleberries and blackberries, or the former alone. stew a few minutes until juicy; put a layer of buttered bread in your buttered pudding-dish, then a layer of stewed berries while hot and so on until full; lastly, a covering of stewed berries. it may be improved with a rather soft frosting over the top. to be eaten cold with thick cream and sugar. apple tapioca pudding. put one teacupful of tapioca and one teaspoonful of salt into one pint and a half of water, and let it stand several hours where it will be quite warm, but not cook; peel six tart apples, take out the cores, fill them with sugar, in which is grated a little nutmeg and lemon peel, and put them in a pudding-dish; over these pour the tapioca, first mixing with it one teaspoonful of melted butter and a cupful of cold milk, and half a cupful of sugar; bake one hour; eat with sauce. when fresh fruits are in season, this pudding is exceedingly nice, with damsons, plums, red currants, gooseberries or apples; when made with these, the pudding must be thickly sprinkled over with sifted sugar. canned or fresh peaches may be used in place of apples in the same manner, moistening the tapioca with the juice of the canned peaches in place of the cold milk. very nice when quite cool to serve with sugar and cream. apple and brown-bread pudding. take a pint of brown bread crumbs, a pint bowl of chopped apples, mix; add two-thirds of a cupful of finely-chopped suet, a cupful of raisins, one egg, a tablespoonful of flour, half a teaspoonful of salt. mix with half a pint of milk, and boil in buttered molds about two hours. serve with sauce flavored with lemon. apple-puff pudding. put half a pound of flour into a basin, sprinkle in a little salt, stir in gradually a pint of milk; when quite smooth add three eggs; butter a pie-dish, pour in the batter; take three-quarters of a pound of apples, seed and cut in slices, and put in the batter; place bits of butter over the top; bake three-quarters of an hour; when done, sprinkle sugar over the top and serve hot. plain bread pudding, baked. break up about a pint of stale bread after cutting off the crust, pour over it a quart of boiling milk; add to this a piece of butter the size of a small egg; cover the dish tight and let it stand until cool; then with a spoon mash it until fine, adding a teaspoonful of cinnamon and one of nutmeg grated, half a cupful of sugar and one-quarter of a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little hot water. beat up four eggs very light and add last. turn all into a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake three-quarters of an hour. serve it warm with hard sauce. this recipe may be steamed or boiled; very nice either way. superior bread puddings. one and one-half cupfuls of white sugar, two cupfuls of fine, dry bread crumbs, five eggs, one tablespoonful of butter, vanilla, rose-water or lemon flavoring, one quart of fresh rich milk and half a cupful of jelly or jam. rub the butter into a cupful of sugar; beat the yolks very light, and stir these together to a cream. the bread crumbs soaked in milk come next, then the flavoring. bake in a buttered pudding-dish--a large one and but two-thirds full--until the custard is "set." draw to the mouth of the oven, spread over with jam or other nice fruit conserve. cover this with a meringue made of the whipped whites and half a cupful of sugar. shut the oven and bake until the meringue begins to color. eat cold with cream. in strawberry season, substitute a pint of fresh fruit for preserves. it is then delicious. serve with any warm sauce. boiled bread pudding. to one quart of bread crumbs soaked soft in a cup of hot milk, add one cupful of molasses, one cupful of fruit or chopped raisins, one teaspoonful each of spices, one tablespoonful of butter, a teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of soda, about a cupful of flour sifted; boil or steam three hours. serve with sweet sauce. almond pudding. no. . put two quarts of milk into a double boiler; stir into it two heaping tablespoonfuls of sifted flour that has been stirred to a cream, with a little of the milk. when it boils, care should be taken that it does not burn; when cooked, take from the fire and let it cool. take the skins off from two pounds of sweet almonds, pound them fine, stir them into the milk; add a teaspoonful of salt, a cupful of sugar, flavoring and six well-beaten eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately. put bits of butter over the top. bake one hour. a gill of brandy or wine improves it. almond pudding. no. . steep four ounces of crumbs of bread, sliced, in one and one-half pints of cream, or grate the bread; then beat half a pound of blanched almonds very fine till they become a paste, with two teaspoonfuls of orange-flower water; beat up the yolks of eight eggs and the whites of four; mix all well together; put in a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar and stir in three or four ounces of melted butter; put it over the fire, stirring it until it is thick; lay a sheet of paper at the bottom of a dish and pour in the ingredients; bake half an hour. use the remaining four whites of eggs for a meringue for the top. batter pudding, baked. four eggs, the yolks and whites beaten separately, one pint of milk, one teaspoonful of salt, one teaspoonful of baking powder, two cupfuls of sifted flour. put the whites of the eggs in last. bake in an earthen dish that can be set on the table. bake forty-five minutes; serve with rich sauce. boiled batter pudding. sift together a pint of flour and a teaspoonful of baking powder into a deep dish, sprinkle in a little salt, adding also a tablespoonful of melted butter. stir into this gradually a pint of milk; when quite smooth, add four eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. now add enough more flour to make a _very stiff_ batter. if liked, any kind of fruit may be stirred into this; a pint of berries or sliced fruit. boil two hours. serve with cream and sugar, wine sauce, or any sweet sauce. custard pudding. no. . take five tablespoonfuls out of a quart of cream or rich milk and mix them with two large spoonfuls of fine flour. set the rest of the milk to boil, flavoring it with bitter almonds broken up. when it has boiled hard, take it off, strain it and stir it in the cold milk and flour. set it away to cool and beat well eight yolks and four whites of eggs; add them to the milk and stir in, at the last, a glass of brandy or white wine, a teaspoonful of powdered nutmeg and half a cupful of sugar. butter a large bowl or mold; pour in the mixture; tie a cloth tightly over it; put it into a pot of boiling water and boil it two hours, replenishing the pot with hot water from a tea-kettle. when the pudding is done, let it get cool before you turn it out. eat it with butter and sugar stirred together to a cream and flavored with lemon juice or orange. custard pudding. no. . pour one quart of milk in a deep pan and let the pan stand in a kettle of boiling water, while you beat to a cream eight eggs and six tablespoonfuls of fine sugar and a teaspoon of flour; then stir the eggs and sugar into the milk and continue stirring until it begins to thicken; then remove the pan from the boiling water, scrape down the sides, stir to the bottom until it begins to cool, add a tablespoonful of peach-water, or any other flavor you may prefer, pour into little cups and, when cold, serve. custard puddings. the recipe for common custard, with the addition of chocolate grated, banana, or pineapple or cocoanut, makes successfully those different kinds of puddings. apple custard puddings. put a quart of pared and quartered apples into a stewpan, with half a cupful of water and cook them until they are soft. remove from the fire and add half a cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of butter and the grated rind and the juice of a lemon. have ready mixed two cupfuls of grated bread crumbs and two tablespoonfuls of flour; add this also to the apple mixture, after which stir in two well-beaten eggs. turn all into a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. serve with sugar and cream or hard sweet sauce. cream pudding. beat the yolks and whites of six eggs well and stir them into one pint of flour, one pint of milk, a little salt and a bit of soda dissolved in a little water, the grated rind of a lemon and three spoonfuls of sugar; just before baking stir in one pint of cream and bake in a buttered dish. eat with cream. cream meringue pudding. stir to a cream half a cupful of sugar with the white of one egg and the yolks of four. add one quart of milk and mix thoroughly. put four tablespoonfuls of flour and a teaspoonful of salt into another dish, and pour half a cupful of the milk and egg mixture upon them, and beat very smooth, gradually adding the rest of the milk and egg mixture. turn this all into a double boiler surrounded by boiling water; stir this until smooth and thick like cream, or about fifteen minutes; then add vanilla or other extract. rub all through a strainer into a well-buttered pudding-dish. now beat the remaining three whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and gradually add three tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, and spread roughly over the pudding. cook for twenty minutes in a _moderate_ oven. serve cold. cornstarch pudding. reserve half a cupful of milk from a quart and put the remainder on the stove in a double boiler. mix four large tablespoonfuls of cornstarch and a teaspoonful of salt with the half cupful of milk; then stir the mixture into the boiling milk and beat well for two minutes. cover the boiler and cook the pudding for twelve minutes; then pour it into a pudding-dish and set in a cool place for half an hour. when the time for serving comes, make a sauce in this manner: beat the whites of two eggs to a stiff, dry froth, and beat into this two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. as soon as the sugar has been well mixed with the whites, add half of a large tumbler of currant jelly, or any other bright jelly, or any kind of preserved fruit may be used. if you prefer, serve sugar and cream with the pudding instead of a sauce. cold fruit pudding. throw into a pint of new milk the thin rind of a lemon, heat it slowly by the side of the fire and keep at the boiling point until strongly flavored. sprinkle in a small pinch of salt and three-quarters of an ounce of the finest isinglass or gelatine. when dissolved, strain through muslin into a clean saucepan with five ounces of powdered sugar and half a pint of rich cream. give the whole one boil, stir it briskly and add by degrees the well-beaten yolks of five eggs. next thicken the mixture as a custard over a slow fire, taking care not to keep it over the fire a moment longer than necessary; pour it into a basin and flavor with orange-flower water or vanilla. stir until nearly cold, then add two ounces of citron cut in thin strips and two ounces of candied cherries. pour into a buttered mold. for sauce use any kind of fruit syrup. cuban pudding. crumble a pound of sponge cakes, an equal quantity, or less if preferred, of cocoanut, grated in a basin. pour over two pints of rich cream previously sweetened with a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar and brought to the boiling point. cover the basin and when the cream is soaked up stir in it eight well-beaten eggs. butter a mold, arrange four or five ounces of preserved ginger around it, pour in the pudding carefully and tie it down with a cloth. steam or boil slowly for an hour and a half; serve with the syrup from the ginger, which should be warmed and poured over the pudding. cracker pudding. of raspberries, may be made of one large teacupful of cracker crumbs, one quart of milk, one spoonful of flour, a pinch of salt, the yolks of three eggs, one whole egg and half a cupful of sugar. flavor with vanilla, adding a little pinch of salt. bake in a moderate oven. when done, spread over the top, while hot, a pint of well-sugared raspberries. then beat the whites of the three eggs very stiff, with two tablespoonfuls of sugar, a little lemon extract, or whatever one prefers. spread this over the berries and bake a light brown. serve with fruit sauce made of raspberries. baked corn meal pudding, without eggs. take a large cupful of yellow meal and a teacupful of cooking molasses and beat them well together; then add to them a quart of boiling milk, some salt and a large tablespoonful of powdered ginger, add a cupful of finely-chopped suet or a piece of butter the size of an egg. butter a brown earthen pan and turn the pudding in, let it stand until it thickens; then as you put it into the oven, turn over it a pint of cold milk, but do not stir it, as this makes the jelly. bake three hours. serve warm with hard sauce. this recipe has been handed down from mother to daughter for many years back in a new england family. baked corn meal pudding, with eggs. one small cupful of indian meal, one-half cupful of wheat flour stirred together with cold milk. scald one pint of milk and stir the mixture in it and cook until thick; then thin with cold milk to the consistency of batter, not very thick; add half a cupful of sugar, half a cupful of molasses, two eggs, two tablespoonfuls of butter, a little salt, a tablespoonful of mixed cinnamon and nutmeg, two-thirds of a teaspoonful of soda added just before putting it into the oven. bake two hours. after baking it half an hour, stir it up thoroughly, then finish baking. serve it up hot, eat it with wine sauce, or with butter and syrup. boiled corn meal pudding. warm a pint of molasses and a pint of milk, stir well together; beat four eggs and stir gradually into molasses and milk; add a cupful of beef suet chopped fine, or half a cupful of butter, and corn meal sufficient to make a thick batter; add a teaspoonful of pulverized cinnamon, the same of nutmeg, a teaspoonful of soda, one of salt, and stir all together thoroughly; dip a cloth into boiling water, shake, flour a little, turn in the mixture, tie up, leaving room for the pudding to swell, and boil three hours; serve hot with sauce made of drawn butter, wine and nutmeg. boiled corn meal pudding, without eggs. to one quart of boiling milk, stir in a pint and a half of indian meal, well sifted, a teaspoonful of salt, a cupful of molasses, half a cupful of chopped suet and a teaspoonful of dissolved soda; tie it up tight in a cloth, allowing room for it to swell, and boil four hours. serve with sweet sauce. corn meal puffs. into one quart of boiling milk stir eight tablespoonfuls of indian meal, four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and a teaspoonful of nutmeg; let the whole boil five minutes, stirring constantly to prevent its adhering to the saucepan; then remove it from the fire, and when it has become cool stir into it six eggs, beaten as light as possible; mix well, and pour the mixture into buttered teacups, nearly filling them; bake in a moderate oven half an hour; serve with lemon sauce. delicate indian pudding. one quart milk, two heaping tablespoonfuls of indian meal, four of sugar, one of butter, three eggs, one teaspoonful of salt. boil milk in double boiler, sprinkle the meal into it, stirring all the while; cook twelve minutes, stirring often. beat together the eggs, salt, sugar and one-half teaspoonful of ginger. stir the butter into the meal and milk. pour this gradually over the egg mixture. bake slowly one hour. serve with sauce of heated syrup and butter. _maria parloa._ cottage pudding. one heaping pint of flour, half a cupful of sugar, one cupful of milk, one teaspoonful of soda dissolved in the milk, one tablespoonful of butter, two teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar rubbed dry in the flour; flavor with nutmeg; bake in a _moderate_ oven; cut in slices and serve warm with wine or brandy sauce, or sweet sugar sauce. french cocoanut pudding. no. . one quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, the yolks of four eggs, half a cupful of sugar and a little salt; put part of the milk, salt and sugar on the stove and let it boil; dissolve the cornstarch in the rest of the milk; stir into the milk and while boiling add the yolks and a cupful of grated cocoanut. flavor with vanilla. _frosting._--the whites of four eggs beaten to a stiff froth, half a cupful of sugar, flavor with lemon; spread it on the pudding and put it into the oven to brown, saving a little of the frosting to moisten the top; then put on grated cocoanut to give it the appearance of snowflake. cocoanut pudding. no. . half a pound of grated cocoanut then mix with it half a cupful of stale sponge cake, crumbled fine. stir together until very light half a cupful of butter and one of sugar, add a _coffee_cupful of rich milk or cream. beat six eggs very light and stir them gradually into the butter and sugar in turn, with the grated cocoanut. having stirred the whole very hard, add two teaspoonfuls of vanilla; stir again, put into a buttered dish and bake until set, or about three-quarters of an hour. three of the whites of the eggs could be left out for a meringue on the top of the pudding. most excellent. cocoanut pudding. no. . a cup of grated cocoanut put into the recipes of cracker pudding and bread pudding, makes good cocoanut pudding. cherry pudding, boiled or steamed. two eggs well beaten, one cupful of sweet milk, sifted flour enough to make a _stiff_ batter, two large teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a pinch of salt and as many cherries as can be stirred in. boil one hour or steam and serve with liquid sauce. cranberries, currants, peaches, cherries, or any tart fruit is nice used with this recipe. serve with sweet sauce. cherry pudding. no. . make a crust or paste of two cupfuls of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder, a teaspoonful of salt; wet up with milk or water; roll out a quarter of an inch thick, butter a large common bowl and line it with this paste, leaving it large enough to lap over the top; fill it with stoned cherries and half a cupful of sugar. gather the paste closely over the top, sprinkle a little with dry flour and cover the whole with a linen cloth, fastening it with a string. put it into a pot of boiling water and cook for an hour and a half. serve with sweet sauce. english plum pudding. (the genuine.) soak one pound of stale bread in a pint of hot milk and let it stand and cool. when cold, add to it one-half pound of sugar and the yolks of eight eggs beaten to a cream, one pound of raisins, stoned and floured, one pound of zante currants, washed and floured, a quarter of a pound of citron cut in slips and dredged with flour, one pound of beef suet, chopped fine and _salted_, one glass of wine, one glass of brandy, one nutmeg and a tablespoonful of mace, cinnamon and cloves mixed; beat the whole well together and, as the last thing, add the whites of the eight eggs, beaten to a stiff froth; pour into a cloth, previously scalded and dredged with flour, tie it firmly, leaving room for the pudding to swell and boil six hours. serve with wine or brandy sauce. it is best to prepare the ingredients the day before and cover closely. christmas plum pudding. (by measure.) one cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one heaping cupful of sugar, one cupful of seeded raisins, one cupful of well-washed currants, one cupful of chopped blanched almonds, half a cupful of citron, sliced thin, a teaspoonful of salt, one of cloves, two of cinnamon, half a grated nutmeg and four well-beaten eggs. dissolve a level teaspoonful of soda in a tablespoonful of warm water. flour the fruit thoroughly from a pint of flour; then mix the remainder as follows: in a large bowl put the well-beaten eggs, sugar, spices and salt in one cupful of milk. stir in the fruit, chopped nuts, bread crumbs and suet, one after the other, until all are used, putting in the dissolved soda last and adding enough flour to make the fruit stick together, which will take all the pint. boil or steam four hours. serve with wine or brandy or any well-flavored sauce. baked plum pudding. it will be found best to prepare the ingredients the day before and cover closely. grate a loaf of stale bread, or enough for a pint of crumbs; boil one quart of milk and turn boiling hot over the grated bread; cover and let steep an hour; in the meantime pick, soak and dry half a pound of currants, half a pound of raisins, a quarter of a pound of citron cut in large slips, one nutmeg, one tablespoonful of mace and cinnamon mixed, one cupful of sugar, with half of a cupful of butter; when the bread is ready mix with it the butter, sugar, spice and citron, adding a glassful of white wine; beat eight eggs very light, and when the mixture is quite cold, stir them gradually in; then add by degrees the raisins and currants dredged with flour; stir the whole very hard; put it into a buttered dish; bake two hours, send to the table warm. eat with wine sauce, or wine and sugar. most excellent. plum pudding, without eggs. this delicious, light pudding is made by stirring thoroughly together the following ingredients: one cupful of finely-chopped beef suet, two cupfuls of fine bread crumbs, one cupful of molasses, one of chopped raisins, one of well-washed currants, one spoonful of salt, one teaspoonful each of cloves, cinnamon, allspice and carbonate of soda, one cupful of milk and flour enough to make a stiff batter. put into a well-greased pudding-mold, or a three-quart pail and cover closely. set this pail into a larger kettle, close covered, and half full of boiling water, adding boiling water as it boils away. steam not less than four hours. this pudding is sure to be a success, and is quite rich for one containing neither eggs nor butter. one-half of the above amount is more than eight persons would be able to eat, but it is equally good some days later, steamed again for an hour, if kept closely covered meantime. serve with wine sauce or common sweet sauce. cabinet pudding. butter well the inside of a pudding-mold. have ready a cupful of chopped citron, raisins and currants. sprinkle some of this fruit on the bottom of the mold, then slices of stale sponge cake; shake over this some spices, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, then fruit again and cake, until the mold is nearly full. make a custard of a quart of milk, four eggs, a pinch of salt, two tablespoonfuls of melted butter; pour this over the cake without cooking it; let it stand and soak one hour; then steam one hour and a half. serve with wine sauce or a custard. seasoned with wine. _manhattan beach hotel._ baked cranberry pudding. pour boiling water on a pint of bread crumbs; melt a tablespoonful of butter and stir in. when the bread is softened, add two eggs and beat thoroughly with the bread. then put in a pint of the stewed fruit and sweeten to your taste. fresh fruit of many kinds can be used instead of cranberries. slices of peaches put in layers are delicious. serve with sweet sugar sauce. orange pudding. no. . one pint of milk, the juice of six oranges and the rind of three, eight eggs, half a cupful of butter, half a cupful of granulated sugar, one tablespoonful of ground rice, paste to line the pudding-dish. mix the ground rice with a little of the cold milk. put the remainder of the milk in the double boiler, and when it boils stir in the mixed rice. stir for five minutes; then add the butter and set away to cool. beat together the sugar, the yolks of eight eggs and whites of four. grate the rinds and squeeze the juice of the oranges into this. stir all into the cooked mixture. have a pudding-dish holding about three quarts lined with paste. pour the preparation into this and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes. beat the remaining four whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and gradually beat in the powdered sugar. cover the pudding with this. return to the oven and cook ten minutes, leaving the door open. set away to cool. it must be ice cold when served. _maria parloa._ orange pudding. no. . five sweet oranges, one coffeecupful of white sugar, one pint of milk, the yolks of three eggs, one tablespoonful of cornstarch. peel and cut the oranges into thin slices, taking out the seeds; pour over them the sugar and let them stand while you make the rest. now set the milk in a suitable dish into another of boiling water, let the milk get boiling hot, add a piece of butter as large as a nutmeg, the cornstarch made smooth with a little cold milk, and the well-beaten yolks of the eggs and a little flavoring. stir it all well together until it is smooth and cooked. set it off and pour it over the oranges. beat the whites to a stiff froth, adding two tablespoonfuls of sugar, spread over the top for frosting. set into the oven a few minutes to brown. eat cold. berries, peaches and other fruits may be substituted. baked lemon pudding. (queen of puddings.) _ingredients._--one quart of milk, two cupfuls of bread crumbs, four eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, butter the size of an egg, one cupful of white sugar, one large lemon--juice and grated rind. heat the milk and pour over the bread crumbs, add the butter, cover and let it get soft. when cool, beat the sugar and yolks and add to the mixture, also the grated rind. bake in a buttered dish until firm and slightly brown, from a half to three-quarters of an hour. when done, draw it to the door of the oven and cover with a meringue made of the whites of the eggs, whipped to a froth with four tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar and the lemon juice; put it back in the oven and brown a light straw color. eat warm, with lemon sauce. lemon pudding. a small cupful of butter, the grated peel of two large lemons and the juice of one, the yolks of ten eggs and whites of five, a cupful and a half of white sugar. beat all together and, lining a deep pudding-dish with puff paste, bake the lemon pudding in it; while baking, beat the whites of the remaining five eggs to a stiff froth, whip in fine white sugar to taste, cover the top of the pudding (when baked) with the meringue and return to the oven for a moment to brown; eat cold, it requires no sauce. boiled lemon pudding. half a cupful of chopped suet, one pint of bread crumbs, one lemon, one cupful of sugar, one of flour, a teaspoonful of salt and two eggs, milk. first mix the suet, bread crumbs, sugar and flour well together, adding the lemon peel, which should be the yellow grated from the outside, and the juice, which should be strained. when these ingredients are well mixed, moisten with the eggs and sufficient milk to make the pudding of the consistency of thick batter; put it into a well-buttered mold and boil for three and a half hours; turn it out, strew sifted sugar over and serve warm with the lemon sauce, or not, at pleasure. lemon pudding, cold. one cupful of sugar, four eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately, two tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, one pint of milk, one tablespoonful of butter and the juice and rind of two lemons. wet the cornstarch in some of the milk, then stir it into the remainder of the milk, which should be boiling on the stove, stirring constantly and briskly for five minutes. take it from the stove, stir in the butter and let it cool. beat the yolks and sugar together, then stir them thoroughly into the milk and cornstarch. now stir in the lemon juice and grated rind, doing it very gradually, making it very smooth. bake in a well-buttered dish. to be eaten cold. oranges may be used in place of lemons. this also may be turned while _hot_ into several small cups or forms previously dipped in cold water, place them aside; in one hour they will be fit to turn out. serve with cream and sugar. should be boiled altogether, not baked. royal sago pudding. three-quarters of a cupful of sago washed and put into one quart of milk; put it into a saucepan, let it stand in boiling water on the stove or range until the sago has well swelled. while hot, put in two tablespoonfuls of butter with one cupful of white sugar and flavoring. when cool, add the well-beaten yolks of four eggs, put in a buttered pudding-dish, and bake from half to three-quarters of an hour; then remove it from the oven and place it to cool. beat the whites of the eggs with three tablespoonfuls of powdered white sugar till they are a mass of froth; spread the pudding with either raspberry or strawberry jam, and then spread on the frosting; put in the oven for two minutes to slightly brown. if made in summer, be sure and keep the whites of the eggs on ice until ready for use and beat them in the coolest place you can find, as it will make a much richer frosting. the small white sago called pearl is the best. the large brown kind has an earthy taste. it should always be kept in a covered jar or box. this pudding, made with tapioca, is equally as good. serve with any sweet sauce. sago apple pudding. one cupful of sago in a quart of tepid water, with a pinch of salt, soaked for one hour; six or eight apples pared and cored, or quartered, and steamed tender and put in the pudding-dish; boil and stir the sago until clear, adding water to make it thin, and pour it over the apples; bake one hour. this is good hot, with butter and sugar, or cold with cream and sugar. plain sago pudding. make the same as tapioca pudding, substituting sago for tapioca. chocolate pudding. no. . make cornstarch pudding with a quart of milk, three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch and three tablespoonfuls of sugar. when done, remove about half and flavor to taste, and then to that remaining in the kettle add an egg beaten very light, and four tablespoonfuls of vanilla chocolate grated and dissolved in a little milk. put in a mold, alternately the dark and light. serve with whipped cream or boiled custard. this is more of a blanc mange than a pudding. chocolate pudding. no. . one quart of sweet milk, three-quarters of a cupful of grated chocolate; scald the milk and chocolate together; when _cool_, add the yolks of five eggs, one cupful of sugar; flavor with vanilla. bake about twenty-five minutes. beat the five whites of eggs to a stiff froth, adding four tablespoonfuls of fine sugar, spread evenly over the top and brown slightly in the oven. chocolate pudding. no. . one quart of milk, fourteen even tablespoonfuls of grated bread crumbs, twelve tablespoonfuls grated chocolate, six eggs, one tablespoonful vanilla, sugar to make very sweet. separate the yolks and whites of four eggs, beat up the four yolks and two whole eggs together very light with the sugar. put the milk on the range, and when it come to a perfect boil pour it over the bread and chocolate; add the beaten eggs and sugar and vanilla; be sure it is sweet enough; pour into a buttered dish; bake one hour in a moderate oven. when cold, and just before it is served, have the four whites beaten with a little powdered-sugar and flavor with vanilla and use as a meringue. chocolate pudding. no. . half a cake of chocolate broken in one quart of milk and put on the range until it reaches boiling point; remove the mixture from the range; add four teaspoonfuls of cornstarch mixed with the yolks of three eggs and one cup and a half of sugar; stir constantly until thick; remove from the fire and flavor with vanilla; pour the mixture in a dish; beat the whites of the three eggs to a stiff froth and add a little sugar; cover the top of the pudding with a meringue and set in the oven until a light brown. serve cold. tapioca pudding. five tablespoonfuls of tapioca, one quart of milk, two ounces of butter, a cupful of sugar, four eggs, flavoring of vanilla or bitter almonds. wash the tapioca and let it stew gently in the milk on the back part of the stove for a quarter of an hour, occasionally stirring it; then let it cool, mix with it the butter, sugar and eggs, which should be well-beaten, and flavor with either of the above ingredients. butter a dish, put in the pudding and bake in a moderate oven for an hour. if the pudding is boiled, add a little more tapioca and boil it in a buttered basin one and a half hours. strawberry tapioca. this makes a most delightful dessert. soak over night a large teacupful of tapioca in cold water; in the morning, put half of it in a buttered yellow-ware baking-dish, or any suitable pudding-dish. sprinkle sugar over the tapioca; then on this put a quart of berries, sugar and the rest of the tapioca. fill the dish with water, which should cover the tapioca about a quarter of an inch. bake in a moderately hot oven until it looks clear. eat cold with cream or custard. if not sweet enough, add more sugar at table; and in baking, if it seems too dry, more water is needed. a similar dish may be made, using peaches, either fresh or canned. raspberry pudding. one-quarter cup of butter, one-half cupful of sugar, two cupfuls of jam, six cupfuls of soft bread crumbs, four eggs. rub the butter and sugar together, beat the eggs, yolks and whites separately, mash the raspberries, add the whites beaten to a stiff froth, stir all together to a smooth paste; butter a pudding dish, cover the bottom with a layer of the crumbs, then a layer of the mixture; continue the alternate layers until the dish is full, making the last layer of crumbs; bake one hour in a moderate oven. serve in the dish in which it is baked and serve with fruit sauce made with raspberries. this pudding may be made the same with any other kind of berries. pear, peach and apple pudding. pare some nice ripe pears (to weigh about three-fourths of a pound); put them in a saucepan with a few cloves, some lemon or orange peel, and stew about a quarter of an hour in two cupfuls of water; put them in your pudding-dish, and having made the following custard, one pint of cream or milk, four eggs, sugar to taste, a pinch of salt and a tablespoonful of flour; beat eggs and sugar well, add the flour, grate some nutmeg, add the cream by degrees, stirring all the time,--pour this over the pears and bake in a _quick_ oven. apples or peaches may be substituted. serve cold with sweetened cream. fig puddings. half a pound of good dried figs, washed, wiped and minced, two cupfuls of fine, dry bread crumbs, three eggs, half a cupful of beef suet, powdered, two scant cupfuls of sweet milk, half a cupful of white sugar, a little salt, half a teaspoonful of baking powder, stirred in half a cupful of sifted flour. soak the crumbs in milk, add the eggs, beaten light, with sugar, salt, suet, flour and figs. beat three minutes, put in buttered molds with tight top, set in boiling water with weight on cover to prevent mold from upsetting, and boil three hours. eat hot with hard sauce or butter, powdered sugar, one teaspoonful of extract of nutmeg. fruit pudding, corn meal. take a pint of hot milk and stir in sifted indian meal till the batter is stiff; add a teaspoonful of salt and half a cup of molasses, adding a teaspoonful of soda dissolved; then stir in a pint of whortleberries or chopped sweet apple; tie in a cloth that has been wet, and leave room for it to swell, or put in a pudding-pan and tie a cloth over; boil three hours; the water must boil when it is put in; you can use cranberries and sweet sauce. apple corn meal pudding. pare and core twelve pippin apples; slice them very thin; then stir into one quart of new milk one quart of sifted corn meal; add a little salt, then the apples, four spoonfuls of chopped suet and a teacupful of good molasses, adding a teaspoonful of soda dissolved; mix these well together, pour into a buttered dish and bake four hours; serve hot with sugar and wine sauce. this is the most simple, cheap and luxuriant fruit pudding that can be made. rhubarb or pie-plant pudding. chop rhubarb pretty fine, put in a pudding dish and sprinkle sugar over it; make a batter of one cupful of sour milk, two eggs, a piece of butter the size of an egg, half a teaspoonful of soda and enough flour to make batter about as thick as for cake. spread it over the rhubarb and bake till done. turn out on a platter upside down, so that the rhubarb will be on top. serve with sugar and cream. fruit puddings. fruit puddings, such as green gooseberry, are very nice made in a basin, the basin to be buttered and lined with a paste, rolling it round to the thickness of half an inch; then get a pint of gooseberries and three ounces of sugar; after having made your paste, take half the fruit and lay it at the bottom of your basin; then add half your sugar, then put the remainder of the gooseberries in and the remainder of the sugar; on that, draw your paste to the centre, join the edges well together, put the cloth over the whole, tying it at the bottom, and boil in plenty of water. fruit puddings of this kind, such as apples and rhubarb, should be done in this manner. boil for an hour, take out of the saucepan, untie the cloth, turn out on a dish, or let it remain in the basin and serve with sugar over. a thin cover of the paste may be rolled round and put over the pudding. ripe cherries, currants, raspberries, greengages, plums and such like fruit, will not require so much sugar, or so long boiling. these puddings are also very good steamed. snow pudding. one-half a package cox's gelatine; pour over it a cupful of cold water and add one and a half cupfuls of sugar; when 'soft, add one cupful of boiling water and the juice of one lemon; then the whites of four well-beaten eggs; beat all together until it is light and frothy, or until the gelatine will not settle clear in the bottom of the dish after standing a few minutes; put it on a glass dish. serve with a custard made of one pint of milk, the yolks of four eggs, four tablespoonfuls of sugar and the grated rind of a lemon; boil. delmonico pudding. three tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, the yolks of five eggs, six tablespoonfuls of sugar; beat the eggs light, then add the sugar and beat again till very light; mix the cornstarch with a little cold milk; mix all together and stir into one quart of milk just as it is about to boil, having added a little salt; stir it until it has thickened well; pour it into a dish for the table and place it in the oven until it will bear icing; place over the top a layer of canned peaches or other fruit (and it improves it to mix the syrup of the fruit with the custard part); beat the whites to a stiff froth with two tablespoonfuls of white sugar to an egg; then put it into the oven until it is a light brown. this is a very delicate and delicious pudding. saucer puddings. two tablespoonfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, three eggs, a teacupful of milk, butter, preserve of any kind. mix the flour and sugar, beat the eggs, add them to the milk, and beat up with the flour and sugar. butter well three saucers, half fill them, and bake in a quick oven about twenty minutes. remove them from the saucers when cool enough, cut in half, and spread a thin layer of preserves between each half; close them again, and serve with cream. nantucket pudding. one quart of berries or any small fruit, two tablespoonfuls of flour, two tablespoonfuls of sugar; simmer together and turn into molds; cover with frosting as for cake, or with whipped eggs and sugar, browning lightly in the oven; serve with cream. toast pudding. toast several thin slices of stale bread, removing the crust, butter them well, and pour over them hot stewed fruit in alternate layers. serve warm with rich hot sauce. plain rice pudding. pick over, wash and boil, a teacupful of rice; when soft drain off the water; while warm, add to it a tablespoonful of cold butter. when cool, mix with it a cupful of sugar, a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg and one of ground cinnamon. beat up four eggs very light, whites and yolks separately; add them to the rice; then stir in a quart of sweet milk gradually. butter a pudding-dish, turn in the mixture and bake one hour in a moderate oven. serve warm, with sweet wine sauce. if you have cold cooked rice, first soak it in the milk and proceed as above. rice pudding. (fine.) wash a teacupful of rice and boil it in two teacupfuls of water; then add, while the rice is hot, three tablespoonfuls of butter, five tablespoonful of sugar, five eggs well beaten, one tablespoonful of powdered nutmeg, a little salt, one glass of wine, a, quarter of a pound of raisins, stoned and cut in halves, a quarter of a pound of zante currants, a quarter of a pound of citron cut in slips, and one quart of cream; mix well, pour into a buttered dish and bake an hour in a moderate oven. _astor house, new york city._ rice meringue. one cupful of carefully sorted rice boiled in water until it is soft; when done, drain it so as to remove all the water; cool it, and add one quart of new milk, the well-beaten yolks of three eggs, three tablespoonfuls of white sugar and a little nutmeg, or flavor with lemon or vanilla; pour into a baking dish and bake about half an hour. let it get cold; beat the whites of the eggs, add two tablespoonfuls of sugar, flavor with lemon or vanilla; drop or spread it over the pudding and slightly brown it in the oven. rice lemon pudding. put on to boil one quart of milk, and when it simmers stir in four tablespoonfuls of rice flour that has been moistened in a little milk; let it come to a boil and remove from the fire; add one quarter of a pound of butter, and, when cool, the grated peel with the juice of two lemons, and the yolks and beaten whites of four eggs; sweeten to taste; one wine-glassful of wine, put in the last thing, is also an improvement. rice pudding without eggs. two quarts of milk, two-thirds of a cupful of rice, a cupful of sugar, a piece of butter as large as a walnut, a teaspoonful of cinnamon, a little nutmeg and a pinch of salt. put into a deep pudding-dish, well buttered, set into a moderate oven; stir it once or twice until it begins to cook, let it remain in the oven about two hours (until it is the consistency of cream). eat cold. fruit rice pudding. one large teacupful of rice, a little water to cook it partially; dry, line an earthen basin with part of it; fill nearly full with pared, cored and quartered apples, or any fruit you choose; cover with the balance of your rice; tie a cloth tightly over the top and steam one hour. to be eaten with sweet sauce. do not butter your dish. boiled rice pudding. no. . one cupful of cold boiled rice, one cupful of sugar, four eggs, a pinch of soda and a pinch of salt. put it all in a bowl and beat it up until it is very light and white. beat four ounces of butter to a cream, put it into the pudding and ten drops of essence of lemon. beat altogether for five minutes. butter a mold, pour the pudding into it and boil for two hours. serve with sweet fruit sauce. boiled rice pudding. no. . wash two teacupfuls of rice and soak it in water for half an hour; then turn off the water and mix the rice with half a pound of raisins stoned and cut in halves; add a little salt, tie the whole in a cloth, leaving room for the rice to swell to twice its natural size, and boil two hours in plenty of water; serve with wine sauce. rice snow-balls. wash two teacupfuls of rice and boil it in one teacupful of water and one of milk, with a little salt; if the rice is not tender when the milk and water are absorbed, add a little more milk and water; when the rice is tender, flavor with vanilla, form it into balls, or mold it into a compact form with little cups; place these rice balls around the inside of a deep dish, fill the dish with a rich soft custard and serve either hot or cold. the custard and balls should be flavored with the same. prune pudding. heat a little more than a pint of sweet milk to the boiling point, then stir in gradually a little cold milk in which you have rubbed smooth a heaping tablespoonful of cornstarch; add sugar to suit your taste, three well-beaten eggs, about a teaspoonful of butter and a little grated nutmeg. let this come to a boil, then pour it in a buttered pudding-dish, first adding a cupful of stewed prunes, with the stones taken out. bake for from fifteen to twenty minutes, according to the state of the oven. serve with or without sauce. a little cream improves it if poured over it when placed in saucers. blackberry or whortleberry pudding. three cupfuls of flour, one cupful of molasses, half a cupful of milk, a teaspoonful of salt, a little cloves and cinnamon, a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little of the milk. stir in a quart of huckleberries, floured. boil in a well-buttered mold two hours. serve with brandy sauce. baked huckleberry pudding. one quart of ripe fresh huckleberries or blueberries, half a teaspoonful of mace or nutmeg, three eggs, well beaten, separately, two cupfuls of sugar, one tablespoonful of cold butter, one cupful of sweet milk, one pint of flour, two teaspoonfuls of baking powder. roll the berries well in the flour and add them last of all. bake half an hour and serve with sauce. there is no more delicate and delicious pudding than this. fruit pudding. this pudding is made without cooking and is nice prepared the day before using. stew currants or any small fruits, either fresh or dried, sweeten with sugar to taste and pour hot over _thin_ slices of bread with the crust cut off, placed in a suitable dish, first a layer of bread, then the hot stewed fruit, then bread and fruit, then bread, leaving the fruit last. put a plate over the top and, when cool, set it on ice. serve with sugar and cream. this pudding is very fine made with boston crackers split open and placed in layers with stewed peaches. boiled currant pudding. five cupfuls of sifted flour in which two teaspoonfuls of baking powder have been sifted, one-half a cupful of chopped suet, half a pound of currants, milk, a pinch of salt. wash the currants, dry them thoroughly and pick away any stalks or grit; chop the suet finely; mix all the ingredients together and moisten with sufficient milk to make the pudding into a stiff batter; tie it up in a floured cloth, put it into boiling water and boil for three hours and a half. serve with jelly sauce made very sweet. transparent pudding. a small cupful of fresh butter warmed, but not melted, one cupful of sifted sugar creamed with the butter, a teaspoonful of nutmeg, grated, eight eggs, yolks and whites beaten separately. beat the butter and sugar light and then add the nutmeg and the beaten eggs, which should be stirred in gradually; flavor with vanilla, almond, peach or rose-water; stir _hard_; butter a deep dish, line with puff paste and bake half an hour. then make a meringue for the top and brown. serve cold. sweet-potato pudding. to a large sweet potato, weighing two pounds, allow half a pound of sugar, half a pound of butter, one gill of sweet cream, one gill of strong wine or brandy, one grated nutmeg, a little lemon peel and four eggs. boil the potato until thoroughly done, mash up fine, and while hot add the sugar and butter. set aside to cool while you beat the eggs light and add the seasoning last. line tin plates with puff paste, and pour in the mixture, bake in a moderate but regularly heated oven. when the puddings are drawn from the fire, cover the top with thinly-sliced bits of preserved citron or quince marmalade. strew the top thickly with granulated white sugar and serve, with the addition of a glass of rich milk for each person at table. pineapple pudding. butter a pudding-dish and line the bottom and sides with slices of stale cake (sponge cake is best); pare and slice thin a large pineapple, place in the dish first a layer of pineapple, then strew with sugar, then more pineapple, and so on until all is used. pour over a small teacupful of water and cover with slices of cake which have been dipped in cold water; cover the whole with a buttered plate and bake slowly for two hours. orange roley poley. make a light dough the same as for apple dumplings, roll it out into a long narrow sheet, about quarter of an inch thick. spread thickly over it peeled and sliced oranges, sprinkle it plentifully with white sugar, scatter over all a teaspoonful or two of grated orange peel, then roll it up. fold the edges well together to keep the juices from running out. boil it in a floured cloth one hour and a half. serve it with lemon sauce. fine. roley poley pudding. (apple.) peel, core and slice sour apples; make a rich biscuit dough, or raised biscuit dough may be used if rolled thinner; roll not quite half an inch thick, lay the slices on the paste, roll up, tuck in the ends, prick deeply with a fork, lay it in a steamer and steam hard for an hour and three-quarters. or wrap it in a pudding-cloth well floured, tie the ends, baste up the sides, plunge into boiling water and boil continually an hour and a half, perhaps more. stoned cherries, dried fruits, or any kind of berries, fresh or dried, may be used. fruit puff pudding. into one pint of flour stir two teaspoonfuls baking powder and a little salt; then sift and stir the mixture into milk, until very soft. place well-greased cups in a steamer, put in each a spoonful of the above batter, then add one of berries or steamed apples, cover with another spoonful of batter and steam twenty minutes. this pudding is delicious made with strawberries and eaten with a sauce made of two eggs, half a cup butter, a cup of sugar beaten thoroughly with a cup of boiling milk and one cup of strawberries. sponge cake pudding. no. . bake a common sponge cake in a flat-bottomed pudding-dish; when ready to use, cut in six or eight pieces, split and spread with butter and return them to the dish. make a custard with four eggs to a quart of milk; flavor and sweeten to taste; pour over the cake and bake one-half hour. the cake will swell and fill the custard. serve with or without sauce. sponge cake pudding. no. . butter pudding-mold; fill the mold with small sponge cakes or slices of stale plain cake that have been soaked in a liquid made by dissolving one-half pint of jelly in a pint of hot water. this will be of as fine a flavor and much better for all than if the cake had been soaked in wine. make a sufficient quantity of custard to fill the mold and leave as much more to be boiled in a dish by itself. set the mold, after being tightly covered, into a kettle and boil one hour. turn out of the mold and serve with some of the other custard poured over it. graham pudding. mix well together one-half a coffeecupful of molasses, one-quarter of a cupful of butter, one egg, one-half a cupful of milk, one-half a teaspoonful of pure soda, one and one-half cupfuls of good graham flour, one small teacupful of raisins, spices to taste. steam four hours and serve with brandy or wine sauce, or any sauce that may be preferred. this makes a showy as well as a light and wholesome dessert, and has the merit of simplicity and cheapness. banana pudding. cut sponge cake in-slices, and, in a glass dish, put alternately a layer of cake and a layer of bananas sliced. make a soft custard, flavor with a little wine, and pour over it. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth and heap over the whole. peaches cut up, left a few hours in sugar and then scalded, and added when cold to thick boiled custard, made rather sweet, are a delicious dessert. dried peach pudding. boil one pint of milk and while hot turn it over a pint of bread-crumbs. stir into it a tablespoonful of butter, one pint of dried peaches stewed soft. when all is cool, add two well-beaten eggs, half a cupful of sugar and a pinch of salt; flavor to taste. put into a well-buttered pudding-dish and bake half an hour. suet pudding, plain. one cupful of chopped suet, one cupful of milk, two eggs beaten, half a teaspoonful of salt and enough flour to make a stiff batter, but thin enough to pour from a spoon. put into a bowl, cover with a cloth and boil three hours. the same, made a little thinner, with a few raisins added and baked in a well-greased dish is excellent. two teaspoonfuls of baking powder in the flour improves this pudding. or if made with sour milk and soda it is equally as good. suet plum pudding. one cupful of suet chopped fine, one cupful of cooking molasses, one cupful of milk, one cupful of raisins, three and one-half cupfuls of flour, one egg, one teaspoonful of cloves, two of cinnamon and one of nutmeg, a little salt, one teaspoonful of soda; boil three hours in a pudding-mold set into a kettle of water; eat with common sweet sauce. if sour milk is used in place of sweet, the pudding will be much lighter. peach cobbler. line a deep dish with rich thick crust; pare and cut into halves or quarters some juicy, rather tart peaches; put in sugar, spices and flavoring to taste; stew it slightly and put it in the lined dish; cover with thick crust of rich puff paste and bake a rich brown; when done, break up the top crust into small pieces and stir it into the fruit; serve hot or cold; very palatable without sauce, but more so with plain rich cream or cream sauce, or with a rich brandy or wine. other fruits can be used in place of peaches. currants are best made in this manner:-- press the currants through a sieve to free it from pips; to each pint of the pulp put two ounces of crumbed bread and four ounces of sugar; bake with a rim of puff paste; serve with cream. white currants may be used instead of red. hominy pudding. two-thirds of a cupful of hominy, one and a half pints of milk, two eggs, one tablespoonful of butter, one teaspoonful of extract of lemon or vanilla, one cupful of sugar. boil hominy in milk one hour; then pour it on the eggs, extract and sugar beaten together; add butter, pour in buttered pudding-dish, bake in hot oven for twenty minutes. baked berry rolls. roll rich biscuit dough thin, cut it into little squares four inches wide and seven inches long. spread over with berries. roll up the crust, and put the rolls in a dripping-pan just a little apart; put a piece of butter on each roll, spices if you like. strew over a large handful of sugar, a little hot water. set in the oven and bake like dumplings. served with sweet sauce. green corn pudding. take two dozen full ears of sweet green corn, score the kernels and cut them from the cob. scrape off what remains on the cob with a knife. add a pint and a half or one quart of milk, according to the youngness and juiciness of the corn. add four eggs well beaten, a half teacupful of flour, a half teacupful butter, a tablespoonful of sugar, and salt to taste. bake in a well-greased earthen dish, in hot oven two hours. place it on the table browned and smoking hot, eat it with plenty of fresh butter. this can be used as a dessert by serving a sweet sauce with it. if eaten plainly with butter, it answers as a side vegetable. geneva wafers. two eggs, three ounces of butter, three ounces of flour, three ounces of pounded sugar. well whisk the eggs, put them into a basin and stir to them the butter, which should be beaten to a cream; add the flour and sifted sugar gradually, and then mix all well together. butter a baking sheet, and drop on it a teaspoonful of the mixture at a time, leaving a space between each. bake in a cool oven; watch the pieces of paste, and, when half done, roll them up like wafers and put in a small wedge of bread or piece of wood, to keep them in shape. return them to the oven until crisp. before serving, remove the bread, put a spoonful of preserve in the widest end, and fill up with whipped cream. this is a very pretty and ornamental dish for the supper-table, and is very nice and very easily made. [illustration: stirring the cranberry sauce.] minute pudding. no. . set saucepan or deep frying pan on the stove, the bottom and sides well buttered, put into it a quart of sweet milk, a pinch of salt and a piece of butter as large as half an egg; when it boils have ready a dish of sifted flour, stir it into the boiling milk, sifting it through your fingers, a handful at a time, until it becomes smooth and quite thick. turn it into a dish that has been dipped in water. make a sauce very sweet to serve with it. maple molasses is _fine_ with it. this pudding is much improved by adding canned berries or fresh ones just before taking from the stove. minute pudding. no. . one quart of milk, salt, two eggs, about a pint of flour. beat the eggs well; add the flour and enough milk to make it smooth. butter the saucepan and put in the remainder of the milk well salted; when it boils, stir in the flour, eggs, etc., lightly; let it cook well. it should be of the consistency of thick corn mush. serve immediately with the following simple sauce, _viz_: rich milk or cream sweetened to taste and flavored with grated nutmeg. sunderland pudding. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of cold butter, a pint of milk, two cupfuls of sifted flour and five eggs. make the milk hot; stir in the butter and let it cool before the other ingredients are added to it; then stir in the sugar, flour and eggs, which should be well whisked and omit the whites of two; flavor with a little grated lemon rind and beat the mixture well. butter some small cups, rather more than half fill them; bake from twenty minutes to half an hour, according to the size of the puddings, and serve with fruit, custard or wine sauce, a little of which may be poured over them. they may be dropped by spoonfuls on buttered tins and baked, if cups are not convenient. jelly puddings. two cupfuls of _very_ fine stale biscuit or bread crumbs, one cupful of rich milk--half cream, if you can get it; five eggs beaten very light, half a teaspoonful of soda stirred in boiling water, one cupful of sweet jelly, jam or marmalade. scald the milk and pour over the crumbs. beat until half cold and stir in the beaten yolks, then whites, finally the soda. fill large cups half full with the batter, set in a quick oven and bake half an hour. when done, turn out quickly and dexterously; with a sharp knife make an incision in the side of each; pull partly open, and put a liberal spoonful of the conserve within. close the slit by pinching the edges with your fingers. eat warm with sweetened cream. quick pudding. soak and split some crackers; lay the surface over with raisins and citron; put the halves together, tie them in a bag, and boil fifteen minutes in milk and water; delicious with rich sauce. ready pudding. make a batter of one quart of milk and about one pound of flour; add six eggs, the yolks and whites separately beaten, a teaspoonful of salt and four tablespoonfuls of sugar. it should be as stiff as can possibly be stirred with a spoon. dip a spoonful at a time into quick boiling water, boil from five to ten minutes, take out. serve hot with sauce or syrup. a royal dessert. cut a stale cake into slices an inch and a half in thickness; pour over them a little good sweet cream; then fry _lightly_ in fresh butter in a smooth frying pan; when done, place over each slice of cake a layer of preserves or you may make a rich sauce to be served with it. another dish equally as good, is to dip thin slices of bread into fresh milk; have ready two eggs well beaten; dip the slices in the egg and fry them in butter to a light brown; when fried, pour over them a syrup, any kind that you choose, and serve hot. huckleberries with crackers and cream. pick over carefully one quart of blueberries and keep them on ice until wanted. put into each bowl, for each guest, two soda crackers, broken in not too small pieces; add a few tablespoonfuls of berries, a teaspoonful of powdered sugar and fill the bowl with the richest of cold sweet cream. this is an old-fashioned new england breakfast dish. it also answers for a dessert. [illustration] sauces for puddings. brandy sauce, cold. two cupfuls of powdered sugar, half a cupful of butter, one wine-glassful of brandy, cinnamon and nutmeg, a teaspoonful of each. warm the butter slightly and work it to a light cream with the sugar, then add the brandy and spices; beat it hard and set aside until wanted. should be put into a mold to look nicely and serve on a flat dish. brandy or wine sauce. no. . stir a heaping teaspoonful of cornstarch in a little cold water to a smooth paste (or instead use a tablespoonful of sifted flour); add to it a cupful of boiling water, with one cupful of sugar, a piece of butter as large as an egg, boil all together ten minutes. remove from the fire and when cool stir into it half of a cupful of brandy or wine. it should be about as thick as thin syrup. brandy or wine sauce. no. . take one cupful of butter, two of powdered sugar, the whites of two eggs, five tablespoonfuls of sherry wine or brandy and a quarter of a cupful of boiling water. beat butter and sugar to a cream, add the whites of the eggs, one at a time, unbeaten, and then the wine or brandy. place the bowl in hot water and stir till smooth and frothy. rich wine sauce. one cupful of butter, two of powdered sugar, half a cupful of wine. beat the butter to a cream. add the sugar gradually and when very light add the wine, which has been made hot, a little at a time, a teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. place the bowl in a basin of hot water and stir for two minutes. the sauce should be smooth and foamy. sauce for plum pudding. (superior.) cream together a cupful of sugar and half a cupful of butter; when light and creamy, add the well-beaten yolks of four eggs. stir into this one wine-glass of wine or one of brandy, a pinch of salt and one large cupful of hot cream or rich milk. beat this mixture well; place it in a saucepan over the fire, stir it until it cooks sufficiently to thicken like cream. be sure and not let it boil. delicious. liquid brandy sauce. brown over the fire three tablespoonfuls of sugar; add a cupful of water, six whole cloves and a piece of stick cinnamon, the yellow rind of a lemon cut very thin; let the sauce boil, strain while hot, then pour it into a sauce bowl containing the juice of the lemon and a cup of brandy. serve warm. grandmothers sauce. cream together a cupful of sifted sugar and half a cupful of butter, add a teaspoonful of ground cinnamon and an egg well beaten. boil a teacupful of milk and turn it, boiling hot, over the mixture slowly, stirring all the time; this will cook the egg smoothly. it may be served cold or hot. sugar sauce. one coffeecupful of granulated sugar, half of a cupful of water, a piece of butter the size of a walnut. boil all together until it becomes the consistency of syrup. flavor with lemon or vanilla extract. a tablespoonful of lemon juice is an improvement. nice with cottage pudding. lemon sauce. one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, one egg beaten light, one lemon, juice and grated rind, half a cupful of boiling water; put in a tin basin and thicken over steam. lemon cream sauce, hot. put half a pint of new milk on the fire and when it boils stir into it one teaspoonful of wheat flour, four ounces of sugar and the well-beaten yolks of three eggs; remove it from the fire and add the grated rind and the juice of one lemon; stir it well and serve hot in a sauce tureen. orange cream sauce, hot. this is made as lemon cream sauce, substituting orange for lemon. creams for puddings, pies and fritters may be made in the same manner with any other flavoring; if flour is used in making them, it should boil in the milk three or four minutes. cold lemon sauce. beat to a cream one teacupful of butter and two teacupfuls of fine white sugar; then stir in the juice and grated rind of one lemon; grate nutmeg upon the sauce and serve on a flat dish. cold orange sauce. beat to a cream one teacupful of butter and two teacupfuls of fine white sugar; then stir in the grated rind of one orange and the juice of two; stir until all the orange juice is absorbed; grate nutmeg upon the sauce and serve on a flat dish. cold cream sauce. stir to a cream one cupful of sugar, half a cupful of butter, then add a cupful of sweet, thick cold cream, flavor to taste. stir well and set it in a cool place. cream sauce, warm. heat a pint of cream slowly in a double boiler; when nearly boiling, set it off from the fire, put into it half a cupful of sugar, a little nutmeg or vanilla extract; stir it thoroughly and add, when cool, the whites of two well-beaten eggs. set it on the fire in a dish containing hot water to keep it warm until needed, stirring once or more. caramel sauce. place over the fire a saucepan; when it begins to be hot, put into it four tablespoonfuls of white sugar and one tablespoonful of water. stir it continually for three or four minutes, until all the water evaporates; then watch it carefully until it becomes a delicate brown color. have ready a pint of cold water and cup of sugar mixed with some flavoring; turn it into the saucepan with the browned sugar and let it simmer for ten minutes; then add half a glass of brandy or a glass of wine. the wine or brandy may be omitted if preferred. a good plain sauce. a good sauce to go with plain fruit puddings is made by mixing one cupful of brown sugar, one cupful of best molasses, half a cupful of butter, one large teaspoonful of flour; add the juice and grated rind of one lemon, half a nutmeg grated, half a teaspoonful of cloves and cinnamon. when these are all stirred together, add a teacupful of boiling water; stir it constantly, put into a saucepan and let it boil until clear; then strain. old style sauce. one pint of sour cream, the juice and finely grated rind of a large lemon; sugar to taste. beat hard and long until the sauce is very light. this is delicious with cold "brown betty"--a form of cold farina--cornstarch, blanc mange and the like. plain cold, hard sauce. stir together one cupful of white sugar and half a cupful of butter until it is creamy and light; add flavoring to taste. this is very nice, flavored with the juice of raspberries or strawberries, or beat into it a cupful of ripe strawberries or raspberries and the white of an egg beaten stiff. custard sauce. one cupful of sugar, two beaten eggs, one pint of milk, flavoring to taste, brandy or wine, if preferred. heat the milk to boiling; add by degrees the beaten eggs and sugar, put in the flavoring and set within a pan of boiling water; stir until it begins to thicken; then take it off and stir in the brandy or wine gradually; set, until wanted, within a pan of boiling water. milk sauce. dissolve a tablespoonful of flour in cold milk; see that it is free from lumps. whisk an ounce of butter and a cupful of sugar to a cream and add to it a pinch of salt. mix together half a pint of milk, one egg and the flour; stir this into the butter and add a dash of nutmeg, or any flavor; heat until near the boiling point and serve. very nice in place of cold cream. milk or cream sauce. cream or rich milk, simply sweetened with plenty of white sugar and flavored, answers the purpose for some kinds of pudding, and can be made very quickly. fruit sauce. two-thirds of a cupful of sugar, a pint of raspberries or strawberries, a tablespoonful of melted butter and a cupful of hot water. boil all together slowly, removing the scum as fast as it rises; then strain through a sieve. this is very good served with dumplings or apple puddings. jelly sauce. melt two tablespoonfuls of sugar and half a cupful of jelly over the fire in a cupful of boiling water, adding also two tablespoonfuls of butter; then stir into it a teaspoonful of cornstarch, dissolved in half a cupful of water or wine; add it to the jelly and let it come to a boil. set it in a dish of hot water to keep it warm until time to serve; stir occasionally. any fruit jelly can be used. common sweet sauce. into a pint of water stir a paste made of a tablespoonful of cornstarch or flour (rubbed smooth with a little cold water); add a cupful of sugar and a tablespoonful of vinegar. cook well for three minutes. take from the fire and add a piece of butter as large as a small egg; when cool, flavor with a tablespoonful of vanilla or lemon extract. syrup for fruit sauce. an excellent syrup for fruit sauce is made of morello cherries (red, sour cherries). for each pound of cherry juice, allow half a pound of sugar and six cherry kernels; seed the cherries and let them stand in a bowl over night; in the morning, press them through a fine cloth, which has been dipped in boiling water, weigh the juice, add the sugar, boil fifteen minutes, removing all the scum. fill small bottles that are perfectly dry with the syrup; when it is cold, cork the bottles tightly, seal them and keep them in a cool place, standing upright. most excellent to put into pudding sauces. rose brandy. (for cakes and puddings.) gather the leaves of roses while the dew is on them, and as soon as they open put them into a wide-mouthed bottle, and when the bottle is full pour in the best of fourth proof french brandy. it will be fit for use in three or four weeks and may be frequently replenished. it is sometimes considered preferable to wine as a flavoring to pastries and pudding sauces. lemon brandy. (for cakes and puddings.) when you use lemons for punch or lemonade, do not throw away the peels but cut them in small pieces--the thin yellow outside (the thick part is not good)--and put them in a glass jar or bottle of brandy. you will find this brandy useful for many purposes. in the same way keep for use the kernels of peach and plum stones, pounding them slightly before you put them into the brandy. [illustration] preserves, jellies, etc. fruit for preserving should be sound and free from all defects, using white sugar, and also that which is dry, which produces the nicest syrup; dark sugar can be used by being clarified, which is done by dissolving two pounds of sugar in a pint of water; add to it the white of an egg and beat it well, put it into a preserving kettle on the fire and stir with a wooden spoon. as soon as it begins to swell and boil up, throw in a little cold water; let it boil up again, take it off and remove the scum; boil it again, throw in more cold water and remove the scum; repeat until it is clear and pours like oil from the spoon. in the old way of preserving, we used pound for pound, when they were kept in stone jars or crocks; now, as most preserves are put up in sealed jars or cans, less sugar seems sufficient; three-quarters of a pound of sugar is generally all that is required for a pound of fruit. fruit should be boiled in a porcelain-lined or granite-ware dish, if possible; but other utensils, copper or metal, if made bright and clean, answer as well. any of the fruits that have been preserved in syrup may be converted into dry preserves, by first draining them from the syrup, and then drying them in a stove or very moderate oven, adding to them a quantity of powdered loaf sugar, which will gradually penetrate the fruit, while the fluid parts of the syrup gently evaporate. they should be dried in the stove or oven on a sieve, and turned every six or eight hours, fresh powdered sugar being sifted over them every time they are turned. afterwards they are to be kept in a dry situation, in drawers or boxes. currants and cherries preserved whole in this manner, in bunches, are extremely elegant and have a fine flavor. in this way it is, also, that orange and lemon chips are preserved. mold can be prevented from forming on fruit jellies by pouring a little melted paraffine over the top. when cool, it will harden to a solid cake, winch can be easily removed when the jelly is used, and saved to use over again another year. it is perfectly harmless and tasteless. large glass tumblers are the best for keeping jellies, much better than large vessels, for by being opened frequently they soon spoil; a paper should be cut to fit and placed over the jelly; then put on the lid or cover, with thick paper rubbed over on the inside with the white of an egg. there cannot be too much care taken in selecting fruit for jellies, for if the fruit is over ripe, any amount of time in boiling will never make it jelly--there is where so many fail in making good jelly; and another important matter is overlooked--that of carefully skimming off the juice after it begins to boil and a scum rises from the bottom to the top; the juice should not be stirred, but the scum carefully taken off; if allowed to boil under, the jelly will not be clear. when either preserves or canned fruits show any indications of fermentation, they should be immediately re-boiled with more sugar, to save them. it is much better to be generous with the sugar at first than to have any losses afterwards. keep all preserves in a cool, dry closet. preserved cherries. take large, ripe morello cherries; weigh them and to each pound allow a pound of loaf sugar. stone the cherries (opening them with a sharp quill) and save the juice that comes from them in the process. as you stone them, throw them into a large pan or tureen and strew about half the sugar over them and let them lie in it an hour or two after they are all stoned. then put them into a preserving kettle with the remainder of the sugar and boil and skim them till the fruit is clear and the syrup thick. preserved cranberries. the cranberries must be large and ripe. wash them and to six quarts of cranberries allow nine pounds of the beat loaf sugar. take three quarts of the cranberries and put them into a stewpan with a pint and a half of water. cover the pan and boil or stew them till they are all to pieces. then squeeze the juice through a jelly bag. put the sugar into a preserving kettle, pour the cranberry juice over it and let it stand until it is all melted, stirring it up frequently. then place the kettle over the fire and put in the remaining three quarts of whole cranberries. let them boil till they are tender, clear and of a bright color, skimming them frequently. when done, put them warm into jars with the syrup, which should be like a thick jelly. preserved strawberries. for every pound of fruit weigh a pound of refined sugar; put them with the sugar over the fire in a porcelain kettle, bring to a boil slowly about twenty minutes. take them out carefully with a perforated skimmer and fill your _hot_ jars nearly full; boil the juice a few minutes longer and fill up the jars; seal them _hot_. keep in a cool, dry place. to preserve berries whole. (excellent.) buy the fruit when not _too ripe_, pick over immediately, wash if absolutely necessary and put in glass jars, filling each one about two-thirds full. put in the preserving kettle a pound of sugar and one cupful of water for every two pounds of fruit, and let it come slowly to a boil. pour this syrup into the jars over the berries, filling them up to the brim; then set the jars in a pot of _cold_ water on the stove, and let the water boil and the fruit become scalding hot. now take them out and seal perfectly tight. if this process is followed thoroughly, the fruit will keep for several years. preserved egg plums. use a pound of sugar for a pound of plums; wash the plums and wipe dry; put the sugar on a slow fire in the preserving kettle, with as much water as will melt the sugar and let it simmer slowly; then prick each plum thoroughly with a needle, or a fork with fine prongs, and place a layer of them in the syrup; let them cook until they lose their color a little and the skins begin to break; then lift them out with a perforated skimmer and place them singly in a large dish to cool; then put another layer of plums in the syrup and let them cook and cool in the same manner, until the whole are done; as they cool, carefully replace the broken skins so as not to spoil the appearance of the plums; when the last layer is finished, return the first to the kettle, and boil until transparent; do the same with each layer; while the latest cooked are cooling, place the first in glass jars; when all are done, pour the hot syrup over them; when they are cold, close as usual; the jelly should be of the color and consistency of rich wine jelly. preserved peaches. peaches for preserving may be ripe but not soft; cut them in halves, take out the stones and pare them neatly; take as many pounds of white sugar as of fruit, put to each pound of sugar a teacupful of water; stir it until it is dissolved; set it over a moderate fire; when it is boiling hot, put in the peaches; let them boil gently until a pure, clear, uniform color; turn those at the bottom to the top carefully with a skimmer several times; do not hurry them. when they are clear, take each half up with a spoon and spread them on flat dishes to become cold. when all are done, let the syrup boil until it is quite thick; pour it into a large pitcher and let it set to cool and settle. when the peaches are cold put them carefully into jars and pour the syrup over them, leaving any sediment which has settled at the bottom, or strain the syrup. some of the kernels from the peach-stones may be put in with the peaches while boiling. let them remain open one night, then cover. in like manner quince, plum, apricot, apple, cherry, greengage and other fruit preserves are made; in every case fine large fruit should be taken, free from imperfections, and the slightest bruises or other fault should be removed. preserved green tomatoes. take one peck of green tomatoes. slice six fresh lemons without removing the skins, but taking out the seeds; put to this quantity six pounds of sugar, common white, and boil until transparent and the syrup thick. ginger root may be added, if liked. preserved apples. (whole.) peel and core large firm apples (pippins are best). throw them into water as you pare them. boil the parings in water for fifteen minutes, allowing a pint to one pound of fruit. then strain and, adding three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pint of water, as measured at first, with enough lemon peel, orange peel or mace, to impart a pleasant flavor, return to the kettle. when the syrup has been well skimmed and is clear, pour it boiling hot over the apples, which must be drained from the water in which they have hitherto stood. let them remain in the syrup until both are perfectly cold. then, covering closely, let them simmer over a slow fire until transparent. when all the minutiæ of these directions are attended to, the fruit will remain unbroken and present a beautiful and inviting appearance. preserved quinces. pare, core and quarter your fruit, then weigh it and allow an equal quantity of white sugar. take the parings and cores and put in a preserving kettle; cover them with water and boil for half an hour; then strain through a hair-sieve, and put the juice back into the kettle and boil the quinces in it a little at a time until they are tender; lift out as they are done with a drainer and lay on a dish; if the liquid seems scarce add more water. when all are cooked, throw into this liquor the sugar, and allow it to boil ten minutes before putting in the quinces; let them boil until they change color, say one hour and a quarter, on a slow fire; while they are boiling occasionally slip a silver spoon under them to see that they do not burn, but on no account stir them. have two fresh lemons cut in thin slices, and when the fruit is being put in jars lay a slice or two in each. quinces may be steamed until tender. preserved pears. one pound of fruit, one pound of sugar; pare off the peeling thin. make a nice syrup of nearly one cupful of water and one pound of sugar, and when clarified by boiling and skimming put in the pears and stew gently until clear. choose rather pears like the seckle for preserving, both on account of the flavor and size. a nice way is to stick a clove in the blossom end of each pear, for this fruit seems to require some extraneous flavor to bring out its own piquancy. another acceptable addition to pear preserves may be found instead, by adding the juice and thinly pared rind of one lemon to each five pounds of fruit. if the pears are hard and tough, parboil them until tender before beginning to preserve, and from the same water take what you need for making their syrup. if you can procure only large pears to preserve, cut them into halves, or even slices, so that they can get done more quickly, and lose nothing in appearance, either. pineapple preserves. twist off the top and bottom and pare off the rough outside of pineapples; then weigh them and cut them in slices, chips or quarters, or cut them in four or six and shape each piece like a whole pineapple; to each pound of fruit, put a teacupful of water; put it in a preserving kettle, cover it and set it over the fire and let them boil gently until they are tender and clear; then take them from the water, by sticking a fork in the centre of each slice, or with a skimmer, into a dish. put to the water white sugar, a pound for each pound of fruit; stir it until it is all dissolved; then put in the pineapple, cover the kettle and boil them gently until transparent throughout; when it is so, take it out, let it cool and put it in glass jars; let the syrup boil or simmer gently until it is thick and rich and when nearly cool, pour it over the fruit. the next day secure the jars, as before directed. pineapple done in this way is a beautiful and delicious preserve. the usual manner of preserving it by putting it into the syrup without first boiling it, makes it little better than sweetened leather. to preserve watermelon rind and citron. pare off the green skin, cut the watermelon rind into pieces. weigh the pieces and allow to each pound a pound and a half of loaf sugar. line your kettle with green vine-leaves, and put in the pieces _without_ the sugar. a layer of vine-leaves must cover each layer of melon rind. pour in water to cover the whole and place a thick cloth over the kettle. simmer the fruit for two hours, after scattering a few bits of alum amongst it. spread the melon rind on a dish to cool. melt the sugar, using a pint of water to a pound and a half of sugar, and mix with it some beaten white of egg. boil and skim the sugar. when quite clear, put in the rind and let it boil two hours; take out the rind, boil the syrup again, pour it over the rind, and let it remain all night. the next morning, boil the syrup with lemon juice, allowing one lemon to a quart of syrup. when it is thick enough to hang in a drop from the point of a spoon, it is done. put the rind in jars and pour over it the syrup. it is not fit for use immediately. citrons may be preserved in the same manner, first paring off the outer skin and cutting them into quarters. also green limes. to preserve and dry greengages. to every pound of sugar allow one pound of fruit, one quarter pint of water. for this purpose, the fruit must be used before it is quite ripe and part of the stalk must be left on. weigh the fruit, rejecting all that is in the least degree blemished, and put it into a lined saucepan with the sugar and water, which should have been previously boiled together to a rich syrup. boil the fruit in this for ten minutes, remove it from the fire, and drain the greengages. the next day boil up the syrup and put in the fruit again, let it simmer for three minutes, and drain the syrup away. continue this process for five or six days, and the last time place the greengages, when drained, on a hair-sieve, and put them in an oven or warm spot to dry; keep them in a box, with paper between each layer, in a place free from damp. preserved pumpkins. to each pound of pumpkin allow one pound of roughly pounded loaf sugar, one gill of lemon juice. obtain a good, sweet pumpkin; halve it, take out the seeds and pare off the rind; cut it into neat slices. weigh the pumpkin, put the slices in a pan or deep dish in layers, with the sugar sprinkled between them; pour the lemon juice over the top, and let the whole remain for two or three days. boil all together, adding half a pint of water to every three pounds of sugar used until the pumpkin becomes tender; then turn the whole into a pan, where let it remain for a week; then drain off the syrup, boil it until it is quite thick, skim, and pour it boiling over the pumpkin. a little bruised ginger and lemon rind, thinly pared, may be boiled in the syrup to flavor the pumpkin. _a southern recipe._ preserving fruit. (new mode.) housekeepers who dislike the tedious, old-time fashion of clarifying sugar and boiling the fruit, will appreciate, the following two recipes, no fire being needed in their preparation. the first is for "tutti frutti," and has been repeatedly tested with unvarying success. put one quart of white, preserving, fine batavia brandy into a two-gallon stone jar that has a tightly fitting top. then for every pound of fruit, in prime condition and perfectly dry, which you put in the brandy, use three-quarters of a pound of granulated sugar; stir every day so that the sugar will be dissolved, using a clean, wooden spoon kept for the purpose. every sort of fruit may be used, beginning with strawberries and ending with plums. be sure and have at least one pound of black cherries, as they make the color of the preserve very rich. strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, apricots, cherries (sweet and sour), peaches, plums, are all used, and, if you like, currants and grapes. plums and grapes should be peeled and seeded, apricots and peaches peeled and cut in quarters or eighths or dice; cherries also must be seeded; quinces may be steamed until tender. the jar must be kept in a cool, dry place, and the daily stirring must never be forgotten, for that is the secret of success. you may use as much of one sort of fruit as you like, and it may be put in from day to day, just as you happen to have it. half the quantity of spirits may be used. the preserve will be ready for use within a week after the last fruit is put in, and will keep for a number of months. we have found it good eight months after making. the second is as follows: take some pure white vinegar and mix with it granulated sugar until a syrup is formed quite free from acidity. pour this syrup into earthen jars and put in it good, perfectly ripe fruit, gathered in dry weather. cover the jars tight and put them in a dry place. the contents will keep for six or eight months, and the flavor of the fruit will be excellent. to preserve fruit without 'sugar. cherries, strawberries, sliced pineapple, plums, apricots, gooseberries, etc., may be preserved in the following manner--to be used the same as fresh fruit. gather the fruit before it is very ripe; put it in wide-mouthed bottles made for the purpose; fill them as full as they will hold and cork them tight; seal the corks; put some hay in a large saucepan, set in the bottles, with hay between them to prevent their touching; then fill the saucepan with water to the necks of the bottles, and set it over the fire until the water is nearly boiled, then take it off; let it stand until the bottles are cold. keep them in a cool place until wanted, when the fruit will be found equal to fresh. new method of preserving fruit. a new method of preserving fruit is practiced in england. pears, apples and other fruits are reduced to a paste by jamming, which is then pressed into cakes and gently dried. when required for use it is only necessary to pour four times their weight of boiling water over them and allow them to soak for twenty minutes and then add sugar to suit the taste. the fine flavor of the fruit is said to be retained to perfection. the cost of the prepared product is scarcely greater than that of the original fruit, differing with the supply and price of the latter; the keeping qualities are excellent, so that it may be had at any time of the year and bears long sea-voyages with out detriment. no peeling or coring is required, so there is no waste. fruit jellies. take a stone jar and put in the fruit, place this in a kettle of tepid water and set on the fire; let it boil, closely covered, until the fruit is broken to pieces; strain, pressing the bag, a stout, coarse one, hard, putting in a few handfuls each time, and between each squeezing turning it inside out to scald off the pulp and skins; to each pint of juice allow a pound of loaf sugar; set the juice on alone to boil, and, while it is boiling, put the sugar into shallow dishes or pans, and heat it in the oven, watching and stirring it to prevent burning; boil the juice just twenty minutes from the time it begins fairly to boil; by this time the sugar should be _very_ hot; throw it into the boiling juice, stirring rapidly all the time; withdraw the spoon when all is thoroughly dissolved; let the jelly come to a boil to make all certain; withdraw the kettle instantly from the fire; roll your glasses and cups in hot water, and fill with the scalding liquid; the jelly will form within an hour; when cold, close and tie up as you do preserves. currant jelly. currants for jelly should be perfectly ripe and gathered the _first_ week of the season; they lose their jelly property if they hang on the bushes too long, and become too juicy--the juice will not be apt to congeal. strip them from the stalks, put them into a stone jar, and set in a vessel of hot water over the fire; keep the water around it boiling until the currants are all broken, stirring them up occasionally. then squeeze them through a coarse cloth or towel. to each pint of juice allow a pound and a quarter of refined sugar. put the sugar into a porcelain kettle, pour the juice over it, stirring frequently. skim it before it boils; boil about twenty minutes, or until it congeals in the spoon when held in the air. pour it into hot jelly glasses and seal when cool. wild frost grape jelly is nice made after this recipe. currant jelly. (new method.) this recipe for making superior jelly without heat is given in a parisian journal of chemistry, which may be worth trying by some of our readers. the currants are to be washed and squeezed in the usual way, and the juice placed in a stone or earthen vessel, and set away in a cool place in the cellar. in about twenty-four hours a considerable amount of froth will cover the surface, produced by fermentation, and this must be removed and the whole strained again through the jelly bag, then weighed, and an equal weight of powdered white sugar is to be added. this is to be stirred constantly until entirely dissolved, and then put into jars, tied up tightly and set away. at the end of another twenty-four hours a perfectly transparent jelly of the most satisfactory flavor will be formed, which will keep as long as if it had been cooked. quince jelly. quinces for jelly should not be quite ripe, they should be a fine yellow; rub off the down from them, core and cut them small; put them in a preserving kettle with a teacupful of water for each pound; let them stew gently until soft, without mashing; put them in a thin muslin bag with the liquor; press them very lightly; to each pint of the liquor put a pound of sugar; stir it until it is all dissolved, then set it over the fire and let it boil gently, until by cooling some on a plate you find it a good jelly; then turn it into pots or tumblers and, when cold, secure as directed for jellies. raspberry jelly. to each pint of juice allow one pound of sugar. let the raspberries be freshly gathered, quite ripe, pick from the stalks; put them into a large jar after breaking the fruit a little with a wooden spoon, and place this jar, covered, in a saucepan of boiling water. when the juice is well drawn, which will be in from three-quarters to one hour, strain the fruit through a fine hair-sieve or cloth; measure the juice, and to every pint allow the above proportion of white sugar. put the juice and sugar into a preserving pan, place it over the fire, and boil gently until the jelly thickens, when a little is poured on a plate; carefully remove all the scum as it rises, pour the jelly into small pots, cover down, and keep in a dry place. this jelly answers for making raspberry cream and for flavoring various sweet dishes, when, in winter, the fresh fruit is not obtainable. apple jelly. select apples that are rather tart and highly flavored; slice them without paring; place in a porcelain preserving kettle, cover with water, and let them cook slowly until the apples look red. pour into a colander, drain off the juice, and let this run through a jelly-bag; return to the kettle, which must be carefully washed, and boil half an hour; measure it and allow to every pint of juice a pound of sugar and half the juice of a lemon; boil quickly for ten minutes. the juice of apples boiled in shallow vessels, without a particle of sugar, makes the most sparkling, delicious jelly imaginable. red apples will give jelly the color and clearness of claret, while that from light fruit is like amber. take the cider just as it is made, not allowing it to ferment at all, and, if possible, boil it in a pan, flat, very large and shallow. grape jelly. mash well the berries so as to remove the skins; pour all into a preserving kettle and cook slowly for a few minutes to extract the juice; strain through a colander, and then through a flannel jelly-bag, keeping as hot as possible, for if not allowed to cool before putting again on the stove the jelly conies much stiffer; a few quince seeds boiled with the berries the first time tend to stiffen it; measure the juice, allowing a pound of sugar to every pint of juice, and boil fast for at least half an hour. try a little, and if it seems done, remove and put into glasses. florida orange jelly. grate the yellow rind of two florida oranges and two lemons, and squeeze the juice into a porcelain-lined preserving kettle, adding the juice of two more oranges, and removing all the seeds; put in the grated rind a quarter of a pound of sugar, or more if the fruit is sour, and a gill of water, and boil these ingredients together until a rich syrup is formed; meantime, dissolve two ounces of gelatine in a quart of warm water, stirring it over the fire until it is entirely dissolved, then add the syrup, strain the jelly, and cool it in molds wet in cold water. crab-apple jelly. the apples should be juicy and ripe. the fruit is then quartered, the black spots in the cores removed, afterward put into a preserving kettle over the fire, with a teacupful of water in the bottom to prevent burning; more water is added as it evaporates while cooking. when boiled to a pulp, strain the apples through a coarse flannel, then proceed as for currant jelly. peach jelly. pare the peaches, take out the stones, then slice them; add to them about a quarter of the kernels. place them in a kettle with enough water to cover them. stir them often until the fruit is well cooked, then strain, and to every pint of the juice add the juice of a lemon; measure again, allowing a pound of sugar to each pint of juice; heat the sugar very hot, and add when the juice has boiled twenty minutes; let it come to a boil and take instantly from the fire. orange syrup. pare the oranges, squeeze and strain the juice from the pulp. to one pint of juice allow one pound and three-quarters of loaf sugar. put the juice and sugar together, boil and skim it until it is cream; then strain it through a flannel bag and let it stand until it becomes cool, then put in bottles and cork tight. lemon syrup is made in the same way, except that you scald the lemons and squeeze out the juice, allowing rather more sugar. orange marmalade. allow pound for pound. pare half the oranges and cut the rind into shreds. boil in three waters until tender and set aside. grate the rind of the remaining oranges; take off, and throw away every bit of the thick white inner skin; quarter all the oranges and take out the seeds. chop or cut them into small pieces; drain all the juice that will come away without pressing them over the sugar; heat this, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, adding a _very_ little water, unless the oranges are very juicy. boil and skim five or six minutes; put in the boiled shreds and cook ten minutes; then the chopped fruit and grated peel, and boil twenty minutes longer. when cold, put into small jars, tied up with bladder or paper next the fruit, cloths dipped in wax over all. a nicer way still is to put away in tumblers with self-adjusting metal tops. press brandied tissue paper down closely to the fruit. lemon marmalade is made as you would prepare orange--allowing a pound and a quarter of sugar to a pound of the fruit, and using but half the grated peel. raisins. (a french marmalade.) this recipe is particularly valuable at seasons when fruit is scarce. take six fine large cooking apples, peel them, put them over a slow fire, together with a wine-glass of medeira wine and half a pound of sugar. when well stewed, split and stone two and a half pounds of raisins, and put them to stew with the apples and enough water to prevent their burning. when all appears well dissolved, beat it through a strainer bowl, and lastly through a sieve. mold, if you like, or put away in small preserve jars, to cut in thin slices for the ornamentation of pastry, or to dish up for eating with cream. strawberry jam. to each pound of fine and not too ripe berries, allow three-quarters of a pound of sugar. put them into a preserving pan and stir gently, not to break up the fruit; simmer for one-half hour and put into pots air-tight. an excellent way to seal jellies and jams is as the german women do: cut round covers from writing paper a half-inch too large for the tops, smear the inside with the unbeaten white of an egg, tie over with a cord, and it will dry quickly and be absolutely preservative. a circular paper dipped in brandy and laid over the toothsome contents before covering, will prevent any dampness from affecting the flavor. i have removed covers heavy with mold to find the preserve intact. gooseberry jam. pick the gooseberries just as they begin to turn. stem, wash and weigh. to four pounds of fruit add half a teacupful of water; boil until soft and add four pounds of sugar and boil until clear. if picked at the right stage the jam will be amber colored and firm, and very much nicer than if the fruit is preserved when ripe. brandied peaches or pears. four pounds of fruit, four pounds of sugar, one pint of best white brandy. make a syrup of the sugar and enough water to dissolve it. let this come to a boil; put the fruit in and boil five minutes. having removed the fruit carefully, let the syrup boil fifteen minutes longer, or until it thickens well; add the brandy and take the kettle at once from the fire; pour the hot syrup over the fruit and seal. if, after the fruit is taken from the fire, a reddish liquor oozes from it, drain this off before adding the clear syrup. put up in glass jars. peaches and pears should be peeled for brandying. plums should be pricked and watched carefully for fear of bursting. raspberry jam. to five or six pounds of fine red raspberries (not too ripe) add an equal quantity of the finest quality of white sugar. mash the whole well in a preserving kettle; add about one quart of currant juice (a little less will do) and boil gently till it jellies upon a cold plate; then put into small jars; cover with brandied paper and tie a thick white paper over them. keep in a dark, dry and cool place. blackberry or strawberry jam is made the same way, leaving out the currant juice. a new way of keeping fruit. it is stated that experiments have been made in keeping fruit in jars covered only with cotton batting, and at the end of two years the fruit was sound. the following directions are given for the process: use crocks, stone butter-jars or any other convenient dishes. prepare and cook the fruit precisely as for canning in glass jars; fill your dishes with fruit while hot and immediately cover with cotton batting, securely tied on. remember that all putrefaction is caused by the invisible creatures in the air. cooking the fruit expels all these, and they cannot pass through the cotton batting. the fruit thus protected will keep an indefinite period. it will be remembered that tyndall has proved that the atmospheric germs cannot pass through a layer of cotton. macedoines. suspend in the centre of the jelly mold a bunch of grapes, cherries, berries, or currants on their stems, sections of oranges, pineapples, or brandied fruits, and pour in a little jelly when quite cold, but not set. it makes a very agreeable effect. by a little ingenuity you can imbed first one fruit and then another, arranging in circles, and pour a little jelly successively over each. do not re-heat the jelly, but keep it in a warm place, while the mold is on ice and the first layers are hardening. [illustration] canned fruits berries and all ripe, mellow fruit require but little cooking, only long enough for the sugar to penetrate. strew sugar over them, allow them to stand a few hours, then merely scald with the sugar; half to three-quarters of a pound is considered sufficient. harder fruits like pears, quinces, etc., require longer boiling. the great secret of canning is to make the fruit or vegetable perfectly air-tight. it must be put up boiling hot and the vessel filled to the brim. have your jars conveniently placed near your boiling fruit, in a tin pan of hot water on the stove, roll them in the hot water, then fill immediately with the hot, scalding fruit, fill to the top, and seal quickly with the tops, which should also be heated; occasionally screw down the tops tighter, as the fruit shrinks as it cools, and the glass contracts and allows the air to enter the cans. they must be perfectly air-tight. the jars to be kept in a dark, cool, dry place. use glass jars for fruit always, and the fruit should be cooked in a porcelain or granite-iron kettle. if you are obliged to use common large-mouthed bottles with corks, steam the corks and pare them to a close fit, driving them in with a mallet. use the following wax for sealing: one pound of resin, three ounces of beeswax, one and one-half ounces of tallow. use a brush in covering the corks and as they cool, dip the mouth into the melted wax. place in a basin of cold water. pack in a cool, dark and dry cellar. after one week, examine for flaws, cracks or signs of ferment. the rubber rings used to assist in keeping the air from the fruit cans sometimes become so dry and brittle as to be almost useless. they can be restored to normal condition usually by letting them lie in water in which you have put a little ammonia. mix in this proportion: one part of ammonia and two parts water. sometimes they do not need to lie in this more than five minutes, but frequently a half hour is needed to restore their elasticity. canned peaches. to one pound of peaches allow half a pound of sugar; to six pounds of sugar add half a tumbler of water; put in the kettle a layer of sugar and one of peaches until the whole of both are in. wash about eight peach leaves, tie them up and put into the kettle, remembering to take them out when you begin to fill up the jars. let the sugared fruit remain on the range, but away from the fire, until upon tipping the vessel to one side you can see some liquid; then fill the jars, taking them out of hot water into which they were put when cold, remaining until it was made to boil around them. in this way you will find out if the glass has been properly annealed; for we consider glass jars with stoppers screwing down upon india-rubber rings as the best for canning fruit in families. they should be kept in a dark closet; and although somewhat more expensive than tin in the first instance, are much nicer and keep for years with careful usage. fruit must be of fine flavor and _ripe_, though not _soft_, to make nice canned fruit. peaches should be thrown into cold water as they are peeled, to prevent a yellowish crust. canned grapes. there is no fruit so difficult to can nicely as the grape; by observing the following instructions you will find the grapes rich and tender a year from putting up. squeeze the pulp from the skin, as the seeds are objectionable; boil the pulp, until the seeds begin to loosen, in one kettle, having the skins boiling, in a little water, hard in another kettle, as they are tough. when the pulp seems tender, put it through the sieve; then add the skins, if tender, with the water they boil in, if not too much. we use a large coffeecupful of sugar for a quart can; boil until thick and can in the usual way. canned strawberries. after the berries are picked over, let as many as can be put carefully in the preserve kettle at once be placed on a platter. to each pound of fruit add three-fourths of a pound of sugar; let them stand two or three hours, till the juice is drawn from them; pour it into the kettle and let it come to a boil and remove the scum which rises; then put in the berries very carefully. as soon as they come thoroughly to a boil put them in warm jars and seal while boiling hot. to can quinces. cut the quinces into thin slices like apples for pies. to one quart jarful of quince, take a coffeesaucer and a half of sugar and a coffeecupful of water; put the sugar and water on the fire, and when boiling put in the quinces; have ready the jars with their fastenings, stand the jars in a pan of boiling water on the stove, and when the quince is clear and tender put rapidly into the jars, fruit and syrup together. the jars must be filled so that the syrup overflows, and fastened up tight as quickly as possible. canned pineapple. for six pounds of fruit, when cut and ready to can, make syrup with two and a half pounds of sugar and nearly three pints of water; boil syrup five minutes and skim or strain if necessary; then add the fruit and let it boil up; have cans hot, fill and shut up as soon as possible. use the best white sugar. as the cans cool, keep tightening them up. cut the fruit half an inch thick. canned fruit juices. canned fruit juices are an excellent substitute for brandy or wine in all puddings and sauces, etc. it is a good plan to can the pure juices of fruit in the summer time, putting it by for this purpose. select clean ripe fruit, press out the juice and strain it through a flannel cloth. to each pint of juice add one cupful of white granulated sugar. put it in a porcelain kettle, bring it to the boiling point, and bottle while hot in small bottles. it must be sealed very tight while it is _hot_. will keep a long time, the same as canned fruit. canned tomatoes. canning tomatoes is quite a simple process. a large or small quantity may be done at a time, and they should be put in glass jars in preference to those of tin, which are apt to injure the flavor. very ripe tomatoes are the best for the purpose. they are first put into a large pan and covered with boiling water. this loosens the skin, which is easily removed, and the tomatoes are then put into the preserving kettle, set over a moderate fire without the addition of water or any seasoning, and brought to a boil. after boiling slowly one-half hour, they are put into the jars while boiling hot and sealed tightly. they will keep two or three years in this way. the jars should be filled to the brim to prevent air from getting in, and set in a cool, dark closet. to can corn. split the kernels lengthwise with a knife, then scrape with the back of the knife, thus leaving the hulls upon the cob. fill cans full of cut corn, pressing it in very hard. to press the corn in the can, use the small end of a potato masher, as this will enter the can easily. it will take from ten to a dozen large ears of corn to fill a one-quart can. when the cans are full, screw cover on with thumb and first finger; this will be tight enough, then place a cloth in the bottom of a wash boiler to prevent breakage. on this put a layer of cans in any position you prefer, over the cans put a layer of cloth, then a layer of cans. fill the boiler in this manner, then cover the cans well with cold water, place the boiler on the fire and _boil_ three hours without ceasing. on steady boiling depends much of your success. after boiling three hours, lift the boiler from the fire, let the water cool, then take the cans from the boiler and tighten, let them remain until cold, then tighten again. wrap each can in brown paper to exclude the light and keep in a cool, dry cellar and be very sure the rubber rings are not hardened by use. the rings should be renewed every two years. i would advise the beginner to use new rings entirely, for poor rings cause the loss of canned fruit and vegetables in many cases. you will observe that in canning corn the cans are not wrapped in a cloth nor heated; merely filled with the cut corn. the corn in the can will shrink considerable in boiling, but on no account open them after canning. to can peas. fill the can full of peas, shake the can so they can be filled well. you cannot press the peas in the can as you did the corn, but by shaking the cans they may be filled quite full. pour into the cans enough cold water to fill to overflowing, then screw the cover tight as you can with your thumb and first finger and proceed exactly as in canning corn. string beans are cut as for cooking and canned in the same manner. no seasoning of salt, pepper or sugar should be added. _mary currier parsons._ canned plums. to every pound of plums allow a quarter of a pound of sugar. put the sugar and plums alternately into the preserving kettle, first pricking the plums to prevent their breaking. let them stand on the back of the stove for an hour or two, then put them over a moderate fire and allow to come to a boil; skim and pour at once into jars, running a silver spoon handle around the inside of the jar to break the air-bubbles; cover and screw down the tops. canned mince meat. mince meat for pies can be preserved for years if canned the same as fruit while _hot_, and put into glass jars and sealed perfectly tight, and set in a cool, dark place. one glass quart jar will hold enough to make two ordinary-sized pies, and in this way "mince pies" can be had in the middle of summer as well as in winter, and if the cans are sealed properly, the meat will be just as fine when opened as when first canned. canned boiled cider. boiled cider, in our grandmothers' time, was indispensable to the making of a good "mince pie," adding the proper flavor and richness, which cannot be substituted by any other ingredient, and a gill of which being added to a rule of "fruit cake" makes it more moist, keeps longer, and is far superior to fruit cake made without it. boiled cider is an article rarely found in the market, nowadays, but can be made by any one, with but little trouble and expense, using _sweet_ cider, shortly after it is made, and before fermentation takes place. place five quarts of _sweet_ cider in a porcelain-lined kettle over the fire, boil it slowly until reduced to one quart, carefully watching it that it does not burn; turn into glass jars while hot and seal tightly, the same as canned fruit. it is then ready to use any time of the year. canned pumpkin. pumpkins or squash canned are far more convenient for ready use than those dried in the old-fashioned way. cut up pumpkin or squash into small pieces, first cutting off the peel; stew them until tender, add no seasoning; then mash them very fine with a potato masher. have ready your cans, made hot, and then fill them with the hot pumpkin or squash, seal tight; place in a dark, cool closet. peach butter. pare ripe peaches and put them in a preserving kettle, with sufficient water to boil them soft; then sift through a colander, removing the stones. to each quart of peaches put one and one-half pounds of sugar, and boil very slowly one hour. stir often and do not let them burn. put in stone or glass jars, and keep in a cool place. peaches dried with sugar. peel yellow peaches, cut them from the stone in one piece; allow two pounds of sugar to six pounds of fruit; make a syrup of three-quarters of a pound of sugar and a little water; put in the peaches, a few at a time, and let them cook gently until quite clear. take them up carefully on a dish and set them in the sun to dry. strew powdered sugar over them on all sides, a little at a time; if any syrup is left, remove to fresh dishes. when they are quite dry, lay them lightly in a jar with a little sugar sifted between the layers. [illustration] coloring for fruit, etc. red or pink coloring. take two cents' worth of cochineal. lay it on a flat plate and bruise it with the blade of a knife. put it into half a teacupful of alcohol. let it stand a quarter of an hour, and then filter it through fine muslin. always ready for immediate use. cork the bottle tight. strawberry or cranberry juice makes a fine coloring for frosting, sweet puddings and confectionery. deep red coloring. take twenty grains of cochineal and fifteen grains of cream of tartar finely powdered; add to them a piece of alum the size of a cherry stone and boil them with a gill of soft water in an earthen vessel, slowly, for half an hour. then strain it through muslin, and keep it tightly corked in a phial. if a little alcohol is added it will keep any length of time. yellow coloring. take a little saffron, put it into an earthen vessel with a very small quantity of cold, soft water, and let it steep till the color of the infusion is a bright yellow. then strain it, add half alcohol to it. to color fruit yellow, boil the fruit with fresh lemon skins in water to cover them until it is tender; then take it up, spread it on dishes to cool and finish as may be directed. to color icing, put the grated peel of a lemon or orange in a thin muslin bag, squeezing a little juice through it, then mixing with the sugar. green coloring. take fresh spinach or beet leaves and pound them in a marble mortar. if you want it for immediate use, take off the green froth as it rises, and mix it with the article you intend to color. if you wish to keep it a few days, take the juice when you have pressed out a teacupful, and adding to it a piece of alum the size of a pea, give it a boil in a saucepan. or make the juice very strong and add a quart of alcohol. bottle it air-tight. sugar grains. these are made by pounding white lump sugar in a mortar and shaking it through sieves of different degrees of coarseness, thus accumulating grains of different sizes. they are used in ornamenting cake. sugar grains, colored. stir a little coloring--as the essence of spinach, or prepared cochineal, or liquid carmine, or indigo, rouge, saffron, etc.,--into the sugar grains made as above, until each grain is stained, then spread them on a baking-sheet and dry them in a warm place. they are used in ornamenting cake. caramel or burnt sugar. put one cupful of sugar and two teaspoonfuls of water in a saucepan on the fire; stir constantly until it is quite a dark color, then add a half cupful of water and a pinch of salt; let it boil a few minutes and when cold, bottle. for coloring soups, sauces or gravies. to clarify jelly. the white of egg is, perhaps, the best substance that can be employed in clarifying jelly, as well as some other fluids, for the reason that when albumen (and the white of egg is nearly pure albumen) is put into a liquid that is muddy, from substances suspended in it, on boiling coagulates in a flocculent manner, and, entangling with the impurities, rises with them to the surface as a scum, or sinks to the bottom, according to their weight. confectionery in the making of confections the best _granulated_ or _loaf_ sugar should be used. (beware of glucose mixed with sugar.) sugar is boiled more or less, according to the kind of candy to be made, and it is necessary to understand the proper degree of sugar boiling to operate it successfully. occasionally sugar made into candies, "creams" or syrups, will need clarifying. the process is as follows: beat up well the white of an egg with a cupful of cold water and pour it into a very clean iron or thick new tin saucepan, and put into the pan four cupfuls of sugar, mixed with a cupful of warm water. put on the stove and heat _moderately_ until the scum rises. remove the pan, and skim off the top, then place on the fire again until the scum rises again. then remove as before, and so continue until no scum rises. this recipe is good for brown or yellowish sugar; for soft, white sugars, half the white of an egg will do, and for refined or loaf sugar a quarter will do. the quantities of sugar and water are the same in all cases. loaf sugar will generally do for all candy-making without further clarification. brown or yellow sugars are used for caramels, dark-colored cocoanut, taffy, and pulled molasses candies generally. havana is the cheapest grade of white sugar and a shade or two lighter than the brown. confectioners' a is superior in color and grain to the havana. it is a centrifugal sugar--that is, it is not re-boiled to procure its white color, but is moistened with water and then put into rapidly-revolving cylinders. the uncrystalized syrup or molasses is whirled out of it, and the sugar comes out with a dry, white grain. icing or powdered sugars.--this is powdered loaf sugar. icing can only be made with powdered sugar which is produced by grinding or crushing loaf sugar nearly as fine as flour. granulated sugar--this is a coarse-grained sugar, generally very clean and sparkling, and fit for use as a colored sugar in crystallized goods, and other superior uses. this same syrup answers for most candies and should be boiled to such a degree, that when a fork or splinter is dipped into it the liquid will run off and form a thick drop on the end, and long silk-like threads hang from it when exposed to the air. the syrup never to be stirred while hot, or else it will grain, but if intended for soft, french candies, should be removed, and, when nearly cold, stirred to a cream. for hard, brittle candies, the syrup should be boiled until, when a little is dropped in _cold_ water, it will crack and break when biting it. the hands should be buttered when handling it, or it will stick to them. the top of the inside of the dish that the sugar or molasses is to be cooked in should be buttered a few inches around the inside; it prevents the syrup from rising and swelling any higher than where it reaches the buttered edge. for common crack candies, the sugar can be kept from graining by adding a teaspoonful of vinegar or cream of tartar. colorings for candies should be harmless, and those used for fruit and confectionery, on page , will be most suitable. essences and extracts should be bought at the druggist's, not the poor kind usually sold at the grocer's. french cream candy. put four cupfuls of white sugar and one cupful of water into a bright tin pan on the range and let it boil without stirring for ten minutes. if it looks somewhat thick, test it by letting some drop from the spoon, and if it threads, remove the pan to the table. take out a small spoonful, and rub it against the side of a cake bowl; if it becomes creamy, and will roll into a ball between the fingers, pour the whole into the bowl. when cool enough to bear your finger in it, take it in your lap, stir or beat it with a large spoon, or pudding-stick. it will soon begin to look like cream, and then grow stiffer until you find it necessary to take your hands and work it like bread dough. if it is not boiled enough to cream, set it back upon the range and let it remain one or two minutes, or as long as is necessary, taking care not to cook it too much. add the flavoring as soon as it begins to cool. this is the foundation of all french creams. it can be made into rolls, and sliced off, or packed in plates and cut into small cubes, or made into any shape imitating french candies. a pretty form is made by coloring some of the cream pink, taking a piece about as large as a hazel nut, and crowding an almond meat half way into one side, till it looks like a bursting kernel. in working, should the cream get too cold, warm it. to be successful in making this cream, several points are to be remembered; when the boiled sugar is cool enough to beat, if it looks rough and has turned to sugar, it is because it has been boiled _too much_, or has been _stirred_. if, after it is beaten, it does not look like lard or thick cream, and is sandy or sugary instead, it is because you did not let it get cool enough before beating. it is not boiled enough if it does not harden so as to work like dough, and should not stick to the hands; in this case put it back into the pan with an ounce of hot water, and cook over just enough, by testing in water as above. after it is turned into the bowl to cool, it should look clear as jelly. practice and patience will make perfect. fruit creams. add to "french cream" raisins, currants, figs, a little citron, chopped and mixed thoroughly through the cream while quite warm. make into bars or flat cakes. walnut creams. take a piece of "french cream" the size of a walnut. having cracked some english walnuts, using care not to break the meats, place one-half of each nut upon each side of the ball, pressing them into the ball. walnut creams can be made by another method: first take a piece of "french cream," put it into a cup and setting the cup into a vessel of boiling water, heating it until it turns like thick cream; drop the walnut meats into it, one at a time, taking them out on the end of a fork and placing on buttered paper; continue to dip them until all are used, then go over again, giving them a second coat of candy. they look nice colored pink and flavored with vanilla. chocolate creams. use "french cream," and form it into small cone-shaped balls with the fingers. lay them upon paper to harden until all are formed. melt one cake of baker's chocolate in an earthen dish or small basin; by setting it in the oven it will soon melt; do not let it cook, but it _must_ be kept _hot_. take the balls of cream, one at a time, on the tines of a fork, pour the melted chocolate over them with a teaspoon and when well covered, slip them from the fork upon oiled paper. cocoanut creams. take two tablespoonfuls of grated cocoanut and half as much "french candy;" work them both together with your hand till the cocoanut is all well mixed in it. if you choose, you can add a drop of vanilla. if too soft to work into balls, add confectioners' sugar to stiffen; make into balls the size of hazelnuts and dip twice, as in the foregoing recipes, flavoring the melted "french cream" with vanilla. variegated creams. make the "french cream" recipe, and divide into three parts, leaving one part white, color one pink with cochineal syrup, and the third part color brown with chocolate, which is done by just letting the cream soften and stirring in a little finely grated chocolate. the pink is colored by dropping on a few drops of cochineal syrup while the cream is warm and beating it in. take the white cream, make a flat ball of it, and lay it upon a buttered dish, and pat it out flat until about half an inch thick. if it does not work easily, dip the hand in alcohol. take the pink cream, work in the same way as the white and lay it upon the white; then the chocolate in the same manner, and lay upon the pink, pressing all together. trim the edges off smooth, leaving it in a nice, square cake, then cut into slices or small cubes, as you prefer. it is necessary to work it all up as rapidly as possible. raspberry creams. stir enough confectioners' sugar into a teaspoonful of raspberry jam to form a thick paste; roll it into balls between the palms of your hands. put a lump of "french cream" into a teacup and set it into a basin of boiling water, stirring it until it has melted; then drop a few drops of cochineal coloring to make it a pale pink, or a few drops of raspberry juice, being careful not to add enough to prevent its hardening. now dip these little balls into the sugar cream, giving them two coats. lay aside to harden. remember to _keep stirring_ the melted cream, or if not it will _turn back to clear syrup_. nut creams. chop almonds, hickory nuts, butternuts or english walnuts quite fine. make the '"french cream," and before adding all the sugar, while the cream is quite soft, stir into it the nuts, and then form into balls, bars or squares. several kinds of nuts may be mixed together. maple sugar creams. grate fine maple sugar and mix, in quantity to suit the taste, with "french cream;" make any shape desired. walnut creams are sometimes made with maple sugar and are very fine. stick candy. one pound of granulated sugar, one cupful of water, a quarter of a cupful of vinegar, or half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, one small tablespoonful of glycerine. flavor with vanilla, rose or lemon. boil all except the flavoring, without stirring, twenty minutes or half an hour, or until crisp when dropped in water. just before pouring upon greased platters to cool, add half a teaspoonful of soda. after pouring upon platters to cool, pour two teaspoonfuls of flavoring over the top. when partly cool, pull it until very white. draw it into sticks the size you wish, and cut off with shears into sticks or kiss-shaped drops. it may be colored if desired. (see page , for coloring.) chocolate caramels. one cupful of grated chocolate, two cupfuls of brown sugar, one cupful of west india molasses, one cupful of milk or cream, butter the size of an egg, boil until thick, _almost_ brittle, stirring constantly. turn it out on to buttered plates, and when it begins to stiffen, mark it in small squares so that it will break easily when cold. some like it flavored with a tablespoonful of vanilla. grilled almonds. these are a very delicious candy seldom met with out of france. they are rather more trouble to make than other kinds, but well repay it from their novel flavor. blanch a cupful of almonds; dry them thoroughly. boil a cupful of sugar and a quarter of a cupful of water till it "hairs," then throw in the almonds; let them fry, as it were, in this syrup, stirring them occasionally; they will turn a faint yellow brown before the sugar changes color; do not wait an instant once this change of color begins, or they will lose flavor; remove them from the fire, and stir them until the syrup has turned back to sugar and clings irregularly to the nuts. these are grilled almonds. you will find them delicious, as they are to alternate at dinner with the salted almonds now so fashionable. peppermint drops. one cupful of sugar crushed fine, and just moistened with boiling water, then boiled five minutes; then take from the fire and add cream of tartar the size of a pea; mix well and add four or five drops of oil of peppermint. beat briskly until the mixture whitens, then drop quickly upon white paper. have the cream of tartar and oil of peppermint measured while the sugar is boiling. if it sugars before it is all dropped, add a little water and boil a minute or two. currant drops. use currant juice instead of water, to moisten a quantity of sugar. put it in a pan and heat, stirring constantly; be sure not to let it boil; then mix a very little more sugar, let it warm with the rest a moment, then, with a smooth stick, drop on paper. lemon drops. upon a coffeecupful of finely powdered sugar pour just enough lemon juice to dissolve it, and boil it to the consistency of thick syrup, and so that it appears brittle when dropped in cold water. drop this on buttered plates in drops; set away to cool and harden. nut molasses candy. when making molasses candy, add any kind of nuts you fancy; put them in after the syrup has thickened and is ready to take from the fire; pour out on buttered tins. mark it off in squares before it gets too cool. peanuts should be fresh roasted and then tossed in a sieve, to free them of their inner skins. sugar nut candy. three pounds of white sugar, half a pint of water, half a pint of vinegar, a quarter of a pound of butter, one pound of hickory nut kernels. put the sugar, butter, vinegar and water together into a thick saucepan. when it begins to thicken, add the nuts. to test it, take up a very small quantity as quickly as possible directly from the centre, taking care not to disturb it any more than is necessary. drop it into cold water, and remove from the fire the moment the little particles are brittle. pour into buttered plates. use any nuts with this recipe. cocoanut candy. one cocoanut, one and one-half pounds of granulated sugar. put sugar and milk of cocoanut together, beat slowly until the sugar is melted, then boil five minutes; add cocoanut (finely grated), boil ten minutes longer, stir constantly to keep from burning. pour on buttered plates; cut in squares. will take about two days to harden. use prepared cocoanut when other cannot be had. butter-scotch. three cupfuls of white sugar, half a cupful of water, half a cupful of vinegar, or half a teaspoonful of cream of tartar, a tablespoonful of butter and eight drops of extract of lemon. boil _without stirring_ till it will snap and break. just before taking from the fire, add a quarter of a teaspoonful of soda; pour into well-buttered biscuit tins, a quarter of an inch thick. mark off into inch squares when partly cold. everton taffy, or butter-scotch. two cupfuls of sugar, two cupfuls of dark molasses, one cupful of cold butter, grated rind of half a lemon. boil over a slow fire until it hardens when dropped in cold water. pour thinly into tins well buttered, and mark into inch squares before it cools. maple walnuts. beat the white of one egg to a stiff froth, stir in enough powdered sugar to make it like hard frosting, dip the walnut meats (which you have taken care to remove from the shells without breaking) in a syrup made by boiling for two or three minutes two tablespoonfuls of maple sugar in one of water, or in this proportion. press some of the hard frosting between the two halves of the walnut and let it harden. dates may be prepared in this way, and butternuts and english walnuts also. pop-corn candy. no. . put into an iron kettle one tablespoonful of butter, three tablespoonfuls of water and one cupful of white sugar; boil until ready to candy, then throw in three quarts nicely popped corn; stir vigorously until the sugar is evenly distributed over the corn; take the kettle from the fire and stir until it cools a little, and in this way you may have each kernel separate and all coated with the sugar. of course it must have your undivided attention from the first, to prevent scorching. almonds, english walnuts, or, in fact, any nuts are delicious prepared in this way. pop-corn candy. no. . having popped your corn, salt it and keep it warm, sprinkle over with a whisk broom a mixture composed of an ounce of gum arabic and a half pound of sugar, dissolved in two quarts of water; boil all a few minutes. stir the corn with the hands or large spoon thoroughly; then mold into balls with the hands. pop-corn balls. take three large ears of pop-corn (rice is best). after popping, shake it down in pan so the unpopped corn will settle at the bottom; put the nice white popped in a greased pan. for the candy, take one cup of molasses, one cup of light brown or white sugar, one tablespoonful of vinegar. boil until it will harden in water. pour on the corn. stir with a spoon until thoroughly mixed; then mold into balls with the hand. no flavor should be added to this mixture, as the excellence of this commodity depends entirely upon the united flavor of the corn, salt and the sugar or molasses. hoarhound candy. boil two ounces of dried hoarhound in a pint and a half of water for about half an hour; strain and add three and a half pounds of brown sugar; boil over a hot fire until sufficiently hard; pour out in flat, well-greased tins and mark into sticks or small squares with a knife as soon as cool enough to retain its shape. jujube paste. two cupfuls of sugar, one-quarter of a pound of gum arabic, one pint of water. flavor with the essence of lemon and a grain of cochineal. let the mixture stand, until the gum is dissolved, in a warm place on the back of the stove, then draw forward and cook until thick; try in cold water; it should be limber and bend when cold. pour in buttered pans, an eighth of an inch thick; when cool, roll up in a scroll. candied oranges. candied orange is a great delicacy, which is easily made: peel and quarter the oranges; make a syrup in the proportion of one pound of sugar to one pint of water; let it boil until it will harden in water; then take it from the fire and dip the quarters of orange in the syrup; let them drain on a fine sieve placed over a platter so that the syrup will not be wasted; let them drain thus until cool, when the sugar will crystallize. these are nice served with the last course of dinner. any fruit the same. fig candy. one cup of sugar, one-third cup of water, one-fourth teaspoonful cream of tartar. do not stir while boiling. boil to amber color, stir in the cream of tartar just before taking from the fire. wash the figs, open and lay in a tin pan and pour the candy over them. or you may dip them in the syrup the same as "candied oranges." candy roley poley. take half a pint of citron, half a pint of raisins, half a pound of figs, a quarter of a pound of shelled almonds, one pint of peanuts before they are hulled; cut up the citron, stone the raisins, blanch the almonds, and hull the peanuts; cut up the figs into small bits. take two pounds of coffee-sugar and moisten with vinegar; put in a piece of butter as large as a walnut; stew till it hardens, but take off before it gets to the brittle stage; beat it with a spoon six or eight times, then stir in the mixed fruits and nuts. pour into a wet cloth and roll it up like a pudding, twisting the ends of the cloth to mold it. let it get cold and slice off pieces as it may be wanted for eating. molasses candy. put one quart of west india molasses, one cupful of brown sugar, a piece of butter the size of half an egg, into a six-quart kettle. let it boil over a slack fire until it begins to look thick, stirring it often to prevent burning. test it by taking some out and dropping a few drops in a cup of cold water. if it hardens quickly and breaks short between the teeth it is boiled enough. now put in half a teaspoonful of baking soda, and stir it well; then pour it out into well-buttered flat tins. when partly cooled, take up the candy with your hands well buttered then pull and double, and so on, until the candy is a whitish yellow. it may be cut in strips and rolled or twisted. if flavoring is desired, drop the flavoring on the top as it begins to cool and when it is pulled, the whole will be flavored. strawberry conserve. prepare the fruit as for preserving, allowing half a pound of loaf sugar to one pound of fruit. sprinkle the sugar over the fruit at night; in the morning, put it on the fire in a kettle and boil until the berries are clear. spread on dishes and put in the sun until dry; after which roll the fruit in sugar and pack in jars. peach conserve. halve the peaches and take out the stones; pare. have ready some powdered white sugar on a plate or dish. roll the peaches in it several times, until they will not take up any more. place them singly on a plate, with the cup or hollow side up, that the juices may not run out. lay them in the sun. the next morning roll them again. as soon as the juice seems set in the peaches, turn the other side to the sun. when they are thoroughly dry, pack them in glass jars, or, what is still nicer, fig-drums. they make an excellent sweetmeat just as they are; or, if wanted for table use, put over the fire in porcelain, with a very little water, and stew a few minutes. peach leather. stew as many peaches as you choose, allowing a quarter of a pound of sugar to one of fruit; mash it up smooth as it cooks, and when it is dry enough to spread in a thin sheet on a board greased with butter, set it out in the sun to dry; when dry it can be rolled up like leather, wrapped up in a cloth, and will keep perfectly from season to season. school-children regard it as a delightful addition to their lunch of biscuit or cold bread. apple and quince leather are made in the same fashion, only a little flavoring or spice is added to them. cocoanut caramels. two cupfuls of grated cocoanut, one cupful of sugar, two tablespoonfuls of flour, the whites of three eggs, beaten stiff. soak the cocoanut, if desiccated, in milk enough to cover it; then beat the whites of the eggs, add gradually the sugar, cocoanut and flour; with your fingers make, by rolling the mixture, into cone shapes. place them on buttered sheets of tin covered with buttered letter paper and bake in a moderate heat about fifteen or twenty minutes. they should cool before removing from the tins. dried preserves. any of the fruits that have been preserved in syrup may be converted into dry preserves, by first draining them from the syrup and then drying them slowly on the stove, strewing them thickly with powdered sugar. they should be turned every few hours, sifting over them more sugar. candies without cooking. very many candies made by confectioners are made without boiling, which makes them very desirable, and they are equal to the best "french creams." the secret lies in the sugar used, which is the xxx powdered or confectioners' sugar. ordinary powdered sugar, when rubbed between the thumb and finger has a decided grain, but the confectioners' sugar is fine as flour. the candies made after this process are better the day after. french vanilla cream. break into a bowl the whites of one or more eggs, as the quantity you wish to make will require; add to it an equal quantity of cold water, then stir in xxx powdered or confectioners' sugar until you have it stiff enough to mold into shape with the fingers. flavor with vanilla to taste. after it is formed in balls, cubes or lozenge shapes, lay them upon plates or waxed paper and set them aside to dry. this cream can be worked in candies similar to the french cooked cream. chocolate cream drops. these are made or molded into cone-shape forms with the fingers, from the uncooked "french cream," similar to that which is cooked. after forming into these little balls or cones, lay them on oiled paper until the next day, to harden, or make them in the morning and leave them until afternoon. then melt some chocolate (the best confectioners') in a basin set in another basin of boiling water; when melted, and the creams are hard enough to handle, take one at a time on a fork and drop into the melted chocolate, roll it until well covered, then slip from the fork upon oiled or waxed paper, and set them aside to harden. fruit and nut creams. raisins seeded, currants, figs and citron, chopped fine, and mixed with the uncooked "french cream," while soft, before the sugar is all mixed in, makes a delicious variety. nuts also may be mixed with this cream, stirring into it chopped almonds, hickory nuts, butternuts, or english walnuts, then forming them into balls, bars or squares. several kinds of nuts may be mixed together. orange drops. grate the rind of one orange and squeeze the juice, taking care to reject the seeds; add to this a pinch of tartaric acid; then stir in confectioners' sugar until it is stiff enough to form into balls the size of a small marble. this is delicious candy. the same process for lemon drops, using lemons in place of orange. color a faint yellow. cocoanut creams. make the uncooked cream as in the foregoing recipe. take the cream while soft, add fresh grated cocoanut to taste; add sufficient confectioners' sugar to mold into balls and then roll the balls in the fresh grated cocoanut. these may be colored pink with a few drops of cochineal syrup, also brown by adding a few spoonfuls of grated chocolate; then rolling them in grated cocoanut; the three colors are very pretty together. the coconut cream may be made into a flat cake and cut into squares or strips. with this uncooked cream, all the recipes given for the cooked "french cream," may be used: english walnut creams, variegated creams, etc. coffee, tea, beverages. boiling water is a very important desideratum in the making of a cup of good coffee or tea, but the average housewife is very apt to overlook this fact. do not boil the water more than three or four minutes; longer boiling ruins the water for coffee or tea making, as most of its natural properties escape by evaporation, leaving a very insipid liquid composed mostly of lime and iron, that would ruin the best coffee, and give the tea a dark, dead look, which ought to be the reverse. water left in the tea-kettle over night _must never be used for preparing the breakfast coffee_; no matter how excellent your coffee or tea may be, it will be ruined by the addition of water that has been boiled more than once. the healing properties of tea and coffee. the medical properties of these two beverages are considerable. tea is used advantageously in inflammatory diseases and as a cure for the headache. coffee is supposed to act as a preventative of gravel and gout, and to its influence is ascribed the rarity of those diseases in prance and turkey. both tea and coffee powerfully counteract the effects of opium and intoxicating liquors: though, when taken in excess, and without nourishing food, they themselves produce, temporarily at least, some of the more disagreeable consequences incident to the use of ardent spirits. in general, however, none but persons possessing great mobility of the nervous system, or enfeebled or effeminate constitutions, are injuriously affected by the moderate use of tea and coffee in connection with food. coffee. one full coffeecupful of ground coffee, stirred with one egg and part of the shell, adding a half cupful of _cold_ water. put it into the coffee boiler, and pour on to it a quart of boiling water; as it rises and begins to boil, stir it down with a silver spoon or fork. boil hard for ten or twelve minutes. remove from the fire and pour out a cupful of coffee, then pour back into the coffeepot. place it on the back of the stove or range where it will keep hot (and not boil); it will settle in about five minutes. send to the table _hot_. serve with good cream and lump sugar. three-quarters of a pound of java and a quarter of a pound of mocha make the best mixture of coffee. vienna coffee. equal parts of mocha and java coffee; allow one heaping tablespoonful of coffee to each person and two extra to make good strength. mix one egg with grounds; pour on coffee half as much boiling water as will be needed; let it froth, then stir down grounds, and let boil five minutes; then let it stand where it will keep hot, but not boil, for five or ten minutes, and add rest of water. to one pint of cream add the white of an egg, well beaten; this is to be put in cups with sugar, and hot coffee added. filtered or drip coffee. for each person allow a large tablespoonful of finely ground coffee, and to every tablespoonful allow a cupful of boiling water; the coffee to be one part mocha to two of java. have a small iron ring made to fit the top of the coffeepot inside, and to this ring sew a small muslin bag (the muslin for the purpose must not be too thin). fit the bag into the pot, pour some boiling water in it, and, when the pot is well warmed, put the ground coffee into the bag; pour over as much boiling water as is required, close the lid, and, when all the water has filtered through, remove the bag, and send the coffee to table. making it in this manner prevents the necessity of pouring the coffee from one vessel to another, which cools and spoils it. the water should be poured on the coffee gradually so that the infusion may be stronger; and the bag must be well made that none of the grounds may escape through the seams and so make the coffee thick and muddy. patented coffeepots on this principle can be purchased at most house-furnishing stores. iced coffee. make more coffee than usual at breakfast time and stronger. when cold put on ice. serve with cracked ice in each tumbler. substitute for cream in coffee. beat the white of an egg, put to it a small lump of butter and pour the coffee into it gradually, stirring it so that it will not curdle. it is difficult to distinguish this from fresh cream. many drop a tiny piece of sweet butter into their cup of hot coffee as a substitute for cream. to make tea. allow two teaspoonfuls of tea to one large cupful of boiling water. scald the teapot, put in the tea, pour on about a cupful of _boiling_ water, set it on the fire in a warm place, where it will not boil, but keep very hot, to almost boiling; let it steep or "draw" ten or twelve minutes. now fill up with as much boiling water as is required. send _hot_ to the table. it is better to use a china or porcelain teapot, but if you do use metal let it be tin, new, bright and clean; never use it when the tin is worn off and the iron exposed. if you do you are drinking tea-ate of iron. to make tea to perfection, boiling water must be poured on the leaves directly it boils. water which has been boiling more than five minutes, or which has previously boiled, should on no account be used. if the water does not boil, or if it be allowed to overboil, the leaves of the tea will be only half-opened and the tea itself will be quite spoiled. the water should be allowed to remain on the leaves from ten to fifteen minutes. a chinese being interviewed for the _cook_ says: drink your tea plain. don't add milk or sugar. tea-brokers and tea-tasters never do; epicures never do; the chinese never do. milk contains fibrin, albumen or some other stuff, and the tea a delicate amount of tannin. mixing the two makes the liquid turbid. this turbidity, if i remember the cyclopædia aright, is tannate of fibrin, or leather. people who put milk in tea are therefore drinking boots and shoes in mild disguise. iced tea. is now served to a considerable extent during the summer months. it is of course used without milk, and the addition of sugar serves only to destroy the finer tea flavor. it may be prepared some hours in advance, and should be made stronger than when served hot. it is bottled and placed in the ice chest till required. use the black or green teas, or both, mixed, as fancied. chocolate. allow half a cupful of grated chocolate to a pint of water and a pint of milk. rub the chocolate smooth in a little cold water and stir into the boiling water. boil twenty minutes, add the milk and boil ten minutes more, stirring it often. sweeten to your taste. the french put two cupfuls of boiling water to each cupful of chocolate. they throw in the chocolate just as the water commences to boil. stir it with a spoon as soon as it boils up, add two cupfuls of good milk, and when it has boiled sufficiently, serve a spoonful of thick whipped cream with each cup. cocoa. six tablespoonfuls of cocoa to each pint of water, as much milk as water, sugar to taste. rub cocoa smooth in a little cold water; have ready on the fire a pint of boiling water; stir in grated cocoa paste. boil twenty minutes, add milk and boil five minutes more, stirring often. sweeten in cups so as to suit different tastes. buttermilk as a drink. buttermilk, so generally regarded as a waste product, has latterly been coming somewhat into vogue, not only as a nutrient, but as a therapeutic agent, and in an editorial article the _canada lancet_, some time ago, highly extolled its virtues. buttermilk may be roughly described as milk which has lost most of its fat and a small percentage of casein, and which has become sour by fermentation. long experience has demonstrated it to be an agent of superior digestibility. it is, indeed, a true milk peptone--that is, milk already partly digested, the coagulation of the coagulable portion being loose and flaky, and not of that firm indigestible nature which is the result of the action of the gastric juice upon cow's sweet milk. it resembles koumiss in its nature, and, with the exception of that article, it is the most grateful, refreshing and digestible of the products of milk. it is a decided laxative to the bowels, a fact which must be borne in mind in the treatment of typhoid fever, and which may be turned to advantage in the treatment of habitual constipation. it is a diuretic, and may be prescribed with advantage in some kidney troubles. owing to its acidity, combined with its laxative properties, it is believed to exercise a general impression on the liver. it is well adapted to many cases where it is customary to recommend lime water and milk. it is invaluable in the treatment of diabetes, either exclusively, or alternating with skimmed milk. in some cases of gastric ulcer and cancer of the stomach, it is the only food that can be retained. _medical journal._ currant wine. no. . the currants should be quite ripe. stem, mash and strain them, adding a half pint of water and less than a pound of sugar to a quart of the mashed fruit. stir well up together and pour into a clean cask, leaving the bung-hole open, or covered with a piece of lace. it should stand for a month to ferment, when it will be ready for bottling; just before bottling you may add a small quantity of brandy or whisky. currant wine. no. . to each quart of currant juice, add two quarts of soft water and three pounds of brown sugar. put into a jug or small keg, leaving the top open until fermentation ceases and it looks clear. draw off and cork tightly. _long island recipe._ blackberry wine. no. . cover your blackberries with cold water; crush the berries well with a wooden masher; let them stand twenty-four hours; then strain, and to one gallon of juice put three pounds of common brown sugar; put into wide-mouthed jars for several days, carefully skimming off the scum that will rise to the top; put in several sheets of brown paper and let them remain in it three days; then skim again and pour through a funnel into your cask. there let it remain undisturbed till march; then strain again and bottle. these directions, if carefully followed out, will insure you excellent wine. _orange county recipe._ blackberry wine no. berries should be ripe and plump. put into a large wood or stone vessel with a tap; pour on sufficient boiling water to cover them; when cool enough to bear your hand, bruise well until all the berries are broken; cover up, let stand until berries begin to rise to top, which will occur in three or four days. then draw off the clear juice in another vessel, and add one pound of sugar to every ten quarts of the liquor, and stir thoroughly. let stand six to ten days in first vessel with top; then draw off through a jelly-bag. steep four ounces of isinglass in a pint of wine for twelve hours; boil it over a slow fire till all dissolved, then place dissolved isinglass in a gallon of blackberry juice, give them a boil together and pour all into the vessel. let stand a few days to ferment and settle; draw off and keep in a cool place. other berry wines may be made in the same manner. grape wine. mash the grapes and strain them through a cloth; put the skins in a tub, after squeezing them, with barely enough water to cover them; strain the juice thus obtained into the first portion; put three pounds of sugar to one gallon of the mixture; let it stand in an open tub to ferment, covered with a cloth, for a period of from three to seven days; skim off what rises every morning. put the juice in a cask and leave it open for twenty-four hours; then bung it up, and put clay over the bung to keep the air out. let your wine remain in the cask until march, when it should be drawn off and bottled. florida orange wine. wipe the oranges with a wet cloth, peel off the yellow rind very thin, squeeze the oranges, and strain the juice through a hair-sieve; measure the juice after it is strained and for each gallon allow three pounds of granulated sugar, the white and shell of one egg and one-third of a gallon of cold water; put the sugar, the white and shell of the egg (crushed small) and the water over the fire and stir them every two minutes until the eggs begin to harden; then boil the syrup until it looks clear under the froth, of egg which will form on the surface; strain the syrup, pour it upon the orange rind and let it stand over night; then next add the orange juice and again let it stand over night; strain it the second day, and put it into a tight cask with a small cake of compressed yeast to about ten gallons of wine, and leave the bung out of the cask until the wine ceases to ferment; the hissing noise continues so long as fermentation is in progress; when fermentation ceases, close the cask by driving in the bung, and let the wine stand about nine months before bottling it; three months after it is bottled, it can be used. a glass of brandy added to each gallon of wine after fermentation ceases is generally considered an improvement. there are seasons of the year when florida oranges by the box are very cheap, and this fine wine can be made at a small expense. methelin, or honey wine. this is a very ancient and popular drink in the north of europe. to some new honey, strained, add spring water; put a whole egg into it; boil this liquor till the egg swims above the liquor; strain, pour it in a cask. to every fifteen gallons add two ounces of white jamaica ginger, bruised, one ounce of cloves and mace, one and one-half ounces of cinnamon, all bruised together and tied up in a muslin bag; accelerate the fermentation with yeast; when worked sufficiently, bung up; in six weeks draw off into bottles. _another mead._--boil the combs, from which the honey has been drained, with sufficient water to make a tolerably sweet liquor; ferment this with yeast and proceed as per previous formula. _sack mead_ is made by adding a handful of hops and sufficient brandy to the comb liquor. black currant wine. four quarts of whisky, four quarts of black currants, four pounds of brown or white sugar, one tablespoonful of cloves, one tablespoonful of cinnamon. crush the currants and let them stand in the whisky with the spices for three weeks; then strain and add the sugar; set away again for three weeks longer; then strain and bottle. raisin wine. take two pounds of raisins, seed and chop them, a lemon, a pound of white sugar and about two gallons of boiling water. pour into a stone jar and stir daily for six or eight days. strain, bottle and put in a cool place for ten days or so, when the wine will be ready for use. cherry bounce. to one gallon of wild cherries add enough good whisky to cover the fruit. let soak two or three weeks and then drain off the liquor. mash the cherries without breaking the stones and strain through a jelly-bag; add this liquor to that already drained off. make a with a gill of water and a pound of white sugar to every two of liquor thus prepared; stir in well and bottle, and tightly cork. a common way of making cherry bounce is to put wild cherries and whisky together in a jug and use the liquor as wanted. blackberry cordial. warm and squeeze the berries; add to one pint of juice one pound of white sugar, one-half ounce of powdered cinnamon, one-fourth ounce of mace, two teaspoonfuls of cloves. boil all together for one-fourth of an hour; strain the syrup, and to each pint add a glass of french brandy. two or three doses of a tablespoonful or less will check any slight diarrhoea. when the attack is violent, give a tablespoonful after each discharge until the complaint is in subjection. it will arrest dysentery if given in season, and is a pleasant and safe remedy. excellent for children when teething. hop beer. take five quarts of water, six ounces of hops, boil it three hours; then strain the liquor, add to it five quarts of water, four ounces of bruised ginger root; boil this again twenty minutes, strain and add four pounds of sugar. when luke-warm put in a pint of yeast. let it ferment; in twenty-four hours it will be ready for bottling. ginger beer. put into a kettle two ounces of powdered ginger root (or more if it is not very strong), half an ounce of cream of tartar, two large lemons, cut in slices, two pounds of broken loaf sugar and two gallons of soft boiling water. simmer them over a slow fire for half an hour. when the liquor is nearly cold, stir into it a large tablespoonful of the best yeast. after it has fermented, which will be in about twenty-four hours, bottle for use. spruce beer. allow an ounce of hops and a spoonful of ginger to a gallon of water. when well boiled, strain it and put in a pint of molasses, or a pound of brown sugar, and half an ounce or less of the essence of spruce; when cool, add a teacupful of yeast, and put into a clean tight cask, and let it ferment for a day or two, then bottle it for use. you can boil the sprigs of spruce fir in place of the essence. roman punch. no. . grate the yellow rind of four lemons and two oranges upon two pounds of loaf sugar. squeeze the juice of the lemons and oranges; cover it and let it stand until next day. strain it through a sieve, mix with the sugar; add a bottle of champagne and the whites of eight eggs beaten to a stiff froth. it may be frozen or not, as desired. for winter use snow instead of ice. roman punch. no. . make two quarts of lemonade, rich with pure juice lemon fruit; add one tablespoonful of extract of lemon. work well and freeze; just before serving, add for each quart of ice half a pint of brandy and half a pint of jamaica rum. mix well and serve in high glasses, as this makes what is called a semi or half ice. it is usually served at dinners as a _coup de milieu_. delicious junket. take two quarts of new milk, warm it on the stove to about blood heat, pour it into a glass or china bowl and stir into it two tablespoonfuls of prepared rennet, two tablespoonfuls of powdered loaf sugar, and a small wine-glassful of pale brandy. let it stand till cold and eat with sugar and rich cream. half the quantity can be made. raspberry shrub. one quart of raspberry juice, half a pound of loaf sugar, dissolved, a pint of jamaica rum, or part rum and brandy. mix thoroughly. bottle for use. sassafras mead. mix gradually with two quarts of boiling water three pounds and a half of the best brown sugar, a pint and a half of good west india molasses, and a quarter of a pound of tartaric acid. stir it well and when cool, strain it into a large jug or pan, then mix in a teaspoonful (not more) of essence of sassafras. transfer it to clean bottles (it will fill about half a dozen), cork it tightly and keep it in a cool place. it will be fit for use next day. put into a box or boxes a quarter of a pound of carbonate of soda, to use with it. to prepare a glass of sassafras mead for drinking, put a large tablespoonful of the mead into half a tumbler full of ice-water, stir into it a half teaspoonful of the soda and it will immediately foam up to the top. sassafras mead will be found a cheap, wholesome and pleasant beverage for warm weather. the essence of sassafras, tartaric acid and carbonate of soda, can, of course, be obtained at the druggist's. cream soda without the fountain. coffee-sugar, four pounds, three pints of water, three nutmegs, grated, the whites of ten eggs, well beaten, gum arabic, one ounce, twenty drops of oil of lemon, or extract equal to that amount. by using oils or other fruits, you can make as many flavors from this as you desire. mix all and place over a gentle fire, and stir well about thirty minutes; remove from the fire and strain, and divide into two parts; into one-half put eight ounces of bicarbonate of soda, into the other half put six ounces of tartaric acid. shake well, and when cold they are ready for use by pouring three or four spoonfuls from both parts into separate glasses, each one-third full of water. stir each and pour together, and you have a nice glass of cream soda which you can drink at your leisure, as the gum and eggs hold the gas. wine whey. sweeten one pint of milk to taste, and when boiling, throw in two wine-glasses of sherry; when the curd forms, strain the whey through a muslin bag into tumblers. lemon syrup. take the juice of twelve lemons; grate the rind of six in it, let it stand over night; then take six pounds of white sugar and make a thick syrup. when it is quite cool, strain the juice into it, and squeeze as much oil from the grated rind as will suit the taste. put in bottles, securely corked, for future use. a tablespoonful in a goblet of water will make a delicious drink on a hot day. for a summer draught. the juice of one lemon, a tumblerful of cold water, pounded sugar to taste, half a small teaspoonful of carbonate of soda. squeeze the juice from the lemon; strain and add it to the water, with sufficient pounded sugar to sweeten the whole nicely. when well mixed, put in the soda, stir well and drink while the mixture is in an effervescing state. noyeau cordial. to one gallon of proof spirit add three pounds of loaf sugar and a tablespoonful of extract of almonds. mix well together and allow to stand forty-eight hours; covered closely; now strain through thick flannel and bottle. this liquor will be much improved by adding half a pint of apricot or peach juice. egg nog. beat the yolks of twelve eggs very light, stir in as much white sugar as they will dissolve, pour in gradually one glass of brandy to cook the egg, one glass of old whisky, one grated nutmeg, and three pints of rich milk. beat the whites to a froth and stir in last. egg flip, or mulled ale. boil one quart of good ale with some nutmeg; beat up six eggs and mix them with a little cold ale; then pour the hot ale to it, pour it back and forth several times to prevent its curdling; warm and stir it till sufficiently thick; add a piece of butter or a glass of brandy and serve it with dry toast. milk punch. one pint of milk made very sweet; a wine-glassful of brandy or rum, well stirred together; grate a little nutmeg over the top of the glasses. serve with a straw in each glass. fine milk punch. pare off the yellow rind of four large lemons and steep it for twenty-four hours in a quart of brandy or rum. then mix with it the juice of the lemons, a pound and a half of loaf sugar, two grated nutmegs and a quart of water. add a quart of rich unskimmed milk, made boiling hot, and strain the whole through a jelly-bag. you may either use it as soon as it is cold, or make a larger quantity (in the above proportions) and bottle it. it will keep several months. to make hot punch. half a pint of rum, half a pint of brandy, quarter of a pound of sugar, one large lemon, half a teaspoonful of nutmeg, one pint of boiling water. rub the sugar over the lemon until it has absorbed all the yellow part of the skin, then put the sugar into a punch bowl; add the lemon juice (free from pips) and mix these two ingredients, well together. pour over them the boiling water, stir well together, add the rum, brandy and nutmeg; mix thoroughly and the punch will be ready to serve. it is very important in making good punch that all the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated; and to insure success, the processes of mixing must be diligently attended to. (this is an old-style punch.) lemonade. three lemons to a pint of water makes strong lemonade; sweeten to your taste. strawberry water. take one cupful of ripe hulled berries; crush with a wooden spoon, mixing with the mass a quarter of a pound of pulverized sugar and half a pint of cold water. pour the mixture into a fine sieve, rub through and filter till clear; add the strained juice, of one lemon and one and a half pints of cold water, mix thoroughly and set in ice chest till wanted. this makes a nice, cool drink on a warm day and easily to be made in strawberry season. strawberry and raspberry syrup. mash the fresh fruit, express the juice and to each quart add three and a half pounds of granulated sugar. the juice, heated to ° fahrenheit, and strained or filtered previous to dissolving the sugar, will keep for an indefinite time, canned hot in glass jars. the juice of soft fruits is best when allowed to drop therefrom by its own weight; lightly mash the fruit and then suspend in a cloth, allowing the juice to drop in a vessel beneath. many housekeepers, after the bottles and jars are thoroughly washed and dried, smoke them with sulphur in this way: take a piece of wire and bend it around a small piece of brimstone the size of a bean; set the brimstone on fire, put it in the jar or bottle, bending the other end over the mouth of the vessel, and cover with a cork; after the brimstone has burned away, fill the vessel with the syrup or preserves and cover tightly. there is no sulphurous taste left by the process. koumiss. koumiss is prepared by dissolving four ounces of white sugar in one gallon of skimmed milk, and placing in bottles of the capacity of one quart; add two ounces of baker's yeast or a cake of compressed yeast to each bottle. cork and tie securely, set in a warm place until fermentation is well under way, and lay the bottles on their sides in a cool cellar. in three days, fermentation will have progressed sufficiently to permit the koumiss to be in good condition. pineapple vinegar. cover sliced pineapples with pure cider vinegar; let them stand three or four days, then mash and strain through a cloth as long as it runs clear; to every three quarts of juice add five pounds of sugar. boil it altogether about ten minutes, skim carefully until nothing rises to the surface, take from the fire; when cool, bottle it. blackberries and raspberries, and, in fact, any kind of highly flavored fruit, is fine; a tablespoonful in a glass of ice-cold water, to drink in warm weather. raspberry vinegar. no. . put a quart of raspberries into a suitable dish, pour over them a quart of good vinegar, let it stand twenty-four hours, then strain through a flannel bag and pour this liquor on another quart of berries; do this for three or four days successively and strain it; make it very sweet with loaf sugar; bottle and seal it. raspberry vinegar. no. . turn over a quart or ripe raspberries, mashed, a quart of good cider vinegar, add one pound of white sugar, mix well, then let stand in the sun four hours. strain it, squeeze out the juice and put in a pint of good brandy. seal it up in bottles, air-tight, and lay them on their sides in the cellar; cover them with sawdust. when used, pour two tablespoonfuls to a tumblerful of ice-water. fine. home-made table vinegar. put in an open cask four gallons of warm rain-water, one gallon of common molasses and two quarts of yeast; cover the top with thin muslin and leave it in the sun, covering it up at night and when it rains. in three or four weeks it will be good vinegar. if cider can be used in place of rain-water the vinegar will make much sooner--will not take over a week to make a very sharp vinegar. excellent for pickling purposes. very strong table vinegar. take two gallons of good cider and thoroughly mix it with two pounds of new honey, pour into your cask or bottle and let it stand from four to six months, when you will have vinegar so strong that it cannot be used at table without diluting with water. it is the best ever procured for pickling purposes. pineapple-ade. pare and slice some very ripe pineapples; then cut the slices into small pieces. put them with all their juice into a large pitcher, and sprinkle among them plenty of powdered white sugar. pour on boiling water, allowing a small half pint to each pineapple. cover the pitcher and let it stand till quite cool, occasionally pressing down the pineapple with a spoon. then set the pitcher for a while in ice. lastly, strain the infusion into another vessel and transfer it to tumblers, putting into each glass some more sugar and a bit of ice. this beverage will be found delicious. seidlitz powders. fold in a white paper a mixture of one drachm of rochelle salts and twenty-five grains of carbonate of soda, in a blue paper twenty grains of tartaric acid. they should all be pulverized very finely. put the contents of the white paper into a tumbler, not quite half full of cold water, and stir it till dissolved. then put the mixture from the blue paper into another tumbler with the same quantity of water, and stir that also. when the powders are dissolved in both tumblers, pour the first into the other, and it will effervesce immediately. drink it quickly, while foaming. inexpensive drink. a very nice, cheap drink which may take the place of lemonade and be found fully as healthful is made with one cupful of pure cider vinegar, half a cupful of good molasses, put into one quart pitcher of ice-water. a tablespoonful of ground ginger added makes a healthful beverage. [illustration] the varieties of seasonable food to be obtained in our markets during the year. january. meats.--beef, mutton, pork, lamb. poultry and game.--rabbits, hares, partridges, woodcocks, grouse or prairie chickens, snipes, antelope, quails, swans, geese, chickens, capons, tame pigeons, wild ducks, the canvas-back duck being the most popular and highly prized; turkeys. fish.--haddock, fresh codfish, halibut, flounders, bass, fresh salmon, turbot. frozen fresh mackerel is found in our large cities during this month; also frozen salmon, red-snapper, shad, frozen bluefish, pickerel, smelts, green turtle, diamond-back terrapin, prawns, oysters, scallops, hard crabs, white bait, finnan haddie, smoked halibut, smoked salmon. vegetables.--cabbage, carrots, turnips, parsnips, beets, pumpkins, chives, celery, winter squash, onions, white and sweet potatoes, jerusalem artichokes, chiccory, brussels-sprouts, kale-sprouts, oyster plant, leeks, cress, cauliflower. garden herbs, both dry and green, being chiefly used in stuffing and soups, and for flavoring and garnishing certain dishes, are always in season, such as sage, thyme, sweet basil, borage, dill, mint, parsley, lavender, summer savory, etc., may be procured green in the summer and dried in the winter. february. meats.--beef, mutton, pork, lamb, antelope. poultry and game.--partridges, hares, rabbits, snipes, capons, pheasants, fowls, pullets, geese, ducks, turkeys, wild ducks, swan, and pigeons. fish.--halibut, haddock, fresh codfish, striped bass, eels, fresh salmon, live lobsters, pompano, sheep's-head, red-snapper, white perch, a panfish, smelts--green and frozen; shad, herring, salmon-trout, whitefish, pickerel, green turtle, flounders, scallops, prawns, oysters, soft-shell crabs--which are in excellent condition this month; hard crabs, white bait, boneless dried codfish, finnan haddie, smoked halibut, smoked salmon. vegetables.--white potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, onions, parsnips, oyster plant, okra, celery, chiccory, carrots, turnips, jerusalem artichokes, french artichokes, brussels-sprouts, beets, mushrooms raised in hot houses, pumpkins, winter squash, dry shallots and garden herbs for seasoning put up in the dried state. march. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork. poultry and game.--chickens, turkeys, ducks, rabbits, snipes, wild pigeons, capons. fish.--striped bass, halibut, salmon, live codfish, chicken halibut, live lobster, spanish mackerel, flounders, sheep's-head, pompano, grouper, red-snapper. shad are plentiful this month. herring, salmon-trout, sturgeon, whitefish, pickerel, yellow perch, catfish, green turtle, terrapin, scallops, soft-shell clams, oysters, prawns, smoked salmon, smoked halibut, smoked haddock, salt codfish. vegetables.--cabbage, turnips, carrots, parsnips, artichokes, white potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, leeks, radishes, brussels-sprouts, celery, mushrooms, salsify-chives, cress, parsley and other garden herbs, greens, rhubarb and cucumbers raised in hot beds. april. meats.--beef, veal, pork, mutton, lamb. poultry and game.--chickens, fowls, green geese, young ducks, capons, golden plover, squabs, wild ducks. fish.--haddock, fresh cod, striped bass, halibut, eels, chicken halibut, live lobsters, salmon, white perch, flounders, fresh mackerel, sheep's-head, smelts, red-snapper, bluefish, skate or ray fish, shad, whitefish, brook trout, salmon-trout, pickerel, catfish, prawns, crayfish, green turtle, oysters, scallops, frogs' legs, clams, hard crabs, white bait, smoked halibut, smoked salmon, smoked haddock, salt mackerel, salt codfish. vegetables.--onions, white and sweet potatoes, kale-sprouts, rhubarb, artichokes, turnips, radishes, brussels-sprouts, okra, cabbage, parsnips, mushrooms, cress, carrots, beets, dandelion, egg plant, leeks, lettuce, cucumbers, asparagus, string beans, peas, chives. may. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork. poultry and game.--fowls, pigeons, spring chickens, young ducks, chickens, green geese, young turkeys. fish.--halibut, haddock, striped bass, salmon, flounders, fresh mackerel, spanish mackerel, blackfish, pompano, butterfish, weakfish, kingfish, porgies, shad, bluefish, clams, brook-trout, whitefish, carp, crayfish, prawns, green turtle, soft crabs, frogs' legs, smoked fish. vegetables.--new potatoes, sweet potatoes, cabbage, young onions, asparagus, beets, carrots, kidney beans, string beans, lettuce, tomatoes, cauliflower, peas, turnips, squash, rhubarb, spinach, radishes, artichokes, sorrel, egg-plant, cucumbers, salads generally. june. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb. poultry and game.--chickens, geese, ducks, young turkeys, plovers, pigeons. fish.--fresh salmon, striped bass, halibut, fresh mackerel, flounders, kingfish, blackfish, weakfish, butterfish, pompano, spanish mackerel, porgies, sheeps-head, sturgeon, sea bass, bluefish, skate or rayfish, carp, black bass, crayfish, lobsters, eels, white bait, frogs' legs, soft crabs, clams. vegetables.--potatoes, spinach, cauliflower, string beans, peas tomatoes, asparagus, carrots, artichokes, parsnips, onions, cucumbers, lettuce, radishes, cress, oyster plant, egg plant, rhubarb and all kinds of garden herbs, sorrel, horse-radish. july. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork. poultry and game.--fowls, chickens, pigeons, plovers, young geese, turkey-plouts, squabs, doe-birds,-tame rabbits. fish.--spanish mackerel, striped bass, fresh mackerel, blackfish, kingfish, flounders, salmon, cod, haddock, halibut, pompano, butterfish, a sweet panfish, sheep's-head, porgies, sea bass, weakfish, swordfish, tantog, bluefish skate, brook trout, crayfish, black bass, moonfish--a fine baking or boiling fish; pickerel, perch, eels, green turtle, frogs' legs, soft crabs, white bait, prawns, lobsters, clams. vegetables.--potatoes, asparagus, peas, green string beans, butter beans, artichokes, celery, lettuce, carrots, salsify, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, cabbage onions, endive, radishes, turnips, mint, various kinds of greens and salads. august. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork. poultry and game.--venison, young ducks, green geese, snipe, plover, turkeys, guinea-fowls, squabs, wild pigeons, woodcock, fowls. fish--striped bass, cod, halibut, haddock, salmon, flounders, fresh mackerel, ponito, butterfish, sea bass, kingfish, sheep's-head, porgies, bluefish, moonfish, brook trout, eels, black bass, crayfish, skate or rayfish, catfish, green turtle, white bait, squid, frogs' legs, soft crabs, prawns, clams. vegetables.--carrots, artichokes, onions, string beans, lima beans, cauliflower irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, green corn, tomatoes, peas, summer squash, cucumbers, radishes, lettuce, celery, rhubarb, beets, greens, mushrooms, chives. september. meat.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork, venison. poultry and game.--larks, woodcock, snipe, wild pigeons, squabs, young geese, young turkeys, plover, wild ducks, wild geese, swans and brant fowls, reed-birds, grouse, doe-birds, partridges. fish.--salmon, halibut codfish, pompano, striped bass, haddock, cero, a large fish similar to the spanish mackerel; flounders, fresh mackerel, blackfish, spanish mackerel, butterfish, whitefish, weakfish, smelts, porgies, squids, pickerel, crayfish, catfish, bluefish, wall-eyed pike, sea bass, skate, carp, prawns, white bait, frogs' legs, hard crabs, moonfish, soft crabs, herrings, lobsters, clams. vegetables.--potatoes, cabbages, turnips, artichokes, peas, beans, carrots, onions, salsify, mushrooms, lettuce, sorrel, celery, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, squash, rhubarb, green-peppers, parsnips, beets, green corn, tomatoes, cress. october. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, lamb, pork, venison, antelope. poultry and game.--turkeys, geese, fowls, pullets, chickens, wild ducks, the canvas-back duck being the most highly prized, for its delicate flavor; woodcock, grouse, pheasants, pigeons, partridges, snipes, reed-birds, golden plover, gray plover, squabs. fish.--striped bass, fresh cod, halibut, haddock, spanish mackerel, fresh mackerel, cero, flounders, pompano, weakfish, white perch, grouper, sheep's-head, whitefish, bluefish, pickerel, red-snapper, yellow perch, smelts, sea bass, black bass, cisco, wall-eyed pike, crayfish, carp, salmon-trout, spotted bass, terrapin, frogs' legs, hard crabs, soft crabs, white bait, green turtle, scallops, eels, lobsters, oysters. vegetables.--potatoes, cabbages, turnips, carrots, cauliflowers, parsnips, string beans, peas, lima beans, corn, tomatoes, onions, spinach, salsify, egg plant, beets, pumpkins, endive, celery, parsley, squash, cucumbers, mushrooms, sweet herbs of all kinds, salads of all kinds, garlic, shallots. november. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, pork, venison, antelope. poultry and game.--rabbits, hares, pheasants, woodcock, partridges, quails, snipe, grouse, wild ducks, wild geese, fowls, turkeys, pigeons. fish.--striped bass, fresh cod, halibut, haddock, salmon, fresh mackerel, blackfish, whitefish, bluefish, catfish, redfish or spotted bass, black bass, yellow perch, skate, red-snapper, salmon-trout, pickerel, shad, wall-eyed pike, cisco, crayfish, terrapin, green turtle, scallops, prawns, white bait, frogs' legs, hard crabs, oysters. vegetables.--potatoes, carrots, parsnips, turnips, onions, dried beans, artichokes, cabbages, beets, winter squash, celery, parsley, pumpkins, shallots, mushrooms, chiccory, all sorts of salads and sweet herbs. december. meats.--beef, veal, mutton, pork, venison. poultry and game.--rabbits, hares, grouse, pheasants, woodcock, snipe, partridges, turkey, fowls, chickens, pullets, geese, wild geese, ducks, wild duck, tame duck, canvas-back duck, quails. fish.--turbot, sturgeon, haddock, halibut, eels, striped bass, flounders, salmon, fresh cod, blackfish, whitefish, grouper, cusk, shad, mullet, a sweet panfish, black bass, yellow perch, salmon-trout, pickerel, cisco, skate, wall-eyed pike, terrapin, crayfish, green turtle, prawns, hard crabs, soft crabs, scallops, frogs' legs, oysters. vegetables.--- potatoes, cabbages, onions, winter squash, beets, turnips, pumpkins, carrots, parsnips, dried beans, dried peas, mushrooms, parsley, shallots, brussels-sprouts, leeks, horse-radish, garlic, mint, sage and small salads. garden herbs which are mostly used for stuffings and for flavoring dishes, soups, etc., or for garnishing, may be found either green or dried the year round, always in season. melons can be had at most of our markets from july st until the th of october; they are received from the south in the early part of the season, and are not as fresh and good as those ripened in our own vicinity. [illustration] menus breakfast, lunch and dinner for the holidays and for a week in each month in the year. * * * * * january. new year's day. breakfast. baked apples . hominy . boiled white fish . ham omelet . potatoes á la crême . parker house rolls . crullers . toast . coffee . supper. cold roast turkey . boston oyster pie . celery salad . baked sweet potatoes . rusks . fruit cake . sliced oranges. tea . dinner. oysters on half shell. julienne soup . baked pickerel . roast turkey , oyster stuffing . mashed potatoes . boiled onions . baked winter squash . cranberry sauce . chicken pie . plain celery . lobster salad . olives. spiced currants . english plum pudding , wine sauce . mince pie . orange-water ice . fancy cakes . cheese. fruits. nuts. raisins. confectionery. coffee . sunday. breakfast. oranges. oatmeal, with cream . broiled mutton chops . tomato sauce . favorite warmed potatoes . eggs on toast . graham gems . wheat bread . coffee . supper. potted ham . cheese cream toast . celery salad . cold raised biscuit . gooseberry jam . citron cake . tea . dinner. oysters on half shell. mock turtle soup . boiled halibut , sauce maitre d'hotel . roast haunch of venison , currant jelly . potato croquettes no. . creamed parsnips . celery. pickled white cabbage . chicken patties . baked lemon pudding . jelly kisses . raisins. nuts. fruit. coffee . monday. breakfast. baked apples . boiled rice . pork cutlets . waffles , with maple syrup. potato fillets . toast . coffee . luncheon. cold roast venison . broiled oysters . potato salad . rye drop-cakes . canned peaches . tea . dinner. macaroni soup . boiled leg of mutton , caper sauce . potatoes á la delmonico . steamed cabbage . cheese fondu . cucumber pickles . boston cream pie . sliced oranges. crackers. cheese. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. raspberry jam . hominy . saratoga chips . porterhouse steak . french griddle-cakes . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. scrambled mutton . welsh rarebit . olives. hominy croquettes . currant jelly . molasses cup cake . chocolate . dinner. oyster soup . roast loin of pork . apple sauce . boiled sweet potatoes . scalloped onions . stewed carrots . pickled green peppers . royal sago pudding . sweet sauce . crullers . fruit. cheese. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. old-fashioned apple sauce . fried mush . pork tenderloins . fried sweet potatoes . parker house rolls . omelet . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast pork . stewed codfish . green tomato pickles . rusks . strawberry jam . tea . dinner. beef soup . roast fillet of veal . tomato sauce . browned potatoes . macaroni á la crême . parsnip fritters . piccalili . lemon pie . cocoanut tarts . cheese. coffee . thursday. breakfast. stewed peaches. corn meal mush . stewed beef kidney . egg muffins . crisp potatoes . ham toast . coffee . luncheon. veal croquettes . sardines. cold slaw . cheese toast . canned plums . soft ginger cake . cocoa . dinner. chicken cream soup . boiled corned beef . boiled potatoes . boiled turnips . boiled cabbage . beets boiled . charlotte russe . preserved strawberries . fruit jumbles . fruit. coffee . friday. breakfast. orange marmalade . oat flakes . codfish balls . baked eggs on toast . lyonnaise potatoes . sally lunn . raised doughnuts . coffee . luncheon. cold corned beef . vegetable hash . deviled lobster . graham bread . peach butter . golden spice cake . tea . dinner. celery soup . baked halibut . hollandaise sauce . browned potatoes . scalloped oysters . stewed tomatoes . fried salsify . suet plum pudding . brandy sauce . sponge drops . fruit. coffee . saturday. breakfast. apple sauce . cracked wheat . beef hash . fried raw potatoes . buckwheat cakes with maple syrup - . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. scalloped fish . head cheese . celery . grafton milk biscuits . grape jelly . cream cake . chocolate . dinner. tomato soup . fricassee chicken . mashed potatoes . ladies' cabbage . boiled rice . cold slaw . apple pie . mock ice . cookies . cheese. coffee . february. washington's birthday. breakfast. oranges. oatmeal with cream . country sausage . baked omelet . lyonnaise potatoes . clam fritters . egg muffins . wheat bread . coffee . dinner oysters on half shell. mock turtle soup . baked white fish . bechamel sauce . boiled turkey . oyster sauce . boiled sweet potatoes . steamed potatoes . stewed tomatoes . scalloped onions . salmi of game . olives. chicken salad . washington poe . bavarian cream . variegated jelly . marble cake . candied fruits. raisins and nuts. coffee . supper cold boiled turkey . potato croquettes . lobster salad . soda biscuit . english pound cake . pineapple preserves . tea . sunday breakfast old-fashioned apple sauce . graham mush . broiled ham . potato croquettes . fried eggs . virginia corn bread . german doughnuts . wheat bread . coffee . dinner ox-tail soup baked white fish (bordeaux sauce) . braised ducks with turnips . mashed potatoes . stewed tomatoes . timbale of macaroni . celery salad . fried sweetbreads . sago apple pudding . lemon jelly . fruit. almond macaroons . coffee . supper boston oyster pie . cold boiled tongue . sliced cucumber pickle . orange short-cake . ginger snaps . tea . monday. breakfast. stewed apricots. steamed oatmeal . fried chicken . potato puffs . flannel cakes . milk toast . coffee . luncheon. warmed-up duck . sliced bologna sausage . celery . potato biscuit . canned grapes . chocolate . dinner. vermicelli soup . stewed brisket of beef . scalloped potatoes . stewed parsnips . french cabbage . mixed pickles . cranberry pie . spanish cream . fruit. cheese. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. sliced oranges. hominy . hamburger steak . grilled pork . saratoga chips . tennessee muffins . puff ball doughnuts . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. cold sliced beef . potato puffs . tomato catsup . light biscuit . jelly fritters . tea . dinner. scotch mutton broth . baked ham . potato snow . scalloped tomatoes . veal croquettes . stewed beets . sunderland pudding . custard sauce . lemon cookies . fruit. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. fried apples . corn meal mush . fried pork chops . newport waffles . favorite warmed potatoes . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. sliced ham . scalloped oysters . fried sweet potatoes . sweet pickle . lemon toast . tea . dinner. mullagatawny soup . boned leg of mutton, roasted . boiled potatoes . stewed onions . mashed turnips . hot slaw . tapioca blanc mange , with raspberry jam . neapolitaines . fruit. coffee . thursday. breakfast. bananas. samp . broiled veal cutlets . tomato sauce . fried potatoes . french rolls . wonders . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. hashed mutton on toast . potato croquettes . pickled oysters . preserved cherries . feather cake . chocolate . dinner. tapioca cream soup . curry chicken with rice . steamed sweet potatoes . stewed salsify . boiled squash . pickled onions . delicate indian pudding . orange jelly . crackers. cheese. coffee . friday. breakfast. oranges. oatmeal with cream . boiled salt mackerel . veal hash on toast . fried sweet potatoes . corn meal griddle-cakes . coffee . luncheon. lobster croquettes . french stew . cold slaw . rusks . sweet omelet . tea . dinner. lobster soup . boiled cod with oyster sauce . potato puffs . fried cabbage . muttonettes . olives. cocoanut pudding . banana cream . cup cakes . coffee . saturday. breakfast. apple jelly . boiled rice . fried pickled pigs' feet . baked potatoes . fish omelet . english crumpets . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. dried beef with cream . cheese fondu . potato salad . grafton milk biscuits . corn meal puffs . lemon sauce . cocoa . dinner. turtle bean soup . beef á la mode . baked potatoes . sourcrout . macaroni á la italienne . chowchow . chocolate custard pie . little plum cakes . fruit. coffee . * * * * * march. sunday. breakfast. sliced oranges. oat flakes . porterhouse steak . lyonnaise potatoes . oyster omelet . raised biscuit . sour milk griddle-cakes . coffee . supper. calf's head cheese . lobster patties . potato salad . warm soda biscuits . honey. lemon cookies . tea . dinner. swiss white soup . boiled fresh mackerel , egg sauce . roast beef . yorkshire pudding . browned potatoes . spinach with eggs . boiled parsnips . scalloped cheese . chicken croquettes . tapioca cream custard . rhubarb pie . sponge drops . cheese. coffee . monday. breakfast. baked apples . hominy . fried ham and eggs . crisp potatoes . plain muffins . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast beef . fish fritters . baked potatoes . indian loaf cake . plum preserves . chocolate . dinner. split pea soup . braised veal . steamed potatoes . cabbage with cream . stewed beets . mixed pickles . superior bread pudding . plain sauce . orange tarts . fruit. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. bananas. fried mush . fried veal chops . hasty cooked potatoes . egg biscuit . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. oyster stew . spiced beef relish . hominy croquettes . rusks . canned peaches . tea . dinner. consommé soup . roast chicken . mashed potatoes . stewed carrots . tomato toast . spiced currants . almond pudding . lemon trifle . angel cake . fruit. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. lemon marmalade . cracked wheat . country sausages . potato puffs . bread griddle-cakes . cream toast . coffee . luncheon. chicken patties . baked omelet . potato croquettes . east india pickle . beaten biscuit . apple pudding . tea . dinner. vegetable soup . baked calf's head . boiled potatoes . stewed onions . macaroni and tomato sauce . cold slaw . apple custard pie . wine jelly . cocoanut cookies . cheese. coffee . thursday. breakfast. stewed prunes. steamed oatmeal . pork cutlets . baked potatoes . scrambled eggs . corn meal fritters . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. fricasseed tripe . hashed beef on toast . chicken salad . cream toast . crullers . grape jelly . chocolate . dinner. oyster soup . spiced beef . potato croquettes . spinach with eggs . scalloped tomatoes . olives. plain charlotte russe . jam tarts . fruit. coffee . friday. breakfast. peach jelly . boiled rice . fried pan fish . veal hash on toast . saratoga chips . feather griddle-cakes . coffee . luncheon. cold spiced beef . stewed codfish . fried potatoes . brown bread. apple fritters . tea . dinner. tomato soup no. . boiled white fish . maitre d'hotel sauce . potato snow . fried parsnips . boiled cabbage , and ham . cucumber pickle . cracker pudding . fruit sauce . lemon jelly . delicate cake . fruit. coffee . saturday. breakfast. cider apple sauce . hominy . calf's liver and bacon . potatoes á la crême . egg muffins . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. ham omelet . pan oysters . rice croquettes . cream short-cake . strawberry preserves . chocolate . dinner. philadelphia pepper pot . baked mutton cutlets . roast sweet potatoes . mashed turnips . stewed celery . lobster salad . apple dumplings . sweet sauce . baked custard . raisins. nuts. coffee . * * * * * april. sunday. breakfast. stewed apples . oatmeal with cream . veal cutlets broiled . shirred eggs . warmed potatoes . french rolls . wheat bread . coffee . supper. cold roast chicken . mayonnaise fish . welsh rarebit . baking powder biscuit . layer cake , with banana filling . chocolate . dinner. cream of spinach soup . broiled shad , sauce tartare . leg of mutton á la venison . steamed potatoes . creamed parsnips . oyster patties . currant jelly . lettuce salad . delmonico pudding pineapple sherbet . rolled jelly cake . fruit. coffee . monday. breakfast. sliced oranges. hominy . broiled halibut . omelet of herbs . saratoga chips . raised muffins . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. mutton pudding . oyster roast . lettuce with cream dressing . french rolls . cup custard . tea . dinner. mock turtle soup . tenderloin of beef . boiled potatoes . steamed cabbage . stewed onions . radishes. snow pudding . peach meringue pie . crisp cookies . fruit. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. stewed prunes. oat flakes . frizzled beef . grilled salt pork . potato puffs . sally lunn . toast . coffee . luncheon. roast beef pie with potato crust . fried tripe . hominy croquettes . olives. light biscuit . jelly puddings . chocolate . dinner. celery soup . french stew . potato puffs . mashed turnips . brain cutlets . pickled cabbage . golden cream cake . orange cocoanut salad . nuts. raisins. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. baked apples . boiled rice . mutton chops fried . lyonnaise potatoes . parker house rolls . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. chicken omelet . fried eels . radishes . steamed brown bread . sponge cake . quince preserves . tea . dinner. mullagatawny soup . boiled fillet of veal . boiled sweet potatoes . stewed tomatoes . baked sweetbreads . chowchow . mock cream pie . lemon jelly . almond jumbles . fruit. coffee . thursday. breakfast. oranges. cracked wheat . dried beef with cream . veal collops . baked potatoes . grafton milk biscuits . dipped toast . coffee . luncheon. pressed beef . stewed kidneys . baked potatoes . pickled peppers . fried dinner rolls . canned peaches . cocoa . dinner. beef soup . chicken á la terrapin . browned potatoes . fried parsnips . macaroni and cheese . lettuce , with french dressing . banana pudding . jam tarts . nuts. raisins. coffee . friday. breakfast. bananas. steamed oatmeal . stewed codfish . bread omelet . boiled potatoes . hot cross buns . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. rissoles of chicken . potted fish , nun's toast . potato biscuit . lemon cake . peach jelly . tea . dinner. vermicelli soup . baked shad with dressing . scalloped potatoes . spinach with eggs . veal croquettes . olives. fig pudding . chocolate eclairs . fruit. coffee . saturday. breakfast. stewed apricots. samp . broiled ham . fried eggs . sweet potatoes fried . newport waffles . flannel cakes . coffee . luncheon. veal stew . scalloped cheese . potato croquettes . radishes . boston brown bread . ginger snaps . canned grapes . chocolate . dinner. onion soup . pot roast . mashed potatoes . boiled onions . lobster patties . lettuce , with mayonnaise . pineapple charlotte russe . lady fingers . nuts. raisins. coffee . * * * * * may. sunday. breakfast. sliced pineapple. oat flakes . fried chicken . mushroom omelet . saratoga chips . sally lunn . wheat bread . coffee . supper. veal loaf sliced . scalloped clams . ham salad . rusks . preserved pears . almond cake . tea . dinner. cream of asparagus soup . boiled bass . sauce tartare . roast lamb , with mint sauce . boiled new potatoes . green peas . rice croquettes . lobster salad . cabinet pudding . custard ice-cream . jelly kisses . fruit. coffee . monday. breakfast. oranges. boiled rice . broiled lamb chops . lyonnaise potatoes . egg muffins . milk toast . coffee . luncheon. cold roast lamb . chicken turnovers . lettuce , with mayonnaise . french bread . layer cake with fig filling . chocolate . dinner. macaroni soup . beefsteak pie . mashed potatoes . string beans . ladies' cabbage . horse-radish . rhubarb pie . rice meringue . nuts. cheese. raisins. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. stewed rhubarb. oatmeal with cream . broiled shad . scrambled eggs . browned potatoes . brown bread . parker house rolls . coffee . luncheon. hamburger steak . potato croquettes . bean salad . sour milk biscuits . election cake . peach butter . tea . dinner. swiss white soup . roast loin of veal . new potatoes á la crême . baked onions . cheese fondu . spinach with egg . transparent pudding . cold cream sauce . cookies . fruit. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. stewed peaches. fried mush . frogs' legs fried , tomato sauce . new boiled potatoes . french rolls . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. veal pie . broiled ham . string beans . corn bread . pineapple fritters . chocolate . dinner. julienne soup . boiled beef tongue . potato snow . boiled turnips . macaroni á la italienne . lettuce salad . chocolate pudding , whipped cream . nuts. raisins. coffee . thursday. breakfast. sliced pineapple. hominy . tripe lyonnaise . plain omelet . new potatoes á la crême . plain crumpets . wheat griddle-cakes . coffee . luncheon. cold tongue . beefsteak . walnut catsup . light biscuit . cheap cream cake . preserved apples . tea . dinner. split pea soup . chicken pot-pie . boiled potatoes . stewed tomatoes . fried sweetbreads . bean salad . burnt almond charlotte . orange jelly . cornstarch cakes . fruit. coffee . friday. breakfast. oranges. steamed oatmeal . fresh salmon fried . boiled eggs . warmed potatoes . cream waffles . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. lamb stew . asparagus omelet . lettuce salad . german bread . canned peaches . molasses cup cakes . chocolate . dinner. irish potato soup . steamed halibut . egg sauce . steamed sweet potatoes . green peas . veal olives . dandelion greens . cold lemon pudding . jelly fritters . fruit. coffee . saturday. breakfast. stewed rhubarb. cracked wheat . baked mutton chops with potatoes . eggs aux fines herbes . graham gems . dipped toast . coffee . luncheon. fried spring chicken . clam fritters . sliced tomatoes. wheat drop cakes . coffee cake . crab apple jelly . chocolate . dinner. ox-tail soup . spiced beef . boiled new potatoes . string beans . spinach with eggs . radishes . pineapple pie . dessert puffs . fruit. coffee . * * * * * june. sunday. breakfast. strawberries and cream. hominy . fried brook trout . poached eggs . potatoes á la crême . corn meal muffins . mushrooms on toast . coffee . supper. scalloped crabs . cold pressed lamb . sliced tomatoes with mayonnaise . buns . angel cake . raspberries. tea . dinner. green pea soup . boiled salmon , bechamel sauce . stewed whole spring chicken . steamed new potatoes . beet greens . summer squash . raw cucumbers . sweetbread croquettes . chocolate blanc mange . strawberry ice-cream . queen's cake . coffee . monday. breakfast. stewed apricots. graham mush . fried chicken á la italienne . steamed potatoes . continental hotel waffles . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. pickled salmon . scalloped chicken . hominy croquettes . sliced cucumbers. strawberry short-cake , with cream. chocolate . dinner. beef soup , with noodles . veal pie . new potatoes . cucumbers á la crême . asparagus , white sauce . lettuce , french dressing . green currant pie . boiled custard . brunswick jelly cakes . cheese. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. raspberries and cream. oat flakes . soft shell crabs fried . ham omelet . warmed potatoes . pop-overs . toast . coffee . luncheon. french stew . cold sliced tongue . bean salad . milk biscuits . cold custard pie . iced tea . dinner. white mushroom soup . roast beef . potatoes á la crême . fried cauliflower . spinach with eggs . sliced tomatoes, mayonnaise . strawberry short-cake , with whipped cream . wafers . cheese. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. cherries. cracked wheat . broiled lamb chops , tomato sauce . saratoga chips . raised muffins . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. roast beef pie . fried potatoes with eggs . crab salad . soda biscuit . pineapple fritters . tea . dinner. veal soup , with croutons . boiled chicken , caper sauce . steamed new potatoes . asparagus on toast . string beans . young onions. green gooseberry tart . golden cream . cocoanut macaroons . cheese. coffee . thursday. breakfast. strawberries and cream. oatmeal with cream . chicken omelet . corned beef hash . potato fillets . grafton milk biscuits . cream toast . coffee . luncheon. smothered beefsteak . potato croquettes . lettuce with mayonnaise . cream short-cake . cherry pudding . chocolate . dinner. clam soup, french style . broiled fore-quarter of lamb , tomato sauce . potatoes á la delmonico . string beans . cauliflower . tomato salad . strawberry bavarian cream . sliced pineapple. pound cake . coffee . friday. breakfast. sliced tomatoes. boiled rice . broiled spanish mackerel . scalloped eggs . lyonnaise potatoes . french rolls . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. clam chowder . cold pressed beef . mixed summer salad . buns . fancy cakes . currants. tea . dinner. cream of asparagus . baked blue fish , tomato sauce . new potatoes and cream . summer squash . muttonettes . sliced cucumbers . charlotte russe . strawberries and cream. pastry ramakins . coffee . saturday. breakfast. stewed green currants. steamed oatmeal . porterhouse steak broiled with water-cress . new boiled potatoes . rusks . american toast . coffee . luncheon. fricassee chicken . rice croquettes . dressed cucumbers . french bread . cup cakes . strawberries and cream. iced tea . dinner. tomato soup . roast loin of mutton . scalloped new potatoes . cauliflower . beet greens . radishes . cherry pie . mock ice . variegated cakes . cheese. coffee . * * * * * july. fourth of july. breakfast. red raspberries and cream. fried chicken . scrambled tomatoes . warmed potatoes . tennessee muffins . toast . coffee . supper. cold sliced lamb . crab pie . water-cress salad . cheese toast . graham bread . sponge cake . blackberries. tea . dinner. clam soup . boiled cod , with lobster sauce . roast lamb . mint sauce . new potatoes boiled . green peas . spinach with eggs . cucumbers sliced . chicken patties . naple biscuits . vanilla ice-cream . chocolate macaroons . strawberries. coffee . sunday. breakfast. fresh cherries. hominy . broiled chicken . poached eggs . saratoga chips . new england corn cake . wheat bread . coffee . supper. spiced beef tongue . lobster patties . sliced tomatoes with mayonnaise . crumpets . white fruit cake . blackberries. tea . dinner. cream of spinach soup . boiled blue fish , sauce maitre d'hotel . roast lamb , tomato sauce . new potatoes with cream . green corn . cauliflower . white sauce . crab sated . salmon croquettes . cottage pudding . chocolate ice-cream . raspberries. coffee . monday. breakfast. stewed pears . oatmeal with cream . veal chops fried . plain omelet . warmed potatoes . raised muffins . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. cold roast lamb . corn pudding . potato salad . french bread . currant fritters . cocoa . dinner. julienne soup . beef a la mode . boiled potatoes . green peas . stuffed baked tomatoes . lettuce salad . blackberry pudding . floating islands . sponge cake . coffee . tuesday. breakfast. raspberries. cracked wheat . beefsteak broiled . cream toast . lyonnaise potatoes . light biscuit . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold sliced beef . cheese soufflé . tomato salad . graham bread . green gooseberry tart . tea . dinner. vermicelli soup . chicken stewed, with biscuit . steamed potatoes . stewed corn . lobster croquettes . cucumbers sliced . ripe currant pie . snow cream . ribbon cake . cheese. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. blackberries. steamed oatmeal . fresh salmon fried . beef hash . potato fillets . tennessee muffins . dipped toast . coffee . luncheon. beefsteak pie . chicken turnovers . lettuce with mayonnaise . buns . layer cake . banana filling . chocolate . dinner. spring vegetable soup . scalloped mutton and tomatoes . boiled potatoes . spinach with eggs . clam fritters . young onions. cornstarch pudding . raspberries with cream. silver cake . coffee . thursday. breakfast. red raspberries. graham mush with maple syrup . broiled lamb chops . fried tomatoes . potatoes á la crême . raised biscuit . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. sliced veal loaf . brain cutlets . fried potatoes . dressed cucumbers . french bread . cherry pie . tea . dinner. gumbo soup . roast beef pie with potato crust . potatoes á la delmonico . cauliflower . stewed green peas . lettuce , with mayonnaise . cherry roley poley . syllabub . boston cream cakes . coffee . friday. breakfast. fresh currants. boiled rice . perch fried . scrambled eggs . baked potatoes . parker house rolls . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. broiled chicken on toast . green corn fritters . stewed tomatoes . blackberries. berry tea cake . cocoa . dinner. clam chowder . salmon , and caper sauce . new potatoes scalloped . summer squash . chicken turnovers . new beets boiled . rice pudding . raspberry sherbet . philadelphia jumbles . coffee . saturday. breakfast. stewed gooseberries. corn meal mush . broiled ham . vegetable omelet . newport breakfast cakes . crisp potatoes . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. fricassee salmon . beefsteak . bean salad . corn bread . transparent pudding . iced tea . dinner. green pea soup . french stew . new potatoes with cream . mock oysters . scalloped clams . tomato salad . custard pie . sponge drops . red raspberries and cream. coffee . * * * * * august. sunday. breakfast. peaches and cream. boiled rice . broiled spanish mackerel . eggs aux fines herbes . warmed potatoes . rusks . wheat bread . coffee . supper. cold boiled chicken . pickled salmon . potato salad . french rolls . raspberries. white mountain cake . tea . dinner. consommé soup . baked pickerel . egg sauce . stewed ducks . potatoes á la delmonico . cabbage with cream . lobster salad . stuffed baked tomatoes . lamb sweetbreads . custard pudding . frozen peaches . fruit jumbles . coffee . monday. breakfast. stewed plums. steamed oatmeal . mutton cutlets . tomato toast . potato fillets . egg muffins . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. veal pot-pie . vegetable omelet . lettuce with french dressing . german bread . peach fritters . chocolate . dinner. tomato soup . roast beef's heart . boiled new potatoes . cauliflower . string beans . cucumbers sliced . damson pie . peach trifle . sponge cake . cheese. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. blackberries. hominy . frizzled beef . boiled eggs . saratoga chips . breakfast puffs . dipped toast . coffee . luncheon. sliced beef heart . fried tripe . stuffed baked tomatoes . pear pickle . buns . plum cobbler . tea . dinner. scotch mutton broth . broiled fore-quarter of lamb . new potatoes and cream . green peas . lettuce , french dressing . corn pudding . apricot meringue pie . lemon jelly . cookies . fruit. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. fresh pears. cracked wheat . brain cutlets . meat omelet . lyonnaise potatoes . huckleberry griddle-cakes . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. broiled salmon . sliced pressed lamb . tomatoes with mayonnaise . french bread . sponge cake . blackberries and cream. iced tea . dinner. cream of spinach soup . fried chicken á la italienne , tomato sauce . boiled sweet potatoes . stuffed egg plant . green corn boiled . young onions. rice pudding . peaches and cream. walnut cake . coffee . thursday. breakfast. musk melon. oatmeal with cream . calf's liver and bacon . broiled tomatoes . crisp potatoes . new england corn cake . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. steamed chicken . green corn fritters . fried sweet potatoes . dressed cucumbers . light biscuit . peaches and cream. chocolate . dinner. green pea soup . stewed brisket of beef . new potatoes boiled . lima beans . fried egg plant . lettuce salad . huckleberry pudding , rich wine sauce . cream tarts . fruit. coffee . friday. breakfast. whole peaches. corn meal mush . fried blue fish . dried beef, with cream . sweet potatoes fried . raised muffins . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. beef croquettes . scalloped lobster . mixed summer salad . german bread . huckleberry short-cake . tea . dinner. corn soup . baked salmon trout , bechamel sauce . potato croquettes . spinach with eggs . hashed mutton . tomatoes with mayonnaise . grape pie . peach cream . wafers . cheese. coffee . saturday. breakfast. fresh greengages. oat flakes . broiled chicken . cream toast . boiled potatoes . graham gems . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. broiled ham . tomato omelet . dressed cucumbers . french bread . cold fruit pudding . chocolate . dinner. chicken cream soup . irish stew . steamed potatoes . green peas . boiled corn . crab salad . huckleberry pie . peaches and cream. cup cakes . cheese. coffee . * * * * * september. sunday. breakfast. musk melon. corn meal mush . fried smelts . veal hash on toast . potatoes á la crême . graham gems . wheat bread . coffee . supper. potted ham . small oyster pies . rice omelet . cold slaw . french bread . cream cake . sliced peaches. tea . dinner. beef soup , with croutons . boiled fresh mackerel , hollandaise sauce . roast partridges . mashed potatoes . stewed corn . stuffed egg plant . tomato salad . lobster croquettes . peach meringue pie . tutti frutti ice-cream . rochester jelly cake . cheese. coffee . monday. breakfast. peaches and cream. graham mush with maple syrup . broiled lamb chops . fried tomatoes . baked potatoes . raised muffins . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. salmi of game . cold beef tongue . potato croquettes . watermelon pickle . egg biscuit . layer cake , with peach cream filling . chocolate . dinner. vegetable soup . tenderloin of beef . potato puffs . lima beans . fried tomatoes . mixed summer salad . peach pudding , with whipped cream . cocoanut tarts . cheese. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. huckleberries. steamed oatmeal . veal collops . ham toast . potato fillets . newport breakfast cakes . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast warmed . cheese fondu . fish salad . potato biscuit . peach cobbler . tea . dinner. vermicelli soup . baked mutton cutlets . boiled potatoes . baked beets . corn pudding . horse-radish . plum pie . floating islands . lemon cake . cheese. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. sliced tomatoes. oat flakes . beef hash . boiled eggs . sweet potatoes baked . parker house rolls . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. fried smelts . ham toast . potato salad . french bread . huckleberry cake . chocolate . dinner. split pea soup . roast tame duck . browned potatoes . string beans . baked tomatoes . lettuce , with mayonnaise . boiled lemon pudding . peach meringue . feather cake . coffee . thursday. breakfast. whole pears. hominy . hamburger steak . bread omelet . saratoga chips . light biscuit . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. duck pie . grilled bacon . tomato salad . graham bread . cold berry pudding . tea . dinner. corn soup . steamed leg of mutton . potatoes á la delmonico . fried corn . stewed salsify . currant jelly . grape pie . tapioca cream custard . watermelon. cheese. coffee . friday breakfast. musk melon. oatmeal with cream . broiled spanish maceral . scalloped eggs . warmed potatoes . tennesee muffins . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. hashed mutton . oatmeal with cream . cold greens . corn bread . boston cream cakes . grape jelly . chocolate . dinner. clam soup . fresh salmon, fried . tomato sauce . mashed potatoes . cauliflower . white sauce . beefsteak rolls . cucumbers sliced . country plum charlotte . german custard . jumbles . fruit. coffee . saturday breakfast. fresh apricots cracked wheat . stewed kidneys . grilled salt pork . lyonaise potatoes . sally lunn . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. breaded chicken . potato croquettes . tomatoes with mayonnaise . twist bread . sponge drops . hukleberries and cream tea . dinner. gumbo soup . roast lopin of veal . browned potatoes . succotash . mashed squash . bean salad . baked custard . peaches and cream. almond cake . coffee . * * * * * october. sunday. breakfast. grapes. oatmeal with cream . broiled veal cutlets . minced egg . crisp potatoes . buckwheat cakes . wheat bread . coffee . supper. oyster stew . cold pork and beans . cold slaw . boston brown bread . peach meringue pie . tea . dinner. ox-tail soup . broiled halibut . sauce tartare . roast beef . brown sauce . steamed potatoes . caulilower . boiled onions . chicken salad . scalloped tomatoes . french cocoanut pudding . grape trifle . fancy cakes . fruit coffee . monday. breakfast. stewed quinces. lamb . blue fish fried . milk toast . hasty cooked potatoes . pop-overs . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast beef . onion omelet . fried potatoes . french bread . peach fritters . chocolate . dinner. julienne soup . roast pheasants . cabbage with cream . boiled potatoes . mashed turnips . tomato salad . apple custard pie . baked quinces . chocolate eclairs . coffee . tuesday. breakfast. baked pears . cracked wheat . calf's liver and bacon . fried eggs . lyonnaise potatoes . dry toast . new england corn cake . coffee . luncheon. cold roast pheasant . potato croquettes . lobster salad . graham bread . country plum charlotte . tea . dinner. game soup . braised leg of mutton . mashed potatoes . scalloped oysters . boiled sweet potatoes . cold slaw . peach cobbler . french custard . layer jelly cake . coffee . wednesday. breakfast. grapes. steamed oatmeal . beefsteak broiled . tomato omelet . warmed potatoes . english crumpets . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. scrambled mutton . sardines. corn pudding . french rolls . ginger bread . sliced oranges. cocoa . dinner. mock turtle soup . boiled fillet of veal . potatoes á la delmonico . fried egg plant . mashed squash . olives. saucer puddings . apple snow . crisp cookies . coffee . thursday. breakfast. baked quinces . boiled rice . broiled grouse . tripe lyonnaise . potatoes á la crême . raised muffins . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. veal croquettes . cheese soufflé . potato salad . buns . grape pie . tea . dinner. swiss white soup . pot roast . steamed potatoes . lima beans . french cabbage . lettuce salad . plum puff pudding . blanc mange . dominoes . fruit. coffee . friday. breakfast. stewed plums. oat flakes . eels fried . beef hash . potato fillets . egg muffins . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. oyster-pot pie . muttonettes . fried egg plant . french bread . stewed crab apples. silver cake . chocolate . dinner. onion soup . baked smelts . potato snow . cauliflower . beef croquettes . spiced plums . plain charlotte russe . quince jelly . nuts. raisins. coffee . saturday. breakfast. whole pears. hominy . mutton cutlets . tomato sauce . saratoga chips . corn meal griddle-cakes . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. dried beef with cream . baked omelet . tomato salad . rusks . quince trifle . tea . dinner. veal soup , with noodles . chicken pot-pie . mashed potatoes . fried salsify . baked onions . ham salad . chocolate pie . sliced oranges. hickory nut cake . coffee . * * * * * november. thanksgiving day. breakfast. grapes. oat flakes . broiled porterhouse steak . codfish balls . browned potatoes . buckwheat cakes , maple syrup. wheat bread . coffee . supper. cold roast turkey . scalloped oysters . potato salad . cream short-cake . eclairs . preserved egg plums . tea . dinner. oysters on half shell. cream of chicken soup . fried smelts , sauce tartare . roast turkey , cranberry sauce . mashed potatoes . baked squash . boiled onions . parsnip fritters . olives. chicken salad . venison pastry . pumpkin pie . mince pie . charlotte russe . almond ice-cream . lemon jelly . hickory nut cake . cheese. fruits. coffee . sunday. breakfast. stewed crab apples. cracked wheat . white fish fried . jelly omelet . hasty cooked potatoes . tennessee muffins . crullers . wheat bread . coffee . supper. pickled pigs' feet . scalloped potatoes . chicken salad . light biscuit . golden spice cake . preserved cherries . tea . dinner. mullagatawny soup . boiled codfish , oyster sauce . roast wild duck . mashed potatoes . currant jelly sauce . baked squash . boiled beets . small oyster pies . baked plum pudding , sweet sauce . jelly kisses . fruit. coffee . monday. breakfast. grapes. hominy . fricasseed tripe with oysters . baked potatoes . breakfast puffs . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast duck . welsh rarebit . fried sweet potatoes . cold pickled beets . french bread . cookies . gooseberry jam . cocoa . dinner. vermicelli soup . leg of mutton á la venison . steamed potatoes . ladies' cabbage . stewed onions . mixed pickles . pumpkin pie . orange jelly . nut cakes . cheese. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. stewed prunes. oatmeal with cream . snipe on toast . scrappel . potato puffs . newport waffles . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. scalloped mutton and tomatoes . hominy croquettes . cold slaw . beaten biscuit . chocolate custard pie . tea . dinner. ox-tail soup . roast leg of pork . browned potatoes . lima beans . mashed turnips . celery salad . apple corn meal pudding , wine sauce . lemon tartlets . fruit. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. oranges. graham mush . country sausages . boiled eggs . saratoga chips . buckwheat cakes . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. cold roast pork . lobster salad . baked sweet potatoes . german bread . doughnuts . apple sauce . chocolate . dinner. turtle soup from beans . spiced beef . mashed potatoes . fried parsnips . scalloped onions . pickled white cabbage . cranberry tart pie . blanc mange . crackers. cheese. coffee . thursday. breakfast. stewed apricots. oat flakes . broiled veal cutlets . fried oysters . warmed potatoes . cream waffles . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. beef croquettes . fish omelet . celery salad . raised biscuit . feather cake . canned peaches . tea . dinner. squirrel soup . roast loin of mutton . boiled potatoes . mashed squash . fried cabbage . olives. apple puff pudding , grandmother's sauce . nuts. raisins. fruit. coffee . friday. breakfast. bananas. steamed oatmeal . striped bass fried . minced eggs . lyonnaise potatoes . corn bread . nut cakes . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast mutton . halibut on toast . potato salad . french bread . grape jelly pie . chocolate . dinner. fish chowder . baked pickerel . steamed potatoes . boiled turnips . rabbit pie . plain celery. apple custard pudding , hard sauce . savory biscuits . fruit. coffee . saturday. breakfast. baked sour apples . boiled rice . porterhouse steak broiled . plain omelet . potatoes á la crême . wheat griddle-cakes . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. veal stew . potato puffs . pickled mangoes . grafton milk biscuits . chocolate eclairs . lemon sponge . tea . dinner. celery soup . boiled ham . baked sweet potatoes . lima beans . stewed parsnips . sourcrout . oxford dumplings , sweet sauce . cream tarts . fruit. coffee . * * * * * december. christmas day. breakfast. oranges. boiled rice . broiled salt mackerel . poached eggs á la crême . potato fillets . feather griddle-cakes . wheat bread . coffee . supper. cold roast goose . oyster patties . cold slaw . buns . charlotte russe . peach jelly . tea . dinner. oysters on half shell. game soup . boiled white fish , sauce maitre d'hotel . roast goose , apple sauce . boiled potatoes . mashed turnips . creamed parsnips . stewed onions . boiled rice . lobster salad . canvas back duck . christmas plum pudding , sauce . vanilla ice-cream . mince pie . orange jelly . delicate cake . salted almonds . confectionery. fruits. coffee . sunday. breakfast. grapes. steamed oatmeal . pickled pigs' feet fried . oyster toast . potato puffs . egg muffins . wheat bread . coffee . supper. cold potted beef . panned oysters . celery salad . saratoga chips . rusks . little plum cakes . quince jelly . tea . dinner. chicken cream soup . boiled halibut , sauce hollandaise . roast goose , apple sauce . boiled potatoes . stewed celery . mashed turnips . lobster salad . scalloped clams . mince pie . orange cream . citron cake . cheese. coffee . monday. breakfast. sliced oranges. graham mush . codfish steak . lyonnaise potatoes . hashed beef on toast . french rolls . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold roast goose . scalloped cheese . ham salad . french bread . apple meringue pie . chocolate . dinner. onion soup . roast spare rib , cranberry sauce . browned potatoes . stewed carrots . boiled onions . plain celery. boiled rice dumplings with custard sauce . pastry sandwiches . fruit. coffee . tuesday. breakfast. stewed prunes. boiled rice . pork chops and fried apples . warmed potatoes . buckwheat cakes . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. sliced head cheese . bread omelet . parsnip fritters . cold slaw . graham bread . mince pie . tea . dinner. scotch mutton broth . boiled turkey , oyster dressing . mashed potatoes . baked squash . boiled parsnips . piccalili . baked corn meal pudding , hard sauce . apple tarts . cheese. coffee . wednesday. breakfast. cider apple sauce . hominy . broiled rabbits . codfish balls . potato fillets . continental hotel waffles . dry toast . coffee . luncheon. turkey hash . rice croquettes . lobster salad . raised biscuits . almond custard . cocoa . dinner. oyster soup . sliced beef tongue , brown sauce . potato puffs . steamed cabbage . lamb sweetbreads , with tomato sauce . birds' nest pudding , plain sauce . crackers. cheese. coffee . thursday. breakfast. stewed peaches. cracked wheat . mutton-chops broiled , tomato sauce . saratoga chips . new england corn cake . bakers' doughnuts . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. cold spiced tongue . cheese cream toast . pickled onions . fried sweet potatoes . twist bread . layer cake , with apple filling . tea . dinner. vegetable soup . beef á la mode . browned potatoes . boiled turnips . fried onions . oyster salad . snow pudding . squash pie . nuts. raisins. coffee . friday. breakfast. apple sauce . oatmeal with cream . white fish fried . grilled bacon . baked potatoes . feather griddle-cakes . brown bread . coffee . luncheon. cold pork and beans, . beef croquettes . green tomato pickles . milk biscuits . angel cake . preserved pears . chocolate . dinner. pea soup , with croutons . codfish steaks . potato snow . baked beets . chicken, with macaroni . celery salad . baked apple dumplings , sweet sauce . bakers' custard pie . cheese. coffee . saturday. breakfast. bananas. oat flakes . pork cutlets . oyster fritters . hasty cooked potatoes . graham griddle-cakes . wheat bread . coffee . luncheon. boiled tripe . chicken omelet . potato salad . french bread . ginger cookies . preserved citron . tea . dinner. tapioca cream soup . lamb stew . mashed potatoes . creamed parsnips . boston pork and beans . cold slaw . apple fritters , sugar sauce . lemon pie . nuts. raisins. coffee . special menus. state dinner at white house. blue points. accompanied by: haute sauterne. amontillado. potages. potage tortue á l'anglaise consommé printaniére royale. hors d'oeuvres. canapé á la russe. timbales á la talleyrand. accompanied by: rauenthaler berg. poissons. saumon, sauce hollandaise. grenadines de bass. pommes de terre duchesse. cucumber salade. accompanied by: ernest jeroy. relevÉs. selle d'agneau, sauce menthe. filet de boeuf á la richelieu. accompanied by: chateau margause. entrees. ris de veau á la perigneux. cotelettes d'agneau d'or maison. terrapin á la maryland. punch cardinal. accompanied by: clas de vougeot. rÔti. canvas back duck. entremets. german asparagus. petite pois. gelée au champagne. plombieré aux framboise. pudding diplomate. café. liqueurs. fruits. fromage. mrs. cleveland's wedding lunch. june th, ' . consommé en tasse. soft shell crabs. accompanied by: chateau iquem. coquilles de ris de vean. snipes on toast. lettuce and tomato salade. accompanied by: moet & chandon. fancy ice-cream. cakes. tea. coffee. fruits. mottos. general grant's birthday dinner. clams. accompanied by: haute sauterne. potages. consommé imperatrice bisque de crabes. accompanied by: amontillado. varies hors d'oeuvre varies. bouchées á la régence. poisson. fruites de riviere hollandaise vert pré. pommes de terre á la parisienne. coucombres. accompanied by: johannisberger. relevÉ. filet de boeuf á la bernardi. accompanied by: ernest jeroy. entrees. ailes de poulets á la perigord. petits pois au beune. caisses de ris de vean á l'italienne. haricots verts. asperges, sauce crême. sorbet fantaisie. rÔti. squabs. salade de laitue. accompanied by: nuits. entremets sucres. croute aux mille fruits. cornets á la chantilly. gelée á la prunelle. pieces montees. glace varietees. fruits. petits fours. café. menu for covers. huitres en coquille. potage julienne aux quenelles. paupiettes de turbots á la joinville. cucumbers. pommes d'auphine. filets mignons á la provencale. larded sweetbread á la meissoniére. punch au kirsh. quails bardés sur cronstade. lettuce salad. german asparagus. plombieré aux fraises. fruits. café. fromage. menu for covers. huitres en coquilles. accompanied by: sauterne. purée st. germain. consommé paté d'italie. accompanied by: amontillado. broiled blue fish, maitre d'hotel. cucumbers. pommes duchesse. accompanied by: hochheimer. small tenderloin sautés, marrow sauce. lamb chops á la marechale. accompanied by: moet & chandon. croutes aux champignons á la parisienne. sorbet venetienne. squabs with water-cresses. accompanied by: chateau latour. lettuce and tomato salad. artichauts, sauce hollandaise. crême bavaroise au chocolat. fruits. café. fromage. menu for covers. huitres en coquille. accompanied by: haute sauterne. bisque of lobster. lamb broth with vegetables. radishes. olives. accompanied by: amontillado. timbales á l'ecossaise. bass á la régence. accompanied by: rauenthaler berg. potatoes windsor. filet of beef larded á la parisienne. saddle of mutton, currant jelly. accompanied by: ernest jeroy. sweetbreads á la pompadour. terrapin á la maryland. accompanied by: chateau latour. cauliflower au gratin. celery au jus. punch maraschino. canvas back duck. lettuce salad. soufflé á l'orange. fruits. café. fromage. menu for covers. consommé de volaille. accompanied by: haute sauterne. huitres á la poulette. radishes. olives. bouchées á la bohemienne. accompanied by: johannisberger. truites saumoné au beurre de montpellier. tartelette potatoes. cucumbers. filets mignon de boeuf á la trianon. cotelettes de pigeon, marechale. accompanied by: moet & chandon. petits pois garnis de fleurous. artichauts á la barigoule. punch romaine. bécassines au cresson. accompanied by: chas. de vougert. lettuce salad. pouding nesselrode. fruits. café. fromage. menu for covers. little neck clams. accompanied by: haute sauterne. cream of asparagus. consommé royal. radishes. olives. accompanied by: amontillado. caviar sur toast. pompano maitre d'hotel. bass á la régence. pommes parisienne. accompanied by: moselbluemchen. cotelettes d'agneau á la purée de cólen. filet of boeuf á la pocahontas. accompanied by: moet & chandon. tarrapin á la richelieu. sorbet dunderberg. canvas back ducks. accompanied by: nuits. celery mayonnaise. artichauts bottoms. french peas. omelette célestine. fruits. café. fromage. menu for covers. *** huitres. potages. consommé francatelli. bisque d'ecrevisses. hors d'oeuvre. timbales á la reyniére. poisson. filet turbot portugaise. pommes de terre parisienne. celery mayonnaise. relevÉ. selle d'agneau á la colbert. haricots verts. entrees. ailes de poulets á la hongroise. cépes á la bordelaise. asperges sauce crême. sorbet á la prunelle. rÔti. faisan rotes franqué de cailles. entremets de douceur. croutes aux ananas. glaces fantaisies. fruits. café. petits fours. buffet for , people. cold service. consommé on tasse. sandwiches. caviar on toast. radishes. celery. cold salmon mayonnaise. lobster and shrimp salad. westphalia ham á la gelée. boned turkey. galautine of faison. cold game in season. mayonnaise of chicken. cold turkey. fillet of beef. game pig. saddle of venison, currant jelly. russian salad. neapolitaine ice-cream. water ices. nesselrode puddings. claret and champagne jellies. biscuits glacée. charlotte glacée. assorted cakes. assorted candies. tea. coffee. lemonade. management and direction of dinners and receptions on state occasions at the white house. etiquette as observed in european courts is not known at the white house. the president's secretary issues invitations by direction of the president to the distinguished guests. the usher in charge of the cloak-room hands to the gentleman on arrival an envelope containing a diagram of the table (as cut shows), whereon the name and seat of the respective guest and the lady he is to escort to dinner are marked. [illustration] a card corresponding with his name is placed on the napkin belonging to the cover of the seat he will occupy. the president's seat is in the middle of the table. the most distinguished guests sit on his right and left. if their wives are present they will occupy these seats, and the gentlemen will be seated next to the president's wife whose seat is directly opposite the president. official dinners all over the world are always served after the french fashion, and are divided into three distinct parts. two of them are served from the kitchen, and the third from the pantry. the first part of the dinner served french style includes from oysters on the shell to the sherbets. the second service continues to the sweet dishes. the third includes ice, cakes, fruits, cheeses, which are all understood as desserts, and are dressed in the pantry. all principal dishes which are artistically decorated are shown to the president first, then are carried around the table before being carved by the steward in the pantry. fancy folding of the napkins is considered out of fashion; plain square folded, so as to show monogram in the middle, is much preferred. the following diagram will illustrate the arrangement of the glasses on the table. (see diagram.) [illustration: diagram illustrating how to arrange glasses on table.] a--plate. i--glass for sauterne. ii--glass for sherry. iii--glass for rhine wine. iv--glass for water. v--glass for champagne. vi--glass for burgundy. flower decorations on the table are to be in flat designs, so as not to obscure the view of the guests. corsage boquets for ladies consist of not more than eight large roses tied together by silk ribbon, with the name of the lady stamped on in gold letters. gentlemen's bouttonieres consist only of one rosebud. boquets for ladies are to be placed on the right side; for gentlemen, on the napkin next to card bearing his name. printed menus are never used on any official occasion. the private dinners menus are either printed or written on a plain card and placed on each cover. liquors, cordials, cigars are served on a separate table after the ladies have retired to the parlor. [illustration] for the sick. dishes for invalids should be served in the daintiest and most attractive way; never send more than a supply for one meal; the same dish too frequently set before an invalid often causes a distaste, when perhaps a change would tempt the appetite. when preparing dishes where milk is used, the condition of the patient should be considered. long cooking hardens the albumen and makes the milk very constipating; then, if the patient should be already constipated, care should be taken not to heat the milk above the boiling point. the seasoning of food for the sick should be varied according to the condition of the patient; one recovering from illness can partake of a little piece of roast mutton, chicken, rabbit, game, fish, simply dressed, and simple puddings are all light food and easily digested. a mutton chop, nicely cut, trimmed and broiled, is a dish that is often inviting to an invalid. as a rule, an invalid will be more likely to enjoy any preparation sent to him if it is served in small delicate pieces. as there are so many small, dainty dishes that can be made for this purpose, it seems useless to try to give more than a small variety of them. pudding can be made of prepared barley, or tapioca, well soaked before boiling, with an egg added, and a change can be made of light puddings by mixing up some stewed fruit with the puddings before baking; a bread pudding from stale bread crumbs, and a tiny cup-custard, boiled in a small basin or cup; also various drinks, such as milk punch, wine, whey, apple-toddy, and various other nourishing drinks. beefsteak and mutton chops. select the tenderest cuts and broil over a clear, hot fire. let the steak be rare, the chops well done. salt and pepper, lay between two _hot_ plates three minutes and serve to your patient. if he is very weak do not let him swallow anything except the juice, when he has chewed the meat well. the essence of rare beef, roasted or broiled, thus expressed, is considered by some physicians to be more strengthening than beef tea prepared in the usual manner. beef tea. one pound of _lean_ beef, cut into small pieces. put into a glass canning jar, without a drop of water, cover tightly and set in a pot of cold water. heat gradually to a boil and continue this steadily for three or four hours, until the meat is like white rags and the juice all drawn out. season with salt to taste and, when cold, skim. veal or mutton broth. take a scrag-end of mutton (two pounds), put it in a saucepan with two quarts of cold water and an ounce of pearl barley or rice. when it is coming to a boil, skim it well, then add half a teaspoonful of salt; let it boil until half reduced, then strain it and take off all the fat and it is ready for use. this is excellent for an invalid. if vegetables are liked in this broth, take one turnip, one carrot and one onion, cut them in shreds and boil them in the broth half an hour. in that case, the barley may be served with the vegetables in broth. chicken broth. make the same as mutton or beef broth. boil the chicken slowly, putting on just enough water to cover it well, watching it closely that it does not boil down too much. when the chicken is tender, season with salt and a very little pepper. the yolk of an egg beaten light and added, is very nourishing. oatmeal gruel. put four tablespoonfuls of the best grits (oatmeal coarsely ground) into a pint of boiling water. let it boil gently, and stir it often, till it becomes as thick as you wish it. then strain it, and add to it while warm, butter, wine, nutmeg, or whatever is thought proper to flavor it. salt to taste. if you make a gruel of fine oatmeal, sift it, mix it first to a thick batter with a little cold water, and then put it into the saucepan of boiling water. stir it all the time it is boiling, lifting the spoon gently up and down, and letting the gruel fall slowly back again into the pan. corn meal gruel. two tablespoonfuls of fine indian meal, mixed smooth with cold water, and a saltspoonful of salt; add one quart of boiling water and cook twenty minutes. stir it frequently, and if it becomes too thick use boiling water to thin it. if the stomach is not too weak, a tablespoonful of cream may be used to cool it. some like it sweetened and others like it plain. for very sick persons, let it settle, pour off the top, and give without other seasoning. for convalescents, toast a piece of bread as nicely as possible, and put it in the gruel with a tablespoonful of nice sweet cream and a little ginger and sugar. this should be used only when a laxative is allowed. egg gruel. beat the yolk of an egg with one tablespoonful of sugar; pour one teacupful of boiling water on it, add the white of an egg, beaten to a froth, with any seasoning or spice desired. take warm. milk porridge. the same as arrowroot, excepting it should be all milk, and thickened with a scant tablespoonful of sifted flour; let it boil five minutes, stirring it constantly, add a little cold milk, give it one boil up, and it is ready for use. arrowroot milk porridge. one large cupful of fresh milk, new if you can get it, one cupful of boiling water, one teaspoonful of arrowroot, wet to a paste with sold water, two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, a pinch of salt. put the sugar into the milk, the salt into the boiling water, which should be poured into a farina kettle. add the wet arrowroot and boil, stirring constantly until it is clear; put in the milk and cook ten minutes, stirring often. give while warm, adding hot milk should it be thicker than gruel. arrowroot blanc mange. one large cupful of boiling milk, one even tablespoonful of arrowroot rubbed to a paste with cold water, two teaspoonfuls of white sugar, a pinch of salt, flavor with rose-water. proceed as in the foregoing recipes, boiling and stirring eight minutes. turn into a wet mold, and, when firm, serve with cream and powdered sugar. tapioca jelly. soak a cupful of tapioca in a quart of cold water after washing it thoroughly two or three times; after soaking three or four hours, simmer it in a stewpan until it becomes quite clear, stirring often; add the juice of a lemon, and a little of the grated peel, also a pinch of salt. sweeten to taste. wine can be substituted for lemon, if liked. slippery-elm bark tea. break the bark into bits, pour boiling water over it, cover and let it infuse until cold. sweeten, ice, and take for summer disorders, or add lemon juice and drink for a bad cold. flax-seed tea. upon an ounce of unbruised flax-seed and a little pulverized liquorice-root pour a pint of boiling (soft or rain) water, and place the vessel containing these ingredients near, but not on, the fire for four hours. strain through a linen cloth. make it fresh every day. an excellent drink in fever accompanied by a cough. flax-seed lemonade. to a large tablespoonful of flax-seed, allow a tumbler and a half of cold water. boil them together till the liquid becomes very sticky. then strain it hot over a quarter of a pound of pulverized sugar, and an ounce of pulverized gum arabic. stir it till quite dissolved, and squeeze into it the juice of a lemon. this mixture has frequently been found an efficacious remedy for a cold, taking a wine-glass of it as often as the cough is troublesome. tamarind water. put tamarinds into a pitcher or tumbler till it is one-third full, then fill up with cold water, cover it, and let it infuse for a quarter of an hour or more. currant jelly or cranberry juice mixed with water makes a pleasant drink for an invalid. sago jelly. made the same as tapioca. if seasoning is not advisable the sago may be boiled in milk, instead of water, and eaten plain. rice jelly made the same, using only half as much rice as sago. arrowroot wine jelly. one cupful of boiling water, one scant tablespoonful of arrowroot, mixed with a little cold water, one tablespoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt, one tablespoonful of brandy, or three tablespoonfuls of wine. excellent for a sick person without fever. hominy. put to soak one pint of hominy in two and one-half pints of boiling water over night, in a tin vessel with a tight cover; in the morning add one-half pint of sweet milk and a little salt. place on a brisk fire, in a kettle of boiling water, the tin vessel containing the hominy; let boil one-half hour. cracked wheat, oatmeal, mush, are all good food for the sick. chicken jelly. cook a chicken in enough water to little more than cover it; let it stew gently until the meat drops from the bones, and the broth is reduced to about a pint; season it to taste, with a little salt and pepper. strain and press, first through a colander, then through a coarse cloth. set it over the fire again and cook a few minutes longer. turn it into an earthen vegetable dish to harden; set it on the ice in the refrigerator. eat cold in slices. nice made into sandwiches, with _thin_ slices of bread, lightly spread with butter. boiled rice. boil half a cupful of rice in just enough water to cover it, with half a teaspoonful of salt; when the water has boiled nearly out and the rice begins to look soft and dry, turn over it a cupful of milk and let it simmer until the rice is done and nearly dry; take from the fire and beat in a well-beaten egg. eat it warm with cream and sugar. flavor to taste. cup pudding. take one tablespoonful of flour, one egg, mix with cold milk and a pinch of salt to a batter. boil fifteen minutes in a buttered cup. eat with sauce, fruit or plain sugar. tapioca cup pudding. this is very light and delicate for invalids. an even tablespoonful of tapioca, soaked for two hours in nearly a cup of new milk; stir into this the yolk of a fresh egg; a little sugar, a grain of salt, and bake it in a cup for fifteen minutes. a little jelly may be eaten with it. baked apples. get nice fruit, a little tart and juicy, but not sour; clean them nicely, and bake in a moderate oven--regulated so as to have them done in about an hour; when the skin cracks and the pulp breaks through in every direction they are done and ready to take out. serve with white sugar sprinkled over them. soft toast. toast well, but not too brown, two thin slices of stale bread; put them on a warm plate, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and pour upon them some boiling water; quickly cover with another dish of the same size, and drain off the water. put a very small bit of butter on the toast and serve at once while hot. irish moss blanc mange. a small handful of moss (to be purchased at any drug store), wash it very carefully, and put it in one quart of milk on the fire. let the milk simmer for about twenty minutes, or until the moss begins to dissolve. then remove from the fire and strain through a fine sieve. add two tablespoonfuls of sugar and half a teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring. put away to harden in cups or molds, and serve with sugar and cream. a delicate dish for an invalid. egg toast. brown a slice of bread nicely over the coals, dip it in hot water slightly salted, butter it, and lay on the top an egg that has been broken into boiling water, and cooked until the white has hardened; season the egg with a bit of butter and a crumb of salt. the best way to cook eggs for an invalid is to drop them, or else pour boiling water over the egg in the shell and let it stand for a few minutes on the back of the stove. oyster toast. make a nice slice of dry toast, butter it and lay it on a hot dish. put six oysters, half a teacupful of their own liquor, and half a cupful of milk, into a tin cup or basin, and boil one minute. season with a little butter, pepper and salt, then pour over the toast and serve. mulled jelly. take one tablespoonful of currant or grape jelly, beat with it the white of one egg and a teaspoonful of sugar; pour on it a teacupful of boiling water, and break in a slice of dry toast or two crackers. cup custard. break into a coffeecup an egg, put in two teaspoonfuls of sugar, beat it up thoroughly, a pinch of salt and a pinch of grated nutmeg; fill up the cup with good sweet milk, turn it into another cup, well buttered, and set it in a pan of boiling water, reaching nearly to the top of the cup. set in the oven, and when the custard is set, it is done. eat cold. clam broth. select twelve small, hard-shell clams, drain them and chop them fine; add half a pint of clam juice or hot water, a pinch of cayenne, and a walnut of butter; simmer thirty minutes, add a gill of boiled milk, strain, and serve. this is an excellent broth for weak stomachs. milk or cream codfish. this dish will often relish when a person is recovering from sickness, when nothing else would. pick up a large tablespoonful of salt codfish very fine, freshen it considerably by placing it over the fire in a basin, covering it with cold water as it comes to a boil; turn off the water and freshen again if very salt, then turn off the water until dry, and pour over half a cupful of milk or thin cream, add a bit of butter, a sprinkle of pepper, and a thickening made of one teaspoonful of flour or cornstarch, wet up with a little milk; when this boils up, turn over a slice of dipped toast. cracker panada. break in pieces three or four hard crackers that are baked quite brown, and let them boil fifteen minutes in one quart of water; then remove from the fire, let them stand three or four minutes, strain off the liquor through a fine wire sieve, and season it with sugar. this is a nourishing beverage for infants that are teething, and with the addition of a little wine and nutmeg, is often prescribed for invalids recovering from a fever. bread panada. put three gills of water and one tablespoonful of white sugar on the fire, and just before it boils add two tablespoonfuls of the crumbs of stale white bread, stir it well, and let it boil three or four minutes, then add one glass of white wine, a grated lemon and a little nutmeg; let it boil up once, then remove it from the fire, and keep it closely covered until it is wanted for use. slippery-elm tea. put a teaspoonful of powdered slippery-elm into a tumbler, pour cold water upon it, and season with lemon and sugar. toast water, or crust coffee. take stale pieces of crusts of bread, the end pieces of the loaf, toast them a nice, dark brown, care to be taken that they do not burn in the least, as that affects the flavor. put the browned crusts into a large milk pitcher, and pour enough boiling water over to cover them; cover the pitcher closely, and let steep until cold. strain, and sweeten to taste; put a piece of ice in each glass. this is also good, drank warm with cream and sugar, similar to coffee. plain milk toast. cut a thin slice from a loaf of stale bread, toast it very quickly, sprinkle a little salt over it, and pour upon it three tablespoonfuls of boiling milk or cream. crackers split and toasted in this manner, are often very grateful to an invalid. linseed tea. put one tablespoonful of linseed into a stewpan with half a pint of cold water; place the stewpan over a moderate fire, and when the water is quite warm, pour it off, and add to the linseed half a pint of fresh cold water, then let the whole boil three or four minutes; season it with lemon and sugar. powders for children. a very excellent carminative powder for flatulent infants may be kept in the house, and employed with advantage whenever the child is in pain or griped, dropping five grains of oil of anise-seed and two of peppermint on half an ounce of lump sugar, and rubbing it in a mortar, with a drachm of magnesia, into a fine powder. a small quantity of this may be given in a little water at any time, and always with benefit. for children teething. tie a quarter of a pound of wheat flour in a thick cloth and boil it in one quart of water for three hours; then remove the cloth and expose the flour to the air or heat until it is hard and dry; grate from it, when wanted, one tablespoonful, which put into half a pint of new milk, and stir over the fire until it comes to a boil, when add a pinch of salt and a tablespoonful of cold water and serve. this gruel is excellent for children afflicted with summer complaint. or brown a tablespoonful of flour in the oven or on top of the stove on a baking tin; feed a few pinches at a time to a child and it will often check a diarrhoea. the tincture of "kino"--of which from ten to thirty drops, mixed with a little sugar and water in a spoon, and given every two or three hours, is very efficacious and harmless--can be procured at almost any druggist's. tablespoon doses of pure cider vinegar and a pinch of salt, has cured when all else failed. blackberry cordial. this recipe may be found under the head of coffee, tea, beverages. it will be found an excellent medicine for children teething, and summer diseases. acid drinks. . peel thirty large malaga grapes, and pour half a pint of boiling water upon them; cover them closely and let them steep until the water is cold. . pour half a pint of boiling water upon one tablespoonful of currant jelly, and stir until the jelly is dissolved. . cranberries and barberries may be used in the same way to make very refreshing acid drinks for persons recovering from fevers. draughts for the feet. take a large leaf from the horse-radish plant, and cut out the hard fibres that run through the leaf; place it on a hot shovel for a moment to soften it, fold it, and fasten it closely in the hollow of the foot by a cloth bandage. burdock leaves, cabbage leaves, and mullein leaves, are used in the same manner, to alleviate pain and promote perspiration. garlics are also made for draughts by pounding them, placing them on a hot tin plate for a moment to sweat them, and binding them closely to the hollow of the foot by a cloth bandage. draughts of onions, for infants, are made by roasting onions in hot ashes, and, when they are quite soft, peeling off the outside, mashing them, and applying them on a cloth as usual. poultices. _a bread and milk poultice._--put a tablespoonful of the crumbs of stale bread into a gill of milk, and give the whole one boil up. or, take stale bread crumbs, pour over them boiling water and boil till soft, stirring well; take from the fire and gradually stir in a little glycerine or sweet oil, so as to render the poultice pliable when applied. _a hop poultice._--boil one handful of dried hops in half a pint of water, until the half pint is reduced to a gill, then stir into it enough indian meal to thicken it. _a mustard poultice._--into one gill of boiling water stir one tablespoonful of indian meal; spread the paste thus made upon a cloth and spread over the paste one teaspoonful of mustard flour. if you wish a mild poultice, use a teaspoonful of mustard as it is prepared for the table, instead of the mustard flour. equal parts of ground mustard and flour made into a paste with warm water, and spread between two pieces of muslin, form the indispensable mustard plaster. _a ginger poultice._--this is made like a mustard poultice, using ground ginger instead of mustard. a little vinegar is sometimes added to each of these poultices. _a stramonium poultice._--stir one tablespoonful of indian meal into a gill of boiling water and add one tablespoonful of bruised stramonium seeds. _wormwood and arnica_ are sometimes applied in poultices. steep the herbs in half a pint of cold water and when all their virtue is extracted stir in a little bran or rye meal to thicken the liquid; the herbs must not be removed from the liquid. this is a useful application for sprains and bruises. _linseed poultice._--take four ounces of powdered linseed and gradually sprinkle it into a half pint of hot water. a remedy for boils. an excellent remedy for boils is water of a temperature agreeable to the feelings of the patient. apply wet linen to the part affected and frequently renew or moisten it. it is said to be the most effectual remedy known. take inwardly some good blood purifier. cure for ringworms. yellow dock, root or leaves, steeped in vinegar, will cure the worst case of ringworm. [illustration] health-suggestions. how colds are caught. a great many cannot see why it is they do not take a cold when exposed to cold winds and rain. the fact is, and ought to be more generally understood, that nearly every cold is contracted indoors, and is not directly due to the cold outside, but to the heat inside. a man will go to bed at night feeling as well as usual and get up in the morning with a royal cold. he goes peeking around in search of cracks and keyholes and tiny drafts. weather-strips are procured, and the house made as tight as a fruit can. in a few days more the whole family have colds. let a man go home, tired or exhausted, eat a full supper of starchy and vegetable food, occupy his mind intently for a while, go to bed in a warm, close room, and if he doesn't have a cold in the morning it will be a wonder. a drink of whisky or a glass or two of beer before supper will facilitate matters very much. people swallow more colds down their throats than they inhale or receive from contact with the air, no matter how cold or chilly it may be. plain, light suppers are good to go to bed on, and are far more conducive to refreshing sleep than a glass of beer or a dose of chloral. in the estimation of a great many this statement is rank heresy, but in the light of science, common sense and experience it is gospel truth. pure air is strictly essential to maintain perfect health. if a person is accustomed to sleeping with the windows open there is but little danger of taking cold winter or summer. persons that shut up the windows to keep out the "night air" make a mistake, for at night the only air we breathe is "night air," and we need good air while asleep as much or even more than at any other time of day. ventilation can be accomplished by simply opening the window an inch at the bottom and also at the top, thus letting the pure air in, the bad air going outward at the top. close, foul air poisons the blood, brings on disease which often results in death; this poisoning of the blood is only prevented by pure air, which enters the lungs, becomes charged with _waste_ particles, then thrown out, and which are poisoning if taken back again. it is estimated that a grown person corrupts _one gallon of pure air every minute_, or twenty-five barrels full in a single night, in breathing alone. clothes that have been worn through the day should be changed for fresh or dry ones to sleep in. three pints of moisture, filled with the waste of the body, are given off every twenty-four hours, and this is mostly absorbed by the clothing. sunlight and exposure to the air purifies the clothing of the poisons which nature is trying to dispose of, and which would otherwise be brought again into contact with the body. colds are often taken by extreme cold and heat, and a sudden exposure to cold by passing from a heated room to the cold outside air. old and weak persons, especially, should avoid such extreme change. in passing from warm crowded rooms to the cold air, the mouth should be kept closed, and all the breathing done through the nostrils only, that the cold air may be warmed before it reaches the lungs, or else the sudden change will drive the blood from the surface of the internal organs, often producing congestions. dr. b. i. kendall writes that "_the temperature of the body_ should be evenly and properly maintained to secure perfect health; and to accomplish this purpose requires great care and caution at times. the human body is, so to speak, the most delicate and intricate piece of machinery that could possibly be conceived of, and to keep this in perfect order requires constant care. it is a fixed law of nature that every violation thereof shall be punished; and so we find that he who neglects to care for his body by protecting it from sudden changes of weather, or draughts of cold air upon unprotected parts of the body, suffers the penalty by sickness, which may vary according to the exposure and the habits of the person, which affect the result materially; for what would be an easy day's work for a man who is accustomed to hard labor, would be sufficient to excite the circulation to such an extent in a person unaccustomed to work, that only slight exposure might cause the death of the latter when over-heated in this way; while the same exercise and exposure to the man accustomed to hard labor might not affect him. so, we say, be careful of your bodies, for it is a duty you owe to yourselves, your friends, and particularly to him who created you. when your body is over-heated and you are perspiring, be very careful about sitting down to 'cool off,' as the custom of some is, by removing a part of the clothing and sitting in a cool place, and perhaps where there is a draught of air passing over your body. the proper way to 'cool off' when over-heated is to put on more clothing, especially if you are in a cool place; but never remove a part of the clothing you have already on. if possible get near a fire where there is no wind blowing, and _dry off_ gradually, instead of cooling off suddenly, which is always dangerous." many colds are taken from the feet being damp or wet. to keep these extremities warm and dry is a great preventative against the almost endless list of disorders which come from a "slight cold." many imagine if their feet are not thoroughly wet, there will be no harm arising from mere dampness, not knowing that the least dampness is absorbed into the sole, and is attracted nearer the foot itself by its heat, and thus perspiration is dangerously checked. water. all beings need drink as much as they need food, and it is just as necessary to health as pure air; therefore the water should be boiled or filtered before being drank. rain-water filtered is probably the best attainable. boiling the water destroys the vegetable and animal matter, and leaves the mineral matter deposited on the bottom of the vessel containing it; therefore it leaves it clear from poisonous substances. regulation in diet. the food we eat is a very important item, and one which it would be difficult to arrange any rule for which would apply to all persons under different circumstances. in health, it is safer to eat by instinct rather than to follow any definite rules. while there are many who have a scanty living, with a small variety of food, there is a large number who have an abundance and a large variety. the former class, in many cases, live miserable lives, either to hoard up for miserly purposes the money which might make them happy, or in some cases through poverty; while the latter class, as a rule, have better health and have much more enjoyment in this life, unless it be some who are gluttonous, and make themselves miserable by abusing the blessings they should enjoy. avoid extremes in living too free or scanty; have a good nourishing diet and a sufficient quantity, and it should always be properly cooked; for if the cooking is poorly done, it affects not only the nutritious qualities, but is not so easily digested, thus making food, which is originally the best kind, of very little value to us, and with very poor cooking it is sometimes a positive injury. it is very important that the food be taken with regularity at the accustomed time. be careful not to take too much drink during any meal, but, if thirsty, drink water before meal time so that you will not care for it until some time after eating, as it is a bad plan to drink much either during or for a little time after the meal is taken. it is a very bad plan to hurry in eating, because by so doing the food is not properly masticated; it is better to be a long time in eating and chew the food well. _dr. b. i. kendall, enosburg falls, vt._ how to use hot water. one of the simplest and most effectual means of relieving pain is by the use of hot water, externally and internally, the temperature varying according to the feelings of the patient. for bruises, sprains, and similar accidental hurts, it should be applied immediately, as hot as can be borne, by means of a cloth dipped in the water and laid on the wounded part, or by immersion, if convenient, and the treatment kept up until relief is obtained. if applied at once, the use of hot water will generally prevent, nearly, if not entirely, the bruised flesh from turning black. for pains resulting from indigestion, and known as wind colic, etc., a cupful of hot water, taken in sips, will often relieve at once. when that is insufficient, a flannel folded in several thicknesses, large enough to fully cover the painful place should be wrung out of hot water and laid over the seat of the pain. it should be as hot as the skin can bear without injury, and be renewed every ten minutes or oftener, if it feels cool, until the pain is gone. the remedy is simple, efficient, harmless, and within the reach of every one; and should be more generally used than it is. if used along with common sense, it might save many a doctor's bill, and many a course of drug treatment as well. growing pains cured. following in our mother's footsteps, we have been routed night after night from our warm quarters, in the dead of winter, to kindle fires and fill frosty kettles from water-pails thickly crusted with ice, that we might get the writhing pedal extremities of our little heir into a tub of water as quickly as possible. but lately we have learned that all this work and exposure is needless. we simply wring a towel from salted water--a bowl of it standing in our sleeping room, ready for such an emergency--wrap the limb in it from the ankle to knee, without taking the child from his bed, and then swathe with dry flannels, thick and warm, tucking the blankets about him a little closer, and relief is sure. _good housekeeping._ how to keep well. don't sleep in a draught. don't go to bed with cold feet. don't stand over hot-air registers. don't eat what you do not need, just to save it. don't try to get cool too quickly after exercising. don't sleep in a room without ventilation of some kind. don't stuff a cold lest you should be next obliged to starve a fever. don't sit in a damp or chilly room without a fire. don't try to get along without flannel underclothing in winter. diphtheria. a gargle of sulphur and water has been used with much success in cases of diphtheria. let the patient swallow a little of the mixture. or, when you discover that your throat is a little sore, bind a strip of flannel around the throat, wet in camphor, and gargle salt and vinegar occasionally. colds and hoarseness. borax has proved a most effective remedy in certain forms of colds. in sudden hoarseness or loss of voice in public speakers or singers, from colds, relief for an hour or so may be obtained by slowly dissolving, and partially swallowing, a lump of borax the size of a garden pea, or about three or four grains held in the mouth for ten or fifteen minutes before speaking or singing. this produces a profuse secretion of saliva or "watering" of the mouth and throat, just as wetting brings back the missing notes to a flute when it is too dry. a flannel dipped in boiling water and sprinkled with turpentine, laid on chest as quickly as possible, will relieve the most severe cold or hoarseness. another simple, pleasant remedy is furnished by beating up the white of one egg, adding to it the juice of one lemon, and sweetening with white sugar to taste. take a teaspoonful from time to time. it has been known to effectually cure the ailment. or bake a lemon or sour orange twenty minutes in a moderate oven. when done, open at one end and take out the inside. sweeten with sugar or molasses. this is an excellent remedy for hoarseness. an old time and good way to relieve a cold is to go to bed and stay there, _drinking nothing_, not even water, for twenty-four hours, and eating as little as possible. or go to bed, put your feet in hot mustard and water, put a bran or oatmeal poultice on the chest, take ten grains of dover's powder, and an hour afterwards a pint of hot gruel; in the morning, rub the body all over with a coarse towel, and take a dose of aperient medicine. violet, pennyroyal or boneset tea, is excellent to promote perspiration in case of sudden chill. care should be taken next day not to get chilled by exposure to fresh out-door air. molasses posset. this old-fashioned remedy for a cold is as effectual now as it was in old times. put into a saucepan a pint of the best west india molasses, a teaspoonful of powdered white ginger and a quarter of a pound of fresh butter. set it over the fire and simmer it slowly for half an hour, stirring it frequently. do not let it come to a boil. then stir in the juice of two lemons, or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar; cover the pan and let it stand by the fire five minutes longer. this is good for a cold. some of it may be taken warm at once, and the remainder kept at hand for occasional use. it is the preparation absurdly called by the common people _stewed quaker_. half a pint of strained honey mixed cold with the juice of a lemon and a tablespoonful of sweet oil, is another remedy for a cold; a teaspoonful or two to be taken whenever the cough is troublesome. cough syrup. syrup of squills four ounces, syrup of tolu four ounces, tincture of bloodroot one and one-half ounces, camphorated tincture of opium four ounces. mix. dose for an adult, one teaspoonful repeated every two to four hours, or as often as necessary. leanness. is caused generally by lack of power in the digestive organs to digest and assimilate the fat-producing elements of food. first restore digestion, take plenty of sleep, drink all the water the stomach will bear in the morning on rising, take moderate exercise in the open air, eat oatmeal, cracked wheat, graham mush, baked sweet apples, roasted and broiled beef, cultivate jolly people, and bathe daily. for toothache. the worst toothache, or neuralgia, coming from the teeth may be speedily and delightfully ended by the application of a bit of clean cotton saturated in a solution of ammonia to the defective tooth. sometimes the late sufferer is prompted to momentary laughter by the application, but the pain will disappear. alum reduced to a powder, a teaspoonful of the powder and an equal quantity of fine salt well mixed, applied to the gums by dipping your moistened finger in the mixed powder; put some also in the tooth, and keep rubbing the gums with it; it scarcely ever fails to cure. to cure a sting of a bee or wasp. bind on common baking soda, dampened with water. or mix common earth with water to about the consistency of mud. to cure earache. take a bit of cotton batting, put on it a pinch of black pepper, gather it up and tie it, dip it in sweet oil, and insert it in the ear; put a flannel bandage over the head to keep it warm; it often gives immediate relief. tobacco smoke, puffed into the ear, has often been effectual. another remedy: take equal parts of tincture of opium and glycerine. mix, and from a warm teaspoon drop two or three drops into the ear, stop the ear tight with cotton, and repeat every hour or two. if matter should form in the ear, make a suds with castile soap and warm water, about ° f., or a little more than milk warm, and have some person inject it into the ear while you hold that side of your head the lowest. if it does not heal in due time, inject a little carbolic acid and water in the proportion of one drachm of the acid to one pint of warm water each time after using the suds. croup. croup, it is said, can be cured in one minute, and the remedy is simply alum and sugar. take a knife or grater and shave off in small particles about a teaspoonful of alum; then mix it with twice its amount of sugar, to make it palatable, and administer it as quickly as possible. almost instantaneous relief will follow. turpentine is said to be an excellent remedy for croup. saturate a piece of flannel and apply it to the chest and throat, and take inwardly three or four drops on a lump of sugar. _another remedy._--give a teaspoonful of ipecacuanha wine every few minutes, until free vomiting is excited. another recipe said to be most reliable: take two ounces of the wine of ipecac, hive syrup four ounces, tincture of bloodroot two ounces. mix it well. dose for a child one year old, five to ten drops; two years, eight to twelve drops; three years, twelve to fifteen drops; four years, fifteen to twenty drops; five years, twenty to twenty-five drops, and older children in proportion to age. repeat as often as shall be necessary to procure relief. if it is thought best to produce vomiting, repeat the dose every ten or fifteen minutes for a few doses. burns and scalds. a piece of cotton wadding, spread with butter or sweet oil, and bound on the burn instantly, will draw out the pain without leaving a scar; also a handful of flour, bound on instantly, will prevent blistering. the object is to entirely exclude the air from the part affected. some use common baking-soda, dry or wet, often giving instant relief, withdrawing the heat and pain. another valuable remedy is to beat the yellow of an egg into linseed oil, and apply it with a feather on the injured part frequently. it will afford ready relief and heals with great rapidity. some recommend the white part of the egg, which is very cooling and soothing, and soon allays the smarting pain. it is the exposure of the part coming in contact with the air that gives the extreme discomfort experienced from ordinary afflictions of this kind, and anything which excludes air and prevents inflammation is the thing to be at once applied. to stop the flow of blood. for a slight cut there is nothing better to control the hemorrhage than common unglazed brown wrapping paper, such as is used by marketmen and grocers; a piece to be bound over the wound. a handful of flour bound on the cut. cobwebs and brown sugar, pressed on like lint. when the blood ceases to flow, apply arnica or laudanum. when an artery is cut the red blood spurts out at each pulsation. press the thumb firmly over the artery near the wound, and on the side toward the heart. press hard enough to stop the bleeding, and wait till a physician comes. the wounded person is often able to do this himself, if he has the requisite knowledge. gravel. into a pint of water put two ounces of bicarbonate of soda. take two tablespoonfuls in the early forenoon, and the same toward night; also drink freely of water through the day. inflammation of the kidneys has been successfully treated with large doses of lime-water. persons troubled with kidney difficulty should abstain from sugar and the things that are converted into sugar in digestion, such as starchy food and sweet vegetables. sore throat. everybody has a cure for this trouble, but simple remedies appear to be most effectual. salt and water is used by many as a gargle, but a little alum and honey dissolved in sage tea is better. an application of cloths wrung out of hot water and applied to the neck, changing as often as they begin to cool, has the most potency for removing inflammation of anything we ever tried. it should be kept up for a number of hours; during the evening is usually the most convenient time for applying this remedy. cut slices of salt pork or fat bacon, simmer a few minutes in hot vinegar, and apply to throat as hot as possible. when this is taken off as the throat is relieved, put around a bandage of soft flannel. a gargle of equal parts of borax and alum, dissolved in water, is also excellent. to be used frequently. camphorated oil is an excellent lotion for sore throat, sore chest, aching limbs, etc. for a gargle for sore throat, put a pinch of chlorate of potash in a glass of water. gargle the throat with it twice a day, or oftener, if necessary. whooping cough. two level tablespoonfuls of powdered alum, two-thirds of a cupful of brown sugar, dissolved in two quarts of water; bottle and put in a dark closet where it is cool. for a child one year old, a teaspoonful three times a day on an empty stomach. for a child two years old, two teaspoonfuls for a dose. for a child five years old, a tablespoonful. the state of the bowels must be attended to, and the doses repeated accordingly. no other medicine to be taken, except an emetic, at first, if desirable. except in the case of an infant, a milk diet is to be avoided. diarrhoea. take tincture of jamaica ginger one ounce, tincture of rhubarb one ounce, tincture of opium half ounce, tincture of cardamom one and one-half ounces, tincture of kino one ounce. mix. dose for an adult, half to one teaspoonful, repeated every two to four hours; and for children one year old, five drops; two years old, five to ten drops; three years old, ten to twelve drops, and older children in proportion to age. for constipation. one or two figs eaten fasting is sufficient for some, and they are especially good in the case of children, as there is no trouble in getting them to take them. a spoonful of wheaten bran in a glass of water is a simple remedy, and quite effective, taken half an hour before breakfast; fruit eaten raw; partake largely of laxative food; exercise in the open air; drink freely of cold water during the day, etc. it is impossible to give many of the numerous treatments in so short a space, suffice it to say that the general character of our diet and experience is such as to assure us that at least one-quarter of the food that we swallow is intended by nature to be evacuated from the system; and if it is not, it is again absorbed into the system, poisoning the blood and producing much suffering and permanent disease. the evacuation of the bowels _daily_, and above all, _regularity_, is therefore all important to aid this form of disorder. relief from asthma. sufferers from asthma should get a muskrat skin and wear it over their lungs with the fur side next to the body. it will bring certain relief. or soak blotting paper in saltpetre water, then dry, burning at night in the patient's bedroom. another excellent recipe: take powdered liquorice root, powdered elecampane root, powdered anise-seed, each one drachm, powdered ipecac ten grains, powdered lobelia ten grains; add sufficient amount of tar to form into pills of ordinary size. take three or four pills on going to bed. an excellent remedy for asthma or shortness of breath. recipes for felons. take common rock salt, as used for salting down pork or beef, dry in an oven, then pound it fine and mix with spirits of turpentine in equal parts; put it in a rag and wrap it around the parts affected; as it gets dry put on more, and in twenty-four hours you are cured. the felon will be dead. or purchase the herb of stramonium at the druggist's; steep it and bind it on the felon; as soon as cold, put on new, warm herbs. it will soon kill it, in a few hours at least. or saturate a bit or grated wild turnip, the size of a bean, with spirits of turpentine, and apply it to the affected part. it relieves the pain at once; in twelve hours there will be a hole to the bone, and the felon destroyed; then apply healing salve, and the finger is well. _another way to cure a felon:_ fill a tumbler with equal parts of fine salt and ice; mix well. sink the finger in the centre, allow it to remain until it is nearly frozen and numb; then withdraw it, and when sensation is restored, renew the operation four or five times, when it will be found the disease is destroyed. this must be done before pus is formed. a simple remedy for felons, relieving pain at once, no poulticing, no cutting, no "holes to the bone," no necessity for healing salve, but simple oil of cedar applied a few times at the commencement of the felon, and the work is done. remedy for lockjaw. if any person is threatened or taken with lockjaw from injuries of the arms, legs or feet, do not wait for a doctor, but put the part injured in the following preparation: put hot wood-ashes into water as warm as can be borne; if the injured part cannot be put into water, then wet thick folded cloths in the water and apply them to the part as soon as possible, at the same time bathe the backbone from the neck down with some laxative stimulant--say cayenne pepper and water, or mustard and water (good vinegar is better than water); it should be as hot as the patient can bare it. don't hesitate; go to work and do it, and don't stop until the jaws will come open. no person need die of lockjaw if these directions are followed. _cure for lockjaw, said to be positive._--let anyone who has an attack of lockjaw take a small quantity of spirits of turpentine, warm it, and pour it in the wound--no matter where the wound is or what its nature is--and relief will follow in less than one minute. turpentine is also a sovereign remedy for croup. saturate a piece of flannel with it, and place the flannel on the throat and chest--- and in very severe cases, three to five drops on a lump of sugar may be taken internally. bleeding at the nose. roll up a piece of paper and press it under the upper lip. in obstinate cases, blow a little gum arabic up the nostril through a quill, which will immediately stop the discharge; powdered alum, dissolved in water, is also good. pressure by the finger over the small artery near the ala (wing) of the nose on the side where the blood is flowing, is said to arrest the hemorrhage immediately. sometimes by wringing a cloth out of very hot water and laying it on the back of the neck, gives relief. napkins wrung out of cold water must be laid across the forehead and nose, the hands dipped in cold water, and a bottle of hot water applied to the feet. to take cinders from the eye. in most cases a simple and effective cure may be found in one or two grains of flax-seed, which can be placed in the eye without pain or injury. as they dissolve, a glutinous substance is formed, which envelops any foreign body that may be under the lid, and the whole is easily washed out. a dozen of these seeds should constitute a part of every traveler's outfit. another remedy for removing objects from the eye: take a horse-hair and double it, leaving a loop. if the object can be seen, lay the loop over it, close the eye, and the mote will come out as the hair is withdrawn. if the irritating object cannot be seen, raise the lid of the eye as high as possible and place the loop as far as you can, close the eye and roll the ball around a few times, draw out the hair, and the substance which caused the pain will be sure to come with it. this method is practiced by axemakers and other workers in steel. _montreal star._ eye-washes. the best eye-wash for granulated lids and inflammation of the eyes is composed of camphor, borax and morphine, in the following proportions: to a large wine-glass of camphor water--not spirits--add two grains of morphine and six grains of borax. pour a few drops into the palm of the hand, and hold the eye in it, opening the lid as much as possible. do this three or four times in twenty-four hours, and you will receive great relief from pain and smarting soreness. this recipe was received from a celebrated oculist, and has never failed to relieve the most inflamed eyes. another remedy said to be reliable: a lump of alum as large as a cranberry boiled in a teacupful of sweet milk, and the curd used as a poultice, is excellent for inflammation of the eyes. another wash: a cent's worth of pure, refined white copperas dissolved in a pint of water, is also a good lotion; but label it _poison_, as it should never go near the mouth. bathe the eyes with the mixture, either with the hands or a small piece of linen cloth, allowing some of the liquid to get under the lids. here is another from an eminent oculist: take half an ounce of rock salt and one ounce of dry sulphate of zinc; simmer in a clean, covered porcelain vessel with three pints of water until all are dissolved; strain through thick muslin; add one ounce of rose-water; bottle and cork it tight. to use it, mix one teaspoonful of rain-water with one of the eye-water, and bathe the eyes frequently. if it smarts too much, add more water. sunstroke. wrap a wet cloth bandage over the head; wet another cloth, folded small, square, cover it thickly with salt, and bind it on the back of the neck; apply dry salt behind the ears. put mustard plasters to the calves of the legs and soles of the feet. this is an effectual remedy. to remove warts. wash with water saturated with common washing-soda, and let it dry without wiping; repeat frequently until they disappear. or pass a pin through the wart and hold one end of it over the flame of a candle or lamp until the wart fires by the heat, and it will disappear. another treatment of warts is to pare the hard and dry skin from their tops, and then touch them with the smallest drop of strong acetic acid, taking care that the acid does not run off the wart upon the neighboring skin; for if it does it will occasion inflammation and much pain. if this is continued once or twice daily, with regularity, paring the surface of the wart occasionally when it gets hard and dry, the wart will soon be effectually cured. swaim's vermifuge. worm seed, two ounces; valerian, rhubarb, pink root, white agaric, senna, of each one ounce and a half. boil in sufficient water to yield three quarts of decoction. now add to it ten drops of the oil of tansy and forty-five drops of the oil of cloves, dissolved in a quart of rectified spirit. dose: one tablespoonful at night. fainting. (syncope.) immediately place the person fainting in a lying position, with head lower than body. in this way consciousness returns immediately, while in the erect position it often ends in death. for severe sprains. the white of an egg, a tablespoonful of vinegar and a tablespoonful of spirits of turpentine. mix in a bottle, shake thoroughly, and bathe the sprain as soon as possible after the accident. this was published in _life secrets_, but it is republished by request on account of its great value. it should be remembered by everyone. an invaluable remedy for a sprain or bruise is wormwood boiled in vinegar and applied hot, with enough cloths wrapped around it to keep the sprain moist. camphorated oil. best oil of lucca, gum camphor. pound some gum camphor and fill a wide-necked pint bottle one-third full; fill up with olive oil and set away until the camphor is absorbed. excellent lotion for sore chest, sore throat, aching limbs, etc. liniment for chilblains. spirits of turpentine, three drachms; camphorated oil, nine drachms. mix for a liniment. for an adult four drachms of the former and eight of the latter may be used. if the child be young, or if the skin be tender, the camphorated oil may be used without the turpentine. "the sun's" cholera mixture. more than forty years ago, when it was found that prevention for the asiatic cholera was easier than cure, the learned doctors of both hemispheres drew up a prescription, which was published (for working people) in _the new york sun_, and took the name of "the sun cholera mixture." it is found to be the best remedy for looseness of the bowels ever yet devised. it is to be commended for several reasons. it is not to be mixed with liquor, and therefore will not be used as an alcoholic beverage. its ingredients are well known among all the common people, and it will have no prejudice to combat; each of the materials is in equal proportions to the others, and it may therefore be compounded without professional skill; and as the dose is so very small, it may be carried in a tiny phial in the waistcoat pocket, and be always at hand. it is:-- take equal parts of tincture of cayenne, tincture of opium, tincture of rhubarb, essence of peppermint and spirits of camphor. mix well. dose fifteen to thirty drops in a wine-glass of water, according to age and violence of the attack. repeat every fifteen or twenty minutes until relief is obtained. no one who takes it in time will ever have the cholera. even when no cholera is anticipated, it is a valuable remedy for ordinary summer complaints, and should always be kept in readiness. comp. cathartic elixir. the only pleasant and reliable cathartic in liquid form that can be prescribed. each fluid ounce contains: sulp. magnesia one drachm, senna two drachms, scammony six grains, liquorice one drachm, ginger three grains, coriander, five grains, with flavoring ingredients. _dose._--child five years old, one or two teaspoonfuls; adult, one or two tablespoonfuls. this preparation is being used extensively throughout the country. it was originated with the design of furnishing a liquid cathartic remedy that could be prescribed in a palatable form. it will be taken by children with a relish. grandmother's cough syrup. take half a pound of dry hoarhound herbs, one pod of red pepper, four tablespoonfuls of ginger, boil all in three quarts of water, then strain, and add one teaspoonful of good, fresh tar and a pound of sugar. boil slowly and stir often, until it is reduced to one quart of syrup. when cool, bottle for use. take one or two teaspoonfuls four or six times a day. grandmother's universal liniment. one pint of alcohol and as much camphor gum as can be dissolved in it, half an ounce of the oil of cedar, one-half ounce of the oil of sassafras, aqua ammonia half an ounce, and the same amount of the tincture of morphine. shake well together and apply by the fire; the liniment must not be heated, or come in contact with the fire, but the rubbing to be done by the warmth of the fire. these recipes of grandmother's are all old, tried medicines, and are more effectual than most of those that are advertised, as they have been thoroughly tried, and proved reliable. grandmother's family spring bitters. mandrake root one ounce, dandelion root one ounce, burdock root one ounce, yellow dock root one ounce, prickly ash berries two ounces, marsh mallow one ounce, turkey rhubarb half an ounce, gentian one ounce, english camomile flowers one ounce, red clover tops two ounces. wash the herbs and roots; put them into an earthen vessel, pour over two quarts of water that has been boiled and cooled; let it stand over night and soak; in the morning set it on the back of the stove, and steep it five hours; it must not boil, but be nearly ready to boil. strain it through a cloth, and add half a pint of good gin. keep it in a cool place. half a wine-glass taken as a dose twice a day. this is better than all the patent blood medicines that are in the market--a superior blood purifier, and will cure almost any malignant sore, by taking according to direction, and washing the sore with a strong tea of red raspberry leaves steeped, first washing the sore with castile soap, then drying with a soft cloth, and washing it with the strong tea of red raspberry leaves. grandmother's eye-wash. take three fresh eggs and break them into one quart of clear, cold rain-water; stir until thoroughly mixed; bring to a boil on a slow fire, stirring often; then add half an ounce of sulphate of zinc (white vitrol); continue the boiling for two minutes, then set it off the fire. take the curd that settles at the bottom of this and apply to the eye at night with a bandage. it will speedily draw out all fever and soreness. strain the liquid through a cloth and use for bathing the eyes occasionally. this is the best eye-water ever made for man or beast. i have used it for twenty years without knowing it to fail. hunter's pills. these pills can be manufactured at home and are _truly reliable_, having been sold and used for more than fifty years in europe. the ingredients may be procured at almost any druggist's. the articles should be all in the powder. saffron one grain, rue one grain, scot aloes two grains, savin one grain, cayenne pepper one grain. mix all into a very thick mass by adding sufficient syrup. rub some fine starch on the surface of a platter or large dinner-plate, then with your forefinger and thumb nip off a small piece of the mass the size of a pill and roll it in pill form, first dipping your fingers in the starch. place them as fast as made on the platter, set where they will dry slowly. put them into a dry bottle or paper box. dose, one every night and morning as long as occasion requires. this recipe is worth _ten times_ the price of this book to any female requiring the _need_ of these regulating pills. hints in regard to health. it is plainly seen by an inquiring mind that, aside from the selection and preparation of food, there are many little things constantly arising in the experience of everyday life which, in their combined effect, are powerful agents in the formation (or prevention) of perfect health. a careful observance of these little occurences, an inquiry into the philosophy attending them, lies within the province, and indeed should be considered among the highest duties, of every housekeeper. that one should be cautious about entering a sick room in a state of perspiration, as the moment you become cool your pores absorb. do not approach contagious diseases with an empty stomach, nor sit between the sick and the fire, because the heat attracts the vapor. that the flavor of cod-liver oil may be changed to the delightful one of fresh oyster, if the patient will drink a large glass of water poured from a vessel in which nails have been allowed to rust. that a bag of hot sand relieves neuralgia. that warm borax water will remove dandruff. that salt should be eaten with nuts to aid digestion. that it rests you, in sewing, to change your position frequently. that a little soda water will relieve sick headache caused by indigestion. that a cupful of strong coffee will remove the odor of onions from the breath. that well-ventilated bedrooms will prevent morning headaches and lassitude. a cupful of hot water drank before meals will relieve nausea and dyspepsia. that a fever patient can be made cool and comfortable by frequent sponging off with soda water. that consumptive night-sweats may be arrested by sponging the body nightly in salt water. that one in a faint should be laid flat on his back, then loosen his clothes and let him alone. the best time to bathe is just before going to bed, as any danger of taking cold is thus avoided; and the complexion is improved by keeping warm for several hours after leaving the bath. to beat the whites of eggs quickly add a pinch of salt. salt cools, and cold eggs froth rapidly. hot, dry flannels, applied as hot as possible, for neuralgia. sprains and bruises call for an application of the tincture of arnica. if an artery is severed, tie a small cord or handkerchief above it. for bilious colic, soda and ginger in hot water. it may be taken freely. tickling in the throat is best relieved by a gargling of salt and water. pains in the side are most promptly relieved by the application of mustard. for cold in the head nothing is better than powdered borax, sniffed up the nostrils. a drink of hot, strong lemonade before going to bed will often break up a cold and cure a sore throat. nervous spasms are usually relieved by a little salt taken into the mouth and allowed to dissolve. whooping cough paroxysms are relieved by breathing the fumes of turpentine and carbolic acid. broken limbs should be placed in natural positions, and the patient kept quiet until the surgeon arrives. hemorrhages of the lungs or stomach are promptly checked by small doses of salt. the patient should be kept as quiet as possible. sleeplessness, caused by too much blood in the head may be overcome by applying a cloth wet with cold water to the back of the neck. wind colic is promptly relieved by peppermint essence taken in a little warm water. for small children it may be sweetened. paregoric is also good. for stomach cramps, ginger ale or a teaspoonful of the tincture of ginger in a half glass of water in which a half teaspoonful of soda has been dissolved. sickness of the stomach is most promptly relieved by drinking a teacupful of hot soda and water. if it brings the offending matter up, all the better. a teaspoonful of ground mustard in a cupful of warm water is a prompt and reliable emetic, and should be resorted to in cases of poisoning or cramps in the stomach from over-eating. avoid purgatives or strong physic, as they not only do no good, but are positively hurtful. pills may relieve for the time, but they seldom cure. powdered resin is the best thing to stop bleeding from cuts. after the powder is sprinkled on, wrap the wound with soft cotton cloth. as soon as the wound begins to feel feverish, keep the cloth wet with cold water. eggs are considered one of the best remedies for dysentery. beaten up slightly, with or without sugar, and swallowed, they tend by their emollient qualities to lessen the inflammation of the stomach and intestines, and by forming a transient coating on those organs, enable nature to resume her healthful sway over the diseased body. two, or at most, three eggs per day, would be all that is required in ordinary cases; and, since the egg is not merely medicine, but food as well, the lighter the diet otherwise, and the quieter the patient is kept, the more certain and rapid is the recovery. hot water is better than cold for bruises. it relieves pain quickly, and by preventing congestion often keeps off the ugly black and blue mark. "children cry for it," when they experience the relief it affords their bumps and bruises. for a sprained ankle, the whites of eggs and powdered alum made into a plaster is almost a specific. medicinal food. spinach has a direct effect upon complaints of the kidneys; the common dandelion, used as greens, is excellent for the same trouble; asparagus purifies the blood; celery acts admirably upon the nervous system, and is a cure for rheumatism and neuralgia; tomatoes act upon the liver; beets and turnips are excellent appetizers; lettuce and cucumbers are cooling in their effects upon the system; beans are a very nutritious and strengthening vegetable; while onions, garlic, leeks, chives and shallots, all of which are similar, possess medicinal virtues of a marked character, stimulating the circulatory system, and the consequent increase of the saliva and the gastric juice promoting digestion. red onions are an excellent diuretic, and the white ones are recommended raw as a remedy for insomnia. they are tonic, nutritious. a soup made from onions is regarded by the french as an excellent restorative in debility of the digestive organs. we might go through the entire list and find each vegetable possessing its especial mission of cure, and it will be plain to every housekeeper that a vegetable diet should be partly adopted, and will prove of great advantage to the health of the family. [illustration] housekeepers' time-table. | mode of | time of | time of | |preparation| cooking |digestion| ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | h. m. | h. m. | apples, sour, hard |raw | | | apples, sweet and mellow |raw | | | asparagus |boiled | to | | beans (pod) |boiled | | | beans with green corn |boiled | | | beef |roasted |[a] | | beefsteak |broiled | | | beefsteak |fried | | | beef, salted |boiled |[a] | | bass, fresh |broiled | | | beets, young |boiled | | | beets, old |boiled | | | bread, corn |baked | | | bread, wheat |baked | | | butter |melted | | | cabbage |raw | | | cabbage and vinegar |raw | | | cabbage |boiled | | | cauliflower |boiled | - | | cake, sponge |baked | | | carrot, orange |boiled | | | cheese, old |raw | | | chicken |fricasseed | | | codfish, dry and whole |boiled |[a] | | custard (one quart) |baked | | | duck, tame |roasted | | | duck, wild |roasted | | | dumpling, apple |boiled | | | eggs, hard |boiled | | | eggs, soft |boiled | | | eggs |fried | | | eggs |raw | | | fowls, domestic, roasted or |boiled | | | gelatine |boiled | | | goose, wild |roasted |[a] | | lamb |boiled |[a] | | meat and vegetables |hashed | | | milk |raw | | | milk |boiled | | | mutton |roast |[a] | | mutton |broiled | | | onions |boiled | - | | oysters |roasted | | | oysters |stewed | | | parsnips |boiled | | | pigs' feet |soused | | | pork |roast |[a] | | pork |boiled |[a] | | pork, raw or |fried | | | pork |broiled | | | potatoes |boiled | | | potatoes |baked | | | potatoes |roasted | | | rice |boiled | | | salmon, fresh |boiled | | | sausage |fried | | | sausage |broiled | | | soup, vegetable |boiled | | | soup, chicken |boiled | | | soup, oyster or mutton |boiled |[b] | | spinach |boiled | - | | tapioca |boiled | | | tomatoes |fresh | | | tomatoes |canned | | | trout, salmon, fresh, boiled or|fried | | | turkey, boiled or |roasted |[b] | | turnips |boiled | | | veal |broiled | | | venison steak |broiled | | | [footnote a: minutes to the pound.] [footnote b: mutton soup.] the time given is the general average; the time will vary slightly with the quality of the article. miscellaneous recipes. uses of ammonia. all housekeepers should keep a bottle of liquid ammonia, as it is the most powerful and useful agent for cleaning silks, stuffs and hats, in fact cleans everything it touches. a few drops of ammonia in water will take off grease from dishes, pans, etc., and does not injure the hands as much as the use of soda and strong chemical soaps. a spoonful in a quart of warm water for cleaning paint makes it look like new, and so with everything that needs cleaning. spots on towels and hosiery will disappear with little trouble if a little ammonia is put into enough water to soak the articles, and they are left in it an hour or two before washing; and if a cupful is put into the water in which clothes are soaked the night before washing, the ease with which the articles can be washed, and their great whiteness and clearness when dried, will be very gratifying. remembering the small sum paid for three quarts of ammonia of common strength, one can easily see that no bleaching preparation can be more cheaply obtained. no articles in kitchen use are so likely to be neglected and abused as the dish-cloth and dish-towels; and in washing these, ammonia, if properly used, is a greater comfort than anywhere else. put a teaspoonful into the water in which these cloths are, or should be, washed everyday; rub soap on the towels. put them in the water; let them stand half an hour or so; then rub them out thoroughly, rinse faithfully, and dry outdoors in clear air and sun, and dish-cloths and towels need never look gray and dingy--a perpetual discomfort to all housekeepers. a dark carpet often looks dusty soon after it has been swept, and you know it does not need sweeping again; so wet a cloth or a sponge, wring it almost dry, and wipe off the dust. a few drops of ammonia in the water will brighten the colors. for cleaning hair-brushes it is excellent; put a tablespoonful into the water, having it only tepid, and dip up and down until clean; then dry with the brushes down and they will be like new ones. when employed in washing anything that is not especially soiled, use the waste water afterward for the house plants that are taken down from their usual position and immersed in the tub of water. ammonia is a fertilizer, and helps to keep healthy the plants it nourishes. in every way, in fact, ammonia is the housekeeper's friend. ammonia is not only useful for cleaning, but as a household medicine. half a teaspoonful taken in half a tumbler of water is far better for faintness than alcoholic stimulants. in the temperance hospital in london, it is used with the best results. it was used freely by lieutenant greely's arctic party for keeping up circulation. it is a relief in nervousness, headache and heart disturbances. to destroy insects and vermin. dissolve two pounds of alum in three or four quarts of water. let it remain over night till all the alum is dissolved. then with a brush, apply boiling hot to every joint or crevice in the closet or shelves where croton bugs, ants, cockroaches, etc., intrude; also to the joints and crevices of bedsteads, as bed bugs dislike it as much as croton bugs, roaches, or ants. brush all the cracks in the floor and mop-boards. keep it boiling hot while using. to keep woolens and furs from moths, be sure that none are in the articles when they are put away; then take a piece of strong brown paper, with not a hole through which even a pin can enter. put the article in it with several lumps of gum camphor between the folds; place this in a close box or trunk. cover every joint with paper. a piece of cotton cloth, if thick and firm, will answer. wherever a knitting-needle can pass, the parent moth can enter. place pieces of camphor, cedar-wood, russia leather, tobacco-leaves, whole cloves, or anything strongly aromatic, in the drawers or boxes where furs and other things to be preserved from moths are kept and they will never be harmed. mice never get into drawers or trunks where gum camphor is placed. _another recipe_.--mix half a pint of alcohol, the same quantity of turpentine and two ounces of camphor. keep in a stone bottle and shake well before using. the clothes or furs are to be wrapped in linen, and crumbled-up pieces of blotting-paper dipped in the liquid to be placed in the box with them, so that it smells strong. this requires renewing but once a year. another authority says that a positive, sure recipe is this: mix equal quantities of pulverized borax, camphor gum and saltpetre together, making a powder. sprinkle it dry under the edges of carpets, in drawers, trunks, etc., etc. it will also keep out all kinds of insects, if plentifully used. if the housekeeper will begin at the top of her house with a powder bellows and a large quantity of this fresh powder, and puff it thoroughly into every crack and crevice, whether or not there are croton bugs in them, to the very bottom of her house, special attention being paid to old furniture, closets, and wherever croton water is introduced, she will be freed from these torments. the operation may require a repetition, but the end is success. moths in carpets. if you fear that they are at work at the edge of the carpet, it will sometimes suffice to lay a wet towel, and press a hot flat-iron over it; but the best way is to take the carpet up, and clean it, and give a good deal of attention to the floor. look in the cracks, and if you discover signs of moths, wash the floor with benzine, and scatter red pepper on it before putting the carpet lining down. heavy carpets sometimes do not require taking up every year, unless in constant use. take out the tacks from these, fold the carpets back, wash the floor in strong suds with a tablespoonful of borax dissolved in it. dash with insect powder, or lay with tobacco leaves along the edge, and re-tack. or use turpentine, the enemy of buffalo moths, carpet worms and other insects that injure and destroy carpets. mix the turpentine with pure water in the proportion of three tablespoonfuls to three quarts of water, and then after the carpet has been well swept, go over each breadth carefully with a sponge dipped in the solution and wrung nearly dry. change the water as often as it becomes dirty. the carpet will be nicely cleaned as well as disinfected. all moths can be kept away and the eggs destroyed by this means. spots may be renovated by the use of ox-gall or ammonia and water. a good way to brighten a carpet is to put half a tumbler of spirits of turpentine in a basin of water, and dip your broom in it and sweep over the carpet once or twice and it will restore the color and brighten it up until you would think it new. another good way to clean old carpets is to rub them over with meal; just dampen it a very little and rub the carpet with it and when perfectly dry, sweep over with meal. after a carpet is thoroughly swept, rub it with a cloth dipped in water and ammonia; it will brighten the colors and make it look like new. to take out machine grease. cold water, a tablespoonful of ammonia and soap, will take out machine grease where other means would not answer on account of colors running, etc. to wash flannels. the first thing to consider in washing flannels so that they retain their size, is that the articles be _washed_ and _rinsed_ in water of the _same temperature_, that is, about as warm as the hands can bear, and not allowed to cool between. the water should be a strong suds. bub through two soapy waters; wring them out, and put into plenty of clear, clean, warm water to rinse. then into another of the same temperature, blued a little. wring, shake them well and hang up. do not take out of this warm water and hang out in a freezing air, as that certainly tends to shrink them. it is better to dry them in the house, unless the sun shines. they should dry _quickly_. colored flannels should never be washed in the same water after white clothes, or they will be covered, when dry, with lint; better be washed in a water for themselves. in washing worsteds, such as merino dress goods, pursue the same course, only do not wring them hard; shake, hang them up and let drain. while a little damp, bring in and press smoothly on the wrong side with as hot an iron as can be used without scorching the goods. flannels that have become yellow from being badly washed, may be nicely whitened by soaking them two or three hours in a lather made of one-quarter of a pound of soft soap, two tablespoonfuls of powdered borax and two tablespoonfuls of carbonate of ammonia, dissolved in five or six gallons of water. to starch, fold and iron shirts. to three tablespoonfuls of dry, fine starch allow a quart of water. first wet the starch smooth in a little cold water in a tin pan, put into it a little pinch of salt and a piece of enamel, or shirt polish the size of a bean, or a piece of clean tallow, or a piece of butter the size of a cranberry; pour over this a quart of _boiling_ water, stirring rapidly, placing it over the fire. cook until clear, then remove it from the fire and set the pan in another of warm water to keep the starch warm. turn the shirt wrong side out and dip the bosom in the hot starch as warm as the hands can bear the heat; rub the starch evenly through the linen, saturating it thoroughly; wring hard to make dry as possible. starch the collar and wristbands the same way, then hang them out to dry. three hours before ironing them, wet the bosom and cuffs in cold water, wring out, shake and fold, roll up tightly, wrap in a towel and let remain two or three hours. the back of the shirt should be ironed first by doubling it lengthwise through the centre, the wristbands may be ironed next, and both sides of the sleeves, then the collar band; now place a bosom board under the bosom and with a fresh clean napkin dampened a little, rub the bosom from the top toward the bottom, arranging and smoothing each plait neatly; then with a smooth, moderately-hot flat-iron, begin ironing from the top downward, pressing hard until the bosom becomes smooth, dry and glossy. remove the bosom board and iron the front, fold both sides of the shirt towards the centre of the back, fold together below the bosom and hang on the bars to air. cleaning oil-cloths. a dingy oil-cloth may be brightened by washing it with clear water with a little borax dissolved in it; wipe it with a flannel cloth that you have dipped into milk and then wring as dry as possible. to clean black lace. no. . a teaspoonful of gum arabic dissolved in one teacupful of boiling water; when cool, add half a teaspoonful of black ink; dip the lace and spread smoothly between the folds of a newspaper and press dry with book or the like. lace shawls can be dressed over in this way, by pinning a sheet to the carpet and stretching the shawl upon that; or black lace can be cleaned the same as ribbon and silk. take an old kid glove (black preferable), no matter how old, and boil it in a pint of water for a short time; then let it cool until the leather can be taken in the hand without burning; use the glove to sponge off the ribbon; if the ribbon is very dirty, dip it into water and draw through the fingers a few times before sponging. after cleaning, lay a piece of paper over the ribbon and iron; paper is better than cloth. the ribbon will look like new. to clean black lace. no. . black laces of all kinds may be cleaned by alcohol. throw them boldly into the liquid; churn them up and down till they foam; if very dusty, use the second dose of alcohol; squeeze them out, "spat" them, pull out the edges, lay them between brown paper, smooth and straight; leave under a heavy weight till dry; do not iron. to wash white lace. no. . first, the soiled laces should be carefully removed from the garment and folded a number of times, keeping the edges evenly together, then basted with a coarse thread without a knot in the end. now put them in a basin of luke-warm suds. after soaking a half hour, rub them carefully between the hands, renewing the suds several times; then, after soaping them well, place them in _cold_ water and let them come to a scald. take them from this and rinse them thoroughly in luke-warm water, blued a very little, then dip them into a _very thin,_ clear starch, allowing a teaspoonful of starch to a pint of water, so thin that it will be scarcely preceptible. now roll them in a clean, fresh towel without taking out the bastings; let them lie for an hour or more, iron over several thicknesses of flannel, taking out the bastings of one piece at a time, and ironing on the wrong side, with a moderately-hot iron; the laces should be nearly dry, and the edges and points pulled gently with the fingers into shape, before ironing. to wash white thread lace. no. . to wash white lace, cover a bottle with linen, stitched smoothly to fit the shape. wind the lace about it, basting both edges to the linen. wash on the bottle, soaping and rinsing well, then boil in soft water. dry in the sun. clip the basting threads and do not iron. if carefully done it will look like new lace. to clean silks or ribbons. half a pint of gin, half a pound of honey, half a pound of soft soap, one-eighth of a pint of water. mix the above ingredients together; then lay each breadth of silk upon a clean kitchen table or dresser, and scrub it well on the soiled side with the mixture. have ready three vessels of cold water; take each piece of silk at two corners, and dip it up and down in each vessel, but do not wring it; and take care that each breadth has one vessel of quite clean water for the last dip. hang it up dripping for a minute or two, then dab in a cloth, and iron it quickly with a very hot iron. where the lace or silk is very much soiled, it is best to pass them through a warm liquor of bullock's gall and water; rinse in cold water; then take a small piece of glue, pour boiling water on it, and pass the veil through it, clap it, and frame to dry. instead of framing, it may be fastened with drawing-pins closely fixed upon a very clean paste, or drawing-board. to clean black dress silks. one of the things "not generally known," at least in this country, is the parisian method of cleaning black silk; the _modus operandi_ is very simple, and the result infinitely superior to that achieved in any other manner. the silk must be thoroughly brushed and wiped with a cloth, then laid flat on a board or table, and well sponged with hot coffee, thoroughly freed from sediment by being strained through muslin. the silk is sponged on the side intended to show; it is allowed to become partially dry, and then ironed on the wrong side. the coffee removes every particle of grease, and restores the brilliancy of silk, without imparting to it either the shiny appearance or crackly and papery stiffness obtained by beer, or, indeed, any other liquid. the silk really appears thickened by the process, and this good effect is permanent. our readers who will experimentalize on an apron or cravat, will never again try any other method. to wash feathers. wash in warm soap-suds and rinse in water a very little blued; if the feather is white, then let the wind dry it. when the curl has come out by washing the feather or getting it damp, place a hot flat-iron so that you can hold the feather just above it while curling. take a bone or silver knife, and draw the fibres of the feather between the thumb and the dull edge of the knife, taking not more than three fibres at a time, beginning at the point of the feather and curling one-half the other way. the hot iron makes the curl more durable. after a little practice one can make them look as well as new feathers. or they can be curled by holding them over the stove or range, not near enough to burn; withdraw and shake out; then hold them over again until they curl. when swansdown becomes soiled, it can be washed and look as good as new. tack strips on a piece of muslin and wash in warm water with white soap, then rinse and hang in the wind to dry. rip from the muslin and rub carefully between the fingers to soften the leather. incombustible dresses. by putting an ounce of alum or sal ammoniac in the _last_ water in which muslins or cottons are rinsed, or a similar quantity in the starch in which they are stiffened, they will be rendered almost uninflammable; or, at least, will with difficulty take the fire, and if they do, will burn without flame. it is astonishing that this simple precaution is so rarely adopted. remember this and save the lives of your children. how to freshen up furs. furs when taken out in the fall are often found to have a mussed, crushed-out appearance. they can be made to look like new, by following these simple directions: wet the fur with a hair-brush, brushing up the wrong way of the fur. leave it to dry in the air for about half an hour, and then give it a good beating on the right side with a rattan. after beating it, comb it with a coarse comb, combing up the right way of the fur. novel dress mending. a novel way of mending a woolen or silk dress in which a round hole has been torn, and where only a patch could remedy matters, is the following: the frayed portions around the tear should be carefully smoothed, and a piece of the material, moistened with very thin muscilage, placed under the hole. a heavy weight should be put upon it until it is dry, when it is only possible to discover the mended place by careful observation. to renew old crape. place a little water in a tea-kettle, and let it boil until there is plenty of steam from the spout; then, holding the crape in both hands, pass it to and fro several times through the steam, and it will be clean and look nearly equal to new. to raise the pile on velvet. to raise the pile on velvet, put on a table two pieces of wood; place between them, bottom side up, three very hot flat-irons, and over them lay a wet cloth; hold the velvet over the cloth, with the wrong side down; when thoroughly steamed, brush the pile with a light wisp, and the velvet will look as good as new. to clean kid gloves. make a thick mucilage by boiling a handful of flax-seed; add a little dissolved toilet soap; then, when the mixture cools, put the gloves on the hands and rub them with a piece of white flannel wet with the mixture. do not wet the gloves through. or take a fine, clean, soft cloth, dip it into a little sweet milk, then rub it on a cake of soap, and rub the gloves with it; they will, look like new. another good way to clean any color of kid gloves is to pour a little benzine into a basin and wash the gloves in it, rubbing and squeezing them until clean. if much soiled, they must be washed through clean benzine, and rinsed in a fresh supply. hang up in the air to dry. starch polish. take one ounce of spermaceti and one ounce of white wax; melt and run it into a thin cake on a plate. a piece the size of a quarter dollar added to a quart of prepared starch gives a beautiful lustre to the clothes and prevents the iron from sticking. for cleaning jewelry. for cleaning jewelry there is nothing better than ammonia and water. if very dull or dirty, rub a little soap on a soft brush and brush them in this wash, rinse in cold water, dry first in an old handkerchief and then rub with buck or chamois skin. their freshness and brilliancy when thus cleaned cannot be surpassed by any compound used by jewelers. to clean silver plate. wash well in strong, warm soap-suds, rinse and wipe dry with a dry soft cloth; then mix as much hartshorn powder as will be required into a thick paste, with cold water; spread this over the silver, with a soft cloth, and leave it for a little time to dry. when perfectly dry brush it off with a clean soft cloth, or brush and polish it with a piece of chamois skin. hartshorn is one of the best possible ingredients for plate powder for daily use. it leaves on the silver a deep, dark polish, and at the same time does not injure it. whiting, dampened with liquid ammonia, is excellent also. to remove stains from marble. mix together one-half pound of soda, one-half pound of soft soap and one pound of whiting. boil them until they become as thick as paste, and let it cool. before it is quite cold, spread it over the surface of the marble and leave it at least a whole day. use soft water to wash it off, and rub it well with soft cloths. for a black marble, nothing it better than spirits of turpentine. another paste answers the same purpose: take two parts of soda, one of pumice stone and one of finely-powdered chalk. sift these through a fine sieve and mix them into a paste with water. rub this well all over the marble and the stains will be removed; then wash it with soap and water and a beautiful bright polish will be produced. to whiten walls. to whiten walls, scrape off all the old whitewash, and wash the walls with a solution of two ounces of white vitriol to four gallons of water. soak a quarter of a pound of white glue in water for twelve hours; strain and place in a tin pail in a kettle of boiling water. when melted, stir in the glue eight pounds of whiting and water enough to make it as thick as common whitewash. apply evenly with a good brush. if the walls are very yellow, blue the water slightly by squeezing in it a flannel blue-bag. before kalsomining a wall all cracks should be plastered over. use plaster of paris. kalsomine may be colored easily by mixing with it yellow ochre, spanish brown, indigo; squeeze through a bag into the water, etc. paper-hangers' paste. to make paper-hangers' paste, beat up four pounds of good, white wheat flour (well sifted previously) in sufficient cold water to form a stiff batter. beat it well in order to take out all lumps, and then add enough cold water to make the mixture of the consistency of pudding batter. to this add about two ounces of well-pounded alum. pour gently and quickly over the batter boiling water, stirring rapidly at the same time, and when it is seen to lose the white color of the flour, it is cooked and ready. do not use it, however, while hot, but allow it to cool. pour about a pint of cold water over the top to prevent a skin from forming. before using, the paste should be thinned by the addition of cold water. to wash colored garments. delicately colored socks and stockings are apt to fade in washing. if they are soaked for a night in a pail of tepid water containing a half pint of turpentine, then wrung out and dried, the colors will "set," and they can afterwards be washed without fading. for calicoes that fade, put a teaspoonful of sugar of lead into a pailful of water and soak the garment fifteen minutes before washing. the marking system. mark all your own personal wardrobe which has to be washed. if this were invariably done, a great deal of property would be saved and a great deal of trouble would be spared. for the sake of saving trouble to others, if for no other reason, all of one's handkerchiefs, collars and underclothing should be plainly and permanently marked. a bottle of indelible ink is cheap, a clean pen still cheaper, and a bright, sunny day or a hot flat-iron will complete the business. always keep on hand a stick of linen tape, written over its whole length with your name, or the names of your family, ready to be cut off and sewed on to stockings and such other articles as do not afford a good surface on which to mark. then there are the paper patterns, of which every mother has a store. on the outside of each, as it is tied up, the name of the pattern should be plainly written. there are the rolls of pieces, which may contain a good deal not apparent from the outside. all these hidden mysteries should be indicated. the winter things, which are wrapped up and put away for summer, and the summer things, which are wrapped up and put away for the winter, should all be in labeled packages, and every packing trunk should have on its lid a complete list of its contents. _congregationalist_ to remove stains and spots. children's clothes, table linens, towels, etc., should be thoroughly examined before wetting, as soap-suds, washing-fluids, etc., will fix almost any stain past removal. many stains will pass away by being simply washed in pure, soft water; or alcohol will remove, before the article has been in soap-suds, many stains; iron mold, mildew, or almost any similar spot, can be taken out by dipping in diluted citric acid; then cover with salt and lay in the bright sun till the stain disappears. if of long standing, it may be necessary to repeat the wetting and the sunlight. be careful to rinse in several waters as soon as the stain is no longer visible. ink, fruit, wine, and mildew stains must first be washed in clear, cold water, removing as much of the spots as can be, then mix one teaspoonful of oxalic acid and a half pint of rain-water. dip the stain in this and wipe off in clear water. wash at once, if a fabric that will bear washing. a tablespoonful of white currant juice, if any can be had, is even better than lemon. this preparation may be used on the most delicate articles without injury. shake it up before using it. mark it "poison," and put it where it will not be meddled with. oil stains in silks and other fabrics. benzine is most effectual, not only for silk, but for any other material whatever. it can be procured from any druggist. by simply covering both sides of greased silk with magnesia, and allowing it to remain for a few hours, the oil is absorbed by the powder. should the first application be insufficient, it may be repeated, and even rubbed in with the hand. should the silk be tussah or indian silk, it will wash. to remove an acid stain on violet silk: brush the discoloration with tincture of iodine, then saturate the spot well with a solution of hyposulphite of soda, and dry gradually. this restores the original color perfectly. muriatic acid is successfully used for removing ink stains and iron mold on a number of colors which it does not attack. sulphurous acid is only employed for whitening undyed goods, straw hats, etc., and for removing the stains of certain fruits on silks and woolens. sulphurous gas is also used for this purpose, but the liquid gas is safer. oxalic acid is used for removing ink and rust stains, and remnants of mud stains, which do not yield to other deterrents. it may also be used for destroying the stains of fruits and astringent juices, and old stains of urine. however, its use is limited to white goods, as it attacks fugitive colors and even light shades of those reputed to be fast. the best method of applying it is to dissolve it in cold or luke-warm water, to let it remain a moment upon the spot, and then rub it with the fingers. wash out in clear, warm water immediately. citric acid serves to revive and brighten certain colors, especially greens and yellows. it restores scarlets which have been turned to a crimson by the action of alkalies. acetic acid or tartaric acid may be used instead. where it is feared that soap may change the color of an article, as, for instance, scarlet hosiery or lilac print, if the garment be not badly soiled, it may be cleansed by washing without soap in water in which pared potatoes have been boiled. this method will also prevent color from running in washing prints. to prevent blue from running into a white ground, dissolve a teaspoonful of copperas in a pailful of soft water, add a piece of lime the size of an acorn, and soak the garments in this water two hours before washing. to keep colors from running in washing black prints, put a teaspoon of black pepper in the first water. salt or beef's gall in the water helps to set black. a tablespoonful of spirits of turpentine to a gallon of water sets most blues, and alum is very efficacious in setting green. black or very dark calicoes should be stiffened with gum arabic--five cents' worth is enough for a dress. if, however, starch is used, the garment should be turned wrong side out. a simple way to remove grass stains is to spread butter on them, and lay the article in hot sunshine, or wash in alcohol. fruit stains upon cloth or the hands may be removed by rubbing with the juice of ripe tomatoes. if applied immediately, powdered starch will also take fruit stains out of table linen. left on the spot for a few hours, it absorbs every trace of the stain. for mildew stains or iron rust, mix together soft soap, laundry starch, half as much salt, and the juice of a lemon. apply to the spots and spread the garment on the grass. or wet the linen, rub into it white soap, then finely powdered chalk; lay upon the grass and keep damp. old mildew stains may be removed by rubbing yellow soap on both sides and afterwards laying on, very thick, starch which has been dampened. rub in well and expose to light and air. there are several effectual methods of removing grease from cloths. first, wet with a linen cloth dipped in chloroform. second, mix four tablespoonfuls of alcohol with one tablespoonful of salt; shake together until the salt is dissolved and apply with a sponge. third, wet with weak ammonia water; then lay a thin white blotting or tissue paper over it and iron lightly with an iron not too hot. fourth, apply a mixture of equal parts of alcohol, gin and ammonia. candle grease yields to a warm iron. place a piece of blotting or other absorbing paper under the absorbing fabric; put a piece of the paper also on the spot, apply the warm iron to the paper and as soon as a spot of grease appears, move the paper and press again until the spot disappears. lard will remove wagon grease. rub the spot with the lard as if washing it, and when it is well out, wash in the ordinary way with soap and water until thoroughly cleansed. to make linen beautifully white, prepare the water for washing by putting into every ten gallons a large handful of powdered borax or boil with the clothes one teaspoonful of spirits of turpentine. fruit stains may be taken out by boiling water. place the material over a basin or other vessel and pour the boiling water from the kettle over the stains. pure water, cold or hot, mixed with acids, serves for rinsing goods in order to remove foreign and neutral bodies which cover the color. steam softens fatty matters and thus facilitates their removal by reagents. sulphuric acid may be used in certain cases, particularly for brightening and raising greens, reds, yellows, etc., but it must be diluted with at least one hundred times its weight of water and more in cases of delicate shades. cement for china and glass. to half a pint of milk put an equal quantity of vinegar in order to curdle it; then separate the curd from the whey and mix the whey with the whites of four or five eggs, beating the whole well together. when it is well-mixed, add a little quick-lime, through a sieve, until it has acquired the consistency of a thick paste. with this cement broken vessels and cracks of all kinds may be mended. it dries quickly and resists the action of fire and water. another: into a thick solution of gum arabic, stir plaster of paris until the mixture assumes the consistency of cream; apply with a brush to the broken edges of china and join together. in three days the article cannot be broken in the same place. the whiteness of the cement adds to its value. cleaning sinks. to purify greasy sinks and pipes, pour down a pailful of boiling water in which three or four pounds of washing soda have been dissolved. a disinfectant is prepared in the same way, using copperas. copperas is a poison and should not be left about. _leaks in waste pipes:_--shut yourself into a room from which the pipe starts. put two or three ounces of oil of peppermint into a pail of boiling hot water and pour down the pipe. another person who has not yet inhaled the strong odor should follow the course of the pipe through the house. the peppermint will be pretty sure to discover a break that even an expert plumber might overlook. _the examiner._ management of stoves. if the fire in a stove has plenty of fresh coals on top not yet burned through it will need only a little shaking to start it up; but if the fire looks dying and the coals look white, don't shake it. when it has drawn till it is red again, if there is much ash and little fire, put coals on very carefully. a mere handful of fire can be coaxed back into life by adding another handful or so of new coals on the red spot, and giving plenty of draught, but don't shake a dying fire, or you lose it. this management is often necessary after a warm spell, when the stove has been kept dormant for days, though i hope you will not be so unfortunate as to have a fire to coax up on a cold winter morning. they should be arranged over night, so that all that is required is to open the draughts in order to have a cherry glow in a few minutes. _good housekeeping_ to remove ink from carpets. when freshly spilled, ink can be removed from carpets by wetting in milk. take cotton batting and soak up all the ink that it will receive, being careful not to let it spread. then take fresh cotton, wet in milk, and sop it up carefully. repeat this operation, changing cotton and milk each time. after most of the ink has been taken up in this way, with fresh cotton and clean, rub the spot. continue till all disappears; then wash the spot in clean warm water and a little soap; rinse in clear water and rub till nearly dry. if the ink is dried in, we know of no way that will not take the color from the carpet as well as the ink, unless the ink is on a white spot. in that case, salts of lemon, or soft soap, starch and lemon juice, will remove the ink as easily as if on cotton. to take rust out of steel. if possible, place the article in a bowl containing kerosene oil, or wrap the steel up in a soft cloth well saturated with kerosene; let it remain twenty-four hours or longer, then scour the rusty spots with brick dust; if badly rusted, use salt wet with hot vinegar; after scouring rinse every particle of brick dust or salt off with boiling hot water; dry thoroughly with flannel cloths and place near the fire to make sure, then polish off with a clean flannel cloth and a little sweet oil. to make a paste or mucilage to fasten lables. soften good glue in water, then boil it with strong vinegar and thicken the liquid, during boiling, with fine wheat flour, so that a paste results; or starch paste with which a little venice turpentine has been incorporated while it was warm. a recipe for a transparent cement which possesses great tenacity and has not the slightest yellow tinge: mix in a well-stoppered bottle ten drachms of chloroform with ten and one-half of non-vulcanized caoutchouc (rubber) cut in small pieces. solution is readily effected and when it is completed add two and one-half drachms of mastic. let the whole macerate from eight to ten days without the application of any heat and shake the contents of the bottle at intervals. a perfectly white and very adhesive cement is the result. postage stamp mucilage. take of gum dextrine two parts, acetic acid one part, water five parts. dissolve in a water bath and add alcohol one part. _scientific american._ gum of great strength, which will also keep for a long time, is prepared by dissolving equal parts of gum arabic and gum tragacanth in vinegar. a little vinegar added to ordinary gum water will make it keep much better. family glue. crack the glue and put it in a bottle, add common whisky; shake up, cork tight, and in three or four days it can be used. it requires no heating, will keep for almost any length of time, and is at all times, ready to use, except in the coldest of weather, when it will require warming. it must be kept tight, so that the whisky will not evaporate. the usual corks or stoppers should not be used. it will become clogged. a tin stopper covering the bottle, but fitting as closely as possible, must be used. glue. glue to resist _heat_ and _moisture_ is made as follows: mix a handful of quick-lime in four ounces of linseed oil, boil to a good thickness, then spread it on tin plates in the shade, and it will become very hard, but may be easily dissolved over the fire as glue. a glue which will resist the action of water is made by boiling one pound of common glue in two quarts of skimmed milk. furniture cream. shred finely two ounces of beeswax and half an ounce of white wax into half a pint of turpentine; set in a warm place until dissolved, then pour over the mixture the following, boiled together until melted: half a pint of water, an ounce of castile soap and a piece or resin the size of a small nutmeg. mix thoroughly and keep in a wide-necked stone bottle for use. this cleans well and leaves a good polish, and may be made at a fourth of the price it is sold at. cement cracks in floor. cracks in floors may be neatly but permanently filled by thoroughly soaking newspapers in paste made of half a pound of flour, three quarts of water and half a pound of alum mixed and boiled. the mixture will be about as thick as putty, and may be forced into the crevice with a case knife. it will harden like papier-mache. a polish for ladies' kid shoes. a fine liquid polish for ladies' kid shoes, satchels, etc., that is easy of application, recommended as containing no ingredients in any manner injurious to leather, is found by digesting in a closed vessel at gentle heat, and straining, a solution made as follows: lampblack one drachm, oil turpentine four drachms, alcohol (trymethyl) twelve ounces, shellac one and one-half ounces, white turpentine five drachms, saudarac two drachms. paste for scrap books, etc. _paste that will keep_.--dissolve a teaspoonful of alum in a quart of water. when cold, stir in flour, to give it the consistency of thick cream, being particular to beat up all the lumps. stir in as much powdered resin as will lie on a dime, and throw in half a dozen cloves to give it a pleasant odor. have on the fire a teacupful of boiling water; pour the flour mixture into it, stirring well all the time. in a few minutes it will be of the consistency of molasses. pour it into an earthen or china vessel, let it cool, and stir in a small teaspoonful each of oil of cloves and of sassafras; lay a cover on, and put in a cool place. when needed for use, take out a portion and soften it with warm water. this is a fine paste to use to stiffen embroidery. to remove indelible ink. most indelible inks contain nitrate of silver, the stain of which may be removed by first soaking in a solution of common salt, and afterward washing with ammonia. or use solution of ten grains of cyanide of potassium and five grains of iodine to one ounce of water, or a solution of eight parts each bichloride of mercury and chloride of ammonium in one hundred and twenty-five parts of water. a cement for acids. a cement which is proof against boiling acids may be made by a composition of india rubber, tallow, lime and red lead. the india rubber must first be melted by a gentle heat, and then six to eight per cent by weight of tallow is added to the mixture while it is kept well stirred; next day slaked lime is applied, until the fluid mass assumes a consistency similar to that of soft paste; lastly, twenty per cent of red lead is added in order to make it harden and dry. to keep cider. allow three-fourths of a pound of sugar to the gallon, the whites of six eggs, well beaten, a handful of common salt. leave it open until fermentation ceases, then bung up. this process a dealer of cider has used for years, and always successfully. _another recipe_.--to keep cider sweet allow it to work until it has reached the state most desirable to the taste, and then add one and a half tumblers of grated horse-radish to each barrel, and shake up well. this arrests further fermentation. after remaining a few weeks, rack off and bung up closely in clean casks. a gentleman of denver writes he has a sure preservative: put eight gallons of cider at a time into a clean barrel; take one ounce of powdered charcoal and one ounce of powdered sulphur; mix and put it into some iron vessel that will go down through the bung-hole of the barrel. now put a piece of red-hot iron into the charcoal and sulphur, and while it is burning, lower it through the bung-hole to within one foot of the cider, and suspend it there by a piece of wire. bring it up and in twelve hours you can cure another batch. put the cider in a tight barrel and keep in a cool cellar and it will keep for years. _a holland recipe_.--to one quart of new milk, fresh from the cow (not strained), add one half pound of ground black mustard seed and six eggs. beat the whole well together and pour into a barrel of cider. it will keep cider sweet for one year or more. to bleach cotton cloth. take one large spoonful of sal soda and one pound of chloride lime for thirty yards; dissolve in clean, soft water; rinse the cloth thoroughly in cold, soft water so that it may not rot. this amount of cloth may be bleached in fourteen or fifteen minutes. a polish for leather. put a half-pound of shellac broken up in small pieces into a quart bottle or jug, cover it with alcohol, cork it tight, and put it on the shelf in a warm place; shake it well several times a day, then add a piece of camphor as large as a hen's egg; shake it well, and in a few hours shake it again and add one ounce of lampblack. if the alcohol is good, it will all be dissolved in two days; then shake and use. if the materials were of the proper kind, the polish correctly prepared, it will dry in about five minutes, giving a gloss equal to patent leather. using aniline dyes instead of the lampblack, you can have it any desired color, and it can be used on wood or hard paper. to soften water. add half a pound of the best quick-lime dissolved in water to every hundred gallons. smaller proportions may be more conveniently managed, and if allowed to stand a short time the lime will have united with the carbonate of lime, and been deposited at the bottom of the receptacle. another way is to put a gallon of lye into a barrelful of water, or two or three shovelfuls of wood-ashes, let stand over night; it will be clear and soft. washing fluid. one gallon of water and four pounds of ordinary washing soda, and a quarter of a pound of soda. heat the water to boiling hot, put in the soda, boil about five minutes, then pour it over two pounds of unslaked lime, let it bubble and foam until it settles, turn it off and bottle it for use. this is the article that is used in the chinese laundries for whitening their linen, and is called "javelle water;" a tablespoonful put into a suds of three gallons, and a little, say a quarter of a cupful, in the boiler when boiling the clothes, makes them very white and clear. must be well rinsed afterwards. this preparation will remove tea stains and almost all ordinary stains of fruit, grass, etc. this fluid brightens the colors of colored clothes, does not rot them, but should not be _left long in any water_; the boiling, sudsing, rinsing and bluing, should be done in quick succession, until the clothes are ready to hang on the line. hard soap. (washing.) six pounds of washing soda and three of unslaked lime. pour on four gallons of boiling water, let it stand until perfectly clear, then drain off, and put in six pounds of clean fat. boil it until it begins to harden, about two hours, stirring most of the time. while boiling, thin it with two gallons of cold water, which you have previously poured on the alkaline mixture, after draining off the four gallons. this must be settled clear before it is drawn off. add it when there is danger of boiling over. try the thickness by cooling a little on a plate. put in a handful of salt just before taking from the fire. wet a tub to prevent sticking; turn in the soap and let it stand until solid. cut into bars, put on a board and let it dry. this makes about forty pounds of soap. it can be flavored just as you turn it out. soap for washing without rubbing. a soap to clean clothes without rubbing: take two pounds of sal soda, two pounds of common bar soap and ten quarts of water. cut the soap in thin slices and boil together two hours; strain and it will be fit for use. put the clothes in soak the night before you wash, and to every pailful of water in which you boil them add a pound of soap. they will need no rubbing, but merely rinsing. to make soft soap without cooking. pour two pailfuls of boiling water upon twenty pounds of potash and let it stand two hours. have ready thirty pounds of clean grease, upon which pour one pailful of the lye, adding another pail of water to the potash; let it stand three or four hours, stir it well; then pour a gallon of the lye upon the grease, stir it well; and in half an hour another gallon of the lye, stir it thoroughly; in half an hour repeat the process, and thus proceed until you have poured off all the lye; then add two pails of boiling hot water to the remainder of the potash, and let it stand ten hours; then stir the mixture, and if it has become stiff and the grease has disappeared from the surface, take out a little and see whether the weak lye will thicken it; if it does, add the lye; if it does not, try water, and if that thickens it, let it stand another day, stirring it well five or six times during the day; if the lye does not separate from the grease you may fill up with water. old-style family soft soap. to _set the leach_, bore several holes in the bottom of a barrel, or use one without a bottom; prepare a board larger than the barrel, then set the barrel on it, and cut a groove around just outside the barrel, making one groove from this to the edge of the board, to carry off the lye as it runs off, with a groove around it, running into one in the centre of the board. place all two feet from the ground and tip it so that the lye may run easily from the board into the vessel below prepared to receive it. put half bricks or stones around the edge of the inside of the barrel; place on them one end of some sticks about two inches wide, inclining to the centre; on those place some straw to the depth of two inches, over it scatter two pounds of slaked lime. put in ashes, about half of a bushel at a time, pack it well, by pounding it down, and continue doing so until the barrel is full, leaving a funnel-shaped hollow in the centre large enough to hold several quarts of water. use rain-water boiling hot. let the water disappear before adding more. if the ashes are packed very _tightly_ it may require two or three days before the lye will begin to run, but it will be the stronger for it, and much better. _to make boiled soft soap_.--put in a kettle the grease consisting of all kinds of fat that has accumulated in the kitchen, such as scraps and bones from the soup-kettle, rinds from meat, etc.; fill the kettle half full; if there is too much grease it can be skimmed off after the soap is cold, for another kettle of soap. this is the only true test when enough grease is used, as the lye will consume all that is needed and no more. make a fire under one side of it. the kettle should be in an out-house or out of doors. let it heat very hot so as to fry; stir occasionally to prevent burning. now put in the lye a gallon at a time, watching it closely until it boils, as it sometimes runs over at the beginning. add lye until the kettle is full enough, but not _too full to boil well_. soap should boil from the _side_ and not the middle, as this would be more likely to cause it to boil over. to test the soap, to one spoonful of soap add one of rain-water; if it stirs up very thick, the soap is good and will keep; if it becomes thinner, it is not good. this is the result of one of three causes, either it is too weak, or there is a deposit of dirt or it is too strong. continue to boil for a few hours, when it should flow from the stick with which it is stirred like thick molasses; but if after boiling it remains thin, let it stand over night, removing it from the fire, then drain it off very carefully into another vessel, being very particular to prevent any sediment from passing. wash the kettle, return the soap and boil again, if dirt was the cause; it will now be thick and good; otherwise if it was _too strong_, rain-water added will make it right, adding the water gradually until right and just thick enough. [illustration] facts worth knowing. _an agreeable disinfectant:_--sprinkle fresh ground coffee on a shovel of hot coals, or burn sugar on hot coals. vinegar boiled with myrrh, sprinkled on the floor and furniture of a sick room, is an excellent deodorizer. _to prevent mold:_--a small quantity of carbolic acid added to paste, mucilage and ink, will prevent mold. an ounce of the acid to a gallon of whitewash will keep cellars and dairies from the disagreeable odor which often taints milk and meat kept in such places. _to make tracing-paper:_--dissolve a ball of white beeswax, one inch in diameter, in half a pint of turpentine. saturate the paper in this bath and let it dry two or three days before using. _to preserve brooms:_--dip them for a minute or two in a kettle of boiling suds once a week and they will last much longer, making them tough and pliable. a carpet wears much longer swept with a broom cared for in this manner. _to clean brass-ware, etc.:_--mix one ounce of oxalic acid, six ounces of rotten stone, all in powder, one ounce of sweet oil, and sufficient water to make a paste. apply a small portion, and rub dry with a flannel or leather. the liquid dip most generally used consists of nitric and sulphuric acids; but this is more corrosive. _polish or enamel for shirt bosoms_ is made by melting together one ounce of white wax, and two ounces of spermaceti; heat gently and turn into a very shallow pan; when cold cut or break in pieces. when making boiled starch the usual way, enough for a dozen bosoms, add to it a piece of the polish the size of a hazel nut. _an erasive fluid for the removal of spots on furniture_, and all kinds of fabrics, without injuring the color, is made of four ounces of aqua ammonia, one ounce of glycerine, one ounce of castile soap and one of spirits of wine. dissolve the soap in two quarts of soft water, add the other ingredients. apply with a soft sponge and rub out. very good for deaning silks. _to remove the odor of onion_ from fish-kettle and saucepans in which they have been cooked, put wood-ashes or sal soda, potash or lye; fill with water and let it stand on the stove until it boils; then wash in hot suds, and rinse well. _to clean marble busts:_--first free them from all dust, then wash them with very weak hydrochloric acid. soap injures the color of marble. _to remove old putty from window frames_, pass a red hot poker slowly over it and it will come off easily. _hanging pictures:_--the most safe material and also the best, is copper wire, of the size proportioned to the weight of the picture. when hung the wire is scarcely visible, and its strength is far superior to cord. _to keep milk sweet:--_put into a panful a spoonful of grated horse-radish, it will keep it sweet for days. _to take rust from steel implements or knives:--_rub them well with kerosene oil, leaving them covered with it a day or so; then rub them hard and well with finely powdered unslaked lime. _poison water:--_water boiled in galvanized iron becomes poisonous, and cold water passed through zinc-lined iron pipes should never be used for cooking or drinking. hot water for cooking should never be taken from hot water pipes; keep a supply heated in kettles. _scouring soap for cotton and silk goods:_--mix one pound of common soap, half a pound of beef-gall and one ounce and a half of venetian turpentine. _a paint for wood or stone that resists all moisture:_--melt twelve ounces of resin; mix with it, thoroughly, six gallons of fish oil and one pound of melted sulphur. rub up some ochre or any other coloring substance with a little linseed oil, enough to give it the right, color and thickness. apply several coats of the hot composition with a brush. the first coat should be very thin. _to ventilate a room:_--place a pitcher of cold water on a table in your room and it will absorb all the gases with which the room is filled from the respiration of those eating or sleeping in the apartment. very few realize how important such purification is for the health of the family, or, indeed, understand or realize that there can be any impurity in the rooms; yet in a few hours a pitcher or pail of cold water--the colder the more effective--will make the air of a room pure, but the water will be entirely unfit for use. _to fill cracks in plaster:_--use vinegar instead of water to mix your plaster of paris. the resultant mass will be like putty, and will not "set" for twenty or thirty minutes; whereas, if you use water the plaster will become hard almost immediately, before you have time to use it. push it into the cracks and smooth it off nicely with a table knife. _to take spots from wash goods:_--rub them with the yolk of egg before washing. _to take white spots from varnished furniture:_--hold a hot stove lid or plate over them and they will soon disappear. _to prevent oil from becoming rancid:_--drop a few drops of ether into the bottle containing it. _troublesome ants:_--a heavy chalk mark laid a finger's distance from your sugar box and all around (there must be no space not covered) will surely prevent ants from troubling. _to make tough meat tender:_--lay it a few minutes in a strong vinegar water. _to remove discoloration from bruises:_--apply a cloth wrung out in very hot water, and renew frequently until the pain ceases. or apply raw beefsteak. _a good polish for removing stains, spots and mildew from furniture_ is made as follows: take half a pint of ninety-eight per cent, alcohol, a quarter of an ounce each of pulverized resin and gum shellac, add half a pint of linseed oil; shake well and apply with a brush or sponge. _to remove finger-marks:_--sweet oil will remove finger-marks from varnished furniture, and kerosene from oiled furniture. _to remove paint from black silk:_--patient rubbing with chloroform will remove paint from black silk or any other goods, and will not hurt the most delicate color or fabric. _to freshen gilt frames:_--gilt frames may be revived by carefully dusting them, and then washing with one ounce of soda beaten up with the whites of three eggs. scraped patches might be touched tip with any gold paint. castile soap and water, with proper care, may be used to clean oil paintings; other methods should not be employed without some skill. _to destroy moths in furniture:_--all the baking and steaming are useless, as, although the moths may be killed, their eggs are sure to hatch, and the upholstery to be well riddled. the naphtha-bath process is effectual. a sofa, chair or lounge may be immersed in the large vats used for the purpose, and all insect life will be absolutely destroyed. no egg ever hatches after passing through the naphtha-bath; all oil, dirt or grease disappears, and not the slightest damage is done to the most costly article. sponging with naphtha will not answer. it is the immersion for two hours or more in the specially prepared vats which is effectual. _slicing pineapples:_--the knife used for peeling a pineapple should not be used for slicing it, as the rind contains an acid that is apt to cause a swollen mouth and sore lips. the cubans use salt as an antidote for the ill effects of the peel. _to clean iron sinks:_--rub them well with a cloth wet with kerosene oil. _to erase discoloration on stone china:_--dishes and cups that are used for baking custards, puddings, etc., that require scouring, may be easily cleaned by rubbing with a damp cloth dipped in whiting or "sapolio," then washed as usual. _to remove ink, wine or fruit stains:_--saturate well in tomato juice; it is also an excellent thing to remove stains from the hands. _to set colors in washable goods:_--soak them previous to washing in a water in which is allowed a tablespoonful of ox-gall to a gallon of water. _to take out paint:_--equal parts of ammonia and turpentine will take paint out of clothing, no matter how dry or hard it may be. saturate the spot two or three times, then wash out in soap-suds. ten cents' worth of oxalic acid dissolved in a pint of hot water will remove paint spots from the windows. pour a little into a cup, and apply to the spots with a swab, but be sure not to allow the acid to touch the hands. brasses may be quickly cleaned with it. great care must be exercised in labeling the bottle, and putting it out of the reach of children, as it is a deadly poison. _to remove tar from cloth:_--saturate the spot and rub it well with turpentine, and every trace of tar will be removed. _to destroy ants:_--ants that frequent houses or gardens may be destroyed by taking flour of brimstone half a pound, and potash four ounces; set them in an iron or earthen pan over the fire until dissolved and united; afterwards beat them to a powder, and infuse a little of this powder in water, and wherever you sprinkle it the ants will fly the place. _simple disinfectant:_--the following is a refreshing disinfectant for a sick room, or any room that has an unpleasant aroma prevading it: put some fresh ground coffee in a saucer, and in the centre place a small piece of camphor gum, which light with a match. as the gum burns, allow sufficient coffee to consume with it. the perfume is very pleasant and healthful, being far superior to pastiles, and very much cheaper. _cure for hiccough:_--sit erect and inflate the lungs fully. then, retaining the breath, bend forward slowly until the chest meets the knees. after slowly arising again to the erect position, slowly exhale the breath. repeat this process a second time, and the nerves will be found to have received an access of energy that will enable them to perform their natural functions. _to keep out mosquitoes and bats:_--if a bottle of the oil of pennyroyal is left uncorked in a room at night, not a mosquito, nor any other blood-sucker, will be found there in the morning. mix potash with powdered meal, and throw it into the rat-holes of a cellar, and the rats will depart. if a rat or a mouse get into your pantry, stuff into its hole a rag saturated with a solution of cayenne pepper, and no rat or mouse will touch the rag for the purpose of opening communication with a depot of supplies. _salt will curdle new milk_; hence, in preparing porridge, gravies, etc., the salt should not be added until the dish is prepared. _to prevent rust on flat-irons:_--beeswax and salt will make your rusty flat-irons as smooth and clean as glass. tie a lump of wax in a rag and keep it for that purpose. when the irons are hot, rub them first with the wax rag, then scour with a paper or cloth sprinkled with salt. _to prevent rust on knives:_--steel knives which are not in general use may be kept from rusting if they are dipped in a strong solution of soda: one part water to four of soda; then wipe dry, roll in flannel and keep in a dry place. _flowers may be kept very fresh over night_ if they are excluded from the air. to do this, wet them thoroughly, put in a damp box, and cover with wet raw cotton or wet newspaper, then place in a cool spot. _to sweeten milk:_--milk which is slightly turned or changed may be sweetened and rendered fit for use again by stirring in a little soda. _to scour knives easily:_--mix a small quantity of baking soda with your brick-dust and see if your knives do not polish better. _to soften boots and shoes:_--kerosene will soften boots and shoes which have been hardened by water, and render them as pliable as new. kerosine will make tin kettles as bright as new. saturate a woolen rag and rub with it. it will also remove stains from clean varnished furniture. _faded goods:_--plush goods and all articles dyed with aniline colors, which have faded from exposure to the light, will look as bright as new after sponging with chloroform. _choking:_--a piece of food lodged in the throat may sometimes be pushed down with the finger, or removed with a hair-pin quickly straightened and hooked at the end, or by two or three vigorous blows on the back between the shoulders. _to prevent mold on the top of glasses of jelly_, lay a lump of paraffine on the top of the hot jelly, letting it melt and spread over it. no brandy paper and no other covering is necessary. if preferred the paraffine can be melted and poured over after the jelly is cold. _to preserve ribbons and silks:_--ribbons and silks should be put away for preservation in brown paper; the chloride of lime in white paper discolors them. a white satin dress should be pinned up in blue paper with brown paper outside sewn together at the edges. _to preserve bouquets:_--put a little saltpetre in the water you use for your bouquets and the flowers will live for a fortnight. _to destroy cockroaches:_--hellebore sprinkled on the floor at night. they eat it and are poisoned. _to remove iron rust:_--lemon juice and salt will remove ordinary iron rust. if the hands are stained there is nothing that will remove the stains as well as lemon. cut a lemon in halves and apply the cut surface as if it were soap. _to keep bar soap:_--cut it into pieces and put it into a dry place; it is more economical to use after it has become hard, as it does not waste so readily. _to brighten carpets:_--carpets after the dust has been beaten out may be brightened by scattering upon them corn meal mixed with salt and then sweeping it off. mix salt and meal in equal proportions. carpets should be thoroughly beaten on the wrong side first and then on the right side, after which spots may be removed by the use of ox-gall or ammonia and water. _silver tea and coffeepot:_--when putting away those not in use every day lay a little stick across the top under the cover. this will allow fresh air to get in and prevent the mustiness of the contents, familiar to hotel and boarding-house sufferers. _to prevent creaking of bedsteads:_--if a bedstead creaks at each movement of the sleeper, remove the slats, and wrap the ends of each in old newspapers. _to clean unvarnished black walnut:_--milk, sour or sweet, well rubbed in with an old soft flannel, will make black walnut look new. _to prevent cracking of bottles and fruit jars:_--if a bottle or fruit-jar that has been more than once used is placed on a towel thoroughly soaked in hot water, there is little danger of its being cracked by the introduction of a hot liquid. _to prevent lamp-wicks from smoking:_--soak them in vinegar and then dry them thoroughly. rub the nickel stove-trimmings and the plated handles and hinges of doors with kerosene and whiting, and polish with a dry cloth. _death to bugs:_--varnish is death to the most persistent bug. it is cheap--ten cents' worth will do for one bedstead--is easily used, is safe, and improves the looks of the furniture to which it is applied. the application, must, however, be thorough, the slats, sides, and every crack and corner receiving attention. that salt should be eaten with nuts to aid digestion. that milk which stands too long makes bitter butter. _to clean drain pipes:_--drain pipes, and all places that are sour or impure, may be cleaned with lime-water or carbolic acid. if oil-cloth be occasionally rubbed with a mixture of beeswax and turpentine, it will last longer. _to remove mildew from cloth:_--put a teaspoonful of chloride of lime into a quart of water, strain it twice, then dip the mildewed places in this weak solution; lay in the sun; if the mildew has not disappeared when dry, repeat the operation. also soaking the article in sour milk and salt; then lay in the sun; repeat until all the mildew is out. _to take ink out of linen:_--dip the ink spot in pure melted tallow, then wash out the tallow and the ink will come out with it. this is said to be unfailing. milk will remove ink from linen or colored muslins, when acids would be ruinous, by soaking the goods until the spot is very faint and then rubbing and rinsing in cold water. ink spots on floors can be extracted by scouring with sand wet in oil of vitriol and water. when ink is removed, rinse with strong pearl-ash water. _to toughen lamp chimneys and glass-ware:_--immerse the article in a pot filled with cold water, to which some common salt has been added. boil the water well, then cool slowly. glass treated in this way will resist any sudden change of temperature. _to remove paint from window-glass:_--rub it well with hot sharp vinegar. _to clean stove-pipe:_--a piece of zinc put on the live coals in the stove will clean out the stove-pipe. _packing bottles:_--india-rubber bands slipped over them will prevent breakage. _to clean ivory ornaments:_--when ivory ornaments become yellow or dusky, wash them well in soap and water with a small brush, to clean the carvings, and then place them, while wet, in the sunshine. wet them with soapy water for two or three days, several times a day, still keeping them in the sunshine, then wash them again, and they will be perfectly white. _stained brass:_--whiting wet with aqua ammonia, will cleanse brass from stains, and is excellent for polishing faucets and door-knobs of brass or silver. "sapolio" is still better. _hartshorn_ applied to the stings of poisonous insects will allay the pain and stop the swelling; or apply oil of sassafras, which is better. bee stings should be treated in this way. _for cleaning glass bottles:_--crush egg-shells into small bits, or a few carpet tacks, or a small quantity of gunshot, put into the bottle; then fill one-half full of strong soap-suds; shake thoroughly, then rinse in clear water. will look like new. _cutting off glass bottles for clips and jars:_--a simple, practical way is to take a red-hot poker with a pointed end; make a mark with a file to begin the cut; then apply the hot iron and a crack will start, which will follow the iron wherever it is carried. this is, on the whole, simple, and better than the use of strings wet with turpentine, etc. _cistern water may be purified_ by charcoal put in a bag and hung in the water. _salt will remove the stain from silver_ caused by eggs, when applied dry with a soft cloth. _opened fruit, fish or vegetables:_--never allow opened fruit, fish or vegetables to stand in the tin can. never stir anything in tin, or, if it is done, use a wooden spoon. in lifting pies or cakes from bright tin pans, use great caution that the knife does not scrape off flecks of bright metal. never use water which has stood in a lead pipe over night. _not less than a wooden bucketful should be allowed to run._ never use water from a stone reservoir for cooking purposes. never allow fresh meat to remain in paper; it absorbs the juices. never keep vinegar or yeast in stone crocks or jugs; their acid attacks the glazing, which is said to be poisonous. glass for either is better. _squeaking doors_ ought to have the hinges oiled by putting on a drop from the sewing machine oil-can. _plate glass and mirrors:_--a soft cloth wet in alcohol, is excellent to wipe off plate glass and mirrors, and prevents their becoming frosty in winter. a red-hot iron will soften old putty so that it can be easily removed. _to test nutmegs:_--prick them with a pin; if good, the oil will instantly spread around the puncture. _a good way to clean mica_ in a stove that has become blackened with smoke, is to take it out, and thoroughly wash it with vinegar. if the black does not come off at once, let it soak a little. _to banish rats from the premises_, use pounded glass mixed with dry corn meal, placed within their reach. sprinkling cayenne pepper in their holes will also banish them. chloride of lime is an infallible remedy, spread around where they come, and thrown into their holes; it should be renewed once in two weeks. tar is also a good remedy. _to prevent the odor of boiling ham or cabbage:_--throw red pepper pods or a few bits of charcoal into the pan they are cooking in. _to brighten gilt frames:_--take sufficient flour of sulphur to give a golden tinge to about one and one-half pints of water, and in this boil four or five bruised onions, or garlic, which will answer the same purpose. strain off the liquid, and with it, when cold, wash with a soft brush any gilding which requires restoring, and when dry, it will come out as bright as new work. all cooking utensils, including iron-ware, should be washed outside and inside in hot, soapy water; rinsed in clean, hot water, wiped dry with a dry towel; a soapy or greasy dish-cloth should never be used for the purpose. a cake of sapolio should be kept in every kitchen, to be used freely on all dishes that require scouring and cleansing. all tins that have become discolored can be made as bright and clean as new by the use of sapolio; also shines dishes; and, in fact, almost all articles that require any scouring. purchased at all groceries. one of the most useful articles ever used in the kitchen. [illustration] toilet recipes, items. cologne water. (superior.) oil of lavender two drachms, oil of rosemary one drachm and a half, orange, lemon and bergamot, one drachm each of the oil; also two drachms of the essence of musk, attar of rose ten drops, and a pint of proof spirit. shake all together thoroughly three times a day for a week. jockey club bouquet. mix one pint extract of rose, one pint extract of tuberose, half a pint of extract of cassia, four ounces extract of jasmine, and three ounces tincture of civet. filter the mixture. rose-water. preferable to the distilled for a perfume, or for culinary purposes. attar of rose, twelve drops; rub it up with half an ounce of white sugar and two drachms carbonate magnesia; then add gradually one quart of water and two ounces of proof spirit, and filter through paper. bay rum. french proof spirit one gallon, extract bay six ounces. mix and color with caramel; needs no filtering. lavender water. oil of lavender two ounces, orris root half an ounce, spirits of wine one pint. mix and keep two or three weeks. it may then be strained through two thicknesses of blotting-paper and is ready for use. cream of lilies. best white castor oil; pour in a little strong solution of sal tartar in water, and shake it until it looks thick and white. perfume with lavender. cream of roses. olive oil one pound, attar of roses fifty drops, oil of rosemary twenty-five drops; mix, and color it with alkanet root. cold cream. melt one ounce oil of almonds, half ounce spermaceti, one drachm white wax, and then add two ounces of rose-water, and stir it constantly until cold. lip-salve. melt one ounce white wax, one ounce sweet oil, one drachm spermaceti, and throw in a piece of alkanet root to color it, and when cooling, perfume it with oil rose, and then pour it into small white jars or boxes. for dandruff. take glycerine four ounces, tincture of cantharides five ounces, bay rum four ounces, water two ounces. mix, and apply once a day and rub well down the scalp. hair invigorator. bay rum two pints, alcohol one pint, castor oil one ounce, carb. ammonia half an ounce, tincture of cantharides one ounce. mix them well. this compound will promote the growth of the hair and prevent it from falling out. macassar oil for the hair. renowned for the past fifty years, is as follows: take a quarter of an ounce of the chippings of alkanet root, tie this in a bit of coarse muslin and put it in a bottle containing eight ounces of sweet oil; cover it to keep out the dust; let it stand several days; add to this sixty drops of tincture of cantharides, ten drops of oil of rose, neroli and lemon each sixty drops; let it stand one week and you will have one of the most powerful stimulants for the growth of the hair ever known. _another:_--to a pint of strong sage tea, a pint of bay rum and a quarter of an ounce of the tincture of cantharides, add an ounce of castor oil and a teaspoonful of rose, or other perfume. shake well before applying to the hair, as the oil will not mix. phalon's instantaneous hair dye. to one ounce of crystallized nitrate of silver, dissolved in one ounce of concentrated aqua ammonia, add one ounce of gum arabic and six ounces of soft water. keep in the dark. remember to remove all grease from the hair before applying the dye. there is danger in some of the patent hair dyes, and hence the _scientific american_ offers what is known as the walnut hair dye. the simplest form is the expressed juice of the bark or shell of green walnuts. to preserve the juice a little alcohol is commonly added to it with a few bruised cloves, and the whole digested together, with occasional agitation, for a week or fortnight, when the clear portion is decanted, and, if necessary, filtered. sometimes a little common salt is added with the same intention. it should be kept in a cool place. the most convenient way of application is by means of a sponge. dye for white or light eyebrows. boil an ounce of walnut bark in a pint of water for an hour. add a lump of alum the size of a filbert, and when cold, apply with a camel's-hair brush. hair wash. one penny's worth of borax, half a pint of olive oil, one pint of boiling water. pour the boiling water over the borax and oil; let it cool; then put the mixture into a bottle. shake it before using, and apply it with a flannel. camphor and borax, dissolved in boiling water and left to cool, make a very good wash for the hair; as also does rosemary water mixed with a little borax. after using any of these washes, when the hair becomes thoroughly dry, a little pomatum or oil should be rubbed in to make it smooth and glossy--that is, if one prefers oil on the hair. oxmarrow-pomade for the hair. one marrow bone, half a pint of oil, ten cents' worth of citronella. take the marrow out of the bone, place it in warm water, let it get almost to boiling point, then let it cool and pour the water away; repeat this three times until the marrow is thoroughly "fined." beat the marrow to a cream with a silver fork, stir the oil in, drop by drop, beating all the time; when quite cold add the citronella, pour into jars and cover down. to increase the hair in the brows. clip them and anoint with a, little sweet oil. should the hair fall out, having been full, use one of the hair invigorators. bandoline. to one quart of rose-water add an ounce and a half of gum tragacanth; let it stand forty-eight hours, frequently straining it, then strain through a coarse linen cloth; let it stand two days, and again strain; add to it a drachm of oil of roses. used by ladies dressing their hair, to make it lie in any position. complexion wash. put in a vial one drachm of benzoin gum in powder, one drachm nutmeg oil, six drops of orange-blossom tea, or apple blossoms put in half pint of rain-water and boiled down to one teaspoonful and strained, one pint of sherry wine. bathe the face morning and night; will remove all flesh-worms and freckles, and give a beautiful complexion. or, put one ounce of powdered gum of benzoin in a pint of whisky; to use, put in water in wash-bowl till it is milky, allowing it to dry without wiping. this is perfectly harmless. cream cures sun-burn on some complexions, lemon juice is best on others, and cold water suits still others best. burnet's celebrated powder for the face. five cents' worth of bay rum, five cents' worth of magnesia snowflake, five cents' worth of bergamot, five cents' worth of oil of lemon; mix in a pint bottle and fill up with rain-water. shake well, and apply with a soft sponge or cloth. toilet or face powder. take a quarter of a pound of wheat starch pounded fine; sift it through a fine sieve, or a piece of lace; add to it eight drops of oil of rose, oil of lemon thirty drops, oil of bergamot fifteen drops. rub thoroughly together. the french throw this powder into alcohol, shaking it, letting it settle, then pouring off the alcohol and drying the powder. in that case, the perfume is added lastly. to remove freckles. the following lotion is highly recommended: one ounce of lemon juice, a quarter of a drachm of powdered borax, and half a drachm of sugar; mix in a bottle, and allow them to stand a few days, when the liquor should be rubbed occasionally on the hands and face. another application is: friar's balsam one part, rose-water twenty parts. powdered nitre moistened with water and applied to the face night and morning, is said to remove freckles without injury to the skin. also, a tablespoonful of freshly grated horse-radish, stirred into a cupful of sour milk; let it stand for twelve hours, then strain and apply often. this bleaches the complexion also, and takes off tan. to remove moth patches. into a pint of rum put a tablespoonful of flour of sulphur. apply this to the patches once a day, and they will disappear in two or three weeks. cure for pimples. one teaspoonful of carbolic acid and one pint of rose-water mixed is an excellent remedy for pimples. bathe the skin thoroughly and often, but do not let the wash get into the eyes. this wash is soothing to mosquito bites, and irritations of the skin of every nature. it is advisable, in order to clear the complexion permanently, to cleanse the blood; then the wash would be of advantage. to obtain a good complexion, a person's diet should receive the first attention. greasy food, highly spiced soups, hot bread and butter, meats or game, rich gravies, alcoholic liquors, coffee--all are injurious to the complexion. strong tea used daily will after a time give the skin the color and appearance of leather. coffee affects the nerves more, but the skin less, and a healthy nervous system is necessary to beauty. eating between meals, late suppers, over-eating at meals, eating sweetmeats, candies, etc., all these tend to disorder the blood, producing pimples and blotches. washing of the face or skin is another consideration for a good complexion; it should be thoroughly washed in plenty of luke-warm water with some mild soap--then rinsed in clear water _well_; dry with a thick soft towel. if suds is left or wiped off the skin, the action of the air and sun will tan the surface, and permanently deface the complexion; therefore one should be sure to thoroughly rinse off all soap from the skin to avoid the tanning, which will leave a brown or yellow tinge impossible to efface. pearl smelling salts. powdered carbonate of ammonia one ounce, strong solution of ammonia half a fluid ounce, oil of rosemary ten drops, oil of bergamot ten drops. mix, and while moist put in wide-mouthed bottle which is to be well closed. pearl tooth powder. prepared chalk half a pound, powdered myrrh two ounces; camphor two drachms, orris root, powdered, two ounces; moisten the camphor with alcohol and mix well together. removing tartar from the teeth. this preparation is used by dentists. pure muriatic acid one ounce, water one ounce, honey two ounces, mix thoroughly. take a tooth-brush, and wet it freely with this preparation, and briskly rub the black teeth, and in a moment's time they will be perfectly white; then immediately wash out the mouth well with water, that the acid may not act on the enamel of the teeth. this should be done only occasionally. bad breath. bad breath from catarrh, foul stomach, or bad teeth, may be temporarily relieved by diluting a little bromo chloralum with eight or ten parts of water, and using it as a gargle, and swallowing a few drops before going out. a pint of bromo chloralum costs fifty cents, but a small vial will last a long time. shaving compound. half a pound of plain, white soap, dissolved in a small quantity of alcohol, as little as can be used; add a tablespoonful of pulverized borax. shave the soap and put it in a small tin basin or cup; place it on the fire in a dish of boiling water; when melted, add the alcohol, and remove from the fire; stir in oil of bergamot sufficient to perfume it. barber's shampoo mixture. dissolve half an ounce of carbonate of ammonia and one ounce of borax in one quart of water; then add two ounces of glycerine in three quarts of new england rum, and one quart of bay rum. moisten the hair with this liquid; shampoo with the hands until a light lather is formed; then wash off with plenty of clean water. razor-strop paste. wet the strop with a little sweet oil, and apply a little flour of emery evenly over the surface. camphor ice. melt together over a water bath white wax and spermaceti each one ounce, camphor two ounces, sweet almond oil, one pound, then triturate until the mixture has become homogeneous, and allow one pound of rose-water to flow in slowly during the operation. excellent for chapped lips or hands. odoriferous or sweet-scenting bags. lavender flowers one ounce, pulverized orris, two drachms, bruised rosemary leaves half ounce, musk five grains, attar of rose five drops. mix well, sew up in small flat muslin bags, and cover them with fancy silk or satin. these are very nice to keep in your bureau drawers or trunk, as the perfume penetrates through the contents of the trunk or drawers. an acceptable present to a single gentleman. how to keep brushes clean. the best way in which to clean hair-brushes is with spirits of ammonia, as its effect is immediate. no rubbing is required, and cold water can be used just as successfully as warm. take a tablespoonful of ammonia to a quart of water, dip the hair part of the brush without wetting the ivory, and in a moment the grease is removed; then rinse in cold water, shake well, and dry in the air, but not in the sun. soda and soap soften the bristles and invariably turn the ivory yellow. toilet items. mutton tallow is considered excellent to soften the hands. it may be rubbed on at any time when the hands are perfectly dry, but the best time is when retiring, and an old pair of soft, large gloves thoroughly covered on the inside with the tallow and glycerine in equal parts, melted together, can be worn during the night with the most satisfactory results. four parts of glycerine and five parts of yolks of eggs thoroughly mixed, and applied after washing the hands, is also considered excellent. for chapped hands or face: one ounce of glycerine, one ounce of alcohol mixed, then add eight ounces of rose-water. another good rule is to rub well in dry oatmeal after every washing, and be particular regarding the quality of soap. cheap soap and hard water are the unknown enemies of many people, and the cause of rough skin and chapped hands. castile soap and rain-water will sometimes cure without any other assistance. camphor ice is also excellent, and can be applied with but little inconvenience. borax dissolved and added to the toilet water is also good. for chapped lips, beeswax dissolved in a small quantity of sweet oil, by heating carefully. apply the salve two or three times a day, and avoid wetting the lips as much as possible. to soften the hands: one can have the hands in soap-suds with soft soap without injury to the skin if the hands are dipped in vinegar or lemon juice immediately after. the acids destroy the corrosive effects of the alkali, and make the hands soft and white. indian meal and vinegar or lemon juice used on hands where roughened by cold or labor will heal and soften them. rub the hands in this, then wash off thoroughly and rub in glycerine. those who suffer from chapped hands will find this comforting. to remove stains, rub a slice of raw potato upon the stains; or wash the hands in lemon juice or steeped laurel-leaves. to give a fine color to the nails, the hands and fingers must be well lathered and washed with fine soap; then the nails must be rubbed with equal parts of cinnebar and emery, followed by oil of bitter almonds. to take white spots from the nails, melt equal parts of pitch and turpentine in a small cup; add to it vinegar and powdered sulphur. rub this on the nails and the spots will soon disappear. toilet soap. one pound of washing soda, one pound of lard or clear tallow, half a pound of unslaked lime, one tablespoonful of salt, three quarts of water. put the soda and lime in a large dish, and pour over the water, boiling hot; stir until dissolved; let it stand until clear, then pour off the clear liquid, add the grease and salt; boil four hours, then pour into pans to cool. if it should be inclined to curdle or separate, indicating the lime to be too strong, pour in a little more water, and boil again. perfume as you please, and pour into molds or a shallow dish, and, when cold, cut into bars to dry. antidotes for poisons. the following list gives some of the more common poisons and the remedies most likely to be on hand in case of need:-- _acids:_--these cause great heat and sensation of burning pain from the mouth down to the stomach. the remedies are-: magnesia, soda, pearl ash, or soap dissolved in water, every two minutes; then use the stomach pump, or an emetic. _alkali:_--drink freely of water with vinegar or lemon juice in it, made very strong of the sour. _ammonia:_--remedy is lemon juice or vinegar. _arsenic remedies:_--give prompt emetic of mustard and salt, a tablespoonful of each, in a coffeecup of _warm_ water; then follow with sweet oil, butter made warm, or milk. also may use the white of an egg in half a cupful of milk or lime water. chalk and water is good, and the preparation of iron, ten drops in water every half hour: hydrated magnesia. _alcohol:_--first cleanse out the stomach by an emetic, then dash cold water on the head, and give ammonia (spirits of hartshorn). _laudanum, morphine, opium:_--first give a strong emetic of mustard and water, then very strong coffee and acid drinks; dash cold water on the head, then keep in motion. _belladonna:_--give an emetic of mustard, salt and water; then drink plenty of vinegar and water or lemonade. _charcoal:_--in poisons, by carbonic gas, remove the patient to the open air, dash cold water on the head and body, and stimulate the nostrils and lungs with hartshorn, at the same time rubbing the chest briskly. _corrosive sublimate, saltpetre, blue vitriol, bed-bug poison:_--give white of egg, freshly mixed with water, in large quantities; or give wheat flour and water, or soap and water freely, or salt and water, or large draughts of milk. _lead:_--white lead and sugar of lead. give an emetic, then follow with cathartics, such as castor oil, and epsom salts especially. _nux vomica:_--first emetics, and then brandy. _oxalic acid (frequently taken for epsom salts):_--first give soap and water, or chalk or magnesia and water. give every two minutes. _white vitriol:_--give plenty of milk and water. _tartar emetic:_--take large doses of tea made of white oak bark, or peruvian bark. drink plenty of warm water to encourage vomiting; then, if the vomiting should not stop, give a grain of opium in water. _nitrate of silver (lunar caustic):_--give a strong solution of common salt and water, and then an emetic. _verdigris:_--give plenty of white of egg and water. _tobacco:_--emetics, frequent draughts of cold water; camphor and brandy. miscellaneous. french words in cooking. _aspic:_--savory jelly for cold dishes. _au gratin:_--dishes prepared with sauce and crumbs and baked. _bouchées:_--very thin patties or cakes, as name indicates--mouthfuls. _baba:_--a peculiar, sweet french yeast cake. _bechamel:_--a rich, white sauce made with stock. _bisque:_--a white soup made of shell fish. _to blanch:_--to place any article on the fire till it boils, then plunge it in cold water; to whiten poultry, vegetables, etc. to remove the skin by immersing in boiling water. _bouillon:_--a clear soup, stronger than broth, yet not so strong as _consommé_, which is "reduced" soup. _braisé:_--meat cooked in a closely covered stewpan, so that it retains its own flavor and those of the vegetables and flavorings put with it. _brioche:_--a very rich, unsweetened french cake made with yeast. _cannelon:_--stuffed rolled-up meat. _consommé:_--clear soup or bouillon boiled down till very rich, _i.e._ consumed. _croquettes:_--a savory mince of fish or fowl, made with sauce into shapes, and fried. _croustades:_--fried forms of bread to serve minces or other meats upon. _entrée:_--a small dish, usually served between the courses at dinner. _fondue:_--a light preparation of melted cheese. _fondant:_--sugar boiled and beaten to a creamy paste. _hollandaise sauce:_--a rich sauce, something like hot mayonnaise. _matelote:_--a rich fish stew, with wine. _mayonnaise:_--a rich salad dressing. _meringue:_--sugar and white of egg beaten to sauce. _marmade:_--a liquor of spices, vinegar, etc., in which fish or meats are steeped before cooking. _miroton:_--cold meat warmed in various ways, and dished in circular form. _purse:_--this name is given to very thick soups, the ingredients for thickening which have been rubbed through a sieve. _poulette sauce:_--a bechamel sauce, to which white wine and sometimes eggs are added. _ragout:_--a rich, brown stew, with mushrooms, vegetables, etc. _piquante:_--a sauce of several flavors, acid predominating. _quenelles_:--forcemeat with bread, yolks of eggs highly seasoned, and formed with a spoon to an oval shape; then poached and used either as a dish by themselves, or to garnish. _remoulade:_--a salad dressing differing from mayonnaise, in that the eggs are hard boiled and rubbed in a mortar with mustard, herbs, etc. _rissole:_--rich mince of meat or fish rolled in thin pastry and fried. _roux:_--a cooked mixture of butter and flour, for thickening soups and stews. _salmi:_--a rich stew of game, cut up and dressed, when half roasted. _sauter:_--to toss meat, etc., over the fire, in a little fat. _soufflé:_--a very light, much whipped-up pudding or omelette. _timbale:_--a sort of pie in a mold. _vol au vents:_--patties of very light puff paste, made without a dish or mold, and filled with meat or preserves, etc. _catherine owen, in good housekeeping._ * * * * * articles required for the kitchen. the following list will show what articles are necessary for the kitchen, and will be quite an aid to young housekeepers when about commencing to furnish the utensils needed in the kitchen department, and may prove useful to many. sweeping brooms and dust-pan. whisk broom. bread box. cake boxes. large flour box. dredging box. large-sized tin pepper box. spice box containing smaller spice boxes. cake pans, two sizes. bread pans. square biscuit pans. apple corer. lemon squeezer. meat cleaver. kitchen knives and forks. large kitchen fork and kitchen spoons, two sizes. wooden spoon for cake making. large bread knife. griddle cake turner, also griddle. potato masher. meat board. dozen patty pans; and the same number of tartlet pans. large tin pail and wooden pail. small tin pails. set of tin basins. set of tin measures. wooden butter ladle. tin skimmer. tin steamer. dippers, two sizes. funnels, two sizes. set of jelly cake tins. pie pans. pudding molds, one for boiling, two for baking, two sizes. dish pans, two sizes. cake or biscuit cutters, two sizes. graters, one large and one small. coffee canister. tea canister. tin or granite-ware teapot. tin or granite-ware coffeepot. milk pans, milk strainer. dozen iron gem pans or muffin rings. coarse gravy strainer, fine strainer. colander. flour sifter. scoops, one for flour, one for sugar. jelly molds, two sizes. can opener, egg beater. cork screw. chopping-knife. wooden chopping-bowls, two sizes. meat saw. large earthen bowls. stone jars. coffee mill. candlestick. market baskets, two sizes. clock. ash bucket. gridiron. frying pans or spiders, two sizes. flat-irons, number and number . dripping pans, two sizes. iron kettles, porcelain lined if possible. corn beef or fish kettle. tea-kettle. granite-ware stewpans, two sizes. wire toaster. double kettle for cooking custards, grains, etc. sugar boxes, one for coarse and one for fine sugar. waffle iron. step ladder. stove, coal shovel. pair of scales. coal hods or buckets. kitchen table, kitchen chairs. large clothes basket. wash boiler, wash board. dozen clothes pins. large nail hammer and one small tack hammer. bean pot. clothes wringer. an ingenious housewife will manage to do with less conveniences, but these articles, if they can be purchased in the commencement of housekeeping, will save time and labor, making the preparation of food more easy--and it is always economy in the end to get the best material in all wares, as, for instance, the double plate tin will last for years, whereas the poor kind has to be replaced in a short time; the low-priced earthenware is soon broken up, whereas the strong stoneware, costing but a trifle more, lasts almost a lifetime. in relation to the economy and management of the kitchen, i might suggest that the most essential thing is cleanliness in cooking, and also cleanliness with your person as well as in the keeping of the kitchen. the hands of the cook should be always thoroughly cleansed before touching or handling anything pertaining to the cooking. next there should never be anything wasted or thrown away that can be turned to account, either for your own family or some family in poor circumstances. bread that has become hard can be used for toasting, or for stuffing and pudding. in warm weather any gravies or soups that are left from the preceding day should be boiled up and poured into clean pans. this is particularly necessary where vegetables have been added to the preparation, as it then so soon turns sour. in cooler weather, every other day will be often enough to warm up these things. in cooking, clear as you go; that is to say, do not allow a host of basins, plates, spoons, and other utensils, to accumulate on the dressers and tables whilst you are engaged in preparing the dinner. by a little management and forethought, much confusion may be saved in this way. it is as easy to put a thing in its place when it is done with, as it is to keep continually moving it to find room for fresh requisites. for instance, after making a pudding, the flour-tub, paste-board, and rolling-pin, should be put away, and any basins, spoons, etc., should be neatly packed up near the sink, to be washed when the proper time arrives. neatness, order and method should be always observed. never let your stock of spices, salt, seasoning, herbs, etc., dwindle down so low that some day, in the midst of preparing a large dinner, you find yourself minus a very important ingredient, thereby causing much confusion and annoyance. after you have washed your saucepans, fish-kettle, etc., stand them before the fire for a few minutes to get thoroughly dry inside, before putting them away. they should then be kept in a dry place, in order that they may escape the deteriorating influence of rust, and thereby be quickly destroyed. never leave saucepans dirty from one day's use to be cleaned the next; it is slovenly and untidy. do not be afraid of hot water in washing up dishes and dirty cooking utensils. as these are essentially greasy, luke-warm water cannot possibly have the effect of cleansing them effectually. do not be chary also of changing and renewing the water occasionally. you will thus save yourself much time and labor in the long run. keep a cake of sapolio always on hand in the kitchen--always convenient for rubbing off stains from earthenware, tin, glass, in fact, almost everything but silver; it is a cheap and valuable article, and can be purchased at nearly every grocery in the united states. dyeing or coloring. general remarks. everything should be clean. the goods should be scoured in soap and the soap rinsed out. they are often steeped in soap lye over night. dip them into water just before putting them into preparations, to prevent spotting. soft water should be used, _sufficient to cover the goods well; this is always understood where quantity is not mentioned_. when goods are dyed, air them; then rinse well, and hang up to dry. do not wring silk or merino dresses when scouring or dyeing them. if cotton goods are to be dyed a light color, they should first be bleached. silks. _black:_--make a weak lye as for black or woolens; work goods in bichromate of potash a little below boiling heat, then dip in the log-wood in the same way; if colored in blue vitriol dye, use about the same heat. _orange:_--for one pound goods, annotto one pound, soda one pound; repeat as desired. _green--very handsome:_--for one pound goods, yellow oak bark eight ounces; boil one-half hour; turn off the liquor from bark and add alum six ounces; let it stand until cold; while making this, color goods in blue dye-tub a light blue, dry and wash, dip in alum and bark dye. if it does not take well, warm the dye a little. _purple:_--for one pound goods. first obtain a light blue, by dipping in home-made dye-tub; then dry; dip in alum four ounces, with water to cover, when little warm. if color is not full enough add chemic. _yellow:_--for one pound goods, alum three ounces, sugar of lead three-fourths ounce; immerse goods in solution over night; take out, drain, and make a new lye with fustic one pound; dip until the required color is obtained. _crimson:_--for one pound goods, alum three ounces; dip at hand heat one hour; take out and drain while making new dye by boiling ten minutes, cochineal three ounces, bruised nutgalls two ounces and cream of tartar one-fourth ounce, in one pail of water; when little cool, begin to dip, raising heat to boil; dip one hour; wash and dry. _sky blue on silk or cotton--very beautiful:_--give goods as much color from a solution of blue vitriol two ounces, to water one gallon, as it will take up in dipping fifteen minutes; then run it through lime water. this will make a beautiful and durable sky blue. _brown on silk or cotton--very beautiful:_--after obtaining a blue color as above, run goods through a solution of prussiate of potash one ounce, to water one gallon. _light blue:_--for cold water one gallon, dissolve alum one-half tablespoonful, in hot water one teacupful, and add to it; then add chemic, one teaspoonful at a time to obtain the desired color--the more chemic the darker the color. woolen goods. _chrome black--best in use:_--for five pounds of goods, blue vitriol six ounces; boil a few minutes, then dip the goods three-fourths of an hour, airing often; take out the goods, make a dye with three pounds of log-wood, boil one-half hour; dip three-fourths of an hour, air goods, and dip three-fourths of an hour more. wash in strong suds. this will not fade by exposure to sun. _wine color:_--for five pounds of goods, camwood two pounds; boil fifteen minutes and dip the goods one-half hour; boil again and dip one-half hour then darken with blue vitriol one and one-half ounces; if not dark enough, add copperas one-half ounce. _scarlet--very fine:_--for one pound of goods, cream of tartar one-half ounce, cochineal, well pulverized, one half ounce, muriate of tin two and one-half ounces; boil up the dye and enter the goods; work them briskly for ten or fifteen minutes, then boil one and one-half hours, stirring goods slowly while boiling. wash in clear water and dry in the shade. _pink:_--for three pounds of goods, alum three ounces; boil and dip the goods one hour, then add to the dye, cream of tartar four ounces, cochineal, well pulverized, one ounce; boil well and dip the goods while boiling until the color suits. _blue--quick process:_--for two pounds of goods, alum five ounces, cream of tartar three ounces; boil goods in this one hour, then put them into warm water which has more or less extract of indigo in it, according to the depth of color desired, and boil again until it suits, adding more of the blue if needed. _madder red:_--to each pound of goods, alum five ounces, red or cream of tartar one ounce. put in the goods and bring the kettle to a boil for one-half hour; then air them and boil one-half hour longer; empty the kettle and fill with clean water; put in bran one peck; make it milk-warm, and let it stand until the bran rises; then skim off the bran and put in one-half pound madder; put in the goods and heat slowly until it boils and is done. wash in strong suds. _green:_--for each pound of goods, fustic one pound, with alum three and one-half ounces; steep until strength is out, and soak the goods therein until a good yellow is obtained, then remove the chips, and add extract of indigo or chemic, one tablespoonful at a time, until color suits. _snuff brown, dark:_--for five pounds of goods, camwood one pound; boil it fifteen minutes; then dip the goods three-fourths of an hour; take them out and add to the dye two and one-half pounds fustic; boil ten minutes, and dip the goods three-fourths of an hour; then add blue vitriol one ounce, copperas four ounces; dip again one-half hour. if not dark enough add more copperas. _another method--any shade:_--boil the goods in a mordant of alum two parts, copperas three parts; then rinse them through a bath of madder. the tint depends on the relative proportions of the copperas and alum; the more copperas, the darker the dye; joint weight of both should not be more than one-eighth of weight of goods. mixtures of reds and yellows with blues and blacks, or simple dyes, will make any shade. _orange:_--for five pounds of goods, muriate of tin six tablespoonfuls, argol four ounces; boil and dip one hour and add again to the dye one teacupful of madder; dip again one-half hour. cochineal, about two ounces, in place of madder, makes a much brighter color. _purple:_--for each pound of goods, two ounces of cudbear; rinse the goods well in soap-suds, then dissolve cudbear in hot suds--not quite boiling, and soak the goods until of required color. the color is brightened by rinsing in alum water. _yellow--rich:_--work five pounds of goods one-half hour in a boiling bath with three ounces bichromate of potassa and two ounces alum; lift and expose till well cooled and drained; then work one-half hour in another bath with five pounds of fustic. wash out and dry. _crimson:_--work for one hour in a bath with one pound cochineal paste, six ounces of dry cochineal, one pound of tartar, one pint of protochloride of tin. wash out and dry. _salmon:_--for each pound of goods, one-fourth pound of annotto, one-fourth pound of soap; rinse the goods well in warm water, put them into mixture and boil one-half hour. shade will be according to the amount of annotto. _dove and slate colors of all shades:_--boil in an iron vessel a teacupful of black tea with a teaspoonful of copperas and sufficient water. dilute till you get the shade wanted. cotton goods. _black:_--for five pounds of goods, boil them in a decoction of three pounds of sumach one-half hour and steep twelve hours; dip in lime-water one-half hour; take out and let them drip one hour, run them through the lime-water again fifteen minutes. make a new dye with two and one-half pounds log-wood (boiled one hour) and dip again three hours; add bichromate potash two ounces, to the log-wood dye and dip one hour. wash in clear, cold water and dry in the shade. only process for permanent black. _sky blue:_--for three pounds of goods, blue vitriol four ounces; boil a few minutes, then dip the goods three hours; then pass them through a strong lime-water. a _beautiful_ brown can be obtained by next putting the goods through a solution of prussiate of potash. _green:_--dip the goods in home-made blue; dye until blue enough is obtained to make the green as dark as required; take out, dry and rinse a little. make a dye with fustic three pounds, of log-wood three ounces, to each pound of goods, by boiling dye one hour; when cooled so as to bear the hand put in the goods, move briskly a few minutes, and let lie one hour; take out and thoroughly drain; dissolve and add to the dye for each pound of cotton, blue vitriol one-half ounce, and dip another hour. wring out and let dry in the shade. by adding or diminishing the log-wood and fustic any shade may be had. _yellow:_--for five pounds of goods, seven ounces of sugar of lead; dip the goods two hours; make a new dye with bichromate of potash four ounces; dip until the color suits; wring out and dry. if not yellow enough, repeat. _orange:_--for five pounds of goods, sugar of lead four ounces; boil a few minutes; when a little cool, put in the goods; dip for two hours; wring out; make a new dye with bichromate potash eight ounces, madder two ounces; dip until it suits; if color is too red, take a small sample and dip into lime-water and choose between them. _red:_--muriate of tin two-thirds of a teacupful; add water to cover the goods; raise to boiling heat; put in the goods one hour, stir often; take out, empty the kettle, put in clean water with nic-wood one pound; steep one-half hour at hand heat; then put in the goods and increase the heat one hour--not boiling. air the goods and dip them one hour as before. wash without soap. small points on table etiquette. delicacy of manner at table stamps both man and woman, for one can, at a glance, discern whether a person has been trained to eat well--_i.e._ to hold the knife and fork properly, to eat without the slightest sound of the lips, to drink quietly, to use the napkin rightly, to make no noise with any of the implements of the table, and last, but not least, to eat slowly and masticate the food thoroughly. all these points should be most carefully taught to children, and then they will always feel at their ease at the grandest tables in the land. there is no position where the innate refinement of a person is more fully exhibited than at the table, and nowhere that those who have not been trained in table etiquette feel more keenly their deficiencies. the knife should never be used to carry food to the mouth, but only to cut it up into small mouthfuls; then place it upon the plate at one side, and take the fork in the right hand, and eat all the food with it. when both have been used finally, they should be laid diagonally across the plate, with both handles toward the right hand; this is understood by well-trained waiters to be the signal for removing them, together with the plate. be careful to keep the mouth shut closely while masticating the food. it is the opening of the lips which causes the smacking which seems very disgusting. chew your food well, but do it silently, and be careful to take small mouthfuls. the knife can be used to cut the meat finely, as large pieces of meat are not healthful, and appear very indelicate. at many tables, two, three or more knives and forks are placed on the table, the knives at the right hand of the plate, the forks at the left,--a knife and a fork for each course, so that there need be no replacing of them after the breakfast and dinner is served. the smaller ones, which are for game, dessert, or for hot cakes at breakfast, can be tucked under the edges of the plate, and the large ones, for the meat and vegetables, are placed outside of them. be very careful not to clatter your knives and forks upon your plates, but use them without noise. when passing the plate for a second helping, lay them together at one side of the plate, with handles to the right. when you are helped to anything, _do not_ wait until the rest of the company are provided, as it is not considered good breeding. soup is always served for the first course, and it should be eaten with dessert spoons, and taken from the sides, not the tips, of them, without any sound of the lips, and not sucked into the mouth audibly from the ends of the spoon. bread should not be broken into soup or gravy. never ask to be helped to soup a second time. the hostess may ask you to take a second plate, but you will politely decline. fish chowder, which is served in soup plates, is said to be an exception which proves this rule, and when eating of that it is correct to take a second plateful if desired. another generally neglected obligation is that of spreading butter on one's bread as it lies in one's plate, or but slightly lifted at one end of the plate; it is very frequently buttered in the air, bitten in gouges, and still held in the face and eyes of the table with the marks of the teeth on it; this is certainly not altogether pleasant, and it is better to cut it, a bit at a time, after buttering it, and put piece by piece in the mouth with one's finger and thumb. never help yourself to butter, or any other food with your own knife or fork. it is not considered good taste to mix food on the same plate. salt must be left on the side of the plate and never on the tablecloth. let us mention a few things concerning the eating of which there is sometimes doubt. a cream-cake and anything of similar nature should be eaten with knife and fork, never bitten. asparagus--which should be always served on bread or toast so as to absorb superfluous moisture--may be taken from the finger and thumb; if it is fit to be set before you the whole of it may be eaten. pastry should be broken and eaten with a fork, never cut with a knife. raw oysters should be eaten with a fork, also fish. peas and beans, as we all know, require the fork only; however food that cannot be held with a fork should be eaten with a spoon. potatoes, if mashed, should be mashed with the fork. green corn should be eaten from the cob; but it must be held with a single hand. celery, cresses, olives, radishes, and relishes of that kind are, of course, to be eaten with the fingers; the salt should be laid upon one's plate, not upon the cloth. fish is to be eaten with the fork, without the assistance of the knife; a bit of bread in the left hand sometimes helps one to master a refractory morsel. fresh fruit should be eaten with a silver-bladed knife, especially pears, apples, etc. berries, of course, are to be eaten with a spoon. in england they are served with their hulls on, and three or four are considered an ample quantity. but then in england they are many times the size of ours; there they take the big berry by the stem, dip into powdered sugar, and eat it as we do the turnip radish. it is not proper to drink with a spoon in the cup; nor should one, by-the-way, ever quite drain a cup or glass. don't, when you drink, elevate your glass as if you were going to stand it inverted on your nose. bring the glass perpendicularly to the lips, and then lift it to a slight angle. do this easily. drink sparingly while eating. it is far better for the digestion not to drink tea or coffee until the meal is finished. drink gently, and do not pour it down your throat like water turned out of a pitcher. when seating yourself at the table, unfold your napkin and lay it across your lap in such a manner that it will not slide off upon the floor; a gentleman should place it across his right knee. do not tuck it into your neck like a child's bib. for an old person, however, it is well to attach the napkin to a napkin hook and slip it into the vest or dress buttonholes, to protect their garments, or sew a broad tape at two places on the napkin, and pass it over the head. when the soup is eaten, wipe the mouth carefully with the napkin, and use it to wipe the hands after meals. finger bowls are not a general institution, and yet they seem to be quite as needful as the napkin, for the fingers are also liable to become a little soiled in eating. they can be had quite cheaply, and should be half-filled with water, and placed upon the side table or butler's tray, with the dessert, bread and cheese, etc. they are passed to each person half filled with water, placed on a parti-colored napkin with a dessert plate underneath, when the dessert is placed upon the table. a leaf or two of sweet verbena, an orange flower, or a small slice of lemon, is usually put into each bowl to rub upon the fingers. the slice of lemon is most commonly used. the finger tips are slightly dipped into the bowl, the lemon juice is squeezed upon them, and then they are dried softly upon the napkin. at dinner parties and luncheons they are indispensable. spoons are sometimes used with firm puddings, but forks are the better style. a spoon should never be turned over in the mouth. ladies have frequently an affected way of holding the knife half-way down its length, as if it were too big for their little hands; but this is as awkward a way as it is weak; the knife should be grasped freely by the handle only, the forefinger being the only one to touch the blade, and that only along the back of the blade at its root, and no further down. at the conclusion of a course, where they have been used, knife and fork should be laid side by side across the middle of the plate--never crossed; the old custom of crossing them was in obedience to an ancient religious formula. the servant should offer everything at the left of the guest, that the guest may be at liberty to use the right hand. if one has been given a napkin ring, it is necessary to fold one's napkin and use the ring; otherwise the napkin should be left unfolded. one's teeth are not to be picked at table; but if it is impossible to hinder it, it should be done behind the napkin. one may pick a bone at the table, but, as with corn, only one hand is allowed to touch it; yet one can easily get enough from it with knife and fork, which is certainly the more elegant way of doing; and to take her teeth to it gives a lady the look of caring a little too much for the pleasures of the table; one is, however, on no account to suck one's finger after it. whenever there is any doubt as to the best way to do a thing, it is wise to follow that which is the most rational, and that will almost invariably be found to be proper etiquette. to be at ease is a great step towards enjoying your own dinner, and making yourself agreeable to the company. there is reason for everything in polite usage; thus the reason why one does not blow a thing to cool it, is not only that it is an inelegant and vulgar action intrinsically, but because it may be offensive to others--cannot help being so, indeed; and it, moreover implies, haste, which, whether from greediness or a desire to get away, is equally objectionable. everything else may be as easily traced to its origin in the fit and becoming. if, to conclude, one seats one's self properly at table and takes reason into account, one will do tolerably well. one must not pull one's chair too closely to the table, for the natural result of that is the inability to use one's knife and fork without inconveniencing one's neighbor; the elbows are to be held well in and close to one's side, which cannot be done if the chair is too near the board. one must not lie or lean along the table, nor rest one's arms upon it. nor is one to touch any of the dishes; if a member of the family, one can exercise all the duties of hospitality through servants, and wherever there are servants, neither family nor guests are to pass or help from any dish. finally, when rising from your chair leave it where it stands. dinner giving. the laying of the table and the treatment of guests. in giving "dinners," the apparently trifling details are of great importance when taken as a whole. we gather around our board agreeable persons, and they pay us and our dinner the courtesy of dressing for the occasion, and this reunion should be a time of profit as well as pleasure. there are certain established laws by which "dinner giving" is regulated in polite society; and it may not be amiss to give a few observances in relation to them. one of the first is that an invited guest should arrive at the house of his host at least a quarter of an hour before the time appointed for dinner. in laying the table for dinner _all_ the linen should be a spotless white throughout, and underneath the linen tablecloth should be spread one of thick cotton-flannel or baize, which gives the linen a heavier and finer appearance, also deadening the sound of moving dishes. large and neatly folded napkins (ironed without starch), with pieces of bread three or four inches long, placed between the folds, but not to completely conceal it, are laid on each plate. an ornamental centre-piece, or a vase filled with a few rare flowers, is put on the centre of the table, in place of the large table-castor, which has gone into disuse, and is rarely seen now on well-appointed tables. a few choice flowers make a charming variety in the appearance of even the most simply laid table, and a pleasing variety at table is quite as essential to the enjoyment of the repast as is a good choice of dishes, for the eye in fact should be gratified as much as the palate. all dishes should be arranged in harmony with the decorations of the flowers, such as covers, relishes, confectionery, and small sweets. garnishing of dishes has also a great deal to do with the appearance of a dinner-table, each dish garnished sufficiently to be in good taste without looking absurd. beside each plate should be laid as many knives, forks and spoons as will be required for the several courses, unless the hostess prefers to have them brought on with each change. a glass of water, and when wine is served glasses for it, and individual salt-cellars may be placed at every plate. water-bottles are now much in vogue with corresponding tumblers to cover them; these, accompanied with dishes of broken ice, may be arranged in suitable places. when butter is served a special knife is used, and that, with all other required service, may be left to the judgment and taste of the hostess, in the proper placing of the various aids to her guests' comfort. the dessert plates should be set ready, each with a doily and a finger-glass partly filled with water, in which is dropped a slice of lemon; these with extra knives, forks and spoons, should be on the side-board ready to be placed beside the guest between the courses when required. if preferred, the "dinner" may all be served from the side-table, thus relieving the host from the task of carving. a plate is set before each guest, and the dish carved is presented by the waiter on the left-hand side of each guest. at the end of each course the plates give way for those of the next. if not served from the side-table, the dishes are brought in ready carved, and placed before the host and hostess, then served and placed upon the waiter's salver, to be laid by that attendant before the guest. soup and fish being the first course, plates of soup are usually placed on the table before the dinner is announced; or if the hostess wishes the soup served at the table, the soup-tureen, containing _hot_ soup, and the _warm_ soup-plates are placed before the seat of the hostess. soup and fish being disposed of, then come the joints or roasts, _entrees_ (made dishes), poultry, etc., also relishes. after dishes have been passed that are required no more, such as vegetables, hot sauces, etc., the dishes containing them may be set upon the side-board, ready to be taken away. jellies and sauces, when not to be eaten as a dessert, should be helped on the dinner-plate, not on a small side dish as was the former usage. if a dish be on the table, some parts of which are preferred to others, according to the taste of the individuals, all should have the opportunity of choice. the host will simply ask each one if he has any preference for a particular part; if he replies in the negative, you are not to repeat the question, nor insist that he must have a preference. do not attempt to eulogize your dishes, or apologize that you cannot recommend them--this is extreme bad taste; as also is the vaunting of the excellence of your wines, etc., etc. do not insist upon your guests partaking of particular dishes. do not ask persons more than once, and never force a supply upon their plates. it is ill-bred, though common, to press any one to eat; and, moreover, it is a great annoyance to many. in winter, plates should always be warmed, but not made hot. two kinds of animal food, or two kinds of dessert, should not be eaten _off_ of one plate, and there should never be more than two kinds of vegetables with one course. asparagus, green corn, cauliflower and raw tomatoes comprise one course in place of a salad. all meats should be cut across the grain in very thin slices. fish, at dinner, should be baked or boiled, never fried or broiled. baked ham may be used in every course after fish, sliced thin and handed after the regular course is disposed of. the hostess should retain her plate, knife and fork, until her guests have finished. the crumb-brush is not used until the preparation for bringing in the dessert; then all the glasses are removed, except the flowers, the water-tumblers, and the glass of wine which the guest wishes to retain with his dessert. the dessert plate containing the finger-bowl, also a dessert knife and fork, should then be set before each guest, who at once removes the finger-bowl and its doily, and the knife and fork to the table, leaving the plate ready to be used for any dessert chosen. finely sifted sugar should always be placed upon the table to be used with puddings, pies, fruit, etc., and if cream is required, let it stand by the dish it is to be served with. to lay a dessert for a small entertainment and a few guests outside of the family, it may consist simply of two dishes of fresh fruit in season, two of dried fruits and two each of cakes and nuts. coffee and tea are served _lastly_, poured into tiny cups and served clear, passed around on a tray to each guest, then the sugar and cream passed that each person may be allowed to season his black coffee or _café noir_ to suit himself. a _family dinner_, even with a few friends, can be made quite attractive and satisfactory without much display or expense; consisting first of good soup, then fish garnished with suitable additions, followed by a roast; then vegetables and some made dishes, a salad, crackers, cheese and olives, then dessert. this sensible meal, well cooked and neatly served, is pleasing to almost any one, and is within the means of any housekeeper in ordinary circumstances. measures and weights. in ordinary use among housekeepers. teaspoonfuls equal tablespoonful liquid. tablespoonfuls equal wine-glass, or half a gill. wine-glasses equal one gill or half a cup. gills equal coffeecupful, or tablespoonfuls. coffeecupfuls equal pint. pints equal quart. quarts equal gallon. tablespoonfuls equal ounce, liquid. tablespoonful of salt equals ounce. ounces equal pound, or a pint of liquid. coffeecupfuls of sifted flour equal pound. quart of unsifted flour equals pound. or ordinary sized eggs equal pound. pint of sugar equals pound. (white granulated.) coffeecupfuls of powdered sugar equal pound. coffeecupful of cold butter, pressed down, is one-half pound. tablespoonful of soft butter, well rounded, equals ounce. an ordinary tumblerful equals coffeecupful, or half a pint. about drops of any thin liquid will fill a common sized teaspoon. pint of finely chopped meat, packed solidly, equals pound. a set of tin measures (with small spouts or lips), from a gallon down to half a gill, will be found very convenient in every kitchen, though common pitchers, bowls, glasses, etc., may be substituted. index. articles required for the kitchen, beverages, ale, mulled, or egg flip, beer, ginger, hop, spruce, buttermilk as a drink, cherry bounce, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, filtered or drip, healing properties of, iced, substitute for cream in, vienna, cordial, blackberry, noyeau, cream soda without fountain, egg flip, or mulled ale, egg nog, general remarks, inexpensive drink, junket, delicious, koumiss, lemonade, for a summer draught, lemon syrup, mead sassafras, pineappleade, punch, hot, to make, milk, milk, fine, roman. no. , roman. no. , raspberry shrub, seidlitz powder, syrup, lemon, strawberry and raspberry, tea, iced, to make, the healing properties of tea or coffee, vinegar, home-made table, pineapple, raspberry. no. , raspberry. no. , very strong table, water, strawberry, wine, blackberry no. , blackberry. no. , black currant, currant. no. , currant. no. , grape, honey or methelin, orange, florida, raisin, whey, bread, bread, brown, boston, brown, boston unfermented, brown, rhode island, brown, steamed, brown, virginia, compressed yeast, corn, corn and rye, corn, boston, corn, virginia, french, german, graham, graham, unfermented, milk yeast, rye, rye and corn, salt-raising, twist, wheat, cake, corn, new england, corn, spider, indian loaf, johnnie, potato, raised, general directions, southern corn meal pone, or corn dodgers, yeast, dried, or yeast cakes, home-made, unrivaled, biscuits, rolls, muffins, etc, biscuit, baking powder, beaten, egg, graham (with yeast), grafton milk, light. no. , light. no. , potato, raised, soda, sour milk, vinegar, bread crumbs, prepared, bread, warm for breakfast, buns, london hot cross, cake, newport breakfast, cakes, buckwheat, buckwheat (raised), buckwheat (without yeast), drop (rye), drop (wheat), flannel (with yeast), tea, berry, griddle (very good), griddle, bread, griddle, corn meal, griddle, corn meal (with yeast), griddle, feather, griddle, french, griddle, graham, griddle, green corn, griddle, huckleberry, griddle, potato, griddle, rice, griddle, sour milk, griddle, swedish, griddle, wheat, cannelons, or fried puffs, cracked wheat, crackers, french, cracknels, croquettes, hominy, rice, crumpets, english, plain, fritters, apple, cream, corn meal, currant, german, golden ball, green corn, hominy, parsnip, peach, pineapple, wheat, gems, graham. no. , graham. no. , graham, plain, general suggestions, hominy, , hulled corn or samp, muffins, corn meal (without eggs), egg (fine), hominy, plain, raised. no. , raised. no. , tennessee, without eggs, mush, corn meal, or hasty pudding, fried, graham, oat flakes, oat meal, steamed, pop-overs, prepared bread crumbs, puff balls, puffs, breakfast, rolls, dinner, fried, french, parker house, parker house (unfermented), stale (to renew), rice, boiled, rusks, with yeast, unfermented, sally lunn, unfermented, samp, or hulled corn, scones, scotch, short cake, cream, huckleberry, lemon, orange, strawberry, waffles, continental hotel, cream, newport, rice. no. , rice. no. , rice, german, toast, american, apple, cheese. no. , no. , chicken hash with rice, codfish on (cuban style), cream, eggs on, baked on, halibut on, ham, hashed beef on, milk, minced fowls on, mushrooms on, nuns', oyster, reed birds on, tomato, veal hash on, butter and cheese, butter, a brine to preserve, putting up to keep, to make, to make quickly, cheese, cottage, cream (new jersey), cream toast, fondu, scalloped, soufflé, straws, cayenne, curds and cream, pastry ramakins, rarebit, welsh, slip, welsh rarebit, cake, etc., suggestions in regard to cake making, frosting or icing, almond, boiled, chocolate, gelatine, golden, without eggs, icing, chocolate, plain, sugar, tutti frutti, fillings for layer cakes, no. . cream filling, no. . cream filling, no. . ice cream filling, no. . apple filling, no. . apple filling, no. . cream frosting, no. . peach cream filling, no. . chocolate cream filling, no. . chocolate cream filling, no. . banana filling, no. . lemon jelly filling, no. . orange cake filling, no. . fig filling, no. . fruit filling, cake, almond, angel, bread or raised, bride, chocolate, no. , chocolate, no. , chocolate, no. , chocolate, french, citron, cocoanut, cocoanut and almond, coffee, cream, cream (cheap), cream, whipped, custard or cream, delicate, election, feather, fruit (superior), fruit, by measure (excellent), fruit, dried apple, fruit, layer, fruit, molasses, fruit, white, gingerbread, hard, gingerbread, plain, ginger, soft, gold, gold and silver, golden spice, golden cream, gold or lemon, hickory nut or walnut, huckleberry, jelly, layer, jelly, rochester, jelly, rolled, layer, to cut, lemon, lemon or gold, loaf (superior), loaf (washington), marble, pound, citron, pound, cocoanut, pound, english, pound, plain, queen's, ribbon, silver or delicate, snow (delicious), sponge, sponge, almond, sponge, lemon, sponge (old-fashioned), sponge, plain, sponge, white, sweet strawberry, white mountain, no. , white mountain, no. , without eggs, cakes, corn starch, cream, boston, cup, cup, molasses fancy, fried, or doughnuts, fried, or crullers, jelly, brunswick, molasses cup, nut, fried, peach, plum, little, variegated, cookies, cocoanut, crisp (very nice), favorite, fruit, ginger, lemon, crullers, or fried cakes, or wonders, doughnuts, bakers' raised, german, or fried cakes, puff ball, raised, drops, sponge, dominoes, eclairs, chocolate, ginger biscuit, white, cookies, snaps, snaps, bakers', gingerbread, hard, plain, jumbles, almond, cocoanut, fruit, philadelphia, wine, lady fingers, or savory biscuit, neapolitaines, sandwiches, pastry, savory biscuit, trifles, wafers, canned fruits and vegetables, boiled cider, canned, canned corn, fruit juices, grapes, mince meat, peaches, peas, pineapple, plums, pumpkin, quinces, strawberries, tomatoes, peach butter, general remarks, peaches dried with sugar, to can corn, peas, pineapple, carving, beef, hind-quarter, fore-quarter, sirloin of, duck, roast, fowls, roast, goose, roast, ham, roast, lamb, fore-quarter, mackerel, mutton, leg of, partridges, pheasant, pigeons, pork, salmon, boiled, turkey, roast, veal, breast of, fore-quarter, fillet of, hind-quarter, neck of, venison, haunch of, coloring for fruit, confectionery, etc., caramel, or burnt sugar, coloring, green, red, deep, red or pink, yellow, sugar grains, colored, to clarify jelly, confectionery, candy, butter scotch, chocolate caramels, chocolate creams, chocolate cream drops, cocoanut, cocoanut caramels, cocoanut creams, cocoanut creams, currant drops, everton taffy, fig, french cream, french vanilla cream, fruit creams, fruit and nut creams, grilled almonds, hoarhound, lemon drops, maple sugar creams, molasses, molasses and nut, nut, sugar, nut, molasses, nut creams, orange drops, peppermint drops, pop corn. no. , pop corn. no. , raspberry creams, roley poley, stick, variegated creams, walnut creams, candied oranges, candies without cooking, conserves, peach, strawberry, dried preserves, general remarks, jujube paste, maple walnuts, peach leather, pop corn balls, custards, creams and desserts, almonds, salted or roasted, apples, stewed. no. , stewed. no. , blanc mange. no. , no. , chocolate, corn starch, fruit, tapioca, cake, peach, charlotte, burnt almond, country plum, orange, orange, strawberry, tipsy, russe, russe, fine, russe (another), russe, economical, russe or naples biscuit, russe, plain. no. , russe, plain. no. , russe with pineapple, cheese custard, recipe for, chestnuts, roast, cream, banana, bavarian, bavarian strawberry, chocolate. no. , chocolate or custard. no. , for fruit, golden, italian, lemon. no. , lemon. no. , lemon. no. , mock, or boiled custard, orange, peach. no. , peach. no. , pie, snow, solid, spanish, tapioca custard, velvet, with strawberries, whipped. no. , whipped. no. , croutons, after dinner, crystallized fruit, custard, almond. no. , almond. no. , apple, baked, boiled, boiled or mock cream, caramel, soft, cocoanut, baked, cup, french, german, snowball, tapioca cream, dessert puffs, float, apple, orange, floating island, islands, fritters, jelly, fruit, crystallized, short cake, general remarks, gooseberry fool, honey, lemon, jelly, cider, kisses, lemon. no. , lemon. no. , orange, strawberry, variegated, wine, kisses, jelly, or meringues, meringue, corn starch, peach, meringues or kisses, macaroons, almond, chocolate, cocoanut, mock ice, naples biscuit, or charlotte russe, omelet, sweet. no. , no. , peaches and cream, pears, baked, stewed, puffs, dessert, quinces, baked, salad of mixed fruits, orange cocoanut, short cakes, fruit, snow pyramid, apple, quince, sponge, lemon, strawberry, syllabub, toast, lemon, trifle, apple, fruit, gooseberry, grape, lemon, orange, peach, washington pie, dinner giving, dinners and receptions at white house, dressings and sauces, dumplings and puddings, dyeing and coloring, cotton goods, general remarks, silks, woolen goods, eggs and omelets, eggs and bacon mixed, aux fines herbes, boiled, boiled, soft, cold, for picnic, fried, in cases, minced, mixed generally, savory or sweet, poached, á la crême, poached or dropped, scalloped, scrambled, shirred, to preserve, omelets, omelet, asparagus, baked, bread. no. , bread. no. , cheese, chicken, fish, ham, jelly, meat or fish, mushroom, of herbs, onion, oyster, plain, rice, rum, soufflé, tomato. no. , tomato. no. , vegetable, facts worth knowing, fish, fish, to fry, and oyster pie, general remarks, bass, boiled, blue fish, boiled, baked, chowder (rhode island), clam chowder, fritters, clams, roast, in shell, scalloped, stewed, codfish, á la mode, baked, balls, boiled (fresh), boiled (salt), boiled, and oyster sauce, steak, new england style, stewed (salt), crab croquettes, pie, crabs, baked, deviled, scalloped, soft shell, fried, eels, fried, fritters, frogs, fried, stewed, halibut, baked, boiled, broiled, fried. no. , fried. no. , steamed, fish in white sauce, lobsters boiled, lobster a la newburg, croquettes, deviled, patties, scalloped, mackerel, baked (salt), boiled (fresh), boiled (salt), broiled (spanish), fried (salt), mayonnaise, oyster fritters, patties, pie (boston), pies, small, pot pie, oysters, broiled, fried, fried in batter, fried (boston), fricasseed, mock, pan. no. , pan. no. , plain stew, roast (fulton market), roast in shell. no. , roast. no. , scalloped, soup, steamed, steamed in shell, stew (dry), stewed in cream, pan, pickerel, baked, pie, potted, potted (fresh), salmon and caper sauce, boiled, broiled, broiled (salt), croquettes, fricassee, fried (fresh), patties, pickled, smoked, scalloped, scallops, shad, baked, broiled, roe, to cook, sheepshead, with drawn butter, smelts, baked, fried, steamed, sturgeon, fresh steak marinade, terrapin, stewed, stew, stew, with cream, trout, brook, fried, salmon, baked, turtle or terrapin stew, white, baked, bordeaux sauce, boiled, french words in cooking, game and poultry, health suggestions, bleeding at the nose, burns and scalds, camphorated oil, colds and hoarseness, compound cathartic elixir, cough syrup, croup, diarrhoea, diphtheria, eye washes, fainting, for constipation, severe sprains, toothache, gravel, grandmother's cough syrup, eye wash, family spring bitters, universal liniment, growing pains cured, hints in regard to health, hoarseness and colds, how colds are caught, to keep well, use hot water, hunters' pills, leanness, liniment for chilblains, medicinal food, molasses posset, recipe for felons, regulation in diet, relief from asthma, remedy for lockjaw, sore throat, sun stroke, swaim's vermifuge, "the sun's" cholera mixture, to cure the sting of bee or wasp, cure earache, toothache, for, to stop the flow of blood, take cinders from the eye, remove warts, vermifuge, swaim's, water, whooping cough, housekeepers' time table, ice-creams and ices, cream, fruit, frozen fruits, peaches, ice, almond, currant, lemon, orange water, ice-cream, chocolate. no. , chocolate. no. , cocoanut, custard, fruit, pure, strawberry, tutti frutti without a freezer, sherbet, pineapple, raspberry, jellies and preserves, meats, beef á la mode, brisket of, stewed, cold roast, warmed. no. , cold roast, warmed. no. , croquettes. no. , croquettes. no. , corned or salted (red), corned, to boil, dried, dried, with cream, flank of, to collar, frizzled, hash. no. , hash. no. , heart, stewed, heart, to roast, kidney, stewed, liver, fried, pot roast (old style), pressed, roast, pie, roast, pie, roast, with potato crust, spiced, excellent, spiced, relish, beefsteak. no. , no. , and onions, and oysters, flank, hamburger, pie, rolls, smothered, stewed with oysters, to fry, beef-stew, french, beef, tenderloin of, to clarify drippings of, tongue, boiled, tongue, spiced, to pot, brain cutlets, calf's head, baked, head, boiled, head cheese, liver and bacon, meat and potato croquettes, cold, and potatoes, baked, thawing frozen, etc., to keep from flies, sweetbreads, baked, croquettes of, fricasseed, fried, tripe, fricasseed, lyonnaise, to boil, to fry, veal, braised, cheese, chops, fried (plain), collops, croquettes, cutlets, broiled (fine), cutlets, fried, fillet of, roast, fillet of, boiled, for lunch loaf loin of, roast olives, patties, pie, pot pie, pudding, stew, yorkshire pudding, for veal, lamb and mutton, lamb, croquettes of odds and ends of, fore-quarter of, to broil, pressed, quarter of, roasted, stew, sweetbreads and tomato sauce, mutton, boned leg of, roasted, chops and potatoes, baked, broiled, fried. no. , fried. no. , cutlets (baked), hashed, irish stew, leg of, á la venison, leg of, boiled, leg of, braised, leg of, steamed, pudding, roast, scalloped, and tomatoes, scrambled, muttonettes, pork, bacon and eggs, cold, to cure english, cheese, head, ham and eggs, fried, boiled, broiled, potted, to bake a (corned), hams and bacon, to cure, and fish, to smoke at home, head cheese, lard, to try out, pig, roast, pigs' feet, pickled, pork and beans, baked, and beans (boston style), chops and fried apples, chops, fried, cutlets, fresh, pot pie, leg of, boiled, leg of, roast, loin of, roast, pie, pot pie, salt, fried, salt, grilled, spare rib of, roasted, tenderloins, roast pig, sausage, bologna (cooked), sausages, country pork, to fry, scrappel, measures and weights, menus for breakfast, luncheon and dinner, january, february, march, april, may, june, july, august, september, october, november, december, menus, special, miscellaneous recipes, ammonia, uses of, cement, cracks in floors, for acids, for china and glass, cider, to keep, cleaning jewelry, for, oil cloth, for, sinks, for, crape, to renew old, family glue, feathers, to wash, flannels, to wash, fluid, washing, furniture cream, how to freshen up furs, garments, to wash colored, gloves, to clean kid, glue, family, hard soap (washing) incombustible dresses, insects and vermin, indelible ink, to remove, lace, to clean black. no. , to clean black. no. , to wash white. no. , to wash white thread. no. , leather, a polish for, machine grease, to take out, management of stoves, marble, to remove stains from, moths in carpets, mucilage, postage stamp, novel dress mending, oil cloth cleaning, stains in silk and other fabrics, old style family soft soap, paper hangers' paste, paste for scrap books, etc, polish for ladies' kid shoes, for leather, shirts, to starch, fold and iron, silks or ribbons, to clean, to clean black dress, silver plate, to clean, starch polish, soap for washing without rubbing, hard (washing), old style family, soft, to make without cooking, stoves, management of, the marking system, to bleach cotton cloth, to cement cracks in floors, to clean black lace, to clean black dress silks, to clean kid gloves, to clean silks and ribbons, to clean silver plate, to destroy insects and vermin, to keep cider, to make a paste to fasten labels, to raise the pile on velvet, to remove indelible ink, to remove ink from carpets, to remove stains and spots, to remove stains from marble, to renew old crape, to soften water, to starch, fold and iron shirts, to take out machine grease, to take rust out of steel, to whiten walls, uses of ammonia, velvet, to raise the pile on, walls, to whiten, washing fluid, modes of frying, omelets and eggs, pastry, pies and tarts, crust, potato, chess cakes, general remarks, how to make a pie, icing pastry, maids of honor, meat for mince pies (cooked), mince meat, mock, without meat, patties or shells for tarts, pie, apple, green, apple and peach meringue, apple custard. no. , apple custard. no. , apple custard. no. , apple custard. no. , apple, irish, apple, mock, apricot meringue, berry, ripe, blackberry, cocoanut. no. , cocoanut. no. , cherry, cranberry, cranberry tart, cream, cream, boston, cream, mock, cream, whipped, currant. no. , currant, ripe. no. , custard, custard, bakers', custard, chocolate. no. , custard, chocolate. no. , custard, fruit, dried fruit, fruit, german, gooseberry, grape, huckleberry, jelly and preserved fruit, lemon. no. (superior), lemon. no. , lemon. no. , lemon. no. , lemon, raisin, mince. no. , mince. no. , molasses, orange, peach, pineapple, plum or damson, pumpkin. no. , pumpkin. no. , pumpkin, without eggs, rhubarb, rhubarb (cooked), ripe berry, squash, sweet potato, tomato, green, pie crust, plain, to make flaky, rule for undercrust, puff paste, fine, for pies, of suet, soyer's recipe for, pumpkin or squash for pies, stewed, baked, tartlets. no. , no. , lemon. no. , lemon. no. , meringue custard, orange, plum custard, tarts, apple, berry, chocolate, cocoanut, cream, gooseberry, green, jam, open, strawberry cream, turnover, fruit, suitable for picnics, poultry and game, chicken, boiled, breaded, broiled, broiled on toast, croquettes. no. , croquettes. no. , croquettes, to fry, curry, dressed as terrapin, fricassee, fried, fried á la italienne, lunch for traveling, macaroni and, patties, pickled, pie, pot pie. no. , pot pie. no. , potted, pressed, pudding, rissoles of, roast, roley poley, scalloped, steamed, stewed (whole spring), stewed with biscuit, turnovers, dressing or stuffing for fowls, oyster, duck, braised, canvas back, duck pie, roast (tame), roast (wild), stewed, warmed up, wild, game pie, salmi of, goose, roast, grouse, to roast, etc., hare, roast, partridges, to roast, etc., pigeon pie, pigeons, broiled, or squabs, roast, stewed, quail, to roast, to roast, etc., rabbit, broiled, fricassee, fried, pie, roast, reed birds, salmi of game, snipe, snow birds, squab pot pie, squirrels, turkey, boned, boiled, hashed, roast, scallop, warmed over, venison, baked saddle of, steak, broiled, steak, fried, hashed, pie or pastry, roast haunch of, woodcock, roasted, preserves, jellies, etc, a new way of keeping fruit, brandied peaches or pears, general remarks, jam, gooseberry, raspberry, strawberry, jellies, fruit, jelly, apple, crab apple, currant, currant (new method), grape, orange, florida, peach, quince, raspberry, macedoines, marmalade, lemon, orange, orange syrup, pineapple preserves, preserved apples (whole), preserved cherries, cranberries, egg plums, peaches, pears, pumpkins, quinces, strawberries, tomatoes (green), preserving fruit, (new mode), (new method of), raisins (a french marmalade), to preserve and dry green gages, berries whole (excellent), fruit without sugar, water melon and citron rind, puddings and dumplings, a royal dessert, batter, common, berry rolls, baked, cobbler, peach, currants, to clean, dumplings, apple, apple (boiled), lemon, oxford, preserve, rice, boiled (custard sauce), suet. no. , suet. no. , general remarks, geneva wafers, huckleberries with crackers and cream, pudding, almond, almond. no. , almond. no. , apple and brown bread, apple, baked, apple, boiled, apple custard, apple puff, apple roley poley, apple sago, apple tapioca, banana, batter, baked, batter, boiled, berry, cold, bird's nest, blackberry and whortleberry, bread and butter. no. , bread and butter. no. , bread, baked plain, bread, boiled, bread (superior), cabinet, cherry, cherry, boiled or steamed, chocolate. no. , chocolate. no. , chocolate. no. , chocolate. no. , christmas plum, by measure, cocoanut. no. (french), cocoanut. no. , cocoanut. no. , cold fruit, corn meal, corn meal, apple, corn meal, baked without eggs, corn meal, baked with eggs, corn meal, boiled, corn meal, boiled without eggs, corn meal, fruit, corn meal puffs, corn starch, cottage, cracker, cranberry, baked, cream, cream meringue, cuban, currant, boiled, custard, custard. no. , custard. no. , custard apple, delmonico, english plum (the genuine), fig, fruit, fruit, fruit, cold, fruit, puff, fruit, rice, graham, green corn, hominy, huckleberry, baked, indian, delicate, jelly, lemon, lemon, baked (queen of puddings), lemon, boiled, lemon, cold, minute. no. , minute. no. , nantucket, orange. no. , orange. no. , orange roley poley, peach, dried, peach, pear and apple, pie plant or rhubarb, pineapple, plum, english (the genuine), plum, baked, plum, without eggs, prune, quick, raspberry, ready, rhubarb or pie plant, rice, boiled. no. , rice, boiled. no. , rice, fruit, rice (fine), rice (plain), rice, lemon, rice, meringue, rice, snow balls, rice, without eggs, roley poley (apple), roley poley (orange), sago, apple, sago, plain, sago, royal, saucer, snow, sponge cake. no. , sponge cake. no. , strawberry tapioca, suet, plain, suet, plum, sunderland, sweet potato, tapioca, tapioca, apple, toast, transparent, whortleberry and blackberry, puffets, apple, boiled, royal dessert, a, to chop suet, stone raisins, sandwiches, cheese, chicken, egg, ham, plain, mushroom, sardine, water cress, sauces and dressings for meats, butter, drawn, to brown, cocoanut prepared (for pies, puddings, etc.), curry powder, sauce, flour, to brown, herbs for winter, meats and their accompaniments, mustard, french, to make, omelet, apple, pepper, kitchen, sauce, apple, apple, cider, apple, old-fashioned, bechamel, bread, brown, brown, sharp, caper, celery, chili, cranberry, curry, egg or white, fish. no. , fish. no. , for boiled cod, for salmon and other fish, hollandaise, jelly, currant, lobster, maitre d'hotel, mint, mushroom, onion, oyster, tartare, tomato, wine, for game, spices, vegetables appropriate to different dishes, for breakfast, vinegar, cucumber, flavored, warm dishes for breakfast, salads, celery, undressed, cucumbers, to dress raw, dressing, cream salad. no. , cream salad. no. , for cold slaw (cabbage salad), mayonnaise, salad, french, endive, horse-radish, lettuce, peppergrass and cress, radishes, salad, bean, cabbage or cold slaw, celery, chicken, crab, dutch, fish, ham, lettuce, lobster. no. , lobster. no. , oyster, potato, cold, potato, hot, summer, mixed, tomato, slaw, cold, cold, dressing for, cold, plain, hot, catsups, catsup, apple, cucumber, currant, gooseberry, mushroom, oyster, tomato. no. , tomato. no. , tomato, green, walnut, vinegar, celery, spiced, chocolate. (see beverages) cocoa. (see beverages) coffee. (see beverages) pickles, general remarks, green pepper mangoes, piccalili, pickle, an ornamental, east india, pear, sweet, for fruit, watermelon, pickled butternuts and walnuts, cabbage (purple), cabbage (white), cauliflower, cherries, eggs, green peppers, mangoes, mushrooms, onions, oysters, pickles, blue berry, chow chow (superior english recipe), cucumber, cucumber, for winter use, cucumber, ripe, cucumber, sliced, cucumber, sweet, ripe, east india, green tomato (sour), green tomato (sweet), mixed, spiced currants, grapes, plums, sauces for puddings, brandy, cold, liquid, or wine. no. , or wine. no. , caramel, cream, cold, warm, custard, fruit, grandmother's, hard, plain, cold, jelly, lemon, (cold), brandy for cakes and puddings, cream (hot), milk, or cream, old style, orange cream (hot), (cold), plain, a good, plum pudding, superior, rose brandy for cakes and puddings, sugar, sweet common, syrup for fruit, wine, rich, seasonable foods, varieties of, sick, cooking for the, acid drinks, apples, baked, a remedy for boils, arrowroot blanc mange, milk porridge, wine jelly, baked apples, beefsteak and mutton chops, beef tea, blackberry cordial, blanc mange, arrowroot, irish moss, boiled rice, boils, remedy for, bread panada, broth, veal or mutton, clam, chicken, chicken jelly, broth, clam broth, codfish, milk or cream, corn meal gruel, cracker panada, cup pudding, pudding, tapioca, custard, cure for ringworms, draughts for the feet, egg gruel, toast, flax seed tea, seed lemonade, for children teething, general remarks, gruel, corn meal, egg, oat meal, hominy, irish moss blanc mange, jelly arrowroot wine, chicken, mulled, sago, tapioca, linseed tea, milk porridge, or cream codfish, milk toast, plain, mulled jelly, mutton chops and beefsteak, or veal broth, oat meal gruel, oyster toast, panada, bread, cracker, porridge milk, arrowroot, milk, poultices, powders for children, pudding, cup, cup, tapioca, rice, boiled, ringworms, cure for, sago jelly, soft toast, slippery elm tea, elm bark tea, tamarind water, tapioca jelly, tea, beef, flax seed, linseed, slippery elm, slippery elm bark, toast, water, or crust coffee, milk, plain, egg, oyster, soft, veal or mutton broth, small points on table etiquette, soups, asparagus, cream of, bean (dried), beef, calf's head or mock turtle, chicken cream, consommé, corn, game, gumbo or okra, herbs and vegetables used in, julienne, macaroni, mullagatawny, mutton broth (scotch), okra or gumbo, ox tail, pea (green), split, pepper pot (philadelphia), plain, economical, spinach, cream of, squirrel, stock, white, to clarify, tapioca cream, tomato. no. , no. , no. , turkey, turtle, mock, green, from beans, veal (excellent), soups without meats, celery, clam, plain and french, croutons for, dumpling, egg for, suet for, egg balls for, fish, force meat balls for, (soyer's recipe), lobster or bisque, noodles for, onion, oyster soup. no. , no. , pea, potato (irish), stock, fish, vegetable, spring, winter, vermicelli, white (swiss), table etiquette, small points on, toilet recipes, items, etc., antidotes for poisons, bad breath, bandoline, barbers' shampoo mixture, bay rum, burnett's celebrated powder for the face, camphor ice, cold cream, cologne water (superior), complexion wash, cream of lilies, of roses, cure for pimples, dye for white or light eye-brows, for dandruff, hair invigorator, wash, how to keep brushes clean, jockey club bouquet cologne, lavender water, lip salve, macassar oil for the hair, odoriferous or sweet scenting bags, ox-marrow pomade, pearl smelling salts, tooth powder, phalon's instantaneous hair dye pimples, cure for, razor-strop paste, removing tartar from the teeth, rose-water, shaving compound, toilet or face powder, items, toilet soap, to increase the hair in the brows, remove freckles, remove moth patches, vegetables, asparagus, with eggs, beans, lima and kidney, string, beets, baked, boiled, stewed, cabbage, boiled, french way of cooking, fried, ladies', sourcrout, steamed, with cream, carrots, mashed, stewed, cauliflower, fried, celery, corn, boiled, green, fried, pudding, roasted (green), stewed, succotash, cucumbers, á la crême, fried, cymblings, or squashes, egg plant, fried, stuffed, endive, stewed, general remarks, greens, mushrooms, baked, canned, for winter use, stewed, okra, onions, baked, boiled, fried, scalloped, stewed, oyster plant or salsify fried, stewed, parsnips, boiled, creamed, fried, fritters, stewed, peas, green, stewed, potato croquettes. no. , croquettes. no. , fillets, puffs, snow, potatoes, á la crême, á la delmonico, baked, browned, browned--with roast. no. , browned--with roast. no. , crisp, favorite, warmed, fried, with eggs, hasty cooked, lyonnaise, mashed, mashed, warmed over, new, and cream, new, to boil, raw, fried, saratoga chips, scalloped (kentucky style), steamed, sweet, sweet, baked, pumpkin, stewed, rice, to boil, salsify, fried, or oyster plant, stewed, sourcrout, spinach, squashes or gymblings, squash, winter, baked, winter, boiled, string beans, succotash, tomatoes, baked (plain), broiled and fried, fried and broiled, scalloped, scrambled, stewed, stuffed, baked, to peel, raw, to prepare, truffles, (italian style of dressing), au naturel, turnips, vegetable hash, macaroni, macaroni, á la crême, á la italienne, and cheese, and tomato sauce, timbale of, generously made available by internet archive (http://www.archive.org/index.php) note: images of the original pages are available through intenet archive. see http://www.archive.org/details/cookerybluebook firsrich transcriber's note obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation have been retained. a list of inconsistently spelled and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. oe ligatures have been expanded. text enclosed between equal signs was in bold face in the original (=bold=). the cookery blue book prepared by the society for christian work of the first unitarian church, san francisco, cal. "tried and true" san francisco c. a. murdock & co., printers _the capon burns, the pig falls from the spit; the clock hath struck twelve upon the bell; my mistress made it one upon my cheek-- she is so hot, because the meat is cold; methinks your man, like mine, should be your clock, and strike you home without a messenger. my charge was but to fetch you from the mart home to your house, the phoenix, sir, to dinner-- my mistress and her sister wait for you._ _--comedy of errors._ the cookery blue book soups. =bouillon soup.= pounds of round of beef cut into dice pieces. trim off all fatty skin. quarts water; teaspoonful celery seed; large onions; large carrots; bunch of parsley; blades of mace; whole cloves, salt and pepper to taste. pour on the water, and let it simmer six hours, skimming carefully, for if any grease is allowed to go back into the soup it is impossible to make it clear. scrape the carrots, stick whole cloves into each onion, and put them in the soup; then add the celery seed, parsley, mace, pepper and salt. let this boil till the vegetables are tender, then strain through a cloth, pouring the soup through first, then putting the meat in it to drain, never squeezing or pressing it. if you wish to color it, you can put in a dessertspoon of burnt sugar. it can be nicely flavored by adding some walnut catsup, together with mushroom and a very little worcestershire. =beef soup.= boil trimmings of roast beef and beef-steak bones for three hours. cool and skim off fat; add half a salt spoon of pepper, teaspoonfuls of salt, potatoes, pared and cut up, / a carrot, / an onion, gumbo pods, half a bay leaf and a little chopped parsley. add a few drops of caramel and serve hot. strain, if preferred thin. =tomato soup without stock.= dozen tomatoes cut up and enough water to cover them; a salt spoon of mustard, salt and dozen cloves. stew thoroughly and strain. rub together heaping tablespoons of flour and a piece of butter the size of an egg. put this in the strained liquor and boil. this makes soup for six persons. =milk tomato soup.= boil can of tomatoes very soft in quart of water; strain, and add pint of milk, teaspoonful of soda, small piece of butter, a shake of mace, and salt to taste. let it scald, not boil, and add rolled crackers. =bisque soup.= large onions sliced, can tomatoes. boil together half an hour or longer, then put through colander and add quart beef stock, salt and pepper. let this boil together a few moments. whip cup cream with the yolks of eggs and tablespoon of corn starch or flour; add this to the stock, boil up, and serve at once. =mock bisque soup.= quart tomatoes, pints milk, large tablespoonful flour, butter size of an egg, pepper and salt to taste, a scant teaspoonful of soda. put the tomato on to stew and the milk in a double kettle to boil, reserving half a cup to mix with flour. mix the flour smoothly with the cold milk and cook ten minutes. to the tomato add the soda, stir well, and rub through a strainer that is fine enough to keep back the seeds. add butter, salt and pepper to the milk and then the tomato. serve immediately. =bean soup.= coffee cup of brown beans soaked over night; boil in a gallon of water with a piece of salt pork inches square (a little beef is good, also) several hours, until beans are soft; strain, and add a small bit of butter, the juice of lemon and a small cup of sherry wine. =black bean soup.= pint of beans soaked over night; quarts water and boil five or six hours, adding water as it boils away; when soft, strain out the skins, season with salt and pepper to taste. when ready for the table add a large spoonful of sherry wine, boiled eggs, sliced, and lemon, sliced very thin. do not cook it any after these ingredients are added. =split pea soup.= gallon water, quart peas, soaked over night; / pound salt pork cut in bits; pound lean beef cut the same. boil slowly two hours, or until the water is reduced one-half. pour in a colander and press the peas through; return to the kettle and add a small amount of celery chopped fine. fry three or four slices of bread quite brown in butter--cut in squares when served. =grandmother sawtelle's pea soup.= soak a quart of dried peas over night. in the morning put them on to boil with fragments of fresh meat; also cloves, allspice, pepper and salt. let boil until soft, then strain through a colander. have some pieces of bread or crackers inch square, and put them into the oven to dry without browning; a pint of bread to a quart of peas. take / of a cup of melted butter and put the bread in it; stir until the bread and butter are well mixed, then put into the peas and it is done. if the peas do not boil easily add a little saleratus. =green pea soup.= boil the pods first, then remove and boil peas in same water until soft enough to mash easily. add a quart of milk, and thickening made of a tablespoonful of butter and of flour. boil a few minutes and serve. =celery soup (for six persons).= boil a small cup of rice till tender, in pints of milk (or pints of milk and of cream); rub through a sieve, add quart of veal stock, salt, cayenne and heads of celery grated fine. =cream of celery soup.= teacups of chopped celery, quart of milk; boil celery soft (saving water it is boiled in); rub celery through fine sieve; mix celery and milk. take heaping tablespoonful of flour, even tablespoonful of butter, scant teaspoonful of salt. if desired, can boil celery in the morning, then about half an hour before dinner take milk, flour, butter, salt and celery and boil together, stirring constantly so it will cook evenly. when the consistency of cream, it is ready for use. =ox-tail soup.= ox-tail, pounds lean beef, carrots, onions and thyme. cut tail into pieces and fry brown in butter. slice onions and carrots, and when you remove the tail from the pan put these in and brown also; then tie them in a thin cloth with the thyme and put in the soup pot. lay the tail in and then the meat cut into small pieces. grate over them the remaining carrots, and add quarts of water, with salt and pepper. boil four to six hours. strain five minutes before serving and thicken with tablespoonfuls of browned flour. boil ten minutes longer. =mushroom soup.= pint of white stock, tablespoonfuls butter, / teaspoon of pepper, and teaspoon of salt, tablespoonful corn starch, pint of milk; heat milk. mix butter and corn starch to cream, and add hot milk and then stock. boil pound of mushrooms until soft, and then strain. have them ready and add to the soup, letting it stand to thicken. it is improved by a little whipped cream added before serving. =soupe a l'ognon.= put into a saucepan butter size of a pigeon's egg; add pint of soup stock. when very hot add onions, sliced thin, then a full / teacup of flour, stirring constantly that it may not burn. add pint boiling water, pepper and salt, and let boil one minute, then placing on back of range till ready to serve, when add quart of boiling milk and mashed boiled potatoes. gradually add to the potatoes a little of the soup till smooth and thin enough to put into the soup kettle. stir all well, then strain. put diamond-shaped pieces of toasted bread in bottom of tureen and pour soup over it. =potato soup.= boil and mash fine large mealy potatoes; add egg, a piece of butter size of an egg, a teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonful celery salt. boil pint of water and pint of milk together and pour on potatoes boiling hot. stir it well, strain and serve. =asparagus (white) soup.= cut off the hard, green stems from two bunches of asparagus and put them in quarts and a pint of water, with pounds of veal (the knuckle is the best). boil in a closely covered pot three hours, till the meat is in rags and the asparagus dissolved. strain the liquor and return to the pot with the remaining half of the asparagus heads. let this boil for twenty minutes more and add, before taking up, / of a teacup of sweet cream, in which has been stirred a dessertspoonful of corn starch. when it has fairly boiled up, serve with small squares of toast in the tureen. season with salt and pepper. =soup a la minute (for six persons).= cut ounces of fat salt pork in dice and set it on the fire in a saucepan; stir, and when it is turning rather brown, add onion chopped, and / a medium-sized carrot sliced. when they are partly fried, add pounds of lean beef cut in small dice, and let fry five minutes. then pour in it about pints of boiling water, salt and pepper, and boil gently for three-quarters of an hour. =caramel, for coloring soups.= melt cup white sugar in a saucepan till it is dark; add slowly cup cold water, stirring briskly, and boil till it thickens. keep in large-mouthed bottle. [illustration] breakfast dishes. =baked omelet--no. .= eggs, / cup of milk, / teaspoon corn starch, pepper and salt. beat the whites and yolks of the eggs separately and very stiff; stir lightly together and add other ingredients. bake in a buttered pudding-dish and serve immediately. =baked omelet--no. .= / cup of milk boiled. stir in the well-beaten yolks of eggs till thick. add a dessertspoon of butter and salt to taste. after removing from the fire, add whites of eggs, well-beaten. bake ten minutes in an oven heated as for cake. =bread omelet.= bread crumbs and parsley rubbed fine; a little chopped onion; eggs beaten lightly. add a cup of milk, pepper, salt and a little nutmeg, with a tablespoonful of butter. bake in a moderate oven. =baked eggs.= separate the whites from the yolks keeping each yolk separate. salt the whites, while beating to a stiff froth, then spread on a platter. place the yolks at regular distances apart in cavities made in the beaten whites, and bake in a moderate oven till brown. =eggs (au miron) with asparagus.= cut off the green part of the asparagus the size of peas, and scald in hot water a few minutes, then put in the saucepan with a little butter, small bunch of parsley and young onions tied together (so that it can be removed before breaking the eggs on the asparagus). add a little flour, water, salt, pepper and a little sugar, stewing together till the water is evaporated. then put in a baking-dish and break some eggs over the top. put a little salt, pepper and nutmeg over the eggs and cook in the oven, but not long enough to let the eggs get hard. serve immediately. =corn omelet.= take the well-filled ears of corn, cut the kernels down the center, being careful not to loosen them from the cob; then takeout the pulp by pressing downward with a knife. to tablespoons of corn pulp add the well-beaten yolks of eggs and a little salt. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, mix with the corn, and put in a hot pan with a little butter. cover, and place where it will not burn. when done, fold over and serve on a hot dish. =bananas (as a breakfast dish).= slice bananas lengthwise; put them in a buttered pan and brown in oven; or they can be dipped in butter and fried; or sliced and served cold with cream. =baked peppers.= cut off tops; take the seeds out and fill with sausage meat. bake forty minutes. =baked beans.= soak quart of pea beans over night in cold water. in morning drain and place in earthen bean-pot with teaspoon salt, / of pepper, of sugar, pound fat pork, scored; fill the pot with warm water and bake in a moderate oven all day, as water evaporates adding sufficient to keep them moist. they cannot be baked too long. =fish-balls.= cup of raw salt fish; pint of potatoes; teaspoonful butter; egg well beaten; a little pepper. wash and pick the fish in small pieces free from bones. pare the potatoes and cut in small pieces. put both together in a stew-pan and cover with boiling water, and boil until the potatoes are soft. drain off the water, mash and beat till very light. when a little cool, add the egg and fry in very hot lard. =potatoes with cheese.= the potatoes are boiled and cut in small pieces, covered with milk or cream. put bread crumbs and cheese over the top. add butter and bake till brown. =vermicelli (as a breakfast dish).= to pints of bubbling, salted water, add pint of the best vermicelli; boil briskly ten minutes, drain off all the water and serve hot with butter and cream. fish. =fish a la creme.= pounds of sturgeon or any solid white fish boiled until tender. remove bone, mince fine, and season with salt, pepper, wine and lemon juice. quart milk, boiled with two good-sized onions until they are in shreds. rub to a cream / pound butter and two large tablespoonfuls of flour. strain the boiling milk with this and return to the stew-pan and boil again, taking care to stir to prevent lumps and burning. grate the rind of one lemon, with juice and one tumbler of wine and mix thoroughly through the fish. take one loaf of bread, removing all crust, and pass through the colander. have dish very hot, putting fish and crumbs in layers, bringing crumbs on top. place in hot oven for a few minutes. a nice lunch dish. =a norwegian fish dish.= take a fresh codfish weighing about pounds; do not wash it, but wipe with a soft cloth wrung out in cold water. scrape all the flesh from skin and bone; and put the head, bones and skin on to boil, and when thoroughly cooked, strain. take equal parts of scraped fish and chopped suet, one tablespoon of salt and pound to a paste. add eggs, tablespoonfuls of flour, a little mace and ginger. boil some cream, and when cold, gradually add enough to make a soft batter. try a little of this in the boiling stock to see if the consistency is right. then put in a buttered, breaded mould and cook two hours. if some of the batter is left, form in balls and cook in the fish stock and serve as soup. =finnan haddies (from delmonico's).= / pound of fish picked up and braized in butter and cooked in the following sauce: cup of cream over hard boiled egg cut in squares; the yolk of raw egg; a tablespoonful of edan cheese, a little flour to thicken; a little pepper and worcestershire sauce. serve on toast. =stuffed smelt.= ingredients of stuffing: / cup of melted butter; cup of bread crumbs, teaspoonful of chopped onion; / spoon of salt; / spoon of pepper and a few herbs. bone the smelt, stuff and sew up. roll in melted butter and fine bread crumbs. bake about fifteen minutes. sauce.-- / cup butter worked to a cream; yolks of eggs beaten in one by one; juice of / a lemon; / teaspoonful salt, / teaspoon pepper and / cup boiling water. beat and put on stove in a saucepan of boiling water to thicken. =brown fish chowder.= onion fried in butter. cut any white fish in small pieces and fry in this after first rolling the fish in flour. take the fish out and lay on brown paper. put into a saucepan tablespoonfuls dry flour and stir until it is brown; then gradually stir in a quart of water. when this has boiled, add the fish and seasoning. [illustration] entrees. =chicken terrapin--no. .= chop the meat of a cold chicken and parboiled sweet-bread quite fine. make a cream sauce, with cup of sweet cream, a quarter of a cup of butter and tablespoonfuls of flour. put in the chicken and sweet-breads. keep it hot in a double boiler and just before serving add the yolks of eggs and a wine-glass of sherry wine. =chicken terrapin no. .= cut a cold boiled chicken in small squares, removing all the skin. put into a skillet with / pint of cream and / pound of butter, rolled in tablespoonful of flour, seasoned with salt and red pepper. have ready hard boiled eggs chopped fine. when the chicken has reached a boil, stir in a large glass of sherry with the egg, and serve hot. =chicken terrapin--no. .= boil chicken in salted water. quart of cold cooked chicken cut into dice; cooked livers of or chickens; hard-boiled eggs; yolks of raw eggs; cup of chicken stock; cup cream; slight grating of nutmeg; / teaspoon pepper; level teaspoon salt; tablespoons sherry; tablespoons butter; tablespoons flour; teaspoon lemon juice. chop hard-boiled eggs and add to chicken; sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg. add flour to melted butter and stock and stir for three minutes. add cream after reserving tablespoonfuls. stir one minute. add chicken mixture and let it simmer for ten minutes. beat yolks well and add cream; pour into mixture and stir one minute. remove from fire, and add wine and lemon juice. =chicken for lunch.= cut up chickens; fry each piece quickly in bacon fat to a nice brown (not cooking them). then stew them slowly with gumbo, a little pork, celery and / an onion till tender. thicken with brown flour and dish, garnishing with parsley and sliced hard-boiled eggs. =pressed chicken (a nice luncheon dish).= boil a chicken, in as little water as possible, till the bones slip out and the gristly portions are soft. remove the skin, pick the meat apart, and mix the dark and white meat. remove the fat, and season the liquor highly with salt and pepper; also with celery, salt and lemon juice, if you desire. boil down to cup, and mix with the meat. butter a mould and decorate the bottom and sides with slices of hard-boiled eggs; also with thin slices of tongue or ham cut in fancy shapes. pack the meat in and set away to cool with a weight on the meat. when ready to serve, dip mould in warm water and turn out carefully. garnish with parsley, strips of lettuce or celery leaves and radishes or beets. the eggs and tongue can be dispensed with if a plain dish is desired. =beef loaf.= - / pounds fine chopped beef; / pound pork; eggs; large spoonful of salt; teaspoon pepper; / teaspoon nutmeg; large spoonfuls milk; soda crackers rolled fine, saving out to rub on the top. put bits of butter over the top. press the meat several times with your hand to make into a thin loaf. bake in a quick oven one hour, putting water in pan. it requires no basting. =beef roll.= lean beef chopped fine; / cup bread crumbs; a slice of onion chopped; chopped parsley; the yolk of egg; a little butter and lemon juice. mix all thoroughly. form in an oblong loaf, put in pan and bake half hour in a hot oven, basting two or three times with melted butter. served with a brown sauce. =to fry. soft-shelled crabs.= use them only when very fresh, as the shells harden after twenty-four hours. cut the ends of the small legs off; take off the gills and tucks; wash and drain well upon a cloth. a few minutes before serving dip them one after another in eggs beaten as for an omelet; then in crumbs of rolled cracker made very fine and fry them in very hot lard; not too many at a time. serve hot, with a garnish of parsley and pieces of lemon. =deviled crab.= pick the meat from one large crab and chop a little. add green peppers, chopped fine, and mix with cracker crumbs. add sufficient soup stock to moisten and season to taste. clean the shell and put in layer of the ingredients. add pieces of butter, then another layer, and so on, till shell is full. then bake fifteen minutes, and serve. =crab creole (for four persons).= crab; good-sized onion; / can of tomatoes; chili pepper or pinch of cayenne; butter the size of a walnut; tablespoonfuls of water; / cup of cream; salt and pepper, and tablespoonful of corn starch. shred up crab, not too fine, cut up onion and chili pepper and put in a pan with the tablespoonfuls of water. boil briskly fifteen minutes; then add / can of tomatoes. boil ten minutes, or until soft. strain, put juice back on fire. add the butter, pepper and salt, and thicken with tablespoonful of corn starch. add crab and cream. when all is hot, serve with toast. =canapie lorenzo.= one-third new york cheese, one-third dessicated soft-shell crab, one-sixth green peppers chopped very fine. make in patés about the size of a hand and bake brown. =crab cutlets.= pick up the meat of crabs, seasoning with salt, pepper, a pinch of mustard and a good tablespoon of worcestershire sauce. put in a saucepan a piece of butter twice the size of an egg; when melted stir in tablespoons of flour, and add a cup of rich cream, stirring constantly. mix in the prepared crab and set aside to cool. then mould into cutlets, which you roll in egg and bread crumbs. stick the claws you have saved into the cutlets, and fry. serve with or without parsley and slices of lime. =shrimp stew.= slice onions and tomatoes, and fry till well done. rub together tablespoonful flour and a piece of butter, egg-size. add red pepper, salt and cup of cream. put this in saucepan, with onions and pint of shrimps. cook ten minutes, and serve on toast. =terrapin stew.= boil according to size thirty or forty minutes, so that the upper shell will separate from the lower easily. take "gall-bag" from liver, which is always found on the right lobe. avoid breaking, as it will give a bitter taste and spoil the dish. strip the skin from the claws, cut off the nails and skin the head. throw nothing away but the "gall-bag." cut all into small pieces; stew slowly in sherry wine closely covered, with a goodly supply of butter and red pepper, for one hour and a half. salt to taste. if they have no eggs in them, add or eggs, hard-boiled, for each terrapin and the juice of lemon, skinning another to lay on top. when about to take from the fire, thicken with a little flour. serve on hot toast, well-buttered, over which sprinkle a finely chopped egg. =baked oysters in the shells.= take small eastern oysters with their liquor and a piece of butter. drain the oysters very carefully and strain the liquor. thicken with an ounce of butter mixed with an ounce of flour. stir, and boil five minutes. finish with the yolks of eggs. add a little salt, some white and red pepper and grated nutmeg. boil a few minutes longer, stirring constantly. then remove from the fire. add the oysters and juice of a lemon, and mix well with the sauce. have ready some large, deep, well-shaped oyster-shells slightly buttered; fill these with the prepared oysters, sprinkle rolled cracker crumbs over; put a piece of butter on top of each; arrange in a pan; brown slightly in a pretty hot oven (about ten minutes), and serve. =curried oysters.= strain juice of oysters and cook alone till edges curl. cook tablespoonful chopped onion and tablespoonful butter five minutes. mix tablespoonful curry powder, tablespoonsfuls flour and stir into butter. add pint sweet milk gradually, stirring constantly in saucepan. mix oysters with the sauce. pour over small slices of hot buttered toast and serve immediately. =fancy roast of oysters.= remove oysters from liquor and have them free from grit or shell. scald pint of oyster liquor, and when boiling hot put in the oysters and let them cook two or three minutes. strain the liquor and put the oysters on pieces of toast. arrange on a dish and set over steam to keep hot. blend together teaspoonfuls of flour and / cup of butter, moistening it with oyster liquor. when well mixed, put into the hot liquor and let boil a few minutes, stirring well. strain over the oysters, and serve hot with lemons. =sweet-breads.= clean and parboil the sweet breads; cut them in slices and dip in melted butter. roll them in grated cheese; dip in beaten egg; roll in bread crumbs and fry in hot fat. serve with tomato sauce. =veal loaf.= pounds of veal cutlets and a small piece of salt pork, all chopped fine together; a tea-cup of rolled crackers moistened a very little with water; salt, pepper and egg. add summer savory, if you like. put in a bread-pan and bake one and a-half hours. serve in slices when cold. =meat salad.= chop fine pounds of cold corned beef, then take / of a cup of vinegar, tablespoonful of sugar and egg. beat all together, pour into a pan and let boil; then pour into a dish to mould. serve cold. =welsh rare-bit--no. .= pound of fresh cheese, cut in small pieces; in chafing-dish add cup of milk (or cup of bass' ale), teaspoonfuls butter, small teaspoons of mustard, of salt and a little pepper. stir it well, and cook until it thickens (not curdle). serve on toast. =welsh rare-bit--no. .= egg, / a cup of milk; cup of grated cheese, salt, cayenne pepper and mustard to taste. heat the milk in a double boiler; melt the cheese. add the egg, and pour all over squares of toast. =cheese sticks--no. .= cup of grated cheese; cup of flour; a little cayenne pepper; butter same as for pastry. roll thin; cut in narrow strips, and bake a light brown in a quick oven. (serve with salad.) =cheese sticks--no. .= ounces of butter; ounces of flour; ounces of moist, rich cheese. mix together and mould into a paste. roll out and cut into strips about one-half inch wide and five long. bake in a quick oven. a very nice relish. [illustration] meats. =boiled ham.= put a ham weighing pounds in a large kettle and half cover with cold water and cook slowly. when the water boils, add a quart of sour white wine and cook about five hours, or until tender. put the ham in a baking pan and trim off the under side nicely, and take off the skin. cover an inch thick with currant jelly, put a cup of sherry in the pan and put into a pretty hot oven. let the fire go down; baste very often at first, that the wine may penetrate the jelly, and bake a half hour or more. =calf's-head stew.= head, bay leaves, teaspoonful thyme, quarts of water, large carrots, sweet marjoram, onions, handful salt, teaspoonful pepper. simmer hours, skimming when necessary. take out meat, strain broth and cut tongue in small pieces. large teaspoonfuls of butter in pan, of flour, and cook until brown. juice of lemon, hard-boiled eggs, chopped, / lemon, sliced, wine and red pepper to taste. when very hot, serve. =chops and tomato sauce.= fry some pieces of pork in the spider, then cut up and fry a few onions. into this pour some peeled and cut-up tomatoes; stir till all cooked to pieces and then strain. thicken with a little flour. broil chops, place on a hot platter and pour the sauce over them. for pounds chops, / pound pork, about onions, and or tomatoes are required. a few cloves and a little chili pepper are considered by some an addition. =kidney stew.= beef kidneys cut in small pieces. pour cold water over, and as it boils pour off and repeat. the third time let it simmer slowly for two hours. add onions, chopped fine, and cook one hour. a few minutes before serving add sherry wine. thicken with flour and serve on hot toast. this may be varied by adding curry; both are excellent. =sheep's tongues.= boil them in soup stock until tender, with a seasoning of salt, pepper and a bouquet of herbs. ( or cloves, or small onions, bay leaf, sprig of parsley, some whole black pepper tied in a little white bag and removed after an hour.) when done add to the stock some browned flour and butter, tomato juice to taste, and a little lime juice. garnish with triangles of toast around the dish. =spanish receipt for cooking tongue.= soak a fresh tongue over night. in the morning take the skin off by boiling water. mix together large spoon of lard, quart raw beans, chopped fine, with the lard, or onions, chopped not very fine, and a little parsley. fry all together for a little while; then add to this cup of stock, cup of wine, a head of garlic, pepper, salt, cinnamon, and laurel leaves. then put a paper over top of saucepan and put on cover very tight. cook for two or three hours over a slow fire; then strain the same through a colander. add to the strained sauce or spoonfuls of brown flour to thicken. put over the fire a little while, and then pour over the tongue. =chestnut stuffing.= shell pint of large chestnuts; pour on boiling water and remove the inner skin. boil in salted water, or stock, until soft. mash fine and mix with them cup of fine rolled crackers. season with teaspoonful of salt, salt spoon of pepper, and teaspoonful of chopped parsley. moisten with / cup of melted butter. this stuffing is especially nice for quail. =stuffing for turkeys.= boston crackers, rolled, piece of salt pork size of an egg, chopped fine. add / pint of milk and season with salt and pepper. (add sage if you wish.) let it scald, then beat eggs and stir in. add milk till it is the consistency of batter fritters, put in the turkey and bake slowly, basting frequently. [illustration] salads. =boiled salad dressing.= eggs, tablespoons dry mustard, teacup of oil or cream, / cup vinegar, salt to taste. mix eggs and mustard to a cream, then add oil drop by drop, vinegar drop by drop, salt to taste. put on stove and stir all the time, and let it scarcely come to a boil. when cold, bottle and keep in a cold place. by beating all the ingredients well together with an egg-beater it is as creamy as when oil is added drop by drop. =dressing for cold slaw.= yolks of or eggs, tablespoons vinegar, teaspoon salt, of mustard, butter size of an egg. cook like custard. =clayton's celebrated salad dressing.= take tablespoonfuls of mustard, mixed quite stiff. pour on this slowly / of a pint of best olive oil, stirring rapidly till thick. then add eggs, and after mixing slightly pour in slowly the remaining / of a pint of oil, stirring rapidly till the mixture forms a thick batter. next take teacup of best wine vinegar and juice of lemon, a small teaspoonful of salt and of white sugar. stir until the ingredients are well mixed. when bottled and tightly corked, this will remain good for months. =salad dressing.= / salt spoon pepper, of salt, teaspoonful mixed mustard, tablespoonful powdered sugar, tablespoons of best olive oil, tablespoons cream, tablespoons vinegar, hard-boiled egg. =tomato salad.= scald and peel tomatoes and cut holes in the top of each. make a rich salad dressing, into which stir some cold peas, beans and beets, finely chopped. stuff the tomatoes with this, and pour dressing over. garnish the dish with fine lettuce leaves. [illustration] vegetables. =baked cream potatoes.= cut raw potatoes in very thin slices and put a layer of them in a buttered earthen dish. cover the layer with pieces of butter, and season well with pepper and salt. then put another layer and season in same manner, so proceeding till the dish is full. over all pour a pint of cream or rich milk, and set in the oven to bake a half hour. this is a very nice lunch dish. =escalloped potatoes.= take some cold sliced potatoes, butter your baking dish, put a layer of potatoes, dredge over flour, put on bits of butter, salt and pepper. when your dish is full, pour over rich milk and bake brown. serve hot. =potatoes in cases.= bake potatoes of equal size, and when done and still hot, cut off a small piece from each potato. remove the inside carefully, leaving the skin unbroken. wash the potato and season generously with butter, pepper and salt. return it with spoon to the potato skin, allowing it to protrude about an inch above the skin. when enough skins are filled use a fork to make the potatoes rough above the skin. put them in a quick oven to color the tops. =stewed carrots (french style).= take bunches french carrots, clean and trim; put in a saucepan with salt, pepper, teacup of water, tablespoons of butter, lumps of sugar, cover and boil for half an hour. then remove the lid and place where they will simmer slowly till all the water has cooked away, leaving nothing but the butter. =stuffed artichokes.= boil artichokes till soft. when cold, scrape leaves and cut out the hearts. chop and mix in tablespoonful worcestershire sauce, egg, / cup butter, pinch of salt, red and black pepper. roll into balls and put into heart of the artichoke. put a piece of butter on top of each and bake fifteen minutes with a hot fire. this receipt is for twelve artichokes. if you wish, bread crumbs can be added to the mixture. =boiled artichokes.= first clean, then soak in cold water fifteen minutes. then put in boiling water till soft, testing them by pulling off leaves. =new england corn pudding.= take dozen ears of green corn well-filled, but young; grate or pound the corn, and add pounded soda cracker and a little salt. bake two hours in a moderate oven, and a rich crust will form. serve with butter. =celery root.= pare and boil till tender in salted water. thicken the liquor with flour and cream, or milk, and pour over toast. stewed celery and mushrooms are served in the same manner. =stuffed tomatoes--no. .= cut off a small piece of the top; squeeze out the seeds and water. remove the meat of the tomato with a spoon, without breaking or injuring the shape. fry an onion cut fine, then put in your stuffing (sausage meat, chicken, veal or beef hashed fine), salt, pepper, parsley and a little green pepper, cut fine. to this add all the meat of the tomato you removed with the spoon. when well mixed and cooked fill each with the dressing, on top sprinkling toasted bread crumbs and a piece of butter. bake in tins. if you use sausage meat as stuffing add a little bread soaked in water and squeezed hard, so that it will readily mix with the meat. =stuffed tomatoes--no. .= take nice, smooth tomatoes and remove part of the insides. chop small onion, green peppers and some of the tomato that was removed. add cracker crumbs and soup stock to moisten. fill the tomatoes, adding a small piece of butter to each one, and bake from ten to fifteen minutes. =squash and corn (spanish style).= small summer squashes, ears of corn. chop squash and cut corn from cobs. put in a saucepan a spoonful of lard or butter, and when very hot an onion; fry a little and add the corn and squash, tomato, green pepper cut small and salt to taste. cover closely, and stir frequently to prevent burning. =stuffed peppers--no. .= cut off the tops and remove the seeds. cut in small pieces or tomatoes and cook with a little butter and onion until tender. add some rice boiled in water or stock (or bread crumbs), and a little salt, then mix with the tomatoes. add a little chopped celery, fill the peppers, and put a little butter over the top of each. cook in the oven twenty minutes and serve at once. if the peppers are boiled a few minutes first, they will retain their bright green color. =stuffed peppers--no. .= crumb slices of bread and wet with / cup soup stock, small piece of butter, pinch of salt, a dash of pepper, seeds of the pepper and a tablespoonful of the chopped rind. place in baking plate with very little water, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven. this mixture will fill six peppers. [illustration] bread. =brown bread--no. .= cups indian meal, cups rye meal, cup flour, cup molasses, teaspoonfuls saleratus and sour milk enough to make it the consistency of indian cake. put some of the saleratus in the molasses and stir till it foams. put the remainder in the sour milk. boil three hours. remove from the pan, place on a tin and bake fifteen minutes, to dry off the steam. =brown bread--no. .= cups corn meal, cups of graham meal, / cup syrup, teaspoonful soda, and salt to taste. sufficient milk to make a thin batter. boil three hours. =brown bread--no. .= cups indian meal, cup rye meal, cup molasses, cup sour milk, cups sweet milk, pinch of soda, and salt to taste. steam four hours. =muffins--no. .= eggs, well beaten, teaspoonfuls sugar, teaspoonfuls butter, cups milk, cups flour, teaspoonfuls baking powder, pinch of salt (baking powder and salt sifted with flour). bake in a quick oven. =muffins--no. .= - / cups flour, scant cup milk, teaspoon cream of tartar, / teaspoon soda, tablespoon butter melted, but not oily, tablespoon sugar, egg. add butter the last thing. =raised muffins.= pint milk, scalded, and a small piece of butter. when cool, add a little salt, tablespoon sugar, / cake compressed yeast, egg, and sufficient flour to make a stiff batter. when raised bake in muffin rings. =english muffins.= cups flour, teaspoonfuls sugar, teaspoonfuls butter, cup boiled milk, / cup liquid yeast. set to rise over night; in the morning roll out three-fourths of an inch thick; cut with biscuit-cutter, and allow time to rise again; then cook on a griddle on top of stove, turning as hot cakes. it improves them to flour the board with corn meal. =corn bread--no. .= - / cups flour, / cup meal, cup milk, eggs, beaten separately, tablespoons butter before melting, teaspoons baking powder, heaping tablespoons sugar, a little salt. =corn bread--no. .= cup corn meal, / cup flour, spoon sugar, spoon salt, small spoon soda, small spoons cream of tartar, egg, enough milk to make a thin batter. add melted butter at the last. =corn meal muffins.= pint milk, / pint indian meal, eggs, tablespoonful butter, salt, and teaspoonful sugar. pour the milk boiling on the meal. when cool add the butter melted, salt, sugar and yolks of eggs; lastly, the whites, well beaten. bake in a well-heated oven. =rice corn bread.= cup of mashed boiled rice, cup of corn meal, eggs, well beaten, / teaspoon of salt, teaspoon of butter, teaspoon of baking powder, sufficient milk to make a thin batter. =rice bread.= pint rice flour, pint milk, eggs, tablespoons wheat flour, - / butter and - / teaspoons baking powder. bake in shallow pans from twenty minutes to half-hour. =breakfast gems.= egg, scant cup milk, scant cup flour, / teaspoon baking powder. beat the white of the egg to a stiff froth and stir in last. bake in long gem pans, having them very hot before putting mixture in. =coffee cake.= cups flour, pinch of salt, / cake compressed yeast. make a sponge and rise till morning, then add eggs, cup sugar, a little melted butter, cup flour. set to rise till : o'clock. sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top, and bake. =parker house rolls.= quarts of flour, make a hole in the center, and put in a small teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful sugar, tablespoonful butter, pint of milk boiled, but cold, / cup yeast, and let rise over night. in the morning knead fifteen minutes, let rise again, roll thin, cut round, put a little butter on one-half, double over and bake. =french rolls.= pint of scalded milk, let cool, then add / cup of yeast, / cup sugar, quarts flour, small piece of butter, worked into the flour. pour the milk into center of flour, and let stand over night; then knead, letting it rise very light; then knead again, and mould, letting it rise again, and bake. =graham rolls.= cups graham flour, tablespoon white sugar, teaspoon soda and of cream of tartar. mix all together, and to it add cold water; make thin and bake in a gem baker, which has been already heated and greased. bake in a hot oven. =buns.= cups flour, / cup sugar, sifted together, pinch of salt; make a hole in flour and drop in egg, cup milk, / cake compressed yeast, melted butter, the size of an egg. raise until morning. when mixed over add a handful of currants, and set to rise until : . roll soft, cut with biscuit-cutter, and raise again till : . after baking ten minutes, rub the top with sugar and water. =waffles.= cups sifted flour, - / cups milk, eggs, tablespoons melted butter, teaspoon baking powder. =apple biscuit.= cups flour, teaspoons baking powder, of salt, tablespoon lard, of sugar, egg. break the egg into the flour. add sufficient milk to make a stiff batter, and pour into a shallow pan. pare and slice apples, covering the top of the batter with them. when almost done, sprinkle sugar over them. =hominy cake.= pint cold hominy, eggs, tablespoon rice flour, small piece of butter. bake in pans, like corn cake. =huckleberry cake.= cups flour, of sugar, eggs, tablespoon butter, teaspoons yeast powder, scant cups of milk. stir in as many berries as the batter will hold together, and bake in a pan. canned berries are very good in this way. serve hot for lunch. to be eaten with butter. [illustration] cake. =almond drop cakes.= pound powdered sugar, / pound powdered almonds, eggs ( whites left out), beaten separately, grated lemon peels, spoonfuls rose water. put rose water and sugar on top of each cake, after they are dropped with a dessertspoon on the pans. =angel cake.= whites of eggs, - / cups granulated sugar, cup flour, teaspoon cream tartar, / teaspoon of almond or vanilla. beat the eggs to a froth; sift the sugar five times; sift the flour times; add cream tartar and sift again. beat eggs and sugar together; add flavoring; then flour; stir quickly and lightly; put in an unbuttered pan and bake / hour in moderate oven. =cream cakes--no. .= boil in / pint of water / cup of butter; stir in while boiling - / cups of flour. remove from fire, let it stand five minutes, and then stir in gradually eggs, lightly beaten, and / teaspoon of soda. drop in pans half the size you want them, and bake fifteen or twenty minutes. =cream cakes--no. .= pint boiling water, cup butter, of sifted flour put in while water and butter are boiling. let this cool, then add eggs, one at a time, and beat in thoroughly, tablespoon of milk with / teaspoon soda dissolved in it. =cream cakes--no. .= make a layer cake of cups sugar, / cup butter, eggs, / cup milk, of flour, an even teaspoon baking powder. bake in three layers. for the cream take / pint milk, and when boiling stir in even teaspoons corn starch, dissolved in a little cold milk, tablespoon sugar and egg, stirring briskly a few moments. when cool, spread on the cake. flavor with vanilla or lemon. =cream puffs.= cup hot water, / cup butter. boil water and butter together, and stir in cup dry flour while boiling. when cool add eggs, not beaten. mix well, and drop by spoonfuls in buttered tins. bake in a quick oven twenty-five minutes. this makes fifteen puffs. when cool fill with whipped cream. =ice cream cake.= cup butter, cups sugar, a little more than / cup of milk, even cups of sifted flour, in which has been sifted teaspoons of baking powder; flavoring and the whites of eggs beaten stiff, added last. cream the butter and sugar, add milk, then flour, with baking powder, flavoring and whites of eggs, the cake well-beaten as each ingredient is added. bake in jelly-cake tins, two white layers, reserving enough to make one layer colored with a little of price's coloring, which will make one pink layer. put this between the two white layers, with a thin frosting spread between, then frost the whole cake. by dividing the cake before baking into three parts, keeping one white, adding the pink coloring to another, and a heaping tablespoon of grated chocolate to the third, you can have the three layers different, nice ice cream bricks. =chocolate cake--no. .= cup butter, of sugar, of milk, - / of flour, eggs, teaspoons baking powder, cake of baker's chocolate. grate the chocolate and add to the cake before the flour; flavor with vanilla, and bake in layers. filling.-- pound of sugar, eggs, / cake of baker's chocolate, cup grated cocoanut. cover the top of cake with grated cocoanut. =chocolate cake--no. .= - / cups sugar, / of butter, / of milk, - / of flour, / pound of baker's chocolate, eggs, teaspoons baking powder. scrape the chocolate fine and add tablespoons of sugar to it (this in addition to - / cups). beat the butter to a cream. gradually add sugar, beating all the while. add tablespoons of boiling water to the chocolate and sugar. stir over the fire until smooth and glossy, then stir into the beaten sugar and butter. add to this mixture the eggs well beaten, then the milk and flour in which the baking powder has been thoroughly mixed. bake twenty minutes in a moderate oven. this makes two loaves. =chocolate cake--no. .= cup butter, of sugar, of milk, eggs (omitting whites of ), teaspoon cream tartar, / of soda, - / cups flour. frosting.--whites of eggs, heaping tablespoons grated chocolate, cup powdered sugar, teaspoon vanilla. frost while cake is hot. this recipe makes two loaves. =chocolate loaf cake.= cup sugar, of milk, of flour, eggs, teaspoon soda dissolved in the milk. melt / cup sugar, / of milk, yolk of egg, / cake of chocolate to a smooth cream and add to cake. bake in a moderate oven. =chocolate caramel cake.= cups sugar, / cup milk, eggs, beaten separately, tablespoons butter, cups flour, teaspoons yeast powder, teaspoon vanilla. bake in layers. white filling.-- - / cups granulated sugar, / cup milk. boil eight minutes, then add tablespoon flour stirred in tablespoons cold water and then boil five minutes longer. when cool beat to a cream. chocolate caramel filling.--the same as above, only / stick of baker's unsweetened chocolate. teaspoon vanilla. =lemon or orange jelly cake.= cup butter, cups sugar, / cup milk, eggs, cups sifted flour, and heaping teaspoon baking powder. bake in four layers. =jelly--for cake.= small cup sugar, egg. grate the rind and use juice of lemon or orange, tablespoon water, teaspoon flour. place the dish in a kettle of boiling water and let it thicken. when cool spread between the cakes. this is very nice for any layer cake. =apple cake in layers.= - / cups sugar, / cup butter, / of milk, - / flour, eggs (whites and yolks beaten separately), teaspoons yeast powder. filling.-- apples, grated rind and juice of lemon, egg. boil till it thickens, and cool before using. spread between layers. =sunshine cake--no. .= whites of eggs, yolks of , cup of sugar, / flour, scant teaspoon cream of tartar, salt, teaspoons orange juice and grated rind. sift sugar and cream tartar together several times, then mix with well-beaten whites, add beaten yolks, sift flour and salt several times, mix altogether, put in orange and bake from forty to fifty minutes in a pan with pipe in center. do not look at it for at least twenty minutes. do not butter pan, nor remove from it till cold. =sunshine cake--no. .= yolks of eggs, cups sugar, of butter, of milk, teaspoon cream of tartar, / of soda, cups flour. flavor to taste. =a delicious white cake.= pound sugar, pound butter, pound flour, a little baking powder, whites of eggs, and flavoring. =white cake.= / cup butter, / of milk, of sugar, of flour, teaspoon yeast powder, whites of eggs, almond flavoring. =snow cake--no. .= whites of eggs, jelly glasses of powdered sugar, of flour, teaspoon cream tartar. =snow cake--no. .= cup sugar, / of butter, / of milk, teaspoon yeast powder, cups flour, vanilla flavoring. after being well mixed, stir in the whites of eggs, and beat vigorously. =rose cake.= pound flour, / pound sugar, / pound butter, cup rose water, eggs, teaspoon dry soda. sift white sugar over cake when put in the oven. =feather cake.= egg, tablespoon butter, cup sugar, cups flour, / cup milk, teaspoons baking powder. =delicious cake.= cups sifted sugar, / of butter, eggs, beaten separately, / cup of milk, teaspoon baking powder in - / cups sifted flour, tablespoons brandy. =gold cake.= yolks of eggs and whole egg, cups sugar, of butter, / cup milk, of flour, teaspoon cream of tartar, / of soda. =silver cake.= whites of eggs, - / cups sugar, / cup butter, even cups flour, of milk, teaspoon cream tartar, / of soda, flavor with vanilla. beat butter and sugar to a cream; beat whites to a stiff froth and add. sift cream tartar with flour and dissolve soda in milk. stir in a little flour before adding milk. =marble cake.= whites of eggs, - / cups sugar, / cup butter, / cup milk and - / cups flour, teaspoon cream of tartar, / of soda. flavor with lemon. dark part.--yolks of eggs, - / cups brown sugar, / cup butter, - / cups milk, teaspoon cream tartar, / of soda, teaspoon each allspice, cinnamon and cloves. mix lightly together, or bake in layers, as you please. =cold water cake.= cups sugar, of flour, / cup butter, of cold water, eggs, teaspoons cream of tartar, of soda. beat thoroughly. bake in cups. to be eaten with butter, hot. =white mountain cake.= - / cups butter, / of cream, of sugar, of flour and eggs. add currants. =federal cake.= pound flour, of sugar, / of butter, eggs, teacup cream, / wine-glass brandy, of wine, nutmeg, pound raisins. =lincoln cake.= eggs, cups sugar, / cup butter, of milk, of flour, teaspoon cream of tartar, / of soda. flavor to taste. =harrison cake.= cup butter, of brown sugar, syrup, milk, eggs, cups flour, nutmeg, teaspoon soda. fruit to suit. =victoria cake.= cup butter, of sugar, of flour, eggs, cup sour milk, teaspoon soda, cup molasses, pound currants, of raisins, wine-glass brandy, nutmeg, teaspoons of cloves, of cinnamon, / pound citron. =pound cake.= pound flour, of sugar, ounces butter, eggs, / teaspoon soda. =sponge pound cake.= heaping cup sugar, scant cup butter, eggs leaving out whites of for icing, - / cups flour, - / teaspoons baking powder. flavoring. =aunt sharlie's sponge cake.= pound powdered loaf sugar, eggs, beaten separately, juice and grated peel of lemon, / pound dried flour sifted in at the last. =sponge cake to roll.= eggs, cup powdered sugar, of flour, teaspoon cream tartar, / teaspoon saleratus, tablespoon cold water. sift the sugar, flour and cream tartar together; then add eggs, and stir together ten minutes; add water, soda and flavoring, and bake in biscuit-pan. to make jelly roll, lay on bread-board, spread with jelly and roll. =sponge cake--no. .= cups sugar, eggs, cup water, of flour, teaspoons yeast powder, salt and flavoring. =sponge cake--no. .= cup sugar, of flour, eggs, heaping teaspoon baking powder, tablespoons water. rub sugar and yolks together until very light and creamy. add water and / of the flour. after sifting baking powder and flour twice, add remaining flour with beaten whites, and a pinch of salt. stir gently. = , , , cake.= cup butter, of sugar, of flour, eggs, cup milk, heaping teaspoons baking powder, / teaspoon each of vanilla and lemon. rub the butter and sugar until very light and creamy; then add eggs and beat well; add more and beat again; then sift in flour after having sifted it with the baking powder. stir in milk with the flour, and add flavoring. =molasses plum cake.= scant / cup butter, cup sugar, of molasses, of milk, eggs, cups flour, teaspoon soda stirred into molasses, teaspoon each of cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon, cup of stoned and chopped raisins. =dark cake.= cup sugar, of butter, of sour milk, of molasses, of flour, teaspoon soda, pound raisins. all kinds of spice. this cake will keep a long time. =plain spice cake.= / cup butter, of water or milk, of brown sugar, eggs, - / cups flour, - / teaspoons yeast powder, teaspoon cloves, of cinnamon, of allspice, and cup of currants or raisins can be added, if desired. =fruit cake--no. .= pound citron, of currants, of raisins, of flour, of butter, of sugar, eggs, / teaspoon soda, / cup molasses, teaspoon cloves, of nutmeg, of mace, of cinnamon, of allspice, of lemon, wine-glass of brandy and of sherry. =fruit cake--no. .= pound flour, / butter, / sugar, of currants, of raisins, / of citron, - / cups molasses, wine-glass of brandy, of wine, / teaspoon saleratus, eggs. bake in a slow oven three hours. add spices as desired. =snow tea cakes.= tablespoons sugar, cups milk, eggs, cups flour, teaspoons yeast powder. bake in muffin-rings. =coffee cake.= - / cups flour, of coffee, of brown sugar, of butter, of syrup, eggs, pound raisins, cups currants, tablespoons brandy, of cinnamon, of cloves, of allspice, grated nutmeg, pieces candied lemon or citron, teaspoon soda. steam two hours and bake one-half hour. =hermits.= cups sugar, cup butter, eggs, tablespoon milk, teaspoon soda (dissolved in milk), a teaspoon each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice, cup chopped raisins and currants, mixed, and as much cut citron as desired. mix with sufficient flour to roll. roll very thin, cut as cookies, and bake in a moderate oven. excellent, and will keep a long time. =fruit cookies.= cup sugar, / of butter, eggs, / teaspoon soda, cup chopped raisins, all kinds of spice, tablespoons pickled peach juice, flour enough to roll out. =boston cookies.= cup butter, - / powdered sugar, eggs, teaspoons milk, cups flour, teaspoon of soda or saleratus, of ginger. make stiff enough to roll thin. =scotch cookies.= beat cups of sugar with cup of butter, eggs, and tablespoonfuls of milk. mix teaspoonfuls of baking powder and of cinnamon with cups of flour, and add as much more flour as necessary to make stiff enough to roll. roll thin, cut out and bake quickly. =molasses cookies.= in pint of new orleans molasses melt a full cup of butter with a cup of brown sugar. stir in tablespoon ginger, / teaspoon saleratus, dissolved in a little hot water, and flour enough to roll out. take small pieces at a time to roll out. =rich cookies.= yolks of eggs, / roll butter, cup bar sugar, - / cups flour. put a little of the flour in a deep dish, then add some egg, some butter and some sugar; then more flour, more egg and more sugar and butter until the entire amount of ingredients have been used. roll thin, flour pans well and put in the cookies, which have been cut into forms and feathered with whites of egg, sugar and grated almonds. not too quick an oven. =hearts and rounds.= cup butter, cups sugar, cup milk, cups flour, eggs, even teaspoons cream tartar, of soda. flavor with vanilla or lemon. =crullers.= eggs, large spoons melted butter, of milk, of sugar, small teaspoon soda in milk. =doughnuts.= eggs, cups sugar, of milk, butter size of an egg, teaspoons yeast powder, a little salt. season to taste, cinnamon and mace. =gingerbread.= - / cups sugar, / pound butter, / cup sour cream, / teaspoon soda, teaspoon ginger, eggs, well beaten, - / cups flour. =sugar gingerbread.= cup butter, of sugar, / cup milk, teaspoon saleratus, egg, tablespoon ginger. flour enough to roll very thin. =molasses gingerbread.= cup new orleans molasses, full teaspoon soda put in molasses, / cup melted butter or nice drippings, / cup milk, egg, teaspoons ginger. flour to stir, but not thick. =soft gingerbread--no. .= - / cups flour, well sifted, teaspoons yeast powder, sifted in teaspoons ginger, cup molasses, of brown sugar, / of butter, of milk, and eggs, well beaten. =soft gingerbread--no. .= - / cups molasses, / cup butter, / cup sour milk, egg, teaspoon soda and / cup flour. add ginger and a little salt. =bread cake.= cups light dough, of brown sugar, of butter, eggs, spices, fruit and citron, teaspoon soda. raising or not, as you wish. =pork cake.= / pound salt pork, chopped very fine, / cup warm water, mix with the pork. heaping cup brown sugar, of molasses, spice to taste, - / cups raisins, of currants, / pound citron, eggs, flour to make a batter stiffer than ordinary cake, teaspoons yeast powder, and bake in buttered tins. =lemon honey for cake.= juice and grated rind of lemon, small cup sugar, / of water, well-beaten eggs, small piece of butter. let boil till it thickens. =quick icing.= white of egg, heaping cup sugar, beat egg till it foams. add sugar and flavoring, and stir very thoroughly. [illustration] pies. =puff paste.= equal quantities of butter and flour by weight, the butter to be washed. the yolk of egg. divide butter in three or four parts and chill; chop one portion into the flour, mix with ice water, and roll in the remainder. roll and fold several times. if it grows sticky, chill till it hardens. =mock mince pie--no. .= pounds powdered crackers, cup molasses, of cider, of chopped raisins, eggs, teaspoon salt, of clove, of cinnamon, of mace, of nutmeg. this quantity makes two pies. bake forty minutes. =mock mince pie--no. .= cup bread or cracker crumbs, of raisins, of vinegar, of sugar, of molasses, of water, / of butter, of currants. spice to taste. =mince meat.= pounds lean beef, of suet, of apples, of stoned raisins, of currants, / of citron cut fine, - / of brown sugar, tablespoons cinnamon, of mace, of cloves, of allspice, of salt, of nutmeg, pint of sherry, of brandy, of cider, bowl of currant jelly. =lemon tarts.= egg beaten stiff, add cup sugar, and juice and rind of lemon. line your patty pans with pastry, then put in the lemon mixture and bake. this will make about six tarts. this same idea may be used, and in place of lemon put any kind of jam (about a tablespoonful), and when cold add whipped cream to the top. =rich lemon pie.= the pie crust should be made and baked first. the filling consists of juice and rind of lemons, eggs, / pound of sugar, / pound butter, small glass of brandy, nutmeg. cream, butter and sugar together; add brandy, nutmeg, lemon, and then eggs. take the whites of more eggs, beat very light and put on top. this will make one large pie. =a plain orange or lemon pie.= the grated rind and juice of lemon or orange, tablespoons sugar, of flour, cup milk, yolks of eggs. beat the whites to a stiff froth, and mix into them tablespoons sugar, which you put on pie after baking, and return to oven for a delicate browning. [illustration] creams. =pineapple cream.= small can grated pineapple, cup water, of sugar. let it come to a boil. package gelatine soaked in cup cold water fifteen minutes, then pour cups boiling water on it. put this with the pineapple and boil with the juice of lemons. have ready the whites of eggs beaten stiff, and pour gradually in the boiling mixture. serve with whipped cream when cool. this should be made the day before using. =duchess cream.= / pint tapioca soaked over night in / pint of cold water; in the morning drain, and cover with boiling water and cook till clear, stirring constantly. remove from fire, add juice of lemon, cup grated pineapple, cup sugar and the beaten whites of eggs. serve cold with cream. =russian cream.= / box gelatine to quart milk and eggs. the milk, yolks of eggs and gelatine are put together hot on stove, and just as it is taken off, the whites are stirred in. add flavoring and mold it. =spanish cream.= / box of gelatine soaked soft in - / pints milk; bring to a boil. stir in the beaten yolks of eggs, tablespoons sugar, then bring to a boil again. beat the whites to a stiff froth and stir in after removing from the fire. flavor with vanilla. pour in a mold to cool, and serve with cream. =lemon cream.= large lemon, eggs, tablespoons sugar, of water. beat yolks and sugar, add juice and rind of lemon, and water. let simmer till it thickens. beat whites of eggs stiff with tablespoons of sugar, and stir into the custard while warm. =banana cream.= peel and wash bananas. use equal parts of bananas and sweet cream. to quart of the mixture allow / pound of sugar. beat all together till the cream is light. some consider it an improvement to add a few drops of vanilla, or the juice of canned pineapple. =coffee bavarian cream.= / pint rich cream whipped light, / package gelatine soaked in cup milk, large cup strong coffee, cup white sugar and whites of eggs. soak the gelatine until perfectly soft, have the coffee boiling hot, and turn over the gelatine and sugar. strain and set away until partly stiff. beat the eggs to a stiff froth, and mix with the whipped cream; add to the gelatine, mixing thoroughly. mold and serve with whipped cream. =bavarian cream with peaches.= cut fine peaches, or a sufficient number of canned ones, into small pieces, and boil with / pound of sugar. when reduced to a marmalade press through a coarse sieve, then add / package dissolved gelatine, and a tumbler of cream. stir this well to make it smooth, and when about set, add pint of whipped cream, and pour into a mold. it makes a still prettier dish to serve half or quarter of peaches, half frozen, around the cream. =charlotte russe.= pint cream, whipped light, / ounce gelatine dissolved in gill of hot milk, whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth, small teacup of powdered sugar. flavor with vanilla or little almond. mix together the cream, eggs, sugar and flavoring, and beat in the gelatine and milk when quite cold. line a mold with slices of sponge cake or lady fingers, and fill with the mixture. set upon the ice to cool. =champagne jelly.= box gelatine, pint boiling water, / pint cold water, / pint sherry, lemon, lime, / pound sugar, teaspoon essence cinnamon. soak gelatine in cold water, add hot water, sugar, wine, lemon and lime, and boil five minutes. add pint champagne and strain twice. =coffee jelly.= / box gelatine soaked in cold coffee. when well dissolved, pour in a pint of boiling coffee, sweeten to taste, and set aside to cool. when quite cold and almost jellied, beat up till it becomes a light foam. pour into mold and place on ice. serve with whipped cream. [illustration] puddings. =burlington pudding.= mix / cup of flour with a little cold milk and stir into pint of boiling milk. remove from the fire, and add / cup sugar and large tablespoons of butter; also eggs, the whites and yolks beaten separately. flavor with vanilla or lemon, and bake one-half hour in pan of hot water. serve with wine sauce. =fig pudding.= cups bread crumbs, of currants, of chopped raisins, of figs, of suet, eggs, well-beaten, cups milk, of brown sugar. steam four hours. =pancake with fruit.= take eggs, a cup of cream or rich milk, and flour enough to make a thin batter. add a little fine sugar and nutmeg. butter the griddle and turn the batter on. let it spread as large as a common dinner plate. when done on one side, turn it, as a pancake. have some nice preserves, and spread over quickly. roll the cake up, place on a flat dish, sift on a little powdered sugar and cinnamon, a little butter, if you wish, and serve hot. be careful and not make the batter too thin. =strawberry custard.= cup sugar, quart milk, yolks of eggs, white of , and vanilla. let the milk boil, then add eggs and sugar, and let cool. crush and strain pint strawberries, tablespoons sugar and whites of eggs, beaten stiff. place the custard in glasses, about half full, then fill glasses with strawberry juice and the whites of eggs, beaten together. =orange float.= quart of water, juice and pulp of lemons and coffee cup of sugar. when boiling hot, add teaspoons corn starch. boil fifteen minutes, stirring constantly. when cold, pour this over four or five oranges, which have been sliced. beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, sweeten and flavor, and place large spoonfuls over the top of the float. =kiss pudding.= quart milk, tablespoons corn starch, yolks of eggs, / cup sugar, a little salt. put part of milk, salt and sugar on to boil. dissolve corn starch in remainder of milk, stir into milk, and while boiling, add the yolks. flavor with vanilla. frosting.--whites of eggs, / cup sugar, flavor with lemon, spread on pudding, and put in oven to brown. save a little frosting to moisten top; then put grated cocoanut to give appearance of snow. =batter pudding.= pint of milk, scalded, stir in tablespoon corn starch and of flour, mixed with a little cold milk, beat eggs (yolks and whites separately), and, when the batter is cold, stir in first yolks, then whites, and bake three quarters of an hour. sauce.-- cup sugar, / of butter, beaten to a cream, put over tea-kettle, and stir in / pint whipped cream, and flavor with brandy. =suet pudding--no. .= cup chopped suet, of raisins, of molasses, of milk, / teaspoon soda, and of salt. stir quite thick with flour, and boil in a bag three hours. serve with wine sauce. =suet pudding--no. .= pint powdered bread crumbs, pints boiling milk, poured on to the bread, eggs, cup suet, fruit to taste, wine-glass of sherry or brandy, and spice to taste. to be eaten with sauce. =suet pudding--no. .= cups chopped bread, / cup chopped suet, / cup molasses, egg, cup chopped raisins, of milk, with / teaspoon soda dissolved in it, / teaspoon cloves, teaspoon cinnamon, a little salt and mace. boil two hours in a pudding-boiler. to be eaten with hot or hard sauce. =poor man's pudding.= cup suet, of milk, of molasses, of raisins, of flour, teaspoon saleratus. steam four hours. serve with rich sauce. =poor man's rice pudding.= quart of milk, tablespoon rice, of sugar, / saltspoon of salt. bake slowly, stirring once or twice. =indian pudding.= pint milk, boiled, and stir in while boiling tablespoons meal, with a little salt and a piece of butter. butter dish and bake. before baking, add cup cold milk. =cracker pudding.= boston crackers, rolled fine, eggs, tablespoons sugar. salt and spice to taste. pour quart of boiling milk on to the crackers. add the sugar, eggs and spice. pour into a buttered dish. bake one-half hour, and serve with either hard or liquid sauce. =lemon bread pudding.= quart milk, coffee cups bread crumbs, of white sugar, / cup butter, eggs, the juice and / the grated rind of lemon. soak the bread in the milk, then add the beaten yolks with the butter and sugar, rubbed to a cream; also the lemon. bake in a buttered dish until firm and slightly browned. beat the whites to a stiff froth, with tablespoons of powdered sugar, and flavor with lemon. spread over the pudding when baked, and brown slightly; then sift sugar over it. eat cold. orange pudding may be made in the same way. =delmonico pudding.= quart milk, piece of butter size of a walnut, tablespoons corn starch dissolved in a little milk, yolks of eggs, tablespoons white sugar. boil all together. when done, place in a dish, and set in the oven while beating the whites of eggs, to which add tablespoons powdered sugar. flavor with vanilla. spread the beaten whites of eggs over the pudding, and return to oven, to slightly brown. =english plum pudding--no. .= / pound of seeded raisins, same of currants, well washed and dried, grated rind and juice of oranges, / a nutmeg grated, tablespoon each of cinnamon, cloves and allspice, / a teaspoon of salt, / a pound of sugar, / pound of citron, / pound of suet, / pound of bread crumbs, / pound of flour, teaspoon of baking powder and well-beaten eggs. chop the suet very fine, after removing the skin, and put it, together with the flour and bread crumbs, into a large bowl; then add the spices, oranges and sugar. mix thoroughly. beat the eggs until very light, and add to the contents in the bowl and mix well together. stir in pint of old english ale. flour the raisins and currants and add to the compound. butter a tin pudding-mold, put in the pudding, taking care to well secure the cover. have ready a kettle of boiling water. place the mold in it, and keep boiling constantly five hours. sauce for the pudding.--beat the yolks of eggs, with cup of sugar and / cup butter. have ready pint of boiling cream, a dessert-spoon of corn starch, blended with a little cold milk. add gradually to the beaten batter and eggs. put all on the fire, and stir constantly until it boils. add a wine-glass of sherry and of brandy. serve hot with the pudding. a hard sauce used in connection with the hot one is a great improvement. =english plum pudding--no. .= small loaf of bread, crumbed, / pound of raisins, the same of currants, / pound of citron, of beef suet, chopped fine, a little salt, / pound sugar and a little nutmeg. mix and let stand over night. beat eggs, very light, and stir them in the mixture. take enough milk to slightly moisten the whole. add a little salt and nutmeg and / glass of brandy. boil five hours. set on fire with brandy to serve, and have a rich sauce. =plain plum pudding.= butter crackers, rolled, eggs, pints of milk, cup sugar, / cup butter, teaspoon mixed spice, pound raisins. bake in a deep pudding-dish, in a moderate oven, three or four hours, stirring several times the first hour, to keep the raisins from settling. serve with hard sauce. =snow pudding.= box gelatine, soaked in / tea-cup of cold water, then add quart boiling water. stir till it is all dissolved. add cups white sugar and the juice of lemons. strain and set away till cold; then add the beaten whites, beating the whole thing half an hour, or until it is very white. place on ice. use the yolks and pint milk, and make a custard to eat with it. =tapioca cream.= soak tablespoons of tapioca over night in water enough to cover it, scald quart milk, beat the yolks of eggs, add cup sugar, and stir this in with the tapioca, and the whole mixture thus formed into the milk. let it cook about twenty minutes. remove from fire, and stir in the whites of the eggs, having beaten them to a stiff froth. add flavoring, and serve cold. this pudding should be cooked in a vessel set in hot water. =baked apple dumpling.= / pound flour, / pound lard, teaspoon salt, of yeast powder, enough cold water to make a stiff dough. roll-out pastry. cut with biscuit-cutter twice as many pieces as you have apples. peel and core the apples. put one round of pastry on one end of the apple. fill the core-hole with sugar, cinnamon and a piece of butter. put another round of pastry on so that the edges meet. bake slowly three-quarters of an hour. this will make nine or ten dumplings. =apple pudding.= boil tart apples, after paring them as for sauce, remove from fire, sweeten a little. add a lump of butter, cup cracker crumbs, stirred in cup milk, yolks of eggs, keeping whites for frosting, with / cup sugar. serve with hard sauce. =apple soufflé.= pint steamed apples, tablespoon melted butter, half a cup of sugar, whites of eggs, yolks of , and a slight grating of nutmeg. stir into the hot apple the butter, sugar and nutmeg and yolks of eggs, well-heated. when this is cold, add the well-beaten whites to the mixture. butter a -pint dish and turn the soufflé into it. bake thirty minutes in a hot oven. serve immediately, with any kind of sauce. =apple pan-dowdy.= pare, core and slice apples, and put in a pudding-dish, with a little water, and cup sugar. cover with pastry, and bake slowly, breaking the cover into the apples at last. =apple sago pudding.= pare and core the apples, put sugar and cinnamon in the holes. take as many tablespoons of sago as you have apples. mix it with a little cold water and turn in as much boiling water as will fill the dish. stir till it thickens, then cover up for two hours, and let it thoroughly swell, then pour it over the apples, and bake about three hours. sugar and cream for sauce. =sponge pudding.= scald pint of milk, boiling hot, add / cup butter; when melted, add a smooth thickening made of cup of flour, mixed with cold milk. stir until thick and smooth, being careful not to let it become lumpy. remove from fire, and when cold, add the yolks of eggs, beaten very lightly; lastly, the whites of the eggs, beaten to a stiff foam. bake in a dish standing in hot water. sauce.--the yolks of eggs, beaten in cup of pulverized sugar to a cream. add the whites, and turn over the whole tablespoons of boiling cream or milk, and flour. add wine, if you wish. =boston thanksgiving pudding.= quarts of milk, soda crackers, rolled fine, eggs, small cup of butter, pint of stoned raisins, nutmegs, large spoonful each of ground cloves and cinnamon. sweeten to taste. bake slowly six hours the day before using. do not put the raisins in until it commences to thicken, and stir occasionally the first two hours after the raisins are in. before serving the next day, set the tin in boiling hot water long enough before dinner to have it hot. cold sauce. =blackberry pudding.= take baker's bread and cut away the crusts, butter, and slice rather thick, lay layer of bread and then cover with blackberries and some of the juice (which has been stewed with a little sugar), then more bread and more berries. over the top throw a glass of wine. serve with hard sauce. =rennet pudding.= buy a rennet from the butcher (it is the stomach of a very young calf). wash it thoroughly, and cut it in small pieces. put it in a quart jar, and fill with sherry wine. when wanted to use, heat a quart of milk to blood-heat, and put it in the dish in which it is to remain. stir in tablespoon of the wine water, grate a little nutmeg over the top, and put in a cold place. very good for invalids, and makes a nice dessert, with fresh berries. =chocolate pudding.= pint milk, sticks grated chocolate, boil until thick, then set away to cool, eggs, whites and yolks beaten separately, tablespoons sugar, beat sugar light with the yolks, and to this add cup cracker flour, teaspoon vanilla, and the whites, last. put all this in the chocolate, and let boil one and a half hours in a well-buttered form. serve with whipped cream. =apricot or peach pudding.= butter a pan thoroughly and dust well with cracker flour, and put a row of apricots or peaches on the bottom of the pan. take eggs, beaten together with a cup of powdered sugar. beat in a pan of boiling water twenty minutes. then add cup of flour, lime or some lemon juice, and teaspoon vanilla and a pinch of salt. put this mixture over the apricots or peaches, and bake three quarters of an hour. [illustration] ice cream. =ice cream.= quarts cream, pound sugar; flavor with vanilla. let stand in freezer five minutes to become thoroughly cold. to make it extra light, beat the whites of eggs to a stiff froth, and add just before the cream is frozen. this should freeze in twenty minutes, and will make one gallon of cream. =banana ice.= bananas, peaches, lemons, quart sugar, quart boiling water. pour hot water over the sugar and lemon juice, and stir until it is dissolved. when cool add peaches and bananas sliced thin, and let stand two hours; then strain through fine sieve, so nothing is left but liquid. then freeze. =lalla rookh.= cut in small pieces stale sponge cake or lady fingers, a few macaroons, some french cherries and apricots (glace), and mix all together. make a custard of quart milk and eggs, and when cooked, reserve cupful for a sauce, and add to the remainder / ounce of gelatine. put the mixture of cake and fruit in an ice cream mold and strain the custard over it, and place it in the freezer, as you would ice cream. sauce.--add to the cup of custard reserved / pint of whipped cream, and vanilla to taste. preserves and jams. =orange marmalade--no. .= to dozen oranges use lemons. peel four oranges and boil the peel until you can run a wisp through it. peel the others and divide all into sections; remove the seeds and stringy parts, and cut into small pieces. grate the yellow rind of of the lemons and squeeze the juice of all, which add to the orange pulp. when the orange peel is tender, remove the white part with a sharp knife, and shred the yellow part very fine with scissors. add this to the mixture and weigh, and allow an equal weight of sugar. boil the pulp ten minutes, then add the sugar and boil thirty minutes (a steady boil), stirring constantly, as it burns very easily. =orange marmalade--no. .= lemons, dozen oranges, pounds sugar, quart water. soak oranges and lemons in water over night, previously slicing them in very thin, small pieces. cook till soft. after partially boiled away, put in the sugar. this quantity makes twelve or fourteen glasses. =fig jam--no. .= pounds figs, oranges and lemons to each pounds of fruit. use the juice of the oranges and lemons; also the finest of the pulp and the rind of orange, shredded, as for marmalade. boil the figs, juice and rind for half an hour, then add pound sugar to each pounds of figs, and boil another half hour. cover when hot. =fig jam--no. .= pounds figs, of sugar, lemons, sliced, / cup sliced green ginger root. boil three hours. =apricot jam.= pour boiling water on fruit; peel and throw into cold water. chop the blanched nuts of the stones and add to the fruit ( nuts to each pound). cook half an hour; add / pound sugar to of fruit, and cook fifteen minutes. put in bowls or glasses, and seal air tight. =isabella grape jam.= boil grapes until tender, then put through a sieve. add / pound sugar to each pound of fruit. then boil as for jelly. =currant jelly.= pound sugar to pint juice. heat sugar in oven while the juice comes to a boil; add sugar, and boil four or five minutes. =pineapple preserve.= pare and grate pineapples, / pound sugar to pound fruit. put fruit and sugar on together, and when it comes to a boil let it cook twenty minutes. =preserved grapes.= eight pounds will make one dozen and a half tumblers. to the grapes put an equal weight of sugar; then squeeze the pulp from the skin. cook the pulp a few minutes and rub through a wine sieve to separate the seeds. cook skins in the same water until soft (if you have no water left in the kettle, add some); skim them out and put in sugar. when it begins to cook put in pulp and skins, and cook slowly until they jelly. it should form a moderately stiff jelly. =brandy peaches.= if possible procure "morris white" peaches. peel very carefully and throw into cold water to keep them white. to pounds of fruit allow the same weight of sugar; make a syrup of pounds of the sugar and cook peaches very slowly until tender. lay them on a platter to cool. then add the remainder of the sugar and make a rich syrup; remove from fire and let it cool a little. place the peaches in jars. to every cups of syrup add of perfectly white brandy, and pour over the peaches. [illustration] pickles. =cucumber catsup.= medium-sized cucumbers grated, but not peeled, large onion grated, tablespoon salt, teaspoons white pepper, tablespoon grated horse radish, pint vinegar. bottle for use. =tomato catsup--no. .= gallon tomatoes strained through a sieve, tablespoons salt, of ground mustard, of allspice, of cloves, of red pepper. simmer slowly three or four hours. let cool, then add pint of vinegar and bottle brandy. bottle and seal tight. =tomato catsup--no. .= quarts skinned tomatoes, tablespoons salt, of black pepper, of allspice, pods red pepper or a little cayenne, tablespoons mustard. mix and rub these thoroughly together, and stew them slowly in pint of vinegar three hours. then strain the liquor through a sieve and simmer it down to one quart of catsup. bottle and cork tight. =cucumber pickles.= soak the cucumbers in strong brine over night; in the morning scald a few at a time in a little vinegar, covering tight and stirring often. as they are done, put in bottles, with one or two peppers in each one, and pour over the following scalding vinegar and seal: to quarts of vinegar add cups of sugar, handful of white mustard seed, of stick cinnamon, half the quantity of whole cloves, and a small piece of alum. =sweet pickled figs.= to pounds of ripe figs make a syrup of pounds sugar, quart vinegar, a small handful of whole cloves, and boil five minutes. remove and set away to cool. the second day the syrup must be drained off and poured over figs boiling hot; let them stand two days more, drain off syrup and heat again. just before it boils put figs in and let all boil up together. put in air-tight jars. sugar for sweet pickles should always be rich brown sugar. =sweet pickled peaches.= pounds peaches, pounds brown sugar, quart vinegar, ounce cinnamon; cloves in each peach. make the syrup and cook peaches till tender; boil down syrup and pour over the peaches. =sweet tomato pickle.= to pounds of tomatoes, when skinned and cut in pieces, add pounds sugar. boil slowly until thick, then add a scant quart of vinegar, teaspoon each of ground mace, cloves and cinnamon, and boil slowly again until thick. =watermelon pickle (sweet).= pare the melon, cutting away all of red portion; cut in fancy shapes. salt in weak salt and water over night. in the morning rinse in cold water; add lump of alum as big as a small egg to gallon cold water. put the melon in the cold water and after it comes to a boil, boil ten minutes. to pounds melon, quart cider vinegar, ounces cassia buds or stick cinnamon, ounce cloves, pounds granulated sugar. let this boil, then add fruit, cook until clear and you think it is done; seal up in jars and keep at least two weeks before using. =oil pickles.= small cucumbers, pints small white onions. slice all together and put layers of cucumbers and onions, with salt between. let stand two hours, and drain off the brine; then add / cup each of white mustard seed, white pepper and celery seed, cups olive oil, and alum size of a walnut, dissolved in vinegar. cool with vinegar and put in jars. =vermont pickles (cucumbers).= the first day make a brine strong enough to bear an egg, and pour boiling hot on the pickles; cover and let them stand twenty-four hours. the second day drain from the brine and make alum water boiling hot to cover them well, allowing a piece of alum the size of an egg to every hundred pickles. cover tightly again for twenty-four hours. the third day drain from the alum water and cover with boiling hot vinegar, in which let them stand for one week. then heat your vinegar boiling hot again, and add the following spices, etc., to every hundred: tablespoonful cloves, of coriander seed, of ginger root, of cinnamon, of celery seed, of mustard seed, of whole pepper seed, cup sugar, of horse radish root, sliced fine. put a layer of oak leaves in the bottom of your firkin, or jar, then a layer of pickles and spices, then leaves again, and so on until full, covering the top with the leaves, and pouring the boiling vinegar over all. they will be ready to use in two weeks, and will keep two years. the oak leaves are very essential for their astringent qualities. =tomato soy.= cut green tomatoes in slices, and to every pounds add quarts vinegar, pounds sugar, / pound white mustard seed, a teacup of flour of mustard, mixed with a little vinegar, - / pound onions, cut very fine, / ounce of mace, of cinnamon, of allspice, / ounce of cloves, of salt, / pound of black pepper, / pound of celery seed. grind up all the spices except the celery and white mustard. put all in a kettle and boil for one hour and a half. =peach chutney.= pounds peaches, of sugar, of raisins, / of salt, / of green ginger, / of mustard seed, / of red chilies, quarts vinegar. pare and slice peaches; stew until soft in quart vinegar. boil sugar and the other quart of vinegar into a syrup; add the seedless raisins chopped fine; mustard seed washed, dried and crushed; when dry, chopped chilies without the seeds, chopped ginger, salt and a little garlic. boil all together twenty minutes. a very fine sauce. =cucumber sauce.= wash medium-sized cucumbers; grate peel and all and pour off some of the extra liquid. add tablespoon each of white pepper, salt and horse radish; lastly add / pint of vinegar. this is very nice, and will keep any length of time. [illustration] gentlemen's corner. =champagne punch.= to the juice of lemons add pound powdered sugar. to every quart of this solution add quart rum, of brandy, of champagne. dilute with ice to suit the taste. this is extra fine. =a delicious punch.= bottle xxx brandy, bottle port wine, bottle jamaica rum, bottle tea (oolong the best), juice of lemons, rinds of , / bottle curaçao, cups fine sugar, put lemons, rinds, sugar and tea together, and strain; add to the liquor; bottle. the above is called the stock. to each bottle of the stock add bottles of soda and about pounds of ice. imported liquors should be used. this is enough for twenty people. =fort mcdowell egg nog.= egg and about / pint of milk to each person. a teacup of sugar to every quart of milk, and / pint of best brandy. beat the yolk, add the sugar, and beat till it is a froth like cake; then add the brandy, then the beaten whites, then the milk. whipped cream in place of the milk is very nice, or half in half. the whites of the eggs should be well beaten. =loyal legion punch.= gallons whiskey, pint santa croix rum, pint cordial, limes, dozen oranges, sliced, dozen lemons, sliced, cans pine apples, pounds sugar, bottles champagne (added when served). the above is for persons. smaller quantities in same proportion. =state of schuylkill punch.= (_a punch of colonial days._) quart of lemon or lime juice, quart of brandy, quarts of jamaica rum, quarts of water and ice, / pint of peach brandy, - / pounds of sugar. dissolve the sugar in a little water, add the lemon juice, then the liquor and also quarts of water and a large piece of ice. let this brew two hours or more. this will make about to quarts. smaller quantities in same proportion. [illustration] candies and nuts. =almond creams, walnut creams, chocolate creams.= to the white of egg add an equal quantity of cold water, stir in pound confectioner's sugar, flavor with vanilla, and stir with the hand until fine, then mold into small balls, and drop into melted chocolate. for walnut creams, make cream as above, and mold into larger balls, placing / an english walnut on either side. also, for almond creams, the same cream as above, and cover the blanched almonds with it, forming them into balls and rolling them in granulated sugar. =chocolate creams.= cup water to of white sugar, boil till it thickens when dropped in cold water, put baker's unsweetened chocolate in a bowl without water, and place it in a pan of water upon the stove. when the sugar is ready for removal, turn it upon a marble slab, stir till it becomes thick, then knead till stiff enough to form into balls. place on a plate till cold. drop the balls in the chocolate, and remove with a fork to a sheet of buttered paper. =chocolate caramels.= cup molasses, of sugar, of milk, / pound chocolate. boil twenty minutes. =huyler's caramels.= / package of baker's unsweetened chocolate, pounds brown sugar, cup milk, tablespoon butter, of molasses. boil till brittle. pour in pans and cut in squares. =molasses candy.= - / cups molasses, of sugar, tablespoon vinegar, a piece of butter the size of a walnut. boil twenty minutes briskly and constantly, stirring it all the time. pull until white. =cocoanut candy.= / pound sugar, tablespoons water, boil, / pound grated cocoanut. stir till boiled to a flake. put in buttered tins, and cut in squares, when cold. =cream candy.= pint granulated sugar, / pint water, tablespoon vinegar. boil as molasses candy, but do not stir. work in vanilla as you pull it. =nut candy.= cups sugar, / cup milk. boil ten minutes, then beat till white, adding nuts and vanilla. spread on tins to cool. cut in squares. =peppermints.= cups sugar, / cup butter. boil together seven or eight minutes. remove from the fire, and stir in / teaspoon cream tartar, / drachm of oil of peppermint. beat until cool enough to drop on buttered plates, the size of a dollar. =vinegar candy.= - / cups sugar, - / of water, / of vinegar. do not stir. cool quickly and pull. =butter scotch.= cup molasses, of brown sugar, / of butter. when nearly done, add a little grated nutmeg, and if wished to be pulled, a pinch of soda. =corn candy.= pop the corn, pick out all that is good, and pound it a little, just enough to crack it. boil about teacups of molasses and a little sugar, with a piece of butter, size of a walnut. then (when the mixture is boiled about as much as for candy), stir in the corn, and pour into buttered tins. =orange drops.= grate the rind of orange and squeeze the juice, taking care to reject the seeds. add to this a pinch of tartaric acid, then stir in confectioner's sugar till it is stiff enough to form in balls the size of a small marble. =honey candy.= cups sugar, of water, tablespoons honey. boil till fit for pulling. =taffy--no. .= / pound chocolate, cut fine, cups sugar, of molasses, / cup milk, piece of butter the size of an egg, flavoring. boil twenty minutes. cool and mark off in squares just before it is cold. =taffy--no. .= cups white sugar, of vinegar, of water. boil one-half hour without stirring. when done, stir in tablespoon butter and teaspoon soda, dissolved in hot water. season with vanilla, and pull. =everton taffy.= - / pounds brown sugar, ounces butter, - / tea-cups cold water. boil all together, with the rind of lemon, adding juice, when done. =salted almonds.= first shell, then pour boiling water over them, remove skins, put in baking-pan with small pieces of butter, stir frequently with spoon, just before brown, sprinkle with salt, and when brown remove from oven. =salted almonds, with oil.= first blanch the almonds, then throw them, a few at a time, into a sauce-pan of boiling sweet-oil; as soon as brown enough, take them out and put them on brown paper to absorb the surplus oil; sprinkle with salt. index. bread-- apple biscuit, breakfast gems, brown bread--no. , " " no. , " " no. , buns, coffee cake, corn bread--no. , " " no. , " " (rice), corn meal muffins, english muffins, french rolls, graham rolls, hominy cake, huckleberry cake, muffins--no. , " no. , " (raised), parker house rolls, rice bread, waffles, breakfast dishes-- bananas, baked beans, " eggs, " peppers, eggs (au miron), with asparagus, fish balls, omelet, baked--no. , " " no. , " bread, " corn, potatoes, with cheese, vermicelli, cake-- almond drop cake, angel cake, apple cake (in layers), bread cake, chocolate cake--no. , " " no. , " " no. , " loaf cake, " caramel cake, coffee cake, cold water cake, cookies, boston, " fruit, " molasses, " hearts and rounds, " hermits, " rich, " scotch, cream cakes--no. , " " no. , " " no. , " puffs, crullers, dark cake, delicious cake, doughnuts, feather cake, federal cake, fruit cake--no. , " " no. , gingerbread, " molasses, " no. , " no. , " sugar, gold cake, harrison cake, ice cream cake, jelly (for cake), lemon honey (for cake), lemon or orange jelly cake, lincoln cake, marble cake, molasses plum cake, one, two, three, four cake, plain spice cake, pound cake, pound sponge cake, pork cake, quick icing (for cake), rose cake, silver cake, snow cake--no. , " " no. , snow tea cakes, sponge cake--no. , " " no. , sponge cake, aunt sharlie's, sponge cake to roll, sunshine cake--no. , " " no. , victoria cake, white cake, white cake (a delicious), white mountain cake, candies and nuts-- almond, walnut or chocolate creams, butter scotch, chocolate creams, caramels, chocolate, " huyler's, cocoanut candy, cream candy, corn candy, honey candy, molasses candy, nut candy, orange drops, peppermints, taffy--no. , " no. , " everton, vinegar candy, salted almonds, salted almonds (with oil), creams-- banana cream, bavarian cream with peaches, champagne jelly, charlotte russe, coffee bavarian, coffee jelly, duchess, lemon, pineapple, russian, spanish, entrees-- beef loaf, " roll, cheese sticks--no. , " " no. , chicken terrapin--no. , " " no. , " " no. , " for lunch, " (pressed), canapie lorenzo, crab creole, " cutlets, " deviled, " to fry soft-shelled, meat salad, oysters, baked in the shell, oysters, curried, " fancy roast, shrimp stew, sweet breads, terrapin stew, veal loaf, welsh rare-bit--no. , " " no. , fish-- brown fish chowder, finnan haddies, fish a la creme, norwegian fish dish, stuffed smelt, ice cream-- ice cream, banana, lalla rookh, meats-- boiled ham, calves head stew, chops and tomato sauce, kidney stew, sheep's tongue, spanish recipe for cooking tongue, chestnut stuffing for quail, stuffings for turkeys, pickles-- cucumber catsup, " sauce, " pickles, oil pickles, peach chutney, sweet pickled figs, " " peaches, " " tomatoes, " " watermelon, tomato catsup--no. , " " no. , tomato soy, vermont pickles, pies-- lemon or orange (plain), " (rich), " tarts, mince meat, mock mince meat--no. , " " " no. , puff paste, preserves and jams-- apricot jam, brandy peaches, currant jelly, fig jam--no. , " " no. , isabella grape jam, orange marmalade--no. , orange marmalade--no. , pineapple preserve, preserved grapes, puddings-- apple dumpling (baked), " puddings, " pan-dowdy, " sago, " soufflé, apricot or peach, batter, blackberry, boston thanksgiving, burlington, chocolate, cracker, delmonico, english plum--no. , " " no. , fig, indian, kiss, lemon bread, orange float, pancake with fruit, plain plum, poor man's, poor man's rice, rennet, snow, sponge, strawberry custard, suet--no. , " no. , " no. , tapioca cream, punches-- champagne, delicious, fort mcdowell egg nog, loyal legion, state of schuylkill, salads-- boiled salad dressing, clayton's celebrated salad dressing, dressing for cold slaw, salad dressing, tomato salad, soups-- asparagus, bean, black bean, beef, bisque, bouillon, caramel, for coloring, celery, cream of celery, mock bisque, mushroom, ox-tail, pea, green, pea, grandmother sawtelle's, pea, split, potato, soup a la minute, soupe a l'ognon, tomato, without stock, " milk, vegetables-- artichokes, boiled, " stuffed, celery root, carrots, stewed, new england corn pudding, potatoes in cases, " baked cream, " escalloped, peppers, stuffed--no. , " " no. , tomatoes, stuffed--no. , tomatoes, stuffed--no. , squash and corn, [illustration] * * * * * * transcriber's note the following errors were corrected. page error chicken cut into dice changed to chicken cut into dice; hard-boiled eggs changed to hard-boiled eggs; cook slowl.y. changed to cook slowly. it to protude changed to it to protrude filling changed to filling. frosting changed to frosting. filling.. changed to filling. sheeps tongue changed to sheep's tongue souffle, changed to soufflé, the following words were inconsistently spelled or hyphenated: dessert-spoon / dessertspoon sauce-pan / saucepan tea-cup / teacup tea-cups / teacups proofreading team. the cyder-maker's instructor, sweet-maker's assistant, and victualler's and housekeeper's director. in three parts. * * * * * part i. directs the grower to make his cyder in the manner foreign wines are made; to preserve its body and flavour; to lay on a colour, and to cure all its disorders, whether bad flavour'd, prick'd, oily, or ropy. part ii. instructs the trader or housekeeper to make raisin-wines, at a small expence, little (if any thing) inferior to foreign wines in strength or flavour; to cure their disorders; to lay on them new bodies, colour, &c. part iii. directs the brewer to fine his beer and ale in a short time, and to cure them if prick'd or ropy. to which is added, a method to make yest to ferment beer, as well as common yest, when that is not to be had. all actually deduced from the author's experience. by thomas chapman, _wine-cooper_. london, printed: boston, re-printed and sold by green & russell, in queen-street, mdcclxii. [price one shilling.] the preface. it may be thought necessary, in compliance with custom, that i should say something by way of preface. if the reader would be informed what my reasons were for appearing in print, i shall candidly acknowledge, that the great prospect of a considerable advantage to myself was indeed the strongest persuasive; but i can with equal truth affirm, that it affords me no small pleasure to think i am doing my country at the same time a very great piece of service; and doubt not but that, as many will soon experience it, my labour will be thankfully received and acknowledged. discoveries and improvements ought not to be concealed; the public good calls loudly for them; but then, in return for the great advantage the public receives from them, the author of any such discovery may with the greatest justice claim an adequate reward. preface the following receipts and directions are not collected from books, nor interspersed with old women's nostrums; but they are, in very truth, the result of my own long experience in trade, founded on chemical principles, which are principles of never-erring nature. perhaps i had never thought of this method of communicating my little knowledge, had it not been for many gentlemen in the counties of _gloucester, hereford, worcester_, &c. for whom i have done a great deal of business, in the cyder-way particularly; and who have often express'd their desire of seeing my directions for the management of cyders, &c. made public. and no doubt such a thing was wanting; for it's hardly credible how much liquors of almost every kind is spoiled by mismanagement. few people know the nature of fermentation, without which no vinous spirit can be produced; nor any liquor be rendered fine and potible. fermentation separates the particles of bodies, and from liquids throws off the gross parts from the finer, which, without it, could not be effected. there is what is called a _fret_, which is only a partial fermentation, that nature is strong enough in some liquors to bring on, without the assistance of art; but this _fret_, or partial fermentation, is never strong enough to discharge the liquor of its foul parts; and if they should ever happen to subside, the least alteration in weather, as well as a hundred other accidents, will occasion their commixing, and render the liquor almost, or altogether as foul as ever; to prevent which we call in the assistance of art, and which our method will effectually prevent. in brewing beer, yest is apply'd to it, in order to ferment it, without which it would never be beer. this opens the body of the liquor, and renders it spirity and fine. the reason that cyder is not often fine, is owing to its not being fermented. after it is got into the hogshead, the generality of people think they have acquitted themselves very well, and done all the necessary business, except racking it. but i can assure them, the more any liquor is rack'd, the more it is weaken'd. by often racking, it loseth its body, and so becomes acid for want of strength to support it. another gross error many people are guilty of, in keeping the bungs out of the casks. nothing is more pernicious to fermented liquors, than their being exposed to the open air, whereby they lose their strength and flavour. take a bottle of wine, draw the cork, and let it stand exposed to the open air for twenty-four hours only, and you will then find it dead, flat, and insipid; for the spirit is volatile, and has been carried off by the air, and what remains is the gross, elementary part chiefly. a cyder-cask should never be kept open more than fourteen or fifteen days, that is, 'till the ferment is stopt; but so contrary is the practice, that i have known them very commonly kept open three or four months. it hath been objected to me by cyder and sweet-makers, that stopping up the cask so soon will endanger the head being blown out or bursted; but their fears are groundless, provided the ferment is stopt. the bottoms are quite confined, and it is impossible they should rise, unless a forcing be added to raise them. the best time for bottling your cyder, is in the winter, or cool weather, when it is _down_, otherwise you will hazard breaking most of the bottles. the best method of keeping it, is to put it up in dry saw-dust, which will keep it in a due temperature of heat, without the colour's subsiding, unless you have laid a high colour on it, which, by long keeping, will subside in the same manner port-wine doth in bottles. for 'tis impossible to set a colour on cyder so strong, as to have it stand the bottle more than twelve or eighteen months, at farthest. the natural colour will change but little in a much longer time. what i have said of the sweet-making-business, (which i have been constantly concerned in for more than twenty years) is principally relating to fermentation; for it is in all kinds of made-wines the chief thing to be observed. i shall just take notice here of one or two things, by way of caution. if your fruit be candied, the best way to clean them is by bagging, and then you may easily take the stems from them. it is very seldom that the fruit is all of the same goodness, i would therefore recommend, that the best fruit be made separate from the ordinary, it being easy, and much more prudent, to mix the liquors to your palate, than to run the hazard of making the good fruit with the bad, a small quantity of which will sometimes spoil the flavour of the liquor, and turn it acid. as to the method of brewing malt-liquors, i shall only here observe, that the practice of boiling the wort so long as is often done, is very injudicious. five minutes is long enough: a longer time serves only to evaporate the spirit, without having any good effect. under the head of malt-liquor, i have confined myself to giving proper instructions for curing their disorders, such as fining 'em, _&c._ which must be of great use to victuallers as well as private families, who, by reason of the badness of malt, mismanagement, bad weather, or other accidents, have frequently quantities by them, which for want of knowing how to cure, lie useless, and are sometimes thrown away. in the course of these receipts, i have endeavoured to lay down every thing as plain as possible, preferring, in these cases, plainness to elegance, even tho' i were capable of it, which indeed i have no pretensions to. before i take leave of my reader, i must admonish him, that if my directions are not observed punctually, i will not be answerable for his success; for he may be assured, in matters of this kind, a great deal depends upon what many people think trifling, and of no consequence whether done or not. but on the other hand, if he will take care to observe them exactly, i am sure they will fully answer his expectations. so shall he not repent laying out his money on this _little_, but not the least _valuable_, book; nor will my reputation suffer in having penn'd it for his use; which is the earnest wish of his humble servant, t.c. the _cyder-maker's_ instructor. let your fruit be as near the same ripeness as possible, otherwise the juice will not agree in fermenting. when they are properly sweated, grind and press them; and as soon as you have filled a cask, if a hogshead, which is one hundred and ten gallons, ferment it as follows; and if less, proportion the ingredients to your quantity. a ferment for cyder. to one hogshead of cyder, take three pints of solid yest, the mildest you can get; if rough, wash it in warm water, and let it stand 'till it is cold. pour the water from it, and put it in a pail or can; put to it as much jalap as will lay on a six-pence, beat them well together with a whisk, then apply some of the cyder to it by degrees 'till your can is full. put it all to the cyder, and stir it well together. when the ferment comes on, you must clean the bung-holes every morning with your finger, and keep filling the vessel up. the ferment for the first five or six days will be black and stiff; let it stand till it ferments white and kind, which it will do in fourteen or fifteen days; at that time stop the ferment, otherwise it will impair its strength. to stop the ferment. in stopping this ferment, which is a very strong one, you must first rack it into a clean cask, and when pretty near full, put to it three pounds of course, red, scowering sand, and stir it well together with a strong stick, and fill it within a gallon of being full; let it stand five or six hours, then pour on it as softly as you can a gallon of english spirit, and bung it up close; but leave out the vent-peg a day or two. at that time just put it in the hole and close it by degrees till you have got it close. let it lay in that state at least a year, and if very strong cyder, such as stire, the longer you keep it the better it will be in the body; and when you pierce it, if not bright, force it in the following manner. a forcing for cyder. take a gallon of perry or stale beer, put to it one ounce of isinglass, beat well and cut or pull'd to small pieces; put it to the perry or beer, and let it steep three or four days. keep whisking it together, or else the glass will stick to the bottom, and have no effect on the liquor. when it comes to a stiff jelly, beat it well in your can with a whisk, and mix some of the cyder with it, 'till you have made the gallon four; then put two pounds of brick rubbings to it, and stir it together with two gallons of cyder more added to it, and apply to the hogshead; stir it well with your paddle, and shive it up close. the next day give it vent, and you will find it fine and bright. if you force perry, cut your isinglass with cyder or stale beer, for no liquor will force its own body. to cure acid cyder. it is always to be observ'd, that even weak _alkali_'s cure the strongest acid, such, for instance, as calcin'd chalk, calcin'd oyster or scallop-shells, calcin'd egg-shells, alabaster, &c. but if a hogshead can soon be drank, use a stronger _alkali_, such as salt of tartar, salt of wormwood; but in using them, you must always preserve their colour with _lac_, or else the _alkali_ will turn the liquor black, and keep it foul. to one hogshead, take two gallons of _lac_, and put to it one ounce and a half of isinglass beat well and pulled small; boil them together for five or six minutes; drain it, and when a stiff jelly, break it with a whisk, and mix about a gallon of the cyder with it; then put three pounds of calcin'd chalk, and two pounds of calcined oyster-shells to it, whisk it well together with four gallons more of the cyder, and apply it to the hogshead. stir it well, and it will immediately discharge the acid part out at the bung. let it stand one hour, then bung it close for five or six days; rack it from the bottom into a clean hogshead, and apply one quart of forcing to it. if you use a strong _alkali_, put to the _lac_ four ounces of salt of tartar, or salt of wormwood; but the former is best, as it hath not the bitter taste in it which the wormwood has. _note_, lac _is milk, but the cream must be skimm'd off it for use_. to cure oily cyder. the reason that cyder is sometimes oily, is owing to the fruit not being sorted alike; for the juice of fruit that is not ripe will seldom mix with ripe juice in fermentation. the acid part of one will predominate over the other, and throw the oily particles from it, which separation gives the liquor a disagreeable, foul taste; to remedy which you must treat it in the following manner, which will cause the oily parts to swim at top, and then you may rack the liquor from its bottom and oil. to a hogshead, take an ounce of salt of tartar, and two ounces of half sweet spirit of nitre, mix them in a gallon of _lac_, and whisk them well together; apply it to the hogshead, bung it up, and let it stand ten or fifteen days; then put a cock within two inches of the bottom of the hogshead, and rack it. observe when it runs low, to look to the cock, lest any of the oily part should come, which will be all on the top, and will not run out till after the good liquor is drawn off. put to the clean a quart of forcing, to raise it, and bung it close. _note_, when you take out the oil and bottom, your cask must be well fired, otherwise it will spoil all the liquor that shall be afterwards put into it. for ropy cyder. the following remedy for ropy cyder must be proportion'd with judgment to the degree of the disorder in the liquor. if the rope be stiff and stringy, you must use a larger quantity of the ingredients. if a hogshead be quite stiff and stringy, work it at least an hour with your paddle, then put to it six pounds of common allum, ground to a fine powder; work it for half an hour after, and bung it up close. this in a week will cut the rope and bring it to a fine, thin, fluid state. then rack it into a clean hogshead, and put to it one quart of forcing; stir them well in the hogshead and bung it close up. if but a thin rope, use a less quantity of the allum, and work it the same way. cyders bad flavour'd. some cyders in keeping are apt to get reasty, thro' the ill quality of the fruit; and sometimes thro' the badness of the cask will get musty, or fusty. to remedy these evils, you must throw it in ferment, if its body is strong, with yest and jalap, and let it ferment three or four days; which will throw off the greatest part of the taste; then stop the ferment. if a hogshead, put to it one pound of sweet spirit of nitre, and bung it up close. this will cure the bad flavour if any left, and likewise keep it from growing flat. to colour cyder. in many places, particularly where the soil is light, and the orchard lays rising, the juice of the fruit is nearly white, and tho' the cyder may be strong, it doth not appear to be so, by reason of its colour, which always prejudices the buyer against it. many people spoil a great deal of good cyder by boiling and mixing melasses with it, to give it a colour; which not only gives it a bad red colour, but makes it muddy, as well as bad tasted. others, again, will boil a large quantity of brown sugar and mix with it, which gives it a colour indeed, tho' a light one; when two pounds of good sugar, properly used, is sufficient to colour ten hogsheads, as follows: take two pounds of powder sugar, the whiter the sugar the farther it will go, and the better the colour will be. put it in an iron pot or ladle; set it over the fire, and let it burn 'till it is black and bitter; then put two quarts of boiling hot water to it; keep stirring it about, and boil it a quarter of an hour after you have put the water to it. take it off the fire, and let it stand 'till it is cold; then bottle it for use. half a pint of this will colour a hogshead. put to each half pint, when you use it, a quarter of an ounce of allum ground, to set the colour. part ii. the _sweet-maker's_ assistant. of raisin wines. these wines are made of various kinds of fruit; of _malaga's, belvederes, smyrna's, raisins of the sun_, &c. but the fruit that produces the best wines is black _smyrna's_, their juice being the strongest, and the fruit clearest from stalks: for the stalks in _malaga's_ and _belvideres_ are apt to give the wine a bad flavour, and will always throw an acid on it; for the stalks of all fruits are acid; but the stalks of _smyrna's_ are so trifling, that after rubbing the fruit between your hands, they will easily sift out. wine made from this fruit is the colour of madeira, and has very much the flavour of it. malaga is the colour and flavour of foreign malaga, but nothing near so strong. wine made from belvideres is strong and very sweet; and after keeping it four or five years is very little inferior to old mountain. in order to succeed in making these wines, you ought never to set your steeps in hot weather, because the heat will put the fruit in a fret which will injure its fermenting kindly. the best time for making is in january or february. set your steeps in the coldest part of the cellar, still remembering to keep them from the frost. to every gallon of water put five pounds of fruit, if good; if but indifferent, put six pounds, into the steep. keep stirring them three or four times a day, and let them continue in the steep till the fruit begins to burst, and the stones swim on the top; which will be in about fourteen or fifteen days. then strain the liquor from the fruit, and press the fruit very dry, mixing the pressings with the rest of the liquor, and put all together into a cask, and ferment it in the following manner. to every pipe of wine take two quarts of solid ale yest and one ounce of jalap, put them into a can, and into them pour a gallon of the new wine first made hot, whisk them well together, and apply to the pipe, stirring all together very well. if your cask be less than a pipe, proportion your yest and jalap accordingly. when the ferment comes on, you must keep the bung-hole clean, and let the vessel be filled up three or four times a day. let it ferment ten or twelve days, or till it works clean and white. then take it off its bottom, which will be very considerable, and put it into a clean cask. you may filter the bottom thro' a linen rag and put to the wine. lay some heavy weight over the bung, and let it stand a day. then lay on the top of the wine five gallons of melasses-spirit, and bung it up close. leave out the vent peg a day or two; then drop it in the hole, and close it by degrees 'till you have made it quite close. let it lay in this state for six months, at that time rack it from its bottom into a clean pipe, and you'll find it tolerably fine. then put to it one quart of _forcing_, and bung it up. let it lay 'till within a month of your wanting it; for the longer it lays the better it will be in body. then rack it for the last time (always observing you touch no bottoms) and put three pints of _forcing_ to it. stir it well with your paddle, and bung it up. the bottoms you may run thro' a linen rag as before, and mix with that in the pipe. you may pierce the wine in six or seven days, and you will find it quite fine and bright. to force raisin wines. for one pipe, take two quarts of good cyder; put half an ounce of ground allum to it, and one ounce of isinglass pulled to small pieces. beat them well in your can three or four times a day, and let the mixture stand till it becomes a stiff jelly; then break it with your whisk, and add to it two pounds of white sand or stone dust. then break it up gradually with some of the wine, 'till you have made the two quarts two gallons, stir it well together, and apply to the pipe, and bung up close. the sand will carry down with it all the small particles with the isinglass misses, and likewise confine the bottom so as to prevent it from rising. but if you make your wine stronger by allowing a larger quantity of fruit to the gallon, this _forcing_ will not do; for all _forcings_ must be stronger than the body forc'd, or else the foul parts will not fall; therefore such wines must be forced with _english stum_, a quart of which is sufficient for a pipe, one pound of alabaster being beat in with it and apply'd as above. english stum. take a five gallon cask that has been well soaked in water, set it to drain; then take a pound of roll brimstone and melt in a ladle; put as many rags to it as will suck up the melted brimstone. burn half those rags in the cask, covering the bung-hole so much as that it may have just air enough to keep it burning. when burnt out put three gallons of very strong cyder, and one ounce of common allum (pounded and mixt with the cyder) into the cask. keep rolling the cask about five or six times a day for two days. then take out the bung, and hang the remainder of the rags on a wire in the cask, as near the cyder as possible, and set them on fire as before. when burnt out, bung the cask close and roll it well about three or four times a day for two days; then let it stand seven or eight days, and this liquor will be so strong as to affect your eyes by looking at it. when you force a pipe, take one quart of this liquid, put half an ounce of isinglass to it beat and pulled to small pieces. whisk it together, and it will dissolve in four or five hours. break the jelly with your whisk, and put one pound of alabaster to it, then dilute it with some of the wine, put it in the pipe, bung it close, and in a day it will be fine and bright. to cure acid raisin wines. the following ingredients must be proportioned to the degree of acidity; if but small, you must use the less, if a stronger acid a larger quantity. it must likewise be proportioned to the quantity of wine as well as to the degree of acidity. observe that your cask be nearly full before you apply the ingredients; which will have this good effect, the acid part of the wine will rise to the top immediately, and issue out at the bung-hole. but if the cask be not full, the part that should fly off will still continue in the cask, and weaken the body of the wine. if your cask be full, it will be fit to have a body laid on it, in three or four days time. i shall here proportion the ingredients for a pipe, supposing it quite acid, so as but just recoverable. take two gallons of lac, and two ounces of isinglass, boil them a quarter of an hour; strain the liquor, and let it stand 'till it is cold; then break it well with your whisk, and put four pounds of alabaster and three pounds of whiting to it. stir them well together, and add one ounce of salt of tartar to the whole. mix by degrees some of the wine with it, so as to dilute it to a thin liquor. apply this to the cask, and stir it well with your paddle. this will immediately discharge the acid part from it, as was said before. when it is off and quite down, bung it up for three days, then rack it, and you'll find part of its body gone off by the strong fermentation. to remedy this, you must lay a fresh body on it in proportion to the degree to which it hath been lower'd by the above process; always having special care not to alter flavour. and this must be done with clarified sugar; for no fluid body will agree with it but what will make it thinner, or confer its own taste; therefore the following is the best manner. to lay a fresh body on the wines. take three quarters of a hundred of brown sugar, and put into your copper, then put a gallon of lime water to it, to keep it from burning. keep stirring it about 'till it boils; then take three eggs and mash all together with the shells, which put to the sugar. stir it about, and as the scum or filth arise take it off. when quite clean put it into your can, and let it stand 'till it is cold before you use it. then break it with the whisk by degrees, with about ten gallons of the wine, and apply it to the pipe. work it with your paddle for half an hour; then put one quart of _stum forcing_ to it, which will unite their bodies, and likewise make it fine and bright. you must keep it bung'd very close. to cure raisin wines that are cloudy. these wines, if they take a chill, are affected in the same manner with port-wines. like them they will be cloudy, and will have a floating lee in them, which by shaking in a glass will rise in clouds. if any thing be apply'd to it cold, it will strike a greater chill upon it, and change its true colour to a pale or deep blue one; to prevent which, and take off the chill, you must, _for a pipe_, take one gallon of lac and one ounce of isinglass broke in small pieces, three pounds of alabaster, two ounces of sweet spirit of nitre; boil them together for five or six minutes; stir them and apply to the pipe as hot as possible. stir it well in the pipe with your paddle, and in about two hours after, bung it close up. let it lay five or six days, and you'll find it quite fine and bright. this will make it a little flat, to remedy which you must rack it clean from it's bottoms, and throw a quart of _stum forcing_ to it. to colour raisin wines. wine made of raisins of the sun is always of the colour of rhenish, which is almost white. very often that which is made of malaga's (especially if the fruit be but indifferent) will not hold its colour, but must have a colour laid on it. the right colour of raisin wine is the colour of mountain. you must take care that your wine has not a great bottom in it; for if it has, 'twill be longer before it falls fine. in order to lay a mountain colour on your wine, you must take three or four pounds of brown sugar, according to the quantity of wine you want to colour. put it in an iron pan or iron ladle, set it over the fire, and keep stirring it about. let it burn in this manner 'till it is quite black and bitter, which will be in about half an hour. if you burn one pound of sugar, put a quart of boiling hot water to it; stir it about, and let it boil a quarter of an hour longer, then take it off and let it cool. a pint of this mixture is sufficient to colour a pipe of wine; but note, that with every pint you must mix a quarter of an ounce of common allum pounded to a fine powder; which will set the colour so that it will not subside, other wise it will fall to the bottom, and have no good effect on the liquor. if you would have your wine of the colour of port, you must take eight ounces of logwood raspings, four ounces of alkanet root, one ounce of cochineal. infuse them over a slow fire for three hours; strain the liquor from the wood, and keep it boiling. then burn three pounds of brown sugar as before, and put the colour'd liquor to it; boil all together a quarter of an hour longer; then take it off, and when cold, bottle it for use. a pint of this liquor will make a pipe the colour of port wine. you must always remember to set the colour with a quarter of an ounce of common allum, ground or beaten to a fine powder. part iii the _housekeepers_ director. forcing for beer. there are two sorts of forcings for beer; for what will agree with one kind of beer will not serve for another. some beer when kept twelve or fourteen months will taste as new and sweet as if not brew'd more than six or seven, nay a much shorter time, which must have a different forcing from that which is proper for beer that is ripe or less sweet. beers that are full and sweet must be forc'd in the following manner, viz. for a hogshead, take a gallon of stale cyder, likewise one ounce of isinglass beat and pulled to small pieces, with an ounce of common allum ground to a fine powder, put them to the cyder; whisk it well together and let it stand 'till it's a jelly. then break it in your can, and put one ounce of cream of tartar, and two pounds of stone-dust to it; whisk it well together, and dilute it with some of the beer till you have made the gallon five. apply it to the hogshead, and stir it well about; and when the ferment is gone off (which will be in two or three hours) bung it up close. leave out the vent-peg; and in a day or two you'll find it fine and bright. beers that are not sweet are forced with _stum_, the same that is made for raisin wine, with this difference only, that you must take for one hogshead, three pints, and two pounds of alabaster; stir them well together, and dilute with beer as above. this will carry down all the foul particles, and make the beer fine in three or four hours. * * * * * forcing for ale. ale that is brew'd in the winter to be drank in about two months is apt to get foul, occasion'd by the brewer's neglecting it when cooling. sometimes it is left out in the frost, which will chill it, and make it curdy as it were, and and foul; to remedy this you must take two gallons of cyder, and put two ounces of insinglass to it. when it is a jelly, add to them two pounds of brick-rubbings; whisk them well together, and dilute with some of the ale. put the whole in the hogshead, and stir all about very well. when the ferment is a little off, bung it close; the next day give it vent, and you'll find it fine. ale or beer acid. if your beer or ale be a little prick'd, you must take for each hogshead a gallon of lac, boil it with an ounce of isinglass, drain it, and when cold, put to it two pounds of alabaster, two pounds of calcined chalk, and one ounce of salt of tartar. stir them well together, and apply to the hogshead. mind that the cask be full, and this will immediately discharge the acid part from it, (as in page .) bung it up for three or four days 'till it is settled; then rack it into a clean hogshead, and put two quarts of _ale forcing_ to it, and bung it close. beer or ale ropy, to cure. if beer or ale should at any time get ropy, as in other disorders, you must proportion the strength of your remedy to the degree of the disorder. but beer or ale is seldom known to be so ropy as cyder. take, for one hogshead, two pounds of common allum in one lump, if possible; put it into a clear fire, and burn it an hour, then pound it, and apply to the hogshead. stir it well for half an hour. this will cut the rope in a day or two; then rack it and force it with the same _stum forcing_ at is directed for beer that is not sweet, as in page . if the rope be but thin, one pound of allum will be sufficient. hyssop will cut a thin rope in ale, but this always gives it a bad taste. to make yest, to ferment new beer. many people that live at a distance from any town, are at a great loss, especially in the winter time, for yest to brew with; i shall therefore here give them directions to make an artificial yest that will answer the purpose altogether as well as the natural. take two quarts of small beer and one ounce of isinglass; boil them together five or six minutes; put it into a can or pail, and whisk it till it comes to the consistence of yest; let it stand an hour after, then put it to your wort in the same manner you were used to do the natural yest; this will be sufficient to ferment a hogshead. the end. distributed proofreaders canada team at http://www.pgdpcanada.net cakes and ale _by the same author_ the flowing bowl a treatise on drinks of all kinds and of all periods, interspersed with sundry anecdotes and reminiscences by edward spencer ('nathaniel gubbins') author of "cakes and ale," etc. _crown vo., cloth gilt, / net._ second edition. with cover design by the late phil may. "the flowing bowl" overflows with good cheer. in the happy style that enlivens its companion volume, "cakes and ale," the author gives a history of drinks and their use, interspersed with innumerable recipes for drinks new and old, dug out of records of ancient days, or set down anew. london: stanley paul & co. , essex street, strand, w.c. cakes & ale a dissertation on banquets interspersed with various recipes, more or less original, and anecdotes, mainly veracious by edward spencer ('nathaniel gubbins') author of "the flowing bowl," etc. _fourth edition_ stanley paul & co. , essex street, strand, w.c. _first printed april reprinted may cheap edition february reprinted _ to the modern lucullus john corlett grandest of hosts, best of trencher-men i dedicate (without any sort of permission) this book preface a long time ago, an estimable lady fell at the feet of an habitual publisher, and prayed unto him:-- "give, oh! give me the subject of a book for which the world has a need, and i will write it for you." "are you an author, madam?" asked the publisher, motioning his visitor to a seat. "no, sir," was the proud reply, "i am a poet." "ah!" said the great man. "i am afraid there is no immediate worldly need of a poet. if you could only write a good cookery book, now!" the story goes on to relate how the poetess, not rebuffed in the least, started on the requisite culinary work, directly she got home; pawned her jewels to purchase postage stamps, and wrote far and wide for recipes, which in course of time she obtained, by the hundredweight. other recipes she "conveyed" from ancient works of gastronomy, and in a year or two the _magnum opus_ was given to the world; the lady's share in the profits giving her "adequate provision for the remainder of her life." we are not told, but it is presumable, that the publisher received a little adequate provision too. history occasionally repeats itself; and the history of the present work begins in very much the same way. whether it will finish in an equally satisfactory manner is problematical. i do not possess much of the divine _afflatus_ myself; but there has ever lurked within me some sort of ambition to write a book--something held together by "tree calf," "half morocco," or "boards"; something that might find its way into the hearts and homes of an enlightened public; something which will give some of my young friends ample opportunity for criticism. in the exercise of my profession i have written leagues of descriptive "copy"--mostly lies and racing selections,--but up to now there has been no urgent demand for a book of any sort from this pen. for years my ambition has remained ungratified. publishers--as a rule, the most faint-hearted and least speculative of mankind--have held aloof. and whatever suggestions i might make were rejected, with determination, if not with contumely. at length came the hour, and the man; the introduction to a publisher with an eye for budding and hitherto misdirected talent. "do you care, sir," i inquired at the outset, "to undertake the dissemination of a bulky work on political economy?" "frankly, sir, i do not," was the reply. then i tried him with various subjects--social reform, the drama, bimetallism, the ethics of starting prices, the advantages of motor cars in african warfare, natural history, the martyrdom of ananias, practical horticulture, military law, and dogs; until he took down an old duck-gun from a peg over the mantelpiece, and assumed a threatening attitude. peace having been restored, the self-repetition of history recommenced. "i can do with a good, bold, brilliant, lightly treated, exhaustive work on gastronomy," said the publisher, "you are well acquainted with the subject, i believe?" "i'm a bit of a parlour cook, if that's what you mean," was my humble reply. "at a salad, a grill, an anchovy toast, or a cooling and cunningly compounded cup, i can be underwritten at ordinary rates. but i could no more cook a haunch of venison, or even boil a rabbit, or make an economical christmas pudding, than i could sail a boat in a nor'-easter; and madam cook would certainly eject me from her kitchen, with a clout attached to the hem of my dinner jacket, inside five minutes." eventually it was decided that i should commence this book. "what i want," said the publisher, "is a series of essays on food, a few anecdotes of stirring adventure--you have a fine flow of imagination, i understand--and a few useful, but uncommon recipes. but plenty of plums in the book, my dear sir, plenty of plums." "but, suppose my own supply of plums should not hold out, what am i to do?" "what do you do--what does the cook do, when the plums for her pudding run short? get some more; the museum, my dear sir, the great storehouse of national literature, is free to all whose character is above the normal standard. when your memory and imagination fail, try the british museum. you know what is a mightier factor than both sword and pen? precisely so. and remember that in replenishing your store from the works of those who have gone before, you are only following in their footsteps. i only bar sydney smith and charles lamb. let me have the script by christmas--d'you smoke?--mind the step--_good_ morning." in this way, gentle reader, were the trenches dug, the saps laid for the attack of the great work. the bulk of it is original, and the adventures in which the writer has taken part are absolutely true. about some of the others i would not be so positive. some of the recipes have previously figured in the pages of the _sporting times_, the _lady's pictorial_, and the _man of the world_, to the proprietors of which journals i hereby express my kindly thanks for permission to revive them. many of the recipes are original; some are my own; others have been sent in by relatives, and friends of my youth; others have been adapted for modern requirements from works of great antiquity; whilst others again--i am nothing if not candid--have been "conveyed" from the works of more modern writers, who in their turn had borrowed them from the works of their ancestors. there is nothing new under the sun; and there are but few absolute novelties which are subjected to the heat of the kitchen fire. if the style of the work be faulty, the reason--not the excuse--is that the style is innate, and not modelled upon anybody else's style. the language i have endeavoured to make as plain, homely, and vigorous as is the food advocated. if the criticisms on foreign cookery should offend the talented _chef_, i have the satisfaction of knowing that, as i have forsworn his works, he will be unable to retaliate with poison. and if the criticisms on the modern english methods of preparing food should attract the attention of the home caterer, he may possibly be induced to give his steam-chest and his gas-range a rest, and put the roast beef of old england on his table, occasionally; though i have only the very faintest hopes that he will do so. for the monster eating-houses and mammoth hotels of to-day are for the most part "run" by companies and syndicates; and the company within the dining-room suffer occasionally, in order that dividends may be possible after payment has been made for the elaborate, and wholly unnecessary, furniture, and decorations. wholesome food is usually sufficient for the ordinary british appetite, without such surroundings as marble pillars, etruscan vases, nude figures, gilding, and looking-glasses, which only serve to distract attention from the banquet. it is with many a sigh that i recall the good old-fashioned inn, where the guest really received a warm welcome. nowadays, the warmest part of that welcome is usually the bill. it is related of the wittiest man of the nineteenth century, my late friend mr. henry j. byron, that, upon one occasion, whilst walking home with a brother dramatist, after the first performance of his comedy, which had failed to please the audience, byron shed tears. "how is this?" inquired his friend. "the failure of my play appears to affect you strangely." "i was only weeping," was the reply, "because i was afraid you'd set to work, and write another." but there need be no tears shed on any page of this food book. for i am not going to "write another." contents chapter i breakfast formal or informal?--an eccentric old gentleman--the ancient britons--breakfast in the days of good queen bess--a few tea statistics--garraway's--something about coffee--brandy for breakfast--the evolution of the staff of life--free trade--the cheap loaf, and no cash to buy it pages - chapter ii breakfast (_continued_) country-house life--an englishwoman at her best--guests' comforts--what to eat at the first meal--a few choice recipes--a noble grill-sauce--the poor outcast--appetising dishes--hotel "worries"--the old regime and the new--"no cheques"; no soles, and "whitings is hoff"--a halibut steak--skilly and oakum--breakfast out of the rates - chapter iii breakfast (_continued_) bonnie scotland--parritch an' cream--fin'an haddies--a knife on the ocean wave--_À la français_--in the gorgeous east--_chota hazri_--english as she is spoke--dâk bungalow fare--some quaint dishes--breakfast with "my tutor"--a don's absence of mind - chapter iv luncheon why lunch?--sir henry thompson on overdoing it--the children's dinner--city lunches--"ye olde cheshyre cheese"--doctor johnson--ye pudding--a great fall in food--a snipe pudding--skirt, not rump steak--lancashire hot-pot--a cape "brady" - chapter v luncheon (_continued_) shooting luncheons--cold tea and a crust--clear turtle--such larks!--jugged duck and oysters--woodcock pie--hunting luncheons--pie crusts--the true yorkshire pie--race-course luncheons--suggestions to caterers--the "jolly sandboys" stew--various recipes--a race-course sandwich--angels' pie--"suffolk pride"--devilled larks--a light lunch in the himalayas - chapter vi dinner origin--early dinners--the noble romans--"vitellius the glutton"--origin of haggis--the saxons--highland hospitality--the french invasion--waterloo avenged--the bad fairy "_ala_"--comparisons--the english cook or the foreign food torturer?--plain or flowery--fresh fish and the flavour wrapped up--george augustus sala--doctor johnson again - chapter vii dinner (_continued_) imitation--dear lady thistlebrain--try it on the dog--criminality of the english caterer--the stove, the stink, the steamer--roasting v. baking--false economy--dirty ovens--frills and fingers--time over dinner--a long-winded bishop--corned beef - chapter viii dinner (_continued_) a merry christmas--bin f--a _noel_ banquet--water-cress--how royalty fares--the tsar--_bouillabaisse_--_tournedos_--_bisque_-- _vol-au-vent_--_pré salé_--chinese banquets--a fixed bayonet--_bernardin salmi_--the duck-squeezer--american cookery--"borston" beans--he couldn't eat beef - chapter ix dinner (_continued_) french soup--a regimental dinner--a city banquet--_baksheesh_--aboard ship--an ideal dinner--cod's liver--sleeping in the kitchen--a _fricandeau_--regimental messes--peter the great--napoleon the great--victoria--the iron duke--mushrooms--a medical opinion--a north pole banquet--dogs as food--plain unvarnished fare--the kent road cookery--more beans than bacon - chapter x vegetables use and abuse of the potato--its eccentricities--its origin--hawkins, not raleigh, introduced it into england--with or without the "jacket"?--don't let it be _à-la_-ed--benevolence and large-heartedness of the cabbage family--pease on earth--pythagoras on the bean--"giving him beans"--"haricot" a misnomer--"borston" beans--frijoles--the carrot--crécy soup--the prince of wales--the black prince and the king of bohemia - chapter xi vegetables (_continued_) the brief lives of the best--a vegetable with a pedigree-- argenteuil--the elysian fields--the tomato the emblem of love--"neeps"--spinach--"stomach-brush"--the savoury tear-provoker--invaluable for wasp-stings--celery merely cultivated "smallage"--the "_apium_"--the parsnip--o jerusalem!--the golden sunflower--how to get pheasants--a vegetarian banquet--"swelling wisibly" - chapter xii curries different modes of manufacture--the "native" fraud--"that man's family"--the french _kari_--a parsee curry--"the oyster in the sauce"--ingredients--malay curry--locusts--when to serve--what to curry--prawn curry--dry curry, champion recipe--rice--the bombay duck - chapter xiii salads nebuchadnezzar _v._ sydney smith--salt?--no salad-bowl--french origin--apocryphal story of francatelli--salads _and_ salads--water-cress and dirty water--salad-maker born not made--lobster salad--lettuce, wipe or wash?--mayonnaise--potato salad--tomato ditto--celery ditto--a memorable ditto - chapter xiv salads and condiments roman salad--italian ditto--various other salads--sauce for cold mutton--chutnine--raw chutnee--horse-radish sauce--christopher north's sauce--how to serve a mackerel--_sauce tartare_--ditto for sucking pig--delights of making _sambal_--a new language - chapter xv supper cleopatra's supper--oysters--danger in the aden bivalve--oyster stew--ball suppers--pretty dishes--the _taj mahal_--aspic--bloater paste and whipped cream--ladies' recipes--cookery colleges--tripe--smothered in onions--north riding fashion--an hotel supper--lord tomnoddy at the "magpie and stump" - chapter xvi supper (_continued_) old supper-houses--the early closing act--evans's--cremorne gardens--"the albion"--parlour cookery--kidneys fried in the fire-shovel--the true way to grill a bone--"cannie carle"--my lady's bower--kidney dumplings--a middleham supper--steaks cut from a colt by brother to "strafford" out of sister to "bird on the wing" - chapter xvii "camping out" the ups and downs of life--stirring adventures--marching on to glory--shooting in the tropics--pepper-pot--with the _rajah sahib_--goat-sacrifices at breakfast time--simla to cashmere--manners and customs of thibet--burmah--no place to get fat in--insects--voracity of the natives--snakes--sport in the jungle--loaded for snipe, sure to meet tiger--with the gippos--no baked hedgehog--cheap milk - chapter xviii compound drinks derivation of punch--"five"--the "milk" brand--the best materials--various other punches--bischoff or bishop--"halo" punch--toddy--the toddy tree of india--flip--a "peg"--john collins--out of the guard-room - chapter xix cups and cordials five recipes for claret cup--balaclava cup--orgeat--ascot cup--stout and champagne--shandy-gaff for millionaires--ale cup--cobblers which will stick to the last--home ruler--cherry brandy--sloe gin--home-made, if possible--a new industry--apricot brandy--highland cordial--bitters--jumping-powder-- orange brandy--"mandragora"--"sleep rock thy brain!" - chapter xx the daylight drink evil effects of dram-drinking--the "gin-crawl"--abstinence in h.m. service--city manners and customs--useless to argue with the soaker--cocktails--pet names for drams--the free lunch system--fancy mixtures--why no cassis?--good advice like water on a duck's back - chapter xxi gastronomy in fiction and drama thomas carlyle--thackeray--harrison ainsworth--sir walter scott--miss braddon--marie corelli--f. c. philips--blackmore--charles dickens--_pickwick_ reeking with alcohol--brandy and oysters--_little dorrit_--_great expectations_--micawber as a punch-maker--_david copperfield_--"practicable" food on the stage--"johnny" toole's story of tiny tim and the goose - chapter xxii restoratives william of normandy--a "head" wind at sea--beware the druggist--pick-me-ups of all sorts and conditions--anchovy toast for the invalid--a small bottle--straight talks to fanatics--total abstinence as bad as the other thing--moderation in all matters--wisely and slow--_carpe diem_--but have a thought for the morrow - chapter i breakfast "the day breaks slow, but e'en must man break-fast." formal or informal?--an eccentric old gentleman--the ancient britons--breakfast in the days of good queen bess--a few tea statistics--"garraway's"--something about coffee--brandy for breakfast--the evolution of the staff of life--free trade--the cheap loaf, and no cash to buy it. this is a very serious subject. the first meal of the day has exercised more influence over history than many people may be aware of. it is not easy to preserve an equal mind or keep a stiff upper lip upon an empty stomach; and indigestible food-stuffs have probably lost more battles than sore feet and bad ammunition. it is an incontestable fact that the great napoleon lost the battles of borodino and leipsic through eating too fast. when good digestion waits on appetite, great men are less liable to commit mistakes--and a mistake in a great man is a crime--than when dyspepsia has marked them for her own; and this rule applies to all men. there should be no hurry or formality about breakfast. your punctual host and hostess may be all very well from their own point of view; but black looks and sarcastic welcomings are an abomination to the guest who may have overslept himself or herself, and who fails to say, "good-morning" just on the stroke of nine o'clock. far be it from the author's wish to decry the system of family prayers, although the spectacle of the full strength of the domestic company, from the stern-featured housekeeper, or the chief lady's-maid (the housekeeper is frequently too grand, or too much cumbered with other duties to attend public worship), to the diminutive page-boy, standing all in a row, facing the cups and saucers, is occasionally more provocative of mirth than reverence. but too much law and order about fast-breaking is to be deplored. "i'm not very punctual, i'm afraid, sir john," i once heard a very charming lady observe to her host, as she took her seat at the table, exactly ten minutes after the line of menials had filed out. "on the contrary, lady v----" returned the master of the house, with a cast-iron smile, "you are punctual in your unpunctuality; for you have missed prayers by the sixth part of one hour, every morning since you came." now what should be done to a host like that? in the long ago i was favoured with the acquaintance of an elderly gentleman of property, a most estimable, though eccentric, man. and he invariably breakfasted with his hat on. it did not matter if ladies were present or not. down he would sit, opposite the ham and eggs--or whatever dish it might chance to be--with a white hat, with mourning band attached, surmounting his fine head. we used to think the presence of the hat was owing to partial baldness; but, as he never wore it at luncheon or dinner, that idea was abandoned. in fact, he pleaded that the hat kept his thoughts in; and as after breakfast he was closeted with his steward, or agent, or stud-groom, or keeper, for several hours, he doubtless let loose some of those thoughts to one or the other. at all events we never saw him again till luncheon, unless there was any hunting or shooting to be done. this same old gentleman once rehearsed his own funeral on the carriage drive outside, and stage-managed the solemn ceremony from his study window. an under-gardener pushed a wheelbarrow, containing a box of choice cuttings, to represent the body; and the butler posed as chief mourner. and when anybody went wrong, or the pall-bearers--six grooms--failed to keep in step, the master would throw up the window-sash, and roar-- "begin again!" but this is wandering from the subject. let us try back. having made wide search amongst old and musty manuscripts, i can find no record of a bill-of-fare of the first meal of the ancient britons. our blue forefathers, in all probability, but seldom assisted at any such smart function as a wedding-breakfast, or even a hunting one; for the simple reason that it was a case with them of, "no hunt, no breakfast." unless one or other had killed the deer, or the wild-boar, or some other living thing to furnish the refection the feast was a barmecide one, and much as we have heard of the strength and hardiness of our blue forefathers, many of them must have died of sheer starvation. for they had no weapons but clubs, and rough cut flints, with which to kill the beasts of the country--who were, however, occasionally lured into pitfalls; and as to fish, unless they "tickled" them, the denizens of the streams must have had an easy time of it. they had sheep, but these were valuable chiefly on account of their wool; as used to be the case in australia, ere the tinned meat trade was established. most of the fruits and vegetables which we enjoy to-day were introduced into britain by the romans. snipe and woodcock and (in the north) grouse may have been bagged, as well as hares. but these poor savages knew not rabbits by sight, nor indeed, much of the feathered fowl which their more favoured descendants are in the habit of shooting, or otherwise destroying, for food. the ancient britons knew not bacon and eggs, nor the toothsome kipper, nor yet the marmalade of dundee. as for bread, it was not invented in any shape or form until much later; and its primitive state was a tough paste of flour, water, and (occasionally) milk--something like the "damper" of the australian bush, or the unleavened _chupati_ which the poorer classes in hindustan put up with, after baking it, at the present day. the hardy, independent saxon, had a much better time of it, in the way of meat and drink. but with supper forming the chief meal of the day, his breakfast was a simple, though plentiful one, and consisted chiefly of venison pasty and the flesh of goats, washed down with ale, or mead. "a free breakfast-table of elizabeth's time," says an old authority, "or even during the more recent reign of charles ii., would contrast oddly with our modern morning meal. there were meats, hot and cold; beef and brawn, and boar's head, the venison pasty, and the _wardon pie_ of west country pears. there was hot bread, too, and sundry 'cates' which would now be strange to our eyes. but to wash down these substantial viands there was little save ale. the most delicate lady could procure no more suitable beverage than the blood of john barleycorn. the most fretful invalid had to be content with a mug of small beer, stirred up with a sprig of rosemary. wine, hippocras, and metheglin were potations for supper-time, not for breakfast, and beer reigned supreme. none but home productions figured on the board of our ancestors. not for them were seas traversed, or tropical shores visited, as for us. yemen and ceylon, assam and cathay, cuba and peru, did not send daily tribute to their tables, and the very names of tea and coffee, of cocoa and chocolate, were to them unknown. the dethronement of ale, subsequent on the introduction of these eastern products, is one of the most marked events which have severed the social life of the present day from that of the past." with the exception of the wardon pie and the "cates," the above bill-of-fare would probably satisfy the cravings of the ordinary "johnny" of to-day, who has heard the chimes at midnight, and would sooner face a charging tiger than drink tea or coffee with his first meal, which, alas! but too often consists of a hot-pickle sandwich and a "brandy and soda," with not quite all the soda in. but just imagine the fine lady of to-day with a large tankard of burton ale facing her at the breakfast-table. _tea_, which is said to have been introduced into china by djarma, a native of india, about a.d. , was not familiar in europe until the end of the sixteenth century. and it was not until , when garraway opened a tea-house in exchange alley, that londoners began tea-drinking as an experiment. in pepys writes-- "home, and there find my wife making of tea"--two years before, he called it "tee (a china drink)"--"a drink which mr. pelling the pothicary tells her is good for her cold and defluxions." in the price of tea ranged from s. to s. per lb. in , , lbs. were drunk in england, and in , , , . in the duty was s. ¼d. per lb.; in s. d. per lb.; and in d. per lb. the seed of _the coffee-tree_, which, when roasted, ground, and mixed with water, and unmixed with horse-beans, dandelion-root, or road-scrapings, forms a most agreeable beverage to those who can digest it, was not known to the greeks or romans, but has been used in abyssinia and along the north-east coast of africa almost as long as those parts have been populated. here, in merry england, where coffee was not introduced until the eighteenth century, it was at first used but sparingly, until it almost entirely took the place of chocolate, which was the favoured beverage of the duchesses and fine madams who minced and flirted, and plotted, during the reign of the merry monarch, fifty years or so before. the march of knowledge has taught the thrifty housewife of to-day to roast her own coffee, instead of purchasing it in that form from the retail shopkeeper, who, as a rule, under-roasts the berry, in order to "keep the weight in." but do not blame him too freely, for he is occasionally a poor law guardian, and has to "keep pace with the stores." during the georgian era, the hard-drinking epoch, breakfast far too often consisted chiefly of french brandy; and the first meal was, in consequence, not altogether a happy or wholesome one, nor conducive to the close study of serious subjects. the history of _the staff of life_[ ] would require a much larger volume than this, all to itself. that the evolution of bread-making has been very gradual admits of no denial; and as late as the tudor and stuart periods the art was still in its infancy. the quality of the bread consumed was a test of social standing. thus, whilst the _haut monde_, the height of society, lords and dukes, with countesses and dames of high degree, were in the habit of consuming delicate manchets, made of the finest wheaten flour, of snowy purity, the middle classes had to content themselves with white loaves of inferior quality. to the journeyman and the 'prentice (who had to endure, with patience, the buffets of master and mistress) was meted out coarse but wholesome brown bread, made from an admixture of wheat and barley flour; whilst the agricultural labourer staved off starvation with loaves made from rye, occasionally mixed with red wheat or barley. the introduction of _free trade_ --by no means an unmixed blessing--has changed all this; and the working-classes, with their wives and families, can, when out of the workhouse, in the intervals between "strikes," enjoy the same quality of bread, that "cheap loaf" which appears on the table of the wicked squire and the all-devouring parson. in yorkshire, at the present day, almost the worst thing that can be urged against a woman is that she "canna mak' a bit o' bread." "just look," wrote an enthusiastic free trader, a quarter of a century ago, "at the immense change that has latterly taken place in the food of the english peasantry. rye bread and pease-pudding exchanged for wheaten loaves. a startling change, but not greatly different from what has occurred in france, where, with the abuses of the bourbon rule, an end was put to the semi-starvation of french tillers of the soil. black bread is now almost as much a rarity in france as on our side of the channel; while barley in wales, oats in scotland, and the potato in ireland, are no longer the food-staples that they were." i have no wish for anything of a contentious nature to appear in this volume; but may deliver, with regard to the above, the opinion that pease-pudding is by no means despicable fare, when associated with a boiled leg of pork; and i may add that too many of the english peasantry, nowadays, have been reduced, by this same free trade, to a diet of no bread at all, in place of wheaten, or any other loaves. wedding breakfasts, with the formal speeches, and cutting of the cake, have gone out of fashion, and the subject of the british breakfast of to-day demands a new chapter. chapter ii breakfast (_continued_) "sit down and feed, and welcome to our table." country-house life--an englishwoman at her best--guests' comforts--what to eat at the first meal--a few choice recipes--a noble grill-sauce--the poor outcast--appetising dishes--hotel "worries"--the old regime and the new--"no cheques"; no soles, and "whitings is hoff"--a halibut steak--skilly and oakum--breakfast out of the rates. by far the pleasantest meal of the day at a large country-house is breakfast. you will be staying there, most likely, an you be a man, for hunting or shooting--it being one of the eccentric dispensations of the great goddess fashion that country-houses should be guestless, and often ownerless, during that season of the year when nature looks at her loveliest. an you be a woman, you will be staying there for the especial benefit of your daughter; for flirting--or for the more serious purpose of riveting the fetters of the fervid youth who may have been taken captive during the london season--for romping, and probably shooting and hunting, too; for lovely woman up-to-date takes but little account of such frivolities as berlin wool-work, piano-practice, or drives, well wrapped-up, in a close carriage, to pay calls with her hostess. as for going out with the "guns," or meeting the sterner sex at luncheon in the keeper's cottage, or the specially-erected pavilion, the darlings are not content, nowadays, unless they can use dapper little breech-loaders, specially made for them, and some of them are far from bad shots. yes, 'tis a pleasant function, breakfast at the castle, the park, or the grange. but, as observed in the last chapter, there must be no undue punctuality, no black looks at late arrivals, no sarcastic allusions to late hours, nor inane chaff from the other guests about the wine cup or the whisky cup, which may have been drained in the smoking-room, during the small hours. her ladyship looks divine, or at all events regal, as she presides at what our american cousins would call the "business end" of the long table, whilst our host, a healthy, jolly-looking, "hard-bitten" man of fifty, faces her. his bright keen eye denotes the sportsman, and he can shoot as straight as ever, whilst no fence is too high, too wide, nor too deep for him. sprinkled about, at either side of the table, amongst the red and black coats, or shooting jackets of varied hues--with a vacancy here and there, for "algie" and "bill," and the "angel," who have not yet put in appearance--are smart, fresh-looking women, young, and "well-preserved," and matronly, some in tailor-made frocks, and some in the silks and velvets suited for those of riper age, and some in exquisitely-fitting habits. it is at the breakfast-table that the englishwoman can defy all foreign competition; and you are inclined to frown, or even say things under your breath, when that mincing, wicked-looking little _marquise_, all frills, and ribbons, and lace, and smiles, and ess bouquet, in the latest creation of the first man-milliner of paris, trips into the room in slippers two sizes too small for her, and salutes the company at large in broken english. for the contrast is somewhat trying, and you wonder why on earth some women _will_ smother themselves with scents and _cosmetiques_, and raddle their cheeks and wear diamonds so early in the morning; and you lose all sense of the undoubted fascination of the marquise in speculating as to what manner of "strong woman" her _femme de chambre_ must be who can compress a -inch waist into an -inch corset. there should, of course, be separate tea and coffee equipments for most of the guests--at all events for the sluggards. the massive silver urn certainly lends a tone to the breakfast-table, and looks "comfortable-like." but it would be criminally cruel to satisfy the thirst of the multitude out of the same tea-pot or coffee-pot; and the sluggard will not love his hostess if she pours forth "husband's tea," merely because he _is_ a sluggard. and remember that the hand which has held two by honours, or a "straight flush" the night before, is occasionally too shaky to pass tea-cups. no. do not spare your servants, my lord, or my lady. your guests must be "well done," or they will miss your "rocketing" pheasants, or fail to go fast enough at that brook with the rotten banks. "the english," said an eminent alien, "have only one sauce." this is a scandalous libel; but as it was said a long time ago it doesn't matter. it would be much truer to say that the english have only one breakfast-dish, and its name is _eggs and bacon_. pardon, i should have written two; and the second is ham and eggs. a new-laid egg--poached, _not_ fried, an ye love me, o betsy, best of cooks--and a rasher of home-cured hog are both excellent things in their way; but, like a partridge, a mother-in-law, and a baby, it is quite possible to have too much of them. the english hostess--i do not refer to the typical "her ladyship," of whom i have written above, but to the average hostess--certainly launches out occasionally in the direction of assorted fish, kidneys, sausages, and chops, but the staple food upon which we are asked to break our fast is, undoubtedly, eggs and bacon. the great question of what to eat at the first meal depends greatly upon whether you sit down to it directly you emerge from your bedroom, or whether you have indulged in any sort of exercise in the interim. after two or three hours "amateur touting" on such a place as newmarket heath, the sportsman is ready for any sort of food, from a dish of liver and bacon to a good, thick fat chop, or an underdone steak. i have even attacked cold stewed eels (!) upon an occasion when the pangs of hunger would have justified my eating the tom-cat, and the landlady as well. but chops and steaks are not to be commended to furnish forth the ordinary breakfast-table. i am coming to the hotel breakfast presently, so will say nothing about fried fish just yet. but here follows a list of a few of what may be called _allowable breakfast dishes_ mushrooms (done plainly in front of the fire), sausages (toasted), scrambled eggs on toast, curried eggs, fish balls, kidneys, savoury omelette. porridge may be useful for growing boys and briefless barristers, but this chapter is not written solely in their interests. above all, do not, oh! do not, forget the grill, or broil. this should be the feature of the breakfast. such simple recipes as those for the manufacture of fish balls or omelettes or curried eggs--though i shall have plenty to say about curries later on--need not be given here; but the following, for a grill-sauce, will be found invaluable, especially for the "sluggard." _gubbins sauce_ the legs and wings of fowl, turkey, pheasant, partridge, or moor-hen should only be used. have these scored across with a sharp knife, and divided at the joints. and when your grill is taken, "hot as hot," but _not burnt_, from the fire, have poured over it the following sauce. be very particular that your cook pours it over the grill just before it is served up. and it is of the most vital importance that the sauce should be made, and well mixed, on a plate _over hot water_--for instance, a slop-basin should be filled with boiling water and a plate placed atop. melt on the plate a lump of butter the size of a large walnut. stir into it, when melted, two teaspoonfuls of made mustard, then a dessert-spoonful of vinegar, half that quantity of tarragon vinegar, and a tablespoonful of cream--devonshire or english. season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne, according to the (presumed) tastes and requirements of the breakfasters. let your sideboard--it is assumed that you have a sideboard--sigh and lament its hard lot, under its load of cold joints, game, and pies,--i am still harping on the country-house; and if you have a york ham in cut, it should be flanked by a westphalian ditto. for the blend is a good one. and remember that no york ham under lb. in weight is worth cutting. you need not put it all on the board at once. a capital adjunct to the breakfast-table, too, is a reindeer's tongue, which, as you see it hung up in the shops, looks more like a policeman's truncheon in active employment than anything else; but when well soaked and then properly treated in the boiling, is very tasty, and will melt like marrow in the mouth. a simple, excellent august breakfast can be made from a dish of freshly-caught trout, the legs and back of a cold grouse, which has been roasted, _not_ baked, and _a large peach_. but what of the wretched bachelor, as he enters his one sitting-room, in his humble lodging? he may have heard the chimes at midnight, in some gay and festive quarter, or, like some other wretched bachelors, he may have been engaged in the composition of romances for some exacting editor, until the smallish hours. poor outcast! what sort of appetite will he have for the rusty rasher, or the shop egg, the smoked haddock, or the "billingsgate pheasant," which his landlady will presently send up, together with her little account, for his refection? well, here is a much more tasty dish than any of the above; and if he be "square" with mrs. bangham, that lady will possibly not object to her "gal" cooking the different ingredients before she starts at the wash-tub. but let not the wretched bachelor suffer the "gal" to mix them. i first met this dish in calcutta during the two months of (alleged) cold weather which prevail during the year. _calcutta jumble._ a few fried fillets of white fish (sole, or plaice--sole for choice), placed on the top of some boiled rice, in a soup plate. pour over them the yolks of two _boiled_ eggs, and mix in one green chili, chopped fine. salt to taste. "another way:" mix with the rice the following ingredients:-- the yolks of two _raw_ eggs, one tablespoonful anchovy sauce, one _small_ teaspoonful curry powder (raw), a sprinkling of cayenne, a little salt, and one green chili chopped fine. each ingredient to be added separately, and the eggs and curry powder to be stirred into the rice with a fork. fillets of sole to be served atop. how many cooks in this england of ours can cook rice properly? without pausing for a reply, i append the recipe, which should be pasted on the wall of every kitchen. the many cookery books which i have read give elaborate directions for the performance, of what is a very simple duty. here it is, in a few lines-- _to cook rice for curry, etc._ soak a sufficiency of rice in cold water for two hours. strain through a sieve, and pop the rice into _boiling_ water. let it boil--"gallop" is, i believe, the word used in most kitchens--for not quite ten minutes (or until the rice is tender), then strain off the water through a sieve, and dash a little _cold_ water over the rice, to separate the grains. here is another most appetising breakfast dish for the springtime-- _asparagus with eggs_. cut up two dozen (or so) heads of cooked asparagus into small pieces, and mix in a stewpan with the well-beaten yolks of two raw eggs. flavour with pepper and salt, and stir freely. add a piece of butter the size of a walnut (one of these should be kept in every kitchen as a pattern), and keep on stirring for a couple of minutes or so. serve on delicately-toasted bread. _an hotel breakfast._ what memories do these words conjure up of a snug coffee-room, hung with hunting prints, and portraits of derby winners, and churches, and well-hung game; with its oak panellings, easy arm-chairs, blazing fire, snowy naperies, and bright silver. the cheery host, with well-lined paunch, and fat, wheezy voice, which wishes you good-morning, and hopes you have passed a comfortable night between the lavender-scented sheets. the fatherly interest which "william," the grey-headed waiter, takes in you--stranger or _habitué_--and the more than fatherly interest which you take in the good cheer, from home-made "sassingers" to new-laid eggs, and heather honey, not forgetting a slice out of the mammoth york ham, beneath whose weight the old sideboard absolutely grunts. heigho! we, or they, have changed all that. the poet who found his "warmest welcome in an inn" was, naturally enough, writing of his own time. i don't like fault-finding, but must needs declare that the "warmest" part of an inn welcome to be found nowadays is the bill. as long as you pay it (or have plenty of luggage to leave behind in default), and make yourself agreeable to the fair and haughty bookkeeper (if it's a "she") who allots you your bedroom, and bullies the page-boy, nobody in the modern inn cares particularly what becomes of you. you lose your individuality, and become "number ." instead of welcome, distrust lurks, large, on the very threshold. "_no cheques accepted_" is frequently the first announcement to catch the eye of the incoming guest; and although you cannot help admiring the marble pillars, the oak carving, the gilding, the mirrors, and the electric light, an uncomfortable feeling comes over you at meal times, to the effect that the cost of the decorations, or much of it, is taken out of the food. "waiter," you ask, as soon as your eyes and ears get accustomed to the incessant bustle of the coffee-room, and your nostrils to the savour of last night's soup, "what can i have for breakfast?" "what would you like, sir?" "i should like a grilled sole, to begin with." "very sorry, sir, soles is hoff--get you a nice chop or steak." "can't manage either so early in the day. got any whitings?" "afraid we're out of whitings, sir, but i'll see." eventually, after suggesting sundry delicacies, all of which are either "hoff," or unknown to the waiter, you settle down to the consumption of two fried and shrivelled shop eggs, on an island of chicago ham, floating in an Ægean sea of grease and hot water; whilst a half quartern loaf, a cruet-stand the size of a cathedral, a rackful of toast of the "zebra" brand, and about two gallons of (alleged) coffee, are dumped down in succession in front of you. there are, of course, some hostelries where they "do" you better than this, but my experience of hotel breakfasts at this end of the nineteenth century has not been encouraging, either to appetite or temper; and i do vow and protest that the above picture is not too highly coloured. the toothsome, necessary bloater is not often to be met with on the hotel's bill-of-fare; but, if soft roed--use no other--it will repay perusal. toast it in a dutch oven in front of a clear fire, and just before done split it up the back, and put a piece of butter on it. the roe should be well plumped, and of the consistency of devonshire cream. a grilled sole for breakfast is preferable to a fried one, principally because it is by no means impossible that the fried sole be second-hand, or as the french call it _réchauffé_. and why, unless directions to the contrary be given, is the modest whiting invariably placed, tail in mouth, on the frying pan? a grilled whiting--assassinate your cook if she (or he) scorches it--is one of the noblest works of the kitchen, and its exterior should be of a golden brown colour. do not forget to order sausages for breakfast if you are staying at newmarket; there is less bread in them than in the metropolitan brand. and when in lincoln attempt a _halibut steak_, of which you may not have previously heard. the halibut should, previous to grilling or frying _in salad oil_, be placed on a shallow dish and sprinkled with salt. then the dish should be half filled with water, which must not cover the salt. leave the fish to soak for an hour, then cut into slices, nearly an inch thick, without removing the skin. sprinkle some lemon juice and cayenne over the steaks before serving. if you wish to preserve an even mind, and be at peace with the world, a visit to _the hotel parish_ is not to be recommended. the irish stew at dinner is not bad in its way, though coarse, and too liberally endowed with fat. but the breakfasts! boiled oatmeal and water, with salt in the mess, and a chunk of stale brown bread to eat therewith, do not constitute an altogether satisfactory meal, the first thing in the morning; and it is hardly calculated to inspire him with much pride in his work, when the guest is placed subsequently before his "task" of unbroken flints or tarred rope. chapter iii breakfast (_continued_) "there's nought in the highlands but syboes and leeks, and lang-leggit callants gaun wanting the breeks." bonnie scotland--parritch an' cream--fin'an haddies--a knife on the ocean wave--_À la français_--in the gorgeous east--_chota hazri_--english as she is spoke--dâk bungalow fare--some quaint dishes--breakfast with "my tutor"--a don's absence of mind. for a "warm welcome" commend me to bonnie scotland. though hard of head and "sae fu' o' learning" that they are "owre deeficult to conveence, ye ken," these rugged caledonians be tender of heart, and philanthropic to a degree. hech, sirs! but 'tis the braw time ye'll hae, gin ye trapese the highlands, an' the lowlands as well for the matter o' that--in search o' guid refreshment for body an' soul. even that surly lexicographer, doctor samuel johnson (who, by the way, claimed the same city for his birthplace as does the writer), who could not be induced to recognise the merits of scotch scenery, and preferred fleet street to the trossachs, extolled the luxury of a scotch breakfast above that of all other countries. and sir walter scott, who never enthused much about meat and drink, is responsible in _waverley_ for a passage calculated to make the mouths of most people water: "he found miss bradwardine presiding over the tea and coffee, the table loaded with warm bread, both of flour, oatmeal, and barley meal, in the shape of loaves, cakes, biscuits, and other varieties, together with eggs, reindeer ham, mutton and beef ditto, smoked salmon, and many other delicacies. a mess of oatmeal porridge, flanked by a silver jug which held an equal mixture of cream and buttermilk, was placed for the baron's share of the repast." "and," as mr. samuel weller would have observed, "a wery good idea of a breakfast, too." a beef-ham sounds like a "large order" for breakfast, even when we come to consider that the scotch "beastie," in sir walter scott's time, was wanting in "beam" and stature. i have seen and partaken of a ham cut from a yorkshire pig, and weighing lbs.; but even a scotch beef-ham must have topped that weight considerably. fortunately the sideboards of those times were substantial of build. missing from the above bill-of-fare is the haddock, _the fin'an haddie_, a bird which at that period had probably not been invented. but the modern scottish breakfast-table is not properly furnished without it. the genuine "fin'an" is known by its appetising savour and by its colour--a creamy yellow, which is totally distinct from the vandyke browny hue of the haddock which is creosoted in the neighbourhood of the blackfriars road, london, s.e. "strip off the skin," says the recipe in one cookery book, "and broil before the fire or over a quick clear one." another way--_my_ way--is _not_ to strip off the skin and to _steam_ your haddies. place them in a dish which has been previously heated. throw boiling water on them, and cover closely with a plate; place on a hot stove, and in from to minutes the fin'ans will be accomplished. drain, and serve hot as hot, buttered, with a sprinkling of cayenne, and, maybe, a dash of worcester sauce. salmon is naturally a welcome guest at the table of the land of his birth, served fresh when in season, and smoked or kippered at all times. _a salmon steak_ with the "curd" between the flakes, placed within a coat of virgin-white paper (oiled) and grilled for minutes or so, is an excellent breakfast dish. a fry of small troutlets, a ditto of the deer's interior economy--_mem._ when up at the death of a hunted stag, always beg or annex a portion of his liver--are also common dishes at the first meal served by the "gudewife"; and i once met a cold haggis at . a.m. but this, i rather fancy, was "a wee bit joke" at my expense. anyhow i shall have plenty to say about the "great chieftain o' the puddin' race" in a later chapter. _off to gold-land!_ those that go down to the sea in ships, and can summon up sufficient presence of mind to go down to the saloon at meal times, have far from a bad time of it. living was certainly better on the ocean wave in the days when livestock was kept on board, and slaughtered as required; for the effect of keeping beef, pork, and mutton in a refrigerating chamber for any length of time is to destroy the flavour, and to render beef indistinguishable from the flesh of the hog, and mutton as tasteless as infantine pap. but the ship's galley does its little utmost; and the saloon passenger, on his way to the other side of the equator, may regale himself with such a breakfast as the following, which is taken from the steward's book of a vessel belonging to the union line:-- porridge, fillets of haddock with fine herbs, mutton chops and chip potatoes, savoury omelet, bacon on toast, minced collops, curry and rice, fruit, rolls, toast, etc., tea and coffee. cannot my readers imagine a steward entering the state-room of the voyager who has succumbed to the wiles and eccentricities of the bay of biscay, with the observation: "won't you get up to breakfast, sir?--i've reserved a _beautiful_ fat chop, with chips, o' purpose for you, sir." and the lot of the third-class passenger who is conveyed from his native land to the cape of good hope, for what mr. montague tigg would have called "the ridiculous sum of" £ : s., is no such hard one, seeing that he is allotted a "bunk" in a compact, though comfortable cabin, and may break his fast on the following substantial meal:-- porridge, yarmouth bloaters, potatoes, american hash, grilled mutton, bread and butter, tea or coffee. an american breakfast is as variegated (and i fear i must add, as indigestible) as a scotch one; and included in the bill of fare are as many, or more, varieties of bread and cake as are to be found in the land o' shortbread. the writer has, in new york, started the morning meal with oysters, run the gamut of fish, flesh, and fowl, and wound up with buckwheat cakes, which are brought on in relays, buttered and smoking hot, and can be eaten with or without golden syrup. but, as business begins early in new york and other large cities, scant attention is paid to the first meal by the merchant and the speculator, who are wont to "gallop" through breakfast and luncheon, and to put in their "best work" at dinner. _a mediterranean breakfast_ is not lacking in poetry; and the jaded denizen of malta can enjoy red mullet (the "woodcock of the sea") freshly taken from the tideless ocean, and strawberries in perfection, at his first meal, whilst seated, maybe, next to some dreamy-eyed _houri_, who coos soft nothings into his ear, at intervals. the wines of italy go best with this sort of repast, which is generally eaten with "spoons." in fair france, breakfast, or the _déjeûner à la fourchette_, is not served until noon, or thereabouts. coffee or chocolate, with fancy bread and butter, is on hand as soon as you wake; and i have heard that for the roisterer and the _p'tit crevé_ there be such liquors as _cognac_, _curaçoa_, and _chartreuse verte_ provided at the first meal, so that nerves can be strung together and headaches alleviated before the "associated" breakfast at midday. in the country, at the _château_ of _monsieur et madame_, the groom-of-the-chambers, or _maître d'hôtel_, as he is designated, knocks at your bedroom door at about . . "who's there?" "good-morning, _m'sieu_. will _m'sieu_ partake of the _chocolat_, or of the _café-au-lait_, or of the tea?" upon ordinary occasions, _m'sieu_ will partake of the _chocolat_--if he be of french extraction; whilst the english visitor will partake of the _café-au-lait_--tea-making in france being still in its infancy. and if _m'sieu_ has gazed too long on the wine of the country, overnight, he will occasionally--reprobate that he is--partake instead of the _vieux cognac_, diluted from the syphon. and _m'sieu_ never sees his host or hostess till the "assembly" sounds for the midday meal. i have alluded, just above, to french tea-making. there was a time when tea, with our lively neighbours, was as scarce a commodity as snakes in iceland or rum punch in holloway castle. then the thin end of the wedge was introduced, and the english visitor was invited to partake of a cup of what was called (by courtesy) _thé_, which had been concocted expressly for her or him. and tea _à la française_ used to be made somewhat after this fashion. the cup was half-filled with milk, sugar _à discrétion_ being added. a little silver sieve was next placed over the cup, and from a jug sufficient hot water, in which had been previously left to soak some half-dozen leaf-fragments of green tea, to fill the cup, was poured forth. in fact the visitor was invited to drink a very nasty compound indeed, something like the "wish" tea with which the school-mistress used to regale her victims--milk and water, and "wish-you-may-get" tea! but they have changed all that across the channel, and five o'clock tea is one of the most fashionable functions of the day, with the _beau monde_; a favourite invitation of the society _belle_ of the _fin de siècle_ being: "_voulex-vous fivoclocquer avec moi?_" the _déjeûner_ usually begins with a _consommé_, a thin, clear, soup, not quite adapted to stave off the pangs of hunger by itself, but grateful enough by way of a commencement. then follows an array of dishes containing fish and fowl of sorts, with the inevitable _côtelettes à la_ somebody-or-other, not forgetting an _omelette_--a mess which the french cook alone knows how to concoct to perfection. the meal is usually washed down with some sort of claret; and a subsequent _café_, with the accustomed _chasse_; whilst the welcome _cigarette_ is not "defended," even in the mansions of the great. there is more than one way of making coffee, that of the lodging-house "general," and of the street-stall dispenser, during the small hours, being amongst the least commendable. without posing as an infallible manufacturer of the refreshing (though indigestible, to many people) beverage, i would urge that it be made from freshly-roasted seed, ground just before wanted. then heat the ground coffee in the oven, and place upon the perforated bottom of the upper compartment of a _cafetière_, put the strainer on it, and pour in boiling water, gradually. "the duke" in _geneviève de brabant_ used to warble as part of a song in praise of tea-- and 'tis also most important that you should not spare the tea. so is it of equal importance that you should not spare the coffee. there are more elaborate ways of making coffee; but none that the writer has tried are in front of the old _cafetière_, if the simple directions given above be carried out in their entirety. as in france, sojourners (for their sins) in the burning plains of ind have their first breakfast, or _chota hazri_, at an early hour, whilst the breakfast proper--usually described in lower bengal, madras, and bombay as "tiffin"--comes later on. for _chota hazri_ (literally "little breakfast")--which is served either at the mess-house, the public bath, or in one's own bungalow, beneath the verandah--poached eggs on toast are _de rigueur_, whilst i have met such additions as _unda ishcamble_ (scrambled eggs), potato cake, and (naughty, naughty!) anchovy toast. tea or coffee are always drunk with this meal. "always," have i written? alas! in my mind's eye i can see the poor indian vainly trying to stop the too-free flow of the _belati pani_ (literally "europe water") by thrusting a dusky thumb into the neck of the just-opened bottle, and in my mind's ear can i catch the blasphemous observation of the subaltern as he remarks to his slave that he does not require, in his morning's "livener," the additional flavour of mahommedan flesh, and the "hubble-bubble" pipe, the tobacco in which may have been stirred by the same thumb that morning. "coffee shop" is a favourite function, during the march of a regiment in india, at least it used to be in the olden time, before troops were conveyed by railway. _dhoolies_ (roughly made palanquins) laden with meat and drink were sent on half way, overnight; and grateful indeed was the cup of tea, or coffee, or the "peg" which was poured forth for the weary warrior who had been "tramping it" or in the saddle since a.m. or some such unearthly hour, in order that the column might reach the new camping-ground before the sun was high in the heavens. it was at "coffee-shop" that "chaff" reigned supreme, and speculations as to what the shooting would be like at the next place were indulged in. and when that shooting was likely to take the form of long men, armed with long guns, and long knives, the viands, which consisted for the most part of toast, biscuits, poached eggs, and _unda bakum_ (eggs and bacon), were devoured with appetites all the keener for the prospect in view. it is in troublous times, be it further observed, that the hindustan _khit_ is seen at his best. on the field of battle itself i have known coffee and boiled eggs--or even a grilled fowl--produced by the fearless and devoted _nokhur_, from, apparently, nowhere at all. at the indian breakfast proper, all sorts of viands are consumed; from the curried prawns and europe provisions (which arrive in an hermetically sealed condition per s.s. _nomattawot_), to the rooster who heralds your arrival at the _dak_ bungalow, with much crowing, and who within half an hour of your advent has been successively chased into a corner, beheaded, plucked, and served up for your refection in a scorched state. i have breakfasted off such assorted food as curried locusts, boiled leg of mutton, fried snipe, europe sausages, _iron ishtoo_ (irish stew), _vilolif_ (veal olives, and more correctly a dinner dish), kidney toast--chopped sheep's kidneys, highly seasoned with pepper, lime-juice, and worcester sauce, very appetising--parrot pie, eggs and bacon, omelette (which might also have been used to patch ammunition boots with), sardines, fried fish (mind the bones of the asiatic fish), _bifishtake_ (beef steak), goat chops, curries of all sorts, hashed venison, and roast peafowl, ditto quail, ditto pretty nearly everything that flies, cold buffalo hump, grilled sheep's tail (a bit bilious), hermetically-sealed herring, turtle fins, guava jelly, preserved mango, home-made cake, and many other things which have escaped memory. i am coming to the "curry" part of the entertainment later on in the volume, but may remark that it is preferable when eaten in the middle of the day. my own experience was that few people touched curry when served in its normal place at dinner--as a course of itself--just before the sweets. "breakfast with my tutor!" what happy memories of boyhood do not the words conjure up, of the usually stern, unbending preceptor pouring out the coffee, and helping the sausages and mashed potatoes--we always had what is now known as "saus and mash" at my tutor's--and the fatherly air with which he would remind the juvenile glutton, who had seated himself just opposite the apricot jam, and was improving the occasion, that eleven o'clock school would be in full swing in half an hour, and that the brain (and, by process of reasoning, the stomach) could not be in too good working-order for the fervid young student of herodotus. the ordinary breakfast of the "lower boy" at eton used to be of a very uncertain pattern. indeed, what with "fagging," the preparation of his lord-and-master's breakfast, the preparation of "pupil-room" work, and agile and acute scouts ever on the alert to pilfer his roll and pat of butter, that boy was lucky if he got any breakfast at all. if he possessed capital, or credit, he might certainly stave off starvation at "brown's," with buttered buns and pickled salmon; or at "webber's," or "the wall," with three-cornered jam tarts, or a "strawberry mess"; but smith _minor_, and jones _minimus_ as often as not, went breakfastless to second school. at the university, breakfast with "the head" or any other "don" was a rather solemn function. the table well and plentifully laid, and the host hospitality itself, but occasionally, nay, frequently, occupied with other thoughts. a departed friend used to tell a story of a breakfast of this description. he was shaken warmly by the hand by his host, who afterwards lapsed into silence. my friend, to "force the running," ventured on the observation-- "it's a remarkably fine morning, sir, is it not?" no reply came. in fact, the great man's thoughts were so preoccupied with greek roots, and other defunct horrors, that he spoke not a word during breakfast. but when, an hour or so afterwards, the time came for his guest to take leave, the "head" shook him by the hand warmly once more, and remarked abstractedly-- "d'you know, mr. johnson, i don't think that was a particularly original remark of yours?" chapter iv luncheon "'tis a custom more honoured in the breach than the observance." why lunch?--sir henry thompson on overdoing it--the children's dinner--city lunches--ye olde cheshyre cheese--doctor johnson--ye pudding--a great fall in food--a snipe pudding--skirt, not rump steak--lancashire hot pot--a cape "brady." "'more honoured in the breach,' do you say, mr. author?" i fancy i hear some reader inquire. "are these your sentiments? do you really mean them?" well, perhaps, they ought to be qualified. unless a man breakfast very early, and dine very late, he cannot do himself much good by eating a square meal at . or . p.m. there can be no question but that whilst thousands of the lieges--despite soup-kitchens, workhouses, and gaols--perish of absolute starvation, as many of their more fortunate brethren perish, in the course of time, from gluttony, from falling down (sometimes literally) and worshipping the belly-god. years ago sir henry thompson observed to a friend of the writer's: "most men who seek my advice are suffering under one of two great evils--eating too much good food, or drinking too much bad liquor; and occasionally they suffer under both evils." "this luncheon," writes oliver wendell holmes, "is a very convenient affair; it does not require any special dress; it is informal; and can be light or heavy as one chooses." the american--the male american at all events--takes far more count of luncheon than of breakfast. but in many cases luncheon and early dinner are synonymous terms. take the family luncheon, for instance, of the middle classes, where mother, governess, and little ones all assemble in front of the roast and boiled, at the principal meal of the day, and the more or less snowy tablecloth is duly anointed with gravy by "poor baby," in her high chair, and the youngest but one is slapped at intervals by his instructress, for using his knife for the peas--at the risk of enlarging his mouth--or for swallowing the stones of the cherries which have been dealt him, or her, from the tart. this is not the sort of meal for the male friend of the family to "drop in" at, if he value the lapels of his new frock-coat, and be given to blushing. for children have not only an evil habit of "pawing" the visitor with jammy fingers, but occasionally narrate somewhat "risky" anecdotes. and a child's ideas of the christian religion, nay, of the creator himself, are occasionally more quaint than reverent. "ma, dear," once lisped a sweet little thing of six, "what doth god have for hith dinner?" "s-sh-sh, my child!" replied the horrified mother, "you must not ask such dreadful questions. god doesn't want any dinner, remember that." "oh-h-h!" continued the unabashed and dissatisfied _enfant terrible_. and, after a pause, "then i thuppose he hath an egg with hith tea." in a country-house, of course, but few of the male guests turn up at the domestic luncheon, being otherwise engaged in killing something, or in trying to kill something, or in that sport which is but partially understood out of great britain--the pursuit of an evil-savoured animal who is practically worthless to civilisation after his capture and death. it is in "the city" that vile man, perhaps, puts in his best work as an eater of luncheons. some city men there be, of course--poor, wretched, half-starved clerks, whose state nobody ever seems to attempt to ameliorate--whose midday refections are not such as would have earned a meed of commendation from the late vitellius, or from the late colonel north. for said refections but seldom consist of more important items than a thick slice of bread and a stale bloater; or possibly a home-made sandwich of bread and dutch cheese--the whole washed down with a tumbler of milk, or more often a tumbler of the fluid supplied by the new river company. during the winter months a pennyworth of roasted chestnuts supplies a filling, though indigestible meal to many a man whose employer is swilling turtle at birch's or at the big house in leadenhall street, and who is compelled, by the exigencies of custom, to wear a decent black coat and some sort of tall hat when on his way to and from "business." but the more fortunate citizens--how do they "do themselves" at luncheon? for some there is the cheap soup-house, or the chop-and-steak house reviled of dickens, and but little changed since the time of the great novelist. then, for the "gilt-edged" division there is _birch's_, the little green house which, although now "run" by those eminent caterers, messrs. ring and brymer, is still known by the name of the old alderman who deserved so well of his fellow citizens, and who, whilst a _cordon bleu_ of some celebrity, had also a pretty taste as a playwright. the old house has not changed one jot, either in appearance, customs, or fare. at the little counter on the ground floor may be obtained the same cheesecakes, tartlets, baked custards, and calf's-foot jellies which delighted our grandfathers, and the same brand of scottish whisky. upstairs, in the soup-rooms, some of the tables are covered with damask tablecloths, whilst at others a small square of napery but partially obscures the view of the well-polished mahogany. _turtle soup_ is still served on silver plates, whilst the cheaper juices of the bullock, the calf, and the pea, "with the usual trimmings," repose temporarily on china or earthenware. _pâtés_, whether of oyster, lobster, chicken, or veal-and-ham, are still in favour with _habitué_ and chance customer alike, and no wonder, for these are something like _pâtés_. the "filling" is kept hot like the soups, in huge stewpans, on the range, and when required is ladled out into a plate, and furnished with top and bottom crust--and such crust, flaky and light to a degree; and how different to the confectioner's or railway-refreshment _pâté_, which, when an orifice be made in the covering with a pickaxe, reveals nothing more appetising than what appear to be four small cubes of frost-bitten india-rubber, with a portion or two of candle end. a more advanced meal is served in leadenhall street, at "_the ship and turtle_," said to be the oldest tavern in london, and which has been more than once swept and garnished, and reformed altogether, since its establishment during the reign of king richard ii. but they could have known but little about the superior advantages offered by the turtle as a life-sustainer, in those days; whereas at the present day some hundreds of the succulent reptiles die the death on the premises, within a month, in order that city companies, and stockbrokers, and merchants of sorts, and mining millionaires, and bicycle makers, and other estimable people, may dine and lunch. then there are the numerous clubs, not forgetting one almost at the very door of "the house," where the odd (some of them _very_ odd) members are regaled on the fat of the land in general, and of the turtle in particular, day by day; and that mammoth underground palace the "palmerston," where any kind of banquet can be served up at a few minutes' notice, and where "special greek dishes" are provided for the gamblers in wheat and other cereals, at the adjacent "baltic." there be also other eating-houses, far too numerous to mention, but most of them worth a visit. a "filling" sort of luncheon is a portion of a _cheshire cheese pudding_. a little way up a gloomy court on the north side of fleet street--a neighbourhood which reeks of printers' ink, bookmakers' "runners," tipsters, habitual borrowers of small pieces of silver, and that "warm" smell of burning paste and molten lead which indicates the "foundry" in a printing works--is situated this ancient hostelry. it is claimed for the "cheese" that it was the tavern most frequented by dr. samuel johnson. mr. c. redding, in his _fifty years' recollections, literary and personal_, published in , says: "i often dined at the "_cheshire cheese_." johnson and his friends, i was informed, used to do the same, and i was told i should see individuals who had met them there. this i found to be correct. the company was more select than in later times, but there are fleet street tradesmen who well remembered both johnson and goldsmith in this place of entertainment." few americans who visit our metropolis go away without making a pilgrimage to this ancient hostelry, where, upstairs, "doctor johnson's chair" is on view; and many visitors carry away mementoes of the house, in the shape of pewter measures, the oaken platters upon which these are placed, and even samples of the long "churchwarden" pipes, smoked by _habitués_ after their evening chops or steaks. _ye pudding_, which is served on wednesdays and saturdays, at . and . , is a formidable-looking object, and its savour reaches even into the uttermost parts of great grub street. as large, more or less, as the dome of st. paul's, that pudding is stuffed with steak, kidney, oysters, mushrooms, and larks. the irreverent call these last named sparrows, but we know better. this pudding takes (_on dit_) ½ hours in the boiling, and the "bottom crust" would have delighted the hearts of johnson, boswell, and co., in whose days the savoury dish was not. the writer once witnessed a catastrophe at the "cheshire cheese," compared to which the burning of moscow or the bombardment of alexandria were mere trifles. . on saturday afternoon had arrived, and the oaken benches in the refectory were filled to repletion with expectant pudding-eaters. burgesses of the city of london were there--good, "warm," round-bellied men, with plough-boys' appetites--and journalists, and advertising agents, and "resting" actors, and magistrates' clerks, and barristers from the temple, and well-to-do tradesmen. sherry and gin and bitters and other adventitious aids (?) to appetite had been done justice to, and the arrival of the "procession"--it takes three men and a boy to carry the _pièce de résistance_ from the kitchen to the dining-room--was anxiously awaited. and then, of a sudden we heard a loud crash! followed by a feminine shriek, and an unwhispered saxon oath. "tom" the waiter had slipped, released his hold, and the pudding had fallen downstairs! it was a sight ever to be remembered--steak, larks, oysters, "delicious gravy," running in a torrent into wine office court. the expectant diners (many of them lunchers) stood up and gazed upon the wreck of their hopes, and then filed, silently and sadly, outside. such a catastrophe had not been known in brainland since the great fire. puddings of all sorts are, in fact, favourite autumn and winter luncheon dishes in london, and the man who can "come twice" at such a "dream" as the following, between the hours of one and three, can hardly be in devouring trim for his evening meal till very late. it is a _snipe pudding_. a _thin_ slice of beef-skirt,[ ] seasoned with pepper and salt, at the bottom of the basin; then three snipes beheaded and befooted, and with gizzards extracted. leave the liver and heart in, an you value your life. cover up with paste, and boil (or steam) for two-and-a-half hours. for stockbrokers and bookmakers, mushrooms and truffles are sometimes placed within this pudding; but it is better without--according to the writer's notion. most of the fowls of the air may be treated in the same way. and when eating cold grouse for luncheon try (if you can get it) a fruit salad therewith. you will find preserved peaches, apricots, and cherries in syrup, harmonise well with cold _brown_ game. _lancashire hot-pot_ is a savoury dish indeed; but i know of but one eating-house in london where you can get anything like it. here is the recipe-- place a layer of mutton cutlets, with most of the fat and tails trimmed off, at the bottom of a deep earthenware stewpan. then a layer of chopped sheep's kidneys, an onion cut into thin slices, half-a-dozen oysters, and some sliced potatoes. sprinkle over these a little salt and pepper and a teaspoonful of curry powder. then start again with cutlets, and keep on adding layers of the different ingredients until the dish be full. whole potatoes atop of all, and pour in the oyster liquor and some good gravy. more gravy just before the dish is ready to serve. not too fierce an oven, just fierce enough to brown the top potatoes. in making this succulent concoction you can add to, or substitute for, the mutton cutlets pretty nearly any sort of flesh or fowl. i have met rabbit, goose, larks, turkey, and (frequently) beef therein; but, believe me, the simple, harmless, necessary, toothsome cutlet makes the best lining. in the cape colony, and even as high up as rhodesia, i have met with a dish called a _brady_, which is worthy of mention here. it is made in the same way as the familiar irish stew; but instead of potatoes tomatoes are used. chapter v luncheon (_continued_) "he couldn't hit a haystack!" shooting luncheons--cold tea and a crust--clear turtle--such larks!--jugged duck and oysters--woodcock pie--hunting luncheons--pie crusts--the true yorkshire pie--race-course luncheons--suggestions to caterers--the "jolly sand boys" stew--various recipes--a race-course sandwich--angels' pie--"suffolk pride"--devilled larks--a light lunch in the himalayas. there is no meal which has become more "expanded" than a shooting luncheon. a crust of bread with cheese, or a few biscuits, and a flask of sherry sufficed for our forebears, who, despite inferior weapons and ammunition, managed to "bring 'em down" quite as effectually as do the shootists of this period. most certainly and decidedly, a heavy luncheon is a mistake if you want to "shoot clean" afterwards. and bear this in mind, all ye "johnnies" who rail at your host's champagne and turtle, after luncheon, in a comfortable pavilion in the midst of a pheasant _battue_, and whose very beaters would turn up their noses at a pork pie and a glass of old ale, that there is nothing so good to shoot upon as cold tea, unless it be cold coffee. i have tried both, and for a shooting luncheon _par excellence_ commend me to a crust and a pint of cold tea, eaten whilst sitting beneath the shelter of an unpleached hedge, against the formal spread which commences with a _consommé_, and finishes with guinea peaches, and liqueurs of rare curaçoa. of course, it is assumed that the shooter wishes to make a bag. but as, fortunately for trade, everybody does not share my views, it will be as well to append a few dishes suitable to a scratch meal of this sort. first of all let it be said that a _roast loin of pork_, washed down with sweet champagne, is not altogether to be commended. i have nothing to urge against roast pork, on ordinary occasions, or champagne either; but a woodcock takes a lot of hitting. such a pudding as was sketched in the preceding chapter is allowable, as is also the lancashire hot-pot. _shepherd's pie_, _i.e._ minced meat beneath a mattress of mashed potatoes, with lots of gravy in the dish, baked, is an economical dish, but a tasty one; and i have never known much left for the beaters. rabbit pie, or pudding, will stop a gap most effectually, and _plover pudding_ --the very name brings water to the lips--is entitled to the highest commendation. this is the favourite dish at the shooting luncheons of a well-known royal duke, and when upon one occasion the discovery was made that through some misunderstanding said pudding had been devoured to the very bones, by _the loaders_, the--well, "the band played," as they say out west. and a stirring tune did that band play too. _such larks!_ stuff a dozen larks with a force-meat made from their own livers chopped, a little shallot, parsley, yolk of egg, salt, bread crumbs, and one green chili chopped and divided amongst the twelve. brown in a stewpan, and then stew gently in a good gravy to which has been added a glass of burgundy. this is a _plât_ fit for an emperor, and there will be no subsequent danger of his hitting a beater or a dog. another dainty of home invention is _jugged duck with oysters_. cut the fleshy parts of your waddler into neat joints, and having browned them place in a jar with nine oysters and some good gravy partly made from the giblets. close the mouth of the jar, and stand it in boiling water for rather more than an hour. add the strained liquor of the oysters and a little more gravy, and turn the concoction into a deep silver dish with a spirit lamp beneath. wild duck can be jugged in the same way, but _without_ the addition of the bivalves; and a mixture of port wine and worcester sauce should be poured in, with a squeeze of lemon juice and cayenne, just before serving. another dish which will be found "grateful and comforting" is an _old_ grouse--the older the tastier. stuff him with a spanish onion, add a little gravy and seasoning, and stew him till the flesh leaves the bones. all these stews, or "jugs" should be served on dishes kept hot by lighted spirit beneath them. this is most important. _a woodcock pie_ will be found extremely palatable at any shooting luncheon, although more frequently to be met with on the sideboards of the great and wealthy. in fact, at christmas time, 'tis a pie which is specially concocted in the royal kitchen at windsor castle, to adorn her most gracious majesty's board at osborne, together with the time-honoured baron of specially fed beef. this last named joint hardly meets my views as part of a breakfast _menu_; but here is the recipe for the woodcock pie. bone four woodcocks--i _don't_ mean take them off the hooks when the gentleman is not in his shop, but tell your cook to take the bones out of one you've shot yourself--put bones and trimmings into a saucepan with one shallot, one small onion, and a sprig of thyme, cover them with some good stock, and let this gravy simmer awhile. take the gizzards away from the heart and liver, pound, and mix these with some good veal force-meat. place the woodcocks, skin downwards, on a board; spread over each two layers of force-meat, with a layer of sliced truffles in between the two. make your crust, either in a mould, or with the hands, put a layer of force-meat at the bottom, then two woodcocks, then a layer of truffles, then the other two woodcocks, another layer of truffles, and a top layer of force-meat, and some thin slices of fat bacon. cover the pie, leaving a hole for the gravy, and bake in a moderate oven. after taking out pour in the gravy, then close the orifice and let the pie get cold before serving. _n.b._--it will stimulate the _digging_ industry if one or two _whole_ truffles have been hidden away in the recesses of the pie. another good pie i have met with--in the north country--was lined with portions of grouse and black game (no bones), with here and there half a hard-boiled egg. nothing else except the necessary seasoning. with regard to _hunting luncheons_ it cannot be said that your nimrod is nearly as well catered for as is the "gun." for, as a rule, the first-named, if he be really keen on the sport of kings has to content himself, during the interval of a "check," with the contents of a sandwich-case, and a flask, which may contain either brown sherry or brandy and water--or possibly something still more seductive. i have heard of flasks which held milk punch, but the experience is by no means a familiar one. if your nimrod be given to "macadamising," instead of riding the line, or if he sicken of the business altogether before hounds throw off, he can usually "cadge" a lunch at some house in the neighbourhood, even though it may only "run to" bread and cheese--or, possibly, a wedge of a home-made pork-pie--with a glass, or mug, of nut brown ale. not that all ale is "nut brown," but 'tis an epithet which likes me well. would it were possible to give practical hints here as to the true way to manufacture a pork-pie! to make the attempt would, i fear, only serve to invite disaster; for the art of pork-pie making, like that of the poet, or the play-actor, should be born within us. in large households in the midland counties (wherein doth flourish the pig tart) there is, as a rule, but one qualified pie-maker--who is incapable of any other culinary feat whatever. i have even been told that it requires "special hands" to make the crust of the proper consistency; and having tasted crusts _and_ crusts, i can implicitly believe this statement. here is a recipe for a veritable savoury _yorkshire pie_. bone a goose and a large fowl. fill the latter with the following stuffing:--minced ham, veal, suet, onion, sweet herbs, lemon peel, mixed spices, goose-liver, cayenne, and salt, worked into a paste with the yolks of two eggs. sew up the fowl, truss it, and stew it with the goose for twenty minutes in some good beef and giblet stock, with a small glass of sherry, in a close stewpan. then put the fowl inside the goose, and place the goose within a pie-mould which has been lined with good hot-water paste. let the goose rest on a cushion of stuffing, and in the middle of the liquor in which he has been stewed. surround him in the pie with slices of parboiled tongue and chunks of semi-cooked pheasant, partridge, and hare, filling in the vacancies with more stuffing, put a layer of butter atop, roof in the pie with paste, bake for three hours, and eat either hot or cold--the latter for choice. for a skating luncheon _irish stew_ is the recognised _entrée_, served in soup-plates, and washed down with hot spiced ale. in the way of _race-course luncheons_ our caterers have made giant strides in the last dozen years. a member of a large firm once told me that it was "out of the question" to supply joints, chops, and steaks in the dining-rooms of a grand stand, distant far from his base of operations, london. "impossible, my dear sir! we couldn't do it without incurring a ruinous loss." but the whirligig of time has proved this feat to be not only possible, but one which has led to the best results for all concerned. in the matter of chops and steaks i hope to see further reforms introduced. these succulent dainties, it cannot be too widely known, are not at their best unless _cut fresh_ from loin or rump, just before being placed on the gridiron. the longer a cut chop (raw) is kept the more of its virtue is lost. it might, possibly, cause a little extra delay, and a little extra expense, to send off loins and rumps from the butcher's shop, instead of ready-cut portions, but the experiment would answer, in the long run. the same rule, of course, should apply to restaurants and grill-rooms all over the world. during the autumn and winter months, race-course caterers seem to have but one idea of warm comforting food for their customers, and the name of that idea is irish stew. this is no doubt an appetising dish, but might be varied occasionally for the benefit of the habitual follower of the sport of kings. why not pea-soup, jugged hare (hares are cheap enough), hot-pot, scotch broth, mullagatawny, hotch-potch, stewed or curried rabbit, with rice, shepherd's pie, haricot ox-tails, sheep's head broth (scotch fashion), and hare soup! what is the matter with the world-renowned stew of which we read in _the old curiosity shop_--the supper provided by the landlord of the "jolly sandboys" for the itinerant showmen? here it is again: "'it's a stew of tripe,' said the landlord, smacking his lips, 'and cowheel,' smacking them again, 'and bacon,' smacking them once more, 'and steak,' smacking them for the fourth time, 'and peas, cauliflowers, new potatoes, and sparrowgrass, all working up together in one delicious gravy.' having come to the climax, he smacked his lips a great many times, and taking a long hearty sniff of the fragrance that was hovering about, put on the cover again with the air of one whose toils on earth were over. "'at what time will it be ready?' asked mr. codlin faintly. 'it'll be done to a turn,' said the landlord, looking up at the clock, 'at twenty-two minutes before eleven.' "'then,' said mr. codlin, 'fetch me a pint of warm ale, and don't let nobody bring into the room even so much as a biscuit till the time arrives.'" and i do vow and protest that the above passage has caused much more smacking of lips than the most expensive, savoury _menu_ ever thought out. true, sparrowgrass and new potatoes, and any peas but dried or tinned ones are not as a rule at their best in the same season as tripe; but why not dried peas, and old potatoes, and rice, and curry powder, and onions--charles dickens forgot the onions--with, maybe, a modicum of old ale added, for "body"--in this stew, on a cold day at sandown or kempton? _toujours_ irish stew, like _toujours_ mother-in-law, is apt to pall upon the palate; especially if not fresh made. and frost occasionally interferes with the best-laid plans of a race-course caterer. "i don't mind a postponed meeting," once observed one of the "readiest" of bookmakers; "but what i cannot stand is postponed irish stew." than a good bowl of _scotch broth_, what could be more grateful, or less expensive? shin of beef, pearl barley, cabbages, leeks, turnips, carrots, dried peas (of course soaked overnight), and water--"all working up together in one delicious gravy." also _hotch potch_. with the addition of cutlets from the best end of a neck of mutton, the same recipe as the above will serve for this dish, which it must be remembered should be more of a "stodge" than a broth. there are more ways than one of making a "hot-pot." the recipe given above would hardly suit the views of any caterer who wishes to make a living for himself; but it can be done on the cheap. the old lady whose dying husband was ordered by the doctor oysters and champagne, procured whelks and ginger beer for the patient, instead, on the score of economy. then why not make your hot-pot with mussels instead of oysters? or why add any sort of mollusc? in the certain knowledge that these be invaluable hints to race-course caterers, i offer them with all consideration and respect. the writer well remembers the time when the refreshments on newmarket heath at race-time were dispensed from a booth, which stood almost adjoining the "birdcage." said refreshments were rough, but satisfying, and consisted of thick sandwiches, cheese, and bread, with "thumb-pieces" (or "thumbers") of beef, mutton, and pork, which the luncher was privileged to cut with his own clasp-knife. said "thumbers" seem to have gone out of favour with the aristocracy of the turf; but the true racing or coursing sandwich still forms part of the _impedimenta_ of many a cash-bookmaker, of his clerk, and of many a "little" backer. 'tis a solid, satisfying sandwich, and is just the sort of nourishment for a hard worker on a bitter november day. let your steak be grilling, whilst you are enjoying your breakfast--some prefer the ox-portion fried, for these simple speculators have strange tastes--then take the steak off the fire and place it, all hot, between two _thick_ slices of bread. the sandwich will require several paper wrappings, if you value the purity of your pocket-linings. and when eaten cold, the juices of the meat will be found to have irrigated the bread, with more or less "delicious gravy." and, as sam weller ought to have said, "it's the gravy as does it." "but what about the swells?" i fancy i hear somebody asking, "is my lord tomnoddy, or the duke of earlswood to be compelled to satisfy his hunger, on a race-course, with tripe and fat bacon? are you really advising those dapper-looking, tailor-made ladies on yonder drag to insert their delicate teeth in a sandwich which would have puzzled gargantua to masticate?" not at all, my good sir, or madam. the well-appointed coach should be well-appointed within and without. of course the luncheon it contains will differ materially according to the season of the year. this is the sort of meal i will provide, an you will deign to visit the arabian tent behind my coach, at ascot: lobster mayonnaise, salmon cutlets with tartar sauce (_iced_), curried prawns (_iced_), lobster cutlets, _chaud-froid_ of quails, _foie gras_ in aspic, prawns in ditto, plovers' eggs in ditto, galantine of chicken, york ham, sweets various, including iced gooseberry fool; and, as the _pièce de résistance_, an _angel's pie_. many people would call this a pigeon pie, for in good sooth there be pigeons in it; but 'tis a pie worthy of a brighter sphere than this. six plump young pigeons, trimmed of all superfluous matter, including pinions and below the thighs. season with pepper and salt, and stuff these pigeons with _foie gras_, and quartered truffles, and fill up the pie with plovers' eggs and some good force-meat. make a good gravy from the superfluous parts of the birds, and some calf's head stock to which has been added about half a wine-glassful of old madeira, with some lemon-juice and cayenne. see that your paste be light and flaky, and bake in a moderate oven for three hours. pour in more gravy just before taking out, and let the pie get cold. this is a concoction which will make you back all the winners; whilst no heiress who nibbles at it would refuse you her hand and heart afterwards. this is another sort of _pigeon pie_ which is best served hot, and is more suited to the dining-room than the race-course. line a pie dish with veal force-meat, very highly seasoned, about an inch thick. place on it some thin slices of fat bacon, three bordeaux pigeons (trimmed) in halves, a veal sweetbread in slices, an ox palate, boiled and cut up into dice, a dozen asparagus tops, a few button mushrooms (the large ones would give the interior of the pie a bad colour) and the yolks of four eggs. cover with force-meat, and bake for three hours. some good veal gravy should be served with this, which i have named _suffolk pride_. it is a remarkable fact in natural history that english pigeons are at their best just at the time when the young rooks leave the shelter of their nests. therefore have i written, in the above recipe, "bordeaux" pigeons. here is a quaint old eighteenth-century recipe, which comes from northumberland, and is given _verbatim_, for a _goose pie_. bone a goose, a turkey, a hare, and a brace of grouse; skin it, and cut off all the outside pieces--i mean of the _tongue_, after boiling it--lay the goose, for the outside a few pieces of hare; then lay in the turkey, the grouse, and the remainder of the tongue and hare. season highly between each layer with pepper and salt, mace and cayenne, and put it together, and draw it close with a needle and thread. take lbs. of flour, put lbs. of butter into a pan with some water, let it boil, pour it among the flour, stir it with a knife, then work it with your hands till quite stiff. let it stand before the fire for half an hour, then raise your pie and set it to cool; then finish it, put in the meat, close the pie, and set it in a cold place. ornament according to your taste, bandage it with calico dipped in fat. let it stand all night before baking. it will take a long time to bake. the oven must be pretty hot for the first four hours, and then allowed to slacken. to know when it is enough, raise one of the ornaments, and with a fork try if the meat is tender. if it is hard the pie must be put in again for two hours more. after it comes out of the oven fill up with strong stock, well seasoned, or with clarified butter. all standing pies made in this way. verily, in the eighteenth century they must have had considerably more surplus cash and time, and rather more angelic cooks than their descendants! during cold weather the interior of the coach should be well filled with earthenware vessels containing such provender as hot-pot, hare soup, mullagatawny, lobster _à l'américaine_, curried rabbit, devilled larks--with the _matériel_ for heating these. such cold viands as game pie, pressed beef, boar's head, _foie gras_ (truffled), plain truffles (to be steamed and served with buttered toast) anchovies, etc. the larks should be smothered with a paste made from a mixture of mustard, chili vinegar, and a little anchovy paste, and kept closely covered up. after heating, add cayenne to taste. gourmets interested in _menus_ may like to know what were the first _déjeuners_ partaken of by the tsar on his arrival in paris in october . on the first day he had huîtres, consommé, oeufs à la parisienne, filet de boeuf, pommes de terre, nesselrode sauce, chocolat. next day he ate huîtres, consommé, oeufs dauphine, rougets, noisettes d'agneau maréchal, pommes de terre, cailles à la bohémienne, poires bar-le-duc. the writer can recall some colossal luncheons partaken of at dear, naughty simla, in the long ago, when a hill station in india was, if anything, livelier than at the present day, and furnished plenty of food for both mind and body. our host was the genial proprietor of a weekly journal, to which most of his guests contributed, after their lights; "sport and the drama" falling to the present writer's share. most of the food at those luncheons had been specially imported from europe; and although the whitebait tasted more of the hermetical sealing than of the thames mud, most of the other items were succulent enough. there were turtle soup, and turtle fins; highly seasoned _pâtés_ of sorts; and the native _khansamah_ had added several dishes of his own providing and invention. a young florican (bustard) is by no means a bad bird, well roasted and basted; and though the eternal _vilolif_ (veal olives) were usually sent away untasted, his snipe puddings were excellent. what was called _picheese_ (twenty-five years old) brandy, from the _atelier_ of messrs. justerini and brooks, was served after the coffee; and those luncheon parties seldom broke up until it was time to dress for dinner. in fact, our memories were not often keen as to anything which occurred after the coffee, and many "strange things happened" in consequence; although as they have no particular connection with high-class cookery, they need not be alluded to in this chapter. but, as observed before, i am of opinion that luncheon, except under certain circumstances, is a mistake. chapter vi dinner "some hae meat and canna eat, and some wad eat that want it; but we can eat and we hae meat, and sae the lord be thankit." origin--early dinners--the noble romans--"vitellius the glutton"--origin of haggis--the saxons--highland hospitality--the french invasion--waterloo avenged--the bad fairy "_ala_"--comparisons--the english cook or the foreign food torturer?--plain or flowery--fresh fish and the flavour wrapped up--george augustus sala--doctor johnson again. it is somewhat humiliating to reflect that we britons owe the art of dining to our first conquerors the romans--a smooth-faced race of voluptuaries whose idea of a _bonne bouche_ took the form of a dormouse stewed in honey and sprinkled with poppy-seed. but it was not until the normans had fairly established themselves and their cookery, that the sturdy saxon submitted himself to be educated by the foreign food-spoiler; and at a later period the frequent invasions of france by britain--when money was "tight" in the little island--were undoubtedly responsible for the commencement of the system of "decorating" food which so largely obtains to-day. the name "dinner" is said--although it seems incredible that words should have become so corrupted--to be a corruption of _dix heures_, the time at which (a.m.), in the old norman days, the meal was usually partaken of; and the time at which (p.m.), in later years, when none of the guests ever knew the hour, in that loose-and-careless period, the meal was occasionally partaken of at limmer's and at lane's, in london town. froissart, in one of his works, mentions having waited upon the duke of lancaster at p.m., "after his grace had supped"; and it is certain that during the reigns of francis i. and louis xii. of france, the world of fashion was accustomed to dine long before the sun had arrived at the meridian, and to sup at what we now call "afternoon tea time." louis xiv. did not dine till twelve; and his contemporaries, oliver cromwell and the merry monarch, sat down to the principal meal at one. in , two was the fashionable time; and in we read that the duchess of somerset's hour for dinner was three. the hour for putting the soup on the table kept on advancing, until, after waterloo, it became almost a penal offence to dine before six; and so to the end of the century, when we sit down to a sumptuous repast at a time when farm-labourers and artisans are either snug between the blankets, or engaged in their final wrangle at the "blue pig." the romans in the time of cicero had a light breakfast at . a.m., lunched at noon, and attacked the _coena_ at periods varying between and p.m.--according to the season of the year. they commenced the first course with eggs, and each noble roman was supposed to clear his palate with an apple at the conclusion of the third course. "a banquet with vitellius," we read, "was no light and simple repast. leagues of sea and miles of forest had been swept to furnish the mere groundwork of the entertainment. hardy fishermen had spent their nights on the heaving wave, that the giant turbot might flap its snowy flakes on the emperor's table, broader than its broad dish of gold. many a swelling hill, clad in the dark oak coppice, had echoed to ringing shout of hunter and deep-mouthed bay of hound, ere the wild boar yielded his grim life, by the morass, and the dark grisly carcase was drawn off to provide a standing dish that was only meant to gratify the eye. even the peacock roasted in its feathers was too gross a dainty"--especially the feather part, we should think--"for epicures who studied the art of gastronomy under caesar; and that taste would have been considered rustic in the extreme which could partake of more than the mere fumes and savour of so substantial a dish. a thousand nightingales had been trapped and killed, indeed, for this one supper, but brains and tongues were all they contributed to the banquet; while even the wing of a roasted hare would have been considered far too coarse and common food for the imperial table." talk about a bean-feast! according to suetonius (whose name suggests "duff") the villain nero was accustomed to dine in a superb apartment, surrounded with mechanical scenery, which could be "shifted" with every course. the suppers of "vitellius the glutton" cost, on the average, more than £ a-piece--which reads like a "kaffir circus" dinner at the savoy--and the celebrated feast to which he invited his brother was down in the bill for £ , . now a-nights we don't spend as much on a dinner, even when we invite other people's wives. "it consisted"--i always think of little dombey and the dinner at doctor blimber's, on reading these facts--"of two thousand different dishes of fish, and seven thousand of fowls, with other equally numerous meats." "sharp-biting salads," salted herrings, and pickled anchovies, were served, as _hors d'oeuvres_ during the first course of a roman banquet, to stimulate the hunger which the rest of the meal would satisfy; but although vitellius was, according to history, "a whale on" oysters, they do not appear to have been eaten as a whet to appetite. and it was the duty of one, or more, of the emperor's "freedmen" to taste every dish before his imperial master, in case poison might lurk therein. a garland of flowers around the brows was the regular wear for a guest at a "swagger" dinner party in ancient rome, and, the eating part over, said garland was usually tilted back on the head, the while he who had dined disposed himself in an easy attitude on his ivory couch, and proffered his cup to be filled by the solicitous slave. then commenced the "big drink." but it must be remembered that although the subsequent display of fireworks was provided from lively early christians, in tar overcoats, these romans drank the pure, unadulterated juice of the grape, freely mixed with water; so that headaches i' th' morn were not _de rigueur_, nor did the subsequent massacres and other diversions in the amphitheatre cause any feelings of "jumpiness." the roman bill-of-fare, however, does not commend itself to all british epicures, one of whom wrote, in a convivial song-- "old lucullus, they say, forty cooks had each day, and vitellius's meals cost a million; but i like what is good, when or where be my food, in a chop-house or royal pavilion. at all feasts (if enough) i most heartily stuff, and a song at my heart alike rushes, though i've not fed my lungs upon nightingales' tongues, nor the brains of goldfinches and thrushes." my pen loves to linger long over the gastronomies of those shaven voluptuaries, the ancient italians; and my caledonian readers will forgive the old tales when it is further set forth that the romans introduced, amongst other things, _haggis_ into bonnie scotland. yes, the poet's "great chieftain o' the puddin' race" is but an italian dish after all. the apician pork haggis[ ] was a boiled pig's stomach filled with fry and brains, raw eggs, and pine-apples beaten to a pulp, and seasoned with _liquamen_. for although some of the romans' tastes savoured of refinement, many of them were "absolutely beastly." the idea of pig's fry and pine-apples mixed is horrible enough; but take a look into the constitution of this _liquamen_, and wonder no longer that gibbons wrote his _decline and fall_ with so much feeling and _gusto_. this sauce was obtained from the intestines, gills, and blood of fishes, great and small, stirred together with salt, and exposed in an open vat in the sun, until the compound became putrid. when putrefaction had done its work, wine and spices were added to the hell-broth, which was subsequently strained and sent into the roman market. this _liquamen_ was manufactured in greece, and not one of all the poets of sunny italy seems to have satirised the "made-in-greece" custom, which in those days must have been almost as obnoxious as the "made-in-germany" or the "made-in-whitechapel" scare of to-day. the usual farinaceous ingredient of the roman haggis was frumenty, but frequently no grain whatever was applied; and instead of mincing the ingredients, as do the scots, the ancients pounded them in a mortar, well moistened with _liquamen_, until reduced to pulp. we are further told in history that a roman gladiator was capable, after playing with eggs, fish, nightingales' tongues, dormice, and haggis, of finishing a wild boar at a sitting. but as the old lady remarked of the great tragedy, this happened a long time ago, so let's hope it isn't true. the saxon dining-table was oblong, and rounded at the ends. the cloth was crimson, with broad gilt edgings hanging low beneath the table, and, it is to be feared, often soiled by the dirty boots of the guests, who sat on chairs with covered backs, the counterfeit presentments of which are still to be seen in the tottenham court road. the food consisted of fish, fowls, beef, mutton, venison, and pork--wild and domestic--either boiled, baked, or broiled, and handed to the company by the attendants on small _sples_. a favourite "fish joint" of the old saxon was a cut out of the middle of a porpoise; and bread of the finest wheaten flour reposed in two silver baskets at each end of the table, above the salt, the retainers having to content themselves with coarser "household" out of a wooden cradle. almost the only vegetable in use amongst the saxons was colewort, although the romans had brought over many others, years before; but hatred of anything foreign was more rampant in early saxon days than at present. forks were not introduced into england until during the reign of king "jamie": so that our ancestors had perforce to "thumb" their victuals. the fair queen elizabeth (like much more modern monarchs) was accustomed to raise to her mouth with her virgin fingers a turkey leg and gnaw it. but even in the earliest days of the thirteenth century, each person was provided with a small silver basin and two flowered napkins of the finest linen, for finger-washing and wiping purposes. grapes, figs, nuts, apples, pears, and almonds, constituted a saxon dessert; and in the reign of edward iii. an act of parliament was passed, forbidding any man or woman to be served with more than two courses, unless on high days and holidays, when each was entitled to three. here is the bill for the ingredients of a big dinner provided by a city company in the fifteenth century: "two loins of veal and two loins of mutton, s. d.; one loin of beef, d.; one dozen pigeons and rabbits, d.; one pig and one capon, s.; one goose and eggs, s. ½d.; one leg of mutton, ½d.; two gallons of sack, s. d.; eight gallons of strong ale, s. d.; total, s. d." alas! in these advanced days the goose alone would cost more than the "demmed total." cedric the saxon's dining table, described in _ivanhoe_, was of a much simpler description than the one noted above; and the fare also. but there was no lack of assorted liquors--old wine and ale, good mead and cider, rich morat (a mixture of honey and mulberry juice, a somewhat gouty beverage, probably), and odoriferous pigment--which was composed of highly-spiced wine, sweetened with honey. the virgin queen, at a later epoch, was catered for more delicately; and we read that she detested all coarse meats, evil smells, and strong wines. during the georgian era coarse meats and strong wines were by no means out of favour; and highland banquets especially were gargantuan feasts, to be read of with awe. the dinner given by fergus macivor, in honour of captain waverley, consisted of dishes of fish and game, carefully dressed, at the upper end of the table, immediately under the eye of the english stranger. "lower down stood immense clumsy joints of beef," says the gifted author, "which, but for the absence of pork, abhorred in the highlands, resembled the rude festivity of the banquet of penelope's suitors. but the central dish was a yearling lamb, called a "hog in har'st," roasted whole. it was set upon its legs, with a bunch of parsley in its mouth, and was probably exhibited in that form to gratify the pride of the cook, who piqued himself more on the plenty than the elegance of his master's table. the sides of this poor animal"--the lamb, not the cook, we suppose is meant--"were fiercely attacked by the clansmen, some with dirks, others with the knives worn in the same sheath as the dagger, so that it was soon rendered a mangled and rueful spectacle." a spectacle which reminds the writer of a dinner table at the royal military college, sandhurst, in the early sixties. "lower down," continues sir walter, "the victuals seemed of yet coarser quality, though sufficiently abundant. broth, onions, cheese, and the fragments of the feast, regaled the sons of ivor, who feasted in the open air." the funeral baked meats used after the interment of the chief of the clan quhele (described in _the fair maid of perth_) were also on a very extensive scale, and were, like the other meal, "digested" with pailfuls of usquebaugh, for which no highland head that supported a bonnet was ever "the waur i' th' morn." and the custom of placing bagpipers behind the chairs of the guests, after they have well drunk, which is still observed in highland regiments, was probably introduced by the aforesaid fergus macivor, who really ought to have known better. and so the years rolled on; and at the commencement of the nineteenth century, old england, instead of enjoying the blessings of universal peace, such as the spread of the gospel of christianity might have taught us to expect, found herself involved in rather more warfare than was good for trade, or anything else. the first "innings" of the corsican usurper was a short but merry one; the second saw him finally "stumped." and from that period dates the "avenging of waterloo" which we have suffered in silence for so long. the immigration of aliens commenced, and in the tight little island were deposited a large assortment of the poisonous seeds of alien cookery which had never exactly flourished before. the combat between the roast beef of old england and the bad fairy "_ala_," with her attendant sprites grease, vinegar, and garlic, commenced; a combat which at the end of the nineteenth century looked excessively like terminating in favour of the fairy. it has been repeatedly urged against my former gastronomic writings that they are unjustly severe on french cookery; that far greater minds than mine own have expressed unqualified approval thereof; that i know absolutely nothing about the subject; and that my avowed hatred of our lively neighbours and their works is so ferocious as to become ridiculous. these statements are not altogether fair to myself. i have no "avowed hatred" of our lively neighbours; in fact, upon one occasion on returning from the celebration of the grand prix, i saw a vision of----but that is a different anecdote. my lash has never embraced the entire _batterie de cuisine_ of the _chef_, and there be many french _plats_ which are agreeable to the palate, as long as we are satisfied that the _matériel_ of which they are composed is sound, wholesome, and of the best quality. it is the cheap _restaurateur_ who should be improved out of england. i was years ago inveigled into visiting the kitchen of one of these grease-and-garlic shops, and----but the memory is too terrible for language. and will anybody advance the statement that a basin of the _tortue claire_ of the average _chef_ deserves to be mentioned in the same breath with a plate of clear turtle at birch's or painter's? or that good genuine english soup, whether ox-tail, mock-turtle, pea, oyster, or palestine, is not to be preferred to the french _purée_, or to their teakettle broth flavoured with carrots, cabbages, and onions, and dignified by the name of _consommé_? then let us tackle the subject of fish. would you treat a salmon in the british way, or smother him with thick brown gravy, fried onions, garlic, mushrooms, inferior claret, oysters, sugar, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, _en matelote_, or mince him fine to make a ridiculous _mousse_? similarly with the honest, manly sole; would you fry or grill him plain, or bake him in a coat of rich white sauce, onion juice, mussel ditto, and white wine, or cider, _à la normande_; or cover him with toasted cheese _à la cardinal_? the fairy "_ala_" is likewise responsible for the clothing of purely english food in french disguises. thus a leg of mutton becomes a _gigot_, a pheasant (for its transgressions in eating the poor farmer's barley) a _faisan_, and is charged for at special rates in the bill; whilst the nearest to a beef-steak our lively neighbours can get is a portion of beef with the fibre smashed by a wooden mallet, surmounted by an exceedingly bilious-looking compound like axle-grease, and called a _châteaubriand_; and curry becomes under the new _régime_, _kari_. undoubtedly, the principal reason for serving food smothered in made-gravies lies in the inferiority of the food. few judges will credit france with the possession of better butcher's-meat--with the exception of veal--than the perfidious island, which is so near in the matter of distance, and yet so far in the matter of custom. and it is an established fact that the fish of paris is not as fresh as the fish of london. hence the _sole normande_, the _sole au gratin_, and the sole smothered in toasted cheese. but when we islanders are charged at least four times as much for the inferior article, in its foreign cloak, as for the home article in its native majesty, i think the time has come to protest. it is possible to get an excellent dinner at any of the "gordon" hotels, at the "savoy," the "cecil," and at some other noted food-houses--more especially at romano's--by paying a stiff price for it; but it is due to a shameful lack of enterprise on the part of english caterers that a well-cooked english dinner is becoming more difficult to procure, year after year. there be three purely british dishes which are always "hoff" before all others on the programme of club, hotel, or eating-house; and these are, irish stew, liver-and-bacon, and tripe-and-onions. yet hardly a week passes without a new _dîner parisien_ making its appearance in the advertisement columns of the newspapers; whilst the cheap-and-nasty _table d'hôte_, with its six or seven courses and its spanish claret, has simply throttled the roast beef of old england. "sir," said dr. johnson, after examining a french _menu_, "my brain is obfuscated after the perusal of this heterogeneous conglomeration of bastard english ill-spelt, and a foreign tongue. i prithee bid thy knaves bring me a dish of hog's puddings, a slice or two from the upper cut of a well-roasted sirloin, and two apple-dumplings." "william," said george augustus sala to the old waiter at the "cheshire cheese," "i've had nothing fit to eat for three months; get me a point steak, for god's sake!" the great lauder of foreign cookery had only that day returned from a special mission to france, to "write up" the works of the _cordon bleu_ for the benefit of us benighted englishmen. no man in the wide wide world knew so much, or could write so much, on the subject of and in praise of the fairy "_ala_," as george sala; and probably no man in the wide wide world so little appreciated her efforts. but how has it come about that the fairy "_ala_" has gained such headway in this island of ours? the answer must commence another chapter. chapter vii dinner (_continued_) "it is the cause!" imitation--dear lady thistlebrain--try it on the dog--criminality of the english caterer--the stove, the stink, the steamer--roasting _v._ baking--false economy--dirty ovens--frills and fingers--time over dinner--a long-winded bishop--corned beef. now for the cause, alluded to at the end of the last chapter. _imprimis_, the french invasion is due to the universal craze for imitation, which may be the sincerest form of flattery, but which frequently leads to bad results. for years past the fair sex of great britain have been looking to paris for fashion in dress, as well as in cookery; whilst the other sex have long held the mistaken notion that "they manage things better in france." the idea that france is the only country capable of clothing the outer and the inner man, artistically, has taken deep root. thus, if the duchess of dulverton import, regardless of expense, a divine creation in bonnets from the rue de castiglione, and air the same in church, it is good odds that little mrs. stokes, of the talbot road, bayswater, will have had the _chapeau_ copied, at about one-twentieth of the original cost, by the next sabbath day. dear lady thistlebrain, who has _such_ taste (since she quitted the family mangle in little toke street, lambeth, for two mansions, a castle, and a deer park), and with whom money is no object, pays her _chef_ the wages of an ambassador, and everybody raves over her dinners. mrs. potter of maida vale sets her "gal" (who studied higher gastronomy, together with the piano, and flower-painting on satin, at the board school) to work on similar _menus_--with, on the whole, disastrous results. the london society and fashion journals encourage this snobbish idea by quoting _menus_, most of them ridiculous. amongst the middle classes the custom of giving dinner parties at hotels has for some time past been spreading, partly to save trouble, and partly to save the brain of the domestic cook; so that instead of sitting down to a plain dinner, with, maybe, an _entrée_ or two sent in by the local confectioner--around the family mahogany tree, all may be fanciful decoration, and not half enough to eat, electric light, and _à la_ with attendance charged in the bill. the only way to stop this sort of thing is to bring the system into ridicule, to try it on the groundlings. a fair leader of _ton_, late in the sixties, appeared one morning in the haunts of fashion, her shapely shoulders covered with a cape of finest russian sables, to the general admiration and envy of all her compeers. thereupon, what did her dearest friend and (of course) most deadly rival do? get a similar cape, or one of finer quality? not a bit of it. she drove off, then and there, to her furriers, and had her coachman and footman fitted with similar capes, in (of course) cheaper material; and, when next afternoon she took the air in the park, in her perfectly appointed landau, her fur-clad menials created something like a panic in the camp of her enemy, whilst fur capes for fair leaders of "_ton_," were, like hashed venison at a city luncheon, very soon "hoff." it is extremely probable that, could it be arranged to feed our starving poor, beneath the public gaze, on _sôles normandes_, _côtelettes à la reform_, and _salmi de gibier truffé_; to feast our workhouse children on _bisque d'écrévisses_ and _ananas à la créole_, the upper classes of great britain would soon revert to plain roast and boiled. but after all it is the english caterer who is chiefly to blame for his own undoing. how is it that in what may be called the "food streets" of the metropolis the foreign food-supplier should outnumber the purveyor of the roast beef of old england in the proportion of fifty to one? simply because the roast beef of old england has become almost as extinct as the dodo. there are but few english kitchens, at this end of the nineteenth century, in the which meat is roasted in front of the fire. in order to save the cost of fuel, most english (save the mark!) cooking is now performed by gas or steam; and at many large establishments the food, whether fish, flesh, fowl, vegetables or pastry, all goes, in a raw state, into a species of chest of drawers made of block-tin, in which receptacle the daily luncheons, dinners, and suppers are steamed and robbed of all flavour, save that of hot tin. the pity of it! better, far better for mankind the _à la_ system than to be gradually "steamed" into the tomb! it is alleged that as good results in the way of roasting can be got from an oven as from the spit. but that oven must be ventilated--with both an inlet and an outlet ventilator, for one will not act without the other. it is also advisable that said oven should be cleaned out occasionally; for a hot oven with no joint therein will emit odours anything but agreeable, if not attended to; and it is not too sweeping a statement to say that the majority of ovens in busy kitchens are foul. the system of steaming food (the alleged "roasts" being subsequently browned in an oven) is of comparatively recent date; but the oven as a roaster was the invention of one count rumford, at the beginning of the nineteenth century. in one of his lectures on oven-roasting, this nobleman remarked that he despaired of getting any englishman to believe his words; so that he was evidently confronted with plenty of prejudice, which it is devoutly to be prayed still exists in english homes. for i do vow and protest that the oven odours which pervade the neighbourhood of the strand, london, at midday, are by no means calculated to whet the appetite of the would-be luncher or diner. this is what such an authority as mr. buckmaster wrote on the subject of the spit _versus_ the oven: "i believe i am regarded as a sort of heretic on the question of roasting meat. my opinion is that the essential condition of good roasting is constant basting, and this the meat is not likely to have when shut up in an iron box; and what is not easily done is easily neglected." in this connection there are more heretics than mr. buckmaster. but if during my lifetime the days of burning heretics should be revived, i shall certainly move the court of criminal appeal in favour of being roasted or grilled before, or over, the fire, instead of being deprived of my natural juices in an iron box. some few "roast" houses are still in existence in london, but they be few and far between; and since mr. cooper gave up the "albion," nearly opposite the stage-door of drury lane theatre, the lover of good, wholesome, english food has lost one old-fashioned tavern in the which he was certain of enjoying such food. it has been repeatedly urged in favour of french cookery that it is so economical. but economy in the preparation of food is by no means an unmixed blessing. i do not believe that much sole-leather is used up in the ordinary _ragoût_, or _salmi_; but many of us who can afford more expensive joints have a prejudice against "scrags"; whilst the tails of mutton chops frequently have a tainted flavour, and the drumsticks and backs of fowls are only fit to grill, or boil down into gravy. and it is not only the alien who is economical in his preparation of the banquet. many of the dwellers in the highways and bye-ways of our great metropolis will boil down the outer skin of a ham, and place a portion thereof, together with such scraps as may also be purchased, at a penny or twopence the plateful, at the ham and beef emporium, with maybe a "block ornament" or two from the butcher's, in a pie dish, with a superstructure of potatoes, and have the "scrap pie" cooked at the baker's for the sunday dinner. poor wretches! not much "waste" goes on in such households. but i have known the "gal" who tortured the food in a cheap lodging-house throw away the water in which a joint had just been boiled, but whether this was from sheer ignorance, or "cussedness," or the desire to save herself any future labour in the concoction of soup, deponent sayeth not. by the way, it is in the matter of soup that the tastes of the british and french peasantry differ so materially. unless he or she be absolutely starving, it is next to impossible to get one of the groundlings of old england to attempt a basin of soup. and when they do attempt the same, it has been already made for them. the scotch, who are born cooks, know much better than this; but do not, o reader, if at all thin of skin, or refined of ear, listen too attentively to the thanks which a denizen of the "disthressful counthry" will bestow upon you for a "dhirty bowl o' bone-juice." how many modern diners, we wonder, know the original object of placing frills around the shank of a leg or shoulder of mutton, a ham, the shins of a fowl, or the bone of a cutlet? fingers were made before--and a long time before--forks. in the seventeenth century--prior to which epoch not much nicety was observed in carving, or eating--we read that "english gentlewomen were instructed by schoolmistresses and professors of etiquette as to the ways in which it behoved them to carve joints. that she might be able to grasp a roasted chicken without greasing her left hand, the gentle housewife was careful to trim its foot and the lower part of its legs with cut paper. the paper frill which may still be seen round the bony point and small end of a leg of mutton, is a memorial of the fashion in which joints were _dressed_ for the dainty hands of lady-carvers, in time prior to the introduction of the carving-fork, an implement that was not in universal use so late as the commonwealth." how long we should sit over the dinner-table is a matter of controversy. at the commencement of the nineteenth century, in the hard-drinking times, our forefathers were loth indeed to quit the table. but the fairer portion of the guests were accustomed to adjourn early, for tea and scandal in the withdrawing-room, the while their lords sat and quarrelled over their port, with locked doors; and where they fell there they frequently passed the night. the editor of the _almanach des gourmands_ wrote: "five hours at table are a reasonable latitude to allow in the case of a large party and recondite cheer." but the worthy grimod de la reymière, the editor aforesaid, lived at a period when dinner was not served as late as . p.m. there is a legend of an archbishop of york "who sat three entire years at dinner." but this is one of those tales which specially suited the dull, brandy-sodden brains of our ancestors. the facts are simply as follows:--the archbishop had just sat down to dinner at noon when an italian priest called. hearing that the dignitary was sitting at meat the priest whiled away an hour in looking at the minster, and called again, but was again "repelled by the porter." twice more that afternoon did the surly porter repel the italian, and at the fourth visit "the porter, in a heate, answered never a worde, and churlishlie did shutte the gates upon him." then the discomfited italian returned to rome; and three years later, encountering an englishman in the eternal city, who declared himself right well known to his grace of york, the italian, all smiles, inquired: "i pray you, good sir, hath that archbishop finished dinner yet?" hence the story, which was doubtless originally told by a fly-fisher. it is not a little singular that with increasing civilisation, a gong, which is of barbaric, or semi-barbaric origin, should be the means usually employed to summon us to the dinner-table. in days of yore the horn, or cornet, was blown as the signal. alexander dumas tells us that "at the period when noon was the dinner hour, the horn or cornet (_le cor_) was used in great houses to announce dinner. hence came an expression which has been lost; they used to say cornet (or trumpet) the dinner (_cornez le diner_)." and we are asked to believe that to this practice "corned" beef owes its derivation. "in days when inferior people ate little meat in the winter months save salted beef, the more usual form of the order was _cornez le boeuf_, or 'corn the beef.' richardson errs egregiously when he insists that corned beef derived its distinguishing epithet from the grains or corns of salt with which it was pickled. corned beef is trumpeted beef, or as we should nowadays say, dinner-bell beef." well--"i hae ma doots," as the scotsman said. i am not so sure that richardson erred egregiously. but after all, as long as the beef be good, and can be carved without the aid of pick and spade, what does it matter? let us to dinner! chapter viii dinner (_continued_) "the strong table groans beneath the smoking sirloin stretched immense." a merry christmas--bin f--a _noel_ banquet--water-cress--how royalty fares--the tsar--_bouillabaisse_--_tournedos_--_bisque_--_vol-au-vent_--_prè salé_--chinese banquets--a fixed bayonet--_bernardin salmi_--the duck-squeezer--american cookery--"borston" beans--he couldn't eat beef. a christmas dinner in the early victorian era! _quelle fête magnifique!_ the man who did not keep christmas in a fitting manner in those days was not thought much of. "dines by himself at the club on christmas day!" was the way the late mr. george payne of sporting memory, summed up a certain middle-aged recluse, with heaps of money, who, although he had two estates in the country, preferred to live in two small rooms in st. james's place, s.w., and to take his meals at "arthur's." and how we boys (not to mention the little lasses in white frocks and black mittens) used to overeat ourselves, on such occasions, with no fear of pill, draught, or "staying in," before our eyes! the writer has in his mind's eye a good specimen of such an old-fashioned dinner, as served in the fifties. it was pretty much the same feast every christmas. we commenced with some sort of clear soup, with meat in it. then came a codfish, crimped--the head of that household would have as soon thought of eating a _sôle au vin blanc_ as of putting before his family an uncrimped cod--with plenty of liver, oyster sauce, and pickled walnuts; and at the other end of the table was a dish of fried smelts. _entrées?_ had any of the diners asked for an _entrée_, his or her _exit_ from the room would have been a somewhat rapid one. a noble sirloin of scotch beef faced a boiled turkey anointed with celery sauce; and then appeared the blazing pudding, and the mince-pies. for the next course, a dish of toasted (or rather stewed) cheese, home-made and full of richness, was handed round, with dry toast, the bearer of which was closely pursued by a varlet carrying a huge double-handed vessel of hot spiced-ale, bobbing or floating about in the which were roasted crab-apples and sippets of toast; and it was _de rigueur_ for each of those who sat at meat to extract a sippet, to eat with the cheese. how the old retainer, grey and plethoric with service, loved us boys, and how he would manoeuvre to obtain for us the tit-bits! a favoured servitor was "joseph"; and though my revered progenitor was ostensibly the head of the house, he would, on occasion, "run a bad second" to "joseph." memory is still keen of a certain chilly evening in september, when the ladies had retired to the drawing-room, and the male guests were invited to be seated at the small table which had been wheeled close to the replenished fire. "joseph," said the dear old man, "bring us a bottle or two of the yellow seal--_you_ know--bin f." the servitor drew near to his master, and in a stage whisper exclaimed: "you can't afford it, sir!" "what's that?" roared the indignant old man. "you can't afford it, sir--hawthornden's won th' leger!" "good gad!" a pause--and then, "well, never mind, joseph, we'll have up the yellow seal, all the same." one of the writer's last christmas dinners was partaken of in a sweet little house in mayfair; and affords somewhat of a contrast with the meal quoted above. we took our appetites away with a salad composed of anchovies, capers, truffles, and other things, a russian sardine or two, and rolls and butter. thence, we drifted into _bouillabaisse_ (a tasty but bile-provoking broth), toyed with some _filets de sôle à la parisienne_ (good but greasy), and disposed of a _tournedos_, with a nice fat oyster atop, apiece (_et parlez-moi d'ça!_). then came some dickey-birds _sur canapé_--alleged to be snipe, but destitute of flavour, save that of the tin they had been spoiled in, and of the "canopy." an alien cook can _not_ cook game, whatever choice confections he may turn out--at least that is the experience of the writer. we had _cressons_, of course, with the birds; though how water-cress can possibly assimilate with the flesh of a snipe is questionable. "water-creases" are all very well at tea in the arbour, but don't go smoothly with any sort of fowl; and to put such rank stuff into a salad--as my hostess's cook did--is absolutely criminal. to continue the mayfair banquet, the salad was followed by a _soufflée à la noel_ (which reminded some of the more imaginative of our party of the festive season), some cheese straws, and the customary ices, coffee, and liqueurs. on the whole, not a bad meal; but what would old father christmas have said thereto? what would my revered progenitor have remarked, had he been allowed to revisit the glimpses of the moon? he did not love our lively neighbours; and, upon the only occasion on which he was inveigled across the channel, took especial care to recross it the very next day, lest, through circumstances not under his own control, he might come to be "buried amongst these d----d french!" the following _menu_ may give some idea as to how _royalty_ entertains its guests. said _menu_, as will be seen, is comparatively simple, and many of the dishes are french only in name:-- huîtres ---- consommé aux oeufs pochés bisque d'écrevisses ---- turbot, sauce d'homard fillets de saumon à l'indienne ---- vol-au-vent financière mauviettes sur le nid ---- selle de mouton de galles rotie poulardes à l'estragon ---- faisans bécassines sur croûte ---- chouxfleur au gratin ---- plum pudding bavarois aux abricots ---- glace à la mocha truly a pattern dinner, this; and 'twould be sheer impertinence to comment thereon, beyond remarking that english dishes should, in common fairness, be called by english names. her imperial majesty the tsaritza, on the night of her arrival at darmstadt, in october , sat down, together with her august husband, to the following simple meal:-- consommé de volaille cronstades d'écrevisses ---- filet de turbot à la joinville ---- cimier de chevreuil [a haunch of roebuck is far to be desired above the same quarter of the red deer]. ---- terrine de perdreaux ---- ponche royale ---- poularde de metz ---- choux de bruxelles ---- bavarois aux abricots ---- glaces panachées the partiality of crowned heads towards "bavarois aux abricots"--"bavarois" is simply bavarian cheese, a superior sort of _blanc mange_--is proverbial. and the above repast was served on priceless meissen china and silver. the only remarks i will make upon the above _menu_ are that it is quite possible that the capon may have come from metz, though not very probable. french cooks name their meat and poultry in the most reckless fashion. for instance, owing to this reckless nomenclature the belief has grown that the best ducks come from rouen. nothing of the sort. there are just as good ducks raised at west hartlepool as at rouen. "rouen" in the bill-of-fare is simply a corruption of "roan"; and a "roan duck" is a quacker who has assumed (through crossing) the reddish plumage of the wild bird. as for (alleged) surrey fowls, most of them come from heathfield in sussex, whence £ , worth were sent in . let us enquire into the composition of some of the high-sounding _plats_, served up by the average _chef_. _bouillabaisse._--of it thackeray sang-- "this bouillabaisse a noble dish is-- a sort of soup, or broth, or brew, or hotch-potch of all sorts of fishes that greenwich never could outdo: green herbs, red peppers, mussels, saffron, soles, onions, garlic, roach, and dace; all these you eat at terré's tavern, in that one dish of bouillabaisse." avoid eels and herrings in this concoction as too oily. soles, mullet, john dory, whiting, flounders, perch, roach, and mussels will blend well, and allow half a pound of fish for each person. for every pound of fish put in the stewpan a pint of water, a quarter of a pint of white wine, and a tablespoonful of salad oil. if there be four partakers, add two sliced onions, two cloves, two bay-leaves, two leeks (the white part only, chopped), four cloves of garlic, a tablespoonful chopped parsley, a good squeeze of lemon juice, half an ounce of chopped capsicums, a teaspoonful (or more _ad lib._) of saffron, with pepper and salt. mix the chopped fish in all this, and boil for half an hour. let the mixture "gallop" and strain into a tureen with sippets, and the fish served separately. _tournedos._--no relation to tornado, and you won't find the word in any gallic dictionary. a _tournedos_ is a thin collop of beef, steeped in a _marinade_ for twenty-four hours (personally i prefer it without the aid of the marine) and fried lightly. turn it but _once_. the oyster atop is simply scalded. _try this dish._ _bisque._--in the seventeenth century this was made from pigeons by the poor barbarians who knew not the gentle lobster, nor the confiding crayfish. heat up to boiling-point a mirepoix of white wine. you don't know what a _mirepoix_ is? simply a faggot of vegetables, named after a notorious cuckold of noble birth in the time of louis xv. two carrots, two onions, two shalots, two bay-leaves, a sprig of thyme and a clove of garlic. mince very small, with half a pound of fat bacon, half a pound of raw ham, pepper and salt, and a little butter. add a sufficiency of white wine. in this mixture cook two dozen crayfish for twenty minutes, continually tossing them about till red, when take them out to cool. shell them, all but the claws, which should be pounded in a mortar and mixed with butter. the flesh of the tails is reserved to be put in the soup at the last minute; the body-flesh goes back into the _mirepoix_, to which two quarts of broth are now added. add the pounded shells to the soup, simmer for an hour and a half, strain, heat up, add a piece of butter, the tails, a seasoning of cayenne, and a few _quenelles_ of whiting. _vol-au-vent financière._--this always reminds me of the fearful threat hurled by the waiter in the "bab ballads" at his flighty sweetheart: "flirtez toujours, ma belle, si tu oses, je me vengerai ainsi, ma chère: je lui dirai d'quoi on compose vol-au-vent à la financière!" make your crust--light as air, and flaky as snow, an you value your situation--and fill with button mushrooms, truffles, cock's-combs, _quenelles_ of chicken, and sweetbread, all chopped, seasoned, and moistened with a butter sauce. brown gravy is objectionable. garnish the _vol_ with fried parsley, which goes well with most luxuries of this sort. there are some words which occur frequently in french cookery which, to the ordinary perfidious briton, are cruelly misleading. for years i was under the impression that _brillat savarin_ was a species of filleted fish (brill) in a rich gravy, instead of a french magistrate, who treated gastronomy poetically, and always ate his food too fast. and only within the last decade have i discovered what a _pré salé_ really means. literally, it is "salt meadow, or marsh." it is said that sheep fed on a salt marsh make excellent mutton; but is it not about time for britannia, the alleged pride of the ocean, and ruler of its billows, to put her foot down and protest against a leg of "prime down"--but recently landed from the antipodes--being described on the card as a _gigot de pré salé_? the meals, like the ways, of the "heathen chinee" are peculiar. some of his food, to quote poor corney grain, is "absolutely beastly." _li hung chang_ was welcomed to carlton house terrace, london, with a dinner, in twelve courses, the following being the principal items:--roast duck, roast pork and raspberry jam, followed by dressed cucumber. shrimps were devoured, armour and all, with leeks, gherkins, and mushrooms. a couple of young chickens preserved in wine and vinegar, with green peas, a _purée_ of pigeon's legs followed by an assortment of sour jellies. the banquet concluded with sponge cakes and tea. in his own land the _chinaman's evening repast_ is much more variegated than the above. it is almost as long as a chinese drama, and includes melon seeds, bitter almonds, bamboo sprouts, jelly-fish, cucumber, roast duck, chicken stewed in spirit dregs,[ ] peas, prawns, sausages, scallions, fish-brawn, pork chops, plum blossoms, oranges, bird's-nest soup, pigeons' eggs in bean curd--the eggs being "postponed" ones--fungus, shrimps, macerated fish-fins, ham in flour, ham in honey, turnip cakes, roast sucking-pig, fish maws, roast mutton, wild ducks' feet, water chestnuts, egg rolls, lily seeds, stewed mushrooms, dressed crab with jam, chrysanthemum pasties, _bêche-de-mer_, and pigs' feet in honey. can it be wondered at that this nation should have been brought to its knees by gallant little japan? _the englishman in china_ has not a particularly good time of it, in the gastronomic way, and h.m. forces in hong kong are largely dependent on shanghai for supplies. there is "plenty pig" all over the land; but the dairy-fed pork of old england is preferable. and the way "this little pig goes to market" savours so strongly of the most refined cruelty that a branch of the r.s.p.c.a. would have the busiest of times of it over yonder. reverting to french cookery, here is an appetising dish, called a _bernardin salmi_. it should be prepared in the dining-room, before the eyes of the guests; and grimod de la reyniere (to whom the recipe was given by the prior of an abbey of bernardin monks) recommends that the _salmi_ should be conveyed to the mouth with a fork, for fear of devouring one's fingers, should they touch the sauce. take three woodcocks, underdone, and cut them into neat portions. on a silver dish bruise the livers and trails, squeeze over them the juice of four (?) lemons, and grate over them a little of the thin rind. add the portions of woodcock, seasoned with salt, and--according to the prior--mixed spices and two teaspoonfuls of french mustard; but the writer would substitute cayenne _seul_; over all half a wine-glass of sherry; and then put the dish over a spirit lamp. when the mixture is _nearly_ boiling, add a tablespoonful of salad oil, blow out the light, and stir well. _four_ lemons are mentioned in this recipe, as at the time it was written lemons were very small when "cocks" were "in." _two_ imported lemons (or limes) will amply suffice nowadays. _a salmi of wild duck_ can be made almost in the same way, but here the aid of that modern instrument the _duck-squeezer_ is necessary. cut the best of the meat in slices, off a lightly-roasted wild-duck, after brought to table; break up the carcase and place in a species of mill (silver) called a "duck-squeezer," which possesses a spout through which the richness of the animal escapes, after being squeezed. make a gravy of this liquor, in a silver dish (with a spirit lamp beneath), added to a small pat of butter, the juice of a lemon, a tablespoonful of worcester sauce, with cayenne and salt to taste, and half a wine-glassful of port wine. warm the meat through in this gravy, which must not boil. of course these two last-named dishes are only intended for bachelor-parties. lovely woman must not be kept waiting for "duck-squeezers" or anything else. _the jesuits_ introduced the turkey into europe, of which feat the jesuits need not boast too much; for to some minds there be many better edible birds; and the "gobbler" requires, when roasted or boiled, plenty of seasoning to make him palatable. the french stuff him in his roasted state, with truffles, fat force-meat, or chestnuts, and invariably "bard" the bird--"bard" is old english as well as old french--with fat bacon. the french turkey is also frequently brazed, with an abundant _mirepoix_ made with what their cooks call "madére," but which is really marsala. it is only we english who boil the "gobbler," and stuff him (or her, for it is the hen who usually goes into the pot) with oysters, or force-meat, with celery sauce. probably the best parts of the turkey are his legs, when grilled for breakfast, and smothered with the sauce mentioned in one of the chapters on "breakfast"; and _pulled turkey_ makes an agreeable luncheon-dish, or _entrée_ at dinner, the breast-meat being pulled off the bone with a fork, and fricasseed, surrounded in the dish by the grilled thighs and pinions. who introduced the turkey into america deponent sayeth not. probably, like topsy, it "growed" there. anyhow the bird is so familiar a table-companion in the states, that americans, when on tour in europe, fight very shy of him. "tukkey, sah, cranberry sarce," used to be the stereotyped reply of the black waiter when interrogated on the subject of the bill of fare. _coloured help_ is, however, gradually being ousted (together with sulphur matches) from the big hotels in new york, where white waiting and white food are coming into, or have come into, regular use. in fact, with the occasional addition of one or other of such special dishes as terrapin, soft-shell crab, clam chowder, and the everlasting pork and beans, a dinner in new york differs very little at the time of writing ( ) from one in london. the taste for _clam chowder_ is an acquired one, nor will stewed tortoise ever rank with thick turtle in british estimation, although 'tis not the same tortoise which is used in london households to break the coals with. a _canvass-back duck_, if eaten in the land of his birth, is decidedly the most delicately-flavoured of all the "quack" family. his favourite food is said to be wild celery, and his favoured haunts the neighbourhood of chesapeake bay, from whose waters comes the much prized "diamond-back" terrapin, which is sold at the rate of $ or $ the dozen. the canvass-back duck, however, suffers in transportation; in fact, the tendency of the ice-house aboard ship is to rob all food of its flavour. but however good be the living in _new york city_ --where the hotels are the best in the world, and whose _mr. delmonico_ can give points to all sorts and conditions of food caterers--it is "a bit rough" in the provinces. there is a story told of a young actor, on tour, who "struck" a small town out west, and put up at a small inn. in the course of time dinner was served, and the landlord waited at table. the principal cover was removed, disclosing a fine joint of coarsish, indifferently-cooked beef. our young actor was strangely moved at the sight. "what?" he cried. "beef again? this is horrible! i've seen no other food for months, and i'm sick and tired of it. i can't eat beef." whereupon his host whipped out a huge "six-shooter" revolver, and covering the recalcitrant beef-eater, coolly remarked: "guess you kin!" but i don't believe that story, any more than i believe the anecdote of the cowboys and the daylight let through the visitor who couldn't eat beans. chapter ix dinner (_continued_) "the combat deepens. on ye brave, the _cordon bleu_, and then the grave! wave, landlord! all thy _menus_ wave, and charge with all thy devilry!" french soup--a regimental dinner--a city banquet--_baksheesh_--aboard ship--an ideal dinner--cod's liver--sleeping in the kitchen--a _fricandeau_--regimental messes--peter the great--napoleon the great--victoria--the iron duke--mushrooms--a medical opinion--a north pole banquet--dogs as food--plain unvarnished fare--the kent road cookery--more beans than bacon. "what's in a name?" inquired the love-sick juliet. "what?" echoes the bad fairy "_ala_." after all the fuss made by the french over their soups, we might expect more variety than is given us. if it be true that we english have only one sauce, it is equally true that our lively neighbours have only one soup--and that one is a broth. it is known to the frequenters of restaurants under at least eleven different names _brunoise_, _jardinière_, _printanier_, _chiffonade_, _macédoine_, _julienne_, _faubonne_, _paysanne_, _flamande_, _mitonnage_, _croûte au pot_, and, as sam weller would say, "it's the flavouring as does it." it is simply _bouillon_, plain broth, and weak at that. the addition of a cabbage, or a leek, or a common or beggar's crust, will change a _potage à la jardinière_ into a _croûte au pot_, and _vice versa_. great is "_ala_"; and five hundred per cent is her profit! the amount of money lavished by diners-about upon the productions of the alien _chef_ would be ludicrous to consider, were not the extravagance absolutely criminal. the writer has partaken of about the most expensive dinner--english for the most part, with french names to the dishes--that could be put on the table, the charge being (including wines) one guinea per mouth. another banquet, given by a gay youth who had acquired a large sum through ruining somebody else on the stock exchange--the meal positively reeking of _ala_--was charged for by the hotel manager at the rate of _sixteen pounds_ per head, also including wines. i was told afterwards, though i am still sceptical as to the veracity of the statement, that the flowers on the table at that banquet cost alone more than £ . and only on the previous sunday, our host's father--a just nobleman and a god-fearing--had delivered a lecture, at a popular institution, on "thrift." here follows the _menu_ of the above-mentioned guinea meal, _a regimental dinner_, held at a well-known city house. _vins._ | _hors d'oeuvres._ | crevettes. thon mariné. beurre. | radis. | | _potages._ madère. | tortue claire et liée. | gras de tortue vert. | | _relevés de tortue._ ponche glacé. | ailerons aux fines herbes. | côtelettes à la périgueux. | | _poissons._ | souché de saumon. schloss johannisberg. | turbot au vin blanc. | blanchaille nature et kari. | | _entrées._ amontillado. | suprême de ris de veau à la princesse. | aspic de homard. | champagne. | _relevés._ piper heidsieck, . | venaison, sauce groseille. boll et cie., . | york ham au champagne. burgundy. | poulardes à l'estragon. romanée, . | ----- | asperges. haricots verts. | pommes rissoliées. | | _rôt._ port, . | canetons de rouen. | | _entremets._ claret. | ananas à la créole. patisserie parisienne. château léoville. | gelées panachées. | | _glace._ liqueurs. | soufflés aux fraises. | | _dessert, etc._ and some of the younger officers complained bitterly at having to pay £ : s. for the privilege of "larking" over such a course! there are only three faults i can find in the above programme: ( ) confusion to the man who expects the british army to swallow green fat in french. ( ) whitebait is far too delicately flavoured a fowl to curry. ( ) too much eating and drinking. _city dinners_ are for the most part an infliction (or affliction) on the diner. with more than fourscore sitting at meat, the miracle of the loaves and fishes is repeated--with, frequently, the fish left out. "i give you my word, dear old chappie," once exclaimed a gilded youth who had been assisting at one of these functions, to the writer, "all i could get hold of, during the struggle, was an orange and a cold plate!" the great and powerful system of _baksheesh_, of course, enters largely into these public entertainments; and the man who omits to fee the waiter in advance, as a rule, "gets left." bookmakers and others who go racing are the greatest sinners in this respect. a well-known magnate of the betting-ring ( ) invariably, after arriving at an hotel, hunts up the _chef_, and sheds upon him a "fiver," or a "tenner," according to the size of the house, and the repute of its cookery. and that metallician and his party are not likely to starve during their stay, whatever may be the fate of those who omit to "remember" the commissariat department. i have seen the same bookmaker carry, with his own hands, the remains of a great dish of "hot-pot" into the dining-room of his neighbours, who had been ringing for a waiter, and clamouring for food for the best part of an hour, without effect. the same system prevails aboard ship; and the passenger who has not propitiated the head steward at the commencement of the voyage will not fare sumptuously. the steamship companies may deny this statement; but 'tis true nevertheless. _dinner afloat._ here is an average dinner-card during a life on the ocean wave: julienne soup, boiled salmon with shrimp sauce, roast beef and yorkshire pudding, jugged hare, french beans _à la maître d'hôtel_, chicken curry, roast turkey with _purée_ of chestnuts, _fanchouettes_ (what are they?), sausage rolls, greengage tarts, plum-puddings, lemon-jellies, biscuits and cheese, fruit, coffee. plenty of variety here, though some epicures might resent the presence of a sausage-roll (the common or railway-station bag of mystery) on the dinner table. but since the carriage of live stock aboard passenger ships has been abandoned, the living is not nearly as good; for, as before observed, the tendency of the ice-house is to make all flesh taste alike. civilisation has, doubtless, done wonders for us; but most people prefer mutton to have a flavour distinct from that of beef. my _ideal dinner_ was partaken of in a little old-fashioned hostelry (at the west end of london), whose name the concentrated efforts of all the wild horses in the world would not extract. familiarity breeds contempt, and publicity oft kills that which is brought to light. our host was a wine-merchant in a large way of business. "i can only promise you plain food, good sirs," he mentioned, in advance--"no foreign kick-shaws; but everything done to a turn." six of us started with clear turtle, followed by a thick wedge out of the middle of a patriarchal codfish, with plenty of liver. and here a pause must be made. in not one cookery-book known to mankind can be found a recipe for cooking the _liver of a cod_. of course it should not be cooked _with_ the fish, but in a separate vessel. the writer once went the rounds of the kitchens to obtain information on this point. "'bout half-an-hour," said one cook, a "hard-bitten" looking food-spoiler. "_ma foi!_ i cook not at all the liver of the cod," said an unshorn son of normandy. "he is for the _malade_ only." after asking a number of questions, and a journey literally "round the town," the deduction made from the various answers was that a piece of liver enough for six people would take eighteen minutes, after being placed in _boiling_ water. to continue with our dinner. no sauce with the oysters, but these simply scalded in their own liquor. then came on a monster steak, an inch thick, cut from the rump immediately before being placed on the gridiron. and here a word on the grilling of a steak. we english place it nearer the fire than do our lively neighbours, whose grills do not, in consequence, present that firm surface which is the charm of an english steak. the late mr. godfrey turner of the _daily telegraph_ (who was almost as great an authority as mr. sala on gastronomies) once observed to the writer, "never turn your steak, or chop, more than once." though by no means a disciple of _ala_, he was evidently a believer in the french method of grilling, which leaves a sodden, flabby surface on the meat. the french cook only turns a steak once; but if he had his gridiron as close to the fire as his english rival, the _chef_ would inevitably cremate his _morçeau d'boeuf_. i take it that in grilling, as in roasting, the meat should, in the first instance, almost touch the glowing embers. we had nothing but horse-radish with our steak, which was succeeded by golden plovers (about the best bird that flies) and marrow bones. and a dig into a ripe stilton concluded a banquet which we would not have exchanged for the best efforts of francatelli himself. yes--despite the efforts of the bad fairy _ala_, the english method of cooking good food--if deftly and properly employed--is a long way the better method. unfortunately, through the fault of the english themselves, this method is but seldom employed deftly or properly. and at a cheap english eating-house the kitchen is usually as dirty and malodorous as at an inexpensive foreign restaurant. as both invariably serve as sleeping apartments during the silent watches of the night, this is, perhaps, not altogether to be wondered at. but there is one _plât_ in the french cookery book which is not to be sneered at, or even condemned with faint praise. a properly-dressed _fricandeau_ is a dainty morsel indeed. in fact the word _fricand_ means, in english, "dainty." here is the recipe of the celebrated _gouffé_ for the fricandeau: three pounds of veal fillet, trimmed, and larded with fat bacon. put in the glazing stewpan the trimmings, two ounces of sliced carrot, two ditto onion, with pepper and salt. lay the _fricandeau_ on the top; add half a pint of broth; boil the broth till it is reduced and becomes thick and yellow; add a pint and a half more broth, and simmer for an hour and a quarter--the stewpan half covered. then close the stewpan and put live coals on the top. baste the _fricandeau_ with the gravy--presumably after the removal of the dead coals--every four minutes till it is sufficiently glazed; then take it out and place on a dish. strain the gravy, skim off the fat, and pour over the meat. it may be added that a spirit lamp beneath the dish is (or should be) _de rigueur_. in their clubs, those (alleged) "gilded saloons of profligacy and debauchery, favoured of the aristocracy," men, as a rule dine wisely, and well, and, moreover, cheaply. the extravagant diner-out, with his crude views on the eternal fitness of things, selects an hotel, or restaurant, in the which, although the food may be of the worst quality, and the cookery of the greasiest, the charges are certain to be on the millionaire scale. for bad dinners, like bad lodgings, are invariably the dearest. _at the mess-table_ of the british officer there is not much riot or extravagance nowadays, and the food is but indifferently well cooked; though there was a time when the youngest cornet would turn up his nose at anything commoner than a "special _cuvée_" of champagne, and would unite with his fellows in the "bear-fight" which invariably concluded a "guest night," and during which the messman, or one of his myrmidons, was occasionally placed atop of the ante-room fire. and there was one messman who even preferred that mode of treatment to being lectured by his colonel. said officer was starchy, punctilious, and long-winded, and upon one occasion, when the chaplain to the garrison was his guest at dinner, addressed the terrified servant somewhat after this wise: "mr. messman--i have this evening bidden to our feast this eminent divine, who prayeth daily that we may receive the fruits of the earth in due season; to which i, an humble layman, am in the habit of responding: 'we beseech thee to hear us, good lord.' mr. messman, don't let me see those d----d figs on the table again." at a military guest-night in india, a turkey and a "europe" ham are--or were--_de rigueur_ at table; and on the whole the warrior fares well, if the _khansamah_ do not attempt luxuries. his chicken cutlets are not despicable, and we can even forgive the repetition of the _vilolif_ but his _bifisteakishtoo_ (stewed steak) is usually too highly-spiced for the european palate. later in the evening, however, he will come out strong with _duvlebone_, and grilled sardines in curlpapers. the presence of the bagpipes, in the mess-room of a highland regiment, when men have well drunk, is cruelly unkind--to the saxon guest at all events. the bagpipe is doubtless a melodious instrument (to trained ears), but its melodies are apt to "hum i' th' head o'er muckle ye ken," after a course of haggis washed down with sparkling wines and old port. "tell me what a man eats," said brillat savarin, "and i'll tell you what he is." _peter the great_ did not like the presence of "listening lacqueys" in the dining-room. peter's favourite dinner was, like himself, peculiar: "a soup, with four cabbages in it; gruel; pig, with sour cream for sauce; cold roast meat with pickled cucumbers or salad; lemons and lamprey, salt meat, ham, and limburg cheese." "lemons and lamprey" must have had a roughish seat, atop of pig and sour cream. i once tasted lampreys--only once. it was in worcestershire, and said lampreys were stewed (i fancy) in burgundy, and served in a small tureen--_en casserole_, our lively neighbours would have called the production, which was grateful, but much embarrassed with richness. _napoleon the great_, whose tastes were simple, is said to have preferred a broiled breast of mutton to any other dinner-dish. napoleon iii., however, encouraged extravagance of living; and zola tells us in _le débâcle_ that the unfortunate emperor, ill as he was, used to sit down to so many courses of rich foods every night until "the downfall" arrived at sédan, and that a train of cooks and scullions with (literally) a "_batterie_" _de cuisine_, was attached to his staff. _her majesty_ queen victoria's dinner-table is invariably graced with a cold sirloin of beef, amongst other joints; and the same simple fare has satisfied the aspirations and gratified the palate of full many a celebrity. the great _duke of wellington_ was partial to a well-made irish stew; and nothing delighted charles dickens more than a slice out of the breast of a hot roast-goose. a word about the mushroom. although said to be of enormous value in sauces and ragouts, i shall always maintain that the mushroom is best when eaten all by his quaint self. his flavour is so delicate that 'tis pitiful to mix him with fish, flesh, or fowl--more especially the first-named. i have seen mushrooms and bacon cooked together, and i have seen beef-steak (cut into small pieces) and bacon cooked together, and it was with some difficulty that my irish host got me out of the kitchen. if ever i am hanged, it will be for killing a cook. above all never eat mushrooms which you have not seen in their uncooked state. the mushroom, like the truffle, loses more flavour the longer he is kept; and to "postpone" either is fatal. "the plainer the meal the longer the life." thus an eminent physician--already mentioned in these pages. "we begin with soup, and perhaps a glass of cold punch, to be followed by a piece of turbot, or a slice of salmon with lobster sauce; and while the venison or south-down is getting ready, we toy with a piece of sweetbread, and mellow it with a bumper of madeira. no sooner is the mutton or venison disposed of, with its never-failing accompaniments of jelly and vegetables, than we set the whole of it in a ferment with champagne, and drown it with hock and sauterne. these are quickly followed by the wing and breast of a partridge, or a bit of pheasant or wild duck; and when the stomach is all on fire with excitement, we cool it for an instant with a piece of iced pudding, and then immediately lash it into a fury with undiluted alcohol in the form of cognac or a strong liqueur; after which there comes a spoonful or so of jelly as an emollient, a morsel of ripe stilton as a digestant, a piquant salad to whet the appetite for wine, and a glass of old port to persuade the stomach, if it can, into quietness. all these are more leisurely succeeded by dessert, with its baked meats, its fruits, and its strong drinks, to be afterwards muddled with coffee, and complicated into a rare mixture with tea, floating with the richest cream." hoity, toity! and not a word about a french _plât_, or even a curry, either! but we must remember that this diatribe comes from a gentleman who has laid down the theory that cold water is not only the cheapest of beverages, but the best. exception, too, may be taken to the statement that a "piquant salad" whets the appetite for wine. i had always imagined that a salad--and, indeed, anything with vinegar in its composition--rather spoilt the human palate for wine than otherwise. and what sort of "baked meats" are usually served with desert? _how the poor live._ an esteemed friend who has seen better days, sends word how to dine a man, his wife, and three children for ½d. he heads his letter _the kent road cookery_. a stew is prepared with the following ingredients: lb. bullock's cheek ( ½d.), ½ pint white beans ( d.), ½ pint lentils ( d.), pot-herbs ( d.), lb. potatoes ( d.)--total ½d. when he has friends, the banquet is more expensive: lb. bullock's cheek ( ½d.), ½ lb. cow-heel ( ½d.), ½ lb. leg of beef ( d.), pint white beans ( d.), ½ pint lentils ( d.), pot-herbs ( d.), lb. potatoes ( d.)--total s. d. as we never know what may happen, the above _menus_ may come in useful. _doctor nansen's banquet_ on the ice-floe, to celebrate his failure to discover the pole, was simple enough, at all events. but it would hardly commend itself to the _fin de siècle_ "johnny." there was raw gull in it, by way of a full-flavoured combination of _poisson_ and _entrée_; there was meat chocolate in it, and peli--i should say, pemmican. there were pancakes, made of oatmeal and dog's blood, fried in seal's blubber. and i rather fancy the _relevé_ was _chien au nature_. for in his most interesting work, _across greenland_, doctor nansen has inserted the statement that the man who turns his nose up at raw dog for dinner is unfit for an arctic expedition. for my own poor part, i would take my chance with a porterhouse steak, cut from a polar bear. _prison fare._ another simple meal. any visitor to one of h.m. penitentiaries may have noticed in the cells a statement to the effect that "beans and bacon" may be substituted for meat, for the convicts' dinners, on certain days. "beans and bacon" sounds rural, if not absolutely bucolic. "fancy giving such good food to the wretches!" once exclaimed a lady visitor. but those who have sampled the said "beans and bacon" say that it is hardly to be preferred to the six ounces of australian dingo or the coarse suet-duff (plumless) which furnish the ordinary prison dinner. for the tablespoonful of pappy beans with which the captive staves off starvation are of the _genus_ "haricot"; and the parallelogram of salted hog's-flesh which accompanies the beans does not exceed, in size, the ordinary railway ticket. chapter x vegetables "herbs and other country messes, which the neat-handed phyllis dresses." use and abuse of the potato--its eccentricities--its origin--hawkins, not raleigh, introduced it into england--with or without the "jacket"?--don't let it be _à-la_-ed--benevolence and large-heartedness of the cabbage family--peas on earth--pythagoras on the bean--"giving him beans"--"haricot" a misnomer--"borston" beans--frijoles--the carrot--crécy soup--the prince of wales--the black prince and the king of bohemia. item, the potato, earth-apple, murphy, or spud; the most useful, as well as the most exasperating gift of a bountiful providence. those inclined to obesity may skip the greater part of this chapter. you can employ a potato for almost anything. it comes in very handy for the manufacture of starch, sugar, irish stew, scotch whisky, and colorado beetles. cut it in half, and with one half you restore an old master, and with the other drive the cat from the back garden. more deadly battles have been waged over the proper way to cook a potato, than over a parish boundary, or an irish eviction. strong-headed men hurl the spud high in air, and receive and fracture it on their frontal bones; whilst a juggler like paul cinquevalli can do what he likes with it. worn inside the pocket, it is an infallible cure for chronic rheumatism, fits, and tubercular meningitis. worn inside the body it will convert a living skeleton into a daniel lambert. plant potatoes in a game district, and if they come up you will find that after the haulms have withered you can capture all your rich neighbour's pheasants, and half the partridges in the country. a nicely-baked potato, deftly placed beneath the root of his tail, will make the worst "jibber" in the world travel; whilst, when combined with buttermilk, and a modicum of meal, the earth-apple has been known to nourish millions of the rising generation, and to give them sufficient strength and courage to owe their back rents, and accuracy of aim for exterminating the brutal owner of the soil. the waiter, bless ye! the harmless, flat-footed waiter, doesn't know all this. potatoes to him are simply d. or d. in the little account, according to whether they be "biled, mash, or soty"; and if questioned as to the natural history of the floury tuber, he would probably assume an air of injured innocence, and assure you that during his reign of "thirty-five year, man and boy," that establishment had "never 'ad no complaints." the potato is most eccentric in disposition, and its cultivator should know by heart the beautiful ode of horace which commences _aequam memento rebus in arduis_ . . . the experiences of the writer as a potato grower have been somewhat mixed, and occasionally like the following:--set your snowflakes in deeply-trenched, heavily-manured ground, a foot apart. in due time you will get a really fine crop of groundsel, charlock, and slugs, with enough bind-weed to strangle the sea-serpent. clear all this rubbish off, and after a week or two the eye will be gladdened with the sight of the delicate green leaf of the tuber peeping through the soil. slow music. enter the earl of frost. no; they will not _all_ be cut off. you will get _one_ tuber. peel it carefully, and place it in the pig-stye--the peeling spoils the quality of the pork. throw the peeling away--on the bed in which you have sown annuals for choice--and in the late spring you will have a row of potatoes which will do you credit. but this is frivolous. the origin of the potato is doubtful; but that it was used by the ancients, in warfare, is tolerably certain. long before the spaniards reached the new world it was cultivated largely by the incas; and it was the spaniards who brought the tuber to europe, in the beginning of the sixteenth century. it was brought to england from virginia by sir john hawkins in ; and again in by sir francis drake, to whom, as the introducer of the potato, a statue was erected at offenburg, in baden, in . in schools and other haunts of ignorance, the credit for the introduction of the tuber used to be and is (i believe) still given to sir walter raleigh, who has been wrongly accredited with as many "good things" as have been theodore hook or sidney smith. and i may mention _en parenthèse_, that i don't entirely believe that cloak story. for many years the tuber was known in england as the "batata"--overhaul your _lorna doone_--and in france, until the close of the eighteenth century, the earth apple was looked upon with suspicion, as the cause of leprosy and assorted fevers; just as the tomato, at the close of the more civilised nineteenth century, is said by the vulgar and swine-headed to breed cancer. now then, with or without the jacket? and the reader who imagines that i am going to answer the question has too much imagination. as the old butler in wilkie collins's _the moonstone_ observes, there is much to be said on both sides. personally i lean to the "no-jacket" side, unless the tuber be baked; and i would make it penal to serve a potato in any other way than boiled, steamed, or baked.[ ] the bad fairy _ala_ should have no hand in its manipulation; and there be few æsthetic eaters who would not prefer the old-fashioned "ball of flour" to slices of the sodden article swimming in a bath of grease and parsley, and called a _sauté_. the horrible concoction yclept "preserved potatoes," which used to be served out aboard sailing vessels, after the passengers had eaten all the real articles, and which tasted like bad pease-pudding dressed with furniture polish, is, happily, deceased. and the best potatoes, the same breed which our fathers and our forefathers munched in the covent garden "cave of harmony," grow, i am credibly informed, in jermyn street. moreover if you wish to spoil a dish of good spuds, there is no surer way than by leaving on the dish-cover. so much for boiling 'em--or steaming 'em. the cabbage is a fine, friendly fellow, who makes himself at home, and generally useful, in the garden; whilst his great heart swells, and swells, in the full knowledge that he is doing his level best to please all. though cut down in the springtime of his youth, his benevolence is so great that he will sprout again from his headless trunk, if required, and given time for reflection. the romans introduced him into great britain, but there was a sort of cow-cabbage in the island before that time which our blue forefathers used to devour with their bacon, and steaks, in a raw state. "the most evolved and final variety of the cabbage," writes a _savant_, "is the cauliflower, in which the vegetative surplus becomes poured into the flowering head, of which the flowering is more or less checked; the inflorescence becoming a dense corymb instead of an open panicle, and the majority of the flowers aborting"--the head gardener usually tells you all this in the scottish language--"so as to become incapable of producing seed. let a specially vegetative cabbage repeat the excessive development of its leaf parenchyma, and we have the wrinkled and blistered savoy, of which the hardy constitution, but comparative coarseness, become also more intelligible; again a specially vegetative cauliflower gives us an easily grown and hardy winter variety, broccoli"--_broccilo_ in costerese--"from which, and not from the ordinary cauliflower, a sprouting variety arises in turn." in jersey the cabbage-stalks are dried, varnished, and used as spars for thatched roofs, as also for the correction of the youthful population. cook all varieties of the cabbage in water already at the boil, with a little salt and soda in it. the french sprinkle cheese on a cauliflower, to make it more tasty, and it then becomes _choufleur aû gratin_. remove the green leaves, and _underboil_ your cauliflower. pour over it some butter sauce in which have been mixed two ounces of grated cheese--half gruyère and half parmesan. powder with bread crumbs, or raspings, and with more grated cheese. lastly, pour over it a teaspoonful of oiled butter. place in a hot oven and bake till the surface is a golden brown, which should be in from ten to fifteen minutes. serve in same dish. vegetarians should be particularly careful to soak every description of cabbage in salt and water before cooking. otherwise the vegetarians will probably eat a considerable portion of animal food. here occurs an opportunity for the recipe for an elegant dish, which the french call _perdrix aux choux_, which is simply _partridge stewed with cabbage, etc._ a brace of birds browned in the stewpan with butter or good dripping, and a portion of a hand of pickled pork in small pieces, some chopped onion and a clove or two. add some broth, two carrots (chopped), a bay-leaf, and a chopped sausage or two. then add a savoy cabbage, cut into quarters, and seasoned with pepper and salt. let all simmer together for an hour and a half. then drain the cabbage, and place it, squashed down, on a dish. arrange the birds in the middle, surround them with the pieces of pork and sausage, and pour over all the liquor from the stew. this is an excellent dish, and savours more of teutonic than of french cooking. but you mustn't tell a frenchman this, if he be bigger than yourself. the toothsome pea has been cultivated in the east from time immemorial, though the ancient greeks and romans do not appear to have had knowledge of such a dainty. had vitellius known the virtues of duck and green peas he would probably have not been so wrapt up in his favourite dormice, stuffed with poppy-seed and stewed in honey. the ancient egyptians knew all about the little pulse, and not one of the leaders of society was mummified without a pod or two being placed amongst his wrappings. and after thousand of years said peas, when sown, have been known to germinate. the mummy pea-plant, however, but seldom bears fruit. our idiotic ancestors, the ancient britons, knew nothing about peas, nor do any of their descendants appear to have troubled about the vegetable before the reign of the virgin queen. then they were imported from holland, together with schnapps, curaçoa, and other things, and no "swagger" banquet was held without a dish of "fresh-shelled 'uns," which were accounted "fit dainties for ladies, they came so far and cost so dear." in england up-to-date peas are frequently accompanied by pigeon pie at table; the dove family being especially partial to the little pulse, either when attached to the haulm, in the garden, or in a dried state. so that the crafty husbandman, who possesses a shot gun, frequently gathereth both pea and pigeon. a chalky soil is especially favourable to pea cultivation; and deal sawdust sprinkled well over the rows immediately after the setting of the seed will frustrate the knavish tricks of the field mouse, who also likes peas. the man who discovered the affinity between mint and this vegetable ought to have received a gold medal, and i would gladly attend the execution of the caitiff who invented the tinned peas which we get at the foreign restaurants, at three times the price of the english article. here is a good simple recipe for pea soup, made from the dried article: soak a quart of split peas in rain-water for twelve hours. put them in the pot with one carrot, one onion, one leek, a sprig or two of parsley (all chopped), one pound of streaky bacon, and three quarts of the liquor in which either beef, mutton, pork, or poultry may have been boiled. boil for nearly three hours, remove the bacon, and strain the soup through a tammy. heat up, and serve with dried mint, and small cubes of fat bacon fried crisp. green-pea soup is made in precisely the same way; but the peas will not need soaking beforehand, and thrifty housewives put in the shells as well. harmless and nutritious a vegetable as the bean would appear to be, it did not altogether find favour with the ancients. pythagoras, who had quaint ideas on the subject of the human soul, forbade his disciples to eat beans, because they were generated in the foul ooze out of which man was created. lucian, who had a vivid imagination, describes a philosopher in hades who was particularly hard on the bean, to eat which he declared was as great a crime as to eat one's father's head. and yet lucian was accounted a man of common sense in his time. the romans only ate beans at funerals, being under the idea that the souls of the dead abode in the vegetable. according to tradition, the "caller herrin'" hawked in the streets of edinburgh were once known as "lives o' men," from the risks run by the fishermen. and the romans introduced the bean into england by way of cheering up our blue forefathers. in the roman festival of lemuralia, the father of the family was accustomed to throw black beans over his head, whilst repeating an incantation. this ceremony probably inspired lucian's philosopher--for whom, however, every allowance should be made, when we come to consider his place of residence--with his jaundiced views of the _faba vulgaris_. curiously enough, amongst the vulgar folk, at the present day, there would seem to be some sort of prejudice against the vegetable; or why should "i'll give him beans" be a synonymous threat with "i'll do him all the mischief i can?" there is plenty of nourishment in a bean; that is the opinion of the entire medical faculty. and whilst beans and bacon make a favourite summer repast for the farm-labourer and his family, the dish is also (at the commencement of the bean season) to be met with at the tables of the wealthy. the aroma of the flower of the broad bean was once compared, in one of john leech's studies in _punch_, to "the most delicious 'air oil," but, apart from this fragrance, there is but little sentiment about the _faba vulgaris_. a much more graceful vegetable is the _phaseolus vulgaris_, the kidney, or, as the idiotic french call it, the _haricot_ bean. it is just as sensible to call a leg of welsh mutton a _pré salé_, or salt meadow. no well-behaved hashed venison introduces himself to our notice unless accompanied by a dish of kidney beans. and few people in europe besides frenchmen and convicts eat the dried seeds of this form of bean, which is frequently sown in suburban gardens to form a fence to keep out cats. but the suburban cat knows a trick worth a dozen of that one; and no bean that was ever born will arrest his progress, or turn him from his evil ways. it is criminal to smother the kidney bean with melted butter at table. a little oil, vinegar, and pepper agree with him much better. in the great continent of america, the kidney-bean seed, dried, is freely partaken of. pork and "borston" beans, in fact, form the national dish, and right good it is. but do not attempt any violent exercise after eating the same. the mexicans are the largest bean-eaters in the world. they fry the vegetables in oil or stew them with peppers and onions, and these _frijoles_ form the principal sustenance of the lower orders. an english "bean feast" (vulg. _beano_) is a feast at which no beans, and not many other things, are eaten. the intelligent foreigner may take it that _beano_ simply means the worship of bacchus. with the exception of the onion there is no more useful aid to cookery of all sorts than the lowly carrot, which was introduced into england--no, not by the romans--from holland, in the sixteenth century. and the ladies who attended the court of charles i. were in the habit of wearing carrot leaves in the hair, and on their court robes, instead of feathers. a similar fashion might be revived at the present epoch, with advantage to the banking account of vile man. as the flemish gardeners brought over the roots, we should not despise carrots cooked in the flemish way. simmer some young carrots in butter, with pepper and salt. add cream (or milk and yolk of eggs), a pinch of sugar, and a little chopped parsley. h.r.h. the prince of wales, according to report, invariably eats carrot soup on the th of august. the french call it "crÉcy" soup, because their best carrots grow there; and crécy it may be remembered was also the scene of a great battle, when one englishman proved better than five frenchmen. in this battle the black prince performed prodigies of valour, afterwards assuming the crest of the late bohemian king--three ostrich feathers (surely these should be carrot tops?) with the motto "_ich dien_." _crécy soup._ place a mirepoix of white wine in the pot, and put a quantity of sliced carrots atop. moisten with broth, and keep simmering till the carrots are done. then pour into a mortar, pound, and pass through a tammy. thin it with more broth, sweeten in the proportion of one tablespoonful of sugar to two gallons of soup; heat up, pop a little butter in at the finish, and in serving it add either small cubes of fried bread, or rice boiled as for curry (see page ). chapter xi vegetables (_continued_) "earth's simple fruits; we all enjoy them. then why with sauces rich alloy them?" the brief lives of the best--a vegetable with a pedigree--argenteuil--the elysian fields--the tomato the emblem of love--"neeps"--spinach--"stomach-brush"--the savoury tear-provoker--invaluable for wasp-stings--celery merely cultivated "smallage"--the "_apium_"--the parsnip--o jerusalem!--the golden sunflower--how to get pheasants--a vegetarian banquet--"swelling wisibly." it is one of the most exasperating laws and ordinations of nature that the nicest things shall last the shortest time. "whom the gods love die young," is an ancient proverb; and the produce of the garden which is most agreeable to man invariably gives out too soon. look at peas. every gardener of worth puts in the seed so that you may get the different rows of marrow-fats and telephones and _ne plus ultras_ in "succession"; and up they all come, at one and the same time, whilst, if you fail to pick them all at once, the combined efforts of mildew and the sun will soon save you the labour of picking them at all. look at strawberries; and why can't they stay in our midst all the year round, like the various members of the cabbage family? then look at asparagus. the gardener who could persuade the heads of this department to pop up in succession, from january to december would earn more money than the prime minister. the favourite vegetable of the ancient romans was introduced by them, with their accustomed unselfishness, into britain, where it has since flourished--more particularly in the alluvial soil of the thames valley in the neighbourhood of mortlake and richmond, ground which is also especially favourable to the growth of celery. in an ancient work called _de re rustica_, cato the elder, who was born b.c., has much to say--far more, indeed, than i can translate without the aid of a dictionary or "crib"--about the virtues and proper cultivation of asparagus; and pliny, another noble roman, devotes several chapters of his _natural history_ (published at the commencement of the christian era) to the same subject. "of all the productions of your garden" says this mr. pliny, "your chief care will be your asparagus." and the cheerful and sanguine householder of to-day who sows his asparagus, and expects to get it "while he waits" has ample consolation for disappointment in the reflection that his labours will benefit posterity, if not the next tenant. the foreigners can beat us for size, in the matter of asparagus; but ours is a long way in front for flavour. in france the vegetable is very largely grown at argenteuil on the seine, a district which has also produced, and still produces, a wine which is almost as dangerous to man as hydrocyanic acid, and which was invariably served in the restaurants, after the sitting had been a lengthy one, no matter what special brand might have been ordered. english hosts play the same game with their "military" ports and inferior sherries. the argenteuil asparagus is now grown between the vines--at least acres are in cultivation--hence the peculiar flavour which, however grateful it may be to frenchmen, is somewhat sickly and not to be compared with that of the "little gentleman in green," nearly the whole of whom we english can consume with safety to digestion. according to greek mythology, asparagus grew in the elysian fields; but whether the blessed took oil and vinegar with it, or the "bill-sticker's paste," so favoured in middle-class kitchens of to-day, there is no record. it goes best, however, with a plain salad dressing--a "spot" of mustard worked into a tablespoonful of oil, and a dessert-spoonful of tarragon vinegar, with pepper and salt _ad lib_. asparagus is no longer known in the british pharmacopoeia, but the french make large medicinal use of its root, which is supposed to still the action of the heart, like foxglove, and to act as a preventive of calculi. in cooking the vegetable, tie in small bundles, which should be stood on end in the saucepan, so that the delicate heads should be _steamed_, and not touched by the boiling water. many cooks will contest this point; which, however, does not admit of argument. there was once a discussion in a well-known hostelry, as to whether the _tomato_ was a fruit or a vegetable. eventually the head-waiter was invited to solve the great question. he did so on the spot. "tumarter, sir? tumarter's a hextra." and as a "hextra" it has never since that period ceased to be regarded. a native of south america, the plant was introduced into europe by the spaniards, late in the sixteenth century, and the english got it in . still until a quarter of a century ago the tomato has not been largely cultivated, save by the market gardener; in fact in private gardens it was conspicuous by its absence. those who eat it do _not_ invariably succumb to cancer; and the dyspeptic should always keep it on the premises. as the tomato is also known as the "love-apple," a great point was missed by our old friend sergeant buzfuz, in the celebrated bardell v. pickwick trial, when referring to the postscript, "chops, and tomato sauce." possibly charles dickens was not an authority on veget---- i beg pardon, "hextras." here is a french recipe for _tomate au gratin_: cut open the tops and scoop out the pulp. pass it through a sieve, to clear away the pips, and mix with it either a modicum of butter, or oil, some chopped shalot and garlic, with pepper and salt. simmer the mixture for a quarter of an hour, then stir in some bread-crumbs, previously soaked in broth, and some yolks of egg. when cold, fill the tomato skins with the mixture, shake some fine bread raspings over each, and bake in quick oven for ten or twelve minutes. the _turnip_ is not, as might be sometimes imagined, entirely composed of compressed deal splinters, but is a vegetable which was cultivated in india long before the britons got it. the scotch call turnips "neeps"; but the scotch will do anything. probably no member of the vegetable family is so great a favourite with the insect pests sent on earth by an all-wise providence to prevent mankind having too much to eat. but see that you get a few turnips to cook when there is roast duck for dinner. _spinach_ was introduced into spain by the arabs, and as neither nation possessed at that time, at all events, the attribute of extra-cleanliness, they must have eaten a great deal of "matter in the wrong place," otherwise known as dirt. for if ever there was a vegetable the preparation of which for table would justify any cook in giving notice to leave, it is spinach. the germans have nick-named it "stomach-brush," and there is no plant growing which conduces more to the health of man. but there has been more trouble over the proper way to serve it at table than over armenia. the french chop up their _épinards_ and mix butter, or gravy, with the mess. many english, on the other hand, prefer the leaves cooked whole. it is all a matter of taste. but i seem to scent a soft, sweet fragrance in the air, a homely and health-giving reek, which warns me that i have too long neglected to touch upon the many virtues of the _onion_. indigenous to india in the form of _garlic_ (or _gar-leek_, the original onion), the egyptians got hold of the tear-provoker and cultivated it years before the christian era. so that few of the mortals of whom we have ever read can have been ignorant of the uses of the onion, or _gar-leek_. but knowledge and practice have enabled modern gardeners to produce larger bulbs than even the most imaginative of the ancients can have dreamt of. to mention all the uses to which the onion is put in the kitchen would be to write a book too weighty for any known motive power to convey to the british museum; but it may be briefly observed of the juice of the _cepa_ that it is invaluable for almost any purpose, from flavouring a dish fit to set before a king, to the alleviation of the inflammation caused by the poison-bearing needle which the restless wasp keeps for use within his, or her, tail. in fact, the inhabited portion of the globe had better be without noses than without onions. like the tomato, celery is a "hextra"--and a very important one. if you buy the heads at half-a-crown per hundred and sell them at threepence a portion, it will not exercise your calculating powers to discover the profits which can be made out of this simple root. celery is simply cultivated "smallage"; a weed which has existed in britain since the age of ice. it was the italians who made the discovery that educated smallage would become celery; and it is worthy of note that their forefathers, the conquerors of the world, with the greeks, seem to have known "no touch of it"--as a relish, at all events; though some writers will have it that the "apium," with which the victors at the isthmian and other games were crowned was not parsley but the leaf of the celery plant. but what does it matter? celery is invaluable as a flavourer, and when properly cultivated, and not stringy, a most delightful and satisfactory substance to bite. in fact a pretty woman never shows to more advantage than when nibbling a crisp, "short" head of celery--provided she possess pretty teeth. with boiled turkey, or ditto pheasant, celery sauce is _de rigueur_; and it should be flavoured slightly with slices of onion, an ounce of butter being allowed to every head of celery. the french are fond of it stewed; and as long as the flavour of the gravy, or _jus_, does not disguise the flavour of the celery, it is excellent when thus treated. its merits in a salad will be touched upon in another chapter. the parsnip is a native of england, where it is chiefly used to make an inferior kind of spirit, or a dreadful brand of wine. otherwise few people would trouble to cultivate the parsnip; for we can't be having boiled pork or salt fish for dinner every day. the vegetable marrow is a member of the pumpkin family and is a comparatively tasteless occupant of the garden, its appearance in which heralds the departure of summer. in the suburbs, if you want to annoy the people next door, you cannot do better than put in a marrow plant or two. if they come to anything, and get plenty of water, they will crawl all over your neighbour's premises; and unless he is fond of the breed, and cuts and cooks them, they make him mad. the frugal housewife, blessed with a large family, makes jam of the surplus marrows; but i prefer a conserve of apricot, gooseberry, or greengage. another purpose to which to put this vegetable is-- scoop out the seeds, after cutting it in half, lengthways. fill the space with minced veal (cooked), small cubes of bacon, and plenty of seasoning--some people add the yoke of an egg--put on the other half marrow, and bake for half-an-hour. this baked marrow is a cheap and homely dish which, like many another savoury dish, seldom finds its way to the rich man's dining-room. the artichoke is a species of thistle; and the man who pays the usual high-toned restaurant prices for the pleasure of eating such insipid food, is an--never mind what. boil the thing in salt and water, and dip the ends of the leaves in oil and vinegar, or holland sauce, before eating. then you will enjoy the really fine flavour of the--oil and vinegar, or holland sauce. the so-called jerusalem artichoke is really a species of sunflower. its tuber is not a universal favourite, though it possesses far from a coarse flavour. the plant has nothing whatever to do with jerusalem, and never had. put a tuber or two into your garden, and you will have jerusalem artichokes as long as you live on those premises. for the vegetable will stay with you as long as the gout, or the rate-gatherer. pheasants are particularly partial to this sort of crop. by far the best vegetable production of the gorgeous east is the _brinjal_ 'tis oval in shape, and about the size of a hen's egg, the surface being purple in colour. it is usually cut in twain and done "on the grating"; i have met something very like the _brinjal_ in covent garden; but can find no record of the vegetable's pedigree in any book. although there are still many vegetarian restaurants in our large towns, the prejudice against animal food is, happily, dying out; and if ridicule could kill, we should not hear much more of the "cranks" who with delightful inconsistency, would spurn a collop of beef, and gorge themselves on milk, in every shape and form. if milk, butter, and cheese be not animal food i should like to know what is? and it is as reasonable to ask a man to sustain life on dried peas and mushrooms as to feed a tiger on cabbages. once, and only once, has the writer attempted a _vegetarian banquet_. it was savoury enough; and possessed the additional merit of being cheap. decidedly "filling at the price" was that meal. we--i had a messmate--commenced with (alleged) scotch broth--which consisted principally of dried peas, pearl barley, and oatmeal--and a large slice of really excellent brown bread was served, to each, with this broth. thereupon followed a savoury stew of onions and tomatoes, relieved by a "savoury pie," apparently made from potatoes, leeks, bread crumbs, butter, and "postponed" mushrooms. we had "gone straight" up to now, but both shied a bit at the maccaroni and grated cheese. we had two bottles of ginger beer apiece, with this dinner, which cost less than three shillings for the two, after the dapper little waitress had been feed. on leaving, we both agreed to visit that cleanly and well-ordered little house again, if only from motives of economy; but within half an hour that programme was changed. like the old lady at the tea-drinking, i commenced to "swell wisibly"; and so did my companion. "mon alive!" he gasped. "i feel just for all the wor-rld like a captive balloon, or a puffy-dunter--that's a puffing whale, ye ken. i'll veesit yon onion-hoose nae mair i' ma life!" and i think it cost us something like half a sovereign in old brandy to neutralise the effects of that vegetarian banquet. chapter xii curries "thou com'st in such a questionable shape that i will speak to thee." different modes of manufacture--the "native" fraud--"that man's family"--the french _kari_--a parsee curry--"the oyster in the sauce"--ingredients--malay curry--locusts--when to serve--what to curry--prawn curry--dry curry, a champion recipe--rice--the bombay duck. the poor indian grinds his coriander seeds, green ginger, and other ingredients between two large flat stones; taking a whiff at the family "hubble-bubble" pipe at intervals. the frugal british housewife purchases (alleged) curry powder in the warehouse of italy--where it may have lived on, like claudian, "through the centuries"--stirs a spoonful or two into the hashed mutton, surrounds it with a wall of clammy rice, and calls it benares curry, made from the recipe of a very dear uncle who met his death while tiger-shooting. and you will be in the minority if you do not cut this savoury meat with a knife, and eat potatoes, and very often cabbage, with it. the far-seeing eating-house keeper corrals a _lascar_ or a discharged _mehtar_ into the firm, gives him his board, a pound a month, and a clean _puggaree_ and _kummerbund_ daily, and "stars" him in the bill as an "indian _chef_, fresh from the chowringhee club, calcutta." and it is part of the duties of this oriental--supposed by the unwary to be at least a prince in his native land--to hand the portions of curry, which he may or may not have concocted, to the appreciative guests, who enjoy the repast all the more from having the scent of the hooghly brought across the footlights. i was once sadly and solemnly reproved by the head waiter of a very "swagger" establishment indeed for sending away, after one little taste, the (alleged) curry which had been handed me by an exile from ind, in snow-white raiment. "you really ought to have eaten that, sir," said the waiter, "for that man's family have been celebrated curry-makers for generations." i smole a broad smile. in the land of the moguls the very babies who roll in the dust know the secret of curry-making. but that "that man" had had any hand in the horrible concoction placed before me i still resolutely decline to believe. and how can a man be cook and waiter at the same time? the "native curry-maker," depend on it, is more or less of a fraud; and his aid is only invoked as an excuse for overcharging. at the oriental club are served, or used to be served, really excellent curries, assorted; for as there be more ways than one of killing a cat, so are there more curries than one. the french turn out a horrible mixture, with parsley and mushrooms in it, which they call _kari_; it is called by a still worse name on the boulevards, and the children of our lively neighbours are frequently threatened with it by their nurses. on the whole, the east indian method is the best; and the most philanthropic curry i ever tasted was one which my own _khitmughar_ had just prepared, with infinite pains, for his own consumption. the poor heathen had prospected a feast, as it was one of his numerous "big days"; so, despising the homely _dhal_, on the which, with a plate of rice and a modicum of rancid butter, he was wont to sustain existence, he had manufactured a savoury mess of pottage, the looks of which gratified me. so, at the risk of starting another mutiny, it was ordained that the slave should serve the refection at the table of the "protector of the poor." and a _pukkha_ curry it was, too. another dish of native manufacture with which the writer became acquainted was a _parsee curry_. the eminent firm of jehangeer on one occasion presented a petition to the commanding-officer that they might be allowed to supply a special curry to the mess one guest-night. the request was probably made as an inducement to some of the young officers to pay a little on account of their "owings" to the firm; but it is to be feared that no special vote of thanks followed the sampling of that special curry. it was a curry! i tasted it for a week (as the frenchman did the soup of swindon); and the parsee _chef_ must have upset the entire contents of the spice-box into it. i never felt more like murder than when the hotel cook in manchester put nutmeg in the oyster sauce; but after that curry, the strangling of the entire firm of jehangeer would, in our cantonments, at all events, have been brought in "justifiable homicide." "oyster sauce" recalls a quaint _simile_ i once heard a bookmaker make use of. he was talking of one of his aristocratic debtors, whom he described as sure to pay up, if you could only get hold of him. "but mark you," continued the layer of odds, "he's just about as easy to get hold of as _the oyster in the sauce_, at one of our moonicipal banquets!" but return we to our coriander seeds. there is absolutely no reason why the frugal housewife in this country should not make her own curry powder from day to day, as it may be required. here is an average indian recipe; but it must be remembered that in the gorgeous east tastes vary as much as elsewhere, and that bengal, bombay, madras (including burmah), ceylon, and the straits settlements, have all different methods of preparing a curry. a few coriander and cumin seeds--according to taste--eight peppercorns, a small piece of turmeric, and one dried chili, all pounded together. when making the curry _mixture_, take a piece of the heart of a cabbage, the size of a hen's egg; chop it fine and add one sour apple in thin slices the size of a keswick codlin, the juice of a medium-sized lemon, a salt-spoonful of black pepper, and a tablespoonful of the above curry powder. mix all well together; then take six medium-sized onions which have been chopped small and fried a delicate brown, a clove of garlic, also chopped small, two ounces of fresh butter, two ounces of flour, and one pint of beef gravy. boil up this lot (which commences with the onions), and _when boiling_ stir in the rest of the mixture. let it all simmer down, and then add the solid part of the curry, _i.e._ the meat, cut in portions not larger than two inches square. remember, o frugal housewife, that the turmeric portion of the entertainment should be added with a niggard hand. "too much turmeric" is the fault which is found with most curries made in england. i remember, when a boy, that there was an idea rooted in my mind that curries were made with doctor gregory's powder, an unsavoury drug with which we were periodically regaled by the head nurse; and there was always a fierce conflict at the dinner-table when the bill-of-fare included this (as we supposed) physic-al terror. but it was simply the taste of turmeric to which we took exception. what is turmeric? a plant in cultivation all over india, whose tubers yield a deep yellow powder of a resinous nature. this resinous powder is sold in lumps, and is largely used for adulterating mustard; just as inferior anchovy sauce is principally composed of armenian bole, the deep red powder with which the actor makes up his countenance. turmeric is also used medicinally in hindustan, but not this side of suez, although in chemistry it affords an infallible test for the presence of alkalies. the coriander has become naturalised in parts of england, but is more used on the continent. our confectioners put the seeds in cakes and buns, also comfits, and in germany, norway, sweden, and (i fancy) russia, they figure in household bread. in the south of england, coriander and caraway seeds are sown side by side, and crops of each are obtained in alternate years. the coriander seed, too, is largely used with that of the caraway and the cumin, for making the liqueur known as kÜmmel. cumin is mentioned in scripture as something particularly nice. the seeds are sweet-savoured, something like those of the caraway, but more potent. in germany they put them into bread, and the dutch use them to flavour their cheeses. the seeds we get in england come principally from sicily and malta. and now that my readers know all about the ingredients of curry-powder--it is assumed that no analysis of the chili, the ginger-root, or the peppercorn, is needed--let them emulate the pupils of mr. wackford squeers, and "go and do it." another recipe for curry-powder includes fenugreek, cardamoms, allspice, and cloves; but i verily believe that this was the powder used in that abominable parsee hell-broth, above alluded to, so it should be cautiously approached, if at all. "fenugreek" sounds evil; and i should say a curry compounded of the above ingredients would taste like a "number one" pick-me-up. yet another recipe (doctor kitchener's) specifies six ounces of coriander seed, five ounces of turmeric (_ower muckle, i'm of opeenion_) two ounces each of black pepper and mustard seed (_ochone!_), half an ounce of cumin seed, half an ounce of cinnamon (_donner und blitzen!_), and one ounce of lesser cardamoms. all these things are to be placed in a cool oven, kept therein one night, and pounded in a marble mortar next morning, preparatory to being rubbed through a sieve. "kitchener" sounds like a good cooking name; but, with all due respect, i am not going to recommend his curry-powder. a malay curry is made with blanched almonds, which should be fried in butter till lightly browned. then pound them to a paste with a sliced onion and some thin lemon-rind. curry powder and gravy are added, and a small quantity of cream. the malays curry all sorts of fish, flesh, and fowl, including the young shoots of the bamboo--and nice tender, succulent morsels they are. at a hotel overlooking the harbour of point de galle, ceylon, "run," at the time of the writer's visit, by a most convivial and enterprising yankee, a canning concocter of all sorts of "slings" and "cocktails," there used to be quite a plethora of curries in the bill-of-fare. but for a prawn curry there is no place like the city of palaces. and the reason for this super-excellence is that the prawns--but that story had, perhaps, best remain untold. curried locusts formed one of the most eccentric dishes ever tasted by the writer. there had come upon us that day a plague of these all-devouring insects. a few billions called on us, in our kitchen gardens, in passing; and whilst they ate up every green thing--including the newly-painted wheelbarrow, and the regimental standard, which had been incautiously left out of doors--our faithful blacks managed to capture several _impis_ of the marauding scuts, in revenge; and the mess-cook made a right savoury _plât_ of their hind-quarters. it is criminal to serve curry during the _entrée_ period of dinner. and it is worse form still to hand it round after gooseberry tart and cream, and trifle, as i have seen done at one great house. in the land of its birth, the spicy pottage invariably precedes the sweets. nubbee bux marches solemnly round with the mixture, in a deep dish, and is succeeded by ram lal with the rice. and in the madras presidency, where _dry_ curry is served as well as the other brand, there is a procession of three brown attendants. highly-seasoned dishes at the commencement of a long meal are a mistake; and this is one of the reasons why i prefer the middle cut of a plain-boiled tay salmon, or the tit-bit of a lordly turbot, or a flake or two of a grimsby cod, to a _sole normande_, or a red mullet stewed with garlic, mushrooms, and inferior claret. i have even met _homard à l'américaine_, during the fish course, at the special request of a well-known duke. the soup, too, eaten at a large dinner should be as plain as possible; the edge being fairly taken off the appetite by such concoctions as _bisque_, _bouillabaisse_, and _mulligatawny_--all savoury and tasty dishes, but each a meal in itself. then i maintain that to curry whitebait is wrong; partly because curry should on no account be served before roast and boiled, and partly because the flavour of the whitebait is too delicate for the fish to be clad in spices and onions. the lesson which all dinner-givers ought to have learnt from the ancient romans--the first people on record who went in for æsthetic cookery--is that highly-seasoned and well-peppered dishes should figure at the end, and not the commencement of a banquet. here follows a list of some of the productions of nature which it is allowable to curry. _what to curry._ turbot. sole. cod. lobster. crayfish. prawns,--but _not_ the so-called "dublin prawn," which is delicious when eaten plain boiled, but no good in a curry. whelks.[ ] oysters. scallops. mutton. veal. pork. calf's head. ox palate. tripe.[ ] eggs. chicken. rabbit (the "bunny" lends itself better than anything else to this method of cooking). pease. kidney beans.[ ] vegetable marrow. carrots. parsnips. bamboo shoots. locust legs. a mistaken notion has prevailed for some time amongst men and women who write books, that the indian curry mixture is almost red-hot to the taste. as a matter of fact it is of a far milder nature than many i have tasted "on this side." also the anglo-indian does not sustain life entirely on food flavoured with turmeric and garlic. in fact, during a stay of seven years in the gorgeous east, the writer's experience was that not one in ten touched curry at the dinner table. at second breakfast--otherwise known as "tiffin"--it was a favoured dish; but the stuff prepared for the meal of the day--or the bulk thereof--usually went to gratify the voracious appetite of the "_mehters_," the hindus who swept out the mess-rooms, and whose lowness of "caste" allowed them to eat "anything." an eccentric meal was the _mehter's_ dinner. into the empty preserved-meat tin which he brought round to the back door i have seen emptied such assorted _pabulum_ as mock turtle soup, lobster salad, plum pudding and custard, curry, and (of course), the surplus _vilolif_; and in a few seconds he was squatting on his heels, and spading into the mixture with both hands. in the bengal presidency cocoa-nut is freely used with a curry dressing; and as some men have as great a horror of this addition, as of oil in a salad, it is as well to consult the tastes of your guests beforehand. a prawn curry i have seen made in calcutta as follows, the proportions of spices, etc., being specially written down by a _munshi_:-- pound and mix one tablespoonful of coriander seed, one tablespoonful of poppy seed, a salt-spoonful of turmeric, half a salt-spoonful of cumin seed, a pinch of ground cinnamon, a ditto of ground nutmeg, a small lump of ginger, and one salt-spoonful of salt. mix this with butter, add two sliced onions, and fry till lightly browned. add the prawns, shelled, and pour in the milk of a cocoa-nut. simmer for twenty minutes, and add some lime juice. but the champion of curries ever sampled by the writer was a dry curry--a decided improvement on those usually served in the madras presidency--and the recipe (which has been already published in the _sporting times_ and _lady's pictorial_), only came into the writer's possession some years after he had quitted the land of temples. _dry curry._ lb. of meat (mutton, fowl, or white fish). lb. of onions. clove of garlic. ounces of butter. dessert-spoonful of curry powder. dessert-spoonful of curry paste. dessert-spoonful of chutnee (or tamarind preserve, according to taste). a very little cassareep, which is a condiment (only obtainable at a few london shops) made from the juice of the bitter cassava, or manioc root. cassareep is the basis of that favourite west indian dish "pepper-pot." salt to taste. a good squeeze of lemon juice. first brown the onions in the butter, and then dry them. add the garlic, which must be mashed to a pulp with the blade of a knife. then mix the powder, paste, chutnee, and cassareep into a thin paste with the lemon juice. mash the dried onions into this, and let all cook gently till thoroughly mixed. then add the meat, cut into small cubes, and let all simmer very gently for three hours. this sounds a long time, but it must be remembered that the recipe is for a _dry_ curry; and when served there should be no liquid about it. 'tis a troublesome dish to prepare; but, judging from the flattering communications received by the writer, the lieges would seem to like it. and the mixture had better be cooked in a _double_ or porridge-saucepan, to prevent any "catching." already, in one of the breakfast chapters, has the subject of the preparation of rice, to be served with curry, been touched upon; but there will be no harm done in giving the directions again. _rice for curry_ soak a sufficiency of rice in cold water until by repeated strainings all the dirt is separated from it. then put the rice into _boiling_ water, and let it "gallop" for nine or ten minutes--_no longer_. strain the water off through a colander, and dash a little _cold_ water over the rice to separate the grains. put in a hot dish, and serve immediately. a simple enough recipe, surely? so let us hear no more complaints of stodgy, clammy, "puddingy" rice. most of the cookery books give far more elaborate directions, but the above is the method usually pursued by the poor brown heathen himself. soyer's recipe resembles the above; but, after draining the water from the cooked rice, it is replaced in the saucepan, the interior of which has in the interim been anointed with butter. the saucepan is then placed either near the fire (not on it), or in a slow oven, for the rice to swell. another way: after washing the rice, throw it into plenty of boiling water--in the proportion of six pints of water to one pound of rice. boil it for five minutes, and skim it; then add a wine-glassful of milk for every half pound of rice, and continue boiling for five minutes longer. strain the water off through a colander, and put it dry into the pot, on the corner of the stove, pouring over the rice a small piece of butter, which has been melted in a tablespoonful of the hot milk and water in which the rice was boiled. add salt, and stir the rice for five minutes more. the decayed denizen of the ocean, dried to the consistency of biscuit, and known in hindustan as a bombay duck, which is frequently eaten with curry, "over yonder," does not find much favour, this side of port said, although i have met the fowl in certain city restaurants. the addition is not looked upon with any particular favour by the writer. "i have yet to learn" once observed that great and good man, the late doctor joseph pope,[ ] to the writer, in a discussion on "postponed" game, "that it is a good thing to put corruption into the human stomach." chapter xiii salads "o green and glorious, o herbaceous meat! 'twould tempt the dying anchorite to eat. back to the world he'd turn his weary soul, and dip his fingers in the salad bowl!" nebuchadnezzar _v._ sydney smith--salt?--no salad-bowl--french origin--apocryphal story of francatelli--salads _and_ salads--water-cress and dirty water--salad-maker born not made--lobster salad--lettuce, wipe or wash?--mayonnaise--potato salad--tomato ditto--celery ditto--a memorable ditto. if sydney smith had only possessed the experience of old king nebuchadnezzar, after he had been "turned out to grass," the witty prebend might not have waxed quite so enthusiastic on the subject of "herbaceous meat." still the subject is a vast and important one, in its connection with gastronomy, and lends itself to poetry far easier than doth the little sucking pig, upon whom charles lamb expended so great and unnecessary a wealth of language. but look at the terse, perfunctory, and far from satisfactory manner in which the _encyclopædia_ attacks the subject. "salad," we read, "is the term given to a preparation of raw herbs for food. it derives its name from the fact that salt is one of the chief ingredients used in dressing a salad." this statement is not only misleading but startling; for in the "dressing" of a salad it would be the act of a lunatic to make salt the "chief ingredient." long before they had learnt the art of dressing the herbs, our ancestors partook of cresses (assorted), celery, and lettuces, after being soaked in water for a considerable period; and they dipped the raw herbs into salt before consuming them. in fact, in many a cheap eating-house of to-day, the term "salad" means plain lettuce, or cress, or possibly both, absolutely undressed--in a state of nature, _plus_ plenty of dirty water. even the english cook of the end of the nineteenth century cannot rid himself, or herself, of the idea that lettuce, like water-cress, knows the running brook, or the peaceful pond, as its natural element. and thirty years before the end of that century, a salad bowl was absolutely unknown in nine-tenths of the eating-houses of great britain. there is no use in blinking the fact that it is to our lively neighbours that we owe the introduction of the salad proper. often as the writer has been compelled, in these pages, to inveigh against the torturing of good fish and flesh by the alien cook, and the high prices charged for its endowment with an alien flavour, let that writer (figuratively) place a crown of endive, tipped with baby onions, upon the brows of the philanthropist who dressed the first salad, and gave the recipe to the world. that recipe has, of course, been improved upon; and although the _savant_ who writes in the _encyclopædia_ proclaims that "salad has always been a favourite food with civilised nations, and has varied very little in its composition," the accuracy of both statements is open to question. "every art," observes another writer, "has its monstrosities; gastronomy has not been behind-hand; and though he must be a bold man who will venture to blaspheme the elegancies of french cookery, there comes a time to every englishman who may have wandered into a mistaken admiration of sophisticated messes, when he longs for the simple diet of his native land, and vows that the best cookery in the world, and that which satisfies the most refined epicureanism, sets up for its ideal--plainness of good food, and the cultivation of natural tastes." and yet the french have taught us, or tried to teach us, how to prepare a dish of raw herbs, in the simplest way in the world! "now a salad," says the same writer, "is simplicity itself, and here is a marvel--it is the crowning grace of a french dinner, while, on the other hand, it is little understood and villainously treated at english tables." ahem! i would qualify that last statement. at _some_ english tables i have tasted salads compared with which the happiest effort of the _chef_ deserves not to be mentioned in the same garlic-laden breath. and "garlic-laden breath" naturally reminds me of the story of francatelli--of which anecdote i do not believe one word, by the way. it was said of franc., whilst _chef_ at the reform club, that his salads were such masterpieces, such things of beauty, that one of the members questioned him on the subject. "how do you manage to introduce such a delicious flavour into your salads?" "ah! that should be my secret," was the reply. "but i will tell him to you. after i have made all my preparations, and the green food is mixed with the dressing, i chew a little clove of garlic between my teeth--so--and then breathe gently over the whole." but, as observed before, i do not believe that garlic story. o salad, what monstrosities are perpetrated in thy name! let the genteel boarding-house cook-maid, the young lady who has studied harmony and the higher mathematics at the board school, spread herself over the subject; and then invite the angels to inspect the matter, and weep! for this is the sort of "harmony" which the "paying guest," who can appreciate the advantages of young and musical society, an airy front bed-chamber, and a bicycle room, is expected to enthuse over at the _table d'hôte_: a _mélange_ of herbs and roots, including water-cress and giant radishes, swimming in equal parts of vinegar and oil, and a large proportion of the water in which the ingredients have been soaking for hours--said ingredients being minced small, like veal collops, with a steel knife. and the same salad, the very identical horror, obtrudes itself on the table at other genteel establishments than boarding-houses. for they be "mostly fools" who people the civilised world. let it be laid down as a golden rule, that the concoction of a salad should never, or hardly ever, be entrusted to the tender mercies of the british serving-maid. for the salad-maker, like the poet, is born, not made; and the divine _afflatus_--i don't mean garlic--is as essential in the one as in the other. we will take the simple mixture, what is commonly known as the _french salad_, first. this is either composed, in the matter of herbs, of lettuce, chopped taragon, chervil, and chives; or of endive, with, "lurking in the bowl," a _chapon_, or crust of bread on which a clove of garlic has been rubbed. but the waiter, an he be discreet, will ask the customer beforehand if he prefer that the _chapon_ be omitted. the dressing is simplicity itself: within the bowl of a table-spoon are placed, in succession, a spot of made mustard, and a sprinkling of black pepper and salt. the bowl is filled up with vinegar, and with a fork in the other hand the waiter stirs quickly the mustard, etc., afterwards emptying the contents of the spoon over the green-stuff. then the spoon is refilled--either twice or thrice, _ad lib._--with lucca oil, which is also poured over the salad. then the final mixing takes place, in the salad bowl. but there be many and elaborate ways of salad-making. here is the writer's idea of a _lobster salad_ for half-a-dozen guests: in a soup plate, mix the yolks of two hard-boiled eggs--boiled for thirty minutes, and afterwards thrown into cold water--into a smooth paste with a teaspoonful of made mustard, and a tablespoonful of plain vinegar, added drop by drop. keep on stirring, and add a dessert-spoonful of tarragon vinegar, a few drops of essence of anchovies, a teaspoonful (_not heaped_) of salt, about the same quantity of sifted sugar, and a good pinch of cayenne. [the tendency of black pepper is to make a salad gritty, which is an abomination.] lastly, add, drop by drop, three tablespoonfuls of oil. pour this dressing (which should be in a continual state of stir) into your salad bowl. add the pickings of a hen lobster cut into dice, and atop of the lobster, lettuces which have been shred with clean fingers, or with ivory forks; a little endive may be added, with a slice or two of beetroot; but no onion (or very little) in a lobster salad. a few shreds of anchovy may be placed atop; with beetroot cut into shapes, the whites of the eggs, and the coral of the lobster, for the sake of effect; but seek not, o student, to achieve prettiness of effect to the detriment of practical utility. i need hardly add that the sooner after its manufacture a salad is eaten, the better will be its flavour. and the solid ingredients should only be mixed with the dressing at the very last moment; otherwise a sodden, flabby effect will be produced, which is neither pleasing to the eye, nor calculated to promote good digestion. i am perfectly aware that the above is not a strict _mayonnaise_ dressing, in which the egg yolks should be raw, instead of cooked. but, like the scotsman, i have "tried baith," and prefer my own way, which more resembles the _sauce tartare_, than the _mayonnaise_ of our lively neighbours, who, by the way, merely wipe, instead of wash, their lettuces and endive, to preserve, as they say, the flavour. of course this is a matter of taste, but the writer must own to a preference for the baptised article, which must, however, on no account be left to soak, but be simply freed from dirt, grit, and--other things. what is the origin of the word "mayonnaise"? no two frenchmen will give you the same answer. "of or belonging to mayonne" would seem to be the meaning of the word; but then there is no such place as mayonne in the whole of france. grimod de la reyniere maintained that the proper word was "bayonnaise," meaning a native of bayonne, on the spanish frontier. afterwards grimod, who was a resourceful man, got hold of another idea, and said that the word was probably "mahonnaise," and so named in honour of marshal richelieu's capture of the stronghold of mahon, in the island of minorca. but what had this victory got to do with a salad dressing? what was the connection of raw eggs and tarragon vinegar with marshal richelieu? then up came another cook, in the person of carême, who established it as an absolute certainty that the genuine word was "magnonnaise," from the word "_manier_," to manipulate. but as nobody would stand this definition for long, a fresh search had to be made; and this time an old provençal verb was dug up--_mahonner_, or more correctly _maghonner_, to worry or fatigue. and this is now said by purists to be the source of _mayonnaise_--"something worried," or fatigued. and the reason for the gender of the noun is said to be that in ancient times lovely woman was accustomed to manipulate the salad with her own fair fingers. in the time of rousseau, the phrase _retourner la salade avec les doigts_ was used to describe a woman as being still young and beautiful; just as in yorkshire at the present time, "she canna mak' a bit o' bread" is used to describe a woman who is of no possible use in the house. so a _mayonnaise_ or a _mahonnaise_--i care not which be the correct spelling--was a young lady who "fatigued" the salad. more shame to the gallants of the day, who allowed "fatigue" to be associated with youth and beauty! but can it possibly matter what the word means, when the mixture is smooth and savoury; and so deftly blended that no one flavour predominates? and herein lies the secret of every mixture used for the refreshment of the inner man and woman; whether it be a soup, a curry, a trifle, a punch, or a cup--no one ingredient should be of more weight or importance than another. and that was the secret of the "delicious gravy" furnished by the celebrated stew at the "jolly farmers," in _the old curiosity shop_ of charles dickens. mayonnaise (we will drop for the nonce, the other spelling) is made thus: in the proportions of two egg yolks to half a pint of lucca oil, and a small wine-glassful of tarragon vinegar. work the yolks smooth in a basin, with a seasoning of pepper (cayenne for choice), salt, and--according to the writer's views--sifted sugar. then a few drops of oil, and fewer of vinegar; stirring the mixture all the time, from right to left, with a wooden, or ivory, spoon. in good truth 'tis a "fatiguing" task; and as in very hot weather the sauce is liable to decompose, or "curdle," before the finishing touches are put to it, it may be made over ice. "stir, sisters, stir, stir with care!" is the motto for the _mayonnaise_-mixer. and in many cases her only reward consists in the knowledge that through her art and patience she has helped to make the sojourn of others in this vale of tears less tearful and monotonous. "onion atoms" should "lurk within the bowl," on nearly every occasion, and as for a potato salad--don't be afraid, i'm not going to quote any more sydney smith, so don't get loading your guns--well, here is the proper way to make it. _potato salad._ cut nine or ten average-sized kidney potatoes (cooked) into slices, half an inch thick, put them in a salad bowl, and pour over them, after mixing, two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, one tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar, six tablespoonfuls of oil, one of minced parsley, a dessert-spoonful of onions chopped very fine, with cayenne and salt to taste. shredded anchovies may be added, although it is preferable without; and this salad should be made a couple of hours or so before partaken of. the german recipe for a potato salad is too nasty to quote; and their herring salad, although said to be a valuable restorative of nerve power, by no means presents an attractive appearance, when served at table. far more to the mind and palate of the average epicure is a _tomato salad_. this is the author's recipe: four large tomatoes and one spanish onion, cut into thin slices. mix a spot of mustard, a little white pepper and salt, with vinegar, in a table-spoon, pour it over the love apples, etc., and then add two tablespoonfuls of oil. mix well, and then sprinkle over the mixture a few drops of lea and perrins's worcester sauce. for the fair sex, the last part of the programme may be omitted, but on no account leave out the breath of sunny spain. and mark this well. the man, or woman, who mixes tomatoes with lettuces, or endives, in the bowl, is hereby sentenced to translate the whole of this book into court english. _celery salad._ an excellent winter salad is made with beetroot and celery, cut in thin slices, and served--with or without onions--either with a mayonnaise sauce, or with a plain cream sauce: to every tablespoonful of cream add a teaspoonful of tarragon vinegar, a little sugar, and a suspicion of cayenne. this salad looks best served in alternate slices of beet and celery, on a flat silver dish, around the sauce. _a gentleman salad maker._ although in the metropolis it is still customary, in middle-class households, to hire "outside help" on the occasion of a dinner-party, we have not heard for some time of a salad-dresser who makes house-to-house visitations in the exercise of his profession. but, at the end of the th century, the chevalier d'allignac, who had escaped from paris to london in the evil days of the revolution, made a fortune in this way. he was paid at the rate of £ a salad, and naturally, soon started his own carriage, "in order that he might pass quickly from house to house, during the dining hours of the aristocracy." high as the fee may appear to be, it is impossible to measure the width of the gulf which lies between the salad as made by a lover of the art, and the kitchen-wench; and a perfect salad is, like a perfect curry, "far above rubies." _a memorable salad_ was once served in my own mansion. the _chef_, who understood these matters well, when her hair was free from vine leaves, had been celebrating her birthday or some other festival; and had mixed the dressing with colza oil. her funeral was largely attended. chapter xiv salads and condiments "epicurean cooks sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite." roman salad--italian ditto--various other salads--sauce for cold mutton--chutnine--raw chutnee--horse-radish sauce--christopher north's sauce--how to serve a mackerel--_sauce tartare_--ditto for sucking pig--delights of making _sambal_--a new language. it has, i hope, been made sufficiently clear that neither water-cress nor radishes should figure in a dressed salad; from the which i would also exclude such "small deer" as mustard and cress. there is, however, no black mark against the narrow-leaved corn salad plant, or "lamb's lettuce"; and its great advantage is that it can be grown almost anywhere during the winter months, when lettuces have to be "coddled," and thereby robbed of most of their flavour. instead of yolk of egg, in a dressing, cheese may be used, with good results, either cream cheese--_not_ the poor stuff made on straws, but what are known as "napkin," or "new forest" cheeses--or cheddar. squash it well up with oil and vinegar, and do not use too much. a piece of cheese the size of an average lump of sugar will be ample, and will lend a most agreeable flavour to the mixture. _roman salad_ lucullus and co.--or rather their cooks--had much to learn in the preparation of the "herbaceous meat" which delighted sydney smith. the romans cultivated endive; this was washed free from "matter in the wrong place," chopped small--absolutely fatal to the taste--anointed with oil and _liquamen_, topped up with chopped onions, and further ornamented with honey and vinegar. but before finding fault with the conquerors of the world for mixing honey with a salad, it should be remembered that they knew not "fine demerara," nor "best lump," nor even the beet sugar which can be made at home. still i should not set a roman salad before my creditors, if i wanted them to have "patience." an offer of the very smallest dividend would be preferable. _italian salad._ the merry italian has improved considerably upon the herbaceous treat (i rather prefer "treat" to "meat") of his ancestors; though he is far too fond of mixing flesh-meat of all sorts with his dressed herbs, and his boiled vegetables. two cold potatoes and half a medium sized beet sliced, mixed with boiled celery and brussels sprouts, form a common salad in the sunny south; the dressing being usually oil and vinegar, occasionally oil _seule_, and sometimes a _tartare_ sauce. stoned olives are usually placed atop of the mess, which includes fragments of chicken, or veal and ham. _russian salad._ this is a difficult task to build up; for a sort of cleopatra's needle, or pyramid, of cooked vegetables, herbs, pickles, etc., has to be erected on a flat dish. carrots, turnips, green peas, asparagus, french beans, beetroot, capers, pickled cucumbers, and horse-radish, form the solid matter of which the pyramid is built. lay a _stratum_ on the dish, and anoint the _stratum_ with _tartare_ sauce. each layer must be similarly anointed, and must be of less circumference than the one underneath, till the top layer consists of one caper. garnish with bombs of caviare, sliced lemon, crayfish, olives, and salted cucumber; and then give the salad to the policeman on fixed-point duty. at least, if you take my advice. _anchovy salad._ this is usually eaten at the commencement of dinner, as a _hors d'oeuvre_. some shreds of anchovy should be arranged "criss-cross" in a flat glass dish. surround it with small heaps of chopped truffles, yolk and white of hard-boiled eggs, capers, and a stoned olive or two. mix all the ingredients together with a little chili vinegar, and twice the quantity of oil. the mixture is said to be invaluable as an appetiser; but the modest oyster on the _deep shell_--if he has not been fattened at the bolt-hole of the main sewer--is to be preferred. cooked vegetables, for salad purposes, are not, nor will they ever be, popular in england, nine out of ten britains will eat the "one sauce" with asparagus, in preference to the oiled butter, or plain salad dressing, of mustard, vinegar, pepper, salt, and oil; whilst 'tis almost hopeless to attempt to dissuade madame the cook from smothering her cauliflowers with liquefied paste, before sending them to table. many a wild weed which foreign nations snatch greedily from the soil, prior to dressing it, is passed by with scorn by our islanders, including the dandelion, which is a favourite of our lively neighbours, for salad purposes, and is doubtless highly beneficial to the human liver. so is the cauliflower; and an eminent medical authority once gave out that the man who ate a parboiled cauliflower, as a salad, every other day, need never send for a doctor. which sounds rather like fouling his own nest. _fruit salad._ this is simply a french _compôte_ of cherries, green almonds, pears, limes, peaches, apricots in syrup slightly flavoured with ginger; and goes excellent well with any cold brown game. try it. _orange salad._ peel your orange, and cut it into thin slices. arrange these in a glass dish, and sugar them well. then pour over them a glass of sherry, a glass of brandy, and a glass of maraschino. _orange sauce._ cold mutton, according to my notions, is "absolutely beastly," to the palate. more happy homes have been broken up by this simple dish than by the entire army of europe. and 'tis a dish which should never be allowed to wander outside the servants' hall. the superior domestics who take their meals in the steward's room, would certainly rise in a body, and protest against the indignity of a cold leg, or shoulder. as for a cold loin--but the idea is too awful. still, brightened up by the following condiment, cold mutton will go down smoothly, and even gratefully:-- rub off the thin yellow rind of two oranges on four lumps of sugar. put these into a bowl, and pour in a wine-glass of port, a quarter pint of dissolved red-currant jelly, a teaspoonful of mixed mustard--don't be frightened, it's all right--a finely-minced shallot, a pinch of cayenne, and some more thin orange rind. mix well. when heated up, strain and bottle off. but amateur sauces should, on the whole, be discouraged. the writer has tasted dozens of imitations of lea and perrins's "inimitable," and it is still inimitable, and unapproachable. it is the same with chutnee. you can get anything in that line you want at stembridge's, close to leicester square, to whom the writer is indebted for some valuable hints. but here is a recipe for a mixture of chutnee and pickle, which must have been written a long time ago; for the two operations are transposed. for instance, _the onions should be dealt with first_. _chutnine._ ten or twelve large apples, peeled and cored, put in an earthenware jar, with a little vinegar (on no account use water) in the oven. let them remain till in a pulp, then take out, and add half an ounce of curry powder, one ounce of ground ginger, half a pound of stoned raisins, chopped fine, half a pound moist sugar, one teaspoonful cayenne pepper, one tablespoonful salt. take four large onions (_this should be done first_), chop very fine, and put them in a jar with a pint and a half of vinegar. cork tightly and let them remain a week. then add the rest of the ingredients, after mixing them well together. cork tightly, and the chutnine will be ready for use in a month. it improves, however, by keeping for a year or so. _raw chutnee_ is another aid to the consumption of cold meat, and i have also seen it used as an accompaniment to curry, but do not recommend the mixture. one large tomato, one smaller spanish onion, one green chili, and a squeeze of lemon juice. pulp the tomato; don't try to extract the seeds, for life is too short for that operation. chop the onion and the chili very fine, and mix the lot up with a pinch of salt, and the same quantity of sifted sugar. i know plenty of men who would break up their homes (after serving the furniture in the same way) and emigrate; who would go on strike, were roast beef to be served at the dinner-table unaccompanied by horse-radish sauce. but this is a relish for the national dish which is frequently overlooked. _horse-radish sauce._ grate a young root as fine as you can. it is perhaps needless to add that the fresher the horse-radish the better. no vegetables taste as well as those grown in your own garden, and gathered, or dug up, just before wanted. and the horse-radish, like the jerusalem artichoke, comes to stay. when once he gets a footing in your garden you will never dislodge him; nor will you want to. very well, then: having grated your horse, add a quarter of a pint of cream--english or devonshire--a dessert-spoonful of sifted sugar, half that quantity of salt, and a tablespoonful of vinegar. mix all together, and, if for hot meat, heat in the oven, taking care that the mixture does not curdle. many people use oil instead of cream, and mix grated orange rind with the sauce. the germans do not use oil, but either make the relish with cream, or hard-boiled yolk of egg. horse-radish sauce for hot meat may also be heated by pouring it into a jar, and standing the jar in boiling water--"jugging it" in fact. _celery sauce_, for boiled pheasant, or turkey, is made thus: two or three heads of celery, sliced thin, put into a saucepan with equal quantities of sugar and salt, a dust of white pepper, and two or three ounces of butter. stew your celery slowly till it becomes pulpy, but _not brown_, add two or three ounces of flour, and a good half-pint of milk, or cream. let it simmer twenty minutes, and then rub the mixture through a sieve. the carp as an item of food is, according to my ideas, a fraud. he tastes principally of the mud in which he has been wallowing until dragged out by the angler. the ancients loved a dish of carp, and yet they knew not the only sauce to make him at all palatable. _sauce for carp._ one ounce of butter, a quarter pint of good beef gravy, one dessert-spoonful of flour, a quarter pint of cream and two anchovies chopped very small. mix over the fire, stir well till boiling, then take off, add a little worcester sauce, and a squeeze of lemon, just before serving. _christopher north's sauce._ this is a very old recipe. put a dessert-spoonful of sifted sugar, a salt-spoonful of salt, and rather more than that quantity of cayenne, into a jar. mix thoroughly, and add, gradually, two tablespoonfuls of harvey's sauce, a dessert-spoonful of mushroom ketchup, a tablespoonful of lemon juice, and a large glass of port. place the jar in a saucepan of boiling water, and let it remain till the mixture is very hot, but not boiling. if bottled directly after made, the sauce will keep for a week, and may be used for duck, goose, pork, or (christopher adds) "any broil." but there is but _one_ broil sauce, the gubbins sauce, already mentioned in this work. _sauce for hare._ what a piece of work is a hare! and what a piece of work it is to cook him in a laudable fashion! crumble some bread--a handful or so--soak it in port wine, heat over the fire with a small lump of butter, a tablespoonful of red-currant jelly, a little salt, and a tablespoonful of chili vinegar. serve as hot as possible. mackerel is a fish but seldom seen at the tables of the great. and yet 'tis tasty eating, if his joseph's coat be bright and shining when you purchase him. when stale he is dangerous to life itself. and he prefers to gratify the human palate when accompanied by _gooseberry sauce_, which is made by simply boiling a few green gooseberries, rubbing them through a sieve, and adding a little butter and a suspicion of ginger. then heat up. "a wine-glassful of sorrel or spinach-juice," observes one authority, "is a decided improvement." h'm. i've tried both, and prefer the gooseberries unadorned with spinach liquor. now for a sauce which is deservedly popular all over the world, and which is equally at home as a salad dressing, as a covering for a steak off a fresh-run salmon, or a portion of fried eel; the luscious, the invigorating _sauce tartare_, so called because no tallow-eating tartar was ever known to taste thereof. i have already given a pretty good recipe for its manufacture, in previous salad-dressing instructions, where the yolks of hard-boiled eggs are used. but chopped chervil, shallots, and (occasionally) gherkins, are added to the _tartare_ arrangement; and frequently the surface is adorned with capers, stoned olives, and shredded anchovies. in the chapters devoted to dinners, no mention has been made of the sucking pig, beloved of charles lamb.[ ] this hardened offender should be devoured with _currant sauce_: boil an ounce of currants, after washing them and picking out the tacks, dead flies, etc., in half a pint of water, for a few minutes, and pour over them a cupful of finely grated crumbs. let them soak well, then beat up with a fork, and stir in about a gill of oiled butter. add two tablespoonfuls of the brown gravy made for the pig, a glass of port, and a pinch of salt. stir the sauce well over the fire. it is also occasionally served with roast venison; but not in the mansions of my friends. what is sauce for madame goose is said to be sauce for old man gander. never mind about that, however. the parents of young master goose, with whom alone i am going to deal, have, like the flowers which bloom in the spring, absolutely nothing to do with the case. this is the best _sauce for the goose_ known to civilisation: put two ounces of green sage leaves into a jar with an ounce of the thin yellow rind of a lemon, a minced shallot, a teaspoonful of salt, half a ditto of cayenne, and a pint of claret. let this soak for a fortnight, then pour off the liquid into a tureen; or boil with some good gravy. this sauce will keep for a week or two, bottled and well corked up. and now, having given directions for the manufacture of sundry "cloyless sauces"--with only one of the number having any connection with _ala_, and that one a sauce of world-wide reputation, i will conclude this chapter with a little fancy work. it is not probable that many who do me the honour to skim through these humble, faultily-written, but heartfelt gastronomic hints are personally acquainted with the cloyless _sambal_, who is a lady of dusky origin. but let us quit metaphor, and direct the gardener to cut the finest and straightest cucumber in his crystal palace. cut both ends off, and divide the remainder into two-inch lengths. peel these, and let them repose in salt to draw out the water, which is the indigestible part of the cucumber. then take each length, in succession, and with a very sharp knife--a penknife is best for the purpose--pare it from surface to centre, until it has become one long, curly shred. curl it up tight, so that it may resemble in form the spring of a waterbury watch. cut the length through from end to end, until you have made numerous long thin shreds. treat each length in the same way, and place in a glass dish. add three green chilies, chopped fine, a few chopped spring onions, and some tiny shreds of the blue fish of java. having performed a fishless pilgrimage in search of this curiosity, you will naturally fall back upon the common or italian anchovy, which, after extracting the brine and bones, and cleansing, chop fine. pour a little vinegar over the mixture. "sambal" will be found a delicious accompaniment to curry--when served on a salad plate--or to almost any description of cold meat and cheese. it is only fair to add, however, that the task of making the relish is arduous and exasperating to a degree; and that the woman who makes it--no male christian in the world is possessed of a tithe of the necessary patience, now that job and robert bruce are no more--should have the apartment to herself. for the labour is calculated to teach an entirely new language to the manufacturer. chapter xv supper "we are such stuff as dreams are made of." cleopatra's supper--oysters--danger in the aden bivalve--oyster stew--ball suppers--pretty dishes--the _taj mahal_--aspic--bloater paste and whipped cream--ladies' recipes--cookery colleges--tripe--smothered in onions--north riding fashion--an hotel supper--lord tomnoddy at the "magpie and stump." that cruel and catlike courtesan, cleopatra, is alleged to have given the most expensive supper on record, and to have disposed of the _bonne bouche_ herself, in the shape of a pearl, valued at the equivalent of £ , , dissolved in vinegar of extra strength. such a sum is rather more than is paid for a supper at the savoy, or the cecil, or the metropole, in these more practical times, when pearls are to be had cheaper; and there is probably about as much truth in this pearl story as in a great many others of the same period. i have heard of a fair _declassée_ leader of fashion at monte carlo, who commanded that her _major domo_ should be put to death for not having telegraphed to paris for peaches, for a special dinner; but the woman who could melt a pearl in vinegar, and then drink----_halte la!_ perhaps the pearl was displayed in the deep shell of the oyster of which the "noble curtesan" partook? we know how mark antony's countrymen valued the succulent bivalve; and probably an oyster feast at wady halfa or dongola was a common function long before london knew a "scott's," a "pimm's," or a "sweeting's." thanks partly to the "typhoid scare," but principally to the prohibitive price, the "native" industry of britain has been, at the latter end of the nineteenth century, by no means active, although in the illustrated annuals uncle john still brings with him a barrel of the luscious bivalves, in addition to assorted toys for the children, when he arrives in the midst of a snow-storm at the old hall on christmas eve. but uncle john, that good fairy of our youth, when charles dickens invented the "festive season," and the very atmosphere reeked of goose-stuffing, resides, for the most part, "in sheffield," in these practical days, when sentiment and goodwill to relatives are rapidly giving place to matters of fact, motor cars, and mammoth rates. the asiatic oyster is not altogether commendable, his chief merit consisting in his size. once whilst paying a flying visit to the city of kurachi, i ordered a dozen oysters at the principal hotel. then i went out to inspect the lions. on my return i could hardly push my way into the coffee-room. it was full of oyster! there was no room for anything else. in fact _one_ kurachi oyster is a meal for four full-grown men. more tragic still was my experience of the bivalves procurable at aden--which cinder-heap i have always considered to be a foretaste of even hotter things below. instead of living on coal-dust (as might naturally be expected) the aden oyster appears to do himself particularly well on some preparation of copper. the only time i tasted him, the after consequences very nearly prevented my ever tasting anything else, on this sphere. and it was only the comfort administered by the steward of my cabin which got me round. "ah!" said that functionary, as he looked in to see whether i would take hot pickled pork or roast goose for dinner. "the last time we touched at aden, there was two gents 'ad 'ysters. one of 'em died the same night, and the other nex' mornin'." i laughed so much that the poison left my system. yet still we eat oysters--the _sans bacilles_ brand, for choice. and if we can only persuade the young gentleman who opens the bivalves to refrain from washing the grit off each in the tub of dirty water behind the bar, so much the better. and above all, the bivalves should be opened on the _deep_ shell, so as to conserve some of the juice; for it is advisable to get as much of the bivalve as we can for the money. every time i crunch the bones of a lark i feel that i am devouring an oratorio, in the way of song; and whilst the bivalve is sliding down the "red lane" it may be as well to reflect that "there slips away fourpence"; or, as the scotsman had it, "bang went saxpence!" in connection with mr. bob sawyer's supper party in _pickwick_, it may be recollected that "the man to whom the order for the oysters had been sent had not been told to open them; it is a very difficult thing to open an oyster with a limp knife or a two-pronged fork: and very little was done in this way." and in one's own house, unless there be an adept at oyster-opening present, the simplest way to treat the bivalve is the following. it should be remembered that a badly-opened oyster will resemble in flavour a slug on a gravel walk. so _roast_ him, good friends, in his own fortress. _oysters in their own juice._ with the tongs place half-a-dozen oysters, mouths outwards, between the red-hot coals of the parlour or dining-room fire--the deep shell must be at the bottom--and the oysters will be cooked in a few minutes, or when the shells gape wide. pull them out with the tongs, and insert a fresh batch. no pepper, vinegar, or lemon juice is necessary as an adjunct; and the oyster never tastes better. at most eating-houses, _scalloped oysters_ taste of nothing but scorched bread-crumbs; and the reason is obvious, for there is but little else in the scallop shell. _natives only_ should be used. open and beard two dozen, and cut each bivalve in half. melt two ounces of butter in a stewpan, and mix into it the same allowance of flour, the strained oyster liquor, a teacupful of cream, half a teaspoonful of essence of anchovies, and a pinch of cayenne--death to the caitiff who adds nutmeg--and stir the sauce well over the fire. take it off, and add the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, a tablespoonful of finely chopped parsley, and a teaspoonful of lemon juice. put in the oysters, and stir the whole over a gentle fire for five minutes. put the mixture in the shells, grate bread-crumbs over, place a small piece of butter atop, and bake in a dutch oven before a clear fire until the crumbs are lightly browned, which should be in about a quarter of an hour. _oyster stew_ is thoroughly understood in new york city. on this side, the dish does not meet with any particular favour, although no supper-table is properly furnished without it. open two dozen oysters, and take the beards off. put the oysters into a basin and squeeze over them the juice of half a lemon. put the beards and the strained liquor into a saucepan with half a blade of mace, half a dozen peppercorns ground, a little grated lemon rind, and a pinch of cayenne. simmer gently for a quarter of an hour, strain the liquid, thicken it with a little butter and flour, add a quarter of a pint (or a teacupful) of cream, and stir over the fire till quite smooth. then put in the oysters, and let them warm through--they must not boil. serve in a soup tureen, and little cubes of bread fried in bacon grease may be served with the stew, as with pea-soup. be very careful to whose care you entrust your barrel, or bag, of oysters, after you have got them home. a consignment of the writer's were, on one memorable and bitter cold christmas eve, consigned to the back dairy, by matilda anne. result--frostbite, gapes, dissolution, disappointment, disagreeable language. _ball suppers._ more hard cash is wasted on these than even on ball dresses, which is saying a great deal. the alien caterer, or _charcutier_, is chiefly to blame for this; for he it is who has taught the british matron to wrap up wholesome food in coats of grease, inlaid with foreign substances, to destroy its flavour, and to bestow upon it an outward semblance other than its own. there was handed unto me, only the other evening, what i at first imagined to be a small section of the celebrated _taj mahal_ at agra, the magnificent mausoleum of the emperor shah jehan. reference to the bill-of-fare established the fact that i was merely sampling a galantine of turkey, smothered in some white glazy grease, inlaid with chopped carrot, green peas, truffles, and other things. and the marble column (also inlaid) which might have belonged to king solomon's temple, at the top of the table, turned out to be a tay salmon, decorated _à la mode de charcutier_, and tasting principally of garlic. a shriek from a fair neighbour caused me to turn my head in her direction; and it took some little time to discover, and to convince her, that the item on her plate was not a mouse, too frightened to move, but some preparation of the liver of a goose, in "aspic." this said aspic--which has no connection with the asp which the fair cleopatra kept on the premises, although a great french lexicographer says that aspic is so called because it is as cold as a snake--is invaluable in the numerous "schools of cookery" in the which british females are educated according to the teaching of the bad fairy _ala_. the cold chicken and ham which delighted our ancestors at the supper-table--what has become of them? yonder, my dear sir, is the fowl, in neat portions, minced, and made to represent fragments of the almond rock which delighted us whilst in the nursery. the ham has become a ridiculous _mousse_, placed in little accordion-pleated receptacles of snow-white paper; and those are not poached eggs atop, either, but dabs of whipped cream with a preserved apricot in the centre. it was only the other day that i read in a journal written by ladies for ladies, of a dainty dish for luncheon or supper: _croûtons_ smeared with bloater paste and surmounted with whipped cream; and in the same paper was a recipe for stuffing a fresh herring with mushrooms, parsley, yolk of egg, onion, and its own soft roe. i am of opinion that it was a bad day for the male briton when the gudewife, with her gude-daughter, and her gude cook, abandoned the gude roast and boiled, in favour of the works of the all-powerful _ala_. and now let us proceed to discuss the most homely supper of all, and when i mention the magic word _tripe_ there be few of my readers who will not at once allow that it is not only the most homely of food, but forms an ideal supper. this doctrine had not got in its work, however, in the 'sixties, at about which period the man who avowed himself an habitual tripe-eater must have been possessed of a considerable amount of nerve. some of the supper-houses served it--such as the albion, the coal hole, and more particularly, "noakes's," the familiar name for the old opera tavern which used to face the royal italian opera house, in bow street, covent garden. but the more genteel food-emporiums fought shy of tripe until within three decades of the close of the nineteenth century. then it began to figure on the supper bills, in out-of-the-way corners; until supper-eaters in general discovered that this was not only an exceedingly cheap, but a very nourishing article of food, which did not require any special divine aid to digest. then the price of tripe went up per cent on the programmes. then the most popular burlesque _artiste_ of any age put the stamp of approval upon the new supper-dish, and tripe-dressing became as lucrative a profession as gold-crushing. there is a legend afloat of an eminent actor--poor "ned" sothern, i fancy, as "johnny" toole would never have done such a thing--who bade some of his friends and acquaintance to supper, and regaled them on sundry rolls of house flannel, smothered with the orthodox onion sauce. but that is another story. practical jokes should find no place in this volume, which is written to benefit, and not alarm, posterity. therefore let us discuss the problem _how to cook tripe_. ask for "double-tripe," and see that the dresser gives it you nice and white. wash it, cut into portions, and place in equal parts of milk and water, boiling fast. remove the saucepan from the hottest part of the fire, and let the tripe keep just on the boil for an hour and a half. serve with whole onions and onion sauce--in this work you will not be told how to manufacture onion sauce--and baked potatoes should always accompany this dish to table. some people like their tripe cut into strips rolled up and tied with cotton, before being placed in the saucepan; but there is really no necessity to take this further trouble. and if the cook should forget to remove the cotton before serving, you might get your tongues tied in knots. in the north riding of yorkshire, some of the farmers' wives egg-and-bread-crumb fillets of tripe, and fry them in the drip of thick rashers of ham which have been fried previously. the ham is served in the centre of the dish, with the fillets around the pig-pieces. this is said to be an excellent dish, but i prefer my tripe smothered in onions, like the timid "bunny." edmund yates, in his "reminiscences," describes "nice, cosy, little suppers," of which in his early youth he used to partake, at the house of his maternal grandfather, in kentish town. "he dined at two o'clock," observed the late proprietor of the _world_, "and had the most delightful suppers at nine; suppers of sprats, or kidneys, or tripe and onions; with foaming porter and hot grog afterwards." i cannot share the enthusiasm possessed by some people for sprats, as an article of diet. when very "full-blown," the little fish make an excellent fertiliser for marshal niel roses; but as "winter whitebait," or sardines they are hardly up to "derby form." sprats are not much encouraged at the fashionable hotels; and when tripe is brought to table, which is but rarely, that food is nearly always filleted, sprinkled with chopped parsley, and served with tomato sauce. this is the sort of supper which is provided in the "gilt-edged" _caravanserais_ of the metropolis, the following being a _verbatim_ copy of a bill of fare at the hotel cecil:-- souper, s. consommé riche en tasses. laitances frites, villeroy. côte de mouton aux haricots verts. chaudfroid de mauviettes. strasbourg evisie. salade. biscuit cecil. a lady-like repast this; and upon the whole, not dear. but roast loin of mutton hardly sounds tasty enough for a meal partaken of somewhere about the stroke of midnight. still, such a supper is by no means calculated to "murder sleep." upon the other hand it is a little difficult to credit the fact that the whole of the party invited by "my lord tomnoddy" to refresh themselves at the "magpie and stump," including the noble host himself, should have slumbered peacefully, with a noisy crowd in the street, after a supper which consisted of "cold fowl and cigars, pickled onions in jars, welsh rabbits and kidneys, rare work for the jaws." chapter xvi supper (_continued_) "to feed were best at home; from thence the sauce to meat is ceremony; meeting were bare without it." old supper-houses--the early closing act--evans's--cremorne gardens--the "albion"--parlour cookery--kidneys fried in the fire-shovel--the true way to grill a bone--"cannie carle"--my lady's bower--kidney dumplings--a middleham supper--steaks cut from a colt by brother to "strafford" out of sister to "bird on the wing." the early closing act of had a disastrous effect upon the old london supper-houses. what mr. john hollingshead never tired of calling the "slap-me-and-put-me-to-bed law" rang the knell of many a licensed tavern, well-conducted, where plain, well-cooked food and sound liquor were to be obtained by men who would have astonished their respective couches had they sought them before the small hours. _evans's._ the "cave of harmony" of thackeray was a different place to the "evans's" of my youthful days. like the younger newcome, i was taken there in the first instance, by the author of my being. but captain costigan was conspicuous by his absence; and "sam hall" was _non est_. i noted well the abnormal size of the broiled kidneys, and in my ignorance of anatomy, imagined that evans's sheep must be subjected to somewhat the same process--the "ordeal by fire"--as the strasbourg geese. and the potatoes--zounds, sirs! what potatoes! "shall i turn it out, sir?" inquired the attentive waiter; and, as he seized the tuber, enveloped in the snow-white napkin, broke it in two, and ejected a floury pyramid upon my plate, i would, had i known of such a decoration in those days, have gladly recommended that attendant for the distinguished service order. in the course of many visits i never saw any supper commodity served here besides chops, steaks, kidneys, welsh-rarebits, poached eggs, and (i think) sausages; and the earliest impression made upon a youthful memory was the air of extreme confidence which pervaded the place. we certainly "remembered" the waiter; but not even a potato was paid for until we encountered the head functionary at the exit door; and his peculiar ideas of arithmetic would have given bishop colenso a succession of fits. who "evans" was, we neither knew nor cared. "paddy" green, with his chronic smile, was enough for us; as he proffered his ever-ready snuff-box, inquired after our relatives--"paddy," like "spanky" at eton, knew everybody--and implored silence whilst the quintette _integer vitæ_ was being sung by the choir. we used to venerate that quintette far more than any music we ever heard in church, and i am certain "paddy" green would have backed his little pack of choristers--who, according to the general belief, passed the hours of daylight in waking the echoes of st. paul's cathedral, or westminster abbey, and therefore, at evans's, always looked a bit stale and sleepy--against any choir in the world. as for harry sidney, the fat, jolly-looking gentleman who was wont to string together the topics of the day and reproduce them, fresh as rolls, set to music, we could never hear enough of him; and i wish i had now some of the half-crowns which in the past were bestowed upon herr von joel, the indifferent _siffleur_, who was "permanently retained upon the premises," and who was always going to take a benefit the following week. "kidneys and 'armony"--that was the old programme in the "cave." and then the march of time killed poor old paddy, and another management reigned. gradually the "lady element" was introduced, and a portion of the hall was set apart for the mixed assembly. and then came trouble, and, finally, disestablishment. and for some time before the closing of the cave as a place of entertainment, it was customary to remove the fine old pictures (what became of them, i wonder), from the walls, at "varsity boat race" time. for the undergraduate of those days was nothing if not rowdy. youth will have its fling; and at evans's the fling took the form of tumblers. well do i recollect a fight in "the old style" in the very part of the "cave" where eminent barristers, actors, and other wits of a past age, used to congregate. the premier boxer of cambridge university had been exercising his undoubted talents as a breaker of glass, during the evening, and at length the overwrought manager obliged him with an opponent worthy of his fists in the person of a waiter who could also put up his fists. several rounds were fought, strictly according to the rules of the prize ring, and in the result, whilst the waiter had sustained considerable damage to his ribs, the "cambridge gent" had two very fine black eyes. well do i remember that "mill," also the waiter, who afterwards became an habitual follower of the turf. if cremorne introduced the fashion of "long drinks," sodas, and et ceteras, the suppers served in the old gardens had not much to recommend them. a slice or two of cold beef, or a leg of a chicken, with some particularly salt ham, formed the average fare; but those who possessed their souls with patience occasionally saw something hot, in the way of food--chiefly cutlets. the great virtue of the cutlet is that it can be reheated; and one dish not infrequently did duty for more than one party. the rejected portion, in fact, would "reappear" as often as a retiring actor. "i know them salmon cutlets," the waiter in _pink dominoes_ used to observe, "as well as i know my own mother!" in fact, cremorne, like the "night houses" of old, was not an ideal place to sup at. but, _per contra_, the "albion" _was_. until the enforcement of the "slap-me-and-put-me-to-bed" policy there was no more justly celebrated house of entertainment than the one which almost faced the stage door of drury lane theatre, in great russell street. one of the brothers cooper--another kept the rainbow in fleet street--retired on a fortune made here, simply by pursuing the policy of giving his customers the best of everything. and a rare, bohemian stamp of customers he had, too--a nice, large-hearted, open-handed lot of actors, successful and otherwise, dramatic critics ditto, and ditto journalists, also variegated in degree; with the usual, necessary, leavening of the "city" element. the custom of the fair sex was not encouraged at the old tavern; though in a room on the first floor they were permitted to sup, if in "the profession" and accompanied by males, whose manners and customs could be vouched for. in winter time, assorted grills, of fish, flesh, and fowl, were served as supper dishes; whilst tripe was the staple food. welsh rarebits, too, were in immense demand. and i think it was here that i devoured, with no fear of the future before my plate, a _buck rarebit_. during the silent watches of the rest of the morning, bile and dyspepsia fought heroically for my soul; and yet the little animal is easy enough to prepare, being nothing grander than a welsh rarebit, with a poached egg atop. but the little tins (silver, like the forks and spoons, until the greed and forgetfulness of mankind necessitated the substitution of electro-plate) which the hebes at the "old cheshire cheese" fill with fragments of the hostelry's godfather--subsequently to be stewed in good old ale--are less harmful to the interior of the human diaphragm. a favourite albion supper-dish during the summer months was _lamb's head and mince_. i have preserved the recipe, a gift from one of the waiters--but whether ponsford, taylor, or "shakespeare" (so-called because he bore not the faintest resemblance to the immortal bard) i forget--and here it is: the head should be scalded, scraped, and well washed. don't have it singed, in the scottish fashion, as lamb's wool is not nice to eat. then put it, with the liver (the sweetbread was chopped up with the brain, i fancy), into a stewpan, with a spanish onion stuck with cloves, a bunch of parsley, a little thyme, a carrot, a turnip, a bay leaf, some crushed peppercorns, a tablespoonful of salt, and half a gallon of cold water. let it boil up, skim, and then simmer for an hour. divide the head, take out the tongue and brain, and dry the rest of the head in a cloth. mince the liver and tongue, season with salt and pepper, and simmer in the original gravy (thickened) for half-an-hour. brush the two head-halves with yolk of egg, grate bread crumbs over, and bake in oven. the brain and sweetbread to be chopped and made into cakes, fried, and then placed in the dish around the head-halves. ah me! the old tavern, after falling into bad ways, entertaining "extra-ladies" and ruined gamesters, has been closed for years. the ground floor was a potato warehouse the last time i passed the place. and it should be mentioned that the actors, journalists, etc., who, in the 'seventies, possessed smaller means, or more modest ambitions, were in the habit of supping--on supping days--at a cheaper haunt in the strand, off (alleged) roast goose. but, according to one joseph eldred, a comedian of some note and shirt-cuff, the meat which was apportioned to us here was, in reality, always bullock's heart, sliced, and with a liberal allowance of sage and onions. "it's the seasoning as does it," observed mr. samuel weller. then there was another bohemian house of call, and supper place, in those nights--the "occidental," once known as the "coal hole," where, around a large, beautifully polished mahogany table, many of the wits of the town--"harry" leigh and "tom" purnell were two of the inveterates--sat, and devoured welsh rarebits, and other things. the house, too, could accommodate not a few lodgers; and one of its great charms was that nobody cared a button what time you retired to your couch, or what time you ordered breakfast. in these matters, the occidental resembled the "limmer's" of the "billy duff" era, and the "lane's" of my own dear subaltern days. _parlour cookery._ it was after the last-named days that, whilst on tour with various dramatic combinations--more from necessity than art, as far as i was concerned--that the first principles of parlour cookery became impregnated in mine understanding. we were not all "stars," although we did our best. salaries were (according to the advertisements) "low but sure"; and (according to experiences) by no means as sure as death, or taxes. the "spectre" did not invariably assume his "martial stalk," of a saturday; and cheap provincial lodgings do not hold out any extra inducement in the way of cookery. so, whilst we endured the efforts of the good landlady at the early dinner, some of us determined to dish up our own suppers. for the true artist never really feels (or never used to feel, at all events) like "picking a bit" until merely commercial folks have gone to bed. many a time and oft, with the aid of a cigar box (empty, of course), a couple of books, and an arrangement of plates, have i prepared a savoury supper of mushrooms, toasted cheese, or a _kebob_ of larks, or other small fowl, in front of the fire. more than once have i received notice to quit the next morning for grilling kidneys on the perforated portion of a handsome and costly steel fire-shovel. and by the time i had become sufficiently advanced in culinary science to stew tripe and onions, in an enamel-lined saucepan, the property of the "responsible gent," we began to give ourselves airs. landladies' ideas on the subject of supper for "theatricals," it may be mentioned, seldom soared above yeast dumplings. and few of us liked the name, even, of yeast dumplings. but perhaps the champion effort of all was when i was sojourning in the good city of carlisle--known to its inhabitants by the pet name of "cannie carle." a good lady was, for her sins, providing us with board and lodging, in return for (promised) cash. my then companion was a merry youth who afterwards achieved fame by writing the very funniest and one of the most successful of three-act farces that was ever placed upon the stage. now there is not much the matter with a good joint of ribs of beef, roasted to a turn. but when that beef is placed on the table hot for the sunday dinner, and cold at every succeeding meal until finished up, one's appetite for the flesh of the ox begins to slacken. so we determined on the wednesday night to "strike" for a tripe supper. "indeed," protested the good landlady, "ye'll get nae tripe in this hoose, cannie men. hae ye no' got guid beef, the noo?" late that night we had grilled bones for supper; not the ordinary _grilled bones_ which you get in an eating house, but a vastly superior article. we, or rather my messmate, cut a rib from off the aforementioned beef, scored the flesh across, and placed the bone in the centre of a beautifully clear fire which had been specially prepared. it was placed there by means of the tongs--a weapon of inestimable value in parlour cookery--and withdrawn by the same medium. some of the black wanted scraping off the surface of the meat, but the grill was a perfect dream. the gubbins sauce, already mentioned in this volume, had not at that time been invented; but as i was never without a bottle of tapp sauce--invaluable for parlour cookery; you can get it at stembridge's--we had plenty of relish. then we severed another rib from the carcase, and served it in the same manner. for it was winter time and we had wearied of frigid ox. next morning the landlady's face was a study. i rather think that after some conversation, we propitiated her with an order for two for the dress circle; but it is certain that we had tripe that evening. an ideal supper in _miladi's boudoir_ is associated, in the writer's mind, with rose-coloured draperies, dainty china, a cosy fire, a liberal display of _lingerie_, a strong perfume of heliotrope and orris root--and _miladi_ herself. when next she invites her friends, she will kindly order the following repast to be spread:-- clear soup, in cups. fillets of soles parisienne. chaudfroid of quails. barded sweetbreads. perigord pâté. by way of contrast, let me quote a typical supper-dish which the "poor player" used to order, when he could afford it. _kidney dumpling._ cut a large spanish onion in half. take out the heart, and substitute a sheep's kidney, cut into four. season with salt and pepper, join the two halves, and enclose in a paste. bake on a buttered tin, in a moderate oven, for about an hour. _n.b._--be sure the cook _bakes_ this dumpling, as it is not nice boiled. an artistic friend who at one time of his life resided near the great horse-training centre of middleham, in yorkshire, gave a steak supper at the principal inn, to some of the stable attendants. the fare was highly approved of. "best scotch beef i ever put tooth into!" observed the "head lad" at old tom lawson's stables. "ah!" returned the host, who was a bit of a wag, "your beef was cut from a colt of lord glasgow's that was thought highly of at one time; and he was shot the day before yesterday." and it was so. for lord glasgow never sold nor gave away a horse, but had all his "failures" shot. and then a great cry went up for brown brandy. chapter xvii "camping out" "thou didst eat strange flesh, which some did die to look on." the ups and downs of life--stirring adventures--marching on to glory--shooting in the tropics--pepper-pot--with the _rajah sahib_--goat-sacrifices at breakfast time--simla to cashmere--manners and customs of thibet--burmah--no place to get fat in--insects--voracity of the natives--snakes--sport in the jungle--loaded for snipe, sure to meet tiger--with the gippos--no baked hedgehog--cheap milk. the intelligent reader may have gathered from some of the foregoing pages that the experiences of the writer have been of a variegated nature. as an habitual follower of the turf once observed: "when we're rich we rides in chaises, and when we're broke we walks like ----" never mind what. it was an evil man who said it, but he was a philosopher. dinner in the gilded saloon one day, on the next no dinner at all, and the key of the street. such is life! those experiences do not embrace a mortal combat with a "grizzly" in the rockies, nor a tramp through a miasma-laden forest in darkest africa, with nothing better to eat than poisonous _fungi_, assorted grasses, red ants, and dwarfs; nor yet a bull fight. but they include roughing it in the bush, on underdone bread and scorched kangaroo, a tramp from benares to the frontier of british india, another tramp or two some way beyond that frontier, a dreadful journey across the eternal snows of the himalayas, a day's shooting in the khyber pass, a railway accident in middlesex, a mad elephant (he had killed seven men, one of them blind) hunt at thayet myoo, in british burmah, a fine snake anecdote or two, a night at cambridge with an escaped lunatic, a tiger story (of course), and a capture for debt by an officer of the sheriff of pegu, with no other clothing on his body than a short jacket of gaily coloured silk, and a loin cloth. my life's history is never likely to be written--chiefly through sheer laziness on my own part, and the absence of the gambling instinct on that of the average publisher--but like the brown gentleman who smothered his wife, i have "seen things." in this chapter no allusion will be made to "up river" delights, the only idea of "camping out" which is properly understood by the majority of "up to date" young men and maidens; for this theme has been already treated, most comically and delightfully, by mr. jerome, in the funniest book i ever read. my own camping experiences have been for the most part in foreign lands, though i have seen the sun rise, whilst reclining beneath the royal trees in st. james's park; and as this book is supposed to deal with gastronomy, rather than adventure, a brief sketch of camp life must suffice. on the march! what a time those who "served the widdy"--by which disrespectful term, our revered sovereign was _not_ known in those days--used to have before the continent of india had been intersected by the railroad! the absence of one's proper _quantum_ of rest, the forced marches over _kutcha_ (imperfectly made) bye-roads, the sudden changes of temperature, raids of the native thief, the troubles with "bobbery" camels, the still more exasperating behaviour of the _bail-wallahs_ (bullock-drivers), the awful responsibilities of the officer-on-baggage-guard, on active duty, often in the saddle for fifteen hours at a stretch, the absolutely necessary cattle-raids, by the roadside--all these things are well known to those who have undergone them, but are far too long "another story" to be related here. as for the food partaken of during a march with the regiment, the bill-of-fare differed but little from that of the cantonments; but the officer who spent a brief holiday in a shooting expedition had to "rough it" in more ways than one. there was plenty of game all over the continent in my youthful days, and the average shot need not have lacked a dinner, even if he had not brought with him a consignment of "europe" provisions. english bread was lacking, certainly, and biscuits, native or otherwise--"otherwise" for choice, as the bazaar article tasted principally of pin-cushions and the smoke of dried and lighted cow-dung--or the ordinary _chupatti_, the flat, unleavened cake, which the poor indian manufactures for his own consumption. cold tea is by far the best liquid to carry--or rather to have carried for you--whilst actually shooting; but the weary sportsman will require something more exciting, and more poetical, on his return to camp. as for solid fare it was usually _pepper-pot_ for dinner, day by day. we called it pepper-pot--that is to say, although it differed somewhat from the west indian concoction of that name, for which the following is the recipe:-- put the remains of any cold flesh or fowl into a saucepan, and cover with _cassaripe_--which has been already described in the curry chapter as extract of manioc root. heat up the stew and serve. our pepper-pot was usually made in a gipsy-kettle, suspended from a tripod. the foundation of the stew was always a tin of some kind of soup. then a few goat chops--mutton is bad to buy out in the jungle--and then any bird or beast that may have been shot, divided into fragments. i have frequently made a stew of this sort, with so many ingredients in it that the flavour when served out at table--or on the bullock-trunk which often did duty for a table--would have beaten the wit of man to describe. there was hare soup "intil't" (as the scotsman said to the late prince consort), and a collop or two of buffalo-beef, with snipe, quails, and jungle-fowl. there were half the neck of an antelope and a few sliced onions lurking within the bowl. and there were potatoes "intil't," and plenty of pepper and salt. and for lack of cassaripe we flavoured the savoury mess with mango chutnee and tapp sauce. and if any cook, english or foreign, can concoct a more worthy dish than this, or more grateful to the palate, said cook can come my way. the old _dak gharry_ method of travelling in india may well come under the head of camping out. in the hot weather we usually progressed--or got emptied into a ditch--or collided with something else, during the comparative "coolth" of the night; resting (which in hindustan usually means perspiring and calling the country names) all day at one or other of the _dak bungalows_ provided by a benevolent government for the use of the wandering _sahib_. the larder at one of those rest-houses was seldom well filled. although the _khansamah_ who prostrated himself in the sand at your approach would declare that he was prepared to supply everything which the protector-of-the-poor might deign to order, it would be found on further inquiry that the _khansamah_ had, like the player queen in hamlet, protested too much--that he was a natural romancer. and his "everything" usually resolved itself into a "spatch-cock," manufactured from the spectral rooster, who had heralded the approach of the _sahib's_ caravan. _a rajah's_ ideas of hospitality are massive. labouring under the belief that the white _sahib_ when not eating must necessarily be drinking, the commissariat arrangements of rajahdom are on a colossal scale--for the chief benefit of his _major domo_. i might have bathed in dry champagne, had the idea been pleasing, whilst staying with a certain genial prince, known to irreverent british subalterns as "old coppertail"; whilst the bedroom furniture was on the same liberal scale. true, i lay on an ordinary native _charpoy_, which might have been bought in the bazaar for a few _annas_, but there was a grand piano in one corner of the apartment, and a buhl cabinet containing rare china in another. there was a coloured print of the governor-general over the doorway, and an oil painting of the judgment of solomon over the mantelshelf. and on a table within easy reach of the bed was a silver-plated dinner service, decked with fruits and sweetmeats, and tins of salmon, and pots of guava jelly and mixed pickles, and two tumblers, each of which would have easily held a week-old baby. and there was a case of champagne beneath that table, with every appliance for cutting wires and extracting the corks. another time the writer formed one of a small party invited to share the hospitality of a potentate, whose estate lay on the snowy side of simla. the fleecy element, however, was not in evidence in june, the month of our visit, although towards december simla herself is usually wrapt in the white mantle, and garrisoned by monkeys, who have fled from the land of ice. tents had been erected for us in a barren-looking valley, somewhat famous, however, for the cultivation of potatoes. there was an annual celebration of some sort, the day after our arrival, and for breakfast that morning an _al fresco_ meal had been prepared for us, almost within whispering distance of an heathen temple. and it _was_ a breakfast! there was a turkey stuffed with a fowl, to make the breast larger, and there was a "europe" ham. a tin of lobster, a bottle of pickled walnuts, a dreadful concoction, alleged to be an omelette, but looking more like the sole of a tennis shoe, potatoes, boiled eggs, a dish of irish stew, a fry of small fish, a weird-looking curry, a young goat roasted whole, and a plum pudding! the tea had hardly been poured out--kussowlie beer, epps's cocoa, and (of course) champagne, and john exshaw's brandy were also on tap--when a gentleman with very little on proceeded to decapitate a goat at the foot of the temple steps. this was somewhat startling, but when the (presumed) high-priest chopped off the head of another bleating victim, our meal was interrupted. the executions had been carried out in very simple fashion. first, the priest sprinkled a little water on the neck of the victim (who was held in position by an assistant), and then retired up the steps. then, brandishing a small sickle, he rushed back, and in an instant off went the head, which was promptly carried, reeking with gore, within the temple. but if, as happened more than once, the head was not sliced off at the initial attempt, it was left on the ground when decapitation had been at length effected. the deity inside was evidently a bit particular! nine goats had been sacrificed, ere our remonstrances were attended to; and we were allowed to pursue our meal in peace. but i don't think anybody had goat for breakfast that morning. later on, the fun of the fair commenced, and the _paharis_, or hill men, trooped in from miles round, with their sisters, cousins, and aunts. their wives, we imagined, were too busily occupied in carrying their accustomed loads of timber to and fro. your himalayan delights in a fair, and the numerous swings and roundabouts were all well patronised; whilst the jugglers, and the snake charmers--in many instances it was difficult to tell at a glance which was charmer and which snake--were all well patronised. later on, when the lamps had been lit, a _burra nâtch_ was started, and the bengali baboos who had come all the way from simla in _dhoolies_ to be present at this, applauded vigorously. and our host being in constant dread lest we should starve to death or expire of thirst, never tired of bidding us to a succession of banquets at which we simply went through the forms of eating, to please him. and just when we began to get sleepy these simple hill folks commenced to dance amongst themselves. they were just a little monotonous, their choregraphic efforts. parties of men linked arms and sidled around fires of logs, singing songs of their mountain homes the while. and as they were evidently determined to make a night of it, sleep for those who understood not the game, with their tents close handy, was out of the question. and when, as soon as we could take our departure decently and decorously, we started up the hill again, those doleful monotonous dances were still in progress, although the fires were out, and the voices decidedly husky. a native of the himalayas is nothing if not energetic--in his own interests be it understood. a few months later i formed one of a small party who embarked on a more important expedition than the last named, although we traversed the same road. it is a journey which has frequently been made since, from simla to cashmere, going as far into the land of the great llama as the inhabitants will allow the stranger to do--which is not very far; but, in the early sixties there were but few white men who had even skirted thibet. in the afternoon of life, when stirring the fire has become preferable to stirring adventure, it seems (to the writer at all events) very like an attempt at self-slaughter to have travelled so many hundreds of miles along narrow goatpaths, with a _khud_ (precipice) of thousands of feet on one side or the other; picking one's way, if on foot, over the frequent avalanche (or "land slip," as we called it in those days) of shale or granite; or if carried in a _dhoolie_--which is simply a hammock attached by straps to a bamboo pole--running the risk of being propelled over a precipice by your heathen carriers. it is not the pleasantest of sensations to cross a mountain torrent by means of a frail bridge (called a _jhula_) of ropes made from twigs, and stretched many feet above the torrent itself, nor to "weather" a corner, whilst clinging tooth and nail to the face of a cliff. and when there is any riding to be done, most people would prefer a hill pony to a _yak_, the native ox of thibet. by far the best part of a _yak_ is his beautiful silky, fleecy tail, which is largely used in hindustan, by dependants of governors-general, commanders-in-chief, and other mighty ones, for the discomfiture of the frequent fly. a very little equestrian exercise on the back of a _yak_ goes a long way; and if given my choice, i would sooner ride a stumbling cab-horse in a saddle with spikes in it. but those days were our salad ones; we were not only "green of judgment," but admirers of the beautiful, and reckless of danger. but it was decidedly "roughing it." as it is advisable to traverse that track as lightly laden as possible, we took but few "europe" provisions with us, depending upon the villages, for the most part, for our supplies. we usually managed to buy a little flour, wherewith to make the inevitable _chupati_, and at some of the co-operative stores _en route_, we obtained mutton of fair flavour. we did not know in those days that flesh exposed to the air, in the higher ranges of the himalayas, will not putrefy, else we should have doubtless made a species of _biltong_ of the surplus meat, to carry with us in case of any famine about. so "short commons" frequently formed the bill of fare. our little stock of brandy was carefully husbanded, against illness; and, judging from the subsequent histories of two of the party, this was the most miraculous feature of the expedition. for liquid refreshment we had neat water, and _thé à la mode de thibet_. doctor nansen, in his book on the crossing of greenland, inveighs strongly against the use of alcohol in an arctic expedition; but i confess that the first time i tasted thibet tea i would have given both my ears for a soda and brandy. the raw tea was compressed into the shape of a brick, with the aid of--we did not inquire what; its infusion was drunk, either cold or lukewarm, flavoured with salt, and a small lump of butter which in any civilised police court would have gained the vendor a month's imprisonment without the option of a fine. the people of the district were in the habit of gorging themselves with flesh when they could get it; and polyandry was another of their pleasant customs. we saw one lady who was married to three brothers, but did not boast of it. thibet is probably the most priest-ridden country in the world, and ought to be the most religious; for the natives can grind out their prayers, on wheels, at short intervals, in pretty much the same way as we grind our coffee in dear old england. but we reached the promised land at last; and here at least there was no lack of food and drink. meat was cheap in those days; and one of the party, without any bargaining whatever, purchased a sheep for eight annas, or one shilling sterling. mutton is not quite as cheap at the time of writing this book ( ), i believe; but in the long ago there were but few english visitors to the land of lalla rookh, and those who did go had to obtain permission of the rajah, through the british resident. with improved transit, and a railroad from rangoon to mandalay, matters gastronomic may be better in british burmah nowadays; but in the course of an almost world-wide experience i have never enjoyed food less than in pagoda-land during the sixties. and as a burmese built house was not a whit more comfortable than a tent, and far less waterproof, this subject may well be included in the chapter headed "camping out." fruits there were, varied and plentiful; and if you only planted the crown of a pine-apple in your compound one evening you would probably find a decent-sized pine-apple above ground next--well, next week. at least so they told me when i arrived in the country. this fruit, in fact, was so plentiful that we used to peel the pines, and gnaw them, just like a school-boy would gnaw the ordinary variety of apple. but we had no mutton--not up the country, that is to say; and we were entirely dependent upon madras for potatoes. therefore, as there was only a steamer once a month from madras to rangoon, which invariably missed the irrawaddy monthly mail-boat, we "exiles" had to content ourselves with yams, or the abominable "preserved" earth-apple. the insects of the air wrestled with us at the mess-table, for food; and the man who did not swallow an evil-tasting fly of some sort in his soup was lucky.[ ] as for the food of the burman himself, "absolutely beastly" was no name for it. strips of cat-fish the colour of beef were served at his marriage feasts; and he was especially fond of a condiment the name of which was pronounced _nuppee_--although that is probably not the correct spelling, and i never studied the language of that country--which was concocted from a smaller description of fish, buried in the earth until decomposition had triumphed, and then mashed up with _ghee_ (clarified--and "postponed"--butter). there was, certainly, plenty of shooting to be obtained in the district; but, as it rained in torrents for nine months in every year, the shooter required a considerable amount of nerve, and, in addition to a boyton suit, case-hardened lungs and throat. and, singularly enough, it was an established fact that if loaded for snipe you invariably met a tiger, or something else with sharp teeth, and _vice versa_. also, you were exceptionally fortunate if you did not step upon one of the venomous snakes of the country, of whom the _hamadryad's_ bite was said to be fatal within five minutes. i had omitted to mention that snake is also a favourite food of the burman; and as i seldom went home of an evening without finding a rat-snake or two in the verandah, or the arm-chair, the natives had snake for breakfast, most days. the rat-snake is, however, quite harmless to life. i have "camped out" in england once or twice; once with a select circle of gipsies, the night before the derby. i wished merely to study character; and, after giving them a few words of the romany dialect, and a good deal of tobacco, i was admitted into their confidences. but the experience gained was not altogether pleasing, nor yet edifying; nor did we have baked hedgehog for supper. in fact i have never yet met the "gippo" (most of them keep fowls) who will own to having tasted this _bonne bouche_ of the descriptive writer. possibly this is on account of the scarcity of the hedgehog. "tea-kettle broth"--bread sopped in water, with a little salt and dripping to flavour the soup--on the other hand, figures on most of the gipsy _menus_. and upon one occasion, very early in the morning, another wanderer and the writer obtained much-needed liquid refreshment by milking the yield of a jersey cow into each other's mouths, alternately. but this was a long time ago, and in the neighbourhood of bagshot heath, and it was somebody else's cow; so let no more be said about it. i fear this chapter is not calculated to make many mouths water. in fact what in the world has brought it into the midst of a work on gastronomy i am at a loss to make out. however here it is. chapter xviii compound drinks "flow wine! smile woman! and the universe is consoled." derivation of punch--"five"--the "milk" brand--the best materials--various other punches--bischoff or bishop--"halo" punch--toddy--the toddy tree of india--flip--a "peg"--john collins--out of the guard-room. the subject of punch is such an important one that it may be placed first on the list of dainty beverages which can be made by the art or application of man or woman. first, let us take the origin of the word. doctor kitchener, an acknowledged authority, during his lifetime, on all matters connected with eating and drinking, has laid it down that punch is of west indian origin, and that the word when translated, means "five"; because there be five ingredients necessary in the concoction of the beverage. but doctor kitchener and his disciples (of whom there be many) may go to the bottom of the cookery class; for although from the large connection which rum and limes have with the mixture, there would seem to be a west indian flavour about it; the word "five," when translated into west indianese, is nothing like "punch." having satisfied themselves that this is a fact, modern authorities have tried the east indies for the source of the name, and have discovered that _panch_ in hindustani really does mean "five." "therefore," says one modern authority, "it is named punch from the five ingredients which compose it--( ) spirit, ( ) acid, ( ) spice, ( ) sugar, ( ) water." another modern authority calls punch "a beverage introduced into england from india, and so called from being usually made of five (hindi, _panch_) ingredients--arrack, tea, sugar, water, and lemon juice." this sounds far more like an east indian concoction than the other; but at the same time punch--during the latter half of the nineteenth century at all events--was as rare a drink in hindustan as _bhang_ in great britain. the _panch_ theory is an ingenious one, but there are plenty of other combinations (both liquid and solid) of five to which the word punch is never applied; and about the last beverage recommended by the faculty for the consumption of the sojourner in the land of the great mogul, would, i should think, be the entrancing, seductive one which we britons know under the name of punch. moreover it is not every punch-concoctor who uses five ingredients. in the minds of some--youthful members of the stock exchange, for the most part--water is an altogether unnecessary addition to the alcoholic mixture which is known by the above name. and what manner of man would add spice to that delight of old ireland, "a jug o' punch?" on the other hand, in many recipes, there are more than five ingredients used. but after all, the origin of the name is of but secondary importance, as long as you can make punch. therefore, we will commence with a few recipes for _milk punch_. . three bottles of rum. the most delicately-flavoured rum is the "liquid sunshine" brand. one bottle of sherry. lbs of loaf-sugar. the rind of six lemons, and the juice of twelve. one quart of boiling skimmed milk. mix together, let the mixture stand eight days, stirring it each day. strain and bottle, and let it stand three months. then re-bottle, and let the bottles lie on their sides in the cellar for two years, to mature. the flavour will be much better than if drunk after the first period of three months. it is not everybody, however, who would care to wait two years, three months, and eight days for the result of his efforts in punch-making. therefore another recipe may be appended; and in this one no "close time" is laid down for the consumption of the mixture. . put into a bottle of rum or brandy the thinly-pared rinds of three seville oranges, and three lemons. cork tightly for two days. rub off on lbs of lump sugar the rinds of six lemons, squeeze the juice from the whole of the fruit over the lbs of sugar, add three quarts of boiling water, one of boiling milk, half a teaspoonful of nutmeg, and mix all thoroughly well together until the sugar is dissolved. pour in the rum or brandy, stir, and strain till clear; bottle closely. there is more than one objection to this recipe. ( ) rum, and not brandy (by itself), should be used for milk punch. ( ) there is an "intolerable amount" of water; and ( ) the nutmeg had better remain in the spice-box. . cut off the thin yellow rind of four lemons and a seville orange, taking care not to include even a fragment of the _white_ rind, and place in a basin. pour in one pint of jamaica rum, and let it stand, covered over, twelve hours. then strain, and mix with it one pint of lemon juice, and two pints of cold water, in which one pound of sugar-candy has been dissolved; add the whites of two eggs, beaten to a froth, three pints more of rum, one pint of madeira, one pint of strong green tea, and a large wine-glassful of maraschino. mix thoroughly, and pour over all one pint of boiling milk. let the punch stand a little while, then strain through a jelly-bag, and either use at once, or bottle off. here let it be added, lest the precept be forgotten, that the _very best materials_ are absolutely necessary for the manufacture of punch, as of other compound drinks. in the above recipe for instance by "madeira," is meant "rare old east indian," and _not_ marsala, which wine, in french kitchens, is invariably used as the equivalent of madeira. there must be no inferior sherry, gladstone claret, cheap champagne, nor potato-brandy, used for any of my recipes, or i will not be responsible for the flavour of the beverage. the following is the best idea of a milk punch known to the writer:-- . over the yellow rind of four lemons and one seville orange, pour one pint of rum. let it stand, covered over, for twelve hours. strain and mix in two pints more of rum, one pint of brandy, one pint of sherry, half-a-pint of lemon juice, the expressed juice of a peeled pine-apple, one pint of green tea, one pound of sugar dissolved in one quart of boiling water, the whites of two eggs beaten up, one quart of boiling milk. mix well, let it cool, and then strain through a jelly-bag, and bottle off. this punch is calculated to make the epicure forget that he has just been partaking of conger-eel broth instead of clear turtle. _cambridge milk punch._ this a fairly good boys' beverage, there being absolutely "no offence in't." put the rind of half a lemon (small) into one pint of new milk, with twelve lumps of sugar. boil very slowly for fifteen minutes, then remove from the fire, take out the lemon rind, and mix in the yolk of one egg, which has been previously blended with one tablespoonful of cold milk, two tablespoonfuls of brandy, and four of rum. whisk all together, and when the mixture is frothed, it is ready to serve. _oxford punch._ there is no milk in this mixture, which sounds like "for'ard on!" for the undergraduate who for the first time samples it. rub off the yellow rind of three lemons with half-a-pound of loaf sugar. put the result into a large jug, with the yellow rind of one seville orange, the juice of three seville oranges and eight lemons, and one pint of liquefied calf's-foot jelly. mix thoroughly, then pour over two quarts of boiling water, and set the jug on the hob for thirty minutes. strain the mixture into a punch-bowl, and when cool add one small bottle of capillaire (an infusion of maidenhair fern, flavoured with sugar and orange-flower water); one pint of brandy, one pint of rum, half-a-pint of dry sherry, and one quart of orange shrub--a mixture of orange-peel, juice, sugar, and rum. after drinking this, the young student will be in a fit state to sally forth, with his fellows, and "draw" a dean, or drown an amateur journalist. i have a very old recipe, in ms., for "bischoff," which i take to be the original of the better known beverage called "bishop," for the manufacture of which i have also directions. for the sake of comparison i give the two. _bischoff._ cut into four parts each, three seville oranges, and slightly score the rinds across with a sharp knife. roast the quarters lightly before a slow fire, and put them into a bowl with two bottles of claret, with a little cinnamon and nutmeg. infuse this mixture over a slow heat for five or six hours, then pass it through a jelly-bag, and sweeten. it may be drunk hot or cold, but in any case must never be allowed to boil. _bishop._ two drachmas each of cloves, mace, ginger, cinnamon, and allspice, boiled in half-a-pint of water for thirty minutes. strain. put a bottle of port in a saucepan over the fire, add the spiced infusion, and a lemon stuck with six cloves. whilst this is heating gradually--it must not boil--take four ounces of loaf sugar, and with the lumps grate off the outer rind of a lemon into a punch-bowl. add the sugar, and juice, and the hot wine, etc. add another bottle of port, and serve either hot or cold. i am prepared to lay a shade of odds on the "op" against the "off." another old recipe has been quoted in some of my earlier public efforts, under different names. i have improved considerably upon the proportion of the ingredients, and now hand the whole back, under the name of _halo punch_. with a quarter pound of loaf sugar rub off the outer rind of one lemon and two seville oranges. put rind and sugar into a large punch-bowl with the juice and pulp, mix the sugar well with the juice and one teacupful of boiling water, and stir till cold. add half-a-pint of pine-apple syrup, one pint of strong green tea, a claret-glassful of maraschino, a smaller glassful of noyeau, half-a-pint of white rum, one pint of brandy, and one bottle of champagne. strain and serve, having, if necessary, added more sugar. note well the proportions. this is the same beverage which some cleveland friends of mine, having read the recipe, thought _boiling_ would improve. the result was--well, a considerable amount of chaos. _glasgow punch._ the following is from _peter's letters to his kinsfolk_, and is from the pen of john gibson lockhart:-- the sugar being melted with a little _cold_ water, the artist squeezed about a dozen lemons through a wooden strainer, and then poured in water enough almost to fill the bowl. in this state the liquor goes by the name of sherbet, and a few of the connoisseurs in his immediate neighbourhood were requested to give their opinion of it--for in the mixing of the sherbet lies, according to the glasgow creed, at least one-half of the whole battle. this being approved of by an audible smack from the lips of the umpires, the rum was added to the beverage, i suppose, in something about the proportion from one to seven. does this mean one of sherbet and seven of rum, or the converse? last of all, the maker cut a few limes, and running each section rapidly round the rim of his bowl, squeezed in enough of this more delicate acid to flavour the whole composition. in this consists the true _tour-de-maitre_ of the punch-maker. well, possibly; but it seems a plainish sort of punch; and unless the rum be allowed to preponderate, most of us would be inclined to call the mixture lemonade. and i do not believe that since glasgow has been a city its citizens ever drank much of _that_. a few more punches, and then an anecdote. _ale punch._ one quart of mild ale in a bowl, add one wine-glassful of brown sherry, the same quantity of old brandy, a tablespoonful of sifted sugar, the peel and juice of one lemon, a grate of nutmeg, and an iceberg. _n.b._--do not insert old ale, by mistake. and for my own part, i think it a mistake to mix john barleycorn with wine (except champagne) and spirits. _barbadoes punch._ a tablespoonful of raspberry syrup, a ditto of sifted sugar, a wine-glassful of water, double that quantity of brandy, half a wine-glassful of guava jelly, liquid, the juice of half a lemon, two slices of orange, one slice of pine-apple, in a long tumbler. ice and shake well and drink through straws. _curaçoa punch._ put into a large tumbler one tablespoonful of sifted sugar, one wine-glassful of brandy, the same quantity of water, half a wine-glassful of jamaica rum, a wine-glassful of curaçoa, and the juice of half a lemon; fill the tumbler with crushed ice, shake, and drink through straws. _grassot punch._ this has nothing to do with warm asparagus, so have no fear. it is simply another big-tumbler mixture, of one wine-glassful of brandy, a liqueur-glassful of curaçoa, a squeeze of lemon, two teaspoonfuls sugar, one of syrup of strawberries, one wine-glassful of water, and the thin rind of a lemon; fill up the tumbler with crushed ice, shake, and put slices of ripe apricots atop. drink how you like. most of the above are hot-weather beverages, and the great beauty of some of them will be found in the small quantity of water in the mixture. here is a punch which may be drunk in any weather, and either hot or cold. _regent punch._ pour into a bowl a wine-glassful of champagne, the same quantities of hock, curaçoa, rum, and madeira. mix well, and add a pint of boiling tea, sweetened. stir well and serve. _apropos_ of the derivation of "punch," i was unaware until quite recently that messrs. bradbury's & agnew's little paper had any connection therewith. but i was assured by one who knew all about it, that such was the case. "what?" i exclaimed. "how can the _london charivari_ possibly have anything to do with this most seductive of beverages?" "my dear fellow," was the reply, "have you never heard of mark _lemon_?" i turned to smite him hip and thigh; but the jester had fled. and now a word or two as to "toddy." one of the authorities quoted in the punch difficulty declares that toddy is also an indian drink. so it is. but that drink no more resembles what is known in more civilised lands as toddy than i resemble the late king solomon. the palm-sap which the poor indian distils into arrack and occasionally drinks in its natural state for breakfast after risking his neck in climbing trees to get it, can surely have no connection with hot whisky and water? yet the authority says so; but he had best be careful ere he promulgates his theory in the presence of scotsmen and others who possess special toddy-glasses. this is how i make _whisky toddy_. the irish call this whisky punch. but do not let us wrangle over the name. into an ordinary-sized tumbler which has been warmed, put one average lump of sugar, a ring of thin lemon peel, and a silver teaspoon. fill the tumbler one quarter full of water as near boiling point as possible. cover over until the sugar be dissolved and peel be infused. then add one wine-glassful--not a small one--of the best whisky you can find--the "pollok" brand, and the "r.b." are both excellent. then drink the toddy, or punch; for should you attempt to add any more water you will incur the lifelong contempt of every irishman or scotsman who may be in the same room. if irish whisky be used, of course you will select "john jameson." 'twixt ale-flip and egg-flip there is not much more difference than 'twixt tweedledum and tweedledee. both are equally "more-ish" on a cold evening; and no christmas eve is complete without a jug of one or the other. _ale-flip._ pour into a saucepan three pints of mild ale, one tablespoonful of sifted sugar, a blade of mace, a clove, and a small piece of butter; and bring the liquor to a boil. beat up in a basin the white of one egg and the yolks of two, mixed with about a wine-glassful of cold ale. mix all together in the saucepan, then pour into a jug, and thence into another jug, from a height, for some minutes, to froth the flip thoroughly but do not let it get cold. _egg-flip._ heat one pint of ale, and pour into a jug. add two eggs, beaten with three ounces of sugar, and pour the mixture from one jug to the other, as in the preceding recipe. grate a little nutmeg and ginger over the flip before serving. were i to ask what is _a peg_? i should probably be told that a peg was something to hang something or somebody else on, or that it was something to be driven through or into something else. and the latter would be the more correct answer, for at the time of my sojourn in the great continent of india, a peg meant a large brandy-and-soda. at that time whisky was but little known in punkahland, and was only used high up in the punjaub during the "cold weather"--and it is cold occasionally in that region, where for some months they are enabled to make ice--but that is _une autre histoire_. rum i once tasted at simla, and gin will be dealt with presently. but since the visit of h.r.h. the prince of wales, a peg has always signified a _whisky_-and-soda. and yet we have not heard of any particular decrease in the death-rate. despite what those who have only stayed a month or two in the country have committed to print, alcohol is _not_ more fatal in a tropical country than a temperate one. but you must not overdo your alcohol. i have seen a gay young spark, a fine soldier, and over six feet in height, drink _eight_ pegs of a morning, ere he got out of bed. there was no such thing as a "split soda"--or a split brandy either--in those days. we buried him in the bay of bengal just after a cyclone, on our way home. by the way, the real meaning of "peg" was said to be the peg, or nail, driven into the coffin of the drinker every time he partook. and the coffin of many an anglo-indian of my acquaintance was all nails. a _john collins_ is simply a gin-sling with a little curaçoa in it. that is to say, soda-water, a slice of lemon, curaçoa--and gin. but by altering the proportions this can be made a very dangerous potion indeed. the officers of a certain regiment--which shall be nameless--were in the habit of putting this potion on tap, after dinner on a guest night. it was a point of honour in those evil, though poetical, times, to send no guest empty away, and more than one of those entertained by this regiment used to complain next morning at breakfast--a peg, or a swizzle, and a hot pickle sandwich--of the escape of "private john collins" from the regimental guard-room. for towards dawn there would not be much soda-water in that potion--which was usually served hot at that hour. chapter xix cups and cordials "can any mortal mixture breathe such divine, enchanting ravishment?" "the evil that men do lives after them." five recipes for claret cup--balaclava cup--orgeat--ascot cup--stout and champagne--shandy-gaff for millionaires--ale cup--cobblers which will stick to the last--home ruler--cherry brandy--sloe gin--home-made, if possible--a new industry--apricot brandy--highland cordial--bitters--jumping-powder--orange brandy--"mandragora"--"sleep rock thy brain!" i suppose there are almost as many recipes for claret cup as for a cold in the head. and of the many it is probable that the greater proportion will produce a cup which will neither cheer nor inebriate; for the simple reason that nobody, who was not inebriated already, would be physically capable of drinking enough of it. let us first of all take the late mr. donald's recipe for claret cup: _a._ bottle claret. wine-glassful fine pale brandy. ½ do. chartreuse yellow. ½ do. curaçoa. ¼ do. maraschino. bottles soda or seltzer.[ ] lemon, cut in thin slices. a few sprigs of borage; not much. ice and sugar to taste. here is a less expensive recipe: _b._ put into a bowl the rind of one lemon pared very thin, add some sifted sugar, and pour over it a wine-glassful of sherry; then add a bottle of claret, more sugar to taste, a sprig of verbena, one bottle of aerated water, and a grated nutmeg; strain and ice it well. once more let the fact be emphasised that the better the wine, spirit, etc., the better the cup. here is a good cup for ascot, when the sun is shining, and you are entertaining the fair sex. _c._ put in a large bowl three bottles of claret (st. estephe is the stamp of wine), a wine-glassful (large) of curaçoa, a pint of dry sherry, half a pint of old brandy, a large wine-glassful of raspberry syrup, three oranges and one lemon cut into slices; add a few sprigs of borage and a little cucumber rind, two bottles of seltzer water, and three bottles of stretton water. mix well, and sweeten. let it stand for an hour, and then strain. put in a large block of ice, and a few whole strawberries. serve in small tumblers. another way and a simpler: _d._ pour into a large jug one bottle of claret, add two wine-glassfuls of sherry, and half a glass of maraschino. add a few sliced nectarines, or peaches, and sugar to taste (about a tablespoonful and a half). let it stand till the sugar is dissolved, then put in a sprig of borage. just before using add one bottle of stretton water, and a large piece of ice. my ideal claret cup: _e._ bottles pontet canet. wine-glassfuls old brandy. wine-glassful curaçoa. pint bottle sparkling moselle. bottles aerated water. a sprig or two of borage, and a little lemon peel. sugar _ad lib._: one cup will not require much. add the moselle and popwater just before using; then put in a large block of ice. those who have never tried can have no idea of the zest which a small proportion of moselle lends to a claret cup. my earliest recollection of a cup dates from old cricketing days beneath "henry's holy shade," on "a match day"--as poor old "spanky" used to phrase it; a day on which that prince of philosophers and confectioners sold his wares for cash only. not that he had anything to do with the compounding of the _cider cup_. toast a slice of bread and put it at the bottom of a large jug. grate over the toast nearly half a small nutmeg, and a very little ginger. add a little thin lemon rind, and six lumps of sugar. then add two wine-glasses of sherry, and (if for adults) one of brandy. (if for boys the brandy in the sherry will suffice.) add also the juice of a small lemon, two bottles of lively water, and (last of all) three pints of cider. mix well, pop in a few sprigs of borage, and a block or two of ice. remember once more that the purer the cider the better will be the cup. there is an infinity of bad cider in the market. there used to be a prejudice against the fermented juice of the apple for all who have gouty tendencies; but as a "toe-martyr" myself, i can bear testimony to the harmlessness of the "natural" norfolk cider made at attleborough, in the which is no touch of podagra. for a good _champagne cup_ _vide_ claret cup _a._ substituting the "sparkling" for the "ruby," the ingredients are precisely the same. a nice, harmless beverage, suitable for a tennis party, or to accompany the "light refreshments" served at a "cinderella" dance, or at the "breaking-up" party at a ladies' school, is _chablis cup_. dissolve four or five lumps of sugar in a quarter of a pint of boiling water, and put it into a bowl with a very thin slice of lemon rind; let it stand for half-an-hour, then add a bottle of chablis, a sprig of verbena, a wine-glassful of sherry, and half-a-pint of water. mix well, and let the mixture stand for a while, then strain, add a bottle of seltzer water, a few strawberries or raspberries, and a block of ice. serve in small glasses. _balaclava cup._ "claret to right of 'em, 'simpkin' to left of 'em-- cup worth a hundred!" get a large bowl, to represent the valley--which only the more rabid abstainer would call the "valley of death." you will next require a small detachment of thin lemon rind, about two tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, the juice of two lemons, and half a cucumber, cut into thin slices, with the peel on. let all these ingredients skirmish about within the bowl; then bring up your heavy cavalry in the shape of two bottles of château something, and one of the best champagne you have got. last of all, unmask your soda-water battery; two bottles will be sufficient. ice, and serve in tumblers. _crimean cup._ this is a very serious affair. so was the war. the cup, however, leads to more favourable results, and does not, like the campaign, leave a bitter taste in the mouth. here are the ingredients: one quart of syrup of orgeat (to make this _vide_ next recipe), one pint and a half of old brandy, half a pint of maraschino, one pint of old rum, two large and one small bottles of champagne, three bottles of seltzer-water, half-a-pound of sifted sugar, and the juice of five lemons. peel the lemons, and put the thin rind in a mortar, with the sugar. pound them well, and scrape the result with a silver spoon into a large bowl. squeeze in the juice of the lemons, add the seltzer water, and stir till the sugar is quite dissolved. then add the orgeat, and whip the mixture well with a whisk, so as to whiten it. add the maraschino, rum, and brandy, and strain the whole into another bowl. just before the cup is required, put in the champagne, and stir vigorously with a punch ladle. the champagne should be well iced, as no apparent ice is allowable in this mixture. _orgeat._ blanch and pound three-quarters of a pound of sweet almonds, and thirty bitter almonds, in one tablespoonful of water. stir in by degrees two pints of water and three pints of milk. strain the mixture through a cloth. dissolve half-a-pound of loaf sugar in one pint of water. boil and skim well, and then mix with the almond water. add two tablespoonfuls of orange-flower water, and half-a-pint of old brandy. be careful to boil the _eaû sucré_ well, as this concoction must not be too watery. _ascot cup._ odds can be laid freely on this; and the host should stay away from the temptations of the betting-ring, on purpose to make it. and--parenthetically be it observed--the man who has no soul for cup-making should never entertain at a race meeting. the servants will have other things to attend to; and even if they have not it should be remembered that a cup, or punch, like a salad, should always, if possible, be mixed by some one who is going to partake of the same. dissolve six ounces of sugar in half-a-pint of boiling water; add the juice of three lemons, one pint of old brandy, a wine-glassful of cherry brandy, a wine-glassful of maraschino, half a wine-glassful of yellow chartreuse, two bottles of champagne. all these should be mixed in a large silver bowl. add a few sprigs of borage, a few slices of lemon, half-a-dozen strawberries, half-a-dozen brandied cherries, and three bottles of seltzer water. put the bowl, having first covered it over, into the refrigerator for one hour, and before serving, put a small iceberg into the mixture, which should be served in little tumblers. how many people, i wonder, are aware that _champagne and guinness' stout_ make one of the best combinations possible? you may search the wide wide world for a cookery book which will give this information; but the mixture is both grateful and strengthening, and is, moreover, far to be preferred to what is known as _rich man's shandy gaff_, which is a mixture of champagne and ale. the old irishman said that the "blackgyard" should never be placed atop of the "gintleman," intending to convey the advice that ale should not be placed on the top of champagne. but the "black draught" indicated just above is well worth attention. it should be drunk out of a pewter tankard, and is specially recommended as a between-the-acts refresher for the amateur actor. _ale cup._ squeeze the juice of a lemon into a round of hot toast; lay on it a thin piece of the rind, a tablespoonful of pounded sugar, a little grated nutmeg, and a sprig of balm. pour over these one glass of brandy, two glasses of sherry, and three pints of mild ale. do not allow the balm to remain in the mixture many minutes. one of the daintiest of beverages is a _moselle cup_. ingredients: one bottle of moselle. one glass of brandy. four or five thin slices of pine-apple. the peel of half a lemon, cut very thin. ice; and sugar _ad lib_. just before using add one bottle of sparkling water. _sherry cobbler_ although a popular drink in america, is but little known on this side of the atlantic. place in a soda-water tumbler two wine-glassfuls of sherry, one tablespoonful of sifted sugar, and two or three slices of orange. fill the tumbler with crushed ice, and shake well. drink through straws. _champagne cobbler._ put into a large tumbler one tablespoonful of sifted sugar, with a thin paring of lemon and orange peel; fill the tumbler one-third full of crushed ice, and the remainder with champagne. shake, and ornament with a slice of lemon, and a strawberry or two. drink through straws. _home ruler._ this was a favourite drink at the bars of the house of commons, during the reign of the uncrowned king. it was concocted of the yolks of two raw eggs, well beaten, a little sugar added, then a tumbler of hot milk taken gradually into the mixture, and last of all a large wine-glassful of "j.j." whisky. _cordials._ in treating of cordials, it is most advisable that they be _home made_. the bulk of the cherry brandy, ginger brandy, etc., which is sold over the counter is made with inferior brandy; and frequently the operation of blending the virtue of the fruit with the spirit has been hurried. we will commence with the discussion of the favourite cordial of all, _cherry brandy_. this can either be made from black gean cherries, or morellas, but the latter are better for the purpose. every pound of cherries will require one quarter of a pound of white sugar, and one pint of the best brandy. the cherries, with the sugar well mixed with them, should be placed in wide-mouthed bottles, filled up with brandy; and if the fruit be previously pricked, the mixture will be ready in a month. but a better blend is procured if the cherries are untouched, and this principle holds good with all fruit treated in this way, and left corked for at least three months. _sloe gin._ for years the sloe, which is the fruit of the black-thorn, was used in england for no other purpose than the manufacture of british port. but at this end of the nineteenth century, the public have been, and are, taking kindly to the cordial, which for a long time had been despised as an "auld wife's drink." as a matter of fact, it is just as tasty, and almost as luscious as cherry brandy. but since sloe gin became fashionable, it has become almost impossible for dwellers within twenty or thirty miles of london to make the cordial at home. for sloes fetch something like sixpence or sevenpence a pound in the market; and in consequence the hedgerows are "raided" by the (otherwise) unemployed, the fruit being usually picked before the proper time, _i.e._ when the frost has been on it. the manufacture of sloe gin is as simple as that of cherry brandy. all that is necessary to be done is to allow lb. of sugar (white) to lb. of sloes. half fill a bottle--which need not necessarily be a wide-mouthed one--with sugared fruit, and "top up" with gin. if the sloes have been pricked, the liquor will be ready for use in two or three months; but _do not hurry it_. in a year's time the gin will have eaten all the goodness out of the unpricked fruit, and it is in this gradual blending that the secret (as before observed) of making these cordials lies. as a rule, if you call for sloe gin at a licensed house of entertainment, you will get a ruby-coloured liquid, tasting principally of gin--and not good gin "at that." this is because the making has been hurried. properly matured sloe gin should be the colour of full-bodied port wine. _apricot brandy._ this is a cordial which is but seldom met with in this country. to every pound of fruit (which should not be quite ripe) allow one pound of loaf sugar. put the apricots into a preserving-pan, with sufficient water to cover them. let them boil up, and then simmer gently until tender. remove the skins. clarify and boil the sugar, then pour it over the fruit. let it remain twenty-four hours. then put the apricots into wide-mouthed bottles, and fill them up with syrup and brandy, half and half. cork them tightly, with the tops of corks sealed. this apricot brandy should be prepared in the month of july, and kept twelve months before using. _highland cordial._ here is another rare old recipe. ingredients, one pint of white currants, stripped of their stalks, the thin rind of a lemon, one teaspoonful of essence of ginger, and one bottle of old scotch whisky. let the mixture stand for forty-eight hours, and then strain through a hair sieve. add one pound of loaf sugar, which will take at least a day to thoroughly dissolve. then bottle off, and cork well. it will be ready for use in three months, but will keep longer. _bitters._ one ounce of seville orange-peel, half an ounce of gentian root, a quarter of an ounce of cardamoms. husk the cardamoms, and crush them with the gentian root. put them in a wide-mouthed bottle, and cover with brandy or whisky. let the mixture remain for twelve days, then strain, and bottle off for use, after adding one ounce of lavender drops. _ginger brandy._ bruise slightly two pounds of black currants, and mix them with one ounce and a half of ground ginger. pour over them one bottle and a half of best brandy, and let the mixture stand for two days. strain off the liquid, and add one pound of loaf sugar which has been boiled to a syrup in a little water. bottle and cork closely. "_jumping powder_" comes in very handy, on a raw morning, after you have ridden a dozen miles or so to a lawn meet. "no breakfast, thanks, just a wee nip, that's all." and the ever ready butler hands round the tray. if you are wise, you will declare on _orange brandy_ which, as a rule, is well worth sampling, in a house important enough to entertain hunting men. and orange brandy "goes" much better than any other liqueur, or cordial, before noon. it should be made in the month of march. take the thin rinds of six seville oranges, and put them into a stone jar, with half-a-pint of the strained juice, and two quarts of good old brandy. let it remain three days, then add one pound and a quarter of loaf sugar--broken, not pounded--and stir till the sugar is dissolved. let the liquor stand a day, strain it through paper till quite clear, pour into bottles, and cork tightly. the longer it is kept the better. _mandragora._ "can't sleep." eh? what! not after a dry chapter on liquids? drink this, and you will not require any rocking. simmer half-a-pint of old ale, and just as it is about to boil pour it into a tumbler, grate a little nutmeg over it, and add a teaspoonful of moist sugar, and two tablespoonfuls of brandy. good night, hamlet! chapter xx the daylight drink "something too much of this." "a nipping and an eager air." evil effects of dram-drinking--the "gin-crawl"--abstinence in h.m. service--city manners and customs--useless to argue with the soaker--cocktails--pet names for drams--the free lunch system--fancy mixtures--why no cassis?--good advice like water on a duck's back. whilst holding the same opinion as the epicure who declared that good eating required good drinking, there is no question but that there should be a limit to both. there is, as shakespeare told us, a tide in the affairs of man, so why should there not be in this particular affair? why should it be only ebb tide during the few hours that the man is wrapped in the arms of a bacchanalian morpheus, either in bed or in custody? the abuse of good liquor is surely as criminal a folly as the abstention therefrom; and the man who mixes his liquors injudiciously lacks that refinement of taste and understanding which is necessary for the appreciation of a good deal of this book, or indeed of any other useful volume. our grandfathers swore terribly, and drank deep; but their fun did not commence until after dinner. and they drank, for the most part, the best of ale, and such port wine as is not to be had in these days of free trade (which is only an euphemism for adulteration) and motor cars. although mine own teeth are, periodically, set on edge by the juice of the grape consumed by an ancestor or two; although the gout within me is an heritage from the three-, aye! and four-, bottle era, i respect mine ancestors, in that they knew not "gin and bitters." the baleful habit of alcoholising the inner sinner between meal times, the pernicious habit of dram-drinking, or "nipping," from early morn till dewy eve, was not introduced into our cities until the latter half of the nineteenth century had set in. "brandy-and-soda," at first only used as a "livener"--and a deadly livener it is--was unknown during the early victorian era; and the "gin-crawl," that interminable slouch around the hostelries, is a rank growth of modernity. the "nipping habit" came to us, with other pernicious "notions," from across the atlantic ocean. it was brother jonathan who established the bar system; and although for the most part, throughout great britain, the alcohol is dispensed by young ladies with fine eyes and a great deal of adventitious hair, and the "bar-keep," with his big watch chain, and his "guns," placed within easy reach, for quick-shooting saloon practice, is unknown on this side, the hurt of the system (to employ an americanism) "gets there just the same." there is not the same amount of carousing in the british army as in the days when i was a "gilded popinjay" (in the language of mr. john burns; "a five-and-twopenny assassin," in the words of somebody else). in those days the use of alcohol, if not absolutely encouraged for the use of the subaltern, was winked at by his superiors, as long as the subalterns were not on duty, or on the line of march--and i don't know so much about the line of march, either. but with any orderly or responsible duty to be done, the beverage of heroes was not admired. "now mind," once observed our revered colonel, in the ante-room, after dinner, "none of you young officers get seeing snakes and things, or otherwise rendering yourselves unfit for service; or i'll try the lot of you by court martial, i will, by ----." here the adjutant let the regimental bible drop with a bang. tea is the favourite ante-room refreshment nowadays, when the officer, young or old, is always either on duty, or at school. and the education of the modern warrior is never completed. but the civilian--sing ho! the wicked civilian--is a reveller, and a winebibber, for the most part. very little business is transacted except over what is called "a friendly glass." "i want seven hundred an' forty-five from you, old chappie," says reggie de beers of the "house," on settling day. "right," replies his friend young "berthas": "toss you double or quits. down with it!" and it would be a cold day were not a magnum or two of "the boy" to be opened over the transaction. the cheap eating-house keeper who has spent his morning at the "market," cheapening a couple of pigs, or a dozen scraggy fowls, will have spent double the money he has saved in the bargain, in rum and six-penny ale, ere he gets home again; and even a wholesale deal in evening journals, between two youths in the street, requires to be "wetted." very sad is it not? but, as anything which i--who am popularly supposed to be something resembling a roysterer, but who am in reality one of the most discreet of those who enjoy life--can write is not likely to work a change in the system which obtains amongst english-speaking nations, perhaps the sooner i get on with the programme the better. later on i may revert to the subject. amongst daylight (and midnight, for the matter of that) drinks, the cocktail, that fascinating importation from dollarland, holds a prominent place. this is a concoction for which, with american bars all over the metropolis, the cockney does not really require any recipe. but as i trust to have some country readers, a few directions may be appended. _brandy cocktail._ one wine-glassful of old brandy, six drops of angostura bitters, and twenty drops of curaçoa, in a small tumbler--all cocktails should be made in a small silver tumbler--shake, and pour into glass tumbler, then fill up with crushed ice. put a shred of lemon peel atop. _champagne cocktail._ one teaspoonful of sifted sugar, ten drops of angostura bitters, a small slice of pine-apple, and a shred of lemon peel. strain into glass tumbler, add crushed ice, and as much champagne as the tumbler will hold. mix with a spoon. _bengal cocktail._ fill tumbler half full of crushed ice. add thirty drops of maraschino, one tablespoonful of pine-apple syrup, thirty drops of curaçoa, six drops of angostura bitters, one wine-glassful of old brandy. stir, and put a shred of lemon peel atop. _milford cocktail._ (dedicated to mr. jersey.) put into a half-pint tumbler a couple of lumps of best ice, one teaspoonful of sifted sugar, one teaspoonful of orange bitters, half a wine-glassful of brandy. top up with bottled cider, and mix with a spoon. serve with a strawberry, and a sprig of verbena atop. _manhattan cocktail._ half a wine-glassful of vermouth (italian), half a wine-glassful of rye whisky (according to the american recipe, though, personally, i prefer scotch), ten drops of angostura bitters, and six drops of curaçoa. add ice, shake well, and strain. put a shred of lemon peel atop. _yum yum cocktail._ break the yolk of a new-laid egg into a small tumbler, and put a teaspoonful of sugar on it. then six drops of angostura bitters, a wine-glassful of sherry, and half a wine-glassful of brandy. shake all well together, and strain. dust a very little cinnamon over the top. _gin cocktail._ ten drops of angostura bitters, one wine-glassful of gin, ten drops of curaçoa, one shred of lemon peel. fill up with ice, shake, and strain. _newport cocktail._ put two lumps of ice and a small _slice_ of lemon into the tumbler, add six drops of angostura bitters, half a wine-glassful of noyau, and a wine-glassful of brandy. stir well, and serve with peel atop. _saratoga cocktail._ this is a more important affair, and requires a large tumbler for the initial stage. one teaspoonful of pine-apple syrup, ten drops of angostura bitters, one teaspoonful of maraschino, and a wine-glassful of old brandy. nearly fill the tumbler with crushed ice, and shake well. then place a couple of strawberries in a small tumbler, strain the liquid on them, put in a strip of lemon peel, and top up with champagne. _whisky cocktail._ put into a small tumbler ten drops of angostura bitters, and one wine-glassful of scotch whisky. fill the tumbler with crushed ice, shake well, strain into a large wine-glass, and place a strip of peel atop. but the ordinary british "bar-cuddler"--as he is called in the slang of the day--recks not of cocktails, nor, indeed, of columbian combinations of any sort. he has his own particular "vanity," and frequently a pet name for it. "gin-and-angry-story" (angostura), "slow-and-old" (sloe-gin and old tom), "pony o' burton, please miss," are a few of the demands the attentive listener may hear given. orange-gin, gin-and-orange-gin, gin-and-sherry (o bile where is thy sting?), are favourite midday "refreshers"; and i have heard a well-known barrister call for "a split worcester" (a small wine-glassful of worcester sauce with a split soda), without a smile on his expressive countenance. "small lem. and a dash" is a favourite summer beverage, and, withal, a harmless one, consisting of a small bottle of lemonade with about an eighth of a pint of bitter ale added thereto. in one old-fashioned hostelry i wot of--the same in which the chair of the late doctor samuel johnson is on view--customers who require to be stimulated with gin call for "rack," and irish whisky is known by none other name than "cork." the habitual "bar-cuddler" usually rubs his hands violently together, as he requests a little attention from the presiding hebe; and affects a sort of shocked surprise at the presence on the scene of any one of his friends or acquaintances. he is well-up, too, in the slang phraseology of the day, which he will ride to death on every available opportunity. full well do i remember him in the "how's your poor feet?" era; and it seems but yesterday that he was informing the company in assertive tones, "now we _shan't_ be long!" the "free lunch" idea of the yankees is only thoroughly carried out in the "north countree," where, at the best hotels, there is often a great bowl of soup, or a dish of jugged hare, or of irish stew, _pro bono publico_; and by _publico_ is implied the hotel directorate as well as the customers. in london, however, the free lunch seldom soars above salted almonds, coffee beans, cloves, with biscuits and american cheese. but at most refreshment-houses is to be obtained for cash some sort of a restorative sandwich, or _bonne bouche_, in the which anchovies and hard-boiled eggs play leading parts; and amongst other restorative food, i have noticed that parallelograms of cold welsh rarebit are exceedingly popular amongst wine-travellers and advertisement-agents. the genius who propounded the statement that "there is nothing like leather" could surely never have sampled a cold welsh rarebit! _bosom caresser._ put into a small tumbler one wine-glassful of sherry, half a wine-glassful of old brandy, the yolk of an egg, two teaspoonfuls of sugar, and two grains of cayenne pepper; add crushed ice, shake well, strain, and dust over with nutmeg and cinnamon. _a nicobine_, (or "knickerbein" as i have seen it spelt), used to be a favourite "short" drink in malta, and consisted of the yolk of an egg (intact) in a wine-glass with _layers_ of curaçoa, maraschino, and green chartreuse; the liquors not allowed to mix with one another. the "knickerbein" recipe differs materially from this, as brandy is substituted for chartreuse, and the ingredients are shaken up and strained, the white of the egg being whisked and placed atop. but, either way, you will get a good, bile-provoking mixture. in the _west indies_, if you thirst for a rum and milk, cocoa-nut milk is the "only wear"; and a very delicious potion it is. a favourite mixture in jamaica was the juice of a "star" apple, the juice of an orange, a wine-glassful of sherry, and a dust of nutmeg. i never heard a name given to this. _bull's milk._ this is a comforting drink for summer or winter. during the latter season, instead of adding ice, the mixture may be heated. one teaspoonful of sugar in a _large_ tumbler, half-a-pint of milk, half a wine-glassful of rum, a wine-glassful of brandy; add ice, shake well, strain, and powder with cinnamon and nutmeg. _fairy kiss._ put into a small tumbler the juice of a quarter of lemon, a quarter of a wine-glassful each of the following:--vanilla syrup, curaçoa, yellow chartreuse, brandy. add ice, shake, and strain. _flash of lightning._ one-third of a wine-glassful each of the following, in a small tumbler:--raspberry syrup, curaçoa, brandy, and three drops of angostura bitters. add ice, shake and strain. _flip flap._ one wine-glassful of milk in a small tumbler, one well-beaten egg, a little sugar, and a wine-glassful of port. ice, shake, strain, and sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg. _maiden's blush._ half a wine-glassful of sherry in a small tumbler, a quarter of a wine-glassful of strawberry syrup, and a little lemon juice. add ice, and a little raspberry syrup. shake, and drink through straws. _athole brose_ is compounded, according to a favourite author, in the following manner:-- "upon virgin honeycombs you pour, according to their amount, the oldest french brandy and the most indisputable scotch whisky in equal proportions. you allow this goodly mixture to stand for days in a large pipkin in a cool place, and it is then strained and ready for drinking. epicures drop into the jug, by way of imparting artistic finish, a small fragment of the honeycomb itself. this i deprecate." _tiger's milk._ small tumbler. half a wine-glassful each of cider and irish whisky, a wine-glassful of peach brandy. beat up separately the white of an egg with a little sugar, and add this. fill up the tumbler with ice; shake, and strain. add half a tumbler of milk, and grate a little nutmeg atop. _wyndham._ large tumbler. equal quantities (a liqueur glass of each) of maraschino, curaçoa, brandy, with a little orange peel, and sugar. add a glass of champagne, and a _small_ bottle of seltzer water. ice, and mix well together. stir with a spoon. _happy eliza._ put into a skillet twelve fresh dried figs cut open, four apples cut into slices without peeling, and half a pound of loaf sugar, broken small. add two quarts of water, boil for twenty minutes, strain through a--where's the brandy? stop! i've turned over two leaves, and got amongst the _temperance drinks_. rein back! _mint julep._ this, properly made, is the most delicious of all american beverages. it is mixed in a large tumbler, in the which are placed, first of all, two and a half tablespoonfuls of water, one tablespoonful of sugar (crushed), and two or three sprigs of mint, which should be pressed, with a spoon or crusher, into the sugar and water to extract the flavour. add two wine-glassfuls of old brandy--_now_ we shan't be long--fill up with powdered ice, shake well, get the mint to the top of the tumbler, stalks down, and put a few strawberries and slices of orange atop. shake in a little rum, last of all, and drink through straws. _possets._ (an eighteenth-century recipe.) "take three gills of sweet cream, a grated rind of lemon, and juice thereof, three-quarters of a pint of sack or rhenish wine. sweeten to your taste with loaf sugar, then beat in a bowl with a whisk for one hour, and fill your glasses and drink to the king." we are tolerably loyal in this our time; still it is problematical if there exist man or woman in merry england, in our day who would whisk a mixture for sixty minutes by the clock, even with the prospect of drinking to the reigning monarch. _brandy sour._ this is simplicity itself. a teaspoonful of sifted sugar in a small tumbler, a little lemon rind and juice, one wine-glassful of brandy. fill nearly up with crushed ice, shake and strain. whisky sour is merely scotch whisky treated in the same kind, open-handed manner, with the addition of a few drops of raspberry syrup. _blue blazer._ don't be frightened; there is absolutely no danger. put into a silver mug, or jug, previously heated, two wine-glassfuls of overproof (or proof) scotch whisky, and one wine-glassful of _boiling_ water. set the liquor on fire, and pass the blazing liquor into another mug, also well heated. pass to and fro, and serve in a tumbler, with a lump of sugar and a little thin lemon peel. be very particular not to drop any of the blazer on the cat, or the hearth-rug, or the youngest child. this drink would, i should think, have satisfied the aspirations of mr. daniel quilp. one of the most wholesome of all "refreshers," is a simple liquor, distilled from black-currants, and known to our lively neighbours as _cassis._ this syrup can be obtained in the humblest _cabaret_ in france; but we have to thank the eccentric and illogical ways of our customs department for its absence from most of our own wine lists. the duty is so prohibitive--being half as much again as that levied on french brandy--that it would pay nobody but said customs department to import it into england; and yet the amount of alcohol contained in cassis is infinitesimal. strange to say nobody has ever started a cassis still on this side. one would imagine that the process would be simplicity itself; as the liquor is nothing but cold black-currant tea, with a suspicion of alcohol in it. _sligo slop._ this is an irish delight. the juice of ten lemons, strained, ten tablespoonfuls of sifted sugar, one quart of john jameson's oldest and best whisky, and two port wine-glassfuls of curaçoa, all mixed together. let the mixture stand for a day or two, and then bottle. this should be drunk neat, in liqueur-glasses, and is said to be most effectual "jumping-powder." it certainly reads conducive to timber-topping. take it altogether the daylight drink is a mistake. it is simply ruin to appetite; it is more expensive than those who indulge therein are aware of at the time. it ruins the nerves, sooner or later; it is _not_ conducive to business, unless for those whose heads are especially hard; and it spoils the palate for the good wine which is poured forth later on. the precept cannot be too widely laid down, too fully known: _do not drink between meals!_ better, far better the three-bottle-trick of our ancestors, than the "gin-crawl" of to-day. chapter xxi gastronomy in fiction and drama "let me not burst in ignorance." "a chiel's amang ye, taking notes." thomas carlyle--thackeray--harrison ainsworth--sir walter scott--miss braddon--marie corelli--f. c. philips--blackmore--charles dickens--_pickwick_ reeking with alcohol--brandy and oysters--_little dorrit_--_great expectations_--micawber as a punch-maker--_david copperfield_--"practicable" food on the stage--"johnny" toole's story of tiny tim and the goose. considering the number of books which have been published during the nineteenth century, it is astonishing how few of them deal with eating and drinking. we read of a banquet or two, certainly, in the works of the divine william, but no particulars as to the _cuisine_ are entered into. "cold banquo" hardly sounds appetising. thomas carlyle was a notorious dyspeptic, so it is no cause for wonderment that he did not bequeath to posterity the recipes for a dainty dish or two, or a good derby day "cup." thackeray understood but little about cookery, nor was whyte melville much better versed in the mysteries of the kitchen. harrison ainsworth touched lightly on gastronomy occasionally, whilst charles lamb, sydney smith, and others (blessings light on the man who invented the phrase "and others") delighted therein. miss braddon has slurred it over hitherto, and marie corelli scorns all mention of any refreshment but absinthe--a weird liquid which is altogether absent from these pages. in the lighter novels of mr. f. c. philips, there is but little mention of solid food except devilled caviare, which sounds nasty; but most of mr. philips's men, and all his women, drink to excess--principally champagne, brandy, and green chartreuse. and one of his heroines is a firm believer in the merits of cognac as a "settler" of champagne. according to mr. r. d. blackmore, the natives of exmoor did themselves particularly well, in the seventeenth century. in that most delightful romance _lorna doone_ is a description of a meal set before tom faggus, the celebrated highwayman, by the ridd family, at plover's barrows:-- "a few oysters first, and then dried salmon, and then ham and eggs, done in small curled rashers, and then a few collops of venison toasted, and next a little cold roast pig, and a woodcock on toast to finish with." this meal was washed down with home-brewed ale, followed by schiedam and hot water. one man, and one man alone, who has left his name printed deep on the sands of time as a writer, thoroughly revelled in the mighty subjects of eating and drinking. need his name be mentioned? what is, after all, the great secret of the popularity of _charles dickens_ as a novelist? his broad, generous views on the subject of meals, as expressed through the mouths of most of the characters in his works; as also the homely nature of such meals, and the good and great deeds to which they led. i once laid myself out to count the number of times that alcoholic refreshment is mentioned in some of the principal works of the great author; and the record, for _pickwick_ alone, was sufficient to sweep from the surface of the earth, with its fiery breath, the entire blue ribbon army. mr. pickwick was what would be called nowadays a "moderate drinker." that is to say, he seldom neglected an "excuse for a lotion," nor did he despise the "daylight drink." but we only read of his being overcome by his potations on two occasions; after the cricket dinner at muggleton, and after the shooting luncheon on captain boldwig's ground. and upon the latter occasion i am convinced that the hot sun had far more to do with his temporary obfuscation than the cold punch. bob sawyer and ben allen were by no means exaggerated types of the medical students of the time. the "deputy sawbones" of to-day writes pamphlets, drinks coffee, and pays his landlady every saturday. and it was a happy touch of dickens to make sawyer and allen eat oysters, and wash them down with neat brandy, before breakfast. i have known medical students, aye! and full-blown surgeons too, who would commit equally daring acts; although i doubt much if they would have shone at the breakfast-table afterwards, or on the ice later in the day. for the effect exercised by brandy on oysters is pretty well known to science. breathes there a man with soul so dead as not to appreciate the delights of dingley dell? free trade and other horrors have combined to crush the british yeoman of to-day; but we none the less delight to read of him as he was, and i do not know a better cure for an attack of "blue devils"--or should it be "black dog?"--than a good dose of dingley dell. the wholesale manner in which mr. wardle takes possession of the pickwickians--only one of whom he knows intimately--for purposes of entertainment, is especially delightful, and worthy of imitation; and i can only regret the absence of a good, cunningly-mixed "cup" at the picnic after the chatham review. the wine drunk at this picnic would seem to have been sherry; as there was not such a glut of "the sparkling" in those good old times. and the prompt way in which "emma" is commanded to "bring out the cherry brandy," before his guests have been two minutes in the house, bespeaks the character of dear old wardle in once. "the leathern bottle," a charming old-world hostelry in that picturesque country lying between rochester and cobham, would hardly have been in existence now, let alone doing a roaring trade, but for the publication of _pickwick_; and the notion of the obese tupman solacing himself for blighted hopes and taking his leave of the world on a diet of roast fowl bacon, ale, etc., is unique. the bill-of-fare at the aforementioned shooting luncheon might not, perhaps, satisfy the aspirations of sir mota kerr, or some other _nouveau riche_ of to-day, but there was plenty to eat and drink. here is the list, in mr. samuel weller's own words: "weal pie, tongue: a wery good thing when it ain't a woman's: bread, knuckle o' ham, reg'lar picter, cold beef in slices; wery good. what's in them stone jars, young touch-and-go?" "beer in this one," replied the boy, taking from his shoulder a couple of large stone bottles, fastened together by a leathern strap, "cold punch in t'other." "and a wery good notion of a lunch it is, take it altogether," said mr. weller. possibly; though cold beef in slices would be apt to get rather dryer than was desirable on a warm day. and milk punch hardly seems the sort of tipple to encourage accuracy of aim. mrs. bardell's notion of a nice little supper we gather from the same immortal work, was "a couple of sets of pettitoes and some toasted cheese." the pettitoes were presumably simmered in milk, and the cheese was, undoubtedly, "browning away most delightfully in a little dutch oven in front of the fire." most of us will smack our lips after this description; though details are lacking as to the contents of the "black bottle" which was produced from "a small closet." but amongst students of _pickwick_, "old tom" is a hot favourite. the deputy shepherd's particular "vanity" appears to have been buttered toast and reeking hot pine-apple rum and water, which sounds like swimming-in-the-head; and going straight through the book, we next pause at the description of the supper given by the medical students, at their lodgings in the borough, to the pickwickians. "the man to whom the order for the oysters had been sent had not been told to open them; it is a very difficult thing to open an oyster with a limp knife or a two-pronged fork; and very little was done in this way. very little of the beef was done either; and the ham (which was from the german-sausage shop round the corner) was in a similar predicament. however, there was plenty of porter in a tin can; and the cheese went a great way, for it was very strong." probably the oysters had not been paid for in advance, and the man imagined that they would be returned upon his hands none the worse. for at that time--as has been remarked before, in this volume on gastronomy--the knowledge that an oyster baked in his own shells, in the middle of a clear fire, is an appetising dish, does not appear to have been universal. it is questionable if a supper consisting of a boiled leg of mutton "with the usual trimmings" would have satisfied the taste of the "gentleman's gentleman" of to-day, who is a hypercritic, if anything; but let that supper be taken as read. also let it be noted that the appetite of the redoubtable pickwick never seems to have failed him, even in the sponging-house--five to one can be betted that those chops were _fried_--or in the fleet prison itself. and mention of this establishment recalls the extravagant folly of job trotter (who of all men ought to have known better) in purchasing "a small piece of raw loin of mutton" for the refection of himself and ruined master; when for the same money he could surely have obtained a sufficiency of bullock's cheek or liver, potatoes, and onions, to provide dinner for three days. _vide_ the "kent road cookery," in one of my earlier chapters. the description of the journeys from bristol to birmingham, and back to london, absolutely reeks with food and alcohol; and it has always smacked of the mysterious to myself how sam weller, a pure cockney, could have known so much of the capacities of the various hostelries on the road. evidently his knowledge of other places besides london was "peculiar." last scene of all in _pickwick_ requiring mention here, is the refection given to mr. solomon pell in honour of the proving of the late dame weller's last will and testament. "porter, cold beef, and oysters," were some of the incidents of that meal, and we read that "the coachman with the hoarse voice took an imperial pint of vinegar with his oysters, without betraying the least emotion." it is also set down that brandy and water, as usual in this history, followed the oysters; but we are not told if any of those coachmen ever handled the ribbons again, or if mr. solomon pell spent his declining days in the infirmary. in fact, there are not many chapters in charles dickens' works in which the knife and fork do not play prominent parts. the food is, for the most part, simple and homely; the seed sown in england by the fairy _ala_ had hardly begun to germinate at the time the novels were written. still there is, naturally, a suspicion of _ala_ at the very commencement of _little dorrit_, the scene being laid in the marseilles prison, where monsieur rigaud feasts off lyons sausage, veal in savoury jelly, white bread, strachino cheese, and good claret, the while his humble companion, signor john baptist, has to content himself with stale bread, through reverses at gambling with his fellow prisoner. after that, there is no mention of a "square meal" until we get to mr. casby's, the "patriarch." "everything about the patriarchal household," we are told, "promoted quiet digestion"; and the dinner mentioned began with "some soup, some fried soles, a butter-boat of shrimp sauce, and a dish of potatoes." rare old casby! "mutton, a steak, and an apple pie"--and presumably cheese--furnished the more solid portion of the banquet, which appears to have been washed down with porter and sherry wine, and enlivened by the inconsequent remarks of "mr. f.'s aunt." in _great expectations_ occurs the celebrated banquet at the chateau gargery on christmas day, consisting of a leg of pickled pork and greens, a pair of roast stuffed fowls, a handsome mince pie, and a plum-pudding. the absence of the savoury pork-pie, and the presence of tar-water in the brandy are incidents at that banquet familiar enough to sir frank lockwood, q.c., m.p., and other close students of dickens, whose favourite dinner-dish would appear to have been a fowl, stuffed or otherwise, roast or boiled. in _oliver twist_ we get casual mention of oysters, sheep's heads, and a rabbit pie, with plenty of alcohol; but the bill of fare, on the whole, is not an appetising one. the meat and drink at the maypole hotel, in _barnaby rudge_, would appear to have been deservedly popular; and the description of gabriel varden's breakfast is calculated to bring water to the most callous mouth: "over and above the ordinary tea equipage the board creaked beneath the weight of a jolly round of beef, a ham of the first magnitude, and sundry towers of buttered yorkshire cake, piled slice upon slice in most alluring order. there was also a goodly jug of well-browned clay, fashioned into the form of an old gentleman not by any means unlike the locksmith, atop of whose bald head was a fine white froth answering to his wig, indicative, beyond dispute, of sparkling home brewed ale. but better than fair home-brewed, or yorkshire cake, or ham, or beef, or anything to eat or drink that earth or air or water can supply, there sat, presiding over all, the locksmith's rosy daughter, before whose dark eyes even beef grew insignificant, and malt became as nothing." ah-h-h! there is not much eating in _a tale of two cities_; but an intolerable amount of assorted "sack." in _sketches by boz_ we learn that dickens had no great opinion of public dinners, and that oysters were, at that period, occasionally opened by the fair sex. there is a nice flavour of fowl and old madeira about _dombey and son_, and the description of the dinner at doctor blimber's establishment for young gentlemen is worth requoting: "there was some nice soup; also roast meat, boiled meat, vegetables, pie, and cheese." [_cheese_ at a small boys' school!] "every young gentleman had a massive silver fork and a napkin; and all the arrangements were stately and handsome. in particular there was a butler in a blue coat and bright buttons" [surely this was a footman?] "who gave quite a winey flavour to the table beer, he poured it out so superbly." dinner at mrs. jellyby's in _bleak house_ is one of the funniest and most delightful incidents in the book, especially the attendance. "the young woman with the flannel bandage waited, and dropped everything on the table wherever it happened to go, and never moved it again until she put it on the stairs. the person i had seen in pattens (who i suppose to have been the cook) frequently came and skirmished with her at the door, and there appeared to be ill-will between them." the dinner given by mr. guppy at the "slap bang" dining house is another feature of this book--veal and ham, and french beans, summer cabbage, pots of half-and-half, marrow puddings, "three cheshires" and "three small rums." of the items in this list, the marrow pudding seems to be as extinct--in london, at all events--as the dodo. it appears to be a mixture of bread, pounded almonds, cream, eggs, lemon peel, sugar, nutmeg, and marrow; and sounds nice. david copperfield's dinner in his buckingham street chambers was an event with a disastrous termination. "it was a remarkable want of forethought on the part of the ironmonger who had made mrs. crupp's kitchen fireplace, that it was capable of cooking nothing but chops and mashed potatoes. as to a fish-kettle, mrs. crupp said 'well! would i only come and look at the range? she couldn't say fairer than that. would i come and look at it?' as i should not have been much the wiser if i _had_ looked at it i said never mind fish. but mrs. crupp said, 'don't say that; oysters was in, and why not them?' so _that_ was settled. mrs. crupp then said 'what she would recommend would be this. a pair of hot roast fowls--from the pastry cook's; a dish of stewed beef, with vegetables--from the pastry cook's; two little corner things, as a raised pie and a dish of kidneys--from the pastry cook's; a tart, and (if i liked) a shape of jelly--from the pastry cook's. this,' mrs. crupp said, 'would leave her at full liberty to concentrate her mind on the potatoes, and to serve up the cheese and celery as she could wish to see it done.'" then blessings on thee, micawber, most charming of characters in fiction, mightiest of punch-brewers! the only fault i have to find with the novel of _david copperfield_ is that we don't get enough of micawber. the same fault, however, could hardly be said to lie in the play; for if ever there was a "fat" part, it is wilkins micawber. _martin chuzzlewit_ bubbles over with eating and drinking; and "todgers" has become as proverbial as hamlet. in _nicholas nickleby_, too, we find plenty of mention of solids and liquids; and as a poor stroller myself at one time, it has always struck me that "business" could not have been so very bad, after all, in the crummles combination; for the manager, at all events, seems to have fared particularly well. last on the list comes _the old curiosity shop_, with the celebrated stew at the "jolly sandboys," the ingredients in which have already been quoted by the present writer. with regard to this stew all that i have to remark is that i should have substituted an ox-kidney for the tripe, and left out the "sparrowgrass," the flavour of which would be quite lost in the crowd of ingredients. but there! who can cavil at such a feast? "fetch me a pint of warm ale, and don't let nobody bring into the room even so much as a biscuit till the time arrives." codlin may not have been "the friend"; but he was certainly the judge of the "punch" party. in this realistic age, meals on the stage have to be provided from high-class hotels or restaurants; and this is, probably, the chief reason why there is so little eating and drinking introduced into the modern drama. gone are the nights of the banquet of pasteboard poultry, "property" pine-apples, and gilded flagons containing nothing more sustaining than the atmosphere of coal-gas. not much faith is placed in the comic scenes of a pantomime nowadays; or it is probable that the clown would purloin real york hams, and stuff wall's sausages into the pockets of his ample pants. champagne is champagne under the present regime of raised prices, raised salaries, raised everything; and it is not so long since i overheard an actor-manager chide a waiter from a fashionable restaurant, for forgetting the _soubise_ sauce, when he brought the cutlets. in my acting days we usually had canvas fowls, stuffed with sawdust, when we revelled on the stage; or, if business had been particularly good, the poultry was made from breakfast rolls, with pieces skewered on, to represent the limbs. and the potables--gadzooks! what horrible concoctions have found their way down this unsuspecting throttle! sherry was invariably represented by cold tea, which is palatable enough if home-made, under careful superintendence, but, drawn in the property-master's den, usually tasted of glue. ginger beer, at three-farthings for two bottles, poured into tumblers containing portions of a seidlitz-powder, always did duty for champagne; and as for port or claret--well, i quite thought i had swallowed the deadliest of poisons one night, until assured it was only the cold leavings of the stage-door-keeper's coffee! the story of tiny tim who ate the goose is a pretty familiar one in stage circles. when playing bob cratchit, in _the christmas carol_ at the adelphi, under mr. benjamin webster's management, mr. j. l. toole had to carve a real goose and a "practicable" plum-pudding during the run of that piece, forty nights. and the little girl who played tiny tim used to finish her portions of goose and pudding with such amazing celerity that mr. toole became quite alarmed on her account. "'i don't like it,' i said," writes dear friend "johnny," in his _reminiscences_; "'i can't conceive where a poor, delicate little thing like that puts the food. besides, although i like the children to enjoy a treat'--and how they kept on enjoying it for forty nights was a mystery, for i got into such a condition that if i dined at a friend's house, and goose was on the table, i regarded it as a personal affront--i said, referring to tiny tim, 'i don't like greediness; and it is additionally repulsive in a refined-looking, delicate little thing like this; besides, it destroys the sentiment of the situation--and when i, as bob, ought to feel most pathetic, i am always wondering where the goose and the pudding are, or whether anything serious in the way of a fit will happen to tiny tim before the audience, in consequence of her unnatural gorging!' mrs. mellon laughed at me at first, but eventually we decided to watch tiny tim together. "we watched as well as we could, and the moment tiny tim was seated, and began to eat, we observed a curious shuffling movement at the stage-fireplace, and everything that i had given her, goose and potatoes, and apple-sauce disappeared behind the sham stove, the child pretending to eat as heartily as ever from the empty plate. when the performance was over, mrs. mellon and myself asked the little girl what became of the food she did not eat, and, after a little hesitation, she confessed that her little sister (i should mention that they were the children of one of the scene-shifters) waited on the other side of the fireplace for the supplies, and then the whole family enjoyed a hearty supper every night. "dickens was very much interested in the incident. when i had finished, he smiled a little sadly, i thought, and then, shaking me by the hand, he said, 'ah! you ought to have given her the whole goose.'" chapter xxii restoratives "raze out the written troubles of the brain, and with some antibilious antidote cleanse the stuff'd bosom of that perilous stuff which weighs upon the soul." william of normandy--a "head" wind at sea--beware the druggist--pick-me-ups of all sorts and conditions--anchovy toast for the invalid--a small bottle--straight talks to fanatics--total abstinence as bad as the other thing--moderation in all things--wisely and slow--_carpe diem_--but have a thought for the morrow. "i care not," observed william of normandy to his quartermaster-general, on the morning after the revelry which followed the battle of hastings, "who makes these barbarians' wines; send me the man who can remove the beehive from my o'erwrought brain." this remark is not to be found in macaulay's _history of england_; but learned authorities who have read the original ms. in early norman, make no doubt as to the correct translation. "it is excellent," as the poet says, "to have a giant's thirst; but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant." and not only "tyrannous" but short-sighted. for the law of compensation is one of the first edicts of nature. the same beneficent hand which provides the simple fruits of the earth for the delectation of man, furnishes also the slug and the wasp, to see that he doesn't get too much. our friend the dog is deprived of the power of articulation, but he has a tail which can be wagged at the speed of revolutions to the minute. and the man who overtaxes the powers of his inner mechanism during the hours of darkness is certain to feel the effects, to be smitten of conscience, and troubled of brain, when he awakes, a few hours later on. as this is not a medical treatise it would be out of place to analyse at length the abominable habit which the human brain and stomach have acquired, of acting and reacting on each other; suffice it to say that there is no surer sign of the weakness and helplessness of poor, frail, sinful, fallen humanity than the obstinacy with which so many of us will, for the sake of an hour or two's revelry, boldly bid for five times the amount of misery and remorse. and this more especially applies to a life on the ocean wave. the midshipmite who over-estimates his swallowing capacity is no longer "mast-headed" next morning; but the writer has experienced a cyclone in the bay of bengal, ere the effects of a birthday party on the previous night had been surmounted; and the effects of "mast-heading" could hardly have been less desirable. in that most delightful work for the young, dana's _two years before the mast_, we read: "our forecastle, as usual after a liberty-day, was a scene of tumult all night long, from the drunken ones. they had just got to sleep toward morning, when they were turned up with the rest, and kept at work all day in the water, carrying hides, their heads aching so that they could hardly stand. this is sailors' pleasure." dana himself was ordered up aloft, to reef "torpsles," on his first morning at sea; and he had probably had some sort of a farewell carouse, 'ere quitting boston. and the present writer upon one occasion--such is the irony of fate--was told off to indite a leading article on "temperance" for an evening journal, within a very few hours of the termination of a "derby" banquet. but how shall we alleviate the pangs? how make that dreadful "day after" endurable enough to cause us to offer up thanks for being still allowed to live? come, the panacea, good doctor! first of all, then, avoid the chemist and his works. i mean no disrespect to my good friend sainsbury, or his "number one pick-me-up," whose corpse-reviving claims are indisputable; but at the same time the habitual swallower of drugs does not lead the happiest life. i once knew a young subaltern who had an account presented to him by the cashier of the firm of peake and allen, of the great continent of india, for nearly rupees; and the items in said account were entirely chloric ether, extract of cardamoms--with the other component parts of a high-class restorative, and interest. saddening! the next thing to avoid, the first thing in the morning, is soda-water, whether diluted with brandy or whisky. the "peg" may be all very well as an occasional potation, but, believe one who has tried most compounds, 'tis a precious poor "livener." on the contrary, although a beaker of the straw-coloured (or occasionally, mahogany-coloured) fluid may seem to steady the nerves for the time being, that effect is by no means lasting. but the same panacea will not do in every case. if the patient be sufficiently convalescent to digest a _doctor_ (i do _not_ mean a m.r.c.s.) his state must be far from hopeless. a "doctor" is a mixture of beaten raw egg--not forgetting the white, which is of even more value than the yolk to the invalid--brandy, a little sifted sugar, and new milk. but many devotees of bacchus could as soon swallow rum-and-oysters, in bed. and do not let us blame bacchus unduly for the matutinal trouble. the fairy _ala_ has probably had a lot to do with that trouble. a "doctor" can be made with sherry or whisky, instead of brandy; and many stockbrokers' clerks, sporting journalists, and other millionaires prefer a _surgeon-major_, who appears in the form of a large tumbler containing a couple of eggs beaten, and filled to the brim with the wine of the champagne district. _a scorcher_ is made with the juice of half a lemon squeezed into a large wine-glass; add a liqueur-glassful of old brandy, or hollands, and a dust of cayenne. mix well, and do not allow any lemon-pips to remain in the glass. _prairie oyster._ this is an american importation. there is a legend to the effect that one of a hunting party fell sick unto death, on the boundless prairie of texas, and clamoured for oysters. now the close and cautious bivalve no more thrives in a blue grass country than he possesses the ability to walk up stairs, or make a starting-price book. so one of the party, an inventive genius, cudgelled his brains for a substitute. he found some prairie hen's eggs, and administered the unbroken yolks thereof, one at a time, in a wine-glass containing a teaspoonful of vinegar. he shook the pepper-castor over the yolks and added a pinch of salt. the patient recovered. the march of science has improved on this recipe. instead of despoiling the prairie hen, the epicure now looks to madame gobble for a turkey egg. and a _worcester oyster_ is turned out ready made, by simply substituting a teaspoonful of lea and perrins' most excellent sauce for vinegar. _brazil relish._ this is, i am assured, a much-admired restorative in brazil, and the regions bordering on the river plate. it does not sound exactly the sort of stimulant to take after a "bump supper," or a "kaffir" entertainment, but here it is: into a wine-glass half full of curaçoa pop the unbroken yolk of a bantam's egg. fill the glass up with maraschino. according to my notion, a good cup of hot, strong tea would be equally effectual, as an emetic, and withal cheaper. but they certainly take the mixture as a pick-me-up in brazil. _port-flip_ is a favourite stimulant with our american cousins. beat up an egg in a tumbler--if you have no metal vessels to shake it in, the shortest way is to put a clean white card, or a saucer, over the mouth of the tumbler, and shake--then add a little sugar, a glass of port, and some pounded ice. strain before drinking. leaving out the ice and the straining, this is exactly the same "refresher" which the friends of a criminal, who had served his term of incarceration in one of h.m. gaols, were in the habit of providing for him; and when the cold bath fields prison was a going concern, there was a small hostelry hard by, in which, on a monday morning, the consumption of port wine (fruity) and eggs ("shop 'uns," every one) was considerable. this on the word of an ex-warder, who subsequently became a stage-door keeper. one of the most unsatisfactory effects of good living is that the demon invoked over-night does not always assume the same shape in your waking hours. many sufferers will feel a loathing for any sort of food or drink, except cold water. "the capting," observed the soldier-servant to a visitor (this is an old story), "ain't very well this morning, sir; he've just drunk his bath, and gone to bed again." and on the other hand, i have known the over-indulger absolutely ravenous for his breakfast. "brandy and soda, no, dear old chappie; as many eggs as they can poach in five minutes, a thick rasher of york ham, two muffins, and about a gallon and a half of hot coffee--that's what i feel like." medical men will be able to explain those symptoms in the roysterer, who had probably eaten and drunk quite as much over-night as the "capting." for the roysterer with a shy appetite there are few things more valuable than an _anchovy toast_. the concoction of this belongs to bedroom cookery, unless the sitting-room adjoins the sleeping apartment. for the patient will probably be too faint of heart to wish to meet his fellow-men and women downstairs, so early. the mixture must be made _over hot water_. nearly fill a slop-basin with the boiling element, and place a soup-plate over it. in the plate melt a pat of butter the size of a walnut. then having beaten up a raw egg, stir it in. when thoroughly incorporated with the butter add a dessert-spoonful of essence of anchovies. cayenne _ad lib_. then let delicately-browned crisp toast be brought, hot from the fire. soak this in the mixture, and eat as quickly as you can. the above proportions must be increased if more than one patient clamours for anchovy toast; and this recipe is of no use for a dinner, or luncheon toast; remember that. after the meal is finished turn in between the sheets again for an hour; then order a "doctor," or a "surgeon-major" to be brought to the bedside. in another twenty minutes the patient will be ready for his tub (with the chill off, if he be past thirty, and has any wisdom, or liver, left within him). after dressing, if he live in london and there be any trace of brain-rack remaining, let him take a brisk walk to his hair-dresser's, having his boots cleaned _en route_. this is most important, whether they be clean or dirty; for the action of a pair of briskly-directed brushes over the feet will often remove the most distressing of headaches. arrived at the perruquier's, let the patient direct him to rub _eau de cologne_, or some other perfumed spirit, into the o'er-taxed cranium, and to squirt assorted essences over the distorted countenance. a good hard brush, and a dab of bay rum on the temples will complete the cure; the roysterer will then be ready to face his employer, or the maiden aunt from whom he may have expectations. if the flavour of the anchovy be disagreeable, let the patient try the following toast, which is similar to that used with wildfowl: melt a pat of butter over hot water, stir in a dessert-spoonful of worcester sauce, the same quantity of orange juice, a pinch of cayenne, and about half a wine-glassful of old port. soak the toast in this mixture. the virtues of old port as a restorative cannot be too widely known. _st. mark's pick-me-up._ the following recipe was given to the writer by a member of an old venetian family. ten drops of angostura in a liqueur-glass, filled up with orange bitters. one wine-glassful of old brandy, one ditto cold water, one liqueur-glassful of curaçoa, and the juice of half a lemon. mix well together. i have not yet tried this, which reads rather acid. for an _overtrained_ athlete, who may not take kindly to his rations, there is no better cure than the lean of an underdone chop (_not blue_ inside) hot from the fire, on a hot plate, with a glass of port poured over. a _hot-pickle sandwich_ should be made of two thin slices of crisp toast (no butter) with chopped west indian pickles in between. and for a _devilled biscuit_ select the plain cheese biscuit, heat in the oven, and then spread over it a paste composed of finely-pounded lobster worked up with butter, made mustard, ground ginger, cayenne, salt, chili vinegar, and (if liked) a little curry powder. reheat the biscuit for a minute or two, and then deal with it. both the last-named restoratives will be found valuable (?) liver tonics; and to save future worry the patient had better calculate, at the same time, the amount of estate duty which will have to be paid out of his personalty, and secure a nice dry corner, out of the draught, for his place of sepulture. a _working-man's livener_, (and by "working-man" the gentleman whose work consists principally in debating in taverns is intended) is usually a hair of the dog that bit him over-night; and in some instances where doubt may exist as to the particular "tufter" of the pack which found the working-man out, the livener will be a miscellaneous one. for solid food, this brand of labourer will usually select an uncooked red-herring, which he will divide into swallow-portions with his clasp-knife, after borrowing the pepper-castor from the tavern counter. and as new rum mixed with four-penny ale occasionally enters into the over-night's programme of the horny-handed one, he is frequently very thirsty indeed before the hour of noon. i have seen a journalist suck half a lemon, previously well besprinkled with cayenne, prior to commencing his matutinal "scratch." but rum and milk form, i believe, the favourite livener throughout the district which lies between the adelphi theatre and st. paul's cathedral. and, according to doctor edward smith (the chief english authority on dietetics), rum and milk form the most powerful restorative known to science. with all due respect to doctor smith i am prepared to back another restorative, commonly known as "a small bottle"; which means a pint of champagne. i have prescribed this many a time, and seldom known it fail. in case of partial failure repeat the dose. a valuable if seldom-employed restorative is made with _bovril_ as one of the ingredients. make half-a-pint of beef-tea in a tumbler with this extract. put the tumbler in a refrigerator for an hour, then add a liqueur-glassful of old brandy, with just a dust of cayenne. this is one of the very best pick-me-ups known to the faculty. a _swizzle_, for recuperative purposes is made with the following ingredients:--a wine-glassful of hollands, a liqueur-glassful of curaçoa, three drops of angostura bitters, a little sugar, and half a small bottle of seltzer-water. churn up the mixture with a swizzle-stick, which can be easily made with the assistance of a short length of cane (the ordinary school-treat brand) a piece of cork, a bit of string, and a pocket knife. a very extraordinary pick-me-up is mentioned by mr. f. c. philips, in one of his novels, and consists of equal parts of brandy and chili vinegar in a large wine-glass. such a mixture would, in all probability, corrode sheet-iron. i am afraid that writers of romance occasionally borrow a little from imagination. the most effectual restorative for the total abstainer is unquestionably, old brandy. it should be remembered that a rich, heavy dinner is not bound to digest within the human frame, if washed down with tea, or aerated beverages. in fact, from the personal appearances of many worthy teetotallers i have known digestion cannot be their strong suit. then many abstainers only abstain in public, for the sake of example. and within the locked cupboard of the study lurks a certain black bottle, which does _not_ contain kopps's ale. therefore i repeat that the most effectual restorative for the total abstainer--whether as a direct change, or as a hair of the dog--is brandy. our ancestors cooled their coppers with small ale, and enjoyed a subsequent sluice at the pump in the yard; these methods are still pursued by stable-helpers and such like. a good walk acts beneficially sometimes. eat or drink nothing at all, but try and do five miles along the turnpike road within the hour. many habitual roysterers hunt the next morning, with heads opening and shutting alternately, until the fox breaks covert, when misery of all sorts at once takes to itself wings. and i have heard a gallant warrior, whilst engaged in a polo match on york knavesmire, protest that he could distinctly see _two_ polo balls. but he was not in such bad case as the eminent jockey who declined to ride a horse in a hood and blinkers, because "one of us must see, and i'm hanged if _i_ can!" it was the same jockey who, upon being remonstrated with for taking up his whip at the final bend, when his horse was winning easily, replied: "whip be blowed! it was my balance pole: i should have fell off without it!" _straight talks._ in the lowest depth there is a lower depth, which not only threatens to devour, but which will infallibly devour the too-persistent roysterer. for such i labour not. the seer of visions, the would-be strangler of serpents, the baffled rat-hunter, and other victims to the over-estimation of human capacity will get no assistance, beyond infinite pity, from the mind which guides this pen. the dog will return to his own vomit; the wilful abuser of the goods sent by a bountiful providence is past praying for. but to others who are on the point of crossing the rubicon of good discretion i would urge that there will assuredly come a time when the pick-me-up will lose its virtue, and will fail to chase the sorrow from the brow, to minister to the diseased mind. throughout this book i have endeavoured to preach the doctrine of moderation in enjoyment. meat and drink are, like fire, very good servants, but the most oppressive and exacting of slave-drivers. therefore enjoy the sweets of life, whilst ye can; but as civilised beings, as gentlemen, and not as swine. for here is a motto which applies to eating and drinking even more than to other privileges which we enjoy: "wisely, and slow; they stumble who run fast!" a resort to extremes is always to be deprecated, and many sensible men hold the total abstainer in contempt, unless he abstain simply and solely because a moderate use of "beer and baccy" makes him ill; and this man is indeed a rarity. the teetotaller is either a creature with no will-power in his composition, a pharisee, who thanks providence that he is not as other men, or a lunatic. there can be no special virtue in "swearing off" good food and good liquor; whether for the sake of example, or for the sake of ascending a special pinnacle and posing to the world as the incarnation of perfection and holiness. in the parable, the publican was "justified" rather than the pharisee, because the former had the more common sense, and knew that if he set up as immaculate and without guile he was deceiving himself and nobody else. but here on earth, in the nineteenth century, the publican stands a very poor chance with the pharisee, whether the last-named assume the garb of "social purity," or "vigilance," or the sombre raiment of the policeman. this is not right. this is altogether wrong. the total abstainer, the rabid jackass who denies himself--or claims that he does so--the juice of the grape, and drinks the horrible, flatulent, concoctions known as "temperance beverages," is just as great a sinner against common sense as that rabid jackass the habitual glutton, or drunkard, who, in abusing the good things of life--the gifts which are given us to enjoy--is putting together a rod of rattlesnakes for his own back. there is nothing picturesque about drunkenness; and there is still less of manliness therein. there is plenty of excuse for the careless, happy-go-lucky, casual over-estimater, who revels, on festive occasions, with his boon companions. 'tis a poor heart that never rejoices; and wedding-feasts, celebrations of famous victories, birthday parties, and christmas festivities have been, and will continue to be, held by high and low, from the earliest times. but there is no excuse, but only pity and disgust, for the sot who sits and soaks--or, worse still, stands and soaks--in the tavern day after day, and carries the brandy-bottle to bed with him. i have lived through two-thirds of the years allotted to man, and have never yet met the man who has done himself, or anybody else, any good by eating or drinking to excess. nor is the man who has benefited himself, or society, through scorning and vilifying good cheer, a familiar sight in our midst. "keep in the middle of the road," is the rule to be observed; and there is no earthly reason why the man who may have applied "hot and rebellious liquors" to his blood, as a youth, should not enjoy that "lusty winter" of old age, "frosty but kindly," provided those warm and warlike liquors have been applied in moderation. i will conclude this sermon with part of a verse of the poet dryden's imitation of the twenty-ninth ode of horace, though its heathen _carpe diem_ sentiments should be qualified by a special caution as to the possible ill effects of bidding too fierce a defiance to the "reaction day." "happy the man, and happy he alone, he who can call to-day his own; he who, secure within, can say;-- to-morrow, do thy worst, i've liv'd to-day!" index "_ala_," the fairy, "albion," the, alexander dumas, allowable breakfast-dishes, _almanach des gourmands_, , anchovy toast, angel's pie, _apium_, the, apricot brandy, artichoke, the, jerusalem, ascot luncheon, asparagus, with eggs, aspic, athole brose, baksheesh, ball suppers, banquet, a vegetarian, "beano," a, beans, "borston," beef, "can't eat," bernardin salmi, a, birch's, _bischoff_, biscuit, a devilled, bishop, bisque, bitters, blackmore, r. d., blue blazer, bombay duck, a, bones, grilled, bosom caresser, a, bouillabaisse, bovril, braddon, miss, brandy, apricot, cherry, ginger, orange, sour, brazil relish, breakfast, allowable dishes at, french, indian, mediterranean, with "my tutor," brillat savarin, brinjal, the, broth, scotch, buckmaster, bull's milk, burmah, food in, burns, john, cabbage, the, calcutta jumble, "cannie carle," canvass-back duck, a, carlton house terrace, carlyle, thomas, carrot, the, cassis, cauliflower, the, cedric the saxon, celery, sauce, champagne and stout, charles dickens, , _chateaûbriand_, a, chef, indian, "cheshire cheese," the, pudding, chinaman's meal, a, chops, _chota hazri_, _choufleur aû gratin_, chowringhee club, the, christmas dinner, a, chutnee, raw, chutnine, cinquevalli, paul, city dinners, clam chowder, cleopatra, "coal-hole," the, cobbler, champagne, sherry, cocktail, bengal, brandy, champagne, gin, manhattan, milford, newport, saratoga, whisky, yum yum, cod liver, coffee tree, the, cold mutton, collins, john, coloured help, corelli, marie, cow, milking a, crécy soup, cremorne gardens, cup, ale, ascot, balaclava, chablis, champagne, cider, claret, crimean, moselle, curry, benares, dry madras, locust, malay, parsee, powder, prawn, rice for, , what to, when served, cyclone, a, dana, delmonico, devilled biscuit, a, dickens, charles, , dingley dell, dinner, afloat, city, christmas, an ideal, doctor, a, samuel johnson, donald, duck, bombay, canvass-back, jugged, with oysters, rouen, -squeezer, dumas, alexander, dumpling, kidney, early christians, closing act, eggs and bacon, elizabeth, queen, englishman in china, the, evans's, fairy "_ala_," the, kiss, a, fergus macivor, fin'an haddie, fixed bayonet, a, flash of lightning, a, flip, ale-, egg-, -flap, fowls, surrey, free trade, french soup, _fricandeau_, a, garlic, gin, sloe, ginger brandy, glasgow, the late lord, goats, sacrifice of, goose pie, gordon hotels, green, "paddy," greenland, across, grilled bones, grouse pie, gubbins sauce, haggis, halibut steak, a, happy eliza, hawkins, sir john, hawthornden, help, coloured, highland cordial, hollingshead, john, home ruler, horatius flaccus, horse-radish sauce, steaks, hotch potch, hotel breakfasts, "parish," hot-pot, lancashire, hunting luncheons, indian breakfasts, irish stew, james i., king, japan, jesuits, the, johnson, doctor, john collins, "jolly sandboys," the, "joseph," jugged duck with oysters, jumping powder, kent road cookery, the, kidney dumpling, in fire-shovel, king james i., kiss, a fairy, kitchener, doctor, knickerbein, a, lamb, charles, lamb's head and mince, lampreys, lancashire hot-pot, large peach, a, larks, such, lightning, a flash of, li hung chang, liver, cod's, _lorna doone_, louis xii., xiv., lucian, luncheon, ascot, race-course, simla, macaulay, lord, _madère_, maiden's blush, majesty, her, mandragora, marrow, vegetable, marsala, mayfair, mayonnaise, mediterranean breakfast, a, mess-table, the, miladi's boudoir, milk, bull's, mint julep, _mirepoix_, a, mutton, cold, nansen's banquet on the ice, napoleon the great, nero, new york city, nipping habit, the, "no cheques accepted," off to gold-land, "old coppertail," onion, the, orange brandy, sauce, orgeat, out west, oven, the, overtrained, oysters, aden, in their own juice, kurachi, prairie, sauce, scalloped, stewed, worcester, "paddy" green, parsnip, the, parlour cookery, payne, george, peake and allen, pea soup, pease, "peg," a, pepper-pot, peter the great, physician, an eminent, pick-me-up, "number one," st. mark's, pickles, hot, pie, angel's, goose, grouse, pigeon, pork, wardon, woodcock, yorkshire, poor, how they live, pope, doctor joseph, possets, pork, roast, potato, the, salad, port-flip, powder, jumping, _pré salé_, a, prison fare, "property" food, pudding, cheshire cheese, plover, rabbit, snipe, pulled turkey, punch, ale, barbadoes, cambridge, curaçoa, grassot, glasgow, halo, milk, oxford, regent, queen elizabeth, rabbit pie, race-course luncheons, sandwich, rajah's hospitality, a, raleigh, sir walter, rat snakes, regimental dinner, a, rice for curry, , richardson, roasting, romans, the, royalty, rouen ducks, salad, anchovy, a memorable, boarding-house, celery, cheese in, corn, francatelli's, french, fruit, herring, italian, lobster, maker, a gentleman-, orange, potato, roman, russian, tomato, salads, sala, george augustus, _salmi bernardin_, of wild-duck, salmon steak, sandhurst r.m.c., sandwich, a race-course, _sambal_, st. leger, the, sauce, carp, celery, christopher north's, currant, goose, gooseberry, gubbins, hare, horse-radish, orange, oyster, tapp, _tartare_, savarin, brillat, saxon dining-table, a, scorcher, a, scott, sir walter, scalloped oysters, scotch broth, shandy gaff, rich man's, shepherd's pie, ship and turtle, the, sidney, harry, simla, luncheon at, to cashmere, sligo slop, sloe gin, smith, sydney, snipe pudding, soup, french, "spanky," spinach, sprats, staff of life, the, steaks, salmon, thoroughbred horse, steam-chest, the, stew, irish, "jolly sandboys," oyster, stout and champagne, straight talks, suetonius, suffolk pride, such larks, supper, hotel cecil, ball, surgeon-major, a, surrey fowls, swizzle, a, tapp sauce, tartar sauce, tea, _à la française_, thibet, thumb-piece, tiger's milk, toddy, whisky, tomato, the, tomnoddy, lord, toole, john lawrence, _tournedos_, a, tripe, how to cook, tsar, the, tsaritza, the, turkey, the, pulled, turmeric, turnip, turner, godfrey, vegetarian banquet, a, vitellius, _vol-au-vent financière_, waiter, the, wardon pie, a, wellington, duke of, west indies, the, west, out, whisky, sour, wild-duck, salmi of, william the conqueror, woodcock pie, working man, the, wyndham, yates, edmund's reminiscences, york, new, yorkshire pie, the end miller, son, and compy., limited, printers, fakenham and london. footnotes: [ ] it is incorrect to speak of bread as the sole "staff of life." eggs, milk, cheese, potatoes, and some other vegetables, supply between them far more phosphoric acid than is to be got from bread, either white or brown. and a man could support existence on "beer and baccy" as well as he could do so on bread alone. [ ] in most recipes for puddings or pies, rump steak is given. but this is a mistake, as the tendency of that part of the ox is to _harden_, when subjected to the process of boiling or baking. besides the skirt--the _thick_ skirt--there be tit-bits to be cut from around the shoulder. [ ] the cannie scot, however, never made his haggis from anything belonging to the pig. the dislike of the scots to pork dates from very long ago, as we read in a note to sir walter scott's _waverley_. king "jamie" carried this prejudice to england, and is known to have abhorred pork almost as much as he did tobacco. his proposed banquet to the "deil" consisted of a loin of pork, a poll (or head) of ling, with a pipe of tobacco for digestion. [ ] this dish must somewhat resemble the "fixed bayonet," which at one time was the favourite tit-bit of "tommy atkins," when quartered in india. it consisted of a fowl, stuffed with green chilis, and boiled in rum. the fowl was picked to the bones, and the soldier wound up with the soup. very tasty! [ ] kidney potatoes should always be boiled, as steaming makes them more "waxy." [ ] doubtful starters. [ ] formerly assistant-surgeon royal artillery. a celebrated lecturer on "the inner man," and author of _number one, and how to take care of him_, etc. [ ] "of all the delicacies in the whole _mundus edibilis_ i will maintain it to be the most delicate--_princeps obsoniorum_. i speak not of your grown porkers--things between pig and pork--those hobbydehoys; but a young and tender suckling, under a moon old, guiltless as yet of the sty, with no original speck of the _amor immunditiae_, the hereditary failing of the first parents, yet manifest--his voice as yet not broken, but something between a childish treble and a grumble--the mild forerunner or _praeludium_ of a grunt. he must be _roasted_. i am not ignorant that our ancestors ate them seethed, or boiled--but what a sacrifice of the exterior tegument! "his sauce should be considered. decidedly a few bread-crumbs, done up with his liver and brains, and a dash of mild sage. but banish, dear mrs. cook, i beseech you, the whole onion tribe. barbecue your whole hogs to your palate, steep them in shalots, stuff them out with plantations of the rank and guilty garlic--you cannot poison them, or make them stronger than they are; but consider, he is a weakling--a flower."--_lamb on pig._ [ ] our then commanding officer was noted for his powers of self-control. i once noticed him leave the table hurriedly, and retire to the verandah. after an interval he returned, and apologised to the president. our revered chief had only swallowed a flying bug. and he never even used a big d. [ ] an excellent aerated water and a natural one, is obtained from springs in the valley beneath the long mynd, near church stretton, in shropshire. in fact, the stretton waters deserve to be widely known, and are superior to most of the foreign ones. 	 	 	 	 	 	transcriber's note 	 	obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections 	is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and 	hyphenation have been maintained. a list of inconsistently spelled 	and hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. 	 	 	 	 	[illustration: marketing 	 	beef. 	 	 _hind quarter._ 	 	 . sirloin. 	 . rump. 	 . edgebone. 	 . buttock. 	 . mouse buttock. 	 . veiny piece. 	 . thick flank. 	 . thin flank. 	 . leg. 	 . fore rib; five ribs. 	 	 _fore quarter._ 	 	 . middle rib; four ribs. 	 . chuck; three ribs. 	 . shoulder or leg of mutton piece. 	 . brisket. 	 . clod. 	 . neck or sticking piece. 	 . shin. 	 . cheek. 	 	venison. 	 	 . haunch. 	 . neck. 	 . shoulder. 	 . breast.] 	 	 	 	 	 the 	 american housewife: 	 	 containing the most 	 valuable and original receipts 	 in all the various branches 	 of 	 	 cookery; 	 	 and 	 written in a minute and methodical manner. 	 	 	 together with 	 a collection of miscellaneous receipts	 	 and directions relative to housewifery. 	 	 	 by an experienced lady. 	 	 	 also the 	 whole art of carving	 	 	 	 illustrated by 	 sixteen engravings. 	 	 	 third edition. 	 	 	 new york: 	 published by dayton	 and saxton 	 (successors to gould	 newman	 and saxton	) 	 corner of fulton and nassau sts. 	 . 	 	 	 	 	 entered according to act of congress	 in the year 	 by 	 	 dayton & saxton	 	 	 in the clerk's office of the district court of the united states for 	 the southern district of new-york. 	 	 	[illustration: plate. 	 	mutton. 	 	 . leg. 	 . loin	 best end. 	 . loin	 chump end. 	 . neck	 best end. 	 . neck	 scrag end. 	 . shoulder. 	 . breast. 	 a chime is two loins. 	 a saddle is two necks. 	 	veal. 	 	 . loin	 best end. 	 . loin	 chump end. 	 . fillet. 	 . hind knuckle. 	 . fore knuckle. 	 . neck	 best end. 	 . neck	 scrag end. 	 . blade bone. 	 . breast	 best end. 	 . breast	 brisket end. 	 	pork. 	 	 . the spare rib. 	 . hand. 	 . spring. 	 . fore loin. 	 . hind loin. 	 . leg.] 	 	 	 	 	preface. 	 	 	the writer does not deem any apology necessary for adding another to the 	long list of gastronomic works	 provided she has accomplished the 	desirable object of producing a cook book which shall commend itself to 	all persons of true taste--that is to say	 those whose taste has not 	been vitiated by a mode of cooking contrary to her own. although not a 	ude or a kitchener	 she does profess to have sufficient knowledge of the 	culinary art	 as practised by _good american cooks_	 to instruct those 	not versed in this truly interesting science. 	 	the inefficiency of most works of this kind are well known to all 	experienced housekeepers	 they being generally a mere compilation of 	receipts	 by those who _have no practical knowledge_ of the subject	 and 	are consequently unable to judge of their correctness	 or to give the 	necessary directions for _putting_ the ingredients together in the right 	manner. a conviction that a _good practical cook book_ was much needed	 	induced the writer to exert herself to supply the deficiency. she does 	not pretend to infallibility	 but having taken a great deal of pains to 	have each receipt as correct and nice as possible	 she trusts that they 	will generally give satisfaction. 	 	the mode of cooking is such as is generally practised by good american 	housekeepers	 and the receipts embrace all the various branches of the 	culinary science	 from preparing the most simple vegetables or broths	 	to making the most delicate cake	 creams	 sweetmeats	 &c. the writer has 	endeavored to combine both economy and that which will be agreeable to 	the palate	 but she has never suffered the former to supersede the 	latter. this book is intended for all classes of society	 embracing 	receipts both for rich and plain cooking	 and written in such a plain 	manner	 that the most unskilled need not err. placed in the hands of any 	servant of common capacity	 who can read	 it will set aside the 	necessity of those frequent applications for directions	 with which the 	patience of housekeepers is often tried. the experienced cook may smile 	at the minuteness of the directions; but	 if she has witnessed as much 	good food spoiled by improper cooking as the writer of these receipts	 	she will not think she has been too explicit. 	 	in regard to the seasoning of food	 it has been found impossible to give 	any exact rules	 as so much depends upon the quality of the seasoning 	and food. the cook should be careful not to have the natural flavor of 	the food overpowered by the seasoning; and where a variety of spices are 	used	 no one of them should predominate. 	 	independent of the receipts for cookery	 we have annexed a collection of 	miscellaneous receipts relative to housekeeping	 which	 together with 	the copious illustrations and directions for carving	 we trust will 	render it of superior usefulness. 	 	in conclusion	 the writer would give her sincere thanks to those of her 	friends who have kindly furnished her with their choice and valuable 	receipts: and to those into whose hands the book may fall she would ask 	a fair trial of them before passing judgment. 	 	 	 	 	contents. 	 	 	 no. page 	 	 meat. 	 	 observations respecting meat	 	 roast beef	 	 beefsteak	 	 alamode beef	 	 beef liver	 	 to corn beef	 	 mutton	 	 veal	 	 veal cutlets	 	 calf's head	 	 force meat balls	 	 calf's feet	 	 calf's liver and heart	 	 collops	 	 plaw	 	 fillet of veal	 	 lamb	 	 shoulder of lamb	 grilled	 	 lamb's fry	 	 turkey	 	 goose	 	 chickens	 	 fricassee	 	 pigeons	 	 ducks	 	 baked or roast pig	 	 sweet bread	 liver	 and heart	 	 pressed head	 	 souse	 	 tripe	 	 sausages	 	 to cure and cook hams	 	 to salt and smoke tongues	 	 curries	 	 	 	 meat pies. 	 	 chicken pie	 	 beef and mutton pie	 	 chicken and veal pot pie	 	 to frizzle beef	 	 warmed-over meats	 	 a ragout of cold veal	 	 	 	 gravies and sauces. 	 	 drawn butter	 	 burnt butter	 	 roast meat gravy	 	 sauce for fish	 salad	 and cold meat	 	 wine sauce for mutton and venison	 	 rice sauce	 	 oyster sauce	 	 celery sauce	 	 brown sauce for poultry	 	 savory jelly sauce for cold meat	 	 liver sauce for fish	 	 lobster sauce	 	 chicken salad	 	 turtle	 or calf's head sauce	 	 apple and cranberry sauce	 	 pudding sauce	 	 tomato soy	 	 tomato catsup	 	 mushroom catsup	 	 walnut catsup	 	 curry powder	 	 essence of celery	 	 	 	 soups. 	 	 soup herb spirit	 	 plain veal soup	 	 mock turtle	 or calf's head soup	 	 beef and black soup	 	 chicken and turkey soup	 	 oyster soup	 	 pea soup	 	 portable soup	 	 	 	 various methods of cooking eggs. 	 	 to boil eggs	 	 omelet	 	 poached eggs	 	 	 	 fish. 	 	 directions for broiling	 boiling	 and frying fish	 	 chowders	 	 baked fish	 	 codfish	 	 cod sounds and tongues	 	 halibut	 	 bass	 	 black fish	 	 to cook shad	 or salt them for winter use	 	 sturgeons	 	 fish cakes	 	 fish balls	 	 lobsters and crabs	 	 scollops	 	 eels	 	 trout	 	 clams	 	 to stew oysters	 	 to fry oysters	 	 oyster pancakes	 	 oyster pies	 	 scolloped oysters	 	 	 	 vegetables. 	 	 potatoes	 	 potato snow balls	 	 turnips	 	 beets	 	 parsnips and carrots	 	 onions	 	 artichokes	 	 squashes	 	 cabbage and cauliflowers	 	 asparagus	 	 peas	 	 sweet corn	 	 to bake and boil beans	 	 greens	 	 salads	 	 to prepare cucumbers for eating	 	 to stew mushrooms	 	 to cook egg plant	 	 celeriac	 	 salsify	 or vegetable oyster	 	 tomatoes	 	 gumbo	 	 southern method of boiling rice	 	 	 	 pickles. 	 	 general directions for pickling	 	 peppers	 	 mangoes	 	 butternuts	 	 peaches and apricots	 	 cabbage and cauliflowers	 	 east india pickle	 	 french beans and radish pods	 	 nasturtions	 	 samphire	 	 onions	 	 artichokes	 	 cucumbers	 	 gherkins	 	 to pickle oysters	 	 mushrooms	 	 	 	 bread. 	 	 wheat bread	 	 sponge bread	 	 rye bread	 	 brown bread	 	 indian bread	 	 potato bread	 	 rice bread	 	 french rolls	 	 yeast	 	 yeast cakes	 	 	 	 biscuit. 	 	 butter biscuit	 	 buttermilk biscuit	 	 hard biscuit	 	 saleratus biscuit	 or short cakes	 	 potato biscuit	 	 sponge biscuit	 	 crackers	 	 	 	 hot cakes. 	 	 cream cakes	 	 crumpets	 	 rice cakes	 	 rice ruffs	 	 buckwheat cakes	 	 economy cakes	 	 green corn cake	 	 ground corn cake	 	 indian slap jacks	 	 journey cakes	 	 hoe cake	 	 muffins	 	 raised flour waffles	 	 quick waffles	 	 rice waffles	 	 rice wafers	 	 	 	 sweet cakes. 	 	 directions for making cake nice	 	 frosting for cake	 	 sponge gingerbread	 	 hard gingerbread	 	 soft gingerbread	 	 sugar gingerbread	 	 ginger snaps	 	 spice cakes	 	 cider cake	 	 bannoch	 or sweet meal cakes	 	 rich cookies	 	 tea cakes	 or plain cookies	 	 new year's cookies	 	 shrewsbury cake	 	 tunbridge cake	 	 jumbles	 	 composition cake	 	 rusk	 	 whigs	 	 nut cakes	 	 crollers	 	 molasses dough cake	 	 sugar dough cake	 	 measure cake	 	 french cake	 	 washington cake	 	 cup cake	 	 plain cream cake	 	 rich cream cake	 	 cymbals	 	 rich loaf cake	 	 plain loaf cake	 	 shelah	 or quick loaf cake	 	 rice cake	 	 diet cake	 	 lemon cake	 	 scotch cake	 	 pound cake	 	 confectioner's pound cake	 	 queen's cake	 	 delicate cake	 	 jelly cake	 	 strawberry cake	 	 superior sponge cake	 	 good sponge cake	 	 almond cake	 	 fruit cake	 	 black cake	 	 maccaroons	 	 cocoanut cakes	 	 tory wafers	 	 sugar drops	 	 savoy cakes	 	 almond cheese cakes	 	 	 	 trifles. 	 	 flummery	 	 floating island	 	 whip syllabub	 	 ornamental froth	 for blanc mange or creams	 	 ice currants	 	 apple snow	 	 comfits	 	 	 	 blanc manges. 	 	 isinglass blanc mange	 	 calf's feet blanc mange	 	 rice flour blanc mange	 	 unground rice blanc mange	 	 	 	 creams. 	 	 snow cream	 	 orange cream	 	 lemon cream	 	 iced creams	 	 	 	 pastry and pies. 	 	 pastry	 	 puff paste	 or confectioner's pastry	 	 apple pies	 	 mince pie	 	 rice pie	 	 peach pie	 	 tart pies	 	 rhubarb pies	 	 tomato pie	 	 lemon pie	 	 cherry and blackberry pies	 	 grape pies	 	 currant and gooseberry pies	 	 prune pie	 	 pumpkin pie	 	 carrot pie	 	 potato pie	 	 sweet marlborough pie	 	 marlborough tarts	 	 cocoanut pie	 	 small puffs	 	 	 	 custards. 	 	 plain custard pie	 	 rich baked custards	 	 boiled custards	 	 mottled custard	 	 cream custard	 	 almond custard	 	 apple custard	 	 	 	 puddings. 	 	 directions for making puddings	 	 hasty pudding	 	 corn pudding	 	 cracker pudding	 	 boiled indian pudding	 	 baked indian pudding	 	 minute pudding	 	 boiled bread pudding	 	 a plain baked bread pudding	 	 rich bread pudding	 	 flour pudding	 	 boiled rice pudding	 	 baked rice pudding	 without eggs	 	 baked rice pudding	 with eggs	 	 ground rice pudding	 	 rice snow balls	 	 cream pudding	 	 custard pudding	 	 rennet pudding	 	 fruit pudding	 	 quaking pudding	 	 lemon pudding	 	 almond pudding	 	 tapioca pudding	 	 sago pudding	 	 orange pudding	 	 bird's nest	 or transparent pudding	 	 english plum pudding	 	 	 	 fritters and dumplings. 	 	 plain fritters	 	 apple fritters	 	 cream fritters	 	 oxford dumplings	 	 apple dumplings	 	 	 	 syrups. 	 	 lemon syrup	 	 orange syrup	 	 blackberry syrup	 	 elderberry syrup	 	 molasses syrup	 for sweetmeats	 	 to clarify syrup for sweetmeats	 	 	 	 sweetmeats. 	 	 directions for preserving	 	 to preserve quinces	 	 quince marmalade	 	 to preserve pears	 	 pear marmalade	 	 to preserve peaches	 	 peach jam	 	 to preserve peaches in brandy	 	 raspberries	 	 cherries	 	 currants	 	 prunes	 	 cranberries	 	 to preserve crab or siberian apples	 	 barberries	 	 tomatoes	 	 to preserve common apples	 	 cymbelines	 or mock citron	 	 watermelon rinds	 	 muskmelons	 	 pine apples	 	 pumpkins	 	 gages	 	 to preserve strawberries	 	 blackberry and raspberry jam	 	 	 	 jellies. 	 	 strawberry	 raspberry	 and blackberry jellies	 	 cranberry	 grape	 and currant jellies	 	 quince jelly	 	 apple jelly	 	 lemon jelly	 	 calf's feet jelly	 	 hartshorn jelly	 	 	 	 common drinks. 	 	 coffee	 	 tea	 	 chocolate	 	 hop beer	 	 beer of essential oils	 	 spring beer	 	 ginger beer	 	 instantaneous beer	 	 mixed wine	 	 currant wine	 	 grape wine	 	 to mull wine	 	 quince cordial	 	 peach cordial	 	 smallage cordial	 	 currant shrub	 	 raspberry shrub	 	 lemon shrub	 	 sherbet	 	 noyeau	 	 mead	 	 	 	 essences. 	 	 essence of lemon	 	 essence of ginger	 	 spice brandy	 	 rosewater	 	 	 	 perfumery. 	 	 to extract the essential oil of flowers	 	 perfumery bags	 	 cologne water	 	 lavender water	 	 aromatic vinegar	 	 	 	 cookery for the sick. 	 	 barley water	 	 rice gruel	 	 water gruel	 	 caudle	 	 arrow root custards	 	 wine whey	 	 stomachic tincture	 	 thoroughwort bitters	 	 cough tea	 	 beef tea	 	 moss jelly	 	 sago jelly	 	 tapioca jelly	 	 	 	 miscellaneous receipts relative to housewifery. 	 	 to renew old bread and cake	 	 to keep insects from cheese	 	 to pot cheese	 	 to pot butter for winter	 	 to extract salt from butter	 	 to extract rancidity from butter	 	 to preserve cream for a long time	 	 substitute for cream	 	 to keep eggs several months	 	 to melt fat for shortening	 	 to keep vegetables through the winter	 	 to preserve herbs a year	 	 to keep various kinds of fruit through the winter	 	 to keep pickles and sweetmeats	 	 cautions relative to the use of brass and copper cooking 	 utensils	 	 durable ink	 	 black ball	 	 liquid blacking	 	 cement for the mouths of bottles	 	 cement for china	 glass	 and earthenware	 	 japanese cement	 	 alabaster cement	 	 to clean alabaster	 	 cement for ironware	 	 to loosen glass stopples	 when wedged tight in bottles	 	 lip salve	 	 cold cream	 	 to prevent the formation of a crust on tea-kettles	 	 to remove stains from broad cloth	 	 to extract paint from goods	 	 to remove stains on scarlet woollen goods	 	 to extract grease from silks	 woollens	 and floors	 	 to extract stains from white cotton and colored silks	 	 directions for washing calicoes	 	 directions for cleaning silk goods	 	 directions for washing woollen goods	 	 directions for washing white cotton clothes	 	 starch	 	 to clean nice shawls	 	 directions for carpets	 	 to clean light kid gloves	 	 to restore rusty crape	 	 to clean mahogany and marble furniture	 	 to clean stoves and stone hearths	 	 to extract ink from floors	 	 to remove paint and putty from window glass	 	 to clean feather beds and mattresses	 	 to clean vials and pie plates	 	 to temper earthenware	 	 to temper new ovens and ironware	 	 to polish brass	 britannia	 and silver utensils	 	 to remove or keep cutlery from contracting rust	 	 preservatives against the ravages of moths	 	 to destroy various kinds of household vermin	 	 	 	 common dyes. 	 	 to dye black	 	 green and blue dye	 	 yellow dyes	 	 red dyes	 	 slate-colored dye	 	 	 	 soaps. 	 	 soap from scraps	 	 cold soap	 	 hard soap	 	 windsor and castile soap	 	 bayberry	 or myrtle soap	 	 	 	 the art of carving. 	 	 sirloin of beef	 	 aitch	 or edgebone of beef	 	 shoulder of mutton	 	 knuckle of veal	 	 roasted breast of veal	 	 a spare rib	 	 saddle of mutton	 	 pig	 	 half a calf's head	 boiled	 	 leg of mutton	 	 ham	 	 fore quarter of lamb	 	 haunch of venison	 	 round of beef	 	 brisket of beef	 	 leg of pork	 	 haunch of mutton	 	 goose	 	 a fowl	 	 partridge	 	 pigeons	 	 turkey	 	 cod's head	 	 	 	 	 	practical cookery. 	 	 	 . _observations respecting meat._ 	 	meat to be in perfection should be kept a number of days when the 	weather will admit of it. beef and mutton should be kept at least a week 	in cold weather	 and poultry three or four days. if the weather is hot	 	it will keep but a short time. it should be kept in a cool	 airy place	 	away from the flies	 and if there is any danger of its spoiling	 a 	little salt should be rubbed over it. when meat is frozen	 it should be 	put into lukewarm water	 and not taken out till the frost is extracted. 	if there is any frost in it when put to the fire	 it will not cook well. 	the best way to boil it is to put it in cold water	 and boil it gently	 	with just water enough to cover it	 as it hardens by furious boiling. 	the part that is to be up on the table	 should be down in the pot	 as 	the scum that rises is apt to make the meat look dark--the scum should 	be taken off as soon as it rises. the liquor in which all kinds of fresh 	meat is boiled	 makes a good soup	 when thickened and seasoned. boiling 	is the cheapest way of cooking meat	 provided you make a soup of the 	liquor; if not	 it is the dearest	 as most of the gelatine is extracted 	by the process of boiling	 which is the most nourishing part	 and if not 	used for soup	 is completely lost. in roasting meat	 only the juices and 	fat are extracted	 but not lost	 as the juices make good gravy	 and the 	fat is good for various culinary purposes. when it is put down to roast	 	there should be a little water in the dripping pan. for broiling	 the 	bars of the gridiron should be perfectly clean	 and greased with lard or 	butter	 otherwise the meat will retain the impression of the bars. the 	bars of the gridiron should be concave	 and terminate in a trough	 to 	catch the juices	 or they will drop in the fire and smoke the meat. a 	good fire of hot coals is necessary to have the meat broil as quick as 	possible without burning. the gridiron should be put on the fire	 and 	well heated before the meat is laid on it. the dish should be very hot 	on which broiled meat is put	 and it should not be seasoned till taken 	up. if you wish to fry meat	 cut a small piece of pork into slices	 and 	fry them a light brown	 then take them up and put in your meat	 which 	should be perfectly dry. when the meat is sufficiently fried	 take it 	up	 remove the frying pan from the fire to cool; when so	 turn in a 	little cold water for the gravy	 put it on the fire--when it boils	 stir 	in a little mixed flour and water	 let it boil	 then turn it over the 	meat. if not rich enough	 add butter and catsup if you like. 	 	 	 . _roast beef._ 	 	the tender loin and first and second cuts off the rack are the best 	roasting pieces--the third and fourth cuts are good. when the meat is 	put to the fire	 a little salt should be sprinkled on it	 and the bony 	side turned towards the fire first. when the bones get well heated 	through	 turn the meat	 and keep a brisk fire--baste it frequently while 	roasting. there should be a little water put into the dripping pan when 	the meat is put down to roast. if it is a thick piece	 allow fifteen 	minutes to each pound to roast it in--if thin	 less time will be 	required. 	 	 	 . _beef steak._ 	 	the tender loin is the best piece for broiling--a steak from the round 	or shoulder clod is good and comes cheaper. if the beef is not very 	tender	 it should be laid on a board and pounded	 before broiling or 	frying it. wash it in cold water	 then lay it on a gridiron	 place it on 	a hot bed of coals	 and broil it as quick as possible without burning 	it. if broiled slow	 it will not be good. it takes from fifteen to 	twenty minutes to broil a steak. for seven or eight pounds of beef	 cut 	up about a quarter of a pound of butter. heat the platter very hot that 	the steak is to be put on	 lay the butter on it	 take up the steak	 salt 	and pepper it on both sides. beef steak to be good	 should be eaten as 	soon as cooked. a few slices of salt pork broiled with the steak makes a 	rich gravy with a very little butter. there should always be a trough 	to catch the juices of the meat when broiled. the same pieces that are 	good broiled are good for frying. fry a few slices of salt pork	 brown	 	then take them up and put in the beef. when brown on both sides	 take it 	up	 take the pan off from the fire	 to let the fat cool; when cool	 turn 	in half a tea cup of water	 mix a couple of tea spoonsful of flour with 	a little water	 stir it into the fat	 put the pan back on the fire	 stir 	it till it boils up	 then turn it over the beef. 	 	 	 . _alamode beef._ 	 	the round of beef is the best piece to alamode--the shoulder clod is 	good	 and comes lower; it is also good stewed	 without any spices. for 	five pounds of beef	 soak about a pound of bread in cold water till 	soft	 then drain off the water	 mash the bread fine	 put in a piece of 	butter	 of the size of a hen's egg	 half a tea spoonful of salt	 the 	same quantity of ground cloves	 allspice	 and pepper	 half a nutmeg	 a 	couple of eggs	 and a table spoonful of flour--mix the whole well 	together; then cut gashes in the beef	 and fill them with about half of 	the dressing	 put the meat in a bake-pan	 with lukewarm water enough to 	cover it; set it where it will stew gently for a couple of hours	 cover 	it with a heated bake pan lid. when it has stewed a couple of hours	 	turn the reserved dressing on top of the meat	 heat the bake pan lid hot 	enough to brown the dressing	 stew it an hour and a half longer. after 	the meat is taken up	 if the gravy is not thick enough	 mix a tea 	spoonful or two of flour with a little water	 and stir it into the 	gravy; put in a little butter	 a wine glass of wine	 and turn it over 	the meat. 	 	 	 . _beef liver._ 	 	liver is very good fried	 but the best way to cook it	 is to broil it 	ten minutes	 with four or five slices of salt pork. then take it	 cut it 	into small strips together with the pork	 put it in a stew pan	 with a 	little water	 butter	 and pepper. stew it four or five minutes. 	 	 	 . _to corn beef._ 	 	to every gallon of cold water	 put a quart of rock salt	 an ounce of 	salt-petre	 quarter of a pound of brown sugar--(some people use 	molasses	 but it is not as good)--no boiling is necessary. put the beef 	in the brine. as long as any salt remains at the bottom of the cask it 	is strong enough. whenever any scum rises	 the brine should be scalded	 	skimmed	 and more sugar	 salt and salt-petre added. when a piece of beef 	is put in the brine	 rub a little salt over it. if the weather is hot	 	cut a gash to the bone of the meat	 and fill it with salt. put a heavy 	weight on the beef in order to keep it under the brine. in very hot 	weather	 it is difficult to corn beef in cold brine before it spoils. on 	this account it is good to corn it in the pot when boiled. it is done in 	the following manner; to six or eight pounds of beef	 put a tea cup of 	salt	 sprinkle flour on the side that is to go up on the table	 and put 	it down in the pot	 turn the water into the pot after the beef is put 	in	 boil it a couple of hours	 then turn in more cold water	 and boil it 	an hour and a half longer. 	 	 	 . _mutton._ 	 	the saddle is the best part to roast--the shoulder and leg are good 	roasted; but the best mode to cook the latter	 is to boil it with a 	piece of salt pork. a little rice boiled with it	 improves the looks of 	it. mutton for roasting	 should have a little butter rubbed on it	 and a 	little salt and pepper sprinkled on it--some people like cloves and 	allspice. put a small piece of butter in the dripping pan	 and baste it 	frequently. the bony side should be turned towards the fire first	 and 	roasted. for boiling or roasting mutton	 allow a quarter of an hour to 	each pound of meat. the leg is good cut in gashes	 and filled with a 	dressing	 and baked. the dressing is made of soaked bread	 a little 	butter	 salt	 and pepper	 and a couple of eggs. a pint of water with a 	little butter should be put in the pan. the leg is also good	 cut into 	slices and broiled. it is good corned a few days	 and then boiled. the 	rack is good for broiling--it should be divided	 each bone by itself	 	broiled quick	 and buttered	 salted and peppered. the breast of mutton 	is nice baked. the joints of the brisket should be separated	 the sharp 	ends of the ribs sawed off	 the outside rubbed over with a little piece 	of butter--salt it	 and put it in a bake pan	 with a pint of water. when 	done	 take it up	 and thicken the gravy with a little flour and water	 	and put in a small piece of butter. a table spoonful of catsup	 cloves 	and allspice	 improve it	 but are not essential. the neck of mutton 	makes a good soup. parsely or celery-heads are a pretty garnish for 	mutton. 	 	 	 . _veal._ 	 	the loin of veal is the best piece for roasting. the breast and rack are 	good roasted. the breast also is good made into a pot pie	 and the rack 	cut into small pieces and broiled. the leg is nice for frying	 and when 	several slices have been cut off for cutlets	 the remainder is nice 	boiled with a small piece of salt pork. veal for roasting should be 	salted	 peppered	 and a little butter rubbed on it	 and basted 	frequently. put a little water in the dripping pan	 and unless the meat 	is quite fat	 a little butter should be put in. the fillet is good 	baked	 the bone should be cut out	 and the place filled with a dressing	 	made of bread soaked soft in cold water	 a little salt	 pepper	 a couple 	of eggs	 and a table spoonful of melted butter put in--then sew it up	 	put it in your bake pan	 with about a pint of water	 cover the top of 	the meat with some of the dressing. when baked sufficiently	 take it up	 	thicken the gravy with a little flour and water well mixed	 put in a 	small piece of butter	 and a little wine and catsup	 if you like the 	gravy rich. 	 	 	 . _veal cutlets._ 	 	fry three or four slices of pork until brown--take them up	 then put in 	slices of veal	 about an inch thick	 cut from the leg. when brown on 	both sides	 take them up--stir half a pint of water into the gravy	 then 	mix two or three tea spoonsful of flour with a little water	 and stir it 	in--soak a couple of slices of toasted bread in the gravy	 lay them on 	the bottom of the platter	 place the meat and pork over it	 then turn on 	the gravy. a very nice way to cook the cutlets	 is to make a batter with 	half a pint of milk	 an egg beaten to a froth	 and flour enough to 	render it thick. when the veal is fried brown	 dip it into the batter	 	then put it back into the fat	 and fry it until brown again. if you have 	any batter left	 it is nice dropped by the large spoonful into the fat	 	and fried till brown	 then laid over the veal. thicken the gravy and 	turn it over the whole. it takes about an hour to cook this dish. if the 	meat is tough	 it will be better to stew it half an hour before frying 	it. 	 	 	 . _calf's head._ 	 	boil the head two hours	 together with the lights and feet. put in the 	liver when it has boiled an hour and twenty minutes. before the head is 	done	 tie the brains in a bag	 and boil them with it; when the brains 	are done	 take them up	 season them with salt	 pepper	 butter	 and sweet 	herbs	 or spices if you like--use this as a dressing for the head. some 	people prefer part of the liver and feet for dressing--they are prepared 	like the brains. the liquor that the calf's head is boiled in	 makes a 	good soup	 seasoned in a plain way like any other veal soup	 or seasoned 	turtle fashion. the liquor should stand until the next day after the 	head is boiled	 in order to have the fat rise	 and skimmed off. if you 	wish to have your calf's head look brown	 take it up when tender	 rub a 	little butter over it	 sprinkle on salt	 pepper	 and allspice--sprinkle 	flour over it	 and put before the fire	 with a dutch oven over it	 or in 	a brick oven where it will brown quick. warm up the brains with a little 	water	 butter	 salt	 and pepper. add wine and spices if you like. serve 	it up as a dressing for the head. calf's head is also good	 baked. halve 	it	 rub butter over it	 put it in a pan	 with about a quart of water; 	then cover it with a dressing made of bread soaked soft	 a little 	butter	 an egg	 and season it with salt	 pepper	 and powdered mace. 	slice up the brains	 and lay them in the pan with the head. bake it in a 	quick oven	 and garnish it with slices of lemon	 or force meat balls. 	 	 	 . _force meat balls._ 	 	chop a pound or two of veal fine--mix it with one or two eggs	 a little 	butter	 or raw pork chopped fine--season it with salt and pepper	 or 	curry powder. do them up into balls about the size of half an egg	 and 	fry them brown. 	 	 	 . _calf's feet._ 	 	boil them with the head	 until tender	 then split and lay them round 	the head	 or dredge them with flour after they have been boiled tender	 	and fry them brown. if you wish for gravy for them	 when you have taken 	them up	 stir a little flour into the fat they were fried in; season it 	with salt	 pepper	 and mace. add a little butter and wine if you like	 	then turn it over the feet. 	 	 	 . _calf's liver and heart._ 	 	are good	 broiled or fried. some people like the liver stuffed and 	baked. 	 	 	 . _collops._ 	 	cut part of a leg of veal into pieces	 three or four inches 	broad--sprinkle flour on them	 fry them in butter until brown	 then turn 	in water enough to cover the veal. when it boils	 take off the scum	 put 	in two or three onions	 a blade of mace	 a little salt and pepper. when 	stewed tender	 take up the meat	 thicken the gravy with flour and water	 	mixed smoothly together	 squeeze in the juice of half a lemon	 then turn 	it over the collops. garnish them with a lemon cut in thin slices. 	 	 	 . _plaw._ 	 	boil a piece of lean veal till tender. take it up	 cut it into strips 	three or four inches long	 put it back into the pot	 with the liquor it 	was boiled in	 with a tea cup of rice to three pounds of veal. put in a 	piece of butter	 of the size of a hen's egg; season it with salt	 	pepper	 and sweet herbs if you like; stew it gently till the rice is 	tender	 and the water nearly stewed away. a little curry powder in this	 	converts it into a curry dish. 	 	 	 . _a fillet of veal._ 	 	cut off the shank of a leg of veal	 and cut gashes in the remainder. 	make a dressing of bread	 soaked soft in cold water	 and mashed; season 	it with salt	 pepper	 and sweet herbs; chop a little raw pork fine	 put 	it in the dressing	 and if you have not pork	 use a little butter 	instead. fill the gashes in the meat with part of the dressing	 put it 	in a bake pan	 with just water enough to cover it; put the remainder of 	the dressing on top of the meat	 and cover it with a heated bake pan 	lid. for six pounds of veal	 allow two hours' steady baking. a leg of 	veal is nice prepared in this manner	 and roasted. 	 	 	 . _lamb._ 	 	the fore and hind quarters are good roasting pieces. sprinkle salt and 	pepper on the lamb	 turn the bony side towards the fire first; if not 	fat	 rub a little butter on it	 and put a little in the dripping pan; 	baste it frequently. these pieces are good stuffed like a fillet of 	veal	 and roasted. the leg is also good	 cooked in the same manner; but 	it is better boiled with a pound of salt pork. allow fifteen minutes 	boiling to each pound of meat. the breast of lamb is good roasted	 	broiled	 or corned and boiled; it is also good made into a pot pie. the 	fore quarter	 with the ribs divided	 is good broiled. the bones of this	 	as well as all kinds of meat	 when put down to broil	 should first be 	put towards the fire	 and browned before the other side is broiled. a 	little salt	 pepper	 and butter	 should be put on it when you take it 	up. lamb is very apt to spoil in warm weather. if you wish to keep a leg 	several days	 put it in brine. it should not be put with pork	 as fresh 	meat is apt to injure it. lamb's head	 feet	 and heart	 are good	 boiled 	till tender	 then cut off the flesh from the head	 cut up the heart	 and 	split the feet in two; put the whole into a pan	 with a pint of the 	liquor they were boiled in	 together with a little butter	 pepper	 salt	 	and half a tea cup of tomato catsup; thicken the gravy with a little 	flour; stew the whole for a few moments. pepper-grass	 or parsely	 are a 	pretty garnish for this dish. 	 	 	 . _shoulder of lamb grilled._ 	 	the shoulder of lamb is good roasted plain	 but is better cooked in the 	following manner. score it in checkers	 about an inch long	 rub it over 	with a little butter	 and the yelk of an egg; then dip it into finely 	pounded bread crumbs; sprinkle on salt	 pepper	 and sweet herbs; roast 	it till of a light brown. this is good with plain gravy	 but better with 	a sauce	 made in the following manner. take a quarter of a pint of the 	drippings from the meat	 mix it with the same quantity of water	 set it 	on the fire; when it boils up	 thicken it with a little flour and water 	mixed	 put in a table spoonful of tomato catsup	 the juice and grated 	rind of a lemon; season it with salt and pepper. 	 	 	 . _lamb's fry._ 	 	the heart and sweet bread are nice fried plainly	 or dipped into a 	beaten egg and fine bread crumbs. they should be fried in lard. 	 	 	 . _turkey._ 	 	take out the inwards	 wash both the inside and outside of the turkey. 	prepare a dressing made of bread	 soaked soft in cold water	 (the water 	should be drained from the bread	 and the bread mashed fine.) melt a 	small piece of butter	 and mix it with the dressing	 or else put in salt 	pork	 chopped fine; season it with salt and pepper; add sweet herbs if 	you like. an egg in the dressing	 makes it cut smoother. any kind of 	cooked meat is nice minced fine	 and mixed with the dressing. if the 	inwards are used	 they ought to be boiled very tender	 as it is very 	difficult to cook them through while the turkey is roasting. fill the 	crop and body of the turkey with the dressing	 sew it up	 tie up the 	legs and wings	 rub on a little salt and butter. roast it from two to 	three hours	 according to its size; twenty-five minutes to every pound	 	is a good rule. the turkey should be roasted slowly at first	 and basted 	frequently. a little water should be put into the dripping pan	 when the 	meat is put down to roast. for a gravy to the turkey	 take the liquor 	that the inwards are boiled in	 put into it a little of the turkey 	drippings	 set it where it will boil	 thicken it with a little flour and 	water	 previously mixed smooth. season it with salt	 pepper	 and sweet 	herbs if you like. drawn butter is used for boiled turkey. a turkey for 	boiling should be prepared in the same manner as one for roasting. if 	you wish to have it look white	 tie it up in a cloth	 unless you boil 	rice in the pot. if rice is used	 put in two-thirds of a tea cup. a 	pound or two of salt pork	 boiled with the turkey	 improves it. if you 	wish to make a soup of the liquor in which the turkey is boiled	 let it 	remain until the next day	 then skim off the fat. heat and season it. 	 	 	 . _goose._ 	 	if a goose is tender under the wing	 and you can break the skin easily 	by running the head of a pin across the breast	 there is no danger of 	its being tough. a goose should be dressed in the same manner	 and 	roasted the same length of time as a turkey. 	 	 	 . _chickens._ 	 	chickens for roasting or boiling should have a dressing prepared like 	that for turkies. half a tea cup of rice boiled with the chickens makes 	them look white. they will be less liable to break if the water is cold 	when they are put in. a little salt pork boiled with the chickens	 	improves them. if you do not boil pork with them they will need salt. 	chickens for broiling should be split	 the inwards taken out	 and the 	chicken washed inside and out. put the bony side down on the gridiron	 	and broil it very slowly until brown	 then turn it	 and brown it on the 	other side. about forty minutes is required to broil a common sized 	chicken. for roast chicken	 boil the liver and gizzards by themselves	 	and use the water for gravy to the chickens--cut the inwards in slices	 	and put them in the gravy. 	 	 	 . _fricassee._ 	 	the chickens should be jointed	 the inwards taken out	 and the chickens 	washed. put them in a stew pan with the skin side down; on each layer 	sprinkle salt and pepper; put in three or four slices of pork	 just 	cover them with water	 and let them stew till tender. then take them up	 	mix a little flour and water together	 and thicken the liquor they were 	stewed in	 add a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg	 then put 	the chickens back in the stew pan	 and let them stew four or five 	minutes longer. when you have taken up the chickens	 soak two or three 	slices of toast in the gravy	 then put them in your platter	 lay the 	chickens over the toast	 and turn the gravy on them. if you wish to 	brown the chickens	 stew them without the pork	 till tender	 then fry 	the pork brown	 take it up	 put in the chickens	 and then fry until a 	light brown. 	 	 	 . _pigeons._ 	 	take out the inwards	 and stuff the pigeons with a dressing prepared 	like that for turkeys	 lay them in a pot with the breast side down. turn 	in more than enough water to cover them. when stewed nearly tender	 put 	in a quarter of a pound of butter to every dozen of pigeons--mix two or 	three tea spoonsful of flour	 with a little water	 and stir into the 	gravy. if you wish to brown them	 put on a heated bake pan lid	 an hour 	before they are done	 or else take them up when tender	 and fry them in 	pork fat. they are very good split open and stewed	 with a dressing made 	and warmed up separately with a little of the gravy. tender pigeons are 	good stuffed and roasted. it takes about two hours to cook tender 	pigeons	 and three hours tough ones. roast pigeons should be buttered 	when put to the fire. 	 	 	 . _ducks._ 	 	are good stewed like pigeons	 or roasted. two or three onions in the 	dressing of wild ducks	 takes out the fishy taste they are apt to have. 	if ducks or any other fowls are slightly injured by being kept long	 dip 	them in weak saleratus water before cooking them. 	 	 	 . _baked or roast pig._ 	 	a pig for roasting or baking should be small and fat. take out the 	inwards	 and cut off the first joint of the feet	 and boil them till 	tender	 then chop them. prepare a dressing of bread soaked soft	 the 	water squeezed out	 and the bread mashed fine	 season it with salt	 	pepper	 and sweet herbs	 add a little butter	 and fill the pig with the 	dressing. rub a little butter on the outside of the pig	 to prevent its 	blistering. bake or roast it from two hours and a half	 to three hours. 	the pan that the pig is baked in should have a little water put in it. 	when cooked	 take out a little of the dressing and gravy from the pan	 	mix it with the chopped inwards and feet	 put in a little butter	 	pepper	 and salt	 and use this for a sauce to the pig. expose the pig 	to the open air two or three minutes	 before it is put on the table	 to 	make it crispy. 	 	 	 . _sweet bread	 liver	 and heart._ 	 	a very good way to cook the sweet bread	 is to fry three or four slices 	of pork till brown	 then take them up and put in the sweet bread	 and 	fry it over a moderate fire. when you have taken up the sweet bread	 mix 	a couple of tea-spoonsful of flour with a little water	 and stir it into 	the fat--let it boil	 then turn it over the sweet bread. another way is 	to parboil them	 and let them get cold	 then cut them in pieces about an 	inch thick	 dip them in the yelk of an egg	 and fine bread crumbs	 	sprinkle salt	 pepper	 and sage on them	 before dipping them in the egg	 	fry them a light brown. make a gravy after you have taken them up	 by 	stirring a little flour and water mixed smooth into the fat	 add spices 	and wine if you like. the liver and heart are good cooked in the same 	manner	 or broiled. 	 	 	 . _pressed head._ 	 	pig's head is good baked with beans	 or corned and smoked. it is also 	nice prepared with spices in the following manner. boil the ears	 	forehead	 and rind	 (the cheek is good	 but it is better corned and 	smoked	) till the meat will almost drop from the bones; take them up; 	when cold cut the meat in strips about an inch long	 warm it in a little 	of the liquor in which the meat was boiled	 season it with salt	 pepper	 	cloves	 nutmeg	 and cinnamon. put it while hot in a strong bag	 put a 	heavy weight upon it	 and let it remain till perfectly cold. when you 	wish to eat it	 cut it in thin slices. 	 	 	 . _souse._ 	 	take pig's ears and feet	 clean them thoroughly	 then soak them in salt 	and water	 for several days. boil them tender	 and split them	 they are 	then good fried. if you wish to souse them when cold	 turn boiling 	vinegar on them	 spiced with pepper-corns	 and mace. cloves improve the 	taste	 but it turns them a dark color. add a little salt. they will keep 	good pickled five or six weeks. fry them in lard. 	 	 	 . _tripe._ 	 	after being scoured	 should be soaked in salt and water seven or eight 	days	 changing the water every other day	 then boil it till tender	 	which will take eight or ten hours. it is then fit for broiling	 frying	 	or pickling. it is pickled in the same manner as souse. 	 	 	 . _sausages._ 	 	chop fresh pork very fine	 the lean and fat together	 (there should be 	rather more of the lean than the fat	) season it highly with salt	 	pepper	 sage	 and other sweet herbs	 if you like them--a little 	salt-petre tends to preserve them. to tell whether they are seasoned 	enough	 do up a little into a cake	 and fry it. if not seasoned enough	 	add more seasoning	 and fill your skins	 which should be previously 	cleaned thoroughly. a little flour mixed in with the meat	 tends to 	prevent the fat from running out when cooked. sausage-meat is good	 done 	up in small cakes and fried. in summer	 when fresh pork cannot be 	procured	 very good sausage-cakes may be made of raw beef	 chopped fine 	with salt pork	 and seasoned with pepper and sage. when sausages are 	fried	 they should not be pricked	 and they will cook nicer	 to have a 	little fat put in the frying-pan with them. they should be cooked 	slowly. if you do not like them very fat	 take them out of the pan when 	nearly done	 and finish cooking them on a gridiron. bologna sausages are 	made of equal weight each	 of ham	 veal	 and pork	 chopped very fine	 	seasoned high	 and boiled in casings	 till tender	 then dried. 	 	 	 . _ham._ 	 	a ham that weighs ten pounds	 should be boiled four or five hours; if 	very salt	 the water should be changed. before it is put on the table	 	take off the rind. if you wish to ornament it	 put whole cloves	 or 	pepper	 in the form of diamonds	 over it. the virginia method of curing 	hams	 (which is considered very superior)	 is to dissolve two ounces of 	salt-petre	 two tea spoonsful of saleratus	 in a salt pickle	 as strong 	as possible	 for every sixteen pounds of ham	 add molasses in the 	proportion of a gallon to a hogshead of brine	 then put in the hams	 and 	let them remain three or four weeks. then take them out of the brine	 	and smoke them with the hocks downwards	 to preserve the juices. they 	will smoke tolerably well	 in the course of a month	 but they will be 	much better	 to remain in the smoke-house two or three months. hams 	cured in this manner are very fine flavored	 and will keep good a long 	time. 	 	 	 . _tongues._ 	 	cut off the roots of the tongues	 they are not good smoked	 but they 	make nice pies. take out the pipes and veins	 boil them till tender	 	mince them fine	 season the meat with salt	 cloves	 mace	 and cinnamon	 	put in a little sugar and molasses	 moisten the whole with brandy	 put 	it in a cool place	 and it will keep good several months in cold 	weather	 and is good to make pies of at any time	 with the addition of 	apples chopped fine	 and a little butter melted. for the remainder of 	the tongues	 make a brine in the following manner--to a gallon of cold 	water	 put a quart of rock salt	 an ounce of salt-petre	 quarter of a 	pound of sugar	 and a couple of table spoonsful of blown salt. put in 	the tongues	 let them remain in it a week	 and then smoke them eight or 	ten days. 	 	 	 . _curries._ 	 	chickens	 pigeons	 mutton chops	 lobsters and veal	 all make good 	curries. if the curry dish is to be made of fowls	 they should be 	jointed. boil the meat till tender	 in just sufficient water to cover 	it	 and add a little salt. just before the meat is boiled enough to take 	up	 fry three or four slices of pork till brown--take them up	 and put 	in the chickens. let them brown	 then add part of the liquor in which 	they were boiled	 one or two tea spoonsful of curry powder	 and the 	fried pork. mix a tea spoonful of curry powder with a tea cup of boiled 	rice	 or a little flour and water mixed--turn it on to the curry	 and 	let it stew a few minutes. 	 	 	 . _chicken pie._ 	 	joint the chickens	 which should be young and tender--boil them in just 	sufficient water to cover them. when nearly tender	 take them out of the 	liquor	 and lay them in a deep pudding dish	 lined with pie crust. to 	each layer of chicken	 put three or four slices of pork--add a little of 	the liquor in which they were boiled	 and a couple of ounces of butter	 	cut into small pieces--sprinkle a little flour over the whole	 cover it 	with nice pie crust	 and ornament the top with some of your pastry. bake 	it in a quick oven one hour. 	 	 	 . _beef and mutton pie._ 	 	take tender meat	 pound it out thin	 and broil it ten minutes--then cut 	off the bony and gristly parts	 season it highly with salt and pepper	 	butter it	 and cut it into small pieces. line a pudding dish with 	pastry	 put in the meat	 and to each layer add a tea spoonful of tomato 	catsup	 together with a table spoonful of water--sprinkle over flour	 	and cover it with pie crust	 and ornament as you please with pastry. 	cold roast	 or boiled beef	 and mutton	 make a good pie	 by cutting them 	into bits	 and seasoning them highly with salt and pepper. put them into 	a pie dish	 turn a little melted butter over them	 or gravy	 and pour in 	water till you can just see it at the top. 	 	 	 . _chicken and veal pot pie._ 	 	if the pie is to be made of chickens	 joint them--boil the meat until 	about half done. take the meat out of the liquor in which it was boiled	 	and put it in a pot	 with a layer of crust to each layer of meat	 having 	a layer of crust on the top. the meat should be seasoned with salt and 	pepper--cover the whole with the boiled meat liquor. if you wish to have 	the crust brown	 keep the pot covered with a heated bake pan lid. keep a 	tea kettle of boiling water to turn in as the water boils away--cold 	water makes the crust heavy. the crust for the pie is good like that 	made for fruit pies	 with less shortening	 but raised pie crust is 	generally preferred to any other. it is made in the following 	manner--mix together three pints of flour	 a tea cup of melted butter	 a 	tea spoonful of salt	 then turn in half a tea cup of yeast--add cold 	water to make it sufficiently stiff to roll out. set it in a warm place 	to rise	 which will take seven or eight hours	 unless brewer's yeast is 	used. when risen	 roll it out	 and cut it into small cakes. potatoe pie 	crust is very nice. to make it	 boil eight or nine small potatoes	 peel 	and mash them fine	 mix with them a piece of butter	 of the size of a 	hen's egg	 a tea spoonful of salt	 a tumbler full of milk	 and flour to 	render it of the right consistency to roll out. when rolled out	 cut 	them into cakes	 and put them with the meat. if you happen to have 	unbaked wheat dough	 very good crust may be made of it	 by working into 	it a little lukewarm melted butter. let it remain	 after you have rolled 	and cut it into cakes	 about ten or fifteen minutes	 before putting it 	with the meat. 	 	 	 . _to frizzle beef._ 	 	take beef that is fresh smoked and tender--shave it off thin	 put it in 	a stew pan	 with water enough to cover it--let it stew ten or fifteen 	minutes. three or four minutes before it is taken up	 mix a little flour 	and water together	 and stir in	 to thicken the water; add a little 	butter and pepper. this makes a good dish for breakfast--eggs are a nice 	accompaniment to it. 	 	 	 . _warmed over meats._ 	 	boiled or roasted veal makes a nice dish	 chopped fine	 and warmed up	 	with just sufficient water to moisten it	 and a little butter	 salt	 and 	pepper	 added. a little nutmeg	 and the grated rind of a lemon	 improve 	it--none of the white part of the lemon should be used. when well heated 	through	 take it up on a platter	 and garnish it with a couple of lemons 	cut in slices. fresh or corned beef is good minced fine	 with boiled 	potatoes	 and warmed up with salt	 pepper	 and a little water--add 	butter	 just before you take it up. some people use the gravy that they 	have left the day before	 for the meat	 but it is not as good when 	warmed over	 and there is no need of its being wasted	 as it can be 	clarified	 and used for other purposes. boiled onions	 or turnips	 are 	good mixed with mince meat	 instead of potatoes. veal	 lamb	 and mutton	 	are good cut into small strips	 and warmed with boiled potatoes cut in 	slices	 pepper	 salt	 a little water--add butter just before you take it 	up. roast beef and mutton	 if not previously cooked too much	 are nice 	cut in slices	 and just scorched on a gridiron. meat	 when warmed over	 	should be on the fire just long enough to get well heated through--if on 	the fire long	 most of the juices of the meat will be extracted	 and 	render it very indigestible. cold fowls are nice jointed	 and warmed 	with a little water	 then taken up	 and fried in butter till brown. a 	little flour should be sprinkled on them before frying. thicken the 	water that the fowls were warmed in--add a little salt	 pepper	 and 	butter	 and turn it over the fowls. 	 	 	 . _a ragout of cold veal._ 	 	cut boiled or roasted veal in nice slices--flour and fry them in butter	 	till a light brown--then take them up	 and turn a little hot water into 	the butter they were fried in	 mix a little flour and water together	 	and stir it into the gravy--season it with salt	 pepper	 (nutmeg	 or 	catsup	) and lemon juice--put in the meat	 and stew it till very 	hot--stew two or three onions with it	 if you like. 	 	 	 . _drawn butter._ 	 	mix two or three tea spoonsful of flour with a little cold water--stir 	it till free from lumps	 thin it	 and stir it into half a pint of 	boiling water--let it boil two or three minutes	 then cut up about a 	quarter of a pound of butter into small pieces	 and put it with the 	flour and water--set it where it will melt gradually. if carefully 	mixed	 it will be free from lumps--if not	 strain it before it is put on 	the table. if the butter is to be eaten on fish	 cut up several soft 	boiled eggs into it. a little curry powder sprinkled into it	 will 	convert it into curry sauce. 	 	 	 . _burnt butter._ 	 	put a couple of ounces of butter into a frying pan--set it on the 	fire--when of a dark brown color	 put in half a tea cup full of vinegar	 	a little pepper and salt. this is nice for fish	 salad	 or eggs. 	 	 	 . _roast meat gravy._ 	 	meat	 when put down to roast	 should have about a pint of water in the 	dripping pan. a little while before the meat is done	 stir up the 	drippings	 put it in a skillet	 and set it where it will boil. mix two 	or three tea spoonsful of flour smoothly	 with a little water	 and stir 	it in the gravy when it boils. lamb and veal require a little butter in 	the gravy. the gravy for pork and geese	 should have a little of the 	dressing	 and sage	 mixed with it. if you wish to have your gravies look 	dark	 scorch the flour that you thicken them with	 which is easily done 	by putting it in a pan	 setting it on a few coals	 and stirring it 	constantly till it is a dark brown color	 taking care that it does not 	burn. enough can be burnt at once to last a long time. 	 	 	 . _sauce for cold meat	 fish or salad._ 	 	boil a couple of eggs three minutes--then mix it with a mustard spoonful 	of made mustard	 a little salt	 pepper	 half a tea cup of salad oil	 or 	melted butter	 and half a tea cup of vinegar. a table spoonful of catsup 	improves it. 	 	 	 . _wine sauce for venison or mutton._ 	 	warm half a pint of the drippings	 or liquor the meat was boiled in--mix 	a couple of tea spoonsful of scorched flour with a little water	 and 	stir it in when the gravy boils. season it with salt	 pepper	 and 	cloves--stir a table spoonful of currant jelly in	 and just before you 	take it from the fire	 half a tumbler of wine. many people prefer melted 	currant jelly to any other sauce for venison or mutton. 	 	 	 . _rice sauce._ 	 	boil one onion and half a tea cup of rice with a blade of mace	 till 	very soft	 in just water enough to cover it--then stir in half a pint of 	milk	 a little salt	 and strain it. this is a nice accompaniment to 	game. 	 	 	 . _oyster sauce._ 	 	take the juice of the oysters	 and to a pint put a couple of sticks of 	mace	 a little salt and pepper. set it on the fire--when it boils	 stir 	in a couple of tea spoonsful of flour	 mixed with milk. when it has 	boiled several minutes	 stir in half a pint of oysters	 a piece of 	butter	 of the size of a hen's egg. let them scald through	 then take 	them up. 	 	 	 . _white celery sauce for boiled poultry._ 	 	take five or six heads of celery--cut off the green tops	 cut up the 	remainder into small bits	 and boil it till tender	 in half a pint of 	water--mix two or three tea spoonsful of flour smoothly with a little 	milk--then add half a tea cup more of milk	 stir it in	 add a small lump 	of butter	 and a little salt. when it boils	 take it up. 	 	 	 . _brown sauce for poultry._ 	 	peel two or three onions	 cut them in slices	 flour and fry them brown	 	in a little butter--then sprinkle in a little flour	 pepper	 salt	 and 	sage--add half a pint of the liquor the poultry was boiled in	 and a 	table spoonful of catsup. let it boil up	 then stir in half a wine glass 	of wine if you like. 	 	 	 . _savory jelly for cold meat._ 	 	boil lean beef or veal till tender. if you have any beef or veal bones	 	crack and boil them with the meat	 (they should be boiled longer than 	the meat	) together with a little salt pork	 sweet herbs	 and pepper and 	salt. when boiled sufficiently	 take it off	 strain it	 and let it 	remain till the next day--then skim off the fat	 take up the jelly	 and 	scrape off the dregs that adhere to the bottom of it--put in the whites 	and shells of several eggs	 several blades of mace	 a little wine	 and 	lemon juice--set it on the fire	 stir it well till it boils	 then strain 	it till clear through a jelly bag. 	 	 	 . _liver sauce for fish._ 	 	boil the liver of the fish--then mash it fine	 stir it into drawn 	butter	 put in a little cayenne	 or black pepper	 a couple of tea 	spoonsful of lemon juice	 and a table spoonful of catsup. 	 	 	 . _sauce for lobsters._ 	 	boil a couple of eggs three minutes--mix them with the spawn of the 	lobster	 and a tea spoonful of water. when rubbed smooth	 stir in a tea 	spoonful of mixed mustard	 half a tea cup of salad oil	 or the same 	quantity of butter melted	 a little salt	 pepper	 and five table 	spoonsful of vinegar. 	 	 	 . _chicken salad._ 	 	boil a chicken that weighs not more than a pound and a half. when very 	tender	 take it up	 cut it in small strips	 and make the following 	sauce	 and turn over it--boil four eggs three minutes--then take them 	out of the shells	 mash and mix them with a couple of table spoonsful of 	olive oil	 or melted butter	 two thirds of a tumbler of vinegar	 a tea 	spoonful of mixed mustard	 a tea spoonful of salt	 a little pepper	 and 	essence of celery	 if you have it--if not	 it can be dispensed with. 	 	 	 . _sauce for turtle	 or calf's head._ 	 	to half a pint of hot melted butter	 or beef gravy	 put the juice and 	grated rind of half a lemon	 a little sage	 basil	 or sweet marjoram	 a 	little cayenne	 or black pepper	 and salt. add a wine glass of white 	wine just before you take it up. 	 	 	 . _apple and cranberry sauce._ 	 	pare and quarter the apples--if not tart	 stew them in cider--if tart 	enough	 stew them in water. when stewed soft	 put in a small piece of 	butter	 and sweeten it to the taste	 with sugar. another way	 which is 	very good	 is to boil the apples	 without paring them	 with a few 	quinces and molasses	 in new cider	 till reduced to half the quantity. 	when cool	 strain the sauce. this kind of sauce will keep good several 	months. it makes very good plain pies	 with the addition of a little 	cinnamon or cloves. to make cranberry sauce	 nothing more is necessary 	than to stew the cranberries till soft; then stir in sugar and molasses 	to sweeten it. let the sugar scald in it a few minutes. strain it if you 	like--it is very good without straining. 	 	 	 . _pudding sauce._ 	 	stir to a cream a tea cup of butter	 with two of brown sugar	 then add a 	wine glass of wine	 or cider--flavor it with nutmeg	 rose-water	 or 	essence of lemon. if you wish to have it liquid	 heat two-thirds of a 	pint of water boiling hot	 mix two or three tea spoonsful of flour with 	a little water	 and stir it into the boiling water. as soon as its boils 	up well	 stir it into the butter and sugar. 	 	 	 . _tomato soy._ 	 	take ripe tomatos	 and prick them with a fork--lay them in a deep dish	 	and to each layer put a layer of salt. let them remain in it four or 	five days	 then take them out of the salt	 and put them in vinegar and 	water for one night. drain off the vinegar	 and to each peck of tomatos 	put half a pint of mustard seed	 half an ounce of cloves	 and the same 	quantity of pepper. the tomatos should be put in a jar	 with a layer of 	sliced onions to each layer of the tomatos	 and the spices sprinkled 	over each layer. in ten days	 they will be in good eating order. 	 	 	 . _tomato catsup._ 	 	to a gallon of ripe tomatos	 put four table spoonsful of salt	 four of 	ground black pepper	 three table spoonsful of ground mustard	 half a 	table spoonful of allspice	 half a spoonful of cloves	 six red peppers	 	ground fine--simmer the whole slowly	 with a pint of vinegar	 three or 	four hours--then strain it through a sieve	 bottle and cork it tight. 	the catsup should be made in a tin utensil	 and the later in the season 	it is made	 the less liable it will be to spoil. 	 	 	 . _mushroom catsup._ 	 	put a layer of fresh mushrooms in a deep dish	 sprinkle a little salt 	over them	 then put in another layer of fresh mushrooms	 and salt	 and 	so on till you get in all the mushrooms. let them remain several 	days--then mash them fine	 and to each quart put a table spoonful of 	vinegar	 half a tea spoonful of black pepper	 and a quarter of a tea 	spoonful of cloves--turn it into a stone jar	 set the jar in a pot of 	boiling water	 and let it boil two hours	 then strain it without 	squeezing the mushrooms. boil the juice a quarter of an hour	 skim it 	well	 let it stand a few hours to settle	 then turn it off carefully 	through a sieve	 bottle and cork it tight. keep it in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _walnut catsup._ 	 	procure the walnuts by the last of june--keep them in salt and water for 	a week	 then bruise them	 and turn boiling vinegar on them. let them 	remain covered with vinegar for several days	 stirring them up each 	day--then boil them a quarter of an hour with a little more vinegar	 	strain it through a thick cloth	 so that none of the coarse particles of 	the walnuts will go through--season the vinegar highly with cloves	 	allspice	 pepper and salt. boil the whole a few minutes	 then bottle and 	cork it tight. keep it in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _curry powder._ 	 	mix an ounce of ginger	 one of mustard	 one of pepper	 three of 	coriander seed	 the same quantity of turmeric	 a quarter of an ounce of 	cayenne pepper	 half an ounce of cardamums	 and the same of cummin seed 	and cinnamon. pound the whole fine	 sift	 and keep it in a bottle corked 	tight. 	 	 	 . _essence of celery._ 	 	steep an ounce of celery seed in half a pint of brandy	 or vinegar. a 	few drops of this will give a fine flavor to soups	 and sauce for fowls. 	 	 	 . _soup herb spirit._ 	 	those who like a variety of herbs in soup	 will find it very convenient 	to have the following mixture. take when in their prime	 thyme	 sweet 	marjoram	 sweet basil	 and summer savory. when thoroughly dried	 pound 	and sift them. steep them in brandy for a fortnight	 the spirit will 	then be fit for use. 	 	 	 . _plain veal soup._ 	 	a leg of veal	 after enough has been cut off for cutlets	 makes a soup 	nearly as good as calf's head. boil it with a cup two thirds full of 	rice	 a pound and a half of pork--season it with salt	 pepper	 and sweet 	herbs	 if you like. a little celery boiled in it gives the soup a fine 	flavor. some people like onions	 carrots	 and parsely boiled in it. if 	you wish for balls in the soup	 chop veal and a little raw salt pork 	fine	 mix it with a few bread crumbs	 and a couple of eggs. season it 	with salt and pepper--add a little curry powder if you like	 do it up 	into small balls	 and boil them in the soup. the veal should be taken up 	before the soup is seasoned. just before the soup is taken up	 put in a 	couple of slices of toast	 cut into small pieces. if you do not like 	your soup fat	 let the liquor remain till the day after you have boiled 	the meat	 and skim off the fat before heating the liquor. the shoulder 	of veal makes a good soup. 	 	 	 . _mock turtle	 or calf's head soup._ 	 	boil the head until perfectly tender--then take it out	 strain the 	liquor	 and set it away until the next day--then skim off the fat	 cut 	up the meat	 together with the lights	 and put it into the liquor	 put 	it on the fire	 and season it with salt	 pepper	 cloves	 and mace--add 	onions and sweet herbs	 if you like--stew it gently for half an hour. 	just before you take it up	 add half a pint of white wine. for the 	balls	 chop lean veal fine	 with a little salt pork	 add the brains	 and 	season it with salt	 pepper	 cloves	 mace	 sweet herbs or curry powder	 	make it up into balls about the size of half an egg	 boil part in the 	soup	 and fry the remainder	 and put them in a dish by themselves. 	 	 	 . _beef or black soup._ 	 	the shank of beef is the best part for soup--cold roast beef bones	 and 	beef steak	 make very good soup. boil the shank four or five hours in 	water	 enough to cover it. half an hour before the soup is put on the 	table	 take up the meat	 thicken the soup with scorched flour	 mixed 	with cold water	 season it with salt	 pepper	 cloves	 mace	 a little 	walnut	 or tomato catsup improves it	 put in sweet herbs or herb spirit 	if you like. some cooks boil onions in the soup	 but as they are very 	disagreeable to many persons	 it is better to boil and serve them up in 	a dish by themselves. make force meat balls of part of the beef and 	pork	 season them with mace	 cloves	 pepper	 and salt	 and boil them in 	the soup fifteen minutes. 	 	 	 . _chicken or turkey soup._ 	 	the liquor that a turkey or chicken is boiled in	 makes a good soup. if 	you do not like your soup fat	 let the liquor remain till the day after 	the poultry has been boiled in it	 then skim off the fat	 set it where 	it will boil. if there was not any rice boiled with the meat	 put in 	half a tea cup full	 when the liquor boils	 or slice up a few potatoes 	and put in--season it with salt and pepper	 sweet herbs	 and a little 	celery boiled in it improves it. toast bread or crackers	 and put them 	in the soup when you take it up. 	 	 	 . _oyster soup._ 	 	separate the oysters from the liquor	 to each quart of the liquor	 put a 	pint of milk or water	 set it on the fire with the oysters. mix a 	heaping table spoonful of flour with a little water	 and stir it into 	the liquor as soon as it boils. season it with salt	 pepper	 and a 	little walnut	 or butternut vinegar	 if you have it	 if not	 common 	vinegar may be substituted. put in a small lump of butter	 and turn it 	as soon as it boils up again on to buttered toast	 cut into small 	pieces. 	 	 	 . _pea soup._ 	 	if you make your soup of dry peas	 soak them over night	 in a warm 	place	 using a quart of water to each quart of the peas. early the next 	morning boil them an hour. boil with them a tea spoonful of saleratus	 	eight or ten minutes	 then take them out of the water they were soaking 	in	 put them into fresh water	 with a pound of salt pork	 and boil it 	till the peas are soft	 which will be in the course of three or four 	hours. green peas for soup require no soaking	 and boiling only long 	enough to have the pork get thoroughly cooked	 which will be in the 	course of an hour. 	 	 	 . _portable soup._ 	 	take beef or veal soup	 and let it get perfectly cold	 then skim off 	every particle of the grease. set it on the fire	 and let it boil till 	of a thick glutinous consistence. care should be taken that it does not 	burn. season it highly with salt	 pepper	 cloves and mace--add a little 	wine or brandy	 and then turn it on to earthen platters. it should not 	be more than a quarter of an inch in thickness. let it remain until 	cold	 then cut it in pieces three inches square	 set them in the sun to 	dry	 turning them frequently. when perfectly dry	 put them in an earthen 	or tin vessel	 having a layer of white paper between each layer. these	 	if the directions are strictly attended to	 will keep good a long time. 	whenever you wish to make a soup of them	 nothing more is necessary	 	than to put a quart of water to one of the cakes	 and heat it very hot. 	 	 	 . _to boil eggs._ 	 	they should be put into boiling water	 and if you wish to have them 	soft	 boil them only three minutes. if you wish to have them hard enough 	to cut in slices	 boil them five minutes. another way which is very 	nice	 is to break the shells	 and drop the eggs into a pan of scalding 	hot water	 let it stand till the white has set	 then put the pan on a 	moderate fire	 when the water boils up	 the eggs are cooked 	sufficiently. eggs look very prettily cooked in this way	 the yelk being 	just visible through the white. if you do not use the eggs for a 	garnish	 serve them up with burnt butter. see receipt for making	 no. 	 . 	 	 	 . _omelet._ 	 	beat the eggs to a froth	 and to a dozen of eggs put three ounces of 	finely minced boiled ham	 beef	 or veal; if the latter meat is used	 add 	a little salt. melt a quarter of a pound of butter	 mix a little of it 	with the eggs--it should be just lukewarm. set the remainder of the 	butter on the fire	 in a frying or tin pan	 when quite hot	 turn in the 	eggs beaten to a froth	 stir them until they begin to set. when brown on 	the under side	 it is sufficiently cooked. the omelet should be cooked 	on a moderate fire	 and in a pan small enough	 to have the omelet an 	inch thick. when you take them up	 lay a flat dish on them	 then turn 	the pan upside down. 	 	 	 . _poached eggs._ 	 	break the eggs into a pan	 beat them to a froth	 then put them into a 	buttered tin pan	 set the pan on a few coals	 put in a small lump of 	butter	 a little salt	 let them cook very slowly	 stirring them 	constantly till they become quite thick	 then turn them on to buttered 	toast. 	 	 	 . _directions for broiling	 boiling and frying fish._ 	 	fish for boiling or broiling are the best the day after they are caught. 	they should be cleaned when first caught	 washed in cold water	 and half 	a tea cup of salt sprinkled on the inside of them. if they are to be 	broiled	 sprinkle pepper on the inside of them--keep them in a cool 	place. when fish is broiled	 the bars of the gridiron should be rubbed 	over with a little butter	 and the inside of the fish put towards the 	fire	 and not turned till the fish is nearly cooked through--then butter 	the skin side	 and turn it over--fish should be broiled slowly. when 	fresh fish is to be boiled	 it should either be laid on a fish strainer	 	or sewed up in a cloth--if not	 it is very difficult to take it out of 	the pot without breaking. put the fish into cold water	 with the back 	bone down. to eight or ten pounds of fish	 put half of a small tea cup 	of salt. boil the fish until you can draw out one of the fins 	easily--most kinds of fish will boil sufficiently in the course of 	twenty or thirty minutes	 some kinds will boil in less time. some cooks 	do not put their fish into the water till it boils	 but it is not a good 	plan	 as the outside gets cooked too much	 and breaks to pieces before 	the inside is sufficiently done. fish for frying	 after being cleaned 	and washed	 should be put into a cloth to have it absorb the moisture. 	they should be dried perfectly	 and a little flour rubbed over them. no 	salt should be put on them	 if you wish to have them brown well. for 	five or six pounds of fish	 fry three or four slices of salt pork--when 	brown	 take them up	 and if they do not make fat sufficient to fry the 	fish in	 add a little lard. when the fish are fried enough	 take them 	up	 and for good plain gravy	 mix two or three tea spoonsful of flour 	with a little water	 and stir it into the fat the fish was fried in--put 	in a little butter	 pepper	 and salt	 if you wish to have the gravy 	rich--add spices	 catsup and wine--turn the gravy over the fish. boiled 	fish should be served up with drawn butter	 or liver sauce	 (see 	directions for making each	 nos. and .) fish	 when put on the 	platter	 should not be laid over each other if it can be avoided	 as the 	steam from the under ones makes those on the top so moist	 that they 	will break to pieces when served out. 	 	great care and punctuality is necessary in cooking fish. if not done 	sufficiently	 or if done too much	 they are not good. they should be 	eaten as soon as cooked. for a garnish to the fish	 use parsely	 a 	lemon	 or eggs boiled hard	 and cut in slices. 	 	 	 . _chowder._ 	 	fry three or four slices of pork till brown--cut each of your fish into 	five or six slices	 flour	 and put a layer of them in your pork fat	 	sprinkle on pepper and a little salt--add cloves	 mace	 and sliced 	onions if you like--lay on several bits of your fried pork	 and crackers 	previously soaked soft in cold water. this process repeat till you get 	in all the fish	 then turn on water enough to just cover them--put on a 	heated bake pan lid. when the fish have stewed about twenty minutes	 	take them up	 and mix a couple of tea spoonsful of flour with a little 	water	 and stir it into the gravy	 also	 a little butter and pepper. 	half a pint of white wine	 spices	 and catsup	 will improve it. bass and 	cod make the best chowder--black fish and clams make tolerably good 	ones. the hard part of the clams should be cut off	 and thrown away. 	 	 	 . _stuffed and baked fish._ 	 	soak bread in cold water till soft--drain off the water	 mash the bread 	fine	 mix it with a table spoonful of melted butter	 a little pepper and 	salt--a couple of raw eggs makes the dressing cut smoother--add spices 	if you like. fill the fish	 with the dressing	 sew it up	 put a tea cup 	of water in your bake pan	 and a small piece of butter--lay in the fish	 	bake it from forty to fifty minutes. fresh cod	 bass	 and shad	 are 	suitable fish for baking. 	 	 	 . _codfish._ 	 	fresh cod is good boiled	 fried	 or made into a chowder. it is too dry a 	fish to broil. salt cod should be soaked in lukewarm water till the skin 	will come off easily--then take up the fish	 scrape off the skin	 and 	put it in fresh water	 and set it on a very moderate fire	 where it will 	keep warm without boiling	 as it hardens by boiling. it takes between 	three and four hours to cook it soft--serve it up with drawn butter. 	cold salt codfish is nice minced fine	 and mixed with mashed potatoes	 	and warmed up	 with just water enough to moisten it	 and considerable 	butter. it makes a nice dish for breakfast	 prepared in the following 	manner. pull the fish into small pieces	 soak it an hour in warm water	 	then drain off the water	 put a little milk and butter to it	 stew it a 	few minutes	 and serve it up with soft boiled eggs. 	 	 	 . _cod sounds and tongues._ 	 	soak them four or five hours in lukewarm water--then take them out of 	the water	 scrape off the skin	 cut them once in two	 and stew them in a 	little milk. just before they are taken up	 stir in butter	 and a little 	flour. 	 	 	 . _halibut._ 	 	is nice cut in slices	 salted and peppered	 and broiled or fried. the 	fins and thick part is good boiled. 	 	 	 . _striped and sea bass._ 	 	bass are good fried	 boiled	 broiled	 or made into a chowder. 	 	 	 . _black fish._ 	 	are the best boiled or fried--they will do to broil	 but are not so good 	as cooked in any other way. 	 	 	 . _shad._ 	 	fresh shad are good baked or boiled	 but better broiled. for broiling	 	they should have a good deal of salt and pepper sprinkled on the inside 	of them	 and remain several hours before broiling. the spawn and liver 	are good boiled or fried. salt shad and mackerel	 for broiling	 should 	be soaked ten or twelve hours in cold water. salt shad	 for boiling	 	need not be soaked only long enough to get off the scales	 without you 	like them quite fresh--if so	 turn boiling water on them	 and let them 	soak in it an hour--then put them into fresh boiling water	 and boil 	them twenty minutes. to pickle shad	 mix one pound of sugar	 a peck of 	rock salt	 two quarts of blown salt	 and a quarter of a pound of 	salt-petre. allow this quantity to every twenty-five shad. put a layer 	of the mixture at the bottom of the keg	 then a layer of cleaned shad	 	with the skin side down. sprinkle on another layer of salt	 sugar	 and 	salt-petre	 and so on till you get in all the shad. lay a heavy weight 	on the shad	 to keep it under the brine. if the juice of the shad does 	not run out so as to form brine sufficient to cover them	 in the course 	of a week	 make a little brine	 and turn on to them. 	 	 	 . _sturgeons._ 	 	sturgeons are good boiled or baked	 but better fried. before baking it	 	boil it about fifteen minutes	 to extract the strong oily taste	 and 	when baked	 to eight or ten pounds of it put a quart of water into the 	pan	 and bake it till tender. (see directions for baking fish	 no. .) 	the part next to the tail is the best for baking or frying. sturgeons 	are very nice	 cooked in the following manner. cut it in slices nearly 	an inch thick--fry a few slices of pork--when brown	 take them up	 and 	put in the sturgeon. when a good brown color	 take them up	 and stir in 	a little flour and water	 mixed smoothly together. season the gravy with 	salt	 pepper	 and catsup--stir in a little butter	 and wine if you like	 	then put back the sturgeon	 and let it stew a few minutes in the gravy. 	while the sturgeon is cooking	 make force meat balls of part of the 	sturgeon and salt pork--fry and use them as a garnish for the fish. 	 	 	 . _fish cakes._ 	 	cold boiled fresh fish	 or salt codfish	 is nice minced fine	 with 	potatoes	 moistened with a little water	 and a little butter put in	 	done up into cakes of the size of common biscuit	 and fried brown in 	pork fat or butter. 	 	 	 . _fish force meat balls._ 	 	take a little uncooked fish	 chop it fine	 together with a little raw 	salt pork	 mix it with one or two raw eggs	 a few bread crumbs	 and 	season the whole with pepper and spices. add a little catsup if you 	like--do them up into small balls	 and fry them till brown. 	 	 	 . _lobsters and crabs._ 	 	put them into boiling water	 and boil them from half to three quarters 	of an hour	 according to their size. boil half a tea cup of salt with 	every four pounds of the fish. when cold	 crack the shell	 and take out 	the meat	 taking care to extract the blue veins	 and what is called the 	lady in the lobster	 as they are very unhealthy. if the fish are not 	eaten cold	 warm them up with a little water	 vinegar	 salt	 pepper	 and 	butter. the following way of dressing lobsters looks very prettily. pick 	out the spawn and red chord	 mash them fine	 rub them through a sieve	 	put in a little butter and salt. cut the lobsters into squares	 and warm 	it	 together with the spawn	 over a moderate fire. when hot	 take it up	 	and garnish it with parsely. the chord and spawn are a handsome garnish 	for any kind of fish. 	 	 	 . _scollops._ 	 	are nice boiled	 and then fried	 or boiled and pickled	 in the same 	manner as oysters. take them out of the shells--when boiled	 pick out 	the hearts	 and throw the rest away	 as the heart is the only part that 	is healthy to eat. dip the hearts in flour	 and fry them in lard till 	brown. the hearts are good stewed	 with a little water	 butter	 salt	 	and pepper. 	 	 	 . _eels._ 	 	eels	 if very large	 are best split open	 cut into short pieces	 and 	seasoned with salt and pepper	 and broiled several hours after they have 	been salted. they are good cut into small strips	 and laid in a deep 	dish	 with bits of salt pork	 seasoned with salt and pepper	 and covered 	with pounded rusked bread	 then baked half an hour. small eels are the 	best fried. 	 	 	 . _trout._ 	 	trout are good boiled	 broiled	 or fried--they are also good stewed a 	few minutes	 with bits of salt pork	 butter	 and a little water. trout	 	as well as all other kinds of fresh water fish	 are apt to have an 	earthy taste--to remove it	 soak them in salt and water a few minutes	 	after they are cleaned. 	 	 	 . _clams._ 	 	wash and put them in a pot	 with just water enough to prevent the shells 	burning at the bottom of the pot. heat them till the shells open--take 	the clams out of them	 and warm them with a little of the clam liquor	 a 	little salt	 butter	 and pepper. toast a slice or two of bread	 soak it 	in the clam liquor	 lay it in a deep dish	 and turn the clams on to it. 	for clam pancakes	 mix flour and milk together to form a thick 	batter--some cooks use the clam liquor	 but it does not make the 	pancakes as light as the milk. to each pint of the milk	 put a couple of 	eggs	 and a few clams--they are good taken out of the shells without 	stewing	 and chopped fine	 or stewed	 and put into the cakes whole. very 	large long clams are good taken out of the shells without stewing	 and 	broiled. 	 	 	 . _stewed oysters._ 	 	strain the oyster liquor	 rinse the bits of shells off the oysters	 then 	turn the liquor back on to the oysters	 and put them in a stew pan--set 	them where they will boil up	 then turn them on to buttered toast--salt	 	pepper	 and butter them to your taste. some cooks add a little walnut 	catsup	 or vinegar. the oysters should not be cooked till just before 	they are to be eaten. 	 	 	 . _to fry oysters._ 	 	take those that are large	 dip them in beaten eggs	 and then in flour	 	or fine bread crumbs--fry them in lard	 till of a light brown. they are 	a nice garnish for fish. they will keep good for several months if fried 	when first caught	 salted and peppered	 then put into a bottle	 and 	corked tight. whenever they are to be eaten	 warm them in a little 	water. 	 	 	 . _oyster pancakes._ 	 	mix equal quantities of milk and oyster juice together. to a pint of the 	liquor when mixed	 put a pint of wheat flour	 a few oysters	 a couple of 	eggs	 and a little salt. drop it by the large spoonful into hot lard. 	 	 	 . _oyster pie._ 	 	line a deep pie plate with pie crust--fill it with dry pieces of bread	 	cover it over with puff paste--bake it till a light brown	 either in a 	quick oven or bake pan. have the oysters just stewed by the time the 	crust is done--take off the upper crust	 remove the pieces of bread	 	put in the oysters	 season them with salt	 pepper	 and butter. a little 	walnut catsup improves the pie	 but is not essential--cover it with the 	crust. 	 	 	 . _scolloped oysters._ 	 	pound rusked bread or crackers fine--butter scollop shells or tins	 	sprinkle on the bread crumbs	 then put in a layer of oysters	 a small 	lump of butter	 pepper	 salt	 and a little of the oyster juice--then put 	on another layer of crumbs and oysters	 and so on till the shells are 	filled	 having a layer of crumbs at the top. bake them till a light 	brown. 	 	 	 . _potatoes._ 	 	the best way to cook irish potatoes	 is to pare and put them in a pot	 	with just boiling water enough to prevent their burning	 and a little 	salt. cover them tight	 and let them stew till you can stick a fork 	through them easily. if any water remains in the pot	 turn it off	 put 	the pot where it will keep moderately warm	 and let the potatoes steam a 	few moments longer. the easiest way to cook them	 is to put them in 	boiling water	 with the skins on	 and boiled constantly till done. they 	will not be mealy if they lie soaking in the water without boiling. they 	are more mealy to peel them as soon as tender	 and then put back in the 	pot without any water	 and set in a warm place where they will steam	 	with the lid of the pot off. old and poor potatoes are best boiled till 	soft	 then peeled and mashed fine	 with a little salt	 butter	 and very 	little milk put in--then put into a dish	 smoothed over with a knife	 a 	little flour sprinkled over it	 and put where it will brown. cold 	mashed	 or whole boiled potatoes	 are nice cut in slices	 and fried with 	just butter or lard enough to prevent their burning. when brown on both 	sides	 take them up	 salt and butter them. most potatoes will boil in 	the course of half an hour--new ones will boil in less time. sweet 	potatoes are better baked than boiled. 	 	 	 . _potato snow balls._ 	 	take the white mealy kind of potatoes--pare them	 and put them into just 	boiling water enough to cover them--add a little salt. when boiled 	tender	 drain off the water	 and let them steam till they break to 	pieces--take them up	 put two or three at a time compactly together in a 	strong cloth	 and press them tight	 in the form of a ball--then lay them 	in your potatoe dish carefully	 so as not to fall apart. 	 	 	 . _turnips._ 	 	white turnips require about as much boiling as potatoes. when tender	 	take them up	 peel and mash them--season them with a little salt and 	butter. yellow turnips require about two hours boiling--if very large	 	split them in two. the tops of white turnips make a good salad. 	 	 	 . _beets._ 	 	beets should not be cut or scraped before they are boiled	 or the juice 	will run out	 and make them insipid. in summer	 they will boil in an 	hour--in winter	 it takes three hours to boil them tender. the tops in 	summer are good boiled for greens. boiled beets cut in slices	 and put 	in cold spiced vinegar for several days	 are very nice. 	 	 	 . _parsnips and carrots._ 	 	wash them	 and split them in two--lay them in a stew pan	 with the flat 	side down	 turn on boiling water enough to cover them--boil them till 	tender	 then take them up	 and take off the skin	 and butter them. many 	cooks boil them whole	 but it is not a good plan	 as the outside gets 	done too much	 before the inside is cooked sufficiently. cold boiled 	parsnips are good cut in slices	 and fried brown. 	 	 	 . _onions._ 	 	peel and put them in boiling milk	 (water will do	 but it is not as 	good.) when boiled tender	 take them up	 salt them	 and turn a little 	melted butter over them. 	 	 	 . _artichokes._ 	 	scrape and put them in boiling water	 with a table spoonful of salt to a 	couple of dozen. when boiled tender	 (which will be in about two hours	) 	take them up	 salt and butter each one. 	 	 	 . _squashes._ 	 	summer squashes	 if very young	 may be boiled whole--if not	 they should 	be pared	 quartered	 and the seeds taken out. when boiled very tender	 	take them up	 put them in a strong cloth	 and press out all the 	water--mash them	 salt and butter them to your taste. the neck part of 	the winter squash is the best. cut it in narrow strips	 take off the 	rind	 and boil the squash in salt and water till tender--then drain off 	the water	 and let the pumpkin steam over a moderate fire for ten or 	twelve minutes. it is good not mashed--if mashed	 add a little butter. 	 	 	 . _cabbage and cauliflowers._ 	 	trim off the loose leaves of the cabbage	 cut the stalky in quarters	 to 	the heart of the cabbage--boil it an hour. if not boiled with corned 	beef	 put a little salt in the water in which they are boiled. white 	cauliflowers are the best. take off the outside leaves	 cut the stalk 	close to the leaves	 let them lie in salt and cold water for half an 	hour before boiling them--boil them fifteen or twenty minutes	 according 	to their size. milk and water is the best to boil them in	 but clear 	water does very well. put a little salt in the pot in which they are 	boiled. 	 	 	 . _asparagus._ 	 	cut the white part of the stalks off	 and throw it away--cut the lower 	part of the stalks in thin slices if tough	 and boil them eight or ten 	minutes before the upper part is put in. lay the remainder compactly 	together	 tie it carefully in small bundles	 and boil it from fifteen to 	twenty minutes	 according to its age. boil a little salt with them	 and 	a quarter of a tea spoonful of saleratus	 to two or three quarts of 	water	 to preserve their fresh green color. just before your asparagus 	is done	 toast a slice of bread	 moisten it with a little of the 	asparagus liquor	 lay it in your asparagus dish	 and butter it--then 	take up the asparagus carefully with a skimmer	 and lay it on the toast	 	take off the string	 salt it	 and turn a little melted butter over the 	whole. 	 	 	 . _peas._ 	 	peas should be put into boiling water	 with salt and saleratus	 in the 	proportion of a quarter of a tea spoonful of saleratus to half a peck of 	peas. boil them from fifteen to thirty minutes	 according to their age 	and kind. when boiled tender	 take them out of the water with a skimmer	 	salt and butter them to the taste. peas to be good should be fresh 	gathered	 and not shelled till just before they are cooked. 	 	 	 . _sweet corn._ 	 	corn is much sweeter to be boiled on the cob. if made into sucatosh	 cut 	it from the cobs	 and boil it with lima beans	 and a few slices of salt 	pork. it requires boiling from fifteen to thirty minutes	 according to 	its age. 	 	 	 . _to cook various kinds of beans._ 	 	french beans should have the strings taken off--if old	 the edges should 	be cut off	 and the beans cut through the middle. boil them with a 	little salt	 from twenty-five to forty minutes	 according to their age. 	a little saleratus boiled with them preserves their green color	 and 	makes them more healthy. salt and butter them when taken up. lima beans 	can be kept the year round	 by being perfectly dried when fresh gathered 	in the pods	 or being put without drying into a keg	 with a layer of 	salt to each layer of beans	 having a layer of salt at the bottom of the 	keg. cover them tight	 and keep them in a cool place. whenever you wish 	to cook them	 soak them over night	 in cold water--shell and boil them	 	with a little saleratus. white beans for baking	 should be picked over 	carefully to get out the colored and bad ones. wash and soak them over 	night in a pot	 set where they will keep lukewarm. there should be about 	three quarts of water to three pints of the beans. the next morning set 	them where they will boil	 with a tea spoonful of saleratus. when they 	have boiled four or five minutes	 take them up with a skimmer. put them 	in a baking pot. gash a pound of pork	 and put it down in the pot	 so as 	to have the beans cover all but the upper surface--turn in cold water 	till you can just see it at the top. they will bake in a hot oven	 in 	the course of three hours--but they are better to remain in it five or 	six hours. beans are good prepared in the same manner as for baking	 and 	stewed several hours without baking. 	 	 	 . _greens._ 	 	white mustard	 spinach	 water cresses	 dandelions	 and the leaves and 	roots of very small beets	 are the best greens. boil them with a little 	salt and saleratus in the water. if not fresh and plump	 soak them in 	salt and water half an hour before cooking them. when they are boiled 	enough	 they will sink to the bottom of the pot. 	 	 	 . _salads._ 	 	to be in perfection	 salads should be fresh gathered	 and kept in cold 	water for an hour before they are put on the table. the water should be 	drained from them	 and if you have not any salad oil	 melt a little 	butter and put it in a separate dish--if turned over the salad	 it will 	not be crispy. 	 	 	 . _cucumbers._ 	 	to be healthy they should not be picked longer than a day before they 	are to be eaten. they should be kept in cold water	 and fifteen or 	twenty minutes before they are to be eaten	 pare and slice them into 	fresh cold water	 to take out the slimy matter. just before they are put 	on the table	 drain off the water. put them in a deep dish; sprinkle on 	a good deal of salt and pepper--cover them with vinegar. cucumbers are 	thought by many people to be very unhealthy	 but if properly prepared	 	they will not be found to be any more unwholesome than most other summer 	vegetables. 	 	 	 . _to stew mushrooms._ 	 	cut off the lower part of the stem	 as it is apt to have an earthy 	taste. peel and put them in a saucepan	 with just water enough at the 	bottom	 to prevent their burning to the pan. put in a little salt	 and 	shake them occasionally while stewing	 to prevent their burning. when 	they have stewed quite tender	 put in a little butter and pepper--add 	spices and wine if you like. they should stew very slowly till tender	 	and not be seasoned till just before they are taken up. serve them up on 	buttered toast. 	 	 	 . _egg plant._ 	 	boil them a few moments to extract the bitter taste--then cut them in 	thick slices; sprinkle a little salt between each slice. let them lie 	half an hour--then fry them till brown in lard. 	 	 	 . _celeriac._ 	 	this is an excellent vegetable	 but is little known. the stalks of it 	can hardly be distinguished from celery	 and it is much easier 	cultivated. the roots are nice boiled tender	 cut in thin slices	 and 	put in soup or meat pies; or cooked in the following manner	 and eaten 	with meat. scrape and cut them in slices. boil them till very 	tender--then drain off the water. sprinkle a little salt over them--turn 	in milk enough to cover them. when they have stewed about four or five 	minutes	 turn them into a dish	 and add a little butter. 	 	 	 . _salsify or vegetable oyster._ 	 	the best way to cook it is to parboil it	 (after scraping off the 	outside	) then cut it in slices	 dip it into a beaten egg	 and fine 	bread crumbs	 and fry it in lard. it is very good boiled	 then stewed a 	few minutes in milk	 with a little butter and salt. another way which is 	very good	 is to make a batter of wheat flour	 milk and eggs; cut the 	salsify in thin slices	 (after having been boiled tender	) put them into 	the batter with a little salt; drop this mixture into hot fat	 by the 	large spoonful. when a light brown	 they are cooked sufficiently. 	 	 	 . _tomatoes._ 	 	if very ripe will skin easily; if not	 pour scalding water on them	 and 	let them remain in it four or five minutes. peel and put them in a stew 	pan	 with a table spoonful of water	 if not very juicy; if so	 no water 	will be required. put in a little salt	 and stew them for half an hour; 	then turn them into a deep dish with buttered toast. another way of 	cooking them	 which is considered very nice by epicures	 is to put them 	in a deep dish	 with fine bread crumbs	 crackers pounded fine	 a layer 	of each alternately; put small bits of butter	 a little salt	 and pepper 	on each layer--some cooks add a little nutmeg and sugar. have a layer of 	bread crumbs on the top. bake it three quarters of an hour. 	 	 	 . _gumbo._ 	 	take an equal quantity of young tender ocra chopped fine	 and ripe 	tomatoes skinned	 an onion cut into slices	 a small lump of butter	 a 	little salt and pepper. put the whole in a stew pan	 with a table 	spoonful of water	 and stew it till tender. 	 	 	 . _southern manner of boiling rice._ 	 	pick over the rice	 rinse it in cold water a number of times	 to get it 	perfectly clean; drain off the water	 then put it in a pot of boiling 	water	 with a little salt. allow as much as a quart of water to a 	tea-cup of rice	 as it absorbs the water very much while boiling. boil 	it seventeen minutes; then turn the water off very close; set the pot 	over a few coals	 and let it steam fifteen minutes with the lid of the 	pot off. the beauty of rice boiled in this way	 is	 that each kernel 	stands out by itself	 while it is quite tender. great care is necessary 	to be used in the time of boiling and steaming it	 as a few moments 	variation in the time	 makes a great deal of difference in the looks of 	it. the water should boil hard when the rice is put in	 and not suffered 	to stop boiling	 till turned off to have the rice steamed. the water 	that the rice is boiled in	 makes good starch for muslin	 if boiled a 	few minutes by itself. 	 	 	 . _directions for pickling._ 	 	vinegar for pickling should be good	 but not of the sharpest kind. brass 	utensils should be used for pickling. they should be thoroughly cleaned 	before using	 and no vinegar should be allowed to cool in them	 as the 	rust formed by so doing is very poisonous. boil alum and salt in the 	vinegar	 in the proportion of half a tea cup of salt	 and a table 	spoonful of alum	 to three gallons of vinegar. stone and wooden vessels 	are the only kinds of utensils that are good to keep pickles in. vessels 	that have had any grease in will not do for pickles	 as no washing will 	kill the grease that the pot has absorbed. all kinds of pickles should 	be stirred up occasionally. if there is any soft ones among them	 they 	should be taken out	 the vinegar scalded	 and turned back while hot--if 	very weak	 throw it away	 and use fresh vinegar. whenever any scum 	rises	 the vinegar needs scalding. if you do not wish to have all your 	pickles spiced	 it is a good plan to keep a stone pot of spiced vinegar 	by itself	 and put in a few of your pickles a short time before they are 	to be eaten. 	 	 	 . _to pickle peppers._ 	 	procure those that are fresh and green. if you do not like them very 	fiery	 cut a small slit in them	 and take the seeds out carefully with a 	small knife	 so as not to mangle the pepper. soak them in salt and 	water	 eight or nine days	 changing the water each day. keep them in a 	warm place. if you like them stuffed	 chop white cabbage fine	 season it 	highly with cloves	 cinnamon	 mace	 and fill the peppers with it--add 	nasturtions if you like--sew them up carefully	 and put them in cold 	spiced vinegar. tomatoes when very small and green are good pickled with 	the peppers. 	 	 	 . _mangoes._ 	 	procure muskmelons as late in the season as possible--if pickled early	 	they are not apt to keep well. cut a small piece from the side that lies 	upon the ground while growing	 take out the seeds	 and if the citron or 	nutmeg melons are used for mangoes	 the rough part should be scraped 	off. the long common muskmelons make the best mangoes. soak the melons 	in salt and water	 three or four days; then take them out of the water; 	sprinkle on the inside of the melons	 powdered cloves	 pepper	 nutmeg; 	fill them with small strips of horseradish	 cinnamon	 and small string 	beans. flag root	 nasturtions	 and radish tops	 are also nice to fill 	them with. fill the crevices with american mustard seed. put back the 	pieces of melon that were cut off	 and bind the melon up tight with 	white cotton cloth	 sew it on. lay the melons in a stone jar	 with the 	part that the covers are on	 up. put into vinegar for the mangoes	 alum	 	salt and peppercorns	 in the same proportion as for cucumbers--heat it 	scalding hot	 then turn it on to the melons. barberries or radish tops 	pickled in bunches	 are a pretty garnish for mangoes. the barberries 	preserve their natural color best by being first dried. whenever you 	wish to use them	 turn boiling vinegar on them	 and let them lie in it 	several hours to swell out. 	 	 	 . _to pickle butternuts and walnuts._ 	 	the nuts for pickling should be gathered as early as july	 unless the 	season is very backward. when a pin will go through them easily	 they 	are young enough to pickle. soak them in salt and water a week--then 	drain it off. rub them with a cloth	 to get off the roughness. to a 	gallon of vinegar put a tea-cup of salt	 a table-spoonful of powdered 	cloves and mace	 mixed together	 half an ounce of allspice	 and 	peppercorns. boil the vinegar and spices	 and turn it while hot on to 	the nuts. in the course of a week	 scald the vinegar	 and turn it back 	on them while hot. they will be fit to eat in the course of a fortnight. 	 	 	 . _peaches and apricots._ 	 	take those of a full growth	 but perfectly green	 put them in salt and 	water	 strong enough to bear up an egg. when they have been in a week	 	take them out	 and wipe them carefully with a soft cloth. lay them in a 	pickle jar. put to a gallon of vinegar half an ounce of cloves	 the same 	quantity of peppercorns	 sliced ginger and mustard seed--add salt	 and 	boil the vinegar--then turn it on to the peaches scalding hot. turn the 	vinegar from them several times. heat it scalding hot	 and turn it back 	while hot. 	 	 	 . _to pickle cabbages and cauliflowers._ 	 	purple cabbages are the best for pickling. pull off the loose leaves	 	quarter the cabbages	 put them in a keg	 and sprinkle a great deal of 	salt	 on each one--let them remain five or six days. to a gallon of 	vinegar put an ounce of mace	 one of peppercorns and cinnamon	 (cloves 	and allspice improve the taste of the cabbages	 but they turn it a dark 	color.) heat the vinegar scalding hot	 put in a little alum	 and turn it 	while hot on to the cabbages--the salt should remain that was sprinkled 	on the cabbages. turn the vinegar from the cabbages six or seven 	times--heat it scalding hot	 and turn it back while hot	 to make them 	tender. cauliflowers are pickled in the same manner. cauliflowers cut 	into bunches	 and pickled with beet roots sliced	 look very prettily. 	 	 	 . _east india pickle._ 	 	chop cabbage fine	 leaving out the stalks	 together with three or four 	onions	 a root of horseradish	 and a couple of green peppers to each 	cabbage. soak the whole in salt and water three or four days. spice some 	vinegar very strong with mace	 cloves	 allspice and cinnamon. heat it 	scalding hot--add alum and salt	 and turn it on to the cabbage	 onions 	and pepper	 which should previously have all the brine drained from 	them. this pickle will be fit to eat in the course of three or four 	weeks. 	 	 	 . _french beans and radish pods._ 	 	gather them while quite small and tender. keep them in salt and water	 	till you get through collecting them--changing the water as often as 	once in four or five days. then scald them with hot salt and water	 let 	them lie in it till cool	 then turn on hot vinegar spiced with 	peppercorns	 mace and allspice. the radish top	 if pickled in small 	bunches	 are a pretty garnish for other pickles. 	 	 	 . _nasturtion._ 	 	take them when small and green--put them in salt and water--change the 	water once in three days. when you have done collecting the nasturtions	 	turn off the brine	 and pour on scalding hot vinegar. 	 	 	 . _samphire._ 	 	procure samphire that is fresh and green--let it lay in salt for three 	days--then take it out	 and for a peck of samphire spice a gallon of 	vinegar with a couple of dozen of peppercorns--add half a tea-cup of 	salt--heat the vinegar scalding hot	 and turn it on to the samphire 	while hot--cover it close. in the course of ten days	 turn the vinegar 	from the samphire	 heat it scalding hot	 and turn it back. 	 	 	 . _onions._ 	 	peel and boil them in milk and water ten minutes. to a gallon of vinegar 	put half an ounce of cinnamon and mace	 a quarter of an ounce of cloves	 	a small tea-cup of salt	 and half an ounce of alum. heat the vinegar	 	together with the spices	 scalding hot	 and turn it on to the onions	 	which should previously have the water and milk drained from them. cover 	them tight till cold. 	 	 	 . _artichokes._ 	 	soak the artichokes in salt and water	 for several days	 then drain and 	rub them till you get all the skin off. turn boiling vinegar on them	 	with salt	 alum	 and peppercorns in it	 in the same proportion as for 	cucumbers. let them remain a week	 then turn off the vinegar	 scald it	 	and turn it back while hot on to the artichokes. continue to turn 	boiling vinegar on to the artichokes till thoroughly pickled. 	 	 	 . _cucumbers._ 	 	gather those that are small and green	 and of a quick growth. turn 	boiling water on them as soon as picked. let them remain in it four or 	five hours	 then put them in cold vinegar	 with alum and salt	 in the 	proportion of a table spoonful of the former and a tea cup of the 	latter	 to every gallon of vinegar. when you have done collecting the 	cucumbers for pickling	 turn the vinegar from the cucumbers	 scald and 	skim it till clear	 then put in the pickles	 let them scald without 	boiling	 for a few minutes; then turn them while hot into the vessel you 	intend to keep them in. a few peppers	 or peppercorns	 improve the taste 	of the cucumbers. cucumbers to be brittle need scalding several times. 	if the vinegar is weak	 it should be thrown away	 and fresh put to the 	cucumbers	 with more alum and salt. another method of pickling 	cucumbers	 which is good	 is to put them in salt and water	 as you pick 	them--changing the salt and water once in three or four days. when you 	have done collecting your cucumbers for pickling	 take them out of the 	salt and water	 turn on scalding hot vinegar	 with alum	 salt and 	peppercorns in it. 	 	 	 . _gherkins._ 	 	put them in strong brine--keep them in a warm place. when they turn 	yellow	 drain off the brine	 and turn hot vinegar on them. let them 	remain in it till they turn green	 keeping them in a warm place. then 	turn off the vinegar--add fresh scalding hot vinegar	 spiced with mace	 	allspice	 and peppercorns--add alum and salt	 in the same proportion as 	for cucumbers. 	 	 	 . _to pickle oysters._ 	 	take the oysters from the liquor	 strain and boil it. rinse the oysters	 	if there are any bits of the shells attached to them. put them into the 	liquor while boiling. boil them one minute	 then take them out of it	 	and to the liquor put a few peppercorns	 cloves	 and a blade or two of 	mace--add a little salt	 and the same quantity of vinegar as oyster 	juice. let the whole boil fifteen minutes	 then turn it on to the 	oysters. if you wish to keep the oysters for a number of weeks	 bottle 	and cork them tight as soon as cold. 	 	 	 . _to pickle mushrooms._ 	 	peel and stew them	 with just water enough to prevent their sticking at 	the bottom of the pan. shake them occasionally	 to prevent their 	burning. when tender	 take them up	 and put them in scalding hot 	vinegar	 spiced with mace	 cloves	 and peppercorns--add a little salt. 	bottle and cork them tight	 if you wish to keep them long. 	 	 	 . _wheat bread._ 	 	for six common sized loaves of bread	 take three pints of boiling water	 	and mix it with five or six quarts of flour. when thoroughly mixed	 add 	three pints of cold water. stir it till the whole of the dough is of the 	same temperature. when lukewarm	 stir in half a pint of family yeast	 	(if brewers' yeast is used	 a less quantity will answer	) a 	table-spoonful of salt	 knead in flour till stiff enough to mould up	 	and free from lumps. the more the bread is kneaded	 the better it will 	be. cover it over with a thick cloth	 and if the weather is cold	 set 	it near a fire. to ascertain when it has risen	 cut it through the 	middle with a knife--if full of small holes like a sponge	 it is 	sufficiently light for baking. it should be baked as soon as light. if 	your bread should get sour before you are ready to bake it	 dissolve two 	or more tea-spoonsful of saleratus (according to the acidity of it) in a 	tea-cup of milk or water	 strain it on to the dough	 work it in 	well--then cut off enough for a loaf of bread--mould it up well	 slash 	it on both sides	 to prevent its cracking when baked--put it in a 	buttered tin-pan. the bread should stand ten or twelve minutes in the 	pans before baking it. if you like your bread baked a good deal	 let it 	stand in the oven an hour and a half. when the wheat is grown	 it makes 	better bread to wet the flour entirely with boiling water. it should 	remain till cool before working in the yeast. some cooks have an idea 	that it kills the life of the flour to scald it	 but it is a mistaken 	idea--it is sweeter for it	 and will keep good much longer. bread made 	in this way is nearly as good as that which is wet with milk. care must 	be taken not to put the yeast in when the dough is hot	 as it will scald 	it	 and prevents its rising. most ovens require heating an hour and a 	half for bread. a brisk fire should be kept up	 and the doors of the 	room should be kept shut	 if the weather is cold. pine and ash	 mixed 	together	 or birch-wood	 is the best for heating an oven. to ascertain 	if your oven is of the right temperature	 when cleaned	 throw in a 	little flour; if it browns in the course of a minute	 it is sufficiently 	hot; if it turns black directly	 wait several minutes	 before putting in 	the things that are to be baked. if the oven does not bake well	 set in 	a furnace of live coals. 	 	 	 . _sponge bread._ 	 	for four loaves of bread	 take three quarts of wheat flour	 and the same 	quantity of boiling water--mix them well together. let it remain till 	lukewarm	 then add a tea-cup full of family	 or half a tea-cup of 	distillery yeast. set it in a warm place to rise. when light	 knead in 	flour till stiff enough to mould up	 then let it stand till risen again	 	before moulding it up. 	 	 	 . _rye bread._ 	 	wet up rye flour with lukewarm milk	 (water will do to wet it with	 but 	it will not make the bread so good.) put in the same proportion of yeast 	as for wheat bread. for four or five loaves of bread	 put in a couple of 	tea-spoonsful of salt. a couple of table-spoonsful of melted butter 	makes the crust more tender. it should not be kneaded as stiff as wheat 	bread	 or it will be hard when baked. when light	 take it out into pans	 	without moulding it up--let it remain in them about twenty minutes	 	before baking. 	 	 	 . _brown bread._ 	 	brown bread is made by scalding indian meal	 and stirring into it	 when 	lukewarm	 about the same quantity of rye flour as indian meal--add yeast 	and salt in the same proportion as for other kinds of bread. bake it 	between two and three hours. 	 	 	 . _indian bread._ 	 	mix indian meal with cold water	 stir it into boiling water	 let it boil 	half an hour--stir in a little salt	 take it from the fire	 let it 	remain till lukewarm	 then stir in yeast and indian meal	 to render it 	of the consistency of unbaked rye dough. when light	 take it out into 	buttered pans	 let it remain a few minutes	 then bake it two hours and a 	half. 	 	 	 . _potato bread._ 	 	boil the potatoes very soft	 then peel and mash them fine. put in salt	 	and very little butter--then rub them with the flour--wet the flour with 	lukewarm water--then work in the yeast	 and flour till stiff to mould 	up. it will rise quicker than common wheat bread	 and should be baked as 	soon as risen	 as it turns sour very soon. the potatoes that the bread 	is made of should be mealy	 and mixed with the flour in the proportion 	of one-third of potatoes to two-thirds of flour. 	 	 	 . _rice bread._ 	 	boil a pint of rice till soft--then mix it with a couple of quarts of 	rice or wheat flour. when cool	 add half a tea-cup of yeast	 a little 	salt	 and milk to render it of the consistency of rye bread. when light	 	bake it in small buttered pans. 	 	 	 . _french rolls._ 	 	turn a quart of lukewarm milk on to a quart of flour. melt a couple of 	ounces of butter	 and put to the milk and flour	 together with a couple 	of eggs	 and a tea-spoonful of salt. when cool	 stir in half a tea-cup 	of yeast	 and flour to make it stiff enough to mould up. put it in a 	warm place. when light	 do it up into small rolls--lay the rolls on flat 	buttered tins--let them remain twenty minutes before baking. 	 	 	 . _yeast._ 	 	boil a small handful of hops in a couple of quarts of water. when the 	strength is obtained from them	 strain the liquor--put it back on the 	fire--take a little of the liquor	 and mix smoothly with three heaping 	table-spoonsful of wheat flour--stir it into the liquor when it boils. 	let it boil five or six minutes--take it from the fire. when lukewarm	 	stir in a tea-cup of yeast--keep it in a warm place till risen. when of 	a frothy appearance	 it is sufficiently light. add a table-spoonful of 	salt	 turn it into a jar	 and cover it tight. some people keep yeast in 	bottles	 but they are apt to burst--some use jugs	 but they cannot be 	cleaned so easily as jars. whenever your yeast gets sour	 the jar should 	be thoroughly cleaned before fresh is put in--if not cleaned	 it will 	spoil the fresh yeast. yeast made in this manner will keep good a 	fortnight in warm weather; in cold weather longer. if your yeast appears 	to be a little changed	 add a little saleratus to it before you mix it 	with your bread. if it does not foam well	 when put in	 it is too stale 	to use. milk yeast makes sweeter bread than any other kind of yeast	 but 	it will not keep good long. it is very nice to make biscuit of. take 	half the quantity of milk you need for your biscuit--set it in a warm 	place	 with a little flour	 and a tea-spoonful of salt. when light	 mix 	it with the rest of the milk	 and use it directly for the biscuit. it 	takes a pint of this yeast for five or six loaves of bread. another 	method of making yeast	 which is very good	 is to take about half a 	pound of your bread dough	 when risen	 and roll it out thin	 and dry it. 	when you wish to make bread	 put a quart of lukewarm milk to it	 set it 	near the fire to rise--when light	 scald the flour	 and let it be till 	lukewarm--then add the yeast and salt. this will raise the bread in the 	course of an hour. the dough will need a little fresh hop liquor put to 	it	 in the course of three or four times baking. potato yeast makes very 	nice bread	 but the yeast does not keep good as long as when made 	without them. it is made in the following manner: boil a couple of good	 	sized potatoes soft--peel and rub them through a sieve--put to it a 	couple of table-spoonsful of wheat flour	 and a quart of hot hop 	tea--when lukewarm	 stir in half a tea-cup of yeast--when light	 put in 	a couple of tea-spoonsful of salt	 put it in your yeast-jar	 and cover 	it up tight. 	 	 	 . _yeast cakes._ 	 	stir into a pint of good lively yeast a table-spoonful of salt	 and rye 	or wheat flour to make a thick batter. when risen	 stir in indian meal 	till of the right consistency to roll out. when risen again	 roll them 	out very thin	 cut them into cakes with a tumbler	 and dry them in the 	shade in clear windy weather. care must be taken to keep them from the 	sun	 or they will ferment. when perfectly dry	 tie them up in a bag	 and 	keep them in a cool dry place. to raise four or five loaves of bread	 	take one of these cakes	 and put to it a little lukewarm milk or water. 	when dissolved	 stir in a couple of table-spoonsful of flour	 set it 	near the fire--when light	 use it for your dough. yeast cakes will keep 	good five or six months. they are very convenient to use in summer	 as 	common yeast is so apt to ferment. 	 	 	 . _butter biscuit._ 	 	melt a tea-cup of butter--mix it with two-thirds of a pint of milk	 (if 	you have not any milk	 water may be substituted	 but the biscuit will 	not be as nice.) put in a tea-spoonful of salt	 half a tea-cup of yeast	 	(milk yeast is the best	 see directions for making it)--stir in flour 	till it is stiff enough to mould up. a couple of eggs improve the 	biscuit	 but are not essential. set the dough in a warm place when 	risen	 mould the dough with the hand into small cakes	 lay them on flat 	tins that have been buttered. let them remain half an hour before they 	are baked. 	 	 	 . _butter-milk biscuit._ 	 	dissolve a couple of tea-spoonsful of saleratus in a tea-cup of sour 	milk--mix it with a pint of butter-milk	 and a couple of tea-spoonsful 	of salt. stir in flour until stiff enough to mould up. mould it up into 	small cakes	 and bake them immediately. 	 	 	 . _hard biscuit._ 	 	weigh out four pounds of flour	 and rub three pounds and a half of it 	with four ounces of butter	 four beaten eggs	 and a couple of 	tea-spoonsful of salt. moisten it with milk	 pound it out thin with a 	rolling-pin	 sprinkle a little of the reserved flour over it 	lightly--roll it up and pound it out again	 sprinkle on more of the 	flour--this operation continue to repeat till you get in all the 	reserved flour--then roll it out thin	 cut it into cakes with a tumbler	 	lay them on flat buttered tins	 cover them with a damp cloth	 to prevent 	their drying. bake them in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _saleratus biscuit._ 	 	put a couple of tea-spoonsful of saleratus in a pint of sour milk. if 	you have not any sour milk	 put a table-spoonful of vinegar to a pint of 	sweet milk	 set it in a warm place--as soon as it curdles	 mix it with 	the saleratus--put in a couple of table-spoonfuls of melted butter	 and 	flour to make them sufficiently stiff to roll out. mould them up into 	small biscuit	 and bake them immediately. 	 	 	 . _potato biscuit._ 	 	boil mealy potatoes very soft	 peel and mash them. to four good-sized 	potatoes	 put a piece of butter	 of the size of a hen's egg	 a 	tea-spoonful of salt. when the butter has melted	 put in half a pint of 	cold milk. if the milk cools the potatoes	 put in a quarter of a pint of 	yeast	 and flour to make them of the right consistency to mould up. set 	them in a warm place--when risen	 mould them up with the hand--let them 	remain ten or fifteen minutes before baking them. 	 	 	 . _sponge biscuit._ 	 	stir into a pint of lukewarm milk half a tea-cup of melted butter	 a 	tea-spoonful of salt	 half a tea-cup of family	 or a table-spoonful of 	brewers' yeast	 (the latter is the best;) add flour till it is a very 	stiff batter. when light	 drop this mixture by the large spoonful on to 	flat	 buttered tins	 several inches apart. let them remain a few minutes 	before baking. bake them in a quick oven till they are a light brown. 	 	 	 . _crackers._ 	 	rub six ounces of butter with two pounds of flour--dissolve a couple of 	tea-spoonsful of saleratus in a wine glass of milk	 and strain it on to 	the flour--add a tea-spoonful of salt	 and milk enough to enable you to 	roll it out. beat it with a rolling-pin for half an hour	 pounding it 	out thin--cut it into cakes with a tumbler--bake them about fifteen 	minutes	 then take them from the oven. when the rest of your things are 	baked sufficiently	 take them out	 set in the crackers	 and let them 	remain till baked hard and crispy. 	 	 	 . _cream cakes._ 	 	mix half a pint of thick cream with the same quantity of milk	 four 	eggs	 and flour to render them just stiff enough to drop on buttered 	tins. they should be dropped by the large spoonful several inches apart	 	and baked in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _crumpets._ 	 	take three tea-cups of raised dough	 and work into it	 with the hand	 	half a tea-cup of melted butter	 three eggs	 and milk to render it a 	thick batter. turn it into a buttered bake pan--let it remain fifteen 	minutes	 then put on a bake pan	 heated so as to scorch flour. it will 	bake in half an hour. 	 	 	 . _rice cakes._ 	 	mix a pint of rice boiled soft with a pint of milk	 a tea-spoonful of 	salt	 and three eggs	 beaten to a froth. stir in rice or wheat flour 	till of the right consistency to fry. if you like them baked	 add two 	more eggs	 and enough more flour to make them stiff enough to roll out	 	and cut them into cakes. 	 	 	 . _rice ruffs._ 	 	to a pint of rice flour put boiling water or milk sufficient to make a 	thick batter. beat four eggs	 (when it is cool	) and put in	 together 	with a tea-spoonful of salt. drop this mixture by the large spoonful 	into hot fat. 	 	 	 . _buckwheat cakes._ 	 	mix a quart of buckwheat flour with a pint of lukewarm milk	 (water will 	do	 but is not as good	) and a tea-cup of yeast--set it in a warm place 	to rise. when light	 (which will be in the course of eight or ten hours 	if family yeast is used	 if brewers' yeast is used	 they will rise much 	quicker	) add a tea-spoonful of salt--if sour	 the same quantity of 	saleratus	 dissolved in a little milk	 and strained. if they are too 	thick	 thin them with cold milk or water. fry them in just fat enough to 	prevent their sticking to the frying pan. 	 	 	 . _economy cakes._ 	 	rusked bread	 or that which is old and sour	 can be made into nice 	cakes. the bread should be cut into small pieces	 and soaked in cold 	water till very soft. then drain off the water	 mash the bread fine--to 	three pints of the bread pulp put a couple of beaten eggs	 three or four 	table-spoonsful of flour	 and a little salt--dissolve a tea-spoonful of 	saleratus to a tea-cup of milk	 strain it	 then stir it into the 	bread--add more milk till it is of the right consistency to fry. the 	batter should be rather thicker than that of buckwheat cakes	 and cooked 	in the same manner. another way of making them	 which is very good	 is 	to mix half a pint of wheat flour with enough cold milk or water to 	render it a thick batter	 and a couple of table-spoonsful of yeast. when 	light	 mix the batter with the bread	 (which should be previously soaked 	soft	 and mashed fine	) add salt	 and a tea-spoonful of saleratus	 	dissolved in a little milk. fry them in just fat enough to prevent their 	sticking to the frying pan. 	 	 	 . _green corn cake._ 	 	mix a pint of grated green corn with three table-spoonsful of milk	 a 	tea-cup of flour	 half a tea-cup of melted butter	 one egg	 a 	tea-spoonful of salt	 and half a tea-spoonful of pepper. drop this 	mixture into hot butter by the spoonful	 let the cakes fry eight or ten 	minutes. these cakes are nice served up with meat for dinner. 	 	 	 . _indian corn cake._ 	 	stir into a quart of sour or butter-milk a couple of tea-spoonsful of 	saleratus	 a little salt	 and sifted indian meal to render it a thick 	batter--a little cream improves the cake--bake it in deep cake pans 	about an hour. when sour milk cannot be procured	 boil sweet milk	 and 	turn it on to the indian meal--when cool	 put in three beaten eggs to a 	quart of the meal--add salt to the taste. 	 	 	 . _indian slap jacks._ 	 	scald a quart of indian meal--when lukewarm	 turn	 stir in half a pint 	of flour	 half a tea-cup of yeast	 and a little salt. when light	 fry 	them in just fat enough to prevent their sticking to the frying pan. 	another method of making them	 which is very nice	 is to turn boiling 	milk or water on to the indian meal	 in the proportion of a quart of the 	former to a pint of the latter--stir in three table-spoonsful of flour	 	three eggs well beaten	 and a couple of tea-spoonsful of salt. 	 	 	 . _journey or johnny cakes._ 	 	scald a quart of sifted indian meal with sufficient water to make it a 	very thick batter. stir in two or three tea-spoonsful of salt--mould it 	with the hand into small cakes. in order to mould them up	 it will be 	necessary to rub a good deal of flour on the hands	 to prevent their 	sticking. fry them in nearly fat enough to cover them. when brown on the 	under side	 they should be turned. it takes about twenty minutes to cook 	them. when cooked	 split and butter them. another way of making them	 	which is nice	 is to scald the indian meal	 and put in saleratus	 	dissolved in milk and salt	 in the proportion of a tea-spoonful of each 	to a quart of meal. add two or three table-spoonsful of wheat flour	 	and drop the batter by the large spoonful into a frying pan. the batter 	should be of a very thick consistency	 and there should be just fat 	enough in the frying pan to prevent the cakes sticking to it. 	 	 	 . _hoe cakes._ 	 	scald a quart of indian meal with just water enough to make a thick 	batter. stir in a couple of tea-spoonsful of salt	 and two 	table-spoonful of butter. turn it into a buttered bake pan	 and bake it 	half an hour. 	 	 	 . _muffins._ 	 	mix a quart of wheat flour smoothly with a pint and a half of lukewarm 	milk	 half a tea-cup of yeast	 a couple of beaten eggs	 a heaping 	tea-spoonsful of salt	 and a couple of table-spoonsful of lukewarm 	melted butter. set the batter in a warm place to rise. when light	 	butter your muffin cups	 turn in the mixture	 and bake the muffins till 	a light brown. 	 	 	 . _raised flour waffles._ 	 	stir into a quart of flour sufficient lukewarm milk to make a thick 	batter. the milk should be stirred in gradually	 so as to have it free 	from lumps. put in a table-spoonful of melted butter	 a couple of beaten 	eggs	 a tea-spoonsful of salt	 and half a tea-cup of yeast. when risen	 	fill your waffle-irons with the batter	 bake them on a hot bed of coals. 	when they have been on the fire between two and three minutes	 turn the 	waffle-irons over--when brown on both sides	 they are sufficiently 	baked. the waffle-irons should be well greased with lard	 and very hot	 	before each one is put in. the waffles should be buttered as soon as 	cooked. serve them up with powdered white sugar and cinnamon. 	 	 	 . _quick waffles._ 	 	mix flour and cold milk together	 to make a thick batter. to a quart of 	the flour put six beaten eggs	 a table-spoonful of melted butter	 and a 	tea-spoonful of salt. some cooks add a quarter of a pound of sugar	 and 	half a nutmeg. bake them immediately. 	 	 	 . _rice waffles._ 	 	take a tea-cup and a half of boiled rice--warm it with a pint of milk	 	mix it smooth	 then take it from the fire	 stir in a pint of cold milk	 	and a tea-spoonful of salt. beat four eggs	 and stir them in	 together 	with sufficient flour to make a thick batter. 	 	 	 . _rice wafers._ 	 	melt a quarter of a pound of butter	 and mix it with a pound of rice 	flour	 a tea-spoonful of salt	 and a wine glass of wine. beat four eggs	 	and stir in	 together with just cold milk enough to enable you to roll 	them out easily. they should be rolled out as thin as possible	 cut with 	a wine glass into cakes	 and baked in a moderate oven	 on buttered flat 	tins. 	 	 	 . _rules to be observed in making nice cake._ 	 	cake	 to be good	 must be made of nice materials. the butter	 eggs	 and 	flour	 should not be stale	 and the sugar should be of a light color	 	and dry. brown sugar answers very well for most kinds of cake	 if rolled 	free from lumps	 and stirred to a cream with the butter. the flour 	should be sifted	 and if damp	 dried perfectly	 otherwise it will make 	the cake heavy. the eggs should be beaten to a froth; and the cake will 	be more delicate if the yelks and whites are beaten separately. 	saleratus and soda should be perfectly dissolved	 and strained before 	they are stirred into the cake. raisins for cake should have the seeds 	taken out. zante currants should be rinsed in several waters to cleanse 	them	 rubbed in a dry cloth to get out the sticks	 and then spread on 	platters	 and dried perfectly	 before they are put into the cake. 	almonds should be blanched	 which is done by turning boiling water on 	them	 and letting them remain in it till the skins will rub off easily. 	when blanched	 dry them	 then pound them fine	 with rosewater	 to 	prevent their oiling. when the weather is cold	 the materials for cake 	should be moderately warmed	 before mixing them together. all kinds of 	cake that are made without yeast are better for being stirred	 till just 	before they are baked. the butter and sugar should be stirred together 	till white	 then the eggs	 flour	 and spice	 added. saleratus and cream 	should not be put in till just before the cake is baked--add the fruit 	last. butter the cake pans well. the cake will be less liable to burn if 	the pans are lined with white buttered paper. the cake should not be 	moved while baking if it can be avoided	 as moving it is apt to make it 	heavy. the quicker most kinds of cake are baked	 the lighter and better 	they will be; but the oven should not be of such a furious heat as to 	burn them. it is impossible to give any exact rules as to the time to be 	allowed for baking various kinds of cake	 as so much depends on the heat 	of the oven. it should be narrowly watched while in the oven	 and if it 	browns too fast	 it should be covered with a thick paper. to ascertain 	when rich cake is sufficiently baked	 stick a clean broom splinter 	through the thickest part of the loaf--if none of the cake adheres to 	the splinter	 it is sufficiently baked. when cake that is baked on flat 	tins moves easily on them	 it is sufficiently baked. 	 	 	 . _frosting for cake._ 	 	allow for the white of one egg nine heaping tea-spoonsful of double 	refined sugar	 and one of nice poland starch. the sugar and starch 	should be pounded	 and sifted through a very fine sieve. beat the whites 	of eggs to a stiff froth	 so that you can turn the plate upside down	 	without the eggs falling from it--then stir in the sugar gradually	 with 	a wooden spoon--stir it ten or fifteen minutes without any 	cessation--then add a tea-spoonful of lemon juice	 (vinegar will answer	 	but is not as nice)--put in sufficient rosewater to flavor it. if you 	wish to color it pink	 stir in a few grains of cochineal powder	 or rose 	pink--if you wish to have it of a blue tinge	 add a little of what is 	called the powder blue. lay the frosting on the cake with a knife	 soon 	after it is taken from the oven--smooth it over	 and let it remain in a 	cool place till hard. to frost a common sized loaf of cake	 allow the 	white of one egg	 and half of another. 	 	 	 . _sponge gingerbread._ 	 	melt a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg--mix it with a pint of 	nice molasses	 a table-spoonful of ginger	 and a quart of flour. 	dissolve a heaping table-spoonful of saleratus in half a pint of milk	 	strain and mix it with the rest of the ingredients	 add sufficient flour 	to enable you to roll it out easily	 roll it out about half an inch 	thick	 and bake it on flat tins in a quick oven. gingerbread made in 	this manner will be light and spongy if baked quick	 and made of nice 	molasses	 but it will not keep good so long as hard gingerbread. 	 	 	 . _hard molasses gingerbread._ 	 	to a pint of molasses put half a tea-cup of melted butter	 a 	table-spoonful of ginger	 and a quart of flour. dissolve a tea-spoonful 	of saleratus in half a pint of water	 and stir it in	 together with 	flour sufficient to enable you to roll it out. bake it in a moderately 	warm oven. 	 	 	 . _soft molasses gingerbread._ 	 	melt a tea-cup of butter--mix it with a pint of molasses	 a 	table-spoonful of ginger	 a pint of flour	 and a couple of beaten eggs. 	fresh lemon peel	 cut into small strips	 improves it. dissolve a couple 	of tea-spoonsful of saleratus in half a pint of milk	 and stir it into 	the cake. add flour to render it of the consistency of unbaked pound 	cake. bake it in deep pans about half an hour. 	 	 	 . _sugar gingerbread._ 	 	mix a pound of sugar with six ounces of butter. beat four eggs	 and stir 	them into the butter and sugar	 together with three tea-spoonsful of 	ginger. stir in gradually a pound and a half of flour--dissolve a 	tea-spoonful of saleratus in a wine glass of milk	 and stir it in	 and 	bake the gingerbread immediately. 	 	 	 . _ginger snaps._ 	 	melt a quarter of a pound of butter	 the same quantity of lard--mix them 	with a quarter of a pound of brown sugar	 a pint of molasses	 a couple 	of table-spoonsful of ginger	 and a quart of flour. dissolve a couple of 	tea-spoonsful of saleratus in a wine glass of milk	 and strain it into 	the cake--add sufficient flour to enable you to roll it out very thin	 	cut it into small cakes	 and bake them in a slow oven. 	 	 	 . _spice cakes._ 	 	melt a tea-cup of butter	 mix it with a tea-cup of sugar	 and half a 	tea-cup of molasses. stir in a tea-spoonful of cinnamon	 the same 	quantity of ginger	 a grated nutmeg	 and a tea-spoonful each of caraway 	and coriander seed--put in a tea-spoonful of saleratus	 dissolved in 	half a tea-cup of water	 stir in flour till stiff enough to roll out 	thin	 cut it into cakes	 and bake them in a slow oven. 	 	 	 . _cider cake._ 	 	stir together a tea-cup of butter	 three of sugar--beat four eggs	 and 	put into the cake	 together with two tea-cups of flour	 and a grated 	nutmeg. dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus in half a tea-cup of milk	 	strain it	 and mix it with the above ingredients--stir in a tea-cup of 	cider	 and four more cups of flour. 	 	 	 . _bannock or indian meal cakes._ 	 	stir to a cream a pound and a quarter of brown sugar	 a pound of 	butter--beat six eggs	 and mix them with the sugar and butter--add a 	tea-spoonful of cinnamon or ginger--stir in a pound and three quarters 	of white indian meal	 and a quarter of a pound of wheat flour	 (the meal 	should be sifted.) bake it in small cups	 and let it remain in them till 	cold. 	 	 	 . _rich cookies._ 	 	rub together	 till white	 a tea-cup of butter	 two of sugar--then stir 	in a couple of beaten eggs	 a little flour	 grate in a nutmeg--dissolve 	a tea-spoonful of saleratus in a tea-cup of milk or water	 strain it on 	to the cake	 then add flour till stiff enough to roll out easily. if you 	cannot roll out the cake without its sticking to the board and 	rolling-pin	 (which should be previously floured	) work in more flour	 	stamp and cut it into cakes--bake them in a moderately warm oven. 	 	 	 . _plain tea cakes._ 	 	mix thoroughly a tea-cup and a half of sugar	 half a tea-cup of butter	 	stir in a little flour	 and half a nutmeg. dissolve a tea-spoonful of 	saleratus in a tea-cup of milk	 strain and mix it with the cake--add 	flour till stiff enough to roll out--roll it out half an inch thick	 cut 	it into cakes	 bake them on flat buttered tins	 in a quick oven. if 	baked slow	 they will not be good. 	 	 	 . _new year's cookies._ 	 	weigh out a pound of sugar	 three-quarters of a pound of butter--stir 	them to a cream	 then add three beaten eggs	 a grated nutmeg	 two 	table-spoonsful of caraway seed	 and a pint of flour. dissolve a 	tea-spoonful of saleratus in a tea-cup of milk	 strain and mix it with 	half a tea-cup of cider	 and stir it into the cookies--then add flour to 	make them sufficiently stiff to roll out. bake them as soon as cut into 	cakes	 in a quick oven	 till a light brown. 	 	 	 . _shrewsbury cake._ 	 	stir together three-quarters of a pound of sugar	 half a pound of 	butter. when white	 add five beaten eggs	 a tea-spoonful of rosewater	 	or a nutmeg	 and a pound of flour. drop it with a large spoon on to flat 	tins that have been buttered--sift sugar over them. 	 	 	 . _tunbridge cake._ 	 	six ounces of butter	 the same quantity of sugar	 three-quarters of a 	pound of flour	 a couple of eggs	 and a tea-spoonful of rosewater. stir 	to a cream the butter and sugar	 then add the eggs	 flour	 and spice. 	roll it out thin	 and cut it into small cakes. 	 	 	 . _jumbles._ 	 	stir together	 till of a light color	 a pound of sugar	 and half the 	weight of butter--then add eight eggs	 beaten to a froth	 essence of 	lemon	 or rosewater	 to the taste	 and flour to make them sufficiently 	stiff to roll out. roll them out in powdered sugar	 about half an inch 	thick	 cut it into strips about half an inch wide	 and four inches long	 	join the ends together	 so as to form rings--lay them on flat tins that 	have been buttered--bake them in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _composition cake._ 	 	five tea-cups of flour	 three of sugar	 two of butter	 five eggs	 a 	tea-spoonful of saleratus	 a tea-cup of milk	 a wine glass of wine	 or 	brandy	 one nutmeg	 a pound of raisins. stir the sugar and butter to a 	cream	 then add the eggs	 beaten to a froth	 and part of the flour and 	the spice--dissolve the saleratus in the milk	 strain and mix it with 	the brandy	 stir it into the cake	 with the rest of the flour--add the 	raisins just before the cake is put into the pans. 	 	 	 . _rusk._ 	 	melt half a pound of butter	 and mix it with two-thirds of a pint of 	milk--flour to make a thick batter. add three table-spoonsful of yeast	 	and set the batter in a warm place to rise. when light	 beat two eggs	 	with half a pound of rolled sugar--work it into the batter with the 	hand	 add a tea-spoonful of salt	 a tea-spoonful of cinnamon	 and flour 	to make them sufficiently stiff to mould up. mould them up into cakes of 	the size you would make biscuit	 lay them on flat tins	 previously 	buttered	 let them remain till of a spongy lightness	 before baking. 	they will bake	 in a quick oven	 in the course of fifteen minutes. 	 	 	 . _whigs._ 	 	mix half a pound of sugar with six ounces of butter	 a couple of beaten 	eggs	 a tea-spoonful of cinnamon. stir in two pounds of flour	 a tea-cup 	of yeast	 and milk sufficient to make a thick batter. when light	 bake 	them in small cups. 	 	 	 . _nut cakes._ 	 	heat a pint of milk just lukewarm--stir into it a tea-cup of lard	 (the 	lard should be melted.) stir in flour	 till it is a thick batter	 then 	add a small tea-cup of yeast. set it in a warm place--when light	 work 	in two tea-cups and a half of rolled sugar	 four eggs beaten to a froth	 	two tea-spoonsful of cinnamon	 and one of salt. knead in flour to make 	it sufficiently stiff to roll out--keep it in a warm place	 till risen 	again. when it appears of a spongy lightness	 roll it out about half an 	inch thick	 cut it into cakes with a wine glass	 let them remain fifteen 	or twenty minutes before boiling them--boil them in a pot	 with about a 	couple of pounds of lard. the fat should be hot enough to boil up as 	they are put in	 and a brisk fire kept under the pot. it should be 	shaken constantly while they are boiling. only a few should be boiled at 	once--if crowded	 they will not fry well. if you wish to have them look 	nice	 dip them into powdered white sugar as soon as fried. the same 	lard	 with a little more added	 will answer to fry several batches of 	cakes in	 if not burnt. 	 	 	 . _crollers._ 	 	dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus in four table-spoonsful of milk	 or 	leave out one spoonful of milk	 and substitute one of wine. strain it on 	to half a pint of flour	 four table-spoonsful of melted butter	 or lard	 	and a tea-spoonful of salt. beat four eggs	 with six heaping 	table-spoonsful of rolled sugar--work them into the rest of the 	ingredients	 together with a grated nutmeg--add flour to make them stiff 	enough to roll out easily. they should be rolled out about half an inch 	thick	 cut with a jagging iron or knife into strips about half an inch 	wide	 and twisted	 so as to form small cakes. heat a pound of lard in a 	deep pot or kettle	 (some cooks use a frying pan to fry crollers in	 but 	they are more apt to burn when fried in a pan.) the fat should boil up	 	as the cakes are laid in	 and they should be constantly watched while 	frying. when brown on the under side	 turn them--when brown on both 	sides	 they are sufficiently cooked. 	 	 	 . _molasses dough cake._ 	 	melt half a tea-cup of butter	 mix it with a tea-cup of molasses	 the 	juice and chopped rind of a fresh lemon	 a tea-spoonful of 	cinnamon--work the whole with the hand into three tea-cups of raised 	dough	 together with a couple of beaten eggs. work it with the hand for 	ten or twelve minutes	 then put it into buttered pans. let it remain ten 	or fifteen minutes before baking it. 	 	 	 . _sugar dough cake._ 	 	dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus in a wine glass of wine	 or 	milk--strain it on to three tea-cups of raised dough. work into the 	dough a tea-cup of lukewarm melted butter	 two tea-cups of rolled sugar	 	three eggs well beaten	 and a couple of tea-spoonsful of cinnamon. work 	the whole well together for a quarter of an hour	 then put it into cake 	pans. let it stand in a warm place fifteen or twenty minutes	 before 	baking it. 	 	 	 . _measure cake._ 	 	stir to a cream a tea-cup of butter	 two of sugar	 then stir in four 	eggs beaten to a froth	 a grated nutmeg	 and a pint of flour. stir it 	until just before it is baked. it is good either baked in cups or pans. 	 	 	 . _french cake._ 	 	one pound of sugar	 three quarters of a pound of butter	 a pound and a 	half of flour	 twelve eggs	 a gill each of wine	 brandy	 and of milk. 	mix the sugar and butter together--when white	 add the eggs	 beaten to a 	froth	 (the whites and yelks should be separated)--then stir in the 	flour	 the milk and wine	 and one-fourth of a grated nutmeg. just before 	it is baked	 add three-quarters of a pound of seeded raisins	 a quarter 	of a pound of citron	 and a quarter of a pound of almonds	 blanched and 	pounded fine. to blanch almonds	 see directions in no. . 	 	 	 . _washington cake._ 	 	stir together	 till quite white	 a pound of sugar	 three-quarters of a 	pound of butter	 then add four beaten eggs. stir in gradually a pound 	and a half of flour. dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus in a tea-cup 	of milk	 strain and mix it with a glass of wine	 then stir it into the 	cake	 together with a tea-spoonful of rosewater	 and half a nutmeg. just 	before it is baked	 add a pound of seeded raisins. 	 	 	 . _cup cake._ 	 	mix three tea-cups of sugar with one and a half of butter. when white	 	beat three eggs	 and stir them into the butter and sugar	 together with 	three tea-cups of sifted flour	 and rosewater or essence of lemon to the 	taste. dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus in a tea-cup of milk	 strain 	it into the cake	 then add three more tea-cups of sifted flour. bake the 	cake immediately	 either in cups or pans. 	 	 	 . _plain cream cake._ 	 	dissolve a tea-spoonful of saleratus in a wine glass of milk	 strain it 	on to a little sifted flour	 beat three eggs with a tea-cup of rolled 	sugar	 mix them with the above ingredients	 together with half a grated 	nutmeg. add a tea-cup of thick cream	 and sifted flour to render it of 	the consistency of unbaked pound cake. bake it as soon as the cream and 	flour are well mixed in	 as stirring the cream much decomposes it. 	 	 	 . _rich cream cake._ 	 	stir together	 till very white	 half a pound of butter	 three-quarters 	of a pound of sugar. beat the whites and yelks of seven eggs separately 	to a froth	 stir them into the cake--put in a wine glass of brandy	 a 	grated nutmeg	 and a pound and a half of sifted flour. just before it is 	baked	 add half a pint of thick cream	 and a pound of seeded raisins. 	 	 	 . _cymbals._ 	 	half a pound of sugar	 a quarter of a pound of butter	 a couple of eggs	 	half a nutmeg	 a tea-spoonful of saleratus	 half a tea-cup of milk. stir 	the butter and sugar together	 then add the eggs and a little flour	 	stir in the milk and saleratus	 which should be previously strained	 	then add enough flour to make it stiff enough to roll out--roll it out 	half an inch thick	 in pounded white sugar	 cut it with a tumbler into 	cakes	 and bake them on flat buttered tins. 	 	 	 . _rich loaf cake._ 	 	stir gradually into a pint of lukewarm milk a pound of sifted wheat 	flour	 add a small tea-cup of yeast	 and set it where it will rise 	quick. when of a spongy lightness	 weigh out a pound of butter	 a pound 	and a quarter of nice sugar--stir them to a cream	 then work them with 	the hand into the sponge. beat four eggs to a froth	 the whites and 	yelks separately--mix the eggs with the cake	 together with a wine glass 	of wine	 one of brandy	 a quarter of an ounce of mace	 or one nutmeg. 	cinnamon is good spice for loaf cake	 but it turns it a dark color. add 	another pound of flour	 and work it with the hand for fifteen or twenty 	minutes. (the longer it is worked	 the more delicate will be the cake.) 	let it remain till risen again--when perfectly light	 beat it a few 	minutes with the hand	 then add a couple of pounds of seeded raisins	 a 	quarter of a pound of citron	 or almonds blanched	 and pounded fine. 	butter three common sized cake pans	 and put the cake into them--let 	them remain half an hour in a warm place	 before setting them in the 	oven. bake the cake in a quick	 but not a furious oven	 from an hour and 	fifteen to thirty minutes	 according to the heat of the oven. if it 	browns too fast	 cover it	 while baking	 with thick paper. 	 	 	 . _plain loaf cake._ 	 	mix together a pint of lukewarm milk	 two quarts of sifted flour	 a 	small tea-cup of yeast. set the batter where it will rise quick. when 	perfectly light	 work in with the hand four beaten eggs	 a tea-spoonful 	of salt	 two of cinnamon	 a wine glass of brandy or wine. stir a pound 	of sugar with three-quarters of a pound of butter--when white	 work it 	into the cake	 add another quart of sifted flour	 and beat the whole 	well with the hand ten or fifteen minutes	 then set it where it will 	rise again. when of a spongy lightness	 put it into buttered cake pans	 	and let them stand fifteen or twenty minutes before baking. add if you 	like a pound and a half of raisins	 just before putting the cake into 	the pans. 	 	 	 . _shelah	 or quick loaf cake._ 	 	melt half a pound of butter--when cool	 work it into a pound and a half 	of raised dough. beat four eggs with three-quarters of a pound of rolled 	sugar	 mix it with the dough	 together with a wine glass of wine	 or 	brandy	 a tea-spoonful of cinnamon	 and a grated nutmeg. dissolve a 	tea-spoonful of saleratus in a small tea-cup of milk	 strain it on to 	the dough	 work the whole well together for a quarter of an hour	 then 	add a pound of seeded raisins	 and put it into cake pans. let them 	remain twenty minutes before setting them in the oven. 	 	 	 . _rice cake._ 	 	mix ten ounces of ground rice	 three of wheat flour	 eight ounces of 	powdered white sugar. sift the whole by degrees into the beaten yelks 	of eight eggs. add the whites of the eggs	 beaten to a stiff froth	 and 	half a grated nutmeg. bake the cake in deep pans as soon as the 	ingredients are well mixed in. the cake will bake sufficiently in the 	course of twenty minutes	 if the oven is hot. 	 	 	 . _diet bread._ 	 	sift a pound of flour	 mix it with a pound of rolled sugar. beat eight 	eggs to a froth	 and stir the flour and sugar in very gradually. season 	it to the taste with essence of lemon or rosewater. bake it from fifteen 	to twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _lemon cake._ 	 	stir together	 till very white	 a pound of sugar	 half a pound of 	butter--then add eight eggs	 beaten to a froth	 (the whites and yelks 	should be beaten separately	) the grated rind of two lemons	 and the 	juice of half a lemon. stir in gradually a pound of sifted flour. line a 	couple of cake pans with white buttered paper	 turn the cake into them	 	and bake it in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _scotch cake._ 	 	stir to a cream a pound of sugar	 and three-quarters of a pound of 	butter--put in the juice and grated rind of a lemon	 a wine glass of 	brandy. separate the whites and yelks of nine eggs	 beat them to a 	froth	 and stir them into the cake--then add a pound of sifted flour	 	and just before it is put in the cake pans	 a pound of seeded raisins. 	 	 	 . _pound cake._ 	 	mix a pound of sugar with three-quarters of a pound of butter. when 	worked white	 stir in the yelks of eight eggs	 beaten to a froth	 then 	the whites. add a pound of sifted flour	 and mace or nutmeg to the 	taste. if you wish to have your cake particularly nice	 stir in	 just 	before you put it into the pans	 a quarter of a pound of citron	 or 	almonds blanched	 and powdered fine in rosewater. 	 	 	 . _confectioner's pound cake._ 	 	stir together a pound and a quarter of sugar	 three quarters of a pound 	of butter. when of a light color	 stir in twelve beaten eggs	 a pound 	and a half of sifted flour	 and mace or nutmeg to the taste. 	 	 	 . _queen's cake._ 	 	rub together	 till very white	 a pound of sugar	 three quarters of a 	pound of butter. mix a wine glass of wine	 one of brandy	 one of milk	 	and if you wish to have the cake look dark	 put in a tea-spoonful of 	saleratus. stir them into the butter and sugar	 together with a pound of 	flour	 a tea-spoonful of rosewater	 or essence of lemon	 a quarter of an 	ounce of mace. beat the whites and yelks separately of six eggs--if no 	saleratus is used	 two more eggs will be necessary. when beaten to a 	froth	 mix them with the cake. stir the whole well together	 then add	 	just before baking it	 half a pound of seeded raisins	 the same weight 	of zante currants	 a quarter of a pound of citron	 or almonds blanched	 	and pounded fine in rosewater. the fruit should be stirred in gradually	 	a handful of each alternately. line a couple of three pint tin pans with 	buttered white paper	 put in the cake	 and bake it directly. if it 	browns too fast	 cover it with paper. it takes from an hour and a 	quarter to an hour and a half to bake it	 according to the heat of the 	oven. 	 	 	 . _delicate cake._ 	 	stir to a cream a pound of powdered white sugar	 seven ounces of 	butter--then add the whites of sixteen eggs	 beaten to a stiff froth	 	half a nutmeg	 or a tea-spoonful of rosewater. stir in gradually a pound 	of sifted flour	 and bake the cake immediately. the yelks of the eggs 	can be used for custards. 	 	 	 . _jelly cake._ 	 	rub together	 till white	 half a pound of sugar	 six ounces of butter. 	beat eight eggs to a froth	 and stir into the butter and sugar	 together 	with a pound of sifted flour. add the juice and grated rind of a fresh 	lemon	 and turn this mixture on to scolloped tin plates	 that have been 	well buttered. the cake should not be more than a quarter of an inch 	thick on each of the plates. bake them directly	 in a quick oven	 till 	a light brown. pile them on a plate with a layer of jelly or marmalade 	between each of the cakes	 and a layer on the top. 	 	 	 . _strawberry cake._ 	 	mix a quart of flour with a tea-spoonful of salt	 four beaten eggs	 and 	a tea-cup of thick cream	 or melted butter. add sufficient milk to 	enable you to roll it out--roll it out thin	 line a shallow cake pan 	with part of it	 then put in a thick layer of nice ripe strawberries	 	strew on sufficient white sugar to sweeten the strawberries	 cover them 	with a thin layer of the crust	 then add another layer of strawberries 	and sugar--cover the whole with another layer of crust	 and bake it in a 	quick oven about twenty-five minutes. 	 	 	 . _superior sponge cake._ 	 	take the weight of ten eggs in powdered loaf sugar	 beat it to a froth 	with the yelks of twelve eggs	 put in the grated rind of a fresh lemon	 	leaving out the white part--add half the juice. beat the whites of 	twelve eggs to a stiff froth	 and mix them with the sugar and butter. 	stir the whole without any cessation for fifteen minutes	 then stir in 	gradually the weight of six eggs in sifted flour. as soon as the flour 	is well mixed in	 turn the cake into pans lined with buttered 	paper--bake it immediately in a quick	 but not a furiously hot oven. it 	will bake in the course of twenty minutes. if it bakes too fast	 cover 	it with thick paper. 	 	 	 . _good sponge cake._ 	 	beat together the yelks of ten eggs	 with a pound of powdered white 	sugar--beat to a stiff froth the whites of the eggs	 and stir them into 	the yelks and sugar. beat the whole ten or fifteen minutes	 then stir in 	gradually three-quarters of a pound of sifted flour. flavor it with a 	nutmeg	 or the grated rind of a lemon. bake it as soon as the flour and 	spices are well mixed in. 	 	 	 . _almond cake._ 	 	beat the yelks of twelve eggs to a froth	 with a pound of powdered white 	sugar. beat the whites of nine eggs to a stiff froth	 and stir them into 	the yelks and sugar. when the whole has been stirred together for ten 	minutes	 add gradually a pound of sifted flour	 and half a pound of 	almonds	 blanched and pounded fine	 then stir in three table-spoonsful 	of thick cream. as soon as the ingredients are well mixed in	 turn the 	cake into buttered pans	 and bake it immediately. frost the cake with 	the reserved whites of the eggs as soon as it is baked. 	 	 	 . _fruit cake._ 	 	one pound of flour	 one of sugar	 three-quarters of a pound of butter	 	two pounds of seeded raisins	 two of currants	 one of citron	 a quarter 	of a pound of almonds	 half an ounce of mace	 a tea-spoonful of 	rosewater	 a wine glass of brandy	 one of wine	 and ten eggs. stir the 	sugar and butter to a cream	 then add the whites and yelks of the eggs	 	beaten separately to a froth--stir in the flour gradually	 then the 	wine	 brandy	 and spice. add the fruit just before it is put into the 	pans. it takes over two hours to bake it if the loaves are thick--if the 	loaves are thin	 it will bake in less time. this kind of cake is the 	best after it has been made three or four weeks	 and it will keep good 	five or six months. 	 	 	 . _black cake._ 	 	one pound of flour	 one of sugar	 fourteen ounces of butter	 ten eggs	 	three pounds of seeded raisins	 three pounds of zante currants	 and one 	pound of citron	 a wine glass of wine	 one of brandy	 and one of milk	 a 	tea-spoonful of saleratus	 a table-spoonful of molasses	 a 	table-spoonful of cinnamon	 a tea-spoonful of cloves	 a quarter of an 	ounce of mace	 or one nutmeg. the sugar should be the brown kind	 and 	stirred a few minutes with the butter	 then the eggs beaten to a froth	 	and stirred in. brown the flour in a pan	 over a few coals--stir it 	constantly to prevent its burning. it should be done before you commence 	making the cake	 so as to have it get cold. stir it into the butter and 	sugar gradually	 then add the molasses and spice. dissolve the saleratus 	in the milk	 then strain it	 and mix it with the brandy and wine	 to 	curdle them--stir the whole into the cake. just before you put it into 	the cake pans	 stir in the fruit gradually	 a handful of each 	alternately. when well mixed in	 put it into cake pans	 and bake it 	immediately. if baked in thick loaves	 it takes from two hours and a 	half to three hours to bake it sufficiently. the oven should not be of a 	furious heat. black cake cuts the best when three or four weeks old. 	 	 	 . _maccaroons._ 	 	soak half a pound of sweet almonds in boiling hot water	 till the skins 	will rub off easily--wipe them dry. when you have rubbed off the skins	 	pound them fine with rosewater. beat the whites of three eggs to a stiff 	froth	 then stir in gradually half a pound of powdered white sugar	 then 	add the almonds. when the almonds are well mixed in	 drop the mixture in 	small parcels on buttered baking plates	 several inches apart	 sift 	sugar over them	 and bake them in a slow oven. 	 	 	 . _cocoanut cakes._ 	 	take equal weights of grated cocoanut and powdered white sugar	 (the 	brown part of the cocoanut should be cut off before grating it)--add the 	whites of eggs beaten to a stiff froth	 in the proportion of half a 	dozen to a pound each of cocoanut and sugar. there should be just eggs 	enough to wet up the whole stiff. drop the mixture on to buttered 	plates	 in parcels of the size of a cent	 several inches apart. bake 	them immediately in a moderately warm oven. 	 	 	 . _tory wafers._ 	 	melt a tea-cup of butter	 half a one of lard	 and mix them with a quart 	of flour	 a couple of beaten eggs	 a tea-spoonful of salt	 a wine glass 	of wine. add milk till of the right consistency to roll out--roll it out 	about the third of an inch in thickness	 cut it into cakes with a wine 	glass	 lay them on buttered baking plates	 and bake them a few minutes. 	frost them as soon as baked	 and sprinkle comfits or sugar sand on the 	top. 	 	 	 . _sugar drops._ 	 	stir to a cream three ounces of butter	 six of powdered white 	sugar--then add three beaten eggs	 half a pound of sifted flour	 half of 	a nutmeg. drop this mixture by the large spoonful on to buttered 	plates	 several inches apart	 sprinkle small sugar plums on the top	 and 	bake them directly. 	 	 	 . _savoy cakes._ 	 	beat eight eggs to a froth--the whites and yelks should be beaten 	separately	 then mixed together	 and a pound of powdered white sugar 	stirred in gradually. beat the whole well together	 for eight or ten 	minutes	 then add the grated rind of a fresh lemon	 and half the juice	 	a pound of sifted flour	 a couple of table-spoonsful of coriander seed. 	drop this mixture by the large spoonful on to buttered baking plates	 	several inches apart	 sift white sugar over them	 and bake them 	immediately in a quick	 but not a furiously hot oven. 	 	 	 . _almond cheese cakes._ 	 	boil a pint of new milk--beat three eggs	 and stir into the milk while 	boiling. when it boils up	 take it from the fire	 put in half a wine 	glass of wine	 separate the curd from the whey	 and put to the curd 	three eggs	 six ounces of powdered white sugar	 previously beaten 	together. add a tea-spoonful of rosewater	 half a pound of sweet almonds 	that have been blanched and pounded fine	 a quarter of a pound of melted 	butter. mix the whole well together	 then pour it into small pans that 	are lined with pastry. ornament the top with zante currants	 and almonds 	cut in thin slips--bake them directly. 	 	 	 . _flummery._ 	 	lay sponge or savoy cakes in a deep dish--pour on white wine sufficient 	to make them quite moist. make a rich boiled custard	 using only the 	yelks of the eggs--turn it over the cakes when cool--beat the whites of 	the eggs to a froth	 and turn them over the whole. 	 	 	 . _floating island._ 	 	mix a pint and a half of sweet thick cream with a gill of wine	 the 	juice of half a lemon	 and a tea-spoonful of essence of lemon	 or 	rosewater. sweeten the whole with powdered loaf sugar--turn it into a 	deep dish. beat the whites of four eggs to a froth	 and stir in half a 	pound of any dark-colored preserved small fruit you may happen to have. 	beat the whole to a strong froth	 then turn it into the centre of the 	cream. 	 	 	 . _whip syllabub._ 	 	take good sweet cream--to each pint put six ounces of double refined	 	powdered white sugar	 half a tumbler of white wine	 the juice and grated 	rind of a lemon. beat the whole well together--put jelly in glasses	 and 	cover them with the froth as fast as it rises. 	 	 	 . _ornamental froth for blanc mange or creams._ 	 	beat the whites of four eggs to a froth	 then stir in half a pound of 	preserved raspberries	 cranberries	 or strawberries--beat the whole well 	together	 then turn it over the top of your creams or blanc mange. 	 	 	 . _ice currants._ 	 	take large bunches of ripe currants	 wash and drain them dry	 then dip 	them into the whites of eggs	 previously beaten to a stiff froth. lay 	them on a sieve	 at such a distance from each other as not to 	touch--sift double refined sugar over them thick	 and set them in a warm 	place to dry. 	 	 	 . _apple snow._ 	 	put a dozen good tart apples into cold water	 set them over a slow fire. 	when soft	 drain off the water	 pull the skins from the apples	 take out 	the cores	 and lay the apples in a deep dish. beat the whites of twelve 	eggs to a strong froth--put half a pound of powdered white sugar on the 	apples	 beat them to a strong froth	 then add the beaten eggs. beat the 	whole to a stiff snow	 then turn it into a dessert dish	 and ornament it 	with myrtle or box. 	 	 	 . _comfits._ 	 	mix a pound of white sugar with just sufficient water to make a thick 	syrup. when the sugar has dissolved	 drop in a pound of coriander seed	 	then drain off the syrup	 and put the seeds in a sieve	 with two or 	three ounces of flour--shake them well in it	 then set them where they 	will dry. when dry	 put them in the syrup again	 repeat the above 	process till they are of the size you wish. 	 	 	 . _isinglass blanc mange._ 	 	pull an ounce of mild white isinglass into small pieces--rinse them	 and 	put to them a quart of milk if the weather is hot	 and three pints if it 	is cold weather. set it on a few coals	 stir it constantly till the 	isinglass dissolves	 then sweeten it to the taste with double refined 	loaf sugar	 put in a small stick of cinnamon	 a vanilla bean	 or blade 	of mace. set it where it will boil five or six minutes	 stirring it 	constantly. strain it	 and fill the moulds with it--let it remain in 	them till cold. the same bean will do to use several times. 	 	 	 . _calf's feet blanc mange._ 	 	boil four feet in five quarts of water	 without any salt. when the 	liquor is reduced to one quart	 strain and mix it with one quart of 	milk	 several sticks of cinnamon	 or a vanilla bean. boil the whole ten 	minutes	 sweeten it to the taste with white sugar	 strain it	 and fill 	your moulds with it. 	 	 	 . _rice flour blanc mange._ 	 	mix four table-spoonsful of ground rice	 smoothly	 with half a pint of 	cold milk	 then stir it into a quart of boiling milk. put in the grated 	rind of a lemon	 and half the juice	 a blade of mace--sweeten to the 	taste with white sugar. boil the whole seven or eight minutes	 stirring 	it frequently. take it from the fire--when cool	 put in the beaten 	whites of three eggs	 put it back on the fire	 stir it constantly till 	nearly boiling hot	 then turn it into moulds	 or deep cups	 and let it 	remain till cold. this is nice food for invalids. 	 	 	 . _rice blanc mange._ 	 	boil a tea-cup of rice in a pint of water	 with a blade of mace	 and a 	tea-spoonful of salt. when it swells out and becomes dry	 add sufficient 	milk to prevent its burning. let it boil till quite soft	 stirring it 	constantly to keep it from burning--sweeten it with white sugar. dip 	your moulds in cold water	 then turn in the rice	 without drying the 	moulds. let the rice remain in the moulds till it becomes quite cold. 	turn it into dessert dishes	 ornament it with marmalade cut in slices	 	and box and serve it up with cream or preserved strawberries. it should 	be made the day before it is to be eaten	 in order to have it become 	firm. 	 	 	 . _snow cream._ 	 	beat the whites of four eggs to a stiff froth--then stir in two 	table-spoonsful of powdered white sugar	 a table-spoonful of sweet wine	 	a tea-spoonful of rosewater. beat the whole together	 then add a pint of 	thick cream. this is a nice accompaniment to a dessert of sweetmeats. 	 	 	 . _orange cream._ 	 	beat the yelks of eight eggs	 and the whites of two	 to a froth	 then 	stir in half a pound of powdered white sugar--add half a pint of wine	 	and the juice of six fresh oranges	 and the juice of one lemon. flavor 	it with orange-flower water--strain it	 and set it on a few coals--stir 	it till it thickens	 then add a piece of butter	 of the size of a 	nutmeg. when the butter has melted	 take it from the fire	 continue to 	stir it till cool	 then fill your glasses with it. beat up the whites of 	the eggs to a froth	 and lay the froth on top of the glasses of cream. 	 	 	 . _lemon cream._ 	 	pare four fresh lemons very thin	 so as to get none of the white part. 	soak the rinds twelve hours in half a pint of cold water	 then add the 	juice of the lemons	 and half a pint more of cold water. beat to a froth 	the whites of eight eggs	 and the yelks of three--strain the lemon-juice 	and water	 mix it with the eggs--set the whole on a few coals	 sweeten 	it with double refined sugar	 stir it till it grows thick	 then take it 	from the fire	 stir it till cold--serve it up in glasses. 	 	 	 . _ice creams._ 	 	sweeten thick rich cream with powdered white sugar--it should be made 	very sweet	 as the process of freezing extracts a great deal of the 	saccharine matter. essence of lemon	 the juice of strawberries or 	pine-apples	 are nice to flavor the cream with--the juice should be 	sweetened before being mixed with the cream. where cream cannot be 	procured	 a custard	 made in the following manner	 may be substituted: 	to a quart of milk put the beaten yelks of four eggs	 the rind of a 	lemon	 or a vanilla bean--set it on a few coals	 make it extremely 	sweet	 with white sugar--stir it constantly till scalding hot--care must 	be taken that it does not boil. take it from the fire	 take out the 	bean	 or lemon peel--when perfectly cold	 put it in an ice cream 	form--if one cannot be procured	 a milk kettle	 with a tight cover	 may 	be substituted. set the form into the centre of a tub that is large 	enough to leave a space of five inches from the form to the outside of 	the tub. fill the space round the form with alternate layers of finely 	cracked ice and rock salt	 having a layer of ice last	 and the whole 	should be just as high as the form. care should be taken to keep the 	salt from the cream. the tub should be covered with a woollen cloth 	while the cream is freezing	 and the form should be constantly shaken. 	if you wish to shape the cream	 turn it into moulds as soon as it 	freezes	 set them in the tub	 let them remain till just before they are 	to be eaten	 then dip them in warm water	 and take them out instantly	 	and turn them into dessert dishes. 	 	 	 . _pastry._ 	 	for a good common pie-crust allow half a pound of shortening to a pound 	of flour. if liked quite short	 allow three-quarters of a pound of 	shortening to a pound of the flour. pie crust looks the nicest made 	entirely of lard	 but it does not taste so good as it does to have some 	butter used in making it. in winter	 beef shortening	 mixed with butter	 	makes good plain pie crust. rub half of the shortening with two-thirds 	of the flour--to each pound of flour put a tea-spoonful of salt. when 	the shortening is thoroughly mixed with the flour	 add just sufficient 	cold water to render it moist enough to roll out easily. divide the 	crust into two equal portions--lay one of them one side for the upper 	crust	 take the other	 roll it out quite thin	 flouring your 	rolling-board and pin	 so that the crust will not stick to them	 and 	line your pie plates	 which should be previously buttered--fill your 	plates with your fruit	 then roll out the upper crust as thin as 	possible	 spread on the reserved shortening	 sprinkle over the flour	 	roll it up	 and cut it into as many pieces as you have pies to cover. 	roll each one out about half an inch thick	 and cover the pies--trim the 	edges off neatly with a knife	 and press the crust down	 round the edge 	of the plate	 with a jagging iron	 so that the juices of the fruit may 	not run out while baking. pastry	 to be nice	 should be baked in a quick 	oven. in cold weather it is necessary to warm the shortening before 	using it for pie crust	 but it must not be melted	 or the crust will not 	be flaky. 	 	 	 . _puff paste	 or confectioner's pastry._ 	 	weigh out a pound and a quarter of sifted flour	 and a pound of butter. 	rub about one-third of the butter with two-thirds of the flour	 a 	tea-spoonful of salt. when the butter is thoroughly mixed with the 	flour	 add one beaten egg	 and cold water to moisten it sufficiently to 	roll out. sprinkle part of the reserved flour on a board	 cut the butter 	into small pieces	 and roll them out as thin as possible. in order to do 	so	 it will be necessary to rub a great deal of the flour on the 	moulding-board and rolling-pin. lay the butter	 as fast as rolled out	 	on to a floured plate	 each piece by itself--roll out the pastry as thin 	as it can be rolled	 cover it with the rolled butter	 sprinkle on part 	of the reserved flour	 and roll the crust up. continue to roll out the 	crust	 and put on the reserved butter and flour	 till the whole is used. 	roll it out lightly	 about half an inch thick	 for the upper crust	 or 	rim to your pies--plain pie crust should be used for the under crust to 	the pies. puff pastry	 to be nice	 should be baked in a quick oven till 	of a light brown color. if it browns before the fruit in the pie is 	sufficiently baked	 cover it with thick paper. 	 	 	 . _apple pie._ 	 	when apples are very small and green	 they are nice stewed whole	 with 	the skins on	 and strained when soft	 and sweetened. pare	 quarter	 and 	take out the cores of the apples	 when of a large size. if they are not 	ripe	 stew them with just water enough to prevent their burning. when 	soft	 sweeten and season them to the taste. when apples are ripe	 they 	make better pies not to be stewed before baking. fill your pie plates	 	cover them with a thick crust	 and bake them from half to three-quarters 	of an hour. when baked sufficiently	 cut the upper crust through the 	centre	 remove it carefully with a broad knife	 put a piece of butter	 	of the size of a walnut	 into a pie	 sweeten it to your taste	 and if 	the apples are not tart enough	 squeeze in the juice of part of a 	lemon--flavor the pie with either nutmeg	 rosewater	 or grated lemon 	peel. apples cut into quarters	 without paring	 and stewed soft in new 	cider and molasses	 make good plain pies. the apples should be strained 	after stewing	 and seasoned with cinnamon or nutmeg. if made quite 	sweet	 it will keep good several months. dried apples should have 	boiling water turned on to cover them	 and stewed till very soft. if 	they are not tart enough	 turn in sour cider	 when they are partly 	stewed. a little orange peel stewed with the apples	 gives them a fine 	flavor. season them	 when soft	 with sugar and nutmeg	 and strain them 	if you like. 	 	 	 . _mince pie._ 	 	the best kind of meat for mince pies is neat's tongue and feet--the 	shank of beef makes very good pies. boil the meat till perfectly 	tender--then take it up	 clear it from the bones and gristle	 chop it 	fine enough to strain through a sieve	 mix it with an equal weight of 	tart apples	 chopped very fine. if the meat is not fat	 put in a little 	suet	 or melted butter. moisten the whole with cider--sweeten it to the 	taste with sugar	 and very little molasses--add mace	 cinnamon	 cloves	 	and salt	 to the taste. if you wish to make your pies rich	 put in wine 	or brandy to the taste	 and raisins	 citron	 and zante currants. the 	grated rind and juice of lemons improve the pie. make the pies on 	shallow plates	 with apertures in the upper crust	 and bake them from 	half to three-quarters of an hour	 according to the heat of the oven. 	meat prepared for pies in the following manner	 will keep good several 	months	 if kept in a cool dry place: to a pound of finely chopped meat	 	a quarter of a pound of suet	 put half an ounce of mace	 one ounce of 	cinnamon	 a quarter of an ounce of cloves	 two tea-spoonsful of salt. 	add if you like the following fruits: half a pound of seeded raisins	 	half a pound of zante currants	 a quarter of a pound of citron. put in 	half a pint of french brandy or wine	 three table-spoonsful of molasses	 	and sugar sufficient to make it quite sweet. put the whole in a stone 	pot--cover it with a paper wet in brandy. when you wish to use any of it 	for pies	 put to what meat you use an equal weight of apples	 pared and 	chopped fine. if not seasoned high enough	 add more spice and sugar. if 	the apples are not tart	 put in lemon-juice or sour cider. 	 	 	 . _rice pie._ 	 	to a quart of boiling water	 put a small tea-cup of rice. boil it till 	very soft	 then take it from the fire	 and add a quart of cold milk. put 	in a tea-spoonful of salt	 a grated nutmeg	 five eggs beaten to a 	froth--add sugar to the taste	 and strain it through a sieve. bake it in 	deep pie plates	 with an under crust and rim of pastry--add if you like 	a few raisins. 	 	 	 . _peach pie._ 	 	take mellow	 juicy peaches--wash and put them in a deep pie plate	 lined 	with pie crust. sprinkle a thick layer of sugar on each layer of 	peaches	 put in about a table-spoonful of water	 and sprinkle a little 	flour over the top--cover it with a thick crust	 and bake the pie from 	fifty to sixty minutes. pies made in this manner are much better than 	with the stones taken out	 as the prussic acid of the stone gives the 	pie a fine flavor. if the peaches are not mellow	 they will require 	stewing before being made into a pie. dried peaches should be stewed 	soft	 and sweetened	 before they are made into a pie--they do not 	require any spice. 	 	 	 . _tart pie._ 	 	sour apples	 cranberries	 and peaches	 all make nice tarts. stew	 and 	strain them when soft. peach tarts require a little lemon-juice	 without 	they are sour. grate in lemon peel	 add brown sugar to the taste. put in 	each pie one beaten egg	 to make it cut smooth. bake the pies on shallow 	plates	 with an under crust and rim of pastry--ornament the pie with 	very small strips of pastry. when the crust is done	 remove the pies 	from the oven. 	 	 	 . _rhubarb pies._ 	 	take the tender stalks of the rhubarb	 strip off the skin	 and cut the 	stalks into thin slices. line deep plates with pie crust	 then put in 	the rhubarb	 with a thick layer of sugar to each layer of rhubarb--a 	little grated lemon peel improves the pie. cover the pies with a thick 	crust--press it down tight round the edge of the plate	 and prick the 	crust with a fork	 so that the crust will not burst while baking	 and 	let out the juices of the pie. rhubarb pies should be baked about an 	hour	 in a slow oven--it will not do to bake them quick. some cooks stew 	the rhubarb before making it into pies	 but it is not so good as when 	used without stewing. 	 	 	 . _tomato pie._ 	 	take green tomatoes	 turn boiling water on them	 and let them remain in 	it a few minutes--then strip off the skin	 cut the tomatoes in slices	 	and put them in deep pie plates. sprinkle sugar over each layer	 and a 	little ginger. grated lemon peel	 and the juice of a lemon	 improve the 	pie. cover the pies with a thick crust	 and bake them slowly for about 	an hour. 	 	 	 . _lemon pie._ 	 	for one pie	 take a couple of good sized fresh lemons	 squeeze out the 	juice	 and mix it with half a pint of molasses	 or sufficient sugar to 	make the juice sweet. chop the peel fine	 line a deep pie plate with 	your pastry	 then sprinkle on a layer of your chopped lemon peel	 turn 	in part of the mixed sugar or molasses	 and juice	 then cover the whole 	with pie crust	 rolled very thin--put in another layer of peel	 	sweetened juice	 and crust	 and so on	 till all the lemon is used. cover 	the whole with a thick crust	 and bake the pie about half an hour. 	 	 	 . _cherry and blackberry pie._ 	 	cherries and blackberries for pies should be ripe. bake them in deep pie 	plates	 sweeten them with sugar	 and put in cloves or cinnamon to the 	taste. bake them about half an hour. 	 	 	 . _grape pie._ 	 	grapes make the best pies when very tender and green. if not very small	 	they should be stewed and strained	 to get out the seeds	 before they 	are made into pies--sweeten them to the taste when stewed. they do not 	require any spice. if made into a pie without stewing	 put to each layer 	of grapes a thick layer of sugar	 and a table-spoonful of water. 	 	 	 . _currant and gooseberry pie._ 	 	currants and gooseberries are the best for pies when of a full growth	 	just before they begin to turn red--they are tolerably good when ripe. 	currants mixed with ripe raspberries or mulberries	 make very nice pies. 	green currants and gooseberries for pies are not apt to be sweet enough 	without the sugar is scalded in before they are baked	 as the juice of 	the currants is apt to run out while they are baking	 and leave the 	fruit dry. stew them on a moderate fire	 with a tea-cup of water to a 	couple of quarts of currants--as soon as they begin to break	 add the 	sugar	 and let it scald in a few minutes. when baked without stewing	 	put to each layer of fruit a thick layer of sugar. there should be as 	much as a quarter of a pound of sugar to a pint of currants	 to make 	them sufficiently sweet. green currant pies are good sweetened with 	molasses and sugar mixed. 	 	 	 . _prune pie._ 	 	prunes that are too dry to eat without stewing	 can be made into good 	pies. turn enough boiling water on the prunes to cover them	 set them on 	a few coals	 and let them remain till swelled out plump. if there is not 	water sufficient to make a nice syrup for the pies	 add more	 and season 	them with cinnamon or cloves. the juice and grated peel of a lemon gives 	them a fine flavor. add sugar to the taste	 and bake them in deep pie 	plates. 	 	 	 . _pumpkin pie._ 	 	halve the pumpkin	 take out the seeds--rinse the pumpkin	 and cut it 	into small strips--stew them	 over a moderate fire	 in just sufficient 	water to prevent their burning	 to the bottom of the pot. when stewed 	soft	 turn off the water	 and let the pumpkin steam	 over a slow fire	 	for fifteen or twenty minutes	 taking care that it does not burn. take 	it from the fire	 and strain it	 when cool	 through a sieve. if you wish 	to have the pies very rich	 put to a quart of the stewed pumpkin two 	quarts of milk	 and twelve eggs. if you like them plain	 put to a quart 	of the pumpkin one quart of milk	 and three eggs. the thicker the pie is 	of the pumpkin	 the less will be the number of eggs required for them. 	one egg	 with a table-spoonful of flour	 will answer for a quart of the 	pumpkin	 if very little milk is used. sweeten the pumpkin with sugar	 	and very little molasses--the sugar and eggs should be beaten together. 	ginger	 the grated rind of a lemon	 or nutmeg	 is good spice for the 	pies. pumpkin pies require a very hot oven. the rim of the pies is apt 	to get burnt before the inside is baked sufficiently. on this account	 	it is a good plan to heat the pumpkin scalding hot when prepared for 	pies	 before turning it into the pie plates. the pies should be baked as 	soon as the plates are filled	 or the under crust to the pies will be 	clammy. the more the number of eggs in the pies	 the less time will be 	required to bake them. if you have pumpkins that have begun to decay	 or 	those that are frozen	 they can be kept several months	 in cold weather	 	by cutting the good part up	 stewing it till soft	 then stirring it	 and 	adding sugar and molasses	 to make it very sweet. make it strong of 	ginger	 then scald the seasoning in well. keep it in a stone jar	 in a 	cool place--whenever you wish to use any of it for pies	 take out the 	quantity you wish	 and put milk and eggs to it. 	 	 	 . _carrot pie._ 	 	scrape the skin off from the carrots	 boil them soft	 and strain them 	through a sieve. to a pint of the strained pulp put three pints of milk	 	six beaten eggs	 two table-spoonsful of melted butter	 the juice of half 	a lemon	 and the grated rind of a whole one. sweeten it to your taste	 	and bake it in deep pie plates without an upper crust. 	 	 	 . _potato pie._ 	 	boil carolina or mealy irish potatoes	 till very soft--when peeled	 	mash and strain them. to a quarter of a pound of potatoes	 put a quart 	of milk	 three table-spoonsful of melted butter	 four beaten eggs	 a 	wine glass of wine--add sugar and nutmeg to the taste. 	 	 	 . _sweet marlborough pie._ 	 	procure sweet mellow apples	 pare and grate them. to a pint of the 	grated pulp put a pint of milk	 a couple of eggs	 two table-spoonsful of 	melted butter	 the grated peel of a lemon	 and half a wine glass of 	brandy. sweeten it to the taste with nice brown sugar. the eggs should 	be beaten to a froth	 then the sugar stirred into them	 and mixed with 	the rest of the ingredients. a little stewed pumpkin	 mixed with the 	apples	 improves the pie. bake the pie in deep plates	 without an upper 	crust. 	 	 	 . _marlborough tarts._ 	 	take tart juicy apples--quarter them	 and stew them till soft enough to 	rub through a sieve. to twelve table-spoonsful of the strained apple	 	put twelve of sugar	 the same quantity of wine	 six table-spoonsful of 	melted butter	 four beaten eggs	 the juice and grated rind of a lemon	 	half a nutmeg	 and half a pint of milk. turn this	 when the ingredients 	are well mixed together	 into deep pie plates that are lined with 	pastry	 and a rim of puff paste round the edge. bake the tarts about 	half an hour. 	 	 	 . _cocoanut pie._ 	 	cut off the brown part of the cocoanut--grate the white part	 and mix it 	with milk	 and set it on the fire	 and let it boil slowly eight or ten 	minutes. to a pound of the grated cocoanut allow a quart of milk	 eight 	eggs	 four table-spoonsful of sifted white sugar	 a glass of wine	 a 	small cracker	 pounded fine	 two table-spoonsful of melted butter	 and 	half a nutmeg. the eggs and sugar should be beaten together to a froth	 	then the wine stirred in. put them into the milk and cocoanut	 which 	should be first allowed to get quite cool--add the cracker and 	nutmeg--turn the whole into deep pie plates	 with a lining and rim of 	puff paste. bake them as soon as turned into the plates. 	 	 	 . _small puffs._ 	 	to make a dozen puffs	 take a pound and a quarter of flour	 a pound of 	butter	 and one egg. put them together according to the directions for 	puff pastry	 no. . divide it when made into three equal 	portions--roll one of them out half an inch thick	 cut it into cakes 	with a tumbler--roll out the rest of the pastry	 cut it into strips with 	a jagging iron	 and lay the strips round those that are cut with a 	tumbler	 so as to form a rim. lay the puffs on buttered flat tins--bake 	them in a quick oven till a light brown	 then fill them with any small 	preserved fruit you may happen to have. 	 	 	 . _a plain custard pie._ 	 	boil a quart of milk with half a dozen peach leaves	 or the rind of a 	lemon. when they have flavored the milk	 strain it	 and set it where it 	will boil. mix a table-spoonful of flour	 smoothly	 with a couple of 	table-spoonsful of milk	 and stir it into the boiling milk. let it boil 	a minute	 stirring it constantly--take it from the fire	 and when cool	 	put in three beaten eggs--sweeten it to the taste	 turn it into deep pie 	plates	 and bake the pies directly in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _a rich baked custard._ 	 	beat seven eggs with three table-spoonsful of rolled sugar. when beaten 	to a froth	 mix them with a quart of milk--flavor it with nutmeg. turn 	it into cups	 or else into deep pie plates	 that have a lining and rim 	of pastry--bake them directly	 in a quick oven. to ascertain when the 	custards are sufficiently baked	 stick a clean broom splinter into 	them--if none of the custard adheres to the splinter	 it is sufficiently 	baked. 	 	 	 . _boiled custards._ 	 	put your milk on the fire	 and let it boil up--then remove it from the 	fire	 and let it cool. beat for each quart of the milk	 if liked rich	 	the yelks and half the whites of six eggs	 with three table-spoonsful of 	rolled sugar--stir them into the milk when it is cool. if you wish to 	have your custards very plain	 four eggs to a quart of the milk is 	sufficient. season the custard with nutmeg or rosewater	 and set it on 	a few coals	 and stir it constantly until it thickens	 and becomes 	scalding hot. take it from the fire before it gets to boiling	 and stir 	it a few minutes	 then turn it into the cups. beat the reserved whites 	of the eggs to a froth	 and turn them on the top of the custards just 	before they are to be eaten. 	 	 	 . _mottled custards._ 	 	stir into a quart of milk	 while boiling	 the beaten yelks of six eggs. 	beat the whites of the eggs with three table-spoonsful of powdered white 	sugar	 if the custards are liked very sweet--if not	 a less quantity 	will answer. stir in the whites of the eggs a minute after the yelks 	have set	 so as to be thick. season the custard with essence of lemon or 	rosewater--stir it till it becomes thick and lumpy	 then turn it into 	cups. 	 	 	 . _cream custards._ 	 	sweeten a pint of cream with powdered white sugar--set it on a few 	coals. when hot	 stir in white wine until it curdles--add rosewater or 	essence of lemon to the taste	 and turn it into cups. another way of 	making them	 which is very nice	 is to mix a pint of cream with one of 	milk	 five beaten eggs	 a table-spoonful of flour	 and three of sugar. 	add nutmeg to the taste	 and bake the custards in cups or pie plates	 in 	a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _almond custards._ 	 	blanch and pound fine	 with a table-spoonful of rosewater	 four ounces 	of almonds. boil them four or five minutes in a quart of milk	 with 	sufficient white sugar to sweeten the milk. take it from the fire	 and 	when lukewarm	 stir in the beaten yelks of eight	 and the whites of four 	eggs. set the whole on the fire	 and stir it constantly until it 	thickens--then take it up	 stir it till partly cooled	 and turn it into 	cups. if you wish to have the custards cool quick	 set the cups into a 	pan of cold water--as fast as it gets warm	 change it. just before the 	custards are to be eaten	 beat the reserved whites of the eggs to a 	froth	 and cover the top of the custards with them. 	 	 	 . _apple custards._ 	 	take half a dozen tart mellow apples--pare and quarter them	 and take 	out the cores. put them in a pan	 with half a tea-cup of water--set them 	on a few coals. when they begin to grow soft	 turn them into a pudding 	dish	 sprinkle sugar on them. beat eight eggs with rolled brown 	sugar--mix them with three pints of milk	 grate in half a nutmeg	 and 	turn the whole over the apples. bake the custard between twenty and 	thirty minutes. 	 	 	 . _directions for making puddings._ 	 	a bag that is used for boiling puddings	 should be made of thick cotton 	cloth. before the pudding is turned in	 the bag should be dipped into 	water	 wrung out	 and the inside of it floured. when the pudding is 	turned in	 tie the bag tight	 leaving plenty of room for the pudding to 	swell out in. indian and flour puddings require a great deal of room. 	put them in a pot of boiling water	 with an old plate at the bottom of 	the pot	 to keep the pudding bag from sticking to it. when the pudding 	has been in a few minutes	 turn the bag over	 or the pudding will 	settle	 and be heavy. there should be water enough in the pot to cover 	the pudding	 and it should not be allowed to stop boiling a minute--if 	so	 the pudding will not be nice. a tea-kettle of boiling water should 	be kept on the fire	 to turn in as the water boils away. when the 	pudding is done	 dip the bag into cold water for a minute--the pudding 	will then come out easily. when puddings are baked	 the fruit should not 	be put in till the pudding has begun to thicken	 otherwise they will 	sink to the bottom of the pudding. 	 	 	 . _hasty pudding._ 	 	wet sifted indian meal with cold water	 to make a thick batter. stir it 	into a pot of boiling water gradually. boil it an hour	 then stir in 	sifted indian meal	 by the handful	 till it becomes quite thick	 and so 	that the pudding stick may be made to stand up in it. it should be 	stirred in very gradually	 so that the pudding may not be lumpy. add 	salt to the taste. let it boil slowly	 and stir it frequently	 to keep 	it from burning on the inside of the pot. if you do not wish to fry the 	pudding	 it will boil sufficiently in the course of an hour and a half. 	if it is to be fried	 it will be necessary to boil it an hour longer; 	and a little flour stirred in	 just before it is taken up	 will make it 	fry better. it must get perfectly cold before it is fried. when you wish 	to fry it	 cut it in slices half an inch thick	 flour them	 and fry them 	brown in a little lard. 	 	 	 . _corn puddings._ 	 	grate sweet green corn--to three tea-cups of it	 when grated	 put two 	quarts of milk	 eight eggs	 a couple of tea-spoonsful of salt	 half a 	tea-cup of melted butter	 and a grated nutmeg. bake the pudding an 	hour--serve it up with sauce. 	 	 	 . _cracker pudding._ 	 	mix ten ounces of finely pounded crackers with a wine glass of wine	 a 	little salt	 and half a nutmeg	 three or four table-spoonsful of sugar	 	two of melted butter. beat eight eggs to a froth--mix them with three 	pints of milk	 and turn them on to the rest of the ingredients. let it 	remain till the crackers begin to soften	 then bake it. 	 	 	 . _boiled indian pudding._ 	 	stir enough sifted indian meal into a quart of boiling milk or water	 to 	make a very stiff batter--then stir in a couple of table-spoonsful of 	flour	 three of sugar or molasses	 half a spoonful of ginger	 or a 	couple of tea-spoonsful of cinnamon	 and a couple of tea-spoonsful of 	salt. two or three eggs improve the pudding	 but are not essential--some 	people like a little chopped suet in them. the pudding will boil	 so as 	to be very good	 in the course of three hours	 but it is better for 	being boiled five or six hours. some cooks boil them eight or nine 	hours--when boiled so long	 it is necessary to boil them several hours 	the day before they are to be eaten. 	 	 	 . _baked indian pudding._ 	 	boil a quart of milk	 and turn it on to a pint of sifted indian meal. 	stir it in well	 so as to scald the meal--then mix three table-spoonsful 	of wheat flour with a pint of milk. the milk should be stirred 	gradually into the flour	 so as to have it mix free from lumps. turn it 	on to the indian meal--mix the whole well together. when the whole is 	just lukewarm	 beat three eggs with three table-spoonsful of sugar--stir 	them into the pudding	 together with two tea-spoonsful of salt	 two of 	cinnamon	 or a grated nutmeg	 and a couple of table-spoonsful of melted 	butter	 or suet chopped fine. add	 if you wish to have the pudding very 	rich	 half a pound of raisins--they should not be put in till the 	pudding has baked five or six minutes. if raisins are put in	 an 	additional half pint of milk will be required	 as they absorb a great 	deal of milk. a very good indian pudding may be made without eggs	 if 	half a pint more of meal is used	 and no flour. it takes three hours to 	bake an indian pudding without eggs--if it has eggs in	 it will bake in 	much less time. 	 	 	 . _minute pudding._ 	 	put a pint and a half of milk on the fire. mix five large 	table-spoonsful of either wheat or rye flour	 smoothly	 with half a pint 	of milk	 a tea-spoonful of salt	 and half of a grated nutmeg. when the 	milk boils	 stir in the mixed flour and milk. let the whole boil for one 	minute	 stirring it constantly--take it from the fire	 let it get 	lukewarm	 then add three beaten eggs. set it back on the fire	 and stir 	it constantly until it thickens. take it from the fire as soon as it 	boils. 	 	 	 . _boiled bread pudding._ 	 	take about three-quarters of a pound of bread	 cut it into small pieces	 	and soak them soft in cold water--then drain off the water	 mash the 	bread fine	 and mix with it two table-spoonsful of flour	 three eggs	 a 	tea-spoonful of salt	 a table-spoonful of melted butter	 and cold milk 	sufficient to make it a thick batter. mix the whole well together	 then 	turn it into a floured pudding bag--tie it up	 so as to leave room for 	the pudding to swell--boil it an hour and a half	 without any 	intermission. serve up the pudding with rich sauce. 	 	 	 . _a plain baked bread pudding._ 	 	pound rusked bread fine--to five heaping table-spoonsful of it	 put a 	quart of milk	 three beaten eggs	 three table-spoonsful of rolled sugar	 	a tea-spoonful of salt	 half a nutmeg	 and three table-spoonsful of 	melted butter. bake it about an hour--it does not need any sauce. 	 	 	 . _rich bread pudding._ 	 	cut a pound loaf of bakers' bread into thin slices--spread butter on 	them as for eating--lay them in a pudding dish--sprinkle between each 	layer of bread seeded raisins	 and citron	 cut in small strips. beat 	eight eggs with four table-spoonsful of rolled sugar--mix them with 	three pints of milk	 half of a grated nutmeg. turn the whole on to the 	bread	 and let it remain until the bread has absorbed full half of the 	milk--then bake it about three-quarters of an hour. 	 	 	 . _flour pudding._ 	 	into a pint and a half of sifted flour stir gradually	 so that it may 	not be lumpy	 a quart of milk. beat seven eggs	 and put in	 together 	with a couple of table-spoonsful of melted butter	 and a couple of 	tea-spoonsful of salt. grate in half of a nutmeg--add	 if you want the 	pudding very rich	 half a pound of raisins. they should not be put into 	a baked pudding till it has been cooking long enough to thicken	 so that 	the raisins will not sink to the bottom of it. a pudding made in this 	manner is good either baked or boiled. it takes two hours to boil	 and 	an hour and a quarter to bake it. when boiled	 the bag should not be 	more than two-thirds full	 as flour puddings swell very much. it should 	be put into boiling water	 and kept boiling constantly. if the water 	boils away	 so as to leave any part of the bag uncovered	 more boiling 	water should be added. when the pudding has boiled eight or nine 	minutes	 the bag should be turned over	 otherwise the pudding will be 	heavy. flour puddings should be eaten as soon as cooked	 as they fall 	directly. serve them up with rich sauce. 	 	 	 . _boiled rice pudding._ 	 	put two tea-cups of rice into a quart of boiling water--add a couple of 	tea-spoonsful of salt	 and let the rice boil till soft. then take it 	from the fire	 stir in a quart of cold milk	 and half a pound of 	raisins; or omit the raisins	 and substitute any other fruit that you 	may like. beat a couple of eggs	 and put in	 together with half of a 	grated nutmeg. set the whole on the fire	 and let it boil till the fruit 	is soft. serve it up with butter and sugar. 	 	 	 . _a baked rice pudding	 without eggs._ 	 	pick over and wash two small tea-cups of rice	 and put it into two 	quarts of milk. melt a small tea-cup of butter	 and put in	 together 	with two of sugar	 a grated nutmeg	 and a couple of tea-spoonsful of 	salt	 and bake the pudding about two hours. this pudding does not need 	any sauce	 and is good either hot or cold. if you wish to have the 	pudding very rich	 add	 when it has been baking five or six minutes	 	half a pound of raisins. 	 	 	 . _rice pudding	 with eggs._ 	 	boil a quarter of a pound of unground rice in a quart of milk till soft	 	then stir in a quarter of a pound of butter--take it from the fire	 put 	in a pint of cold milk	 a couple of tea-spoonsful of salt	 and a grated 	nutmeg. when it is lukewarm	 beat four eggs with a quarter of a pound of 	sugar	 and stir it into the pudding--add half a pound of raisins	 and 	turn the whole into a buttered pudding dish	 and bake it three-quarters 	of an hour. 	 	 	 . _ground rice pudding._ 	 	mix a pint and a half of ground rice	 smooth	 with a quart of milk--stir 	in a glass of wine	 a quarter of a pound of melted butter	 a 	tea-spoonful of salt	 and spice to the taste. beat eight eggs	 and stir 	them in--turn the whole into a buttered pudding dish	 and when it has 	baked a few minutes	 add half a pound of raisins	 or zante currants. 	 	 	 . _rice snow balls._ 	 	pare small	 tart apples	 and take out the cores with a small knife--fill 	the cavity with a stick of cinnamon or mace. put each one in a small 	floured bag	 and fill the bags about half full of unground rice. tie up 	the bags so as to leave a great deal of room for the rice to swell. put 	them in a pot of water	 with a table-spoonful of salt to a couple of 	quarts of water. the bags of rice should be boiled in a large 	proportion of water	 as the rice absorbs it very much. boil them about 	an hour and twenty minutes	 then turn them out of the bags carefully 	into a dessert dish	 and garnish them with marmalade cut in slices. 	serve them up with butter and sugar. 	 	 	 . _cream pudding._ 	 	beat six eggs to a froth--then mix with them three table-spoonsful of 	powdered white sugar	 the grated rind of a lemon. mix a pint of milk 	with a pint of flour	 two tea-spoonsful of salt--then add the eggs and 	sugar. just before it is baked	 stir in a pint of thick cream. bake it 	either in buttered cups or a pudding dish. 	 	 	 . _custard pudding._ 	 	stir a quart of milk very gradually into half a pint of flour--mix it 	free from lumps	 and put to it seven eggs	 beaten with three 	table-spoonsful of sugar	 a tea-spoonful of salt	 and half of a grated 	nutmeg. bake it three-quarters of an hour. 	 	 	 . _rennet pudding._ 	 	put cleaned calf's rennet into white wine	 in the proportion of a piece 	three inches square to a pint of wine. it will be fit for use in the 	course of seven or eight hours. whenever you wish to make a pudding	 put 	three table-spoonsful of the wine to a quart of sweet milk	 and four 	table-spoonsful of powdered white sugar--flavor it with rosewater or 	essence of lemon. stir it twenty minutes	 then dish it out	 and grate 	nutmeg over it. it should be eaten in the course of an hour after it is 	made	 as it soon curdles. 	 	 	 . _fruit pudding._ 	 	make good common pie crust--roll it out half an inch thick	 and strew 	over it any one of the following kinds of fruit: cherries	 currants	 	gooseberries	 strawberries	 raspberries	 blackberries	 or cranberries. a 	thick layer of marmalade spread on	 is also very nice. sprinkle over the 	fruit a little cinnamon or cloves	 and sugar. if the pudding is made of 	gooseberries	 currants	 or cranberries	 a great deal of sugar will be 	necessary. roll the crust up carefully	 join the ends so that the fruit 	will not drop out	 and lay the pudding in a thick white towel	 that has 	been previously dipped into water	 and floured. baste up the towel	 and 	lay it carefully in a pot of boiling water	 with a plate at the bottom 	of it. boil it an hour	 and serve it up with rich liquid sauce. for a 	baked fruit pudding	 make a batter of wheat flour	 or indian meal	 with 	milk and eggs. mix the ingredients in the proportion of a pint of flour 	and six eggs to a quart of milk. put to each quart of milk a pint of 	fruit	 and sugar to the taste. 	 	 	 . _a quaking pudding._ 	 	slice up three-quarters of a pound of bakers' bread. beat eight eggs to 	a froth	 stir in several large spoonsful of sugar	 and mix it with a 	quart of milk	 a grated nutmeg. turn it on to the sliced bread--let the 	whole remain till the bread has soaked up most of the milk	 then stir in 	a couple of table-spoonsful of flour	 a tea-spoonful of salt	 and turn 	it into a pudding bag	 and boil it an hour. serve it up with rich sauce. 	 	 	 . _lemon pudding._ 	 	grate the rind of two fresh lemons	 being careful not to grate any off 	the white part. squeeze the juice out of the lemons	 and strain it	 to 	separate it from the seeds. mix it with six large spoonsful of fine 	white sugar. take a quart of milk	 and mix it with the rind of the 	lemons	 a couple of table-spoonsful of pounded crackers	 and a 	table-spoonful of melted butter. beat six eggs to a froth	 and stir them 	into the milk. stir in the lemon-juice and sugar last	 and then turn the 	whole into a pudding dish that has a lining and rim of puff paste. bake 	it from twenty-five to thirty minutes. it should not be eaten till it is 	cold. 	 	 	 . _almond pudding._ 	 	turn boiling water on three-quarters of a pound of sweet almonds. let 	them remain in it till the skins will slip off easily--rub the skins off 	with a dry cloth. when they are perfectly dry	 pound them fine	 with a 	table-spoonful of rosewater. beat six eggs to a froth	 then mix them 	with four table-spoonsful of powdered sugar--put them into a quart of 	milk	 with three table-spoonsful of pounded crackers	 a quarter of a 	pound of melted butter	 four ounces of citron	 and the pounded almonds. 	line a pudding dish with pastry	 put round it a rim of puff paste	 turn 	in the pudding	 and bake it about half an hour. the pudding should be 	eaten cold. 	 	 	 . _tapioca pudding._ 	 	to a quart of warm milk put eight table-spoonsful of tapioca. let it 	soak till it softens	 then stir it up	 and put to it a couple of 	table-spoonsful of melted butter	 four beaten eggs	 and cinnamon or mace 	to the taste. mix four table-spoonsful of white powdered sugar with a 	wine glass of wine	 and stir it into the rest of the ingredients. turn 	the whole into a pudding dish that has a lining of pastry	 and bake it 	immediately. 	 	 	 . _sago pudding._ 	 	rinse half a pound of sago in hot water	 till it is thoroughly 	cleansed--then drain off the water	 and boil the sago in a quart of 	milk	 with a stick of cinnamon or mace. stir it constantly	 or it will 	burn. when soft	 take it from the fire	 take out the stick of cinnamon	 	and put in a quarter of a pound of butter. mix a wine glass of wine with 	four large spoonsful of fine white sugar	 and stir it into the 	sago--add	 when cold	 five beaten eggs	 and bake the pudding in a deep 	dish	 with a lining and rim of pastry. strew over the pudding a quarter 	of a pound of zante currants	 and bake it directly	 in a quick oven. it 	is the best when cold. 	 	 	 . _orange pudding._ 	 	stir to a cream six ounces of white powdered sugar	 with four of 	butter--then add a wine glass of wine	 the juice and chopped peel of a 	couple of large fresh oranges. beat eight eggs to a froth	 the whites 	and yelks separately--mix them with a quart of milk	 a couple of ounces 	citron	 cut in small strips	 and a couple of ounces of pounded crackers. 	mix all the ingredients well together--line a pudding dish with pastry	 	put a rim of puff paste round the edge of the dish	 and then turn in 	the pudding	 and bake it in a quick oven about half an hour. 	 	 	 . _bird's nest	 or transparent pudding._ 	 	pare and halve tart mellow apples	 scoop out the cores. put a little 	flour and water in the hollow of each apple	 so as to form a thick 	paste--then stick three or four zante currants in each one. butter and 	line a pudding dish with pastry	 put on a rim of puff paste	 and lay in 	the apples	 with the hollow side up. have just enough apples to cover 	the bottom of the dish	 and stick citron	 cut in very long narrow 	strips	 round the apples. stir to a cream half a pound each of butter 	and fine white sugar--beat the yelks and whites separately	 of eight 	eggs	 to a froth	 and mix them with the butter and sugar. flavor it with 	nutmeg	 and set it on a few coals--stir it constantly till quite 	hot--take it from the fire	 stir it till nearly cold	 then turn it over 	the apples	 and bake it directly. 	 	 	 . _english plum pudding._ 	 	soak three-quarters of a pound of crackers in two quarts of milk--they 	should be broken in small pieces. when they have soaked soft	 put in a 	quarter of a pound of melted butter	 the same weight of rolled sugar	 	half a pint of wheat flour	 a wine glass of wine	 and a grated nutmeg. 	beat ten eggs to a froth	 and stir them into the milk. add half a pound 	of seeded raisins	 the same weight of zante currants	 and a quarter of a 	pound of citron	 cut in small strips. bake or boil it a couple of hours. 	 	 	 . _plain fritters._ 	 	stir a quart of milk gradually into a quart of flour--put in a 	tea-spoonful of salt	 and seven beaten eggs. drop them by the large 	spoonful into hot lard	 and fry them till a very light brown color. they 	are the lightest fried in a great deal of fat	 but less greasy if fried 	in just fat enough to keep them from sticking to the frying pan. serve 	them up with liquid pudding sauce. 	 	 	 . _apple fritters._ 	 	take four or five tart	 mellow apples	 pare and cut them in slices	 and 	soak them in sweetened lemon-juice. make a batter of a quart of milk	 a 	quart of flour	 eight eggs--grate in the rind of two lemons	 and the 	juice and apples. drop the batter by the spoonful into hot lard	 taking 	care to have a slice of apple in each fritter. 	 	 	 . _cream fritters._ 	 	mix a pint and a half of wheat flour with a pint of milk--beat six eggs 	to a froth	 and stir them into the flour--grate in half a nutmeg	 then 	add a pint of cream	 a couple of tea-spoonsful of salt. stir the whole 	just long enough to have the cream get well mixed in	 then fry the 	mixture in small cakes. 	 	 	 . _oxford dumplings._ 	 	take eight ounces of biscuit that is pounded fine	 and soak it in just 	sufficient milk to cover it. when soft	 stir in three beaten eggs	 a 	table-spoonful of flour	 and a quarter of a pound of zante currants. 	grate in half a nutmeg	 and do up the mixture into balls of the size of 	an egg--fry them till a light brown. 	 	 	 . _apple dumplings._ 	 	pare tart	 mellow apples--take out the cores with a small knife	 and 	fill the holes with sugar. make good pie crust--roll it out about 	two-thirds of an inch thick	 cut it into pieces just large enough to 	enclose one apple. lay the apples on them	 and close the crust tight 	over them--tie them up in small pieces of thick cloth	 that has been 	well floured--put the dumplings in a pot of boiling water	 and boil them 	an hour without any intermission--if allowed to stop boiling	 they will 	be heavy. serve them up with pudding sauce	 or butter and sugar. 	 	 	 . _lemon syrup._ 	 	pare thin the rind of fresh lemons	 squeeze out the juice	 and to a pint 	of it	 when strained	 put a pound and three-quarters of sugar	 and the 	rind of the lemons. dissolve the sugar by a gentle heat	 skim it clear	 	then let it simmer gently eight or ten minutes--strain it through a 	flannel bag. when cool	 bottle	 cork	 and seal it tight	 and keep it in 	a cool place. 	 	 	 . _orange syrup._ 	 	squeeze out the juice of fresh oranges	 and strain it. to a pint of the 	juice	 put a pound and a half of sugar--set it on a moderate fire--when 	the sugar has dissolved	 put in the peel of the oranges	 and set the 	syrup where it will boil slowly for six or eight minutes--then strain 	it	 till clear	 through a flannel bag. the bag should not be squeezed 	while the syrup is passing through it	 or it will not be clear. bottle	 	cork	 and seal it tight. this syrup is very nice to flavor puddings and 	pies. 	 	 	 . _blackberry syrup._ 	 	procure nice	 high vine blackberries	 that are perfectly ripe--the low 	vine blackberries will not answer for syrup	 as they do not possess the 	medicinal properties of the high vine blackberries. set them on a 	moderate fire	 and let them simmer till they break to pieces	 then 	strain them through a flannel cloth--to each pint of juice put a pound 	of white sugar	 half an ounce of cinnamon	 powdered fine	 a quarter of 	an ounce of finely powdered mace	 and a couple of tea-spoonsful of 	powdered cloves. boil the whole together fifteen minutes--strain it	 and 	when cool	 add to each pint of syrup a wine glass of french brandy. 	bottle	 cork	 and seal it--keep it in a cool place. this	 mixed with 	cold water	 in the proportion of a wine glass of syrup to two-thirds of 	a tumbler of water	 is an excellent remedy for the dysentery	 and 	similar complaints. it is also a very pleasant summer beverage. 	 	 	 . _elderberry syrup._ 	 	wash and strain the berries	 which should be perfectly ripe. to a pint 	of juice	 put a pint of molasses. boil it twenty minutes	 stirring it 	constantly	 then take it from the fire--when cold	 add to each quart 	four table-spoonsful of french brandy--bottle and cork it tight. this is 	an excellent remedy for a tight cough. 	 	 	 . _molasses syrup	 for preserving._ 	 	mix eight pounds of light sugar-house or new-orleans molasses	 eight 	pounds of water	 one pound of powdered charcoal. boil the whole together 	twenty minutes	 then strain it through a flannel bag. when lukewarm	 put 	in the beaten whites of a couple of eggs	 and put it on the fire. as 	soon as it boils	 take it from the fire	 and skim it till clear--then 	put it on the fire	 and let it boil till it becomes a thick 	syrup--strain it for use. this syrup does very well to preserve fruit in 	for common use. 	 	 	 . _to clarify syrup for sweetmeats._ 	 	put your sugar into the preserving kettle	 turn in the quantity of cold 	water that you think will be sufficient to cover the fruit that is to be 	preserved in it. beat the whites of eggs to a froth	 allowing one white 	of an egg to three pounds of sugar--mix the whites of the eggs with the 	sugar and water	 set it on a slow fire	 and let the sugar dissolve	 then 	stir the whole up well together	 and set it where it will boil. as soon 	as it boils up well	 take it from the fire	 let it remain for a minute	 	then take off the scum--set it back on the fire	 and let it boil a 	minute	 then take it off	 and skim it again. this operation repeat till 	the syrup is clear--put in the fruit when the syrup is cold. the fruit 	should not be crowded while preserving	 and if there is not syrup enough 	to cover the fruit	 take it out of the syrup	 and put in more water	 and 	boil it with the syrup before putting back the fruit. 	 	 	 . _directions for making sweetmeats._ 	 	a pound of sugar to a pound of fruit	 is sufficient to preserve most 	kinds of fruit. some kinds of fruit require more	 and some will do with 	less	 than an equal weight of sugar. white sugar makes the most delicate 	sweetmeats--nice brown sugar answers very well for most kinds of fruit. 	the west india sugar-house syrup is better than sugar to preserve fruit	 	on account of its never fermenting. when brown sugar is used	 clarify 	it	 as in direction for clarifying syrup	 no. 	 then put in the 	fruit. nice white sugar does not need clarifying. all kinds of 	fire-proof ware will do to preserve in	 excepting iron ware. the fruit 	should not be crowded while preserving	 and should boil gently. the 	fruit should be turned out of the preserving kettles as soon as done	 	and set away in a cool place	 otherwise they will not be nice. keep the 	sweetmeats in stone or china jars	 that have never been used for other 	purposes. glass jars are the best for delicate sweetmeats	 such as 	strawberries or cherries. preserves should be covered tight	 and kept in 	a cool place. a paper wet in brandy	 and laid over the sweetmeats	 has a 	tendency to keep them from fermenting. they should be looked to 	frequently	 to see that they do not ferment. whenever they do	 the syrup 	should be turned from them	 scalded	 and turned back on them while hot. 	 	 	 . _to preserve quinces._ 	 	quinces	 if very ripe	 are best preserved in the following manner: pare 	and cut them in slices	 an inch thick--take out the cores carefully	 so 	as to have the slices in the form of a ring. allow a pound of nice white 	sugar for each pound of the fruit--dissolve it in cold water	 having a 	quart of the latter to a pound of sugar	 then put in the sliced quinces	 	and let them soak in it ten or twelve hours. put them in a preserving 	kettle	 and put it on a moderate fire--cover them over	 and let the 	quinces boil gently--there should be more than enough syrup to cover the 	quinces. when a broom splinter will go through them easily	 take them 	from the fire	 and turn them out. in the course of a week	 turn the 	syrup from them	 and boil it down	 so that there will be just enough to 	cover the fruit. quinces preserved in this manner retain their natural 	flavor better than when preserved in any other manner	 but they must be 	very ripe to preserve in this way	 otherwise they will not be tender. 	when not very ripe	 pare and cut them either in rings or quarters	 take 	out the cores	 and boil the quinces in fair water	 till they begin to 	grow tender--take them up	 and strain the water in which they are 	boiled--put in either brown or white sugar--add a little cold water. 	when lukewarm	 put in the whites of eggs	 and clarify it--let it cool	 	then put in the quinces	 and boil them slowly for half an hour. keep 	them covered over while boiling	 if you wish to have them of a light 	color. turn them out into pots as soon as preserved	 and set them away 	in a cool place. look at them in the course of a week	 to see if they 	have fermented--if so	 turn the syrup from them	 boil it	 and turn it 	back while hot. the parings and cores of the quinces can be used for 	marmalade	 with a few whole ones. some people preserve the quinces with 	the cores in	 but the syrup will not look clear. the following is a 	cheap method of preserving quinces	 and answers very well for common 	use: pare	 halve	 and take out the cores of the quinces	 and boil the 	parings in new cider till soft. strain the cider	 and for five pounds of 	quinces put in a pound of brown sugar	 a quart of molasses	 the beaten 	white of an egg--clarify it	 then put in the quinces. there should be 	rather more than enough cider to cover the quinces	 as it wastes a good 	deal while the quinces are boiling. the peel of an orange	 cut in small 	pieces	 and boiled with them	 gives the quinces a fine flavor. 	 	 	 . _quince marmalade._ 	 	wash and quarter the quinces	 without paring them--put them on the fire	 	with just water enough to stew them in. when soft	 rub them through a 	sieve	 and put to each pound of the strained quinces a pound of brown 	sugar. set it on a few coals	 and let it stew slowly	 stirring it 	constantly. when it has stewed an hour	 take a little of it out	 let it 	get cold--if it then cuts smooth	 it is sufficiently stewed. 	 	 	 . _pears._ 	 	make a syrup	 allowing three-quarters of a pound of sugar to each pound 	of the pears. if brown sugar is used for the syrup	 clarify it	 then put 	in the pears	 and boil them till soft. a few slips of ginger	 or 	powdered ginger	 tied up in bags	 and boiled with the pears	 gives them 	a fine flavor. choke and vergouleuse are the best pears for preserving. 	 	 	 . _pear marmalade._ 	 	boil the pears with the skins on. when soft	 rub them through a sieve	 	and put to each pound of pulp three-quarters of a pound of brown sugar. 	stew it over a slow fire till it becomes a thick jelly. it should be 	stirred constantly. 	 	 	 . _peaches._ 	 	take juicy peaches--pare them	 allow for each pound of them	 a pound of 	nice white sugar. put just cold water enough to the sugar to saturate 	it. when dissolved	 stir it up well	 and put in the peaches	 without 	crowding them	 and boil them slowly about twenty minutes. a few peach 	meats	 blanched and preserved with the peaches	 are nice	 and are quite 	ornamental to the peaches. these	 as well as all other kinds of 	sweetmeats	 should be turned out of the preserving kettle as soon as 	taken from the fire	 and set away in a cool place. if allowed to remain 	near the fire	 the syrup will not look clear. cover them up tight--let 	them remain three or four days	 then turn the syrup from them	 scald it	 	and turn it back	 while hot	 on to the peaches. 	 	 	 . _peach jam._ 	 	inferior peaches	 and those that are not fully ripe	 are best preserved 	in the following manner: pare and halve them	 and take out the 	stones--lay the peaches in a deep dish	 and to each layer of peaches put 	a layer of brown sugar. three-quarters of a pound of sugar to a pound of 	the peaches	 is sufficient. let the peaches remain until the next 	day--then put them on a moderate fire	 without any water	 and let them 	stew slowly about twenty minutes. peaches preserved in this way	 are 	very nice for puffs. 	 	 	 . _to preserve peaches in brandy._ 	 	procure peaches that are mellow	 but not dead ripe--draw a pin round the 	seam of the peaches	 so as to pierce the skin--cover them with french 	brandy	 and let them remain a week--then make a syrup	 allowing 	three-quarters of a pound of brown sugar to a pound of the peaches. 	clarify the syrup	 then boil the peaches in it. when tender	 take them 	out of the syrup	 let it remain till cool	 then mix it with the brandy	 	and turn the whole on to the peaches. 	 	 	 . _to preserve raspberries._ 	 	strain equal quantities of ripe currants and raspberries	 to make a 	syrup to preserve the raspberries in. dissolve white sugar in the syrup	 	by a gentle heat	 using a pound of sugar to each pound of syrup and 	raspberries. when the sugar has dissolved	 set the syrup where it will 	boil about ten minutes	 then put in the raspberries	 and let them boil 	five minutes. in the course of four or five days	 turn the syrup from 	the raspberries--boil it away	 so that there will be just enough of it 	to cover the berries--turn it on them while hot. keep them in 	wide-mouthed bottles	 corked and sealed up tight. preserved raspberries 	are very nice to flavor ice creams and blanc mange. 	 	 	 . _cherries._ 	 	procure cherries that are not quite dead ripe--allow for each pound of 	cherries a pound of white sugar. make a rich syrup of the sugar--when it 	boils	 put in the cherries	 with the stems on--let them boil till 	transparent. keep them in glass jars	 or wide-mouthed bottles--cork and 	seal them tight. if you wish to preserve them without the stones	 take 	those that are very ripe	 take out the stones carefully	 save the juice. 	make a syrup of the juice	 white sugar	 and very little water	 then put 	in the cherries	 and boil them to a thick consistency. 	 	 	 . _currants._ 	 	take the currants when ripe and in their prime--let them remain on the 	stalks	 picking off the bad ones. make a syrup of sugar	 and very little 	water	 allowing a pound of sugar to each pound of currants. clarify it	 	then put in the currants	 and let them boil a few minutes. in the course 	of a few days turn the syrup from them	 scald it	 and turn it back	 	while hot	 on to the currants. preserved currants	 mixed with water	 is 	an excellent drink in fevers. dried currants are also good for the same 	purpose	 if made into a tea. 	 	 	 . _to preserve prunes._ 	 	pour boiling water on the prunes	 and set them where they will keep hot	 	with a lemon	 cut in small pieces. when swelled out to nearly the 	original size	 put to each pound of the prunes half a pound of brown 	sugar	 a stick of cinnamon	 or a tea-spoonful of powdered cloves	 and if 	there is not sufficient water remaining to cover the prunes	 add more	 	and stew them in the syrup a quarter of an hour. add	 when taken from 	the fire	 a wine glass of wine to every three pounds of the prunes. 	 	 	 . _cranberries._ 	 	for each peck of cranberries allow two pounds and a half of brown sugar	 	and half a pint of molasses. make a syrup of the molasses	 sugar	 and a 	little water. when it boils	 put in the cranberries	 and let them boil 	till transparent. to make cranberry marmalade	 boil the cranberries in 	just water enough to prevent their burning. strain them when soft	 and 	add to each pound a pound and a half of brown sugar. stew it over a slow 	fire	 stirring it constantly	 till it becomes very thick jelly. 	 	 	 . _crab apples._ 	 	make a syrup	 allowing the same weight of sugar as apples. let it get 	cool	 then put in the apples	 a few at once	 so that they will not 	crowd	 and break to pieces. boil them till they begin to break	 then 	take them out of the preserving kettle carefully. boil the syrup in the 	course of three or four days	 and turn it while hot on to the apples. 	this continue to do at intervals of two or three days	 till the apples 	appear to be thoroughly preserved. if you wish to make a marmalade of 	the apples	 boil them in just water enough to keep them from 	burning--strain them when soft	 and put to them an equal weight of brown 	sugar--stew them over a slow fire	 stirring them constantly. when of a 	thick consistency	 take a little of it out	 and set it where it will get 	cold. if it then cuts smooth and clear	 take the whole from the fire	 	and turn it into deep dishes. 	 	 	 . _barberries._ 	 	take them when fully ripe	 let them remain on the stems. make a rich 	syrup	 allowing the same weight of sugar as barberries. when clarified	 	set it where it will get lukewarm	 then put in the barberries. boil them 	till the syrup appears to have entered them. barberries preserved with 	molasses	 and a little orange peel and sugar	 are very good for common 	use. allow for each pound of barberries a quarter of a pound of sugar	 	half a pint of molasses	 and the rind of half an orange. make them into 	a syrup with a little water--boil it a quarter of an hour before putting 	in the barberries. preserved barberries	 mixed with cold water	 make a 	very refreshing drink in fevers. 	 	 	 . _tomatoes._ 	 	take them when quite small and green--put them in cold clarified syrup	 	with an orange	 cut in slices	 to every two pounds of the tomatoes. 	simmer them gently	 on a slow fire	 two or three hours. there should be 	equal weights of sugar and tomatoes	 and more than sufficient water to 	cover the tomatoes	 used for the syrup. another method of preserving 	them	 which is very nice	 is to allow a couple of fresh lemons to three 	pounds of the tomatoes--pare thin the rind of the lemons	 so as to get 	none of the white part	 squeeze out the juice	 mix them with cold water 	sufficient to cover the tomatoes	 and put in a few peach leaves	 and 	powdered ginger	 tied up in bags. boil the whole together gently	 for 	three-quarters of an hour--then take up the tomatoes	 strain the liquor	 	and put to it a pound and a half of white sugar	 for each pound of 	tomatoes. put in the tomatoes	 and boil them gently	 till the syrup 	appears to have entered them. in the course of a week turn the syrup 	from them	 heat it scalding hot	 and turn it on to the tomatoes. 	tomatoes preserved in this manner appear like west indian sweetmeats. 	 	 	 . _to preserve apples._ 	 	apples for preserving should be tart and mellow--pare them	 and take out 	the cores with a small knife. allow for each pound three-quarters of a 	pound of sugar	 a tea-spoonful of powdered ginger	 tied in a bag	 and 	sufficient water to cover the apples. make the syrup	 then take it from 	the fire	 and put in the apples	 when it is just lukewarm. boil them 	till transparent	 take them up--when partly cooled	 put in a little 	essence of lemon. turn the syrup from them in the course of a week	 boil 	it	 and turn it back on the apples while hot. 	 	 	 . _cymbelines	 or mock citron._ 	 	cut into small pieces	 and scrape the rind of cymbelines--put them into 	strong salt and water--let them remain in it three days	 then in fair 	water a day	 changing the water several times--soak them in alum water 	an hour--tie up oyster shells in a cloth	 and boil them with the 	cymbelines. when the cymbelines are tender	 take them up	 and put them 	back into the alum water. make the syrup for them	 allowing a pound and 	a half of sugar to one of the cymbelines. when clarified	 let it get 	cold--then rinse the cymbelines	 and boil them three-quarters of an 	hour. when partly cooled	 put in a little essence of lemon to flavor 	them. these are good eaten like any other sweetmeats	 or used instead of 	citron for cake. 	 	 	 . _watermelon rinds._ 	 	take the rind of a nice ripe watermelon--cut it into small strips	 and 	boil them	 till they begin to grow tender	 in water	 with saleratus and 	peach leaves in it	 in the proportion of a tea-spoonful of saleratus and 	a dozen peach leaves to a couple of quarts of water. take the rinds out 	of the water	 and soak them in alum water an hour. make a syrup	 	allowing the same weight of sugar as rinds. when clarified and cooled	 	rinse the rinds	 and put them in the syrup	 together with powdered 	ginger	 tied up in a small bag. boil them till they are quite soft--when 	partly cooled	 add a little essence of lemon. turn the syrup from them 	in the course of two or three days	 take out the bags of ginger	 and 	boil the syrup till there is just sufficient of it to cover the rinds	 	and turn it on them while hot. 	 	 	 . _muskmelons._ 	 	procure muskmelons that are perfectly green	 and of a quick growth	 and 	as late in the season as possible. if preserved while the weather is 	very hot	 they are apt to ferment. scrape off the skin of the rind	 	being careful not to scrape any of the green part. cut them through the 	middle	 and take out the seeds--then cut them in rings	 an inch in 	thickness. soak them in salt and water a day	 then in fair water three 	or four hours	 changing the water several times. soak them in alum water 	an hour--rinse and put them in fair water	 with a handful of peach 	leaves to four or five pounds of the melon	 and a table-spoonful of 	ginger	 tied up in small pieces of cloth. the peach leaves turn the 	melon a fine green color. boil the melons till they begin to grow 	tender	 then put them in alum water	 together with the ginger. make a 	syrup of white sugar	 and put in the melons and ginger	 (which should be 	previously rinsed.) boil them in the syrup as long as you can	 without 	their breaking to pieces. in the course of a week turn the syrup from 	them	 scald it	 and turn it on to the melons. add sufficient essence of 	lemon to flavor it	 just before turning it on to the melons. keep them 	covered tight	 in a cool place	 with a paper wet in brandy on them. 	 	 	 . _pine apples._ 	 	take those that are ripe	 and perfectly fresh--pare off the rind	 and 	cut the apples in slices an inch thick. powder the same weight of white 	sugar as you have pine apples--lay the pine apples in a deep dish	 and 	sprinkle part of the powdered sugar between each layer of apples. 	reserve about half of the sugar. let the apples remain till the 	succeeding day--then turn the syrup from them	 and mix it with the 	reserved sugar	 and half a pint of water	 for three or four pounds of 	pine apple. boil the syrup	 take it from the fire	 and when cool	 put in 	the apples	 simmer them gently till tender	 let them remain in a deep 	dish for several days--they should be covered up tight	 and kept in a 	cool place. whenever there is any appearance of fermentation	 turn the 	syrup from them	 scald it	 and turn it back hot on to the pine apples. 	keep them in glass or china jars	 covered tight	 and in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _pumpkin chips._ 	 	take what quantity you choose of a good sweet pumpkin	 (the butter 	pumpkin makes the nicest sweetmeats.) halve the pumpkin	 take out the 	seeds	 and cut it into chips of the size of a dollar. for each pound of 	the pumpkin to be preserved	 allow a pound of fine white sugar	 and a 	gill of lemon-juice. put the chips in a deep dish	 and sprinkle on each 	layer a layer of the sugar. turn the lemon-juice over the whole. let it 	remain a day--then boil the whole together	 with half a pint of water to 	three pounds of the pumpkin	 a table-spoonful of powdered ginger	 tied 	up in bags	 and the peel of the lemons	 cut into small pieces. when the 	pumpkin becomes tender	 turn the whole into a preserve pot. in the 	course of a week	 turn the syrup from the pumpkin	 boil it to a rich 	syrup	 and turn it back hot. 	 	 	 . _gages._ 	 	allow equal weights of sugar and gages. make a syrup of white sugar	 and 	just water enough to cover the plums. boil the plums slowly in the syrup 	ten minutes--turn them into a dish	 and let them remain four or five 	days	 then boil them again	 till the syrup appears to have entered the 	plums. put them in a china jar	 and in the course of a week turn the 	syrup from them	 scald it	 and turn it over them hot. 	 	 	 . _strawberries._ 	 	procure chili or field strawberries	 and hull them. take equal 	quantities of berries	 and powdered white sugar--put a layer of each in 	a preserving pan	 having a layer of strawberries at the bottom. let them 	remain an hour	 then put in a gill of cold water	 to prevent their 	burning to the bottom of the pan. set them on a very moderate fire--when 	the juice runs freely	 increase the fire	 until they boil briskly. let 	them boil half an hour	 then turn them into a dish--when lukewarm	 put 	them in wide-mouthed bottles	 or small glass jars	 cork and seal them 	tight	 and keep them in dry sand. 	 	 	 . _raspberry and blackberry jam._ 	 	for each pound of berries	 allow a pound of sugar. put a layer of each 	alternately in a preserving dish. let them remain half an hour--then 	boil them slowly	 stirring them frequently	 to keep them from burning. 	when they have boiled half an hour	 take a little up in a cup	 and set 	it in a dish of cold water--if it appears of the consistency of thick 	jelly	 take the whole from the fire--if not	 boil it till it becomes so. 	 	 . _strawberry	 raspberry	 and blackberry jelly._ 	 	jellies of these fruits are all made in the following manner: take the 	berries when ripe	 and in their prime	 mash them	 and let them drain 	through a flannel bag	 without squeezing it. to each pint of juice	 put 	a pound of white sugar	 and the beaten white of an egg to three pounds 	of the sugar. set it on the fire--when it boils up well	 take it from 	the fire	 and skim it clear. set it back on the fire--if any more scum 	rises	 take it from the fire	 and skim it off. boil it till it becomes a 	jelly	 which is ascertained by taking a little of it up into a tumbler 	of cold water. if it falls to the bottom in a solid mass	 it is 	sufficiently boiled. 	 	 	 . _cranberry	 grape	 and currant jelly._ 	 	they are all made in the same manner. take the fruit in its prime	 wash 	and drain it till nearly dry	 then put it in an earthen jar	 or pot	 and 	set the pot in a kettle of hot water. set the kettle where the water 	will boil	 taking care that none of it gets into the jar. when the fruit 	breaks	 turn it into a flannel bag	 and let it drain slowly through	 	into a deep dish	 without squeezing. when the juice has all passed 	through the bag	 put to each pint of it a pound and a half of white 	sugar. put to each quart of the syrup the beaten white of an egg. set 	the syrup where it will boil gently--as fast as any scum rises	 take the 	syrup from the fire	 and skim it clear. when the jelly has boiled 	fifteen or twenty minutes	 try a little of it in a tumbler of cold 	water--if it sinks to the bottom of the tumbler in a solid lump	 it is 	sufficiently boiled. jellies are improved by being put in the sun for 	several days--care must be taken that the dew does not fall on them. 	 	 	 . _quince jelly._ 	 	halve the quinces	 and take out the cores. boil the quinces till very 	soft	 in clear water	 mash them	 and let them drain through a flannel 	bag	 without squeezing them. put to the quince liquor	 when drained 	through the bag	 white sugar	 in the proportion of a pound to a pint of 	the liquor. add the whites of eggs	 and clarify it. when clear	 boil it 	on a moderate fire	 till it becomes a thick jelly. fill glasses with the 	jelly	 and cover them tight. the quince pulp that remains in the 	jelly-bag can be made into marmalade. 	 	 	 . _apple jelly._ 	 	halve tart apples	 and take out the cores. boil them till very soft	 in 	a large proportion of water--then let it pass through a jelly-bag	 	without squeezing them. weigh the liquor	 and to each pint of it put a 	pound of white sugar--then boil it slowly till it becomes a thick jelly	 	which is ascertained in the same manner as currant jelly. if you wish to 	have it of a red tinge	 put in	 when taken from the fire	 a little 	cranberry or beet-juice. if you wish to have it a straw color	 put in a 	little tincture of saffron. if green	 use the expressed juice of spinach 	leaves. let it pass through the jelly-bag again--when cool	 turn it into 	glasses. 	 	 	 . _lemon jelly._ 	 	put on a slow fire an ounce of white isinglass	 pulled into small 	pieces	 and rinsed	 a pint of water	 with the rind of six lemons. stir 	it constantly till dissolved	 then add a pint of lemon-juice	 and 	sweeten it to the taste with nice white sugar. boil the whole four or 	five minutes	 then color it with tincture of saffron	 and let it pass 	through a flannel bag	 without squeezing it. fill your jelly glasses 	with it when partly cooled. 	 	 	 . _calf's feet jelly._ 	 	take four feet	 (that have been perfectly cleaned	) and boil them	 in 	four quarts of water	 till very soft	 and the water is reduced to one 	quart. take it from the fire	 and let it remain till perfectly cold	 	then take off all the fat	 and scrape off the dregs that adhere to the 	jelly. put the jelly in a preserving kettle	 set it on a slow fire--when 	it melts	 take it from the fire	 and mix with it half a pint of white 	wine	 the juice and grated rind of a couple of fresh lemons	 and a stick 	of cinnamon or mace. wash and wipe dry six eggs--take the whites of 	them	 and beat them to a froth--stir them into the jelly when it is 	cool--bruise the shells	 and mix them with the jelly	 then set it on a 	few coals. sweeten it	 when hot	 to the taste--white sugar is the best	 	but brown answers very well. let the whole boil slowly fifteen minutes	 	without stirring it--suspend a flannel bag on a nail	 and let the jelly 	drain through it	 into a deep dish or pitcher. if it is not clear the 	first time	 let it pass through the bag till it becomes so. the bag 	should not be squeezed	 otherwise the jelly will not look clear. when 	transparent	 turn it into glasses	 and set the glasses	 if the weather 	is hot	 into cold water	 and keep them in a cool place. this kind of 	jelly will keep but a few days	 in warm weather. a knuckle of veal	 and 	sheep's feet	 make a nice jelly	 prepared in the same manner as calf's 	feet. 	 	 	 . _hartshorn jelly._ 	 	boil four ounces of hartshorn shavings in a couple of quarts of water	 	till it becomes a thick jelly--then strain and put to it the juice and 	rind of a couple of lemons	 a wine glass of white wine	 and a stick of 	cinnamon. wash four fresh eggs	 wipe them dry	 separate the whites from 	the yelks	 beat the whites to a froth	 bruise the shells	 and mix them 	with the hartshorn--set the whole on a moderate fire--sweeten it to the 	taste when hot. boil it till it becomes quite thick	 then let it drain 	through a jelly-bag till clear. 	 	 	 . _coffee._ 	 	old java and mocha coffee are the best kinds. coffee should be put in an 	iron pot	 and dried over a moderate fire for several hours	 before it is 	roasted. it should be put at such a distance from the fire	 as to be in 	no danger of burning. when it has dried three or four hours	 set the pot 	on a hot bed of coals	 and stir it constantly	 until sufficiently 	roasted	 which is ascertained by biting one of the lightest colored 	kernels--if it is brittle	 the whole is done. turn it out of the pot 	immediately	 into a box--cover it tight	 to keep in the steam. a 	coffee-roaster is better than a pot to roast coffee in	 as it preserves 	the fine aromatic flavor of the coffee	 which in a great measure escapes 	with the steam of the coffee	 when roasted in an open pot. to make good 	common coffee	 allow a table-spoonful of it	 when ground	 to each pint 	of water. turn on the water boiling hot	 and boil the coffee in a tin 	pot	 from twenty to twenty-five minutes--if boiled longer	 it will not 	taste fresh and lively. let it stand	 after being taken from the fire	 	four or five minutes to settle	 then turn it off carefully from the 	grounds	 into a coffee-pot or urn. when the coffee is put on the fire to 	boil	 a piece of fish-skin or isinglass	 of the size of a nine-pence	 	should be put in	 or else the white and shell of half an egg	 to a 	couple of quarts of coffee. many persons dislike to clear coffee with 	fish-skin	 thinking that it imparts an unpleasant taste to coffee	 but 	it will not	 if properly prepared. the skin should be taken from mild 	codfish	 that has not been soaked	 as the skin loses its clearing 	properties by soaking. rinse it in cold water	 and dry it perfectly. 	when dried	 cut it into pieces of the size of a nine-pence. if torn off	 	as it is wanted for use	 too much is apt to be put in at once	 and give 	the coffee a bad taste. a piece of the size of a twelve and a half cent 	piece	 is sufficient to settle a couple of quarts of water. french 	coffee is made in a german filter	 the water is turned on boiling hot	 	and one-third more coffee is necessary than when boiled in the common 	way. where cream cannot be procured for coffee	 the coffee will be much 	richer to boil it with a less proportion of water than the above rule	 	and weaken it with boiling hot milk	 when served out in cups. 	 	 	 . _tea._ 	 	scald the tea-pot	 and if the tea is a strong kind	 a tea-spoonful for a 	pint of water is sufficient--if it is a weak kind	 more will be 	required. pour on just enough boiling water to cover the tea	 and let it 	steep. green tea should not steep more than five or six minutes before 	drinking--if steeped longer	 it will not be lively. black tea requires 	steeping ten or twelve minutes to extract the strength. 	 	 	 . _chocolate._ 	 	scrape the chocolate off fine	 mix it smooth with water--if liked very 	rich	 make the chocolate entirely of milk--if not	 use half water. boil 	water and milk together	 then stir in the chocolate	 previously mixed 	with water--stir it till it boils	 then sweeten it to your taste	 and 	take it up. if liked rich	 grate in a little nutmeg. a table-spoonful of 	chocolate to a pint of water or milk	 is about the right proportion. 	 	 	 . _hop beer._ 	 	put to six ounces of hops five quarts of water	 and boil them three 	hours--then strain off the liquor	 and put to the hops four quarts more 	of water	 a tea-cup full of ginger	 and boil the hops three hours 	longer. strain and mix it with the rest of the liquor	 and stir in a 	couple of quarts of molasses. take about half a pound of bread	 and 	brown it very slowly--when very brown and dry	 put it in the liquor	 to 	enrich the beer. rusked bread is the best for this purpose	 but a loaf 	of bread cut in slices	 and toasted till brittle	 will do very well. 	when rusked bread is used	 pound it fine	 and brown it in a pot	 as you 	would coffee	 stirring it constantly. when the hop liquor cools	 so as 	to be just lukewarm	 add a pint of new yeast	 that has no salt in it. 	keep the beer covered in a temperate situation	 till it has ceased 	fermenting	 which is ascertained by the subsiding of the froth--turn it 	off carefully into a beer keg	 or bottles. the beer should not be corked 	very tight	 or it will burst the bottles. it should be kept in a cool 	place. 	 	 	 . _beer of essential oils._ 	 	mix a couple of quarts of boiling water with a pint and a half of 	molasses. stir in five quarts of cold water	 then add ten drops of the 	oil of sassafras	 ten of spruce	 fifteen of winter-green	 and a 	tea-spoonful of essence of ginger. when just lukewarm	 put in half a 	pint of fresh lively yeast. when fermented	 bottle and cork it	 and keep 	it in a cool place. it will be fit to drink in the course of two or 	three days. 	 	 	 . _spring beer._ 	 	take a small bunch of all	 or part of the following: sweet fern	 	sarsaparilla	 winter-green	 sassafras	 prince's pine	 and spice wood. 	boil them with two or three ounces of hops to three or four gallons of 	water	 and two or three raw potatoes	 pared and cut in slices. the 	strength of the roots and hops is obtained more thoroughly by boiling 	them in two waters--for	 when the liquor is strongly saturated with the 	hops	 it will rather bind up the roots than extract their juices. the 	roots should be boiled five or six hours--the liquor should then be 	strained	 and a quart of molasses put to three gallons of the beer. if 	you wish to have the beer very rich	 brown half a pound of bread	 and 	put it into the liquor. if the liquor is too thick	 dilute it with cold 	water. when just lukewarm	 put in a pint of fresh lively yeast	 that has 	no salt in it. the salt has a tendency to keep it from fermenting. keep 	it in a temperate situation	 covered over	 but not so tight as to 	exclude the air entirely	 or it will not work. when fermented	 keep it 	in a tight keg	 or bottle and cork it up. 	 	 	 . _ginger beer._ 	 	boil gently	 in a gallon of water	 three table-spoonsful of cream of 	tartar	 three of ginger	 and a lemon cut in slices. when it has boiled 	half an hour	 take it from the fire	 strain and sweeten it to your 	taste--white sugar is the best	 but brown sugar or molasses answers very 	well. put to it	 when lukewarm	 half a pint of fresh yeast. turn it off 	carefully	 when fermented	 bottle it	 and keep it in a cool place. it 	will be fit to drink in the course of seven or eight days. 	 	 	 . _instantaneous beer._ 	 	put to a pint and a half of water four tea-spoonsful of ginger	 a 	table-spoonful of lemon-juice--sweeten it to the taste with syrup or 	white sugar	 and turn it into a junk bottle. have ready a cork to fit 	the bottle	 a string of wire to tie it down	 and a mallet to drive in 	the cork. then put into the bottle a heaping tea-spoonful of the 	super-carbonate of soda	 cork it immediately	 tie it down	 then shake 	the whole up well	 cut the string	 and the cork will fly out. turn it 	out	 and drink immediately. 	 	 	 . _mixed wine._ 	 	take equal parts of ripe currants	 grapes	 raspberries	 and english 	cherries. bruise them	 then mix cold water with them	 in the proportion 	of four pounds of fruit to a gallon of water. let the whole remain half 	a day. stir the whole up well	 then strain it--to each gallon of it put 	three pounds of sugar. keep it in a temperate situation	 where it will 	ferment slowly	 three or four days--stir it up frequently. when 	fermented	 add a ninth part of brandy to it	 and stop it up tight--when 	it becomes clear	 bottle it. in the course of a year it will be fit to 	drink. 	 	 	 . _currant wine._ 	 	strain the currants	 which should be perfectly ripe. to each quart of 	juice put a couple of quarts of water	 and three pounds of sugar--stir 	the whole well together	 and let it stand twenty-four hours	 without 	stirring--then skim and set it in a cool place	 where it will ferment 	slowly. let it remain three or four days--if	 at the end of that time	 	it has ceased fermenting	 add one quart of french brandy to every 	fifteen gallons of the liquor	 and close up the barrel tight. when it 	becomes clear	 it is fit to bottle. this will be good in the course of 	six months	 but it is much improved by being kept several years. 	 	 	 . _grape wine._ 	 	bruise the grapes	 which should be perfectly ripe. to each gallon of 	grapes put a gallon of water	 and let the whole remain a week	 without 	being stirred. at the end of that time	 draw off the liquor carefully	 	and put to each gallon three pounds of lump sugar. let it ferment in a 	temperate situation--when fermented	 stop it up tight. in the course of 	six months it will be fit to bottle. 	 	 	 . _to mull wine._ 	 	to a pint of water put a tea-spoonful of powdered cloves and cinnamon. 	set it where it will boil--then separate the whites and yelks of three 	eggs	 and beat the yelks with a large spoonful of powdered white sugar. 	as soon as the water boils	 turn it on to the yelks and sugar--add a 	pint of wine	 and turn the beaten whites of the eggs over the whole. 	 	 	 . _quince cordial._ 	 	take ripe nice quinces	 wipe off the fur	 and grate them. express the 	juices of the quince pulp through a strong cloth	 and to each quart of 	it put two-thirds of a quart of french brandy	 a pound and a half of 	white sugar	 a hundred bitter almonds	 or peach meats	 a dozen cloves. 	put it in a stone pot	 cover it tight	 and keep it a week in a warm 	place	 then skim and bottle it	 and let it remain a year before using 	it. 	 	 	 . _peach cordial._ 	 	take ripe juicy peaches--wash and wipe them	 to get off the down--gash 	them to the stone. put to each peck of peaches a gallon of french 	brandy	 and cover them up tight. let the whole remain a couple of 	months	 then drain the brandy free from the peaches--add sufficient cold 	water to render it of the strength of good white wine	 and to every 	three gallons of it put four pounds of sugar. stir it up well--let it 	remain a couple of days	 stirring it up well each day	 then turn it into 	a wine cask	 and close it tight. 	 	 	 . _smallage cordial._ 	 	take young sprouts of smallage--wash and drain them till perfectly dry. 	cut them in small pieces	 put them in a bottle	 with seeded raisins	 	having an alternate layer of each. when the bottle is two-thirds full of 	the smallage	 turn in french brandy	 till the bottle is full. let it 	remain three or four days	 to have the smallage absorb the brandy--then 	put in as much more brandy as the bottle will hold. it will be fit for 	use in the course of eight or ten days. this is an excellent family 	medicine. 	 	 	 . _currant shrub._ 	 	to a pint of strained currant juice	 put a pound of sugar. boil the 	sugar and juice gently together	 eight or ten minutes	 then set it where 	it will cool. add	 when lukewarm	 a wine glass of french brandy to every 	pint of syrup--bottle and cork it tight--keep it in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _raspberry shrub._ 	 	to three quarts of fresh	 ripe raspberries	 put one of good vinegar. let 	it remain a day--then strain it	 and put to each pint a pound of white 	sugar. boil the whole together for half an hour	 skim it clear. when 	cool	 add a wine glass of french brandy to each pint of the shrub. a 	couple of table-spoonsful of this	 mixed with a tumbler two-thirds full 	of water	 is a wholesome and refreshing drink in fevers. 	 	 	 . _lemon shrub._ 	 	procure nice fresh lemons--pare the rind off thin	 then squeeze out the 	juice of the lemons	 and strain it. to a pint of the juice put a pound 	of white sugar	 broken into small pieces. measure out for each pint of 	the syrup three table-spoonsful of french brandy	 and soak the rind of 	the lemons in it. let the whole remain a day	 stirring up the 	lemon-juice and sugar frequently. the next day turn off the syrup	 and 	mix it with the brandy and lemon rinds--put the whole in clean bottles	 	cork and seal them tight	 and keep them in dry sand	 in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _sherbet._ 	 	boil in three pints of water six or eight green stalks of rhubarb	 a 	quarter of a pound of figs or raisins. when the whole has boiled between 	twenty-five and thirty minutes	 strain it	 and mix it with a 	tea-spoonful of rosewater	 and lemon or orange syrup to the taste. let 	it get cold before drinking it. 	 	 	 . _noyeau._ 	 	to three pints of french brandy	 put four ounces of bitter almonds	 or 	peach meats	 and a couple of ounces of sweet almonds--they should be 	bruised before they are mixed with the brandy. add half an ounce each of 	powdered cinnamon and mace	 a quarter of an ounce of cloves. let the 	whole remain a fortnight	 shaking it up well each day	 then drain off 	the brandy into another bottle	 and put to the almonds a quart of water. 	let it stand three days	 then turn back the brandy	 and put in a pound 	and a half of white sugar. let the whole remain a week	 stirring it up 	frequently	 then strain the liquor off	 free from the dregs	 into 	bottles for use. 	 	 	 . _mead._ 	 	put to a pound of honey three pints of warm water--stir it up well	 and 	let it remain till the honey is held in complete solution--then turn it 	into a cask	 leaving the bung out. let it ferment in a temperate 	situation--bottle it as soon as fermented	 cork it up very tight. 	 	 	 . _essence of lemon._ 	 	turn gradually on to a drachm of the best oil of lemons a couple of 	ounces of strong rectified spirit. the best method of obtaining the 	essence of the lemon peel	 is to rub all the yellow part of the peel 	off	 with lumps of white sugar	 and scrape off the surface of the sugar 	into a preserving pot	 as fast as it becomes saturated with the oil of 	the lemon. the sugar should be pressed down tight	 and covered very 	close. a little of this sugar gives a fine flavor to puddings	 cakes	 	and pies. this mode of preserving the essence of the lemon is superior 	to the one in which spirit is used	 as the fine aromatic flavor of the 	peel is procured without any alloy. 	 	 	 . _essence of ginger._ 	 	take three ounces of fresh ginger--grate and put it into a quart of 	french brandy	 together with the rind of a fresh lemon--none of the 	white part of the peel should be put in. shake the whole up well every 	day	 for eight or ten days--at the end of that time	 it will be fit for 	use. a little of this	 mixed with water	 or put on a lump of sugar	 	answers all the purposes of ginger tea	 and is much more palatable. it 	is also nice to flavor many kinds of sweetmeats. 	 	 	 . _spice brandy._ 	 	put into a jar french brandy	 and rose or peach leaves	 in the 	proportion of a quart of the former to half a pint of the latter. let 	them steep together	 till the strength is obtained from the leaves--then 	turn off the brandy	 squeeze the leaves dry	 throw them away	 and put 	fresh leaves to the brandy. continue to go through the above process 	until the brandy is strongly impregnated with the leaves--then turn the 	brandy off clear	 and bottle it--keep it corked tight. lemon or orange 	peel	 and peach meats	 steeped in a bottle of brandy	 give it a fine 	flavor. it takes the rind of three or four lemons	 or a quarter of a 	pound of peach meats	 to flavor a pint of brandy. when all the brandy is 	used	 put in more	 with a few fresh rinds. spice brandy is very nice to 	season cakes	 puddings	 and mince pies. 	 	 	 . _rosewater._ 	 	gather fragrant	 full-blown roses	 on a dry day--pick off the leaves	 	and to each peck of them put a quart of water. put the whole in a cold 	still	 and set the still on a moderate fire--the slower they are 	distilled	 the better will be the rosewater. bottle the water as soon as 	distilled. 	 	 	 . _to extract the essential oil of flowers._ 	 	procure a quantity of fresh	 fragrant leaves--both the stalk and the 	flower leaves will answer. cord very thin layers of cotton	 and dip them 	into fine florence oil--put alternate layers of the cotton and leaves in 	a glass jar	 or large tumbler. sprinkle a very small quantity of fine 	salt on each layer of the flowers	 cover the jar up tight	 and place it 	in a south window	 exposed to the heat of the sun. in the course of a 	fortnight a fragrant oil may be squeezed out of the cotton. rose leaves	 	mignonette	 and sweet-scented clover	 make fine perfumes	 managed in 	this way. 	 	 	 . _perfume bags._ 	 	rose and sweet-scented clover leaves	 dried in the shade	 then mixed 	with powdered cloves	 cinnamon	 mace	 and pressed in small bags	 are 	very nice to keep in chests of linen	 or drawers of clothes	 to perfume 	them. 	 	 	 . _cologne water._ 	 	turn a quart of alcohol gradually on to the following oils: a couple of 	drachms of the oil of rosemary	 two of the oil of lemon	 or 	orange-flower water	 one drachm of lavender	 ten drops of oil of 	cinnamon	 ten of cloves	 and a tea-spoonful of rosewater. keep the whole 	stopped tight in a bottle--shake it up well. it will do to use as soon 	as made	 but it is much improved by age. 	 	 	 . _lavender water._ 	 	turn a pint of alcohol slowly on to an ounce and a half of the oil of 	lavender	 two drachms of ambergris. keep the lavender water in a 	tight-corked bottle--it should be shook up well when first put in. 	 	 	 . _aromatic vinegar._ 	 	mix with a table-spoonful of vinegar enough powdered chalk to destroy 	the acidity. let it settle--then turn off the vinegar from the chalk 	carefully	 and dry it perfectly. whenever you wish to purify an infected 	room	 put in a few drops of sulphuric acid--the fumes arising from it 	will purify a room where there has been any infectious disorder. care 	is necessary in using it	 not to inhale the fumes	 or to get any of the 	acid on your garments	 as it will corrode whatever it touches. 	 	 	 . _barley water._ 	 	boil a couple of ounces of barley	 in two quarts of water	 till 	soft--pearl barley is the best	 but the common barley answers very well. 	when soft	 strain and mix it with a little currant jelly	 to give it a 	pleasant	 acid taste. if the jelly is not liked	 turn it	 when boiled 	soft	 on to a couple of ounces of figs or raisins	 and boil it again	 	till reduced to one quart	 then strain it for use. 	 	 	 . _rice gruel._ 	 	put a large spoonful of unground rice into six gills of boiling water	 	with a stick of cinnamon or mace. strain it when boiled soft	 and add 	half a pint of new milk--put in a tea-spoonful of salt	 and boil it a 	few minutes longer. if you wish to make the gruel of rice flour	 mix a 	table-spoonful of it	 smoothly	 with three of cold water	 and stir it 	into a quart of boiling water. let it boil	 five or six minutes	 	stirring it constantly. season it with salt	 a little butter	 and add	 	if you like	 nutmeg and white sugar to your taste. 	 	 	 . _water gruel._ 	 	mix a couple of table-spoonsful of indian meal with one of wheat flour	 	and sufficient cold water to make a thick batter. if the gruel is liked 	thick	 stir it into a pint of boiling water--if liked thin	 more water 	will be necessary. season the gruel with salt	 and let it boil six or 	eight minutes	 stirring it frequently--then take it from the fire	 put 	in a piece of butter	 of the size of a walnut	 and pepper to the taste. 	turn it on toasted bread	 cut in small pieces. 	 	 	 . _caudle._ 	 	make rice or water gruel	 as above--then strain it	 and add half a wine 	glass of ale	 wine	 or brandy. sweeten it with loaf sugar	 and grate in 	a little nutmeg. 	 	 	 . _arrow root custards._ 	 	boil a pint of milk	 and stir into it	 while boiling	 a table-spoonful 	of arrow root	 mixed smooth	 with a little cold milk. stir it in well	 	and let the whole boil three or four minutes--take it from the fire to 	cool--when so	 stir in a couple of beaten eggs	 sweeten it to the taste	 	and grate in a small piece of nutmeg. set the whole where it will boil	 	stirring it constantly. as soon as it boils up	 take it from the fire	 	and turn it into custard cups. the arrow root	 prepared in the same 	manner as for the custards	 omitting the sugar	 spice	 and eggs	 is 	excellent food for invalids	 and can be eaten when the custards are too 	rich for the stomach. 	 	 	 . _wine whey._ 	 	stir into a pint of boiling milk a couple of glasses of wine. let it 	boil a minute	 then take it from the fire	 and let it remain till the 	curd has settled--then turn off the whey	 and sweeten it with white 	sugar. 	 	 	 . _stomachic tincture._ 	 	bruise a couple of ounces of peruvian bark	 one of bitter dried orange 	peel. steep them in a pint of proof spirit a fortnight	 shaking up the 	bottle that contains it once or twice every day. let it remain untouched 	for a couple of days	 then decant the bitter into another bottle. a 	tea-spoonful of this	 in a wine glass of water	 is a fine tonic. 	 	 	 . _thoroughwort bitters._ 	 	make a strong tea of the thoroughwort--strain it	 and when cool	 put to 	a couple of quarts of it half a pint of french brandy	 the peel of two 	or three fresh oranges	 cut into small bits	 and half a dozen bunches of 	fennel	 or smallage seed. the seed and orange peel should be crowded 	into a bottle	 then the tea and brandy turned in. the bottle should be 	corked tight. the bitters will keep good almost any length of time	 and 	is an excellent remedy for bilious complaints	 and can often be taken 	when the thoroughwort tea will not sit on the stomach. a wine glass of 	these bitters to a tumbler of water is about the right proportion. it 	should have a little sugar added to it before drinking it. 	 	 	 . _cough tea._ 	 	make a strong tea of everlasting--strain	 and put to a quart of it two 	ounces of figs or raisins	 two of liquorice	 cut in bits. boil them in 	the tea for twenty minutes	 then take the tea from the fire	 and add to 	it the juice of a lemon. this is an excellent remedy for a tight 	cough--it should be drank freely	 being perfectly innocent. it is the 	most effectual when hot. 	 	 	 . _beef tea._ 	 	broil a pound of fresh lean beef ten minutes--then cut it into small 	bits	 turn a pint of boiling water on it	 and let it steep in a warm 	place half an hour--then strain it	 and season the tea with salt and 	pepper to the taste. this is a quick way of making the tea	 but it is 	not so good	 when the stomach will bear but a little liquid on it	 as 	the following method: cut the beef into small bits	 which should be 	perfectly free from fat--fill a junk bottle with them	 cork it up tight	 	and immerse it in a kettle of lukewarm water	 and boil it four or five 	hours. this way is superior to the first	 on account of obtaining the 	juices of the meat	 unalloyed with water	 a table-spoonful of it being 	as nourishing as a tea-cup full of the other. 	 	 	 . _moss jelly._ 	 	steep carragua	 or irish moss	 in cold water a few minutes	 to extract 	the bitter taste--then drain off the water	 and to half an ounce of moss 	put a quart of fresh water	 and a stick of cinnamon. boil it till it 	becomes a thick jelly	 then strain it	 and season it to the taste with 	white wine and white sugar. this is very nourishing	 and recommended 	highly for consumptive complaints. 	 	 	 . _sago jelly._ 	 	rinse four ounces of sago thoroughly	 then soak it in cold water half an 	hour--turn off the water	 and put to it a pint and a half of fresh cold 	water. let it soak in it half an hour	 then set it where it will boil 	slowly	 stirring it constantly--boil with it a stick of cinnamon. when 	of a thick consistency	 add a glass of wine	 and white sugar to the 	taste. let it boil five minutes	 then turn it into cups. 	 	 	 . _tapioca jelly._ 	 	take four table-spoonsful of tapioca--rinse it thoroughly	 then soak it 	five hours	 in cold water enough to cover it. set a pint of cold water 	on the fire--when it boils	 mash and stir up the tapioca that is in 	water	 and mix it with the boiling water. let the whole simmer gently	 	with a stick of cinnamon or mace. when thick and clear	 mix a couple of 	table-spoonsful of white sugar	 with half a table-spoonful of 	lemon-juice	 and half a glass of white wine--stir it into the jelly--if 	not sweet enough	 add more sugar	 and turn the jelly into cups. 	 	 	 	 	miscellaneous receipts relative to housewifery. 	 	 	 . _to renew old bread and cake._ 	 	fill a bread steamer about half full of water	 and lay the dry bread on 	it	 and set it on the fire	 where it will steam the bread from half to 	three-quarters of an hour; then wrap the bread in a towel	 and let it 	remain till dry. in this way	 bread that is old and dry may be made 	moist and good. where a steamer cannot be procured	 soak the bread in 	cold water till it has absorbed sufficient water to be moist 	inside--then put it in a bake pan	 without any cover	 and heat it very 	hot. if broken pieces of bread are put in the oven	 five or six hours 	after baking	 and rusked	 they will keep good a long time. sour heavy 	bread	 treated in this manner	 will make very decent cakes and puddings	 	provided there is enough saleratus used in making them to correct the 	acidity of the bread. rich cake	 that has wine or brandy in it	 will 	remain good in cold weather several months	 if it is kept in a cool	 dry 	place. the day in which it is to be eaten	 put it in a cake pan	 and set 	it in a bake pan that has half a pint of water in it--set on the 	bake-pan cover	 and let the cake bake till it is heated very hot. let it 	get cold before cutting it. 	 	 	 . _to preserve cheese from insects._ 	 	cover the cheese	 while whole	 with a paste made of wheat flour; then 	wrap a cloth round it	 and cover it with the paste. keep the cheese in a 	cool	 dry place. cheese that has skippers in it	 if kept till cold 	weather	 will be freed from them. 	 	 	 . _to pot cheese._ 	 	cheese that has begun to mould	 can be kept from becoming any more so	 	by being treated in the following manner: cut off the mouldy part	 and 	if the cheese is dry	 grate it--if not	 pound it fine in a mortar	 	together with the crust. to each pound of it	 when fine	 put a 	table-spoonful of brandy--mix it in well with the cheese	 then press it 	down tight	 in a clean stone pot	 and lay a paper wet in brandy on the 	top of it. cover the pot up tight	 and keep it in a cool	 dry place. 	this is also a good way to treat dry pieces of cheese. potted cheese is 	best when a year old. it will keep several years	 without any danger of 	its breeding insects. 	 	 	 . _to pot butter for winter use._ 	 	mix a large spoonful of salt	 a table-spoonful of powdered white-sugar	 	and one of saltpetre. work this quantity into six pounds of fresh-made 	butter. put the butter into a stone pot	 that is thoroughly cleansed. 	when you have finished putting down your butter	 cover it with a layer 	of salt	 and let it remain covered until cold weather. 	 	 	 . _to make salt butter fresh._ 	 	when butter has too much salt in it	 put to each pound of it a quart of 	fresh milk	 and churn it an hour; then treat it like fresh butter	 	working in the usual quantity of salt. a little white sugar worked in	 	improves it. this is said to be equal to fresh butter. salt may be taken 	out of a small quantity of fresh butter	 by working it over	 in clear 	fresh water	 changing the water a number of times. 	 	 	 . _to extract rancidity from butter._ 	 	take a small quantity	 that is wanted for immediate use. for a pound of 	the butter	 dissolve a couple of tea-spoonsful of saleratus in a quart 	of boiling water	 put in the butter	 mix it well with the saleratus 	water	 and let it remain till cold	 then take it off carefully	 and work 	a tea-spoonful of salt into it. butter treated in this manner answers 	very well to use in cooking. 	 	 	 . _to preserve cream for sea voyages._ 	 	take rich	 fresh cream	 and mix it with half of its weight of white 	powdered sugar. when well mixed in	 put it in bottles	 and cork them 	tight. when used for tea or coffee	 it will make them sufficiently sweet 	without any additional sugar. 	 	 	 . _substitute for cream in coffee._ 	 	beat the white of an egg to a froth--put to it a small lump of butter	 	and turn the coffee to it gradually	 so that it may not curdle. it is 	difficult to distinguish the taste from fresh cream. 	 	 	 . _to keep eggs several months._ 	 	it is a good plan to buy eggs for family use when cheap	 and preserve 	them in the following manner: mix half a pint of unslaked lime with the 	same quantity of salt	 a couple of gallons of water. the water should be 	turned on boiling hot. when cold	 put in the eggs	 which should be 	perfectly fresh	 and care should be taken not to crack any of them--if 	cracked	 they will spoil directly. the eggs should be entirely covered 	with the lime-water	 and kept in a stone pot	 and the pot set in a cool 	place. if the above directions are strictly attended to	 the eggs will 	keep good five months. the lime-water should not be so strong as to eat 	the shell	 and all the eggs should be perfectly fresh when put in	 as 	one bad one will spoil the whole. 	 	 	 . _to melt fat for shortening._ 	 	the fat of all kinds of meat	 excepting that of ham and mutton	 makes 	good shortening. roast meat drippings	 and the liquor in which meat is 	boiled	 should stand until cold	 to have the fat congeal	 so that it can 	be taken off easily. when taken up	 scrape off the sediment which 	adheres to the under side of the fat	 cut the fat into small pieces	 	together with any scraps of fat from broiled meat that you may happen to 	have. melt the fat slowly	 then strain it	 and let it remain till cold. 	when formed into a hard cake	 take it up--if any sediment adheres to the 	under side	 scrape it off. melt the fat again--when partly cooled	 	sprinkle in salt	 in the proportion of a tea-spoonful to a pound of the 	shortening. the dregs of the fat are good for soap grease. this 	shortening answers all the various purposes of lard very well	 excepting 	in the hottest weather. the fat of cooked meat should not be suffered to 	remain more than a week in winter	 and three days in summer	 without 	being melted. ham fat	 if boiled in fresh water	 and then clarified	 	answers very well to fry in. mutton fat	 if melted into hard cakes	 will 	fetch a good price at the tallow-chandler's. the leaves	 and thin pieces 	of pork	 should be used for lard. cut them in small bits	 and melt them 	slowly; then strain them through a cullender	 with a thick cloth laid in 	it. as soon as the fat cools and thickens	 sprinkle in salt	 in the 	proportion of a tea-cup full to twenty weight of the lard. stir it in 	well	 then set the pot that contains it in a cool place. some people 	have an idea that the pork scraps must be on the fire until they become 	brown	 in order to have the lard kept sweet the year round	 but it is 	not necessary	 if salt is mixed with it. 	 	 	 . _to keep vegetables through the winter._ 	 	succulent vegetables are preserved best in a cool	 shady place	 that is 	damp. turnips	 irish potatoes	 and similar vegetables	 should be 	protected from the air and frost by being buried up in sand	 and in very 	severe cold weather covered over with a linen cloth. it is said that the 	dust of charcoal	 sprinkled over potatoes	 will keep them from 	sprouting. i have also heard it said	 that carolina potatoes may be kept 	a number of months	 if treated in the following manner: take those that 	are large	 and perfectly free from decay--pack them in boxes of dry 	sand	 and set the boxes in a place exposed to the influence of smoke	 	and inaccessible to frost. 	 	 	 . _to preserve herbs._ 	 	all kinds of herbs should be gathered on a dry day	 just before	 or 	while in blossom. tie them in bundles	 and suspend them in a dry	 airy 	place	 with the blossoms downwards. when perfectly dry	 wrap the 	medicinal ones in paper and keep them from the air. pick off the leaves 	of those which are to be used in cooking	 pound and sift them fine	 and 	keep the powder in bottles	 corked up tight. 	 	 . _to preserve various kinds of fruit through the winter._ 	 	apples can be kept till june	 by taking only those that are hard and 	sound	 wiping them dry	 then packing them in tight barrels	 with a layer 	of bran to each layer of apples. envelope the barrel in a linen cloth	 	to protect it from frost	 and keep it in a cool place	 but not so cold 	as to freeze the apples. it is said that mortar	 laid over the top of a 	barrel of apples	 is a good thing to preserve them	 as it draws the air 	from them	 which is the principal cause of their decaying. care should 	be taken not to have it come in contact with the apples. to preserve 	oranges and lemons several months	 take those that are perfectly fresh	 	and wrap each one in soft paper; put them in glass jars	 or a very tight 	box	 with white sand	 that has been previously dried in an oven a few 	hours	 after it has been baked in. the sand should be strewed thick over 	each one of the oranges	 as they are laid in the jar	 and the whole 	covered with a thick layer of it. close the jar up tight	 and keep it in 	a cool dry place	 but not so cool as to freeze the fruit. to preserve 	grapes	 gather them on a dry day	 when they are not quite dead ripe	 and 	pick those that are not fair off from the stems. lay the bunches of 	grapes in a glass jar	 and sprinkle around each of them a thick layer of 	dry bran	 so that they will not touch each other. have a thick layer of 	bran on the top	 and cork and seal the jar very tight	 so that the air 	may be entirely excluded. whenever they are to be eaten	 restore them to 	their freshness by cutting off a small piece from the end of the stalks	 	and immerse the stalks of each bunch in sweet wine for a few minutes. 	the stalks will imbibe the wine	 and make the grapes fresh and juicy. 	various kinds of fruit	 taken when green	 such as grapes	 gooseberries	 	currants	 and plums	 can be kept through the winter	 by being treated in 	the following manner: fill junk bottles with them	 and set them in an 	oven six or seven hours	 after having baked in it. let them remain till 	they begin to shrink	 then take the fruit from one bottle to fill the 	others quite full. cork and seal up the bottles. whenever you wish to 	make pies of them	 put the quantity you wish to use into a tin pan	 turn 	on boiling water sufficient to cover them	 and stew them in it till 	soft	 then sweeten	 and make them into pies. ripe blackberries and 	whortleberries	 to be kept long	 should be dried perfectly in the sun	 	then tied up in bags that are thick enough to exclude the air. when used 	for pies	 treat them in the same manner as the green fruit. ripe 	currants	 dried on the stalks	 then picked off	 and put in bags	 will 	keep nice for pies during the winter. they also make a fine tea for 	persons that have a fever	 particularly the hectic fever--it is also an 	excellent thing to counteract the effects of opium. 	 	 	 . _to keep pickles and sweetmeats._ 	 	pickles should be kept in unglazed earthen jars	 or wooden kegs. 	sweetmeats keep best in glass jars; unglazed stone pots answer very well 	for common fruit. a paper wet in brandy	 or proof spirit	 and laid on 	the preserved fruit	 tends to keep it from fermenting. both pickles and 	sweetmeats should be watched	 to see that they do not ferment	 	particularly when the weather is warm. whenever they ferment	 turn off 	the vinegar or syrup	 scald and turn it back while hot. when pickles 	grow soft	 it is owing to the vinegar being too weak. to strengthen it	 	heat it scalding hot	 turn it back on the pickles	 and when lukewarm	 	put in a little alum	 and a brown paper	 wet in molasses. if it does not 	grow sharp in the course of three weeks it is past recovery	 and should 	be thrown away	 and fresh vinegar turned on	 scalding hot	 to the 	pickles. 	 	 	 . _cautions relative to the use of brass and copper cooking 	utensils._ 	 	cleanliness has been aptly styled the cardinal virtue of cooks. food is 	more healthy	 as well as palatable	 cooked in a cleanly manner. many 	lives have been lost in consequence of carelessness in using brass	 	copper	 and glazed earthen cooking utensils. the two first should be 	thoroughly cleansed with salt and hot vinegar before cooking in them	 	and no oily or acid substance	 after being cooked	 should be allowed to 	cool or remain in any of them. 	 	 	 . _durable ink for marking linen._ 	 	dissolve a couple of drachms of lunar caustic	 and half an ounce of gum 	arabic	 in a gill of rain water. dip whatever is to be marked in strong 	pearl-ash water. when perfectly dry	 iron it very smooth; the pearl-ash 	water turns it a dark color	 but washing will efface it. after marking 	the linen	 put it near a fire	 or in the sun	 to dry. red ink	 for 	marking linen	 is made by mixing and reducing to a fine powder half an 	ounce of vermilion	 a drachm of the salt of steel	 and linseed oil to 	render it of the consistency of black durable ink. 	 	 	 . _black ball._ 	 	melt together	 moderately	 ten ounces of bayberry tallow	 five ounces of 	bees' wax	 one ounce of mutton tallow. when melted	 add lamp or ivory 	black to give it a good black color. stir the whole well together	 and 	add	 when taken from the fire	 half a glass of rum. 	 	 	 . _liquid blacking._ 	 	mix a quarter of a pound of ivory black	 six gills of vinegar	 a 	table-spoonful of sweet oil	 two large spoonsful of molasses. stir the 	whole well together	 and it will then be fit for use. 	 	 	 . _cement for the mouths of corked bottles._ 	 	melt together a quarter of a pound of sealing-wax	 the same quantity of 	rosin	 a couple of ounces of bees' wax. when it froths	 stir it with a 	tallow candle. as soon as it melts	 dip the mouths of the corked bottles 	into it. this is an excellent thing to exclude the air from such things 	as are injured by being exposed to it. 	 	 	 . _cement for broken china	 glass	 and earthenware._ 	 	rub the edge of the china or glass with the beaten white of an egg. tie 	very finely powdered quick lime in a muslin bag	 and sift it thick over 	the edges of the dishes that have been previously rubbed with the egg. 	match and bind the pieces together	 and let it remain bound several 	weeks. this is good cement for every kind of crockery but thick heavy 	glass and coarse earthenware; the former cannot be cemented with any 	thing; for the latter	 white paint will answer. paint and match the 	broken edges	 bind them tight together	 and let them remain until the 	paint becomes dry and hard. milk is a good cement for crockery--the 	pieces should be matched	 and bound together tight	 then put in cold 	milk	 and the milk set where it will boil for half an hour; then take it 	from the fire	 and let the crockery remain till the milk is cold. let 	the crockery remain bound for several weeks. the chinese method of 	mending broken china	 is to grind flint glass	 on a painter's stone	 	till it is reduced to an impalpable powder: then beat it with the white 	of an egg	 to a froth	 and lay it on the edge of the broken pieces	 	match and bind them together firmly	 and let them remain several weeks. 	it is said that no art will then be able to break it in the same place. 	 	 	 . _japanese cement	 or rice glue._ 	 	mix rice flour with cold water	 to a smooth paste	 and boil it gently. 	it answers all the purposes of wheat flour paste	 while it is far 	superior in point of transparency and smoothness. this composition	 made 	with so small a proportion of water as to have it of the consistence of 	plastic clay	 may be used to form models	 busts	 basso-relievos	 and 	similar articles. when made of it	 they are susceptible of a very high 	polish. poland starch is a nice cement for pasting layers of paper 	together	 or any fancy articles. 	 	 	 . _cement for alabaster._ 	 	take of white bees' wax one pound	 of rosin a pound	 and three quarters 	of alabaster. melt the wax and rosin	 then strew the alabaster over it 	lightly	 (which should be previously reduced to a fine powder.) stir the 	whole well together	 then knead the mass in water	 in order to 	incorporate the alabaster thoroughly with the rosin and wax. the 	alabaster	 when mended	 should be perfectly dry	 and heated. the cement	 	when applied	 should also be heated. join the broken pieces	 bind them	 	and let them remain a week. this composition	 when properly managed	 	forms an extremely strong cement. 	 	 	 . _to clean alabaster	 or any other kinds of marble._ 	 	pound pumice stone to a fine powder	 and mix it with verjuice. let it 	remain several hours	 then dip in a perfectly clean sponge	 and rub the 	marble with it till clean. rinse it off with clear fresh water	 and rub 	it dry with a clean linen cloth. 	 	 	 . _cement for iron-ware._ 	 	beat the whites of eggs to a froth	 then stir into them enough quicklime 	to make a consistent paste	 then add iron file dust	 to make a thick 	paste. the quicklime should be reduced to a fine powder before mixing it 	with the eggs. fill the cracks in iron-ware with this cement	 and let 	them remain several weeks before using them. 	 	 	 . _to loosen the stopples of decanters and smelling bottles that are 	wedged in tight._ 	 	dip the end of a feather in oil	 and rub it round the stopple	 close to 	the mouth of the bottle; then put the bottle about a couple of feet from 	the fire	 having the mouth towards it. the heat will cause the oil to 	run down between the stopple and mouth of the bottle. when warm	 strike 	the bottle gently on both sides	 with any light wooden instrument that 	you may happen to have. if the stopple cannot be taken out with the hand 	at the end of this process	 repeat it	 and you will finally succeed by 	persevering in it	 however firmly it may be wedged in. 	 	 	 . _lip salve._ 	 	dissolve a small lump of white sugar in a table-spoonful of rosewater	 	(common water will do	 but is not as good.) mix it with a couple of 	large spoonsful of sweet oil	 a piece of spermaceti	 of the size of half 	a butternut. simmer the whole well together eight or ten minutes	 then 	turn it into a small box. 	 	 	 . _cold cream._ 	 	take of the oil of almonds two ounces	 of spermaceti half an ounce	 and 	white wax half an ounce. put them in a close vessel	 and set the vessel 	in a skillet of boiling water. when melted	 beat the ingredients with 	rosewater until cold. keep it in a tight box	 or wide-mouthed bottle	 	corked up close. 	 	 	 . _to prevent the formation of a crust on tea-kettles._ 	 	keep an oyster-shell in your tea-kettle	 and it will prevent the 	formation of a crust on the inside of it	 by attracting the stony 	particles to itself. 	 	 	 . _to remove stains from broadcloth._ 	 	take an ounce of pipe clay that has been ground fine	 and mix it with 	twelve drops of alcohol	 and the same quantity of spirits of turpentine. 	whenever you wish to remove any stains from cloth	 moisten a little of 	this mixture with alcohol	 and rub it on the spots. let it remain till 	dry	 then rub it off with a woollen cloth	 and the spots will disappear. 	 	 	 . _to extract paint from cotton	 silk	 and woollen goods._ 	 	saturate the spot with spirits of turpentine	 and let it remain several 	hours	 then rub it between the hands. it will crumble away	 without 	injuring either the color or texture of the article. 	 	 	 . _to remove black stains on scarlet woollen goods._ 	 	mix tartaric with water	 to give it a pleasant acid taste	 then saturate 	the black spots with it	 taking care not to have it touch the clean part 	of the garment. rinse the spots immediately	 in fair water. weak 	pearl-ash water is good to remove stains that are produced by acids. 	 	 	 . _to extract grease from silks	 paper	 woollen goods	 and floors._ 	 	to remove grease spots from goods and paper	 grate on them	 very thick	 	french chalk	 (common chalk will answer	 but is not as good as the 	french chalk.) cover the spots with brown paper	 and set on a moderately 	warm iron	 and let it remain till cold. care must be taken not to have 	the iron so hot as to scorch or change the color of the cloth. if the 	grease does not appear to be out on removing the iron	 grate on more 	chalk	 heat the iron again	 and put it on. repeat the process till the 	grease is entirely out. strong pearl-ash water	 mixed with sand	 and 	rubbed on grease spots in floors	 is one of the most effective things 	that can be used to extract the grease. 	 	 	 . _to extract stains from white cotton goods and colored silks._ 	 	salts of ammonia	 mixed with lime	 will take out the stains of wine from 	silk. spirits of turpentine	 alcohol	 and clear ammonia	 are all good to 	remove stains on colored silks. spots of common or durable ink can be 	removed by saturating them with lemon-juice	 and rubbing on salt	 then 	putting them where the sun will shine on them hot	 for several hours. as 	fast as it dries	 put on more lemon-juice and salt. when lemon juice 	cannot be obtained	 citric acid is a good substitute. iron mould may be 	removed in the same way. mildew and most other stains can be removed by 	rubbing on soft soap and salt	 and placing it where the sun will shine 	on it hot. where soap and salt will not remove stains	 lemon-juice and 	salt will generally answer. the above things will only remove stains in 	warm	 clear weather	 when the sun is hot. sulphuric acid	 diluted with 	water	 is very effectual in removing fruit stains. care should be taken 	not to have it so strong as to eat a hole in the garment	 and as soon as 	the stain is out	 it should be rinsed in pearl-ash water	 and then in 	fair water. colored cotton goods	 that have common ink spilt on them	 	should be soaked in lukewarm sour milk. 	 	 	 . _directions for washing calicoes._ 	 	calico clothes	 before they are put in water	 should have the grease 	spots rubbed out	 as they cannot be seen when the whole of the garment 	is wet. they should never be washed in very hot soap suds; that which is 	mildly warm will cleanse them quite as well	 and will not extract the 	colors so much. soft soap should never be used for calicoes	 excepting 	for the various shades of yellow	 which look the best washed with soft 	soap	 and not rinsed in fair water. other colors should be rinsed in 	fair water	 and dried in the shade. when calicoes incline to fade	 the 	colors can be set by washing them in lukewarm water	 with beef's gall	 	in the proportion of a tea-cup full to four or five gallons of water. 	rinse them in fair water--no soap is necessary	 without the clothes are 	very dirty. if so	 wash them in lukewarm suds	 after they have been 	first rubbed out in beef's gall water. the beef's gall can be kept 	several months	 by squeezing it out of the skin in which it is enclosed	 	adding salt to it	 and bottled and corked tight. the water that potatoes 	has been boiled in is an excellent thing to wash black calicoes in. when 	there are many black garments to wash in a family	 it is a good plan to 	save	 during the week	 all the water in which potatoes are boiled. the 	following method is said to set the colors of calicoes so that they will 	not fade by subsequent washing: infuse three gills of salt in four 	quarts of boiling water; put in the calicoes	 (which should be perfectly 	clean; if not so	 the dirt will be set.) let the calicoes remain in till 	the water is cold. i have never seen this tried	 but i think it not 	improbable that it may be an excellent way to set the colors	 as rinsing 	calicoes in cold salt and water serves to set the colors	 particularly 	of black	 blue	 and green colors. a little vinegar in the rinsing water 	of pink	 red	 and green calicoes	 is good to brighten the colors	 and 	keep them from mixing. all kinds of calicoes but black	 look better for 	starching	 but black calicoes will not look clear if starched. on this 	account potato water is an excellent thing to wash them	 if boiled down 	to a thick consistence	 as it stiffens them without showing. 	 	 	 . _directions for cleaning silk goods._ 	 	when silk cushions	 or silk coverings to furniture	 become dingy	 rub 	dry bran on it gently	 with a woollen cloth	 till clean. remove grease 	spots and stains as in direction no. . silk garments should have the 	spots extracted before being-washed--use hard soap for all colors but 	yellow	 for which soft soap is the best. put the soap into hot water	 	beat it till it is perfectly dissolved	 then add sufficient cold water 	to make it just lukewarm. put in the silks	 and rub them in it till 	clean; take them out without wringing	 and rinse them in fair lukewarm 	water. rinse it in another water	 and for bright yellows	 crimsons	 and 	maroons	 add sulphuric acid enough to the water to give it an acid 	taste	 before rinsing the garment in it. to restore the colors of the 	different shades of pink	 put in the second rinsing water a little 	vinegar or lemon-juice. for scarlet	 use a solution of tin; for blues	 	purples	 and their shades	 use pearl-ash; and for olive-greens	 dissolve 	verdigris in the rinsing water--fawn and browns should be rinsed in pure 	water. dip the silks up and down in the rinsing water: take them out of 	it without wringing	 and dry them in the shade. fold them up while damp: 	let them remain to have the dampness strike through all parts of them 	alike	 then put them in a mangler--if you have not one	 iron them on the 	wrong side	 with an iron only just hot enough to smooth them. a little 	isinglass or gum arabic	 dissolved in the rinsing water of gauze shawls 	and ribbons	 is good to stiffen them. the water in which pared potatoes 	have been boiled	 is an excellent thing to wash black silks in--it 	stiffens	 and makes them glossy and black. beef's gall and lukewarm 	water is also a nice thing to restore rusty silk	 and soap-suds answers 	very well. they look better not to be rinsed in clear water	 but they 	should be washed in two different waters. 	 	 	 . _directions for washing woollens._ 	 	if you do not wish to have white flannels shrink when washed	 make a 	good suds of hard soap	 and wash the flannels in it	 without rubbing any 	soap on them; rub them out in another suds	 then wring them out of it	 	and put them in a clean tub	 and turn on sufficient boiling water to 	cover them	 and let them remain till the water is cold. a little indigo 	in the boiling water makes the flannels look nicer. if you wish to have 	your white flannels shrink	 so as to have them thick	 wash them in soft 	soap-suds	 and rinse them in cold water. colored woollens that incline 	to fade	 should be washed with beef's gall and warm water before they 	are put into soap-suds. colored pantaloons look very well washed with 	beef's gall and fair warm water	 and pressed on the wrong side while 	damp. 	 	 	 . _directions for washing white cotton clothes._ 	 	table-cloths	 or any white clothes that have coffee or fruit stains on 	them	 before being put into soap-suds	 should have boiling water turned 	on them	 and remain in it till the water is cold--the spots should be 	then rubbed out in it. if they are put into soap-suds with the stains 	in	 they will be set by it	 so that no subsequent washing will remove 	them. table-cloths will be less likely to get stained up	 if they are 	always rinsed in thin starch water	 as it tends to keep coffee and fruit 	from sinking into the texture of the cloth. white clothes that are very 	dirty	 will come clean easily if put into strong	 cool suds and hung on 	the fire the night previous to the day in which they are to be washed. 	if they get to boiling	 it will not do them any harm	 provided the suds 	is cool when they are put in; if it is hot at first	 it will set the 	dirt in. the following method of washing clothes is a saving of a great 	deal of labor: soak the clothes in lukewarm soap-suds; if they are quite 	dirty	 soak them over night. to every three pails of water put a pint of 	soft soap	 and a table-spoonful of the salts of soda. heat it till 	mildly warm	 then put in the clothes without any rubbing	 and boil them 	an hour. drain the suds out of them as much as possible	 as it is bad 	for the hands; then add water till cool enough for the hands. the dirt 	will be loose	 so that they will require but a little rubbing. rinse 	them thoroughly in clear water	 then in indigo water. the soda can be 	procured cheap	 by purchasing it in large quantities--soda is an 	excellent thing to soften hard water. the soda suds will not do to wash 	calicoes in. it is a good plan to save your suds	 after washing	 to 	water your garden	 if you have one	 or to harden cellars and yards	 when 	sandy. 	 	 	 . _starch._ 	 	to make good flour starch	 mix flour gradually with cold water	 so that 	it may be free from lumps. stir in cold water till it will pour easily; 	then stir it into a pot of boiling water	 and let it boil five or six 	minutes	 stirring it frequently. a tallow or spermaceti candle	 stirred 	round in the starch several times	 will make it smoother--strain it 	through a thick cloth. starch made in this manner will answer for both 	cotton and linen very well. some people do not boil their starch	 but 	merely turn boiling water on the mixed flour and water	 but it does not 	make clothes look nice. poland starch is made in the same manner as 	wheat starch. when rice is boiled in a pot without being tied up in a 	bag	 the water in which it is boiled is as good as poland starch for 	clear-starching muslins	 if boiled to a thick consistency after it is 	turned off from the boiled rice	 and then strained. muslins	 to look 	clear	 should be starched	 and clapped dry	 while the starch is hot	 	then folded in a very damp cloth	 and suffered to remain in it till they 	become quite damp	 before ironing them. if muslins are sprinkled	 they 	are apt to look spotted. garments that are not worn	 when laid by	 	should not be starched	 as it rots them when not exposed to the air. 	 	 	 . _to clean woollen and silk shawls._ 	 	pare and grate raw	 mealy potatoes	 and put to each pint of the potato 	pulp a couple of quarts of cold water. let it stand five hours	 then 	strain the water through a sieve	 and rub as much of the potato pulp 	through as possible--let the strained water stand to settle again--when 	very clear	 turn the water off from the dregs carefully. put a clean 	white cotton sheet on a perfectly clean table	 lay on the shawl which 	you wish to clean	 and pin it down tight. dip a sponge	 that has never 	been used	 into the potato water	 and rub the shawl with it till clean; 	then rinse the shawl in clear water	 with a tea-cup of salt to a pailful 	of the water. spread it on a clean	 level place	 where it will dry 	quick--if hung up to dry	 the colors are apt to run	 and make the shawl 	streaked. fold it up while damp	 and let it remain half an hour	 then 	put it in a mangler--if you have not one	 wrap it in a clean white 	cloth	 and put it under a weight	 and let it remain till dry. if there 	are any grease spots on the shawl	 they should be extracted before the 	shawl is washed. 	 	 	 . _directions for carpets._ 	 	carpets should be taken up and shook thoroughly	 if in constant use	 as 	often as three or four times in a year	 as the dirt that collects 	underneath them wears them out very fast. straw kept under carpets	 will 	make them wear much longer	 as the dirt will sift through	 and keep it 	from grinding out. carpets should be taken up as often as once a year	 	even if not much used	 as there is danger of moths getting into them. if 	there is any appearance of moths in carpets when they are taken up	 	sprinkle tobacco or black pepper on the floor before the carpets are put 	down	 and let it remain after they are laid down. when the dust is well 	shaken out of carpets	 if there are any grease spots on them	 grate on 	potter's clay very thick	 cover them with a brown paper	 and set on a 	warm iron. it will be necessary to repeat this process several times	 to 	get out all the grease. if the carpets are so much soiled as to require 	cleaning all over	 after the dirt has been shaken out	 spread them on a 	clean floor	 and rub on them	 with a new broom	 pared and grated raw 	potatoes. let the carpets remain till perfectly dry	 before walking on 	them. 	 	 	 . _to clean light kid gloves._ 	 	magnesia	 moist bread	 and india rubber	 are all of them good to clean 	light kid gloves. they should be rubbed on the gloves thoroughly. if so 	much soiled that they cannot be cleaned	 sew up the tops of the gloves	 	and rub them over with a sponge dipped in a decoction of saffron and 	water. the gloves will be yellow or brown	 according to the strength of 	the decoction. 	 	 	 . _to restore rusty italian crape._ 	 	heat skim milk and water--dissolve in half a pint of it a piece of glue 	an inch square	 then take it from the fire. rinse the crape out in 	vinegar to clean it; then	 to stiffen it	 put it in the mixed glue and 	milk. wring it out	 and clap it till dry	 then smooth it out with a hot 	iron--a paper should be laid over it when it is ironed. gin is an 	excellent thing to restore rusty crape--dip it in	 and let it get 	saturated with it; then clap it till dry	 and smooth it out with a 	moderately hot iron. italian crape can be dyed to look as nice as that 	which is new. 	 	 	 . _to clean mahogany and marble furniture._ 	 	no soap should ever be used for them--they should be washed in fair 	water	 and rubbed with a clean	 soft cloth	 till dry. a little sweet 	oil	 rubbed on occasionally	 gives them a fine polish. the furniture 	should be rubbed over with a cloth dipped in oil	 then rubbed over with 	a clean cloth till it appears dry and polished. white spots on varnished 	furniture may be removed by rubbing them with a warm flannel	 dipped in 	spirits of turpentine. ink spots may be removed by rubbing them with a 	woollen cloth	 dipped in oil of vitriol and water mixed	 being careful 	not to touch any part of the furniture that is not spotted. as soon as 	the ink is extracted	 rinse the spot with pearl-ash water	 and then with 	fair water. it is said that blotting paper alone will extract the ink	 	if rolled up tight	 and rubbed hard on the spots. if it answers the 	purpose	 it is altogether best to use it	 as there is always danger 	attending the use of oil of vitriol	 it being so powerful as to corrode 	whatever it may get dropped on	 without its effects are destroyed by the 	use of an alkali. 	 	 	 . _to clean stoves and stone hearths._ 	 	varnished stoves should have several coats of varnish put on in summer	 	in order to have it get hard	 before being used. they should be washed 	in warm water	 without soap--a little oil rubbed on them occasionally	 	makes them look nice	 and tends to keep the varnish from wearing off. 	black lead and british lustre are both of them good to black stoves 	which have never been varnished--if they have been	 it will not answer. 	they should be mixed with cold water	 to form a paste	 then rubbed on 	the stoves	 and remain till quite dry--they should then be rubbed with a 	dry	 stiff	 and flat brush	 till clean and polished. if you wish to 	preserve the color of free-stone hearths	 wash them in water	 without 	any soap; then rub on them	 while damp	 free-stone	 that has been 	reduced to a powder--let it remain till dry	 then rub it off. if the 	hearths are stained	 rub them hard with a piece of free-stone. if you 	wish to have your hearth look dark	 rub it over with hot soft soap	 	alone	 or diluted with water. for brick hearths	 use redding	 mixed with 	thin hot starch and milk. 	 	 	 . _to extract ink from floors._ 	 	ink spots on floors can be removed by scouring them with sand wet in oil 	of vitriol	 and water	 mixed. rinse them	 when the ink is extracted	 	with strong pearl-ash water. 	 	 	 . _to remove paint and putty from window glass._ 	 	put sufficient pearl-ash into hot water	 to make it very strong of it; 	then saturate the paint which is daubed on the glass with it. let it 	remain till nearly dry	 then rub it off hard	 with a woollen cloth. 	pearl-ash water is also good to remove putty before it is dried on the 	glass. if it dries on	 whiting is good to remove it. 	 	 	 . _to cleanse feather beds and mattresses._ 	 	when feather beds become soiled or heavy	 they may be made clean and 	light by being treated in the following manner: rub them over with a 	stiff brush	 dipped in hot soap-suds. when clean	 lay them on a shed	 or 	any other clean place	 where the rain will fall on them. when thoroughly 	soaked	 let them dry in a hot sun for six or seven successive days	 	shaking them up well	 and turning them over each day. they should be 	covered over with a thick cloth during the night; if exposed to the 	night air	 they will become damp	 and mildew. this way of washing the 	bed ticking and feathers	 makes them very fresh and light	 and is much 	easier than the old-fashioned way of emptying the beds	 and washing the 	feathers separately	 while it answers quite as well. care must be taken 	to dry the bed perfectly	 before sleeping on it. hair mattresses that 	have become hard and dirty	 can be made nearly as good as new by ripping 	them	 washing the ticking	 and picking the hair free from bunches	 and 	keeping it in a dry	 airy place	 several days. whenever the ticking gets 	dry	 fill it lightly with the hair	 and tack it together. 	 	 	 . _to cleanse vials and pie plates._ 	 	bottles and vials that have had medicine in them	 may be cleansed by 	putting ashes in each one	 and immersing them in a pot of cold water	 	then heating the water gradually	 until it boils. when they have boiled 	in it an hour	 take it from the fire	 and let them remain in it till 	cold; then wash them in soap-suds	 and rinse them in fair water till 	clear. pie plates that have been used much for baking	 are apt to impart 	an unpleasant taste to the pies	 which is owing to the lard and butter 	of the crust soaking into them	 and becoming rancid. it may be removed 	by putting them in a brass kettle	 with ashes and cool water	 and 	boiling them in it an hour. 	 	 	 . _to temper earthen-ware._ 	 	earthen-ware that is used to bake in	 will be less liable to crack from 	the heat if put	 before they are used	 into a vessel	 with sufficient 	cold water to cover them	 then heated in it gradually	 till the water 	boils. when the vessel is taken from the fire	 the ware should remain in 	until cold. 	 	 	 . _to temper new ovens and iron-ware._ 	 	new ovens	 before they are baked in	 should have a fire kept up in them 	half a day. as soon as the wood is removed	 put up the lid of the oven. 	it should not be used for baking until it has been heated the second 	time. if not treated in this manner	 it will never retain the heat well. 	new flat irons should be heated half a day before they are used	 in 	order to retain heat well. iron cooking utensils	 when new	 will be less 	liable to crack if heated gradually five or six hours	 and then cooled 	slowly	 before being used to cook in. cold water should never be turned 	into hot iron utensils	 as it will crack them by cooling the surface too 	suddenly. 	 	 	 . _to polish brass	 britannia	 and silver utensils._ 	 	rotten stone	 mixed with a little spirit	 is the best thing to clean 	brass with: rotten stone and oil does very well. they should be polished 	with dry rotten stone	 and a dry cloth. hot vinegar and milk makes brass 	look nice--it should be rinsed off	 wiped dry	 and rubbed over with 	chalk	 to kill the acid	 and give the brass a polish. brass looks very 	nice cleaned in this manner	 and will keep clean a long time	 provided 	all the acid is killed--if not	 they will turn very soon. when brass 	utensils are not in use	 they should be thoroughly cleaned with rotten 	stone and oil	 and wrapped up tight to exclude the air. whiting or chalk 	is good to polish silver. if the silver is spotted	 wet the chalk	 	(which should be powdered	) rub it on the silver	 and let it remain 	until dry; then rub it off with a clean dry cloth. when chalk will not 	remove spots	 hot ashes will. britannia-ware should be rubbed with a 	flannel rag dipped in sweet or linseed oil	 if spotted	 then washed in 	soap-suds	 and wiped dry. to give it a polish	 rub it over with dry 	powdered chalk or whiting	 using a clean dry rag. 	 	 	 . _to remove or keep rust from cutlery._ 	 	bristol brick is good to remove rust	 and give a polish to steel 	utensils. it should be powdered fine	 and rubbed on dry	 with a woollen 	cloth. knives should be rubbed on a board	 with a thick leather covered 	over it	 and fastened down tight. the brick should be dry	 and powdered 	fine	 and the knives should not be wet after cleaning	 but merely wiped	 	with a dry clean cloth. to make the handles smooth	 wipe them with a 	cloth that is a little damp	 being careful not to touch the blades	 as 	it will tarnish them. knives look very nice cleaned in this manner	 and 	the edge will keep sharp. ivory-handled knives should never have the 	handles put into hot water	 as it will turn them yellow. if	 through 	misuse	 they turn yellow	 rub them with sand paper. when bristol brick 	will not remove rust from steel	 rub the spots with sand paper or emery	 	or else rub on sweet oil	 and let it remain a day; then rub it off with 	powdered quicklime. to keep steel utensils (that are not in constant 	use) from contracting rust	 clean them thoroughly with bristol brick	 	wipe them on a perfectly dry cloth	 and rub them over with sweet oil	 	and cover them with brown paper	 so as to exclude the air. knives and 	forks should be wrapped up in brown paper	 each one by itself. 	 	 	 . _preservatives against the ravages of moths._ 	 	moths are very apt to eat woollen and fur garments early in the summer. 	to keep them from the garments	 take them late in the spring	 when not 	worn	 and put them in a chest	 with considerable camphor gum. cedar 	chips	 or tobacco leaves	 are also good for this purpose. when moths get 	into garments	 the best thing to destroy them is to hang the garments in 	a closet	 and make a strong smoke of tobacco leaves under them. in order 	to do it	 have a pan of live coals in the closet	 and sprinkle on the 	tobacco leaves. 	 	 	 . _to destroy cockroaches	 ants	 and other household vermin._ 	 	hellebore	 rubbed over with molasses	 and put round the places that 	cockroaches frequent	 is a very effectual poison for them. arsenic	 	spread on bread and butter	 and placed round rat or mouse holes	 will 	soon put a stop to their ravages. quicksilver and the white of an egg	 	beat together	 and laid with a feather round the crevices of the 	bedsteads and the sacking	 is very effectual in destroying bugs in them. 	to kill flies	 when so numerous as to be troublesome	 keep cobalt	 wet 	with spirit	 in a large shallow plate. the spirit will attract the 	flies	 and the cobalt will kill them very soon. black pepper is said to 	be good to destroy them--it should be mixed	 so as to be very strong	 	with a little cream and sugar. great care is necessary in using the 	above poisons	 where there are any children	 as they are so apt to eat 	any thing that comes in their way	 and these poisons will prove as fatal 	to them as to vermin	 (excepting the pepper.) the flour of sulphur is 	said to be good to drive ants away	 if sprinkled round the places that 	they frequent. sage is also good. weak brine will kill worms in gravel 	walks	 if kept moist with it a week in the spring	 and three or four 	days in the fall. 	 	 	 	 	common simple dyes. 	 	 	 . _to dye black._ 	 	allow a pound of logwood to each pound of goods that are to be dyed. 	soak it over night in soft water	 then boil it an hour	 and strain the 	water in which it is boiled. for each pound of logwood	 dissolve an 	ounce of blue vitriol in lukewarm water sufficient to wet the goods. dip 	the goods in--when saturated with it	 turn the whole into the logwood 	dye. if the goods are cotton	 set the vessel on the fire	 and let the 	goods boil ten or fifteen minutes	 stirring them constantly to prevent 	their spotting. silk and woollen goods should not be boiled in the 	dye-stuff	 but it should be kept at a scalding heat for twenty minutes. 	drain the goods without wringing	 and hang them in a dry	 shady place	 	where they will have the air. when dry	 set the color by	 put them into 	scalding hot water	 that has salt in it	 in the proportion of a tea-cup 	full to three gallons of the water. let the goods remain in it till 	cold; then hang them where they will dry; (they should not be wrung.) 	boiling hot suds is the best thing to set the color of black silk--let 	it remain in it till cold. soaking black-dyed goods in sour milk	 is 	also good to set the color. 	 	 	 . _green and blue dye	 for silks and woollens._ 	 	for green dye	 take a pound of oil of vitriol	 and turn it upon half an 	ounce of spanish indigo	 that has been reduced to a fine powder. stir 	them well together	 then add a lump of pearl ash	 of the size of a 	pea--as soon as the fermentation ceases	 bottle it--the dye will be fit 	for use the next day. chemic blue is made in the same manner	 only using 	half the quantity of vitriol. for woollen goods	 the east indigo will 	answer as well as the spanish	 and comes much lower. this dye will not 	answer for cotton goods	 as the vitriol rots the threads. wash the 	articles that are to be dyed till perfectly clean	 and free from color. 	if you cannot extract the color by rubbing it in hot suds	 boil it 	out--rinse it in soft water	 till entirely free from soap	 as the soap 	will ruin the dye. to dye a pale color	 put to each quart of soft warm 	water that is to be used for the dye	 ten drops of the above 	composition--if you wish a deep color	 more will be necessary. put in 	the articles without crowding	 and let them remain in it till of a good 	color--the dye-stuff should be kept warm--take the articles out without 	wringing	 drain as much of the dye out of them as possible	 then hang 	them to dry in a shady	 airy place. they should be dyed when the weather 	is dry--if not dried quick	 they will not look nice. when perfectly dry	 	wash them in lukewarm suds	 to keep the vitriol from injuring the 	texture of the cloth. if you wish for a lively bright green	 mix a 	little of the above composition with yellow dye. 	 	 	 . _yellow dyes._ 	 	to dye a buff color	 boil equal parts of arnotto and common potash	 in 	soft clear water. when dissolved	 take it from the fire; when cool	 put 	in the goods	 which should previously be washed free from spots	 and 	color; set them on a moderate fire	 where they will keep hot	 till the 	goods are of the shade you wish. to dye salmon and orange color	 tie 	arnotto in a bag	 and soak it in warm soft soap suds	 till it becomes 	soft	 so that you can squeeze enough of it through the bag to make the 	suds a deep yellow--put in the articles	 which should be clean	 and free 	from color; boil them till of the shade you wish. there should be enough 	of the dye to cover the goods--stir them while boiling	 to keep them 	from spotting. this dye will make a salmon or orange color	 according to 	the strength of it	 and the time the goods remain in. drain them out of 	the dye	 and dry them quick	 in the shade--when dry	 wash them in soft 	soap suds. goods dyed in this manner should never be rinsed in clear 	water. peach leaves	 fustic	 and saffron	 all make a good straw or lemon 	color	 according to the strength of the dye. they should be steeped in 	soft fair water	 in an earthen or tin vessel	 and then strained	 and the 	dye set with alum	 and a little gum arabic dissolved in the dye	 if you 	wish to stiffen the article. when the dye-stuff is strained	 steep the 	articles in it. 	 	 	 . _red dyes._ 	 	madder makes a good durable red	 but not a brilliant color. to make a 	dye of it	 allow for half a pound of it three ounces of alum	 and one of 	cream of tartar	 and six gallons of water. this proportion of 	ingredients will make sufficient dye for six or seven pounds of goods. 	heat half of the water scalding hot	 in a clean brass kettle	 then put 	in the alum and cream of tartar	 and let it dissolve. when the water 	boils	 stir the alum and tartar up in it	 put in the goods	 and let them 	boil a couple of hours; then rinse them in fair water--empty the kettle	 	and put in three gallons of water	 and the madder; rub it fine in the 	water	 then put in the goods	 and set them where they will keep scalding 	hot for an hour	 without boiling--stir them constantly. when they have 	been scalding an hour	 increase the fire till they boil. let them boil 	five minutes; then drain them out of the dye	 and rinse them	 without 	wringing	 in fair water	 and hang them in the shade	 where they will 	dry. to dye a fine crimson	 take for each pound of goods two and a half 	ounces of alum	 an ounce and a half of white tartar--put them in a brass 	kettle	 with sufficient fair water to cover your goods; set it where it 	will boil briskly for several minutes; then put in the goods	 which 	should be washed clean	 and rinsed in fair water. when the goods have 	boiled half an hour	 take them out	 without wringing	 and hang it where 	it will cool all over alike	 without drying; empty out the alum and 	tartar water	 put fresh water in the kettle	 and for each pound of goods 	to be dyed	 put in an ounce of cochineal	 powdered fine. set the kettle 	on the fire	 and let the water boil fifteen or twenty minutes; then put 	in sufficient cold water to make it lukewarm	 put in the goods	 and boil 	them an hour and a quarter--take them out without wringing	 and dry them 	in a shady place. the blossoms of the balm of gilead	 steeped with fair 	water in a vessel	 then strained	 will dye silk a pretty red color. the 	silk should be washed clean	 and free from color	 then rinsed in fair 	water	 and boiled in the strained dye	 with a small piece of alum. to 	dye a fine delicate pink	 use a carmine saucer--the directions for 	dyeing come with the saucers. it is too expensive a dye for bulky goods	 	but for faded fancy shawls and ribbons	 it is quite worth the while to 	use it	 as it gives a beautiful shade of pink. 	 	 	 . _slate-colored dye._ 	 	to make a good dark slate color	 boil sugar-loaf paper with vinegar	 in 	an iron utensil--put in alum to set the color. tea grounds	 set with 	copperas	 makes a good slate color. to produce a light slate color	 boil 	white maple bark in clear water	 with a little alum--the bark should be 	boiled in a brass utensil. the dye for slate color should be strained 	before the goods are put into it. they should be boiled in it	 and then 	hung where they will drain and dry. 	 	 	 . _soap from scraps._ 	 	dissolve eighteen pounds of potash in three pailsful of water; then add 	to it twenty-five pounds of grease	 and boil it over a slow fire for a 	couple of hours. turn it into a barrel	 and fill it up with water. 	 	 	 . _cold soap._ 	 	heat twenty-six pounds of strained grease. when melted	 mix it with four 	pailsful of lye	 made of twenty pounds of white potash. let the whole 	stand in the sun	 stirring it frequently. in the course of a week	 fill 	the barrel with weak lye. this method of making soap is much easier than 	to make a lye of your ashes	 while it is as cheap	 if you sell your 	ashes to the soap-boiler. 	 	 	 . _hard soap._ 	 	dissolve twenty weight of white potash in three pailsful of water. heat 	twenty pounds of strained grease	 then mix it with the dissolved potash	 	and boil them together till the whole becomes a thick jelly	 which is 	ascertained by taking a little of it out to get cold. take it from the 	fire	 stir in cold water till it grows thin	 then put to each pailful of 	soap a pint of blown salt--stir it in well. the succeeding day	 separate 	it from the lye	 and heat it over a slow fire. let it boil a quarter of 	an hour	 then take it from the fire. if you wish to have it a yellow 	color	 put in a little palm oil	 and turn it out into wooden vessels. 	when cold	 separate it again from the lye	 and cut	 it in bars--let them 	remain in the sun several days to dry. 	 	 	 . _windsor and castile soap._ 	 	to make the celebrated windsor soap	 nothing more is necessary than to 	slice the best white soap as thin as possible	 and melt it over a slow 	fire. take it from the fire when melted	 and when it is just lukewarm	 	add enough of the oil of caraway to scent it. if any other fragrant oil 	is liked better	 if may be substituted. turn it into moulds	 and let it 	remain in a dry situation for five or six days. to make castile soap	 	boil common soft soap in lamp oil three hours and a half. 	 	 	 . _bayberry	 or myrtle soap._ 	 	dissolve two pounds and a quarter of white potash in five quarts of 	water	 then mix it with ten pounds of myrtle wax	 or bayberry tallow. 	boil the whole over a slow fire	 till it turns to soap	 then add a 	tea-cup of cold water--let it boil ten minutes longer--at the end of 	that time turn it into tin moulds	 or pans	 and let them remain a week 	or ten days to dry	 then turn them out of the moulds. if you wish to 	have the soap scented	 stir into it any essential oil that has an 	agreeable smell	 just before you turn it into the moulds. this kind of 	soap is excellent for shaving	 and chapped hands--it is also good for 	eruptions on the face. it will be fit for use in the course of three or 	four weeks after it is made	 but it is better for being kept ten or 	twelve months. 	 	 	 	 	the whole art of carving. 	 	 	preliminary remarks. 	 	the carving knife should be light	 of middling size	 and of a fine edge. 	_strength_ is less required than _skill_ in the manner of using it; and 	to facilitate this	 the butcher should be directed to divide the 	_joints_ of the bones of all carcass joints of mutton	 lamb	 and veal	 	(such as neck	 breast	 and loin	) which then may easily be cut into thin 	slices	 attached to the bones. if the whole of the meat belonging to 	each bone should be too thick	 a small slice may be taken off between 	every two bones. 	 	the more fleshy joints (as fillets of veal	 leg or saddle of mutton	 and 	beef	) are to be helped in thin slices	 neatly cut	 and smooth. observe 	to let the knife pass down to the bone in the mutton and beef joints. 	 	the dish should not be too far off the carver	 as it gives an awkward 	appearance	 and makes the task more difficult. attention is to be paid 	to help every one to a part of such articles as are considered best. 	 	in helping fish	 take care not to break the flakes	 which in cod and 	very fresh salmon are large	 and contribute much to the beauty of its 	appearance. a fish knife not being sharp	 divides it best. help a part 	of the roe	 milt	 or liver	 to each person. the heads of carp	 part of 	those of cod and salmon	 sounds of cod	 and fins of turbot	 are likewise 	esteemed niceties	 and are to be attended to accordingly. 	 	in cutting up any wild fowl	 duck	 goose	 or turkey	 for a large party	 	if you cut the slices down from pinion to pinion	 without making wings	 	there will be more handsome pieces. 	 	 	 . _sirloin of beef._ 	 	this may be begun at either end	 or by cutting in the middle. it is 	usual to inquire whether the outside or inside is preferred. for the 	outside	 the slice should be cut down to the bones	 and the same with 	every following helping. slice the inside likewise	 and give with each 	piece some of the soft fat. the inside	 done in the following manner	 is 	excellent: have ready some shalot vinegar	 boiling hot; mince the meat 	large	 and a good deal of the fat; sprinkle it with salt	 and pour the 	vinegar and the gravy on it. help with a spoon as quick as possible	 on 	hot plates. 	 	 	 . _aitch or edgebone of beef._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	cut off a slice	 an inch thick	 all the length from _a_ to _b_	 and then 	help. the soft fat	 which resembles marrow	 lies at the back of the 	bone	 below _d_--the firm fat must be cut in horizontal slices at the 	edge of the meat	 _c_. the skewer used in keeping the meat together 	while boiling	 is shown at _a_	 which should be drawn out before served 	up; or	 if necessary to leave it in	 place instead one of silver. 	 	 	 . _shoulder of mutton._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	this is a very good joint	 and by many preferred to the leg; for	 if 	properly roasted	 it abounds in gravy	 and produces many nice bits. the 	figure annexed represents it as laid in the dish	 with its back 	uppermost. it should first be cut in the hollow part	 in the direction 	_a_	 _b_	 and the knife passed deep to the bone. the best part of the 	fat lies on the outer edge	 and it is to be cut out in thin slices	 in 	the direction _f_. if many are at the table	 and the hollow part cut in 	the line _a_	 _b_	 is eaten	 some very good and delicate slices may be 	cut out on each side the ridge of the blade bone	 in the direction _c_	 	_d_. the line between these two dotted lines is that in the direction of 	which the edge or ridge of the blade bone lies	 and cannot be cut 	across. it is necessary to wind writing paper around the shank	 as in 	the leg	 provided you wish to handle it. the lower side of the shoulder 	has two cuts abounding in gravy. the part in the direction _i_	 _k_	 is 	lean; the other	 _g_	 _h_	 is very fat. 	 	[illustration] 	 	 	 . _knuckle of veal._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	a knuckle of veal cuts in neat slices only in one direction	 viz.: from 	_a_ to _b_. the line _d_	 _c_	 divides two bones	 which it is necessary 	to separate in order to get at the best marrowy fat portion--also cut 	asunder the knuckle bones. 	 	 	 . _roasted breast of veal._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	cut to the left on the first line _d_	 _c_; then cross from _c_ to the 	most distant _a_. the lines _a_	 _d_	 _a_	 _d_	 &c.	 represent the 	directions in which the brisket	 or gristly part should be divided; _d_	 	_c_	 show the course of the ribs	 and _e_ is the sweetbread. 	 	 	 . _a spare rib._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	cut out first a slice from the fleshy portion	 following the line _a_	 	_b_. this will give a due proportion of fat and lean. after this part is 	taken away	 the bone lying in the direction _d_	 _b_	 _c_	 should be 	separated	 breaking it off at the joint	 _c_. 	 	 	 . _saddle of mutton._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	cut long thin slices from the tail to the end	 viz.: from _a_ to _b_	 	beginning close to the back bone. if a large joint	 the slice may be 	divided. cut some fat from the sides. 	 	 	 . _pig._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	the cook usually divides the body before it is sent to the table	 and 	garnishes the dish with the jaws and ears. the first thing is to 	separate the shoulder from the carcass on one side	 and then the leg	 	according to the direction given by the dotted line _a_	 _b_	 _c_. the 	ribs are then to be divided into about two helpings	 and an ear or jaw 	presented with them	 and plenty of sauce. the joints may either be 	divided into two each	 or pieces may be cut from them. the ribs are 	reckoned the finest part	 but some people prefer the neck	 and between 	the shoulders. 	 	 	 . _half a calf's head	 boiled._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	be careful and get a young one	 as they look much handsomer served up	 	and besides are more tender. first cut in the direction _c_	 _b_. the 	throat bread is considered the choicest part; it lies in the fleshy 	portion	 near the termination of the jaw-bone	 and the line _c_	 _d_	 	shows the direction to cut into it. on the under part of the lower jaw 	there is some very nice meat; and about the ear	 _g_	 some fat rather 	gristly	 but highly esteemed. the part near the neck is very inferior. 	sometimes the bone in the line _f_	 _e_	 is cut off	 but this is a 	coarse part. the sweet tooth is quite a delicacy--it lies back of all 	the rest	 and	 in a young calf	 is easily extracted with the knife. many 	like the eye	 which you must cut out with the point of your knife	 and 	divide in two. under the head is the palate	 which is reckoned a nicety. 	 	 	 . _leg of mutton._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	a leg of wether mutton	 (which is best flavored) may be known at the 	market by a round lump of fat at the edge of the broadest part	 a little 	above the letter _a_. the best part is midway between the knuckle and 	farther end. begin to help there	 by cutting thin slices to _b_. if the 	outside is not fat enough	 help some from the side at the broad end	 in 	slices from _e_ to _f_. this part is most juicy	 but many prefer the 	knuckle	 which	 in fine mutton	 will be very tender	 though dry. there 	are very fine slices in the back of the leg--turn it up	 and cut the 	broad end	 not in the direction you did the other side	 but lengthwise. 	to cut out the cramp bone	 take hold of the shank (which should be 	previously wound round with half a sheet of fool's-cap paper) with your 	left hand	 and cut down to the thigh bone at _g_	 then pass the knife 	under the cramp bone	 in the direction _g_	 _d_. 	 	 	 . _ham._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	ham may be cut three ways; the common method is to begin in the middle	 	by long slices from _b_ to _c_	 from the centre	 through the thick fat. 	this brings to the prime at first	 which is likewise accomplished by 	cutting a small round hole on the top of the ham	 as at _a_	 and with a 	sharp knife enlarging that	 by cutting successive thin circles--this 	preserves the gravy	 and keeps the meat moist. the last	 and most saving 	way	 is to begin at the hock end	 (which many are most fond of	) and 	proceed onward. ham that is used for pies	 &c.	 should be cut from the 	under side. 	 	 	 . _fore quarter of lamb._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	separate the shoulder from the breast and ribs	 by passing the knife 	under	 in the direction of _a_	 _b_	 _c_	 and _d_. be careful to keep it 	towards you horizontally	 to prevent cutting the meat too much off the 	bones. if grass lamb	 the shoulder being large	 put it into a another 	dish. squeeze the juice of half a seville orange or lemon on the other 	part	 and sprinkle a little salt and pepper; then separate the gristly 	part from the ribs	 in the line _e_	 _c_	 and help either from that or 	from the ribs	 as may be chosen. 	 	 	 . _haunch of venison._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	first cut it down to the bone	 in the line _d_	 _c_	 _a_	 then turn the 	dish with the end _a_ towards you; put in the point of the knife at _c_	 	and cut it down as deep as you can in the direction _c_	 _b_. thus cut	 	you may take out as many slices as you please	 on the right or left. as 	the fat lies deeper on the left	 between _b_ and _a_	 to those who are 	fond of fat	 as most venison eaters are	 the best flavored and fattest 	slices will be found on the left of the line _c_	 _b_	 supposing the end 	_a_ turned towards you. slices of venison should not be cut too thick 	nor too thin	 and plenty of gravy given with them. 	 	 	 . _round of beef._ 	 	this is cut in the same way as a fillet of veal. it should be kept even 	all over. when helping the fat	 be careful not to hack it	 but cut it 	smooth. a deep slice should be taken off before you begin to help	 as 	directed in the edge-bone. 	 	 	 . _brisket of beef._ 	 	this must be cut lengthwise	 quite down to the bone	 after separating 	the outside or first slice	 which must be cut pretty thick. 	 	 	 . _leg of pork._ 	 	this joint is sent to the table	 whether boiled or roasted	 as a leg of 	mutton	 roasted and cut up in the same manner. the close firm flesh 	about the knuckle is by many reckoned best. 	 	 	 . _haunch of mutton._ 	 	this is formed by the leg and part of the loin	 cut so as to resemble a 	haunch of venison	 and is to be helped at table in the same manner. 	 	 	 . _goose._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	turn the neck end of the goose towards you	 and cut the whole breast in 	slices on each side of the bird	 but only remove them as you help each 	person	 unless the company is so large as to require the legs likewise. 	turn the goose on one side	 and then take off the leg by putting the 	fork into the small end of the leg bone	 pressing it close to the body; 	and	 having passed the knife in the line _e_	 _d_	 turn the leg back	 	and	 if a young bird	 it will easily separate. 	 	to take off the wing	 put your fork into the small end of the pinion	 	and press it close to the body; then put in the knife at _c_	 and divide 	the joint	 taking it down in the direction _c_	 _d_. nothing but 	_practice_ will enable people to hit the joint exactly at the first 	trial. when the leg and wing of one side are done	 go on to the other; 	cut off the apron in the line	 _f_	 _e_	 _g_	 then take off the 	merry-thought in the line _o_	 _i_. the neck bones are next to be 	separated as in a fowl	 and all other parts divided the same. 	 	 	 . _a fowl._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	a boiled fowl's legs are bent inwards	 but before it is served	 the 	skewers are to be removed. lay the fowl on your plate	 and place the 	joints as cut off on the dish. take the wing off	 in the direction of 	_a_ to _b_	 in the annexed engraving	 only dividing the joint with your 	knife; and then	 with your fork	 lift up the pinion	 and draw the wings 	towards the legs	 and the muscles will separate in a more complete form 	than if cut. slip the knife between the leg and body	 and cut to the 	bone; then	 with the fork	 turn the leg back	 and	 if the bird is not 	old	 the joint will give way. when the four quarters are thus removed	 	take off the merry-thought from _a_	 and the neck bones	 these last by 	putting in the knife at _c_	 and pressing it under the long broad part 	of the bone	 in the line _c_	 _b_; then lift it up	 and break it off 	from the part that sticks to the breast. the next thing is to divide the 	breast from the carcass	 by cutting through the tender ribs	 close to 	the breast	 quite down to the end of the fowl; lay the back up	 put your 	knife into the bone	 half way from the neck to the rump	 and on raising 	the lower part	 it will readily separate. turn the neck towards you	 and 	very neatly take off the two sidesmen	 and the whole will be done. as 	each part is taken off it should be turned neatly on the dish	 and care 	should be taken that what is left should go properly from the table. the 	breast and wings are looked upon as the best parts	 but the legs are 	most juicy in young fowls. after all	 more advantage will be gained by 	observing those who carve well	 and a little practice	 than by any 	written directions whatever. 	 	 	 . _partridge._ 	 	this bird is cut up in the same way as a fowl. the best parts are the 	wings	 breast	 and merry-thought; but the bird being small	 the two 	latter are not often divided. the wing is considered the best	 and the 	tip is reckoned the most delicate morsel of the whole. 	 	 	 . _pigeons._ 	 	pigeons are considered very fine eating. it is usual to cut them in 	half	 either from top to bottom	 or across. the lower part is generally 	thought best. 	 	 	 . _turkey._ 	 	fix your fork firmly in the lower part of the breast	 so as to have full 	command of the turkey. slice down on each side of the centre of the 	breast	 two or three lines lengthwise with the body; then take off the 	leg on one side	 holding the knife in a sloping direction	 the point 	turned towards the end of the body. this done	 cut off the wing on the 	same side	 in a line nearly parallel with the length of the turkey. 	when you have thus separated the wings and legs	 take off from the 	breast bone the parts you before sliced down. be very attentive	 in 	separating the wing	 not to cut too near the neck	 or you will find 	yourself interrupted by the neck bone	 from which the wing must be 	taken. 	 	 	 . _cod's head._ 	 	[illustration] 	 	fish in general requires very little carving	 the fleshy parts being 	those principally esteemed. a cod's head and shoulders	 when in season	 	and properly boiled	 is a very genteel and handsome dish. when cut	 it 	should be done with a fish trowel; the parts about the back-bone	 or the 	shoulders	 are by far the firmest and best. take off a piece quite down 	to the bone	 in the direction _a_	 _b_	 _c_	 _d_	 putting in the spoon 	at _a_	 _c_	 and with each slice of the fish give a piece of the round	 	which lies underneath the back-bone	 and lines it	 the meat of which is 	thin	 and a little darker colored than the body of the fish itself. this 	may be got by passing a spoon under it	 in the direction _d_	 _f_. about 	the head are many delicate parts	 and a great deal of the jelly kind. 	the jelly part lies about the jaw-bone	 and the firm parts within the 	head. some are fond of the palate	 and others the tongue	 which likewise 	may be got by putting a spoon into the mouth. 	 	 	 	 	transcriber's note 	 	 	the following typographical errors were corrected: 	 	 page error 	 pickles changed to pickles. 	 common drinks changed to common drinks. 	 washing calicoes changed to washing calicoes 	 scum tha changed to scum that 	 them fry until a a light changed to then fry until a light 	 its blistering changed to its blistering. 	 boiled poultry changed to boiled poultry 	 sweet marjorum changed to sweet marjoram 	 _black fish_ changed to _black fish._ 	 baking fish	 no. . changed to baking fish	 no. . 	 . _directions_ changed to . _directions_ 	 _green corn cake_ changed to _green corn cake._ 	 freed from them changed to freed from them. 	 _through the winter_ changed to _through the winter._ 	 boil it gently changed to boil it gently. 	 in indigo water changed to in indigo water. 	 _marble furniture_ changed to _marble furniture._ 	 into the moulds changed to into the moulds. 	 _a fowl_ changed to _a fowl._ 	 	the following words had inconsistent spelling and hyphenation: 	 	 butter-milk / buttermilk 	 earthen-ware / earthenware 	 edge-bone / edgebone 	 iron-ware / ironware 	 pearl-ash / pearl ash 	 pepper-corns / peppercorns 	 potato / potatoe 	 potato / potatoe 	 rose-water / rosewater 	 quick lime / quicklime 	 salt-petre / saltpetre 	 sweet bread / sweetbread 	 table-spoonful / table spoonful 	 table-spoonsful / table spoonsful 	 tea-cup / tea cup 	 tea-spoonful / tea spoonful 	 tea-spoonsful / tea spoonsful 	 three-quarters / three quarters 	 tomatoes / tomatos 	 turkies / turkeys 	 	 	 	 	 ice creams, water ices, frozen puddings together with refreshments for all social affairs by mrs. s. t. rorer author of mrs. rorer's new cook book, philadelphia cook book, canning and preserving, and other valuable works on cookery contents foreword philadelphia ice creams neapolitan ice creams ice creams from condensed milk frozen puddings and desserts water ices and sherbets or sorbets frozen fruits frappÉ parfait mousse sauces for ice creams refreshments for affairs soups sweetbreads shell fish dishes poultry and game dishes cold dishes salads sandwiches suggestions for church suppers foreword containing general directions for all recipes in this book, philadelphia ice creams, comprising the first group, are very palatable, but expensive. in many parts of the country it is quite difficult to get good cream. for that reason, i have given a group of creams, using part milk and part cream, but it must be remembered that it takes smart "juggling" to make ice cream from milk. by far better use condensed milk, with enough water or milk to rinse out the cans. ordinary fruit creams may be made with condensed milk at a cost of about fifteen cents a quart, which, of course, is cheaper than ordinary milk and cream. in places where neither cream nor condensed milk can be purchased, a fair ice cream is made by adding two tablespoonfuls of olive oil to each quart of milk. the cream for philadelphia ice cream should be rather rich, but not double cream. if pure raw cream is stirred rapidly, it swells and becomes frothy, like the beaten whites of eggs, and is "whipped cream." to prevent this in making philadelphia ice cream, one-half the cream is scalded, and when it is _very_ cold, the remaining half of raw cream is added. this gives the smooth, light and rich consistency which makes these creams so different from others. use of fruits use fresh fruits in the summer and the best canned unsweetened fruits in the winter. if sweetened fruits must be used, cut down the given quantity of sugar. where acid fruits are used, they should be added to the cream after it is partly frozen. time for freezing the time for freezing varies according to the quality of cream or milk or water; water ices require a longer time than ice creams. it is not well to freeze the mixtures too rapidly; they are apt to be coarse, not smooth, and if they are churned before the mixture is icy cold they will be greasy or "buttery." the average time for freezing two quarts of cream should be ten minutes; it takes but a minute or two longer for larger quantities. directions for freezing pound the ice in a large bag with a mallet, or use an ordinary ice shaver. the finer the ice, the less time it takes to freeze the cream. a four quart freezer will require ten pounds of ice, and a quart and a pint of coarse rock salt. you may pack the freezer with a layer of ice three inches thick, then a layer of salt one inch thick, or mix the ice and salt in the tub and shovel it around the freezer. before beginning to pack the freezer, turn the crank to see that all the machinery is in working order. then open the can and turn in the mixture that is to be frozen. turn the crank slowly and steadily until the mixture begins to freeze, then more rapidly until it is completely frozen. if the freezer is properly packed, it will take fifteen minutes to freeze the mixture. philadelphia ice creams are not good if frozen too quickly. to repack after the cream is frozen, wipe off the lid of the can and remove the crank; take off the lid, being very careful not to allow any salt to fall into the can. remove the dasher and scrape it off. take a large knife or steel spatula, scrape the cream from the sides of the can, work and pack it down until it is perfectly smooth. put the lid back on the can, and put a cork in the hole from which the dasher was taken. draw off the water, repack, and cover the whole with a piece of brown paper; throw over a heavy bag or a bit of burlap, and stand aside for one or two hours to ripen. to mold ice creams, ices or puddings if you wish to pack ice cream and serve it in forms or shapes, it must be molded after the freezing. the handiest of all of these molds is either the brick or the melon mold. after the cream is frozen rather stiff, prepare a tub or bucket of coarsely chopped ice, with one-half less salt than you use for freezing. to each ten pounds of ice allow one quart of rock salt. sprinkle a little rock salt in the bottom of your bucket or tub, then put over a layer of cracked ice, another layer of salt and cracked ice, and on this stand your mold, which is not filled, but is covered with a lid, and pack it all around, leaving the top, of course, to pack later on. take your freezer near this tub. remove the lid from the mold, and pack in the cream, smoothing it down until you have filled it to overflowing. smooth the top with a spatula or limber knife, put over a sheet of waxed paper and adjust the lid. have a strip of muslin or cheese cloth dipped in hot paraffin or suet and quickly bind the seam of the lid. this will remove all danger of salt water entering the pudding. now cover the mold thoroughly with ice and salt. make sure that your packing tub or bucket has a hole below the top of the mold, so that the salt water will be drained off. if you are packing in small molds, each mold, as fast as it is closed, should be wrapped in wax paper and put down into the salt and ice. these must be filled quickly and packed. molds should stand two hours, and may stand longer. to remove ice creams, ices and puddings from molds ice cream may be molded in the freezer; you will then have a perfectly round smooth mold, which serves very well for puddings that are to be garnished, and saves a great deal of trouble and extra expense for salt and ice. as cold water is warmer than the ordinary freezing mixture, after you lift the can or mold, wipe off the salt, hold it for a minute under the cold water spigot, then quickly wipe the top and bottom and remove the lid. loosen the pudding with a limber knife, hold the mold a little slanting, give it a shake, and nine times out of ten it will come out quickly, having the perfect shape of the can or mold. if the cream still sticks and refuses to come out, wipe the mold with a towel wrung from warm water. hot water spoils the gloss of puddings, and unless you know exactly how to use it, the cream is too much melted to garnish. all frozen puddings, water ices, sherbets and sorbets are frozen and molded according to these directions. the quantities given in these recipes are arranged in equal amounts, so that for a smaller number of persons they can be easily divided. quantities for serving each quart of ice cream will serve, in dessert plates, four persons. in stem ice cream dishes, silver or glass, it will serve six persons. a quart of ice or sherbet will fill ten small sherbet stem glasses, to serve with the meat course at dinner. this quantity will serve in lemonade glasses eight persons. philadelphia ice creams burnt almond ice cream quart of cream / pound of sugar ounces of sweet almonds tablespoonful of caramel teaspoonful of vanilla extract tablespoonfuls of sherry shell, blanch and roast the almonds until they are a golden brown, then grate them. put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire in a double boiler. stir until the sugar is dissolved, take it from the fire, add the caramel and the almonds, and, when cold, add the remaining pint of cream, the vanilla and the sherry. freeze as directed on page . this quantity will serve eight persons. apricot ice cream ounces of sugar quart of cream can of apricots or quart of fresh apricots if fresh apricots are used, take an extra quarter of a pound of sugar. put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire in a double boiler and stir until the sugar is dissolved; take from the fire and, when cold, add the remaining cream. turn the mixture into the freezer, and, when frozen fairly stiff, add the apricots after having been pressed through a colander. return the lid, adjust the crank, and turn it slowly for five minutes, then remove the dasher and repack. this quantity should serve ten persons. banana ice cream quart of cream large bananas / pound of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved; take from the fire, and, when perfectly cold, add the remaining half of the cream. freeze the mixture, and add the bananas mashed or pressed through a colander. put on the lid, adjust the crank, and turn until the mixture is frozen rather hard. this quantity will serve ten persons. biscuit ice cream wine biscuits quart of cream / pound of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla grate and sift the biscuits. scald half the cream and the sugar; when cold, add the remaining cream and the vanilla, and freeze. when frozen, remove the dasher, stir in the powdered biscuits, and repack to ripen. this quantity will serve six persons. apple ice cream large tart apples quart of cream / pound of sugar tablespoonful of lemon juice put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved. when the mixture is perfectly cold, freeze it and add the lemon juice and the apples, pared and grated. finish the freezing, and repack to ripen. the apples must be pared at the last minute and grated into the cream. if they are grated on a dish and allowed to remain in the air they will turn very dark and spoil the color of the cream. brown bread ice cream half inch slices of boston brown bread quart of cream / pound of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla or / of a vanilla bean or a teaspoonful of vanilla extract dry and toast the bread in the oven, grate or pound it, and put it through an ordinary sieve. heat half the cream and all the sugar; take from the fire, add vanilla, and, when cold, add the remaining cream, and freeze. when frozen, remove the dasher, stir in the brown bread, repack and stand aside to ripen. this quantity will serve six persons. caramel ice cream, no. quart of cream / pound of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla put four tablespoonfuls of the sugar in an iron frying pan over a strong fire, shake until the sugar melts, turns brown, smokes and burns; add quickly a half cupful of water; let it boil a minute, take from the fire, and put it, with all the sugar and half the cream, in a double boiler over the fire. stir until the sugar is dissolved, take from the fire, and, when cold, add the remaining cream and vanilla, and freeze. this quantity will serve six persons. caramel ice cream, no. quart of cream pint of milk / cupful of brown sugar / pound of granulated sugar teaspoonfuls of vanilla put the brown sugar in a frying pan over the fire, shake it until it melts, burns and smokes. take it from the fire and add two tablespoonfuls of water; heat until the sugar is again melted, put it in a double boiler with the milk and all the sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and stand aside to cool. when cold, add half the cream and the vanilla, and freeze. when frozen sufficiently stiff to remove the dasher, stir in the remaining pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth, repack and stand aside for three hours. this quantity will serve ten persons. bisque ice cream quart of cream / pound of almond macaroons kisses / pound of sugar slice of stale sponge cake or stale lady fingers teaspoonful of caramel teaspoonful of vanilla if you use it, tablespoonfuls of sherry pound the macaroons, kisses, lady fingers or sponge cake, and put them through a colander. put half the cream and all the sugar over the fire in a double boiler; when the sugar is dissolved, stand the mixture aside to cool; when cold, add the remaining cream, the caramel, sherry and vanilla. turn the mixture into the freezer, and, when frozen, add the pounded cakes; stir the mixture until it is perfectly smooth and well mixed, and repack. bisque ice cream is better for a three hour stand. this quantity will serve six persons. chocolate ice cream quart of cream pint of milk / pound of sugar ounces of chocolate teaspoonful of vanilla or / of a vanilla bean / of a teaspoonful of cinnamon grate the chocolate, put it in a double boiler with the milk; stir until hot, and add the sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and one pint of the cream. when cold, freeze; when frozen, remove the dasher and stir in the remaining pint of the cream whipped to a stiff froth. this will serve ten persons. coffee ice cream quart of cream / pound of pulverized sugar ounces of so-called mocha coffee grind the mocha rather coarse, put it in the double boiler with one half the cream, and steep over the fire for at least ten minutes. strain through a fine muslin or flannel bag, pressing it hard to get out all the strength of the coffee. add the sugar and stir until dissolved; when cold, add the remaining pint of cream and freeze. this will serve six persons. curaÇao ice cream quart of cream wineglassful of curaçao / pound of sugar tablespoonfuls of orange blossoms water juice of two oranges put the sugar and half the cream over the fire in a double boiler. when the sugar is dissolved, take it from the fire, and, when cold, add the curaçao, orange juice and orange blossoms water; add the remaining cream, and freeze. this will serve six persons. ginger ice cream quart of cream / pound of preserved ginger / pound of sugar tablespoonful of lemon juice put the ginger through an ordinary meat chopper. heat the sugar, ginger and half the cream in a double boiler; when the sugar is dissolved, take it from the fire, and, when cold, add the lemon juice and remaining cream, and freeze. maraschino ice cream quart of cream / pound of sugar orange wineglassfuls of maraschino drops of angostura bitters, or / teaspoonful of extract of wild cherry put the sugar and half the cream in a double boiler, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. when cold, add the remaining cream, the juice of the orange, the bitters or wild cherry, and the maraschino, and freeze. serve in parfait glasses to six persons. lemon ice cream quart of cream ounces of powdered sugar tablespoonfuls of lemon juice juice of one orange grated yellow rind of lemons mix the sugar, the grated rind and juice of the lemons, and the orange juice together. put half the cream in a double boiler over the fire; when scalding hot, stand it aside until perfectly cold; add the remaining half of the cream and freeze it rather hard. remove the crank and the lid, add the sugar mixture, replace the lid and crank, and turn rapidly for five minutes; repack to ripen. this will serve six people. orange ice cream quart of cream ounces of sugar juice of large oranges grated rind of one orange put the sugar, grated yellow rind of the orange and half the cream in a double boiler over the fire; when the sugar is dissolved, take from the fire, and, when _very cold_, add the remaining cream, and freeze. when frozen rather hard, add the orange juice, refreeze, and pack to ripen. pineapple ice cream quart of cream ounces of sugar large ripe pineapple or pint can of grated pineapple juice of one lemon put half the cream and half the sugar in a double boiler over the fire; when the sugar is dissolved, stand it aside until cold. pare and grate the pineapple, add the remaining half of the sugar and stand it aside. when the cream is cold, add the remaining cream, and partly freeze. then add the lemon juice to the pineapple and add it to the frozen cream; turn the freezer five minutes longer, and repack. this will serve eight or ten persons. green gage ice cream quart of cream ounces of sugar pint of preserved green gages, free from syrup press the green gages through a sieve. add the sugar to half the cream, stir it in a double boiler until the sugar is dissolved; when cold, add the remaining cream. when this is partly frozen, stir in the green gage pulp, and finish the freezing as directed on page . if the green gages are colorless, add three or four drops of apple green coloring to the cream before freezing. raspberry ice cream quart of cream quart of raspberries ounces of sugar juice of one lemon mash the raspberries; add half the sugar and the lemon juice. put the remaining sugar and half the cream in a double boiler; stir until the sugar is dissolved, and stand aside to cool; when cold, add the remaining cream, turn the mixture into the freezer, and stir until partly frozen. remove the lid and add the mashed raspberries, and stir again for five or ten minutes until the mixture is sufficiently hard to repack. this will serve eight or ten persons. strawberry ice cream make precisely the same as raspberry ice cream, substituting one quart of strawberries for the raspberries. pistachio ice cream quart of cream / pound of sugar / pound of shelled pistachio nuts teaspoonful of almond extract drops of green coloring blanch and pound or grate the nuts. put half the cream and all the sugar in a double boiler; stir until the sugar is dissolved and stand aside to cool; when cold, add the nuts, the flavoring and the remaining cream, mix, add the coloring, and turn into the freezer to freeze. if green coloring matter is not at hand, a little spinach or parsley may be chopped and rubbed with a small quantity of alcohol. this quantity will serve six persons, vanilla ice cream quart of cream / pound of sugar vanilla bean or two teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract put the sugar and half the cream in a double boiler over the fire. split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds and add them to the hot cream, and add the bean broken into pieces. stir until the sugar is dissolved, and strain through a colander. when this is cold, add the remaining cream and freeze. this should be repacked and given two hours to ripen. four would be better. this will serve six persons. walnut ice cream quart of cream / pound of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla teaspoonful of caramel / pint of black walnut meats put the sugar and half the cream over the fire in a double boiler; when the sugar is dissolved, stand it aside to cool. when cold, add the remaining cream, the walnuts, chopped, and the flavoring, and freeze. this will serve six persons. neapolitan creams in this group we have a set of frozen desserts called by many "ice creams," but which are really frozen custards, flavored. in localities where cream is not accessible, the neapolitan creams are far better than milk thickened with cornstarch or gelatin. chocolate pint of cream pint of milk / pound of sugar eggs ounces of chocolate small piece of stick cinnamon teaspoonful of vanilla put the milk and cinnamon over the fire in a double boiler. beat the yolks of the eggs and sugar until very light, add the well-beaten whites, and stir this into the hot milk. as soon as the mixture begins to thicken, take it from the fire, add the grated chocolate, and, when cold, add the cream and the vanilla. freeze and pack as directed on page . this is sufficient to serve ten persons. caramel pint of cream pint of milk / pound of sugar eggs tablespoonfuls of caramel teaspoonful of vanilla beat the yolks of the eggs until creamy and add the sugar; beat until light, and then add the well-beaten whites of the eggs. put the milk over the fire in a double boiler; when hot, add the eggs, and stir and cook until the mixture begins to thicken. take from the fire, strain through a fine sieve, add the vanilla and caramel, and, when cold, add the cream, and freeze. this will serve ten persons. coffee pint of strong black coffee pint of cream eggs / pound of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla beat the sugar and the yolks of the eggs until light, add the well-beaten whites, and pour into them the coffee, boiling hot. stir over the fire for a minute, take from the fire, add the vanilla, and, when cold, add the cream, and freeze. this will serve eight persons. vanilla pint of cream pint of milk / pound of sugar eggs / vanilla bean or a teaspoonful of good extract put the milk over the fire in a double boiler, and add the vanilla bean, split. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar until light, add the whites beaten to a stiff froth, and stir into them the hot milk. return the mixture to the double boiler and cook until it begins to thicken, or will coat a knife blade dipped into it. take from the fire, strain through a colander, and, when cold, add the cream, and freeze. repack and stand to ripen for three hours or longer. this will serve eight persons. walnut pint of cream pint of milk eggs / pint of chopped black walnuts teaspoonful of vanilla teaspoonful of caramel beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar until light; add the well-beaten whites, and then the milk, scalding hot. stir over the fire in a double boiler until the mixture begins to thicken; take from the fire and add the vanilla and caramel. when cold, add the walnuts and cream, and freeze. this will serve eight persons. neapolitan blocks these are made by putting layers of various kinds and colors of ice creams into a brick mold. pack and freeze. at serving time, cut into slices crosswise of the brick, and serve each slice on a paper mat. ice creams from condensed milk these creams are not so good as those made from raw cream, but with care and good flavoring are quite as good as the ordinary neapolitan creams. there is one advantage--condensed milk is not so liable to curdle when mixed with fresh fruits. these recipes will answer also for what is sold under the name of "evaporated cream." use unsweetened milk, or allow for the sugar in the sweetened varieties. banana large bananas / pound of sugar half pint can of condensed milk / cupful of water juice of one lemon press the bananas through a sieve, and add the lemon juice and sugar. stand aside a half hour, add milk and water, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. caramel / cupful of brown sugar / cupful of granulated sugar cupful of water half pint cans of condensed milk teaspoonful of vanilla put the brown sugar in an iron pan, melt and brown it. when it begins to smoke, add two tablespoonfuls of hot water. stir until liquid. pour out the milk, rinse the cans with the water, add the caramel, vanilla and granulated sugar. when the sugar is dissolved, freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. cocoanut large cocoanuts pint of boiling water / pint can of sweetened condensed milk grate the cocoanuts and pour over them the boiling water. stir until it is cool, and press in a sieve. put the fibre in a cheese cloth and wring it dry; add this to the water that was strained through the sieve. when cold, add condensed milk, and freeze as directed on page . this will serve eight persons. chocolate, no. ounces of baker's chocolate / pint of water saltspoonful of ground cinnamon half pint cans of condensed milk teaspoonful of vanilla / pound of sugar put the water, chocolate, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan; stir until boiling. take from the fire, add the vanilla and the condensed milk. when cold, freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. chocolate, no. ounces of baker's chocolate / pint of water / pound of sugar half pint cans of condensed milk pint of milk teaspoonfuls of vanilla saltspoonful of ground cinnamon put the chocolate, sugar, water and cinnamon in a saucepan over the fire. stir until the mixture boils. take from the fire, and add all the remaining ingredients. when cold, freeze as directed on page . this will serve eight persons. coffee pint of strong black coffee / cupful of sugar / pint can of condensed milk teaspoonful of vanilla add the sugar to the hot coffee, and stir until it is dissolved; add the milk, using water enough to rinse out the cans; add the vanilla. when the mixture is cold, freeze, turning it rapidly toward the end of the freezing. this will serve four persons. peach ripe or canned peaches peach kernels / pint of water half pint cans of unsweetened condensed milk / pound of sugar put the sugar, water and peach kernels over the fire; stir until the sugar is dissolved, and boil three minutes. pare the peaches and press them through a colander, add to them the strained syrup. when cold, turn the mixture into the freezer and turn the crank slowly until partly frozen; add the milk, and continue the freezing. omit the water and use less sugar with canned peaches. this will serve ten persons. orange, no. full pint of orange juice / cupful of sugar / pint can of condensed milk grated yellow rind of two oranges grate the rinds into the sugar, add milk and enough water to rinse cans. when sugar is dissolved, stand it in a cold place. put orange juice in the freezer and freeze it quite hard; add sweetened milk, and freeze again quickly. this will serve four persons. orange, no. freeze a full quart of orange juice. when quite hard, add a can of sweetened condensed milk, freeze it again, and serve at once. this is very nice and will serve eight persons. orange gelatin cream / pint of orange juice package of orange jello / pound of sugar pint can of unsweetened condensed milk / pint of water add the grated yellow rind of two oranges to the jello; add the sugar and the water, boiling. stir until the sugar and jello are dissolved, add the orange juice, and when the mixture is cold, put it in the freezer and stir slowly until it begins to freeze. add the condensed milk, and continue the freezing. this is nice served in tall glasses, with the beaten whites of the eggs made into a meringue and heaped on top. in this way it will serve eight persons. sour sop large sour sop / pound of sugar / pint can of unsweetened condensed milk tablespoonfuls of boiling water juice of one lime squeeze the sour sop, which should measure nearly one quart; add the sugar melted in the water with the lime juice and milk, and freeze slowly. this will serve ten persons. frozen puddings and desserts alaska bake make a vanilla ice cream, one or two quarts, as the occasion demands. when the ice cream is frozen, pack it in a brick mold, cover each side of the mold with letter paper and fasten the bottom and lid. wrap the whole in wax paper and pack it in salt and ice; freeze for at least two hours before serving time. at serving time, make a meringue from the whites of six eggs beaten to a froth; add six tablespoonfuls of sifted powdered sugar and beat until fine and dry. turn the ice cream from the mold, place it on a serving platter, and stand the platter on a steak board or an ordinary thick plank. cover the mold with the meringue pressed through a star tube in a pastry bag, or spread it all over the ice cream as you would ice a cake. decorate the top quickly, and dust it thickly with powdered sugar; stand it under the gas burners in a gas broiler or on the grate in a hot coal or wood oven until it is lightly browned, and send it quickly to the table. there is no danger of the ice cream melting if you will protect the under side of the plate. the meringue acts as a nonconductor for the upper part. a two quart mold with meringue will serve ten persons. alexander bomb pint of cream pint of milk eggs tart apples pint of water glassful of orange blossoms water wineglassful of curaçao pound of sugar juice of one lemon peel, core and quarter the apples; put them in a saucepan with the grated yellow rind of the lemon, half the sugar and all the water; boil until tender, and add the juice of the lemon; rub the apples through a sieve. when cold, freeze. whip the cream. beat the eggs and the remaining sugar and add them to the milk, hot; stir until the mixture thickens, take from the fire, and, when cold, add the orange blossoms water and the curaçao; freeze in another freezer. divide the whipped cream, and stir one-half into the first and one-half into the other mixture. line a melon mold with the custard mixture, fill the centre space with the frozen apples, and cover over another layer of the custard; put over a sheet of letter paper and put on the lid. bind the seam with a strip of muslin dipped in paraffin or suet, and pack the mold in salt and ice; freeze for at least two hours. serve plain, or it may be garnished with whipped cream. this will serve twelve persons. biscuits americana quart of cream / pound of sugar / pound of jordan almonds teaspoonful of almond extract teaspoonful of vanilla yolks of six eggs grated rind of one lemon put half the cream in a double boiler over the fire, and, when hot, add the yolks of the eggs and sugar, beaten until very, very light; add all the flavoring, and stand aside until very cold; when cold, freeze in an ordinary freezer. whip the remaining pint of cream, add one-half of it to the frozen mixture, repack and stand aside to ripen. blanch, dry and chop the almonds. put them in the oven and shake constantly until they are a golden brown. at serving time, fill the frozen mixture quickly into paper cases; have the remaining whipped cream in a pastry bag with star tube, make a little rosette on the top of each case, dust thickly with the chopped almonds, and send to the table. this will fill twelve cases of ordinary size. biscuits glacÉs pint of cream / pound of sugar pint of water gill of sherry tablespoonfuls of brandy teaspoonful of vanilla yolks of six eggs put the sugar and water in a saucepan over the fire and stir until the sugar is dissolved; wipe down the sides of the pan, and boil until the syrup spins a heavy thread or makes a soft ball when dropped into cold water. beat the yolks of the eggs to a cream, add them to the boiling syrup, and with an egg beater whisk over the fire until you have a custard-like mixture that will thickly coat a knife blade; strain through a sieve into a bowl, and whisk until the mixture is stiff and cold. it should look like a very light sponge cake batter. add the flavoring. whip the cream and stir it carefully into the mixture. fill the mixture into paper cases or individual dishes, stand them in a freezing cave or in a tin bucket that is well packed in salt and ice, cover and freeze for at least four or five hours. if you do not have a freezing cave, pack a good sized tin kettle in a small tub or water bucket. the kettle must have a tight fitting lid. stand your cases or molds on the bottom of the tin kettle, which is packed in salt and ice. put on top a sheet of letter paper, on top of this another other layer of molds or cases, and so continue until you have the kettle filled. put the lid on the kettle and cover with salt and ice. make sure that you have a hole half-way up in the packing bucket or tub, so that there is no danger of salt water overflowing the kettle. this is a homely but very good freezing cave. at serving time, dust the tops of the biscuits with grated macaroons or chopped almonds, dish on paper mats, and send to the table. this will fill fifteen biscuit cases. biscuits à la marie / pound of sugar pint of water / pint of cream / pound of almond macaroons / pound of candied or maraschino cherries teaspoonful of bitter almond extract yolks of six eggs boil the sugar and water until the syrup will spin a heavy thread. add the eggs, beaten until very light. whip this over the fire for three minutes, take it from the fire, strain into a bowl, and whip until thick and cold. add the flavoring and the macaroons, that have been dried, grated and sifted. add the cream, whipped. fill the mixture into paper cases, and freeze as directed for biscuits glacés. an extra half pint of cream may be whipped for garnish at serving time, if desired; otherwise, garnish the top with chopped maraschino cherries, and send to the table. this will fill twelve biscuit cases. bomb glacÉ pack a two quart bomb glacé mold in salt and ice. remove the lid, and line the mold with a quart of well-made vanilla ice cream. fill the centre with one half the recipe for biscuit glacé mixture, that has been packed in a freezer until icy cold. put on the lid, bind the edge with a piece of muslin dipped in paraffin or suet, cover the mold with salt and ice, and stand aside three hours to freeze. this will serve twelve persons. biscuit tortoni quart of cream / pound of sugar gill of maraschino tablespoonfuls of sherry teaspoonful of vanilla yolks of six eggs put half the cream in a double boiler over the fire. beat the sugar and yolks together until very, very light, add them to the hot cream and stir over the fire until the mixture begins to thicken. take from the fire, and, when very cold, add the vanilla, maraschino and sherry, and freeze. when frozen, stir in the remaining cream, whipped to a stiff froth. fill individual dishes or paper cases, stand at once in the freezing kettle or ice cave; pack and freeze from three to four hours. this will fill twelve cases. cabinet pudding, iced quart of milk eggs / pound of powdered sugar tablespoonful of powdered gelatin / pound of macaroons and lady fingers, mixed / pound of conserved cherries or pineapple / pound of stale sponge cake grate the macaroons and lady fingers, and rub them through a coarse sieve. cut the sponge cake into slices and then into strips. put the milk over the fire in a double boiler and add the eggs and sugar beaten together until light; stir and cook until the mixture is sufficiently thick to coat a knife blade. take from the fire, add the gelatin, strain, and stand it aside to cool. garnish the bottom of a two quart melon mold with the cherries or pineapple, put in a layer of the sponge cake, then a sprinkling of the macaroons and lady fingers, another layer of the cherries, then the sponge cake, and so continue until you have all the ingredients used. add a teaspoonful of vanilla to the custard, pour it in the mold, cover the mold with the lid, bind the seam with muslin dipped in paraffin or suet, pack in salt and ice, and stand aside for three hours. at serving time, dip the mold quickly into hot water, wipe it off, remove the lid and turn the pudding on to a cold platter. pour around a well-made montrose sauce, and send to the table. this will serve ten or twelve persons. iced cake make an angel food or a sunshine cake and bake it in a square mold. make a plain frozen custard, and flavor it with vanilla; pack it and stand it aside until serving time. cut off the top of the cake, take out the centre, leaving a bottom and wall one inch thick. at serving time, fill the cake quickly with the frozen custard, replace the top, dust it thickly with powdered sugar and chopped almonds, and send it to the table with a sauceboat of cold montrose sauce. this cake may be varied by using different garnishings. maraschino cherries may be used in place of almonds, or the base of the cake may be garnished with preserved green walnuts or green gages, or the top and sides may be garnished with rosettes of whipped cream. this will serve twelve persons. quick caramel parfait make a quart of caramel ice cream, pack, and stand it aside for two hours. at serving time, stir in a pint of cream, whipped to a stiff froth, dish in parfait glasses, and send to the table. the top of the glasses may be garnished with whipped cream, if desired. this will fill eight glasses. quick cafÉ parfait make a quart of plain coffee ice cream, freeze and pack it. whip one pint of cream. at serving time, stir the whipped cream into the frozen coffee cream, dish it at once into tall parfait glasses, garnish the top with a rosette of whipped cream, and send at once to the table. this will fill eight glasses. quick strawberry parfait this is made precisely the same as other parfaits, with strawberry ice cream, and whipped cream stirred in at serving time. serve in parfait glasses, garnish the top with whipped cream, with a strawberry in the centre on top. this will fill eight glasses. quick chocolate parfait make one quart of chocolate ice cream, and add one pint of whipped cream, according to the preceding recipes. this will serve eight persons. monte carlo pudding quart of cream ounces of sugar ( / of a cupful) tablespoonfuls of creme de violette / pound of candied violets teaspoonful of vanilla put half the cream over the fire in a double boiler. pound or roll the violets, sift them, add the sugar and sufficient hot cream to dissolve them. take the cream from the fire, add the violet sugar, and stir until it is dissolved; when cold, add the flavoring and the remaining cream. freeze, and pack into a two quart pyramid mold; pack in salt and ice for at least two hours. at serving time, turn the ice on to a platter, garnish the base with whipped cream, and the whole with candied violets. this will serve six to eight persons. boston pudding make boston brown bread ice cream and half the recipe for tutti frutti. when both are frozen, line a melon mold with the brown bread ice cream, fill the centre with the tutti frutti, cover over more of the brown bread ice cream, fasten tightly, and bind the seam of the lid with a strip of muslin dipped in paraffin or suet. pack in salt and ice for at least two hours. at serving time, dip the mold quickly into hot water, turn the pudding on to a cold platter, pour around the base caramel sauce, and serve at once. this will serve twelve persons. montrose pudding quart of cream cupful of granulated sugar tablespoonful of vanilla pint of strawberry water ice yolks of six eggs put half the cream over the fire in a double boiler. beat the yolks and sugar together until light, add them to the boiling cream, and cook and stir for one minute until it begins to thicken. take from the fire, add the remaining pint of cream and the vanilla, and stand aside until very cold. freeze, and pack into a round or melon mold, leaving a well in the centre. fill this well with strawberry water ice that has been frozen an hour before, and cover it with some of the pudding mixture that you have left in the freezer. fasten the lid, bind the seam with a piece of muslin dipped in suet or paraffin, and pack in salt and ice to stand for not less than two hours, four is better. serve with montrose sauce poured around it. this will serve twelve persons. nesselrode pudding pint of spanish chestnuts / pound of sugar pint of boiling water / pint of shelled almonds pound of french candied fruit, mixed pint of heavy cream / pound of candied pineapple yolks of six eggs shell the chestnuts, scald and remove the brown skins, cover with boiling water and boil until they are tender, not too soft, and press them through a sieve. shell, blanch and pound the almonds. cut the fruit into tiny pieces. put the sugar and water in a saucepan, stir until the sugar is dissolved, wipe down the sides of the pan, and boil without stirring until the syrup forms a soft ball when dropped into ice water. beat the yolks of the eggs until very light, add them to the boiling syrup, and stir over the fire until the mixture again boils; take it from the fire, and with an ordinary egg beater, whisk the mixture until it is cold and thick as sponge cake batter. add the fruit, the chestnuts, almond paste, a teaspoonful of vanilla and, if you use it, four tablespoonfuls of sherry. turn the mixture into the freezer, and, when it is frozen, stir in the cream whipped to a stiff froth. the mixture may now be repacked in the can, or it may be put into small molds or one large mold, and repacked for ripening. if packed in a large mold, this will serve fifteen persons; in the small molds or paper cases, it will serve eighteen persons. nesselrode pudding, americana small bottle, or sixteen preserved marrons quart of cream ounces of sugar tablespoonfuls of sherry tablespoonful of vanilla yolks of six eggs put half the cream in a double boiler over the fire; when hot, add the eggs and sugar beaten until light. cook a minute, and cool. when cold, add one small bottle of marrons broken into quarters and the syrup from the bottle, the sherry and vanilla. freeze, stirring slowly. when frozen, stir in the remaining cream whipped to a stiff froth. pack in small molds in salt and ice as directed. these should freeze three hours at least. this will make twelve small molds. orange soufflÉ quart of cream pint of orange juice / box of gelatin / pound of sugar yolks of six eggs cover the gelatin with a half cupful of cold water and soak for a half hour. add a half cupful of boiling water, stir until the gelatin is dissolved, and add the sugar and the orange juice. beat the yolks of the eggs until very light. whip the cream. add the uncooked yolks to the orange mixture, strain in the gelatin, stand the bowl in cold water and stir slowly until the mixture begins to thicken; stir in carefully the whipped cream, turn it in a mold or an ice cream freezer, pack with salt and ice, and stand aside three hours to freeze. this should not be frozen as hard as ice cream, and must not be stirred while freezing. make sure, however, that the gelatin is thoroughly mixed with the other ingredients before putting the mixture into the freezer. this will serve twelve people. by changing the flavoring, using lemon in the place of orange, or a pint of strawberry juice, or a pint of raspberry and currant juice, an endless variety of soufflés may be made from this same recipe. these may be served plain, or with montrose sauce. plombiere quart of cream / pound of jordan almonds / pound of sugar / pound of sultana raisins yolks of six eggs blanch the almonds and pound them to a paste, or use a half pound of ordinary almond paste. put half the cream in a double boiler over the fire, add the yolks and sugar beaten to a cream, add the almond paste. stir until the mixture begins to thicken, take from the fire and beat with an egg beater for three minutes. strain through a fine sieve, and, when very cold, add the sultanas and the remaining cream. freeze, turning the dasher very slowly at first and more rapidly toward the end. remove the dasher, scrape down the sides of the can and pull the cream up, making a well in the centre. fill this well half full with apricot jam, cover over the pudding mixture, making it smooth; repack, and stand aside for two hours. serve plain or with a cold purée of apricots. this will serve twelve persons. queen pudding make a strawberry water ice or frozen strawberries. pack a three quart mold in a bucket or tub of ice and salt. line the mold with the strawberry ice, fill the centre with tutti frutti, using half recipe; put on the lid, bind the seam, and stand aside for at least two hours. when ready to serve, turn the pudding from the mold into the centre of a large round dish, garnish the base with whipped cream pressed through a star tube, and garnish the pudding with candied cherries. here and there around the base of the whipped cream place a marron glacé. this will serve fifteen persons. ice cream croquettes mold vanilla ice cream with the ordinary pyramid ice cream spoon, roll them quickly in grated macaroons, and serve on a paper mat. iced rice pudding with a compote of oranges for the pudding / cupful of rice quart of cream pint of milk teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract or / vanilla bean / pound of sugar yolks of six eggs rub the rice in a dry towel, and put it over the fire in a pint of cold water. bring to a boil and boil twenty minutes; drain, add the milk and cook it in a double boiler a half hour. while this is boiling, whip the cream to a stiff froth, and stand it in a cold place until wanted. press the rice through a fine sieve and return it to the double boiler. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar until light, stir them into the hot rice, and stir and cook about two minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken. take from the fire, add the vanilla, and stand aside until very cold. when cold, freeze, turning the dasher rapidly toward the last. remove the dasher and stir in the whipped cream. scrape down the sides of the can, and smooth the pudding. put on the lid, fasten the hole in the top with a cork, put over the top a piece of waxed paper, and pack with salt and ice. stand aside for at least two or three hours. be very careful that the hole in the tub is open, to prevent the salt water from overflowing the can. for the compote dozen nice oranges pound of sugar / cupful of water teaspoonful of lemon juice put the sugar and water over the fire to boil, wipe down the sides of the pan, skim the syrup, add the lemon juice, and boil until it spins a thread. peel the oranges, cut them into halves crosswise, and with a sharp knife remove the cores. dip one piece at a time into the hot syrup and place them on a platter to cool. pour over any syrup that may be left. this syrup must be thick, but not sufficiently thick to harden on the oranges. to dish the pudding, lift the can from the ice, wipe it carefully on the outside, wrap the bottom of the mold in a towel dipped in boiling water, or hold it half an instant under the cold water spigot. then with a limber knife or spatula loosen the pudding from the side of the can and shake it out into the centre of a large round plate. heap the oranges on top of the pudding, making them in a pyramid, put the remaining quantity around the base of the pudding, pour over the syrup and send to the table. this pudding sounds elaborate and troublesome, but it is exceedingly palatable and one of the handsomest of all frozen dishes. this will serve twenty persons. in ice cream stem dishes it will serve twenty-four persons. sultana roll - / quarts of cream / pound of granulated sugar / cupful of sultanas tablespoonfuls of sherry ounces of shelled pistachio nuts teaspoonful of almond extract drops of green coloring put one pint of cream and the sugar over the fire in a double boiler, and stir until the sugar is dissolved; take from the fire, and, when cold, add a pint of the remaining cream. chop the pistachio nuts very fine or put them through the meat grinder, add them to the cream and add the flavoring and coloring, and freeze. whip the remaining pint of cream to a stiff froth. sprinkle the sultanas with sherry and let them stand while you are freezing the pudding. when the pudding is frozen, remove the dasher and line a long round mold with the pistachio cream. if nothing better is at hand, use pound baking powder cans, and line them to the depth of one inch. add the sultanas to the whipped cream and stir in two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. fill the spaces in the cans with the whipped cream mixture, and put another layer of the pistachio cream over the top. put on the lids, wrap each can in waxed paper, and put them down into coarse salt and ice, to freeze for at least two hours. at serving time, turn the puddings on to a long platter, fill the bottom of the platter with claret or strawberry sauce, and send to the table. this quantity cut into half inch slices will serve twelve persons. sultana pudding pint of milk pint of cream ounces of sugar cupful of sultanas teaspoonful of vanilla tablespoonfuls of sherry (if you use it) yolks of four eggs put the milk in a double boiler, and, when hot, add the yolks and sugar beaten together; stir until this begins to thicken. take from the fire, add the vanilla, and, when cold, freeze it. put the sherry over the sultanas. garnish the bottom of a melon mold with the sultanas, pack it in coarse ice and salt ready for the frozen pudding. remove the dasher from the frozen mixture, and stir in the cream that has been whipped to a stiff froth. add the remainder of the sultanas and pack at once into the mold; put on the lid and fasten as directed in other recipes. this may be served plain or with whipped cream garnished with sultanas. this will serve eight persons. the merry widow dish a pyramid of vanilla ice cream into a stem individual ice cream glass. garnish the base of the ice cream with fresh strawberries, dust the cream thickly with toasted piñon nuts, and baste the whole with four tablespoonfuls of claret sauce flavored with two tablespoonfuls of rum. tutti frutti pudding pint of milk pint of cream / pint of mixed candied fruits eggs cupful of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla tablespoonfuls of sherry tablespoonful of brandy put the milk over the fire in a double boiler, add the yolks of the eggs and the sugar beaten together until light. when the mixture begins to thicken, take it from the fire and stand it aside until perfectly cold. add all the flavorings. when the mixture is cold, add the cream, and partly freeze it; then add the fruit, and freeze to the right consistency. this should be packed at least two hours to ripen. this will serve eight persons. tutti frutti, italian fashion / pound of sugar pint of water pint of cream / pint of chopped mixed candied fruits teaspoonful of vanilla tablespoonfuls of sherry yolks of six eggs pour the sherry over the fruit. beat the yolks until creamy. put the sugar and water over the fire, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and boil five minutes; add the yolks of the eggs, beat until it again reaches the boiling point, take from the fire and beat until cold and thick. add the cream, the fruit and the vanilla. freeze as directed on page . this is usually served in small ice cream glasses garnished with whipped cream, or may be served plain. in the absence of ice cream glasses, use ordinary punch glasses. this will fill ten glasses. lalla rookh fill a lemonade or ice cream glass two-thirds full of vanilla ice cream. make a little well in the centre and fill the space with rum and sherry mixed. allow four tablespoonfuls of rum and six of sherry to each half dozen cups. peaches melba dish a helping of vanilla ice cream in the centre of the serving plate, place in the centre of the ice cream a whole brandied peach, press it down into the ice cream, baste over four tablespoonfuls of claret sauce, and serve. lillian russell cut into halves small very cold cantaloupes. remove the seeds; fill the centres of the half melons with vanilla ice cream, and garnish with whipped cream pressed through a small star tube. dish the halves on paper mats on a dessert plate, and send to the table. arrowroot cream quart of milk ounces of sugar level tablespoonful of arrowroot teaspoonfuls of vanilla moisten the arrowroot with a little cold milk; put the remaining milk in a double boiler; when hot, add the arrowroot and cook ten minutes; add the sugar, take from the fire, and add the vanilla, when perfectly cold, freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. english apricot cream / pint of apricot jam pint of cream / pint of milk tablespoonfuls of noyau juice of one lemon mix the jam and the cream, then carefully add the noyau and the lemon juice. press through a fine sieve, add the milk, and freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. frozen custard quart of milk ounces of sugar teaspoonfuls of vanilla yolks of four eggs put the milk in a double boiler, add the yolks of the eggs and the sugar beaten together, and stir until the mixture thickens. take from the fire, and, when cold, add the vanilla. turn into the freezer and freeze as directed. a little chopped conserved fruit may be added at last when the dasher is removed. chopped black walnuts may also be added. this will serve six persons. gelatin ice cream quart of milk / pint of cream ounces of sugar tablespoonful of granulated gelatin teaspoonfuls of vanilla cover the gelatin with a little cold milk and stand it aside for fifteen minutes. put the remaining milk in a double boiler; when scalding hot, add the sugar and the gelatin; stir until the sugar is dissolved, take from the fire, and, when perfectly cold, add the cream and the vanilla. freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. frozen plum pudding pint cans of condensed milk / cupful of seeded raisins / pound of sugar almonds that have been blanched and chopped ounces of shredded citron / pound of candied cherries teaspoonfuls of vanilla tablespoonfuls of sherry / pint of water yolks of four eggs put milk in a double boiler over the fire, and stir until the milk is thoroughly heated; add the yolks of the eggs and the sugar beaten together, cook until it begins to thicken, take from the fire and strain. when cold, add the citron, raisins, the cherries cut into quarters, the almonds, vanilla and sherry. when this is perfectly cold, freeze as directed. do not repack or allow the mixture to stand in the freezer more than a half hour. serve plain or with montrose sauce. one quart of good rich milk may be used in place of the condensed milk. this will serve twelve persons. charlotte glacÉ make a quart of vanilla ice cream and stir into it a pint of cream whipped to a stiff froth. line round stiff paper charlotte boxes with lady fingers, fill them with the iced mixture, and place them at once in a can or bucket packed in salt and ice to freeze for one or two hours. this quantity will fill twelve boxes. maple panachÉe fill stem ice cream dishes half full with caramel ice cream; on top put a layer of vanilla ice cream. smooth it down and dust thickly with toasted pecan nuts chopped fine. a pint of each cream will fill six dishes. german cherry biscuits fill paper cases half full of pineapple water ice. put over a layer of candied cherries chopped, then a layer of vanilla ice cream; smooth it quickly, place a marron glacé in the centre, and garnish the cream with a meringue made from the whites of two eggs and two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar. dust this with grated macaroons, and send to the table. make the meringue and grate the macaroons before dishing the ice cream. a pint of each cream will fill eight cases. fruit salad, iced make one quart of lemon or orange water ice and stand it aside for at least one or two hours to ripen. make a fruit salad from stemmed strawberries, sliced bananas cut into tiny bits, a few very ripe cherries, a grated pineapple if you have it, and the pulp of four or five oranges. after the water ice is frozen rather hard, pack it in a border mold, put on the lid or cover and bind the seam with a strip of muslin dipped in paraffin or suet, and repack to freeze for three or four hours. sweeten the fruit combination, if you like, add a tablespoonful or two of brandy and sherry, and stand this on the ice until _very cold_. at serving time, turn the mold of water ice on to a round compote dish, quickly fill the centre with fruit salad, garnish the outside with fresh roses or violets, and send at once to the table. this will serve eight or ten persons at luncheon. coupe st. jacque make a fruit salad as in preceding recipe. make a pint of orange or strawberry ice. at serving time fill parfait or ice cream glasses half full of the fruit salad, fill the remaining half with water ice, smooth it over, garnish the top with whipped cream, put a maraschino cherry in the centre, and serve. other fruits may be used for the salad. this should make twelve tumblers. water ices and sherbets or sorbets a water ice is a mixture of water, fruit and sugar, frozen without much stirring; in fact, a water ice can be made in an ordinary tin kettle packed in a bucket. if an ice cream freezer is used, the stirring should be done occasionally. personally, i prefer to pack the can, put on the lid and fasten the hole with a cork rather than to use the dasher, stirring now and then with a paddle. if you use the crank, turn slowly for a few minutes, then allow the mixture to stand for five minutes; turn slowly again, and again rest, and continue this until the water ice is frozen. a much longer time is required for freezing water ice than ice cream. when the mixture is thoroughly frozen, take out the dasher, scrape down the sides of the can, give the ice a thorough beating with a wooden spoon; put the cork in the lid of the can, draw the water from the tub, repack it with coarse ice and salt, cover it with paper and a piece of blanket or burlap, and stand aside for two or three hours to ripen just as you would ice cream. when it is necessary to make water ice every day or two, it is best to make a syrup and stand it aside ready for use. fruit jellies may be used in the place of fresh fruits, allowing one pint of jelly, the juice of one lemon and a half pound of sugar to each quart of water. when water ice is correctly frozen, it has the appearance of hard wet snow. it must not be frothy nor light. a sherbet or sorbet is made from the same mixture as a water ice, stirred constantly while it is freezing, and has a meringue, made from the white of one egg and a tablespoonful of powdered sugar, stirred in after the dasher is removed. apple ice pound of tart apples cupful of sugar pint of water juice of one lemon or lime quarter and core the apples, but do not pare them. slice them, add the water, cover and stew until tender, about five minutes. press through a sieve, add the sugar and lemon juice. when cold, freeze as directed. serve in lemonade glasses at dinner with roasted duck, goose or pork. this will serve six persons. apricot ice quart can of apricots / cupful of sugar pint of water juice of one lemon press the apricots through a sieve, add all the other ingredients, and serve. this is nice served in lemonade glasses for afternoon tea. pass sweet wafers. this will serve eight persons. cherry ice full quarts of sour cherries pound of sugar quart of water stew the cherries in the water for ten minutes and press through a sieve, add the sugar, and, if you have it, two drops of angostura bitters; when cold, freeze it as directed on page . this will serve ten persons. currant water ice pint of currant juice pound of sugar pint of boiling water add the sugar to the water, and stir over the fire until it is dissolved. boil five minutes, take from the fire; when cool, add the currant juice. when cold, freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. currant and raspberry water ice pint of currant juice pint of raspberry juice pint of water / pound of sugar add the sugar to the water, stir until boiling, boil five minutes, and, when cool, add the raspberry and currant juices, and freeze as directed. this will serve six persons; in punch glasses, eight persons. grape water ice pint of grape juice quart of water pound of sugar juice of one lemon boil the sugar and water together for five minutes, take from the fire, add the lemon juice, and skim. when cold, add the grape juice, and freeze as directed. if fresh grapes are to be used, select muscatels or concords. pulp the grapes, boil the pulps, press them through a sieve, and add the skins and the pulps to the sugar and water. boil five minutes, press as much as possible through a sieve, and freeze. this will serve eight persons. lemon water ice large lemons quart of water - / pounds of sugar grate the yellow rind of two lemons into the sugar, add the water, stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved, and boil for five minutes. strain, and stand aside to cool. when cold, add the juice of the lemons, and freeze as directed on page . this will serve six persons. ginger water ice ounces of preserved ginger lemons quart of water pound of sugar put four ounces of the ginger through an ordinary meat grinder, and cut the remaining two ounces into fine bits. boil the sugar and water together for five minutes, and add the lemon juice and ground ginger. take from the fire, add the bits of ginger, and, when cold, freeze as directed. ginger water ice is better for a two hour stand, after it is frozen. nice to serve with roasted or braised beef. this will serve six persons; in small punch glasses, eight. mille fruit water ice / pint of grape juice lemons orange tablespoonfuls of sherry / pound of preserved cherries or pineapple, or both mixed - / pounds of sugar quart of water grate the yellow rind of the orange and one lemon into the sugar, add the water, stir over the fire until the sugar is dissolved, boil five minutes, and strain. add the fruit cut into small pieces, the juice of the orange and the lemons; when cold, add the grape juice and sherry, and freeze, using the dasher. do not stir rapidly, but stir continuously, as slowly as possible. when the mixture is frozen, remove the dasher and repack the can; ripen at least two hours. this is one of the nicest of all the water ices, and may be served on the top of coupe st. jacque, or at dinner in sherbet glasses with roasted veal or beef. this will serve ten persons. orange water ice large oranges pound of sugar quart of water grate the yellow rind from three oranges into the sugar, add the water, boil five minutes, and strain; when cold, add the orange juice, and freeze as directed for water ices. this will serve ten persons. pomegranate water ice good sized pomegranates pint of water pound of sugar cut the pomegranates into halves, remove the seeds carefully from the inside bitter skin; press them with a potato masher in the colander, allowing the juice to run through into a bowl; be careful not to mash the seeds. add the sugar to the juice and stir until it is dissolved; then add the water, cold, and freeze. this is very nice to serve with a meat course, and also nice for the garnish of a fruit salad. this will serve six persons. pineapple water ice ripe pineapples or quart can of grated pineapple quart of water - / pounds of sugar juice of two lemons pare the pineapples, remove the eyes, and grate the fruit into the water. add the sugar and lemon juice, boil five minutes, and, when cold, freeze as directed on page . this will serve ten persons. strawberry water ice quart of strawberries pound of sugar quart of water juice of two lemons add the sugar and the lemon juice to the stemmed strawberries, let them stand one hour; mash them through a colander, and then, if you like, strain through a fine sieve. add the water, and freeze as directed on page . this will serve eight persons. raspberry water ice quart of red raspberries pound of sugar quart of water juice of two lemons add the sugar and the lemon juice to the raspberries, stir and stand aside one hour. press through a sieve, add the water, and freeze as directed on page . this will serve eight persons. roman punch make one quart of lemon water ice. when ready to serve, fill it into small punch glasses, make a little well in the centre and fill the space with good jamaica rum. this will serve eight persons. sour sop sherbet or ice squeeze the juice from one large sour sop, strain, and add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, boiled a moment with four tablespoonfuls of water. freeze as directed on page . a quart of sour sop when frozen will serve six persons. cranberry sherbet pint of cranberries / pound of sugar / pint of water add the water to the cranberries, cover, bring to a boil; press through a colander, return them to the fire, add the sugar, and stir until the sugar dissolves. take from the fire, and, when cold, freeze, stirring slowly all the while. serve with the meat course at dinner. this will serve eight persons. cucumber sorbet large cucumbers tart apples pint of water teaspoonful of sugar / teaspoonful of salt tablespoonful of gelatin saltspoonful of black pepper juice of one lemon peel the cucumbers, cut them into halves and remove the seeds. dissolve the gelatin in a half cupful of hot water. grate the flesh of the cucumbers; grate the apples, add them to the cucumbers, and add all the other ingredients. freeze as you would ordinary sherbet. serve in tiny glasses, with boiled cod or halibut. this will fill eight small stem glasses. gooseberry sorbet / pint of gooseberry jam tablespoonfuls of sugar pint of water juice of one lemon mix all the ingredients together and freeze, turning slowly all the while. serve in small glasses. this is usually served at christmas dinner with goose. this will serve six persons. orange sherbet pint of orange juice tablespoonfuls of gelatin / pound of sugar pint of water cover the gelatin with an extra half cupful of cold water and soak for a half hour. add the sugar to the pint of water and stir it over the fire until it boils; add the grated yellow rind of two oranges and the juice; strain through a fine sieve and freeze, turning the freezer slowly all the while. remove the dasher, stir in a meringue made from the white of one egg, and repack to ripen for an hour at least. this will serve six persons. mint sherbet dozen stalks of spearmint / pound of sugar quart of water juice of three lemons strip the leaves from the stalks of the mint, chop them to a pulp and rub them with the sugar. add the water, bring to a boil, boil five minutes, and, when cold, add three drops of green coloring and the juice of the lemons; strain and freeze, turning slowly all the while. serve at dinner with mutton or lamb. this will serve six persons; in small stem glasses, eight persons. tomato sorbet or sherbet quart can or fresh tomatoes slice of onion blade of mace saltspoonful of celery seed pint of water teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of paprika tablespoonful of gelatin juice of one lemon a dash of cayenne add all the ingredients to the tomatoes, stir over the fire until the mixture reaches the boiling point, boil five minutes, and strain through a fine sieve. when this is cold, freeze according to the rule for sherbets, turning slowly all the time. serve in punch glasses at dinner as an accompaniment to roasted beef, or venison, or saddle of mutton. if fresh tomatoes are used, simply cut them into halves and cook them without peeling. this will fill nine or ten punch glasses. frozen fruits frozen fruits are mixed and frozen the same as water ices, that is, they are only stirred occasionally while freezing, but the fruit must be mashed or it will form little balls of ice through a partly frozen mixture. the only difference between a water ice and a frozen fruit is that the mixture is not strained, and more fruit and less water is used. if canned fruits are used, and these recipes followed, cut down the sugar. cream may be used in place of water with sub-acid fruits. frozen apricots quart of apricots tablespoonfuls of gelatin cupful of sugar pint of cream drain the apricots from the can, mash them through a colander, add the sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. cover the gelatin with a half cupful of cold water and soak for a half hour. stand it over hot water, stir until dissolved, add it to the apricot mixture, and freeze. when frozen, remove the dasher and stir in the cream whipped to a stiff froth. repack and stand aside two hours to ripen. this will serve ten persons. frozen bananas large ripe bananas pound of sugar / pint of water pint of cream juice of two lemons peel the bananas and mash them through a colander. add the sugar to the water, and boil five minutes; when cold, add the lemon juice and the bananas. put the mixture into a freezing can, stir slowly until frozen. remove the dasher and stir in carefully the cream whipped to a stiff froth. this will serve ten or twelve persons. frozen chocolate quart of milk ounces of chocolate / cupful of sugar pint of water / pint of cream, whipped teaspoonful of vanilla grate the chocolate and put it in a double boiler with the water and sugar; let the water in the surrounding boiler boil fifteen minutes, beat well, and add the milk. stir until thoroughly mixed, and the milk is very hot. take from the fire, add the vanilla, and when the mixture is cold, freeze, turning slowly all the while. serve in chocolate cups with the whipped cream on top. this will fill nine chocolate cups. frozen pineapple large pineapples quart of water pound of sugar juice of one lemon peel the pineapples and grate them. add the sugar to the water, stir until the sugar is dissolved, boil five minutes and cool; add the pineapple and lemon juice, and freeze, turning the freezer slowly. this will serve eight or ten persons. frozen coffee quart of cold water / pound of sugar heaping tablespoonfuls of finely ground coffee / pint of cream put the coffee and the water in a double boiler over the fire, and let the water in the surrounding boiler boil for at least twenty minutes after it begins to boil. strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth, add the sugar, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and stand aside until very cold. add the cream and the unbeaten white of one egg. freeze, turning the freezer slowly. this should be the consistency of a soft mush and very light. serve in coffee cups, either plain or with whipped cream on top. this will serve six persons, frozen peaches, no. pounds of very ripe peaches peach kernels pint of water / pound of sugar juice of one lemon crack the kernels, chop them fine, add them to the sugar, add the water, and boil five minutes; strain and stand aside to cool. pare the peaches, press them through a colander, add them to the cold syrup, turn into the freezer, and stir slowly until the mixture is frozen. if the peaches are colorless, add a few drops of cochineal before freezing. this will serve eight persons. frozen peaches, no. quart of peach pulp pint of cream / pound of sugar juice of one lemon add the lemon juice to the peach pulp, add the sugar, and stand aside, stirring every now and then until the sugar is dissolved. freeze the mixture, stirring slowly; when frozen, remove the dasher, and fold in the cream whipped to a stiff froth. this is one of the nicest ices for afternoon or evening collations. this will serve eight persons; in stem glasses, ten persons. frozen raspberries quart of raspberries / pound of sugar pint of water juice of one lemon add the sugar and the lemon juice to the berries, mash them with a potato masher. let them stand one hour, add the water, and freeze. this will serve eight persons. frozen watermelon scrape the centre from a very ripe watermelon, chop quickly and press through a colander. to each pint of this juice, add a half cupful of sugar and four tablespoonfuls of sherry. freeze until it is like wet snow. serve in glasses. one pint will fill three stem glasses. frozen strawberries quart of very ripe strawberries pound of sugar pint of water juice of one lemon add the sugar and lemon juice to the berries, let them stand one hour. mash the berries through a colander, add the water, and freeze, turning the dasher constantly but very slowly. this will serve eight persons. frappÉ a frappé is nothing more nor less than a water ice partly frozen. for instance, café frappé is a partly frozen coffee. the mixture looks like wet snow. a champagne frappé is champagne packed in salt and ice and the bottles agitated until the champagne is partly frozen. parfait a parfait is a dessert made from frozen whipped cream, sweetened and flavored. an old fashioned parfait was not frozen in an ice cream freezer; the mixture was packed at once into a mold, the mold packed in salt and ice to freeze for two or three hours. to be perfect, the mixture must be frozen on the outside to the depth of one and a half to two inches, with a soft centre. the quick parfait given under frozen desserts is now in general use. mousse a mousse is a parfait frozen to the centre. these mixtures are not smooth like ice cream, but are frozen in crystals and to be exactly correct, should look like moss when cut. burnt almond mousse / pound of jordan almonds ounces of almond paste / cupful of powdered sugar pint of thick cream teaspoonful of almond extract whip the cream to a very stiff froth. blanch, toast and grind the almonds, putting them through an ordinary meat grinder; rub them with the almond paste, adding the extract and about two tablespoonfuls of water or sherry. sprinkle the sugar over the whipped cream, and then fold in the nut mixture. pack at once into a mold, put on the lid, fasten the seam with a strip of muslin dipped in paraffin or melted suet, and pack in coarse salt and ice to freeze for two or three hours. serve plain or dusted with chopped almonds. this will serve six persons. coffee mousse pint of cream / cupful of powdered sugar tablespoonfuls of coffee extract whip the cream to a stiff froth, sprinkle over the sugar, add the coffee extract, and, when well mixed, pack and freeze. this will serve six persons. egyptian mousse / cupful of rice tablespoonful of gelatin / cupful of sugar / pound of dates / pint of milk pint of cream teaspoonful of vanilla wash the rice, throw it into boiling water, boil rapidly twenty minutes; drain, add the milk, and cook in a double boiler fifteen minutes. add the sugar, the gelatin that has been moistened in cold water, and the dates chopped. take from the fire, add the vanilla, and when the mixture is cold, fold in carefully the whipped cream. freeze as directed in a mold, and serve with cold quince jelly sauce. this will serve ten persons. duchess mousse eggs / cupful of sugar pint of cream teaspoonful of vanilla drops of cochineal beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar until very, very light; fold in the whites of the eggs and the flavoring. stand the bowl in a pan of boiling water and beat continuously until the ingredients are hot; take from the fire and beat constantly for ten minutes. when this is cool, fold in the cream whipped to a stiff froth, pack and freeze. serve with quince jelly sauce poured over the mousse. this will serve eight persons. pistachio mousse ounces of pistachio nuts tablespoonful of gelatin pint of water pint of cream / pound of sugar teaspoonful of almond extract drops of green coloring blanch the pistachio nuts and put them through a meat grinder. boil the sugar and water for five minutes; when cool, add the coloring, the pistachio nuts, and the gelatin moistened in a little cold water. when this is cold, fold in the cream beaten to a stiff froth, and freeze in a mold as directed. if this is not too well mixed the cream will separate, which makes the handsomer dessert. when the mousse is turned from the mold it will then have a solid white base with a rather green, beautiful transparent mixture at the top. this will serve ten persons. rice mousse with a compote of mandarins / cupful of rice tablespoonful of gelatin / cupful of sugar pint of milk pint of cream / pound of candied cherries teaspoonful of vanilla wash and boil the rice in water for twenty minutes, drain, put it in a double boiler with the milk and sugar; stir until the sugar is dissolved, cover the kettle and cook slowly for twenty minutes. press through a sieve, add the vanilla, and the gelatin covered with cold water. when this is cold, fold in the cream whipped to a stiff froth; pack and freeze. i usually freeze this in the ordinary ice cream can; simply remove the dasher, put in the mixture and pack it to freeze for two or three hours. while this is ripening, separate the mandarins into carpels. boil together for five minutes one pound of sugar, a half pint of water and the juice of one lemon; take from the fire, add at once the carpels, stir lightly until they are thoroughly covered with the syrup and stand aside until _very cold_. at serving time, wipe the outside of the freezing can with a warm towel, turn the mousse into the centre of a round dish, heap the carpels around the base and over the top in the form of a pyramid, pour over the syrup, and send at once to the table. this will serve twelve persons. sauces for ice creams hot chocolate sauce / cupful of cream or condensed milk ounces of chocolate cupful of sugar teaspoonful of vanilla put all the ingredients into a saucepan and stir over the fire until they reach boiling point, boil until the mixture slightly hardens when dropped into cold water. add the vanilla, turn at once into the sauceboat and send to the table. this must be sufficiently thin to dip nicely over the ice cream. maple sauce cupful of sugar teaspoonful of lemon juice cupful of water teaspoonful of maple flavoring put half the sugar in an iron saucepan and stand it over the fire until it melts and browns, add hastily the water, the remaining sugar and the lemon juice, and boil for about two minutes; take from the fire and add the flavoring. this may be served plain, or with chopped fruit or nuts added. claret sauce boil one cupful of sugar and a half cupful of water with a saltspoonful of cream of tartar for five minutes. take from the fire and add one cupful of claret, and stand aside until icy cold. nut sauce cupful of sugar / cupful of chopped nuts cupful of water teaspoonful of caramel teaspoonfuls of sherry boil the sugar and water with a saltspoonful of cream of tartar or a teaspoonful of lemon juice for five minutes, take from the fire and add all the other ingredients, and stand aside to cool. montrose sauce / tablespoonful of granulated gelatin / cupful of sugar / cupful of milk pint of cream tablespoonfuls of brandy teaspoonful of vanilla yolks of eggs cover the gelatin with milk, let it soak a half hour, and put it, with the milk, in a double boiler over the fire. beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together, add them to the hot milk, stir about one minute until the mixture begins to thicken, take from the fire, and, when cold, add the vanilla and the brandy, and, if you like it, four tablespoonfuls of sherry. stand this aside until very, very cold. orange sauce / pint of orange juice / pint of water / cupful of sugar tablespoonful of arrowroot whites of three eggs add the sugar to the water, and, when boiling hot, add the arrowroot moistened. beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff froth, add gradually the hot mixture, beating all the while. add the orange juice, beat again. turn it into a sauceboat and stand aside until very cold. walnut sauce melt maple sugar with a little water, and add to each cupful of syrup a half cupful of chopped black walnuts. maple syrup may also be used by adding half the quantity of boiling water and the nuts. refreshments for affairs in arranging this matter, i have made an earnest effort to be of service to the housewife without or with one maid, as well as to those who are fortunate enough to have trained help. it is, perhaps, unnecessary to say that elaborate refreshments are entirely out of place at small afternoon or evening cards. an ice, with a wafer, or cake and coffee, served on card tables, are sufficient. a salad, with bread and butter sandwiches and coffee, or a salad sandwich with coffee, make a nice combination. hot dishes, even light entrées, seem to call for a dessert, or another course and coffee. for wedding and other large receptions serve a greater variety of dishes--jellied meats, boned chicken, salads, sandwiches, ices, cakes and coffee. in winter creamed dishes may be served in paper cases on the same plate with salads and other cold dishes. serve coffee in small cups after refreshments. many so called elaborate dishes are quite easily made, and entrées are frequently quite as good when rewarmed. chicken croquettes may be made and fried early in the day, ready to rewarm on brown paper in a baking pan in a hot oven ten minutes before serving time. sandwiches will keep perfectly well for several hours if wrapped in a damp towel and closed in a tin bread box. salad sandwiches are better, however, if made as near serving time as possible. if a large reception is to be given, even with good help, prepare as many dishes as possible the day before, to avoid confusion on the fixed day. refreshments for small affairs need not necessarily cost much time or money. a half cupful of chopped left-over steak, a couple of chops or a bit of chicken or a box of sardines, make a good foundation for molds of tomato jelly. served with bread and butter sandwiches and coffee they are quite sufficient for afternoon or evening cards. many of the ices in this book are new and attractive. the new sorbets are liked by those who are always striving for a change. many are old and reliable. at large affairs, serve from the dining table. at card parties, large and small, serve on the card tables, using a small tea cloth on each table. at afternoon teas, serve from the tea table in the drawing room. at lawn parties, serve from a large table on the lawn. small tables may be placed here and there for the convenience of guests. every day afternoon tea may be served, in the summer on the porch, in the winter, in the living room or library. if two dishes only are served, be sure that they harmonize with each other and with the manner of service. suitable and hygienic combinations are always to be considered, but the æsthetic side seems to me of equal importance. coffee for large home affairs allow eleven ounces of finely ground coffee to each gallon of water. this will serve twenty five persons with one coffee cup each, and forty persons with after-dinner cups. the better way to make a large quantity of coffee without an urn is to purchase a new wash boiler. wash it and put in the required quantity of water (cold). weigh the coffee and divide it into half pound lots. put each lot in a small cheese cloth bag; tie the top of the bag, allowing room for the coffee to swell. put the bags in the water an hour before serving time, bring slowly to a boil, and then boil rapidly for five minutes. remove the bags at once, pressing them well. keep the coffee very hot until it is all served. coffee is not spoiled by being kept at boiling point for some time, if the grounds are removed. soups bouillon pounds of chopped lean beef quarts of cold water small onion cloves tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonfuls of salt whole peppercorns a dash of cayenne juice of half a lemon put the sugar in the soup kettle, add the onion, sliced, and shake until the onion is thoroughly browned and the sugar almost burned; add the meat, shake it for a moment, and add the water. cover, bring to boiling point, and put over a slow fire to simmer for two hours. add all the seasonings and simmer one hour longer. strain through a colander, pressing the meat. beat the whites of two eggs slightly, then whisk them into the warm bouillon, and add the juice of the lemon. bring to boiling point, boil rapidly five minutes, let it stand a moment, and strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. this should stand until it is perfectly cold, so that every particle of fat may be removed from the surface. reheat to serve. this will serve ten persons, using ordinary bouillon cups. clam bouillon large clams quarts of water whole peppercorns / teaspoonful of celery seed wash and scrub the clams thoroughly. put them, a few at a time, in the soup kettle, the bottom of which has been covered with a pint of boiling water. boil rapidly, take the clams out with a skimmer, and put in another lot, and so continue until all the clams have been cooked. remove them from the shells, saving all the liquor. chop and return them, with the liquor and remaining water, to the soup kettle. simmer gently a half hour, then add the peppercorns, crushed, and the celery seed. cover the kettle, take it from the fire and allow it to stand until perfectly cold. strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. reheat to serve. this will serve fifteen persons. bellevue bouillon quart of plain or chicken bouillon quart of clam bouillon / pint of cream paprika this is one of the most elegant of all bouillons. heat the bouillons separately, mix them at the last minute, pour at once into heated cups, put a tablespoonful of whipped cream on the top of each cup, garnish with a dusting of paprika, and send to the table. this will serve ten persons; in a pinch, twelve. chicken bouillon four pound fowl quarts of water onion tablespoonfuls of sugar teaspoonful of salt bay leaf saltspoonful of celery seed, or one half cupful of chopped celery saltspoonful of black pepper draw the chicken and cut it up as for a fricassee. scald and skin the feet, and crack them thoroughly with your cleaver knife. put the sugar in a soup kettle, add the onion, sliced, shake over a quick fire until brown, add the chicken and the water, bring to boiling point, and skim. simmer gently for two hours. add all the seasonings, simmer one hour longer, and strain. add the juice of half a lemon and the whites of two eggs, slightly beaten. boil rapidly five minutes, and strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. reheat to serve. this may be used in place of beef bouillon, with the clam broth, for bellevue bouillon. this will serve twelve persons. oyster bouillon fat oysters quarts of water whole peppercorns whole allspice - / teaspoonfuls of salt drain and wash the oysters. throw them at once in a hot kettle, shake until the gills have curled, cover the kettle, and simmer gently for fifteen minutes. drain again, this time saving the liquor. return it to the kettle with the peppercorns and allspice, crushed, and water. chop the oysters with a silver knife, put them back in the kettle, simmer gently a half hour, and add the salt. strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth, reheat and serve with whipped cream on top of each cup. this serves fifteen persons. tomato puree à la rorer quart can of tomatoes / pint of cream quart of chicken bouillon tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of arrowroot bay leaf blade of mace onion teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of paprika add the onion, paprika, mace and bay leaf to the tomatoes, boil rapidly five minutes. moisten the arrowroot with three or four tablespoonfuls of cold water, add it to the hot tomato, boil ten minutes, and press through a sieve. add the chicken bouillon, boil ten minutes, add the butter, and, when the butter is thoroughly dissolved, turn at once into cups. put a tablespoonful of whipped cream on top of each, and serve. this will serve ten persons. glaze glaze is absolutely necessary for fine cooking, either for the browning of sweetbreads, birds or chickens. cover a half box of gelatin with a half cupful of cold water to soak for an hour. put one quart of good bouillon, chicken or beef, over the fire, and boil it rapidly until reduced to a pint; add the gelatin. as soon as the gelatin is dissolved, strain the mixture. put four tablespoonfuls of sugar into an iron saucepan, stir until it is browned, then add to it slowly the hot glaze, stir until it is thoroughly melted, turn it into a china or granite receptacle, and stand away to cool. keep this in the refrigerator, and use it according to directions. sweetbreads sweetbreads à la creme, no. pairs of calves' sweetbreads can of mushrooms pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour level teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of white pepper wash the sweetbreads and trim them. throw them in a saucepan of boiling water and simmer gently for one hour; drain and throw them in cold water. the water in which they were boiled may be used for stock. when they are thoroughly cold, remove the membrane, and pick them into small pieces. rub the butter and flour together in a saucepan, add the milk, stir until boiling, add the mushrooms, chopped fine, the sweetbreads, salt and pepper. stir until it again reaches the boiling point, cover and stand over hot water for twenty minutes. serve in ramekin dishes, paté shells or paper cases. this will fill twelve cases, or fourteen paté shells. sweetbreads à la creme, no. pound of fresh mushrooms pairs of calves' sweetbreads / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of white pepper wash and stem the mushrooms; do not peel them. with a silver knife cut them into slices. put half the butter in a saucepan, add the mushrooms and half the milk, and the salt and pepper. cover the saucepan, and stew slowly a half hour. rub the remaining butter and flour together; drain the liquor from the mushrooms, add it, with the rest of the milk, to the butter and flour. stir until boiling, add the mushrooms and sweetbreads that have been boiled and picked apart. cover the saucepan, stand it over hot water, or use a double boiler, pushing the boiler to the back of the stove for twenty to thirty minutes. the saucepan must be kept closely covered, or the aroma of the mushrooms will be lost. this will fill sixteen cases, or fourteen paté shells, or alone it will serve twelve persons. sweetbreads à la bordelaise pair of calves' sweetbreads / pint of stock onion bay leaf / teaspoonful of salt can of mushrooms teaspoonful of browning or kitchen bouquet saltspoonful of white pepper level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour wash the sweetbreads, put them in a saucepan, add the bay leaf, onion and one pint of cold water; bring to boiling point, and simmer gently one hour. save the water in which they were boiled. throw the sweetbreads into cold water, remove the membrane and pick them apart. put the butter and flour in a saucepan; when thoroughly mixed, add a half pint of stock in which the sweetbreads were boiled, stir until boiling, add the mushrooms, drained, and the seasoning. bring to boiling point, and push to the back of the fire for ten minutes. skim off any butter that comes to the surface, add the sweetbreads, cook gently ten minutes longer, and serve in either paté cases, ramekin dishes, or paper cases. this will serve eight persons. baked sweetbreads pairs of calves' sweetbreads can of french peas tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of glaze teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper wash the sweetbreads and soak them in cold water; cut them apart and trim them neatly. sprinkle the bottom of a baking pan with a chopped onion, put the sweetbreads on top, dust them lightly with salt and pepper, baste them with one tablespoonful of the butter, melted, and run them in a quick oven to bake for twenty minutes. then brush them thoroughly with glaze and bake them ten minutes longer. drain, wash and heat the peas, add the remaining butter and season them with salt and pepper. put the peas in the bottom of the serving dish, dish the sweetbreads in them and send at once to the table. these may also be served in individual dishes, cutting the sweetbreads in small pieces, so they may be eaten with a fork. they will serve from four to six people. the throat sweetbread may be cut into halves, but as a rule one sweetbread is served to each person. lambs' sweetbreads in paper cases lambs' sweetbreads / box of gelatin pint of beef stock or chicken bouillon can of peas head of celery level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk lemon hearts of lettuce yolks of two eggs salt and pepper wash the sweetbreads, put them in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, add two tablespoonfuls of vinegar and a sliced onion. cook gently for three-quarters of an hour. drain, put them in a baking pan, brush them with butter, add a few tablespoonfuls of glaze or stock, put over three or four slices of bacon, and cook in the oven a half hour, basting three or four times. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling, add two tablespoonfuls of the soaked gelatin, a half teaspoonful of salt and a little white pepper. take from the fire and add hastily the beaten yolks of the eggs. cover the bottom of a cold baking pan with muffin rings, put one sweetbread into each muffin ring. when the sauce is a little cool, cover the sweetbreads thoroughly, filling the rings quite full. stand these away over night in a cold place. dissolve the remaining gelatin in the hot bouillon, season, add the lemon juice, and stand it aside over night. at serving time, remove the contents from the rings and place them in paper cases of the same size. turn the clear aspic out on to a towel and cut it into pretty shapes. decorate the top of the cases with this aspic, placing a sprig of green in the centre. drain and press the cold peas through a sieve, and season them with salt and pepper; put this pulp in a pastry bag with a star tube, and decorate the top of each mold. serve at once with mayonnaise passed in a boat. another way is to fill the bottom of the paper cases with finely chopped celery, mixed with mayonnaise, and put the sweetbreads on top, omitting the peas. if made well, these are exceedingly handsome. one "ring" will be served to each person. sweetbreads à la newburg pairs of calves' sweetbreads can of mushrooms hard boiled yolks of eggs / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonful of flour / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of white pepper / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg a dash of cayenne cook the sweetbreads as directed in first recipe; when cold, pick them apart, rejecting the membrane. rub the butter and flour together, add the milk, stir until boiling, and add this slowly to the mashed yolks of the eggs. work and stir until you have a perfectly smooth paste. press it through a fine sieve, add the salt, pepper, mushrooms and sweetbreads. stand over hot water for twenty minutes, until thoroughly hot. add, if you use it, four tablespoonfuls of sherry, and serve. this will serve ten persons. shell-fish dishes deviled crabs crabs, or one pint of crab flake hard boiled eggs level tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of soft bread crumbs tablespoonful of flour teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of grated nutmeg teaspoonful of onion juice / pint of milk a dash of cayenne chop the whites of the hard boiled eggs very, very fine. put the yolks through a sieve. rub the butter and flour together, and add the milk; stir until boiling, take from the fire, and add the bread crumbs and the eggs. add all the seasoning to the crab flake, mix the two together, and fill at once into the shells. the shells must be quite full, so that there will be no danger of the fat being held in the shell. dip the shells in egg, then cover them thickly with bread crumbs. it is well to egg and bread crumb the upper side again; in fact both dippings may be on the upper sides, leaving the shells red underneath. put these in a frying basket and fry for a minute in hot, deep fat. serve one to each person. this quantity should fill eight shells. crab backs à la caracas dozen crabs, or six backs and a pint of crab flake teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of onion juice a dash of cayenne add the seasoning to the crab flakes, and mix without breaking the flakes. fill the mixture into the backs, put a teaspoonful of butter on the top of each, sprinkle lightly with crumbs, and bake in a quick oven twenty minutes, crab meat à la dewey pint of crab flake tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonfuls of flour teaspoonful of salt red and one green pepper / pint of chicken stock, or milk tablespoonfuls of sherry yolks of two eggs drop the peppers into hot fat just a moment and rub off the skin, remove the seeds and chop the flesh fine. put this, with the butter, in a saucepan, and shake over the fire until the peppers are soft. add the flour, mix, and add the stock or milk; stir until boiling, add the salt and pepper and the crab flakes. do not stir, but heat slowly over hot water. when hot, add the yolks of the eggs, beaten with two tablespoonfuls of cream. heat again, just a moment, being careful not to curdle the eggs, and serve on toast. this dish is very nice when made in a chafing dish, and will serve six people. lobster cutlets pint of lobster meat level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / pint of milk teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of onion juice saltspoonful of white pepper / saltspoonful of grated nutmeg yolk of one egg a dash of cayenne chop the boiled lobster rather fine with a silver knife, and add to it all the seasoning. rub the butter and flour together in a saucepan, add the milk, stir until you have a smooth, thick paste, add the yolk of the egg, cook a moment longer, add the lobster, and turn out to cool. when cold, form into cutlet shaped croquettes, dip in egg, roll in bread crumbs, and fry in deep hot fat. put a small claw in the end of each cutlet to represent the bone. serve with these either cream sauce or sauce tartar. this quantity should make eight cutlets. lobster newburg make this precisely the same as crabs newburg, using one pint of boiled lobster meat. cut the lobster in cubes of about one inch. purchase one large or two small lobsters. oyster croquettes fat oysters level tablespoonfuls of flour level tablespoonfuls of butter tablespoonful of chopped parsley teaspoonful of salt teaspoonful of onion juice / saltspoonful of nutmeg saltspoonful of white pepper yolks of two eggs drain and wash the oysters, throw them into a hot kettle, shake until the gills curl and the liquid boils. boil five minutes and drain, saving the liquor. there should be a half cupful of liquor. chop the oysters and add them to the liquor. rub the butter and flour together, add the oysters and liquor, stir until the mixture reaches boiling point, and push to the back of the stove where it will cook for ten minutes. add all the seasoning and the yolks of the eggs, cook just a minute, and turn out to cool. this must stand either over night, or must be placed directly on the ice for at least four hours. when cold, form into small cylinder shaped croquettes, dip in egg and bread crumbs, and fry in deep hot fat. this quantity will make one dozen good sized cylinders. poultry and game dishes chicken croquettes four pound chicken / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of salt teaspoonfuls of onion juice tablespoonfuls of chopped parsley saltspoonful of grated nutmeg saltspoonful of white pepper a dash of cayenne draw, truss the chicken, put it into boiling water, boil it rapidly for ten minutes, and let it simmer until tender. when cold, remove the meat, rejecting the bones and skin. chop the meat with a chopping knife; do not put it through the meat grinder. when fine, add all the seasoning and mix thoroughly. put the milk in a saucepan over the fire, and add the butter and flour, rubbed together. stir and cook until you have a smooth paste, add the chicken, mix thoroughly, and turn out to cool. when cold, form into croquettes, dip in an egg, beaten with a tablespoonful of water, roll in dry bread crumbs, and fry in deep hot fat. serve plain, or with french peas. this will make thirteen large croquettes. one pair of thoroughly cooked sweetbreads may be chopped with the chicken, or you may add a pair of parboiled calf's brains; this increases quantity, and makes the croquettes more creamy. this should make sixteen large cylinders or pyramids, serving sixteen persons. the meat from the chicken after it is chopped should measure one quart. any other meat may be substituted for chicken, but could not be used, of course, for an elegant affair. chicken à la creme the white meat of one cooked chicken pair of calves' sweetbreads can of mushrooms level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour pint of milk teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of white pepper drops of onion juice yolks of two eggs cut the chicken into cubes of a half inch. boil the sweetbreads and pick them apart, rejecting the membrane. drain and wash the mushrooms, cut them into halves and mix them with the sweetbread and chicken. rub the butter and flour together, and add the milk; when boiling, add salt, pepper, onion juice and meat. stand this over hot water in a covered saucepan for twenty minutes, add the yolks of the eggs, slightly beaten, and bring just to boiling point. served in ramekins or paper cases this is sufficient for fifteen persons. served as a supper or luncheon dish alone, twelve persons. chicken à la king the white meat of one chicken / can of mushrooms green pepper / pint of milk / teaspoonful of salt level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour saltspoonful of white pepper tablespoonfuls of sherry drop the pepper into hot fat for a moment to remove the skin, then chop it very fine. put the butter in a saucepan or chafing dish, add the pepper, stir until the pepper is soft, add the flour, mix and add the milk, stir until boiling, and add the salt. cut the meat into pieces an inch square, add them to the hot sauce, add the mushrooms, sliced, and, when hot, add the wine and serve. this will serve four or five persons. boudins à la reine pint of chopped cooked chicken / can of mushrooms can of peas eggs / cupful of bread crumbs / cupful of chicken stock teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper brush ordinary timbale cups lightly with butter, put a mushroom in the centre of the bottom, and around the edge a ring of peas. put the stock and bread over the fire, and, when boiling, add the chicken and seasonings, stir until it reaches the boiling point, take from the fire, and add the eggs, well beaten. put this carefully in the cups, cover the top with oiled paper, stand the cups in a shallow pan partly filled with hot water, and cook in the oven about twenty minutes, until the contents are "set" in the centre. heat the remaining quantity of peas, and season them with salt and pepper. turn the boudins on a platter, surround them with the hot peas, and send them at once to the table. this will serve eight persons. these may also be served with plain sauce, or with sauce bechamel. sauce bechamel level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour / cupful of chicken stock / cupful of milk / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper yolk of one egg rub the butter and flour together, add the liquids, stir until boiling, add the salt and pepper, stir, add the yolk of an egg, well beaten, pass through a fine sieve, and use at once. chicken timbale the white meat of one chicken / pint of soft white bread crumbs / cupful of milk teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of white pepper the whites of five eggs put the raw meat of the chicken twice through the meat chopper, then put it in a mortar and pound it to a paste, or work it in a bowl with a wooden spoon. boil the bread and milk, stirring constantly; when this is cold, add the salt, pepper and four tablespoonfuls of cream; work it gradually into the chicken meat. this must be a perfectly smooth paste. add the unbeaten whites of two eggs; when they are thoroughly incorporated, fold in the well beaten whites of the three eggs. put at once into an oiled charlotte mold or into small timbale molds. the molds may be garnished with mushrooms, or chopped truffles, or peas. stand them in a pan of hot water, cover with oiled paper and cook in the oven, small molds twenty-five minutes, a large mold thirty-five. serve hot, with cream mushroom sauce. this quantity in small molds should serve twelve people; in a large mold, ten. cream mushroom sauce can of mushrooms level tablespoonfuls of butter / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of flour / teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper rub the butter and flour together, and add the milk, stir until boiling, add the seasoning, and the mushrooms, cut into halves. when hot it is ready to use. cold dishes poulet en bellevue / box of gelatin pint of chicken stock bay leaf onion the white meat of two chickens salt and pepper remove the white meat carefully from two boiled chickens; split the breasts into halves, long ways. cover the gelatin with a half cupful of cold water to soak for a half hour. add the seasonings to the stock or bouillon, bring to a boil, add the gelatin, and if not clear, clarify with the white of an egg. add the juice of a lemon and strain. take small oblong china or tin molds, garnish the bottoms with fancy bits of good red pepper and chopped truffles, baste over a little of the hot aspic, and let them stand until very cold. cool the remaining aspic, but do not allow it to become solid. put on top of each mold a half breast of chicken, dust with salt and pepper, pour over the cold aspic and stand them aside over night. at serving time dip the molds quickly into hot water, turn out the cutlets, dish them on luncheon plates, and garnish with hearts of lettuce. pass mayonnaise dressing. this will make eight molds and serve eight persons. use the dark meat for fricassee or stew of chicken. tomatoes à l'algerienne the white meat of one chicken perfect tomatoes / box of gelatin / pint of chicken stock / pint of cream teaspoonful of anchovy paste heads of fine lettuce / pint of mayonnaise peel the tomatoes, cut off the stem end and scoop out the hard portion and the seeds; put the tomatoes on the ice. put the meat of the chicken through the meat grinder, season it with the anchovy paste, if you have it, and salt and pepper. soak the gelatin in a half cupful of cold water, add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, add a half teaspoonful of salt, a dash of pepper, and the juice of half a lemon. mix a part of this with the chicken. whip the cream, stir it into the chicken mixture, and fill it into the tomatoes, making them smooth on top. when the tomatoes are very cold and the aspic is cool, but not thick, baste just a little over the top, dust thickly with chopped parsley and finely chopped almonds, and stand them in a cold place for several hours. arrange each tomato in a little nest of lettuce leaves, and pass with them mayonnaise dressing. if these are made well, they are the most sightly of the small cold dishes, and cost almost nothing. this, of course, will be served to twenty-four persons. tongue, sardines, lobster, crab meat or cold left-over meat may be substituted for chicken. galantine of chicken chickens / pound of boiled ham / pound of larding pork can of mushrooms teaspoonfuls of salt egg pound of lean veal truffles salt and pepper singe the chickens, and remove the head and feet; place the chicken on the table with the breast down. take a small, sharp-pointed sabatier knife and cut the skin from neck to rump right down the back bone. carefully and slowly run the knife between the bones and the flesh, keeping it always close to the bone. take out first the wings, then loosen the carcass, and then take out the legs. unjoint and separate each bone, and take it out as you come to it. do not take the small bones from the wings; they may be cut off. when you have removed all the flesh from the bones, keeping it perfectly whole, and without breaking the skin, wipe the skin and put it on the table; draw the legs and the wings inside. take all the raw meat from the other chicken, rejecting the skin and bones, but you do not have to bone this one carefully. put it in the meat grinder, with half the ham, all the veal and half the bacon. when chopped, season it with two teaspoonfuls of salt, and two saltspoonfuls of white pepper; add the egg and mix thoroughly. put a thin layer of this into the boned chicken, put in here and there long pieces of the remaining ham and bacon, a layer of mushrooms, blocks of truffles, then another layer of the forcemeat, and so continue until you have used all the ingredients. pull up the skin and sew it down the back, making a perfect roll. tie the neck and rump. roll this in cheese cloth, fasten it securely, and sew the cheese cloth so that the roll will be perfect when done. put all the bones in the soup kettle, add a sliced onion, a bay leaf, and sufficient cold water to come just to the top of the bones. bring to boiling point, and put in the "galantine," as the chicken roll is called. cover the kettle, and boil continuously for four hours. when done, slightly cool, remove the cloth, and stand it away until perfectly cold. strain the water, which should measure two quarts; add to it a box of gelatin that has been soaked in a cupful of water for an hour. bring this to boiling point, season it with salt and pepper, add the juice of a lemon and the whites of two eggs, slightly beaten. boil five minutes, and strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. select a long round pudding mold, or a regular boned chicken mold, something like a large melon mold; baste the mold inside with this liquid jelly, decorate it in patterns or unconventional designs, using green and red pepper, the hard boiled white of egg and peas. allow the remaining jelly to cool, but not stiffen. after you finish the decorations, baste them carefully with, cold gelatin and stand the mold on ice. then put in a little more cold jelly, until you have a good base upon which to rest the "galantine." put it in, breast side down, and pour over the remaining gelatin. stand in a cold place for twenty-four hours. when ready to serve, wipe the mold with a warm cloth, and turn the "galantine" on to a long platter. garnish the platter with hearts of lettuce. to serve, cut the "galantine" in the thinnest possible slices, and serve it with a salad, either celery, or mixed vegetables, or plain lettuce; or it may be served with a sauce tartar or plain mayonnaise dressing. this is one of the most elegant of cold dishes, and will serve twenty-five persons. chicken mousse pint of cooked chopped chicken / pint of milk level tablespoonfuls of butter teaspoonful of salt level tablespoonful of flour tablespoonful of granulated gelatin saltspoonful of white pepper / pint of cream rub the butter and the flour together over the fire, add the milk, stir until boiling, and add the gelatin that has been soaked in a couple of tablespoonfuls of cold water for fifteen minutes. add the salt, pepper and chicken, mix thoroughly and stand it aside to cool. beat the cream to a stiff froth. make a half cupful of mayonnaise from the yolk of one egg and eight tablespoonfuls of olive oil; stir the cream gradually into the mayonnaise and then add it carefully to the cold chicken mixture. turn it into an ordinary melon pudding mold, cover closely and stand it in a bucket of cracked ice and salt. it is wise to bind the cover seam to keep out the salt water. when slightly frozen, which will take about two hours, remove the lid, turn out the mousse, cover the top with first a ring of hard boiled whites, chopped fine, then a ring of finely chopped parsley, inside this a ring of the yolks of the eggs pressed through a sieve, and right in the centre a sprig of curly parsley. send at once to the table. lobster, crab flakes and cold roasted game may be used according to this recipe. this will serve eight persons at a reception. at a luncheon only six persons. pate-de-foie-gras in aspic box of granulated gelatin teaspoonful of beef extract small onion bay leaf blade of mace truffle carrot green pepper red pepper lemon tureen of foie-gras cover the gelatin with a half cupful of cold water to soak for a half hour. put all the vegetables and seasoning in one quart of cold water, bring to boiling point, simmer gently twenty minutes, add the beef extract, one teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of black pepper. add the gelatin, stir until the gelatin is dissolved, and strain. add the juice of the lemon and the whites of two eggs, slightly beaten. bring to boiling point, boil rapidly for five minutes, and strain through two thicknesses of cheese cloth. cut the peppers into fancy shapes. chop the truffle fine. select a dozen dariole molds, moisten them in cold water, baste them with the aspic, and, when cold, garnish the bottoms handsomely with a pepper and truffle. put in another layer of aspic, which must be cold, but not thick; on top of this place a slice of pate-de-foie-gras, cover them carefully with the aspic, filling the mold to the top. stand these away over night. serve on crisp lettuce leaves, and pass with them a mayonnaise. these are the handsomest of all the cold aspic dishes. a single large mold may be used for ball suppers or large receptions. to serve, cut it into slices, and pass mayonnaise of celery. this will serve twelve persons. boned turkey turkey is boned precisely the same as you bone a "galantine" of chicken. use for the stuffing: chickens pound of sausage meat pound of veal truffles can of mushrooms pound of ham take six hours to cook the turkey. when cold put it in a boned turkey mold that has been garnished, and fill with aspic. cut in very thin slices to serve thirty persons. boned quail purchase twenty-four quails. split them down the back and remove the bones, keeping your knife close to the bone. do not break the skin nor tear the flesh. spread them out, skin side down, on a board and stuff them with the seasoned sausage meat. put them into shape, sew them down the back, cover the breast of each with a slice of bacon, put them in a baking pan, add a half pint of hot stock, and bake in a quick oven forty minutes, dusting with pepper and basting frequently. when cold, remove the string from the back. for a dozen quails use: box of gelatin quart of milk tablespoonful of grated onion truffles level tablespoonfuls of butter level tablespoonfuls of flour teaspoonfuls of salt saltspoonful of white pepper soak the gelatin in the milk a half hour. rub the butter and flour together, then add the milk and gelatin, stir until boiling, and add all the seasoning and strain. stand aside until cool, but not thick. place the birds on a tin sheet or a large platter, and baste them with this cold white sauce. as soon as the first basting has hardened, baste them again. this time decorate the breasts with the truffles cut into fancy shapes. to serve, arrange them around a large mound of mayonnaise of celery. use either a meat platter, or two round chop dishes. have the breasts of the birds down, and the back slightly pressed into the salad. in between each bird put a pretty bunch of curly parsley, and garnish the top of the mound with spanish peppers cut into strips. serve one to each person. salads salads play a most important part in all conventional suppers. chicken, lobster, crab, duck, tongue, and lamb salad take the place of other meats, although for a large supper there is no objection to serving a meat salad following a hot course. if one can make a good mayonnaise dressing, salads are the easiest of all refreshments, and are most acceptable to the guests. mayonnaise put the yolks of three eggs in a clean cold dish, beat slightly and add slowly, almost drop by drop, a half pint or more of salad oil. after adding the first half pint, add a half teaspoonful of vinegar now and then to prevent breaking. you may add a quart of oil, if you like; you may serve it plain, or stir in at the last moment stiffly whipped cream. one quart of mayonnaise will hold one quart of whipped cream. for light colored salads, as sweetbread and waldorf, it is well to use the whipped cream slightly colored with a drop of vegetable green. sauce tartar add to a half pint of mayonnaise dressing a tablespoonful of chopped gherkin, the same of chopped parsley, four chopped olives and a tablespoonful of capers. sauce suedoise / pint of mayonnaise / pint of cream tablespoonfuls of finely grated horseradish whip the cream and drain it, then stir it carefully into the mayonnaise, and at last add the horseradish. this sauce is appropriate to serve with boned partridges or quail, and is also nice to serve with mixed cold meats. french dressing put eight tablespoonfuls of oil in a bowl, add a half teaspoonful of salt, and a piece of ice the size of an egg. work the ice with the oil until the salt is thoroughly dissolved, then add a tablespoonful of tarragon vinegar and a drop of tabasco sauce. remove the ice, beat rapidly until you have a creamy dressing, and use at once. french dressing should be used over cucumber or tomato molds, and is nice with fish or chicken mousse and east indian salad. cucumber molds good sized cucumbers / box of gelatin pint of chicken stock teaspoonful of salt tablespoonful of onion juice saltspoonful of pepper the juice of one lemon peel and grate the cucumbers. add the gelatin to the stock, soak for twenty minutes, bring to a boil and add the seasoning; then stir in the drained cucumber. turn into small round timbale cups and stand aside to harden. serve with any cold fish dish, as cold boiled slice of halibut, or fish in aspic. these are nice for sunday night supper with broiled sardines. tomato molds can of tomatoes box of gelatin onion saltspoonful of celery seed bay leaf blade of mace tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar teaspoonful of paprika teaspoonfuls of salt cover the gelatin with a cupful of cold water to soak for fifteen minutes. add all the seasoning to the tomatoes, bring to boiling point, add the gelatin, and strain. turn into twelve small tomato molds and stand aside to harden. serve with mayonnaise dressing as an accompaniment to boned chicken or turkey, or chicken paté, or alone, with mayonnaise, as a complete salad. chopped celery, a little cold cooked meat or nuts may be added, when the molds are to be served as a salad. with this addition, one half the recipe will serve twelve persons. crabs ravigot purchase as many crab shells as you have people to serve. to each six allow a pint of crab flakes. if you buy the crabs fresh, twelve crabs will serve six people. squeeze over the flakes the juice of one lemon, add a half teaspoonful of salt and a dash of tabasco. fill the meat loosely into the shells, place each shell on a pretty paper doily on a plate, and spread over a thick layer of mayonnaise dressing, with which you have mixed a tablespoonful of chopped parsley, a tablespoonful of tarragon leaves, a tablespoonful of chopped onion or shallot, and a tablespoonful of green chives. chicken salad cut cold boiled chicken into dice, add an equal quantity of tender celery, season with salt, pepper and lemon juice, mix with mayonnaise dressing, and serve on lettuce leaves. a four pound chicken, and six heads of tender celery, three heads of lettuce, a half pint of whipped cream, and one pint of mayonnaise, will serve fifteen persons. lobster salad cut cold boiled lobster into cubes of an inch, mix with mayonnaise dressing and serve on lettuce leaves. one three-pound lobster will serve six persons. crab salad season crab flakes with salt, pepper and lemon juice, mix them with mayonnaise dressing, and serve on lettuce leaves, garnished with cress. one pint of flakes will serve six persons. tongue salad cut fresh-cooked beef's tongue or calf's tongue into dice. have ready peeled perfectly round smooth tomatoes, take out the core and scoop out the seeds. fill each tomato with the cubes of tongue, sprinkle over a teaspoonful of lemon juice and a little salt and pepper. stand these on nests of lettuce leaves, put on top of each a large tablespoonful of mayonnaise. dust thickly with paprika and serve one to each person. lamb salad cut cold boiled lamb into dice, mix with it half the quantity of freshly cooked green peas or canned peas. add a half can of mushrooms, chopped fine, salt, pepper and lemon juice. mix with mayonnaise dressing and serve on lettuce leaves, garnished with large sprigs of mint. cap the top of the dish with a good sized sprig of fresh mint, and sprinkle capers all over the salad. a nice plain lamb salad is made by mixing left-over cold lamb with mayonnaise; serve on lettuce leaves and garnish with chopped mint. a quart will serve ten persons. tomatoes en surprise this is one of the nicest of the salads for a simple card party. it takes the place of both vegetables and meat, and with brown bread and nut sandwiches as an accompaniment, is very attractive. peel the tomatoes, cut off the stem end and scoop out the core and seeds. fill the tomatoes with either crab flakes, chopped lobster, canned salmon, or sardines. squeeze over a little lemon juice, and dust with salt and pepper. turn them upside down on a nest of lettuce leaves, and cover the tomato with creamy mayonnaise. sweetbread salad pairs of sweetbreads ounces of almonds ounces of pecan meats ounces of shelled brazilian nuts spanish peppers / can of mushrooms heads of celery heads of lettuce pint of mayonnaise pint of cream can of french peas this is the most elaborate of all salads, is palatable and comparatively wholesome. put the sweetbreads into boiling water, add a tablespoonful of vinegar, and simmer gently for one hour. when cold, remove the membrane and pick the sweetbreads apart. put them in a bowl, cover them with an onion, sliced, and squeeze over the juice of a lemon; cover the bowl and stand it aside over night. blanch and chop the almonds, and chop the pecans. remove the onion from the sweetbreads, mix in the nuts, add the white portions of the celery, cut the size of the sweetbreads. add the mushrooms, sliced, two teaspoonfuls of salt, a saltspoonful of white pepper and a saltspoonful of paprika. add the cream, whipped, to the mayonnaise, and mix a portion of it with the sweetbreads and celery. have a round shallow salad bowl lined with the lettuce leaves, turn in the centre the sweetbread salad and cover it over with the remaining quantity of mayonnaise. put the peas in a ring around the base of the salad, and cap the top with the yolk of a hard-boiled egg. cut the white of the egg into eighths and press them upside down around the yolk, forming a sort of a daisy. cut the spanish peppers into rings and arrange them just above the peas. put here and there around the base, above the peas, ripe or green olives, and send to the table. this will serve at supper or luncheon ten persons. roast beef salad for impromptu evening affairs any cold left-over meat may be utilized in a salad. beef, mutton and tongue are usually served with french dressing, seasoned with tomato catsup. cut the meat into dice, season with salt and pepper, dish them on lettuce, or they may be mixed in the winter with chopped celery or chopped crisp cabbage, and basted with french dressing, seasoned with two or three tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup for beef, mint sauce, or a drop of tabasco sauce for mutton, a little worcestershire sauce for tongue. a quart will serve ten persons. east indian salad this is purely a vegetable salad; it is exceedingly nice for a simple evening affair. shave sufficient cabbage to make a pint, soak it in cold water for one hour, changing the water once or twice. cover a half box of gelatin with a half cupful of cold water to soak for a half hour. put a half can of tomatoes in a saucepan, add one onion, chopped, a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper and the juice of a lemon, or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar. bring to boiling point, and add the gelatin. cover the bottom of a large melon mold with finely chopped celery or cooked carrots, put on top of this a few drops of onion juice, then a thin layer of cabbage, a dusting of salt and pepper, then a goodly quantity of india relish; cover this over with chopped nuts, pecans, hickory or peanuts, then another layer of celery, and so continue until the mold is full, seasoning the layers with salt and pepper. have the last layer chopped celery. strain over this the tomato aspic, which should be cold, but not thick, and stand aside for four or five hours. serve plain, or garnished with lettuce leaves or cress. this will serve twelve persons. potato salad fancy potato salad may be served for an evening affair with an accompaniment of cold tongue, or it may be garnished with hard-boiled eggs and form the entire course. serve with it brown bread and butter and coffee. potatoes tablespoonfuls of olive oil tablespoonfuls of cream tablespoonfuls of tarragon vinegar level teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper wash the potatoes and boil them with skins on. the moment they are done, drain the water, dry and peel. put the oil, salt, pepper and vinegar in a bowl, beat rapidly until thoroughly mixed, and then add one good sized onion, sliced very thin, or use two tablespoonfuls of grated onion. put in the hot potatoes, sliced, toss them a moment, and if you have it, sprinkle over two tablespoonfuls of vinegar from pickled walnuts, or a tablespoonful of mushroom catsup. stand aside to cool. when ready to serve, turn on to a cold platter, garnish with chopped parsley, and, if you have them, chopped pickled beets. this is sufficient for six persons. french potato salad moisten a teaspoonful of cornstarch in four tablespoonfuls of milk, add two tablespoonfuls of cream and stir over hot water until thick; then add gradually six tablespoonfuls of olive oil, a teaspoonful of french made mustard, a level teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. boil four potatoes, cut them into blocks, and, when nearly cold, mix them with this dressing, and stand aside until very cold. serve with a garnish of chopped celery or lettuce leaves. this will serve six persons. macedoine salad a mixture of vegetables, peas, beans, carrots, turnips, can be purchased, canned, at any grocery store. drain, wash them in cold water, dish them on a bed of shaved cabbage or lettuce leaves, and cover them with french dressing. all these vegetables may be cooked at home and used cold. string beans garnished with carrots make an excellent salad. banana salad for this use the red bananas. roll them out of the skin rather than strip the skin from them, and cut them into slices a half inch thick. cover the bottom of your salad bowl with crisp lettuce leaves, then put over the bananas, allowing one banana to each two persons. squeeze over the juice of a lemon, and, when ready to serve, baste with french dressing. apple and nut salad tart apples cupful of pecan meats blanched almonds sweet spanish peppers the rule for french dressing peel the apples, cut them into dice, squeeze over the juice of one or two lemons, and stand them aside until wanted. the lemon juice will prevent discoloration. chop the nuts. at serving time line the salad bowl with a layer of chopped celery or cabbage or lettuce leaves, then a layer of apples, nuts, celery, apples and nuts. baste with the french dressing, and, if you have them, garnish with the sweet peppers cut into strips, and use at once. this, using a pint of chopped cabbage or celery, will serve six persons. cantaloupe salad this is the newest and most sightly of salads. arrange crisp lettuce or romaine leaves on individual plates. cut a cold ripe cantaloupe into halves, take out the seeds, and with a large vegetable scoop or teaspoon scoop out balls or egg-shaped pieces. heap a half dozen of these on the lettuce leaves, and, at serving time, baste them well with french dressing, and serve. watermelon may be substituted for cantaloupe. sandwiches sandwiches may be made from thin white bread, or whole wheat bread, or boston brown bread, or nut bread. a nut loaf is easily made at short notice, and needs only butter to make an excellent sandwich. an endless variety of sandwiches may be made from materials always at hand. for cheese sandwiches: grind or mash common american cheese, add a palatable seasoning of tomato catsup, worcestershire sauce, and a little melted butter. a teaspoonful of these will be sufficient for a quarter of a pound of cheese. put this between thin slices of unbuttered bread. if a large quantity of sandwiches is to be made, beat the butter to a cream before using it. meats: all sorts of meats, just a little left over, may be chopped, seasoned and utilized for sandwiches. if the meat is slightly moistened with a little olive oil, cream or melted butter, and the sandwiches are wrapped in a damp cloth, as soon as made, and closed in a tin bread box, they will keep nicely for several hours. on a warm day put a few moist lettuce leaves on top of the sandwiches, under the cloth, and put the box in a cold place. canned salmon, sardines, or boiled salt cod, pounded and nicely seasoned with oil and lemon juice, or mayonnaise, make nice sandwiches to serve with molded tomato jelly, and coffee, for a "winter evening." they are quite enough with coffee alone in an emergency. nut sandwiches are made by putting chopped nuts or nut butter between thin slices of buttered bread, or crackers. sweet sandwiches are made by putting a mixture of chopped fruits between thin slices of buttered bread. the fruits best suited for sandwiches are dates, raisins, candied ginger and cherries, and washed figs. these may be used separately or blended, using less ginger than other fruits. a nice filling may be made from a half pound of dates, an ounce of ginger, and ten cents' worth of roasted peanuts, or a quarter of a pound of pecans. put these through a meat chopper, add the juice of an orange, and pack the mixture in jelly tumblers. keep in a cold place. this will keep a month in winter, and equally long in a refrigerator in summer. sweet sandwiches are usually cut into "fingers," or into rounds with an ordinary biscuit cutter. honolulu sandwiches are made by rubbing one roll of neufchatel cheese with a half cupful of grated apple, two sweet spanish peppers, and twenty-four blanched and chopped almonds. add salt and a drop of tabasco sauce. spread between thin slices of unbuttered bread. jelly or canned fruit sandwiches are made by spreading jelly or mashed fruit, drained, on a very thin slice of buttered bread. trim off the crusts and roll quickly. tie with baby ribbon, or press it firmly together. these are usually served with chocolate or tea. chicken salad or celery mayonnaise sandwiches are usually served with coffee, and can be made quickly by mixing any left-over chicken, or tender white celery, with mayonnaise, and putting the mixture between thin slices of buttered bread. a lettuce leaf on the bread first holds the salad nicely. one may use two lettuce leaves if necessary. nut bread cupfuls of flour / cupful of chopped nuts teaspoonfuls of baking powder cupful of milk egg tablespoonfuls of sugar / teaspoonful of salt sift the salt, baking powder and flour together, add and mix in the nuts and sugar. beat the egg, add the milk, and stir these in the flour. mix well, and turn it in a greased bread pan. cover, and allow it to stand fifteen minutes. bake in a moderately quick oven a half hour. pecans, hickory nuts, peanuts, or english walnuts may be used. use the next day after it is baked. cut thin, butter lightly, and press two slices together. serve whole, or cut into halves. do not remove the crusts. suggestions for church suppers nut meat roll pound of chopped beef quart of roasted peanuts in shells teaspoonful of salt saltspoonful of pepper shredded wheat biscuits eggs tablespoonful onion juice tablespoonful of parsley shell and chop the peanuts, mix them with the meat, and add the shredded wheat rubbed fine; salt, pepper, parsley, chopped, and onion juice. mix well. beat the egg slightly, add three tablespoonfuls of water, and mix this into the meat. form in a roll about eight inches long, roll in oiled paper, place it in a baking pan, add a half cupful of water to the pan and bake in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. remove the paper and stand aside to cool. serve in thin slices with either tomato or potato salad. this will serve eight persons at a cost of about four cents each. jellied veal knuckles of veal onions carrot teaspoonfuls of salt tablespoonfuls of vinegar gherkins teaspoonful of black pepper wash the knuckles, remove the meat and cut it in pieces. put the bones in a kettle, the meat on top, and pour over six quarts of cold water. bring to a boil, skim, and simmer gently two hours. add the onion sliced, the carrot chopped, salt and pepper, and simmer one hour longer. drain in a colander. dip long molds, or ordinary bread pans, in cold water, cover the bottom with slices of hard boiled eggs, put the meat in bits on top of this, seasoning it with a little salt. slice the gherkins and put them in layers between the meat. strain the liquid, add the vinegar, and pour it over the meat. there should be just enough to cover it nicely. if there is more than this, boil it down before adding vinegar. stand aside over night. when cold, dip the mold a second in boiling water, and turn the jelly in a platter. serve cut in slices, with either a nice cold slaw, or cabbage and celery salad. jellied beef is made the same, substituting a leg or shin of beef. this will cost about seventy five cents, and will make twenty-five to thirty slices. bagged veal pounds of lean ham pounds of veal cutlet shredded wheat biscuits eggs onions teaspoonful of powdered sage / teaspoonful of allspice teaspoonful of salt / teaspoonful of black pepper put the meat, raw, through a meat chopper, add the biscuits crumbed, the onions grated, and all the seasonings. work it well with the hands, and mix in the eggs, slightly beaten. pack the mixture in clean salt bags or bags about that size, plunge them in a kettle of boiling water, boil rapidly ten minutes, and simmer three hours. when cool, turn the bags wrong side out off the meat. serve sliced like summer sausage. this will cost one and a half dollars, and will serve twenty five persons. a spanish stew for one hundred persons pounds of round of beef sweet peppers, or can of spanish pimentos sweet turnips / bottle of worcestershire sauce cupful of flour pound of suet large onions gallon cans of peas carrots jar of beef extract tablespoonfuls of salt tablespoonfuls of cornstarch / pound of butter put the suet into a large kettle or in two smaller ones; try it out and remove the crackling. add to the hot fat the onions and peppers chopped fine. shake until they are well cooked and slightly browned. add the meat cut into cubes of one inch, cover the kettles and cook a half hour, stirring now and then. dissolve the beef extract in three gallons of hot water, pour it over the meat, and simmer for two hours. add the carrots and turnips cut into dice, and more water if necessary, and cook one hour longer. add the flour and cornstarch moistened in cold water, and all the seasonings. stir and boil ten minutes, add the peas, drained, and serve. this is nice garnished with small hot milk biscuits. taste before serving it, to see if you have added sufficient salt. veal roll pounds of lean veal shredded wheat biscuits teaspoonful of salt / teaspoonful of sage / pound of lean ham eggs tablespoonful of parsley saltspoonful of pepper put the veal and ham through a meat chopper, add all the seasonings, and the biscuits rubbed fine. mix thoroughly, add the egg slightly beaten, mix again, and form into a roll three inches in diameter. roll in oiled paper, place in a baking pan, cover the bottom of the pan with hot water, add a slice of onion, and, if you have it, a little chopped celery tops. bake slowly one and a half hours, basting over the paper every fifteen minutes. when done, remove the paper, and put in a cold place. serve in thin slices with tomato jelly salad. this will cost about one dollar and will serve eighteen persons. man-of-war salad for twenty-five persons, chop sufficient hard white cabbage to make two quarts. cover it with cold water, let it soak for an hour, and then wash it through several cold waters, and dry it in a towel. cover three boxes of gelatin with a pint of cold water to soak a half hour. open three cans of tomatoes, put them in a saucepan with four chopped onions, a cupful of chopped celery tops, if you have them, bring to a boil, add the juice of a lemon, a level tablespoonful of salt, ten drops of tabasco sauce, the juice of a lemon, or two tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and the gelatin. stir a moment, and press through a sieve. dip bread pans or melon molds in cold water, put in a layer of cabbage, then a very thin layer of indian relish, then cabbage, and so continue until the molds are filled. pour over the tomato jelly, cold, and stand aside over night. serve in slices with cooked or french dressing. cooked dressing put a pint of milk over the fire in a double boiler, add three level tablespoonfuls of cornstarch moistened in a little cold milk. cook until thick and smooth. take from the fire, add the beaten yolks of four eggs, and work in slowly two tablespoonfuls of butter. add a teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. when cool add the juice of a lemon or four tablespoonfuls of vinegar. fold in carefully the well-beaten whites of the eggs, and stand aside until very cold. grandmother's potato salad boil ten large potatoes in their jackets. peel them and, when cool, cut eight into dice. peel and mash the remaining two while hot; add to them a quarter pound of sweet butter, four tablespoonfuls of grated onion, two teaspoonfuls of salt, a dash of cayenne, two drops of tabasco sauce, and press through a fine sieve. hard boil two eggs; rub the yolks to a paste, and add two raw yolks. when smooth, add to these gradually the potato mixture. thin to the consistency of good mayonnaise, with vinegar. at serving time mix the potato blocks and one can of drained peas with the dressing, being very careful not to break them. dish on lettuce leaves, and garnish with chopped red beets, or, better, chopped celery. this is an excellent cheap salad, and will serve fifteen persons. salmon pudding remove the bone, skin and oil from two pound cans of salmon. boil together two cupfuls of white bread crumbs and one cupful of milk. take from the fire, and add one cupful of boiled rice, a teaspoonful of salt, a saltspoonful of pepper, a teaspoonful of onion juice, and four eggs slightly beaten. mix and work in the fish. press the whole through a colander, and pack it at once into a mold. cover and steam three-quarters of an hour. serve hot with cream sauce. this will serve twelve persons. nut cake at suppers where the yolks of eggs are used for mayonnaise or cooked dressing, the whites accumulate and are lost if not used in some white cake. / cupful of butter cupfuls of flour - / cupfuls of sugar / cupful of water cupful of english walnut or hickory nut meats rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder whites of four eggs cream the butter, add the water and flour, alternately, beating all the while. beat the whites, add half of them to the mixture, then all the nuts, chopped, then the baking powder, dry, and beat well. fold in the remaining whites. bake in a round cake pan in a moderate oven three-quarters of an hour. when cool, ice the top and decorate it with nut meats. scones for twenty-five persons sift three quarts of flour with six rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder and two of salt. beat, without separating, three eggs. rub into the flour a quarter of a pound of butter, or three tablespoonfuls of snowdrift. add to the eggs one quart and a half of milk, and stir this into the flour. mix quickly and drop by spoonfuls in greased baking pans, and bake fifteen minutes in a quick oven. serve at once. these are better and more easily made than biscuits. poor man's fruit cake - / cupfuls of flour cupful of brown sugar / cupful of new orleans molasses pound of seeded raisins cupful of sour milk / cupful of butter teaspoonful of cinnamon teaspoonful of allspice teaspoonful of soda cut the raisins into halves and flour them with four tablespoonfuls of the flour. dissolve the soda in a tablespoonful of water, add it to the thick sour milk, beat a minute, add the molasses, beat again, add the butter, melted carefully, and stir in the flour; add the spices, and beat well. stir in the raisins, and turn into a greased bread pan. bake in a _moderate_ oven one hour. when done, turn from the pan, baste with a syrup, made by boiling four tablespoonfuls of sugar with three of water, and add two teaspoonfuls of currant or grape jelly. shut the cake in a tin box for a week or more. if made well this is moist and rich at very little cost. banana layer / cupful of butter cupful of sugar / cupful of water cupfuls of flour rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder whites of four eggs put together the same as ice cream cake, and bake in three layers. when cold, put together with banana filling. banana filling boil together one cupful of sugar and a half cupful of water until they spin a heavy thread, and pour slowly, beating all the while, into the well-beaten whites of two eggs. beat until rather stiff and cold. when the cakes are cold, spread one-third of this filling over one cake, cover with thin slices of red bananas, put on another cake, on this another third of filling and bananas, and the remaining cake; cover this with the remaining filling, and dust thickly with chopped nuts. do not let this stand too long, or the filling will absorb moisture from the bananas and run down the cake. ice cream cake - / cupfuls of sugar - / cupfuls of flour / cupful of butter cupful of water rounding teaspoonfuls of baking powder whites of five eggs cream the butter, adding slowly the sugar. sift the flour with the baking powder. add the water and flour alternately to the sugar mixture, and beat well. fold in the well-beaten whites, and bake in three layers. put together with a soft icing made from the whites of two eggs. fruit jelly dip a fancy mold into cold water, fill it half full of mixed chopped candied fruits, or use dates, figs and bananas chopped. fill the mold with a well-made lemon or orange gelatin. serve plain, or with whipped cream. mock eggs / box of gelatin can pared apricots cupful of sugar pint of water whites of three eggs juice of three lemons cover the gelatin with a half cupful of cold water to soak for a half hour, add the sugar and the water boiling; stir until the gelatin is dissolved; add the lemon juice, strain, and cool until congealed but not too hard. add the unbeaten whites of eggs, stand the bowl in a pan of cracked ice or cold water, and beat until the whole mass is as white as snow. pour into ramekin dishes or paper cases, press a half apricot, rounding side up, in the centre, and stand aside in a cold place. index ice creams, water ices and frozen puddings alaska bake alexander bomb almond ice cream, burnt mousse, burnt apple ice ice cream apricot cream, english ice ice cream apricots, frozen arrowroot cream banana ice cream bananas, frozen biscuit ice cream tortoni biscuits à la marie americana german cherry glacés bisque ice cream blocks, neapolitan bomb, alexander glacé boston pudding brown bread ice cream burnt almond ice cream mousse cabinet pudding, iced café parfait, quick cake, iced caramel ice cream no. no. neapolitan parfait, quick charlotte glacé cherry biscuits, german ice chocolate ice cream frozen neapolitan ice cream, no. no. parfait, quick sauce, hot claret sauce cocoanut ice cream coffee, frozen ice cream mousse neapolitan compote of oranges with iced rice pudding compote of mandarins, with rice mousse coupe st. jacque cranberry sherbet cream, arrowroot english apricot orange gelatin creams, neapolitan croquettes, ice cream cucumber sorbet curaçao ice cream currant and raspberry water ice water ice custard, frozen directions for freezing duchess mousse egyptian mousse english apricot cream foreword frappé frozen apricots bananas coffee chocolate custard fruits peaches, no. peaches, no. pineapple plum pudding puddings and desserts raspberries strawberries watermelon fruit salad, iced water ice, mille fruits, frozen gelatin cream, orange ice cream german cherry biscuits ginger ice cream water ice glacé, bomb charlotte glacés, biscuits gooseberry sorbet grape water ice green gage ice cream hot chocolate sauce ice, apple apricot cherry currant and raspberry water currant water ginger water grape water lemon water mille fruit water orange water pineapple water pomegranate water raspberry water strawberry water sour sop ice cream, apple apricot banana biscuit bisque brown bread burnt almond caramel caramel, no. no. chocolate coffee croquettes curaçao gelatin ginger green gage lemon maraschino orange peach no. no. pineapple pistachio raspberry strawberry vanilla walnut ice creams, directions for freezing from condensed milk philadelphia quantities for serving sauces for time for freezing to mold to remove from molds to repack use of fruits in iced cabinet pudding cake fruit salad rice pudding with compote of oranges ices, to mold to remove from molds lalla rookh lemon ice cream water ice lillian russell maple panachée sauce maraschino ice cream melba, peaches merry widow, the mille fruit water ice mint sherbet monte carlo pudding montrose pudding sauce mousse burnt almond coffee duchess egyptian pistachio rice with compote of mandarins neapolitan blocks creams nesselrode pudding americana nut sauce orange gelatin cream ice cream no. no. sauce sherbet soufflé water ice parfait quick café quick caramel quick chocolate quick strawberry panachée, maple peach ice cream peaches no. , frozen no. , frozen melba philadelphia ice creams pineapple, frozen ice cream water ice pistachio ice cream mousse plombiere plum pudding, frozen pomegranate water ice pudding, boston cabinet, iced frozen plum iced rice, with compote of oranges monte carlo montrose nesselrode nesselrode, americana queen sultana tutti frutti to mold to remove from molds punch, roman quantities for serving queen pudding quick café parfait caramel parfait chocolate parfait strawberry parfait raspberry and currant water ice raspberry ice cream water ice raspberries, frozen rice mousse with compote of mandarins pudding, iced, with compote of oranges roll sultana roman punch salad, iced fruit sauce, claret hot chocolate maple montrose nut orange walnut sauces for ice creams sherbet, cranberry mint orange sour sop tomato sherbets sorbet, cucumber gooseberry tomato sorbets soufflé, orange sour sop sherbet or ice strawberry ice cream parfait, quick water ice strawberries, frozen sultana pudding roll time for freezing tomato sorbet or sherbet to mold ice creams, ices or puddings remove ice creams, ices and puddings from molds repack ice creams tutti frutti, italian fashion pudding use of fruits vanilla ice cream neapolitan walnut ice cream neapolitan water ice, currant currant and raspberry ginger grape lemon mille fruit orange pineapple pomegranate raspberry strawberry water ices and sherbets or sorbets watermelon, frozen walnut sauce index refreshments for affairs apple and nut salad bagged veal banana filling layer salad baked sweetbreads bechamel sauce beef salad, roast bellevue bouillon boiled salt cod sandwiches boned quail turkey boudins à la reine bouillon bellevue chicken clam oyster bread, nut cake, ice cream nut poor man's fruit canned fruit sandwiches salmon sandwiches cantaloupe salad celery mayonnaise sandwiches cheese sandwiches chicken à la creme à la king bouillon croquettes galantine of mousse salad sandwiches timbale church suppers, suggestions for clam bouillon cod sandwiches, boiled salt coffee for large home affairs cold dishes cooked dressing crab backs à la caracas meat à la dewey salad crabs, deviled ravigot cream cake, ice mushroom sauce croquettes, chicken oyster cucumber molds cutlets, lobster deviled crabs dressing, cooked french east indian salad eggs, mock filling, banana french dressing potato salad fruit cake, poor man's jelly sandwiches, canned galantine of chicken glaze grandmother's potato salad home affairs, coffee for large honolulu sandwiches ice cream cake jelly, fruit sandwiches jellied veal lamb salad lamb's sweetbreads in paper cases large home affairs, coffee for layer, banana lobster cutlets newburg salad macedoine salad man-of-war salad mayonnaise sandwiches, celery meat roll, nut meat sandwiches mock eggs molds, cucumber tomato mousse, chicken mushroom sauce, cream nut and apple salad bread cake meat roll sandwiches oyster bouillon croquettes pate-de-foie-gras in aspic poor man's fruit cake potato salad french grandmother's poulet en bellevue poultry and game dishes pudding, salmon purée, tomato, à la rorer quail, boned ravigot crabs refreshments for affairs roast beef salad roll, nut meat veal salad, apple and nut banana cantaloupe chicken crab east indian french potato grandmother's potato lamb lobster macedoine man-of-war potato roast beef sandwiches, chicken sweetbread tongue salads salmon pudding sandwiches, canned salt cod sandwiches, boiled sandwiches boiled salt cod canned fruit salmon celery mayonnaise chicken salad cheese honolulu jelly meat nut sardine sweet sardine sandwiches sauce bechamel cream mushroom suedoise tartar scones shell fish dishes soups bellevue bouillon bouillon chicken bouillon clam bouillon glaze oyster bouillon tomato purée à la rorer spanish stew stew, spanish suedoise sauce suggestions for church suppers sweetbreads à la bordelaise à la creme no. no. à la newburg baked lambs, in paper cases sweetbread salad sweet sandwiches tartar sauce timbale, chicken tomatoes à l'algerienne en surprise tomato molds purée, à la rorer tongue salad turkey, boned veal, bagged jellied roll note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ / -h.zip) the kitchen encyclopedia you will find many helpful suggestions in this book; all of them are tried and practical twelfth edition swift & company, u. s. a. copyright, , by swift & company _keep this book in your kitchen for ready reference_ the truth about oleomargarine swift's premium oleomargarine is a sweet, pure, clean, food product made from rich cream and edible fats. it contains _every element of nutrition_ found in the best creamery butter. the process of manufacture is primitive in its simplicity, but modern in its cleanliness and purity. the butter fat in swift's premium oleomargarine is microscopically and chemically _the same_ as in the best butter; the only difference is _in the way_ it is secured from the cow. butter fat in butter is all obtained by churning. in swift's premium oleomargarine from / to / obtained in that way, the remainder is pressed from the choicest fat of government inspected animals. this pressed fat is called "oleo" hence the name "oleomargarine." rich cream, fancy creamery butter, 'oleo' 'neutral,' vegetable oil and dairy salt are the _only_ ingredients of premium oleomargarine. 'neutral' is pressed from leaf fat. it is odorless and tasteless. there is _no coloring matter_ added to premium oleomargarine, yet it is a tempting rich cream color. each week day during the year there has been an average of more than visitors through our chicago oleomargarine factory. in addition to this daily inspection by the visiting public our factories are in complete charge of government inspectors. these men test the quality and character of materials, they see that the contents of every tierce of 'oleo' and 'neutral' received from the refinery is from animals that have passed the rigid government inspection. they see that everything about the factories is kept absolutely clean and sanitary. read what a government expert said about oleomargarine: the late prof. w. o. atwater, director of the united states government agricultural experiment station at washington: "it contains essentially the same ingredients as natural butter from cow's milk. it is perfectly wholesome and healthy and has a high nutritious value." order a carton of swift's premium oleomargarine today to try it. you will find that it is a delicious, wholesome food product that you can use in your home and effect a great saving, still maintaining your standard of good living. we particularly invite you to visit our factories and see for yourself the cleanliness surrounding this interesting industry. {footer: did you know that swift's premium oleomargarine contains essentially the same ingredients as natural butter from cows milk?} recipes you can make exactly as good cakes, pies, cookies, and candies by substituting for the butter named in your recipes / the quantity of swift's premium oleomargarine. on this and the following pages are a few recipes in which this substitution has been made. try them. you will find them good and more economical than when made with butter. you may have some favorite recipes that are too expensive on account of the large amount of butter required. you can reduce their cost by using swift's premium oleomargarine. loaf fig cake light part / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine / cupful sweet milk - / teaspoonfuls baking-powder cupful sugar - / cupfuls flour teaspoonful vanilla whites of eggs cream the oleomargarine and sugar. add the milk, with which the vanilla has been mixed. sift the baking-powder with the flour and add gradually. add the whites, well beaten, last. dark part / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine / cupful milk - / teaspoonfuls baking-powder yolks of eggs / pound of raisins - / cupfuls sugar cupfuls flour dessertspoonful each of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg pound of figs cream the oleomargarine and sugar. add the egg-yolks, well beaten, then the milk. sift the baking-powder and spices with the flour and add gradually. the raisins should be seeded and dredged with flour, and the figs should be cut in small pieces and dredged with flour and added to the batter the last thing. put in the pan alternate layers of each part and bake in a loaf. {footer: the italian uses olive oil; the swiss, butter from goat's milk; and the thrifty american housewife, swift's premium oleomargarine.} sugar cookies cupful swift's premium oleomargarine cupful sour milk teaspoonful soda cupfuls sugar eggs, well beaten flavoring to taste flour enough to roll out thin cream the oleomargarine and sugar. add the eggs, whites and yolks beaten together. dissolve the soda in the sour milk. add this and then the flour. roll out thin. just before cutting out the cookies sift granulated sugar on top and roll it in slightly, then cut out cookies with cookie-cutter and bake in a moderate oven. lemon pie cupful sugar tablespoonfuls flour yolks of three eggs cupful water juice and grated rind of lemon a lump of swift's premium oleomargarine the size of an egg put all together in an oatmeal cooker and cook over hot water until thick. take from the fire and cool a little. line a deep pie-plate with crust, pour in the lemon mixture, and bake in a moderate oven until the crust is done. remove from the oven and have ready the whites of the three eggs, beaten up stiff, with three level tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar; spread this meringue smoothly over the pie, return to the oven, and bake a light brown. cornbread / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine cupful sweet milk cupful cornmeal / cupful sugar cupful flour teaspoonfuls baking-powder eggs sift together meal, flour, baking-powder, and sugar. to this add in order the milk, the egg-yolks well beaten, the oleomargarine melted and lastly the well-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a hot oven for thirty to thirty-five minutes. this is particularly delicious if just before it is done half a cupful of cream is poured over the top. {footer: have you tasted swift's premium oleomargarine?} oatmeal crackers / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine cupfuls rolled oats / cupful milk / teaspoonful soda - / cupfuls raisins chopped fine cupfuls flour cupful sugar teaspoonful cinnamon eggs a pinch of salt cream oleomargarine and sugar. add egg-yolks well beaten. dissolve soda in milk and add next. mix oats, flour, salt, and cinnamon together well and add. add the raisins last. beat well and drop with a spoon on to buttered tins and bake in moderate oven. english walnut pudding / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine egg cupful boiling water teaspoonful cinnamon / cupful walnuts cupful molasses teaspoonful soda cupfuls flour / teaspoonful cloves / cupful raisins beat the egg white and yolk together and add it to the molasses. dissolve the soda in the boiling water and add that next. mix flour, cinnamon, and cloves together and add gradually. add the butterine melted. lastly add the raisins. steam two and a half hours. serve warm with sauce made of one cupful swift's premium oleomargarine stirred until smooth with one cupful powdered sugar. add one egg, flavor to taste, and beat until smooth. penoche / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine - / cupfuls rich milk cupfuls light-brown sugar cupful chopped walnuts stir together the oleomargarine, milk, and sugar, and cook until it can be picked up when dropped in cold water. beat until it thickens and add the walnuts slightly salted. pour in buttered tins and cut in squares. {footer: ask your grocer for a carton of swift's premium oleomargarine.} butter scotch / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine cupful molasses cupfuls sugar / cupful vinegar put all together and cook, stirring all the time. cook until brittle when dropped in cold water. pour into buttered tins and mark for breaking before it is cold. ginger bread / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine cupful molasses teaspoonful ginger teaspoonful cloves teaspoonful cinnamon / teaspoonful nutmeg egg, beaten light / cupful sugar cupful sour milk teaspoonful baking soda cupfuls flour mix into a light dough and bake in a flat pan. quick oven. cookies - / cupfuls sugar / cupful swift's premium oleomargarine cupful sour cream eggs / teaspoonful soda teaspoonful nutmeg teaspoonful vanilla teaspoonful almond mix with flour enough to roll thin, and bake in a quick oven. {footer: would you like to reduce your butter bill? then use swift's premium oleomargarine.} on baking-day when you wish a fine-grained cake, beat the whites of the eggs to a stiff foam with a dover egg-beater. if something spongy, such as an angel cake, is desired, use a wire egg-beater, which makes a more air-inflated foam. recipes in the older, much-prized cook-books often call for a teacupful of yeast. a teacupful liquid yeast is equal to one cake of compressed yeast. to remove pecan meats whole, pour boiling water over nuts and let them stand until cold. then stand the nut on end and crack with a hammer, striking the small end of the nut. if beef or mutton drippings are used in making a pie-crust, beat them to a cream with a teaspoonful of baking-powder and the juice of half a lemon. this effectually removes all taste. when a cake sticks to a pan, set it for a few minutes on a cloth wrung out of cold water. it will then come out in good shape. heat the blade of the bread-knife before cutting a loaf of fresh bread. this prevents the usual breaking and crumbling of the slices. for cutting hot fudge, first dip the blade of the knife in boiling water. nothing is better for pudding molds than jelly tumblers with light tin covers. one can readily tell when the puddings are done without removing the covers. the juice will not boil out of apple or berry pies if you dot bits of swift's premium oleomargarine near the outer edge. a little salt in the oven under the baking-tins will prevent burning on the bottom. there is nothing more effective for removing the burned crust from cake or bread than a flat grater. it works evenly and leaves a smooth surface. use a wooden potato masher for stirring butter and sugar together for a cake. it is much quicker than a spoon. {footer: swift's premium oleomargarine is sweet, pure, and clean.} renovating suggestions to clean a velvet suit, sponge the spots with pure alcohol. then suspend the suit on a hanger in the bathroom in such a way that the air can reach all sides of the garment. turn on the hot water in the tub until the steam fills the room; shut the door and windows; shut off the water, and let the steam do its work for an hour. then admit the air, but do not touch the garment until it is perfectly dry. to remove shine from woolen goods, use gentle friction with emery paper. rub just enough to raise the nap, and then rub it over with a piece of silk. to mend kid gloves, first buttonhole around the rent not so close as in a buttonhole; then overcast, taking up the thread of the buttonhole on the edge, and then draw together. to clean men's coat collars, rub with a black stocking saturated with grain alcohol. this will remove the greasy look. to freshen a thin dress, dissolve two teaspoonfuls of elastic starch in half a cupful of lukewarm water, and with a soft rag dampen on the right side, then with a hot iron press on the wrong side. to clean grease spots from silk, split a visiting card and rub the soft internal part on the spot on the wrong side of the silk. the spot will disappear without taking the gloss off the silk. to mend lace curtains, take a small piece of net, dip it and the curtains in hot starch, and apply the patch over the hole. the patch will adhere when dry, and the repair will show much less than if the curtains were mended. to renew veils, dip them in gum-arabic water, and pin them out to dry as you would a lace curtain. when dry they will look like new. to freshen black taffeta or satin, sponge with a cupful of strong tea to which a little ammonia has been added. then press on the wrong side over a damp cloth. to remove perspiration stains, lay the stain over clean white blotting-paper, and sponge with equal parts of alcohol and ether mixed. rub dry, then touch lightly with household ammonia. if this leaves a blur, rub well with powdered french chalk on the wrong side. the blotting-paper prevents the fluids from forming a ring around the spot. house-cleaning hints and helps to clean linen shades, lay them flat and rub with powdered bath-brick. to clean piano keys, rub with muslin dipped in alcohol. if the keys are very yellow, use a piece of flannel moistened with cologne water. to clean books with delicate bindings, which are soiled from handling, rub with chamois skin dipped in powdered pumice stone. to restore straw matting which has become stained or faded, wash with a strong solution of soda water. use ordinary baking soda and plenty of swift's pride soap and wash thoroughly, and when dry it will be found that the spots have all disappeared and the matting is all one color. to clean glass vases, tea-leaves moistened with vinegar will remove the discoloration in glass vases caused by flowers, such as asters. to clean windows and mirrors, rub them over with thin cold starch, let it dry on, and then wipe off with a soft cloth. this will clean the glass and also give it a brilliant polish. to remove paint from window glass, use strong hot vinegar. to remove white spots from furniture, rub first with oil, and then with slightly diluted alcohol. to remove stains from an enameled saucepan, fill with water, add a little chloride of lime, and boil for a few minutes. to clean willow-ware, wash with salt water, using a brush. to polish the globes of gas and electric-light fixtures, wash with water in which a few drops of ammonia have been dissolved. to clean tiling, wipe with a soft cloth wrung out in soapy water. never scrub tiling, as scrubbing or the use of much water will eventually loosen the cement and dislodge the sections. to brighten nickel trimmings on a gas stove, wash with warm water, in which two tablespoonfuls of kerosene have been stirred. to save dusting, a piece of cheese cloth about two yards long placed on the floor in a freshly swept room will save much of the usual dusting. laundry helps a few cents' worth of powdered orris-root put in the wash water will impart a delicate odor to the clothes. hot milk is better than hot water to remove fruit stains. to remove spots from gingham, wet with milk and cover with common salt. leave for two hours, then rinse thoroughly. in washing white goods that have become yellow, put a few drops of turpentine into the water, then lay on the grass to dry in the strong sunshine. to make wash silk look like new, put a tablespoonful of wood alcohol to every quart of water when rinsing and iron while still damp. when washing, if the article is badly soiled, use a small scrubbing brush and scrub the goods over the washboard. to set green or blue, mauve or purple, soak the articles for at least ten minutes in alum water before washing them. use an ounce of alum to a gallon of water. to set brown or tan color, soak for ten minutes in a solution made of a cupful of vinegar in a pail of water. black goods and black-and-white goods need to be soaked in strong salt water, or to have a cupful of turpentine put into the wash water. yellows, buffs, and tans are made much brighter by having a cupful of strong, strained coffee put in the rinsing water. when ironing fine pieces, instead of sprinkling afresh, take a piece of muslin, wring it out in cold water, and lay on the ironing board under the article; press with a warm iron; remove the wet piece and iron. when making starch for light clothes use wool soap in the water. this will give the clothes a glossy appearance and the irons will not stick. badly scorched linen may be improved by using the following solution: boil together well a pint of vinegar, an ounce of wool soap, four ounces of fuller's earth, and the juice of two onions. spread this solution over the scorched spots on the linen and let it dry. afterward wash the garment and the scorch will disappear. to keep the clothes-line from twisting, hold the ball of rope in one hand and wind with the other until a twist appears; then change ball to the other hand and the twist will disappear. keep doing this, changing the rope from one hand to the other until the line is all wound up. about house plants to make ferns grow better, place some thin pieces of raw beef close to the inside of the pot, between the pot and the soil. old-fashioned portulaca makes a pretty low-growing green for a fern dish. to prevent plants from dropping their buds, give extra good drainage and systematic but moderate watering. an infallible wash for destroying the scaly insects that infest house plants is made as follows: place half a bar of swift's pride laundry soap in a deep saucer and pour kerosene around it. let this stand for about a week until the soap has absorbed the oil. then make a strong lather of this soap and with it wash the plants. after which spray them with clear water until clean. to destroy aphis, shower foliage of infested plant on both sides with strong tobacco tea, or, if the plant be small enough, immerse it in this tea. insects in the earth of a potted plant may be destroyed by pouring over the soil a glass of water in which a pinch of mustard has been stirred. if an asparagus fern turns yellow, repot it, giving it a strong loam enriched with one-fifth very old and finely crumbed manure and add a little coarse sand. give the fern only an hour or two of sunlight each day. water when it looks dry, but do not let it stand in any water that may have run through into the saucer. before putting plants in a wooden window box whitewash the inside of the box. this not only keeps the box from rotting, but prevents insects. if sprays of growing nasturtiums are broken off in the late summer and placed in a bowl of water they will root and grow all winter. how to use the cheaper cuts of meat much time has been given in the last few years to the study of foods, their necessary proportions, and the manner of cooking them. educators and scientists have alike agreed that this knowledge ought to be disseminated. on the part of the public also there has been a general awakening in this regard. there has been a wide demand especially from those of limited incomes for information on the purchase and preparation of foods. to meet this demand books have been published and articles have appeared in the various women's papers giving directions for living at all sorts of prices, from the extremely low one, "how to live on ten cents a day," to the normal one which requires the preparation of appetizing and satisfying dinners at a nominal cost. in order to accomplish living comfortably at small cost it is evident that one must understand the comparative values of foods, so as to select those which at low prices furnish the necessary nourishment, and, also, be able to cook them in an appetizing way which will conserve the nourishment. meat is a necessity to most people. yet much of the present expense in the purchase of meat is needless and unwise. many pieces of meat of the best quality are sold at low rates because not in shapes to be served as roasting or broiling pieces. these serve well for entrees or made-up dishes. other pieces which are tough but well flavored can, in the hands of an educated cook, be sent to the table as tender, palatable, sightly and nutritious as the prime cuts. it is to show some methods of preparing these cheaper cuts of meat in an appetizing manner that the following explanation of the processes of cooking and the accompanying recipes are given. meat is cooked, first, to aid digestion; secondly, to develop new flavors and render it more palatable. for cooking there are three essentials besides the material to be cooked--namely, heat, air, and moisture, the latter in the form of water, either found in the food or added to it. the combined effect of heat and moisture swells and bursts starch grains, hardens albumen, and softens fiber. albumen is a substance like the white of an egg. it exists in the juices of meat and contains much nourishment. if allowed to escape, the nourishment is lost and the meat is hard. therefore we have the first general rule for the cooking of meat, namely: _to retain the albumen, the outside of each piece of meat should be seared or sealed at once before the cooking is continued._ albumen is coagulated and hardened by intense heat. therefrom comes the second general rule, namely: _intense heat hardens and toughens meat, while a soft moist heat softens the fiber._ from these general rules we pass to the specific methods of cooking meat, which are nine in number--broiling, roasting, baking, frying, sauteing, steaming, boiling, stewing, or fricasseeing. broiling and roasting are practically the same, the chief difference being in the time employed. both mean to expose one side of the meat to the fire while the other is exposed to the air. by this method the meat is quickly seared and the nutritive juices retained. meat cooked in this way is richer and finer in flavor. baking means cooking in a pan in the oven of a stove, and in these days of hurry has largely superseded roasting. frying is the cooking by immersion in hot fat at a temperature of degrees fahrenheit. there must be sufficient fat to wholly cover each article. this method is employed for croquettes, oysters, etc., and is less injurious to digestion than sauteing. sauteing is cooking in a small quantity of fat, as an omelet or hashed browned potatoes are cooked. this is the least wholesome of all methods of cooking meat, and is often held directly responsible for indigestion. steaming is an admirable method of cooking tough meats or hams. modern housewives use a "cooker," which comes for this purpose, but the old-fashioned perforated steamer over a kettle of boiling water is also good. boiling is one of the simplest methods of cooking the cheaper cuts of meat. properly employed, it consists in plunging the whole piece of meat in a large kettle of rapidly boiling water. the meat should be entirely covered by the water, which should continue to boil rapidly for five minutes after the meat has been immersed in it. the temperature of the water should then be immediately lowered to degrees fahrenheit. if one has not a cooking thermometer, one has only to remember that water boils at degrees fahrenheit, and it will easily be seen that degrees is considerably below the boiling point. stewing or fricasseeing is really cooking slowly in a sauce after the meat has first been browned in a little hot fat. if the mixture is allowed to boil the meat will be tough and shriveled, but if properly stewed it will be soft and easy to digest. fricasseeing is the most economical of all methods of cooking meat, as there is very little loss in weight, and what is lost from the meat is found in the sauce. braising is a method much used in france, and is a cross between boiling and baking. it is done in a covered pan in the oven. the meat is first browned in a little hot fat and then placed in a pan which is partly filled with stock or water. the pan is covered closely and set in a hot oven. after ten minutes the temperature of the oven is reduced to a very low point, and the meat cooks slowly as the stock in the pan evaporates. this method is the best for inferior pieces which require long, slow cooking. it is an excellent method of cooking veal. meat which is lacking in flavor can be flavored by adding vegetables or herbs to the stock in the pan. different cuts of meat require different methods of cooking to bring about the best results. the following diagram and the accompanying suggestions for proper cuts for certain methods of cooking are those given by a prominent teacher in one of the leading domestic science schools in the united states. [illustration: . chuck . ribs . loin . rump . round . hind shank . flank . navel end . clod . fore shank . brisket.] the practical value and use of fireless cookers _the object of the following article is to present in simple and convenient form the history of the growth of fireless cooking and its advantages over the ordinary methods, so that those women who have had no experience in the management of fireless cookers may be encouraged to try them, and those adventurous women who experimented with the earlier cookers and met with disappointment may be induced to try again._ _such eminent authorities as linda hull larned, author of a series of cook-books; margaret j. mitchell, instructor of domestic science at drexel, pa., and formerly dietitian of manhattan institute state hospital, n. y.; mrs. runyon, manager of the lunchroom in the boston chamber of commerce; and miss armstrong, director of the drexel institute lunchroom--all advocate the use of fireless cookers, and unite in the assertion that it has invariably been found that a good understanding of their management has resulted in success followed inevitably by enthusiasm._ the practical value and use of fireless cookers this twentieth century is the age of progress in many directions, but most of all in domestic science. never before has so much attention been devoted to the home. journalists are giving columns of space to this topic. churches are directing their efforts to the betterment of the home. women's clubs and charitable organizations have taken up the study of the home. the most important result of all this action and thought is the widespread awakening to the fact that the social and moral standing of the home is directly dependent upon its hygienic and economic condition. in view of this fact, the national federation of women's clubs has practically covered the united states with their county, state, and national committees on housekeeping. they know that bad cooking in the home means unsatisfied stomachs, to gratify whose cravings the saloons are filled; it means anemic children, a physical condition that tends to produce criminals; it means premature funerals. to remedy these evils, churches, journalists, philanthropists, clubs are alike working, and all are working along the same lines--that is, better home furnishings, better fuels, better utensils, more efficient, more economic, and less laborious methods of housekeeping. they have not only sought and introduced new inventions, but they have studied the past and adapted and bettered the old. among the adaptations of the old ideas with new and modern improvements is the fireless cooker. ages ago norwegian and german peasant women, obliged to be away from the house all day working in the fields, knew the secret of bringing food to the boiling point and then continuing its cooking and keeping it hot by packing it in an improvised box of hay. in the evening when the women returned, weary and worn from their field labor, there was the family dinner all ready to serve. german club women were the first to see the value of this idea adapted to the needs of the german working class of the present day. these german club women revived the hay boxes and distributed numbers of them among poor families and began an educational campaign on their use. the american manufacturer, ever on the alert for ideas, was quick to perceive the economic and commercial advantages of making such an appliance in an up-to-date manner, and so to-day we have on the market numerous fireless cookers. the principle of fireless cooking, though it bears the difficult name of recaloration, is simple enough. it is merely the retention of heat through complete insulation, just as we retain cold in the ice-box by complete insulation. in the first case, a material which is a poor conductor of heat is interposed between the kettle of hot food and the surrounding atmosphere to prevent radiation or the escape of heat into the surrounding air. in the second case, a poor conductor of heat is placed between the ice and the warmer surrounding atmosphere to prevent the contact of the atmosphere with the ice and the consequent equalization of temperatures. a vacuum is an excellent non-conductor of heat and is employed in the thermos bottles advertised for use on automobile trips, but a vacuum is expensive and difficult to obtain, which accounts for the high price of thermos bottles. the effort has been to find some insulating agent within the means of the average housewife. this has now been done in the metal-lined cookers. the explanation of the cooking principle is equally simple. ordinarily we heat food to a certain temperature, say, the boiling point, and then we leave it over the fire for some time, not to get hotter, that would be impossible, but to keep it at the same degree of heat, and to do this we must, on account of radiation into the surrounding atmosphere, keep on supplying heat. in the fireless cooker the heat once generated is conserved, and there is no need to add thereto. herein lies the economy in fuel. you have only to burn gas long enough to bring the food to the boiling point, and the fireless cooker does the rest. you can put dinner on to cook, and go to work, to the theatre, to visit a friend, or read, or sew, without giving your meal any further attention till time to serve it. this sounds like a fairy tale, but it is absolutely true. by the fireless cooker you save nine-tenths of the fuel, and ninety-nine hundredths of your temper, your time, and your labor. you do not become perspiring and cross in a hot kitchen. you do not have scorched pots and kettles to scrape and scour and wash. another point in favor of fireless cooking is that it is attended by absolutely no odors. such vegetables as onions and cabbage can be cooked without any one's suspecting they are in the house. the economy in using the fireless cooker is not confined solely to a saving in gas and labor. there is also an actual and great economy in food, for there is almost no waste in this method of cooking. take for example a -pound piece of beef from the round. put this in the kettle of the fireless cooker with a pint of water for each pound of meat. heat it on the gas range slowly, taking about twenty minutes to bring it to the boiling point. then, according to directions, place it in the fireless cooker and finish the cooking. when it is done and tender, it will be found that there is only a minute loss in weight; to be exact, ounces for pounds. you bought pounds of meat and have to serve on your table pounds and ounces. you could not make any such showing if you had cooked the meat on a gas or coal range. four pounds and ounces, however, is not all that you have to serve. you originally added to your meat pints of water. a little of this evaporated or cooked away in the twenty minutes primary cooking on the stove. all the rest is retained, for there is absolutely no evaporation in a fireless cooker. this water has added to it the nutritive value and flavor acquired from the meat. so besides your pounds and ounces of meat you have over pints of rich soup stock which has cost you absolutely nothing, as it is a by-product of the system of fireless cooking. "but," objects some one, "the meat cooked in such wise will have lost all its juice and flavor." on the contrary, there is a distinct gain in the matter of flavor in fireless cookery. we absolutely know this to be so, for we have had various cuts of meat, especially the cheaper cuts, cooked in a fireless cooker and the dishes so prepared have been submitted to competent judges; the opinion was unanimous that there was a real difference between the flavor of meats so cooked and that of corresponding cuts cooked after the usual methods, and that the delicacy and richness of flavor lay with those meats cooked by the fireless method. when one understands the principles of cookery this richness of flavor of meats cooked by the fireless method is not surprising. every one knows the proverbial deliciousness of french cookery. the special peculiarity of the french cuisine is the long, slow simmering of meats in closely covered earthen pots called casseroles. the principle is essentially that of the fireless cooker, but the casserole not being insulated, the french cook is obliged to keep on supplying a sufficient degree of heat to keep the casserole warm and its contents simmering. examples of fireless cooking with which many persons are familiar by experience or hearsay are the foods cooked in primitive ways, whose deliciousness is generally ascribed to the "hunger sauce" that accompanies outdoor cookery. among such examples are the burying of the saucepan in a hole in the ground, the cooking of food by dropping heated stones into the mixture, and the clambake known among the narragansett indians. in all these cases we have the principle of the fireless cooker--_i. e._, closely-covered food slowly cooked at low temperature. indeed, one fireless cooker is constructed directly on the principle employed in the new england clambake, and every one knows the deliciousness of food so cooked has become proverbial. by the fireless cooker the cheaper cuts of meat can be cooked so that they are delicious, appetizing, tender. there is here a distinct saving in money, for by the employment of the fireless method of cooking, the cheaper cuts of meat can be made to serve all the purposes of the higher-priced pieces. further, if the meats are stewed, boiled, or steamed, you also acquire at no cost whatever as many pints of delicious soup stock, less one, as you have pounds of meat. let us now recapitulate the advantages of fireless cooking:-- a fireless cooker saves money . because by its use cheaper meats can be made to answer as well as higher-priced cuts. . because out of a given quantity of raw material you get, after the cooking is done, more actual food than by any other method. a fireless cooker saves fuel you have only to burn your gas twenty minutes for a -pound piece of meat for fireless cooking, whereas by the usual method you would burn the gas two to four hours, according to the way you desired the meat cooked. a fireless cooker saves time because you have only to watch the meat until it boils. by the usual method you must attend to it all the hours it is on cooking. a fireless cooker saves irritation and worry for by this method of cooking the housewife knows that the food cannot burn or overcook. a fireless cooker adds to the intellectual expansion and the pleasures of the family because it gives the mother time from her kitchen to oversee the development of her children, and to share with them and their father their pleasures and interests. to the wage-earning woman the fireless cooker is a positive godsend. she can put food into the cooker before going to work, and return to find her meal all ready. if the housewife lives in the city and has to serve dinner at night all the preliminary cooking can be done at noon, and the meal placed in the fireless cooker till evening. to the bachelor girl who lives by means of a kitchenette, and must do her cooking in what is at once parlor, bedroom and kitchen, what a blessing is the absence of heat and odors that the fireless cooker assures. in conclusion we quote from a bulletin published by the university of illinois, in which a study is made of the methods of roasting and cooking meats. the authors found that there was no advantage in cooking meat in a very hot oven ( degrees fahrenheit), but rather a difficulty to keep it from burning; that in an oven which was about degrees fahrenheit the meat cooked better; and that in an aladdin oven, which kept the meat at degrees fahrenheit, it cooked best of all--that is, it was of more uniform character all through, more juicy and more highly flavored. these findings point to an advantage in fireless cooking, and miss mitchell asserts that practical experience bears it out. with regard to meats cooked in water in the cooker, miss mitchell asserts that experience has shown that they become well done and are more tender than when boiled, showing that the temperatures necessary to reach that degree of cooking are obtained even in the center of a large piece of meat, without toughening or hardening the outside of the meat, as is done when more intense heat is applied. recipes the following recipes are for the cheaper cuts of meat exclusively, and employ one or another of the preceding methods. note that in all the recipes the two general rules for tender and juicy meat are observed. the outside of the meat is first quickly seared over to prevent the escape of the juices, and after the first five minutes the heat is reduced so as not to harden the albumen. boiled or fricasseed meats should cook slowly. if meat is boiled at a gallop the connective tissue is destroyed, the meat falls from the bones in strings, and is hard and leathery. for stews, meat en casserole, or in any fashion where water is used in the cooking, select the round ( ), either upper or under. for boiling, the clod ( ) or the round ( ) or the extreme lower piece of ( ). for rolled steak, mock fillet, steak à la flamande, or beefsteak pie, the flank steak ( ) is best. for cheap stews use ( ). for beef à la mode, in a large family use a thick slice of the round ( ), for a small family the clod ( ). for soup, use the shin or leg. for beef tea, mince meat, and beef loaf, the neck is best. the chuck ( ) is used only for roasting or baking, and is good value only for a large family. ( ) and ( ) are the standing ribs and carve to the best advantage. the aitch or pin bone (in ) is a desirable roast for a large family. ( ) is the loin, the choicest part of the animal. from it come the fillet or tenderloin, the sirloin, and the porterhouse steaks. ( ) is the rump, from which come good steaks for broiling. beef cannelon with tomato sauce (one of the nicest and easiest of the cheap dishes) use flank steak ( ) pound uncooked beef chopped fine cupful cold boiled potatoes teaspoonful salt egg unbeaten / teaspoonful white pepper / cupful swift's beef extract tablespoonful swift's premium oleomargarine mix together beef, potatoes, salt, and pepper, and stir in egg last. form into a roll inches long. roll this in a piece of white paper which has been oiled on both sides. place in a baking-pan and add the beef extract and the oleomargarine. bake half an hour, basting twice over the paper. {footer: swift's premium oleomargarine reduces the cost of good living.} to serve beef cannelon, remove the paper, place the roll on the platter, and pour over it tomato sauce tablespoonful swift's premium oleomargarine cupful strained tomatoes teaspoonful onion juice tablespoonful flour / teaspoonful white pepper bay-leaf add onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper to tomatoes. rub the oleomargarine and flour together and place in inner kettle of oatmeal cooker, set over the fire, add the tomato, and stir until it boils. then place the kettle over hot water in the lower half of the oatmeal cooker, and cook so for ten minutes, when it is ready to serve. spanish minced beef in meat box (very pretty and palatable) use any of the cheaper cuts. the filling tablespoonful swift's premium oleomargarine onion chopped fine sweet peppers cut in strips tomatoes peeled, cut in halves and seeds squeezed out / teaspoonful salt make the filling first. put the oleomargarine in upper half of an oatmeal kettle, add onion and peppers, and simmer gently for twenty minutes. then add the tomato halves cut into three or four pieces each and cook twenty minutes longer. then add salt and pepper and set over hot water in lower half of kettle to keep hot till wanted. now make the meat box pounds uncooked beef chopped fine egg unbeaten teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper work all well together. form into a box whose sides are about an inch thick. place this box on a piece of oiled paper in the bottom of a baking-pan and bake in a quick oven for thirty minutes, basting twice with melted oleomargarine. to serve, lift box carefully, and place on platter and pour the filling into the center, and send at once to the table. {footer: swift's premium oleomargarine is a delicious, wholesome spread for bread.} beef à la mode use clod ( ) or under round ( ) the day before the beef is to be served rub it all over with the following, well mixed together:-- / teaspoonful ground cloves teaspoonful ground ginger / teaspoonful ground allspice / teaspoonful ground cinnamon / teaspoonful white pepper then sprinkle the beef with about two tablespoonfuls vinegar and let stand overnight. next day put in the bottom of the roasting pan:-- cupful small white button onions (chopped onion will do) cupful carrot cut in dice / teaspoonful celery-seed bay-leaf cupfuls swift's beef extract or of stock tablespoonfuls gelatine that has been soaked in cold water for half an hour lay the meat on the vegetables in the pan, cover closely, and set in an exceedingly hot oven until the meat has browned a little; then reduce the temperature of the oven, and cook very slowly for four hours, basting frequently. serve garnished with the vegetables. make a brown sauce from the stock left in the pan. this is a very good way to prepare meat in warm weather, as the spices enable it to be kept well for over a week. it is excellent served cold with creamed horseradish sauce tablespoonfuls grated horseradish with the vinegar drained off / teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls thick cream yolk of egg add the salt and egg-yolk to the horseradish and mix thoroughly; whip the cream stiff, and fold it in carefully and send at once to table. {footer: have you seen swift's premium oleomargarine? its appearance is appetizing.} boiled beef use cuts from ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) put the trimmings and suet of the beef into a large kettle and try out the fat. remove the cracklings or scraps and into the hot fat put the meat and turn quickly until it is red on all sides. cover completely with boiling water and boil rapidly for five minutes, then turn down the gas or remove kettle to back of coal range so that the water cannot possibly boil again, and cook fifteen minutes to each pound of meat. one hour before it is done add one tablespoonful salt and one-quarter teaspoonful pepper. when done garnish with watercress, or boiled cabbage, or vegetables. the liquor in which the meat was boiled can be saved for soup, or made into brown sauce to serve with it. left-over boiled beef may be served cold cut in thin slices, or made into croquettes, or into meat and potato roll, or into various warmed-over dishes. steak en casserole use a round steak ( ) inch thick pounds uncooked steak cut in pieces inches square cupful small white button onions tablespoonful chopped parsley / cupful carrot cut in dice / cupful white turnip cut in dice / teaspoonful celery-seed teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful white pepper cupfuls swift's beef extract or of stock boiling hot cover the bottom of the casserole with a layer of the mixed vegetables. put in an iron frying-pan over the fire to heat. when hot, rub over the bottom with a piece of swift's premium oleomargarine. lay in the pieces of steak and brown quickly on both sides. remove them from the frying-pan and arrange on the vegetables in the casserole. cover them with the remaining vegetables. sprinkle over the celery-seed, salt, and pepper, and then pour the hot stock over all. cover the dish and bake for one hour in a quick oven. steak en casserole should be sent to the table in the same dish in which it is cooked. the steak should be brown and tender, the vegetables slightly brown, and the stock nearly all absorbed. {footer: swift's premium oleomargarine is u. s. government inspected and passed.} beef loaf use cuts from chuck ( ) or the round ( ) pounds uncooked meat chopped fine cupfuls bread-crumbs tablespoonfuls chopped parsley level teaspoonful pepper eggs unbeaten large onion chopped fine rounding teaspoonfuls salt mix meat and onion. add the dry ingredients next. mix well, then add the eggs. pack all down hard in a square bread-pan so the loaf will take the form of the pan. bake for two hours in a moderately quick oven, basting every fifteen minutes with hot swift's beef extract or hot stock. when done, set away in the pan until cold. to serve, turn out on a platter and cut in thin slices and serve with catsup or with cream horseradish sauce. recipe for the latter is given under "beef à la mode." little beef cakes use any of the cheaper cuts pound uncooked beef chopped fine tablespoonful swift's premium oleomargarine tablespoonful flour / teaspoonful salt tablespoonful grated onion cupfuls beef extract or stock teaspoonful kitchen bouquet / teaspoonful white pepper shape the meat into little cakes. put the oleomargarine in a frying-pan, and when hot lay in the cakes and brown quickly on both sides. then remove the cakes. into the oleomargarine left in the pan put the flour and brown. then add the stock gradually, stirring all the time so there will be no lumps. when smooth add the seasonings. then lay in the beef cakes, cover, and cook slowly for five minutes. serve at once with the sauce poured over them. {footer: have you tried swift's premium oleomargarine? it is worth trying.} curry balls use any of the cheaper cuts pound uncooked beef chopped fine tablespoonfuls swift's premium oleomargarine tablespoonful flour level teaspoonful salt teaspoonful curry-powder onion chopped cupful strained tomatoes / teaspoonful white pepper make the meat into little balls. put one tablespoon oleomargarine in frying-pan, and in it cook the onion slowly without browning it until the onion is soft. then add the curry-powder and meat balls, and shake the pan over a quick fire for ten minutes. put the second tablespoonful oleomargarine in another frying-pan, and when hot add to it the flour. stir well, then add the salt, pepper and tomato. let come to a boil and then pour over the meat balls. cover and cook slowly for five minutes. curry balls are nicest served with boiled rice. smothered beef with corn pudding use any of the cheaper cuts pounds uncooked beef chopped fine level teaspoonful salt tablespoonfuls swift's premium oleomargarine / teaspoonful pepper this meat should be free from fat. have ready an iron pan very hot. put the chopped meat in it and set in a very hot oven for fifteen minutes, stirring it once or twice. then add the oleomargarine, salt and pepper, and serve at once with corn pudding can corn cupful milk level teaspoonful salt teaspoonful baking-powder / teaspoonful white pepper eggs - / cupfuls flour mix corn with milk, salt and pepper. add the yolks, well beaten. sift the flour with the baking-powder and add it gradually. lastly, fold in the well-beaten whites of the eggs. bake in a quick oven for thirty minutes. {footer: the high price of butter has no terror for users of swift's premium oleomargarine.} beefsteak pie use the flank steak ( ) or round ( ) pounds uncooked meat cut in inch cubes cupful flour tablespoonful parsley chopped fine / pound suet freed of membrane and chopped fine onion chopped fine cupful swift's beef extract or stock boiling hot teaspoonful salt / teaspoonful pepper put meat in deep pudding-dish and sprinkle over it parsley, onion, salt and pepper. to the suet add the flour, a pinch of salt, and sufficient ice water to moisten, but not to make wet. knead a little until it can be rolled out in a crust large enough to cover the top of the pudding-dish. pour the boiling stock over the meat. spread the crust over it and cut a slit in the top. brush over with milk and bake in a moderate oven one and a quarter hours. serve in same dish with a napkin folded around it. braised beef use inch thick slice from under round ( ) / cupful onion chopped / cupful carrot cut in dice / cupful turnip cut in dice / cupful celery cut in / -inch lengths stem parsley peppercorns cloves bay-leaf teaspoonful salt cupfuls swift's beef extract rub the slice of meat with flour. have ready bacon or pork fat very hot in frying-pan. lay in the meat and brown quickly on both sides. spread the seasonings and vegetables over the bottom of a baking-pan. lay the browned meat upon them; add the swift's beef extract; cover, and bake three hours in very slow oven, basting every fifteen minutes. to serve, lay meat in center of the platter. place vegetables around it. make a brown sauce with the liquor left in pan and pour over the vegetables. {footer: use swift's premium oleomargarine on your table and for cooking.} brown beef stew with dumplings use bony end shoulder ( ) or veiny piece (lower ) pounds uncooked beef cut in inch cubes tablespoonfuls flour teaspoonful kitchen bouquet small carrot cut in dice / teaspoonful pepper teaspoonful salt ounces of suet cupfuls swift's beef extract or of stock onion bay-leaf roll the meat cubes in one tablespoonful of the flour. put suet in frying-pan and shake over fire until melted. remove the crackling, put in the meat cubes and turn till they are slightly browned on all sides. remove the meat. into the fat in the pan stir the second tablespoonful of flour; mix and add gradually the stock, stirring all the while so there will be no lumps. when smooth, return the meat to the pan, add the vegetables and seasonings. cover the pan, draw to the back of the coal range, or reduce the flame of the gas so that the stew will not boil, and let it simmer for one and one-half hours. ten minutes before serving make the dumplings cupfuls flour rounding teaspoonful baking-powder / level teaspoonful salt / cupful milk sift flour, baking-powder, and salt together. add the milk. take to fire and drop the mixture by spoonfuls all over the stew. cover and cook slowly for ten minutes without once removing the cover. to serve, lift the dumplings carefully and lay around the edge of the platter; place stew in the center, and over it pour the sauce. {footer: wherever butter is specified in a recipe use a slightly smaller quantity of swift's premium oleomargarine, it costs less and is just as good.} timetable for baking beans (if prepared by soaking and boiling), to hrs. beef sirloin or rib, rare, weight pounds, hr. min. beef sirloin or rib, well done, weight pounds, hr. min. beef rump, rare, weight pounds, hr. min. biscuit raised, to min. biscuits, baking-powder, to min. bread, white loaf, to min. bread, graham loaf, to min. cake, layer, to min. cake, loaf, to min. cake, sponge, to min. chicken, to pounds, - / to hrs. cookies, to min. custard (baked in cups), to min. duck, domestic, to - / hrs. duck, wild, to min. fish, thick, to pounds, to min. fish, small, to min. gingerbread, to min. lamb leg, well done, - / to hrs. mutton, - / to hrs. pork, well done, pounds, hrs. potatoes, to min. puddings, rice, bread, to min. veal leg, well done, per pound, min. timetable for boiling asparagus, to min. beans, shell, to - / hrs. beans, string, to min. beets, young, to min. beets, old, to hrs. brown bread, steamed, hrs. cabbage, to min. carrots, hr. cauliflower, to min. chickens, young, to pounds, to - / hrs. corn, green, min. corned beef, gentle simmering, to hrs. eggs, soft cooked (in water which does not boil), to min. eggs, hard cooked (in water which does not boil), to min. ham, weight to pounds, to hrs. onions, to min. rice in fast boiling water, min. smoked tongue, hrs. timetable for frying bacon, to min. fritters or doughnuts, to min. croquettes, to min. breaded chops, to min. smelts, to min. small fish, to min. index page baking-day helps, beef à la mode, beef cannelon, beef loaf, beefsteak pie, boiled beef, braised beef, brown beef stew, butter scotch, cookies, cornbread, corn pudding, cream horseradish sauce, curry balls, dumplings, english walnut pudding, fireless cooker, the practical value and use of, - ginger bread, house-cleaning hints, house-plant suggestions, how to use the cheaper cuts of meat, - illustration showing standard cuts of beef, laundry helps, lemon pie, little beef cakes, loaf fig cake, oatmeal crackers, oleomargarine, swift's premium, foot notes oleomargarine, the truth about, penoche, renovating suggestions, recipes, - , - smothered beef with corn pudding, spanish minced beef, steak en casserole, sugar cookies, timetables (baking, boiling, frying), tomato sauce, truth about oleomargarine, [illustration] the shirley press chicago transcriber's note: both "to-day" and "today" appear in the original text. this has not been changed. in the plain-text versions of this book, bolding and italics on page footers (shown as {footer: text}) have not been represented. the following corrections have been made to the text: p. : "dopping" to "dropping" (dropping their buds) p. : "fahrenheat" to "fahrenheit" (at degrees fahrenheit) p. : "a la" to "à la" ("à la flamande" and "à la mode") p. : missing close bracket added (bony end shoulder ( ) or veiny piece) transcriber's note: please note that this book was published decades ago and nutritional opinion has changed in some ways. in particular, people are now generally advised not to eat raw eggs. please use caution when following these recipes. [illustration: cover] _fifty-two_ sunday dinners _a book of recipes_ arranged on a unique plan, combining helpful suggestions for appetizing, well-balanced menus, with all the newest ideas and latest discoveries in the preparation of tasty, wholesome cookery [illustration] _written and compiled by_ mrs. elizabeth o. hiller founder and principal of the chicago domestic science school, and a noted writer and lecturer on culinary subjects _published by_ the n. k. fairbank company chicago new york st. louis new orleans montreal copyrighted , by the n. k. fairbank company _and the passage of years shall not dim in the least the glory and joy of our sabbath-day feast._ --_eugene field_ price, $ . introduction to the modern wide-awake, twentieth-century woman efficiency in household matters is quite as much a problem as efficiency in business is to the captains of industry. how to make pure food, better food and to economize on the cost of same is just now taxing the attention and ingenuity of domestic science teachers and food experts generally. the average housewife is intensely interested in the result of these findings, and must keep in touch with them to keep up with the times and run her home in an intelligent and economical as well as healthful routine. the eternal feminine question is, "what shall we have for dinner to-day?" it is not always the easiest thing in the world to think of a seasonable menu, nor to determine just the right combination that will furnish a meal appetizing and well-balanced in food values. furthermore, both the expense and the amount of work entailed in preparation must be considered. this cook book is especially designed to meet just that pressing daily need of the housewife. it presents for her guidance a menu for every sunday dinner in the year; it suggests dishes which are seasonable as well as practical; it tells in a simple, intelligent manner just how these dishes can be made in the most wholesome and economical form; and the recipes have all been especially made for this book and tested by that eminent expert, mrs. elizabeth o. hiller. the title of " sunday dinners" has been given the book because sunday dinners as a rule are a little more elaborate than the other dinners of the week, but from these menus may be gleaned helpful hints for daily use. while climatic conditions differ somewhat in various sections of the country, we have tried to approximate the general average, so that the suggestions might be as valuable to the housewife in new england as to the housewife in the west or south, or vice versa. simplicity, economy and wholesomeness have been given preferred attention in the preparation of these recipes, many of which are here presented for the first time. in the interest of health and economy a number of the recipes suggest the use of cottolene--a frying and shortening medium of unquestioned purity--in place of butter or lard. cottolene is a vegetable shortening, pure in source and manufactured amid cleanly favorable surroundings. it is no new, untried experiment, having been used by domestic science experts and thousands of housewives for nearly twenty years; to them cottolene for shortening and frying is "equal to butter at half the price, better and more healthful than lard--and more economical than either." we, therefore, offer no apologies for the small proportion of recipes specifying the use of cottolene, and suggest that a trial will convince any housewife that cottolene makes better food than either butter or lard, and is preferable from the standpoints of efficiency, economy and healthfulness. we commend this book to your critical inspection and test, believing you will find it convenient, helpful, unique and pointing the way to better and more economical living. the n. k. fairbank company. for all shortening and frying use cottolene years ago nothing but butter or lard were used for shortening and frying; to-day the visible supply of these two products is insufficient to supply the demand, taking into consideration the amount of butter required for table use. furthermore, as the demand increased it outgrew the supply of butter and lard, with the result that prices were materially advanced; and, incidentally, the quality has been lowered. naturally, under such conditions scores of substitutes have been offered as shortening and frying mediums--some meritorious, but mostly inferior. cottolene is not offered the housewife as a cheap imitation of either butter or lard, but as a vegetable product which is superior to either for cooking purposes. because it happens to be about half the price of butter, or less, is but an additional reason, from a purely economical standpoint, for its use. the main argument for the use of cottolene is the purity of its ingredients and the wholesomeness of the food prepared with it. there isn't an ounce of hog fat in cottolene, and from cottonfield to kitchen human hands never touch the product. it is pure and absolutely free from taint or contamination from source to consumer. packed in our patent, air-tight tin pails, cottolene reaches you as fresh as the day it was made. lard and butter are sold in bulk, and do not have this protection. cottolene is always uniform in quality, and because of its freedom from moisture it goes one-third farther than butter or lard, both of which contain about % of water. it is much more economical than lard; about % more so than butter. cottolene contains no salt, and is richer in shortening properties than either butter or lard. two-thirds of a pound of cottolene will give better results than a pound of either butter or lard. because cottolene is made from sweet and pure oils, refined by our own special process, it makes food more digestible. its use insures light, flaky pie-crust; it makes deliciously crisp, tender doughnuts; for cake-making it creams up beautifully and gives results equal to the best cooking butter; muffins, fritters, shortcake and all other pastry are best when made with cottolene; it makes food light and rich, but never greasy. cottolene heats to a higher temperature than butter or lard, and cooks so quickly the fat has no chance to soak in. you can fry fish in cottolene and use the remaining fat for frying potatoes or other food. the odor of fish will not be imparted to the other food fried in the fat. cottolene is just as pure and healthful as olive oil, and is unqualifiedly recommended by leading physicians, domestic science authorities and culinary experts as wholesome, digestible and economical. the use of cottolene in your frying and shortening will both save you money and give you better results. how to use cottolene the general care of cottolene exercise the same care and judgment with cottolene as you would with butter, lard or olive oil; keep it in a moderately cool place when not in use, just as you would butter--so that its best qualities may be preserved. moreover, just because you occasionally buy strong butter or rancid lard which your grocer has kept in too warm a place, you do not denounce all butter or lard and give up their use; neither would it be fair to condemn cottolene simply because your grocer may not have kept it properly. no fat will keep sweet indefinitely without proper care. the use of cottolene for shortening of course, the recipes in this book indicate the exact amount of cottolene to be used. in your other recipes, however, a general, _and important_, rule for the use of cottolene is: =use one-third less cottolene than the amount of butter or lard given in your recipe.= for cake-baking, cream the cottolene as you would butter, adding a little salt; _cottolene contains no salt_. for other pastry handle exactly the same as directed for either butter or lard, using one-third less. the use of cottolene in frying in _sautéing_, _browning_ or "_shallow frying_" (as it is sometimes called) use only enough cottolene to grease the pan. the cottolene should be put into the pan _while cold_ and, after the bottom of the pan is once covered with the melted cottolene, more can be added as desired. add more fat when you turn the food. cottolene can be heated to a much higher temperature without burning than either butter or lard, but--unless allowed to heat gradually--the cottolene may burn and throw out an odor, just as would any other cooking-fat. for _deep frying_, have cottolene at least deep enough to cover, or float, the article being fried, heating slowly. for uncooked mixtures, such as doughnuts, fritters, etc., test with one-inch cubes of stale bread. the cubes of bread should brown a golden brown in one minute; or test with a bit of dough, which should rise at once to the top with some sputtering. make this test always,--never trust your eye. the fat should be kept at an even temperature. for cooked mixtures, such as croquettes, fish balls, etc., the cube of bread should brown a golden brown in seconds. uncooked fish and meat are better when covered with bread crumbs, to keep the crisp crust desired in frying food (see note on egging and crumbing under culinary hints, page ). the fat should be hot at first, that it may not penetrate; then reduce the heat, that the food may cook till done, without burning. crumbed food is usually arranged in a croquette basket before placing it in the hot fat. this prevents the food from moving about, which sometimes causes the crust to loosen from the food, allowing it to absorb the fat. never let the fat heat to smoking point, for then it is burning hot, and the food will burn on the outside while the inside remains raw and uncooked. cook only three or four pieces at once, for more will chill the fat and prevent perfect frying. after the food has been cooked by this frying method it should be carefully removed at once from the fat and drained on brown paper. care of cottolene after frying after the frying is done, the fat should be allowed to stand in a cool place to permit any sediment to settle. when cool, pour the fat carefully through a double fold of cheesecloth, or through a fine strainer. it is then ready for use. cottolene does not retain the taste or odor from any article whatever that may be fried in it, and it may be used over and over again. you may from time to time, add fresh cottolene to it as your quantity diminishes, but the frying qualities of the cottolene are not affected by the shrinkage of the fat. what noted cooking experts think of cottolene. the high regard in which cottolene is held by all those who have made a careful study of food preparation and food values is conclusively shown by the following testimonials received from famous authorities on domestic science: mrs. sarah tyson rorer principal philadelphia cooking school and culinary editor "the ladies' home journal." "_i use cottolene in every and all the ways that one would use lard, also in the preparation of sweet cakes. i consider it an important frying medium and a much more healthful product than lard._" * * * * * marion harland author of the famous "marion harland cook book." "_many years ago i discontinued the use of lard in my kitchen and substituted for it--as an experiment--cottolene, then comparatively a new product. since my first trial of it i can truly say that it has given complete satisfaction, whether it is used alone, as 'shortening,' or in combination with butter in pastry, biscuit, etc., or in frying. i honestly believe it to be the very best thing of its kind ever offered to the american housekeeper._" * * * * * mrs. janet m. hill editor "boston cooking school magazine." "_for several years i have used cottolene in my own kitchen and find it very satisfactory. i am glad to commend it._" * * * * * miss jennie underwood superintendent the new york cooking school. "_we have used cottolene for some time in our classes here and are more than pleased with the results, all agreeing that it is a very valuable article. as a shortening agent in pastry, biscuit, etc., it has proved all that you claim for it, and as a frying agent it is entirely satisfactory._" * * * * * miss mary arline zurhorst principal national school domestic arts and science, washington, d. c. "_not only have we found cottolene invaluable as a frying agent, no matter how delicate the composition of the article to be cooked, but also as a substitute for the shortening in pastries and sweets it has no equal._" * * * * * these are but a few. other well known authorities who have tested cottolene and recommend its use are: mrs. f. a. benson mrs. emma p. ewing and mrs. christine terhune herrick eminent physicians endorse the wholesomeness of cottolene nine-tenths of all human ailments are due primarily to indigestion or are aggravated because of it. the chief cause of indigestion is food prepared with lard. the following are but brief extracts from letters received, showing the high esteem in which cottolene is regarded as a cooking medium by physicians ranking among the highest in the profession. j. hobart egbert, a. m., m. d., ph. d. from an article in the "medical summary," entitled, "available facts for consumptives and others with wasting diseases." "_in cooking food, we would recommend the preparation known as 'cottolene,' a wholesome combination of fresh beef suet and purest cottonseed oil. this preparation is both economical and convenient, free from adulteration and impurities, and dietetic experiments conclusively show that incorporated in food it yields to the body available nourishment._" * * * * * r. ogden doremus, m. d., ll. d. professor of chemistry, toxicology and medical jurisprudence, bellevue hospital medical college, new york. "_as a substitute for lard, which is its purpose, cottolene possesses all the desirable qualities of lard without having the objectionable features inherent in all products obtained from swine._" * * * * * dr. james page emery from an article in the "american housekeeper" entitled "the most healthful of all cooking fats." "_cottolene, being essentially a vegetable product, forms the most healthful and nutritious cooking medium known to the food experts and medical profession._" * * * * * wm. jago, f. i. c., f. c. s. that eminent chemist, william jago, than whom there is no higher authority on cooking fats, reports as follows from brighton, england: "_i find cottolene to consist practically of per cent pure fat, the following being the actual results obtained by analysis: percentage of pure fat, . . i found the 'shortening' effect of ozs. of cottolene practically equal to that of lb. best butter. for hygienic reasons, cottolene may be used with safety as a perfectly harmless and innocuous substitute for other fats employed for dietetic purposes._" * * * * * other eminent physicians who have endorsed and recommended cottolene are: =henry seffmann, m.d.=, professor of chemistry, woman's medical college of pennsylvania, philadelphia; =prof. jesse p. battershall, ph.s., f.c.s.=, chemist u.s. laboratory, new york; =dr. allen mclane hamilton=, new york, n.y.; =dr. edw. smith=, analyst new york state board of health. how to measure one cup, or one tablespoon, or one teaspoon, means a full measure--all it will hold of liquid, and even with the rim, or edge, of dry material. all measurements in this book are level unless otherwise stated, and _the quantities indicated are designed for a family of six persons_. stir up all packed materials, like mustard in its box, and sift flour before measuring. fill cup without shaking down, and dip spoon in material, taking up a heaped measure, then with a knife scrape off toward the tip till you have level measure. pack butter or cottolene in cup so there will be no air spaces. a scant cup means one-eighth less and a heaped cup about one-eighth more than a level cup. divide a level spoon lengthwise for a half measure, and a half spoon crosswise for quarters or eighths. a pinch means about one-eighth, so does a saltspoon; less means a dash or a few grains. a rounded tablespoon means filled above the rim as much as the spoon hollow below, and equals two of level measure. it also equals one ounce in weight, and two rounded tablespoons if put together would heap a tablespoon about as high as would an egg, giving us the old-time measure of "butter size of an egg," or two ounces, or one-fourth the cup. except in delicate cake, or where it is creamed with sugar, and in pastry--where it should be chilled to make a flaky crust, cottolene or butter may be most quickly and economically measured after it is melted. keep a small supply in a granite cup, and when needed, stand the cup in hot water, and when melted, pour the amount desired into the spoon or cup. for all kinds of breakfast cakes, it is especially helpful to measure it in this way. soda, baking powder, spices, etc., are generally measured with a teaspoon, level measure, for this gives the proportional amount needed for the cup measure of other materials. standard table of weights and measures (all measurements are made level) liquids drops = teaspoon teaspoons = tablespoon tablespoon = / ounce tablespoons = / cup or / gill gills = cup cups = pint cups milk or water = pound solids tablespoons flour = ounce cups flour = pound or quart solid level cups of butter or cottolene = pound / solid level cup butter = / pound tablespoons granulated sugar = ounce cups granulated sugar = pound - / cups powdered sugar = pound solid cups chopped meat = pound tablespoons butter (solid and level) = ounce tablespoons butter (solid and level) = / cup tablespoons coffee = ounce large eggs = pound time tables for cooking baking bread, cakes and puddings loaf bread to m. rolls, biscuit to m. graham gems m. gingerbread to m. sponge-cake to m. plain cake to m. fruit cake to hrs. cookies to m. bread pudding hr. rice and tapioca hr. indian pudding to hrs. plum pudding to hrs. custards to m. steamed brown-bread hrs. steamed puddings to hrs. pie-crust about m. potatoes to m. baked beans to hrs. braised meat to hrs. scalloped dishes to m. baking meats beef, sirloin, rare, per lb. to m. beef, sirloin, well done, per lb. to m. beef, rolled rib or rump, per lb. to m. beef, long or short fillet to m. mutton, rare, per lb. m. mutton, well done, per lb. m. lamb, well done, per lb. m. veal, well done, per lb. m. pork, well done, per lb. m. turkey, lbs. wt. hrs. chickens, to lbs. wt. to - / hrs. goose, lbs. hrs. tame duck to m. game duck to m. grouse, pigeons m. small birds to m. venison, per lb. m. fish, to lbs.; long, thin fish hr. fish, to lbs.; thick halibut hr. fish, small to m. freezing ice cream m. boiling coffee to m. tea, steep without boiling m. cornmeal hrs. hominy, fine hr. oatmeal, rolled m. oatmeal coarse, steamed hrs. rice, steamed to m. rice, boiled to m. wheat granules to m. eggs, soft boiled to m. eggs, hard boiled to m. fish, long, whole, per lb. to m. fish, cubical, per lb. m. clams, oysters to m. beef, corned and à la mode to hrs. soup stock to hrs. veal, mutton to hrs. tongue to hrs. potted pigeons hrs. ham hrs. sweetbreads to m. sweet corn to m. asparagus, tomatoes, peas to m. macaroni, potatoes, spinach, squash, celery, cauliflower, greens to m. cabbage, beets, young to m. parsnips, turnips to m. carrots, onions, salsify to m. beans, string and shelled to hrs. puddings, quart, steamed hrs. puddings, small hr. frying croquettes, fish balls m. doughnuts, fritters to m. bacon, small fish, potatoes to m. breaded chops and fish to m. broiling steak, one inch thick m. steak, one and a half inch thick m. small, thin fish to m. thick fish to m. chops broiled in paper to m. chickens m. liver, tripe, bacon to m. helpful culinary hints on methods of cooking water _boiling_ slowly has the same temperature as when boiling rapidly, and will do just the same amount of work; there is, therefore, no object in wasting fuel to keep water boiling violently. _stewing_ is the most economical method of cooking the cheaper and tougher cuts of meats, fowl, etc. this method consists in cooking the food a long time in sufficient water to cover it--at a temperature slightly below the boiling point. _braising._ in this method of cooking, drippings or fat salt pork are melted or tried out in the kettle and a bed of mixed vegetables, fine herbs and seasoning placed therein. the article being cooked is placed on this bed of vegetables, moisture is added and the meat cooked until tender at a low temperature. the last half hour of cooking the cover is removed, so that the meat may brown richly. in _broiling_ and _grilling_, the object is first to sear the surface over as quickly as possible, to retain the rich juices, then turn constantly until the food is richly browned. _pan-broiling_ is cooking the article in a greased, hissing-hot, cast-iron skillet, turning often and drawing off the fat as it dries out. _sautéing_ is practically the same as pan-broiling, except that the fat is allowed to remain in the skillet. the article is cooked in a small amount of fat, browning the food on one side and then turning and browning on the other side. _frying._ while this term is sometimes used in the sense of sautéing it usually consists of cooking by means of immersion in deep, hot fat. when frying meats or fish it is best to keep them in a warm room a short time before cooking, then wipe dry as possible. as soon as the food has finished frying, it should be carefully removed from the fat and drained on brown paper. egging and crumbing food use for this dry bread crumbs, grated and sifted, crackers rolled and sifted, or soft stale bread broken in pieces and gently rubbed through croquette basket; the eggs should be broken into a shallow plate and slightly beaten with a fork to mix the white thoroughly. dilute the eggs in the proportion of two tablespoons cold milk or water to every egg. the crumbs should be dusted on the board; the food to be fried should be lightly crumbed all over, then dipped into egg so as to cover the article entirely, then rolled again in bread crumbs. sometimes, as in cooking fish, flour is used for the first coating in place of the crumbs, the article being then dipped into the egg mixture, then with crumbs and then fried. larding consists of introducing small strips of fat, salt pork or bacon through uncooked meat. to lard, introduce one end of the lardoon (the small strip of fat) into a larding needle and with the pointed end take up a stitch one-half inch deep and one-half inch wide. draw the needle through carefully so that the ends of the lardoon may project evenly over the surface of the meat. oftentimes, however, thin slices of fat, salt pork or bacon are placed over the meat as a substitute for larding, although it does not give quite the same delicious flavor or look so attractive. marinating consists of adding a pickle, composed of vinegar and oil, to the ingredients of some combination used in salad making. cleaning cooking utensils for washing dishes and cleaning pots and pans use a solution made by dissolving a teaspoonful or so of gold dust washing powder in a dish-pan full of water. if the cooking utensils have become charred or stained in cooking, sprinkle some polly prim cleaner on a damp cloth and rub utensil thoroughly. after scouring, rinse the article well in hot water, and wipe dry. use polly prim cleaner also, for cleaning cutlery and for keeping the refrigerator clean and sweet. _january_ _hail! hail! the new year, ring the bells till music echoes o'er the dells, play merry tunes, sing merry songs, for joy to this new year belongs._ --_raymond._ [illustration] editor's note: _this menu--the first of the year--has been prepared rather more elaborately than the customary sunday menus, with the thought that it might serve also as suggestion for a new year's dinner._ [sidenote: _january_ _first sunday_] menu oysters on the half shell mangoes salted nuts olives consommÉ duchess--imperial sticks crab meat in timbale cases "green" goose roasted--potato and nut stuffing chantilly apple sauce onions au gratin endive, celery and green pepper salad vanilla ice cream--chocolate sauce cocoanut cubes--chocolate nut cake fruit raisins nuts roquefort cheese--water biscuit cafÉ noir * * * * * oysters on the half shell dozen oysters. lemons cut in quarters. salt, pepper, tobasco, horseradish and tomato catsup. process: if possible, have the little blue points. open, loosen, and leave them on the lower shell. fill soup plates with shaved ice and arrange shell on ice having the small end of shells point toward center of the plate. wash lemons, cut in quarters, remove seeds and serve one-quarter in center of each plate. garnish with sprays of parsley arranged between the shells. pass remaining ingredients on a small silver tray, or a cocktail dressing may be made and served in a small glass dish and passed to each guest. consommÉ duchess consommé served with a meringue, prepared as follows: beat the whites of eggs very stiff and drop by heaping tablespoonsful into milk heated to the scalding point in a shallow vessel (a dripping pan is the best), using care that milk does not scorch. turn each spoonful, allowing it to cook, until it sets. place one of these individual meringues on the top of each service of consommé, and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. serve with imperial sticks. imperial sticks cut stale bread in one-third inch slices, remove the crusts. spread thinly with butter. cut slices in one-third inch strips, put on a tin sheet and bake until a delicate brown in a hot oven. pile "log cabin" fashion on a plate covered with a doily, or serve two sticks on plate by the side of cup in which soup is served. crab meat in timbale cases timbale cases. cups crab meat. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. yolks eggs. tablespoon onion finely chopped. salt, pepper, paprika. few grains each cayenne, mustard and nutmeg. cups hot thin cream. process: melt butter in a sauce pan, add onion and cook five minutes without browning, stirring constantly. add flour and stir until well blended. add hot cream gradually, continue stirring, add seasoning to taste. remove from range and add egg yolks slightly beaten. reheat crab meat in sauce (over hot water). serve in swedish timbales. swedish timbales cup flour. / teaspoon salt. teaspoon sugar. egg. / cup milk. tablespoon olive oil. process: mix and sift flour, salt and sugar, add milk slowly, stirring constantly, add well beaten egg and olive oil. mixture should be very smooth, strain and let stand over night. heat a timbale iron in hot cottolene, drain and dip iron into batter, (having batter in a small pitcher), place in hot cottolene and fry until crisp and delicately browned. remove from iron and invert on brown paper. these dainty cases are for all kinds of creamed mixtures. they are used instead of patty shells or croustades. roast goose preparing the goose for the oven singe, and remove all pin feathers. before drawing the bird give it a thorough scrubbing with a brush, in a warm fairy soap solution. this is very necessary for it cleans off all dirt that becomes mixed with the oily secretions, and opens and cleanses the pores that the oil may be more readily extracted. draw and remove everything that can be taken out, then rinse thoroughly and wipe inside and out, with a clean crash towel; sprinkle the inside lightly with salt, pepper, and powdered sage. (the latter may be omitted.) stuff with the following mixture and truss as turkey. potato and nut stuffing (for roast goose or duck) cups hot mashed potatoes. - / tablespoons finely chopped onion or chives. cup english walnut meats chopped moderately. / teaspoon paprika. - / teaspoon salt. / cup cream. tablespoons butter. yolks of eggs. teaspoon sweet herbs if the flavor is desired. process: mix the ingredients in the order given and fill the body of the goose. roasting the bird after trussing, place the goose on a rack in a dripping pan, sprinkle with salt, cover the breast with thin slices of fat salt pork, and place in the oven. cook three-quarters of an hour, basting often with the fat in the pan. then remove pan from oven and drain off all the fat. remove the slices of pork and sprinkle again with salt and dredge with flour and return to oven. when the flour is delicately browned, add one cup of boiling water and baste often; add more water when necessary. sprinkle lightly with salt and again dredge with flour. cook until tender, from one and one-half to three hours, according to the age of the bird. if you have a very young goose it is infinitely better to steam or braise it until tender, then dredge it with salt and flour and brown it richly in the oven. serve on a bed of cress, garnish with baked snow or jonathan apples. chantilly apple sauce (with horseradish) pare, core and cut in quarters, five medium-sized greenings. cook with very little water; when quite dry, rub through a fine purée strainer. to the pulp add one-half cup granulated sugar, five tablespoons grated horseradish, then fold in an equal quantity of whipped cream. serve at once with roast goose, ducks or goslings. onions au gratin cook one quart of uniform-sized, silver-skinned onions in boiling salted water. when quite tender, drain and turn into a baking dish; cover with cream sauce (see page ), sprinkle the top with fine buttered cracker crumbs and finish cooking. brown crumbs delicately. endive, celery and green pepper salad select crisp, well-bleached heads of endive, separate the leaves, keeping the green leaves separate from the bleached; wash and dry. dispose the leaves on individual plates of ample size. arrange the green leaves first, then the bleached leaves until a nest has been formed; fill the centers with the hearts of celery cut in one-half inch pieces. cut a slice from the stem end of crisp red and green peppers, remove the seeds and veins and cut in the thinnest shreds possible, using the shears. strew these shreds over each portion and, just before serving, marinate each with french dressing. vanilla ice cream / cup sugar. / cup water. quart cream. - / tablespoons vanilla. process: make a syrup by boiling sugar and water three minutes. cool slightly and add to cream, add vanilla and freeze in the usual way. pack in a brick-shape mold. bury in salt and ice, let stand several hours. remove from mold to serving platter and pour around each portion hot chocolate sauce. hot chocolate sauce melt two squares chocolate in a sauce-pan, add one cup sugar, one tablespoon butter and two-thirds cup boiling water. simmer fifteen minutes. cool slightly and add three-fourths teaspoon vanilla. cocoanut cubes use recipe for bride's cake (see recipe on page ). bake in a sheet. when cool cut in two-inch cubes and cover each cube with boiled frosting; sprinkle thickly with fresh grated cocoanut. chocolate nut cake / cup cottolene. cups sugar. eggs. cup milk. - / cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. squares chocolate melted. / cup english walnut meats broken in pieces. / teaspoon vanilla. process: cream cottolene, add gradually one cup sugar, stirring constantly. beat egg yolks thick and light, add gradually remaining cup of sugar; combine mixtures. add melted chocolate. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; add to first mixture alternately with milk. add nut meats and vanilla, then cut and fold in the whites of eggs beaten stiff. turn into a well-greased tube pan and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. cool and spread with boiled frosting. [sidenote: _january_ _second sunday_] menu consommÉ with egg balls celery olives breaded sea bass--sauce tartare norwegian potatoes stewed tomatoes cabbage relish lemon pie cheese cafÉ noir * * * * * consommÉ with egg balls to six cups of hot consommé add egg balls, serving three or four in each portion. egg balls hard cooked egg. / teaspoon salt. few grains pepper. few drops onion juice. teaspoon thick cream. / teaspoon finely chopped parsley. process: mash yolk, rub through a sieve, add finely chopped white, seasonings, parsley and cream. moisten with some of the yolk of a raw egg until of the consistency to handle. shape with the hands in tiny balls and poach two minutes in boiling water or a little consommé. remove with skimmer. serve at once. breaded sea bass remove the skin from a sea bass, bone and cut fillets in pieces for serving. rub over with the cut side of a lemon, sprinkle with salt, pepper, dredge with flour. dip in egg (diluted with two tablespoons cold water) then in fine cracker crumbs; repeat. place in croquette basket and fry in deep, hot cottolene. drain, arrange on hot serving platter. garnish with norwegian potatoes, parsley and slices of lemon. serve sauce tartare in a sauce boat. (for recipe for sauce tartare see page .) norwegian potatoes wash, scrub and pare six medium size potatoes. cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain, pass through ricer. add six anchovies drained from the oil in bottle and cut in one-fourth inch pieces, one-half teaspoon finely chopped parsley, one-half teaspoon french mustard, salt if necessary, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, a few grains nutmeg, two tablespoons butter, and yolks two eggs slightly beaten. beat thoroughly, place on range and cook slowly three minutes, stirring constantly. remove from range, spread mixture on plate to cool, then mold like small eggs. roll in crumbs, egg and crumbs. arrange in croquette basket and fry a golden brown in deep, hot cottolene. stewed tomatoes to one can of hot tomatoes add two-thirds cup toasted bread crumbs. season with salt, few drops tobasco sauce, two tablespoons sugar, and one-fourth cup butter. heat to boiling point and turn into hot serving dish. cabbage relish chop crisp, white cabbage very fine (there should be two cups). chop one green pepper and one medium-sized bermuda onion the same. mix well and season with one teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon black pepper, one teaspoon celery seed and three tablespoons sugar. dilute one-fourth cup vinegar with two tablespoons cold water; add to relish. chill and serve in crisp lettuce leaves. lemon pie / cup sugar. cup boiling water. tablespoons cornstarch. tablespoons flour. egg yolks slightly beaten. tablespoons lemon juice. grated rind one lemon. teaspoon butter. few grains salt. process: mix sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt, add boiling water gradually, stirring constantly. cook over hot water until mixture thickens; continue stirring. add lemon juice, rind, butter, and egg yolks. line a pie pan with rich paste, wet edges, and lay around a rim of pastry one inch wide; flute edge. cool mixture and turn in lined pan. bake in a moderate oven until crust is well browned. remove from oven, cool slightly, spread with meringue, return to oven to bake and brown meringue. meringue whites eggs. tablespoons powdered sugar. / teaspoon lemon or orange extract. process: beat whites until stiff and dry; add sugar by the teaspoonful; continue beating. add flavoring, drop by drop. spread unevenly over pie and bake fifteen minutes in a slow oven; brown the last five minutes of baking. cafÉ noir (after-dinner coffee) to prepare after-dinner coffee, use twice the quantity of coffee or half the quantity of water, given in recipe for boiled coffee (see page ). this coffee may be prepared in the percolator, following the directions given in the foregoing. milk or cream is not served with black coffee. serve in hot after-dinner coffee cups, with or without cut loaf sugar. [sidenote: _january_ _third sunday_] menu noodle soup boiled beef--horseradish sauce baked potatoes macaroni with tomato sauce chiffonade salad steamed cottage pudding banana sauce coffee tea * * * * * noodle soup quarts chicken consommé. teaspoon finely chopped parsley. recipe noodles cut very fine (see below). process: cook fowl same as for boiled fowl (do not tie in cheese cloth). drain fowl from stock, and strain. when cold, remove fat, and clear. reheat, add noodles, and simmer twenty minutes. sprinkle with parsley and serve very hot. noodles egg. / teaspoon salt. flour. few grains nutmeg. process: beat egg slightly, add seasonings, add flour enough to make a stiff dough. knead on a floured board until smooth and elastic. roll out on a sheet as thin as paper, cover and let stand for half an hour. roll loosely and cut the desired width, either in threads or ribbons, unroll and scatter over board; let lay half an hour. cook in boiling, salted water fifteen minutes, drain and add to soup. noodles may be cooked in consommé twenty minutes but the soup will not be as clear as when noodles are cooked previously. boiled beef have five pounds of beef, cut from the face of the rump. wipe meat, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dredge with flour. brown richly in an iron skillet in some of its own fat tried out, turning often. remove to kettle and cover with boiling water. add one tablespoon salt, one-half teaspoon peppercorns, a bit of bay leaf, one carrot sliced, one turnip sliced, and one-half onion sliced. add two sprays each of parsley and thyme and one of marjoram. cover and heat to boiling point. skim when necessary. reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender (four or five hours). remove to serving platter. strain stock and use for soup or sauces. serve meat with hot horseradish sauce. (for recipe see page .) macaroni with tomato sauce cook one cup macaroni, broken in inch pieces, in boiling salted water twenty minutes. drain, and pour over cold water to separate pieces. mix with one and one-half cups tomato sauce. add one-half cup grated cheese. turn into a buttered baking dish, cover with buttered crumbs, bake twenty minutes in a hot oven. tomato sauce half can tomatoes. / teaspoon soda. teaspoon sugar. peppercorns. cloves. slice onion. bit of bay leaf. / teaspoon salt. few grains cayenne. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. cup brown stock. process: heat tomatoes to boiling point; add soda and the seven ingredients following. cook twenty minutes. rub through a purée strainer, add stock. brown butter in a sauce-pan, add flour and continue browning, stirring constantly. add hot tomato mixture slowly, mix well, and pour over macaroni. chiffonade salad cut the hearts of celery in one-inch pieces, cut pieces in straws to fill one cup. remove the pulp from grape fruit, leaving each half-section in its original shape. there should be one cup. peel and chill four medium-sized tomatoes (southern or hot-house at this season), cut in slices. cut the bleached leaves of chicory in pieces for serving, arrange in nests on serving dish, and arrange other ingredients in separate mounds in the nests. marinate with french dressing, and garnish each with chopped parsley, green and red sweet peppers cut in thread-like strips, and sprays of pepper-grass or parsley. pass mayonnaise dressing. steamed cottage pudding tablespoons cottolene. cup sugar. eggs. cup milk. cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly, add yolks of eggs beaten very light. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt, add to first mixture alternately with milk; cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. turn in a well-buttered tube mold, and steam one and one-half hours. serve with vanilla, strawberry, or banana sauce. banana sauce cup water. / cup sugar. pulp bananas. tablespoons lemon juice. eggs well beaten. few grains salt. few gratings lemon rind. process: make a syrup by boiling water and sugar ten minutes. rub bananas through a sieve, add remaining ingredients and beat until well blended and light. pour on hot syrup slowly, beating constantly. serve hot. pulp of peaches or apricots may be used in place of bananas. [sidenote: _january_ _fourth sunday_] menu corn chowder crisp soda crackers ox joints en casserole boiled rice parsnips sautÉd in butter cheese and pimento salad ambrosia anise wafers coffee * * * * * corn chowder cups cooked corn cut from cob, or can of corn. cup salt pork cubes. cup potatoes cut in cubes. / onion sliced. cups water. cups scalded milk. tablespoon butter. tablespoon flour. / cup cracker crumbs. salt, pepper. process: cut salt pork in one-fourth inch cubes and try out in a frying pan; add onion, and cook until yellow. pare and cut potatoes in one-half inch cubes, parboil five minutes. add to onion, with corn and water; cover and cook twenty minutes or until potatoes are soft. melt butter in a sauce-pan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste, pour some of the milk on slowly, stirring constantly. combine mixtures; add crumbs and seasonings. serve for dinner in cups or in small "nappies." ox joints en casserole separate ox-tails at joints, parboil five minutes; then rinse thoroughly. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dredge with flour. melt one-fourth cup butter in frying pan, add three slices onion and joints, sauté until joints are well browned. remove joints and onion; to fat add one-fourth cup flour, brown slightly, stirring constantly. add slowly two cups of brown stock, or water and a large can of tomatoes. add one-half tablespoon salt and one-fourth teaspoon pepper. turn into an earthen casserole, or dutch oven, cover, place in oven and simmer slowly three to four hours. add more moisture if necessary. remove joints, strain liquor, return joints to liquor, add one cup each carrot and turnip cut in straws and parboiled in boiling, salted water ten minutes, and set in oven to complete cooking. serve in casserole or in a deep platter surrounded with a border of boiled rice. boiled rice wash one cup of rice, drain and add slowly to three quarts boiling salted water so as not to stop water boiling. boil rapidly until rice is tender (twenty to twenty-five minutes). drain in a sieve, pour over cold water to separate kernels. turn into double boiler, and cover with a crash towel; keep hot over hot water. parsnips sautÉd in butter wash parsnips, cover with boiling water, add salt to season. cook until tender--thirty-five to fifty minutes. drain and cover quickly with cold water; rub off skins with the hands. cut in one-fourth inch slices, sprinkle with salt, pepper; dip in flour and sauté a golden brown in hot butter. brown on one side, then turn and brown on the other. cheese and pimento salad mix two cream cheeses with one-half cup finely chopped pimentos. (drain pimentos from liquor in can, and dry them on crash towel.) add one tablespoon finely chopped chives or onion, one-half teaspoon finely chopped parsley, season with salt and cayenne. moisten with thick cream, and pack solidly in prepared green pepper-cups. set aside in a cold place for several hours. with a sharp knife cut in thin slices crosswise. arrange two slices on crisp lettuce leaves; serve with french dressing. ambrosia sweet florida oranges. cocoanut grated. plantains (red bananas). / cup fine table sherry wine. / cup lemon juice. bar sugar. process: peel the oranges, separate the sections, remove the tough membrane and seeds. dispose a layer of orange pulp in bottom of shallow, glass, serving-dish, sprinkle with wine and lemon juice and sugar, strew with cocoanut and a layer of thinly sliced banana. repeat until all ingredients are used, having a thick layer of cocoanut on top. the fruit should be piled in cone shape. chill and serve with dainty cakes, macaroons, anise wafers, etc. anise seed wafers / cup cottolene. cup granulated sugar. eggs. cups flour. teaspoons anise seed. / teaspoon nutmeg. / teaspoon salt. flour. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, add egg yolks, one at a time, beating constantly. beat whites of eggs stiff, add to first mixture alternately with flour mixed and sifted with anise seed, nutmeg and salt. add just enough extra flour to dough to roll very thin. shape with small, fluted cutter, and bake in a quick oven. [sidenote: _january_ _fifth sunday_] menu oysters on the half shell consommÉ with rice balls braised beef tongue--savory sauce baked potatoes bermuda onions, butter sauce creamed celery florida salad yankee plum pudding--vanilla sauce coffee * * * * * oysters on the half shell (for recipe see page .) serve small cress or cucumber sandwiches with this course. consommÉ with rice balls to six cups of hot consommé, (for recipe see page ), add rice balls. rice balls cup cold, cooked rice. tablespoons flour. teaspoon grated onion. teaspoon finely chopped parsley. egg slightly beaten. salt, pepper, cayenne. process: warm rice slightly and rub through a sieve, add flour, seasonings, and bind together with egg. measure mixture by the teaspoonful. roll in small balls. poach until firm on outside in boiling salted water. remove with skimmer and drop into clear, hot soup. braised beef tongue order a fresh tongue. wash and put tongue in a kettle, cover with boiling water; cook slowly two to three hours. remove tongue from water, peel off skin, and trim off roots. place in dutch oven or deep earthen dish, and surround with one-half cup each carrot, turnip, celery and onion, cut in half-inch dice, one green pepper (seeds and veins removed) cut in shreds, and two sprays parsley. pour over one quart of brown sauce seasoned with one-half tablespoon worcestershire sauce. (stock in which tongue was cooked may be used for making sauce.) cover closely and simmer slowly (do not allow sauce to boil) two hours or until tongue is tender. serve on hot platter. surround with sauce. baked potatoes (for recipe see page .) bermuda onions with butter sauce peel the desired number of bermuda onions. cover with boiling water. heat to boiling point, boil five minutes, drain; repeat. then cover with boiling salted water, and cook until tender (from forty-five minutes to one hour). drain well. dot over with bits of butter, finely chopped parsley, and pepper. serve hot. creamed celery wash, scrape and cut celery in one-half inch pieces. cook in boiling salted water until tender; drain. (there should be two cups.) cut a slice from the stem end of one green or red pepper, remove the seeds and veins. parboil pepper eight minutes; drain and chop half the pepper fine. add to celery, and reheat in one cup of white sauce. florida salad remove the peel from six large florida navel oranges. separate the sections, and peel off the membrane, keeping the pulp in its original shape. cut each section crosswise once. dispose the orange cubes equally in nests of lettuce-heart leaves. arrange the halves of english walnuts over these and marinate with french dressing, using lemon and orange juice, also some of the fine orange pulp, in place of vinegar. sprinkle with paprika. yankee plum pudding / cup cottolene. cup n. o. molasses. cups flour. - / teaspoons soda. teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon cloves. / teaspoon nutmeg. / teaspoon salt. cup sweet milk. cup seeded shredded raisins. cup english walnut meats broken in pieces. process: cream cottolene, add molasses; mix and sift flour, soda, spices and salt; add alternately with milk, reserving enough flour to dredge raisins and nut meats; mix well and turn in buttered molds. steam three hours. serve with brandy or vanilla sauce. (for recipe vanilla sauce see page .) boiled coffee cup medium ground coffee. white egg. cups boiling water. cup cold water. process: scald a granite-ware coffeepot. beat egg slightly and dilute with one-half cup cold water, add to coffee and mix thoroughly. turn into coffeepot and add boiling water, stir well. place on range; let boil five minutes. if not boiled sufficiently, coffee will not be clear; if boiled too long, the tannic acid will be extracted, causing serious gastric trouble. stuff the spout of pot with soft paper to prevent the escape of aroma. stir down, pour off one cup to clear the spout of grounds, return to pot. add remaining half-cup cold water to complete the clearing process. place pot on back of range for ten minutes, where coffee will not boil. serve immediately. if coffee must be kept longer, drain from the grounds and keep just below boiling point. _february_ _variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor._ --_cowper._ [illustration] [sidenote: _february_ _first sunday_] menu grape-fruit cocktails tomato bouillon lake trout baked in paper bag sauce À l'italienne french fried potatoes brussels sprouts french endive--french dressing eggless rice pudding--hard sauce coffee * * * * * grape-fruit cocktail select heavy grape-fruit (weight means more pulp than rind). chill, cut in halves, and remove the sections of pulp, preserving the shape of sections if possible. remove the skins from malaga grapes, cut in halves lengthwise, remove seeds (there should be equal quantity of both grape-fruit pulp and prepared grapes). reserve the juice. chill fruit thoroughly, serve in tall stem glasses, add a little juice, sprinkle each with a tablespoon bar sugar, and just before serving pour over each portion one tablespoon sloe gin or "sweet" sherry wine. tomato bouillon to five cups of standard broth add one cup of thick tomato purée. reheat and serve in bouillon cups. standard broth (beef, veal, lamb, chicken or game) pounds meat. pound marrow bone. - / quarts cold water. / teaspoon peppercorns. cloves. spray marjoram. sprays thyme. sprays parsley. / bay leaf. / cup each diced carrot, onion, and celery. / tablespoon salt. process: remove meat from bone and cut in inch cubes; brown richly one third of meat in some of the marrow taken from bone. cover remainder of meat with cold water, let stand thirty minutes, then add browned meat and rinse the pan in which meat was browned with some of the water. bring to boiling point and skim. reduce heat and boil gently five hours; stock should be reduced to three pints. add seasonings the last hour of cooking. strain, cool, remove fat, and clear. lake trout baked in paper bag clean a four-pound lake trout. sprinkle inside with salt and pepper. fill with stuffing (recipe next page); sew. spread with soft butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper. lay fish carefully in a well greased paper bag, add one-fourth cup white wine, one-half onion finely chopped, six fresh (or ten canned) mushrooms, cut in small pieces, and one-fourth cup water. press air from bag, fold open end over three times, fold sides and corners close to fish, first moistening the bag on corners and edges; lay in a dripping-pan and place in a hot oven. when bag is browned evenly (not burned) reduce heat, and bake fish one hour. (bag will brown in ten minutes.) remove from bag to serving platter and pour contents of bag over fish. serve with the following sauce: sauce À l'italienne - / tablespoons butter. tablespoons finely chopped onion. tablespoons finely chopped carrot. tablespoons finely chopped lean uncooked ham. / teaspoon peppercorns. cloves. sprays marjoram. tablespoons flour. cup brown stock. - / cups white wine. clove garlic. teaspoons finely chopped parsley. process: brown butter in a sauce-pan, add onion, carrot, ham, peppercorns, cloves and marjoram, and cook five minutes. add flour and stir until flour is well browned; add gradually stock and wine, strain, add garlic and simmer five minutes. remove garlic and pour around baked lake trout. sprinkle with parsley. stuffing for fish cup cracker crumbs. teaspoons finely chopped parsley. tablespoon finely chopped pickles. teaspoon salt. teaspoon grated onion. tablespoons butter. / to / cup boiling water. process: melt butter in hot water; add remaining ingredients in the order given. mix lightly with a fork. brussels sprouts look over, remove wilted leaves from sprouts, cover with cold water, let soak one-half hour. cook in boiling salted water until tender when pierced with a wooden skewer. drain thoroughly, serve with melted butter, salt (if needed), and pepper, or reheat in thin cream sauce, allowing one cup sauce for each pint of sprouts. french endive remove the imperfect outer stalks from the desired number of heads of french endive. if heads are large, cut them in halves lengthwise; if small, separate the stalks. wash, drain and chill. serve with french dressing (see page ). eggless rice pudding cups milk. / cup rice. / cup molasses. / teaspoon cinnamon. tablespoon butter. / cup seeded raisins. salt. process: wash rice; mix ingredients in the order given and pour into a buttered baking dish; bake three hours in a slow oven, stirring three times during first hour of cooking to prevent rice from settling. when stirring the last time, add butter. serve with hard sauce. (for recipe see page .) [sidenote: _february_ _second sunday_] menu chicken consommÉ with macaroni rings and pimentos breast of lamb stuffed and roasted currant jelly sauce sweet potatoes, southern style buttered string beans cabbage salad apple cake with lemon sauce boiled coffee * * * * * chicken consommÉ with macaroni rings and pimentos quarts chicken consommé. / cup cooked macaroni. tablespoon pimentos. process: cook macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. drain and pour over one cup cold water. with a sharp knife cut in thin rings. drain pimentos from the liquor in can, dry on a crash towel. cut in strips, then cut strips in small diamonds. add both to consommé, heat to boiling point and serve in cups. breast of lamb stuffed and roasted peel off the outer skin from a breast of lamb, remove bones, stuff, (see page ), shape in a compact roll and sew. spread with salt pork fat, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. sear the surface over quickly in hot salt pork fat, then place in the oven. let cook one hour and a half, basting often with fat in pan. serve with french fried sweet potatoes and currant jelly sauce. garnish meat with sprays of fresh mint. currant jelly sauce to brown sauce (for recipe see page ) add one-half cup black or red currant jelly whipped with a fork, one teaspoon lemon juice and a few gratings of onion. heat to boiling point, boil three minutes and serve in sauce boat. onion may be omitted. stuffing for lamb cups soft bread crumbs. / cup butter. / cup hot water. tablespoon poultry seasoning. tablespoon finely chopped onion. / tablespoon finely chopped parsley. salt, pepper. process: melt butter in hot water, add to bread crumbs, toss lightly with a fork. add remaining ingredients in the order given. if desired moister, increase the quantity of hot water. sweet potatoes, southern style peel cold, boiled sweet potatoes and cut lengthwise in slices one-half inch thick. arrange in layers in a well-greased quart baking dish. cover each layer generously with brown sugar and dots of butter, a sprinkle of salt and pepper. continue until dish is full. add one cup hot water and bake in hot oven until liquor is "syrupy" and potatoes are brown on top. buttered string beans remove the strings and cut beans diagonally in one-half inch pieces. wash and cook in boiling water from one to three hours, adding salt the last half hour of cooking. drain and reheat in white sauce or dress with melted butter, pepper and more salt if needed. if canned beans are used (and they would be in some localities at this season of the year) turn them from the can into sauce-pan and reheat them in their own liquor. drain and dress them with melted butter, salt, and pepper. cabbage salad use only the center of a firm head of white cabbage. shred it very fine and cover with ice water until crisp. drain thoroughly and mix with one medium-sized, thinly sliced spanish onion. mix with either french or cream salad dressing (for recipe see page ). apple cake with lemon sauce cups flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon soda. teaspoon cream of tartar. tablespoons cottolene. egg well beaten. / cup milk. tart, fine flavored apples. tablespoons granulated sugar. / teaspoon cinnamon. process: mix and sift the dry ingredients in the order given; rub in cottolene with tips of fingers; add beaten egg to milk and add slowly to first mixture stirring constantly, then beat until dough is smooth. spread dough evenly in a shallow, square layer cake pan to the depth of one inch. core, pare and cut apples in eighths, lay them in parallel rows on top of dough, pressing the sharp edge into the dough half the depth of apples. sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over top. bake in hot oven twenty-five to thirty minutes. serve hot with butter as a luncheon dish, or as a dessert for dinner with lemon sauce. lemon sauce teaspoons arrowroot. cup sugar. cups boiling water. grated rind and juice of lemon. tablespoon butter. few grains salt. process: mix arrowroot, sugar and salt, pour on boiling water slowly, stirring constantly. cook over hot water twenty minutes, stirring constantly the first five minutes, afterwards occasionally. remove from range. add lemon juice, rind, and butter in small bits. beat well and serve hot. [sidenote: _february_ _third sunday_] menu scotch potato soup roast shoulder of pork spiced apple sauce erin potatoes boiled white beans celery salad squash pie neufchatel cheese coffee * * * * * scotch potato soup bunch leeks or cups onion. head celery. tablespoons butter. quart milk. cups potato cubes. tablespoons flour. / tablespoon finely chopped parsley. salt, pepper. process: cut leeks and celery in thin slices crosswise and sauté in two tablespoons butter eight minutes (without browning), stirring constantly. turn milk into double boiler, add leeks and celery; cover and cook until vegetables are tender (about forty-five minutes). parboil potato cubes in boiling salted water ten minutes. melt remaining butter in a sauce-pan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste, remove from range and pour on slowly some of the milk until mixture is of the consistency to pour. combine mixtures, add seasonings, and cook in double boiler until potatoes are tender. turn into hot soup tureen and sprinkle with parsley. roast shoulder of pork have meat cut from "little pig." wipe and follow directions for roasting loin of pork. (see page .) spiced apple sauce wipe, pare and core six or eight tart apples. place them in sauce-pan, add just enough water to prevent burning; add three or four cloves and half a dozen cassia buds. cook to a mush. pass through a sieve; return to sauce-pan, add three-fourths cup sugar and cook five minutes, stirring constantly. cool and serve. erin potatoes remove seeds and veins and parboil one mild green pepper eight minutes. chop fine, add to mashed potatoes. boiled white beans pick over and wash two cups white beans; cover with two quarts cold water and let soak overnight; drain and place them in a stew-pan, cover with two quarts cold water, add one small carrot cut in quarters, one medium-sized onion cut in half, two sprays parsley and one-quarter pound of lean salt pork, one-half tablespoon salt; cover and cook slowly until beans are tender (about two hours). remove vegetables, drain beans. chop the pork and mix with beans. celery salad scrape and wash the tender hearts of crisp celery, cut in one-inch pieces; cut pieces in straws lengthwise; there should be two cups. add one cup blanched and shredded almonds, mix well and marinate with french dressing and let stand one hour. drain and arrange in nests of heart lettuce leaves, sprinkle with the rings of spanish onion thinly sliced (using the heart rings). mask with mayonnaise or with boiled salad dressing. squash pie (economical) bake the half of a hubbard squash, scoop out the pulp, rub through a strainer. (there should be one and one-half cups.) add one cup hot milk, one-half cup sugar, one-half teaspoon salt, one-half teaspoon ginger, one-fourth teaspoon nutmeg and one egg well beaten. mix well. line a pie pan with plain paste, put an extra rim of pastry around edge of pie, flute rim and turn in mixture. bake thirty minutes in a moderately hot oven. [sidenote: _february_ _fourth sunday_] menu tomato soup roast guinea fowl--giblet sauce rhubarb sauce potato soufflÉs--egg-plant with fine herbs dressed head lettuce orange ice--chocolate jumbles coffee * * * * * tomato soup can tomatoes, or quart tomatoes peeled and cut in pieces. slices onion. sprays parsley. bit of bay leaf. cloves. / teaspoon peppercorns. few gratings nutmeg. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. salt, pepper, cayenne. process: cook the first six ingredients together twenty minutes. rub through a purée strainer, keep hot. melt butter in a sauce-pan, add flour and stir to a smooth paste, let cook one minute; dilute with tomato mixture to the consistency to pour. combine mixtures and season with salt, a few grains cayenne and a grating of nutmeg. reheat and serve with crisp, toasted saratoga wafers. roast guinea fowl clean, singe, draw and truss in the same way as for roasting chicken. stuff if desired. sprinkle with salt and pepper. lay very thin slices of fat salt pork over the breast, wings and legs. place in a covered roasting pan, pour in one-half cup water, set in oven and roast from forty-five minutes to one hour (continue cooking if liked well done), turning so as to brown evenly. (when the roasting pan is used there need be no basting.) if roasted in an open dripping-pan, baste every ten to fifteen minutes. the flesh of this bird is dry and is therefore best cooked rare. serve as roast chicken. prepare sauce same as giblet sauce. (see page .) rhubarb sauce the young, tender stalks of rhubarb need only be washed, tops and root cut off, then cut in one-inch pieces (without peeling). put in a sauce-pan, add just enough water to prevent burning. cook slowly until soft. add sugar to sweeten to taste, cook five minutes, cool and turn into serving dish. potato soufflÉs select six medium-sized, rather flat potatoes. wash, pare and trim them square, then cut lengthwise in slices one-eighth of an inch thick (no thicker). wash and dry them on a towel. drop a few at a time into hot cottolene (not smoking hot), fry them four minutes, turning them occasionally. remove with skimmer to a croquette basket, let stand five minutes while the fat is heating. when hot enough to brown an inch cube of bread in forty seconds, place the basket containing potatoes into fat, shake constantly and fry two minutes. drain on brown paper. repeat process until all potatoes are used. sprinkle with salt and dispose around roasted guinea fowl. egg-plant sautÉ (with fine herbs) pare a medium-sized egg-plant, cut in very thin slices, sprinkle with salt and pile in a colander. cover with a plate and weights to press out the acrid juice; let stand two hours, sprinkle with pepper, dredge with flour, and sauté in hot butter until crisp and a golden brown. mix together one-half teaspoon each finely chopped parsley and chives, one-fourth teaspoon very finely chopped chervil and sprinkle lightly over egg-plant as soon as crisp. arrange on hot serving dish and serve at once. dressed head lettuce remove the outer green leaves from two medium-sized heads of crisp head lettuce. wash carefully, without separating the leaves; drain dry in a wire basket or on towels. cut heads in halves lengthwise and arrange in salad bowl. set aside in a cool place, and, just before serving, pour over french dressing. serve at once. orange ice cups water. - / cups sugar. cups orange juice. / cup lemon juice. rind of two oranges. process: pare the rind as thinly as possible from two oranges; add to water and sugar, and cook twenty minutes. remove rind, add fruit juice, strain, cool and freeze. serve in stem glasses. chocolate jumbles / cup cottolene. cup sugar. squares chocolate grated. tablespoon milk or water. eggs beaten thick and light. teaspoons baking powder. cups flour. / teaspoon salt. teaspoon vanilla. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly, add chocolate, milk and eggs. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; add to first mixture. add more flour if necessary. dough should be soft. toss on a floured board, roll out to one-half inch thickness, shape with a doughnut cutter, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake ten to twelve minutes in a hot oven. _march_ _what and how great the virtue and the art to live on little with a cheerful heart._ --_pope._ [illustration] [sidenote: _march_ _first sunday_] menu spring soup--crusts breast of veal roasted--brown sauce spanish rice mashed parsnips pineapple fritters red cabbage, celery and onion salad steamed currant pudding dried apricot and hard sauce small cups coffee * * * * * spring soup bunches chopped watercress. bunch young onions. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. / cup thin cream. yolk egg slightly beaten. salt, pepper. parsley finely chopped. process: pick off the leaves of cress and chop fine. cut onions in thin slices. cook watercress and onions in butter five minutes (without browning), add flour and salt, stir until smooth, then pour milk on gradually, stirring constantly. cook over hot water twenty minutes. add beef extract, stir until dissolved; season with worcestershire sauce and a few grains cayenne. strain into hot soup tureen, add whipped cream and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. crusts cut stale sandwich bread lengthwise in one-inch thick slices and remove crusts. cut slices in bars one inch wide and six inches long. bake in a hot oven until delicately browned. turn them so that crusts may brown evenly on all sides. serve hot and crisp. breast of veal roasted six pounds of veal cut from the breast. wipe, and skewer meat into shape, sprinkle with salt, pepper, dredge with flour and cover top with thin slices of fat salt pork. lay in a dripping pan and strew cubes of pork around meat. place in a very hot oven for the first half hour, basting every ten minutes with fat in pan, then reduce heat and cook meat slowly until tender, allowing twenty minutes to pound; continue basting. the last half hour of cooking remove salt pork, dredge meat again with flour, and brown richly. remove meat to hot serving platter, surround with spanish rice and prepare a brown sauce from some of the fat in pan. (see page for brown sauce.) spanish rice cover one cup of rice with cold water; heat to boiling point and boil two minutes. drain in a strainer, rinse well with cold water and drain again. cut four slices of bacon in shreds, crosswise, and cook until crisp. remove bacon, add to rice. cut one-half of a green or red pepper in shreds and cook in bacon fat until soft, then add pepper and bacon fat to rice. cover with three cups of well-seasoned chicken broth, season well with salt, cover and let cook until rice has absorbed broth and is tender, then add one cup of thick tomato purée and two-thirds cup of grated cheese. mix well with a fork and let heat through over boiling water. serve with roast veal or breaded veal cutlets. mashed parsnips wash and cook in boiling water, drain and plunge into cold water, when the skins may be easily rubbed off. mash and rub through a sieve. season with salt, pepper, butter and moisten with a little cream or milk. reheat over hot water and serve. pineapple fritters drain sliced pineapple from the liquor in the can. dry on a crash towel. dip in batter and fry a golden brown in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with some of the liquor from which it was drained. this may be slightly thickened with arrowroot, allowing one teaspoon arrowroot to each cup of liquor. batter for fritters cup bread flour. tablespoon sugar. / teaspoon salt. / cup milk. / teaspoon melted cottolene. white one egg beaten stiff. process: mix flour, sugar and salt. add milk slowly, stirring constantly until batter is smooth; add cottolene and white of egg. batter must be smooth as cream. red cabbage, celery and onion salad select a small, solid head of red cabbage; remove the wilted leaves. cut in quarters and cut out the tough stalk and the coarse ribs of the leaves. cover with cold water and let soak until cabbage is crisp; drain, then shave in thin shreds, and mix with the hearts of two or three heads (according to their size) of crisp celery, cut in small pieces crosswise. add one medium-sized spanish onion, finely chopped, and dress with boiled salad dressing. serve in lettuce heart leaves or in nests of cress. steam currant pudding tablespoons cottolene. / cup sugar. - / cups flour. - / teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. egg well beaten. cup milk. / cup currants. process: mix and sift the dry ingredients (reserving two tablespoons flour), rub in cottolene with tips of fingers. sprinkle two tablespoons flour over cleaned currants, add to first mixture; add milk gradually, beat well and turn into a buttered mold; cover and steam two hours. serve with dried apricot and hard sauce. dried apricot sauce wash and pick over dried apricots, soak over night in cold water to cover. cook until soft and quite dry, in the water in which they were soaked. rub through a sieve and sweeten to taste. reheat, and drop a spoonful on each portion of pudding, place a small star of hard sauce in center and serve. [sidenote: _march_ _second sunday_] menu chicken stew with dumplings onions in cream stewed corn watercress and egg salad rhubarb pie cream cheese coffee * * * * * stewed chicken dress, clean and cut up a chicken (a year old). put in a stew-pan, cover with boiling water. add one small onion sliced, two stalks celery cut in pieces, two sprays parsley and one-half teaspoon peppercorns. cover and cook slowly until tender. add one tablespoon salt the last hour of cooking. remove chicken, strain liquor and remove some of the fat if necessary. thicken the stock with two-thirds cup of flour diluted with sufficient cold water to pour readily. return chicken to "gravy," heat to boiling point. drop dumplings on top of chicken, cover stew-pan with a towel, replace the cover and steam dumplings twelve minutes. arrange chicken on hot serving platter, surround with dumplings, sprinkle lightly with finely chopped parsley. dumplings cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. teaspoon cottolene. / cup milk. process: sift together twice, flour, baking powder and salt, rub in cottolene with tips of fingers. add milk gradually, mixing it in with a knife. drop from tip of spoon on top of meat, an inch apart; cover closely and steam twelve minutes. onions with cream select silver-skin onions of a uniform size; peel and cover with boiling water, bring to boiling point, drain and repeat. then cover with boiling water, season with salt and cook until onions are tender (from forty-five to sixty minutes). drain and add one-half cup hot cream (to eight onions). sprinkle with black pepper and serve. stewed dried corn soak two cups dried sweet corn overnight, in cold water to cover. in the morning place on range and simmer slowly until corn is tender and water is absorbed, add more water if necessary. add one-fourth cup butter, two teaspoons sugar, one-fourth cup cream or milk, salt and pepper. be careful that corn does not scorch. watercress and egg salad wash thoroughly, trim off roots, drain, and chill watercress. arrange nests of the cress on individual salad plates. cut four hard-cooked eggs in halves crosswise, in such a manner that tops of whites will be notched. remove yolks, rub through a sieve, season with salt, pepper and moisten with boiled salad dressing to the consistency to handle. shape in balls the original size, dip in finely chopped parsley and replace in whites. dispose one "cup" in each nest, and just before serving marinate with french dressing. rhubarb pie cups rhubarb. / cup sugar. egg slightly beaten. tablespoons flour. few grains salt. few grains nutmeg. process: if rhubarb is young and tender it need not be peeled. cut the stalks in half-inch pieces before measuring. mix sugar, flour, egg, salt and nutmeg. add to rhubarb, toss together until ingredients are well mixed. turn into a pie pan lined with paste, heap rhubarb well in center, cover with a top crust and bake thirty-five minutes in a hot oven. (when rhubarb is older it may be scalded before using.) [sidenote: _march_ _third sunday_] menu oyster cocktails in grape fruit planked whitefish mashed potatoes fricasseed tomatoes buttered beets alabama salad raisin pie edam cheese boiled coffee * * * * * oyster cocktail in grape fruit prepare the grape fruit in the usual way. chill; just before serving place five blue point oysters in the cavity made by removing the tough portions in each half grape fruit. season with lemon juice, salt, paprika and one or two drops of tobasco sauce. serve on beds of shaved ice. garnish with foliage. planked whitefish clean and split a three-pound whitefish. lay, skin side down, on a hot, well-greased oak plank (one and one-half inches thick and two or more inches longer and wider than the fish). brush fish over with soft butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. surround fish with a border of coarse salt to prevent plank from burning. bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven, or place plank on broiler and broil twenty minutes under the gas flame. remove to table covered with a sheet of brown paper, scrape off salt, wipe the edges of plank with a piece of cheese cloth wrung from hot water; spread fish with maître d'hôtel butter; surround with a border made of hot mashed potato, passing it through pastry bag and rose tube. garnish with sprays of parsley and sliced lemon. serve immediately. fricasseed tomatoes select firm, not over-ripe tomatoes. cut in halves crosswise. sprinkle with salt, pepper and a grating of onion; dredge with flour and sauté in melted butter; brown first on cut side, then turn and finish cooking on the other. when soft, but not broken, pour over thin cream to almost cover. let simmer until cream is slightly thickened. remove to hot serving dish and pour cream around. alabama salad cut the hearts of celery in one-fourth inch pieces, there should be two cups. add one cup of alabama pecan nut meats broken in quarters and one cup white cabbage cut in very fine shreds. moisten with cream dressing. serve on a bed of cress. cream dressing hard cooked egg yolks. teaspoon salt. few grains cayenne. teaspoon mustard. tablespoons vinegar. few drops onion juice or teaspoon finely chopped chives. - / cups thick cream. process: mash and rub the egg yolks through a sieve, add seasonings (except cayenne), then vinegar and chives. whip cream until stiff, and add a little at a time to first mixture, beating constantly. when all is used, sprinkle in a few grains cayenne or paprika. raisin pie - / cups seeded raisins cut in halves. / cup sugar. tablespoons flour. tablespoons butter. juice and grated rind lemon. cup water in which raisins were cooked. few grains salt. _process_: cook raisins in boiling water to cover, until tender, drain, and mix with sugar, grated rind, flour and salt. cool slightly. turn into pie-pan lined with plain paste, dot over with butter and pour over water. cover with top crust made of rich paste and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. [sidenote: _march_ _fourth sunday_] menu cream of lettuce baked ham--hot horseradish sauce sweet potato croquettes--spinach with eggs grape fruit salad cheese balls rhubarb tart--cheese after dinner coffee * * * * * baked ham select a lean ham, weighing from twelve to fourteen pounds, cover with cold water or equal parts of water and sweet cider and let soak (skin side up) over night. drain, scrape and trim off all objectionable parts about the knuckle. cover flesh side with a dough made of flour and water. place in a dripping pan, skin side down. bake in a hot oven until dough is a dark brown; reduce heat and bake very slowly five hours. ham enclosed in dough needs no basting. remove dough, turn ham over and peel off the skin. sprinkle ham with sugar, cover with grated bread crumbs and bake twenty to thirty minutes. remove from oven and decorate with cloves; place a paper frill on knuckle, garnish with sprays of parsley and lemon cut in fancy shapes. serve hot or cold. hot horseradish sauce / cup freshly grated horseradish. / cup fine cracker crumbs. - / cups milk. tablespoons butter. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. tablespoon vinegar. tablespoons lemon juice. / tablespoon grated onion. process: cook crumbs, horseradish and milk twenty minutes in double boiler. add seasonings, vinegar and lemon juice slowly, stirring constantly. add grated onion, reheat and serve. sweet potato croquettes cups hot riced sweet potatoes. tablespoons butter. / teaspoon salt. few grains pepper. / cup chopped walnut meats. egg well beaten. process: mix ingredients in the order given. if mixture is too dry add hot milk. mold in cork-shape croquettes, roll in crumbs, then in egg, again in crumbs, and fry in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper and arrange around baked ham. grape fruit salad cut three large grape fruit in halves crosswise, remove the pulp and keep in its original shape. arrange in nests of white crisp lettuce heart leaves, dividing pulp in six portions. strew one cup of english walnut meats, broken in fourths, over grape fruit. marinate with french dressing, but with less salt and using paprika in place of cayenne, and lemon and grape fruit juice in place of vinegar. cheese balls - / cups grated cheese. tablespoon flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon mustard. few grains cayenne. whites eggs beaten stiff. process: add flour and seasonings to cheese, fold in whites of eggs, shape in small balls. roll in fine cracker crumbs and fry a golden brown in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper. rhubarb tarts if rhubarb is pink, young and tender, simply wash and cut in one-half inch pieces; there should be two and one-half cups. cover with boiling water and heat to boiling point; boil five minutes. do not allow it to lose its shape. drain off all the juice, sprinkle rhubarb with three-fourths cup sugar. sift over two tablespoons flour and one-fourth teaspoon salt, dot over with one tablespoon butter and a grating of orange rind. mix well and turn into a pie pan lined with rich paste. arrange strips of pastry, lattice-work fashion, across the top of pie and bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven. _april_ _let hunger move thy appetite, and not savory sauces._ --_shakespeare._ [illustration] [sidenote: _april_ _first sunday_] menu strawberry cocktails chicken bouillon chantilly fricassee of chicken with waffles spinach with eggs prune and pecan nut salad apricot marmalade mold cocoanut cake coffee * * * * * chicken bouillon chantilly pour six cups of hot, well-seasoned chicken bouillon into hot bouillon cups. drop on top of each portion one tablespoon whipped cream delicately seasoned with salt, pepper and a few grains cayenne. sprinkle cream with paprika or finely chopped chives. fricassee of chicken dress, singe, clean and cut two young chickens in pieces for serving. sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dredge with flour, brown richly in equal parts of cottolene and butter, turning often that pieces may be evenly browned. then cover with boiling water to which add a bit of bay leaf, one-half teaspoon peppercorns, a spray of parsley, six slices carrot and three slices onion. cover and simmer until chicken is tender (from one to one and one-quarter hours). remove chicken from stock, cover and keep warm; strain stock; there should be two cups. melt four tablespoons butter in a sauce pan, add four tablespoons flour, stir to a paste, then gradually pour on the two cups hot stock, stirring constantly; let simmer ten minutes. remove from range, add one cup of hot cream and the yolks of two eggs slightly beaten. reheat chicken in sauce (do not allow sauce to boil after adding yolks). serve with waffles. spinach with deviled eggs peck spinach. / pound bacon. salt, pepper. / cup butter. few grains nutmeg. hard-cooked eggs. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. / teaspoon finely chopped parsley. / teaspoon grated onion. / cup minced ham. cream salad dressing. process: cook spinach in the usual way. cook the bacon with spinach to give it flavor. when spinach is tender, remove bacon, drain spinach and chop fine. season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. add butter, mix well and pack into an oval mold. keep hot over hot water, cut eggs in halves lengthwise, remove yolks and rub through a sieve. add ham, salt, pepper, parsley and onion juice. moisten with cream salad dressing to bind mixture together. refill halves of eggs with this mixture, heaping it pyramid-like. turn mold of spinach on hot serving dish and surround with stuffed eggs. prune and nut salad buy very select prunes for this purpose (tins holding one or two pounds are best), cook prunes in the usual way, letting the liquor evaporate during the latter part of cooking. prunes should not be as well done as when serving them as sauce. drain prunes from the liquor and chill them. remove the stones carefully, cut prunes in five pieces lengthwise. cut pecan nut meats in four pieces lengthwise. mix prunes and nut meats, sprinkle with salt and paprika. for one-half pound prunes and one-fourth pound shelled nut meats allow one cup whipping cream. whip cream until solid, season with one-half teaspoon each salt and paprika; add two tablespoons lemon juice and one and one-half tablespoons sherry wine slowly, while beating constantly. mix two-thirds of the cream with the prunes and nuts. arrange the heart leaves of lettuce on cold, individual salad plates, pile some of the mixture in each and mask with remaining whipped cream. arrange three pieces of prunes on top of each portion, radiating from center, and place a cherry or strawberry on top of each. steamed snow balls (for recipe, see page .) cocoanut cake / cup cottolene. cups sugar. eggs. cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. cup milk. / teaspoon each lemon and vanilla. process: cream cottolene, add one cup sugar gradually, stirring constantly. beat yolks thick and light, add remaining cup sugar gradually, continue beating. combine mixtures. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. add to first mixture alternately with milk. add vanilla and fold in the whites of eggs beaten stiff and dry. turn into two well-greased, square cake pans and bake fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. spread one layer thickly with boiled frosting, sprinkle heavily with fresh grated cocoanut, cover with remaining layer. spread top and sides with frosting, and sprinkle with cocoanut before frosting glazes. boiled frosting cups sugar. / teaspoon cream of tartar. / cup water. whites eggs. process: mix sugar, cream of tartar and water in a sauce pan. place on range and stir until mixture begins to boil. when syrup drops from the wooden spoon thick like honey, remove from range and add eight tablespoons of the syrup to the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, beating constantly. return remaining syrup to range, continue cooking until syrup spins a thread at least five inches in length. pour syrup in a thin stream onto first mixture and beat until cool and slightly glazed on side of bowl. spread thickly on cake. [sidenote: _april_ _second sunday_] menu smoked sturgeon canapÉ clam broth buttered wafers broiled finnan haddie potatoes on the half shell peggy's sour cabbage cheese soufflÉ strawberry shortcake coffee * * * * * smoked sturgeon canapÉ cut stale white bread in one-third inch slices, trim off crust and cut slices in crescents or triangles--then sauté a golden brown in butter. spread with anchovy paste or with french mustard, then arrange flaked smoked sturgeon over canapés. sprinkle thickly with finely chopped olives and pimentos. garnish each with a rolled fillet of anchovy. dispose each canapé on a bread and butter plate covered with a paper doily and garnish with sprays of parsley. clam bouillon peck of clams (in the shells). cups cold water. salt, pepper. whipped cream. process: wash and scrub clams with a stiff brush, changing the water until no sand is seen in bottom of vessel. put in a kettle, add cold water, cover closely and bring water gradually to boiling point, steam until all the shells are opened. remove clam with shells, strain broth through double cheese-cloth, season and serve hot in hot bouillon cups. drop a spoonful of whipped cream on top of each service and sprinkle with paprika. broiled finnan haddie wash the fish thoroughly; lay in a dripping pan, flesh side down; cover with cold water and let soak one hour. drain; cover with hot water, let soak fifteen minutes. drain again and wipe dry; brush over with soft butter and broil fifteen minutes over a slow fire or some distance from the flame if cooked with gas. remove to hot serving platter and spread with maître d'hôtel butter. potatoes on the half shell select smooth, large, uniform sized potatoes; wash and scrub them carefully with a brush. bake and cut them in halves lengthwise; scoop out the pulp from shells, being careful not to break them. press pulp through a ricer; season with salt, pepper, butter and hot cream. add one teaspoon finely chopped parsley (to five potatoes), whip mixture until fluffy, refill shells with mixture, using pastry bag and rose tube. place in oven until heated through. dispose around finnan haddie, interspersed with sprays of parsley. peggy's sour cabbage select a small, firm head of white cabbage; cut in quarters, remove the tough stalk and shave crosswise as fine as possible. put cabbage in a large frying pan, cover with water, cover closely and cook until cabbage is tender (from forty to eighty minutes). season with salt the last fifteen minutes of cooking. drain and add one-third to one-half cup of butter, toss cabbage until well buttered, sauté until some of the cabbage is delicately browned. season with pepper, and add vinegar to taste. serve hot. cheese soufflÉ tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon ground mustard. / teaspoon paprika. / cup scalded milk. / cup grated american cheese. yolks eggs beaten thick and light. whites eggs beaten stiff. process: melt butter in a saucepan; add flour mixed with seasonings, stir to a smooth paste and add gradually scalded milk, stirring constantly. add grated cheese and when cheese is melted remove from range; add yolks of eggs and continue beating, then cut and fold in the whites of eggs. turn mixture into a well-greased, one-quart baking dish and bake in a moderate oven twenty minutes. serve at once. strawberry shortcake cups flour. / teaspoon salt. teaspoons baking powder. tablespoons cottolene. cup thin cream. process: sift together flour, salt and baking powder. rub shortening in with tips of fingers. add cream, mix with a knife to a soft dough. turn on a floured board, knead slightly and divide the dough into two equal parts. pat and roll each piece to one-half inch thickness; lay one piece in a buttered jelly cake pan, brush over with soft butter and place remaining piece on top. bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes. remove from oven; invert cake on a hot serving platter. remove bottom layer (which is now the top). spread with soft butter and add a layer of berries prepared as directed hereafter. sift generously with bar sugar, replace remaining cake, cover with berries, sprinkle with sugar, mask with whipped cream sweetened and flavored with orange extract. strawberry mixture wash two quarts strawberries; hull and cut each berry in half. prepare a syrup by boiling together two cups sugar and one-half cup water four minutes, cool and pour syrup over berries, or sprinkle raw sugar over berries and let stand one hour. lift the berries from syrup and place between layer and on top of short cake. strain syrup into a pitcher or bowl and pass with each portion of short cake. [sidenote: _april_ _third sunday_] menu cream of asparagus breaded mutton chops--sauce signora baked bananas--sultana sauce fried whole potatoes lettuce hearts steamed graham pudding--sherry sauce cafÉ noir * * * * * breaded mutton chops wipe and trim chops, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dredge with flour. dip in egg diluted with cold water or milk (allowing two tablespoons to each egg), then in fine bread crumbs, repeat if not well coated with crumbs. fry in deep hot cottolene about ten minutes. drain on brown paper and serve in a border of hot mashed potatoes with green pepper, or in a nest of green peas dressed with maître d'hôtel butter. sauce signora cook two tablespoons of chopped, lean, raw ham in one-fourth cup butter until lightly browned, add one-fourth cup flour, one-half teaspoon salt, and stir until well blended, then add one and one-half cups of brown stock and one cup of chili sauce. heat to boiling point, stirring constantly. reduce heat and simmer ten minutes. this sauce may be strained or served without straining. care must be taken that ham is not overcooked. baked bananas with sultana sauce bananas. / cup sultana raisins. - / cups boiling water. cup sugar. tablespoon butter. few grains salt. / cup sherry wine. tablespoons lemon juice. tablespoon cornstarch or two teaspoons arrowroot. process: with a sharp knife open and peel down one section of each banana, carefully loosen the pulp from the rest of the skin; remove pulp and scrape lightly with a silver knife, removing all the coarse threads. replace the pulp in its original shape in the skins. arrange the bananas in an agate dripping pan and bake in a moderate oven until the skins are black and the pulp is soft (from ten to fifteen minutes). remove pulp from skins to serving platter, being careful to preserve their shape. curve them slightly and pour over sultana sauce pick over raisins, cover them with water and cook until raisins are tender. mix sugar, cornstarch and salt, add slowly to raisins and water, stirring constantly. cook slowly twenty minutes; add butter, lemon juice and wine. reheat and serve. fried whole potatoes select small potatoes of uniform size. wash, pare and parboil in boiling salted water ten minutes. drain dry and fry a golden brown in deep hot cottolene (time required about twelve minutes). fat should not be hot enough to brown potatoes until the last five minutes of cooking, otherwise potatoes will not be cooked throughout. drain on brown paper, sprinkle with salt and serve at once. steamed graham pudding tablespoons cottolene. / cup n. o. molasses. / cup milk. egg well beaten. - / cups graham flour. / teaspoon soda. teaspoon salt. / teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon cloves. / teaspoon mace. cup dates stoned and cut in pieces. process: cream cottolene, add molasses, milk and egg. mix and sift the dry ingredients, add dates and stir into first mixture, beat thoroughly. turn into a buttered tube mold, cover and steam two and one-half hours. serve with sherry sauce (recipe page ). [sidenote: _april_ _fourth sunday_] menu spanish soup baked halibut potatoes À l'aurora corn fritters cabbage relish stewed rhubarb with pineapple and raisins old fashioned marble cake * * * * * spanish soup cups brown stock. cups tomato pulp. large, green, finely chopped pepper. medium-sized onion, finely chopped. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. tablespoons freshly grated horseradish. / tablespoon worcestershire sauce. salt, pepper and cayenne, or a few drops tobasco sauce. / cup hot cooked rice. process: cook pepper and onion in butter five minutes. add flour, stir until well blended and delicately browned, then add gradually stock and tomato pulp; let simmer twenty minutes. rub through a sieve and season highly with salt, pepper, and cayenne or tobasco. before serving add worcestershire, horseradish and rice. baked halibut wipe a two-pound slice of halibut. arrange six or eight thin slices of fat salt pork in bottom of dripping pan, slice an onion thinly over pork, add a bit of bay leaf and arrange halibut over onion. spread halibut evenly with a butter paste made of four tablespoons butter worked to a cream with three tablespoons flour. season with one-half teaspoon salt and a few grains cayenne. over butter paste sprinkle thickly-buttered cracker crumbs, and arrange alternately strips of pimento and thin slices of bacon over crumbs. cover with a buttered paper and bake slowly one hour in a moderate oven. remove paper the last fifteen minutes of cooking to brown the crumbs and bacon delicately. remove to hot serving platter and garnish with shredded potatoes, sliced lemon and parsley. potatoes aurora cut cold, boiled potatoes in one-fourth inch cubes. there should be sufficient to fill three cups. reheat potatoes in two cups of thin white sauce, turn into hot serving dish. remove the shells from four hard-cooked eggs, cut them in halves crosswise, remove the yolks. cut whites in rings and arrange rings around edge of potatoes; press the yolks through a ricer over potatoes. sprinkle the rings with finely chopped parsley. serve at once. corn fritters can corn, chopped fine. cup flour. teaspoon baking powder. teaspoon sugar. teaspoons salt. / teaspoon white pepper. eggs. process: add dry ingredients, sifted together, to corn; add yolks well beaten; then fold in whites beaten until stiff. fry as griddle cakes; or dip a tablespoon into deep hot cottolene, drain well, then take up a spoonful of the corn mixture, drop into hot cottolene, pushing it off spoon into hot fat with a spatula. fry a golden brown. drain on brown paper and serve immediately. cabbage relish remove the wilted and coarse outside leaves from one small, solid head of white, new cabbage (southern), cut off stalk, cut head in quarters, cut out stalk from each quarter and chop cabbage very fine. add one medium-sized bermuda onion, finely chopped. cover with ice water and let stand until crisp. drain thoroughly and mix with relish dressing. serve in lemon baskets, sprinkle with finely chopped chives, green pepper or parsley. relish dressing teaspoon mustard. - / teaspoons salt. / tablespoon flour. tablespoon sugar. few grains cayenne. tablespoon melted butter. egg yolk. / cup hot vinegar. / teaspoon celery seed. / cup thick cream. process: mix the ingredients, except celery seed, in the order given. cook in double boiler, stirring constantly until mixture coats the spoon; strain and add celery seed. chill and add to cabbage. stewed rhubarb wash and trim off ends of two pounds tender rhubarb; do not peel. cut rhubarb in one-inch pieces. put into baking dish and sprinkle generously with sugar, add just enough water to prevent rhubarb from burning. cover and bake in oven very slowly until tender but not broken. (slow cooking preserves its color.) one cup of sultana raisins may be cooked with rhubarb. they must, however, be first picked over, stems removed, then covered with boiling water, drained, then covered again with boiling water and cooked until soft. arrange a layer of rhubarb in baking dish, then a sprinkle of raisins and sugar and thus continue until all are used. finish cooking as directed in the foregoing. serve very cold. marble cake / cup cottolene. cup sugar. eggs. / cup milk. / teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon nutmeg. / teaspoon salt. - / cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. tablespoon molasses. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, yolks of eggs beaten until thick and light, flour sifted with baking powder, alternately with milk. fold in whites of eggs beaten until stiff. turn one-third of this batter into a bowl and add to it molasses and spices. pour into well-greased pan, alternating light and dark mixtures to give it the "marbled" appearance. bake forty to forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. _may_ "_if you are an artist in the kitchen you will always be esteemed._"--_elizabeth in her german garden._ [illustration] [sidenote: _may_ _first sunday_] menu asparagus soup--saltines baked bluefish À la creole chateau potatoes stringless beans with bacon cheese and pimento salad frozen strawberries corn-starch loaf cake with maple frosting cafÉ noir--tea frappÉ * * * * * cream of asparagus soup cups white stock. bunch (or can) asparagus. cups cold water. slices onion. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. - / cups scalded milk. / cup hot cream. process: wash, scrape and cut asparagus in one-inch pieces, reserve the tips. cover with boiling salted water, cook ten minutes; drain, add stock and onion and cook until tender, rub through a sieve. melt butter in a sauce pan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste; remove from fire and add first mixture slowly, stirring constantly. season with salt and pepper, add hot milk and cream, continue stirring. cook tips in boiling salted water until tender, drain. turn soup into hot soup tureen, add tips and serve. if canned asparagus is used, drain from liquor, rinse, reserve tips and follow directions given in the foregoing. bluefish À la creole remove bones from a fresh, three-pound bluefish. place on a well-buttered fish sheet, laid in a dripping pan. sprinkle with salt and paprika. cook in a hot oven twenty-five minutes, basting often with melted butter or sweet dripping. remove to hot serving platter and pour a creole sauce around fish. sprinkle fish with buttered crumbs, set platter on a board and place in oven to brown crumbs. garnish with slices of lemon dipped in chopped parsley. creole sauce (for recipe see page .) chateau potatoes wash, pare and cook (almost soft) one-half dozen medium-size potatoes. drain perfectly dry, cool and cut them in quarters, trim them in the shape of small gherkins. wash them in cold water, then put them in a frying pan, reheat in boiling water. drain and add four tablespoons butter; shake the pan until potatoes are well buttered and a golden brown color. remove carefully with a skimmer to hot serving dish, and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. stringless beans with bacon cut three thin slices of bacon in shreds crosswise, try out in a frying pan. cook until tender two cups green, stringless beans and three or four small new onions, in boiling salted water. drain and add to bacon, mix well, add salt (if necessary) and pepper; turn into a hot serving dish. cheese and pimento salad (for recipe see page .) frozen strawberries cups thin cream. cups thick cream. cups milk. cup sugar. / cup water. few grains salt. cups strawberry juice and pulp. tablespoon lemon juice. strawberries. process: cook water and sugar together three minutes. cool and add to cream and milk. add a sprinkle of salt. turn into freezer and when half frozen add lemon juice and strawberry pulp. finish freezing. let stand an hour or two to ripen. serve in cone shape and place a large, unhulled strawberry in top of each cone. corn starch loaf cake / cup cottolene. cups fine sugar. cup milk. cup corn starch. cups flour. - / tablespoons baking powder. whites eggs beaten stiff. / teaspoon salt. teaspoon vanilla. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. mix and sift flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt; add alternately to first mixture with milk, add vanilla, then cut and fold in whites of eggs. turn mixture into two well-greased, brick-shaped bread pans and bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. spread with maple frosting (see page ) and stick with blanched and shredded almonds slightly toasted. [illustration] [sidenote: _may_ _second sunday_] menu cream of spinach croutons young pigeons (stall fed) stuffed and braised mashed potatoes asparagus with butter sauce spinach salad cottage pudding with strawberries coffee cream of spinach / peck spinach. cups cold water. / small bay leaf. - / teaspoons salt. tablespoons cottolene. cups milk. slices onion. tablespoons flour. / cup heavy cream. cayenne pepper and celery salt. process: cook spinach in water thirty minutes. drain, chop, and rub through sieve. scald milk with onion and bay leaf. melt cottolene in sauce-pan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste, pour on slowly scalded milk (first removing onion and bay leaf), stirring constantly. add seasonings, spinach pulp; cook five minutes and serve with cream, whipped stiff. sprinkle each portion with finely chopped parsley. young pigeons stuffed and braised clean, stuff and truss six _young_ pigeons. arrange them in a stew pan or dutch oven. add one quart boiling water; add three blades celery, cut in pieces, and three slices of onion, a small bit of bay leaf and one-half teaspoon peppercorns. cover closely and simmer (in the oven if dutch oven is used) slowly, until birds are tender (about two hours according to age of birds). remove from casserole, cool and spread with soft butter. sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dredge with flour. strain liquor from casserole. try out fat salt pork in vessel, and brown birds richly in the pork fat, turning often that they may be evenly browned. make a sauce of the strained stock. make shallow, boat-shape croutons of stale bread, fry them a golden brown in deep hot cottolene, drain on brown paper and arrange a bird in each boat. garnish with parsley. stuffing for pigeons cup hot, riced potato. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. teaspoon finely chopped chives. tablespoon butter. / cup soft stale bread crumbs soaked in water then wrung in a napkin. egg yolk. few grains poultry seasonings. process: mix ingredients in the order given and fill body of pigeons. asparagus with butter sauce untie the bunches, wash and remove scales. cut off the hard part of spears as far up as they will snap. retie, and cook in boiling salted water until tender (about fifteen minutes), leaving the tips out of water the first ten minutes of cooking. drain, remove strings. arrange in hot serving dish and pour over two tablespoons melted butter (for each bunch), sprinkle with salt and pepper. spinach salad pick over and wash in several waters or until no sand is left in bottom of bowl, one-half peck spinach. drain and cook in its own juice and the water that clings to the leaves (if spinach is old, cook it in plenty of water), until soft. drain dry as possible and chop finely. season with salt, pepper and tarragon vinegar. cut bacon in shreds crosswise, then cut shreds in small bits. sauté them until delicately browned and crisp, skim them from the fat, add them to spinach, add one tablespoon of bacon fat. butter lightly small dairole molds and pack solidly with spinach. chill, unmold and arrange on thin slices of cold, boiled ham, tongue or bologna sausage, trimmed in circular pieces a trifle larger than mold of spinach. arrange each portion in a nest of parsley or cress, and fill depression on top of spinach with mayonnaise or sauce tartare (for recipe see page ). [sidenote: _may_ _third sunday_] menu cream of asparagus braised calf's liver rice au gratin carrots and turnips in cream sauce asparagus salad custard pie edam cheese coffee iced tea * * * * * cream of asparagus (for recipe see page .) braised calf's liver wipe liver and skewer into shape, if necessary. draw small lardoons through the liver, in parallel rows, leaving each lardoon extend one-half inch above surface. place liver in a casserole or dutch oven, surround with remnants of lardoons. sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. surround with one-third cup each of carrots, onion and celery, cut in small cubes; add one-half teaspoon peppercorns, six cloves, one spray parsley, a bit of bay leaf and two cups hot brown stock or water. cover closely and cook in a slow oven two hours. remove cover the last half hour of cooking that liver may brown richly. remove liver to serving platter, set aside in a warm place. strain liquor in casserole and use for making a brown sauce. pour sauce around liver and serve. braised liver may be served cold, thinly sliced. rice au gratin - / cups steamed or boiled rice. tablespoon salt. - / tablespoons butter. / lb. grated cheese. cayenne. milk. buttered cracker crumbs. process: when steaming or boiling the rice, allow one tablespoon of salt for seasoning. butter a baking dish and cover with a layer of rice, dot over with some of the butter. sprinkle with a thin layer of cheese and a slight sprinkle cayenne; repeat alternate layers until rice and cheese are used. pour on milk to half the depth of baking dish, cover with buttered cracker crumbs and bake in oven until cheese melts and crumbs are brown. carrots and turnips in cream sauce scrub, scrape and cut carrots in small cubes. wash, pare and cut purple-top turnips the same. (there should be one and one-half cups of each.) cover each (in separate vessels) with boiling water and cook until tender; add salt the last half hour of cooking. drain well, toss together and reheat in one and one-half cups thin white sauce. asparagus salad cook asparagus in the usual way, drain and slip three or four spears through an onion ring just large enough to hold them. arrange these fagots in nests of crisp lettuce heart leaves. just before serving pour over french dressing to which has been added one tablespoon of finely chopped chives. a band of red or green pepper may be used in place of the onion ring. canned asparagus should first be drained from the liquor in the can then rinsed with cold water. chilled and served as directed in the foregoing. custard pie line a deep, perforated pie tin with plain or rich paste. for filling, beat three eggs slightly, add one-fourth cup sugar, one-eighth teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon nutmeg, and pour over slowly two cups scalded milk, stirring constantly. bake in a hot oven at first, to set the crust or rim, then reduce the heat afterwards; as this is a combination of eggs and milk it should be finished in a slow oven. [sidenote: _may_ _fourth sunday_] menu consommÉ--bread sticks boiled corned beef with vegetables dandelion salad frozen strawberries spanish layer cake cafÉ noir--iced tea consommÉ with bread sticks (for recipe see page .) boiled corned beef with vegetables select five or six pounds from the plate or the brisket; wash carefully in cold water, drain; place in kettle and cover with boiling water, let boil five minutes and--if very briny--drain, rinse off scum with hot water and again cover with boiling water; heat to boiling point and simmer until meat is tender (about six hours). remove beef from liquor, keep covered in a warm place. skim off some of the fat from liquor. add carrots washed, scraped and cut in quarters. let cook fifteen minutes, then add small white onions and turnips pared and cut in quarters, one head white cabbage cut in quarters (stalk cut out). wash, pare and cut uniform-sized potatoes in quarters, parboil five minutes, then drain and add to other ingredients. cook beets in a separate vessel. when vegetables are soft, arrange meat in center of hot serving platter and surround with carrots, turnips, onions and cabbage. sprinkle vegetables with finely chopped parsley, serve beets in separate dish. pass horseradish, mustard and vinegar. dandelion salad gather the dandelion when young and tender. that which is cultivated is well bleached and very tender. wash thoroughly in several waters, cut off the roots and outside leaves. drain dry on a cloth or in a wire basket. arrange in salad bowl. cut thin sweet bacon in tiny shreds crosswise and sauté in frying pan until crisp; sprinkle bacon over dandelion. to the fat in pan (there should be one-third cup), add one-fourth cup vinegar diluted with two tablespoons water. heat to boiling point and pour over dandelions; toss leaves with a fork until well mixed with dressing; serve at once. frozen strawberries--no. quarts cream. cups sugar. few grains salt. cups strawberry juice and pulp. process: wash and hull strawberries (about three boxes); sprinkle with one cup sugar, cover closely and set aside in a cool place for two hours. mash and squeeze berries through cheese cloth. mix remaining cup sugar and salt with cream; turn into freezer and, when half frozen, add strawberries and finish freezing. serve with strawberry sauce. strawberry sauce cup sugar. / cup water. cups strawberry pulp. process: make a syrup by boiling water with sugar three minutes (after mixture begins to boil), cool slightly and add strawberry pulp. chill thoroughly and serve. spanish layer cake / cup cottolene. cup sugar. yolks eggs. / cup milk. - / cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon cloves. / teaspoon salt. whites eggs. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. mix and sift flour, baking powder, spices and salt; add to first mixture alternately with milk. cut and fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in two well-greased, square, layer cake pans. spread with a thick layer of raspberry between layers. cover top with frosting or dredge with powdered sugar. [sidenote: _may_ _fifth sunday_] menu cream of rice soup flank steak stuffed and braised boiled rice dandelion greens with bacon asparagus salad strawberry short cake cafÉ noir cream of rice soup cup rice, well washed. - / quarts cold water. onion sliced. green pepper cut in shreds. cups hot cream or milk. / cup butter. tablespoons flour. salt, cayenne and nutmeg. teaspoon finely chopped parsley. process: heat water to boiling, season with salt and add rice, onion and green pepper (discarding seeds and veins). cook until rice is soft; rub through a sieve. melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste, add cream slowly, stirring constantly. add seasonings and cook over hot water ten minutes. combine with rice mixture, continue cooking five minutes. turn into hot soup tureen and sprinkle over with parsley. flank steak stuffed and braised select a flank steak weighing about two and one-half pounds. have the butcher peel off the superfluous fat and tissue and score both sides diagonally in opposite directions. remove the steak from paper when it comes from market and lay it flat on meat board, sprinkle with salt and pepper. spread over it a thin layer of stuffing, (see page ), roll lengthwise, very compactly, sew the overlapping edge securely, also the ends. sprinkle roll with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. place meat in pan with enough cottolene to brown it richly, turning roll until it is richly browned all over. then remove to dutch oven or casserole; rinse dripping pan with a little boiling water, pour over meat and surround with two cups stewed and strained tomato pulp, one onion thinly sliced, one green pepper shredded (after removing seeds and veins), two sprays parsley, the half of a small bay leaf and two tablespoons worcestershire sauce. cover closely, place in oven and cook meat very slowly about three to four hours. remove meat to serving platter. dilute four tablespoons flour with cold water to the consistency to pour, add to sauce in pan, stir until well blended, season with salt and pepper; let simmer ten minutes, then strain around meat. garnish with sprays of parsley or cress. dandelion greens remove the roots, carefully pick over (discarding all tough and wilted leaves) and wash dandelion leaves in several waters; to the last water add salt to free leaves from insects and vermin. it will require one peck of leaves to serve a family of six. cook leaves in plenty of boiling salted water until tender; drain at once and chop fine. dress with butter and pepper; cut thin slices of bacon in shreds crosswise, try it out and pour over dandelions. (there should be one-third cup bacon fat.) the shreds of bacon are an attractive garnish; hard-cooked eggs may also be used as a garnish. cut them in eighths or rings. vinegar is sometimes added. serve hot. strawberry short cake (for recipe see page .) _june_ _nothing lovelier can be found in woman, than to study house good._ --_milton._ [illustration] [sidenote: _june_ _first sunday_] menu consommÉ browned crackers lamb chops breaded--maÎtre d'hÔtel butter new potatoes chive sauce green peas june salad cherry pie iced tea--cafÉ noir * * * * * consommÉ princess add to consommé small green peas and tiny cubes of cold cooked breast of chicken. (for recipe for consommé see page .) browned crackers split crackers, arrange them in a dripping pan, place in a moderate oven until crisp and delicately browned. lamb chops breaded prepare loin or french chops as for broiling. dip in crumbs, egg (diluted with cold water, allowing two tablespoons water to each egg), add in crumbs, and fry in deep hot cottolene six to eight minutes. drain on brown paper and spread with maître d'hôtel butter. new potatoes with chive sauce scrape off the skin, remove the "eyes" with a sharp pointed knife and scrub them with a vegetable brush, rinse thoroughly and put in sauce pan, add boiling water to cover; season with salt, cover and cook until soft, drain. if small, serve whole; if large, cut them in one-half inch cubes and reheat in chive sauce. chive sauce to cream sauce (see page ) add one tablespoon finely chopped chives. green peas cook peas in boiling water. use just enough water to prevent them from burning. add salt fifteen minutes before removing them from fire. season with butter and pepper. june salad remove stones from red and pink ox-heart cherries and cut them in halves lengthwise. remove the pulp from oranges and cut in inch cubes; peel bananas and cut in one-half inch cubes. use equal quantities of each and marinate with french dressing no. . serve in nests of heart lettuce leaves and mask with mayonnaise. french dressing no. / teaspoon salt. tablespoons olive oil. / teaspoon paprika. tablespoons lemon juice. process: put seasoning in small bowl, add oil slowly, stirring constantly; add lemon juice slowly, continue beating until all is used. chill, beat again and turn over fruit. mayonnaise dressing / teaspoon salt. few grains cayenne. yolks eggs. - / tablespoons lemon juice, or / tablespoon each of vinegar and lemon juice. / cup olive oil. process: put seasoning in bowl, add egg yolks and mix thoroughly, add oil drop by drop, until four tablespoons have been added, after which larger quantities may be added. stir constantly. as mixture thickens, add a teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar. continue adding oil and lemon juice or vinegar alternately until all is used, stirring constantly. all ingredients should be very cold. set bowl in which dressing is made in a bowl of crushed ice. cherry pie pick over, stem and pit cherries (there should be two cups when pitted). heat to boiling point in their own juice, then chill them. line a perforated pie pan with rich paste, moisten the rim with cold water and lay around a strip of pastry one inch wide, press lightly. brush the pastry over with slightly beaten white of egg. sweeten cherries to taste, add a few grains of salt and turn into lined pie pan. sift over two tablespoons flour, moisten rim and cover with top crust, flute the edges and bake in hot oven for the first ten minutes, then reduce heat, continue baking for twenty-five minutes. serve hot with cheese, cut in strips one-fourth inch thick and wide by two and one-half inches long. iced tea make tea and chill. serve in glasses filled with crushed ice, adding (if desired) one tablespoon lemon juice to each glass. pass fine granulated (bar) sugar. place each glass on a small plate. [illustration] [sidenote: _june_ _second sunday_] menu cheese canapÉs hamburg roast--brown sauce roast new potatoes green peas with new carrots in cream sauce garden cress with oranges--french dressing currant pie coffee cherry punch * * * * * cheese canapÉs cut stale bread in one-quarter inch slices, shape with small biscuit cutter ( inches in diameter). spread lightly with french or german mustard, sprinkle thickly with grated cheese, sprinkle cheese with finely chopped olives. place a small stuffed olive in center of each. dispose on a small plate covered with a paper doily. garnish with sprays of parsley and serve as an "appetizer." hamburg roast remove the fat and stringy parts, also marrow-bone, from two pounds round steak. pass through the meat grinder twice; add the marrow taken from bone, one tablespoon green pepper finely chopped, one tablespoon onion finely chopped, season well with salt and the beaten yolks of two eggs or one whole egg slightly beaten; add one-half cup of soft bread crumbs that have been soaked in cold water thirty minutes and wrung dry in a double cheese cloth. mix ingredients thoroughly with the hand. shape in a compact roll of uniform thickness. lay thin slices of salt pork or bacon in the bottom of a dripping pan, set the roast on them; lay thin slices of salt pork over the meat and place in a hot oven. after the first eight minutes reduce the heat and baste with the hot fat in the pan; let cook about thirty minutes, basting every ten minutes. the roast should be richly browned on the outside and a delicate pink inside. serve surrounded with tomato, brown or creole sauce. brown sauce tablespoons butter. slice onion. tablespoons flour. - / cups brown stock. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. process: melt butter in sauce pan, add onion and cook until delicately browned; remove onion, and cook butter until richly browned, stirring constantly; add flour sifted with seasonings, stir to a paste and continue browning. then pour on stock, slowly stirring until smooth and glossy. onion may be omitted. roast new potatoes select uniform-sized new potatoes, wash and scrub them with a brush, pare and parboil ten to fifteen minutes (according to the size) in boiling salted water. drain and place them around rack in dripping pan in which meat is roasting and cook until tender. baste occasionally with fat in pan when basting roast. green peas and new carrots in cream sauce cook one and one-half cups of peas in just enough water to prevent them from burning. add salt fifteen minutes before removing them from range. wash, scrub and scrape new carrots and cut them in one-fourth inch cubes (there should be one and one-half cups); cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain and mix with peas. reheat them in one and one-half cups of cream sauce (for recipe see page ). garden cress with oranges arrange individual nests of garden cress on six chilled salad plates. cut eight oranges in halves, remove the pulp, discarding veins and sections. leave the pulp in the original shape as taken from the sections; divide the pulp evenly between the six nests. serve with french dressing and sprinkle each portion with paprika and a few grains cayenne. omit the garlic when using fruit. french dressing / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. / teaspoon paprika. tablespoons olive oil. tablespoons vinegar. garlic. process: rub the mixing bowl with a bruised clove of garlic; add salt, pepper, paprika and oil; beat until ingredients are thoroughly blended, adding vinegar slowly meanwhile. a piece of ice put into bowl while stirring will aid in chilling the mixture. currant pie - / cups cleaned currants. cups sugar. / teaspoon salt. eggs slightly beaten. tablespoons flour. process: mix the ingredients in the order given. turn in a lined pie pan, heaping currants in center; cover with top crust, press and flute the edges. bake as other berry pies. serve hot. sprinkle with powdered sugar. cherry punch boil two cups sugar and one cup water until a rich syrup is formed. add one cup of lemon juice and two cups of cherry juice, left over when canning cherries. (this left-over juice may be brought to the boiling point, skimmed and turned into sterilized fruit jars, sealed and stored as canned fruit and may be used for punch or pudding sauce.) add two cups cold water. fill a claret pitcher with cracked ice; add mixture. when serving, place a thin slice of orange, three or four strawberries and three pitted california cherries in each glass, fill three-fourths full with mixture. serve very cold. [sidenote: _june_ _third sunday_] menu chicken consommÉ with poached egg yolks fried perch--sauce tartare shredded potatoes asparagus on toast lettuce with cream dressing cherry roly-poly cherry sauce coffee * * * * * chicken consommÉ with poached egg yolks heat six cups of chicken consommé to the boiling point. poach the yolks of six eggs in hot water until firm; remove from water with a skimmer. place one yolk in each bouillon cup and pour on hot consommé. sprinkle slightly with finely chopped chives or parsley. fried perch select fresh perch of medium size. clean, bone and wipe dry as possible. sprinkle with salt, pepper, dip in flour, egg, and crumbs (be sure fish are well coated with crumbs). lay three at a time in a croquette basket and fry a golden brown in deep hot cottolene. cottolene should not be so hot as to brown fish at once, as fish will not be cooked through. (time required for frying small fish is from four to six minutes.) drain on brown paper and serve with sauce tartare. garnish with parsley, lemon slices and radishes cut to imitate roses. sauce tartare to one cup of mayonnaise dressing add one finely chopped shallot, one tablespoon each finely chopped capers, sweet gherkins, olives, and one-half tablespoon each finely chopped parsley and fresh tarragon. mix well and keep cool until ready to serve. shredded potatoes wash, pare and cut potatoes in one-eighth inch slices. cut slices in tiny straws. wash carefully in cold water until water ceases to be cloudy. let stand one hour in cold water. drain and dry on towels. fry a golden brown in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper, sprinkle with salt and serve around fried perch. asparagus tips in croustades prepare the asparagus in the usual way, cut off the tops one inch in length. cook in as little boiling salted water as possible. drain and dress with a béchamel sauce. serve in bread croustades (small round, square, or diamond-shaped molds cut through thick slices of bread). bÉchamel sauce tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. - / cups highly seasoned chicken stock. / cup hot thin cream. yolk eggs. salt, pepper, few grains nutmeg. process: melt butter in a saucepan, add flour, stir to a smooth paste; add stock slowly, stirring constantly; add cream and continue stirring. bring to boiling point, remove from range and add egg yolk slightly beaten. add seasonings. beat until smooth and glossy. keep hot over hot water. do not allow sauce to boil after adding yolk of egg. lettuce with cream dressing pick over, wash thoroughly young tender lettuce; cut off the roots and drain. beat one-half cup heavy cream until solid. add two tablespoons vinegar diluted with one tablespoon cold water. add one tablespoon finely chopped chives, one-half teaspoon salt and one-eighth teaspoon pepper. pour over lettuce, mix well and serve cold. cherry roly-poly make a baking powder biscuit dough as for cream fruit rolls. (see page .) roll to one-half inch thickness. drain pitted cherries from the juice; strew them over dough, sprinkle with sugar and dredge lightly with flour. roll like a jelly roll, moisten and press the overlapping edge and close the ends as securely as possible. bake in a hot oven, twenty-five minutes, basting three times with some of the cherry juice sweetened to taste, or tie loosely in a floured cloth and cook in boiling water two hours, or steam in a steamer one hour. serve on a hot platter with cherry sauce. cherry sauce cups pitted cherries. cup claret. / cup sugar. / glass red currant jelly. juice lemon. / dozen cassia buds. process: mix the ingredients in the order given, cook slowly until reduced to a syrup. strain through a sieve and serve hot with cherry roly-poly or dumplings. [illustration] [sidenote: _june_ _fourth sunday_] menu cream of asparagus soup--croutons radishes green onions roast stuffed shoulder of lamb--mint sauce new potatoes with peas swiss chard with bacon and "hard boiled" eggs cherry duff cherry sauce coffee * * * * * cream of asparagus soup (for recipe see page .) croutons cut stale bread in one-third inch slices; remove crusts and cut in one-third inch strips, cut strips in one-third inch cubes. fry them a golden brown in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper and sprinkle lightly with salt. roast shoulder of lamb order a shoulder and fore-leg of lamb, boned. wipe, stuff and truss in shape. sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. place on rack in dripping pan, put in hot oven and baste with dripping melted in one cup hot water, as soon as flour begins to brown; continue basting every fifteen minutes until meat is done, which will require about two hours; add one cup of stock to pan while meat is cooking. when richly browned cover closely and finish cooking. to carve a boned leg of lamb, cut in thin slices across the grain, beginning at top of shoulder. when trussed in shape meat looks like a goose without wings or legs. stuffing for lamb (see recipe page for stuffing, adding / teaspoon poultry seasoning.) mint sauce bunch of mint finely chopped. / cup vinegar. tablespoons cold water. tablespoons powdered sugar. process: dilute vinegar with cold water, add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved, pour over mint (there should be four tablespoons of mint), place on back of range and infuse for one-half hour. new potatoes with new peas prepare potatoes as for new potatoes with chive sauce (see recipe page ), omitting the chives. cook one cup of new peas until tender, in as little boiling salted water as possible. drain; add to potatoes. reheat potatoes and peas in cream sauce. swiss chard with bacon wash and pick over swiss chard. cook in boiling salted water, using just enough water to prevent chard from burning. drain and chop fine. arrange in a mound on a chop platter, surround (crown fashion) with "hard-boiled" eggs cut in halves lengthwise, having cut side out. cut a slice off the large end of each egg so that they will stay in place. cut five slices of bacon in narrow strips crosswise. try out one-third cup. add one-fourth cup vinegar, diluted with one-fourth cup hot water, pour while hot over the swiss chard, scattering the scraps of bacon over top of mound. cherry duff cups pitted cherries. cups sugar. teaspoon lemon juice. - / tablespoons cottolene. cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. teaspoon salt. / cup milk or thin cream. process: mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; rub cottolene in lightly with the tips of fingers; add milk and mix to soft dough. put sugar, cherries, drained from juice, and lemon juice in bottom of well-greased baking dish. cover with dough, place in steamer, set over kettle of boiling water, lay a crash towel over steamer, replace cover, and steam pudding forty-five minutes. serve with cherry juice, thickened with arrow root and sweetened. _july_ _i'm quite ashamed--'tis mighty rude to eat so much--but all's so good!_ --_pope._ [illustration] [sidenote: _july_ _first sunday_] menu cold consommÉ veal loaf (hot)--tomato sauce (or) cold--with string bean salad saratoga chips beets in drawn butter figs in sherry jelly with whipped cream nut and raisin cake with caramel frosting iced coffee * * * * * chicken consommÉ (cold) place a four-pound fowl in stock pot and a small knuckle of veal; add four quarts of cold water and heat slowly to boiling point. skim, reduce heat and let simmer five hours. do not allow liquid to boil as it will destroy its gelatinous properties, and the stock will be turbid. the last hour of cooking add one-third cup each celery, carrot and turnip cut in small dice, one-third cup sliced onion, one teaspoon peppercorns, one tablespoon salt, three sprays thyme, one spray marjoram, two sprays parsley, one-half bay leaf. remove fowl and knuckle; strain soup through double cheese cloth, cool quickly, and remove all fat; clear. fill bouillon cups three-fourths full and chill. this should be a clear, savory jelly. to clear soup stock after straining the stock through double cheese cloth, remove all fat and put the stock into a four-quart stew-pan. place on range and allow the white and shell of one egg for each quart of stock. beat the eggs slightly and crush shells in small bits, add slowly to stock, stirring constantly but slowly until the boiling point is reached; let boil two minutes. reduce the heat so that stock barely simmers twenty minutes, skim and strain through double cheese cloth placed over fine soup strainer. if stock to be cleared is not sufficiently seasoned, add more seasoning before clearing. veal loaf wipe three pounds of lean veal, discarding all skin and tissue. pass meat through the meat-chopper twice, with one-half pound of salt pork; add six crackers rolled, one-fourth cup cream, juice of one small lemon (about two tablespoons), one tablespoon salt, one-half tablespoon black pepper, onion juice to taste. mix thoroughly and pack solidly in a granite, brick-shaped bread pan, spread top evenly and brush with slightly beaten white of egg. bake in a moderate oven three hours, basting often with one-fourth cup of pork fat or dripping diluted with one-fourth cup boiling water. prick surface with a fork that fat may penetrate meat. chill, remove to serving platter, surround by any good vegetable salad. if served hot, surround with tomato, creole or espagnole sauce. this may be prepared saturday. string bean salad marinate cold, cooked, stringless beans with french dressing. there should be enough beans to make a generous border around a cold veal loaf. sprinkle beans thickly with small onions thinly sliced and the rings separated. garnish edge of dish with sprays of parsley and nasturtium blossoms. the finely chopped seed-cells may also be sprinkled over beans and is quite an addition. saratoga chips wash and pare the desired number of uniform-sized potatoes. slice thinly (using slaw cutter) into a bowl of cold water. let stand several hours, changing the water often or until it is quite clear. drain and drop them into a kettle of boiling water; allow them to boil just one minute. drain quickly and cover with cold water. drain from cold water and dry between towels. fry a few at a time in deep hot cottolene, keeping them moving with the skimmer. drain on soft brown paper and sprinkle with salt. beets in drawn butter wash the small new beets and cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain and cover with cold water. rub off the skins and slice them or cut them in cubes. reheat them in drawn butter (sour sauce) melt two tablespoons butter in a sauce-pan; add three tablespoons flour, stir to a smooth paste and add gradually, while stirring constantly, one cup boiling water. boil two minutes, then add four tablespoons hot cream and four tablespoons vinegar (if vinegar is too acid use two tablespoons each of vinegar and water), season with salt and pepper. figs in sherry jelly tablespoon granulated gelatine. / cup cold water. / cup boiling water. / cup best table sherry wine. juice of small lemon. / dozen washed figs. whipped cream. / cup sugar. process: soak gelatine in cold water, then dissolve it in boiling water; add sugar and stir occasionally until mixture begins to thicken, then add wine and lemon juice. chill a pint mold in ice water (a fancy mold is attractive for this purpose). separate the figs, slice them thinly and dip some of them in the jelly and use them for decorating the mold; then fill the mold with alternate layers of sliced figs and the mixture, allowing the jelly to "set" each time before adding the slices of figs. chill thoroughly. unmold jelly on serving dish and surround with whipped cream sweetened and flavored as desired. use pastry bag and rose tube for this purpose. nut and raisin cake / cup cottolene. cup fine sugar. eggs unbeaten. cup pecan nut meats. / cup raisins. cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / cup milk. grated rind of half an orange. / teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon mace. / teaspoon salt. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly, add eggs, one at a time and beating each in thoroughly before adding another. pass nuts and raisins through meat chopper, then mix with flour sifted with baking powder, salt and spices; add alternately to first mixture with milk, beating constantly. turn mixture into a well-greased tube pan and bake thirty-five to forty minutes in a moderate oven. spread with caramel frosting with nuts - / cups soft brown sugar. / cup granulated sugar. / cup boiling water. whites eggs. / teaspoon almond extract. / cup pecan nut meats broken in pieces. process: boil sugar and water together as for boiled frosting (see recipe page ). pour slowly onto beaten whites of eggs, beating constantly, continue beating until frosting is nearly cool. put pan containing frosting in a larger vessel of boiling water, place on range and cook until mixture granulates around sides of pan, stir constantly while cooking. remove from hot water and beat until frosting will keep its shape when dropped from spoon. add nut meats and flavoring. spread on cake, using wooden spoon to give surface a wave-like appearance. iced coffee follow directions for making boiled coffee, using four cups boiling water. chill and serve in tall glasses filled with cracked ice; add cream and sugar. [sidenote: _july_ _second sunday_] menu consommÉ with vegetables baked stuffed black bass--egg sauce parsley potatoes cauliflower with cheese sauce thin corn bread tomato and onion salad steamed blueberry pudding--foamy sauce iced tea cafÉ noir * * * * * consommÉ with vegetables to six cups consommé (for recipe see page ) add french string beans cut in diamonds, carrots cooked and cut in tiny fancy shapes (using french vegetable cutters), and french peas. serve with toasted cheese crackers. baked black bass clean a four-pound black bass, pickerel or haddock, sprinkle with salt, stuff and sew with no. cotton thread. cut four or five diagonal gashes on each side of backbone and lay in strips of fat salt pork. have the gashes on one side come between gashes on the other. the fish may be skewered in the shape of the letter s, or placed in an upright position on a well-greased fish sheet, laid in the bottom of a dripping-pan. brush over with melted butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour and strew small pieces of fat pork around fish. bake one hour in a hot oven, basting every ten minutes, first with melted butter or dripping, then with fat in dripping-pan as it is tried out. dispose on hot serving platter, pour around egg sauce and garnish with sprays of parsley. stuffing for fish / cup cracker crumbs. cup stale bread crumbs. tablespoons butter. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. / cup hot water. onion juice. process: mix crumbs, add seasoning, melt butter and hot water, add to crumbs, toss lightly with a fork and add onion juice to taste. egg sauce to drawn butter sauce add one-half teaspoon anchovy essence and two hard-cooked eggs cut in thin slices. sprinkle all with finely chopped parsley. (for drawn butter sauce see page .) thin corn bread / cup yellow corn meal. - / cups flour. tablespoons sugar. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. cup thin cream. egg well beaten. tablespoons cottolene. process: mix and sift the dry ingredients; add cream, beaten egg and cottolene, beat thoroughly; bake in a well-greased, shallow pan, in a hot oven, twenty-five minutes; five minutes before removing from oven, brush over with melted butter or milk to give it a richer color. serve with baked or broiled fish. parsley potatoes select smooth, uniform-sized new potatoes; wash, scrape and cover with cold water. let stand one hour; drain and place in steamer, cover closely and steam until soft. remove to serving dish; dot over with bits of butter and sprinkle at once with coarse salt and finely chopped parsley. cauliflower with cheese sauce select a medium-sized, firm cauliflower. trim off leaves, cut off stalk, and soak one hour (head down) in cold salt water to cover. cook (head up) until soft but not broken (about thirty minutes) in boiling salted water. drain and place carefully in a buttered, shallow baking dish, pour over one and one-half cups of cheese sauce, sprinkle with buttered crumbs and place in oven until crumbs are browned. serve in baking dish. cheese sauce tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. few grains cayenne. - / cups hot milk. / cup cheese cut in small pieces. process: melt butter in a sauce-pan, add flour, mixed with seasonings, stir to a smooth paste; let cook one minute, stirring constantly. pour on gradually hot milk and beat until smooth and glossy. add cheese and when melted pour over cauliflower. tomato and onion salad arrange a nest of heart lettuce leaves in salad bowl; place in center three peeled and chilled tomatoes, cut in quarters; thinly slice a mild onion, separate the rings and strew them over tomatoes, sprinkle all with green and red peppers finely chopped. serve with french dressing. steamed blueberry pudding - / cups bread flour. teaspoons baking powder. teaspoon salt. tablespoons cottolene. cup milk. cup blueberries. process: mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; rub in cottolene with tips of fingers, add milk gradually, stirring constantly; turn on a floured board, knead slightly, then roll out to one-half inch thickness; place berries in center mixed with one-half teaspoon salt and two tablespoons sugar; fold dough over, pinch the edges together to form a large ball; lift carefully into a well-greased, two-quart pail, cover closely and steam one and one-half hours. serve with foamy sauce egg whites. cup sugar. / cup thin hot cream. tablespoon sherry wine. nutmeg. process: beat the whites of eggs until stiff, add sugar gradually, beating constantly. add hot cream slowly, continue beating. add sherry wine and a sprinkle of nutmeg. milk may be used in place of cream, if the latter is not available. [sidenote: _july_ _third sunday_] menu tomato bouillon--cheesed butter thins radishes pickles cold boiled tongue chili sauce potato salad--broiled tomatoes blueberry pie--cheese balls iced cafÉ au lait iced cocoa * * * * * tomato bouillon prepare a tomato sauce; there should be two cups. strain this while hot through one thickness of cheese cloth into six cups of hot bouillon. reheat and serve in bouillon cups with cheesed butter thins sprinkle butter thins lightly with grated cheese, seasoned with salt and a few grains cayenne. place in the oven until crackers are crisp and cheese is melted. boiled tongue wash and clean the tongue, cover with boiling water, to which add one-third cup each carrots, turnips and onion cut in dice; two sprays each parsley and thyme, one-half teaspoon peppercorns and one-half dozen cloves. simmer until tongue is tender. let cool in liquor in which it was cooked, remove the skin and brush with melted butter. cover with fine, buttered bread crumbs, after arranging in dripping pan. bake twenty minutes, basting often with hot stock or port wine. chill and slice thinly; garnish with triangles of buttered toast sprinkled with finely chopped parsley. chili sauce dozen ripe tomatoes. dozen onions finely chopped. dozen peppers finely chopped. cup brown sugar. cups cider vinegar. tablespoons salt. process: scald, peel and chop tomatoes; then add remaining ingredients in the order given. place on range, bring to boiling point and cook slowly until thick. add more salt and sugar if necessary. turn into sterilized fruit jars, seal and store. serve with meats, fish, etc. potato salad cut balls from raw potatoes, using a french vegetable cutter. there should be three cups. cook potato balls with three slices of onion in boiling salted water until tender. drain, chill and marinate with french dressing, then cover with boiled dressing. arrange in a mound on serving platter, surrounded with a border of nasturtium blossoms and leaves. sprinkle top with finely chopped chives. boiled salad dressing / cup butter. - / teaspoons salt. teaspoon mustard. / teaspoon paprika. tablespoon sugar. yolks eggs. tablespoons flour. / cup vinegar diluted with tablespoons water. cup cream. process: melt butter in sauce-pan; add flour mixed with seasonings, add egg yolks slightly beaten and vinegar and water. cook over hot water until mixture thickens. cool. whip cream and fold into mixture. beat well, chill and serve with potato salad. broiled tomatoes cut firm, ripe tomatoes in halves, crosswise. rub each half lightly with a clove of garlic, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fine, buttered bread crumbs mixed with a tablespoon of sugar. place in a well-buttered broiler and broil five minutes. remove carefully to a well-buttered shallow ramekin, dot over with bits of butter, finish cooking in the oven, and serve. blueberry pie line a deep, perforated pie tin with plain paste; brush over with white of egg slightly beaten. fill with three cups blueberries mixed with one cup sugar, two tablespoons flour, one tablespoon butter cut in bits, one-eighth teaspoon salt, one tablespoon lemon juice. wet edges, cover with crust, flute the rim and bake thirty-five minutes in a hot oven at first to set the crust, then reduce the heat and finish baking. cheese balls rub to a paste one roll neufchatel cheese; to this add one-half cup chopped pecan meats and one-half teaspoon finely chopped, mild red pepper; season with salt and roll with the "butter paddles" in small balls the size of queen olives. serve with berry or cherry pies. iced cafÉ au lait cup medium ground coffee. white egg. cups boiling water. cups scalded milk. cup cold water. process: scald enameled coffee pot. beat white of egg slightly. dilute with one-half cup cold water, mix with coffee, turn into coffee pot and add boiling water, stir until well mixed. place on range and let boil five minutes. stir down and pour some into a cup to clear the spout of grounds. return to pot and add remaining half cup of cold water. place on back of range for ten minutes, where it will keep hot but not boil. after removing coffee to back of range, put milk into double boiler and, when scalded, pour the two together in another scalded coffee pot. chill and serve. [sidenote: _july_ _fourth sunday_] menu watermelon with sherry sauce consommÉ printaniere--imperial rings stuffed hearts with vegetables potato puff cabbage salad raspberry whip--white nut cake iced coffee * * * * * watermelon with sherry sauce scoop balls out of the center of watermelon using french potato cutter. pour over sherry sauce and place them carefully in a freezer, packed in salt and ice, let stand until thoroughly chilled (about one and a half hours). serve with sherry sauce in tall champagne glasses. sherry sauce cook one cup sugar with one-fourth cup of water three minutes. cool slightly and add one-half cup sherry, three tablespoons sloe gin and a sprinkle of salt. chill and pour over watermelon balls. consommÉ printaniere to one quart of chicken consommé add one tablespoon each of cooked carrot and turnip, cut in small fancy shapes (using french vegetable cutter for this purpose), small peas, french beans and asparagus tips. heat these vegetables in a small quantity of hot consommé; drain, place them in hot soup tureen and pour over boiling consommé. imperial rings cut stale bread in one-third inch slices. stamp out circles three inches in diameter; with a smaller cutter (size of top of pepper shaker) cut out center, leaving rings about one-third inch wide. brush with melted butter, sprinkle lightly with salt and paprika, and brown delicately in the oven. serve in a circle overlapping each other on a plate covered with a doily. stuffed hearts with vegetables clean and wash three calves' hearts; stuff and skewer into shape. draw small strips of salt pork (lardoons) through edges of hearts. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour and brown well in hot cottolene, with two slices onion, four slices carrot, one blade celery cut fine, two sprays parsley, two small bits bay leaf, three cloves and one-half teaspoon peppercorns. when hearts are richly browned, remove to dutch oven, casserole or deep baking dish. add two cups brown stock, cover closely and cook slowly in the oven until tender (about two hours), basting six times while cooking. cut three slices of stale bread one-third inch thick, shape with large round cutter; with a small cutter remove centers to form rings: brush with melted butter and brown delicately in the oven. arrange them on hot serving platter, set a heart in each ring and surround with new carrots and turnips cut julienne style and cooked in boiling salted water until tender. there should be one and one-half cups each. drain and dress with maître d'hôtel butter. stuffing for hearts / cup cracker crumbs. / cup stale bread crumbs. inch cube fat salt pork finely chopped. blades celery finely chopped. / teaspoon finely chopped parsley. tablespoon onion finely chopped. salt, pepper. process: mix ingredients in the order given and season well with salt and pepper. potato puff prepare two and one-half cups hot mashed potatoes. add two and one-half tablespoons butter, one-half teaspoon baking powder, season with salt and pepper and moisten with one-half cup hot cream or milk, beat thoroughly. add the whites of two eggs beaten until stiff. pile lightly in a buttered baking dish and bake until well puffed and browned. new cabbage salad mix two cups of new cabbage, finely shredded, with one-half cup of celery cut in small pieces and one mild onion finely chopped. add one-half tablespoon worcestershire sauce to one cup of boiled salad dressing and mix thoroughly with cabbage. chill. serve in onion cups or in nests of crisp lettuce leaves. raspberry whip - / cups red raspberries. cup powdered sugar. white egg. process: mix sugar with berries and turn into bowl in which white of egg is slightly beaten, then mash berries and sugar and mix thoroughly with egg. beat with a wire whip until mixture is stiff to stand. pile lightly on a chilled serving dish and surround with macaroons. serve with golden sauce egg. cup powdered sugar. tablespoons sherry wine. process: beat yolks until thick and light, add one half the sugar gradually, beating constantly: beat whites until stiff, gradually adding the remaining half cup sugar. combine mixtures, add wine and beat thoroughly. white nut cake / cup cottolene. - / cups fine sugar. / cup cold water. - / cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. whites eggs beaten until stiff. / teaspoon almond extract. cup english walnut meats broken in pieces. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, beating constantly. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt, add alternately to first mixture with water, add nut meats and extract; cut and fold in whites of eggs. bake in a sheet thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. spread with maple frosting cup maple sugar. / cup boiling water. white egg. / teaspoon cream of tartar. process: boil sugar, water and cream of tartar together until it spins a thread from tip of spoon. pour slowly in a fine stream on the beaten white and continue beating until of the consistency to spread over cake. (to get the exact proportion of sugar, weigh one level cup of granulated sugar to ascertain by weight how much maple sugar is required for this amount of water and white of one egg. it will weigh about one-half pound.) [illustration] [sidenote: _july_ _fifth sunday_] menu cream of lettuce soup pressed chicken tomato salad lattice potatoes--green corn pudding peach ice cream--rich chocolate cake spiced iced tea * * * * * cream of lettuce soup cups white stock. heads lettuce. tablespoons rice. tablespoons butter. teaspoon finely chopped onion. / cup hot cream. egg yolk. salt and pepper. few grains nutmeg. process: cook the onion in butter five minutes (without browning), add rice, lettuce finely chopped, and stock, cover and cook until rice is soft; add hot cream, slightly beaten yolk of egg and seasonings. do not allow soup to boil after adding egg yolk. discard outer leaves of lettuce, using only the hearts for soup. pressed chicken disjoint a four- or five-pound fowl, cover with boiling water and let simmer until tender, with one carrot sliced, one onion sliced, a blade or two of celery broken in inch pieces, two sprays parsley and one-half teaspoon peppercorns. add one tablespoon salt the last hour of cooking. drain chicken from liquor, remove the skin and bones; strain liquor, return to range and let simmer until reduced to one cup, strain and reserve. when the meat is nearly cold, cut it in small cubes or chop fine; remove all fat from liquor, reheat and add chicken, stirring it slowly, season with salt and pepper if necessary. decorate a granite, brick-shaped bread pan with "hard boiled" eggs cut in rings or fancy shapes, over these pack the chicken mixture very carefully so as not to disturb the decorations. cover with a buttered paper, place a weight over paper and let stand over night in a cold place. serve with tomato salad. tomato salad wash garden cress and shake dry, arrange a bed on large oval platter, discarding all coarse leaves and stems. peel and chill five uniform-sized tomatoes, cut a slice from the stem ends and scoop out the pulp, invert tomato cups on a plate and set aside in a cool place. chop fine the solid pulp of the tomato with one chilled and pared cucumber, add two tablespoons finely chopped chives, stir in one cup of cream dressing and refill tomato cups with mixture heaping them in pyramids. dispose these tomato cups at intervals in cress border and place mold of pressed chicken in center. cream salad dressing - / teaspoon salt. / tablespoon mustard. tablespoon sugar. egg slightly beaten. - / tablespoons melted butter. / cup cream. tablespoons vinegar. process: mix ingredients in the order given, adding vinegar very slowly, beating constantly. cook in double boiler until mixture thickens; continue beating, strain at once and chill. lattice potatoes wash and pare potatoes of a uniform size. slice on a corrugated vegetable slicer, which is made for this purpose. wash slices in cold water, changing the water several times; then let stand several hours in cold water. drain and dry with crash towels. fry a few at a time in deep hot cottolene, drain on brown paper, sprinkle with salt. pile on a lace paper doily in a fancy basket. green corn pudding to two cups of cooked green corn, cut from the cob (or one can of corn) chopped fine, add two eggs slightly beaten, one teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, one teaspoon sugar, two tablespoons melted butter, and two cups scalded milk. mix well and turn into a buttered pudding dish; bake until firm in moderate oven. peach ice cream no. - / cups peach pulp. - / cups granulated sugar. juice one lemon. quart thin cream. process: pare and stone choice, ripe peaches and rub the pulp through a purée strainer; add sugar and lemon juice, turn into the can of freezer packed in ice and salt (using three measures of crushed ice to one of rock salt); add cream and freeze in the usual way. rich chocolate cake / cup cottolene. - / cups sugar. eggs. squares chocolate. teaspoon cinnamon. / cup hot water. / cup milk. cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. teaspoon vanilla. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. melt chocolate over hot water, add hot water specified in recipe and beat immediately into creamed butter and sugar; add yolks of eggs beaten until thick and light. mix and sift flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; add to first mixture alternately with milk, add vanilla. cut and fold in the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. bake in a shallow pan forty to forty-five minutes. cover with boiled frosting (for recipe see page ). spiced iced tea teaspoons tea. cups boiling water. cloves. process: follow recipe for making tea. strain into pitcher over cloves, chill, then pour into glasses filled with cracked ice. sweeten to taste. the flavor of tea is preserved and is much finer by chilling the infusion quickly, before pouring over ice. allow three cloves for each glass. the large penang cloves are the best. _august_ _hunger is the best seasoning for meat, and thirst for drink._ --_cicero._ [illustration] [sidenote: _august_ _first sunday_] menu nova scotia canapÉs pan broiled fillets of beef--sultana sauce carlsbad potatoes peas and onions french style lettuce, peppergrass and onion salad peach ice cream--cocoanut cake coffee * * * * * nova scotia canapÉs cut white bread in one-third inch slices; stamp out with heart-shaped cutter; spread both sides thinly with butter, brown them delicately in the oven. mince nova scotia smoked salmon and moisten with mayonnaise or boiled salad dressing. spread each heart with mixture, dispose a dainty border of finely chopped white of egg around each and tip it off with a sprinkle of the yolk pressed through a sieve. do not cover the salmon entirely with the egg. arrange canapés on small plates covered with a lace paper doily; garnish each with a spray of parsley and serve as first course. pan broiled fillets of beef have fillets of beef cut one and one-half inches thick; shape in circular forms. broil ten minutes in a hissing, well-buttered frying pan, turning every ten seconds for the first two minutes, that the surface may be seared thoroughly, thus preventing the loss of juices. turn occasionally afterward. when half done season with salt, pepper, reduce heat and finish cooking. arrange on hot serving platter and spread generously with soft butter. pour over sultana sauce. (for recipe see page .) carlsbad potatoes wash and pare one dozen small, uniform-sized potatoes; soak one hour in cold water to cover. drain, put in stew-pan and cover with one quart of boiling water. add two tablespoons butter and two teaspoons salt. cook until soft (but not broken), then drain. return to stew-pan. add one-third cup butter, one and one-half tablespoons lemon juice, and one-eighth teaspoon paprika. cook four or five minutes, shaking the pan occasionally. place in hot serving dish and sprinkle with one tablespoon chopped parsley. peas and onions--french style cut one slice bacon in shreds crosswise, using the shears for this purpose. cook bacon with one-fourth cup butter about ten minutes, without scorching bacon. remove scraps of bacon, add two cups fresh peas, one dozen small onions and a sprig of mint. cook until peas and onions are soft, adding one-fourth cup boiling water to prevent scorching. beat one egg yolk slightly, add one-third cup cream and one head of lettuce cut in quarters (use lettuce hearts), season with salt and pepper. let boil up once and serve. lettuce, peppergrass and onion salad separate the heart leaves of two solid heads of lettuce. wash, drain and chill; arrange them in a nest in salad bowl. sprinkle between and over leaves four tablespoons finely chopped peppergrass and small, thinly sliced onions, separating the rings. marinate with french dressing; chill and serve. peach ice cream no. cups milk. cups heavy cream. cup sugar. tablespoon lemon extract. / teaspoon salt. cups fresh peach pulp. process: pare and pit peaches; stew until soft, rub through a sieve. then mix ingredients in the order given. add peach pulp and freeze. let stand two hours before serving. cocoanut cake (for recipe see page .) [sidenote: _august_ _second sunday_] menu consommÉ (cold) broiled chicken--sauce viennaise potato roses corn fritters cauliflower À la bÉchamel dressed head lettuce salad rolls blackberry roly-poly creamy sauce coffee * * * * * cold consommÉ (for recipe see page .) broiled chicken singe, wipe and with a sharp pointed knife (a boning knife) split the broiler down the back the entire length, beginning at back of neck. lay open and remove entrails, etc., remove ribs and breast-bone, then cut the tendons at joints. rub bird over with soft butter, sprinkle with salt and place on a well-greased broiler or in a well-greased wire broiler. cook twenty-five minutes under a gas flame or over glowing coals, turning often. baste bird over several times with melted butter if it appears dry. when evenly browned, remove to well-greased dripping pan, spread again with soft butter, cover closely, and bake until tender at the joints. serve with sauce viennaise reduce one small can of tomatoes by slow cooking to a thick pulp; when strained there should be two tablespoons. to three-fourths cup mayonnaise dressing add three-fourths tablespoon finely chopped capers, one teaspoon finely chopped parsley, two teaspoons each finely chopped gherkins and olives, one teaspoon finely chopped onion or chives. add tomato pulp, mix well and keep in a cool place until ready to serve. mashed potatoes (for roses) to three cups of hot riced potatoes add three tablespoons butter, one teaspoon salt, the beaten yolks of three eggs and enough hot milk to allow the mixture to pass readily through the pastry-bag with rose tube attached. shape as roses on a buttered tin sheet, brush over lightly with egg slightly beaten and diluted with one tablespoon milk, and brown delicately in oven. to shape roses fill pastry bag with potato mixture. hold the bag upright with tube pointing downward. guide tube with left hand and press out potato with the right, making a circular motion. when roses are the desired size press the tube gently into mixture and withdraw it quickly to stop the flow and give the pyramid a pointed finish. sweet potatoes may be prepared in the same manner. corn fritters (for recipe see page .) cauliflower À la bÉchamel select a firm, white cauliflower, remove leaves and cut off the stalk. soak (head down) in cold salt water to cover. drain and cook (head up) in boiling salted water to cover until tender but not broken apart. drain well and dispose on shallow serving dish. pour over one and one-half cups béchamel sauce (see page ). sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. dressed head lettuce select a large, firm head of lettuce. remove all wilted leaves. separate the heart leaves sufficiently to wash them thoroughly. drain, arrange leaves on shallow serving plate, keeping them in their original shape if possible. sprinkle over all finely shredded red and green prepared peppers. (to prepare peppers, plunge them into boiling water, then quickly rub off the glazed outer skin, drop peppers into cold water until crisp. cut a slice from the stem ends, remove seeds and veins, then cut in thread like rings.) serve with french dressing, to which add one tablespoon roquefort cheese. blend well before pouring over salad. blackberry roly-poly cups blackberries. / cup water. cup sugar. / teaspoon salt. cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. tablespoons cottolene. yolk egg. white egg slightly beaten. granulated sugar. ground cloves. process: cook blackberries in water and salt until berries are soft. rub through a sieve and add sugar to pulp; return to range and cook until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally. sift flour with baking powder and salt, work in cottolene with tips of fingers, and mix to a soft dough with yolk of egg mixed with one-half cup of milk. turn onto a floured board, knead slightly and roll out in a rectangular sheet one-fourth inch thick. divide this into four pieces, longer than wide. spread each with the blackberry sauce and roll up like jelly roll; wet the edges, press lightly to prevent unrolling. lay on buttered sheet and brush tops with white of egg, sprinkle with sugar and a few grains cloves. bake twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. serve hot with remaining sauce kept hot over hot water or with creamy sauce / cup butter. / cup powdered sugar. tablespoons milk. tablespoons sherry wine. few grains nutmeg. process: cream butter, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly, add milk and wine very slowly, continue beating. add a sprinkle of nutmeg. to avoid having sauce curdle, milk and wine must be added drop by drop. [sidenote: _august_ _third sunday_] menu cantaloupe À la mode consommÉ au riz--cheese balls spiced beef--whipped cream horseradish sauce potatoes italian style--succotash pear salad peach cottage pudding with cream coffee * * * * * cantaloupe À la mode wash small ripe cantaloupe (rockyfords) with a brush, and chill thoroughly. cut in halves lengthwise and fill with pineapple or raspberry ice. arrange on a bed of cracked ice; serve one-half melon to each guest. raspberry ice cups water. - / cups sugar. cups raspberry pulp. / cup orange juice. tablespoons lemon juice. process: make a syrup by boiling water and sugar twenty minutes. mash berries and rub through a fine sieve, add orange and lemon juice, combine with syrup, strain and freeze. shape with a cone mold and place in seed cavities of halves of cantaloupe. consommÉ au riz cups consommé. / cup washed rice. cups cold water. / tablespoon salt. process: add salt to boiling water, then add rice slowly and let cook until rice is soft; drain. pour over rice six cups cold water to separate kernels. add rice to hot consommé and serve with cheese balls. cheese balls tablespoons butter. / cup flour. / cup water. / teaspoon salt. few grains cayenne. eggs. / cup grated edam cheese. cottolene. process: melt butter in a sauce-pan, add water, cook one minute; add flour mixed with seasonings. cook until mixture leaves the sides of pan, stirring constantly. cool slightly, add unbeaten eggs one at a time, add cheese. mix well and drop from tip of teaspoon into deep hot cottolene. drain and serve immediately. spiced beef wash and wipe six pounds of beef cut from the flank. cover with boiling water; bring to the boiling point and skim. reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender (time required about five hours), adding the last hour of cooking one-half cup each of carrot, onion and celery cut in dice, two sprays each of parsley and thyme, one of marjoram, six cloves, one-half teaspoon peppercorns and one tablespoon salt. remove meat and reduce liquor to one and one-half cups; strain. shred the meat, mix with the liquor and press in a granite, brick-shaped bread pan, packing solidly. when thoroughly cold, serve, cut in thin slices, with whipped cream horseradish sauce (for recipe see page ). potatoes a l'italienne to two cups hot riced potatoes, add one tablespoon finely chopped chives, one egg yolk well beaten, whites four eggs beaten until stiff, one-half cup grated cheese. season with salt, pepper and a few grains cayenne. pile lightly in a well-greased baking dish and bake from twenty-five to thirty minutes. turn dish around several times carefully that mixture may puff evenly. succotash shell lima beans, wash and cover with boiling water; heat to boiling point and drain; throw away water and rinse beans, drain again. cook in boiling, salted water until tender. drain and add to an equal quantity of hot boiled corn cut from the cob. season with salt, pepper and butter. reheat before serving. pear salad wipe, pare and remove the cores from the desired number of ripe (early) pears. cut in eighths lengthwise. arrange on beds of crisp cress, or lettuce heart leaves. bestrew with prepared red peppers cut in very fine rings. serve with french dressing, using lemon juice in place of vinegar. canned red peppers may be used when fresh peppers are not available. to prepare peppers, plunge them into boiling water for a moment, cut a slice from stem ends, remove seeds and veins, cover with cold water until crisp; drain dry, and cut in fine shreds. peach cottage pudding / cup cottolene. cup sugar. egg. / cup milk. cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon almond extract. fresh peaches sliced. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly; add egg well beaten. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; add to first mixture alternately with milk. add extract and beat thoroughly. turn into a well-greased shallow pan, and bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. cut in three-inch squares; pile thinly-sliced fresh peaches on top of each portion, sprinkle thickly with powdered sugar and serve with rich cream. [sidenote: _august_ _fourth sunday_] menu boiled halibut (cold)--vinaigrette sauce cucumber baskets radishes french fried potatoes--boiled sweet corn frozen apricots--sultana cake demi tasse iced tea * * * * * boiled halibut--cold have a piece of halibut cut weighing two and one-half pounds. tie in a square of cheese cloth (to prevent scum from settling on the flesh of fish). cover with boiling water to which add salt and vinegar or lemon juice; the acid preserves the whiteness of the fish. boil until the flesh leaves the bones (about thirty-five minutes). drain and remove from cheese cloth. pick out bones and remove skin. place in a vessel that will preserve the shape of fish, chill and dispose fish on a cold serving platter on a bed of garden cress. set a cucumber basket at intervals (one for each guest), and serve with vinaigrette sauce teaspoon salt. / teaspoon black pepper. few grains cayenne. tablespoon tarragon vinegar. tablespoons malt vinegar. / cup olive oil. tablespoon chopped olives. tablespoon chopped pickle. tablespoon chopped green or red pepper. teaspoon chopped parsley. - / teaspoons chopped chives. process: put salt, pepper and cayenne in bowl, add oil slowly stirring constantly, add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly. chill and pour over boiled halibut. cucumber baskets select long cucumbers of uniform thickness (three cucumbers will make six baskets), cut a slice from both the stem and blossom ends, pare and cut in halves crosswise; cut from each piece a section so as to form a handle crosswise of cucumber. scoop out the soft pulp and seeds, brush each basket over lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with finely chopped garden cress or parsley. fill the baskets with mayonnaise dressing or sauce tartare (see recipe page ). chill and serve in nests of peppergrass or lettuce heart leaves. french fried potatoes wash and pare medium-sized potatoes, cut them lengthwise in eight pieces of a uniform size. soak them in cold water two hours, changing the water several times. drain from water and dry between towels. then fry a few at a time in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper and sprinkle with salt. this is an easy method of preparing potatoes in hot weather. the potatoes may be prepared beforehand and the process of cooking is both simply and quickly done. be sure the cottolene is not too hot as the potatoes must be cooked through, as well as browned. boiled sweet corn have the water boiling. remove the husks and silk from the corn and drop them at once into the boiling water; bring water quickly to boiling point and let boil rapidly five to ten minutes (depending somewhat on age of corn). drain from water and arrange in a napkin-covered platter; serve at once. frozen apricots drain the apricots from the liquor in the can. reserve liquor and cut fruit in one-fourth inch cubes. to the syrup add sufficient water to make four cups; add one cup orange juice; add one and one-half cups sugar. cook five minutes, strain and pour over apricots; chill and freeze. fresh apricots or peaches may be used when in season. the fresh fruit should be cooked until clear, in a syrup made of four cups of water and two cups sugar. when this mixture is frozen to a mush, two cups of whipped cream may be added, if one desires a richer dessert. sultana cake / cup cottolene. cup sugar. eggs. egg yolk. cup sultana raisins. / cup milk. - / cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon mace. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly; add well-beaten eggs and yolk. mix and sift flour (except one tablespoon), baking powder and salt and mace; add to first mixture alternately with milk. dredge raisins with tablespoon flour, add to mixture and beat thoroughly. turn mixture into a well-greased, brick-shaped bread pan and bake forty minutes in a moderate oven. frost if desired. [sidenote: _august_ _fifth sunday_] menu tomato canapÉ cold veal loaf--whipped cream horseradish sauce creamed new potatoes steamed summer squash lettuce, garden cress and onion salad sliced peaches--chocolate layer cake iced coffee lemonade * * * * * tomato canapÉ fry circles of bread, cut one-third inch thick, in deep hot cottolene. sauté slices of tomato in hot butter. drain both on brown paper. cover each circle of bread with a slice of tomato, sprinkle with salt, pepper and a few grains cayenne. garnish each with a slice of cucumber and the white of "hard boiled" eggs, cut in the shape of petals to represent field daisies. cold veal loaf have the bone of a knuckle of veal sawed in three pieces at the market. wash, wipe, and put in kettle with two pounds of lean veal, one onion sliced, six slices carrot, one blade celery broken in pieces, one spray parsley and one-half teaspoon peppercorns; cover with boiling water and cook slowly until meat is tender. drain; chop meat finely and season well with salt, pepper and a few grains cayenne. reduce liquor to one cup, strain and reserve. garnish the bottom of a granite, brick-shaped bread pan with the white of "hard boiled" egg cut to resemble three daisies; put a dot of the yolk in center of each and arrange sprays of parsley between each daisy. put a layer of meat, then a layer of thinly sliced eggs sprinkled with parsley, finely chopped. cover with remaining meat; pour over strained liquor, press and let stand until cold and jellied. remove to serving platter, garnish with parsley and small round radishes cut to resemble tulips. slice thinly and serve with whipped cream horseradish sauce tablespoons freshly grated horseradish. few drops onion juice. few grains cayenne. - / tablespoons vinegar. / cup heavy cream whipped. / teaspoon salt. process: mix the first five ingredients thoroughly, then fold in the whipped cream. chill and serve. creamed new potatoes cut two and one-half cups cold, boiled new potatoes in one-half inch cubes. add one and one-half cups white sauce. season highly with salt and white pepper, and reheat in double boiler. remove to hot serving dish and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. steamed summer squash wash and cut in quarters. cook in boiling salted water until tender. drain through double cheese cloth. pass through ricer or mash with potato masher, and season with butter, salt and a little black pepper. reheat and serve. lettuce, garden cress and onion salad separate the crisp heart leaves of two heads of lettuce; arrange them on a shallow serving dish to represent a full-blown rose. pick over, wash and dry a bunch of garden cress, chop finely and sprinkle over lettuce leaves. chop one small onion very fine and mix with french dressing. pour over lettuce. serve at once. sliced peaches scald fine, ripe peaches; remove skins, cut in halves and remove stones. slice lengthwise and arrange in serving dish in layers. sprinkle each layer with sugar and lemon or orange juice. chill and serve with cream and sugar. _september_ _the kitchen is a country in which there are always discoveries to be made_.--_la reyniére._ [illustration] [sidenote: _september_ _first sunday_] menu cream of pea soup--crisp saratoga wafers braised shoulder veal stuffed--creole sauce potato balls spinach with cream lettuce, radish and onion salad apple pie cottage cheese cafÉ noir * * * * * cream of pea soup cups marrowfat peas (or one can). teaspoons sugar. cups water. - / cups scalded milk. slice onion. - / tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. / cup hot cream. teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. process: peas that are too hard to serve as a vegetable may be used for soup. cover them with the cold water and cook until soft. rub through sieve, reheat pulp and thicken with butter and flour cooked together. scald milk with onion, remove onion, add milk slowly to pea mixture, stirring constantly. add hot cream and seasoning. serve with crisp saratoga wafers. braised shoulder of veal have the bones removed from five pounds of the shoulder of veal (reserve bones). stuff with bread stuffing, truss in shape and follow directions for braised beef (see page ). add two sprays of thyme and marjoram. serve with creole sauce tablespoons cottolene. tablespoons flour. / cup green pepper cut in shreds. small clove garlic. truffle cut in thin shreds. can small button mushrooms. - / cups thick, well-seasoned tomato pulp. - / cups brown stock. salt, pepper and cayenne. process: cook pepper, onion and butter together five minutes without browning; add flour and cook two minutes, stirring constantly. add truffle, tomato pulp and gradually brown stock; continue stirring until ingredients are well blended. heat mushrooms in their own liquor, drain, and add mushrooms to sauce. stick a tooth-pick through the clove of garlic, drop it into sauce and let it simmer fifteen minutes. remove garlic before serving. potato balls add to five hot mashed potatoes, one-fourth teaspoon celery salt, one teaspoon finely chopped parsley or chives, salt, pepper and three tablespoons butter, and enough hot milk to make of the consistency to handle. shape into smooth, round balls, roll in flour, egg and crumbs. fry a golden brown in deep, hot cottolene. dispose around veal. spinach with cream discard all wilted leaves, remove the roots and pick over and wash one-half peck of spinach in several waters, to rid it from all sand. if young and tender, put in a stew-pan and heat gradually; let boil twenty-five minutes, or until soft, in its own juices and the water that clung to the leaves. old spinach should be cooked in boiling, salted water (it will require about two quarts of water to one peck spinach). drain thoroughly, chop finely in a wooden bowl. melt three tablespoons butter in an omelet pan; add spinach and cook four minutes, stirring constantly, sprinkle with one and one-half tablespoons flour, continue stirring and pour on gradually three-fourths cup hot, thin cream; simmer five minutes. lettuce, radish and onion salad remove the leaves from the stalk, discarding all wilted and unsightly leaves. wash and keep in cold water until crisp. drain and dry on a crash towel or cheese cloth. place between leaves thin slices of round, red radishes, sprinkle with finely sliced young green onions. garnish with radishes cut to resemble tulips. serve with french dressing. apple pie tart apples. / cup sugar. / teaspoon nutmeg. / teaspoon salt. - / tablespoons butter. tablespoon lemon juice. grated rind / lemon. process: line a pie pan with plain paste. wipe, pare, core and cut apples in quarters, then in slices lengthwise. pile them in lined pie pan, heaping them well in center, leaving a half-inch space around edge of pie. mix sugar, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice, grated rind and turn over apples. dot over with bits of butter; wet edges and cover with top crust; press and flute edges. bake forty-five minutes in a moderate oven. plain paste - / cups flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon baking powder. / cup cottolene. ice water. process: mix and sift flour, salt and baking powder. rub in cottolene (reserving one and one-half tablespoons), with tips of fingers. add just enough ice water to form a soft dough, mixing it in with a knife. turn on a floured board and roll out in a thin sheet, spread lightly with remaining cottolene. roll like jelly roll and cut in two pieces, having one piece a trifle larger than the other. chill. then stand rolls on end, press down with the hand and roll in circular piece to fit pie pan. the larger piece is for the top crust. this recipe makes the exact quantity of pastry for one medium-sized pie with two crusts. if desired, omit baking powder. cottage cheese put two quarts thick sour milk in a milk pan, place it on the back of range where it will not boil or simmer; allow it to remain there until the curd has separated from the whey. lay a double square of cheese cloth over a bowl, turn in the milk, lift the edges and corners of cloth, draw them together, tie with a piece of twine and hang it up to drain. when quite dry, turn into a bowl; season with salt and mix with a silver fork, add sweet cream until of the desired consistency. serve very cold with hot gingerbread. [sidenote: _september_ _second sunday_] menu summer sausage with ripe olives and dill pickles roast fillet beef--mushroom sauce parsley potatoes broiled tomatoes banana fritters pepper and onion salad mock mince pie cheese iced tea buttermilk * * * * * summer sausage (appetizer) cut summer sausage in very thin slices. dispose them on a narrow platter overlapping one another. garnish with sprays of peppergrass or parsley. arrange thinly sliced dill pickles on either side of sausage, placing a ripe olive here and there; radishes cut to resemble roses may also be used. serve as an appetizer. roast fillet of beef trim a small fillet of beef weighing about four pounds into shape. lard the upper side and sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. sprinkle small cubes of fat salt pork thickly over the bottom of a dripping pan, set a wire trivet or rack on pork and lay meat on trivet. place in a very hot oven at first, to sear over surface. baste every five minutes for the first fifteen minutes, then several times after during the cooking. if liked rare, it should cook thirty minutes; if medium, allow thirty-five to forty minutes. serve with brown mushroom sauce (see page ) using fat in dripping pan. parsley potatoes wash, pare and cut potatoes in one-half inch cubes; there should be three cups. blanch by parboiling five minutes in boiling salted water; drain. melt one-third cup of butter in a frying-pan, add potatoes, and cook over a slow fire until potatoes are soft and delicately browned. melt two tablespoons cottolene in a sauce-pan, add a few drops onion juice, one and one-half tablespoons flour, one-half teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper; stir to a smooth paste and pour on slowly one cup hot milk, stirring constantly. remove from range and add one egg yolk slightly beaten. pour sauce over potatoes and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. broiled tomatoes select four firm, smooth, ripe tomatoes. wipe them and cut out the hard center around the stem ends; then cut them in halves crosswise. rub the cut sides lightly with a clove of garlic and dip cut side in soft butter. sprinkle with salt, pepper and buttered crumbs, pressing the crumbs into tomato with a broad knife. arrange them in a well-greased wire broiler and broil with skin side down over glowing coals or under a gas flame until soft, using care that they do not scorch. remove to hot serving platter, drop a bit of butter on each and serve immediately. onion juice may be used in place of garlic. banana fritters bananas. cup bread flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. tablespoon sugar. / cup cream or milk. egg beaten very lightly. / tablespoon lemon juice. / tablespoon sherry wine. process: sift dry ingredients together twice. to beaten egg add cream and combine mixtures. force bananas through a sieve and mix pulp with lemon juice and sherry wine; add to batter, beat thoroughly, and drop by tablespoonfuls into deep, hot cottolene. drain, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve with orange sauce make, a syrup by boiling one cup sugar with one-fourth cup water and two shavings of orange rind, four minutes. remove from range, lift out orange peel, add one-half tablespoon butter and one tablespoon each of orange and lemon juice and sherry wine. pepper and onion salad plunge a bright-red bell pepper (ruby king) into boiling water, remove immediately and rub off the outer "shiny" skin. cover with ice water to chill and become crisp. cut a slice from the stem end and remove the seeds and veins, then cut in rings as thin as possible. cut one small spanish onion in very thin slices, separate the rings and "crisp" in ice water. drain and toss together both onion and pepper rings. season with salt, pepper, and pour over two tablespoons oil and one tablespoon vinegar. crush the pepper and onion into the dressing, then pile it in nests of crisp lettuce heart leaves. mock mince pie uneeda biscuits, rolled fine. - / cups sugar. cup molasses. / cup lemon juice. tablespoons brandy. cup raisins seeded and shredded. / cup butter. eggs well beaten. cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. process: mix ingredients in the order given. add spices to taste. line a pie pan with plain paste, turn in mixture, wet edges and cover with top crust made of rich paste; press and flute edges. bake thirty-five minutes in a moderate oven. rich paste - / cups flour. / cup cottolene. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon baking powder. ice water. process: mix salt with flour, cut in cottolene (except one tablespoon) with a knife, moisten with cold water. turn on a floured board, pat and roll out, spread with tablespoon of cottolene and dredge lightly with flour, then roll sheet like a jelly roll; divide in two equal parts. roll out a trifle larger than pie tin. [sidenote: _september_ _third sunday_] menu veal, spanish style, (in casserole) stuffed potatoes--turnips in cream sauce stewed corn and tomatoes dressed endive peach dumplings--sherry sauce coffee cider * * * * * veal, spanish style, (in casserole) pounds veal, cut from leg. / cup fat salt pork or bacon. / cup fine, soft bread crumbs. teaspoon salt. / teaspoon black pepper. few grains cayenne. teaspoon chopped parsley. cups cooked and strained tomato pulp. / green pepper finely chopped. / onion finely chopped. egg slightly beaten. soda. worcestershire sauce. process: remove all fat tissue and skin from veal; remove skin from pork. pass both through meat grinder twice, add crumbs and seasonings, except tomato, onion and green pepper; mix thoroughly and bind together with egg. shape in balls the size of a small egg. roll in flour and sauté a rich brown in cottolene made hot in an iron frying pan. heat tomato pulp, add one-eighth teaspoon soda, one-half teaspoon salt and one-half tablespoon worcestershire sauce. turn into a warm casserole, add chopped pepper and onion. dispose balls over sauce, rinse frying pan with a little boiling water or brown stock and pour over balls. cover and let simmer in a moderate oven two hours. serve from casserole, or arrange on a hot platter and surround with a border of boiled rice sprinkled with finely chopped parsley; place a spray of parsley in each meat ball. stuffed potatoes wash six medium-sized, smooth potatoes. bake, and cut off a lengthwise slice from each; scoop out potato with a spoon using care that the shells are not broken. pass through ricer, add two tablespoons butter, season with salt and pepper, one-half cup hot milk or cream. add two egg yolks well beaten, then fold in the stiffly beaten whites. refill shells with this mixture, using pastry bag and rose tube or pile it lightly with spoon (do not spread smoothly). bake in a hot oven until potatoes are well puffed and browned. turnips in cream sauce wash, pare and cut purple-top turnips in one-fourth inch cubes. cook in boiling salted water until tender (from forty minutes to one hour). drain well and reheat in white sauce using cream in place of milk in sauce. (for cream sauce see page .) stewed corn and tomatoes cut the corn from six ears of tender, sweet, green corn; scrape the cobs with back of knife. cook until tender in as little water as possible, then add an equal quantity of stewed tomatoes. add one-third cup butter and one tablespoon sugar. season with salt and pepper, heat to boiling point and turn into hot serving dish. dressed endive marinate the bleached leaves of crisp endive with french dressing, adding one and one-half tablespoons finely chopped chives and one-half tablespoon nasturtium seed cells finely chopped, to the dressing just before pouring over endive. peach dumplings cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. - / cups granulated sugar. tablespoons cottolene. / cup cream. peaches. - / cups cold water. process: mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; rub in cottolene with tips of fingers, add cream gradually, cutting it in with a knife. turn on a floured board, knead slightly, pat and roll out to one-half inch thickness. shape with a large biscuit cutter. pare juicy, ripe peaches, cut in halves lengthwise, remove stones, cut in quarters and place three-quarters of a peach on each circle of dough, enclose them, pressing the edges together. place in a buttered, granite dripping pan one and one-half inches apart, sift sugar around dumplings and pour cold water over sugar. bake in a hot oven twenty minutes, basting three times. serve with hard or sherry sauce tablespoons butter. / cup sugar. egg yolks well beaten. / cup cream. tablespoons sherry wine. few grains salt. / teaspoon nutmeg. process: cream butter, add sugar, egg yolks, salt and gradually the cream, stirring constantly. cook over hot water until mixture coats the spoon; add sherry and beat again. turn in a sauce boat and sprinkle with nutmeg. [illustration] [sidenote: _september_ _fourth sunday_] menu tomato soup fried chicken--cream gravy baked potatoes corn fritters cauliflower salad peach cake with cream coffee * * * * * tomato soup (for recipe see page .) fried chicken dress, clean and disjoint two chickens. rub chicken over with a half lemon cut in half lengthwise, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. sauté in hot cottolene until richly browned, turning often. reduce heat, cover and let cook slowly until tender. it may be necessary to add a little moisture (about / cup of hot stock or water). remove to serving platter and surround with corn fritters. pass cream gravy. cream gravy / cup butter. slice onion. / cup flour. - / cups well-seasoned chicken stock. / cup hot cream. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. process: cook butter in a sauce-pan with onion until onion is delicately browned. remove onion, add flour mixed with seasonings; stir to a smooth paste and brown lightly. add hot stock gradually, stirring constantly. add hot cream and beat until smooth and glossy. the color of this sauce is that of café au lait. corn fritters cups grated corn. / cup milk. - / cup flour. teaspoons sugar. / cup melted butter. teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. eggs well beaten. process: mix corn, milk, flour, sugar and salt, add eggs. drop by tablespoonfuls on a hot well-greased griddle and cook as griddle cakes until browned on one side; then turn and brown the other side. cauliflower salad marinate a prepared cauliflower (see recipe on page ) with french dressing, to which add one tablespoon finely chopped chives. dispose in a nest of peppergrass, water cress, endive or lettuce heart leaves. sprinkle with grated edam cheese. peach cake with sweetened cream cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. tablespoons cottolene. / cup rich milk. peaches. sultana raisins. mace and sugar. process: mix and sift the first three ingredients. rub in cottolene with tips of fingers, add milk, mixing it in with a knife. this dough must be soft enough to spread in a shallow, well-buttered pan to the depth of one inch. (add more milk if necessary.) pare ripe, juicy peaches; cut in halves lengthwise, remove stones and press halves into dough (cut side up) in parallel rows, leaving a little space between rows. brush peaches over with melted butter, sprinkle with raisins, granulated sugar and lightly with mace. serve hot with hard sauce, or with cream sweetened and flavored with nutmeg. _october_ _oh! you who have been a-fishing will endorse me when i say, that it always is the biggest fish you catch that gets away._ --_eugene field._ [illustration] [sidenote: _october_ _first sunday_] menu shrimp cocktails potato soup--croutons boiled cod--egg sauce boiled potatoes--scalloped tomatoes pickled beets steamed peach pudding--vanilla sauce after-dinner coffee * * * * * shrimp cocktails allow one-fourth cup shrimps broken in pieces for each cocktail. season with two tablespoons each tomato catsup, sherry wine, one tablespoon lemon juice, a few drops tobasco sauce, one-fourth teaspoon finely chopped chives and salt to taste. serve thoroughly chilled in cocktail glasses. potato soup cups potatoes. large purple-top turnip. cups boiling water. - / cups scalded milk. onion sliced. / cup butter. / cup flour. teaspoons salt. / teaspoon pepper. / cup hot cream. parsley. process: wash, pare and cut potatoes in one-fourth inch slices. wash, pare and cut turnip the same. cover with boiling water and cook ten minutes; drain, add onion and three cups boiling water. cook until vegetables are tender; drain and reserve water. rub vegetables through strainer, add water, add milk. reheat and bind with butter and flour cooked together. add hot cream and seasonings. turn into hot tureen and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. boiled fresh cod wash and wipe a four-pound cut of fresh cod. tie it loosely in a piece of cheese cloth just large enough to cover fish. place on a trivet in a kettle, cover with boiling water, and add three slices onion, three slices carrot, one spray parsley, a bit of bay leaf, three cloves, a tablespoon salt and one-half cup vinegar. bring quickly to the boiling point, then reduce heat and simmer gently from twenty to thirty minutes. hard boiling breaks up the flakes of fish and toughens the fibre. drain from liquor, place fish on serving platter, remove the skin and pour a few spoonfuls of egg sauce over the fish and the remainder around it. sprinkle finely chopped parsley over all, and garnish with hard-cooked eggs cut to resemble pond lilies. egg sauce tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. cup boiling water. / cup hot cream. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. hard-cooked eggs. parsley finely chopped. process: melt one-half the butter in a sauce-pan, add flour mixed with seasonings, pour on slowly hot water, stirring constantly. boil five minutes, then add remaining butter in small bits. continue stirring. add hot cream and two eggs chopped moderately. garnish with remaining eggs. pour sauce around fish and sprinkle with parsley. boiled potatoes wash, scrub and pare one dozen medium-sized potatoes. if old, let them stand in cold water for several hours before paring, to freshen them. cover with cold water, heat to boiling point, cover and boil fifteen minutes, then add salt, replace cover and cook until potatoes are soft (about fifteen minutes longer). drain perfectly dry and shake the potatoes in a current of cold air. place sauce-pan in a warm place, cover with a crash towel until ready to serve. serve as soon as possible, if you would have a mealy potato. scalloped tomatoes season one quart of canned tomatoes with one and a fourth teaspoons salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, two tablespoons sugar, one-half tablespoon grated onion and a few grains cayenne. moisten one and one-half cups of soft bread crumbs with one-half cup melted butter. butter a deep baking dish, sprinkle with a thick layer of crumbs. pour in tomato mixture and cover with remaining crumbs. bake in the oven until cooked throughout and crumbs are browned. pickled beets prepare beets as for buttered beets (see page ). cut them in slices and lay them in a stone or glass jar. allow one slice of onion for each beet, one tablespoon grated horseradish, eight cloves and vinegar enough to cover. let stand twenty-four hours and they will be ready for use. beets thus prepared will not keep longer than a week. if vinegar is too strong, dilute with one-fourth part cold water. steamed peach pudding fill a two-quart mold two-thirds full of pared, stoned and sliced peaches. butter the inside edge of mold, also the inside of cover. cover with a soft dough made by mixing and sifting two cups flour, one-half teaspoon salt and four teaspoons baking powder. rub one tablespoon cottolene into flour mixture with tips of fingers, add sufficient rich milk to make a soft dough. sprinkle peaches with one-half cup sugar, one-fourth teaspoon salt and dot over with one tablespoon butter cut in small bits. spread soft dough over all, cover closely and steam one hour. serve at once with vanilla sauce tablespoon corn-starch. cup sugar. / teaspoon salt. cups boiling water. - / teaspoons vanilla. tablespoons butter. process: mix corn-starch, sugar and salt, add water slowly, stirring constantly. boil gently eight minutes, remove from range, add vanilla, and butter in small bits; stir until well blended. [sidenote: _october_ _second sunday_] menu vegetable soup fried chicken--bÉchamel sauce browned sweet potatoes stuffed tomatoes kole slaw baked apples stuffed with figs coffee * * * * * vegetable soup / cup carrot. / cup turnip. / cup celery. cups potato. / cup onion. - / quarts beef broth. / cup butter. / tablespoon finely chopped parsley. - / teaspoons salt. / teaspoon pepper. process: wash and scrape carrot, cut in tiny cubes; wash and pare turnip, cut same as carrot; wash, scrape and cut celery in thin slices; wash, pare and cut potatoes in one-fourth inch cubes; peel and cut onion in thin slices, mix vegetables, except potatoes, and cook ten minutes in butter, stirring constantly. add potatoes, cover and cook three or four minutes, add beef broth which was previously strained and all fat removed. cover and simmer one hour. put parsley, salt and pepper in bottom of soup tureen and turn in hot soup. fried chicken separate two young chickens in pieces for serving; dip in milk, sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour, or dip in crumbs, egg and crumbs and fry in deep hot cottolene. cottolene should not be too hot the latter half of cooking chicken. drain on brown paper; serve on hot buttered toast with béchamel sauce. double the recipe for béchamel sauce (see page .) browned sweet potatoes boil sweet potatoes, remove skins and cut lengthwise in one-half inch slices. cool. dip each slice in melted butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper and thickly with brown sugar. lay in a well-greased dripping pan and brown in a hot oven. dispose around rim of platter containing fried chicken. stuffed tomatoes select six firm, smooth tomatoes. cut a thin slice from the blossom end. carefully scoop out the pulp and mix it with an equal quantity of cooked corn, rice or bread crumbs. season with salt, pepper, a few grains cayenne, three tablespoons melted butter and a few drops of onion juice. refill tomato cups, replace the tops, place them in a buttered baking dish and bake thirty minutes. kole slaw shred half a head of cabbage very fine. soak in cold, acidulated water to cover (add one tablespoon vinegar to one quart water). drain and mix thoroughly with cream dressing. (see page .) chill and serve in lemon cups arranged in nests of cress or parsley. baked apples stuffed with figs select fine-flavored, tart apples, wipe, core and pare. fill cavities with washed figs cut in pieces. bake until tender in a hot oven, basting with hot sugar syrup. serve cold with thick cream sweetened, and flavored with nutmeg. sugar syrup cook one cup sugar and one and one-half cups water ten minutes. add two thin shavings of orange rind to syrup while cooking. [sidenote: _october_ _third sunday_] menu tomato soup--toasted wafers pickles celery braised beef--brown gravy baked potatoes--fried egg plant scalloped cabbage romaine--french dressing cheese fingers peach duff--foamy sauce cafÉ noir * * * * * tomato soup (for recipe see page ). braised beef select five pounds of beef from the round or rump. sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. brown richly in a hot frying-pan in some of its own fat; or with fat salt pork tried out, turning often. place meat in a dutch oven or an earthen casserole on three thin slices of salt pork, surround with two-thirds cup each of fat salt pork cut in small cubes, carrot, onion and celery, a spray each of parsley, thyme and marjoram. add two cups brown stock or water, the half of a small bay leaf, two small red pepper-pods, or one-half teaspoon pepper-corns, four cloves. sprinkle all with salt and strew top of meat with cubes of salt pork. cover closely and cook in a slow oven from four to five hours, basting occasionally. remove meat and strain the liquor. rinse the vessel in which meat was browned with stock or water, reserve the liquor. prepare a brown sauce with this liquor following recipe for plain brown sauce (see page ). serve in a sauce-boat, or turn around meat after placing on hot serving platter. a cup of hot, stewed and strained tomatoes may be added to the sauce, also one and one-half tablespoons of freshly grated horseradish root and one tablespoon of worcestershire sauce; all of which improves the flavor. baked potatoes wash and scrub with a vegetable brush eight uniform-sized potatoes. place in dripping pan, and bake in hot oven forty-five minutes, turning when half done. take up each potato with a towel and press gently to crack the skins. put a half teaspoon butter in each potato and serve at once. fried egg plant pare a medium-sized egg plant, cut in one-fourth inch slices and soak in cold salt water over night. drain and cover with cold water one hour, drain again and dry between towels. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dip in batter and fry in deep, hot cottolene. fritter batter cup bread flour. / teaspoon salt. few grains white pepper. / cup milk. eggs well beaten. teaspoons olive oil. process: mix and sift flour, salt and pepper; add milk slowly, stirring until batter is smooth; add olive oil and well beaten eggs. scalloped cabbage cut one-half large head or one small head boiled cabbage, in pieces. cover with one cup white sauce, sprinkle with one-third cup grated cheese, two tablespoons finely chopped pimentos; season with salt, pepper, mix well. turn into a well-greased baking dish and cover with buttered crumbs; place on grate in oven and bake until heated throughout and crumbs are browned. romaine with french dressing remove the wilted leaves from two heads of romaine, trim off the stalk and cut the heads in halves lengthwise (if heads are large, they may be cut in quarters); lay in cold water, cut side down, until crisp. drain well, dispose on salad plates and pour over french dressing. serve two cheese fingers with each portion of salad. cheese fingers mix one cream cheese with an equal quantity of finely chopped english walnut meats; season with salt, black pepper and a few grains cayenne. moisten with cream salad dressing. spread between thin slices of white bread and cut in strips the width of fingers. peach duff quart thinly sliced peaches. cups sugar. tablespoon cottolene. / cup milk. cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. teaspoon salt. process: mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; rub in cottolene with tips of fingers, add milk gradually, mixing ingredients with a knife. turn on a slightly floured board, knead slightly, pat and roll to fit top of pudding dish. butter bottom and sides of dish, put in peaches and sugar in layers. cover with dough; press edges over edge of dish and steam one hour. serve in dish in which it was steamed. serve with foamy sauce / cup butter. cup powdered sugar. yolk egg. tablespoons sherry wine. whites eggs. nutmeg. process: cream butter; add sugar gradually, stirring constantly, yolk of egg and sherry; continue stirring. cook over hot water until mixture thinly coats wooden spoon. remove from range and pour over stiffly beaten whites of eggs. turn in serving pitcher and sprinkle with nutmeg. [sidenote: _october_ _fourth sunday_] menu walnut and olive canapÉ clam and tomato consommÉ browned crackers sweet gherkins piccalilli veal pot pie with baked dumplings buttered beets baked squash stuffed tomato salad mock cherry pie cheese coffee cider * * * * * nut and olive canapÉ cut stale white bread in crescents. fry a delicate brown in deep hot cottolene. drain on brown paper. mix equal parts of finely chopped olives and english walnuts, season with a few grains cayenne and moisten with mayonnaise or boiled salad dressing to the consistency to spread. spread fried bread with mixture and garnish with very thin strips of pimentos; set pimolas in center of each canapé. clam and tomato consommÉ to four cups of consommé add two cups each clam water and tomato pulp. clear, and add soft part of clams. heat to boiling point and serve in bouillon cups. to prepare clams wash and scrub (in several waters) with a stiff vegetable brush two quarts of clams. place in an agate stew pan, add one-half cup cold water, cover and let simmer until shells open. remove clams from shells and strain liquor through a napkin. use only the soft parts of clams. browned crackers spread one dozen saltines with butter; sprinkle with a few grains cayenne. brown delicately in a hot oven; serve at once. piccalilli quarts green tomatoes. heads celery. mild red peppers. mild green peppers. large white onions. large ripe cucumbers. cup salt. - / quarts cider vinegar. pounds brown sugar. / cup white mustard seed. teaspoon mustard. - / teaspoons black pepper. process: chop the vegetables, sprinkle with salt and let stand over night. in the morning drain and press in a coarse crash towel to remove all the acrid juice possible. add vinegar, sugar and spices and simmer until vegetables are tender and clear. sterilize fruit jars and fill to overflowing. seal and store. veal pot pie with baked dumplings cut two pounds of veal from the leg in one-inch cubes. add a fourth-inch thick slice of salt pork, cut in very small cubes. cover with boiling water. add one small carrot sliced, one stalk celery broken in pieces, and two slices onion. when half done add one-half tablespoon salt. cook until meat is tender. remove the meat and strain the broth; thicken broth with flour diluted with cold water. put meat into a baking dish and pour over enough of the thickened broth to barely cover the meat. sprinkle with salt and pepper. make a soft dough by mixing and sifting one and one-half cups pastry flour, one-half teaspoon salt, two and one-half teaspoons baking powder; rub in three tablespoons cottolene with tips of fingers, then add milk enough to make a soft dough and drop by tablespoonfuls upon meat--(dumplings should set upon the meat and not sink into gravy) close together to cover the surface. bake thirty minutes in a hot oven. serve remaining gravy in a sauce-boat. buttered beets wash and scrub beets with a vegetable brush, being careful not to break the skin. cook in boiling water to cover (about an hour for small young beets, and old beets until tender). drain and rub off the skins at once; slice, sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot over with bits of butter. serve hot. baked squash cut hubbard squash in pieces for serving. remove seeds and stringy portion. put one-half teaspoon molasses in each portion and sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake in a hot oven until tender. put a piece of butter on each portion and serve in the shell. stuffed tomato salad select six smooth, ripe tomatoes. scald quickly and remove skins. cut a slice from stem ends, scoop out pulp and chill tomato cups. drain the pulp and add an equal quantity of crisp celery cut in small pieces, cucumber cut in small dice, and shrimp broken in four pieces. moisten with mayonnaise dressing. refill tomato cups, put a rose of mayonnaise on top of each, using pastry bag and rose tube. serve in lettuce heart leaves. mock cherry pie mix one and one-half cups cranberries chopped moderately, three-fourths cup seeded and shredded raisins, one cup sugar, one tablespoon flour and a sprinkle of salt. pile this mixture in a pie pan lined with plain paste. dot over with one tablespoon butter. add two tablespoons orange juice. cover with rich paste and bake as other pies. _november_ _an odor rich comes stealing, from out the oven bright, that sets my pulse a-reeling, and gives my heart delight._ --_r. r._ [illustration] [sidenote: _november_ _first sunday_] menu oysters on the half shell consommÉ duchess--imperial sticks cucumber pickles celery rolled rib roast of beef--brown gravy franconia potatoes baked tomatoes spiced crab apples escarolle salad graham plum pudding with brown sugar sauce cheese coffee * * * * * consommÉ duchess (for recipe see page .) rolled rib roast of beef have the ribs removed, meat rolled and skewered in shape, from a five-pound rib roast of beef, at the market, (have ribs and trimmings sent with roast). wipe meat, sprinkle with salt, pepper, dredge with flour and arrange on rack in dripping pan. place in a hot oven and, when slightly brown, reduce heat and baste every ten minutes for the first half hour with fat in pan, afterwards every fifteen minutes during cooking. (if cooked rare it will require one hour and fifteen minutes.) brown gravy drain and strain fat in the pan--return three tablespoons to dripping pan, add four and one-half tablespoons flour and brown richly (do not burn flour), add slowly one and one-half cups of brown stock or boiling water, stirring constantly. season with salt, pepper, and one-half teaspoon kitchen bouquet. franconia potatoes wash and pare six medium-sized potatoes; parboil five minutes. drain dry. place on grate around roast beef. baste with fat in pan when basting roast. bake from thirty to thirty-five minutes, turning often or when basting roast. sprinkle with salt and serve surrounding rolled roast, alternating with stuffed tomatoes. baked tomatoes select six smooth, firm, ripe tomatoes. wash, wipe and cut a slice from the stem end; scoop out the seeds and soft pulp. mix with the pulp an equal amount of corn cut from the cob, one tablespoon finely chopped green pepper, half tablespoon finely chopped onion. season with salt and pepper, add one and one-half tablespoons melted butter and a teaspoon salt. mix well and refill tomato cups; sprinkle tops with buttered crumbs. place tomatoes in a granite dripping pan and bake until tomatoes are soft and crumbs are brown. remove to serving dish with a broad knife and serve. spiced crab apples pick over, wash and drain firm crab apples, do not remove the stems. (apples must not be too ripe). for eight pounds of fruit allow four pounds of sugar, one quart vinegar, one-fourth cup whole cloves, one-fourth cup stick cinnamon broken in pieces. boil sugar, vinegar and spices ten minutes. strain and tie spices loosely in a piece of cheese cloth. put fruit in strained liquor, also bag of spices, and cook slowly until fruit can be easily pierced with a small wooden skewer (tooth-pick). remove fruit and fill a sterilized stone jar. simmer liquor slowly until reduced to half the original quantity; pour over fruit. lay bag of spices on top; seal and store. escarolle salad marinate the bleached leaves of two heads of escarolle with french dressing. chill one hour before serving that it may be crisp. sprinkle thickly with finely chopped chives and a sweet, red, bell pepper chopped very fine or cut in fine thread-like rings. graham plum pudding - / cups graham flour. cup n. o. molasses. / cup milk. cup seeded raisins. teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon cloves. eggs well beaten. / teaspoon soda. / teaspoon salt. tablespoons cottolene. process: sift flour, spices, salt and soda; add raisins, molasses, milk and eggs, beat thoroughly, then add melted cottolene. turn into well-greased brown bread molds and steam four hours. serve with brown sugar sauce tablespoons butter. cup soft brown sugar. / tablespoon vanilla. / cup thick cream. process: roll sugar, sift and add gradually to cream, stirring constantly. cream butter and add first mixture slowly, continue stirring. add vanilla and beat thoroughly with a whip. [illustration] [sidenote: _november_ _second sunday_] menu consommÉ--bread sticks celery hearts mustard pickles roast venison wine sauce mashed sweet potatoes creamed celery spiced peaches pepper and grape fruit salad mayonnaise dressing nut bread sandwiches frozen rice pudding compote pineapple stuffed dates salted nuts cafÉ noir consommÉ lbs. thickest part of hind beef shin. lb. marrow-bone. lbs. knuckle of veal. cups chicken stock. carrot } celery } / cup each, cut in cubes. turnip } medium-sized onion sliced. tablespoons butter. tablespoon salt. teaspoon peppercorns. / dozen cloves. small bay leaf. sprays parsley. sprays thyme. sprays marjoram. quarts cold water. process: wipe the meat and bone with a piece of cheese-cloth wrung from cold water. remove the meat from beef shin and cut it in one-inch cubes. remove the marrow from bone and brown one-half the meat in the marrow, stirring constantly. put remaining half in stock pot with cold water, add veal cut in small cubes, browned beef and bones. let stand thirty-five minutes. bring slowly to boiling point, skim and let simmer--closely covered--for three hours. add chicken stock and continue simmering for two hours. melt butter in frying pan, add the vegetables and cook five minutes, stirring constantly; then add to soup with remaining ingredients. cook one and one-half hours. strain, cool, remove fat and clear. bread sticks cup scalded milk or water. / cup cottolene. teaspoon salt. tablespoon sugar. yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water. white egg well beaten. - / to cups of flour. process: put butter, salt and sugar in mixing bowl. add milk. when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake, white of egg, and flour, reserving one-half cup. knead until smooth and elastic; cover and set to rise until light, then shape first in small balls, then roll on the board (without flour) with the hands until about seven inches in length, using care that they are of a uniform size, rounding the ends. they should be about the size of a lead pencil. cover and let rise. just before putting them in the oven, brush them over lightly with melted butter and sprinkle them with salt. bake in a slow oven, browning them delicately. roast venison wipe meat with a piece of cheese-cloth wrung from cold water, spread meat generously with soft cottolene and sprinkle with salt and pepper. place on rack in dripping pan, and dredge meat and bottom of pan with flour. add three slices of onion, six slices of carrot, three stalks of celery cut in inch pieces. bake one hour in a hot oven, basting every ten minutes for the first half-hour, afterwards occasionally. serve with the following wine sauce. (mutton may be prepared in same manner). wine sauce put four tablespoons butter in a sauce-pan, brown richly; add five tablespoons flour and continue browning, stirring constantly. pour on slowly one and one-half cups brown stock. heat to boiling point and add one-third cup madeira wine and one-third cup currant jelly previously whipped. when jelly is well blended with sauce, strain and serve piping hot. mashed sweet potatoes wash, pare thinly sweet potatoes, cover with boiling salted water and cook until soft. press them through potato ricer. there should be two cups. add four tablespoons butter, salt if necessary, and two tablespoons hot cream or milk. beat with a slotted spoon until very light. press again through potato ricer into hot dish. creamed celery wash, scrape and cut celery in one-half inch pieces; there should be two cups. cover with boiling salted water and cook until tender. drain and reheat in one and one-fourth cups of cream sauce tablespoons cottolene. - / tablespoons flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. - / cups hot milk or thin cream. process: melt cottolene in a sauce pan, add flour, salt and pepper, stir to a smooth paste and pour on slowly hot milk or cream, stirring constantly. beat with a wire whip until smooth and glossy. pepper and fruit salad select the desired number of uniform-sized peppers, having half red and half green. cut a slice from the stem ends, remove the seeds and veins; arrange them on beds of water cress, pepper grass, chicory or lettuce. fill peppers with the pulp of grapefruit cut in large cubes, malaga grapes skinned, seeded and cut in halves lengthwise, and butter nut meats broken in pieces, allowing twice the quantity of grapefruit as grapes and one cup of nut meats. moisten with mayonnaise dressing. fill peppers. place a rosette of mayonnaise on top of each pepper, using pastry bag and rose tube. sprinkle the green peppers with finely chopped green peppers, and the red peppers with chopped red peppers. garnish top of each with the half of a butternut meat. nut bread sandwiches cup scalded milk. tablespoon cottolene. - / teaspoons salt. tablespoons sugar or molasses. yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water. cup white flour. entire wheat flour. cup pecan meats broken in pieces. process: put cottolene, salt and sugar (or molasses) in a large mixing bowl and pour on scalded milk; when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake, white flour, two cups entire wheat flour and nut meats. mix well and turn on a well-floured board. add more flour and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. return to bowl, cover with a cloth; set to rise in a warm place. when more than double its bulk, turn on slightly floured board, knead and shape in a loaf. place in a well-greased, brick-shaped pan (pan should be half full). cover, let rise again to top of pan and bake in a moderate oven fifty minutes to one hour. when twenty-four hours old, cut in thin slices, remove crusts, spread one-half the slices generously with cream cheese, cover with remaining slices and cut in triangles. frozen rice pudding with compote of pineapple / cup rice well washed. cup cold water. - / cups milk. yolks eggs. / cup sugar. cups whipping cream. / teaspoon salt. process: add cold water to rice and cook in double boiler thirty minutes. drain, return to double boiler, add milk and cook until rice is tender, then rub through purée strainer. beat egg yolks very light, add sugar and salt, then pour slowly on hot rice. cook until mixture thickens, cool and half freeze. then fold in the cream, whipped until stiff. fill a round mould, pack in salt and ice, let stand two or three hours. drain slices of canned pineapple; add one-half cup sugar to liquor and two shavings orange peel. place on range and reduce slowly to a thick syrup. cut slices of pineapples in half crosswise, lay them in syrup for two hours. unmould pudding and garnish with the pineapple, placing cut side down. editor's note: _this menu would also prove very acceptable for a thanksgiving day dinner._ [sidenote: _november_ _third sunday_] menu oyster soup crisp oyster crackers celery pepper mangoes roast turkey bread stuffing giblet sauce cranberry jelly mashed potatoes--baked hubbard squash sweet corn, new england style creamed onions spiced pears hot slaw thanksgiving pudding drawn butter sauce pumpkin pie apple pie fruits--nuts--raisins--stuffed dates water biscuit--cheese cafÉ noir * * * * * oyster soup (for recipe see page .) roast turkey select a plump, ten-pound young turkey; dress, clean, stuff and truss in shape; place it on thin slices of fat pork laid in the bottom of dripping pan; rub the entire surface with salt, sprinkle with pepper and dredge with flour. place in a hot oven and brown delicately. turn and brown back of turkey; then turn breast side up; continue browning and basting every ten minutes until bird is evenly and richly browned. add two cups water to fat in pan; continue basting every fifteen minutes until bird is tender, which may be determined by piercing leg with small wooden skewer. it will require from three to three and one-half hours, depending upon the age of the bird. if the turkey is browning too rapidly, cover with a piece of heavy paper well-buttered, placed over turkey buttered side down. remove the skewer and strings before placing it on serving platter. giblet sauce drain the liquid from the pan in which the turkey was roasted. take six tablespoons of the fat, strain the latter through a fine sieve. return the strained fat to the dripping pan and place on the range. add seven tablespoons of flour, stir to a smooth paste and brown richly, being careful not to burn the mixture. then pour on slowly while stirring constantly, three cups of stock (in which the neck, pinions and giblets were cooked). bring it to the boiling point, and season to taste. chop the giblets very fine, first removing the tough parts of the gizzard; then reheat them in sauce, and serve. grandma's bread stuffing remove the crust from two small baker's loaves; slice and pick in small bits; season with one-half teaspoon pepper, two and one-half teaspoons salt, one-half teaspoon powdered sage, and one medium-sized onion finely chopped; mix well, using two forks; melt two-thirds cup of butter in three-fourths cup boiling water; add to first mixture; toss lightly with forks; add two eggs slightly beaten, mix well, and fill well the body and breast of turkey. if bread is very stale, more moisture may be added. if a crumbly stuffing is desired, omit eggs. cranberry jelly pick over and wash one quart cranberries. seed two-thirds cup raisins; add to cranberries; add one cup boiling water and boil twenty minutes. rub through a sieve, and add to pulp two cups sugar and two-thirds cups scalded seeded raisins; cook five minutes, stirring constantly. turn into a mold previously wet with cold water. chill and serve. sweet corn new england style chop one can of corn or two cups of green corn fine. add three eggs slightly beaten, one-half tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper, one tablespoon melted butter and two cups scalded milk. turn into a buttered baking dish or into individual ramekins, and bake in a slow oven until solid or custard-like. serve in baking dish. creamed onions remove the skins from one dozen medium-sized onions, under water--to prevent the odor from penetrating the fingers--or grease the fingers before beginning to peel them. drain, place them in a sauce-pan, and cover with cold water; bring quickly to the boiling-point and boil five minutes. drain and cover with boiling salted water; let cook uncovered until tender (about one hour), but not broken. prepare a thin cream sauce made as follows: cream sauce melt three tablespoons butter in a sauce-pan; add three tablespoons flour; stir to a smooth paste. add one and one-half cups hot thin cream or milk; season with salt and pepper. reheat onions in sauce; turn in hot serving-dish, and sprinkle with one-half teaspoon finely chopped parsley. hot slaw shave one-half head white cabbage as fine as possible, using a sharp knife. serve with a dressing made of yolks of two eggs slightly beaten; add one-fourth cup each of hot water and hot vinegar, slowly beating constantly, four tablespoons butter, a few drops onion juice, one-half teaspoon salt, and sift in one-half teaspoon ground mustard and one-eighth teaspoon pepper. stir this mixture over hot water until it thickens to the consistency of cream; add to cabbage; mix well; place on range, stirring constantly until mixture is heated throughout. two tablespoons of sugar may be added. thanksgiving pudding / cup cottolene creamed. cup molasses. cup buttermilk. cups flour. teaspoon soda. - / teaspoons salt. teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon cloves. / teaspoon allspice. / teaspoon nutmeg. - / cups seeded and shredded raisins. / cup currants. tablespoons flour for dredging fruit. process: cream cottolene. add molasses and milk. sift flour, soda, salt and spices together; add gradually to first mixture; beat thoroughly. mix raisins and currants; dredge them with flour and add to batter; mix well. turn into a well-buttered tube mold; fill two-thirds full; place on buttered cover; set on trivet; surround with boiling water and steam three hours. serve with drawn butter sauce / cup butter. tablespoons flour. - / cups boiling water. / teaspoon salt. / cup sugar. / cup brandy. / teaspoon nutmeg. process: divide the butter into two equal parts. melt one part in a sauce-pan; add flour, and stir to a smooth paste; add boiling water slowly, stirring constantly; let come to boiling point. remove to side of range, and add remaining butter in small bits; continue beating. then add salt, sugar, brandy and nutmeg. beat again, and serve very hot. pumpkin pie - / cups steamed and strained pumpkin. tablespoons flour. cup soft brown sugar. tablespoon rose water. tablespoon brandy. juice lemon. grated rind / lemon. / teaspoon ginger. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon cinnamon. eggs slightly beaten. - / cups milk. process: mix ingredients in the order given. turn in pie-pan lined with pastry. bake in a hot oven for the first five minutes to set pastry; then reduce heat and bake slowly twenty-five minutes. [sidenote: _november_ _fourth sunday_] menu cream of onion soup celery mixed pickles stewed chicken--tea biscuit mashed potatoes spiced watermelon rind november salad squash pie--whipped cream coffee sweet cider * * * * * cream of onion soup medium-sized onions sliced. quart cold water. green pepper chopped. cups scalded milk. tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. egg yolk. parmesan cheese. salt and cayenne. process: cook onion and pepper in two tablespoons butter five minutes, without browning; add water and cook until onions are soft (about forty minutes). rub through a sieve. melt remaining butter, add flour and stir to a paste; add gradually scalded milk, stirring constantly. combine mixtures, add seasonings. heat to boiling point, remove from range, add yolk of egg slightly beaten. pass parmesan cheese and hot, crisp crackers. two tablespoons cheese may be added to soup when adding egg yolk. serve very hot. chicken stew with tea biscuit dress, clean and cut up a fowl. place in stew pan, cover with boiling water. add three slices onion, one stalk celery broken in pieces, six slices carrot, spray of parsley, one-half teaspoon peppercorns and a small bit bay leaf. heat to boiling point, skim, cover and simmer slowly until meat is tender; the last hour of cooking add one tablespoon salt. remove chicken, add one cup thin cream, strain stock and thicken with flour diluted with cold milk or water. add one-half tablespoon finely chopped parsley. serve with tea biscuit. if a richer sauce is desired, butter may be added to stock. tea biscuit cups flour. tablespoons cottolene. / teaspoon salt. teaspoons baking powder. / cup milk. process: mix and sift flour, salt and baking powder, add cottolene and rub it in lightly with tips of fingers. add milk and mix to a soft dough with a knife. toss on a floured board, pat and roll to one-half inch thickness. shape with a small biscuit cutter, place close in buttered pan and bake minutes in hot oven. november salad arrange thin slices of crisp spanish onion in nests of bleached chicory leaves. pile on onion jonathan apples pared and cut in one-half inch cubes, celery hearts cut in small pieces and fresh english walnut meats cut in quarters. there should be an equal quantity of apples and celery, and one cup of nut meats to two cups each of the others. moisten with mayonnaise, sprinkle each portion with finely chopped green pepper. squash pie cup squash steamed and strained. cup cream or rich milk. cup sugar. eggs slightly beaten. tablespoons brandy or sherry. teaspoon cinnamon. - / teaspoons nutmeg. teaspoon ginger. salt. process: mix the ingredients in the order given, stir until ingredients are well blended. line a deep, perforated pie pan with rich paste; brush over with slightly beaten white of egg. turn in squash mixture and bake in a moderate oven. serve cold with whipped cream sweetened and flavored with mace. _december_ "_merry christmas to friends! merry christmas to foes! the world's bright with joy, so forget all your woes. the earth's full of beauty, of love and good cheer. merry christmas to all and a happy new year._" --_anon._ [illustration] [sidenote: _december_ _first sunday_] menu scotch potato soup pork tenderloin lyonnaise baked apples scalloped potatoes fried egg plant bermuda salad apricot dumplings--hard sauce coffee * * * * * scotch potato soup (for recipe see page .) pork tenderloin lyonnaise wipe and split two large pork tenderloins in halves lengthwise; sprinkle with salt, pepper and dredge with flour. melt two tablespoons each of cottolene and butter in an iron frying pan, and brown tenderloin richly on both sides in the hot fat. remove to well-greased dripping pan and add to fat three onions thinly sliced; cook until delicately browned, stirring often. sprinkle over onions two tablespoons flour, stir well. put two tablespoons vinegar into one-half cup hot water, add slowly to onions, mix thoroughly. lay tenderloins over onions, cover closely and cook in the oven until meat is tender. dispose tenderloin on hot serving platter and pour over contents of frying pan. vinegar may be omitted and more water added. baked apples wipe and core eight tart apples; arrange them in a granite dripping pan. fill cavities with sugar and drop one-fourth teaspoon butter on top of each, sprinkle with cinnamon, sprinkle round one-half cup sugar and pour on one cup cold water. bake in a slow oven until soft, basting often with syrup in pan. dispose on serving dish and sprinkle with granulated sugar. scalloped potatoes wash, pare and slice six medium-sized potatoes. butter a quart baking dish, lay in a layer of potatoes, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and dot over with bits of butter, dredge with flour and sprinkle lightly with chives. repeat until potatoes are used and two tablespoons each of butter, flour and chives. pour over one and one-half cups milk. cover and bake one hour in the oven. remove cover and brown top. serve in baking dish. bermuda salad slice thinly three or four bermuda onions. sprinkle with one tablespoon sugar, one teaspoon salt and cover with ice water. let stand three hours. drain and serve with french dressing. apricot dumplings cups flour. / teaspoon salt. teaspoons baking powder. tablespoon cottolene. cup thick cream. apricots. process: mix and sift flour, salt and baking powder, rub in cottolene with tips of fingers, add cream, cutting it into flour mixture with a knife. mix well. turn on a floured board, knead slightly and roll out to one-half inch thickness. shape with a large biscuit-cutter and place two halves of peeled apricots (drained from the syrup in the can) on each circle. enclose them, pressing edges of dough together. place them in a well-buttered granite dripping pan, one and one-half inches apart; sprinkle round them one cup granulated sugar, pour around two and one-half cups cold water. bake in a hot oven twenty minutes, basting three times during cooking. serve with hard sauce / cup butter. sherry wine, brandy or vanilla. cup powdered sugar. nutmeg. process: cream butter, add sugar slowly, stirring constantly (this gives sauce a fine, smooth grain). flavor as desired and pass through pastry bag and rose tube onto serving dish. sprinkle with nutmeg. [sidenote: _december_ _second sunday_] menu oyster soup boiled leg of mutton--caper sauce savory rice--steamed squash stuffed egg plant lima bean salad graham bread sandwiches fig pudding cafÉ noir * * * * * oyster soup quart select oysters. cups scalded milk. stalk celery broken in pieces. / cup butter. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. process: place oysters in a colander; pour over one cup cold water. take up each oyster with the fingers to remove bits of shells, reserve the liquor. heat to boiling point and strain through double cheese cloth, set aside. scald milk with celery, remove celery and add strained oyster liquor to milk. plump oysters in their own liquor, take up with a perforated skimmer and lay over butter and seasonings, place in a hot soup tureen. strain liquor into milk mixture and pour the latter over oysters. serve at once with crisp, hot oyster crackers. boiled leg of mutton wipe meat; pound gently all over with a cleaver. place in a kettle and cover with cold water, add one small carrot sliced, one turnip sliced, four slices onion, two sprays parsley, a bit of bay leaf and one-half teaspoon peppercorns. cover and bring quickly to boiling point; boil five minutes. skim. reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender (from two to three hours). add one tablespoon salt the last hour of cooking. serve with caper sauce tablespoons butter. tablespoons flour. - / cups strained mutton broth (or hot water). / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. / cup capers process: melt butter in a sauce-pan, add flour mixed with seasonings. stir to a paste and pour on slowly broth in which mutton was boiled, first removing fat. beat until smooth and glossy, add capers and heat to boiling point. serve in sauce-boat. savory rice cook one cup well-washed rice in three quarts of boiling water until partially softened. drain; add to rice two cups of well-seasoned white stock; turn into double boiler and steam until rice is soft and stock absorbed. stir in one-fourth cup butter, one tablespoon finely chopped chives or parsley. mix well with a fork and turn into hot serving dish. sprinkle with pepper. steamed squash cut a marrow squash in slices, remove the seeds and stringy portions, pare and lay in a steamer. cook over boiling water until tender. drain perfectly dry. mash and season with butter, salt, pepper and a little sugar. serve hot with tiny dots of butter over top. stuffed egg plant cut a slice from the stem end of a large egg plant. remove the inside, leaving a shell one-eighth inch thick. cut pulp in one-half inch cubes, and cook in boiling salted water until tender; drain. cook two tablespoons butter with one onion finely chopped, until delicately colored (not brown), add one tablespoon finely chopped parsley. mix with egg plant, season with salt and pepper, and refill shell. cover with one-half cup buttered crumbs and bake in the oven until heated throughout and crumbs are brown. serve in shell. lima bean salad cups or can lima beans. french dressing. cream dressing. hard-cooked eggs. tablespoon finely chopped chives. process: cook beans in boiling salted water until tender; drain. if canned french lima beans are used, drain from liquor in can and rinse in cold water. cover beans with french dressing, let stand one hour. drain and sprinkle with chives (onion juice may be used). mix with cream dressing and arrange in nests of lettuce heart leaves. garnish with eggs cut in quarters lengthwise; dip sharp edge in french dressing, then in finely chopped chives or parsley. graham bread sandwiches rub one cream cheese to a paste, add six olives finely chopped and one-half cup finely chopped pecans. spread thin slices of graham bread with chive butter. spread an equal number slices of bread with cheese mixture. lay one of each together, press edges, trim off crusts and cut diagonally across in triangles. graham bread cups boiling water. tablespoons sugar. tablespoon salt. tablespoons cottolene. yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water. cups graham flour. cups white flour. process: put sugar, salt and cottolene in large mixing bowl. pour on boiling water; when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake. sift together graham and white flour, reserving one cup white flour for kneading. add flour gradually to water mixture, stirring constantly; beat as mixture becomes stiff. turn on a well-floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. return dough to bowl, cover and set to rise in a warm place. when dough has doubled its bulk, cut it down with a knife without removing from bowl; cover and set to rise again. when double in bulk, knead slightly, weigh dough and divide into one-pound loaves. shape loaves, place two loaves in each well-greased, brick-shaped bread pan, brush between loaves with melted cottolene. (there will be six loaves.) cover and set to rise; when light, bake one hour in a "bread oven." chive butter cream one-fourth cup butter; add two tablespoons very finely chopped chives. season with a few grains salt and cayenne. fig pudding cup chopped washed figs. / cup cottolene. eggs well beaten. - / cups soft bread crumbs. / cup milk. cup soft brown sugar. teaspoon salt. grated rind of half an orange. process: cover bread crumbs with milk. mix cottolene with figs. to the milk mixture add eggs, sugar, salt and orange rind; combine mixtures. beat thoroughly and turn into a well-greased tube mold; cover and steam three hours. serve with brandy or vanilla sauce. [illustration] [sidenote: _december_ _third sunday_] menu cream of carrot soup pot roast of beef--mushroom sauce browned potatoes parsley onions parsnip fritters cream cold slaw steamed snow balls--sauce soufflÉ coffee--tea * * * * * cream of carrot soup cups chopped carrots. small onion sliced. sprays parsley. / cup washed rice. cups water. cups scalded milk. / cup hot cream. / cup butter. tablespoons flour. salt, pepper. process: cook carrots in water until tender. rub through sieve, reserving the liquor. cook rice in milk in double boiler until soft. sauté onion a delicate brown in butter, add flour and stir to a paste. add carrot mixture to milk and pour slowly over flour paste, stirring constantly; heat to boiling point and add cream. strain into hot soup tureen and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley. pot roast wipe five pounds beef cut from top of round; put bits of fat in an iron frying pan, shake over fire until tried out (there should be about one-fourth cup fat). rub meat over with salt, dredge with flour and sear quickly over in hot fat turned into the pot in which meat is to roast. add one cup boiling water, cover closely and cook slowly until meat is tender (about four or five hours), turn occasionally, add only sufficient water to prevent meat burning. the last hour of cooking sprinkle well with salt and pepper. serve with brown gravy made from liquor in pot. mushroom sauce tablespoons butter. - / tablespoons flour. cups brown stock. / can small mushrooms. egg yolk slightly beaten. teaspoons butter. / tablespoon worcestershire sauce. / teaspoon kitchen bouquet. salt, pepper. process: brown butter richly (without burning) in a sauce-pan; add flour and continue browning, stirring constantly. pour on stock slowly, continue stirring until sauce is smooth. drain mushrooms from the liquor and sauté them delicately in butter. remove from range, add egg yolk and worcestershire sauce; add brown sauce slowly, stirring constantly. reheat over hot water and season with salt, pepper and kitchen bouquet. browned potatoes pare the desired number of medium-sized potatoes; parboil ten minutes in boiling salted water. drain, dry and place in pan around roast beef, veal or pork, fifty minutes before meat is done. baste with the liquor in pan and turn often to brown evenly. parsley onions select the desired number of silver skin onions, medium size. peel and cover with boiling water, bring to boiling point, boil five minutes. drain and cover again with boiling salted water. cook until tender, drain and remove to serving dish. melt one-third cup butter (for one dozen onions) in same sauce-pan, add one teaspoon finely chopped parsley. pour butter over onions and sprinkle with black pepper. parsnip fritters wash and scrub parsnips. cover with boiling water and cook until tender. drain, plunge in cold water and rub off skins with the hands. mash and rub them through a coarse sieve. season with salt and pepper, moisten with a little cream and butter. flour the hands and shape mixture in small, flat, oval cakes. dredge them with flour and sauté a golden brown in melted butter, turning them as griddle cakes. serve very hot. cream cold slaw cut a firm, crisp, small head of cabbage in quarters. cut out the stalk and shave in very thin slices crosswise. cover with ice water and when crisp drain dry. mix with the following cream dressing. pile pyramid-like in a glass serving dish, and serve very cold. if cabbage is large, use half a head. cream dressing one cup thick sour cream (not old sour cream). chill and stir in one teaspoon salt, a few grains cayenne, three tablespoons fine sugar and three tablespoons vinegar, diluted with one tablespoon cold water. beat well and pour over cabbage, toss lightly with a fork and sprinkle with one teaspoon finely chopped parsley. steamed snow balls / cup cottolene. cup fine sugar. / cup milk. - / cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. whites eggs beaten until stiff. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon orange extract. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt; add to first mixture alternately with milk. add extract. cut and fold in whites of eggs. fill buttered pop-over cups two-thirds full, place in steamer, cover steamer with a folded crash tea towel, cover closely and steam forty-five minutes. serve with orange sauce or in nests of whipped cream, sweetened and flavored with vanilla. editors note: _this will also be found a very acceptable menu for a christmas dinner._ [sidenote: _december_ _fourth sunday_] menu oyster cocktails cream of almond soup en tasse--bread sticks celery ripe olives brace of ducks--stuffing olive sauce glazed sweet potatoes--"thorn" apples hawaiian salad plum pudding--brandy sauce chocolate cake bon bons--nuts and raisins--fruits cafÉ noir--water biscuit--cheese * * * * * oyster cocktails tablespoon fresh grated horseradish. tablespoon vinegar. tablespoons lemon juice. tablespoon worcestershire sauce. tablespoons tomato catsup. teaspoon salt. few drops tobasco sauce. process: mix ingredients in the order given. chill thoroughly and pour over oyster cocktails. place six small oysters in each cocktail glass, add sauce and serve very cold. this sauce is sufficient for six cocktails. oyster cocktails may be served very attractively in tomato cups. cream of almond soup quarts chicken or white stock. - / tablespoons butter. / cup blanched almonds. tablespoons cornstarch. cup hot cream. salt, pepper. few grains nutmeg. process: cook the butter and flour together in a sauce-pan; add gradually hot stock until of the consistency to pour; then add remaining stock, let cook gently twenty minutes. chop almonds fine, then pound them to a paste, add to first mixture and beat until thoroughly blended. add hot cream and seasoning. serve en tasse; sprinkle each portion with finely chopped parsley. roast brace of ducks dress and clean a brace (two) young domestic or wild ducks. truss same as goose. if domestic ducks are used they may be stuffed. in the wild ducks place in each a head of celery; this is thought to improve their flavor. domestic ducks should always be cooked "well done" and twice as long as wild ducks. place the ducks on rack in dripping pan, sprinkle with salt and pepper, cover breast and legs with very thin slices of fat salt pork. place in a hot oven and roast one and one-quarter hours, basting every five minutes (with fat in pan) for the first half hour, afterwards every ten minutes. domestic ducks require a hotter oven than wild ducks or fowl. when tender, remove string and skewers. place on hot serving platter, surround with thorn apples and serve with olive sauce. stuffing cups cracker crumbs. cup english walnut meats broken in small bits. cup thick cream. / cup butter. onion finely chopped. teaspoon finely chopped parsley. / teaspoon celery salt. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon black pepper. process: crush crackers with the hands, not too fine. add nut meats, butter melted, cream, onion and parsley; mix well with a fork; add seasonings. if stuffing appears too dry add more cream (a cup of chopped apple or celery may be added). this is sufficient stuffing for one duck. olive sauce tablespoons butter. slice onion. - / tablespoons flour. cups brown stock. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon pepper. dozen olives. process: melt butter in sauce-pan, add onion and cook until delicately browned; remove onion and stir butter until well browned; add flour sifted with seasonings, stir to a smooth paste and continue browning. add stock gradually, beating constantly. pare the meat from olive pits, leaving it in one continuous curl. cover with boiling water and cook six or seven minutes. drain and add to sauce. glazed sweet potatoes wash and pare six medium-sized sweet potatoes. parboil ten minutes in boiling salted water; drain and cut lengthwise in halves. arrange them in a well-buttered granite dripping pan. make a syrup by boiling one cup sugar with one-half cup water and two tablespoons butter three or four minutes. dip each piece of potato into syrup and arrange in dripping pan. bake until potatoes are tender (about forty minutes) basting two or three times with remaining syrup. oven should not be too hot as these potatoes will scorch easily. "thorn" apples prepare a syrup by boiling two cups sugar and one and three-fourths cups water ten minutes. wash, wipe, core and pare the desired number of apples (about eight for this quantity of syrup). drop apples into syrup when pared, to prevent discoloration. cook until tender, skimming syrup when necessary. use a deep sauce-pan for this purpose, as apples cook better when covered with syrup. better cook four apples at a time. drain from syrup and fill the cavities with quince jelly and stick apples thickly with blanched and shredded almonds slightly toasted. cut the almonds lengthwise in three pieces, then divide, making six "thorns." it is best to toast them in the oven until they are a golden brown. hawaiian salad arrange slices of canned hawaiian pineapple, drained from the liquor in the can, in nests of crisp lettuce heart leaves. pile on these malaga grapes peeled, cut in halves lengthwise and seeds removed, mixed with an equal quantity of english walnut meats broken in pieces. sprinkle thickly with candied cherries, cut in fine shreds or chopped. moisten with french dressing no. . french dressing no. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon paprika. few grains cayenne. tablespoons olive oil. tablespoons lemon juice or tablespoon tarragon vinegar and of lemon juice. process: put dry ingredients in bowl, add oil, mix well, then add lemon juice slowly while stirring constantly. chill thoroughly and use on fruit salad. plum pudding / lb. stale bread crumbs. cup scalded milk. / cup soft brown sugar. eggs. cup raisins seeded and shredded. / cup english currants. / cup english walnut meats chopped. / cup figs chopped fine. / cup citron cut in thin shreds. / cup cottolene. / cup brandy. / grated nutmeg. teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon mace. / teaspoon cloves. - / teaspoons salt. process: add crumbs to milk and let soak one or more hours. add sugar, yolks of eggs beaten very light, fruits mixed with nut meats and citron. cream cottolene and add to first mixture, then brandy and spices sifted together. fold in whites of eggs beaten stiff; mix thoroughly and turn into a well-greased tube mold and steam five to six hours. remove from mold to hot serving platter. garnish with sprays of holly, pour around brandy, light with a taper and send to table en flambeau (in a flame). serve with brandy sauce. brandy sauce / cup butter. cup confectioners' sugar. whites eggs beaten stiff. / teaspoon salt. / cup heavy cream whipped stiff. tablespoons brandy. tablespoon jamaica rum. grating nutmeg. process: cream butter, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. place over hot water, add eggs and beat with a gem whip until evenly blended, cool slightly and add brandy, rum and salt. fold in cream and sprinkle with nutmeg. [sidenote: _december_ _fifth sunday_] menu consommÉ with barley roast loin of pork--brown gravy apple rings baked sweet potatoes spiced peaches apple and date salad cranberry tarts--cheese coffee * * * * * consommÉ with barley quarts consommé. tablespoons pearl barley. quarts boiling water. salt. chives or parsley. process: soak barley in cold water over night; drain and cook in boiling salted water until soft. drain and reheat in consommé. sprinkle in one-half tablespoon finely chopped chives or parsley. serve with crisp crackers. roast loin of pork wipe a five-pound loin of pork (little pig if possible); sprinkle with salt, pepper, powdered sage and dredge with flour. place in dripping pan, surround with some of the fat cut in small cubes. set to cook in a moderate oven for four hours, basting every ten minutes for the first half hour and afterwards every fifteen minutes, with dripping in pan. remove to serving platter, surround with apple rings and make a gravy same as for other roast meats. apple rings pare, core and cut apples that are not too sour, in rings one-half inch thick. sprinkle them with lemon juice. make a syrup by cooking one cup sugar with one cup water, ten minutes. drop in three or four cassia buds or pieces of stick cinnamon. cook three or four apple rings at a time in syrup until soft, turning often to preserve their shape. drain and arrange them around roast loin of pork. the syrup may be used for stewing apples or prunes. baked sweet potatoes select smooth sweet potatoes of uniform size. wash and scrub with a vegetable brush. bake same as white potatoes. when soft, break the skins, put into each a teaspoon butter and serve hot. apple and date salad pare and core three jonathan apples. cut them julienne style (in straws); there should be two cups. sprinkle apples with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. clean one-half pound of dates, remove skins and stones; let them dry off in the oven. when cold cut each date in strips, same as apples. mix apples and dates and marinate them with french dressing. let stand one hour. then add one-half cup almonds cut in shreds lengthwise. mix well and serve in nests of lettuce heart leaves. mask with mayonnaise dressing. cranberry tarts roll rich paste one-eighth inch thick; cut in three-inch squares. put one or two teaspoons cranberry mixture on one side of square, moisten the edges with water, fold in triangle shape. crimp the edges and prick over top with fork. bake same as pies. sprinkle with fine sugar. serve hot with cheese. cranberry mixture cups cranberries chopped moderately. / cup raisins seeded and chopped. - / cups sugar. / cup water. few grains salt. tablespoon butter. process: mix ingredients in the order given (except butter). cook until soft, stirring constantly. add butter, chill mixture. use for pie with one crust and decorate, when baked, with pastry cut in fancy shapes and baked on a tin sheet, or use for filling tarts. _supplementary recipes_ _including recipes for a few cakes for special occasions, a variety of cookies suitable for use at any time, together with a selection of breakfast cakes, muffins, rolls, etc., that would not usually come within the compass of a dinner menu._ bride's cake / cup cottolene. cups fine granulated sugar. / cup milk. - / cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. teaspoon orange extract whites of eggs. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, beating constantly. mix and sift flour with baking powder and salt; add alternately to first mixture with milk, continue beating. add extract, and cut and fold in the whites of eggs beaten until stiff and dry. fill a tube cake pan well-greased with cottolene, two-thirds full, and bake fifty minutes in a moderate oven. when slightly cool, spread with ornamental frosting. twelve pound fruit cake "groom's cake" / pound cottolene. pound brown sugar rolled. yolks eggs well beaten. cups n. o. molasses. pound flour. / tablespoon cinnamon. teaspoon cloves. / tablespoon mace. teaspoon salt. teaspoon soda. whites eggs beaten stiff. - / pounds seeded raisins. pounds currants. pound citron thinly sliced and cut in shreds. / pound candied cherries cut in quarters. / pound candied orange peel finely chopped. / pound candied lemon peel finely chopped. / cup brandy. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly; add egg yolks, continue stirring and beating, add molasses, flour mixed and sifted with spices, salt and soda; fold in the whites of eggs and lastly add the fruit except citron. turn mixture into a well-greased pan lined with several thicknesses of heavy paper, put citron into mixture in layers, having a layer of batter on top. divide the mixture equally in two tube pans, eight inches in diameter, filling pans two-thirds full. bake two and three-quarter hours. new england election cake cup bread dough slightly rounded. / cup cottolene. eggs. cup soft brown sugar. / cup sour milk. / cup seeded and shredded raisins. large figs chopped fine. - / cups flour. / teaspoon soda. / teaspoon cloves. / teaspoon nutmeg. / teaspoon cinnamon. teaspoon salt. process: cream cottolene and work it in the dough with the hand. add eggs well beaten, sugar, soda dissolved in milk, fruit dredged with one-fourth cup flour, remainder flour mixed and sifted with spices and salt. beat thoroughly with the hand. turn mixture into a well-buttered, brick-shaped bread pan, cover and let rise for one and a quarter hours in a warm place. bake one hour in a moderate oven. spread with milk frosting - / cups granulated sugar. / cup rich milk. teaspoon butter. / teaspoon each vanilla and lemon extract. process: melt butter in sauce-pan; add sugar and milk. stir constantly that sugar may not stick to saucepan, bring to boiling point and cook without stirring twelve to fourteen minutes. remove from range and beat until of the consistency to spread; add flavoring and pour over cake, spread evenly with spatula. when frosting is firm, crease at once with the dull edge of a silver knife. when eggs are high in price, this frosting will prove very acceptable. chocolate layer cake squares chocolate. tablespoons boiling water. / cup cottolene. - / cups sugar. / cup milk. cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. eggs. / teaspoon vanilla. process: melt chocolate over hot water, add boiling water and cook over hot water until smooth, stirring constantly. cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly; add chocolate mixture. add yolks of eggs well beaten. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt, add alternately to first mixture with milk. add flavoring, and cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. turn into buttered layer cake pans and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. spread with boiled frosting (for recipe see page ) and sprinkle with shredded toasted almonds before frosting sets. valentine cakes / cup cottolene. cups sugar. eggs. cup milk. - / cups flour. - / teaspoons baking powder. teaspoon rose water. / teaspoon mace. / teaspoon salt. process: cream cottolene, add gradually one cup sugar. beat egg yolk thick and light, add gradually remaining cup sugar. combine mixtures. mix and sift flour, baking powder, mace and salt. add alternately to first mixture with milk, add rose water. then cut and fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in small heart-shaped individual tins. cover with frosting and outline the edge with tiny red candies. seed cakes / cup cottolene. cups sugar. eggs well beaten. teaspoon soda. cup buttermilk. teaspoon salt. flour. - / tablespoons caraway seeds. raisins. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, add well beaten egg, soda dissolved in milk, salt, seeds, and flour to make a soft dough. chill the dough and shape as other cookies. place a seeded raisin or the half of a pecan nut meat in center of each before baking. chocolate nut and fruit cookies / cup cottolene. cup sugar. / cup grated chocolate. extra tablespoons sugar. tablespoons boiling water. eggs well beaten. cup nut meats chopped. cup raisins seeded and shredded. - / cups flour. tablespoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. melt chocolate over hot water, add the two extra tablespoons sugar and boiling water. cook one minute; when cool add to first mixture. add beaten eggs. mix and sift flour (reserving one-fourth cup), baking powder and salt. add to cake mixture. add fruit and nut meats dredged with remaining flour. chill mixture. drop from spoon onto a well-greased baking sheet one and one-half inches apart; press a raisin or the half a nut meat in center of each cake and bake in a moderate oven. raisin cakelets / cup cottolene. cup fine sugar. eggs well beaten. yolk egg. / cup milk. cups flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. cup raisins seeded and cut in pieces. tablespoon flour. blanched and shredded almonds. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. add beaten egg yolk and eggs. mix and sift flour, baking powder and salt. add to first mixture alternately with milk; add raisins dredged with tablespoon flour. beat thoroughly and fill small, buttered individual tins two-thirds full. strew tops with almonds, sprinkle with powdered sugar and bake twelve to fifteen minutes in a moderate oven. plain ginger cakes cup n. o. molasses. teaspoons soda. / cup cottolene. / cup boiling water. cups flour. teaspoon salt. tablespoon ginger. teaspoon cinnamon. / teaspoon cloves. process: add soda to molasses. melt cottolene in boiling water; combine in mixing bowl. mix and sift flour, salt and spices, add to first mixture and beat thoroughly. chill dough and roll a small portion at a time to one-half inch thickness, shape with a round cutter. press a seeded raisin in top of each, sprinkle with coarse granulated sugar. bake in a moderate oven. it may be necessary to add more flour, as flour varies in thickening properties. brownies tablespoons cottolene. egg well beaten. / cup powdered sugar. / cup bread flour. / cup n. o. molasses. / cup pecan nut meats broken in small bits. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon ginger. process: cream cottolene and sugar gradually, add molasses, beaten egg, flour sifted with salt, ginger and nut meats. bake in very small well-greased, iron gem or brownie cups. place one-half pecan nut meat on top of each cake. brandy snaps / cup molasses. / cup cottolene. / cup flour. / cup granulated sugar. tablespoon ginger. / teaspoon nutmeg. / teaspoon salt. process: put molasses in sauce-pan, bring to boiling point; add cottolene and, when melted, add flour sifted with sugar, ginger, nutmeg and salt. drop from tip of spoon in small portions on a buttered tin sheet, about three inches apart. bake in a slow oven. when slightly cool, remove from sheet with a spatula and roll over the handle of a wooden spoon. lay on cake cooler until crisp. baking powder biscuits cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. tablespoons cottolene. / cup milk or water. process: sift together flour, baking powder and salt. add shortening and rub into flour with tips of fingers, using a light touch. add milk or water, mix with a knife to a soft dough. turn on a lightly floured board; knead slightly. pat and roll to one-half inch thickness. shape with small biscuit cutter. place close together in a buttered pan and bake in a hot oven fifteen minutes. cream fruit rolls cups pastry flour. / teaspoon salt. teaspoons baking powder. tablespoon cottolene. cup cream. dates. process: sift together flour, salt and baking powder; add shortening and rub in with tips of fingers. add cream, mix with knife to a soft dough. turn on a lightly floured board; pat and roll to one-third inch thickness. cut with biscuit cutter, place one-half of a stoned date on half of biscuit, brush edges with milk and fold as parker house rolls. press edges together, brush top of rolls with milk and place one-half date on top of each. bake on a buttered sheet in a hot oven fifteen minutes. little cream biscuit cups pastry flour. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. tablespoon cottolene. / cup of rich cream. process: mix and sift flour, salt and baking powder. rub in cottolene with tips of fingers. cut the cream into mixture with a silver knife. when well mixed, toss on a well-floured board, pat and roll one-half inch thick. shape with very small biscuit cutter (size of silver dollar), brush the top over with milk and bake twelve to fifteen minutes in a hot oven. wheat muffins tablespoons cottolene. / cup sugar. / cup thin cream or milk. teaspoons baking powder. cups flour. / teaspoon salt. egg beaten very light. process: cream the cottolene with a wooden spoon. add sugar gradually, then alternately cream and flour sifted with baking powder and salt. add well-beaten egg. bake in hot, well-buttered gem cups. a cup of blueberries may be added to this mixture for blueberry tea cakes or one-fourth pound dates may be stoned, chopped and added to the butter and sugar for date muffins. graham muffins cup graham flour. cup white flour. / cup sugar or molasses. teaspoon salt. cup milk. egg beaten very light. tablespoons cottolene. teaspoons baking powder. process: sift together flours, sugar, salt and baking powder. add milk gradually, egg beaten very light and melted cottolene. beat mixture thoroughly. bake in hot, buttered, iron gem cups twenty-five minutes in a hot oven. corn muffins cup corn meal. cup white flour. teaspoons baking powder. / cup sugar. / teaspoon salt. cup thin cream or milk. eggs beaten very light. tablespoons cottolene. process: sift together corn meal, flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. add cream or milk and stir to a smooth batter. add well beaten eggs and melted butter. beat thoroughly and bake in hot buttered gem cups in a hot oven twenty minutes. popovers cup flour. / teaspoon salt. / cup milk. teaspoon melted cottolene. eggs beaten very light. process: sift flour and salt together, add milk gradually, beating continuously. add melted cottolene and beaten eggs. beat batter with a dover egg beater three or four minutes until it is perfectly smooth, creamy and full of bubbles. pour into hissing-hot, well-greased gem cups and bake in a hot oven thirty to thirty-five minutes. they may also be baked in earthen custard cups. when baked in the latter vessel they will have a glazed appearance. sour milk griddle cakes - / cups flour. teaspoon salt. tablespoon cottolene. cups rich sour milk. - / teaspoons soda. egg lightly beaten. process: mix and sift flour, salt and soda. add sour milk and beat to a smooth batter. add cottolene and well-beaten egg; continue beating until ingredients are thoroughly blended. batter should be smooth and creamy. drop by spoonsful on well-greased, hot griddle; grease griddle with melted cottolene. cook on one side and, when light and covered with bubbles, turn and cook on the other side. waffles - / cups flour. tablespoons baking powder. teaspoon salt. cups milk. yolks eggs. whites eggs. tablespoon melted cottolene. process: mix and sift dry ingredients, add milk gradually, beating constantly. add cottolene, yolks of eggs well-beaten and whites of eggs beaten stiff. beat mixture thoroughly. cook in well-greased, hot waffle iron (use melted cottolene for greasing waffle iron), browning first on one side, then turn iron and brown on the other. serve with maple or lemon syrup. german coffee cake cup scalded milk. tablespoons cottolene. / cup sugar. / teaspoon salt. compressed yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water. egg well beaten. / cup seeded and shredded raisins. flour. process: put cottolene, sugar and salt in mixing bowl; add scalded milk. when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake, beaten egg and sufficient flour to make a very thick batter. beat thoroughly until mixture is smooth. add raisins, cover closely and set to rise. when light, spread dough in buttered dripping pan one inch in thickness; cover and let rise again. before placing in the oven, brush over with beaten egg and cover with the following mixture: melt one-third cup butter in a sauce-pan, add one-half cup sugar, mix with one and one-half teaspoons cinnamon. when sugar is partially melted add one and one-half tablespoons flour. mix well and spread on cake, strew top with blanched and shredded almonds, bake twenty-five minutes in a moderate oven. salad rolls cup scalded milk. - / cups flour. tablespoons sugar. / cup melted cottolene. teaspoon salt. eggs well beaten. compressed yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water. / teaspoon grated lemon rind. flour. process: put sugar and salt in mixing bowl, pour on scalded milk. when lukewarm add dissolved yeast cake and one and one-half cups flour, beat thoroughly; cover and let rise; when light add melted cottolene, well beaten eggs, grated lemon rind and just enough flour to knead. cover and set to rise again; when light turn on a floured board, knead slightly; roll to one-half inch thickness, shape with very small biscuit cutter, then roll each biscuit in the shape of a finger roll. place on a buttered sheet an inch and one-half apart; set to rise, and bake fifteen minutes in a hot oven. five minutes before removing from oven, brush over tops with white of one egg slightly beaten, diluted with one tablespoon milk. cinnamon rolls cups scalded milk. / cup sugar. compressed yeast cake in / cup lukewarm water. teaspoon salt. tablespoons granulated sugar. eggs lightly beaten. / teaspoon cinnamon. / cup cottolene. flour. process: prepare a sponge when scalded milk is lukewarm by adding two cups flour and dissolved yeast cake; beat thoroughly; cover and set to rise. when light, add well beaten eggs, cottolene worked to a creamy consistency, sugar, salt and flour enough to knead (about six and one-half cups). knead until smooth and elastic. roll out to one-fourth inch thickness, spread generously with soft butter, sprinkle thickly with sugar and cinnamon, mixed and sifted. roll like jelly roll; cut off slices one-half inch thick; set them close together, cut side down, in a greased dripping pan. brush between rolls with melted cottolene, cover and set to rise. when light, bake thirty minutes in a moderate oven, remove from oven and brush over with white of egg diluted with two tablespoons cold milk. return to oven to brown; repeat, to make them glossy. blueberry tea cake tablespoons cottolene. / cup sugar. egg. - / cups bread flour. teaspoons baking powder. teaspoon salt. cup milk. / cup berries. process: cream cottolene, add sugar gradually, stirring constantly. add egg beaten thick and light. mix and sift flour (except three tablespoons), baking powder and salt; add to first mixture alternately with milk. sprinkle remaining flour over berries and fold them in quickly. bake in well greased shallow pan thirty minutes in a moderate oven. serve hot with hard sauce or cream, or with butter. doughnuts eggs. - / cups sugar. tablespoons cottolene. cups bread flour. teaspoon nutmeg. teaspoons salt. - / cups sour cream. - / teaspoons soda. process: beat eggs very light without separating the whites and yolks; add sugar gradually, beating constantly; add cottolene and continue beating. mix and sift flour, nutmeg, salt, and soda, add alternately to first mixture with sour cream. chill dough, then toss on a slightly floured board, roll to one-half inch thickness; shape with cutter and fry in deep, hot cottolene. drain on soft brown paper. when cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar. crullers tablespoons cottolene. - / cup sugar. eggs. cups flour. / teaspoon nutmeg. teaspoons baking powder. / teaspoon salt. / cup milk. / cup sherry wine. cinnamon and powdered sugar. process: cream the cottolene, add sugar gradually, beating constantly. add yolks beaten thick and light, and whites beaten stiff and dry. mix and sift flour, salt, nutmeg and baking powder, add to first mixture alternately with milk; add sherry wine. turn onto a well-floured board and pat and roll to one-eighth inch thickness. cut in pieces three inches long by two and one-half inches wide, make four parallel gashes lengthwise of each cruller, at equal distances apart; lift each by running fingers through gashes and drop carefully into hot cottolene; turn when they rise to top of fat. when cooked, drain on brown paper and sprinkle with powdered sugar mixed with a little cinnamon. fried oysters (in cracker meal) wash the desired number of new york counts, using one cup cold water to a quart of oysters. drain and dry them between crash towels. sprinkle with salt and pepper, dredge with flour and dip them, one at a time, in egg, diluted with two tablespoons cold water to each egg. then dip in fine cracker meal. it is very important that each oyster is well covered with crumbs. fry in deep hot cottolene to a golden brown. drain on brown paper, garnish with stuffed olives and sprays of parsley. fried oysters (in batter) follow directions in the foregoing recipe, and dip oysters in batter (see next page). fry in deep hot cottolene, turn occasionally. drain and serve on folded napkin, garnished with curled celery and slices of lemon rind dipped in finely chopped parsley. batter cup bread flour. / teaspoon salt. / teaspoon celery salt. / teaspoon pepper. eggs. / cup milk. process: mix and sift dry ingredients; add milk slowly, beating constantly until batter is smooth. beat eggs thick and light, cut and fold them into batter. beat thoroughly and dip the drained and dried oysters into batter, one by one, and fry in deep, hot cottolene. cod fish balls cup "picked up" codfish. - / cups potatoes. egg well beaten. tablespoon butter. few grains pepper. process: wash fish and cover with cold water; let stand several hours, "pick up" in small pieces. wash, pare and cut potatoes in small cubes, measure them, soak in cold water for an hour; cook with fish in boiling water until potatoes are soft. drain through a sieve until quite dry; return to sauce-pan in which they were cooked, mash thoroughly that there may be no lumps left in potatoes. add butter, egg and pepper. beat with a slotted wooden spoon until very light. season with salt if necessary. take up by rounded tablespoons, place in croquette basket and fry one minute in deep hot cottolene (frying six fish balls at a time); drain on brown paper. allow fat to reheat between fryings. maÎtre d'hÔtel butter process: cream four tablespoons butter with a wooden spoon; add one-half teaspoon salt, one-eighth teaspoon pepper and a few grains cayenne, in the order given; also one-half tablespoon finely chopped parsley, and three-fourths tablespoon lemon juice, drop by drop, beating constantly. this is used as a dressing for certain kinds of fish. index page alabama salad ambrosia anise seed wafers apple, baked baked and stuffed with figs cake with lemon sauce crab, spiced and date salad pie (plain paste) rings sauce, chantilly sauce, spiced thorn apricot dumplings frozen sauce, dried asparagus, cream of salad tips in croustades with butter sauce banana baked (sultana sauce) fritters sauce beans, boiled, white string, buttered string, salad stringless, with bacon béchamel sauce beef, boiled corned, boiled with vegetables braised fillets, pan broiled fillet roast pot roast rolled rib roast spiced tongue, braised beets, buttered in drawn butter pickled biscuit, baking powder little cream tea blackberry roly-poly blueberry pie steamed pudding tea cake bluefish à la creole bouillon, chicken clam tomato , brandy snaps sauce bread, biscuit tea corn, thin croutons crusts graham rings, imperial sandwiches (nut bread) sticks , broth, standard brussels sprouts cabbage, cream cold slaw new salad peggy's sour relish , salad scalloped cakes, anise seed wafers apple cake bride's cake chocolate jumbles chocolate layer chocolate nut chocolate, rich cocoanut cocoanut cubes coffee cake, german corn starch loaf fruit cake, twelve pound griddle (sour milk) marble new england election nut and raisin peach, with sweetened cream raisin cakelets seed cakes spanish layer strawberry shortcake sultana tea cake, blueberry twelve pound fruit valentine cakes white nut cake frostings (see frostings) canapés, cheese nova scotia nut and olive shrimp cocktail smoked sturgeon tomato caramel frosting with nuts carrot, cream of carrots in cream sauce cauliflower à la béchamel salad with cheese sauce , celery, creamed , salads (see under heading salad) cheese, balls , , butter thins canapé cottage fingers and pimento salad sauce soufflé cherry, duff pie punch roly-poly sauce chicken bouillon chantilly broiled consommé (see under heading consommé) dumplings fricassee fried , pressed stewed stew with tea biscuits chili sauce chive sauce (see under heading sauce) chocolate cake (see under cakes) hot sauce (ice cream) chowder, corn clam, bouillon and tomato consommé cocktail, grape fruit oyster , shrimp cocoanut cake cubes cod, boiled fresh fish balls coffee, boiled cake, german café au lait (iced) iced noir consommé, chicken (cold) chicken, with macaroni rings and tomatoes chicken, with poached egg yolks clam and tomato clear duchess with barley with egg balls princess printaniere with rice balls au riz with vegetables cookies , corn, bread, thin chowder fritters , green, pudding stewed dried stewed with tomatoes sweet, boiled sweet, new england style corned beef, with vegetables cottage cheese peach pudding pudding, steamed cottolene, how to use , what it is crab meat cranberry jelly tarts cream biscuit dressing , fruit rolls gravy salad dressing sauce , croquettes, sweet potato croutons , crullers cucumber baskets culinary hints currant jelly sauce pie pudding, steamed custard pie dandelion, greens salad desserts (see under heading fruits) doughnuts drawn butter sauce , dressing, cream , french , , mayonnaise relish salad (boiled) salad (cream) duck, roast (with stuffing) dumplings, apricot chicken peach egg balls sauce , and watercress salad egg plant, fried sauté with fine herbs stuffed endive, celery and green pepper salad dressed french fig pudding figs in sherry jelly fish, bass, black, baked bass, sea, breaded blue, à la creole cod, boiled, fresh codfish balls finnan haddie, broiled halibut, baked halibut, boiled (cold) lake trout, in paper bag perch, fried sauce, a l'italienne sauce, tartare white, planked french dressing , , french fried potatoes fricassee of chicken tomato fritter, banana corn , batter (egg plant) parsnip pineapple frostings, boiled caramel with nuts maple milk fruits, ambrosia apples (see under heading apples) apricots, frozen cantaloupe à la mode crab apples, spiced cranberry jelly figs in sherry jelly grape fruit cocktail peaches (sliced) pineapple fritters raspberry whip rhubarb, stewed rhubarb tarts strawberries, frozen , watermelon with sherry sauce ginger cakes, plain goose, roast graham bread and sandwiches muffins plum pudding pudding, steamed grandma's bread stuffing grape fruit cocktails salad gravy, cream brown griddle cakes guinea fowl, roast halibut, baked boiled (cold) ham, baked hamburg roast hard sauce hints, culinary , horse-radish sauce , ices, orange raspberry ice cream, peach , sauce, (hot chocolate) vanilla imperial rings sticks introductory , lake trout in paper bag lamb, breast of, stuffed and roasted chops, breaded shoulder of, roast stuffing lemon pie sauce lettuce, head, dressed , cream of garden cress and onion salad with cream dressing peppergrass and onion salad radish and onion salad liver, calf's, braised loaf cake, corn starch macaroni with tomato sauce maître d'hôtel butter marble cake mayonnaise dressing measure, how to meats, beef (see under heading beef) calf's liver braised ham, baked hamburg roast hearts stuffed with vegetables lamb (see under heading lamb) mutton chops, breaded mutton, boiled leg ox joints en casserole pork (see under heading pork) poultry (see poultry) sausage, summer (appetizer) steak, flank, stuffed and braised tongue, braised beef tongue, boiled veal (see under heading veal) venison, roast meringue, (lemon pie) mint sauce muffins, corn graham popovers wheat mushroom sauce mutton, leg, boiled chops, breaded noodle soup nut and olive canapé and prune salad bread sandwiches cakes , , olive and nut canapés sauce onion, bermuda with buttered sauce cream of creamed and pepper salad au gratin with cream parsley orange ice sauce ox joints en casserole oysters, cocktail , fried (in batter) fried (in cracker meal) on half shell soup parsnip fritters mashed sautéd in butter paste, plain rich pea, cream of green, and carrots in cream sauce green and onions, french style peach cake with sweetened cream cottage pudding duff dumplings ice cream , pudding, steamed sliced pear salad perch, fried piccalilli pie, apple blueberry cherry cranberry tarts currant custard lemon mock cherry mock mince plain paste pumpkin raisin rhubarb rich paste squash , pigeon, young, stuffed and braised , pineapple fritters , plum pudding pudding, graham pudding, yankee popovers pork, roast shoulder of, roast tenderloin, lyonnaise potato, aurora baked balls boiled browned carlsbad chateau erin franconia french fried fried whole on half shell à l'italienne lattice new, creamed new, with chive sauce new, with new peas norwegian parsley , puff roast, new roses salad saratoga chips scalloped shredded soufflé soup , stuffed potatoes, sweet, baked browned croquettes glazed mashed southern style poultry, chicken (see under heading chicken) duck, roast goose, roast guinea fowl, roast pigeon, young (stuffed and braised) turkey, roast prune and nut salad pudding, apricot dumplings blackberry, roly-poly blueberry, steamed cherry duff cherry roly-poly cottage pudding, steamed currant, steamed fig graham, steamed green corn peach (see under heading peach) plum (see under heading plum) raspberry whip rice, eggless rice, with pineapple, frozen steamed snow balls thanksgiving pumpkin pie punch, cherry raisin cakelets and nut cake pie raspberry ice whip relish, cabbage , dressing rhubarb pie sauce stewed tarts rice, balls boiled cream of pudding, eggless au gratin frozen, with pineapple savory spanish rich paste rolls, cinnamon cream fruit salad romaine with french dressing salads, alabama apple and date asparagus bean (string) bermuda cabbage cauliflower celery cheese and pimento chiffonade dandelion endive, celery and green pepper escarolle florida garden cress with orange grape fruit hawaiian june lettuce (see under heading lettuce) lima bean new cabbage november pear pepper and fruit pepper and onion potato prune and nut red cabbage, celery and onion rolls spinach stuffed tomato tomato tomato and onion watercress and egg salad dressing (see dressing) sandwiches, graham bread nut bread saratoga chips sauce, apple, spiced apricot, dried banana béchamel brandy brown gravy brown brown sugar caper cheese cherry chili chive chive butter cream gravy cream , creamy creole currant jelly drawn butter , egg , foamy , giblet golden hard hot chocolate (ice cream) hot horse radish horse radish (whipped cream) italienne lemon mint mushroom olive orange rhubarb sherry , signora strawberry sultana tartare tomato vanilla viennaise vinaigrette wine sausage, summer (appetizer) sherry sauce , short cake, strawberry shrimp cocktails slaw, hot kole cream, cold snow balls, steamed soufflé, cheese potato soups, almond, cream of asparagus, cream of carrot, cream of chicken bouillon, chantilly clam bouillon consommés (see under heading consommés) corn chowder lettuce, cream of noodle onion, cream of oyster pea, cream of potato potato, scotch rice, cream of spanish spinach, cream of spring tomato bouillon , tomato vegetable spinach cream of with cream with deviled eggs salad squash, baked pie , steamed , steak, flank, stuffed and braised stew, chicken, with tea biscuits strawberries, frozen , sauce short cake stuffing, bread, grandma's black bass fish hearts lamb pigeon potato and nut roast duck sturgeon, canapé, smoked succotash sultana cake sauce sweet potatoes, southern style croquettes swiss chard, with bacon table of measures time, for cooking tartare sauce tarts, cranberry rhubarb tea biscuit iced spiced (iced) thanksgiving pudding timbales, swedish time-tables for cooking, baking, frying, etc. tomato, baked bouillon , broiled , canapé and clam consommé fricassee salad (see heading salad) sauce scalloped soup stewed stuffed tongue, boiled braised beef turkey, roast turnips in cream sauce valentine cake vanilla ice cream sauce veal breast of, roasted loaf , pot pie with baked dumplings shoulder, braised spanish style vegetables, asparagus , beans (see heading beans) beets (see heading beets) brussels sprouts cabbage (see under heading cabbage) carrots and turnips in cream sauce cauliflower (cheese sauce) cauliflower à la béchamel celery, creamed , corn (see under heading corn) cucumber baskets dandelion greens egg plant (see under heading egg plant) endive , garden cress with orange lettuce with cream dressing lettuce, dressed, head , onions (see under heading onions) parsnips, mashed parsnips, sautéd in butter peas (see heading peas) piccalilli potatoes (see under heading potatoes) rice (see under heading rice) romaine with french dressing slaw (see cabbage) soup spinach (see spinach) squash (see squash) succotash swiss chard, with bacon tomatoes (see under heading tomatoes) turnips in cream sauce venison, roast wafers, anise seed waffles watermelon with sherry sauce wheat muffins whitefish, planked yankee plum pudding * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. varied spacing and hyphenation retained. this includes "shortcake" and "short cake," "peppergrass" and "pepper grass," "grapefruit," "grape-fruit" and "grape fruit," etc. page , "properities" changed to "properties" (in shortening properties) page , "and" changed to "add" (add in crumbs) page , " cup" added to powdered sugar in recipe for golden sauce. original omitted the amount. page , "ice" changed to "iced" (spiced ice tea) page , word "first" added to text (for the first two minutes) page , "canteloupe" changed to "cantaloupe" (of halves of cantaloupe) page , "in" changed to "on" (roll on the) page , "reeipe" changed to "recipe" (recipe see page ) page , "créole" changed to "creole" to match text usage (bluefish à la creole) page , "consummé" changed to "consommé" (see under heading consommé) page , "printaniére" changed to "printaniere" to match text usage (printaniere ) page , "canteloupe" changed to "cantaloupe" (cantaloupe à la mode ) page , "mint sauce " was moved from after "measure, how to" to after "meringue" page , "picallilli" changed to "picalilli" (picalilli ) page , "picallilli" changed to "picalilli" (picalilli ) how to make and use the byu solar cooker/cooler by steven e. jones, professor of physics at brigham young university (byu), with colter paulson, jason chesley, jacob fugal, derek hullinger, jamie winterton, jeannette lawler, and seth, david, nathan, and danelle jones. copyright (c) by steven e. jones <stevejones@byu.edu> original web site with this article: http://solarcooking.org/funnel.htm [image: .jpg -- photo description this image shows a cardboard box being used to support a silvery funnel, roughly feet high. the funnel is placed within the box so that the sides of the box hold the funnel upright. sitting within the base of the funnel is a black jar inside a clear plastic bag. the plastic bag is inflated like a balloon to seal an insulating air pocket around the jar.] contents i. introduction ii. how it works iii. how to build your own solar funnel cooker - what you will need for the funnel cooker - construction steps iv. final steps v. after cooking vi. tests - tests in utah - tests in bolivia vii. water and milk pasteurization viii. safety ix. cooking with the solar funnel cooker x. how to use the solar funnel as a refrigerator/cooler xi. conclusion: why we need solar cookers xii. answers to commonly-asked questions xiii. recipe for wheatpaste xiv. updates - rabbit-wire base - reduced angle - save-heat cooker - funnel-cooling during the day - hot-and-cold running water - conclusion i. introduction a few years ago, i woke up to the fact that half of the world's peoples must burn wood or dried dung in order to cook their food. it came as quite a shock to me, especially as i learned of the illnesses caused by breathing smoke day in and day out, and the environmental impacts of deforestation -not to mention the time spent by people (mostly women) gathering sticks and dung to cook their food. and yet, many of these billions of people live near the equator, where sunshine is abundant and free. as a university professor of physics with a background in energy usage, i set out to develop a means of cooking food and sterilizing water using the free energy of the sun. first, i looked at existing methods. the parabolic cooker involves a reflective dish that concentrates sunlight to a point where the food is cooked. this approach is very dangerous since the sun's energy is focused to a point which is very hot, but which cannot be seen. (byu students and i built one which will set paper on fire in about seconds!) i learned that an altruistic group had offered reflecting parabolas to the people living at the altiplano in bolivia. but more than once the parabolas had been stored next to a shed -- and the passing sun set the sheds on fire! the people did not want these dangerous, expensive devices, even though the altiplano region has been stripped of fuel wood. the box cooker: basically an insulated box with a glass or plastic lid, often with a reflecting lid to reflect sunlight into the box. light enters through the top glass (or plastic), to slowly heat up the box. problems: energy enters only through the top, while heat is escaping through all the other sides, which have a tendency to draw heat away from the food. when the box is opened to put food in or take it out, some of the heat escapes and is lost. also, effective box cookers tend to be more complicated to build than the funnel cooker. while studying this problem, i thought again and again of the great need for a safe, inexpensive yet effective solar cooker. it finally came to me at christmastime a few years ago, a sort of hybrid between the parabola and a box cooker. it looks like a large, deep funnel, and incorporates what i believe are the best features of the parabolic cooker and the box cooker. the first reflector was made at my home out of aluminum foil glued onto cardboard, then this was curved to form a reflective funnel. my children and i figured out a way to make a large card-board funnel easily. (i'll tell you exactly how to do this later on.) the solar funnel cooker is safe and low cost, easy to make, yet very effective in capturing the sun's energy for cooking and pasteurizing water -- eureka! later, i did extensive tests with students (including reflectivity tests) and found that aluminized mylar was good too, but relatively expensive and rather hard to come by in large sheets. besides, cardboard is found throughout the world and is inexpensive, and aluminum foil is also easy to come by. and individuals can make their own solar cookers easily, or start a cottage-industry to manufacture them for others. prototypes of the solar funnel cooker were tested in bolivia, and outperformed an expensive solar box cooker and a "solar cookit"-- while costing much less. brigham young university submitted a patent application, mainly to insure that no company would prevent wide distribution of the solar funnel cooker. byu makes no profit from the invention. (i later learned that a few people had had a similar idea, but with methods differing from those developed and shown here.) so now i'm trying to get the word out so that the invention can be used to capture the free energy of the sun - for camping and for emergencies, yes, but also for every day cooking where electricity is not available and even fuel wood is getting scarce. ii. how it works the reflector is shaped like a giant funnel, and lined with aluminum foil. (easy to follow instructions will be given soon.) this funnel is rather like the parabolic cooker, except that the sunlight is concentrated along a line (not a point) at the bottom of the funnel. you can put your hand up the bottom of the funnel and feel the sun's heat, but it will not burn you. next, we paint a jar black on the outside, to collect heat, and place this at the bottom of the funnel. or one can use a black pot, with a lid. the black vessel gets hot, fast. but not quite hot enough to cook with... we need some way to build up the heat without letting the air cool it. so, i put a cheap plastic bag around the jar--voila, the solar funnel cooker was born! the plastic bag, available in grocery stores as a "poultry bag", replaces the cumbersome and expensive box and glass lid of the solar box ovens. you can use the plastic bags used in american stores to put groceries in, as long as they let a lot of sunlight pass. (dark-colored bags will not do.) i recently tested a bag used for fruits and vegetables, nearly transparent and available free at american grocery stores, that works great. this is stamped "hdpe" for high-density polyethylene on the bag (ordinary polyethylene melts too easily). a block of wood is placed under the jar to help hold the heat in. (any insulator, such as a hot pad or rope or even sticks, will also work.) a friend of mine who is also a physics professor did not believe i could actually boil water with the thing. so i showed him that with this new "solar funnel cooker," i was able to boil water in utah in the middle of winter! i laid the funnel on its side since it was winter and pointed a large funnel towards the sun to the south. i also had to suspend the black cooking vessel--rather than placing it on a wooden block. this allows the weaker sun rays to strike the entire surface of the vessel. of course, the solar funnel works much better outside of winter days (when the uv index is or greater). most other solar cookers will not cook in the winter in northern areas (or south of about degrees, either). i thought that a pressure cooker would be great. but the prices in stores were way too high for me. wait, how about a canning jar? these little beauties are designed to relieve pressure through the lid--a nice pressure cooker. and cooking time is cut in half for each degrees celsius we raise the temperature (professor lee hansen, private communication). i used one of my wife's wide-mouth canning jars, spray-painted (flat) black on the outside, and it worked great. food cooks faster when you use a simple canning jar as a pressure cooker. however, you can also put a black pot in the plastic bag instead if you want. but don't use a sealed container with no pressure release like a mayonnaise jar--it can break as the steam builds up! (i've done it.) iii. how to build your own solar funnel cooker what you will need for the funnel cooker: . a piece of flat cardboard, about feet wide by feet long. (the length should be just twice the width. the bigger, the better.) . ordinary aluminum foil. . a glue such as white glue (like elmer's glue), and water to mix with it - . also, a brush to apply the glue to the cardboard (or a cloth or paper towel will do). or, some may wish to use a cheap "spray adhesive" available in spray cans. you can also use wheat paste. . three wire brads--or small nuts and bolts, or string to hold the funnel together. . for a cooking vessel, i recommend a canning jar ("ball" wide-mouth quart jars work fine for me; the rubber ring on the lid is less likely to melt than for other jars i've found. a two-quart canning jar is available and works fine for larger quantities of food, although the cooking is somewhat slower.). . the cooking jar (or vessel) should be spray-painted black on the outside. i find that a cheap flat-black spray paint works just fine. scrape off a vertical stripe so that you have a clear glass "window" to look into the vessel, to check the food or water for boiling. . a block of wood is used as an insulator under the jar. i use a piece of "x " board which is cut into a square nominally " x " by about " thick. ( cm square x cm thick.) one square piece of wood makes a great insulator. . a plastic bag is used to go around the cooking-jar and block of wood, to provide a green-house effect. suggestions: -reynolds" oven bag, regular size works great: transparent and won't melt. (cost about cents each in u.s. grocery stores.) -any nearly-transparent hdpe bag (high-density polyethylene). look for "hdpe" stamped on the bag. i've tested hdpe bags which i picked up for free at my grocery store, used for holding vegetables and fruits. these are thin, but very inexpensive. tested side-by-side with an oven bag in two solar funnels, the hdpe bag worked just as well! (caution: we have found that some hdpe bags will melt should they contact the hot cooking vessel. for this reason, we recommend using the oven-safe plastic bag wherever possible.) -an idea attributed to roger bernard and applied now to the byu funnel cooker: place a pot (having a blackened bottom and sides) in a glass bowl, and cover with a lid. try for a tight fit around the bottom to keep hot air trapped inside. the metal pot or bowl should be supported around the rim only, with an air space all around the bottom (where the sunlight strikes it). put a blackened lid on top of the pot. then simply place this pot-in-bowl down in the bottom of the funnel--no plastic bag is needed! this clever method also allows the cook to simply remove the lid to check the food and to stir. i like this idea - it makes the solar cooker a lot like cooking over a fire. see photographs for further details. [image: .jpg -- photo description: this photo shows a pyrex glass measuring cup -- looking like it might hold one-half gallon. inside the measuring cup is a chrome or stainless steel dish, fitting the sides of the cup very tightly. the shiny dish is blackened on the outside and still shiny on the inside. a man is holding the lid for the dish, similarly blackened.] construction steps . cut a half-circle out of the cardboard, along the bottom as shown below. when the funnel is formed, this becomes a full-circle and should be wide enough to go around your cooking pot. so for a " diameter cooking pot, the radius of the half-circle is ". for a quart canning jar such as i use, i cut a " radius half-circle out of the cardboard. [image: .jpg -- photo description: this photo shows a man kneeling beside a rectangular sheet of cardboard on the floor. he is using a plastic bucket as a pattern to cut a half-circle from the center of a long edge of the triangle.] . form the funnel. to form the funnel, you will bring side a towards side b, as shown in the figure. the aluminum foil must go on the inside of the funnel. do this slowly, helping the cardboard to the shape of a funnel by using one hand to form creases that radiate out from the half-circle. work your way around the funnel, bending it in stages to form the funnel shape, until the two sides overlap and the half-circle forms a complete circle. the aluminum foil will go on the inside of funnel. open the funnel and lay it flat, "inside up", in preparation for the next step. [image: .jpg -- photo description: a man is holding the sheet of cardboard, with the long edge against his stomach, the other long edge with the circle cut out on the opposite side. he is using the edge of his hand for a hard edge to bend and crease the cardboard. he is creasing the cardboard to form triangular sections; the points of each triangular section are missing -- the points of all the triangles would have come together in the circular cut out area of the other long side, across from the man. side a is the side to the left of, and directly adjacent to the half-circle. side b is the other half of the edge, to the right of the half-circle.] [image: .jpg -- photo description: this is looking strait down into the mouth of a cardboard funnel. a man grabbed what was the long edge of the sheet of cardboard, now divided in two by the half circle cut from it. the two now separate edges are now brought together to form a cone. the cone has no tip because of the cut-out half-circle.] . glue foil to cardboard. apply glue or adhesive to the top (inner) surface of the cardboard, then quickly apply the aluminum foil on top of the glue, to affix the foil to the cardboard. make sure the shiniest side of the foil is on top, since this becomes your reflective surface in the funnel. i like to put just enough glue for one width of foil, so that the glue stays moist while the foil is applied. i also overlap strips of foil by about " (or cm). try to smooth out the aluminum foil as much as you reasonably can, but small wrinkles won't make much difference. (if even cardboard is not available, one can simply dig a funnel-shaped hole in the ground and line it with a reflector, to make a fixed solar cooker for use at mid-day.) [image: .jpg-- photo description: two men are spreading a sheet of aluminum foil across a rectangular sheet of cardboard.] . join side a to side b to keep the funnel together. the easiest way to do this is to punch three holes in the cardboard that line up on side a and side b (see figure). then put a metal brad through each hole and fasten by pulling apart the metal tines. or you can use a nut-and-bolt to secure the two sides (a & b) together. be creative here with what you have available. for example, by putting two holes about a thumb-width apart, you can put a string, twine, small rope, wire or twist-tie in one hole and out the other, and tie together. when a and b are connected together, you will have a "funnel with two wings". the wings could be cut off, but these help to gather more sunlight, so i leave them on. [image: .jpg -- photo description: this photo shows the outside edge of the cone where the edges of the cardboard meet. two people are securing the edges together.] tape or glue a piece of aluminum foil across the hole at the bottom of the funnel, with shiny side in. this completes assembly of your solar funnel cooker. for stability, place the funnel inside a cardboard or other box to provide support. for long-term applications, one may wish to dig a hole in the ground to hold the funnel against strong winds. [image: .jpg -- photo description this image shows a cardboard box being used to support a silvery funnel, roughly feet high. the funnel is placed within the box so that the sides of the box hold the funnel upright. sitting within the base of the funnel is a black jar inside a clear plastic bag. the plastic bag is inflated like a balloon to seal an insulating air pocket around the jar.] iv. final steps at this stage, you are ready to put food items or water into the cooking vessel or jar, and put the lid on securely. (see instructions on food cooking times, to follow.) place a wooden block in the inside bottom of the cooking bag. i use a piece of x board which is cut into a square nominally "x " by about " thick. then place the cooking vessel containing the food or water on top of the wooden block, inside the bag. next, gather the top of the bag in your fingers and blow air into the bag, to inflate it. this will form a small "greenhouse" around the cooking vessel, to trap much of the heat inside. close off the bag with a tight twist tie or wire. important: the bag should not touch the sides or lid of the cooking vessel. the bag may be called a "convection shield," slowing convection-cooling due to air currents. place the entire bag and its contents inside the funnel near the bottom as shown in the photographs. place the solar funnel cooker so that it faces the sun remember: sunlight can hurt the eyes: please wear sunglasses when using a solar cooker! the funnel cooker is designed so that the hot region is deep down inside the funnel, out of harm's way. [image: .jpg -- photo description: this is a close-up photo of a black canning jar, sitting on top of a block of wood. the wood and the jar are sitting on the ground, inside a clear plastic bag, which is full of air, like a balloon and tied at the top so that the air in the bag keeps the bag from touching the jar.] put the solar funnel cooker in the sun pointing towards the sun, so that it captures as much sunlight as possible. the design of the funnel allows it to collect solar energy for about an hour without needing to be re-positioned. for longer cooking times, readjust the position of the funnel to follow the sun's path. it helps to put the solar funnel cooker in front of a south-facing wall or window (in the northern hemisphere) to reflect additional sunlight into the funnel. a reflective wall is most important in locations farther from the equator and in winter. in the southern hemisphere, put the solar funnel cooker in front of a north-facing wall or window to reflect additional sunlight into your cooker. v. after cooking remember that the cooking vessel will be very hot: use cooking pads or gloves when handling! if you are heating water in a canning jar, you may notice that the water is boiling when the lid is first removed - it gets very hot! open the plastic cooking bag by removing the twist-tie. using gloves or a thick cloth, lift the vessel out of the bag and place it on the ground or table. carefully open the vessel and check the food, to make sure it has finished cooking. let the hot food cool before eating. helpful hints . avoid leaving fingerprints and smudges on the inside surface of the cooker. keep the inner surface clean and shiny by wiping occasionally with a wet towel. this will keep the solar funnel cooker working at its best. . if your funnel gets out-of-round, it can be put back into a circular shape by attaching a rope or string between opposite sides which need to be brought closer together. . for long-term applications, a hole in the ground will hold the funnel cooker securely against winds. bring the funnel inside or cover it during rain storms. . the lids can be used over and over. we have had some trouble with the rubber on some new canning-jar lids becoming soft and "sticky." "ball canning lids" do not usually have this problem. running new lids through very hot water before the first use seems to help. the lids can be used over and over if they are not bent too badly when opened (pry off lid carefully). . the jar can be suspended near the bottom of the funnel using fishing line or string (etc.), instead of placing the jar on a block of wood. a plastic bag is placed around the jar with air puffed inside, as usual, to trap the heat. the suspension method allows sunlight to strike all surfaces of the jar, all around, so that it heats faster and more evenly. this suspension method is crucial for use in winter months. . adjust the funnel to put as much sunlight onto the cooking jar as possible. look at the jar to check where the sunlight is hitting, and to be sure the bottom is not in the shadows. for long cooking times (over about an hour), readjust the position of the funnel to follow the sun's path. during winter months, when the sun is low on the horizon (e.g., in north america), it is helpful to lay the funnel on its side, facing the sun. vi. tests tests in utah [image: .jpg --photo description: this is a picture of the funnel sitting tilted at an angle between two stands. the funnel has no hole at the bottom; where there should be a hole is solid and shiny like the rest of the funnel. a crossbeam connects the two stands, above the funnel. hanging by string from the crossbeam so that it rests near the shiny bottom of the funnel is a black canning jar, surrounded by a clear plastic bag. the bag appears to be blown up, full of air, and not touching the jar.] i have personally used the solar funnel cooker to cook lunches over many weeks. my favorite foods to cook are potatoes (cut into logs or slices) and carrot slices. vegetables cook slowly in their own juices and taste delicious. i also make rice, melted cheese sandwiches, and even bread in the solar funnel cooker. i usually put the food out around : and let it cook until : or pm, just to be sure that it has time to cook. i've never had any food burn in this cooker. i have also cooked food in the mountains, at an altitude of around , feet. if anything, the food cooked faster there--the sunlight filters through less atmosphere at high altitudes. i find that people are surprised that the sun alone can actually cook food. and they are further pleasantly surprised at the rich flavors in the foods which cook slowly in the sun. this inexpensive device does it! students at brigham young university have performed numerous tests on the solar funnel cooker along with other cookers. we have consistently found much faster cooking using the solar funnel cooker. the efficiency/cost ratio is higher than any other solar cooking device we have found to date. mr. hullinger also performed studies of transmissivity, reflectivity and absorptivity of alternate materials which could be used in the solar funnel cooker. while there are better materials (such as solar-selective absorbers), our goal has been to keep the cost of the solar cooker as low as possible, while maintaining safety as a first priority. tests in bolivia the byu benson institute organized tests between the solar funnel cooker and the "old-fashioned" solar box oven. the solar box oven cost about $ and was made mostly of cardboard. it took nearly two hours just to reach water pasteurization temperature. the bolivian report notes that "food gets cold every time the pots are taken from and into the oven." the solar box oven failed even to cook boiled eggs. (more expensive box cookers would hopefully work better.) an aluminized-mylar solar funnel cooker was also tested in bolivia, during the bolivian winter. water pasteurization temperature was reached in minutes, boiled eggs cooked in minutes, and rice cooked in minutes. the bolivian people were pleased by the performance. so were we! (la paz, bolivia, august, ). i also donated two dozen solar funnel cookers for people in guatemala. these were taken there by a group of doctors going there for humanitarian service. the people there also liked the idea of cooking with the sun's free energy! for an aluminized-mylar solar funnel cooker kit, please contact crm (licensed manufacturer) at + ( ) - . [image: .jpg -- photo description: this photo shows what looks like the same style of funnel as in the above pictures except that it doesn't look homemade but something produced by a factory. the photo shows something which looks like a machined metal/shiny plastic funnel.] vii. water and milk pasteurization contaminated drinking water or milk kills thousands of people each day, especially children. the word health organization (who) reports that percent of illnesses in the world are spread through contaminated water. studies show that heating water to about degrees to degrees celsius ( degrees fahrenheit) is sufficient to kill coliform bacteria, rotaviruses, enteroviruses and even giardia. this is called pasteurization. pasteurization depends on how hot and how long water is heated. but how do you know if the water got hot enough? you could use a thermometer, but this would add to the cost, of course. when steam leaves the canning jar (with lid on tight) and forms "dew" on the inside of the cooking bag, then the water is probably pasteurized to drink. (the goal is to heat to degrees fahrenheit for at least six minutes.) with a stripe of black paint scraped off the jar, one can look through the bag and into the jar and see when the water is boiling - then it is safe for sure. think of all the lives that can be saved simply by pasteurizing water using a simple solar cooker! viii. safety safety was my first concern in designing the solar funnel cooker, then came low cost and effectiveness. but any time you have heat you need to take some precautions. -the cooking vessel (jar) is going to get hot, else the food inside won't cook. let the jar cool a bit before opening. handle only with gloves or tongs. -always wear dark glasses to protect from the sun's rays. we naturally squint, but sunglasses are important. -keep the plastic bag away from children and away from nose and mouth to avoid any possibility of suffocation. ix. cooking with the solar funnel cooker what do you cook in a crock pot or moderate-temperature oven? the same foods will cook about the same in the solar funnel cooker --without burning. the charts below give approximate summer cooking times. the solar cooker works best when the uv index is or higher. (sun high overhead, few clouds.) cooking times are approximate. increase cooking times for partly- cloudy days, sun not overhead (e.g., wintertime) or for more than about cups of food in the cooking jar. stirring is not necessary for most foods. food generally will not burn in the solar cooker. vegetables (potatoes, carrots, squash, beets, asparagus, etc.) preparation: no need to add water if fresh. cut into slices or "logs" to ensure uniform cooking. corn will cook fine with or without the cob. cooking time: about . hours cereals and grains (rice, wheat, barley, oats, millet, etc.) preparation: mix parts water to every part grain. amount may vary according to individual taste. let soak for a few hours for faster cooking. to ensure uniform cooking, shake jar after minutes. caution: jar will be hot. use gloves or cooking pads. cooking time: . - hours pasta and dehydrated soups preparation: first heat water to near boiling ( - minutes). then add the pasta or soup mix. stir or shake, and cook additional minutes. cooking time: - minutes beans preparation: let tough or dry beans soak overnight. place in cooking jar with water. cooking time: - hours eggs preparation: no need to add water. note: if cooked too long, egg whites may darken, but taste remains the same. cooking time: - . hours, depending on desired yolk firmness. meats (chicken, beef, and fish) preparation: no need to add water. longer cooking makes the meat more tender. cooking time: chicken: . hours cut up or . hours whole; beef: . hours cut up or . - hours for larger cuts; fish: - . hours baking preparation: times vary based on amount of dough. cooking times: breads: - . hours; biscuits: - . hours; cookies: hour roasted nuts (peanuts, almonds, pumpkin seed, etc.) preparation: place in jar. a little vegetable oil may be added if desired. cooking time: about . hours mre's and prepackaged foods preparation: for foods in dark containers, simply place the container in the cooking bag in place of the black cooking jar. cooking times: cooking time varies with the amount of food and darkness of package. x. how to use the solar funnel as a refrigerator/cooler a university student (jamie winterton) and i were the first to demonstrate that the byu solar funnel cooker can be used--at night --as a refrigerator. here is how this is done. the solar funnel cooker is set-up just as you would during sun-light hours, with two exceptions: . the funnel is directed at the dark night sky. it should not "see" any buildings or even trees. (the thermal radiation from walls, trees, or even clouds will diminish the cooling effect.). . it helps to place (two) bags around the jar instead of just one, with air spaces between the bags and between the inner bag and the jar. hdpe and ordinary polyethylene bags work well, since polyethylene is nearly transparent to infrared radiation, allowing it to escape into the "heat sink" of the dark sky. during the day, the sun's rays are reflected onto the cooking vessel which becomes hot quickly. at night, heat from the vessel is radiated outward, towards empty space, which is very cold indeed (a "heat sink"). as a result, the cooking vessel now becomes a small refrigerator. we routinely achieve cooling of about degrees fahrenheit ( degrees celsius) below ambient air temperature using this remarkably simple scheme. in september , we placed two funnels out in the evening, with double-bagged jars inside. one jar was on a block of wood and the other was suspended in the funnel using fishing line. the temperature that evening (in provo, utah) was degrees fahrenheit. using a radio shack indoor/outdoor thermometer, a byu student (colter paulson) measured the temperature inside the funnel and outside in the open air. he found that the temperature of the air inside the funnel dropped quickly by about degrees, as its heat was radiated upwards in the clear sky. that night, the minimum outdoor air temperature measured was . degrees--but the water in both jars had ice. i invite others to try this, and please let me know if you get ice at or even degrees outside air temperature (minimum at night). a black pvc container may work even better than a black-painted jar, since pvc is a good infrared radiator--these matters are still being studied. i would like to see the "funnel refrigerator" tried in desert climates, especially where freezing temperatures are rarely reached. it should be possible in this way to cheaply make ice for hutus in rwanda and for aborigines in australia, without using any electricity or other modern "tricks." we are in effect bringing some of the cold of space to a little corner on earth. please let me know how this works for you. xi. conclusion: why we need solar cookers the byu funnel cooker/cooler can: -cook food without the need for electricity or wood or petroleum or other fuels. -pasteurize water for safe drinking, preventing many diseases. -save trees and other resources. -avoid air pollution and breathing smoke while cooking. -use the sun's free energy. a renewable energy source. -cook food with little or no stirring, without burning. -kill insects in grains. -dehydrate fruits, etc. -serve as a refrigerator at night, to cool even freeze water. (try that without electricity or fuels!) the burden for gathering the fuel wood and cooking falls mainly on women and children. joseph kiai reports from dadaab, kenya: "women who can't afford to buy wood start at am to go collecting and return about noon... they do this twice a week to get fuel for cooking... the rapes are averaging one per week." from belize: "many times the women have to go into the forest dragging their small children when they go to look for wood. it is a special hardship for pregnant and nursing mothers to chop and drag trees back to the village... they are exposed to venomous snakes and clouds of mosquitoes." (anna k.) (quoted by solar cookers international from a newsletter.) and the forests are dwindling in many areas. edwin dobbs noted in audubon magazine, nov. , "the world can choose sunlight or further deforestation, solar cooking or widespread starvation..." americans should be prepared for emergencies, incident to power failures. a mormon pioneer noted in her journal: "we were now following in their trail traveling up the platte river. timber was sometimes very scarce and hard to get. we managed to do our cooking with what little we could gather up..." (eliza r. snow) now there's someone who needed a light-weight solar cooker! here's another reason to use a solar cooker. many people in developing countries look to see what's being done in america. i'm told that if americans are using something, then they will want to try it, too. the more people there are cooking with the others will want to join in. a good way to spread this technology is to encourage small local industries or families to make these simple yet reliable solar cookers for others at low cost. i've used this cooker for three summers and i enjoy it. cooking and making ice with the funnel cooker/cooler will permit a significant change in lifestyle. if you think about it, this could help a lot of people. the byu solar funnel cooker uses the glorious sunshine -- and the energy of the sun is a free gift from god for all to use! xii. answers to commonly-asked questions will the cooker work in winter (in the united states)? as the sun moves closer to the southern horizon in the winter, the solar cooker is naturally less effective. a good measure of the solar intensity is the "uv index" which is often reported with the weather. when the ultraviolet or uv index is or above--common in summer months--the solar cooker works very well. in salt lake city in october, the uv index was reported to be . on a sunny day. we were able to boil water in the solar funnel cooker during this time, but we had to suspend the black jar in the funnel so that sunlight struck all sides. (we ran a fishing line under the screw-on lid, and looped the fishing line over a rod above the funnel. as usual, a plastic bag was placed around the jar, and this was closed at the top to let the fishing line out for suspending the jar.) the solar "minimum" for the northern hemisphere occurs on winter solstice, about december st each year. the solar "maximum" occurs six months later, june st. solar cooking works best from about march to october in the north. if people try to cook with the sun for the first time outside of this time window, they should not be discouraged. try again when the sun is more directly overhead. (one may also suspend the jar in the funnel, which will make cooking faster any time of the year.) it is interesting to note that most developing countries are located near the equator where the sun is nearly directly overhead all the time. solar cookers will then serve year-round, as long as the sun is shining, for these fortunate people. they may be the first to apply fusion energy (of the sun) on a large scale! and they may accomplish this without the expensive infrastructure of electrical power grids that we take for granted in america. how do you cook bread in a jar? i have cooked bread by simply putting dough in the bottom of the jar and placing it in the funnel in the usual way. rising and baking took place inside the jar in about an hour (during summer). one should put vegetable oil inside the jar before cooking to make removal of the bread easier. i would also suggest that using a -quart wide-mouth canning jar instead of a -quart jar would make baking a loaf of bread easier. what is the optimum "opening angle" for the funnel cooker? a graduate student at brigham young university did a calculus calculation over two years ago to assess the best shape or opening angle for the solar funnel. jeannette lawler assumed that the best operation would occur when the sun's rays bounced no more than once before hitting the cooking jar, while keeping the opening angle as large as possible to admit more sunlight. (some sunlight is lost each time the light reflects from the shiny surface. if the sunlight misses on the first bounce, it can bounce again and again until being absorbed by the black bottle.) she set up an approximate equation for this situation, took the calculus- derivative with respect to the opening angle and set the derivative equal to zero. optimizing in this way, she found that the optimum opening angle is about degrees, when the funnel is pointed directly towards the sun. but we don't want to have to "track the sun" by turning the funnel every few minutes. the sun moves (apparently) degrees in hours, or about degrees per hour. so we finally chose a -degree opening angle so that the cooker is effective for about . hours. this turned out to be long enough to cook most vegetables, breads, boil water, etc. with the solar funnel cooker. we also used a laser pointer to simulate sun rays entering the funnel at different angles, and found that the -degree cone was quite effective in concentrating the rays at the bottom of the funnel where the cooking jar sits. xiii. recipe for wheatpaste prepare cup ( . dl) of very hot water. make a thin mixture of tablespoons ( ml) of white flour and cold water. pour the cold mixture slowly into the hot water while stirring constantly. bring to a boil. when it thickens, allow to cool. smear on like any other glue. for slightly better strength, add tablespoon ( ml) of sugar after the glue is thickened. after using a portion, reheat the remaining in a covered jar or container to sterilize it for storage or keep refrigerated. if wheat flour is not available, other flours will work. xiv. updates [compiled by transcribists] rabbit-wire base in later experiments steven e. jones and christopher mcmillan of brigham young university tested different bases for the cooking pot used in the solar funnel, published on the web in the article "tests of the solar funnel and bowl cookers in . according to jones, the rabbit-wire stand they tested has proven to be much better than the wooden block detailed in this article. "we found immediately that raising the vessel off the bottom of the cooker using a rabbit-wire stand provided more rapid and even heating than the wooden block used previously. placing the jar or pot on a wire stand allows as much reflected light onto the cooking vessel as possible. this allows even the bottom of the cooking container to absorb thermal energy that is reflected off the lower portion of the funnel." [image: .jpg -- photo description: this photo shows two different sized cylinders, made of rabbit wire -- fencing material for rabbits, made of crossed wires tacked together, so to make a single sheet. a black pot is being lowered into the cylinders, and will come to rest on a wire cross, inside the cylinder, made from wires going from one side of the cylinder to the other.] reduced angle the original report describes a large solar funnel, having a -degree opening angle. our ongoing experiments show that a reduced angle of approximately degrees allows about % faster solar cooking. such a funnel is shown in the photograph. start with the funnel described in the original report, then simply bring the sides a and b together with a -cm overlap at the top of the funnel. this makes a funnel with steeper sides. save-heat cooker (a retained heat cooker for canning jars heated using the sun or fire) the photograph shows the save-heat cooker which we have designed and built. the box is made from a polystyrene cube, cm on a side. we have drilled holes each about cm in diameter into this block, so that each holds a canning jar. then a lid fits over the top to hold in the heat. when a jar is placed in the solar funnel cooker, a maximum temperature of about degrees c is reached in approximately minutes (depending on solar conditions). then steam is released around the rim of the canning jar, which becomes an inexpensive pressure cooker. but the jar will not get hotter, so one takes the jar out of the cooker (with a gloved hand) and places it into the save-heat box. our experiments show that the temperature drops slowly in this box, about degrees c per hour, so that cooking continues for hours or so, without a heat source. in this way, one can prepare up to four quarts of food per save-heat cooker at mid-day, and have the food cooked and hot for the evening meal! or, if desired, the food will keep in the box overnight and be ready for eating the next morning. thus, a solar cooker can supply food for mid-day, evening and the next morning, as desired. (another design of the save-heat cooker holds up to seven quart-sized canning jars.) the save-heat cooker is particularly useful for foods such as beans which take a long time to cook. food heated using a wood fire could likewise be placed in a jar, and then this jar placed in the save-heat box, in order to save fuel-wood consumption, and cooking time and effort. the box can be cheaply molded out of polystyrene or styrofoam or other material, so long as it is a good insulator and capable of withstanding temperatures of around degrees centigrade. funnel-cooling during the day we noted in the original report that the funnel works as a cooler at night, by reflecting heat out of the canning jar and up to the cold sky. we have found that this works during the day also, when the funnel is pointed to a region of the sky away from the sun (and buildings, etc.). we found cooling of about degrees f., compared with about degrees cooling at night. to achieve this, the jar was placed on a rabbit-wire support as described above, and housed in two cheap, clear polyethylene bags, such as used for vegetables in the united states. hot-and-cold running water. by placing a large funnel around a water barrel, it will be solar-heated during the day, or cooled at night. thus, having two barrels each with a funnel-like reflector around it, and covering one when not sunny and the other whenever it is sunny, one can have hot and cold water. these barrels could be placed on a platform or roof to provide hot-and-cold running water! conclusion we are hopeful that these developments will help many people, especially those in areas of the world where electricity or even wood or gas are in short supply, if available at all. these ideas are offered freely to all. prof. steven e. jones, colter paulson, jason chesley, will shakespeare and jacob fugal. for questions regarding the complete solar funnel cooker kit using aluminized mylar and a jar for the cooking vessel, please contact crm at + ( ) - . recent updates to this project can be found at http://physics .byu.edu/jones/rel /solarbowl.htm. a book of fruits & flowers. shewing the nature and use of them, either for meat or medicine. as also: to preserve, conserve, candy, and in wedges, or dry them. to make powders, civet bagges, all sorts of sugar-works, turn'd works in sugar, hollow, or frutages; and to pickell them. _and for meat._ to make pyes, biscat, maid dishes, marchpanes, leeches, and snow, craknels, caudels, cakes, broths, fritter-stuffe, puddings, tarts, syrupes, and sallets. _for medicines._ to make all sorts of poultisses, and serecloaths for any member swell'd or inflamed, ointments, waters for all wounds, and cancers, salves for aches, to take the ague out of any place burning or scalding; for the stopping of suddain bleeding, curing the piles, ulcers, ruptures, coughs, consumptions, and killing of warts, to dissolve the stone, killing the ring-worme, emroids, and dropsie, paine in the ears and teeth, deafnesse. _contra vim mortis, non est medicamen in hortis._ _london_: printed by _m.s._ for _tho: fenner_ at the south entrance of the _royall exchange_, london, . * * * * * of lemmons. [illustration: lemmon.] _a lemmon sallet._ take lemmons, rub them upon a grate, to make their rinds smooth, cut them in halves, take out the meat of them, and boyle them in faire water a good while, changing the water once or twice in the boyling, to take away the bitternesse of them, when they are tender take them out and scrape away all the meat (if any be left) very cleane, then cut them as thin as you can (to make them hold) in a long string, or in reasonable short pieces, and lay them in your glasse, and boyling some of the best _white_-wine vineger with shugar, to a reasonable thin syrupe, powre it upon them into your glasse, and keep them for your use. _to preserve oranges or lemmons_. take your _oranges_ or _lemmons_, lay them in water three dayes, and three nights, to take away their bitternesse, then boyle them in faire water till they be tender, make as much syrupe for them as will make them swim about the pan, let them not boyle too long therein, for it will make the skins tough; then let them lie all night in the syrupe, to make them take the syrupe in the morning, boyle the syrupe to his thicknesse, and put them in gally pots or glasses, to keep all the yeare, and this is the best way to preserve _orenges, lemmons_, or _citrons_. _to make past of lemmons_. take halfe a dozen of thick-rined _lemmons_, cut them through the middest, and boyle them tender in faire water, then stamp them in a morter, strayne the juyce or pulp from them, and dry it, and put two pound of _shugar_ to it, then make it into what fashion you will, on a sheet of white paper, dry it in an oven, and turne it often for two dayes and two nights, for in that time it will be dry enough; box it thus up, and it will endure all the yeare. _sweet bagges to lay amongst linnen_. take _orris, cypris, calamus, fusis_, all of them grosse beaten, and _gallingall_ roots, of each a handfull, and as much of the small tops of _lavender_, dryed, and put them into baggs to lay among your cloaths. you may put in a handfull or two of _damask rose_ leaves dryed, which will somewhat better the sent. medicines made of lemmons. _to take away the spots, or red pimpels of the face_. take halfe a pint of raine water, and halfe a pint of good _verjuice_, seeth it till it be halfe consumed, then whilst it boils fill it up againe with juyce of _lemmon_, and so let it seeth a pretty while; then take it from the fire, and when it is cold put to it the whites of four new laid eggs, well beaten, and with this water annoynt the place often. _a very good medicine for the stone_. make a posset of a quart of _rhenish_ wine, a pint of _ale_ and a pint of _milke_, then take away the curd, and put into the drink, two handfulls of sorrell, one handfull of _burnet_, and halfe a handfull of _balm_, boyle them together a good while, but not too long, least the drink be too unpleasant, then take of the drink a quarter of a pint, or rather halfe a pint, at once, at morning, and to bed-ward, putting therein first two or three spoonfulls of juice of _lemmons_, this is an excellent medicine for the _stone in the kidneyes_, to dissolve and bring it away. it is very good in these diseases of the _stone_, to use _burnet_ often in your drink at meales, and often to steep it in over night, and in the morning put in three or foure spoonfulls of juice of _lemmons_, and to drink thereof a good draught every morning a week together, about the full of the moone, three dayes before, and three dayes after. _to roste a shoulder of mutton with lemmons_. take a shoulder of _mutton_ halfe rosted, cut off most of the meat thereof, in thin slices, into a faire dish with the gravy thereof, put thereto about the quantity of a pint of clarret wine, with a spoonfull or two at most of the best wine _vineger_, season it with _nutmeggs_, and a little _ginger_, then pare off the rines of one or two good _lemmons_, and slice them thin into the _mutton_, when it is almost well stewed between two dishes, and so let them stew together two or three warmes, when they are enough, put them in a clean dish, and take the shoulder blade being well broyled on a grid-iron, and lay it upon your meat, garnishing your dishes with some slices and rinds of the _lemmons_, and so serve it. _to boyle a capon with oranges and lemmons_. take _orenges_ and _lemmons_ peeled, and cut them the long way, and if you can keep your cloves whole, and put them into your best broth of _mutton_ or _capon_, with _prunes_ or _currants_ three or four dayes, and when they have been well sodden, cut whole _pepper_, great _mase_, a great peice of _suggar_, some _rose_-water, and either _white_ wine, or _clarret_ wine, and let all these seeth together a while, and serve it upon sopps with your _capon_. _a lemmond sallet_. cut out slices of the peele of the lemmons, long wayes, a quarter of an inch one piece from another, and then slice the _lemmons_ very thin, and lay them in a dish crosse, and the peeles about the _lemmons_, and scrape a good deal of _suggar_ upon them, and so serve them. * * * * * _of quinces_. _the best way to preserve quinces._ first pare and coare the _quinces_, and boyle them in faire water till they be very tender, not covering them, then taking them out of the water, take to every pound of them, two pound of _sugar_, and half a pint of water, boyle it to a syrupe, scumming it well, then put in some of the jelly that is washed from the _quince_ kernels, and after that, making it boyle a little, put in your _quinces_, boyle them very fast, keeping the holes upward as neer as you can, for fear of breaking, and when they are so tender that you may thrust a rush through them, take them off, and put them up in your glasses, having first saved some syrupe till it be cold to fill up your glasses. _a speciall remembrance in doing them_. when you preserve _quinces_, or make _marmalade_, take the kernels out of the raw _quinces_, and wash off the jelly that groweth about them, in faire water, then straine the water and jelly from the kernels, through some fine cobweb laune, and put the same into the _marmalade_, or preserved _quinces_, when they are well scum'd, but put not so much into your _quinces_, as into the _marmalade_, for it will jelly the syrupe too much; put six or seven spoonfulls of syrupe into the jelly. before you put it into the _marmalade_, you must boyle your _quinces_ more for _marmalade_, then to preserve your _quinces_, and least of them when you make your clear cakes. when you would preserve your _quinces_ white, you must not cover them in the boyling, and you must put halfe as much _sugar_ more for the white, as for the other. when you would have them red, you must cover them in the boyling. [illustration: quince] _to pickle quinces._ boyle your _quinces_ that you intend to keep, whole and unpared, in faire water, till they be soft, but not too violently for feare you break them, when they are soft take them out, and boyle some _quinces_ pared, quarter'd, and coar'd, and the parings of the _quinces_ with them in the same liquor, to make it strong, and when they have boyled a good time, enough to make the liquor of sufficient strength, take out the quartered _quinces_ and parings, and put the liquor into a pot big enough to receive all the _quinces_, both whole and quartered, and put them into it, when the liquor is thorow cold, and so keep them for your use close covered. _to make quince cakes_. prepare your _quinces_, and take the just weight of them in _sugar_, beaten finely, and searcing halfe of it, then of the rest make a syrupe, using the ordinary proportion of a pint of water to a pound of _sugar_, let your _quinces_ be well beaten, and when the syrupe is cand height, put in your _quince_, and boyle it to a past, keeping it with continuall stirring, then work it up with the beaten _sugar_ which you reserved, and these cakes will tast well of the _quinces_. _to make printed quidony of quinces_. take two pound of _quinces_, paired, coared, and cut in small pieces, and put them into a faire posnet, with a quart of faire water, and when they are boyled tender, put into them one pound of _sugar_ clarified, with halfe a pint of faire water, let them boyle till all the fruit fall to the bottom of the posnet, then let the liquid substance run through a faire linnen cloath into a clean bason, then put it into a posnet, and let it boyle till it come to a jelly, then print it in your moulds, and turne it into your boxes. you shall know when it is ready to print, by rouling it on the back of a spoone. * * * * * _of roses_. _to make sweet bagges to lay linnen in_. take _damask rose_ budds, pluck them, and dry the leaves in the shadow, the tops of _lavender_ flowers, sweet _margerom_, and _basill_, of each a handfull, all dryed and mingled with the _rose_ leaves, take also of _benjamin, storax, gallingall_ roots, and _ireos_ or _orris_ roots, twice as much of the orris as of any of the other, beaten in fine powder: a peece of cotten wool wetted in _rose_-water, and put to it a good quantity of _musk_ and _ambergreece_ made into powder, and sprinkle them with some _civet_ dissolved in _rose_-water, lay the cotten in double paper, and dry it over a chaffin dish of coales: lastly, take halfe a handfull of _cloves_, and as much _cinamon_ bruised, not small beaten, mixe all these together, and put them up in your bagge. _a very good poultis for any member swell'd and inflamed, and not broken, to take away the paine_. take three pints of new milk, of stale manchet crums two handfulls, or so much as shall make the milk somewhat thick, and thereto put two handfulls of dryed red _rose_ leaves, and three ounces of oyle of _roses_, boyle all these together to the thicknesse of a poultisse, then let it stand and coole, and while it cooleth rake a spoonfull of oyle of _roses_, and with a warm hand rub the place grieved, till the oyle be dryed in, and then lay the poultisse as warm as you may endure it, to the part inflamed; doe this morning and evening for three or four dayes, as you shall see cause. _to make a sweet cake, and with it a very sweet water._ take _damask rose_ leaves, _bay_ leaves, _lavinder_ tops, sweet _marjerome_ tops, _ireos_ powder, _damask_ powder, and a little _musk_ first dissolved in sweet water, put the _rose_ leaves and hearbs into a bason, and sprinkle a quarter of a pint of _rose_-water among them, and stirring them all together, cover the bason close with a dish, and let them stand so covered, all night, in the morning distill them, so shall you have at once an excellent sweet water, and a very fine sweet cake to lay among your finest linnen. _oyle of roses._ take sallet oyle and put it into an earthen pot, then take _rose_ leaves, clip off all the white, and bruise them a little, and put them into the oyle, and then stop the top close with past, and set it into a boyling pot of water, and let it boyle one hour, then let it stand al one night upon hot embers, the next day take the oyle, and straine it from the _rose_ leaves, into a glasse, and put therein some fresh _rose_ leaves, clipt as before, stop it, and set it in the sun every day for a fortnight or three weeks. _syrupe of roses._ take _damask roses_, clip off the white of them, and take six ounces of them to every pint of faire water, first well boyled and scummed, let them stand so as abovesaid, twelve hours, as you doe in the syrupe of _violets_, wringing out the _roses_ and putting in new eight times, then wringing out the last put in onely the juice of four ounces of _roses_, so make it up as before, if you will put in _rubarb_, take to every two drams, slice it, string it on a thred, hang it within the pot after the first shifting, and let it infuse within your _roses_: some use to boyle the _rubarb_ in the syrupe, but it is dangerous, the syrupe purgeth _choller_ and _melancholly_. _a conserve of roses._ take red _rose_ buds, clip of all the white, bruised, and withered from them, then weigh them out, and taking to every pound of _roses_ three pound of _sugar_, stamp the _roses_ by themselves very small putting a little juice of _lemmons_ or _rose_ water to them as they wax dry, when you see the _roses_ small enough, put the _sugar_ to them, and beat them together till they be well mingled, then put it up in gally pots or glasses; in like manner are the conserverves of flowers, of _violets, cowslips, marigolds, sage_, and _sea boise_ made. _to preserve roses or any other flowers._ take one pound of _roses_, three pound of _sugar_, one pint of _rose_ water, or more, make your syrupe first, and let it stand till it be cold, then take your _rose_ leaves, having first clipt off all the white, put them into the cold syrupe, then cover them, and set them on a soft fire, that they may but simper for two or three hours, then while they are hot put them into pots or glasses for your use. _how to preserve barbaries._ first take the fairest _barbaries_, and of them the greatest bunches you can get, and with a needle take out the stones on the one side of them, then weigh out to every halfe pound of them one pound of _sugar_, put them into a preserving pan, strow the _sugar_ on them, and let them boyle a quarter of an hour softly, then taking out the _barbaries_ let the syrupe boyle a quarter of an hour more, then put in the _barbaries_ againe, and let them boyle a pretty while with the syrupe, then take them from the syrupe, and let them both stand till they be cold, and so put them up. _to keep barbaries to garnish your meat._ take the worst of them, and boyle them in faire water, and straine the liquor from them, and while the liquor is hot put it into your _barbaries_, being clean picked, and stop them up, and if they mould much, wash them throughly in the liquor, then boyle the liquor againe, and strayne it, and let it coole, then put it to your _barbaries_ againe. [illustration: a rose] _conserve of barbaries._ take your _barbaries_, pick them clean in faire branches, and wash them clean, and dry them on a cloath, then take some other _barbaries_, and boyle them in _clarret_ wine till they be very soft, then straine them, and rub them so well through the strainer, that you may know the substance of them, and boyle up this matter thus strained out, till it be very sweet, and somwhat thick, then setting it by till it be cold, and then put in your branches of _barbaries_ into gally pots, or glasses, and fill it up with the cold syrupe, and so shall you have both syrupe, and also _barbaries_, to use at your pleasure. * * * * * _of almonds._ _to make almond biscate._ steepe one pound of _almonds_ so long in cold water, till they will blanch, then put them in _rose_-water, and beat them in so much _rose_-water as will keep them from growing to an oyle, and no more; take one pound of _sugar_ beaten very fine, and sifted through a searce, take the whites of six eggs beat to a froth, as you use to doe for other bisket, with a spoonfull of fine flower, set the _almonds_ and _sugar_ on a soft charcoal fire, let them boyle together till they be very thick, and so let them stand till they be almost cold, then beat the eggs and that together, put in a little _muske_ for the better tast, if you please, then lay them upon papers, in what proportion you will, and dry them in an oven, with a slack fire. _to make almond milke._ take a rib of _mutton_ or _veale_, or rather a _chicken_, boyle it in faire water, put thereto _french barley_, a _fennill_ root, a _parsly_ root, _violet_ leaves, _strawberry_ leaves, and _cinquefoyle_ leaves, and boyle them all together, till the meat be over boyled, then strayne out the liquor from the rest, while they are boyling blanch a proportion of _almonds_ answerable to the liquor, beat them well in a clean stone morter, and then grind them therein with _rose_ water and _sugar_, and when they are well ground put in all your liquor by little and little, and grind with them till they be all well compounded, and then strayne it into a faire glasse, and use it at your pleasure. _an approved medicine for the running of the reines._ make _almond_ milke of _plantine_ water, or else boyle _plantine_ in the liquor whereof you make your _almond_ milk, take a quart of it, and put thereto three spoonfulls of _lentive farine_, and three spoonfulls of _cinamon_ water, take of this at six in the morning, a good draught, two hours before dinner another, at four of the clock in the afternoon, a third, and two hours after supper a fourth; and twice or thrice between meals, eat a spoonfull of conserve of red _roses_ at a time. _oyle of almonds_. take _almonds_, blanch them, and put them into a pot, and set that pot in another pot of water that boyleth, and the steam of the seething pot will arise and enter into the pot with the _almonds_, and that will become oyle when they are stamped and wringed through a cloath. thus they make oyle of the kernels of _filberts, walnuts,_ &c. _a barley cream to procure sleep, or almond milke._ take a good handfull of french _barley_, wash it cleane in warme water, and boyle it in a quart of sayre water to the halfe, then put our the water from the _barley_, and put the _barley_ into a pottell of new clean water, with a _parsley,_ and a _fennell_ root, clean washed, and picked with _bourage, buglos, violet_ leaves, and _lettice_, of each one handfull, boyle them with the _barley_, till more then halfe be consumed; then strayne out the liquor, and take of blanched _almonds_ a handfull, of the seeds of _melons, cucumbers, citralls_, and _gourds_, husked, of each halfe a quarter of an ounce, beat these seeds, and the _almonds_ together, in a stone morter, with so much _sugar_, and rose-water as is fit, and strayne them through a cleane cloath into the liquor, and drink thereof at night going to bed, and in the night, if this doth not sufficiently provoke sleep, then make some more of the same liquor, and boyle in the same the beads, or a little of white _poppey_. _an oyntment to kill the worms in little children_. for stomach wormes, annoynt the stomach with oyle of _wormwood,_ and the belly with oyle of sweet _almonds_, for belly wormes take all of _wormwood_, oyle of _savine_, and the powder of _aloe cicatrina_, finely beaten, annoynt the belly therewith, morning and evening. you must not use _savine_ in medicines for mayden children, but in stead of oyle of _savine_, take as much of an oxes gall. _to make the best white puddings_. take a pound of _almonds_, blanch them, putting in a little milk sometime to them in the stamping, then put to them three handfulls of fine flower, or as much grated bread first baked in an oven, six eggs well beaten, a good deale of marrow cut in little pieces, season them with _nutmeg_ and _sugar_, three spoonfulls of _rose-water_, and a little salt; temper them all together, with as much cream as will serve to wet or mingle them; and so fill them up. _an almond candle_. blanch jordan _almonds_, beat them with a little small ale, and strayne them out with as much more ale as you minde to make your caudle of, then boyle it as you doe an egg caudle, with a little mace in it, and when it is off the fire sweeten it with sugar. _to make fine white leach of almonds_. take halfe a pound of small almonds, beat them, and strayne them with rose water, and sweet milk from the cow, and put into it two or three pieces of large mace, one graine of musk, two ounces of isinglasse, and so boyle it in a chafin-dish of coales, a quarter of an hour, till it will stand, which you shall try thus, set a saucer in a little cold water, so that none come into it, and put a spoonfull of the leach into it, and if you see that stand, rake the other off the fire, then you may slice it in what fashion you please. _to make almond butter_. blanch one pound of _almonds_, or more; or lesse, as you please, lay them four hours in cold water, then stamp them with some rose water, as fine as you can, put them in a cloath, and presse out as much milk as you can, then if you think they be not enough beat them, and straine them againe, till you get as much milk of them, as you can, then set it on the fire, till they be ready to boyle, putting in a good quantity of salt and rose water, to turne it after one boyling, being turned, take it off, cast it abroad upon a linnen cloath, being holden between two, then with a spoon take off the whey under the cloath, so long as any will drop or run, then take so much of the finest sugar you can get, as will sweeten it, and melt it in as much rose-water as will serve to dissolve it, put thereto so much _saffron_ in fine powder, as will colour it, and so steeping the _saffron_ and _sugar_ in rose-water, season your butter therewith, when you make it up. [illustration: olives] _to make almond cakes_. take of jordan almonds, one pound, beat them as you doe for almond milk, draw them through a strainer, with the yolks of two or three eggs, season it well with sugar, and make it into a thick batter, with fine flower, as you doe for bisket bread, then powre it on small trencher plates, and bake them in an oven, or baking pan, and these are the best almond cakes. _to make paste of almonds_. take one pound of small almonds, blanch them out of hot water into cold, then dry them with a cloath, and beat them in a stone morter, till they come to past, putting now and then a spoonful of rose water to them, to keep them from oyling, when they are beaten to fine past, take halfe a pound of _sugar_ finely beaten and searsed, put it to your past, and beat it till it will twist between your fingers and thumb, finely without knots, for then it is enough, then make thereof pyes, birds, fruits, flowers, or any pretty things, printed with molds, and so gild them, and put them into your stove, and use them at your pleasure. _to make a marchpine_. take a pound of small almonds, blanch them, and beat them, as you doe your past of almonds, then drive it into a sheet of past, and spread it on a botome of wafers, according to the proportion, or bignesse you please, then set an edge round about it, as you doe about a tart, and pinch it if you will, then bake it in a pan, or oven, when it is enough, take it forth, and ice it with an ice made of rose-water and sugar, as thick as batter, spread it on with a brush of bristles, or with feathers, and put it in the oven againe, and when you see the ice rise white and dry, take it forth, and stick long comfits in it, and set up a staddard in the middest of it, so gild it, and serve it. _to make white-broth with almonds_. first look that the meat be clean washed, and then set it on the fire, and when it boyleth, scum it clean, and put some salt into the pot, then take _rosemary, thyme, hysop_, and _marjerome_, bind them together, and put them into the pot, then take a dish of sweet butter, and put it also into the pot amongst the meat, and take whole mase, and bind them in a cloath, and put them into the pot, with a quantity of verjuice, and after that take such a quantity of almonds as shall serve turne, blanch them, and beat them in the morter, and then straine them with the broth when your meat is in, and when these almonds are strained put them in a pot by themselves, with some _sugar_, a little _ginger_, and also a little rose water, then stir it while it boyle, and after that take some sliced _oringes_ without the kernels, and boyle them with the broth of the pot, upon a chafin-dish of coales, with a little _sugar_, and then have some sipits ready in a platter, and serve the meat upon them, and put not your almonds in till it be ready to be served. * * * * * [illustration: straw-berries] _of straw-berries._ _a tart of straw-berries._ pick and wash your _straw-berries_ clean, and put them in the past one by another, as thick as you can, then take _sugar, cinamon_, and a little _ginger_ finely beaten, and well mingled together, cast them upon the _straw berries_, and cover them with the lid finely cut into lozenges, and so let them bake a quarter of an houre, then take it out, stewing it with a little _cinamon_, and _sugar_, and so serve it. * * * * * _of hartichoakes_. _how to make a hartichoake pye._ boyle your _hartichoakes_, take off all the leaves, pull out all the strings, leaving only the bottoms, then season them with _cinamon_ and _sugar_, laying between every _hartichoake_ a good piece of butter; and when you put your pye into the oven, stick the _hartichoakes_ with slices of _dates_, and put a quarter of a pint of white-wine into the pye, and when you take it out of the oven, doe the like againe, with some butter, and sugar, and rose-water, melting the butter upon some coales, before you put it into the pye. _to keep hartichoakes for all the yeare._ the fittest time is about _michaelmas_, and then according to the proportion of _hartichoakes_ you will keep, seeth a quantity of water in a pot or pan, seasoning it so with white salt that it may have a reasonable tast, then put a fit quantity of white salt into the water, and boyle them together, and scum them well; then put a good quantity of good _vineger_ to them, to make the liquor somewhat sharp, and boyle it again, then parboyle your _hartichoakes_ that you mind to keep, in another liquor, take them out of it, and let them coole, then set your first liquor againe on the fire to boyle, and scumming it throughly, let it coole againe; when it is throughly cold, put it up in some firkin, or large earthen pot, and put in your _hartichoakes_ to them handsomely, for bruising them; then cover them close from the aire, and so keep them to spend at your pleasure. _to preserve hartichoakes_. heat water scalding hot first, then put in your _hartichoakes_ and scald them, and take away all the bottomes, and leaves about them, then take _rose water_ and _sugar_ and boyle them alone a little while, then put the _hartichoakes_ therein, and let them boyle on a soft fire till they be tender enough, let them be covered all the time they boyle, then take them out and put them up for your use. _to make a maid dish of hartechoakes_. take your _hartichoakes_ and pare away all the top, even to the meat, and boyle them in sweet broth till they be somewhat tender, then take them oat, and put them in a dish, and seeth them with _pepper, cinamon_, and _ginger_, then put them in the dish you mean to bake them in and put in marrow to them good store, and so let them bake, and when they be baked, put in a little _vineger_ and _butter_, and stick three or four leaves of the _hartichoakes_ in the dish when you serve them up, and scrape sugar upon the dish. *of medicines.* _an excellent medicine or salve for an ache coming of cold, easie to be made by any countrey housewife._ take of good neats-foot oyle, honey, and new wax, like quantities, boyle them all well together, then put to them a quarter so much _of aqua vitæ_ as was of each of the other, and then setting it on the fire, boyle it till it be well incorporated together, then spread it upon a piece of thin leather, or thick linnen cloath, and so apply it to the place pained. _to cake the ague out of any place_. take _vervine_ and _black hemlocke_, of each an handfull, boyle them in a pint of fresh _butter_ till they be soft, and begin to parch againe, then straine the _butter_ from the hearbs, and put it into a gally pot, and two or three times annoynt the place grieved with a spoonfull or two thereof, _probat_. _for the ague in children, or women with child_. take _venice terpentine_, spread it on the rough side of a piece of thin _leather_, two fingers breadth, and strew thereon the powder of _frankincense_ finely beaten, and upon it some _nutmeg_ grated, binde this upon the wrists an hour before the fit comes, and renew it still till the fit be gone. _to strengthen the back weak or diseased._ take the pith of an oxes back, wash it in wine or ale, and beating it very small straine it through a course cloath, and make a caudle of it, with _muskadine_ or strong _ale_ boyling it therein a few _dates_ sliced, and the stones taken out, and drink it first and last as warm as you can, walking well, but temperately after it. toasted dates often eaten are very good for the same. _for a paine or ache in the back._ take _nepe, archangel, parsley_, and _clarie_, of each halfe a handfull wash them cleane, and cut them small, and then fry them with a little sweet butter, then take the yolks of three or four eggs, beat them well together, and put them to the hearbs, fry them all together, and eat them fasting every morning, with some _sugar_; to take away the unsavorinesse of the hearbs, some use to take only _clary_ leaves, and _parsley_ washed, not cut, or _clary_ leaves alone, and powring the yolks of the eggs upon them, so fry them, and eat them. _for a suddain bleeding at the nose._ burne an egg shell in the fire till it be as black as a coale, then beat it to a fine powder, and let the party snufle it up into his nostrills. _a medicine for burning or scalding._ take _madenwort_, stamp it, and seeth it in fresh butter, and therewith anoynt the place grieved presently. _for the canker in womens breasts._ take _goose_-dung, _celedonie_, stamp them well together, and lay it plaister-wise to the soare, it will cleanse the _canker_, kill the wormes, and heale the soare. _for the canker in the mouth._ take the juice of _plantaine, vineger_ and _rose_ water, of each a like quantity, mingle them together, and wash the mouth often with them. _to make a tooth fall out of it selfe._ take wheat flower and mix it with the milk of an hearb called _spurge_, make thereof a past, and fill the hole of the tooth therewith, and leave it there, changing it every two houres, and the tooth will fall out. _to take away the cause of the paine in the teeth._ wash the mouth two or three times together in the morning every moneth, with _white-wine_ wherein the root of _spurge_ hath been sodden, and you shall never have paine in your teeth. _for a consumption._ take ash-keyes so soon as they look wither'd, set them into an oven, the bread being drawne, in a pewter, or rather an earthen dish, and being so dryed pull off the out side, and reserving the inner part, or the seed, or keyes, beat them to fine powder, and either mix it with good english honey, and so eat of it, first and last, morning and evening, a pretty deale of it at once, upon the point of a knife, or else drink of the powder in some posset ale, or thin broth. mares milk, or asses milk, which is best, being drunk warm morning and evening, is the most soveraigne medicine for it. _an excellent medicine for the cough of the lungs._ take _fennell_ and _angelica_ of each one handfull, the leaves in summer, roots in winter, sliced figgs twelve, but if the body be bound, twenty at least, green licorice if you can, two or three good sticks scraped and sliced, anniseed cleaved and bruised, two good spoonfulls, two or three parsley roots scraped, and the pith taken out, and twenty leaves of foale-foot, boyle all these in three pints of _hysop_ water, to a pint and halfe, then straine it out into a glasse, putting to it as much white _sugar_-candy as will make it sweet, drink hereof, being warmed, five spoonfulls at a time, first in the morning, and last in the evening, taking heed that you eat nor drink any thing two howres before nor after. * * * * * _of violets._ _the use of oyle of violets._ oyle of _violets, cammomile, lillies, elder flowers, cowslips, rue, wormwood_, and _mint_, are made after the same sort; oyle of _violets_, if it be rubbed about the tempels of the head, doth remove the extream heat, asswageth the head ache, provoketh sleep, and moistneth the braine; it is good against melancholly, dullnesse, and heavinesse of the spirits, and against swellings, and soares that be over-hot. _the syrupe of violets._ take faire water, boyle it, scum it, and to every ounce of it so boyled and scummed, take six ounces of the blew of _violets_, only shift them as before, nine times, and the last time take nine ounces of _violets_, let them stand between times of shifting, houres, keeping the liquor still on hot embers, that it may be milk warm, and no warmer; after the first shifting you must stamp and straine your last nine ounces of _violets_, and put in only the juice of them, then take to every pint of this liquor thus prepared, one pound of _sugar_ finely beaten, boyle it, and keep it with stirring till the _sugar_ be all melted, which if you can, let be done before it boyle, and then boyle it up with a quick fire. this doth coole and open in a burning _ague_, being dissolved in _almond_ milk, and taken; especially it is good for any inflamation in children. the conserves are of the same effect. _the use of conserve of violets and cowslips._ that of _cowslips_ doth marvelously strengthen the braine, preserveth against madnesse, against the decay of memory, stoppeth head-ache, and most infirmities thereof; for _violets_ it hath the same use the syrupe hath. [illustration: violets] _to make paste of violets, or any kind of flowers._ take your flowers, pick them, and stamp them in an _alablaster_ morter, then steep them two howres in a sauser of _rose_-water, after straine it, and steep a little _gum dragon_ in the same water, then beat it to past, print it in your moulds, and it will be of the very colour and tast of the flowers, then gild them, and so you may have every flower in his owne colour, and tast better for the mouth, then any printed colour. _powder of violets._ take sweet _ireos_ roots one ounce, red _roses_ two ounces, _storax_ one ounce and a halfe, _cloves_ two drams, _marjerome_ one dram, _lavinder_ flowers one dram and a halfe, make these into powder; then take eight graines of fine _muske_ powdered, also put to it two ounces of _rose_-water, stir them together, and put all the rest to them, and stir them halfe an hour, till the water be dryed, then set it by one day, and dry it by the fire halfe an houre, and when it is dry put it up into bagges. _a good plaister for the strangury._ take _violets_, and _hollyhokes_, and _mercury_, the leaves of these hearbs, or the seeds of them, also the rinde of the _elderne_ tree, and _leydwort_, of each of these a handfull, and beat them small, and seeth them in water, till halfe be consumed, and put thereto a little oyle olive, and make thereof a plaister, and lay it to the soare and reines; also in the summer thou must make him a drink on this manner, take _saxifrage_, and the leaves of _elderne_, five leav'd grasse, and seath them in a pottell of staile ale, till the halfe be wasted, then straine it, and keep it clean, and let the sick drink thereof first and last, and if you lack these hearbs because of winter, then take the roots of five-leav'd grasse, and dry them, and make thereof a powder, then take oyster-shells, and burne them, and make powder also of them, and mingling them together, let the sick use thereof in his pottage, and drink, and it will help him. _a medicine for sore blood-shotten and rhuematick eyes._ take ground _ivy_, _daises_, and _celedony_, of each a like quantity, stamp and straine out the juice out of them, and put to it a little brown _sugar_ candy dissolved in white rose-water, and drop two or three drops of this liquor at one time into the grieved eye, with a feather, lying upon the back when you doe it an hour after, this is a most approved medicine to take away all _inflamations, spots, webbs, itches, smartings_, or any griefe whatsoever in the eyes. _a glister to open and loosen the body being bound, which may safely be administred to any man or woman._ take _mellowes_ and _mercury_ unwashed, of each two handfulls, halfe a handfull of _barley_ clean rubbed and washed, boyle them in a pottell of running water to a quart, then strayne out the water, and put it in a skillet, and put to it three spoonfulls of sallet oyle, and two spoonfulls of honey, and a little salt; then make it luke warm, and so minister it. _to cleanse the head, and take the ache away._ chew the root of _pellitory of spaine_, often in the mouth. _a medicine that hath healed old sores upon the leggs, that have run so long that the bones have been seen._ take a quantity of good sweet _cream_, and as much _brimstone_ beaten in fine powder, as will make it thick like paste, then take so much _butter_ as will make it into the form of oyntmemt, and herewith annoynt the place grieved, twice a day. _an oyntment for a rupture._ take of _sanicle_ two handfulls, of _adders_ tongue, _doves_ foot, and _shephards purse_, of each as much, of _limaria_ one handfull, chop them somewhat small, and boyle them in _deers_ seuet, untill the hearbs doe crumble, and wax dry. _a barley water to purge the lungs and lights of all diseases._ take halfe a pound of faire _barley_, a gallon of running water, _licorice_ halfe an ounce, _fennell_ seed, _violet_ leaves, _parsley_ seed, of each one quarter of an ounce, red _roses_ as much, _hysop_ and _sage_ dryed, a good quantity of either, _harts tongue_ twelve leaves, a quarter of a pound of _figges_, and as many _raisons_, still the _figges_ and _raisons_, put them all into a new earthen pot, with the water cold, let them seeth well, and then strain the clearest from it, drink of this a good quantity, morning and afternoone, observing good diet upon it, it taketh away all _agues_ that come of heat, and all ill heat; it purgeth the _lights, spleene, kidneyes_, and _bladder_. _to cure the diseases of the mother._ take six or seaven drops of the spirit of _castoreum_ in the beginning of the fit, in two or three spoonfulls of posset _ale_, applying a plaister of _gavanum_ to the navill. _to kill warts: an approved medicine._ take a _radish_ root, scrape off the out side of it, and rub it all over with salt, then set it thus dressed upright in a saucer, or some other small dish, that you may save the liquor that runneth from it, and therewith annoynt your warts three or four times in a day, the oftner the better, and in five or six dayes they will consume away, _sepe probatum_. _for the piles._ set a chafin-dish of coales under a close stoole chaire, or in a close stoole case, and strew _amber_ beaten in fine powder, upon the coales, and sit downe over it, that the smoak may ascend up into the place grieved. _a medicine for the piles._ take a little _orpine, hackdagger_, and _elecampane_, stamp them all together with _boares_ grease, into the form of an oyntment, and lay them to the place grieved. _a diet for the patient that hath ulcers or wounds that will hardly be cured with oyntments, salves, or plaisters._ take one pound of _guaicum_, boyle it in three pottels of _ale_, with a soft fire, to the consuming of two parts, but if it be where you may have wild whay, or cheese whay, they are better. let the patient drink of this morning and evening, halfe a pint at a time, and let him sweat after it two hours. his drink at his meals must be thus used, put into the same vessel where the former was made, to the _guaicum_ that is left, three pottels of _ale_, and not _whey_, let it boyle to the one halfe, let him drink thereof at all times, and at his meale, which must be but one in a day, and that so little, that he may rise hungry. thus he must doe for five dayes together, but he must first be purged. * * * * * [illustration: cowslips] _of cowslips_. _oyle of cowslips._ oyle of _cowslips_, if the nape of the neck be annointed with it, is good for the _palsie_, it comforteth the sinews, the heart and the head. _the use of the oyle of wormwood, and oyle of mint_. oyle of wormwood is good for straines and bruises, and to comfort the stomach; it is made of the green hearb, as are the oyle of _cammomile_, _rue_, and _mint_, are made. oyle of _mint_ comforteth the stomack, overlayed or weakned with casting, it doth drive back, or dry up weomend breasts, and doth keep them from being soare, being therewith annointed. _syrupe of cowslips_. instead of running water you must take distilled water of _cowslips_, put thereto your _cowslip_ flowers clean picked, and the green knobs in the bottome cut off, and therewith boyle up a syrupe, as in the syrupe of _roses_ is shewed; it is good against the _frensie_, comforting and staying the head in all hot _agues, &c_. it is good against the _palsie_, and procures a sick patient to sleep; it must be taken in _almond_-milk, or some other warm thing. _to keep cowslips for salates_. take a quart of _white wine_ vineger, and halfe a quarter of a pound of fine beaten _sugar_, and mix them together, then take your _cowslips_, pull them out of the podds, and cut off the green knobs at the lower end, put them into the pot or glasse wherein you mind to keep them, and well shaking the _vineger_ and _sugar_ together in the glasse wherein they were before, powre it upon the _cowslips_, and so stirring them morning and evening to make them settle for three weeks, keep them for your use. _to conserve cowslips_. gather your flowers in the midst of the day when all the dew is off, then cut off all the white leaving none but the yellow blossome so picked and cut, before they wither, weigh out ten ounces, taking to every ten ounces of them, or greater proportion, if you please, eight ounces of the best refined _sugar_, in fine powder, put the _sugar_ into a pan, and candy it, with as little water as you can, then taking it off the fire, put in your flowers by little and little, never ceasing to stir them till they be dry, and enough; then put them into glasses, or gally pots, and keep them dry for your use. these are rather candied then conserved _cowslips_. _to preserve all kinde of flowers in the spanish candy in wedges_. take _violets_, _cowslips_, or any other kinde of flowers, pick them, and temper them with the pap of two roasted _apples_, and a drop or two of _verjuice_, and a graine of _muske_, then take halfe a pound of fine hard _sugar_, boyle it to the height of _manus christi_, then mix them together, and pour it on a wet pye plate, then cut it it in wedges before it be through cold, gild it, and so you may box it, and keep it all the year. it is a fine sort of banquetting stuffe, and newly used, your _manus christi_ must boyle a good while and be kept with good stirring. _a medicine to break and heale sore breasts of women, used by mid-wives, and other skillfull women in_ london. boyle _oatmeale,_, of the smallest you can get, and red _sage_ together, in running or conduict water, till it be thick enough to make a plaister and then put into it a fit proportion of _honey_, and let it boyle a little together, take it off the fire, and while it is yet boyling hot, put thereto so much of the best _venice terpentine_ as will make it thick enough to spread, then spreading it on some soft leather, or a good thick linnen cloath, apply it to the brest, and it will first break the soare; and after that being continued, will also heale it up. _a medicine that hath recovered some from the dropsie whome the physitian hath given over_. take green _broome_ and burne it in some clean place, that you may save the ashes of it, take some ten or twelve spoonfulls of the same ashes, and boyle them in a pint of _white_ wine till the vertue of it be in the wine, then coole it, and drayne the wine from the dreggs, and make three draughts of the wine, and drink one fasting in the morning, another at three in the afternoone, another late at night neer going to bed. continue this, and by gods grace it will cure you. _an especiall medicine for all manner of poyson_. take _hemp seed_, dry it very well, and get off the husks, and beat the _hemp seed_ into fine powder, take _mintes_ also, dry them, and make them into powder, boyle a spoonfull of either of these in halfe a pint of _goats_ milk, a pretty while, then put the milk into a cup to coole, and put into it a spoonfull of _treacle_, and stir them together till it be coole enough, then drink it in the morning fasting, and eat nothing till noon, or at least two hours; doe the like at night, and use it so three dayes, and it will kill and overcome any poyson. _doctor_ lewin's _unguentum rosatum, good for the heat in the back._ take a certain quantity of _barrowes_ grease; oyle of sweet _almonds_, and _rose-water_, either red or damask, of each a like quantity, but of neither so much as of the _hoggs_ grease, beat them together to an oyntment, put it in some gally pot, and when you would use it, heat it, and therewith annoynt the back and reins. * * * * * _of beanes._ _to defend humours._ take _beanes_, the rinde or the upper skin being pul'd off, bruise them, and mingle them with the white of an egg, and make it stick to the temples, it keepeth back humours flowing to the eyes. _to dissolve the stone; which is one of the physitians greatest secrets._ take a peck of green _beane_ cods, well cleaved, and without dew or rain, and two good handfulls of _saxifrage_, lay the same into a still, one row of _bean_ cods, another of _saxifrage_, and so distill another quart of water after this manner, and then distill another proportion of _bean_ codds alone, and use to drink oft these two waters; if the patient be most troubled with heat of the reins, then it is good to use the _bean_ codd water stilled alone more often, and the other upon comming downe of the sharp gravell or stone. [illustration: beanes] _unguentum sanativum_. take of _terpentine_ one pound, _wax_ six ounces, oyle of _cammomile_ halfe a pint, put all these together in a pan, and put to them a handfull of _cammomile_, bruised, or cut very small, boyle them upon a soft fire till they be well melted, and no more; then take it from the fire, and strayne it into a clean pan, and so let it coole all night, and in the morning put it up for your use. this oyntment is good for any cut, wound, or breaking of the flesh, it eateth away dead flesh, and ranklings, and doth heale againe quickly. _a serecloath for all aches_. take _rossen_ one pound, _perrossen_ a quarter of a pound, as _mastick_ and _deer sewet_ the like, _turpentine_ two ounces, _cloves_ bruised, one ounce, _mace_ bruised, two ounces, _saffron_ two drams, boyle all these together in oyle of _cammomile_, and keep it for your use. _an oyntment to be made at any time of the yeare, and is approved good, and hath helped old paines, griefes, and aches._ take _steers gall, sallet oyle_ and _aqua vita_ of each five spoon-fulls, boyle them together a little, and therewith annoint the place pained, by the fire, and lay a warm cloath on it. _an oyntment for the sciatica_. roaste a handfull or two of _onions_, and take _neats-foot_ oyle, and _aqua vita_, of each a pint, stamp, or rather boyle all these together to an oyle, or oyntment, and straine it into a gally pot, and therewith annoynt the place grieved as hot as you can endure it, morning and evening. _a water to drive away any infection._ take _draggons, angelica, rue, wormwood_, of each a handfull, chop them pretty small, and steep them in a quart of _white-wine_, twenty four hours, then distill them in a still, and reserve the water in a glasse close stopped; give to the sick patient six or seaven spoonfuls thereof at a time fasting, and let him fast an houre and an halfe after, and keep himselfe very warme in his bed, or otherwise. _an excellent conservative for the stomach, helping digestion, warming the braine, and drying the rheumes_. take two ounces of good old conserve of red _roses_, of chosen _methridate_ two drams, mingle them well together, and eat thereof to bed-ward, the quantity of a hazell nut; this doth expell all windinesse of the stomach, expelleth raw humours and venomous vapours, causeth good digestion, dryeth the rheume, strengthneth the memory and sight. _an oyntmnt for any wound or sore_. take two pound of _sheeps_ suet, or rather _deers_ suet, a pint of _candy oyle_, a quarter of a pound of the newest and best _bees-wax_, melt them together, stirring them well, and put to them one ounce of the oyle of _spike_, and halfe an ounce of the _goldsmiths boras_, then heating them againe, and stirring them all together, put it up in a gally pot, and keep it close stopped till you have cause to use it; this is an approved oyntment to cure any wounds or sores new or old. _an excellent oyntment for any bruise or ache_. take two pound of _may butter_ purified, powre it out from the dregs, and put to it of _broome_ flowers and _elder_ flowers, of each a good handfull, so clean picked that you use nothing but the leaves, mix them all together in a stone pot, and boyle them seaven or eight howres in a kettell of water, being covered with a board, and kept downe with weights, keeping the kettell alwayes full of water, with the help of another kettell of boyling water ready to fill up the first as it wasteth, and when it waxeth somewhat coole, but not cold, straine the oyntment from the hearbs, into a gally pot, and keep it for your use. _a plaister for a bile or push_. take a yolk of an egg, and halfe a spoonfull of english _honey_, mix them together with fine wheat flower, and making it to a plaister, apply it warme to the place grieved. _an approved good drink for the pestilence_. take six spoonfuls of _draggon_-water, two good spoonfulls of _wine-vineger_, two penny weights of english _saffron_, and as much treacle of _gene_, as a little _walnut_, dissolve all these together upon the fire, and let the patient drink it blood-warm, within twenty hours or sooner that he is sick, and let him neither eat nor drink six howres after, but lye so warme in his bed, that he may sweat, this expelleth the disease from the heart, and if he be disposed to a sore, it will streightwayes appeare, which you shall draw out with a plaister of _flos unguentorum_. _for the rheume in the gums or teeth_. boyle _rosemary_ in faire water, with some ten or twelve _cloves_, shut, and when it is boyled take as much _claret_ wine as there is water left, and mingle with it, and make it boyle but a little againe, then strayne it into some glasse, and wash the mouth there with morning and evening; this will take away the rheume in short time; and if you boyle a little _mastick_. therewith, it is the better. _for the emroids_. take _egremony_ and bruise it small, and then fry it with _sheep suet_, and _honey_, of each a like quantity, and lay it as hot as you can suffer it to the fundament, and it will heale very faire and well. _an approved medicine for the dropsey_. take the hearb called _bitter sweet_, it grows in waters, and bears a purple flower, slice the stalks, and boyle a pretty deale of them in _white-wine_, drink thereof first and last, morning and evening, and it will cure the _dropsey_. _a powder for wounds_. take _orpiment_, and _verdigreese_, of each an ounce, of _vitriall_ burned till it be red, two ounces, beat each of them by it selfe in a brasen morter, as small as flower, then mingle them all together, that they appear all as one, and keep it in bagges of leather, well bound, for it will last seaven years with the same vertue, and it is called _powder peerlesse_, it hath no peer for working in _chyrurgery_, for put of this powder in a wound where is dead flesh, and lay scrap't lint about it, and a plainer of disklosions next upon it, and it will heale it. _an approved medicine for the green sicknesse_. take a quart of _clarret_ wine, one pound of _currants_, and a handfull of young _rosemary_ crops, and halfe an ounce of _mace_, seeth these to a pint, and let the patient drink thereof three spoonfulls at a time, morning and evening, and eat some of the _currants_ also after. _a medicine for a pleurisie, stitch, or winde, offending in any part of the body._ gather the young shutes of _oake_, after the fall of a _wood_, and picking out the tenderest and softest of them, especially those which look redest, bind them up together in a wet paper, and roste them in hot embers, as you doe a _warden_, whereby they will dry to powder, of which powder let the patient take a spoonfull in a little posset _ale_, or _beer_, warmed, in the morning, fasting after it two hours, or more, if he be able, doing the like about three after noon, and two hours after supper, four or five dayes together, which thus done in the beginning of the disease, is by often experiments found to cure such windy paines in the side, stomach, or other parts of the body; you may dry them also in a dish, in an oven after the bread is drawn; you shall doe well to gather enough of them in the spring, and make good store of the powder then, to keep for all the year following. _an approved medicine for the gout in the feet_. take an _oxes_ paunch new killed, and warm out of the belly, about the latter end of _may_, or beginning of _june_, make two holes therein, and put in your feet, and lay store of warm cloaths about it, to keep it warm so long as can be. use this three or four dayes together, for three weeks or a moneth, whether you have the fit or paine of the _gout_, at that time or no, so you have had it at any time before. this hath cured divers persons, that they have never been troubled with it againe. _for one that cannot make water_. take the white strings of _filmy_ roots, of _primroses_ wash them very clean, and boyle of them halfe a handfull, in a pint of _beer_ or _white-wine_, till halfe be consumed, then straine it through a clean cloath, and drink thereof a quarter of a pint, somewhat warme, morning and evening, for three dayes, it will purge away all viscous or obstructions stopping the passage of the water, _probatum_. _to kill the ring worme, and heat thereof_. take a quart of _white wine_ vineger, boyle therein of _woodbine_ leaves, _sage_, and _plantaine_ of each one handfull, of white _coperas_, one pound, of _allum_ as much as an egge; when it is boyled to halfe a pint, straine out the liquor, and therewith wash the soare as hard as you can suffer it. _to make a water for all wounds and cankers_. take a handfull of red _sage_ leaves, a handfull of _selandine_, as much _woodbine_ leaves, then take a gallon of conduict water, and put the hearbs in it, and let them boyle to a pottell, and then strayning the hearbs through a strainer, take the liquor and set it over the fire againe, and take a pint of english _honey_, a good handfull of _roche allum_, as much of white _copperas_ tinne beaten, a penny worth of _graines_ bruised, and let them boyle all together three or four warms, and then let the scum be taken off with a feather, and when it is cold put it in an earthen pot or bottell, so as it may be kept close; and for an old wound take of the thinnest, and for a green wound, of the thickest, and having dressed them with this water, cover the soare either with _veale_, or _mutton_, and skin it with _dock_ leaves. _for a swelling that cometh suddenly in mans limbs._ take _harts_ tongue, _cherfoyle_, and cut them small, and then take dreggs of _ale_, and _wheat_ branne, and _sheeps_ tallow molten, and doe all in a pot, and seeth them till they be thick, and then make a plaister, and lay it to the swelling. * * * * * _of apricocks_. _to dry apricocks_. take them when they be ripe, stone them, and pare off their rindes very thin, then take halfe as much _sugar_ as they weigh, finely beaten, and lay them with that _sugar_ into a silver or earthen dish, laying first a lay of _sugar_, and then of fruit, and let them stand so all night, and in the morning the _sugar_ will be all melted, then put them into a skillet, and boyle them apace, scumming them well, and as soon as they grow tender take them off from the fire, and let them stand two dayes in the syrupe, then take them out, and lay them on a fine plate, and so dry them in a stove. [illustration: aprecocks] _clear cakes of quinces, or apricocks._ take of the best _sugar_ finely beaten and searced, one pound, to a pound of _quinces_, or _apricocks_, set your _sugar_ upon a chafin-dish of coales, and dry it above halfe an houre, then cooling it, stir into it a little _musk_ and _ambergreese_ finely beaten, and powdered, then pare your _quinces_, and boyle them in faire water whole, till they be tender and not covering them for so they will be white; then take them, and scrape off all the _quince_ to the coare, into a silver dish, and boyle it therein till it grow dry, which you shall perceive by the rising of it up, when it is thus well dryed, take it off, let it coole, and strew on the _sugar_, letting some other to strew it, till it be all throughly wrought in, then lay it out on glasses, plates, or prints of flowers, or letters, an inch thick, or lesse as you please. _the best way to preserve apricocks_ take the weight of your _apricocks_, what quantity soever you mind to use, in _sugar_ finely beaten, pare and stone the _apricocks_, and lay them in the _sugar_, in your preserving pan all night, and in the morning set them upon hot embers till the _sugar_ be all melted, then let them stand, and scald an hour, then take them off the fire, and let them stand in that syrupe two dayes, and then boyle them softly till they be tender and well coloured, and after that when they be cold put them up in glasses or pots, which you please. * * * * * _of lillies_. _the use of oyle of lillies_. oyle of _lillies_ is good to supple, mollifie, and stretch sinews that be shrunk, it is good to annoynt the sides and veines in the fits of the _stone_. _to candy all kinde of flowers as they grow, with their stalks on_. take the flowers, and cut the stalks somewhat short, then take one pound of the whitest and hardest _sugar_ you can get, put to it eight spoonfulls of _rose_ water, and boyle it till it will roule between your fingers and your thumb, then take it from the fire, coole it with a stick, and as it waxeth cold, dip in all your flowers, and taking them out againe suddenly, lay them one by one on the bottome of a sive; then turne a joyned stoole with the feet upwards, set the sive on the feet thereof, cover it with a faire linnen cloath, and set a chafin-dish of coales in the middest of the stoole underneath the five, and the heat thereof will run up to the sive, and dry your candy presently; then box them up, and they will keep all the year, and look very pleasantly. _to make the rock candies upon all spices, flowers, and roots_. take two pound of _barbary sugar_, clarifie it with a pint of water, and the whites of two _eggs_, then boyle it in a posnet to the height of _manus christi_, then put it into an earthen pipkin and therewith the things that you will candy, as _cinamon, ginger, nutmegs, rose buds, marigolds, eringo roots, &c._ cover it, and stop it close with clay or paste, then put it into a still, with a leasurely fire under it, for the space of three dayes and three nights, then open the pot, and if the candy begin to come, keep it unstopped for the space of three or four dayes more, and then leaving the syrupe, take out the candy, lay it on a wyer grate, and put it in an oven after the bread is drawne, and there let it remaine one night, and your candy will dry. this is the best way for rock candy, making so small a quantity. _the candy sucket for green ginger, lettice, flowers._ whatsoever you have preserved, either hearbs, fruits, or flowers, take them out of the syrupe, and wash them in warm water, and dry them well, then boyle the _sugar_ to the height of candy, for flowers, and draw them through it, then lay them on the bottome of a sive, dry them before the fire, and when they are enough, box them for your use. this is that the _comfet-makers_ use and call _sucket candy_. * * * * * _of grapes_. _syrupe gresta, or a syrupe of unripe grapes_. take a good basket full of unripe _grapes_, set them three dayes in a vessel after they be gathered, stamp them, and straine out the juice out of them, take thereof six quarts, boyle it with a soft fire till the third part be consumed then four quarts will remaine, let that run through a woollen bagge, and stand till it be clear in it selfe, then take of the clearest of it, seven pints, put thereto five pound of clarified _sugar_, boyle them together to the thicknesse of a syrupe, and keep it in a glasse; it is good for a perbreaking stomach, proceeding of choller, and for a swelling stomach, it taketh away thirst and drynesse, and chollerick _agues_, it is of great comfort to the stomach of women being with child, it is a preservative against all manner of venome, and against the pestilence. * * * * * *of purges.* _a purge to drive out the french pox, before you use the oyntment._ take halfe a pint of good _aqua vitæ_, one ounce of _treacle_ of _gene_, one quarter of an ounce of _spermacæti_, boyle all these together on a soft fire halfe a quarter of an hour, and let the patient drink this as warme as he can, and lye downe in his bed, and sweat, and if any of the disease be in his body, this will bring it forth, and bring him to an easie loosnesse; this is thought the best and surest of all other cures for this infirmity. _the oyntment for the french pox._ take _barrowes_ grease well tryed from the filmes, beat it in a morter till it be small and fine, put thereto of _lethargy_ one ounce, of _mastick_ in fine powder, two ounces, of _olibanum_ in powder, one ounce, of oyle of _spike_ one ounce, oyle of _paliolum_ one ounce, of _terpentine_ one quarter of a pound, beat all these together into a perfect oyntment, and therewith annoynt these places. _what place to annoynt for the french pox._ the principall bone in the nape of the neck, without the shoulder places, taking heed it come not neer the channell bone, for then it will make the throat swell, else not, the elbowes on both sides, the hip bones, the share, the knees, the hammes, and the ankles; if the patient have no ache, annoynt not these places, but only the sores till they be whole; if there be any knobs lying in the flesh, as many have, annoynt them often, and lay lint upon them, and brown paper upon the lint, and keep the patient close out of the aire, and this used will make him whole in ten dayes by the grace of god. _for a paine in the ears, or deafnesse._ take a hot loafe, of the bignesse of a bakers penny loaf, and pull or cut it in two in the middest, and lay the middle of the crummy side to the middest, or to the hole of the ear, or ears pained, as hot as they may be endured, and so bind them fast together on all night, and then if you find any pain in either or both ears, or any noyse, put into the pained ear or ears, a drop of _aqua vitæ_, in each, and then againe binding more hot bread to them, walk a little while, and after goe to bed; this done three or four dayes together, hath taken away the paine, hearing noyse in the ears, and much eased the deafnesse, and dullnesse of and in many. * * * * * _of marigolds._ _a very good plaister to heale and dry up a sore or cut suddenly._ take of _marigold_ leaves, _porret_ blades or leaves, and _housleke_, of all two handfulls, beat them all very small in a morter, and put to them the whites of two new layd eggs, and beat them very well till they be throughly incorporated with the eggs, and apply this till you be well, renew it every day. _the use of conserve of marigolds._ conserve of _marigolds_ taken fasting in the morning, is good for melancholy, cureth the trembling and shaking of the heart, is good to be used against the plague, and corruption of the aire. * * * * * _of cherries_. _a way to dry cherries_. take three quarters of a pound of _sugar_, and a pound of _cherries_, their stalks and stones taken from them, then put a spoonfull of clean water in the skillet, and so lay a lay of _cherries_ and another of _sugar_, till your quantity be out, then set them on the fire, and boyle them as fast as conveniently you can, now and then shaking them about the skillet, for fear of burning, and when you think they are enough, and clear, then take them off the fire, and let them stand till they be halfe cold, then take them out as clear from the syrupe as you can, and lay them one by one upon sheets of glasse, setting them either abroad in the sunne, or in a window where the sunne may continually be upon them. if they dry not so fast as you would have them, then in the turning scrape some loafe _sugar_ finely upon them, but add no greater heat then the sunne will afford, which will be sufficient if they be well tended, and let no dew fall on them by any means, but in the evening set them in some warm cupboard. _how to preserve cherries_. take the _cherries_ when they be new gathered off the tree, being full ripe, put them to the bottome of your preserving pan, weighing to every pound of _cherries_, one pound of _sugar_, then throw some of the _sugar_ upon the _cherries_, and set them on a very quick fire, and as they boyle throw on the rest of the _sugar_, till the syrupe be thick enough, then take them out, and put them in a gally pot while they are warm; you may if you will, put two or three spoonfulls of _rose-water_ to them: _to make all manner of fruit tarts_. you must boyle your fruit, whether it be _apple, cherry, peach, damson, peare, mulberry_, or _codling_, in faire water, and when they be boyled enough, put them into a bowle, and bruise them with a ladle, and when they be cold straine them, and put in red wine, or _clarret_ wine, and so season it with _sugar, cinamon,_ and _ginger_. [illustration: cherries] _to make a close tart of cherries_. take out the stones, and lay them as whole as you can in a charger, and put _mustard, cinamon_, and _sugar_, into them, and lay them into a tart whole, and close them, then let them stand three quarters of an hour in the oven, and then make a syrupe of _muskadine_, and _damask water_ and _sugar_, and so serve it. _to make fine pippin tarts_. quarter, pare, core, and stew your _pippins_ in a pipkin, upon very hot embers, close covered, a whole day, for they must stew softly, then put to them some whole _cinamon_, six _cloves_, and _sugar_ enough to make them sweet, and some _rose-water_, and when they are stewed enough, take them off the fire, and take all the spice from them, and break them small like _marmalade_, having your coffins ready made, not above an inch deep, fill them with it, and lay on a very thin cover of puffe paste, close and fit, so bake them, serve them in cold, but you must take heed you doe not over-bake them. _to make a tart of butter and eggs_. take the yolks of sixteene _eggs_ well parted from the whites, three quarters of a pound of _butter_ well clarified, and straine it twice or thrice in a faire strainer, seasoned with _sugar_ and a little _rose water_, wherein _spinage_ first a little boyled, hath been strained, to make it green; be sure your paste be well made, and whole, and so bake it up, and serve it. * * * * * _of goose-berries_. _to keep goose-berries_. take a handfull or two of the worser of your _goose-berries_, cut off their stalks and heads, and boyle them all to pieces, in a pottell of water, putting into the boyling thereof, halfe a quarter of _sugar_, then take the liquor, straine it through a haire strainer, and while it cooleth cut off the stalks and heads of the fairest _goose-berries_, being very carefull you cut not the skin of them above or below; put them into a gally pot, and pour the liquor in after them. _purslaine_ must be used as you doe the _goose-berries_. _the best way to preserve goose-berries_. gather them with their stalks on, cut off their heads, and stone them, then put them in scalding water, and let them stand therein covered a quarter of an hour, then take their weight in _sugar_ finely beaten, and laying first a lay of _sugar_, then one of your _goose-berries_, in your preserving skillet or pan, till all be in, putting in for every pound of _goose-berries_, six spoonfulls of water, set them on the embers till the _sugar_ be melted, then boyle them up as fast as you can, till the syrupe be thick enough, and cold, and then put them up. this way serves also for _respasses_ and _mulberries_. * * * * * _of plums._ _the best way to dry plums._ take your _plums_ when they are full growne, with the stalks on them, but yet green, split them on the one side, and put them in hot water, but not too hot, and so let them stand three or four hours, then to a spoonfull of them, take three quarters of a pound of _sugar_, beaten very fine, and eight spoonfulls of water to every pound, and set them on hot embers till the _sugar_ be melted, and after that boyle them till they be very tender, letting them stand in that syrupe three dayes to plump them; then take them out, wash the syrupe from them with warm water, and wipe them with a fine linnen cloath, very dry, and lay them on plates, and set them to dry in a stove, for if you dry them in an oven, they will be tough. _to preserve damsons._ take _damsons_ before they be full ripe, but new gathered off the tree, allow to every pound of them a pound of _sugar_, put a little _rose-water_ to them, and set them in the bottome of your pan, one by one, boyle them with a soft fire, and as they seeth strew your _sugar_ upon them, and let them boyle till the syrupe be thick enough, then while the syrupe is yet warme, take the _plums_ out, and put them in a gally pot, syrupe and all. _to preserve bullasses as green as grasse._ take your _bullasses_, as new gathered as you can, wipe them with a cloath, and prick them with a knife, and quaddle them in two waters, close covered, then take a pound of clarified _sugar_, and a pint of _apple water_, boyle them well together (keeping them well scummed) unto a syrupe, and when your _bullases_ are well dript from the water, put them into the syrupe, and warm them three or four times at the least, at the last warming take them up, and set them a dropping from the syrupe, and boyle the syrupe a little by it selfe, till it come to a jelly, and then between hot and cold put them up to keep for all the year. _to preserve pares, pare-plums, plums._ first take two pound and a halfe of fine _sugar_, and beat it small, and put it into a pretty brasse pot, with twenty spoonfulls of _rose-water_, and when it boyleth skim it clean, then take it off the fire, and let it stand while it be almost cold, then take two pound of _pare-plums_, and wipe them upon a faire cloath, and put them into your syrupe when it is almost cold, and so set them upon the fire againe, and let them boyle as softly as you can, for when they are boyled enough, the kernels will be yellow, then take them up, but let your syrupe boyle till it be thick; then put your plums upon the fire againe, and let them boyle a walme or two, so take them from the fire, and let them stand in the vessell all night, and in the morning put them into your pot or glasse, and cover them close. * * * * * _of medlers._ _to preserve medlers._ take the fairest _medlers_ you can get, but let them not be too ripe, then set on faire water on the fire, and when it boyleth put in your _medlers_, and let them boyle till they be somewhat soft, then while they are hot pill them, cut off their crowns, and take out their stones, then take to every pound of _medlers_, three quarters of a pound of _sugar_, and a quarter of a pint of _rose water_, seeth your syrupe, scumming it clean, then put in your _medlers_ one by one, the stalks downward, when your syrupe is somewhat coole then set them on the fire againe, let them boyle softly till the syrupe be enough, then put in a few _cloves_ and a little _cinamon_, and so putting them up in pots reserve them for your use. [illustration: medlers] _to make a tart of medlers._ take _medlers_ that be rotten, and stamp them, and set them upon a chafin dish with coales, and beat in two yolks of eggs, boyling till it be somewhat thick, then season it with _sugar, cinamon_, and _ginger_, and lay it in paste. * * * * * _of cucumbers._ _how to keep cucumbers._ take a kettle big enough for your use, halfe full of water, make it brackish with salt, boyle therein ten or twenty _cucumbers_, cut in halves, then take the raw _cucumbers_, being somewhat little, and put them into the vessell wherein you will keep them, and when your liquor is cold straine so much of it into them, as may keep the _cucumbers_ alwayes covered. _to keep boyled cucumbers._ take a kettle of water, put salt to it, boyle it well, then take your raw _cucumbers_, put them into it, and keep them with turning up and downe very softly, till they be as it were per-boyled, then take them out, and lay them aside till they be cold, then put them up in the vessel you will keep them in, and when the liquor is cold, straine it into them, till they be all covered. _to pickle cucumbers to keep all the yeare._ pare a good quantity of the rindes of _cucumbers_, and boyle them in a quart of running water, and a pint of wine _vineger_, with a handfull of _salt_, till they be soft, then letting them stand till the liquor be quite cold, pour out the liquor from the rinds, into some little barrel, earthen pot, or other vessel, that may be close stopped, and put as many of the youngest _cucumbers_ you can gather, therein, as the liquor will cover, and so keep them close covered, that no winde come to them, to use all the year till they have new; if your _cucumbers_ be great, 'tis best to boyle them in the liquor till they be soft. * * * * * *of cookery.* _to make snow._ take a quart of thick _creame_, and five or six whites of _eggs_, a sauser full of _sugar_ finely beaten, and as much _rose water_, beat them all together, and always as it riseth take it out with a spoon, then take a loaf of _bread_, cut away the crust, set it in a platter, and a great _rosemary_ bush in the middest of it, then lay your snow with a spoon upon the _rosemary_, and so serve it. _to make spiced bread._ take two pound of manchet paste, sweet _butter_ halfe a pound, _currants_ halfe a pound, _sugar_ a quarter, and a little _mace_, if you will put in any, and make it in a loafe, and bake it in an oven, no hotter then for manchet. _to make craknels._ take five or six pints of the finest _wheat_ flower you can get, to which you must put in a spoonfull (and not above) of good _yest_, then mingle it well with _butter, cream, rose-water_, and _sugar_, finely beaten, and working it well into paste, make it after what forme you will, and bake it. _to make veale-tooh's, or olives._ take the _kidney_ of a line of _veale_ roasted, with a good deale of the fat, and a little of the flesh, mingle it very small, and put to it two _eggs_, one _nutmeg_ finely grated, a good quantity of _sugar_, a few _currants_, a little _salt_, stir them well together, and make them into the form of little _pasties_, and fry them in a pan with sweet _butter_. _to make a barley creame to procure sleepe, or almond milke._ take a good handfull of french _barley_, wash it cleane in warme water, and boyle it in a quart of fayre water to the halfe, then put out the water from the _barley_, and put the _barley_ into a pottell of new clean water, with a _parsley_, and a _fennell_ root, clean washed, and picked with _bourage, buglos, violet_ leaves, and _lettice_, of each one handfull, boyle them with the _barley_, till more then halfe be consumed; then strayne out the liquor, and take of blanched _almonds_ a handfull, of the seeds of _melons, cucumbers, citralls_, and _gourds_, husked, of each halfe a quarter of an ounce, beat these seeds, and the _almonds_ together, in a stone morter, with so much _sugar_, and _rose-water_ as is fit, and strayne them through a cleane cloath into the liquor, and drink thereof at night going to bed, and in the night, if this doth not sufficiently provoke sleep, then make some more of the same liquor, and boyle in the same the heads, or a little of white _poppey_. _to pickle oysters._ take a peck of the greatest _oysters_, open them, and put the liquor that comes from them saved by it selfe, to as much _white-wine_, and boyle it with a pound of _pepper_ bruised, two or three spoonfulls of large _mace_, and a handfull of _salt_, till the liquor begin to waste away, then put in your _oysters_, and plump them, and take them off the fire till they be cold, and so put them up in little barrels very close. _to make very fine sausages._ take four pound and a halfe of _porck_, chop it small, and put to it three pound of _beefe_ sewet, and chop them small together, then put to them a handfull of _sage_, finely shred, one ounce of _pepper_, one ounce of _mace_, two ounces of _cloves_, a good deale of _salt_, eight eggs very well beaten before you put them in, then work them well with your hand, till they be throughly mingled, and then fill them up. some like not the eggs in them, it is not amisse therefore to leave them out. _to cast all kind of sugar works into moulds._ take one pound of _barabry sugar_, clarifie it with the white of an egg, boyle it till it will roule between your finger and your thumb, then cast it into your standing moulds, being watered two hours before in cold water, take it out and gild them to garnish a _marchpine_ with them at your pleasure. _to make all kinde of turned works in fruitage, hollow._ take the strongest bodyed _sugar_ you can get, boyle it to the height of _manus christi_, take your stone, or rather pewter moulds, being made in three pieces; tye the two great pieces together with _inkle_, then poure in your _sugar_ being highly boyled, turne it round about your head apace, and so your fruitage will be hollow, whether it be _orange_, or _lemmon_, or whatsoever your mould doth cast, after they be cast you must colour them after their naturall colours. _to make a sallet of all kinds of hearbs_. take your hearbs and pick them very fine in faire water, and pick your flowers by themselves, and wash them clean, then swing them in a strayner, and when you put them into a dish mingle them with _cucumbers_ or _lemmons_ pared and sliced, also scrape _sugar_, and put in _vineger_ and _oyle_, then spread the flowers on the top of the _sallet_, and with every sort of the aforesaid things garnish the dish about, then take eggs boyled hard, and lay about the dish and upon the sallet. _to make fritter-stuffe_ take fine flower, and three or four eggs, and put into the flower, and a piece of butter, and let them boyle all together in a dish or chaffer, and put in _sugar, cinamon, ginger_, and _rose_ water, and in the boyling put in a little grated bread, to make it big, then put it into a dish, and beat it well together, and so put it into your mould, and fry it with clarified butter, but your butter may not be too hot, nor too cold. * * * * * _finis._ none proofreading team. the jewish manual; or practical information in jewish and modern cookery, with a collection of valuable recipes & hints relating to the toilette. edited by a lady. london: . editor's preface. among the numerous works on culinary science already in circulation, there have been none which afford the slightest insight to the cookery of the hebrew kitchen. replete as many of these are with information on various important points, they are completely valueless to the jewish housekeeper, not only on account of prohibited articles and combinations being assumed to be necessary ingredients of nearly every dish, but from the entire absence of all the receipts peculiar to the jewish people. this deficiency, which has been so frequently the cause of inconvenience and complaint, we have endeavoured in the present little volume to supply. and in taking upon ourselves the responsibility of introducing it to the notice of our readers, we have been actuated by the hope that it will prove of some practical utility to those for whose benefit it is more particularly designed. it has been our earnest desire to simplify as much as possible the directions given regarding the rudiments of the art, and to render the receipts which follow, clear, easy, and concise. our collection will be found to contain all the best receipts, hitherto bequeathed only by memory or manuscript, from one generation to another of the jewish nation, as well as those which come under the denomination of plain english dishes; and also such french ones as are now in general use at all refined modern tables. a careful attention has been paid to accuracy and economy in the proportions named, and the receipts may be perfectly depended upon, as we have had the chief part of them tested in our own kitchen and under our own _surveillance_. all difficult and expensive modes of cookery have been purposely omitted, as more properly belonging to the province of the confectioner, and foreign to the intention of this little work; the object of which is, to guide the young jewish housekeeper in the luxury and economy of "the table," on which so much of the pleasure of social intercourse depends. the various acquirements, which in the present day are deemed essential to female education, rarely leave much time or inclination for the humble study of household affairs; and it not unfrequently happens, that the mistress of a family understands little more concerning the dinner table over which she presides, than the graceful arrangement of the flowers which adorn it; thus she is incompetent to direct her servant, upon whose inferior judgment and taste she is obliged to depend. she is continually subjected to impositions from her ignorance of what is required for the dishes she selects, while a lavish extravagance, or parsimonious monotony betrays her utter inexperience in all the minute yet indispensible details of elegant hospitality. however, there are happily so many highly accomplished and intellectual women, whose example proves the compatability of uniting the cultivation of talents with domestic pursuits, that it would be superfluous and presumptuous were we here to urge the propriety and importance of acquiring habits of usefulness and household knowledge, further than to observe that it is the unfailing attribute of a superior mind to turn its attention occasionally to the lesser objects of life, aware how greatly they contribute to its harmony and its happiness. the _cuisine_ of a woman of refinement, like her dress or her furniture, is distinguished, not for its costliness and profusion, but for a pervading air of graceful originality. she is quite sensible of the regard due to the reigning fashion of the day, but her own tasteful discrimination is always perceptible. she instinctively avoids every thing that is hackneyed, vulgar, and common place, and uniformly succeeds in pleasing by the judicious novelties she introduces. we hope, therefore, that this unpretending little work may not prove wholly unacceptable, even to those ladies who are not of the hebrew persuasion, as it will serve as a sequel to the books on cookery previously in their possession, and be the medium of presenting them with numerous receipts for rare and exquisite compositions, which if uncommemorated by the genius of vatêl, ude, or carême, are delicious enough not only to gratify the lovers of good cheer generally, but to merit the unqualified approbation of the most fastidious epicures. we ought, perhaps, to apologize for the apparent incongruity of connecting the "toilet" with the "kitchen;" but the receipts and suggestions comprised in the second part of the work before us, will not, we trust, be considered misplaced in a volume addressed exclusively to the ladies. many of the receipts are for articles in common use, but which, with proper directions, are prepared with greater economy and in a superior manner at home; the others are all original receipts, many of them extremely ancient, and given to us by a person who can vouch for their efficacy from personal experience and observation. we must now conclude our preliminary remarks, but cannot take leave of our patient readers without availing ourselves of the opportunity our editorial capacity affords, to express our hope, that with all its faults and deficiencies "the jewish manual" may prove to them a useful assistant, and be fortunate enough to meet with their lenient, kind, and favourable consideration. contents. * * * * * part i. introduction. miscellaneous observations for the use of the cook * * * * * chapter i. soups chapter ii. sauces and forcemeat chapter iii. fish chapter iv. meats and poultry cooked in various ways chapter v. vegetables, omelettes, fondeaux, croquettes, risoles, &c. chapter vi. pastry chapter vii. sweet dishes, puddings, jellies, creams, charlottes, soufles, gateaux, trifles, custards, cakes, &c. chapter viii. preserves and bottling chapter ix. pickling chapter x. receipts for invalids appendix the toilette. * * * * * chapter i. the complexion, &c., &c. chapter ii. the hair chapter iii. the teeth chapter iv. the hands and nails chapter v. dress chapter vi. effects of diet on the complexion chapter vii. influence of the mind as regards beauty glossary. _aspie_, a term used for savoury jelly, in which cold poultry, meat, &c., is often served. _bain-marie_. this is a large pan filled with boiling water, in which several saucepans can be placed when their contents are required to be kept hot without boiling--this is a useful article in a kitchen, where the manner in which sauces are prepared is considered deserving of attention. _béchamel_, a superior kind of white sauce, used in french cookery. _blanquette_, a kind of fricassee with a white sauce. _bola-d'amour_, a very rich and expensive spanish confection. _bolas_, a kind of rich cake or pudding. _cassereet_, a sauce prepared from the cassada, a west indian plant--it must be used with moderation. _casserole_, a name given to a crust formed of rice baked, and then filled with mince, fricassee, or fruit. _chorissa_, a sausage peculiar to the jewish kitchen, of delicate and _piquante_ flavour. _consommé_, is a term now used for stock--it is a clear strong broth, forming the basis of all soups, sauces, gravies, &c. _croquettes_ and _risoles_; preparations of forcemeat, formed into fancy shapes, and fried. _croutons_, sippets of bread or toast, to garnish hashes, salmis, &c., are so called. _doce_, a mixture of sugar with almonds _or_ cocoa-nut. _entrées_. these are side-dishes, for the first course, consisting of cutlets, vol au vents, fricassees, fillets, sweetbreads, salmis, scallops, &c., &c. _entremets_. these are side-dishes for the second course; they comprise dressed vegetables, puddings, gateaux, pastries, fritters, creams, jellies, timbales, &c. _farcie_, a french term for forcemeat; it is a mixture of savoury ingredients, used for croquettes, balls, &c. meat is by no means a necessary ingredient, although the english word might seem to imply the contrary. _fondeaux_, and fondus, are savoury kinds of souflés. _fricandeaux_, a term for small well-trimmed pieces of meat, stewed in various ways. _fricassee_. this is a name used for delicate stews, when the articles are cut in pieces. _fricandelles_. these are very small fricandeaux, two or three of which are served on one dish, and they sometimes also are delicate, but highly-flavoured minces, formed into any approved shapes. flanks are large standing side-dishes. _gateaux_, is a kind of cake or pudding. _hors d'oeuvres._ these are light entrées in the first course; they are sometimes called _assiettes_ volantes; they are handed during the first course; they comprise anchovies, fish salads, patties of various kinds, croquettes, risolles, maccaroni, &c. _maigre_, made without meat. _matso_, passover cakes. _miroton_, a savoury preparation of veal or poultry, formed in a mould. _nouilles_, a kind of vermicelli paste. _piqué_, a french term used to express the process of larding. the french term is a preferable one, as it more clearly indicates what is meant. _purée_ is a term given to a preparation of meat or vegetables, reduced to a pulp, and mixed with any kind of sauce, to the consistency of thick cream. _purées_ of vegetables are much used in modern cookery, to serve with cutlets, callops, &c. _ramekin_, a savoury and delicate preparation of cheese, generally served in fringed paper cases. _releves_, or _removes_, are top and bottom dishes, which replace the soup and fish. _salmis_, a hash, only a superior kind, being more delicately seasoned, and usually made of cold poultry. _souflés_, a term applied to a very light kind of pudding, made with some farinaceous substance, and generally replaces the roast of a second course. _timbale_, a shape of maccaroni or rice made in a mould. _vol-au-vent_. this is a sort of case, made of very rich puff paste, filled with delicate fricassee of fish, meat, or poultry, or richly stewed fruits. _vélouté_, an expensive white sauce. observations for the use of the cook. the receipts we have given are capable of being varied and modified by an intelligent pains-taking cook, to suit the tastes of her employers. where _one_ receipt has been thought sufficient to convey the necessary instruction for several dishes, &c., &c., it has not been repeated for each respectively, which plan will tend to facilitate her task. we might, had we been inclined, have increased our collection considerably by so doing, but have decided, from our own experience, that it is preferable to give a limited number clearly and fully explained, as these will always serve as guides and models for others of the same kind. the cook must remember it is not enough to have ascertained the ingredients and quantities requisite, but great care and attention must be paid to the manner of mixing them, and in watching their progress when mixed and submitted to the fire. the management of the oven and the fire deserve attention, and cannot be regulated properly without practice and observation. the art of seasoning is difficult and important. great judgment is required in blending the different spices or other condiments, so that a fine flavour is produced without the undue preponderance of either. it is only in coarse cooking that the flavour of onions, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, and eschalot is permitted to prevail. as a general rule, salt should be used in moderation. sugar is an improvement in nearly all soups, sauces, and gravies; also with stewed vegetables, but of course must be used with discretion. ketchups, soy, harvey's sauce, &c., are used too indiscrimately by inferior cooks; it is better to leave them to be added at table by those who approve of their flavour. any thing that is required to be warmed up a second time, should be set in a basin placed in a _bain-marie_, or saucepan, filled with boiling water, but which must not be allowed to boil; or the article will become hardened and the sauce dried up. to remove every particle of fat from the gravies of stews, &c., a piece of white blotting-paper should be laid on the surface, and the fat will adhere to it; this should be repeated two or three times. it is important to keep saucepans well skimmed; the best prepared dish will be spoiled by neglect on this point. the difference between good and bad cookery is particularly discernible in the preparation of forcemeats. a common cook is satistified if she chops or minces the ingredients and moistens them with an egg scarcely beaten, but this is a very crude and imperfect method; they should be pounded together in a mortar until not a lump or fibre is perceptible. further directions will be given in the proper place, but this is a rule which must be strictly attended to by those who wish to attain any excellence in this branch of their art. eggs for forcemeats, and for every description of sweet dishes, should be thoroughly beaten, and for the finer kinds should be passed through a sieve. a trustworthy zealous servant must keep in mind, that waste and extravagance are no proofs of skill. on the contrary, good cookery is by no means expensive, as it makes the most of every thing, and furnishes out of simple and economical materials, dishes which are at once palatable and elegant. chapter i. soups. stock or consommÉ. this is the basis of all kinds of soup and sauces. shin of beef or ox-cheek make excellent stock, although good gravy-beef is sometimes preferred; the bones should always be broken, and the meat cut up, as the juices are better extracted; it is advisable to put on, at first, but very little water, and to add more when the first quantity is nearly dried up. the time required for boiling depends upon the quantity of meat; six pounds of meat will take about five hours; if bones, the same quantity will require double the time. gravy beef with a knuckle of veal makes a fine and nutritious stock; the stock for white soups should be prepared with veal or white poultry. very tolerable stock can be procured without purchasing meat expressly for the purpose, by boiling down bones and the trimmings of meat or poultry. the liquor in which beef or mutton intended for the table has been boiled, will also, with small additions and skilful flavoring, make an excellent soup at a trifling expense. to thicken soups, mix a little potatoe-flour, ground rice, or pounded vermicelli, in a little water, till perfectly smooth; add a little of the soup to it in a cup, until sufficiently thin, then pour it into the rest and boil it up, to prevent the raw taste it would otherwise have; the presence of the above ingredients should not be discovered, and judgment and care are therefore requisite. if colouring is necessary, a crust of bread stewed in the stock will give a fine brown, or the common browning may be used; it is made in the following manner: put one pound of coarse brown sugar in a stew-pan with a lump of clarified suet; when it begins to froth, pour in a wine-glass of port wine, half an ounce of black pepper, a little mace, four spoonsful of ketchup or harvey's sauce, a little salt, and the peel of a lemon grated; boil all together, let it grow cold, when it must be skimmed and bottled for use. it may also be prepared as required, by putting a small piece of clarified fat with one ounce of coarse sugar, in an iron spoon, melting them together, and stirring in a little ketchup and pepper. when good stock or consommé is prepared, it is very easy to form it into any kind of soup or sauce that may be required. * * * * * gravy soup. take about three quarts of any strong stock, seasoned with a bunch of sweet herbs, a carrot, turnip, and a head of celery, which must not be served in the soup. vermicelli, maccaroni, or thin slices of carrot and small sippets of fried bread cut in fancy shapes, are usually served in this soup. * * * * * mock turtle. half boil a well-cleaned calf's head, then cut off all the meat in small square pieces, and break the bones; return it to the stew-pan, with some good stock made of beef and veal; dredge in flour, add fried shalot, pepper, parsley, tarragon, a little mushroom ketchup, and a pint of white wine; simmer gently until the meat is perfectly soft and tender. balls of force-meat, and egg-balls, should be put in a short time before serving; the juice of a lemon is considered an improvement. * * * * * muligatawny soup. take two chickens, cut them up small, as if for fricassee, flour them well, put them in a saucepan with four onions shred, a piece of clarified fat, pepper, salt, and two table spoonsful of curry powder; let it simmer for an hour, then add three quarts of strong beef gravy, and let it continue simmering for another hour; before sent to table the juice of a lemon should be stirred in it; some persons approve of a little rice being boiled with the stock, and a pinch of saffron is also sometimes added. * * * * * english muligatawny. take a knuckle of veal, stew it till half done, then cut off the greatest part of the meat, and continue to stew down the bone in the stock, the meat must be cut into small pieces and fried with six onions thinly sliced, and a table spoonful of curry powder, a desert spoonful of cayenne pepper and salt, add the stock and let the whole gently simmer for nearly an hour, flavouring it with a little harvey's sauce and lemon pickle. * * * * * soup a la julienne. take a variety of vegetables: such as celery, carrots, turnips, leeks, cauliflower, lettuce, and onions, cut them in shreds of small size, place them in a stew-pan with a little fine salad oil, stew them gently over the fire, adding weak broth from time to time; toast a few slices of bread and cut them into pieces the size and shape of shillings and crowns, soak them in the remainder of the broth, and when the vegetables are well done add all together and let it simmer for a few minutes; a lump of white sugar, with pepper and salt are sufficient seasoning. * * * * * soupe a la turque. make a good gravy from shin of beef, and cut up very small various sorts of vegetables of whatever may be in season, add spices, pepper, and salt; when it is all stewed well down together, set it to cool and take off the fat, then place it again on the fire to boil, and add to two quarts of soup, one quarter of a pound of rice, beat two yolks of eggs with a little of the stock, and when the rice is quite tender, stir them into the soup, taking the precaution not to let the soup boil, and to stir always the same way. * * * * * pepper pot. cut small pieces of any vegetables, and add pieces of smoked or salt beef, and also of any cold poultry, roast beef or mutton, stew all these together in two or three quarts of water, according to the quantity of meat, &c. it must be seasoned highly with whole peppers, allspice, mace, jamaica pickles, and salt; it must be thoroughly stewed, and served, without straining, in a tureen. * * * * * potatoe soup. grate a pound of fine potatoes in two quarts of water, add to it the trimmings of any meat, amounting to about a pound in quantity, a cup of rice, a few sweet herbs, and a head of celery, stew well till the liquor is considerably reduced, then strain it through a sieve; if, when strained, it is too thin and watery, add a little thickening; it should be flavoured only with white pepper and salt. * * * * * soup cressy. grate six carrots, and chop some onions with a lettuce, adding a few sweet herbs, put them all into a stewpan, with enough of good broth to moisten the whole, adding occasionally the remainder; when nearly done, put in the crumb of a french roll, and when soaked, strain the whole through a sieve, and serve hot in a tureen. * * * * * carrot soup. take a dozen carrots scraped clean, rasp them, but do not use the core, two heads of celery, two onions thinly sliced, season to taste, and pour over a good stock, say about two quarts, boil it, then pass it through a sieve; it should be of the thickness of cream, return it to the saucepan, boil it up and squeeze in a little lemon juice, or add a little vinegar. * * * * * palestine soup. stew a knuckle of veal, and a calf's foot, and one pound of _chorissa_, and a large fowl, in four quarts of water, add a piece of fresh lemon peel, six jerusalem artichokes, a bunch of sweet herbs, a little salt and white pepper, and a little nutmeg, and a blade of mace; when the fowl is thoroughly done, remove the white parts to prepare for thickening, and let the rest continue stewing till the stock is sufficiently strong, the white parts of the fowl must be pounded and sprinkled with flower or ground rice, and stirred in the soup after it has been strained, until it thickens. * * * * * a simple white soup. break a knuckle of veal, place it in a stewpan, also a piece of _chorissa_, a carrot, two onions, three or four turnips, and a blade of mace, pour over two or three quarts of water or weak broth, season with salt, a sprig of parsley, and whole white pepper; when sufficiently boiled, skim and strain it, and thicken with pounded vermicelli. * * * * * vermicelli soup. make a fine strong stock from the shin of beef, or any other part preferred, and add, a short time before serving, a handful of vermicelli, which should be broken, so that it may be in pieces of convenient length, the stock should be more or less flavoured with vegetables, and herbs, according to taste. * * * * * matso soup. boil down half a shin of beef, four pounds of gravy beef, and a calf's foot may be added, if approved, in three or four quarts of water; season with celery, carrots, turnips, pepper and salt, and a bunch of sweet herbs; let the whole stew gently for eight hours, then strain and let it stand to get cold, when the fat must be removed, then return it to the saucepan to warm up. ten minutes before serving, throw in the balls, from which the soup takes its name, and which are made in the following manner: take half a pound of _matso_ flour, two ounces of chopped suet, season with a little pepper, salt, ginger, and nutmeg; mix with this, four beaten eggs, and make it into a paste, a small onion shred and browned in a desert spoonful of oil is sometimes added; the paste should be made into rather large balls, and care should be taken to make them very light. * * * * * tomata soup. take a dozen unpealed tomatas, with a bit of clarified suet, or a little sweet oil, and a small spanish onion; sprinkle with flour, and season with salt and cayenne pepper, and boil them in a little gravy or water; it must be stirred to prevent burning, then pass it through a sieve, and thin it with rich stock to the consistency of winter pea-soup; flavour it with lemon juice, according to taste, after it has been warmed up and ready for serving. * * * * * almondegos soup: a superior white soup. put a knuckle of veal and a calf's foot into two quarts of water, with a blade of mace and a bunch of sweet herbs, a turnip, a little white pepper, and salt; when sufficiently done, strain and skim it, and add balls of forced meat, and egg balls. a quarter of an hour before serving beat up the yolks of four eggs with a desert spoonful of lemon juice, and three ounces of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with a spoonful of powdered white sugar. this mixture is to be stirred into the soup till it thickens, taking care to prevent its curdling. * * * * * a fine vegetable or french soup. take two quarts of strong stock made of gravy beef, add to this, carrots, turnips, leek, celery, brocoli, peas and french beans, all cut as small as possible, add a few lumps of white sugar, pepper, and salt, let it simmer till the vegetables are perfectly soft, and throw in a few force-meat balls. * * * * * asparagus soup. take eight pounds of gravy beef, with five pints of water, a few sweet herbs, and an onion shred, with a little pepper and salt; when the strength of the meat is sufficiently extracted, strain off the soup, and add to it a bundle of asparagus, cut small, with a little chopped parsley and mint; the asparagus should be thoroughly done. a few minutes before serving, throw in some fried bread cut up the size of dice; pound a little spinach to a pulp, and squeeze it through a cloth, stir about a tea-cup full of this essence into the soup, let it boil up after to prevent a raw taste. * * * * * soup maigre. chop three lettuces, a large handful of spinach, a little chervil, a head of celery, two or three carrots, and four onions, put them on the fire with half a pound of butter, and let them fry till slightly browned, season with a little salt, sifted white sugar, and white pepper, stew all gently in five pints of boiling water for about two hours and a half, and just before serving the soup, thicken it with the beaten yolks of four eggs, mixed first with a little of the soup, and then stirred into the remainder. * * * * * summer pea soup. take a peck of peas, separate the old from the young, boil the former till they are quite tender in good stock, then pass them through a sieve, and return them to the stock, add the young peas, a little chopped lettuce, small pieces of cucumber fried to a light brown, a little bit of mint, pepper, and salt; two or three lumps of sugar give a fine flavor. * * * * * winter pea soup. soak a quart of white peas in water, boil them till soft, in as much water as will cover them, pass them through a sieve, and add them to any broth that may be ready, a little piece of _chorissa_ or smoked beef will improve the flavour; this soup should be served with mint and fried bread. * * * * * giblet soup. add to a fine strong well-seasoned beef stock, of about three quarts, two sets of giblets, which should be previously stewed separately in one quart of water (the gizzards require scalding for some time before they are put in with the rest); white pepper, salt, and the rind of lemon should season them; when they are tender, add them with their gravy to the stock, and boil for about ten minutes together, then stir in a glass of white wine, a table spoonful of mushroom ketchup, and the juice of half a lemon; it will require to be thickened with a little flour browned; the giblets are served in the soup. * * * * * barley soup. put in a stew-pan, a knuckle of mutton, or four pounds of the neck, with three quarts of water, boil it gently and keep it well skimmed; a sprig of parsley, a couple of sliced turnips, a carrot, an onion or more, if approved, with a little white pepper and salt, are sufficient seasoning, a breakfast cup full of barley should be scalded and put in the stew-pan with the meat, if when done, the soup is thin and watery, a little prepared barley, mixed smoothly, should be stirred in. * * * * * soup de poisson, or fish soup. make a good stock, by simmering a cod's-head in water, enough to cover the fish; season it with pepper and salt, mace, celery, parsley, and a few sweet herbs, with two or three onions, when sufficiently done, strain it, and add cutlets of fish prepared in the following manner: cut very small, well-trimmed cutlets from any fish, sole or brill are perhaps best suited; stew them in equal quantities of water and wine, but not more than will cover them, with a large lump of butter, and the juice of a lemon; when they have stewed gently for about fifteen or twenty minutes, add them to the soup, which thicken with cream and flour, serve the soup with the cutlets in a tureen; force-meat balls of cod's liver are sometimes added. * * * * * ox tail soup. have two well cleaned tails and a neat's foot, cut them in small joints and soak them in water, put them in a stew-pan with a large piece of clarified suet or fat, and let them simmer for ten minutes, then put to them between three and four quarts of cold water, four onions, a bunch of sweet herbs, a carrot, a turnip, a head of celery, and season with whole pepper, allspice, two or three cloves, and salt; let it stew till the meat is tender enough to leave the bones, then remove it from them, as the bones are unsightly in the soup; thicken if necessary with browned flour, and just before serving, add a glass or more of port wine, and a little mushroom ketchup. chapter ii. sauces. a rich brown gravy. take a little good beef consommé, or stock, a small piece of smoked beef, or _chorissa_, a lemon sliced, some chopped shalots, a couple of onions shred, a bay leaf, two or three cloves, and a little oil; simmer gently, and add a little minced parsley, and a few chopped mushrooms: skim and strain. * * * * * sauce piquante. the above may be rendered a sauce piquante by substituting a little vinegar, whole capers, allspice, and thyme, instead of the smoked beef and lemon; a few onions and piccalilli chopped finely, is a great addition when required to be very piquante. a sauce like the above is very good to serve with beef that has been boiled for broth. * * * * * a good gravy for roast fowls. take a little stock, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, add a little mushroom powder, cayenne pepper and salt; thicken with flour. * * * * * another excellent receipt. chop some mushrooms, young and fresh, salt them, and put them into a saucepan with a little gravy, made of the trimmings of the fowl, or of veal, a blade of mace, a little grated lemon peel, the juice of one lemon; thicken with flour, and when ready to serve, stir in a table-spoonful of white wine. * * * * * egg sauce: a fine white sauce for boiled chickens, turkeys, or white fricassees. beat up the yolks of four eggs with the juice of a fine lemon, a tea-spoonful of flour, and a little cold water, mix well together, and set it on the fire to thicken, stirring it to prevent curdling. this sauce will be found excellent, if not superior, in many cases where english cooks use melted butter. if capers are substituted for the lemon juice, this sauce will be found excellent for boiled lamb or mutton. * * * * * celery sauce. cut in small pieces from about four to five heads of celery, which if not very young must be peeled, simmer it till tender in half a pint of veal gravy, if intended for white sauce, then add a spoonful of flour, the yolks of three eggs, white pepper, salt, and the juice of one lemon, these should be previously mixed together with a little water till perfectly smooth and thin, and be stirred in with the sauce; cream, instead of eggs, is used in english kitchens. * * * * * tomato sauce. skin a dozen fine tomatos, set them on the fire in a little water or gravy, beat them up with a little vinegar, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and salt; some persons like the yolk of an egg, well beaten added. strain or not, as may be preferred. * * * * * gravy for a fowl, when there is no stock to make it with. take the feet, wash them, cut them small, also the neck and gizzard; season them with pepper and salt, onion, and parsley, let them simmer gently for some time, in about a breakfast-cup of water, then strain, thicken with flour, and add a little browning, and if liked, a small quantity of any store sauce at hand, and it will prove an excellent sauce. * * * * * savoury jelly, for cold pies, or to garnish cold poultry. have a bare knuckle of veal, and a calf's foot or cow heel; put it into a stew-pan with a thick slice of smoked beef, a few herbs, a blade of mace, two or three onions, a little lemon peel, pepper and salt, and three or four pints of water (the french add a little tarragon vinegar). when it boils skim it, and when cold, if not clear, boil it a few minutes with the white and shell of an egg, and pass it through a jelly bag, this jelly with the juice of two or three lemons, and poured into a mould, in which are put the yolks of eggs boiled hard, forms a pretty supper dish. * * * * * a fine sauce for steaks. throw into a saucepan a piece of fat the size of an egg, with two or three onions sliced, let them brown; add a little gravy, flour, a little vinegar, a spoonful of mustard, and a little cayenne pepper, boil it and serve with the steaks. * * * * * a fish sauce without butter. put on, in a small saucepan, a cup of water, well flavored with vinegar, an onion chopped fine, a little rasped horse-radish, pepper, and two or three cloves, and a couple of anchovies cut small, when it has boiled, stir carefully in the beaten yolks of two eggs, and let it thicken, until of the consistency of melted butter. * * * * * a fine fish sauce. one teacup full of walnut pickle, the same of mushroom ditto, three anchovies pounded, one clove of garlic pounded, half a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, all mixed well together, and bottled for use. * * * * * a nice sauce to throw over broiled meats. beat up a little salad-oil with a table-spoonful of vinegar, mustard, pepper and salt, and then stir in the yolk of an egg; this sauce should be highly seasoned. a sauce of this description is sometimes used to baste mutton while roasting, the meat should be scored in different places to allow the sauce to penetrate. * * * * * sauce for ducks. a little good gravy, with a glass of port wine, the juice of a lemon, highly seasoned with cayenne pepper. * * * * * bread sauce. take a large onion and boil it, with a little pepper till quite soft, in milk, then take it out, and pour the milk over grated stale bread, then boil it up with a piece of butter, and dredge it with flour; it should be well beaten up with a silver fork. the above can be made without butter or milk: take a large onion, slice it thin, put it into a little veal gravy, add grated bread, pepper, &c., and the yolk and white of an egg well beaten. * * * * * apple sauce for goose. slice some apples, put them in a little water to simmer till soft, beat them to a pulp; some consider a little powdered sugar an improvement, but as the acid of the apples is reckoned a corrective to the richness of the goose, it is usually preferred without. * * * * * mint sauce. mix vinegar with brown sugar, let it stand about an hour, then add chopped mint, and stir together. * * * * * onion sauce. slice finely, and brown in a little oil, two or three onions; put them in a little beef gravy, and add cayenne pepper, salt, and the juice of a lemon. this is a nice sauce for steaks. * * * * * oiled butter. put some good butter into a cup or jar, and place it before the fire till it becomes an oil, then pour it off, so that all sediment may be avoided. * * * * * to draw good gravy. * * * * * cut some gravy beef into small pieces, put them in a jar, and set it in a saucepan of cold water to boil gently for seven or eight hours, adding, from time to time, more water as the original quantity boils away. the gravy thus made will be the essence of the meat, and in cases where nutriment is required in the smallest compass, will be of great service. soups are stronger when the meat is cut, and gravy drawn before water is added. * * * * * truffle sauce. peel and slice as many truffles as required, simmer them gently with a little butter, when they are tender, add to them good white or brown consommé, lemon juice, pepper, salt, nutmeg, and a very little white wine. * * * * * mushroom sauce. take about a pint of fine young button mushrooms, let them stew gently in a white veal gravy seasoned with salt, pepper, a blade of mace, and if approved, the grated peel of half a lemon, it should be thickened with flour and the yolk of an egg stirred in it, just before serving; english cooks add cream to this sauce. * * * * * sweet sauce. the usual way of making sauces for puddings, is by adding sugar to melted butter, or thin egg sauce, flavoring it with white wine, brandy, lemon peel, or any other flavor approved of. * * * * * melted butter. although this sauce is one of the most simple, it is very rarely that it is well made. mix with four ounces of butter, a desert spoonful of flour, when well mixed, add three table spoonsful of water, put it into a clean saucepan kept for the purpose, and stir it carefully one way till it boils; white sauce to throw over vegetables served on toast, is made in the same way, only putting milk and water, instead of water only. * * * * * sauce without butter for boiled puddings. mix a table-spoonful of flour, with two of water, add a little wine, lemon peel grated, a small bit of clarified suet, of the size of a walnut, grated nutmeg, and sugar, put on in a saucepan, stirring one way, and adding water if too thick, lemon juice, or essence of noyeau, or almonds may be substituted to vary the flavour. * * * * * sauce robert for steaks. chop up some onions, throw them into a saucepan with a bit of clarified fat, let them fry till brown, then add pepper, salt, a little gravy, mustard, lemon juice, and vinegar; boil it all, and pour over the steaks. * * * * * caper sauce. this is merely melted butter with a few pickled capers simmered in it, or they may be put into a sauce made of broth thickened with egg, and a little flour. * * * * * savory herb powder. it is useful to select a variety of herbs, so that they may always be at hand for use: the following are considered to be an excellent selection, parsley, savory, thyme, sweet majoram, shalot, chervil, and sage, in equal quantities; dry these in the oven, pound them finely and keep them in bottles well stopped. * * * * * seasoning for ducks and geese. mix chopped onion with an equal quantity of chopped sage, three times as much grated stale bread, a little shred suet, pepper, salt, and a beaten egg to bind it, this is generally used for geese and ducks, the onions are sometimes boiled first to render them less strong. * * * * * english egg sauce. boil two eggs hard, chop them finely, and warm them up in finely made melted butter, add a little white pepper, salt, a blade of mace, and a very small quantity of nutmeg. * * * * * sauce a la tartare. mix the yolk of an egg with oil, vinegar, chopped parsley, mustard, pepper, and salt; a spoonful of paté de diable or french mustard, renders the sauce more piquante. * * * * * a fine sauce for roast mutton. mix a little port wine in some gravy, two table-spoonfuls of vinegar, one of oil, a shalot minced, and a spoonful of mustard, just before the mutton is served, pour the sauce over it, then sprinkle it with fried bread crumbs, and then again baste the meat with the sauce; this is a fine addition to the mutton. * * * * * asparagus sauce, to serve with lamb chops. cut some asparagus, or sprew, into half inch lengths, wash them, and throw them into half a pint of gravy made from beef, veal, or mutton thickened, and seasoned with salt, white pepper, and a lump of white sugar, the chops should be delicately fried and the sauce served in the centre of the dish. * * * * * brown cucumber sauce. peel and cut in thick slices, one or more fresh cucumbers, fry them until brown in a little butter, or clarified fat, then add to them a little strong beef gravy, pepper, salt, and a spoonful of vinegar; some cooks add a chopped onion browned with the cucumbers. * * * * * white cucumber sauce. take out the seeds of some fresh young cucumbers, quarter them, and cut them into pieces of two inch lengths, let them lay for an hour in vinegar and water, then simmer them till thoroughly soft, in a veal broth seasoned with pepper, salt, and a little lemon juice; when ready for serving, pour off the gravy and thicken it with the yolks of a couple of eggs stirred in, add it to the saucepan; warm up, taking care that it does not curdle. * * * * * browned flour for making soups and gravies dark and thick. spread flour on a tin, and place it in a dutch oven before the fire, or in a gentle oven till it browns; it must often be turned, that the flour may be equally coloured throughout. a small quantity of this prepared and laid by for use, will be found useful. * * * * * browned bread crumbs. grate into fine crumbs, about five or six ounces of stale bread, and brown them in a gentle oven or before the fire; this is a more delicate way of browning them than by frying. * * * * * crisped parsley. wash and drain a handful of fresh young sprigs of parsley, dry them with a cloth, place them before the fire on a dish, turn them frequently, and they will be perfectly crisp in ten minutes. * * * * * fried parsley. when the parsley is prepared as above, fry it in butter or clarified suet, then drain it on a cloth placed before the fire. * * * * * bread crumbs for frying. cut slices of bread without crust, and dry them gradually in a cool oven till quite dry and crisp, then roll them into fine crumbs, and put them in a jar for use. * * * * * spinach green. pound to a pulp in a mortar a handful of spinach, and squeeze it through a hair sieve; then put it into a cup or jar, and place it in a basin of hot water for a few minutes, or it may be allowed to simmer on the fire; a little of this stirred into spring soups, improve their appearance. * * * * * veloutÉ, bechamel. these preparations are so frequently mentioned in modern cookery, that we shall give the receipts for them, although they are not appropriate for the jewish kitchen. velouté is a fine white sauce, made by reducing a certain quantity of well-flavoured consommé or stock, over a charcoal fire, and mixing it with boiling cream, stirring it carefully till it thickens. béchamel is another sort of fine white stock, thickened with cream, there is more flavouring in this than the former, the stock is made of veal, with some of the smoked meats used in english kitchens, butter, mace, onion, mushrooms, bay leaf, nutmeg, and a little salt. an excellent substitute for these sauces can in jewish kitchens be made in the following way: take some veal broth flavored with smoked beef, and the above named seasonings, then beat up two or three yolks of eggs, with a little of the stock and a spoonful of potatoe flour, stir this into the broth, until it thickens, it will not be quite as white, but will be excellent. * * * * * forcemeat or farcie. under this head is included the various preparations used for balls, tisoles, fritters, and stuffings for poultry and veal, it is a branch of cooking which requires great care and judgment, the proportions should be so blended as to produce a delicate, yet savoury flavor, without allowing any particular herb or spice to predominate. the ingredients should always be pounded well together in a mortar, not merely chopped and moistened with egg, as is usually done by inexperienced cooks; forcemeat can be served in a variety of forms, and is so useful a resource, that it well repays the attention it requires. * * * * * a superior forcemeat for risolles, fritters, and savory meat balls. scrape half a pound of the fat of smoked beef, and a pound of lean veal, free from skin, vein, or sinew, pound it finely in a mortar with chopped mushrooms, a little minced parsley, salt and pepper, and grated lemon peel, then have ready the crumb of two french rolls soaked in good gravy, press out the moisture, and add the crumb to the meat with three beaten eggs; if the forcemeat is required to be very highly flavored, the gravy in which the rolls are soaked should be seasoned with mushroom powder; a spoonful of ketchup, a bay leaf, an onion, pepper, salt, and lemon juice, add this panada to the pounded meat and eggs, form the mixture into any form required, and either fry or warm in gravy, according to the dish for which it is intended. any cold meats pounded, seasoned, and made according to the above method are excellent; the seasoning can be varied, or rendered simpler if required. * * * * * common veal, stuffing. have equal quantities of finely shred suet and grated crumbs of bread, add chopped sweet herbs, grated lemon peel, pepper, and salt, pound it in a mortar; this is also used for white poultry, with the addition of a little grated smoked beef, or a piece of the root of a tongue pounded and mixed with the above ingredients. * * * * * fish forcemeat. chop finely any kind of fish, that which has been already dressed will answer the purpose, then pound it in a mortar with a couple of anchovies, or a little anchovy essence, the yolk of a hard boiled egg, a little butter, parsley or any other herb which may be approved, grated lemon peel, and a little of the juice, then add a little bread previously soaked, and mix the whole into a paste, and form into balls, or use for stuffing, &c. the liver or roe of fish is well suited to add to the fish, as it is rich and delicate. * * * * * forcemeat for dressing fish fillets. pound finely anchovies, grated bread, chopped parsley, and the yolk of a hard boiled egg, add grated lemon peel, a little lemon juice, pepper and salt, and make into a paste with two eggs. * * * * * forcemeat for dressing cutlets, etc. add to grated stale bread, an equal quantity of chopped parsley, season it well, and mix it with clarified suet, then brush the cutlets with beaten yolks of eggs, lay on the mixture thickly with a knife, and sprinkle over with dry and fine bread crumbs. * * * * * egg balls. beat the hard yolks of eggs in a mortar, make it into a paste with the yolk of a raw egg, form the paste into very small balls, and throw them into boiling water for a minute or so, to harden them. * * * * * preparation for cutlets of fowl or veal. make a smooth batter of flour, and a little salad oil, and two eggs, a little white pepper, salt, and nutmeg, turn the cutlets well in this mixture, and fry a light brown, garnish with slices of lemon, and crisped parsley, this is done by putting in the parsley after the cutlets have been fried, it will speedily crisp; it should then be drained, to prevent its being greasy. chapter iii. fish. preliminary remarks. when fish is to be boiled, it should be rubbed lightly over with salt, and set on the fire in a saucepan or fish-kettle sufficiently large, in hard cold water, with a little salt, a spoonful or two of vinegar is sometimes added, which has the effect of increasing its firmness. fish for broiling should be rubbed over with vinegar, well dried in a cloth and floured. the fire must be clear and free from smoke, the gridiron made quite hot, and the bars buttered before the fish is put on it. fish to be fried should be rubbed in with salt, dried, rolled in a cloth, and placed for a few minutes before the fire previous to being put in the pan. * * * * * fish fried in oil. soles, plaice, or salmon, are the best kinds of fish to dress in this manner, although various other sorts are frequently used. when prepared by salting or drying, as above directed, have a dish ready with beaten eggs, turn the fish well over in them, and sprinkle it freely with flour, so that the fish may be covered entirely with it, then place it in a pan with a good quantity of the best frying oil at boiling heat; fry the fish in it gently, till of a fine equal brown colour, when done, it should be placed on a cloth before the fire for the oil to drain off; great care should be observed that the oil should have ceased to bubble when the fish is put in, otherwise it will be greasy; the oil will serve for two or three times if strained off and poured into a jar. fish prepared in this way is usually served cold. * * * * * fried soles in the english way. prepare the soles as directed in the last receipt, brush them over with egg, dredge them with stale bread crumbs, and fry in boiling butter; this method is preferable when required to be served hot. * * * * * escobeche. take some cold fried fish, place it in a deep pan, then boil half a pint of vinegar with two table spoonsful of water, and one of oil, a little grated ginger, allspice, cayenne pepper, two bay leaves, a little salt, and a table spoonful of lemon juice, with sliced onions; when boiling, pour it over the fish, cover the pan, and let it stand twenty-four hours before serving. * * * * * fish stewed white. put an onion, finely chopped, into a stew-pan, with a little oil, till the onion becomes brown, then add half a pint of water, and place the fish in the stew-pan, seasoning with pepper, salt, mace, ground allspice, nutmeg, and ginger; let it stew gently till the fish is done, then prepare the beaten yolks of four eggs, with the juice of two lemons, and a tea spoonful of flour, a table spoonful of cold water, and a little saffron, mix well in a cup, and pour it into the stew-pan, stirring it carefully one way until it thickens. balls should be thrown in about twenty minutes before serving; they are made in the following way: take a little of the fish, the liver, and roe, if there is any, beat it up finely with chopped parsley, and spread warmed butter, crumbs of bread, and seasoning according to taste; form this into a paste with eggs, and make it into balls of a moderate size; this is a very nice dish when cold; garnish with sliced lemon and parsley. * * * * * an excellent receipt for stewed fish in the dutch fashion. take three or four parsley roots, cut them into pieces, slice several onions and boil in a pint of water till tender, season with lemon juice, vinegar, saffron, pepper, salt, and mace, then add the fish, and let it stew till nearly finished, when remove it, and thicken the gravy with a little flour and butter, and the yolk of one egg, then return the fish to the stew-pan, with balls made as directed in the preceding receipt, and boil up. * * * * * fish stewed brown. fry some fish of a light brown, either soles, slices of salmon, halibut, or plaice, let an onion brown in a little oil, add to it a cup of water, a little mushroom ketchup or powder, cayenne pepper, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice, put the fish into a stew-pan with the above mixture, and simmer gently till done, then take out the fish and thicken the gravy with a little browned flour, and stir in a glass of port wine; a few truffles, or mushrooms, are an improvement. * * * * * water souchy. take a portion of the fish intended to be dressed, and stew it down with three pints of water, parsley roots, and chopped parsley, and then pulp them through a sieve, then add the rest of the fish, with pepper, salt, and seasoning; and serve in a deep dish. * * * * * a superior receipt for stewed carp. clean the fish thoroughly, put it into a saucepan, with a strong rich gravy, season with onion, parsley roots, allspice, nutmegs, beaten cloves, and ginger, let it stew very gently till nearly done, then mix port wine and vinegar in equal quantities, coarse brown sugar and lemon juice, a little flour, with some of the gravy from the saucepan, mix well and pour over the fish, let it boil till the gravy thickens. pike is excellent stewed in this manner. * * * * * fillets of fish. fillets of salmon, soles, &c., fried of a delicate brown according to the receipt already given, and served with a fine gravy is a very nice dish. if required to be very savory, make a fish force-meat, and lay it thickly on the fish before frying; fillets dressed in this way are usually arranged round the dish, and served with a sauce made of good stock, thickened and seasoned with cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and mushroom essence; piccalilli are sometimes added cut small. * * * * * baked haddock. carefully clean a fresh haddock, and fill it with a fine forcemeat, and sew it in securely; give the fish a dredging of flour, and pour on warmed butter, sprinkle it with pepper and salt, and set it to bake in a dutch-oven before the fire, basting it, from time to time, with butter warmed, and capers; it should be of a rich dark brown, and it is as well to dredge two or three times with flour while at the fire, the continual bastings will produce sufficient sauce to serve with it without any other being added. mackarel and whiting prepared in this manner are excellent, the latter should be covered with a layer of bread crumbs, and arranged in a ring, and the forcemeat, instead of stuffing them, should be formed into small balls, and served in the dish as a garnish. the forcemeat must be made as for veal stuffing, with the addition of a couple of minced anchovies, cayenne pepper, and butter instead of suet. * * * * * a nice way of dressing red herrings. open them, cut off the tails and heads, soak them in hot water for an hour, then wipe them dry; mix with warmed butter one beaten egg, pour this over the herrings, sprinkle with bread crumbs, flour, and white pepper, broil them and serve them very hot. * * * * * baked mackarel with vinegar. cut off the heads and tails, open and clean them, lay them in a deep pan with a few bay leaves, whole pepper, half a tea-spoonful of cloves, and a whole spoonful of allspice, pour over equal quantities of vinegar and water, and bake for an hour and a half, in a gentle oven; herrings and sprats are also dressed according to this receipt. * * * * * fish salad. cut in small pieces any cold dressed fish, turbot or salmon are the best suited; mix it with half a pint of small salad, and a lettuce cut small, two onions boiled till tender and mild, and a few truffles thinly sliced; pour over a fine salad mixture, and arrange it into a shape, high in the centre, and garnish with hard eggs cut in slices; a little cucumber mixed with the salad is an improvement. the mixture may either be a common salad mixture, or made as follows: take the yolks of three hard boiled eggs, with a spoonful of mustard, and a little salt, mix these with a cup of cream, and four table-spoonsful of vinegar, the different ingredients should be added carefully and worked together smoothly, the whites of the eggs may be trimmed and placed in small heaps round the dish as a garnish. * * * * * impanada. cut in small pieces halibut, plaice, or soles, place them in a deep dish in alternate layers, with slices of potatoes and dumplings made of short-crust paste, sweetened with brown sugar, season well with small pickles, peppers, gerkins, or west india pickles; throw over a little water and butter warmed, and bake it thoroughly. * * * * * white bait. this is such a delicate fish that there are few cooks who attempt to dress it without spoiling it; they should not be touched but thrown from the dish into a cloth with a handful of flour; shake them lightly, but enough to cover them well with the flour, then turn them into a sieve expressly for bait to free them from too great a quantity of the flour, then throw the fish into a pan with plenty of boiling butter, they must remain but an instant, for they are considered spoilt if they become the least brown; they should be placed lightly on the dish piled up high in the centre, brown bread and butter is always served with them; when devilled they are also excellent, and are permitted to become brown; they are then sprinkled with cayenne pepper, and a little salt, and served with lemon juice. this receipt was given by a cook who dressed white bait to perfection. * * * * * a dutch fricandelle. take two pounds of dressed fish, remove the skin and bones, cut in small pieces with two or three anchovies, and season well, soak the crumb of a french roll in milk, beat it up with the fish and three eggs: butter a mould, sprinkle it with raspings, place in the fish and bake it; when done, turn out and serve either dry or with anchovy sauce; if served dry, finely grated crumbs of bread should be sprinkled thickly over it, and it should be placed for a few minutes before the fire to brown. * * * * * fish fritters. make a force-meat of any cold fish, form it into thin cakes, and fry of a light brown, or enclose them first in thin paste and then fry them. the roes of fish or the livers are particularly nice prepared in this way. * * * * * fish omelet. shred finely any cold fish, season it, and mix with beaten eggs; make it into a paste, fry in thin cakes like pancakes, and serve hot on a napkin; there should be plenty of boiling butter in the pan, as they should be moist and rich; there should be more eggs in the preparation for omelets than for fritters. * * * * * scalloped fish. take any dressed fish, break it in small pieces, put it into tin scallops, with a few crumbs of bread, a good piece of butter, a little cream if approved, white pepper, salt, and nutmeg; bake in an oven for ten minutes, or brown before the fire; two or three mushrooms mixed, or an anchovy will be found an improvement. * * * * * another way. break the fish into pieces, pour over the beaten yolk of an egg, sprinkle with pepper and salt, strew with bread crumbs, chopped parsley, and grated lemon peel, and squeeze in the juice of lemon, drop over a little warmed butter, and brown before the fire. chapter iv. directions for various ways of dressing meat and poultry. introductory remarks. boiling is the most simple manner of cooking, the great art in this process is to boil the article sufficiently, without its being overdone, the necessity of slow boiling cannot be too strongly impressed upon the cook, as the contrary, renders it hard and of a bad color; the average time of boiling for fresh meat is half an hour to every pound, salt meat requires half as long again, and smoked meat still longer; the lid of the saucepan should only be removed for skimming, which is an essential process. roasting chiefly depends on the skilful management of the fire, it is considered that a joint of eight pounds requires two hours roasting; when first put down it should be basted with fresh dripping, and afterwards with its own dripping, it should be sprinkled with salt, and repeatedly dredged with flour, which browns and makes it look rich and frothy. broiling requires a steady clear fire, free from flame and smoke, the gridiron should be quite hot before the article is placed on it, and the bars should be rubbed with fat, or if the article is thin-skinned and delicate, with chalk; the gridiron should be held aslant to prevent the fat dripping into the fire; the bars of a gridiron should be close and fine. frying is easier than broiling, the fat, oil or butter in which the article is fried must be boiling, but have ceased to bubble before it is put in the pan, or it will be greasy and black: there is now a new description of fryingpan, called a sauté pan, and which will be found extremely convenient for frying small cutlets or collops. stewing is a more elaborate mode of boiling; a gentle heat with frequent skimmings, are the points to be observed. glazing is done by brushing melted jelly over the article to be glazed and letting it cool, and then adding another coat, or in some cases two or three, this makes any cold meats or poultry have an elegant appearance. blanching makes the article plump and white. it should be set on the fire in cold water, boil up and then be immersed in cold water, where it should remain some little time. larding (the french term is _piqué_, which the inexperienced jewish cook may not be acquainted with, we therefore use the term in common use) is a term given to a certain mode of garnishing the surface of meat or poultry: it is inserting small pieces of the fat of smoked meats, truffles, or tongue, which are trimmed into slips of equal length and size, into the flesh of the article at regular distances, and is effected by means of larding pins. poelée and blanc, are terms used in modern cookery for a very expensive mode of stewing: it is done by stewing the article with meat, vegetables, and fat of smoked meats, all well seasoned; instead of placing it to stew in water it is placed on slices of meat covered with slices of fat and the vegetables and seasoning added, then water enough to cover the whole is added. blanc differs from poelée, in having a quantity of suet added, and being boiled down before the article is placed to stew in it. braising is a similar process to poelée, but less meat and vegetable is used. * * * * * to clarify suet. melt down with care fine fresh suet, either beef or veal, put it into a jar, and set it in a stew-pan of water to boil, putting in a sprig of rosemary, or a little orange flower water while melting, this is a very useful preparation and will be found, if adopted in english kitchens, to answer the purpose of lard and is far more delicate and wholesome: it should be well beaten till quite light with a wooden fork. * * * * * olio. put eight pounds of beef in sufficient water to cover it, when the water boils take out the meat, skim off the fat, and then return the meat to the stew-pan, adding at the same time two fine white cabbages without any of the stalk or hard parts; season with pepper, salt, and a tea-spoonful of white sugar, let it simmer on a slow fire for about five hours, about an hour before serving, add half a pound of _chorisa_, which greatly improves the flavor. * * * * * an excellent receipt for stewing a rump of beef. chop fine a large onion, four bay leaves, and a little parsley, add to these half an ounce of ground ginger, a tea-spoonful of salt, a blade of mace, a little ground allspice, some lemon sliced, and some of the peel grated; rub all these ingredients well into the meat, then place it into a stew-pan with three parts of a cup of vinegar, a calf's-foot cut in small pieces and a pint of water, stew gently till tender, when the fat must be carefully skimmed off the gravy, which must be strained and poured over the meat. * * * * * alamode beef, or sour meat. cover a piece of the ribs of beef boned and filletted, or a piece of the round with vinegar diluted with water, season with onions, pepper, salt, whole allspice, and three or four bay leaves, add a cup full of raspings, and let the whole stew gently for three or four hours, according to the weight of the meat; this dish is excellent when cold. a rump steak stewed in the same way will be found exceedingly fine. * * * * * kimmel meat. place a small piece of the rump of beef, or the under cut of a sirloin in a deep pan with three pints of vinegar, two ounces of carraway seeds tied in a muslin bag, salt, pepper, and spices, cover it down tight, and bake thoroughly in a slow oven. this is a fine relish for luncheons. * * * * * beef and beans. take a piece of brisket of beef, cover it with water, when boiling skim off the fat, add one quarter of french beans cut small, two onions cut in quarters, season with pepper and salt, and when nearly done take a dessert-spoonful of flour, one of coarse brown sugar, and a large tea-cup full of vinegar, mix them together and stir in with the beans, and continue stewing for about half an hour longer. * * * * * kugel and commean. soak one pint of spanish peas and one pint of spanish beans all night in three pints of water; take two marrow bones, a calf's-foot, and three pounds of fine gravy-beef, crack the bones and tie them to prevent the marrow escaping, and put all together into a pan; then take one pound of flour, half a pound of shred suet, a little grated nutmeg and ground ginger, cloves and allspice, one pound of coarse brown sugar, and the crumb of a slice of bread, first soaked in water and pressed dry, mix all these ingredients together into a paste, grease a quart basin and put it in, covering the basin with a plate set in the middle of the pan with the beans, meat, &c. cover the pan lightly down with coarse brown paper, and let it remain all the night and the next day, (until required) in a baker's oven, when done, take out the basin containing the pudding, and skim the fat from the gravy which must be served as soup; the meat, &c., is extremely savory and nutritious, but is not a very seemly dish for table. the pudding must be turned out of the basin, and a sweet sauce flavored with lemon and brandy is a fine addition. * * * * * sauer kraut. boil about seven or eight pounds of beef, either brisket or a fillet off the shoulder, in enough water to cover it, when it has boiled for one hour, add as much sauer kraut, which is a german preparation, as may be approved, it should then stew gently for four hours and be served in a deep dish. the germans are not very particular in removing the fat, but it is more delicate by so doing. * * * * * beef with celery, and white beans and peas. soak for twelve hours one pint of dried white peas, and half a pint of the same kind of beans, they must be well soaked, and if very dry, may require longer than twelve hours, put a nice piece of brisket of about eight pounds weight in a stew-pan with the peas and beans, and three heads of celery cut in small pieces, put water enough to cover, and season with pepper and salt only, let it all stew slowly till the meat is extremely tender and the peas and beans quite soft, then add four large lumps of sugar and nearly a tea-cup of vinegar; this is a very fine stew. * * * * * beef collops. cut thin slices off from any tender part, divide them into pieces of the size of a wine biscuit, flatten and flour them, and lightly fry in clarified fat, lay them in a stew-pan with good stock, season to taste, have pickled gherkins chopped small, and add to the gravy a few minutes before serving. * * * * * to warm cold roast beef when not sufficiently done. cut it in slices, also slice some beetroot or cucumber and put them in a saucepan with a little gravy which need not be strong, two table-spoonsful of vinegar, one of oil, pepper, salt, a little chopped lettuce and a few peas, simmer till the vegetables and meat are sufficiently dressed. * * * * * to hash beef. the meat should be put on the fire in a little broth or gravy, with a little fried onion, pepper, salt, and a spoonful of ketchup, or any other sauce at hand, let it simmer for about ten minutes, then mix in a cup a little flour with a little of the gravy, and pour it into the stewpan to thicken the rest; sippets of toast should be served with hashes, a little port wine, a pinch of saffron, or a piece _chorisa_ may be considered great improvements. * * * * * steaks with chesnuts. take a fine thick steak, half fry it, then flour and place it in a stewpan with a little good beef gravy, season with cayenne pepper and salt, when it has simmered for about ten minutes, add a quarter of a hundred good chesnuts, peeled and the inner skin scraped off, let them stew with the steak till well done, this is a very nice dish, a little espagnole sauce heightens the flavor. * * * * * a simple stewed steak. put a fine steak in a stewpan with a large piece of clarified suet or fat, and a couple of onions sliced, let the steak fry for a few minutes, turning it several times; then cover the steak with gravy, or even water will answer the purpose, with a tea-cup full of button onions, or a spanish onion sliced, a little lemon peel, pepper, salt, and a little allspice; simmer till the steak is done, when the steak must be removed and the gravy be carefully skimmed, then add to it a little browning and a spoonful of mushroom ketchup; the steak must be kept on a hot stove or returned to the stewpan to warm up. if the gravy is not thick enough, stir in a little flour. * * * * * brisket stewed with onions and raisins. stew about five pounds of brisket of beef in sufficient water to cover, season with allspice, pepper, salt, and nutmeg, and when nearly done, add four large onions cut in pieces and half a pound of raisins stoned, let them remain simmering till well done; and just before serving, stir in a tea-spoonful of brown sugar and a table spoonful of flour. * * * * * brisket stewed. take about six or seven pounds of brisket of beef, place it in a stewpan with only enough water to cover it, season with a little spice tied in a bag; when the meat is tender and the spices sufficiently extracted to make the gravy rich and strong, part of it must be removed to another saucepan; have ready a variety of vegetables cut into small shapes, such as turnips, carrots, mushrooms, cauliflowers, or whatever may be in season; stew them gently till tender in the gravy, the meat must then be glazed and the gravy poured in the dish, and the vegetables arranged round. * * * * * beef ragout. take a small well cut piece of lean beef, lard it with the fat of smoked beef, and stew it with good gravy, highly seasoned with allspice, cloves, pepper and salt; when the meat is well done remove it from the gravy, which skim carefully and free from every particle of fat, and add to it a glass of port wine, the juice of a lemon, half a tea-spoonful of cayenne pepper, and a little mushroom ketchup; the beef should be glazed when required to have an elegant appearance. a few very small forcemeat balls must be poached in the gravy, which must be poured over the meat, and the balls arranged round the dish; this is a very savoury and pretty dish. * * * * * to salt beef. this may be done by mixing a pound of common salt, half an ounce of saltpetre and one ounce of coarse brown sugar, and rubbing the meat well with it, daily for a fortnight or less, according to the weather, and the degree of salt that the meat is required to have. or by boiling eight ounces of salt, eight ounces of sugar, and half an ounce of saltpetre in two quarts of water, and pouring it over the meat, and letting it stand in it for eight or ten days. * * * * * spiced beef. take a fine thick piece of brisket of beef not fat, let it lay three days in a pickle, as above, take it out and rub in a mixture of spices consisting of equal quantities of ground all-spice, black pepper, cloves, ginger and nutmegs, and a little brown sugar, repeat this daily for a week, then cover it with pounded dried sweet herbs, roll or tie it tightly, put it into a pan with very little water, and bake slowly for eight hours, then take it out, untie it and put a heavy weight upon it; this it a fine relish when eaten cold. * * * * * smoked beef. as there are seldom conveniences in private kitchens for smoking meats, it will generally be the best and cheapest plan to have them ready prepared for cooking. all kinds of meats smoked and salted, are to be met with in great perfection at all the hebrew butchers. _chorisa_, that most refined and savoury of all sausages, is to be also procured at the same places. it is not only excellent fried in slices with poached eggs or stewed with rice, but imparts a delicious flavor to stews, soups, and sauces, and is one of the most useful resources of the jewish kitchen. * * * * * a white fricandeau of veal. take four or five pounds of breast of veal, or fillet from the shoulder; stuff it with a finely flavoured veal stuffing and put it into a stewpan with water sufficient to cover it, a calf's-foot cut in pieces is sometimes added, season with one onion, a blade of mace, white pepper and salt, and a sprig of parsley, stew the whole gently until the meat is quite tender, then skim and strain the gravy and stir in the beaten yolks of four eggs, and the juice of two lemons previously mixed smoothly with a portion of the gravy, button mushrooms, or pieces of celery stewed with the veal are sometimes added by way of varying the flavor, egg and forcemeat balls garnish the dish. when required to look elegant it should be piqué. * * * * * a brown fricassee. cut a breast of veal in pieces, fry them lightly and put them into a stewpan with a good beef gravy, seasoned with white pepper, salt, a couple of sliced onions (previously browned in a little oil), and a piece of whole ginger, let it simmer very slowly for two hours taking care to remove the scum or fat, have ready some rich forcemeat and spread it about an inch thick over three cold hard boiled eggs, fry these for a few moments and put them in the saucepan with the veal; before serving, these balls should be cut in quarters, and the gravy rendered more savory by the addition of lemon juice and half a glass of white wine, or a table-spoonful of walnut liquor, if the gravy is not sufficiently thick by long stewing, a little browned flour may be stirred in. * * * * * calf's head stewed. clean and soak the head till the cheek-bone can be easily removed, then parboil it and cut it into pieces of moderate size, and place them in about a quart of stock made from shin of beef, the gravy must be seasoned highly with eschalots, a small head of celery, a small bunch of sweet herbs, an onion, a carrot, a little mace, a dozen cloves, a piece of lemon peel, and a sprig of parsley, salt and pepper; it must be strained before the head is added, fine forcemeat balls rolled in egg and fried are served in the dish, as well as small fritters made with the brains; when ready for serving, a glass and half of white wine and the juice of a lemon are added to the gravy. * * * * * calves-feet with spanish sauce. having cleaned, boiled and split two fine feet, dip them into egg and bread crumbs mixed with chopped parsley and chalot, a few ground cloves, a little nutmeg, pepper and salt, fry them a fine brown, arrange them in the dish and pour the sauce over. make the sauce in the following manner: slice two fine spanish onions, put them in a saucepan, with some chopped truffles or mushrooms, a little suet, cayenne and white pepper, salt, one or two small lumps of white sugar, and let all simmer in some good strong stock till the gravy has nearly boiled away, then stir in a wine glass of madeira wine, and a little lemon juice; it should then be returned to the saucepan, to be made thoroughly hot before serving. * * * * * calf's feet au fritur. simmer them for four hours in water till the meat can be taken easily from the bone, then cut them in handsome pieces, season with pepper and salt, dip them in egg, and sprinkle thickly with grated bread crumbs, and fry of a fine even brown; they may be served dry or with any sauce that may be approved. the liquor should continue to stew with the bones, and can be used for jelly. * * * * * calf's feet stewed for invalids. clean and soak a fine foot, put it on in very little water, let it simmer till tender, then cut it in pieces, without removing the bone, and continue stewing for three hours, till they become perfectly soft; if the liquor boils away, add a little more water, but there should not be more liquor than can be served in the dish with the foot; the only seasoning requisite is a little salt and white pepper, and a sprig of parsley, or a pinch of saffron to improve the appearance; a little delicately-made thin egg sauce, with a flavor of lemon juice, may be served in a sauce-tureen if approved; sippets of toast or well boiled rice to garnish the dish, may also be added, and will not be an unacceptable addition. * * * * * tendons of veal. this is a very fine and nutritious dish; cut from the bones of a breast of veal the tendons which are round the front, trim and blanch them, put them with slices of smoked beef into a stewpan with some shavings of veal, a few herbs, a little sliced lemon, two or three onions, and a little broth; they must simmer for seven or eight hours; when done, thicken the gravy and add white wine and mushrooms and egg-balls; a few peas with the tendons will be found excellent, a piece of mint and a little white sugar will then be requisite. * * * * * fricandeau of veal. take a piece from the shoulder, about three to four pounds, trim it and form it into a well shaped even piece, the surface of which should be quite smooth; _piqué_ it thickly, put it into a stewpan with a couple of onions, a carrot sliced, sweet herbs, two or three bay leaves, a large piece of _chorissa_ or a slice of the root of a tongue smoked, a little whole pepper and salt; cover it with a gravy made from the trimmings of the veal, and stew till extremely tender, which can be proved by probing it with a fine skewer, then reduce part of the gravy to a glaze, glaze the meat with it and serve on a _pureé_ of vegetables. * * * * * collared veal. remove the bones, gristle, &c., from a nice piece of veal, the breast is the best part for the purpose; season the meat well with chopped herbs, mace, pepper, and salt, then lay between the veal slices of smoked tongue variegated with beetroot, chopped parsley, and hard yolks of eggs, roll it up tightly in a cloth, simmer for some hours till tender; when done, it should have a weight laid on it to press out the liquor. * * * * * curried veal. cut a breast of veal into pieces, fry lightly with a chopped onion, then rub the veal over with currie powder, put it into a good gravy of veal and beef, season simply with pepper, salt, and lemon juice. fowls curried are prepared in the same way. * * * * * cutlets. cut them into proper shape and beat them with a roller until the fibre of the meat is entirely broken; if this is not done, they will be hard; they must then be covered with egg and sprinkled with flour, or a preparation for cutlets may be spread over them, and then fry them of a fine brown, remove the cutlets to a hot dish, and add to the fat in which the cutlets have been fried, a spoonful of flour, a small cup of gravy, salt, pepper, and a little lemon juice or lemon pickle. * * * * * cutlets a la franÇaise. french cooks cut them thinner than the english, and trim them into rounds of the size of a tea-cup; they must be brushed over with egg, and sprinkled with salt, white pepper, mushroom powder, and grated lemon peel; put them into a _sauté_ pan and fry of a very light brown; pieces of bread, smoked meat or tongue cut of the same size as the cutlets, and prepared in the same manner, are laid alternately in the dish with them; they should be served without sauce and with a _purée_ of mushrooms or spinach in the centre of the dish. * * * * * cutlets in white fricassee. cut them in proper shapes, put them in a veal gravy made with the trimmings enough to cover them; season delicately, and let them simmer till quite tender, but not long enough to lose their shape; fresh button mushrooms and a piece of lemon peel are essential to this dish; when the meat is done remove it, take all fat from the gravy, and thicken it with the yolks of two beaten eggs; small balls of forcemeat in which mushrooms must be minced should be poached in the gravy when about to be served; the meat must be returned to the saucepan to be made hot, and when placed in the dish, garnish with thin slices of lemon. * * * * * cutlets in brown fricassee. they must be trimmed as above, fried slightly and stewed in beef gravy, and seasoned according to the directions given for a brown fricassee of veal; balls or fritters are always an improvement to the appearance of this dish. * * * * * blanquette of veal. cut into thin pieces of the size of shillings and half crowns, cold veal or poultry, lay it in a small saucepan with a handful of fresh well cleaned button mushrooms, pour over a little veal gravy, only enough to cover them, with a piece of clarified veal fat about the size of the yolk of a hard boiled egg; flavor with a piece of lemon peel, very little white pepper and salt, one small lump of white sugar, and a little nutmeg, stew all together for fifteen minutes, then pour over a sauce prepared in a separate saucepan, made with veal gravy, a little lemon juice, but not much, and the beaten yolks of two eggs, let it simmer for an instant and then serve it up in the centre of a dish prepared with a wall of mashed potatoes, delicately browned; a few truffles renders this dish more elegant. * * * * * minced veal. cut in small square pieces about the size of dice, cold dressed veal, put it into a saucepan with a little water or gravy, season simply with salt, pepper, and grated or minced lemon peel, the mince should be garnished with sippets of toast. * * * * * miroton of veal. mince finely some cold veal or poultry, add a little grated tongue, or smoked beef, a few crumbs of bread, sweet herbs, pepper, salt, parsley, and if approved, essence of lemon, mix all well with two or three eggs, and a very small quantity of good gravy; grease a mould, put in the above ingredients and bake for three-quarters of an hour; turn out with care, and serve with mushroom sauce. * * * * * fricondelles. prepare cold veal or poultry as in the last receipt, add instead of crumbs of bread, a french roll soaked in white gravy, mix with it the same ingredients, and form it into two shapes to imitate small chickens or sweetbreads; sprinkle with crumbs of bread, and place in a frying-pan as deep as a shallow saucepan; when they have fried enough to become set, pour enough weak gravy in the pan to cover the fricondelles, and let them stew in it gently, place them both in the same dish, and pour over any well thickened sauce that may be selected. * * * * * another sort. prepare four small pieces of veal to serve in one dish, according to the directions given for fricandeau of veal; these form a very pretty _entrée_; the pieces of veal should be about the size of pigeons. * * * * * smoked veal. take a fine fat thick breast of veal, bone it, lay it in pickle, according to the receipt to salt meat, hang it for three or four weeks in wood-smoke, and it will prove a very fine savoury relish, either boiled and eaten cold, or fried as required. * * * * * sweetbreads roasted. first soak them in warm water, and then blanch them; in whatever manner they are to be dressed, this is essential; they may be prepared in a variety of ways, the simplest is to roast them; for this they have only to be covered with egg and bread crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, and finished in a dutch oven or cradle spit, frequently basting with clarified veal suet; they may be served either dry with a _purée_ of vegetables, or with a brown gravy. * * * * * sweetbreads stewed white. after soaking and blanching, stew them in veal gravy, and season with celery, pepper, salt, nutmeg, a little mace, and a piece of lemon peel, they should be served with a fine white sauce, the gravy in which they are stewed will form the basis for it, with the addition of yolks of eggs and mushroom essence; french cooks would adopt the _velouté_ or _bechamél_ sauce; jerusalem artichokes cut the size of button mushrooms, are a suitable accompaniment as a garnish. * * * * * sweetbreads stewed brown. after soaking and blanching, fry them till brown, then simmer gently in beef gravy seasoned highly with smoked meat, nutmeg, pepper, salt, a small onion stuck with cloves, and a very little whole allspice; the gravy must be slightly thickened, and morels and truffles are generally added; small balls of delicate forcemeat are also an improvement. the above receipts are adapted for sweetbreads fricasseed, except that they must be cut in pieces for fricassees, and pieces of meat or poultry are added to them; sweetbreads when dressed whole look better _piqués_. * * * * * a delicate receipt for roast mutton. put the joint in a saucepan, cover it with cold water, let it boil for half an hour, have the spit and fire quite ready, and remove the meat from the saucepan, and place it immediately down to roast, baste it well, dredge it repeatedly with flour, and sprinkle with salt; this mode of roasting mutton removes the strong flavor that is so disagreeable to some tastes. * * * * * mutton stewed with celery. take the best end of a neck of mutton, or a fillet taken from the leg or shoulder, place it in a stewpan with just enough water to cover it, throw in a carrot and turnip, and season, but not too highly; when nearly done remove the meat and strain off the gravy, then return both to the stewpan with forcemeat balls and some fine celery cut in small pieces; let all stew gently till perfectly done, then stir in the yolks of two eggs, a little flour, and the juice of half a lemon, which must be mixed with a little of the gravy before pouring in the stewpan, and care must be taken to prevent curdling. * * * * * a simple way of dressing mutton. take the fillet off a small leg or shoulder of mutton, rub it well over with egg and seasoning, and partly roast it, then place it in a stewpan with a little strong gravy, and stew gently till thoroughly done; this dish is simple, but exceedingly nice; a few balls or fritters to garnish will improve it. * * * * * maintenon cutlets. this is merely broiling or frying cutlets in a greased paper, after having spread on them a seasoning prepared as follows: make a paste of bread crumbs, chopped parsley, nutmeg, pepper, salt, grated lemon peel, and thyme, with a couple of beaten eggs; a piquante sauce should be served in a tureen. * * * * * a harricot. cut off the best end of a neck of mutton into chops, flour and partly fry them, then lay them in a stewpan with carrots, sliced turnips cut in small round balls, some button onions, and cover with water; skim frequently, season with pepper and salt to taste, color the gravy with a little browning and a spoonful of mushroom powder. * * * * * irish stew. is the same as above, excepting that the meat is not previously fried, and that potatoes are used instead of turnips and carrots. * * * * * mutton a l'hispaniola. take a small piece of mutton, either part of a shoulder or a fillet of the leg, partly roast it, then put it in a stewpan with beef gravy enough to cover it, previously seasoned with herbs, a carrot and turnip; cut in quarters three large spanish onions, and place in the stewpan round the meat; a stuffing will improve it, and care must be taken to free the gravy from every particle of fat. * * * * * mutton collops. take from a fine knuckle a couple of slices, cut and trim them in collops the size of a tea cup, flatten them and spread over each side a forcemeat for cutlets, and fry them; potatoe or jerusalem artichokes cut in slices of the same size and thickness, or pieces of bread cut with a fluted cutter, prepared as the collops and fried, must be placed alternately in the dish with them; they may be served with a pure simple gravy, or very hot and dry on a napkin, garnished with fried parsley and slices of lemon. the knuckle may be used in the following manner: put it on with sufficient water to cover it, season it and simmer till thoroughly done, thicken the gravy with prepared barley, and flavor it with lemon pickle, or capers; it should be slightly colored with saffron, and celery sauce may be served as an accompaniment, or the mutton may be served on a fine _purée_ of turnips. * * * * * mutton cutlets. have a neck of mutton, cut the bones short, and remove the chine bone completely; cut chops off so thin that every other one shall be without bone, trim them carefully, that all the chops shall bear the same appearance, then flatten them well; cover them with a cutlet preparation, and fry of a delicate brown; a fine _purée_ of any vegetable that may be approved, or any sauce that may be selected, should be served with them; they may be arranged in various ways in the dish, either round the dish or in a circle in the centre, so that the small part of the cutlets shall almost meet; if the latter, the _purée_ should garnish round them instead of being in the centre of the dish. * * * * * mutton ham. choose a fine leg of mutton, rub it in daily with a mixture of three ounces of brown sugar, two ounces of common salt, and half an ounce of saltpetre, continue this process for a fortnight, then hang it to dry in wood smoke for ten days longer. * * * * * lamb and sprew. take a fine neck or breast of lamb, put it in stewpan with as much water as will cover it, add to it a bundle of sprew cut in pieces of two inches in length, a small head of celery cut small, and one onion, pepper, salt, and a sprig of parsley, let it simmer gently till the meat and sprew are tender; a couple of lumps of sugar improves the flavor; there should not be too much liquor, and all fat must be removed; the sprew should surround the meat when served, and also be thickly laid over it. * * * * * lamb and peas. take the best end of a neck of lamb, either keep it whole or divide it into chops as may be preferred, put it into a saucepan with a little chopped onion, pepper, salt, and a small quantity of water; when half done add half a peck of peas, half a lettuce cut fine, a little mint, and a few lumps of sugar, and let it stew thoroughly; when done, there must not be too much liquor; cutlets of veal or beef are also excellent dressed as above. although this is a spring dish it may be almost equally well dressed in winter, by substituting small mutton cutlets and preserved peas, which may be met with at any of the best italian warehouses; a breast or neck of lamb may also be stewed whole in the same manner. * * * * * lamb cutlets with cucumbers. take two fine cucumbers, peel and cut them lengthways, lay them in vinegar for an hour, then stew them in good stock till tender, when stir in the yolks of two or three eggs, a little flour and essence of lemon, which must all be first mixed up together with a little of the stock, have ready some cutlets trimmed and fried a light brown, arrange them round the dish and pour the cucumbers in the centre. * * * * * a nice receipt for shoulder of lamb. half boil it, score it and squeeze over lemon juice, and cover with grated bread crumbs, egg and parsley, broil it over a clear fire and put it to brown in a dutch oven, or grill and serve with a sauce seasoned with lemon pickle and chopped mint. * * * * * a cassereet, an east india dish. take two pounds of lamb chops, or mutton may be substituted, place them in a stewpan, cover with water or gravy, season only with pepper and salt, when the chops are half done, carefully skim off the fat and add two table spoonsful of cassereet, stir it in the gravy which should not be thickened, and finish stewing gently till done enough; rice should accompany this dish. * * * * * turkey boned and forced. a turkey thus prepared may be either boiled or roasted; there are directions for boning poultry which might be given, but it is always better to let the poulterer do it; when boned it must be filled with a fine forcemeat, which may be varied in several ways, the basis should be according to the receipt given for veal stuffings, forcemeats, sausage meat, tongue, and mushrooms added as approved. when boiled it is served with any fine white sauce, french cooks use the velouté or béchamel. when roasted, a cradle spit is very convenient, but if there is not one the turkey must be carefully tied to the spit. * * * * * fowls boned and forced. the above directions serve also for fowls. * * * * * a savoury way of roasting a fowl. fill it with a fine seasoning, and just before it is ready for serving, baste it well with clarified veal suet, and sprinkle it thickly with very dry crumbs of bread, repeat this two or three times; then place it in the dish, and serve with a fine brown gravy well flavored with lemon juice; delicate forcemeat fritters should be also served in the dish. * * * * * boiled fowls. are served with a fine white sauce, and are often garnished with pieces of white cauliflower, or vegetable marrow, the chief object is to keep them white; it is best to select white legged poultry for boiling, as they prove whiter when dressed. * * * * * amnastich. stew gently one pint of rice in one quart of strong gravy till it begins to swell, then add an onion stuck with cloves, a bunch of sweet herbs, and a chicken stuffed with forcemeat, let it stew with the rice till thoroughly done, then take it up and stir in the rice, the yolks of four eggs, and the juice of a lemon; serve the fowl in the same dish with the rice, which should be colored to a fine yellow with saffron. * * * * * fowls stewed with rice and chorisa. boil a fowl in sufficient water or gravy to cover it, when boiling for ten minutes, skim off the fat and add half a pound of rice, and one pound of _chorisa_ cut in about four pieces, season with a little white pepper, salt, and a pinch of saffron to color it, and then stew till the rice is thoroughly tender; there should be no gravy when served, but the rice ought to be perfectly moist. * * * * * curried chicken. see curried veal. undressed chicken is considered best for a curry, it must be cut in small joints, the directions for curried veal are equally adapted for fowls. * * * * * a nice method of dressing fowl and sweetbread. take a fowl and blanch it, also a fine sweet bread, parboil them, then cut off in smooth well shaped slices, all the white part of the fowl, and slice the sweetbread in similar pieces, place them together in a fine well-flavoured veal gravy; when done, serve neatly in the dish, and pour over a fine white sauce, any that may be approved, the remainder of the fowl must be cut up in small joints or pieces, not separated from the bone, and fried to become brown, then place them in a stew-pan with forcemeat balls, truffles, and morels; pour over half or three quarters of a pint of beef gravy, and simmer till finished; a little mushroom ketchup, or lemon-pickle may be added; in this manner two very nice _entrées_ may be formed. * * * * * blankette of fowl. see blankette of veal. * * * * * to stew duck with green peas. stuff and half roast a duck, then put it into a stew-pan with an onion sliced, a little mint and about one pint of beef gravy, add after it has simmered half an hour, a quart of green peas, and simmer another half hour; a little lump sugar is requisite. * * * * * to warm cold poultry. cut up the pieces required to be dressed, spread over them a seasoning as for cutlets, and fry them; pour over a little good gravy, and garnish with sippets of toast and sliced lemon, or place them in an edging of rice or mashed potatoes. * * * * * broiled fowl and mushrooms. truss a fine fowl as if for boiling, split it down the back, and broil gently; when nearly done, put it in a stewpan with a good gravy, add a pint of fresh button mushrooms, season to taste; a little mushroom powder and lemon juice improve the flavour. * * * * * pigeons. to have a good appearance they should be larded and stuffed; glazing is also an improvement, they form a nice _entrée_; they may be stewed in a strong gravy; when done enough, remove the pigeons, thicken the gravy, add a few forcemeat and egg balls, and serve in the dish with the pigeons. or they may be split down the back, broiled, and then finished in the stew-pan. * * * * * stewed giblets. scald one or more sets of giblets, set them on the fire with a little veal or chicken, or both, in a good gravy; season to taste, thicken the gravy, and color it with browning, flavor with mushroom powder and lemon-juice and one glass of white wine; forcemeat balls should be added a few minutes before serving, and garnish with thin slices of hard boiled eggs. * * * * * dutch toast. take the remains of any cold poultry or meat, mince it and season highly; add to it any cold dressed vegetable, mix it up with one or more eggs, and let it simmer till hot in a little gravy; have ready a square of toast, and serve it on it; squeeze over a little lemon-juice, and sprinkle with white pepper. vegetables prepared in this way are excellent; cauliflower simmered in chicken broth, seasoned delicately and minced on toast, is a nutritive good luncheon for an invalid. * * * * * timbale de maccaroni. this is a very pretty dish. the maccaroni must be boiled in water till it slightly swells, and is soft enough to cut; it must be cut into short pieces about two inches in length. grease a mould, and stick the maccaroni closely together all over the mould; when this is done, and which will require some patience, fill up the space with friccassee of chicken, sweetbreads, or whatever may be liked; close the mould carefully, and boil. rich white sauce is usually served with it, but not poured over the timbale, as it would spoil the effect of the honeycomb appearance, which is very pretty. * * * * * a savoury pie for persons of delicate digestion. cut up fowl and sweetbread, lay in the dish in alternate layers with meat, jelly, and the yolks of hard-boiled eggs without the whites, and flavor with lemon-juice, white pepper, and salt; cover with rice prepared as follows: boil half a pound of rice in sufficient water to permit it to swell; when tender beat it up to a thick paste with the yolk of one or two eggs, season with a little salt, and spread it over the dish thickly. the fowl and sweetbread should have been previously simmered till half done in a little weak broth; the pie must be baked in a gentle oven, and if the rice will not brown sufficiently, finish with a salamander. * * * * * descaides. take the livers of chickens or any other poultry; stew it gently in a little good gravy seasoned with a little onion, mushroom essence, pepper, and salt; when tender, remove the livers, place them on a paste board, and mince them; return them to the saucepan, and stir in the yolks of one or two eggs, according to the quantity of liver, until the gravy becomes thick; have a round of toast ready on a hot plate, and serve it on the toast; this is a very nice luncheon or supper dish. chapter v. vegetables and sundries. directions for cleaning and boiling vegetables. vegetables are extremely nutritious when sufficiently boiled, but are unwholesome and indigestible when not thoroughly dressed; still they should not be over boiled, or they will lose their flavor. vegetables should be shaken to get out any insects, and laid in water with a little salt. soft water is best suited for boiling vegetables, and they require plenty of water; a little salt should be put in the saucepan with them, and the water should almost invariably be boiling when they are put in. potatoes are much better when steamed. peas and several other vegetables are also improved by this mode of cooking them, although it is seldom adopted in england. * * * * * mashed potatoes. boil till perfectly tender; let them be quite dry, and press them through a cullender, or mash and beat them well with a fork; add a piece of butter, and milk, or cream, and continue beating till they are perfectly smooth; return them to the saucepan to warm, or they may be browned before the fire. the chief art is to beat them sufficiently long, which renders them light. potatoe balls are mashed potatoes formed into balls glazed with the yolk of egg, and browned with a salamander. * * * * * potato wall, or edging. raise a wall of finely-mashed potatoes, of two or three inches high, round the dish; form it with a spoon to the shape required, brush it over with egg, and put it in the oven to become hot and brown; if it does not brown nicely, use the salamander. rice is arranged the same way to edge curries or fricassees; it must be first boiled till tender. * * * * * potatoe shavings. take four fine large potatoes, and having peeled them, continue to cut them up as if peeling them in ribbons of equal width; then throw the shavings into a frying-pan, and fry of a fine brown; they must be constantly moved with a silver fork to keep the pieces separate. they should be laid on a cloth to drain, and placed in the dish lightly. * * * * * the french way of dressing spinach. wash and boil till tender, then squeeze and strain it; press it in a towel till almost dry; put it on a board, and chop it as finely as possible; then return it to the saucepan, with butter, pepper, and salt; stir it all the time, and let it boil fast. * * * * * stewed spinach. scald and chop some spinach small; cut up an onion; add pepper and salt and brown sugar, with a little vinegar, stew all together gently; serve with poached eggs or small forcemeat fritters. this forms a pretty side-dish, and is also a nice way of dressing spinach to serve in the same dish with cutlets. * * * * * to stew spanish beans and peas. soak the beans over night in cold water; they must be stewed in only sufficient water to cover them, with two table spoonsful of oil, a little pepper and salt, and white sugar. when done they should be perfectly soft and tender. * * * * * peas stewed with oil. put half a peck of peas into a stew-pan, half a lettuce chopped small, a little mint, a small onion cut up, two table-spoonsful of oil, and a dessert-spoonful of powdered sugar, with water sufficient to cover the peas, watching, from time to time, that they do not become too dry; let them stew gently, taking care that they do not burn, till perfectly soft. when done they should look of a yellowish brown. french beans, brocoli, and greens, stewed in the above manner will be found excellent. * * * * * cucumber mango. cut a large cucumber in half, length ways, scoop out the seedy part, and lay it in vinegar that has been boiled with mustard-seed, a little garlic, and spices, for twenty-four hours, then fill the cucumber with highly-seasoned forcemeat, and stew it in a rich gravy, the cucumber must be tied to keep it together. * * * * * cabbage and rice. scald till tender a fine summer white cabbage, then chop it up small, and put it into a stewpan, with a large cup of rice, also previously scalded, add a little water, a large piece of butter, salt and pepper; let it stew gently till thoroughly done, stirring from time to time, and adding water and butter to prevent its getting too thick; there should be no gravy in the dish when served. * * * * * palestine salad. take a dozen fine jerusalem artichokes, boil till tender, let the water strain off, and when cold cut them in quarters, and pour over a fine salad mixture; the artichokes should lay in the sauce half an hour before serving. this salad is a very refreshing one, and has the advantage of being extremely wholesome. * * * * * a spring dish. take one quart of young peas, a little mint, a few lumps of sugar, a little salt and white pepper, simmer them gently in one pint of water, when the peas are half done, throw in small dumplings made of paste, as if for short crust, and sweetened with a little brown sugar, beat up two eggs, and drop in a spoonful at a time, just before serving; it will require a deep dish, as the liquor is not to be strained off. some prefer the eggs poached. * * * * * carrots au beurre. boil them enough to be perfectly tender, then cut them in quarters, and again in lengths of three inches, drain them from the water, and put to them a piece of butter, salt and pepper, and simmer them for a few minutes without boiling; a large piece of butter must be used. french beans are good dressed in the same way. * * * * * puree of vegetables. take any vegetable that may be approved, boil till well done, drain away all water, reduce the vegetable to a pulp, and add to it any fine sauce, to make it of the consistency of a very thick custard. * * * * * jerusalem artichokes fried. cut in slices after parboiling them, dip in batter, and fry. * * * * * stewed red cabbage. clean and remove the outer leaves, slice it as thinly as possible, put it in a saucepan with a large piece of butter, and a tea cup full of water, salt and pepper; let it stew slowly till very tender. * * * * * mushrooms au naturel. clean some fine fresh mushrooms, put them in a saucepan with a large piece of butter, pepper and salt; let them simmer until tender, and serve them with no other sauce than that in which they have been dressed. also stewed in a veal gravy, and served with white sauce on a toast, they form a nice and pretty dish. the large flap mushrooms may be stewed in gravy, or simply broiled, seasoned with cayenne pepper, salt, and lemon juice. * * * * * dry tomato soup. brown a couple of onions in a little oil, about two table-spoonsful or more, according to the number of tomatos; when hot, add about six tomatos cut and peeled, season with cayenne pepper and salt, and let the whole simmer for a short time, then cut thin slices of bread, and put as much with the tomatos as will bring them to the consistency of a pudding; it must be well beaten up, stir in the yolks of two or three eggs, and two ounces of butter warmed; turn the whole into a deep dish and bake it very brown. crumbs of bread should be strewed over the top, and a little warmed butter poured over. * * * * * devilled biscuits. butter some biscuits on both sides, and pepper them well, make a paste of either chopped anchovies, or fine cheese, and spread it on the biscuit, with mustard and cayenne pepper, and grill them. * * * * * savoury eggs. boil some eggs hard, put them into cold water, cut them into halves, take out the yolks, beat them up in a mortar with grated hung beef, fill the halves with this mixture, fry lightly, and serve with brown gravy. * * * * * savoury cheese cakes. grate finely an equal quantity of stale bread and good cheese, season with a little pepper and salt, mix into a batter with eggs, form into thin cakes and fry. * * * * * scalloped eggs. poach lightly three or four eggs, place them in a dish, pour upon them a little warm butter; sprinkle with pepper, salt, and nutmeg, strew over with crumbs of bread, and brown before the fire. * * * * * maccaroni and cheese. boil some maccaroni in milk or water until tender, then drain them and place on a dish with bits of butter and grated parmesan cheese; when the dish is filled grate more cheese over it and brown before the fire. * * * * * a fine receipt for a savoury omelette. break four eggs, beat them up till thin enough to pass through a hair sieve, then beat them up till perfectly smooth and thin; a small omelette frying-pan is necessary for cooking it well. dissolve in it a piece of butter, about an ounce and a half, pour in the egg, and as soon as it rises and is firm, slide it on to a warm plate and fold it over; it should only be fried on one side, and finely minced herbs should be sprinkled over the unfried side with pepper and salt. a salamander is frequently held over the unfried side of the omelette to take off the rawness it may otherwise have. * * * * * chorisa omelette. add to the eggs, after they are well beaten as directed in the last receipt, half a tea-cup full of finely minced _chorisa_; this omelette must be lightly fried on both sides, or the salamander held over long enough to dress the _chorisa_. * * * * * ramakins. mix together three eggs, one ounce of warmed butter, and two of fine cheese grated, and bake in small patty pans. * * * * * rissoles. make a fine forcemeat of any cold meat, poultry, or fish, enclose it in a very rich puff paste, rolled out extremely thin. they may be made into balls or small triangular turnovers, or into long narrow ribbons; the edges must be pressed together, that they may not burst in frying. they form a pretty dish. * * * * * croquettes. pound any cold poultry, meat, or fish, make it into a delicate forcemeat; the flavor can be varied according to taste; minced mushrooms, herbs, parsley, grated lemon peel, are suitable for poultry and veal; minced anchovies should be used instead of mushrooms when the croquettes are made of fish. form the mixture into balls or oval shapes the size of small eggs; dip them into beaten eggs, thickly sprinkle with bread crumbs or pounded vermicelli, and fry of a handsome brown. * * * * * casserole au riz. boil some rice till quite tender, make it into a firm paste with one egg and a couple of tablespoons of strong gravy; then line the inside of a mould with the paste of sufficient thickness to turn out without breaking. some cooks fill the mould instead of lining it only, and scoop away the centre. after it is turned out the rice must stand till cold, before it is removed from the mould; then fill the rice with friccassee of fowl and sweetbread, with a rich white sauce, and place it in the oven to become hot and brown. the mould used for a casserole is oval and fluted, and resembles a cake mould. it is as well to observe, it cannot be made in a jelly mould. * * * * * a fondu. make into a batter one ounce and a half of potatoe flour, with the same quantity of grated cheese and of butter, and a quarter of a pint of milk or cream; add a little salt, very little pepper, and the well-beaten yolks of four fine fresh eggs; when all this is well mixed together, pour in the whites of the eggs, well whisked to a froth; pour the mixture into a deep soup plate or dish, used expressly for the purpose, and bake in a moderate oven. the dish should be only half filled with the _fondu_, as it will rise very high. it must be served the moment it is ready, or it will fall. it is a good plan to hold a salamander over it while being brought to table. * * * * * petits fondeaus. make a batter as for a fondu, but use rice flour or arrow root instead of potatoe flour; add the egg in the same manner as for a fondu, and pour the mixture into small paper trays fringed round the top. the mixture should only half fill the trays or cases. chapter vi. pastry. directions for making paste. to make good light paste requires much practice; as it is not only from the proportions, but from the manner of mixing the various ingredients, that paste acquires its good or bad qualities. paste should be worked up very lightly, and no strength or pressure used; it should be rolled out _from you_, as lightly as possible. a marble slab is better than a board to make paste on. the flour should be dried for some time before the fire previously to being used. in forming it into paste it should be wetted as little as possible, to prevent its being tough. it is a great mistake to imagine _lard_ is better adapted for pastry than butter or clarified fat; it may make the paste lighter, but neither the color nor the flavor will be nearly so good, and the saving is extremely trifling. to ensure lightness, paste should be set in the oven directly it is made. puff paste requires a brisk oven. butter should be added to the paste in small pieces. the more times the paste is folded and rolled, if done with a light hand and the butter added with skill, the richer and lighter it will prove. it is no longer customary to line the dish for pies and fruit tarts. * * * * * plain puff paste. mix a pound of flour into a stiff paste with a little water, first having rubbed into it about two ounces of butter, then roll it out; add by degrees the remainder of the butter (there should be altogether half a pound of butter), fold the paste and roll about two or three times. * * * * * very rich puff paste. mix in the same manner equal quantities of butter and flour, taking care to have the flour dried for a short time before the fire; it may be folded and rolled five or six times. this paste is well suited to vol-au-vents and tartlets; an egg well beaten and mixed with the paste is sometimes added. * * * * * plain short crust. put half a pound of fresh butter to a pound of flour, add the yolks of two eggs and a little powdered sugar, mix into a paste with water, and roll out once. * * * * * egg paste, called in modern cookery nouilles. this is formed by making a paste of flour and beaten eggs, without either butter or water; it must be rolled out extremely thin and left to dry; it may then be cut into narrow strips or stamped with paste cutters. it is more fashionable in soups than vermicelli. * * * * * beef dripping paste. mix half a pound of clarified dripping into one pound of flour; work it into a paste with water, and roll out twice. this is a good paste for a common meat pie. * * * * * glaze for pastry. when the pastry is nearly baked, brush it over with white of egg, cover it thickly with sifted sugar, and brown it in the oven, or it may be browned with a salamander. for savory pies beat the yolk of an egg, dip a paste-brush into it, and lay it on the crust before baking. * * * * * fruit tarts or pies. a fruit tart is so common a sweet that it is scarcely necessary to give any directions concerning it. acid fruits are best stewed before putting into a pie: the usual proportions are half a pound of sugar to a quart of fruit--not quite so much if the fruit is ripe; the fruit should be laid high in the middle of the dish, to make the pie a good shape. it is the fashion to lay over the crust, when nearly baked, an icing of the whites of eggs whisked with sugar; the tart or pie is then replaced in the oven. * * * * * a very fine savoury pie. lay a fine veal cutlet, cut in pieces and seasoned, at the bottom of the dish; lay over it a layer of smoked beef fat, then a layer of fine cold jelly made from gravy-beef and veal, then hard boiled eggs in slices, then chicken or sweetbread, and then again the jelly, and so on till the dish is filled; put no water, and season highly with lemon-juice, essence of mushroom, pepper, salt, and nutmeg; also, if approved, a blade of mace: small cakes of fine forcemeat are an improvement; cover with a fine puff paste, and brush over with egg, and bake. * * * * * tartlets. make a very rich light puff paste, and roll it out to half an inch of thickness; it should be cut with fluted paste-cutters, lightly baked, and the centre scooped out afterwards, and the sweetmeat or jam inserted; a pretty dish of pastry may be made by cutting the paste in ribbons of three inches in length, and one and a half in width; bake them lightly, and pile them one upon another, with jam between each, in the form of a cone. * * * * * cheesecakes. warm four ounces of butter, mix it with the same quantity of loaf-sugar sifted, grate in the rind of three lemons, squeeze in the juice of one, add three well-beaten eggs, a little nutmeg, and a spoonful of brandy; put this mixture into small tins lined with a light puff paste, and bake. cheesecakes can be varied by putting almonds beaten instead of the lemon, or by substituting seville oranges, and adding a few slices of candied orange and lemon peel. * * * * * giblet pie. prepare the giblets as for "_stewed giblets_" they should then be laid in a deep dish, covered with a puff paste, and baked. * * * * * molina pie. mince finely cold veal or chicken, with smoked beef or tongue; season well, add lemon-juice and a little nutmeg, let it simmer in a small quantity of good beef or veal gravy; while on the fire, stir in the yolks of four eggs, put it in a dish to cool, and then cover with a rich pastry, and bake it. * * * * * vol au vent. this requires the greatest lightness in the pastry, as all depends upon its rising when baked; it should be rolled out about an inch and a half in thickness, cut it with a fluted tin of the size of the dish in which it is to be served. also cut a smaller piece, which must be rolled out considerably thinner than an inch, to serve as a lid for the other part; bake both pieces, and when done, scoop out the crumb of the largest, and fill it with a white fricassee of chicken, sweetbread, or whatever may be selected; the sauce should be well thickened, or it would soften, and run through the crust. * * * * * a vol-au-vent of fruit. it is now the fashion to fill _vol-au-vents_ with fruits richly stewed with sugar until the syrup is almost a jelly; it forms a very pretty entremêt. * * * * * petits vol-au-vents. these are made in the same way, but cut in small rounds, the crumb of the larger is scooped out, and the hollow filled with any of the varieties of patty preparations or preserved fruits. * * * * * mince pies. grease and line tin patty-pans with a fine puff paste rolled out thin; fill them with mince-meat, cover them with another piece of paste, moisten the edges, close them carefully, cut them evenly round, and bake them about half an hour in a well-heated oven. * * * * * patty meats may be prepared from any dressed materials, such as cold dressed veal, beef and mutton, poultry, sweetbreads, and fish; the chief art is to mince them properly, and give them the appropriate flavor and sauce; for veal, sweetbreads, and poultry, which may be used together or separately, the usual seasonings are mace, nutmeg, white pepper, salt, mushrooms minced, or in powder, lemon-peel, and sometimes the juice also; the mince is warmed in a small quantity of white sauce, not too thin, and the patty crusts, when ready baked, are filled with it. for beef and mutton the seasonings are salt, pepper, allspice, a few sweet herbs powdered, with the addition, if approved, of a little ketchup; the mince must be warmed in strong well-thickened beef gravy. if the mince is of fish, season with anchovy sauce, nutmeg, lemon-peel, pepper and salt; warm it, in a sauce prepared with butter, flour, and milk or cream, worked together smoothly and stirred till it thickens; the mince is then simmered in it for a few minutes, till hot; the seasonings may be put with the sauces, instead of with the mince. chapter vii. sweet dishes, puddings, cakes, &c. general remarks. the freshness of all ingredients for puddings is of great importance. dried fruits should be carefully picked, and sometimes washed and should then be dried. rice, sago, and all kinds of seed should be soaked and well washed before they are mixed into puddings. half an hour should be allowed for boiling a bread pudding in a half pint basin, and so on in proportion. all puddings of the custard kind require gentle boiling, and when baked must be set in a moderate oven. by whisking to a solid froth the whites of the eggs used for any pudding, and stirring them into it at the moment of placing it in the oven, it will become exceedingly light and rise high in the dish. all baked puddings should be baked in tin moulds in the form of a deep pie dish, but slightly fluted, it should be well greased by pouring into it a little warmed butter, and then turned upside down for a second, to drain away the superfluous butter; then sprinkle, equally all over, sifted white sugar, or dried crumbs of bread, then pour the pudding mixture into the mould; it should, when served, be turned out of the mould, when it will look rich and brown, and have the appearance of a cake. to ensure the lightness of cakes, it is necessary to have all the ingredients placed for an hour or more before the fire, that they may all be warm and of equal temperature; without this precaution, cakes will be heavy even when the best ingredients are employed. great care and experience are required in the management of the oven; to ascertain when a cake is sufficiently baked, plunge a knife into it, draw it instantly away, when, if the blade is sticky, return the cake to the oven; if, on the contrary, it appears unsoiled the cake is ready. the lightness of cakes depends upon the ingredients being beaten well together. all stiff cakes may be beaten with the hand, but pound cakes, sponge, &c., should be beaten with a whisk or spoon. * * * * * bola d'amor. the recipe for this much celebrated and exquisite confection is simpler than may be supposed from its elaborate appearance, it requires chiefly care, precision, and attention. clarify two pounds of white sugar; to ascertain when it is of a proper consistency, drop a spoonful in cold water, form it into a ball, and try if it sounds when struck against a glass; when it is thus tested, take the yolks of twenty eggs, mix them up gently and pass them through a sieve, then have ready a funnel, the hole of which must be about the size of vermicelli; hold the funnel over the sugar, while it is boiling over a charcoal fire; pour the eggs through, stirring the sugar all the time, and taking care to hold the funnel at such a distance from the sugar, as to admit of the egg dropping into it. when the egg has been a few minutes in the sugar, it will be hard enough to take out with a silver fork, and must then be placed on a drainer; continue adding egg to the boiling sugar till enough is obtained; there should be previously prepared one pound of sweet almonds, finely pounded and boiled in sugar, clarified with orange flower-water only; place in a dish a layer of this paste, over which spread a layer of citron cut in thin slices, and then a thick layer of the egg prepared as above; continue working thus in alternate layers till high enough to look handsome. it should be piled in the form of a cone, and the egg should form the last layer. it must then be placed in a gentle oven till it becomes a little set, and the last layer slightly crisp; a few minutes will effect this. it must be served in the dish in which it is baked, and is generally ornamented with myrtle and gold and silver leaf. * * * * * bola toliedo. take one pound of butter, and warm it over the fire with a little milk, then put it into a pan with one pound of flour, six beaten eggs, a quarter of a pound of beaten sweet almonds, and two table-spoonsful of yeast; make these ingredients into a light paste, and set it before the fire to rise; then grease a deep dish, and place in a layer of the paste, then some egg prepared as for bola d'amor, then slices of citron, and a layer of egg marmalade, sprinkle each layer with cinnamon, and fill the dish with alternate layers. a rich puff paste should line the dish, which ought to be deep; bake in a brisk oven, after which, sugar clarified with orange flour-water must be poured over till the syrup has thoroughly penetrated the bola. * * * * * a bola d'hispaniola. take one pound and a half of flour, with three spoonsful of yeast, two ounces of fresh butter, one table spoonful of essence of lemon, eight eggs, and half a tea-cup full of water, and make it into a light dough, set it to rise for about an hour, then roll it out and cut it into three pieces; have previously ready, a quarter of a pound of citron, and three quarters of a pound of orange and lemon peel, cut in thin slices, mixed with powdered sugar and cinnamon; the bola should be formed with the pieces of dough, layers of the fruit being placed between; it should not be baked in a tin. powdered sweet almonds and sugar, should be strewed over it before baking. * * * * * superior receipt for almond pudding. beat up the yolks of ten eggs, and the whites of seven; add half a pound of sweet almonds pounded finely, half a pound of white sugar, half an ounce of bitter almonds, and a table-spoonful of orange flower water, when thoroughly mixed, grease a dish, put in the pudding and bake in a brisk oven; when done, strew powdered sugar over the top, or, which is exceedingly fine, pour over clarified sugar with orange flower water. * * * * * german or spanish puffs. put a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and a tea-cup full of cold water into a saucepan, when the butter is melted, stir in, while on the fire, four table spoonsful of flour; when thoroughly mixed, put it in a dish to cool, and then add four well beaten eggs; butter some cups, half fill them with the batter, bake in a quick oven and serve with clarified sugar. * * * * * a luction, or a rachael. make a thin nouilles paste, cut into strips of about two inches wide, leave it to dry, then boil the strips in a little water, and drain through a cullender; when the water is strained off, mix it with beaten eggs, white sugar, a little fresh butter, and grated lemon peel; bake or boil in a shape lined with preserved cherries, when turned out pour over a fine custard, or cream, flavored with brandy, and sweetened to taste. * * * * * prenesas. take one pint of milk, stir in as much flour as will bring it to the consistency of hasty pudding; boil it till it becomes thick, let it cool, and beat it up with ten eggs; when smooth, take a spoonful at a time, and drop it into a frying-pan, in which there is a good quantity of boiling clarified butter, fry of a light brown, and serve with clarified sugar, flavored with lemon essence. * * * * * sopa d'oro: or golden soup. clarify a pound of sugar in a quarter of a pint of water, and the same quantity of orange flower-water; cut into pieces the size of dice a thin slice of toasted bread, or cut it into shapes with a paste cutter, throw it, while hot, into the sugar, with an ounce of sweet almonds pounded very finely, then take the beaten yolks of four eggs. pour over the sugar and bread, stir gently, and let it simmer a few minutes. serve in a deep glass dish, sprinkled over with pounded cinnamon. * * * * * pommes frites. this is a simple but very nice way of preparing apples. peel and cut five fine apples in half, dip them in egg and white powdered sugar, and fry in butter; when done, strew a little white sugar over them. * * * * * chejados. clarify a pound of sugar in half a pint of water; peel and grate a moderately sized cocoa nut, add it to the syrup, and let it simmer till perfectly soft, putting rose water occasionally to prevent its becoming too dry; stir it continually to prevent burning. let it cool, and mix it with the beaten yolks of six eggs; make a thin nouilles pastry, cut it into rounds of the size of a tea-cup; pinch up the edges deep enough to form a shape, fill them with the sweet meat, and bake of a light brown. a rich puff paste may be substituted for the nouilles pastry if preferred. * * * * * cocoa nut doce. this is merely the cocoa nut and sugar prepared as above, without egg, and served in small glasses, or baked. * * * * * cocoa nut pudding. take about half a pound of finely grated cocoa nut; beat up to a cream half a pound of fresh butter, add it to the cocoa nut, with half a pound of white sugar, and six whites of eggs beaten to a froth; mix the whole well together, and bake in a dish lined with a rich puff paste. * * * * * egg marmalade. clarify one pound of sugar in half a pint of water till it becomes a thick syrup. while clarifying, add one ounce of sweet almonds blanched and pounded; let it cool, and stir in gently the yolks of twenty eggs which have been previously beaten and passed through a sieve; great care must be taken to stir it continually the same way; when well mixed, place it over a slow fire till it thickens, stirring all the time to prevent burning. some cooks add vanilla, considering the flavor an improvement. * * * * * macrotes. take one pound of french roll dough, six ounces of fresh butter, two eggs, and as much flour as will be requisite to knead it together; roll in into the form of a long french roll, and cut it in thin round slices; set them at a short distance from the fire to rise, and then fry in the best florence oil; when nearly cold, dip them in clarified sugar, flavored with essence of lemon. * * * * * tart de moy. soak three-quarters of a pound of savoy biscuits in a quart of milk; add six ounces of fresh butter, four eggs, one ounce of candid orange peel, the same quantity of lemon peel, and one ounce of citron, mix all well together; sweeten with white sugar, and bake in a quick oven; when nearly done, spread over the top the whites of the eggs well whisked, and return it to the oven. * * * * * grimstich. make into a stiff paste one pint of biscuit powder, a little brown sugar, grated lemon peel, six eggs, and three-quarters of a pound of warmed fresh butter; then prepare four apples chopped finely, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds blanched and chopped, half a pound of stoned raisins, a little nutmeg grated, half a pound of coarse brown sugar, and a glass of white wine, or a little brandy; mix the above ingredients together, and put them on a slow fire to simmer for half an hour, and place in a dish to cool; make the paste into the form of small dumplings, fill them with the fruit, and bake them; when put in the oven, pour over a syrup of brown sugar and water, flavored with lemon juice. * * * * * french roll fritters. take off the crust of a long round french roll; cut the crumb in thin slices, soak them in boiling milk, taking care they do not break; have a dish ready with several eggs beaten up, and with a fish slice remove the bread from the milk, letting the milk drain off, dip them into the dish of eggs, and half fry them in fine salad oil, they must then be again soaked in the milk and dipped the egg, and then fried of a handsome light brown; while hot, pour over clarified sugar, flavored with cinnamon and orange flower water. * * * * * haman's fritters. take two spoonful of the best florence oil, scald it, and when hot, mix with it one pound of flour, add four beaten eggs and make it into a paste, roll it out thin and cut it into pieces about four inches square, let them dry and fry them in oil; the moment the pieces are put in the frying pan, they must be drawn up with two silver skewers into different forms according to fancy; a few minutes is sufficient to fry them, they should be crisp when done. * * * * * waflers. mix a cup and a half of thick yeast with a little warm milk, and set it with two pounds of flour before the fire to rise, then mix with them one pound of fresh butter, ten eggs, a grated nutmeg, a quarter of a pint of orange flower-water, a little powdered cinnamon, and three pints of warm milk; when the batter is perfectly smooth, butter the irons, fill them with it, close them down tightly, and put them between the bars of a bright clear fire; when sufficiently done, they will slip easily out of the irons. wafler irons are required and can be obtained at any good ironmongers of the hebrew persuasion. * * * * * lamplich. take half a pound of currants, the same quantity of raisins and sugar, a little citron, ground cloves and cinnamon, with eight apples finely chopped; mix all together, then have ready a rich puff paste cut into small triangles, fill them with the fruit like puffs, and lay them in a deep dish, let the pieces be placed closely, and when the dish is full, pour over one ounce of fresh butter melted in a tea-cup full of clarified sugar, flavoured with essence of lemon, and bake in an oven not too brisk. * * * * * staffin. this is composed of the fruit, &c., prepared as above, but the dish is lined with the paste, and the fruit laid in alternate layers with paste till the dish is filled; the paste must form the top layer, clarified sugar is poured over before it is put into the oven. * * * * * rice fritters. boil half a pound of rice, in a small quantity of water, to a jelly; let it cool, and beat it up with six eggs, three spoonsful of flour, a little grated lemon peel, fry like fritters, either in butter or oil, and serve with white sugar sifted over them. * * * * * lemon tart. grate the peel of six lemons, add the juice of one, with a quarter of a pound of pounded almonds, a quarter of a pound of preserved lemon and orange peel, half a pound of powdered white sugar, and six eggs well beaten, mix all together, and bake in a dish lined with a fine pastry. * * * * * another way. slice six lemons and lay them in sugar all night, then mix with them two savoy biscuits, three ounces of orange and lemon peel, three ounces of ground almonds, one ounce of whole almonds blanched, and bake in a dish lined with pastry. orange tarts are prepared in the same way, substituting oranges for the lemons. * * * * * almond rice. boil half a pound of whole rice in milk until soft, beat it through a sieve, set it on the fire, with sugar according to taste, a few pounded sweet almonds and a few slices of citron; when it has simmered a short time, let it cool; place it in a mould, and when sufficiently firm turn it out, stick it with blanched almonds, and pour over a fine custard. this may be made without milk, and by increasing the quantity of almonds will be found exceedingly good. * * * * * almond paste. blanch half a pound of fine almonds, pound them to a paste, a few drops of water are necessary to be added, from time to time, or they become oily; then mix thoroughly with it half a pound of white sifted sugar, put it into a preserving pan, and let them simmer very gently until they become dry enough not to stick to a clean spoon when touched; it must be constantly stirred. * * * * * rice fruit tarts. for persons who dislike pastry, the following is an excellent way of preparing fruit. boil in milk some whole rice till perfectly soft, sweeten with white sugar, and when nearly cold, line a dish with it, have ready some currants, raspberries, cherries, or any other fruit, which must have been previously stewed and sweetened, fill the dish with it; beat up the whites of three eggs to a froth, mixed with a little white sugar, and lay over the top, and place it in the oven for half an hour. * * * * * bread fruit tarts. line a dish with thin slices of bread, then lay the fruit with brown sugar in alternate layers, with slices of bread; when the dish is filled, pour over half a tea-cup full of water, and let the top be formed of thin pieces of bread thickly strewed over with brown sugar, bake until thoroughly done. * * * * * rice custard. this is a very innocent and nutritive custard. take two ounces of whole rice and boil it in three pints of milk until it thickens, then add half a pound of pounded sweet almonds, and sweeten to taste; a stick of cinnamon and a piece of lemon peel should be boiled in it, and then taken out. * * * * * creme brun. boil a large cup of cream, flavor with essence of almonds and cinnamon, and then mix with it the yolk of three eggs, carefully beaten and strained, stirring one way to keep it smooth; place it on a dish in small heaps, strew over powdered sugar and beaten almonds, and brown with a salamander. * * * * * pancakes. mix a light batter of eggs with flour and milk or water, fry in boiling butter or clarified suet; they may be fried without butter or fat, by putting more eggs and a little cream, the pan must be very dry and clean; those fried without butter are very delicate and fashionable, they should be fried of the very lightest colour; they are good also made of rice, which must be boiled in milk till quite tender; then beat up with eggs, and flavoured according to taste, and fried like other pancakes. * * * * * pancakes for children. take a pint of finely grated bread crumbs, simmer in a little milk and water, flavour with cinnamon or lemon peel grated, add a couple of beaten eggs, and sweeten to taste, drop a small quantity into the pan and fry like pancakes. * * * * * a nice rice pudding for children. boil till tender half a pound of well picked rice in one quart of fresh milk, sweeten with white sugar, and flavour with whole cinnamon, lemon peel, and a bay leaf; when the rice is tender, place it in a deep dish, pour over a very little butter warmed in a little milk, and bake until brown; a slow oven is requisite unless the rice is extremely soft before it is put in the oven. * * * * * a rich bread and butter pudding. lay in a deep dish alternate layers of bread and butter cut from a french roll, and the following mixture: the yolks of four eggs beaten, four ounces of moist sugar, a few soaked ratafias, a table-spoonful of brandy and a few currants; fill up the dish with these layers, and pour over a little milk, the last layer should be of bread and butter, the whites of the eggs beaten to a froth may, if an elegant appearance is wished for, be laid over the top when the pudding is nearly baked. * * * * * a cherry batter pudding. stone and pick some fine cherries, put them into a buttered mould, and pour over them a fine batter well sweetened, tie over the mould closely, and boil one hour and a half; serve with sweet sauce. this is a delicious pudding; plums or damsons are sometimes used instead of cherries. * * * * * cumberland pudding. take equal quantities of bread crumbs, apples finely chopped, currants and shred suet, sweeten with brown sugar, and mix all together with three eggs, a little brandy, grated nutmeg, and lemon peel; boil in a round mould from one to two hours, according to the size of the pudding. * * * * * college pudding. these are made in a similar way to cumberland pudding, with the omission of the apples, they are made in balls, and fried or baked in cups. a sweet sauce is served with them. * * * * * plum pudding. to one pound of currants add one pound of raisins, one pound of shred suet, one pound flour (or half a pound bread crumbs and half a pound of flour), a quarter of a pound of candied orange and lemon peel, a little citron cut thin, half a pound of moist sugar; mix all well together as each article is added, then stir in six beaten eggs and a glass of brandy, beat the pudding well for half an hour, let it stand some time, then put it into a basin and boil six or seven hours in plenty of water; it should be seasoned according to taste with ginger, nutmeg, cloves, &c. serve with sifted sugar or whites of eggs beaten to a froth. * * * * * ratafia pudding. soak the crumb of a french roll and half a pound of ratafia cakes in milk or cream, then mix with them three ounces of warmed fresh butter, the yolks of five and the whites of two eggs, sweeten to taste; add one ounce of pounded almonds, and a few bitter almonds, boil in a shape lined with dried cherries, or bake in a cake-tin first well buttered, and sprinkled with bread crumbs. * * * * * passover pudding. mix equal quantities of biscuit powder and shred suet, half the quantity of currants and raisins, a little spice and sugar, with an ounce of candied peels, and fine well beaten eggs; make these into a stiff batter, and boil well, and serve with a sweet sauce. this pudding is excellent baked in a pudding tin, it must be turned out when served. * * * * * another sort. mix the various ingredients above-named, substituting for the raisins, apples minced finely, add a larger proportion of sugar, and either boil or bake. * * * * * another sort. mix into a batter a cup full of biscuit powder, with a little milk and a couple of eggs, to which add three ounces of sugar, two of warmed butter, a little shred of lemon peel, and a table-spoonful of rum; pour the mixture into a mould, and boil or bake. * * * * * passover fritters. mix into a smooth batter a tea-cup of biscuit powder with beaten eggs, and sweeten with white sifted sugar; add grated lemon peel, and a spoonful of orange flower-water, and fry of a light brown; the flavor may be varied by substituting a few beaten almonds, with one or two bitter, instead of the orange flower-water. * * * * * a superior receipt for passover fritters. make a thin batter as already described in the former receipt; drop it into a souflé pan, fry lightly, and strew over pounded cinnamon, sifted sugar, and finely chopped almonds; hold over a salamander to brown the upper side. slide the fritter on to a hot dish, and fold; pour over, when in the dish, clarified sugar. * * * * * passover currant fritters. mix a thick batter, as before, add some well-washed and dried currants, and fry of a rich brown; serve with a sweet sauce, flavored with wine or shrub, and sweetened with moist sugar; these are often made in the shape of small balls, and fried and served in the same sauce. * * * * * batter pudding. stir in three ounces of flour, four beaten eggs, and one pint of milk, sweeten to taste, and mix to a smooth batter about the thickness of good cream, and boil in a buttered basin. * * * * * custard pudding. to one desert spoonful of flour, add one pint of fresh milk and the yolks of five eggs; flavor according to fancy, with sugar, nutmeg, or lemon-peel; beat to a froth two whites of eggs and pour to the rest; boil rather more than half an hour. * * * * * bread pudding. grate stale bread, or soak the crumb of a french roll in milk, which must be warmed; beat with it two or three eggs, flavor and sweeten to taste, sometimes with a little wine or essence of lemon, or beaten almonds; it will require to be boiled about half an hour. this pudding is excellent made as above, with the addition of the peel of one whole lemon grated, with its juice, and baked. * * * * * vermicelli and maccaroni pudding. boil till tender four ounces of either of the above articles, in a pint of milk; flavor as directed in the preceding receipt, and boil in a mould, which may be lined with raisins. it should be served with any sweet pudding sauce. * * * * * millet, arrowroot, ground rice, rice, tapioca, and sago puddings. puddings of this sort are so similar and simple, that it is only necessary to give one receipt, which will serve as a guide for all;--they are all made with milk, all require to be thoroughly done, all require to be mixed with eggs and sweetened with sugar, and are good either boiled or baked. the cook must use her judgment in adopting the quantities to the size of the pudding required, and the taste of the family she serves. * * * * * minced meat. take one pound of tender roasted meat, two pounds of shred suet, three pounds of currants, six chopped apples, a quarter of a loaf grated, nutmegs, cloves, pepper, salt, one pound of sugar, grated lemon and orange peel, lemon juice, and two wine glasses of brandy, the same of white wine, and two ounces of citron, and the same of candied lemon peel; mix all well together; the ingredients ought to be added separately. minced meat should be kept a day or two before using. the same proportions, as above, without meat, will be very good; a little port wine is sometimes substituted for the brandy. * * * * * baked suet pudding. mix one pint of water, six ounces of flour, three of shred suet, and two or three beaten eggs; sweeten to taste. add raisins or currants if approved, and bake in a brick oven. * * * * * yorkshire pudding. mix into a smooth batter half a pound of flour, four eggs, if intended to be rich, otherwise two, a pint of milk, and a little salt, it should be about an inch thick; it can be made with or without milk by using a greater proportion of eggs, but it is not so good. * * * * * gateau de tours. take a pound-cake, cut it in slices about half an inch in thickness, spread each slice with jam or preserve, then replace them to the original form; cover the cake with whites of eggs and sugar, whisked to a froth, and set it in a cool oven to dry. * * * * * jaumange. simmer half a pound of white sugar in three-quarters of a pint of water, with the thinly cut peel of two lemons; when the sugar is melted, add an ounce of dissolved isinglass, and the juice of three lemons, a glass of brandy and three of sherry, beat up with this the yolks of five or six eggs. place the basin in which it is mixed into a pan of boiling water to thicken it, then pour it into a mould and set it to cool; if it does not thicken by being put in a pan of boiling water, set the pan on the fire and stir it for a few minutes. * * * * * gateau de pomme. take ten or twelve fine baking apples, peel and take out the cores, and let them simmer in milk and water; when soft drain them, and beat them up with a wooden fork, with half an ounce of dissolved isinglass, white sifted sugar, sufficient to sweeten, and grated lemon peel. put the mixture, when perfectly smooth, into a mould, set it in ice or a very cool place, when it is turned out it should be covered with a fine custard. * * * * * apple charlotte. prepare the apples as in the last receipt; but instead of using a jelly mould, put the apples into an oval cake tin about the size of a small side dish, four or five inches high; when cold, turn it out and cover the apple-shape with savoy cakes placed closely together perpendicularly; all round the top of the charlotte should be covered with whites of eggs and sugar, beaten to a stiff froth, and placed in small balls; a salamander should be used to crisp them and to give a slight peach-like colour; a tasteful cook will, after crisping the first layer of these balls, add others over them to form a sort of cone high in the centre, that will have a pretty effect if well done. this is an easy and elegant _entremêt_, and by no means an expensive one. * * * * * a soufle. take half a pint of cream and the same quantity of new milk, and warm them together in a clean saucepan, meanwhile make a smooth batter with four ounces of rice-flour or potatoe-flour, and stir into the milk, let it simmer, stirring all the time till it thickens; then add two to three ounces of fresh butter, and white sifted sugar enough to sweeten, and a little grated lemon peel; then take it off the fire and stir quickly to it the well-beaten yolks of six to eight eggs, butter the pan and pour the mixture into it, when on the point of being placed into the oven, add the whites of the eggs thoroughly whisked; the pan must be only half filled, as it will rise very high; it must be served immediately it is taken from the oven, even in passing to the dinner table a salamander should be held over it, to prevent its falling and becoming heavy and unsightly. the french flavour a souflé with orange flour-water or vanilla, and the rind of a seville orange is sometimes substituted for the rind of a lemon; there are dishes made expressly for souflés. * * * * * a plain soufle. mix well together six ounces of rice-flour, arrowroot, or _tous les mois_, with half a pint of milk flavoured with essence of almond and lemon peel, or orange-flour water, let it thicken over the fire, stirring to keep it smooth, sweeten with white sugar, add the beaten yolks of five eggs, proceed as in the last receipt, adding the whisked whites at the moment of placing the souflé into the oven; if there happen to be no souflé dish, a cake-tin may make a tolerable substitute, a paper fringed should then line the tin and a napkin should be twisted round it when brought to table. * * * * * a sweet omelet. beat up three or four eggs, pour them into an omelet pan, and sprinkle a little white sugar over them while frying, hold a salamander or hot shovel over the uppermost side of the omelet, as it must only be fried on one side. as soon as it is set, slide it on to a hot dish, double it, and sprinkle sugar over it and serve quickly. * * * * * omlette souflee. fry the eggs as directed for sweet omelet, using about five yolks and two whites, all of which require being finely beaten and strained. soften a little preserve by holding it over the fire, or mixing a little warm water with it, spread it slightly over the omelette, have the remainder of the whites whisked to a froth with white sugar, and lay it on the preserve; slide the omelette on to a hot dish, double it, and serve directly. * * * * * fancy creams. put into a basin a pint of cream, to which add four ounces of powdered white sugar, and the rind of a lemon rubbed on a lump of sugar, and a glass of sherry wine; whisk them well and mix with it half an ounce of dissolved isinglass, beat it all thoroughly together, and fill the mould, which should be set in ice till wanted. a table spoonful of marasquino added to the above, will make _italian cream_. a table spoonful of fresh or preserved pine-apple will make _pine-apple cream_; this will require the addition of a little lemon syrup. a table spoonful of ratafia, will make it _ratifia cream_. the juice of strawberries or raspberries make fine fruit creams; _mille fruit cream_ is made by mixing with the cream any kind of small preserved fruit. * * * * * rice soufles. boil well some fine picked rice, in pure fresh milk, sweeten and flavour with a bay leaf, lemon peel, and a stick of cinnamon, all which must be taken out when the rice is done, then line with it a round dish, or souflé dish, have ready apples previously boiled, sweetened, and beat up smoothly, place the apple lightly in the centre rather higher in the middle than at the sides, beat up the whites of eggs to a froth, sweeten and flavour with lemon, or noyau essence; place it in small heaps tastefully on the apple and rice, and brown delicately with a salamander. this souflé may have stewed cherries or any _other_ kind of fruit, instead of the apples if preferred. * * * * * boiled custard. take a pint of milk, let it simmer in a very clean saucepan, flavor it with lemon-peel and a bay leaf, and sweeten to taste; while gently boiling, add the beaten yolks of four eggs, and the whites of two, continue stirring until the custard thickens, when it must be removed from the fire, but it is requisite to stir it until it cools. it is necessary to strain the milk before the eggs are added, and also to pass the eggs through a sieve. custards are flavoured sometimes with essence of almonds; a little cream added to the milk is a great improvement. the above mixture may be baked in small cups; they require a quarter of an hour to bake. * * * * * calf's feet jelly. boil two feet in two quarts, or five pints of water, till the water has half wasted; strain, and when cold, take off the fat, then put it in the saucepan with lump sugar, lemon juice, and white wine to taste, also a little lemon peel; when simmered a few minutes, throw in the whites of two eggs, and their shells broken, which will have the effect of clarifying the jelly; let it boil about ten minutes after the scum rises, then pour it through a flannel bag or thick cloth, dipping the bag or cloth first into hot water; pass the jelly through it until clear, then pour it into moulds and put them in a cool place to set. one calf's foot and one cow heel will be more economical than two calfs feet. if fruit is desired to be in the jelly, it must be put in when the jelly begins to stiffen in the mould. * * * * * orange jelly. this can be made with calf's feet or without. one quart of water will require one ounce of isinglass, simmer the isinglass in the water, and add the peel of one lemon and one orange; when the isinglass is dissolved, add the juice of a lemon and six fine oranges; although the quantity must vary according to the season for them, sweeten with half a pound of white sugar; a seville orange is added if there should not be much flavor in the others. lemon jelly is made in the same way; the peel of a seville orange and of a lemon is used, with the juice of five lemons; rather more sugar will be required with this jelly than with the former. punch jelly is made in the same way. an equal quantity of brandy and rum, with the juice of two or three lemons is mixed with the isinglass, which is dissolved in one pint of water, the other pint of liquid being made up by the lemon juice and spirits. the essence of noyeau is reckoned to give an exquisite flavor, in this case it requires to be coloured with a few drops of cochineal. * * * * * an easy trifle. soak three sponge cakes and half a pound of macaroons and ratafias in one wine glass of brandy and three of white wine, lay them at the bottom of the trifle dish, and pour over nearly a pint of thick rich custard, made of equal portions of milk and cream, with seven eggs, according to directions for "custards;" before the custard is added, jam and sweetmeats are sometimes spread over the cakes; a fine light froth is prepared with cream and the whites of two eggs, flavored with wine and sugar, heap it over the trifle lightly. * * * * * a still more simple one, and quickly made. soak ratafia cakes in wine, with a little brandy; pour over a thick custard, and cover with a froth of the white of eggs, flavored with wine and sweetened with white sugar. * * * * * blancmange. to a quart of milk add half an ounce of fine isinglass, a handful of beaten almonds, and two or three bitter almonds, a couple of bay leaves, and a piece of lemon peel; when the isinglass is dissolved, strain the milk into a basin; sweeten with four ounces of white sugar, and pour into a mould. the juice of fresh strawberries is a fine addition to blancmange. * * * * * a juditha. put some gooseberries into a saucepan with very little water, when they are soft, pulp them through a sieve, and add several well-beaten yolks of eggs, and sweeten with white sugar; have ready a shape of biscuit ice, or any other cream ice that may be preferred, take off a thick slice of the ice from the top carefully, and without breaking, so that it may be replaced on the ice. scoop out a large portion of the ice which may be mixed with the gooseberry cream, and fill the hollow with it. cover the shape with the piece that was removed and serve. this is an elegant dish, the ice should be prepared in a round mould--brown-bread ice is particularly well adapted to a juditha. * * * * * tourte a la crÊme. this is a fashionable and delicate description of tart. a couple of round cutters about the size of a pie plate are required for it, one of the cutters must be about two inches smaller than the other, if they are fluted the tourte will have a better appearance. roll out some very rich puff paste to the thickness of one inch, and cut two pieces with the larger tin cutter, then press the smaller cutter through one of these pieces, and remove the border which will be formed round it; this must be laid very evenly upon the other piece of paste, and slightly pressed to make it adhere; place the tourte in an oven to bake for about twenty minutes, then let it become cool, but not cold, and fill it with a fine custard or with any rich preserves; if the latter, a well whipped cream may be laid lightly over; the pastry may be glazed if approved. * * * * * the grosvenor pudding. beat half a pound of butter with the same quantity of white sugar until it is like cream, then beat up five eggs and add them with half a pound of flour, a quarter of a pound of currants, two ounces of candied orange and lemon peel cut in thin slices, and a few drops of lemon essence; when these ingredients are well mixed and beaten, butter a pudding tin, pour in the mixture, and bake in a moderately quick oven. * * * * * citron pudding. cut in slices two ounces of citron, the same quantity of candied orange and lemon peel, add to them four ounces of loaf sugar, and four of fresh butter; line a dish with fine puff paste, and beat up to a froth the yolks of four eggs and the whites of two, fill the dish with these ingredients and bake half an hour. the dish should be shallow. * * * * * stewed pears. peel, core, and quarter a dozen fine large baking pears, put them into a stewpan with half a pound of white sugar and sufficient cold water to cover them; with a small quantity of the peelings, a few cloves, and a little cochineal tied up in a muslin bag, let them stew gently, and closely covered until tender. * * * * * baked pears. peel them and stick a couple of cloves in each pear, place them in a deep dish, with half a pound of brown sugar and a little water, let them bake till quite tender. * * * * * stewed pippins. peel the pippins and stew them gently with a little water, white sugar, and a little lemon peel; preserve is usually used to ornament the top of each apple; they should, when done, look white and rather transparent. * * * * * siesta cake. take one pound of butter, warm it over the fire with a little milk, put it into a pan with a pound of flour, six eggs, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds finely pounded, and two table-spoonsful of yeast; beat these ingredients well together into a light paste, and set it before the fire to rise, butter the inside of a pan, and fill it with alternate layers of the paste, and of pounded almonds, sugar, citron, and cinnamon; when baked, and while hot, make holes through the siesta with a small silver skewer, taking care not to break it, and pour over clarified sugar till it is perfectly soaked through. * * * * * a plain bola. take three quarters of a pound of white sugar, three quarters of a pound of fresh butter, two eggs, one pound and a half of flour, three spoonsful of yeast, a little milk, and two ounces of citron cut thin, and mix into a light paste; bake in a tin, and strew powdered sugar and cinnamon over it before baking. the above ingredients are often baked in small tins or cups. * * * * * almond tea-cakes. take half-a-pound of flour, three ounces of which are to be put aside for rolling out the cakes, the other five ounces, with a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, are to be set before the fire for a few minutes; after which mix with it half a pound of sugar, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds, chopped fine, and a couple of eggs; make these ingredients into thin cakes, and strew over them ground almonds and white sugar, and bake in a brisk oven. * * * * * oil twist. take half a quartern of dough, one gill of the best florence oil, half a pound of currants, half a pound of moist sugar, and a little cinnamon; mix all well together, make it up in the form of a twist, and bake it. * * * * * cinnamon cakes. rub half a pound of fresh butter into a pound of flour; work it well together, then add half a pound of sifted sugar, and a tea-spoonful of pounded cinnamon, and make it into a paste, with three eggs; roll it, and cut into small cakes, with tin cutters. * * * * * rich plum cake. beat to a cream one pound of butter, to which add the same quantity of sifted loaf sugar and of fine flour, the whites of ten eggs beaten to a froth, and the yolks of the same also beaten till quite smooth and thin, and half a nutmeg grated; lastly, work in one pound of well-washed currants, half a pound of mixed candied peels, cut small, and a glass of brandy; bake for two hours. * * * * * diet-bread cake. beat together five eggs and half a pound of white sugar, then add six ounces of flour well dried and sifted, a little lemon-juice and grated lemon-peel; bake in a moderate oven. * * * * * drop cakes. mix one pound of flour with the same quantity of butter, sugar, and currants; make these into a paste with a couple of eggs, add a little orange flower-water and a little white wine; if the paste is likely to be too thin when two eggs are used, omit the white of one; drop the mixture when ready on a tin plate, and bake. * * * * * a common cake. rub in with one pound of flour six ounces of butter, and two tea-spoonsful of yeast, to a paste; set it to rise, then mix in five eggs, half a pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pint of milk; add currants or carraways, and beat well together. if required to be richer, put more butter and eggs, and add candied citron and lemon-peel. * * * * * a soda cake. mix with the above ingredients one drachm of soda, which should be rubbed in with the flour. this is reckoned a wholesome cake, and half the quantity of eggs are required, or it may be rendered a fine rich cake by increasing the quantity of eggs, butter, and fruit. * * * * * a plain cake. work into two pounds of dough a quarter of a pound of sugar, the same of butter; add a couple of eggs, and bake in a tin. * * * * * a pound cake. beat to cream a pound of butter and a pound of sifted loaf sugar; add eight beaten eggs, stir in lightly three quarters of a pound of flour, beat well together, and bake for one hour in a brisk oven; currants may be added if, approved. * * * * * butter cakes. take equal quantities of butter and sugar, say half a pound of each, grate the rind of a lemon, add a little cinnamon, and as much flour as will form it into a paste, with spice and eggs; roll it out, cut it into two small cakes, and bake. a piece of candied orange or lemon-peel may be put on the top of each cake. * * * * * little short cakes. rub into a pound of flour four ounces of butter, four ounces of white powdered sugar, and two eggs; make it into a paste, roll it thin, and cut into small cakes with tin cutters. a little orange flower-water or sweet wine improve the flavour of these cakes. * * * * * matso cakes. make a stiff paste with biscuit powder and milk and water; add a little butter, the yolk of an egg, and a little white sugar; cut into pieces, and mould with the hand, and bake in a brisk oven. these cakes should not be too thin. * * * * * another sort. warm a quarter of a pint of water flavoured with a little salt, in which mix four beaten eggs; then mix half a pound of matso flour, and a couple of lumps of white sugar, and half a teacup of milk; mix all well together, and bake in a tin. * * * * * fried matsos. soak some of the thickest matsos in milk, taking care they do not break; then fry in boiling fresh butter. this is a very nice method of preparing them for breakfast or tea. * * * * * matso diet bread. simmer one pound of white sugar in a quarter of a pint of water, which pour hot upon eight well-beaten eggs; beat till cold, when add one pound of matso flour, a little grated lemon-peel, and bake in a papered tin, or in small tins; the cake must be removed while hot. * * * * * a cake without butter. beat well five eggs, to which add six ounces of flour; flavour with beaten almonds, and add, if liked, thin slices of citron; bake in a mould in a moderate oven. * * * * * sponge cakes. mix six eggs, half the whites, half a pound of lump sugar, half a pound of flour, and a quarter of a pint of water, which should be strongly flavoured by lemon peel having been in it for some hours; the sugar and water should boil up together, and poured over the eggs after they have been well whisked, which must be continued while the liquid is being poured over them, and until they become quite thick and white, then stir in the flour, which must be warm and dry. pour the mixture into a couple of cake tins, and bake in a gentle oven. * * * * * a nice breakfast cake. make a paste of half a pound of flour, one ounce of butter, a very little salt, two eggs, and a table-spoonful of milk, roll it out, but first set it to rise before the fire; cut it into cakes the size of small cheese plates, sprinkle with flour, and bake on a tin in a brisk oven, or they may be fried in a clean frying pan; they should be cut in half, buttered hot, and served quickly. * * * * * icing for cakes. whisk half a pound of sifted white sugar, with one wine glass of orange flower-water, and the whites of two eggs, well beaten and strained; it must be whisked until it is quite thick and white; and when the cake is almost cold, dip a soft camel's hair brush into it, and cover the cake well, and set it in a cool oven to harden. * * * * * to clarify sugar. take the proportion of one pound of sugar to half a pint of water, with the whites of a couple of eggs; boil it up twice, then set it by for the impurities to rise to the top, and skim it carefully. chapter viii. preserving and bottling. attention and a little practice will ensure excellence in such preserves as are in general use in private families; and it will always be found a more economical plan to purchase the more rare and uncommon articles of preserved fruits than to have them made at home. the more sugar that is added to fruit the less boiling it requires. if jellies be over-boiled, much of the sugar will become candied, and leave the jelly thin. every thing used for the purpose of preserving should be clean and very dry, particularly bottles for bottled fruit. fruit should boil rapidly _before_ the sugar is added, and quietly afterwards--when preserves seem likely to become mouldy, it is generally a sign they have not been sufficiently boiled, and it will be requisite to boil them up again--fruit for bottling should not be too ripe, and should be perfectly fresh; there are various methods adopted by different cooks: the fruit may be placed in the bottles, and set in a moderate oven until considerably shrunken, when the bottles should be removed and closely corked; or the bottles may be set in a pan with cold water up to the necks, placed over the fire; when the fruit begins to sink remove them, and when cold fill up each bottle with cold spring water, cork the bottles, and lay them on their sides in a dry place. to bottle red currants--pick them carefully from the stalk, and add, as the currants are put in, sifted white sugar; let the bottles be well filled and rosin the corks, and keep them with their necks downwards. * * * * * brandied cherries. put into a large wide mouthed bottle very ripe black cherries, add to them two pounds of loaf sugar, a quart of brandy, and a few cloves, then bruise a few more cherries, and simmer with sugar, strain and add the juice to the cherries in the bottle, cork closely, and keep in a warm dry place. * * * * * quince marmalade. peel, cut into quarters, and core two pounds of sharp apples, and the same quantity of quinces; put them into a jar, with one pound of white sugar powdered and sprinkled over them; cover them with half a pint of water, and put in also a little bruised cochineal tied in a muslin. set them in a slack oven till tender, take out the cochineal, and pulp the fruit to a marmalade. some cooks prefer boiling the sugar and water first and scalding the fruit till tender, and then adding them to the syrup. * * * * * damson marmalade. is made in the same manner as quince, as also apricot marmalade, which is very fine; the fruit must be stoned, and some of the kernels put in with the fruit, which are peeled, and apricots are cut in pieces; they should be carefully pulped through a clean sieve. * * * * * preserved apricots. halve and pare ripe apricots, or if not quite ripe, boil them till the skin can easily be removed. lay them in a dish hollow downwards, sift over them their own weight of white sugar, let them lay for some hours, then put the fruit, with the sugar and juice into a preserving pan, and simmer till the fruit is clear, take it out, put it carefully into pots, and pour over the syrup. this receipt will serve as a guide for preserved nectarines, peaches, plums, gages, &c. a few of the kernels should always be put in with the fruit, as they improve the flavor of the preserve. * * * * * strawberries preserved whole. weigh an equal quantity of fruit and white sugar powdered, sift all the sugar over the fruit, so that half of it shall equally be covered, let it lay till the next day, when boil the remainder with red currant juice, in which simmer the strawberries until the jelly hangs about them. put the strawberries into pots, taking care not to break them, and pour over the syrup. this receipt will serve for raspberries and cherries, which make a fine preserve. * * * * * strawberry jam. bruise gently, with the back of a wooden spoon, six pounds of fine fresh fruit, and boil them with very little water for twenty minutes, stirring until the fruit and juice are well mixed; then put in powdered loaf sugar of equal weight to the fruit, and simmer half an hour longer. if the preserve is not required to be very rich, half the weight of sugar in proportion to the quantity of fruit may be used; but more boiling will be requisite. by this recipe also are made raspberry, currant, gooseberry, apricot, and other jams. * * * * * red currant jelly. strip carefully from the stems some quite ripe currants, put them into a preserving pan, stir them gently over a clear fire until the juice flows freely from them, then squeeze the currants and strain the juice through a folded muslin or jelly bag; pour it into a preserving pan, adding, as it boils, white sugar, in the proportion of one pound of sugar to one pint of juice. if made with less sugar, more boiling will be required, by which much juice and flavour are lost. a little dissolved isinglass is used by confectioners, but it is much better without. jams and jellies should be poured into pots when in a boiling state. jellies should be continually skimmed till the scum ceases to rise, so that they may be clear and fine. white currant jelly and black are made in the same manner as red. by this receipt can be made raspberry jelly, strawberry jelly, and all other kinds. * * * * * apple jelly. pare, core, and cut small any kind of fine baking apples--say six pounds in weight; put them in a preserving pan with one quart of water; boil gently till the apples are very soft and broken, then pass the juice through a jelly bag; when, to each pint, add half a pound of loaf sugar, set it on the fire to boil twenty minutes, skimming it as the scum rises; it must not be over boiled, or the colour will be too dark. * * * * * pear-syrup or jelly. this preparation, although little known in england, forms an important article of economy in many parts of the continent. the pears are first heated in a saucepan over the fire until the pulp, skins, &c., have separated from the juice, which is then strained, and boiled with coarse brown sugar to the thickness of treacle; but it has a far more agreeable flavour. it is cheaper than butter or treacle, and is excellent spread upon bread for children. * * * * * plum jam. this is a useful and cheap preserve. choose the large long black plum; to each gallon of which add three pounds of good moist sugar; bake them till they begin to crack, when, put them in pots, of a size for once using, as the air is apt to spoil the jam. chapter ix. pickling. the best vinegar should always be used for pickling; in all cases it should be boiled and strained. the articles to be pickled should first be parboiled or soaked in brine, which should have about six ounces of salt to one quart of water. the spices used for pickling are whole pepper, long peppers, allspice, mace, mustard-seed, and ginger, the last being first bruised. the following is a good proportion of spice: to one quart of vinegar put half an ounce of ginger, the same quantity of whole-pepper and allspice, and one ounce of mustard-seed; four shalots, and one clove of garlic. pickles should be kept secure from the air, or they soon become soft; the least quantity of water, or a wet spoon, put into a jar of pickles, will spoil the contents. * * * * * to pickle gherkins and french beans. these are, of all vegetables, the most difficult to pickle, so that their green colour and freshness may be preserved. choose some fine fresh gherkins, and set them to soak in brine for a week; then drain them, and pour over boiling vinegar, prepared with the usual spices, first having covered them with fresh vine leaves. if they do not appear to be of a fine green, pour off the vinegar, boil it up again, cover the gherkins with fresh green vine leaves, and pour over the vinegar again. french beans are pickled exactly the same. * * * * * to pickle cauliflowers. remove the stalks and leaves, break the flower into pieces, parboil them in brine, then drain them, and lay them in a jar, and pour over boiling spiced vinegar. * * * * * to pickle melon mangoes. cut the melons in half, remove the pulpy part and the seeds, soak the halves for a week in strong brine, then fill them with the usual spices, mustard-seed and garlic, and tie them together with packthread; put them in jars, and pour over boiling spiced vinegar. large cucumbers may be pickled in the same way. * * * * * piccalili. pickle gherkins, french beans, and cauliflower, separately, as already directed; the other vegetables used are carrots, onions, capsicums, white cabbage, celery, and, indeed almost any kind may be put into this pickle, except walnuts and red cabbage. they must be cut in small pieces, and soaked in brine, the carrots only, requiring to be boiled in it to make them tender; then prepare a liquor as follows: into half a gallon of vinegar put two ounces of ginger, one of whole black pepper, one of whole allspice, and one of bruised chillies, three ounces of shalots, and one ounce of garlic; boil together nearly twenty minutes; mix a little of it in a basin, with two ounces of flour of mustard and one ounce of turmeric, and stir it in gradually with the rest; then pour the liquor over the vegetables. * * * * * to pickle mushrooms. choose small button mushrooms, clean and wipe them, and throw them into cold water, then put into a stewpan with a little salt, and cover them with distilled vinegar, and simmer a few minutes. put them in bottles with a couple of blades or so of mace, and when cold, cork them closely. * * * * * to pickle onions. choose all of a size and soak in boiling brine, when cold, drain them and put them in bottles, and fill up with hot distilled vinegar; if they are to be _white_, use white wine vinegar; if they are to be _brown_, use the best distilled vinegar, adding, in both cases, a little mace, ginger, and whole pepper. * * * * * to pickle white and red cabbage. take off the outside leaves, cut out the stalk, and shred the cabbage into a cullender, sprinkle with salt, let it remain for twenty-four hours, then drain it. put it into jars, and fill up with boiling vinegar, prepared with the usual spices; if the cabbage is red, a little cochineal powdered, or a slice or two of beet-root is necessary to make the pickle a fine colour; if it is white cabbage, add instead, a little turmeric powder. * * * * * to pickle walnuts. soak in brine for a week, prick them, and simmer in brine, then let them lay on a sieve to drain, and to turn black, after which place them in jars, and pour over boiling spiced vinegar. * * * * * an old way of pickling cucumbers. cut the cucumbers in small pieces, length ways, with the peel left on; lay them in salt for twenty-four hours, then dry the pieces with a cloth, lay them in a deep dish, and pour over the following mixture: some vinegar boiled with cayenne pepper, whole ginger, a little whole pepper, and mustard seed, a few west india pickles are by some considered an improvement. this mixture should stand till nearly cold before covering the cucumbers, which should then be bottled. this pickle is fit for eating a few days after it is made, and will also keep good in a dry place as long as may be required. chapter x. receipts for invalids. beef tea. cut one pound of fleshy beef in dice, or thin slices, simmer for a short time without water, to extract the juices, then add, by degrees, one quart of water, a little salt, a piece of lemon peel, and a sprig of parsley, are the only necessary seasonings; if the broth is required to be stronger put less water. * * * * * chicken panada. boil a chicken till rather more than half done in a quart of water, take of the skin, cut off the white parts when cold, and pound it to a paste in a mortar, with a small quantity of the liquor it was boiled in, season with salt, a little nutmeg, and the least piece of lemon peel; boil it gently, and make it with the liquor in which the fowl has been boiled of the required consistency. it should be rather thicker than cream. * * * * * chicken broth. after the white parts have been removed for the panada, return the rest of the chicken to the saucepan, with the liquid, add one blade of mace, one slice only of onion, a little salt, and a piece of lemon peel; carefully remove every particle of fat. vermicelli is very well adapted for this broth. * * * * * restorative jellies. there are various kinds of simple restorative jellies suited to an invalid, among the best are the following:-- * * * * * hartshorn jelly. boil half a pound of hartshorn shavings in two quarts of water over a gentle fire until it becomes thick enough to hang about a spoon, then strain it into a clean saucepan and add half a pint of sherry wine, and a quarter of a pound of white sugar, clear it by stirring in the whites of a couple of eggs, whisked to a froth; boil it for about four or five minutes, add the juice of three lemons, and stir all together, when it is well curdled, strain it and pour into the mould, if the color is required to be deeper than the wine will make it, a little saffron may be boiled in it. * * * * * barley jelly. boil in an iron saucepan, one tea-cup full of pearl barley, with one quart of cold water, pour off the water when it boils, and add another quart, let it simmer very gently for three hours over or near a slow fire, stirring it frequently with a wooden spoon, strain it, and sweeten with white sugar, add the juice of a lemon, a little white wine, and a quarter of an ounce of isinglass dissolved in a little water, and pour it into a mould. this is a very nourishing jelly. * * * * * caudle. make a fine smooth gruel of grits, with a few spices boiled in it, strain it carefully and warm as required, adding white wine and a little brandy, nutmeg, lemon peel, and sugar, according to taste, some persons put the yolk of an egg. * * * * * rice caudle. boil half a pint of milk, add a spoonful of ground rice mixed with a little milk till quite smooth, stir it into the boiling milk, let it simmer till it thickens, carefully straining it, and sweeten with white sugar. * * * * * barley milk. boil half a pound of pearl barley in one quart of new milk, taking care to parboil it first in water, which must be poured off, sweeten with white sugar. this is better made with pearl barley than the prepared barley. * * * * * restorative milk. boil a quarter of an ounce of isinglass in a pint of new milk till reduced to half, and sweeten with sugar candy. * * * * * milk porridge. make a fine gruel with new milk without adding any water, strain it when sufficiently thick, and sweeten with white sugar. this is extremely nutritive and fattening. * * * * * wine whey. set on the fire in a saucepan a pint of milk, when it boils, pour in as much white wine as will turn it into curds, boil it up, let the curds settle, strain off, and add a little boiling water, and sweeten to taste. * * * * * tamarind whey. boil three ounces of tamarinds in two pints of milk, strain off the curds, and let it cool. this is a very refreshing drink. * * * * * plain whey. put into boiling milk as much lemon juice or vinegar as will turn it, and make the milk clear, strain, add hot water, and sweeten. * * * * * orgeat. beat three ounces of almonds with a table-spoonful of orange-flour water, and one bitter almond; then pour one pint of new milk, and one pint of water to the paste, and sweeten with sifted white sugar; half an ounce of gum-arabic is a good addition for those who have a tender chest. * * * * * irish moss. boil half an ounce of carrageen or irish moss, in a pint and a half of water or milk till it is reduced to a pint; it is a most excellent drink for delicate persons or weakly children. * * * * * a fine soft drink for a cough. add to a quarter of a pint of new milk warmed, a beaten new laid egg, with a spoonful of capillaire, and the same of rose water. * * * * * a refreshing drink. cut four large apples in slices, and pour over a quart of boiling water, let them stand till cold, strain the liquor, and sweeten with white sugar; a little lemon peel put with the apples improves the flavour. * * * * * a very fine emmolient drink. wash and rinse extremely well one ounce of pearl barley, then put to it one ounce of sweet almonds beaten fine, and a piece of lemon peel, boil together till the liquor is of the thickness of cream and perfectly smooth, then put in a little syrup of lemon and capillaire. * * * * * a cooling drink in fever. put a little tea-sage, and a couple of sprigs of balm into a jug, with a lemon thinly sliced, and the peel cut into strips, pour over a quart of boiling water, sweeten and let it cool. appendix. french method of making coffee. take in the proportion of one ounce of the berries to half a pint of water, and grind them at the instant of using them. put the powder into a coffee biggin, press it down closely, and pour over a little water sufficient to moisten it, and then add the remainder by degrees; the water must be perfectly boiling all the time; let it run quite through before the top of the percolator is taken off, it must be served with an equal quantity of boiling milk. coffee made in this manner is much clearer and better flavored than when boiled, and it is a much more economical method than boiling it. * * * * * a french receipt for making chocolate. take one ounce of chocolate, cut it in small pieces, and boil it about six or seven minutes with a small teacup full of water; stir it till smooth, then add nearly a pint of good milk, give it another boil, stirring or milling it well, and serve directly. if required very thick, a larger proportion of chocolate must be used. * * * * * egg wine. beat a fresh egg, and add it to a tumbler of white wine and water, sweetened and spiced; set it on the fire, stir it gently one way until it thickens; this, with toast, forms a light nutritive supper. * * * * * mulled wine. boil a little spice, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves, in water, till the flavor is gained, then add wine, as much as may be approved, sugar and nutmeg; a strip or two of orange rind cut thin will be found a great improvement. * * * * * to make punch. to make one quart, provide two fine fresh lemons, and rub off the outer peel upon a few lumps of sugar; put the sugar into a bowl with four ounces of powdered sugar, upon which press the juice of the lemons, and pour over one pint and a half of very hot water that _has not boiled_, then add a quarter of a pint of rum, and the same quantity of brandy; stir well together and strain it, and let it stand a few minutes before it is drank. whiskey punch is made after the same method; the juice and thin peel of a seville orange add variety of flavor to punch, particularly of whiskey punch. * * * * * milk punch. put into a quart of new milk the thinly pared rind of a lemon, and four ounces of lump sugar; let it boil slowly, remove the peel, and stir in the yolks of two eggs, previously mixed with a little cold milk; add by degrees a tea-cup full of rum, the same of brandy; mill the punch to a fine froth, and serve immediately in quite warm glasses. the punch must not be allowed to boil after the eggs have been added. * * * * * a french plum pie. stew one pound of fine dried french plums until tender, in water, rather more than enough to cover, with one glass of port wine, and four ounces of white sugar, which must however not be added until the plums are quite tender, then pour them with the liquor into a pie-dish, and cover with a rich puff paste, and bake. * * * * * roasted chestnuts for desserts. chestnuts are so frequently sent to table uneatable, that we will give the french receipt for them. they should be first boiled for five minutes, and then finish them in a pan over the fire; they will after the boiling require exactly fifteen minutes roasting; the skin must be slightly cut before they are cooked. * * * * * to roast partridges and pheasants. they may be either _piqué_ or not; partridges require roasting rather more than half an hour, pheasants three-quarters, if small, otherwise an hour; they are served with bread sauce. partridges may be stewed as pigeons. * * * * * to roast venison. wipe the venison dry, sprinkle with salt, and cover with writing paper rubbed with clarified fat; cover this with a thick paste made of flour and water, round which, tie with packthread white kitchen paper, so as to prevent the paste coming off; set the venison before a strong fire, and baste it directly and continue until it is nearly done, then remove the paper, paste, &c.; draw the venison nearer the fire, dredge it with flour, and continue basting; it should only take a light brown, and should be rather under than over-done; a large haunch requires from three to four hours roasting, a small one not above three. serve with the knuckle, garnished with a fringe of white paper, and with gravy and red currant jelly, either cold or melted, in port wine, and served hot. * * * * * a venison pasty. having baked or boiled two hours in broth, with a little seasoning, any part selected, cut the meat in pieces, season with cayenne pepper, salt, pounded mace, and a little allspice, place it into a deep dish; lay over thin slices of mutton fat, and pour a little strong beef gravy flavored with port wine into the dish; cover with a thick puff paste, and bake. * * * * * salmon pie. cut two pounds of fine fresh salmon in slices about three quarters of an inch thick, and set them aside on a dish, clean and scrape five or six anchovies and halve them, then chop a small pottle of mushrooms, a handful of fresh parsley, a couple of shalots, and a little green thyme. put these together into a saucepan, with three ounces of butter, a little pepper, salt, nutmeg, and tarragon; add the juice of a lemon, and half a pint of good brown gravy, and let the whole simmer, gently stirring it all the time; also slice six eggs boiled hard, then line a pie-dish with good short paste, and fill it with alternate layers of the slices of salmon, hard eggs, and fillets of anchovies, spreading between each layer the herb sauce, then cover the dish with the paste, and bake in a moderately heated oven. * * * * * chicken pudding. line a basin with a good beef-suet paste, and fill it with chicken, prepared in the following way: cut up a small chicken, lightly fry the pieces, then place them in a stew-pan, with thin slices of _chorissa_, or, if at hand, slices of smoked veal, add enough good beef gravy to cover them; season with mushroom essence or powder, pepper, salt, and a very small quantity of nutmeg, and mace; simmer gently for a quarter of an hour, and fill the pudding; pour over part of the gravy and keep the rest to be poured over the pudding when served in the dish. the pudding, when filled, must be covered closely with the paste, the ends of which should be wetted with a paste brush to make it adhere closely. * * * * * a fine beefsteak pie. cut two pounds of beef steaks into large collops, fry them quickly over a brisk fire, then place them in a dish in two or three layers, strewing between each, salt, pepper, and mushroom powder; pour over a pint of strong broth, and a couple of table-spoonsful of harvey-sauce; cover with a good beef suet paste, and bake for a couple of hours. the most delicate manner of preparing suet for pastry is to clarify it, and use it as butter; this will be found a very superior method for meat pastry. * * * * * an easy receipt for a charlotte russe. trim straitly about six ounces of savoy biscuits, so that they may fit closely to each other; line the bottom and sides of a plain mould with them, then fill it with a fine cream made in the following manner: put into a stewpan three ounces of ratafias, six of sugar, the grated rind of half an orange, the same quantity of the rind of a lemon, a small piece of cinnamon, a wine-glass full of good maraschino, or fine noyeau, one pint of cream, and the well beaten yolks of six eggs; stir this mixture for a few minutes over a stove fire, and then strain it, and add half a pint more cream, whipped, and one ounce of dissolved isinglass. mix the whole well together, and set it in a basin imbedded in rough ice; when it has remained a short time in the ice fill the mould with it, and then place the mould in ice, or in a cool place, till ready to serve. * * * * * another excellent receipt for a fruit charlotte. line a jelly mould with fine picked strawberries, which must first be just dipped into some liquid jelly, to make them adhere closely, then fill the mould with some strawberry cream, prepared as follows: take a pottle of scarlet strawberries, mix them with half a pound of white sugar, rub this through a sieve, and add to it a pint of whipped cream, and one ounce and a half of dissolved isinglass; pour it into the mould, which must be immersed in ice until ready to serve, and then carefully turned out on the dish, and garnished according to fancy. * * * * * iced pudding. parboil three quarters of a pound of jordan almonds, and one quarter of bitter almonds, remove the skins and beat them up to a paste, with three quarters of a pound of white pounded sugar, add to this six yolks of beaten eggs, and one quart of boiled cream, stir the whole for a few minutes over a stove fire, strain it, and pour it into a freezing pot, used for making ices; it should be worked with a scraper, as it becomes set by freezing; when frozen sufficiently firm, fill a mould with it, cover it with the lid, and let it remain immersed in rough ice until the time for serving. * * * * * italian salad. cut up the white parts of a cold fowl, and mix it with mustard and cress, and a lettuce chopped finely, and pour over a fine salad mixture, composed of equal quantities of vinegar and the finest salad oil, salt, mustard, and the yolks of hard boiled eggs, and the yolk of one raw egg, mixed smoothly together; a little tarragon vinegar is then added, and the mixture is poured over the salad; the whites of the eggs are mixed, and serve to garnish the dish, arranged in small heaps alternately with heaps of grated smoked beef; two or three hard boiled eggs are cut up with the chicken in small pieces and mixed with the salad; this is a delicate and refreshing _entrée_; the appearance of this salad may be varied by piling the fowl in the centre of the dish, then pour over the salad mixture, and make a wall of any dressed salad, laying the whites of the eggs (after the yolks have been removed for the mixture), cut in rings on the top like a chain. the toilette. chapter i. the complexion. the various cosmetics sold by perfumers, assuming such miraculous powers of beautifying the complexion, all contain, in different proportions, preparations of mercury, alcohol, acids, and other deleterious substances, which are highly injurious to the skin; and their continual application will be found to tarnish it, and produce furrows and wrinkles far more unsightly than those of age, beside which they are frequently absorbed by the vessels of the skin, enter the system, and seriously disturb the general health. a fine fresh complexion is best ensured by the habitual use of soft water, a careful avoidance of all irritants, such as harsh winds, dust, smoke, a scorching sun, and fire heat; a strict attention to diet, regular ablutions, followed by friction, frequent bathing, and daily exercise, active enough to promote perspiration, which, by carrying off the vicious secretions, purifies the system, and perceptibly heightens the brilliancy of the skin. these are the simple and rational means pursued by the females of the east to obtain a smooth and perfect skin, which is there made an object of great care and consideration. and it is a plan attended, invariably, with the most complete success. cosmetic baths, composed of milk, combined with various emollient substances are also in frequent use among the higher classes in the east; and we have been informed that they are gradually gaining favour in france and england. we shall give the receipt for one, as we received it from the confidential attendant of an english lady, who is in the habit of using it every week, and we can confidently recommend it to the notice of our readers. the luxurious ladies of ancient rome, who sacrificed so much time and attention to the adornment of their persons, always superintended the preparation of their cosmetics, which were of the most innocent and simple description--the first receipt we subjoin was one in general use with them, and will be found efficacious in removing roughness, or coarseness, arising from accidental causes, and imparting that polished smoothness so essential to beauty. * * * * * an old roman receipt for improving the skin. boil a dessert spoonful of the best wheaten flour with half a pint of fresh asses milk; when boiling, stir in a table-spoonful of the best honey, and a tea-spoonful of rose water, then mix smoothly, place in small pots, and use a little of it after washing; it is better not to make much at a time, as when stale it is liable to irritate the skin. * * * * * a valuable receipt for the skin. boil in half a pint of new milk a thick slice of stale bread, and a tea-spoonful of gum arabic; when boiled, set it at a little distance from the fire to simmer almost to a jelly, then pass it through a folded muslin, and stir in a spoonful of oil of almonds, and the same quantity of honey, with a pinch of common salt; when cold it will be a stiff jelly. a little of this mixture warmed and spread upon the skin, about the thickness of a crown piece, and left on till it cools, will remove, like magic, all appearance of the dry scurf to which some of the finest skins are subject. * * * * * an emollient paste. blanch half a pound of sweet almonds, and two ounces of bitter almonds, and pound them in a mortar, then make them into a paste with rose water; this paste is a fine emollient. * * * * * a superior ointment for chaps, roughness, etc. mix with a gill of fresh cream a spoonful of beaten almonds; when perfectly smooth put it in toilette pots, and use as ointment for chaps, &c.; it will keep for a week if a little spirit of camphor is added to it. * * * * * wash for pimples. dissolve half a dram of salt of tartar in three ounces of spirit of wine, and apply with soft linen; this is an excellent wash for pimples, but, as these are in general the result of some derangement of the system, it will be wiser to discover and remedy the cause, than merely attending to the result. * * * * * lotion for removing freckles. mix one dram of spirit of salts, half a pint of rain water, and half a tea-spoonful of spirit of lavender, and bottle for use. this lotion will often be efficacious in removing freckles. * * * * * cold cream. warm gently together four ounces of oil of almonds, and one ounce of white wax, gradually adding four ounces of rose water; this is one of the best receipts for making cold cream. * * * * * a fine soap. blanch and beat to a paste two ounces of bitter almonds, with a small piece of camphor, and one ounce and a half of tincture of benjamin; add one pound of curd soap in shavings, and beat and melt well together, and pour into moulds to get cool; the above is a very fine soap. * * * * * lip salve. mix together one ounce of white wax, the same of beef marrow, with a small piece of alkanet root tied up in muslin; perfume it according to fancy, strain, and pot while hot; the above is a fine salve for chapped lips. * * * * * chesnut paste for rendering the hands white and soft. boil a dozen fine large chesnuts, peeled and skinned, in milk; when soft beat them till perfectly smooth with rose water; a tea-spoonful of this mixture thrown into the water before washing the hands renders them beautifully white and soft. * * * * * superior milk of roses. boil fresh rose leaves in asses milk, and bottle it off for immediate use; it will be found far more efficacious than the milk of roses sold by perfumers. * * * * * an excellent receipt for lip salve. melt one ounce of spermacetti, soften sufficiently with oil of almonds, color it with two or three grains of powdered cochineal, and pour while warm into small toilet pots. we mention the cochineal to colour the salve, it being usual to make lip salve of a pale rose colour, but we should consider it far more healing in its effects without it. * * * * * a cosmetic bath. boil slowly one pound of starwort in two quarts of water, with half a pound of linseed, six ounces of the roots of the water lily, and one pound of bean meal; when these have boiled for two hours, strain the liquor, and add to it two quarts of milk, one pint of rose water, and a wine glass of spirits of camphor; stir this mixture into a bath of about ninety-eight degrees. * * * * * superior cold cream. melt together one drachm of spermacetti, the same quantity of white wax, and two fluid ounces of oil of almond; while these are still warm, beat up with them as much rose water as they will absorb. this is a very healing kind of cold cream. the usual cold cream sold by perfumers is nothing more than lard, beat up with rose-water, which is heating and irritating to the skin. * * * * * paste for rendering the skin supple and smooth (an english receipt). mix half a pound of mutton or goose fat well boiled down and beaten up well with two eggs, previously whisked with a glass of rose-water; add a table-spoonful of honey, and as much oatmeal as will make it into a paste. constant use of this paste will keep the skin delicately soft and smooth. * * * * * to remove tan. cut a cucumber into pieces after having peeled it, and let the juice drain from it for twelve hours, pour it off, and add to it an equal quantity of orange flower-water, with a small piece of camphor dissolved in a wine-glass of soft water, bottle the mixture, and wash the parts that have been exposed to the sun two or three times in the twenty-four hours. * * * * * eau de cologne. mix together one ounce of essence of bergamot, the same quantity of essence of lemon, lavender, and orange flower-water, two ounces of rosemary and honey-water, with one pint of spirits of wine; let the mixture stand a fortnight, after which put it into a glass retort, the body of which immerse in boiling water contained in a vessel placed over a lamp (a coffee lamp will answer the purpose), while the beak of the retort is introduced into a large decanter; keep the water boiling while the mixture distils into the decanter, which should be covered with cold wet cloths, in this manner excellent eau de cologne may be obtained at a very small expense. * * * * * transparent soap. put into a bottle, windsor soap in shavings, half fill it with spirits of wine, set it near the fire till the soap is dissolved, when, pour it into moulds to cool. * * * * * milk of roses. put into a bottle one pint of rose-water, one ounce of oil of almonds; shake well together, then add fifty drops of oil of tartar. * * * * * hungary water. put into a bottle one pint of spirits of wine, one gill of water, and half an ounce of oil of rosemary; shake well together. * * * * * lavender water. take three drachms of english oil of lavender, spirits of wine one pint; shake in a quart bottle, then add one ounce of orange flower-water, one ounce of rose-water, and four ounces of distilled water; those who approve of the musky odour which lavender water sometimes has, may add three drachms of essence of ambergris or musk. * * * * * essence of roses. put into a bottle the petals of the common rose, and pour upon them spirits of wine, cork the bottle closely, and let it stand for three months, it will then be little inferior to otto of roses. * * * * * essence of lavender. is prepared according to the above recipe, the lavender being substituted for the roses. * * * * * scent bags. small bags filled with iris root diffuses a delicate perfume over drawers, &c. a good receipt for a scent-bag is as follows: two pounds of roses, half a pound of cyprus powder, and half a drachm of essence of roses; the roses must be pounded, and with the powder put into silk bags, the essence may be dropped on the outside. * * * * * essence of musk. mix one dram of musk with the same quantity of pounded loaf sugar; add six ounces of spirits of wine; shake together and pour off for use. * * * * * oil of roses. a few drops of otto of roses dissolved in spirits of wine forms the _esprit de rose_ of the perfumers--the same quantity dropped in sweet oil forms their _huile antique a la rose_. chapter ii. the hair. all stimulating lotions are injurious to the hair; it should be cut every two months: to clean it, there is nothing better than an egg beaten up to a froth, to be rubbed in the hair, and afterwards washed off with elder flower-water; but clear soft water answers every purpose of cleanliness, and is far better for the hair than is usually imagined. one tea-spoonful of honey, one of spirits of wine, one of rosemary, mixed in half a pint of rose-water, or elder flower-water, and the same quantity of soft water, forms an excellent lotion for keeping the hair clean and glossy. a fine pomatum is made by melting down equal quantities of mutton suet and marrow, uncooked, and adding a little sweet oil to make it of a proper consistency, to which any perfume may be added. if essence of rosemary is the perfume used, it will be found to promote the growth of the hair. rum and oil of almonds will be of use for the same purpose. a warm cloth to rub the hair after brushing imparts a fine shiny smoothness. as a bandoline to make the hair set close, the following will be found useful and cheap: take a cupful of linseed, pour over it sufficient boiling water to over, let it stand some hours, and then pour over three table spoonsful of rose-water; stir the seeds well about, and strain it off into a bottle and it will be ready for use; or take a tea-spoonful of gum arabic with a little irish moss, boil them in half a pint of water till half is boiled away; strain and perfume. to remove superfluous hairs, the following receipt will be found effectual, although requiring time and perseverance: mix one ounce of finely powdered pumice-stone with one ounce of powdered quick-lime, and rub the mixture on the part from which the hair is to be removed, twice in twenty-four hours; this will destroy the hair, and is an innocent application. in the east, a depilatory is in use, which we subjoin, but which requires great care in employing, as the ingredients are likely to injure the skin if applied too frequently, or suffered to remain on too long: mix with one ounce of quick-lime, one ounce of orpiment; put the powder in a bottle with a glass stopper; when required for use, mix it into a paste with barley-water; apply this over the part, and let it remain some minutes, then gently take it off with a silver knife, and the hairs will be found perfectly removed; the part should then be fomented to prevent any of the powder being absorbed by the skin, and a little sweet oil or cold cream should be wiped over the surface with a feather. chapter iii. teeth. water is not always sufficient to clean the teeth, but great caution should be used as to the dentifrices employed. charcoal, reduced to an impalpable powder, and mixed with an equal quantity of magnesia, renders the teeth white, and stops putrefaction. also two ounces of prepared chalk, mixed with half the quantity of powdered myrrh, may be used with confidence. or, one ounce of finely powdered charcoal, one ounce of red kino, and a table spoonful of the leaves of sage, dried and powdered. a most excellent dentifrice, which cleans and preserves the teeth, is made by mixing together two ounces of brown rappee snuff, one of powder of bark, and one ounce and a half of powder of myrrh. when the gums are inclined to shrink from the teeth, cold water should be used frequently to rinse the mouth; a little alum, dissolved in a pint of water, a tea-cup full of sherry wine, and a little tincture of myrrh or bark, will be found extremely beneficial in restoring the gums to a firm and healthy state. this receipt was given verbally by one of our first dentists. every precaution should be used to prevent the accumulation of tartar upon the teeth; this is best done by a regular attention to cleanliness, especially during and after illness. "prevention is always better than cure," and the operation of scaling often leaves the teeth weak and liable to decay. acids of all sorts are injurious to the teeth, and very hot or cold liquids discolour them. the best toothpick is a finely-pointed stick of cedar. toothbrushes should not be too hard, and should be used, not only to the teeth, but to the gums, as friction is highly salutary to them. to polish the front teeth, it is better to use a piece of flannel than a brush. toothache is a very painful malady, and the sufferer often flies to the most powerful spirits to obtain relief; but they afford only temporary ease, and lay the foundation for increased pain. a poultice laid on the gum not too hot takes off inflammation, or laudanum and spirits of camphor applied to the cheek externally; or mix with spirits of camphor an equal quantity of myrrh, dilute it with warm water, and hold it in the mouth; also a few drops of laudanum and oil of cloves applied to decayed teeth often affords instantaneous relief. powdered cloves and powdered alum, rubbed on the gum and put in the diseased tooth will sometimes lessen the pain. toothache often proceeds from some irritation in the digestive organs or the nervous system: in such cases pain can only be removed by proper medical treatment. chapter iv. hands. nothing contributes more to the elegance and refinement of a lady's appearance than delicate hands; and it is surprising how much it is in the power of all, by proper care and attention, to improve them. gloves should be worn at every opportunity, and these should invariably be of kid; silk gloves and mittens, although pretty and tasteful, are far from fulfilling the same object. the hands should be regularly washed in tepid water, as cold water hardens, and renders them liable to chap, while hot water wrinkles them. all stains of ink, &c., should be immediately removed with lemon-juice and salt: every lady should have a bottle of this mixture on her toilette ready prepared for the purpose. the receipts which we have already given as emollients for the skin are suitable for softening the hands and rendering them smooth and delicate. the nails require daily attention: they should be cut every two or three days in an oval form. a piece of flannel is better than a nail-brush to clean them with, as it does not separate the nail from the finger. when dried, a little pummice-stone, finely powdered, with powdered orris-root, in the proportion of a quarter of a tea-spoonful to a tea-spoonful of the former, mixed together, and rubbed on the nails gently, gives them a fine polish, and removes all inequalities. a piece of sponge, dipped in oil of roses and emery, may be used for the same purpose. when the nails are disposed to break, a little oil or cold cream should be applied at night. sand-balls are excellent for removing hardness of the hands. palm soap, castille soap, and those which are the least perfumed, should always be preferred. night-gloves are considered to make the hands white and soft, but they are attended with inconvenience, besides being very unwholesome; and the hands may be rendered as white as the nature of the complexion will allow, by constantly wearing gloves in the day-time, and using any of the emollients we have recommended for softening and improving the skin. chapter v. dress. in dress, simplicity should be preferred to magnificence: it is surely more gratifying to be admired for a refined taste, than for an elaborate and dazzling splendour;--the former always produces pleasing impressions, while the latter generally only provokes criticism. too costly an attire forms a sort of fortification around a woman which wards off the admiration she might otherwise attract. the true art of dress is to make it harmonize so perfectly with the style of countenance and figure as to identify it, as it were, with the character of the wearer. all ornaments and trimmings should be adopted sparingly; trinkets and jewellery should seldom appear to be worn merely for display; they should be so selected and arranged as to seem necessary, either for the proper adjustment of some part of the dress, or worn for the sake of pleasing associations. fashion should never be followed too closely, still less should a singularity of style be affected; the prevailing mode should be modified and adapted to suit individual peculiarity. the different effect of colours and the various forms of dress should be duly considered by every lady, as a refined taste in dress indicates a correct judgment. a short stout figure should avoid the loose flowing robes and ample drapery suitable for tall slight women; while these again should be cautious of adopting fashions which compress the figure, give formality, or display angles. the close-fitting corsage and tight sleeve, becoming to the short, plump female, should be modified with simple trimmings, to give fullness and width across the shoulders and bust, and a rounded contour to the arms. flounces and tucks, which rise high in the skirt, are not suitable to short persons; they cut the figure and destroy symetry. to tall women, on the contrary, they add grace and dignity. dresses made half high are extremely unbecoming; they should either be cut close up to the throat or low. it is, however, in bad taste to wear them very low on the shoulders and bosom: in youth, it gives evidence of the absence of that modesty which is one of its greatest attractions; and in maturer years it is the indication of a depraved coquetry, which checks the admiration it invites. it is always requisite for a lady to exert her own taste in the choice of form, colour, and style, and not leave it to the fancy of her dress-maker, as although the person she employs may be eminently qualified for her profession, a lady who possesses any discernment can best judge of what is suitable to her style of countenance and figure. in dress there should be but one prevailing colour, to which all others should be adapted, either by harmonising with it, or by contrast; in the latter case the relieving color should be in small quantity, or it would overpower the other in effect, as a general rule, sombre negative colours show off a woman to the greatest advantage, just as the beauties of a painting are enhanced by being set in a dull frame; still, there are some occasions with which the gayer tints accord better, and as propriety and fitness are matters of high consideration, the woman of taste must be guided in the selection of her apparel by the knowledge of the purport for which it is intended, always endeavouring to fix on that shade of colour which best becomes her complexion. chapter vi. effect of diet on complexion. as the color of the skin depends upon the secretions of the _rete mucuosum_, or skin, which lies immediately beneath the _epedirmis_, or scarf skin, and as diet is capable of greatly influencing the nature of these secretions, a few words respecting it may not be here entirely misplaced. all that is likely to produce acrid humours, and an inflamatory or impoverished state of the blood, engenders vicious secretions, which nature struggles to free herself from by the natural outlet of the skin, for this organ is fitted equally, to _excrete and secrete_. fermented and spirituous liquors, strong tea and coffee should be avoided, for they stimulate and exhaust the vital organs, and interrupt the digestive functions, thereby producing irritation of the internal linings of the stomach, with which the skin sympathises. water, on the other hand, is the most wholesome of all beverages, it dilutes and corrects what is taken into the stomach, and contributes to the formation of a perfect chyle. milk is very nutritious, it produces a full habit of body, and promotes plumpness, restores vigour and freshness, besides possessing the property of calming the passions, and equalising the temper. eggs are, in general, considered bilious, except in a raw state, when they are precisely the reverse; this is a fact, now so universally acknowledged, that they are always recommended in cases of jaundice and other disorders of the bile. spices, and highly seasoned meats import a dryness to the skin, and render the body thin and meagre. animal food taken daily requires constant exercise, or it is apt to render the appearance coarse and gross. it should be combined with farinaceous and vegetable food, in order to correct the heating effects of a concentrated animal diet. excess as to quantity should be strictly guarded against. when the stomach is overloaded it distributes a badly digested mass throughout the system, which is sure to be followed by irritation and disease, and by undermining the constitution, is one of the most certain methods of destroying beauty. chapter vii. influence of the mind as regards beauty. all passions give their corresponding expression to the countenance; if of frequent occurrence they mark it with lines as indelible as those of age, and far more unbecoming. to keep these under proper _control_ is, therefore, of high importance to beauty. nature has ordained that passions shall be but passing acts of the mind, which, serving as natural stimulants, quicken the circulation of the blood, and increase the vital energies; consequently, when tempered and subdued by reason, they are rather conducive than otherwise, both to beauty and to health. it is the _habitual frame of mind, the hourly range of thought_ which render the countenance pleasing or repulsive; we should not forget that "the face is the index of the mind." the exercise of the intellect and the development of noble sentiments is as essential for the perfection of the one, as of the other, fretful, envious, malicious, ill humoured feelings must never be indulged by those who value their personal appearance, for the existence of these chronic maladies of the mind, _cannot be concealed_. "on peut tromper un autre, mais pas tous les autres." in the same way candour, benevolence, pity, and good temper, exert the most happy influence over the whole person;--shine forth in every look and every movement with a fascination which wins its way to all hearts. symmetry of form is a rare and exquisite gift, but there are other conditions quite as indispensable to beauty. let a woman possess but a very moderate share of personal charms, if her countenance is expressive of intellect and kind feelings, her figure buoyant with health, and her attire distinguished by a tasteful simplicity, she cannot fail to be eminently attractive, while ill health--a silly or unamiable expression, and a vulgar taste--will mar the effect of form and features the most symetrical. a clever writer has said, "beauty is but another name for that expression of the countenance which is indicative of sound health, intelligence, and good feeling." if so, how much of beauty is attainable to all! health, though often dependant upon circumstances beyond our control, can, in a great measure, be improved by a rational observance of the laws which nature has prescribed, to regulate the vital functions. over intellect we have still more power. it is capable of being so trained as to approach daily nearer and nearer to perfection. the thoughts are completely under our own guidance and must never be allowed to wander idly or sinfully; they should be encouraged to dwell on subjects which elevate the mind and shield it from the petty trivialities which irritate and degrade it. nothing is more likely to engender bitter thoughts than idleness and _ennui_. occupations should be selected with a view to improve and amuse; they should be varied, to prevent the lassitude resulting from monotony; serious meditations and abstract studies should be relieved by the lighter branches of literature; music should be assiduously cultivated; nothing more refines and exalts the mind; not the mere performance of mechanical difficulties, either vocal or instrumental, for these, unless pursued with extreme caution, enlarge the hand and fatigue the chest, without imparting the advantages we allude to. drawing is highly calculated to enhance feminine beauty; the thoughts it excites are soothing and serene, the gentle enthusiasm that is felt during this delightful occupation not only dissipates melancholy and morbid sensibility, but by developing the judgment and feeling, imparts a higher tone of character to the expression of the countenance. indolent persons are apt to decide that they have "no taste" for such or such pursuits, forgetting that tastes may be acquired by the mind as well as by the palate, and only need a judicious direction. frivolous employment, and vitiated sentiments would spoil the finest face ever created. body and mind are, in fact, so intimately connected, that it is futile, attempting to embellish the one, while neglecting the other, especially as the highest order of all beauty is _the intellectual._ let those females, therefore, who are the most solicitous about their beauty, and the most eager to produce a favourable impression, cultivate the _moral, religious, and intellectual attributes_, and in this advice consists the recipe for the finest cosmetic in the world, viz.--content. index. almondegos soup, . almond pudding, . rice, . paste, . tea-cakes, . amnastich, . apple charlotte, , . jelly, . sauce, . apricot jam, . preserve, . marmalade, . arrowroot pudding, . asparagus sauce, . soup, . barley milk, . jelly, . soup, . batter pudding, . beans, french, to stew with oil, . _au beurre_, . to pickle, . béchamel, . beef, rump, to stew, . à la mode, or sour meat, , . of, an olio, . beef, stewed with french beans, . with white dried peas and beans, and celery, . collops, . cold roast, to warm, . steak, with chesnuts, . steak, stewed simply, . hash of, . brisket of, with vegetables, , . brisket, with onions and raisins, . tea, . ragout of, . steak pie, . to salt, . to spice, . to smoke, . _blanc_, . blanching, directions for, . blancmange, . blanquette of veal, , . of chicken, . boiling, rules for, . bola d'amor, . toliedo, , . d'hispaniola, . bola, plain, . small do. . bottling fruit, rules for, . braising, directions for, . brandy cherries, . bread crumbs for frying, . and butter pudding, . fruit-tart, . pudding, . sauce, . brocali, stewed, . broiling, directions on, . broth, chicken, . browned bread crumbs, . flour, for colouring and thickening soups, sauces, and gravies, . butter cakes, . melted, . oiled, . cabbage and rice stewed, . red, stewed, . to pickle, . cakes, observations respecting, , . almond tea, . rich plum, , . siesta, . sponge, . pound, . soda, . diet bread, . for passover, . a bola, . a very plain, . a plain lunch, without butter, . breakfast, . drop, . cinnamon, . butter, . short, . _matso_, . icing for, . calf's head to stew, . feet, stewed with spanish sauce, . au fritur, . stewed simply, , . jelly, . caper sauce, , . carrots, _au beurre_, . carp, stewed, , . cassereet, a, . casserole au riz, . caudle, . rice, . cauliflower, to pickle, . celery, stewed with mutton, celery sauce, . charlotte russe, . a fruit, . apple, . chestnuts, stewed with steaks, . to roast, . cheesecakes, . savoury, . cherry batter pudding, . preserved whole, . chejados, . chicken broth, . pudding, . panado, . chocolate, to make, . chorissa, . omelette, . stewed with rice and fowl, . cinnamon cakes, . citron pudding, . clarify to, suet, . sugar, . cocoa nut pudding, . doce, . coffee, french method of making, . collard veal, . collops, beef, . college pudding, . colouring for soups and sauces, , , , . commeen, . consommé, , , . cooling, drink a, in fever, . creams, directions for making, , . crême brun, . cressy soup, . croquettes, . cucumbers, to pickle, . sauce, . mango, . cumberland pudding, . currant jelly, , . jam, . curried veal, . chicken, . custard pudding, . custards, . cutlets, veal, . à la française, . in white sauce, . in brown sauce, . mutton, , . lamb, with cucumbers, . damson marmalade, . descaides, . devilled biscuits, . diet bread cake, . for passover, . doce, cocoa nut, . drink for a cough, . an emollient, . a cooling, in fever, . a refreshing, . drop cakes, . duck stewed with peas, . seasoning for, . dutch, stew of fish, . dutch toast, . edgings of potatoes, . of rice, . egg paste, . wine, . balls, . marmalade, . sauce, . english, do., . eggs, scallopped, . savoury, . _see_ omelette. escobeche, . farcie, _see_ forcemeat. fish, directions for boiling and broiling, . fried in oil, . in butter, . a soup, . sauce without butter, . sauce to bottle, . stewed white, , brown, . stewed in dutch fashion, . salad, , . fritters, . omelette, . scallopped, . baked haddocks, . herrings, , . mackarel, . escobeche, . stewed carp, , . of, fillets, . water souchy, . impanado, . white bait, , . fricandelle, . fondeaux, . fondu, . forcemeat, directions for making, . for risoles, fritters, balls, &c., , . of fish for croquettes, &c., . for dressing fish fillets, . for dressing cutlets, , . fowls, a savoury way of roasting, . forced and boned, . boiled, . blanquette of, . curried, . stewed with rice, . a nice way of dressing with sweetbread, . broiled with mushrooms, . fricandelle, dutch, . fricandelles, . fricandeux, a, white, . brown, . a, superior receipt, . fricassee of veal, . of sweetbreads, . fritters of rice, . of french roll, . fruit pies, . frying, directions for, . gateau de tours, . de pomme, . geese, seasoning for, . german puffs, . gherkins, to pickle, . giblet soup, . stewed, . pie, . glazing, directions for, . gloucester jelly, . gooseberry jam, . gravy soup, . gravy, a rich brown, . for roast fowls, . another for ditto, . ditto, when there is no meat to make it with, . to draw strong, . green, colouring for soups, &c., . grimstich, . grosvenor pudding, . haddocks, to roast or bake, . haman's fritters, . harricot, a, . hartshorn jelly, . hash a, to make, . herbs, savoury, for seasoning soups, &c., . herrings smoked, a nice way of dressing, . iced pudding, . iceing for cakes, . impanado, . irish stew, . moss, . italian salad, . italian cream, . jams, to make, . jaumange, . jerusalem artichokes, . jelly, savoury, . jellies, calf's-feet, . orange, . lemon, . hartshorn, . jellies, gloucester, . punch, . bread, . noyeau, . apple, . barley, . currant, . juditha, a, . julienne, soup à la, . kimmel meat, . kugel and commeen, . lamb, stewed with sprew, . with peas, . cutlets and cucumbers, , . shoulder of, a nice receipt for, . lamplich, . larding, . lemon tarts, . jelly, . luction, . maccaroni with cheese, . pudding, . mackarel, baked, . macrotes, . malagatany soup, . english do. . maigre soup, . maintenont cutlets, . marmalades, . melon mango, . milk, barley, . porridge, . restorative, . mince meat, . pies, . minced veal, . miroton, a, , . mint sauce, . mock turtle soup, . melina pie, . matso cakes, . fried, . diet bread, . mushrooms _au naturel_, . large flap, . to pickle, . sauce, . mutton, a french receipt for roasting, . stewed with celery, . a simple way of dressing, . cutlets maintenant, . a haricot, . irish stew, . a l'hispaniola, . collops, , . cutlets, , . smoked, . nouilles paste, . noyeau cream, . jelly, . oil twist, . olio, . omelet sweet, . souflé, . savoury, . chorissa, . onion sauce, . to pickle, . orange jelly, . orgeat, . ox-tail soup, . palestine soup, . salad, . pancakes, . for children, . parsley crisped, . parsley fried, . partridges, . passover pudding, . ditto, . ditto, . fritters, . a superior kind, . ditto with currants, . balls for soup, , . diet bread, . cakes, . pastry, directions for making, . plain puff paste, . rich, ditto, . short crust, . nouilles or egg paste, . beef dripping paste, . glaize for, . patty meats, . peas-soup, summer, , . winter, . stewed with oil, . pears to stew, to bake, . syrup of, . pepper pot, . pheasants, to roast, . piccalili, . pickling, rules for, . pie a fruit, . giblet, . a savoury, a ditto for persons of delicate digestion, . a beef steak, . a french plum, . salmon, . pigeons, . pippins, stewed, , piqué, _see_ larding. plum cake, . jam, . pudding, . _poelée_, . pommes frites, . porridge, . potatoes, to mash, . balls, . wall, , . shavings, . soup of, . poultry cold, to warm, . pound cake, . prenesas, . preparation for cutlets, . preserving, observations on, . puddings, directions for, . plum, . millet, arrowroot, ground rice, tapioca, sago, . passover for, . iced, . almond, . cocoa nut, . citron, . grosvenor, . yorkshire, . suet, . bread, . rice, . custard, . batter, . cherry batter, . ratafia, . college, . cumberland, . rich bread and butter, . punch, . jelly, . whiskey, . milk, . _pureé_ of vegetables, . quince marmalade, . rachael, a, . ragout of beef, . ramakins, . raspberries preserved whole, . jam, . jelly, . ratafia pudding, . restorative milk, . jelly, . rice fritters, . pudding for children, . fruit tart, . souflé, . custard, . caudle, . wall, . risoles, , , . roasting, rules for, . rump of beef stewed, . russe, a charlotte, . salmon cutlets, . pie, . sauces, piquante, . egg, . english, do., . celery, . tomato, . for steaks, . without butter for fish, . for fish to keep, . to serve with ducks, . oiled butter, . bread, . apple, . onions, . melted butter, . mushroom, . white, to throw over vegetables, . for puddings without butter, . robert, . caper, , . à la tartare, . for roast mutton, . asparagus, . cucumber, white, . brown, . velouté, . béchamel, . sauer krout, . savoury jelly, . herb powder, . seasoning for poultry, . siesta, a, . soda cake, . sopa d'ora, . souflè, , . omelette, . rice, . soups, almondegos, a superior white soup, . asparagus, . cressy, . malagatany, . english do., . gravy, . barley, . carrot, . giblet, . julienne, . mock turtle, . matso, . palestine, . de poisson, or fish, . ox tail, . peas, summer, . winter, . potatoe, . à la turque, . vermicelli, . white, a, . tomato, . vegetable, or french, . spanish beans and peas, . spinach à la française, . sponge cakes, . spring dish, a, . staffin, . steak stewed with chestnuts, . stewed simply, . stewing, rules for, . stock--see _consommé_. strawberries preserved whole, . jam, . jelly, . suet to clarify, . sugar to clarify, . sweetbreads roasted, . stewed white, . brown, . fricasseed, . tart de moy, . tartlets, . tendons of veal, . thickening for soups and sauces, . timbale of maccaroni, . tomato soup, . sauce, . dry soup, a, . tourte à la creme, . trifle, an easy one, . a still more simple and quickly made, . truffle sauce, . turke soup, à la, . turkey boned and forced, . veal, a white fricandeaux of, . brown, do. . tendons of, . fricandeaux, . collard, . curried, . cutlets, , . . blanquette of, . minced, . stuffing, . miroton of, , . smoked, . vegetable or french soup, . observations on, . velouté, . venison to roast, . a pasty, . vermicelli pudding, . soup, . vol-au-vent, . de fruit, . petits, . waflers, . walnuts, to pickle, . water souchy, . whey wine, . tamarind, . plain, . white bait, , . white soup, . superior, do., . wine, mulled, . egg, . yorkshire pudding, . 	 	 	 	 	 	transcriber's note 	 	obvious typographical errors have been corrected. a list of corrections 	is found at the end of the text. inconsistencies in spelling and 	hyphenation have been maintained. a list of inconsistently spelled and 	hyphenated words is found at the end of the text. 	 	 	 	 	 the 	 new england cook book	 	 or 	 young housekeeper's guide: 	 	 being a 	 collection of the most valuable receipts; 	 embracing all the 	 various branches of cookery	 	 and 	 written in a minute and methodical manner. 	 	 also	 	 	 an appendix	 	 containing a collection of miscellaneous receipts	 	 relative to housewifery. 	 	 new haven: 	 hezekiah howe & co.	 and herrick & noyes. 	 	 . 	 	 	 	 	 entered according to the act of congress	 in the year 	 	 by hezekiah howe & co.	 	 in the clerk's office	 of the district court of connecticut. 	 	 	 	 	preface. 	 	 	the writer deems that no apology need be offered for adding another to 	the long list of works on the truly interesting	 if not noble science of 	gastronomy	 provided she has accomplished the desirable object of 	producing a work that will commend itself to all persons of true taste; 	that is to say	 those whose taste has not been vitiated by a mode of 	living contrary to her own. she has made that her aim	 and although not 	an ude or kitchener	 she does profess to have sufficient knowledge of 	the occult science	 if properly imparted	 to enlighten those not versed 	in culinary lore. 	 	the utter inefficiency of most works of the kind	 are well known to 	every experienced housekeeper	 serving but to lead the uninitiated 	astray	 who following implicitly the directions given have to lament in 	the language of that homely but not inapt proverb	 that their cake is 	all dough. among the few exceptions she would mention the frugal 	housewife by mrs. child	 which is a very useful book	 and fully answers 	its author's design; but that is limited as its name imports to the 	plainest cooking	 and is not intended for those who can afford to 	consult their taste in preference to their purse. the writer of this 	short but she trusts comprehensive work	 has endeavored to combine both 	economy	 and that which would be agreeable to the palate	 but she has 	never suffered the former to supersede the latter. 	 	although the mode of cooking is such as is generally practiced by good 	notable yankee housekeepers	 yet the new england cook book is not so 	local but that it will answer like a modern almanac	 without any 	material alteration for almost any meridian. it is intended for all 	classes of society and embracing both the plainest and richest cooking	 	joined to such minuteness of directions as to leave as little as 	possible to the judgment of the practitioner	 proving to the unskilled 	quite a desideratum	 while in the hands of the head of the culinary 	department	 it will prevent that incessant running to and fro for 	directions	 with which housekeepers' patience are too often tried. the 	experienced cook may smile at the simplicity and minuteness of some of 	the receipts	 yet if she has witnessed as much good food spoiled by 	improper cooking as the writer of these receipts	 she will not think she 	has been unnecessarily plain. in regard to the seasoning of food	 it has 	been found impossible to give any exact rules	 as so much depends on the 	quality of the food and seasoning. 	 	the cook should be careful not to have the natural flavor of the food 	overpowered by the seasoning	 and where a variety of spices are used	 no 	one should predominate over the other. 	 	measuring has been adopted as far as practicable	 in preference to 	weighing	 on account of its being more convenient. as many people have 	not a set of measures	 it has been thought best to use such utensils as 	every one has	 viz. tumblers	 tea cups	 wine glasses	 &c. but as they 	may be thought rather too indefinite by some	 the exact quantity will 	here be stated; most tumblers are a good half pint measure	 wine glasses 	usually hold half a gill	 and table spoons the fifth of a gill; by tea 	cups are meant the old fashioned ones	 which hold very little over a 	gill. 	 	in conclusion the writer would give her sincere thanks	 to those of her 	friends who have kindly furnished her with many of their choice and rare 	receipts	 and to the public she would not add any thing more in its 	favor	 being strongly impressed with the truth of the adage	 that the 	proof of the pudding is in the eating. 	 	 	 	 	contents. 	 	 	 page. 	 	 . meat	 	 	 . roast beef	 	 	 . beef steak	 	 	 . alamode beef	 	 	 . beef liver	 	 	 . to corn beef	 	 	 . mutton	 	 	 . veal	 	 	 . veal cutlets	 	 	 . calf's head	 	 	 . collops	 	 	 . plaw	 	 	 . a fillet of veal	 	 	 . lamb	 	 	 . shoulder of lamb grilled	 	 	 . lamb's fry	 	 	 . turkey	 	 	 . goose	 	 	 . chickens	 	 	 . fricassee chickens	 	 	 . pigeons	 	 	 . ducks	 	 	 . baked pig	 	 	 . pressed head	 	 	 . souse	 	 	 . tripe	 	 	 . ham	 	 	 . tongues	 	 	 . curries	 	 	 . curry powder	 	 	 . chicken pie	 	 	 . beef and mutton pie	 	 	 . chicken and veal pot pie	 	 	 . to frizzle beef	 	 	 . warmed over meats	 	 	 . a ragout of cold veal	 	 	 . drawn butter	 	 	 . burnt butter	 	 	 . roast meat gravy	 	 	 . sauce for cold meat	 fish or salad	 	 	 . wine sauce for venison or mutton	 	 	 . rice sauce	 	 	 . oyster sauce	 	 	 . liver sauce for fish	 	 	 . lobster sauce	 	 	 . chicken salad	 	 	 . sauce for turtle or calf's head	 	 	 . apple sauce	 	 	 . pudding sauce	 	 	 . tomato catsup	 	 	 . mushroom catsup	 	 	 . essence of celery	 	 	 . soup herb spirit	 	 	 . veal soup	 	 	 . black soup	 	 	 . calf's head or mock turtle soup	 	 	 . chicken or turkey soup	 	 	 . oyster soup	 	 	 . pea soup	 	 	 . to bake beans	 	 	 . poached eggs	 	 	 . to boil eggs	 	 	 . omelet	 	 	 . fresh fish	 	 	 . fresh cod	 	 	 . halibut	 	 	 . striped and sea bass	 	 	 . black fish	 	 	 . shad	 	 	 . chowder	 	 	 . stuffed and baked fish	 	 	 . salt cod	 	 	 . fish cakes	 	 	 . lobsters and crabs	 	 	 . scollops	 	 	 . eels	 	 	 . clams	 	 	 . stew oysters	 	 	 . to fry oysters	 	 	 . oyster pancakes	 	 	 . oyster pie	 	 	 . scolloped oysters	 	 	 . vegetables.--potatoes	 	 	 . turnips	 	 	 . beets	 	 	 . parsnips and carrots	 	 	 . onions	 	 	 . artichokes	 	 	 . squashes	 	 	 . cabbage	 	 	 . asparagus	 	 	 . peas	 	 	 . beans	 	 	 . corn	 	 	 . greens	 	 	 . salads	 	 	 . to stew mushrooms	 	 	 . egg plant	 	 	 . celeriac	 	 	 . salsify or vegetable oyster	 	 	 . tomatoes	 	 	 . gumb	 	 	 . southern manner of cooking rice	 	 	 . to pickle peppers	 	 	 . mangoes	 	 	 . to pickle butternuts and walnuts	 	 	 . to pickle cabbage and cauliflower	 	 	 . to pickle onions	 	 	 . to pickle artichokes	 	 	 . to pickle cucumbers	 	 	 . to pickle gherkins	 	 	 . to pickle oysters	 	 	 . to pickle mushrooms	 	 	 . wheat bread	 	 	 . sponge bread	 	 	 . rye bread	 	 	 . rice bread	 	 	 . french rolls or twists	 	 	 . yeast	 	 	 . yeast cakes	 	 	 . biscuit	 	 	 . butter milk biscuit	 	 	 . hard biscuit	 	 	 . york biscuit	 	 	 . rice cakes	 	 	 . rice ruffs	 	 	 . buck wheat cakes	 	 	 . economy cakes	 	 	 . green corn cakes	 	 	 . corn cake	 	 	 . indian slap jacks	 	 	 . johnny cakes	 	 	 . hoe cakes	 	 	 . muffins	 	 	 . flour waffles	 	 	 . quick waffles	 	 	 . rice waffles	 	 	 . rice wafers	 	 	 . observations respecting sweet cakes	 	 	 . gingerbread	 	 	 . soft gingerbread	 	 	 . ginger snaps	 	 	 . cider cake	 	 	 . cookies	 	 	 . new year's cookies	 	 	 . plain tea cakes	 	 	 . shrewsbury cake	 	 	 . tunbridge cake	 	 	 . jumbles	 	 	 . simbals	 	 	 . sugar gingerbread	 	 	 . rusk	 	 	 . whigs	 	 	 . hot cream cakes	 	 	 . cross buns	 	 	 . nut cakes	 	 	 . crollers	 	 	 . molasses dough cake	 	 	 . sugar dough cake	 	 	 . measure cake	 	 	 . cup cake	 	 	 . french loaf	 	 	 . washington cake	 	 	 . plain cream cake	 	 	 . rich cream cake	 	 	 . shelah or quick loaf cake	 	 	 . loaf cake	 	 	 . rice cake	 	 	 . diet bread	 	 	 . scotch or lemon cake	 	 	 . pound cake	 	 	 . queen's or heart cakes	 	 	 . jelly cake	 	 	 . raised queen's cake	 	 	 . sponge cake	 	 	 . almond sponge cake	 	 	 . black or fruit cake	 	 	 . almond cheese cake	 	 	 . maccaroons	 	 	 . frosting for cake	 	 	 . cocoanut cakes	 	 	 . floating island	 	 	 . whip syllabub	 	 	 . blanc mange	 	 	 . rice flour blanc mange	 	 	 . ice cream	 	 	 . pastry	 	 	 . puff paste or confectioner's pastry	 	 	 . apple pie	 	 	 . mince pie	 	 	 . peach pie	 	 	 . tart pie	 	 	 . rice pie	 	 	 . rhubarb or persian apple pie	 	 	 . cherry and blackberry pies	 	 	 . grape pie	 	 	 . currant and gooseberry pies	 	 	 . pumpkin pie	 	 	 . carrot pie	 	 	 . potatoe pie	 	 	 . marlborough pie	 	 	 . custard pie	 	 	 . a plain custard pie	 	 	 . lemon pie	 	 	 . cocoanut pie	 	 	 . small puffs	 	 	 . boiled custards	 	 	 . almond custards	 	 	 . cold custard or rennet pudding	 	 	 . custard pudding	 	 	 . boiled bread pudding	 	 	 . a plain baked bread pudding	 	 	 . a rich bread pudding	 	 	 . flour pudding	 	 	 . a plain rice pudding	 	 	 . a rich rice pudding	 	 	 . rice snow balls	 	 	 . baked indian pudding	 	 	 . boiled indian pudding	 	 	 . corn pudding	 	 	 . hasty pudding	 	 	 . fruit pudding	 	 	 . fritters	 	 	 . apple dumplings	 	 	 . orange pudding	 	 	 . bird's nest pudding	 	 	 . apple custard pudding	 	 	 . english plum pudding	 	 	 . transparent pudding	 	 	 . lemon syrup	 	 	 . orange syrup	 	 	 . blackberry syrup	 	 	 . clarified syrup for sweet meats	 	 	 . to preserve quinces	 	 	 . quince marmalade	 	 	 . to preserve pears	 	 	 . to preserve peaches	 	 	 . to preserve currants	 	 	 . to preserve barberries	 	 	 . to preserve ginger	 	 	 . to preserve apples	 	 	 . to preserve cymbelines or mock citron	 	 	 . to preserve watermelon rinds	 	 	 . to preserve cherries	 	 	 . to preserve muskmelons	 	 	 . to preserve pine apples	 	 	 . to preserve pumpkins	 	 	 . to preserve gages	 	 	 . to preserve strawberries	 	 	 . blackberry and raspberry jam	 	 	 . strawberry	 blackberry and raspberry jelly	 	 	 . cranberry	 grape and currant jelly	 	 	 . quince jelly	 	 	 . apple jelly	 	 	 . lemon jelly	 	 	 . calf's foot jelly	 	 	 . coffee	 	 	 . to make tea	 	 	 . chocolate	 	 	 . hop beer	 	 	 . spruce beer	 	 	 . spring beer	 	 	 . ginger beer	 	 	 . a good family wine	 	 	 . currant wine	 	 	 . raspberry shrub	 	 	 . noyeau	 	 	 . spring fruit sherbet	 	 	 . grape wine	 	 	 . smallage cordial	 	 	 	miscellaneous receipts and observations useful to young housekeepers. 	 	 page. 	 	 . to make essence of lemon	 	 	 . essence of ginger	 	 	 . rose water	 	 	 . spice brandy	 	 	 . barley water	 	 	 . water gruel	 	 	 . wine whey	 	 	 . stomachic tincture	 	 	 . beef tea	 	 	 . carrageen or irish moss	 	 	 . moss blanc mange	 	 	 . elderberry syrup	 	 	 . new bread and cake from old and rusked bread	 	 	 . to preserve cheese from insects and mould	 	 	 . to keep vegetables and herbs	 	 	 . to preserve various kinds of fruit over winter	 	 	 . to extract essences from various kinds of flowers	 	 	 . indelible ink for marking linen	 	 	 . perfume bags	 	 	 . lip salve	 	 	 . bread seals	 	 	 . to loosen the glass stopples of decanters or 	 smelling bottles when wedged in tight	 	 	 . cement for broken china	 glass and earthenware	 	 	 . japanese cement or rice glue	 	 	 . cement for alabaster	 	 	 . to extract fruit stains	 	 	 . to extract spots of paint from silk	 woolen and 	 cotton goods	 	 	 . to remove black stains on scarlet merinos or 	 broadcloths	 	 	 . to remove grease spots from paper	 silk or woolen	 	 	 . to extract stains from white cotton goods and colored 	 silks	 	 	 . rules for washing calicoes	 	 	 . rules for washing silks	 	 	 . rules for washing woolens	 	 	 . rules for washing white cotton clothes	 	 	 . to clean silk and woolen shawls	 	 	 . to clean silk stockings	 	 	 . to clean carpets	 	 	 . to clean feather beds and mattresses	 	 	 . to clean light kid gloves	 	 	 . to remove ink or grease spots from floors	 	 	 . to clean mahogany and marble furniture	 	 	 . to clean stone hearths and stoves	 	 	 . to clean brass	 	 	 . to cleanse vials and pie plates	 	 	 . cautions relative to brass and copper	 	 	 . to keep pickles and sweet meats	 	 	 . starch	 	 	 . to temper new ovens and iron ware	 	 	 . to temper earthen ware	 	 	 . preservatives against the ravages of moths	 	 	 . to drive away various kinds of household vermin	 	 	 . to keep meat in hot weather	 	 	 . to prevent polished cutlery from rusting	 	 	 . to melt fat for shortening	 	 	 . to preserve eggs fresh a year	 	 	 . to preserve cream for long voyages	 	 	 . substitute for milk and cream in tea or coffee	 	 	 . to cure butter	 	 	 . to make salt butter fresh	 	 	 . to take rankness from a small quantity of butter	 	 	 . windsor soap	 	 	 . to make bayberry or myrtle soap	 	 	 . cold soap	 	 	 	 	 	practical cookery. 	 	 	 . _meat._ 	 	to be in perfection meat should be kept several days	 when the weather 	will admit of it. beef and mutton should be kept at least a week in cold 	weather	 and poultry three or four days. in summer meat should be kept 	in a cool airy place	 away from the flies	 and if there is any danger of 	its spoiling sprinkle a little salt over it. when meat is frozen it 	should be put in cold water and remain in it till the frost is entirely 	out	 if there is any frost in it when put to the fire	 it will be 	impossible to cook it well. fresh meat should not be put into the pot 	until the water boils. when meat is too salt	 soak it in lukewarm water 	for several hours	 change the water before boiling it. meat should boil 	gently with just water enough to cover it	 and the side that is to go up 	on the table should be put down in the pot	 as the scum that rises makes 	the meat look dark	 it should be taken off as soon as it rises. the 	liquor in which all kinds of fresh meat is boiled	 makes good soup. 	 	 	 . _roast beef._ 	 	the tender loin and first and second cuts of the rack are the best 	roasting pieces	 the third and fourth cuts are good. the lower part of a 	rack of beef should be cut off as it prevents the meat from roasting 	thoroughly. when the beef is put to the fire to roast a little salt 	should be sprinkled on it	 and the bony side turned towards the fire	 	when the ribs get well heated through	 turn the meat	 put it to a brisk 	fire and baste it frequently till done. if the meat is a thick piece 	allow fifteen minutes to each pound	 to roast it in	 if thin less time 	will be required. 	 	 	 . _beef steak._ 	 	the tender loin is the best piece for broiling	 that from the shoulder 	clod or from the round is good and comes much cheaper. beef before 	broiling if not very tender	 should be laid on a board and pounded. wash 	it in cold water	 and broil it on a hot bed of coals	 the quicker it is 	cooked without being burnt the better it is. cut up about quarter of a 	pound of butter for or lbs. of beef	 put the pieces into a platter 	and when the steak is done	 lay it on the butter	 pepper and salt it on 	both sides. 	 	 	 . _alamode beef._ 	 	the round of beef is the best piece to alamode. the shoulder clod is 	good and comes cheaper	 it is also good stewed without any spices. for 	five lbs. of beef soak about a pound of bread in cold water	 when soft 	drain off the water	 mash the bread fine	 put in a piece of butter	 half 	the size of a hen's egg	 together with half a tea spoonful of salt	 the 	same quantity of mace	 pepper	 and cloves	 also a couple of eggs and a 	table spoonful of flour	 mix the whole well together	 then cut gashes in 	the beef	 and fill them with half of the dressing	 put it in a bake pan 	with boiling water	 enough to cover it. the bake pan lid should be just 	hot enough to scorch flour	 put a few coals and ashes on the top	 let it 	stew constantly for two hours	 then place the reserved dressing on top 	of the meat	 put in a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg	 heat 	the bake pan lid till hot enough to brown the dressing	 stew it an hour 	and a half longer. when you have taken up the meat	 if the gravy is not 	thick enough	 mix a tea spoonful or two of flour with a little water	 	and stir it in	 put in a couple of wine glasses of white wine	 and a 	small piece of butter. 	 	 	 . _beef liver._ 	 	the best way to cook liver	 is to pour boiling water on it	 dip it in 	salt and water	 then broil it till nearly done	 with two or three slices 	of salt pork previously dipped in flour	 cut up the meat and pork into 	strips about two inches long	 lay the whole into a pan with a little 	water	 salt and pepper	 put in a little butter	 stew it four or five 	minutes. it is more economical to fry or broil it	 but it is not as 	nice. 	 	 	 . _to corn beef._ 	 	to every gallon of cold water	 put a quart of rock salt	 an oz. of salt 	petre	 a quarter of a lb. of sugar and a couple of table spoonsful of 	blown salt. (some people use molasses instead of sugar but it is not as 	good). no boiling is necessary	 put your beef in the brine	 as long as 	any salt remains at the bottom of the brine it is strong enough. 	whenever any scum rises	 the brine should be scalded	 skimmed and more 	sugar	 salt and salt petre put in. when a piece of beef is put in the 	brine a little salt should be added	 and if the weather is warm cut 	gashes in the beef	 and fill them with salt. keep a heavy weight on the 	beef in order to keep it under the brine. the top of the weight is a 	good place to keep fresh meat from spoiling in hot weather. in very hot 	weather	 it is difficult to corn beef in cold brine before it spoils	 on 	this account it is a good plan to corn it in the pot	 it is done in the 	following manner	 to six or eight lbs. of beef put a tea cup of salt	 	sprinkle flour on the side that is to go up on the table and put it down 	in the pot	 without any water in it	 then turn in cold water enough to 	cover it	 boil it two hours then fill up the pot and boil it an hour and 	a half longer. 	 	 	 . _mutton._ 	 	the saddle	 is the best part for roasting	 the shoulder and leg are good 	roasted; but the latter is better boiled	 with a piece of salt pork; a 	tea cup of rice	 improves the looks of it. before putting the mutton 	down to roast	 rub a little butter on it	 sprinkle on salt and pepper; 	cloves	 and allspice improve it. put a small piece of butter in the 	dripping pan	 and baste it frequently	 the bony side should be turned 	towards the fire first	 and roasted. for boiling or roasting mutton	 	allow a quarter of an hour to each pound. 	 	 	 . _veal._ 	 	the loin of veal is the best roasting piece	 the breast and rack are 	good roasting pieces	 the breast makes a good pot pie. the leg is nice 	for frying	 and when several slices have been cut off for cutlets the 	remainder is nice boiled with about half a pound of salt pork. veal for 	roasting should be salted and peppered	 and have a little butter rubbed 	on it	 baste it frequently	 and unless the meat is very fat put a small 	piece of butter in the dripping pan when the meat is put down to roast. 	 	 	 . _veal cutlets._ 	 	fry three or four slices of pork	 when brown take them up. cut part of a 	leg of veal into slices about an inch thick and fry them in your pork 	fat	 when brown on both sides take it up	 stir about half a tea cup of 	clear water into the gravy	 then mix a tea spoonful or two of flour 	with a little water and turn it in	 soak a couple of slices of toasted 	bread in the gravy lay them on the bottom of a platter place your meat	 	and pork over the toast	 then turn your gravy on the meat. some people 	dip the veal into the white of an egg and roll it in pounded bread 	crumbs before cooking it. it takes nearly an hour to cook this dish. 	 	 	 . _calf's head._ 	 	boil the head two hours together with the lights and feet	 put in the 	liver when it has boiled an hour and twenty minutes	 before the head is 	done	 tie up the brains in a bag and boil them with it. when these are 	done take them up and mash them fine	 season them with salt	 pepper and 	butter	 sweet herbs if you like	 use them as the dressing for the head. 	some people prefer part of the liver and the feet for dressing	 they are 	prepared like the brains. the liquor that the calf's head is boiled in 	makes a nice soup seasoned in a plain way	 like any other veal soup	 or 	seasoned turtle fashion. the liquor should stand till the day after the 	head is boiled when the fat should be skimmed off. 	 	 	 . _collops._ 	 	cut part of a leg of veal into pieces three or four inches broad	 	sprinkle flour on them	 and fry in butter till brown	 then turn in water 	enough to cover the veal	 when it boils take off the scum	 put in two or 	three onions	 a blade of mace	 let it stew gently three quarters of an 	hour	 put in a little salt	 pepper and the juice of half a lemon. take 	it up	 pour the gravy over it. the gravy should be previously thickened 	with a little flour and water. 	 	 	 . _plaw._ 	 	boil a piece of lean veal till tender. then take it up cut it into 	strips three or four inches long	 put it back into the pot	 with the 	liquor it was boiled in	 and a couple of tea cups of rice to four lbs. 	of the veal	 put in a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg	 season 	it with salt	 pepper and sweet herbs	 stew it gently till the water has 	nearly boiled away. a little curry powder in this converts it into a 	curry dish. 	 	 	 . _a fillet of veal._ 	 	take a leg of veal	 cut off the shank	 and cut gashes in the remainder. 	make a dressing of bread soaked soft and mashed	 season it with salt	 	pepper and sweet herbs	 chop a little raw pork fine	 and put it into the 	dressing	 if you have not pork use a little butter. fill the gashes in 	the meat with the dressing	 put it in a bake pan with water enough to 	just cover it	 put the remainder of the dressing on top of the meat. for 	six lbs. of veal	 allow two hours steady baking. a leg of veal is nice 	prepared in this manner and roasted. 	 	 	 . _lamb._ 	 	the fore and hind quarter of lamb are good roasting pieces. sprinkle 	salt and pepper on the lamb and turn the bony side towards the fire 	first	 if not fat	 rub on a little butter and put a little in the 	dripping pan	 baste it frequently. these pieces are good stuffed like a 	fillet of veal	 and roasted	 the leg is also good cooked in the same 	manner	 but it is better boiled with a little pork or salt	 allow 	fifteen minutes boiling to each lb. the breast of lamb is good roasted	 	broiled	 or corned and boiled	 it is also good made into a pot pie. the 	fore quarter with the ribs divided is good broiled	 the bones of this as 	well as of all other kinds of meat when put down to broil should be put 	toward the fire	 a little butter	 pepper and salt should be put on it. 	lamb is very apt to spoil in warm weather	 if you wish to keep a leg 	several days	 put it in brine	 it should not be put in with pork	 as 	fresh meat is apt to injure the pork. 	 	 	 . _shoulder of lamb grilled._ 	 	the shoulder of lamb is good roasted or cooked in the following manner. 	score it in chequers about an inch long	 rub it over with a little 	butter and the yolk of an egg	 then dip it into finely pounded bread 	crumbs	 sprinkle on salt	 pepper and sweet herbs	 broil or roast it till 	of a light brown. this is good with plain gravy or sauce	 made in the 	following manner	 with half a pint of the gravy	 (or the same quantity 	of drawn butter	) put a table spoonful of tomato catsup	 the juice of 	half a lemon	 a little salt and pepper. 	 	 	 . _lamb's fry._ 	 	the heart and sweet bread are nice fried plainly	 or dipped into the 	white of an egg and fine bread crumbs	 they should be fried in lard. 	 	 	 . _turkey._ 	 	take out the inwards and wash both the inside and outside of the turkey. 	prepare a dressing of either boiled potatoes mashed fine or bread soaked 	in cold water	 the water should be squeezed out of the bread	 mash it 	fine	 add a small piece of butter or pork chopped fine	 put in pepper	 	salt	 and sweet herbs if you like them	 an egg mixed with the dressing 	makes it cut smoother. 	 	fill the crop and body of the turkey with the dressing	 sew it up	 tie 	up the legs and wings rub on a little salt and butter. roast it from two 	to three hours according to the size; twenty five minutes for every 	pound is a good rule. a turkey should be roasted slowly at first and 	basted frequently	 the inwards of a turkey should be boiled till 	tender	 and the liquor they are boiled in	 used for the gravy	 when you 	have taken up the inwards	 mix a little flour and water smoothly 	together	 and stir it into the skillet	 put in a little of the drippings 	of the turkey	 season it with salt and pepper	 and sweet herbs if you 	like. drawn butter is used for boiled turkey. a turkey for boiling 	should be dressed like one for roasting	 tie it up in a cloth unless you 	boil rice in the pot with it	 if you use rice	 put in a tea cup two 	thirds full	 a small piece of pork boiled with the turkey	 improves it. 	if you wish to make a soup of the liquor in which the turkey is boiled	 	let it stand till the next day and then skim off the fat. 	 	 	 . _goose._ 	 	if a goose is tender under the wing	 and you can break the skin easily 	by running the head of a pin across the breast	 there is no danger of 	its being tough. a goose should be dressed in the same manner	 and 	roasted the same length of time	 as a turkey. 	 	 	 . _chickens._ 	 	chickens for roasting or boiling	 should have a dressing prepared like 	that for turkies. half a tea cup full of rice boiled with the chickens	 	makes them look white	 they will be less liable to break if the water is 	cold when they are put in to boil	 a little pork boiled with the 	chickens improves them	 if you do not boil any pork with them	 put in a 	little salt. chickens for broiling should be split	 the inwards taken 	out	 and the chicken washed inside and out	 put the bony side down on 	the gridiron	 and broil it very slowly till brown then turn it	 when 	done take it up	 salt	 and butter it. about forty minutes is required to 	broil a common sized chicken. for roast chicken	 boil the liver and 	gizzard by themselves and use the water for gravy	 cut the inwards in 	slices	 and put them in. 	 	 	 . _fricassee chickens._ 	 	the chickens should be jointed	 the inwards taken out	 and the chickens 	washed	 put them in a stew pan with the skin side down	 on each layer 	sprinkle salt and pepper; put in three or four slices of pork	 just 	cover them with water	 and let them stew slowly till tender. then take 	them up	 mix a tea spoonful of flour smoothly	 with a little water	 and 	stir it into the gravy	 add a piece of butter of the size of a hen's 	egg	 put the chickens back into the stew pan	 let them stew slowly for 	four or five minutes. when you have taken up the chickens	 put two or 	three slices of toast into the gravy	 and when soaked soft lay it in a 	platter and lay the chickens on top	 and turn the gravy upon it. if you 	wish to brown the chickens	 reserve the pork and fry it by itself	 when 	brown take it up and put in the chickens	 (when they are stewed tender	) 	and let them fry till of a light brown. 	 	 	 . _pigeons._ 	 	take out the inwards and stuff them	 with a dressing prepared like that 	for turkies	 put them in the pot with the breast side down	 the water 	should more than cover them	 when nearly done put in a quarter of a lb. 	of butter to every dozen of pigeons	 mix a little flour and water and 	stir into the gravy. when stewed tender	 if you wish to brown them	 take 	them up	 and fry them in a little pork fat or butter	 an hour before 	they are done	 put on a heated bake pan lid. they are very good split 	open and stewed with a dressing made and warmed up separately with a 	little of the gravy. it takes about two hours to cook tender pigeons and 	three for tough ones. tender pigeons are good stuffed and roasted. they 	should be buttered just before they are taken from the fire. 	 	 	 . _ducks._ 	 	are good stewed like pigeons	 or roasted. two or three onions in the 	dressing of wild ducks takes out the fishy taste. if ducks or any other 	fowls are slightly injured by being kept too long	 dip them in weak sal 	eratus and water before cooking them. 	 	 	 . _baked pig._ 	 	take out the inwards	 cut off the first joint of the feet and boil them 	till tender	 take them up and take out the bones	 chop them a little. 	prepare a dressing of bread soaked and mashed fine	 season it with salt	 	pepper	 butter	 and sweet herbs	 if you like	 fill the pig with the 	dressing	 rub a little butter on the out side to prevent its blistering. 	if you wish to have it go on the table whole	 put it into a long 	dripping pan	 put in a little water	 set it in a well heated oven	 bake 	it from two hours and a half to three	 according to the size. when done 	take out a little of the dressing	 and mix it with the chopped inwards	 	and feet	 put in a little butter pepper and salt	 let the pig stand in 	the open air a few minutes before it goes on the table	 in order to make 	it crispy. 	 	 	 . _pressed head._ 	 	boil ears	 forehead	 and rind	 (the cheek is good but is better corned 	and smoked)	 boil them till the meat will almost drop from the bones	 	take them up when cold	 cut the meat in strips about an inch long and 	half an inch broad	 warm it in a little of the liquor in which the meat 	was boiled	 season it with pepper	 salt	 cloves	 nutmeg and cinnamon	 	when hot take it up and put it in a strong bag	 put a heavy weight upon 	it	 and let it remain till perfectly cold. 	 	 	 . _souse._ 	 	take pig's ears and feet	 clean them thoroughly	 boil them till tender	 	take them out and when cold split them	 lay them in a deep dish	 pour on 	boiling vinegar strongly spiced with pepper corns	 cloves and nutmeg	 	put in a little salt. when cold they are fit to cook. fry them in lard. 	they will keep good pickled for four or five weeks. 	 	 	 . _tripe._ 	 	after being scoured should be soaked in salt and water	 seven or eight 	days	 changing the water every other day. then boil it till tender	 	which will take eight or ten hours. it is then fit for broiling	 frying	 	or pickling. it is pickled like souse. 	 	 	 . _ham._ 	 	a ham that weighs ten lbs. should be boiled four or five hours	 if too 	salt the water should be changed. before it goes on to the table take 	off the rind	 put pepper or whole clove in the form of diamonds all over 	it. the virginia way of curring hams is the following	 dissolve two oz. 	of salt petre	 two tea spoonsful of sal eratus	 for every lbs. of 	ham	 add molasses in the proportion of a gallon to a hogshead of brine. 	make a salt pickle as strong as possible	 put the above ingredients in 	it	 then put the hams in	 and let them remain for six weeks. take them 	out and smoke them for three months. hams cured in this way will keep 	good a long time and are very fine flavored. 	 	 	 . _tongues._ 	 	cut off the roots of the tongues	 make a brine like that for curing 	beef	 let the tongues remain in it for a week	 then	 smoke them eight 	or ten days. they require boiling four or five hours. the roots make 	very nice mince pies	 but are not good smoked. 	 	 	 . _curries._ 	 	chickens	 pigeons	 mutton chops	 veal	 lamb and lobsters	 make good 	curries. the meat should be boiled till nearly tender	 if made of fowls 	they should be jointed before they are boiled. put a little butter in a 	stew pan	 when melted put in the meat and cover it with part of the 	liquor it was boiled in	 let it stew for ten or fifteen minutes. for 	lbs. of meat	 mix a table spoonful of curry powder	 with one of flour	 	or a tea cup of boiled rice	 put in a little water	 and a table spoonful 	of melted butter	 and half a tea spoonful of salt	 turn the whole over 	the meat	 and let it stew six or eight minutes. 	 	 	 . _curry powder._ 	 	pound fine	 one oz. of ginger	 one of mustard	 one of pepper three of 	coriander seed	 the same quantity of turmeric	 half an oz. of cardamums	 	quarter of an oz. of cayenne pepper	 the same quantity of cinnamon and 	cummin seed. pound the whole well together	 sift and put them in a 	bottle. 	 	 	 . _chicken pie._ 	 	joint the chickens	 and boil them	 till nearly tender in water just 	sufficient to cover them. take them up and lay them in a dish	 lined 	with pie crust	 on each layer of the chickens	 sprinkle pepper and salt	 	put in a little of the liquor that they were boiled in	 three or four 	slices of pork and a small piece of butter	 sprinkle flour over the 	whole. cover it with a nice pie crust	 ornament it with pastry cut in 	narrow strips. bake it an hour and a quarter. 	 	 	 . _beef and mutton pie._ 	 	take meat that is tender	 pound it out thin	 and boil it ten minutes. 	take it up	 cut off the bony and gristly parts	 season the meat highly 	with pepper and salt	 butter it	 and cut it in narrow strips. line a 	deep dish	 with piecrust	 put in the meat	 and to each layer	 put a tea 	spoonful of tomato catsup	 and a table spoonful of water	 sprinkle flour 	over the whole	 and cover it with piecrust	 ornament it as you please 	with pastry. cold roast	 or boiled beef and mutton	 cut in bits	 and 	seasoned highly with salt and pepper	 make a nice pie	 put them in a 	dish	 and turn a little melted butter over them	 pour on water till you 	can just see it at the top. 	 	 	 . _chicken and veal pot pie._ 	 	boil the meat until about half done	 if chickens they should be jointed. 	take up the meat	 and put it in a pot with a layer of crust	 to each 	layer of meat; have a layer of crust on the top	 cover the whole with 	the liquor the meat was boiled in. keep a tea kettle of boiling water	 	to turn in when the water boils away	 (cold water makes the crust 	heavy.) if you wish to have it brown	 heat a bake pan lid	 and cover the 	pot while it is cooking	 which takes about an hour. the crust for the 	pie is good	 made like common pie crust	 only very plain	 roll it about 	an inch thick	 cut it with a tumbler	 into small cakes. raised pie 	crust	 is generally preferred to any other	 it is made in the following 	manner. rub together	 three pints of flour one cup of butter	 half a tea 	spoonful of salt	 and then turn in a tea cup of yeast	 and half a pint 	of water. set it in a warm place to rise	 when risen	 (which will be in 	the course of ten or twelve hours	 in cold weather	) roll it out	 and 	cut it into small cakes. if it is not stiff enough to roll out	 knead 	in a little flour	 if too stiff	 put in a little water. potatoe pie 	crust is good	 boil the potatoes	 peel and mash them fine	 put in a tea 	spoonful of salt	 a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg	 and half 	a pint of milk	 mix flour with it till of the right consistency to roll 	out	 cut it into cakes	 and put them with the meat. a very good way to 	make the crust	 when you happen to have unbaked wheat bread; is to roll 	out the dough several times and spread butter on it each time	 let it 	lay about half an hour	 before you put it with the meat. 	 	 	 . _to frizzle beef._ 	 	take tender smoked beef and shave it off thin	 put it in a stew pan	 	with boiling water enough to cover it	 let it stew ten or fifteen 	minutes; three or four minutes before it is done	 thicken the water it 	is stewed in with a little flour	 when taken up sprinkle on a little 	pepper. this makes a nice dish for breakfast	 provided the beef is moist 	and tender. 	 	 	 . _warmed over meats._ 	 	boiled or roasted veal makes a nice dish	 chopped very fine	 and warmed 	up with a little pepper	 a small piece of butter	 and a little water	 if 	you have gravy	 it is very good instead of the butter and water. a 	little nutmeg and the rind and juice of half a lemon improve it	 the 	rind should be chopped very fine	 (none of the white part should be 	used.) when well heated through	 take it up and cut a couple of lemons 	in slices	 and lay over it. veal and fresh or salt beef	 are all of them 	good	 minced fine	 with boiled potatoes	 and warmed up with pepper	 salt 	and gravy	 if you have not gravy	 use a little butter and water. some 	people like boiled onions	 or turnips	 chopped fine	 and mixed with the 	minced meat	 instead of potatoes. veal	 lamb and mutton	 are good cut in 	small strips	 and warmed with boiled potatoes	 cut in slices	 and 	pepper	 salt	 and gravy. roast beef and mutton	 if not cooked too much	 	are nice cut in slices	 and just scorched on a gridiron. meat when 	warmed over	 should only be on the fire just long enough to get heated 	well through	 if on the fire long	 most of the nourishment of the meat 	will be extracted	 and it will be very indigestible. cold fowls are nice 	jointed and warmed up	 with a little water and salt	 then take the fowls 	out of the water	 put them in a frying pan	 that has a little hot butter 	in it	 and fry them	 till of a light brown	 they should have a little 	flour sprinkled over them before they are browned. thicken the water 	with flour	 that the fowls were warmed in	 put a little butter in it	 	and turn it over the meat	 when taken up. 	 	 	 . _a ragout of cold veal._ 	 	cut boiled or roasted veal	 in nice slices	 flour and fry them in 	butter	 till of a light brown. then take them up and turn a little hot 	water into the butter they were fried in	 mix a little flour with water 	and into the gravy	 season it with salt	 pepper	 mace	 and catsup	 if 	you have any	 and a little lemon juice. put in the meat and stew it till 	very hot. 	 	 	 . _drawn butter._ 	 	mix a couple of tea spoonsful of flour	 gradually with a little water	 	stir it till free from lumps	 thin it	 and stir it into half a pint of 	boiling water	 let it boil four or five minutes	 then put in about a 	quarter of a lb. of butter	 previously cut in small pieces	 set it where 	it will melt gradually. if carefully mixed it will be free from lumps	 	if not strain it	 before it is put on to the table. if the butter is to 	be eaten on fish	 cut up several boiled eggs into it. a little curry 	powder sprinkled in it	 will convert it into curry sauce. 	 	 	 . _burnt butter._ 	 	put a couple of ounces of butter	 in a frying pan	 set it on the fire	 	when of a dark brown color	 put in a table spoonful of vinegar	 a little 	pepper and salt. this is nice for fish	 or boiled eggs. 	 	 	 . _roast meat gravy._ 	 	meat when put down to roast	 should have about a pint of water in the 	dripping pan. if you like your gravy very rich	 skim off the top of the 	drippings to your meat	 and use them	 if you like it plain	 stir up the 	drippings	 strain them and put in a skillet and boil them. mix a tea 	spoonful of flour	 with a little cold water	 and stir it into the gravy. 	lamb and veal require a little butter in the gravy. 	 	 	 . _sauce for cold meat	 fish or salad._ 	 	mix the yolks of two eggs boiled soft	 with a mustard spoonful of made 	mustard	 a little salt and pepper	 two table spoonsful of salad oil	 or 	melted butter	 when well mixed	 put in three table spoonsful of vinegar. 	a table spoonful of tomato	 or mushroom	 catsup	 improves it. 	 	 	 . _wine sauce for venison or mutton._ 	 	warm half a pint of the drippings	 or the liquor	 the meat was boiled 	in. when it boils	 mix a tea spoonful of scorched flour	 with a little 	water	 and stir it in	 put in a little pepper	 salt	 and quarter of a 	tea spoonful of cloves	 put in a table spoonful of currant jelly	 and 	half a tumbler full of wine	 just before you take it from the fire. many 	people prefer melted currant jelly	 to any other sauce for venison. 	 	 	 . _rice sauce._ 	 	boil half a tea cup of rice	 till soft	 then stir in two table spoonsful 	of milk	 a little salt	 and a nutmeg	 or mace	 sweet herbs	 a boiled 	onion	 and strain it. this is a very nice accompaniment to game. 	 	 	 . _oyster sauce._ 	 	take the juice of your oysters	 and to a pint put a couple of sticks of 	mace	 a little salt and pepper	 put it on the fire	 when it boils	 mix 	two tea spoonsful of flour	 with a little milk	 and stir it in. when it 	has boiled two or three minutes	 put in about half a pint of solid 	oysters	 a piece of butter of the size of half an egg	 when scalded 	through take them up. 	 	 	 . _liver sauce for fish._ 	 	boil the liver of the fish	 then mash it fine	 stir it into drawn 	butter	 put in a little cayenne or black pepper	 a couple of tea 	spoonsful of lemon juice	 and a table spoonful of catsup. 	 	 	 . _lobster sauce._ 	 	mash the yolks of two eggs	 boiled soft	 with the spawn of the lobster	 	and a tea spoonful of water	 when rubbed smooth	 put in a mustard 	spoonful of made mustard	 two table spoonsful of salad oil	 or melted 	butter	 a little salt	 pepper	 and five table spoonsful of vinegar. 	 	 	 . _chicken salad._ 	 	boil four eggs three minutes	 take them out of the shell mash	 and mix 	them	 with a couple of table spoonsful	 of olive oil	 or melted butter	 	two thirds of a tumbler of vinegar	 a tea spoonful of mixed mustard	 	half a tea spoonful of salt	 quarter of a tea spoonful of pepper	 and a 	little essence of celery	 if you have any. cut up a boiled chicken that 	weighs two or three pounds	 into small strips	 and turn the sauce over 	it. 	 	 	 . _sauce for turtle	 or calf's head._ 	 	to half a pint of drawn butter	 or thickened beef gravy	 put the juice 	of half a lemon	 a little sage	 basil	 or sweet marjoram	 a little 	cayenne pepper	 and a wine glass of white wine	 just before you take it 	up. 	 	 	 . _apple sauce._ 	 	pare and quarter the apples	 take out the cores	 stew them in cider. 	when soft take them up	 put in a piece of butter of the size of a 	walnut	 to every quart of the sauce	 sweeten it to your taste	 with 	brown sugar. another way which is very good	 is to boil the apples	 with 	a few quinces	 in new cider	 and molasses enough to sweeten them	 till 	reduced to half the quantity. this kind of sauce will keep good for 	several months. 	 	 	 . _pudding sauce._ 	 	mix a tea cup of butter	 with two of nice brown sugar	 when white	 put 	in a wine glass of wine	 or brandy	 flavor it with nutmeg	 essence of 	lemon or rosewater. if you wish to have it liquid make two thirds of a 	pint of thin starch	 and stir it into the butter and sugar. if you wish 	to have it foam	 put in a little cider. cider instead of wine	 or 	brandy	 answers very well	 for common pudding sauce. 	 	 	 . _tomato catsup._ 	 	wipe the tomatoes	 which should be perfectly ripe. boil them till soft 	in a little water. strain the whole through a sieve	 season it highly	 	with salt	 pepper	 cloves	 allspice and mace	 then boil it fifteen 	minutes. let it stand twenty four hours	 then take off the watery part	 	bottle the remainder	 seal it tight	 and keep it in a cool place. made 	in this way it will keep the year round. the catsup	 should be stewed in 	tin	 and the later in the season it is made	 the less liable will it be 	to spoil. 	 	 	 . _mushroom catsup._ 	 	put a layer of fresh mushrooms	 in a deep dish	 sprinkle a little salt 	over them	 then put in another layer of mushrooms	 and salt	 and so on	 	till you get in all the mushrooms	 let them stand several days	 then 	mash them fine; to each quart	 put a tea spoonful	 of black pepper	 put 	it in a stone jar tightly covered	 set it in a pot of boiling water	 	boil it two hours	 then strain it without squeezing the mushrooms. boil 	the juice half an hour	 skim it well	 let it stand a few hours to 	settle	 then turn it off carefully through a sieve	 bottle	 cork	 and 	seal it tight	 set it in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _essence of celery._ 	 	steep half an oz. of bruised celery seed	 in a quarter of a pint of 	brandy	 for a fortnight. a few drops of this	 will give a fine flavor to 	soup. 	 	 	 . _soup herb spirit._ 	 	those who like a variety of herbs	 in soup	 will find it very 	convenient	 to have the following mixture. take when in their prime	 	thyme	 sweet marjoram	 sweet basil	 and summer savory	 dry	 pound	 and 	sift them	 steep them in brandy. the herb spirit will be fit for use	 in 	the course of a fortnight. 	 	 	 . _veal soup._ 	 	a leg of veal	 after enough has been cut off for cutlets	 makes a soup 	nearly as good as calves head. boil it with a cup two thirds full of 	rice	 a pound and a half of pork	 season it with salt	 pepper	 and sweet 	herbs	 if you like	 a little boiled celery cut in slices	 or a little 	essence of celery improves it	 parsly	 carrot	 and onions	 boiled in the 	soup	 are liked by some people. 	 	if you wish for balls in your soup	 chop veal fine	 mix it with a couple 	of eggs	 a few bread crumbs	 a small piece of butter	 or raw pork 	chopped fine	 put in salt and pepper	 to your taste	 or a little curry 	powder	 boil them in the soup. just before you take the soup up	 put in 	a couple of slices of toast	 cut into small pieces. the veal should be 	taken up before the soup is seasoned. 	 	 	 . _black soup._ 	 	the shank of beef	 is the best part for soup	 cold roast beef bones	 and 	beef steak	 make very good soup. boil the shank four or five hours	 in 	water enough to cover it. half an hour before the soup goes on the 	table	 take out the meat	 thicken the soup with scorched flour mixed 	with cold water	 season it with pepper	 salt	 nutmeg	 and cloves	 a 	little tomato catsup improves it	 put in sweet herbs or herb spirit if 	you like. 	 	some people boil onions in the soup	 but as they are very disagreeable 	to many persons	 it is better to boil them and put them in a dish by 	themselves. take bread soaked soft	 mash it well and put in a little of 	the boiled beef chopped fine	 a couple of eggs	 a very little flour	 	season it highly with salt	 pepper	 cloves	 and mace	 do it up in small 	balls and boil them in the soup fifteen minutes. 	 	 	 . _calf's head or mock turtle soup._ 	 	boil the head till perfectly tender	 then take it out	 strain the 	liquor	 and set it away till the next day	 then skim off the grease. cut 	up the meat	 and put it in the liquor	 together with the lights	 (the 	brains should be reserved for the balls) warm it	 and season it with 	salt	 pepper	 cloves	 mace	 and sweet herbs if you like and onions	 let 	it stew gently for half an hour. just before taking it up add half a 	pint of white wine. for the balls chop lean veal fine	 with a small 	piece of raw salt pork	 add the brains	 and season it highly with salt	 	pepper	 cloves	 mace	 and sweet herbs	 or curry powder	 make it up into 	balls	 about the size of half a hen's egg	 boil part in the soup	 and 	fry the remainder	 and put them in a dish by themselves. 	 	 	 . _chicken or turkey soup._ 	 	the liquor that turkey or chicken is boiled in makes a good soup	 with 	half a tea cup of rice	 and a lb. of pork boiled in it. if you do not 	like it very fat	 let it stand till the next day after the turkey is 	boiled	 skim off the fat	 season it with salt	 pepper	 and sweet herbs. 	if you like vegetables in soup	 boil them by themselves	 slice them up 	when done and put them in the turreen with toasted bread	 cut in small 	pieces; or toasted crackers. when the soup is hot	 turn it on them. 	 	 	 . _oyster soup._ 	 	take a couple of quarts of oysters out of the liquor with a fork	 strain 	the liquor	 and if there are any shells in them rinse them off. to each 	quart put a pint of milk or water. set them on the fire	 when it begins 	to simmer skim it	 mix three tea spoonsful of flour	 with a little milk	 	stir it in when the oysters boil	 when it boils again take it up and 	season it with salt	 pepper	 a table spoonful of tomato catsup	 a table 	spoonful of vinegar and a small lump of butter; turn it on to a slice of 	toast cut in pieces. 	 	 	 . _pea soup._ 	 	to a quart of peas	 put a quart of cold water soak them over night	 in a 	warm place. next day set them to boiling four or five hours	 before they 	are to be eaten	 put in a couple of lbs. of pork to two quarts of the 	peas	 add in a little more water	 if not likely to be sufficiently soft	 	put in a tea spoonful of saleratus half an hour before you take up the 	soup. 	 	 	 . _to bake beans._ 	 	pick over the beans	 wash	 and put them in a pot with cold water enough 	to cover them	 hang them over the fire where they will keep just 	lukewarm. when they begin to grow soft	 stew them over a hot fire 	several minutes	 with a heaping tea spoonful of saleratus. then take 	them up with a skimmer	 and put them in a baking pot	 gash a lb. of pork 	and put it down in the pot so as to have the beans just cover it	 pour 	in cold water till you can see it at the top. they will bake in a hot 	oven in the course of three hours; but they will be better to remain in 	it five or six. beans are very good stewed	 without being baked. 	 	 	 . _poached eggs._ 	 	break your eggs into a dish and beat them to a foam. then put them on a 	few coals	 put in a small lump of butter	 a little salt	 let them cook 	very slowly	 stirring them constantly till they become quite thick	 then 	take them up	 and turn them on buttered toast. 	 	 	 . _to boil eggs._ 	 	they should be put into boiling water	 and if you wish to have them 	soft	 three minutes is long enough to boil them	 if you wish to have 	them hard	 they should boil five minutes. another way to boil them	 is 	to break the shells and drop the eggs	 into a frying pan of boiling 	water	 let them boil three or four minutes. if you do not use the eggs	 	as a garnish	 salt and butter them	 when you take them up. 	 	 	 . _omelet._ 	 	beat your eggs to a froth	 leaving out half the whites	 put in a couple 	of ounces	 of fine minced ham	 corned beef or veal	 when veal is used	 a 	little salt will be requisite. fry it in butter	 till it begins to 	thicken. when it is brown on the underside	 it is sufficiently cooked. 	if you wish to have it brown on the top	 put a heated bake pan lid over 	it	 as soon as it has set. 	 	 	 . _fresh fish._ 	 	fresh fish for boiling	 or broiling	 are the best the day after they are 	caught. they should be cleaned	 washed	 and half a tea cup of salt	 	sprinkled on the inside of them	 and a little pepper	 if they are to be 	broiled. set them in a cool place. when fresh fish are boiled	 they 	should be put in a strainer	 or sewed up in a cloth carefully; put them 	in cold water	 with the backbone down; with eight or ten pounds of fish	 	boil half a tea cup of salt. many people do not put their fish into the 	pot	 until the water boils	 but it is not a good plan	 as the outside 	gets cooked too much	 before the inside is cooked sufficiently. fish for 	frying	 should be wiped dry after being washed	 and flour sprinkled on 	them. for five or six lbs. of fish	 fry three or four slices of pork	 	when brown	 take them up	 and put in the fish	 if the pork does not make 	sufficient fat	 to fry the fish in	 add a little lard. for good plain 	gravy	 mix a tea spoonful or two of flour with a little water	 and turn 	in	 when you have taken up the fish; when well mixed	 add a little 	butter and pepper	 when it boils	 turn it on to the fish. boiled fish	 	should be served up with drawn butter	 or liver sauce. for a garnish to 	boiled fish	 boil several eggs five minutes	 cool them in water	 then 	take off the shells	 and cut them in slices	 and lay them round the 	fish; parsly and pepper grass	 are also a pretty garnish for boiled 	fish. for broiling fish the gridiron should be greased with a little 	butter	 the inside of the fish should be broiled first. 	 	 	 . _fresh cod_	 	 	is good boiled	 fried	 baked	 or made into a chowder. it is too dry a 	fish to broil. 	 	 	 . _halibut_	 	 	is nice cut in slices	 and broiled or fried; the fins and the thick 	part	 are good boiled. 	 	 	 . _striped and sea bass_	 	 	are good fried	 boiled	 broiled	 baked or made into a chowder. 	 	 	 . _black fish._ 	 	black fish are the best fried	 or boiled	 they will do to broil but are 	not so nice as cooked in any other way. 	 	 	 . _shad._ 	 	fresh shad are the best bloated and broiled; but they are good boiled or 	fried	 the spawn and liver are nice fried in lard. salt shad is good 	boiled	 without any soaking	 if liked quite salt	 if not pour on 	scalding water	 and let them soak in it	 half an hour	 then drain off 	the water	 and boil them twenty minutes. salt shad and mackerel for 	broiling	 should be soaked twenty four hours	 in cold water	 the water 	should be changed several times. to salt twenty five shad	 mix one pound 	of sugar	 a peck of rock salt	 two quarts of fine salt	 and quarter of a 	pound of salt petre. put a layer of it at the bottom of the keg	 then a 	layer of shad	 with the skin side down	 sprinkle on the mixed salt	 	sugar	 and salt petre	 and so on till you get in all the shad. lay a 	heavy weight on the shad	 to keep it under brine. if there is not brine 	enough in the course of a week	 add a little more sugar	 salt	 and salt 	petre. 	 	 	 . _chowder._ 	 	fry three or four slices of pork until brown. cut each of your fish into 	five or six slices	 flour and put a layer of them in your pork fat	 	sprinkle on pepper and very little salt	 cloves	 and mace	 if you like	 	lay on several crackers	 previously soaked soft	 in cold water	 and 	several bits of your fried pork	 this operation repeat	 till you get in 	all your fish	 then turn on nearly water enough to cover them	 put on a 	heated bake pan lid. when the fish has stewed about twenty minutes	 	take them up	 and mix a tea spoonful of flour	 with a little water	 and 	stir it into the gravy	 add about an ounce of butter	 and cloves. half a 	pint of white wine	 and the juice of half a lemon	 or a tea cup of 	tomato catsup	 improve it. bass and cod	 make the best chowder. some 	people like them made of clams	 the hard part should be cut off. 	 	 	 . _stuffed and baked fish._ 	 	soak bread in cold water	 till soft	 then squeeze out all the water	 	mash it and mix it with a piece of butter	 of the size of a hen's egg	 a 	little salt	 pepper	 cloves	 and mace	 a couple of raw eggs	 makes the 	dressing cut smoother. fill the fish with this dressing	 and sew it up. 	put a tea cup of water in a bake pan	 and a small piece of butter	 lay 	in the fish; bake it about an hour. fresh cod	 bass	 and shad	 are 	suitable fish for baking. 	 	 	 . _salt cod_	 	 	should be soaked in lukewarm water	 till the skin will come off easily. 	scrape it	 and change the water	 and put it over a moderate fire	 where 	it will keep warm without boiling	 boiling hardens rather than softens 	it. it takes three hours to soak it soft. it should be cut into good 	square pieces	 and served up with drawn butter. cold codfish is good	 	minced up fine	 with potatoes	 and warmed up with butter	 and a little 	water. 	 	 	 . _fish cakes._ 	 	cold	 boiled	 salt	 or fresh fish	 are nice mixed up fine	 with 	potatoes	 a little butter put in	 and moulded up	 into small cakes	 with 	the hand	 fry them in pork fat	 or butter. 	 	 	 . _lobsters and crabs._ 	 	put them into boiling water	 and boil them three quarters of an hour	 if 	large	 if not	 half an hour will be long enough. boil two thirds of a 	tea cup of salt	 with four or five pounds of lobsters. when cold crack 	the shells	 take out the meat. be careful to get out the blue vein	 and 	what is called the lady	 as they are very unhealthy. 	 	lobsters are good cold	 or warmed up	 with a little vinegar	 pepper	 	salt	 and butter. a way of dressing them	 which looks very prettily	 is 	to pick out the spawn	 and red chord	 mash it fine	 and rub it through 	the sieve	 put in a little butter and salt	 cut the lobsters into small 	squares	 and warm it together with the spawn	 over a moderate fire. when 	hot take it up	 and garnish it with parsly. the chord and spawn when 	strained	 are a handsome garnish for any kind of boiled fish. 	 	 	 . _scollops._ 	 	are nice fried	 or boiled and pickled like oysters	 for frying	 they 	should be previously boiled	 and taken out of the shells	 and all but 	the hearts thrown away	 as the rest is very unhealthy	 dip the hearts	 	into flour	 and fry them till brown in lard. the hearts are also good 	stewed with a little water	 butter	 pepper	 and salt. 	 	 	 . _eels._ 	 	if very large	 are best	 bloated and broiled	 they should be bloated 	several hours before cooking them. if not very large fry them in pork 	fat; large eels are nice cut into small strips	 and laid in a deep dish	 	with bits of salt pork and pepper	 and baked for half an hour. 	 	 	 . _clams._ 	 	wash and boil them	 until the shells open	 with just water enough to 	prevent their burning at the bottom of the pot. when the shells open	 	take the clams out of them	 and warm them	 with a little of the liquor	 	they were boiled in	 and a little butter	 pepper	 and salt. soak a slice 	of toasted bread	 in the clam liquor	 put it in the bottom of a dish and 	turn the clams on to it when hot. for clam pancakes	 take some of the 	clam liquor	 and mix with a little flour	 to a pint of flour put two 	beaten eggs	 and a little salt	 fry them in lard. very large long clams 	are nice taken out of the shell without boiling and broiled. 	 	 	 . _stew oysters._ 	 	take the oysters out of the liquor with a fork	 rinse the bits of shell 	from them	 and strain the liquor	 put the oysters in a stew pan	 with 	the juice	 when scalded through	 take them up	 turn them on buttered 	toast	 salt	 butter	 and pepper them	 to your taste	 some cooks add a 	little catsup or lemon juice. 	 	 	 . _to fry oysters._ 	 	take those that are large	 dip them in eggs	 and fine bread crumbs	 fry 	them in lard	 till of a light brown. they are a nice garnish for boiled 	or fried fish	 if fried when first caught with a little salt	 and 	pepper	 sprinkled on them	 will keep good several months	 provided they 	are put into a bottle and corked tight	 as soon as cooked. whenever they 	are to be eaten	 warm them with a little water. 	 	 	 . _oyster pancakes._ 	 	mix the juice of the oysters	 with flour	 in the proportion of a pint of 	liquor	 to a pint of flour	 if you have not juice enough	 put in a 	little milk	 or water	 add a couple of eggs	 and a little salt to each 	pint	 fry them in lard. 	 	 	 . _oyster pie._ 	 	line a deep dish with pie crust	 fill it with dry pieces of bread; make 	a nice puff paste	 and cover the dish with it	 bake till of a light 	brown	 either in a quick oven or bake pan	 have the oysters just stewed	 	by the time the crust is done	 take off the upper crust	 and remove the 	pieces of bread	 put in the oysters	 season them with salt	 pepper	 and 	butter	 a little catsup improves the pie	 but is not essential	 cover it 	with the crust. 	 	 	 . _scolloped oysters._ 	 	pound crackers or rusked bread till fine	 butter scolloped tins or 	shell	 sprinkle on the crumbs	 then put in a layer of oysters	 a small 	lump of butter	 a little pepper	 salt	 and juice of the oysters	 put on 	another layer of crumbs	 and oysters	 and so on till the shells are 	filled	 having the bread crumbs on top; bake them until a light brown. 	 	 	 . _vegetables.--potatoes._ 	 	the best way to cook potatoes	 is to pare and put them in a pot	 with 	just boiling water enough to prevent their burning	 put in a little 	salt	 and cover them up tight	 let them stew till you can stick a fork 	through them easily. if there is any water in the pot turn it off	 and 	put it back on the fire	 and let the potatoes steam a few moments 	longer. the easiest way to cook them	 is to put them in boiling water	 	with the skins on	 they should boil constantly till done	 if you wish to 	have them mealy; they are more mealy	 to have the water turned off	 as 	soon as you can stick a fork through them easily	 and put in a warm 	place	 where they will steam	 the lid should be off. cold	 mashed	 or 	whole potatoes are nice cut in slices	 and fried in lard or butter. 	sweet potatoes are the best baked. most potatoes will boil sufficiently 	in half an hour	 new irish potatoes will boil in less time. 	 	 	 . _turnips._ 	 	white turnips require about as much boiling	 as potatoes. when tender 	take them up	 peel and mash them	 season them with a little salt and 	butter. yellow turnips require about two hours boiling	 if very large	 	they should be split in two. 	 	 	 . _beets._ 	 	beets should not be cut	 or scraped before they are boiled. in summer 	they will boil in an hour	 in winter it takes three hours to boil them 	tender. boiled beets cut in slices	 and put in vinegar	 for several 	days	 are nice. 	 	 	 . _parsnips and carrots._ 	 	the best way to cook them	 is to scrape and split them in two	 put them 	in a stew pan with the flat side down	 pour on boiling water enough to 	cover them	 when done take them up	 and butter them. many people boil 	parsnips whole	 but it is not a good plan	 as the outside gets done too 	much	 before the inside is cooked sufficiently. 	 	 	 . _onions._ 	 	peel and put them in boiling milk	 water will do to boil them in but is 	not as good	 when done take them up salt them	 and turn a little melted 	butter	 over them. 	 	 	 . _artichokes._ 	 	scrape and put them in boiling water with a table spoonful of salt	 to a 	couple of dozen	 when boiled tender (which will be in about two hours) 	take them up and butter them. 	 	 	 . _squashes._ 	 	if very young boil them whole	 if not they should be pared quartered and 	the seeds taken out	 boil them till very tender	 then take them up	 put 	them in a cloth	 and press out the water	 mash them in a dish	 salt and 	butter them to your taste. 	 	 	 . _cabbage._ 	 	take off the loose leaves	 cut the stalky part in quarters	 to the heart 	of the cabbage. boil it an hour	 if not boiled with corn beef put a 	little salt in the pot. cauliflowers will boil tender in fifteen or 	twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _asparagus._ 	 	the tough part should be cut in thin slices	 and boiled eight or ten 	minutes	 before the other part is put in	 lay the remainder compactly 	together	 tie it in small bundles and boil it from fifteen to twenty 	minutes	 according to its age. take it up when tender	 with a skimmer 	lay it on buttered toast	 in a deep dish	 sprinkle a little salt on it	 	melt a little butter	 and turn over it. 	 	 	 . _peas._ 	 	shell and boil them	 from fifteen to thirty minutes	 according to their 	age	 and kind	 if very old a tea spoonful of saleratus boiled with 	them	 makes them better and more healthy. when tender take them up salt 	and butter them to your taste. 	 	 	 . _beans._ 	 	string beans	 should have the strings carefully taken off and if old	 	the edges should be cut off; if the beans are old put saleratus in the 	pot	 in the proportion of half a tea spoonful of saleratus	 to a peck of 	beans it should be put in before the beans. boil them from twenty five 	to thirty minutes	 salt and butter them when you take them up. beans and 	all other summer vegetables	 should not be picked longer than one day 	before being cooked; the fresher green vegetables are the better they 	are and more healthy. 	 	 	 . _corn_	 	 	should be put in boiling water with a little salt	 and boiled from ten 	to twenty minutes	 according to its age. it is much sweeter to be boiled 	on the cob. 	 	 	 . _greens._ 	 	white mustard	 spinach and the leaves and roots of very small beets	 are 	the best greens. boil them with a little salt and saleratus in the 	water. 	 	 	 . _salads_	 	 	should be fresh	 and put in cold water	 for half an hour before they are 	eaten. cucumbers	 to be healthy	 should not be picked longer than a day 	before they are eaten	 they should be kept in cold water	 and fifteen or 	twenty minutes before they are eaten	 pare and slice them	 into fresh 	cold water. 	 	 	 . _to stew mushrooms._ 	 	peel and put them in a sauce pan	 with just enough water	 to prevent 	their burning to the bottom of the pan. put in a little salt	 and shake 	them occasionally. when they have stewed about twenty minutes	 put in a 	little butter	 pepper	 and salt; a little wine and cloves improve them. 	they should be stewed very slowly	 and taken up as soon as seasoned	 	turn them on buttered toast. 	 	 	 . _egg plant_	 	 	should be cut in slices	 about half an inch thick	 between every slice 	sprinkle a little salt	 let them lay two hours before cooking	 then 	scrape off the salt and fry them till brown in lard. 	 	 	 . _celeriac._ 	 	this is an excellent vegetable	 but it is but little known. the stalks 	of it	 can hardly be distinguished from celery	 and it is much easier 	cultivated. the roots are nice boiled tender	 and cut in thin slices and 	put in soup	 or meat pie	 or cooked in the following manner	 and eaten 	with meat. scrape and cut them in slices	 and boil them	 till perfectly 	tender	 then take them up sprinkle on a little salt and stew them in a 	little milk four or five minutes	 turn them into a dish	 and put in a 	little butter. 	 	 	 . _salsify or vegetable oyster._ 	 	the best way too cook it	 is to cut it in slices	 and dip it into an egg 	and fine bread crumbs	 fry it in lard. it is very good boiled	 and then 	stewed a few moments in milk	 and a little butter put on it	 or cut in 	slices	 and fried in butter	 made like that for oyster pancakes	 	substituting milk for the juice of the oyster. 	 	 	 . _tomatoes	_ 	 	if very ripe will skin easily	 if not pour on scalding water	 and let 	them remain in it four or five minutes. peel and put them in a stew pan 	with a table spoonful of water if not very juicy	 if so no water will be 	required	 put in a little salt	 and stew them in tin	 for half an hour	 	when done turn them into a dish with buttered toast. another way of 	cooking them	 which is considered very nice by epicures	 is to put them 	in a deep dish	 with powdered bread crumbs	 or crackers	 a layer of each 	alternately	 sprinkle salt	 and pepper	 on each layer	 and put on small 	bits of butter	 over each layer	 some people like a little nutmeg and 	sugar. have a layer of bread crumbs on the top	 and bake it	 in a bake 	pan three quarters of an hour. 	 	 	 . _gumb._ 	 	take an equal quantity of young tender okra chopped fine	 and ripe 	tomatoes skinned	 an onion shredded fine	 a small lump of butter	 a 	little salt and pepper	 put the whole in a stew pan	 with a table 	spoonful of water	 and stew it till tender. 	 	 	 . _southern manner of cooking rice._ 	 	pick over the rice	 and wash it in cold water	 put it in three quarts of 	boiling water with half a tea spoonful of salt	 to a pint of the rice. 	boil it seventeen minutes	 then turn off the water very close	 put it 	over a moderate fire with the lid of the pot off	 let it steam fifteen 	minutes. rice boiled in this manner is superior to any other; but care 	must be taken to be exact in the time of boiling and steaming	 as a few 	moments variation makes a great deal of difference with it	 the water 	should boil when it is put in the pot	 and not allowed to stop boiling 	till done. the water that the rice is cooked in makes nice starch if 	boiled a few moments by itself. 	 	 	 . _to pickle peppers._ 	 	if you do not like them fiery	 take out the seeds	 they should be taken 	out carefully with a penknife	 so as not to mangle the pepper. soak them 	in salt and water	 eight or nine days	 change the water each day	 and 	keep them in a warm place. if you like them stuffed	 put in cinnamon	 	cloves	 mace	 and nasturtions	 lay them in cold spiced vinegar. tomatoes 	when very small	 and green	 are good pickled with the peppers. 	 	 	 . _mangoes._ 	 	procure muskmelons as late in the season as possible	 and those that are 	very green; if pickled early	 they are apt to spoil. take out the seeds	 	and soak them in salt and water	 three or four days. then take them out 	of the water	 sprinkle powdered cloves	 and nutmeg	 round on the inside 	of the melon	 fill them with strips of horseradish	 cinnamon	 small 	string beans	 or flag root	 nasturtion	 and radish tops	 fill the 	crevices	 with american mustard seed; put on the covers	 and sew each 	one up in a bag. lay the melons in a stone jar	 with the side that the 	covers are on up; turn on scalding hot vinegar	 with alum	 pepper corns	 	and salt in it. pickled barberries are a pretty garnish for them. 	 	 	 . _to pickle butternuts and walnuts._ 	 	the nuts for pickling should be picked as early as the first of july 	unless the season is very backward	 if a pin will go through them 	easily	 they are in a right state for pickling. soak them in salt and 	water	 a week	 then drain	 and scrape or rub them	 with a cloth	 	sprinkle them with ground cloves	 and pour on boiling vinegar	 spiced 	with cloves	 pepper corns	 allspice	 and mace	 add a little salt. they 	will be fit to eat in the course of a fortnight	 or three weeks. the 	vinegar they are pickled in	 makes a nice catsup	 if boiled down to half 	the quantity	 and a little more spice added. 	 	 	 . _to pickle cabbage	 and cauliflower._ 	 	purple cabbages are the best for pickling. pull off the loose leaves and 	quarter them	 sprinkle salt on the flat side of each one	 let them lay 	several days	 then rinse off the salt and drain them; sprinkle on 	powdered cloves	 mace	 salt	 and pour on scalding vinegar	 with a few 	peppers in it	 alum and pepper corns. cauliflowers are pickled in the 	same manner as the cabbages. they will be fit to eat in the course of a 	fortnight	 after being pickled. 	 	 	 . _to pickle onions._ 	 	peel and boil them	 in milk and water	 a few minutes. put cloves	 	cinnamon	 mace	 and salt	 in vinegar	 and heat the vinegar scalding hot 	in brass. take the onions out of the milk and water	 drain them	 then 	turn on the vinegar scalding hot	 with two ounces of alum to each 	pailful of vinegar. cover them tight until cold. 	 	 	 . _to pickle artichokes._ 	 	soak the artichokes in salt and water	 a week	 then drain and rub them	 	till you get all the skin off	 turn boiling vinegar on them	 spiced with 	pepper corns and mace	 add salt and alum. let them remain a week	 then 	turn off the vinegar	 scald it	 and turn it back	 while hot on to the 	artichokes. continue to scald the vinegar	 at intervals of a week or ten 	days	 until the vinegar appears to have entered the artichokes. 	 	 	 . _to pickle cucumbers._ 	 	pour boiling water on them	 when first picked; and let them lay in it 	eight or ten hours	 then put them in cold vinegar	 with alum and salt	 	in the proportion of quarter of a pound of the first	 and a pint of the 	last	 to every half barrel of pickles. when you have done picking your 	cucumbers for pickling	 turn the vinegar from them	 boil and skim it 	till clear	 throw in the cucumbers	 and let them boil a few moments	 	then put them in fresh cold vinegar	 with salt and alum; a few peppers 	improve them. whenever any scum rises on any kind of pickles turn off 	the vinegar	 scald and skim it	 turn it back when cold on the pickles. 	pickles of all kinds should be stirred up occasionally	 and if there are 	any soft ones among them	 they should be thrown away	 and the vinegar 	scalded; if very weak	 it should be thrown away and fresh added. the 	vinegar when scalded	 should not be allowed to cool in brass. another 	method of pickling cucumbers	 which is very good	 is to put them in salt 	and water	 as you pick them	 change the water once in three days; when 	you have done picking your cucumbers	 take them out of the salt and 	water	 and put them in cold vinegar	 with alum	 salt	 and pepper corns 	in it. 	 	 	 . _to pickle gherkins._ 	 	put them in strong brine	 keep them in a warm place	 when they turn 	yellow	 drain off the brine	 and turn hot vinegar on them	 let them 	remain in it near the fire till they turn green	 turn off the vinegar	 	and pour on fresh hot vinegar	 spiced with pepper corns	 mace	 cloves	 	and cinnamon; add salt and alum in the same proportions as for 	cucumbers. these	 as well as all other pickles	 should not be kept in 	glazed earthen jars. 	 	 	 . _oysters._ 	 	take the oysters from the liquor	 strain and boil it	 then put in the 	oysters	 let them boil one minute	 take them out	 and to the liquor	 put 	a few pepper corns	 cloves	 a little mace	 and the same quantity of 	vinegar as oyster juice	 boil it fifteen minutes; when cold turn it on 	to the oysters. bottle and cork them tight. 	 	 	 . _mushrooms._ 	 	peel and stew them	 with just water enough	 to prevent their sticking to 	the bottom of the stew pan	 shake them occasionally	 to prevent their 	burning. when tender take them up	 and put them in scalding vinegar	 	spiced with mace	 cloves	 and pepper corns	 add a little salt	 bottle 	and cork them up. 	 	 	 . _wheat bread._ 	 	for six common sized loaves of bread	 take three pints of boiling water	 	and mix with five quarts of flour; when thoroughly mixed	 add three 	pints of cold water	 stir it till the whole of the dough is equally 	cold; when lukewarm stir in half a pint of yeast	 a table spoonful of 	salt	 knead in flour till stiff enough to mould up	 cover it over and if 	the weather is cold set it near the fire to rise. to ascertain when it 	is risen	 cut it through the middle with a knife	 and if full of small 	holes like a sponge	 it is sufficiently light. if the dough gets sour 	before you are ready to bake it	 dissolve two or more tea spoonsful of 	saleratus (according to the acidity of it	) in a cup of water	 and 	strain it on the dough	 work it in well	 mould it up	 slash it on the 	sides	 to prevent its cracking when baked	 put it in buttered pans	 and 	let it stand ten or twelve minutes before you bake it; if you like it 	quite brown let it stand in the oven an hour and a half. if the wheat is 	grown	 use all boiling water	 and let it stand till cool before putting 	in the yeast. some people	 have an idea that it kills the life of the 	flour	 to scald it	 but it is a mistake	 it makes it much sweeter	 and 	prevents its moulding soon in warm weather; bread made in this manner is 	very nearly as good as that which is wet with milk. care must be taken	 	not to put in the yeast when the dough is hot	 as it will scald it and 	prevent its rising. bread is much better in the winter	 for being made 	several days before it is baked	 it should be kept in a cool place	 and 	a little flour knead in every day. most ovens require heating an hour 	and a half for bread	 some will heat sufficiently in an hour	 a brisk 	fire should be kept up	 the doors in the room should be kept shut in 	cold weather. pine	 and ash	 or birch mixed	 are the best wood for 	heating an oven. to ascertain if your oven is of the right temperature	 	when cleared throw in a little flour	 if it browns in the course of a 	minute	 it is hot enough	 if it turns black wait several minutes before 	you put in your things	 if not hot enough	 set in a furnace of live 	coals	 after you have put your things in. 	 	 	 . _sponge bread._ 	 	for four loaves of bread	 take three quarts of boiling water and turn it 	into three quarts of flour. when lukewarm put in a cup of yeast	 a table 	spoonful of salt	 set it in a warm place to rise	 when light knead in 	flour till stiff enough to mould up	 then let it stand till risen again	 	before moulding it up. 	 	 	 . _rye bread._ 	 	wet up the rye flour with lukewarm milk	 if you have it; if not water 	will do	 and the same proportion of yeast as for wheat flour; put in a 	small piece of butter and a little salt. it should not be kneaded as 	stiff as wheat flour	 as it will be hard when baked; let it stand in the 	pans	 after it is moulded up	 half an hour. 	 	brown bread is made by mixing	 indian meal and rye flour. the indian 	meal should be scalded; when cool	 put in the rest of the ingredients	 	in the same proportion as for plain rye bread. bake it between two and 	three hours. 	 	 	 . _rice bread._ 	 	boil a pint of rice till soft	 then mix it with two quarts of rice 	flour	 a tea cup of yeast	 two tea spoonsful of salt	 and milk enough to 	render it of the consistency of rye bread. when light bake it in small 	loaves. 	 	 	 . _french rolls	 or twists._ 	 	turn a pint of lukewarm milk	 into a pint of flour	 mix them well 	together	 then turn in a small tea cup of yeast	 two tea spoonsful of 	salt	 and flour enough to make a thick batter. set it in a warm place to 	rise. when light	 put in a piece of butter of the size of a hen's egg	 	and half a tea cup of lukewarm water	 the butter should be melted before 	it is put in; knead in flour until stiff enough to roll out. let it 	stand till risen again	 then roll it out	 about half an inch thick	 cut 	it into narrow strips	 braid and twist them a little	 as you braid them. 	lay them on flat buttered tins	 let them remain from twenty to thirty 	minutes	 then bake them slowly. 	 	 	 . _yeast._ 	 	boil a small handful of hops	 in two quarts of water	 when all the 	strength is obtained from them	 strain the liquor	 and put it back on 	the fire	 take a little of it	 and mix smoothly with a couple of table 	spoonsful of flour	 mix it with the boiling liquor	 when it has boiled 	five or six minutes	 take it from the fire	 and when lukewarm	 add a tea 	cup of yeast	 keep it in a warm place till risen	 then stir in a table 	spoonful of salt	 turn it into a jar	 and cover it up tight. some people 	keep yeast in bottles but they are very apt to burst. yeast made in this 	manner	 will keep a fortnight in the warmest weather. if your yeast 	appears to be sour	 put a little saleratus in just before you put it 	into your bread; if it does not foam well	 it is too stale to use. 	another method of raising bread	 which is very good	 is to leave about 	half a pound of dough	 from one week's baking to another. it should be 	rolled out thin and dried in the sun	 about two hours before you wish to 	bake your bread	 turn a quart of warm water to it	 and set it near the 	fire till light	 which will be in the course of an hour	 then scald your 	dough	 and when lukewarm	 stir in the yeast; it will raise the bread in 	the course of an hour. this can only be used two or three times	 without 	having fresh yeast put to it. 	 	 	 . _yeast cakes._ 	 	stir into a pint of yeast	 a table spoonful of salt	 and indian meal 	sufficient to enable you to roll it out. when rolled thin	 cut it into 	cakes with a tumbler	 and dry them in the wind; in hot weather	 care 	must be taken to keep them from the sun	 or they will ferment; when 	perfectly dry	 tie them up in a bag	 and keep them in a cool dry place. 	to raise four or five loaves of bread	 take one of these cakes	 and put 	it in half a pint of warm water	 set it near the fire to rise	 when 	light use it to raise your dough. 	 	 	 . _biscuit._ 	 	melt a cup of butter	 and mix it with half a pint of lukewarm milk; if 	you have not milk	 water will do	 add a tea cup of yeast	 two tea 	spoonsful of salt	 and flour to render it sufficiently stiff to roll 	out. set it in a warm place	 when light	 roll it out about an inch 	thick	 cut it with a tumbler into cakes and let them stand half an hour 	before baking them. 	 	 	 . _butter milk biscuit._ 	 	dissolve a couple of tea spoonsful of saleratus	 in a tea cup of milk	 	sour is the best. mix it with a pint of buttermilk	 three tea spoonsful 	of salt; a little cream improves it; knead in flour till stiff enough to 	roll out. mould it into small cakes	 and bake them directly. 	 	 	 . _hard biscuit._ 	 	weigh out four pounds of sifted flour; take out about a quarter of a 	pound of it	 rub the remainder with four ounces of butter	 two tea 	spoonsful of salt	 and four eggs. wet up the whole with milk	 pound it 	out flat with a rolling pin	 sprinkle a little of the reserved flour 	over it lightly	 roll it up and pound it out thin again	 sprinkle on 	more of the flour	 roll it up	 this operation continue to repeat	 until 	you get in all the reserved flour. then mould it up into small cakes	 	lay them on flat buttered tins	 flatten and cover them	 with a damp 	cloth as you lay them on the tins	 to prevent their drying too fast. 	bake them in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _york biscuit._ 	 	rub together six ounces of butter	 two pounds and three quarters of 	flour	 dissolve a couple of tea spoonsful of saleratus in a little milk	 	and mix it with the flour	 add a tea spoonful of salt	 and milk 	sufficient to enable you to roll it out. pound it out thin and cut it 	into cakes	 bake them till a light brown. 	 	 	 . _rice cakes._ 	 	mix a pint of soft boiled rice	 with a pint of milk	 or water	 a tea 	spoonful of salt and a couple of beaten eggs. stir in rice or wheat 	flour	 till of the right consistency to roll out. cut them into cakes 	and bake them. 	 	 	 . _rice ruffs._ 	 	to a pint of rice flour	 put a pint of boiling water	 a tea spoonful of 	salt	 and four eggs	 beaten to a froth. drop this mixture into boiling 	fat	 by large spoonsful. 	 	 	 . _buck wheat cakes._ 	 	mix a quart of buck wheat flour	 with a pint and a half of warm milk	 	(water will do but is not quite as good) and a tea cup of yeast	 then 	set it in a warm place to rise. when light (which will be in the course 	of ten or twelve hours	) add a tea spoonful of salt	 if sour the same 	quantity of saleratus	 dissolved in milk	 and strained	 thin them with a 	little milk. fry them in just fat enough to prevent their sticking to 	the griddle or pan. salt pork rinds	 beef fat	 or lard	 are good to fry 	them in. 	 	 	 . _economy cakes._ 	 	soak dry pieces of bread in water	 till soft enough to mash fine	 	squeeze out all the water	 and to three pints of the bread pulp	 put a 	couple of table spoonsful of flour	 one beaten egg	 half a tea spoonful 	of salt	 the same quantity of saleratus	 dissolved in a cup of milk and 	strained. if not thin enough stir in a little more milk. cook them in 	the same manner as buck wheat cakes. 	 	 	 . _green corn cakes._ 	 	mix a pint of grated green corn	 with three table spoonsful of milk	 a 	tea cup of flour	 half a cup of melted butter	 one egg	 a tea spoonful 	of salt	 half a tea spoonful of pepper. drop this mixture by the 	spoonful into hot butter	 and fry it eight or ten minutes. these cakes 	are nice served up with meat for dinner. 	 	 	 . _corn cake._ 	 	to a quart of milk put three beaten eggs	 a tea spoonful of salt	 mix it 	with sifted indian meal enough to make a thin batter. bake it in a bake 	pan about one hour. buttermilk or sour milk with a tea spoonful of 	saleratus	 is better to mix with the indian meal	 than sweet milk and 	eggs. 	 	 	 . _indian slap jacks._ 	 	mix a quart of milk with a pint of indian meal	 four table spoonsful of 	flour	 three beaten eggs	 a tea spoonful of salt. a table spoonful of 	molasses or a little stewed pumpkin is thought by many people to improve 	them. fry them in lard. another way which is very good	 is to scald a 	quart of indian meal and half a pint of wheat flour with milk	 (water 	will do but is not as good) stir in a small tea cup of yeast and set 	them in a warm place to rise. when light fry them	 in just fat enough to 	prevent their sticking to the griddle. 	 	 	 . _johnny cakes._ 	 	scald sifted indian meal	 put in a little salt	 mould it with the hand 	into cakes	 of the size of biscuit. in order to mould them up	 	considerable flour must be rubbed on the hands. fry them in fat enough 	to cover them. when cooked split and butter them. 	 	 	 . _hoe cakes._ 	 	stir up indian meal	 with cold water sufficient to make a batter	 of the 	consistency of buck wheat cakes	 add a tea spoonful of salt	 a table 	spoonful of melted butter. butter your bakepan and turn this mixture 	into it and bake it about an hour. indian meal wet up in this manner is 	good fried. 	 	 	 . _muffins._ 	 	mix a pint of lukewarm milk	 with the same quantity of flour	 a tea 	spoonful of salt	 a piece of butter	 of the size of a hen's egg. when 	light beat a couple of eggs and put in; butter muffin rings	 and put 	them in a buttered pie pan	 turn in the mixture and bake them till of a 	light brown. 	 	 	 . _flour waffles._ 	 	gradually turn a quart of milk or water on to a quart of flour	 stirring 	it well as you turn it in	 so that it may not be lumpy	 add a tea cup of 	yeast	 a tea spoonful of salt	 a table spoonful of melted butter	 a 	couple of eggs	 improve them	 but they can be dispensed with very well. 	when light bake them in waffle irons	 well heated and greased with lard	 	before each one is poured in. bake them on hot coals; when they have 	been on the fire about two minutes	 turn the irons	 and let them brown 	on the other side. 	 	 	 . _quick waffles._ 	 	into a quart of flour stir slowly a quart of milk or water	 beat five 	eggs and put in	 together with a tea spoonful of salt and a table 	spoonful of melted butter. they are cooked in the same manner as other 	waffles. a quarter of a pound of sugar	 stirred into the mixture 	improves it. 	 	 	 . _rice waffles._ 	 	mix a quart of milk with a tea cup of boiled rice	 and a pint and a half 	of rice or wheat flour. beat three eggs to a froth	 and stir in	 	together with a tea spoonful of salt. 	 	 	 . _rice wafers._ 	 	rub a pound of rice flour	 with quarter of a pound of butter	 put in a 	little salt	 a wine glass of wine	 two eggs	 and milk sufficient to 	enable you to roll them out. when rolled thin	 cut them with a wine 	glass into small cakes and bake them. 	 	 	 . _observations respecting sweet cakes._ 	 	if you wish your cake to be good	 it must be made of nice materials. the 	butter	 eggs	 and flour should not be stale	 and the sugar should be 	dry	 and of a light color. brown sugar answers for most kinds of cakes	 	if rolled free from lumps	 and stirred with the butter	 until it is a 	very light color. the flour should be sifted and if damp	 it should be 	dried perfectly	 or it will make the cake heavy. where sifted flour for 	cake is measured	 it should be shaken down in the measure to be 	accurate; if there is not flour enough in cake	 it will not be light. 	the eggs should be beaten to a froth	 on a shallow plate	 and for very 	nice cake the whites and yolks	 should be beaten separately. where 	saleratus is used	 it should be thoroughly dissolved and strained. 	raisins for cake	 should have the seeds taken out	 and zante currants 	should be carefully washed and rubbed in a cloth	 to get out the sticks; 	they should be perfectly dried before they are put into the cake. all 	kinds of cake that has not yeast in it	 should be stirred till it goes 	into the oven. it should not be moved while in the oven	 if it can be 	avoided. the quicker most kinds of cake are baked	 without burning	 the 	better they will be. it is impossible to give any exact rules as to the 	time for baking cake	 as so much depends on the heat of the oven; it 	should be narrowly watched and if likely to burn covered with a thick 	paper. to ascertain when rich cake is sufficiently baked	 stick a clean 	broom splinter through the thickest part	 and if none of the cake 	adheres to it	 it is baked enough. when cake that is baked on flat tins	 	moves easily on them it is sufficiently done. 	 	 	 . _gingerbread._ 	 	melt a piece of butter	 of the size of a hen's egg and put it with a 	pint of molasses	 stir in a little flour	 and a heaping table spoonful 	of ginger. dissolve a large table spoonful of saleratus	 in half a pint 	of water	 strain and mix it with the rest of the ingredients	 together 	with flour enough to enable you to roll it out easily. roll it about 	half an inch thick	 and lay it on flat buttered tins; bake it as soon as 	rolled out in a quick oven a few moments. gingerbread to be very nice	 	should be made of good molasses	 and baked very quick. some people use 	only a tea spoonful of saleratus	 to a pint of molasses	 but it is much 	better with more	 appearing in point of lightness like sponge cake. 	 	 	 . _soft gingerbread._ 	 	melt a cup of butter and mix it with a pint of molasses	 a table 	spoonful of ginger and a little flour	 dissolve three tea spoonsful of 	saleratus	 in a tea cup of water	 and stir it into the cake	 together 	with flour enough to render it of the consistency of pound cake. bake it 	in deep cake pans	 about thirty minutes. a couple of eggs improve the 	cake. 	 	 	 . _ginger snaps._ 	 	mix half a tea cup of melted butter	 with a tea cup of sugar	 half a tea 	cup of molasses	 and a table spoonful of ginger. dissolve a tea spoonful 	of saleratus	 in half a tea cup of water and strain it into the cake	 	knead in flour till quite stiff. roll it out very thin	 and cut it into 	cakes	 with a wine glass. lay them on buttered tins	 and bake them a few 	moments	 in a very moderate oven. a tea spoonful of allspice	 the same 	quantity of cinnamon	 mace	 and coriander seed	 together with a tea 	spoonful of ginger instead of a table spoonful	 put into this cake will 	convert it into spice snaps. 	 	 	 . _cider cake._ 	 	rub together three quarters of a pound of sugar	 and half a pound of 	butter. dissolve two tea spoonsful of saleratus in half a tea cup of 	water	 turn it into the cake	 together with half a pint of cider	 stir 	in two pounds of flour and a grated nutmeg. bake it about half an hour. 	this cake should be eaten in the course of two or three days after it is 	made	 as it gets dry very quick. 	 	 	 . _cookies._ 	 	stir together one cup of butter	 two of sugar. dissolve a tea spoonful 	of saleratus in a cup of milk	 (water will do but the cake will not be 	as rich	) stir it into the cake	 together with a table spoonful of 	caraway seed	 and one egg beaten to a froth	 knead in flour till of the 	right consistency to roll out easily. lay the cake on a moulding board	 	and if you cannot roll it out without its sticking to the rolling pin	 	more flour should be added. stamp and cut it into cakes	 lay them on 	flat tins well buttered	 bake them in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _new year's cookies._ 	 	mix one pound of butter	 a pound and three quarters of sugar	 dissolve a 	couple of tea spoonsful of saleratus	 in a pint of milk	 and turn it on 	to the butter and sugar when well mixed	 beat three eggs to a froth and 	stir them into the cake	 with a grated nutmeg	 and three heaping table 	spoonsful of caraway seed. sift three pounds of flour and work into the 	cake with the hand. roll them half an inch thick	 and bake them 	immediately in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _plain tea cakes._ 	 	stir together half a tea cup of butter	 two of sugar	 turn in a tea cup 	of milk with a tea spoonful of saleratus dissolved in it	 add one half 	of a grated nutmeg	 and flour enough to enable you to roll it out	 cut 	it into small cakes. 	 	 	 . _shrewsbury cake._ 	 	mix a pound of butter	 with twelve ounces of sugar	 add five eggs beaten 	to a froth	 a little rosewater	 or essence of lemon	 and a pound of 	flour	 roll the cake out thin	 and stamp and cut it into cakes	 and bake 	them in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _tunbridge cake._ 	 	stir six ounces of butter with the same quantity of sugar	 beat a couple 	of eggs and put in	 together with a table spoonful of cream	 and a 	little orange flower water	 or essence of lemon; add three quarters of a 	pound of flour	 roll it out thin and cut it into cakes. 	 	 	 . _jumbles._ 	 	mix half a pound of sugar	 with the same quantity of butter	 five beaten 	eggs	 a little essence of lemon; add a pound of flour when well mixed. 	roll it about half an inch thick	 cut it into narrow strips of equal 	length	 join the ends together so as to form rings. bake them on flat 	tins. 	 	 	 . _simbals._ 	 	rub together half a pound of sugar	 quarter of a pound of butter; 	dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus	 in half a cup of milk	 put it into 	the cake	 with a couple of beaten eggs	 a little mace or nutmeg. then 	add flour enough to render it sufficiently stiff	 to roll out. it should 	be rolled in pounded white sugar	 cut into strips	 and the ends joined 	in the form of rings. 	 	 	 . _sugar gingerbread._ 	 	mix a pound of sugar with six ounces of butter	 dissolve a tea spoonful 	of saleratus	 in half a tumbler of milk	 and stir in	 together with four 	beaten eggs	 three tea spoonsful of ginger; when well mixed	 add a pound 	and a half of flour	 and roll it out about an inch thick	 run a jagging 	iron across it	 in parallel lines	 an inch apart. bake it on flat 	buttered tins	 in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _rusk._ 	 	melt six ounces of butter	 and mix it with half a pound of sugar	 turn 	in half a pint of lukewarm milk	 half a tea cup of yeast	 (brewer's is 	the best	) add three tea spoonsful of cinnamon	 and flour to make them 	stiff enough to mould up. set them in a warm place to rise. when light 	mould them up into small cakes	 lay them on tins well buttered	 let them 	remain till very light	 before baking them. 	 	 	 . _whigs._ 	 	mix three quarters of a pound of sugar	 with half a pound of butter; 	when white	 beat two eggs	 and put in	 together with half a pint of 	milk	 half a tea cup of yeast	 a tea spoonful of rosewater or nutmeg	 	and two pounds of flour. when very light bake them in cups. 	 	 	 . _hot cream cakes._ 	 	rub together three quarters of a pound of flour	 a quarter of a pound of 	butter	 and half a tea spoonful of salt; beat four eggs to a froth	 and 	put in	 together with a tea cup of cream; drop this mixture into 	buttered muffin hoops	 placed in a buttered bake pan; when brown take 	them up	 split and butter them. 	 	 	 . _cross buns._ 	 	mix a tumbler of lukewarm milk	 with a pint of flour	 a tea cup of 	yeast	 a tea spoonful of salt	 the same quantity of allspice	 mace	 and 	three tea spoonsful of cinnamon	 set it in a warm place; when light	 add 	half a pound of sugar	 the same quantity of melted butter	 (it should 	not be hot	) and flour enough to render it sufficiently stiff to roll 	out. put them in a warm place to rise again	 when risen mould them up 	into cakes	 of the size of an egg	 lay them on buttered tins several 	inches apart; press on them a mould in the form of a cross	 let them 	remain an hour before baking them. 	 	 	 . _nut cakes._ 	 	melt a tea cup of lard	 and mix it with four tea cups of rolled sugar	 	three eggs well beaten	 three tea spoonsful of cinnamon	 or a little 	rosewater	 add a pint of lukewarm milk	 half a pint of yeast	 and flour 	to make it stiff enough to roll out. put it in a warm place to rise	 	(the oven is the best place to raise them in	 several hours after you 	have baked in it.) when so light as to appear like a sponge in the 	middle	 roll it out about an inch thick	 and cut it into cakes about 	three inches long and two wide; let them stand twenty or thirty minutes 	before boiling them. fry them in a kettle	 with about two pounds of hot 	lard; the fat should boil up as they are put in	 and not more than seven 	or eight boiled at once; the kettle should be over a brisk fire and 	shaken constantly while frying. the same lard will answer to fry several 	batches of nut cakes in	 if not burnt	 with the addition of a little 	more fat. 	 	 	 . _crollers._ 	 	melt your lard in a frying pan	 to fry your crollers in; take four table 	spoonsful of it when melted	 and mix with five heaping table spoonsful 	of rolled sugar	 half a tea spoonful of salt	 four beaten eggs	 and a 	little essence of lemon	 or rosewater. dissolve a tea spoonful of 	saleratus	 in half a tea cup of milk	 and turn it in	 together with 	flour sufficient to enable you to roll it out easily. roll it half an 	inch thick	 cut it with a jagging iron	 or knife	 into strips about half 	an inch wide	 twist them into any shape you please. heat your fat in 	your frying pan till it boils up	 as the cakes are laid in. there should 	be fat enough	 to cover them	 watch them narrowly	 when brown on the 	under side	 turn them carefully and let them brown on the other. 	 	 	 . _molasses dough cake._ 	 	into three tea cups of raised dough	 work with the hand half a tea cup 	of melted butter	 a tea cup of molasses	 and a couple of eggs	 beaten to 	a froth	 chop the rind of a fresh lemon very fine	 and put it in	 	together with the juice	 and a tea spoonful of cinnamon; work it with 	the hand eight or ten minutes	 then put it into cake pans well buttered	 	and set it in a warm place	 about twenty minutes before baking it. 	 	 	 . _sugar dough cake._ 	 	dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus in half a tumbler of milk	 strain 	it on three cups of raised dough	 a tea cup of melted butter	 two eggs	 	two tea cups of rolled sugar	 and two tea spoonsful of cinnamon. work it 	with the hand	 for ten or twelve minutes	 put it in deep pans	 set it in 	a warm place for fifteen minutes before you put it in the oven. 	 	 	 . _measure cake._ 	 	stir together till of a light color	 a tea cup of butter	 with two of 	sugar	 beat four eggs and put in	 together with a grated nutmeg	 and a 	pint of flour. stir it till just before it goes into the oven	 bake it 	in deep tins about twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _cup cake._ 	 	mix three cups of sugar	 with one and a half of butter. beat three eggs 	and put in	 together with a little essence of lemon	 or rosewater. 	dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus	 in a tea cup of milk	 and strain 	it into the cake. stir in six cups of sifted flour	 and bake it either 	in cups or deep pans. 	 	 	 . _french loaf._ 	 	stir together one pound of sugar	 three quarters of butter. when white	 	mix a gill of wine	 one of rose or french brandy	 half a gill of milk 	and stir it into the cake	 together with eight eggs beaten to a froth	 	the whites and yolks separate	 put in a pound and a half of sifted 	flour	 just before it goes into the oven; add a grated nutmeg	 a quarter 	of a pound of citron	 or pounded almonds	 and three quarters of a pound 	of zante currants or stoned raisins. 	 	 	 . _washington cake._ 	 	dissolve a tea spoonful of saleratus in a wine glass of milk	 and put it 	with half a pound of butter and a pound of sugar previously stirred 	white	 add a wine glass of wine	 four eggs	 and a pound and a half of 	flour	 put in rosewater or essence of lemon	 to the taste. 	 	 	 . _plain cream cake._ 	 	mix a tea cup of cream	 two of sugar	 a couple of beaten eggs	 and a 	wine glass of milk	 with a tea spoonful of saleratus dissolved in it. 	stir in flour to render it of the consistency of pound cake. 	 	 	 . _rich cream cake._ 	 	stir till white	 half a pound of butter	 with three quarters of sugar	 	then add a wine glass of brandy	 seven eggs beaten to a froth	 the 	whites and yolks separate. stir in a pound and a half of sifted flour	 	and mace to your taste. just before it goes into the oven stir in half a 	pint of cream	 and three quarters of a pound of fruit. 	 	 	 . _shelah or quick loaf cake._ 	 	melt half a pound of butter	 when cool work it into a pound and a half 	of raised dough. beat four eggs	 with three quarters of a pound of 	rolled sugar	 and put it into the cake together with a tea spoonful of 	saleratus	 dissolved in a tea cup of milk	 add a wine glass of brandy	 a 	little mace and cinnamon. work the whole with the hand for a quarter of 	an hour	 add a pound of raisins; then put it into cake pans	 let it 	remain twenty five or thirty minutes	 before baking it. 	 	 	 . _loaf cake._ 	 	into two pounds of flour	 stir a pound of lukewarm melted butter and a 	tea cup of yeast	 put it in a warm place to rise	 but care must be taken 	not to get it too warm	 as the yeast will get scalded	 and prevent its 	rising. when perfectly light	 beat four eggs with a pound and a quarter 	of sugar	 and work them into the sponge	 with a wine glass of wine	 and 	one of brandy	 three tea spoonsful of cinnamon	 a little mace	 or 	nutmeg. work the whole well with the hand for ten minutes	 then set it 	where it will rise again. when risen the second time	 work it with the 	hand for fifteen minutes	 then stir in gradually a pound of stoned 	raisins	 and quarter of a pound of citron cut into small strips	 fill 	your cake pans about half full	 put them near the fire for half an hour	 	to rise again in the pans. bake the cake in a quick (but not a furious 	oven	) for about an hour and twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _rice cake._ 	 	mix ten ounces of ground rice	 three of wheat flour	 eight ounces of 	powdered sugar	 sift them by degrees into eight yolks and six whites of 	eggs previously beaten to a froth	 grate in the peel of a lemon	 and 	bake it in deep pans	 about twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _diet bread._ 	 	sift a pound of flour	 and put it with a pound of sugar and eight eggs 	well beaten	 add a little rosewater or essence of lemon	 bake it fifteen 	or twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _scotch or lemon cake._ 	 	stir together till white	 a pound of sugar	 half a pound of butter; then 	put in eight eggs	 beaten to a froth	 with the grated peel of a couple 	of lemons	 and the juice. sift a pound of flour and stir it in. 	 	 	 . _pound cake._ 	 	mix a pound of sugar	 three quarters of butter	 when white put in eight 	eggs beaten to a froth	 the whites and yolks separate	 add a pound of 	sifted flour	 and mace	 to your taste. if you wish your cake to be very 	rich	 stir in just before it is put in the oven	 half a pound of stoned 	raisins	 and quarter of a pound of citron	 or pounded sweet almonds. 	 	 	 . _queen's or heart cakes._ 	 	rub together till very white	 a pound of sugar	 three quarters of 	butter	 then beat the whites and yolks of seven eggs	 separately to a 	froth	 and stir them into the cake	 mix a wine glass of wine	 one of 	brandy	 and one of milk	 turn it into the cake	 then stir in a pound of 	flour	 a little essence of lemon	 and mace or nutmeg to your taste. stir 	the whole well together	 then add (a minute before you put it in the 	pans	) half a pound of raisins seeded	 quarter of a pound of zante 	currants	 quarter of a pound of almonds pounded fine	 or citron cut in 	strips; they should be stirred in very gradually	 a handful of each 	alternately; when well mixed in	 bake the cake immediately	 in small 	tins or in large cake pans	 if baked in the latter it will require 	baking about an hour and twenty five minutes	 if baked in small tins it 	will bake in much less time. 	 	 	 . _jelly cake._ 	 	stir together half a pound of sugar	 and six ounces of butter	 beat 	seven eggs to a froth and put in	 together with a little mace	 or 	nutmeg	 then stir in gradually a pound of flour	 and the juice and 	grated peel of a fresh lemon	 turn the mixture on to scolloped tin 	plates	 well buttered	 the mixture should not be more than quarter of an 	inch thick in each one	 bake them until brown	 in a quick oven	 then 	pile them together on a plate	 with jelly spread on each one and jelly 	on the top. 	 	 	 . _raised queen's cake._ 	 	stir into a pound of flour	 half a pint of lukewarm milk	 a tea cup of 	yeast	 set it in a warm place; when light stir a pound of sugar	 with 	three quarters of butter and work it into the sponge	 with three beaten 	eggs	 a little mace or essence of lemon	 and half a pound more of sifted 	flour. work the whole together for fifteen or twenty minutes	 then let 	it remain till very light	 when so	 stir in half a pound of seeded 	raisins	 quarter of a pound of zante currants	 and the same of citron. 	bake it directly in a moderate oven	 but not a slow one. 	 	 	 . _sponge cake._ 	 	take the weight of ten eggs	 in sifted loaf sugar	 beat it well with the 	yolks of twelve eggs	 then grate in the peel of a fresh lemon	 and add 	the juice of half an one. beat the whites of six eggs to a froth	 and 	mix them with the sugar and yolks. beat the whole	 well together without 	any cessation	 for fifteen minutes	 on a shallow plate	 then stir in 	very gradually the weight of six eggs	 in sifted flour	 put it in a 	moderate oven	 as soon as the flour is well mixed in	 and bake it from 	fifteen to twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _almond sponge cake._ 	 	into the whites of sixteen eggs	 beaten to a froth	 stir their weight of 	sifted loaf sugar; beat them well five or six minutes	 then add the 	weight of seven whites of eggs	 in sweet almonds	 previously blanched	 	dried	 and pounded fine	 a table spoonful of cream or lukewarm melted 	butter	 beat the ingredients well together	 then stir in very gradually	 	the weight of the whites of eight eggs	 in sifted flour; as soon as it 	is mixed in well	 bake it in a moderate oven about twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _black or fruit cake._ 	 	stir for twenty minutes	 four pounds of butter with five of sugar. beat 	forty eggs	 the whites and yolks separate	 and stir them into the butter 	and sugar	 then add a table spoonful of cinnamon	 the same quantity of 	rosewater	 a tea spoonful of essence of lemon	 or three of orange flower 	water	 half an ounce of allspice	 the same of mace	 and a tea spoonful 	of cloves. stir in very gradually	 five pound of sifted flour. mix three 	glasses of white wine	 three of brandy	 and two of milk. stir it with 	the rest of the above ingredients for twenty minutes	 then stir in three 	quarters of a pound of blanched	 dried and pounded almonds	 four pounds 	of stoned raisins	 five of zante currants	 and a pound of citron	 cut in 	small pieces	 the fruit should be stirred in gradually	 a handful of 	each kind alternately. bake it immediately in a moderate oven	 for 	about two hours and a half. this kind of cake will keep good four or 	five months. 	 	 	 . _almond cheese cake._ 	 	mix half a pound of powdered loaf sugar	 with four ounces of butter	 	when white add a gill of cream	 if you have it	 if not put in the same 	quantity of boiling milk	 with an ounce of pounded cracker	 two ounces 	of blanched and pounded sweet almonds	 half a glass of wine	 a tea 	spoonful of orange flower or rosewater	 and half a grated nutmeg. beat 	five eggs to a froth	 the whites and yolks separate	 and stir into the 	above mixture; then set it on a few coals and stir it constantly till 	scalding hot	 take it off before it boils	 and stir it till nearly cold	 	then add quarter of a pound of zante currants. pour it into patty pans	 	lined with puff paste	 cut blanched almonds into small slips	 and 	ornament the top of the cheese cake with them. bake them in a quick oven 	twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _maccaroons._ 	 	beat the whites of nine eggs to a stiff froth	 then stir in ten large 	table spoonsful of powdered loaf sugar	 beat them together well; add 	quarter of a pound of bitter almonds	 previously blanched	 dried and 	pounded fine	 and the same quantity of sweet ones. when the whole is 	well mixed	 do them up into balls of the size of a walnut	 lay them on 	buttered baking plates	 several inches apart	 flatten them on the top	 	bake them in a slow oven till of a light brown. 	 	 	 . _frosting for cake._ 	 	allow for each loaf of cake	 the white of one egg	 and ten heaping tea 	spoonsful of powdered double refined loaf sugar. beat the eggs on a 	shallow plate till you can turn the plate upside down	 without the eggs 	dropping from it. then stir in the sugar very gradually; stir it without 	any cessation for fifteen minutes	 then add a tea spoonful of lemon 	juice	 vinegar will do but it is not as good as the lemon juice. if you 	wish to have it colored	 stir in a few grains of cochineal powder	 or a 	little powder blue. as soon as you have put in the lemon juice	 lay it 	with a knife	 on the cake	 which should be hot	 smooth it over	 and set 	the cake away in a cool place	 and let it remain	 until it hardens. 	 	 	 . _cocoanut cakes._ 	 	beat the whites of eight eggs	 to a stiff froth	 then stir in half a 	pound of sifted loaf sugar; it should be stirred in very gradually	 and 	beaten eight or ten minutes	 then add half a pound of grated cocoanut	 	the brown part should be cut off before it is grated. put in a table 	spoonful of the milk of the cocoanut	 if you have it	 if not it will do 	without	 drop it on buttered pie plates	 several inches apart	 the drops 	should be about the size of a cent. bake them in a oven about twenty 	minutes. 	 	 	 . _floating island._ 	 	beat the whites of nine eggs to a froth	 then beat with them seven large 	table spoonsful of whatever dark colored jelly	 you may happen to have. 	when you have beaten them seven or eight minutes	 put some cream into a 	large shallow dish	 and turn the jelly and eggs	 into the center of it. 	this should not be made but a short time before it is to be eaten. 	 	 	 . _whip syllabub._ 	 	take good sweet cream	 and to each pint of it	 put six ounces of sifted 	double refined loaf sugar	 half a tumbler of white wine	 the juice and 	grated peel of a lemon. beat it well	 as the froth rises	 take it off 	and lay it on jelly	 in a dish or glasses. keep it in a cool place till 	just before it is eaten. 	 	 	 . _blanc mange._ 	 	pull an ounce of isinglass	 into small pieces	 rinse and put it to a 	pint and a half of milk. stir it over a slow fire	 with a stick of 	cinnamon or mace	 and loaf sugar to your taste. stir it without boiling 	until the isinglass dissolves. then set it where it will boil five or 	six minutes	 stirring it constantly. strain it and fill your moulds with 	it when cool	 and let it remain until wanted. 	 	 	 . _rice flour blanc mange._ 	 	boil a quart of milk and sweeten it to your taste with loaf sugar; add 	the juice and grated peel of a lemon. mix four table spoonsful of ground 	rice smoothly with a little cold milk	 and stir it into the boiling 	milk. boil the whole together ten minutes	 stirring it occasionally 	while boiling; then take it from the fire	 stir into it the beaten 	whites of three eggs	 set it back on a few coals	 and stir it constantly 	until nearly boiling hot	 take it off	 fill your moulds	 and let it 	remain till cold. this is very good food for invalids. 	 	 	 . _ice cream._ 	 	to one quart of milk	 put the yolks of four eggs well beaten	 the rind 	of a lemon pared thin	 sweeten it very sweet with loaf sugar. put it on 	a slow fire and stir it constantly till scalding hot	 care must be taken 	then it does not get to boiling. take it up	 take out the lemon peel	 	set it away to cool. when perfectly cold put it into an ice cream form	 	(if you cannot procure one	 a milk kettle will do	) set it into a large 	tub	 strew round it a layer of ice cracked fine	 then a layer of rock 	salt	 then another layer of ice and salt	 and so on	 till the ice is as 	high as the top of the form; a layer of ice should be last. shake the 	form frequently	 while the cream is freezing; care must be taken that 	none of the salt gets into the cream. the tub should be covered with a 	flannel cloth	 while the cream is freezing. if you wish to shape the 	cream in moulds	 turn it into them	 as soon as it freezes in the form	 	and set them in the tub	 and let them remain in it	 till just before 	they are to be eaten. when you wish to get them out of the moulds or 	form	 dip them into warm water and take them out of it instantly and 	turn them out into your dishes. where cream is used instead of milk	 no 	eggs or scalding will be necessary. three table spoonsful of pine apple 	juice	 to a quart of the cream gives it a fine flavor	 strawberries are 	also nice in the cream. if you wish to color the cream	 stir in a little 	cochineal powder	 saffron or powder blue	 before you freeze it. 	 	 	 . _pastry._ 	 	for good common pie crust	 allow two tea cups of shortening to a quart 	of flour	 and a tea spoonful of salt	 half lard and half butter is the 	best	 beef shortening does very well with butter for plain pie crust. 	rub part of the shortening thoroughly with two thirds of the flour; then 	put in the salt	 together with cold water	 to moisten it just enough to 	roll out easily. roll it out thin	 spread on the reserved shortening	 	then sprinkle on the remainder of your flour	 and roll it up. cut it 	into as many pieces as you have pies	 roll out the under crust very 	thin	 butter your pie plates	 and put it on them	 fill your plates with 	your fruit	 roll out the upper crust lightly	 about half an inch thick	 	and cover your pies	 pare it off neatly round the edges of the plates. 	this rule furnishes crust enough for a couple of pies. pie crust to be 	light	 should be baked in a quick oven. 	 	 	 . _puff paste or confectioner's pastry._ 	 	sift three quarters of a pound of flour	 and mix it with cold water 	enough to render it sufficiently stiff to roll out	 put in one half a 	tea spoonful of salt	 before you put in the water. weigh out a pound of 	butter	 cut it into thin slices	 and roll it out thin as possible on a 	moulding board; in order to do this a great deal of flour should be 	sprinkled on the board and butter	 and rubbed on the rolling pin. lay 	your rolled butter on a platter. then roll out your crust very thin	 lay 	the pieces of butter thickly over it. weigh out a quarter of a pound of 	sifted flour	 and sprinkle part of it over it	 roll it up	 then roll it 	out again	 put on the remainder of the butter and flour	 roll it up and 	let it stand half an hour in a cool place. roll it our lightly half an 	inch thick	 for the upper crust to the pies. bake it in a quick oven 	till of a light brown. 	 	 	 . _apple pie._ 	 	pare	 quarter	 and take out the cores of the apples	 and if not ripe	 	stew them before baking them	 and season them to your taste. butter your 	plates	 put on a thin under crust	 fill the plates	 and cover them with 	a thick crust. bake them about three quarters of an hour. when done take 	off the upper crust carefully	 and put a piece of butter of the size of 	a walnut	 into each pie	 sweeten them to your taste	 if not acid enough	 	squeeze in the juice of part of a lemon	 or put in a little tartaric 	acid	 dissolved in a little water. essence of lemon	 nutmeg	 or 	rosewater	 are all good spice for apple pies. apples stewed in new 	cider	 and molasses	 with a few quinces and strained	 with a little 	cinnamon in it makes nice pies. dried apples for pies	 should have 	boiling water turned on them	 and stewed till tender	 then add a little 	sour cider	 and a little orange peel	 and stew them a few moments 	longer	 take them up	 put in a little butter	 sugar	 and the juice and 	peel of a lemon improve them	 they are better for being rubbed through a 	sieve. fill your pie plates and bake the pies half an hour. 	 	 	 . _mince pie._ 	 	the best kind of meat for mince pies	 is neats tongue and feet	 and 	chickens; a shank of beef makes very good pies. boil your meat till 	perfectly tender	 then take it up	 clear it from the bones and gristle	 	chop it very fine and mix it with double the quantity of chopped apple; 	if the meat is not fat	 put in a little suet or melted butter	 moisten 	it with cider	 add cloves	 mace	 or nutmeg	 and cinnamon	 to your taste	 	sweeten it with molasses and sugar	 add a little salt. if you wish to 	have your pies very rich	 put in wine or brandy to your taste	 the juice 	and peel of a lemon	 the peel should be grated	 and stoned raisins and 	citron cut in small strips. bake the pies in shallow plates. make 	apertures in the upper crust	 before you cover the pies. bake the pies 	from half	 to three quarters of an hour. mince meat for pies	 with 	brandy or wine in it	 and strongly spiced will keep several months	 in 	cold weather. it should be put in a stone pot	 and kept in a dry cool 	place. 	 	 	 . _peach pie._ 	 	take mellow juicy peaches	 wash and put them in a deep pie plate	 or 	pudding dish	 lined with pie crust	 sprinkle sugar on each layer of 	peaches	 a great deal will be necessary to sweeten them sufficiently	 	put in about a table spoonful of water	 sprinkle a little flour over the 	top and cover the pie with a thick crust. bake it an hour. pies made in 	this manner are much better than with the stones taken out	 as the 	prussic acid of the stones	 gives the pie a fine flavor. dried peaches 	should be stewed and sweetened	 before being made into pies; they do not 	require any spice. 	 	 	 . _tart pie._ 	 	sour apples	 cranberries	 and dried peaches	 all make nice tarts. stew 	and strain them; if the peaches are not tart	 put in the juice and 	grated peel of a lemon	 put in a little sugar. line shallow pie plates 	with a thin crust	 put a rim of pie crust round the edge of the dish	 	fill the plates with your tart. roll some of the crust very thin	 cut it 	into narrow strips	 with a jagging iron	 and lay it on the pie in a 	fanciful manner. bake the pies about twenty five minutes. 	 	 	 . _rice pie._ 	 	to a quart of boiling water	 put a small tea cup of rice	 and boil it 	till very soft. then add a quart of milk	 strain it through a sieve	 put 	in a little salt	 five beaten eggs	 a nutmeg grated	 and sugar enough to 	sweeten it	 the sugar should be put in before the rice is strained	 add 	a few raisins. bake it in deep pie plates	 without an upper crust. 	 	 	 . _rhubarb or persian apple pie._ 	 	take the stalks of the rhubarb plant in the spring	 or fore part of 	summer	 (they are not good later	) cut them in small pieces	 and stew 	them till tender; then strain and sweeten them to your taste	 bake them 	with only an under crust. 	 	 	 . _cherry and blackberry pies._ 	 	cherries and blackberries for pies	 should be perfectly ripe; put them 	in a deep plate	 with an under crust	 and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon	 	or cloves	 over them; cover them and bake them half an hour. 	 	 	 . _grape pie._ 	 	grapes are the best for pies when very small and tender; if not very 	small	 they should be stewed and strained	 on account of the seeds. 	sweeten them to your taste	 no spice is necessary. 	 	 	 . _currant and gooseberry pies._ 	 	pick them over	 and stew them in just water enough to prevent their 	burning at the bottom	 when tender sweeten them to your taste with 	sugar	 and bake them without any spice	 in deep dishes. some people do 	not stew the currants before baking them	 but they are not apt to be 	sweet enough	 if not previously stewed. 	 	 	 . _pumpkin pie._ 	 	cut your pumpkin in two	 take out the seeds	 and wash the pumpkin	 cut 	it into small strips	 and boil it in just water enough to prevent its 	burning	 when tender turn off the water	 and let it steam over a 	moderate fire for fifteen minutes	 taking care it does not burn. take it 	up	 strain it through the sieve	 and if you like the pies very thin	 put 	two quarts of milk	 to a quart of the pumpkin	 and six eggs; if you wish 	to have them thick	 put a quart only of milk	 to a quart of pumpkin	 and 	three eggs. three eggs to a quart of milk does very well	 but they are 	better with five or six. sweeten it with molasses or sugar	 put in 	ginger	 or grated lemon peel to your taste. bake them in deep plates 	from fifty to sixty minutes in a hot oven. 	 	 	 . _carrot pie._ 	 	scrape three good sized carrots	 boil them till very tender. then rub 	them through a sieve	 and mix them with a quart of milk	 four beaten 	eggs	 a piece of butter of the size of half an egg	 a table spoonful of 	lemon juice	 and the grated peel of half a one. sweeten it to your 	taste. bake it in deep pie plates with an under crust and rim. 	 	 	 . _potatoe pie._ 	 	boil irish or sweet potatoes	 till very soft. take them up	 peel and 	mash them fine. to one quarter of a pound of potatoes put a quart of 	milk	 three ounces of butter	 melted; five eggs	 a glass of wine	 and 	one of lemon or french brandy. put in sugar	 and mace to your taste. 	 	 	 . _marlborough pie._ 	 	pare tart mellow apples	 quarter them	 take out the seeds	 and stew them 	in a little water till soft enough to rub through a sieve. to twelve 	table spoonsful of it when strained	 put twelve table spoonsful of 	sugar	 the same quantity of wine	 five eggs	 six table spoonsful of 	melted butter	 half a pint of milk	 the juice and grated peel of half a 	lemon	 and half a nutmeg. bake it in deep pie plates	 without an upper 	crust. 	 	 	 . _custard pie._ 	 	beat seven eggs with three table spoonsful of rolled sugar	 mix them 	with a quart of milk	 flavor it with nutmeg or rosewater. this is good 	baked either in cups	 or deep pie plates	 with an under crust. set the 	pie plates with the crust in the oven and let it bake a moment before 	you turn in the custard. to ascertain when the pie is done	 stick a 	clean broom splinter through the center of the pie	 if none of the 	custard adheres to it	 it is sufficiently bakes. 	 	 	 . _a plain custard pie._ 	 	boil a quart of milk with a few peach leaves	 or lemon peel; strain it. 	put it back on the fire; when it boils	 mix a table spoonful of flour	 	with a little milk	 and turn it in	 let it boil a minute	 then put it 	with four beaten eggs	 and sugar to your taste	 and bake it in deep pie 	plates with an under crust. 	 	 	 . _lemon pie._ 	 	squeeze out the juice of two good sized lemons	 grate the rind of the 	lemon	 but not the white part	 put the juice and grated lemon to a pint 	of milk. beat six eggs	 with five table spoonsful of powdered loaf 	sugar	 and put them in the milk	 with a couple of crackers pounded fine	 	and a table spoonful of melted butter. line a pudding dish with pie 	crust	 put a rim of puff paste	 or nice pie crust	 round the edge	 turn 	the mixture into it	 and bake it from twenty five to thirty minutes. 	 	 	 . _cocoanut pie._ 	 	cut off the brown part of the cocoanut	 grate the remainder of it. scald 	a quart of milk	 and turn it on to the cocoanut	 and three crackers 	pounded fine. beat eight eggs	 with three table spoonsful of sifted loaf 	sugar	 turn it into the milk	 together with a glass of wine	 and half a 	grated nutmeg. if any of the milk of the cocoanut can be saved	 to mix 	with the cow's milk	 it makes the pie nicer. bake it in a deep pie 	plate	 or pudding dish	 with a rim of puff paste round the edge of the 	dish. 	 	 	 . _small puffs._ 	 	make some puff paste	 and roll it half an inch thick	 cut it with a 	tumbler	 into any number of puffs you want	 cut the remainder of your 	paste	 into narrow strips with a jagging iron	 put them round the edge 	of those you have cut with a tumbler	 lay the puffs on buttered plates	 	and bake them in a quick oven	 till of a light brown. then fill them 	with any preserved fruit	 you may happen to have. 	 	 	 . _boiled custards._ 	 	boil a quart of milk. beat six eggs with three table spoonsful of sugar	 	four eggs are enough if you want them plain	 grate in a nutmeg	 or put 	in a little rosewater	 or essence of lemon. turn the boiling milk on to 	the sugar and eggs	 stir it several minutes then put it on a few coals	 	stir it constantly till boiling hot	 take it up before it gets to 	boiling	 stir it a few moments	 then turn it into your cups and grate 	nutmeg on them. 	 	 	 . _almond custards._ 	 	boil in a quart of milk	 a couple of ounces each of sweet	 and of bitter 	almonds	 pounded fine. when it has boiled seven or eight minutes strain 	it on to the beaten yolks of eight eggs	 and three table spoonsful of 	loaf sugar. stir it several moments	 then put it on a moderate fire	 	stir it without any cessation till scalding hot	 then take it from the 	fire	 and stir it constantly till nearly cold	 then fill your glasses or 	cups. just before they are to be eaten	 beat the whites of the eggs	 to 	a froth	 and lay them on the top of the custards. a few grains of 	cochineal powder	 or saffron in the beaten whites	 makes them look 	handsomely. 	 	 	 . _cold custard or rennet pudding._ 	 	put a piece of calf's rennet three inches square	 to a pint of wine	 	when it has stood seven or eight hours	 it is fit for use. whenever you 	wish to make your custard	 put three table spoonsful of the wine	 to a 	quart of milk	 and four table spoonsful of powdered loaf sugar	 flavor 	it with essence of lemon	 or rosewater. stir it twenty minutes	 then 	dish it out	 grate nutmeg over it. it should be eaten in the course of 	an hour after it is made	 as it will soon curdle. 	 	 	 . _custard pudding._ 	 	stir a quart of milk very gradually into half a pint of flour	 put in a 	little salt	 seven beaten eggs	 and a little nutmeg or essence of lemon	 	sweeten it to your taste	 bake it three quarters of an hour. 	 	 	 . _boiled bread pudding._ 	 	soak about three quarters of a pound of rusked bread	 in milk	 if you 	have not milk	 water will do. when soft	 squeeze out the water	 mash it 	fine and put in a heaping table spoonful of flour	 mixed with a tea cup 	of milk	 put in three eggs	 half a tea spoonful of salt. mix the whole 	well together	 flour the inside of your pudding bag	 and put the pudding 	in. the bag should not be more than two thirds full	 as the pudding 	swells considerably while boiling. the pudding should be put into a pot 	of boiling water	 and boiled an hour and a half without intermission; if 	allowed to stop it will be heavy. 	 	 	 . _a plain baked bread pudding._ 	 	pound rusked bread	 and put five heaping table spoonsful of it to a 	quart of milk	 three beaten eggs	 four table spoonsful of sugar	 half a 	tea spoonful of salt	 half a nutmeg	 and a table spoonful of melted 	butter. bake it an hour and a half; it is good without the eggs	 if 	baked two hours and a half. it does not require any sauce. 	 	 	 . _a rich bread pudding._ 	 	cut a loaf of baker's bread into thin slices	 spread butter on both 	sides; lay them in a buttered pudding dish	 and on each layer strew 	zante currants	 or stoned raisins	 and citron cut into small pieces. 	beat eight eggs with six table spoonsful of sugar rolled free from 	lumps; mix them with three pints of milk	 and a grated nutmeg. turn the 	whole over the bread and let it stand until the bread has absorbed most 	of the milk	 then bake it about three quarters of an hour. 	 	 	 . _flour pudding._ 	 	into a pint and a half of flour	 stir gradually a quart of milk; stir it 	till free from lumps	 then add seven beaten eggs	 a couple of tea 	spoonsful of salt	 and a grated nutmeg. a pudding made in this manner is 	good either baked or boiled; it takes two hours to boil and one to bake 	it. it should be eaten as soon as cooked or it will be heavy. this as 	well as all other kinds of boiled puddings should not be put into the 	pot until the water boils and should not be allowed to stop for a 	moment	 if the water wastes much in boiling	 fill the pot up with 	boiling water. a pudding bag should be floured on the inside	 and not 	filled more than two thirds full. when the pudding has boiled six or 	eight minutes turn it over	 as it is apt to settle. flour puddings 	require rich sauce. 	 	 	 . _a plain rice pudding._ 	 	swell the rice with a little milk over a fire	 then put in acid apples 	pared and cut in thin slices	 or gooseberries and currants	 add a couple 	of eggs	 a tea spoonful of salt	 fill your pudding bag half full and 	boil it an hour and a half. serve it up with butter and sugar. 	 	 	 . _a rich rice pudding._ 	 	pick over and wash two small tea cups of rice and put it into two quarts 	of milk; add a tea cup of butter	 two of sugar	 and a grated nutmeg. 	butter a pudding dish	 set it in a bake pan	 then turn in the pudding	 	when it begins to thicken stir in three tea cups full of raisins. bake 	it two hours	 it will not fall if taken from the fire sometime before it 	is to be eaten	 it is also good cold. it is good without any sauce	 and 	is the only kind of pudding that eggs do not improve. 	 	 	 . _rice snow balls._ 	 	pare large tart apples	 take out the cores with a pen-knife; fill the 	holes with sugar	 and a stick of cinnamon or mace. put each one in a 	small bag well floured	 fill them half full of unboiled rice	 tie up the 	bags and boil them an hour and twenty minutes. when done turn them out 	carefully and serve them up with pudding sauce. 	 	 	 . _baked indian pudding._ 	 	boil three pints of milk	 and turn it on to a pint of indian meal	 and 	five table spoonsful of wheat flour. when cool beat three eggs with the 	same quantity of sugar	 and stir it into the pudding	 together with a 	tea spoonful of salt	 three tea spoonsful of cinnamon	 and a piece of 	butter of the size of an egg. if raisins are put in the pudding	 a tea 	cup more of milk will be required	 as they absorb the milk. this pudding 	is good if the eggs are omitted. it takes two hours and a half to bake 	it. 	 	 	 . _boiled indian pudding._ 	 	into a quart of boiling milk	 stir a couple of table spoonsful of flour	 	and sifted indian meal till it is a thick batter	 and half a table 	spoonful of ginger or cinnamon	 half a tea cup of molasses. dip the 	pudding bag into water	 wring it out	 and flour the inside of it	 and 	fill it not more than half full	 as indian puddings swell very much. put 	it into boiling water	 and keep it boiling constantly for four or five 	hours. a kettle of boiling water should be kept	 to turn into the 	pudding pot as the water boils away. 	 	 	 . _corn pudding._ 	 	grate a cup and a half of green corn	 mix it with a quart of milk	 four 	beaten eggs	 and half a grated nutmeg; melt a piece of butter of the 	size of a hen's egg	 and stir it in. bake it one hour. 	 	 	 . _hasty pudding._ 	 	wet indian meal with cold water sufficient to make a thin batter	 turn 	part of it into a pot of boiling water; when it has boiled fifteen or 	twenty minutes stir in the remainder	 salt it to your taste	 and stir in 	indian meal by the handful as long as you can stir the pudding stick 	round in it easily. when the stick can be made to stand upright in it 	for a minute	 it is thick enough. it should boil slowly	 and be stirred 	often; if you wish to fry it	 it will be necessary to boil it	 from two 	to three hours	 if not it will boil sufficiently in an hour. if a little 	flour is stirred in just before it is taken up	 it will fry better. turn 	it into a deep dish	 and if it is to be fried	 let it stand till cold	 	then cut it into thin slices	 flour and fry them in lard	 till very 	brown. 	 	 	 . _fruit pudding._ 	 	take raised or common pie crust	 and roll it out about half an inch 	thick. strew over it either currants	 cherries	 cranberries	 	gooseberries	 black or whortle berries. sprinkle sugar	 and cinnamon or 	cloves over them. roll it up carefully	 join the ends together	 and put 	it in a floured cloth and sew it up. boil it an hour	 and eat it with 	sauce as soon as done. 	 	 	 . _fritters._ 	 	mix a quart of milk gradually	 with a quart of flour	 stir it till 	smooth	 then add a little essence of lemon	 or rosewater	 and five 	beaten eggs. drop it into boiling hot fat by the spoonsful. they are 	lighter for being fried in a great deal of fat	 but less greasy if fried 	in just enough to prevent their sticking to the griddle. they should be 	served up with pudding sauce. 	 	 	 . _apple dumplings._ 	 	make good common	 or raised pie crust	 divide it into as many pieces	 as 	you wish dumplings. pare tart mellow apples	 take out the cores	 with a 	penknife	 fill the holes with a blade of mace	 and sugar. roll out your 	crust half an inch thick	 and enclose an apple in each piece. tie them 	up in separate bags	 that are floured inside. drop them into a pot of 	boiling water	 and boil them without any intermission for an hour	 then 	take them out of the bags. if allowed to stop boiling they will not be 	light. eat them with butter and sugar	 or pudding sauce. 	 	 	 . _orange pudding._ 	 	mix three ounces of butter	 with four table spoonsful of powdered loaf 	sugar	 when stirred to a cream	 add a quart of boiling milk	 the juice 	and peel of two large oranges	 the peel should be chopped very fine	 put 	in a gill of wine	 then an ounce of citron	 cut into small strips	 add 	eight eggs	 the whiles and yolks beaten separately. mix the whole well 	together	 then turn it into a pudding dish	 with a lining and rim of 	puff paste. bake it directly in a quick oven from twenty-five to thirty 	minutes. 	 	 	 . _bird's nest pudding._ 	 	pare and halve tart mellow apples	 scoop out the cores	 put a little 	flour in the hollow of the apples	 and wet it so as to form a thick 	paste	 stick a blade or two of mace and three or four zante currants	 in 	each one of the apples. butter small cups	 and put half an apple	 in 	each one	 lay three or four narrow strips of citron round each apple. 	mix a quart of milk	 with three table spoonsful of flour	 six eggs	 a 	grated nutmeg and four table spoonsful of sugar. nearly fill the cups 	with this mixture. bake them about thirty minutes. they should be eaten 	as soon as done. 	 	 	 . _apple custard pudding._ 	 	pare and take out the cores of nice tart apples	 lay them in a pudding 	dish	 well buttered	 fill the holes of the apples	 with nutmeg and 	sugar. for nine or ten apples	 mix half a pint of flour with a quart of 	milk	 four table spoonsful of sugar	 and seven eggs	 turn it over the 	apples	 flavor it with whatever spice you like	 and bake it about half 	an hour. 	 	 	 . _english plum pudding._ 	 	soak three quarters of a pound of finely pounded crackers in two quarts 	of milk. put in twelve beaten eggs	 half a pound of stoned raisins	 	quarter of a pound of zante currants	 the same weight of citron	 cut 	into small pieces	 and five ounces of blanched and pounded almonds; add 	a wine glass of lemon brandy	 or wine	 and a little orange flower	 or 	rosewater	 and a little salt. bake or boil it from two hours and a half	 	to three hours. 	 	 	 . _transparent pudding._ 	 	melt half a pound of butter	 and stir it into the same weight of double 	refined loaf sugar	 add half a tea spoonful of essence of lemon	 eight 	eggs	 the whites and yolks beaten separately	 and a couple of table 	spoonsful of cream. set the whole on a few coals	 stir it constantly 	till it thickens	 take it off before it gets to boiling	 and stir it 	till nearly cold	 then turn it into a dish lined with pastry	 put a rim 	of puff paste round the edge	 and bake it half an hour. it will cut 	light and clear. 	 	 	 . _lemon syrup._ 	 	mix a pint of lemon juice with a pound and three quarters of lump sugar. 	dissolve it by a gentle heat	 skim it until clear	 then add one ounce of 	thin cut lemon peel	 and simmer if gently for a few moments. strain it 	through a flannel bag; when cold	 bottle	 cork	 and seal it tight	 keep 	it in a cool place. another method of making it which is cheaper	 and 	very good	 is to dissolve half an ounce of citric acid	 in a pint of 	clarified syrup	 by a gentle heat; when cool	 put in a few drops of oil 	or a little essence of lemon. 	 	 	 . _orange syrup._ 	 	take nice fresh oranges	 squeeze out the juice	 and strain it; to a pint 	of juice put a pound and a half of while sugar. dissolve it over a 	moderate fire	 put in the peel of the oranges	 and let the whole boil 	eight or ten minutes. strain it till clear	 through a flannel bag	 	bottle and cork it tight. this is nice to flavor puddings and pies	 or 	sherbet. 	 	 	 . _blackberry syrup._ 	 	pick over blackberries that are perfectly ripe	 boil them in their juice 	till they break to pieces	 then strain them through a flannel cloth	 and 	to each pint of juice put a pound of sugar. boil it again for ten 	minutes	 then strain it and add a wine glass of brandy to each pint of 	syrup. when cool	 bottle and cork it tight	 and set it in a cool place. 	this mixed with cold water in the proportion of a wine glass of it to 	two thirds of a tumbler of water is a very agreeable summer beverage	 it 	also possesses fine medicinal properties. 	 	 	 . _clarified syrup for sweet meats._ 	 	for most kinds of fruit	 one pound of sugar	 to one of the fruit	 is 	sufficient to preserve them; some kinds of fruit will do with less. put 	your sugar into your preserving kettle	 and turn in as much cold water 	as you think will cover your fruit	 when put in	 add the white of an egg 	to every three pounds of sugar	 then put it over a slow fire; when the 	sugar has dissolved	 put it where it will boil	 let it boil several 	minutes	 then take it from the fire	 and skim it till clear	 put it back 	on the fire	 when the scum rises again	 take the kettle off and skim it 	again	 this operation repeat till it is perfectly clear	 then put in the 	fruit. if you have not syrup enough to cover the fruit	 take the fruit 	out and put in more cold water	 and let it get to boiling before you put 	in the fruit	 if you have too much syrup	 it should boil away before you 	boil your fruit in it. white sugar is better than brown for preserving	 	but brown sugar answers very well for common sweet meats. every kind of 	ware but iron	 will do to preserve in	 but earthen ware is the best on 	account of its not imparting an unpleasant taste	 to the sweet meats. 	 	 	 . _to preserve quinces._ 	 	quinces if very ripe	 are best pared and cut in slices about an inch 	thick	 the cores should be taken out carefully with a small knife	 then 	put the quinces in clarified syrup	 and boil them till you can stick a 	broom splinter through them easily	 take them up and put them in jars	 	and turn the syrup over them	 cover them up	 and put them in a cool 	place	 as soon as done. quinces preserved in this manner retain more of 	their natural flavor	 but they cannot be preserved in this way without 	they are very ripe. if not very ripe pare and halve them	 and take out 	the cores. boil the quinces till tender	 then take them out	 strain the 	water they were boiled in	 and use it to make a syrup for the quinces	 	allow a pound of sugar to a pound of the fruit	 when clarified put in 	the quinces and boil them slowly half an hour. set them away in jars 	covered with a paper wet in brandy. look at them in the course of three 	or four days	 and if they have begun to ferment	 turn off the syrup	 and 	scald it	 then turn it back on the quinces. some people boil the cores 	of the quinces with them	 but the syrup does not look as nice for it. a 	cheap way of preserving quinces	 which is very good for common use	 is 	to boil the parings and cores in cider till tender	 then strain the 	cider	 and for ten pounds of quince	 put in two pounds of brown sugar	 	and a couple of quarts of molasses	 and the beaten whites of two eggs; 	put it on the fire	 clarify it	 then put in the quinces	 which should be 	pared and halved	 put in the peel of an orange	 boil them till tender. 	 	 	 . _quince marmalade._ 	 	wash and quarter them	 put them on the fire	 with a little water	 and 	stew them till tender enough to rub through a sieve. when strained	 put 	to a pound of pulp	 a pound of brown sugar	 set it back on the fire	 and 	let it stew slowly	 stir it constantly. to ascertain when it is done	 	take a little of it out and let it get cold	 if it then cuts smooth and 	clear it is sufficiently stewed. crab apple marmalade	 is made in the 	same manner. 	 	 	 . _to preserve pears._ 	 	take an ounce of race ginger	 for every pound of pears. scrape off the 	skin	 cut it into thin slices	 and boil it until tender	 then take it 	from the fire	 put in your sugar	 allowing three quarters of a pound to 	a pound of the pears	 set it on the fire	 clarify it	 then put in the 	pears	 if very small they are good preserved whole	 boil them till 	tender	 then put them in jars tightly covered	 set them away in a cool 	place. in the course of five or six days	 boil the syrup again	 and turn 	it on them while hot. choke and vergoulouse are the best pears for 	preserving. the ginger can be omitted if not liked. 	 	 	 . _to preserve peaches._ 	 	pare your peaches	 which should be very ripe	 and if you wish to 	preserve them whole	 allow a pound of sugar	 to a pound of fruit. take 	lump sugar	 break it into small pieces	 and dip each piece into cold 	water	 let it be in just long enough to get saturated with the water	 	then put the lumps into a preserving kettle	 set the kettle over a slow 	fire	 when the sugar has dissolved	 put in your peaches	 boil them 	twenty minutes. these as well as all other sweet meats	 should be set 	away in a cool place	 as soon as done	 if allowed to stand by the fire 	for a few hours	 the syrup will not look clear; all preserves should be 	covered up tight. let them remain several days	 then turn the syrup from 	them	 scald it	 and turn it back on to them	 while hot. if you preserve 	your peaches without the stones	 three quarters of a pound of sugar to a 	pound of fruit is sufficient	 take those that are mellow and juicy	 pare 	and halve them	 take out the stones	 put them in a deep dish; on each 	layer of peach	 sprinkle your sugar	 let them stand three or four hours	 	then put them on the fire with very little water	 let them boil slowly 	for twenty minutes. 	 	 	 . _to preserve currants._ 	 	take your currants from the stems	 for a pound of currants	 allow a 	pound of sugar. make some syrup	 clarify it	 and put in the currants	 	let them boil slowly for a few moments. a table spoonful of these	 mixed 	with a tumbler of water is a very wholesome drink in the summer. 	 	 	 . _to preserve barberries._ 	 	pick over your barberries	 and put them in clarified syrup	 boil them 	half an hour. molasses does very well to preserve barberries in	 for 	common use	 with a little orange peel boiled with them. preserved 	barberries mixed with water	 is a very refreshing drink in fevers. 	 	 	 . _to preserve ginger._ 	 	take green ginger	 and soak it until you can scrape off the outside	 	when scraped	 soak it in salt and water one day	 then take it out of the 	salt and water	 and boil it till tender. make a syrup of white sugar	 	allowing equal weights of sugar and ginger	 when clarified take it off	 	and when cold	 turn it on the ginger	 let it remain a week	 then boil 	the ginger and syrup together	 until the syrup appears to have entered 	the ginger	 when cool put in a little essence of lemon. 	 	 	 . _to preserve apples._ 	 	take nice tart apples	 halve and quarter them	 and take out the cores. 	for a pound of apples	 allow three quarters of a pound of sugar. when 	you have clarified your syrup	 put in the apples	 with the skin of a 	lemon pared thin. when the apples are tender	 take them up	 and let the 	syrup remain till cold	 then turn it over them. apples preserved in this 	manner	 will keep but a few days. crab apples should be preserved whole	 	with the skins on	 and to a pound of the apples put a pound of sugar. 	 	 	 . _to preserve cymbelines or mock citron._ 	 	cut and scrape the rinds of cymbelines	 put them in strong salt and 	water	 let them remain in it a week	 then in fair water three days	 	changing the water every day	 then soak them in alum water an hour. tie 	up oyster shells	 in a cloth	 and boil them with the cymbelines. when 	the cymbelines are tender	 take them up and put them in alum water. make 	your syrup	 allowing a pound and a half of sugar	 to a pound of the 	melon	 boil your cymbelines in it three quarters of an hour. these are 	good eaten as any other preserves	 or put in cake instead of citron. 	 	 	 . _to preserve watermelon rinds._ 	 	take the rind of a nice watermelon	 cut it in strips and boil them a 	quarter of an hour	 with a tea spoonful of saleratus to three or four 	quarts of water	 then soak them in alum water an hour	 rinse and put 	them in clarified syrup	 and boil them twenty minutes. when they have 	stood three or four days	 turn the syrup from them	 and boil it	 then 	turn it back on the rinds while hot. allow equal weights of rinds and 	sugar. 	 	 	 . _to preserve cherries._ 	 	allow three quarters of a pound of sugar	 to a pound of cherries. make 	your syrup	 allowing half a pint of water	 to two pounds of cherries	 	put in your cherries	 shake them occasionally to prevent their sticking 	to the kettle. when the syrup is colored strain the cherries. 	 	 	 . _to preserve muskmelons._ 	 	procure muskmelons that are perfectly green	 the later in the season	 	the better. scrape off the skin of the rind	 taking care not to scrape 	the green part. cut them through the middle	 and take out the seeds	 	then cut them in the form of rings an inch thick. put them in salt and 	water	 and let them lay several days	 then in fair water one day	 	changing the water several times; take them out and soak them in alum 	water	 one or two hours. take race ginger	 the green is the best	 soak 	it until you can scrape off the outside	 cut it in slices	 and boil it 	until tender. boil your melons in fresh water	 with a handful of peach 	leaves	 and the ginger	 allowing half an ounce to each pound of fruit. 	when the melon is tender	 put it in alum water	 together with the 	ginger. make the syrup for the melons	 allowing a pound of white sugar	 	to a pound of the fruit	 when clarified put in the melons	 and boil 	them	 together with the ginger	 half an hour	 take them up	 turn the 	syrup over them	 when cool	 drop in a little essence of lemon. when they 	have stood several days turn the syrup from them	 boil and turn it back 	while hot	 to the melons. 	 	 	 . _to preserve pine apples._ 	 	pare off the rind of the pine apples	 cut them in slices an inch thick. 	weigh out a pound of white sugar	 allowing a pound of it to each pound 	of fruit	 lay your pine apples in a deep dish	 on each layer of it 	sprinkle some of your sugar	 (which should be powdered.) set the pine 	apples away till the next day	 reserving part of the sugar. then turn 	the syrup from the pine apples into your preserving pan	 add your 	reserved sugar	 put in a tea cup of water	 to the juice of four or five 	pine apples	 clarify it	 then put in the apples	 and boil them till 	tender. let the whole stand in a dish several days	 and if there is any 	appearance of fermentation	 put it in a preserving pan	 scald it 	through	 then turn it into glasses	 and set it in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _to preserve pumpkins._ 	 	take a good sweet pumpkin	 halve it	 take out the seeds	 and cut it in 	chips	 of the size of a dollar. to each pound of pumpkin	 allow a pound 	of powdered loaf sugar	 and a gill of lemon juice. put your pumpkin 	chips in a dish	 and to each layer	 put a layer of sugar	 turn the lemon 	juice over the whole	 and let it stand a day	 then boil it till tender	 	with half a pint of water to four or five pounds of the pumpkin. tie up 	ginger in a bag	 and boil with it	 also the rind of several lemons	 cut 	into chips. 	 	 	 . _to preserve gages._ 	 	take equal quantities of fruit and sugar. make a syrup of the sugar	 	(which should be white	) with a little water	 when it boils drop in the 	plums	 boil them very slowly for a few moments	 then take them up into 	dishes	 and let them remain several days	 then boil them again	 until 	the syrup appears to have entered them. put the plums in jars	 boil the 	syrup again	 in the course of two or three days	 and turn it over them. 	 	 	 . _to preserve strawberries._ 	 	take chili or field strawberries	 and hull them. take equal quantities 	of fruit	 and white sugar	 and put a layer of each alternately in a 	preserving pan	 having a layer of strawberries at the bottom	 let them 	stand for half an hour	 then put a gill of cold water with them	 to 	prevent their burning at the bottom of the pan. set them over a moderate 	fire	 when the juice runs freely increase the fire	 until they boil 	briskly	 when they have boiled half an hour	 take them up	 turn them 	into bottles	 cork them tight	 and dip the mouths of the bottles into 	hot sealing wax. keep them in dry sand. 	 	 	 . _blackberry and raspberry jam._ 	 	for a pound of berries allow a pound of brown sugar	 put a layer of each 	alternately in a dish	 let them stand two or three hours	 strain them	 	put them over a moderate fire	 and boil them half an hour. 	 	 	 . _strawberry	 blackberry	 and raspberry jelly._ 	 	pick over your fruit carefully	 then mash and squeeze the berries 	through a flannel bag	 to each pint of juice put a pound of white sugar	 	set it on the fire	 when it has boiled seven or eight minutes	 take it 	from the fire and skim it till clear	 then put it back on the fire; as 	fast as the scum rises take it from the fire	 and skim it. to ascertain 	when it is done	 take a little of it from the fire	 and let it be till 	cold. 	 	 	 . _cranberry	 grape and currant jelly._ 	 	wash and drain the berries till nearly dry	 then put them in a 	preserving pan	 with a plate at the bottom	 heat them till they break	 	then strain them through a flannel cloth; to each pint put a pound of 	white sugar. boil and skim them till perfectly clear	 the kettle should 	be taken from the fire when skimmed. when the jelly has boiled four or 	five hours	 take a little of it up	 and put it in a tumbler of cold 	water	 if it sinks to the bottom in a solid mass	 it is done 	sufficiently. jellies are improved	 by being put in the sun for several 	days. care must be taken	 that the dew does not fall on them. 	 	 	 . _quince jelly._ 	 	halve your quinces	 take out the cores	 and boil the quinces until very 	soft	 in just sufficient water to cover them	 then squeeze them through 	a flannel bag	 and to a pound of quince pulp	 put a pound of white 	sugar. boil and skim it till clear; when it becomes a jelly	 strain it 	again	 fill your glasses and cover them tight. 	 	 	 . _apple jelly._ 	 	take greenings	 pippins or crab apples	 halve them and take out the 	cores	 boil them till tender in water just sufficient to cover them	 	boil with them the peel and juice of a lemon	 to every three pounds of 	the apple. strain the apple	 and to each pound	 put a pound of loaf 	sugar. boil and skim it till clear; when it becomes a jelly	 take it 	up	 color it if you like	 either with saffron	 beet juice	 or cochineal. 	strain it	 and put it in glasses	 and set them in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _lemon jelly._ 	 	put on a slow fire an ounce and a half of isinglass	 (pulled into small 	pieces	) a pint of water	 with the rind of several lemons; when 	dissolved put in a pint of lemon juice	 a pound and a half of white 	sugar	 color it with a few grains of saffron	 strain it through a 	flannel bag	 then boil it ten or fifteen minutes	 strain it till clear	 	let it remain till nearly congealed	 then fill your glasses or moulds 	with it. to get it out of the moulds dip them into lukewarm water for a 	minute	 the jelly will then come out easily. 	 	 	 . _calf's foot jelly._ 	 	to four feet put four quarts of water	 boil them till tender	 and the 	water boils away to one quart. take it off	 let it stand till cold	 then 	skim off the fat carefully	 and put the jelly into a preserving pan	 and 	set it on the fire; when it melts take it from the fire	 put in the 	beaten whites of seven eggs	 a little cinnamon	 half a pint of white 	wine	 the juice of two lemons	 and the rind	 leaving out the white part; 	sweeten the whole to your taste	 with loaf sugar. put it back on the 	fire	 and boil it fifteen minutes	 then strain it through a flannel bag	 	without squeezing it	 if it is not clear the first time it is strained	 	strain it till it is. the bag should be suspended on a nail over a dish	 	and the jelly poured into it	 and allowed to drain through it gradually. 	when clear turn it into cups or glasses	 and set them where the jelly 	will congeal	 but not so cold as to freeze it. this kind of jelly will 	not keep longer than two or three days in warm weather. a knuckle of 	veal makes a jelly as good as calves' feet	 it is made in the same 	manner. jellies and sweet meats are less liable to ferment	 if kept in 	glass jars or bottles. a paper wet in spirits and put over sweet meats	 	has a tendency to prevent their fermenting. sweet meats should be 	carefully watched during warm weather	 and if fermentation commences 	turn the syrup from them	 scald it	 and turn it back. 	 	 	 . _coffee._ 	 	to make good strong coffee	 allow for each person a heaping table 	spoonful of ground coffee	 and a pint of water. put your coffee into a 	tin pot	 with a piece of fish skin about the size of a ninepence	 to two 	or three quarts of water	 turn on your water boiling hot	 and boil the 	coffee from fifteen to twenty minutes	 take it off	 and let it stand to 	settle five or six minutes	 then turn it off carefully. french coffee is 	made in a german filter	 the water is turned on to it boiling hot	 an 	ounce to each person is allowed	 put in a piece of fish skin before you 	turn on the water. when cream cannot be preserved for coffee	 boiled 	milk is a good substitute. many people dislike to settle coffee with 	fish skin	 thinking it imparts a disagreeable taste to the coffee	 but 	it is owing to its not being prepared properly	 the skin should be taken 	from mild codfish	 washed	 and cut into small pieces and dried 	perfectly. the white of an egg	 egg shells	 and isinglass	 are all good 	to settle coffee. the best kind of coffee is old java	 and mocha; before 	it is roasted	 it should be hung over the fire two or three hours to 	dry	 if dried in the oven it looses its strength	 it should be hung at 	such a distance from the fire	 as to be in no danger of burning. when 	dry put it on hot coals	 and stir it constantly till done	 which is 	ascertained by biting one of the lightest kernels	 if it is brittle	 the 	whole is done. put it in a box	 and cover it up tight	 to keep in the 	steam. 	 	coffee is much better roasted in a coffee roaster	 than a kettle	 as the 	fine aromatic flavor of the coffee is preserved	 which escapes in a 	great measure	 when roasted in an open kettle. 	 	 	 . _to make tea._ 	 	scald your tea pot	 and put in a tea spoonful of tea	 for each person 	that is to drink it	 if it is a weak kind of tea	 more will be required	 	pour on just boiling water enough to cover it	 let it stand six or eight 	minutes	 not longer if you wish to have it in perfection	 pour on the 	rest of the water boiling hot. 	 	 	 . _chocolate._ 	 	scrape the chocolate off fine	 and mix it smoothly with a little cold 	milk	 or water. if liked very rich	 make it entirely of milk	 if not	 	use equal quantities of milk and water	 boil it	 then stir in the 	chocolate while boiling	 sweeten it to your taste	 let it boil five or 	six minutes; if liked rich	 grate in a little nutmeg. a heaping table 	spoonful of grated chocolate to a pint of milk	 or water	 is the right 	proportion. 	 	 	 . _hop beer._ 	 	for three gallons of beer	 take nine quarts of water	 six ounces of 	hops. boil the hops in half the water three hours	 strain it	 then boil 	the hops again in the remainder of the water	 three hours longer	 with a 	tea cup of ginger. strain and put it with the rest of the liquor	 and 	two quarts of molasses	 and when lukewarm	 put in a pint of new yeast	 	without any salt in it. keep it in a temperate place	 till it has ceased 	fermenting	 which is ascertained by the froth subsiding. turn it off 	carefully into a cask	 or bottle it; it should not be corked very tight	 	or it will burst the bottles. keep the bottles in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _spruce beer._ 	 	take five gallons of water	 and boil with a couple of ounces of hops	 	when it has boiled four or five hours	 strain it	 put to it two quarts 	of molasses	 when lukewarm	 put in a pint of fresh yeast	 without any 	salt in it	 (brewer's is the best	) put in three table spoonsful of the 	essence of spruce. a decoction made of the leaves of white or black 	spruce	 is equally as good as the essence; boil the hops with the 	leaves. let the beer stand in a temperate situation	 several days 	exposed to the air	 then put it in a cask	 or bottle it	 it will be fit 	to drink in the course of a few days. this is a nice summer drink	 and a 	powerful antiscorbutic. 	 	 	 . _spring beer._ 	 	take a small bunch each of sarsaparilla	 sweet fern	 wintergreen	 	sassafras	 and spice wood	 boil them with three ounces of hops	 to six 	gallons of water	 pare two or three raw potatoes	 and throw them into 	the beer while it is boiling. when it has boiled five or six hours	 	strain it	 and put to it three pints of molasses	 when cool stir in a 	pint of fresh yeast	 if the beer is too thick	 dilute it with a little 	cold water. when fermented	 bottle and keep it in a cool place. 	 	 	 . _ginger beer._ 	 	take three table spoonsful of ginger	 one of cream of tartar	 and boil 	them gently in a gallon of water	 with a lemon cut in slices; sweeten it 	to your taste	 with loaf or havana sugar	 boil it three quarters of an 	hour. strain it	 and when cool	 put in a tea cup of yeast; as soon as it 	has ceased fermenting	 bottle it. 	 	 	 . _a good family wine._ 	 	take equal parts of red and white currants	 grapes	 raspberries and 	english cherries	 bruise and mix them with soft water	 in the proportion 	of four pounds of fruit	 to one gallon of water	 let the liquid remain 	for two or three hours	 then strain it	 and to each gallon of wine add 	three pounds of sugar. let it stand open three days	 stirring it 	frequently	 skim	 and put it in a cask	 place it in a temperate 	situation	 where it will ferment slowly	 when fermented add to it a 	ninth part of brandy	 and stop it up tight. in two or three years it 	will be very rich. 	 	 	 . _currant wine._ 	 	strain the currants	 which should be perfectly ripe	 to each quart of 	juice	 put two of water	 and three pounds of sugar. stir the whole well 	together	 and let it stand twenty four hours	 then skim it	 and set it 	in a cool place	 where it will ferment slowly	 let it remain three or 	four days	 if at the end of that time	 it has fermented	 add one quart 	of french brandy	 to every fifteen gallons	 stop it tight	 when it is 	clear	 it is fit to bottle. this wine is better for being kept several 	years. 	 	 	 . _raspberry shrub._ 	 	to a quart of vinegar	 put three quarts of fresh ripe raspberries	 let 	it stand a day	 then strain it	 and to each pint	 put a pound of white 	sugar. put it in a jar	 and set it in a kettle of boiling water	 boil it 	an hour	 skim it till clear. when cool add a wine glass of wine	 to each 	pint of shrub. a couple of table spoonsful of this	 mixed with a tumbler 	of water	 is a very wholesome and refreshing drink in fevers. 	 	 	 . _noyeau._ 	 	to three pints of good french brandy	 put four ounces of bitter almonds	 	or peach meats bruised	 put in half an ounce of cinnamon	 the same 	quantity of mace and amber	 pounded fine	 add a tea spoonful of cloves; 	let it stand for a fortnight	 shaking it often	 then add a quart of 	water	 and a pound and a quarter of sugar	 let it stand a week	 shaking 	it each day	 then strain it off for use. 	 	 	 . _spring fruit sherbet._ 	 	boil in a quart of water six or eight stalks of the rhubarb plant	 with 	the peel of a lemon pared very thin	 and the juice of it. when it has 	boiled eight	 or ten minutes	 take it	 sweeten it to the taste with any 	kind of syrup you like	 or honey	 flavor it with rosewater	 strain it	 	let it stand five or six hours	 it will then be fit to drink. it is a 	fine thing to assuage thirst. 	 	 	 . _grape wine._ 	 	to every gallon of ripe grapes	 put a gallon of soft water	 bruise the 	grapes	 and let them stand a week	 without stirring	 then draw off the 	liquor carefully; to each gallon	 put three pounds of lump sugar	 when 	fermented	 put it in a cask	 stop it up tight	 in six months it will be 	fit to bottle. 	 	 	 . _smallage cordial._ 	 	take the young sprouts of smallage	 wash and drain them till perfectly 	dry. cut them into small pieces	 and put them in a bottle	 with stoned 	raisins	 a layer of each alternately; when the bottle is two thirds 	full	 fill it up with good french brandy. cork it up	 let it stand four 	or five days	 then pour in as much more brandy	 as you can get in. it 	will be fit for use in the course of a few days. 	 	 	 	 	_miscellaneous receipts	 and observations useful to young housekeepers._ 	 	 	 . _to make essence of lemon._ 	 	take one drachm of the best oil of lemon	 and two ounces of strong 	rectified spirit. mix the spirit by degrees	 with the oil. another way 	to procure the essence of the peel	 is to rub the peel with lumps of 	sugar	 till the yellow part is all taken up. scrape off the surface of 	the sugar	 and press it down tight	 in a preserving pot	 and cover it 	tight; a little of this sugar gives a fine flavor to pies or cake. this 	mode of procuring the essence of the peel	 is superior to any other	 as 	the fine flavor of the peel is extracted without any alloy. 	 	 	 . _essence of ginger._ 	 	put three ounces of fresh grated ginger	 an ounce of thin cut lemon 	peel	 into a quart of brandy	 or proof spirit	 bottle and cork it	 let 	it stand for ten days	 shaking it up each day	 it will then be fit for 	use. a few drops of this	 in a little water	 or on a lump of sugar	 	answers all the purposes of ginger tea	 and is much more convenient and 	palatable. 	 	 	 . _rose water._ 	 	gather your roses on a dry day	 when full blown	 pick off the leaves	 	and to a peck of them	 put a quart of water. put them in a cold still	 	and put it over a slow fire	 the slower they are distilled the better. 	when distilled put it in the bottles	 let it stand a couple of days	 	then cork it tight. 	 	 	 . _spice brandy._ 	 	into a large wide mouthed bottle	 put french brandy	 and fresh rose 	leaves	 or lemon and orange peel. when this has stood a week	 it is nice 	spice for pies	 puddings and cake. peach meats or almonds steeped in 	brandy are very good spice for custards. 	 	 	 . _barley water._ 	 	take a couple of ounces of pearl barley	 wash it in cold water	 and put 	it into half a pint of boiling water	 and let it boil four or five 	minutes	 then turn off the water	 and pour on two quarts of boiling 	water	 strain it	 and put to it two ounces of figs sliced	 two of stoned 	raisins	 half an ounce of liquorice cut into small bits	 and bruised	 	boil it till reduced to a quart	 and strain it. this is a very wholesome 	drink in fevers. 	 	 	 . _water gruel._ 	 	mix a couple of table spoonsful of indian meal	 with one of flour and a 	little water	 stir it into a pint of boiling water	 let it boil six or 	eight minutes	 then take it up put in a piece of butter of the size of a 	walnut	 pepper and salt	 to your taste	 and nutmeg	 or cinnamon if you 	like	 turn it on to toasted bread or crackers. to convert this into 	caudle	 add a little ale; wine or brandy	 and loaf sugar. 	 	 	 . _wine whey._ 	 	into a pint of milk while boiling	 stir a couple of wine glasses of 	wine	 let it boil for a moment	 then take it off	 when the curd has 	settled	 turn off the whey	 and sweeten it with loaf sugar. where wine 	cannot be procured	 cider	 or half the quantity of vinegar	 is a good 	substitute. 	 	 	 . _stomachic tincture._ 	 	bruise an ounce and a half of peruvian bark	 and one of bitter dried 	orange peel. steep it in brandy or proof spirit	 for a fortnight	 	shaking it each day. let it remain for a couple of days without shaking 	it	 then decant the liquor. a tea spoonful of it in a wine glass of 	water	 is a fine tonic. 	 	 	 . _beef tea._ 	 	broil a pound of fresh beef ten minutes	 take it up	 pepper and salt it	 	cut it into small pieces	 and turn a pint of boiling water on to it	 let 	it steep in a warm place for half an hour	 then strain it off	 and it is 	fit to drink. this is a quick way of making it	 but the best way is to 	cut beef into small bits	 and fill a junk bottle with it	 stop it up 	tight	 and immerse it in a kettle of cold water	 put it where it will 	boil four or five hours. this way is superior to the other	 as the 	juices of the meat are obtained unmixed with water; a table spoonful of 	this is as nourishing as a cup full of that which is made by broiling. 	 	 	 . _carrageen or irish moss._ 	 	american	 or irish carrageen	 is a very nutritious and light article of 	food for children	 and invalids	 and is a good thickener of milk and 	broths	 and for blanc mange is equal to the most expensive ingredients	 	while the cost is very trifling. the following decoction for consumptive 	patients	 is recommended. steep half an ounce of the moss in cold water	 	for a few minutes	 then take it out	 boil it in a quart of milk until 	it attains the consistency of warm jelly	 strain it	 and sweeten it to 	the taste	 with white sugar or honey	 flavor it with whatever spice is 	most agreeable	 if milk is disagreeable	 water may be substituted. if a 	tea spoonful of the tincture of rhutany is mixed with a cup full of the 	decoction	 a tone will be given to the stomach	 at the same time that 	nourishment is conveyed to the system. 	 	 	 . _moss blanc mange._ 	 	steep half an ounce of irish moss in a pint and a half of milk; when it 	becomes a thick jelly sweeten it with loaf sugar	 and flavor it with 	white wine and cinnamon. to make orange	 lemon or savory jellies	 use a 	similar process	 substituting water for milk. jellies made of it	 are 	more nourishing	 than those made of sago	 tapioca or arrow root. 	 	 	 . _elderberry syrup._ 	 	wash and strain the berries	 which should be perfectly ripe	 to a pint 	of the juice put a pint of molasses. boil it twenty minutes	 stirring it 	constantly; then take it from the fire	 and when cold add to each quart 	four table spoonsful of brandy; bottle and cork it. this is an excellent 	remedy for a tight cough. 	 	 	 . _new bread and cake from old and rusked bread._ 	 	bread that is several days old	 may be renewed by putting it into a 	steamer	 and steaming it from half to three quarters of an hour	 	according to its size; the steamer should not be more than half full	 	otherwise the water will boil up on to the bread. when steamed	 wrap it 	up loosely in a dry cloth	 and let it remain till quite dry	 it will 	then appear like bread just baked. if pieces of bread are put in the 	oven and dried	 several hours after baking in it	 they will keep good a 	long time. they are good as fresh bread for dressing to meat	 and for 	puddings	 if soaked soft in cold water. rich cake with wine or brandy in 	it	 will keep good several months in winter	 if kept in a cool place. 	the day it is to be eaten	 it should be put in a tin pan	 and set in a 	bake pan that has a tea cup of water in it	 when heated thoroughly 	through take it up. 	 	 	 . _to preserve cheese from insects and mould._ 	 	cover the cheese while whole with a paste made of wheat flour	 put a 	piece of paper or cloth over it	 and cover it with the paste	 keep it in 	a cool dry place. cheese that has skippers in it	 if kept till cold 	weather will be free from them. cheese that is growing mouldy can be 	prevented from becoming any more so	 by grating it fine and moistening 	it with wine	 and covering it up in a jar. it is preferred by many 	people to that which is not grated. 	 	 	 . _to keep vegetables and herbs._ 	 	succulent vegetables	 are preserved best in a cool shady place that is 	damp. turnips	 potatoes	 and similar vegetables should be protected from 	the air and frost	 by being buried in earth; in very severe cold 	weather	 they should be covered with a linen cloth. it is said that the 	dust of charcoal will keep potatoes from sprouting	 if sprinkled over 	them.--herbs should be gathered on a dry day	 either just before or 	while in blossom; they should be tied in bundles and hung in a shady 	airy place	 with the blossoms downwards. when perfectly dry	 put away 	the medicinal ones in bundles; pick off the leaves of those that are to 	be used in cooking	 pound and sift them	 and keep them in bottles corked 	tight. 	 	 	 . _to preserve various kinds of fruit over winter._ 	 	apples can be kept till june	 by taking only those that are perfectly 	sound	 and wiping them dry	 and putting them in barrels with a layer of 	bran to each layer of apples. cover the barrel with a linen cloth to 	protect them from the frost. mortar put on the top of the apples	 is 	said to be an excellent thing to prevent their decaying	 as it draws the 	air from them	 which is the principal cause of decay; the mortar should 	not touch the apples. to preserve oranges and lemons for several months	 	take those that are perfectly fresh	 and wrap each one by itself in soft 	paper	 and put them in glass jars	 or a very tight box	 strew white sand 	thickly round each one and over the top. the sand should be previously 	perfectly dried in the oven	 several hours after baking in it. cover the 	fruit up tight	 and keep it in a cool dry place	 but not so cold as to 	freeze it. to preserve grapes gather them on a dry day	 when not quite 	dead ripe; pick those off from the stem	 that are not perfectly fair	 	lay them in a glass jar and on each layer sprinkle a layer of dry bran	 	taking care that none of the grapes touch each other	 have a layer of 	bran on the top of them	 and cork and seal them tight. a box will do to 	keep them in if covered with mortar. to restore them to their freshness 	when they are to be eaten	 cut the ends of the stalks and immerse them 	in wine	 let them remain in it for a few moments before they are to be 	eaten. various kinds of green fruit	 such as grapes	 currants	 	gooseberries and plums	 can be kept the year round by putting them in 	bottles	 and setting them in an oven four or five hours after baking in 	it; let them remain in it till they begin to shrink	 then cork and seal 	them tight	 they will be fit for pies	 whenever you wish to use them. 	ripe blackberries	 and whortleberries	 dried perfectly in the sun	 and 	tied up in bags so as to exclude the air	 will keep good over the 	winter. whenever you wish to use them for pies	 pour on boiling water 	enough to cover them	 and let them remain in it till they swell to 	nearly the original size	 then drain off the water	 and use them. 	 	 	 . _to extract essences from various kinds of flowers._ 	 	procure a quantity of the petals of any kind of flowers that have an 	agreeable fragrance. card thin layers of cotton	 which dip into the 	finest florence oil. sprinkle a small quantity of salt on the flowers	 	and put a layer of them in a glass jar or wide mouthed bottle	 with a 	layer of the cotton	 put in a layer of each alternately until the jar is 	full	 then cover the top up tight with a bladder. place the vessel in a 	south window	 exposed to the heat of the sun. in the course of a 	fortnight	 a fragrant oil may be squeezed from the cotton	 little 	inferior if rose leaves are made use of	 to the imported otto of rose. 	 	 	 . _indelible ink for marking linen._ 	 	dissolve a drachm of lunar caustic	 in half an ounce of pure cold water. 	dip whatever is to be marked in pearlash water	 dry it perfectly	 then 	rub it smooth with a silver spoon	 (ironing it sets the pearlash water	) 	write on it	 and place it in the sun	 and let it remain until the name 	appears plain and black. red ink for marking linen	 is made by mixing 	and reducing to a fine powder	 half an ounce of vermilion	 a drachm of 	the salt of steel	 and linseed oil enough to render it of the 	consistency of black durable ink. 	 	 	 . _perfume bags._ 	 	rose leaves dried in the shade	 and mixed with powdered cloves	 cinnamon 	and mace	 put in small bags and pressed	 is a fine thing to keep in 	drawers of linen	 to perfume them. 	 	 	 . _lip salve._ 	 	dissolve a small lump of white sugar	 in a table spoonful of rose water	 	clear water will do but is not as good. mix it with a table spoonful of 	sweet oil	 a piece of spermaceti of the size of half a butternut. simmer 	the whole together about eight or ten minutes. 	 	 	 . _bread seals._ 	 	take the crust of newly baked bread	 moisten it with gum water and milk	 	add either vermilion in powder or rose pink	 to color it. when moistened 	work it with the fingers till it forms a consistent paste without 	cracking; it should then be laid in a cellar	 till the next day. then 	break it into pieces of the size you wish to have the seals	 warm and 	roll them into balls	 press one at a time	 on the warm impression of a 	seal press. the bread should go into every part of the sealing wax 	impression; while the bread remains on it	 pinch the upper part so as to 	form a handle	 to hold the bread seal when in use. take off the bread 	seal	 trim all the superfluous parts	 put the seals where they will dry 	slowly. the more the bread has been worked with the fingers	 the more 	glossy and smooth will be the seals	 and the better impression will they 	make. 	 	 	 . _to loosen the glass stopples of decanters or smelling bottles when 	wedged in tight._ 	 	rub a drop or two of oil with a feather round the stopple	 close to the 	mouth of the bottle or decanter	 then place it between one and two feet 	from the fire. the heat will cause the oil to run down between the 	stopple and mouth. when warm strike it gently on both sides with any 	light wooden instrument	 you may happen to have; then try to loosen it 	with the hand. if it will not move	 repeat the process of rubbing oil on 	it	 and warming it. by persevering in this method	 you will at length 	succeed in loosening it	 however firmly it may be wedged in. 	 	 	 . _cement for broken china	 glass and earthenware._ 	 	to half a pint of skimmed milk	 add an equal quantity of vinegar to 	curdle it	 then separate the curd from the whey	 and mix the curd with 	the whites of five eggs	 beat the whole well together	 then add enough 	of the finest quicklime to form a consistent paste. (plaster of paris is 	still better if it can be procured	 than lime.) rub this mixture on the 	broken edges of the china or glass	 match the pieces and bind them 	tightly together	 and let them remain bound several weeks. they will 	then be as firm as if never broken. boiling crockery in milk is a good 	thing to cement them	 the pieces should be matched	 bound with pieces of 	cloth	 and boiled half an hour	 they should remain in the milk till 	cold	 and not be used for several weeks. pulverized quicklime mixed with 	the white of an egg and rubbed in the cracks of china and glass	 will 	prevent their coming apart; the dishes should be bound firmly for 	several weeks	 after it is rubbed in. the chinese method of mending 	broken china	 is to grind flint glass	 on a painter's stone	 as fine as 	possible	 and then beat it	 with the white of an egg to a froth	 and lay 	it on the edges of the broken pieces. it should remain bound several 	weeks. it is said	 that no art will then be able to break it in the same 	place. 	 	 	 . _japanese cement or rice glue._ 	 	mix rice flour intimately with cold water	 and then gently boil it. it 	answers all the purposes of wheat flour paste	 and is far superior in 	point of transparency and smoothness. this composition made with a 	comparatively small proportion of water	 that it may have the 	consistence of plastic clay	 will form models	 busts	 statues	 basso 	relievos and similar articles. the japanese make fish of it which very 	much resemble those made of mother of pearl. articles made of it when 	dry are susceptible of a very high polish. poland starch	 is a very nice 	cement	 for pasting layers of paper together	 and any fancy articles 	when it is necessary. 	 	 	 . _cement for alabaster._ 	 	take of bees' wax one pound	 of rosin half a pound	 and three quarters 	of a pound of alabaster. melt the wax and rosin	 then strew the 	alabaster	 previously reduced to a fine powder	 over in it lightly. stir 	the whole well together	 then knead the mass in water	 in order to 	incorporate the powder thoroughly with the rosin and wax. heat the 	cement and the alabaster	 which should be perfectly dry	 when applied 	join and keep it bound a week. this composition when properly managed 	forms an extremely strong cement. 	 	 	 . _to extract fruit stains._ 	 	hold the spot over steam till quite moist	 then over burning sulphur; 	the sulphurous gas will cause the spot to disappear. 	 	 	 . _to extract spots of paint from silk	 woolen and cotton goods._ 	 	saturate the spots with spirits of turpentine	 let it remain several 	hours	 then take the cloth and rub it between the hands. it will crumble 	away and not injure either the texture or color of the cloth. 	 	 	 . _to remove black stains on scarlet merinos or broadcloths._ 	 	wash the stain in water with a little tartaric acid in it	 rinse it 	directly	 and care should be taken not to get any of the acid water on 	the clean part of the dress. weak pearlash water is good to remove 	stains produced by acids. 	 	 	 . _to remove grease spots from paper	 silk or woolen._ 	 	grate on chalk enough to cover the grease spots. french chalk is the 	best	 but common chalk will answer very well. cover the spots with brown 	paper	 and set a warm flat iron on the top	 and let it remain until 	cold. care must be taken not to get the iron so hot as to change the 	color of the article. if the grease does not appear to be extracted	 on 	removing the flat iron	 grate on more chalk	 and heat the iron	 and put 	it on again. 	 	 	 . _to extract stains from white cotton goods and colored silks._ 	 	spots of common or durable ink	 can be removed by saturating them with 	lemon juice and salt in summer	 and keeping them where the sun will 	shine on them several hours. rub the juice and salt on them as fast as 	they get dry. where lemons cannot be procured	 tartaric acid dissolved 	in salt and water	 is a good substitute. iron mould can be removed in 	the same way; it is said that spirits of salts diluted with water will 	also extract iron mould. sal ammoniac with lime	 will take out the 	stains of wine. mildew and most other stains on white goods	 can be 	removed by rubbing on soft soap and salt	 and putting them in a hot 	summer's sun	 it should be rubbed on as fast as it dries. where this 	fails	 lemon juice and salt will be generally effectual. colored cotton 	goods that have ink spilt on them	 should be soaked in lukewarm milk or 	vinegar; sour milk is the best. spirits of turpentine	 alcohol or sal 	ammoniac	 are all good to remove spots from colored silks. 	 	 	 . _rules for washing calicoes._ 	 	calicoes that incline to fade	 can have the colors set by washing them 	with beef's gall in clear water previous to washing them in soap suds; a 	small tea cup full to a pail of water is the right proportion. by 	squeezing out the gall	 and bottling and corking it up	 it can be kept 	several months. a little vinegar in the rinsing water of calicoes	 that 	have green	 pink or red colors	 will brighten them and prevent their 	mixing together. yellow calicoes should be washed in soap suds and not 	rinsed. a little salt in the rinsing water of calicoes	 particularly 	blues and greens	 tends to prevent their fading by subsequent washing	 	it will also prevent their catching fire readily. thin starch water is 	good to wash fading calicoes in	 but it is rather hard to get them clean 	in it; no soap is necessary. calicoes should not be washed in very hot 	suds and soft soap should never be used	 excepting for buff and yellows	 	for which it is the best. the two latter colors should not be rinsed in 	clear water. 	 	 	 . _rules for washing silks._ 	 	the water in which pared potatoes has been boiled	 is an excellent thing 	to wash black silk in	 it makes it look almost as black and glossy as 	new. beef's gall in soap suds is also very good	 and soap suds without 	the gall does very well. colored silks should have all the spots removed 	before the whole of the article is wet. put soap into boiling water and 	beat it till it is all dissolved	 and forms a strong lather when at a 	hand heat	 put in the article that is to be washed and if strong it may 	be rubbed hard; when clean squeeze out the water without wringing	 and 	rinse it in warm water. rinse it in another water and for bright 	yellows	 crimsons	 maroons and scarlets	 put in oil of vitriol	 	sufficient to give the water an acid taste	 for oranges	 fawns	 browns 	or their shades use no acids	 for pinks	 rose colors	 and their shades	 	use tartaric acid	 lemon juice or vinegar. for bright scarlet	 use a 	solution of tin. for blues	 purples	 and their shades	 add a small 	quantity of american pearlash	 to restore the colors. verdigris 	dissolved in the rinsing water of olive greens is good to revive the 	colors	 a solution of copper is also good. dip the silks up and down in 	the rinsing water	 and take them out without wringing	 and before they 	get perfectly dry fold them up tight and let them lay a few moments	 	then mangle them	 if you have not a mangler	 iron them on the wrong 	side. a little isinglass	 dissolved in the rinsing water of blondes and 	gauzes	 is good to stiffen them. 	 	 	 . _rules for washing woolens._ 	 	if you do not wish flannels to shrink	 wash them in two good suds	 made 	of hard soap	 then wring them out	 and pour boiling water on them	 and 	let them remain in it till cold. a little indigo in the rinsing water of 	white flannels makes them look nicer. if you wish to shrink your 	flannels	 wash them in suds made of soft soap	 and rinse them in cold 	water. colored woolens that incline to fade	 should be washed with a 	little beef's gall in the suds. cloth pantaloons look well washed with 	beef's gall in the suds; they should be pressed	 when quite damp	 on the 	wrong side. 	 	 	 . _rules for washing white cotton clothes._ 	 	table cloths that have coffee or any other stains on them	 should have 	boiling water turned on them and remain in it till cold. the spots 	should be rubbed out before they are put in soap suds	 or they will be 	set	 so that they cannot be removed by subsequent washing. if a little 	starch is put in the rinsing water	 the stains will come out more easily 	the next time they are washed. any white cloths	 that have fruit stains 	on them	 should be washed in the same manner. it is a good plan	 to soap 	and soak very dirty clothes over night; put them in when the water is 	lukewarm	 and let them heat gradually	 if they get to boiling it will 	not do any harm. where rain water cannot be procured to wash with	 a 	little lye in the proportion of half a pailful to seven or eight pails 	of hard water will soften it so that much less soap will be necessary. 	it is said that white clothes washed in the following manner will not 	need any rubbing. to five gallons of soft water	 add half a gallon of 	lime water	 a pint and a half of soap and a couple of ounces of the 	salts of soda. wet the clothes thoroughly and soak the parts that are 	most soiled; if very dirty	 they should be soaked over night. heat the 	above mixture boiling hot	 then put in the clothes	 let them boil an 	hour	 then drain and rinse them thoroughly in warm water	 then in indigo 	water	 and they are fit for drying. the soda can be procured cheap	 by 	purchasing it in large quantities. it is a good plan to save the dirty 	suds after washing	 to water your garden if you have one	 it is also 	good to harden sandy cellars and yards. 	 	 	 . _to clean silk and woolen shawls._ 	 	pare and grate raw potatoes	 put a pint of it in two quarts of clear 	water. let it stand for five hours	 then strain the water and rub 	through as much of the potatoe as possible; let it remain until 	perfectly clear	 then turn off the water carefully. put a clean white 	cloth on a table	 lay the shawl on it and pin it down tight. dip a clean 	sponge into the potatoe water and rub the shawl with it till clean	 then 	rinse the shawl in clear water. when nearly dry	 mangle it; if you have 	not a mangler	 wrap it up in a clean white cloth and press it under a 	heavy weight till perfectly dry. all the grease spots and stains should 	be taken out of the shawls	 before they are washed with the potatoe 	water. 	 	 	 . _to clean silk stockings._ 	 	wash the stockings in mildly warm hard soap suds	 rinse them in soap 	suds and if you wish to have them of a flesh color	 put in a little 	rose	 pink or cochineal powder; if you prefer a bluish cast	 put in a 	little indigo. hang them up to dry without wringing	 when nearly dry	 	iron them on the right side	 till perfectly so. if you wish silks of any 	kind to have a gloss on them	 never rinse them without soap in the 	water. 	 	 	 . _to clean carpets._ 	 	carpets should be taken up as often as once a year	 even if not much 	used	 as there is danger of their getting moth eaten. if used much they 	should be taken up two or three times a year. if there is any appearance 	of moths when carpets are taken up	 sprinkle a little black pepper or 	tobacco on the floor before the carpets are put down. shake the dust out 	of the carpets	 and if they are so much soiled as to require cleaning	 	rub a little dry magnesia or grated raw potatoes on them; the potatoes 	should be rubbed on with a new broom. let it remain until perfectly dry 	before walking on it. if there are any grease or oil spots on the 	carpet	 they should be extracted before the potatoe is rubbed on. they 	can be extracted by grating on potter's clay	 covering it with brown 	paper and a moderately warm flat iron or warming pan. it will be 	necessary to do it several times to get out the whole of the grease. 	 	 	 . _to clean feather beds and mattresses._ 	 	when feather beds become soiled or heavy	 rub them over with a brush 	dipped into hot suds. when clean lay them on a shed or railing	 where 	the rain will fall on them till they get thoroughly soaked	 let them dry 	in a hot sun for a week	 shaking and turning them over each day. this 	way of washing the beds makes the feathers fresh and light	 and is much 	easier than the old fashioned way of emptying the beds	 and washing the 	ticking and feathers separately	 while it answers quite as well. hair 	mattresses that have become hard and dirty	 can be made nearly as good 	as new ones	 by ripping them and washing the ticking	 picking the hair 	free from bunches	 and keeping it in an airy place several days. when 	the ticking gets dry fill it lightly	 and tack it together. 	 	 	 . _to clean light kid gloves._ 	 	magnesia	 moist bread and india rubber	 are all of them good to clean 	light kid gloves	 if rubbed on thoroughly. 	 	 	 . _to remove ink or grease spots from floors._ 	 	ink spots can be removed by scouring them with sand	 wet with water that 	has a few drops of oil of vitriol in it. great care is necessary in 	using it	 as it eats holes if suffered to remain long without having 	something put on to counteract its effects. when rubbed on floors	 it 	should be rinsed off immediately with weak pearlash water. oil and 	grease spots can be removed by grating on potter's clay thick and 	wetting it	 it should remain on till it has absorbed all the grease; if 	brown paper and a warm iron is put on	 it will come out much quicker. 	pearlash water and sand is also good to extract grease and oil	 they 	should be rubbed hard	 then rinsed directly. 	 	 	 . _to clean mahogany and marble furniture._ 	 	they should be washed in water without any soap. a little oil 	rubbed on them occasionally gives them a fine polish. white spots on 	varnished furniture can be removed by rubbing them with a warm flannel 	cloth dipped in spirits of turpentine. it is said that ink spots can be 	extracted by rubbing them with blotting paper rolled up tight. 	 	 	 . _to clean stone hearths and stoves._ 	 	if you wish to preserve the original color of free stone hearths	 wash 	them in clear water	 then rub them with a stone of the same kind pounded 	fine	 let it remain until dry	 then rub it off. if the hearths are 	stained	 rub them hard with a free stone. hot soft soap or soap suds	 	does very well to wash hearths in	 provided you have no objections to 	their looking dark. for brick hearths use redding mixed with thin starch 	and milk. varnished stoves should have several coats of varnish put on 	in summer so as to get quite hard before being used. they should be 	washed in warm water without any soap	 a little oil rubbed on once or 	twice a week	 improves the looks of them. black lead is good to black 	stoves that have never been varnished	 but it will not do where they 	have been. it should be rubbed on dry once or twice a day. 	 	 	 . _to clean brass._ 	 	rotten stone and spirit	 is better than any thing else to clean brasses 	with. acids make them look nice at first	 but they will not remain clean 	long	 they are also apt to spot without a great deal of care is used. 	when brass andirons are not in use	 they should be thoroughly cleaned 	with rotten stone	 and rubbed over with oil	 and wrapped up tight. 	 	 	 . _to cleanse vials and pie plates._ 	 	bottles and vials	 that have had medicine in them	 can be cleaned	 by 	putting a tea spoonful or two of ashes in them and immersing them in 	cold water	 the water should then be heated gradually until it boils. 	when they have boiled about half an hour	 take them from the fire	 and 	let them cool gradually in the water. pie plates that have been baked on 	many times	 are apt to impart an unpleasant taste to pies. it may be 	remedied by boiling them in ashes and water. 	 	 	 . _cautions relative to brass and copper._ 	 	cleanliness has been aptly styled the cardinal virtue of cooks; food is 	not only more palatable cooked in a cleanly manner	 but it is also more 	healthy. many lives have been lost in consequence of carelessness in 	using copper	 brass and glazed earthen utensils. no oily or acid 	substance should be allowed to cool or stand in them. brass and copper 	utensils should be thoroughly cleaned with salt and hot vinegar before 	being used. 	 	 	 . _to keep pickles and sweet meats._ 	 	pickles should be kept in kegs or unglazed earthen jars. sweetmeats keep 	best in glass jars	 unglazed earthen jars do very well. if the jar is 	covered with a paper wet in spirits	 the sweet meats are less liable to 	ferment. both pickles and sweet meats	 should be looked to occasionally 	to see that they are not fermenting	 if so	 the vinegar or syrup should 	be turned from them and scalded. if pickles grow soft	 it is owing to 	the vinegar's not being strong enough; to make it stronger	 scald it and 	put in a paper wet with molasses	 and a little alum. 	 	 	 . _starch._ 	 	to make good flour starch	 mix the flour with a little water till free 	from lumps	 thin it gradually with more water	 then stir it slowly into 	boiling water. let it boil five or six minutes stirring it frequently	 a 	tallow candle stirred round in it several times makes it smoother. 	strain it through a thick bag. starch made in this manner will be free 	from lumps	 and answers for cotton and linen as well as poland starch. 	many people like it for muslins. poland starch is made in the same 	manner as flour starch. when rice is boiled in a pot without a bag	 the 	water that it is boiled in is as good as poland starch for clearing 	muslins	 if boiled by itself a few moments and strained. muslins to look 	very clear	 should be starched and clapped while the starch is hot. 	 	 	 . _to temper new ovens and iron ware._ 	 	new ovens before being used	 to retain their heat well	 should be heated 	half a day. the lid should be put up as soon as the wood is taken out. 	it should not be used to bake in the first time it is heated. iron 	utensils are less liable to crack if heated gradually before they are 	used. new flat irons should be heated half a day	 to retain their heat 	well. 	 	 	 . _to temper earthen ware._ 	 	earthen ware that is used to cook in	 is less liable to crack from the 	heat	 by being put before they are used into cold water and heated 	gradually till the water boils	 then taken from the fire and left in the 	water until cold. 	 	 	 . _preservatives against the ravages of moths._ 	 	to prevent woolen and fur articles of dress	 from getting moth eaten 	when you have done wearing them	 put them in a chest with cedar chips	 	camphor gum or tobacco leaves. 	 	 	 . _to drive away various kinds of household vermin._ 	 	a little quicksilver and white of an egg beat together and put in the 	crevices of bedsteads	 with a feather	 is the most effectual bed bug 	poison. a solution of vitriol is also a good thing rubbed on walls that 	are infested by them. hellebore with molasses rubbed on it	 is an 	excellent thing to kill cockroaches	 and put round the places that they 	are in the habit of frequenting. arsenic spread on bread and butter	 and 	placed round in rat holes	 will put a stop to their ravages very 	speedily. great care is necessary in using all these poisons where there 	are children	 as they are equally as fatal to human beings as vermin. 	the flower of sulphur sprinkled round places that ants frequent	 will 	drive them away. half a tea spoonful of black pepper	 one of sugar and a 	table spoonful of cream mixed and kept on a plate	 in a room where flies 	are troublesome will soon cause them to disappear. weak brine will kill 	worms in gravel walks. they should be kept moist with it a week	 in the 	spring	 and three or four days in the fall. 	 	 	 . _to keep meat in hot weather._ 	 	cover it with bran	 and keep it where there is a free circulation of 	air	 away from the flies. a wire safe is an excellent thing to preserve 	meat from spoiling. 	 	 	 . _to prevent polished cutlery from rusting._ 	 	knives	 snuffers and other steel articles	 are apt to rust when not 	cleaned frequently. to prevent it wrap them tight in coarse brown paper	 	when not in use. knives and forks should be perfectly free from spots 	and well polished when not in use. they should also be wrapped up	 each 	one by itself	 so as to exclude the air. 	 	 	 . _to melt fat for shortening._ 	 	the fat of all kinds of meat	 excepting mutton and hams	 makes good 	shortening. roast meat drippings and the liquor that meat is boiled in	 	should stand until cold to have the fat harden so that it can be taken 	off easily. cut your scraps of fat into small pieces	 and melt them 	slowly without burning	 together with the fat from your drippings. when 	melted	 strain it and let it remain until nearly cold	 then pour in a 	little cold water. when the fat forms into a hard cake	 take it up and 	scrape off the sediment that adheres to the under side	 melt it again 	and when lukewarm sprinkle in a little salt. the dregs of fat are good 	for soap grease. this shortening answers all the various purposes of 	lard very well	 excepting in the warmest weather. in using it for pies 	it is necessary to use considerable butter with it. the fat of meat 	should not be suffered to lie more than a week in winter without 	melting	 and in summer not more than two or three days. mutton fat and 	the fat of beef	 if melted into hard cakes	 will fetch a good price at 	the tallow chandler's. it is much more economical for housekeepers to 	put down their own pork	 than to buy it already salted. the leaves and 	thin pieces that are not good for salting	 should be cut into small bits 	and melted	 then strained through a cullender with a cloth laid in it	 	as soon as it begins to thicken sprinkle in a tea cup of salt	 to twenty 	or thirty weight of the lard; stir it in well	 then set it away in a 	cool place. some people have an idea that pork scraps must be fried till 	very brown in order to be preserved good the year round	 but it is not 	necessary if salt is put in. 	 	 	 . _to preserve eggs fresh a year._ 	 	mix a handful of unslacked lime with the same quantity of salt	 two or 	three gallons of water. if eggs that are perfectly fresh are put in this 	mixture	 they will keep good a year in it	 provided none are cracked. 	 	 	 . _to preserve cream for long voyages._ 	 	take cream that is fresh and rich	 and mix it with half its weight of 	powdered white sugar	 stir the whole well together	 and preserve it in 	bottles corked very tight. in this state it is ready to mix with tea and 	coffee. 	 	 	 . _substitute for milk and cream in tea or coffee._ 	 	beat the white of a fresh egg in a bowl	 and turn on to it gradually 	boiling tea or coffee. it is difficult to distinguish the taste from 	rich cream. 	 	 	 . _to cure butter._ 	 	take two parts of the best common salt	 one part of sugar and one of 	saltpetre	 blend the whole well together. mix one ounce of this 	composition well with every sixteen ounces of the butter. close it up 	tight in kegs	 cover it with an oiled paper	 and let it remain untouched 	for a month. butter cured in this manner is very nice	 and will keep 	good eight or nine months	 if not exposed to the air. 	 	 	 . _to make salt butter fresh._ 	 	put four pounds of salt butter into a churn	 with four quarts of new 	milk and a small portion of annatto. churn them together	 take out the 	butter in the course of an hour	 and treat it like fresh butter	 working 	in the usual quantity of salt; a little white sugar improves it. this is 	said to be equal to fresh butter in every respect. the salt may be got 	out of a small quantity at a time	 by working it over in fresh water	 	changing the water several times. 	 	 	 . _to take rankness from a small quantity of butter._ 	 	take a quantity that is to be made use of	 put it into a bowl filled 	with boiling water with a little saleratus in it	 let it remain until 	cold	 then take it off carefully and work it over with a little salt. by 	this method it is separated from the grosser particles. 	 	 	 . _windsor soap._ 	 	to make this celebrated soap for shaving and washing the hands	 nothing 	more is necessary than to slice the best white soap as thin as possible 	and melt it over a slow fire. when melted take it up	 when lukewarm 	scent it with the oil of caraway or any other oil that is more 	agreeable	 then turn it into moulds and let it remain in a dry situation 	several days. it will then be fit for use. 	 	 	 . _to make bayberry or myrtle soap._ 	 	to a pound of bayberry tallow	 put a pint of potash lye	 strong enough 	to bear up an egg. boil them together till it becomes soap. then put in 	half a tea cup of cold water	 let it boil several minutes longer. take 	it off	 and when partly cooled put in a few drops of the essence of 	wintergreen	 pour it into moulds and let it remain several days. this 	soap is good for shaving	 and is an excellent thing for chapped hands 	and eruptions on the face. 	 	 	 . _cold soap._ 	 	to twenty pounds of white potash put ten of grease	 previously melted 	and strained. mix it well together with a pailful of cold water	 let it 	remain several days	 then stir in several more pailsful of cold water. 	continue to pour in cold water at intervals of two or three days	 	stirring it up well each time. as soon as the water begins to thin it	 	it is time to leave off adding it. this method of making soap is much 	easier than any other	 while it is equally cheap and good. if you have 	not land to enrich with your ashes they can be disposed of to advantage 	at the soap boiler's. 	 	 	the end. 	 	 	 	 	transcriber's note 	 	 	the following typographical errors were corrected: 	 	 page error 	 vii changed to 	 ix apple dumplings changed to apple dumplings	 	 x woolen shawls changed to woolen shawls	 	 petre changed to petre	 	 and alspice changed to and allspice 	 when severl slices changed to when several slices 	 mix a tea spoonfull changed to mix a tea spoonful 	 pigs ear's changed to pig's ears 	 fow s changed to fowls 	 cold veal changed to cold veal. 	 rice	 and a a lb. changed to rice	 and a lb. 	 twenty minutes	 changed to twenty minutes. 	 whites of threee ggs	 changed to whites of three eggs	 	 to your tase. changed to to your taste. 	 sugar	 half a tea spoonsful changed to sugar	 half a tea spoonful 	 nutmeg	 and a table spoonsful changed to nutmeg	 and a table 	 spoonful 	 by the spoonsful changed to by the spoonful 	 be fit to to changed to be fit to 	 without any soap	 changed to without any soap. 	 	the following words were inconsistently spelled. 	 	 bake pan / bakepan 	 pen-knife / penknife 	 pie crust / piecrust 	 saleratus / sal eratus 	 whortle berries / whortleberries 	 	 	 	 	 distributed proofreaders team note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) mary at the farm and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "pennsylvania germans" by edith m. thomas with illustrations we love our pennsylvania, grand old keystone state; land of far famed rivers, and rock-ribbed mountains great. with her wealth of "dusky diamonds" and historic valleys fair, proud to claim her as our birthplace; land of varied treasures rare. preface the incidents narrated in this book are based on fact, and, while not absolutely true in every particular, the characters are all drawn from real life. the photographs are true likenesses of the people they are supposed to represent, and while in some instances the correct names are not given (for reasons which the reader will readily understand), the various scenes, relics, etc., are true historically and geographically. the places described can be easily recognized by any one who has ever visited the section of pennsylvania in which the plot (if it can really be called a plot) of the story is laid. many of the recipes given mary by pennsylvania german housewives, noted for the excellence of their cooking, have never appeared in print. the author. this book is dedicated to my friends with gratitude for their many helpful kindnesses. [illustration] "he who has a thousand friends, has never a one to spare." the housekeeper's symphony "to do the best that i can, from morn till night. and pray for added strength with coming light; to make the family income reach alway, with some left over for a rainy day; to do distasteful things with happy face, to try and keep the odds and ends in place. to smile instead of frown at fate, which placed me in a family always late for meals; to do the sewing, mending and the thousand small things always near at hand, and do them always with a cheerful heart, because in life they seem to be my part; to know the place of everything and keep it there, to think, to plan, to cook, to sweep, to brew, to bake, to answer questions, to be the mainspring of the family clock. (or that effect) and see that no tick, tock is out of time or tune, or soon or late, this is the only symphony which i can ever hope to operate." marion wiley. contents i mary's letter received at clear spring farm ii mary's arrival at the farm iii schuggenhaus township iv john landis v the old farm-house and garden vi mary confides in "aunt sarah" and gives her views on suffrage for women vii professor schmidt viii uses of an old-fashioned wardrobe ix poetry and pie x sibylla linsabigler xi new colonial rag rugs xii mary imitates navajo blankets xiii "the girls' camp fire" organized by mary xiv mary makes "violet and rose leaf" beads xv mary and elizabeth visit sadie singmaster xvi the old parlor made beautiful (modernized) xvii an old song evening xviii a visit to the "pennsylvania palisades" xix mary is taught to make pastry, patties and rosenkuchcen xx old potteries and decorated dishes xxi the value of wholesome, nutritious food xxii a variety of cakes evolved from one recipe xxiii the old "taufschien" xxiv the old store on the ridge road xxv an elbadritchel hunt xxvi the old shanghai rooster xxvii a "potato pretzel" xxviii faithful service xxix mary, ralph, jake and sibylla visit the allentown fair xxx fritz schmidt explores durham cave xxxi mary's marriage illustrations mary aunt sarah the old spring house the old mill wheel the old mill old corn crib the new red barn the old farm-house ralph jackson rocky valley professor schmidt frau schmidt old time patch-work quilts old time patch-work home-made rag carpet a hit-and-miss rug a brown and tan rug a circular rug imitation of navajo blankets rug with design rug with swastika in centre home manufactured silk prayer rug elizabeth schmidt--"laughing water" articles in the old parlor before it was modernized other articles in the old parlor before it was modernized palisades, or narrows of nockamixon the canal at the narrows the narrows, or pennsylvania palisades top rock ringing rocks of bucks county, pennsylvania high falls big rock at rocky dale the old towpath at the narrows old earthenware dish igraffito plate old plates fund in aunt sarah's corner cupboard old style lamps old taufschien the old store on ridge road catching elbadritchels old egg basket at the farm a potato pretzel loaf of rye bread a "brod corvel," or bread basket church which sheltered liberty bell in - liberty bell tablet durham cave the woodland stream polly schmidt an old-fashioned bucks county bake-oven [illustration: mary] chapter i. mary's letters received at clear spring farm. one morning in early spring, john landis, a pennsylvania german farmer living in schuggenhaus township, bucks county, on opening his mail box, fastened to a tree at the crossroads (for the convenience of rural mail carriers) found one letter for his wife sarah, the envelope addressed in the well-known handwriting of her favorite niece, mary midleton, of philadelphia. [illustration] a letter being quite an event at "clear spring" farm, he hastened with it to the house, finding "aunt sarah," as she was called by every one (great aunt to mary), in the cheery farm house kitchen busily engaged kneading sponge for a loaf of rye bread, which she carefully deposited on a well-floured linen cloth, in a large bowl for the final raising. carefully adjusting her glasses more securely over the bridge of her nose, she turned at the sound of her husband's footsteps. seeing the letter in his hand she inquired: "what news, john?" quickly opening the letter handed her, she, after a hasty perusal, gave one of the whimsical smiles peculiar to her and remarked decisively, with a characteristic nod of her head: "john, mary midleton intends to marry, else why, pray tell me, would she write of giving up teaching her kindergarten class in the city, to spend the summer with us on the farm learning, she writes, to keep house, cook, economize and to learn how to get the most joy and profit from life?" "well, well! mary is a dear girl, why should she not think of marrying?" replied her husband; "she is nineteen. quite time, i think, she should learn housekeeping--something every young girl should know. we should hear of fewer divorces and a less number of failures of men in business, had their wives been trained before marriage to be good, thrifty, economical housekeepers and, still more important, good homemakers. to be a helpmate in every sense of the word is every woman's duty, i think, when her husband works early and late to procure the means to provide for her comforts and luxuries and a competency for old age. write mary to come at once, and under your teaching she may, in time, become as capable a housekeeper and as good a cook as her aunt sarah; and, to my way of thinking, there is none better, my dear." praise from her usually reticent husband never failed to deepen the tint of pink on aunt sarah's still smooth, unwrinkled, youthful looking face, made more charming by being framed in waves of silvery gray hair, on which the "hand of time," in passing, had sprinkled some of the dust from the road of life. in size, sarah landis was a little below medium height, rather stout, or should i say comfortable, and matronly looking; very erect for a woman of her age. her bright, expressive, gray eyes twinkled humorously when she talked. she had developed a fine character by her years of unselfish devotion to family and friends. her splendid sense of humor helped her to overcome difficulties, and her ability to rise above her environment, however discouraging their conditions, prevented her from being unhappy or depressed by the small annoyances met daily. she never failed to find joy and pleasure in the faithful performance of daily tasks, however small or insignificant. aunt sarah attributed her remarkably fine, clear complexion, seldom equalled in a woman of her years, to good digestion and excellent health; her love of fresh air, fruit and clear spring water. she usually drank from four to five tumblerfuls of water a day. she never ate to excess, and frequently remarked: "i think more people suffer from over-eating than from insufficient food." an advocate of deep breathing, she spent as much of her time as she could spare from household duties in the open air. [illustration: aunt sarah] sarah landis was not what one would call beautiful, but good and whole-souled looking. to quote her husband: "to me sarah never looks so sweet and homelike when all 'fussed up' in her best black dress on special occasions, as she does when engaged in daily household tasks around home, in her plain, neat, gray calico dress." this dress was always covered with a large, spotlessly clean, blue gingham apron of small broken check, and she was very particular about having a certain-sized check. the apron had a patch pocket, which usually contained small twists or little wads of cord, which, like "the old ladies in cranford," she picked up and saved for a possible emergency. one of aunt sarah's special economies was the saving of twine and paper bags. the latter were always neatly folded, when emptied, and placed in a cretonne bag made for that purpose, hanging in a convenient corner of the kitchen. aunt sarah's gingham apron was replaced afternoons by one made from fine, lonsdale cambric, of ample proportions, and on special occasions she donned a hemstitched linen apron, inset at upper edge of hem with crocheted lace insertion, the work of her own deft fingers. aunt sarah's aprons, cut straight, on generous lines, were a part of her individuality. sarah landis declared: "happiness consists in giving and in serving others," and she lived up to the principles she advocated. she frequently quoted from the "sons of martha," by kipling: "lift ye the stone or cleave the wood, to make a path more fair or flat, not as a ladder from earth to heaven, not as an altar to any creed, but simple service, simply given, to his own kind in their human need." "i think this so fine," said aunt sarah, "and so true a sentiment that i am almost compelled to forgive kipling for saying 'the female of the species is more deadly than the male.'" aunt sarah's goodness was reflected in her face and in the tones of her voice, which were soft and low, yet very decided. she possessed a clear, sweet tone, unlike the slow, peculiar drawl often aiding with the rising inflection peculiar to many country folk among the "pennsylvania germans." the secret of aunt sarah's charm lay in her goodness. being always surrounded by a cheery atmosphere, she benefited all with whom she came in contact. she took delight in simple pleasures. she had the power of extracting happiness from the common, little every-day tasks and frequently remarked, "don't strive to live without work, but to find more joy in your work." her opinions were highly respected by every one in the neighborhood, and, being possessed of an unselfish disposition, she thought and saw good in every one; brought out the best in one, and made one long to do better, just to gain her approval, if for no higher reward. sarah landis was a loyal friend and one would think the following, by mrs. craik, applied to her: "oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person--having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are--chaff and grain together, certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away." she was never so happy as when doing an act of kindness for some poor unfortunate, and often said. "if 'twere not for god and good people, what would become of the unfortunate?" and thought like george mcdonald, "if i can put one touch of rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman (i should add child) i shall feel that i have worked with god." aunt sarah's sweet, lovable face was the first beheld by many a little, new-born infant; her voice, the first to hush its wailing cries as she cuddled it up to her motherly breast, and oft, with loving hands, softly closed the lids over eyes no longer able to see; whom the gracious master had taken into his keeping. one day i overheard aunt sarah quote to a sorrowing friend these fine, true lines from longfellow's "resignation": "let us be patient, these severe afflictions not from the ground arise, but celestial benedictions assume the dark disguise." [illustration: the old spring house] chapter ii. mary's arrival at the farm. the day preceding that of mary's arrival at the farm was a busy one for aunt sarah, who, since early morning, had been preparing the dishes she knew mary enjoyed. pans of the whitest, flakiest rolls, a large loaf of sweetest nut-brown, freshly-baked "graham bread," of which mary was especially fond; an array of crumb-cakes and pies of every description covered the well-scrubbed table in the summer kitchen, situated a short distance from the house. a large, yellow earthenware bowl on the table contained a roll of rich, creamy "smier kase" just as it had been turned from the muslin bag, from which the "whey" had dripped over night; ready to be mixed with cream for the supper table. pats of sweet, freshly-churned butter, buried in clover blossoms, were cooling in the old spring-house near by. the farm house was guiltless of dust from cellar to attic. aunt sarah was a model housekeeper; she accomplished wonders, yet never appeared tired or flurried as less systematic housekeepers often do, who, with greater expenditure of energy, often accomplish less work. she took no unnecessary steps; made each one count, yet never appeared in haste to finish her work. said aunt sarah, "the lack of system in housework is what makes it drudgery. if young housekeepers would sit down and plan their work, then do it, they would save time and labor. when using the fire in the range for ironing or other purposes, use the oven for preparing dishes of food which require long, slow cooking, like baked beans, for instance. bake a cake or a pudding, or a pan of quickly-made corn pone to serve with baked beans, for a hearty meal on a cold winter day. a dish of rice pudding placed in the oven requires very little attention, and when baked may be placed on ice until served. if this rule be followed, the young housewife will be surprised to find how much easier will be the task of preparing a meal later in the day, especially in hot weather." * * * * * the day following, john landis drove to the railroad station, several miles distant, to meet his niece. as mary stepped from the train into the outstretched arms of her waiting uncle, many admiring glances followed the fair, young girl. her tan-gold naturally wavy, masses of hair rivaled ripened grain. the sheen of it resembled corn silk before it has been browned and crinkled by the sun. her eyes matched in color the exquisite, violet-blue blossoms of the chicory weed. she possessed a rather large mouth, with upturned corners, which seemed made for smiles, and when once you had been charmed with them, she had made an easy conquest of you forever. there was a sweet, winning personality about mary which was as impossible to describe as to resist. one wondered how so much adorable sweetness could be embodied in one small maid. but mary's sweetness of expression and charming manner covered a strong will and tenacity of purpose one would scarcely have believed possible, did they not have an intimate knowledge of the young girl's disposition. her laugh, infectious, full of the joy of living, the vitality of youth and perfect health and happiness, reminded one of the lines: "a laugh is just like music for making living sweet." seated beside her uncle in the carriage, mary was borne swiftly through the town out into the country. it was one of those preternaturally quiet, sultry days when the whole universe appears lifeless and inert, free from loud noise, or sound of any description, days which we occasionally have in early spring or summer, when the stillness is oppressive. frequently at such times there is borne to the nostrils the faint, stifling scent of burning brush, indicating that land is being cleared by the forehanded, thrifty farmer for early planting. often at such times, before a shower, may be distinctly heard the faintest twitter and "peep, peep" of young sparrows, the harsh "caw, caw" of the crow, and the song of the bobolink, poised on the swaying branch of a tall tree, the happiest bird of spring; the dozy, drowsy hum of bees; the answering call of lusty young chanticleers, and the satisfied cackle of laying hens and motherly old biddies, surrounded by broods of downy, greedy little newly-hatched chicks. the shrill whistle of a distant locomotive startles one with its clear, resonant intonation, which on a less quiet day would pass unnoticed. mary, with the zest of youth, enjoyed to the full the change from the past months of confinement in a city school, and missed nothing of the beauty of the country and the smell of the good brown earth, as her uncle drove swiftly homeward. "uncle john," said mary, "'tis easy to believe god made the country." "yes," rejoined her uncle, "the country is good enough for me." "with the exception of the one day in the month, when you attend the 'shriners' meeting' in the city," mischievously supplemented mary, who knew her uncle's liking for the masonic lodge of which he was a member, "and," she continued, "i brought you a picture for your birthday, which we shall celebrate tomorrow. the picture will please you, i know. it is entitled, 'i love to love a mason, 'cause a mason never tells.'" they passed cultivated farms. inside many of the rail fences, inclosing fields of grain or clover, were planted numberless sour cherry trees, snowy with bloom, the ground underneath white with fallen petals. the air was sweet with the perfume of the half-opened buds on the apple trees in the near-by orchards and rose-like pink blossoms of the "flowering" crab-apple, in the door yards. swiftly they drove through cool, green, leafy woods, crossing a wooden bridge spanning a small stream, so shallow that the stones at the bottom were plainly to be seen. a loud splash, as the sound of carriage wheels broke the uninterrupted silence, and a commotion in the water gave evidence of the sudden disappearance of several green-backed frogs, sunning themselves on a large, moss-grown rock, projecting above the water's edge; from shady nooks and crevices peeped clusters of early white violets; graceful maidenhair ferns, and hardier members of the fern family, called "brake," uncurled their graceful, sturdy fronds from the carpet of green moss and lichen at the base of tree trunks, growing along the water's edge. partly hidden by rocks along the bank of the stream, nestled a few belated cup-shaped anemones or "wind flowers," from which most of the petals had blown, they being one of the earliest messengers of spring. through the undergrowth in the woods, in passing, could be seen the small buds of the azalea or wild honeysuckle, "sheep's laurel," the deep pink buds on the american judas tree, trailing vines of "tea berry," and beneath dead leaves one caught an occasional glimpse of fragrant, pink arbutus. in marshy places beside the creek, swaying in the wind from slender stems, grew straw-colored, bell-shaped blossoms of "adder's tongue" or "dog tooth violet," with their mottled green, spike-shaped leaves. in the shadow of a large rock grew dwarf huckleberry bushes, wild strawberry vines, and among grasses of many varieties grew patches of white and pink-tinted alsatian clover. leaving behind the spicy, fragrant, "woodsy" smell of wintergreen, birch and sassafras, and the faint, sweet scent of the creamy, wax-like blossoms of "mandrake" or may apple, peeping from beneath large, umbrella-like, green leaves they emerged at last from the dim, cool shadows of the woods into the warm, bright sunlight again. almost before mary realized it, the farm house could be seen in the distance, and her uncle called her attention to his new, red barn, which had been built since her last visit to the farm, and which, in her uncle's estimation, was of much greater importance than the house. mary greeted with pleasure the old landmarks so familiar to her on former visits. they passed the small, stone school house at the crossroads, and in a short time the horses turned obediently into the lane leading to the barn a country lane in very truth, a tangle of blackberry vines, wild rose bushes, by farmers called "pasture roses," interwoven with bushes of sumach, wild carrots and golden rod. mary insisted that her uncle drive directly to the barn, as was his usual custom, while she was warmly welcomed at the farm house gate by her aunt. as her uncle led away the horses, he said, "i will soon join you, mary, 'to break of our bread and eat of our salt,' as they say in the 'shrine.'" on their way to the house, mary remarked: "i am so glad we reached here before dusk. the country is simply beautiful! have you ever noticed, aunt sarah, what a symphony in green is the yard? look at the buds on the maples and lilacs--a faint yellow green--and the blue-green pine tree near by; the leaves of the german iris are another shade; the grass, dotted with yellow dandelions, and blue violets; the straight, grim, reddish-brown stalks of the peonies before the leaves have unfolded, all roofed over with the blossom-covered branches of pear, apple and 'german prune' trees. truly, this must resemble paradise!" "yes," assented her aunt, "i never knew blossoms to remain on the pear trees so long a time. we have had no 'blossom shower' as yet to scatter them, but there will be showers tonight, i think, or i am no prophet. i feel rain in the atmosphere, and sibylla said a few moments ago she heard a 'rain bird' in the mulberry tree." "aunt sarah," inquired mary, "is the rhubarb large enough to use?" "yes, indeed, we have baked rhubarb pies and have had a surfeit of dandelion salad or 'salat,' as our neighbors designate it. your uncle calls 'dandelion greens' the farmers' spring tonic; that and 'celadine,' that plant you see growing by the side of the house. later in the season it bears small, yellow flowers not unlike a very small buttercup blossom, and it is said to be an excellent remedy for chills and fevers, and it tastes almost as bitter as quinine. there are bushels of dandelion blossoms, some of which we shall pick tomorrow, and from them make dandelion wine." "and what use will my thrifty aunt make of the blue violets?" mischievously inquired mary. "the violets," replied her aunt, "i shall dig up carefully with some earth adhering to their roots and place them in a glass bowl for a centrepiece on the table for my artistic and beauty-loving niece; and if kept moist, you will be surprised at the length of time they will remain 'a thing of beauty' if not 'a joy forever.' and later, mary, from them i'll teach you to make violet beads." "aunt sarah, notice that large robin endeavoring to pull a worm from the ground. do you suppose the same birds return here from the south every summer?" "certainty, i do." "that old mulberry tree, from the berries of which you made such delicious pies and marmalade last summer, is it dead?" "no; only late about getting its spring outfit of leaves." chapter iii. schuggenhaus township. "schuggenhaus," said sarah landis, speaking to her niece, mary midleton, "is one of the largest and most populous townships in bucks county, probably so named by the early german settlers, some of whom, i think, were my father's ancestors, as they came originally from zweibrucken, germany, and settled in schuggenhaus township. schuggenhaus is one of the most fertile townships in bucks county and one of the best cultivated; farming is our principal occupation, and the population of the township today is composed principally of the descendants of well-to-do germans, frequently called 'pennsylvania dutch.'" "i have often heard them called by that name," said mary. "have you forgotten, aunt sarah, you promised to tell me something interesting about the first red clover introduced in bucks county?" "red clover," replied her aunt, "that having bright, crimson-pink heads, is the most plentiful and the most common variety of clover; but knowing how abundantly it grows in different parts of the country at the present time, one would scarcely have believed, in olden times, that it would ever be so widely distributed as it now is. "one reason clover does so well in this country is that the fertilization of the clover is produced by pollenation by the busy little bumble-bee, who carries the pollen from blossom to blossom, and clover is dependent upon these small insects for fertilization, as without them clover would soon die out." "i admire the feathery, fuzzy, pink-tipped, rabbit-foot clover," said mary; "it is quite fragrant, and usually covered with butterflies. it makes such very pretty bouquets when you gather huge bunches of it." [illustration: the old mill wheel] "no, mary, i think you are thinking of alsatian clover, which is similar to white clover. the small, round heads are cream color, tinged with pink; it is very fragrant and sweet and grows along the roadside and, like the common white clover, is a favorite with bees. the yellow hop clover we also find along the roadside. as the heads of clover mature, they turn yellowish brown and resemble dried hops; sometimes yellow, brown and tan blossoms are seen on one branch. the cultivation of red clover was introduced here a century ago, and when in bloom the fields attracted great attention. being the first ever grown in this part of bucks county, people came for miles to look at it, the fence around the fields some days being lined with spectators, i have been told by my grandfather. i remember when a child nothing appeared to me more beautiful than my father's fields of flax; a mass of bright blue flowers. i also remember the fields of broom-corn. just think! we made our own brooms, wove linen from the flax raised on our farm and made our own tallow candles. mary, from what a thrifty and hard-working lot of ancestors you are descended! you inherit from your mother your love of work and from your father your love of books. your father's uncle was a noted shakespearean scholar." many old-time industries are passing away. yet sarah landis, was a housewife of the old school and still cooked apple butter, or "lodt varrik," as the germans call it; made sauerkraut and hard soap, and naked old-fashioned "german" rye bread on the hearth, which owed its excellence not only to the fact of its being hearth baked but to the rye flour being ground in an old mill in a near-by town, prepared by the old process of grinding between mill-stones instead of the more modern roller process. this picture of the old mill, taken by fritz schmidt, shows it is not artistic, but, like most articles of german manufacture, the mill was built more for its usefulness than to please the eye. [illustration: the old mill] "aunt sarah, what is pumpernickel?" inquired mary, "is it like rye bread?" "no, my dear, not exactly, it is a dark-colored bread, used in some parts of germany. professor schmidt tells me the bread is usually composed of a mixture of barley flour and rye flour. some i have eaten looks very much like our own brown bread. pumpernickel is considered a very wholesome bread by the germans--and i presume one might learn to relish it, but i should prefer good, sweet, home-made rye bread. i was told by an old gentleman who came to this country from germany when a boy, that pumpernickel was used in the german army years ago, and was somewhat similar to 'hard tack,' furnished our soldiers in the civil war. but i cannot vouch for the truth of this assertion." "aunt sarah," said mary later, "frau schmidt tells me the professor sends his rye to the mill and requests that every part of it be ground without separating--making what he calls 'whole rye flour,' and from this frau schmidt bakes wholesome, nutritious bread which they call 'pumpernickel,' she tells me she uses about one-third of this 'whole rye flour' to two-thirds white bread flour when baking bread, and she considers bread made from this whole grain more wholesome and nutritious than the bread made from our fine rye flour." chapter iv. john landis. the bucks county farmer, john landis, rather more scholarly in appearance than men ordinarily found in agricultural districts, was possessed of an adust complexion, caused by constant exposure to wind and weather; tall and spare, without an ounce of superfluous fat; energetic, and possessed of remarkable powers of endurance. he had a kindly, benevolent expression; his otherwise plain face was redeemed by fine, expressive brown eyes. usually silent and preoccupied, and almost taciturn, yet he possessed a fund of dry humor. an old-fashioned democrat, his wife was a republican. he usually accompanied aunt sarah to her church, the methodist, although he was a member of the german reformed, and declared he had changed his religion to please her, but change his politics, never. a member of the masonic lodge, his only diversion was an occasional trip to the city with a party of the "boys" to attend a meeting of the "shriners." aunt sarah protested. "the idea, john, at your age, being out so late at night and returning from the city on the early milk train the following morning, and then being still several miles from home. it's scandalous!" he only chuckled to himself; and what the entertainment had been, which was provided at lulu temple, and which he had so thoroughly enjoyed, was left to her imagination. his only remark when questioned was: "sarah, you're not in it. you are not a 'shriner.'" and as john had in every other particular fulfilled her ideal of what constitutes a good husband, sarah, like the wise woman she was, allowed the subject to drop. a good, practical, progressive farmer, john landis constantly read, studied and pondered over the problem of how to produce the largest results at least cost of time and labor. his crops were skillfully planted in rich soil, carefully cultivated and usually harvested earlier than those of his neighbors. one summer he raised potatoes so large that many of them weighed one pound each, and new potatoes and green peas, fresh from the garden, invariably appeared on aunt sarah's table the first of july, and sometimes earlier. i have known him to raise cornstalks which reached a height of thirteen feet, which were almost equaled by his wife's sunflower stalks, which usually averaged nine feet in height. aunt sarah, speaking one day to mary, said: "your uncle john is an unusually silent man. i have heard him remark that when people talk continuously they are either _very_ intelligent or tell untruths." he, happening to overhear her remark, quickly retorted: "the man who speaks a dozen tongues, when all is said and done, don't hold a match to him who knows how to keep still in one." when annoyed at his wife's talkativeness, her one fault in her husband's eyes, if he thought she had a fault, he had a way of saying, "alright, sarah, alright," as much as to say "that is final; you have said enough," in his peculiar, quick manner of speaking, which aunt sarah never resented, he being invariably kind and considerate in other respects. john landis was a successful farmer because he loved his work, and found joy in it. while not unmindful of the advantages possessed by the educated farmer of the present day, he said, "'tis not college lore our boys need so much as practical education to develop their efficiency. while much that we eat and wear comes out of the ground, we should have more farmers, the only way to lower the present high cost of living, which is such a perplexing problem to the housewife. there is almost no limit to what might be accomplished by some of our bright boys should they make agriculture a study. luther burbank says, 'to add but one kernel of corn to each ear grown in this country in a single year would increase the supply five million bushels.'" chapter v. the old farm house and garden. the old unpainted farm house, built of logs a century ago, had changed in the passing years to a grayish tint. an addition had been built to the house several years before aunt sarah's occupancy, the sober hue of the house harmonized with the great, gnarled old trunk of the meadow willow near-by. planted when the house was built, it spread its great branches protectingly over it. a wild clematis growing at the foot of the tree twined its tendrils around the massive trunk until in late summer they had become an inseparable part of it, almost covering it with feathery blossoms. [illustration: old corn crib] [illustration: the new barn] near by stood an antique arbor, covered with thickly-clustering vines, in season bending with the weight of "wild-scented" grapes, their fragrance mingling with the odor of "creek mint" growing near by a small streamlet and filling the air with a delicious fragrance. the mint had been used in earlier years by aunt sarah's grandfather as a beverage which he preferred to any other. from a vine clambering up the grape arbor trellies, in the fall of the year, hung numerous orange-colored balsam apples, which opened, when ripe, disclosing bright crimson interior and seeds. these apples, aunt sarah claimed, if placed in alcohol and applied externally, possessed great medicinal value as a specific for rheumatism. [illustration: the old farm house] a short distance from the house stood the newly-built red barn, facing the pasture lot. on every side stretched fields which, in summer, waved with wheat, oats, rye and buckwheat, and the corn crib stood close by, ready for the harvest to fill it to overflowing. beside the farm house door stood a tall, white oleander, planted in a large, green-painted wooden tub. near by, in a glazed earthenware pot, grew the old-fashioned lantana plant, covered with clusters of tiny blossoms, of various shades of orange, red and pink. in flower beds outlined by clam shells which had been freshly whitewashed blossomed fuchsias, bleeding hearts, verbenas, dusty millers, sweet clove-scented pinks, old-fashioned, dignified, purple digitalis or foxglove, stately pink princess feather, various brilliant-hued zinnias, or more commonly called "youth and old age," and as gayly colored, if more humble and lowly, portulacas; the fragrant white, star-like blossoms of the nicotiana, or "flowering tobacco," which, like the yellow primrose, are particularly fragrant at sunset. geraniums of every hue, silver-leaved and rose-scented; yellow marigolds and those with brown, velvety petals; near by the pale green and white-mottled leaves of the plant called "snow on the mountain" and in the centre of one of the large, round flower beds, grew sturdy "castor oil beans," their large, copper-bronze leaves almost covering the tiny blue forget-me-nots growing beneath. near the flower bed grew a thrifty bush of pink-flowering almonds; not far distant grew a spreading "shrub" bush, covered with fragrant brown buds, and beside it a small tree of pearly-white snowdrops. sarah landis loved the wholesome, earthy odors of growing plants and delighted in her flowers, particularly the perennials, which were planted promiscuously all over the yard. i have frequently heard her quote: "one is nearer god's heart in a garden than any place else on earth." and she would say, "i love the out-of-door life, in touch with the earth; the natural life of man or woman." inside the fence of the kitchen garden were planted straight rows of both red and yellow currants, and several gooseberry bushes. in one corner of the garden, near the summer kitchen, stood a large bush of black currants, from the yellow, sweet-scented blossoms of which aunt sarah's bees, those "heaven instructed mathematicians," sucked honey. think of aunt sarah's buckwheat cakes, eaten with honey made from currant, clover, buckwheat and dandelion blossoms! her garden was second to none in bucks county. she planted tomato seeds in boxes and placed them in a sunny window, raising her plants early; hence she had ripe tomatoes before any one else in the neighborhood. her peas were earlier also, and her beets and potatoes were the largest; her corn the sweetest; and, as her asparagus bed was always well salted, her asparagus was the finest to be had. through the centre of the garden patch, on either side the walk, were large flower beds, a blaze of brilliant color from early spring, when the daffodils blossomed, until frost killed the dahlias, asters, scarlet sage, sweet williams, canterbury bells, pink and white snapdragon, spikes of perennial, fragrant, white heliotrope; blue larkspur, four o'clocks, bachelor buttons and many other dear, old-fashioned flowers. the dainty pink, funnel-shaped blossoms of the hardy swamp "rose mallow'" bloomed the entire summer, the last flowers to be touched by frost, vying in beauty with the pink monthly roses planted near by. children who visited aunt sarah delighted in the small jerusalem cherry tree, usually covered with bright, scarlet berries, which was planted near the veranda, and they never tired pinching the tiny leaves of the sensitive plant to see them quickly droop, as if dead, then slowly unfold and straighten as if a thing of life. visitors to the farm greatly admired the large, creamy-white lily-like blossoms of the datura. farthest from the house were the useful herb beds, filled with parsley, hoarhound, sweet marjoram, lavender, saffron, sage, sweet basil, summer savory and silver-striped rosemary or "old man," as it was commonly called by country folk. tall clusters of phlox, a riot of color in midsummer, crimson-eyed, white and rose-colored blossoms topping the tall steins, and clusters of brilliant-red bergamot near by had been growing, from time immemorial, a cluster of green and white-striped grass, without which no door yard in this section of bucks county was considered complete in olden times. near by, silvery plumes of pampas grass gently swayed on their reed-like stems. even the garden was not without splashes of color, where, between rows of vegetables, grew pale, pink-petaled poppies, seeming to have scarcely a foothold in the rich soil. but the daintiest, sweetest bed of all, and the one that mary enjoyed most, was where the lilies of the valley grew in the shade near a large, white lilac bush. here, on a rustic bench beneath an old apple tree, stitching on her embroidery, she dreamed happy dreams of her absent lover, and planned for the life they were to live together some day, in the home he was striving to earn for her by his own manly exertions; and she assiduously studied and pondered over aunt sarah's teaching and counsel, knowing them to be wise and good. a short distance from the farm house, where the old orchard sloped down to the edge of the brook, grew tall meadow rue, with feathery clusters of green and white flowers; and the green, gold-lined, bowl-shaped blossoms of the "cow lily," homely stepsisters of the fragrant, white pond lily, surrounded by thick, waxy, green leaves, lazily floated on the surface of the water from long stems in the bed of the creek, and on the bank a carpet was formed by golden-yellow, creeping buttercups. in the side yard grew two great clumps of iris, or, as it is more commonly called, "blue flag." its blossoms, dainty as rare orchids, with lily-like, violet-veined petals of palest-tinted mauve and purple. on the sunny side of the old farm house, facing the east, where at early morn the sun shone bright and warm, grew aunt sarah's pansies, with velvety, red-brown petals, golden-yellow and dark purple. they were truly "heart's ease," gathered with a lavish hand, and sent as gifts to friends who were ill. the more she picked the faster they multiplied, and came to many a sick bed "sweet messengers of spring." if aunt sarah had a preference for one particular flower, 'twas the rose, and they well repaid the time and care she lavished on them. she had pale-tinted blush roses, with hearts of deepest pink; rockland and prairie and hundred-leaf roses, pink and crimson ramblers, but the most highly-prized roses of her collection were an exquisite, deep salmon-colored "marquis de sinety" and an old-fashioned pink moss rose, which grew beside a large bush of mock-orange, the creamy blossoms of the latter almost as fragrant as real orange blossoms of the sunny southland. not far distant, planted in a small bed by themselves, grew old-fashioned, sweet-scented, double petunias, ragged, ripple, ruffled corollas of white, with splotches of brilliant crimson and purple, their slender stems scarcely strong enough to support the heavy blossoms. in one of the sunniest spots in the old garden grew aunt sarah's latest acquisition. "the butterfly bush," probably so named on account of its graceful stems, covered with spikes of tiny, lilac-colored blossoms, over which continually hovered large, gorgeously-hued butterflies, vying with the flowers in brilliancy of color, from early june until late summer. aunt sarah's sunflowers, or "sonnen blume," as she liked to call them, planted along the garden fence to feed chickens and birds alike, were a sight worth seeing. the birds generally confiscated the larger portion of seeds. a pretty sight it was to see a flock of wild canaries, almost covering the tops of the largest sunflowers, busily engaged picking out the rich, oily seeds. aunt sarah loved the golden flowers, which always appeared to be nodding to the sun, and her sunflowers were particularly fine, some being as much as fifty inches in circumference. a bouquet of the smaller ones was usually to be seen in a quaint, old, blue-flowered, gray jar on the farm house veranda in summertime. earlier in the season blossoms of the humble artichoke, which greatly resemble small sunflowers, or large yellow daisies, filled the jar. failing either of these, she gathered large bouquets of golden-rod or wild carrot blossoms, both of which grew in profusion along the country lanes and roadside near the farm. but the old gray jar never held a bouquet more beautiful than the one of bright, blue "fringed gentians," gathered by aunt sarah in the fall of the year, several miles distant from the farm. chapter vi. mary confides in aunt sarah and gives her views on suffrage for women. "there's no deny'n women are foolish, god a'mighty made them to match the men." a short time after her arrival at the farm mary poured into the sympathetic ear of aunt sarah her hopes and plans. her lover, ralph jackson, to whom she had become engaged the past winter, held a position with the philadelphia electric company, and was studying hard outside working hours. his ambition was to become an electrical engineer. he was getting fair wages, and wished mary to marry him at once. she confessed she loved ralph too well to marry him, ignorant as she was of economical housekeeping and cooking. mary, early left an orphan, had studied diligently to fit herself for a kindergarten teacher, so she would be capable of earning her own living on leaving school, which accounted for her lack of knowledge of housework, cooking, etc. aunt sarah, loving mary devotedly, and knowing the young man of her choice to be clean, honest and worthy, promised to do all in her power to make their dream of happiness come true. learning from mary that ralph was thin and pale from close confinement, hard work and study, and of his intention of taking a short vacation, she determined he should spend it on the farm, where she would be able to "mother him." "you acted sensibly, mary," said her aunt, "in refusing to marry ralph at the present time, realizing your lack of knowledge of housework and inability to manage a home. neither would you know how to spend the money provided by him economically and wisely, and, in this age of individual efficiency, a business knowledge of housekeeping is almost as important in making a happy home as is love. i think it quite as necessary that a woman who marries should understand housekeeping in all its varied branches as that the man who marries should understand his trade or profession; for, without the knowledge of means to gain a livelihood (however great his love for a woman), how is the man to hold that woman's love and affection unless he is able by his own exertions to provide her with necessities, comforts, and, perhaps, in later years, luxuries? and in return, the wife should consider it her duty and pleasure to know how to do her work systematically; learn the value of different foods and apply the knowledge gained daily in preparing them; study to keep her husband in the best of health, physically and mentally. then will his efficiency be greater and he will be enabled to do his 'splendid best' in whatever position in life he is placed, be he statesman or hod-carrier. what difference, if an honest heart beat beneath a laborer's hickory shirt, or one of fine linen? 'one hand, if it's true, is as good as another, no matter how brawny or rough.' mary, do not think the trivial affairs of the home beneath your notice, and do not imagine any work degrading which tends to the betterment of the home. remember, 'who sweeps a room as for thy law, makes that and the action fine.' "our lives are all made up of such small, commonplace things and this is such a commonplace old world, mary. 'the commonplace earth and the commonplace sky make up the commonplace day,' and 'god must have loved common people, or he would not have made so many of them.' and, what if we are commonplace? we cannot all be artists, poets and sculptors. yet, how frequently we see people in commonplace surroundings, possessing the soul of an artist, handicapped by physical disability or lack of means! we are all necessary in the great, eternal plan. 'tis not good deeds alone for which we receive our reward, but for the performance of duty well done, in however humble circumstances our lot is cast. is it not lord houghton who says: 'do not grasp at the stars, but do life's plain, common work as it comes, certain that daily duties and daily bread are the sweetest things of life.' i consider a happy home in the true sense of the word one of the greatest of blessings. how important is the work of the housemother and homemaker who creates the home! there can be no happiness there unless the wheels of the domestic machinery are oiled by loving care and kindness to make them run smoothly, and the noblest work a woman can do is training and rearing her children. suffrage, the right of woman to vote; will it not take women from the home? i am afraid the home will then suffer in consequence. will man accord woman the same reverence she has received in the past? should she have equal political rights? a race lacking respect for women would never advance socially or politically. i think women could not have a more important part in the government of the land than in rearing and educating their children to be good, useful citizens. in what nobler work could women engage than in work to promote the comfort and well-being of the ones they love in the home? i say, allow men to make the laws, as god and nature planned. i think women should keep to the sphere god made them for--the home. said gladstone, 'woman is the most perfect when most womanly.' there is nothing, i think, more despicable than a masculine, mannish woman, unless it be an effeminate, sissy man. dr. clarke voiced my sentiments when he said: 'man is not superior to woman, nor woman to man. the relation of the sexes is one of equality, not of better or worse, of higher and lower. the loftiest ideal of humanity demands that each shall be perfect in its kind and not be hindered in its best work. the lily is not inferior to the rose, nor the oak superior to the clover; yet the glory of the lily is one and the glory of the oak is another, and the use of the oak is not the use of the clover.' "this present-day generation demands of women greater efficiency in the home than ever before. and mary, many of the old-time industries which i had been accustomed to as a girl have passed away. electricity and numerous labor-saving devices make household tasks easier, eliminating some altogether. when housekeeping you will find time to devote to many important questions of the day which we old-time housekeepers never dreamed of having. considerable thought should be given to studying to improve and simplify conditions of the home-life. it is your duty. obtain books; study food values and provide those foods which nourish the body, instead of spending time uselessly preparing dainties to tempt a jaded appetite. don't spoil ralph when you marry him. give him good, wholesome food, and plenty of it; but although the cooking of food takes up much of a housekeeper's time, it is not wise to allow it to take up one's time to the exclusion of everything else. mary, perhaps my views are old-fashioned. i am not a 'new woman' in any sense of the word. the new woman may take her place beside man in the business world and prove equally as efficient, but i do not think woman should invade man's sphere any more than he should assume her duties." "aunt sarah, i am surprised to hear you talk in that manner about woman's sphere," replied mary, "knowing what a success you are in the home, and how beautifully you manage everything you undertake. i felt, once you recognized the injustice done woman in not allowing them to vote, you would feel differently, and since women are obliged to obey the laws, should they not have a voice in choosing the lawmakers? when you vote, it will not take you out of the home. you and uncle john will merely stop on your way to the store, and instead of uncle john going in to write and register what he thinks should be done and by whom it should be done, you too will express your opinion. this will likely be twice a year. by doing this, no woman loses her womanliness, goodness or social position, and to these influences the vote is but another influence. i know there are many things in connection with the right of equal suffrage with what you do not sympathize. "aunt sarah, let me tell you about a dear friend of mine who taught school with me in the city. emily taught a grammar grade, and did not get the same salary the men teachers received for doing the same work, which i think was unfair. emily studied and frequently heard and read about what had been done in colorado and other states where women vote. she got us all interested, and the more we learned about the cause the harder we worked for it. emily married a nice, big, railroad man. they bought a pretty little house in a small town, had three lovely children and were very happy. more than ever as time passed emily realized the need of woman's influence in the community. it is true, i'll admit, aunt sarah, housekeeping and especially home-making are the great duties of every woman, and to provide the most wholesome, nourishing food possible for the family is the duty of every mother, as the health, comfort and happiness of the family depend so largely on the _common sense_ (only another name for efficiency) and skill of the homemaker, and the wise care and though she expends on the preparation of wholesome, nutritious food in the home, either the work of her own hands or prepared under her direction. you can _not_ look after these duties without getting _outside_ of your home, especially when you live like emily, in a town where the conditions are so different from living as you do on a farm in the country. milk, bread and water are no longer controlled by the woman in her home, living in cities and towns; and just because women want to look out for their families they should have a voice in the larger problems of municipal housekeeping. to return to emily, she did not bake her own bread, as you do, neither did she keep a cow, but bought milk and bread to feed the children. wasn't it her duty to leave the home and see where these products were produced, and if they were sanitary? and, knowing the problem outside the home would so materially affect the health, and perhaps lives, of her children, she felt it her distinctive duty to keep house in a larger sense. when the children became old enough to attend school, emily again took up her old interest in schools. she began to realize how much more just it would be if an equal number of women were on the school board." "but what did the husband think of all this?" inquired aunt sarah, dubiously. "oh, tom studied the case, too, at first just to tease emily, but he soon became as enthusiastic as emily. he said, 'the first time you are privileged to vote, emily, i will hire an automobile to take you to the polls in style.' but poor emily was left alone with her children last winter. tom died of typhoid fever. contracted it from the bad drainage. they lived in a town not yet safeguarded with sewerage. now emily is a taxpayer as well as a mother, and she has no say as far as the town and schools are concerned. there are many cases like that, where widows and unmarried women own property, and they are in no way represented. and think of the thousands and thousands of women who have no home to stay in and no babies to look after." "mercy, mary! do stop to take breath. i never thought when i started this subject i would have an enthusiastic suffragist with whom to deal." "i am glad you started the subject, aunt sarah, because there is so much to be said for the cause. i saw you glance at the clock and i see it is time to prepare supper. but some day i'm going to stop that old clock and bring down some of my books on 'woman's suffrage' and you'll he surprised to hear what they have done in states where equal privileges were theirs. i am sure 'twill not be many years before every state in the union will give women the right of suffrage." * * * * * after mary retired that evening aunt sarah had a talk with her john, whom she knew needed help on the farm. as a result of the conference, mary wrote to ralph the following day, asking him to spend his vacation on the farm as a "farm hand." needless to say, the offer was gladly accepted by ralph, if for no other reason than to be near the girl he loved. ralph came the following week--"a strapping big fellow," to quote uncle john, being several inches over six feet. "all you need, young chap," said mary's uncle, "is plenty of good, wholesome food of sarah's and mary's preparing, and i'll see that you get plenty of exercise in the fresh air to give you an appetite to enjoy it, and you'll get a healthy coat of tan on your pale cheeks before the summer is ended." ralph jackson, or "jack," as he was usually called by his friends, an orphan like mary, came of good, old quaker stock, his mother having died immediately after giving birth to her son. his father, supposed to be a wealthy contractor, died when ralph was seventeen, having lost his fortune through no fault of his own, leaving ralph penniless. ralph jackson possessed a good face, a square, determined jaw, sure sign of a strong will and quick temper; these berserker traits he inherited from his father; rather unusual in a quaker. he possessed a head of thick, coarse, straight brown hair, and big honest eyes. one never doubted his word, once it had been given. 'twas good as his bond. this trait he inherited also from his father, noted for his truth and integrity. ralph was generous to a fault. when a small boy he was known to take off his shoes and give them to a poor little italian (who played a violin on the street for pennies) and go home barefoot. ralph loved mary devotedly, not only because she fed him well at the farm, as were his forefathers, the "cave men," fed by their mates in years gone by, but he loved her first for her sweetness of disposition and lovable ways; later, for her quiet unselfishness and lack of temper over trifles--so different from himself. when speaking to mary of his other fine qualities, aunt sarah said: "ralph is a manly young fellow; likeable, i'll admit, but his hasty temper is a grave fault in my eyes." mary replied, "don't you think men are very queer, anyway, aunt sarah? i do, and none of us is perfect." [illustration: ralph jackson] to mary, ralph's principal charm lay in his strong, forceful way of surmounting difficulties, she having a disposition so different. mary had a sweet, motherly way, seldom met with in so young a girl, and this appealed to ralph, he having never known "mother love," and although not at all inclined to be sentimental, he always called mary his "little mother girl" because of her motherly ways. [illustration: rocky valley] "well," continued mary's aunt, "a quick temper is one of the most difficult faults to overcome that flesh is heir to, but ralph, being a young man of uncommon good sense, may in time curb his temper and learn to control it, knowing that unless be does so it will handicap him in his career. still, a young girl will overlook many faults in the man she loves. mary, ere marrying, one should be sure that no love be lacking to those entering these sacred bonds. 'tis not for a day, but for a lifetime, to the right thinking. marriage, as a rule, is too lightly entered into in this twentieth century of easy divorces, and but few regard matrimony in its true holy relation, ordained by our creator. if it be founded on the tower of enduring love and not ephemeral passion, it is unassailable, lasting in faith and honor until death breaks the sacred union and annuls the vows pledged at god's holy altar." "well," replied mary, as her aunt paused to take breath, "i am sure of my love for ralph." "god grant you may both be happy," responded her aunt. "mary, did you ever hear this persian proverb? you will understand why i have so much to say after hearing it." "'says a proverb of persia provoking mirth; when this world was created by order divine. ten measures of talk were put down on the earth, and the woman took nine.'" speaking to mary of life on the farm one day, ralph laughingly said: "i am taught something new every day. yesterday your uncle told me it was 'time to plant corn when oak leaves were large as squirrels' ears.'" ralph worked like a trojan. in a short time both his hands and face took on a butternut hue. he became strong and robust. mary called him her "cave man," and it taxed the combined efforts of aunt sarah and mary to provide food to satisfy the ravenous appetite mary's "cave man" developed. and often, after a busy day, tired but happy, mary fell asleep at night to the whispering of the leaves of the carolina poplar outside her bedroom window. but country life on a farm has its diversions. one of mary's and ralph's greatest pleasures after a busy day at the farm was a drive about the surrounding country early summer evenings, frequently accompanied by either elizabeth or pauline schmidt, their nearest neighbors. one of the first places visited by them was a freak of nature called "rocky valley," situated at no great distance from the farm. [illustration: professor schmidt] chapter vii professor schmidt. a small country place named "five oaks," a short distance from "clear spring" farm, was owned by a very worthy and highly-educated, but rather eccentric, german professor. he came originally from heidelberg, but had occupied the position of professor of german for many years in a noted university in a near by town. a kind, warm-hearted, old-fashioned gentleman was the professor; a perfect lord chesterfield in manners. very tall, thin almost to emaciation, although possessed of excellent health; refined, scholarly looking: a rather long, hooked nose, faded, pale-blue eyes; snowy, flowing "lord dundreary" whiskers, usually parted in the centre and twisted to a point on either side with the exceedingly long, bony fingers of his well-kept, aristocratic-looking white hands. he had an abrupt, quick, nervous manner when speaking. a fringe of thin, white hair showed at the lower edge of the black silk skull cap which he invariably wore about home, and in the absence of this covering for his bald head, he would not have looked natural to his friends. the professor always wore a suit of well-brushed, "shiny" black broadcloth, and for comfort old-fashioned soft kid "gaiters," with elastic in the sides. he was a man with whom one did not easily become acquainted, having very decided opinions on most subjects. he possessed exquisite taste, a passionate love of music, flowers and all things beautiful; rather visionary, poetical and a dreamer; he was not practical, like his wife; warm-hearted, impulsive, energetic frau schmidt, who was noted for her executive abilities. i can imagine the old professor saying as mohammed has been quoted as saying, "had i two loaves, i would sell one and buy hyacinths to feed my soul." impulsive, generous to a fault, quick to take offense, withal warm-hearted, kind and loyal to his friends, he was beloved by the students, who declared that "old snitzy" always played fair when he was obliged to reprimand them for their numerous pranks, which ended sometimes, i am obliged to confess, with disastrous results. the dignified old professor would have raised his mild, blue, spectacled eyes in astonishment had he been so unfortunate as to have overheard the boys, to whom he was greatly attached, call their dignified preceptor by such a nickname. the professor's little black-eyed german wife, many years younger than her husband, had been, before her marriage, teacher of domestic science in a female college in a large city. "she was a most excellent housekeeper," to quote the professor, and "a good wife and mother." the family consisted of "fritz," a boy of sixteen, with big, innocent, baby-blue eyes like his father, who idolized his only son, who was alike a joy and a torment. fritz attended the university in a near-by town, and was usually head of the football team. he was always at the front in any mischief whatever, was noted for getting into scrapes innumerable through his love of fun, yet he possessed such a good-natured, unselfish, happy-go-lucky disposition that one always forgave him. black-eyed, red-cheeked elizabeth was quick and impulsive, like her mother. a very warm and lasting friendship sprung up between merry elizabeth and serious mary midleton during mary's summer on the farm, although not at all alike in either looks or disposition, and elizabeth was mary's junior by several years. the third, last and least of the professor's children was pauline, or "pollykins," as she was always called by her brother fritz, the seven-year-old pet and baby of the family. a second edition of fritz, the same innocent, questioning, violet-blue eyes, fair complexion, a kissable little mouth and yellow, kinky hair, she won her way into every one's heart and became greatly attached to mary, who was usually more patient with the little maid (who, i must confess, was sometimes very willful) than was her sister elizabeth. mary, who had never been blessed with a sister, dearly loved children, and thought small "polly" adorable, and never wearied telling her marvelous fairy tales. [illustration: frau schmidt] chapter viii. uses of an old-fashioned wardrobe. shortly after mary's advent at the farm she one day said: "aunt sarah, the contents of this old trunk are absolutely worthless to me; perhaps they may be used by you for carpet rags." "mary midleton!" exclaimed aunt sarah, in horrified tones, "you extravagant girl. i see greater possibilities in that trunk of partly-worn clothing than, i suppose, a less economically-inclined woman than i ever would have dreamed of." mary handed her aunt two blue seersucker dresses, one plain, the other striped. "they have both shrunken, and are entirely too small for me," said mary. "well," said her aunt, considering, "they might be combined in one dress, but you need aprons for kitchen work more useful than those little frilly, embroidered affairs you are wearing. we should make them into serviceable aprons to protect your dresses. mary, neatness is an attribute that every self-respecting housewife should assiduously cultivate, and no one can be neat in a kitchen without a suitable apron to protect one from grime, flour and dust." "what a pretty challis dress; its cream-colored ground sprinkled over with pink rose buds!" mary sighed. "i always did love that dress, aunt sarah, 'twas so becoming, and he--he--admired it so!" "and he, can do so still," replied aunt sarah, with a merry twinkle in her kind, clear, gray eyes, "for that pale-green suesine skirt, slightly faded, will make an excellent lining, with cotton for an interlining, and pale green germantown yarn with which to tie the comfortable. at small cost you'll have a dainty, warm spread which will be extremely pretty in the home you are planning with him. i have several very pretty-old-style patchwork quilts in a box in the attic which i shall give you when you start housekeeping. that pretty dotted, ungored swiss skirt will make dainty, ruffled sash curtains for bedroom windows. mary, sometimes small beginnings make great endings; if you make the best of your small belongings, some day your homely surroundings will be metamorphosed into what, in your present circumstances, would seem like extravagant luxuries. an economical young couple, beginning life with a homely, home-made rag carpet, have achieved in middle age, by their own energy and industry, carpets of tapestry and rich velvet, and costly furniture in keeping; but, never--never, dear, are they so valued, i assure you, as those inexpensive articles, conceived by our inventive brain and manufactured by our own deft fingers during our happy springtime of life when, with our young lover husband, we built our home nest on the foundation of pure, unselfish, self-sacrificing love." aunt sarah sighed; memory led her far back to when she had planned her home with her lover, john landis, still her lover, though both have grown gray together, and shared alike the joys and sorrows of the passing years. aunt sarah had always been the perfect "housemother" or "haus frau," as the germans phrase it, and on every line of her matured face could be read an anxious care for the family welfare. truly could it be said of her, in the language of henry ward beecher: "whoever makes home seem to the young dearer and happier is a public benefactor." aunt sarah said earnestly to mary, "i wish it were possible for me to impart to young, inexperienced girls, about to become housewives and housemothers, a knowledge of those small economics, so necessary to health and prosperity, taught me by many years of hard work, mental travail, experience and some failures. in this extravagant twentieth century economy is more imperative than formerly. we feel that we need so much more these days than our grandmothers needed; and what we need, or feel that we need, is so costly. the housemother has larger problems today than yesterday. "every husband should give his wife an allowance according to his income, so that she will be able to systematize her buying and occasionally obtain imperishable goods at less cost. being encouraged thus to use her dormant economical powers; she will become a powerful factor in the problem of home-making along lines that will essentially aid her husband in acquiring a comfortable competency, if not a fortune. then she will have her husband's interest truly at heart; will study to spend his money carefully, and to the best advantage; and she herself, even, will be surprised at the many economies which will suggest themselves to save his hard-earned money when she handles that money herself, which certainly teaches her the saving habit and the value of money. "the majority of housewives of today aren't naturally inclined to be extravagant or careless. it is rather that they lack the knowledge and experience of spending money, and spending it to the best advantage for themselves and their household needs. "'tis a compulsory law in england, i have heard, to allow a wife pin money, according to a man's means. 'tis a most wise law. to a loyal wife and mother it gives added force, dignity and usefulness to have a sufficient allowance and to be allowed unquestioningly to spend that money to her best ability. her husband, be he a working or professional man, would find it greatly to his advantage in the home as well as in his business and less of a drain on his bank account should he give his wife a suitable allowance and trust her to spend it according to her own intelligence and thrift. "child, many a man is violently prejudiced against giving a young wife money; many allow her to run up bills, to her hurt and to his, rather than have her, even in her household expenditure, independent of his supervision. i sincerely hope, dear, that your intended, ralph jackson, will be superior to this male idiosyncrasy, to term it mildly, and allow you a stated sum monthly. the home is the woman's kingdom, and she should be allowed to think for it, to buy for it, and not to be cramped by lack of money to do as she thinks best for it." "but, aunt sarah, some housewives are so silly that husbands cannot really be blamed for withholding money from them and preventing them from frittering it away in useless extravagance." "mary, wise wives should not suffer for those who are silly and extravagant. i don't like to be sarcastic, but with the majority of the men, silliness appeals to them more than common sense. men like to feel their superiority to us. however, though inexperienced, mary, you aren't silly or extravagant, and ralph could safely trust you with his money. it makes a woman so self-respecting, puts her on her mettle, to have money to do as she pleases with, to be trusted, relied upon as a reasoning, responsible being. a man, especially a young husband, makes a grave mistake when he looks upon his wife as only a toy to amuse him in his leisure moments and not as one to be trusted to aid him in his life work. a trusted young housewife, with a reasonable and regular allowance at her command, be she ever so inexperienced, will soon plan to have wholesome, nutritious food at little cost, instead of not knowing until a half hour before meal time what she will serve. she would save money and the family would be better nourished; nevertheless, i would impress it on the young housewife not to be too saving or practice too close economy, especially when buying milk and eggs, as there is nothing more nutritious or valuable. a palatable macaroni and cheese; eggs or a combination of eggs and milk, are dishes which may be substituted occasionally, at less expense, for meat. a pound of macaroni and cheese equals a pound of steak in food value. take time and trouble to see that all food be well cooked and served, both in an attractive and appetizing manner. buy the cheaper cuts of stewing meats, and by long, slow simmering, they will become sweet and tender and of equal nutritive value as higher priced sirloins and tenderloins. "but, mary, i've not yet finished that trunk and its contents. that slightly-faded pink chambray i'll cut up into quilt blocks. made up with white patches, and quilted nicely, a pretty quilt lined with white, will be evolved. i have such a pretty design of pink and white called the 'winding way,' very simple to make. the beauty of the quilt consists altogether in the manner in which the blocks are put together, or it might be made over the pattern called 'the flying dutchman.' from that tan linen skirt may be made a laundry bag, shoe pocket, twine bag, a collar bag and a table runner, the only expense being several skeins of green embroidery silk, and a couple yards of green cord to draw the bags up with, and a couple of the same-hued skirt braids for binding edges, and," teasingly, "mary, you might embroider ralph jackson's initials on the collar and laundry bag." [illustration: a- pine tree quilt a- tree of life a- pineapple a- enlarged block of winding way quilt a- lost rose in the wilderness a- tree quilt] mary blushed rosily red and exclaimed in an embarrassed manner, most bewitchingly, "oh!" aunt sarah laughed. she thought to have mary look that way 'twas worth teasing her. "well, mary, we can in leisure moments, from that coarse, white linen skirt which you have discarded, make bureau scarfs, sideboard cover, or a set of scalloped table mats to place under hot dishes on your dining-room table. i will give you pieces of asbestos to slip between the linen mats when finished. they are a great protection to the table. you could also make several small guest towels with deep, hemstitched ends with your initials on. you embroider so beautifully, and the drawn work you do is done as expertly as that of the mexican women." "oh, aunt sarah, how ingenious you are." "and, mary, your rag carpet shall not be lacking. we shall tear up those partly-worn muslin skirts into strips one-half inch in width, and use the dyes left over from dyeing easter eggs. i always save the dye for this purpose, they come in such pretty, bright colors. the rags, when sewed together with some i have in the attic, we'll have woven into a useful carpet for the home you are planning.' "oh! aunt sarah," exclaimed mary, "do you mean a carpet like the one in the spare bedroom?" "yes, my dear, exactly like that, if you wish." "indeed i do, and i think one like that quite good enough to have in a dining-room. i think it so pretty. it does not look at all like a common rag carpet." "no, my dear, it is nothing very uncommon. it is all in the way it is woven. instead of having two gay rainbow stripes about three inches wide running through the length of the carpet, i had it woven with the ground work white and brown chain to form checks. then about an inch apart were placed two threads of two shades of red woolen warp, alternating with two threads of two shades of green, across the whole width, running the length of the carpet. it has been greatly admired, as it is rather different from that usually woven. all the rag carpets i found in the house when we moved here, made by john's mother, possessed very wide stripes of rainbow colors, composed of shaded reds, yellows, blues and greens. you can imagine how very gorgeous they were, and so very heavy. many of the country weavers use linen chain or warp instead of cotton, and always use wool warp for the stripes." "aunt sarah, i want something so very much for the colonial bedroom i should like to have when i have a home of my very own." "what is it, dear? anything, e'en to the half of my kingdom," laughingly replied her aunt. "why, i'd love to have several rag rugs like those in your bedroom, which you call 'new colonial' rugs." "certainly, my dear. they are easily made from carpet rags. i have already planned in my mind a pretty rag rug for you, to be made from your old, garnet merino shirtwaist, combined with your discarded cravenette stormcoat. "and you'll need some pretty quilts, also," said her aunt. "i particularly admire the tree quilts," said mary. "you may have any one you choose; the one called 'tree of paradise,' another called 'pineapple design,' which was originally a border to 'fleur de lis' quilt or 'pine tree,' and still another called 'tree of life,' and 'the lost rose in the wilderness.'" "they are all so odd," said mary, "i scarcely know which one i think prettiest." "all are old-fashioned quilts, which i prize highly," continued her aunt. "several i pieced together when a small girl, i think old-time patchwork too pretty and useful an accomplishment to have gone out of fashion. "you shall have a small stand cover like the one you admired so greatly, given me by aunt cornelia. it is very simple, the materials required being a square of yard-wide unbleached muslin. in the centre of this baste a large, blue-flowered handkerchief with cream-colored ground, to match the muslin. turn up a deep hem all around outside edge; cut out quarter circles of the handkerchief at each of four corners; baste neatly upon the muslin, leaving a space of muslin the same width as the hem around each quarter circle; briarstitch all turned-in edges with dark-blue embroidery silk, being washable, these do nicely as covers for small tables or stands on the veranda in summertime." "aunt sarah," ecstatically exclaimed mary, "you are a wizard to plan so many useful things from a trunk of apparently useless rags. what a treasure uncle has in you. i was fretting about having so little to make my home attractive, but i feel quite elated at the thought of having a carpet and rugs already planned, besides the numerous other things evolved from your fertile brain." aunt sarah loved a joke. she held up an old broadcloth cape. "here is a fine patch for ralph jackson's breeches, should he ever become sedentary and need one." mary reddened and looked almost offended and was at a loss for a reply. [illustration: a- fleur delys quilt a- oak leaf quilt a- one block of fleur delys quilt a- winding way quilt a- tulip quilt a- flower pot quilt] greatly amused, aunt sarah quoted ex-president roosevelt: "'tis time for the man with the patch to come forward and the man with the dollar to step back,'" and added, "never mind, mary, your ralph is such an industrious, hustling young man that he will never need a patch to step forward, i prophesy that with such a helpmeet and 'haus frau' as you, mary, he'll always be most prosperous and happy. kiss me, dear." mary did so, and her radiant smile at such praise from her honored relative was beautiful to behold. [illustration: old rag carpet] chapter ix. poetry and pie. "aunt sarah," questioned mary one day, "do you mind if i copy some of your recipes?" "certainly not, my dear," replied her aunt. "and i'd like to copy some of the poems, also, i never saw any one else have so much poetry in a book of cooking recipes." "perhaps not," replied her aunt, "but you know, mary, i believe in combining pleasure with my work, and our lives are made up of poetry and prose, and some lives are so very prosy. many times when too tired to look up a favorite volume of poems, it has rested me to turn the pages of my recipe book and find some helpful thought, and a good housewife will always keep her book of recipes where it may be readily found for reference. i think, mary, the poem 'pennsylvania,' by lydia m.d. o'neil, a fine one, and i never tire of reading it over and over again. i have always felt grateful to my old schoolmaster. professor t----, for teaching me, when a school girl, to love the writing of longfellow, whittier, bryant, tennyson and other well-known poets. i still, in memory, hear him repeat 'thanatopsis,' by bryant and 'the builders,' by longfellow. the rhymes of the 'fireside poet' are easily understood, and never fail to touch the heart of common folk. i know it appears odd to see so many of my favorite poems sandwiched in between old, valued cooking recipes, but, mary, the happiness of the home life depends so largely on the food we consume. on the preparation and selection of the food we eat depends our health, and on our health is largely dependent our happiness and prosperity. who is it has said, 'the discovery of a new dish makes more for the happiness of man than the discovery of a star'? so, dearie, you see there is not such a great difference between the one who writes a poem and the one who makes a pie. i think cooking should be considered one of the fine arts--and the woman who prepares a dainty, appetizing dish of food, which appeals to the sense of taste, should be considered as worthy of praise as the artist who paints a fine picture to gratify our sense of sight. i try to mix all the poetry possible in prosaic every-day life. we country farmers' wives, not having the opportunities of our more fortunate city sisters, such as witnessing plays from shakespeare, listening to symphony concerts, etc., turn to 'the friendship of books,' of which washington irving writes: 'cheer us with the true friendship, which never deceived hope nor deserted sorrow.'" "yes," said mary, "but remember, aunt sarah, chautauqua will be held next summer in a near-by town, and, as uncle john is one of the guarantors, you will wish to attend regularly and will, i know, enjoy hearing the excellent lectures, music and concerts." "yea," replied her aunt, "chautauqua meetings will commence the latter part of june, and i will expect you and ralph to visit us then. i think chautauqua a godsend to country women, especially farmers' wives; it takes them away from their monotonous daily toil and gives them new thoughts and ideas." "i can readily understand, aunt sarah, why the poem, 'life's common things,' appeals to you; it is because you see beauty in everything. aunt sarah, where did you get this very old poem, 'the deserted city'?" "why, that was given me by john's uncle, who thought the poem fine." "sad is the sight, the city once so fair! an hundred palaces lie buried there; her lofty towers are fallen, and creepers grow o'er marbled dome and shattered portico. "once in the gardens, lovely girls at play, culled the bright flowers, and gently touched the spray; but now wild creatures in their savage joy tread down the flowers and the plants destroy. "by night no torches in the windows gleam; by day no women in their beauty beam; the smoke has ceased--the spider there has spread his snares in safety--and all else is dead." "indeed, it is a 'gem,'" said mary, after slowly reading aloud parts of several stanzas. "yes," replied her aunt, "professor schmidt tells me the poem was written by kalidasa (the shakespeare of hindu literature), and was written years before goldsmith gave us his immortal work, 'the deserted village.'" "i like the poem, 'abou ben adhem and the angel,'" said mary, "and i think this true by henry ward beecher:" "'do not be troubled because you have not great virtues, god made a million spears of grass where he made one tree; the earth is fringed and carpeted not with forests but with grasses, only have enough of little virtues and common fidelities, and you need not mourn because you are neither a hero nor a saint.' "this is a favorite little poem of mine, aunt sarah. i'll just write it on this blank page in your book." there's a little splash of sunshine and a little spot of shade, always somewhere near, the wise bask in the sunshine, but the foolish choose the shade. the wise are gay and happy, on the foolish, sorrow's laid, and the fault's their own, i fear. for the little splash of sunshine and the little spot of shade are here for joint consumption, for comparison are made; we're all meant to be happy, not too foolish or too staid. and the right dose to be taken is some sunshine mixed with shade. "aunt sarah, i see there is still space on this page to write another poem, a favorite of mine. it is called, 'be strong,' by maltbie davenport." be strong! we are not here to play, to dream, to drift; we have hard word to do, and loads to lift, shun not the struggle; face it, 'tis god's gift. be strong! say not the days are evil--who's to blame? and fold the hands and acquiesce--oh, shame! stand up, speak out, and bravely, in god's name. be strong! it matters not how deep intrenched the wrong, how hard the battle goes, the day how long; faint not, fight on! tomorrow comes the song, life's common things. how lovely are life's common things. when health flows in the veins; the golden sunshine of the days when phoebus holds the reins; the floating clouds against the blue; the fragrance of the air; the nodding flowers by the way; the green grass everywhere; the feathery beauty of the elm, with graceful-swaying boughs. where nesting songbirds find a home and the night wind sighs and soughs; the hazy blue of distant hill, with wooded slope and crest; the crimson sky when low at night the sun sinks in the west; the thrilling grandeur of the storm, the lightning's vivid flash, the mighty rush of wind and rain, the thunder's awful crash. and then the calm that follows storm, and rainbow in the sky; the rain-washed freshness of the earth-- a singing bird near by. and oh, the beauty of the night! its hush, its thrill, its charm; the twinkling brilliance of its stars; its tranquil peace and calm. oh, loving fatherhood of god to give us every day the lovely common things of life to brighten all the way! (susan m. perkins, in the boston transcript) abou ben adhem and the angel. abou ben adhem--may his tribe increase-- awoke one night from a deep dream of peace and saw, within the moonlight of his room, making it rich and like a lily in bloom, an angel writing in a book of gold. exceeding peace had made ben adhem bold, and to the presence in the room he said: "what writest thou?" the vision raised his head, and with a look made of all sweet accord, answered: "the names of those who love the lord." "and is mine one?" said abou. "nay, not so," replied the angel. abou spoke low, but cheerily still, and said, "i pray thee, then, write me as one that loves his fellow-men." the angel wrote and vanished. the next night it came again, with a great, wakening light, and showed the names whom love of god had blessed, and, lo! ben adhem's name led all the rest. leigh hunt. chapter x. sibylla linsabigler. a very original character was sibylla linsabigler, who had been a member of the landis household several years. she was aunt sarah's only maid servant, but she disliked being referred to as a servant, and when she overheard "fritz" schmidt, as he passed the landis farm on his way to the creek for a days fishing, call to mary: "miss midleton, will you please send the butter over with the servant today, as i shall not return home in time for dinner" sibylla said, "i ain't no servant. i'm hired girl what does that make out if i do work here? pop got mad with me 'cause i wouldn't work at home no more for him and mom without they paid me. they got three more girls to home yet that can do the work. my pop owns a big farm and sent our 'chon' to the college, and it's mean 'fer' him not to give us girls money for dress, so i work out, 'taint right the way us people what has to work are treated these days," said sibylla to herself, as she applied the broom vigorously to the gay-flowered carpet in the landis parlor. "because us folks got to work ain't no reason why them tony people over to the perfessor's should call me a 'servant.' i guess i know i milk the cows, wash dishes, scrub floors, and do the washin' and ir'nin' every week, but i'm no 'servant,' i'm just as good any day as that good-fer-nothin' perfesser's son," continued sibylla, growing red in the face with indignation. "didn't i hear that worthless scamp, fritz schmidt, a-referrin' to me and a-sayin' to miss midleton fer the 'servant' to bring over the butter? betch yer life this here 'servant' ain't a-goin' to allow eddicated people to make a fool of her. first chance i get i'll give that perfesser a piece of my mind." sibylla's opportunity came rather unexpectedly. the gentle, mild-mannered professor was on good terms with his sturdy, energetic neighbor, john landis, and frequently visited him for a neighborly chat. on this particular day he called as usual and found sibvlla in the mood described. "good afternoon, sibylla," said the professor, good-naturedly. "how are you today?" "i'd be a whole lot better if some people weren't so smart," replied sibylla, venting her feelings on the broom. "should think a perfesser would feel himself too big to talk to a 'servant'." "on the contrary, my dear girl, i feel honored. i presume you are not feeling as well as usual. what makes you think it is condescension for me to address you?" asked the genial old man, kindly. "well, since you ask me, i don't mind a-tellin' you. yesterday your son insulted me, i won't take no insult from nobody, i am just as good as what you are, even if i hain't got much book larnin'." with this deliverance, sibylla felt she had done full justice to the occasion and would have closed the interview abruptly had not the professor, with a restraining hand, detained her. "we must get to the bottom of this grievance, sibylla. i am sure there is some mistake somewhere. what did my son say?" "well, if you want to know," replied the irate domestic, 'i'll tell you. he called me a 'servant.' i know i'm only a working girl, but your son nor nobody else ain't got no right to abuse me by callin' me a 'servant'." "ah! i see. you object to the term 'servant' being applied to you," said the professor, comprehendingly. "the word 'servant' is distasteful to you. you feel it is a disgrace to be called a servant. i see! i see!" in a fatherly way, the old man resumed: "in a certain sense we are all servants. the history of human achievements is a record of service. the men and women who have helped the world most were all servants--servants to humanity. the happiest man is he who serves. god calls some men to sow and some to reap; some to work in wood and stone; to sing and speak. work is honorable in all, regardless of the capacity in which we serve. there is no great difference, after all, between the ordinary laborer and the railroad president; both are servants, and the standard of measurement to be applied to each man is the same. it is not so much a question of station in life as it is the question of efficiency. best of all, work is education. there is culture that comes without college and university. he who graduates from the college of hard work is as honorable as he who takes a degree at yale or harvard; for wisdom can be found in shop and foundry, field and factory, in the kitchen amid pots and kettles, as well as in office and school. the truly educated man is the man who has learned the duty and responsibility of doing something useful, something helpful, something to make this old world of ours better and a happier place in which to live. the word 'servant,' sibylla, is a beautiful one, rightly understood. the greatest man who ever lived was a servant. all his earthly ministry was filled with worthy deeds. when man pleaded with him to rest, he answered: 'my father worketh hitherto, and i work.' when one of christ's followers desired to express the true nature of his work and office, he called himself a servant. he used a word, 'doulos,' which means, in the greek language, a slave or a bond-servant. by the word 'doulos' he meant to say that his mission in life was to work, to do good, to serve. this man was a great preacher, but it is possible for any one to become a 'doulos' in so far as he is willing to serve god and his fellowman. you see, sibylla, the spirit of christian work and brotherly love is the spirit of 'doulos.' the word has been transformed by service and unselfish devotion to duty. great men who have blessed the world, and good and noble women who have helped to uplift humanity, have done it through service. it is just as honorable to bake well, and cook well, and to do the humblest daily tasks efficiently, as it is to play well on the piano and talk fluently about the latest books." at the conclusion of the professor's little talk on the dignity of labor, a new light shone in sibylla's eyes and a new thought gripped her soul. the spirit of "doulos" had displaced her antipathy toward the word servant. "i'll take that butter over to the professer's home right away," she said, to herself. before leaving sibylla, the professor quoted from the "toiling of felix," by henry vandyke: "hewing wood and drawing water, splitting stones and cleaving sod, all the dusty ranks of labour, in the regiment of god, march together toward his triumph, do the task his hands prepare; honest toil is holy service, faithful work is praise and prayer." they who work without complaining, do the holy will of god. heaven is blest with perfect rest, but the blessing of earth is toil. sibylla linsabigler was a healthy, large-boned, solidly-built, typical "pennsylvania german" girl. her clear, pinkish complexion looked as if freshly scrubbed with soap and water. a few large, brown freckles adorned the bridge of her rather broad, flat nose. she possessed red hair and laughing, red-brown eyes, a large mouth, which disclosed beautiful even, white teeth when she smiled, extraordinary large feet and hands, strong, willing and usually good-natured, although possessed of a quick temper, as her red hair indicated. kind-hearted to a fault, she was of great assistance to aunt sarah, although she preferred any other work to that of cooking or baking. she kept the kitchen as well as other parts of the house, to quote aunt sarah, "neat as a pin," and did not object to any work, however hard or laborious, as long as she was not expected to do the thinking and planning. she was greatly attached to both aunt sarah and mary, but stood rather in awe of john landis, who had never spoken a cross word to her in the three years she had lived at the farm. sarah landis, knowing sibylla to be an honest, industrious girl, appreciated her good qualities, thought almost as much of sibylla as if she had been her daughter, and treated her in like manner, and for this reason, if for no other, she received willing service from the girl. sibylla, a swift worker at all times, never finished work so quickly as on wednesday and saturday evenings, when she "kept company" with jake crouthamel. "chake," as sibylla called him, was a sturdy, red-faced young farmer, all legs and arms. he appeared to be put together loosely at the joints, like a jumping-jack, and never appeared at ease in his ill-fitting "store clothes." he usually wore gray corduroy trousers and big cowhide boots, a pink and white striped shirt and red necktie. sibylla did not notice his imperfections, and thought him handsome as a greek god. jake, an honest, industrious young fellow, worked on a near-by farm, owned his own carriage, and had the privilege of using one of the farm horses when he wished, so he and sibylla frequently took "choy rides," as sibylla called them. jake crouthamel was usually called "boller-yockel," this name having been accorded him on account of his having delivered to a purchaser a load of hay largely composed of rag-weed. the man called him an old "boller-yockel," and the name had clung to jake for years. chapter xi. "new colonial" rag rugs. several days had elapsed since that on which mary's aunt had planned to use the contents of her trunk to such good advantage, when mary, coming into the room where her aunt was busily engaged sewing, exclaimed: "don't forget, auntie, you promised to teach me to crochet rag rugs!" [illustration: a "hit-and-miss" rug] "indeed, i've not forgotten, and will make my promise good at once," said aunt sarah. "we shall need quantities of carpet rags cut about one-half inch in width, the same as those used for making rag carpet. of course, you are aware, mary, that heavier materials should be cut in narrower strips than those of thinner materials. you will also require a long, wooden crochet needle, about as thick as an ordinary wooden lead pencil, having a hook at one end, similar to a common bone crochet needle, only larger. for a circular rug, crochet about twelve stitches (single crochet) over one end of a piece of candle wick or cable cord; or, lacking either of these, use a carpet rag of firm material; then draw the crocheted strip into as small a circle as possible, fasten and crochet round and round continuously until finished. the centre of a circular or oblong rug may be a plain color, with border of colored light and dark rags, sewed together promiscuously, called 'hit and miss.' [illustration: a brown and tan rug] "or you might have a design similar to a 'pin-wheel' in centre of the circular rug, with alternate stripes, composed of dark and light-colored rags." "i'd like one made in that manner from different shades that harmonize, browns and tans, for instance," said mary. "you may easily have a rug of that description," continued her aunt. "with a package of brown dye, we can quickly transform some light, woolen carpet rags i possess into pretty shades of browns and tans." [illustration: rug] "for a circular rug, with design in centre resembling a pin-wheel, commence crocheting the rug same as preceding one. crochet three rows of one color, then mark the rug off into four parts, placing a pin to mark each section or quarter of the rug. at each of four points crochet one stitch of a contrasting shade. crochet once around the circle, using a shade similar to that of the centre of rug for design, filling in between with the other shade. for the following row, crochet two stitches beneath the one stitch (not directly underneath the stitch, but one stitch beyond), filling in between with the other color. the third row, add three stitches beneath the two stitches in same manner as preceding row, and continue, until design in centre is as large as desired, then crochet 'hit or miss' or stripes. do not cut off the carpet rags at each of the four points after crocheting stitches, but allow each one to remain and crochet over them, then pick up on needle and crochet every time you require stitches of contrasting shade. then crochet several rows around the rug with different shades until rug is the required size. the under side should be finished off as neatly as the right, or upper side. mary, when not making a design, sew the rags together as if for weaving carpet. when crocheting circular rugs, occasionally stretch the outside row to prevent the rug from curling up at edges when finished, as it would be apt to do if too tightly crocheted. if necessary, occasionally add an extra stitch. avoid also crocheting it too loosely, as it would then appear like a ruffle. the advantage of crocheting over a heavy cord is that the work may be easily drawn up more tightly if too lose." chapter xii. mary imitates navajo blankets. on her return from an afternoon spent at professor schmidt's, mary remarked to aunt sarah, "for the first time in my life i have an original idea!" "do tell me child, what it is!" "the 'new colonial' rag rugs we have lately finished are fine, but i'd just love to have a navajo blanket like those owned by professor schmidt; and i intend to make a rag rug in imitation of his navajo blanket." "yes," answered her aunt, "i have always greatly admired them myself, especially the large gray one which covers the professor's own chair in the library. the professor brought them with him when he returned from 'cutler's ranch' at rociada, near las vegas, new mexico, where he visited his nephew, poor raymond, or rather, i should say, fortunate raymond, an only child of the professor's sister. a quiet, studious boy, he graduated at the head of his class at an early age, but he inherited the weak lungs of his father, who died of consumption. raymond was a lovable boy, with a fund of dry humor and wit--the idol of his mother, who, taking the advice of a specialist, accompanied her boy, as a last resort, to new mexico, where, partly owing to his determination to get well, proper food and daily rides on the mesa, on the back of his little pinto pony, he regained perfect health, and today is well, happily married and living in pasadena, california, so i have been told by frau schmidt, who dearly loves the boy." "but mary, forgive an old woman for rambling away from the subject in which you are interested--navajo blankets. ever since we planned to make a rug with a swastika in the centre, i nave been trying to evolve from my brain (and your uncle john says my bump of inventiveness is abnormally large) a navajo rag rug for the floor of the room you intend to furnish as ralph's den, in the home you are planning. well, my dear, a wooden crochet hook in your deft fingers will be the magic wand which will perform a miracle and transform into navajo blankets such very commonplace articles as your discarded gray eiderdown kimona, and a pair of your uncle's old gray trousers, which have already been washed and ripped by sibylla, to be used for making carpet rags. these, combined with the gray skirt i heard you say had outlived its day of usefulness, will furnish the background of the rug. the six triangles in the centre of the rug, also lighter stripes at each end of the rug, we will make of that old linen chair-cover and your faded linen skirt, which you said i might use for carpet rags; and, should more material be needed, i have some old, gray woolen underwear in my patch bag, a gray-white, similar to the real navajo. the rows of black with which we shall outline the triangles may be made from those old, black, silk-lisle hose you gave me, by cutting them round and round in one continuous strip. heavy cloth should be cut in _very_ narrow strips. sibylla will do that nicely; her hands are more used to handling large, heavy shears than are yours. the linen-lawn skirt you may cut in strips about three-fourths of an inch in width, as that material is quite thin. i would sew rags of one color together like carpet rags, not lapping the ends more than necessary to hold them together. the rug will be reversible, both sides being exactly alike when finished. i should make the rug about fifty-three stitches across. this will require about six and one-fourth yards of carpet rags, when sewed together, to crochet once across. i think it would be wise to cut all rags of different weight materials before commencing to crochet the rug, so they may be well mixed through. i will assist you with the work at odd moments, and in a short time the rug will be finished." the rug, when finished, was truly a work of art, and represented many hours of labor and thought. but mary considered it very fascinating work, and was delighted with the result of her labor--a rug the exact imitation of one of the professor's genuine indian navajo blankets, the work of her own hands, and without the expenditure of a penny. mary remarked: "i do not think all the triangles in my rug are the exact size of the paper pattern you made me, aunt sarah. the two in the centre appear larger than the others." "well," remarked her aunt, "if you examine closely the blankets owned by professor schmidt, you will find the on the ones woven by navajo indians are not of an equal size." 'tis said navajo blankets and serapes will become scarce and higher in price in the future, on account of the numerous young indians who have been educated and who prefer other occupations to that of weaving blankets, as did their forefathers; and the present disturbance in mexico will certainly interfere with the continuance of this industry for a time. [illustration: imitation of navajo blanket] [illustration: rug with design] "mary, while you have been planning your navajo rug, i have been thinking how we may make a very attractive as well as useful rug. you remember, we could not decide what use to make of your old, tan cravenette stormcoat? i have been thinking we might use this, when cut into carpet rags, for the principal part of the rug, and that old, garnet merino blouse waist might be cut and used for the four corners of a rug, and we might have gay stripes in the centre of the rug to form a sort of design, and also put gay stripes at each end of the rug. "and you might crochet a rug, plain 'hit or miss,' of rather bright-colored rags." "yes," said mary, "i think i will crochet a swastika in the centre of a rug, as you suggest, of bright orange, outlined with black, and a stripe of orange edged with black at each end of the rug to match the centre. don't you think that would be pretty, aunt sarah?" [illustration: "hit-or-miss" rug with swastika centre] "yes indeed, but mary, don't you think the swastika would show more distinctly on a rug with a plain background?" "perhaps it would," replied mary, "but i think i'll crochet one of very gayly-colored rags, with a swastika in the centre." [illustration: a "prayer rug" of silk scraps.] "aunt sarah," said mary, "do tell me how that pretty little rug composed of silk scraps is made." "oh, that _silk_ rug; 'twas given me by aunt cornelia, who finished it while here on a visit from new york. i never saw another like it, and it has been greatly admired. although possessed of an ordinary amount of patience, i don't think i'll ever make one for myself. i don't admire knitted rugs of any description, neither do i care for braided rugs. i think the crocheted ones prettier. but, mary, this small silk rug is easily made should you care to have one. i will commence knitting one for you at once. you will then find a use for the box of bright-colored silks you possess, many of which are quite too small to be used in any other manner. professor schmidt calls this a 'prayer rug.' he said: 'this rug, fashioned of various bright-hued silks of orange, purple and crimson, a bright maze of rich colors, without any recognizable figure or design, reminds me of the description of the 'prayer carpet' or rugs of the mohammedans. they are composed of rich-hued silks of purple, ruby and amber. 'tis said their delicacy of shade is marvelous and was suggested by the meadows of variegated flowers.' but this is a digression; you wished directions for making the rug. "use tiny scraps of various bright-hued silks, velvets and satins, cut about - / inches long and about one-half inch in width. ends should always be cut slanting or bias; never straight. all you will require besides the silk scraps, will be a ball of common cord or twine, or save all cord which comes tied around packages, as i do, and use that and two ordinary steel knitting needles. when making her rug, aunt cornelia knitted several strips a couple of inches in width and the length she wished the finished rug to be. the strips when finished she sewed together with strong linen thread on the wrong side of the rug. she commenced the rug by knitting two rows of the twine or cord. (when i was a girl we called this common knitting 'garter stitch.') then, when commencing to knit third row, slip off first stitch onto your other needle; knit one stitch, then lay one of the tiny scraps of silk across or between the two needles; knit one stitch with the cord. this holds the silk in position. then fold or turn one end of silk back on the other piece of silk and knit one stitch of cord to hold them in place, always keeping silk on one side, on the top of rug, as this rug is not reversible. continue in this manner until one row is finished. then knit once across plain with cord, and for next row lay silk scraps in and knit as before. always knit one row of the cord across plain after knitting in scraps of silk, as doing this holds them firmly in position. of course, mary, you will use judgment and taste in combining light and dark, bright and dull colors. also, do not use several scraps of velvet together. use velvet, silk and satin alternately. should any scraps of silk be longer than others after knitting, trim off evenly so all will be of uniform size. when her rug was finished, aunt cornelia spread it, wrong side uppermost, on an unused table, covered it with a thick boiled paste, composed of flour and water, allowed it to dry thoroughly, then lined the rug with a heavy piece of denim. this was done to prevent the rug from curling up at edges, and caused it to lie flat on floor; but i think i should prefer just a firm lining or foundation of heavy burlap or denim." "thank you, aunt sarah, for your explicit directions. i cannot fail to know just how to knit a silk rug, should i ever care to do so. i think the work would be simply fascinating." chapter xiii. the girls' campfire, organized by mary. one day in early june, when all nature seemed aglow with happiness, we find mary earnestly discussing with elizabeth schmidt the prosaic, humdrum life of many of the country girls, daughters of well-to-do farmers in the vicinity. "i wish," said mary, wrinkling her forehead thoughtfully, "i could think of some new interest to introduce into their lives; some way of broadening their outlook; anything to bring more happiness into their commonplace daily toil; something good and helpful for them to think about." all at once mary, who was not usually demonstrative, clapped her hands, laughed gleefully and said: "i have it, elizabeth. the very thing! suppose we start a 'girls' campfire,' right here in the country? i don't think we shall have any trouble to organize." "and you, because you understand all about it, will be the guardian," said elizabeth. at first mary demurred, but, overcome by elizabeth's pleading, finally gave a reluctant consent. they then made out a list of the girls they thought might be willing to join, mary promising to write at once for a handbook. they separated, elizabeth to call to see the girls, and mary to interview their parents. their efforts were rewarded with surprisingly gratifying results, for many of the girls had read about the "campfire girls" and were anxious to become members. * * * * * one afternoon, several weeks later, had you gone into the old apple orchard, at the farm, you would have seen thirteen eager young girls, ranging in age from fourteen to sixteen, listening intently to mary, who was telling them about the "campfire girls." what she told them was something like this: "now girls, we are going to have a good time. some of our good times will be play and some work. when you join, you will become a 'wood gatherer,' and after three months' successful work, if you have met certain qualifications, you will be promoted to the rank of 'fire maker.' later on, when you come to realize what it means to be a 'torch bearer,' you will be put in that rank. the first law which you learn to follow is one which you must apply to your daily life. it is: seek beauty, give service, pursue knowledge, be trustworthy, hold on to health, glorify work, be happy. 'the camp fire' has meant so much to girls i have known, for their betterment, and has been so helpful in many ways, you surely will never regret becoming a member of the organization, or be anything but happy if you keep their laws. there will be no dues, except what is collected for good times, and no expense except the cost of your ceremonial costume, epaulettes and honor beads. the latter are quite inexpensive. the honors are divided into several classes, and for each honor a bead is given as a symbol of your work. a special colored bead is given for each class. we shall meet about once every week. the monthly meeting is called the 'council fire.' i will tell you later about the 'wohelo' ceremony. by the way, girls, 'wohelo' stands for work, health and love. you see, the word is composed of the first two letters of each word." the girls appeared to be greatly interested, and mary felt very much encouraged. some of the girls left to talk it over with the homefolks, while others, wishing to learn more of the organisation, plied mary with numerous questions. finally, in desperation, she said: "girls, i will read you the following from the 'camp fire girls' handbook, which i received this morning:" 'the purpose of this organization is to show that the common things of daily life are the chief means of beauty, romance and adventure; to aid in the forming of habits making for health and vigor, the out-of-door habit and the out-of-door spirit; to devise ways of measuring and creating standards to woman's work, and to give girls the opportunity to learn how to "keep step," to learn team work, through doing it; to help girls and women serve the community, the larger home, in the same way they have always served the individual home; to give status and social recognition to the knowledge of the mother, and thus restore the intimate relationship of mothers and daughters to each other.' "well, girls," said mary, as she laid aside the book, "i think you all understand what a benefit this will be to you, and i will do all in my power to help you girls, while i am at the farm this summer. it is too late to tell you any more today. the information i have given you will suffice for the present. three cheers for our camp fire! which will be under way in two months, i trust." * * * * * the members of "shawnee" camp fire held their first council fire, or ceremonial meeting, the second week in july. the girls, all deeply interested, worked hard to secure honors which were awarded for engaging in domestic duties well known to the home, for studying and observing the rules of hygiene and sanitation, and for learning and achievements in various ways. they held weekly meetings and studied diligently to win the rank of fire maker. a girl, when she joins, becomes a wood gatherer; she then receives a silver ring. the weeks pass swiftly by, and it is time for another camp fire. the girls selected as their meeting place for this occasion farmer druckenmuller's peach orchard, to which they walked, a distance of about three miles from the home of elizabeth schmidt. they left about two o'clock in the afternoon, intending to return home before nightfall, a good time being anticipated, as they took with them lunch and materials for a corn-roast. the peach orchard in question, covering many acres, was situated at the foot of a low hill. between the two flowed an enchanting, fairy-like stream, the cultivated peach orchard on one side, and on the opposite side the forest-like hill, covered with an abundance of wild flowers. when the afternoon set for the council fire arrived, had you happened to meet the fifteen merry, chattering girls, accompanied by two older girls, mary and lucy robbins (the country school teacher), as chaperones, wending their way to the orchard, you, without a doubt, would have smiled and a question might naturally have arisen regarding their sanity. they certainly possessed intelligent faces, but why those queer-shaped indian dresses? and such an awkward length for a young girl's dress! and why was their hair all worn hanging in one braid over each shoulder, with a band over the forehead? why so many strings of gaudy beads around their necks? these questions may all be answered in one single sentence: the girls are dressed in ceremonial costume. [illustration: elizabeth schmidt "laughing water"] a great many delays along the way were caused by girls asking the names of the different wild flowers and weeds they noticed in passing. one of the girls stopped to examine a prickly-looking plant about two feet high, with little, blue flowers growing along the stem, and asked if any one knew the name of it. they were about to look it up in a small "flower guide" owned by one of the girls, when some one said: "why, that is a weed called 'vipers bougloss,'" they also found cardinal flower, thorn apple, monkey flower and jewel-weed in abundance, wild sunflower, ginseng, early golden rod, "joe-pie-weed," marshallow, black cohosh and purple loose-trifle. the girls also noticed various birds. on a tall tree one of the girls espied a rose-breasted grosbeak, rare in this part of bucks county. they all stopped and watched for a short time a white-bellied nut-hatch. the girls were startled as a scarlet tanger flew past to join his mate, and they at last reached their rendezvous, the orchard. by half-past three they were all seated in a circle waiting for the ceremonies to begin. mary midleton, their guardian, stepped to the front, saying: "sunflower, light the fire." sunflower, through several months of daily attainment, had become a fire-maker and was very proud of the fire-maker's bracelet she was entitled to wear. sunflower was given that name because she always looked on the bright side of everything; she looked like a sunflower, too, with her tanned face and light, curly hair. all the girls had symbolical names given them. "lark" was so named because of her sweet voice and because she loved to sing; "sweet tooth," on account of her love for candy; "quick silver," because she was quick, bright and witty; "great buffalo," a girl who was very strong; elizabeth schmidt, "laughing water," so named because she laughed and giggled at everybody and everything; "babbling brook," because it seemed an utter impossibility for her to stop talking; "burr," because she sticks to ideas and friends; "faith," quiet and reserved; "comet," comes suddenly and brings a lot of light; "black hawk," always eager at first, but inclined to let her eagerness wear off: "pocahontas," because she never can hurry; "ginger foot," a fiery temper, "gypsy," so named on account of her black hair; "bright eyes," for her bright, blue eyes; "rainbow," for her many ways, and because she is pretty. as "sunflower" took the matches and knelt by the pile of wood and lighted the fire, she recited the ode to the fire: "oh, fire! long years ago, when our fathers fought with great beasts, you were their protector. from the cruel cold of winter you saved. when they needed food, you changed the flesh of beasts into savory meat for them. through all ages your mysterious flame has been a symbol of the great spirit to them. tonight we light this fire in remembrance of the great spirit who gave you to us." then the girls sang the chant or chanted: wohelo for aye, wohelo for aye, wohelo for aye, wohelo for work, wohelo for health, wohelo, wohelo for love. then they recited the wood-gatherer's desire: "it is my desire to be a campfire girl and keep the law of the camp fire, which is 'to seek beauty, give service, pursue knowledge, be trustworthy, hold onto health, glorify work, be happy,'" none had yet attained the highest rank, that of torch bearer, won by still greater achievement, the camp having been organized so recently. their motto was "the light which has been given to me, i desire to pass undimmed to others." "gypsy," the secretary, then read the "count" for the last meeting and called the roll, and the girls handed in the list of honors they had won in the last month. some amused themselves playing games, while others gathered more wood. at five o'clock the corn and white and sweet potatoes were in the fire roasting. a jolly circle of girls around the fire were busily engaged toasting "weiners" for the feast, which was finally pronounced ready to be partaken of. the hungry girls "fell to" and everything eatable disappeared as if by magic; and last, but not least, was the toasting of marshmallows, speared on the points of long, two-pronged sticks (broken from near-by trees), which were held over the fire until the marshmallows turned a delicate color. when everything had been eaten, with the exception of several cardboard boxes, corn cobs and husks, the girls quickly cleared up. then, seated around the fire, told what they knew of indian legends and folklore. noticing the sun slowly sinking in the west, they quickly gathered together their belongings and started homeward singing, "my country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty." thus broke up the second council fire, and in the heart of each girl was the thought of how much the campfire was helping them to love god and his works. chapter xiv. mary makes "violet" and "rose leaf" beads. "aunt sarah," exclaimed mary one day, "you promised to tell me exactly how you made those 'rose beads' you have." "yes, my dear, and you must make the beads before the june roses are gone. the process is very simple. if you would have them very sweet, get the petals of the most fragrant roses. i used petals of the old-fashioned, pink 'hundred leaf' and 'blush roses.' gather a quantity, for you will need them all. grind them to a pulp in the food chopper, repeat several times and place the pulp and juice into an _iron_ kettle or pan. this turns the pulp black, which nothing but an iron kettle will do; cook, and when the consistency of dough it is ready to mold into beads. take a bit of the dough, again as large as the size you wish your beads to be when finished, as they shrink in size when dried, and make them of uniform size, or larger ones for the centre of the necklace, as you prefer. roll in the palms of your hands, until perfectly round, stick a pin through each bead, then stick the pins into a bake board. be careful the bead does not touch the board, as that would spoil its shape. allow the beads to remain until perfectly dry. if they are to have a dull finish, leave as they are. if you wish to polish them, take a tiny piece of vaseline on the palm of the hand and rub them between the palms until the vaseline is absorbed. then string them on a linen thread. keep in a closed box to preserve their fragrance. those i showed you, mary, i made many years ago, and the scent of the roses clings 'round them still.'" "did you know, mary, that beads may be made from the petals of the common wild blue violet in exactly the same manner as they are made from rose leaves?" "no, indeed, but i don't think the making of beads from the petals of roses and violets as wonderful as the beads which you raise in the garden. those shiny, pearl-like seeds or beads of silvery-gray, called 'job's tears,' which grow on a stalk resembling growing corn; and to think professor schmidt raised those which elizabeth strung on linen thread, alternately with beads, for a portiere in their sitting-room." "yes, my dear, the beads must be pierced before they become hard; later they should be polished. did you ever see them grow, mary? the beads or 'tears' grow on a stalk about fifteen inches high and from the bead or 'tear' grows a tiny, green spear resembling oats. they are odd and with very little care may he grown in a small garden." "they certainly are a curiosity," said mary. chapter xv. mary and elizabeth visit sadie singmaster. farmer landis, happening to mention at the breakfast table his intention of driving over to the "ax handle factory" to obtain wood ashes to use as a fertilizer, his wife remarked, "why not take mary with you, john? she can stop at singmaster's with a basket of carpet rags for sadie. i've been wanting to send them over for some time." turning to mary, she said: "poor little, crippled sadie! on account of a fall, which injured her spine, when a small child, she has been unable to walk for years. she cuts and sews carpet rags, given her by friends and neighbors, and from their sale to a carpet weaver in a near-by town, helps her widowed mother eke out her small income." "i'd love to go see her," said mary. elizabeth schmidt also expressed her willingness to go, when asked, saying: "i am positive mother will add her contribution to the carpet rags for sadie, i do pity her so very much." "yes," said mary's aunt, "she is poor and proud. she will not accept charity, so we persuade her to take carpet rags, as we have more than we can possibly use." on reaching the singmaster cottage, the girls alighted with their well-filled baskets, mary's uncle driving on to the "ax handle factory," promising to call for the girls on his return. the sad, brown eyes of sadie, too large for her pinched, sallow face, shone with pleasure at sight of the two young girls so near her own age, and she smiled her delight on examining the numerous bright-colored patches brought by them. thinking the pleasure she so plainly showed might appear childish to the two girls, she explained: "i do get so dreadfully tired sewing together so many dull homely rags. i shall enjoy making balls of these pretty, bright colors." "sadie," mary inquired, "will you think me inquisitive should i ask what the carpet weaver pays you for the rags when you have sewed and wound them into balls?" "certainly not," replied sadie. "four cents a pound is what he pays me. it takes two of these balls to make a pound," and she held up a ball she had just finished winding. "is _that all_ you get?" exclaimed elizabeth. "have you ever made rag rugs?" inquired mary. "no, i have never even seen one. are they anything like braided mats?" "yes, they are somewhat similar to them, but i crochet mine and think them prettier. i have made several, with aunt sarah's assistance. i'll come over and teach you to make them one of these days, should you care to learn, and i'm positive you will find ready sale for them. in fact, i've several friends in the city who have admired the ones i have, and would like to buy rugs for the colonial rooms they are furnishing. sadie, can you crochet?" "oh, yes. i can do the plain stitch very well." "that is all that will be necessary. you will become very much interested in inventing new designs, it is very fascinating work, and it will be more remunerative than sewing carpet rags. aunt sarah will send you more carpet rags if you require them, and should you wish dull colors of blue or pink, a small package of dye will transform white or light-colored rags into any desired shade, to match the furnishings of different rooms. i think the crocheted rugs much prettier than the braided ones, which are so popular in the 'nutting' pictures, and the same pretty shades may be used when rugs are crocheted." when farmer landis came for the girls, he found them too busily engaged talking to hear his knock at the door. during the drive home mary could think and talk of nothing but sadie singmaster, and the rugs she had promised to teach her to make at an early day. elizabeth, scarcely less enthusiastic, said: "i've a lot of old things i'll give her to cut up for carpet rags." reaching home, mary could scarcely wait an opportunity to tell aunt sarah all her plans for sadie's betterment. when she finally did tell her aunt, she smiled and said: "mary, i'm not surprised. you are always planning to do a kind act for some one. you remind me of the lines, 'if i can live,' by helen hunt jackson." and she repeated the following for mary: if i can live. if i can live to make some pale face brighter and to give a second luster to some tear-dimmed eye, or e'en impart one throb of comfort to an aching heart, or cheer some wayworn soul in passing by; if i can lend a strong hand to the fallen, or defend the right against a single envious strain, my life, though bare, perhaps, of much that seemeth dear and fair to us of earth, will not have been in vain. the purest joy, most near to heaven, far from earth's alloy, is bidding cloud give way to sun and shine; and 'twill be well if on that day of days the angels tell of me, she did her best for one of thine. chapter xvi. old parlor made beautiful (modernized). when john landis came into possession of "clear spring" farm, where his mother had lived during her lifetime, she having inherited it from her father, the rooms of the old farm house were filled with quaint, old-fashioned furniture of every description. "aunt sarah," on coming to the farm to live, had given a personal touch and cheery, homelike look to every room in the house, with one exception, the large, gloomy, old-fashioned parlor, which was cold, cheerless and damp. she confessed to mary she always felt as if john's dead-and-gone ancestors' ghostly presences inhabited the silent room. the windows were seldom opened to allow a ray of sunlight to penetrate the dusk with which the room was always enveloped, except when the regular weekly sweeping day arrived; when, after being carefully swept and dusted, it was promptly closed. a room every one avoided, aunt sarah was very particular about always having fresh air and sunlight in every other part of the house but his one room. the old fireplace had been boarded up many years before aunt sarah's advent to the farm, so it could not be used. one day mary noticed, while dusting the room (after it had been given a thorough sweeping by sibylla, aunt sarah's one maid servant), that the small, many-paned windows facing the east, at one end of the parlor, when opened, let in a flood of sunshine; and in the evening those at the opposite end of the long room gave one a lovely view of the setting sun--a finer picture than any painted by the hand of a master. mary easily persuaded her aunt to make some changes in the unlivable room. she suggested that they consult her uncle about repapering and painting the room and surprise him with the result when finished. aunt sarah, who never did things by halves, said: "mary, i have long intended 'doing over' this room, but thought it such a great undertaking. now, with your assistance, i shall make a sweep of these old, antiquated heirlooms of a past generation. this green carpet, with its gorgeous bouquets of roses, we shall have combined with one of brown and tan in the attic. your uncle shall take them with him when he drives to town and have them woven into pretty, serviceable rugs for the floor." "and, oh! aunt sarah," cried mary, "do let's have an open fireplace. it makes a room so cheery and 'comfy' when the weather gets colder, on long winter evenings, to have a fire in the grate. i saw some lovely, old brass andirons and fender in the attic, and some brass candlesticks there also, which will do nicely for the mantel shelf over the fireplace. i'll shine 'em up, and instead of this hideously-ugly old wall paper with gay-colored scrawley figures, aunt sarah, suppose we get an inexpensive, plain, tan felt paper for drop ceiling and separate it from the paper on the side wall, which should be a warm, yellow-brown, with a narrow chestnut wood molding. then this dull, dark, gray-blue painted woodwork; could any one imagine anything more hideously ugly? it gives me the 'blues' simply to look at it. could we not have it painted to imitate chestnut wood? and don't you think we might paint the floor around the edges of the rug to imitate the woodwork? just think of those centre panels of the door painted a contrasting shade of pale pink. the painter who did this work certainly was an artist. a friend of mine in the city, wishing to use rugs instead of carpets on her floors, and not caring to go to the expense of laying hardwood floors, gave the old floors a couple of coats of light lemon, or straw-colored paint, then stained and grained them a perfect imitation of chestnut, at small expense. the floors were greatly admired when finished, and having been allowed to dry thoroughly after being varnished, proved quite durable. i will write to my friend at once and ask her exactly how her floors were treated." "now, mary, about this old-style furniture. the old grandfather clock standing in the corner, at the upper end of the room, i should like to have remain. it is one hundred and fifty years old and belonged to my folks, and, although old-fashioned, is highly valued by me." "of course," said mary, "we'll certainly leave that in the room." "also," said aunt sarah, "allow the old cottage organ and large, old-fashioned bookcase belonging to your uncle to remain. he has frequently spoken of moving his bookcase into the next room, when he was obliged to come in here for books, of which he has quite a valuable collection." [illustration: a- seed wreath a- wax fruit a- old parlor mantel a- old clock a- boquet of hair flowers ] "oh," said mary, "no need of that. we will move uncle john in here, near the bookcase, when we get our room fixed up. aunt sarah, we will leave that old-fashioned table, also, with one leaf up against the wall, and this quaint, little, rush-bottomed rocker, which i just dote on." "why, dear," exclaimed aunt sarah, "there are several chairs to match it in the attic, which you may have when you start housekeeping for your very own. and," laughingly, said her aunt, "there is another old, oval, marble-topped table in the attic, containing a large glass case covering a basket of wax fruit, which you may have." "no, aunt sarah," said mary, "i don't believe i want the fruit, but i will accept your offer of the table. well, aunt sarah, i know you won't have this old, black what-not standing in the corner of the room. i do believe it is made of spools, strung on wire, as supports for the shelves; then all painted black, imitation of ebony, i suppose. it must have been made in the black age, at the same time the old corner cupboard was painted, as uncle john told me he scraped off three different layers of paint before doing it over, and one was black. it was originally made of cherry. it certainly looks fine now, with those new brass hinges and pretty, old-fashioned glass knobs." "yes, mary," replied her aunt, "and there is an old corner cupboard in the attic which belonged to my father, that you may have, and, with a very little labor and expense, ralph can make it look as well as mine. it has only one door and mine possesses two." "aunt sarah," exclaimed mary, "you are a dear! how will i ever repay you for all your kindness to me?" "by passing it on to some one else when you find some one needing help," said aunt sarah. "such a collection of odd things, aunt sarah, as are on this what-not i never saw. old ambrotypes and daguerreotypes of gone and forgotten members of the 'freinshoft,' as you sometimes say. i don't believe you know any of them." "yes, the red plush frame on the mantel shelf contains a picture of john's uncle, a fine-looking man, but he possessed 'wanderlust' and has lived in california for many years. "oh, you mean the picture on the mantel standing near those twin gilded china vases, gay with red and blue paint?" "yes; and that small china and gilt stand with little bowl and pitcher was given me when a small child." "suppose i bring a basket and we will fill it with articles from the mantel and what-not," said mary, "and carry them all to the attic, until you have a rummage sale some day. we'll burn these 'everlasting' and 'straw' flowers, and pampas grass, and this large apple stuck full of cloves. here is a small china dog and a little china basket with a plaited china handle decorated with gilt, and tiny, pink-tinted china roses. and these large, glass marbles containing little silver eagles inside; also this small, spun-glass ship and blue-and-pink-striped glass pipe. aunt sarah, some of your ancestors must have attended a glass blowers' exhibition in years past." "this branch of white coral, these large snail shells (when a child i remember holding them to my ear to hear a noise resembling the roar of the ocean), and this small basket, fashioned of twigs and tendrils of grape vine, then dipped in red sealing wax, certainly is a good imitation of coral, and this plate, containing a miniature ship composed of green postage stamps, we will place in your corner cupboard." "and, aunt sarah, i suppose this deep, glass-covered picture frame containing a bouquet of hair flowers, most wonderfully and fearfully made, was considered a work of art in days past and gone, as was also the crescent in a frame on the opposite side of the room, composed of flowers made of various seeds of grain and garden vegetables. those daisies, made of cucumber seeds with grains of red corn for centres, and those made of tiny grains of popcorn with a watermelon seed in centre, are cute. the latter look like breastpins with a circle of pearls around the edge. and this glass case on the table, containing a white cross, covered with wax tube roses, ivy leaves and fuchsias drooping from the arms of the cross, sparkling with diamond dust! the band of green chenille around its base matches the mat underneath, composed of green zephyr of different shades, knitted, then raveled to imitate moss, i suppose; and, no doubt, this marble-topped table has stood here for fifty years, in this same spot, for the express purpose of holding this beautiful (?) work of art." "the hair flowers and the seed wreath were made by john's sister," replied aunt sarah. "aunt sarah," exclaimed mary, "i've an original idea. this oval, marble-topped table has such strong, solid legs of black walnut, suppose we remove the marble slab and have a large, circular top made of wood at the planing mill? wait; i'll get my tape measure. about thirty-two inches in diameter will do. the new top we shall stain to match the walnut frame, and it could be easily fastened to the table with a couple of screws; and, after the marble top has been well scoured, we'll use it in the kitchen as a bake board on which to roll out pie crust." her aunt as usual acquiesced to all mary's suggestions. "you're a dear, aunt sarah!" exclaimed mary, as she gave her a hug, "and i'll embroider big, yellow daisies with brown centres of french knots on gray linen for a new table cover. won't they look just sweet?" "yes, mary, and i'll buy a large, new lamp with a pretty shade, as i feel sure your uncle will like to sit here evenings to read his papers and farm journals." "and don't forget the shriners' little magazine, _the crescent_, which amuses him so greatly. aunt sarah, i do wish those stiff, starchy-looking, blue-white nottingham lace curtains at the windows had grown yellow with age. they would be ever so much prettier and softer looking, and they are such a pretty, neat design, too." "oh!" replied her aunt, "that may be easily remedied. i'll just dip them into a little weak liquid coffee and that will give them a creamy tint, and take out the stiffness." "now," said mary, "what shall we do with these stiff, ugly, haircloth-covered chairs and sofa?" "why," replied aunt sarah, "we shall buy cretonne or art cloth, in pretty shades of brown and tan or green, to harmonize with the wall paper, and make slip covers for them all. we could never think of dispensing with the sofa. it is a very important article of furniture in german households. the hostess usually gives the person of greatest distinction among her guests the place of honor beside her on the sofa." "these chairs have such strong, well-made, mahogany frames it would be a pity not to use them. now," continued mary, "about the pictures on the wall. can't we consign them all to the attic? we might use some of the frames. i'll contribute unframed copies of 'the angelus' and 'the gleaners,' by millet; and i think they would fit into these plain mahogany frames which contain the very old-fashioned set of pictures named respectively 'the lovers,' 'the declaration,' 'the lovers' quarrel' and 'the marriage.' they constitute a regular art gallery. i'll use a couple of the frames for some small colonial and apple blossom pictures i have, that i just love, by wallace nutting. mine are all unframed; 'maiden reveries,' 'a canopied roof' and a 'ton of bloom,' i think are sweet. those branches of apple trees, covered with a mass of natural-looking pink blossoms, are exquisite." "yes," remarked aunt sarah, "they look exactly like our old baldwin, winesap and cider apple trees in the old, south meadow in the spring. and, mary, we'll discard those two chromos, popular a half century ago, of two beautiful cherubs called respectively, 'wide awake' and 'fast asleep,' given as premiums to a popular magazine. i don't remember if the magazine was 'godey's,' 'peterson's' or 'home queen'; they have good, plain, mahogany frames which we can use." "and, aunt sarah," said mary, "we can cut out the partition in this large, black-walnut frame, containing lithograph pictures of general george washington, 'the father of his country' (we are informed in small letters at the bottom of the picture), and of general andrew jackson, 'the hero of new orleans.' both men are pictured on horseback, on gayly-caparisoned, prancing white steeds, with scarlet saddle cloth, edged with gold bullion fringe. the generals are pictured clad in blue velvet coats with white facings of cloth or satin vest and tight-fitting knee breeches, also white and long boots reaching to the knee. gold epaulettes are on their shoulders, and both are in the act of lifting their old-fashioned continental hats, the advancing army showing faintly in the background. how gorgeously they are arrayed! we will use this frame for the excellent, large copy you have of 'the doctor' and the pictured faces of the german composers--beethoven, wagner, mendelssohn, haydn, schubert and mozart, which i have on a card with a shaded brown background, will exactly fit into this plain frame of narrow molding, from which i have just removed the old cardboard motto, 'no place like home,' done with green-shaded zephyr in cross-stitch." [illustration: a- an old sampler a- old woven basket a- wax cross a- old spinning wheel] "now, mary, with the couple of comfortable rockers which i intend purchasing, i think we have about finished planning our room." "if you are willing, aunt sarah, i should like to make some pretty green and brown cretonne slips to cover those square sofa pillows in place of the ones made of small pieces of puffed silk and the one of colored pieces of cashmere in log cabin design, i do admire big, fat, plain, comfortable pillows, for use instead of show. and we must have a waste paper basket near the table beside uncle john's chair. i shall contribute green satin ribbon for an immense bow on the side of the basket. oh! aunt sarah! you've forgotten all about this odd, woven basket, beside the what-not, filled with sea shells. i don't care for the shells, but the basket would make a lovely sewing basket." "you may have the basket, mary, if you like it. it came from panama, or perhaps it was bought at aspinwall by john's uncle, many years ago, when he came home on a visit from california, by way of the isthmus, to visit old friends and relatives. john's mother always kept it standing on the floor in one corner of the room beside the what-not." "aunt sarah, why was straw ever put under this carpet?" "the straw was put there, my dear, to save the carpet, should the boards on the floor be uneven. my mother was always particular about having _cut rye straw_, because it was softer and finer than any other. it was always used in those days instead of the carpet linings we now have. i remember sometimes, when the carpet had been newly laid, in our home, immediately after house cleaning time, the surface of the floor looked very odd; full of bumps and raised places in spots, until frequent walking over it flattened down the straw. this room happens to have a particularly good, even floor, as this part of the house was built many years later than the original, old farm house, else it would not do to have it painted." "aunt sarah, may i have the old spinning wheel in the attic? i'd love to furnish an old colonial bedroom when i have a home of my very own. i'll use the rag carpet you made me for the floor, the old-fashioned, high-post bed uncle john said i might have, and the 'new colonial' rugs you taught me to make. "yes, my dear, and there is another old grandfather's clock in the attic which you may have; and a high-boy also, for which i have no particular use." "aunt sarah, we shall not put away this really beautiful old sampler worked in silk by uncle john's grandmother when a girl of nine years. it is beautifully done, and is wonderful, i think. and what is this small frame containing a yellowed piece of paper cut in intricate designs, presumably with scissors?" "look on the back of the picture and see what is written there, my dear," said her aunt. mary slowly read: "'this is the only picture i owned before my marriage. i earned the money to buy it by gathering wheat heads.'" "it belonged to my grandmother," said aunt sarah. "in old times, after the reapers had left the field, the children were allowed to gather up the wheat remaining, and, i suppose, grandmother bought this picture with the money she earned herself, and considered it quite a work of art in her day. it is over one hundred years old." chapter xvii. an old song evening. aunt sarah and mary spent few idle moments while carrying out their plans for "doing over" the old parlor. finally, 'twas finished. mary breathed a sigh of satisfaction as the last picture was hung on the wall. she turned to her aunt, saying, "don't you think the room looks bright, cheery and livable?" "yes," replied her aunt, "and what is more essential, homey, i have read somewhere, 'a woman's house should be as personal a matter as a spider's web or a snail's shell; and all the thought, toil and love she puts into it should be preserved a part of its comeliness and homelikeness forever, and be her monument to the generations.'" "well, aunt sarah," replied mary, "i guess we've earned our monument. the air that blows over the fields, wafted in from the open window, is sweet with the scent of grain and clover, and certainly is refreshing. i'm dreadfully tired, but so delighted with the result of our labors. now we will go and 'make ready,' as sibylla says, before the arrival of ralph from the city. i do hope the ice cream will be frozen hard. the sunshine sponge cake, which i baked from a recipe the professor's wife gave me, is light as a feather. 'tis ralph's favorite cake. let's see; besides ralph there are coming all the schmidts, lucy robbins, the school teacher, and sibylla entertains her jake in the kitchen. i promised to treat him to ice cream; sibylla was so good about helping me crack the ice to use for freezing the cream. we shall have an 'old song evening' that will amuse every one." quite early, as is the custom in the country, the guests for the evening arrived; and both mary and aunt sarah felt fully repaid for their hard work of the past weeks by the pleasure john landis evinced at the changed appearance of the room. the professor's wife said, "it scarcely seems possible to have changed the old room so completely." aunt sarah replied, "paint and paper do wonders when combined with good taste, furnished by mary." during the evening one might have been forgiven for thinking professor schmidt disloyal to the mother country (he having been born and educated in heidelberg) had you overheard him speaking to ralph on his favorite subject, the "pennsylvania german." during a lull in the general conversation in the room mary heard the professor remark to ralph: "the pennsylvania germans are a thrifty, honest and industrious class of people, many of whom have held high offices. the first germans to come to america as colonists in pennsylvania were, as a rule, well to do. experts, when examining old documents of colonial days, after counting thousands of signatures, found the new york 'dutch' and the pennsylvania 'germans' were above the average in education in those days. their dialect, the so-called 'pennsylvania german' or 'dutch,' as it is erroneously called by many, is a dialect which we find from the tauber grund to frankfurt, a.m. as the german language preponderated among the early settlers, the language of different elements, becoming amalgamated, formed a class of people frequently called 'pennsylvania dutch'." professor harbaugh, d.d., has written some beautiful poems in pennsylvania german which an eminent authority, professor kluge, a member of the freiburg university, germany, has thought worthy to be included among the classics. they are almost identical with the poems written by nadler in heidelberger mundart, or dialect. mary, who had been listening intently to the professor, said, when he finished talking to ralph: "oh, please, do repeat one of professor harbaugh's poems for us." he replied, "i think i can recall several stanzas of 'das alt schulhaus an der krick.' another of professor harbaugh's poems, and i think one of the sweetest i have ever read, is 'heemweeh.' both poems are published in his book entitled 'harbaugh's harfe,' in pennsylvania german dialect, and possess additional interest from the fact that the translations of these poems, in the latter part of the same book, were made by the author himself." "oh, do repeat all that you remember of both the poems," begged mary. the professor consented, saying: "as neither you nor mr. jackson understand the pennsylvania german dialect, i shall translate them for you, after repeating what i remember. 'heemweeh' means homesickness, but first i shall give you 'das alt schulhaus an der krick'." [a]das alt schulhaus an der krick. heit is 's 'xactly zwansig johr, dass ich bin owwe naus; nau bin ich widder lewig z'rick un schteh am schulhaus an d'r krick, juscht neekscht an's dady's haus. ich bin in hunnert heiser g'west, vun marbelstee' un brick, un alles was sie hen, die leit, dhet ich verschwappe eenig zeit for's schulhaus an der krick. * * * * * der weisseech schteht noch an der dhier-- macht schatte iwwer's dach: die drauwerank is ah noch grie'-- un's amschel-nescht--guk juscht mol hi'-- o was is dess en sach! * * * * * do bin ich gange in die schul, wo ich noch war gans klee'; dort war der meeschter in seim schtuhl, dort war sei' wip, un dort sei' ruhl,-- ich kann's noch alles sch'. die lange desks rings an der wand-- die grose schieler drum; uf eener seit die grose mad, un dort die buwe net so bleed-- guk, wie sie piepe rum! * * * * * oh horcht, ihr leit, wu nooch mir lebt, ich schreib eich noch des schtick: ich warn eich, droll eich, gebt doch acht, un memmt uf immer gut enacht, des schulhaus an der krick! [footnote a: from "harbaugh's harfe." published by the publication and sunday school board of the reformed church, philadelphia, pa. used by permission.] the old school-house at the creek. today it is just twenty years, since i began to roam; now, safely back, i stand once more, before the quaint old school-house door, close by my father's home. i've been in many houses since, of marble built, and brick; though grander far, their aim they miss, to lure heart's old love from this old school-house at the creek. * * * * * the white-oak stands before the door, and shades the roof at noon; the grape-vine, too, is fresh and green; the robin's nest!--ah, hark!--i ween that is the same old tune! * * * * * 'twas here i first attended school, when i was very small; there was the master on his stool, there was his whip and there his rule-- i seem to see it all. the long desks ranged along the walls, with books and inkstands crowned; here on this side the large girls sat, and there the tricky boys on that-- see! how they peep around! * * * * * ye, who shall live when i am dead-- write down my wishes quick-- protect it, love it, let it stand, a way-mark in this changing land-- that school-house at the creek. heemweh. ich wees net was die ursach is-- wees net, warum ich's dhu: 'n jedes johr mach ich der weg der alte heemet zu; hab weiter nix zu suche dort-- kee' erbschaft un kee' geld; un doch treibt mich des heemgefiehl so schtark wie alle welt; nor'd schtart ich ewe ab un geh, wie owe schun gemeldt. wie nacher dass ich kumm zum ziel, wie schtarker will ich geh, for eppes in mei'm herz werd letz un dhut m'r kreislich weh. der letschte hiwel schpring ich nuf; un ep ich drowe bin, schtreck ich mich uf so hoch ich kann un guk mit luschte hin; ich seh's alt schtee'haus dorch die beem, un wott ich war schunm drin. * * * * * wie gleich ich selle babble beem, sie schtehn wie brieder dar; un uf'm gippel--g'wiss ich leb! hockt alleweil 'n schtaar! 's gippel biegt sich--guk, wie's gaunscht-- 'r hebt sich awer fescht; ich seh sei' rothe fliegle plehn, wann er sei' feddere wescht; will wette, dass sei' fraale hot uf sellem baam 'n nescht! * * * * * guk! werklich, ich bin schier am haus!-- wie schnell geht doch die zeit! wann m'r so in gedanke geht. so wees m'r net wie weit. dort is d'r schhap, die walschkornkrip, die seiderpress dort draus; dort is die scheier, un dort die schpring-- frisch quellt des wasser raus; un guk! die sehm alt klapbord-fens, un's dheerle vor'm haus. * * * * * zwee blatz sin do uf dare bortsch, die halt ich hoch in acht, bis meines lebens sonn versinkt in schtiller dodtes-nacht! wo ich vum alte vaterhaus 's erscht mol bin gange fort. schtand mei' mammi weinend da, an sellem rigel dort: un nix is mir so heilig nau als grade seller ort. * * * * * was macht's dass ich so dort hi' guk, an sell end vun der bank! weescht du's? mei' herz is noch net dodt, ich wees es, got sei dank! wie manchmal sass mai dady dort, am summer-nochmiddag, die hande uf der schoos gekreizt, sei schtock bei seite lag. was hot er dort im schtille g'denkt? wer mecht es wisse--sag? home-sick ness. i know not what the reason is: where'er i dwell or roam, i make a pilgrimage each year, to my old childhood home. have nothing there to give or get-- no legacy, no gold-- yet by some home-attracting power i'm evermore controlled; this is the way the homesick do, i often have been told. * * * * * as nearer to the spot i come more sweetly am i drawn; and something in my heart begins to urge me faster on. ere quite i've reached the last hilltop-- you'll smile at me, i ween!-- i stretch myself high as i can, to catch the view serene-- the dear old stone house through the trees with shutters painted green! * * * * * how do i love those poplar trees; what tall and stalely things! see! on the top of one just now a starling sits and sings. he'll fall!--the twig bends with his weight! he likes that danger best. i see the red upon his wings,-- dark shining is the rest. i ween his little wife has built on that same tree her nest. * * * * * see! really i am near the house; how short the distance seems! there is no sense of time when one goes musing in his dreams. there is the shop--the corn-crib, too-- the cider-press--just see! the barn--the spring with drinking cup hung up against the tree. the yard-fence--and the little gate just where it used to be. * * * * * two spots on this old friendly porch i love, nor can forget, till dimly in the night of death my life's last sun shall set! when first i left my father's house, one summer morning bright, my mother at that railing wept till i was out of sight! now like a holy star that spot shines in this world's dull night. * * * * * what draws my eye to yonder spot-- that bench against the wall? what holy mem'ries cluster there, my heart still knows them all! how often sat my father there on summer afternoon; hands meekly crossed upon his lap, he looked so lost and lone, as if he saw an empty world, and hoped to leave it soon. at the conclusion of his recital, mary heartily thanked the professor, and, at his request, obediently seated herself at the old, but still sweet-toned cottage organ, and expressed her willingness to play any old-time songs or hymns requested, and saying, "i know aunt sarah's favorite," commenced playing, "my latest sun is sinking fast," followed by "this old-time religion," "jesus, lover of my soul," "one of the sweet old chapters," "silver threads among the gold" and the sweet old hymn, "in the summer land of song," by fanny crosby. at john landis' request, she played and sang "auld lang syne." "when you and i were young, maggie," "old folks at home" and "old black joe." lucy robbins, when asked for her favorites, replied; "in the gloaming," "the old, old home'" "the lost chord" and "better bide a wee." the professor then asked his daughter elizabeth to give them the music of a song from german volkslied, or folk song, with the words of which all except mary and ralph were familiar. professor schmidt sang in his high, cracked voice to elizabeth's accompaniment the words of the german song, beginning: du, du liegest mir in herzen du, du liegst mir in sinn du, du machst mir viel schmerzen weist nicht wie gut ich dir binn ja, ja, ja, ja, du weist nicht wie gut ich dir bin. the young folks all joined in the chorus. fritz schmidt asked elizabeth to play "polly wolly doodle" for little pollykins, which frit sang with gusto. fritz then sang the rollicking german song, "lauderbach," to an accompaniment played by mary, and followed by singing "johnny schmoker," with appropriate gestures in the chorus commencing "my pilly, willy wink, das is mein fifa," etc., ending with "my fal, lal, lal, my whach, whach, das ist mein doodle soch," which he emphasised by shrugging his shoulders, to the no small enjoyment of the young folks, who thought the silly, old german song no end of fun. this was followed by a favorite college song, "mandalay," by fritz. then elizabeth schmidt played and sang a pretty little german song called "meuhlen rad," meaning the mill wheel, taught her by her mother. meuhlen rad. in einen kuhlen grunde da steht ein meuhlen rad; mein libste ist versch wunden, die dort gewhoned hat; sie sat mir treu versprochen, gab ihr ein ring dabei; sie hat die treu gebrochen, das ringlein sprang entzwei. she translated it for the benefit of ralph and mary: "in a cool, pleasant spot, stands a mill. my loved one, who lived there, has disappeared. she promised to be true to me, and i gave her a ring. she broke her promise and the ring broke in two." fritz then caught his little sister pauline around the waist and waltzed her to one end of the long room, saying: "mary, play the piece, 'put on your old gray bonnet,' and pollykins and i will do the cakewalk for you." polly, who had become quite a proficient little dancer under her sister's teaching, was very willing to do her share in the evening's entertainment, and it was pronounced a decided success. mary then said, "i'll play my favorite schottische, composed by our old friend, the professor. i have not yet procured a copy of his latest piece of music, 'the passing of the dahlias.' i think it is still with the publishers." mary, after playing "rock of ages," left the room to see about serving refreshments, when elizabeth schmidt took her place at the instrument. after playing "the rosary," she turned to ralph, who had been greatly amused by the german songs on the program, all of which were quite new to him, and said: "what shall i play for you?" he replied, "'my little irish rose'--no, i mean 'the river shannon.'" "don't you mean 'that grand old name called mary?'" mischievously inquired fritz schmidt, who could not refrain from teasing ralph, which caused a laugh at his expense, as all present were aware of his love for mary. elizabeth, to cover ralph's confusion, quickly replied: "i'll play my favorite, 'the end of a perfect day.'" the party was pronounced a success, and broke up at a late hour for country folks. before leaving, mary's uncle said: "now, let's sing 'home, sweet home,' and then all join in singing that grand old hymn, 'my country, 'tis of thee,' to the new tune by our friend, the bucks county editor." [illustration: palasades or narrows of nockamixon] chapter xviii. a visit to the "pennsylvania palisades," as the "narrows" of the delaware river are called. all hailed with delight aunt sarah's proposal that the schmidt and landis families, on the fourth of july, drive over to the narrows, visit aunt sarah's old home at nockamixon, and see the "ringing rocks" and "high falls," situated a short distance from the rocks, near which place picnics were frequently held. john landis readily agreed to the proposed plan, saying, "the meadow hay and clover are cut, and i'll not cut the wheat until the fifth day of july." the third of july was a busy day at both farm houses, preparing savory food of every description with which to fill hampers for the next day's outing. small polly schmidt was so perfectly happy, at the thought of a proposed picnic, she could scarcely contain herself, and as her sister elizabeth said, "did nothing but get in every one's way." little polly, being easily offended, trudged over to the landis farm to see mary, with whom she knew she was a great favorite. the morning of the fourth dawned bright and clear. quite early, while the earth was still enveloped in a silvery mist, and on the lattice work of filmy cobwebs, spun over weeds and grass, dewdrops, like tiny diamonds, sparkled and glistened, until dissolved by the sun's warm rays, the gay party left home, for the "palisades" were quite a distance from the farm, to drive being the only way of reaching the place, unless one boarded the gasoline motorcar, called the "cornfield express" by farmers living in the vicinity of schuggenhaus township. there is something indescribably exhilarating about starting for an early drive in the country before sunrise on a bright, clear morning in midsummer, when "the earth is awaking, the sky and the ocean, the river and forest, the mountain and plain." who has not felt the sweet freshness of early morning before "the sunshine is all on the wing" or the birds awaken and begin to chatter and to sing? there is a hush over everything; later is heard the lowing of cattle, the twitter of birds and hum of insect life, proclaiming the birth of the new day. passing an uncultivated field, overgrown with burdock, wild carrots, mullein, thistle and milk weed, mary alighted and gathered some of the pods of the latter, inclosing imitation of softest down, which she used later for filling sofa pillows. "look at those pretty wild canaries!" exclaimed aunt sarah, "yellow as gold, swinging on the stem of a tall weed." "professor schmidt, can you tell me the name of that weed?" questioned mary. "i have always admired the plant, with its large leaves and long, drooping racemes of crimson seeds. "that," replied the professor, "is a foreign plant, a weed called equisetum from 'equi,' a horse, and 'setum'--tail. the country folk hereabout call it 'horsetail.' it belongs to the crptogamous or flowerless plants. there are only four specimens of this plant in america. i, too, have always greatly admired the plant." the professor was quite a noted botanist. there were few flowers, plants or weeds of which he was ignorant of the name or medicinal value. another bird lazily picked seeds from the thistle blossoms. "see," exclaimed aunt sarah, "one bird has a spear of grass in its mouth!" "yellow star grass," said the professor, "with which to make a nest. they never mate until the last of june, or first part of july. the tiny, little robbers ate up nearly all my sunflower seeds in the garden last summer." "well," replied mary, "you know, professor, the birds must have food. they are the farmer's best friend. i hope you don't begrudge them a few sunflower seeds, i love birds. i particularly admire the 'baltimore oriole,' with their brilliant, orange-colored plumage; they usually make their appearance simultaneously with the blossoms in the orchard in the south meadow; or so aunt sarah tells me. i love to watch them lazily swinging on the high branches of tall trees. on the limb of a pear tree in the orchard one day, i saw firmly fastened, a long, pouch-like nest, woven with rare skill. securely fastened to the nest by various colored pieces of twine and thread was one of smaller size, like a lean-to added to a house, as if the original nest had been found too small to accommodate the family of young birds when hatched. the oriole possesses a peculiar, sweet, high-whistled trill, similar to this--'la-la-la-la,' which always ends with the rising inflection." fritz schmidt, who had been listening intently to mary, gravely remarked, "an oriole built a nest on a tall tree outside my bedroom window, and early every morning, before the family arise, i hear it sing over and over again what sounds exactly like 'lais die beevil!' which translated means 'read your bible'." "even the birds are 'dutch,' i believe, in bucks county," said fritz. "i think these must be german mennonites, there being quite a settlement of these honest, god-fearing people living on farms at no great distance from our place." [illustration: the canal at the narrows] as they drove along the country road, parallel with the delaware river, just before reaching the narrows. mary was greatly attracted by the large quantities of yellow-white "sweet clover," a weed-like plant found along the delaware river, growing luxuriantly, with tall, waving stems two to four feet high. the clover-like flowers, in long, loose racemes, terminating the branches, were so fragrant that, like the yellow evening primrose, the scent was noticeable long before one perceived the flowers. and, strange to tell, sweet clover was never known to grow in this locality until the seed was washed up on the bank of the river some ten or twelve years previous to the date of my story, when the delaware river was higher than it was ever before known to be. "the first place we shall visit," said aunt sarah, "will be my grandmother's old home, or rather, the ruins of the old home. it passed out of our family many years ago; doors and windows are missing and walls ready to tumble down. you see that old locust tree against one side the ruined wall of the house?" and with difficulty she broke a branch from the tree saying, "look, see the sharp, needle-shaped thorns growing on the branch! they were used by me when a child to pin my dolls' dresses together. in those days, pins were too costly to use; and look at that large, flat rock not far distant from the house! at the foot of that rock, when a child of ten, i buried the 'schild krote family' dolls, made from punk (when told i was too big a girl to play with dolls). i shed bitter tears, i remember. alas! the sorrows of childhood are sometimes deeper than we of maturer years realize." "why did you give your family of dolls such an odd name, aunt sarah?" questioned mary. "i do not remember," replied her aunt. "schild krote is the german name for turtle. i presume the name pleased my childish fancy." "suppose we visit my great-great-grandfather's grave in the near-by woods. i think i can locate it, although so many years have passed since i last visited it." passing through fields overgrown with high grass, wild flowers and clover, they came to the woods. surprising to say, scarcely any underbrush was seen, but trees everywhere--stately lebanon cedars, spruce and spreading hemlock, pin oaks, juniper trees which later would be covered with spicy, aromatic berries; also beech trees. witch hazel and hazel nut bushes grew in profusion. john landis cut a large branch from a sassafras tree to make a new spindle on which to wind flax, for aunt sarah's old spinning wheel (hers having been broken), remarking as he did so, "my mother always used a branch of sassafras wood, having five, prong-like branches for this purpose, when i was a boy, and she always placed a piece of sassafras root with her dried fruit." the professor's wife gathered an armful of yarrow, saying, "this is an excellent tonic and should always be gathered before the flowers bloom. i wonder if there is any boneset growing anywhere around here." boneset, a white, flowering, bitter herb, dearly beloved and used by the professor's wife as one of the commonest home remedies in case of sickness, and equally detested by both fritz and pauline. [illustration: the narrows or pennsylvania palisades] mary gathered a bouquet of wild carrot, or "queen anne's lace," with its exquisitely fine, lace-like flowers with pale green-tinted centres. mary's uncle could not agree with her in praise of the dainty wild blossoms. he said: "mary, i consider it the most detested weed with which i am obliged to contend on the farm." [illustration: top rock] after quite a long, tiresome walk in the hot sun, they discovered the lonely grave, covered with a slab of granite surrounded by a small iron railing and read the almost illegible date--"seventeen hundred and forty." ralph said, "if he ever sighed for a home in some vast wilderness, his wish is granted." it certainly was a lonely grave in the deep woods, and gave all the members of the party a sad and eerie feeling as they wended their way out into the sunlight again, to the waiting carriages, and were soon driving swiftly along the narrows, as they have been called from time immemorial by the inhabitants, although i prefer the name of pennsylvania palisades, as they are sometimes called. said professor schmidt: "numerous tourists visit the narrows every year. the narrows are said to resemble somewhat the palisades on the hudson. i have seen, the latter and think these greatly resemble them and are quite as interesting and picturesque." "the name narrows is derived from the fact that at this place the delaware river has forced itself through the rocky barrier," continued the professor, "hedged in on one side by cliffs of perpendicular rock, three hundred feet high, extending some distance along the river, leaving scarcely room at some places for the river and the canal. some quite rare plants grow here, said to be found in few other localities in the united states. you see the highest flat rock along the narrows? it is called 'top rock' and rises to a height of more than three hundred feet. we shall drive around within a short distance of it; then, after passing a small house, we are obliged to walk across a field of ploughed ground; follow the well-beaten path between trees and undergrowth, and 'top rock' is before us. stepping upon the high ledge of rock projecting out over the road beneath, we discover it may also be reached by following a precipitous path and clinging to bushes and trees, but none of the party venture. recently the body of a man who had been searching for rare birds' eggs on the side of this self-same rock was found dead on the path below the rocks. what caused his fall is not known. no wonder aunt sarah says it makes her dizzy when you boys skip stones across the river while standing on the rock." the beautiful view of the delaware river and the scenery on the opposite side was something long to be remembered. while the party were going into raptures over the beautiful sight, professor schmidt turned to mary and remarked: "in those rocks which rise in perpendicular bluffs, several hundred feet above the level of the river, are evidence that prehistoric man may have inhabited the caves in these same walls of rock along the delaware. from implements and weapons found, it does not require any great effort of imagination to believe the 'cave man' dwelt here many centuries ago." fritz schmidt was much interred in his father's conversation, and from that time on called ralph jackson mary's "cave man." leaving top rock, the party wended their way back to the waiting carriages in the road, and drove to the "ringing or musical rocks." they had been informed that their nearest approach to the rocks was to drive into the woods to reach them. passing a small shanty at the roadside, where a sign informed the passerby that soft drinks were to be obtained, the party dismounted and found, to their surprise, a small pavilion had been erected with bench, table and numerous seats composed of boards laid across logs, where camp meetings had formerly been held. as the large trees furnished shade, and a spring of fresh water was near by, they decided to "strike" camp and have lunch before going farther into the woods. aunt sarah and the professor's wife spread a snowy cloth over the rough wooden table, quickly unpacked the hampers, and both were soon busily engaged preparing sandwiches of bread, thinly sliced, pink cold ham and ground peanuts, fried chicken and beef omelette; opening jars of home-made pickles, raspberry jam and orange marmalade. "oh!" said pauline, "i'm so hungry for a piece of chocolate cake. let me help shell the eggs, so we can soon have dinner." "here's your fresh spring water," called fritz, as he joined the party, a tin pail in his hand, "we had such an early breakfast, i'm as hungry as a bear." the party certainly did full justice to the good things provided with a lavish hand by frau schmidt and aunt sarah. all were in high spirits. the professor quoted from the rubaiyat of omar khayyam-- here with a loaf of bread beneath the bough. a flask of wine, a book of verse and thou, beside me singing in the wilderness, and wilderness is paradise enow. ralph cast a look at marry, unnoticed by any one else, as much as to say, "the old tentmaker voiced my sentiments." [illustration: ringing rocks of bridgton township bucks county. pa.] [illustration: high falls] after the hampers had been repacked and stowed away in the carriages, they with the horses were left in the shade while the party walked to "high falls," at no great distance from the camp. "high falls," a beautiful waterfall about thirty feet high and fifty feet wide, is situated several hundred feet east of the ringing rocks. the water, before dashing below, passes over a large, solid, level floor of rock. after gazing at the falls and picturesque surroundings, they searched through the woods for the ringing rocks, a peculiar formation of rocks of irregular shape and size, branching out from a common centre in four directions. the rocks vary in size from a few pounds to several tons in weight. arriving there, aunt sarah said: "ralph, you will now find use for the hammer which i asked you to bring." ralph struck different rocks with the hammer, and fritz schmidt struck rocks with other pieces of rock, and all gave a peculiar metallic sound, the tones of each being different. the rocks are piled upon each other to an unknown depth, not a particle of earth being found between them, and not a bush or spear of grass to be seen. they occupy a space of about four and a half acres and are a natural curiosity well worth seeing. the young folks scrambled over the rocks for a time, and, having made them ring to their hearts' content, were satisfied to return to camp and supper. [illustration: big rock at rocky dale] "not far distant from high falls," said john landis, when all were comfortably seated near the table, with a sandwich in hand, "is a place called roaring rocks, also a freak of nature. i remember, when a boy, i always went there in the fall of the year, after the first hard frost, to pick persimmons. the water could he distinctly heard running underneath the rocks at a considerable depth." ralph jackson remarked to aunt sarah: "i never imagined there were so many interesting, natural features right here in bucks county." "oh, yes," exclaimed the impressible fritz schmidt, "we have a few things besides pigs and potatoes." "yes, ralph," said the professor, "there are still several places of interest you will like to see. 'stony garden' is another very interesting freak of nature. it is about two and a half miles from the small town of 'snitzbachsville,' as fritz calls the hamlet, and 'tis a wild spot. about an acre is covered with trap rock. the stones are of odd shapes and sizes and appear as if thrown into the forest in the wildest confusion. no earth or vegetation is found about them. 'tis said the rocks are similar to those found at fingal's cave, ireland, and also at the palisades on the hudson, and are not found anywhere else in this section of the country." "and ralph," said fritz, "i want to show you 'big rock,' at avondale, where a party of us boys camped one summer for two weeks. oh! but i remember the good pies given us by a farmer's wife who sold us milk and eggs, and who lived just across the fields from our camp." "i think," said john landis, "it is time we began hitching up our horses and starting for home. we have a long drive before us, and, therefore, must make an early start. sarah, get the rest of the party together and pack up your traps." at that moment the professor came in sight with an armful of ferns, the rich loam adhering to their roots, and said: "i'm sure these will grow." later he planted them on a shady side of the old farm house at "five oaks," where they are growing today. professor schmidt, after a diligent search, had found clinging to a rock a fine specimen of "seedum rhodiola," which he explained had never been found growing in any locality in the united states except maine. little pauline, with a handful of flowers and weeds, came trotting after mary, who carried an armful of creeping evergreen called partridge berry, which bears numerous small, bright, scarlet berries later in the season. ralph walked by her side with a basket filled to overflowing with quantities of small ferns and rock moss, with which to border the edge of the waiter on which mary intended planting ferns; tree moss or lichens, hepaticas, wild violets, pipsissewa or false wintergreen, with dark green, waxy leaves veined with a lighter shade of green; and wild pink geraniums, the foliage of which is prettier than the pink blossoms seen later, and they grow readily when transplanted. aunt sarah had taught mary how to make a beautiful little home-made fernery. by planting these all on a large waiter, banking moss around the edges to keep them moist and by planting them early, they would be growing finely when taken by her to the city in the fall of the year--a pleasant reminder of her trip to the "narrows" of the delaware river. frau schmidt brought up the rear, carrying huge bunches of mint, pennyroyal and the useful herb called "quaker bonnet." [illustration: the old towpath at the narrows] driving home at the close of the day, the twinkling lights in farm house windows they swiftly passed, were hailed with delight by the tired but happy party, knowing that each one brought them nearer home than the one before. to enliven the drowsy members of the party, fritz schmidt sang the following to the tune of "my old kentucky home," improvising as he sang: the moon shines bright on our "old bucks county home," the meadows with daisies are gay, the song of the whipporwill is borne on the breeze, with the scent of the new mown hay. oh! the narrows are great with their high granite peaks, and ringing rocks for ages the same; but when daylight fades and we're tired and cold, there's no place like "hame, clear alt hame." the last lingering rays of the sun idealized the surrounding fields and woods with that wonderful afterglow seen only at the close of day. the saffron moon appeared to rise slowly from behind the distant tree-tops, and rolled on parallel with them, and then ahead, as if to guide them on their way, and the stars twinkled one by one from out the mantle of darkness which slowly enveloped the earth. the trees they swiftly passed, when the moonbeams touched them, assumed gigantic, grotesque shapes in the darkness. mary quoted from a favorite poem, "the huskers," by whittier: 'till broad and red as when he rose, the sun sank down at last, and, like a merry guest's farewell, the day in brightness passed. and lo! as through the western pines, on meadow, stream and pond, flamed the red radiance of a sky, set all afire beyond. slowly o'er the eastern sea bluffs, a milder glory shone, and the sunset and the moon-rise were mingled into one! as thus into the quiet night, the twilight lapsed away, and deeper in the brightening moon the tranquil shadows lay. from many a brown, old farm house and hamlet without name, their milking and their home tasks done, the merry huskers came. "you mean 'the merry picknickers came,'" said fritz schmidt, as mary finished, "and here we are at home. good night, all." chapter xix. mary is taught to make pastry, patties and "rosen kuchen." mary's aunt taught her to make light, flaky pastry and pies of every description. in this part of bucks county a young girl's education was considered incomplete without a knowledge of pie-making. some of the commonest varieties of pies made at the farm were "rivel kuchen," a pie crust covered with a mixture of sugar, butter and flour crumbled together; "snitz pie," composed of either stewed dried apples or peaches, finely mashed through a colander, sweetened, spread over a crust and this covered with a lattice-work of narrow strips of pastry laid diamond-wise over the top of the pie; "crumb" pies, very popular when served for breakfast, made with the addition of molasses or without it; cheese pies, made of "smier kase;" egg custard, pumpkin and molasses pie. pies were made of all the different fruits and berries which grew on the farm. when fresh fruits were not obtainable, dried fruits and berries were used. pie made from dried, sour cherries was an especial favorite of farmer landis, and raisin or "rosina" pie, as it was usually called at the farm, also known as "funeral" pie, was a standby at all seasons of the year, as it was invariably served at funerals, where, in old times, sumptuous feasts were provided for relatives and friends, a regular custom for years among the "pennsylvania germans," and i have heard aunt sarah say, "in old times, the wives of the grave-diggers were always expected to assist with the extra baking at the house where a funeral was to be held." it would seem as if bucks county german housewives did not like a dessert without a crust surrounding it. the pennsylvania german farmers' wives, with few exceptions, serve the greatest variety of pies at a meal of any class of people i know; not alone as a dessert at twelve o'clock dinner, but frequently serve several different varieties of pie at breakfast and at each meal during the day. no ill effects following the frequent eating of pie i attribute to their active life, the greater part of which, during the day, was usually spent in the open air, and some credit may he due the housewife for having acquired the knack of making _good_ pie crust, which was neither very rich nor indigestible, if such a thing be possible. the combination of fruit and pastry called pie is thought to be of american invention. material for pies at a trifling cost were furnished the early settlers in bucks county by the large supply of fruit and vegetables which their fertile farms produced, and these were utilized by the thrifty german housewives, noted for their wise management and economy. the professor's wife taught mary to make superior pastry, so flaky and tender as to fairly melt in one's mouth; but mary never could learn from her the knack of making a dainty, crimped edge to her pies with thumb and forefinger, although it looked so very simple when she watched "frau schmidt" deftly roll over a tiny edge as a finish to the pie. mary laughingly told the professor's wife (when speaking of pies) of the brilliant remark she made about lard, on first coming to the farm. her aunt sarah, when baking pies one day, said to her, "look, mary, see this can of snowy lard, rendered from pork, obtained from our fat pigs last winter!" "why, aunt sarah!" exclaimed mary, "is lard made from pork fat? i always thought lard was made from milk and butter was made from cream." the professor's wife possessed, besides a liking for pies, the german's fondness for anything pertaining to fritters. she used a set of "wafer and cup irons" for making "rosen kuchen," as she called the flat, saucer-like wafer; and the cup used for serving creamed vegetables, salads, etc., was similar to pattie cases. "the 'wafer and cup irons,'" said frau schmidt, "were invented by a friend of mine, also a teacher and an excellent cook, besides; she gave me several of her original recipes, all to be served on wafers or in patties. you shall have a set of the irons when you start housekeeping. mary. you will be surprised at the many uses you will find for them. they are somewhat similar to rosette irons, but i think them an improvement. they are pieces of fluted steel fastened to a long handle and one is cup-shaped. this latter is particularly fine for making patties. then the cup may be filled and served on saucer-like wafers, which i call 'rosen kuchen,' or the 'rosen kuchen' may be simply dusted with a mixture consisting of one cup of sugar, one teaspoonful of cinnamon and a quarter teaspoonful of powdered cardamon seed, and served on a plate, as dainty cakes or wafers." aunt sarah, when cooking fritters, always used two-thirds lard and one-third suet for deep frying, but "frau schmidt" taught mary to use a good brand of oil for this purpose, as she thought food fried in oil more digestible and wholesome than when fried in lard. the patties or wafers were easily made. "frau schmidt" placed the long-handled iron in hot fat, the right temperature for frying fritters. when the iron was heated she quickly and carefully wiped off any surplus fat, then at once dipped the hot wafer iron into a bowl containing the batter she had prepared (the recipe for which she gave mary), then dipped the iron into the hot fat; when the batter had lightly browned she gently dropped it from the iron onto brown paper, to absorb any fat which might remain. these are quickly and easily prepared and, after a few trials, one acquires proficiency. pattie cases or cup-shapes are made in a similar manner. they are not expensive and may be kept several weeks in a cool, dry place. when wanted for table use, place in a hot oven a few minutes to reheat. they make a dainty addition to a luncheon by simply dusting the "rosen kuchen" with pulverised sugar. creamed vegetables of any variety may be served on them by placing a spoon of cream dressing on top of each, over which grate yolk of hard boiled egg; or use as a foundation on which to serve salads; or serve fruit on them with whipped cream. the patties or cups may be used to serve creamed chicken, oysters, or sweetbreads if no sugar be used in the batter. these pattie cases are exactly like those sold at delicatessen counters, in city stores, and are considered quite an addition to a dainty luncheon. they are rather expensive to buy, and we country housewives cannot always procure them when wanted, and they may be made at home with a small amount of labor and less expense. "the germans make fritters of almost everything imaginable," continued the professor's wife. "one day in early spring i saw a german neighbor gathering elderberry blossoms, of which she said she intended making fritters. i asked her how they were made, being curious, i will confess. she sent me a plate of the fritters and they were delicious. i will give you her recipe should you care for it. mary, have you ever eaten a small, sweet wafer called 'zimmet waffle?' my mother made them at christmas time, in germany. should i be able to procure a small 'waffle,' or i should call it wafer, iron, in the city, i will teach you how they are made. i think them excellent. my mother made a cake dough similar to that of pound cake. to one portion she added cinnamon, to the other chocolate, and the last portion was flavored with vanilla. a piece of dough the size of a small marble was placed in the wafer iron, which was then pressed together and held over the fire in the range, by a long handle, until the wafer was crisp and brown. they are delicious and will keep indefinitely." the professor's wife finished speaking to mary, and turned to her daughter elizabeth, saying, "it is time i mix the dough if we are to have 'boova shenkel' for dinner today. i see the potatoes have steamed tender." "oh, goody!" said pauline, "i just love 'boova shenkel!'" "then," said her mother, "run down into the cellar and get me three eggs for them, and mary, i'll write off the recipe for you, if you wish it, as i feel sure you'll like them as well as pauline. and elizabeth, dust powdered sugar over this plate of 'rosen kuchen,' and you, mary and pauline, leave this hot kitchen and have lunch out in the 'espalier,' as your father calls it." "i think," said mary to elizabeth, after they were seated in the shade, prepared to enjoy the "rosen kuchen," "this little, natural, home-grown summer-house is the oddest and prettiest little place i've ever seen." "yes," assented elizabeth, "father said he made it as nearly like as possible to a large one at weisbaden, no great distance from his old home in germany. he says the 'frauer esche,' meaning weeping ash, at weisbaden, had tables and benches placed beneath spreading branches of the tree, and picnics were frequently held there. this one was made by the larger branches of the weeping ash, turning downward, fastened by pieces of leather to a framework nailed to the top of posts in the ground, about two yards apart, surrounding the tree. the posts, you notice, are just a little higher than an ordinary man, and when the leaves thickly cover the tops and sides, protecting one from the sun's rays, it is an ideal summer-house. we frequently sit here evenings and afternoons; mother brings her sewing and pauline her doll family, which, you know, is quite numerous." "i never saw a summer-house at all like it," said mary. the professor's wife not only taught mary the making of superior pastry and the cooking of german dishes, but what was of still greater importance, taught her the value of different foods; that cereals of every description, flour and potatoes, are starchy foods; that cream, butter, oil, etc., are fat foods; that all fruits and vegetables contain mineral matter; and that lean meat, eggs, beans, peas and milk are muscle-forming foods. these are things every young housekeeper should have a knowledge of to be able to plan nourishing, wholesome, well-balanced meals for her family. and not to serve at one time a dish of rice, cheese and macaroni, baked beans and potatoes. serve instead with one of these dishes fruit, a vegetable or salad. she said, "beans have a large percentage of nutriment and should be more commonly used." she also said graham and corn bread are much more nutritious than bread made from fine white flour, which lacks the nutritious elements. indian corn is said to contain the largest amount of fat of any cereal. it is one of our most important cereal foods and should be more commonly used by housewives; especially should it be used by working men whose occupation requires a great amount of physical exercise. particularly in cold weather should it be frequently served, being both cheap and wholesome. the professor's wife laughingly remarked to mary, "when i fry fritters or 'fast nacht' cakes, fritz and pauline usually assist such a large number of them in disappearing before i have finished baking, i am reminded of 'doughnutting time,' by j.w. foley. have you never read the poem? i sometimes feel that it must have been written by me." [a]"doughnutting time." wunst w'en our girl wuz makin' pies an' doughnuts--'ist a lot-- we stood around with great, big eyes, 'cuz we boys like 'em hot; and w'en she dropped 'em in the lard, they sizzled 'ist like fun, and w'en she takes 'em out, it's hard to keep from takin' one. and 'en she says: "you boys'll get all spattered up with grease." and by-um-by she says she'll let us have 'ist one apiece; so i took one for me, and one for little james mcbride, the widow's only orfunt son, 'ats waitin' there outside. an' henry, he took one 'ist for himself an' nellie flynn, 'at's waitin' at the kitchen door and dassent to come in, becuz her mother told her not; and johnny, he took two, 'cus amey brennan likes 'em hot, 'ist like we chinnern do. 'en henry happened 'ist to think he didn't get a one for little ebenezer brink, the carpet beater's son, who never gets 'em home, becuz he says, he ain't quite sure, but thinks perhaps the reason wuz, his folkeses are too poor. an 'en i give my own away to little willie biggs 'at fell down his stairs one day, an' give him crooked legs, 'cuz willie always seems to know w'en our girl's goin' to bake. he wouldn't ast for none. oh, no! but, my! he's fond of cake. so i went back an' 'en i got another one for me, right out the kittle smokin' hot, an' brown as it could be; an' john he got one, too, becuz he give his own to clare, an' w'en our girl she looked, there wuz 'ist two small doughnuts there. my! she wuz angry w'en she looked an' saw 'ist them two there, an' says she knew 'at she had cooked a crock full an' to spare; she says it's awful 'scouragin' to bake and fret an' fuss, an' w'en she thinks she's got 'em in the crock, they're all in us. [footnote a: the poem "doughnutting time," from "boys and girls," published by e.p. dutton, by permission of the author, james w. foley.] * * * * * * * the professor's wife gave mary what she called her most useful recipe. she said, "mary, this recipe was almost invaluable to me when i was a young housekeeper and the strictest economy was necessary. sift into a bowl, one cup of flour, one even teaspoonful of baking powder (i use other baking powders occasionally, but prefer 'royal'), then cut through the flour either one tablespoonful of butter or lard, add a pinch of salt, and mix into a soft dough with about one-half cup of sweet milk. mix dough quickly and lightly, handling as little as possible. drop large spoonfuls of the batter in muffin pans and bake in a quick oven for tea biscuits; or, sift flour thickly over the bread board, turn out the dough, roll several times in the flour, give one quick turn with the rolling-pin to flatten out dough, and cut out with small cake cutter, (i prefer using a small, empty tin, / pound baking powder can, to cut out cakes.) place close together in an agate pan and bake, or bake in one cake in a pie tin and for shortcake; or place spoonfuls of the dough over veal or beef stew and potatoes or stewed chicken, and cook, closely covered, about fifteen minutes. of course, you will have sufficient water in the stew pan to prevent its boiling away before the pot-pie dumplings are cooked, and, of course, you know, mary, the meat and potatoes must be almost ready to serve when this dough is added. then i frequently add one teaspoonful of sugar to the batter and place spoonfuls over either freshly stewed or canned sour cherries, plums, rhubarb or apples. in fact, any tart fruit may be used, and steam, closely covered, or place large tablespoonful of any fruit, either canned or stewed, in small custard cups, place tablespoonfuls of batter on top and steam or bake, and serve with either some of the stewed fruit and fruit juice, sugar and cream, or any sauce preferred." "the varieties of puddings which may be evolved from this one formula," continued the professor's wife, "are endless, and, mary, i should advise you to make a note of it. this quantity of flour will make enough to serve two at a meal, and the proportions may be easily doubled if you wish to serve a large family." "then, mary, i have a recipe taken from the 'farmers' bulletin' for dumplings, which i think fine. you must try it some time. your aunt sarah thinks them 'dreadfully extravagant.' they call for four teaspoonfuls of baking powder to two cups of flour, but they are perfect puff balls, and this is such a fast age, why not use more baking powder if an advantage? i am always ready to try anything new i hear about." "yes," replied mary, "i just love to try new recipes, i will experiment with the dumplings one of these days. aunt sarah says i will never use half the recipes i have; but so many of them have been given me by excellent and reliable old bucks county cooks, i intend to copy them all in a book, and keep for reference after i leave the farm." chapter xx. old potteries and decorated dishes. one day, looking through the old corner cupboard, mary exclaimed, "aunt sarah, you certainly possess the finest collection of quaint old china dishes i have ever seen. i just love those small saucers and cups without handles; yes, and you have plates to match decorated with pinkish, lavender peacock feathers, and those dear little cups and saucers, decorated inside with pink and outside with green flowers, are certainly odd; and this queerly-shaped cream jug, sugar bowl and teapot, with pale green figures, and those homely plates, with dabs of bright red and green, they surely must be very old!" [illustration: old earthenware dish] "yes, dear, they all belonged to either john's mother or mine. all except this one large, blue plate, which is greatly valued by me, as it was given me many years ago by a dear old friend, mary butler, a descendant of one of the oldest families in wyoming valley, whose, forefathers date back to the time of the 'wyoming massacre,' about which so much has been written in song and story. "the very oddest plates in your collection are those two large earthenware dishes, especially that large circular dish, with sloping sides and flat base, decorated with tulips." [illustration: sgraffito plate manufactured by one of the oldest pennsylvania german potterers in ] "yes, mary, and it is the one i value most highly. it is called sgraffito ware. a tulip decoration surrounds a large red star in the centre of the plate. this belonged to my mother, who said it came from the headman pottery at rockhill township, about the year . i know of only two others in existence at the present time; one is in a museum in the city of philadelphia and the other one is in the bucks county historical society at doylestown, pa. the other earthenware plate you admire, containing marginal inscription in german which when translated is 'this plate is made of earth, when it breaks the potter laughs,' is the very oldest in my collection, the date on it, you see, is . those curved, shallow earthenware pie plates, or 'poi schissel,' as they are frequently called in this part of bucks county, i value, even if they are quite plain and without decoration, as they were always used by my mother when baking pies, and i never thought pies baked in any other shaped dish tasted equally as good as hers. these pie plates were manufactured at one of the old potteries near her home. all the old potters have passed away, and the buildings have crumbled to the ground. years ago, your mother and i, when visiting the old farm where the earlier years of our childhood were passed, stopped with one of our old-time friends, who lived directly opposite the old herstine pottery, which was then in a very dilapidated condition; it had formerly been operated by cornelius herstine (we always called him 'neal' herstine)." [illustration: old plates found in aunt sarah's corner cupboard] "together we crossed the road, forced our way through tangled vines and underbrush, and, peering through windows guiltless of glass, we saw partly-finished work of the old potters crumbling on the ground. the sight was a sad one. we realized the hand of time had crumbled to dust both the potter and his clay. still nearer my old home was the mcentee pottery. from earliest childhood our families were friends. we all attended the 'crossroads' school, where years later a more modern brick structure was built, under the hill; not far distant from 'the narrows' and the 'ringing rocks.' yes, mary, my memory goes back to the time when the mcentee pottery was a flourishing industry, operated by three brothers, john, patrick and michael. when last i visited them but few landmarks remained." "was there a pottery on your father's farm, aunt sarah?" inquired mary. "no. the nearest one was the mcentee pottery, but the grandson of the old man who purchased our old farm at my father's death had a limekiln for the purpose of burning lime, and several miles distant, at the home of my uncle, was found clay suitable for the manufacture of bricks. only a few years ago this plant was still in operation. my father's farm was situated in the upper part of bucks county, in what was then known as the nockamixon swamp, and at one time there were in that neighborhood no less than seven potteries within two miles of each other." "why," exclaimed mary, "were there so many potteries in that locality?" "'twas due, no doubt, to the large deposits of clay found there, well suited to the manufacture of earthenware. the soil is a clayey loam, underlaid with potter's clay. the old german potters, on coming to this country, settled mostly in eastern pennsylvania, in the counties of bucks and montgomery. the numerous small potteries erected by the early settlers were for the manufacture of earthenware dishes, also pots of graded sizes. these were called nests, and were used principally on the farm for holding milk, cream and apple-butter. jugs and pie plates were also manufactured. the plates were visually quite plain, but they produced occasionally plates decorated with conventionalized tulips, and some, more elaborate, contained besides figures of animals, birds and flowers. marginal inscriptions in english and german decorate many of the old plates, from which may be learned many interesting facts concerning the life and habits of the early settlers. i think, judging from the inscriptions i have seen on some old plates, it must have taxed the ingenuity of the old german potters to think up odd, original inscriptions for their plates." "aunt sarah, how was sgraffito ware made? is it the same as slip-decorated pottery?" "no, my dear, the two are quite different. the large plate you so greatly admired is called sgraffito or scratched work, sometimes called slip engraving. it usually consists of dark designs on a cream-colored ground. after the plates had been shaped over the mold by the potter, the upper surface was covered by a coating of white slip, and designs were cut through this slip to show the earthenware underneath. this decoration was more commonly used by the old potters than slip decorating, which consisted in mixing white clay and water until the consistency of cream. the liquid clay was then allowed to run slowly through a quill attached to a small cup, over the earthenware (before burning it in a kiln) to produce different designs. the process is similar to that used when icing a cake, when you allow the icing to run slowly from a pastry tube to form fanciful designs. i have watched the old potters at their work many a time when a child. the process employed in the manufacture of earthenware is almost the same today as it was a century ago, but the appliances of the present day workmen are not so primitive as were those of the old german potters. mary, a new pottery works has been started quite lately in the exact locality where, over one hundred years ago, were situated the dichl and headman potteries, where my highly-prized, old sgraffito plate was manufactured. i hear the new pottery has improved machinery for the manufacture of vases, flower pots, tiles, etc. they intend manufacturing principally 'spanish tiles' from the many acres of fine clay found at that place. the clay, it is said, burns a beautiful dark, creamy red. as you are so much interested in this subject, mary, we shall visit this new pottery some day in the near future, in company with your uncle john. it is no great distance from the farm. quite an interesting story i have heard in connection with a pottery owned by a very worthy quaker in a near-by town may interest you, as your father was a philadelphia quaker and ralph's parents were quakers also." [illustration: a- schmutz amschel] [illustration: a- antiquated tin lantern] [illustration: a- schmutz amschel] [illustration: a- fluid lamp] [illustration: a- candle mould] "yes, indeed, aunt sarah! i'd love to hear the story." "this quaker sympathized with the colored race, or negroes, in the south. this was, of course, before slavery was abolished. you don't remember that time, mary, you are too young. it is only history to you, but i lived it, and when the slaves ran away from their owners and came north to philadelphia they were sent from there, by sympathizers, to this quaker, who kept an underground station. the slaves were then placed, under his direction, in a high 'pot wagon,' covered with layers or nests of earthenware pots of graduated sizes. i heard the driver of one of these pot wagons remark one time that when going down a steep hill, he put on the brake and always held his breath until the bottom of the hill was reached, fearing the pots might all be broken. the wagon-load containing earthenware and slaves was driven to stroudsburg, where the pots were delivered to a wholesale customer. here the runaways were released from their cramped quarters and turned over to sympathizing friends, who assisted them in reaching canada and safety. i have frequently met the fine-looking, courtly old gentleman who owned the pottery, and old zacariah mast, the skilled german potter whom he employed. they were for many years familiar figures in the little quaker town, not many miles distant. both passed away many years ago." mary, who still continued her explorations of the corner cupboard, exclaimed: "oh! aunt sarah! here is another odd, old plate, way back on the lop shelf, out of sight." "yes, dear, that belonged to your uncle john's mother. it has never been used and was manufactured over one hundred years ago at an old pottery in bedminister township, bucks county. some of those other quaint, old-fashioned plates also belonged to john's mother. your uncle loves old dishes and especially old furniture; he was so anxious to possess his grandfather's old 'solliday' clock. in the centre of the face of the clock a hand indicated the day of the month and pictures of two large, round moons on the upper part of the clock's face (resembling nothing so much as large, ripe peaches) represented the different phases of the moon. if new moon, or the first or last quarter, it appeared, then disappeared from sight. it was valued highly, being the last clock made by the old clockmaker; but john never came into possession of it, as it was claimed by an elder sister. i value the old clock which stands in the parlor because 'twas my mother's, although it is very plain. this old cherry, corner cupboard was made for my grandmother by her father, a cabinetmaker, as a wedding gift, and was given me by my mother. did you notice the strong, substantial manner in which it is made? it resembles mission furniture." "do tell me, aunt, what this small iron boat, on the top shelf, was ever used for? it must be of value, else 'twould not occupy a place in the cupboard with all your pretty dishes." "yes, dearie, 'twas my grandmother's lamp, called in old times a 'schmutz amschel' which, translated, means a grease robin, or bird. i have two of them. i remember seeing my grandmother many a time, when the 'amschel' was partly filled with melted lard or liquid fat, light a piece of lamp wick hanging over the little pointed end or snout of the lamp. the lamp was usually suspended from a chain fastened to either side. a spike on the chain was stuck into the wall, which was composed of logs. this light, by the way, was not particularly brilliant, even when one sat close beside it, and could not be compared with the gas and electric lights of our present day and generation. that was a very primitive manner of illumination used by our forefathers. "mary, did you notice the gayly-decorated, old-fashioned coffee pot and tea caddy in the corner cupboard? they belonged to my grandmother; also that old-fashioned fluid lamp, used before coal-oil or kerosene came into use; and that old, perforated tin lantern also is very ancient. "mary, have you ever read the poem, the potter and the clay?' no? then read it to me, dear, i like it well; 'tis a particular favorite of mine, i do not remember by whom it was written." the potter and the clay. (jeremiah xviii - .) the potter wrought a work in clay, upon his wheel; he moulded it and fashioned it, and made it feel, in every part, his forming hand, his magic skill, until it grew in beauty fair beneath his will. when lo! through some defect, 'twas marred and broken lay, its fair proportions spoiled, and it but crumbling clay; oh, wondrous patience, care and love, what did he do? he stooped and gathered up the parts and formed anew. he might have chosen then a lump of other clay on which to show his skill and care another day, but no; he formed it o'er again, as seemed him good; and who has yet his purpose scanned, his will withstood? learn thou from this a parable of god's great grace toward the house of israel, his chosen race; he formed them for his praise; they fell and grieved him sore, but he will yet restore and bless them evermore. and what he'll do for israel, he'll do for thee; oh soul, so marred and spoiled by sin, thou yet shall see that he has power to restore, he will receive, and thou shall know his saving grace, only believe. despair not, he will form anew thy scattered life, and gather up the broken parts, make peace from strife; only submit thou to his will of perfect love, and thou shall see his fair design in heaven above. chapter xxi. the value of wholesome, nutritious food. "yes, my dear," said frau schmidt (continuing a conversation which had occurred several days previously between herself and mary), "we will have more healthful living when the young housewife of the present day possesses a knowledge of different food values (those food products from which a well-balanced meal may be prepared) for the different members of her household. she should endeavor to buy foods which are most nourishing and wholesome; these need not necessarily consist of the more expensive food products. cheaper food, if properly cooked, may have as fine a flavor and be equally as nutritious as that of higher price. "and, mary, when you marry and have a house to manage, if possible, do your own marketing, and do not make the mistake common to so many young, inexperienced housewives, of buying more expensive food than, your income will allow. some think economy in purchasing food detrimental to their dignity and to the well-being of their families; often the ones most extravagant in this respect are those least able to afford it. frequently the cause of this is a lack of knowledge of the value of different foods. the housewife with a large family and limited means should purchase cheaper cuts of meat, which become tender and palatable by long simmering. combine them with different vegetables, cooked in the broth, and serve as the principal dish at a meal, or occasionally serve dumplings composed of a mixture of flour and milk, cooked in the broth, to extend the meat flavor. frequently serve a dish of rice, hominy, cornmeal and oatmeal, dried beans and peas. these are all nutritious, nourishing foods when properly cooked and attractively served. and remember, mary, to always serve food well seasoned. many a well-cooked meal owes its failure to please to a lack of proper seasoning. this is a lesson a young cook must learn. neither go to the other extreme and salt food too liberally. speaking of salt, my dear, have you read the poem, 'the king's daughters,' by margaret vandegrift? if not, read it, and then copy it in your book of recipes." "the king's daughters." the king's three little daughters, 'neath the palace window straying, had fallen into earnest talk that put an end to playing; and the weary king smiled once again to hear what they were saying; "it is i who love our father best," the eldest daughter said; "i am the oldest princess," and her pretty face grew red; "what is there none can do without? i love him more than bread." then said the second princess, with her bright blue eyes aflame; "than bread, a common thing like bread! thou hast not any shame! glad am i, it is i, not thou, called by our mother's name; i love him with a better love than one so tame as thine, more than--oh! what then shall i say that is both bright and fine? and is not common? yes, i know. i love him more than wine." then the little youngest daughter, whose speech would sometimes halt, for her dreamy way of thinking, said, "nay, you are both in fault. 'tis i who love our father best, i love him more than salt." shrill little shrieks of laughter greeted her latest word, as the two joined hands exclaiming. "but this is most absurd!" and the king, no longer smiling, was grieved that he had heard, for the little youngest daughter, with her eyes of steadfast grey, could always move his tenderness, and charm his care away; "she grows more like her mother dead," he whispered day by day, "but she is very little and i will find no fault, that while her sisters strive to see who most shall me exalt, she holds me nothing dearer than a common thing like salt." the portly cook was standing in the courtyard by the spring, he winked and nodded to himself, "that little quiet thing knows more than both the others, as i will show the king." that afternoon, at dinner, there was nothing fit to eat. the king turned angrily away from soup and fish and meat, and he found a cloying sweetness in the dishes that were sweet; "and yet," he muttered, musing, "i cannot find the fault; not a thing has tasted like itself but this honest cup of malt." said the youngest princess, shyly: "dear father, they want salt." a sudden look of tenderness shone on the king's dark face, as he sat his little daughter in the dead queen's vacant place, and he thought: "she has her mother's heart; ay, and her mother's grace; great love through channels will find its surest way. it waits not state occasions, which may not come or may; it comforts and it blesses, hour by hour, and day by day." chapter xxii. a variety of cakes evolved from one "aunt sarah," questioned mary one day, "will you tell me how it is possible to evolve a number of cakes from one recipe?" "certainly i will, my dear," said her aunt. "for instance, take the simple recipe from which i have for years baked layer cake. you may have other recipes given you, equally as good, but i feel positive none better. the cake made from this recipe is not rich enough to be unwholesome, but a good, reliable, inexpensive, easily-made cake, with which i have never had a failure. "the recipe, as you know, consists of - / cups of granulated sugar, / cup of a mixture of butter and sweet lard (or use all butter), / cup sweet milk, cups flour and teaspoonfuls baking powder. eggs. "the simplest manner of baking this cake is in two square cake pans. when baked, take from pans and ice each cake with a boiled chocolate icing and put together as a layer cake, or ice each cake with a plain, boiled white icing and, when this is cold, you may spread over top of each cake unsweetened chocolate, which has been melted over steam after being grated. when cake is to be served, cut in diamonds or squares. or add to the batter cup of chopped hickory nut meats, bake in layers and cut in squares. "for a chocolate loaf cake, add two generous tablespoonfuls of unsweetened melted chocolate to the batter just before baking. if you wish a chocolate layer cake, use the same batter as for the chocolate loaf cake, bake in two layer pans and put together with white boiled icing. "or, add to this same batter one scant teaspoonful of cinnamon, ginger, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg and cloves, a cup of raisins or dried currants, and you have a small fruit cake. "or, add a small quantity of thinly-shaved citron to the original recipe, flavor with lemon, bake in a loaf and spread a white icing flavored with lemon extract over top of cake, and you have a lemon cake. "or, add chocolate and spices to one-half the batter (about one-half as much chocolate and spices as were used in batter for fruit cake) and place spoonfuls of the light and dark batter alternately in a cake pan, until all batter has been used, and you will have a cheap, old-fashioned marble cake. "or, bake cake over original recipe, in two-layer pans, placing between layers either tart jelly, a creamy cornstarch filling, grated cocoanut, apple cream filling, or you might even use half the recipe given for the delicious icing or filling for lady baltimore cake. "lastly, bake small cakes from this same recipe. mary, you should have small pans for baking these delicious little cakes, similar to those i possess, which i ordered made at the tinsmith's. i took for a pattern one frau schmidt loaned me. they are the exact size of one-quarter pound boxes of royal baking powder. cut the box in three pieces of equal height, and your cakes will be equally as large in diameter as the baking powder box, but only one-third as high. i think i improved on frau schmidt's cake tins, as hers were all separate, i ordered twelve tins, similar to hers, to be fastened to a piece of sheet iron. i had two of these iron sheets made, containing twenty-four little pans. i place a generous tablespoonful of the batter in each of the twenty-four small pans, and cakes rise to the top of pans. usually i have batter remaining after these are filled. ice all the cake except the top with a white boiled icing or chocolate icing. these small cakes keep exceedingly well, and are always liked by young folks and are particularly nice for children's parties". "speaking of cakes, aunt sarah," said mary, "have you ever used swansdown cake flour? i have a friend in the city who uses it for making the most delicious angel cake, and she gave me a piece of gold cake made over a recipe in 'cake secrets,' which comes with the flour, and it was fine. i'll get a package of the flour for you the first time i go to the city. the flour resembles a mixture of ordinary flour and cornstarch. it is not a prepared flour, to be used without baking powder, and you use it principally for baking cakes. i have the recipe for both the gold and angel cakes, with the instructions for baking same. they are as follows:" angel cake. "for the angel cake, use one even cupful of the whites of egg (whites of either eight large or nine small eggs); a pinch of salt, if added when beating eggs, hastens the work. one and one-quarter cups granulated sugar, cup of iglehart's swansdown cake flour. sift flour once, then measure and sift three times. beat whites of eggs about half, add / teaspoonful of cream of tartar then beat whites of eggs until they will stand of their own weight. add sugar, then flour, not by stirring, but by folding over and over, until thoroughly mixed. flavor with / teaspoonful of vanilla or a few drops of almond extract. as much care should be taken in baking an angel food cake as in mixing. bake in an ungreased patent pan. place the cake in an oven that is just warm enough to know there is a fire inside the range. let the oven stay just warm through until the batter has raised to the top of the cake pan, then increase the heat gradually until the cake is well browned over. if by pressing the top of the cake with the finger it will spring back without leaving the impression of the finger, the cake is done through. great care should be taken that the oven is not too hot to begin with, as the cake will rise too fast and settle or fall in the baking. it should bake in from to minutes' time. when done, invert the pan and let stand until cold before removing it. should you see cake browning before it rises to top of pan, throw your oven door open and let cold air rush in and cool your oven instantly. be not afraid. the cold air will not hurt the cake. two minutes will cool any oven. watch cake closely. don't be afraid to open oven door every three or four minutes. this is the only way to properly bake this cake. when cake has raised above top of pan, increase your heat and finish baking rapidly. baking too long dries out the moisture, makes it tough and dry. when cake is done it begins to shrink. let it shrink back to level of pan. watch carefully at this stage and take out of oven and invert immediately. rest on centre tube of pan. let hang until perfectly cold, then take cake carefully from pan. when baking angel cake always be sure the oven bakes good brown under bottom of cake. if cake does not crust under bottom it will fall out when inverted and shrink in the fall." "i never invert my pans of angel cake on taking them from oven," said mary's aunt, "as the cakes are liable to fall out even if the pan is not greased. i think it safer to allow the pans containing the cakes to stand on a rack and cool without inverting the pan. "suppose, mary, we bake a gold cake over the recipe from 'cake secrets,' as eggs are plentiful; but we haven't any swansdown flour. i think we will wait until we get it from the city." gold cake. yolks of eggs; - / cups granulated sugar, / cup of butter, / cup water, - / cups of swansdown cake flour, heaping teaspoonfuls of baking powder, / teaspoonful lemon extract. sift flour once, then measure. add baking powder and sift three times. cream butter and sugar thoroughly; beat yolks to a stiff froth; add this to creamed butter and sugar, and stir thoroughly through. add flavor, add water, then flour. stir very hard. place in a slow oven at once. will bake in from to minutes. invert pan immediately it is taken from oven. mary, this batter may also be baked in layers with any kind of filling desired. the angel cake receipt is very similar to an original recipe frau schmidt gave me; she uses cornstarch instead of swansdown flour and she measures the eggs in a cup instead of taking a certain number; she thinks it more exact. "aunt sarah, did you know frau schmidt, instead of using flour alone when baking cakes, frequently uses a mixture of flour and cornstarch? she sifts together, several times, six cups of flour and one cup of cornstarch, and uses this instead of using flour alone. "i dearly love the professor's wife--she's been so very good to me," exclaimed mary. "yes," replied her aunt, "she has very many lovable qualities." mary's liking for bright, energetic frau schmidt was not greater than the affection bestowed on mary by the professor's wife, who frequently entertained mary with tales of her life when a girl in germany, to all of which mary never tired listening. one aunt, a most estimable woman, held the position of valued and respected housekeeper and cook for the lord mayor of the city wherein she resided. another relative, known as "schone anna," for many years kept an inn named "the four seasons," noted for the excellent fare served by the fair chatelaine to her patrons. the inn was made famous by members of the king's household stopping there while in the town during the summer months, which was certainly a compliment to her good cooking. one of the things in which she particularly excelled was potato cakes raised with yeast. frau schmidt had been given a number of these valuable recipes by her mother, all of which she offered to mary. one recipe she particularly liked was "fast nacht cakes," which the professor's wife baked always without fail on shrove tuesday (or "fast nacht" day), the day before the beginning of lent. this rule was as "unchangeable as the law of medes and persians," and it would have been a very important event, indeed, which would have prevented the baking of these toothsome delicacies on that day. chapter xxiii. the old "taufschien." [illustration: birth and christening certificate old taufschien] aunt sarah had long promised to show mary her grandmother's "taufschien," and she reverently handled the large old family bible, which contained between its sacred pages the yellowed paper, being the birth and christening certificate of her grandmother, whom we read was born in , in nockamixon township, was confirmed in , and was married in to the man who was later aunt sarah's grandfather. the old certificate was signed by a german reformed minister named wack, who history tells us was the first young man of that denomination to be ordained to the ministry in america. folded with this "taufschien" is another which has never been filled out. this is printed in german. pictures of women, perhaps they are intended to represent angels, with golden wings, clothed in loose-flowing crimson drapery and holding harps in their hands; birds with gayly-colored plumage of bluish green, crimson and yellow, perched on branches of what presumably represent cherry trees, also decorate the page. religious hymns printed on the "taufschiens," encircled with gay stripes of light blue and yellow, dotted with green, further embellish them. on one we read: "infinite joy or endless woe, attend on every breath; and yet, how unconcerned we go upon the brink of death." "mary, this old 'taufschien' of my grandmother's is one of my most cherished possessions. would you like to see your uncle's old deed, which he came into possession of when he inherited the farm from his father?" carefully unfolding the stiff old parchment or pigskin deed, yellowed and brown spotted with age, mary could faintly decipher the writing wherein, beautifully written, old-fashioned penmanship of two hundred years ago stated that a certain piece of land in bucks county, beginning at a chestnut oak, north to a post; then east to a large rock, and on the south unsettled land, which in later years was conveyed to john landis. "this deed," said mary's aunt, "was given in , nearly two hundred years ago, by john, thomas and richard penn, sons of william penn by his second marriage, which occurred in america. his eldest son, john penn, you have no doubt heard, was called 'the american,' he having been born in this country before william penn's return to europe, where he remained fifteen years, as you've no doubt heard." at the bottom of the deed a blue ribbon has been slipped through cuts in the parchment, forming a diamond which incloses what is supposed to be the signature of thomas penn. "aunt sarah, i am not surprised that you value this old deed of the farm and these 'taufschiens' of your grandmother i should frame them, so they may be preserved by future generations." chapter xxiv. the old store on the ridge road. aunt sarah found in mary a willing listener when talking of the time in years past when her grandfather kept a small "country store" on the ridge road in bucks county. she also remembered, when a child of ten, accompanying her grandfather on one of his trips when he drove to philadelphia to purchase goods for his store. "they had no trolley cars in those days?" asked mary. "no, my dear, neither did they have steam cars between the different towns and cities as we have now." "at grandfather's store could be bought both groceries and dry goods. the surrounding farmers' wives brought to the store weekly fresh print butter, eggs, pot cheese and hand-case, crocks of apple-butter, dried sweet corn, beans, cherries, peach and apple 'snitz,' taking in exchange sugar, starch, coffee, molasses, etc. my father tapped his sugar maples and mother cooked down the syrup until thick, and we used that in place of molasses. they also took in exchange shaker flannel, nankeen, indigo blue and 'simpson' gray calico, which mother considered superior to any other, both for its washing and wearing qualities. the farmers who came occasionally to the store to shop for different members of the family frequently bought whole pieces of calico of one pattern, and," affirmed aunt sarah, "i knew of one farmer who bought several whole pieces of one pattern with rather large figures on a dark wine ground, resembling somewhat the gay figures on an old paisley shawl. he said 'twas a good, serviceable color, and more economical to buy it all alike, and remarked: 'what's the difference, anyway? calico is calico.' from the same piece of calico his wife made dresses, aprons and sunbonnets for herself and daughters, shirts for the farmer and his sons (the boys were young, fortunately), and patchwork quilts and comfortables from the remainder." "rather monotonous, i should think," said mary. "i am surprised his wife did not make him wear coat and trousers made from the same piece of calico." [illustration: the old store on ridge road] "the dry goods," continued aunt sarah, "retained the scent of coffee, cheese and dried fruits some time after being purchased but no one minded that in those days. i still remember how perfectly wonderful to me when a child appeared the large, wide-mouthed glass jars containing candy. there were red and white striped mint sticks, striped yellow and white lemon sticks and hoarhound and clear, wine-colored sticks striped with lines of white, flavored with anise-seed. one jar contained clear lemon-colored 'sour balls,' preferred by us children on account of their lasting qualities, as also were the jujubees, which resembled nothing so much as gutta percha, and possessed equally as fine flavor; also pink and yellow sugar-frosted gumdrops. in a case at one end of the counter were squares of thick white paper covered with rows of small pink, also white, 'peppermint buttons,' small sticks, two inches in length, of chewing gum in waxed paper, a white, tasteless, crystalline substance resembling paraffine. what longing eyes i frequently cast at the small scalloped cakes of maple sugar, prohibitive as regards cost. they sold for a nickel, am i was always inordinately fond of maple sugar, but the price was prohibitive. i seldom possessed more than a penny to spend in those days, and not always that. father raised a large family, money was never plentiful, and we relished the plain, cheap candies usually sold in those days more than many children of the present day do the finest and most expensive cream chocolates, to many of whom in this extravagant age a dollar is not valued more highly than was a penny by us in years gone by. and 'candy secrets!' i don't believe you know what they are like. i've not seen any for years. they were small, square pieces of taffy-like candy, wrapped in squares of gilt or silver paper, inclosing a small strip of paper containing a couple of sentimental lines or jingle. later came 'french secrets.' they consisted of a small oblong piece of candy about an inch in length, wrapped in tissue paper of different colors, having fringed ends, twisted together at either end. these also inclosed a tiny strip of paper containing a line or two. small, white candy hearts contained the words in pink letters, 'little sweetheart,' 'i love you,' 'name the day,' etc. these were invariably distributed among the young folks at small parties and created no end of merriment." "mary, old as i am, i still remember the delight i experienced when a little, rosy-cheeked urchin surreptitiously passed me around the corner of my desk at the old 'cross roads school' a 'secret,' with the words, 'do you love me?' my grandmother always kept a supply of hoarhound and peppermint lozenges in her knitting basket to give us children should we complain of hoarseness. my, but 'twas astonishing to hear us all cough until grandmother's supply of mints was exhausted. i think. mary, i must have had a 'sweet tooth' when a child, as my recollections seem to be principally about the candy kept in my grandfather's store. i suppose in those early days of my childhood candy appealed to me more than anything else, as never having had a surfeit of sweets, candy to me was a rare treat. i remember, mary, when a little child, my thrifty mother, wishing to encourage me to learn to knit my own stockings, she, when winding the skein of german yarn into a ball, occasionally wound a penny in with the yarn. i was allowed to spend the penny only after i had knitted the yarn and the penny had fallen from the ball. what untold wealth that penny represented! and planning how to spend it was greater pleasure still. many a pair of long old-fashioned, dark blue and red-striped stockings, were finished more quickly than otherwise would have been done without the promised reward. i became proficient in knitting at an early age," continued aunt sarah; "a truly feminine occupation, and as i one time heard a wise old physician remark, 'soothing to the nerves,' which i know to be true, having knitted many a worry into the heel of a sock. i learned at an early age the value of money, and once having acquired the saving habit, it is not possible to be wasteful in later life." chapter xxv. an elbadritchel hunt. fritz schmidt, like many another bucks county boy, had frequently heard the rural tale of a mythical bird called the "elbadritchel," supposed to be abroad, particularly on cold, dark, stormy nights, when the wind whistled and blew perfect gales around exposed corners of houses and barns. 'twas a common saying among "pennsylvania germans," at such times, "'tis a fine night to catch 'elbadritchels.'" [illustration: catching elbadritchels] for the information of those who may not even have heard of this remarkable creature, it is described as being a cross between a swallow, a goose and a lyre bird. have you ever seen an "elbadritchel?" no one has to my certain knowledge, so i cannot vouch for the truth of this description of it. fritz schmidt had never taught to question the truth of the tale. so, when one cold, stormy night several boys from neighboring farms drove up to the schmidt homestead and asked fritz to join them in a hunt for "elbadritchels," he unhesitatingly agreed to make one of the number, unaware that he had been selected as the victim of a practical joke, and, as usual, was one of the jolliest of the crowd. they drove through a blinding downpour of rain and dismounted on reaching a lonely hill about three miles distant. they gave fritz a bag to hold. it was fashioned of burlap and barrel hoops, inside of which they placed a lighted candle, and fritz was instructed how to hold it in order to attract the "elbadritchel." they also gave him a club with which to strike the bird when it should appear. the boys scampered off in different directions, ostensibly to chase up the birds, but in reality they clambered into the waiting wagon and were rapidly driven home, leaving fritz alone awaiting the coming of the "elbadritchel." when fritz realized the trick played on him, his feelings may be better imagined than described. he trudged home, cold and tired, vowing vengeance on the boys, fully resolved to get even with them. chapter xxvi the old shanghai rooster. much of aunt sarah's spare time was devoted to her chickens, which fully repaid her for the care given them. she was not particular about fancy stock, but had quite a variety--white leghorns, brown leghorns, big, fat, motherly old brahma hens that had raised a brood of as many as thirty-five little chicks at one time, a few snow-white, large plymouth rocks and some gray barred one. the _latter_ she _liked_ particularly because she said they were much, more talkative than any of the others; they certainly did appear to chatter to her when she fed them. she gave them clean, comfortable quarters, warm bran mash on cold winter mornings, alternating with cracked corn and "scratch feed" composed of a mixture of cracked corn, wheat and buckwheat, scattered over a litter of dried leaves on the floor of the chicken house, so they were obliged to work hard for their food. [illustration: old egg basket] a plentiful supply of fresh water was always at hand, as well as cracked oyster shell. she also fed the chickens all scraps from the table, cutting all meat scraps fine with an old pair of scissors hung conveniently in the kitchen. she was very successful with the little chicks hatched out when she "set" a hen and the yield of eggs from her hens was usually greater and the eggs larger in size than those of any of her neighbors. this i attribute to her excellent care of them, generous diet, but principally to the fact of the elimination of all the roosters among the flock during the season between the "first of may and december first," with one exception. "brigham," an immensely large, old, red shanghai rooster, a most pompous and dignified old chap. a special pet of aunt sarah's, she having raised him from a valuable "setting" of eggs given her, and as the egg from which "brigham," as he was called, emerged, was the only one of the lot which proved fertile, he was valued accordingly and given a longer lease of life than the other roosters, and was usually either confined or allowed to roam outside the chicken yard during the summer months; in the winter, being a swift runner, he usually gobbled up two shares of food before the hens arrived. that accounted for his great size. the old rooster was also noted for his loud crowing. one day in early spring, john landis came into the house hurriedly, saying, "sarah, your old shanghai rooster is sick." "yes," answered his wife, "i missed hearing him crow this morning; he is usually as regular as an alarm clock." she hurried to the barnyard, picked up poor brigham, wrapped him carefully in a piece of blanket and laid him in a small shed. the next morning she was awakened by the lusty crowing of brigham, who was apparently as well as ever. the next day the same thing happened. aunt sarah found him, as she supposed, in a dying condition, and the following morning he was fully recovered. it was quite puzzling until one day john landis came into the kitchen laughing heartily and said, "sarah, i am sorry to inform you of the intemperate habits of your pet, brigham. he is a most disreputable old fellow, and has a liking for liquor. he has been eating some of the brandied cherries which were thrown into the barnyard when the jug containing them was accidentally broken at house cleaning time. "well, sarah, old brigham was not sick at all--only 'ingloriously' drunk." in the fall of the same year aunt sarah spied brigham one day on top of one of the cider barrels in the shed busily engaged eating the pummace which issued from the bung-hole of the barrel. john landis, on hearing of brigham's last escapade, decided, as the rooster was large as an ordinary-turkey, to serve him roasted at mary's wedding. fritz schmidt remarked one day in the presence of sibylla: "chickens must possess some little intelligence; they know enough to go to bed early. yes, and without an 'alarm clock,' too, sibylla, eh?" she walked away without a word to fritz. the alarm clock was a sore subject with her, and one about which she had nothing to say. sibylla had never quite forgiven fritz for the prank played on her. he, happening to hear john landis tell sibylla a certain hour he thought a proper time for jake crouthamel to take his departure sunday evenings, fritz conceived the brilliant (?) idea of setting the alarm clock to "go off" quite early in the evening. he placed the clock at the head of the stairs, and in the midst of an interesting conversation between the lovers the alarm sounded with a loud, whizzing noise, which naturally made quick-tempered sibylla very angry. she said on seeing fritz the next morning: "it was not necessary to set the 'waker' to go off, as i know enough to send 'chake' home when it's time." fritz, happening to tell the story to the editor of a small german mennonite paper, edited in a near-by town, it was printed in that paper in german, which caused sibylla, on hearing it, to be still more angry at the professor's son. chapter xxvii. "a potato pretzel." in the early part of september mary's aunt suggested she try to win the prize offered at the farmers' picnic in a near-by town for the best "raised potato cake." aunt sarah's rye bread invariably captured first prize, and she proposed sending both bread and cake with sibylla and jake, who never missed picnic or fair within a radius of one hundred miles. [illustration: "potato pretzel"] mary set a sponge the evening of the day preceding that of the picnic, using recipe for "perfection potato cake," which aunt sarah considered her best recipe for raised cakes, as 'twas one used by her mother for many years. on the day of the picnic, mary arose at five o'clock, and while her aunt was busily engaged setting sponge for her loaf of rye bread, mary kneaded down the "potato cake" sponge, set to rise the previous evening, now rounded over top of bowl and light as a feather. she filled a couple of pans with buns, molded from the dough, and set them to rise. she then, under her aunt's direction, fashioned the "pretzel" as follows: she placed a piece of the raised dough on a large, well-floured bake board, rolled it over and over with both hands until a long, narrow roll or strip was formed about the width of two fingers in thickness and placed this strip carefully on the baking sheet, which was similar to the one on which aunt sarah baked rye bread; shaped the dough to form a figure eight ( ) or pretzel, allowing about two inches of space on either side of baking sheet to allow for raising. she then cut a piece of dough into three portions, rolled each as thick as a finger, braided or plaited the three strips together and placed carefully on top of the figure eight, or pretzel, not meeting by a space of about two inches. this braided piece on the top should not be quite as thick as bottom or first piece of the pretzel. she then rolled three small pieces of dough into tiny strips or rolls the size of small lead pencils, wound them round and round and round into small scrolls, moistened the lower side with water to cause them to adhere, and placed them on the dividing line between the two halves of the figure eight. she placed an old china coffee cup without a handle, buttered on outside, in centre of each half of the figure eight, which kept the pretzel from spreading over the pan. with a small, new paint brush she brushed over the top of pretzel and buns, a mixture, consisting of one yolk of egg, an equal quantity of cream or milk (which should be lukewarm so as not to chill the raised dough) and one tablespoon of sugar. this causes the cakes, etc., to be a rich brown when baked, a result to be obtained in no other manner. when the pretzel was raised and had doubled in size 'twas baked in a moderately hot oven. mary's surprise and delight may easily be imagined when sibylla, on her return from the picnic, handed her the prize she had won, a two-pound box of chocolates, remarking, "mary, you and aunt sarah both got a prize--her's is in the box what jake's got." the box on being opened by aunt sarah contained a very pretty, silver-plated soup ladle, the prize offered for the best loaf of rye bread. "aunt sarah," inquired mary one day, "do you think it pays a housekeeper to bake her own bread?" [illustration: the old store on ridge road] "certainly, it pays, my dear. from a barrel of flour may be baked three hundred or more one-pound loaves of bread; should you pay five cents a loaf, the bread which may be made from one barrel of flour if bought from a bake shop would cost you fifteen dollars. now, you add to the cost of a barrel of flour a couple of dollars for yeast, salt, etc., which altogether would not possibly be more than ten dollars, and you see the housewife has saved five dollars. it is true it is extra work for the housewife, but good, wholesome bread is such an important item, especially in a large family, i should advise the thrifty housekeeper to bake her own bread and bake less pie and cake, or eliminate less important duties, to be able to find time to bake bread. from the bread sponge may be made such a number of good, plain cakes by the addition of currants or raisins, which are more wholesome and cheaper than richer cakes." "i think what you say is true, aunt sarah," said mary. "frau schmidt always bakes her own bread, and she tells me she sets a sponge or batter for white bread, and by the addition of graham flour, cornmeal or oatmeal, always has a variety on her table with a small expenditure of time and money." [illustration: a "brod corvel" or bread basket] chapter xxviii. faithful service. the home-making instinct was so strongly developed in mary that her share in the labor of cooking and baking became a pleasure. occasionally she had failures--what inexperienced cook has not?--yet they served only to spur her on to fresh efforts. she had several small scars on her wrist caused by her arm coming in contact with the hot oven when baking. she laughingly explained: "one bar on my arm represents that delicious 'brod torte' which frau schmidt taught me to bake; the other one i acquired when removing the sponge cake from the oven which uncle john said 'equaled aunt sarah's' (which i consider highest praise), and the third bar i received when taking from the oven the 'lemon meringue,' ralph's favorite pie, which he pronounced 'fine, almost too good to eat.'" mary was as proud of her scars as a young, non-commissioned officer of the chevron on his sleeve, won by deeds of valor. the lessons mary learned that summer on the farm while filling her hope chest and preparing her mind for wifehood were of inestimable value to her in later years. she learned not only to bake, brew and keep house, but from constant association with her aunt she acquired a self-poise, a calm, serene manner, the value of which is beyond price in this swift, restless age. one day, while having a little heart-to-heart talk with mary, her aunt said: "my dear, never allow an opportunity to pass for doing a kind act. if ever so small, it may cheer some sad, lonely heart. don't wait to do _big things_. the time may never come. if only a kind word, speak it at once. kind words cost so little, and we should all be more prodigal with them; and to a tired, sad, discouraged soul, a kind word or act means so very much; and who is there that has not at some time in life known sorrow and felt the need of sympathy? were our lives all sunshine we could not feel in touch with sorrowing friends. how natural it is for our hearts to go out in sympathy to the one who says 'i have suffered.' give to your friend the warm hand-clasp and cheery greeting' which cost us nothing in the giving. 'tis the little lifts which help us over stones in our pathway through life. we think our cross the heaviest when, did we but know the weight of others, we'd not willingly exchange; and remember mary, 'there are no crown-bearers in heaven that were not cross-bearers below.' have you ever read the poem, 'the changed cross?' no? well, i will give it to you to copy in your book of recipes. should you ever, in future years, feel your cross too heavy to bear, read the poem. how many brave, cheery little women greet us with a smile as they pass. but little do we or any one realize that instead of a song in their hearts the smiles on their lips conceal troubles the world does not suspect, seeking to forget their own sorrows while doing kindly acts for others. they are the real heroes whom the world does not reward with medals for bravery, 'to stand with a smile upon your face against a stake from which you cannot get away, that, no doubt, is heroic; but the true glory is not resignation to the inevitable. to stand unchained, with perfect liberty to go away, held only by the higher claims of duty, and let the fire creep up to the heart, that is heroism.' ah! how many good women have lived faithful to duty when 'twould have been far easier to have died!" "faithful over a few things." matt. xxv: . it may seem to you but a trifle, which you have been called to do; just some humble household labor, away from the public view, but the question is, are you faithful, and striving to do your best, as in sight of the blessed master, while leaving to him the rest? it may be but a little corner, which you have been asked to fill; what matters it, if you are in it, doing the master's will? doing it well and faithfully, and doing it with your might; not for the praise it may bring you, but because the thing is right. in the sight of man you may never win anything like success; and the laurel crown of the victor may never your temples press; if only you have god's approval, 'twill not matter what else you miss, his blessing is heaven beginning, his reward will be perfect bliss. be faithful in every service, obedient to every call; ever ready to do his bidding, whether in great things or small; you may seem to accomplish little, you may win the praise of none; but be sure you will win his favor, and the master's great "well done." and when at his blessed coming, you stand at his judgment seat; he'll remember your faithful service and his smile will be oh! so sweet! he will bid you a loving welcome, he'll make you to reign for aye, over great things and o'er many, with him, through eternal day. "the changed cross." it was a time of sadness, and my heart, although it knew and loved the better part, felt wearied with the conflict and the strife, and all the needful discipline of life. and while i thought on these as given to me, my trial tests of faith and love to be, it seemed as if i never could be sure that faithful to the end i should endure. and thus, no longer trusting to his might, who says, "we walk by faith and not by sight"; doubting and almost yielding to despair, the thought arose--my cross i cannot bear. far heavier its weight must surely be than those of others which i daily see; oh! if i might another burden choose, methinks i should not fear my crown to lose. a solemn silence reigned on all around, e'en nature's voices uttered not a sound; the evening shadows seemed of peace to tell, and sleep upon my weary spirit fell. a moment's pause and then a heavenly light beamed full upon my wondering, raptured sight; angels on silvery wings seemed everywhere, and angels' music filled the balmy air. then one more fair than all the rest to see-- one to whom all the others bowed the knee-- came gently to me as i trembling lay, and, "follow me!" he said, "i am the way." then speaking thus, he led me far above, and there, beneath a canopy of love, crosses of divers shapes and sizes were seen, larger and smaller than my own had been. and one there was, most beauteous to behold, a little one, with jewels set in gold; ah! this methought, i can with comfort wear, for it will be an easy one to bear. and so, the little cross i quickly took, but all at once, my frame beneath it shook; the sparkling jewels fair were they to see, but far too heavy was their weight for me. "this may not be," i cried, and looked again to see if there was any here could ease my pain; but one by one i passed them slowly by, till on a lovely one i cast my eye. fair flowers around its sculptured form entwined, and grace and beauty seemed in it combined; wondering, i gazed and still i wondered more, to think so many should have passed it o'er. but oh! that form so beautiful to see, soon made its hidden sorrows known to me; thorns lay beneath those flowers and colors fair; sorrowing, i said. "this cross i may not bear." and so it was with each and all around, not one to suit my need could there be found; weeping, i laid each heavy burden down, as my guide gently said: "no cross, no crown." at length to him i raised my saddened heart, he knew its sorrows, bid its doubts depart; "be not afraid," he said, "but trust in me, my perfect love shall now be shown to thee." and then with lightened eyes and willing feet, again i turned my earthly cross to meet; with forward footsteps, turning not aside for fear some hidden evil might betide. and there, in the prepared, appointed way, listening to hear, and ready to obey, a cross i quickly found of plainest form, with only words of love inscribed thereon. with thankfulness, i raised it from the rest, and joyfully acknowledged it the best; the only one of all the many there that i could feel was good for me to bear. and while i thus my chosen one confessed, i saw a heavenly brightness on it rest; and as i bent my burden to sustain, i recognized my own old cross again. but, oh! how different did it seem to be! now i had learned its preciousness to see; no longer could i unbelievingly say: "perhaps another is a better way." oh, no! henceforth my own desire shall be that he who knows me best should choose for me, and so whate'er his love sees good to send, i'll trust its best, because he knows the end. and when that happy time shall come of endless peace and rest, we shall look back upon our path and say: "it was the best." chapter xxix. mary, ralph, jake and sibylla visit the allentown fair. late in september jake and sibylla drove to the allentown fair. it was "big thursday" of fair week. they started quite early, long before ralph jackson, who had come from the city the day previous, to take mary to the fair, had arisen. [illustration: second church building sheltered liberty bell, - . photographed from the print of an old wood cut used in a german newspaper in the year ] mary, while appreciating sibylla's good qualities, never failed to be amused at her broad "pennsylvania german" dialect. the morning of the "fair," mary arose earlier than usual to allow sibylla and jake to get an early start, as it was quite a distance from the farm to the fair grounds. as they were about to drive away, sibylla, alighting from the carriage, said, "i forgot my 'schnupftuch.'" returning with it in her hand, she called, as she climbed into jake's buggy, "gut-by, mary, it looks fer rain." "yes" said jake, "i think it gives rain before we get back yet. the cornfodder in the barn this morning was damp like it had water on it." and said mary, "the fragrance of the flowers was particularly noticeable early this morning." jake, as it happened, was no false prophet. it did rain before evening. later in the day, mary and ralph drove to a near-by town, leaving horse and carriage at the hotel until their return in the evening, and boarded a train for allentown. on arriving there, they decided to walk up hamilton street, and later take a car out to the fair grounds. as they sauntered slowly up the main street, mary noticed a small church built between two large department stores and stopped to read a tablet on the church, which informed the passerby that "this is to commemorate the concealment of the liberty bell during the revolutionary war. this tablet was erected by the liberty bell chapter of the daughters of the revolution." the first zion's reformed church was founded in . in front of the church a rough block of granite, erected to the memory of john jacob mickley, contained the following inscription: "in commemoration of the saving of the liberty bell from the british in . under cover of darkness and with his farm team, he, john mickley, hauled the liberty bell from independence hall, philadelphia, through the british lines, to bethlehem, where the wagon broke down. the bell was transferred to another wagon, brought to allentown, placed beneath the floor of the _second_ church building of zion's reformed church, where it remained secreted nearly a year. this _tablet_ was placed by the order of the assembly of the commonwealth of pennsylvania, june nd, , under the auspices of the pennsylvania daughters of the revolution." this was all very interesting to a girl who had been born and reared in philadelphia; one who in earliest childhood had been taught to love and venerate the "old bell." ralph was quite as interested in reading about the old bell as was mary, and said; "did you know that the city of philadelphia purchased the state house property, which included the bell, in , in consideration of the sum of seventy thousand dollars? no building is ever to be erected on the ground inside the wall on the south side of the state house, but it is to remain a public green and walk forever?" [illustration] "no," replied mary, "i did not know that. i don't think we will see anything of greater interest than this at the fair." "i understand," said ralph, "this is the third church building built on this site, where the original church stood in which the bell was secreted." mary, possessing a fair share of the curiosity usually attributed to the "female of the species," on noticing the church door standing ajar, asked ralph to step inside with her, thinking to find the caretaker within; but no one was visible. a deep silence reigned in the cool, dim interior of the house of god. one could almost feel the silence, 'twas so impressive. slowly they walked up the wide church aisle and stood before the quaint baptismal font. a stray sunbeam glancing through one of the beautiful, variously-colored memorial windows, lighted up the pictured saint-like faces over the chancel, making them appear as if imbued with life. mary softly whispered to ralph, as if loath to profane the sacredness of the place by loud talking, "i seem to hear a voice saying, 'the lord is in his holy temple.'" quietly retracing their steps, they, without meeting any one, emerged into the bright sunlight and were soon in the midst of the turmoil and traffic incident to the principal business street of a city. the young folks boarded a trolley and in a short time reached the fair grounds, which offered many attractions to ralph as well as mary. the latter was interested in the fine display of needlework, fruits, flowers and vegetables of unusual size. aunt sarah's bread won a prize. a blue ribbon attached to frau schmidt's highly-prized, old-fashioned, patchwork quilt, showed it to be a winner. ralph, being interested in the pens of fancy chickens, prize cattle, etc., mary reluctantly left the woman's department of fancy work, and other interesting things, and accompanied him. on their way to the outlying cattle sheds they noticed two lovers sitting on a bench. upon a second glance they were convinced that it was jake and sibylla. jake, beaming with happiness, said, "sibylla vos side by me yet?" they were busily engaged eating a lunch consisting of rolls with hot "weiners" between the two halves, or, as jake called them, "doggies," munching pretzels and peanuts between sips of strong coffee, both supremely happy. a yearly visit to the allentown fair on "big thursday," was _the event_ in their dull, prosaic lives. [illustration: durham cave] chapter xxx. fritz schmidt explores durham cave. it appeared to be nothing new for fritz schmidt to get into trouble; rather the contrary. one day in early fall, after the first frost, he, in company with a number of boys, drove to durham, not many miles distant from his home, in search of persimmons, the crop of which, on account of the severity of the preceding winter, old farmers had predicted would be exceedingly heavy. fritz did not tell the boys of his intention to explore a cave which he had been told was in the neighborhood, thinking it would be a good joke to explore the cave first, then tell the boys later of his adventure. the old gentleman from whom fritz gained his information relative to the cave aroused the boy's curiosity by saying, "very many years ago, a skeleton was found in durham cave and one of the bones, on examination, proved to be the thigh bone of a human being. how he came there, or the manner of his death, was never known." a large room in the cave is known as "queen esther's drawing room," where, tradition has it "queen esther," or catharine montour, which was her rightful name, at one time inhabited this cave with some of her indian followers. fritz accidentally stumbled upon the mouth of the cave. none of the other boys being in sight, fritz quickly descended into the cave, which was dark as night. by lighting a second match as quickly as one was burned, he explored quite a distance, when, accidentally dropping his box of matches, the burning match in his hand, at the same moment, flickered faintly, then went out, leaving fritz in darkness. imagine the feelings of the boy, as he groped unsuccessfully on the floor of the cavern for the lost match box. finally, he gave up in despair. fritz was not a cowardly boy, but while searching for the matches, he, without thinking, had turned around several times, lost his bearings and knew not in which direction to go to reach the opening of the cave. he heard strange noises which he imagined were bats flopping their wings. there appeared to be something uncanny about the place, and fritz devoutly wished himself out in the sunshine, when a quotation he had frequently heard his father use came into his mind: "more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of." so fritz knelt down and prayed as he had been taught to pray at his mother's knee, but more earnestly than he had ever prayed before in his life, that god would help him find his way out of the cave, believing that his prayer would be answered. and who shall say it was not answered? for, stumbling onward in the darkness, not knowing if he were coming toward the cave's entrance or going in the opposite direction, he eventually hailed with joy a faint streak of light which he followed, and it soon brought him to the mouth of the cave. he was surprised on joining his companions to find they had not been alarmed at his absence. he had been in the cave only thirty minutes, but to him it had seemed hours. fritz says to this day he has a horror of durham cave or "the devil's hole," as it was formerly called. [illustration: the woodland stream] chapter xxxi. mary's marriage. his vacation ended, after a busy season at the farm, ralph jackson returned to his work in the city, strong and robust. he had acquired the coat of tan which mary's uncle had predicted. physically strong as the "cave man" of old, he felt capable of moving mountains, and as was natural, he being only a human man, longed for the mate he felt god had intended should one day be his, as men have done since our first gardener, adam, and will continue to do until the end of time. when visiting the farm, an event which occurred about every two weeks, ralph constantly importuned mary to name an early day for their marriage. mary, with a young girl's impulsiveness, had given her heart unreservedly into the keeping of ralph jackson, her first sweetheart. mary was not naturally cold or unresponsive, neither was she lacking in passion. she had had a healthy girlhood, and a wholesome home life. she had been taught the conventional ideals of the marriage relations that have kept the race strong throughout the centuries. mary possessed great strength of character and fine moral courage. frequently, not wishing to show her real feeling for the young man; too well poised to be carried off into the wrong channel, defended and excused by many over-sentimental and light-headed novelists of the day, she sometimes appeared almost indifferent to the impetuous youth with warm, red blood leaping in his veins, who desired so ardently to possess her. mary's aunt had taught her the sanctity of parenthood, also that women are not always the weaker sex. there are times when they must show their superiority to "mere man" in being the stronger of the two, mentally if not physically, and ralph jackson knew when he called mary "wife" she would endow him with all the wealth of her pure womanhood, sacredly kept for the clean-souled young man, whose devotion she finally rewarded by promising to marry him the second week in october. sibylla linsabigler, a good but ignorant girl, accustomed to hearing her elder brothers speak slightingly regarding the sanctity of love and marriage, was greatly attached to mary, whom she admired exceedingly, and looked up to almost as a superior being. she unconsciously imitated many of mary's ways and mannerisms, and sought to adopt her higher ideals of life and standard of morals. one sunday, as jake crouthamel was spending the evening with sibylla, as was his usual custom, he attempted some slight familiarity, which annoyed sibylla greatly. jake, noticing the young girl's displeasure at his action, remarked, "i think me sibylla, you are stuck up yet" (a grave fault in the bucks county farm hand's opinion). "no, chake," sibylla replied, "i ain't, but mary, she say a man gives a girl more respect what keeps herself to herself before she is married, and i lofe you chake and want that you respect me if we marry." fritz and elizabeth schmidt, on hearing the news of mary's approaching marriage, promptly begged the privilege of decorating the old farm house parlor for the expected ceremony. they scoured the surrounding woods and countryside for decorations; along old stone fences and among shrubbery by the roadside they gathered large branches of bitter sweet. its racemes of orange-colored fruit, which later in the season becomes beautiful, when the orange gives place to a brilliant red, the outer covering of the berry turns back upon the stems, forming one of the prettiest pictures imaginable in late autumn. they also gathered branches of feathery wild clematis, which, after the petals had fallen, resembled nothing so much as a cluster of apple seeds, each seed tipped with what appeared like a tiny osprey feather. from the woods near the farm they gathered quantities of trailing ground pine and rainbow-tinted leaves from the numerous brilliant scarlet and yellow maples, which appeared brighter in contrast to the sober-hued trees of shellbark, oak and chestnut. [illustration: polly schmidt.] the wedding gifts sent to mary were odd, useful and numerous. the campfire girls, to whom she became endeared, gave her a "kitchen shower," consisting of a clothes basket (woven by an old basketmaker from the willows growing not far distant), filled to overflowing with everything imaginable that could possibly be useful to a young housekeeper, from the half dozen neatly-hemmed linen, blue ribbon tied, dish clothes, to really handsome embroidered articles from the girls to whom she had given instructions in embroidery during the past summer. sibylla's wedding present to mary was the work of her own strong, willing hands, and was as odd and original as useful. 'twas a "door mat" made from corn husks, braided into a rope, then sewed round and round and formed into an oval mat. mary laughingly told sibylla she thought when 'twas placed on her kitchen doorstep she'd ask every one to please step over it, as it was too pretty to be trod on, which greatly pleased the young girl, who had spent many hours of loving thought and labor on the simple, inexpensive gift. mary received from professor schmidt a small but excellent copy of one of the world's most famous pictures, "the night watch," painted by rembrandt, in . "my dear," said the old professor, "i saw what _was said to be_ the original of this painting, the property of queen wilhelmina of holland, at the st. louis exposition in . it was in a small, separate building. the size of the picture was fifteen feet by twenty feet. it is the largest and best known of rembrandt's works. it acquired the wrong title of 'night watch' in a period when, owing to the numerous coats of varnish and the effect of smoke and dust, it had gotten so dark in appearance that only the most lucid parts could be discerned. nowadays, nobody doubts that the light falling from the left on the boisterous company is that of the sun. the musketeers are remarching out of the high archway of their hall, crossing the street in front of it, and going up a bridge. the architecture of the building is a product of rembrandt's imagination. the steps, also, which we see the men descending, were put there simply to make those at the back show out above those in the front ranks. the march out was to be above all a portrait group. sixteen persons had each paid their contributions, a hundred guilders on the average, to have their likenesses transmitted to posterity, and every one of them was therefore to be fully visible." "it is certainly a wonderful picture," said mary, "and while i have seen few pictures painted by old masters, i think, even with my limited knowledge of art, i cannot fail to appreciate this excellent copy, and i thank you heartily. professor, and shall always be reminded of you when i look at this copy of a great work." mary would not go empty-handed to ralph at her marriage. her "hope chest" in the attic was full to overflowing, and quite unique in itself, as it consisted of an old, in fact ancient, wooden dough-tray used in times past by aunt sarah's grandmother. beside it stood a sewing table, consisting of three discarded broom handles supporting a cheese-box cover, with wooden cheese-box underneath for holding mary's sewing; stained brown and cretonne lined. mary valued it as the result of the combined labor of herself and ralph jackson. a roll of new, home-made rag carpet, patchwork quilts and "new colonial" rugs, jars of fruit, dried sweet corn, home-made soap, crocks of apple butter, jellies, jams and canned vegetables all bore evidence of mary's busy summer at the farm. the day of mary's marriage, the twelfth of october, dawned clear and bright, sunshine warm as a day in june. in the centre of the gayly-decorated old farm house parlor, wearing a simple, little, inexpensive dress of soft, creamy muslin, we find mary standing beside ralph, who is looking supremely satisfied and happy, although a trifle pale and nervous, listening to the solemn words of the minister. ralph's "i will" sounded clearly and distinctly through the long room. mary, with a sweet, serious, faraway look in her blue eyes, repeated slowly after the minister, "i promise to love, honor and"--then a long pause. she glanced shyly up at the young man by her side as if to make sure he was worth it, then in a low, clear tone, added, "obey." ralph jackson certainly deserved the appellation "cave man" given him by fritz schmidt. he was considerably more than six feet in height, with broad, square shoulders, good features, a clear brain and a sound body. he had never used intoxicants of any description. he sometimes appeared quite boyish in his ways, for on account of his matured look and great size he was frequently judged to be older than he really was. aunt sarah had provided a bounteous repast for the few friends assembled, and while looking after the comfort of her guests tears dimmed the kindly, gray eyes at the thought of parting from mary. small polly schmidt, as flower girl at the wedding, was so excited she scarcely knew if she should laugh or cry, and finally compromised by giving mary what she called a "bear hug," much to mary's amusement. fritz gravely said: "allow me to congratulate you, mr. jackson," and turning to mary, "i wish you a beautiful and happy life, mrs. jackson." mary blushed becomingly on hearing her new name for the first time. bidding farewell to friends, mary and ralph, accompanied by her uncle, were driven by "chake" to the depot in a near-by town, where they boarded the train for the little, newly-furnished home in the suburbs of philadelphia, the deed of which was mary's wedding gift from her uncle, in appreciation of her faithful service on the farm during the summer and for the brightness she had brought into his life and the lives of those with whom she had come in contact, as every one at the farm had felt the captivating charm and winning sweetness of the young girl. as the train came in sight, the old gentleman, in a voice husky with emotion, bade the young couple, just starting the journey of life together, an affectionate farewell, and repeated solemnly, almost as a benediction, "es salamu aleikum." [illustration] mary's collection of recipes small economies, "left-overs" or "iverich bleibst" as aunt sarah called them. "the young housewife," said aunt sarah to mary, in a little talk on small economies in the household, "should never throw away pieces of hard cheese. grate them and keep in a cool, dry place until wanted, then spread lightly over the top of a dish of macaroni, before baking; or sprinkle over small pieces of dough remaining after baking pies, roll thin, cut in narrow strips like straws, and bake light brown in a hot oven, as 'cheese straws.'" wash and dry celery tips in oven, and when not wished for soup they may be used later for seasoning. the undesirable outer leaves of a head of lettuce, if fresh and green, may be used if cut fine with scissors, and a german salad dressing added. the heart of lettuce should, after washing carefully, be placed in a piece of damp cheese cloth and put on ice until wanted, then served at table "au natural," with olive oil and vinegar or mayonnaise dressing to suit individual taste. should you have a large quantity of celery, trim and carefully wash the roots, cut them fine and add to soup as flavoring. almost all vegetables may be, when well cooked, finely mashed, strained, and when added to stock, form a nourishing soup by the addition of previously-cooked rice or barley. add small pieces of meat, well-washed bones cut from steaks or roasts, to the stock pot. small pieces of ham or bacon (left-overs), also bacon or ham _gravy_ not thickened with flour may be used occasionally, when making german salad dressing for dandelion, endive, lettuce or water cress, instead of frying fresh pieces of bacon. [illustration: an old fashioned bucks county bake oven] it is a great convenience, also economical, to keep a good salad dressing on hand, and when the white of an egg is used, the yolk remaining may he added at once to the salad dressing (previously prepared). mix thoroughly, cook a minute and stand away in a cool place. young housekeepers will be surprised at the many vegetables, frequently left-overs, from which appetizing salads may be made by the addition of a couple tablespoonfuls of mayonnaise, besides nut meats, lettuce, watercress, celery and fruit, all of which may be used to advantage. a good potato salad is one of the cheapest and most easily prepared salads. a german dressing for dandelions, lettuce or potatoes may be prepared in a few minutes by adding a couple of tablespoonfuls of salad dressing (which the forehanded housewife will always keep on hand) to a little hot ham or bacon gravy. stirring it while hot over the salad and serving at once. a cup of mashed potatoes, left over from dinner, covered and set aside in a cool place, may be used the next day, with either milk or potato water, to set a sponge for "dutch cake," or cinnamon buns with equally good results as if they had been freshly boiled (if the potatoes be heated luke-warm and mashed through a sieve); besides the various other ways in which cold boiled potatoes may be used. fruit juices or a couple tablespoonfuls of tart jelly or preserved fruit may be added to mincemeat with advantage. housewives should make an effort to give their family good, plain, nourishing, wholesome food. the health of the family depends so largely on the quality of food consumed. when not having time, strength or inclination to bake cake, pies or puddings, have instead good, sweet, home-made bread and fruit; if nothing else, serve stewed fruit or apple sauce. omit meat occasionally from the bill of fare and serve instead a dish of macaroni and cheese and fruit instead of other dessert. serve a large, rich, creamy rice pudding for the children's lunch. when eggs are cheap and plentiful make simple custards, old-fashioned cornmeal puddings, tapioca, bread puddings and gelatine with fruits. these are all good, wholesome, and not expensive, and in summer may be prepared in the cool of the early morning with small outlay of time, labor or money. plan your housework well the day before and have everything in readiness. the pudding may be placed in the oven and baked white preparing breakfast, economizing coal and the time required for other household duties. every wife and mother who does her own housework and cooking these days (and their number is legion) knows the satisfaction one experiences, especially in hot weather, in having dinner and luncheon planned and partly prepared early in the morning before leaving the kitchen to perform other household tasks. another small economy of aunt sarah's was the utilizing of cold mashed potatoes in an appetizing manner. the mashed potatoes remaining from a former meal were put through a small fruit press or ricer to make them light and flaky. to one heaped cup of mashed potatoes (measured before pressing them through fruit press) she added / cup of soft, stale bread crumbs, / cup of flour sifted with / teaspoonful of baking powder. mix in lightly with a fork yolk of one egg, then the stiffly beaten white, seasoned with salt and a little minced onion or parsley, or both. with well-floured hands she molded the mixture into balls the size of a shelled walnut, dropped into rapidly boiling water and cooked them uncovered from to minutes, then skimmed them from the water and browned in a pan with a little butter and served on platter with meat, a pot roast or beef preferred. from the above quantity of potatoes was made five potato balls. the many uses of stale bread never waste stale bread, as it may be used to advantage in many ways. the young housewife will be surprised at the many good, wholesome and appetizing dishes which may be made from stale bread, with the addition of eggs and milk. take a half dozen slices of stale bread of equal size and place in a hot oven a few minutes to become crisped on the outside so they may be quickly toasted over a hot fire, a delicate brown. butter them and for breakfast serve with a poached egg on each slice. a plate of hot, crisp, nicely-browned and buttered toast is always a welcome addition to the breakfast table. serve creamed asparagus tips on slices of toast for luncheon. the economical housewife carefully inspects the contents of her bread box and refrigerator every morning before planning her meals for the day, and is particular to use scraps of bread and left-over meat and vegetables as quickly as possible. especially is this necessary in hot weather. never use any food unless perfectly sweet and fresh. if otherwise, it is unfit for use. loaves of bread which have become stale can be freshened if wrapped in a damp cloth for a few minutes, then remove and place in a hot oven until heated through. for a change, toast slices of stale bread quite crisp and serve a plate of hot, plain toast at table, to be eaten broken in small pieces in individual bowls of cold milk. still another way is to put the stiffly-beaten white of an egg on the centre of a hot, buttered slice of toast, carefully drop the yolk in the centre of the beaten white and place in hot oven a few minutes to cook. serve with a bit of butter on top, season with pepper and salt. serve at once. another way to use stale bread is to toast slices of bread, spread with butter, pour over cup of hot milk, in which has been beaten egg and a pinch of salt. serve in a deep dish. or a cup of hot milk may be poured over crisply-toasted slices of buttered bread, without the addition of an egg. "brod grummella" in a bowl containing cup of soft bread crumbs pour cup of sweet milk, then add the slightly-beaten yolks of three eggs, a little pepper and salt, then the stiffly-beaten whites of the three eggs. place in a fry-pan a tablespoonful of butter and of lard or drippings; when quite hot pour the omelette carefully in the pan. when it begins to "set" loosen around the edges and from the bottom with a knife. when cooked turn one side over on the other half, loosen entirely from the pan, then slide carefully on a hot platter and serve at once. garnish with parsley. croutons and crumbs still another way is to make croutons. cut stale bread into small pieces, size of dice, brown in hot oven and serve with soup instead of serving crackers. small pieces of bread that cannot be used otherwise should be spread over a large pan, placed in a moderate oven and dried until crisp. they may then be easily rolled fine with a rolling-pin or run through the food chopper and then sifted, put in a jar, stood in a dry place until wanted, but not in an air-tight jar. tie a piece of cheese-cloth over the top of jar. these crumbs may be used for crumbing eggplant, oysters, veal cutlets or croquettes. all should be dipped in beaten white of eggs and then in the crumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper, then floated in a pan of hot fat composed of / lard and / suet. all except veal cutlets. they should be crumbed, not floated in deep fat, but fried slowly in a couple tablespoonfuls of butter and lard. also fry fish in a pan of hot fat. shad is particularly fine, prepared in this manner (when not baked). cut in small pieces, which when breaded are floated in hot fat. if the fat is the right temperature when the fish is put in, it absorbs less fat than when fried in a small quantity of lard and butter. "zweibach" cut wheat bread in slices not too thin. place in a warm, not hot, oven, and allow it to remain until thoroughly dry and crisp. place in a toaster or a wire broiler over a hot fire and toast a golden brown and allow it to remain in the oven until toasted. keep in cool place until used. zweibach is considered more wholesome than fresh bread. "german" egg bread cut stale bread into slices about / inch thick. cut slices in half, and soak for a few minutes, turning frequently, in the following mixtures: pint of sweet milk, eggs, teaspoonful flour mixed smooth with a little of the cold milk and a pinch of salt. fry half dozen slices of thinly-sliced bacon in a pan. put bacon, when fried, in oven to keep hot. dip the slices of soaked bread in fine, dried bread crumbs and fry quickly in the bacon fat (to which has been added one tablespoon of butter) to a golden brown. serve at once on the same platter with the bacon, or instead of using bacon fat, fry the crumbed bread in sweet drippings, or a tablespoonful each of lard and butter. this is an appetizing and wholesome breakfast or luncheon dish, served with a tart jelly, either currant or grape. creamed toast partly fill a large tureen with slices of crisply-browned and buttered toast. (slices of bread which have become dry and hard may be used for this dish.) when ready to serve, not before, pour over the toasted slices quart of hot milk to which teaspoonful of flour or cornstarch has been added, after being mixed smoothly with a little cold milk or water and cooked a few minutes until thick as cream. add also a pinch of salt. if milk is not plentiful, prepare one pint of milk and dip each slice of toasted bread quickly in a bowl of hot water; place in a deep dish and quickly pour over the hot milk, to which a tablespoonful of butter has been added, and serve at once. bread and rolls bread, called the "staff of life," on account of its nutritive value, should head the list of foods for human consumption. bread making should stand first in the "science of cooking," as there is no one food upon which the comfort, health and well-being of the average family so largely depends as upon good bread. there is absolutely no reason why the housewife of the present day should not have good, sweet, wholesome, home-made bread, if good yeast, good flour and common-sense are used. the milk or water used to mix with flour for making bread sponge should be lukewarm. if too hot, the loaves will be full of holes and coarse grained. if too cold the bread, chilled, will not rise as it should have done had the liquid used been the right temperature. good bread may be made by using milk, potato water or whey (drained from thick sour milk), and good bread may be made by simply using lukewarm water. i prefer a mixture of milk and water to set sponge. milk makes a fine-grained, white bread, but it soon dries out and becomes stale. bread rises more slowly when milk is used. when mashed potatoes are used, the bread keeps moist a longer time. should you wish extra fine, white, delicate bread, add one cup of sweet cream to the liquid when setting sponge. when milk is used the dough is slower in rising, but makes a creamy-looking and fine-flavored bread. when one fleischman yeast cake is used in any recipe the ordinary half-ounce cake of compressed yeast is intended, twenty-eight cakes in a pound. these are usually kept in a large refrigerator in a temperature of degrees and should not be kept longer in the home than three days in summer or six days in winter, and should always be kept in a cool place until used, if the cook would have success when using. use the best hard, spring wheat flour obtainable for baking bread, or any sponge raised with yeast, as this flour contains a greater quantity of gluten and makes bread of high nutritive value. winter wheat maybe used for cake-making and for baking pastry with excellent results, although costing less than spring wheat. always sift flour before using, when setting sponge for bread. when mixing sponge use one quart liquid to about three pounds of flour. "aunt sarah" always cut several gashes with a sharp knife on top of loaves when ready to be placed in oven. she also made several cuts across the top of loaves with a hot knife when set to rise to allow gas to escape. if an impression made on a loaf of bread with the finger remains, the bread is light. if the dent disappears, then the loaf is not light enough to be placed in the oven; give it more time to rise. an experienced cook, noted for the excellence and size of her loaves of bread, said she always inverted a pail over the pan containing loaves of bread when set to rise, and allowed the bread to remain covered after being placed in the oven. loaves will rise to a greater height if this is done. remove the covering to allow loaves to brown a short time before taking them from the oven. "aunt sarah" frequently placed four loaves in her large roasting pan, covered the pan, when set to rise, and allowed the cover to remain until loaves were nearly baked. she brushed the top and sides of loaves with melted butter when set to rise to allow of their being broken apart easily. a more crusty loaf is secured by placing each loaf singly in medium-sized bread tins. aunt sarah considered fleischman's compressed yeast the best commercial yeast in use, both quick and reliable, but thought better bread was never made than that made by her mother, as she had been taught to make it in years past, by the old-fashioned and slower "sponge method." she was invariably successful in making sweet, wholesome bread in that manner. she used home-made potato yeast or "cornmeal yeast cakes," under different names, always with good results. good bread may be made either by the old-fashioned "sponge" method or "straight." sponge method consists of a batter mixed from liquid yeast (usually home-made potato yeast is used) and a small part of the flour required for making the bread. this batter was usually set to rise at night and mixed up in the centre of a quantity of flour, in an old-fashioned wooden dough tray. the following morning enough flour was kneaded in to form a dough, and when well-raised and light, this dough was formed into loaves and placed in pans for the final rising. the more easily and more quickly made "straight" dough, when using fleischman's compressed yeast, is mixed in the morning and all the ingredients necessary are added at one time. it is then set to rise and, when the dough has doubled in bulk, it is kneaded down and when risen to once and half its size, shaped into loaves, placed in pans to rise and, when risen to top of pans, bake. better bread may be made from flour not freshly milled. flour should be kept in a dry place; it improves with moderate age. stand flour in a warm place to dry out several hours before using if you would have good bread. when baking bread the heat of the oven should not be _too great_ at _first_, or the outside of the bread will harden too quickly and inside the loaves will not be thoroughly baked before the crust is thick and dark. the temperature of the oven and time required for baking depend upon the size of the loaves, yet the bread should be placed in rather a quick oven, one in which the loaves should brown in about fifteen minutes, when the heat may be reduced, finishing the baking more slowly. small biscuits and rolls can stand a much hotter oven and quicker baking than large loaves, which must be heated slowly, and baked a longer time. a one-pound loaf should bake about one hour. on being taken from the oven, bread should be placed on a sieve, so that the air can circulate about it until it is thoroughly cooled. in the _farmers' bulletin_, we read: "the lightness and sweetness depend as much on the way bread is made as on the materials used." the greatest care should be used in preparing and baking the dough and in cooking and keeping the finished bread. though good housekeepers agree that light, well-raised bread can readily be made, with reasonable care and attention, heavy, badly-raised bread is unfortunately very common. such bread is not palatable and is generally considered to be unwholesome, and probably more indigestion has been caused by it than by any other badly-cooked food. as compared with most meats and vegetables, bread has practically no waste and is very completely digested, but it is usually too poor in proteins to be fittingly used as the sole article of diet, but when eaten with due quantities of other food, it is invaluable and well deserves its title of "staff of life." when the housewife "sets" bread sponge to rise over night, she should mix the sponge or dough quite late, and early in the morning mold it at once into shapely-looking loaves (should the sponge have had the necessary amount of flour added the night before for making a stiff dough). being aware of the great nutritive value of raisins and dried currants, aunt sarah frequently added a cup of either one or the other, well-floured, to the dough when shaping into loaves for the final rising. aunt sarah frequently used a mixture of butter and lard when baking on account of its being more economical, and for the reason that a lesser quantity of lard may be used; the shortening qualities being greater than that of butter. the taste of lard was never detected in her bread or cakes, they being noted for their excellence, as the lard she used was home-rendered, almost as sweet as dairy butter, free from taste or odor of pork. she always beat lard to a cream when using it for baking cakes, and salted it well before using, and i do not think the small quantity used could be objected to on hygienic principles. i have read "bread baking" is done once every three or four weeks, no oftener, in some of the farm houses of central europe, and yet stale bread is there unknown. their method of keeping bread fresh is to sprinkle flour into a large sack and into this pack the loaves, taking care to have the top crusts of bread touch each other. if they have to lie bottom to bottom, sprinkle flour between them. swing the sack in a dry place. it must swing and there must be plenty of flour between the loaves. it sounds more odd than reasonable, i confess. "bucks county" hearth-baked rye bread (as made by aunt sarah) quart sweet milk (scalded and cooled). tablespoonful lard or butter. table spoonsful sugar. / tablespoonful salt. cup wheat flour. quarts rye flour (this includes the one cup of wheat flour). fleischman yeast cake or cup of potato yeast. [illustration: "bucks county" rye bread] pour quart of luke-warm milk in a bowl holding quarts. add butter, sugar and salt, - / quarts rye flour and cup of yeast, or one fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a little lukewarm water. beat thoroughly, cover with cloth, and set in a warm place to rise about three hours, or until it almost reaches the top of bowl. when light, stir in the remaining - / quarts of rye flour, in which one cup of wheat is included; turn out on a well-floured bake board and knead about twenty minutes. shape dough into one high, round loaf, sprinkle flour _liberally_ over top and sides of loaf, and place carefully into the clean bowl on top of a _well-floured_ cloth. cover and set to rise about one hour, when it should be light and risen to top of bowl. turn the bowl containing the loaf carefully upside down on the centre of a hot sheet iron taken from the hot oven and placed on top of range. a tablespoonful of flour should have been sifted over the sheet iron before turning the loaf out on it. remove cloth from dough carefully after it has been turned from bowl and place the sheet iron containing loaf _immediately in the hot oven_, as it will then rise at once and not spread. bake at least sixty minutes. bread is seldom baked long enough to be wholesome, especially graham and rye bread. when baked and still hot, brush the top of loaf with butter and wash the bottom of loaf well with a cloth wrung out of cold water, to soften the lower, hard-baked crust. wrap in a damp cloth and stand aside to cool where the air will circulate around it. always set rye bread to rise early in the morning of the same day it is to be baked, as rye sponge sours more quickly than wheat sponge. the bread baked from this recipe has the taste of bread which, in olden times, was baked in the brick ovens of our grandmother's day, and that bread was unexcelled. i know of what i am speaking, having watched my grandmother bake bread in an old-fashioned brick oven, and have eaten hearth-baked rye bread, baked directly on the bottom of the oven, and know, if this recipe be closely followed, the young housewife will have sweet, wholesome bread. some germans use kumel or caraway seed in rye bread. aunt sarah's loaves of rye bread, baked from the above recipe, were invariably - / inches high, - / inches in diameter and inches in circumference and always won a blue ribbon at country fairs and farmers' picnics. in the oven of aunt sarah's range was always to be found a piece of sheet iron inches in length by inches in width. the three edges of the sheet iron turned down all around to a depth of half an inch, the two opposite corners being cut off about a half inch, to allow of its being turned down. it is a great convenience for young housewives to possess two of these sheet-iron tins, or "baking sheets," when baking small cakes or cookies, as being raised slightly from the bottom of the oven, cakes are less liable to scorch and bake more evenly. one sheet may be filled while baking another sheetful of cakes. in this manner a large number of cakes may be baked in a short time. this baking sheet was turned the opposite way, upside down, when baking a loaf of rye bread on it, and when the loaf of bread was partly baked the extra baking sheet was slipped under the bottom of the one containing the loaf, in case the oven was quite hot, to prevent the bottom of the bread scorching. wheat bread may be baked in the same manner as rye bread, substituting wheat flour for rye. these baking sheets may be made by any tinsmith, and young housewives, i know, would not part with them, once they realize how invaluable they are for baking small cakes on them easily and quickly. "frau schmidts" good white bread (sponge method) to one quart of potato water, drained from potatoes which were boiled for mid-day dinner, she added about / cup of finely-mashed hot potatoes and stood aside. about four o'clock in the afternoon she placed one pint of lukewarm potato water and mashed potatoes in a bowl with / cup of granulated sugar and / a dissolved fleischman's yeast cake, beat all well together, covered with a cloth and stood in a warm place until light and foamy. about nine o'clock in the evening she added the reserved pint of (lukewarm) potato water and / tablespoonful of salt to the yeast sponge, with enough warmed, well-dried flour to stiffen, and kneaded it until dough was fine-grained. she also cut through the dough frequently with a sharp knife. when the dough was elastic and would not adhere to molding-board or hands, she placed it in a bowl, brushed melted lard or butter over top to prevent a crust forming, covered warmly with a cloth and allowed it to stand until morning. frau schmidt always rose particularly early on bake day, for fear the sponge might fall or become sour, if allowed to stand too long. she molded the dough into four small loaves, placed it in pans to rise until it doubled its original bulk. when light she baked it one hour. bread made according to these directions was fine-grained, sweet and wholesome. she always cut several gashes across top of loaf with a sharp knife when loaves were set to rise, to allow gas to escape. excellent "graham bread" at . a.m. place in a quart measure / cup of sweet cream and - / cups of milk, after being scalded ( quart all together). when lukewarm, add fleischman yeast cake, dissolved in a little of the luke warm milk, tablespoonfuls sugar and tablespoonful salt. add cups each of white bread flour and cups of graham flour (in all cups or - / quarts of flour). mix well together and stand in a warm place, closely covered, a couple of hours, until well-risen. then stir sponge down and add about - / cups each of graham and of white flour. (sponge for graham bread should not be quite as stiff as a sponge prepared from white flour.) set to rise again for an hour, or longer; when light, stir down sponge and turn on to a well-floured board. knead well, divide into four portions, mold into four small, shapely loaves, brush with soft butter, place in well-greased pans, set to rise, and in about one hour they should be ready to put in a moderately-hot oven. bake about fifty minutes. graham bread should be particularly well-baked. brush loaves, when baked, with butter, which makes a crisp crust with a nutty flavor. should cream not be available, one quart of scalded milk, containing one tablespoonful of butter, may be used with good results. if cream be used with the milk, no shortening is required in the bread. bread is considered more wholesome when no shortening is used in its preparation. graham bread (an old recipe) cups sour milk cups sweet milk or water. teaspoon soda (salaratus) graham flour. / cup molasses. tablespoonful melted butter. pinch of salt. stiffen about as thick as ordinary molasses cake. bake at once. "mary's" recipe for wheat bread cup sweet milk (scalded). cup cold water. cake fleischman's yeast (dissolved in a small quantity of luke-warm water). - / teaspoonfuls sugar. rounded teaspoonful salt. tablespoonful butter. flour, about - / quarts. this makes good bread and, as bread is apt to chill if set over night in a cold kitchen, or sour if allowed to stand over night in summer, set this sponge early in the morning. stiffen with flour and knead about minutes; place the dough in a covered bowl in a warm place to rise about two hours and when well-risen and light, knead and stand one hour. then mold into shapely loaves, place in pans, brush tops of loaves with melted butter, and when doubled in bulk, in about minutes put in an oven which is so hot you can hold your hand in only while you count thirty, or if a little flour browns in the oven in about six minutes, it is hot enough for bread. the oven should be hot enough to brown the bread slightly five minutes after being put in. medium-sized loaves of bread require from / of an hour to one hour to bake. when bread is sufficiently baked it can be told by turning the loaf over and rapping with the knuckles on the bottom of the loaf. if it sounds hollow, it is thoroughly baked, and should be taken from the oven. stand loaves up on end against some object, where the air can circulate around them, and brush a little butter over the top to soften the crust. an authority on the chemistry of foods cautious housewives against cooling loaves of bread too rapidly after taking from the oven, and i should like to add a word of caution against eating fresh breads of any kind. bread should be baked at least twelve hours before being eaten. the sponge for this bread was set at o'clock in the morning; bread was baked at . . from pint of liquid, cake of yeast and about - / quarts of flour were made two loaves of bread. more yeast is required to raise a sponge containing sugar, eggs and shortening than is required to raise bread sponge containing only liquid, flour and yeast. "frau schmidts" easily-made graham bread should you care to have a couple of loaves of graham bread instead of all-wheat, take a generous cup of the above sponge before it is stiffened beyond a thick batter, and add one tablespoonful of brown sugar or molasses, stiffen with graham flour (not quite as stiff as when making wheat bread), rub butter or lard on top of dough, cover and set in a warm place to rise. when light, mold into one small loaf (never make graham bread into large loaves), place in oblong pan, cover, let stand until light, about - / hours, when it should have doubled in size; put in oven and bake thoroughly. when the loaf is taken from the oven, brush butter over the top. this keeps the crust moist. if a wholesome loaf of "corn bread" is wished, use fine, yellow, granulated cornmeal to stiffen the sponge instead of graham flour; do not make dough too stiff. whole-wheat bread pint boiling water. pint sweet milk. / fleischman's yeast cake dissolved in luke-warm water. / tablespoon salt. flour. when the milk and water are lukewarm add the yeast cake and salt. then add enough whole wheat flour to make a thin batter. let stand in a warm place three or four hours. then stir in as much wheat flour (whole wheat) as can be stirred in well with a large spoon, and pour into well-greased pans. let rise to double its bulk; then bake from three-fourths to one hour, according to the size of the loaves. this quantity makes three loaves. nut bread cups graham flour. cup wheat flour. teaspoons baking powder. cup chopped english walnuts. cup sugar. small teaspoon "mapleine" flavoring (if liked). / cup milk. pinch salt. / cup floured raisins (seeded). put in a good-sized bread pan and bake on hour in a moderate oven. strange as it may seem, this bread is lighter and better if allowed to stand a half hour before being placed in the oven to bake. frau schmidts "quick bread" the professor's wife seldom used any liquid except water to set a sponge for bread. she seldom used any shortening. she taught mary to make bread by the following process, which she considered superior to any other. from the directions given, housewives may think more time devoted to the making of a couple of loaves of bread than necessary; also, that too great a quantity of yeast was used; but the bread made by "frau schmidt" was excellent, quickly raised and baked. the whole process consumed only about four hours' time, and how could time be more profitably spent than in baking sweet, crusty loaves of bread, even in these strenuous days when the efficient housekeeper plans to conserve strength, time and labor? first, two fleischman's compressed yeast cakes were placed in a bowl and dissolved with tablespoonfuls of luke-warm water; she then added cup of lukewarm water, / tablespoonful of sugar and / teaspoonful of salt and stirred all well together. the bowl containing this yeast foam was allowed to stand in a warm place, closely covered, one hour. at the end of that time the yeast mixture should be light and foamy. it was then poured into the centre of a bowl containing about - / cups of _warmed_ flour, mixing the foamy yeast with a _portion_ of the flour to make a soft sponge, leaving a wall of flour around the inside edge of bowl, as our grandmothers used to do in olden times when they mixed a sponge for bread of liquid flour and yeast, in one end of the old-fashioned wooden "dough tray," using a wooden stick or small paddle for stirring together the mixture. the bowl containing the sponge was placed in a warm place to rise. in about or minutes / cup of lukewarm water was added to the sponge, stirring in all the outside wall of flour until a dough, the proper consistency for bread, was formed. the dough was turned out on the molding board and given a couple of quick, deft turns with the hands for several minutes, then placed in the bowl and again set to rise in a warm place, free from draughts, for or minutes. when light, with hands slightly greased with butter, she kneaded the dough a short time, until smooth and elastic, divided the dough into two portions, placed each loaf in warmed, well-greased bread pans and stood in a warm place about / hour. then turned the contents of bread pans onto bake-board, one at a time. cut each loaf into three portions, rolled each piece into long, narrow strips with the palms of the hands. pinched ends of the three strips together and braided or plaited them into a braid almost the length of bread pan. placed each braided loaf in a bread pan and set to raise as before. when well-raised, brush the top of loaves with melted butter. bake about three-quarters of an hour in a moderately-hot oven. an old-fashioned way of testing the heat of the oven was to hold the hand in the oven while counting thirty. should one be unable to bear the heat of oven a longer time, then the temperature was correct for baking bread. should one be able to allow the hand to remain in the oven a longer time, the heat of the oven should be increased. as a result of carefully following these minute directions, even an inexperienced housewife should have sweet, wholesome bread. frau schmidt insisted that rolling portions of dough separately before combining in a loaf, as for braided loaves, caused the bread to have a finer texture than if just shaped into round loaves. an "oatmeal loaf" for a loaf of oatmeal bread, place cup of crushed oats, or common oatmeal, in a bowl, pour over / cup of hot milk. when luke warm, add cup of sponge, or batter, reserved from that raised over night for making loaves of white bread; teaspoonful butter, teaspoonful sugar and / teaspoonful salt, and about scant cups of white flour. knead a few minutes, set to rise in a warm place, closely covered, about one hour or until doubled in bulk. then knead down and form into a shapely loaf, place in a pan, brush melted butter over lop (this improves crust), and when raised, doubled in bulk (in about one hour), place in a moderately hot oven and bake from to minutes. raisins may be added to this loaf, if liked. mary preferred this oatmeal loaf to graham bread. the sponge or batter from which this oatmeal-loaf was made had been prepared in the following manner: to - / cups of luke-warm potato water was added teaspoonful of sugar, cake of yeast; when dissolved, add - / cups of white bread flour. beat all together well, stand closely-covered in a warm place until the following morning. from one cup of this sponge was made one oatmeal loaf, and to the other cup of sponge white flour was added for a loaf of white bread or rolls. aunt sarah's white bread (sponge method) prepare the following "yeast sponge" at noon, the day preceding that on which you bake bread: place in a bowl (after the mid-day meal) quart of potato water (containing no salt), in which potatoes were boiled; also two medium-sized, finely-mashed potatoes, tablespoonful of sugar and, when luke warm, add cup of good home-made or baker's yeast. mix all well together; then divide this mixture and pour each half into each of two -quart glass fruit jars. place covers tightly on jars and shake each jar well, to mix yeast and potato-water thoroughly. stand yeast in a warm place near the kitchen range over night. jars should be _covered only_ with a napkin. the sponge should become light and foamy. in the morning use this freshly-prepared yeast to set sponge for bread. when preparing to set bread, place in a large bowl pint of potato water, tablespoonful of sugar, pint of the yeast sponge, / teaspoonful of salt, and use about pounds of sifted flour, well-dried and warmed. knead from to minutes, until a stiff dough is formed. the dough should be fine-grained and elastic and not stick to bake board. place dough in the bowl to rise; this should lake about four hours. when well-risen and light knead down and set to rise again, about - / hours. when light, mold into three large, shapely loaves; place in pans and allow to stand one hour. when loaves have doubled in bulk, are very light and show signs of cracking, invert a pan over top of loaves (if that was not done when loaves were put in pans), and place in a rather hot oven to bake. brush melted butter over loaves of bread when set to rise, it will cause bread to have a crisp crust when baked. the old-fashioned way of testing the heat of an oven was to hold the hand in the oven, if possible, while one counted thirty. the pint of yeast remaining in jar may be kept in a cool place one week, and may be used during this time in making fresh "yeast foam." this should always be prepared the day before baking bread. always prepare double the quantity of "yeast foam." use half to set bread, and reserve half for next baking. bread baked from this recipe has frequently taken first prize at county fairs and farmers' picnics. when baking bread, the oven should be quite hot when bread is first placed therein, when the bread should rise about an inch; then the heat of the oven should he lessened and in a half hour a brown crust should begin forming; and during the latter part of the hour (the time required for baking an ordinary-sized loaf) the heat of the oven should be less, causing the bread to bake slowly. should the heat of the oven not be great enough, when the loaves are placed within for baking, then poor bread would be the result. this method of making bread will insure most satisfactory results, although more troublesome than ordinary methods. recipe for "pulled bread" take a vienna loaf of bread, twelve-hours old, cut away all the crust with a clean-cut knife, then break away gently (with your fingers only) small finger-lengths of the bread, place in a moderate oven and brown a golden brown, and it is ready to serve. 'tis said six loaves will be required for one pound of this pulled bread. 'tis easily prepared in the home, but quite costly, when purchased. many people prefer "pulled bread" to fresh bread, as it is more wholesome. aunt sarah's "hutzel brod" pounds dried pears. pounds dried prunes. quarts juice of fruit and water. pound dried currants. pound seeded raisins. pound blanched and shredded almonds. pound chopped english walnut meats. - / ounces finely-shredded citron. - / ounces orange peel. / ounce chopped figs. ounce ground cinnamon. / ounce ground cloves. - / ounces anise seed. pounds flour (warmed and sifted). cakes compressed yeast. - / cups sugar. large tablespoon butter. tablespoon salt. tablespoons brandy or sherry. the whole recipe will make loaves of bread. this delicious german bread was usually made by "aunt sarah" one week before christmas. it may be kept two weeks, and at the end of that time still be good. it is rather expensive as regards fruit and nuts, but as no eggs are used, and a very small quantity of butter; and as bread containing fruit is so much more wholesome than rich fruit cake. i think american housewives would do well to bake this german bread occasionally. mary took one-fourth the quantity of everything called for in the recipe, except yeast. she used / of a cake of fleischman's yeast and / of each of the other ingredients, and from these baked three loaves of bread. the prunes and pears should be covered with cold water at night and allowed to stand until the following morning, when, after stewing until tender, the juice should be drained from the fruit and water added to the fruit-juice to measure two quarts. remove pits from prunes, cut pears and prunes in small pieces; stand aside. clean currants and raisins, blanch and shred almonds, chop walnut meats, citron, orange peel and figs; add cinnamon, cloves and anise seed. mix together flour and one quart of the fruit juice; add the compressed yeast cakes (dissolved in a little warm water), knead well, set a sponge as for ordinary bread; when raised, add the remaining quart of fruit juice, sugar, butter and salt. a small quantity of brandy or sherry may be added, but if not liked, fruit juice may be substituted. add the remaining ingredients, and knead thoroughly. allow dough to raise from two to three hours and when light form into loaves and allow to stand an hour, when bake. this quantity of dough should be made into twelve small loaves. should the flour and liquid used be warmed before mixing, the dough will raise more quickly. it simplifies the work if the fruits and nuts be prepared the day before the bread is baked. aunt sarah's white bread and rolls quart potato water. mashed potato. tablespoonful butter or lard. tablespoonful sugar. fleischman yeast cake, or cup good yeast. / tablespoonful salt. flour to stiffen (about three quarts). at o'clock in the evening put in a large bowl the mashed potato, the quart of luke-warm potato water (water in which potatoes were boiled for dinner), butter or sweet lard, sugar, salt, and mix with flour into a batter, to which add the fleischman's or any good yeast cake, dissolved in a little luke-warm water. beat well and stir in flour until quite stiff, turn out on a well-floured bake-board and knead well about minutes, until the dough is smooth, fine-grained and elastic, and does not stick lo the bake-board or hands. chop a knife through the dough several times; knead and chop again. this makes the bread finer and closer-grained, or, so aunt sarah thought. knead in all the flour necessary when first mixing the bread. when sufficiently kneaded, form into a large, round ball of dough, rub all over with soft lard, or butter, to prevent forming a crust on top and keep from sticking to bowl, and set to rise, closely-covered with a cloth and blanket, in a warm place until morning. in the morning the bread should be very light, doubled in quantity. take out enough dough for an ordinary loaf, separate this into three parts, roll each piece with the hand on the bake-board into long, narrow pieces. pinch the three pieces together at one end and braid, or plait, into a narrow loaf. brush over top with melted butter; set to rise in a warm place in a bread pan, closely-covered, until it doubles in size--or, if preferred, mold into ordinary-shaped loaves, and let rise until doubled in size, when bake in a moderately-hot oven with steady heat. frequently, when the "twist" loaves of bread were quite light and ready to be placed in the oven, aunt sarah brushed the tops with yolk of egg, or a little milk, then strewed "poppy seeds" thickly over. the poppy seeds give an agreeable flavor to the crust of the bread. aunt sarah's raised rolls (from bread dough) a portion of the white bread dough may be made into raised rolls. these rolls are excellent without additional shortening, or, in fact, without anything else being added. mold pieces of the bread dough into balls the size of a walnut; roll each piece flat with the rolling pin, dip in melted butter, fold and place close together in a bake pan. let rise _very_ light, then bake about minutes in a very hot oven. if a teaspoonful of flour browns in about two minutes in the oven, it is the right temperature for rolls. clover-leaf rolls take pieces of the bread dough, the size of a walnut, cut into three pieces, mold with the hand into round balls the size of small marbles; dip each one in melted butter, or butter and lard, and place three of these in each gem pan. (these pans may be bought six or twelve small pans fastened together, and are much more convenient than when each one must be handled separately when baking). allow small rolls to become _very light_, bake in a hot oven, and you will find them excellent. dipping the rolls in melted butter makes them crisp. serve hot, or place in a hot oven a few minutes until heated through, if served after they have become cold. "polish" rye bread (as made in bucks county) this excellent, nutritious bread, is made from the whole-ground grain. every part of the grain is used in the flour, when ground. to bake this bread, sift together one quart of this "whole-ground" rye flour and two quarts of white-bread flour. early in the morning of the day on which bread is to be baked, prepare a thick batter, or sponge, consisting of one quart of potato water (or the same quantity of luke-warm, scalded milk, or a mixture of the two); add one tablespoonful of a mixture of lard and butter and two boiled, mashed potatoes. two tablespoonfuls of sugar, one-half tablespoonful of salt and one fleischman's compressed yeast cake, dissolved in a small quantity of water; add about five cups of the mixed, sifted flour, beat the batter well, and stand in a warm place, covered, from one and a half to two hours. when well-risen and light, stir in balance of flour gradually, until all except one cup has been added; then turn onto a bake-board and knead well. this sponge should not be quite as stiff as for wheat bread. turn the dough onto a clean, well-floured cloth in a large bowl, set to rise and bake according to directions for baking "hearth-baked rye bread" or, if preferred, form into loaves, place in bread pans and, when light, bake. perfect breakfast rolls one quart of scalded milk, when lukewarm, add the following: / cup of butter and lard (mixed), egg, tablespoonful of sugar, teaspoonful of salt and fleischman's yeast cake; add flour to form a thick batter; beat all thoroughly. mix the above at . p.m., stand in a warm place, closely-covered, over night. the following morning add more flour; dough should not be mixed quite as stiff as for bread. allow it to raise in a warm place. when well-risen, place on bread board, roll, cut into small biscuits; dip each biscuit in melted butter, fold together, place in pans a distance apart, and when they have doubled in size, bake in a hot oven. "an old recipe" for good bread this country cook invariably baked good bread and always used potato-water in preference to any other liquid for setting sponge. she stood aside water, in which potatoes had been boiled for dinner (usually about one quart or less) and added two finely-mashed potatoes. about or o'clock in the afternoon of the day _before_ that on which she intended baking bread, she dissolved one cake of yeast (she used the small cornmeal commercial yeast cakes, sold under different names, such as national, magic, etc.) in a half-cup of luke-warm water, added / teaspoon of salt and sufficient warmed, well-dried flour to make a thin batter. she placed all in a bowl and stood it in a warm place, closely-covered, until about o'clock in the evening, when she added this sponge, which should be light and foamy, to the potato water, which should be lukewarm. she also added tablespoon of salt and enough flour to make a rather thick batter. heat thoroughly and allow this sponge to stand, well-covered, in a warm place until morning, when add tablespoon sugar, tablespoon butter or lard and warmed flour enough to make a stiff dough. turn out on the bread board and knead for about twenty minutes, until the dough does not stick to the hands. place stiffened dough into howl; allow it to rise until bulk is doubled. mold into loaves, adding as little extra flour as possible. cut several gashes on top of loaves, brush with melted butter, place in bread pans, and when loaves have doubled in bulk, place in moderately hot oven and bake about one hour. steamed brown bread place in a bowl / cup graham flour and / cup of yellow, granulated cornmeal. sift into this / cup of white flour, teaspoonful of baking powder and / teaspoonful of salt. mix all ingredients together to form a batter by adding cup of sour milk, in which has been dissolved / teaspoonful of soda. then add tablespoonfuls of molasses. pour into a well-greased quart can (the tin cans in which coffee is frequently sold will answer nicely), cover closely, place in a kettle of boiling water, steam about three hours; stand in oven a short time after being steamed. cut in slices and serve as bread, or, by the addition of raisins or currants, and a little grated nutmeg or other flavoring, a very appetizing and wholesome pudding may be served hot, with sugar and cream or any pudding sauce preferred. a wholesome bread (made from bran) place in a bowl cups of clean bran and cups of white flour, sifted with teaspoonfuls of baking powder, teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of melted butter. mix into a soft batter with cups of sweet milk; add / cup of molasses. fill two layer cake pans and bake in a hot oven about minutes. this is so easily and quickly made. the young housewife may mix, when commencing to prepare lunch, and when the meal is ready to serve the bread will be baked, and it is an excellent laxative. frau schmidt's "hutzel brod" quart dried pears. pint of pear juice. fleischman's yeast cake. scant cup brown sugar. eggs. / teaspoonful soda. pound of soaked raisins. / cup of a mixture of lard and butter. teaspoonful of fennel seed. pinch of salt. teaspoonfuls of ground cinnamon. flour to stiffen, as for ordinary bread. cover one quart of dried pears with cold water and cook slowly about minutes until they have cooked tender, but not soft (the night before the day on which the bread is to be baked). then drain the juice from stewed pears, which should measure pint; when lukewarm, add yeast cake, dissolved in a small quantity of lukewarm water, and about cups of flour and a pinch of salt. stand, closely-covered, in a warm place over night to raise. the following morning, add / teaspoonful of baking soda, dissolved in a little warm water, to counteract any acidity of batter. cream together sugar, butter and lard, add eggs one at a time, men the well-floured, diced pears, also raisins, cinnamon and fennel seed, and enough flour to stiffen as for ordinary bread. knead well, let rise; it will require some time, as the fruit retards the raising process. when light, turn onto a bake-board, cut into four portions, mold into four shapely loaves, place in pans, brush with melted butter and when quite light, place in a moderate oven and bake one hour. this bread will keep well several weeks, if kept in a tin cake box. this recipe is much simpler than aunt sarah's recipe for making "hutzel brod," but bread made from this recipe is excellent. "aunt sarah's" quickly-made brown bread cups of buttermilk, or thick, sour milk. / cup of sugar. / cup of molasses. tablespoonful of melted butter. egg. teaspoonful of soda. / teaspoonful of salt. - / cups of graham flour. / cup of white flour, sifted with / teaspoonful of baking powder. the egg was placed in a bowl, and not beaten separately; sugar and butter were creamed together, before being added; then mix in salt and molasses, and gradually add buttermilk, in which the soda had been dissolved; then add white and graham flour, / cups of raisins may be added, if liked. bake in a bread pan in a moderately hot oven. "stirred" oatmeal bread early in the morning cup of oatmeal porridge, left over from that which had been cooked for breakfast, was placed in a bowl and added gradually cups of scalded, luke-warm milk, tablespoon of a mixture of lard and butter, / cup new orleans molasses and one fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a little of the milk; stir in about cups of bread flour and stand in a warm place about - / hours to rise; then add - / cups more of bread flour and teaspoonful of salt. stir well with a spoon, and pour into three small bread tins; let rise, when well-risen, bake about / of an hour in a moderately hot oven. this is a delicious and wholesome bread and no kneading is necessary. - / cups of the cooked oatmeal might be used, then use less white bread flour when mixing. nut and raisin bread cups buttermilk, or sour milk. / cup brown sugar, cups graham flour. cup wheat flour. teaspoonful of soda, dissolved in a little of the milk. teaspoonful of baking powder, sifted with the wheat flour. mix all together, add one cup of seeded raisins, / cup of ground peanuts and / cup chopped walnut meats. bake in an ordinary bread pan. "saffron" raisin bread for this old-fashioned, "country" bread, set a sponge in the evening, consisting of cup of luke-warm water, fleischman's compressed yeast cake and tablespoonfuls of saffron water, obtained by steeping / tablespoonful of dried saffron flowers in a small quantity of boiling water a short time. use about cups of flour to stiffen the sponge. cover bowl containing sponge and stand in a warm place until morning, when add the following: / cup of soft a sugar, / cup lard and / cup of butter (beaten to a cream); then add one egg. beat again and add this mixture to the well-risen sponge. add also / cup of seeded raisins and about - / cups of flour. the dough should be almost as stiff as ordinary bread dough. set to rise about one hour. then divide the dough and mold into two shapely loaves. place in oblong bread pans. let rise about - / hours. brush melted butter over top of loaves and bake in a moderately hot oven, as one would bake ordinary bread. this bread is a rich, golden yellow, with a distinctive, rather bitter, saffron flavor, well-liked by some people; saffron is not unwholesome. "speaking of saffron bread," said john landis, to his niece, mary, "i am reminded of the lines i was taught when quite a small boy:" "wer will gute kuchen haben, der muss sieben sachen haben; eier, butter un schmalz, milch, zucker un mehl; un saffron mach die kuchen gehl." "of course, mary, you do not understand what that means. i will translate it for you. 'who would have good cakes, he must have seven things--eggs, butter and lard, milk, sugar and flour, and saffron makes the cakes yellow.'" raised rolls quarts of sifted flour. pint of boiled milk (lukewarm). tablespoon sugar. / cup butter and lard, mixed. / cake compressed yeast, or / cup yeast. teaspoon salt. at o'clock p.m. set sponge with half or three-fourths of the flour and all the other ingredients. about o'clock in the evening, knead well, adding the balance of the flour. cover and let stand in a warm place until morning. in the morning, roll out about / of an inch thick, cut into small rolls, place in baking pans far enough apart so they will not touch, and when raised quite light, bake. or, take the same ingredients as above (with one exception; take one whole cake of compressed yeast), dissolved in half a cup of luke-warm water, and flour enough to make a thin batter. do this at . in the morning and let rise until o'clock; then knead enough flour in to make a soft dough, as soft as can be handled. stand in a warm place until . , roll out quite thin; cut with small, round cake-cutter and fold over like a pocketbook, putting a small piece of butter the size of a pea between the folds; set in a warm place until . , or until very light; then bake a delicate brown in a hot oven. if made quite small, rolls may be made from this dough. to cause rolls of any kind to have a rich, brown glaze, when baked, before placing the pan containing them in the oven, brush over the top of each roll the following mixture, composed of--yolk of egg, tablespoon of milk, and teaspoon of sugar. "grandmother's" fine raised biscuits quart scalded milk (lukewarm). / cup of butter, or a mixture of butter and lard. / cup of sugar. teaspoonful of salt. fleischman's yeast cakes. whites of eggs. flour. quite early in the morning dissolve the two yeast cakes in a little of the milk; add these, with one-half the quantity of sugar and salt in the recipe, to the remainder of the quart of milk; add also cups of flour to form the yeast foam. beat well and stand in a warm place, closely-covered, one hour, until light and foamy. beat the sugar remaining and the butter to a cream; add to the yeast foam about to cups of flour, and the stiffly-beaten whites of the two eggs. turn out on a well-floured bread board and knead about five minutes. place in a bowl and let rise again (about one hour or longer) until double in bulk, when roll out about one inch in thickness. cut small biscuits with a / pound royal baking powder can. brush tops of biscuits with a mixture consisting of yolk of one egg, a teaspoonful of sugar and a little milk; this causes the biscuits to have a rich brown crust when baked. place biscuits on pans a short distance apart, let rise until doubled in bulk; bake in a rather quick oven. from this recipe was usually made biscuits. one-half of this recipe would be sufficient for a small family. mary's aunt taught her the possibilities of what she called a "dutch" sponge--prepared from one fleischman's yeast cake. and the variety a capable housewife may give her family, with the expenditure of a small amount of time and thought. about o'clock in the evening mary's aunt placed in a bowl cups of potato water (drained from potatoes boiled for dinner). in this she dissolved one fleischman's yeast cake, stirred into this about cups of well-warmed flour, beat thoroughly for about ten minutes. allowed this to stand closely covered in a warm place over night. on the following morning she added to the foamy sponge - / cups lukewarm, scalded milk, in which had been dissolved tablespoonful of a mixture of butter and lard, generous tablespoonfuls of sugar and teaspoonful of salt. about - / cups of well-dried and warmed flour; she stirred in a part of the flour, then added the balance. kneaded well a short time, then set to raise closely covered in a warm place - / to hours. when dough was light it was kneaded down in bowl and allowed to stand about one hour, and when well risen she placed cups of light bread sponge in a bowl, and stood aside in warm place; this later formed the basis of a "farmers' pound cake," the recipe for which may be found among recipes for "raised cakes." from the balance of dough, or sponge, after being cut into portions, she molded from the one portion small turn-over rolls, which were brushed with melted butter, folded together and placed on tins a distance apart and when _very_ light baked in a quick oven. from another portion of the sponge was made a twist or braided loaf. and to the remaining portion of dough was added / cup of currants or raisins, and this was called a "currant" or "raisin loaf," which she served for dinner the following day. the rolls were placed in the oven of the range a few minutes before breakfast and served hot, broken apart and eaten with maple syrup or honey and the delicious "farmers' pound cake" was served for supper. aunt sarah baked these on ironing day. the kitchen being unusually warm, as a result of the extra heat required in the range for heating flatirons, caused the dough to rise more quickly than otherwise would have been the case. stirred bread frau schmidt thought bread more easily digested and wholesome if ingredients of a loaf be stirred together instead of kneaded. this is the method she taught mary. she poured into a bowl cups of luke-warm water, added cake of fleischman's yeast, dissolved in a little of the water; sifted in gradually about - / cups of flour, added tablespoonful of sugar, / teaspoonful of salt, mixed all well together with a spoon until a stiff dough was formed, which she molded into two shapely loaves, handling as little as possible; placed in bread pans, allowed to stand several hours to raise, and when light baked. mary said, "this bread may be more wholesome than old-fashioned bread, which has been kneaded, but i prefer aunt sarah's bread, well-kneaded, fine-grained and sweet," but, she continued, "i will make an exception in favor of aunt sarah's 'stirred oatmeal' bread, which, i think, fine." potato biscuits at o'clock in the morning place in a bowl cup of finely-mashed (boiled) potatoes (the cup of left-over mashed potatoes may be used as a matter of economy). add cup of potato water (the water drained from boiled potatoes), in which / cake of fleischman's yeast had been dissolved, add cup of flour and teaspoon of sugar. stand in a warm place to raise, from to - / hours. at the expiration of that time add to the foamy sponge large tablespoonful of butter or lard, egg and / teaspoonful of salt, beaten together before adding. add about cups of flour, beat thoroughly and allow to raise another hour; then roll out the dough about inch in thickness and cut into small biscuits, dip each one in melted butter and place on pans, a short distance apart, stand about one hour to raise, when bake in a rather hot oven. these potato biscuits are particularly nice when freshly baked, and resemble somewhat biscuits made from baking powder. from this recipe was made two dozen biscuits. aunt sarah's potato yeast medium-sized potatoes. tablespoons sugar. tablespoons salt. quart water. grate the raw potatoes quickly, so they will not discolor, pour over the grated potato the quart of boiling water, add salt and sugar, cook several minutes until the consistency of boiled starch, let cool, and when lukewarm add cup of good yeast. stir all together in a crock, cover and let stand in a warm place three or four hours, when it is foamy and rises to top of crock, stir down several times, then fill glass fruit jars, cover and stand away in a cool place until needed. this yeast will keep about ten days. use one cup to about three pounds of flour, or one quart of liquid, when setting sponge for bread. save one cup of this yeast to start fresh yeast with. perfection potato cakes cup of boiled mashed potatoes. cup sweet milk. cup water in which fleischman yeast cake was dissolved. cups soft a sugar. / cup butter and lard mixed. eggs. a little salt. about cups of flour. cream the sugar, butter and eggs together. add mashed potatoes, milk and cup of water containing yeast, alternately with the flour, until about cups of flour have been used, making a dough as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon. stand, covered, in a warm place by the range until morning. these should be set to rise about nine o'clock in the evening. the following morning take pieces of the dough, on a well-floured bake board; roll about one inch thick, to fit in pie tins, place in pie tins to raise; when doubled in bulk spread with melted butter and sprinkle sugar thickly over top and bake in a moderately hot oven until lightly browned on top. this quantity of dough makes six cakes. instead of brushing the cakes with above mixture, place in a bowl / cup of soft a sugar, / cup flour, a tiny pinch of salt and baking powder each and tablespoonfuls of butter (not melted), mix all together as crumbly as possible, then the crumbs were sprinkled thickly over tops of cakes, which had been brushed with a mixture of milk and sugar. place cakes in oven when raised; bake minutes. this recipe was given mary by an old "bucks county" cook, noted for the excellence of her raised cakes. mary's recipe for cinnamon buns early in the morning mix a sponge or batter consisting of / cup of potato water (water drained from boiled potatoes) and / cup of lukewarm, scalded milk, one fleischman's compressed yeast cake, dissolved in the / cup of lukewarm potato water, teaspoonful sugar, pinch of salt and about - / cupfuls of warmed flour. stand this sponge in a warm place, closely covered, about / of an hour, to raise. at the end of that time add to the light, well-risen sponge, the following: tablespoonfuls of a mixture of lard and butter, and / cup of soft a sugar, creamed together. add one large egg. beat well. lastly, add about cupfuls of flour. mix all together thoroughly, and let raise again about - / hours. divide the well-risen sponge into four portions. roll each piece with rolling-pin into lengthwise pieces about / inch thick and spread with one tablespoonful of melted butter, scant tablespoonfuls of brown sugar, dust over this a small quantity of cinnamon, and tablespoonful of dried currants. shape into a long, narrow roll with the hands, on a well-floured bake-board. cut each roll into five pieces. pinch one end of each piece together and place each bun, cut side down, a short distance apart, in an iron pan which has been well greased, having brushed a little melted butter and a sprinkling of sugar over pan. allow these to rise in a warm place as before, about - / hours, until quite light, as having the extra sugar, butter and currants added retards their rising as quickly as would plain biscuits. bake to minutes in a moderate oven. from this quantity of material was made cinnamon buns. "kleina kaffe kuchen" (little coffee cakes) scant / cup lard and butter. cups sifted flour. whole eggs and the yolks of more. tablespoons sugar. / cup cream. / milk. fleischman's yeast cake. / teaspoon salt. the yeast cake was dissolved in the / cup lukewarm milk, a couple tablespoons of flour were added and mixed into a batter, and stood in a warm place to rise. the butter and sugar were stirred to a cream, salt was added, the eggs were beaten in, one at a time, next was added the sponge containing the yeast, the lukewarm cream, and the sifted flour. grease slightly warmed gem pans, sift a little flour over them, fill two-thirds full with the soft dough, set in a warm place to rise to tops of pans, and when quite light bake in a medium hot oven about minutes. the oven should be hot enough to allow them to rise quickly. put something underneath the pans in the oven to prevent bottom of cakes from burning. these may be set about o'clock in the morning if cakes are wished for lunch at noon. these are not cheap, as this quantity makes only cakes, but they are light as puffballs. the professor's wife served them when she gave a "kaffee klatch." she doubled the recipe, baked the cakes in the morning, and placed them in the oven to heat through before serving. the cakes should be broken apart, not cut. the cakes made from this recipe are particularly fine. grossmutter's potato cakes cup hot mashed potatoes. - / cups sugar. scant cup butter and lard. cup home-made yeast or yeast cake dissolved in cup lukewarm water. eggs. flour. at o'clock in the afternoon set to rise the following: one cup of sugar and one cup of hot mashed potatoes; when lukewarm add one cup of flour and one cup of yeast; beat all together, stand in a warm place to rise and at o'clock in the evening cream together cup of a mixture of lard and butter, cup of sugar, eggs and pinch of salt; add the sponge and beat well. stir as stiff as you can stir it with a large spoon, cover, set in a warm place to rise until morning, when roll out some of the dough into cakes about one inch thick, put in pie tins to rise, and when light, make half a dozen deep impressions on top of each cake with the forefinger, spread with melted butter and strew light-brown sugar thickly over top, or mix together cup sugar, butter size of an egg, tablespoons flour, tablespoons boiling water, beat well and spread the mixture on cakes just before placing in oven. bake the cakes about minutes in a moderate oven. this is a very old recipe used by aunt sarah's grandmother, and similar to the well-known german cakes called "schwing felders." aunt sarah's "bread dough" cake cup bread dough. egg. / cup soft a sugar. tablespoon lard or butter. / teaspoon soda. when her bread dough was raised and ready to put in the pans she placed a cupful of it in a bowl and added the egg, sugar, butter, soda (dissolved in a little hot water); some dried raisins or currants, and just enough flour so it might be handled easily. put in a small agate pan four inches deep, let rise until light, dust pulverized sugar over top and bake about or minutes in a moderate oven. double the materials called for, using _cups_ of well-risen bread dough or sponge, and you will have a good-sized cake. good, cheap dutch cakes to a bowl containing cup of scalded milk, add tablespoonful of lard and cup of sugar. when lukewarm add yeast cake (fleischman's), dissolved in cup of lukewarm water, and about cups of good flour. set to rise at night about nine o'clock, the next morning roll out pieces about one and a half inches thick, to fit in medium-sized pie tins. set in a warm place to rise. when light, brush top with melted butter and strew sugar thickly over and bake from to minutes in a moderately hot oven. these cakes are _inexpensive_ and _good_; _no eggs_ or _butter_ being used. recipe for "light cakes" (given mary by a farmer's wife) in the evening mix a sponge consisting of / cup of mashed potatoes, / cup sugar, cup of yeast or cake of fleischman's yeast dissolved in a cup of lukewarm water; / cup of a mixture of butter and lard and a pinch of salt and flour to thicken until batter is quite thick. stand in a warm place, closely covered, until morning, when add eggs and / cup of sugar and flour to stiffen as thick as sponge can be stirred with a spoon. set to rise; when light roll out one inch thick, place in pie tins, brush tops with melted butter and brown sugar, set to rise, and, when well risen, bake. butter "schimmel" place in a mixing bowl cups of warm, mashed potatoes and add / of a cup of shortening (a mixture of lard and butter), (or use aunt sarah's substitute for butter); one cup of a sugar and teaspoonful salt. beat all to a cream. when lukewarm, add eggs and either yeast cake dissolved in cup of lukewarm water, or cup of potato yeast; use about cups of flour to make a thin batter. set to raise over night or early in the morning. when well risen add about cups of flour. make about as stiff a dough as can be stirred well with a mixing spoon. place soft dough on a bake-board; roll out into a sheet about one-half inch thick; cut into squares about the size of a common soda cracker; bring each of the four corners together in the centre like an envelope; pinch together; place a small piece of butter (about one-eighth teaspoonful) on the top where the four corners join. stand in a warm place to rise. when well risen and light place in the oven. when baked, take from oven, and while hot dip all sides in melted butter and dust granulated or pulverized sugar over top. these are not as much trouble to prepare as one would suppose from the directions for making. the same dough may be cut in doughnuts with a tin cutter and fried in hot fat after raising, or the dough may be molded into small, round biscuits if preferred, and baked in oven. "bucks county" doughnuts about nine o'clock in the evening a batter was mixed composed of the following: cup milk. cup hot water. teaspoonful of sugar. cup yeast (or one cake of fleischman's yeast dissolved in one cup of lukewarm water). pinch of salt. - / cups of flour. stand in a warm place until morning. then add / cup of butter and - / cups of soft a sugar, creamed together, and from to cups of flour. the dough should be as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon. set to rise in a warm place; when light and spongy, roll out on a well-floured bake-board and cut into round cakes with a hole in the centre. let rise again, and when well risen fry a golden brown in deep fat and sift over pulverized sugar. this recipe will make doughnuts. these are good and economical, as no eggs are used in this recipe. extra fine "quaker bonnet" biscuits for these quaint-looking, delicious biscuits, a sponge was prepared consisting of: pink milk. eggs. / cup mixture butter and lard. yeast cake (fleischman's). about cups flour. set to rise early in the morning. when well risen (in about hours), roll dough into a sheet about / inch in thickness, cut with a half-pound baking powder can into small, round biscuits, brush top of each one with melted butter (use a new, clean paint brush for this purpose), place another biscuit on top of each one of these, and when raised very light and ready for oven brush top of each biscuit with a mixture consisting of half of one yolk of egg (which had been reserved from the ones used in baking), mixed with a little milk. biscuits should have been placed on a baking sheet some distance apart, let rise about one hour until quite light, then placed in a quick but not _too hot_ an oven until baked a golden brown on top. mary gave these the name of "quaker bonnet" biscuits, as the top biscuit did not raise quite as much as the one underneath and greatly resembled the crown of a quaker bonnet. from this quantity of dough was made three dozen biscuits. these are not cheap, but extra fine. bucks county cinnamon "kuchen" explicit directions for the making of these excellent raised cakes was given mary by an old, experienced pennsylvania german cook. they were prepared from the following recipe: early in the morning pint of milk was scalded. when lukewarm, add - / cups of flour and cake of fleischman's compressed yeast (which had been dissolved in tablespoonful of lukewarm water). beat the mixture well. cover and stand in a warm place to rise. when well risen, which should be in about hours, add the following mixture, composed of / cup of sugar and / cup of butter, creamed together; / teaspoonful of salt; egg was beaten into the mixture, and about cups of flour were added, enough to make a dough as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon. dough should not be as stiff as for bread. let stand about hour. when well risen and light, divide into four portions. roll out each piece of dough to thickness of one inch. place cakes in medium-sized pie tins and allow them to stand about one hour. when well risen, doubled in bulk, make half dozen deep impressions on top of each cake with the forefinger. brush top of each cake with / tablespoonful of melted butter. sprinkle over tablespoonfuls of soft a sugar and sift over a little pulverized cinnamon, if liked, just before placing cakes in oven. bake cakes from to minutes in a moderately hot oven. from this dough may be made four cakes. excellent biscuits may also be made from this same dough, by simply moulding it into small biscuits and place in a pan some distance apart. let rise and brush tops of biscuits with a mixture composed of a part of an egg yolk, a tablespoonful of milk and / teaspoonful sugar. this causes the biscuits to have a rich, brown color when baked. the sponge from which these cakes or biscuits were made was mixed and set to rise at o'clock in the morning, and the baking was finished at o'clock. sponge should be set to rise in a warm room. if these directions are carefully followed the housewife will invariably have good results. always use hard spring wheat for bread or biscuits, raised with yeast; and winter wheat, which costs less, will answer for making cake and pastry. in cold weather always warm flour before baking, when yeast is used for baking raised cakes. soft a sugar or a very light brown is to be preferred to granulated. moravian sugar cakes at o'clock p.m. set a sponge or batter, consisting of cup of mashed potatoes, cups of sugar, cup of sweet milk, scalded and cooled, / cake of yeast, dissolved in cup of lukewarm water, eggs / cup of a mixture of lard and butter, add cups of flour, beat well, stand in a warm place to raise; at o'clock add about cups of flour. stand until morning in a warm place, near the range. the following morning turn out on a floured bake-board, roll out cakes one inch thick, place in pie tins, when ready for the oven; punch half a dozen small holes in the top of cakes, in which place small bits of butter. sprinkle sugar over liberally and cinnamon if liked. bake in a moderate oven. mary's potato cakes cup freshly-boiled mashed potatoes. cup scalded sweet milk. cup sugar. flour about cups. cake fleischman's yeast. eggs. / cup butter and lard mixed. / cup potato water. at o'clock in the morning mary mixed a sponge consisting of a cup of mashed potatoes, cup scalded milk, / cup sugar, - / cups of flour and the cake of fleischman's yeast, dissolved in half a cup of lukewarm potato water. this was set to rise in a warm place near the range for several hours until light. then she creamed together / cup of sugar, eggs and / cup of butter and lard, or use instead the "substitute for butter." added the creamed sugar, butter and eggs to the well-risen sponge and about - / cups of flour. sift a couple of tablespoons of flour over top of sponge, and set to rise again about - / hours. when light, take cut pieces of the sponge on a well-floured bread-board, knead for a minute or two, then roll out with a rolling-pin inlo pieces about one inch thick, place in well-greased small pie tins, over which a dust of flour has been sifted, set to rise about - / hours. when light and ready for oven brush top with milk, strew crumbs over or brush with melted butter and strew sugar over top; after punching half dozen holes in top of each cake, bake in a moderately hot oven from to minutes until a rich brown, when cakes should be baked. five potato cakes may be made from this sponge, or four cakes and one pan of biscuits if preferred. use soft "a" sugar rather than granulated for these cakes, and old potatoes are superior to new. or when these same cakes were raised, ready to be placed in the oven, mary frequently brushed the tops of cakes with melted butter, strewing over the following: cup of flour mixed with / cup of sugar and yolk of egg, and a few drops of vanilla. this mixture rubbed through a coarse sieve and scattered over cakes mary called "streusel kuchen." german raisin cake (raised with yeast) place in a bowl cup of milk, scalded and cooled until lukewarm; add tablespoonful of sugar and dissolve one cake of yeast in the milk. mix in cup of flour and stand in a warm place to raise / of an hour. then cream together in a separate bowl / cup soft "a" sugar, / cup of butter or "butter substitute," add egg and a pinch of salt; stir in - / cups of flour, / cup of well-floured raisins, and / teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring. add the yeast mixture and allow it to raise about hours longer. at the expiration of that time turn the well-risen sponge out on a floured bake-board. after giving the dough several deft turns on the board with the hand, place in a well-greased fruit cake pan, which has been dusted with flour. stand pan containing cake in a warm place, let rise until very light, probably - / hours, when brush the top of cake with a small quantity of a mixture of milk and sugar. sift pulverized sugar thickly over top. place the cake in a moderately hot oven, so the cake may finish rising before commencing to brown on the top. bake about minutes. "kaffee krantz" (coffee wreath) cup sugar. / cup butter and lard. eggs. pint milk. fleischman's yeast cake. cups flour. cream together the sugar, butter, lard and eggs, add the milk, which has been scalded and allowed to cool; flour, and yeast cake, dissolved in a half cup of lukewarm water; beat well. set this sponge to rise in a warm place, near the range, as early as possible in the morning. this will take about - / hours to rise. when the sponge is light add about cups more of flour. the dough, when stiff as can be stirred with a spoon, will be right. take about cups of this sponge out on a well-floured bake-board, divide in three pieces, and braid and form into a wreath or "krantz," or they may be made out into flat cakes and baked in pie tins after they have been raised and are light. sprinkle sugar thickly over top after brushing with milk containing a little sugar, before placing in oven. these should rise in about - / hours. place in a moderately hot oven and bake from to minutes. this recipe frau schmidt translated from the german language for mary's especial benefit. this coffee wreath is particularly fine if small pieces of crushed rock candy be sprinkled liberally over the top and blanched almonds stuck a couple of inches apart over the top just before placing the cake in the oven, after the cakes had been brushed with a mixture of milk and sugar. "mondel krantz" or almond cake (as made by frau schmidt) pint sweet milk. / cup sugar. eggs. yeast cake or cup yeast. / cup butter. tablespoons rock candy. orange. tablespoons chopped almonds. flour. set to rise early in the morning. to the scalded milk, when lukewarm, add the yeast and flour enough to make a batter, cover, set to rise until light, near the range, which will take several hours. then add the sugar, butter and eggs beaten to a cream, grated rind and juice of orange, a couple tablespoons finely-chopped almonds, and add enough flour to make a soft dough, as stiff as can be stirred with a spoon; set to rise again, and when light, divide the dough in two portions, from which you form two wreaths. roll half the dough in three long strips on the floured bake-board with the hands, then braid them together. place a large coffee cup or bowl inverted on the centre of a large, round or oval, well-greased pan, lay the wreath around the bowl. the bowl in the centre of the pan prevents the dough from running together and forming a cake. brush the top of the wreath with a little milk, containing teaspoon of sugar, over the top of the wreath, stick blanched, well-dried almonds, and strew thickly with crushed rock candy or very coarse sugar. let rise until light, then bake. this makes two quite large wreaths. the professor's wife told mary when she gave her this recipe, this almond wreath was always served at the breakfast table on christmas morning at the home of her parents in germany, and was always baked by her mother, who gave her this recipe, and it was found on the breakfast table of frau schmidt christmas morning as regularly as was made "fast nacht kuchen" by aunt sarah every year on "shrove tuesday," the day before the beginning of the lenten season. the professor's wife's recipe for "dutch cakes" tablespoons of butter or lard. eggs. cup "soft a" sugar. / yeast cake. pint milk. / teaspoonful of salt. flour. she scalded the milk, added butter and eggs, well beaten, when the milk was lukewarm, then added yeast, dissolved in a little lukewarm water, sugar, salt and flour to make a thin batter. beat all together five minutes, stood the batter, closely covered, in a warm place, over night. in the morning, added flour to make a soft dough, kneaded lightly for ten minutes, placed in bowl and set to rise again. when light, she rolled out dough one inch in thickness, placed in pie tins, and when raised a second time spread over the cakes the following mixture before placing in oven: cup sugar, tablespoonfuls of flour, tablespoonfuls of boiling water and butter size of an egg, beaten well together. bake minutes. "farmers' pound cake" (as aunt sarah called this) place in a bowl cups of light, well-raised bread sponge (when all flour necessary had been added and loaves were shaped ready to be placed in bread pan for final rising). cream together / cup of a mixture of lard and butter, add eggs, first yolks then stiffly beaten whites, also add - / cups soft a sugar. add to the cups of bread sponge in bowl and beat well until fully incorporated with the dough, then add / cup of lukewarm milk, in which had been dissolved / teaspoonful of salaratus. beat all together until mixture is smooth and creamy, then add cups of bread flour and / teaspoon of lemon flavoring. beat well and add - / cups of either currants or raisins, dusted with flour. pour mixture into an agate pudding dish (one holding quarts, about - / inches in depth and inches in circumference). stand in a warm place to hours to raise; when raised to top of pan place in a moderately hot oven and bake about minutes, when, taken from oven, dust with pulverized sugar thickly over top of cake. this cake should be large as an old-fashioned fruit cake, will keep moist some time in a tin cake box, but is best when freshly baked. german "coffee bread" / cup sugar / cup butter cup hot milk yeast cake eggs - / cups flour. as aunt sarah taught mary to bake this, it was fine. she creamed together in a bowl the sugar and butter, poured the hot milk over this, and when lukewarm, added the compressed yeast cake, dissolved in / cup of lukewarm water. she then added two small, well-beaten eggs, about - / cups flour, or enough to make a stiff _batter_, and / teaspoonful salt. beat thoroughly, cover and set to rise in a warm place about - / hours or until doubled in bulk. this was set to rise quite early in the morning. when light, beat thoroughly and with a spoon spread evenly on top of well-greased, deep pie tins, which have been sprinkled with a little flour. spread the crumbs given below over the top of cakes, cover and let rise minutes and bake a rich brown in moderate oven. for the crumbs, mix together in a bowl heaped cup of fine, soft, stale bread crumbs, - / tablespoonfuls light brown sugar, / of a teaspoonful cinnamon, pinch of salt, / cup of blanched and chopped almonds, and tablespoonfuls of soft butter. this sponge or dough should be unusually soft when mixed, as the crumbs sink into the dough and thicken it. add only the quantity of flour called for in recipe. "fast nacht kuchen" (doughnuts) tablespoons honey. / quart milk. quarts flour. yeast cake. / cup butter. eggs. without fail, every year on shrove tuesday, or "fast nacht," the day before the beginning of lent, these cakes were made. quite early in the morning, or the night before, the following sponge was set to rise: the lukewarm, scalded milk, mixed into a smooth batter with quart of flour; add fleischman's yeast cake, dissolved in a very little water. beat well together, set in a warm place to rise over night, or several hours, and when light, add the following, which has been creamed together: eggs, butter and lard, a little flour and the honey. beat well, and then add the balance of the flour, reserving a small quantity to flour the board later. set to rise again, and when quite light roll out on a well-floured board, cut into circles with a doughnut cutter, cut holes in the centre of cakes, let rise, and then fry in deep fat; dust with pulverised sugar and cinnamon, if liked. these are regular german doughnuts, and are never very sweet. if liked sweeter, a little sugar may be added. from this batter mary made "fried cakes," or "fast nacht kuchen," as the germans call them. she also made from the same dough one dozen cinnamon buns and two dutch cakes. the dough not being very sweet, she sprinkled rivels composed of sugar, flour and butter, generously over the top of the "dutch cakes." the dough for doughnuts, or fried cakes, should always have a little more flour added than dough for "dutch cakes" or buns; baked in the oven. if _too soft_, they will absorb fat while frying. "kaffee kuchen" (coffee cake) cups milk. heaped cup soft a sugar. / cup butter and lard. egg. fleischman's yeast cake. flour. these german coffee cakes should be set to rise either early in the morning or the night before being baked. scald cups sweet milk and set aside to cool. cream together in a bowl heaped cup of a sugar, / cup butter and lard and the yolk of egg. add this to the lukewarm milk alternately with - / cups flour and the yeast cake dissolved in / cup lukewarm water. beat all together, and, lastly, add the stiffly-beaten white of egg. cover and set in a warm place to rise over night, or, if set to rise in the morning, stand about - / hours until light. put an extra cup of flour on the bake-board, take out large spoonfuls of the dough, mix in just enough flour to roll out into flat cakes, spread on well-greased pie tins, stand in a warm place until light, about - / hours. when the cakes are ready for the oven, brush melted butter over the top, strew thickly with brown sugar, or spread rivels over top, composed of / cup sugar, / cup flour and tablespoonfuls of butter, crumbled together. strew these over the cakes just before placing them in the oven of range. "streusel kuchen" for these german-raised cakes, take / cup mashed potatoes and / cup of potato water, / cup lard and butter mixed, creamed with / cup sugar. mix with these ingredients about - / cups of flour and cup of yeast. set this sponge to rise at night in a warm place, well covered. the next morning add to the light, well-risen sponge, eggs, / cup sugar and about - / cups flour. let stand in a warm place until light. then roll out pieces size of a plate, one inch thick; place on well-greased pie tins, let rise, and when light and ready for the oven brush over tops with melted butter and strew over the tops of cakes the following: mix cup of flour, / cup of sugar and yolk of egg. flavor with a few drops of vanilla (or use vanilla sugar, which is made by placing several vanilla beans in a jar of sugar a short time, which flavors sugar). rub this mixture of flour, sugar and yolk of egg through a coarse sieve and strew over tops of cakes. or, this same recipe may be used by taking, instead of cup of yeast, one fleischman yeast cake, dissolved in cup of lukewarm water. instead of sponge being set to rise the night before the day on which the cakes are to be baked, the sponge might be set early in the morning of the same day on which they are to be baked--exactly in the same manner as if sponge was set the night before; when light, add eggs, sugar and balance of flour to sponge, and proceed as before. muffins, biscuits, griddle cakes and waffles use scant cup of liquid to good cup of flour, usually, for "griddle cake" batter. use baking powder with sweet milk, heaping teaspoonful of royal baking powder is equivalent to teaspoonful of cream of tartar and / teaspoonful of salaratus (baking soda) combined. use either baking powder or salaratus and cream of tartar combined, when using sweet milk. use teaspoonful of baking soda to pint of sour milk. allow a larger quantity of baking powder when no eggs are used. have all materials cold when using baking powder. when milk is only slightly sour, use a lesser quantity of soda and a small quantity of baking powder. sally lunn (as aunt sarah made it) as "aunt sarah" made this, it required cup of sweet milk, eggs, tablespoonful of butter, tablespoonfuls of sugar, flour to make a stiff batter, about - / cups (almost three cups) of flour sifted with scant teaspoonfuls of baking powder. served immediately when taken from the oven, this is an excellent substitute for bread for lunch. aunt sarah's recipe for "johnny cake" one and one half cups of sour milk, / cup of shortening, a mixture of lard and butter, - / tablespoonfuls of sugar, cups of yellow cornmeal, cup of white bread flour, egg, teaspoon of soda, dissolved in a little hot water, a little salt. mix all together, add the stiffly-beaten white of egg last. pour batter in an oblong bread tin, bake about minutes in a quick oven. granulated corn meal was used for this cake. mary's breakfast muffins cups sifted flour. teaspoon salt. teaspoon sugar. tablespoon butter and lard. / cake fleischman's yeast. eggs. cups boiled milk. place the flour, salt, sugar, butter, lard and yeast cake, dissolved in water, in a bowl and mix well; then add the eggs and milk, which should be lukewarm. set to rise in a warm place over night. in the morning do not stir at all, but carefully place tablespoonfuls of the light dough into warm, well-greased gem pans, let stand a short time, until quite light, then bake in a hot oven to minutes and serve hot for breakfast. these should be light and flakey if made according to directions. rice muffins cup cold boiled rice. yolk of egg and white beaten separately. teaspoon sugar. / teaspoon salt. cup sweet milk. cups flour. teaspoonfuls baking powder. put the rice, yolk of egg, sugar and salt in a bowl and beat together; then add teacup sweet milk alternately with the flour, in which has been sifted the baking powder. add the stiffly-beaten white of egg; bake in muffin pans in hot oven. this makes about fifteen muffins. indian pone beat together, in the following order, eggs, tablespoonful of white sugar, - / cups of sweet milk, teaspoonful of salt; to which add cup of granulated yellow corn meal and cups of white flour, sifted, with scant teaspoonfuls of royal baking powder. lastly, add tablespoonful of melted (not hot) butter. pour batter in bread pan and bake in a hot oven to minutes. serve hot. do not cut with a knife when serving, but break in pieces. when the stock of bread is low this quickly-prepared corn bread or "pone" is a very good substitute for bread, and was frequently baked by mary at the farm. mary's aunt taught her to make a very appetizing pudding from the left-over pieces of corn bread, which, when crumbled, filled cup heaping full; over this was poured cups of sweet milk; this was allowed to stand until soft; when add large egg (beaten separately), a generous tablespoonful of sugar, a couple of tablespoonfuls of raisins, a pinch of salt; mix well, pour into a small agate pudding pan, grate nutmeg over the top, and bake in a moderate oven hour or a less time. serve with sugar and cream. "pfannkuchen" (pancakes) four eggs, whites and yolks were beaten separately, tablespoonfuls of milk, were added; teaspoonful of chopped parsley; mix lightly together, add salt to season. place tablespoonfuls of butter in a fry pan. when butter has melted, pour mixture carefully into pan. when cooked, sprinkle over a small quantity of finely minced parsley. roll like a "jelly roll." place on a hot platter and serve at once, cut in slices. "extra fine" baking powder biscuits one quart of flour was measured; after being sifted, was placed in a flour sifter, with heaping teaspoonfuls of royal baking powder and teaspoonful of salt. sift flour and baking powder into a bowl, cut through this mixture tablespoonful of butter and lard each, and mix into a soft dough, with about cup of sweet milk. egg should have been added to the milk before mixing it with the flour. reserve a small quantity of the yolk of egg, and thin with a little milk. brush this over the top of biscuits before baking. turn the biscuit dough onto a floured bake-board. pat out about one inch thick. cut into rounds with small tin cake cutter. place a small bit of butter on each biscuit and fold together. place a short distance apart on baking tins and bake in a quick oven. "flannel" cakes, made from sour milk one pint of sour milk, eggs (beaten separately), a little salt, large teaspoon of melted butter, teaspoonful of molasses, good teaspoon of soda, sifted with enough flour to make a smooth batter. beat hard and then add the yolks and the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. bake small cakes on a hot, well-greased griddle. serve with honey or maple syrup. "flannel" cakes with baking powder sift together in a bowl pint of flour, teaspoon of salt, teaspoons of royal baking powder, mixed to a smooth batter, with about pint of sweet milk. add two yolks of eggs, tablespoon of melted butter. lastly, add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. teaspoon of baking molasses added makes them brown quickly. bake on a hot griddle, well greased. frau schmidt's recipe for waffles one pint of sour milk, quart of sweet milk, teaspoon salt, tablespoon butter, whites of three eggs and yolks of two and teaspoon of baking soda, and flour to make a rather thin batter. beat the two yolks of the eggs until light and creamy, then add / teaspoon of baking powder, little flour, then the sour milk with soda dissolved in it, stirring all the time. then add tablespoon of melted or softened butter, then the sweet milk; beat well; and lastly, add the stiffly-beaten whites of the three eggs. bake in hot waffle iron. "crumb" corn cakes one pint of stale bread crumbs (not fine, dried crumbs), covered with pint of sour milk. let stand over night. in the morning add tablespoon of butter, yolks of eggs and a little salt, / teaspoon of salaratus (good measure), / cup of granulated corn meal, to which add a couple of tablespoons of bread flour, enough to fill up the cup. stir all well together, add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs and drop with a tablespoon on a hot, greased griddle. make the cakes small, as they do not turn quite as easily as do buckwheat cakes. this makes about two dozen cakes. these are good. "grandmother's" recipe for buttermilk waffles mix to a smooth batter, cups of sour buttermilk, cups of flour, and add tablespoon of melted butter, teaspoon salt, tablespoon of molasses. add the well-beaten yolks of eggs, - / teaspoonfuls of baking soda, dissolved in a little hot water. lastly, add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. place about tablespoonfuls of the batter on hot, well-greased waffle irons. if buttermilk cannot be procured, sour milk may be used with good results, providing the milk is quite sour. from this quantity of batter may be made twelve waffles. serve with maple syrup or honey. bread griddle cakes to pint of sour milk add about slices of stale bread and allow the bread to soak in this mixture over night. in the morning beat up smoothly with egg yolk, teaspoonful of soda, a pinch of salt and enough cornmeal and white flour, in equal quantities, to make a moderately thin batter. lastly, add the stiffly-beaten white of egg, bake on a hot griddle. cakes should be small in size, as when baked cakes are less readily turned than other batter cakes. these cakes are economical and good. never fail "flannel" cakes cups thick sour milk (quite sour). tablespoonfuls sweet milk. egg. / teaspoonful salt. cups flour. teaspoonful baking soda (good measure). pour the milk in a bowl, add yolk of egg. sift together flour, baking soda and salt, four times. beat all well together. then add the stiffly-beaten white of egg, and bake at once on a hot griddle, using about two tablespoonfuls of the batter for a cake. serve with butter and maple syrup or a substitute. this recipe, given mary by an old, reliable cook, was unfailing as to results, if recipe be closely followed. the cakes should be three-fourths of an inch thick, light as a feather, and inside, fine, like bread, not "doughy," as cakes baked from richer batters frequently are. from this recipe was made eighteen cakes. waffles made from sweet milk and baking powder sift together quart of flour, teaspoonfuls of baking powder and / teaspoonful of salt. mix into a batter, a little thicker than for griddle cakes, with sweet milk; add yolks of eggs, tablespoonfuls of melted butter; lastly, stir in lightly the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. bake on a hot, well-greased waffle iron and serve with maple syrup. "bucks county" buckwheat cakes about o'clock noon dissolve cake of yeast (the small, round or square cornmeal cakes) in pint of lukewarm water. add to this tablespoonful wheat flour, tablespoonful yellow cornmeal, and enough good buckwheat flour to make a thin batter. set in a warm place near the range to rise. about or o'clock in the evening add this sponge to quart and pint of lukewarm potato water (water drained from boiled potatoes), tablespoonful of mashed potatoes added improves the cakes; add salt. they need considerable. stir in enough buckwheat flour to make quite a stiff batter, beat hard and set to rise, covered, in a warm place over night. the next morning add teaspoonful salaratus, dissolved in a little hot water; tablespoonful of baking molasses and a little warm milk, to thin the batter; or water will answer. the batter should be thin enough to pour. let stand a short time, then bake on a hot griddle. half this quantity will be enough for a small family. then use only / teaspoonful salaratus. bake golden brown on hot griddle. serve with honey or maple syrup. if this recipe for buckwheat cakes is followed, you should have good cakes, but much of their excellence depends on the flour. buy a small quantity of flour and try it before investing in a large quantity, as you cannot make good cakes from a poor brand of flour. delicious corn cakes one cup of sweet milk heated to boiling point; stir in heaping tablespoonfuls yellow, granulated cornmeal; add a tablespoonful of butter or lard and salt to taste. as soon as the mixture has cooled, stir in tablespoonful of wheat flour. if the batter should be too thick, stir in enough cold, sweet milk to make it run easily from the spoon. add heaping teaspoonful of royal baking powder. drop spoonfuls on hot, greased griddle, and bake. this quantity makes cakes enough to serve three people, about sixteen small cakes. this is an economical recipe, as no eggs are used. rice waffles (as aunt sarah made them.) add tablespoonful of butter and tablespoonful lard to cup of cold, boiled rice; yolks of eggs, the whites beaten separately and added last; cups of flour, teaspoonful salt and teaspoonfuls baking powder, sifted together; teaspoonful of sugar and teaspoonful of molasses, and enough sweet milk to make a thin batter. bake in hot waffle irons. with these serve either maple syrup or a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. "german" egg-pancakes (not cheap) these truly delicious pancakes were always baked by "aunt sarah" when eggs were most plentiful. for them she used, cup flour, fresh eggs, / cup milk. the yolks of eggs were broken into a bowl and lightly beaten. then milk and flour were added gradually to form a smooth batter. lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs were added. large spoonfuls were dropped on a hot, well-greased griddle, forming small cakes, which were served as soon as baked. these cakes require no baking powder. their lightness depends entirely on the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. "frau schmidt's" griddle cake recipe the professor's wife gave mary this cheap and good recipe for griddle cakes: pint of quite sour, thick milk; beat into this thoroughly even teaspoon of baking soda, / teaspoon each of salt and sugar and cups of flour, to which had been added tablespoon of granulated cornmeal and rounded teaspoon of baking powder before sifting. no eggs were used by the professor's wife in these cakes, but mary always added yolk of egg to the cakes when she baked them. mary's recipe for "corn cake" cup of white flour. / cup cornmeal (yellow granulated cornmeal). cup of sweet milk. teaspoonfuls baking powder. tablespoonful sugar. / teaspoonful salt. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful lard. egg. sift together flour, salt and baking powder, sugar, and add / cup of granulated, yellow cornmeal. mix with cup milk, beaten egg, and the tablespoonfuls of butter and lard. beat thoroughly. add a tablespoonful more of flour if not as stiff as ordinary cake batter. pour in well-greased bread tin and bake about minutes in a hot oven. aunt sarah's delicious cream biscuits place in a flour sifter cups of flour, teaspoonfuls baking powder, / teaspoonful of salt and / teaspoonful of sugar. sift twice; stir together / cup of sweet milk and / cup of thick, sweet cream. quickly mix all together, cutting through flour with a knife, until a soft dough is formed, mixing and handling as little as possible. drop spoonfuls into warmed muffin tins and bake at once in a hot oven. serve hot. these are easily and quickly made, no shortening other than cream being used, and if directions are closely followed will be flakey biscuits when baked. aunt sarah was always particular to use pastry flour when using baking powder, in preference to higher-priced "hard spring wheat," which she used only for the making of bread or raised cakes, in which yeast was used. mary's muffins cups of flour. even teaspoonfuls of baking powder. tablespoonfuls of sugar. cup of sweet milk. eggs. tablespoonful of butter. sift flour and baking powder in a bowl; add tablespoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt; add the yolks of eggs to the cup of milk, and mix with the flour and baking powder; lastly, add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. place large spoonfuls of the batter in small gem pans. bake in a hot oven minutes. these muffins are fine. corn muffins (as made by "frau schmidt") eggs. - / tablespoonfuls of sugar. cup of granulated yellow cornmeal. - / cups of sweet milk. cups of white flour. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. tablespoonful melted butter. a pinch of salt beat together eggs and sugar, add milk and cornmeal and the white flour, sifted, with baking powder and salt; add the tablespoonful of melted butter. bake minutes in warmed gem pans, in a hot oven. mary's aunt taught her to utilize any left-over muffins by making a very appetizing pudding from them called "indian sponge" pudding, the recipe for which may be found among pudding recipes. strawberry shortcake (as frau schmidt made it) pint of flour. teaspoonfuls of baking powder. - / tablespoonfuls of butter or lard. egg. / teaspoon of salt. milk or water. sift together flour, baking powder and salt, and cut butter or lard through the flour. add beaten egg to about cup of sweet milk, and add gradually to the flour, cutting through it with a knife until a soft dough is formed, mixing and handling as little as possible. divide the dough into two portions, roll out one portion quickly and place on a large pie tin; spread the top of cake with softened (not melted) butter, lay the other cake on top and bake in a quick oven. when baked and still hot, the cakes may be easily separated without cutting; when, place between layers, and, if liked, on top of the cake, crushed, sweetened strawberries. "frau" schmidt thought a crushed banana added to the strawberries an improvement. serve the hot shortcake with sweet cream and sugar. or, the recipe for baking a plain (not rich) layer cake might be used instead of the above. when baked and cooled, spread between the layers the following: to the stiffly-beaten white of egg, add cup of sugar; beat well. then add cup of crushed strawberries. beat all together until the consistency of thick cream. serve cold. perfection waffles sift together cups of flour, teaspoonfuls of baking soda and teaspoonful of salt, four times. separate fresh eggs. place the yolks in an earthenware mixing bowl. beat well with a spoon. then add - / cups of sour milk or sour buttermilk and / cup of sour cream, and teaspoonful of melted butter. mix a smooth batter with the sifted flour and soda. lastly, add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. mix the batter quickly and thoroughly. bake on a hot, well-greased waffle iron and serve at once. the waffles may be buttered as soon as baked and sugar sifted over, or a saucer containing a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, or a small jug of maple syrup may be served with them. twelve waffles were made from this recipe. recipe for making "baking powder" sift together three times (through a fine sieve) tablespoonfuls of cream of tartar, tablespoonfuls of baking soda (salaratus), tablespoonfuls of flour. cornstarch may be substituted for flour. this latter ingredient is used to keep the cream of tartar and soda separate and dry, as soda is made from salt and will absorb moisture. this recipe for making a pure baking powder was given mary by fran schmidt, who had used it for years with good results. fritters, croquettes, dumplings and crullers when cooking any article to be immersed in fat use about this proportion: pounds of sweet lard to of suet, which had been previously tried out. it is cheaper, also more wholesome, to use part suet than to use all lard. save all pieces of left-over fat, either raw or cooked, from steaks, roasts, bacon or ham. cut all up into small pieces and place in a pan in the oven until tried out, or put in a double boiler and stand over boiling water until fat is tried out. strain and stand aside to be used as drippings. to clarify this fat, pour boiling water over, let cook a short time, strain and stand away in a cool place, when a cake of solid fat will form on top, which may be readily removed and used as drippings, or it may be added to the kettle of fat used for deep frying. always strain fat carefully after frying croquettes, fritters, etc. should the frying fat become dark add to the can of soap fat the economical housewife is saving. return the clear-strained fat to the cook pot, cover carefully, stand aside in a cool place, and the strained fat may be used times without number for frying. the housewife will find it very little trouble to fry fritters, croquettes, etc., in deep fat, if the fat is always strained immediately after using, and returned to the cook pot, kept especially for this purpose. stand on the hot range when required and the fat will heat in a few minutes, and if the fat is the right temperature, food cooked in it should not be at all greasy. when the housewife is planning to fry fritters or croquettes she should, if possible, crumb the articles to be fried several hours before frying, and stand aside to become perfectly cold. when the fat for frying is so hot a blue smoke arises, drop in the fritters or croquettes, one at a time, in order not to chill the fat or plunge a frying basket, containing only a couple of fritters at a time, in the hot fat, as too many placed in the fat at one time lowers the temperature too quickly and causes the fritters to be greasy and soggy. to test the fat before dropping in the fritters, if a small piece of bread is dropped in the fat and browns in about one minute the fat is the right temperature for frying fritters, and fritters fried at the correct temperature should be a rich brown and not at all greasy. when removing fritters from hot fat place on coarse brown paper to absorb any remaining fat. fritters composed of vegetables, or oysters, should be served on a platter garnished with parsley, and fritters composed of fruit, should have pulverized sugar sifted over them liberally. should a small piece of bread brown in the fat while you count twenty, fat is the correct temperature for frying croquettes, but is too hot for frying crullers or any food not previously cooked. kartoffle balla (potato balls) boil until tender, medium-sized (not pared) potatoes; when quite cold remove parings and grate them; fry one finely-chopped onion in a little butter until a yellow-brown; add this, also egg, to the potatoes, season with salt and pepper and add flour enough to mold into balls; use only flour enough to hold the mixture together. the chopped onion may be omitted, and instead, brown small, dice-like pieces of bread in a little butter, shape dumplings into balls the size of walnuts, place a teaspoonful of the browned bread crumbs in the centre of each and add also a little chopped parsley. drop the dumplings in salted boiling water and cook uncovered from to minutes. when dumplings rise to the top they should be cooked sufficiently, when remove from kettle with a skimmer to a platter; cut dumplings in half and strew over them bread crumbs, browned in butter. "boova shenkel" for this excellent "pennsylvania german" dish, which i am positive has never before been published, take - / pounds of stewing meat (beef preferred), season with salt and pepper and cook slowly several hours until tender. for the filling for the circles of dough, take medium-sized white potatoes, pared and thinly sliced, steamed until tender; then add seasoning to taste of salt and pepper, tablespoonfuls of butter, tablespoonfuls of finely-minced parsley and finely-chopped onion (small); lastly, add eggs, lightly beaten together, to the mixture. allow this to stand while the pastry is being prepared in the following manner: pastry--sift into a bowl - / cups of flour, teaspoonfuls of baking powder and / teaspoonful of salt, generous teaspoonful of lard and of butter. cut through the flour, mix with water into a dough as for pie crust. roll thin, cut into about ten circles, and spread some of the mixture on each circle of dough. press two opposite edges together like small, three-cornered turnover pies; drop these on to the hot meat and broth in the cook pot, closely covered. cook slowly from to minutes. before serving the "boova shenkel" pour over the following: cut slices of stale bread into dice and brown in a pan containing large tablespoonful of butter and a couple tablespoonfuls of fat (which had been skimmed from top of broth before "boova shenkel" had been put in cook pot), add about / cup of milk to diced, browned bread; when hot, pour over the "boova shenkel" and serve with the meat on a large platter. rice balls with cheese place cups of cold, boiled rice, well drained, in a bowl and add / cup of grated cheese, a little salt, / cup flour and the stiffly-beaten white of one egg. mix all together and mold into balls about the size of a small egg, with a little of the flour; then roll them in fine, dried bread crumbs, and stand away until perfectly cold. when preparing for lunch, beat the yolk of the egg with a little milk, dip the rice balls into this, then into fine, dried bread crumbs, drop in deep fat and fry a golden brown. drain on brown paper and serve, garnished with parsley. "kartoffle klose" one quart of cold, boiled, skinned potatoes, grated. (boil without paring the day before they are to be used, if possible.) put into a frying pan tablespoonful of butter, finely-minced onion (small onion), and fry until a light brown. remove from fire and mix with this: heaped tablespoonfuls flour, tablespoonful of finely-cut parsley, eggs (whites beaten separately), and slices of bread, cut fine. add grated potatoes and bread crumbs, alternately, mixing together lightly with a fork; add the other ingredients, season well with salt and pepper, form into round balls the size of a walnut and drop into a stew-pan of boiling, salted water, containing a teaspoon of butter. do not cover the stew-pan while they are cooking. as soon as the dumplings rise to the top, skim one out and cut in half to see if it is cooked through. they should take from to minutes to cook. skim out of the boiling water on a platter. cut each dumpling in half, pour over them bread crumbs browned in a pan containing a little lard and butter, and serve. the onion may be omitted and only finely-chopped parsley used, if desired, or use both. or place the halved dumplings in pan containing a little lard and butter and chopped onion (if the latter is liked), and brown on each side, then serve. rice croquettes (and lemon sauce) boil cup of well-washed rice in or cups of rapidly-boiling water, until tender. the rice, when cooked and drained, should fill cups. prepare a cream sauce of pint of milk, heaping tablespoonfuls of flour and tablespoons of butter and egg yolks. stir in cups of flaky, cooked rice, while rice is still hot. when the mixture has cooled, mold into small cone shapes with the hands, stand aside until perfectly cold. dip the croquettes into the whites of eggs, then roll them in fine, dried bread crumbs and fry in deep fat. if a cube of bread browns in the fat in a little longer time than a half minute, the fat is the right temperature. eighteen croquettes were made from this quantity of rice. lemon sauce--to serve with rice croquettes, cream together / cup of sugar, tablespoonful of butter, egg, cups of boiling water was added and all cooked together until the mixture thickened. when cooled slightly add the juice and grated rind of one lemon. serve in a separate bowl, and pass with the croquettes. corn oysters slice off tips of kernels from cobs of corn and scrape down corn-pulp from cobb with a knife. to pint of pulp add eggs, heaping tablespoonfuls of flour, / teaspoonful of salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper and of black pepper; add the yolks of eggs, then stir in lightly the stiffly-beaten white of eggs and flour. fry in only enough butter to prevent them sticking to the pan. drop into pan by spoonfuls size of an ordinary fried oyster, brown on both sides and serve hot. banana fritters from one banana was made fritters. the banana was halved, cut lengthwise and then cut cross-wise. the batter will do for all fruits, clams, corn or oysters. make a sauce of the liquor, mixed with same quantity of milk, with a tablespoon of butter added, chopped parsley and flour to thicken. when making oyster or clam fritters use same rule as for fruit fritters, using clam juice and milk instead of all milk. for the "fritter batter," sift together pint of flour, teaspoonfuls baking powder and a pinch of salt. stir slowly into it a pint of milk, then the well-beaten yolks of eggs, and, lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. beat hard for a few minutes and fry at once in smoking hot fat. orange sections make delicious fritters, or halves of fresh or canned peaches may be used. allow the bananas to stand one-quarter hour in a dish containing a small quantity of lemon juice and sugar before putting them in the batter. lay the slices of bananas or sections of orange in the batter, then take up a tablespoonful of the batter with one slice of banana for each fritter, drop into hot fat one at a time, and fry a golden brown. sift pulverized sugar over and serve hot. if a small piece of bread browns in one minute in the fat it is the right temperature to fry any previously uncooked food. parsnip fritters scrape and boil or parsnips in salted water until tender and drain. if old parsnips, cut out the centre, as it is tough and woody. mash parsnips fine, add egg yolk (white beaten separately), and added last a little salt, large tablespoonful flour, / teaspoonful baking powder, mold into small cakes, dredge with flour, and fry quickly to a golden brown in a tablespoonful of butter and one of drippings. serve at once. aunt sarah's "schnitz and knopf" this is an old-fashioned "pennsylvania german" favorite. the end of a ham bone, containing a very little meat, was placed in a large kettle with a small quantity of water, with "schnitz," or sliced, sweet, dried apples, which had been dried without removing the parings. when the apples were cooked tender in the ham broth; dumplings, composed of the following, were lightly dropped on top of the apples and broth and cooked, closely covered, from to minutes. do not uncover kettle the first ten minutes. when dumplings have cooked place them with the "schnitz" on a large platter, and serve at once. a very old recipe for dumplings, or "knopf" one and one-half quarts of flour was sifted with - / tablespoonfuls of royal baking powder, teaspoonful of butter was cut through the flour in small bits, egg was beaten and enough milk or water added to the egg to mix the flour into quite a soft dough. sometimes instead of molding the dough into balls large spoonfuls were placed over the apples. aunt sarah had used this recipe for many years. this is a very old recipe, and from it was made a larger quantity than ordinary housekeepers usually require. half the quantity, about - / pints of flour to - / tablespoonfuls of baking powder, mixed according to the directions given in the first part of recipe, would be about the correct proportions for a family of ordinary size. aunt sarah frequently substituted sour cherries and a teaspoonful of butter was added instead of ham and "schnitz." dumplings prepared from this recipe may be dropped on stewed chicken and broth and cooked or steamed, make an excellent pot-pie. should there be more dough mixed than required for dumplings, place a panful in the oven and bake as biscuits. more baking powder is required when dough is steamed or boiled than when baked in the oven. "kartoffle kuklein" (potato fritters or boofers) place in a bowl cups grated, pared, _raw_ potatoes; drain off any liquid formed, then add small onion, also grated; large egg or small eggs, salt and pepper, tablespoonful chopped parsley, / teaspoonful baking powder (good measure), and a couple tablespoonfuls of flour to thicken just enough to make the fritters hold together; then drop by spoonfuls in deep, hot fat, and fry a rich brown. the fritters form into odd shapes a trifle larger than a fried oyster, when dropped in the fat. should the fritter batter separate when dropped in the fat, add more flour, but if too much flour is added they are not as good as when a lesser quantity is used. drain the fritters on brown paper and garnish the platter upon which they are served with parsley. mary's uncle was very fond of these fritters. he preferred them to fried oysters, and always called them "potato boofers." i would not answer for the wholesomeness of these fritters. in fact, i do not think any fried food particularly wholesome. rosettes, wafers and rosenkuchen (as made by frau schmidt) prepare a batter from the following: cup of sweet milk. eggs. pinch of salt. cup of flour, good measure. gradually mix the flour with the milk to form a smooth batter, free from lumps. add yolks, then the slightly-beaten whites of eggs. fasten the long handle to a wafer iron, shaped like a cup or saucer, and stand it in hot fat, a mixture of / lard and / suet, or oil; when heated, remove at once, and dip quickly into the batter, not allowing the batter to come over top of the wafer iron. then return it to the hot fat, which should cover the wafer iron, and in about or seconds the wafer should be lightly browned, when the wafer may be easily removed from the iron on to a piece of brown paper to absorb any fat which may remain. this amount of batter should make about forty wafers. on these wafers may be served creamed oysters, vegetables, chicken or fruit. when using the wafers as a foundation on which to serve fruit, whipped cream is a dainty adjunct. one teaspoonful of sugar should then be added to the wafer batter. these wafers may be kept several weeks, when by simply placing them in a hot oven a minute before serving they will be almost as good as when freshly cooked. or the wafers may be served as a fritter by sifting over them pulverized sugar and cinnamon. "bairische dampfnudeln" these delicious bavarian steamed dumplings are made in this manner: cake of fleischman's compressed yeast was dissolved in a cup of lukewarm milk, sift pint of flour into a bowl, add teaspoonful of sugar and teaspoonful of salt. mix the flour with another cup of lukewarm milk, egg and the dissolved yeast cake and milk (two cups of milk were used altogether). work all together thoroughly, adding gradually about - / cups of flour to form a soft dough. do not mix it too stiff. cover the bowl with a cloth; stand in a warm place until it has doubled the original bulk. flour the bread board and turn out dough and mold into small biscuits or dumplings. let these rise for half an hour, butter a pudding pan and place dumplings in it, brushing tops with melted butter. pour milk in the pan around the dumplings to about two-thirds the depth of the dumplings; set pan on inverted pie tin in oven and bake a light brown. serve with any desired sauce or stewed fruit. or, after the shaped dough has raised, drop it in a large pot of slightly-salted boiling water, allowing plenty of room for them to swell and puff up, and boil continuously, closely covered, for minutes. this quantity makes about small dumplings. should you not wish so many, half the quantity might be molded out, placed in a greased pie tin, and when light, which takes half an hour, bake in a moderately hot oven, and you will have light biscuits for lunch. the thrifty german hausfraus make fritters of everything imaginable, and sometimes unimaginable. mary was told one day by a german neighbor how she prepared a fritter she called: "heller bluther kuklein" she gathered elderberry blossoms, rinsed off the dust, and when free from moisture dipped the blossoms into fritter batter, holding the stem ends, then dropped them into hot fat, and when golden brown, drained a minute on coarse, brown paper before serving, dusted them with powdered sugar; cinnamon may also be dusted over if liked. mary pronounced them "fine," after tasteing, and said: "they certainly are a novelty." perhaps something like this suggested the rosette iron, as it is somewhat similar. apyl kuklein (apple fritters) pare and core large tart apples. cut each apple into about round slices and allow the sliced apples to lie a couple of hours in a dish containing tablespoonfuls of brandy, mixed with a half teaspoonful of cinnamon and a half teaspoonful of sugar. drain the sliced apples, then a few at a time should be dropped in the following batter, composed of: cup of flour sifted with / teaspoonful of royal baking powder, / teaspoonful of salt, add the yolks of eggs and cup of milk to form a smooth batter, then add the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. fry light brown, in deep, hot fat, and sift over powdered sugar. "fried apples" are an appetizing garnish for pork chops; the apples should be cored, _not pared_, but should be sliced, and when cut the slices should resemble round circles, with holes in the centre. allow the sliced apples to remain a short time in a mixture of cinnamon and brandy, dry on a napkin, and fry in a pan, containing a couple of tablespoonfuls of sweet drippings and butter. dumplings made from "bread sponge" aunt sarah's raised dumplings from bread sponge were greatly relished at the farm. when bread sponge, which had been set to rise early in the morning, and all flour necessary for loaves of bread had been added and loaves were being shaped to place in bread tins, aunt sarah reserved an amount of sponge sufficient for one loaf of bread, added a little extra salt, shaped them into small balls, size of a lemon, placed them on a well-floured board some distance apart to raise; when light (at o'clock, if the dinner hour was . ), she carefully dropped the light balls of dough into a large pot of rapidly boiling, slightly salted water, covered closely, and boiled about minutes, (do not have more than one layer of the dumplings in cook pot, and do not place too close together; allow room for them to expand.) test by tearing one apart with a fork. serve at once, and serve with a roast, to be eaten with gravy, with butter, or they may be eaten as a dessert, with jelly or maple syrup. aunt sarah frequently added an equal quantity of fine, dried bread crumbs and flour and a little extra salt to a thin batter of bread sponge (before all the flour required for bread had been added), made about as stiff a dough as for ordinary loaves of bread; molded them into balls. when sufficiently raised, boiled them either in water or meat broth in the same manner as she prepared dumplings; made _only_ of _flour_. this is a small economy, using _bread crumbs_ in place of _flour_, and these are delicious if prepared according to directions. remember to have a large quantity of rapidly boiling water in which to cook the dumplings, not to allow water to stop boiling an instant and to keep cook pot closely covered for minutes before removing one, and breaking apart to see if cooked through. these are particularly nice served with stewed apricots. "leber klose" or liver dumplings boil a good-sized soup bone for several hours in plenty of water, to which add salt and pepper to taste and several small pieces of celery and sprigs of parsley to flavor stock. strain the broth or stock into a good-sized cook pot and set on stove to keep hot. for the liver dumplings, scrape a half pound of raw beef liver with a knife, until fine and free from all veins, etc. place the scraped liver in a large bowl, cut three or four good-sized onions into dice, fry a light brown, in a pan containing tablespoonful of lard and butter mixed. cut into dice / to a whole loaf of bread (about quarts). beat eggs together, add cup of sweet milk, season well with salt and pepper, and mix all together with large cup of flour. if not moist enough to form into balls when mixed together, add more milk. keep the mixture as soft as possible or the dumplings will be heavy. flour the hands when shaping the balls, which should be the size of a shelled walnut. stand the pot containing stock on the front of the stove, where it will boil, and when boiling, drop in the dumplings and boil, uncovered, for minutes. when cooked, take the dumplings carefully from the stock on to a large platter, pour the stock over the dumplings and serve. these are excellent, but a little troublesome to make. one-half this quantity would serve a small family for lunch. frau schmidt's "old recipe for schnitz and knopf" place a cook pot on the range, containing the end piece of a small ham; partly cover with water. this should be done about three hours before serving, changing the water once. soak sweet, unpared, sliced, dried apples over night in cold water. in the morning cook the dried apples (or schnitz) in a small quantity of the ham broth, in a separate stew-pan, until tender. remove ham from broth one-half hour before serving. sweeten the broth with a small quantity of brown sugar, and when the broth commences to boil add raised dumplings of dough, which had been shaped with the hands into round balls about the size of an ordinary biscuit. cook minutes. do not uncover the cook-pot after the dumplings have been dropped into the broth until they have cooked the required length of time. when the dumplings have cooked a sufficient time carefully remove to a warm platter containing the cooked apple schnitz. thicken the broth remaining with a little flour, to the consistency of cream. pour over the dumplings and serve at once. dumplings--at . in the evening set a sponge consisting of cup of lukewarm milk, tablespoonful sugar, tablespoonful of butter, egg, / of an yeast cake, add flour enough to form a sponge (as stiff as may be stirred with a mixing spoon). set to raise in a warm place over night. in the morning add more flour to the risen sponge until nearly as stiff as for bread. form into round dumplings, place on a well-floured bake-board to rise slowly. twenty-five minutes before serving drop dumplings into the hot broth in a large cook-pot. there should be only one layer of dumplings, otherwise they will be heavy. "brod knodel," or bread dumplings cups of stale bread (cut like dice). / cup of flour. / teaspoonful baking powder. / cup milk. tablespoonfuls butter. egg. teaspoonful of finely-minced parsley. / teaspoonful finely-minced onion (if liked). pinch of salt. place two cups of diced bread in a bowl and pour over / cup of milk. (reserve cup of diced bread, which brown in tablespoonful of butter, to be added to the mixture later.) allow milk and bread to stand or minutes; then add tablespoonful of melted butter, egg, flour and baking powder, and salt; fried, diced bread and parsley, and mix all together. with well-floured hands form the mixture into balls size of a walnut, and drop at once into rapidly boiling salted water and cook minutes. stew pan should be closely covered. when cooked, remove to platter with perforated skimmer, and serve at once, or drop dumplings into a pan containing tablespoonful of melted butter, and brown on all sides before serving. "german" pot pie to serve a family of six or seven, place pounds of beef and pork chops, cut in small pieces, in a cook-pot. season with a little chopped onion, pepper and salt. this should be done about three or four hours before dinner. one hour before serving prepare the dough for pot pie. pare white potatoes, slice and dry on a napkin, sift cups of flour with teaspoonful of baking-powder, pinch of salt, cut through the sifted flour, level tablespoonful of shortening. moisten dough with egg and enough milk to make dough stiff enough to handle. (almost cup of milk, including the egg.) cut off a small piece of dough, size of a small teacup, roll thin and take up plenty of flour on both sides. take up all flour possible. cut this dough into four portions or squares. have the meat more than covered with water, as water cooks away. place a layer of potatoes on meat (well seasoned), then the pared potatoes and small pieces of dough alternately, never allowing pieces of dough to lap; place potatoes between. roll the last layer out in one piece, size of a pie plate, and cover top layer of potatoes with it. cover closely and cook three-quarters of an hour from the time it commences to boil. then turn out carefully on a platter and serve at once. "zwetchen dampfnudeln" (prune dumplings) in the evening a sponge was prepared with yeast for bread. all the flour required to stiffen the dough for loaves of bread being added at this time. the bread sponge was stood in a warm place to rise over night. in the morning, when shaping the dough into loaves, stand aside about one pint of the bread dough. later in the morning form the pint of dough into small balls or dumplings, place on a well-floured bake board and stand in a warm place until doubled in size. then drop the dumplings into a cook pot containing stewed prunes, a small quantity of water, a little sugar and lemon peel, if liked. the dried prunes had been soaked over night in cold water, and allowed to simmer on the range in the morning. the prune juice should be hot when the dumplings are added. cook dumplings one-half hour in a closely covered cook-pot and turn out carefully on to a warmed platter, surrounded by prune juice and prunes. green corn fritters grate pulp from six cars of corn; with a knife scrape down the pulp into a bowl, add eggs, beaten separately, a couple tablespoonfuls of milk, large tablespoonful of flour, / teaspoonful of baking powder and a pinch of salt. drop with a spoon on a well-greased griddle. the cakes should be the size of a silver half dollar. bake brown on either side and serve hot. these should not be fried as quickly as griddle cakes are fried, as the corn might then not be thoroughly cooked. "mouldasha" (parsley pies) mash and season with butter and salt half a dozen boiled white potatoes, add a little grated onion and chopped parsley. sift together in a bowl cup of flour, teaspoonful baking powder and a little salt. add a small quantity of milk to one egg if not enough liquid to mix into a soft dough. roll out like pie crust, handling as little as possible. cut into small squares, fill with the potato mixture, turn opposite corners over and pinch together all around like small, three-cornered pies. drop the small triangular pies into boiling, salted water a few minutes, or until they rise to top; then skim out and brown them in a pan containing a tablespoonful each of butter and lard. i have known some germans who called these "garden birds." stale bread crumbs, browned in butter, may be sprinkled over these pies when served. serve hot. these are really pot pie or dumplings with potato filling. mary's aunt always called these "mouldasha." where she obtained the name or what its meaning is, the writer is unable to say. inexpensive drop crullers cream together cup sugar and egg, then add one cup of milk alternately with cups of flour, sifted with teaspoonfuls of baking powder. add / teaspoonful of vanilla and enough flour to make a stiff batter. take about / a teaspoonful of the batter at a time and drop into boiling hot fat, and brown on both sides; then drain on coarse, brown paper and, when cool, dust with pulverized sugar. these cakes are cheap and good, and as no shortening is used are not rich. do not make cakes too large, as they then will not cook through readily. batter baked with gravy the professor's wife gave mary this recipe, given her by an englishwoman. the recipe was liked by her family, being both economical and good. when serving roast beef for dinner, before thickening the gravy, take out about half a cup of liquid from the pan and stand in a cool place until the day following. reheat the roast remaining from previous day, pour the half cup of liquid in an iron fry pan, and when hot pour the following batter in the pan with the fat and bake in a moderately hot oven about minutes. or the batter may be poured in pan about minutes before meat has finished roasting. the batter was composed of cup of flour, sifted with small teaspoonful of baking powder and / teaspoonful of salt, mixed smooth with cup of sweet milk. add well-beaten eggs. when baked cut in small pieces, surround the meat on platter, serve instead of potatoes with roast. the addition of baked dough extends the meat flavor and makes possible the serving of a smaller amount of meat at a meal. "german" sour cream crullers one cup sugar, cup sour cream, eggs, tablespoonfuls of butter, teaspoonful soda, pinch of salt. about - / cups of flour. (use extra flour to dredge the bake-board when rolling out crullers.) this is a very good recipe for crullers, in which the economical housewife may use the cup of cream which has turned sour. this necessitates using less shortening, which otherwise would be required. cream together sugar, butter, add yolks of eggs. dissolve the soda in a small quantity of sour cream. mix cream alternately with the flour. add pinch of salt. add just enough flour to roll out. cut with small doughnut cutter with hole in centre. fry in hot fat. dust with pulverized sugar. "grandmother's" doughnuts cream together cup sugar and teaspoonfuls butter, / a grated nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. add eggs, beaten without separating yolks from whites, and cup of sweet milk. then add cups of flour (or quart), prepared as follows: measure quart of unsifted flour and sift twice with generous teaspoonfuls of baking powder. use this to thicken the batter sufficiently to roll out and use about extra cup of flour to flour the bake-board. turn out one-half the quantity of dough on to a half cup of flour on the bake-board. roll out dough half an inch thick. cut out with round cutter, with hole in centre, and drop into deep, hot fat. use / lard and / suet for deep frying; it is cheaper and more wholesome than to use all lard. when fat is hot enough to brown a small piece of bread while you count , it is the correct temperature for doughnuts. the dough should be as soft as can be handled. when cakes are a rich brown, take from fat, drain well on coarse, brown paper, and when cool dust with pulverized sugar and place in a covered stone jar. never use fat as hot for frying doughnuts as that used for frying croquettes, but should the fat not be hot the doughnuts would be greasy. these doughnuts are excellent if made according to recipe. fine "drop crullers" cream together - / cups pulverized sugar, eggs, add cup sweet milk, / teaspoonful of salt, - / cups of flour, sifted after measuring with teaspoonfuls of baking powder. drop teaspoonfuls of this carefully into boiling fat. they should resemble small balls when fried. batter must not be too stiff, but about the consistency of a cup-cake batter. boil them in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar when all have been fried. soups and chowders stock is the basis of all soups made from meat, and is really the juice of the meat extracted by long and gentle simmering. in making stock for soup always use an agate or porcelain-lined stock pot. use one quart of cold water to each pound of meat and bone. use cheap cuts of meat for soup stock. excellent stock may be made from bones and trimmings of meat and poultry. wash soup bones and stewing meat quickly in cold water. never allow a roast or piece of stewing meat to lie for a second in water. aunt sarah did not think that wiping meat with a damp cloth was all that was necessary (although many wise and good cooks to the contrary). place meat and soup bones in a stock pot, pour over the requisite amount of soft, cold water to extract the juice and nutritive quality of the meat; allow it to come to a boil, then stand back on the range, where it will just simmer for or hours. then add a sliced onion, several sprigs of parsley, small pieces of chopped celery tops, well-scraped roots of celery, and allow to simmer three-quarters of an hour longer. season well with salt and pepper, level teaspoonful of salt will season quart of soup. strain through a fine sieve, stand aside, and when cool remove from lop the solid cake of fat which had formed and use for frying after it has been clarified. it is surprising to know the variety of soups made possible by the addition of a small quantity of vegetables or cereals to stock. a couple tablespoonfuls of rice or barley added to well-seasoned stock and you have rice or barley soup. a small quantity of stewed, sweet corn or noodles, frequently "left-overs," finely diced or grated carrots, potatoes, celery or onions, and you have a vegetable soup. strain the half can of tomatoes, a "left-over" from dinner, add a tablespoonful of butter, a seasoning of salt and pepper, thicken to a creamy consistency with a little cornstarch, add to cup of soup stock, serve with croutons of bread or crackers, and you have an appetizing addition to dinner or lunch. the possibilities for utilizing left-overs are almost endless. the economically-inclined housewife will be surprised to find how easily she may add to the stock pot by adding left-over undesirable pieces of meat and small quantities of vegetables. one or two spoonfuls of cold left-over oatmeal may also be added to soup with advantage, occasionally. always remove the cake of fat which forms on top of soup as soon as cooled, as soup will turn sour more quickly if it is allowed to remain. if soup stock be kept several days in summer time, heat it each day to prevent souring. pieces of celery, onion, parsley, beans and peas may all be added to soup to make it more palatable. also fine noodles. the yolk of a hard-boiled egg dropped into the soup kettle and heated through, allowing one for each plate of soup served, is a quick and appetizing addition to a soup of plain broth or consomme. vegetable soup slice thinly potatoes, carrots, turnips, the undesirable parts of heads of celery, stalks of parsley and onions. cook the onions in a little butter until they turn a yellow brown, then add the other ingredients. season well with salt and black pepper, also a pinch of red pepper. put all together in a stew-pan, cover with three quarts of water, stand on range and simmer about three hours. strain soup into stew-pan, place on range, and when hot add marklose balls. marklose balls take marrow from uncooked beef soup bones, enough to fill tablespoons, cut fine, add eggs, teaspoonful grated onion to flavor, pepper and salt, stiffen with cup of bread crumbs, shape into balls size of marbles, drop into hot broth and cook uncovered from to minutes. aunt sarah purchased two good-sized soup bones containing considerable meat. after extracting tablespoonfuls of marrow from the uncooked bones, she put the bones in a stew-pan with a couple of quarts of water, a large onion, chopped fine, and a piece of celery, and cooked for several hours, then skimmed off scum which arises on top of broth, removed the soup bones and meat and added a couple of tablespoonfuls of grated carrot, pepper and salt to taste, cooked a short time, and then added the marrow balls, a little chopped parsley and a couple of tablespoonfuls of boiled rice. two tablespoonfuls of marrow will make about balls, with the addition of crumbs, eggs, etc. egg balls for soup mash the yolks of hard-boiled eggs fine and smooth with a little soft butter. beat the white of egg, and add with about tablespoonfuls of flour, salt and pepper. mix all together. use a little flour to mold the mixture into balls the size of quite small marbles. do not make too stiff. drop these into hot broth or soup and cook about five minutes. this quantity will make small balls. "suppee schwangen" mary was taught to make these by the professor's wife. she beat together either or raw eggs, / cup flour, tablespoonful butter, a little salt, and just enough milk to thin the mixture enough so it may be dropped by half teaspoonfuls into hot soup stock or broth. cook these small dumplings about minutes. serve in soup broth. cream of oyster bouillon put two dozen oysters through food chopper, cook oyster liquor and oysters together five minutes, heat pint milk and tablespoon flour, mixed smooth with a little cold milk, and tablespoonful butter. let come to a boil, watching carefully that it does not burn. pour all together when ready to serve. serve in bouillon cups with crackers. this recipe was given mary by a friend in philadelphia, who thought it unexcelled. german noodle soup place about pounds of cheap stewing beef in a cook-pot with sufficient water and cook several hours, until meat is quite tender; season with salt and pepper. about an hour before serving chop fine medium-sized potatoes and onions and cook in broth until tender. ten or fifteen minutes before serving add noodle. to prepare noodles, break fresh eggs in a bowl, fill / an egg shell with cold water, add the eggs, and mix with flour as stiff as can conveniently be handled. add a little salt to flour. divide dough into sheets, roll on bake-board, spread on cloth a short time and let dry, but not until too brittle to roll into long, narrow rolls. cut this with a sharp knife into thin, thread-like slices, unroll, drop as many as wished into the stew-pan with the meat and cook about or minutes. place the meat on a platter and serve the remainder in soup plates. the remaining noodles (not cooked) may be unrolled and dried and later cooked in boiling salted water, drained and placed in a dish and browned butter, containing a few soft, browned crumbs, poured over them when served. the very fine noodles are generally served with soup and the broad or medium-sized ones served with brown butter germans usually serve with a dish of noodles, either stewed, dried prunes, or stewed raisins. both are palatable and healthful. cream of celery cook large stalk of celery, also the root cut up in dice, in pint of water, / hour or longer. mash celery and put through a fine sieve. add pint of scalded milk, and thicken with a tablespoonful of flour, mixed with a little cold milk. add tablespoonfuls of butter, pepper and salt, and simmer a few minutes. just before serving add a cup of whipped cream. serve with the soup, small "croutons" of bread. oyster stew rinse a stew-pan with cold water, then put in pint of milk and let come to a boil. heat oysters in a little oyster liquor a few minutes, until the oysters curl up around the edges, then add the oysters to one-half the hot milk, add a large tablespoonful of butter, season well with salt and pepper, and when serving the stew add the half pint of boiling hot milk remaining. this quantity makes two small stews. serve crackers and pickled cabbage. when possible use a mixture of sweet cream and milk for an oyster stew instead of all milk. an old cook told mary she always moistened half a teaspoonful of cornstarch and added to the stew just before removing from the range to cause it to have a creamy consistency. clam broth clam broth may be digested usually by the most delicate stomach. it can be bought in cans, but the young housewife may like to know how to prepare it herself. strain the juice from one-half dozen clams and save. remove objectionable parts from clams, cut in small pieces, add / pint of cold water and the clam juice, let cook slowly about minutes, strain and season with pepper and salt, a little butter and milk, and serve hot. turkey soup take broken-lip bones and undesirable pieces of roast turkey, such as neck, wings and left-over pieces of bread filling, put in stew-pot, cover with water, add pieces of celery, sliced onion and parsley, cook several hours, strain, and to the strained liquor add a couple tablespoonfuls of boiled rice, season with salt and pepper and serve. some of the cold turkey might also be cut in small pieces and added to the soup. cream of pea soup cook quarter peck of green peas until very tender, reserve one-half cup, press the remainder through a sieve with the water in which they were boiled. season with salt and pepper. mix tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonful of butter with cup of hot milk. mix flour smooth with a little cold milk before heating it. cook all together a few minutes, then add the one cup of peas reserved. if soup is too thick add a small quantity of milk or water. tomato soup one quart of canned tomatoes, tablespoonful sugar, onion, and a sprig of parsley, cut fine, and carrot and cloves. stew until soft enough to mash through a fine, wire sieve. place one quart of sweet milk on the stove to boil. mix large tablespoonful of cornstarch smooth, with a little cold milk, and stir into the hot milk. add large tablespoonful of butler and / teaspoonful (good measure) of soda. let cook one minute, until it thickens, add teaspoonful of salt. do not add the milk to the strained tomatoes until ready to serve. then serve at once. frau schmidts clam soup chop clams fine, add enough water to the clam broth to measure one quart, cook all together about minutes; add pints of scalding hot milk, season with - / tablespoonfuls butter and salt and pepper to taste. serve crackers with the soup. clam chowder cut / pound of rather "fat" smoked bacon in tiny pieces the size of dice; fry until brown and crisp. take fresh clams, after having drained a short time in a colander, run through a food chopper and place in ice chest until required. pour the liquor from the clams into an agate stew-pan; add medium-sized potatoes and medium-sized onions, all thinly sliced; also add the crisp bits of bacon and fat, which had fried out from the bacon, to the clam juice. cook all together slowly or simmer or hours. add water to the clam liquor occasionally as required. ten or fifteen minutes before serving add cup of hot water and the chopped clams (clam juice if too strong is liable to curdle milk). allow clams to cook in the clam broth to minutes. boil quarts of sweet milk, and when ready to serve add the hot milk to the chowder, also teaspoonful of chopped parsley. one-half this quantity will serve a small family. serve crisp crackers and small pickels, and this chowder, served with a dessert, makes an inexpensive, nourishing lunch. brown potato chowder put a pint of diced, raw potatoes in a stew-pan over the fire, cover with quart of water, to which a pinch of salt has been added. cook until tender, but not fine, then add water so that the water in the stew-pan will still measure one quart should some have boiled away. place a small iron fry-part on the range, containing tablespoonful of sweet lard; when melted, it should measure about tablespoonfuls. then add tablespoonfuls of flour, a pinch of salt and stir constantly, or rather mash the flour constantly with a spoon, being careful not to allow it to scorch, until a rich brown; add this to the diced potatoes and the quart of water in which they were boiled, stir until the consistency of thick cream, or like clam chowder. should there be a few, small lumps of the browned flour not dissolved in the chowder, they will not detract from the taste of it; in fact, some are very fond of them. perhaps some folks would prefer this, more like a soup; then add more hot water and thin it, but be careful to add more seasoning, as otherwise it would taste flat and unpalatable. very few people know the _good flavor_ of _browned flour_. it has a flavor peculiarly its own, and does not taste of lard at all. i would never advocate _any_ seasoning except butter, but advise economical housewives to try this, being very careful not to scorch the flour and fat while browning. a mixture of butter and lard may be used in which to brown the flour should there be a prejudice against the use of lard alone. bean chowder another palatable, cheap and easily prepared dish is called bean chowder. small soup beans were soaked over night in cold water. pour off, add fresh water and cook until tender. then add browned flour (same as prepared for potato chowder) and the water in which the beans were cooked. when ready to serve, the beans were added. more water may be added until broth is thin enough for soup, then it would be called "brown bean soup." bouillon buy a soup bone, cook with a chopped onion, one stalk of celery and a sprig of parsley until meat falls from bone. season with salt and pepper. strain the broth into a bowl and stand aside until perfectly cold. then remove the cake of fat formed on top of soup and add it to drippings for frying. the broth may be kept several days if poured into a glass jar and set on ice. when wanted to serve, heat pint of broth, add tablespoonfuls of cream to yolks of eggs. stir well. pour boiling hot broth over the cream and yolks of eggs and serve at once in bouillon cups. serve crackers also. do not cook mixture after cream and yolks of eggs have been added. this is very nourishing. farmer's rice one and one-half quarts of milk, poured into a double boiler and placed on the range to heat. one cup of flour was placed in a bowl; into the flour raw egg was dropped and stirred with a knife until mixed, then rubbed between the fingers into fine rivels. it may take a little _more_ flour; the rivels should be dry enough to allow of being rubbed fine. when the milk commences to boil drop the rivels in by handfuls, slowly, stirring constantly. salt to taste. let cook minutes. eat while hot, adding a small piece of butter as seasoning. this should be a little thicker than ordinary rice soup. philadelphia "pepper pot" this recipe for far-famed "philadelphia pepper pot" was given mary by a friend living in the quaker city, a good cook, who vouched for its excellence: the ingredients consist of the following: knuckle of veal. pounds of plain tripe. pounds of honeycomb tripe. large onion, bunch of pot-herbs. medium-sized potatoes. bay leaf--salt and cayenne pepper to season. / pound of beef suet--and flour for dumplings. the day before you wish to use the "pepper pot" procure pounds of plain tripe and pounds of honeycomb tripe. wash thoroughly in cold water place in a kettle. cover with cold water and boil eight hours; then remove tripe from water, and when cold cut into pieces about / of an inch square. the day following get a knuckle of veal, wash and cover with cold water--about three quarts--bring slowly to the simmering point, skimming off the scum which arises, simmer for three hours. remove the meat from the bones, cut into small pieces, strain broth and return it to the kettle. add a bay leaf, one large onion, chopped, simmer one hour; then add four medium-sized potatoes, cut like dice, and add to the broth. wash a bunch of pot-herbs, chop parsley (and add last), rub off the thyme leaves, cut red pepper in half and add all to broth; then add meat and tripe and season with salt; _if liked hot_, use a pinch of cayenne pepper. for the dumplings, take cup of beef suet, chopped fine, cups flour, pinch of salt, mix well together and moisten with enough cold water to allow of their being molded or rolled into tiny dumplings, the size of a small marble. flour these well to prevent sticking together. when all are prepared drop into soup, simmer a few minutes, add parsley and serve at once. german vegetable soup take potatoes, half the quantity of onions, carrots, turnips, cabbage and a stalk of celery, cut up into dice-shaped pieces, place all in a stew-pan and cover with a couple quarts of hot water. let cook about two hours, until all the vegetables are tender, then add tablespoonful of butter, a large cup of milk, and about a tablespoonful of flour mixed smooth with a little cold milk, cook a few minutes, add a tablespoonful minced parsley, and serve. a cheap rice and tomato soup take one pint of rice water which has been drained from one cupful of rice boiled in - / quarts of water minutes (the rice to be used in other ways), and after the rice has drained in a sieve add to the rice water cup stewed, strained tomatoes (measure after being strained), teaspoonful butter, teaspoonful flour mixed with a little cold water, salt, pepper, and tablespoonful of the cooked rice, and you have a palatable soup, as the water in which the rice was boiled is said to be more nutritious than the rice. fish, clams and oyster (boned shad) how many young cooks know how to bone a shad? it is a very simple process, and one becomes quite expert after one or two trials. and it fully repays one for the extra time and trouble taken, in the satisfaction experienced by being able to serve fish without bones. with a sharp knife cut the fish open along the back bone on the outside of the fish, but do not cut through the bone, then carefully cut the fish loose along the back bone on each side, cut the centre bone away with the smaller bones branching out on each side attached. cut the shad into sizable pieces after being washed in cold water and dried on a cloth to take up all the moisture. dip pieces of fish into white of egg containing a teaspoonful of water, roll in fine, dried bread crumbs, season with salt and pepper, drop in hot fat, and fry a rich brown. serve on a platter, surrounded by a border of parsley. some small portions of the fish will adhere to the bones, however carefully the fish has been boned. the meat may be picked from the bones after cooking in salt water until tender. flake the fish, and either make it into small patties or croquettes. shad roe should be parboiled first and then dredged with flour on both sides and fried in drippings or a little butter. croquettes of cold, cooked fish shred or flake cold, cooked fish, which has been carefully picked from bones. to cups of fish add an equal amount of mashed potatoes, a small half cup of cold milk, tablespoonful butter, yolk of egg, lightly beaten, teaspoonful of chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper. mix all well together, and when cold, form in small croquettes. dip into white of egg containing tablespoonful of water, roll in fine, dried bread crumbs and fry in hot fat. shad, salmon, codfish, or any kind of fish may be prepared this way, or prepare same as "rice croquettes," substituting-fish for rice. shad roe shad roe should be carefully taken from the fish, allowed to stand in cold water, to which a pinch of salt has been added, for a few minutes, then dropped in boiling water, cooked a short time and drained. dredge with flour and fry slowly in a couple tablespoonfuls of butter and lard or drippings until a golden brown. be particular not to serve them rare. serve garnished with parsley. or the shad roe may be parboiled, then broken in small pieces, mixed with a couple of lightly beaten eggs and scrambled in a fry-pan, containing a couple of tablespoonfuls of butter and sweet drippings. serve at once. garnish with parsley or water cress. scalloped oysters take about fresh oysters. place a layer of oysters in a baking dish alternately with fine, dried crumbs, well seasoned with pepper and salt and bits of butter, until pan is about two-thirds full. have a thick layer of bread crumbs for the top, dotted with bits of butter. pour over this half a cup or less of strained oyster liquor and small cup of sweet milk. place in oven and bake from to minutes. deviled oysters dozen oysters. cup rich milk. tablespoonfuls flour. yolks of raw eggs. generous tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful finely-minced parsley. drain oysters in a colander and chop rather coarsely. mix flour smooth with a little cold milk. place the remainder of the milk in a saucepan on the range. when it commences to boil add the moistened flour and cook until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly to prevent burning, or cook in a double boiler. add yolks of eggs and butter, / teaspoonful salt and / teaspoonful of black pepper and a pinch of cayenne pepper. then add chopped oysters, stir all together a few minutes until oysters are heated through. then turn into a bowl and stand aside in a cool place until a short time before they are to be served. (these may be prepared early in the morning and served at six o'clock dinner.) then fill good-sized, well-scrubbed oyster shells with the mixture, sprinkle the tops liberally with fine-dried, well-seasoned bread crumbs. (seasoned with salt and pepper.) place the filled shells on muffin tins to prevent their tipping over; stand in a hot oven about ten minutes, until browned on top, when they should be heated through. serve at once in the shells. handle the hot shells with a folded napkin when serving at table. this quantity fills thirteen oyster shells. serve with the oysters small pickles, pickled cabbage or cranberry sauce as an accompaniment. planked shad after eating planked shad no one will wish to have it served in any other manner, as no other method of preparing fish equals this. for planked shad, use an oak plank, at least two inches thick, three inches thick is better. planks for this purpose may be bought at a department store or procured at a planing mill. place plank in oven several days before using to season it. always heat the plank in oven about minutes before placing fish on it, then have plank _very hot_. split a nicely-cleaned shad down the back, place skin side down, on hot plank, brush with butter and sprinkle lightly with pepper and salt. put plank containing shad on the upper grating of a hot oven of coal range and bake about minutes. baste frequently with melted butter. the shad should be served on the plank, although not a very sightly object, but it is the proper way to serve it. the flavor of shad, or, in fact, of any other fish, prepared in this manner is superior to that of any other. fish is less greasy and more wholesome than when fried. should an oak plank not be obtainable, the shad may be placed in a large roasting pan and baked in oven. cut gashes across the fish about two inches apart, and place a teaspoonful of butter on each. bake in oven from to minutes. serve on a warmed platter, garnished with parsley, and have dinner plates warmed when serving fish on them. do not wash the plank with soap and water after using, but instead rub it over with sandpaper. broiled mackerel when fish has been cleaned, cut off head and scrape dark skin from inside. soak salt mackerel in cold water over night, skin side up, always. in the morning; drain, wipe dry and place on a greased broiler, turn until cooked on both sides. take up carefully on a hot platter, pour over a large tablespoonful of melted butter and a little pepper, or lay the mackerel in a pan, put bits of butter on top, and set in a hot oven and bake. garnish with parsley. codfish balls soak codfish several hours in cold water. cook slowly or simmer a short time. remove from fire, drain, and when cold squeeze out all moisture by placing the flaked fish in a small piece of cheese-cloth. to one cup of the flaked codfish add an equal quantity of warm mashed potatoes, yolk of egg, tablespoonful of milk and a little pepper. roll into small balls with a little flour. dip in white of egg and bread crumbs, and when quite cold fry in deep fat. garnish with parsley. fried oysters procure fine, large, fresh oysters for frying. drain in a colander carefully, look over, and discard any pieces of shell. roll each oyster in fine, dried bread crumbs, well seasoned with salt and pepper, then dip them in a lightly-beaten egg, and then in bread crumbs. allow them to stand several hours in a cool place before frying. place a few oysters at one time in a wire frying basket, and immerse in smoking hot fat. should too great a number of oysters be placed in the fat at one time it would lower the temperature of the fat and cause the oysters to become greasy. drain the oysters when fried on heavy, brown paper, to absorb any remaining fat, and serve at once. for all deep frying use two-thirds lard and one-third suet, as suet is considered to be more wholesome and cheaper than lard. two items to be considered by the frugal housewife. if fat for deep frying is the right temperature a crust is at once formed, and the oysters do not absorb as great a quantity of fat as when fried in only enough butter and drippings to prevent scorching, as they must then be fried more slowly. serve pickled cabbage and tomato catsup when serving fried oysters. panned oysters aunt sarah always prepared oysters in this manner to serve roast turkey. at the very last minute, when the dinner was ready to be served, she placed freshly-opened oysters, with their liquor, in a stew-pan over a hot fire. the minute they were heated through and commenced to curl up, she turned them in a hot colander to drain a minute, then turned the oysters into a stew-pan containing two large tablespoonfuls of hot, melted butter, and allowed them to remain in the hot butter one minute, shaking the pan lo prevent scorching, seasoned them with salt and pepper, and turned all into a heated dish and sent to the table at once. these are easily prepared and are more wholesome than fried oysters. oysters steamed in the shell place well-scrubbed shells, containing fresh oysters, in a deep agate pan, which will fit in a kettle containing a small amount of boiling water. cover very closely until the shells open easily. these may be served in the shell with hot, melted butter, in a side dish, or they may be removed from the shell to a hot bowl and seasoned with hot butter, salt and pepper. a recipe given mary for "oyster cocktail" to tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup add / tablespoonful of grated horseradish, / tablespoonful of lemon juice, / teaspoonful of tabasco sause, / tablespoonful of vinegar, saltspoonful of salt. stand on ice one hour at least. to serve--the freshly-opened oysters on half shell were placed on a plate, in the centre of which was placed a tiny glass goblet containing a small quantity of the mixture, into which the oysters were dipped before being eaten. oyster croquettes boil oysters five minutes, drain. when cold, cut into small pieces, add / cup of bread crumbs and mix all together with a thick cream sauce composed of / cup of cream or milk thickened with flour, to which add large tablespoonful of butter; season with salt, a dash of red pepper and teaspoonful of finely-minced parsley. stand this mixture on ice until quite cold and firm enough to form into small croquettes. dip in egg and bread crumbs and fry in deep fat until a golden brown. serve at once on a platter garnished with sprigs of parsley from these ingredients was made croquettes. frau schmidts way of serving "oyster cocktails" place in a bowl tablespoonfuls of tomato catsup, teaspoonful of grated horseradish, tablespoonfuls of very finely cut celery juice and pulp of lemons. season with salt and pepper. mix this with oysters which have been cut in small pieces. serve in halves of lemons, from which the pulp has been carefully removed. place on ice a short time before serving. crisp crackers should be served at the same time this is served. salmon loaf one can of salmon, from which all bones have been removed, cup of cracker crumbs, / cup of milk, tablespoonful of butter, which had been melted; eggs beaten, salt and pepper to season. mix all together, bake in a buttered pudding dish one-half hour or until browned on top. serve hot. creamed salmon a half cup of canned salmon, a left-over from lunch the preceding day, may be added to double the quantity of cream dressing, and when heated through and served on crisply-toasted slices of stale bread, make a tasty addition to any meal. of course, it is not necessary to tell even unexperienced housewives never under any circumstances allow food to stand in tins in which it was canned; do not ever stand food away in tin; use small agateware dishes, in which food, such as small quantities of left-overs, etc, may be reheated. never use for cooking agate stew-pans, from the inside of which small parties have been chipped, as food cooked in such a vessel might become mixed with small particles of glazing, and such food when eaten would injure the stomach. oyster canapes cup cream. tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. tablespoonful of butter. dozen stewing oysters. season with paprika, tiny pinch of nutmeg and salt. boil the cream, add bread crumbs and butter. chop oysters fine, add seasoning. serve hot in pattie cups or on toast. serve small pickles or olives. good dish for chafing dish. meat every young housewife should be taught that simmering is more effective than violent boiling, which converts water into useless steam. even a tough, undesirable piece of "chuck" or "pot roast" may be made more tender and palatable by long-continued simmering than it would be if put in rapidly boiling water and kept boiling at that rate. meat may be made more tender also by being marinated; that is, allowing the meat to stand for some time in a mixture of olive oil and vinegar before cooking it. in stewing most meats a good plan is to put a large tablespoonful of finely-minced beef suet in the stew-pan; when fried out, add a little butter, and when sizzling hot add the meat, turn and sear on both sides to retain the juice in the meat, then add a little hot water and let come to a boil; then stand where the meat will just simmer but not slop cooking for several hours. the meat then should be found quite tender. cheaper cuts of meat, especially, require long, slow cooking or simmering to make them tender, but are equally as nutritious as high-priced meats if properly prepared. to quote from _the farmers' bulletin_: "the number of appetizing dishes which a good cook can make out of the meat 'left over' is almost endless. undoubtedly more time and skill are required in their preparation than in the simple cooking of the more expensive cuts. the real superiority of a good cook lies not so much in the preparation of expensive or fancy dishes as in the attractive preparation of inexpensive dishes for every day. in the skillful combination of flavors. some housewives seem to have a prejudice against economizing. if the comfort of the family does not suffer and the meals are kept as varied and appetizing as when they cost more, with little reason for complaint, surely it is not beneath the dignity of any family to avoid useless expenditure, no matter how generous its income. and the intelligent housekeeper should take pride in setting a good table." this is such an excellent article, and so ably written and true, that i feel it would be to the advantage of every young housewife to read and profit by it. "sauergebratens" or german pot roast buy about three pounds of beef, as for an ordinary pot roast. place in a large bowl. boil vinegar (or, if vinegar is too sharp, add a little water, a couple of whole cloves and a little allspice); this should cover the piece of meat. vinegar should be poured over it hot; let stand a couple of days in a cool place uncovered; turn it over occasionally. when wanted to cook, take from the vinegar and put in a stew-pan containing a little hot fried-out suet or drippings in which has been sliced onions. let cook, turn occasionally, and when a rich brown, stir in a large tablespoonful of flour, add - / cups of hot water, cover and cook slowly for two or three hours, turning frequently. half an hour before serving add small pared potatoes, and when they have cooked tender, serve meat, gravy and potatoes on a large platter. the writer knew an old gentleman who had moved to the city from a "bucks county farm" when a boy, who said that he'd walk five miles any day for a dish of the above as his mother had prepared it in former years. mary was surprised at the amount of valuable information to be obtained from the different _farmers' bulletins_ received at the farm, on all subjects of interest to housewives, and particularly farmers' wives. all books were to be had free for the asking. the dishes mary prepared from recipes in the _farmers bulletin_ on "economical use of meat in the home," were especially liked at the farm, particularly "stewed shin of beef" and "hungarian goulash" (a hungarian dish which has come to be a favorite in the united states). hungarian goulash pounds top round of beef. onion. a little flour. bay leaves. ounces salt pork. whole cloves. cups of tomatoes. peppercorns. stalk celery. blade mace. cut the beef into -inch pieces and sprinkle with flour. fry the salt pork until a light brown; add the beef and cook slowly for about thirty-five minutes, stirring occasionally. cover with water and simmer about two hours. season with salt and pepper or paprika. from the vegetables and spices a sauce is made as follows: cook in sufficient water to cover for minutes; then rub through a sieve, and add to some of the stock in which the meat was cooked. thicken with flour, using tablespoonfuls (moistened with cold water) to each cup of liquid, and season with salt and paprika. serve the meat on a platter with the sauce poured over it. potatoes, carrots and green peppers cooked until tender and cut into small pieces or narrow strips are usually sprinkled over the dish when served, and noodles may be arranged in a border upon the platter. broiled steak when buying beefsteak for broiling, order the steak cut inch to - / inches thick. place the steak on a well-greased, hot broiler and broil over a clear, hot fire, turning frequently. it will take about ten minutes to broil a steak -inch thick. when steak is broiled place on a hot platter, season with butter, pepper and salt, and serve at once. serve rare or otherwise, but serve _at once_. broil-steak unseasoned, as salt extracts juice from meat. steak, particularly, loses its savoriness if not served _hot_. what to a hungry man is more nutritious and appetizing than a perfectly broiled, rare, juicy, steak, served hot? and not a few young and inexperienced cooks serve thin steaks, frequently overdone or scorched, containing about the same amount of nourishment a piece of leather would possess, through lack of knowledge of knowing just how. often, unconsciously. i will admit; yet it is an undiluted fact, that very many young housewives are indirectly the cause of their husbands suffering from the prevailing "american complaint," dyspepsia, and its attendant evils. and who that has suffered from it will blame the "grouchy man" who cannot well be otherwise. so, my dear "mrs. new wife," be warned in time, and always remember how near to your husband's heart lies his stomach, and to possess the former you should endeavor to keep the latter in good condition by preparing, and serving, nourishing, well-cooked food. stewed shin of beef pounds of shin of beef. medium-sized onion. whole clove and bay leaf. sprig of parsley. - / tablespoonfuls flour. - / tablespoonfuls of butler or savory drippings. small slice of carrot. / tablespoonful of salt. / teaspoonful of pepper. quarts boiling water. have the butcher cut the bone in several pieces. put all the ingredients but the flour and butter in a stew-pan and bring to a boil. set the pan where the liquid will just simmer for six hours, or after boiling for five or ten minutes put all into the fireless cooker for eight or nine hours. with the butter, flour and / cup of the clear soup from which the fat has been removed make a brown sauce. to this add the meat and marrow removed from the bone. heat and serve. the remainder of the liquid in which the meat has been cooked may be used for soup. hamburg steak take the tough ends of two sirloin steaks and one tablespoonful of kidney suet, run through a food chopper; season with pepper and salt, form into small cakes, dredge lightly with flour, fry quickly, same manner steak is fried, turning frequently. the kidney fat added prevents the hamburg steak being dry and tasteless. "a tender, juicy broiled steak, flaky baked potatoes, a good cup of coffee and sweet, light, home-made bread, a simple salad or fruit, served to a hungry husband would often prevent his looking for an affinity," said aunt sarah to her niece mary. meat stew with dumplings stew. pounds of a cheap cut of beef. cups of potatoes cut into small pieces. / cup each of turnips and carrots cut into / -inch cubes. / an onion chopped. / cup of flour. season with salt and pepper. cut the meat into small pieces, removing the fat. fry out the fat and brown the meat in it. when well browned, cover with boiling water. boil for five minutes and then cook in a lower temperature until meat is done. if tender, this will require about three hours on the stove, or five hours in the fireless cooker. add carrots, onions, turnips and pepper and salt during the last hour of cooking, and the potatoes fifteen minutes before serving. thicken with the flour diluted with cold water. serve with dumplings. if this dish is made in the tireless cooker the mixture must be reheated when the vegetables are put in. such a stew may also be made of mutton. if veal or pork is used the vegetables may be omitted or simply a little onion used. sometimes for variety the browning of the meat is dispensed with. when white meat, such as chicken, veal or fresh pork is used, the gravy is often made rich with cream or milk thickened with flour. dumplings. cups of flour. teaspoons (level) of baking powder. / cup of milk or a little more if needed. / teaspoonful of salt. teaspoonfuls of butter. mix and sift the dry ingredients. work in butter with the tips of the fingers. add milk gradually, roll out to thickness of half inch. cut with biscuit cutter. place in a buttered steamer over a kettle of hot water and cook from to minutes. if the dumplings are cooked with the stew enough liquid should be removed to allow of their being placed directly upon the meat and vegetables. sometimes the dough is baked and served as biscuits, over which the stew is poured. if the stew is made with chicken or veal it is termed a fricassee. this recipe tells of such an economical way of extending the meat flavor that i think every young housewife should know it. mary copied it from _the farmers' bulletin_, an article on the "economical use of meat in the home." the dumplings, as she prepared them from this recipe, were regular fluff balls, they were so light and flaky. i would add, the cook-pot should be closely covered while cooking or steaming these dumplings, and the cover should not be raised for the first ten minutes. a lesser quantity of baking powder might be used with equally good results, but these dumplings are certain to be light and flaky. a larger quantity of baking powder should be used when dough is steamed or boiled than if dough is baked, if one expects good results. extending the meat flavor mary learned, through reading _the farmers' bulletin_, different methods of extending the meat flavor through a considerable quantity of material, which would otherwise be lacking in distinctive taste, one way to serve the meat with dumplings, generally in the dish with it; to combine the meat with crusts, as in meat pies or meat rolls, or to serve the meat on toast or biscuits. borders of rice, hominy or mashed potatoes are examples of the same principles, applied in different ways. by serving some preparation of flour, rice, hominy or other food, rich in starch, with the meat, we get a dish which in itself approaches nearer to the balanced ration than meat alone, and one in which the meat flavor is extended through a large amount of the material. the measurements given in the above recipes call for a level spoonful or a level cup, as the case may be. in many american families meat is eaten two or three times a day. in such cases, the simplest way of reducing the meat bill would be to cut down the amount used, either by serving it less often or by using less at a time. deficiency of protein need not be feared, when one good meat dish a day is served, especially if such nitrogenous materials as eggs, milk, cheese and beans are used instead. in localities where fish can be obtained fresh and cheap, it might well be more frequently substituted for meat for the sake of variety as well as economy. ingenious cooks have many ways of "extending the flavor" of meat; that is, of combining a small quantity with other materials to make a large dish as in meat pies, stews and similar dishes. the foregoing information may be useful to other young, prospective housekeepers who may never have read "the very instructive articles on the economical use of meat in the home,' in the _farmers' bulletin_." preparing a pot roast when buying a pot roast, "aunt sarah" selected a thick, chunky piece of meat, weighing several pounds, and a small piece of beef suet which she cut into small bits, placed pan containing them on hot range, added a small, sliced onion, and when fat was quite hot she added the quickly rinsed piece of meat, and quickly seared it to retain the juice; added cup of hot water, a sprig of parsley, seasoning of salt and pepper; cooked a short time, then allowed it to stand on the range closely covered, where it would simmer gently several hours; turning the meat frequently, adding a small amount of water occasionally, as the broth was absorbed by the meat. an inexperienced cook will be surprised to find how tender, palatable, and equally nutritious, an inexpensive cut of meat may become by slow simmering. when the pot roast has become tender, remove from the broth and place on a _hot platter_; this latter is a small item, but dishes may be quickly heated in a hot oven and meat and vegetables are more appetizing if served hot on warmed plates. "forgive this digression; i fear the pot roast will cool even on a warmed platter." after removing the meat from the pan add a large tablespoonful of flour, moistened with a small quantity of cold water, to the broth in the pan for gravy; cook until thickened, strain sliced onion and parsley from the broth, add seasoning of salt and pepper, serve on the platter with the meat; the onion added, gives the gravy a fine flavor and causes it to be a dark, rich brown in color. stuffed breast of veal rub the piece of meat with salt, pepper, ginger and minced onion. prepare a stuffing as for chicken of crumbled, stale bread, etc., or soak pieces of stale bread in cold water. squeeze dry and season with a little minced onion, parsley, a little melted butter, salt and pepper, and moisten all with one egg. fill the breast of veal with this stuffing, sew together, place in roasting pan with a small quantity of water, to which a tablespoonful of butter has been added. roast in a moderately hot oven until well done, basting frequently. "gedampftes rinderbrust" take breast of beef or veal, without fat or bones, quickly rinse off meat and wipe with a cloth. place in a stew-pot with one chopped onion, one sliced tomato, a bay leaf, season with pepper and salt, add a small quantity of hot water, cook, closely covered, several hours. to be tender this meat requires long, slow cooking, when it cooks and browns at the same time. strain the broth and thicken for gravy and pour around the meat on platter when serving. "paprikash" two pounds of veal, from leg, cut into small pieces for stewing; good-sized onions, cut rather fine; measure about / cup of sweet lard, place onions in pan with some of this lard and fry a light brown. add meat and cook meat and onions together about one-half hour, adding lard gradually until all is used and the meat is golden brown. then cover with water and stew, closely covered, about two hours or longer, until meat is ready to serve; then add more water until meat is covered. season with salt and paprika. add about three tablespoonfuls of vinegar (not too sour; cook must judge this by tasting); then add / pint of sweet cream. thicken gravy with flour mixed smooth with a little water. place on platter surrounded with gravy. with this was always served baked or steamed sweet potatoes. beef stew three pounds of the cheaper cut of beef, cut in pieces a couple inches square; brown in a stew-pan, with a sliced onion, a sprig of parsley and a coupe tablespoonfuls of sweet drippings or suet; cook a few minutes, add a little water, and simmer a couple of hours; add sliced turnips and a few medium-sized potatoes. should there he a larger quantity of broth than required to serve with the meat and vegetables, a cup or more of the broth may form the basis of a palatable soup for lunch the following day. savory beef roll three and one-half pounds raw beef, or a mixture of beef and veal may be used, run through a food chopper. a cheap cut of meat may be used if, before chopping, all pieces of gristle are trimmed off. place the chopped meat in a bowl, add tablespoonfuls of fine, dried bread crumbs, tablespoonful of pepper, - / tablespoonfuls of salt. taste the meat before adding all the seasoning specified, as tastes differ. add raw eggs, tablespoonfuls of sweet milk or cream, tablespoonfuls of butter, a little sweet marjoram or minced parsley. mix all together and mold into two long, narrow rolls, similar to loaves of bread. place tablespoonful each of drippings and butter in a large fry-pan on the range. when heated, place beef rolls in, and when seared on both sides add a small quantity of hot water. place the pan containing meat in a hot oven and bake one hour. basting the meat frequently improves it. when catering to a small family serve one of the rolls hot for dinner; serve gravy, made by thickening broth in pan with a small quantity of flour. serve the remaining roll cold, thinly sliced for lunch, the day following. veal cutlets use either veal chops or veal cutlets, cut in small pieces the size of chops; pound with a small mallet, sprinkle a little finely-minced onion on each cutlet, dip in beaten egg and bread crumbs, well seasoned with salt and pepper. place a couple tablespoonfuls of a mixture of butter and sweet drippings in a fry-pan; when hot, lay in the breaded cutlets and fry slowly, turning frequently and watching carefully that they do not scorch. these take a longer time to fry than does beefsteak. when a rich brown and well cooked take up the cutlets on a heated platter and serve, garnished with parsley. meat "snitzel" cut - / pounds of thick veal steak into small pieces, dredge with flour, season with salt and pepper, and fry brown in a pan containing bacon fat (fat obtained by frying several slices of fat, smoked bacon). remove the meat from the pan, add a couple tablespoonfuls of flour to the remaining fat stir until browned, then pour in the strained liquor from a pint can of tomatoes. add one slice of onion and one carrot, then return the meat to the sauce; cover closely and simmer three-quarters of an hour. when the meat is tender, place on a hot platter, add a pinch of red pepper to the sauce and a little more salt if required, and strain over the meat on the platter. this was a favorite dish of mary's uncle, and he said she knew how to prepare it to perfection. sirloin steaks procure sirloin steaks, - / inches thick, and a small piece of suet. cut the tenderloin from each steak, and as much more of the steak as required for one meal. place the finely-cut suet in a hot fry-pan; this should measure tablespoonful when tried out, add one teaspoonful of butter, when the fat is very hot and a blue smoke arises place pieces of steak, lightly dredged with flour, in the pan of hot fat, place only one piece at a time in the fat; sear the meat on one side, then turn and sear on the other side; then place the other pieces of meat in the pan and continue in the same manner, turning the steak frequently. the hot butter and suet sear the steak, thus the juice of the meat is retained, making the meat more palatable; season with salt and pepper, place on a hot platter and serve at once. meat balls chop meat fine; beef, chicken, lamb or veal; mince a small onion and fry in a tablespoonful of butler; add a tablespoonful of flour, the yolk of one egg, the chopped meat and a little broth, gravy, or milk to moisten, salt and pepper. stir all together and turn the whole mixture into dish to cool. when cool, shape with well-floured hands into balls the size of a shelled walnut. dip in beaten white of egg, then into bread crumbs, and fry in deep fat until crisp and brown. place only three or four meat balls in a frying basket at one time. too many at a time chills the fat; but if plunged in boiling hot fat, then a crust is formed at once over the outside, which prevents the grease from penetrating. when the meat balls are browned nicely, lay them on brown paper to absorb any grease that may adhere to them. to try whether the fat is the right temperature, drop a small piece of bread in it, and if it browns while you count twenty, the fat is hot enough for any form of croquettes. garnish with parsley or watercress. veal loaf three pounds raw veal, chopped fine; teaspoonful salt, teaspoonful pepper, tablespoonfuls butter, raw eggs, tablespoonfuls water. mix all together with tablespoonfuls fine, rolled, dried bread crumbs and mold into a long, narrow loaf. roll the loaf in two extra tablespoonfuls of bread crumbs. place in a hot pan, pour tablespoonfuls melted butter over the top, and bake in hot oven two hours or less, basting frequently. slice thinly when cold. should the veal loaf be served hot thicken the broth with flour and serve this gravy with it. sweetbreads (breaded) place sweetbreads in cold water, to which / teaspoonful salt has been added, for a short time, then drain and put over the fire with hot water. cook ten minutes. drain and stand aside in a cool place until wanted. remove stringy parts, separate into small pieces about the sue of an oyster, dip in beaten white of egg and then in bread crumbs. put in a pan containing a little hot butter and drippings and fry light brown. serve hot. garnish platter with parsley. fried liver and bacon have _beef_ liver cut in slices about one inch thick; quickly rinse and wipe dry. remove the thin skin on the edge and cut out all the small, tough fibres. if liver from a _young_ beef it can scarcely be told from calves' liver when cooked, and is considerably cheaper. fry a dozen slices of fat bacon in a pan until crisp and brown. take from the pan on a warm platter and place in oven. put the pieces of liver, well dredged with flour, into the pan containing the hot bacon fat, also a little butter, and fry slowly until well done, but not hard and dry. turn frequently and season with salt and pepper. take the liver from the pan, add one tablespoonful of flour to the fat remaining in the pan, stir until smooth and brown, then add about one cup of sweet milk or water, stir a few minutes until it thickens and season with salt and pepper. should the liver be a little overdone, put it in the pan with the gravy, cover and let stand where it will just simmer a few minutes, then turn all on a hot platter and serve the bacon on a separate dish. beefsteak served with peas fry quickly a large sirloin steak. place in the oven, on a warm platter. add a large tablespoonful of butter to the fry pan, also a can of sifted peas, which have been heated and drained, season with pepper and salt, shake pan to prevent burning and when hot turn on to platter containing steak and serve at once. this makes an appetizing luncheon dish. creamed "dried beef" put a tablespoonful of butter in a frying pan, add / cup of chipped beef cut fine and brown it in the butter, then add / cup of water. let stand and simmer for a short time, then add a cup of sweet milk, thicken to the consistency of thick cream by adding tablespoonful of flour mixed smooth with a small quantity of cold milk, season with salt and pepper. this is an economical way of using small pieces of dried beef not sightly enough to be served on the table. serve with baked potatoes for lunch, or pour over slices of toasted bread, or over poached eggs for an appetizing breakfast dish. creamed sweetbreads parboil sweetbreads in water minutes. remove stringy parts and dry on a napkin. separate the sweetbreads into small pieces with a _silver knife_, never use _steel_, put in a stewpan with enough cream to cover, add butter, pepper and salt to taste. flour enough to thicken a little, let all come to a boil. fill small pattie shells with the mixture and serve hot. meat croquettes cups finely chopped meat (beef or veal). tablespoonful butter. tablespoonfuls flour (or a little more flour). tablespoonfuls chopped parsley. scant cup of milk. put milk on to boil. mix flour smooth with a little cold milk before adding to boiling milk, add the butter and cook all together until a creamy consistency, then add the chopped meat well seasoned with salt and pepper and the chopped parsley. mix well and let cool. shape into croquettes, dip in white of egg and bread crumbs. let stand until perfectly cold, then fry brown, in deep hot fat. chicken, beef, veal and mutton may be prepared in the same manner. when dipping croquettes, tablespoonful of water may be added to the white of egg and tablespoonfuls of water if the whole of the egg is used. use the whites of eggs for dipping croquettes if possible. croquettes may be made the day before wanted, and placed in a refrigerator or cool place. croquettes should be cold before frying. stewed rabbit after the rabbit has been skinned, and carefully cleaned, wash quickly and let stand over night in cold water to which salt has been added; also a pinch of red pepper. place on the range in the morning (in a stew-pan with fresh warm water). when it comes to a boil, drain off, add one pint of hot water containing two sliced onions and a little ginger. this prevents the flavor of wild game, objectionable to some. when the meat has cooked tender, drain, dust pieces with flour, and brown quickly in a pan containing a couple tablespoonfuls of hot lard, butter, or drippings. if you wish the meat of the rabbit white, add a thin slice of lemon to the water when cooking meat. roast lamb select leg or loin, or if a larger roast is wanted, leg and loin together. carefully rinse the piece of meat. place in pan, dust lightly with pepper. have the oven hot and place pan in without putting water in pan. brown on one side, then turn and brown on the other. then put about / cup of water in roasting pan, and if oven is too hot, leave door open for a few minutes. allow minutes for each pound of lamb. "gefullte rinderbrust," or stuffed breast of beef take a fillet of beef, rub both sides well with a mixture of finely chopped onion, minced parsley, salt and pepper. then spread over the fillet a small quantity of raw, chopped, well-seasoned meat, roll together and tie. place in a stew pan with a small quantity of water, cook closely covered until tender. serve with gravy. fried peppers with pork chops dust four or five pork chops with flour and fry in a pan, not too quickly. when nicely browned, remove to a warm chop plate and stand in warming oven while preparing the following: slice or cut in small pieces four good-sized, sweet, red peppers and a half teaspoon of finely chopped hot pepper, add to the fat remaining in the pan in which the chops were fried, and cook about ten minutes, until peppers are tender (stirring them frequently). when sufficiently cooked, add one tablespoon of vinegar, pepper and salt to taste, cook one minute longer and serve on the same dish with the chops. boiled ham when preparing to cook a ham, scrape, wash and trim it carefully. place ham in a large cook pot or boiler, partly cover with cold water, let come to a boil, then move back on range where the water will merely simmer, just bubble gently around the edge of the boiler. a medium sized ham should be tender in five or six hours. when a fork stuck into the ham comes out readily, the ham is cooked. take from the boiler and skin carefully, removing all the discolored portions of the smoked end, stick dozen whole cloves into the thick fat, and sprinkle a couple tablespoonfuls of brown sugar and fine bread crumbs over top. place in a very hot oven a short time, until the fat turns a golden brown. watch carefully to see that it does not scorch. when cold, slice thin and serve. aunt sarah frequently added a pint of cider to the water in which the ham was boiled. she said this improved the flavor of the ham. sliced ham when about to fry a slice of uncooked ham, do young housewives know how very much it improves the flavor of the ham if it is allowed to stand for ten or fifteen minutes in a platter containing a large teaspoonful of sugar and a little cold water? turn several times, then wipe quite dry with a clean cloth and fry in a pan containing a little hot drippings and a very little butter (one-half teaspoonful) just enough to prevent its sticking to the pan. do not fry as quickly as beefsteak. after a slice of ham has been cut from a whole ham, if lard be spread over the end of ham from which the slice has been cut, it will prevent the cut place from becoming mouldy. roast pork place pork roast in a covered roasting pan containing a small cup of hot water, season with pepper and salt and sweet marjoram and sprinkle a little powdered sage over it, and stand in a very hot oven. after the meat has been roasting for a half hour, have less heat in your oven, allow about minutes to every pound of pork, or longer if necessary, but be sure it is _well done_. when served, _underdone_ pork is very unwholesome and unappetizing. when meat is sufficiently roasted, pour off all the fat in the pan except a small quantity, to which add / cup of boiling water, pepper and salt and serve. serve baked apples or apple sauce with pork. pork chops dip pork chops in egg, then into bread crumbs to which has been added salt, pepper, and a very little sage and sweet marjoram. some prefer chops simply dredged with flour. fry about minutes or until cooked through and nicely browned, but not scorched. 'tis said, "the frying of chops in a perfect manner is the test of a good cook." home-made sausage nine pounds of fresh pork (lean and fat intermixed as it comes). cut meat in small pieces, run through a meat cutter. sprinkle over the finely chopped meat tablespoonfuls salt, tablespoonfuls of black pepper, tablespoonfuls of powdered sage if bought at a chemist's. aunt sarah used but three tablespoonfuls of her own home-grown sage, as the flavor was much stronger than dried sage. some folks add tablespoonfuls of summer savory, but aunt sarah did not care for the flavor. cloves, mace and nutmeg may also be added if one likes highly-spiced food. this is a matter of taste. a good plan is to season the small pieces of meat before chopping, as this distributes the seasoning through the sausage. fill well cleaned casings, with the finely chopped meat. or form sausage into small pats, fry brown on both sides and serve with home-made buckwheat cakes. aunt sarah's method of keeping sausage to keep sausage one year, take sausage which has been put in casings (skins in long links) and cook until heated through in a fry pan half filled with hot water. take sausage from the water, cut in -inch length pieces (stick sausage with prongs of a fork, to prevent skins bursting) and fry brown on both sides, as if preparing it for the table. place, while hot in quart jars, fill jars as compactly as possible, then pour the hot fat remaining in pan over top. seal air-tight and it will keep well one year if jars are perfectly air-tight. souse two pig's feet, weighing together about - / pounds. after thoroughly cleansing with a vegetable brush, place in a stewpan and cover with cold water. allow water to come to a boil then move stew-pan to place on range where contents will cook slowly for a number of hours, or until the meat is loosened from the bones, then strain liquid, which should measure a scant three cups. (if a lesser quantity of liquid, add hot water until you have the required amount.) add also tablespoonfuls of sharp cider vinegar, about / teaspoonful of salt and a dust of black pepper. pour this mixture over the meat, which should have been separated from bones, allowing a few smaller bones to remain with the meat, which should have been placed in a bowl with several thin slices of lemon, if liked. stand bowl in a cool place over night or until the "souse" is of a jelly-like consistency. when cold, remove any surplus grease from the top of "souse." turn it from the bowl on to a platter. serve cold. garnish with thin slices of lemon and sprigs of parsley. this will furnish about - / pounds of souse. utilizing cold meat "left-overs" small pieces of cold roast beef, veal or steak may all be utilized by being put through the food chopper. to cup of finely-chopped cold meat add / cup of stale bread, which has soaked for a few minutes in cold water. the water having been squeezed from the bread, it was added to the meat, as was also a small quantity of finely-minced onion or parsley, and either the yolk or while of egg and a seasoning of salt and pepper. add left-over gravy, to cause the mixture to be soft enough to form into small rolls or cakes, and fry in a pan containing a couple tablespoonfuls of sweet drippings. mashed potatoes may be substituted for the bread with equally good results. the meat mixture may be formed into small cone shapes, dipped in egg, then rolled in fine bread crumbs and fried in deep fat. very appetizing sandwiches may he made from cold pieces of fried ham, run through food chopper. spread this on thinly-sliced, buttered bread, with a dish of prepared mustard, spread over the prepared ham. small bits of boiled ham, which cannot be sliced, may also be used in this manner. the fat was cut from left-over pieces of roast beef (place a couple of tablespoonfuls of fat in a pan on the range until the fat has fried out), then add a little finely-minced onion and the beef cut in pieces the size of a small marble, brown in the fat a few minutes, then add a small quantity of vinegar and water, and thicken to the consistency of cream (with a little flour moistened with cold water, before being added). this aunt sarah made frequently, being a frugal housewife, and called "salmagundi." fowl--roast chicken or turkey singe the fowl, after it has been picked; then with a small vegetable brush quickly scrub it well, with luke-warm water. do not let it lie in the water. when perfectly clean rinse in cold water, wipe dry, cut out the oil sack, remove craw from neck, draw the fowl, being careful not to break the gall in the process, as that would cause the meat, as well as giblets, to have a bitter taste. take out the lungs, the spongy red pieces lying in crevices near the bones of the back, and pour cold water through the fowl until you have thoroughly rinsed and chilled it, and no blood remains inside. i think fowls should be rinsed thoroughly inside and outside with cold water (many good cooks to the contrary). wipe the inside of the fowl perfectly dry with a clean cloth, and it is ready for the "filling." separate the liver and heart from entrails and cut open the piece containing the gizzard; wash the outer part, and put the giblets on to cook with a little hot water; if wanted to use with the filling. if the fowl is wanted to cook or steam the day following, do not cut in pieces and let stand in water over night, as i have known some quite good cooks to do, as that draws the flavor from the meat and makes it tasteless. if the giblets are not to be cooked and added to dressing, place them inside the fowl, tie feet together, and hang up in a cool place until wanted. when serving a turkey dinner with its accompaniments one finds so many things to be attended to in the morning, especially if the fowl is cooked on a sunday. it will be found a great help to the cook to have the turkey or chicken stuffed with bread filling the day before it is to be roasted, ready to pop in the oven in the morning. bread filling as aunt sarah prepared it chop the cold, cooked liver, heart and gizzard into tiny dice; add this to a bowl containing one quart of crumbled stale bread, seasoned with teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful pepper, / of a small, finely-minced onion, / teaspoonful sweet marjoram and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. stir into the crumbs tablespoonfuls of melted butter, moisten all with one egg beaten with tablespoonfuls of milk. sir all together lightly with a fork. fill the body of the chicken, put a couple of spoonfuls of this dressing into the space from which the craw was taken, tie the neck with a cord, sew up the fowl with a darning needle and cord, after filling it. (always keep a pair of scissors hanging from a nail conveniently near the sink in your kitchen, as it saves many steps.) the secret of _good filling_ is not to have it _too moist_, and to put the filling into the fowl _very lightly_; on no account press it down when placing it in the fowl, as that will cause the best of filling to be heavy and sodden. rather put less in, and fill a small cheese cloth bag with what remains, and a short time before the fowl has finished roasting, lay the bag containing the dressing on top of fowl until heated through, then turn out on one side of platter and serve with the fowl. instead of the chopped giblets, add dozen oysters to the dressing, or a few chestnuts boiled tender, mashed and seasoned with butter, pepper and salt and added to the crumbled bread. this makes a pleasant change. do not use quite as many crumbs if chestnuts or oysters are added. place fowl in covered roasting pan, put a couple of pieces of thinly-sliced bacon on the breast of fowl, put two cups of hot water in the pan and set in a very hot oven for the first half hour, then reduce the heat and baste frequently. an ordinary eight-pound turkey takes from two to three hours to roast; a chicken takes about twenty minutes to the pound. when the fowl has been sufficiently roasted, remove from pan to a hot platter. pour off some of the fat in the pan and add a small quantity of milk to the broth remaining. thicken with flour, for gravy, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle one teaspoonful chopped parsley over gravy after being poured into the gravy boat ready to serve. the yolk of one egg added makes a richer gravy to serve with chicken. fried chicken with cream gravy cut one small spring chicken in pieces, dip each piece in a batter composed of beaten egg, cup of milk, a pinch of salt, / teaspoonful of baking powder, sifted with flour enough to form a batter. dip the pieces of chicken in this batter, one at a time, and fry slowly in a pan containing a couple tablespoonfuls of hot butter and lard, until a golden brown. place the fried chicken on a platter. make a gravy by adding to the fat remaining in the pan-- cup of milk, tablespoonful of corn starch. allow this to brown and thicken. then pour the gravy over the chicken and serve garnished with parsley or watercress. stewed or steamed chicken cut a nicely cleaned chicken into nine pieces. (do not separate the meat from the breast-bone until it has been cooked.) put in a cook pot and partly cover with boiling water. add one small onion and a sprig of parsley, and let simmer about - / hours, or until tender. if an old fowl it will take about one hour longer. add salt and pepper. strain the broth, if very fat, remove a part from broth. after separating the white meat from the breast-bone, put all the meat on a platter. add / cup of sweet milk to the strained broth, thicken with a couple tablespoonfuls of flour, mixed smooth with a little cold water. let come to a boil, and add one teaspoonful of chopped parsley. pour the chicken gravy over the platter containing the meat, or serve it in a separate bowl. or you may quickly brown the pieces of stewed chicken which have been sprinkled with flour in a pan containing a little sweet drippings or butter. should the chicken not be a very fat one, add yolk of one egg to the gravy. or, instead of stewing the chicken, place in the upper compartment of a steamer, and steam until tender and serve. the day following that on which stewed or steamed chicken was served, small undesirable left-over pieces of the chicken were added (after being picked from the bones) to the gravy remaining from the day before, heated thoroughly and poured hot over a platter containing small baking powder biscuits broken in half or slices of toasted bread, which is economical, extending the meat flavor. vegetables--white potatoes potatoes are one of the most valuable of vegetables. white potatoes, after being pared, should be put in a stew-pan over the fire with a little boiling water, but not enough to cover them. the water should be kept boiling continuously. about thirty minutes from the time they commence boiling will be the time required for cooking potatoes of ordinary size. it spoils potatoes to have the water stop boiling even for a short time. add half a teaspoonful of salt to the potatoes when partly boiled and when cooked sufficiently drain the water from them at _once_ and sprinkle a little salt over the dry potatoes. close the lid of the stew-pan tightly, give it a quick shake, when the potatoes will he found dry and flaky. mash fine with a potato masher, adding a tablespoonful of butter and a couple tablespoonfuls of milk. let stand a minute on the hot range to heat the milk, then beat all together with a fork until creamy. add more salt if necessary. that is quite important, as potatoes require considerable salt. cover the potatoes with a cloth. never allow to stand with the lid of the stew-pan over them, as it will draw moisture. serve white potatoes as soon as possible after being cooked, as they are not appetizing when allowed to stand any length of time. baked potatoes all young housewives may not know "that there is more real food value in potatoes baked 'in their jackets' than is found in preparing this well-known tuber in any other way." the secret of a good baked potato lies in having a hot oven, but not too hot. scrub good sized potatoes, or, for a change, they may be pared before baking, place in a hot oven, and bake about minutes, when they should be a snowy, flaky mass inside the skins, palatable and wholesome. when fully baked they should fed soft to the touch when pressed. take from oven, pinch one end of potato to break the skin to allow the gas to escape. always break open a baked potato. never cut with a knife. medium-sized potatoes, pared, cut in half lengthwise, and baked in a hot oven to minutes, until the outside of the potato is a light brown, make a pleasant change from boiled potatoes. when baked the proper length of time and served at once, the inside of potato should be light and flaky. the housewife should occasionally serve rice or macaroni and omit potatoes from the bill of fare, especially in the spring of the year. potatoes should always be served as soon as baked, if possible. potatoes may be baked in less than a half hour in a gas oven. various ways of using small potatoes early in the season when small, early potatoes are more plentiful and cheaper than large ones, the young housewife will be able to give her family a change, while practicing economy, as there are various ways of using small potatoes to advantage. first, new potatoes, if about the size of marbles, may be scraped, boiled in salted water, and served with a thin cream dressing, sprinkled liberally with chopped parsley, or the boiled potatoes, while still hot, may be quickly browned in a pan containing a couple tablespoonfuls of hot drippings or butter. they are much better prepared in this manner if the potatoes are put in the hot fat while still warm. or the small boiled potatoes may be cut in thin slices, browned in a couple tablespoonfuls of butter or drippings and two eggs beaten together stirred over the potatoes a few minutes before they are ready to serve. the small potatoes may also be scraped and dropped in hot, deep fat and fried like fritters. when possible, the small potatoes should be well cleansed with a vegetable brush and boiled without paring. they may then be easily skinned after they are cooked. some of the more important ingredients are lost when potatoes are pared, and it is also more economical to boil them before paring. the cold boiled potatoes may be cut up and used for potato salad, or thinly sliced after being skinned and placed in a baking dish alternately with a cream sauce consisting of milk, butter and flour, and seasoned with salt and pepper, having the first and last layer cream sauce. sprinkle bread crumbs liberally over the top, dot with hits of butter and bake in a moderate oven about minutes until the top is nicely browned. serve in the dish in which they were baked. or peel one-half dozen medium-sized raw potatoes, cut into small, narrow strips about / inch wide, dry on a napkin and fry in very hot, deep fat about six minutes, then lift from fat, drain, sprinkle salt over and serve hot. these are a nice accompaniment to broiled steak. peel and slice, or cut in dice, or cold boiled potatoes, cut into in a stew-pan with tablespoonfuls of butter, salt and pepper to season, heat all together, shaking pan occasionally. add / cup of cream, sprinkle a small teaspoonful of parsley over and serve hot. instead of slicing or dicing cold boiled potatoes (in the usual manner) to be fried, if they be cut in lengthwise sections like an orange (one potato should make about pieces) and fried quickly in enough hot fat to prevent burning, they can scarcely be distinguished from raw potatoes cut in the same manner and fried in deep fat, and are much easier to prepare. they should be served at once. another manner of preparing potatoes is to slice raw potatoes as thinly as possible on a "slaw-cutter," place in a fry-pan with a couple of tablespoonfuls of a mixture of butter and sweet drippings. watch carefully, as they should be fried quickly over a hot fire, turning frequently. when brown, serve at once. raw _sweet_ potatoes cut about as thick as half a section of an orange, fried in a couple tablespoonfuls of a mixture of sweet drippings and butter, prove a change, occasionally. scalloped potatoes in a baking dish place layers of pared, thinly sliced, raw white potatoes. season with a very little salt and pepper and scatter over small bits of butter. a very little finely minced onion or parsley may be added if liked. to quart of the sliced potatoes use a scant half pint of milk, which should almost cover the potatoes. either sift over the top tablespoon of flour or tablespoons of fine, dried bread crumbs and bits of butter; place in hot oven and bake about / of an hour, until top is browned nicely and potatoes are cooked through. old potatoes are particularly good prepared in this manner. candied sweet potatoes place in an agate pudding dish pared and halved (lengthwise) raw sweet potatoes. scatter over them three tablespoons of sugar, large tablespoons of butter cut in small bits, and about / a cup (good measure) of water. stand in a hot oven and bake about / of an hour. baste frequently with the syrup formed in the bottom of the dish. the potatoes when baked should look clear and the syrup should be as thick as molasses. serve in the dish in which they were baked. should the oven of the range not be very hot, the dish containing the potatoes may be placed on top the range and cooked about minutes before placing in oven to finish baking. sweet potato croquettes to pint of hot mashed potatoes, or cold boiled ones may be used, squeezed through a fruit press; add tablespoon of butter, pinch of salt, eggs, whites beaten separately. when cool, form into small cone-shapes, dip in bread crumbs, then into egg, then into crumbs again, and fry in deep fat. drain on paper and serve on platter garnished with parsley. potato chips aunt sarah's way of making particularly fine potato chips: she pared six large white potatoes, one at a time. as she wished to slice them to fry, she rinsed the potatoes, rolled them on a clean cloth to dry them. she sliced the potatoes thinly on a "slaw" cutter. she patted the sliced potatoes between old linen napkins, until all moisture was absorbed, then dropped them into hot fat, consisting of two-thirds lard and one-third suet. place only one layer of potatoes at a time in the fat. the chips quickly turn light brown; then remove with a perforated skimmer to a colander lined with coarse brown paper, to absorb any remaining fat. should the fat be the right temperature, the chips will be entirely free from grease. dust salt over the chips while hot. she _never_ allowed chips to stand in salt water, as many cooks do. she usually made potato chips when frying doughnuts, and always fried potato chips first; after frying doughnuts in the fat fry several large slices of potato in it, as the potato clarifies it. six large, thinly sliced potatoes will make about five quarts of potato chips when fried and may be kept several weeks in a dry place. the potato chips may be re-heated by placing in a hot oven a few minutes before serving. fried eggplant pare the egg-plant, cut in slices one-half inch thick, sprinkle salt on slices; let stand under heavy weight several hours. wipe slices dry with a napkin and dip in a mixture of white of one egg, and one tablespoon of water, then dip them in fine rolled bread crumbs and fry a rich brown in deep fat. drain and serve. catsup should always be served with eggplant. baked "stuffed peppers" place a fry-pan on stove containing about two tablespoonfuls of butter, add a couple of finely chopped sweet peppers and a finely minced small onion. let all simmer on stove. measure the chopped pepper and add an equal amount of finely crumbled bread. season with salt and pepper and fill (well-washed) peppers from which the stem and seeds have been removed. stand the peppers in a bake dish containing a small amount of water. place in a hot oven about twenty-five minutes, or until peppers are tender. serve hot. chili (as prepared in new mexico) place hot peppers (well-washed) from which seeds have been removed into a bake dish containing a very little hot water. stand in a hot oven until tender and skins turn a yellow brown, turning them over occasionally. remove the outside skin, chop fine, add a small quantity of finely minced onion, pepper and salt and enough vinegar to moisten. if sweet peppers are used add a pinch of cayenne pepper. serve as a relish in place of pickles or chow-chow. this recipe was given marry by a friend who had lived in mexico. the outside skin of the peppers may be more readily removed if upon being removed from the oven the peppers are sprinkled with water, then covered with a cloth and allowed to steam a short time. baked cabbage a half head of cabbage was cut into small pieces and cooked in hot salted water until cabbage was tender. the water was drained from the boiled cabbage, which was placed in an agate pudding dish alternately with cream sauce composed of one cup of milk; one small tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonfuls of butter, seasoned with salt and pepper. sprinkle a few crumbs and place bits of the butter over top. bake in oven about minutes and serve hot. this dish is almost equal to cauliflower in flavor, especially if after the cabbage has cooked ten or fifteen minutes the water is drained from it and fresh substituted. and it is said, "cauliflower is only cabbage with a college education." crimson creamed beets cut all except two inches from the tops of beets. scrub thoroughly with a vegetable brush, then pour scalding water over beets. when perfectly cleansed, place in a cook-pot, partly cover with boiling water, stand on range and when beets have cooked tender remove outside skin. strain and stand aside one cup of water in which beets were boiled, which should be dark wine color. when beets are to be served to the one cup of strained beet juice add one tablespoonful of sugar, one-fourth cup of not _very sharp_ vinegar. add one teaspoon of butter. thicken this liquid with one and one-fourth tablespoonfuls of a mixture of corn starch and flour. when cooked to the consistency of cream add the quartered beets, season with pepper and salt, stand on back part of range a few minutes, serve hot. to three cups of the quartered beets use one and one-half cups of cream dressing. buttered beets wash young beets, cut off tops. boil one hour or until tender, one tablespoonful of sugar having been added to the water in which beets were boiled. rub off skins, cut in quarters, strew over them one tablespoon of butter cut in small pieces, stand in oven just long enough for the butter to melt. or cut the beets in slices one-fourth of an inch thick and while still warm place in a bowl and pour over them half a cup of hot vinegar and water to which had been added one tablespoonful of sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper; serve cold. pickled mangelwurzel a vegetable in taste, similar to very sweet, red beets in shape, greatly resembling carrots. wash the mangelwurzel and place in a stew-pan with boiling water and cook until tender (allow about an inch of top to remain when preparing to cook). skin the mangelsurzel, slice and pour over the following, which has been heated in a stew-pan over the fire: one cup of vinegar and water combined, one tablespoonful of sugar, one teaspoonful of salt, a dust of pepper. stand aside until cold then serve. or serve hot like buttered beets. some "bucks county" farmers raise mangelwurzel simply to feed to their cattle, but aunt sarah preferred them when young and tender to beets, and always raised them for her table. german steamed cabbage cut one-half head of cabbage fine on a slaw cutter. place in a stew-pan over fire, with about four tablespoonfuls of water, one tablespoonful of butter, a couple tablespoonfuls of flour, one teaspoonful of sugar and a pinch of salt. cover and steam twenty minutes. then add three tablespoons of vinegar. stir in one beaten egg. cover and let stand where it will keep hot until ready to serve. bean "snitzel" place in a pan on the range one tablespoon of diced, smoked bacon, fry a few minutes, watch closely it does not scorch. add one tablespoonful of sweet lard, when hot, add four thinly sliced, medium-sized onions and four chopped tomatoes and - / quarts of string beans, cut in inch lengths. season with salt and a pinch of red pepper. simmer all together three hours. after cooking one hour add about one cup of hot water, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, add a little more water if necessary; when beans are tender and ready to serve there should be a small quantity of liquid, resembling tomato sauce, with the beans. boiled spinach wash one-half peck of spinach thoroughly through a half dozen waters, until free from sand. place in a stew-pan containing a small quantity of _boiling_ water and one teaspoon of butter. cook until tender, drain, chop fine. place a large tablespoonful of butter in stew-pan and when hot add chopped spinach, season with salt and pepper; serve in a warmed dish, garnished with either chopped or sliced hard boiled eggs. a german cook, noted for the fine flavor of her cooked spinach and green peas, said her secret consisted in adding a teaspoon of butter to the vegetables while cooking. fried onions and potatoes another way of utilizing left-over cold boiled potatoes particularly relished by "pennsylvania germans," whose liking for the humble onion is proverbial, is to fry onions with potatoes in a fry-pan containing a couple tablespoonfuls of sweet drippings and butter; when heated place a half dozen thinly sliced cold boiled potatoes, half the quantity of thinly sliced raw onions, well seasoned with pepper and salt, cover and steam for ten or fifteen minutes, when uncover and fry until light brown; serve at once. or the thinly-sliced onions, after skins have been removed, may be sliced thinly across the onion, placed in a fry-pan and partly covered with boiling water; stand on hot range and steam, closely covered, about fifteen minutes, or until onions are tender, then drain off water, should any remain, add a small tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper to season, fry quickly a light brown; pan should be uncovered. serve at once with liver or bacon. onions are considered more wholesome prepared in this manner than if fried. steamed asparagus (fine) wash asparagus and cut off about an inch of the tough ends, scrape off thin skin. place pieces of asparagus tips (all in one direction) in the top part of perforated section of a double boiler. fill lower part of steamer with hot water and steam about three-quarters of an hour or less time, until tender. the fine flavor of the vegetable is retained when steamed. when cooked tender turn out on a hot platter and pour cream sauce over the tips, or the cream sauce may be served separately, or the asparagus may be served on freshly toasted slices of bread, over which the cream sauce should be poured. "pasture" mushrooms all the members of the landis family unanimously agreed in declaring the dish "frau schmidt" taught sarah landis to prepare from the delicious edible fungi, known as "pasture" mushrooms (gathered by professor schmidt from rich, wind-swept pastures early in the fall of the year until the coming of frost) were good enough to tickle the palate of an epicure. sarah landis was very particular to use _none_ unless pronounced _edible mushrooms_, and not poisonous toad-stools, by professor schmidt, who was a recognized authority. said the professor, "the edible variety may be easily recognized by one having a knowledge of the vegetable. the cap may be readily peeled, and the flesh of the 'pasture' mushroom, when cut or broken, changes in color to a pale rose pink, and they possess many other distinctive features, easily recognized, when one has made a study of them." the following is the manner in which the mushrooms were prepared by fran schmidt: steamed mushrooms. one-half pound or about twenty-four small mushrooms were peeled, washed carefully in cold water, placed in a small stew-pan containing two generous tablespoonfuls of butter, covered closely and allowed to simmer or steam for twenty minutes in butter and liquid, drawn from the mushrooms by steaming, then uncover and allow liquid in sauce-pan and mushrooms to cook about ten minutes longer, then sprinkle two teaspoonfuls of flour over the mushrooms, brown a minute, stir into this / cup of milk, or enough to make a sauce the consistency of cream, season well with salt and pepper to taste. have ready prepared six crisply toasted and buttered slices of stale bread. place four mushrooms and a couple of tablespoonfuls of the mushroom sauce on each slice of bread and serve hot. the combination of toast and mushrooms results in a particularly fine flavor. stewed tomatoes scald ripe tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them and allowing them to stand a few minutes. skin them and cut in small pieces. place in a stew-pan with tablespoonful of butter, season _well_ with pepper and salt, cook about minutes, add / teaspoonful of sugar and thicken with teaspoonful of flour mixed smooth with a little water. let cook a few minutes, then serve. if tomatoes are very tart a small pinch of baking soda, added when cooked, will counteract acidity. sweet corn sweet corn on the cob should be cooked as soon as possible after taking it from stalk, as after being removed it soon loses its sweetness. do not remove the husk until it is to be boiled. place corn in a kettle of rapidly boiling water, not salted; rather add a pinch of sugar if corn is not as sweet as liked. cover the kettle to prevent steam escaping. do not use a _large quantity of water_. corn is sweeter if steamed. boil from ten to fifteen minutes. if corn is not cooked in that time, it should be used uncooked for corn fritters, as corn if _not_ young and tender may be grated and from it excellent corn fritters may be made. fried tomatoes with cream sauce cut large, solid, ripe tomatoes in half-inch slices; one ordinary tomato makes slices. dredge thickly with flour. fry several slices of bacon in an iron pan, take bacon from pan when fried and put in warming oven. lay the well-floured slices of tomatoes in hot bacon fat and one tablespoon of butter and fry brown on both sides. serve on hot platter with bacon. or fry slices of well floured tomato in pan containing just enough butter and drippings to keep them from sticking to the bottom of pan, over a hot fire. fry quickly, browning on each side. season with salt and pepper. if the tomatoes are very sour, sprinkle a _very little_ sugar over them before frying. when brown, lift the tomatoes carefully from pan and place in a circle around the inside edge of a warm chop plate, add a lump of butter to the pan and a small half cup of sweet milk. let come to a boil, thicken with a little flour mixed smoothly with a little cold milk, and cook until the consistency of thick cream. season with salt and pour in centre of chop plate, surrounded with fried slices of tomatoes. dust pepper over top and serve hot. this is a delicious way of serving tomatoes. or slices of the fried tomatoes may be served on slices of crisply toasted bread over which place a couple tablespoons of the cream dressing. baked "stuffed tomatoes" wash a half dozen ripe red tomatoes. cut the top from each and remove about the half of the inside of tomato. sprinkle a very tiny pinch of sugar in each. this small quantity of sugar is not noticed, but counteracts the acidity of the tomato. to one and one-half cups of soft bread crumbs add one small finely minced onion and season highly with salt and pepper, also add one teaspoon of chopped parsley. mix all together and fill the tomatoes with the mixture. place a small bit of butter on each tomato. place in a bake dish containing a half cup of water, a piece of butter, one teaspoonful of sugar, a sprig of parsley and pepper and salt to season. stand in a hot oven and bake from to minutes. the centres which were removed from tomatoes may be utilized in various ways. canned tomatoes--fried place in a bowl a half pint of canned tomatoes, one-fourth teaspoon of sugar and season with salt and pepper. add about four tablespoonfuls of flour sifted with one-half teaspoon of baking powder and one tablespoon of butter. use only flour enough to hold the mixture together when fried. drop spoonfuls some distance apart in a fry-pan containing several tablespoons of hot lard, butter, suet or drippings. fry on both sides and serve hot. in winter, when the housewife is unable to obtain fresh tomatoes, she will find this dish a good substitute to serve occasionally. "bucks county" baked beans put one quart of small soup beans to soak over night in cold water to cover. in the morning drain the beans, cover with boiling water, add one tablespoonful of molasses and cook until tender, but not too soft. drain. do not use this water. put the beans in an earthen bake dish. in the centre of the bake dish place one pound of clean, scored smoked bacon, and pour over the beans the water in which the bacon had been simmering for an hour. add water, if not enough, to almost cover the beans, salt and pepper to taste. place in oven and bake about three hours, or until beans are tender and a rich brown on top. add more hot water if beans bake dry, until the last half hour, then allow the water to cook away. serve stewed tomatoes, baked apples or apple sauce as an accompaniment to baked beans. this is not a recipe for "boston baked beans." just a "plain country recipe," but it will be found very satisfactory. if part of a dish of beans remain after a meal, re-heat the day following in "tomato sauce." aunt sarah always baked a pan of corn bread or johnny cake, to serve hot with baked beans. when the housewife serves a dish of baked beans at a meal, serve also a quart of stewed tomatoes. the day following a "tomato sauce" may be quickly prepared by adding a well-cooked carrot and an onion to the "left-over" tomatoes. press all through a coarse sieve, adding a little water if too thick; re-heat beans in this; serve hot. a delicious "cream of tomato soup" may be prepared by substituting milk or cream to which a small pinch of baking soda has been added, omitting the beans. cooked hominy wash one cup of hominy through several waters. (the grains should resemble kernels of corn.) cover with cold water and stand in a cool place over night. in the morning, drain. place the hominy in an agate pudding dish holding quarts, cover with boiling water, add more water as the grains swell and water boils away, and teaspoonful of salt. the hominy should be placed on the range to cook early in the morning on the day it is to be served and continue cooking slowly until late afternoon, when all the water should have been absorbed and each grain should be large, white and flaky. the dish should be about three-quarters full. a half hour before serving the hominy, at a six o'clock dinner, add a generous tablespoonful of butter and about / of a cup of hot milk and stand on back of range until served. this is a remarkably cheap, wholesome and appetizing dish if served properly and is easily prepared. grated "parsnip cakes" scrape, then grate enough raw parsnips to fill two cups, put in a bowl and add the yolk of one egg, pinch of salt, tablespoonful of milk, tablespoonful of flour, lastly add the stiffly-beaten white of egg. form into small round cakes, dust with flour and fry brown on both sides in a pan containing a tablespoonful of butter and one of drippings. or these may be crumbed and fried in deep fat. these are much finer flavored than if parsnips had been cooked before being fried. to make "sauer kraut" cut heads of cabbage in half, after trimming off outside leaves. cut out centres or hearts, cut cabbage fine on a regular old-fashioned cabbage cutter, which has a square box on top of cutter to hold the pieces of cabbage when being pushed back and forth over the cutter. if not possible to procure this, use small slaw cutter for the purpose. partly fill a large pan with the cut cabbage, and mix enough salt, with the hands, through the cut cabbage to be palatable when tasted, no more. this was the rule taught aunt sarah by her grandmother, and always followed by her. then put the salted cabbage into a wooden cask or small tub to the depth of several inches. pound the cabbage down well with a long-handled, heavy, wooden mallet, something like a very large wooden potato masher. then mix another panful of finely cut cabbage, lightly salted, into the tub and pound down well, as before. continue in this manner until the tub is partly filled with cabbage, pounding down well at the last until the liquid formed by the cabbage and salt rises above the cabbage. cover the kraut with a layer of large, clean cabbage or grape leaves, then cover top with a clean piece of muslin cloth, place a round, clean board on top and put a well-scrubbed, heavy stone on the board to weight it down. stand the tub in a warm place several days, to ferment. when fermentation begins, the liquor rises over the top of the board. remove the scrum which rises to top, in about six days, and stand in a cool part of the cellar after washing stone and cloth with cold water, return to top of kraut and in two weeks the sauer kraut will be ready to use. should the sauer kraut require extra liquid at any time, add one quart of water in which has been dissolved two teaspoonfuls of salt. squeeze the sauer kraut quite dry when taking it from the brine to cook. boil about two quarts of the sauer kraut several hours with a piece of fresh pork and a little water until the pork is thoroughly cooked through, when the sauer kraut should be cooked tender. some prefer "frankfurters" cooked with the kraut instead of pork, and others do not care for the german dish without the accompaniment of drop dumplings. serve mashed potatoes and simple dessert with sauer kraut. aunt sarah taught mary to save the hearts of the cabbage usually thrown aside when making sauer kraut. the hearts were trimmed all one size, like small triangles. she cooked them in salted water until tender, drained them and served with a cream dressing, and they had much the flavor of a dish of cauliflower. frau schmidt always placed several tart apples among her sauer kraut when making it, and thought it improved the flavor of the kraut; gave it a "winey" flavor, obtained in no other manner. a sour apple, cored and cooked with sauer kraut is considered by some cooks an improvement. the apple, of course, is not eatable. aunt sarah _never_ placed apples with her sauer kraut. dumplings to serve with sauer kraut for these dumplings, egg was broken into a bowl and well beaten. then a pinch of salt was added and / cup of sweet milk. enough flour was added to make a soft dough, and one tablespoonful of baking powder was sifted with a very little flour into the batter, then a little more flour was added to make the dough the right consistency. form the dough into small balls, handling as little as possible. drop on top of the hot cooked "sauer kraut" in cook-pot on range and boil, closely covered, about minutes. aunt sarah taught mary to cook green vegetables, peas, spinach, etc., in a stew-pan _uncovered_, if she wished them to retain their natural color. also, that old potatoes may be freshened by being allowed to stand a short time in cold water before being cooked, but they should not stand too long a time in cold water, as it draws the starch from them and causes them to be tasteless, and to lose part of their nourishing qualities. also that one teaspoonful of salt will usually season one quart of vegetables, to be put in when the vegetables begin to cook. cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and watercress should stand in a pan containing water and a little vinegar for a half hour. this will cause insects to drop to the bottom of the pan. changing the water on cabbage and onions when partly cooked will improve their flavor. parsley dried to preserve its green color young housewives possessing a bed of parsley in their kitchen gardens, wishing to preserve it for use during the winter, may like to know how aunt sarah taught mary to dry it in a manner to preserve its bright green color. she washed the parsley in cold water and while still moist placed it on agate pans and dried it _quickly_ in a _very hot_ oven. watch carefully as it scorches easily. place the parsley when dried, in tin cans covered to exclude the dust. time required to cook vegetables bake good-sized potatoes in oven about minutes. smaller potatoes require less time to bake. boil ordinary sized potatoes to minutes. _steam_ asparagus from to minutes. boil young beets about minutes or longer. old beets, two hours, or until tender. green corn on cob about or minutes. cauliflower, minutes. cabbage, to minutes. turnips and carrots, minutes. string beans, minutes to hours. lima beans, minutes to hour. onions about hour. squash about minutes. parsnips, to minutes. sweet potatoes, good size, minutes. spinach, minutes. tomatoes, minutes. salt should be added to the water when boiling potatoes, carrots, cabbage, parsnips, turnips and onions, even if liquid in which they were boiled is drained from them after being cooked, before being seasoned. add a small pinch of baking soda to the water in which string beans are boiled, and they will cook tender in less time. especially should this be done if the beans are not young and tender. common "cream sauce" young housekeepers will be surprised to learn of the various attractive, appetizing dishes which may be prepared by combining them with a "cream sauce." after cooking vegetables until tender in salted water, they should be drained and served with a cream sauce poured over. the art of making a smooth, creamy sauce of the proper consistency is easily acquired. a good rule for "common cream sauce" is cup of milk, water, or meat broth, thickened with tablespoonful to - / tablespoonfuls of flour, or a combination of flour and cornstarch. mix flour, or cornstarch, with a small quantity of cold milk or water, to a smooth paste, before adding it to liquid; add, usually, one tablespoonful of butter. place the mixture in a saucepan and cook until the consistency of cream, add / teaspoonful of salt just before removing from the fire, and dust pepper over when serving. when mixing gravy to serve with roast beef or veal, omit butter. for a thick sauce use either or tablespoonfuls of flour and the same amount of butter. this thick sauce may be used to mix with meat for croquettes in the proportion of cup of sauce to cups of chopped cold roast lamb, beef, veal or chicken. should a richer sauce be desired, add or more yolks of eggs to the cream sauce. some of the numerous dishes which might be served by the young housewife to vary the daily bill of fare by the addition of "cream sauce," are: small, new potatoes, cauliflower, onions, cabbage asparagus tips, thinly sliced carrots, celery, mushrooms, fish, oysters, chicken, veal and sweetbreads. all of these, when coked, may be served on slices of toasted bread, or served in pattie-cases, with cream sauce, or served simply with cream sauce. preparation of savory gravies the art of preparing savory gravies and sauces is more important in connection with the serving of the cheaper meats than in connection with the cooking of the more expensive cuts. there are a few general principles underlying the making of all sauces or gravies, whether the liquid used is water, milk, stock, tomato juice or some combination of these. for ordinary gravy, level tablespoonfuls of flour or - / tablespoonfuls of cornstarch, or arrow root, is sufficient to thicken a cup of liquid. this is true excepting in recipes where the flour is browned. in this case, about / tablespoonful more should be allowed, for browned flour does not thicken so well as unbrowned. the fat used may be butter or the drippings from the meat, the allowance being tablespoonfuls to a cup of liquid. the easiest way to mix the ingredients is to heat the fat, add the flour and cook until the mixture ceases to bubble, and then to add the liquid. this is a quick method and by using it there is little danger of getting a lumpy gravy. many persons, however, think it is not a wholesome method, and prefer the old-fashioned one of thickening the gravy by means of flour mixed with a little cold water. (aunt sarah was one who thought thus.) the latter method is not "practicable for brown gravies," to quote the _farmers' bulletin_. the _farmers' bulletin_ further adds: "considering the large amount of discussion about the digestibility of fried food and of gravies made by heating flour in fat, a few words on the subject at this point may not be out of order. it is difficult to see how heating the fat before adding the flour can be unwholesome, unless the cook is unskillful enough to heat the fat so high that it begins to scorch. overheated fat, as has already been pointed out, contains an acrid, irritating substance called 'acrolein,' which may readily be considered to be unwholesome. it is without doubt the production of this body by overheating which has given fried food its bad name. there are several ways of varying the flavor of gravies and sauces. one should be especially mentioned here. the _flavor of browned flour_--the good flavor of browned flour is often overlooked. if flour is cooked in fat, until it is a dark brown color, a distinctive and very agreeable flavor is obtained. "this flavor combines very well with that of currant jelly, and a little jelly added to a brown gravy is a great improvement. the flavor of this should not be combined with that of onions or other highly-flavored vegetables." butter, cheese and suet--a substitute for butter this formula for preparing a good, sweet, wholesome substitute for butter to be used for baking and frying was given aunt sarah by a thrifty german hausfrau, who prepared and used it in her large family many years. aunt sarah always kept a supply on hand. it was made as follows: pounds of fine solid kidney suet. pounds of clean pork fat. pounds of butter. the suet cut in small pieces was put in a large boiler of water, boiled until all was melted, and the fat extracted from the suet. it was then all poured through a fine sieve into a vessel containing hot water (the larger the quantity of hot water the finer the fat will be). stand aside to become cold and solid. the boiling process prevents the peculiar taste which _fried_ lard and suet usually possess. treat the pork fat in a similar manner. allow the suet and pork fat to stand until the following morning, when remove the solid fat from the boiler of water, wipe off all moisture and add both pork fat and suet fat to the melted butter, which had been prepared in the following manner: the butter was melted in a porcelain lined boiler and allowed to cook until all salt and other foreign substance had settled and the butter had the appearance of clear oil. at this point the butter should be watched carefully, as when settled it might quickly boil over, when you would be liable to lose your butter, besides suffering serious consequences. now the liquid butter, suet and pork fat are all put together into a large boiler and allowed to melt together on the back part of the range. this will probably be done in the morning. after the noon meal is finished move the boiler containing fat to front part of range; let come to a boil, skimming it occasionally as it boils up. it needs close watching now, the fat being liable to cook over the top of boiler, when the "fat" will surely be "in the fire." carefully pour into stone crock, and it may be kept for months in a cool place. the fat which has been first poured off the top, if it has been carefully skimmed, will keep longest. the last taken from the boiler should be put in a stone crock to use first. this may be prepared in lesser quantities, or a smaller quantity of butter might be used to mix with the lard and suet. although the preparation is to be preferred composed of equal quantities of butter, lard and suet, adding milk to the first water in which the suet is boiled is quite an improvement. after filling the crocks with the fat, take the boiled-out suet and hard scraps and settlings of butter remaining and go through the same process and you will have a small jar of cooking fat for immediate use. a little trouble to do this, i admit, but one is well paid by having good, sweet, inexpensive cooking fat. i should advise a young housekeeper to experiment with one pound each of clarified suet and pork fat after it is rendered, and one pound of butter before attempting the preparation of a larger quantity. butter--as it was made at the farm, by "aunt sarah" aunt sarah strained fresh, sweet milk into small, brown earthenware crocks kept for this purpose, scrupulously clean. the crocks were kept in the spring-house or cellar in summer (in cold weather the milk should be kept in a warmer place to allow cream to form on the top of the milk). when the cream was thick and sour she skimmed the cream from off the top of milk every day, stirring the cream well together every time she added fresh cream to that on hand. aunt sarah churned twice a week; sour cream should not be kept a longer time than one week. the churn was scalded with boiling water, then rinsed with cold water; this prevented the butter adhering to the churn. the cream should be at a temperature of degrees when put in the churn, but this would be almost too cold in winter. in very hot weather the temperature of the cream should be degrees. aunt sarah tested the cream with a small dairy tube thermometer. she churned steadily and usually had butter "come" in about minutes, but should the cream he too cold or too warm it would be necessary to churn a longer time. if the cream is too warm, stand vessel containing cream on ice; if too cold, stand in a warm place near the range. when the sour cream had been churned a certain length of time and granules of butter had formed, she drained off the buttermilk and poured water over the granules of butter. water should be two degrees colder than the buttermilk. after churning a few minutes the lump of butter was removed from the churn, placed in a bowl, washed thoroughly several times in very cold water, until no buttermilk remained. the butter was worked thoroughly, with a wooden paddle, until all buttermilk had been extracted. one small tablespoonful of salt was added to each pound of butter. she worked the butter well, to incorporate the salt, and molded it into shape. aunt sarah did not knead the butter, but smoothed it down, then lifted it up from the large, flat, wooden bowl in which it was molded. when the butter was to be molded into _small shapes_, she scalded the small wooden molds, then dipped them into cold water before using; this prevented the butter adhering to the molds. before commencing to churn butter, aunt sarah was particular to have her hands scrupulously clean. all the utensils used were washed in hot water, then rinsed in cold water, both hands and utensils. she frequently wrapped small pats of freshly-churned butter in small squares of clean cheese-cloth and placed in a stone crock with a cover. placed in the crock was usually, with the butter, a bunch of sweet clover blossoms, which imparted to the butter a delicious flavor. "smier-kase" or cottage cheese stand a pan containing three quarts of milk in a warm place until it becomes sour and quite thick. stand the pan containing the thick milk on the back part of the range, where it will heat gradually but not cook. when the "whey" separates from the curd in the centre and forms around the edges it is ready to use. should the sour milk become _too hot_ on the range, or _scald_, the curds, or smier-kase, will not become soft and creamy. when the curd has separated from the "whey," pour the contents of the pan into a cheese-cloth bag and hang in the open air to drip for several hours, when it should be ready to use. from three quarts of sour milk you should obtain one good pound of smier-kase. to prepare it for the table place one-half the quantity in a bowl and add one teaspoonful of softened butter, a pinch of salt and mix as smoothly as possible. or the smier-kase may be molded into small rolls, and a small quantity of finely-chopped pimento added. this will keep fresh several days if kept in a cool cellar or refrigerator. uses of "sweet drippings" and suet for deep frying mary was taught to use lard and kidney suet combined. the latter had been tried out by cutting suet in small pieces. the suet, in an iron pan, was placed in a moderately hot oven until fat was tried out. to prevent suet when rendered having a taste of tallow, place in the upper part of boiler, over one containing hot water, and stand on a hot range until all is tried out, or melted, instead of putting it in oven. strain into a jar and stand aside in a cool place until wanted. take one-third of this tried-out suet to two-thirds lard when frying croquettes, oysters, cruellers or fritters. suet contains food value equal to that of lard and food fried in this fat, combined with lard, is more wholesome than if fried in lard alone--if any food fried in fat _ever is_ wholesome. and suet is more economical than lard if rendered at home. mary was taught by her aunt to save all the trimmings from steaks, fat left over from roasts, boiled ham, sausage, bacon fat, etc. when different fats have been tried out, to clarify them, add to every pound and a half of combined fat or drippings a half cup of boiling water and a pinch of baking soda. boil until water evaporates and fat is clear. strain into a bowl and keep in a cool place. clean, sweet drippings are preferred by most cooks to lard for many purposes. all young housewives do not know that ham or bacon fat may be substituted for half the shortening called for in many recipes for molasses cakes (where spices are used) with good results. also that the grease rendered from clean fat of chickens, which greatly resembles butter when tried out and cold, may be combined with an equal quantity of other shortening in making cakes in which spices are used. the difference in the taste of cake made from this fat, if rendered sweet and clean, will not be noticed. equal parts of ham or bacon fat, pork chops or sausage fat, combined with butter, are excellent for frying cornmeal mush, eggs, sweet potatoes, egg bread and calves' liver. also sliced tomatoes have a particularly fine flavor if fried in bacon fat. should fat removed from top of stock pot have a flavor of vegetables, pour boiling water over, strain and stand aside to cool; then remove the clean cake of fat on top of the water and add to bowl of drippings. this is one of the small economies which will, i think, appeal to the frugal young housewife. if possible, procure an iron pot for deep frying. after using, strain the fat remaining, adding sediment in the bottom of cook-pot to the can of soap fat; then return the clean, strained fat to the cook pot. keep in a cool place, closely covered, and if careful not to scorch the fat. it may be used over and over again, and croquettes, etc., may be prepared in a few moments by simply heating the kettle of fat in which to fry them. aunt sarah frequently filled small glass jars with rendered mutton suet, scented with violet essence, to be used for chapped lips and hands. eggs--"eierkuchen" or omelette for this excellent omelette or "eierkuchen," as aunt sarah called it, she used the following: fresh eggs. cup sweet milk. level tablespoonfuls of flour. she placed on the range a small fry pan (size of a tea plate), containing one tablespoonful of butter. she then placed tablespoonfuls of flour in a bowl, mixed smoothly with a portion of the cup of milk, then added the three yolks of eggs which had been lightly beaten and the balance of the milk and a pinch of salt. lastly, she stirred in lightly the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. poured all into the warmed fry-pan and placed it in a moderately hot oven until lightly browned on top. the omelette when cooked should be light and puffy, and remain so while being served. double the omelette together on a hot platter and sprinkle finely chopped parsley over the top. serve immediately. hard boiled eggs eggs to be hard boiled should be carefully placed in boiling water and cooked minutes from the time the water commences to boil again. if cooked a longer time, the white of egg will look dark and the outer part of yolk will not be a clear yellow, as it should, to look appetizing when served. soft boiled eggs the quicker way to prepare eggs is to drop them in a stew-pan containing boiling water, and let boil - / to minutes, when the white part of the egg should be "set" and the yolk soft, but a soft boiled egg is said to be more easily digested if dropped into a stew-pan of rapidly boiling water; remove the stew-pan of boiling water the minute the eggs have been put in from the front part of the range to a place where the water will keep hot, but not allow the eggs to boil. let the eggs remain in the hot water from to minutes. on breaking the egg open, the yolk will be found soft, and the white of the egg a soft, jelly-like consistency. this latter is the way aunt sarah taught mary. an egg and tomato omelette beat the yolks of three eggs until light, then add three tablespoonfuls of water. beat the whites of the eggs separately. turn the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs into the bowl containing the yolks of eggs and water. stir lightly together and add a pinch of salt. turn all into a small fry-pan containing a generous tablespoonful of butter and cook on top of stove until the eggs are set, then place the pan containing omelette in a hot oven and finish cooking. when cooked, turn out on a hot platter and spread over the top the following, which was prepared while the omelette was cooking. in a small fry-pan place a tablespoonful of finely-chopped bacon. when fried brown add half a small tomato, finely chopped, / of an onion, chopped fine, and a little chopped green pepper. cook all together for a short time and season with salt and pepper. after spreading the mixture on the omelette, fold over and serve on a hot platter. this recipe had been given frau schmidt years before by a friend and she used no other for making omelette. always make small omelettes. they are more satisfactory. use a small pan no larger than a small tea plate, and, if wished, make two small, rather than one large one. always serve immediately. mushroom omelette place the yolks of three eggs in a bowl and beat until light. add a teaspoonful of cream and / teaspoonful of flour mixed together; / cup of chopped mushrooms, salt and pepper and a dust of baking powder. lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs. turn into a pan containing two tablespoonfuls of melted butter, stand on range a few minutes until eggs are set, then finish cooking in a hot oven. serve at once. a few cold, steamed mushrooms (left-overs), if finely chopped, and added to a plain omelette or roast, will improve the flavor. a clam omelette two eggs beaten separately, scant cup of milk, tablespoonful of flour, clams run through a food-chopper. place in a bowl the tablespoon of flour and mix smooth with a little of the milk. then add the two yolks of eggs and beat well together. add the milk, salt and pepper, the chopped clams, and lastly the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs, and add a trifle more flour, if necessary. drop a couple of tablespoons at a time in a large fry-pan containing a couple of tablespoons of butter or drippings. they spread out about the size of a small saucer. fry as many at a time as the pan will conveniently hold without running together. turn when browned lightly on one side, and when the other side has cooked fold together and serve at once. garnish with parsley. these are very easily made for luncheon, and are very nice served with fried chicken. deviled eggs boil half a dozen eggs until hard. remove shells, cut in halves, mash the yolks to a smooth paste with about / teaspoon mixed mustard, teaspoon softened butter, pepper and salt to taste. some like a small quantity of cold boiled minced ham added. when ingredients are well mixed, press enough of this mixture into the cup-shaped whites of eggs to form a rounding top. serve on a platter of parsley. to boil eggs uniformly, they should be placed in a wire basket and plunged into boiling water and boiled not longer than to minutes from time water commences to boil, then pour cold water over and shell them. eggs in cream sauce four eggs, boiled hard, cut in halves lengthwise, then across, each egg cut in four pieces. a cream sauce was made using / cups sweet milk, - / tablespoons flour, generous tablespoon of butter, seasoned with salt. after letting milk come to a boil and adding flour mixed smoothly with a little cold milk or water, add butter and cook until a thick creamy consistency, then add the quartered eggs to sauce. stand a few minutes until heated through. pour the creamed eggs over four or five slices of nicely-toasted bread. sprinkle a little finely-chopped parsley and a pinch of pepper over top and serve at once. this is a delicious and quickly prepared luncheon dish. a very wholesome and digestible way to prepare an egg is to put yolk and white of a fresh egg together in a bowl, beat lightly, pour over the egg a pint of rich milk, which has been heated to the boiling point. add a pinch of salt. stir constantly while slowly adding the milk. the hot milk should slightly cook the egg. eat slowly with crackers or toasted bread. aunt sarah's method of preserving eggs with liquid water glass aunt sarah for many years preserved eggs in water glass, or soluble glass, also known as "sodium silicate," a thick liquid about the consistency of molasses. it is not expensive and may easily be procured at any drug store. she used the water glass in the proportion of quarts of water to one pint of the water glass. the water glass, although in liquid form, is usually sold by the pound, and - / pounds equals one pint. the water should always he boiled and allowed to cool before combining with the water glass. she was particular to use none but perfectly clean, fresh eggs. she placed the eggs, narrow end down, in an earthenware crock which had been well scalded and cooled. when the water glass had been thoroughly mixed through the water she poured the mixture over the eggs in the crock. a stronger solution might be used to preserve the eggs, but aunt sarah declared she used eggs for baking cake which were good at the expiration of a year, which had been preserved in a mixture of quarts of water to a pint of water glass, and she considered this proportion perfectly reliable. so i do not see the need of using a large quantity of the water glass, although many recipes call for a mixture of one pint of water glass to only quarts of water. fresh eggs may be added daily until the crock is filled, having the mixture at least one inch above the last layer of eggs. it is best not to wash the eggs before packing, as this removes the natural mucilaginous coating on the outside of the shell. place clean, fresh eggs carefully into the crock containing the water glass and water, with a long-handled spoon to avoid cracking the shell. stand the crock containing eggs in a cool place, cover with a cloth tied over top of crock, avoiding frequent change of temperature; they should keep one year. the water glass solution may become cloudy, and resemble a soft-soap mixture, but this is a natural condition and does not affect the eggs. april is considered the best month for packing eggs. infertile eggs are to be preferred to others. carefully remove the eggs from the water glass mixture with a long-handled spoon when wanted to use, as the shells are sometimes not quite as hard as when placed in the crock. the eggs may be used for cooking, baking, in fact, for any purpose except soft-boiled but should you wish to boil them, a tiny puncture should be made in the shell of these eggs before boiling. ten quarts of water to one pint of water glass will cover about or dozen eggs. to test fresh eggs. place an egg in a tumbler, fill tumbler with cold water. if eggs are fresh they will remain in the bottom of tumbler. if not strictly fresh the egg will float on the top, or near the top of tumbler of water. salads--aunt sarah's salad dressing for this she used pint of sour cream, - / tablespoonfuls of flour, - / tablespoonfuls of mustard (pulverized dry mustard), eggs, / cup butter (or / cup of olive oil may be used instead, if liked), / cup good sour vinegar, / teaspoonful of black pepper and a pinch of red pepper (cayenne), salt to taste, / teaspoonful of sugar. place in a bowl the - / tablespoonfuls of flour with the same quantity of mustard; mix smoothly with a little of the sour cream. then add the eggs, beaten in one at a time, or use, instead, the yolks of five eggs. when using the whites for angel cake or any white cake aunt sarah usually made salad dressing from the remaining yolks of eggs. add the sour cream and vinegar, salt and pepper. mix all well together and strain through a fine sieve and cook in a double boiler over hot water until a creamy consistency. pour in glass jars. this dressing will keep well on ice or in a cool place for two weeks. if too thick, thin with a little vinegar, water or milk when using it. about / of a cup of this dressing was used for mixing with cup of the meat of cold, cooked chicken in making chicken salad. the white meat of chicken was cut in dice and / cup of celery was also cut in small pieces, a couple of hard boiled eggs, cut in dice, were added and the whole was carefully mixed with the salad dressing. cold boiled veal or pork may be used instead of chicken for salad. potato salad was sometimes prepared by using a small quantity of this dressing, adding, also, minced onion, parsley and celery. hot slaw was prepared by heating a couple of tablespoonfuls of the salad dressing and mixing with shredded cabbage. or use as a dressing for lettuce when not served "au natural" with olive oil and vinegar at the table. should very _thick_, sour cream be used in making "aunt sarah's salad dressing," use a mixture of sour cream and sweet milk, instead of all sour cream. "dutch" cucumber salad thinly slice one large green cucumber and one medium-sized onion (if liked). sprinkle over about one teaspoonful of salt. allow to stand a short time, then place in a piece of cheese-cloth and squeeze out all the moisture possible. place cucumbers, when drained, in the dish in which they are to be served, add a couple tablespoonfuls of sour vinegar, mix well. then pour over enough thick sour cream to half cover and a dust of pepper. cucumbers are considered less unwholesome, prepared in this manner. carrot salad aunt sarah pared and cut - / cups of uncooked carrots in thin strips, not much larger than common match sticks, and cooked in salted water until tender. when drained, pour over them a couple of tablespoonfuls of vinegar. allowed to stand until cold. when ready to prepare the salad she drained off vinegar remaining. lined a salad bowl with lettuce leaves or parsley, placed inside this a border of halved or sliced cold hard-boiled eggs; mixed the carrots lightly with salad dressing, placed them in the centre of the bowl and served ice cold. this is a particularly delicious, as well as an appetizing looking, salad. i have never eaten this elsewhere than at aunt sarah's home. "an old recipe" for chicken salad two dressed chickens were cooked tender. when cold, meat was removed from bones and cut in dice (not too fine). cut half the amount of celery you have of meat into small pieces. dressing for salad was composed of the following: three well-beaten yolks of eggs. pour over these pint of boiling hot cider vinegar, stand on back of range to thicken. place in a bowl freshly boiled and finely mashed white potatoes, add tablespoonful of dry mustard, teaspoonfuls of olive oil, tablespoonful of salt, tablespoonful of pepper. mix all well together, then add the thickened vinegar. beat together until creamy and stand aside until chilled. drop the three whites of eggs in hot water, remove when cooked, chop fine and when cold add to the chicken meat and celery. pour the dressing over all the ingredients, stir lightly with a fork and stand in a cold place until chilled before serving. german potato salad boil one dozen small potatoes without paring. remove the skin and cut potatoes size of dice, also a small onion, finely minced. put small pieces of bacon in a pan and fry brown and crisp. add a large tablespoonful of vinegar and a pinch of salt. pour the hot bacon fat and vinegar over the diced potatoes, toss them up lightly with a fork and serve hot. german turnip salad this is the manner in which aunt sarah made turnip salad: she pared and sliced thin on a slaw cutter large, solid turnips, put them in a stew-pan which she placed on the range, adding about / cup hot water, teaspoonful of butter and / teaspoonful of sugar (no more). she covered the stew-pan closely and steamed about half an hour until the turnips were tender. then mixed together teaspoonful of flour with tablespoonful of vinegar and yolk of one egg. this was poured over the stewed turnips, just allowed to come to a boil, then removed from the fire. add a little salt and serve hot. german salad dressing for dandelion, watercress, endive or lettuce, a dressing was made thus: the leaves of vegetables used for salad, after being carefully rinsed and looked over, were cut fine, and the following dressing poured over hot and served at once. a small quantity of bacon was finely minced and fried crisp. to about tablespoonfuls of bacon and fat after being fried, tablespoonfuls of vinegar and of sour cream, were added pepper and salt and a very little flour mixed with cold water, to make it the consistency of cream. the yolk of one raw egg may be added to the dressing if liked. an easier way for the busy housewife to do is to simply add a couple of tablespoonfuls of aunt sarah's salad dressing, add also a small quantity of water, flour and fried, diced bacon; serve hot at once. mary's potato salad a bowl of cold, boiled, diced or thinly-sliced potatoes, three hard boiled eggs, also diced, and about half the quantity of celery chopped in half-inch pieces, and a little minced onion, just enough to give a suspicion of its presence. she mixed all together lightly with a silver fork and mixed through some of the following salad dressing, which is fine for anything requiring a cold salad dressing. mary's salad dressing one tablespoonful of flour, tablespoonful of mustard, cups of sweet or sour cream, tablespoonful of sugar, / cup of good sharp vinegar, yolks of four eggs, small teaspoonful of salt. omit sugar when using the dressing for potato or chicken salad. this salad dressing may also be used for lettuce. "fruit" salad dressing three tablespoonfuls of olive oil to - / tablespoonfuls of vinegar. season with salt and pepper. use this quantity for pint of salad. grape fruit salad cut the pulp from one grape fruit into small pieces, add an equal amount of chopped apples, a few english walnuts chopped coarsely. serve on lettuce leaves with fruit salad dressing. this recipe was given mary by a friend who knew her liking for olive oil. grape fruit is delicious, served cut in halves with the addition to each half; of a couple tablespoonfuls of pineapple juice, a tablespoonful of orange juice or tiny pieces of orange pulp, topped with a marachino cherry. a small quantity of sugar should have been added. the sections of grape fruit should each have been cut loose from the white skin inclosing pulp with a small knife or scissors. a good, inexpensive salad dressing tablespoonful flour. tablespoonful butter. tablespoonful mustard. / tablespoonful sugar. teaspoonful salt. egg. / cup milk. / cup vinegar. use a double boiler, put in it the first five articles, stir together until smooth; add the well-beaten egg and the milk. let cook, stirring hard. then add vinegar, and beat all with an egg-beater until the mixture is smooth and creamy. let cool before using. aunt sarah frequently used this salad dressing over sliced, cold, hard boiled eggs when other salad materials were not plentiful. serve on lettuce leaves. imitation lobster salad a bowl was lined with crisp lettuce leaves, over this was spread a layer of cold boiled potatoes, cut in dice, a little finely minced onion, a layer of chopped celery, another layer of diced potatoes, then a layer of sliced tomatoes and one hard boiled egg, thinly sliced. pour a good salad dressing over and serve ice cold. "german" horseradish sauce a sauce to serve with boiled meat was prepared by aunt sarah in the following manner: she put half a cup of milk in a stew-pan, let come to a boil, added one large tablespoonful of cracker crumbs, large teaspoonful of butter, large tablespoonfuls of freshly grated horseradish, seasoned with pepper and salt. also a pinch of salt, sugar and pepper added to grated horseradish, then thinned with vinegar, is an excellent accompaniment to cold meat. mayonnaise dressing in which olive oil is used before making this dressing for salads, mary placed a large soup plate or a shallow bowl in the refrigerator, also a bottle of olive oil and two egg yolks. all should be quite cold. put the yolks on the cold plate, add / teaspoonful of salt, the same of mustard. mix well and then, with a fork, stir or blend the olive oil into it drop by drop. after about / cup of oil has been blended in, add lemon juice, a drop or two at a time. then more oil, and when it becomes very thick add more lemon juice. a pint or even more oil may, with care, be blended into two yolks. care must be taken not to mix oil in too fast, or the egg and oil will separate, making a mixture resembling curdled custard. if this should happen, take another plate, another egg yolk, and begin over again, blending a drop or two at a time in the curdled mixture. then add more oil and lemon juice as before. mustard dressing to serve with sliced tomatoes two tablespoonfuls mustard, tablespoonful of sugar, / cup cream, tablespoon salt, yolks of two eggs and / cup of vinegar. beat all well together, first mixing the mustard until smooth with a small quantity of cream, then add the other ingredients. (mary used only tablespoonful of mustard, and substituted tablespoonful of flour instead of the second tablespoonful of mustard and thought it improved the dressing.) this mustard dressing may also be served at table, to be eaten with lettuce. chicken salad the meat of one boiled chicken cut in small pieces, three-fourths as much celery, also cut in small pieces. three hard boiled eggs cut in dice. take teaspoonfuls salt, teaspoonfuls pepper, teaspoonfuls mustard, cup of sweet cream and raw egg. use vinegar to thin the mustard. beat the raw egg, add to cream, egg and butter (mash yolks of hard boiled eggs and butter together). mix all the ingredients together and cook until it thickens (all except chicken meat, celery and hard boiled whites of eggs, which should be placed in a large bowl after cutting in small pieces). the salad dressing should he put in another bowl and stood on ice until cold, then mix the salad dressing carefully through the chicken meat, celery, etc., one hour before using. cover with a plate until ready to serve. or "aunt sarah's salad dressing" could be used over the chicken, celery, etc. this is a very old but an excellent recipe used by aunt sarah's mother for many years. pepper hash chop fine with a knife, but do not shred with a slaw cutter, pint of finely chopped cabbage, adding teaspoonful of salt, teaspoonfuls of sugar, teaspoonful of whole mustard seed, / a chopped red, sweet pepper, a pinch of red cayenne pepper and / pint of vinegar. mix all well together and serve with fried oysters, oyster stew and deviled oysters. this "pepper hash" is delicious if a couple tablespoonfuls of thick cream be added just before serving. should very sour cider vinegar be used in this recipe, the housewife will, of course, dilute it with water. german bean salad use small green or yellow string-beans, which snap when broken, called by some "snap beans." string them carefully. (if quite small and tender this should not be necessary.) rub well with the hands through several waters. this removes the strong bean taste. have your kettle half filled with boiling water on the range over a brisk fire. put a tablespoon of butter in the water, add beans by handfuls until all are in and cook until tender. turn the beans in a colander to drain. when cool add a chopped onion, salt and pour enough good vinegar over to cover, and allow to stand two days, when strain vinegar from beans. boil vinegar, add water if vinegar is quite sour and pour hot over the beans. fill quart glass jars with the beans and pour vinegar over, within an inch of top of jar; pour pure olive oil over top of beans, screw on jar covers tightly and stand in a cool place until wanted to use. in the winter, when fresh salads were scarce, aunt sarah opened a can of these beans. if they were very sour she poured cold water over, allowed to stand an hour, drained and added a little fresh olive oil. every one called her "bean salat," as the pennsylvania germans call it, delicious. the instructions regarding the preparing and cooking of string beans for salad will answer for beans used as a vegetable, omitting vinegar, of course. there is a great difference in the manner of cooking vegetables. aunt sarah always added an onion and a sprig of parsley when cooking beans to serve as a vegetable. meat salads to quote from the _farmers' bulletin_: "whether meat salads are economical or not depends upon the way in which the materials are utilized. if in chicken salad, for example, only the white meat of chicken, especially bought for the purpose, and only the expensive inside stems of expensive celery are used, it can hardly be cheaper than plain chicken. but, if portions of meat left over from a previous serving are mixed with celery grown at home, they certainly make an economical dish, and one very acceptable to most persons. cold roast pork or tender veal, in fact, any white meat, can be utilized in the same way. apples cut into cubes may be substituted for part of the celery. many cooks consider that with the apple the salad takes the dressing better than with the celery alone. many also prefer to marinate (_i.e._, mix with a little oil and vinegar) the meat and celery or celery and apples before putting on the final dressing, which may be either mayonnaise or a good boiled dressing." celery should not be allowed to stand in water. to keep fresh until used it should be wrapped in a piece of damp cheese-cloth and placed in an ice box or cool cellar. lettuce should be broken apart, carefully rinsed, and put loosely in a piece of damp cheese-cloth and placed on ice to crisp before using. beverages--coffee scald coffee pot well before using (never use metal). place in it five tablespoons ground coffee. (a good coffee is made from a mixture of two-thirds java to one-third mocha.) beat up with the ground coffee one whole egg. should the housewife deem this extravagant, use only the white of one egg, or peel off the white skin lining inside of egg shells and use. add three tablespoons cold water and mix well together. stand on range to heat; when hot add one quart of _freshly-boiled_ hot water. allow coffee to boil to top of coffee pot three times (about eight minutes), pour over one tablespoon cold water to settle. stand a few minutes where it will keep hot, not boil. place a generous tablespoon of sweet thick cream in each cup and pour coffee through a strainer over it. always serve hot. a larger or smaller amount of coffee may be used, as different brands of coffee vary in strength and individual tastes differ, but five tablespoons of coffee, not too coarsely ground and not pulverized, to one quart of water, will be the correct proportions for good coffee. use cream and you will have a delicious, rich, brown beverage not possible when milk is used. better coffee may be made if whole grains of roasted coffee be bought, reheated in oven and freshly ground whenever used, rather finely ground but not pulverized. coffee, when ground for any length of time, loses strength. if coffee is ground when purchased, always keep it in closely covered cans until used. or buy green coffee berries and roast them in oven; when coffee has been roasted, stir one whole raw egg through the coffee berries; when dry, place in covered cans, then no egg will be needed when preparing coffee. as a substitute for cream, use yolk of fresh egg mixed with a couple tablespoonfuls of milk. cocoa mix four tablespoonfuls of cocoa to a smooth paste with one cup of boiling water. add one more cup boiling water and boil fifteen or twenty minutes. add four tablespoonfuls of sugar, then add cups of hot boiled milk. a few drops of essence of vanilla improves the flavor. add a couple tablespoonfuls whipped cream on top of each cup when serving, or, instead of cream, place a marshmallow in each cup before pouring in cocoa. this quantity is for six cups of cocoa. chocolate one square of baker's unsweetened chocolate shaved thinly or grated, mixed to a smooth paste with cup of boiling water. boil from fifteen to twenty minutes. add cup of boiling milk and even tablespoonfuls of sugar. flavor with a few drops of vanilla, if liked, and add whipped cream to each cup when serving. this is for cups of chocolate. boiled water it sometimes becomes necessary to boil drinking water, which usually has a flat, insipid taste. do young housewives know it is said that after water has been boiled and when quite cool if a bottle be half filled and shaken well the water will become aerated, and have the taste of fresh spring water? tea to make tea always scald the teapot, which should be agate, earthenware or china, never metal. always use water that has been _freshly_ boiled, and use it boiling hot. never, under any circumstances, boil tea, as tannin is then extracted from the leaves, and the tea will have a bitter taste. do not allow tea to stand any length of time unless strained from tea leaves. use one teaspoon of tea for each cup, unless liked stronger, when add one extra teaspoon to each three cups of tea. some contend that tea is better, if at first a small quantity of boiling water is poured over the leaves, allowing it to steep three minutes--then pour over the remaining quantity of boiling water and let stand about four minutes, when it is ready to serve with cream and sugar, if liked. should any tea remain after serving do not throw away, but strain at once from tea leaves and when cool place in a glass jar in refrigerator to be used as iced tea. iced tea for two quarts of delicious iced tea, place in an agate teapot one generous tablespoon of good tea (never buy a cheap, inferior grade of tea). pour over the tea leaves one quart of freshly boiled, scalding hot water; let stand five minutes, keep hot (not boil), strain from the leaves into a pitcher, then pour over the tea leaves another quart of hot water, allow it to stand a few minutes, then strain as before. add the juice of one lemon and sugar to taste. when cooled stand on ice and add chipped ice to tumblers when serving. puddings to boil a pudding in a bag, dip the bag, which should be made of thick cotton or linen, in hot water, dredge the inside well with flour before putting batter into the bag. when the pudding has boiled a long enough time, dip the bag quickly in cold water, and the pudding will turn out easily. allow five large eggs to quart of milk usually to make custard solid enough to keep its shape when turned from the mold. one teaspoonful of extract will flavor one quart. always stand individual cups in a pan partly filled with hot water. place pan containing custard cups in a moderate oven and bake slowly forty minutes. always sift flour over beef suet when chopping it to be used in puddings. pour boiling water over pecans (nuts), allow to stand several hours. when cracked, the shell may be easily removed, leaving the nuts whole. blanch almonds by pouring boiling water over them. allow them to stand a short time, when the brown skin may be easily removed. dry thoroughly by standing in a rather cool oven, then put in glass jars and they are ready to use. almonds are used particularly by the germans in various ways. one hausfrau adds chopped almonds to cooked oatmeal for her children's breakfast and they are frequently used as an ingredient; also to decorate the tops of raised cakes. when dried currants and raisins are bought by the frugal housewife they are quickly washed in cold water, carefully picked over, then turned on to a sieve to drain. raisins are seeded, then spread over pans, placed in a warm oven about minutes, then spread on a plate and allowed to stand in a dry place for several days. when thoroughly dried place in glass jars and stand aside until required. currants or raisins should always be well floured before adding to cake or pudding. the "german hausfrau" usually serves stewed prunes or raisins with a dish of noodles or macaroni. rice pudding one of the simplest and cheapest of desserts depends partly on the quality of the ingredients used, but chiefly on the manner of making for its excellence. if prepared according to directions, you will have a pudding both rich and creamy. use quart of good sweet milk (do not use either skimmed milk or water), tablespoonfuls of whole uncoated rice (no more), - / tablespoonfuls of sugar, pinch of salt, vanilla or almond flavoring. wash the rice well, mix all together in a pudding dish, bake from - / to hours in an oven with a slow, even heat. when a skin forms on the top of the pudding, carefully stir through the rice. do this frequently. this gives the pudding a rich, creamy consistency. when grains of rice are tender allow pudding to brown over top and serve either hot or cold. raisins may be added, if liked, or raisins may be stewed separately and served with the rice, which many think a great improvement to the pudding. many think rice pudding should always be flavored with grated nutmeg. aunt sarah, while using nutmeg flavoring in various other dishes, never used it for her rice pudding. when mixing a boiled pudding aunt sarah frequently substituted a large tablespoon of fine dried bread crumbs instead of the same amount of flour. she said, "'twas a small economy," and, she thought, "the pudding's improved" by the use of bread crumbs. frau schmidt's apple dumplings prepare a syrup of cup sugar, cups of hot water and tablespoon of butter. pour all into an agate pudding dish. add to this syrup heaping cups of pared, sliced sour apples. let all come to a boil. for the dumplings, sift together one cup of flour and two even teaspoons of baking powder. add a pinch of salt. mix into a soft dough or batter with about / cup of sweet milk or cream. drop six or eight spoonfuls of this batter into the boiling syrup on top of apples. cover closely and cook on top of range twenty minutes without uncovering. serve hot. these dumplings should be light as puff balls. peaches may be substituted for apples and are delicious. caramel custard (as mary prepared it) pint of milk. eggs. / cup granulated sugar. melt / cup of sugar in an iron pan on stove and allow it to brown. add a part of the hot milk, stirring constantly until brown sugar is dissolved. add balance of the pint of hot milk. stir all together, then stand aside to cool. when cold, add eggs and bake in oven in custard cups. stand cups in hot water while baking. aunt sarah's bread pudding pour quart of boiling milk over - / pints of soft bread crumbs. put the mixture into a buttered pudding dish with teaspoonful salt. cover closely with a plate and let stand about half an hour. at the end of that time beat into it three eggs, teaspoonful lemon extract, and beat until perfectly smooth. bake in a moderately hot oven three-quarters of an hour. serve with the following sauce: tablespoonfuls pulverized sugar, tablespoonfuls butter, tablespoonful lemon juice. beat all together to a cream; when it is ready to serve. no sugar is needed in this pudding if this sweet sauce is used. steamed bread pudding place cup of fine dried bread crumbs in a bowl. pour over the crumbs cups of milk and allow to stand a short time. beat together eggs and scant / cup sugar, add tablespoon of butter. mix all the ingredients together thoroughly; then add / cup of chopped raisins, which have been seeded and floured. pour the batter in the well-buttered top part of a double boiler over hot water. steam about - / to hours. serve hot with sauce used for cottage pudding, or serve with sugar and cream. an economical bread and apple pudding into a well-buttered pudding dish put a layer of sliced sour apples. on the top of these a layer of stale bread crumbs with small bits of butter and sugar sprinkled over them, more sliced apples and bread crumbs, having the crumbs for the top layer. to about three apples use cup of bread crumbs, / cup sugar, piece of butter size of walnut and bake in oven until apples are tender. serve with cream. cup custards quart of sweet milk. large eggs. tablespoons sugar. grated nutmeg or vanilla flavoring. scald milk. beat whites of eggs separately. add milk when cooled to the beaten yolks. add sugar and flavoring. stir in stiffly beaten whites of eggs, pour into custard cups, stand them in a dripping pan half filled with boiling water. stand the pan in a moderate oven about twenty minutes, or until custard is "set." this quantity fills about eight small custard cups. the water surrounding the custard cups should not be allowed to boil, but the custard should cook slowly. grate nutmeg thickly over top of each custard before placing in the oven. scalding the milk before using improves the custard. frau schmidt's graham pudding sift into a bowl / cup of pastry flour and teaspoonful of baking powder. add cup graham flour, pinch of salt and / cup granulated sugar. mix all thoroughly, then add / cup of finely chopped kidney suet. add cup of seedless raisins mixed with one extra tablespoonful of white flour. mix into a batter with cup of sweet milk, to which add yolk of one egg. lastly, add the stiffly beaten white of egg. flavor with either a little grated nutmeg or essence of vanilla. make a strong, unbleached muslin bag by inches. pour the batter into the bag, which had been previously dipped in cold water, the inside of the bag sifted over with flour, and tie bag at top with a string, allowing room for the pudding to swell. place the bag in the perforated compartment of a steamer, over boiling water, and boil continuously - / hours, or longer, without removing lid of steamer oftener than absolutely necessary. serve graham pudding hot with sauce used for "cottage pudding," or serve simply with sugar and cream, or a sauce may be served composed of / cup of pulverized sugar, creamed with / cup of butter. add tablespoonful of lemon juice or flavor with vanilla. stand sauce in a cool place a short time and serve cold on hot pudding. sponge bread pudding place - / cups of soft stale (either white or graham) bread crumbs in a pudding dish. pour cups of hot milk over the crumbs, cover with a plate and allow it to stand about thirty minutes, then add yolks of eggs, / teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful of sugar and grated yellow rind of orange or lemon for flavoring. beat the mixture until perfectly smooth, add the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs. bake in a moderately hot oven. serve hot with the following sauce: sauce. three large tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar and tablespoonful of butter were beaten together until smooth and creamy, teaspoonful of lemon juice was added. the sauce, when quite cold, was served with the warm pudding. aunt sarah's cottage pudding cream together cup of sugar, tablespoonfuls of butter, egg, white beaten separately, and added last, cup of sweet milk, pinch of salt, cups of flour, sifted with heaping teaspoonfuls of royal baking powder, / cup of dried currants, well floured. add stiffly beaten white of egg. bake in a small oblong bread pan. sauce. one cup of milk, / cup of water, large teaspoonful of butter, a scant tablespoonful of flour moistened with a small quantity of water, before adding. sweeten to taste, add / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg. cook all together a few minutes, allow the mixture to partly cool, then stir in the yolk of one egg; stand on stove to heat, but not to cook. serve hot over freshly baked, warm cottage pudding, cut in squares. apple "strudel" aunt sarah pared and quartered six medium-sized tart apples, placed in the bottom of an agate pudding dish, poured over them one cup of hot water and tablespoonfuls of sugar. she allowed this to stand on the range and cook while she mixed the following dough. into a bowl she sifted pint of flour with teaspoons baking powder, one teaspoonful of sugar, a little salt. cut tablespoonful of butter through the flour. lightly mixed all together into a soft dough with about / cup sweet milk. should she have a left-over yolk of egg, that was added to the milk. she rolled dough out lightly on the bread board, cut vents in the crust to allow steam to escape and spread it over the top of the dish containing the hot apples; placed in a hot oven to bake until light brown on top. serve with sugar and cream. aunt sarah called this "apple strudel," but the german recipe for "apple strudel," handed down by her grandmother, was quite different. an ordinary noodle dough was made, placed on a clean cloth on the table and rolled as thin as tissue paper. small bits of butter were scattered over this, covered with tart apples, thinly sliced, sprinkled with cinnamon, sugar and chopped raisins, rolled up and baked in the oven until brown on top, basting frequently with a thin syrup composed of sugar, butter and water. "lemon meringue" pudding pint of milk. / cup of sugar cup bread crumbs. juice and grated rind of one lemon. eggs. / cup of butter. tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar used for top. soak the bread crumbs in milk. beat the butter and sugar together. add yolks of eggs, soaked bread crumbs and grated lemon rind and about / of the juice of the lemon. bake in a buttered pudding dish until firm, then cover the pudding with a meringue composed of the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar and the remaining lemon juice. place in oven to brown. stand on ice; serve cold. suet pudding cup suet, chopped fine. cup sugar. cup sweet milk. eggs. teaspoonful cinnamon. cup raisins. cup currants. cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls baking powder. steam - / hours, then place in oven two or three minutes. this quantity will partly fill three empty -pound baking powder cans; allowing room to swell. these puddings are equally as good as when freshly prepared if placed in a steamer a short time before serving until heated through. sauce for suet pudding. one cup of pulverized sugar and large tablespoonful of butter creamed together. one teaspoonful of vanilla. add one whole egg or the yolks of two eggs, or the whites of two eggs, whichever you happen to have. steamed fruit pudding cup sweet milk. cup chopped suet. cup molasses. cup raisins. teaspoonful soda dissolved in a little water. teaspoonful salt. sauce for pudding. a small quantity of cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and a _very little_ clove. flour to make a batter a little thicker than that of ordinary cake. steam about hours. this pudding is also inexpensive and equally as good as the former recipe. beat egg very light, add cup brown sugar, teaspoonful vanilla. beat all together until creamy. serve at once. cornmeal pudding scald quart of sweet milk. while hot stir in tablespoonfuls of cornmeal, tablespoonfuls of flour mixed smooth with a little cold milk. add tablespoonful of butter. let cool. then add to the mixture / cup sugar, / cup molasses, well-beaten egg, / teaspoonful of ginger, / teaspoonful cinnamon, / pint cold milk, a small pinch of soda and / cup of floured, seeded raisins. bake hours in a moderate oven. serve with sugar and cream. huckleberry pudding two eggs and small cup of granulated sugar creamed together. four tablespoonfuls of cold water. add cup of sifted flour containing teaspoonful of baking powder, and cup of huckleberries, pitted cherries, or raisins and bake. serve with milk or any sauce liked. this recipe was given mary by a friend, who called it her emergency pudding, as it may be easily and quickly prepared from canned sour cherries from which liquid has been drained, or any tart fruit, when fresh fruit is not in season. tapioca custard four tablespoonfuls of pearl tapioca soaked in cold water over night. the next morning drain the tapioca, boil quart of sweet milk, beat the yolks of eggs light, stir them into the tapioca, adding tablespoonfuls of sugar. beat all together and gradually add the hot milk. return to the fire and stir until it commences to boil. take from the range and pour in a glass dish. flavor with teaspoonful of vanilla. whip the whites of the eggs to a standing froth and stir into the cooling pudding when cold stand on ice until ready to serve. one-half cup of shredded cocoanut may be added if liked. delicious baked peach pudding for the dough place in a bowl pint of flour sifted with teaspoonfuls of royal baking powder and a pinch of salt. cut through this a scant / cup of butter. mix this with sufficient sweet milk to make a soft dough. roll out dough half an inch thick, cut in strips and in case whole, ripe, pared peaches, leaving top and bottom of the peach exposed. or solid canned peaches may be used. put two halves of peach together and place a strip of dough around the peach. pinch dough well together, place in a bake dish. prepare a syrup of cups of sugar and cup of water. let come to a boil, pour around the dumplings and bake a half hour in a moderately hot oven. these are delicious. the recipe was given mary by a friend who was an excellent cook. from this dough may also be baked excellent biscuits. caramel custard place pint of milk on the range in a double boiler. melt half a cup of sugar in an iron pan over the fire until a golden brown. when melted add four tablespoonfuls of boiling water. allow mixture to cook one minute, then add it to the milk. remove from the fire and add teaspoonful of vanilla. when cool stir in well-beaten eggs with tablespoonfuls of sugar. pour the mixture in a small pudding dish. stand in a pan of boiling water, place in oven to bake until a jelly-like consistency. when cooled serve plain or with whipped cream. "aunt sarah's" rhubarb pudding remove skin from stalks of rhubarb, wash and cut into half-inch pieces a sufficient quantity to half fill a medium-sized agate or earthenware pudding dish. place in a stew-pan on range, cook slowly with a couple tablespoons of sugar and a very small amount of water. sift together in a bowl pint of flour, - / teaspoons of baking powder and a pinch of salt. with a knife cut through the flour tablespoonfuls of butter, moisten with one beaten egg and sufficient milk added to make a soft dough or batter. drop tablespoons of this thick batter over top of dish containing hot stewed rhubarb. place at once in a hot oven, bake quickly until crust is a light brown. serve on individual dishes, placing over each a couple tablespoonfuls of the following sauce. the combined flavor of rhubarb and vanilla is delicious. vanilla sauce for rhubarb pudding. beat egg very light, add cup of light brown sugar and teaspoon of vanilla flavoring. beat all together until foamy. serve at once, cold, on the hot pudding. rice custard add cup of cold boiled rice to cups of sweet milk, mix together slowly. add / cup sugar, the well-beaten yolks of eggs, let all cook together a few minutes. remove custard from the fire and pour over the stiffly-beaten whites of two eggs. beat well with an egg-beater. place in a glass dish and serve cold. mary's cup pudding (from stale bread) one quart of finely _crumbled stale bread_ (not dried crumbs). fill buttered cups two-thirds full of crumbs and pour over the following custard, composed of one pint of milk and three eggs. allow to stand a few minutes, then place the cups in a pan partly filled with hot water, place the pan in a moderately hot oven and bake thirty minutes. no sugar is required in this pudding if the following sweet sauce be served with it: sauce for pudding. mix one tablespoonful of cornstarch with a half cup of sugar. pour over one cup of boiling water, add one generous teaspoonful of butter. cook all together until clear, take from the fire and add one well-beaten egg and one teaspoonful of vanilla. serve hot. "buckwheat minute" pudding pour three cups of milk in a stew-pan, place on range and let come to a boil. then stir slowly into the boiling milk - / cups of buckwheat flour and / teaspoonful of salt. keep stirring constantly until a thick mush. serve at once with sugar and cream. i have never eaten this pudding anywhere except in "bucks county." it is cheap, quickly and easily prepared and well liked by many country folk in bucks county. peach tapioca one cup of tapioca soaked in quart of cold water several hours. place in stew-pan, set on stove and cook until clear. add sugar to taste and pint can of peaches. boil two or three minutes, remove from range and pour into the dish in which it is to be served. stand aside to cool. aunt sarah's plain boiled pudding one cup of beef suet chopped fine or run through a food-chopper, / cup sour milk, egg, teaspoonful soda, pinch of salt. / cup sugar, teaspoonful cinnamon, cup raisins, seeded and floured. flour enough to make as stiff as ordinary cake batter. boil or steam in a muslin bag three hours. this is a very inexpensive and good pudding. dust a small quantity of flour over suet before chopping. serve with the following sauce: pudding sauce. one large tablespoonful of butter, teacup water, / teacup milk, scant tablespoonful of flour, grated nutmeg to flavor. sweeten to taste, add a pinch of salt. cook and let cool. beat up yolk of egg, add to sauce, stand on back of stove to heat, not cook. serve hot over the pudding. apple tapioca pour pint of cold water over / cup tapioca. allow to stand until the following morning, when cook until clean. slice tart apples. place in bottom of pudding dish, strew sugar over, then pour over the tapioca; place over this a layer of thinly sliced apples over which dust sugar. place in oven and bake until the apples are cooked. serve with sugar and cream. several thin slices of lemon added before baking impart a fine flavor. steamed walnut pudding place in a bowl / cup butter and cup of granulated sugar. beat to a cream. add yolks of eggs and / cup of syrup molasses or maple syrup, in which had been dissolved teaspoonful baking soda. then add cup sweet milk, alternately, with about - / cups flour, / cup of walnut meats, run through food-chopper or crushed with rolling pin, / cup of seeded raisins, / teaspoonful ground cinnamon, / teaspoonful grated nutmeg, / teaspoonful ground cloves, a pinch of salt and the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs. the batter should be placed in two empty one-pound tin coffee cans, about two-thirds full, covered tightly with lid and placed in a pot of boiling water which should be kept boiling constantly for three hours; when steamed the pudding should almost fill the cans. if the cans were well buttered and flour sifted over, the pudding when steamed may be easily removed to a platter. slice and serve hot with the following sauce: beat one cup of pulverized sugar to a cream with heaping tablespoonfuls of butter. add white of one egg (unbeaten). beat all together until creamy. add / of a teaspoonful of lemon extract and stand sauce in a cold place or on ice one hour before serving on slices of hot pudding. this is a delicious pudding. "cornmeal sponge" pudding crumble cold corn muffins, or corn cake, a quantity sufficient to fill two cups. soak in quart of sweet milk three or four hours, then add well-beaten eggs, tablespoonfuls of sugar and a pinch of salt. beat all well together. place in a pan and bake hour in a moderately hot oven. serve hot with whipped cream and sugar or with a sauce made by beating to a cream a heaping tablespoonful of butter, cup of granulated sugar, egg and a very little vanilla flavoring. mary's corn starch pudding - / quarts of milk. eggs. heaping tablespoonfuls of corn starch. scant cup of sugar. teaspoonful of vanilla. pour milk in a double boiler and place on range to cook. moisten cornstarch with a little cold milk and add to remainder of the milk when boiling hot. stir thoroughly, then beat yolk of eggs and sugar until light, stir in stiffly beaten whites and when all are mixed stir into the scalding milk. let come to a boil again and add vanilla or almond flavoring. pour into individual molds to cool. serve cold with a spoonful of jelly or preserved strawberry with each serving. apple johnny cake (served as a pudding) this is a good, cheap, wholesome pudding. cup corn meal. tablespoonfuls of sugar. teaspoonful of soda. tablespoonful of melted butter. / teaspoonful of salt. / cup flour. cup sour milk. mix batter together as you would for cake, then add pared, thinly sliced, tart apples to the batter. stir all together. bake in a quick oven in a bread pan and serve hot with cold cream and sugar. raisins may be substituted for apples if preferred. a good and cheap "tapioca pudding" soak over night in cold water even tablespoonfuls of pearl tapioca. in the morning add tapioca to one quart of milk, tablespoonfuls of sugar, a pinch of salt. grate nutmeg over top. bake in a moderate oven about three hours, stirring occasionally. "gotterspeise" partly fill an earthenware pudding dish with pieces of sponge cake or small cakes called "lady fingers;" cut up with them a few macaroons. place one pint of wine over fire to heat, add to the wine the following mixture, composed of spoonful of cornstarch mixed smooth with a little water, yolks of eggs and spoonfuls of sugar. mix all together and stir until thickened. pour the thickened mixture over the cake. when cooled cover with the stiffly-beaten whites of the eggs, spread sliced almonds thickly over top and brown in oven a few minutes. serve cold. spanish cream half a box of knox gelatine, quart of milk, eggs. put gelatine in milk, let stand hour to dissolve. set over fire to boil, then add beaten yolks of eggs with cup granulated sugar. remove from fire while adding this. stir well. return to range and let boil. stand aside to cool. beat whites of eggs to a froth and beat into custard when cooled. pour into a glass dish in which it is to be served. stand in a cold place and serve with cream. graham pudding one cup of molasses, egg, cup sweet milk, / teaspoonful soda, teaspoonful of salt, tablespoonful brown sugar, cup raisins, - / cups graham flour. mix all ingredients together. steam three hours. "pennsylvania" plum pudding (for thanksgiving day) one cup milk, eggs, cup molasses, / teaspoonful nutmeg, / teaspoonful salt, teaspoonfuls baking powder, cup bread crumbs, / cup corn meal, cup chopped beef suet, / cup finely minced citron, cup seeded raisins, / cup currants. flour to make a stiff batter. steam fully three hours, turn from the mold, strew chopped almonds over top. serve pudding hot with sauce for which recipe is given. aunt sarah invariably served this pudding on thanksgiving day, and all preferred it to old-fashioned "english plum pudding." sauce for pudding. cream together cup of pulverized sugar, scant / cup of butter, beat whites of eggs in, one at a time, and one teaspoonful of lemon flavoring; stand on ice a short time before serving. serve sauce very cold. "slice" bread pudding line the sides of a pudding dish holding two quarts with seven slices of stale bread from which crust had been removed. beat together eggs, tablespoonfuls of sugar and cups of sweet milk (and add the juice and grated rind of one lemon, or half a grated nutmeg). pour in the centre of pudding dish. with a spoon dip some of the custard over each slice of bread. bake about minutes and serve hot with the following sauce: one cup of water, / cup milk, teaspoonful butter, scant tablespoonful of flour mixed smooth with a little water before adding it. sweeten to taste, add grated nutmeg or vanilla to flavor. cook all together, then add the yolk of one egg. place on stove a minute to heat. add a pinch of salt. serve hot over the pudding in individual dishes. cereals--oatmeal porridge oatmeal to be palatable and wholesome should be thoroughly cooked, that is, steamed over a hot fire two hours or longer. use a double boiler of agateware. place in the upper half of the boiler about cups of water and stand directly over the hottest part of the range. when the water boils furiously, and is full of little bubbles (not before), stir into the boiling water about cups of oatmeal (if porridge is liked rather thick), and about teaspoonful of salt. (tastes differ regarding the thickness of porridge.) let stand directly on the front of the range, stirring only enough to prevent scorching, and cook ten minutes, then stand upper part of double boiler over the lower compartment, partly filled with boiling water; cover closely and let steam from two to three hours. in order to have the oatmeal ready to serve at early breakfast the following morning, put oatmeal on to cook about five o'clock in the evening, while preparing supper, and allow it to stand and steam over boiling water until the fire in the range is dampened off for the night. allow the oatmeal to stand on range until the following morning, when draw the boiler to front part of range, and when breakfast is ready (after removing top crust formed by standing), turn the oatmeal out on a dish and serve with rich cream and sugar, and you will have a good, wholesome breakfast dish with the flakes distinct, and a nutty flavor. serve fruit with it, if possible. a good rule for cooking oatmeal is in the proportion of - / cups of water to cup of oatmeal. the cereals which come ready prepared are taking the place of the old-time standby with which mothers fed their growing boys. if you wish your boys to have muscle and brawn, feed them oats. to quote an old physician, "if horses thrive on oats, why not boys who resemble young colts?" for example, look at the hardy young scot who thrives and grows hearty and strong on his oatmeal "porritch." chopped almonds, dates or figs may be added to oatmeal to make it more palatable. use cup measuring / pint for measuring cereals as well as every other recipe calling for one cup in this book. cooked rice boil cup of whole, thoroughly cleansed, uncoated rice in quarts of rapidly boiling water (salted) about minutes, or until tender, which can be tested by pressing a couple of grains of rice between the fingers. do not stir often while boiling. when the rice is tender turn on to a sieve and drain; then put in a dish and place in the oven, to dry off, with oven door open, when the grains should be whole, flaky, white and tempting, not the soggy, unappetizing mass one often sees. serve rice with cream and sugar. some prefer brown sugar and others like crushed maple sugar with it. or rice may be eaten as a vegetable with salt and butter. rice is inexpensive, nutritious and one of the most easily digested cereals, and if rightly cooked, an appetizing looking food. it is a wonder the economical housewife does not serve it oftener on her table in some of the numerous ways it may be prepared. as an ingredient of soup, as a vegetable, or a pudding, croquettes, etc., the wise housekeeper will cook double the amount of rice needed and stand half aside until the day following, when may be quickly prepared rice croquettes, cheese balls, etc. on the day following that on which rice has been served, any cold boiled rice remaining may be placed in a small bake dish with an equal quantity of milk, a little sugar and flavoring, baked a short time in oven and served with a cup of stewed, seeded raisins which have slowly steamed, covered with cold water, on the back of the range, until soft and plump. corn meal mush place on the range a cook-pot containing cups of boiling water (good measure). sift in slowly cups of yellow granulated corn meal, stirring constantly while adding the meal, until the mixture is smooth and free from lumps. add - / level teaspoonfuls of salt and / teaspoonful of sugar, and cook a short time, stirring constantly, then stand where the mush will simmer, or cook slowly for four or five hours. serve hot, as a porridge, adding / teaspoonful of butter to each individual bowl of hot mush and serve with it cold milk or cream. should a portion of the mush remain after the meal, turn it at once, while still hot, in an oblong pan several inches in depth, stand until quite cold. cut in half-inch slices, sift flour over each slice and fry a golden brown in a couple tablespoonfuls of sweet drippings and butter. or dip slices of mush in egg and bread crumbs and fry brown in the same manner. some there are who like maple syrup or molasses served with fried mush. this proportion of corn meal and water will make porridge of the proper consistency and it will be just right to be sliced for frying when cold. long, slow cooking makes corn meal much more wholesome and palatable, and prevents the raw taste of cornmeal noticeable in mush cooked too quickly. the small quantity of sugar added is not noticed, but improves the flavor of the mush. macaroni in early spring, when the family tire of winter foods and it is still too early for vegetables from the home garden, and the high price of early forced vegetables in the city markets prevent the housewife, of limited means from purchasing, then the resourceful, economical housewife serves macaroni and rice in various ways and makes appetizing dishes of the fruits she canned and preserved for winter use, combined with tapioca and gelatine. milk and eggs tide her over the most difficult time of the year for young, inexperienced cooks. when the prices of early vegetables soar beyond the reach of her purse, then she should buy sparingly of them and of meat, and occasionally serve, instead, a dish of macaroni and cheese, or rice and cheese, and invest the money thus saved in fruit; dried fruits, if fresh fruits are not obtainable. macaroni is such a nutritious food that it should be used frequently by the young housewife as a substitute for meat on the bill of fare. also occasionally serve a dish of baked beans or a dish composed of eggs, or milk combined with eggs, instead of the more expensive meat dish, all equally useful as muscle-builders, and cheaper than meat. the wise housewife will learn which foods furnish heat for the body and those which produce fat and energy, and those which are muscle-builders, and endeavor to serve well-balanced meals of the foods belonging to the three classes and thus with fruit and vegetables she will make wise provision for her family. baked macaroni and cheese put cups or / pound of macaroni (either the long sticks broken in pieces or the "elbow" macaroni, as preferred) in a kettle holding several quarts of rapidly boiling, salted water, and cook about minutes, or until tender. drain in a colander and allow cold water to run over it for several seconds. this prevents the macaroni sticking together. place the macaroni in a buttered baking dish and pour over a hot "cream sauce" composed of cup of milk and cup of water, tablespoonfuls of flour, even tablespoonfuls of butter and a pinch of salt. (too much salt is apt to curdle the milk.) spread over the top of macaroni about tablespoonfuls of grated cheese, or, if preferred, sprinkle over the top tablespoonfuls of well-seasoned dried bread crumbs and small bits of butter. stand the bake-dish containing the macaroni in a hot oven ten or fifteen minutes, until lightly browned on top. serve hot in the dish in which it was baked. stewed tomatoes are a nice accompaniment to this dish. double the quantity of macaroni may be cooked at one time and a part of it kept on ice; the following day serve in tomato sauce, thus utilizing any left-over tomatoes. the macaroni may be cooked while the housewife is using the range, early in the morning. drain the macaroni in a colander and stand aside in a cool place. it may be quickly prepared for six o'clock dinner by pouring over a hot cream sauce and grated cheese and quickly browning in the oven. or the macaroni, when cooked tender in salt water, may be quickly served by pouring over it a hot cream sauce, before the macaroni has become cold. serve at once. housewives should be particular when buying macaroni to get a brand made from good flour. cakes--cake-making sift flour and baking powder together several times before adding to cake batter. aunt sarah usually sifted flour and baking powder together four times for cakes. flour should always be sifted before using. baking powder should be sifted through the flour dry. salaratus (or baking soda) should, usually, be dissolved before using in a teaspoonful of hot water, unless stated otherwise. cream of tartar should be sifted with the flour. flour should be added gradually and batter stirred as little as possible afterwards, unless directions are given to the contrary. much beating after flour has been added is apt to make cake tough. cake will be lighter if baked slowly at first after it has raised increase heat slowly so it will brown nicely on top. the batter, if heated slowly, will rise evenly. this does not mean a cool oven. to prevent cakes sticking to pans, grease pans well with lard, and sift a little flour lightly over pan. use baking powder with sweet milk. saleratus is always used with sour milk. use teaspoonful of saleratus to pint of sour milk. cream of tartar and saleratus combined may be used with sweet milk instead of baking powder. one heaping teaspoonful of royal baking powder is equivalent to teaspoonful of cream of tartar and / teaspoonful of saleratus combined. either baking powder or a combination of saleratus and cream of tartar may be used in a cake in which sweet milk is used. usually take - / to scant teaspoonfuls of baking powder to two cups of flour. saleratus should be used alone with sour milk. put baking molasses in a stew-pan over fire and allow it to just come to boil; cool before using it. it will not sour as quickly in warm weather, and the cake baked from it will have a better flavor. the cup used in measuring ingredients for cakes holds exactly one-half pint. all cakes are improved by the addition of a pinch of salt. when lard is used instead of butter, beat to a cream and salt well. in mixing cakes, beat butter and sugar together until light and creamy, then add the beaten yolks of eggs, unless stated otherwise as for angel cake, etc., then the flavoring, then mix in the flour and liquid alternately. the baking powder, flour and salt should have been sifted together three or four times before being added. lastly, fold in lightly the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. fruit well dredged with flour should be added last, if used. cool the oven if too hot for baking cakes by placing a pan containing cold water in the top rack of oven. sponge cake particularly is improved by doing this, as it makes the cake moist. stir sponge cake as little as possible after adding flour, as too much stirring then will make cake tough. sift flour several times before using for sponge cake, as tins causes the flour to become lighter. layer cake, and most small cakes, require a quick oven. the oven door should not be opened for minutes after cake has been placed in oven. rich cakes, loaf cakes and fruit cakes must bake long and slowly. the richer the cake, the slower the heat required in baking. to test the oven, if the hand can bear the heat of the oven or seconds, the oven then is the right temperature. after placing a loaf cake in oven do not open the oven door for minutes. if oven be not hot enough, the cake will rise, then fall and be heavy. angel cake, sunshine cake and sponge cake require a moderate oven. raisins and dried currants should be washed and dried before using in cake. all fruit should be dredged with flour before being added to cake. citron may be quickly and easily prepared by cutting on a slaw cutter or it may be grated before being added to cake. when a recipe calls for butter the size of an egg it means two tablespoonfuls. a tablespoonful of butter, melted, means the butter should be measured first, then melted. aunt sarah frequently used a mixture of butter and lard in her cakes for economy's sake, and a lesser quantity may be used, as the shortening quality of lard is greater than that of butter. when substituting lard for butter, she always beat the lard to a cream before using it and salt it well. if raisins and currants are placed in oven of range a few minutes to become warmed before being added to cake, then rolled in flour, they will not sink to bottom of cake when baked. frau schmidt's lemon cake - / cups sugar. / cup butter and lard. small eggs or large ones. / cup sweet milk. cups flour. / teaspoonful saleratus. teaspoonful cream of tartar. grated yellow rind and juice of half a lemon. beat sugar and butter to a cream and add the yolks of eggs. add the milk, then the flour and cream of tartar and saleratus; and the flavoring. lastly, the stiffly-beaten whites of eggs. this makes one loaf cake. the original of this recipe was a very old one which frau schmidt had used many years. every ingredient in the old recipe was doubled, except the eggs, when five were used. mary thought this cake fine and from the recipe, when she used half the quantity of everything, she baked a fine loaf cake, and from the original recipe was made one good sized loaf and one layer cake. thinly sliced citron added to this cake is a great improvement. fine "krum kuchen" one cup sugar, / cup butter and lard, mixed; cups flour and teaspoonfuls of baking powder, eggs, / cup sweet milk. crumb together with the hands the sugar, butter, flour and baking powder sifted together. take out / cup of these crumbs to be scattered over top of cake. to the remainder add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and the sweet milk, and lastly the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. put the mixture in a well-greased pan (a deep custard pie tin will answer), scatter the half cup of crumbs reserved over top of cake and bake about / of an hour in a rather quick oven. when cake is baked, sprinkle over teaspoonful of melted butter and dust top with cinnamon. aunt sarah's "quick dutch cakes" she creamed together cup of sugar, tablespoonful of lard, tablespoonful of butter and added - / cups of luke-warm milk. add cups flour (good measure), sifted with three scant teaspoonfuls of baking powder. add a half cup of raisins, seeded and cut in several pieces, if liked, but the cakes are very good without. spread in two pans and sprinkle sugar and cinnamon on top and press about five small dabs of butter on top of each cake. put in oven and bake at once. these are a very good substitute for "raised dutch cakes," and are much more quickly and easily-made and, as no eggs are used, are quite cheap and very good. a reliable layer cake - / cups granulated sugar. eggs. / cup butter and lard mixed. (use all butter if preferred.) / cup sweet milk. cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls royal baking powder. cream together sugar and shortening. add yolks of eggs, beating well, as each ingredient is added. then add milk and flour alternately, and lastly the stiffly beaten white of eggs. stir all together. bake in two square layer pans, and put together with chocolate or white icing. or ice the cakes when cold and cut in squares. boiled icing boil together cup of granulated sugar and tablespoonfuls boiling water ten or twelve minutes, or until a small quantity dropped from spoon spins a thread. stir this into the stiffly-beaten white of one egg until thick and creamy. flavor with lemon, almond or vanilla flavoring and spread on cake. dip knife in hot water occasionally when spreading icing on cake. a delicious icing is composed of almonds blanched and pounded to a paste. add a few drops of essence of bitter almonds. dust the top of the cake lightly with flour, spread on the almond paste and when nearly dry cover with ordinary icing. dry almonds before pounding them in mortar, and use a small quantity of rose water. a few drops only should be used of essence of bitter almonds to flavor icing or cake. a pinch of baking powder added to sugar when making boiled icing causes the icing to become more creamy, or add a pinch of cream of tartar when making boiled icing. or, when a cake iced with "boiled icing" has become cold, spread on top of icing unsweetened, melted chocolate. this is a delicious "cream chocolate icing." a delicious "spice layer cake" cups light brown sugar. cup chopped raisins. eggs. cup sour milk. / cup butter. cups flour. teaspoonful each of soda, cloves, cinnamon, allspice and a little grated nutmeg. cream sugar and butter together, add yolks of eggs, then the sour milk in which the soda has been dissolved, flour and spices, and lastly stir in the stiffly beaten white of eggs. bake in two-layer pans. icing two cups sugar, / cup of milk or cream, tablespoonfuls of butter. boil until it forms a soft ball when a small quantity is dropped in water, and flavor with vanilla. beat until cold and spread between layers of cake. also on top and sides. an inexpensive cocoa cake this is a decidedly good cake and no eggs are required. cream together cup brown sugar, / cup butter. add cup of sour milk, - / cups flour, then sift over - / tablespoonfuls of cocoa. add level teaspoonful saleratus, dissolved in a little of the sour milk, and teaspoonful vanilla. bake in a small loaf. use the following icing: / cup of grated chocolate, / cup milk, / cup sugar, boiled together until thick, and spread on cake. aunt sarah's walnut gingerbread / cup of new orleans molasses. cup of light brown sugar. / cup of shortening (composed of butter, lard and sweet drippings). / teaspoonful of ginger, cinnamon and cloves each. teaspoonfuls of baking soda (saleratus), sifted with - / cups flour. cup boiling water. eggs. beat to a cream the sugar and shortening in a bowl; add molasses, then pour over all one cup of boiling water. beat well. add flour, soda and spices, all sifted together. beat into this the two unbeaten eggs (one at a time), then add about / of a cup of coarsely chopped _black walnut_ meats or the same quantity of well-floured raisins may be substituted for the walnut meats. the cakes may be baked in muffin pans. in that case fill pans about two-thirds full. the above quantity makes eighteen. they can also be baked in a pan as a loaf cake. this cake is excellent, and will keep fresh several days. these cakes taste similar to those sold in an atlantic city bake-shop which have gained a reputation for their excellence. aunt sarah's "german crumb cakes" baked in crusts cups flour. - / heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder. cups sugar (soft a or light brown). / cup lard and butter mixed. eggs. cup sweet milk. pinch of salt. flavoring--vanilla or grated orange rind. line three small pie tins with pie crust. sift together into a bowl the flour and baking powder and add light brown or a sugar, and the butter, lard and salt. rub this all together with the hands until well mixed and crumbly. take out cupful of these crumbs and stand aside. add to the rest of the mixture the yolks of eggs, whites being beaten separately and added last. add slowly cup of sweet milk. mix it in gradually until the mixture is creamed, then add a small quantity of grated orange peel, lemon or vanilla flavoring. lastly, stir in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. pour the mixture into each one of the three unbaked crusts, then sprinkle the cup of crumbs thickly over the tops. bake in a moderate oven. these are very good, cheap cakes for breakfast or lunch. "sour cream" molasses cake / cup molasses. cup sugar. / cup thick sour cream. / cup sour milk. / cup finely chopped peanuts. egg. teaspoonful soda dissolved in little hot water. - / cups flour. cup seeded raisins. mix together like ordinary cake. bake in a fruit cake pan in a slow oven about forty minutes. this excellent cake requires no shortening, as cream is used. economy cake egg. cup sweet milk. cup granulated sugar. cups flour. / cup butter. teaspoonfuls baking powder. cream together sugar and yolk of egg, then beat into this mixture the butter and add the milk. then stir the flour, a small quantity at a time, into the mixture, keeping it smooth and free from lumps. add the stiffly beaten white of egg. use any flavoring or spice preferred. bake in a quick oven. this is not simply a very cheap cake, but a decidedly good one, and made from inexpensive materials. follow the recipe exactly or the cake may be too light and too crumbly if too much baking powder is used, or heavy if too much butter is used. by varying the flavor and baking in different forms it is as good as a number of more expensive recipes. it makes three layers of any kind of layer cake, or bake in gem pans. ginger cake / cup brown sugar. egg. / cup lard. large cups flour. / cup new orleans molasses. tablespoonfnl of ginger. teaspoonful soda dissolved in half cup lukewarm water. beat sugar and lard to a cream, then beat in the yolk of egg, molasses and flour and soda dissolved in water. lastly, add the stiffly-beaten white of egg. bake minutes in hot oven. a very economical german clove cake place in a stew-pan the following ingredients: cup brown sugar. cup cold water. cups seeded raisins. / cup sweet lard, or a mixture of lard and butter. / grated nutmeg. teaspoonfuls cinnamon. / teaspoonful ground cloves. pinch of salt. boil all together three minutes. when cold add i teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a little hot water. add about - / cups flour sifted with / teaspoonful of baking powder. bake in a loaf in a moderately hot oven about thirty minutes. this cake is both good and economical, as no butter, eggs or milk are used in its composition. the recipe for making this excellent, cheap cake was bought by aunt sarah at a "cake and pie" sale. she was given permission to pass it on. icing. small cup pulverized sugar. tablespoonfuls of cocoa. mix smooth with a very little boiling water. spread over cake. cake icing for various cakes cook together cups of granulated sugar, - / cups of water a little less than minutes. just before it reaches the soft ball stage, beat in quickly marshmallows; when dissolved and a thick, creamy mass, spread between layers and on top of cake. this is a delicious creamy icing when made according to directions. if sugar and water be cooked one minute too long, the icing becomes sugary instead of creamy. one-half the above quantity will ice the top of a cake nicely. mary's recipe for "hot milk" sponge cake for this cake was used: cups granulated sugar. eggs. - / cups flour. - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder. cup boiling hot milk. separate the eggs, place yolks in a bowl, add the sugar and beat until creamy. add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs alternately with the sifted flour and baking powder; lastly add the cup of boiling hot milk; should the milk not be rich, add one teaspoon of butter to the hot milk. the cake batter should be thin as griddle cake batter, pour into a tube pan and place at once in a _very moderate_ oven; in about minutes increase the heat and in about minutes more the cake, risen to the top of pan, should have commenced to brown on top. bake from to minutes more in a moderately hot oven with steady heat; when baked the top of the cake should be a light fawn color and texture of cake light and fine grained. mary was told by her aunt that any sponge cake was improved by the addition of a teaspoon of butter, causing the sponge cake to resemble pound cake in texture. cheap "molasses ginger bread" cup new orleans molasses. cup sugar. / cup shortening (lard and butter mixed). cup hot water. large teaspoonful soda dissolved in the one cup of hot water. teaspoonful of ginger. / teaspoonful of cinnamon. quart of flour. stir sugar and shortening together. add molasses, beat all thoroughly, then add hot water and flour. stir hard. bake in two layer pans in quick oven about minutes. use cake while fresh. aunt sarah's extra fine large sponge cake cups granulated sugar. - / cups of flour. / cup of boiling water. large eggs. even teaspoonfuls baking powder. teaspoonful lemon juice. put whites of eggs in a large mixing bowl and beat very stiff. add sugar (sifted times), then add the well-beaten yolks, flour (sifted times with baking powder), add lemon juice. lastly, add the hot water. bake about minutes in a tube pan in a moderately hot oven with a steady heat. stand a pan of hot water in the upper rack of oven if the oven is quite hot. it improves the cake and causes it to be more moist. this is an excellent sponge cake and easily made, although the ingredients are put together the opposite way cakes are usually mixed, with the exception of angel cake. when this cake was taken from oven, powdered sugar was sifted thickly over the top. use cup holding / pint, as in all other cake recipes. angel cake--aunt sarah's recipe mary was taught by her aunt, when preparing a dish calling for yolks of eggs only, to place the white of eggs not used in a glass jar which she stood in a cold place or on ice. when she had saved one even cupful she baked an angel cake over the following recipe: one heaping cup of pulverized sugar (all the cup will hold), was sifted times. one cup of a mixture of pastry flour and corn starch (equal parts) was also sifted times. the whole was then sifted together times. the one cupful of white of eggs was beaten very stiff. when about half beaten, sprinkle over the partly-beaten eggs one scant teaspoonful of cream of tartar, then finish beating the whites of eggs. flavor with almond or vanilla. then carefully sift into the stiffly beaten whites of eggs sugar, flour and corn starch. fold into the whites of eggs rather than stir. aunt sarah always baked this cake in a small, oblong bread pan. this cake should be baked in a _very_ moderate oven, one in which the hand might be held without inconvenience while counting one hundred; the oven should be just hot enough for one to know there was fire in the range. do not open the oven door for minutes, then increase the heat a little; if not too hot, open the oven door a moment to cool and bake slowly for about minutes. aunt sarah's good and cheap "country fruit cake" cup butter and lard, mixed. eggs. cup new orleans molasses. cup sour milk. pound dried currants. / pound thinly sliced citron. teaspoonfuls baking soda. cups flour. pounds raisins, seeded. a little grated nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon and a very small quantity of cloves. bake in one large fruit cake pan or in two good sized pans about - / hours. this cake should not be kept as long a time as a more expensive fruit cake, but may be kept several weeks. this was aunt sarah's best recipe for an excellent, inexpensive fruit cake. a "sponge custard" cake eggs. cups granulated sugar. cups flour. teaspoonful baking soda. cup cold water. juice of lemon. teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar and pinch of salt. beat eggs well, then sift in sugar and half of flour in which cream of tartar has been mixed. dissolve the soda in a little water and add also the lemon juice and lastly add the balance of flour. bake in layer cake pans two inches deep. custard boil pint of sweet milk and add to it, stirring constantly, the following mixture: two tablespoonfuls corn starch, mixed with a little water before boiling, cup of sugar and well-beaten egg. allow all to cook a few minutes in a double boiler about minutes. split the sponge cakes when baked and put custard between when cooled. grandmother's excellent "old recipe" for marble cake light part. - / cups granulated sugar. scant cup butter or a mixture of butter and lard. whites of eggs. cup milk. scant cups flour sifted with teaspoons of baking powder. flavor with essence of lemon. dark part. yolks of eggs. / cup of a mixture of butter and lard. / cup milk (scant measure). / cup brown sugar. tablespoon of molasses. tablespoons of cinnamon. tablespoon of cloves. one cup or a little more flour sifted with one teaspoon of baking powder. place spoonfuls of the dark and light batter alternately in a cake pan until all has been used. bake in a moderately hot oven from to minutes. from this recipe may be made two good sized cakes. i should advise using one-half the quantity for both dark and light part of cake called for in recipe, which would make one good sized cake. should this whole recipe be used, the cake baked from it would be of the size of a very large fruit cake. mary's molasses cakes she creamed together cup of light brown sugar and tablespoonfuls of butter. then added cup of new orleans molasses. the molasses had been allowed to come to a boil, then cooled. she sifted into the mixture cups of flour alternately with cup of sweet milk in which even teaspoonfuls of soda had been dissolved. she beat all well together, then added yolk of one large egg, and lastly the stiffly beaten white of the egg. beat the mixture again and bake in square layer cake pans in a hot oven about minutes. this is an excellent cake if directions are closely followed. chocolate icing for molasses cake. boil scant half cup water with cup sugar until it spins a thread, or forms a soft, firm ball in cold water. pour slowly over the stiffly beaten white of egg, beating while it is being poured. melt squares or ounces of unsweetened chocolate by standing the bowl containing it in hot water. add teaspoonful hot water to chocolate. stir the egg and sugar mixture slowly into the melted chocolate. beat until stiff enough to spread on cake. hickory nut cake - / cups sugar. / cup butter. / cup milk. whites of eggs. cup hickory nut meats, chopped. cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls baking powder. mix together as ordinary cake. bake in a loaf. "light brown" sugar cake three cupfuls of light brown sugar, / cup of sweet lard and yolk of one egg creamed together until light. then add - / cups sour milk alternately with cups of flour and - / teaspoonfuls of cinnamon; - / teaspoonfuls of ginger, / teaspoonful of cloves and half of a grated nutmeg, tablespoonful of thinly shaved or grated citron is an improvement to cake, but may be omitted. beat all together, then add teaspoonful of soda dissolved in a small quantity of the sour milk. lastly, add the stiffly beaten white of one egg and one cup seeded raisins dredged with a little flour. put the cake batter in a large, well-greased fruit cake pan, lined with paper which had been greased and a trifle of flour sifted over, and bake in an oven with a steady heat about one hour and fifteen minutes. this is a very good, _inexpensive_ cake and will keep moist some time if kept in a tin cake box. the fruit might be omitted, but it improves the cake. "angel food" layer cake cup and tablespoonfuls granulated sugar. - \ cups flour. cup and tablespoonfuls scalded milk. teaspoonfuls baking powder. pinch of salt. whites of eggs. place milk in top part of double boiler and heat to boiling point. sift dry ingredients together four times and then pour in the hot milk and stir well together. lastly, add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. fold them in lightly, but do not beat. the batter will be quite thin. do not grease the tins. no flavoring is used. bake in two square layer tins, put together with any icing preferred. bake in a moderate oven. this is a good, economical cake to bake when yolks of eggs have been used for other purposes. mary's chocolate cake one-half cup of brown sugar, / cup of sweet milk and / cup of grated, unsweetened chocolate. boil all together until thick as cream; allow it to cool. mix / cup of butter with / cup of brown sugar. add two beaten eggs, / of a cup of sweet milk and vanilla flavoring to taste. beat this into the boiled mixture and add cups of flour sifted with teaspoonfuls of baking powder. bake in three layers and put together with chocolate icing, or cocoa filling. cocoa filling. - / cups pulverized sugar. tablespoonful butter, melted. - / tablespoonfuls cocoa. place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to a smooth paste with cold coffee. flavor with vanilla and spread on cake. tins cocoa filling should not be boiled. a cheap orange cake eggs. - / cupfuls sugar. large tablespoonful butter. cup milk. cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls baking powder. juice and grated yellow rind of half an orange. bake in moderate oven in loaf or layers. if a loaf cake, ice top and sides with the following icing: - / cupfuls pulverized sugar, tablespoonful warm water and grated rind and juice of half an orange. mix all together to a cream and spread over cake. frau schmidt's molasses cake pint of new orleans molasses. / cup butter and lard, mixed. eggs. cup sour milk good teaspoonfuls soda. cups flour. grated rind of orange. bake in a long dripping pan, cut out in square pieces, or it may be baked in a large pan used for fruit cake. it will fill two medium sized cake pans. apple sauce cake / cup butter (generous measure). cup light brown sugar. cup apple sauce (not sweetened). level teaspoonful soda. cups flour. teaspoonful cinnamon. / teaspoonful cloves. small nutmeg, grated. pinch of salt. cup raisins. cream together butter, sugar and spices. add apple sauce and flour. (dissolve the soda in apple sauce.) add a cup of seeded raisins or raisins and currants, if preferred. this recipe may be doubled when it makes a very good, cheap fruit cake, as no eggs are required, and it both looks and tastes like a dark fruit cake. icing. one cup pulverized sugar, piece of butter size of a walnut. moisten with a little water and spread on cake. "schwarz" cake this delicious black chocolate or "schwarz" cake, as aunt sarah called it, was made from the following recipe: - / cups of sugar. / cup butter. / cup sweet milk. even teaspoon of soda (saleratus). eggs. teaspoonful of vanilla. cups flour. - / teaspoon of royal baking powder. before mixing all the above ingredients place in a stewpan on the range / cup of grated chocolate and / cup sweet milk; allow them to come to a boil, then stand this mixture aside to cool and add to the cake mixture later. cream together sugar and butter, add yolk of eggs; soda dissolved in the milk, then add flour and baking powder sifted together alternately with the stiffly beaten white of eggs. then beat in last the chocolate and milk mixture which has cooled. bake in layer cake pans. use the following chocolate filling: / cup sugar. / cup milk. yolk of one egg. / teaspoon of corn starch (good measure). / cake of baker's unsweetened chocolate. boil all together until quite thick and spread between layers of cake. apple cream cake cups sugar. tablespoonfuls butter. cup sweet milk. cups flour. eggs. teaspoonfuls royal baking powder. add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs last and bake in two layers. flavor with lemon or vanilla. apple cream filling for cake. beat white of egg very stiff. add cup of granulated sugar and beat well. quickly grate one raw apple into the egg and sugar, add the juice of / lemon and beat minutes, when it will be light and foamy. this icing is soft and creamy. coarsely chopped nut meats may be added if liked. cake must be eaten with a fork, but is delicious. a "half pound" cake cream together / pound of sugar and / pound of butter. beat into this the eggs separately, until five eggs have been used. add flour and small teaspoonful of baking powder. bake in a moderate oven about minutes; / pound of flour is used in this cake. this cake is extra fine. a delicious icing (not cheap). stir to a cream a half cup butter, - / cups pulverized sugar, tablespoonful milk and teaspoonful vanilla. it is then ready to use for icing a cake. cocoanut layer cake cups sugar. / cup butter and lard, mixed. eggs (yolks only). cup milk. cups flour, sifted several times with the teaspoonfuls cream of tartar and teaspoonful soda (saleratus). mix like an ordinary cake. the filling. to the stiffly beaten whites of eggs add cup of pulverized sugar. spread this on each one of the layers of the cake and on top. strew a half of a grated cocoanut over. to the other half of grated cocoanut add tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar and strew over top of the cake. gold layer cake yolks of eggs. / cup butter. large cup granulated sugar. / cup sweet milk. - / cups flour. heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder. cream sugar and butter, add yolks. beat well, then add milk and flour. stir all together and bake in square pans in a hot oven. sunshine sponge cake cup granulated sugar. whites of small fresh eggs and yolks. / cup of flour, or scant cup of flour. / teaspoonful cream of tartar and a pinch of salt. beat the yolks of eggs thoroughly, then beat the whites about half; add cream of tartar and beat until very stiff. stir in sugar sifted lightly through your flour sifter. then add beaten yolks, stir thoroughly, sift the flour five times. the last time sift into the batter, stirring only enough to incorporate the flour. bake in a tube pan from to minutes in a very moderate oven. this is a particularly fine cake, but a little difficult to get just right. place cake in a cool oven; when cake has risen turn on heat. this cake should be baked same as an angel cake. an inexpensive dark "chocolate layer cake" cup sugar. / cup butter. eggs. / cup sweet milk. cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls baking powder. / cup chocolate. grate the chocolate, mix with / cup of milk and yolk of egg, sweeten to taste; cook the chocolate; when cooled add to the above mixture. bake in three layer tins. put white boiled icing between the layers. the boiled icing recipe will be found on another page. angel cake eggs (whites only). - / cups granulated sugar (sifted times). cup flour (sifted times). teaspoonful cream of tartar. teaspoonful vanilla. place white of eggs in a large bowl and beat about half as stiff as you wish them to be when finished beating. add cream of tartar, sprinkle it over the beaten whites of eggs lightly, and then beat until very stiff. sift in sugar, then flour very lightly. fold into the batter, rather than stir, with quick, even strokes with spoon. put quickly in tube pan, bake in moderate oven from to minutes. do not open oven door for first minutes after cake has been placed in oven. if cake browns before it rises to top of pan open oven door two minutes; when cake has risen to top of pan finish baking quickly. the moment cake shrinks back to level of pan remove from oven. this is an old, reliable recipe given mary by her aunt, who had baked cake from it for years. mary's chocolate loaf (made with sour milk) cups brown sugar. / cup lard and butter, mixed. eggs. / cup baker's chocolate, melted. / cup sour milk. / cup warm water. teaspoonful vanilla. pinch of salt. teaspoonful saleratus. cups flour. dissolve the saleratus in a little vinegar or warm water. mix as an ordinary loaf cake. inexpensive sunshine cake eggs. cup granulated sugar. cup sifted flour. beat whites of eggs very stiff and stir in thoroughly, then fold the flour, stirring only just enough to mix it in. if stirred too much, the cake will be tough. bake in a tube pan. this is a delicious cake if carefully made according to directions. no butter or baking powder is used. bake in a very moderate oven at first, gradually adding more heat until cake is baked. mary's recipe for orange cake grate outside rind of orange into a bowl; - / cups sugar and / cup butter and lard, mixed. cream all together. add yolks of three eggs, cup of sweet milk, - / cups flour, sifted with - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder. lastly, add the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. bake in two layers. filling for orange cake. grated rind and juice of half an orange, half the white of one egg, beaten stiff. add pulverized sugar until stiff enough to spread between cakes and on top. (about two cups of sugar were used.) roll jelly cake cup granulated sugar. - / cups flour. egg yolks. pinch of salt. / cup boiling water. large teaspoonful baking powder. the yolks of eggs left from making "pennsylvania dutch kisses" may be used for this cake by the addition of an extra yolk of egg. beat the yolks quite light, then add the sugar and beat until light and frothy. add the flour sifted with the baking powder and salt. lastly, add the half cup of boiling water. bake in a rather quick oven from to minutes in two square layer cake pans. cover cakes first ten minutes until they have risen. when baked turn cakes out of pans on to a cloth. take one at a time from the oven, spread as quickly as possible with a tart jelly, either currant or grape, and roll as quickly as possible, as when the cakes become cool they cannot be rolled without breaking. roll up in a cloth and when cool and ready to serve slice from end of roll. these cakes are very nice when one is successful, but a little difficult to get just right. aunt sarah's cinnamon cake cup sugar. cups flour. egg. - / teaspoons baking powder piece of butter the size of egg. pinch of salt. cup milk. a little grated nutmeg. beat the butter to a cream and gradually add the sugar. then add the unbeaten egg and beat all together thoroughly. add milk and flour and beat hard for five minutes. add baking powder, salt and nutmeg. pour into two small greased pie-tins and before putting in oven sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over top. this is an excellent breakfast cake, easily and quickly made. "gelb kuchen" mary's aunt taught her to make this exceptionally fine cake, yellow as gold, in texture resembling an "angel cake," from the following ingredients: the whites of eggs, yolks of eggs, / cup of fine, granulated sugar, / cup of high-grade flour, / teaspoonful of cream of tartar (good measure), a few drops of almond extract or / teaspoonful of vanilla. mix ingredients together in the following manner: sift sugar and flour separately times. beat yolks of eggs until light, add sugar to yolks of eggs and beat to a cream. the whites of eggs were placed in a separate bowl and when partly beaten the cream of tartar was sifted over and the whites of eggs were then beaten until dry and frothy. the stiffly beaten whites of eggs were then added alternately with the flour to the yolks and sugar. carefully fold in, do not beat. add flavoring, pour batter in a small, narrow bread tin, previously brushed with lard, over which flour had been dusted. the cake when baked may be readily removed from the tin after it has cooled. bake cake in a very moderate oven about minutes. after cake has been in oven or minutes increase heat of oven. an extra fine, large cake may be baked from this recipe if double the quantity of ingredients are used. devil's food cake cups brown sugar. / cup butter and lard, mixed. eggs. / cup boiling water. ounces baker's chocolate. cups flour. teaspoonful soda. / cup sour cream or milk. cream butter and sugar and add yolks of eggs; then sour milk into which the soda has been dissolved. add hot water, then the eggs. bake in layers or loaf. ice with boiled chocolate icing. if a little of the sour milk is saved until last, the soda dissolved in that, and then added to the cake batter, it will give a brick red appearance. this is an excellent cake. a cheap cocoanut layer cake cream together cup sugar, / cup butter, egg (white of egg beaten separately), add / cup milk, cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls baking powder. the stiffly beaten white of egg added last. bake in two layers. for the filling, to put between layers, beat the white of one egg to a stiff, dry froth; add one tablespoonful of sugar, mix together, spread between layers of cake and on top and over this strew freshly grated cocoanut grate cocoanut intended for cake the day before using. after it has been grated toss up lightly with a fork and stand in a cool place to dry out before using. lady baltimore cake cup butter. cups sugar. - / cups flour. cup sweet milk. whites of eggs. level teaspoonfuls baking powder sifted with the flour. teaspoonful rosewater. mix in the usual way and bake in three layers. icing for cake. dissolve cups of sugar in a cup of boiling water. cook until it spins a thread, about ten or twelve minutes. take from fire and pour over three stiffly beaten whites of eggs, then add a cup of nut meats (blanched and chopped almonds). one cup of chopped raisins may also be added if liked. stir until thick and creamy. allow cake to get cold before icing. one-half this recipe for icing will be sufficient for an ordinary cake. an inexpensive "white fruit cake" cups sugar. eggs. lb. seeded raisins. cup milk. cup butter. lb. currants. lb. chopped almonds. flavor with almond extract. cups flour sifted with teaspoonfuls of royal baking powder. / lb. figs. / lb. citron. beat to a cream sugar, butter and yolks of eggs. then add milk and flour alternately and fruit and almonds. lastly, add stiffly beaten whites of eggs. flour fruit before adding. chop figs. cut citron fine or shave it thin. this is a cheaper recipe than the one for a "christmas fruit cake," but this is a very good cake. a good and cheap "white cake" cups sugar. / cup butter and lard, mixed. cup milk. add a few drops of almond flavoring. cups flour. teaspoonfuls baking powder. whites of five eggs. cream together the butter and sugar, add flour sifted with baking powder alternately with the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. the five yolks of eggs left from baking white cake may be used when making salad dressing. use five yolks instead of three whole eggs, as called for in recipe for salad dressing. chocolate icing (very good) one-quarter cup grated, unsweetened chocolate, / cup milk, half a cup sugar. boil all together until thick and creamy. this quantity will be sufficient to ice the top of one ordinary cake. spread icing on cake before icing cools. when this icing is used for layer cake, double the recipe. tip-top cake lb. granulated sugar. cup butter. cup milk. eggs. lb. chopped raisins. (citron may be used instead of raisins.) / a nutmeg, grated. scant cups of flour. teaspoonfuls baking powder. mix together same as ordinary cake and bake in a loaf. this aunt sarah considered one of her finest cake recipes. she had used it for years in her family. the friend who gave this recipe to aunt sarah said: "a couple of tablespoonfuls of brandy will improve the cake." orange cake grate the yellow outside rind of orange into a bowl. add - / cups sugar and / cups butter and beat to a cream. then add yolks of eggs. then stir in cup milk, - / cups flour with heaping teaspoonfuls baking powder. lastly, add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in three layers. filling. use the white of one egg, the grated rind and juice of large orange and enough pulverized sugar to stiffen. spread between layers. cheap sponge cake - / cups granulated sugar. eggs. - / cups flour. tablespoonfuls boiling water. - / teaspoonfuls baking powder. pinch of salt; flavor to suit taste. cream yolks and sugar thoroughly, then add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, then flour, then boiling water. bake in a tube pan about minutes. this is a very easily made cake, which seldom fails and was bought with a set of "van dusen cake pans," which aunt sarah said: "she'd used for many years and found invaluable." caramel cake and icing - / cups pulverized sugar, cup of butter, cups flour, / cup of corn starch, teaspoons of baking powder sifted through flour and corn starch, cup of milk, the whites of eggs. mix like ordinary cake. bake as a loaf cake. ice top the following: cup of light brown sugar, / cup milk, / tablespoonful of butter, / teaspoonful of vanilla. cook all together until a soft ball is formed when dropped in water. beat until creamy and spread on top of cake. a white cake sift together, three times, the following: cup of flour. cup of sugar (granulated). even teaspoonfuls of baking powder. scald one cup of milk and pour hot over the above mixture. beat well. fold into the mixture, carefully, the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. flavor with a few drops of almond extract. bake in a _moderate oven_, exactly as you would bake an angel cake. this is a delicious, light, flaky cake, if directions are closely followed, but a little difficult to get just right. "dutch" currant cake (no yeast used) eggs. cups sugar. cup butter. cup milk. / teaspoonful baking soda. teaspoonful cream of tartar. teaspoonful cinnamon. / teaspoonful grated nutmeg. cup dried currants. to - / cups flour. make about as stiff as ordinary cake mixture. the butter, sugar and yolks of eggs were creamed together. cinnamon and nutmeg were added. milk and flour added alternately, stirring flour in lightly; sift cream of tartar in with the flour. add the baking soda dissolved in a very little water, then add the well-floured currants, and lastly add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in a large cake pan, generally used for fruit cake or bake two medium-sized cakes. bake slowly in a moderately hot oven. these cakes keep well, as do most german cakes. an "old recipe" for coffee cake cups flour. cup sugar. cup raisins. cup of liquid coffee. cup lard. cup molasses. tablespoonful saleratus. spices to taste. mix like any ordinary cake. this is a very old recipe of aunt sarah's mother. the cup used may have been a little larger than the one holding a half pint, used for measuring ingredients in all other cake recipes. a cheap brown sugar cake cup brown sugar. i tablespoonful lard. cup cold water. pinch of salt. cups raisins. / teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful cinnamon. boil all together three minutes, cool, then add teaspoonful of soda and / teaspoonful of baking powder sifted with cups of flour. frau schmidt's "german christmas cake" cream together in a bowl half a pound of pulverized sugar and half a pound of butter; then add yolks of five eggs, grated lemon rind, pint of milk, - / pounds of flour sifted with teaspoonfuls of baking powder, teaspoonfuls of vanilla extract. bake at once in a moderately hot oven. mary baked an ordinary-sized cake by using one-half of this recipe. the cake was fine grained, similar to a pound cake, although not quite as rich, and she added a couple tablespoonfuls of thinly shaved citron to the batter before baking. this is a particularly fine cake. "aunt sarah's" shellbark layer cake - / cups sugar. / cup butter. / cup water. eggs. - / teaspoonfuls baking powder. flour to stiffen. save out white of one egg for icing. bake cake in three layers. chop cup of hickory nut meats and add to the last layer of cake before putting in pan to bake. use the cake containing nut meats for the middle layer of cake. put layers together with white boiled icing. imperial cake (baked for mary's wedding) pound sugar. pound butter. / pound flour. pound raisins, seeded. pound almonds. / pound thinly shaved citron. lemon. nutmeg. eggs. mix ingredients as for pound cake. a fine cake, but expensive. a light fruit cake (for christmas) pound butter, scant measure. pound pulverized sugar. pound flour (full pound). eggs. pound english walnut kernels. pound raisins. / lb. citron, candied orange and lemon peel. cup brandy. teaspoonful baking powder. bake - / to hours. this is an excellent cake. english cake (similar to a white fruit cake) eggs. the weight of eggs in sugar. the weight of eggs in flour. cup raisins. cup currants. the weight of eggs in butter. / teaspoonful baking powder. tablespoonfuls of brandy. / cup finely shaved citron. / cup english walnut or shellbark meats. small quantity of candied orange and lemon peel. this recipe was given mary by an english friend, an excellent cook and cake-baker, who vouches for its excellence. grandmother's fruit cake (baked for mary's wedding) pound butter. pound sugar. pound flour. pounds raisins. pounds currants. spices of all kinds. / pound thinly sliced citron. eggs. tablespoonful molasses. cup sour milk. teaspoonful soda. mix together in ordinary manner. cream butter and sugar, add yolks of eggs, sour milk and soda; add flour alternately with stiffly beaten whites of eggs. lastly, the well-floured fruit. bake two hours in a moderate oven. this quantity makes one very large cake, or two medium sized ones, and will keep one year. line inside of pan with well-greased heavy paper to prevent bottom of cake baking too hard. aunt sarah never cut this cake until one month from time it was baked, as it improves with age and may be kept one year. an old recipe for pound cake cream together / pound butter and pound sugar and yolks of eggs. then add whites of eggs well beaten alternately with pound of sifted flour. bake in a moderate oven with a steady heat. the bottom of pan should be lined with well-greased paper. "bucks county" molasses cakes (baked in pastry) place in a bowl cup of new orleans molasses and / of a cup of sweet milk. add teaspoonful of baking _soda_. (for this cake aunt sarah was always particular to use the _cow_-brand soda), dissolved in a very little hot water. aunt sarah always used b.t. babbitt's saleratus for other purposes. stir all ingredients together well, then add gradually three even cups of flour, no more, and beat hard. the cake mixture should not be very thick. pour into three medium-sized pie-tins lined with pastry and bake in a moderately hot oven. these are good, cheap breakfast cakes, neither eggs nor shortening being used. brod torte (bread tart) six yolks of eggs and cup sugar, creamed together. beat about minutes. add teaspoonful allspice, teaspoonful cloves, cup baker's chocolate, which had been grated, melted and cooled; cup stale rye bread crumbs, crushed fine with rolling-pin. lastly, add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, a pinch of salt and / teaspoonful of baking powder sifted over the batter. put into a small cake pan and bake half an hour in a moderate oven. when eggs are cheap and plentiful this is an economical cake, as no flour is used. it is a delicious cake and resembles an ordinary chocolate cake. a delicious chocolate cake / cake of baker's unsweetened chocolate (grated). cup granulated sugar. / cup milk. teaspoonful vanilla. / cup butter. - / to cups flour. eggs. teaspoonfuls baking powder. boil together chocolate, sugar and milk. add butter and when cool add yolk of eggs; then the flour, flavoring and stiffly beaten whites of eggs. beat all thoroughly and bake in a loaf or layers. chocolate icing boil together tablespoonfuls grated chocolate, / cup granulated sugar, tablespoonfuls milk, egg. when the mixture begins to thicken and look creamy, spread on cake. if baked in layers, ice on top and between the two layers. a white cocoanut cake cream together / cup butter and cups sugar. add whites of eggs, cup milk, teaspoonful cream of tartar, / teaspoonful soda sifted with cups flour and grated cocoanut. bake in a loaf. this is an excellent old recipe of aunt sarah's. a potato cake (no yeast required) cream together: cup of sugar. / cup lard and butter, mixed. yolk of eggs. / cup pulverized cocoa. / cup of creamed mashed potatoes, cold. a little ground cinnamon and grated nutmeg. a few drops of essence of vanilla. / cup of sweet milk. / cup finely chopped nut meats. one teaspoonful of baking powder sifted with one cup of flour added to the batter alternately with the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in two layers, in a moderately hot oven. ice top and put layers together with white icing. this is a delicious, if rather unusual cake. a citron cake / cup butter. cup sugar. eggs. tablespoonfuls water. / pound of thinly shaved citron. - / cups flour. - / teaspoonfuls baking powder. several drops of almond flavoring. bake in a loaf in a moderate oven about minutes after mixing ingredients together as for any ordinary cake. this is a very good cake. aunt amanda's spice "kuchen" cup butter. cups granulated sugar. cup of a mixture of sour milk and cream. eggs. teaspoonful soda. / teaspoonful cloves. teaspoonful cinnamon. / teaspoonful nutmeg. teaspoonful vanilla extract. tablespoonfuls cocoa. cups flour. mix all like any ordinary cake. from one-half this recipe was baked an ordinary sized loaf cake. a good, cheap chocolate cake one cup of flour, teaspoonful of baking powder and cup of granulated sugar were sifted together. two eggs were broken into a cup, also large tablespoonful of melted butter. fill up the cup with sweet milk, beat all ingredients well together. flavor with vanilla and add extra tablespoonfuls of flour to the mixture. bake in two layer cake pans. place the following mixture between the two layers: / cup of grated chocolate, / cup sugar and / cup of liquid coffee. cook together a short time until the consistency of thick cream, then spread between layers. an ice cream cake two cups of pulverized sugar, cup of butter, cup sweet milk, whites of eggs, teaspoonful soda, teaspoonfuls of cream of tartar, cups of flour. from same proportions of everything, only using the yolks instead of whites of eggs, may be made a yellow cake, thus having two good sized layer cakes with alternate layers of white and yellow. put cakes together with white icing. this was an old recipe of aunt sarah's mother, used when cream of tartar and soda took the place of baking powder. small sponge cakes for these small cakes take eggs, cup of sugar and / cup of flour and / teaspoonful of baking powder, a pinch of salt, flavor with lemon. beat yolks of eggs separately, then add sugar and beat to a cream, then add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs alternately with the sifted flour and baking powder; add a pinch of salt and flavoring. bake in small muffin tins in a very moderate oven. small cakes and cookies--"aunt sarah's" little lemon cakes cups granulated sugar. eggs (not separated, but added one at a time to the sugar and shortening which had been creamed together). scant cup butter and lard, mixed. teaspoonfuls baking powder. pinch of salt tablespoonful sweet milk. grated rind of lemons and juice of one. stiffen the dough with about - / cups flour and use about extra cup of flour to dredge the bake-board when rolling out dough and for sifting over the greased baking sheets so the cakes will come off readily. roll dough very thin and cut in any desired shape. from this recipe may be made small cakes. the baking sheet (for which i gave measurements in bread recipe) holds of these small round cakes. do all young housewives know that if dough for small cakes be mixed the day before baking and stood in a cool place, the cakes can be cut out more easily and the dough may be rolled thinner, and as less flour may then be used, the cakes will be richer? aunt sarah always cut these cakes with a small round or heart-shaped cutter and when all were on the baking sheet she either placed a half of an english walnut meat in the centre of each cake or cut out the centre of each small cake with the top of a pepper box lid before baking them. oatmeal crisps - / cups rolled oats (oatmeal). tablespoonful melted butter. / cup sugar. teaspoonful baking powder. large eggs. pinch of salt. beat eggs, add salt and sugar, mix baking powder with oats and stir all together. drop from a teaspoon on to flat pan or sheet iron, not too close together, as they spread. flatten very thin with a knife dipped in cold water and bake in a moderate oven a light brown. these cakes are fine and easily made. did you not know differently, you would imagine these cakes to be macaroons made from nuts, which they greatly resemble. aunt sarah's ginger snaps cup molasses, cup sugar, cup of a mixture of lard and butter, egg, teaspoonful of ginger, teaspoonful of cinnamon, / a grated nutmeg, teaspoonful of soda dissolved in teaspoonful of vinegar. about cups of flour should be added. dough should be stiff enough to roll out very thin, and the cakes may be rolled thinner than would be possible otherwise, should the cake-dough stand aside over night, or on ice for several hours, until thoroughly chilled. cut cakes small with an ordinary cake cutter and bake in a quick oven. these are excellent and will remain crisp some time if kept in a warm, dry place. german "lebkuchen" this is a recipe for good, old-fashioned "german christmas cakes," from which aunt sarah's mother always baked. she used: pound dark brown sugar. whole eggs and yolks of more. / pound citron finely shaved on a "slaw-cutter." / pound english walnut meats (chopped fine). quart flour sifted with teaspoonfuls of baking powder. mix well together. do not roll thin like ginger snaps, but about a half inch thick. cut out about size of a large coffee cup. bake in a moderate oven and when cold ice the cakes with the following icing: icing for german lebkuchen. boil cups of sugar and / cup of water seven minutes. pour over the stiffly beaten whites of three eggs; ice the cakes. place cakes in a tin box when icing has become cold and these will keep quite a long time. i have eaten high-priced, imported lebkuchen no better than those made from this recipe. grandmother's molasses cakes one quart of new orleans molasses, eggs, butter size of an egg. place all together in a stew-pan on range, allow it to come to boil, stirring constantly, and when cool stir in one tablespoonful of saleratus dissolved in a very little vinegar, and about pounds of flour. do not have cake dough too stiff. dough should stand until the following day. roll out at least / inch thick. cut cakes as large around as an ordinary coffee cup or cut with a knife into small, oblong pieces, a little larger than half a common soda cracker. bake in a moderate oven. should too much flour be used, cakes will be hard and dry instead of soft and spongy. this very old and excellent recipe had belonged to the grandmother of sarah landis. cakes similar to the ones baked from this recipe, also those baked from recipe for "honey cakes," were sold in large sheets marked off in oblong sections, seventy years ago, and at that time no "vendue," or public sale, in certain localities throughout bucks county, was thought complete unless in sound of the auctioneer's voice, on a temporary stand, these cakes were displayed on the day of "the sale," and were eagerly bought by the crowd which attended such gatherings. angel cakes (baked in gem pans) the whites of four eggs should be beaten very stiff and when partly beaten sprinkle over / teaspoonful of cream of tartan finish beating egg whites and sift in slowly / cup of fine granulated sugar, then sift / cup of flour (good measure). flavor with a few drops of almond flavoring. bake in small gem pans, placing a tablespoonful of butter in each. sift pulverized sugar over tops of cakes. bake minutes in a _very_ moderate oven. the recipe for these dainty little cakes was given mary by a friend who, knowing her liking for angel cake, said these were similar in taste. "almond brod" three-fourths cup sugar, eggs, - / tablespoonfuls olive oil cups flour, / teaspoonfuls baking powder, / cup sweet almonds, pinch of salt. a couple of drops of almond extract. in a bowl place / cup of granulated sugar. add well-beaten eggs, cups of flour sifted with - / teaspoonfuls of baking powder and a pinch of salt. mix all well together. add cup whole (blanched) almonds and - / tablespoonfuls of good olive oil. knead the dough thoroughly. do not have dough too stiff. divide the dough into four equal parts, roll each portion of dough on a _well-floured_ bake board into long, narrow rolls. place the four rolls on a baking sheet over which flour had been previously sifted. place the rolls a short distance apart and bake in a quick oven about twenty minutes or until light brown on top. on removing the baking sheet from the oven cut rolls at once, while the almonds are still warm, into two-inch pieces. from this recipe was made thirty pieces of almond bread. the olive oil, used as shortening, is not tasted when baked. these are a very good little cake, and not bread, as their name would lead one to suppose. "grossmutter's" honey cakes one quart of boiled honey (if possible procure the honey used by bakers, as it is much cheaper and superior for this purpose than the clear, strained honey sold for table use). add to the warm honey two generous tablespoonfuls of butter, yolks of four eggs, two ounces of salaratus (baking soda), dissolved in a very small quantity of vinegar, just enough to moisten the salaratus. add just enough flour to enable one to stir well with a spoon. work the dough a half hour and allow it to stand until the following day, when cut cakes from the dough which had been rolled out on the bake-board one-half inch thick. the dough should be only just stiff enough to roll out, as should the dough be _too soft_ the cakes will become hard and crisp, instead of light and spongy, and if too great a quantity of flour is added the cakes will not be good. as the thickening qualities of flour differ, the exact amount required cannot be given. when about to cut out cakes, the bake-board should be well-floured. cut the cakes the size of the top of a large coffee-cup, or roll out in one-half inch thick on a well-floured baking sheet and mark in small, oblong sections with a knife, they may then be easily broken apart when baked. these cakes should he baked in a moderately hot oven and not a _hot oven_. these are the real, old-time honey cakes as made by aunt sarah's grandmother on a "bucks county" farm, and mary's aunt informed her she still remembered in her earlier days having bought these cakes at "bucks county" sales or "vendues," as they were then designated. lemon wafers or drop cakes eggs. / pound butter. / pound sugar. / pound flour. pinch of salt. flavor with lemon essence. mix the same as other small cakes. drop spoonfuls quite a distance apart on the cold pan or tin on which they are to be baked as the dough spreads. these are very thin, delicious wafers when baked. frau schmidt's sugar cookies cup lard and butter, mixed. cups granulated sugar, and eggs, all creamed together; then add teaspoon soda (mix with a little sour milk). flavor with vanilla. beat all well together. add flour enough that they may be rolled out, no more. flour bake-board well; cut dough with cake cutter into small round cakes and bake in a rather quick oven. this recipe will make a large number of cakes if dough be rolled thin as a wafer. frau schmidt was able to keep these cakes some time--under lock and key. if cake dough be mixed one day and allowed to stand over night, cakes may be rolled out much more easily and cut thinner. almond macaroons (as prepared by mary) three eggs (whites only), / pound of pulverized sugar, / pound of almond paste (which may be bought ready prepared). beat eggs very stiff, add other ingredients. drop teaspoonfuls on a baking sheet and bake in a moderate oven or minutes. macaroons prepared from this recipe are delicious and resemble those sold by confectioners. "honig kuchen" (honey cakes) two pounds of flour, / pound of butter, / pound of almonds, pounds of honey in liquid form, the grated yellow rind of one lemon, / teaspoonful of cloves, / teaspoonful of cinnamon, ounce of hartshorn, dissolved in a small quantity of water. boil together honey and butter, remove from fire, and when mixture has cooled add the hartshorn, coarsely chopped almonds and flour. allow this mixture to stand several days, roll out / inch thick. cut in small round cakes, place a whole almond in centre of each cake. bake a light brown in a moderate oven. frau schmidt's molasses snaps two cups of new orleans molasses, cup of lard, tablespoonful of ginger, teaspoonful of cinnamon, / teaspoonful of cloves, / a grated nutmeg, tablespoonful of saleratus dissolved in a small quantity of hot water. add enough flour to form a _very_ stiff dough. stand dough aside until the following day, when roll out very thin on a well-floured bake-board. cut with a small round cake cutter and bake in a hot oven. these are good, cheap small cakes. hickory nut cakes one cup of hickory nut meals, cup of pulverized sugar, egg, a pinch of salt, teaspoons of flour. mix all ingredients together. drop small pieces on a sheet-iron and bake. "lebkuchen" (as the professor's wife made them) two pounds of sugar, large eggs, / pound of almonds (shelled), / pound of citron, / of a pound each of candied orange and lemon peel, the grated yellow rind of one lemon, teaspoonfuls of cinnamon, teaspoonful allspice, about pounds flour. separate the eggs. cream the yolks of eggs and sugar well together. then add the almonds (which have been blanched by pouring boiling water over them, when the skins may be readily removed), the citron and lemon peel chopped fine. then add level teaspoonful of different spices. then add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs, alternately, with the sifted flour. the recipe called for two pounds of flour, but "frau" schmidt said; "she was never able to use the whole amount, so she added just enough flour to prevent the mixture spreading when dropped on the baking sheet by tablespoonfuls." fruit jumbles two cups sugar, eggs (beaten separately), cup butter, cup milk, - / cups flour, teaspoonfuls baking powder, / of nutmeg, grated, cup currants. mix all together and bake in a broad, shallow pan. this is similar to spanish bun. when cake is cooled, but not cold, cut in two-inch squares or diamonds before removing from the pan in which the cake was baked. brown "pfeffernussen" for these german cakes frau schmidt used the following: pounds of flour, pounds of sugar syrup, / teaspoonful of black pepper, / pound of lard, / teaspoon of cardamom powder, / pound of butter, / teaspoonful of cloves, / pound of brown sugar and eggs. use as much "hirschhorn salz" as can be placed on the point of a knife ("hirschhorn salz" translated is carbonate of ammonia and is used for baking purposes). allow the syrup to heat on the range. skim off the top. when syrup has cooled mix all ingredients together and stand aside for one week or longer, when form the dough into small balls size of a hickory nut. place on greased pans and bake half hour in a slow oven. small oatmeal cakes cream together - / cups of light brown sugar, / cup of lard and butter, mixed, and the yolk of one egg. add / cup of hot water and / teaspoonful of saleratus (baking soda) dissolved in a little boiling water; add - / cups of oatmeal the stiffly beaten white of egg and - / cups of white flour. mix all together. dredge the bake board with flour, roll thin. cut out with a small round cake cutter. sift a little flour over the well-greased baking sheets, on which place cakes and bake in a moderately hot oven. frau schmidt's recipe for "german" almond slices / pound sugar, / pound butter. / pound of seeded raisins (chopped). / pound blanched and chopped almonds. teaspoonful cinnamon, teaspoonful of allspice. grated rind and juice of lemon. cakes german sweet chocolate, grated. whole eggs and extra whites of eggs. teaspoons baking powder, cups flour. tablespoon vanilla, tablespoons of brandy. cream butter and sugar, add eggs, one at a time. then add all the ingredients. mix with flour. flour bake board and take a handful of dough and roll with the hands in shape of a sausage roll. this quantity of dough makes eight rolls. place on greased baking sheets a short distance apart, so they will not touch when being baked. bake them in a _warm_, not hot, oven. take from the oven when baked and cut while still warm into small slices across the roll. slices should be about three-quarters of an inch wide. cover the three sides with the following icing: beat together until smooth and creamy cupful of sweet cream, adding enough confectioners' sugar to make it spread. you may expedite the work by preparing raisins and almonds the day before. the professor's wife always served these almond cakes with coffee when she gave a "kaffee klatch" to her country friends. "july ann's" ginger snaps two cups of molasses (new orleans), cup of light brown sugar, egg, tablespoonful of soda, tablespoonfuls of vinegar, tablespoonful of ginger and about - / cups of flour. place molasses and sugar in a sauce-pan on the range, cook together until sugar is dissolved, no longer. mix the soda and vinegar and when foamy add to the sugar and molasses with a portion of the required amount of flour; then add the egg and the flour remaining. turn dough out on a well-floured bake-beard, roll out into a thin sheet and cut out small cakes with a tin cutter. bake in a moderately hot oven. no shortening of any kind was used in these cakes. one hundred cakes were baked from the above ingredients. cocoanut cookies three cups of sugar, cup of butter, eggs, cup of sweet milk, cup of grated cocoanut, teaspoonfuls of baking powder. mix all together, sift flour with baking powder, add flour to form a dough just stiff enough to roll out, no more. cut with a small tin cake cutter into round cakes and bake. chocolate cookies two cups of white sugar, cup of grated, unsweetened chocolate, eggs, / cup of butter, teaspoonfuls of baking powder. flavor with vanilla. mix together sugar, butter and eggs, add melted chocolate and flour to stiffen, just enough flour being used to allow of their being cut with a cake cutter. the baking powder should have been sifted with a small amount of flour before adding. small "belsnickel" christmas cakes cups "a" sugar. pinch of salt. cup melted butter. teaspoonful baking soda. eggs. about cups of flour. mix in just enough flour so the cake dough may be rolled out quite thin on a floured board, using as little flour as possible. cut out small cakes and bake lightly in a moderately hot oven. the butter, when melted, should fill one cup; pour it over the two cups of sugar in a bowl and beat until smooth and creamy; add the eggs, beating one at a time into the mixture. sift the teaspoonful of baking soda several times through the flour before adding to the cake mixture. stand this dough in a cold place one hour at least before cutting out cakes. no flavoring is used. sift granulated sugar thickly over cakes before placing them in oven to bake. from these ingredients were made over one hundred cakes. one-half this recipe might be used for a small family. the cakes keep well in a dry, cool place. this old recipe of aunt sarah's mother derived its name "belsnickel" from the fact that the belsnickels, who invariably visited the houses of "bucks county" farmers on christmas eve, were always treated to some of these delicious little christmas cakes. "pennsylvania dutch" kisses one cup of pulverized sugar, whites of eggs, heaping cup of nut meats (mary used hickory nut meats), a pinch of salt. to the very stiffly beaten whites of eggs add sugar, salt and lastly the nut meats. drop teaspoonfuls of this batter on a greased, floured baking tin. bake in a moderate oven. little crumb cakes for these small cakes aunt sarah creamed together / cup of granulated sugar, / cup butter. one quite large egg was used. the egg yolk was added to the creamed sugar and butter and thoroughly beaten, then scant / cup of milk was added, and one heaping cup of fine dried bread crumbs sifted with / teaspoonful of baking powder and / cup of finely chopped or rolled _black_ walnut meats. lastly, add the stiffly beaten white of egg. flavor with grated nutmeg. bake in small muffin pans in a moderate oven. this makes nine small cakes. no flour is used in these cakes, but, instead of flour, bread crumbs are used. delicious vanilla wafers (as mary made them) / pound of butter. / pound of flour. / pound of sugar. eggs. cream together butter and sugar, add yolks of eggs, beat well, then add stiffly beaten whites of eggs and flour alternately. flavor with essence of vanilla, drop from spoon on to _cold_ iron pan, not too close together, as the cakes will spread. bake quickly in a hot oven until outer edge of cakes have browned. macaroons (as aunt sarah made them) one-half pound of almonds, blanched and chopped fine, / pound of pulverized sugar, whites of eggs. place sugar and almonds in a pan on the range, until colored a light yellow-brown. beat whites of eggs very stiff, mix all ingredients together, then drop with a spoon on tins waxed with bees' wax, and bake in a quick oven. "springerles" (german christmas cakes) eggs. pound sifted pulverized sugar quarts flour, sifted twice. small teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat whites and yolks of eggs separately, mix with sugar and beat well. add flour until you have a smooth dough. roll out pieces of dough, which should be half an inch thick. press the dough on a floured form or mold, lift the mold, cut out the cakes thus designed and let lie until next day on a floured bread board. the next day grease pans well, sprinkle anise seed over the pans in which the cakes are to be baked; lay in cakes an inch apart and bake in a moderate oven to a straw color. the form used usually makes six impressions or cakes - / inches square, leaving the impression of a small figure or flower on surface when dough is pressed on form. oatmeal cookies cup sugar. cup butter and lard, mixed (scant measure). cup chopped nut meats. cup chopped raisins. eggs, beaten separately, whites added last. teaspoonful baking soda dissolved in tablespoonfuls sour milk. teaspoonful vanilla. little grated nutmeg. cups oatmeal (uncooked). cups white flour. drop with tablespoon on well-greased baking sheet over which has been sifted a little flour. bake in rather quick oven. this recipe makes small cakes. peanut biscuits sift together cups flour and teaspoonfuls baking powder. add egg, / cup sugar, / cup peanuts and pecan nut meats, mixed (run through food-chopper), / cup sweet milk, / teaspoonful salt. beat sugar and yolk of egg together add milk, stiffly beaten white of egg, chopped nut meats and flour, alternately. add salt. place a large spoonful in each of well-greased gem pans. allow to stand in pans about minutes. bake half an hour. plain cookies / cup butter. tablespoonfuls milk. cup sugar. / teaspoonful grated nutmeg. eggs. / cup chopped walnut meats. cups flour. teaspoonfuls baking powder. cream butter and sugar, add milk slowly, add well-beaten eggs. beat well, add flour and baking powder, sifted together. roll thin. cut with a small cake cutter any desired. walnut rocks cream together - / cups of sugar, / cup of butter, a small teaspoonful of salt. dissolve teaspoonful of soda in tablespoonfuls of warm water, two eggs. sift cups of flour, add teaspoonful of ginger, teaspoonful of cloves, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, pound of english walnuts, pound of seeded raisins. drop by teaspoon on a cold sheet iron and bake in a moderate oven. these are excellent. cinnamon wafers (as made by aunt sarah) eggs / pound sugar. / pound butter. pound flour. mix like ordinary cake. divide this into three parts. flavor one part with vanilla, with chocolate and the other with cinnamon. these latter will be darker than the first. place a piece of dough as large as a small marble in a small hot, well-greased waffle or wafer iron. press two sides of iron together, which flattens out cake, and hold by a long handle over fire, turning it over occasionally until cakes are baked. the cake, when baked, is a delicious, thin, rich wafer, about the size of half a common soda cracker. i have never eaten these christmas cakes at any place excepting at aunt sarah's. the wafer iron she possessed was brought by her grandmother from germany. the waffle or wafer irons might be obtained in this country. zimmet waffles (as made by frau schmidt) / pound butter. / ounce cinnamon. / pound sugar. eggs. flour. work together and form into small balls. place in hot buttered wafer irons, hold over fire and bake. this is an old german recipe which frau schmidt's grandmother used. "braune lebkuchen" pounds sugar syrup. / pound granulated sugar. / pound butter. / pound coarsely chopped almonds. grate yellow part of one lemon rind. / ounce cinnamon. / ounce cloves. drachm of powdered cardamom. ounce of hartshorn, dissolved in a little milk. place syrup in stew-pan on range to heat, add butter, almonds, spices, etc. remove from range, stir in flour gradually. use about cups of flour. when cool add the dissolved hartshorn. allow the cake dough to stand in a warm place eight to ten days before baking. then place a portion of the cake dough on a greased baking sheet which has been sprinkled lightly with flour, roll cake dough out on the sheet about / inch in thickness; place in a _very moderate_ oven. when well dried out and nicely browned on top cut the sheets into small squares, the size of ordinary soda crackers. this is a very old recipe given mary by frau schmidt. peanut cookies one pint of roasted peanuts, measured, after being shelled. rub off the brown skin, run through a food-chopper. cream together tablespoonfuls of butter, cup of sugar. add eggs, tablespoonfuls of milk, / teaspoonful of salt and the chopped peanuts. add flour to make a soft dough. roll out on a floured board, cut with a small cake cutter and bake in a moderate oven. this recipe was given mary by a friend living in allentown. pies--flaky pie crust have all the materials cold when making pastry. handle as little as possible. place in a bowl - / cups flour, / teaspoonful salt and cup good, sweet lard. cut through with a knife into quite small pieces and mix into a dough with a little less than a half cup of cold water. use only enough water to make dough hold together. this should be done with a knife or tips of the fingers. the water should be poured on the flour and lard carefully, a small quantity at a time, and never twice at the same place. be careful that the dough is not too moist. press the dough with the hands into a lump, but do not knead. take enough of the dough for one pie on the bake board, roll lightly, always in one direction, line greased pie tins and fill crust. if fruit pies, moisten the edge of the lower crust, cover with top crust, which has been rolled quite thin. a knife scraped across the top crust several times before placing over pie causes the crust to have a rough, flaky, rich-looking surface when baked. cut small vents in top crust to allow steam to escape. pinch the edges of fruit pies well together to prevent syrup oozing out. if you wish light, flaky pie crust, bake in a hot oven. if a sheet of paper placed in oven turns a delicate brown, then the oven is right for pies. the best of pastry will be a failure if dried slowly in a cool oven. when baking a crust for a tart to be filled after crust has been baked, always prick the crust with a fork before putting in oven to bake. this prevents the crust forming little blisters. aunt sarah always used for her pies four even cups of flour, / teaspoonful baking powder and one even cup of sweet, _rich, home-made lard_, a pinch of salt with just enough cold water to form a dough, and said her pies were rich enough for any one. they certainly were rich and flaky, without being greasy, and she said, less shortening was necessary when baking powder was used. to cause her pies to have a golden brown color she brushed tops of pies with a mixture of egg and milk or milk and placed immediately in a hot oven. mary noticed her aunt frequently put small dabs of lard or butter on the dough used for top crust of pies before rolling crust the desired size when she wished them particularly rich. aunt sarah always used pastry flour for cake and pie. a smooth flour which showed the impression of the fingers when held tightly in the hand (the more expensive "bread flour") feels like fine sand or granulated sugar, and is a stronger flour and considered better for bread or raised cakes in which yeast is used, better results being obtained by its use alone or combined with a cheaper flour when baking bread. aunt sarah's lemon pie this is a good, old-fashioned recipe for lemon pie, baked with two crusts, and not expensive. grate the yellow outside rind from one lemon, use juice and pulp, but not the white part of rind; mix with small cups of sugar, then add cup of water and cup of milk, and large tablespoonful of corn starch, moistened with a little of the one cup of water. the yolks of eggs were added. mix all ingredients and add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs. this quantity will fill three small pastry crusts. the mixture will measure nearly one quart. pour into the three crusts, moisten edges of pies, place top crusts on each pie. pinch edges of crust together and bake in hot oven. the professor's wife's superior pastry for superior pastry use - / cups flour, cup lard, / teaspoonful salt and about / cup of cold water, or three scant tablespoonfuls. put cup of flour on the bake board, sprinkle salt over, chop / cup of sweet lard through the flour with a knife, until the pieces are about the size of a cherry. moisten with about / cup of ice cold water. cut through the flour and lard with a knife, moistening a little of the mixture at a time, until you have a soft dough, easily handled. roll out lightly the size of a tea plate. take / of the lard remaining, put small dabs at different places on the dough (do not spread the lard over), then sprinkle over / of the remaining half cup of flour and roll the dough into a long, narrow roll, folding the opposite ends in the centre of the roll. roll out lightly (one way), then add lard and flour; roll and repeat the process until flour and lard have all been used. the pastry may be set aside in a cold place a short time before using. if particularly fine pastry is required, the dough might be rolled out once more, using small dabs of butter instead of lard, same quantity as was used of lard for one layer, then dredged thickly with flour and rolled over and over, and then ends folded together, when it should be ready to use. when wanted to line pie-tins, cut pieces off one end of the roll of dough and roll out lightly. the layers should show plainly when cut, and the pastry should puff nicely in baking, and be very rich, crisp and flaky. when preparing crusts for custards, lemon meringues and pies having only one crust, cut narrow strips of pastry about half an inch wide, place around the upper edge or rim of crust and press the lower edge of the strip against the crust; make small cuts with a knife about / inch apart, all around the edge of this extra crust, to cause it to look flaky when baked. this makes a rich pie crust. a very good crust may be made by taking the same proportions as used for superior pastry, placing - / to cups flour on the bake board, add salt, cut / cup lard through the flour, moistening with water. roll out crust and line pie-tins or small patty pans for tarts. this pastry is not quite as fine and smooth as the other, but requires less time and trouble to make. the professor's wife taught mary to make this pastry, but mary never could learn from her the knack of making a dainty, crimped, rolled-over edge to her pies, which she made easily with a deft twist of her thumb and forefinger. mary's lemon meringue (made with milk) line two large pie-tins with pie crust, prick with a fork before placing crusts in oven to bake. when baked stand aside to cool while you prepare the following filling: the juice and grated rind of lemon, pint sweet milk, cup sugar, yolks of three eggs, tablespoonfuls flour, butter size of a walnut. cream together sugar, flour, yolks of eggs, then add lemon, mix well then add to the scalded milk on the range and cook until thick. let cool, but do not allow to become quite cold, spread on the two crusts, which have been baked. when quite cold add tablespoonfuls of sugar to the stiffly beaten whites of the three eggs, spread on top of pies, sift tablespoonful pulverized sugar on top of meringue and set in a quick oven until fawn color. serve cold. when mixing pie dough, should you have mixed more than needed at one time, line _agate_ pie-tins with crust (never stand away in tin). they may be kept several days in a cool place and used later for crumb cakes or custards. or a crust might be baked and used later for lemon meringues, etc. apple tart line pie-tins with rich pie crust, sift over each tablespoonful flour and tablespoonfuls sugar. place on the crust enough good, tart baking apples, which have been pared, cored, halved and placed (flat surface down) on the crust. put bits of butter over the top and between the apples, about large tablespoonful altogether, and sprinkle about tablespoonfuls of sugar over, add about tablespoonful of cold water when pies are ready to place in oven. these pies should be baked in a very hot oven. when apples are soft take pies from oven and serve one pie, hot; stand the other one aside until quite cold. to the stiffly beaten white of one egg add one tablespoonful sugar. stir together and place a spoonful on the top of each half of apple and place in oven until meringue has browned and serve pie cold. peach tarts may be made in a similar manner, omitting the meringue and substituting peaches for apples. raisin or "rosina" pie "rosina" pie, as aunt sarah called it, was composed of lemon, egg, cup sugar, tablespoonful flour, cup large, blue, seeded raisins. cover the raisins with one cup of cold water; let soak two hours. cream egg and sugar together, add juice and grated rind of one quite small lemon, or half a large one. mix the tablespoonful of flour smooth with a little cold water, add to the mixture, then add raisins and to the water in which they were soaked add enough water to fill the cup and cook until the mixture thickens. when cool fill pie-tins with the mixture, bake with upper and under crust about minutes in hot oven. aunt sarah used a _generous_ tablespoonful of flour for this pie. "snitz" pie cover a bowlful of well-washed dried apples with cold water and allow to soak over night. the following morning cook until tender and mash through a colander. if quite thick a small quantity of water should be added. season with sugar to taste. some apples require more sugar than others. add cinnamon, if liked. aunt sarah never used any spices in these pies. bake with two crusts or place strips cross-wise over the pie of thinly rolled dough, like lattice work. these are typical "bucks county" pies. mary's recipe for plain pumpkin pie line a pie-tin, one holding cups of liquid, with rich pastry. for the filling for pie mix together the following: cup of steamed pumpkin, which had been mashed through a colander, egg, beaten separately, tablespoonful of flour, - / tablespoonfuls of sugar, / teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of grated nutmeg, same of ginger, - / cups of milk (scant measure). the mixture should measure exactly cups, after adding milk. pour this mixture into the pastry-lined pie-tin and bake in a moderate oven until top of pie is a rich brown. chocolate pie melt one square of baker's unsweetened chocolate, or / cup of powdered cocoa, mix with this / cup of granulated sugar and / cup of corn starch. when well mixed add yolks of eggs, a pinch of salt, cups of milk; cook all together in a double boiler until thickened. when cool flavor with vanilla. fill pastry-lined pie crust with the mixture. beat the whites of eggs to a froth, mix with a couple tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar, spread on top of pie, stand in oven until light brown. "pebble dash" or shoo-fly pie aunt sarah made these to perfection and called them "pebble dash" pie. they are not really pies, they resemble cakes, but having a crust we will class them with pies. she lined three small sized pie-tins with rich pie crust. for the crumbs she placed in a bowl cups of flour, cup brown sugar and / cup of butter and lard, mixed and rubbed all together with the hands, not smooth, but in small rivels. for the liquid part she used cup baking molasses, cup hot water, teaspoonful baking soda dissolved in a few drops of vinegar and stirred this into the molasses and water. she divided the liquid among the three pans, putting one-third in each crust, over which she sprinkled the crumbs. bake one-half hour in a moderate oven. these have the appearance of molasses cakes when baked. vanilla crumb "crusts" cook together a short time / cup molasses, egg, tablespoonful flour, cup sugar, cups cold water. moisten the flour with a little cold water before adding to the other ingredients. when cooled add teaspoonful of vanilla. pour this mixture in the bottom of each of four common sized pie-tins, lined with pastry, and sprinkle over the following crumbs: the crumbs (for vanilla crumb crusts). two cups flour, / cup butter and lard, mixed, / teaspoonful soda and cup sugar, rubbed together with the hands to form crumbs. scatter these crumbs over the four pies. these are not thick pies, but simply what the recipe calls them--vanilla "crusts." "kasha kuchen" or cherry cake aunt sarah sometimes filled the bottom crusts of two small pies (either cheese pie or plain custard) with a layer of fresh cherries and poured the custard over the top of the cherries and baked same as a plain custard pie. aunt sarah might be called extravagant by some, but she always made egg desserts when eggs were cheap and plentiful, in the spring. in winter she baked pies and puddings in which a fewer number of eggs were used and substituted canned and dried fruits for fresh ones. in summer she used fresh fruit when in season, ice cream and sherbets. she never indulged in high-priced, unseasonable fruits--thought it an extravagance for one to do so, and taught mary "a wise expenditure in time means wealth." for banana custard pie she substituted sliced banana for cherries on top of pie. "rivel kuchen" place in a bowl cup flour, / cup sugar (good measure), / cup butter and lard, or all butter is better (scant measure). some like a little grating of nutmeg, especially if part lard is used. mix or crumb the ingredients well together with the hands to form small lumps, or rivels. line pie-tins with a rich pastry crust and strew the rivels thickly over and bake in a quick oven. a couple tablespoons of molasses spread over the crumbs is liked by some. this is a favorite pie or cake of many pennsylvania germans. aunt sarah's lemon meringue two cups of water, - / cups of sugar, rounding tablespoonfuls of corn starch, eggs, tablespoonful of butter, small lemons. mix the water, sugar and corn starch dissolved in a little cold water, pour in sauce-pan, place on range and stir mixture until thickened. beat separately the yolks of eggs and the whites of , then add both to the above mixture. remove from the fire, add the juice of two small lemons and grated rind of one; add butter. fill two previously baked pastry shells with the cooled mixture. beat the remaining whites of egg (another white of an egg added improves the appearance of the pie.) add one tablespoonful of pulverized sugar to each egg used; place the stiffly beaten whites of egg rockily over tops of pies stand in oven until a delicate shade of brown. this is a delicious pie. a country batter pie line two medium-sized pie-tins with pastry crust in which pour the following mixture, composed of / cup of granulated sugar and one egg, creamed together; then add / cup of cold water and the grated yellow rind and juice of one lemon. for the top of pies: cream together cup of sugar, / cup of lard and egg, then add / cup of sour milk alternately with - / cups of flour, sifted with / teaspoonful of baking soda and / teaspoonful of cream of tartar. place / of this mixture on top of each pie. bake in oven. pumpkin pie (aunt sarah's recipe) the best pumpkin for pie is of a deep orange yellow with a rough, warty surface. remove the soft, spongy pulp and seeds of the pumpkin, pare and cut into small pieces. steam until tender. put in a colander to drain, then mash through colander with wooden potato masher. for one deep pie allow one pint of the stewed pumpkin, beat in eggs, one at a time, / teaspoonful salt, teaspoonful ginger, / teaspoonful grated nutmeg, / teaspoonful cinnamon, / cup sugar, scant pint milk. beat all together. this mixture should barely fill a quart measure. pour in a deep pie-tin lined with rich crust, grate nutmeg over the top of pie and bake from to minutes in a moderate oven. have the oven rather hot when the pie is first put in to bake and then reduce the heat, else the filling in the pie will boil and become watery. if liked, two tablespoonfuls of brandy may be added to the mixture before filling the crust. in that case, use two tablespoonfuls less of milk. white potato custard (aunt sarah's recipe) boil one medium-sized potato, mash fine, add large tablespoonful of butter and a generous / cup sugar. beat to a cream. when the mixture has cooled add yolks of eggs, / cup sweet milk and grated rind and juice of half a lemon. lastly, stir in the stiffly beaten whites of the two eggs. bake in a medium-sized pie-tin with one crust in a moderately hot oven about minutes, until a rich brown on top. this is a delicious pie and would puzzle a "bucks county lawyer" to tell of what it is composed. "rhubarb custard" pie two cups of rhubarb, uncooked, do not skin it, cut in half-inch pieces. cream together cup of sugar, tablespoonful of cornstarch, eggs (reserve white of one egg). add the cups of rhubarb to this mixture and place all in a pie-tin lined with pastry. place in oven and bake until rhubarb is tender. remove from oven and when pie has cooled spread over it the stiffly beaten white of the egg, to which had been added one tablespoonful of sugar. place pie in oven and brown a light fawn color. "lemon apple" pie grate the yellow rind from a lemon (discard the white part of rind), grate the remainder of the lemon, also pare and grate apple. add - / cups of sugar, then add well-beaten eggs. pour this mixture into large pie-tin lined with rich pastry; place on a top crust, pinch edges, moistened with water, together; bake in an oven with a steady heat. when pie has baked sift pulverized sugar thickly over top and serve cold. from these materials was baked a fair sized pie. green currant pie line a pie-tin with rich pastry; place oil this crust tablespoonfuls of flour and tablespoonfuls of sugar; then add cups of well-washed and stemmed green currants, previously mixed with tablespoonful of cornstarch, moistened with a small quantity of cold water. add cup of sugar (from which had been taken the tablespoonfuls placed on crust;) add tablespoonfuls of water; cover with a top crust, cut small vents in crust, bake in a moderate oven. when crust loosens from side of pan the pie should be sufficiently baked. a country "molasses" pie place in a mixing bowl / cup flour (generous measure), / cup granulated sugar, generous tablespoonful of butter. crumble all together with the hands until quite fine. then to / cup of new orleans (baking) molasses add / cup of boiling water and / teaspoonful of soda (saleratus). beat together the molasses, water and soda until the mixture is foamy and rises to top of cup. then pour into a medium-sized pie-tin, lined with pie crust (the pie-tin should not be small or the mixture, when baking, will rise over top of pan). sprinkle the prepared crumbs thickly over the molasses mixture and with a spoon distribute the crumbs well through the mixture. bake in a moderate oven from to minutes and you will have the old-fashioned pie your grandmother used to bake. when her baking finished, she had dough remaining for an extra crust. children always called this "molasses candy pie," as 'twas quite different from the "molasses cake batter" usually baked in crusts. a mock cherry pie this pie was composed of / cup of chopped cranberries, / cup of seeded and chopped raisins, / cup of sugar, / cup of cold water, tablespoonful of flour, teaspoonful of vanilla all together and bake with two crusts. aunt sarah's custard pie line an agate pie-pan (one used especially for custards two inches in depth, holding exactly one quart) with a rich pastry. break five large eggs in a bowl, heat lightly with an egg-beater and add / cup of sugar. boil cups of sweet milk, pour over the eggs and sugar, add teaspoonful of butter and a pinch of salt, / teaspoonful of vanilla. the mixture should fill a one-quart measure. when the custard has cooled, pour either into the deep pie-pan, lined with pastry, holding one quart, or into two ordinary pie-tins holding one pint each. place the custard pie in a quick oven, that the crust may bake before the custard soaks into the crust; then allow oven to cool and when the custard is "set" (which should be in about minutes) remove from the oven and serve cold. the custard should be the consistency of thick jelly. scalding the milk produces a richer custard. plain rhubarb pie line a pie-tin with rich crust, skin rhubarb and cut into half-inch pieces a sufficient quantity to fill cups. mix together cup of sugar and / cup of flour. place a couple tablespoonfuls of this on the bottom crust of pie. mix sugar and flour remaining with cups of rhubarb and fill the crust. moisten the edge of crust with water, place on top crust, press two edges of crust together (having cut small vents in top crust to allow steam to escape). bake in a moderate oven about minutes, when top crust has browned pie should be baked. mary's cream pie bake crusts in each of two pie-tins. for filling, pint of milk, generous tablespoonful of corn starch, tablespoonfuls of sugar, yolks of eggs (well beaten), teaspoonful of vanilla. cook all together until mixture thickens and when cooled put in the two baked crusts. mix the stiffly beaten whites of two eggs with two tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar and spread over cream filling in pies and brown lightly in oven. always prick the lower crust of a pie carefully with a fork to allow the air to escape; this will prevent blisters forming in the crusts baked before filling crusts with custards. apple custard pie to cup of hot apple sauce (unsweetened) add a tiny pinch of baking soda, tablespoonful of butter, cup of sugar, grated rind and juice of half a lemon or orange, egg yolks, / cup of sweet cream and large teaspoonful of corn starch. line a pie-tin with pastry, pour in this mixture and bake. when the pie has cooled spread over top a meringue composed of the two stiffly beaten whites of eggs and two tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar flavored with a little grated orange or lemon peel. brown top of pie in oven. lemon pie with crumbs place in a bowl cup (good measure) of soft, crumbled stale bread. pour over this one cup of boiling water, add teaspoonful (good measure) of butter and beat until smooth, then add cup of sugar, the grated rind and juice of lemon and the beaten yolks of eggs. this mixture should measure about pint. pour into a pie-tin lined with rich pastry and bake. when cold spread over a meringue made of the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs and tablespoonfuls of granulated sugar. place in the oven until the meringue is a light fawn color and serve cold. aunt sarah's butter scotch pie boil together cup brown sugar and tablespoons butter until a soft, wax-like consistency. mix together heaping teaspoons flour, yolk of egg and cup of milk. beat until smooth; stir this into the sugar and butter mixture and cook until thick. flavor with lemon or vanilla, pour into baked crust and spread over top the beaten white of egg to which has been added tablespoon sugar and brown in oven. green tomato mince meat one peck of green tomatoes, chopped fine; lemons, seeded raisins, pounds of granulated sugar, cup of vinegar, teaspoonful of cloves, - / tablespoonfuls of nutmeg, tablespoonful of cinnamon. cook tomatoes - / hours, then add the other ingredients and cook all together minutes. a small quantity of grated orange peel, finely minced citron, cider, brandy or canned fruit juice may be added to improve the flavor of the mince meat. fill air-tight jars with the hot mixture and screw on jar-tops. this mince meat may be prepared in season when tomatoes are plentiful; is both good and cheap and is a splendid substitute for old-fashioned mince meat. orange meringue (a pie) into a bowl grate the yellow outside rind of a large, juicy orange; add the juice and pulp, but not any of the tough part enclosing sections. add tablespoonful of lemon juice, cup of granulated sugar, which had been beaten to a cream with tablespoonfuls of butter, the yolks of eggs, large tablespoonfuls of corn starch, mixed smoothly with a little cold water, and cup of boiling water. cook all together until thickened and when cool spread on a rather large pie-tin, lined with a baked crust of superior pastry. add to the stiffly beaten whites of eggs tablespoonfuls of pulverized sugar. place meringue over top of pie and place in oven until a light fawn color. grandmother's recipe for "mince meat" the day preceding that on which mince meat is to be prepared, boil pounds of beef. to the well-cooked, finely-chopped meat add pounds of tart apples, chopped into coarse bits; pounds of finely-chopped suet, pounds of large blue raisins, seeded; pounds of dried, cleaned currants, / pound of finely-shaved citron, tablespoonfuls of cinnamon, tablespoonful of cloves, tablespoonful of grated nutmeg, small tablespoonful of salt, pint of baking molasses, pint of brandy or cider which had been boiled down. mix all well together, add more spices, if liked, also juice of orange or lemon. place all ingredients in a large preserving kettle, allow the mixture to heat through. fill glass jars, seal and stand away until used. add more cider, should it he required, when baking pies. "twentieth century" mince meat two pounds lean beef (uncooked), chopped fine, / pound beef suet, shredded. put the beef and suet in a large stone jar, pour over it / of a quart of whiskey. let stand covered with a lid for a week, then add pounds large, seeded raisins, pounds sultana raisins, pounds currants, / pound citron, juice and grated rind of oranges and of lemons, teaspoonful salt, tablespoon ground cinnamon, grated nutmegs, / teaspoon ground allspice, pound sugar. let stand two weeks, then it is ready to use. when you wish to bake pies take out as much of the mince meat as you wish to use and add chopped apples, two parts of mince meat to one part chopped apples, and add more sugar if not as sweet as liked. if too thick, add a little sherry wine and water, mixed. fill bottom crust with some of the mixture, cover with top crust and bake. there must be just enough liquor in the jar to cover the meat, as that preserves it. this seems like a large quantity of liquor to use, but much of the strength evaporates in baking, so that only an agreeable flavor remains; that is, to those who like liquor in mince meat; some people do not. others there are who think mince meat not good unless made with something stronger than cider. mince pies made by this recipe are excellent. this recipe was given mary by a friend, a noted housekeeper and cook. a "dutch" recipe for pumpkin pie line a medium-sized pie-tin with pastry. cover the crust thickly with thinly-sliced, uncooked pumpkin, cut in inch lengths. place on the pumpkin tablespoonful of syrup molasses, tablespoonful of vinegar, tablespoonful flour and sweeten with sugar to taste, dust over the top a little ground cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; cover pie with a top crust and bake in a moderately hot oven. when baked the pumpkin filling in the pie should resemble diced citron and the pie have somewhat the flavor of green tomato pie. (the vinegar may be omitted and the result be a very good pie.) mary's cocoanut custard pie line two medium-sized pie-tins with rich pastry and bake. for the custard filling: egg yolks, cups granulated sugar, quart of milk. cook all together, then add tablespoonful of corn starch and one of flour (moistened with a little cold water before adding). cook all together until the mixture thickens. flavor with one teaspoonful of vanilla. allow the mixture to cool. grate one good-sized cocoanut, mix half of it with the custard and fill into the two crusts. spread over the tops of the two pies the stiffly beaten whites of the three eggs to which you have added a small quantity of sugar. over this sprinkle the remaining half of the grated cocoanut, stand in the oven a few minutes, until top of pie is lightly browned. grape pie pulp the grapes. place pulp in a stew-pan and cook a short time. when tender mash pulp through a sieve to remove seeds. add skins to pulp. add one scant cup of sugar and rounded teaspoonful of butter. line a pie plate with rich pastry, sprinkle over one tablespoonful of flour. pour in the grape mixture and sift another tablespoonful of flour over the top of mixture and cover with a top crust in which vents have been cut, to allow the steam to escape, and bake in a hot oven. allow two small cups of grapes to one pie. sour cherry pie one quart of cherries, / cup of flour for juicy sour cherries, (scant measure of flour), - / cups sugar. pit the cherries, saving cherry juice. mix together sugar and flour and place about / of this on a pie-tin lined with pastry. fill with cherries and juice and sprinkle remaining sugar and flour over. bake with an upper crust, having vents cut in to allow steam to escape. aunt sarah's strawberry pie make a rich crust, line a pie-tin and fill with clean, hulled strawberries. allow one quart to each pie. sweeten to taste; sprinkle a generous handful of flour over the berries, having plenty of flour around the inside edge of pie. use / cup of flour all together. cut a teaspoonful of butter into small bits over top of berries, cover with top crust with vents cut in to allow steam to escape, pinch edges of crust together to prevent juice escaping from pie, and bake. florendine pie to apples, cooked soft and mashed fine (after having been pared and cored) add the yolk of one egg (well beaten) one minute before removing the cooked apple from the range. then add small cup of sugar, a piece of butter the size of a hickory nut, teaspoonful of flour; flavor with either lemon or vanilla. line a pie-tin with rich pastry crust. pour in the mixture and bake in a quick oven. this makes a delicious old-fashioned dessert. aunt sarah's cheese cake prepare the following for one cheese cake, to be baked in a pie-tin lined with pastry crust: one heaping cup of rich, creamy "smier kase," or cottage cheese, was placed in a bowl, finely mashed with a spoon until free from lumps. then mixed smooth with tablespoonfuls of sweet milk, tablespoonful of softened butter was added, a pinch of salt, about / cup of sugar, - / table spoonfuls of flour (measure with an ordinary silver tablespoon). one large egg was beaten into the mixture when it was smooth and creamy, cup of milk was added. after adding all the different ingredients the mixture should measure about - / cups and should be very thin. pour the mixture into a pastry-lined pie-tin. this is one of the most delicious pies imaginable, if directions given are closely followed. bake in a moderately hot oven until cheese custard is "set" and nicely browned on top, then allow the oven door to remain open about five minutes before removing the "pie," as i should call it, but bucks county farmers' wives, when speaking of them, invariably say "cheese cakes." should the housewife possess "smier kase," _not_ rich and creamy, use instead of the one tablespoonful of sweet milk, one tablespoonful of sweet cream. "frau schmidt's" lemon pie grated yellow rind and juice of one lemon, cup of sugar, cup of molasses, egg, butter, size of a walnut; tablespoonful of corn starch, / cup of water. cream together the butter, sugar and egg, add the corn starch moistened with a little cold water, add grated rind and juice of one lemon, molasses, and lastly add water. cook all ingredients together. when cool fill or small pie-tins lined with rich pastry; cover with top crust and bake. pickles--spiced cucumbers medium-sized cucumbers. medium-sized onions. red peppers. green peppers. pare cucumbers, then cut in inch lengths. slice onions and peppers quite thin. place all in a large earthenware bowl and sprinkle over about / cup of table salt; mix all well together, let stand four or five hours, when place in a colander; cover with a plate and drain off all the salt water possible or squeeze through a cheese-cloth bag. boil together for minutes the following; quart of vinegar, tablespoonful of cloves, teaspoonful of turmeric powder (dissolved in a little of the vinegar) and scant cup of sugar. add the cucumbers, peppers and onions to the hot vinegar. let come to a boil and allow all to boil two minutes, then place in sterilised jars and seal. mixed sauce to serve with meats yolks of eggs. / cup sugar. tablespoonful mixed yellow mustard. tablespoonful olive oil. teaspoonful salt. tablespoonful vinegar with flavor of peppers. thin with vinegar and boil until thick. add teaspoonful of grated horseradish. to flavor vinegar cover finely-cut green and red peppers with vinegar and allow all to stand about hours, then strain and use the vinegar. pepper relish chop fine sweet red peppers, sweet green peppers and small onions. put all in a bowl and cover with boiling water and let stand five minutes. drain off, cover again with boiling water and let stand ten minutes. then place in an agate colander or muslin bag and let drain over night. the following morning add quart of good sour vinegar, - / cups sugar, even teaspoonfuls salt and boil minutes. while hot fill air-tight jars. this is excellent. pickled red cabbage shred red cabbage, not too fine, and sprinkle liberally with salt. stand in a cool place hours. then press all moisture from the cabbage, having it as dry as possible; stand the earthen bowl containing the cabbage in the sun for a couple of hours. take a sufficient quantity of vinegar to cover the cabbage. a little water may be added to the vinegar if too sour. add cup sugar to a gallon of vinegar and a small quantity of celery seed, pepper, mace, allspice and cinnamon. boil all about five minutes and pour at once over the cabbage. the hot vinegar will restore the bright red color to the cabbage. keep in stone jar. mustard pickles cucumbers, quart of small onions, peppers, heads of cauliflower, cups of sugar, or less; celery or celery seed, quarts of good vinegar, / pound of ground yellow mustard, tablespoonful turmeric powder, / cup of flour. the seeds were removed from the cucumbers and cucumbers were cut in inch-length pieces, or use a few medium-sized cucumbers cut in several pieces and some quite small cucumbers. (the quantity of cucumbers when measured should be the same as if the larger ones had been used.) one quart of small whole onions, peppers, red, green and yellow, two of each, cut in small pieces. place all together in an agate preserving kettle and let stand in salt water over night. in the morning put on the range, the vegetables in agate kettle, let boil a few minutes, then drain well. take three quarts of good vingar, cups of sugar, if liked quite sweet; teaspoons of either celery seed or celery cut in small pieces. put the vinegar, sugar and celery in a preserving kettle, stand on stove and let come to a boil; then add the other ingredients. when boiling have ready a half pound of ground mustard, / cup of flour, tablespoon of turmeric powder, all mixed to a smooth paste with a little water. cook until the mixture thickens. add all the other ingredients and boil until tender. stir frequently to prevent scorching. can while hot in glass air-tight jars. aunt sarah's cucumber pickles always use the cucumbers which come late in the season for pickles. cut small green cucumbers from vine, leaving a half-inch of stem. scrub with vegetable brush, place in a bowl and pour over a brine almost strong enough to float an egg; / cup of salt to seven cups of cold water is about the right proportion. allow them to stand over night in this brine. drain off salt water in the morning. heat a small quantity of the salt water and pour over small onions which have been "skinned." use half the quantity of onions you have of cucumbers, or less. allow the onions to stand in hot salt water on back of range a short time. heat cup of good sharp cider vinegar, if too sour, add / cup of water, also add teaspoonful of sugar, a couple of whole cloves; add cucumbers and onions (drained from salt water, after piercing each cucumber several times with a silver fork). place a layer at a time in an agate stew-pan containing hot vinegar. allow them to remain a few minutes until heated through, when fill heated glass jars with cucumbers and onions; pour hot vinegar over until jars are quite full. place rubbers on jars and screw on tops. these pickles will be found, when jars are opened in six months' time, almost as crisp and fine as when pickles are prepared, when taken fresh from the vines in summer. allow jars to stand hours, when screw down tops again. press a knife around the edge of jar tops before standing away to be sure the jars are perfectly air-tight. "rot pfeffers" filled with cabbage cut the tops from the stem end of twelve sweet (not hot) red peppers or "rot pfeffers," as aunt sarah called them. carefully remove seeds, do not break outside shell of peppers. cut one head of cabbage quite fine on a slaw-cutter; add to the cabbage even tablespoonful of fine salt, tablespoonfuls of whole yellow mustard seed (a very small amount of finely shredded, hot, red pepper may be added if liked quite peppery). mix all together thoroughly, fill peppers with this mixture, pressing it rather tightly into the shells; place tops on pepper cases, tie down with cord. place upright in stone jar, in layers; cover with cold vinegar. if vinegar is very strong add a small quantity of water. tie heavy paper over top of jar and stand away in a cool place until used. these may be kept several months and will still be good at the end of that time. an old recipe for spiced pickles small cucumbers. oz. of allspice. gallons vinegar. / pound of black pepper. quarts salt. oz cloves. ounces of alum. horseradish to flavor. add sugar according to strength of vinegar. place cucumbers and pieces of horseradish in alternate layers in a stone jar, then put salt over them and cover with boiling water. allow pickles to stand hours in this brine, then pour off brine and wash pickles in cold water. boil spices and vinegar together and pour over the pickles. in two weeks they will be ready to use. pickles made over this recipe are excellent. aunt sarah's recipe for chili sauce large red tomatoes. medium-sized onions. sweet peppers (green or red). cup sugar. scant tablespoonfuls salt. - / cups vinegar (cider vinegar). tie in a small cheese cloth bag the following: large teaspoonful whole allspice. large teaspoonful whole cloves. about the same quantity of stick cinnamon. chop tomatoes, onions and peppers rather finely; add vinegar, sugar and salt and the bag of spices and cook slowly about - / hours. fill air-tight glass jars with the mixture while hot. this is a particularly fine recipe of aunt sarah's. this quantity will fill five pint jars. canned tomatoes may be used when fresh ones are not available. tomato catsup - / peck ripe tomatoes, washed and cut in small pieces; also four large onions, sliced. stew together until tender enough to mash through a fine sieve, reject seeds. this quantity of tomato juice should, when measured, be about four good quarts. put tomato juice into a kettle on range, add one pint of vinegar, / teaspoon cayenne pepper, - / tablespoons sugar, - / tablespoons salt; place in a cheese cloth bag ounce of whole black pepper, ounce whole cloves, ounce allspice, ounce yellow mustard seed and add to catsup. boil down one-half. bottle and seal while boiling hot. boil bottles and corks before bottling catsup. pour melted sealing-wax over corks to make them air-tight, unless self-sealing bottles are used. pickled beets one cup of sharp vinegar, cup of water, tablespoonfuls of sugar, whole cloves and a pinch of black, and one of red pepper. heat all together and pour over beets which have been sliced after being boiled tender and skins removed, and pack in glass jars which have been sterilized and if jars are air-tight these keep indefinitely. marmalades, preserves and canned fruits young housewives, if they would be successful in "doing up fruit," should be very particular about sterilizing fruit jars, both tops and rubbers, before using. heat the fruit to destroy all germs, then seal in air-tight jars while fruit is scalding hot. allow jars of canned fruit or vegetables to stand until perfectly cold. then, even should you think the tops perfectly tight, you will probably be able to give them another turn. carefully run the dull edge of a knife blade around the lower edge of jar cap to cause it to fit tightly. this flattens it close to the rubber, making it air-tight. to sterilize jars and tops, place in a pan of cold water, allow water to come to a boil and stand in hot water one hour. for making jelly, use fruit, under-ripe. it will jell more easily, and, not being as sweet as otherwise, will possess a finer flavor. for jelly use an equal amount of sugar to a pint of juice. the old rule holds good--a pound of sugar to a pint of juice. cook fifteen to twenty minutes. fruit juice will jell more quickly if the sugar is heated in the oven before being added. for preserving fruit, use about / of a pound of sugar to pound of fruit and seal in air-tight glass jars. for canning fruit, use from / to / the quantity of sugar that you have of fruit. when making jelly, too long cooking turns the mixture into a syrup that will not jell. cooking fruit with sugar too long a time causes fruit to have a strong, disagreeable flavor. apples, pears and peaches were pared, cut in quarters and dried at the farm for winter use. sour cherries were pitted, dried and placed in glass jars, alternately with a sprinkling of granulated sugar. pieces of sassafras root were always placed with dried apples, peaches, etc. "frau" schmidt's recipe for apple butter for this excellent apple butter take gallons of cider, bucket of "schnitz" (sweet apples were always used for the "schnitz"), - / pounds of brown sugar and ounce of allspice. the cider should be boiled down to one-half the original quantity before adding the apples, which had been pared and cored. cider for apple butter was made from sweet apples usually, but if made from sour apples pounds of sugar should be used. the apple butter should be stirred constantly. when cooked sufficiently, the apple butter should look clear and be thick as marmalade and the cider should not separate from the apple butter. frau schmidt always used "paradise" apples in preference to any other variety of apple for apple butter. cranberry sauce a delicious cranberry sauce, or jelly, was prepared by "aunt sarah" in the following manner: carefully pick over and wash quart of cranberries, place in a stew-pan with cups of water; cook quickly a few moments over a hot fire until berries burst open, then crush with a potato-masher. press through a fine sieve or a fruit press, rejecting skin and seeds. add pound of sugar to the strained pulp in the stew-pan. return to the fire and cook two or three minutes only. long, slow cooking destroys the fine flavor of the berry, as does brown sugar. pour into a bowl, or mold, and place on ice, or stand in a cool place to become cold before serving, as an accompaniment to roast turkey, chicken or deviled oysters. preserved "yellow ground cherries" remove the gossamer-like covering from small yellow "ground cherries" and place on range in a stew-pan with sugar. (three-fourths of a pound of sugar to one pound of fruit.) cook slowly about minutes, until the fruit looks clear and syrup is thick as honey. seal in pint jars. these cherries, which grow abundantly in many town and country gardens without being cultivated, make a delicious preserve and a very appetizing pie may be made from them also. aunt sarah said she preferred these preserved cherries to strawberries. frau schmidt preferred the larger "purple" ground cherries, which, when preserved, greatly resembled "guava" jelly in flavor. "wunderselda" marmalade this was composed of quarts of the pulp and juice combined of ripe kieffer pears, which had been pared and cored, (measured after being run through a food chopper.) the grated yellow rind and juice of five medium-sized tart oranges, and - / cups granulated sugar. cook all together about forty minutes, until a clear amber colored marmalade. watch closely and stir frequently, as the mixture scorches easily. this quantity will fill about twenty small jelly tumblers. if the marmalade is to be kept some time, it should be put into air-tight glass jars. the recipe for this delicious jam was original with the professor's wife, and fritz schmidt, being particularly fond of the confection, gave it the name "wunderselda," as he said "'twas not 'served often.'" aunt sarah's spiced pears bartlett pears may be used, pared and cut in halves and core and seeds removed, or small sweet seckel pears may be pared. left whole, allow stems to remain, weigh, and to pounds of either variety of pear take one pint of good cider vinegar, pounds granulated sugar, a small cheese cloth bag containing several tablespoonfuls of whole cloves and the same amount of stick cinnamon, broken in pieces; all were placed in a preserving kettle and allowed to come to a boil. then the pears were added and cooked until tender. the fruit will look clear when cooked sufficiently. remove from the hot syrup with a perforated spoon. fill pint glass jars with the fruit. stand jars in a warm oven while boiling syrup until thick as honey. pour over fruit, in jars, and seal while hot. peach marmalade thinly pare ripe peaches. cut in quarters and remove pits. place peaches in a preserving kettle with / cup of water; heat slowly, stirring occasionally. when fruit has become tender mash not too fine and to every three pounds of peaches (weighed before being cooked) allow - / pounds of granulated sugar. cook sugar and fruit together about three-quarters of an hour, stirring frequently, until marmalade looks clear. place in pint glass, air-tight jars. aunt sarah always preferred the "morris white," a small, fine flavored, white peach, which ripened quite late in the fall, to any other variety from which to make preserves and marmalade. aunt sarah's ginger pears pounds of fruit. lemons. / pound of ginger root. pounds of sugar. cup water. use a hard, solid pear, not over ripe. pare and core the fruit and cut into thin slivers. use juice of lemons and cut the lemon rind into long, thin strips. place all together in preserving kettle and cook slowly one hour, or until the fruit looks clear. should the juice of fruit not be thick as honey, remove fruit and cook syrup a short time, then add fruit to the syrup. when heated through, place in pint jars and seal. this quantity will fill four pint jars and is a delicious preserve. pear and pineapple marmalade ripe pineapples, quarts kieffer pears. pounds granulated sugar. both pears and pineapples should be pared and eyes removed from the latter. all the fruit should be run through food-chopper using all the juice from fruit. mix sugar with fruit and juice and cook, stirring constantly until thick and clear. (watch closely, as this scorches easily if allowed to stand a minute without stirring.) pour into glass pint jars and seal while hot. any variety of pear may be used, but a rather hard, solid pear is to be preferred. a recipe given mary which she found delicious. grape butter separate pulp and skins of grapes. allow pulp to simmer until tender, then mash through a sieve and reject seeds. add pulp to skins. take / pound of sugar to one pound of fruit. cook until thick, seal in air-tight jars. canned sour cherries for pies pit cherries and cover with cold water and let stand over night. drain in the morning. to heaping cups of pitted cherries take level cups of sugar, / cup water. put all together into stew-pan on range, cook a short time, then add teaspoonful of corn starch mixed with a little cold water and stir well through the cherries; let come to a boil, put in jars and seal. this quantity fills five pint jars. this is the way one country housekeeper taught mary to can common _sour_ cherries for pies and she thought them fine. candied orange peel cut orange peel in long, narrow strips, cover with cold water and boil minutes. pour off water, cover with cold water and boil another minutes, then drain and take equal weight of peel and sugar. let simmer hour, then dip slices in granulated sugar. stand aside to cool. aunt sarah's "cherry marmalade" pitted, red sour cherries were weighed, put through food-chopper, and to each pound of cherries and juice add / pound of granulated sugar. cook about minutes until syrup is thick and fruit looks clear. fill marmalade pots, cover with parafine when cool, or use pint glass jars and seal. one is sure of fruit keeping if placed in air-tight jars. aunt sarah's quince honey pour quart of water, good measure, in an agate stew-pan on the range with three pounds of granulated sugar. when boiling add large, grated quinces, after paring them. grate all but the core of quinces. boil from to minutes, until it looks clear. pour into tumblers. when cold, cover and stand away until used. pickled peaches twelve pounds of peaches, quart of vinegar, pounds brown sugar. rub the fuzz from the peaches. do not pare them. stick half a dozen whole cloves in each peach. add spices to taste, stick-cinnamon, whole doves and mace. put spices in a small cheese cloth bag and do not remove the bag, containing spices, when putting away the peaches. scald sugar, vinegar and spices together and pour over the peaches. cover closely and stand away. do this twice, one day between. the third time place all together in a preserving kettle. cook a few minutes, then place fruit in jars, about three-quarters filled. boil down the syrup until about one-quarter has boiled away, pour over the peaches, hot, and seal in air-tight jars. this is an old and very good recipe used by "aunt sarah" many years. currant jelly always pick currants for jelly before they are "dead ripe," and never directly after a shower of rain. wash and pick over and stem currants. place in a preserving kettle five pounds of currants and / cup of water; stir until heated through then mash with a potato masher. turn into a jelly bag, allow drip, and to every pint of currant juice add one pound of granulated sugar; return to preserving kettle. boil twenty minutes, skim carefully, pour into jelly glasses. when cold cover tops of glasses with melted parafine. pineapple honey pineapple honey was made in a similar manner to quince honey, using one large grated pineapple to one quart of cold water and three pounds of sugar. boil minutes. preserved pineapple pare the pineapples, run through a food chopper, weigh fruit, and to every pound of fruit add three-quarters of a pound of sugar. mix sugar and fruit together and stand in a cool place over night. in the morning cook until fruit is tender and syrup clear; skim top of fruit carefully; fill jars and seal. grape conserve wash and drain ten pounds of ripe grapes, separate the skins from the pulp, stew pulp until soft, mash through a sieve, reject seeds. place pulp and skins in a preserving kettle, add a half pound of seeded raisins and juice and pulp of oranges. measure and add to every quart of this / of a quart of sugar. cook slowly, until the consistency of jam. a cup of coarsely-chopped walnut meats may be added, if liked, a few minutes before removing jam from the range. fill pint jars and seal. mary's recipe for rhubarb jam skin and cut enough rhubarb in half-inch pieces to weigh three pounds. add / cup cold water and pounds of granulated sugar, and the grated yellow rind and juice of large oranges. cook all together, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, a half hour, or until clear. this is a delicious jam. apple sauce when making apple sauce, cut good, tart apples in halves after paring them, cut out the cores, then cook, quickly as possible, in half enough boiling water to cover them. cover the stew-pan closely. this causes them to cook more quickly, and not change color. watch carefully that they do not scorch. when apples are tender, turn into sieve. should the apples be quite juicy and the water drained from the apples measure a half pint, add a half pound of sugar, cook or minutes, until it jells, and you have a glass of clear, amber-colored jelly. add teaspoonful of butter and sugar to taste to the apple sauce, which has been mashed through the sieve. apple sauce made thus should be almost the color of the apples before cooking. if the apple sauce is not liked thick, add some of the strained apple juice instead of making jelly; as some apples contain more juice than others. rhubarb marmalade (as frau schmidt made it) cut rhubarb into small pieces, put in stew-pan with just enough water to prevent sticking fast. when cooked tender, mash fine with potato masher, and to three cups of rhubarb, measured before stewing, add cup of granulated sugar, also dozen almonds which had been blanched and cut as fine as possible, and stewed until tender, then added to hot rhubarb and sugar. cook all together a short time. serve either hot or cold. a large quantity may be canned for winter use. the addition of almonds gave the marmalade a delicious flavor a good marmalade may be made by adding the juice and thinly shaved outside peel of several lemons to rhubarb. put all together in kettle on range with sugar. cook over a slow fire until proper consistency. turn into jars and leave uncovered until day following, when cover and seal air-tight. grape fruit marmalade for this marmalade take large grape fruit, large oranges and lemon. after thoroughly washing the outside of fruit, slice all as thinly as possible, rejecting the seeds. measure and add three times as much water as you have fruit. let all stand over night. the next morning boil minutes, stand over night again, in a large bowl or agate preserving kettle. the next morning add pound (scant measure) of sugar to each pint of the mixture and boil until it jells. this is delicious if you do not object to the slightly bitter taste of the grape fruit. put in tumblers, cover closely with paraffin. this quantity should fill tumblers, if a large grape fruit is used. orange marmalade slice whole oranges very thin and cut in short pieces after washing them. save the seeds. to each pound of sliced oranges add pints of cold water and let stand hours. then boil all together until the chipped rinds are tender. all the seeds should be put in a muslin bag and boiled with the oranges. allow all to stand together until next day, then remove the bag of seeds, and to every pound of boiled fruit add a half pound of sugar. boil continuously, stirring all the time, until the chips are quite clear and the syrup thick as honey on being dropped on a cold dish. the grated rind and juice of lemons will improve the taste of marmalade if added at last boiling. when cooked sufficiently the marmalade should be clear. pour at once into glass jars and cover closely. cherry relish after sour cherries have been pitted, weigh them and cover with vinegar and let stand hours. take from the vinegar and drain well, then put into stone crocks in layers, with sugar, allowing pound of sugar to pound of cherries. stir twice each day for ten days, then fill air-tight jars and put away for winter use. these are an excellent accompaniment to a roast of meat. canned peaches when canning peaches make a syrup composed of cup of sugar to cups of water. place in preserving kettle and when sugar has dissolved cook thinly pared peaches, either sliced or cut in halves, in the hot syrup until clear, watching closely that they do not cook too soft. place carefully in glass jars, pour hot syrup over and seal in jars. aunt sarah also, occasionally, used a wash-boiler in which to can fruit. she placed in it a rack made of small wooden strips to prevent the jars resting on the bottom of the boiler; filled the jars with uncooked fruit or vegetables, poured over the jars of fruit hot syrup and over the vegetables poured water, placed the jars, uncovered, in the boiler; water should cover about half the height of jars. boil until contents of jars are cooked, add boiling syrup to fill fruit jars and screw the tops on tightly. pear conserve use pounds of pears, not too soft or over-ripe, cut like dice. cover with water and boil until tender, then add pounds of sugar. peel oranges, cut in dice the night before using; let diced orange peel stand, covered with cold water until morning. then cook until orange peel is tender. add this to the juice and pulp of the two oranges. add one pound of seeded raisins and cook all together until thick honey. put in glass jars and seal. lemon honey the juice of lemons, mixed with cups of sugar. add eggs, beating in at a time. add cups of water and tablespoonfuls of butter. cook all together minute, until thick as honey. canned string beans aunt sarah used no preservative when canning beans. she gathered the beans when quite small and tender, no thicker than an ordinary lead-pencil, washed them thoroughly, cut off ends and packed them into quart glass jars, filled to overflowing with cold water. placed jar tops on lightly, and stood them in wash boiler in the bottom of which several boards had been placed. filled wash boiler with luke warm water about two-thirds as high as tops of jars, cooked continuously three to four hours after water commenced to boil. then carefully lifted jars from wash boiler, added boiling water to fill jars to overflowing, screwed on cover and let stand until perfectly cold, when give jar tops another turn with the hand when they should be air-tight. a good plan is to run the dull edge of a knife around the outer edge of the jar to be sure it fits close to the rubber, and will not admit air. beans canned in this manner should keep indefinitely. preserved "german prunes" or plums after washing fruit, piece each plum several times with a silver fork, if plums be preserved whole. this is not necessary if pits are removed. weigh fruit and to each pound of plums take about / pound of granulated sugar. place alternate layers of plums and sugar in a preserving kettle, stand on the back of range three or four hours, until sugar has dissolved, then draw kettle containing sugar and plums to front of range and boil so minutes. remove scum which arises on top of boiling syrup. place plums in glass jars, pour boiling syrup over and seal. a good rule is about four pounds of sugar to five pounds of plums. should plums cook soft in less than minutes, take from syrup with a perforated skimmer, place in jars and cook syrup until as thick as honey; then pour over fruit and seal up jars. bucks county apple butter a genuine old-fashioned recipe for apple butter, as "aunt sarah" made it at the farm. a large kettle holding about five gallons was filled with sweet cider. this cider was boiled down to half the quantity. the apple butter was cooked over a wood fire, out of doors. the cider was usually boiled down the day before making the apple butter, as the whole process was quite a lengthy one. fill the kettle holding the cider with apples, which should have been pared and cored the night before at what country folks call an "apple bee," the neighbors assisting to expedite the work. the apples should be put on to cook as early in the morning as possible and cooked slowly over not too hot a fire, being stirred constantly with a long-handled "stirrer" with small perforated piece of wood on one end. there is great danger of the apple butter burning if not carefully watched and constantly stirred. an extra pot of boiling cider was kept near, to add to the apple butter as the cider boiled away. if cooked slowly, a whole day or longer will be consumed in cooking. when the apple butter had almost finished cooking, about the last hour, sweeten to taste with sugar (brown sugar was frequently used). spices destroy the true apple flavor, although aunt sarah used sassafras root, dug from the near-by woods, for flavoring her apple butter, and it was unexcelled. the apple butter, when cooked sufficiently, should be a dark rich color, and thick like marmalade, and the cider should not separate from it when a small quantity is tested on a saucer. an old recipe at the farm called for gallons of cider to buckets of cider apples, and to gallons of apple butter pounds of sugar were used. pour the apple butter in small crocks used for this purpose. cover the top of crocks with paper, place in dry, cool store-room, and the apple butter will keep several years. in olden times sweet apples were used for apple butter, boiled in sweet cider, then no sugar was necessary. small brown, earthen pots were used to keep this apple butter in, it being only necessary to tie paper over the top. dozens of these pots, filled with apple butter, might have been seen in aunt sarah's store-room at the farm at one time. canned tomatoes when canning red tomatoes select those which ripen early in the season, as those which ripen later are usually not as sweet. wash the tomatoes, pour scalding water over, allow them to stand a short time, when skins may be easily removed. cut tomatoes in several pieces, place over fire in porcelain-lined preserving kettle and cook about minutes, or until an orange-colored scum rises to the top. fill perfectly clean sterilised jars with the hot tomatoes fill quickly before they cool. place rubber and top on jar, and when jars have become perfectly cold (although they may, apparently, have been perfectly air-tight), the tops should be given another turn before standing away for the winter; failing to do this has frequently been the cause of inexperienced housewives' ill success when canning tomatoes. also run the dull edge of a knife blade carefully around the top of jar, pressing down the outer edge and causing it to fit more closely. aunt sarah seldom lost a jar of canned tomatoes, and they were as fine flavored as if freshly picked from the vines. she was very particular about using only new tops and rubbers for her jars when canning tomatoes. if the wise housewife takes these precautions, her canned tomatoes should keep indefinitely. aunt sarah allowed her jars of tomatoes to stand until the day following that on which the tomatoes were canned, to be positively sure they were cold, before giving the tops a final turn. stand away in a dark closet. euchered peaches twelve pounds of pared peaches (do not remove pits), pounds of sugar and gill of vinegar boiled together a few minutes, drop peaches into this syrup and cook until heated through, when place peaches in air-tight jars, pour hot syrup over and seal. aunt sarah's method of canning corn three quarts of sweet corn cut from the cob, cup of sugar / cup of salt and pint of cold water. place these ingredients together in a large bowl; do this early in the morning and allow to stand until noon of the same day; then place all together in a preserving kettle on the range and cook twenty minutes. fill glass jars which have been sterilized. the work of filling should be done as expeditiously as possible; be particular to have jar-tops screwed on tightly. when jars have become cool give tops another turn, to be positive they are air-tight before putting away for the winter. when preparing this canned corn for the table, drain all liquid from the corn when taken from the can, pour cold water over and allow to stand a short time on the range until luke-warm. drain and if not _too_ salt, add a small quantity of fresh water, cook a few minutes, season with butter, add a couple tablespoonfuls of sweet milk; serve when hot. this canned corn possesses the flavor of corn freshly cut from the cob. sarah landis had used this recipe for years and 'twas seldom she lost a can. dried sweet corn in season when ears of sweet corn are at their best for cooking purposes, boil double the quantity necessary for one meal, cut off kernels and carefully scrape remaining pulp from cob. spread on agate pans, place in a hot oven a short time (watch closely) and allow it to remain in a cooled oven over night to dry. when perfectly dry place in bags for use later in the season. when the housewife wishes to prepare dried corn for the table, one cup of the dried corn should be covered with cold water and allowed to stand until the following day, when place in a stew-pan on the range and simmer slowly several hours; add / teaspoonful of sugar, tablespoonful of butter, salt and pepper. this corn aunt sarah considered sweeter and more wholesome than canned corn and she said "no preservatives were used in keeping it." when chestnuts were gathered in the fall of the year, at the farm, they were shelled as soon as gathered, then dried and stored away for use in the winter. aunt sarah frequently cooked together an equal amount of chestnuts and dried corn; the combination was excellent. the chestnuts were soaked in cold water over night. the brown skin of the chestnuts may be readily removed after being covered with boiling water a short time. preserved cherries aunt sarah's preserved cherries were fine, and this was her way of preparing them: she used pound of granulated sugar to quart of pitted cherries. she placed the pitted cherries on a large platter and sprinkled the sugar over them. she allowed them to stand several hours until the cherries and sugar formed a syrup on platter. she then put cherries, sugar and juice all together in a preserving kettle, set on range, and cooked minutes. she then skimmed out the cherries and boiled the syrup minutes longer, then returned the cherries to syrup. let come to a boil. she then removed the kettle from the fire, spread all on a platter and let it stand in the hot sun two successive days, then put in glass air-tight jars or in tumblers and covered with paraffin. a combination of cherries and strawberries preserved together is fine, and, strange to say, the flavor of strawberries predominates. a fine flavored preserve is also made from a combination of cherries and pineapple. frozen desserts--aunt sarah's frozen "fruit custard" one tablespoonful of granulated gelatine soaked in enough milk to cover. place cups of sugar and / cup of milk in a stew-pan on the range and boil until it spins a thread; that is, when a little of the syrup is a thread-like consistency when dripped from a spoon. allow it to cool. add dissolved gelatine and quart of sweet cream. one box of strawberries, or the same amount of any fruit liked, may be added to the mixture; freeze as ordinary ice cream. this dessert as prepared by aunt sarah was delicious as any ice cream and was used by her more frequently than any other recipe for a frozen dessert. sherbet frau schmidt gave mary this simple recipe for making any variety of sherbet: cups of sugar, tablespoonful of flour, mixed with the sugar and boiled with quart of water; when cold, add quart of any variety of fruit. freeze in same manner as when making ice cream. ice cream--a simple recipe given mary when preparing this ice cream mary used the following: three cups of cream and cup of milk, egg and cup of pulverized sugar (were beaten together until light and creamy). this, with teaspoonful of vanilla flavoring, was added to the milk and cream. the cream should be scalded in warm weather. the egg and sugar should then be added to the scalded milk and cream, stirring them well together. when the mixture has cooled, strain it into the can of the freezer. three measures of cracked ice to one of salt should be used. the ice and salt, well-mixed, were packed around the freezer. the crank was turned very slowly the first ten minutes, until the mixture had thickened, when it was turned more rapidly until the mixture was frozen. frau schmidt's ice cream this recipe for ice cream is simple and the ice cream is good. a boiled custard was prepared, consisting of quart of milk, eggs, between and cups of granulated sugar. when the custard coated the spoon she considered it cooked sufficiently. removed from the fire. when cold she beat into the custard quart of rich cream and teaspoonful of vanilla, turned the mixture into the freezer, packed outside tub with ice and salt. it was frozen in the ordinary manner. maple parfait for this rich, frozen dessert mary beat eggs lightly, poured slowly over them cup of hot maple syrup, cooked in a double boiler, stirring until very thick. she strained it, and when cold added pint of cream. she beat all together, poured into a mold, packed the mold in ice and salt, and allowed it to stand hours. this is a very rich frozen dessert, too rich to be served alone. it should be served with lemon sherbet or frozen custard with a lemon flavoring, as it is better served with a dessert less rich and sweet. ice cream made by beating with paddle this recipe for a delicious and easily prepared ice cream was given mary by a friend living in philadelphia and is not original. she found the ice cream excellent and after having tried the recipe used no other. a custard was made of quart of scalded milk, eggs, cups of sugar. the eggs were beaten light, then sugar was added, then the hot milk was poured over and all beaten together. she put all in a double boiler and stirred about ten minutes, until thick and creamy. a small pinch of soda was added to prevent curdling. when the custard was perfectly cold she stirred in three cups of sweet, cold cream, flavored with either vanilla or almond flavoring, and beat all together five minutes, then turned the mixture into the freezer, packed well with pounded ice and coarse salt. she covered the freezer with the ice and salt and threw a heavy piece of old carpet or burlap over the freezer to exclude the air. she let it stand one hour, then carefully opened the can containing the cream, not allowing any salt to get in the can. with a long, thin-handled knife she scraped down the frozen custard from the sides of the freezer, and with a thin wooden paddle beat it hard and fast for about five minutes. this made the cream fine and smooth. any fruit may now be added, and should be mixed in before the cream is covered. the cream should be beaten as quickly as possible and covered as soon as the fruit has been added. aunt sarah usually made peach ice cream when peaches were in season. fine ripe peaches were pared and pitted, then finely mashed, small cups of sugar being added to a pint of mashed peaches. she allowed the peach mixture to stand one hour before adding to the beaten cream. when the mashed peaches had been added to the cream, she fastened the lid and drained off part of the water in outer vessel, packed more ice and salt about the can in the freezer, placed a weight on top to hold it down, covered closely with a piece of old carpet to exclude the air, left it stand three or four hours. the beating was all the labor required. the dasher or crank was not turned at all when making the ice cream, and when frozen it was delicious. mary was told by her aunt of a friend in a small town, with a reputation for serving delicious ice cream, who always made ice cream by beating with a paddle, instead of making it by turning a crank in a freezer. aunt sarah's recipe for frozen custard one quart of rich, sweet milk, tablespoons of corn starch, eggs, cup of sugar, small tablespoon of vanilla. cook the milk in a double boiler, moisten corn starch with a little milk. stir it into the hot milk until it begins to thicken. beat sugar and eggs together until creamy, add to the hot milk, cook a minute, remove from fire, add the vanilla, and when cool freeze. crush the ice into small pieces, for the finer the ice the quicker the custard will freeze, then mix the ice with a fourth of the quantity of coarse rock salt, about pounds ice and pounds salt will be required to pack sides and cover top of a four-quart freezer. place can in tub, mix and fill in ice and salt around the can, turn the crank very slowly until the mixture is thoroughly chilled. keep hole in top of tub open. when mixture is cold, turn steadily until it turns rather hard. when custard is frozen, take out inside paddle, close the freezer, run off the salt water, repack and allow to stand several hours. at the end of that time it is ready to serve. pineapple cream this is a delicious dessert, taught mary by aunt sarah. she used quart sweet cream, - / cups sugar, beaten together. it was frozen in an ice cream freezer. she then pared and cut the eyes from one ripe pineapple and flaked the pineapple into small pieces with a silver fork, sprinkled sugar over and let it stand until sugar dissolved. she then stirred this into the frozen cream and added also the beaten white of one egg. packed ice and salt around freezer and allowed it to stand several hours before using. mary's aunt always cooked pineapple or used canned pineapple with a rich syrup when adding fruit before the cream was frozen. mary's recipe for peach cream mary made ice cream when peaches were plentiful; she used quart of sweet cream, sweetened to taste (about cups sugar) and quarts of ripe peaches mashed and sweetened before adding to cream. freeze in ordinary manner. if peaches were not fine flavored, she added a little almond flavoring. lemon sherbet this is the way frau schmidt taught mary to make this dessert. she used for the purpose quart of water, lemons, tablespoons gelatine, large cups sugar. she soaked the gelatine in about cup of water. she squeezed out the juice of lemons, rejecting seeds and pulp. she allowed a cup of water out of the quart to soak the gelatine. this mixture was put in an ice cream freezer and frozen. frau schmidt's frozen custard - / quarts milk. cups sugar. eggs. - / tablespoonfuls of flour. scald the milk in a double boiler. moisten flour (she preferred _flour_ to corn starch for this purpose) with a small quantity of cold milk, and stir into the scalded milk. beat together egg yolks and sugar until light and creamy, then add the stiffly beaten whites of eggs and stir all into the boiling milk. cool thoroughly, flavor with vanilla and freeze as you would ice cream. when partly frozen crushed strawberries or peaches may be added in season. a little more sugar should then he added to the fruit, making a dessert almost equal to ice cream. in winter one cup of dried currants may be added, also one tablespoonful of sherry wine, if liked. caramel ice cream scald one pint of sweet milk in a double boiler. stir into it one cup of sugar and one rounded tablespoonful of flour, which had been mixed smoothly with a small quantity of the milk before scalding. add two eggs which had been beaten together until light and creamy. at the same time the milk was being scalded, a fry-pan containing one cup of granulated sugar was placed on the range; this should be watched carefully, on account of its liability to scorch. when sugar has melted it will be brown in color and liquid, like molasses, and should then be thoroughly mixed with the foundation custard. cook the whole mixture ten minutes and stand aside to cool; when perfectly cold add a pinch of salt, one quart of sweet cream, and freeze in the ordinary manner. cherry sherbet aunt sarah taught mary to prepare this cheap and easily made dessert of the various berries and fruits as they ripened. currants, strawberries, raspberries and cherries were used. they were all delicious and quickly prepared. the ice for freezing was obtained from a near-by creamery. the cherries used for this were not the common, sour pie cherries, so plentiful usually on many "bucks county farms," but a fine, large, red cherry, not very sour. when about to prepare cherry sherbet, mary placed over the fire a stew-pan containing quart of boiling water and pound of granulated sugar. boiled this together minutes. she added tablespoonful of granulated gelatine which had been dissolved in a very little cold water. when the syrup had cooled, she added the juice of half a lemon and quart of pitted cherries, mixed all together. poured it in the ice cream freezer, packed around well with coarse salt and pounded ice. she used part salt to parts ice. she turned the crank slowly at first, allowed it to stand a few minutes, then increased the speed. when the mixture was firm she removed the dasher. she allowed the water to remain with the ice and salt, as the ice-cold water helped to freeze it. she filled in ice and salt around the can in the freezer and on top of the can; covered the top of the freezer with a piece of old carpet and allowed it to stand a couple of hours, when it was ready to serve. almost any fruit or fruit juice, either fresh or canned, may be made into a delicious dessert by this rule. one quart of boiling water and pound of sugar boiled together to form a syrup, then add quart of juice or fruit and juice to measure exactly one quart. mix together according to directions and freeze. grape sherbet grape sherbet was made in this manner: the grapes were washed, picked from the stems and placed in a stew-pan over the fire. when hot remove from the fire and mash with a potato-masher and strain through a jelly bag, as if preparing to make jelly. boil together pound of granulated sugar and quart of water, about minutes. while hot add pint of grape juice and teaspoonful of granulated gelatine, which had been dissolved in a very little cold water, to the hot syrup. when the mixture was partly frozen add the stiffly beaten white of egg and tablespoonful of pulverized sugar, beaten together. all were stirred together, covered and stood away until cold. then placed in a freezer, iced as for ice cream, and frozen in the same manner as for cherry sherbet. the juice of all berries or fruits may be extracted in the same manner as that of grapes. wines and syrups--unfermented grape juice to pounds of stemmed concord grapes add quart of water, allow them to simmer on range until grapes have become soft. strain through a piece of cheese-cloth, being careful to press only the juice through, not the pulp of the grapes. return the grape juice to the preserving kettle and add / of a pound of sugar. allow the juice to just commence to boil, as cooking too long a time spoils the flavor of the juice. bottle at once, while juice is hot. bottles must be sterilized and air-tight if you expect grape juice to keep. cover corks with sealing wax. vinegar made from strawberries "aunt sarah" landis possessed the very finest flavored vinegar for cooking purposes, and this is the way it was made. she having a very plentiful crop of fine strawberries one season, put quarts of very ripe, mashed strawberries in a five-gallon crock, filled the crock with water, covered the top with cheese-cloth and allowed it to stand in a warm place about one week, when it was strained, poured into jugs and placed in the cellar, where it remained six months, perhaps longer, when it became very sharp and sour, and had very much the appearance of white wine with a particularly fine flavor. this was not used as a beverage, but as a substitute for cider in cooking. boiled cider for mince pies in autumn, when cider was cheap and plentiful on the farm, quarts of cider was boiled down to one, or, in this proportion, for use in mince meat during the winter. a quantity prepared in this manner, poured while hot in air-tight jars, will keep indefinitely. lemon syrup boil two cups of granulated sugar and one cup of water together for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved, then add the juice of six well-scrubbed, medium-sized lemons; let come to a boil and add the grated yellow rind of three of the lemons. be careful not to use any of the white skin of the lemons, which is bitter. put in air-tight glass jars. this quantity fills one pint jar. a couple tablespoonfuls added to a tumbler partly filled with water and chipped ice makes a delicious and quickly prepared drink on a hot day. egg nogg add to the stiffly beaten white of one egg the slightly beaten yolk of egg. pour into glass tumbler, fill with cold sweet milk, sweeten with sugar to taste and a little grated nutmeg on top or a tablespoonful of good brandy. this is excellent for a person needing nourishment, and may be easily taken by those not able to take a raw egg in any other form. the egg nogg will be more easily digested if sipped slowly while eating a cracker or slice of crisply toasted bread. rose wine gather one quart of rose leaves, place in a bowl, pour over one quart of boiling water, let stand nine days, then strain, and to each quart of strained liquid add one pound of granulated sugar. allow to stand until next day, when sugar will be dissolved. pour into bottles, cork tightly, stand away for six months before using. aunt sarah had some which had been keeping two years and it was fine. dandelion wine four good quarts of dandelion blossoms, four pounds of sugar, six oranges, five lemons. wash dandelion blossoms and place them in an earthenware crock. pour five quarts of boiling water over them and let stand hours. then strain through a muslin bag, squeezing out all moisture from dandelions. put the strained juice in a deep stone crock or jug and add to it the grated rind and juice of the six oranges and five lemons. tie a piece of cheese-cloth over the top of jug and stand it in a warm kitchen about one week, until it begins to ferment. then stand away from stove in an outer kitchen or cooler place, not in the cellar, for three months. at the end of three months put in bottles. this is a clear, amber, almost colorless liquid. a pleasant drink of medicinal value. aunt sarah always used this recipe for making dandelion wine, but mary preferred a recipe in which yeast was used, as the wine could be used a short time after making. dandelion wine (made with yeast) four quarts of dandelion blossoms. pour over them four quarts of boiling water; let stand hours, strain and add grated rind and juice of two oranges and two lemons, four pounds of granulated sugar and two tablespoonfuls of home-made yeast. let stand one week, then strain and fill bottles. grape fruit punch two cups of grape juice, cups of water, - / cups of sugar, juice of lemons and oranges, sliced oranges, bananas and pineapples. serve the punch in sherbet glasses, garnished with marachino cherries. a substitute for maple syrup a very excellent substitute for maple syrup to serve on hot griddle cakes is prepared from pounds of either brown or white sugar and - / cups of water, in the following manner: place the stew-pan containing sugar and water on the back part of range, until sugar dissolves, then boil from to minutes, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of honey. remove from the range and add a few drops of vanilla or "mapleine" flavoring. a tiny pinch of cream of tartar, added when syrup commences to boil, prevents syrup granulating; too large a quantity of cream of tartar added to the syrup would cause it to have a sour taste. salted almonds or peanuts blanch pounds of shelled almonds or peanuts (the peanuts, of course, have been well roasted) by pouring quart of boiling water over them. allow them to stand a short time. drain and pour cold water over them, when the skin may be easily removed. place in a cool oven until dry and crisp. put a small quantity of butter into a pan. when hot, throw in the nuts and stir for a few minutes, sprinkle a little salt over. many young cooks do not know that salted peanuts are almost equally as good as salted almonds and cheaper. peanuts should always be freshly roasted and crisp. peanut butter when peanuts have been blanched, are cold, dry and crisp, run them through a food chopper. do not use the _very finest_ cutter, as that makes a soft mass. or they may be crushed with a rolling pin. season with salt, spread on thinly-sliced, buttered bread. they make excellent sandwiches. or run peanuts through food chopper which has an extra fine cutter especially for this purpose. the peanuts are then a thick, creamy mass. thin this with a small quantity of olive oil, or melted butter, if preferred. season with salt and you have "peanut butter," which, spread on slices of buttered bread, makes a delicious sandwich, and may frequently take the place of meat sandwiches. nuts, when added to salads, bread or cake, add to their food value. a club sandwich on a thinly-cut slice of toasted bread lay a crisp lettuce leaf and a thin slice of broiled bacon. on that a slice of cold, boiled chicken and a slice of ripe tomato. place a spoonful of mayonnaise on the tomato, on this a slice of toasted bread. always use stale bread for toast and if placed in a hot oven a minute before toasting it may be more quickly prepared. candies-walnut molasses taffy place cups of new orleans molasses and / cup of brown sugar in a stew-pan on the range and cook; when partly finished cooking (this may be determined by a teaspoonful of the mixture forming a soft ball when dropped in water), add tablespoonful of flour, moistened with a small quantity of water, and cook until a teaspoonful of the mixture becomes brittle when dropped in cold water; at this stage add scant teaspoonful of baking soda (salaratus). stir, then add cup of coarsely chopped black walnut meats; stir all together thoroughly, and pour into buttered pans to become cool. cocoanut creams grate medium-sized cocoanut, place in a bowl, add pounds of confectioners' sugar, mix with the cocoanut; then add the stiffly beaten white of egg and teaspoonful of vanilla; knead this as you would bread for or minutes. if the cocoanut is a large or a dry one, about / pound more sugar will be required. shape the mixture into small balls, press halves of english walnut meats into each ball, or have them plain, if preferred. stand aside in a cool place a half hour. melt a half cake of baker's unsweetened chocolate, add a half teaspoonful of paraffin, roll the small balls in this chocolate mixture until thoroughly coated. place on waxed paper to dry. from the ingredients in this recipe was made pounds of candy. fudge (as made by mary) two cups of granulated sugar, cup of sweet milk, / cup of butter, / cake or squares of baker's unsweetened chocolate. cook all together until when tried in water it forms a soft ball. remove from fire, flavor with vanilla, beat until creamy, pour in buttered pan and when cooled cut in squares. a delicious "chocolate cream" candy place in an agate stew-pan cups of granulated sugar, cup of sweet milk, butter size of an egg. cook all together until it forms a soft ball when a small quantity is dropped into cold water. then beat until creamy. add a half a cup of any kind of chopped nut meats. spread on an agate pie-tin and stand aside to cool. for the top layer take cup of sugar, / cup milk and butter size of an egg, small squares of a cake of baker's unsweetened chocolate. cook together until it forms a soft ball in water. beat until creamy. add half a teaspoonful of vanilla, spread over top of first layer of candy and stand away until it hardens and is quite cold. mary's recipe for molasses taffy four tablespoonfuls new orleans molasses, tablespoonfuls sugar, tablespoonfuls water, teaspoonfuls butter, teaspoonful vanilla. boil all together until it becomes brittle when a small quantity is dropped in water. pour the mixture into buttered pans and when cool enough to handle, pull with the hands until a light creamy yellow shade. pull into long, thin strips, cut into small pieces with scissors. this taffy is fine if boiled a long enough time to become crisp and brittle, and you will be surprised at the quantity this small amount of sugar and molasses will make. recipe for making hard soap without boiling to make hard soap without boiling, empty a can of "lewis perfumed lye" (or any other good, reliable brand of lye) into a stone jar with tablespoonful powdered borax. add - / pints of cold water to the lye. stir until dissolved. be very careful not to allow any of the lye to touch hands or face. wear old gloves when emptying can and stirring lye. stand the dissolved lye in a cool place. the tin cans containing the fat to be used for soap (which have accumulated, been tried out, strained, and put in empty tin cans at different times) should be placed in the oven of range for a few minutes. when warm they may be turned out readily into a large stew-pan. put over fire and when all has dissolved and melted, strain through cheese-cloth bag into an agate dish pan. when weighed you should - / pounds of clear fat. a recipe telling exact quantity of fat and lye usually comes with can of lye. when temperature of fat is degrees by your thermometer (luke-warm), the lye should have been allowed to stand about hour from the time it was dissolved. it should then be the right temperature to mix with strained, luke-warm fat or grease not over degrees by thermometer. now slowly pour the dissolved lye over the fat (a half cup of ammonia added improves soap), stir together until lye and grease are thoroughly incorporated, and the mixture drops from the stirrer like honey. the soap may be scented by adding a few drops of oil of cloves, if liked. stir the mixture with a small wooden paddle or stick. stir slowly from to minutes, not longer, or the lye and fat may separate. pour all into a large agate dish pan lined with a piece of clean muslin. throw an old piece of carpet over the top and stand near the range until evening, when, if made early in the morning, a solid cake of soap, weighing - / pounds, may be turned out on a bake-board (previously covered with brown paper) and cut into pieces of good hard soap. lay the pieces of soap in a basket, cover to protect from dust, and stand in a warm room to dry thoroughly before using. soap made according to these directions should be solid and almost as white as ivory if the fat used has not been scorched. this soap is excellent for scrubbing and laundry purposes. the greater length of time the soap is kept, the better it will become. the grease used may be clarified by adding water and cooking a short time. stand away and when cool remove fat from top, wiping off any moisture that may appear. soap-making is a _small economy_. of course, the young housewife will not use for soap _any fat_ which could be utilized for frying, etc., but she will be surprised to find, when she once gets the saving habit, how quickly she will have the quantity of fat needed for a dollar's worth of soap by the small outlay of the price of a can of lye, not counting her work. the young, inexperienced housewife should be careful not to use too small a stew-pan in which to heat the fat, and should not, under any circumstance, leave the kitchen while the fat is on the range, as grave results might follow carelessness in this respect. to imitate chestnut wood before painting the floor it was scrubbed thoroughly with the following: one-half cup of "household ammonia" added to four quarts of water. the floor, after being well scrubbed with this, was wiped up with pure, clean water and allowed to get perfectly dry before painting. for the ground color, or first coat of paint on the floor, after the cracks in floor had been filled with putty or filler, mix together five pounds of white lead, one pint of turpentine and about a fourth of a pound of yellow ochre, add tablespoon of japan dryer. this should make one quart of paint a light tan or straw color, with which paint the floor and allow it to dry twenty-four hours, when another coat of the same paint was given the floor and allowed to dry another twenty-four hours, then a graining color, light oak, was used. this was composed of one pint of turpentine, one teaspoon of graining color and two tablespoons of linseed oil, and tablespoon of japan dryer, all mixed together. this was about the color of coffee or chocolate. when the wood had been painted with this graining color, before drying, a fine graining comb was passed lightly over to imitate the grain of wood. this was allowed to dry twenty-four hours, when a coat of floor varnish was given. the room was allowed to dry thoroughly before using. the imitation of natural chestnut was excellent. measures and weights when a recipe calls for one cup of anything, it means one even cup, holding one-half pint, or two gills. one cup is equal to four wine glasses. one wine glass is equal to four tablespoons of liquid, or one-quarter cup. two dessertspoonfuls equal one tablespoonful. six tablespoonfuls of liquid equal one gill. two tablespoonfuls dry measure equal one gill. two gills equal one cup. two cups, or four gills, equal one pint. four cups of flour weigh one pound and four cups of flour equal one quart. one even cup of flour is four ounces. two cups (good measure) of granulated sugar weigh one pound and measure one pint. two cups butter equal one pound. a pint of liquid equals one pound. a cup of milk or water is ounces. two tablespoonfuls liquid equal one ounce. one salt spoonful is / teaspoonful. four tablespoonfuls equal one wine glass. piece of butter size of an egg equals two ounces, or two tablespoons. a tablespoonful of butter melted means the butter should be first measured then melted. one even tablespoonful of unmelted butter equals one ounce. one tablespoonful sugar, good measure, equals one ounce. ordinary silver tablespoon was used for measuring, not a large mixing spoon. cooking schedule to use with the oven thermometer of a gas stove _to cook_-- _cook for_-- bread, white ° minutes biscuit, small ° minutes biscuit, large ° minutes beef, roast rare ° minutes per pound beef, roast well done ° minutes per pound { fruit ° hours { sponge ° minutes cake { loaf ° minutes { layer ° minutes { cookies ° minutes chickens ° hours custards ° to ° minutes duck ° hours fish ° to ° hour ginger bread ° to ° minutes halibut ° to ° minutes lamb ° hours mutton, rare ° to ° minutes per pound mutton, well done ° minutes per pound pie crust ° minutes pork ° to ° - / hours potatoes ° hour { bread ° to ° hour { plum ° to ° hour puddings { rice ° to ° minutes { tapioca ° to ° minutes rolls ° to ° minutes turkeys ° hours veal ° - / hours when a teacher of "domestic science," the professor's wife was accustomed to using a pyrometer, or oven thermometer, to determine the proper temperature for baking. she explained its advantages over the old-fashioned way of testing the oven to mary and gave her a copy of the "cooking schedule," to put in her recipe book, which mary found of great assistance, and said she would certainly have a range with an oven thermometer should she have a home of her own, and persuaded aunt sarah to have one placed in the oven door of her range. the end. index to recipes page small economies, "left-overs" or "iverich bleibst" the many uses of stale bread "brod grummella" "croutons" and crumbs "zweibach" german egg bread creamed toast bread and rolls "bucks county" hearth-baked rye bread frau schmidt's good white bread (sponge method) excellent graham bread graham bread (an old recipe) "mary's" recipe for wheat bread frau schmidt's easily-made graham bread whole wheat bread nut bread "frau" schmidt's "quick bread" an "oatmeal loaf" "aunt sarah's" white bread (sponge method) recipe for pulled bread aunt sarah's "hutzel brod" aunt sarah's white bread and rolls aunt sarah's raised rolls clover-leaf rolls "polish" rye bread (as baked in bucks county) perfect breakfast rolls an old recipe for good bread steamed brown bread a wholesome bread (made from bran) "frau" schmidt's "hutzel brod" aunt sarah's "quickly made brown bread" "stirred" oatmeal bread nut and raisin bread "saffron" raisin bread raised rolls "grandmother's" pine raised biscuits "stirred" bread potato biscuits aunt sarah's potato yeast raised cakes "perfection" potato cakes mary's recipe for cinnamon buns "kleina kaffe kuchen" "grossmutter's" potato cakes aunt sarah's "bread dough" cake "good, cheap" dutch cakes recipe for "light cakes" (given to mary by a farmer's wife) butter "schimmel" "bucks county" doughnuts extra fine "quaker bonnet" biscuits bucks county cinnamon "kuchen" moravian sugar cakes "mary's" potato cakes "german" raisin cake "kaffee krantz" (coffee wreath) "mondel krantz" the professor's wife's recipe for dutch cakes farmer's pound cake german "coffee bread" "fast nacht kuchen" (doughnuts) "kaffee kuchen" (coffee cake) "streusel kuchen" muffins, biscuits, griddle cakes and waffles sally lunn (as aunt sarah made it) aunt sarah's recipe for "johnny cake" "mary's" breakfast muffins rice muffins indian pone "pfannkuchen" (pancakes) "extra fine" baking powder biscuits "flannel" cakes made from sour milk "flannel" cakes with baking powder frau schmidt's recipe for waffles "crumb" corn cakes grandmother's recipe for buttermilk waffles "bread" griddle cakes never fail "flannel" cakes waffles made from sweet milk and baking powder "bucks county" buckwheat cakes delicious corn cakes rice waffles (as aunt sarah made them) "german" egg-pancakes (not cheap) "frau schmidt's" griddle cake recipe mary's recipe for corn cakes aunt sarah's delicious cream biscuits mary's muffins "corn muffins" (as made by frau schmidt) strawberry short cake (as frau schmidt made it) perfection waffles recipe for making "baking powder" fritters, croquettes, dumplings and crullers "kartoffle balla" (potato balls) "boova shenkel" rice balls with cheese "kartoffle klose" rice croquets (and lemon sauce) corn oysters banana fritters parsnip fritters aunt sarah's "schnita and knopf" a very old recipe for "knopf" (or dumplings) "kartoffle kuklein" (potato fritter or boofers) rosettes, wafers and rosenkuehen "bairische dampfnudein" "heller bluther kuklein" "apyl kuklein" (apple fritters) dumplings made from "bread sponge" "leber klose" (liver dumplings) frau schmidt's "old recipe for schnitz and knopf" "brod knodel," or bread dumplings "german" pot pie "zwelchen dampfnudeln" green corn fritters "mouldasha" (parsley pies) inexpensive drop crullers batter baked with gravy "german" sour cream crullers grandmother's doughnuts fine "drop crullers" soups and chowders vegetable soup "marklose" balls for soup egg balls for soup "suppee schwangen" cream of oyster bouillon "german" noodle soup cream of celery oyster stew clam broth turkey soup cream of pea soup tomato soup "frau" schmidt's clam soup clam chowder brown potato chowder bean chowder bouillon "farmer's" rice philadelphia "pepperpot" "german" vegetable soup a cheap rice and tomato soup fish, clams and oysters boned shad croquettes of cold cooked fish shad roe scalloped oysters deviled oysters planked shad broiled mackerel codfish bails fried oysters panned oysters oysters steamed in the shell a recipe given mary for "oyster cocktail" oyster croquettes frau schmidt's way of serving "oyster cocktails" salmon loaf creamed salmon oyster canapes meat "sauergebratens" (german pot roast) "hungarian goulash" broiled steak stewed shin of beef hamburg steak meat stew with dumplings extending the meat flavor preparing a pot roast stuffed breast of veal "gedampftes rinderbrust" "paprikash" beef stew savory beef roll veal cutlets meat "snitzel" sirloin steaks meat balls veal loaf sweet breads (breaded) fried "liver and bacon" beef steak served with peas creamed "dried beef" creamed sweetbreads meat croquettes stewed rabbit roast lamb "gefullte rinderbrust" (stuffed breast of beef) german style fried peppers with pork chops boiled ham sliced ham roast pork pork chops "home-made" sausage aunt sarah's method of keeping sausage souse utilizing cold meat "left-overs" fowl roast chicken or turkey bread filling (as aunt sarah prepared it) fried chicken with cream gravy stewed or steamed chicken vegetables white potatoes baked potatoes various ways of using small potatoes scalloped potatoes candied sweet potatoes sweet potato croquettes potato chips fried eggplant baked stuffed peppers chili (as prepared in new mexico) baked cabbage crimson creamed beets buttered beets pickled "mangelwurzel" german steamed cabbage bean "snitzel" boiled spinach fried onions and potatoes steamed asparagus (pine) pasture mushrooms steamed mushrooms (delicious) stewed tomatoes sweet corn fried tomatoes with "cream sauce" baked "stuffed tomatoes" "canned tomatoes," fried or (tomato fritters) "bucks county" baked beans cooked hominy grated parsnip cakes to make "sauer kraut" dumplings to serve with "sauer kraut" parsley dried to preserve its _green_ color time required to cook vegetables common cream sauce preparation of savory gravies the good flavor of "browned flour" butter, cheese and suet a substitute for butter (as aunt sarah prepared it) "butter"--as it was made at the farm, "by aunt sarah" "smier kase," or cottage cheese uses of sweet drippings and suet eggs "eierkuchen," or omelette hard boiled eggs soft boiled eggs an egg and tomato omelette mushroom omelette a clam omelette deviled eggs eggs in cream sauce aunt sarah's method of preserving eggs in "water glass" to test fresh eggs salads aunt sarah's salad dressing dutch cucumber salad carrot salad "an old recipe" for chicken salad german potato salad german turnip salad "german" salad dressing mary's potato salad mary's recipe for salad dressing "fruit" salad dressing grape fruit salad "a good, inexpensive" salad dressing imitation "lobster salad" "german" horseradish sauce mayonnaise dressing (in which olive oil is used) mustard dressing to serve with sliced tomatoes chicken salad pepper hash german bean salad meat salads beverages coffee cocoa chocolate boiled water tea iced tea puddings rice pudding frau schmidt's apple dumplings "caramel custard" as mary prepared it aunt sarah's bread pudding "steamed" bread pudding an economical "bread and apple pudding" cup custards frau schmidt's graham pudding "sponge" bread pudding (sauce) aunt sarah's cottage pudding (sauce) apple "strudel" "lemon meringue" pudding suet pudding (sauce) steamed fruit pudding (sauce) cornmeal pudding huckleberry pudding tapioca custard delicious baked peach pudding caramel custard "aunt sarah's" rhubarb pudding "vanilla sauce" for rhubarb pudding rice custard "mary's" cup pudding (from stale bread) (sauce) "buckwheat minute" pudding peach tapioca aunt sarah's plain boiled pudding pudding sauce apple tapioca steamed walnut pudding "cornmeal sponge" pudding mary's corn starch pudding apple johnny cake (served as a pudding) a good and cheap tapioca pudding "gotterspeise" spanish cream graham pudding "pennsylvania" plum pudding (for thanksgiving day) (sauce) "slice" bread pudding cereals oatmeal porridge cooked rice cornmeal mush macaroni baked macaroni and cheese cakes cake making frau schmidt's lemon cake fine "krum kuchen" aunt sarah's "quick dutch cakes" a reliable layer cake boiled icing a delicious "spice layer cake" (icing) an inexpensive cocoa cake aunt sarah's walnut gingerbread aunt sarah's "german crumb cakes" baked in crusts "sour cream" molasses cake economy cake ginger cake a very economical german clove cake (icing) cake icing for various cakes mary's recipe for "hot milk sponge" cake cheap "molasses gingerbread" aunt sarah's extra fine large sponge cake angel cake (aunt sarah's recipe) aunt sarah's good and cheap "country fruit cake" a "sponge custard" cake custard grandmother's excellent "old" recipe for marble cake mary's molasses cakes chocolate icing for molasses cake hickory nut cake "light brown" sugar cake "angel food" layer cake mary's chocolate cake cocoa filling a cheap orange cake frau schmidt's molasses cake apple sauce cake icing "schwarz" cake (and chocolate filling) apple cream cake apple cream pilling for cake a "half pound" cake a delicious icing (not cheap) cocoanut layer cake the filling gold layer cake sunshine sponge cake an inexpensive dark "chocolate layer cake" angel cake mary's chocolate loaf (made with sour milk) inexpensive sunshine cake mary's recipe for orange cake and filling for cake roll jelly cake aunt sarah's cinnamon cake gelb kuchen (yellow cake) devil's food cake a cheap cocoanut layer cake lady baltimore cake and icing an inexpensive "white fruit cake" a good and cheap "white cake" chocolate icing (very good) tip-top cake orange cake and filling cheap sponge cake caramel cake and icing a white cake "dutch" currant cake (no yeast used) an "old recipe" for coffee cake a "cheap" brown sugar cake fran schmidt's "german christmas cake" aunt sarah's "shellbark layer cake" imperial cake (baked for mary's wedding) a light fruit cake (for christmas) english cake (similar to a white fruit cake) grandmother's fruit cake (baked for mary's wedding) an old recipe for pound cake "bucks county" molasses cakes (baked in pastry) "brod torte" a delicious chocolate cake chocolate icing a white cocoanut cake a potato cake (no yeast required) a citron cake aunt amanda's spice "kuchen" a good, cheap chocolate cake an tee cream cake small sponge cakes small cakes and cookies "aunt sarah's" little lemon cakes oatmeal crisps aunt sarah's ginger snaps german "lebkuchen" (icing) grandmother's molasses cakes angel cakes (baked in gem pans) "almond brod" "grossmutter's" honey cakes lemon wafers or drop cakes frau schmidt's sugar cookies almond macaroons "honig kuchen" (honey cakes) frau schmidt's molasses snaps hickory nut cakes "lebkuchen" fruit jumbles brown pfeffernussen small oatmeal cakes frau schmidt's recipe for "german" almond slices "july ann's" ginger snaps cocoanut cookies chocolate cookies small "belsnickel" christmas cakes "pennsylvania dutch" kisses little crumb cakes delicious vanilla wafers (as mary made them) macaroons (as aunt sarah made them) "springerles" (german christmas cakes) oatmeal cookies peanut biscuits plain cookies walnut rocks cinnamon wafers (as aunt sarah made them) zimmet waffles (as made by frau schmidt) "braune lebkuchen" peanut cookies pies flaky pie crust aunt sarah's lemon pie the professor's wife's superior pastry mary's lemon meringue (made with milk) apple tart raisin or "rosina" pie snitz pie mary's recipe for "plain pumpkin" pies chocolate pie "pebble dash," or shoo fly pie (as aunt sarah made it) vanilla crumb "crusts" (the crumbs for crusts) "kasha kuchen" or cherry cake "rivel kuchen" aunt sarah's lemon meringue a country batter pie pumpkin pie (aunt sarah's recipe) white potato custard (aunt sarah's recipe) "rhubarb custard" pie "lemon apple" pie green currant pie a country "molasses" pie a mock cherry pie aunt sarah's custard pie plain rhubarb pie mary's cream pie apple custard pie lemon pie with crumbs aunt sarah's butter scotch pie green tomato mince meat orange meringue (a pie) grandmother's recipe for "mince meat" "twentieth century" mince meat a "dutch" recipe for pumpkin pie mary's cocoanut custard pie grape pie sour cherry pie aunt sarah's "strawberry" pie "florendine" pie aunt sarah's "cheese cake," or pie "frau" schmidt's lemon pie pickles spiced cucumbers mixed sauce to serve with meats pepper relish pickled red cabbage mustard pickles aunt sarah's cucumber pickles "rot pfeffers" filled with cabbage an old recipe for spiced pickles aunt sarah's recipe for "chili sauce" tomato catsup pickled beets marmalades, preserves and canned fruits "frau" schmidt's recipe for apple butter cranberry sauce preserved "yellow ground cherries" "wunderselda" marmalade aunt sarah's spiced pears peach marmalade aunt sarah's ginger pears pear and pieapple marmalade grape butter canned sour cherries candied orange peel aunt sarah's "cherry marmalade" aunt sarah's "quince honey" pickled peaches currant jelly pineapple honey preserved pineapple grape conserve mary's recipe for rhubarb jam apple sauce rhubarb marmalade as "frau schmidt" made it grape fruit marmalade orange marmalade cherry "relish" canned peaches pear conserve lemon honey canned string beans preserved "german prunes" or plums "bucks county" apple butter canned tomatoes euchered peaches aunt sarah's method of canning corn dried sweet corn preserved cherries frozen desserts aunt sarah's frozen "fruit custard" sherbet ice cream (a simple recipe given mary) frau schmidt's ice cream maple parfait ice cream made by beating with paddle aunt sarah's recipe for frozen custard pineapple cream mary's recipe for peach cream lemon sherbet frau schmidt's frozen custard caramel ice cream cherry sherbet grape sherbet wines and syrups unfermented grape juice vinegar made from strawberries boiled cider for mince pies lemon syrup egg nogg rose wine dandelion wine dandelion wine (made with yeast) grape fruit punch a substitute for maple syrup salted almonds or peanuts peanut butter a club sandwich candies walnut molasses taffy cocoanut creams fudge (as made by mary) a delicious chocolate cream candy mary's recipe for molasses taffy recipe for making hard soap without boiling to imitate chestnut wood measures and weights cooking schedule proofreading team. scans from biblioteca de la universitat de barcelona _english_ housewifry exemplified in above four hundred and fifty receipts, giving directions in most parts of cookery; and how to prepare various sorts of soops, cakes, made-dishes, creams, pastes, jellies, pickles, made-wines, &c. with cuts for the orderly placing the dishes and courses; also bills of fare for every month in the year; and an alphabetical index to the whole. a book necessary for mistresses of families, higher and lower women servants, and confined to things useful, substantial and splendid, and calculated for the preservation of health, and upon the measures of _frugality_, being the result of thirty years _practice_ and _experience_. by elizabeth moxon. with an appendix containing, upwards of sixty receipts, of the most valuable kind, communicated to the publisher by several gentlewomen in the neighbourhood, distinguished by their extraordinary skill in housewifry. the returns of spiritual comfort and grief, in a devout soul. represented by an intercourse of letters to the right honourable lady letice, countess of falkland, in her life time. publish'd for the benefit and ease of all who labour under spiritual afflictions. . the preface it is not doubted but the candid reader will find the following book in correspondence with the title, which will supersede the necessity of any other recommendation that might be given it. as the complier of it engaged in the undertaking at the instance and importunity of many persons of eminent account and distinction, so she can truly assure them, and the world, that she has acquitted herself with the utmost care and fidelity. and she entertains the greater hopes that her performance will meet with the kinder acceptance, because of the good opinion she has been held in by those, her ever honour'd friends, who first excited her to the publication of her book, and who have been long eye-witnesses of her skill and behaviour in the business of her calling. she has nothing to add, but her humblest thanks to them, and to all others with whom she has received favour and encouragement. _english_ housewifry. . _to make_ vermicelly soop. take a neck of beef, or any other piece; cut off some slices, and fry them with butter 'till they are very brown; wash your pan out every time with a little of the gravy; you may broil a few slices of the beef upon a grid-iron: put all together into a pot, with a large onion, a little salt, and a little whole pepper; let it stew 'till the meat is tender, and skim off the fat in the boiling; them strain it into your dish, and boil four ounces of vermicelly in a little of the gravy 'till it is soft: add a little stew'd spinage; then put all together into a dish, with toasts of bread; laying a little vermicelly upon the toast. garnish your dish with creed rice and boil'd spinage, or carrots slic'd thin. . cucumber soop. take a houghil of beef, break it small and put it into a stew-pan, with part of a neck of mutton, a little whole pepper, an onion, and a little salt; cover it with water, and let it stand in the oven all night, then strain it and take off the fat; pare six or eight middle-siz'd cucumbers, and slice them not very thin, stew them in a little butter and a little whole pepper; take them out of the butter and put 'em in the gravy. garnish your dish with raspings of bread, and serve it up with toasts of bread or _french_ roll. . _to make_ hare soop. cut the hare into small pieces, wash it and put it into a stew-pan, with a knuckle of veal; put in it a gallon of water, a little salt, and a handful of sweet herbs; let it stew 'till the gravy be good; fry a little of the hare to brown the soop; you may put in it some crusts of write bread among the meat to thicken the soop; put it into a dish, with a little stew'd spinage, crisp'd bread, and a few forc'd-meat balls. garnish your dish with boil'd spinage and turnips, cut it in thin square slices. . _to make green_ pease soop. take a neck of mutton, and a knuckle of veal, make of them a little good gravy; then take half a peck of the greenest young peas, boil and beat them to a pulp in a marble mortar; then put to them a little of the gravy; strain them through a hair sieve to take out all the pulp; put all together, with a little salt and whole pepper; then boil it a little, and if you think the soop not green enough, boil a handful of spinage very tender, rub it through a hair-sieve, and put into the soop with one spoonful of wheat-flour, to keep it from running: you must not let it boil after the spinage is put in, it will discolour it; then cut white bread in little diamonds, fry them in butter while crisp, and put it into a dish, with a few whole peas. garnish your dish with creed rice, and red beet-root. you may make asparagus-soop the same way, only add tops of asparagus, instead of whole pease. . _to make_ onion soop. take four or five large onions, pill and boil them in milk and water whilst tender, (shifting them two or three times in the boiling) beat 'em in a marble mortar to a pulp, and rub them thro' a hair-sieve, and put them into a little sweet gravy; then fry a few slices of veal, and two or three slices of lean bacon; beat them in a marble mortar as small as forc'd-meat; put it into your stew-pan with the gravy and onions, and boil them; mix a spoonful of wheat-flour with a little water, and put it into the soop to keep it from running; strain all through a cullender, season it to your taste; then put into the dish a little spinage stew'd in butter, and a little crisp bread; so serve it up. . _common_ pease soop _in winter_. take a quart of good boiling pease which put into a pot with a gallon of soft water whilst cold; add thereto a little beef or mutton, a little hung beef or bacon, and two or three large onions; boil all together while your soop is thick; salt it to your taste, and thicken it with a little wheat-flour; strain it thro' a cullender, boil a little sellery, cut it in small pieces, with a little crisp bread, and crisp a little spinage, as you would do parsley, then put it in a dish, and serve it up. garnish your dish with raspings of bread. . _to make_ pease soop _in lent_. take a quart of pease, put them into a pot with a gallon of water, two or three large onions, half a dozen anchovies, a little whole pepper and salt; boil all together whilst your soop is thick; strain it into a stew-pan through a cullender, and put six ounces of butter (work'd in flour) into the soop to thicken it; also put in a little boil'd sellery, stew'd spinage, crisp bread, and a little dry'd mint powdered; so serve it up. . craw-fish soop. take a knuckle of veal, and part of a neck of mutton to make white gravy, putting in an onion, a little whole pepper and salt to your taste; then take twenty crawfish, boil and beat them in a marble mortar, adding thereto alittlee of the gravy; strain them and put them into the gravy; also two or three pieces of white bread to thicken the soop; boil twelve or fourteen of the smallest craw-fish, and put them whole into the dish, with a few toasts, or _french_ roll, which you please; so serve it up. you may make lobster soop the same way, only add into the soop the seeds of the lobster. . _to make_ scotch soop. take a houghil of beef, cut it in pieces, with part of a neck of mutton, and a pound of _french_ barley; put them all into your pot, with six quarts of water; let it boil 'till the barley be soft, then put in a fowl; as soon as 'tis enough put in a handful of red beet leaves or brocoli, a handful of the blades of onions, a handful of spinage, washed and shred very small; only let them have a little boil, else it will spoil the greenness. serve it up with the fowl in a dish, garnish'd with raspings of bread. . _to make_ soop _without water_. take a small leg of mutton, cut it in slices, season it with a little pepper and salt; cut three middling turnips in round pieces, and three small carrots scrap'd and cut in pieces, a handful of spinage, a little parsley, a bunch of sweet herbs, and two or three cabbage lettice; cut the herbs pretty small, lay a row of meat and a row of herbs; put the turnips and carrots at the bottom of the pot, with an onion, lay at the top half a pound of sweet butter, and close up the pot with coarse paste; them put the pot into boiling water, and let it boil for four hours; or in a slow oven, and let it stand all night; when it is enough drain the gravy from the meat, skim off the fat, then put it into your dish with some toasts of bread, and a little stew'd spinage; to serve it up. . _to stew a_ brisket _of_ beef. take the thin part of a brisket of beef, score the skin at the top; cross and take off the under skin, then take out the bones, season it highly with mace, a little salt, and a little whole pepper, rub it on both sides, let it lay all night, make broth of the bones, skim the fat clean off, put in as much water as will cover it well, let it stew over a slow fire four or five hours, with a bunch of sweet herbs and an onion cut in quarters; turn the beef over every hour, and when you find it tender take it out of the broth and drain it very well, having made a little good strong gravy. a ragoo with sweet-breads cut into pieces, pullets tenderly boil'd and cut in long pieces; take truffles and morels, if you have any mushrooms, with a little claret, and throw in your beef, let it stew a quarter of an hour in the ragoo, turning it over sometimes, then take out your beef, and thicken your ragoo with a lump of butter and a little flour. garnish your dish with horse-radish and pickles, lay the ragoo round your beef, and a little upon the top; so serve it up. . _to stew a_ rump _of_ beef. take a fat rump of young beef and cut off the fag end, lard the low part with fat bacon, and stuff the other part with shred parsley; put it into your pan with two or three quarts of water, a quart of claret, two or three anchovies, an onion, two or three blades of mace, a little whole pepper, and a bunch of sweet herbs; stew it over a slow fire five or six hours, turning it several times in the stewing, and keep it close cover'd; when your beef is enough take from it the gravy, thicken part of it with a lump of butter and flour, and put it upon the dish with the beef. garnish the dish with horse-radish and red-beet root. there must be no salt upon the beef, only salt the gravy to your taste. you may stew part of a brisket, or an ox cheek the same way. . _to make_ olives _of_ beef. take some slices of a rump (or any other tender piece) of beef, and beat them with a paste pin, season them with nutmeg, pepper and salt, and rub them over with the yolk of an egg; make a little forc'd-meat of veal, beef-suet, a few bread crumbs, sweet-herbs, a little shred mace, pepper, salt, and two eggs, mixed all together; take two or three slices of the beef, according as they are in bigness, and a lump of forc'd-meat the size of an egg; lay your beef round it, and roll it in part of a kell of veal, put it into an earthen dish, with a little water, a glass of claret, and a little onion shred small; lay upon them a little butter, and bake them in an oven about an hour; when they come out take off the fat, and thicken the gravy with a little butter and flour; six of them is enough for a side dish. garnish the dish with horseradish and pickles. you may make olives of veal the same way. . _to fry_ beef-steaks. take your beef steaks and beat them with the back of a knife, fry them in butter over a quick fire, that they may be brown before they be too much done; when they are enough put them into an earthen pot whilst you have fry'd them all; pour out the fat, and put them into your pan with a little gravy, an onion shred very small, a spoonful of catchup and a little salt; thicken it with a little butter and flour, the thickness of cream. garnish your dish with pickles. beef-steaks are proper for a side-dish. . beef-steaks _another way_. take your beef-steaks and beat them with the back of a knife, strow them over with a little pepper and salt, lay them on a grid-iron over a clear fire, turning 'em whilst enough; set your dish over a chafing-dish of coals, with a little brown gravy; chop an onion or shalot as small as pulp, and put it amongst the gravy; (if your steaks be not over much done, gravy will come therefrom;) put it on a dish and shake it all together. garnish your dish with shalots and pickles. . _a_ shoulder _of_ mutton _forc'd_. take a pint of oysters and chop them, put in a few bread-crumbs, a little pepper, shred mace, and an onion, mix them all together, and stuff your mutton on both sides, then roast it at a slow fire, and baste it with nothing but butter; put into the dripping-pan a little water, two or three spoonfuls of the pickle of oysters, a glass of claret, an onion shred small, and an anchovy; if your liquor waste before your mutton is enough, put in a little more water; when the meat is enough, take up the gravy, skim off the fat, and thicken it with flour and butter; then serve it up. garnish your dish with horse-radish and pickles. . _to stew a_ fillet _of_ mutton. take a fillet of mutton, stuff it the same as for a shoulder, half roast it, and put it into a stew pan with a little gravy, a jill of claret, an anchovy, and a shred onion; you may put in a little horse-radish and some mushrooms; stew it over a slow fire while the mutton is enough; take the gravy, skim off the fat, and thicken it with flour and butter; lay forc'd-meat-balls round the mutton. garnish your dish with horse-radish and mushrooms. it is proper either for a side-dish or bottom dish; if you have it for a bottom-dish, cut your mutton into two fillets. . _to collar a breast of_ mutton. take a breast of mutton, bone it, and season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt, rub it over with the yolk of an egg; make a little forc'd-meat of veal or mutton, chop it with a little beef-suet, a few bread-crumbs, sweet herbs, an onion, pepper and salt, a little nutmeg, two eggs, and a spoonful or two of cream; mix all together and lay it over the mutton, roll it up and bind it about with course inkle; put it into an earthen dish with a little water, dridge it over with flour, and lay upon it a little butter; it will require two hours to bake it. when it is enough take up the gravy, skim off the fat, put in an anchovy and a spoonful of catchup, thicken it with flour and butter; take the inkle from the mutton and cut it into three or four rolls; pour the sauce upon the dish, and lay about it forc'd-meat-balls. garnish your dish with pickles. . _to collar a breast of_ mutton _another way_. take a breast of mutton, bone it, and season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt; roll it up tight with coarse incle and roast it upon a spit; when it is enough lay it whole upon the dish. then take four or six cucumbers, pare them and cut them in slices, not very thin; likewise cut three or four in quarters length way, stew them in a little brown gravy and a little whole pepper; when they are enough thicken them with flour and butter the thickness of cream; so serve it up. garnish your dish with horse-radish. . _to carbonade a breast of_ mutton. take a breast of mutton, half bone it, nick it cross, season it with pepper and salt; then broil it before the fire whilst it be enough, strinkling it over with bread-crumbs; let the sauce be a little gravy and butter, and a few shred capers; put it upon the dish with the mutton. garnish it with horse-radish and pickles. this is proper for a side-dish at noon, or a bottom-dish at night. . _a chine of_ mutton _roasted, with stew'd_ sellery. take a loyn of mutton, cut off the thin part and both ends, take off the skin, and score it in the roasting as you would do pork; then take a little sellery, boil it, and cut it in pieces about an inch long, put to it a little good gravy, while pepper and salt, two or three spoonfuls of cream and a lump of butter, so thicken it up, and pour it upon your dish with your mutton.--this is proper for a side-dish. . mutton-chops. take a leg of mutton half-roasted, when it is cold cut it in thin pieces as you would do any other meat for hashing, put it into a stew-pan with a little water or small gravy, two or three spoonfuls of claret, two or three shalots shred, or onions, and two or three spoonfuls of oyster pickle; thicken it up with a little flour, and so serve it up. garnish your dish with horse-radish and pickles. you may do a shoulder of mutton the same way, only boil the blade-bone, and lie in the middle. . _a forc'd_ leg _of_ mutton. take a leg of mutton, loose the skin from the meat, be careful you do not cut the skin as you loosen it; then cut the meat from the bone, and let the bone and skin hang together, chop the meat small, with a little beef-suet, as you would do sausages; season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt, a few bread-crumbs, two or three eggs, a little dry'd sage, shred parsley and lemon-peel; then fill up the skin with forc'd-meat, and lay it upon an earthen dish; lay upon the meat a little flour and butter, and a little water in the dish; it will take an hour and a half baking; when you dish it up lay about it either mutton or veal chollops, with brown gravy sauce. garnish your dish with horse-radish and lemon. you may make a forc'd leg of lamb the same way. . _to make_ french cutlets _of_ mutton. take a neck of mutton, cut it in joints, cut off the ends of the long bones, then scrape the meat clean off the bones about an inch, take a little of the inpart of the meat of the cutlets, and make it into forc'd-meat; season it with nutmeg, pepper, and salt; then lay it upon your cutlets, rub over them the yolk of an egg to make it stick; chop a few sweet herbs, and put to them a few bread-crumbs, a little pepper and salt, and strew it over the cutlets, and wrap them in double writing-paper; either broil them before the fire or in an oven, half an hour will do them; when you dish them up, take off the out-paper, and set in the midst of the dish a little brown gravy in a china-bason; you may broil them without paper if you please. . _to fry_ mutton steaks. take a loyn of mutton, cut off the thin part, then cut the rest into steaks, and flat them with a bill, season them with a little pepper and salt, fry them in butter over a quick fire; as you fry them put them into a stew-pan or earthen-pot, whilst you have fried them all; then pour the fat out of the pan, put in a little gravy, and the gravy that comes from the steaks, with a spoonful of claret, an anchovy, and an onion or a shalot shred; shake up the steaks in the gravy, and thicken it with a little flour; so serve them up. garnish your dish with horse radish and shalots. . _to make artificial_ venison _of_ mutton. take a large shoulder of mutton, or a middling fore quarter, bone it, lay it in an earthen dish, put upon it a pint of claret, and let it lie all night; when you put it into your pasty-pan or dish, pour on the claret that it lay in, with a little water and butter; before you put it into your pasty-pan, season it with pepper and salt; when you make the pasty lie no paste in the bottom of the dish. . _how to brown ragoo a_ breast _of_ veal. take a breast of veal, cut off both the ends, and half roast it; then put it into a stew-pan, with a quart of brown gravy, a spoonful of mushroom-powder, a blade or two of mace, and lemon-peel; so let it stew over a slow fire whilst your veal is enough; then put in two or three shred mushrooms or oysters, two or three spoonfuls of white wine; thicken up your sauce with flour and butter; you may lay round your veal some stew'd morels and truffles; if you have none, some pallets stew'd in gravy, with artichoke-bottoms cut in quarters, dipt in eggs and fry'd, and some forc'd-meat-balls; you may fry the sweet-bread cut in pieces, and lay over the veal, or fry'd oysters; when you fry your oysters you must dip them in egg and flour mixed. garnish your dish with lemon and pickles. . _a herico of a_ breast _of_ veal, french _way_. take a breast of veal, half roast it, then put it into a stew-pan, with three pints of brown gravy; season your veal with nutmeg, pepper and salt; when your veal is stew'd enough, you may put in a pint of green peas boil'd. take six middling cucumbers, pare and cut them in quarters long way, also two cabbage-lettices, and stew them in brown gravy; so lay them round your veal when you dish it up, with a few forc'd-meat-balls and some slices of bacon. garnish your dish with pickles, mushrooms, oysters and lemons. . _to roll a_ breast _of_ veal. take a breast of veal, and bone it, season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt, rub it over with the yolk of an egg, and strew it over with sweet herbs shred small, and some slices of bacon, cut thin to lie upon it, roll it up very tight, bind it with coarse inkle, put it into an earthen dish with a little water, and lay it upon some lumps of butter; strew a little seasoning on the outside of your veal, it will take two hours baking; when it is baked take off the inkle and cut it in four rolls, lay it upon the dish with a good brown gravy-sauce: lay about your veal the sweet-bread fry'd, some forc'd-meat-balls, a little crisp bacon, and a few fry'd oysters if you have any; so serve it up. garnish your dish with pickles and lemon. . _a stew'd_ breast _of_ veal. take the fattest and whitest breast of veal you can get, cut off both ends and boil them for a little gravy; take the veal and raise up the thin part, make a forc'd-meat of the sweet-bread boil'd, a few bread-crumbs, a little beef-suet, two eggs, pepper and salt, a spoonful or two of cream, and a little nutmeg, mix'd all together; so stuff the veal, skewer the skin close down, dridge it over with flour, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it in milk and water about an hour. for the sauce take a little gravy, about a jill of oysters, a few mushrooms shred, a little lemon shred fine, and a little juice of lemon; so thicken it up with flour and butter; when you dish it up pour the same over it; lay over it a sweet-bread or two cut in slices and fry'd, and fry'd oysters. garnish your dish with lemon, pickles and mushrooms. this is proper for a top dish either at noon or night. . _to stew a_ fillet _of_ veal. take a leg of the best whye veal, cut off the dug and the knuckle, cut the rest into two fillets, and take the fat part and cut it in pieces the thickness of your finger; you must stuff the veal with the fat; make the hole with a penknife, draw it thro' and skewer it round; season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg, and shred parsley; then put it into your stew-pan, with half a pound of butter, (without water) and set it on your stove; let it boil very slow and cover it close up, turning it very often; it will take about two hours in stewing; when it is enough pour the gravy from it, take off the fat, put into the gravy a pint of oysters and a few capers, a little lemon-peel, a spoonful or two of white wine, and a little juice of lemon; thicken it with butter and flour the thickness of cream; lay round it forc'd-meat-balls and oysters fry'd, and so serve it up. garnish your dish with a few capers and slic'd lemon. . _to make_ scotch collops. take a leg of veal, take off the thick part and cut in thin slices for collops, beat them with a paste-pin 'till they be very thin; season them with mace, pepper and salt; fry them over a quick fire, not over brown; when they are fried put them into a stew-pan with a little gravy, two or three spoonfuls of white wine, two spoonfuls of oyster-pickle if you have it, and a little lemon-peel; then shake them over a stove in a stew-pan, but don't let them boil over much, it only hardens your collops; take the fat part of your veal, stuff it with forc'd-meat, and boil it; when it is boiled lay it in the middle of your dish with the collops; lay about your collops slices of crisp bacon, and forc'd-meat-balls. garnish your dish with slices of lemon and oysters, or mushrooms. . _to make_ veal cutlets. take a neck of veal, cut it in joints, and flatten them with a bill; cut off the ends of the bones, and lard the thick part of the cutlets with four or five bits of bacon; season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt; strew over them a few bread crumbs, and sweet herbs shred fine; first dip the cutlets in egg to make the crumbs stick, then broil them before the fire, put to them a little brown gravy sauce, so serve it up. garnish your dish with lemon. . veal cutlets _another way_. take a neck of veal, cut it in joints, and flat them as before, and cut off the ends of the long bones; season them with a little pepper, salt and nutmeg, broil them on a gridiron, over a slow fire; when they are enough, serve them up with brown gravy sauce and forc'd-meat-balls. garnish your dish with lemon. . veal cutlets _another way_. take a neck of veal and cut it in slices, flatten them as before, and cut off the ends of the long bones; season the cutlets with pepper and salt, and dridge over them some flour; fry them in butter over a quick fire; when they are enough put from them the fat they were fried in, and put to them a little small gravy, a spoonful of catchup, a spoonful of white wine or juice of lemon, and grate in some nutmeg; thicken them with flour and butter, so serve them up. garnish your dish as before. . _to collar a_ calf's head _to eat hot_. take a large fat head, and lay it in water to take out the blood; boil it whilst the bones will come out; season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt; then wrap it up round with a large lump of forc'd-meat made of veal; after which wrap it up tight in a veal kell before it is cold, and take great care that you don't let the head break in two pieces; then bind it up with a coarse inkle, lay it upon an earthen dish, dridge it over with flour, and lay over it a little butter, with a little water in the dish; an hour and a half will bake it; when it is enough take off the inkle, cut it in two length ways, laying the skin-side uppermost; when you lay it upon your dish you must lay round it stew'd pallets and artichoke-bottoms fry'd with forc'd-meat-balls; put to it brown gravy-sauce; you may brown your sauce with a few truffles or morels, and lay them about your veal. garnish your dish with lemon and pickle. . _to collar a_ calf's head _to eat cold_. you must be a calf's head with the skin on, split it and lay it in water, take out the tongue and eyes, cut off the groin ends, then tie it up in a cloth and boil it whilst the bones come out; when it is enough lay it on a table with the skin-side uppermost, and pour upon it a little cold water; then take off the hair and cut off the ears; mind you do not break the head in two, turn it over and take out the bones; salt it very well and wrap it round in a cloth very tight, pin it with pins, and tie it at both ends, so bind it up with broad inkle, then hang it up by one end, and when it is cold take it out; you must make for it brown pickle, and it will keep half a year; when you cut it, cut it at the neck. it is proper for a side or middle dish, either for noon or night. . _to make a_ calf's head _hash_. take a calf's head and boil it, when it is cold take one half of the head and cut off the meat in thin slices, put it into a stew pan with a little brown gravy, put to it a spoonful or two of walnut pickle, a spoonful of catchup, a little claret, a little shred mace, a few capers shred, or a little mango; boil it over a stove, and thicken it with butter and flour; take the other part of the head, cut off the bone ends and score it with a knife, season it with a little pepper and salt, rub it over with the yolk of an egg, and strew over a few bread crumbs, and a little parsley; then set it before the fire to broil whilst it is brown; and when you dish up the other part lay this in the midst; lay about your hash-brain-cakes, forc'd-meat-balls and crisp bacon. _to make brain-cakes_; take a handful of bread-crumbs, a little shred lemon-peel, pepper, salt, nutmeg, sweet-marjorum, parsley shred fine, and the yolks of three eggs; take the brains and skin them, boil and chop them small, so mix them all together; take a little butter in your pan when you fry them, and drop them in as you do fritters, and if they run in your pan put in a handful more of bread-crumbs. . _to hash a_ calf's head _white_. take a calf's head and boil it as much as you would do for eating, when it is cold cut in thin slices, and put it into a stew-pan with a white gravy; then put to it a little shred mace, salt, a pint of oysters, a few shred mushrooms, lemon-peel, three spoonful of white wine, and some juice of lemon, shake all together, and boil it over the stove, thicken it up with a little flour and butter; when you put it on your dish, you must put a boil'd fowl in the midst, and few slices of crisp bacon. garnish your dish with pickles and lemon. . _a ragoo of a_ calf's head. take two calves' head and boil them as you do for eating, when they are cold cut off all the lantern part from the flesh in pieces about an inch long, and about the breadth of your little finger; put it into your stew-pan with a little white gravy; twenty oysters cut in two or three pieces, a few shred mushrooms, and a little juice of lemon; season it with shred mace and salt, let them all boil together over a stove; take two or three spoonfuls of cream, the yolks of two or three eggs, and a little shred parsley, then put it into a stew-pan; after you have put the cream in you may shake it all the while; if you let it boil it will crudle, so serve it up. garnish your dish with sippets, lemon, and a few pickled mushrooms. . _to roast a_ calf's head _to eat like pig_. take a calf's head, wash it well, lay it in an earthen dish, and cut out the tongue lay it loose under the head in the dish with the brains, and a little sage and parsley; rub the head over with the yolk of an egg, then strew over them a few bread-crumbs and shred parsley, lay all over it lumps of butter and a little salt, then set it in the oven; it will take about an hour and a half baking; when it is enough take the brains, sage and parsley; and chop them together, put to them the gravy that is in the dish, a little butter and a spoonful of vinegar, so boil it up and put it in cups, and set them round the head upon the dish, take the tongue and blanch it, cut it in two, and lay it on each side the head, and some slices of crisp bacon over the head, so serve it up. . sauce _for a_ neck _of_ veal. fry your veal, and when fried put in a little water, an anchovy, a few sweet herbs, a little onion, nutmeg, a little lemon-peel shred small, and a little white wine or ale, then shake it up with a little butter and flour, with some cockles and capers. . _to boil a_ leg _of_ lamb, _with the_ loyn _fry'd about it_. when your lamb is boil'd lay it in the dish, and pour upon it a little parsley, butter and green gooseberries coddled, then lay your fried lamb round it; take some small asparagus and cut it small like peas, and boil it green; when it is boil'd drain it in a cullender, and lay it round your lamb in spoonfuls. garnish your dish with gooseberries, and heads of asparagus in lumps. this is proper for a bottom dish. . _a_ leg _of_ lamb _boil'd with_ chickens _round it_. when your lamb is boil'd pour over it parsley and butter, with coddled gooseberries, so lay the chickens round your lamb, and pour over the chickens a little white fricassy sauce. garnish your dish with sippets and lemon. this is proper for a top dish. . _a fricassy of_ lamb _white_. take a leg of lamb, half roast it, when it is cold cut it in slices, put it into a stew-pan with a little white gravy, a shalot shred fine, a little nutmeg, salt, and a few shred capers; let it boil over the stove whilst the lamb is enough; to thicken your sauce, take three spoonfuls of cream, the yolks of two eggs, a little shred parsley, and beat them well together, then put it into your stew-pan and shake it whilst it is thick, but don't let it boil; if this do not make it thick, put in a little flour and butter, so serve it up. garnish your dish with mushrooms, oysters and lemon. . _a brown fricassy of_ lamb. take a leg of lamb, cut it in thin slices and season it with pepper and salt, then fry it brown with butter, when it is fried put it into your stew-pan, with a little brown gravy, an anchovy, a spoonful or two of white wine or claret, grate in a little nutmeg, and set it over the stove; thicken your sauce with flour and butter. garnish your dish with mushrooms, oysters and lemon. . _to make_ pig _eat like_ lamb _in winter_. take a pig about a month old and dress it, lay it down to the fire, when the skin begins to harden you must take it off by pieces, and when you have taken all the skin off, draw it and when it is cold cut it in quarters and lard it with parsley; then roast it for use. . _how to stew a_ hare. take a young hare, wash and wipe it well, cut the legs into two or three pieces, and all the other parts the same bigness, beat them all flat with a paste-pin, season it with nutmeg and salt, then flour it over, and fry it in butter over a quick fire; when you have fried it put into a stew-pan, with about a pint of gravy, two or three spoonfuls of claret and a small anchovy, so shake it up with butter and flour, (you must not let it boil in the stew-pan, for it will make it cut hard) then serve it up. garnish your dish with crisp parsley. . _how to jug a_ hare. take a young hare, cut her in pieces as you did for stewing, and beat it well, season it with the same seasoning you did before, put it into a pitcher or any other close pot, with half a pound of butter, set it in a pot of boiling water, stop up the pitcher close with a cloth, and lay upon it some weight for fear it should fall on one side; it will take about two hours in stewing; mind your pot be full of water, and keep it boiling all the time; when it is enough take the gravy from it, clear off the fat, and put her into your gravy in a stew-pan, with a spoonful or two of white wine, a little juice of lemon, shred lemon-peel and mace; you must thicken it up as you would a white fricassy. garnish your dish with sippets and lemon. . _to roast a_ hare _with a pudding in the belly_. when you have wash'd the hare, nick the legs thro' the joints, and skewer them on both sides, which will keep her from drying in the roasting; when you have skewer'd her, put the pudding into her belly, baste her with nothing but butter: put a little in the dripping pan; you must not baste it with the water at all: when your hare is enough, take the gravy out of the dripping pan, and thicken it up with a little flour and butter for the sauce. _how to make a_ pudding _for the_ hare. take the liver, a little beef-suet, sweet-marjoram and parsley shred small, with bread-crumbs and two eggs; season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt to your taste, mix all together and if it be too stiff put in a spoonful or two of cream: you must not boil the liver. . _to make a brown fricassy of_ rabbets. take a rabbet, cut the legs in three pieces, and the remainder of the rabbet the same bigness, beat them thin and fry them in butter over a quick fire; when they are fried put them into a stew-pan with a little gravy, a spoonful of catchup, and a little nutmeg; then shake it up with a little flour and butter. garnish your dish with crisp parsley. . _a white fricassy of_ rabbets. take a couple of young rabbets and half roast them; when they are cold take off the skin, and cut the rabbets in small pieces, (only take the white part) when you have cut it in pieces, put it into a stew-pan with white gravy, a small anchovy, a little onion, shred mace and lemon-peel, set it over a stove, and let it have one boil, then take a little cream, the yolks of two eggs, a lump of butter, a little juice of lemon and shred parsley; put them all together into a stew-pan, and shake them over the fire whilst they be as white as cream; you must not let it boil, if you do it will curdle. garnish your dish with shred lemon and pickles. . _how to make pulled_ rabbets. take two young rabbets, boil them very tender, and take off all the white meat, and pull off the skin, then pull it all in shives, and put it into your stew-pan with a little white gravy, a spoonful of white wine, a little nutmeg and salt to your taste; thicken it up as you would a white fricassy, but put in no parsley; when you serve it up lay the heads in the middle. garnish your dish with shred lemon and pickles. . _to dress rabbets to look like_ moor-game. take a young rabbet, when it is cased cut off the wings and the head; leave the neck of your rabbet as long as you can; when you case it you must leave on the feet, pull off the skin, leave on the claws, so double your rabbet and skewer it like a fowl; put a skewer at the bottom through the legs and neck, and tie it with a string, it will prevent its flying open; when you dish it up make the same sauce as you would do for partridges. three are enough for one dish. . _to make white scotch_ collops. take about four pounds of a fillet of veal, cut it in small pieces as thin as you can, then take a stew-pan, butter it well over, and shake a little flour over it, then lay your meat in piece by piece, whilst all your pan be covered; take two or three blades of mace, and a little nutmeg, set your stew-pan over the fire, toss it up together 'till all your meat be white, then take half a pint of strong veal broth, which must be ready made, a quarter of a pint of cream, and the yolks of two eggs, mix all these together, put it to your meat, keeping it tossing all the time 'till they just boil up, then they are enough; the last thing you do squeeze in a little lemon: you may put in oysters, mushrooms, or what you will to make it rich. . _to boil_ ducks _with_ onion sauce. take two fat ducks, and season them with a little pepper and salt, and skewer them up at both ends, and boil them whilst they are tender; take four or five large onions and boil them in milk and water, change the water two or three times in the boiling, when they are enough chop them very small, and rub them through a hair-sieve with the back of a spoon, 'till you have rubb'd them quite through, then melt a little butter, put in your onions and a little salt, and pour it upon your ducks. garnish your dish with onions and sippets. . _to stew_ ducks _either wild or tame_. take two ducks and half-roast them, cut them up as you would do for eating, then put them into a stew-pan with a little brown gravy, a glass of claret, two anchovies, a small onion shred very fine, and a little salt; thicken it up with flour and butter, so serve it up. garnish you dish with a little raw onion and sippets. . _to make a white fricassy of_ chickens. take two or more chickens, half-roast them, cut them up as you would do for eating, and skin them; put them into a stew-pan with a little white gravy, juice of lemon, two anchovies, shred mace and nutmeg, then boil it; take the yolks of three eggs, a little sweet cream and shred parsley, put them into your stew-pan with a lump of butter and a little salt; shake them all the while they are over the stove, and be sure you do not let them boil lest they should curdle. garnish your dish with sippets and lemon. . _how to make a brown fricassy of_ chickens. take two or more chickens, as you would have your dish in bigness, cut them up as you do for eating, and flat them a little with a paste-pin; fry them a light-brown, and put them into your stew-pan with a little gravy, a spoonful or two of white wine, a little nutmeg and salt; thicken it up with flour and butter. garnish your dish with sippets and crisp parsley. . chickens surprise. take half a pound of rice, set it over a fire in soft water, when it is half-boiled put in two or three small chickens truss'd, with two or three blades of mace, and a little salt; take a piece of bacon about three inches square, and boil it in water whilst almost enough, then take it out, pare off the outsides, and put it into the chickens and rice to boil a little together; (you must not let the broth be over thick with rice) then take up your chickens, lay them on a dish, pour over them the rice, cut your bacon in thin slices to lay round your chickens, and upon the breast of each a slice. this is proper for a side-dish. . _to boil_ chickens. take four or five small chickens, as you would have your dish in bigness; if they be small ones you may scald them, it will make them whiter; draw them, and take out the breast-bone before you scald them; when you have dress'd them, put them into milk and water, and wash them, truss them, and cut off the heads and necks; if you dress them the night before you use them, dip a cloth in milk and wrap them in it, which will make them white; you must boil them in milk and water, with a little salt; half an hour or less will boil them. _to make sauce for the_ chickens. take the necks, gizzards and livers, boil them in water, when they are enough strain off the gravy, and put to it a spoonful of oyster-pickle; take the livers, break them small, mix a little gravy, and rub them through a hair-sieve with the back of a spoon, then put to it a spoonful of cream, a little lemon and lemon-peel grated; thicken it up with butter and flour. let your sauce be no thicker than cream, which pour upon your chickens. garnish your dish with sippets, mushrooms, and slices of lemon. they are proper for a side-dish or a top-dish either at noon or night. . _how to boil a_ turkey. when your turkey is dress'd and drawn, truss her, cut off her feet, take down the breast-bone with a knife, and sew up the skin again; stuff the breast with a white stuffing. _how to make the_ stuffing. take the sweet-bread of veal, boil it, shred it fine, with a little beef-suet, a handful of bread-crumbs, a little lemon-peel, part of the liver, a spoonful or two of cream, with nutmeg, pepper, salt, and two eggs, mix all together, and stuff your turkey with part of the stuffing, (the rest you may either boil or fry to lay round it) dridge it with a little flour, tie it up in a cloth, and boil it with milk and water: if it be a young turkey an hour will boil it. _how to make sauce for the_ turkey. take a little small white gravy, a pint of oysters, two or three spoonfuls of cream, a little juice of lemon, and salt to your taste, thicken it up with flour and butter, then pour it over your turkey, and serve it up; lay round your turkey fry'd oysters, and the forc'd-meat. garnish your dish with oysters, mushrooms, and slices of lemon. . _how to make another sauce for a_ turkey. take a little strong white gravy, with some of the whitest sellery you can get, cut it about an inch long, boil it whilst it be tender, and put it into the gravy, with two anchovies, a little lemon-peel shred, two or three spoonfuls of cream, a little shred mace, and a spoonful of white wine; thicken it up with flour and butter; if you dislike the sellery you may put in the liver as you did for chickens. . _how to roast a_ turkey. take a turkey, dress and truss it, then take down the breast-bone. _to make stuffing for the breast_. take beef-suet, the liver shred fine, and bread-crumbs, a little lemon-peel, nutmeg, pepper and salt to your taste, a little shred parsley, a spoonful or two of cream, and two eggs. put her on a spit and roast her before a slow fire; you may lard your turkey with fat bacon; if the turkey be young, an hour and a quarter will roast it. for the sauce, take a little white gravy, an onion, a few bread-crumbs, and a little whole pepper, let them boil well together, put to them a little flour and a lump of butter, which pour upon the turkey; you may lay round your turkey forc'd-meat-balls. garnish your dish with slices of lemon. . _to make a rich_ turkey pie. take a young turkey and bone her, only leave in the thigh bones and short pinions; take a large fowl and bone it, a little shred mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, and season the turkey and fowl in the inside; lay the fowl in the inside of the low part of the turkey, and stuff the breast with a little white stuffing, (the same white stuffing as you made for the boiled turkey,) take a deep dish, lay a paste over it, and leave no paste in the bottom; lay in the turkey, and lay round it a few forc'd-meat-balls, put in half a pound of butter, and a jill of water, then close up the pie, an hour and a half will bake it; when it comes from the oven take off the lid, put in a pint of stew'd oysters, and the yolks of six or eight eggs, lay them at an equal distance round the turkey; you must not stew your oysters in gravy but in water, and pour them upon your turkey's breast; lay round six or eight artichoke-bottoms fry'd, so serve it up without the lid; you must take the fat out of the pie before you put in the oysters. . _to make a_ turkey _a-la-daube_. take a large turkey and truss it; take down the breast-bone, and stuff it in the breast with some stuffing, as you did the roast turkey, lard it with bacon, then rub the skin of the turkey with the yolk of an egg, and strow over it a little nutmeg, pepper, salt, and a few bread-crumbs, then put it into a copper-dish and fend it to the oven; when you dish it up make for the turkey brown gravy-sauce; shred into your sauce a few oysters and mushrooms; lay round artichoke-bottoms fry'd, stew'd pallets, forc'd-meat-balls, and a little crisp bacon. garnish your dish with pickled mushrooms, and slices of lemon. this is a proper dish for a remove. . potted turkey. take a turkey, bone her as you did for the pie, and season it very well in the inside and outside with mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, then put it into a pot that you design to keep it in, put over it a pound of butter, when it is baked draw from it the gravy, and take off the fat, then squeeze it down very tight in the pot; and to keep it down lay upon it a weight; when it's cold take part of the butter that came from it, and clarify a little more with it to cover your turkey, and keep it in a cool place for use; you may put a fowl in the belly if you please. ducks or geese are potted the same way. . _how to jugg_ pigeons. take six or eight pigeons and truss them, season them with nutmeg, pepper and salt. _to make the stuffing_. take the livers and shred them with beef-suet, bread-crumbs, parsley, sweet-marjoram, and two eggs, mix all together, then stuff your pigeons sowing them up at both ends, and put them into your jugg with the breast downwards, with half a pound of butter; stop up the jugg close with a cloth that no steam can get out, then set them in a pot of water to boil; they will take above two hours stewing; mind you keep your pot full of water, and boiling all the time; when they are enough clear from them the gravy, and take the fat clean off; put to your gravy a spoonful of cream, a little lemon-peel, an anchovy shred, a few mushrooms, and a little white wine, thicken it with a little flour and butter, then dish up your pigeons, and pour over them the sauce. garnish the dish with mushrooms and slices of lemon. this is proper for a side dish. . mirranaded pigeons. take six pigeons, and truss them as you would do for baking, break the breast-bones, season and stuff them as you did for jugging, put them into a little deep dish and lay over them half a pound of butter; put into your dish a little water. take half a pound of rice, cree it soft as you would do for eating, and pour it upon the back of a sieve, let it stand while it is cold, then take a spoon and flat it like paste on your hand, and lay on the breast of every pigeon a cake; lay round your dish some puff-paste not over thin, and send them to the oven; about half an hour will bake them. this is proper at noon for a side-dish. . _to stew_ pigeons. take your pigeons, season and stuff them, flat the breast-bone, and truss them up as you would do for baking, dredge them over with a little flour, and fry them in butter, turning them round till all sides be brown, then put them into a stew-pan with as much brown gravy as will cover them, and let them stew whilst your pigeons be enough; then take part of the gravy, an anchovy shred, a little catchup, a small onion, or a shalot, and a little juice of lemon for sauce, pour it over your pigeons, and lay round them forc'd-meat-balls and crisp bacon. garnish your dish with crisp parsley and lemon. . _to broil_ pigeons _whole_. take your pigeons, season and stuff them with the same stuffing you did jugg'd pigeons, broil them either before a fire or in an oven; when they are enough take the gravy from them, and take off the fat, then put to the gravy two or three spoonfuls of water, a little boil'd parsley shred, and thicken your sauce. garnish your dish with crisp parsley. . _boiled_ pigeons _with fricassy sauce_. take your pigeons, and when you have drawn and truss'd them up, break the breast bone, and lay them in milk and water to make them white, tie them in a cloth and boil them in milk and water; when you dish them up put to them white fricassy sauce, only adding a few shred mushrooms. garnish with crisp parsley and sippets. . _to pot_ pigeons. take your pigeons and skewer them with their feet cross over the breast, to stand up; season them with pepper and salt, and roast them; so put them into your pot, setting the feet up; when they are cold cover them up with clarified butter. . _to stew_ pallets. take three or four large beast pallets and boil them very tender, blanch and cut them in long pieces the length of your finger, then in small bits the cross way; shake them up with a little good gravy and a lump of butter; season them with a little nutmeg and salt, put in a spoonful of white wine, and thicken it with the yolks of eggs as you do, a white fricassy. . _to make a fricassy of_ pig's ears. take three or four pig's ears as large as you would have your dish in bigness, clean and boil them very tender, cut them in small pieces the length of your finger, and fry them with butter till they be brown; so put them into a stew-pan with a little brown gravy, a lump of butter, a spoonful of vinegar, and a little mustard and salt, thicken'd with flour; take two or three pig's feet and boil them very tender, fit for eating, then cut them in two and take out the large bones, dip them in egg, and strew over them a few bread-crumbs, season them with pepper and salt; you may either fry or broil them, and lay them in the middle of your dish with the pig's ears. they are proper for a side-dish. . _to make a fricassy of_ tripes. take the whitest seam tripes you can get and cut them in long pieces, put them into a stew-pan with a little good gravy, a few bread-crumbs, a lump of butter, a little vinegar to your taste, and a little mustard if you like it; shake it up altogether with a little shred parsley. garnish your dish with sippets. this is proper for a side-dish. . _to make a fricassy of_ veal-sweet-breads. take five or six veal-sweet-breads, according as you would have your dish in bigness, and boil them in water, cut them in thin slices the length-way, dip them in egg, season them with pepper and salt, fry them a light brown; then put them into a stew-pan with a little brown gravy, a spoonful of white wine or juice of lemon, whether you please; thicken it up with flour and butter; and serve it up. garnish your dish with crisp parsley. . _to make a white fricassy of_ tripes, _to eat like_ chickens. take the whitest and the thickest seam tripe you can get, cut the white part in thin slices, put it into a stew-pan with a little white gravy, juice of lemon and lemon-peel shred, also a spoonful of white wine; take the yolks of two or three eggs and beat them very well, put to them a little thick cream, shred parsley, and two or three chives if you have any; shake altogether over the stove while it be as thick as cream, but don't let it boil for fear it curdle. garnish your dish with sippets, slic'd lemon or mushrooms, and serve it up. . _to make a brown fricassy of_ eggs. take eight or ten eggs, according to the bigness you design your dish, boil them hard, put them in water, take off the shell, fry them in butter whilst they be a deep brown, put them into a stew-pan with a little brown gravy, and a lump of butter, so thicken it up with flour; take two or three eggs, lay them in the middle of the dish, then take the other, cut them in two, and set them with the small ends upwards round the dish; fry some sippets and lay round them. garnish your dish with crisp parsley. this is proper for a side-dish in lent or any other time. . _to make a white fricassy of_ eggs. take ten or twelve eggs, boil them hard and pill them, put them in a stew-pan with a little white gravy; take the yolks of two or three eggs, beat them very well, and put to them two or three spoonfuls of cream, a spoonful of white wine, a little juice of lemon, shred parsley, and salt to your taste; shake altogether over the stove till it be as thick as cream, but don't let it boil; take your eggs and lay one part whole on the dish, the rest cut in halves and quarters, and lay them round your dish; you must not cut them till you lay them on the dish. garnish your dish with sippets, and serve it up. . _to stew_ eggs _in_ gravy. take a little gravy, pour it into a little pewter dish, and set it over a stove, when it is hot break in as many eggs as will cover the dish bottom, keep pouring the gravy over them with a spoon 'till they are white at the top, when they are enough strow over them a little salt; fry some square sippets of bread in butter, prick them with the small ends upward, and serve them up. . _how to collar a_ piece _of_ beef _to eat cold_. take a flank of beef or pale-board, which you can get, bone them and take off the inner skin; nick your beef about an inch distance, but mind you don't cut thro' the skin of the outside; then take two ounces of saltpetre, and beat it small, and take a large handful of common salt and mix them together, first sprinkling your beef over with a little water, and lay it in an earthen dish, then strinkle over your salt, so let it stand, four or five days, then take a pretty large quantity of all sorts of mild sweet herbs, pick and shred them very small, take some bacon and cut it in long pieces the thickness of your finger, then take your beef and lay one layer of bacon in every nick; and another of the greens; when you have done season your beef with a little beat mace, pepper, salt and nutmeg; you may add a little neat's tongue, and an anchovy in some of the nicks; so roll it up tight, bind it in a cloth with coarse inkle round it, put it into a large stew-pot and cover it with water; let the beef lie with the end downwards, put to the pickle that was in the beef when it lay in salt, set it in a slow oven all the night, then take it out and bind it tight, and tie up both ends, the next day take it out of the cloth, and put it into pickle; you must take off the fat and boil the pickle, put in a handful of salt, a few bay leaves, a little whole jamaica and black pepper, a quart of stale strong beer, a little vinegar and alegar; if you make the pickle very good, it will keep five or six months very well; if your beef be not too much baked it will cut all in diamonds. . _to roll a_ breast of veal _to eat cold_. take a large breast of veal, fat and white, bone it and cut it in two, season it with mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, in one part you may strinkle a few sweet herbs shred fine, roll them tight up, bind them will with coarse ickle, so boil it an hour and a half; you may make the same pickle as you did for the beef, excepting the strong beer; when it is enough to take it up, and bind it as you did the beef, so hang it up whilst it be cold. . _to pot_ tongues. take your tongues and salt them with saltpetre, common salt and bay salt, let them lie ten days, then take them out and boil them whilst they will blanch, cut off the lower part of the tongues, then season them with mace, pepper, nutmeg and salt, put them into a pot and send them to the oven, and the low part of your tongues that you cut off lay upon your tongues, and one pound of butter, then let them bake whilst they are tender, then take them out of the pot, throw over them a little more seasoning, put them into the pot you design to keep them in, press them down very tight, lay over them a weight, and let them stand all night, then cover them with clarified butter: you must not salt your tongues as you do for hanging. . _how to pot_ venison. take your venison and cut it in thin pieces, season it with pepper and salt, put it into your pot, lay over it some butter and a little beef-suet, let it stand all night in the oven; when it is baked beat them in a marble mortar or wooden-bowl, put in part of the gravy, and all the fat you take from it; when you have beat it put into your pot, then take the fat lap of a shoulder of mutton, take off the out-skin, and roast it, when it is roasted and cold, cut it in long pieces the thickness of your finger; when you put the venison into the pot, put it in at three times, betwixt every one lay the mutton cross your pot, at an equal distance; if you cut it the right way it will cut all in diamonds; leave some of the venison to lay on the top, and cover it with clarified butter; to keep it for use. . _to pot all sorts of_ wild-fowl. when the wild-fowl are dressed take a paste-pin, and beat them on the breast 'till they are flat; before you roast them season them with mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt; you must not roast them over much; when you dreaw them season them on the out-side, and set them on one end to drain out the gravy, and put them into your pot; you may put in two layers; if you press them very flat, cover them with clarified butter when they are cold. . _how to pot_ beef. take two pounds of the slice or buttock, season it with about two ounces of saltpetre and a little common salt, let it lie two or three days, send it to the oven, and season it with a little pepper, salt and mace; lay over your beef half a pound of butter or beef suet, and let it stand all night in the oven to stew; take from it the gravy and the butter, and beat them (with the beef) in a bowl, then take a quarter of a pound of anchovies, bone them, and beat them too with a little of the gravy; if it be not seasoned enough to your taste, put to it a little more seasoning; put is close down in a pot, and when it is cold cover it up with butter, and keep it for use. . _to ragoo a_ rump _of_ beef. take a rump of beef, lard it with bacon and spices, betwixt the larding, stuff it with forced meat, made of a pound of veal, three quarters of a pound of beef-suet, a quarter of a pound of fat bacon boiled and shred well by itself, a good quantity of parsley, winter savoury, thyme, sweet-marjoram, and an onion, mix all this together, season it with mace cloves, cinnamon, salt, jamaica and black pepper, and some grated bread, work the forc'd-meat up with three whites and two yolks of eggs, then stuff it, and lay some rough suet in a stew pan with your beef upon it, let it fry till it be brown then put in some water, a bunch of sweet herbs, a large onion stuffed with cloves, sliced turnips, carrots cut as large as the yolk of an egg, some whole pepper and salt, half a pint of claret, cover it close, and let it stew six or seven hours over a gentle fire, turning it very often. . _how to make a_ sauce _for it_. take truffles, morels, sweet-breads, diced pallets boiled tender, three anchovies, and some lemon-peel, put these into some brown gravy and stew them; if you do not think it thick enough, dredge in a little flour, and just before you pour it on your beef put in a little white wine and vinegar, and serve it up hot. . _sauce for boiled_ rabbets. take a few onions, boil them thoroughly, shifting them in water often, mix them well together with a little melted butter and water. some add a little pulp of apple and mustard. . _to salt a_ leg _of_ mutton _to eat like_ ham. take a leg of mutton, an ounce of saltpetre, two ounces of bay-salt, rub it in very well, take a quarter of a pound of coarse sugar, mix it with two or three handfuls of common salt, then take and salt it very well, and let it lie a week, so hang it up, and keep it for use, after it is dry use it, the sooner the better; it won't keep so long as ham. . _how to salt_ ham _or_ tongues. take a middling ham, two ounces of saltpetre, a quarter of a pound of bay-salt, beat them together, and rub them on your ham very well, before you salt it on the inside, set your salt before the fire to warm; to every ham take half a pound of coarse sugar, mix to it a little of the salt, and rub it in very well, let it lie for a week or ten days, then salt it again very well, and let it lie another week or ten days, then hang it to dry, not very near the fire, nor over much in the air. take your tongues and clean them, and cut off the root, then take two ounces of saltpetre, a quarter of a pound of bay-salt well beaten, three or four tongues, according as they are in bigness, lay them on a thing by themselves, for if you lay them under your bacon it flats your tongues, and spoils them; salt them very well, and let them lie as long as the hams with the skin side downwards: you may do a rump of beef the same way, only leave out the sugar. [note: the text for the next three recipes-- , and --was missing from our scans. only the last part of recipe number is available.] . . . ... bacon, you may put in two or three slices when you send them to the oven. . _how to make a_ hare-pie. parboil the hare, take out the bones, and beat the meat in a mortar with some fat pork or new bacon, then soak it in claret all night, the next day take it out, season it with pepper, salt and nutmeg, then lay the back bone into the middle of the pie, put the meat about it with about three quarters of a pound of butter, and bake it in a puff-paste, but lay no paste in the bottom of the dish. . _to make a_ hare-pie _another way_. take the flesh of a hare after it is skined, and string it: take a pound of beef-suet or marrow shred small, with sweet-marjoram, parsley and shalots, take the hare, cut it in pieces, season it with mace, pepper, salt and nutmeg, then bake it either in cold or hot paste, and when it is baked, open it and put to it some melted butter. . _to make_ pig _royal_. take a pig and roast it the same way as you did for lamb, when you draw it you must not cut it up, when it is cold you must lard it with bacon, cut not your layers too small, if you do they will melt away, cut them about an inch and a quarter long; you must put one row down the back, and one on either side, then strinkle it over with a few breadcrumbs and a little salt, and set it in the oven, an hour will bake it, but mind your oven be not too hot; you must take another pig of a less size, roast it, cut it up, and lie it on each side: the sauce you make for a roast pig will serve for both. this is proper for a bottom dish at a grand entertainment. . _to roast_ veal _a savoury way_. when you have stuffed your veal, strow some of the ingredients over it; when it is roasted make your sauce of what drops from the meat, put an anchovy in water, and when dissolved pour it into the dripping-pan with a large lump of butter and oysters: toss it up with flour to thicken it. . _to make a_ ham pie. cut the ham round, and lay it in water all night, boil it tender as you would do for eating, take off the skin, strew over it a little pepper, and bake it in a deep dish, put to it a pint of water, and half a pound of butter; you must bake it in puff-paste; but lay no paste in the bottom of the dish; when you send it to the table send it without a lid. it is proper for a top or bottom dish either summer or winter. . _to make a_ neat's tongue pie. take two or three tongues, (according as you would have your pie in bigness) cut off the roots and low parts, take two ounces of saltpetre, a little bay salt, rub them very well, lay them on an earthen dish with the skin side downwards, let them lie for a week or ten days, whilst they be very red, then boil them as tender as you would have them for eating blanch and season with a little pepper and salt, flat them as much as you can, bake them in puff paste in a deep dish, but lay no paste in the bottom, put to them a little gravy, and half a pound of butter; lay your tongues with the wrong side upwards, when they are baked turn them, and serve it up without a lid. . _to broil_ sheep or hog's tongues. boil, blanch, and split your tongues, season them with a little pepper and salt, then dip them in egg, strow over them a few bread-crumbs, and broil them whilst they be brown; serve them up with a little gravy and butter. . _to pickle_ pork. cut off the leg, shoulder pieces, the bloody neck and the spare-rib as bare as you can, then cut the middle pieces as large as they can lie in the tub, salt them with saltpetre, bay-salt, and white salt; your saltpetre must be beat small, and mix'd with the other salts; half a peck of white salt, a quart of bay-salt, and half a pound of saltpetre, is enough for a large hog; you must rub the pork very well with your salt, then lay a thick layer of salt all over the tub, then a piece of pork, and do so till all your pork is in; lay the skin side downwards, fill up all the hollows and sides of the tub with little pieces that are not bloody press all down as close as possible, and lay on a good layer of salt on the top, then lay on the legs and shoulder pieces, which must be used first, the rest will keep two years if not pulled up, nor the pickle poured from it. you must observe to see it covered with pickle. . _to fricassy_ calf's feet _white_. dress the calf's feet, boil them as you would do for eating, take out the long bones, cut them in two, and put them into a stew-pan with a little white gravy, and a spoonful or two of white wine; take the yolks of two or three eggs, two or three spoonfuls of cream, grate in a little nutmeg and salt, and shake all together with a lump of butter. garnish your dish with slices of lemon and currans, and so serve them up. . _to roll a_ pig's _head to eat like brawn_. take a large pig's head, cut off the groin ends, crack the bones and put it in water, shift it once or twice, cut off the ears, then boil it so tender that the bones will slip out, nick it with a knife in the thick part of the head, throw over it a pretty large handful of salt; take half a dozen of large neat's feet, boil them while they be soft, split them, and take out all the bones and black bits; take a strong coarse cloth, and lay the feet with the skin side downwards, with all the loose pieces in the inside; press them with your hand to make them of an equal thickness, lay them at that length that they will reach round the head, and throw over them a handful of salt, then lay the head across, one thick part one way and the other another, that the fat may appear alike at both ends; leave one foot out to lay at the top to make a lantern to reach round, bind it with filleting as you would do brawn, and tie it very close at both ends; you may take it out of the cloth the next day, take off the filleting and wash it, wrap it about again very tight, and keep it in brawn-pickle. this has been often taken for real brawn. . _how to fry_ calf's feet _in butter_. take four calf's feet and blanch them, boil them as you would do for eating, take out the large bones and cut them in two, beat a spoonful of wheat flour and four eggs together, put to it a little nutmeg, pepper and salt, dip in your calf's feet, and fry them in butter a light brown, and lay them upon your dish with a little melted butter over them. garnish with slices of lemon and serve them up. . _how to make_ savoury pattees. take the kidney of a loyn of veal before it be roasted, cut it in thin slices, season it with mace, pepper and salt, and make your pattees; lay in every patty a slice, and either bake or fry them. you may make marrow pattees the same way. . _to make_ egg pies. take and boil half a dozen eggs, half a dozen apples, a pound and a half of beef-suet, a pound of currans, and shred them, so season it with mace, nutmeg and sugar to your taste, a spoonful or two of brandy, and sweet meats, if you please. . _to make a sweet_ chicken pie. break the chicken bones, cut them in little bits, season them lightly with mace and salt, take the yolks of four eggs boiled hard and quartered, five artichoke-bottoms, half a pound of sun raisins stoned, half a pound of citron, half a pound of lemon, half a pound of marrow, a few forc'd-meat-balls, and half a pound of currans well cleaned, so make a light puff-paste, but put no paste in the bottom; when it is baked take a little white wine, a little juice of either orange or lemon, the yolk of an egg well beat, and mix them together, make it hot and put it into your pie; when you serve it up take the same ingredients you use for a lamb or veal pie, only leave out the artichokes. . _to roast_ tongues. cut off the roots of two tongues, take three ounces of saltpetre, a little bay-salt and common salt, rub them very well, let them lie a week or ten days to make them red, but not salt, so boil them tender as they will blanch, strow over them a few bread crumbs, set them before the fire to brown on every side. _to make_ sauce _for the_ tongues. take a few bread crumbs, and as much water as will wet them, then put in claret till they be red, and a little beat cinnamon, sweeten it to your taste, put a little gravy on the dish with your tongues, and the sweet sauce in two basons, set them on each side, so serve them up. . _to fry_ calf's feet _in eggs_. boil your calf's feet as you would do for eating, take out the long bones and split them in two, when they are cold season 'em with a little pepper, salt and nutmeg; take three eggs, put to them a spoonful of flour, so dip the feet in it and fry them in butter; you must have a little gravy and butter for sauce. garnish with currans, so serve them up. . _to make a_ minc'd pie _of calf's feet_. take two or three calf's feet, and boil them as you would do for eating, take out the long bones, shred them very fine, put to them double their weight of beef-suet shred fine, and about a pound of currans well cleaned, a quarter of a pound of candid orange and citron cut in small pieces, half a pound of sugar, a little salt, a quarter of an ounce of mace and a large nutmeg, beat them together, put in a little juice of lemon or verjuice to your taste, a glass of mountain wine or sack, which you please, so mix all together; bake them in puff-paste. . _to roast a_ woodcock. when you have dress'd your woodcock, and drawn it under the leg, take out the bitter bit, put in the trales again; whilst the woodcock is roasting set under it an earthen dish with either water in or small gravy, let the woodcock drop into it, take the gravy and put to it a little butter, and thicken it with flour; your woodcock will take about ten minutes roasting if you have a brisk fire; when you dish it up lay round it wheat bread toasts, and pour the sauce over the toasts, and serve it up. you may roast a partridge the same way, only add crumb sauce in a bason. . _to make a_ calf's head pie. take a calf's head and clean it, boil it as you would do for hashing, when it is cold cut it in thin slices, and season it with a little black pepper, nutmeg, salt, a few shred capers, a few oysters and cockles, two or three mushrooms, and green lemon-peel, mix them all well together, put them into your pie; it must be a standing pie baked in a flat pewter dish, with a rim of puff-paste round the edge; when you have filled the pie with the meat, lay on forc'd-meat-balls, and the yolks of some hard eggs, put in a little small gravy and butter; when it comes from the oven take off the lid, put into it a little white wine to your taste, and shake up the pie, so serve it up without lid. . _to make a_ calf's foot pie. take two or three calf's feet, according as you would have your pie in bigness, boil and bone them as you would do for eating, and when cold cut them in thin slices; take about three quarters of a pound of beef-suet shred fine, half a pound of raisins stoned, half a pound of cleaned currans, a little mace and nutmeg, green lemon-peel, salt, sugar, and candid lemon or orange, mix altogether, and put them in a dish, make a good puff-paste, but let there be no paste in the bottom of the dish; when it is baked, take off the lid, and squeeze in a little lemon or verjuice, cut the lid in sippets and lay round. . _to make a_ woodcock pie. take three or four brace of woodcocks, according as you would have the pie in bigness, dress and skewer them as you would do for roasting, draw them, and season the inside with a little pepper, salt and mace, but don't wash them, put the trales into the belly again, but nothing else, for there is something in them that gives them a more bitterish taste in the baking than in the roasting, when you put them into the dish lay them with the breast downwards, beat them upon the breast as flat as you can; you must season them on the outside as you do the inside; bake them in puff-paste, but lay none in the bottom of the dish, put to them a jill of gravy and a little butter; you must be very careful your pie be not too much baked; when you serve it up take off the lid and turn the woodcocks with the breast upwards. you may bake partridge the same way. . _to pickle_ pigeons. take your pigeons and bone them; you must begin to bone them at the neck and turn the skin downwards, when they are boned season them with pepper, salt and nutmeg, sew up both ends, and boil them in water and white wine vinegar, a few bay leaves, a little whole pepper and salt; when they are enough take them out of the pickle, and boil it down with a little more salt, when it is cold put in the pigeons and keep them for use. . _to make a sweet_ veal pie. take a loin of veal, cut off the thin part length ways, cut the rest in thin slices, as much as you have occasion for, flat it with your bill, and cut off the bone ends next the chine, season it with nutmeg and salt; take half a pound of raisins stoned, and half a pound of currans well clean'd, mix all together, and lay a few of them at the bottom of the dish, lay a layer of meat; and betwixt every layer lay on your fruit, but leave some for the top; you must make a puff-paste; but lay none in the bottom of the dish; when you have filled your pie, put in a jill of water and a little butter, when it is baked have a caudle to put into it. to make the caudle, see in receipt . . minc'd pies _another way_. take a pound of the finest seam tripes you can get, a pound and a half of currans well cleaned, two, three or four apples pared and shred very fine, a little green lemon-peel and mace shred, a large nutmeg, a glass of sack or brandy, (which you please) half a pound of sugar, and a little salt, so mix them well together, and fill your patty-pans, then stick five or six bits of candid lemon or orange in every petty-pan, cover them, and when baked they are fit for use. . _to make a savoury_ chicken pie. take half a dozen small chickens, season them with mace, pepper and salt, both inside and out; then take three or four veal sweet-breads, season them with the same, and lay round them a few forc'd-meat-balls, put in a little water and butter; take a little white sweet gravy not over strong, shred a few oysters if you have any, and a little lemon-peel, squeeze in a little lemon juice, not to make it sour; if you have no oysters take the whitest of your sweet breads and boil them, cut them small, and put them in your gravy, thicken it with a little butter and flour; when you open the pie, if there is any fat, skim it off, and pour the sauce over the chicken breasts; so serve it up without lid. . _to roast a_ hanch _of_ venison. take a hanch of venison and spit it, then take a little bread meal, knead and roll it very thin, lay it over the fat part of your venison with a paper over it, tye it round your venison, with a pack-thread; if it be a large hanch it will take four hours roasting, and a midling hanch three hours; keep it basting all the time you roast it; when you dish it up put a little gravy in the dish and sweet sauce in a bason; half an hour before you draw your venison take off the paste, baste it, and let it be a light brown. . _to make sweet_ pattees. take the kidney of a loin of veal with the fat, when roasted shred it very fine, put to it a little shred mace, nutmeg and salt, about half a pound of currans, the juice of a lemon, and sugar to your taste, then bake them in puff-paste; you may either fry or bake them. they are proper for a side-dish. . _to make_ beef-rolls. cut your beef thin as for scotch collops, beat it very well, and season it with salt, jamaica and white pepper, mace, nutmeg, sweet marjoram, parsley, thyme, and a little onion shred small, rub them on the collops on one side, then take long bits of beef-suet and roll in them, tying them up with a thread; flour them well, and fry them in butter very brown; then have ready some good gravy and stew them an hour and half, stirring them often, and keep them covered, when they are enough take off the threads, and put in a little flour, with a good lump of butter, and squeeze in some lemon, then they are ready for use. . _to make a_ herring-pie _of_ white salt herrings. take five or six salt herrings, wash them very well, lay them in a pretty quantity of water all night to take out the saltness, season them with a little black pepper, three or four middling onions pill'd and shred very fine lay one part of them at the bottom of the pie, and the other at the top; to five or six herrings put in half a pound of butter, then lay in your herrings whole, only take off the heads; make them into a standing pie with a thin crust. . _how to_ collar pig. take a large pig that is fat, about a month old, kill and dress it, cut off the head, cut it in two down the back and bone it, then cut it in three or four pieces, wash it in a little water to take out the blood: take a little milk and water just warm, put in your pig, let it lie about a day and a night, shift it two or three times in that time to make it white, then take it out and wipe it very well with a dry cloth, and season it with mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt; take a little shred of parsley and strinkle over two of the quarters, so roll them up in a fine soft cloth, tie it up at both ends, bind it tight with a little filletting or coarse inkle, and boil it in milk and water with a little salt; it will take about an hour and a half boiling; when it is enough bind it up tight in your cloth again, hang it up whilst it be cold. for the pickle boil a little milk and water, a few bay leaves and a little salt; when it is cold take your pig out of the cloths and put it into the pickle; you must shift it out of your pickle two or three times to make it white, the last pickle make strong, and put in a little whole pepper, a pretty large handful of salt, a few bay leaves, and so keep it for use. . _to_ collar salmon. take the side of a middling salmon, and cut off the head, take out all the bones and the outside, season it with mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, roll it tight up in a cloth, boil it, and bind it up with pickle; it will take about an hour boiling; when it is boiled bind it tight again, when cold take it very carefully out of the cloth and bind it about with filleting; you must not take off the filleting but as it is eaten. _to make_ pickle _to keep it in_. take two or three quarts of water, a jill of vinegar, a little jamaica pepper and whole pepper, a large handful of salt, boil them altogether, and when it is cold put in your salmon, so keep it for use: if your pickle don't keep you must renew it. you may collar pike the same way. . _to make an_ oyster pie. take a pint of the largest oysters you can get, clean them very well in their own liquor, if you have not liquor enough, add to them three or four spoonfuls of water; take the kidney of a loin of veal, cut it in thin slices, and season it with a little pepper and salt, lay the slices in the bottom of the dish, (but there must be no paste in the bottom of the dish) cover them with the oysters, strow over a little of the seasoning as you did for the veal; take the marrow of one or two bones, lay it over your oysters and cover them with puff-paste; when it is baked take off the lid, put into it a spoonful or two of white wine, shake it up altogether, and serve it up. it is proper for a side dish, either for noon or night. . _to butter_ crab _and_ lobster. dress all the meat out of the belly and claws of your lobster, put it into a stew-pan, with two or three spoonfuls of water, a spoonful or two of white wine vinegar, a little pepper, shred mace, and a lump of butter, shake it over the stove till it be very hot, but do not let it boil, if you do it will oil; put it into your dish, and lay round it your small claws:--it is as proper to put it in scallop shells as on a dish. . _to roast a_ lobster. if your lobster be alive tie it to the spit, roast and baste it for half an hour; if it be boiled you must put it in boiling water, and let it have one boil, then lie it in a dripping-pan and baste it; when you lay it upon the dish split the tail, and lay it on each side, so serve it up with melted butter in a china cup. . _to make a_ quaking pudding. take eight eggs and beat them very well, put to them three spoonfuls of london flour, a little salt, three jills of cream, and boil it with a stick of cinnamon and a blade of mace; when it is cold mix it to your eggs and flour, butter your cloth, and do not give it over much room in your cloth; about half an hour will boil it; you must turn it in the boiling or the flour will settle, so serve it up with a little melted butter. . _a_ hunting pudding. take a pound of fine flour, a pound of beef-suet shred fine, three quarters of a pound of currans well cleaned, a quartern of raisins stoned and shred, five eggs, a little lemon-peel shred fine, half a nutmeg grated, a jill of cream, a little salt, about two spoonfuls of sugar, and a little brandy, so mix all well together, and tie it up right in your cloth; it will take two hours boiling; you must have a little white wine and butter for your sauce. . _a_ calf's-foot pudding. take two calf's feet, when they are clean'd boil them as you would for eating; take out all the bones; when they are cold shred them in a wooden bowl as small as bread crumbs; then take the crumbs of a penny loaf, three quarters of a pound of beef suet shred fine, grate in half a nutmeg, take half a pound of currans well washed, half a pound of raisins stoned and shred, half a pound of sugar, six eggs, and a little salt, mix them all together very well, with as much cream as will wet them, so butter your cloth and tie it up tight; it will take two hours boiling; you may if you please stick it with a little orange, and serve it up. . _a_ sagoo pudding. take three or four ounces of sagoo, and wash it in two or three waters, set it on to boil in a pint of water, when you think it is enough take it up, set it to cool, and take half of a candid lemon shred fine, grate in half of a nutmeg, mix two ounces of jordan almonds blanched, grate in three ounces of bisket if you have it, if not a few bread-crumbs grated, a little rose-water and half a pint of cream; then take six eggs, leave out two of the whites, beat them with a spoonful or two of sack, put them to your sagoo, with about half a pound of clarified butter, mix them all together, and sweeten it with fine sugar, put in a little salt, and bake it in a dish with a little puff-paste about the dish edge, when you serve it up you may stick a little citron or candid orange, or any sweetmeats you please. . _a_ marrow pudding. take a penny loaf, take off the outside, then cut one half in thin slices; take the marrow of two bones, half a pound of currans well cleaned, shred your marrow, and strinkle a little marrow and currans over the dish; if you have not marrow enough you may add to it a little beef-suet shred fine; take five eggs and beat them very well, put to them three jills of milk, grate in half a nutmeg, sweeten it to your taste, mix all together, pour it over your pudding, and save a little marrow to strinkle over the top of your pudding; when you send it to the oven lye a puff-paste around the dish edge. . _a_ carrot pudding. take three or four clear red carrots, boil and peel them, take the red part of the carrot, beat it very fine in a marble mortar, put to it the crumbs of a penny loaf, six eggs, half a pound of clarified butter, two or three spoonfuls of rose water, a little lemon-peel shred, grate in a little nutmeg, mix them well together, bake it with a puff-paste round your dish, and have a little white wine, butter and sugar, for the sauce. . _a_ ground rice pudding. take half a pound of ground rice, half cree it in a quart of milk, when it is cold put to it five eggs well beat, a jill of cream, a little lemon-peel shred fine, half a nutmeg grated, half a pound of butter, and half a pound of sugar, mix them well together, put them into your dish with a little salt, and bake it with a puff-paste round your dish; have a little rose-water, butter and sugar to pour over it, you may prick in it candid lemon or citron if you please. half of the above quantity will make a pudding for a side-dish. . _a_ potatoe pudding. take three or four large potatoes, boil them as you would do for eating, beat them with a little rose-water and a glass of sack in a marble mortar, put to them half a pound of sugar, six eggs, half a pound of melted butter, half a pound of currans well cleaned, a little shred lemon-peel, and candid orange, mix altogether and serve it up. . _an_ apple pudding. take half a dozen large codlins, or pippens, roast them and take out the pulp; take eight eggs, (leave out six of the whites) half a pound of fine powder sugar, beat your eggs and sugar well together, and put to them the pulp of your apples, half a pound of clarified butter, a little lemon-peel shred fine, a handful of bread crumbs or bisket, four ounces of candid orange or citron, and bake it with a thin paste under it. . _an_ orange pudding. take three large seville oranges, the clearest kind you can get, grate off the out-rhine; take eight eggs, (leave out six of the whites) half a pound of double refin'd sugar, beat and put it to your eggs, then beat them both together for half an hour; take three ounces of sweet almonds blanch'd, beat them with a spoonful or two of fair water to keep them from oiling, half a pound of butter, melt it without water, and the juice of two oranges, then put in the rasping of your oranges, and mix all together; lay a thin paste over your dish and bake it, but not in too hot an oven. . _an_ orange pudding _another way_. take half a pound of candid orange, cut them in thin slices, and beat them in a marble mortar to a pulp; take six eggs, (leave out half of the whites) half a pound of butter, and the juice of one orange; mix them together, and sweeten it with fine powder sugar, then bake it with thin paste under it. . _an_ orange pudding _another way_. take three or four seville oranges, the clearest skins you can get, pare them very thin, boil the peel in a pretty quantity of water, shift them two or three times in the boiling to take out the bitter taste; when it is boiled you must beat it very fine in a marble mortar; take ten eggs, (leave out six of the whites) three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar, beat it and put it to your eggs, beat them together for half an hour, put to them half a pound of melter butter, and the juice of two or three oranges, as they are of goodness, mix all together, and bake it with a thin paste over your dish. this will make cheese-cakes as well as a pudding. . _an_ orange pudding _another way_. take five or six seville oranges, grate them and make a hole in the top, take out all the meat, and boil the skin very tender, shifting them in the boiling to take off the bitter taste; take half a round of long bisket, slice and scald them with a little cream, beat six eggs and put to your bisket; take half a pound of currans, wash them clean, grate in half a nutmeg, put in a little salt and a glass of sack, beat all together, then put it into your orange skin, tie them tight in a piece of fine cloth, every one separate; about three quarters of an hour will boil them: you must have a little white wine, butter and sugar for sauce. . _to make an_ orange pie. take half a dozen seville oranges, chip them very fine as you would do for preserving, make a little hole in the top, and scope out all the meat, as you would do an apple, you must boil them whilst they are tender, and shift them two or three times to take off the bitter taste; take six or eight apples, according as they are in bigness, pare and slice them, and put to them part of the pulp of your oranges, and pick out the strings and pippens, put to them half a pound of fine powder sugar, so boil it up over a slow fire, as you would do for puffs, and fill your oranges with it; they must be baked in a deep delf dish with no paste under them; when you put them into your dish put under them three quarters of a pound of fine powder sugar, put in as much water as will wet your sugar, and put your oranges with the open side uppermost; it will take about an hour and half baking in a slow oven; lie over them a light puff-paste; when you dish it up take off the lid, and turn the oranges in the pie, cut the lid in sippets, and set them at an equal distance, to serve it up. . _to make a quaking_ pudding _another way_. take a pint of cream, boil it with one stick of cinnamon, take out the spice when it is boiled, then take the yolks of eight eggs, and four whites, beat them very well with some sack, and mix your eggs with the cream, a little sugar and salt, half a penny wheat loaf, a spoonful of flour, a quarter of a pound of almonds blanch'd and beat fine, beat them altogether, wet a thick cloth, flour it, and put it in when the pot boils; it must boil an hour at least; melted butter, sack and sugar is sauce for it; stick blanch'd almonds and candid orange-peel on the top, so serve it up. . _to make_ plumb porridge. take two shanks of beef, and ten quarts of water, let it boil over a slow fire till it be tender, and when the broth is strong, strain it out, wipe the pot and put in the broth again, slice in two penny loaves thin, cutting off the top and bottom, put some of the liquor to it, cover it up and let it stand for a quarter of an hour, so put it into the pot again, and let it boil a quarter of an hour, then put in four pounds of currans, and let them boil a little; then put in two pounds of raisins, and two pounds of prunes, let them boil till they swell; then put in a quarter of an ounce of mace, a few cloves beat fine, mix it with a little water, and put it into your pot; also a pound of sugar, a little salt, a quart or better of claret, and the juice of two or three lemons or verjuice; thicken it with sagoo instead of bread; so put it in earthen pots, and keep it for use. . _to make a_ palpatoon _of_ pigeons. take mushrooms, pallets, oysters and sweet-breads, fry them in butter, put all these in a strong gravy, heat them over the fire, and thicken them up with an egg and a little butter; then take six or eight pigeons, truss them as you would for baking, season them with pepper and salt, and lay on them a crust of forc'd-meat as follows, _viz._ a pound of veal cut in little bits, and a pound and a half of marrow, beat it together in a stone mortar, after it is beat very fine, season it with mace, pepper and salt, put in the yolks of four eggs, and two raw eggs, mix altogether with a few bread crumbs to a paste: make the sides and lid of your pie with it, then put your ragoo into your dish, and lay in your pigeons with butter; an hour and a half will bake it. . _to fry_ cucumbers _for mutton sauce_. you must brown some butter in a pan, and cut six middling cucumbers, pare and slice them, but not over thin, drain them from the water, then put them into the pan, when they are fried brown put to them a little pepper and salt, a lump of butter, a spoonful of vinegar, a little shred onion, and a little gravy, not to make it too thin, so shake them well together with a little flour. you may lay them round your mutton, or they are proper for a side-dish. . _to force a_ fowl. take a good fowl, pull and draw it, then slit the skin down the back, take the flesh from the bones, and mince it very well, mix it with a little beef-suet, shred a jill of large oysters, chop a shalot, a little grated bread, and some sweet herbs, mix all together, season it with nutmeg, pepper and salt, make it up with yolks of eggs, put it on the bones and draw the skin over it, sew up the back, cut off the legs, and put the bones as you do a fowl for boiling, tie the fowl up in a cloth; an hour will boil it. for sauce take a few oysters, shred them, and put them into a little gravy, with a lump of butter, a little lemon-peel shred and a little juice, thicken it up with a little flour, lie the fowl on the dish, and pour the sauce upon it; you may fry a little of the forc'd-meat to lay round. garnish your dish with lemon; you may set it in the oven if you have convenience, only rub over it the yolk of an egg and a few bread crumbs. . _to make_ strawberry _and_ rasberry fool. take a pint of rasberries, squeeze and strain the juice, with a spoonful of orange water, put to the juice six ounces of fine sugar, and boil it over the fire; then take a pint of cream and boil it, mix them all well together, and heat them over the fire, but not to boil, if it do it will curdle; stir it till it be cold, put it into your bason and keep it for use. . _to make a_ posset _with_ almonds. blanch and beat three quarters of a pound of almonds, so fine that they will spread betwixt your fingers like butter, put in water as you beat them to keep them for oiling; take a pint of sack, cherry or gooseberry wine, and sweeten it to your taste with double refin'd sugar, make it boiling hot; take the almonds, put to them a little water, and boil the wine and almonds together; take the yolks of four eggs, and beat them very well, put to them three or four spoonfuls of wine, then put it into your pan by degrees, stirring it all the while; when it begins to thicken take it off, and stir it a little, put it into a china dish, and serve it up. . _to make_ dutch-beef. take the lean part of a buttock of beef raw, rub it well with brown sugar all over, and let it lie in a pan or tray two or three hours, turning it three or four times, then salt it with common salt, and two ounces of saltpetre; let it lie a fortnight, turning it every day, then roll it very straight, and put it into a cheese press day and night, then take off the cloth and hang it up to dry in the chimney; when you boil it let it be boiled very well, it will cut in shivers like dutch beef. you may do a leg of mutton the same way. . _to make_ pullony sausages. take part of a leg of pork or veal, pick it clean from the skin or fat, put to every pound of lean meat a pound of beef-suet, pick'd from the skins, shred the meat and suet separate and very fine, mix them well together, add a large handful of green sage shred very small; season it with pepper and salt, mix it well, press it down hard in an earthen pot, and keep it for use.--when you use them roll them up with as much egg as will make them roll smooth; in rolling them up make them about the length of your fingers, and as thick as two fingers; fry them in butter, which must be boiled before you can put them in, and keep them rolling about in the pan; when they are fried through they are enough. . _to make an_ amblet _of_ cockles. take four whites and two yolks of eggs, a pint of cream, a little flour, a nutmeg grated, a little salt, and a jill of cockles, mix all together, and fry it brown. this is proper for a side-dish either for noon or night. . _to make a common quaking_ pudding. take five eggs, beat them well with a little salt, put in three spoonfuls of fine flour, take a pint of new milk and beat them well together, then take a cloth, butter and flour it, but do not give it over much room in the cloth; an hour will boil it, give it a turn every now and then at the first putting in, or else the meal will settle to the bottom; have a little plain butter for sauce, and serve it up. . _to make a boil'd_ tansey. take an old penny loaf, cut off the out crust, slice it thin, put to it as much hot cream as will wet it, six eggs well beaten, a little shred lemon-peel, grate in a little nutmeg, and a little salt; green it as you did your baked tansey, so tie it up in a cloth and boil it; it will take an hour and a quarter boiling; when you dish it up stick it with candid orange and lay a seville orange cut in quarters round the dish; serve it up with melted butter. . _a_ tansey _another way_. take an old penny loaf, cut off the out crust, slice it very thin, and put to it as much hot milk as will wet it; take six eggs, beat them very well, grate in half a nutmeg, a little shred lemon-peel, half a pound of clarified butter, half a pound of sugar, and a little salt; mix them well together. _to green your tansey_, take a handful or two of spinage, a handful of tansey, and a handful or sorrel, clean them and beat them in a marble mortar, or grind it as you would do greensauce, strain it through a linen cloth into a bason, and put into your tansey as much of the juice as will green it, pour over the sauce a little white wine, butter and sugar; lay a rim of paste round your dish and bake it; when you serve it up cut a seville orange in quarters, and lay it round the edge of the dish. . _to make_ rice pancakes. take half a pound of rice, wash and pick it clean, cree it in fair water till it be a jelly, when it is cold take a pint of cream and the yolks of four eggs, beat them very well together, and put them into the rice, with grated nutmeg and some salt, then put in half a pound of butter, and as much flour as will make it thick enough to fry, with as little butter as you can. . _to make_ fruit fritters. take a penny loaf, cut off the out crust, slice it, put to it as much hot milk as will wet it, beat five or six eggs, put to them a quarter of a pound of currans well cleaned, and a little candid orange shred fine, so mix them well together, drop them with a spoon into a stew-pan in clarified butter; have a little white wine, butter and sugar for your sauce, put it into a china bason, lay your fritters round, grate a little sugar over them, and serve them up. . _to make_ white puddings _in skins_. take half a pound of rice, cree it in milk while it be soft, when it is creed put it into a cullinder to drain; take a penny loaf, cut off the out crust, then cut it in thin slices, scald it in a little milk, but do not make it over wet; take six eggs and beat them very well, a pound of currans well cleaned, a pound of beef-suet shred fine, two or three spoonfuls of rose-water, half a pound of powder sugar, a little salt, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a large nutmeg grated, and a small stick of cinnamon; beat them together, mix them very well, and put them into the skins; if you find it be too thick put to it a little cream; you may boil them near half an hour, it will make them keep the better. . _to make_ black puddings. take two quarts of whole oatmeal, pick it and half boil it, give it room in your cloth, (you must do it the day before you use it) put it into the blood while it is warm, with a handful of salt, stir it very well, beat eight or nine eggs in about a pint of cream, and a quart of bread-crumbs, a handful or two of maslin meal dress'd through a hair-sieve, if you have it, if not put in wheat flour; to this quantity you may put an ounce of jamaica pepper, and ounce of black pepper, a large nutmeg, and a little more salt, sweet-marjoram and thyme, if they be green shred them fine, if dry rub them to powder, mix them well together, and if it be too thick put to it a little milk; take four pounds of beef-suet, and four pounds of lard, skin and cut it it think pieces, put it into your blood by handfuls, as you fill your puddings; when they are filled and tied prick them with a pin, it will keep them from bursting in the boiling; (you must boil them twice) cover them close and it will make them black. . _an_ orange pudding _another way_. take two seville oranges, the largest and cleanest you can get, grate off the outer skin with a clean grater; take eight eggs, (leave out two of the whites) half a pound of loaf sugar, beat it very fine, put it to your eggs, and beat them for an hour, put to them half a pound of clarified butter, and four ounces of almonds blanch'd, and heat them with a little rose-water; put in the juice of the oranges, but mind you don't put in the pippens, and mix together; bake it with a thin paste over the bottom of the dish. it must be baked in a slow oven. . _to make_ apple fritters. take four eggs and beat them very well, put to them four spoonfuls of fine flour, a little milk, about a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little nutmeg and salt, so beat them very well together; you must not make it very thin, if you do it will not stick to the apple; take a middling apple and pare it, cut out the core, and cut the rest in round slices about the thickness of a shilling; (you may take out the core after you have cut it with your thimble) have ready a little lard in a stew-pan, or any other deep pan; then take your apple every slice single, and dip it into your bladder, let your lard be very hot, so drop them in; you must keep them turning whilst enough, and mind that they be not over brown; as you take them out lay them on a pewter dish before the fire whilst you have done; have a little white wine, butter and sugar for the sauce; grate over them a little loaf sugar, and serve them up. . _to make an_ herb pudding. take a good quantity of spinage and parsley, a little sorrel and mild thyme, put to them a handful of great oatmeal creed, shred them together till they be very small, put to them a pound of currans, well washed and cleaned, four eggs well beaten in a jill of good cream; if you wou'd have it sweet, put in a quarter of a pound of sugar, a little nutmeg, a little salt, and a handful of grated bread; then meal your cloth and tie it close before you put it in to boil; it will take as much boiling as a piece of beef. . _to make a_ pudding _for a_ hare. take the liver and chop it small with some thyme, parsley, suet, crumbs of bread mixt, with grated nutmeg, pepper, salt, an egg, a little fat bacon and lemon-peel; you must make the composition very stiff, lest it should dissolve, and you lose your pudding. . _to make a_ bread pudding. take three jills of milk, when boiled, take a penny loaf sliced thin, cut off the out crust, put on the boiling milk, let it stand close covered till it be cold, and beat it very well till all the lumps be broke; take five eggs beat very well, grate in a little nutmeg, shred some lemon-peel, and a quarter of a pound of butter or beef-suet, with as much sugar as will sweeten it; and currans as many as you please; let them be well cleaned; so put them into your dish, and bake or boil it. . _to make_ clare pancakes. take five or six eggs, and beat them very well with a little salt, put to them two or three spoonfuls of cream, a spoonful of fine flour, mix it with a little cream; take your clare and wash it very clean, wipe it with a cloth, put your eggs into a pan, just to cover your pan bottom, lay the clare in leaf by leaf, whilst you have covered your pan all over; take a spoon, and pour over every leaf till they are all covered; when it is done lay the brown side upwards, and serve it up. . _to make a_ liver pudding. take a pound of grated bread, a pound of currans, a pound and a half of marrow and suet together cut small, three quarters of a pound of sugar, half an ounce of cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a pint of grated liver, and some salt, mix all together; take twelve eggs, (leave out half of the whites) beat them well, put to them a pint of cream, make the eggs and cream warm, then put it to the pudding, stuff and stir it well together, so fill them in skins; put to them a few blanch'd almonds shred fine, and a spoonful or two of rose-water, so keep them for use. . _to make_ oatmeal fritters. boil a quart of new milk, steep a pint of fine flour or oatmeal in it ten or twelve hours, then beat four eggs in a little milk, so much as will make like thick blatter, drop them in by spoonfuls into fresh butter, a spoonful of butter in a cake, and grate sugar over them; have sack, butter and sugar for sauce. . _to make_ apple dumplings. take half a dozen codlins, or any other good apples, pare and core them, make a little cold butter paste, and roll it up about the thickness of your finger, so lap around every apple, and tie them single in a fine cloth, boil them in a little salt and water, and let the water boil before you put them in; half an hour will boil them; you must have for sauce a little white wine and butter; grate some sugar round the dish, and serve them up. . _to make_ herb dumplings. take a penny loaf, cut off the out crust, and the rest in slices, put to it as much hot milk as will just wet it, take the yolks and whites of six eggs, beat them with two spoonfuls of powder sugar, half a nutmeg, and a little salt, so put it to your bread; take half a pound of currans well cleaned, put them to your eggs, then take a handful of the mildest herbs you can get, gather them so equal that the taste of one be not above the other, wash and chop them very small, put as many of them in as will make a deep green, (don't put any parsley among them, nor any other strong herb) so mix them all together, and boil them in a cloth, make them about the bigness of middling apples; about half an hour will boil them; put them into your dish, and have a little candid orange, white wine, butter and sugar for sauce, so serve them up. . _to make_ marrow tarts. to a quart of cream put the yolks of twelve eggs, half a pound of sugar, some beaten mace and cinnamon, a little salt and some sack, set it on the fire with half a pound of biskets, as much marrow, a little orange-peel and lemon-peel; stir it on the fire till it becomes thick, and when it is cold put it into a dish with puff-paste, then bake it gently in a slow oven. . _to make_ plain fruit dumplings. take as much flour as you would have dumplings in quantity, put it to a spoonful of sugar, a little salt, a little nutmeg, a spoonful of light yeast, and half a pound of currans well washed and cleaned, so knead them the stiffness you do a common dumpling, you must have white wine, sugar and butter for sauce; you may boil them either in a cloth or without; so serve them up. . _to make_ oyster loaves. take half a dozen french loaves, rasp them and make a hole at the top, take out all the crumbs and fry them in butter till they be crisp; when your oysters are stewed, put them into your loaves, cover them up before the fire to keep hot whilst you want them; so serve them up. they are proper either for a side-dish or mid-dish. you may make cockle loaves or mushroom-loaves the same way. . _to make a_ gooseberry pudding. take a quart of green gooseberries, pick, coddle, bruise and rub them through a hair-sieve to take out the pulp; take six spoonfuls of the pulp, six eggs, three quarters of a pound of sugar, half a pound of clarified butter, a little lemon-peel shred fine, a handful of bread-crumbs or bisket, a spoonful of rose-water or orange-flower water; mix these well together, and bake it with paste round the dish; you may add sweetmeats if you please. . _to make an_ eel pie. case and clean the eels, season them with a little nutmeg, pepper and salt, cut them in long pieces; you must make your pie with hot butter paste, let it be oval with a thin crust; lay in your eels length way, putting over them a little fresh butter; so bake them. eel pies are good, and eat very well with currans, but if you put in currans you must not use any black pepper, but a little jamaica pepper. . _to make a_ turbot-head pie. take a middling turbot-head, pretty well cut off, wash it clean, take out the gills, season it pretty well with mace, pepper and salt, so put it into a deep dish with half a pound of butter, cover it with a light puff-paste, but lay none in the bottom; when it is baked take out the liquor and the butter that it was baked in, put it into a sauce-pan with a lump of fresh butter and flour to thicken it, with an anchovy and a glass of white wine, so pour it into your pie again over the fish; you may lie round half a dozen yolks of eggs at an equal distance; when you have cut off the lid, lie it in sippets round your disk, and serve it up. . _to make a caudle for a sweet_ veal pie. take about a jill of white wine and verjuice mixed, make it very hot, beat the yolk of an egg very well, and then mix them together as you would do mull'd ale; you must sweeten it very well, because there is no sugar in the pie. this caudle will do for any other sort of pie that is sweet. . _to make_ sweet-meat tarts. make a little shell-paste, roll it, and line your tins, prick them in the inside, and so bake them; when you serve 'em up put in any sort of sweet-meats, what you please. you may have a different sort every day, do but keep your shells bak'd by you. . _to make_ orange tarts. take two or three seville oranges and boil them, shift them in the boiling to take out the bitter, cut them in two, take out the pippens, and cut them in slices; they must be baked in crisp paste; when you fill the petty-pans, lay in a layer of oranges and a layer of sugar, (a pound will sweeten a dozen of small tins, if you do not put in too much orange) bake them in a slow oven, and ice them over. . _to make a_ tansey _another way_. take a pint of cream, some biskets without seeds, two or three spoonfuls of fine flour, nine eggs, leaving out two of the whites, some nutmeg, and orange-flower water, a little juice of tansey and spinage, put it into a pan till it be pretty thick, then fry or bake it, if fried take care that you do not let it be over-brown. garnish with orange and sugar, so serve it up. . _a good_ paste _for_ tarts. take a pint of flour, and rub a quarter of a pound of butter into it, beat two eggs with a spoonful of double-refin'd sugar, and two or three spoonfuls of cream to make it into paste; work it as little as you can, roll it out thin; butter your tins, dust on some flour, then lay in your paste, and do not fill them too full. . _to make_ transparent tarts. take a pound of flour well dried, beat one egg till it be very thin, then melt almost three quarters of a pound of butter without salt, and let it be cold enough to mix with an egg, then put it into the flour and make your paste, roll it very thin, when you are setting them into the oven wet them over with a little fair water, and grate a little sugar; if you bake them rightly they will be very nice. . _to make a_ shell paste. take half a pound of fine flour, and a quarter of a pound of butter, the yolks of two eggs and one white, two ounces of sugar finely sifted, mix all these together with a little water, and roll it very thin whilst you can see through it; when you lid your tarts prick them to keep them from blistering; make sure to roll them even, and when you bake them ice them. . _to make_ paste _for_ tarts. take the yolks of five or six eggs, just as you would have paste in quantity; to the yolks of eggs put a pound of butter, work the butter with your hands whilst it take up all the eggs, then take some london flour and work it with your butter whilst it comes to a paste, put in about two spoonfuls of loaf sugar beat and sifted, and about half a jill of water; when you have wrought it well together it is fit for use. this is a paste that seldom runs if it be even roll'd; roll it thin but let your lids be thiner than your bottoms; when you have made your tarts, prick them over with a pin to keep it from blistering; when you are going to put them into the oven, wet them over with a feather dipt in fair water, and grate over them a little double-refined loaf sugar, it will ice them; but don't let them be bak'd in a hot oven. . _a short_ paste _for_ tarts. take a pound of wheat-flour, and rub it very small, three quarters of a pound of butter, rub it as small as the flour, put to it three spoonfuls of loaf sugar beat and sifted; take the yolks of four eggs, and beat them very well; put to them a spoonful or two of rose-water, and work them into a paste, then roll them thin, and ice them as you did the other if you please, and bake 'em in a slow oven. . _to make a_ light paste _for a_ venison pasty, _or other_ pie. take a quarter of a peck of fine flour, or as much as you think you have occasion for, and to every quartern of flour put a pound and a quarter of butter, break the third part of your butter into the flour; then take the whites of three or four eggs, beat them very well to a froth, and put to them as much water as will knead the meal; do not knead it over stiff, so then roll it in the rest of your butter; you must roll it five or six times over at least, and strinkle a little flour over your butter every time you roll it up, lap it up the cross way, and it will be fit for use. . _to make a paste for a_ standing pie. take a quartern of flour or more if you have occasion, and to every quartern of flour put a pound of butter, and a little salt, knead it with boiling water, then work it very well, and let it lie whilst it is cold. this paste is good enough for a goose pie, or any other standing-pie. . _a light paste for a_ dish pie. take a quartern of flour, and break into it a pound of butter in large pieces, knead it very stiff, handle it as lightly as you can, and roll it once or twice, then it is fit for use. . _to make_ cheese cakes. take a gallon of new milk, make of it a tender curd, wring the whey from it, put it into a bason, and break three quarters of a pound of butter into the curd, then with a clean hand work the butter and curd together till all the butter be melted, and rub it in a hair-sieve with the back of spoon till all be through; then take six eggs, beat them with a few spoonfuls of rose-water or sack, put it into your curd with half a pound of fine sugar and a nutmeg grated; mix them all together with a little salt, some currans and almonds; then make up your paste of fine flour, with cold butter and a little sugar; roll your paste very thin, fill your tins with the curd, and set them in an oven, when they are almost enough take them out, then take a quarter of a pound of butter, with a little rose-water, and part of a half pound of sugar, let it stand on the coals till the butter be melted, then pour into each cake some of it, set them in the oven again till they be brown, so keep them for use. . _to make_ goofer wafers. take a pound of fine flour and six eggs, beat them very well, put to them about a jill of milk, mix it well with the flour, put in half a pound of clarified butter, half a pound of powder sugar, half of a nutmeg, and a little salt; you may add to it two or three spoonfuls of cream; then take your goofer-irons and put them into the fire to heat, when they are hot rub them over the first time with a little butter in a cloth, put your batter into one side of your goofer-irons, put them into the fire, and keep turning the irons every now and then; (if your irons be too hot they burn soon) make them a day or two before you use them, only set them down before the fire on a pewter dish before you serve them up; have a little white wine and butter for your sauce, grating some sugar over them. . _to make common_ curd cheese cakes. take a pennyworth of curds, mix them with a little cream, beat four eggs, put to them six ounces of clarified butter, a quarter of a pound of sugar, half a pound of currans well wash'd, and a little lemon-peel shred, a little nutmeg, a spoonful of rose-water or brandy, whether you please, and a little salt, mix altogether, and bake them in small petty pans. . cheese cakes _without_ currans. take five quarts of new milk, run it to a tender curd, then hang it in a cloth to drain, rub into them a pound of butter that is well washed in rose-water, put to it the yolks of seven or eight eggs, and two of the whites; season it with cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar. . _to make a_ curd pudding. take three quarts of new milk, put to it a little erning, as much as will break it when it is scumm'd break it down with your hand, and when it is drained grind it with a mustard ball in a bowl, or beat it in a marble-mortar; then take half a pound of butter and six eggs, leaving out three of the whites; beat the eggs well, and put them into the curds and butter, grate in half a nutmeg, a little lemon-peel shred fine, and salt, sweeten it to your taste, beat them all together, and bake them in little petty-pans with fast bottoms; a quarter of an hour will bake them; you must butter the tins very well before you put them in; when you dish them up you must lay them the wrong side upwards on the dish, and stick them with either blanch'd almonds, candid orange, or citron cut in long bits, and grate a little loaf sugar over them. . _to make a_ slipcoat cheese. take five quarts of new-milk, a quart of cream, and a quart of water, boil your water, then put your cream to it; when your milk is new-milk warm put in your erning, take your curd into the strainer, break it as little as you can, and let it drain, then put it into your vat, press it by degrees, and lay it in grass. . _to make_ cream cheese. take three quarts of new-milk, one quart of cream, and a spoonful of erning, put them together, let it stand till it come to the hardness of a strong jelly, then put it into the mould, shifting it often into dry cloths, lay the weight of three pounds upon it, and about two hours after you may lay six or seven pounds upon it; turn it often into dry cloths till night, then take the weight off, and let it lie in the mould without weight and cloth till morning, and when it is so dry that it doth not wet a cloth, keep it in greens till fit for use; if you please you may put a little salt into it. . _to make_ pike _eat like_ sturgeon. take the thick part of a large pike and scale it, set on two quarts of water to boil it in, put in a jill of vinegar, a large handful of salt, and when it boils put in your pike, but first bind it about with coarse inkle; when it is boiled you must not take off the inkle or baising, but let it be on all the time it is in eating; it must be kept in the same pickle it was boiled in, and if you think it be not strong enough you must add a little more salt and vinegar, so when it is cold put it upon your pike, and keep it for use; before you boil the pike take out the bone. you may do scate the same way, and in my opinion it eats more like sturgeon. . _to collar_ eels. take the largest eels you can get, skin and split them down the belly, take out the bones, season them with a little mace, nutmeg and salt; begin at the tail and roll them up very tight, so bind them up in a little coarse inkle, boil it in salt and water, a few bay leaves, a little whole pepper, and a little alegar or vinegar; it will take an hour boiling, according as your roll is in bigness; when it is boiled you must tie it and hang it up whilst it be cold, then put it into the liquor that it was boiled in, and keep it for use. if your eels be small you may robe two or three of them together. . _to pot_ smelts. take the freshest and largest smelts you can get, wipe them very well with a clean cloth, take out the guts with a skewer, (but you must not take out the milt and roan) season them with a little mace, nutmeg and salt, so lie them in a flat pot; if you have two score you must lay over them five ounces of butter; lie over them a paper, and set them in a slow oven; if it be over hot it will burn them, and make them look black; an hour will bake them; when they are baked you must take them out and lay them on a dish to drain, and when they are drained you must put them in long pots about the length of your smelts; when you lay them in you must put betwixt every layer the same seasoning as you did before, to make them keep; when they are cold cover them over with clarified butter, so keep them for use. . _to pickle_ smelts. take the best and largest smelts you can get; gut, wash and wipe them, lie them in a flat pot, cover them with a little white wine vinegar, two or three blades of mace and a little pepper and salt; bake them in a slow oven, and keep them for use. . _to stew a_ pike. take a large pike, scale and clean it, season it in the belly with a little mace and salt; skewer it round, put it into a deep stew-pan, with a pint of small gravy and a pint of claret, two or thee blades of mace, set it over a stove with a slow fire, and cover it up close; when it is enough take part of the liquor, put to it two anchovies, a little lemon-peel shred fine, and thicken the sauce with flour and butter; before you lie the pike on the dish turn it with the back upwards, take off the skin, and serve it up. garnish your dish with lemon and pickle. . sauce _for a_ pike. take a little of the liquor that comes from the pike when you take it out of the oven, put to it two or three anchovies, a little lemon-peel shred, a spoonful or two of white wine, or a little juice of lemon, which you please, put to it some butter and flour, make your sauce about the thickness of cream, put it into a bason or silver-boat, and set in your dish with your pike, you may lay round your pike any sort of fried fish, or broiled, if you have it; you may have the same sauce for a broiled pike, only add a little good gravy, a few shred capers, a little parsley, and a spoonful or two of oyster and cockle pickle if you have it. . _how to roast a_ pike _with a pudding in the belly_. take a large pike, scale and clean it, draw it at the gills.--_to make a pudding for the pike_. take a large handful of bread-crumbs, as much beef-suet shred fine, two eggs, a little pepper and salt, a little grated nutmeg, a little parsley, sweet-marjoram and lemon-peel shred fine; so mix altogether, put it into the belly of your pike, skewer it round and lie it in an earthen dish with a lump of butter over it, a little salt and flour, so set it in the oven; an hour will roast it. . _to dress a_ cod's head. take a cod's head, wash and clean it, take out the gills, cut it open, and make it to lie flat; (if you have no conveniency of boiling it you may do it in an oven, and it will be as well or better) put it into a copper-dish or earthen one, lie upon it a littler butter, salt, and flour, and when it is enough take off the skin. sauce _for the_ cod's head. take a little white gravy, about a pint of oysters or cockles, a little shred lemon-peel, two or three spoonfuls of white wine, and about half a pound of butter thicken'd with flour, and put it into your boat or bason. _another_ sauce _for a_ cod's head. take a pint of good gravy, a lobster or crab, which you can get, dress and put it into your gravy with a little butter, juice of lemon, shred lemon-peel, and a few shrimps if you have them; thicken it with a little flour, and put it into your bason, set the oysters on one side of the dish and this on the other; lay round the head boiled whitings, or any fried fish; pour over the head a little melted butter. garnish your dish with horse-radish, slices of lemon and pickles. . _to stew_ carp _or_ tench. take your carp or tench and wash them, scale the carp but not the tench, when you have cleaned them wipe them with a cloth, and fry them in a frying pan with a little butter to harden the skin; before you put them into the stew-pan, put to them a little good gravy, the quantity will be according to the largeness of your fish, with a jill of claret, three or four anchovies at least, a little shred lemon-peel, a blade or two of mace, let all stew together, till your carp be enough, over a slow fire; when it is enough take part of the liquor, put to it half a pound of butter, and thicken it with a little flour; so serve them up. garnish your dish with crisp parsley, slices of lemon and pickles. if you have not the convenience of stewing them, you may broil them before a fire, only adding the same sauce. . _how to make_ sauce _for a boiled_ salmon _or_ turbot. take a little mild white gravy, two or three anchovies, a spoonful of oyster or cockle pickle, a little shred lemon-peel, half a pound of butter, a little parsley and fennel shred small, and a little juice of lemon, but not too much, for fear it should take off the sweetness. . _to make_ sauce _for_ haddock _or_ cod, _either broiled or boiled_. take a little gravy, a few cockles, oysters or mushrooms, put to them a little of the gravy that comes from the fish, either broiled or boiled, it will do very well if you have no other gravy, a little catchup and a lump of butter; if you have neither oysters nor cockles you may put in an anchovy or two, and thicken with flour; you may put in a few shred capers, or a little mango, if you have it. . _to stew_ eels. take your eels, case, clean and skewer them round, put them into a stew-pan with a little good gravy, a little claret to redden the gravy, a blade or two of mace, an anchovy, and a little lemon-peel; when they are enough thicken them with a little flour and butter. garnish your dish with parsley. . _to pitch-cock_ eels. take your eels, case and clean them, season them with nutmeg, pepper and salt, skewer them round, broil them before the fire, and baste them with a little butter; when they are almost enough strinkle them over with a little shred parsley, and make your sauce of a little gravy, butter, anchovy, and a little oyster pickle if you have it; don't pour the sauce over your eels, put it into a china bason, and set it in the middle of your dish. garnish with crisp parsley, and serve them up. . _to boil_ herrings. take your herring, scale and wash them, take out the milt and roan, skewer them round, and tie them with a string or else they will come loose in the boiling and be spoil'd; set on a pretty broad stew-pan, with as much water as will cover them, put to it a little salt, lie in you herrings with the backs downwards boil with them the milt and roans to lie round them; they will boil in half a quarter of an hour over a slow fire; when they are boiled take them up with an egg slice, so turn them over and set them to drain. make your sauce of a little gravy and butter, an anchovy and a little boiled parsley shred; put it into the bason, set it in the middle of the dish, lie the herrings round with their tails towards the bason, and lie the milts and roans between every herring. garnish with crisp parsley and lemon; so serve them up. . _to fry_ herrings. scale and wash your herrings clean, strew over them a little flour and salt; let your butter be very hot before you put your herrings into the pan, then shake them to keep them stirring, and fry them over a brisk fire; when they are fried cut off the heads and bruise them, put to them a jill of ale, (but the ale must not be bitter) add a little pepper and salt, a small onion or shalot, if you have them, and boil them altogether; when they are boiled, strain them, and put them into your sauce-pan again, thicken them with a little flour and butter, put it into a bason, and set it in the middle of your dish; fry the milts and roans together, and lay round your herrings. garnish your dish with crisp parsley, and serve it up. . _to pickle_ herrings. scale and clean your herrings, take out the milts and roans, and skewer them round, season them with a little pepper and salt, put them in a deep pot, cover them with alegar, put to them a little whole jamaica pepper, and two or three bay leaves; bake them and keep them for use. . _to stew_ oysters. take a score or two of oysters, according as you have occasion, put them into a small stew-pan, with a few bread-crumbs, a little water, shred mace and pepper, a lump of butter, and a spoonful of vinegar, (not to make it four) boil them altogether but not over much, if you do it makes them hard. garnish with bread fippets, and serve them up. . _to fry_ oysters. take a score or two of the largest oysters you can get, and the yolks of four or five eggs, beat them very well, put to them a little nutmeg, pepper and salt, a spoonful of fine flour, and a little raw parsley shred, so dip in your oysters, and fry them in butter a light brown. they are very proper to lie about either stew'd oysters, or any other fish, or made dishes. . oysters _in_ scallop shells. take half a dozen small scallop shells, lay in the bottom of every shell a lump of butter, a few bread crumbs, and then your oysters; laying over them again a few more bread crumbs, a little butter, and a little beat pepper, so set them to crisp, either in the oven or before the fire, and serve them up. they are proper for either a side-dish or middle-dish. _to keep_ herrings _all the year_. take fresh herrings, cut off their heads, open and wash them very clean, season them with salt, black pepper, and jamaica pepper, put them into a pot, cover them with white wine vinegar and water, of each an equal quantity, and set them in a slow oven to bake; tie the pot up close and they will keep a year in the pickle. . _to make artificial_ sturgeon _another way_. take out the bones of a turbot or britt, lay it in salt twenty four hours, boil it with good store of salt; make your pickle of white wine vinegar and three quarts of water, boil them, and put in a little vinegar in the boiling; don't boil it over much, if you do it will make it soft; when 'tis enough take it out till it be cold, put the same pickle to it, and keep it for use. . _to stew_ mushrooms. take mushrooms, and clean them, the buttons you may wash, but the flaps you must pill both inside and out; when you have cleaned them, pick out the little ones for pickling, and cut the rest in pieces for stewing; wash them and put them into a little water, give them a boil and it will take off the faintness, so drain from them all the water, then put them into a pan with a lump of butter, a little shred mace, pepper and salt to your taste (putting them to a little water) hang them over a slow fire for half an hour, when they are enough thicken them with a little flour; serve them up with sippets. . _to make_ almond puffs. take a pound of almonds blanch'd, and beat them with orange-flower water, then take a pound of sugar, and boil them almost to a candy height, put in your almonds and stir them on the fire, keep them stirring till they be stiff, then take them off the fire and stir them till they be cold; beat them a quarter of an hour in a mortar, putting to them a pound of sugar sifted, and a little lemon-peel grated, make it into a paste with the whites of three eggs, and beat it into a froth more or less as you think proper; bake them in an oven almost cold, and keep them for use. . _to pot_ mushrooms. take the largest mushrooms, scrape and clean them, put them into your pan with a lump of butter, and a little salt, let then stew over a slow fire whilst they are enough, put to them a little mace and whole pepper, then dry them with a cloth, and put them down into a pot as close as you can, and as you lie them down strinkle in a little salt and mace, when they are cold cover them over with butter; when you use them toss them up with gravy, a few bread-crumbs and butter; do not make your pot over large, but rather put them into two pots; they will keep the better if you take the gravy from them when they are stewed. they are good for fish-sauce, or any other whilst they are fresh. . _to fry_ trout, _or any other sort of fish_. take two or three eggs, more or less according as you have fish to fry, take the fish and cut it in thin slices, lie it upon a board, rub the eggs over it with a feather, and strow on a little flour and salt, fry it in fine drippings or butter, let the drippings be very hot before you put in the fish, but do not let it burn, if you do it will make the fish black; when the fish is in the pan, you may do the other side with the egg, and as you fry it lay it to drain before the fire till all be fried, then it is ready for use. . _to make_ sauce _for_ salmon _or_ turbot. boil your turbot or salmon, and set it to drain; take the gravy that drains from the salmon or turbot, an anchovy or two, a little lemon-peel shred, a spoonful of catchup, and a little butter, thicken it with flour the thickness of cream, put to it a little shred parsley and fennel; but do not put in your parsley and fennel till you be just going to send it up, for it will take off the green. the gravy of all sorts of fish is a great addition to your sauce, if the fish be sweet. . _to dress_ cod's zoons. lie them in water all night, and then boil them, if they be salt shift them once in the boiling, when they are tender cut them in long pieces, dress them up with eggs as you do salt fish, take one or two of them and cut into square pieces, dip them in egg and fry them to lay round your dish. it is proper to lie about any other dish. . _to make_ solomon gundy _to eat in lent_ take five or six white herrings, lay them in water all night, boil them as soft as you would do for eating, and shift them in the boiling to take out the saltness; when they are boiled take the fish from the bone, and mind you don't break the bone in pieces, leaving on the head and tail; take the white part of the herrings, a quarter of a pound of anchovies, a large apple, a little onion shred fine, or shalot, and a little lemon-peel, shred them all together, and lie them over the bones on both sides, in the shape of a herring; then take off the peel of a lemon very very thin, and cut it in long bits, just as it will reach over the herrings; you must lie this peel over every herring pretty thick. garnish your dish with a few pickled oysters, capers, and mushrooms, if you have any; so serve them up. . soloman gundy _another way_. take the white part of a turkey, or other fowl, if you have neither, take a little white veal and mince it pretty small; take a little hang beef or tongues, scrape them very fine, a few shred capers, and the yolks of four or five eggs shred small; take a delf dish and lie a delf plate in the dish with the wrong side up, so lie on your meat and other ingredients, all single in quarters, one to answer another; set in the middle a large lemon or mango, so lie round your dish anchovies in lumps, picked oysters or cockles, and a few pickled mushrooms, slices of lemon and capers; so serve it up. this is proper for a side-dish either at noon or night. . _to make_ lemon cheese cakes. blanch half a pound of almonds, and beat them in a stone mortar very fine, with a little rose-water; put in eight eggs, leaving out five of the whites; take three quarters of a pound of sugar, and three quarters of a pound of melted butter, beat all together, then take three lemon-skins, boiled tender, the rind and all, beat them very well, and mix them with the rest, then put them into your paste. you may make a lemon-pudding the same way, only add the juice of half a lemon: before you set them in the oven, grate over them a little fine loaf sugar. . _to make white_ ginger bread. take a little gum-dragon, lay it in rose-water all night, then take a pound of jordan almonds blanch'd with a little of the gum-water, a pound of double-refined sugar beat and sifted, an ounce of cinnamon beat with a little rose-water, work it into a paste and print it, then set it in a stove to dry. . _to make red_ ginger bread. take a quart and a jill of red wine, a jill and a half of brandy, seven or eight manshets, according to the size the bread is, grate them, (the crust must be dried, beat and sifted) three pounds and a half of sugar beat and sifted, two ounces of cinnamon, and two ounces of ginger beat and sifted, a pound of almonds blanched and beat with rose-water, put the bread into the liquor by degrees, stirring it all the time, when the bread is all well mix'd take it off the fire; you must put the sugar, spices, and almonds into it, when it is cold print it; keep some of the spice to dust the prints with. . _to make a_ great cake. take five pounds of fine flour, (let it be dried very well before the fire) and six pounds of currans well dress'd and rub'd in cloths after they are wash'd, set them in a sieve before the fire; you must weigh your currans after they are cleaned, then take three quarters of an ounce of mace, two large nutmegs beaten and mix'd amongst the flour, and pound of powder sugar, and pound of citron, and a pound of candid orange, (cut your citron and orange in pretty large pieces) and a pound of almonds cut in three or four pieces long way; then take sixteen eggs, leaving out half of the whites, beat your sugar and eggs for half an hour with a little salt; take three jills of cream, and three pounds and a half of butter, melt your butter with part of the cream for fear it should be too hot, put in between a jack and a jill of good brandy, a quart of light yeast, and the rest of the cream, mix all your liquors together about blood-warm, make a hole in the middle of your flour, and put in the liquids, cover it half an hour and let it stand to rise, then put in your currans and mix all together; butter your hoop, tie a paper three fold, and put it at the bottom in your hoop; just when they are ready to set in the oven, put the cake into your hoop at three times; when you have laid a little paste at the bottom, lay in part of your sweet-meats and almonds, then put in a little paste over them again, and the rest of your sweet-meats and almonds, and set it in a quick oven; two hours will bake it. . _to make_ iceing _for this_ cake. take two pounds of double-refined sugar, beat it, and sift it through a fine sieve; put to it a spoonful of fine starch, a pennyworth of gum-arabic, beat them all well together; take the whites of four or five eggs, beat them well, and put to them a spoonful of rose-water, or orange-flower water, a spoonful of the juice of lemon, beat them with the whites of your eggs, and put in a little to your sugar till you wet it, then beat them for two hours whilst your cake is baking; if you make it over thin it will run; when you lie it on your cake you must lie it on with a knife; if you would have the iceing very thick, you must add a little more sugar; wipe off the loose currans before you put on the iceing, and put it into the oven to harden the iceing. . _to make a_ plumb cake. take five pounds of flour dried and cold, mix to it an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cinnamon, a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs, half a quarter of an ounce of lemon-peel grated, and a pound of fine sugar; take fifteen eggs, leaving out seven of the whites, beat your eggs with half a jill of brandy or sack, a little orange-flower water, or rose water; then put to your eggs near a quart of light yeast, set it on the fire with a quart of cream, and three pounds of butter, let your butter melt in the cream, so let it stand till new milk warm, then skim off all the butter and most of the milk, and mix it to your eggs and yeast; make a hole in the middle of your flour, and put in your yeast, strinkle at the tip a little flour, then mix to it a little salt, six pounds of currans well wash'd clean'd, dry'd, pick'd, and plump'd by the fire, a pound of the best raisins stoned, and beat them altogether whilst they leave the bowl; put in a pound of candid orange, and half a pound of citron cut in long pieces; then butter the garth and fill it full; bake it in a quick oven, against it be enough have an iceing ready. . _to make a_ carraway cake. take eighteen eggs, leave out half of the whites, and beat them; take two pounds of butter, wash the butter clear from milk and salt, put to it a little rose-water, and wash your butter very well with your hands till it take up all the eggs, then mix them in half a jack of brandy and sack; grate into your eggs a lemon rind; put in by degrees (a spoonful at a time) two pounds of fine flour, a pound and a half of loaf sugar, that is sifted and dry; when you have mixed them very well with your hands, take a thible and beat it very well for half an hour, till it look very white, then mix to it a few seeds, six ounces of carraway comfits, and half a pound of citron and candid orange; then beat it well, butter your garth, and put it in a quick oven. . _to make_ cakes _to keep all the year_. have in readiness a pound and four ounces of flour well dried, take a pound of butter unsalted, work it with a pound of white sugar till it cream, three spoonfuls of sack, and the rind of an orange, boil it till it is not bitter, and beat it with sugar, work these together, then clean your hands, and grate a nutmeg into your flour, put in three eggs and two whites, mix them well, then with a paste-pin or thible stir in your flour to the butter, make them up into little cakes, wet the top with sack and strow on fine sugar; bake them on buttered papers, well floured, but not too much; you may add a pound of currans washed and warmed. . _to make_ shrewsberry cakes. take two pounds of fine flour, put to it a pound and a quarter of butter (rub them very well) a pound and a quarter of fine sugar sifted, grate in a nutmeg, beat in three whites of eggs and two yolks, with a little rose-water, and so knead your paste with it, let it lay an hour, then make it up into cakes, prick them and lay them on papers, wet them with a feather dipt in rose-water, and grate over them a little fine sugar; bake them in a slow oven, either on tins or paper. . _to make a fine_ cake. take five pounds of fine flour dried, and keep it warm; four pounds of loaf sugar pounded, sifted and warmed; five pounds of currans well cleaned and warmed before the fire; a pound and a half of almonds blanch'd beat, dried, slit and kept warm; five pounds of good butter well wash'd and beat from the water; then work it an hour and a half till it comes to a fine cream; put to the butter all the sugar, work it up, and then the flour, put in a pint of brandy, then all the whites and yolks of the eggs, mix all the currans and almonds with the rest. there must be four pounds of eggs in weight in the shells, the yolks and the whites beat and separated, the whites beat to a froth; you must not cease beating till they are beat to a curd, to prevent oiling; to the quantity of a cake put a pound and a half of orange-peel and citron shred, without plumbs, and half a pound of carraway seeds, it will require four hours baking, and the oven must be as hot as for bread, but let it be well slaked when it has remained an hour in the oven, and stop it close; you may ice it if you please. . _to make a_ seed cake. take one quartern of fine flour well dried before the fire, when it is cold rub in a pound of butter; take three quarters of a pound of carraway comfits, six spoonfuls of new yeast, six spoonfuls of cream, the yolks of six eggs and two whites, and a little sack; mix all of these together in a very light paste, set it before the fire till it rise, and so bake it in a tin. . _to make an ordinary_ plumb cake. take a pound of flour well dried before the fire, a pound of currans, two penny-worth of mace and cloves, two eggs, four spoonfuls of good new yeast, half a pound of butter, half a pint of cream, melt the butter, warm the cream, and mix altogether in a very light paste, butter your tin before you put it in; an hour will bake it. . _to make an_ angelica cake. take the stalks of angelica boil and green them very well, put to every pound of pulp a pound of loaf sugar beaten very well, and when you think it is beaten enough, lay them in what fashion you please on glasses, and as they candy turn them. . _to make_ king cakes. take a pound of flour, three quarters of a pound of butter, half a pound of sugar and half a pound of currans, well cleaned; rub your butter well into your flour, and put in as many yolks of eggs as will lithe them, then put in your sugar, currans, and some mace, shred in as much as will give them a taste, so make them up in little round cakes, and butter the papers you lie them on. . _to make_ breakfast cakes. take a pound of currans well washed, (rub them in a cloth till dry) a pound of flour dried before a fire, take three eggs, leave out one of the whites, four spoonfuls of new yeast, and four spoonfuls of sack or two of brandy, beat the yeast and eggs well together; then take a jill of cream, and something above a quarter of a pound of butter, set them on a fire, and stir them till the butter be melted, (but do not let them boil) grate a large nutmeg into the flour, with currans and five spoonfuls of sugar; mix all together, beat it with your hand till it leave the bowl, then flour the tins you put the paste in, and let them stand a little to rise, then bake them an hour and a quarter. . _to make_ maccaroons. take a pound of blanched almonds and beat them, put some rose-water in while beating; (they must not be beaten too small) mix them with the whites of five eggs, a pound of sugar finely beaten and sifted, and a handful of flour, mix all these very well together, lay them on wafers, and bake them in a very temperate oven, (it must not be so hot as for manchet) then they are fit for use. . _to make_ whiggs. take two pounds of flour, a pound of butter, a pint of cream, four eggs, (leaving out two of the whites) and two spoonfuls of yeast, set them to rise a little; when they are mixed add half a pound of sugar, and half a pound of carraway comfits, make them up with sugar and bake them in a dripping pan. . _to make_ rasberry cream. take rasberries, bruise them, put 'em in a pan on a quick fire whilst the juice be dried up, then take the same weight of sugar as you have rasberries, and set them on a slow fire, let them boil whilst they are pretty stiff; make them into cakes, and dry them near the fire or in the sun. . _to make_ queen cakes. take a pound of london flour dry'd well before the fire, nine eggs, a pound of loaf sugar beaten and sifted, put one half to your eggs and the other to your butter; take a pound of butter and melt it without water put it into a stone bowl, when it is almost cold put in your sugar and a spoonful or two of rose water, beat it very quick, for half an hour, till it be as white as cream; beat the eggs and sugar as long and very quick, whilst they be white; when they are well beat mix them all together; then take half a pound of currans cleaned well, and a little shred of mace, so you may fill one part of your tins before you put in your currans; you may put a quarter of a pound of almonds shred (if you please) into them that is without currans; you may ice them if you please, but do not let the iceing be thicker than you may lie on with a little brush. . _to make a_ bisket cake. take a pound of london flour dry'd before the fire, a pound of loaf sugar beaten and sifted, beat nine eggs and a spoonful or two of rose water with the sugar for two hours, then put them to your flour and mix them well together; put in an ounce of carraway seeds, then put it into your tin and bake it an hour and a half in a pretty quick oven. . _to make_ cracknels. take half a pound of fine flour, half a pound of sugar, two ounces of butter, two eggs, and a few carraway seeds; (you must beat and sift the sugar) then put it to your flour and work it to paste; roll them as thin as you can, and cut them out with queen cake tins, lie them on papers and bake them in a slow oven. they are proper to eat with chocolate. . _to make_ portugal cakes. take a pound of flour, a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of currans well cleaned, and a nutmeg grated; take half of the flour and mix it with sugar and nutmeg, melt the butter and put it into the yolks of eight eggs very well beat, and only four of the whites, and as the froth rises put it into the flour, and do so till all is in; then beat it together, still strowing some of the other half of the flour, and then beat it till all the flour be in, then butter the pans and fill them, but do not bake them too much; you may ice them if you please, or you may strow carraway comfits of all sorts on them when they go into the oven. the currans must be plump'd in warm water, and dried before the fire, then put them into your cakes. . _to make_ plumb-cakes _another way_. take two pounds of butter, beat it with a little rose water and orange-flower water till it be like cream, two pounds of flour dried before the fire, a quarter of an ounce of mace, a nutmeg, half a pound of loaf sugar, beat and sifted, fifteen eggs (beat the whites by themselves and yolks with your sugar) a jack of brandy and as much sack, two pounds of currans very well cleaned, and half a pound of almonds blanch'd and cut in two or three pieces length-way, so mix all together, and put it into your hoop of tin; you may put in half a pound of candid orange and citron if you please; about an hour will bake it in a quick oven; if you have a mind to have it iced a pound of sugar will ice it. . _to make a_ ginger bread-cake. take two pounds of treacle, two pounds and a quartern of flour, and ounce of beat ginger, three quarters of a pound of sugar, two ounces of coriander seeds, two eggs, a pennyworth of new ale with the yeast on it, a glass of brandy, and two ounces of lemon-peel, mix all these together in a bowl, and set it to rise for half an hour, then put it into a tin to bake, and wet it with a little treacle and water; if you have a quick oven an hour and a half will bake it. . _to make_ chocolate cream. take four ounces of chocolate, more or less, according as you would have your dish in bigness, grate it and boil it in a pint of cream, then mill it very well with a chocolate stick; take the yolks of two eggs and beat them very well, leaving out the strain, put to them three or four spoonfuls of cream, mix them all together, set it on the fire, and keep stirring it till it thicken, but do not let it boil; you must sweeten it to your taste, and keep stirring it till it be cold, so put it into your glasses or china dishes, which you please. . _to make white_ lemon cream. take a jill of spring water and a pound of fine sugar, set it over a fire till the sugar and water be dissolv'd, then put the juice of four good lemons to your sugar and water, the whites of four eggs well beat, set it on the fire again, and keep it stirring one way till it just simmers and does not boil, strain it thro' a fine cloth, then put it on the fire again, adding to it a spoonful of orange-flower water, stir it till it thickens on a slow fire, then strain into basons or glasses for your use; do not let it boil, if you do it will curdle. . _to make_ cream curds. take a gallon of water, put to it a quart of new milk, a little salt, a pint of sweet cream and eight eggs, leaving out half the whites and strains, beat them very well, put to them a pint of sour cream, mix them very well together, and when your pan is just at boiling (but is must not boil) put in the sour cream and your eggs, stir it about and keep it from settling to the bottom; let it stand whilst it begins to rise up, then have a little fair water, and as they rise keep putting it in whilst they be well risen, then take them off the fire, and let them stand a little to sadden; have ready a sieve with a clean cloth over it, and take up the curds with a laddle or egg-slicer, whether you have; you must always make them the night before you use them; this quantity will make a large dish if your cream be good; if you think your curds be too thick, mix tho them two or three spoonfuls of good cream, lie them upon a china dish in lumps, so serve them up. . _to make_ apple cream. take half a dozen large apples, (coslings or any other apples that will be soft) and coddle them; when they are cold take out the pulp; then take the whites of four or five eggs, (leaving out the strains) three quarters of a pound of double-refined sugar beat and sifted, a spoonful or two of rose-water and grate in a little lemon-peel, so beat all together for an hour, whilst it be white, then lay it on a china dish, to serve it up. . _to fry_ cream _to eat hot_. take a pint of cream and boil it, three spoonfuls of london flour, mix'd with a little milk, put in three eggs, and beat them very well with the flour, a little salt, a spoonful or two of fine powder sugar, mix them very well; then put your cream to them on the fire and boil it; then beat two eggs more very well, and when you take your pan off the fire stir them in, and pour them into a large pewter dish, about half an inch thick; when it is quite cold cut it out in square bits, and fry it in butter, a light brown; as you fry them set them before the fire to keep hot and crisp, so dish them up with a little white wine, butter and sugar for your sauce, in a china cup, set it in the midst, and grate over some loaf sugar. . _to make_ rice _or_ almond cream. take two quarts of cream, boil it with what seasoning you please, then take it from the fire and sweeten it, pick out the seasoning and divide it into two parts, take a quarter of a pound of blanch'd almonds well beat with orange-flower water, set that on the fire, and put to it the yolks of four eggs well beat and strained, keep it stirring all the time it is on the fire, when it rises to boil take it off, stir it a little, then put it into your bason, the other half set on the fire, and thicken it with flour of rice; when you take it off put to it the juice of a lemon, orange-flower water or sack, and stir it till it be cold, then serve it up. . _to make_ calf's foot jelly. take four calf's feet and dress them, boil them in six quarts of water over a slow fire, whilst all the bones will come out, and half the water be boiled away, strain it into a stone-bowl, then put to them two or three quarts more water, and let it boil away to one: if you want a large quantity of flummery or jelly at one time; take two calf's feet more, it will make your stock the stronger; you must make your stock the day before you use it, and before you put your stock into the pan take off the fat, and put it into your pan to melt, take the whites of eight or ten eggs, just as you have jelly in quantity, (for the more whites you have makes your jelly the finer) beat your whites to a froth, and put to them five or six lemons, according as they are of goodness, a little white wine or rhenish, mix them well together (but let not your stock be too hot when you put them in) and sweeten it to your taste; keep it stirring all the time whilst it boil; take your bag and dip it in hot water, and wring it well out, then put in your jelly, and keep it shifting whilst it comes clear; throw a lemon-peel or two into your bag as the jelly is coming off, and put in some bits of peel into your glasses. you may make hartshorn jelly the same way. . _to make_ orange cream. take two seville oranges and peel them very thin, put the peel into a pint of fair water, and let it lie for an hour or two; take four eggs, and beat them very well, put to them the juice of three or four oranges, according as they are in goodness, and sweeten them with double refin'd sugar to your taste, mix the water and sugar together, and strain them thro' a fine cloth into your tankard, and set it over the fire as you did the lemon cream, and put it into your glasses for use. . _to make yellow_ lemon cream. take two or three lemons, according as they are in bigness, take off the peel as thin as you can from the white, put it into a pint of clear water, and let it lie three or four hours; take the yolks of three or four eggs, beat them very well, about eight ounces of double refin'd sugar, put it into your water to dissolve, and a spoonful or two of rose-water or orange-flower water, which you can get, mix all together with the juice of two of your lemons, and if your lemons prove not good, put in the juice of three, so strain them through a fine cloth into a silver tankard, and set it over a stove or chafing dish, stirring it all the time, and when it begins to be as thick as cream take it off, but don't let it boil, if you do it will curdle, stir it whilst it be cold and put it into glasses for use. . _to make white_ lemon cream _another way_. take a pint of spring water, and the whites of six eggs, beat them very well to a froth, put them to your water, adding to it half a pound of double refin'd sugar, a spoonful of orange-flower water, and the juice of three lemons, so mix all together, and strain them through a fine close into your silver tankard, set it over a slow fire in a chafing dish, and keep stirring it all the time; as you see it thickens take it off, it will soon curdle then be yellow, stir it whilst it be cold, and put it in small jelly glasses for use. . _to make_ sagoo custards. take two ounces of sagoo, wash it in a little water, set it on to cree in a pint of milk, and let it cree till it be tender, when it is cold put to it three jills of cream, boil it altogether with a blade or two of mace, or a stick of cinnamon; take six eggs, leave out the strains, beat them very well, mix a little of your cream amongst your eggs, then mix altogether, keep stirring it as you put it in, so set it over a slow fire, and stir it about whilst it be the thickness of a good cream; you must not let it boil; when you take it off the fire put in a tea cupfull of brandy, and sweeten it to your taste, then put it into pots or glasses for use. you may have half the quantity if you please. . _to make_ almond custards. boil two quarts of sweet cream with a stick of cinnamon; take eight eggs, leaving out all the whites but two, beat them very well; take six ounces of jordan almonds, blanch and beat them with a little rose-water, so give them a boil in your cream; put in half a pound of powder sugar, and a little of your cream amongst your eggs, mix altogether, and set them over a slow fire, stir it all the time whilst it be as thick as cream, but don't let it boil; when you take it off put in a little brandy to your taste, so put it into your cups for use. you may make rice-custard the same way. . _to make a_ sack posset. take a quart of cream, boil it with two or three blades of mace, and grate in a long bisket; take eight eggs, leave out half the whites, beat them very well, and a pint of gooseberry wine, make it hot, so mix it well with your eggs, set it over a slow fire, and stir it about whilst it be as thick as custard; set a dish that is deep over a stove, put in your sack and eggs, when your cream is boiling hot, put it to your sack by degrees, and stir it all the time it stands over your stove, whilst it be thoroughly hot, but don't let it boil; you must make it about half an hour before you want it; set it upon a hot harth, and then it will be as thick as custard; make a little froth of cream, to lay over the posset; when you dish it up sweeten it to your taste; you may make it without bisket if you please, and don't lay on your froth till you serve it up. . _to make a_ lemon posset. take a pint of good thick cream, grate into it the outermost skin of two lemons, and squeeze the juice into a jack of white wine, and sweeten it to your taste; take the whites of two eggs without the strains, beat them to a froth, so whisk them altogether in a stone bowl for half an hour, then put them into glasses for use. . _to make whipt_ sillabubs. take two porringers of cream and one of white wine, grate in the skin of a lemon, take the whites of three eggs, sweeten it to your taste, then whip it with a whisk, take off the froth as it rises, and put it into your sillabub-glasses or pots, whether you have, then they are fit for use. . _to make_ almond butter. take a quart of cream, and half a pound of almonds, beat them with the cream, then strain it, and boil it with twelve yolks of eggs and two whites, till it curdle, hang it up in a cloth till morning and then sweeten it; you may rub it through a sieve with the back of a spoon, or strain it through a coarse cloth. . _to make_ black caps. take a dozen of middling pippens and cut them in two, take out the cores and black ends, lay them with the flat side downwards, set them in the oven, and when they are about half roasted take them out, wet them over with a little rose water, and grate over them loaf sugar, pretty thick, set them into the oven again, and let them stand till they are black; when you serve them up, put them either into cream or custard, with the black side upwards, and set them at an equal distance. . _to make_ sauce _for tame_ ducks. take the necks and gizzards of your ducks, a scrag of mutton if you have it, and make a little sweet gravy, put to it a few bread-crumbs, a small onion, and a little whole pepper, boil them for half a quarter of an hour, put to them a lump of butter, and if it is not thick enough a little flour, so salt it to your taste. . _to make_ sauce _for a_ green-goose. take a little good gravy, a little butter, and a few scalded gooseberries, mix all together, and put it on the disk with your goose. . _to make another_ sauce _for a_ green-goose. take the juice of sorrel, a little butter, and a few scalded gooseberries, mix them together, and sweeten it to your taste; you must not let it boil after you put in the sorrel, if you do it will take off the green. you must put this sauce into a bason. . _to make_ almond flummery. take a pint of stiff jelly made of calf's feet, put to it a jill or better of good cream, and four ounces of almonds, blanch and beat them fine with a little rose-water, then put them to your cream and jelly, let them boil together for half a quarter of an hour, and sweeten it to your taste; strain it through a fine cloth, and keep it stirring till it be quite cold, put it in cups and let it stand all night, loosen it in warm water and turn it out into your dish; so serve it up, and prick it with blanch'd almonds. . _to make_ calf's foot flummery. take two calf's feet, when they are dress'd, put two quarts of water to them, boil them over a slow fire till half or better be consumed; when your stock is cold, if it be too stiff, you may put to it as much cream as jelly, boil them together with a blade or two of mace, sweeten it to your taste with loaf sugar, strain it through a fine cloth, stir it whilst it be cold, and turn it out, but first loosen it in warm water, and put it into your dish as you did the other flummery. . _to stew_ spinage _with_ poached eggs. take two or three handfuls of young spinage, pick it from the stalks, wash and drain it very clean, put it into a pan with a lump of butter, and a little salt, keep stirring it all the time whilst it be enough, then take it out and squeeze out the water, chop it and stir in a little more butter, lie it in your dish in quarters, and betwixt every quarter a poached egg, and lie one in the middle; fry some sippets of white bread and prick them in your spinage, to serve them up. this is proper for a side-dish either for noon or night. . _to make_ ratifie drops. take half a pound of the best jordan almonds, and four ounces of bitter almonds, blanch and set them before the fire to dry, beat them in a marble mortar with a little white of an egg, then put to the half a pound of powder sugar, and beat them altogether to a pretty stiff paste; you may beat your white of egg very well before you put it in, so take it out, roll it with your hand upon a board with a little sugar, then cut them in pieces, and lie them on sheets of tin or on paper, at an equal distance, that they don't touch one another, and set them in a slow oven to bake. . _to fry_ artichoke bottoms. take artichoke bottoms when they are at the full growth, and boil them as you would do for eating, pull off the leaves, and take out the choke, cut off the stalks as close as you can from the bottom; take two or three eggs, beat them very well, so dip your artichokes in them, and strow over them a little pepper and salt; fry them in butter, some whole and some in halves; serve them up with a little butter in a china cup, set it in the middle of your dish, lie your artichokes round, and serve them up. they are proper for a side dish either noon or night. . _to fricassy_ artichokes. take artichokes, and order them the same way as you did for frying, have ready in a stew-pan a few morels and truffles, stewed in brown gravy, so put in your artichokes, and give them a shake altogether in your stew-pan, and serve them up hot, with sippets round them. . _to dry_ artichoke bottoms. take the largest artichokes you can get, when they are at their full growth, boil them as you would do for eating, pull off the leaves and take out the choke; cut off the stalk as close as you can, lie them on a tin dripping-pan, or an earthen dish, set them in a slow oven, for if your oven be too hot it will brown them; you may dry them before the fire if you have conveniency; when they are dry put them in paper bags, and keep them for use. . _to stew_ apples. take a pound of double refin'd sugar, with a pint of water, boil and skim it, and put into it a pound of the largest and clearest pippens, pared and cut in halves; if little, let them be whole; core them and boil them with a continual froth, till they be as tender and clear as you would have them, put in the juice of two lemons, but first take out the apples, a little peel cut like threads, boil down your syrrup as thick as you would have it, then pour it over your apples; when you dish them, stick them with long bits of candid orange, and some with almonds cut in long bits, to serve them up. you must stew them the day before you use them. . _to stew_ apples _another way_. take kentish pippens or john apples, pare and slice them into fair water, set them on a clear fire, and when they are boiled to mash, let the liquor run through a hair-sieve; boil as many apples thus as will make the quantity of liquor you would have; to a pint of this liquor you must have a pound of double refin'd loaf sugar in great lumps, wet the lumps of sugar with the pippen liquor, and set it over a gentle fire, let it boil, and skim it well: whilst you are making the jelly, you must have your whole pippens boiling at the same time; (they must be the fairest and best pippens you can get) scope out the cores, and pare them neatly, put them into fair water as you do them; you must likewise make a syrrup ready to put them into, the quantity as you think will boil them in a clear; make the syrrup with double refin'd sugar and water. tie up your whole pippens in a piece of fine cloth or muslin severally, when your sugar and water boils put them in, let them boil very fast, so fast that the syrrup always boils over them; sometimes take them off, and then set them on again, let them boil till they be clear and tender; then take off the muslin they were tied up in, and put them into glasses that will hold but one in a glass; then see if your jelly of apple-johns be boiled to jelly enough, if it be, squeeze in the juice of two lemons, and let it have a boil; then strain it through a jelly bag into the glasses your pippens were in; you must be sure that your pippens be well drained from the syrrup they were boiled in; before you put them into the glasses, you may, if you please, boil little pieces of lemon-peel in water till they be tender, and then boil them in the syrrup your pippens were boiled in; then take them out and lay them upon the pippens before the jelly is put in, and when they are cold paper them up. . _to make_ plumb gruel. take half a pound of pearl barley, set it on to cree; put to it three quarts of water; when it has boiled a while, shift it into another fresh water, and put to it three or four blades of mace, a little lemon-peel cut in long pieces, so let it boil whilst the barley be very soft; if it be too thick you may add a little more water; take half a pound of currans, wash them well and plump them, and put to them your barley, half a pound of raisins and stone them; let them boil in the gruel whilst they are plump, when they are enough put to them a little white wine, a little juice of lemon, grate in half a nutmeg, and sweeten it to your taste, so serve them up. . _to make_ rice gruel. boil half a pound of rice in two quarts of soft water, as soft as you would have it for rice milk, with some slices of lemon-peel, and a stick of cinnamon; add to it a little white wine and juice of lemon to your taste, put in a little candid orange sliced thin, and sweeten it with fine powder sugar; don't let it boil after you put in your wine and lemon, put it in a china dish, with five or six slices of lemon, so serve it up. . _to make_ scotch custard, _to eat hot for supper_. boil a quart of cream with a stick of cinnamon, and a blade of mace; take six eggs, both yolks and whites (leave out the strains) and beat them very well, grate a long bisket into your cream, give it a boil before you put in your eggs, mix a little of your cream amongst your eggs before you put 'em in, so set it over a slow fire, stirring it about whilst it be thick, but don't let it boil; take half a pound of currans, wash them very well, and plump them, then put them to your custard; you must let your custard be as thick as will bear the currans that they don't sink to the bottom; when you are going to dish it up, put in a large glass of sack, stir it very well, and serve it up in a china bason. . _to make a dish of_ mull'd milk. boil a quart of new milk with a stick of cinnamon, then put to it a pint of cream, and let them have one boil together, take eight eggs, (leave out half of the whites and all the strains) beat them very well, put to them a jill of milk, mix all together, and set it over a slow fire, stir it whilst it begins to thicken like custard, sweeten it to your taste, and grate in half a nutmeg; then put it into your dish with a toast of white bread. this is proper for a supper. . _to make_ leatch. take two ounces of isinglass and break it into bits, put it into hot water, then put half a pint of new milk into the pan with the isinglass, set it on the fire to boil, and put into it three or four sticks of good cinnamon, two blades of mace, a nutmeg quartered, and two or three cloves, boil it till the isinglass be dissolved, run it through a hair-sieve into a large pan, then put to it a quart of cream sweetened to your taste with loaf sugar, and boil them a while together; take a quarter of a pound of blanch'd almonds beaten in a rose-water, and strain out all the juice of them into the cream on the fire, and warm it, then take it off and stir it well together; when it has cooled a little take a broad shallow dish and put it into it through a hair-sieve, when it is cold cut it in long pieces, and lay it across whilst you have a pretty large dish; so serve it up. sometimes a less quantity of isinglass will do, according to the goodness; let it be the whitest and clearest you can get. you must make it the day before you want it for use. . _to make_ scotch oysters. take two pounds of the thick part of a leg of veal, cut it in little bits clear from the skins, and put it in a marble mortar, then shred a pound of beef suet and put to it, and beat them well together till they be as fine as paste; put to it a handful of bread-crumbs and two or three eggs, season it with mace, nutmeg, pepper, and salt, and work it well together; take one part of your forc'd-meat and wrap it in the kell, about the bigness of a pigeon, the rest make into little flat cakes and fry them; the rolls you may either broil in a dripping-pan, or set them in an oven; three is enough in a dish, set them in the middle of the dish and lay the cakes round; then take some strong gravy, shred in a few capers, and two or three mushrooms or oysters if you have any, so thicken it up with a lump of butter, and serve it up hot. garnish your dish with pickles. . _to boil_ brocoli. take brocoli when it is seeded, or at any other time; take off all the low leaves of your stalks and tie them up in bunches as you do asparagus, cut them the same length you peel your stalks; cut them in little pieces, and boil them in salt and water by themselves; you must let your water boil before you put them in; boil the heads in salt and water, and let the water boil before you put in the brocoli; put in a little butter; it takes very little boiling, and if it boil too quick it will take off all the heads; you must drain your brocoli through a sieve as you do asparagus; lie stalks in the middle, and the bunches round it, as you would do asparagus. this is proper for either a side-dish or a middle-dish. . _to boil_ savoy sprouts. if your savoys be cabbag'd, dress off the out leaves and cut them in quarters; take off a little of the hard ends, and boil them in a large quantity of water with a little salt; when boiled drain them, lie them round your meat, and pour over them a little butter. any thing will boil greener in a large quantity of water than otherwise. . _to boil_ cabbage sprouts. take your sprouts, cut off the leaf and the hard ends, shred and boil them as you do other greens, not forgetting a little butter. . _to fry_ parsnips _to look like_ trout. take a middling sort of parsnips, not over thick, boil them as soft as you would do for eating, peel and cut them in two the long way; you must only fry the small ends, not the thick ones; beat three or four eggs, put to them a spoonful of flour, dip in your parsnips, and fry them in butter a light brown have for your sauce a little vinegar and butter; fry some slices to lie round about the dish, and to serve them up. . _to make_ tansey _another way_. take an old penny loaf and cut off the crust, slice it thin, put to it as much hot cream as will wet it, then put to it six eggs well beaten, a little shred lemon-peel, a little nutmeg and salt, and sweeten it to your taste; green it as you did your baked tansey; so tie it up in a cloth and boil it; (it will take an hour and a quarter boiling) when you dish it up stick it with a candid orange, and lie a sevile orange cut in quarters round your dish; serve it up with a little plain butter. . _to make_ gooseberry cream. take a quart of gooseberries, pick, coddle, and bruise them very well in a marble mortar or wooden bowl, and rub them with the back of a spoon through a hair sieve, till you take out all the pulp from the seeds; take a pint of thick cream, mix it well among your pulp grate in some lemon-peel, and sweeten it to your taste; serve it up either in a china dish or an earthen one. . _to fry_ parsnips _another way_. boil your parsnips, cut them in square long pieces about the length of your finger, dip them in egg and a little flour, and fry them a light brown; when they are fried dish them up, and grate over them a little sugar: you must have for the sauce a little white wine, butter, and sugar in a bason, and set in the middle of your dish. . _to make_ apricock pudding. take ten apricocks, pare, stone, and cut them in two, put them into a pan with a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, boil them pretty quick whilst they look clear, so let them stand whilst they are cold; then take six eggs, (leave out half of the whites) beat them very well, add to them a pint of cream, mix the cream and eggs well together with a spoonful of rose-water, then put in your apricocks, and beat them very well together, with four ounces of clarified butter, then put it into your dish with a thin paste under it; half an hour will bake it. . _to make_ apricock custard. take a pint of cream, boil it with a stick of cinnamon and six eggs, (leave out four of the whites) when your cream is a little cold, mix your eggs and cream together, with a quarter of a pound of fine sugar, set it over a slow fire, stir it all one way whilst it begin to be thick, then take it off and stir it whilst it be a little cold, and pour it into your dish; take six apricocks, as you did for your pudding, rather a little higher; when they are cold lie them upon your custard at an equal distance; if it be at the time when you have no ripe apricocks, you may lie preserv'd apricocks. . _to make_ jumballs _another way_. take a pound of meal and dry it, a pound of sugar finely beat, and mix these together; then take the yolks of five or six eggs, half a jill of thick cream, as much as will make it up to a paste, and some coriander seeds, lay them on tins and prick them; bake them in a quick oven; before you set them in the oven wet them with a little rose-water and double refin'd sugar to ice them. . _to make_ apricock chips _or_ peaches. take a pound of chips to a pound of sugar, let not your apricocks be too ripe, pare them and cut them into large chips; take three quarters of a pound of fine sugar, strow most of it upon the chips, and let them stand till they be dissolv'd, set them on the fire, and boil them till they are tender and clear, strowing the remainder of the sugar on as they boil, skim them clear, and lay them in glasses or pots single, with some syrrup, cover them with double refin'd sugar, set them in a stove, and when they are crisp on one side turn the other on glasses and parch them, then set them into the stove again; when they are pretty dry, pour them on hair-sieves till they are dry enough to put up. . _to make_ sagoo gruel. take four ounces of sagoo and wash it, set it over a slow fire to cree, in two quarts of spring water, let it boil whilst it be thickish and soft, put in a blade or two of mace, and a stick of cinnamon, let it boil in a while, and then put in a little more water; take it off, put to it a pint of claret wine, and a little candid orange; shift them, then put in the juice of a lemon, and sweeten it to your taste; so serve them up. . _to make_ spinage toasts. take a handful or two of young spinage and wash it, drain it from the water, put it into a pan with a lump of butter, and a little salt, let it stew whilst it be tender, only turn it in the boiling, then take it up and squeeze out the water, put in another lump of butter and chop it small, put to it a handful of currans plump'd, and a little nutmeg; have three toasts cut from a penny loaf well buttered, then lie on your spinage. this is proper for a side-dish either for noon or night. . _to roast a_ beast kidney. take a beast kidney with a little fat on, and stuff it all around, season it with a little pepper and salt, wrap it in a kell, and put it upon the spit with a little water in the dripping-pan; what drops from your kidney thicken with a lump of butter and flour for your sauce. _to fry your_ stuffing. take a handful of sweet herbs, a few breadcrumbs, a little beef-suet shred fine, and two eggs, (leave out the whites) mix altogether with a little nutmeg, pepper and salt; stuff your kidney with one part of the stuffing, and fry the other part in little cakes; so serve it up. . _to stew_ cucumbers. take middling cucumbers and cut them in slices, but not too thin, strow over them a little salt to bring out the water, put them into a stew-pan or sauce-pan, with a little gravy, some whole pepper, a lump of butter, and a spoonful or two of vinegar to your taste; let them boil all together; thicken them with flour, and serve them up with sippets. . _to make an_ oatmeal pudding. take three or four large spoonfuls of oatmeal done through a hair-sieve, and a pint of milk, put it into a pan and let it boil a little whilst it be thick, add to it half a pound of butter, a spoonful of rose-water, a little lemon-peel shred, a little nutmeg, or beaten cinnamon, and a little salt; take six eggs, (leave out two of the whites) and put to them a quarter of a pound of sugar or better, beat them very well, so mix them all together; put it into your dish with a paste round your dish edge; have a little rose-water, butter and sugar for sauce. . _to make a_ calf's head pie _another way_. half boil your calf's head, when it is cold cut it in slices, rather thicker than you would do for hashing, season it with a little mace, nutmeg, pepper and salt, lie part of your meat in the bottom of your pie, a layer of one and a layer of another; then put in half a pound of butter and a little gravy; when your pie comes from the oven, have ready the yolks of six or eight eggs boiled hard, and lie them round your pie; put in a little melted butter, and a spoonful or two of white wine, and give them a shake together before you lie in your eggs; your pie must be a standing pie baked upon a dish, with a puff-paste round the edge of the dish, but leave no paste in the bottom of your pie; when it is baked serve it up without a lid. this is proper for either top or bottom dish. . _to make_ elder wine. take twenty pounds of malaga raisins, pick and chop them, then put them into a tub with twenty quarts of water, let the water be boiled and stand till it be cold again before you put in your raisins, let them remain together ten days, stirring it twice a day, then strain the liquor very well from the raisins, through a canvas strainer or hair-sieve; add to it six quarts of elder juice, five pounds of loaf sugar, and a little juice of sloes to make it acid, just as you please; put it into a vessel, and let it stand in a pretty warm place three months, then bottle it; the vessel must not be stopp'd up till it has done working; if your raisins be very good you may leave out the sugar. . _to make_ gooseberry wine _of ripe_ gooseberries. pick, clean and beat your gooseberries in a marble mortar or wooden bowl, measure them in quarts up-heap'd, add two quarts of spring water, and let them stand all night or twelve hours, then rub or press out the husks very well, strain them through a wide strainer, and to every gallon put three pounds of sugar, and a jill of brandy, then put all into a sweet vessel, not very full, and keep it very close for four months, then decant it off till it comes clear, pour out the grounds, and wash the vessel clean with a little of the wine; add to every gallon a pound more sugar, let it stand a month in a vessel again, drop the grounds thro' a flannel bag, and put it to the other in the vessel; the tap hole must not be over near the bottom of the cask, for fear of letting out the grounds. the same receipt will serve for curran wine the same way; let them be red currans. . _to make_ balm wine. take a peck of balm leaves, put them in a tub or large pot, heat four gallons of water scalding hot, ready to boil, then pour it upon the leaves, so let it stand all night, then strain them thro' a hair-sieve; put to every gallon of water two pounds of fine sugar, and stir it very well; take the whites of four or five eggs, beat them very well, put them into a pan, and whisk it very well before it be over hot, when the skim begins to rise take it off, and keep it skimming all the while it is boiling, let it boil three quarters of an hour, then put it into the tub, when it is cold put a little new yeast upon it, and beat it in every two hours, that it may head the better, so work it for two days, then put it into a sweet rundlet, bung it up close, and when it is fine bottle it. . _to make_ raisin wine. take ten gallons of water, and fifty pounds of malaga raisins, pick out the large stalks and boil them in your water, when your water is boiled, put it into a tub; take the raisins and chop them very small, when your water is blood warm, put in your raisins, and rub them very well with your hand; when you put them into the water, let them work for ten days, stirring them twice a day, then strain out the raisins in a hair-sieve, and put them into a clean harden bag, and squeeze it in the press to take out the liquor, so put it into your barrel; don't let it be over full, bung it up close, and let it stand whilst it is fine; when you tap your wine you must not tap it too near the bottom, for fear of the grounds; when it is drawn off, take the grounds out of the barrel, and wash it out with a little of your wine, then put your wine into the barrel again, draw your grounds thro' a flannel bag, and put them into the barrel to the rest; add to it two pounds of loaf sugar, then bung it up, and let it stand a week or ten days; if it be very sweet to your taste, let it stand some time longer, and bottle it. . _to make_ birch wine. take your birch water and boil it, clear it with whites of eggs; to every gallon of water take two pounds and a half of fine sugar, boil it three quarters of an hour, and when it is almost cold, put in a little yeast, work it two or three days, then put it into the barrel, and to every five gallons put in a quart of brandy, and half a pound of ston'd raisins; before you put up your wine burn a brimstone match in the barrel. . _to make_ white curran wine. take the largest white currans you can get, strip and break them in your hand, whilst you break all the berries; to every quart of pulp take a quart of water, let the water be boiled and cold again, mix them well together, let them stand all night in your tub, then strain them thro' a hair-sieve, and to every gallon put two pounds and a half of six-penny sugar; when your sugar is dissolved, put it into your barrel, dissolve a little isinglass, whisk it with whites of eggs, and put it in; to every four gallons put in a quart of mountain wine, so bung up your barrel; when it is fine draw it off, and take off the grounds, (but don't tap the barrel over low at the bottom) wash out the barrel with a little of your wine, and drop the grounds thro' a bag, then put it to the rest of your wine, and put it all into your barrel again, to every gallon add half a pound more sugar, and let it stand another week or two; if it be too sweet let it stand a little longer, then bottle it, and it will keep two or three years. . _to make_ orange ale. take forty seville oranges, pare and cut them in slices, the best coloured seville you can get, put them all with the juice and seeds into half a hogshead of ale; when it is tunned up and working, put in the oranges, and at the same time a pound and a half of raisins of the sun stoned; when it has done working close up the bung, and it will be ready to drink in a month. . _to make_ orange brandy. take a quart of brandy, the peels of eight oranges thin pared, keep them in the brandy forty-eight hours in a close pitcher, then take three pints of water, put into it three quarters of a pound of loaf sugar, boil it till half be consumed, and let it stand till cold, then mix it with the brandy. . _to make_ orange wine. take six gallons of water and fifteen pounds of powder sugar, the whites of six eggs well beaten, boil them three quarters of an hour, and skim them while any skim will rise; when it is cold enough for working, put to it six ounces of the syrrup of citron or lemons, and six spoonfuls of yeast, beat the syrrup and yeast well together, and put in the peel and juice of fifty oranges, work it two days and a night, then tun it up into a barrel, so bottle it at three or four months old. . _to make_ cowslip wine. take ten gallons of water, when it is almost at boiling, add to it twenty one pounds of fine powder sugar, let it boil half an hour, and skim it very clean; when it is boiled put it in a tub, let it stand till you think it cold to set on the yeast; take a poringer of new yeast off the fat, and put to it a few cowslips; when you put on the yeast, put in a few every time it is stirred, till all the cowslips be in, which must be six pecks, and let it work three or four days; add to it six lemons, cut off the peel, and the insides put into your barrel, then add to it a pint of brandy; when you think it has done working, close up your vessel, let it stand a month, and then bottle it; you may let your cowslips lie a week or ten days to dry before you make your wine, for it makes it much finer; you may put in a pint of white wine that is good, instead of the brandy. . _to make_ orange wine _another way_. take six gallons of water, and fifteen pounds of sugar, put your sugar into the water on the fire, the whites of six eggs, well beaten, and whisk them into the water, when it is cold skim it very well whilst any skim rises, and let it boil for half an hour; take fifty oranges, pare them very thin, put them into your tub, pour the water boiling hot upon your oranges, and when it is bloodwarm put on the yeast, then put in your juice, let it work two days, and so tun it into your barrel; at six weeks or two months old bottle it; you may put to it in the barrel a quart of brandy. . _to make_ birch wine _another way_. to a gallon of birch water put two pounds of loaf or very fine lump sugar, when you put it into the pan whisk the whites of four eggs; (four whites will serve for four gallons) whisk them very well together before it be boiled, when it is cold put on a little yeast, let it work a night and a day in the tub, before you put it into your barrel put in a brimstone match burning; take two pounds of isinglass cut in little bits, put to it a little of your wine, let it stand within the air of the fire all night; takes the whites of two eggs, beat it with your isinglass, put them into your barrel and stir them about with a stick; this quantity will do for four gallons; to four gallons you must have two pounds of raisins shred, put them into your barrel, close it up, but not too close at the first, when it is fine, bottle it. . _to make_ apricock wine. take twelve pounds of apricocks when full ripe, stone and pare them, put the paring into three gallons of water, with six pounds of powder sugar, boil them together half an hour, skim them well, and when it is blood-warm put it on the fruit; it must be well bruised, cover it close, and let it stand three days; skim it every day as the skim rises, and put it thro' a hair sieve, adding a pound of loaf sugar; when you put it into the vessel close it up, and when it is fine bottle it. . _to make_ orange shrub. take seville oranges when they are full ripe, to three dozen of oranges put half a dozen of large lemons, pare them very thin, the thinner the better, squeeze the lemons and oranges together, strain the juice thro' a hair sieve, to a quart of the juice put a pound and a quarter of loaf sugar; about three dozen of oranges (if they be good) will make a quart of juice, to every quart of juice, put a gallon of brandy, put it into a little barrel with an open bung with all the chippings of your oranges, and bung it up close; when it is fine bottle it. this is a pleasant dram, and ready for punch all the year. . _to make_ strong mead. take twelve gallons of water, eight pounds of sugar, two quarts of honey, and a few cloves, when your pan boils take the whites of eight or ten eggs, beat them very well, put them into your water before it be hot, and whisk them very well together; do not let it boil but skim it as it rises till it has done rising, then put it into your tub; when it is about blood warm put to it three spoonfuls of new yeast; take eight or nine lemons, pare them and squeeze out the juice, put them both together into your tub, and let them work two or three days, then put it into your barrel, but it must not be too full; take two or three pennyworth of isinglass, cut as small as you can, beat it in a mortar about a quarter of an hour, it will not make it small; but that it may dissolve sooner, draw out a little of the mead into a quart mug, and let it stand within the air of the fire all night; take the whites of three eggs, beat them very well, mix them with your isinglas, whisk them together, and put them into your barrel, bung it up, and when it is fine bottle it. you may order isinglass this way to put into any sort of made wine. . _to make_ mead _another way_. take a quart of honey, three quarts of water, put your honey into the water, when it is dissolved, take the whites of four or five eggs, whisk and beat them very well together and put them into your pan; boil it while the skim rises, and skim it very clean; put it into your tub, when it is warm put in two or three spoonfuls of light yeast, according to the quantity of your mead, and let it work two nights and a day. to every gallon put in a large lemon, pare and strain it, put the juice and peel into your tub, and when it is wrought put it into your barrel; let it work for three or four days, stir twice a day with a thible, so bung it up, and let it stand two or three months, according to the hotness of the weather. you must try your mead two or three times in the above time, and if you find the sweetness going off, you must take it sooner. . _to make_ cyder. draw off the cyder when it hath been a fortnight in the barrel, put it into the same barrel again when you have cleaned it from the grounds, and if your apples were sharp, and that you find your cyder hard, put into every gallon of cyder a pound and half of sixpenny or five-penny sugar; to twelve gallons of this take half an ounce of isinglass, and put to it a quart of cyder; when your isinglass is dissolved, put to it three whites of eggs, whisk them altogether, and put them into your barrel; keep it close for two months and then bottle it. . _to make_ cowslip wine. take two pecks of peeps, and four gallons of water, put to every gallon of water two pounds and a quarter of sugar, boil the water and sugar together a quarter of an hour, then put it into a tub to cool, put in the skins of four lemons, when it is cold bruise your peeps, and put into your liquor, add to it a jill of yeast, and the juice of four lemons, let them be in the tub a night and a day, then put it into your barrel, and keep it four days stirring, then clay it up close for three weeks and bottle it. put a lump of sugar in every bottle. . _to make_ red curran wine. let your currans be the best and ripest you can get, pick and bruise them; to every gallon of juice add five pints of water, put it to your berries in a stand for two nights and a day, then strain your liquor through a hair sieve; to every gallon of liquor put two pounds of sugar, stir it till it be well dissolved, put it into a rundlet, and let it stand four days, then draw it off clean, put in a pound and a half of sugar, stirring it well, wash out the rundlet with some of the liquor, so tun it up close; if you put two or three quarts of rasps bruised among your berries, it makes it taste the better. you may make white curran wine the same way, only leave out the rasps. . _to make_ cherry wine. take eight pounds of cherries and stone them, four quarts of water, and two pounds of sugar, skim and boil the water and sugar, then put in the cherries, let them have one boil, put them into an earthen pot till the next day, and set them to drain thro' a sieve, then put your wine into a spigot pot, clay it up close, and look at it every two or three days after; if it does not work, throw into it a handful of fresh cherries, so let it stand six or eight days, then if it be clear, bottle it up. . _to make_ cherry wine _another way_. take the ripest and largest kentish cherries you can get, bruise them very well, stones and stalks altogether, put them into a tub, having a tap to it, let them stand fourteen days, then pull out the tap, let the juice run from them and put it into a barrel, let it work three or four days, then stop it up close three or four weeks and bottle it off. the wine will keep many years and be exceeding rich. . _to make_ lemon drops. take a pound of loaf sugar, beat and sift it very fine, grate the rind of a lemon and put into your sugar; take the whites of three eggs and wisk them to a froth, squeeze in some lemon to your taste, beat them for half an hour, and drop them on white paper; be sure you let the paper be very dry, and sift a little fine sugar on the paper before you drop them. if you would have them yellow, take a pennyworth of gumbouge, steep it in some rose-water, mix to it some whites of eggs and a little sugar, so drop them, and bake them in a slow oven. . _to make_ gooseberry wine _another way_. take twelve quarts of good ripe gooseberries, stamp them, and put to them twelve quarts of water, let them stand three days, stir them twice every day, strain them, and put to your liquor fourteen pounds of sugar; when it is dissolved strain it through a flannel bag, and put it into a barrel, with half an ounce of isinglass; you must cut the isinglass in pieces, and beat it whilst it be soft, put to it a pint of your wine, and let it stand within the air of the fire; take the whites of four eggs and beat them very well to a froth, put in the isinglass, and whisk the wine and it together; put them into the barrel, clay it close, and let it stand whilst fine, then bottle it for use. . _to make_ red curran wine _another way_. take five quarts of red currans, full ripe, bruise them, and take from them all the stalks, to every five quarts of fruit put a gallon of water; when you have your quantity, strain them thro' a hair-sieve, and to every gallon of liquor put two pounds and three quarters of sugar; when your sugar is dissolved tun it into your cask, and let it stand three weeks, then draw it off, and put to every gallon a quarter of a pound of sugar; wash your barrel with cold water, tun it up, and let it stand about a week; to every ten gallons put an ounce of isinglass, dissolve it in some of the wine, when it is dissolved put to it a quart of your wine, and beat them with a whisk, then put it into the cask, and stop it up close; when it is fine bottle it. if you would have it taste of rasps, put to every gallon of wine a quart of rasps; if there be any grounds in the bottom of the cask, when you draw off your wine, drop them thro' a flannel bag, and then put it into your cask. . _to make_ mulberry wine. gather your mulberries when they are full ripe, beat them in a marble mortar, and to every quart of berries put a quart of water; when you put 'em into the tub rub them very well with your hands, and let them stand all night, then strain 'em thro' a sieve; to every gallon of water put three pounds of sugar, and when the sugar is dissolved put it into your barrel; take two pennyworth of isinglass and clip it in pieces, put to it a little wine, and let it stand all night within the air of the fire; take the whites of two or three eggs, beat them very well, then put them to the isinglass, mix them well together, and put them into your barrel, stirring it about when it is put in; you must not let it be over full, nor bung it close up at first; set it in a cool place and bottle it when fine. . _to make_ blackberry wine. take blackberries when they are full ripe, and squeeze them the same way as you did the mulberries. if you add a few mulberries, it will make your wine have a much better taste. . _to make_ syrrup of mulberries. take mulberries when they are full ripe, break them very well with your hand, and drop them through a flannel bag; to every pound of juice take a pound of loaf sugar; beat it small, put to it your juice, so boil and skim it very well; you must skim it all the time it is boiling; when the skim has done rising it is enough; when it is cold bottle it and keep it for use. you may make rasberry syrrup the same way. . _to make_ rasberry brandy. take a gallon of the best brandy you can get, and gather your rasberries when they are full ripe, and put them whole into your brandy; to every gallon of brandy take three quarts of rasps, let them stand close covered for a month, then clear it from rasps, and put to it a pound of loaf sugar; when your sugar is dissolved and a little settled, boil it and keep it for use. . _to make black_ cherry brandy. take a gallon of the best brandy, and eight pounds of black cherries, stone and put 'em into your brandy in an earthen pot; bruise the stones in a mortar, then put them into your brandy, and cover them up close, let them steep for a month or six weeks, so drain it and keep it for use. you may distil the ingredients if you please. . _to make_ ratifie brandy. take a quart of the best brandy, and about a jill of apricock kernels, blanch and bruise them in a mortar, with a spoonful or two of brandy, so put them into a large bottle with your brandy; put to it four ounces of loaf sugar, let it stand till you think it has got the taste of the kernels, then pour it out and put in a little more brandy if you please. . _to make_ cowslip syrrup. take a quartern of fresh pick'd cowslips, put to 'em a quart of boiling water, let 'em stand all night, and the next morning drain it from the cowslips; to every pint of water put a pound of fine powder sugar, and boil it over a slow fire; skim it all the time in the boiling whilst the skim has done rising; then take it off, and when it is cold put it into a bottle, and keep it for use. . _to make_ lemon brandy. take a gallon of brandy, chip twenty-five lemons, (let them steep twenty-four hours) the juice of sixteen lemons, a quarter of a pound of almonds blanched and beat, drop it thro' a jelly bag twice, and when it is fine bottle it; sweeten it to your taste with double refined sugar before you put it into your jelly bag. you must make it with the best brandy you can get. . _to make_ cordial water _of_ cowslips. take two quarts of cowslip peeps, a slip of balm, two sprigs of rosemary, a stick of cinnamon, half an orange peel, half a lemon peel, a pint of brandy, and a pint of ale; lay all these to steep twelve hours, then distil them on a cold still. . _to make_ milk punch. take two quarts of old milk, a quart of good brandy, the juice of six lemons or oranges, whether you please, and about six ounces of loaf sugar, mix them altogether and drop them thro' a jelly bag; take off the peel of two of the lemons or oranges, and put it into your bag, when it is run off bottle it; 'twill keep as long as you please. . _to make_ milk punch _another way_. take three jills of water, a jill of old milk, and a jill of brandy, sweeten it to your taste; you must not put any acid into this for it will make it curdle. this is a cooling punch to drink in a morning. . _to make_ punch _another way_. take five pints of boiling water and one quart of brandy, add to it the juice of four lemons or oranges, and about six ounces of loaf sugar; when you have mixed it together strain it thro' a hair sieve or cloth, and put into your bowl the peel of a lemon or orange. . _to make_ acid _for_ punch. take gooseberries at their full growth, pick and beat them in a marble mortar, and squeeze them in a harden bag thro' a press, when you have done run it thro' a flannel bag, and then bottle it in small bottles; put a little oil on every bottle, so keep it for use. . _to bottle_ gooseberries. gather your gooseberries when they are young, pick and bottle them, put in the cork loose, set them in a pan of water, with a little hay in the bottom, put them into the pan when the water is cold, let it stand on a slow fire, and mind when they are coddled; don't let the pan boil, if you do it will break the bottles: when they are cold fasten the cork, and put on a little rosin, so keep them for use. . _to bottle_ damsins. take your damsins before they are full ripe, and gather them when the dew is off, pick of the stalks, and put them into dry bottles; don't fill your bottles over full, and cork them as close as you would do for ale, keep them in a cellar, and cover them over with sand. . _to preserve orange chips to put in glasses_. take a seville orange with a clear skin, pare it very thin from the white, then take a pair of scissars and clip it very thin, and boil it in water, shifting it two or three times in the boiling to take out the bitter; then take half a pound of double refined sugar, boil it and skim it, then put in your orange, so let it boil over a slow fire whilst your syrrup be thick, and your orange look clear, then put it into glasses, and cover it with papers dipt in brandy; if you have a quantity of peel you must have the larger quantity of sugar. . _to preserve_ oranges _or_ lemons. take seville oranges, the largest and roughest you can get, clear of spots, chip them very fine, and put them into water for two days, shifting them twice or three times a day, then boil them whilst they are soft: take and cut them into quarters, and take out all the pippens with a penknife, so weigh them, and to every pound of orange, take a pound and half of loaf sugar; put your sugar into a pan, and to every pound of sugar a pint of water, set it over the fire to melt, and when it boils skim it very well, then put in your oranges; if you would have any of them whole, make a little hole at the top, and take out the meat with a tea spoon, set your oranges over a slow fire to boil, and keep them skimming all the while; keep your oranges as much as you can with the skin downwards; you may cover them with a delf-plate, to bear them down in the boiling; let them boil for three quarters of an hour, then put them into a pot or bason, and let them stand two days covered, then boil them again whilst they look clear, and the syrrup be thick, so put them into a pot, and lie close over them a paper dip'd in brandy, and tie a double paper at the top, set them in a cool place, and keep them for use. if you would have your oranges that are whole to look pale and clear, to put in glasses, you must make a syrrup of pippen jelly; then take ten or a dozen pippens, as they are of bigness, pare and slice them, and boil them in as much water as will cover them till they be thoroughly tender, so strain your water from the pippens through a hair sieve, then strain it through a flannel bag; and to every pint of jelly take a pound of double refined sugar, set it over a fire to boil, and skim it, let it boil whilst it be thick, then put it into a pot and cover it, but they will keep best if they be put every one in different pots. . _to make_ jelly _of_ currans. take a quartern of the largest and best currans you can get, strip them from the stalks, and put them in a pot, stop them close up, and boil them in a pot of water over the fire, till they be thoroughly coddled and begin to look pale, then put them in a clear hair sieve to drain, and run the liquor thro' a flannel bag, to every pint of your liquor put in a pound of your double refin'd sugar; you must beat the sugar fine, and put it in by degrees, set it over the fire, and boil it whilst any skim will rise, then put it into glasses for ale; the next day clip a paper round, and dip it in brandy to lie on your jelly; if you would have your jelly a light red, put in half of white currans, and in my opinion it looks much better. . _to preserve_ apricocks. take apricocks before they be full ripe, stone and pare 'em; then weigh 'em, and to every pound of apricocks take a pound of double refined sugar, beat it very small, lie one part of your sugar under the apricocks, and the other part at the top, let them stand all night, the next day put them in a stew-pan or brass pan; don't do over many at once in your pan, for fear of breaking, let them boil over a slow fire, skim them very well, and turn them two or three times in the boiling; you must but about half do 'em at the first, and let them stand whilst they be cool, then let them boil whilst your apricocks look clear, and the syrrup thick, put them into your pots or glasses, when they are cold cover them with a paper dipt in brandy, then tie another paper close over your pot to keep out the air. . _to make_ marmalade _of_ apricocks. take what quantity of apricocks you shall think proper, stone them and put them immediately into a skellet of boiling water, keep them under water on the fire till they be soft, then take them out of the water and wipe them with a cloth, weigh your sugar with your apricocks, weight for weight, then dissolve your sugar in water, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your apricocks, being a little bruised, let them boil but a quarter of a hour, then glass them up. . _to know when your_ sugar _is at_ candy height. take some sugar and clarify it till it comes to a candy-height, and keep it still boiling 'till it becomes thick, then stir it with a stick from you, and when it is at candy-height it will fly from your stick like flakes of snow, or feathers flying in the air, and till it comes to that height it will not fly, then you may use it as you please. . _to make_ marmalade _of_ quinces _white_. take your quinces and coddle them as you do apples, when they are soft pare them and cut them in pieces, as if you would cut them for apple pies, then put your cores, parings, and the waste of your quinces in some water, and boil them fast for fear of turning red until it be a strong jelly; when you see the jelly pretty strong strain it, and be sure you boil them uncovered; add as much sugar as the weight of your quinces into your jelly, till it be boiled to a height, then put in your coddled quinces, and boil them uncovered till they be enough, and set them near the fire to harden. . _to make_ quiddeny _of_ red curranberries. put your berries into a pot, with a spoonful or two of water, cover it close, and boil 'em in some water, when you think they are enough strain them, and put to every pint of juice a pound of loaf sugar, boil it up jelly height, and put them into glasses for use. . _to preserve_ gooseberries. to a pound of ston'd gooseberries put a pound and a quarter of fine sugar, wet the sugar with the gooseberry jelly; take a quart of gooseberries, and two or three spoonfuls of water, boil them very quick, let your sugar be melted, and then put in your gooseberries; boil them till clear, which will be very quickly. . _to make little_ almond cakes. take a pound of sugar and eight eggs, beat them well an hour, then put them into a pound of flour, beat them together, blanch a quarter of a pound of almonds, and beat them with rose-water to keep 'em from oiling, mix all together, butter your tins, and bake them half an hour. half an hour is rather too long for them to stand in the oven. . _to preserve_ red gooseberries. take a pound of sixpenny sugar, and a little juice of currans, put to it a pound and a half of gooseberries, and let them boil quick a quarter of an hour; but if they be for jam they must boil better than half an hour. they are very proper for tarts, or to eat as sweet-meats. . _to bottle_ berries _another way_. gather your berries when they are full grown, pick and bottle them, tie a paper over them, prick it with a pin, and set it in the oven; after you have drawn, and when they are coddled, take them out and when they are cold cork them up; rosin the cork over, and keep them for use. . _to keep_ barberries _for_ tarts _all the year_. take barberries when they are full ripe, and pick 'em from the stalk, put them into dry bottles, cork 'em up very close and keep 'em for use. you may do cranberries the same way. . _to preserve_ barberries _for_ tarts. take barberries when full ripe, strip them, take their weight in sugar, and as much water as will wet your sugar, give it a boil and skim it; then put in your berries, let them boil whilst they look clear and your syrrup thick, so put them into a pot, and when they are cold cover them up with a paper dip'd in brandy. . _to preserve_ damsins. take damsins before they are full ripe, and pick them, take their weight in sugar, and as much water as will wet your sugar, give it a boil and skim it, then put in your damsins, let them have one scald, and set them by whilst cold, then scald them again, and continue scalding them twice a day whilst your syrrup looks thick, and the damsins clear; you must never let them boil; do 'em in a brass pan, and do not take them out in the doing; when they are enough put them into a pot, and cover them up with a paper dip'd in brandy. . _how to keep_ damsins _for_ tarts. take damsins before they are full ripe, to every quart of damsins put a pound of powder sugar, put them into a pretty broad pot, a layer of sugar and a layer of damsins, tie them close up, set them in a slow oven, and let them have a heat every day whilst the syrrup be thick, and the damsins enough; render a little sheep suet and pour over them, to keep them for use. . _to keep_ damsins _another way_. take damsins before they be quite ripe, pick off the stalks, and put them into dry bottles; cork them as you would do ale, and keep them in a cool place for use. . _to make_ mango _of_ codlins. take codlins when they are at their full growth, and of the greenest sort, take a little out of the end with the stalk, and then take out the core; lie them in a strong salt and water, let them lie ten days or more, and fill them with the same ingredients as you do other mango, only scald them oftner. . _to pickle_ curranberries. take currans either red or white before they are thoroughly ripe; you must not take them from the stalk, make a pickle of salt and water and a little vinegar, so keep them for use. they are proper for garnishing. . _to make_ barberries _instead of preserving_. take barberries and lie them in a pot, a layer of barberries and a layer of sugar, pick the seeds out before for garnishing sweet meats, if for sauces put some vinegar to them. . _to keep_ asparagus _or_ green pease _a year_. take green pease, green them as you do cucumbers, and scald them as you do other pickles made of salt and water; let it be always new pickle, and when you would use them boil them in fresh water. . _to make white paste of_ pippens. take some pippens, pare and cut them in halves, and take out the cores, then boil 'em very tender in fair water, and strain them thro' a sieve, then clarify two pounds of sugar with two whites of eggs, and boil it to a candy height, put two pounds and a half of the pulp of your pippens into it, let it stand over a slow fire drying, keeping it stirring till it comes clear from the bottom of your pan, them lie them upon plates or boards to dry. . _to make green paste of_ pippens. take green pippens, put them into a pot and cover them, let them stand infusing over a slow fire five or six hours, to draw the redness or sappiness from them and then strain them thro' a hair sieve; take two pounds of sugar, boil it to a candy height, put to it two pounds of the pulp of your pippens, keep it stirring over the fire till it comes clean from the bottom of your pan, then lay it on plates or boards, and set it in an oven or stove to dry. . _to make red paste of_ pippens. take two pounds of sugar, clarify it, then take rosset and temper it very well with fair water, put it into your syrrup, let it boil till your syrrup is pretty red colour'd with it, then drain your syrrup thro' a fine cloth, and boil it till it be at candy-height, then put to it two pounds and a half of the pulp of pippens, keeping it stirring over the fire till it comes clean from the bottom of the pan, then lie it on plates or boards, so dry them. . _to preserve_ fruit _green_. take your fruit when they are green, and some fair water, set it on the fire, and when it is hot put in the apples, cover them close, but they must not boil, so let them stand till thye be soft, and there will be a thin skin on them, peel it off, and set them to cool, then put them in again, let them boil till they be very green, and keep them whole as you can; when you think them ready to take up, make your syrrup for them; take their weight in sugar, and when your syrrup is ready put the apples into it, and boil them very well in it; they will keep all the year near some fire. you may do green plumbs or other fruit. . _to make_ orange marmalade. take three or four seville oranges, grate them, take out the meat, and boil the rinds whilst they are tender; shift them three or four times in the boiling to take out the bitter, and beat them very fine in a marble mortar; to the weight of your pulp take a pound of loaf sugar, and to a pound of sugar you may add a pint of water, boil and skim it before you put in your oranges, let it boil half an hour very quick, then put in your meat, and to a pint take a pound and a half of sugar, let it boil quick half an hour, stir it all the time, and when it is boiled to a jelly, put it into pots or glasses; cover it with a paper dipp'd in brandy. . _to make_ quinces white _another way_. coddle your quinces, cut them in small pieces, and to a pound of quinces take three quarters of a pound of sugar, boil it to a candy height, having ready a quarter of a pint of quince liquor boil'd and skim'd, put the quinces and liquor to your sugar, boil them till it looks clear, which will be very quickly, then close your quince, and when cold cover it with jelly of pippens to keep the colour. . _to make_ gooseberry vinegar. to every gallon of water take six pounds of ripe gooseberries, bruise them, and pour the water boiling hot upon your berries, cover it close, and set it in a warm place to foment, till all the berries come to the top, then draw it off, and to every gallon of liquor put a pound and a half of sugar, then tun it into a cask, set it in a warm place, and in six months it will be fit for use. . _to make_ gooseberry wine _another way_. take three pounds of ripe gooseberries to a quart of water, and a pound of sugar, stamp your berries and throw them into your water as you stamp them, it will make them strain the better; when it is strained put in your sugar, beat it well with a dish for half an hour, then strain it thro' a finer strainer than before into your vessel, leaving it some room to work, and when it is clear bottle it; your berries must be clean pick'd before your use them, and let them be at their full growth when you use them, rather changing colour. . _to make_ jam of cherries. take ten pounds of cherries, stone and boil them till the juice be wasted, then add to it three pounds of sugar, and give it three or four good boils, then put it into your pots. . _to preserve_ cherries. to a pound of cherries take a pound of sugar finely sifted, with which strow the bottom of your pan, having stoned the cherries, lay a layer of cherries and a layer of sugar, strowing the sugar very well over all, boil them over a quick fire a good while, keeping them clean skim'd till they look clear, and the syrrup is thick and both of one colour; when you think them half done, take them off the fire for an hour, after which set them on again, and to every pound of fruit put in a quarter of a pint of the juice of cherries and red currans, so boil them till enough, and the syrrup is jellied, then put them in a pot, and keep them close from the air. . _to preserve_ cherries _for drying_. take two pounds of cherries and stone them, put to them a pound of sugar, and as much water as will wet the sugar, then set them on the fire, let them boil till they look clear, then take them off the fire, and let them stand a while in the syrrup, and then take them up and lay them on papers to dry. . _to preserve_ fruit _green all the year_. gather your fruit when they are three parts ripe, on a very dry day, when the sun shines on them, then take earthen pots and put them in, cover the pots with cork, or bung them that no air can get into them, dig a place in the earth a yard deep, set the pots therein and cover them with the earth very close, and keep them for use. when you take any out, cover them up again, as at the first. . _how to keep_ kidney beans _all winter_. take kidney beans when they are young, leave on both the ends, lay a layer of salt at the bottom of your pot, and then a layer of beans, and so on till your pot be full, cover them close at the top that they get no air, and set them in a cool place; before you boil them lay them in water all night, let your water boil when you put them in, (without salt) and put into it a lump of butter about the bigness of a walnut. . _to candy_ angelica. take angelica when it is young and tender take off all the leaves from the stalks, boil it in the pan with some of the leaves under, and some at the top, till it be so tender that you can peel off all the skin, then put it into some water again, cover it over with some of the leaves, let it simmer over a slow fire till it be green, when it is green drain the water from it, and then weigh it; to a pound of angelica take a pound of loaf sugar, put a pint of water to every pound of sugar, boil and skim it, and then put in your angelica; it will take a great deal of boiling in the sugar, the longer you boil it and the greener it will be, boil it whilst your sugar be candy height by the side of your pan; if you would have it nice and white, you must have a pound of sugar boiled candy height in a copper-dish or stew pan, set it over a chafing dish, and put it into your angelica, let it have a boil, and it will candy as you take it out. . _to dry_ pears. take half a peck of good baking pears, (or as many as you please) pare and put them in a pot, and to a peck of pears put in two pounds of sugar; you must put in no water but lie the parings on the top of your pears, tie them up close, and set them in a brown bread oven; when they are baked lay them in a dripping pan, and flat them a little in your pan; set them in a slow oven, and turn them every day whilst they be through y dry; so keep them for use. you may dry pippens the same way, only as your turn them grate over them a little sugar. . _to preserve_ currans _in bunches_. boil your sugar to the fourth degree of boiling, tie your currans up in bunches, then place them in order in the sugar, and give them several covered boilings, skim them quick, and let them not have above two or three seethings, then skim them again, and set them into the stove in the preserving pan, the next day drain them, and dress them in bunches, strow them with sugar, and dry them in a stove or in the sun. . _to dry_ apricocks. to a pound of apricocks put three quarter of a pound of sugar, pare and stone them, to a layer of fruit lie a layer of sugar, let them stand till the next day, then boil them again till they be clear, when cold take them out of the syrrup, and lay them upon glasses or china, and sift them over with double refined sugar, so set them on a stove to dry, next day if they be dry enough turn them and sift the other side with sugar; let the stones be broke and the kernels blanch'd, and give them a boil in the syrrup, then put them into the apricocks; you must not do too many at a time, for fear of breaking them in the syrrup; do a great many, and the more you do in it, the better they will taste. . _to make_ jumbalis _another way_. take a pound of meal dry, a pound of sugar finely beat, mix them together; then take the yolks of five or six eggs, as much thick cream as will make it up to a paste, and some corriander seeds; roll them and lay them on tins, prick and bake them in a quick oven; before you set them in the oven wet them with a little rose-water and double refin'd sugar, and it will ice them. . _to preserve_ oranges _whole_. take what quantity of oranges you have a mind to preserve, chip off the rind, the thiner and better, put them into water twenty-four hours, in that time shift them in the water (to take off the bitter) three times; you must shift them with boiling water, cold water makes them hard; put double the weight of sugar for oranges, dissolve your sugar in water, skim it, and clarify it with the white of an egg; before you put in your oranges, boil them in syrrup three or four times, three or four days betwixt each time; you must take out the inmeat of the oranges very clean, for fear of mudding the syrup. . _to make_ jam _of_ damsins. take damsins when they are ripe, and to two pounds of damsins take a pound of sugar, put your sugar into a pan with a jill of water, when you have boiled it put in your damsins, let them boil pretty quick, skim them all the time they are boiling, when your syrrup looks thick they are enough put them into your pots, and when they are cold cover them with a paper dip'd in brandy, tie them up close, and keep them for use. . _to make clear_ cakes _of_ gooseberries. take a pint of jelly, a pound and a quarter of sugar, make your jelly with three or four spoonfuls of water, and put your sugar and jelly together, set it over the fire to heat, but don't let it boil, then put it into the cake pots, and set it in a slow oven till iced over. . _to make_ bullies cheese. take half a peck or a quartern of bullies, whether you please, pick off the stalks, put them in a pot, and stop them up very close, set them in a pot of water to boil for two hours, and be sure your pot be full of water, and boil them whilst they be enough, then put them in a hair-sieve to drain the liquor from the bullies; and to every quart of liquor put a pound and a quarter of sugar, boil it over a slow fire, keeping it stirring all the time: you may know when it is boiled high enough by the parting from the pan, and cover it with papers dip'd in brandy, so tie it up close, and keep it for use. . _to make_ jam _of_ bullies. take the bullies that remained in the sieve, to every quart of it take a pound of sugar, and put it to your jam, boil it over a slow fire, put it in pots, and keep it for use. . _to make_ syrrup _of_ gilliflowers. take five pints of clipt gilliflowers, two pints of boiling water and put to them, then put them in an earthen pot to infuse a night and a day, take a strainer and strain them out; to a quart of your liquor put a pound and half of loaf sugar, boil it over a slow fire, and skim it whilst any skim rises; so when it is cold bottle it for use. . _to pickle_ gilliflowers. take clove gilliflowers, when they are at full growth, clip them and put them into a pot, put them pretty sad down, and put to them some white wine vinegar, as much as will cover them; sweeten them with fine powder sugar, or common loaf; when you put in your sugar stir them up that your sugar may go down to the bottom; they must be very sweet; let them stand two or three days, and then put in a little more vinegar; so tie them up for use. . _to pickle_ cucumbers _sliced_. pare thirty large cucumbers, slice them into a pewter dish, take six onions, slice and strow on them some salt, so cover them and let them stand to drain twenty four hours; make your pickle of white wine vinegar, nutmeg, pepper, cloves and mace, boil the spices in the pickle, drain the liquor clean from the cucumbers, put them into a deep pot, pour the liquor upon them boiling hot, and cover them very close; when they are cold drain the liquor from them, give it another boil, and when it is cold pour it on them again; so keep them for use. . _to make_ cupid hedge-hog's. take a quarter of a pound of jordan almonds, and half a pound of loaf sugar, put it into a pan with as much water as will just wet it, let it boil whilst it be so thick as will stick to your almonds, then put in your almonds and let them boil in it; have ready a quarter of a pound of small coloured comfits; take your almonds out of the syrrup one by one, and turn them round whilst they covered over, so lie them on a pewter dish as you do them, and set them before the fire, whilst you have done them all. they are pretty to put in glasses, or to set in a desert. . _to make_ almond hedge-hogs. take half a pound of the best almonds, and blanch them, beat them with two or three spoonfuls of rose-water in a marble-mortar very small, then take six eggs, (leave out two of the whites) beat your eggs very well, take half a pound of loaf sugar beaten, and four ounces of clarified butter, mix them all well together, put them into a pan, set them over the fire, and keep it stirring whilst it be stiff, then put it into a china-dish, and when it is cold put it up into the shape of an hedge hog, put currans for eyes, and a bit of candid orange for tongue; you may leave out part of the almonds unbeaten; take them and split them in two, then cut them in long bits to stick into your hedge hog all over, then rake two pints of cream custard to pour over your hedge hog, according to the bigness of your dish; lie round your dish edge slices of candid or preserved orange, which you have, so serve it up. . _to pot_ salmon _to keep half a year_. take a side of fresh salmon, take out the bone, cut off the head and scald it; you must not wash it but wipe it with a dry cloth; cut it in three pieces, season it with mace, pepper, salt and nutmeg, put it into a flat pot with the skin side downward, lie over it a pound of butter, tie a paper over it, and send it to the oven, about an hour and a half will bake it; if you have more salmon in your pot than three pieces it will take more baking, and you must put in more butter; when it is baked take it out of your pot, and lie it on a dish plate to drain, and take off the skin, so season it over again, for if it be not well seasoned it will not keep; put it into your pot piece by piece; it will keep best in little pots, when you put it into your pots, press it well down with the back of your hand, and when it is cold cover it with clarified butter, and set it in a cool place; so keep it for use. . _to make a_ coddlin pie. take coddlins before they are over old, hang them over a slow fire to coddle, when they are soft peel off the skin, so put them into the water again, then cover 'em up with vine leaves, and let them hang over the fire whilst they be green; be sure you don't let them boil; lie them whole in the dish, and bake them in puff-paste, but leave no paste in the bottom of the dish; put to 'em a little shred lemon-peel, a spoonful of verjuice or juice of lemon, and as much sugar as you think proper, according to the largeness of your pie. . _to make a_ colliflower pudding. boil the flowers in milk, take the tops and lay then in a dish, then take three jills of cream, the yolks of eight eggs, and the whites of two, season it with nutmeg, cinnamon, mace, sugar, sack or orange-flower water, beat all well together, then pour it over the colliflower, put it into the oven, bake it as you would a custard, and grate sugar over it when it comes from the oven. take sugar, sack and butter for sauce. . _to make stock for_ hartshorn jelly. take five or six ounces of hartshorn, put it into a gallon of water, hang it over a slow fire, cover it close, and let it boil three or four hours, so strain it; make it the day before you use it, and then you may have it ready for your jellies. . _to make_ syrrup of violets. take violets and pick them; to every pound of violets put a pint of water, when the water is just ready to boil put it to your violets, and stir them well together, let them infuse twenty four hours and strain them; to every pound of syrrup, take almost two pounds of sugar, beat the sugar very well and put it into your syrrup, stir it that the sugar may dissolve, let it stand a day or two, stirring it two or three times, then set it on the fire, let be but warm and it will be thick enough. you may make your syrrup either of violets or gilliflowers, only take the weight of sugar, let it stand on the fire till it be very hot, and the syrrup of violets must be only warm. . _to pickle_ cockles. take cockles at a full moon and wash 'em, then put them in a pan, and cover them with a wet cloth, when they are enough put them into a stone bowl, take them out of the shells and wash them very well in their own pickle; let the pickle settle every time you wash them then clear it off; when you have cleaned 'em, put the pickle into a pan, with a spoonful or two of white wine and a little white wine vinegar, to you taste, put in a little jamaica and whole pepper, boil it very well in the pickle, then put in you cockles, let 'em have a boil and skim 'em, when they are cold put them in a bottle with a little oil over them, set 'em in a cool place and keep 'em for use. . _to preserve quinces whole or in quarters_. take the largest quinces when they are at full growth, pare them and throw them into water, when you have pared them cut them into quarters, and take out the cores; if you would have any whole you must take out the cores with a scope; save all the cores and parings, and put them in a pot or pan to coddle your quinces in, with as much water as will cover them, so put in your quinces in the middle of your paring into the pan, (be sure you cover them close up at the top) so let them hang over a slow fire whilst they be thoroughly tender, then take them out and weigh them; to every pound of quince take a pound of loaf sugar, and to every pound of sugar take a pint of the same water you coddled your quinces in, set your water and sugar over the fire, boil it and skim it, then put in your quinces, and cover it close up, set it over a slow fire, and let it boil whilst your quinces be red and the syrrup thick, then put them in pots for use, dipping a paper in brandy to lie over them. . _to pickle_ shrimps. take the largest shrimps you can get, pick them out of the shells, boil them in a jill of water, or as much water as will cover them according as you have a quantity of shrimps, strain them thro' a hair-sieve, then put to the liquor a little spice, mace, cloves, whole pepper, white wine, white wine vinegar, and a little salt to your taste; boil them very well together, when it is cold put in your shrimps, they are fit for use. . _to pickle_ muscles. wash your muscles, put them into a pan as you do your cockles, pick them out of the shells, and wash them in the liquor; be sure you take off the beards, so boil them in the liquor with spices, as you do your cockles, only put to them a little more vinegar than you do to cockles. . _to pickle_ walnuts _green_. gather walnuts when they are as you can run a pin through them, pare them and put them in water, and let them lie four or five days, stirring it twice a day to take out the bitter, then put them in strong salt and water, let them lie a week or ten days, stirring it once or twice a day, then put them in fresh salt and water, and hang them over a fire, put to them a little allum, and cover them up close with vine leaves, let them hang over a slow fire whilst they be green, but be sure don't let them boil, when they are green pat them into a sieve to drain the water from them. . _to make_ pickle _for them_. take a little good alegar, put to it a little long pepper and jamaica pepper, a few bay leaves, a little horse-radish, a handful or two of mustard-seed, a little salt and a little rockambol if you have any, if not a few shalots; boil them altogether in the alegar, which put to your walnuts and let it stand three or four days, giving them a scald once a day, then tie them up for use. a spoonful of this pickle is good for fish-sauce, or a calf's head ash. . _to pickle_ walnuts _black_. gather walnuts when they are so tender that you can run a pin thro' them, prick them all with a pin very well, lie them in fresh water, and let them lie for a week, shifting them once a day; make for them a strong salt and water, and let them lie whilst they be yellow, stirring them once a day, then take 'em out of the salt and water, and boil it, put it on the top of your walnuts, and let your pot stand in the corner end, scald them once or twice a day whilst they be black. you may make the same pickle for those, as you did for the green ones. . _to pickle_ oysters. take the largest oysters you can get, pick them whole out of the shell, and take off the beards, wash them very well in their own pickle, so let the pickle settle, and clear it off, put it into a stew-pan, put to it two or three spoonfuls of white wine, and a little white wine vinegar; don't put in any water, for if there be not pickle enough of their own get a little cockle-pickle and put to it, a little jamaica pepper, white pepper and mace, boil and skim them very well; you must skim it before you put in your spices, then put in your oysters, and boil them in the pickle, when they are cold put them into a large bottle with a little oil on the top, set them in a cool place and keep them for use. . _to pickle large_ cucumbers. take cucumbers and put them in a strong salt and water, let them lie whilst they be throughly yellow, then scald them in the same salt and water they lie in, set them on the fire, and scald them once a day whilst they are green; take the best alegar you can get, put to it a little jamaica pepper and black pepper, some horse-radish in slices, a few bay leaves, and a little dill and salt, so scald your cucumbers twice or thrice in this pickle; then put them up for use. . _to pickle_ onions. take the smallest onions you can get, peel and put them into a large quantity of fair water, let them lie two days and shift them twice a day; then drain them from the water, take a little distill'd vinegar, put to 'em two or three blades of mace, and a little white pepper and salt, boil it, and pour it upon your onions, let them stand three days, so put them into little glasses, and tie a bladder over them; they are very good done with alegar; for common use, only put in jamaica pepper instead of mace. . _to pickle_ elder buds. take elder buds when they are the bigness of small walnuts, lie them in a strong salt and water for ten days, and then scald them in fresh salt and water, put in a lump of allum, let them stand in the corner end close cover'd up, and scalded once a day whilst green. you may do radish cods or brown buds the same way. . _to make the_ pickle. take a little alegar or white wine vinegar, and put to it two or three blades of mace, with a little whole pepper and jamaica pepper, a few bay leaves and salt, put to your buds, and scald them two or three times, then they are fit for use. . _to pickle_ mushrooms. take mushrooms when fresh gather'd, sort the large ones from the buttons, cut off the stalks, wash them in water with a flannel, have a pan of water ready on the fire to boil 'em in, for the less they lie in the water the better; let them have two or three boils over the fire, then put them into a sieve, and when you have drained the water from them put them into a pot, throw over them a handful of salt, stop them up close with a cloth, and let them stand two or three hours on the hot hearth or range end, giving your pot a shake now and then; then drain the pickle from them, and lie them in a cloth for an hour or two, so put into them as much distill'd vinegar as will cover them, let them lie a week or ten days, then take them out, and put them in dry bottles; put to them a little white pepper, salt and ginger sliced, fill them up with distill'd vinegar, put over 'em a little sweet oil, and cork them up close; if your vinegar be good they will keep two or three years; i know it by experience. you must be sure not to fill your bottles above three parts full, if you do they will not keep. . _to pickle_ mushrooms _another way_. take mushrooms and wash them with a flannel, throw them into water as you wash them, only pick the small from the large, put them into a pot, throw over them a little salt, stop up your pot close with a cloth, boil them in a pot of water as you do currans when you make a jelly, give them a shake now and then; you may guess when they are enough by the quantity of liquor that comes from them; when you think they are enough strain from them the liquor, put in a little white wine vinegar, and boil it in a little mace, white pepper, jamaica pepper, and slic'd ginger; then it is cold put it to the mushrooms, bottle 'em and keep 'em for use. they will keep this way very well, and have more of the taste of mushrooms, but they will not be altogether so white. . _to pickle_ potatoe crabs. gather your crabs when they are young, and about the bigness of a large cherry, lie them in a strong salt and water as you do other pickles, let them stand for a week or ten days, then scald them in the same water they lie in twice a day whilst green; make the same pickle for them as you do for cucumbers; be sure you scald them twice or thrice in the pickle and they will keep the better. . _to pickle large_ buttons. take your buttons, clean 'em and cut 'em in three or four pieces, put them into a large sauce-pan to stew in their own liquor, put to them a little jamaica and whole pepper, a blade or two of mace, and a little salt, cover it up, let it stew over a slow fire whilst you think they are enough, then strain from them their liquor, and put to it a little white wine vinegar or alegar, which you please, give it a boil together, and when it is cold put it to your mushrooms, and keep them for use. you may pickle flaps the same way. . _to make_ catchup. take large mushrooms when they are fresh gathered, cut off the dirty ends, break them small in your hands, put them in a stone-bowl with a handful or two of salt, and let them stand all night; if you don't get mushrooms enough at once, with a little salt they will keep a day or two whilst you get more, so put 'em in a stew-pot, and set them in an oven with household bread; when they are enough strain from 'em the liquor, and let it stand to settle, then boil it with a little mace, jamaica and whole black pepper, two or three shalots, boil it over a slow fire for an hour, when it is boiled let it stand to settle, and when it is cold bottle it; if you boil it well it will keep a year or two; you must put in spices according to the quantity of your catchup; you must not wash them, nor put to them any water. . _to make_ mango _of_ cucumbers _or_ small melons. gather cucumbers when they are green, cut a bit off the end and take out all the meat; lie them in a strong salt and water, let them lie for a week or ten days whilst they be yellow, then scald them in the same salt and water they lie in whilst green, then drain from them the water; take a little mustard-seed, a little horse-radish, some scraped and some shred fine, a handful of shalots, a claw or two of garlick if you like the taste, and a little shred mace; take six or eight cucumbers shred fine, mix them amongst the rest of the ingredients, then fill your melons or cucumbers with the meat, and put in the bits at the ends, tie them on with a string, so as will well cover them, and put into it a little jamaica and whole pepper, a little horse-radish and a handful or two of mustard-seed, then boil it, and pour it upon your mango; let it stand in the corner end two or three days, scald them once a day, and then tie them up for use. . _to pickle_ garkins. take garkins of the first growth, pick 'em clean, put 'em in a strong salt and water, let 'em lie a week or ten days whilst they be throughly yellow, then scald them in the same salt and water they lie in, scald them once a day, and let them lie whilst they are green, the set them in the corner end close cover'd. . _to make_ pickle _for your_ cucumbers. take a little alegar, (the quantity must be equal to the quantity of your cucumbers, and so must your seasoning) a little pepper, a little jamaica and long pepper, two or three shalots, a little horse-radish scraped or sliced, and little salt and a bit of allum, boil them altogether, and scald your cucumbers two or three times with your pickle, so tie them up for use. . _to pickle_ colliflower _white_. take the whitest colliflower you can get, break it in pieces the bigness of a mushroom; take as much distill'd vinegar as will cover it, and put to it a little white pepper, two or three blades of mace, and a little salt, then boil it and pour it on your colliflowers three times, let it be cold, then put it into your glasses or pots, and wet a bladder to tie over it to keep out the air. . _to pickle_ red cabbage. take a red cabbage, chuse it a purple red, for the light red never proves a good colour; so take your cabbage and shred it in very thin slices, season it with pepper and salt very well, let it lie all night upon a broad tin, or a dripping-pan; take a little alegar, put to it a little jamaica pepper, and two or three rases of ginger, boil them together, and when it is cold pour it upon your cabbage, and in two or three days time it will be fit for use. you may throw a little colliflower among it, and it will turn red. . _to pickle_ colliflower _another way_. take the colliflower and break it in pieces the bigness of a mushroom, but leave on a short stalk with the head; take some white wine vinegar, into a quart of vinegar, put six-pennyworth of cochineal beat well, also a little jamaica and whole pepper, and a little salt, boil them in vinegar, pour it over the colliflower hot, and let it stand two or three days close covered up; you may scald it once in three days whilst it be red, when it is red take it out of pickle, and wash the cochineal off in the pickle, so strain it through a hair sieve, and let it stand a little to settle, then put it to your colliflower again, and tie it up for use; the longer it lies in the pickle the redder it will be. . _to pickle_ walnuts _white_. take walnuts when they are at full growth and can thrust a pin through them, the largest sort you can get, pare them, and cut a bit off one end whilst you see the white, so you must pare off all the green, if you cut through the white to the kernel they will be spotted, and put them in water as you pare them; you must boil them in salt and water as you do mushrooms, and will take no more boiling than a mushroom; when they are boiled lay them on a dry cloth to drain out of the water, then put them into a pot, and put to them as much distill'd vinegar as will cover them, let them lie two or three days; then take a little more vinegar, put to it a few blades of mace, a little white pepper and salt, boil 'em together, when it is cold take your walnuts out of the other pickle and put into that, let them lie two or three days, pour it from them, give it another boil and skim it, when it is cold put to it your walnuts again, put them into a bottle, and put over them a little sweet oil, cork them up, and set them in a cool place; if your vinegar be good they will keep as long as the mushrooms. . _to pickle_ barberries. take barberries when full ripe, put them into a pot, boil a strong salt and water, then pour it on them boiling hot. . _to make_ barley-sugar. boil barley in water, strain it through a hair-sieve, then put the decoction into clarified sugar brought to a candy height, or the last degree of boiling, then take it off the fire, and let the boiling settle, then pour it upon a marble stone rubb'd with the oil of olives, when it cools and begins to grow hard, cut it into pieces, and rub it into lengths as you please. . _to pickle_ purslain. take the thickest stalks of purslain, lay them in salt and water six weeks, then take them out, put them into boiling water, and cover them well; let them hang over a slow fire till they be very green, when they are cold put them into pot, and cover them well with beer vinegar, and keep them covered close. . _to make_ punch _another way_. take a quart or two of sherbet before you put in your brandy, and the whites of four or five eggs, beat them very well, and set it over the fire, let it have a boil, then put it into a jelly bag, so mix the rest of your acid and brandy together, (the quantity you design to make) heat it and run it all through your jelly bag, change it in the running off whilst it look fine; let the peel of one or two lemons lie in the bag; you may make it the day before you use it, and bottle it. . _to make new_ college puddings. grate an old penny loaf, put to it a like quantity of suet shred, a nutmeg grated, a little salt and some currans, then beat some eggs in a little sack and sugar, mix all together, and knead it as stiff as for manchet, and make it up in the form and size of a turkey's egg, but a little flatter; take a pound of butter, put it in a dish or stew-pan, and set it over a clear fire in a chafing-dish, and rub your butter about the dish till it is melted, then put your puddings in, and cover the dish, but often turn your puddings till they are brown alike, and when they are enough grate some sugar over them, and serve them up hot. for a side-dish you must let the paste lie for a quarter of an hour before you make up your puddings. . _to make a_ custard pudding. take a pint of cream, mix it with six eggs well beat, two spoonfuls of flour, half a nutmeg grated, a little salt and sugar to your taste; butter your cloth, put it in when the pan boils, baste it just half an hour, and melt butter for the sauce. . _to make_ fryed toasts. chip a manchet very well, and cut it round ways in toasts, then take cream and eight eggs seasoned with sack, sugar, and nutmeg, and let these toasts steep in it about an hour, then fry them in sweet butter, serve them up with plain melted butter, or with butter, sack and sugar as you please. . _to make_ sauce _for_ fish or flesh. take a quart of vinegar or alegar, put it into a jug, then take jamaica pepper whole, some sliced ginger and mace; a few cloves, some lemon-peel, horse radish sliced, sweet herbs, six shalots peeled, eight anchovies, and two or three spoonfuls of shred capers, put all those in a linen bag, and put the bag into your alegar or vinegar, stop the jug close, and keep it for use. a spoonful cold is an addition to sauce for either fish or flesh. . _to make a_ savoury dish of veal. cut large collops of a leg of veal, spread them abroad on a dresser, hack them with the back of a knife, and dip them in the yolks of eggs, season them with nutmeg, mace, pepper and salt, then make forc'd-meat with some of your veal, beef-suit, oysters chop'd, and sweet herbs shred fine, and the above spice, strow all these over your collops, roll and tie them up, put them on skewers, tie them to a spit and roast them; and to the rest of your forc'd-meat add the yolk of an egg or two, and make it up in balls and fry them, put them in a dish with your meat when roasted, put a little water in the dish under them, and when they are enough put to it an anchovy, a little gravy, a spoonful of white wine, and thicken it up with a little flour and butter, so fry your balls and lie round the dish, and serve it up. this is proper for a side-dish either at noon or night. . _to make_ french bread. take half a peck of fine flour, the yolks of six eggs and four whites, a little salt, a pint of ale yeast, and as much new milk made warm as will make it a thin light paste, stir it about with your hand, but be sure you don't knead them; have ready six wooden quarts or pint dishes, fill them with the paste, (not over full) let them stand a quarter of an hour to rise, then turn them out into the oven, and when they are baked rasp them. the oven must be quick. . _to make_ ginger-bread _another way_. take three pounds of fine flour, and the rind of a lemon dried and beaten to powder, half a pound of sugar, or more if you like it, a little butter, and an ounce and a half of beaten ginger, mix all these together and wet it pretty stiff with nothing but treacle; make it into rolls or cakes which you please; if you please you may add candid orange peel and citron; butter your paper to bake it on, and let it be baked hard. . _to make_ quince cream. take quinces when they are full ripe, cut them in quarters, scald them till they be soft, pare them, and mash the clear part of them, and the pulp, and put it through a sieve, take an equal weight of quince and double refin'd sugar beaten and sifted; and the whites of eggs beat till it is as white as snow, then put it into dishes. you may do apple cream the same way. . _to make_ cream _of any preserved fruit_. take half a pound of the pulp of any preserved fruit, put it in a large pan, put to it the whites of two or three eggs, beat them well together for an hour, then with a spoon take off, and lay it heaped up high on the dish and salver without cream, or put it in the middle bason. rasberries will not do this way. . _to dry_ pears _or_ pippens _without sugar_. take pears or apples and wipe them clean, take a bodkin and run it in at the head, and out at the stalk, put them in a flat earthen pot and bake them, but not too much; you must put a quart of strong new ale to half a peck of pears, tie twice papers over the pots that they are baked in, let them stand till cold then drain them, squeeze the pears flat, and the apples, the eye to the stalk, and lay 'em on sieves with wide holes to dry, either in a stove or an oven not too hot. . _to preserve_ mulberries _whole_. set some mulberries over the fire in a skellet or preserving pan, draw from them a pint of juice when it is strain'd; then take three pounds of sugar beaten very fine, wet the sugar with the pint of juice, boil up your sugar and skim it, put in two pounds of ripe mulberries, and let them stand in the syrrup till they are throughly warm, then set them on the fire, and let them boil very gently; do them but half enough, so put them by in the syrrup till next day, then boil them gently again; when the syrrup is pretty thick and well stand in round drops when it is cold, they are enough, so put all in a gally-pot for use. . _to make_ orange cakes. cut your oranges, pick out the meat and juice free from the strings and seeds, set it by, then boil it, and shift the water till your peels are tender, dry them with a cloth, mince them small, and put them to the juice; to a pound of that weigh a pound and a half of double refin'd sugar; dip your lumps of sugar in water, and boil it to a candy height, take it off the fire and put in your juice and peel, stir it well, when it is almost cold put it into a bason, and set it in a stove, then lay it thin on earthen plates to dry, and as it candies fashion it with a knife, and lay them on glasses; when your plate is empty, put more out of your bason. . _to dry_ apricocks _like_ prunellos. take a pound of apricocks before they be full ripe, cut them in halves or quarters, let them boil till they be very tender in a thin syrrup, and let them stand a day or two in the stove, then take them out of the syrrup, lay them to dry till they be as dry as prunellos, then box 'em, if you please you may pare them. you may make your syrrup red with the juice of red plumbs. . _to preserve great white_ plumbs. to a pound of white plumbs take three quarters of a pound of double refin'd sugar in lumps, dip your sugar in water, boil and skim it very well, slit your plumbs down the seam; and put them into the syrrup with the slit downwards; let them stew over the fire a quarter of an hour, skim them very well, then take them off, and when cold cover them up; turn them in the syrrup two or three times a day for four or five days, then put them into pots and keep them for use. . _to make_ gooseberry wine _another way_. take gooseberries when they are full ripe, pick and beat them in a marble mortar; to every quart of berries put a quart of water, and put them into a tub and let them stand all night, then strain them through a hair-sieve, and press them very well with your hand; to every gallon of juice put three pounds of four-penny sugar; when your sugar is melted put it into the barrel, and to as many gallons of juice as you have, take as many pounds of malaga raisins, chop them in a bowl, and put them in the barrel with the wine; be sure let not your barrel be over full, so close it up, let it stand three months in the barrel, and when it is fine bottle it, but not before. . _to pickle_ nasturtium buds. gather your little nobs quickly after the blossoms are off, put them in cold water and salt three days, shifting them once a day; then make a pickle for them (but don't boil them at all) of some white wine, and some white wine vinegar, shalot, horse-radish, whole pepper and salt, and a blade or two of mace; then put in your seeds, and stop 'em close up. they are to be eaten as capers. . _to make_ elder-flower wine. take three or four handfuls of dry'd elder-flowers, and ten gallons of spring water, boil the water, and pour in scalding hot upon the flowers, the next day put to every gallon of water five pounds of malaga raisins, the stalks being first pick'd off, but not wash'd, chop them grosly with a chopping knife, then put them into your boiled water, stir the water, raisins and flowers well together, and do so twice a day for twelve days, then press out the juice clear as long as you can get any liquor; put it into a barrel fit for it, stop it up two or three days till it works, and in a few days stop it up close, and let it stand two or three months, then bottle it. . _to make_ pearl barley pudding. take half a pound of pearl barley, cree it in soft water, and shift it once or twice in the boiling till it be soft; take five eggs, put to them a pint of good cream, and half a pound of powder sugar, grate in half a nutmeg, a little salt, a spoonful or two of rose-water, and half a pound of clarified butter; when your barley is cold mix them altogether, so bake it with a puff-paste round your dish-edge. serve it up with a little rose-water, sugar and butter for your sauce. . _to make_ gooseberry vinegar _another way_. take gooseberries when they are full ripe, bruise them in a marble mortar or wooden bowl, and to every upheap'd half peck of berries take a gallon of water, put it to them in the barrel, let it stand in a warm place for two weeks, put a paper on the top of your barrel, then draw it off, wash out the barrel, put it in again, and to every gallon add a pound of coarse sugar; set it in a warm place by the fire, and let it stand whilst christmas. . _to preserve_ apricocks _green_. take apricocks when they are young and tender, coddle them a little, rub them with a coarse cloth to take off the skin, and throw them into water as you do them, and put them in the same water they were coddled in, cover them with vine leaves, a white paper, or something more at the top, the closer you keep them the sooner they are green; be sure you don't let them boil; when they are green weigh them, and to every pound of apricocks take a pound of loaf sugar, put it into a pan, and to every pound of sugar a jill of water, boil your sugar and water a little, and skim it, then put in your apricocks, let them boil together whilst your apricocks look clear, and your syrrup thick, skim it all the time it is boiling, and put them into a pot covered with a paper dip'd in brandy. . _to make_ orange chips _another way_. pare your oranges, not over thin but narrow, throw the rinds into fair water as you pare them off, then boil them therein very fast till they be tender, filling up the pan with boiling water as it wastes away, then make a thin syrrup with part of the water they are boiled in, put in the rinds, and just let them boil, then take them off, and let them lie in the syrrup three or four days, then boil them again till you find the syrrup begin to draw between your fingers, take them off from the fire and let them drain thro' your cullinder, take out but a few at a time, because if they cool too fast it will be difficult to get the syrrup from them, which must be done by passing every piece of peel through your fingers, and lying them single on a sieve with the rind uppermost, the sieve may be set in a stove, or before the fire; but in summer the sun is hot enough to dry them. three quarters of a pound of sugar will make syrrup to do the peels of twenty-five oranges. . _to make_ mushroom powder. take about half a peck of large buttons or slaps, clean them and set them in an earthen dish or dripping pan one by one, let them stand in a slow oven to dry whilst they will beat to powder, and when they are powdered sift them through a sieve; take half a quarter of a ounce of mace, and a nutmeg, beat them very fine, and mix them with your mushroom powder, then put it into a bottle, and it will be fit for use. you must not wash your mushrooms. . _to preserve_ apricocks _another way_. take your apricocks before they are full ripe, pare them and stone them, and to every pound of apricocks take a pound of lump loaf sugar, put it into your pan with as much water as will wet it; to four pounds of sugar take the whites of two eggs beat them well to a froth, mix them well with your sugar whilst it be cold, then set it over the fire and let it have a boil, take it off the fire, and put in a spoonful or two of water, then take off the skim, and do so three or four times whilst any skim rises, then put in your apricocks, and let them have a quick boil over the fire, then take them off and turn them over, let them stand a little while covered, and then set them on again, let them have another boil and skim them, then take them out one by one; set on your syrrup again to boil down, and skim it, then put in your apricocks again, and let them boil whilst they look clear, put them in pots, when they are cold cover them over with a paper dipt in brandy, and tie another paper at the top, set them in a cool place, and keep them for use. . _to pickle_ mushrooms _another way_. when you have cleaned your mushrooms put them into a pot, and throw over them a handful of salt, and stop them very close with a cloth, and set them in a pan of water to boil about an hour, give them a shake now and then in the boiling, then take them out and drain the liquor from them, wipe them dry with a cloth, and put them up either in white wine vinegar or distill'd vinegar, with spices, and put a little oil on the top. they don't look so white this way, but they have more the taste of mushrooms. . _how to fry_ mushrooms. take the largest and freshest flaps you can get, skin them and take out the gills, boil them in a little salt and water, then wipe them dry with a cloth; take two eggs and beat them very well, half a spoonful of wheat-flour, and a little pepper and salt, then dip in your mushrooms and fry them in butter. they are proper to lie about stew'd mushrooms or any made dish. . _how to make an_ ale posset. take a quart of good milk, set it on the fire to boil, put in a handful or two of breadcrumbs, grate in a little nutmeg, and sweeten it to your taste; take three jills of ale and give it a boil; take the yolks of four eggs, beat them very well, then put to them a little of your ale, and mix all your ale and eggs together; then set it on the fire to heat, keep stirring it all the time, but don't let it boil, if you do it will curdle; then put it into your dish, heat the milk and put it in by degrees; so serve it up. you may make it of any sort of made wine; make it half an hour before you use it, and keep it hot before the fire. . _to make_ minc'd pies _another way_. take half a pound of jordan almonds, blanch and beat them with a little rose-water, but not over small; take a pound of beef-suet shred very fine, half a pound of apples shred small, a pound of currans well cleaned, half a pound of powder sugar, a little mace shred fine, about a quarter of a pound of candid orange cut in small pieces, a spoonful or two of brandy, and a little salt, so mix them well together, and bake it in a puff-paste. . _to make_ sack posset _another way_. take a quart of good cream, and boil it with a blade or two of mace, put in about a quarter of a pound of fine powder sugar; take a pint of sack or better, set it over the fire to heat, but don't let it boil, then grate in a little nutmeg, and about a quarter of a pound of powder sugar; take nine eggs, (leave out six of the whites and strains) beat 'em very well, then put to them a little of your sack mix the sack and eggs very well together, then put to 'em the rest of your sack, stir it all the time you are pouring it in, set it over a slow fire to thicken, and stir it till it be as thick as custard; be sure you don't let it boil, if you do it will curdle, then pour it into your dish or bason; take your cream boiling hot, and pour to your sack by degrees, stirring it all the time you are pouring it in, then set it on a hot-hearth-stone; you must make it half an hour before you use it; before you set on the hearth cover it close with a pewter dish. _to make a_ froth _for them_. take a pint of the thickest cream you can get, and beat the whites of two eggs very well together, take off the cream by spoonfuls, and lie it in a sieve to drain; when you dish up the posset lie over it the froth. . _to dry_ cherries _another way_. take cherries when full ripe, stone them, and break 'em as little as you can in the stoning; to six pounds of cherries take three pounds of loaf sugar, beat it, lie one part of your sugar under your cherries, and the other at the top, let them stand all night, then put them into your pan, and boil them pretty quick whilst your cherries change and look clear, then let them stand in the syrrup all night, pour the syrrup from them, and put them into a pretty large sieve, and set them either in the sun or before the fire; let them stand to dry a little, then lay them on white papers one by one, let them stand in the sun whilst they be thoroughly dry, in the drying turn them over, then put them into a little box; betwixt every layer of cherries lie a paper, and so do till all are in, then lie a paper at the top, and keep them for use. you must not boil them over long in the syrrup, for if it be over thick it will keep them from drying; you may boil two or three pounds more cherries in the syrrup after. . _how to order_ sturgeon. if your sturgeon be alive, keep it a night and a day before you use it; then cut off the head and tail, split it down the back, and cut it into as many pieces as you please; salt it with bay salt and common salt, as you would do beef for hanging, and let it lie hours; then tie it up very tight, and boil it in salt and water whilst it is tender; (you must not boil it over much) when it is boiled throw over it a little salt, and set it by till it be cold. take the head and split it in two and tye it up very tight; you must boil it by itself, not so much as you did the rest, but salt it after the same manner. . _to make the_ pickle. take a gallon of soft water, and make it into a strong brine; take a gallon of stale beer, and a gallon of the best vinegar, and let it boil together, with a few spices; when it is cold put in your sturgeon; you may keep it (if close covered) three or four months before you need to renew the pickle. . _to make_ hotch-potch. take five or six pounds of fresh beef, put it in a kettle with six quarts of soft water, and an onion; set it on a slow fire, and let it boil til your beef is almost enough; then put in the scrag of a neck of mutton, and let them boil together till the broth be very good; put in two or three handfuls of breadcrumbs, two or three carrots and turnips cut small, (but boil the carrots in water before you put them in, else they will give your broth a taste) with half a peck of shill'd pease, but take up the meat before you put them in, when you put in the pease take the other part of your mutton and cut it in chops, (for it will take no more boiling than the pease) and put it in with a few sweet herbs shred very small, and salt to your taste. you must send up the mutton chops in the dish with the hotch-potch. when there are no pease to be had, you may put in the heads of asparagus, and if there be neither of these to be had, you may shred in a green savoy cabbage. this is a proper dish instead of soop. . _to make_ minc'd collops. take two or three pounds of any tender parts of beef, (according as you would have the dish in bigness) cut it small as you would do minc'd veal; take an onion, shred it small, and fry it a light brown, in butter seasoned with nutmeg, pepper and salt, and put it into your pan with your onion, and fry it a little whilst it be a light brown; then put to it a jill of good gravy, and a spoonful of walnut pickle, or a little catchup; put in a few shred capers or mushrooms, thicken it up with a little flour and butter; if you please you may put in a little juice of lemon; when you dish it up, garnish your dish with pickle; and a few forc'd-meat-balls. it is proper for either side-dish or top-dish. . _to make white_ scotch collops _another way_. take two pounds of the solid part of a leg of veal, cut it in pretty thin slices, and season it with a little shred mace and salt, put it into your stew-pan with a lump of butter, set it over the fire, keep it stirring all the time, but don't let it boil; when you are going to dish up the collops, put to them the yolks of two or three eggs, three spoonfuls of cream, a spoonful or two of white wine, and a little juice of lemon, shake it over the fire whilst it be so thick that the sauce sticks to the meat, be sure you don't let it boil. garnish your dish with lemon and sippets, and serve it up hot. this is proper for either side-dish or top-dish, noon or night. . _to make_ vinegar _another way_. take as many gallons of water as you please, and to every gallon of water put in a pound of four-penny sugar, boil it for half an hour and skim it all the time; when it is about blood warm put to it about three or four spoonfuls of light yeast, let it work in the tub a night and a day, put it into your vessel, close up the top with a paper, and set it as near the fire as you have convenience, and in two or three days it will be good vinegar. . _to preserve_ quinces _another way_. take quinces, pare and put them into water, save all the parings and cores, let 'em lie in the water with the quinces, set them over the fire with the parings and cores to coddle, cover them close up at the top with the parings, and lie over them either a dishcover or pewter dish, and cover them close; let them hang over a very slow fire whilst they be tender; but don't let them boil; when they are soft take them out of the water, and weigh your quinces, and to every pound put a pint of the same water they were coddled in (when strained) and put to your quinces, and to every pound of quinces put a pound of sugar; put them into a pot or pewter flagon, the pewter makes them a much better colour; close them up with a little coarse paste, and set them in a bread oven all night; if the syrrup be too thin boil it down, put it to your quinces, and keep it for use. you may either do it with powder sugar or loaf sugar. . _to make_ almond cheesecakes _another way_. take the peel of two or three lemons pared thick, boil them pretty soft, and change the water two or three times in the boiling; when they are boiled beat them very fine with a little loaf sugar, then take eight eggs, (leaving out six of the whites) half a pound of loaf or powder sugar, beat the eggs and sugar for half an hour, or better; take a quarter of a pound of the best almonds, blanch and beat them with three or four spoonfuls of rose-water, but not over small; take ten ounces of fresh butter, melt it without water, and clear off from it the butter-milk, then mix them altogether very well, and bake them in a slow oven in a puff-paste; before you put them into the tins, put in the juice of half a lemon. when you put them in the oven grate over them a little loaf sugar. you may make them without almonds, if you please. you may make a pudding of the same, only leave out the almonds. _finis_. english housewifry _improved_; or, a supplement to moxon's cookery. containing, upwards of sixty modern and valuable receipts in pastry made dishes preserving made wines, &c. &c. collected by a person of judgment. supplement to moxon's cookery. . _a_ granade. take the caul of a leg of veal, lie it into a round pot; put a layer of the flitch part of bacon at the bottom, then a layer of forc'd-meat, and a layer of the leg part of veal cut as for collops, 'till the pot is fill'd up; which done, take the part of the caul that lies over the edge of the pot, close it up, tie a paper over, and send it to the oven; when baked, turn it out into your dish.--_sauce_. a good light-brown gravy, with a few mushrooms, morels, or truffles; serve it up hot. . _the fine brown_ jelly. boil four calf's feet in six quarts of water 'till it is reduced to three pints, tale off the feet and let the stock cool, then melt it, and have ready in a stew-pan, a spoonful of butter hot, add to it a spoonful of fine flour, stir it with a wood spoon over a stove-fire, 'till it is very brown, but not burnt, then put the jelly out, and let it boil; when cold take off the fat, melt the jelly again and put to it half a pint of red port, the juice and peel of half a lemon, white pepper, mace, a little jamaica pepper, and a little salt; then have ready the whites of four eggs, well froth'd, and put them into the jelly, (take care the jelly be not too hot when the whites are put in) stir it well together, and boil it over a quick fire one minute, run it thro' a flannel bag and turn it back till it is clear, and what form you would have it, have that ready, pour a little of the jelly in the bottom, it will soon starken; then place what you please in it, either pigeon or small chicken, sweet-bread larded, or pickled smelt or trout, place them in order, and pour on the remainder of the jelly. you may send it up in this form, or turn it into another dish, with holding it over hot water; but not till it is thoroughly hardened. . _to make a_ mellon. make the leanest forc'd-meat that you can, green it as near the colour of mellon as possible with the juice of spinage, as little of the juice as you can; put several herbs in it, especially parsley, shred fine, for that will help to green it; roll it an inch and a half thick, lay one half in a large mellon mould, well buttered and flowered, with the other half the full size of the mould, sides and all; then put into it as many stew'd oysters as near fills it with liquor sufficient to keep them moist, and close the forc'd-meat well together; close the melon and boil it till you think it is enough; then make a small hole (if possible not to be perceived) pour in a little more of the liquor that the oysters were stew'd in hot, and serve it up with hot sauce in the dish. it must be boiled in a cloth, and is either for a first or second course. . _hot_ chicken pie. order the chickens as for fricassy, and form the pie deep, lay in the bottom a mince-meat made of the chicken's livers, ham, parsley and yolks of eggs; season with white pepper, mace, and a little salt; moisten with butter, then lay the chicken above the minc'd meat, and a little more butter; cover the pie and bake it two hours; when baked take off the fat, and add to it white gravy, with a little juice of lemon. serve this up hot. . sheep's rumps _with_ rice. stew the rumps very tender, then take 'em out to cool, dip them in egg and bread-crumbs, and fry them a light brown; have ready half a pound of rice, well wash'd and pick'd, and half a pound of butter; let it stew ten minutes in a little pot; then add a pint of good gravy to the rice and butter, and let it stew half an hour longer; have ready six onions boil'd very tender, and six yolks of boil'd eggs, stick them with cloves; then place the sheep rumps on the dish, and put round them the rice as neatly as you can; place the onions and eggs over the rice, so serve it up hot. . sheep's tongues _broil'd_. the tongues being boil'd, put a lump of butter in a stew-pan, with parsley and green onions cut small; then split the tongues, but do not part them, and put them in the pan, season them with pepper, herbs, mace, and nutmeg; set them a moment on the fire, and strow crumbs of bread on them; let them be broil'd and dish them up, with a high gravy sauce. . _to lard_ oysters. make a strong essence of ham and veal, with a little mace; then lard the large oysters with a fine larding pin; put them, with as much essence as will cover them, into a stew-pan; let them stew and hour, or more, over a slow fire. they are used for garnishing, but when you make a dish of them, squeeze in a seville orange. . veal couley. take a little lean bacon and veal, onion, and the yellow part of a carrot, put it into a stew-pan; set it over a slow fire, and let it simmer till the gravy is quite brown, then put in small gravy, or boiling water; boil it a quarter of an hour, and then it is ready for use. take two necks of mutton, bone them, lard one with bacon, the other with parsley; when larded, put a little couley over a slow stove, with a slice of lemon whilst the mutton is set, then skewer it up like a couple of rabbits, put it on the spit and roast it as you would any other mutton; then serve it up with ragoo'd cucumbers. this will do for first course; bottom dish. . _the_ mock turtle. take a fine large calf's head, cleans'd well and stew'd very tender, a leg of veal twelve pounds weight, leave out three pounds of the finest part of it; then take three fine large fowls, (bone them, but leave the meat as whole as possible,) and four pounds of the finest ham sliced; then boil the veal, fowls bones, and the ham in six quarts of water, till it is reduced to two quarts, put in the fowl and the three pounds of veal, and let them boil half an hour; take it off the fire and strain the gravy from it; add to the gravy three pints of the best white wine, boil it up and thicken it; then put in the calf's-head; have in readiness twelve large forc'd-meat-balls, as large as an egg, and twelve yolks of eggs boil'd hard. dish it up hot in a terreen. . _to dress_ ox lips. take three or four ox lips, boil them as tender as possible, dress them clean the day before they are used; then make a rich forc'd-meat of chicken or half-roasted rabbits, and stuff the lips with it; they will naturally turn round; tie them up with pack-thread and put them into gravy to stew; they must stew while the forc'd-meat be enough. serve them up with truffles, morels, mushrooms, cockscombs, forc'd-meat balls, and a little lemon to your taste. this is a top-dish for second, or side dish for first course. . _to make_ poverade. take a pint of good gravy, half a jill of elder vinegar, six shalots, a little pepper and salt, boil all these together a few minutes, and strain it off. this is a proper sauce for turkey, or any other sort of white fowls. . _to pot_ partridges. take the partridges and season them well with mace, salt and a little pepper; lie 'em in the pot with the breast downwards, to every partridge put three quarters of a pound of butter, send them to the oven, when baked, drain them from the butter and gravy, and add a little more seasoning, then put them close in the pot with the breasts upwards, and when cold, cover them well with the butter, suit the pot to the number of the partridges to have it full. you may pot any sort of moor game the same way. . _to pot_ partridges _another way_. put a little thyme and parsley in the inside of the partridges, season them with mace, pepper and salt; put them in the pot, and cover them with butter; when baked, take out the partridges, and pick all the meat from the bones, lie the meat in a pot (without beating) skim all the butter from the gravy, and cover the pot well with the butter. . _to pot_ chare. scrape and gut them, wash and dry them clean, season them with pepper, salt, mace, and nutmeg; let the two last seasonings be higher than the other; put a little butter at the bottom of the pot, then lie in the dish, and put butter at the top, three pounds of butter to four pounds of chare; when they are baked (before they are cold) pour off the gravy and butter, put two or three spoonfuls of butter into the pot you keep them in, then lie in the dish, scum the butter clean from the gravy, and put the butter over the dish, so keep it for use. . salmon _en_ maigre. cut some slices of fresh salmon the thickness of your thumb, put them in a stew-pan with a little onion, white pepper and mace, and a bunch of sweet herbs, pour over it half a pint of white wine, half a jill of water, and four ounces of butter (to a pound and half of salmon;) cover the stew-pot close, and stew it half an hour; then take out the salmon, and place it on the dish; strain off the liquor, and have ready craw-fish, pick'd from the shell, or lobster cut in small pieces; pound the shells of the craw-fish, or the seeds of the lobster, and give it a turn in the liquor; thicken it, and serve it up hot with the craw-fish, or lobster, over the salmon. trouts may be done the same way, only cut off their heads. . lobster a'l'italienne. cut the tail of the lobster in square pieces, take the meat out of the claws, bruise the red part of the lobster very fine, stir it in a pan with a little butter, put some gravy to it; strain it off while hot, then put in the lobster with a little salt; make it hot, and send it up with sippets round your dish. . _to do_ chickens, _or any_ fowl's feet. scald the feet till the skin will come off, then cut off the nails; stew them in a pot close cover'd set in water, and some pieces of fat meat till they are very tender; when you set them on the fire, put to them some whole pepper, onion, salt, and some sweet herbs; when they are taken out, wet them over with the yolk of an egg, and dridge them well with bread-crumbs; so fry them crisp. . larks _done in_ jelly. boil a knuckle of veal in a gallon of water till it is reduced to three pints, (it must not be covered but done over a clear fire) scum it well and clarify it, then season the larks with pepper and salt, put them in a pot with butter, and send them to the oven; when baked take them out of the butter whilst hot, take the jelly and season it to your taste with pepper and salt; then put the jelly and larks into a pan together, and give them a scald over the fire; so lie them in pots and cover them well with jelly. when you use them, turn them out of the pots, and serve them up. . _the fine_ catchup. take three quarts of red port, a pint of vinegar, one pound of anchovies unwash'd, pickle and altogether, half an ounce of mace, ten cloves, eight races of ginger, one spoonful of black pepper, eight ounces of horseradish, half a lemon-peel, a bunch of winter-savory, and four shalots; stew these in a pot, within a kettle of water, one full hour, then strain it thro' a close sieve, and when it is cold bottle it; shake it well before you bottle it, that the sediment may mix. you may stew all the ingredients over again, in a quart of wine for present use. . walnut catchup. take the walnuts when they are ready for pickling, beat them in a mortar, and strain the juice thro' a flannel bag; put to a quart of juice a jill of white wine, a jill of vinegar, twelve shalots sliced, a quarter of an ounce of mace, two nutmegs sliced, one ounce of black pepper, twenty four cloves, and the peels of two seville oranges, pared so thin that no white appears, boil it over a slow fire very well, and scum it as it boils; let it stand a week or ten days cover'd very close, then pour it thro' the bag, and bottle it. . _a very good_ white _or_ almond soop. take veal, fowl, or any white meat, boiled down with a little mace, (or other spice to your taste) let these boil to mash, then strain off the gravy; take some of the white fleshy part of the meat and rub it thro' a cullender; have ready two ounces of almonds beat fine, rub these thro' the cullender, then put all into the gravy, set it on the fire to thicken a little, and stir in it two or three spoonfuls of cream, and a little butter work'd in flour; then have ready a french roll crisp'd for the middle, and slips of bread cut long like savoy biskets. serve it up hot. . almond pudding. take one pound of almonds, blanch'd and beat fine, one pint of cream, the yolks of twelve eggs, two ounces of grated bread, half a pound of suet, marrow, or melted butter, three quarters of a pound of fine sugar, a little lemon-peel and cinnamon; bake it in a slow oven, in a dish, or little tins. the above are very good put in skins. . almond pudding _another way_. boil a quart of cream, when cold, mix in the whites of seven eggs well beat; blanch five ounces of almonds, beat them with rose or orange-flower water, mix in the eggs and cream; sweeten it to your taste with fine powder sugar, then mix in a little citron or orange, put a thin paste at the bottom, and a thicker round the edge of the dish. bake in a slow oven.--sauce. wine and sugar. . almond cheesecakes _another way_. six ounces of almonds, blanch'd and beat with rose-water; six ounces of butter beat to cream; half a pound of fine sugar; six eggs well beat, and a little mace. bake these in little tins, in cold butter paste. . _a_ lemon pudding _another way_. take a quarter of a pound of almonds, three quarters of a pound of sugar, beat and searc'd, half a pound of butter; beat the almonds with a little rose-water, grate the rinds of two lemons, beat eleven eggs, leave out two whites, melt the butter an stir it in; when the oven is ready mix all these well together, with the juice of one or two lemons to your taste; put a thin paste at the bottom, and a thicker round the edge of the dish. sauce. wine and sugar. . potatoe pudding _another way_. take three quarters of a pound of potatoes, when boil'd and peel'd, beat them in a mortar with a quarter of a pound of suet or butter, (if butter, melt it) a quarter of a pound of powder sugar, five eggs well beat, a pint of good milk, one spoonful of flour, a little mace or cinnamon, and three spoonfuls of wine or brandy; mix all these well together, and bake it in a pretty quick oven. sauce. wine and butter. . carrot pudding _another way_. take half a pound of carrots, when boil'd and peel'd, beat them in a mortar, two ounces of grated bread, a pint of cream, half a pound of suet or marrow, a glass of sack, a little cinnamon, half a pound of sugar, six eggs well beat, leaving out three of the whites, and a quarter of a pound of macaroons; mix all well together; puff-paste round the dish-edge. sauce. wine and sugar. . white pott _another way_. a layer of white bread cut thin at the bottom of the dish, a layer of apples cut thin, a layer of marrow or suet, currans, raisins, sugar and nutmeg, then the bread, and so on, as above, till the dish is fill'd up; beat four eggs, and mix them with a pint of good milk, a little sugar and nutmeg, and pour it over the top. this should be made three or four hours before it is baked. sauce. wine and butter. . hunting pudding _another way_. take a pound of grated bread, a pound of suet and a pound of currans, eight eggs, a glass of brandy, a little sugar, and a little beat cinnamon; mix these well together, and boil it two hours at the least. . almond biskets. blanch a pound of almonds, lie them in water for three or four hours, dry them with a cloth, and beat them fine with eight spoonfuls of rose or orange-flower water; then boil a pound of fine sugar to wire-height, and stir in the almonds, mix them well over the fire; but do not let them boil; pour them into a bason, and beat them with a spoon 'till quite cold; then beat six whites of eggs, a quarter of a pound of starch, beat and searc'd, beat the eggs and starch together, 'till thick; stir in the almonds, and put them in queen-cake tins, half full, dust them over with a little searc'd sugar; bake 'em in a slow oven, and keep them dry. . _to make_ almond butter _another way_. take a quart of cream, six eggs well beat, mix them and strain them into a pan, keep it stirring on the fire whilst it be ready to boil; then add a jack of sack, keeping it stirring till it comes to a curd; wrap it close in a cloth till the whey be run from it; then put the curd into a mortar, and beat it very fine, together with a quarter of a pound of blanch'd almonds, beaten with rose-water, and half a pound of loaf sugar; when all these are well beaten together, put it into glasses. this will keep a fortnight. . apricock jumballs. take ripe apricocks, pare, stone, and beat them small, then boil them till they are thick, and the moisture dry'd up, then take them off the fire, and beat them up with searc'd sugar, to make them into pretty stiff paste, roll them, without sugar, the thickness of a straw; make them up in little knots in what form you please; dry them in a stove or in the sun. you may make jumballs of any sort of fruit the same way. . burnt cream. boil a stick of cinnamon in a pint of cream, four eggs well beat, leaving out two whites, boil the cream and thicken it with the eggs as for a custard; then put it in your dish, and put over it half a pound of loaf sugar beat and searc'd; heat a fire-shovel red-hot, and hold it over the top till the sugar be brown. so serve it up. . _little_ plumb cakes. take two pounds of flour dry'd, three pounds of currans well wash'd, pick'd and dry'd, four eggs beaten with two spoonfuls of sack, half a jack of cream, and one spoonful of orange-flower or rose-water; two nutmegs grated, one pound of butter wash'd in rose-water and rub'd into the flour, and one pound of loaf sugar searc'd, mix all well together, and put in the currans; butter the tins and bake them in a quick oven; half an hour will bake it. . york ginger-bread _another way_. take two pounds and a half of stale bread grated fine, (but not dry'd) two pound of fine powder sugar, an ounce of cinnamon, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of ginger, a quarter of an ounce of saunders, and a quarter of a pound of almonds; boil the sugar, saunders, ginger, and mace in half a pint of red wine; then put in three spoonfuls of brandy, cinnamon, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves; stir in half the bread on the fire, but do not let it boil; pour it out, and work in the rest of the bread with the almonds; then smother it close half an hour; print it with cinnamon and sugar search'd, and keep it dry. . ginger-bread _in little tins_. to three quarters of a pound of flour, put half a pound of treacle, one pound of sugar, and a quarter of a pound of butter; mace, cloves, and nutmeg, in all a quarter of an ounce; a little ginger, and a few carraway seeds; melt the butter in a glass of brandy, mix altogether with one egg; then butter the tins, and bake them in a pretty quick oven. . oat-meal cakes. take a peck of fine flour, half a peck of oat-meal, and mix it well together; put to it seven eggs well beat, three quarts of new milk, a little warm water, a pint of sack, and a pint of new yeast; mix all these well together, and let it stand to rise; then bake them. butter the stone every time you lie on the cakes, and make them rather thicker than a pan-cake. . bath cakes. take two pounds of flour, a pound of sugar, and a pound of butter; wash the butter in orange-flower water, and dry the flour; rub the butter into the flour as for puff-paste, beat three eggs fine in three spoonfuls of cream, and a little mace and salt, mix these well together with your hand, and make them into little cakes; rub them over with white of egg, and grate sugar upon them; a quarter of an hour will bake them in a slow oven. . _a rich white_ plumb-cake. take four pounds of flour dry'd, two pounds of butter, one pound and a half of double refin'd sugar beat and searc'd, beat the butter to cream, then put in the sugar and beat it well together; sixteen eggs leaving out four yolks; a pint of new yeast; five jills of good cream, and one ounce of mace shred; beat the eggs well and mix them with the butter and sugar; put the mace in the flour; warm the cream, mix it with the yeast, and run it thro' a hair sieve, mix all these into a paste; then add one pound of almonds blanch'd and cut small, and six pounds of currans well wash'd, pick'd and dry'd; when the oven is ready, stir in the currans, with one pound of citron, lemon or orange; then butter the hoop and put it in. this cake will require two hours and a half baking in a quick oven. . _an_ ising _for the_ cake. one pound and a half of double-refin'd sugar, beat and searc'd; the whites of four eggs, the bigness of a walnut of gum-dragon, steep'd in rose or orange-flower water; two ounces of starch, beat fine with a little powder-blue (which adds to the whiteness) while the cake is baking beat the ising and lie it on with a knife as soon as the cake is brought from the oven. . lemon brandy. pour a gallon of brandy into an earthen pot, put to it the yellow peel of two dozen lemons, let it stand two days and two nights, then pour two quarts of spring water into a pan and dissolve in it two pounds of refin'd loaf sugar, boil it a quarter of an hour, and put it to the brandy; then boil and scum three jills of blue milk, and mix all together, let it stand two days more, then run it thro' a flannel bag, or a paper within a tunnel, and bottle it. . _to make_ ratifee _another way_. take a hundred apricocks stones, break them, and bruise the kernels, then put them in a quart of the best brandy; let them stand a fortnight; shake them every day; put to them six ounces of white sugar-candy, and let them stand a week longer; then put the liquor thro' a jelly bag, and bottle it for use. . _to preserve_ grapes _all winter_. pull them when dry, dip the stalks about an an inch of boiling water, and seal the end with wax; chop wheat straw and put a little at the bottom of the barrel, then a layer of grapes, and a layer of straw, 'till the barrel is fill'd up; do not lie the bunches too near one another; stop the barrel close, and set it in a dry place; but not any way in the sun. . _to preserve_ grapes _another way_. take ripe grapes and stone them; to every pound of grapes take a pound of double-refined sugar; let them stand till the sugar is dissolved; boil them pretty quick till clear; then strain out the grapes, and add half a pound of pippen jelly, and half a pound more sugar; boil and skim it till a jelly; put in the grapes to heat; afterwards strain them out, and give the jelly a boil; put it to the grapes and stir it till near cold; then glass it. . barberry cakes. draw off the juice as for curran jelly, take the weight of the jelly in sugar, boil the sugar to sugar again; then put in the jelly, and keep stirring till the sugar is dissolved; let it be hot, but not boil; then pour it out, and stir it three or four times; when it is near cold drop it on glasses in little cakes, and set them in the stove. if you would have them in the form of jumballs, boil the sugar to a high candy, but not to sugar again, and pour it on a pie plate; when it will part from the plate cut it, and turn them into what form you please. . barberry drops. when the barberries are full ripe, pull 'em off the stalk, put them in a pot, and boil them in a pan of water till they are soft, then pulp them thro' a hair-sieve, beat and searce the sugar, and mix as much of the searc'd sugar with the pulp, as will make it of the consistance of a light paste; then drop them with a pen-knife on paper (glaz'd with a slight stone) and set them within the air of the fire for an hour, then take them off the paper and keep them dry. . _to candy_ oranges _whole another way_. take the seville oranges, pare off the red as thin as you can, then tie them in a thin cloth (with a lead weight to keep the cloth down) put 'em in a lead or cistern of river water, let them lie five or six days, stirring 'em about every day, then boil them while they are very tender, that you may put a straw thro' them; mark them at the top with a thimble, cut it out, and take out all the inside very carefully, then wash the skins clean in warm water, and set them to drain with the tops downwards; fine the sugar very well, and when it is cold put in the oranges; drain the syrrup from the oranges, and boil it every day till it be very thick, then once a month; one orange will take a pound of sugar. . _to candy_ ginger. take the thickest races of ginger, put them them in an earthen pot, and cover them with river water; put fresh water to them every day for a fortnight; then tie the ginger in a cloth, and boil it an hour in a large pan of water; scrape off the brown rind, and cut the inside of the races as broad and thin as you can, one pound of ginger will take three pounds of loaf sugar; beat and searce the sugar, and put a layer of the thin-slic'd ginger, and a layer of searc'd sugar into an earthen bowl, having sugar at the top; stir it well every other day for a fortnight, then boil it over a little charcoal; when it is candy-height take it out of the pan as quick as you can with a spoon, and lie it in cakes on a board; when near cold take them off and keep them dry. . _to preserve_ wine-sours. take wine-sours and loaf sugar an equal weight, wet the sugar with water; the white of one egg will fine four pounds of sugar, and as the scum rises throw on a little water; then take off the pan, let it stand a little to settle and skim it; boil it again while any scum rises; when it is clear and a thick syrrup, take it off, and let it stand till near cold; then nick the plumbs down the seam, and let them have a gentle heat over the fire; take the plumbs and syrrup and let them stand a day or two, but don't cover them; then give them another gentle heat; let them stand a day longer, and heat them again; take the plumbs out out and drain them, boil the syrrup and skim it well, then put the syrrup on the winesours, and when cold, put them into bottles or pots, tie a bladder close over the top, so keep them for use. . curran jelly. take eight pounds of ripe, pick'd fruit, put these into three pounds of sugar boil'd candy height, and so let these simmer till the jelly will set; then run it off clear thro' a flannel bag, and glass it up for use. this never looks blue, nor skims half so much, as the other way. . _to preserve red or white_ currans _whole_. pick two pounds of currans from the stalks, then take a pound and a half of loaf sugar, and wet it in half a pint of curran juice, put in the berries, and boil them over a slow fire till they are clear; when cold put them in small berry bottles, with a little mutton suet over them. . syrrup of poppies. take two pounds of poppy flowers, two ounces of raisins, shred them, and to every pound of poppies put a quart of boiling water, half an ounce of sliced liquorice, and a quarter of an ounce of anniseeds; let these stand twelve hours to infuse, then strain off the liquor, and put it upon the same quantity of poppies, raisins, liquorice, and anniseeds as before, and let this stand twelve hours to infuse, which must be in a pitcher, set within a pot or pan of hot water; then strain it, and take the weight in sugar, and boil it to a syrrup: when it is cold, bottle it. . _to make_ black paper _for drawing patterns_. take a quarter of a pound of mutton suet, and one ounce of bees wax, melt both together and put in as much lamp black as will colour it dark enough, then spread it over your paper with a rag, and hold it to the fire to make it smooth. . gooseberry vinegar _another way_. to every gallon of water, put six pounds of ripe gooseberries; boil the water and let it be cold, squeeze the berries, and then pour on the water; let it stand cover'd three days pretty warm to work, stirring it once a day; then strain it off, and to every six gallons put three pounds of coarse sugar, let it stand till it has done working, then bung it up, and keep it moderately warm, in nine months it will be ready for use. . _to make bad ale into good strong beer_. draw off the ale into a clean vessel, (supposing half a hogshead) only leave out eight or ten quarts, to which put four pounds of good hops, boil this near an hour; when quite cold, put the ale and hops into the hogshead, with eight pounds of treacle, mix'd well with four or five quarts of boil'd ale; stir it well together, and bung it up close: let it stand six months, then bottle it for use. . _green_ gooseberry wine. to every quart of gooseberries, take a quart of spring water, bruise them in a mortar, put the water to them and let them stand two or three days, then strain it off, and to every gallon of liquor put three pounds and a half of sugar, then put it into the barrel, and it will of itself rise to a froth, which take off, and keep the barrel full; when the froth is all work'd off, bung it up for six weeks, then rack it off, and when the lees are clean taken out, put the wine into the same barrel; and to every gallon put half a pound of sugar, made in syrrup, and when cold mix with wine; to every five gallons, have an ounce of isinglass, dissolv'd in a little of the wine, and put in with the syrrup, so bung it up; when fine, you may either bottle it or draw it out of the vessel. lisbon sugar is thought the best. this wine drinks like sack. . ginger wine. take fourteen quarts of water, three pounds of loaf sugar, and one ounce of ginger sliced thin, boil these together half an hour, fine it with the whites of two eggs; when new milk warm put in three lemons, a quart of brandy, and a white bread toast, covered on both sides with yeast; put all these together into a stand, and work it in one day; then tun it: it will be ready to bottle in five days, and be ready to drink in a week after it is bottled. . cowslip wine _another way_. to five gallons of water, put two pecks of cowslip peeps, and thirteen pounds of loaf sugar; boil the sugar and water with the rinds of two lemons, half an hour, and fine it with the whites of two eggs; when it is near cold put in the cowslips, and set on six spoonfuls of new yeast, work it two days, stirring it twice a day; when you squeeze out the peeps to tun it, put in the juice of six lemons, and when it has done working in the vessel, put in the quarter of an ounce of isinglass, dissolv'd in the little of the wine till it is a jelly; add a pint of brandy, bung it close up two months, then bottle it. this is right good. . strong mead _another way_. to thirty quarts of water, put ten quarts of honey, let the water be pretty warm, then break in the honey, stirring it till it be all dissolv'd, boil it a full half hour, when clean scum'd that no more will rise, put in half an ounce of hops, pick'd clean from the stalks; a quarter of an ounce of ginger sliced (only put in half the ginger) and boil it a quarter of an hour longer; then lade it out into the stand thro' a hair-tems, and put the remainder of the ginger in, when it is cold tun it into the vessel, which must be full; but not clay'd up till near a month: make it the latter end of _september_, and keep it a year in the vessel after it is clay'd up. . french bread. to half a peck of flour, put a full jill of new yeast, and a little salt, make it with new milk (warmer than from the cow) first put the flour and barm together, then pour in the milk, make it a little stiffer than a seed-cake, dust it and your hands well with flour, pull it in little pieces, and mould it with flour very quick; put it in the dishes, and cover them with a warm cloth (if the weather requires it) and let them rise till they are half up, then set them in the oven, (not in the dishes, but turn them with tops down upon the peel;) when baked rasp them. . _the fine_ rush cheese. take one quart of cream, and put to it a gallon of new milk, pretty warm, adding a good spoonful of earning; stir in a little salt, and set it before the fire till it be cum'd; then put it into a vat in a cloth; after a day and night turn it out of the vat into a rush box nine inches in length and five in breadth. the rushes must be wash'd every time the cheese is turn'd. finis. a bill of fare for every season of the year. for _january_. _first course_. at the top gravy soop. remove fish. at the bottom a ham. in the middle stew'd oysters or brawn. for the four corners. a fricassy of rabbits, scotch collops, boil'd chickens, calf foot pie, or oyster loaves. _second course_. at the top wild ducks. at the bottom a turkey. in the middle jellies or lemon posset. for the four corners. lobster and tarts, cream curds, stew'd pears or preserv'd quinces. for _february_. _first course_. at the top a soop remove. at the bottom salmon or stew'd breast of veal. for the four corners. a couple of fowls with oyster sauce, pudding, mutton cutlets, a fricassy of pig's ears. _second course_. at the top partridges. at the bottom a couple of ducks. for the four corners. stew'd apples, preserv'd quinces, custards, almond cheese cakes. in the middle jellies. for _march_. _first course_. at the top a boil'd turkey, with oyster sauce. at the bottom a couple of roast tongues or roast beef. in the middle pickles. two side-dishes, a pigeon pie and calf head hash. for the four corners. stew'd crab or oysters, hunters pudding, a brown fricassy, stew'd eels, or broil'd whitings. _second course_. at the top woodcocks or wild ducks. at the bottom pig or hare. in the middle jellies or sweetmeats. for the four corners. raspberry cream, tarts, stew'd apples, and preserv'd apricocks. for _april_. _first course_. at the top stew'd fillet of veal. at the bottom a roast leg of mutton. two side-dishes, salt fish and beef-steaks. in the middle a hunters pudding. _second course_. at the top roast chickens and asparagus. at the bottom ducks. in the middle preserv'd oranges. for the four corners. damasin pie, cream curds, lobster, and cold pot. for _may_. _first course_. at the top stew'd carp or tench. at the bottom a stew'd rump of beef. in the middle a sallet. for the four corners a fricassy of tripes, boil'd chickens, a pudding, olives of veal. _second course_. at the top rabbits or turkey pouts. at the bottom green goose or young ducks. for the four corners. lemon cream, quince cream, tarts, almond custards. in the middle jellies. for _june_. _first course_. at the top roast pike. at the bottom scotch collops. in the middle stew'd crab. for the four corners. boil'd chickens, quaking pudding, roast tongue, with venison sauce, beans and bacon. _second course_. at the top a turkey. at the bottom ducks or rabbits. in the middle strawberries. two side dishes, roast lobster and pease. for the four corners. green codlings, apricock custard, sweetmeat tarts, preserv'd damsins, or flummery. for _july_. _first course_. at the top green pease soop, remove stew'd breast of veal white. at the bottom a haunch of venison. in the middle a pudding. two side-dishes, a dish of fish, and a fricassy of rabbits. _second course_. at the top partridges or pheasants. at the bottom ducks or turkey. in the middle a dish of fruit. for the four corners. solomon gundie, lobster, tarts, chocolate cream. for _august_. _first course_. at the top fish. at the bottom venison pasty. in the middle herb dumplings. for the four corners. fricassy of rabbits, stew'd pigeons, boil'd chickens, fricassy of veal sweetbreads with artichoke bottoms. _second course_. at the top pheasants or partridges. at the bottom wild ducks or teal. in the middle jellies or syllabubs. for the four corners. preserv'd apricocks, almond cheese-cakes, custards, and sturgeon. for _september_. _first course_. at the top collar'd calf head, with stew'd pallets and veal sweetbreads, and forc'd meat-balls. at the bottom udder and tongue or a haunch of venison in the middle an ambler of cockles, or roast lobster. two side dishes, pigeon pie and boiled chickens. _second course_. at the top a roast pheasant. at the bottom a turkey. for the four corners. partridges, artichoke-bottoms fry'd, oyster loaves, and teal. for _october_. _first course_. at the top stew'd tench and cod's head. at the bottom roast pork or a goose. two side-dishes, roast fish, and boil'd fowl and bacon. for the four corners. jugg'd pigeons, mutton collops, beef rolls, and veal sweetbreads fricassy'd. in the middle minc'd pies or oyster loaves. _second course_. at the top wild fowl. at the bottom a hare. in the middle jellies. two side-dishes, roasted lobster and fry'd cream. for the four corners. preserv'd quinces, or stew'd pears, sturgeon, cold tongue, and orange cheese cakes. for _november_. _first course_. at the top a dish of fish. at the bottom a turkey pie. two side-dishes, scotch collops, and boil'd tongue with sprouts. in the middle scallop'd oysters. _second course_. at the top a dish of wild fowl. at the bottom roast lobster. in the middle lemon cream. for the four corners. tarts, curds, apricocks, and solomon gundie. for _december_. _first course_. at the bottom boil'd fowls. two side dishes, bacon and greens, and a dish of scotch collops. in the middle minc'd pies or pudding. _second course_. at the top a turkey. in the middle hot apple pie. for the four corners. custard, raspberry cream, cold pot and crabs. a supper for _january_. at the top a dish of plumb gruel. remove, boil'd fowls. at the bottom a dish of scotch collops. in the middle jellies. for the four corners. lobster, solomon-gundie, custard, tarts. for _february_. at the top a dish of fish. remove, a couple of roasted fowls. at the bottom wild ducks. for the four corners. collar'd pig, cheese cakes, stew'd apples and curds. in the middle hot minc'd pies. for _march_. at the top a sack posset. remove, a couple of ducks. at the bottom a boil'd turkey, with oyster sauce. in the middle lemon posset. two side-dishes, roasted lobster, oyster pie. for the four corners. almond custards, flummery, cheese-cakes, and stew'd apples. for _april_. at the top boiled chickens. at the bottom a breast of veal. in the middle jellies. for the four corners. orange pudding, custards, tarts, and stew'd oysters. for _may_. at the top a dish of fish. at the bottom lamb steakes or mutton. in the middle lemon cream or jellies. two side-dishes, tarts, raspberry cream. for the four corners. veal sweetbreads, stew'd spinage, with potched eggs and bacon, oysters in scallop'd shells, boiled chickens. for _june_. at the top boil'd chickens. at the bottom a tongue. in the middle lemon posset. for the four corners. cream curds or custards, potted ducks, tarts, lobsters, artichokes or pease. for _july_. at the top scotch collops. at the bottom roast chickens. in the middle stew'd mushrooms. for the four corners. custards, lobsters, split tongue, and solomon gundie. for _august_. at the top stewed breast of veal. at the bottom roast turkey. in the middle pickles or fruit. for the four corners. cheese cakes and flummery, preserved apricocks, preserved quinces. for _september_. at the top boil'd chickens. at the bottom a carbonated breast of mutton, with caper sauce. in the middle oysters in scallop shells, or stew'd oysters. two side dishes, hot apple pie and custard. for _october_. at the top rice gruel. remove, a couple of ducks. at the bottom a boil'd turkey with oyster sauce. in the middle jellies. for the four corners. lobster or crab, black caps, custard or cream, tarts or collar'd pig. for _november_. at the top fish. at the bottom ducks or teal. in the middle oyster loaves. remove, a dish of fruit. two side dishes, minc'd pies, mutton steaks, with mushrooms and balls. for _december_. at the top boil'd chickens. at the bottom a dish of scotch collops or veal cutlets. in the middle brawn. remove, tarts for the four corners. boil'd whitings or fry'd soles, new college puddings, tullouy sausages, scotch custard. [illustration: _a_ supper in _summer_. . boil'd chickens. . preserv'd oranges or apricocks. . flummery. . asparagus. . lemon posset. . roast lobster. . stew'd apples. . almond cheese cakes. . lamb.] [illustration: _a_ dinner in _summer_. . cod's head or salmon. . boil'd chickens. . a fine pudding or roasted lobster. . beans and bacon. . stew'd breast of veal.] [illustration: second course. . two young turkeys or ducklings. . stew'd apples. . custards. . jellies or lemon posset. . tarts. . preserv'd oysters. . green geese or young rabbits.] [illustration: _a_ dinner in _winter_. . a soop. . scotch collops. . boil'd chickens. . stew'd oysters or roasted lobster. . a hunters pudding. . roasted tongue. . a ham or roast beef. remove. fish.] [illustration: second course . a turkey. . almond cheesecakes. . sturgeon. . partridges. . jellies. . a hare or woodcocks. . collar'd cream. . cream curds. . ducks or pig.] [illustration: _a_ supper in _winter_. . gruel or sack posset. . tarts. . lobster. . jellies or lemon cream. . solomon gundie. . custards. . boil'd turkey with oyster sauce. remove. . wild duck.] [illustration: _a_ dinner in _summer_. . craw fish soop. . moor game. . a granade. . apples stew'd green. . boil'd partridge. . cherries. . stew'd sweetbreads, and pallets. . jellies or pine-apples. . roast teal. . apricocks. . artichokes. . sweet-meat tarts. . fry'd soals. . turkey pout roasted and larded. . a haunch of venison.] [illustration: _a_ grand table in _winter_. . vermicelly soop. . sweet patties. . a fricassy of beast patties. . stew'd crab. . olives of veal. . preserv'd damsins. . preserv'd oranges. . marinaded pigeons. . a boil'd turkey with oyster sauce. . cream curds. . a pyramid of dry'd sweetmeats. . flummery. . a ham. . a white fricassy of chickens. . preserv'd apricocks. . preserv'd quinces. . a brown fricassy of rabbits. . a fricassy of veal sweetmeats. . minc'd pies. . oyster loaves. . haunce of venison, or roast beef. remove. . carp with pheasant. remove. . grapes. remove. . collar'd beef. remove. . cheese-cakes. remove. . quails. remove. . teal. remove. . two roasted lobsters. remove. . woodcocks or partridges. remove. . artichokes or young peas. remove. . snipes. remove. . tarts. remove. . collar'd pig. remove. . fruit. remove. . wild ducks.] index. those mark'd [thus +] are in the supplement. _a almond posset to make ----cakes, do. ----cheese cakes do. + ----do another way ----puffs do. ----butter do. + ----do. another way ----flummery do + ----biskets amblet of cockles, do. apple dumplins, do. ----to stew ----another way artichoke bottoms to fry ----to fricassy + ----to dry apricock pudding to make + ----jumballs do. ----custard do. ----chips or peaches do. ----to preserve ----to make marmalade ----to dry ----do like prunella's ----to preserve green ----do. another way ale orange to make + ----bad into strong beer ----posset, to make asparagus, or green pease to keep. angelico, to candy b beef, brisket to stew ----rump, do. beef olives, to make ----rolls, do. ----rump, to ragoo ----collar'd to eat cold ----dutch to make ----to pot ----steaks to fry ----do. another way berries to bottle brain cakes to make black caps, to make brandy orange to make + ----lemon do. + lemon do. another way ----black cherry, do. ----raspberry, do. ----ratisie, do. + ----do. another way brockly, to boil beast kidneys, to roast beans kidneys to keep buttons mushrooms, to pickle barberries to keep instead of preserving + ----cakes + ----drops ----preserving ----to pickle ----to preserve for tarts ----to keep all the year barley sugar, to make + black paper to make for drawing patterns c cabbage, to pickle cake caraway to make + ----rich white plumb cake + cake + cake, ising for ----great, do. ----ising for it ----bisket, to make ----raspberry cakes cake portugal, do. ----orange, do. ----shrewsbury, do. + ----bath ----gingerbread, do. ----seed, do. ----queen, do. ----king, do. ----angelico, do. + ----oatmeal, do. ----breakfast, do. ----fine, do. ----to keep all the year ----plumb, do. ----little plumb, do. ----plumb another way ----do. ordinary calf's head collar'd to eat hot ----do. to eat cold ----hash'd ----do. white ----pye of, to make ----do. another way ----to ragoo ----to roast, to eat like pig ----feet to fricassy white ----to fry in butter ----do. in eggs ----to make minc'd pies of ----to make pie of ----jelly, to make ----flummery, do. + chars to pot catchup to make + ----walnut do. + ----fine do. cheese cakes do. ----lemon, do. ----common do. ----without currans do. cheese slipcoat, to make + ----fine rush ----bullies, do. ----cream, do. cherries, to preserve for drying ----to preserve ----to dry colliflower to pickle white ----another way chickens to fricassy white ----do brown ----surprize ----to boil + ----pie hot collops scotch, to make ----another way ----another way collops minc'd, to make cod's head, to dress ----zoons, do. cockles, to pickle cordial water of cowslips, to make cowslip syrup, do. cracknels, do. cream lemon, do. ----do. to make yellow ----do. another way ----orange ----quince ----any preserv'd fruit + cream burnt ----to fry to eat hot ----chocolate to make ----gooseberry, do. ----apple, do. ----curds, do. ----rice or almond do. cucumbers, to pickle ----another way ----to make mange of ----to make pickle for ----to stew ----to fry for mutton sauce ----soop to make curranberries, to pickle ----to preserve in bunches + ----to preserve whole ----to make jelly of custard almond ----sagoo ----scotch, to eat hot cyder, to make d damsins to preserve ----do. for tarts ----do. to keep ----do. bottle drops ratisie, to make ----lemon, do. ducks to boil ----to stew ----do. to stew whole dumplings herb, to make ----plain fruits ----apple e eels to collar ----to stew ----to pitchcock ----pie, to make eggs to fricassy white ----do. brown ----to stew in gravy ----pie, to make elder buds, to pickle ----to make pickle for f fowl, to force + ----feet fritters fruit to make ----apple, do. ----oatmeal, do. fruit to preserve green ----do. all the year french bread to make + another way g girkins, to pickle gilliflowers, do. + ginger to candy gingerbread white + ----york + ----in little tins ----red ----another way gooseberry cake ----to bottle ----to preserve ----do. red + granade + grapes to preserve all winter + ----another way gruel sagoo ----plumb ----rice goofer wafers to make h hams or tongues to salt hare, to stew ----to pot ----to jugg ----to roast with a pudding in the belly hedge hogs cupid, to make ----almond herrings to boil ----to fry ----to pickle ----to keep all the year hotch potch, to make j jam cherry to make ----bullies, do. ----damsins, do. + jelly brown + jelly curran jambals, do. ----another way l lamb leg of, boiled with loyn fry'd + larks in jelly lamb with chickens boil'd ----fricassy white ----fricassy brown lobster or crab to roast + ----a l'italienne ----to butter leatch, to make loaves oyster, do. m macaroons, to make mango of codlins + mellon, do. mead strong, do. ----another way + ----another way milk mull'd, a dish of mulberries, to preserve whole muscles, to pickle, mushrooms, to pot ----to stew ----to pickle ----another way ----another way ----to fry ----powder to make mutton stew'd fillet of ----shoulder forced ----breast to collar ----do. another way ----do. to carbonade mutton chine roasted, with sallery ----chops, to make ----leg forc'd ----french cutlets to make ----steads to fry ----artificial venison, to make ----leg of, to salt to eat like ham n neat's tongue pie, to make nasturtian buds to pickle o onions to pickle orange chips to preserve to put into glasses ----or lemons to preserve ----chips another way ----marmalade to make ----to preserve oranges whole + ----to candy whole ----tarts, to make oysters scotch to make ----to stew + ----to lard ----to fry ----to scallop ----to pickle + ox lips to dress p pallets stew'd pancakes, clare ----rice + partridges, to pot + do. another way parsnips to fry to look like trout + poverade, to make parsnips, another way paste to make for a standing pie ----for tarts ----do. another way ----do. do. ----for venison pasty ----of pippens, white ----of do. green ----of do. red patties savoury to make ----sweet pears to dry pears or pippens to dry without sugar pigeons to make a pulpatoon ----to stew ----to pot ----boil'd with fricassy sauce ----marmonaded ----to jugg ----to pickle ----to broil whole pig royal to make ----to collar ----ears to fricassy ----like lamb in winter ----head roll'd, to eat like brown pike to eat like sturgeon ----to stew ----to roast with a pudding in the belly plumbs to preserve plumb porridge to make pork to pickle posset sack to make ----another way ----to make froth for ----lemon potatoe crabs to pickle pudding black to make ----custard ----orange ----do. another way ----do. another way ----do. another way do. another way + ----lemon another way ----oatmeal do. + almond pudding + do. another way ----apple do. ----ground rice do. ----gooseberry do. ----collage do. ----potatoe + ----do. another way ----carrot + ----carrot another way ----quaking to make ----do. another way ----do. do. ----sagoo ----pearl barley ----calf's foot ----hunting + ----do another way ----liver ----for hare ----herb + ----white pot another way ----curd ----white in skins ----marrow ----bread ----colliflower punch milk, to make ----another way ----do. ----do. ----acid for to make purslain to pickle pie rich to make pie eel pie turbot-head ----herring ----orange ----ham ----woodcock ----sweet chicken ----savoury do. ----sweet veal ----candle for ----hare ----another way ----minc'd ----another way ----oyster ----codlim pickle for salmon q quidenny to make ----quinces to preserve ----do. another way ----cream to make ----to make white ----marmalade to make r rabbets to fricassy brown ----do. white ----pull'd ----dressed, to look like moor game raspberry and strawberry fool, to make s salmon, to collar + salmon en maigre ----to pot sprouts savry to boil ----cabbage, do. sauce for a rump of beef sauce for neck of veal ----for turkey ----for boil'd rabbits ----for pike sauce for boil'd salmon or turbot ----for haddock or cod ----for salmon or turbot ----for tame ducks ----for green goose ----another way ----for chickens ----for turkey, another way ----for tongues ----for cod's head ----for a cod's head another way ----for flesh or fish soop vermicelly ----hare ----green pease ----onion ----do. pease in winter ----do. in lent ----craw fish + ----white or almond ----scotch ----do without water sausages pollony to make + sheep rumps with rice + ----tongues broil'd shrimps to pickle shrub orange solomon gundie to eat in lent ----another way smelts to pot ----to pickle spinage stew'd with eggs spinage toasts to make sturgeon artificial to make ----how to order sturgeon how to make pickle for sugar to know when candy height syllabubs whip'd to make syrup of gilliflowers to make ----of mulberries ----of violets + ----of poppies stock to make for hartshorn jelly sack posset to make shell paste do. stuffing for beast kidney t tansey to make ----another way ----do. ----boil'd tarts marrow to make ----transparent ----sweetmeat toasts fry'd to make tongues to roast ----to pot ----sheep or hog, to broil tripes to fricassy ----to eat like chickens trout, or other fish to fry trench or carp to stew + mock turtle turkey to boil ----to roast ----to pot ----a-la daube v veal breast of, to brown ragoo ----do. berries ----to roll ----to stew ----to stew fillet ----breast of, to roll ----to make savoury ----to roast savoury + ----couley ----knuckles, to boil ----sweetbreads to fricassy ----cutlets to make ----another way ----do. venison to pot ----haunch of, to roast vinegar, to make of gooseberries ----another way ----do + ----do. w walnuts, to pickle green ----do. black ----to make pickle for ----do. white whigs to make wild fowl to pot wine elder to make ----do. flower ----gooseberry ----another way wine_ proofreading team, from scans from biblioteca de la universitat de barcelona the queene-like closet or rich cabinet [illustration] printed for rich: lownes white lion in duck layne neare west smithfield the queen-like closet or rich cabinet: stored with all manner of rare receipts for _preserving, candying and cookery_. very pleasant and beneficial to all ingenious persons of the female sex. by hannah wolley. the second edition. london printed for _richard lowndes_ at the _white lion_ in _duck-lane_, near _west-smithfield_, . to the truly vertuous and my much honoured friend mrs. _grace buzby_, daughter to the late _sr. henry cary_, knight banneret; and wife to mr. _robert buzby_, gentleman, and wollen draper of london _madam_, your kind and good acceptance of my endeavours in work for you, and that esteem you have for what else i can do, make me bold to present this book to you; which by that time you have perused, i doubt not but you will deem it worthy of the title it bears; and indeed it was never opened before: if it may yield you any delight or benefit, i shall be glad; for as you have a true love and esteem for me, so i have a very great love and honourable esteem for you; and shall always be _your most observant servant_, _hannah wolley._ to all ladies, gentlewomen, and to all other of the female sex who do delight in, or be desirous of good accomplishments. ladies and gentlewomen, _i presume those bookes which have passed from me formerly, have got me some little credit and esteem amongst you. but there being so much time past since they were printed, that methinks, i hear some of you say_ i wish mrs. _wolley_ would put forth some new experiments _and to say the truth, i have been importun'd by divers of my friends and acquaintance to do so._ _i shall not give an apish example every day or week to follow ridiculous and foolish fancies, nor could i be too like the_ spaniard, _always to keep in one dress: i am not ashamed, nor do i disown what i have already printed, but some of you being so perfect in your practises, and i very desirous still to serve you, do now present you with this_ queen-like closet: _i do assure you it is worthy of the title it bears, for the very precious things you will find in it._ _thus beseeching your kind acceptance of this book, and of my earnest desires to you, i take my leave, but shall always be to all who have esteem for me,_ their faithful and humble servant, hannah wolley. _ladies, i do here present you (yet) that which sure will well content a queen-like closet rich and brave (such) not many ladies have: or cabinet, in which doth set jems richer than in karkanet; (they) only eies and fancies please, these keep your bodies in good ease; they please the taste, also the eye; would i might be a stander by: yet rather i would wish to eat, since 'bout them i my brains do beat: and 'tis but reason you may say, if that i come within your way; i sit here sad while you are merry, eating dainties, drinking perry; but i'm content you should so feed, so i may have to serve my deed._ _hannah wolley._ these things following are sold by _richard lowndes_ book-seller, at the _white-lion_ in _duck-lane_ near _west-smithfield_. a cordial powder, which doth infallibly cure the _rickets_ in children, and causeth an easie production of teeth. dr. _lionel lockyer_'s universal pill, curing any disease curable by physick; it operates gently and safely, it being very amicable to nature in purifying the whole body throughout, and then subduing all diseases, whether internal or external, as hath been experimented by persons of all sorts and sexes, both young and old, with admirable success. mr. _matthew_ his diaphoretick and diuretick pill, purging by sweat and urine: this pill being composed of simples of a very powerful operation, purged from their churlish and malignant quality by an excellent balsam of long preparation, is by it made so amicable to nature, that it hath upon ample experience been found effectual for curing all common diseases. mr. _edmund buckworth's_ famous lozenges, for the cure of consumptions, catarrhs, asthma's, phtisick, and all other diseases incident to the lungs, colds new and old, hoarsness, shortness of breath, and stuffings of the stomach; also a sovereign antidote against the plague, and all other contagious diseases. the famous spirit of salt of the world, well known for a sovereign remedy against most diseases; truly and only prepared by _constantine rhodocanaces_, grecian, one of his majesties chymists. the queen-like closet, or rich cabinet. . _to make_ aqua mirabilis _a very delicate way._ take three pints of sack, three pints of white wine, one quart of the spirit of wine, one quart of the juice of celandine leaves, of melilot-flowers, cardamum-seeds, cubebs, galingale, nutmegs, cloves, mace, ginger, two drams of each; bruise them, and mix them with the wine and spirits, let it stand all night in the still, not an alembeck, but a common still, close stopped with rye paste; the next morning make a slow fire in the still, and all the while it is stilling, keep a wet cloth about the neck of the still, and put so much white sugar candy as you think fit into the glass where it drops. . _the plague-water which was most esteemed of in the late great visitation._ take three pints of muskadine, boil therein one handful of sage, and one handful of rue until a pint be wasted, then strain it out, and set it over the fire again. put thereto a penniworth of long pepper, half an ounce of ginger, and a quarter of an ounce of nutmegs, all beaten together, boil them together a little while close covered, then put to it one penniworth of mithridate, two penniworth of venice treacle, one quarter of a pint of hot angelica water. take one spoonful at a time, morning and evening always warm, if you be already diseased; if not, once a day is sufficient all the plague time. it is most excellent medicine, and never faileth, if taken before the heart be utterly mortified with the disease, it is also good for the small pox, measles, or surfets. . _a very soveraign water._ take one gallon of good claret wine, then take ginger, galingale, cinnamon, nutmegs, grains, cloves, anniseeds, fennel-seeds, caraway-seeds, of each one dram; then take sage, mint, red-rose leaves, thyme, pellitory of the wall, rosemary, wild thyme, camomile, lavander, of each one handful, bruise the spices small and beat the herbs, and put them into the wine, and so let stand twelve hours close covered, stirring it divers times, then still it in an alembeck, and keep the best water by it self, and so keep every water by it self; the first you may use for aged people, the other for younger. this most excellent water was from dr. _chambers_, which he kept secret till he had done many cures therewith; it comforteth the vital spirits; it helpeth the inward diseases that come of cold; the shaking of the palsie; it helpeth the conception of women that are barren; it killeth the worms within the body, helpeth the stone within the bladder; it cureth the cold, cough, and tooth-ach, and comforteth the stomach; it cureth the dropsie, and cleanseth the reins; it helpeth speedily the stinking breath; whosoever useth this water, it preserveth them in good health, and maketh seem young very long; for it comforteth nature very much; with this water dr. _chambers_ preserved his own life till extreme age would suffer him neither to go nor stand one whit, and he continued five years after all physicians judged he could not live; and he confessed that when he was sick at any time, he never used any other remedy but this water, and wished his friends when he lay upon his deth-bed to make use of it for the preservation of their health. . _to make spirit of mints._ take three pints of the best white wine, three handfuls of right spear mint picked clean from the stalks, let it steep in the wine one night covered, in the morning, put it into a copper alembeck, and draw it with a pretty quick fire; and when you have drawn it all, take all your water and add as much wine as before, and put to the water, and the same quantity of mint as before; let it steep two or three hours, then put all into your still, and draw it with a soft fire, put into your receiver a quantity of loaf sugar, and you will find it very excellent; you may distil it in an ordinary still if you please; but then it will not be so strong nor effectual. thus you may do with any other herbs whatsoever. . _to make the cordial orange-water._ take one dozen and a half of the highest coloured and thick rin'd oranges, slice them thin, and put them into two pints of malago sack, and one pint of the best brandy, of cinamon, nutmegs, ginger, cloves, and mace, of each one quarter of an ounce bruised, of spear-mint and balm one handful of each, put them into an ordinary still all night, pasted up with rye paste; the next day draw them with a slow fire, and keep a wet cloth upon the neck of the still; put in some loaf sugar into the glass where it dropeth. . _to make spirit of oranges or of limons._ take of the thickest rin'd oranges or limons, and chip off the rinds very thin, put these chips into a glass-bottle, and put in as many as the glass will hold, then put in as much malago sack as the glass will hold besides; stop the bottle close that no air get in, and when you use it, take about half a spoonful in a glass of sack; it is very good for the wind in the stomach. . _to make limon water._ take twelve of the fairest limons, slice them, and put them into two pints of white wine, and put to them of cinamon and galingale, of each, one quarter of an ounce, of red rose leaves, burrage and bugloss flowers, of each one handful, of yellow sanders one dram, steep all these together hours, then distil them gently in a glass still, put into the glass where it droppeth, three ounces of sugar, and one grain of amber-greece. . _a water for fainting of the heart._ take of bugloss water and red rose water, of each one pint, of red cows milk half a pint, anni-seed and cinamon of each half an ounce bruised, maiden hair two handfuls, harts-tongue one handful, bruise them, and mix all these together, and distil them in an ordinary still, drink of it morning and evening with a little sugar. . _to make rosemary water._ take a quart of sack or white wine with as many rosemary flowers as will make it very thick, two nutmegs, and two races of ginger sliced thin into it; let it infuse all night, then distil it in an ordinary still as your other waters. . _to make a most precious water._ take two quarts of brandy, of balm, of wood-betony, of pellitory of the wall, of sweet marjoram, of cowslip-flowers, rosemary-flowers, sage-flowers, marigold-flowers, of each of these one handful bruised together; then take one ounce of gromwell seeds, one ounce of sweet fennel seeds, one ounce of coriander seeds bruised, also half an ounce of aniseeds and half an ounce of caraway-seeds, half an ounce of juniper berries, half an ounce of bay berries, one ounce of green licoras, three nutmegs, one quarter of an ounce of large mace, one quarter of an ounce of cinamon, one quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of ginger, bruise all these well together, then add to them half a pound of raisons in the sun stoned, let all these steep together in the brandy nine days close stopped, then strain it out, and two grains of musk, two of amber-greece, one pound of refined sugar; stop the glass that no air get in, and keep it in a warm place. . _doctor_ butler's _treacle water._ take the roots of polipody of the oak bruised, _lignum vitæ_ thin sliced, the inward part thereof, saxifrage roots thin sliced, of the shavings of harts-horn, of each half a pound, of the outward part of yellow citron not preserved; one ounce and half bruised, mix these together; then take {fumitory water} {carduus-water } of each one of {camomile-water} ounce. {succory-water } of cedar wood one ounce, of cinamon three drams, of cloves three drams, bruise all your forenamed things; then take of epithimum two ounces and a half, of cerratch six ounces, of carduus and balm, of each two handfuls, of burrage flowers, bugloss flowers, gillyflowers, of each four ounces, of angelica root, elecampane root beaten to a pap, of each four ounces, of andronichus treacle and mithridate, of each four ounces; mix all these together, and incorporate them well, and grind them in a stone mortar, with part of the former liquor, and at last, mix all together, and let them stand warm hours close stopped, then put them all into a glass still, and sprinkle on the top of _species aromatica rosata_ and _diambre_, of the species of _diarodon abbatis_, _diatrion santalon_, of each six drams; then cover the still close, and lute it well, and distill the water with a soft fire, and keep it close. this will yield five pints of the best water, the rest will be smaller. . _the cordial cherry water._ take nine pounds of red cherries, nine pints of claret wine, eight ounces of cinamon, three ounces of nutmegs; bruise your spice, stone your cherries, and steep them in the wine, then add to them half a handful of rosemary, half a handful of balm, one quarter of a handful of sweet marjoram, let them steep in an earthen pot twenty four hours, and as you put them into the alembeck, to distil them, bruise them with your hands, and make a soft fire under them, and distil by degrees; you may mix the waters at your pleasure when you have drawn them all; when you have thus done, sweeten it with loaf-sugar, then strain it into another glass, and stop it close that no spirits go out; you may (if you please) hang a bag with musk and amber-greece in it, when you use it, mix it with syrrup of gilly-flowers or of violets, as you best like it; it is an excellent cordial for fainting fits, or a woman in travel, or for any one who is not well. . _a most excellent water for the stone, or for the wind-cholick._ take two handfuls of mead-parsly, otherwise called saxifrage, one handful of mother-thyme, two handfuls of perstons, two handfuls of philipendula, and as much pellitory of the wall, two ounces of sweet fennel seeds, the roots of ten radishes sliced, steep all these in a gallon of milk warm from the cow, then distil it in an ordinary still, and four hours after, slice half an ounce of the wood called saxifrage, and put into the bottle to the water, keep it close stopped, and take three spoonfuls at a time, and fast both from eating and drinking one hour after; you must make this water about midsummer; it is a very precious water, and ought to be prized. . _the cock water, most delicate and precious for restoring out of deep consumptions, and for preventing them, and for curing of agues, proved by my self and many others._ take a red cock, pluck him alive, then slit him down the back, and take out his intrals, cut him in quarters, and bruise him in a mortar, with his head, legs, heart, liver and gizard; put him into an ordinary still with a pottle of sack, and one quart of milk new from a red cow, one pound of blew currants beaten, one pound of raisins in the sun stoned and beaten, four ounces of dates stoned and beaten, two handfuls of peniroyal, two handfuls of pimpernel, or any other cooling herb, one handful of mother-thyme, one handful of rosemary one handful of burrage, one quart of red rose water, two ounces of harts-horn, two ounces of china root sliced, two ounces of ivory shaving, four ounces of the flower of french barley; put all these into your still and paste it up very well, and still it with a soft fire, put into the glass where it droppeth one pound of white sugar candy beaten very small, twelve peniworth of leaf-gold, seven grains of musk, eleven grains of amber-greece, seven grains of bezoar stone; when it is all distilled, mix all the waters together, and every morning fasting, and every evening when you go to bed, take four or five spoonfuls of it warm, for about a month together, this hath cured many when the doctors have given them over. . _walnut water, or the water of life._ take green walnuts in the beginning of _june_, beat them in a mortar, and distil them in an ordinary still, keep that water by it self, then about midsummer gather some more, and distil them as you did before, keep that also by it self, then take a quart of each and mix them together, and distil them in a glass still, and keep it for your use; the virtues are as followeth; it will help all manner of dropsies and palsies, drank with wine fasting; it is good for the eyes, if you put one drop therein; it helpeth conception in women if they drink thereof one spoonful at a time in a glass of wine once a day, and it will make your skin fair if you wash therewith; it is good for all infirmities of the body, and driveth out all corruption, and inward bruises; if it be drunk with wine moderately, it killeth worms in the body; whosoever drinketh much of it, shall live so long as nature shall continue in him. finally, if you have any wine that is turned, put in a little viol or glass full of it, and keep it close stopped, and within four days it will come to it self again. . _to make wormwood water._ take four ounces of aniseeds, four ounces of licoras scraped, bruise them well with two ounces of nutmegs, add to them one good handful of wormwood, one root of angelica, steep them in three gallons of sack lees and strong ale together twelve hours; then distill them in an alembeck, and keep it for your use. . _a very rare cordial water._ take one gallon of white wine, two ounces of mithridate, two ounces of cinamon, one handful of balm, a large handful of cowslips, two handfuls of rosemary flowers, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of nutmegs, all bruised, steep these together four days in an earthen pot, and covered very close, distil them in an ordinary still well pasted, and do it with a very slow fire; save the first water by it self, and the small by it self, to give to children; when you have occasion to use it, take a spoonful thereof, sweetned with loaf-sugar; this water is good to drive out any infection from the heart, and to comfort the spirits. . _another most excellent cordial._ take celandine, sage, costmary, rue, wormwood, mugwort, scordium, pimpernel, scabious, egrimony, betony, balm, carduus, centory, peniroyal, elecampane roots, tormentil with the roots, horehound, rosa solis, marigold flowers, angelica, dragon, marjoram, thyme, camomile, of each two good handfuls; licoras, zedoary, of each one ounce; slice the roots, shred the herbs, and steep them in four quarts of white wine, and let it stand close covered days, then distil it in an ordinary still pasted up; when you use it, sweeten it with fine sugar, and warm it. . _to make_ rosa solis. take a pottle of _aqua composita_, and put it into a glass, then a good handful of _rosa solis_ clean picked, but not washed, put it to the _aqua composita_, then take a pound of dates stoned and beaten small, half a peniworth of long pepper, as much of grains, and of round pepper, bruise them small, take also a pound of loaf-sugar well beaten, a quarter of a pound of powder of pearl, and six leaves of book gold; put all to the rest, and stir them well together in the glass, then cover it very close, and let it stand in the sun fourteen days, ever taking it in at night; then strain it, and put it into a close bottle; you must not put in the pearl, gold or sugar till it hath been sunned and strained, neither must you touch the leaves of the _rosa solis_ with your hands when you pick it; keep it very close. . _the heart water._ take five handfuls of rosemary flowers, two drams of red coral, two drams of powder of pearl, two drams of white amber, two drams of cinamon, two pound of the best prunes stoned, six pints of damask rose water, two pints of sack; put all these into a pipkin never used, stop it up with paste, let them stand upon a soft fire a little while, then distil it in an ordinary still pasted up. . _the plague water._ take rosemary, red balm, burrage, angelica, carduus, celandine, dragon, featherfew, wormwood, penyroyal, elecampane roots, mugwort, bural, tormentil, egrimony, sage, sorrel, of each of these one handful, weighed weight for weight; put all these in an earthen pot, with four quarts of white wine, cover them close, and let them stand eight or nine days in a cool cellar, then distil it in a glass still. . _the treacle water._ take one pound of old venice treacle, of the roots of elecampane, gentian, cyprus, tormentil, of each one ounce, of carduus and angelica, half an ounce, of burrage, bugloss, and of rosemary flowers one ounce of each; infuse these in three pints of white wine, one pint of spring water, two pints of red rose water; then distil them in an ordinary still pasted up. this is excellent for swounding fits or convulsions, and expelleth any venomous disease; it also cureth any sort of agues. . _the snail water excellent for consumptions._ take a peck of snails with the shells on their backs, have in a readiness a good fire of charcoal well kindled, make a hole in the midst of the fire, and cast your snails into the fire, renew your fire till the snails are well rosted, then rub them with a clean cloth, till you have rubbed off all the green which will come off. then bruise them in a mortar, shells and all, then take clary, celandine, burrage, scabious, bugloss, five leav'd grass, and if you find your self hot, put in some wood-sorrel, of every one of these one handful, with five tops of angelica. these herbs being all bruised in a mortar, put them in a sweet earthen pot with five quarts of white wine, and two quarts of ale, steep them all night; then put them into an alembeck, let the herbs be in the bottom of the pot, and the snails upon the herbs, and upon the snails put a pint of earth-worms slit and clean washed in white wine, and put upon them four ounces of anniseeds or fennel-seeds well bruised, and five great handfuls of rosemary flowers well picked, two or three races of turmerick thin sliced, harts-horn and ivory, of each four ounces, well steeped in a quart of white wine till it be like a jelly, then draw it forth with care. . _to make a rare sweet water._ take sweet marjoram, lavender, rosemary, muscovy, maudlin, balm, thyme, walnut leaves, damask roses, pinks, of all a like quantity, enough to fill your still, then take of the best orrice powder, damask rose powder, and storax, of each two ounces; strew one handful or two of your powders upon the herbs, then distil them with a soft fire; tie a little musk in a piece of lawn, and hang it in the glass wherein it drops, and when it is all drawn out, take your sweet cakes and mix them with the powders which are left, and lay among your clothes, or with sweet oyles, and burn them for perfume. . _a very good surfet water._ take what quantity of brandy you please, steep a good quantity of the flowers of red poppies therein, which grow amongst the wheat, having the black bottoms cut off, when they have been steeped long enough, strain them out, and put in new, and so do till the brandy be very red with them, and let it stand in the sun all the while they infuse, then put in nutmegs, cloves, ginger and cinamon, with some fine sugar, so much as you think fit, and keep it close stopped; this is very good for surfets, wind in the stomach, or any illness whatever. . _an excellent water for the stomach, or against infection._ take carduus, mint and wormwood, of each a like quantity, shred them small and put them into new milk, distil them in an ordinary still with a temperate fire; when you take any of it, sweeten it with sugar, or with any syrrup, what pleases you best; it is a very good water, though the ingredients are but mean. . _the melancholy water._ take of the flowers of gilliflowers, four handfuls, rosemary flowers three handfuls, damask rose leaves, burrage and bugloss flowers of each one handful, of balm leaves six handfuls, of marigold flowers one handful, of pinks six handfuls, of cinamon grosly beaten, half an ounce, two nutmegs beaten, anniseeds beaten one ounce, three peniworth of saffron; put them all into a pottle of sack, and let them stand two days, stirring them sometimes well together; then distil them in an ordinary still, and let it drop into a glass wherein there is two grains of musk, and eight ounces of white sugar candy, and some leaf-gold; take of this water three times a week fasting, two spoonfuls at a time, and ofter if you find need; distil with soft fire; this is good for women in child-bed if they are faint. . _to make the elder water, or spirit of_ sambucus. take some rye leaven, and break it small into some warm water, let it be a sowre one, for that is best; about two ounces or more: then take a bushel of elder berries beaten small, and put them into an earthen pot and mix them very well with the leaven, and let it stand one day near the fire; then put in a little yest, and stir it well together to make it rise, so let it stand ten days covered, and sometimes stir it; then distil it in an alembeck; keep the first water by it self, and so the second, and the third will be good vinegar, if afterward you colour it with some of the berries. distil it with a slow fire, and do not fill the still too full. this water is excellent for the stomach. . _to make the balm water green._ take any wine or lees of wine, or good strong beer or ale with the grounds, and stir them all together very well, lest the wine lees be too thick, and burn the bottom of the pot; put them into an alembeck with good store of balm unwashed, therein still these till you leave no other tast but fair water, and draw also some of that, draw two alembecks full more as you draw the first, until you have so much as will fill your alembeck, then put this distilled water into your alembeck again, and some more balm, if you draw a wine gallon, put to it half a pound of coriander seeds bruised, two ounces of cloves, one quarter of an ounce of nutmegs, and one quarter of an ounce of mace bruised all of them, then set a receiver of a gallon under it, and fill it with fresh and green balm unwashed, and your water will be as green as grass; put still more and more of the herbs fresh, and let it stand a week to make it the more green. take this green water, and put to it one quart of the best damask rosewater, and before you mix your balm-water and rose-water together, you must dissolve two pounds of fine sugar in the first distilled water, then take ambergreece and musk, of each eight grains, being ground fine, and put it into the glass in a piece of lawn; put also a little orange or limon pill to it, and keep it cool and from the air. . _to make the very best surfet-water._ take one gallon of the best french spirits, and a pint of damask-rose-water, half a pint of poppy water, one pound of white sugar candy bruised, then take one pound and half of raisins in the sun stoned, half a pound of dates stoned and sliced, then take one ounce of mace, one ounce of cloves, one ounce of cinamon, one ounce of aniseeds rubbed clean from the dust, then take a quarter of an ounce of licoras clean scraped and sliced, and all the spices grosly beaten, let all these steep in the spirits four days; then take a quarter of a peck of red poppy leaves fresh gathered, and the black part cut off, and put them in, and when it hath stood four or five days, strain it, and put it into your glass, then put in your sugar-candy finely beaten, twelve peniworth of ambergreece, six peniworth of musk, keep it close, and shake it now and then, and when you use it, you may put some kind of syrrup to it, what you please. . _to make the true palsie-water, as it was given by that once very famous physician doctor_ matthias. take lavender flowers stripped from the stalks, and fill a gallon-glass with them, and pour on them good spirit of sack, or perfect _aqua vitæ_ distilled from all flegm, let the quantity be five quarts, then circulate them for six weeks, very close with a bladder, that nothing may breath out; let them stand in a warm place, then distil them in an alembeck with his cooler, then put into the said water, of sage, rosemary, and wood-betony flowers; of each half a handful, of lilly of the valley, and burrage, bugloss, and cowslip flowers, one handful of each; steep these in spirit of wine, malmsie, or _aqua vitæ_, every one in their season, till all may be had; then put also to them of balm, motherwort, spike-flowers, bay leaves, the leaves of orange trees, with the flowers, if they may be had, of each one ounce, put them into the aforesaid distilled wine all together, and distil it as before, having first been steeped six weeks; when you have distilled it, put into it citron pill, dried piony seeds hull'd, of each five drams, of cinamon half an ounce, of nutmegs, cardamum seeds, cubebs, and yellow saunders, of each half an ounce, of lignum aloes one dram; make all these into powder, and put them into the distilled wine abovesaid, and put to them of cubebs anew, a good half pound of dates, the stones taken out, and cut them in small pieces, put all these in, and close your vessel well with a double bladder; let them digest six weeks, then strain it hard with a press, and filtrate the liquor, then put into it of prepared pearl, smaragdus, musk and saffron, of each half a scruple; and of ambergreece one scruple, red roses dried well, red and yellow saunders, of each one ounce, hang these in a sarsenet bag in the water, being well sewed that nothing go out. _the virtues of this water._ this water is of exceeding virtue in all swoundings and weaknesses of the heart, and decaying of spirits in all apoplexies and palsies, also in all pains of the joints coming of cold, for all bruises outwardly bathed and dipped clothes laid to; it strengtheneth and comforteth all animal, natural and viral spirits, and cheareth the external senses, strengtheneth the memory, restoreth lost speech, and lost appetite, all weakness of the stomach, being both taken inwardly, and bathed outwardly; it taketh away the giddiness of the head, helpeth lost hearing, it maketh a pleasant breath, helpeth all cold disposition of the liver, and a beginning dropsie; it helpeth all cold diseases of the mother; indeed none can express sufficiently; it is to be taken morning and evening, about half a spoonful with crums of bread and sugar. . _for a cough of the lungs, or any cough coming of cold, approved by many._ take a good handful of french barley, boil it in several waters till you see the water be clear, then take a quart of the last water, and boil in it sliced licoras, aniseeds bruised, of each as much as you can take up with your four fingers and your thumb, violet leaves, strawberry leaves, five fingered grass, maidenhair, of each half a handful, a few raisins in the sun stoned; boil these together till it come to a pint, then strain it, and take twelve or fourteen jordan almonds blanched and beaten, and when your water is almost cold, put in your almonds, and stir it together, and strain it; then sweeten it with white sugar candy; drink this at four times, in the morning fasting, and at four of the clock in the afternoon a little warmed; do this nine or ten days together; if you please, you may take a third draught when you go to bed; if you be bound in your body, put in a little syrrup of violets, the best way to take it, is to suck it through a straw, for that conveys it to the lungs the better. . _to make the best bisket-cakes._ take four new laid eggs, leave out two of the whites, beat them very well, then put in two spoonfuls of rose-water, and, beat them very well together, then put in a pound of double refin'd sugar beaten and searced, and beat them together one hour, then put to them one pound of fine flower, and still beat them together a good while; then put them upon plates rubbed over with butter, and set them into the oven as fast as you can, and have care you do not bake them too much. . _perfumed roses._ take damask rose buds, and cut off the whites, then take rose-water or orange-flower water wherein hath been steeped _benjamin_, _storax_, _lignum rhodium_, civet or musk, dip some cloves therein and stick into every bud one, you must stick them in where you cut away the whites; dry them between white papers, they will then fall asunder; this perfume will last seven years. or do thus. take your rose leaves cut from the whites, and sprinkle them with the aforesaid water, and put a little powder of cloves among them. . _to make tincture of caraways._ take one quart of the spirits of french wine, put into it one pound of caraway comfits which are purled, and the pills of two citron limons; let it stand in a warm place to infuse, in a glass close stopped for a month, stirring it every day once. then strain it from the seeds, and add to it as much rosewater as will make it of a pleasant taste, then hang in your bottle a little ambergreece, and put in some leaf-gold; this is a very fine cordial. . _to get away the signs of the small pox._ quench some lime in white rosewater, then shake it very well, and use it at your pleasure; when you at any time have washed with it, anoint your face with pomatum, made with spermaceti and oyl of sweet almonds. . _to make clouted cream._ take milk that was milked in the morning, and scald it at noon; it must have a reasonable fire under it, but not too rash, and when it is scalding hot, that you see little pimples begin to rise, take away the greatest part of the fire, then let it stand and harden a little while, then take it off, and let it stand until the next day, covered, then take it off with a skimmer. . _to make a_ devonshire-_white-pot._ take two quarts of new milk, a peny white loaf sliced very thin, then make the milk scalding hot, then put to it the bread, and break it, and strain it through a cullender, then put in four eggs, a little spice, sugar, raisins, and currans, and a little salt, and so bake it, but not too much, for then it will whey. . _to make the_ portugal _eggs._ take a very large dish with a broad brim, lay in it some _naples_ bisket in the form of a star, then put so much sack into the dish as you do think the biskets will drink up; then stick them full with thin little pieces of preserved orange, and green citron pill, and strew store of french comfits over them, of divers colours, then butter some eggs, and lay them here and there upon the biskets, then fill up the hollow places in the dish, with several coloured jellies, and round about the brim thereof lay lawrel leaves guilded with leaf-gold; lay them flaunting, and between the leaves several coloured jellies. . _to candy flowers the best way._ takes roses, violets, cowslips, or gilly-flowers, and pick them from the white bottoms, then have boiled to a candy height sugar, and put in so many flowers as the sugar will receive, and continually stir them with the back of a spoon, and when you see the sugar harden on the sides of the skillet, and on the spoon, take them off the fire, and keep them with stirring in the warm skillet, till you see them part, and the sugar as it were sifted upon them, then put them upon a paper while they are warm and rub them gently with your hands; till all the lumps be broken, then put them into a cullender, and sift them as clean as may be, then pour them upon a clean cloth, and shake them up and down till there be hardly any sugar hanging about them; then if you would have them look as though they were new gathered, have some help, and open them with your fingers before they be quite cold, and if any sugar hang about them, you may wipe it off with a fine cloth; to candy rosemary flowers, or archangel, you must pull out the string that stands up in the middle of the blossom, and take them which are not at all faded, and they will look as though they were new gathered, without opening. . _to pickle cucumbers._ take the least you can get, and lay a layer of cucumbers, and then a layer of beaten spices, dill, and bay leaves, and so do till you have filled your pot, and let the spices, dill, and bay leaves cover them, then fill up your pot with the best wine vinegar, and a little salt, and so keep them. sliced turneps also very thin, in some vinegar, pepper and a little salt, do make a very good sallad, but they will keep but six weeks. . _to make sugar cakes._ take a pound of fine sugar beaten and searced, with four ounces of the finest flower, put to it one pound of butter well washed with rose-water, and work them well together, then take the yolks of four eggs, and beat them with four spoonfuls of rosewater, in which hath been steeped two or three days before nutmeg and cinamon, then put thereto so much cream as will make it knead to a stiff paste, rowl it into thin cakes, and prick them, and lay them on plates, and bake them; you shall not need to butter your plates, for they will slip off of themselves, when they are cold. . _to make a very fine cream._ take a quart of cream, and put to it some rosewater and sugar, some large mace, cinamon and cloves; boil it together for a quarter of an hour, then take the yolks of eight eggs, beat them together with some of your cream, then put them into the cream which is boiling, keep it stirring lest it curdle, take it from the fire, and keep it stirring till it be a little cold, then run it through a strainer, dish it up, and let it stand one night, the next day it will be as stiff as a custard, then stick it with blanched almonds, citron pill and eringo roots, and so serve it in. . _to make syrup of turneps for a consumption._ take half a peck of turneps washed and pared clean, cut them thin, put to them one pound of raisins of the sun stoned, one quarter of a pound of figs cut small, one ounce of anniseeds bruised, half an ounce of licoras sliced, one ounce of cloves bruised, two handfuls of burrage flowers, and so much water as will cover all, and two fingers breadth above them, then boil it on a great fire in an earthen vessel covered, untill the roots be soft and tender, then strain out the liquor, and to every pint of it put a pound of fine sugar, the whites of two eggs beaten, boil it to a syrrop, and use it often, two or three spoonfuls at a time. . _for a consumption._ take a pint of red cows milk, then take the yolk of a new laid egg potched very rare, then stir it into the milk over a soft fire, but do not let it boil, sweeten it with a little sugar candy, and drink it in the morning fasting, and when you go to bed. . _to make bottle ale for a consumption._ take a quart of ale, and a pint of strong _aqua vitæ_, mace and cinamon, of each one quarter of an ounce, two spoonfuls of the powder elecampane root, one quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, one quarter of a pound of raisins of the sun stoned, four spoonfuls of aniseeds beaten to powder, then put all together into a bottle and stop it close. take three spoonfuls of this in a morning fasting, and again one hour before supper and shake the bottle when you pour it out. . _to make cakes of quinces._ take the best you can get, and pare them, and slice them thin from the core, then put them into a gallipot close stopped, and tie it down with a cloth, and put it into a kettle of boiling water, so that it may stand steddy about five hours, and as your water boils away in the kettle, fill it up with more warm water, then pour your quinces into a fine hair sieve, and let it drain all the liquor into a bason, then take this liquor and weigh it, and to every pound take a pound of double refin'd sugar, boil this sugar to a candy height, then put in your liquor, and set them over a slow fire, and stir them continually till you see it will jelly, but do not let it boil; then put it into glasses, and set them in a stove till you see them with a candy on the top, then turn them out with a wet knife on the other side upon a white paper, sleeked over with a sleek-stone, and set them in the stove again till the other side be dry, and then keep them in a dry place. . _to make marmalade of apricocks._ take apricocks, pare them and cut them in quarters, and to every pound of apricocks put a pound of fine sugar, then put your apricocks into a skillet with half of the sugar, and let them boil very tender and gently, and bruise them with the back of a spoon, till they be like pap, then take the other part of the sugar, and boil it to a candy height, then put your apricocks into that sugar, and keep it stirring over the fire, till all the sugar be melted, but do not let it boil, then take it from the fire, and stir it till it be almost cold; then put it in glasses, and let it have the air of the fire to dry it. . _to make limon cakes._ take half a pound of refin'd sugar, put to it two spoonfuls of rosewater, as much orange flower water, and as much of fair water, boil it to a candy height, then put in the rind of a limon grated, and a little juice, stir it well on the fire, and drop it on plates or sleeked paper. . _to make wafers._ take a quart of flower heaped and put to it the yolks of four eggs, and two or three spoonfuls of rosewater, mingle this well together, then make it like batter with cream and a little sugar, and bake it on irons very thin poured on. . _to make marmalade of cherries with currans._ take four pounds of cherries when they are stoned, and boil them alone in their liquor for half an hour very fast, then pour away the liquor from them, and put to them half a pint and little more of the juice of currans, then boil a pound of double refin'd sugar to a candy height, and put your cherries and juice of currans in that, and boil them again very fast till you find it to jelly very well. . _to preserve rasberries._ take the weight of your rasberries in fine sugar, and take some rasberries and bruise them a little; then take the clearest of the bruised rasberries, i mean the juice and the weight of it in sugar, and your other sugar named before, and boil it, and scum it, then put in your whole rasberries, and boil them up once, then let them stand over the fire without boiling till you see it will jelly, and that it look clear, then take up your rasberries one by one, and put them into glasses, then boil your syrrop, and put it over them. . _to make syrrop of ale, good for weak people to take inwardly, or to heal old sores, applied thereto._ take two gallons of ale wort, the strongest you can get, so soon as it is run from the grounds, set it on the fire in a pipkin, and let it boil gently and that you do perceive it to be as though it were full of rags; run it through a strainer, and set it on the fire again, and let it boil until it be thick, and scum it clean, and when it is much wasted, put it into a lesser pan to boil, or else it will burn; when it is thick enough, take it off, and when it is cold, put it into gallipots, take as much as a walnut fasting; and as much when you go to bed. . _to make whipt sillibub._ take half a pint of rhenish wine or white wine, put it into a pint of cream, with the whites of three eggs, season it with sugar, and beat it as you do snow-cream, with birchen rods, and take off the froth as it ariseth, and put it into your pot, so do till it be beaten to a froth, let it stand two or three hours till it do settle, and then it will eat finely. . _to make raisin wine or stepony._ take four gallons of spring-water, four pounds of raisins of the sun stoned, the juice of four good limons, and the rind of two cut thin, boil the raisins, and pill in the water for half an hour or more, then put in the juice of limon, and a little spice, sugar and rosewater, and let it stand but a little more over the fire; then put it into an earthen pot, and beat it together till it be cold, then bottle it up, it will keep but a few days. _memorandum_, two pounds of sugar to one pound of cowslips is enough for conserve. . _to boil samphire._ take water and salt so strong as will bear an egg, boil it, and when it boils, put in your samphire unwashed, and let it scald a little, then take it off, and cover it so close that no air can get in, and set the pot upon a cold wisp of hay, and so let it stand all night, and it will be very green, then put it up for your use. . _to make cabbage cream._ take twenty five quarts of new milk, set it on the fire till it be ready to boil, stir it all the while that it creams not, then pour it into twenty several platters so fast as you can, when it is cold, take off the cream with a skimmer, and lay it on a pie plate in the fashion of a cabbage, crumpled one upon another, do thus three times, and between every layer you must mingle rosewater and sugar mingled thick, and laid on with a feather; some use to take a little cream and boil it with ginger, then take it from the fire and season it with rosewater and sugar, and the juice of jordan almonds blanched and beaten, then stir it till it be cold, that it cream not; then take toasts of manchet cut thin, not too hard, nor brown, lay them in the bottom of the dish, and pour the cream upon them, and lay the cabbage over. . _to make a trifle._ take sweet cream, season it with rosewater and sugar, and a little whole mace, let it boil a while, then take it off, and let it cool, and when it is lukewarm put it into such little dishes or bowls as you mean to serve it in; then put in a little runnet, and stir it together; when you serve it in, strew on some french comfits. . _to make thick cream._ take sweet cream, a little flower finely searced, large mace, a stick of cinamon, sugar and rosewater, let all these boil together till it be thick, then put into it thick cream, the yolks of eggs beaten, then let it seeth but a little while for fear of turning, then pour it out, and when it is cold serve it in. . _to pickle purslan to keep all the year._ take the leaves from the stalks, then take the pot you mean to keep them in, and strew salt over the bottom, then lay in a good row of the leaves, and strew on more salt, then lay in a row of the stalks, and put in more salt, then a row of the leaves, so keep it close covered. . _to stretch sheeps guts._ after they are clean scowred, lay them in water nine days, shifting them once a day, and they will be very easie to fill, and when they are filled, they will come to their wonted bigness. . _to make cream of pastes and jellies._ put eggs into the cream as you do for fool, and slice your sweet-meats very thin and boil with them, then sweeten it, and put it into a dish. . _to make a rare medicine for the chine-cough._ make a syrrop of hysop-water and white sugar candy, then take the powder of gum dragon, and as much of white sugar candy mixed together, and eat of it several times of the day, or take the above-named syrrop, either of them will do the cure. . _for a consumption._ take of syrrop of violets, syrrop of horehound, syrrop of maidenhair and conserve of fox lungs, of each one ounce, mix them well together, and take it often upon a liquoras stick in the day time, and at night. . _to make very rare ale._ when your ale is tunned into a vessel that will hold eight or nine gallons, and that hath done working, ready to be stopped up, then take a pound and half of raisins of the sun stoned and cut in pieces, and two great oranges, meat and rind, and sliced thin, with the rind of one limon, and a few cloves, one ounce of coriander seeds bruised, put all these in a bag, and hang them in the vessel, and stop it up close; when it hath stood four days, bottle it up, fill the bottles but a little above the neck, and put into every one a lump of fine sugar, and stop them close, and let it be three weeks or a month before you drink it. . _to make ale to drink within a week._ tun it into a vessel which will hold eight gallons, and when it hath done working, ready to bottle, put in some ginger sliced, and an orange stuck with cloves, and cut here and there with a knife, and a pound and half of sugar, and with a stick stir it well together, and it will work afresh; when it hath done working, stop it close, and let it stand till it be clear, then bottle it up and put a lump of sugar into every bottle, and then stop it close, and knock down the corks, and turn the bottles the bottoms upwards, and it will be fit to drink in a weeks time. . _for the griping in the guts._ take a peniworth of brandy, and a peniworth of mithridate mixed together, and drink it three nights together when you go to rest, or take a little oil of aniseeds in a glass of sack three times. . _to make a sack posset._ take twelve eggs beaten very well, and put to them a pint of sack, stir them well that they curd not, then put to them three pints of cream, half a pound of white sugar, stirring them well together, when they are hot over the fire, put them into a bason, and set the bason over a boiling pot of water, until the posset be like a custard, then take it off, and when it is cool enough to eat, serve it in with beaten spice strewed over it very thick. . _to make pennado._ take oatmeal clean picked and well beaten, steep it in water all night, then strain it and boil it in a pipkin with some currans, and a blade or two of mace, and a little salt; when it is well boiled, take it off, and put in the yolks of two or three new laid eggs beaten with rosewater, then set it on a soft fire, and stir it that it curd not, then sweeten it with sugar, and put in a little nutmeg. . _to make cakes without fruit._ take four pounds of fine flower, rub into it one pound of butter very well, then take warmed cream, and temper it with ale yest, so mix them together, and make them into a paste, put in a little rosewater, and several spices well beaten, let it lie by the fire till the oven heat, and when you make it up, knead into it half a pound of caraway comfits, and three quarters of a pound of bisket-comfits, make it up as fast as you can, not too thick, nor cut it too deep, put it into a hoop well butter'd, and wash it over with the white of an egg, rosewater, and sugar, and strew it with some comfits; do not bake it too much. . _a sack posset without milk._ take thirteen eggs and beat them very well, and while they are beating, take a quart of sack, half a pound of fine sugar, and a pint of ale, and let them boil a very little while, then put these eggs to them, and stir them till they be hot, then take it from the fire, and keep it stirring a while, then put it into a fit bason, and cover it close with a dish, then set it over the fire again till it arise to a curd; then serve it in with some beaten spice. . _a very fine cordial._ one ounce of syrrop of gilly-flowers, one dram of confection of alkermes, one ounce and a half of burrage-water, the like of mint-water, one ounce of dr. _mountsford's_ water, as much of cinamon water mixed together. . _the best way to preserve goosberries green and whole._ pick them clean and put them into water as warm as milk, so let them stand close covered half an hour, then put them into another warm water and let them stand as long, and so the third time, till you find them very green; then take their weight in fine sugar, and make a syrrop, then put them in, and let them boil softly one hour; then set them by till the next day, then heat them again, so do twice, then take them from that syrrop and make a new syrrop and boil them therein, till you find they be enough. . _to make the orange pudding._ take the rind of a small one pared very thin, and boiled in several waters, and beaten very fine in a mortar, then put to it four ounces of fine sugar, and four ounces of fresh butter, and the yolks of six eggs, and a little salt, beat it together in the mortar till the oven heats, and so butter a dish and bake it, but not too much; strew sugar on it and serve it to the table, bake it in puff-past. . _to make french bread._ take half a bushel of fine flower, ten eggs, one pound and a half of fresh butter, then put in as much yest as you do into manchet, temper it with new milk pretty hot, and let it lie half an hour to rise, then make it into loaves or rolls, and wash it over with an egg beaten with milk; let not your oven be too hot. . _to make a made dish._ take four ounces of sweet almonds blanched, and beaten with rosewater, strain them into some cream, then take artichoke bottoms boiled tender, and some boiled marrow, then boil a quart of cream with some rosewater and sugar to some thickness, then take it off, and lay your artichokes into a dish, and lay the marrow on them, then mix your almond cream, and the other together, and poure it over them, and set it on coals till you serve it in. . _to make a cake with almonds._ take one pound and half of fine flower, of sugar twelve ounces beaten very fine, mingle them well together, then take half a pound of almonds blanched, and beaten with rosewater, mingle all these with as much sack as will work it into a paste, put in some spice, some yest, and some plumped currans with some butter, and a little salt, to make it into a cake and bake it. . _to make a sillibub._ take a limon pared and sliced very thin, then cover the bottom of your sillibub pot with it, then strew it thick with fine sugar, then take sack or white wine, and make a curd with some milk or cream, and lay it on the limon with a spoon, then whip some cream and whites of eggs together, sweetened a little, and cast the froth thereof upon your sillibub, when you lay in your curd, you must lay sugar between every lay. . _to make fine water-gruel._ take the best oatmeal beaten, and steep it in water all night, the next day strain it, and boil it with a blade of mace, and when it is enough, put in some raisins and currans which have been infused in a pot (in a pot of seething water) and a little wine, a little salt, a little sugar, and so eat it. . _to make limon cream._ take a quart of cream, keep it stirring on the fire until it be blood warm, then take the meat of three limons sweetened well with sugar, and a little orange flower water, sweeten them so well that they may not turn the cream, then stir them into the cream, on the fire with some yolks of eggs, and serve it cold; limon posset thickned with yolks of eggs, makes a fine cawdle for a sick body. . _to make rare cakes with almonds._ take two pounds and an half of blanched almonds beaten fine with rosewater, mix them with a pound and three quarters of fine sugar and some musk, and ambergreece, six whites of eggs beaten to a froth, let them stand a little, then set them on a chafing-dish of coals, and dry them a little, stirring them all the while, then take half a peck of flower, put into it a little salt, three pints of ale-yest, have in readiness your cream lukewarm, strain your yest, and put into it six spoonfuls of sack, put in spice into your flower, and make all these into a stiff paste with the cream, work it well and lay it by the fire to rise one hour, then work into your paste two pounds and a quarter of fresh butter; pull your paste in pieces three times, then strew in a pound of caraway comfits, and make this paste into five cakes, lay them upon buttered plates or double papers, then strew caraway comfits on the top and double refined sugar; one hour will bake them sufficiently. . _to make_ shrewsbury _cakes._ take four pounds of flower, two pounds of butter, one pound and an half of fine sugar, four eggs, a little beaten cinamon, a little rosewater, make a hole in the flower, and put the eggs into it when they are beaten, then mix the butter, sugar, cinamon, and rosewater together, and then mix them with the eggs and flower, then make them into thin round cakes, and put them into an oven after the houshold bread is drawn; this quantity will make three dozen of cakes. . _to make goosberry wine._ bruise ripe goosberries with an apple-beater, but do not beat them too small, then strain them through a hair strainer, and put your juice into an earthen pot, keep it covered four or five days till it be clear, then draw it out into another vessel, letting it run into a hair sieve, stop it close, and let it stand one fortnight, then draw it out into quart bottles, putting one pound of sugar into eight bottles, stop them up close, and in a week or fortnights time you may drink them. . _to make damson wine._ take four gallons of water and put to every gallon of water four pounds of malaga raisins, and half a peck of damsons. put the raisins and damsons into a vessel without a head, cover the vessel and let them steep six days, stirring them twice every day; then let them stand as long without stirring, then draw the wine out of the vessel, and colour it with the infused juice of damsons sweetened with sugar, till it be like claret wine, then put it into a wine-vessel for a fortnight, and then bottle it up. . _to pickle cucumbers the very best way._ take those you mean to pickle, and lay them in water and salt three or four days, then take a good many great cucumbers, and cut the outsides of them into water, for the insides will be too pappy, boil them in that water, with dill seeds and fennel seeds, and when it is cold, put to it some salt, and as much of vinegar as will make it a strong pickle, then take them out of the water and salt, and pour this liquor over them, so let them stand close covered for a fortnight or three weeks. then pour the pickle from them and boil it, and when it is cold add to it some more vinegar, and put it to them again, so let them stand one month longer, and now and then when you see occasion, boil it again, and when it is cold, put it to them, and every time you boil it, put some vinegar thereto, and lay the seeds and pieces of cucumbers on the top, and after the first fortnight when you boil it, put in some whole pepper and some whole cloves and mace, and always put the liquor cold over them. . _to make the best orange marmalade._ take the rinds of the deepest coloured oranges, boil them in several waters till they are very tender, then mince them small, and to one pound of oranges, take a pound of pippins cut small, one pound of the finest sugar, and one pint of spring-water, melt your sugar in the water over the fire, and scum it, then put in your pippins, and boil them till they are very clear, then put in the orange rind, and boil them together, till you find by cooling a little of it, that it will jelly very well, then put in the juice of two oranges, and one limmon, and boil it a little longer; and then put it up in gally-pots. . _to preserve white quinces._ take the fairest you can get, and coddle them very tender, so that a straw may go through to the core, then core them with a scoop or small knife, then pare them neatly, and weigh them, to every pound of quinces, take one pound of double refined sugar, and a pint of the water wherein thin slices of pippins have been boiled; for that is of a jellying quality, put your sugar to the pippin water, and make a sirrup, and scum it, then put in your quinces, and boil them very quick, and that will keep them whole and white, take them from the fire sometimes and shake them gently, keep them clean scummed, when you perceive them to be very clear, put them into gally-pots or glasses, then warm the jelly and put it to them. . _to make conserve of red roses._ take their buds and clip off the whites, then take three times their weight in sugar double refin'd; beat the roses well in a mortar, then put in the sugar by little and little, and when you find it well incorporated, put it into gally-pots, and cover it with sugar, and so it will keep seven years. . _to make plain bisket-cakes._ take a pottle of flower, and put to it half a pound of fine sugar, half an ounce of caraway seeds, half an ounce of anniseeds, six spoonfuls of yest, then boil a pint of water or little more, put into it a quarter of a pound of butter or a little more, let it stand till it be cold, then temper them together till it be as thick as manchet, then let it lie a while to rise, so roul them out very thin, and prick them, and bake them in an oven not too hot. . _to make green paste of pippins._ take your pippins while they be green, and coddle them tender, then peel them, and put them into a fresh warm water, and cover them close, till they are as green as you desire. then take the pulp from the core, and beat it very fine in a mortar, then take the weight in sugar, and wet it with water, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your pulp, and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the skillet, then make it into what form you please, and keep them in a stove. . _to make paste of any plumbs._ take your plumbs, and put them into a pot, cover them close, and set them into a pot of seething water, and so let them be till they be tender, then pour forth their liquor, and strain the pulp through a canvas strainer, then take to half a pound of the pulp of plumbs half a pound of the pulp of pippins, beat them together, and take their weight in fine sugar, with as much water as will wet it, and boil it to a candy height; then put in your pulp, and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the posnet, then dust your plates with searced sugar, and so keep them in a stove to dry. . _to make almond ginger-bread._ take a little gum-dragon and lay it in steep in rosewater all night, then take half a pound of jordan almonds blanched and beaten with some of that rosewater, then take half a pound of fine sugar beaten and searced, of ginger and cinamon finely searced, so much as by your taste you may judge to be fit; beat all these together into a paste, and dry it in a warm oven or stove. . _to make snow cream._ take a pint of cream, and the whites of three eggs, one spoonful or two of rosewater, whip it to a froth with a birchen rod, then cast it off the rod into a dish, in the which you have first fastened half a manchet with some butter on the bottom, and a long rosemary sprig in the middle; when you have all cast the snow on the dish, then garnish it with several sorts of sweet-meats. . _to preserve oranges and limons that they shall have a rock candy on them in the syrrup._ take the fairest and cut them in halves, or if you will do them whole, then cut a little hole in the bottom, so that you may take out all the meat, lay them in water nine days, shifting them twice every day, then boil them in several waters, till a straw will run through them, then take to every pound of orange or limon one pound of fine sugar, and one quart of water, make your syrrup, and let your oranges or limons boil a while in it, then let them stand five or six days in that syrrup, then to every pound, put one pound more of sugar into your syrrup, and boil your oranges till they be very clear, then take your oranges out, and boil your syrrup almost to candy, and put to them. . _to make sugar plate._ take a little gum-dragon laid in steep in rosewater till it be like starch, then beat it in a mortar with some searced sugar till it come to a perfect paste, then mould it with sugar, and make it into what form you please, and colour some of them, lay them in a warm place, and they will dry of themselves. . _to make artificial walnuts._ take some of your sugar plate, print it in a mould fit for a walnut kernel, yellow it over with a little saffron, then take searced cinamon and sugar, as much of the one as the other, work it in paste with some rosewater, wherein gum dragon hath been steeped, and print it in a mould for a walnut shell, and when they are dry, close them together over the shell with a little of the gum water. . _to make short cakes._ take a pint of ale yest, and a pound and half of fresh butter, melt your butter, and let it cool a little, then take as much fine flower as you think will serve, mingle it with the butter and yest, and as much rosewater and sugar as you think fit, and if you please, some caraway comfits, so bake it in little cakes; they will last good half a year. . _to preserve red roses, which is as good and effectual as any conserve, and made with less trouble._ take red rose buds clipped clean from their whites one pound, put them into a skillet with four quarts of water, wine measure, then let them boil very fast till three quarts be boiled away, then put in three pounds of fine sugar, and let it boil till it begins to be thick, then put in the juice of a limon, and boil it a little longer, and when it is almost cold, put it into gally-pots, and strew them over with searced sugar, and so keep them so long as you please, the longer the better. . _a fine cordial infusion._ take the flesh of a cock chick cut in small pieces, and put into a glass with a wide mouth, put to it one ounce of harts-horn, half an ounce of red coral prepared, with a little large mace, and a slice or two of limon, and two ounces of white sugar-candy, stop the glass close with a cork, and set it into a vessel of seething water, and stuff it round with hay that it jog not; when you find it to be enough, give the sick party two spoonfuls at a time. . _for a cough of the lungs._ take two ounces of oil of sweet almonds newly drawn, three spoonfuls of colts-foot water, two spoonfuls of red rose-water, two ounces of white sugar-candy finely beaten; mingle all these together, and beat it one hour with a spoon, till it be very white; then take it often upon a licoras stick. this is very good. . _to preserve grapes._ take your fairest white grapes and pick them from the stalks, then stone them carefully, and save the juice, then take a pound of grapes, a pound of fine sugar, and a pint of water wherein sliced pippins have been boiled, strain that water, and with your sugar and that make a syrup, when it is well scummed put in your grapes, and boil them very fast, and when you see they are as clear as glass, and that the syrup will jelly, put them into glasses. . _to make collops of bacon in sweet-meats._ take some marchpane paste, and the weight thereof in fine sugar beaten and searsed, boil them on the fire, and keep them stirring for fear they burn, so do till you find it will come from the bottom of the posnet, then mould it with fine sugar like a paste, and colour some of it with beaten cinnamon, and put in a little ginger, then roll it broad and thin, and lay one upon another till you think it be of a fit thickness and cut it in collops and dry it in an oven. . _to make violet cakes._ take them clipped clean from the whites and their weight in fine sugar, wet your sugar in fair water, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your violets, and stir them well together, with a few drops of a limon, then pour them upon a wet pye-plate, or on a slicked paper, and cut them in what form you please; do not let them boil, for that will spoil the colour: thus you may do with any herb or flower, or with any orange or limon pill, and, if you like it, put in a little musk or ambergreece. . _to preserve white damsons._ take to every pound one pound of fine sugar and a quarter of a pint of fair water, make your syrup and scum it well, then take it from the fire, and when it is almost cold put in your damsons, and let them scald a little, then take them off a while, and then set them on again; when you perceive them to be very clear, put them into pots or glasses. . _to make a very good cake._ take a peck of flower, four pound of currans well washed, dryed and picked, four pounds of butter, one pound of sugar, one ounce of cinnamon, one ounce of nutmegs, beat the spice and lay it all night in rosewater, the next day strain it out, then take one pint and an half of good ale-yest the yolks of eggs, a pint of cream, put a pound of the butter into the warmed cream, put the rest into the flower in pieces, then wet your flower with your cream, and put in your currans, and a little salt, and four or five spoonfuls of caraway-comfits and your spice, mix them all and the yest well together, and let it lie one hour to rise, then make it up and bake it in a pan buttered: it may stand two hours. . _to make paste royal._ take quince marmalade almost cold, and mould it up with searced sugar to a paste, them make it into what form you please and dry them in a stove. . _to make paste of pippins coloured with barberries._ take the pulp of codled pippins, and as much of the juice of barberries as will colour it, then take the weight of it in fine sugar, boil it to a candy height, with a little water, then put in your pulp beaten very well in a mortar, boil it till it come from the bottom of the posnet, then dust your plate with sugar, and drop them thereon, and dry them in a stove or warm oven. . _to preserve barberries._ take one pound of stoned barberries and twice their weight in fine sugar, then strip two or three handfuls of barberries from their stalks, and put them into a dish with as much sugar as barberries, over a chafing dish of coals, when you see they are well plumped, strain them, then wet your other sugar with this, and no water, boil it and scum it, and then put in your stoned barberries, and boil them till they are very clear. . _to make jelly of currans or of any other fruit._ take your fruit clean picked from the stalks, and put them into a long gally-pot, and set it into a kettle of water close covered; keep the water boiling till you find the fruit be well infused, then pour out the clearest, and take the weight of it in fine sugar, wet your sugar with water, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your clear liquor, and keep it stirring over a slow fire till you see it will jelly, but do not let it boil; the pulp which is left of the liquor, you may make paste of if you please, as you do the pippin paste before named. . _to make a goosberry fool._ take a pint and an half of goosberries clean picked from the stalks, put them into a skillet with a pint and half of fair water, scald them till they be very tender, then bruise them well in the water, and boil them with a pound and half of fine sugar till it be of a good thickness, then put to it the yolks of six eggs and a pint of cream, with a nutmeg quartered, stir these well together till you think they be enough, over a slow fire, and put it into a dish, and when it is cold, eat it. . _to make perfumed lozenges._ take twelve grains of ambergreece, and six grains of musk, and beat it with some sugar plate spoken of before, then roule it out in thin cakes, and make them into what form you please, you may make them round like a sugar plumb, and put a coriander seed in each of them, and so they will be fine comfits, and you may make them into lozenges to perfume wine with. . _to candy eryngo roots._ take the roots new gathered, without knots or joints, wash them clean, and boil them in several waters till they are very tender, then wash them well, and dry them in a cloth, slit them, and take out the pith, and braid them in braids as you would a womans hair, or else twist them, then take twice their weight in fine sugar, take half that sugar, and to every pound of sugar, one quarter of a pint of rosewater and as much fair water, make a syrup of it, and put in your roots and boil them, and when they are very clear, wet the rest of the sugar with rosewater, and boil it to a candy height, then put in the roots and boil them, and shake them, and when they be enough, take them off, and shake them till they are cold and dry, then lay them upon dishes or plates till they are throughly dry, and then put them up; thus you may do orange or limon, or citron pill, or potato roots. . _to preserve goosberries._ take your gooseberries, and stone them, then take a little more than their weight in fine sugar, then with as much water as will melt the sugar, boil it and scum it, then put in your goosberries, and boil them apace till they be clear, then take up your goosberries, and put them into glasses, and boil the syrup a little more, and put over them. . _to make leach and to colour it._ take one ounce of isinglass and lay it in water four and twenty hours, changing the water three or four times, then take a quart of new milk, boiled with a little sliced ginger and a stick of cinamon, one spoonful of rosewater, and a quarter of a pound of sugar, when it hath boiled a while, put in the isinglass, and boil it till it be thick, keeping it always stirring, then strain it, and keep it stirring, and when it is cold, you may slice it out, and serve it upon plates; you may colour it with saffron, and some with turnsole, and lay the white and that one upon another, and cut it, and it will look like bacon; it is good for weak people, and children that have the rickets. . _to take away the signs of the small pox._ take some spercma-ceti, and twice so much virgins wax, melt them together and spread it upon kids leather, in the shape of mask, then lay it upon the face, and keep it on night and day, it is a very fine remedy. . _for morphew, or freckles, and to clear the skin._ take the blood of any fowl or beast, and wipe your face all over with it every night when you go to bed for a fortnight together, and the next day wash it all off with white wine, and white sugar candy, and sometimes hold your face over the smoke of brimstone for a while, and shut your eyes, if you add the juice of a limon to the white wine, it will be the better. . _to make almond butter to look white._ take about two quarts of water, the bottom of a manchet, and a blade of large mace, boil it half an hour, and let it stand till it be cold, then take a pound of sweet almonds blanched, and beaten with rosewater very fine, so strain them with this water many times, till you think the virtue is out of them, and that it be a thick almond milk, then put it into a skillet, and make it boiling hot, that it simper, then take a spoonful of the juice of a limon, and put into it, stirring of it in, and when you perceive it ready to turn, then take it from the fire, and take a large fine cloth, and cast your liquor all over the cloth with a ladle, then scrape it altogether into the middle with a spoon, then tie it hard with a packthred, so let it hang till the next morning, then put in a dish, and sweeten it with rosewater and sugar, put a little ambergreece if you please. . _for the ptisick._ take a pottle of small ale, one pound of raisins of the sun stoned, with a little handful of peniroyal, boil these together, and add a little sugar-candy to it, and take five or six spoonfuls at a time four or five times in a day for a good while. . _marmalade of apricocks._ take the ripest and stone them and pare them, and beat them in a mortar, then boil the pulp in a dish over a chafing-dish of coals, till it be somewhat dry, then take the weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy height, with some rosewater, then put in your pulp, and boil them together till it will come from the bottom of the skillet, and always keep it stirring, for fear it burn, then put it into glasses. . _syrup of turneps._ take of the best and pare them, and bake them in a pot, then take the clear juice from them, and with the like weight in fine sugar make it into a syrup, and a little licoras to it, and take it often. . _to make a good jelly._ take a lean pig, dress it clean, and boil it in a sufficient quantity of fair water, with four ounces of green licoras scraped and bruised, maidenhair two handfuls, colts-foot one handful, currans half a pound, dates two ounces stoned and sliced, ivory one ounce, hartshorn one ounce, boil these to a strong jelly, and strain it, and take off the fat, then put to it half a pound of sugar, and half a pint of white wine, and so eat it at your pleasure. . _a most excellent cordial proved by very many._ take three grains of east indian bezoar, as much of ambergreece, powder them very fine with a little sugar, and mingle it with a spoonful and half of the syrup of the juice of citrons, one spoonful of syrup of clovegilliflowers, and one spoonful of cinamon water, so take it warmed. . _to make the black juice of licoras._ take two gallons of running water, three handfuls of unset hysop, three pounds and half of licoras scraped, and dried in the sun and beaten, then cover it close, and boil it almost a whole day in the water, when it is enough, it will be as thick as cream, then let it stand all night, the next morning strain it, and put it in several pans in the sun to dry, till it work like wax, then mould it with white sugar candy beaten and searced, then print it in little cakes, and print them with seals, and dry them. . _to make marchpane._ take two pounds of jordan almonds, blanch and beat them in a mortar with rosewater, then take one pound and half of sugar finely searced, when the almonds are beaten to a fine paste with the sugar, then, take it out of the mortar, and mould it with searced sugar, and let it stand one hour to cool, then roll it as thin as you would do for a tart, and cut it round by the plate, then set an edge about it, and pinch it, then set it on a bottom of wafers, and bake it a little, then ice it with rosewater and sugar, and the white of an egg beaten together, and put it into the oven again, and when you see the ice rise white and high, take it out, and set up a long piece of marchpane first baked in the middle of the marchpane, stick it with several sorts of comfits, then lay on leaf-gold with a feather and the white of an egg beaten. . _to preserve green pippins._ scald some green pippins carefully, then peel them, and put them into warm water, and cover them, and let them stand over a slow fire till they are as green as you would have them, and so tender as that a straw may run through them, then to every pound of apples, take one pound of fine sugar, and half a pint of water, of which make a syrup, and when you have scumm'd it clean, put in your apples, and let them boil a while, then set them by till the next day, then boil them throughly, and put them up. . _to preserve peaches._ take your peaches when you may prick a hole through them, scald them in fair water and rub the fur off from them with your thumb, then put them in another warm water over a slow fire, and cover them till they be green, then take their weight in fine sugar and a little water, boil it and scum it, then put in your peaches, and boil them till they are clear, so you may do green plumbs or green apricocks. . _marmalade of damsons._ take two pounds of damsons, and one pound of pippins pared and cut in pieces, bake them in an oven with a little sliced ginger, when they are tender, poure them into a cullender, and let the syrup drop from them, then strain them, and take as much sugar as the pulp doth weigh, boil it to a candy height with a little water, then put in your pulp, and boil it till it will come from the bottom of the skillet, and so put it up. . _marmalade of wardens._ bake them in an earthen pot, then cut them from the core and beat them in a mortar, then take their weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy height with a little beaten ginger, and boil it till it comes from the bottom of the posnet; and so do with quinces if you please. . _marmalade of green pippins to look green._ scald them as you do to preserve, then stamp them in a mortar, and take their weight in fine sugar, boil it to a candy height with a little water, then boil it and the pulp together, till it will come from the bottom of posnet. . _to preserve green walnuts._ take them and steep them all night in water, in the morning pare them and boil them in fair water till they be tender, and then stick a clove into the head of each of them, then take one pound and half of sugar to every pound of walnuts, and to every pound of sugar one pint of rosewater, make a syrup of it, and scum it, then put in your walnuts, and boil them very leasurely till they are enough; then put in a little musk or ambergreece with a little rosewater, and boil them a little more, and put them up; it is a very good cordial, and will keep seven years or more. . _to dry old pippins._ pare them, and bore a hole through them with a little knife or piercer, and cut some of them in halves, take out the cores of them as you cut them, then put them into a syrup of sugar and water, as much as will cover them in a broad preserving pan, let them boil so fast as may be; taking them sometimes from the fire, scumming them clean; when you perceive your apples clear, and syrup thick, then take them up, and set them into a warm oven from the syrup, all night, the next morning turn them, and put them in again, so do till they are dry; if you please to glister some of them, put them into your candy-pot but one night, and lay them to dry the next day, and they will look like crystal. . _to preserve bullace as green as grass._ take them fresh gathered, and prick them in several places, scald them as you do your green peaches, then take their weight in fine sugar, and make a syrup with a little water, then put in your bullace, and boil them till they be very clear, and the syrup very thick. . _to preserve medlars._ take them at their full growth, pare them as thin as you can, prick them with your knife, and parboil them reasonable tender, then dry them with a cloth, and put to them as much clarified sugar as will cover them; let them boil leisurely, turning them often, till they have well taken the sugar, then put them into an earthen pot, and let them stand till the next day, then warm them again half an hour; then take them up and lay them to drain, then put into that syrup half a pint of water wherein pippins have been boiled in slices, and a quarter of a pound of fresh sugar, boil it, and when it will jelly, put it to the medlars in gallipots or glasses. . _to make conserve of violets._ take a pound clean cut from the whites, stamp them well in a mortar, and put to them two or three ounces of white sugar-candy, then take it out and lay it upon a sleeked paper, then take their weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy height with a little water, then put in your violets, and a little juice of limon, and then let them have but one walm or two over the fire, stirring it well; then take it off; and when it is between hot and cold, put it up, and keep it. . _to cast all kinds of shapes, what you please, and to colour them._ take half a pound of refined sugar, boil it to a candy height with as much rosewater as will melt it, then take moulds made of alabaster, and lay them in water one hour before you put in the hot sugar, then when you have put in your sugar turn the mould about in your hand till it be cool, then take it out of the mould, and colour it according to the nature of the fruit you would have it resemble. . _to dry pears without sugar._ pare them, and leave the stalks and pipps on them, then bake them in an earthen pot with a little claret wine, covered, then drain them from the syrup, and dry them upon sieves in a warm oven, turning them morning and evening, every time you turn them hold them by the stalk and dip them in the liquor wherein they were baked and flat them every time a little. if you do them carefully they will look very red and clear and eat moist, when they are dry put them up. . _to make rasberry wine._ take rasberries and bruise them with the back of a spoon, and strain them, and fill a bottle with the juyce, stop it, but not very close, let it stand four or five days, then pour it from the grounds into a bason, and put as much white-wine or rhenish as your juyce will well colour, then sweeten it with loaf sugar, then bottle it and keep it, and when you drink it you may perfume some of it with one of the lozenges spoken of before. . _to preserve oranges in jelly._ take the thickest rind oranges, chipped very thin, lay them in water three or four days, shifting them twice every day, then boil them in several waters, till you may run a straw through them, then let them lye in a pan of water all night, then dry them gently in a cloth, then take to every pound of oranges one pound and an half of sugar, and a pint of water, make thereof a syrup; then put in your oranges, and boil them a little, then set them by till the next day, and boil them again a little, and so do for four or five days together, then boil them till they are very clear, then drain them in a sieve, then take to every pound of oranges one quarter of a pint of water wherein sliced pippins have been boiled into your syrup, and to every quarter of a pint of that water, add a quarter of a pound of fresh sugar, boil it till it will jelly, then put your oranges into a pot or a glass, and put the jelly over them; you may if you please, take all the meat out of some of your oranges at one end, and fill it with preserved pippin, and if you put in a little juice of orange and limon into your syrup when it is almost boiled, it will be very fine tasted. . [transcriber's note: so numbered in original] _to make cristal jelly._ take a knuckle of veal and two calves feet, lay them in water all night, then boil them in spring water, till you perceive it to be a thick jelly, then take them out, and let your jelly stand till it be cold, then take the clearest, and put it into a skillet, and sweeten it with rosewater and fine sugar, and a little whole spice, and boil them together a little, and so eat it when it is cold. . _to make_ china-_broth._ take three ounces of _china_ sliced thin, and three pints of fair water, half an ounce of harts-horn, let it steep together twelve hours, then put in a red cock cut in pieces and bruised, one ounce of raisins of the sun stoned, one ounce of currans, one ounce of dates stoned, one parsley root, one fennel-root, the pith being taken out, a little burrage and bugloss, and a little pimpernel, two ounces of pearl barley; boil all these together till you think they be well boiled, then strain it out. . _to make court perfumes._ take three ounces of benjamin, lay it all night in damask rose buds clean cut from the white, beat them very fine in a stone mortar till it come to a paste, then take it out and mix it with a dram of musk finely beaten, as much civet, mould them up with a little searced sugar, and dry them between rose leaves each of them, then dry them very well and keep them to burn, one at a time is sufficient. . _a syrup for a cold._ take long-wort of the oak, sage of _jerusalem_, hysop, colts-foot, maidenhair, scabious, horehound, one handful of each, four ounces of licoras scraped, two ounces of anniseeds bruised, half a pound of raisins of the sun stoned, put these together into a pipkin with two quarts of spring water, let them stand all night to infuse close stopped, when it is half boiled away, strain it out, and put to it to every pint of liquor a pound of sugar and boil it to a syrup. . _to make white marmalade of quinces._ coddle them so tender that a straw may run thorow them, then take grated quinces and strain the juice from them, then slice your scalded quinces thin and weigh them, and take a little above their weight in fine sugar, wet your sugar with the raw juice, boil it and scum it, then put in your sliced quinces and boil them up quick till they jelly, then put them into glasses. . _the white juice of licoras._ take one pound of licoras clean scraped, cut it thin and short, and dry it in an oven, then beat it fine in a mortar, then put it into a stone jugg, and put thereto of the water of colts-foot, scabius, hysop and horehound, as much as will stand four fingers deep above the licoras, then set this jugg, close stopped, into a kettle of water, and keep the water boiling, let it be stuffed round with hay that it jog not, let it stand so four hours, and so do every other day for the space of ten days; then strain it into a dish, set the dish over boiling water, and let it vapour away till it be thick, then add to it one pound of fine sugar-candy, the best and whitest you can get, beaten very well, then put it into several dishes and dry it in the sun, or in a warm oven, beating it often with bone knives till it be stiff, then take as much gum dragon steeped in rose-water as will make it pliable to your hand, then make it into little rolls, and add two grains of musk or ambergreece and a few drops of oyl of anniseed, and so make them into little cakes, and print them with a seal and then dry them. . _to dry plumbs naturally._ take of any sort and prick them and put them into the bottom of a sieve dusted with flower to keep them from sticking, let them stand in a warm oven all night, the next morning turn them upon a clean sieve, and so do every day till you see that they are very dry. . _to dry preserved pears._ wash them from their syrup, then take some fine sugar and boil it to a candy height with a little water, then put in your pears, and shake them very well up and down, then lay them upon the bottom of a sieve, and dry them in a warm oven and so keep them. . _to make little cakes with almonds._ put into a little rosewater two grains of ambergreece, then take a pound of blanched almonds and beat them with this rosewater, then take a pound of your finest sugar, beaten and searced, and when your almonds are well beaten, mix some of the sugar with them, then make your cakes, and lay them on wafer sheets; and when they are half baked, take the rest of the sugar, being boiled to a candy height with a little rosewater, and so with a feather wash them over with this, and let them stand a while longer. . _to make very pretty cakes that will keep a good while._ take a quart of fine flower and the yolks of eggs, a quarter of a pound of sugar, and a little rosewater, with some beaten spice, and as much cream as will work it into a paste, work it very well and beat it, then rowl it as thin as possible, and cut them round with a spur, such as the pastry cooks do use; then fill them with currans first plumped a little in rosewater and sugar, so put another sheet of paste over them and close them, prick them, and bake them but let not your oven be too hot; you may colour some of them with saffron if you please, and some of them you may ice over with rosewater and sugar, and the white of an egg beaten together. . _to make a paste to wash your hands withal._ take a pound of bitter almonds, blanch them and beat them very fine in a mortar with four ounces of figgs, when it is come to a paste, put it into a gallipot and keep it for your use; a little at a time will serve. . _to keep flowers all the year._ take any sort of pretty flowers you can get, and have in readiness some rosewater made very slippery by laying gum arabick therein. dip your flowers very well, and swing it out again, and stick them in a sieve to dry in the sun, some other of them you may dust over with fine flower, and some with searced sugar, after you have wetted them, and so dry them. either of them will be very fine, but those with sugar will not keep so well as the other; they are good to set forth banquets, and to garnish dishes, and will look very fresh, and have their right smell. . _conserve of barberries._ take barberries, infuse them in a pot as other fruits spoken of before, then strain them, and to every pound of liquor take two pounds of sugar, boil them together over the fire till it will come from the bottom of the posnet, and then put it into gally-pots and keep it with fine sugar strewed over it. . _to preserve barberries without fire._ take your fairest bunches and lay a lay of fine sugar into the bottom of the pot, and then a lay of barberries, and then sugar again, till all be in, and be sure to cover them deep with sugar last of all, and cover your pot with a bladder wet and tyed on, that no air get in, and they will keep and be good, and much better to garnish dishes with than pickled barberries, and are very pleasant to eat. . _to candy almonds to look as though they had their shells on._ take jordan almonds and blanch them, then take fine sugar, wet it with water, and boil it to a candy height, colour it with cochineal, and put in a grain of ambergreece; when you see it at a candy height, put in your almonds well dried from the water, and shake them over the fire till you see they are enough, then lay them in a stove or some other warm place. . _to candy carrot roots._ take of the best and boil them tender then pare them, and cut them in such pieces as you like; then take fine sugar boiled to a candy height with a little water, then put in your roots, and boil them till you see they will candy; but you must first boil them with their weight in sugar and some water, or else they will not be sweet enough; when they are enough, lay them into a box, and keep them dry: thus you may do green peascods when they are very young, if you put them into boiling water, and let them boil close covered till they are green, and then boiled in a syrup, and then the candy, they will look very finely, and are good to set forth banquets, but have no pleasant taste. . _to make syrup of violets._ take violets clipped clean from the whites, to every ounce of violets take two ounces of water, so steep them upon embers till the water be as blew as a violet, and the violets turned white, then put in more violets into the same water, and again the third time, then take to every quart of water four pounds of fine sugar, and boil it to a syrup, and keep it for your use; thus you may also make syrup of roses. . _to make a syrup for any cough._ take four ounces of licoras scraped and bruised, maidenhair one ounce, aniseeds half an ounce, steep them in spring water half a day, then boil it half away; the first quantity of water which you steep them in must be four pints, and when it is half boiled away, then add to it one pound of fine sugar, and boil it to a syrup, and take two spoonfuls at a time every night when you go to rest. . _a pretty sweet-meat with roses and almonds._ take half a pound of blanched almonds beaten very fine with a little rosewater, two ounces of the leaves of damask roses beaten fine, then take half a pound of sugar, and a little more, wet it with water, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your almonds and roses, and a grain of musk or ambergreece, and let them boil a little while together, and then put it into glasses, and it will be a fine sort of marmalade. . _the best sort of hartshorn jelly to serve in a banquet._ take six ounces of hartshorn, put it into two quarts of water and let it infuse upon embers all night, then boil it up quick, and when you find by the spoon you stir it with, that it will stick to your mouth, if you do touch it, and that you find the water to be much wasted, strain it out, and put in a little more than half a pound of fine sugar, a little rosewater, a blade of mace, and a stick of cinamon, the juice of as many limons will give it a good taste, with two grains of ambergreece, set it over a slow fire, and do not let it boil, but when you find it to be very thick in your mouth, then put it softly into glasses; and set it into a stove, and that will make it to jelly the better. . _to make orange or limon chips._ take the parings of either of these cut thin, and boil them in several waters till they be tender, then let them lie in cold water a while, then take their weight in sugar or more, and with as much water as will wet it, boil it and scum it, then drain your chips from the cold water, and put them into a gally-pot; and pour this syrup boiling hot upon them, so let them stand till the next day, then heat the syrup again and pour over them, so do till you see they are very clear, every day do so till the syrup be very thick, and then lay them out in a stove to dry. . _to make cakes of almonds in thin slices._ take four ounces of jordan almonds, blanch them in cold water, and slice them thin the long way, then mix them with little thin pieces of candied orange and citron pill, then take some fine sugar boiled to a candy height with some water, put in your almonds, and let them boil till you perceive they will candy, then with a spoon take them out, and lay them in little lumps upon a pie-plate or sleeked paper, and before they be quite cold strew caraway comfits on them, and so keep them very dry. . _to make chips of any fruit._ take any preserved fruit, drain it from the syrup, and cut it thin, then boil sugar to a candy height, and then put your chips therein, and shake them up and down till you see they will candy, and then lay them out; or take raw chips of fruit boiled first in syrup, and then a candy boiled, and put over them hot, and so every day, till they begin to sparkle as they lie, then take them out, and dry them. . _to preserve sweet limons._ take the fairest, and chip them thin, and put them into cold water as you chip them, then boil them in several waters till a straw may run through them, then to every pound of limon, take a pound and half of fine sugar, and a pint of water, boil it together, and scum it, then let your limons scald in it a little, and set them by till the next day, and every other day heat the syrup only and put to them; so do times, and then at last boil them in the syrup till they be clear, then take them out, and put them into pots, and boil the syrup a little more, and put to them; if you will have them in jelly, make your syrup with pippin water. . _to make a custard for a consumption._ take four quarts of red cows milk, four ounces of conserve of red roses, prepared pearl, prepared coral, and white amber, of each one dram, two ounces of white sugar candy, one grain of ambergreece, put these into an earthen pot with some leaf gold, and the yolks and whites of twelve eggs, a little mace and cinamon, and as much fine sugar as will sweeten it well; paste the pot over and bake it with brown bread, and eat of it every day so long as it will last. . _to make chaculato._ take half a pint of claret wine, boil it a little, then scrape some chaculato very fine and put into it, and the yolks of two eggs, stir them well together over a slow fire till it be thick, and sweeten it with sugar according to your taste. . _to dry any sort of plumbs._ take to every pound of plumbs three quarters of a pound of sugar, boil it to a candy height with a little water, then put in your plumbs ready stoned, and let them boil very gently over a slow fire, if they be white ones they may boil a little faster, then let them by till the next day, then boil them well, and take them often from the fire for fear of breaking, let them lie in their syrup for four or five days, then lay them out upon sieves to dry, in a warm oven or stove, turning them upon clean sieves twice every day, and fill up all the broken places, and put the skins over them, when they are dry, wash off the clamminess of them with warm water, and dry them in the oven, and they will look as though the dew were upon them. . _to make jelly of quinces._ take your quinces, pare them and core them, and cut them in quarters, then put them into a new earthen pot with a narrow mouth, put in some of the cores in the bottom, and then the quinces, paste it up and bake it with brown bread, then run it thorough a bagg of boulting stuff as fast as you can, and crush it pretty hard, so long as it will run clear, to every pound of it take a pound of fine sugar, and put into it, and let it stand till it be dissolved, then set it over a slow fire, and scum it well, and keep it stirring till it jelly, then put it into glasses and keep it in a stove. . _to make a posset._ take a quart of white-wine and a quart of water, boil whole spice in them, then take twelve eggs and put away half the whites, beat them very well, and take the wine from the fire, then put in your eggs and stir them very well, then set it on a slow fire, and stir it till it be thick, sweeten it with sugar, and strew beaten spice thereon, then serve it in. you may put in ambergreece if you like it, or one perfumed lozenge. . _to make a sack posset._ take two quarts of cream and boil it with whole spice, then take twelve eggs well beaten and drained, take the cream from the fire, and stir in the eggs, and as much sugar as will sweeten it, then put in so much sack as will make it taste well, and set it on the fire again, and let it stand a while, then take a ladle and raise it up gently from the bottom of the skillet you make it in, and break it as little as you can, and so do till you see it be thick enough; then put it into a bason with the ladle gently; if you do it too much it will whey, and that is not good. . _another way for a posset._ boil a quart of cream as for the other, then take the yolks of fourteen eggs and four whites, beat them and strain them, take the cream from the fire, and stir in your eggs, then have your sack warmed in a bason, and when the cream and eggs are well mixed, put it to the sack, and sweeten it to your taste with fine sugar, and let it stand over a skillet of seething water for a while. . _to preserve pippins in thin slices in jelly._ take of the fairest pippins, pare them, and slice them into cold water, to every pound of pippins take a pound of sugar, and a pint of water, boil it and scum it, then shake your pippins clean from the water, and put them into the syrup, boil them very clear and apace, then put in some thin chips, or orange or citron preserved, and to one pound of pippin, put the juice of two oranges and one limon, then boil them a little longer till you see they will jelly, and then put them into glasses, but take heed you lay them in carefully, and lay the chips here and there between, and warm the jelly and put softly over them. . _to preserve currans in jelly._ take the fairest and pick them from the stalks, and stone them, and take their weight in sugar, wet it with water, boil it and scum it, then put in your currans, and boil them up quick, shake them often and scum them, and when they will jelly, they are enough; then put them into glasses; thus you may do white and red both, and they will be in a stiff jelly, and cut very well, do not cover them before they be cold. . _to preserve ripe apricocks._ take them and stone them, and weigh them, and to every pound of apricocks take a pound of fine sugar beaten small, then pare your fruit, and as you pare them, cast some sugar over them, and so do till all be done, then set them on the fire, and let the sugar melt but gently, then boil them a little in the syrup, and set them by till the next day, then boil them quick, and till they be very clear, then put them in pots, and boil the syrup a little more, and put it to them, if you would have them in jelly, you must put some of the infusion of goosberries, or of pippins into your syrup, and add more sugar to it. . _to preserve cornelions._ take the fairest and weigh them, then take their weight in sugar, and lay a lay of sugar into the pan, and then lay a lay of cornelions till all be in, and let your last lay be sugar, then put a little water into the midst of the pan, and set it on the fire, and when the sugar is melted boil them up quick, and take them often and shake them, and scum them, when you do perceive them to be very clear, they are enough. . _to make marmalade of cornelions._ take them and stone them, and weigh them, and to every pound of fruit take a pound of sugar, wet it with water, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your fruit and boil it very clear and quick, and shake it often, and scum it clean; when you see it very clear and very thick, it is enough; you must keep it in a stove or some warm place. . _to preserve damsons._ take the fairest, not too ripe, and take their weight in sugar, wet your sugar with a little water, boil it and scum it, then put in your damsons and boil them a little, then set them by till the next day, then boil them till they be very clear, and take them from the fire sometimes, and let them stand a while to keep them from breaking, when they are clear, take them out, and put them into glasses, and boil the syrup to a jelly and pour on them; be very careful how you take them to put them into your pots or glasses for fear of breaking them. . _to make orange marmalade._ take half a pound of orange chips tenderly boiled in several waters, and beaten fine in a mortar, then take a pound of fine sugar, wet it with water, boil it and scum it, then put in your orange, and half a pound of pippin also beaten fine, and let them boil together till they are very clear; then put in the juice of one orange and one limon, and stir it well, and let it boil a while longer, and then take it off and put it into glasses. . _to make jelly of pippins._ take pippins, pare them thin into a long gallipot, and set that into boiling water close covered, and so let it stand three or four hours, they must be sliced thin as well as pared; when you think they are infused enough, pour the liquor from them, and to every pint, take a pound of sugar double refined and put it into your liquor, boil them together till you find it will jelly, then put little small pieces of orange pill into it finely shred, the juice of one orange and one limon, and let it boil a little longer, and so put it into glasses, and set them into a stove, with the pulp that is left you may make paste if you please. . _to candy angelica._ take the tender green stalks and boil them in water till they be tender, then peel them, and put them into another warm water, and cover them till they are very green over a slow fire, then lay them on a clean cloth to dry, then take their weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy height with some rosewater, then put in your stalks, and boil them up quick, and shake them often and when you judge they be enough, lay them on a pie-plate, and open them with a little stick, and so they will be hollow, and some of them you may braid, and twist some of them, so keep them dry. . _to make seed-stuff of rasberries._ take rasberries and bruise them, and take their weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy height with a little water, then put in your bruised rasberries, and boil them till you see they will jelly very well. . _to make syrup of gilly-flowers._ take clove-gilly-flowers, and cut them from the whites, then take their weight in sugar beaten fine, then put a little sugar into your gally-pot, and then a lay of flowers, and then sugar again, till all be spent, and let sugar be the last, then put in a clove or two, according to your quantity, and a little malago sack; and so tie your pot up close, and set it into a pot or kettle of boiling water, and let them stand till they are infused; then poure out the liquor and strain the rest, but not too hard, then take this liquor and vapour it away over seething water till it be of a good thickness, then take your strained gilliflowers and put them into a pot with some white-wine vinegar, and cover them over with fine sugar, and so keep them; they are a better sallad than those you pickle up alone; as you make this, you may make syrup of any herbs or flowers. . _to make most excellent cake._ take a strik'd peck of flower, six pounds of currans, half an ounce of mace, half an ounce of cinamon, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, as much of nutmeg, half a pound of fine sugar, and as much rosewater as you please; beat your spice, and put that and your fruits with a little salt into your flower, then take cream or new milk as much as you think fit, dissolve thereinto two pounds of fresh butter, then put it in a basin with the sugar and a pint of sack, knead it with a wine-pint of ale-yest, knead it till it rise under your hand, let all things be ready and your oven hot before you go to knead the cake. . _to make pomatum the best way._ take the caul of a lamb new killed, pick it clean from the skin, and lay it in spring-water nine days, shifting it every day twice, then melt it, then take yellow snails, stamp them, and put them into a glass with rosewater four days, stop the glass and shake it three or four times a day, then take white lilly roots, stamp them, and strain them, put the juice of them into the glass with the snails, then set a skillet on the fire with fair water, and let it boil, then put your dried lambs caul into an earthen basin, and let it melt, then take your glass with snails and roots, and drain it through a thick cloth, then put it into that tried stuff, then take half an ounce of white sugar-candy unbeaten put it in, and stir it over the fire, till that be dissolved, then take it from the fire, and put in three ounces of sweet almonds, keep it boiling and stirring a little longer, then take it off, and let it stand till it be reasonably cool, then beat it with a wooden slice till it be very white, then put in a little rosewater, and beat it a little longer, and then keep it in gallipots; you must put in a crust of bread when you melt it in the skillet, and when the sugar-candy goes in, take it out. . _to make the bean bread._ take a pound of the best jordan almonds; blanch them in cold water, and slice them very thin the long way of the almond with a wet knife, then take a pound of double refined sugar well beaten, and mix with your almonds, then take the white of one egg beaten with two spoonfuls of rosewater, and as the froth ariseth, cast it all over your almonds with a spoon, then mix them well together, and lay them upon wafer sheets, upon flowered plates, and shape them as you please with your knife and your fingers; then strew caraway comfits, and orange and citron pill cut thin, or some coriander comfits, so set them into an oven not too hot, and when they have stood about half an hour, raise them from their plates, and mend what you find amiss before they be too dry, then set them into the oven again, and when they are quite dry, break away the wafers with your fingers, and then clip them neatly with a pair of scizzers, and lay on some leaf-gold if you please. . _to make an excellent cake with caraway comfits._ take five pounds of manchet paste mingled very stiff and light without salt, cover it, and let it be rising half an hour, when your oven is almost hot, take two pounds and half of butter, very good, and melt it, and take five eggs, yolks and whites beaten, and half a pound of sugar, mingle them all together with your paste, and let it be as lithe as possible you can work it, and when your oven is hot and swept, strew into your cake one pound of caraway comfits, then butter a baking-pan, and bake it in that, let it stand one hour and quarter; when you draw it, lay a course linnen cloth and a woollen one over it, so let it lie till it be cold, then put it into an oven the next day, for a little time, and it will eat as though it were made of almonds, you must put in your sugar after your butter. . _to make diet bread or jumbolds._ take a quart of fine flower, half a pound of fine sugar, caraway seeds, coriander seeds and aniseeds bruised, of each one ounce, mingle all these together, then take the yolks of eight eggs, and the whites of three, beat them well with four spoonfuls of rosewater, and so knead these all together and no other liquor, when it is well wrought, lay it for one hour in a linnen cloth before the fire, then rowl it out thin, tie them in knots and prick them with a needle, lay them upon butter'd plates, and bake them in an oven not too hot. . _to make cider or perry as clear as rock water._ take two quarts of cider, half a pint of milk, put them both in an hipocras bag, and when it runs clear, bottle it up, and when it is a month old, it will sparkle in the glass as you drink it. . _to make almond bread._ take a pound of almonds blanched, and beaten with rosewater, then take a pound of sugar beaten fine, and a little grated bread finely searced, put them into a platter with your almonds, and stir them well together, set them over a chafing dish of coals, and boil them till they are as stiff as paste, stirring them continually, then mould them well and put them in what shape you you please; print them, and set them into some warm place to dry. . _to make good almond milk._ take jordan almonds blanched and beaten with rose water, then strain them often with fair water, wherein hath been boiled violet leaves and sliced dates; when your almonds are strained, take the dates and put to it some mace, sugar, and a little salt, warm it a little, and so drink it. . _to make white leach._ take sweet almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater, then strained with fair water, wherein hath been boiled aniseeds and ginger, put to it as much cream, wherein pure isinglass hath been boiled, as will make it stiff, and as much sugar as you please; let it be scalding hot, then run it through a strainer, and when it is cold, slice it out, it is very good for a weak body. . _to make red leach or yellow._ red by putting tornsel into it, or cochineal; yellow by putting saffron in it. . _cinamon or ginger leach._ take your spices beaten and searced, and mix them with your searced sugar, mould them up with gum arabick infused in rosewater, and so print them and dry them. . _to make leach of dates._ take your dates stoned and peeled very clean within, beat them fine with sugar, ginger and cinamon, and a little rosewater till it will work like paste, then print them and keep them dry. . _to make fine cakes._ take a quart of flower, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter, with three or four yolks of eggs, a little rosewater, and a spoonful of yest, then roul them out thin, while the paste is hot, prick them, and set them into the oven not too hot. . _to make cornish cakes._ take claret wine, the yolks of eggs, and mace beaten fine, and some sugar and salt, mingle all these with flower and a little yeast, knead it as stiff as you can, then put in butter, and knead it stiff again, and then shape them and bake them. . _a cordial syrup._ take one pound of juice of burrage, and half so much of the juice of balm, boil them together, and when the grossness of the juice ariseth, then put in the whites of two eggs beaten with rosewater, and when you see them begin to grow hard, put in a little vinegar, let them boil together, and scum it clean, and run it through a jelly-bag, then set it over the fire again, and add to it one pound of fine sugar, and a little saffron, and so boil it till you think it be enough. . _for a consumption._ take of harts-tongue and maidenhair, of each one handful, hysop and balm, of each half a handful, licoras sliced, one ounce, piony root one ounce, boil these together in two pints and half of spring water until it be half consumed, then strain the liquor from the herbs, then take four ounces of currans washed clean, dried and beaten in a mortar, boil them in the liquor a little while, then strain it, and put to the liquor half a pound of sugar, and so boil it to a syrup, and take often of it. . _for a consumption._ take a pint of good wine-vinegar, and half a pint of colts-foot-water, half a pound of figs well bruised, then strain it, and boil it with a pound of sugar to a thick syrup. . _a very good perfume._ six spoonfuls of rosewater, musk, ambergreece and civet, of each two grains, a little sugar beaten fine, mould them up together with gum-dragon steeped in rosewater, make them in little cakes and dry them. . _a cordial to cause sleep._ two spoonfuls of poppy water, two spoonfuls of red rosewater, one spoonful of clove-gillyflower syrup, and a little diascordium, mingle them together, and take them at the time of rest. . _to perfume gloves._ take four grains of musk and grind it with rosewater, and also eight grains of civet, then take two spoonfuls of gum dragon steeped all night in rosewater, beat these to a thin jelly, putting in half a spoonful of oil of cloves, cinamon and jessamine mixed together, then take a spunge and dip it therin, and rub the gloves all over thin, lay them in a dry clean place eight and forty hours; then rub them with your hands till they become limber. . _a very good perfume to burn._ take ounces of the powder of juniper wood, ounce of benjamin, one ounce of storax, drops of oil of limons, as much oil of cloves, grains of musk, of civet, mold them up with a little gum dragon steeped in rosewater, make them in little cakes, and dry them between rose leaves, your juniper wood must be well dried, beaten and searced. . _to preserve cherries in jelly._ take fair ripe cherries, and stone them, then take a little more than their weight in fine sugar, then take the juyce of some other cherries, and put a spoonful of it in the bottom of the posnet, then put some of your sugar beaten fine into the posnet with it, and then a little more juyce, then put in your cherries, then put in sugar, and then juyce, and then cherries again, thus do till you have put in all, then let them boil apace till the sugar be melted, shaking them sometimes, then take them from the fire, and let them stand close covered one hour, then boil them up quick till the syrup will jelly. . _to dry apricocks or pippins to look as clear as amber._ take apricocks and take out the stones, and take pippins and cut them in halves and core them, let your apricocks be pared also; lay these fruits in an earthen dish, and strew them over with fine sugar, set them into a warm oven, and as the liquor comes from them put it away, when all the liquor is come away turn them and strew them thick with sugar on every side, set them into the oven again, and when the sugar is melted lay them on a dry dish, and set them in again, and every day, turn them till they be quite dry, thus you may dry any sort of plumbs or pears as well as the other, and they will look very clear. . _to dry pears or pippins without sugar._ take of the fairest and lay them in sweetwort two or three days, then lay them in a broad preserving pan of earth, and bake them, but let the oven be but gently hot, then lay them upon lattice sieves and set them into a warm oven, and turn them twice a day till they are dry. . _the spanish candy._ take any sort of flowers well picked and beaten in a mortar, and put them into a syrup, so much as the flowers will stain, boil them, and stir them till you see it will turn sugar again, then pour it upon a wet trencher, and when it is cold cut it into lozenges, and that which remaineth in the bottom of the posnet scrape it clean out, and beat it and searce it, then work it with some gum dragon steeped in rosewater and a little ambergreece, so make it into what shape you please, and dry it. . _to make naples bisket._ take four ounces of pine apple seeds, two ounces of sweet almonds blanched, the whites of two eggs, one spoonful of ale-yeast, one spoonful of rice flower, one spoonful of sweet cream, beat all these together in a mortar, then add to it musk or ambergreece, drop it upon a pie-plate, and make it in what shape you please, and so bake it. . _to make italian bisket._ take sugar searced fine, and beat in a mortar with gum dragon steeped in rosewater, and also the white of an egg, till it come to a perfect paste, then mould it up with searced sugar, powder of aniseeds, and a little musk, and make them in what shape you please, and bake them on pie-plates, but not too much. . _to make hippocras._ take to every gallon of sack or white wine, one pound of sugar, one ounce of cinamon, one ounce of ginger, one quarter of an ounce of nutmegs, a quarter of an ounce of coriander seed, with a few cloves, and a little long pepper or a few grains, let all these steep together four and twenty hours, stir it twice or thrice in that time; then put to every gallon one pint of milk, and run it through a jelly-bag, and then bottle it, and let them be stopped very close, set them in a cool place, it will keep a month. . _to make tuff-taffity cream._ take a quart of thick cream, the whites of eight eggs beaten to a froth with rosewater, then take off the froth and put in into the cream, and boil it, and always stir it, then put in the yolks of eight eggs well beaten, and stir them in off the fire, and then on the fire a little while, then season it with sugar, and pour it out, and when it is cold, lay on it jelly of currans or rasberries, or what you please. . _caraway cake._ take one quart of flower, and one pound of butter, rub your butter into your flower very well, then take two yolks of eggs and one white, two spoonfuls of cream, half a pint of ale-yest, mix them all together, do not knead it, but pull it in pieces, then set it to the fire to rise, and so let it lie almost one hour, turning it often, then pull it in pieces again, and strew in half a pound of caraway comfits, mingle them with the paste, then take it lightly with your hand, fashion it like an oval, and make it higher in the middle than the sides, let your oven be as hot as for a tart, be sure your oven or cake be ready both at once, put it upon a double paper buttered, and let it stand almost an hour, when it goes into the oven, strew it thick with caraway-comfits, and lay a paper over least it scorch. . _to candy barberries._ stone the fairest bunches you can get, and as you stone them strew in a little sugar, then take so much water as you think will cover them, and let them boil in it with a little sugar a little while, then put them into a deep thing that the syrup may cover them, then boil a little water and sugar to a candy height, then having your barberries drained well from the syrup put them into the hot candy, stir them gently til the sugar be dissolved, but do not let them boil in it, then open every branch and lay them upon the brims of dishes, shift them often on clean dishes and open them every time, then set them into an oven or stove to dry. . _to make a very fine sillibub._ take one quart of cream, one pint and an half of wine or sack, the juice of two limons with some of the pill, and a branch of rosemary, sweeten it very well, then put a little of this liquor, and a little of the cream into a basin, beat them till it froth, put that froth into the sillibub pot, and so do till the cream and wine be done, then cover it close, and set it in a cool cellar for twelve hours, then eat it. . _fine sweet powder for the hair._ take one pound of the best starch you can get, put it into a basin with half a pint of rosemary water, as much rosewater, stir them well together with a spoon, then dry them well in the sun, then take the searced powder of damask roses, and four grains of ambergreece, mix it well with your starch, and sift it fine. . _to make cakes of pistachoes._ take half a pound of almonds blanched, half a pound of pistachoes blanched, four ounces of pine-apple seeds, beat these together in a mortar with a little rosewater till it come to perfect paste, then put in the weight of it in sugar, and beat it again, then mould it with searced sugar, and lay it upon wafer sheets, and fashion them as you please; then stick them with quartered pistachoes; that they may make it look like a hedghog, then with a feather ice them over with the white of an egg, rosewater and sugar, then bake them carefully. . _to make cakes of apricocks in lumps._ take apricocks, and pare them and cut them in halves, then take their weight in sugar, put half this sugar and the apricocks into a posnet, let them boil apace till they look clear, then boil the other part of the sugar to a candy height, then put them together, and stir them a while, then put them into glasses and set them into a stove, and when the one side is dry, turn the other. . _to make rasberry sugar._ take the juice of rasberries and wet your sugar with it, and dry it in a stove in little cakes; this will keep all the year, a little of it being put into a glass of wine, will give it as good a taste, as you can desire, and as good a colour; in this manner you may make sugar of any fruit, flower, or herb. . _to dry apricocks._ take your fairest apricocks and stone them, then weigh them, and as you pare them, throw them into cold water, have in readiness their weight in fine sugar, wet it with some of the water they lie in, and boil it to a candy height, then put in your apricocks, and boil them till they are clear, when they have lain three or four days in the syrup, lay them out upon glasses to dry in a stove, and turn them twice a day. . _to make rough marmalade of cherries._ stone your cherries, and infuse them in a long gallipot in a kettle of boiling water, when they are all to pieces, then take their weight in fine sugar boiled to a candy height with a little water, then put in your apricocks and stir them over a slow fire, but do not let it boil, when it will jelly, put it into glasses. . _to make smooth marmalade of cherries._ infuse them as you do the other, then strain them hard, and boil the juice with a candy as you do the other. . _to make white trencher-plates which may be eaten._ take two eggs beaten very well, yolks and whites, two spoonfuls of sack, one spoonful of rosewater, and so much flower as will make it into a stiff paste, then roule it thin, and then lay it upon the outsides of plates well-buttered, cut them fit to the plates, and bake them upon them, then take them forth, and when they are cold, take a pound of double refin'd sugar beaten and searced, with a little ambergreece, the white of an egg and rosewater, beat these well together, and ice your plates all over with it, and set them into the oven again till they be dry. . _to make the froth posset._ take three pints of cream or new milk, set it on the fire, then take sixteen eggs and put the whites into a basin very deep, and beat the yolks by themselves, make a custard with them, and the cream which is on the fire, then beat the yolks to a froth with a little sack, and a little sugar, when it is a thick froth, cast it into another dish with a spoon, then take half a pint of sack, and sweeten it with sugar, set it on a chafing-dish of coals in a large basin, when it is hot, put in as much froth as the sack will receive, stir it in very well, then take your custard and pour upon it, stir it all one way when you put it in, then if the froth do not cover the top of the posset, put in more, and stir it very well, and cover it close with a warm dish, let it stand a while upon coals, but not too hot; you may know when it is enough by putting your spoon into the basin, for then it will be clear in the bottom, curd in the middle, and froth on the top. . _to make_ banbury _cakes._ make a posset of sack and cream, then take a peck of fine flower, half an ounce of mace, as much of nutmeg, as much of cinamon, beat them and searce them, two pounds of butter, ten eggs, leaving out half their whites, one pint and half of ale-yest, beat your eggs very well, and strain them, then put your yest, and some of the posset to the flower, stir them together, and put in your butter cold in little pieces, but your posset must be scalding hot; make it into a paste, and let it lie one hour in a warm cloth to rise, then put in ten pounds of currans washed and dried very well, a little musk and ambergreece dissolved in rosewater, put in a little sugar among your currans break your paste into little pieces, when you go to put in your currans, then lay a lay of broken paste, and then a lay of currans till all be in, then mingle your paste and currans well together, and keep out a little of your paste in a warm cloth to cover the top and bottom of your cake, you must rowl the cover very thin, and also the bottom, and close them together over the cake with a little rosewater; prick the top and bottom with a small pin or needle, and when it is ready to go into the oven, cut in the sides round about, let it stand two hours, then ice it over with rosewater or orange flower and sugar, and the white of an egg, and harden it in the oven. . _to make_ cambridge _almond butter._ take a quart of cream and sixteen eggs well beaten, mix them together and strain them into a posnet, set them on a soft fire, and stir them continually; when it is ready to boil, put in half a quarter of a pint of sack, and stir it till it run to a curd, then strain the whey from it as much as may be, then beat four ounces of blanched almonds with rosewater, then put the curd and beaten almonds and half a pound of fine sugar into a mortar, and beat them well together, then put it into glasses and eat it with bread, it will keep a fortnight. . _to make a sack posset without milk or bread._ take a quart of ale and half a pint of sack, boil them with what spice you please, then take three quarters of a pound of sugar, and twenty eggs, yolks and whites well beaten and strained, then take four ounces of almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater, put them to the eggs, and put them to the other things in the posnet upon the fire, and keep them stirring, and when it boileth up, put it into a bason, and strew on beaten spice and sugar, you must also sweeten it when the eggs go in. . _to preserve figs and dry them._ to every pound of your large ripe english figs, take a pound of sugar, and one pint of water boil your sugar and water, and scum it, then put in your figs, and boil them very well till they are tender & clear; boil them very fast, when they have been in the syrup a week, boil some sugar to a candy height, and put in the figs, and when you perceive they are enough, lay them out to dry. . _to pickle mushromes._ take them of one nights growth, and peel them inside and outside, boil them in water and salt one hour, then lay them out to cool, then make a pickle of white wine and white wine vinegar, and boil in it whole cloves, nutmegs, mace, and ginger sliced, and some whole pepper, when it is cold, put them into it, and keep them for sauces of several meats; and if you would dress them to eat presently, put them in a dish over a chafingdish of coals without any liquor, and the fire will draw out their natural liquor, which you must pour away, then put in whole spice, onions and butter, with a little wine, and so let them stew a while, then serve it in. . _to preserve whole quinces to look red._ when they are pared and cored, put them into cold water, and for every pound of quince take one pound of sugar, and a pint of water, make a syrup thereof, then put in your quinces, and set them on a slow fire, close covered, till you see they are of a good colour and very tender, then take them out, and boil your syrup till it will jelly. . _to make very good marmalade of quinces to look red._ weigh your quinces and pare them, cut them in quarters and core them, and keep them in cold water, then take their weight in sugar, and a little water, and boil it, and scum it, then put in your quinces, and set them on a slow fire, close covered, till you see it of a good colour, then uncover it, and boil it up very quick till you find that it will jelly very well. . _to make musk sugar._ bruise six grains of musk and tie them in a piece of tiffany, lay it in the bottom of a gallipot, and then fill it with sugar, and tie it up close, when you have spent that sugar, put in some more, it will be well perfumed. . _an excellent way to make syrup of roses, or of any other flower._ fill a silver bason three quarters full of spring water, then fill it up with rose-leaves or any other, and cover it, and set it upon a pot of seething water one hour, then strain it, and put in more; and do in like manner, and so do seven times, then take to every pint one pound of sugar, and make a syrup therewith. . _to dry rose leaves._ pick your roses, and dry them upon the leads of a house in a sun-shine day, and turn them as you do hay, and when they are through dry, keep them in broadmouth'd glasses close stopped. . _to candy flowers._ boil some rosewater and sugar together, then put in your flowers being very dry and boil them a little, then strew in some fine sugar over them, and turn them, and boil them a little more, then take them from the fire, and strew some more sugar over them, then take them out and lay them to dry, and open them, and strew sugar over them; they will dry in a few hours in a hot day. . _the making of sugar-plate and casting of it into moulds._ take one pound of double refin'd sugar beaten and searced, and three ounces of pure white starch beaten and searced, then have some gum-dragon steeped in rosewater, and put some of it with the sugar and starch and a little of ambergreece into a mortar, and beat them till they come to a perfect paste, you must also put in a little white of an egg with the gum, then mould it with searced sugar, then dust your moulds with sugar, then roul out your paste and lay it into the mould, pressing it down into every hollow part with your fingers, and when it hath taken impression, knock the mould on the edge against a table and it will come out, or you may help it with the point of your knife; if you find you have put in too much gum, then add more sugar, if too much sugar, then more gum, work it up as fast as you can, when they come out of the moulds trim them handsomely; if you would make saucers, dishes, or bowls, you must rowl it out thin and put your paste into a saucer, dish, or bowl for a mould, and let them stand therein till they be very dry, then gild them on the edges with the white of and egg laid round about the edge with a pencil, and press the gold down with some cotton, and when it is dry brush off the superfluous loose gold with the foot of an hare, and if you would have your paste exceeding smooth, as for cards or the like, then roul your paste upon a slicked paper with a very smooth rouling-pin; if you would colour any of it, you must take the searced powder of any herbs or flowers, first dryed, and put to it when you beat it in a mortar with the gum. . _to make paste of almonds._ take four ounces of _valentia_ almonds, blanched and beaten with rosewater till it come to perfect paste, then take stale white bread, grate it and sift it, and dry it by the fire, then put that to your almonds with the weight of all in fine sugar, beat them very well, and put in some spice beaten and searced, then when it is a little cool, roul it out, dust your moulds and print it, and dry it in an oven, you may if you please put the juice of a limon into it when it is beating, you may make some of it into jumbolds, and tie them in knots and bake them upon buttered plates, and when they are baked, ice them over with rosewater, sugar, and the white of an egg, and set them into the oven again for a while. . _to make french bisket._ take half a peck of fine flower, two ounces of coriander seeds, the whites of four eggs, half a pint of ale yest, and as much water as will make it up into a stiff paste, let your water be blood warm, then bake it in a long roll as big as your thigh, let it be in the oven but one hour, when it is two days old, pare it and slice it thin over-thwart, then ice it over thin, and set it into the oven to dry. . _to make ginger-bread._ take three stale manchets grated and sifted, then put to them half an ounce of cinamon, as much ginger, half an ounce of licoras and aniseeds together, beat all these and searce them, and put them in with half a pound of fine sugar, boil all these together with a quart of claret, stirring them continually till it come to a stiff paste, then when it is almost cold, mould it on a table with some searced spice and sugar, then bake it in what shape you please. . _another sort of ginger-bread._ take half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten, half a pound of fine flower first dried in an oven, one pound of fine sugar, what sorts of spices you please, beaten and searced, and also seeds, beat all these together with two eggs, both yolks and whites, then mould it with flower and sugar together, and so bake it in what shape you please. . _to make puff-paste._ take a quart of the finest flower, the whites of three eggs, and the yolks of two, and a little cold water, make it into a perfect paste, then roul it abroad thin, then lay on little bits of butter, and fold it over again, then drive it abroad again, and lay on more butter, and then fold it over, and so do ten times, make it up for your use, and put your fruit or meat therein and bake it. . _another way for puff-paste._ take fine flower half a peck, the yolks of five eggs and one white, one pound of butter, half a pint of cream, and a little fair water, break your butter in little bits and do not mould it too much, but roul it abroad so soon as you can, and let the butter be seen in spots, for that will make it hollow when it comes into the oven, then put in your meat or fruit, and close it over, and wash it over with the yolk of an egg and cream beaten together, just when you set it into the oven; let your oven be quick, but do not let it stand too long, for that will spoil it. . _to make short paste without butter._ bake your flower first, then take a quart of it, and the yolks of three eggs and a pint of cream, two ounces of fine sugar, and a little salt, and so make it into paste. . _to candy whole spices with a hard rock-candy._ take one pound of fine sugar, and eight spoonfuls of rosewater, and the weight of six pence of gum arabick that is clear, boil them together till a drop will run as small as a hair; then put it into an earthen pipkin, and having before steeped your spices one night or two in rosewater, put your spices into the pipkin, and stop it up close that no air get in, keep it in a hot place three weeks, then break your pot with a hammer. thus you may do with preserved oranges and limons, any kinds of fruits and flowers, or herbs if you please. . _to make very fine bisket._ take half a pound of searced sugar, the yolks of six eggs, a little searced spice and seeds, and a little ambergreece or musk, your eggs must be very hard, then put all these into a mortar and beat them to a paste with a little gum dragon steeped in rosewater all night, then mould it up with fine sugar; and make it into pretty fancies, and dry them in a warm oven. . _to make orange, or limon or citron bisket._ take either of these preserved and washed from their syrup, beat them well in a mortar, and then put in a little gum dragon as before, beat them again together till it be a perfect paste, then mould it up with sugar searced, and make them up in what shape you please and dry it. . _to make bisket of potato-roots or parsneps._ take their roots boil'd very tender, and beat them in a mortar with their weight of searced sugar, then put in a little gum dragon as before, beat them to a paste, and mould them up with sugar searced, and make them up in what shape you please, and dry them. . _to pickle oranges or limons, taught me by a seaman._ take those which are free from any spots, and lay them gently in a barrel, then fill up the barrel with sea-water, and so cover your vessel close, for want of sea-water, you may take fair water, and make it so strong with bay salt, that it will bear an egg, and put to them in like manner. . _to keep grapes fresh and green, taught me by a sea-captain._ take your fairest grapes without any blemish, then lay some oats in a box; and then a lay of grapes, and then more oats, and so do till you have laid all in, then cover the grapes well with oats, and close your box fast that no air get in. . _to dry grapes to keep longer._ take your best clusters and hang them up in a room upon lines, and be sure you do not let them touch one another, they will keep four months. . _to make marmalade of oranges or limons._ boil the rinds of them in several waters till they be very tender, beat them small with their weight of pippins, then take the weight of all in fine sugar, and to every pound of sugar, a pint of water, boil your water and sugar together, and make a syrup, then put in your pulp, and boil it a good while till it be clear, then put in the juice of some orange and limon, so much as will give it a fine taste, then boil it a little longer till you see it will jelly very well, then put it into glasses, and keep it in a reasonable warm place; this is very cordial, and stoppeth rheum. . _to make green ginger wet._ take one pound of ginger, and steep it in red-wine and vinegar equally mixed, let it stand so close covered twelve days, and twice every day stir it up and down, then take two quarts of red-wine and as much vinegar, and boil them together a little while, then put in three pounds of sugar and make a syrup therewith, then put in your ginger and boil it a while, then set it by till the next day, so boil it every day a little, till it be very clear, and so keep it in the syrup. . _to make a sallad of limons._ take the rinds of limons cut in halves, and boil them in several waters till they are very tender, then take vinegar, water and sugar, and make a syrup, then put in your limons, first cut as you would an apple-paring, round and round till you come at the top, boil them a while in the syrup, then set them by till the next day, then boil them again a little, and so do till you see they be clear, and the syrup thick; when you serve them to the table, wash them in vinegar. . _to stew prunes without fire._ take your largest prunes well washed, and put them into a broad mouthed glass, then put to them some claret wine, and whole spice, and cover your glass very well, and set it in the sun ten days or more, and they will eat very finely; you must also put a little sugar into the glass with them. . _to make syrup of the juice of citrons or limons._ take the juyce of either of them, and put twice the weight of fine sugar therein, put it into a long gallipot, and set that pot into a kettle of boiling water, till you see they be well incorporated, then take it out, and when it is cold put it up. . _to make punch._ take one quart of claret wine, half a pint of brandy, and a little nutmeg grated, a little sugar, and the juice of a limon, and so drink it. . _to make limonado._ take one quarrt of sack, half a pint of brandy, half a pint of fair water, the juyce of two limons, and some of the pill, so brew them together, with sugar, and drink it. . _to make paste of pomewaters._ take your pomewater apples, and put them in a long gallipot, and set that pot in a kettle of boiling water, till your apples are tender, then pare them, and cut them from the core, and beat them in a mortar very well, then take their weight in fine sugar, and boil it to a candy height with a little water, then put in your apples, and boil them till it will come from the bottom of the posnet, when it is almost cold mould it with searced sugar, and make it in cakes and dry them. . _to make syrup of rasberries, or of other fruits, as grapes or the like._ take the juyce of your fruits and the weight thereof in fine sugar, mix them together, and put them into a long gally-pot, and set that pot into a kettle of seething water, and when you see it is enough let it cool, and then put it up; after you have strained out your juice, you must let it stand to settle three or four days before you put the sugar into it, and then take only the clearest, this is exceeding good and comfortable in all feavers. . _to make a caudle for a sick body both pleasant and comfortable._ take a quart of white wine, and boil it a while with a blade of large mace, and a little whole cinamon, then take four ounces of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with a little rosewater, then strain your almonds with the wine, and set it over the fire again, and when it is scalding hot, put in the yolks of four eggs, and as much sugar as you think fit. . _how to cover all kinds of seeds, or little pieces of spices, or orange or limon pill, with sugar for comfits._ first of all you mast have a deep bottomed basin of brass or latin, with two ears of iron to hang it with two cords over some hot coals. you must also have a broad pan to put ashes in, and hot coals upon them. you must have a brass ladle to let run the sugar upon the seeds. you must have a slice of brass to scrape away the sugar from the sides of the hanging basin if need be. having all these things in readiness, do as followeth; take fine white sugar beaten, and let your seeds and spice be dry, then dry them again in your hanging basin: take to every two pounds of sugar one quarter of a pound of spices or seeds, or such like. if it be aniseeds, two pounds of sugar to half a pound of aniseeds, will be enough. melt your sugar in this manner, put in three pounds of sugar into the basin, and one pint of water, stir it well till it be wet, then melt it very well and boil it very softly until it will stream from the ladle like turpentine, and not drop, then let it seeth no more, but keep it upon warm embers, that it may run from the ladle upon the seeds. move the seeds in the hanging basin so fast as you can or may, and with one hand, cast on half a ladle full at a time of the hot sugar, and rub the seeds with your other hand a pretty while, for that will make them take the sugar the better, and dry them well after every coat. do thus at every coat, not only in moving the basin, but also with stirring of the comfits with the one hand, and drying the same: in every hour you may make three pounds of comfits; as the comfits do increase in bigness, so you may take more sugar in your ladle to cast on: but for plain comfits, let your sugar be of a light decoction last, and of a high decoction first, and not too hot. for crisp and ragged comfits make your decoction so high, as that it may run from the ladle, and let it fall a foot high or more from the ladle, and the hotter you cast on your sugar, the more ragged will your comfits be; also the comfits will not take so much of the sugar, as upon a light decoction, and they will keep their raggedness long; this high decoction must serve for eight or ten coats, and put on at every time but one ladle full. a quarter of a pound of coriander seeds, and three pounds of sugar, will serve for very great comfits. see that you keep your sugar in the basin always in good temper, that it burn not in lumps, and if at any time it be too high boiled, put in a spoonful or two of water, and keep it warily with your ladle, and let your fire be always very clear, when your comfits be made, set them in dishes upon paper in the sun or before the fire, or in the oven after bread is drawn, for the space of one hour or two, and that will make them look very white. . [transcriber's note: so numbered in original] _to make a fine cullis or jelly._ take a red cock, scald, wash, and dress him clean, seeth it in white wine or rhenish wine, and scum it clean, put in a pint of thick cream to it, then put in whole spices, sugar and rosewater, and boil them together. . _a white jelly with almonds._ take rosewater and gum dragon first steeped, or isinglass dissolved, and some cinamon whole, seeth these together, then take one pound of almond blanched and beaten with rosewater, then put them in and seeth them with the rest, stir them always, and when it is enough, sweeten it to your taste, and when it is cold eat it. . _to make sweet cakes without sugar._ wash some parsnep roots, scrape them and slice them very thin dry them in a dish in an oven, and beat them to a powder, mix them with an equal quantity of fine flower, mix them with cream, beaten spice and salt, and so make them and bake them. . _to keep roses or gilliflowers very long._ take them when they are very fresh, and in the bud, and gathered very dry, dip them in the whites of eggs well beaten, and presently strew thereon searced sugar, and put them up in luted pots, and set them in a cool place, in sand or gravel, and with a filip of your finger at any time you may strike off the coat, and you will have the flower fresh and fair. . _how to keep walnuts long fresh and good._ make a lay of the dry stampings of crabs when the verjuice is pressed forth, then a lay of walnuts, and then crabs again, till all be in, then cover the vessel very well, and when you eat them, they will be as though they were new gathered. . _to pickle quinces._ put them into a vessel, and fill up the vessel with small ale, or white wine lees, which is better, and cover your vessel well that no air get in. . _to keep artichokes._ take your artichokes, and cut off the stalks within two inches of the apple, and of these stalks make a strong decoction, slicing them into thin and small pieces, and boil them with water and salt; when it is cold, put in your artichokes, and keep them from the air. when you spend them, lay them first in warm water, and then in cold, to take away the bitterness. . _to make clove or cinamon sugar._ put sugar in a box, and lay spices among it, and close up the box fast, and in short time it will smell and tast very well. . _to make irish_ aquavitæ. take to every gallon of good _aquavitæ_, two ounces of licoras bruised, two ounces of aniseeds bruised, let them stand six days in a vessel of glass close stopped, then pour out as much of it as will run clear, dissolve in that clear six great spoonfuls of the best molasses, then put it into another glass, then add to it some dates and raisins of the sun stoned; this is very good for the stomach. . _to distil roses speedily._ stamp your roses in a mortar with a little rosewater, and then distill them: this way will yield more water by much than the common way. . _to make scotch brewis._ take a manchet and pare off the crust then slice it thin and whole round the loaf, and lay these slices into a deep dish cross ways, one slice lying upon the edge of the other a little, that they may lye quite cross the dish, then fill it up with cream and put whole spice therein, so set it over a chafing-dish of coals very hot, and always cast the cream all over the bread with a spoon till all be spent, which will be above an hour, then take some sack and sweeten it with sugar, and pour all over it, and serve it to the table. . _to make fine black puddings._ take the blood of a hog, and strain it, and let it stand to settle, putting in a little salt while it is warm, then pour off the water on the top of the blood, and put so much oatmeal as you think fit, let it stand all night, then put in eight eggs beaten very well, as much cream as you think fit, one nutmeg or more grated, some pennyroyal and other herbs shred small, good store of beef sewet shred very small, and a little more salt, mix these very well together, and then have your guts very well scoured, and scraped with the back of a knife, fill them but not too full, then when you have tyed them fast, wash them in fair water, and let your water boil when they go in; then boil them half an hour, then stir them with the handle of a ladle and take them up and lay them upon clean straw, and prick them with a needle, and when they are a little cool put them into the boiling water again, and boil them till they are enough. . _to make the best almond-puddings._ take a quart of thick cream and boil it a while with whole spice, then put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten to a paste with rosewater, boil these together till it will come from the bottom of the posnet, continually stirring it for fear it burn: then put it out, and when it is cool, put in twelve yolks of eggs, and six whites, some marrow in big bits, or beef suet shred small, as much sugar as you think fit, then fill your guts being clean scraped; you may colour some of them if you please, and into some put plumped currans, and boil them just as you do the other. . _to make a rice pudding to bake._ take three pints of milk or more, and put therein a quarter of a pound of rice, clean washed and picked, then set them over the fire, and let them warm together, and often stir them with a wooden spoon, because that will not scrape too hard at the bottom, to make it burn, then let it boil till it be very thick, then take it off and let it cool, then put in a little salt, some beaten spice, some raisins and currans, and some marrow, or beef suet shred very small, then butter your pan, and so bake it, but not too much. . _to make a pudding of wild curds._ take wild curds and cream with them, put thereto eggs, both yolks and whites, rosewater, sugar, and beaten spice with some raisins and currans, and some marrow, and a little salt, then butter a pan, and bake it. . _to make pudding of plum cake._ slice your cake into some cream or milk, and boil it, and when it is cold, put in eggs, sugar, a little salt and some marrow, so butter a pan and bake it, or fill guts with it. . _to make bisket pudding._ take naples biskets and cut them into milk, and boil it, then put in eggs, spice sugar, marrow, and a little salt, and so boil it and bake it. . _to make a dry oatmeal pudding._ take your oatmeal well picked, and put into it a little salt, some raisins and currans, and some beaten spice, and good store of beef suet finely shred, so tie it up hard in a cloth, and let your water boil when you put it in; and let it boil very well; if you would butter it, then leave out the suet; and if you would leave out the fruit, then put in sweet herbs good store. . _to make almond puddings a different way from the other._ take two manchets and grate them, then scald them in some cream, then put in some almonds blanched and beaten as you do other, with rosewater, let there be about half a pound, then put in eight eggs well beaten, some spice, sugar, salt and marrow, and having your guts well scowred and scraped, fill them, but not too full, and boil them as you do the other; or bake it if you please; currans will do well in it. . _to make a quaking pudding._ take grated bread, a little flower, sugar, salt, beaten spice, and store of eggs well beaten, mix these well, and beat them together, then dip a clean cloth in hot water, and flower it over, and let one hold it at the four corners till you put it in, so tie it up hard, and let your water boil when you put it in, then boil it for one hour, and serve it in with sack, sugar and butter. . _to make good dumplings._ take some flower and a little salt, and a little ale-yest, and so much water as will make it into a paste, so let your water boil when you do put them in; boil them but a little while, and then butter them. . _another way to make dumplings._ take half a quarter of a peck of flower, and one egg, yolk and white, half a pound of butter broke in little bits, mix them together with so much cold milk as will make it up, do not break your butter too small, for then they will not flake; make them up like rouls of butter, and when your water boils, put them in, and do not boil them too much, then butter them. . _another way to make dumplings._ take flower and temper it very light with eggs, milk, or rather cream, beaten spice, salt, and a little sugar, then wet a cloth in hot water, and flower it, and so boil it for a pudding, or else make it pretty stiff with the flower and a little grated bread, and so boil them for dumplings, then butter them, and serve them in. . _to make a green pudding to butter._ take a quart of cream and boil it, then put in twelve eggs, yolks and whites well beaten, and one manchet grated small, a little salt, beaten spice and some sugar: then colour it well with some juice of spinage, or if you will have it yellow, colour it with saffron, so boil it in a wet cloth flowred as before, and serve it in with wine, sugar and butter, and stick it with blanched almonds split in halves, and pour the sauce over it, and it will look like a hedghog. you may at some time stick it with candied orange pill or limon pill, or eringo roots candied, you may sometimes strew on some caraway comfits, and if you will bake it, then put in some marrow, and some dates cut small: thus you have many puddings taught in one. . _to make a pudding of a hogs liver._ take your liver and boil it in water and salt, but not too much; then beat it fine in a mortar, and put to it one quart of cream, a little salt, rosewater, sugar, beaten spice and currans, with six eggs beaten very well: mix it well. and if you bake it, put in marrow, or if you boil it in skins. but if you boil it in a cloth, then leave it out; and butter it when it is boiled. . _to make a rasberry pudding._ take a quart of cream and boil it with whole spice a while, then put in some grated bread, and cover it off the fire, that it may scald a little; then put in eight eggs well beaten, and sweeten it with sugar; then put in a pint or more of whole rasberries, and so boil it in a cloth, and take heed you do not boil it too much, then serve it in with wine, butter and sugar. you may sometimes leave out the rasberries, and put in cowslip flowers, or goosberries. . _to make a calves foot pudding._ take those which are tenderly boiled and shred them small with beef-suet, then put to four feet one quart of cream and eight eggs well beaten, a little salt, some rosewater and sugar, some beaten spice, and one pound of currans; mix all these well together, and boil it or bake it; but if you would butter it, then do not put in suet. . _to make a pudding to rost._ take a pint of cream, scald a little grated bread in it, then put in three eggs beaten, a little flower, currans, beaten spice, suet, sugar and salt, with some beef suet finely shred, make it pretty stiff, and wrap it in a lambs caul, and rost it on a spit with a loin of lamb; if you please, you may put in a little rosewater. . _to make cream of divers things._ take a quart of cream and boil it a while, then put in eight yolks of eggs, and six whites well beaten, put them in over the fire, and stir them lest they turn, then when it is almost enough, put in some candied eringo root, orange or limon pill candied, and cut thin, preserved plums, without the stones, quince, pippin, cherries, or the like; if you do not like it so thick, put fewer eggs into it. . _to make cream of artichoke bottoms._ take a quart of cream and boil it with a little whole mace a while; then have your artichoke bottoms boiled very tender, and bruise them well in a mortar, then put them into the cream, and boil them a while, then put in so many yolks of eggs as you think fit, and sweeten it to your taste; when you think it is enough, pour it out, and serve it in cold. . _to pickle barberries._ take your barberries and pick out the fairest bunches of them, then take the refuse, and with some water and salt, so strong as will bear an egg, boil them together for half an hour or more, then lay your fair bunches into a pot, and when the liquor is cold, pour it over them. . _to pickle french beans._ take them before they be too old, and boil them tender, then put them into a pickle made with vinegar and salt, and so keep them; it is a very good and pleasant sallad. . _to pickle oysters._ take your great oysters, and in opening them save the liquor, then strain it from dross, add to it some white wine, and white wine vinegar, and a little salt, and so let them boil together a while, putting in whole mace, whole cloves, whole pepper, sliced ginger, and quartered nutmegs, with a few bay leaves; when the liquor is boiled almost enough, put in your oysters and plump them, then lay them out to cool, then put them into a gally-pot or barrel, and when the liquor is cool, pour it over them, and keep them from the air. . _to make the best sort of mustard._ dry your seed very well, then beat it by little and little at a time in a mortar, and sift it, then put the powder into a gally-pot, and wet it with vinegar very well, then put in a whole onion, pilled but not cut, a little pepper beaten, a little salt, and a lump of stone sugar. . _another sort of mustard._ dry your horse-radish roots in an oven very dry, then beat them to powder and sift them, and when you would use any, wet it with wine vinegar, and so it will rather be better than the other. . _to keep boiled powdered beef long after it is boiled._ when your beef is well powdered, and boiled thorowly, and quite cold, wrap it up close in a linnen cloth, and then a woollen one, and so keep it in a chest or box from the air. . _to make clouted cream._ take three gallons of new milk, set it on the fire, and boil it, then put in two quarts of cream, and stir it about for a while over the fire, then pour it out into several pans, and cover it till the next morning, then take it off carefully with a skimmer, and put it all into one dish one upon another, then eat it with wine and sugar. . _an excellent damask powder._ take of orrice half a pound, rose leaves four ounces, cloves one ounce, _lignum rhodium_ two ounces, _storax_ one ounce and an half, _benjamin_ one ounce and an half, musk and civet of each ten grains, beat them altogether grosly, save the rose leaves you must put in afterwards. this is a very fine powder to lay among linnen. _the end of the first part._ the second part of the queen-like closet: having an addition of what hath already been treated of, and directing a very true and excellent way for all manner of cookery, both fish, flesh, and pastry; _shewing_, the true seasoning of all things for compleat tables: _also_ all kinds of sauces & pickles, in a very brevious way. here is to be noted, that in divers of these receipts there are directions for two or three several things in one, not confounding the brains with multitudes of words, to little or no purpose, or vain expressions of things with are altogether unknown to the learned as well as to the ignorant: this is really imparted for the good of all the female sex. by _hannah wolley_, alias _chaloner_. _london_, printed for _r. lowndes_. the queen-like closet, or rich cabinet. the second part. . _to make elder vinegar and to colour it._ take of your best white wine vinegar, and put such a quantity of ripe elder berries into it as you shall think fit, in a wide mouth'd glass, stop it close, and set it in the sun for about ten days, then pour it out gently into another glass, and keep it for your use; thus you may make vinegar of red roses, cowslipps, gilliflowers, or the like. . _to make metheglin, either brown or white, but white is best._ take what quantity you please of spring-water, and make it so strong with honey that it will bear an egg, then boil it very well, till a good part be wasted, and put in to it boiling a good quantity of whole spice, rosemary, balm, and other cordial and pleasant herbs or flowers. when it is very well boiled, set it to cool, it being strained from the herbs, and the bag of spices taken out; when it is almost cold, put in a little yest, and beat it well, then put it into vessels when it is quite cold, and also the bag of spice, and when it hath stood a few days, bottle it up; if you would have it red, you must put the honey to strong ale wort in stead of water. . _to make collar'd beef._ take a good flank of beef, and lay it in pump water and salt, or rather saltpeter, one day and one night, then take pepper, mace, nutmegs, ginger, and cloves, with a little of the herb called tarragon, beat your spice, shred your tarragon, and mingle these with some suet beaten small, and strew upon your beef, and so rowl it up, and tie it hard, and bake it in a pot with claret wine and butter, let the pot be covered close, and something in the pot to keep the meat down in the liquor that it may not scorch, set it into the oven with houshold bread, and when it is baked, take it out, and let it cool, then hang it up one night in the chimney before you eat it, and so as long as you please. serve it in with bay leaves, and eat it with mustard and sugar. . _to make almond puddings with french rolls or naples biskets._ take a quart of cream, boil it with whole spice, then take it from the fire, and put in three naples biskets, or one penny french roll sliced thin, and cover it up to scald; when it is cold, put in four ounces of sweet almonds blanched, and beaten with rosewater, the yolks of eight eggs, and a little marrow, with as much sugar as you think fit, and a little salt; you may boil it, or bake it, or put it into skins; if it be boiled or baked, put sugar on it when you serve it in. . _to make barley cream._ take two ounces of french barley, and boil it in several waters, then take a quart of cream, and boil it with whole spice, put in your barley, and boil them together very well, then put in the yolks of six eggs well beaten, and as much sugar as you think fit; stir them well over the fire, then poure it out, and when it is cold serve it in; thus you may make rice cream, onely do not boil that, but a very little in milk, before you put it into the cream. . _to make cheese-cakes._ take four gallons of new milk, set it with a little runnet, and when it is come, break it gently, and whey it very well, then take some manchet, first scalded well in new milk, let the milk be thick with it, and while it is hot, put in a quarter of a pound of fresh butter, and stir it in, when it is cold, mix that and your curd together very well, then put in one pound and half of plumped currans, some beaten spice, a very little salt, rosewater, and the yolks of eight eggs, half a pint of cream, and a little sugar, mix them well together, then make some paste, with flower, butter, the yolk of an egg and fair water, and roul it out thin, and so bake them in bake-pans, and do not let them stand too long in the oven. . _another way for cheese-cakes._ take the curd of four gallons of new milk, and put thereto half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten fine with rosewater, then put in one pint of raw cream, the yolks of ten eggs, some beaten spice, a little salt, one pound and half of plumped currans, a little rosewater, and some sugar, and so mix them very well, and put them into your crust and bake them. . _another way for cheese-cakes._ take the curd of four gallons of new milk, beat it well in a mortar with half a pound of fresh butter, and then season it as you do the other above-named. . _another way for cheese-cakes._ take the same quantity of curd, and mix it with half a pound of rice boiled tender in milk, one quarter of a pound of fresh butter, the yolks of eight eggs, one pint of cream, beaten spice, two pounds of currans first plumped, rosewater and sugar, and a little salt, and so bake them, not too much. . _to make fresh cheese._ take some very tender cheese-curd, stamp it very well in a mortar with a little rosewater, wherein whole spice hath been steeped, then let it stand in a little cullender about half an hour, then turn it out into your dish, and serve it to the table with cream, wine, and sugar. . _another way for a fresh cheese._ take a quart of cream, and boil in it whole spice, then stir in the yolks of eight eggs, and four whites well beaten, and when they are hot, put in so much sack as will give it a good taste, then stir it over the fire till it runneth on a curd, then beat it in a mortar as the other, and serve it to the table with cream and sugar. . _to make oatmeal pudding._ take oatmeal beaten fine, put to it some cream, beaten spice, rosewater and sugar, some currans, some marrow, or beef suet shred fine, and a little salt, then butter your pan and bake it. . _puddings in balls to stew or to fry._ take part of a leg of veal, parboil it, and shred it fine with some beef suet, then take some cream, currans, spice, rosewater, sugar and a little salt, a little grated bread, and one handful of flower, and with the yolks of eggs make them in balls, and stew them between two dishes, with wine and butter, or you may make some of them in the shape of sausages, and fry them in butter, so serve them to the table with sugar strewed over them. . _to boil pigeons._ take your largest pigeons and cut them in halves, wash them and dry them, then boil a little water and salt with some whole spice, and a little faggot of sweet herbs, then put in your pigeons and boil them, and when they are enough, take some boiled parsley shred small, some sweet butter, claret wine, and an anchovy, heat them together, then put in the yolks of eggs, and make it thick over the fire, then put in your pigeons into a dish, garnished with pickled barberries and raw parsley, and so pour over them your sawce, and serve it to the table. . _to make an apple tansie._ take a quart of cream, one manchet grated, the yolks of ten eggs, and four whites, a little salt, some sugar, and a little spice, then cut your apples in round thin slices, and lay them into your frying-pan in order, your batter being hot, when your apples are fried, pour in your butter, and fry it on the one side, then turn it on a pie-plate and slide it into the pan again, and fry it, then put it on a pie-plate, and squeez the juice of a limon over it, and strew on fine sugar, and serve it so to the table. . _to make a green tansie to fry, or boil over a pot._ take a quart of cream, the yolks of one dozen of eggs and half, their whites well beat, mix them together, and put in one nutmeg grated, then colour it well with the juice of spinage, and sweeten it with sugar; then fry it with butter as you do the other, and serve it in the same manner; but you must lay thin slices of limon upon this. if you will not fry it, then butter a dish, and pour it therein, and set it upon a pot of boiling water till it be enough; this is the better and easier way. thus you may make tansies of any other things, as cowslips, rasberries, violets, marigolds, gilliflowers, or any such like, and colour them with their juice; you may use green wheat instead of spinage. . _to make an amulet._ take twelve eggs, beat them and strain them, put to them three or four spoonfuls of cream, then put in a little salt, and having your frying-pan ready with some butter very hot, pour it in, and when you have fryed it a little, turn over both the sides into the middle, then turn it on the other side, and when it is fryed, serve it to the table with verjuice, butter and sugar. . _to make a chicken-pie._ make your paste with cold cream, flower, butter and the yolk of an egg, roul it very thin, and lay it in your baking-pan, then lay butter in the bottom. then lay in your chickens cut in quarters with some whole mace, and nutmeg sliced, with some marrow, hard lettuce, eryngo root, and citron pill, with a few dates stoned and sliced: then lay good store of butter, close up your pie and bake it: then cut it open, and put in some wine, butter, and sugar with the yolks of two or three eggs well beaten together over the fire, till it be thick, so serve it to the table, and garnish your dish with some pretty conceits made in paste. . _to make a collar of brawn of a breast of pork._ take a large breast of pork, and bone it, then roul it up, and tie it hard with a tape, then boil it water and salt till it be very tender, then make souce drink for it with small beer, water and salt, and keep it in it: serve it to the table with a rosemary branch in the middle of it, and eat it with mustard. . _to souce veal to eat like sturgeon._ take what part of veal you like best, and boil it with water and salt, and a bundle of sweet herbs, and a little limon pill; when it is boiled enough, put into your liquor so much vinegar as will make it tast sharp, and a limon sliced, and when it is cold, put in your veal, and when it hath lain four or five days, serve it to the table with fennel, and eat it with some vinegar; you must tie it up as you do brawn. . _to make a pasty of a breast of veal._ take half a peck of fine flower, and two pounds of butter broken into little bits, one egg, a little salt, and as much cold cream, or milk as will make it into a paste; when you have framed your pasty, lay in your breast of veal boned, and seasoned with a little pepper and salt, but first you must lay in butter. when your veal is laid in, then put in some large mace, and a limon sliced thin, rind and all, then cover it well with butter, close it and bake it, and when you serve it in, cut it up while it is very hot, put in some white wine, sugar, the yolks of eggs, and butter being first heated over the fire together; this is very excellent meat. . _to make a pigeon-pie._ make your paste as for the pasty, roul it thin, and lay it into your baking-pan, then lay in butter, then mix pepper and salt and butter together, and fill the bellies of your pigeons, then lay them in, and put in some large mace, and little thin slices of bacon, then cover them with butter, and close your pie, and bake it not too much. . _to boil a capon or hen with oysters._ take either of them, and fill the belly of it with oysters, and truss it, then boil it in white wine, water, the liquor of the oysters, a blade or two of mace, a little pepper whole, and a little salt; when it is boiled enough, take the oysters out of the belly, and put them into a dish, then take some butter, and some of the liquor it was boiled in, and two anchoves with the yolks of eggs well beaten, heat these together over the fire, and then put your oysters into it, then garnish your dish with limon sliced thin, and some of the oysters, also some pickled barberries and raw parsley, then lay your capon or hen in the middle of it, and pour the sauce upon the breast of it, then lay on sliced limon and serve it in. . _to make an olio._ first lay in your dish a fricasy made of a calves-head, with oisters and anchovies in it, then lay marrow-bones round the dish, within them lay pigeons boiled round the dish, and thin slices of bacon, lay in the middle upon your fricasy a powdred goose boiled, then lay some sweet-breads of veal fryed, and balls of sawsage-meat here and there, with some scotch collops of veal or of mutton: garnish your dish with limon or orange and some toasts for the marrow so serve it in. . _to make cracknels._ take half a pound of fine flower, and as much fine sugar, a few coriander seeds bruised, and some butter rubbed into the flower, wet it with eggs, rosewater and cream, make it into a paste, and rowl it in thin cakes, then prick them and bake them; then wash them over with egg and a little rosewater, then dry them again in the oven to make them crisp. . _to make good sauce for a boiled leg of mutton._ take the best prunes and stew them well with white wine or claret, and some whole spice, then drain them into a dish and set it over a chafing dish of coles; put to it a little grated bread, juice of limon and a little salt, then lay your mutton in a dish, being well boiled with water and salt, pour your sauce to it: garnish your dish with limon, barberries, parsly, and so serve it in. . _to rost pork without the skin._ take any joint of small pork, not salted and lay it to the fire till the skin may be taken off, then take it from the fire and take off the skin, then stick it with rosemary and cloves, and lay it to the fire again, then salt it and rost it carefully, then make sauce for it with claret wine, white bread sliced thin, a little water, and some beaten cinamon; boil these well together, then put in some salt, a little butter, vinegar, or juice of limon, and a little sugar, when your pork is rosted enough, then flower it, and lay it into a dish with the sauce, and serve it in. . _to roste a pig like lamb._ take a pig--cut it in quarters, and truss it like quarters of lamb, then spit it, and rost it till you may take off the skin, then take the spit from the fire, and take the skin clean off, then draw it with parsly, and lay it to the fire, baste it with butter, and when it is enough, flower it and serve it to the table with butter, the juice of orange, and gross pepper, and a little salt. . _to make codling cream._ take fair codling apples, and when you have scalded them very well, peel them, and put them into warm water over a few embers covered close till they are very green, then take a quart of cream and boil it with a blade of mace, and then bruise six of your codlings very well, and when your cream is almost cold, put in your codlings, and stir them very well over a slow fire for fear they turn, then put in the yolks of eggs well beaten, and what sugar you think fit, and let it be upon the fire, stirring it till you think it be enough, then serve it in cold. . _a very dainty summer dish._ set a little morning milk with runnet, as for a cheese, when it is come, slice it out with a thin slice, and lay it into the dish you mean to serve it in, and put to it a little raw cream, what wine you please, and some sugar, and so eat it. . _to butter lobsters, crabs or crafish._ take out their meat and mince it small, and set it over a chafing dish of coals with a little white wine, a little salt, and a blade of mace, and when it is very hot, put in some butter and some crums of white bread, then warm the shells against the fire, and fill them again with their meat, and so serve them in. you may do shrimps or prawns thus, only you must not put them into the shells, again, but garnish your dish with them. . _to make a very good cheese._ take a pail full of morning milk and stroakings, and set it together with two spoonfuls of runnet, and cover it; when it is come, put it into the wheying-cloth gently, and break it as little as you can; when the whey is run clean from it, put it into the vat, and turn it in the evening, next morning take it out and salt it a little, and turn it twice a day upon a clean board, and when it is a week old, lay it into some nettles, and that will mellow it. before you set your milk, you may if you please, colour it with the juice of marigolds, spinage or sage. . _to boil a rump of beef._ take a rump of beef a little salted, and boil it in as much water, as will cover it, and boil a net full of hard lettice with it, and when it is boiled, take your hard lettice, some wine, either white or claret, some gravie, some butter and some nutmeg, and warm them together; then dish your meat, and pour your sauce over it, and garnish your dish with parsley. . _to make fritters of liver or of any other meat._ take your liver, capon or veal, parboil it, mince it small, and then put to it some cream, eggs, spice and salt, and make it pretty thick, and so fry them; you may add a little flower if you will, serve them in with beaten spice and sugar strewed over them. . _to make an almond pudding to be baked and iced over._ take a pound of almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater, the yolks and whites of twelve eggs well beaten and strained, then put in sugar, beaten spice and marrow, with a little salt, not in too hot an oven; let this be baked; when it is baked, stick it full of blanched almonds, and ice it over with sugar, rosewater, and the white of an egg beaten together, then set it into the oven again, that the ice may rise and dry, then serve it to the table with fine sugar strewed upon the brims of the dish. . _to souce a pig in collars._ take the two sides of a large fat pig and bone them, then take sage, salt and grated nutmeg a good quantity, and strew all over the insides of them, then roul them up hard, and tie them well with a tape, then boil them, and also the head very well in salt and water till they be tender; then take them out of the liquor, and lay them to cool, then put some vinegar and a limon sliced into your liquor, and heat it again, and when it is cold, put in your collars and head, and when they have lain a week, serve them to the table with mustard. . _to bake venison or mutton to keep six or eight months._ take a haunch of venison, or for want of it, take a large leg of mutton, bone it, and stuff it well with gross pepper, cloves, mace and nutmeg mingled, with salt, then rub it all over with the like, then put it into a pot with good store of butter, and bake it with houshold bread, and let it be pasted over. then pour out all the liquor, and when it is cold, take only the fat, and some more butter, and melt them together in a stone-pot set into a kettle of boiling water, then pour it into the pot to your venison or mutton, and so keep it, slice it out, and serve it to the table with mustard and sugar, and garnish it with bay leaves. . _to pot pigeons, or wild fowl, or a goose or rabbits._ take either of these, and fill their bellies with the before named spices and salt and butter, and rub them over with the same, then do just as you do the venison. . _to boil a large pike and eels together._ take a large pike, and gut him and wash him, and be sure to save what is good within him, then take two great eels and scowr them well, throw away their heads, gut them, and wash them well, and cut them in pieces, then boil some white wine and water, salt and sweet herbs together, with some whole spice, and when it boils apace, put in your fish, and when it is enough, take some of the liquor, two anchovies, some butter and some shrimps taken out of their shells, and heat all these together, then put in the yolks of two or three eggs, and heat all together, then lay some sippets of french bread into your dish, and set over a chafingdish of coals, and lay your fish in order upon them, then pour your sawce all over it, and garnish your dish with shrimps, barberries and raw parsley, so serve it to the table very hot. . _to roste eels with bacon._ take great eels and scour them well, and throw away the heads, gut them, and cut them in pieces, then cut some fat bacon very thin, and wrap them in it, and some bay leaves, and so tie them fast to the spit, and roste them, and baste them well with claret wine and butter, and when they are enough dredge them over with grated bread, and serve them with wine, butter, and anchovies; garnish your dish as you please. . _to make a pie with eels and oisters._ make your paste, and roul it thin, and lay it into your baking pan, then take great eels and flay them, and gut them, cut them in pieces, and wash them, and dry them, then lay some butter into your pie, and season your eels with pepper, salt, nutmeg, cloves and mace, and lay them in, then cover them all over with greast oisters, and put in three or four bay leaves, then put in more of your beaten spices and salt, then cover them well with butter, and put in two or three spoonfuls of white wine, so close it and bake it, then serve it in hot to the table. . _to make a pie with parsneps and oisters very good._ take your parsneps tenderly boiled; and slice them thin, then having your paste ready laid in your baking-pan, put in a good store of butter, then lay in a lay of parsneps, and some large mace, and pepper cracked, then some oisters and yolks of eggs hard boiled, then more spice and butter, then more parsneps, then more oisters, then more hard eggs, more spice, and cover it well, and bake it, and serve it in hot. . _to dress artichoke suckers._ take your suckers of artichokes, and pare them as you would an apple, and cast them into water to keep their colour; and to take away the bitterness of them, put also to them the meat which is in the stalks of great artichokes, then boil water and salt together, and when it is boiling apace, put in your suckers and stalks tied up in a thin cloth with a blade or two of mace, and when they are enough, melt some butter and vinegar together very thick and hot, and a little pepper with it, then lay them in a dish, and pour the sauce over them, strew on a little salt, and about the dishes, and so serve it in. . _to boil cucumbers._ take your largest cucumbers, and wash them and put them into boiling water made quick with salt, then when they are boiled enough, take them and peel them and break them into a cullender, and when the water is well drained from them, put them into a hot dish, and pour over them some butter and vinegar a little pepper and salt, strew salt on your dish brims, lay some of the rind of them about the dish cut in several fancies, and so serve them to the table. . _to make several sallads, and all very good._ take either the stalks of mallows, or turnip stalks when they run to seed, or stalks of the herb mercury with the seedy head, either of these while they are tender put into boiling water and salt, and boiled tender, and then butter and vinegar over them. . _to make a sallad of burdock, good for the stone, another of the tender stalks of sow-thistles._ take the inside of the stalks of burdock, and cut them in thin slices, and lay them in water one whole day, shifting them sometimes, then boil them, and butter them as you do the forenamed. also the tender stalks of sow-thistles done in like manner, are very good and wholsome. . _to make a tart of spinage._ take a good quantity of green spinage, boil it in water and salt, and drain it well in a cullender, then put to it plumped currans, nutmeg, salt, sugar and butter, with a little cream, and the yolks of hard eggs beaten fine, then having your paste ready laid in your baking-pan, lay in a little butter, and then your spinage, and then a little butter again; so close it, and bake it, and serve it to the table hot, with sugar strewed over it. . _artichoke cream._ take the tender bottoms of artichokes, and beat them in a mortar, and pick out all the strings, then boil a quart of cream with large mace and nutmeg, then put in your bottoms, and when they have boiled a while, put in the yolks of six eggs well beaten, and so much sugar as you think fit, and heat them together over the fire, then pour it into a dish, and when it is cold serve it in with sugar strewed over it. . _to make very fine rolls for noble tables._ take half a peck of fine flower, the yolks of eggs and a little salt, with a pint of ale yest, mix them together, and make them into a paste with warm milk and a little sack, them mould it well, and put it into a warm cloth to rise, when your oven is hot, mould it again, and make it into little rolls, and bake them, then rasp them, and put them into the oven again for a while, and they will eat very crisp and fine. . _to make short rolls._ take half a peck of fine flower, and break into it one pound and half of fresh butter very small, then bruised coriander seeds, and beaten spice with a very little salt and some sugar, and a pint of ale-yest, mix them well together, and make them into a paste with warm milk and sack: then lay into it a warm cloth to rise, and when your oven is hot, make it into rolls, and prick them, and bake them, and when they are baked, draw them and cover them till they be cold; these also eat very finely, if you butter some of them while they are hot. . _to dress soals a fine way._ take one pair of your largest soals, and flay them on both sides, then fry them in sweet suet tried up with spice, bay leaves, and salt, then lay them into a dish, and put into them some butter, claret wine and two anchovies, cover them with another dish, and set them over a chafingdish of coals, and let them stew a while, then serve them to the table, garnish your dish with orange or limon, and squeeze some over them. . _to stew fish in the oven._ take soals, whitings or flounders, and put them into a stew-pan with so much water as will cover them, with a little spice and salt, a little white wine or claret, some butter, two anchovies, and a bundle of sweet herbs, cover them and set them into an oven not too hot; when they are enough, serve them in; garnish your dish wherein they lie with barberries, raw parsley, and slices of limon, and lay sippets in the bottom. . _to bake collops of bacon and eggs._ take a dish and lay a pie-plate therein, then lay in your collops of bacon, and break your eggs upon them. then lay on parsley, and set them into an oven not too hot, and they will be rather better than fried. . _to make furmity._ take some new milk or cream, and boil it with whole spice, then put in your wheat or pearl barley boiled very tender in several waters, when it hath boiled a while, thicken it with the yolks of eggs well beaten, and sweeten it with sugar, then serve it in with fine sugar on the brims of the dish. . _to make barly broth._ take french barley boiled in several waters, and to a pound of it, put three quarts of water, boil them together a while with some whole spice, then put in as many raisins of the sun and currans as you think fit, when it is well boiled, put in rosewater, butter and sugar, and so eat it. . _to make barley broth with meat._ take a knuckle of veal, and the crag-end of a neck of mutton, and boil them in water and salt, then put in some barly, and whole spice, and boil them very well together, then put in raisins stoned, and currans, and a few dates stoned and sliced thin; when it is almost enough, put in some cream, and boil it a while, then put in plumped prunes, and the yolks of eggs, rosewater and sugar, and a little sack, so serve it in; garnsh your dish with some of the raisins and prunes and fine sugar; this is very good and nourishing for sick or weak people. . _to make furmity with meat-broth._ boil a leg of beef in water and salt, and put in a little whole spice; when it is boiled tender; take it up, and put into the broth some wheat ready boiled, such as they sell in the market, and when that hath boiled a while, put in some milk, and let that boil a while, then thicken it with a little flower, or the yolks of eggs, then sweeten it with sugar, and eat it. . _to make furmity with almonds._ take three quarts of cream, and boil it with whole spice, then put in some pearled barley first boiled in several waters, and when they have boiled together a while, then put in so many blanched almonds beaten fine with rosewater, as you think may be enough, about four ounces of barly to this quantity of cream will be enough, and four ounces of almonds, boil them well together, and sweeten it with sugar, and so serve it in, or eat it by the way, you may put in saffron if you please. . _to make a hasty pudding._ take one quart of cream and boil it, then put in two manchets grated, and one pound almost of currans plumped, a little salt, nutmeg and sugar, and a little rosewater, and so let them boil together, stirring them continually over the fire, till you see the butter arise from the cream, and then pour it into a dish and serve it in with fine sugar strewed on the brims of the dish. . _another way to make a hasty pudding._ take good new milk and boil it, then put in flower, plumped currans, beaten spice, salt and sugar, and stir it continually till you find it be enough, then serve it in with butter and sugar, and a little wine if you please. . _to make spanish pap._ boil a quart of cream with a little whole spice, when it is well boiled, take out the spice, and thicken it with rice flower, and when it is well boiled, put in the yolks of eggs, and sugar and rosewater, with a very little salt, so serve it to the table either hot or cold, with fine sugar strewed on the brims of the dish. . _to make gravie broth._ take a good fleshy piece of beef, not fat, and lay it down to the fire, and when it begins to rost, slash it with a knife to let the gravie run out, and continually bast it with what drops from it and claret wine mixed together, and continually cut it, and bast it till all the gravie be out, then take this gravie and set it over a chafingdish of coals with some whole spice, limon pill, and a little salt, when you think it is enough, lay some sippets into another dish, and pour it in, and serve it to the table; garnish your dish with limon and orange; if you please you may leave out the sippets and put in some poach'd eggs, done carefully. . _to make french pottage._ take an equal quantity of chervil, hard lettice and sorrel, or any other herb as you like best, in all as much as a peck will hold pressed down, pick them well, and wash them, and drain them from the water, then put them into a pot with half a pound of fresh butter, and set them over the fire, and as the butter melts, stir them down in it till they are all within the butter, then put some water in, and a crust of bread, with some whole cloves and a little salt, and when it is well boiled, take out the crust of bread, and put in the yolks of four eggs well beaten, and stir them together over the fire, then lay some thin slices of white bread into a deep dish, and pour it in. . _to make cabbage pottage._ take a leg of beef and a neck of mutton, and boil them well in water and salt, then put in good store of cabbage cut small, and some whole spice, and when it is boiled enough, serve it in. . _to make a sallad of cold meat._ take the brawn of a cold capon, or a piece of cold veal, and mince it very small, with some limon pill, then put in some oil, vinegar, capers, caviare, and some anchovies, and mix them very well, then lay it in a dish in the form of a star, and serve it in; garnish your dish with anchovies, limon and capers. . _to dry a goose._ take a fair fat goose, and powder it about a month or thereabouts, then hang it up in a chimney as you do bacon, and when it is throughly dry, boil it well and serve it to the table with some mustard and sugar, garnish your dish with bay leaves: hogs cheeks are very good dried thus. . _to dress sheeps tongues with oysters._ take your sheeps tongues about six of them, and boil them in water and salt till they be tender, then peel them, and slice them thin, then put them into a dish with a quart of great oisters; a little claret wine and some whole spice, let them stew together a while, then put in some butter and the yolks of three eggs well beaten, shake them well together, then lay some sippets into a dish, and put your tongues upon them; garnish your dish with oisters, barberries, and raw parsley, and serve it in. . _to make a neats-tongue pie._ let two small neats tongues or one great one be tenderly boiled, then peel them and slice them very thin, season them with pepper and salt, and nutmeg; then having your paste ready laid into your baking-pan, lay some butter in the bottom, then lay in your tongues, and one pound of raisins of the sun, with a very little sugar, then lay in more butter, so close it and bake it, then cut it up, and put in the yolks of three eggs, a little claret wine and butter, stir it well together, and lay on the cover, and serve it; you may add a little sugar if you please. . _a capon with white broth._ take a large capon, and draw him, and truss him, and boil him in water and a little salt, with some whole spice: when you think it is almost enough, put in one pound of currans well washed and picked, four ounces of dates stoned and diced thin, and when they have boiled enough, put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten fine with rose-water, strain them in with some of the liquor, then put in some sack and sugar; then lay some thin slices of white bread into a deep dish, and lay your capon in the midst, then pour your broth over it. garnish your dish with plumped raisins and prunes, and serve it in. . _to make a calvesfoot pie._ take six calves feet tenderly boiled, and cut them in halves, then make some paste with fine flower, butter, cold cream and the yolk and white of one egg, rowl it very thin, and lay it into your baking-pan, then lay some butter in the bottom, and then your calves feet with some large mace, half a pound of raisins of the sun, half a pound of currans, then lay more butter and close it and bake it, then cut it up, and put in the yolks of three eggs, some white wine, butter and a little salt, and so serve it to the table; garnish your dish with pretty conceits made in paste, and baked a little. . _to make an artichoke pie._ make your paste as before named, and roul it thin, and lay it into your baking-pan. then lay in butter sliced thin, and then your bottoms of artichokes tenderly boiled, season it with a little salt, a little gross pepper, and some sliced nutmeg, with a blade or two of mace and a little sugar, then lay in some marrow, candied orange and citron pill, with some candied eringo roots; then cover it with butter, and close it with your paste, and so bake it, then cut it up, and put in white wine, butter, and the yolks of eggs and sugar; cover it again, and serve it to the table. . _to make an oyster-pie._ make your paste as before, and lay it in your pan, then lay in butter, and then put in as many great oysters as will almost fill your pan, with their liquor strained, some whole pepper, mace and nutmeg; then lay in marrow and the yolks of hard eggs, so cover them with butter, close them, and bake your pie, then put in white wine, anchovies, butter and the yolks of eggs; cover it again and serve it the table. . _to make a pig-pie._ take a large pig and slit it in two, and bone it, onely the two sides, not the head, then having your paste ready laid in your pan, and some butter in the bottom, lay in your pig, season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace, and one handful of sage shred small and mixed with the spice and salt, then lay in more butter, close it, and bake it. serve it in cold with mustard, and garnish your dish with bay leaves. if you would eat it hot, you must leave out the pepper and some of the salt, and put in store of currans, and when it comes out of the oven, put in some butter, vinegar, and sugar, and so serve it. . _to make a rasberry tart._ take some puff-paste rolled thin, and lay it into your baking-pan, then lay in your rasberries and cover them with fine sugar, then close your tart and bake it; then cut it up, and put in half a pint of cream, the yolks of two or three eggs well beaten, and a little sugar; then serve it in cold with the lid off, and sugar strewed upon the brims of the dish. . _to make a carp pie._ have your paste ready laid in your bake-pan, and some butter in the bottom. then take a large carp, scale him, gut him, and wash him clean, and dry him in a cloth, then lay him into your pan with some whole cloves, mace, and sliced nutmeg, with two handfuls of capers, then put in some white wine, and mix some butter with salt, and lay all over; then close it, and bake it; this is very good to be eaten either hot or cold. . _to boil a goose or rabbits with sausages._ take a large goose a little powdered, and boil it very well, or a couple of rabbits trussed finely; when either of these are almost boiled, put in a pound of sausages, and boil them with them, then lay either of these into a dish, and the sausages here and there one, with some thin collops of bacon fryed, then make for sauce, mustard and butter, and so serve it in. . _to make a fricasie of veal, chicken, or rabbits, or of any thing else._ take either of these and cut them into small pieces, then put them into a frying pan with so much water as will cover them with a little salt, whole spice, limon pill and a bundle of sweet herbs, let them boil together till the meat be tender, then put in some oysters, and when they are plumped, take a little wine, either white or claret, and two anchovies dissolved therein with some butter, and put all these to the rest, and when you think your meat is enough, take it out with a little skimmer, and put it into a dish upon sippets; then put into your liquor the yolks of eggs well beaten, and mix them over the fire, then pour it all over your meat; garnish your dish with barberries, and serve it in; this dish you may make of raw meat or of cold meat which hath been left at meals. . _to make scotch collops of veal or mutton._ take your meat and slice it very thin, and beat it with a rolling-pin, then hack it all over, and on both sides with the back of a knife, then fry it with a little gravie of any meat, then lay your scotch collops into a dish over a chafingdish of coals, and dissolve two anchovies in claret wine, and add to it some butter and the yolks of three eggs well beaten, heat them together, and pour it over them: then lay in some thin collops of bacon fryed, some sausage meat fried, and the yolks of hard eggs fryed after they are boiled, because they shall look round and brown, so serve it to the table. . _to make a pudding of a manchet._ take a manchet, put it into a posnet, and fill the posnet up with cream, then put in sugar and whole spice, and let it boil leisurely till all the cream be wasted away, then put it into a dish, and take some rosewater, and butter and sugar, and pour over it, so serve it in with fine sugar strewed all over it. your manchet must be chipped before you put it into the cream. . _to make a calves head pie._ make your paste, and lay it into your pan as before, then lay in butter, and then your calves head, being tenderly boiled, and cut in little thin bits, and seasoned with pepper, salt and nutmeg, then put in some oysters, anchovies and claret wine, with some yolks of hard eggs and marrow, then cover it with butter, and close it and bake it; when it is baked, eat it hot. . _to dry tongues._ take some pump water and bay salt, or rather refined saltpeter, which is better; make a strong brine therewith, and when the salt is well melted in it, put in your tongues, and let them lie one week, then put them into a new brine, made in the same manner, and in that let them lie a week longer, then take them out, and dry-salt them with bay salt beaten small, till they are as hard as may be, then hang them in the chimney where you burn wood, till they are very dry, and you may keep them as long as you please; when you would eat of them, boil them with [transcriber's note: word missing] in the pot as well as water, for that will make them look black, and eat tender, and look red within; when they are cold, serve them in with mustard and sugar. . _to make angelot cheese._ take some new milk and strokings together, the quantity of a pail full, put some runnet into it, and stir it well about, and cover it till your cheese be come, then have ready narrow deep moats open at both ends, and with your flitting dish fill your moats as they stand upon a board, without breaking or wheying the cheese, and as they sink, still fill them up, and when you see you can turn them, which will be about the next day, keep them with due turning twice in a day, and dry them carefully, and when they are half a year old, they will be fit to be eat. . _to make a hare-pie._ take the flesh of a very large hare, and beat it in a mortar with as much marrow or beef suet as the hare contains, then put in pepper, salt, nutmeg, cloves and mace, as much as you judge to be fit, and beat it again till you find they be well mixed, then having your paste ready in your baking-pan, lay in some butter, and then your meat, and then butter again; so close it, and bake it, and when it is cold, serve it in with mustard and sugar, and garnish your dish with bay leaves; this will keep much longer than any other pie. . _to rost a shoulder of venison or of mutton in bloud._ take the bloud of either the deer or the sheep, and strain it, and put therein some grated bread and salt, and some thyme plucked from the stalks, then wrap your meat in it and rost it, and when you see the bloud to be dry upon it, baste it well with butter, and make sauce for it with claret wine, crums of bread and sugar, with some beaten cinamon, salt it a little in the rosting, but not too much; you may stick it with rosemary if you will. . _to stew a pig._ lay a large pig to the fire, and when it is hot, skin it, and cut it into divers pieces, then take some white wine and strong broth, and stew it therein with an onion or two cut very small, a little pepper, salt, nutmeg, thyme, and anchovies, with some elder vinegar, sweet butter and gravie; when it is enough, lay sippets of french bread in your dish, and put your meat thereon. garnish your dish with oranges and limons. . _to make a fricasie of sheeps feet._ take your sheeps feet tenderly boiled, and slit them, and take out the knot of hair within, then put them into a frying-pan with as much water as will cover them, a little salt, nutmeg, a blade of mace, and a bundle of sweet herbs, and some plumped currans; when they are enough, put in some butter, and shake them well together, then lay sippets into a dish, and put them upon them with a skimmer, then put into your liquor a little vinegar, the yolks of two or three eggs, and heat it over the fire, and pour it over them; garnish your dish with barberries, and serve it to the table. . _to make a steak-pie with puddings in it._ lay your paste ready in your pan, and lay some butter in the bottom, then lay a neck of mutton cut into steaks thereon, then take some of the best of a leg of mutton minced small, with as much beef suet as mutton; season it with beaten spice and salt, and a little wine, apples shred small, a little limon pill, a little verjuice and sugar, then put in some currans, and when they are well mixed, make it into balls with the yolks of eggs, and lay them upon the steaks, then put in some butter and close your pie and bake it, and serve it in hot. . _to dress salmon or other fish by infusion, a very good way._ take a joul of salmon, or a tail, or any other part, or any other fish which you like, put it into a pot or pan, with some vinegar, water and salt, spice, sweet herbs, and white wine; when it is enough, lay it into a dish, and take some of the liquor with an anchovie or two, a little butter and the yolks of eggs beaten; heat these over the fire, and poure over your fish; if you please, you may put in shrimps, but then you must put in the more butter; garnish your dish with some limon or orange, and some shrimps. . _to make loaves to butter._ take the yolks of twelve eggs, and six whites, a little yeast, salt and beaten ginger, wet some flower with this, and make it into a paste, let it lie to rise a while, and then make it into loaves, and prick them, and bake them, then put in white wine and butter and sugar, and serve it in. . _to make a calves chaldron pie, and puddings also of it._ take a fat calves chaldron boiled tender, and shred it very small, then season it with beaten spice and salt: then put in a pound of currans and somewhat more, and as much sugar as you think fit, and a little rosewater; then having your pie ready, fill it with this, and press it down; close it and bake it, then put some wine into it, and so eat it. if you will make puddings of it, you must add a little cream and grated bread, a little sack, more sugar, and the yolks of eggs, and so you may bake them, or boil, or fry them. . _to make rice-cream._ boil a quart of cream, then put in two handfuls of rice flower, and a little fine flower, as much sugar as is fit, the yolk of an egg, and some rosewater. . _to make a pompion-pie._ having your paste ready in your pan, put in your pompion pared and cut in thin slices, then fill up your pie with sharp apples, and a little pepper, and a little salt, then close it, and bake it, then butter it, and serve it in hot to the table. . _to fry pompion._ cut it in thin slices when it is pared, and steep it in sack a while, then dip it in eggs, and fry it in butter, and put some sack and butter for sauce, so serve it in with salt about the dish brims. . _to make misers for children to eat in afternoons in summer._ take half a pint of good small beer, two spoonfuls of sack, the crum of half a penny manchet, two handfuls of currans washed clean and dried, and a little of grated nutmeg, and a little sugar, so give it to them cold. . _to fry toasts._ take a twopenny white loaf, and pare away the crust, and cut thin slices of it, then dip them first in cream, then in the yolks of eggs well beaten, and mixed with beaten cinamon, then fry them in butter, and serve them in with verjuice, butter and sugar. . _to boil or rather stew carps in their own blood._ take two fair carps, and scowr them very well from slime with water and a little salt, then lay them in a dish and open their bellies, take away their guts, and save the blood and rows in the dish, then put in a pint of claret wine, some whole spice and some salt, with a little horse-radish root, then cover them close, and let them stew over a chafingdish of coals, and when they are enough, lay them into a dish which must be rubbed with a shelots, and sippets laid in, then take a little of the liquor, and an anchovie or two, with a little butter, heat them together, and pour it over them, then garnish your dish with capers, oranges or limons, and serve it in very hot. . _to make fritters._ take half a pint of sack and a pint of ale, a little yest, the yolks of twelve eggs, and six whites, with some beaten spice and a very little salt, make this into thick batter with fine flower, then boil your lard, and dip round thin slices of apples in this batter, and fry them; serve them in with beaten spice and sugar. . _to pickle coleflowers._ take some white wine vinegar and salt, with some whole spice, boil them together very well, then put in your coleflowers, and cover them, and let them stand upon embers for one hour, then take them out, and when they are cold, put them into a pot, and boil the liquor again with more vinegar, and when it is cold, put it to them, and keep them close from the air. . _to preserve orange or limon pills in thin slices in jelly._ take the most beautiful and thickest rinds, and then cut them in halves, and take their meat clean out, then boil them in several waters till a straw will run through them, then wash them in cold water, and pick them and dry them: then take to a pound of these, one quart of water wherein thin slices of pippins have been boiled, and that the water feels slippery, take to this water three pounds of sugar, and make thereof a syrup, then put in your pills and scald them, and set them by till the next day, then boil them till you find that the syrup will jelly, then lay your pills into your glasses, and put into your syrup the juice of three oranges and one limon; then boil it again till it be a stiff jelly, and put it to them. . _to make cakes of the pulp of limons, or rather the juice of limons._ take out all the juice part of the limon without breaking the little skins which hold it, then boil some sugar to a candy height, and put in this juice, and stir it about, and immediately put it into a warm stove, and put in fire twice or thrice a day; when you see that it doth candy on the one side, then turn them out of the glasses with a wet knife on the other upon a sleeked paper, and then let that candy also, and put them up in a box with papers between them. . _to make good minced pies._ take one pound and half of veal parboiled, and as much suet, shred them very fine, then put in pound of raisins, pound of currans, pound of prunes, dates, some beaten spice, a few caraway seeds, a little salt, verjuice, rosewater and sugar, to fill your pies, and let them stand one hour in the oven: when they go to table strew on fine sugar. . _to make a loaf of curds._ take the curds of three quarts of milk rubbed together with a little flower, then put in a little beaten ginger, and a little salt, half a pint of yest, the yolks of ten eggs, and three whites: work these into a stiff paste with so much flower as you see fit, then lay it to rise in a warm cloth a while, then put in butter, sugar, sack, and some beaten spice, and so serve it in. . _to make cheese loaves._ take the curds of three quarts of milk, and as much grated bread as curd, the yolks of twelve eggs, and six whites, some cream, a little flower, and beaten spice, a little salt, and a little sack; when you have made it in a stiff paste with a little flower, roul some of it thin to fry, and serve them in with beaten spice and sugar strewed over them. then make the rest into a loaf, and bake it, then cut it open, and serve it in with cream, butter and sugar. . _to fry oysters._ take of your largest oysters, wash them and dry them, and beat an egg or two very well, and dip them in that, and so fry them, then take their liquor, and put an anchovy to it, and some butter, and heat them together over the fire, and having put your fryed oysters in a dish, pour the sawce over them and serve them in. . _to broil oysters._ take your largest oysters, and put them into scollop shells, or into the biggest oyster shells with their own liquor, and set them upon a gridiron over charcoals, and when you see they be boiled in the liquor, put in some butter, a few crums of bread, and a little salt, then let them stand till they are very brown, and serve them to the table in the shells upon a dish and pie-plate. . _to rost oysters._ take the largest, and spit them upon little long sticks, and tie them to the spit, then lay them down to the fire, and when they are dry, bast them with claret wine, and put into your pan two anchovies, and two or three bay-leaves, when you think they are enough, bast them with butter, and dredge them, and take a little of that liquor in the pan, and some butter, and heat it in a porringer, and pour over them. . _to make most excellent and delicate pies._ take two neats tongues tenderly boiled, and peel them, and mince them small with some beef suet or marrow, then take a pound of currans and a pound of raisins of the sun stoned, some beaten spice, rosewater, a little salt, a little sack and sugar. beat all these with the minced meat in a mortar till it come to a perfect paste, then having your paste ready laid in your baking-pan, fill it or them with this meat, then lay on the top some sliced dates, and so close them, and bake them, when they are cold they will cut smooth like marmalade. . _to make fine custards._ take two quarts of cream and boil it well with whole spice, then put in the yolks of twelve eggs, and six whites well beaten and strained, then put in these eggs over the fire, and keep them stirring lest they turn, then when they are thoroughly hot, take it off and stir it till it be almost cold, then put in rosewater and sugar, and take out the whole spice, then put your custard into several things to bake, and do not let them stand too long in the oven; when you serve them in, strew on small french comfits of divers colours, or else fine sugar, which you please. . _to make a stump pie._ take a pound of veal and as much suet, parboil your veal, and shred them together, but not very small, then put in one pound of raisins, one pound of currans, four ounces of dates stoned and sliced thin, some beaten spice, rosewater and sugar, and a little salt, then take the yolks of eggs well beaten, and mix amongst the rest of the things very well, then having your pie ready, fill it and press it down, then lid it, and bake it. . _to make egg-pies._ take the yolks of eight hard eggs, and shred them small with their weight of beef suet minced very small also, then put in one pound of currans, four ounces of dates stoned and sliced, some beaten spice, limon pill, rosewater and sugar, and a little salt, mix them well together, if you please, you may put in an apple shred small, so fill your pies and bake them, but not too much, serve them to the table with a little wine. . _to make hashed meat._ take a leg or shoulder of mutton, lay it down to the fire, and as it doth rost, cut it off in little bits, and let it lie in the pan, bast it with claret wine and butter, and a little salt, and put two or three shelots in your pan, when you have cut off so much as you can, lay the bones into a dish over a chafingdish of coals, and put your meat to it with the liquor, and two anchovies, cover it, and let it stew a while; when it is enough, put in some capers, and serve it in with sippets; garnish your dish with olives and capers, and samphire; thus you may do with any cold meat between two dishes. . _to make a fricasie of oysters._ take a quart of oysters and put them into a frying pan with some white wine and their own liquor, a little salt, and some whole spice, and two or three bay leaves, when you think they be enough, lay them in a dish well warmed, then add to their liquor two anchovies, some butter, and the yolks of four eggs; garnish your dish with barberries. . _to make a fricasie of eels._ take a midling sort of eels, scour them well, and cut off the heads and throw them away, then gut them, and cut them in pieces, then put them into a frying pan with so much white wine and water as will cover them, then put in whole spice, a bundle of sweet herbs and a little salt, let them boil, and when they be very tender, take them up and lay them into a warm dish, then add to their liquor two anchovies, some butter and the yolks of eggs, and pour over them: thus you may make fricasies of cockles or of shrimps, or prawns. garnish your dish with limon and barberries. . _to make an eel-pie._ take your largest eels, and flay them, and cut them in pieces, then having your pie ready with butter in the bottom, season your eels with pepper, salt and nutmeg, then lay them in and cover them with butter, so close it and bake it, if you please, you may put in some raisins of the sun, and some large mace, it is good hot or cold. . _to souce an eel and collar it._ take a very large fat eel and scour it well, throw away the head and gut her, and slit her down the back, season her with pepper, salt, nutmeg and mace, then boil her in white wine, and salt and water, with a bundle of sweet herbs and some limon pill, when it is well boiled, take it up and lay it to cool; then put good store of vinegar into the liquor, and when it is cold, put in your eel, and keep it: you must roul it up in a collar and tie it hard with a tape, and sew it up in a cloth, then put it in to boil; when it hath lain a week, serve it to the table with a rosemary branch in the middle, and bay leaves round the dish sides, eat it with mustard. . _to stew eels._ take them without their heads, flay them and cut them in pieces, then fill a posnet with them, and set them all on end one by one close to one another, and put in so much white wine and water as will cover them, then put in good store of currans to them, whole spice, sweet herbs, and a little salt, cover them and let them stew, and when they are very tender, put in some butter, and so shake them well, and serve them upon sippets; garnish your dish with orange or limon and raw parsley. . _to make a herring pie._ take four of the best pickled herrings, and skin them, then split them and bone them, then having your pie in readiness with butter in the bottom, then lay your herrings in halves into your pie one lay of them, then put in raisins, currans and nutmeg, and a little sugar, then lay in more butter, then more herrings, fruit and spice, and more butter, and so close it, and bake it; your herrings must be well watered. . _to rost a pike and to lard it._ take a large pike, and scale it, gut it, and wash it clean, then lard it on the back with pickled herring and limon pill, then spit it and lay it down to the fire to rost, bast it often with claret wine and butter, when it is enough, make sauce for it with claret wine and butter, and serve it in. . _to boil fresh salmon._ take a joll or a tail of fresh salmon, then take vinegar and water, salt and whole spice, and boil them together, then put in your salmon, and when it is boiled, take some butter and some of the liquor with an anchovie or two, and a little white wine and a quart of shrimps out of their shells, heat these together, and so dish your salmon, and pour this over it. garnish your dish with shrimps and anchovies, and slices of limon. . _to boil a cods head._ boil wine, water and salt together, with whole spice and sweet herbs, and a little horse-radish root, then put in your cods head, and boil it very well, then drain it well from the water, and lay it in a dish over a chafingdish of coals: then take some of the liquor and two anchovies, some butter and some shrimps, heat them over the fire, and pour over it, then poach some eggs and lay over it, and also about the brims of the dish; garnish your dish with limon and barberries, so serve it to the table very hot: thus you may do haddocks or whitings, or any other fresh fish you like best. . _to make olives of veal._ take thin slices of a leg of veal, and have ready some suet finely shred, some currans, beaten spice, sweet herbs, and hard yolks of eggs, and a little salt mixed well together, then strew it upon the insides of your slices of meat, and roul them up hard, and make them fast with a scure, so spit them and roste them, baste them with butter, and serve them in with vinegar, butter and sugar. . _to make an olive pie._ having your paste in readiness with butter in the bottom, lay in some of the forenamed olives, but not fastned with a scure, then put in currans, hard eggs, and sweet butter, with some herbs shred fine; be sure you cover it well with butter, and put in a little white wine and sugar, and close it, and bake it, eat it hot or cold, but hot is better. . _to make a ball to take stains out of linnen, which many times happens by cooking or preserving._ take four ounces of hard white sope, beat it in a mortar, with two small limons sliced, and as much roch allom as a hazle nut, when they are beaten well together, make it up in little balls, rub the stain therewith and then wash it in warm water, till you see it be quite out. . _to make a fine pomander._ take two ounces of laudanum, of benjamin and storax one ounce, musk six gr. as much of civet, as much of ambergreece, of calamus aromaticus, and lignum aloes, of each the weight of a groat, beat all these in a hot mortar and with a hot pestel, till it come to a perfect paste, then take a little gum dragon steeped in rosewater, and rub your hand withal, and make it up with speed, and dry them, but first make them into what shapes you please, and print them. . _a very fine washing-ball._ take three ounces of orrice, half an ounce of cypress-wood, ounces of calamus aromaticus, ounce of damask-rose leaves, ounces of lavender-flowers, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, beat all these and searce them fine, then take two pounds and an half of castile sope dissolved in rose water, and beat all these forenamed things with the sope in a mortar, and when they are well incorporated, make it into balls, and keep them in a box with cotton as long as you please. . _to make french broth called kink._ take a leg of beef and set it over the fire with a good quantity of fair water, when it boils, scum it, and what meat soever you have to dress that day, either of fowl or small meat, put it all into this liquor and parboil it, then take out those small meats, and put in some french barley, and some whole spice, one clove or two of garlick, and a handful of leeks, and some salt; when it is boiled enough, pour it from the barley, and in put a little saffron; so serve it in; and garnish your dish with sliced oranges or limons, and put a little of the juice therein. . _to make broth of a lambs head._ boil it with as much water as will cover it, with whole spice, and a little salt, and a bundle of sweet herbs, then put in strained oatmeal and cream, and some currans, when you take it up, put in sack and sugar, then lay the head in a dish, and put the broth to it, and serve it in. . _to season a chicken-pie._ having your paste rolled thin, and laid into your baking-pan, lay in some butter, then lay in your chickens quartered, and seasoned with pepper, nutmeg and a little salt, then put in raisins, currans, and dates, then lay butter on the top, close it and bake it, then cut it up, and put in clouted cream, sack and sugar. . _to make an herb pie._ take spinage, hard lettice, and a few sweet herbs, pick them, wash them, and shred them, and put them into your pie with butter, and nutmeg and sugar, and a little salt, to close it and bake it, then draw it and open it, and put in clouted cream; sack and sugar, and stir it well together, and serve it in. . _to roste lobsters._ take two fair lobsters alive, wash them clean, and stop the holes as you do to boil, then fasten them to a spit, the insides together; make a good fire, and strew salt on them, and that will kill them quickly, bast them with water and salt till they be very red, then have ready some oysters stewed and cut small; put them into a dish with melted butter beaten thick with a little water, then take a few spoonfuls of the liquor of the stewed oysters, and dissolve in it two anchovies, then put it to the melted butter, then take up your lobsters, and crack the shells that they may be easie to open. . _to make a pumpion pie._ take a pumpion, pare it, and cut it in thin slices, dip it in beaten eggs and herbs shred small, and fry it till it be enough, then lay it into a pie with butter, raisins, currans, sugar and sack, and in the bottom some sharp apples; when it is baked, butter it and serve it in. . _to make an artichoke pudding._ boil a quart of cream with whole spice, then put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched, and beaten with rosewater; when they have boiled well, take it from the fire, and take out the spice, when it is almost cold, put in the yolks of ten eggs, some marrow and some bottoms of artichokes, then sweeten it with sugar and put in a little salt, then butter a dish, and bake it in it, serve it to the table stuck full of blanched almonds, and fine sugar strewed over it. . _to pickle sprats like anchovies._ take a peck of the biggest sprats without their heads, and salt them a little over night, then take a pot or barrel, and lay in it a lay of bay salt, and then a lay of sprats, and a few bay leaves, then salt again; thus do till you have filled the vessel, put in a little limon pill also among your bay leaves, then cover the vessel and pitch it, that no air get in, set it in a cool cellar, and once in a week turn it upside down; in three months you may eat of them. . _to keep artichokes all the year._ gather your artichokes with long stalks, and then cut off the stalks close to them, then boil some water, with good pears and apples sliced thin, and the pith of the great stalks, and a quince or two quartered to give it a relish; when these have boiled a while, put in your artichokes, and boil all together till they be tender, then take them up and set them to cool, then boil your liquor well and strain it, when your artichokes be cold, put them into your barrel, and when the liquor is cold, pour it over them, so cover it close that no air get in. . _to make pasty of a joll of ling._ make your crust with fine flower, butter, cold cream, and two yolks of eggs: roul it thin and lay it in your bake-pan, then take part of a joll of ling well boiled, and pull it all in bits, then lay some butter into your pasty and then the ling, then some grated nutmeg, sliced ginger, cloves and mace, oysters, muscles, cockles, and shrimps, the yolks of raw eggs, a few comfits perfumed, candied orange pill, citron pill, and limon pill, with eringo roots: then put in white wine, and good store of butter, and put on a thick lid, when it is baked, open it, and let out the steam. . _to make french servels._ take cold gammon of bacon, fat and lean together, cut it small as for sausages, season it with pepper, cloves and mace, and a little shelots, knead it into a paste with the yolks of eggs, and fill some bullocks guts with it, and boil them; but if you would have them to keep, then do not put in eggs. when you have filled the guts, boil them, and hang them up, and when you would eat them, serve them in thin slices with a sallad. . _to make a pallat pie._ take oxe pallats and boil them so tender that you may run a straw through them; to three palates take six sheeps tongues boiled tender and peeled, three sweet-breads of veal, cut all these in thin slices, then having your pie ready, and butter in the bottom, lay in these things, first seasoned with pepper, salt and nutmeg, and thyme and parsley shred small, and as the season of the year is, put into it asparagus, anchovies, chesnuts, or what you please else, as candied orange pill, limon pill, or citron pill, with eringo roots, and yolks of hard eggs, some marrow and some oysters, then lay in good store of butter on the top, so close it and bake it, then put in white wine, buter, the yolks of eggs, and vinegar and sugar; heat them together over the fire, and serve it in. . _to make sauce for fowles or mutton._ take claret wine, vinegar, anchovies, oisters, nutmeg, shelot, gravie of mutton or beef, sweet butter, juice of limon, and a little salt, and if you please orange or limon pill. . _to make oat-cakes._ take fine flower, and mix it very well with new ale yest, and make it very stiff, then make it into little cakes, and roul them very thin, then lay them on an iron to bake, or on a baking stone, and make but a slow fire under it, and as they are baking, take them and turn the edges of them round on the iron, that they may bake also, one quarter of an hour will bake them; a little before you take them up, turn them on the other side, only to flat them; for if you turn them too soon, it will hinder the rising, the iron or stone whereon they are baked, must stand at a distance from the fire. . _to make a rare lamb pie._ take a leg of lamb, and take the meat clean out of it at the great end, but keep the skin whole, then press the meat in a cloth, and mince it small, and put as much beef suet to it as the meat in weight, and mince it small, then put to it naples bisket grated fine, season it with beaten spice, rosewater, and a little salt, then put in some candied limon pill, orange pill, and citron pill shred small, and some sugar, then put part of the meat into the skin, then having your pie in readiness, and butter in the bottom, lay in this meat, then take the rest of your meat, and make it into balls or puddings with yolks of eggs, then lay them into the pie to fill up the corners, then take candied orange, limon and citron pill, cut in long narrow slices and strew over it; you may put in currans and dates if you please, then lay on butter, and close up your pie and bake it, and leave a tunnel, when it is baked, put in sack, sugar, yolks of eggs and butter heat together, if you put in marrow, it will be the better. . _to fry garden beans._ boil them and blanch them, and fry them in sweet butter, with parsley and shred onions and a little salt, then melt butter for the sauce. . _to make a sorrel sallad._ take a quantity of french sorrel picked clean and washed, boil it with water and a little salt, and when it is enough, drain it and butter it, and put in a little vinegar and sugar into it, then garnish it with hard eggs and raisins. . _to make good cold sallads of several things._ take either coleflowers, or carrots, or parsneps, or turneps after they are well boiled, and serve them in with oil, vinegar and pepper, also the roots of red beets boiled tender are very good in the same manner. . _to make the best sort of pippin paste._ take a pound of raw pippins sliced and beaten in a mortar, then take a pound of fine sugar and boil it to a candy height with a little fair water, then put in your pippins, and boil it till it will come from the bottom of the posnet, but stir it for fear it burn. . _to make sauce for a leg of veal rosted._ take boiled currans, and boiled parsley, and hard eggs and butter and sugar hot together. . _to make sauce for a leg of mutton rosted with chesnuts._ take a good quantity of chesnuts, and boil them tender, then take the shells off, and bruise them small, then put to them claret wine, butter and a little salt, so put it into the dish to the meat, and serve it in. . _to keep quinces white, either to preserve whole, or for white marmalade or paste._ coddle them with white wine and water, and cover them with sliced pippins in the codling. . _to make little pasties with sweet meats to fry._ make some paste with cold water, butter and flower, with the yolk of an egg, then roul it out in little thin cakes, and lay one spoonful of any kind of sweet meats you like best upon every one, so close them up and fry them with butter, and serve them in with fine sugar strewed on. . _to boil a capon on the french fashion._ boil your capon in water and salt, and a little dusty oatmeal to make it look white, then take two or three ladles full of mutton broth, a faggot of sweet herbs, two or three dates cut in long pieces, a few parboiled currans, and a little whole pepper, a little mace and nutmeg, thicken it with almonds; season it with verjuice, sugar, and a little sweet butter, then take up your capon and lard it well with preserved limon, then lay it in a deep dish, and pour the broth upon it; then garnish your dish with suckets and preserved barberries. . _to souce a pike, carp or bream._ draw your fish, but scale it not, and save the liver of it; wash it very well, then take white wine, as much water again as wine, boil them together with whole spice, salt and a bundle of sweet herbs, and when boiles put in your fish, and just before it a little vinegar; for that will make it crisp: when it is enough, take it up and put it into a trey, then put into the liquor some whole pepper, and whole ginger, and when it is boiled enough, take it off and cool it, and when it is quite cold, put in your fish, and when you serve it in, lay some of the jelly about the dish sides, and some fennel and sawcers of vinegar. . _to boil a gurnet on the french fashion._ draw your gurnet and wash it, boil it in water and salt and a bundle of sweet herbs; when it is enough, take it up and put it into a dish with sippets over a chafingdish of coals; then take verjuice, butter, nutmeg and pepper, and the yolks of two eggs, heat it together, and pour over it; garnish your dish as you please. . _to rost a leg of mutton on the french fashion._ take a leg of mutton, and pare off all the skin as thin as you can, then lard it with sweet lard, and stick it with cloves, when it is half rosted, cut off three or four thin pieces, and mince it with sweet herbs, and a little beaten ginger, put in a ladle full of claret wine, and a little sweet butter, two sponfuls of verjuice and a little pepper, a few capers, then chop the yolks of two hard eggs in it, then when these have stewed a while in a dish, put your bonie part which is rosted into a dish, and pour this on it and serve it in. . _to rost a neats tongue._ chop sweet herbs fine with a piece of raw apple, season it with pepper and ginger, and the yolk of an egg made hard and minced small, then stuff your tongue with this, and rost it well, and baste it with butter and wine; when it is enough, take verjuice, butter, and the juice of a limon, and a little nutmeg, then dish your tongue and pour this sauce over it and serve it in. . _to boil pigeons with rice._ take your pigeons and truss them, and stuff their bellies with sweet herbs, then put them into a pipkin with as much mutton broth as will cover them, with a blade of mace and some whole pepper; boil all these together until the pigeons be tender, and put in salt: then take them from the fire, and scum off the fat very clean, then put in a piece of sweet butter, season it with verjuice, nutmeg and a little sugar, thicken it with rice boiled in sweet cream. garnish your dish with preserved barberries and skirret roots boiled tender. . _to boil a rabbit._ take a large rabbit, truss it and boil it with a little mutton broth, white wine and a blade of mace, then take lettuce, spinage, and parsley, winter-savory and sweet marjoram, pick all these and wash them clean, and bruise them a little to make the broth look green, thicken it with the crust of a manchet first steeped in a little broth, and put in a little sweet butter, season it with verjuice and pepper, and serve it to the table upon sippets; garnish the dish with barberries. . _to boil a teal or wigeon._ parboil either of these fowls and throw them into a pail of fair water, for that taketh away the rankness, then rost them half, and take them from the fire, and put sweet herbs in the bellies of them, and stick the brests with cloaves, then put them in a pipkin with two or three ladles full of mutton broth, very strong of the meat, a blade of whole mace, two or three little onions minced small; thicken it with a toast of houshold bread, and put in a little butter, then put in a little verjuice, so take it up and serve it. . _to boil chickens or pigeons with goosberries or grapes._ boil them with mutton broth and white wine, with a blade of mace and a little salt, and let their bellies be filled with sweet herbs, when they are tender thicken the broth with a piece of manchet, and the yolks of two hard eggs, strained with some of the broth, and put it into a deep dish with some verjuice and butter and sugar, then having goosberries or grapes tenderly scalded, put them into it, then lay your chickens or pigeons into a dish, and pour the sauce over them, and serve them in. . _a made dish of rabbits livers._ take six livers and chop them fine with sweet herbs and the yolks of two hard eggs, season it with beaten spice, and salt, and put in some plumped currans, and a little melted butter, so mix them very well together, and having some paste ready rouled thin, make it into little pasties and fry them, strew sugar over them and serve them. . _to make a florentine with the brawn of a capon, or the kidney of veal._ mince any of these with sweet herbs, then put in parboiled currans, and dates minced small, and a little orange or limon pill which is candied shred small, season it with beaten spice and sugar, then take the yolks of two hard eggs and bruise them with a little cream, a piece of a short cake grated, and marrow cut in short pieces, mix all these together with the forenamed meat, and put in a little salt and a little rosewater, and bake it in a dish in a puff-past, and when you serve it strew sugar over it. . _a friday pie without fish or flesh._ wash a good quantity of green beets, and pluck out the middle string, then chop them small, with two or three ripe apples well relished, season it with pepper, salt, and ginger, then add to it some currans, and having your pie ready, and butter in the bottom, put in these herbs, and with them a little sugar, then put butter on the top, and close and bake it, then cut it up, and put in the juice of a limon and sugar. . _to make umble pies._ boil them very tender, and mince them very small with beef suet and marrow then season it with beaten spice and salt, rosewater and sugar and a little sack, so put it into your paste with currans and dates. . _to bake chickens with grapes._ scald your chickens and truss them, and season them with pepper, salt and nutmeg, and having your pie ready, and butter laid in the bottom, put in your chickens, and then more butter, and bake them with a thin lid on your pie, and when it is baked, put in grapes scalded tender, verjuice, nutmeg, butter and sugar, and the juice of an orange; so serve it in. . _to make a good quince-pie._ take your fairest quinces and coddle them until a straw will run through them, then core them and pare them, then take their weight in fine sugar, and stuff them full of sugar, then having your pie ready, lay in your quinces, and strew the rest of your sugar over them, and put in some whole cloves and cinamon, then close it, and bake it; you must let it stand in the oven four or five hours; serve it in cold and strew on sugar. . _to make tarts of pippins._ having some puff-past ready in a dish or pan, lay in some preserved pippins which have orange pill in them, and the juice of orange or limon, so close them and bake them a little. . _to make a good pie of beef._ take the buttock of a fat oxe, slice it thin, mince it small and beat it in a mortar to a paste, then lard it very well with lard, and season it with beaten spice, then make your pie, and put it in with some butter and claret wine, and so bake it well, and serve it in cold with mustard and sugar, and garnish it with bay-leaves. . _to bake a swan._ scald it and take out the bones, and parboil it, then season it very well with pepper, salt and ginger, then lard it, and put it in a deep coffin of rye paste with store of butter, close it and bake it very well, and when it is baked, fill up the vent-hole with melted butter, and so keep it; serve it in as you do the beef-pie. . _to bake a turkey or capon._ bone the turkey but not the capon, parboil them, and stick cloves on their brests, lard them and season them well with pepper and salt, and put them in a deep coffin with good store of butter, and close your pie, and bake it, and soak it very well; when it is baked, fill it up with melted butter, and when it is quite cold, serve it in and eat it with mustard and sugar: garnish it with bay leaves. . _to make fritters._ take the curds of a sack posset, the yolks of six eggs, and the whites of two, with a little fine flower to make it into a thick batter, put in also a pomewater cut in small pieces, some beaten spice, warm cream, and a spoonful of sack, and a little strong ale; mingle all these very well, and beat them well, and fry them in very hot lard, and serve them in with beaten spice and fine sugar. . _to bake woodcocks, black-birds sparrows or larks._ truss and parboil them, then season them with pepper and salt, and put them into a pie with good store of butter, and so bake them, then fill them up with butter. . _to bake a goose._ bone your goose and parboil it, and season it with pepper and salt, and lay it into a deep coffin with good store of butter top and bottom, then bake it very well, and when it is baked, fill up the pie at the vent-hole with melted butter, and so serve it in with mustard and sugar and bay-leaves. . _to make pancakes so crisp as you may set them upright._ make a dozen or a score of them in a little frying-pan, no bigger than a sawcer, then boil them in lard, and they will look as yellow as gold, and eat very well. . _to make blanched manchet._ take six eggs, half a pint of sweet cream, and a penny manchet grated, one nutmeg grated, two spoonfuls of rosewater, and two ounces of sugar, work it stiff like a pudding, then fry it in a very little frying-pan, that it may be thick. fry it brown, and turn it upon a pie-plate; cut it in quarters and strew sugar on it and serve it in. . _to make a sierced pudding._ mince a leg of mutton with sweet herbs, and some suet, make it very fine, then put in grated bread, minced dates, currans, raisins of the sun stoned, a little preserved orange or limon, and a few coriander seeds bruised, nutmeg, ginger, and pepper, mingle all together with cream and raw eggs wrought together like a paste, and bake it, and put for sauce the yolk of an egg, rosewater, sugar and cinamon, with a little butter heat together, when you serve it in, stick it with almonds and rosemary; you may boil it also if you please, or rost some of in a lambs cawl. . _to make a fricasie of eggs._ beat twelve eggs with cream, sugar, beaten spice and rosewater, then take thin slices of pomewater apple, and fry them well with sweet butter; when they are enough, take them up, and cleanse your pan, then put in more butter and make it hot, and put in half your eggs and fry them; then when the one side is fryed lay your apples all over the side which is not fryed, then pour in the rest of your eggs, and then turn it and fry the other side, then serve it in with the juice of an orange and butter, and sugar. . _to make a_ cambridge_-pudding._ take grated bread searced through a cullender, then mix it with fine flower, minced dates, currans, beaten spice, suet shred small, a little salt, sugar and rosewater, warm cream and eggs, with half their whites; mould all these together with a little yest, and make it up into a loaf, but when you have made it in two parts, ready to clap together, make a deep hole in the one, and put in butter, then clap on the other, and close it well together, then butter a cloth and tie it up hard, and put it into water which boiles apace, then serve it in with sack, butter and sugar. you may bake it if you please in a baking-pan. . _to make a pudding of goose blood._ save the blood of a goose, and strain it, then put in fine oatmeal steeped in warm milk, nutmeg, pepper, sweet herbs, sugar, salt, suet minced fine, rosewater, limon pill, coriander seeds, then put in some eggs, and beat all these together very well, then boil them how you do like, either in a buttered cloth or in skins, or rost it within the neck of the goose. . _to make liver puddings._ take a hogs liver boiled and cold, grate it like bread, then take new milk and the fat of a hog minced fine, put it to the bread and the liver, and divide it into two parts, then dry herbs or other if you can minced fine, and put the herbs into one part with beaten spice, anniseeds, rosewater, cream and eggs, sugar and salt, so fill the skins and boil them. to the other part put preserved barberries, diced dates, currans, beaten spice, salt, sugar, rosewater, cream and eggs, so mix them well together, and fill the skins and boil them. . _to make a chiveridge pudding._ take the fattest guts of your hog clean scoured, then fluff them with beaten spice and sliced dates, sweet herbs, a little salt, rosewater, sugar, and two or three eggs to make it slide; so fill them, tie them up like puddings and boil them; when they are enough serve them. . _to make rice puddings in skins._ take two quarts of milk and put therein as it is yet cold, two good handfuls of rice clean picked and washed, set it over a slow fire and stir it often, but gently; when you perceive it to swell, let it boil apace till it be tender and very thick, then take it from the fire, and when it is cold, put in six eggs well beaten, some rosewater and sugar, beaten spice and a little salt, preserved barberries and dates minced small, some marrow and citron pill; mingle them well together and fill your skins, and boil them. . _to make a stewed pudding._ take the yolks of three eggs and one white, six spoonfuls of sweet cream, a little beaten spice, and a quarter of a pound of sewet minced fine, a quarter of a pound of currans, and a little grated bread, rosewater, sugar and salt; mingle them well together, and wrap them up in little pieces of the cawl of veal, and fasten them with a little stick, and tie each end with a stick, you may put four in one dish, then take half a pint of strong mutton broth, and spoonfuls of vinegar, three or four blades of large mace, and one ounce of sugar, make this to boil over a chafingdish of coals, then put in your puddings, and when they boil, cover them with another dish, but turn them sometimes, and when you see that they are enough, take your puddings and lay them in a warm dish upon sippets, then add to their broth some sack, sugar, and butter, and pour over them; garnish your dish with limon and barberries. . _to make a_ sussex _pudding._ take a little cold cream, butter and flower, with some beaten spice, eggs, and a little salt, make them into a stiff paste, then make it up in a round ball, and as you mold it, put in a great piece of butter in the middle; and so tye it hard up in a buttered cloth, and put it into boiling water, and let it boil apace till it be enough, then serve it in, and garnish your dish with barberries; when it is at the table cut it open at the top, and there will be as it were a pound of butter, then put rosewater and sugar into it, and so eat it. in some of this like paste you may wrap great apples, being pared whole, in one piece of thin paste, and so close it round the apple, and throw them into boiling water, and let them boil till they are enough, you may also put some green goosberries into some, and when either of these are boiled, cut them open and put in rosewater butter and sugar. . _to make_ french _puffs._ take spinage parsley and endive, with a little winter savory, and wash them, and mince them very fine; season them with nutmeg, ginger and sugar, season them with eggs, and put in a little salt, then cut a limon into thin round slices, and upon every slice of limon lay one spoonful of it. then fry them, and serve them in upon some sippets, and pour over them sack, sugar and butter. . _to make apple puffs._ take a pomewater, or any other apple that is not hard or harsh in taste, mince it with a few raisins of the sun stoned, then wet them with eggs, and beat them together with the back of a spoon, season them with nutmeg, rosewater, sugar, and ginger, drop them into a frying pan with a spoon into hot butter, and fry them, then serve them in with the juice of an orange and a little sugar and butter. . _to make kickshaws, to bake or fry in what shape you please._ take some puff-paste and roul it thin, if you have moulds work it upon them with preserved pippins, and so close them, and fry or bake them, but when you have closed them you must dip them in the yolks of eggs, and that will keep all in; fill some with goosberries, rasberries, curd, marrow, sweet-breads, lambs stones, kidney of veal, or any other thing what you like best, either of them being seasoned before you put them in according to your mind, and when they are baked or fryed, strew sugar on them, and serve them in. . _to make an_ italian _pudding._ take a penny white loaf and pare off the crust, then cut it like dice, then take some beef suet shred small, and half a pound of raisins of the sun stoned, with as many currans, mingle them together and season them with beaten spice and a little salt, wet them with four eggs, and stir them gently for fear of breaking the bread, then put it in a dish with a little cream and rosewater and sugar, then put in some marrow and dates, and so butter a dish and bake it, then strew on sugar and serve it. . _to hash calves tongues._ boil them tender and pill them, then lard them with limon pill, and lard them also with fat bacon, then lay them to the fire and half rost them; then put them in a pipkin with claret wine, whole spice and sliced limon, and a few caraway seeds, a little rosemary and a little salt, boil all together and serve them in upon toasts. thus you may do with sheeps tongues also. . _to boil a capon._ take strong mutton broth, and truss a capon, and boil him in it with some marrow and a little salt in a pipkin, when it is tender, then put in a pint of white wine, half a pound of sugar, and four ounces of dates stoned and sliced, potato roots boiled and blanched, large mace and nutmeg sliced, boil all these together with a quarter of a pint of verjuyce, then dish the capon, and add to the broth the yolks of six eggs beaten with sack, and so serve it; garnish dish with several sorts of candied pills and preserved barberries, and sliced limon with sugar upon every slice. . _to boil a capon with rice._ truss your capon and boil him in water and salt, then take a quarter of a pound of rice, first boiled in milk, and put in with some whole spice and a little salt, when it is almost enough put in a little rosewater, and half a pound of almonds blanched and beaten, strain them in, and put in some cream and sugar, then when your capon is enough, lay it in a dish, and pour the broth thereon; garnish your dish as you please, and serve it in. . _to boil a capon with pippins._ parboil your capon after it is trussed, then put it into a pipkin with mutton broth and marrow, and a little salt, with a quart of white-wine, a little nutmeg and dates stoned and sliced, then put in a quarter of a pound of fine sugar, then take some pippins stewed with sugar, spice and a little water, and put them in, then lay your capon into a dish, and lay some naples biskets for sippets, then bruise the yolks of eight hard eggs and put into your broth, with a little sack, and pour it over your capon; garnish your dish and serve it in. . _to boil chickens with lettuce the very best way._ parboil your chickens and cut them in quarters, and put them into a pipkin with some mutton broth, and two or three sweet breads of veal, and some marrow, and some cloves, and a little salt, and a little limon pill; then take good store of hard lettuce, cut them in halves and wash them, and put them in; then put in butter and sack and white wine, with a little mace and nutmeg, and sliced dates, let all these stew upon the fire, and when they be enough, serve them in with toasts of white bread for sippets; garnish the dish with limon and barberies, and what else you please; thus you may do pigeons. . [transcriber's note: so numbered in original] _to boil a rabbit with grapes or with goosberries._ truss your rabbit whole, and boil it in some mutton broth till it be tender; then take a pint of white wine, and a good handful of spinage chopped, the yolks of hard eggs cut in quarters, put these to the rabbit with some large mace; a fagot of sweet herbs and a little salt and some butter, let them boil together a while, then take your rabbet and lay it in a dish and some sippets, then lay over it some grapes or goosberries, scalded with sugar, and pour your broth over it. . _to boil a rabbit with claret wine._ boil a rabbet as before, then slice onions and a carrot root, a few currans and a fagot of sweet herbs, and a little salt, minced parsley, barberries picked, large mace, nutmeg and ginger, put all these into a pipkin with the rabbet, half a pound of butter, and a pint of claret wine, and let them boil together till it be enough, then serve it upon sippets. . _to boil a wild duck._ truss and parboil it, then half rost it, then carve it, and save the gravie, then take onions and parsley sliced, ginger and pepper, put the gravie into a pipkin, with currans, mace, barberries, and a quart of claret wine, and a little salt, put your duck with all the forenamed things into it, and let them boil till it be enough, then put in butter and sugar, and serve it in upon sippets. . _to boil a tame duck._ take your duck and truss it, and boil it with water and salt, or rather mutton broth, when it hath boiled a while, put in some whole spice, and when it is boiled enough, take some white wine and butter, and good store of onions boiled tender in several waters, with a little of the liquor wherein the duck hath boiled, and a little salt: put your duck into a dish, and heat these things together and pour over it; and serve it; garnish the dish with boiled onions and barberries. . _to boil pigeons with capers and samphire._ truss your pigeons, and put them into a pipkin with some mutton broth and white wine, a bundle of sweet herbs, when they are boiled, lay them into a dish, then take some of the broth with some capers and limon sliced, and some butter, heat these together and pour over them; then fry thin slices of bacon, and lay upon them, and some samphire washed from the salt, and some slices of limon; garnish your dish with the same and serve it in. . _to boil sausages._ take two pounds of sausages, and boil them with a quart of claret wine and a bundle of sweet herbs, and whole cloves and mace; then put in a little butter, when they are enough, serve them in with this liquor and some mustard in sawcers. . _to boil goose giblets._ boil them with water and salt, and a bundle of sweet herbs, onions and whole spice, when they are enough, put in verjuice and butter, and some currans plumped, and serve them upon sippets. thus you may dress swans giblets. . _to boil giblets with roots and good herbs._ boil them in a quart of claret, ginger and cloves, and a faggot of sweet herbs, turneps and carots sliced, with good store of spinage and a little salt; when they are enough, serve them upon sippets. and add to the broth some verjuice and the yolks of eggs; garnish your dish with parsley and pickled barberries. . _to smoor a neck of mutton._ cut your steaks, and put them into a dish with some butter, then take a faggot of sweet herbs and some gross pepper and a little salt, and put them to them; cover your dish, and let them stew till they are enough, turning them sometimes, then put in a little claret wine and anchovies, and serve them upon sippets. . _to smoor veal._ cut thin slices of veal and hack them over with the back of a knife, then lard them with lard, and fry them with strong beer or ale till they be enough, then stew them in claret wine with some whole spice and butter and a little salt. garnish your dish with sausages fryed; and with barberries, to serve them in. . _to smoor steaks of mutton another way._ cut part of a leg of mutton into steaks, and fry it in white wine and a little salt, a bundle of herbs, and a little limon pill, then put it into a pipkin with some sliced limon, without the rind, and some of the liquor it was fried in, and butter and a little parslie, boil all together till you see it be enough, then serve it in, and garnish your dish with limon and barberries. . _to smoor chickens._ cut them in joints and fry them with sweet butter, then take white wine, parsley and onions chopp'd small, whole mace and a little gross pepper, a little sugar, verjuice and butter, let these and your fried chicken boil together, then fry the leaves of clary with eggs, put in a little salt to your chickens, and when they are enough, serve them in this fried clary, and garnish your dish with barberries. . _to fry museles, or oysters, or cockles to serve in with meat, or by themselves._ take any of these and parboil them in their own liquor, then dry them, flower them, and fry them, then put them into a pipkin with claret wine, whole spice and anchovies, and a little butter, so let them stew together, and serve them in either with a duck, or by themselves, as you like best. . [transcriber's note: so numbered in original] _to dress calves feet._ take calves feet tenderly boiled, and slit them in the middle, then put them in a dish with sweet butter, parsley and onions chopped a little thyme, large mace, pepper with a little wine vinegar, and a little salt, let all these stew together till they are enough, then lay your calves feet in a dish, and pour the sauce over them, then strew some raw parsley and hard eggs chopped together over them with slices of limon and barberries. . _to hash neats tongues._ boil them and blanch them, and slice them thin then take raisins of the sun, large mace, dates sliced thin, a few blanched almonds and claret wine with a little salt; boil all these together with some sweet butter, verjuice and sugar; when they are enough, serve them in and thicken the sauce with yolks of eggs; garnish your dish with barberries. . _another way to hash neats tongues._ boil neats tongues very tender, peel them and slice them thin, then take strong meat broth, blanched chesnuts, a faggot of sweet herbs, large mace, and endive, a little pepper and whole cloves and a little salt; boil all these together with some butter till they be enough; garnish your dish as before. . _to boil chickens in white-broth._ take three chickens and truss them, then take two or three blades of mace, as many quartered dates, four or five lumps of marrow, a little salt and a little sugar, the yolks of three hard eggs, and a quarter of a pint of sack, first boil your chickins in mutton broth, and then add these things to them, and let them boil till they are enough, then lay your chickens in a dish, and strain some almonds blanched and beaten into it, serve it upon sippets of french bread; garnish your dish with hard eggs and limons. . _to boil partridges._ put two or three partridges into a pipkin with as much water as will cover them, then put in three or four blades of mace, one nutmeg quartered, five or six cloves, a piece of sweet butter, two or three toasts of manchet toasted brown, soke them in sack or muskadine, and break them, and put them into the pipkin with the rest, and a little salt, when they are enough, lay them in a dish, and pour this broth over them, then garnish your dish with hard eggs and sliced limon, and serve it in. . _to boil a leg of mutton._ take a large leg of mutton and stuff it well with mutton suet, salt and nutmeg, boil it in water and salt, but not too much, then put some of that broth into another pot, with three or four blades of mace, some currans and salt, boil them till half be consumed, then put in some sweet butter, and some capers and a limon cut like dice with the rind on, a little sack, and the yolks of two hard eggs minced; then lay your mutton into a dish upon sippets, and pour this sauce over it; scrape sugar on the sides of your dish, and lay on slices of limon and barberries. . _to stew trouts._ put two trouts into a fair dish with some white wine, sweet butter, and a little whole mace, a little parsley, thyme and savory minced, then put in an anchovy and the yolks of hard eggs; when your fish is enough, serve it on sippets, and pour this over it, and garnish your dish with limon and barberries, and serve them in: you may add capers to it if you please, and you may do other fish in this manner. . _to boil eels in broth to serve with them._ flay and wash your eels and cut them in pieces about a handful long, then put them into a pot with so much water as will cover them, a little pepper and mace, sliced onions, a little grated bread, and a little yest, a good piece of sweet butter, some parsley, winter savory and thyme shred small; let them boil softly half an hour, and put in some salt, with some currans; when it is enough, put in verjuice and more butter, and so serve it; garnish your dish with parsley, limon and barberries, put sippets in your dish. . _to boil a pike with oysters._ take a fair pike and gut it and wash it, and truss it round with the tail in the mouth, then take white wine, water and salt, with a bundle of sweet herbs, and whole spice, a little horse-radish; when it boils, tie up your pike in a cloth, and put it in, and let it boil till it swims, for then it is enough; then take the rivet of the pike, and a pint of great oysters with their liquor, and some vinegar, large mace, gross pepper, then lay your pike in a dish with sippets, and then heat these just named things with some butter and anchovies, and pour over it; garnish your dish as you please. . _to make a grand sallad._ take a fair broad brimm'd dish, and in the middle of it lay some pickled limon pill, then lay round about it each sort by themselves, olives, capers, broom buds, ash keys, purslane pickled, and french beans pickled, and little cucumbers pickled, and barberries pickled, and clove gilliflowers, cowslips, currans, figs, blanched almonds and raisins, slices of limon with sugar on them, dates stoned and sliced. garnish your dish brims with candied orange, limon and citron pill, and some candied eringo roots. . _to rost pig with a pudding in his belly._ take a fat pig and truss his head backward loking over his back, then make such pudding as you like best, and fill his belly with it, your pudding must be stiff, then sew it up, and rost your pig, when it is almost enough, wring upon it the juice of a limon, and when you are ready to take it up, wash it over with yolks of eggs, and before they can dry, dredge it with grated bread mixed with a little nutmeg and ginger, let your sauce be vinegar, butter and sugar, and the yolks of hard eggs minced. . _to rost a leg of mutton with oisters._ take a large leg of mutton and stuff it well with mutton sewet, with pepper, nutmeg salt and mace, then rost it and stick it with cloves, when it is half rosted cut off some of the under side of the fleshy end, in little thin bits, then take a pint of oisters and the liquor of them, a little mace, sweet butter and salt, put all these with the bits of mutton into a pipkin till half be consumed; then dish your mutton and pour this sauce over it, strew salt about the dish side and serve it in. . _to make a steak-pie._ cut a neck of mutton in steaks, then season it with pepper and salt, lay your paste into your baking pan, and lay butter in the bottom, then lay in your steaks, and a little large mace, and cover it with butter, so close it, and bake it; and against it is baked, have in readiness good store of boiled parslie minced fine, and drained from the water, some white wine and some vinegar, sweet butter and sugar, cut open your pie, and put in this sauce, and shake it well, and serve it to the table; it is not so good cold as hot. . _to rost a haunch or a shoulder of venison, or a chine of mutton._ take either of these, and lard it with lard, and stick it thick with rosemary, then roft it with a quick fire, but do not lay it too near; baste it with sweet butter: then take half a pint of claret wine, a little beaten cinamon and ginger, and as much sugar as will sweeten it, five or six whole cloves, a little grated bread, and when it is boiled enough, put in a little sweet butter, a little vinegar, and a very little salt, when your meat is rosted, serve it in with sauce, and strew salt about your dish. . _to rost a capon with oysters and chesnuts._ take some boiled chesnuts, and take off their shells, and take as many parboil'd oysters, then spit your capon, and put these into the belly of it, with some sweet butter, rost it and bast it with sweet butter, save the gravie, and some of the chesnuts, and some of the oysters, then add to them half a pint of claret wine, and a pice of sweet butter and a little pepper, and a little salt, stew these altogether till the capon be ready, then serve them in with it; garnish your dish as you please. . _to rost shoulder or fillet of veal with farcing herbs._ wash your meat and parboil it a little, then take parsley, winter-savory, and thyme, of each a little minced small, put to them the yolks of three or four hard eggs minced, nutmeg, pepper and currans and salt, add also some suet minced small; work all these with the yolk of a raw egg, and stuff your meat with it, but save some, and set it under the meat while it doth rost, when your meat is almost rosted enough, put to these in the dish, a quarter of a pint of white wine vinegar, and some sugar, when your meat is ready, serve it in with this sauce, and strew on salt. . _to make boiled sallads._ boil some carots very tender, and scrape them to pieces like the pulp of an apple, season them with cinamon and ginger and sugar, put in currans, a little vinegar, and a piece of sweet butter, stew these in a dish, and when they begin to dry put in more butter and a little salt, so serve them to the table, thus you may do lettuce, or spinage or beets. . _to boil a shoulder of veal._ take a shoulder of veal and half boil it in water and salt, then slice off the most part of it, and save the gravie; then take that sliced meat, and put it in a pot with some of the broth that boiled it, a little grated bread, oister liquor, vinegar, bacon scalded and sliced thin, a pound of sausages out of their skins, and rolled in the yolks of eggs, large mace and nutmeg, let these stew about one hour, than put in one pint of oisters, some sweet herbs, and a little salt, stew them together, then take the bone of veal and broil it and dish it, then add to your liquor a little butter, and some minced limon with the rind, a shelot or two sliced, and pour it over, then lay on it some fryed oysters; garnish your dish with barberries and sliced limon, and serve it in. . _to boil a neck of mutton._ boil it in water and salt, then make sauce for it with samphire and a little of the broth, verjuice, large mace, pepper and onion, the yolks of hard eggs minced, some sweet herbs and a little salt, let these boil together half an hour or more: then beat it up with butter and limon; then dish your meat upon sippets, and pour it on; garnish your dish with the hard whites of eggs and parsley minced together, with sliced limon, so serve it; thus you may dress a leg or a brest of mutton if you please. . _to stew a loin of mutton._ cut your meat in steaks, and put it into so much water as will cover it, when it is scummed, put to three or four onions sliced, with some turneps, whole cloves, and sliced ginger, when it is half stewed, put in sliced bacon and some sweet herbs minced small, some vinegar and salt, when it is ready, put in some capers, then dish your meat upon sippets and serve it in, and garnish your dish with barberries and limon. . _to boil a haunch of venison._ boil it in water and salt, with some coleflowers and some whole spice; then take some of the broth, a little mace, and a cows udder boiled tender and sliced thin, a little horse-radish root searced, and a few sweet herbs; boil all these together, and put in a little salt, when your venison is ready, dish it, and lay your cows udder and the coleflowers over it, then beat up your sauce, and pour over it; then garnish your dish with limon and parsley and barberries, and so serve it; this sauce is also good with a powdered goose boiled, but first larded. . _to make white broth with meat or without._ take a little mutton broth, and as much of sack, and boil it with whole spice, sweet herbs, dates sliced, currans and a little salt, when it is enough, or very near, strain in some blanched almonds, then thicken it with the yolks of eggs beaten, and sweeten it with sugar, and so serve it in with thin slices of white bread: garnish with stewed prunes, and some plumped raisins. this may be served in also with any meat proper for to be served with white broth. . _to make good stewed broth._ take a hinder leg of beef and a pair of marrow bones, boil them in a great pot with water and a little salt, when it boiles, and is skimmed, put in some whole spice, and some raisins and currans, then put in some manchet sliced thin, and soaked in some of the broth, when it is almost enough, put in some stewed prunes, then dish your meat, and put into your broth a little saffron or red saunders, some white wine and sugar, so pour it over your meat, and serve it in; garnish your dish with prunes, raisins and fine sugar. . _to stew artichokes._ take the bottoms of artichokes tenderly boiled, and cut them in quarters, stew them with white wine, whole spice and marrow, with a little salt: when they are enough, put in sack and sugar, and green plumbs preserved, so serve them; garnish the dish with preserves. . _to stew pippins._ take a pound of pippins, pare them and core them, and cut them in quarters. then take a pint of water and a pound of fine sugar, and make a syrup, and scum it, then put in your pippins and boil them up quick, and put in a little orange or limon pill very thin; when they are very clear, and their syrup almost wasted, put in the juice of orange and limon, and some butter; so serve them in upon sippets, and strew fine sugar about the dish sides. . _to make a sallad with fresh salmon._ your salmon being boiled and souced, mince some of it small with apples and onyons, put thereto oyl, vinegar, and pepper; so serve it to the table: garnish your dish with limon and capers. . _to rost a shoulder of mutton with oisters._ take a large shoulder of mutton, and take sweet herbs chopped small, and mixed with beaten eggs and a little salt, take some great oisters, and being dried from their liquor, dip them in these eggs, and fry them a little, then stuff your meat well with them, then save some of them for sauce, and rost your mutton, and baste it with claret wine, butter, and salt, save the gravie, and put it with the oisters into a dish to stew with some anchovies, and claret wine: when your meat is enough, rub the dish with a shelot, and lay your meat in it, and then put some capers into your sauce, and pour over it, so serve it in; garnish your dish with olives, capers, and samphire. . _to rost a calves head with oisters._ split your calves head as to boil, and let it lie in water a while, then wash it well, and cut out the tongue, then boil your head a little, also the tongue and brains, then mince the brains and tongue with a little sage, oisters and marrow put amongst it when it is minced, three or four eggs well beaten, ginger, pepper, nutmeg, grated bread and salt, and a little sack, make it pretty thick, then take the head and fill it with this, and bind it close, and spit it and rost it, and save the gravie which comes from it in a dish, baste it well with butter, put to this gravie some oisters, and some sweet herbs minced fine, a little white wine, and a sliced nutmeg; when the head is rosted, set the dish of sauce upon hot coals with some butter and a little salt, and the juice of an orange, beat it up thick and dish your head, and serve it in with this sauce; garnish your dish with stewed oisters and barberries. . _sauce for woodcocks snites._ when you spit your fowl, put in an onion in the belly, when it is rosted, take the gravie of it, and some claret wine, and an anchovie with a little pepper and salt, so serve them. . _to make sauce for partridges._ take grated bread, water and salt, and a whole onion boiled together, when it is well boiled, take out the onion, and put in minced limon, and a piece of butter, and serve them in with it. . _to rost larks with bacon._ when your larks are pull'd and drawn, wash them and spit them with a thin slice of bacon and a sage leaf between the legs of every one, make your sauce with the juice of oranges and a little claret wine, and some butter, warm them together, and serve them up with it. . _to make sauce for quails._ take some vine leaves dried before the fire in a dish and mince them, then put some claret wine and a little pepper and salt to it, and a piece of butter, and serve them with it. this sauce is also for rosted pigeons. . _to rost a whole pig without the skin, with a pudding in his belly._ make ready the pig for the spit, then spit it and lay it down to the fire, and when you can take off the skin, take it from the fire and flay it, then put such a pudding as you love into the belly of it, then sew it up, and stick it with thyme and limon pill, and lay it down again, and rost it and bast it with butter, and set a dish under it to catch the gravie, into which put a little sliced nutmeg, and a little vinegar, and a little limon and some butter; heat them together: when your pig is enough, bread it, but first froth it up with butter and a little salt, then serve it in with this sauce to the table with the head on. . _to fry artichokes._ take the bottoms of artichokes tenderly boiled, and dip them in beaten eggs and a little salt, and fry them with a little mace shred among the eggs; then take verjuice, butter and sugar, and the juice of an orange, dish your artichokes, and lay on marrow fried in eggs to keep it whole, then lay your sauce, or rather pour it on, and serve them in. . _to make toasts of veal._ take a rosted kidney of veal, cold and minced small, put to it grated bread, nutmeg, currans, sugar and salt, with some almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater, mingle all these together with beaten eggs and a little cream, then cut thin slices of white bread, and lay this compound between two of them, and so fry them, and strew sugar on them, and serve them in. . _to make good pancakes._ take twenty eggs with half the whites, and beat them well and mix them with fine flower and beaten spice, a little salt, sack, ale, and a little yeste, do not make your batter too thin, then beat it well, and let it stand a little while to rise, then fry them with sweet lard or with butter, and serve them in with the juice of orange and sugar. . _to fry veal._ cut part of a leg of veal into thin slices, and hack them with the back of a knife, then season them with beaten spice and salt, and lard them well with hogs lard, then chop some sweet herbs, and beat some eggs and mix together and dip them therein, and fry them in butter, then stew them with a little white wine and some anchovies a little while, then put in some butter, and shake them well, and serve them in with sliced limon over them. . _to make good paste._ take to a peck of fine flower three pound of butter, and three eggs, and a little cold cream, and work it well together, but do not break your butter too small, and it will be very fine crust, either to bake meat in, or fruit, or what else you please. it is also a very fine dumplin, if you make it into good big rolls, and boil them and butter them, or roul some of it out thin, and put a great apple therein, and boil and butter them, with rosewater, butter and sugar. . _to make good paste to raise._ take to a peck of flower two pounds of butter and a little tried suet, let them boil with a little water or milk, then put two eggs into your flower, and mix them well together, then make a hole in the middle of your flower, and put in the top of your boiling liquor, and so much of the rest as will make it in to a stiff paste, then lay it into a warm cloth to rise. . _paste for cold baked meats._ take to every peck of flower one pound of butter or a little more, with hot liquor as the other, and put a little dissolved isinglass in it, because such things require strength; you may not forget salt in all your pastes, and work these pastes made with hot liquor much more than the other. . _to make a veal pie in summer._ take thin slices of a fillet of veal, then having your pie ready and butter in it, lay in your veal seasoned with a little nutmeg and salt so cover it with butter, and close it and bake it, then against it be drawn, scald some goosberries or grapes in sugar and water as to preserve, and when you open your pie, put in pieces of marrow boiled in white wine with a little blade of mace: then put these grapes or goosberries over all, or else some hard lettuce or spinage boiled and buttered. . _to make a pie of shrimps, or of prawns._ pick them clean from their shells, and have in readiness your pie with butter in the bottom, then lay in your fish with some large mace and nutmeg, and then butter again, and so bake it: then cut it up and put in some white wine and an anchovy or two, and some butter, and so serve them in hot; thus you may do with lobsters or crabs, or with crafish. . _to make a pie of larks, or of sparrows._ pluck your birds and draw them, then fill the bellies of them with this mixture following, grated bread, sweet herbs minced small, beef suet or marrow minced, almonds blanched and beated with rosewater, a little cream; beaten spice, and a little salt, some eggs and some currans, mix these together, and do as i have said, then having your pie ready raised or laid in your baking-pan, put in butter, and then fill it with birds. then put in nutmeg, pepper and salt, and put in the yolks of hard eggs, and some sweet herbs minced, then lay in pieces of marrow, and cover it with butter, and so close it and bake it; then cut it open and wring in the juice of an orange and some butter, and serve it. . _to make a lettuce pie._ take your cabbage lettuce and cut them in halves, wash them and boil them in water and salt very green, then drain them from the water, so having your pie in readiness, put in butter; then put in your boiled lettuce, with some marrow, raisins of the sun stoned, dates stoned and sliced thin, with some large mace, and nutmeg sliced, then put in more butter, close it and bake it; then cut it open, and put in verjuice, butter and sugar, and so serve it. [transcriber's note: no number in original] _to stew a neck of mutton._ put your neck of mutton cut in steaks into so much wine and water as will cover it, with some whole spice, let it stew till it be enough, then put in two anchovies, and a handful of capers, with a piece of sweet butter shake it very well, and serve it upon sippets. . _to make a pie of a rosted kidney of veal._ mince the kidney with the fat, and put to it some sweet herbs minced very small, a quarter of a pound of dates stoned, and sliced thin and minced, season it with beaten spice, sugar and salt, put in half a pound of currans, and some grated bread, mingle all these together very well with verjuice and eggs, and make them into balls, so put some butter into your pie, and then these balls, then more butter, so close it and bake it; then cut it open, and put in verjuice, butter and sugar made green with the juice of some spinage, add to it the yolks of eggs. . _to make a potato pie._ having your pie ready, lay in butter, and then your potatoes boiled very tender, then some whole spice and marrow, dates and the yolks of hard eggs blanched almonds, and pistacho nuts, the candied pills of citron, orange and limon, put in more butter close it and bake it, then cut it open, and put in wine, sugar, the yolks of eggs and butter. . _to make a pig pie._ spit a whole pigg and rost it till it will flay, then take it off the spit, and take off the skin, and lard it with hogs lard; season it with pepper, salt, nutmeg and sage, then lay it into your pie upon some butter, then lay on some large mace, and some more butter, and close it and bake it: it is either good hot or cold. . _to make a carp pie._ take a large carp and scale him, gut and wash him clean, and dry him well, then lay butter into your pie, and fill your carps belly with this pudding; grated bread, sweet herbs, and a little bacon minced small, the yolks of hard eggs and an anchovie minced, also a little marrow, nutmeg, and then put in a little salt, but a very little, and make some of this up in balls, then lard the carp, sew up his belly, and lay him into your pie, then lay in the balls of pudding, with some oysters, shrimps and capers, and the yolks of hard eggs and a little slices of bacon, then put in large mace and butter, so close it and bake it, then cut off the lid, and stick it full of pretty conceits made in paste, and serve it in hot. . _to make an almond tart._ take a quart of cream, and when it boils, put in half a pound of sweet almonds blanched and beaten with rosewater, boil them together till it be thick, always stirring it for fear it burn, then when it is cold, put in a little raw cream, the yolks of twelve eggs, and some beaten spice, some candied citron pill and eringo roots sliced, with as much fine sugar as will sweeten it, then fill your tart and bake it, and stick it with almonds blanched, and some citron pill, and strew on some small french comfits of several colours, and garnish your dish with almonds blanched, and preserved barberries. . _to make a dainty white-pot._ take a manchet cut like lozenges, and scald it in some cream, then put to it beaten spice, eggs, sugar and a little salt, then put in raisins, and dates stoned, and some marrow; do not bake it too much for fear it whey, then strew on some fine sugar and serve it in. . _to make a red deer pie._ bone your venison, and if it be a side, then skin it, and beat it with an iron pestle but not too small, then lay it in claret wine, and vinegar, in some close thing two days and nights if it be winter, else half so long, then drain it and dry it very well, and if lean, lard it with fat bacon as big as your finger, season it very high with all manner of spices and salt, make your pie with rye flower, round and very high, then lay store of butter in the bottom and bay leaves, then lay in your venison with more bay leaves and butter; so close it, and make a tunnel in the middle, and bake it as long as you do great loaves, when it is baked, fill it up with melted butter, and so keep it two or three months, serve it in with the lid off, and bay leaves about the dish; eat it with mustard and sugar. . _to make a pie of a leg of pork._ take a leg of pork well powdred and stuffed with all manner of good herbs, and pepper, and boil it very tender, then take off the skin, and stick it with cloves and sage leaves, then put it into your pie with butter top and bottom, close it and bake it, and eat it cold with mustard and sugar. . _to make a lamprey pie._ take your lamprey and gut him, and take away the black string in the back, wash him very well, and dry him, and season him with nutmeg, pepper and salt, then lay him into your pie in pieces with butter in the bottom, and some shelots and bay leaves and more butter, so close it and bake it, and fill it up with melted butter, and keep it cold, and serve it in with some mustard and sugar. . _to make a salmon pie._ take a joll of salmon raw, and scale it and lay it into your pie upon butter and bay leaves, then season it with whole spice and a little salt, then lay on some shrimps and oysters with some anchovies, then more spice and butter, so close the lid and bake it, but first put in some white wine, serve it hot, then if it wants, put in more wine and butter. . _to make a pudding of french barley._ take french barley tenderly boiled, then take to one pint of barley half a manchet grated, and four ounces of sweet almonds blanched and beeten with rosewater, half a pint of cream, and eight eggs with half the whites, season it with nutmeg, mace, sugar and salt, then put in some fruit, both raisins and currans, and some marrow, mingle these well together, and fill hogs guts with it. . _to make a hasty pudding in a bag or cloth._ boil a quart of thick cream with six spoonfuls of fine flower, then season it with nutmeg and salt, then wet a cloth, and flower it and butter it, then boil it, and butter it, and serve it in. . _to make a shaking pudding._ take a quart of cream and boil it, then put in some almonds blanched and beaten, when it is boiled and almost cold, put in eight eggs, and half the whites, with a little grated bread, spice and sugar, and a very little salt; then wet flower and butter, and put it in a cloth and boil it, but not too much, serve it in with rosewater, butter and sugar, and strew it with small french comfits. . _to make a haggus pudding._ take a calves chaldron well scowred, boiled, and the kernels taken out, mince it small, then take four or five eggs, and half the whites, some thick cream, grated bread, rosewater and sugar, and a little salt, currans and spice, and some sweet herbs chopped small, then put in some marrow or suet finely shred, so fill the guts, and boil them. . _to make an oatmeal pudding._ take the biggest oatmeal and steep it in warm cream one night, then put in some sweet herbs minced small, the yolks of eggs, sugar, spice, rosewater and a little salt, with some marrow, then butter a cloth, and boil it well, and serve it in with rosewater, butter and sugar. . _to make puddings of wine._ slice two manchets into a pint of white wine, and let your wine be first mulled with spice, and with limon pill, then put to it ten eggs well beaten with rosewater, some sugar and a little salt, with some marrow and dates, so bake it a very little, strew sugar on it, and serve it; instead of manchet you may use naples bisket, which is better. . _to make puddings with hogs lights._ parboil them very well, and mince them small with suet of a hog, then mix it with bread grated, and some cream and eggs, nutmeg, rosewater, sugar and a little salt, with some currans, mingle them well together, and fill the guts and boil them. . _to make stone cream._ boil a quart of cream with whole spice then pour it out into a dish, but let it be one quarter consumed in the boiling, then stir it till it be almost cold, then put some runnet into it as for a cheese, and stir it well together, and colour it with a little saffron, serve it in with sack and sugar. . _to make a posset pie with apples._ take the pulp of rosted apples and beat it well with sugar and rosewater to make it very sweet, then mix it with sweet cream, and the yolks of raw eggs, some spice and sack, then having your paste ready in your bake-pan, put in this stuff and bake it a little, then stick it with candied pills, and so serve it in cold. . _to dry pippins about_ christmas _or before._ when your houshold bread is drawn, then set in a dish full of pippins, and about six hours after take them out and lay them in several dishes one by one, and flat them with your hands a little, so do twice a day, and still set them into a warm oven every time till they are dry enough; then lay them into boxes with papers between every lay. . _to make snow cream._ take a quart of cream, and ounces of blanched almonds, beaten and strained, with half a pint of white wine, a piece of orange pill and a nutmeg sliced, and three sprigs of rosemary, mix these things together, and let them stand three hours, then strain it, and put the thick part into a deep dish, and sweeten it with sugar, then beat some cream with the whites of eggs till it be a thick froth, and cast the froth over it to a good thickness. . _to boil whitings or flounders._ boil some white wine, water, and salt, with some sweet herbs and whole spice; when it boils put in a little vinegar, for that will make fish crisp, then let it boil apace and put in your fish, and boil them till they swim, then take them out and drain them, and make sauce for them with some of the liquor and an anchovie or two, some butter and some capers, heat them over the fire, and beat it up thick and pour it over them; garnish your dish with capers and parsley, oranges and limons and let it be very hot when you serve it in. . _to make a pie of a gammon of bacon._ take a _westphalia_ gammon, and boil it tender with hay in the kettle, then take off the skin and stick it with cloves and strew it with pepper, then make your pie ready, and put it therein with butter at the bottom, then cover your bacon with oysters, parboiled in wine and their own liquor, and put in balls made of sausage meat, then put in the liquor of the parboiled oysters, some whole spice and bay leaves, with some butter, so close it, and bake it and eat it cold, you may put into it the yolks of hard eggs if you please, serve it with mustard sugar and bay leaves. . _to bake a bulloks cheek to be eaten hot._ take your cheek and stuff it very well with parsley and sweet herbs chopped, then put it into a pot with some claret wine and a little strong beer, and some whole spice, and so season it well with salt to your taste, and cover your pot and bake it, then take it out, and pull out the bones, and serve it upon tosted bread with some of the liquor. . _to bake a bullocks cheek to eat cold, as venison._ take a bullocks cheek, or rather two fair fat cheeks, and lay them in water one night, then take out every bone, and stuff it very well with all manner of spice and salt, then put it into a pot, one cheek clapped close together upon the other, then lay it over with bay leaves, and put in a quart of claret wine, so cover the pot and bake it with houshold bread, when you draw it, pour all the liquor out, and take only the fat of it and some melted butter, and pour in again, serve it cold with mustard and sugar, and dress it with bay leaves, it will eat like venison. . _to make a bacon froize._ take eight eggs well beaten, and a little cream, and a little flower, and beat them well together to be like other batter, then fry very thin slices of bacon, and pour some of this over, then fry it, and turn the other side, and pour more upon that, so fry it and serve it to the table. . _to make fryed nuts._ take eggs, flower, spice and cream, and make it into a paste, then make it into round balls and fry them, they must be as big as walnuts, be sure to shake them well in the pan and fry them brown, then roul some out thin, and cut them into several shapes, and fry them, so mix them together, and serve them in with spice beaten and sugar. . _to make a_ sussex _pancake._ take only some very good pie paste made with hot liquor, and roul it thin, and fry it with butter, and serve it in with beaten spice and sugar as hot as you can. . _to make a venison pasty._ take a peck of fine flower, and three pounds of fresh butter, break your butter into your flower, and put in one egg, and make it into a past with so much cold cream as you think fit, but do not mould it too much, then roul it pretty thin and broad, almost square, then lay some butter on the bottom, then season your venison on the fleshy side with pepper grosly beaten, and salt mixed, then lay your venison upon your butter with the seasoned side downward, and then cut the venison over with your knife quite cross the pasty to let the gravie come out the better in baking, then rub some seasoning in those cuts, and do not lay any else because it will make it look ill-favoured and black, then put some paste rouled thin about the meat to keep it in compass, and lay butter on the top, then close it up and bake it very well, but you must trim it up with several fancies made in the same paste, and make also a tunnel or vent, and just when you are going to set it into the oven, put in half a pint of clarret wine, that will season your venison finely, and make it shall not look or taste greasie, thus you may bake mutton if you please. . _to make a brave tart of several sweet meats._ take some puff-paste, and roule it very thin, and lay it in the bottom of your baking-pan, then lay in a lay of preserved rasberries, then some more paste very thin to cover them, then some currans preserved, and then a sheet of paste to cover them, then cherries, and another sheet to cover them, then any white sweet-meat, as pippins, white plumbs or grapes, so lid it with puff-paste, cut in some pretty fancy to shew the fruit, then bake it, and stick it full of candied pills, and serve it in cold. . _to make ice and snow._ take new milk and some cream and mix it together, and put it into a dish, and set it together with runnet as for a cheese, and stir it together, when it is come, pour over it some sack and sugar, then take a pint of cream and a little rosewater, and the whites of three eggs, and whip it to a froth with a birchen rod, then as the froth arises, cast it upon your cream which hath the runnet in it, till it lies deep, then lay on bunches of preserved barberries here and there carelesly, and cast more snow upon them, which will look exceeding well; then garnish your dish being broad brim'd with all kind of jellies in pretty-fancies, and several colours. . _to make a mutton pie._ cut a loin or neck of mutton in steaks, and season it with pepper and salt, and nutmeg, then lay it in your pie upon butter; then fill up your pie with apples sliced thin, and a few great onions sliced thin, then put in more butter, and close it and bake it, and serve it in hot. . _to poach eggs the best way._ boil vinegar and water together with a few cloves and mace, when it boiles break in your eggs, and turn them about gently with a tin slice till the white be hard, then take them up, and pare away what is not handsom, and lay them on sippets, and strew them over with plumped currans, then take verjuice, butter and sugar heat together, and pour over, and serve them in hot. . _a good sallad in winter._ take a good hard cabbage, and with a sharp knife shave it so thin as you may not discern what it is, then serve it with oil and vinegar. . _another sallad in winter._ take corn sallad clean picked and also well washed, and clear from the water, put it into a dish in some handsom form with some horse radish scraped, and some oil and vinegar. . _to make sorrel sopps for green geese or chickens, or for a sick body to eat alone._ take a good quantity of french sorrel clean picked, and stamp it in a mortar, then strain it into a dish, and set it over a chafing dish of coals, and put a little vinegar to it, then when it is thick by wasting, wring in the juice of a limon and sweeten it with sugar, and put in a little grated bread and nutmeg, then warm another dish with thin slices of white bread, and put some butter to your sorrel liquor, and pour over them, serve them in with slices of limon and fine sugar. . _to make green sauce for a powdred leg of pork, or for a spring._ take a great quantity of french sorrel, and pick out the strings and wash it well, and drain it clean from the water, then stamp it in a mortar till it be extream fine, then put in grated bread and beat it again, then a few currans and the yolks of hard eggs, and when it is beaten to a kind of pap, put in a little vinegar and sugar into it; so serve it in upon a plate with your meat. . _to make_ vin de molosso, _or treacle wine._ take fair water and make it so strong with molossoes, otherwise called treacle, as that it will bear an egg, then boil it with a bag of all kinds of spices, and a branch or two of rosemary, boil it and scum it, and put in some sweet herbs or flowers, according to the time of the year, boil it till a good part be consumed, and that it be very clear, then set it to cool in several things, and when it is almost cold, work it with yest, as you do beer, the next day put it into the vessel, and so soon as it hath done working stop it up close, and when it hath stood a fortnight, bottle it, this is a very wholesom drink against any infection, or for any that are troubled with the ptisick. . _for a consumption, an excellent medicine._ take shell snails, and cast salt upon them, and when you think they are cleansed well from their slime, wash them, and crack their shells and take them off, then wash them in the distilled water of hysop, then put them into a bag made of canvas, with some white sugar candy beaten, and hang up the bag, and let it drop as long as it will, which if you bruise the snails before you hang them up, it is the better; this liquor taken morning and evening a spoonful at a time is very rare. . _a suitable dish for lent._ take a large dish with broad brims, and in the middle put blanched almonds round about them, raisins of the sun, and round them figs, and beyond them all coloured jellies, and on the brims fig-cheese. . _to make a rock in sweet-meats._ first take a flat broad voiding basket, then have in readiness a good thick plum cake, then cut your cake fit to the bottom of the basket, and cut a hole in the middle of it, that the foot of your glass may go in, which must be a fountain-glass, let it be as high a one as you can get; put the foot of it in the hole of the cake edgling that it may stand the faster, then tie the cake fast with a tape to the basket, first cross one way and then another, then tie the foot of the glass in that manner too, that it may stand steady, then cut some odd holes in your cake carelesly, then take some gum dragon steeped in rosewater, and mix it with some fine sugar, not too thick, and with that you must fasten all your rock together, in these holes which you cut in your cake you must fasten some sort of biskets, as naples biskets, and other common bisket made long, and some ragged, and some coloured, that they may look like great ill-favoured, stones, and some handsome, some long, some short, some bigger, and some lesser, as you know nature doth afford, and some of one colour and some of another, let some stand upright and some aslannt, and some quite along, and fasten them all with your gum, then put in some better sweet-meats, as mackeroons and marchpanes, carelesly made as to the shape, and not put on the rock in a set form, also some rough almond cakes made with the long slices of almonds (as i have directed before;) so build it up in this manner, and fasten it with the gum and sugar, till it be very high, then in some places you must put whole quinces candied, both red and white, whole orange pills and limon pills candied; dried apricocks, pears and pippins candied, whole peaches candied, then set up here and there great lumps of brown and white sugar-candy upon the stick, which much resembles some clusters of fine stones growing on a rock; for sand which lies sometimes among the little stones, strew some brown sugar; for moss, take herbs of a rock candy; then you must make the likeness of snakes and snails and worms, and of any venomous creature you can think of; make them in sugar plate and colour them to their likeness, and put them in the holes that they may seem to lurk, and some snails creeping one way and some other; then take all manner of comfits, both rough and smooth, both great and small, and colour many of them, some of one colour and some of another, let some be white and some speckled, then when you have coloured them, and that they are dry, mix them together and throw them into the clefts, but not too many in one place, for that will hide the shape of your work, then throw in some chips of all sorts of fruit candied, as orange, limon, citron, quince, pear, and apples, for of all these you may make chips; then all manner of dryed plumbs, and cherries, cornelions dryed, rasps and currans; and in some places throw a few prunelles, pistacho nuts, blanched almonds, pine kernels, or any such like, and a pound of the great round perfumed comfits; then take the lid off the top of the glass and fill it with preserved grapes, and fill another with some harts-horn jelly, place these two far from one another, and if you set some kind of fowl, made in marchpanes, as a peacock, or such like, and some right feathers gummed on with gum arabick, let this fowl stand as though it did go to drink at the glass of harts-horn jelly, and then they will know who see it, that those two liquid glasses serve for resemblance of several waters in the rock. then make good store of oyster shells and cockle shells of sugar plate, let some be pure white as though the sea water had washed them, some brown on the outside, and some green, some as it were dirty, and others worn away in some places, some of them broke, and some whole, so set them here and there about the rock, some edgling, and some flat, some the hollow side upward, and some the other, then stick the moss, some upon the shells, and some upon the stones, and also little branches of candied fruits, as barberries, plums, and the like, then when all is done, sprinkle it over with rosewater, with a grain or two of musk or ambergreece in it; your glass must be made with a reasonable proportion of bigness to hold the wine, and from that, in the middle of it, there must be a conveyance to fall into a glass below it, which must have spouts for the wine to play upward or downward, then from thence in another glass below, with spouts also, and from thence it hath a conveyance into a glass below that, somewhat in form like a sillibub pot, where the wine may be drunk out at the spout; you may put some eringo roots, and being coloured, they will shew very well among the other sweet-meats, tie your basket about with several sorts of small ribbons: do not take this for a simple fancy, for i assure you, it is the very same that i taught to a young gentlewoman to give for a present to a person of quality. to the reader. _courteous reader, i think it not amiss, since i have given you, as i think, a very full direction for all kinds of food both for nourishment and pleasure, that i do shew also how to eat them in good order; for there is a time and season for all things: besides, there is not anything well done which hath not a rule, i shall therefore give you several bills of service for meals according to the season of the year, so that you may with ease form up a dinner in your mind quickly; afterwards i shall speak of ordering of banquets; but these things first, because banquets are most proper after meals. all you who are knowing already and vers'd in such things, i beseech you to take it only as a_ memorandum; _and to those who are yet unlearned, i presume they will reap some benefit by these directions; which is truly wished and desired by_ hanna woolley _alias_ chaloner. * * * * * _a bill of service for extraordinary feasts in the summer._ . a grand sallad. . a boiled capon or chickens. . a boiled pike or bream. . a florentine in puff paste. . a haunch of venison rosted. . a lomber pie. . a dish of green geese. . a fat pig with a pudding in the belly. . a venison pasty. . a chicken pie. . a dish of young turkeys. . a potato pie. . a couple of caponets. . a set custard. _the second course_ . a dish of chickens rosted. . souced conger or trouts. . an artichoke pie. . a cold baked meat. . a souced pig. . a dish of partridges. . an oringado pie. . a dish of quails. . another cold baked meat. . fresh salmon. . a dish of tarts. . a joll of sturgeon. _the third course._ . dish of fried perches. . a dish of green pease. . a dish of artichokes. . a dish of lobsters. . a dish of prawns or shrimps. . a dish of anchovies. . a dish of pickled oysters. . two or three dried tongues. * * * * * _another bill of fare for winter season._ . a collar of brawn. . a capon and white broth. . a boiled gurnet. . a dish of boiled ducks or rabbits. . a rosted tongue and udder. . a made dish in puff-paste. . a shoulder of mutton with oysters. . a chine of beef. . a dish of scotch collops of veal. . two geese in a dish. . an olive pie. . a pig. . a loin of veal. . a lark pie. . a venison pasty. . a dish of capons, two in a dish or three. . a dish of set custards. _the second course._ . young lamb cut in joints, three joints in a dish larded. . a couple of fat rabbets. . a kickshaw fried or baked. . a dish of rofted mallards. . a leash of partridges. . a pigeon pie. . four woodcocks in a dish. . a dish of teal, four or six. . a cold baked meat. . a good dish of plover. . twelve snites in a dish. . two dozen of larks in a dish. . another cold baked meat. _the third course._ . an oister pie hot. . a dish of fried puffs. . three or four dried neats tongues. . a joll of sturgeon. . laid tarts in puff-paste. . pickled oisters. . a dish of anchovies and caveare. . a warden pie or quince pie. _note_, that when your last course is ended, you must serve in your meat-jellies, your cheeses of several sorts, and your sweet-meats. * * * * * _a bill of fare for lesser feasts._ . an almond pudding boiled or baked. . a dish of boiled pigeons with bacon. . a leg of mutton, boiled with good sauce, or a leg of pork. . a dish of rosted olives of veal. . a dish of collops and eggs. .a piece of rosted beef. . a dish of scotch collops. . a loin of veal. . a fat pig rosted. . two turkies in a dish. . a venison pasty. . a dish of pheasants or partridges. . a dish of custards in little china pots. _the second course._ . three or four joints of lamb rosted asunder, though never so small. . a couple of rabbits. . a dish of mallard, teal or widgeon. . a leash of partridges or woodcocks. . a pigeon pie. . a dish of plovers or snites. . a dish of fat chickens rosted. . a warden or quince pie. . a sowced pig. . a dish of tarts of several sorts. . a dish of lobsters, or sturgeon. . a dish of pickled oysters. * * * * * _a bill of fare for fish days and fasting days in ember week, or in lent._ . a dish of butter newly churned. . a dish of rice milk or furmity. . a dish of buttered eggs. . a dish of stewed oysters. . a dish of gurnets boiled. . a boiled sallad. . a boiled pike or two carps stewed. . a dish of buttered loaves. . a pasty of ling. . a dish of buttered salt fish. . a dish of smelts. . a dish of white herrings broiled. . a potato pie or skirret pie. . a dish of flounders fryed. . an eel pie or carp pie. . a dish of fryed whitings. . a dish of salt salmon. . a dish of custards. . a joll of sturgeon. . a dish of pancakes or fritters. _the second course._ . a dish of eels spichcockt. . a fricasie of eels. . a dish of fryed puffs. . a dish of potatoes stewed. . a dish of fryed oysters. . a dish of blanched manchet. . an oyster pie with parsneps. . a pippin pie buttered. . a dish of buttered shrimps. . two lobsters rosted. . a dish of tarts of herbs. . a dish of souced fish. . a dish of pickled oysters. . a dish of anchovies and caveare. * * * * * _a bill of fare without feasting; only such a number of dishes as are used in great and noble houses for their own family, and for familiar friends with them._ _the first course in summer season._ . a fine pudding boiled or baked. . a dish of boiled chickens. . two carps stewed or a boiled pike. . a florentine in puff-paste. . a calves head, the one half hashed, and the other broiled. . a haunch of venison rosted. . a venison pasty. . a couple of fat capons, or a pig, or both. _the second course._ . a dish of partridges. . an artichoke pie. . a dish of quails. . a cold pigeon pie. . a souced pig. . a joll of fresh salmon. . a dish of tarts of several sorts. . a westphalia gammon and dried tongues about it. * * * * * _a bill of fare in winter in great houses._ . a collar of brawn. . a capon and white broth, or two boiled rabbits. . two rosted neats tongues and an udder between them. . a chine of beef rosted. . a made dish in puffpaste. . a shoulder of mutton stuffed with oysters. . a fine sallad of divers sorts of herbs and pickles. . an eel pie or some other pie. . three young turkies in a dish. . a dish of souced fish, what is most in season. _the second course in winter in great houses._ . a quarter of lamb rosted, the joints larded with several things, and rosted asunder. . a couple of rabbits. . a kickshaw fried. . a dish of mallard or teals. . a cold venison pasty, or other cold baked meat. . a dish of snites. . a quince or warden pie. . a dish of tarts. . a joll of sturgeon. . a dish of pickled oysters. * * * * * _a bill of fare for fish days in great houses and at familiar times._ . a dish of milk, as furmity, or the like. . a dish of stewed oysters or buttered eggs. . a boiled gurnet, or such like. . a dish of barrel cod buttered. . a dish of buttered loaves or fryed toasts. . a pasty made of a joll of ling. . a potato pie, or skirret pie. . a dish of plaice or flounders. . a piece of salt salmon. . a carp pie cold, or lamprey pie. _the second course to the same._ . a dish of eels spitchcockt. . a chine of salmon broiled. . a dish of oysters fryed. . an apple pie buttered. . a dish of fryed smelts. . a dish of buttered shrimps. . a dish of skirrets fryed. . two lobsters in a dish. . a dish of pickled oysters. . a dish of anchovies. when all these are taken away, then serve in your cheeses of all sorts, and also your creams and jellies, and sweet-meats after them, if they be required. thus i have done with the bills of fare in great houses, although it be impossible to name half which are in season for one meal; but this will serve you for the number of dishes, and any person who is ingenious, may leave out some, and put in other at pleasure. * * * * * _a bill of fare for gentlemens houses of lesser quality, by which you may also know how to order any family beneath another, which is very requisite._ _the first course in summer season._ . a boiled pike or carp stewed. . a very fine pudding boiled. . a chine of veal, and another of mutton. . a calves head pie. . a leg of mutton rosted whole. . a couple of capons, or a pig, or a piece of rost beef, or boiled beef. . a sallad, the best in season. _the second course to the same._ . a dish of fat chickens rosted. . a cold venison pasty. . a dish of fryed pasties. . a joll of fresh salmon. . a couple of lobsters. . a dish of tarts. . a gammon of bacon or dried tongues. after these are taken away, then serve in your cheese and fruit. _note_, that this bill of fare is for familiar times. * * * * * _a bill of fare for gentlemens houses at familiar times winter season._ _the first course._ . a collar of brawn. . a rosted tongue and udder. . a leg of pork boiled. . a piece of rost beef. . a venison pasty or other pie. . a marrow pudding. . a goose, or turkie, or pig. . a sallad of what's in season. _the second course to the same._ . two joints of lamb rosted. . a couple of rabbits. . a dish of wild fowl or larks. . a goose or turkie pie cold. . a fryed dish. . sliced venison cold. . a dish of tarts or custards. . a gammon of bacon, or dried tongues, or both in one dish. when these are taken away, serve in your cheese and fruit as before i have told you. * * * * * _a bill of fare for gentlemens houses upon fish days, and at familiar times._ . a dish of buttered eggs. . an almond pudding buttered. . a dish of barrel cod buttered. . a sallad of what's in season. . a dish of fresh fish boiled. . a dish of eels spitchcockt. . an oyster pie or herring pie. . a fricasie of eels and oysters. . a carp pie cold, or lamprey pie. _. the second course to the same._ . an apple pie buttered, or some pancakes or fritters. . a dish of fryed smelts. . a dish of broiled fish. . a dish of buttered crabs. . a dish of lobsters and prawns. . a joll of sturgeon or fresh salmon. . a dish of tarts or custards. . a dish of anchovies or pickled herring. when these are taken away, serve in your cheese and fruit as before i have told you. * * * * * now because i would have every one compleat who have a desire to serve in noble or great houses, i shall here shew them what their office requires; and, first, _for the kitchin, because without that we shall look lean, and grow faint quickly._ the cook, whether man or woman, ought to be very well skilled in all manner of things both fish and flesh, also good at pastry business, seasoning of all things, and knowing all kinds of sauces, and pickling all manner of pickles, in making all manner of meat jellies; also very frugal of their lords or of their masters, ladies or mistresses purse, very saving, cleanly and careful, obliging to all persons, kind to those under them, and willing to inform them, quiet in their office, not swearing nor cursing, nor wrangling, but silently and ingeniously to do their business, and neat and quick about it; they ought also to have a very good fancy: such an one, whether man or woman, deserves the title of a fit cook. * * * * * _for a maid under such a cook._ she ought to be of a quick and nimble apprehension, neat and cleanly in her own habit, and then we need not doubt of it in her office; not to dress her self, specially her head, in the kitchin, for that is abominable sluttish, but in her chamber before she comes down, and that to be at a fit hour, that the fire may be made, and all things prepared for the cook, against he or she comes in; she must not have a sharp tongue, but humble, pleasing, and willing to learn; for ill words may provoke blows from a cook, their heads being always filled with the contrivance of their business, which may cause them to be peevish and froward, if provoked to it; this maid ought also to have a good memory, and not to forget from one day to another what should be done, nor to leave any manner of thing foul at night, neither in the kitchin, nor larders, to keep her iron things and others clean scowred, and the floors clean as well as places above them, not to sit up junketing and gigling with fellows, when she should be in bed, such an one is a consumer of her masters goods, and no better than a thief; and besides, such behaviour favoureth much of levity. but such an one that will take the counsel i have seriously given, will not only make her superiours happy in a good servant, but she will make her self happy also; for by her industry she may come one day to be mistress over others. * * * * * _now to the butler._ he ought to be gentile and neat in his habit, and in his behaviour, courteous to all people, yet very saving of his masters goods, and to order himself in his office as a faithful steward, charge and do all things for the honour of his master or lady, not suffering their wine or strong drink to be devoured by ill companions, nor the small to be drawn out in waste, nor pieces of good bread to lie to mould and spoil, he must keep his vessels close stopped, and his bottles sweet, his cellars clean washed, and his buttery clean, and his bread-bins wholsom and sweet, his knives whetted, his glasses clean washed that there be no dimness upon them, when they come to be used, all his plate clean and bright, his table, basket and linnen very neat, he must be sure to have all things of sauce ready which is for him to bring forth, that it may not be to be fetched when it is called for, as oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, oranges and limons, and also some pepper; he must also be very neat and handy in laying the clothes for the chief table, and also the side-boards, in laying his napkins in several fashions, and pleiting them, to set his glasses, plate, and trencher-plates in order upon the side-boards, his water-glasses, oranges or limons; that he be careful to set the salts on the table, and to lay a knife, spoon and fork at every plate, that his bread be chipped before he brings it in; that he set drink to warm in due time if the season require; that he observe a fit time to set chairs or stools, that he have his cistern ready to set his drink in; that none be spilt about the room, to wash the glasses when any one hath drunk, and to wait diligently on them at the table, not filling the glasses too full; such an one may call himself a butler. * * * * * _to the carver._ if any gentleman who attends the table, be employed or commanded to cut up any fowl or pig, or any thing else whatsoever, it is requisite that he have a clean napkin upon his arm, and a knife and fork for his use, that he take that dish he should carve from the table till he hath made it ready for his superiours to eat, and neatly and handsomly to carve it, not touching of it so near as he can with his fingers, but if he chance unawares to do so, not to lick his fingers, but wipe them upon a cloth, or his napkin, which he hath for that purpose; for otherwise it is unhandsom and unmannerly; the neatest carvers never touch any meat but with the knife and fork; he must be very nimble lest the meat cool too much, and when he hath done, return it to the table again, putting away his carving napkin, and take a clean one to wait withal; he must be very gentile and gallant in his habit, lest he be deemed unfit to attend such persons. * * * * * _to all other men-servants or maid-servants who commonly attend such tables._ they must all be neat and cleanly in their habit, and keep their heads clean kembed, always ready at the least call and very attentive to hear any one at the table, to set chairs or stools, and not to give any a foul napkin, but see that every one whom their lord or master is pleased to admit to their table, have every thing which is fit for them, and that they change their plates when need shall be; also that they observe the eyes of a stranger what they want, and not force them still to want because they are silent, because it is not very modest for an inferiour to speak aloud before their betters; and it is more unfit they should want, since they have leave to eat and drink: they must wait diligently, and at a distance from the table, not daring to lean on the chaires for soiling them, or shewing rudeness; for to lean on a chair when they wait, is a particular favour shewn to any superiour servant, as the chief gentleman, or the waiting woman when she rises from the table; they must not hold the plates before their mouths to be defiled with their breath, nor touch them on the right side; when the lord, master, lady or mistress shew that favour to drink to any inferiour, and do command them to fill for them to pledge them, it is not modesty for them to deny strangers that favour, as commonly they do, but to fulfill their commands, or else they dishonour the favour. when any dish is taken off the table, they must not set it down for dogs to eat, nor eat it themselves by the way, but haste into the kitchin with it to the cook, that he may see what is to be set away, and what to be kept hot for servants; when all is taken away, and thanks given, they must help the butler out with those things which belong to him, that he may not lose his dinner. they must be careful also to lay the cloth for themselves, and see that nothing be wanting at the table, and to call the rest of the servants to meals, whose office was not to wait at the table, then to sit down in a handsom manner, and to be courteous to every stranger, especially the servants of those persons whom their lord or master hath a kindness for. if any poor body comes to ask an alms, do not shut the door against them rudely, but be modest and civil to them, and see if you can procure somewhat for them, and think with your selves, that though you are now full fed, and well cloathed, and free from care, yet you know not what may be your condition another day: so much to inferiour servants. * * * * * _to the gentlewomen who have the charge of the sweet-meats, and such like repasts._ _gentlewomen_, perhaps you do already know what belongs to serving in fine cream cheeses, jellies, leaches or sweet-meats, or to set forth banquets as well as i do; but (pardon me) i speak not to any knowing person, but to the ignorant, because they may not remain so; besides really there are new modes come up now adays for eating and drinking, as well as for clothes, and the most knowing of you all may perhaps find somewhat here which you have not already seen; and for the ignorant, i am sure they may ground themselves very well from hence in many accomplishments, and truly i have taken this pains to impart these things for the general good of my country, as well as my own, and have done it with the more willingness, since i find so many gentlewomen forced to serve, whose parents and friends have been impoverished by the late calamities, _viz._ the late wars, plague, and fire, and to see what mean places they are forced to be in, because they want accomplishments for better. i am blamed by many for divulging these secrets, and again commended by others for my love and charity in so doing; but however i am better satisfied with imparting them, than to let them die with me; and if i do not live to have the comfort of your thanks, yet i hope it will cause you to speak well of me when i am dead: the books which before this i have caused to be put in print, found so good an acceptance, as that i shall still go on in imparting what i yet have so fast as i can. now to begin with the ordering those things named to you: if it be but a private dinner or supper in a noble house, where they have none to honour above themselves, i presume it may be thus: in summer time, when the meat is all taken away, you may present your several sorts of cream cheeses; one meal one dish of cream of one sort, the next of another; one or two scollop dishes with several sorts of fruit, which if it be small fruit, as rasps or strawberries, they must be first washed in wine in a dish or bason, and taken up between two spoons, that you touch them not. with them you may serve three or four small dishes also with sweet-meats, such as are most in season, with vine leaves and flowers between the dishes and the plates, two wet sweet-meats, and two dry, two of one colour, and two of another, or all of several colours. also a dish of jellies of several colours in one dish, if such be required. if any be left, you may melt them again, and put them into lesser glasses, and they will be for another time: if any dry ones be left, they are soon put into the boxes again. if any persons come in the afternoon, if no greater, or so great as the person who entertains them, then you may present one or two dishes of cream only, and a whipt sillibub, or other, with about four dishes of sweet-meats served in, in like manner as at dinner, with dishes of fruit, and some kind of wine of your own making; at evenings, especially on fasting days at night, it is fit to present some pretty kind of creams, contrary from those at dinner, or instead of them some possets, or other fine spoon meats, which may be pleasant to the taste, with some wet and dry sweet-meats, and some of your fine drinks, what may be most pleasing. at a feast, you may present these things following. so soon as the meat is quite taken away, have in readiness your cream cheeses of several sorts and of several of colours upon a salver, then some fresh cheese with wine and sugar, another dish of clouted cream, and a noch with cabbage cream of several colours like a cabbage; then all sorts of fruits in season, set forth as followeth: first, you must have a large salver made of light kind of wood, that it may not be too heavy for the servitor to carry, it must be painted over, and large enough to hold six plates round about and one larger one in the middle, there must be places made in it to set the plates in, that they may be very fast and sure from sliding, and that in the middle the seat must be much higher than all the rest, because that is most graceful; your plates must not be so broad as the trencher plates at meat, and should be either of silver or china. set your plates fast, then fill every one with several sorts of fruits, and the biggest sort in the middle, you must lay them in very good order, and pile them up till one more will not lie; then stick them with little green sprigs and fine flowers, such as you fancy best; then serve in another such salver, with plates piled up with all manner of sweet-meats, the wet sweet-meats round about and the dry in the middle, your wet sweet-meats must be in little glasses that you may set the more on, and between every two glasses another above the first of all, and one on the top of them all; you must put of all sorts of dryed sweet-meats in the middle plate, first your biggest and then your lesser, till you can lay no more; then stick them all with flowers and serve them: and in the bason of water you send in to wash the hands or fingers of noble persons, you must put in some orange flower water, which is very rare and very pleasant. in winter you must alter, as to the season, but serve all in this manner; and then dryed fruits will also be very acceptable; as dryed pears and pippins, candied oranges and limons, citrons and eringoes, blanched almonds, prunelles, figs, raisins, pistachoes and blanched walnuts. _finis._ the contents of the first part. a. artichoke cream. almond pudding. almond pudding. artichokes kept. almond jelly white. almond paste. almond butter. apricocks dried. apricocks in lumps. apricocks dried clear. almond bread. almond milk. ib. angelica candied. apricocks preserved. almond bakes. almonds candied. almond butter white. artificial walnuts. almond ginger-bread. ale to drink speedily. ale very rare. aqua mirabilis. b. bisket pudding. black pudding. bisket very fine. banbury cake. barberries candied. bean bread. barberries preserved without fire. bullace preserved. black juice of licoras. barberries preserved. bisket cake. balm water green. bisket orange, limon or citron. c. clouted cream. cream of divers things. curd pudding. clove sugar. cinamon sugar. ib. cake without sugar. cullis or jelly. comfits of all sorts. caudle for a sick body. candy as hard as a rock. caroway cake. cherries in jelly. cordial for sleep. , consumption. cordial syrup. ib. cornish cake. ib. cakes very fine. cider clear. clear perry. ib. caroway cake. cake. cornelions preserved. currans in jelly. custard for a consumption. ib. chips of fruit. chips of orange or limon. candied carrots. conserve of barberries. cordial most excellent. cakes to keep long. cakes with almonds. , court perfumes. china broth. cristal jelly. ib. conserve of violets. cakes very good. cakes of violets. collops like bacon in sweet meats. cough of the lungs. ib. cordial infusion. cakes very short. conserve of red roses. cucumbers pickled. cake with almonds. cake with almonds. cordial. cake without fruit. consumption. chine cough. ib. cream. ib. cabbage-cream. cakes of quinces. consumption ale. ib. consumption. ib. cream very fine. cucumbers pickled. candied flowers. clouted cream. cough of the lungs. cordial. cordial. cock-water most excellent. cordial cherry water. cordial orange water. d. damask powder for cloths. dumplings. dumplings. ib. dumplings. ib. distilled roses. diet bread. damsons preserved. damsons preserved white. damson wine. devonshire white-pot. doctor butlers water. doctor chambers water. e. elder water. f. french bisket. flowers candied. figs dried. flowers the best way to candy. froth posset. flowers kept long. french bread. g. green pudding. green ginger wet. grapes dried. grapes kept fresh. ginger-bread. green walnuts preserved. gooseberries preserved. gooseberry fool. grapes preserved. gooseberry wine. gooseberries green. griping of the guts. h. hipocras. heart water. i. irish aquavitæ. italian bisket. jumbolds. jelly of pippins. jelly of quinces. jelly of harts-horn. juice of licoras white. jelly very good. iringo root candied. jelly of currans. l. lemonalo. limon sallad. leach white. leach yellow. leach of ginger. ib. leach of cinamon. ib. leach of dates. ib. limons preserved. leach. lozenges perfumed. limon cream. [transcriber's note: there are no page numbers in the original for some of the following entries.] limon cakes. limon water. m. mustard. mustard. marmalade of limons. marmalade of oranges. musk sugar. marmalade of quinces. mushroms pickled. marmalade of cherries. marmalade of oranges. marmalade of cornelions. marmalade white. medlars preserved. marmalade of pippins. marmalade of wardens. marmalade of damsons. marchpane. marmalade of apricocks. morphew or freckles. marmalade of oranges. made dish. marmalade of cherries and currans. marmalade of apricocks. melancholy water. n. naples bisket. o. oatmeal pudding. oranges in jelly preserv'd. orange pudding. oranges and limons to preserve. p. pickled oysters. pickled french beans. ib. pickled barberries. poudered beef kept long. pudding to rost. pudding of calves feet. ib. pudding of rasberries. pudding of hogs liver. ib. pudding of cake. pudding of rice. paste of pomewaters. punch. prunes stewed without fire. ib. pickled oranges or limmons. potato bisket. ib. parsnep bisket. paste short without butter. puffpaste. puffpaste. ib. pistacho cakes. powder for the hair. pears or pippins dried. pippins dry and clear. perfume to burn. perfumed gloves. ib. perfume to burn. pomatum. pippins in jelly. posset. ib. posset with sack. posset. ib. plumbs dried. preserved pears dried. pretty sweet-meat. paste for the hands. plumbs dried naturally. pears dried. pippins dried. pippins green preserved. peaches preserved. ib. phtisick drink. paste of pippins. paste royal. paste of pippins. paste of plumbs. ib. plain bisket cake. posset without milk. pennado. purslane pickled. portugal eggs. perfumed roses. palsie water by dr. mathias. plague water. precious water. plague water. q. quaking pudding. quince pickled. r. roses kept long. rose leaves dried. red quinces whole. rasberry sugar. rasberry wine. red roses preserved. rasberries preserved. rosa solis. rosemary water. s. scotch brewis. syrup of rasberries, or other fruits, as grapes, &c. syrup of citrons. sugar plate. syrup of roses or other flowers. sack posset. sillibub. spanish candy. syrup of gilliflowers. seed stuff of rasberries. syrup for a cough. syrup of violets. syrup for a cold. syrup of turneps. signs of small pox taken away. sugar plate. snow cream. shrewsberry cakes. sillibub. sack posset. sheeps guts stretched. samphire boiled. stepony or raisin wine. ib. sillibub whipt. syrup of ale. ib. syrup of turneps. sugar cakes. signs of small pox taken away. surfet water the best. , sweet water. snail water. spirit of oranges and limons. spirit of mints. soveraign water. t. to cast all kinds of shapes and to colour them. tuff taffity cream. thick cream. trifle. tincture of caroways. treacle water. & w. walnuts kept long. white plates to eat. white quinces preserved. water gruel. wafer. water against infection. wormwood water. walnut water. water for the stone. water for fainting. the end of the contents of the first part. the contents of the second part. a. artichoke suckers dressed. artichoke cream. artichoke pie. artichoke pudding. artichokes kept long. artichokes stewed. artichokes fryed. artichoke pudding. almond pudding. apple tansie. an amulet. almond pudding. angelot cheese. apple puffs. almond tart. b. brown metheglin. beef collered. barly cream. barly broth without meat. barly broth with meat. balls to take out stains. broth of a lambs head. beef-pie very good. blanched manchet. bullocks cheek baked to eat hot. bullocks cheek baked to eat cold. ib. bacon froize. c. cheesecakes. cheesecakes. chicken pie. collar of brawn. capon boiled. cracknels. codling cream. cheese very stood. cucumbers boiled. collops of bacon and eggs. cabbage pottage. capon with white broth. calves foot pie. ib. carp pie. calves head pie. calves chaldron pie with puddings in it. coleflower pickled. cheese loaves. custards very fine. cods head boiled. chicken pie. capon boiled. chickens boiled with goosberries. chickens baked with grapes. capon baked. cambridge pudding. chiveridge pudding. calves tongue hashed. capon boiled. ib. capon boiled with rice. capon boiled with pippins. ib. chickens boiled with lettuce. chickens smoored. calves feet hashed. chickens in white broth. capon rosted with oysters. calves head with oysters. carp pie. consumption remedy. d. dried tongues. delicate pies. ducks boiled. e. elder vinegar. eels and pike together. eels rosted with bacon. eels and oister pie. egg pie. eel pie. eel souced and collered. ib. eels stewed. eels in broth. f. fresh cheese. furmity. furmity with meat broth. furmity with almonds. ib. french pottage. fricasies of several sorts. fricasie of sheeps feet. fried toasts. fritters. fricasie of oisters. fricasie of eels. ib. fresh salmon boiled. french broth. fine washing balls for the hands. french servels. florentine baked. friday pie without fish or flesh. ib. fritters. farced pudding. fricasie of eggs. french puffs. flounders boiled. g. green tansie. gravie broth. goose dried. goose giblets with sausages. garden beans dried. gurnet boiled. goose baked. goose giblets boiled with roots and herbs. goose giblets boiled. grand sallad. gammon of bacon pie. green sauce for pork. h. hasty pudding. hasty pudding. ib. hasty pudding. ib. hare pie. hashed meats. herring pie. herb pie. haunch of venison rosted. haunch of venison boiled. haggus pudding. hasty pudding. ib. i. italian pudding. ice and snow. k. kickshaws to bake or fry. l. lobsters buttered. liver fritters. loaves to butter. limon cakes. loaves of curds. lobsters rosted. lamb pie. leg of mutton rosted. leg of mutton boiled. leg of mutton with oysters. loin of mutton stewed. lark pie. lettuce pie. lampry pie. lenten dish. m. [transcriber's note: heading omitted in original.] metheglin. misers for childrens collation. minced pies. made dish of rabbet livers. mutton smoored. mutton smoored. mutton pie. n. neats tongue pie. neats tongue rosted. neats tongue hashed. neck of mutton boiled. neck of mutton stewed. nuts fried. o. oatmeal pudding. olio of several meats. oysters and eels in a pie. oysters and parsneps in a pie. oyster pie. oranges and limons in jelly. oisters fried. oisters broiled. ib. oysters rosted. ib. olives of veal. oatmeal pudding. oat-cakes. olive pie. p. puddings in balls. pigeons boiled. pasty of veal. pigeon pie. ib. pork rosted without the skin. pig rosted like lamb. potted fowl. parsnep pie with oysters. pig pie. pudding of manchet. pompion pie. pompion fryed. ib. pike rosted and larded. pomander very fine. pompion pie. pickled sprats. pasty of ling. pallat pie. pippin pie. pasties to fry. pigeons boiled with rice. pigeons boiled with gooseberries. ib. pippin tart. pancakes crisp. pudding of goose bloud. pudding of liver. pigeons boiled with capers and samphire. partridges boiled. pike boiled with oysters. pig rosted with a pudding in his belly. pippins stewed. pig rosted without the skin with a pudding in his belly. pancakes very good. paste very good. paste to raise. ib. paste for baked meat to eat cold. pie of veal. pie of shrimps or prawns. pie of rosted kidney. potato pie. pig pie. pork pie. pudding of french barlie. pomander very fine. pudding of wine. pudding of hogs lights. posset pie. pippins dried. poached eggs. pippin paste. pippins stewed. q. quodling cream. quinces to look white. quince pie very good. r. rump of beef boiled. rolls for noble tables. rolls very short. rasberry tarts. rabbets with sausages. rice cream. rabbet boiled. rice pudding. rabbet boiled with grapes. rabbet boiled with claret. ib. red deer pie. rock of sweet meats. s. souced veal. sauce for mutton. summer dish. souced pig. several sallads. several sallads. ib. soles dressed very fine. spinage tart. stewed fish. ib. spanish pap. sallad of cold meat. sheeps tongues with oysters. ib. scotch collops. shoulder of venison, or shoulder of mutton rosted in blood. stewed pig. ib. steak pie with puddings. salmon dressed by infusion. stewed carps in blood. stump pie. sauce for fowl. sorrel sallad. sallad cold. ib. sauce for veal. sauce for a leg of mutton. souced fish. swan baked. small birds baked. stewed pudding. sussex pudding. sausages boiled. shell-fish fryed. steak pie. shoulder of venison rosted. sallads boiled. shoulder of veal boiled. stewed broth good. sallad of salmon. shoulder of mutton with oysters. stewed artichokes. sauce for fowl. sauce for partridges. sauce for quails. salmon pie. shaking pudding. stone cream. snow cream. sussex pancake. snow and ice. sallad in winter. sallad in winter. sorrel sops. t. to boil a teal or wigeon. turkey baked. trouts stewed. toasts of veal fried. tarts of several sweet-meats. treacle wine. v. venison baked to keep. umble pies. veal smoored. veal rosted with farcing herbs. veal fried. venison pasty. vin de molosso. w. white broth with meat. white broth without meat. ib. white pot. whitings boiled. _postscript._ now good readers, here are three hundred and ten choice receipts added for a second part of the _queen-like closet_, and you may, i am sure, make many more of them if you observe how many i have taught in one; if i had not taken that course, only for brevity sake, & that it might not be tedious and impertinent to you, i might have enlarged this volume very much. _finis._ ontario teachers' manuals household science in rural schools [illustration: printer's mark.] authorized by the minister of education toronto william briggs copyright. canada. . by the minister of education for ontario contents page preface vii three short courses in home-making introduction a library on home economics for the rural school twenty lessons in the care of the home suggestions to the teacher equipment reference books lesson i: arrangement and care of the kitchen lesson ii: care of cupboards and utensils lesson iii: care of foods lesson iv: disposal of waste lesson v: making soap lesson vi: setting and clearing the table lesson vii: waiting on table lessons viii and ix: general cleaning of a room lesson x: care of the bed-room lesson xi: care of lamps lesson xii: prevention of pests lesson xiii: removing stains, bleaching fabrics, and setting colours lesson xiv: washing dish-towels, aprons, etc. lesson xv: ironing lessons xvi and xvii: care of the baby lesson xviii: cost of food, clothing, and house lesson xix: how to keep accounts lesson xx: care of the exterior of the house reference books twenty lessons in cooking suggestions to the teacher abbreviations and measurements table of level measurements comparisons between weights and measures reference books lesson i: discussion of foods and cooking recipes lesson ii: preparing and serving vegetables recipes lesson iii: the value of carbohydrates in the diet recipes lesson iv: fruits and vegetables recipes--open-kettle method; cold-pack method; single process method; intermittent method lesson v: fats--vegetables--continued recipes experiments in using starch for thickening conclusions based on the foregoing experiments lesson vi: cereals recipes lesson vii: classification of foods--reviewed black-board summary lesson viii: the planning and serving of meals examples of well-chosen menus lesson ix: milk recipes lesson x: soups recipes lesson xi: eggs recipes lesson xii: simple desserts--custards recipes lesson xiii: batters and doughs recipes lesson xiv: batters and doughs--continued recipes lesson xv: meats recipes lesson xvi: baked pork and beans--baking-powder biscuits recipes lesson xvii: butter cakes--plain yellow cake--cocoa coffee--tea recipes lesson xviii: yeast bread recipes lesson xix: serving a simple dinner without meat--baked omelet--macaroni and cheese recipes lesson xx: sugar recipes twenty lessons in sewing suggestions to the teacher reference books lesson i: preparation for sewing lesson ii: hemming towels lesson iii: hemming towels--continued lesson iv: bags lesson v: bags--continued lesson vi: bags--continued lesson vii: bags--continued lesson viii: bags--continued lesson ix: darning stockings lesson x: patching lesson xi: cutting out aprons or undergarments lesson xii: aprons or undergarments--continued lesson xiii: aprons or undergarments--continued lesson xiv: aprons or undergarments--continued lesson xv: aprons or undergarments--continued lesson xvi: aprons or undergarments--continued lesson xvii: methods of fastening garments lesson xviii: methods of fastening garments--continued lesson xix: a padded holder for handling hot dishes binding lesson xx: a cap to wear with the cooking apron household science equipment household science cabinet materials required, stock bill, tools, directions for making equipment for rural school household science cabinet--no. i equipment for rural school household science cabinet--no. ii the hectograph the rural school lunch the box lunch contents of the lunch box sandwich making suggestions for sandwich fillings suggestions for planning suggestions for desserts packing the lunch box rules for packing equipment for packing serving a hot dish the method suggested menus suggestions for hot dishes for four weeks recipes suitable for the rural school lunch useful bulletins household science without school equipment first method second method the fireless cooker directions for fireless cooker--no. i the outside container the insulating material the inside container the kettle extra source of heat covering pad directions for fireless cooker--no. ii method of making directions for fireless cooker--no. iii method of making use of the fireless cooker in the preparation of lunches special grants for rural and village schools preface this manual is issued for the purpose of encouraging the introduction and furthering the progress of household science in the rural schools of this province. there are urban and , rural schools, and . % of the school population is in attendance at the latter schools. the value of household science as an educational and practical subject has been recognized, to some extent, in the urban schools of the province but, up to the present, little attempt has been made to give the subject a place among the activities of the rural schools. there is a wide-spread impression that it is not possible in household science to give any instruction that is of value without the provision of separate rooms, elaborate equipment, and specially trained teachers. where these conditions exist, of course, the best work can be accomplished; but, even where they cannot be realized, much may be done toward giving definite, useful instruction in the cardinal principles of home-making, which should be learned by every girl. there is certainly not a single rural school where some practical work in sewing and some valuable lessons in the care of the home may not be given. as for cookery, it is doubtful if there is a single school so small and so helpless that it is unable to use the hot noon-day lunch as a method of approach to this branch of the subject. students of the physical welfare of children are rapidly coming to the conclusion that a warm mid-day meal greatly increases the efficiency of the pupil and determines to a large extent the results of the afternoon's study. there are other benefits to be derived from a school lunch well prepared under proper conditions. in many communities it has been the means of bringing about a healthy and satisfactory co-operation between the school and the home, of developing a higher social life in the neighbourhood, and of introducing into the school a household science course, which has proved as great a benefit to the farmer's wife as to his children. this manual deals entirely with conditions that exist in our rural schools and outlines only such plans and schemes as can be carried out, even in adverse circumstances, by alert trustees, sympathetic inspectors, and resourceful teachers. permission has been obtained from the bureau of education, washington, u.s.a., to make use of a recently issued bulletin--"three courses in home-making for rural schools", and of various bulletins issued by state agricultural colleges. the freest use has been made of this material, and the permission to do so is hereby gratefully acknowledged. only such theory as can be readily assimilated has been given; and the teacher is advised for further information and help to consult the manuals issued by the department of education on _household management_ and _sewing_. those who wish to become thoroughly competent and to earn the highest departmental grants should attend the summer schools provided by the department of education. under certain conditions the expenses of teachers attending these courses are paid by the department. nothing has been included or recommended that cannot be accomplished in the average rural school; and trustees, teachers, and inspectors are urged to make a beginning by selecting the lessons that appeal to them as being most suitable to the districts in which their schools are situated. by careful planning and a wise use of the time before and after school and during recess, the regular organization of the school need not be interfered with; and, in addition to the educational and social advantages to be derived from undertaking this work, much benefit will result from the increased interest taken in the school by the parents and the general public. it is not essential that the lessons in this manual should be taken exactly in the order given. any other arrangement called for by the peculiar circumstances of the school is admissible. the inspector of manual training and household science is ready at all times to visit rural schools for the purpose of conferring with the public school inspectors, the trustees, and the teachers regarding the introduction of household science as a regular subject of the school curriculum. household science in rural schools three short courses in home-making introduction the three brief courses in home-making outlined in this manual have been especially prepared for use in elementary rural schools. they are in no sense complete outlines of the subjects with which they deal; rather, they indicate a few of the important phases of food study, sewing, and the care of the home with which the pupil in the elementary school should become familiar. the underlying thought for each problem should be: "will this help the pupils to live more useful lives, and will it lead to better conditions in their homes?" the lessons are purposely made simple, and the plans are definitely outlined, so that even the inexperienced teacher may be able to achieve a certain measure of success. the experienced teacher will find in them suggestions that may be of value in the further development of the course. the teacher who desires to use this course will necessarily have to adapt it to her own community, and it is hoped that she may be able to do this with but little alteration. while conditions of living and choice of foods differ in various parts of the province, the general principles of nutrition, the rules of sanitation, and the methods of cooking and serving are much the same for all. owing to the difficulty of securing time on the programme for frequent lessons in home-making, each of the courses has been limited to twenty lessons. some teachers may not be able to have a greater number of lessons during the school year, and they may find it well to carry the three courses through three successive years. in other schools, where more frequent lessons can be given, it may be well to offer all three courses during one year. the courses in cooking and the care of the home can be advantageously combined, as many of the problems in both are related. the lessons in sewing may be given on another day of the week, or it may be well to give them early in the year, to be followed, later, by the cooking lessons. thus an opportunity will be furnished for the making of the cooking aprons and the hemming of the towels. it is most desirable that periods of at least forty minutes should be provided for all the practical lessons. longer periods will be necessary for some of them, such as the preparation and the serving of a meal. if no practical work is undertaken in the lesson, a forty-minute period is sufficient. library on home economics for the rural school in addition to the text-books recommended as sources of special reference for the rural teacher, the following books, bearing on home economics or on methods of teaching, are suggested for the rural school library. these books have been chosen with the threefold purpose of providing references for the teachers, reading matter for the pupils, and a lending library for the parents. _laundering._ balderston, l. ray. pub. by the author. philadelphia $ . _country life and the country school._ carney, m. row, peterson & co., chicago . _how the world is fed._ carpenter, f. o. american book co., new york . _how the world is clothed._ carpenter, f. o. american book co., new york . _how the world is housed._ carpenter, f. o. american book co., new york . _how we are clothed._ chamberlain, j. f. macmillan's, toronto . _how we are fed._ chamberlain, j. f. macmillan's, toronto . _how we are sheltered._ chamberlain, j. f. macmillan's, toronto . _bacteria, yeasts, and molds in the home._ conn, h. w. ginn & co., boston . _the boston cooking-school cook book._ farmer, f. m. little, brown & co., boston. (mcclelland, goodchild & stewart, toronto) . _the rural school lunch._ farnsworth, n. w. webb pub. co., st. paul, minn. . _clothing and shelter._ kinne, h., and cooley, a. m. macmillan's, toronto . _foods and household management._ kinne, h., and cooley, a. m. macmillan's, toronto . _means and methods of agricultural education._ leake, a. h. houghton, mifflin co., new york. (thos. allen, toronto) . _rural hygiene._ ogden, h. n. saunders, philadelphia . _health and cleanliness._ o'shea, m. v., and kellogg, j. h. macmillan's, toronto . _rural education._ pickard, a. e. webb pub. co., st. paul, minn. . _manual of personal hygiene._ pyle, w. l. saunders, philadelphia . _feeding the family._ rose, m. s. macmillan's, toronto . _food products._ sherman, h. c. macmillan's, toronto . twenty lessons in the care of the home suggestions to the teacher the purpose of this course is to give the pupils instruction in various household tasks, in order that better living conditions may be secured in the homes. the beauty and sacredness of an ideal home life should receive emphasis, so that the pupils may be impressed with the importance of conscientious work in the performance of their daily household duties. they should have some insight into the sanitary, economic, and social problems that are involved in housekeeping, so that they may develop an increased appreciation of the importance of the home-maker's work. the two most important things to be taught are "cleanliness and order". too much emphasis cannot be placed on the value of fresh air and sunshine and the necessity for the free use of hot water and soap. the value of property should also be emphasized. economy in the purchase and handling of house furnishings and equipment should be considered. instruction should also be given in the care of foods and clothing and in the care and arrangement of furniture. simple instruction in the care of babies should be given, since the older children are often responsible, to some extent, for the care of the younger members of their families. in some of the lessons more subjects may be suggested than the teacher will have time to take up in a single period. in that case it will be well for her to choose the subject which seems most vital to the immediate needs of the community. in many cases she may be able to give an increased number of lessons. practice and drill in all of the processes involved in housewifery are essential to successful training. if a cupboard and a table have been arranged for the use of the cooking classes, most of the suggested work can be carried out with the school equipment. where there is no equipment in the school and school conditions do not approximate home conditions, it may be possible to secure permission to give the lesson after school hours in the home of one of the pupils who lives nearby. in each lesson the teacher, while giving the pupils helpful general information on the subject under discussion, should strive to impress on them the importance of doing some one simple thing well. the rural teacher who is eager to make her school-room an attractive place may devote some time in these lessons to such problems as the hanging and the care of simple curtains, the care of indoor plants, the arrangement of pictures, the planning of storage arrangements for supplies and of cupboards for dishes, and the preparations for the serving of the school lunch. in order to teach these lessons effectively, it is desirable to have the following simple equipment on hand. additional special equipment may be borrowed from the homes. equipment broom, cloths for cleaning, dish-cloths, dish-towels, dust-brush, dust-pan, garbage can (covered), lamp, oil-can, reference books _rural hygiene._ brewer, i. w. lippincott co., philadelphia $ . _the healthful farmhouse._ dodd, h. whitcomb & barrows, boston . _community hygiene._ hutchinson, woods. houghton, mifflin co., new york. (thos. allen, toronto) . _foods and sanitation._ forster, g. h., and weigley, m. row, peterson &. co., chicago . _the home and the family._ kinne, h., and cooley, a. m. macmillan's, toronto . _housekeeping notes._ kittredge, m. h. whitcomb & barrows, boston . _practical home-making._ kittredge, m. h. the century co., new york . _a second course in home-making._ kittredge, m. h. the century co., new york . lesson i: arrangement and care of the kitchen subject-matter in arranging the kitchen, the three things of most importance are the stove, the sink, and the kitchen table. if there is no sink in the kitchen, there will be some other place arranged for washing the dishes, probably the kitchen table, and this must be taken into consideration when the furniture is placed. as most of the work is done at the stove and the table, both these must be placed where they will have a good light, and they should be close to each other, so that but few steps are necessary for the worker. in furnishing the kitchen, the housekeeper will find a high stool very useful, as it will enable her to wash dishes, prepare vegetables, and do other work while seated. all the furniture should be kept so clean and free from dust that the kitchen will have a neat and attractive appearance. a vase of flowers or a potted plant, and a washable table-cover to be used after the dishes have been put away, will help to make this room a pleasant place for the family. special attention should be given to the ventilation. the kitchen should be thoroughly cleaned after each meal. if it has become dusty or disarranged, it should be put in order before the next meal is to be prepared. while the cooking is under way, everything should be kept in an orderly condition. as soon as the meal is completed, the left-over food should be covered and put away; the scraps and waste material should be gathered and disposed of; and the dishes, pots, and pans should be scraped, and washed in hot, soapy water, then rinsed in clear, hot water, dried, and put away. the table should be scrubbed, the stove cleaned, the floor swept and scrubbed whenever necessary, and everything put neatly in its place. _care of the coal or wood range._--all spots should be removed from the range by wiping it with old paper. if it is in bad condition, it should be washed with soap and water. if it is oiled occasionally, blacking will not be necessary; but if blacking is used, it should be applied with a cloth and rubbed to a polish with a brush, just as the fire is being started. the ashes and soot flues back of the oven and underneath it should be cleaned out once a week. _directions for building a fire._--to build and care for a fire in the coal or wood range, close all the dampers, clean the grate, and remove the ashes from the pan. put on the covers and brush the dust off the stove. open the creative damper and the oven damper, leaving the check damper closed. lay some paper, slightly crumpled into rolls, across the base of the grate. place small pieces of kindling wood across one another, with the large pieces on top. lay pieces of hardwood or a shovelful of coal on top of the kindling, building so as to admit of the free circulation of air. if the stove is to be polished, rub it with blacking. light the paper from below. when the fire begins to burn briskly, add coal or wood: then add more when that kindles. when the fire is well started and blue flame is no longer seen (about ten minutes), close the oven damper. close the creative damper when the fire is sufficiently hot. brush the stove and the floor beneath it as soon as the fire is started. polish the stove. if the fire becomes too hot, open the check damper. fill the tea-kettle with fresh water and set it on the front of the range. _care of the sink, wash-basin, and garbage pail._--a neglected sink or garbage pail may be a fruitful source of disease, in addition to attracting water-bugs and other pests. scraps should never be left in the sink. after washing the dishes it should be thoroughly cleaned, a brush and scouring material being used. the nickel part may be washed with hot soap-suds, wiped dry, and polished. water should never be left in the wash-basin. both the soap-dish and the wash-basin should be scoured daily. the garbage pail should be emptied and washed every day, and carefully scalded once or twice a week. preliminary plan it will be well to have this lesson succeed or follow a cooking lesson, for then the pupils will have a keener interest in the problems of the kitchen. (see twenty lessons in cooking, lesson i.) method of work cleanliness and order are the two points to be considered in this lesson. the doing well of each simple household task and the thoughtful arrangement and planning of all parts of the house should be emphasized as being of great importance to the housekeeper's success. begin the lesson with a discussion of the purpose of the kitchen; then discuss its arrangement from the standpoint of convenience for the work that must be done there. emphasize the importance of having the furniture so arranged that the work may be done quickly and easily, and that the kitchen may be given a comfortable and attractive appearance. let the pupils arrange the furniture in the school-room. discuss and demonstrate the care of the stove by the use of the school stove. assign each pupil a time when she is to look after the stove on succeeding days and grade her on her work. let each pupil bring a report from home as to what she is doing to help in the care of the home kitchen. make a specific assignment for home work. questions used to develop the lesson what is the purpose of the kitchen? what are the principal articles of furniture in the kitchen? how should we arrange these things? can we make any general rules as to arrangements? why is it difficult to keep the kitchen clean? at what times is the kitchen most apt to become disarranged? why is it important to keep the kitchen in good order? in what order should the kitchen be at the time we begin the preparation of the meal? how should the floor be cleaned? the utensils? what should we do with any left-over food? how should we take care of the stove after the meal? lesson ii: care of cupboards and utensils subject-matter it is of the utmost importance that cupboards and other places where food is stored should be kept free from dirt and scraps of food. ants, cockroaches, mice, and other pests infest dirty places where food is kept, and render a house unfit for human habitation. it requires constant care and watchfulness on the part of the housewife to keep the cupboards clean. she must look over the shelves daily, wiping them off whenever they need it, and giving them a thorough cleaning at least once a week. the housekeeper should know how to care for the various utensils used and understand the simplest and best methods of keeping them clean. utensils should never be put in the cupboards until perfectly clean and dry. particular attention should be paid to the care of milk vessels. pans, pails, pitchers, or bottles in which milk has been kept, should be rinsed in cold water, washed in strong, clean soap-suds, rinsed in clean, boiling water, and dried in the sun. if utensils have become discoloured or badly coated, they should be specially scoured. if something has been burned in a kettle, the kettle should be cleaned by filling with cold water, adding washing-soda, and boiling briskly for half an hour; after that a slight scraping ought to remove the burned portion. if the kettle is not yet clean, the process should be repeated. if a kettle has been used directly over a wood fire and becomes blackened with soot, it should be rubbed off with a newspaper and then with an old cloth. kettles should be dried well before being put away. with proper care they seldom become rusty. if an iron kettle has rusted, it should be rubbed with kerosene and ashes, then washed in strong, hot, soda-water, rinsed in clear hot water, and dried on the stove. if a kettle is very rusty, it should be covered thoroughly with some sort of grease, sprinkled with lime, and left overnight. in the morning it should be washed out with hot soda-water and rinsed in clear, hot water. a new kettle is generally rusty, and should be greased thoroughly inside and out and allowed to stand for two days; then washed in hot soda-water. bath-brick should be used for scouring iron utensils and steel knives and forks. if iron pots and frying-pans are scrubbed with a piece of bath-brick each time they are used and then washed in hot soap-suds, they can be kept in good condition. tinware and steel knives and forks may be cleaned by scouring with ashes, but only fine ashes should be used on tinware. the brown stains on granite utensils should be scoured off; and this ware should be carefully handled, in order to avoid chipping. coffee-pots and tea-pots should be cleaned daily, the grounds removed, and the interior of the pots washed out thoroughly. the tea-kettle should be washed and dried overnight and left uncovered to air. preliminary plan if school lunches are served or cooking lessons are given at the school, it will be well to use this lesson to get the cupboards in readiness. if it is impossible to do this at school, arrange to have such a lesson in one of the homes outside of school hours. be sure that the housekeeper is in sympathy with the work and is willing to co-operate. method of work assign each pupil a task in the cleaning, the scouring of the dishes, and the arrangement of the cupboard. set a definite amount to be done and carry out the plans, leaving a clean and neatly arranged cupboard at the end of the lesson. lesson iii: care of foods subject-matter several important points must be borne in mind if foods are to be kept in a good condition. most foods change easily. vegetables and fruits lose water, wilt, and become unfit to eat. flour and corn-meal become mouldy. potatoes decay and sprout. some foods, such as milk, turn sour. eggs become tainted, and fat grows rancid. with proper care in handling, storing, and keeping, this spoiling can be prevented. the spoiling of foods is due to the presence of micro-organisms; and if foods are fresh and sound and kept cool and clean in every way, they will not spoil readily, because such conditions are unfavourable to the development of the micro-organisms. on the other hand, if foods are roughly handled and bruised, decomposition will take place readily, for micro-organisms develop in the bruised portions. care must, therefore, be taken to select foods wisely, handle them carefully, wash them if they are not already clean, put them in clean receptacles, and keep them in a clean, cool place. all pots, pans, and dishes in which foods are kept or cooked should be thoroughly cleansed and rinsed well, so that no fragments stick to them which may decay and cause possible infection to the next food that is put in. every part of the kitchen and store-rooms should be kept clean, dry, and well aired. light is the best germicide and purifier known. covered receptacles should be secured for all foods. those that are mouse-proof and insect-proof are essential to a well-kept pantry. all bottles and cans should be neatly labelled and so arranged that each one can be conveniently reached. the outside of the bottle or case should always be wiped off after it has been opened and food has been removed from it. the shelves on which the cases are kept should be wiped off every day. if supplies of fruit or vegetables are kept on hand, they should be looked over frequently, and whatever shows even the slightest suggestion of spoiling should be removed. bread should be kept in a covered tin box, and the box should be washed out once or twice a week and frequently scalded and aired. preliminary plan if cooking lessons are to be given, it will be well to take this lesson on the care of foods in connection with the first cooking lesson, and to make it a means of arranging for the materials that are to be kept on hand and of determining how everything is to be handled. method of work devote a large part of the lesson to a discussion of the necessity for care in the handling, storing, and keeping of foods. if facilities permit, devote a few minutes to the putting away of foods that are to be used in the next cooking lesson or in the school lunch, discussing the reasons for such care. lesson iv: disposal of waste subject-matter if the daily disposal of waste is attended to, there will be no undesirable accumulation of garbage. scraps of food that cannot be utilized for the table should be fed to the pigs or the chickens and should not be allowed to stand and gather flies. a covered pail or pan should be used for holding the garbage, until final disposal is made of it. those portions that are badly spoiled and will be of no value in feeding the stock should be burned at once. waste vegetable substances, if suitable, should be fed to the stock, and if not, should be buried in a thin layer on the ground at some distance from the house, so that they may enrich the soil. old papers that are badly soiled should be burned, but all others should be kept for use in cleaning the stove, starting the fires, etc. empty cans should be well washed and buried, so that they will not prove a breeding-place for flies. it is well to pierce them through the bottom immediately after opening them, so that they will not hold water. dish-water should be emptied at some distance from the house, unless there is a drain nearby. all receptacles that hold water should be carefully emptied, and all depressions in the soil should be filled, in order to prevent mosquitoes from breeding. all waste water should be used on the garden. _protection of the water supply._--only the water from deep wells should be used for drinking purposes, because all surface water and water in shallow wells becomes dangerous through seepage from compost, pig-pens, privies, and other places where decayed organic matter may accumulate. in order that the water may be kept clean, the well must be supplied with a tight-fitting top which need not be opened and a metal pump to bring up the water. a well platform that allows the water spilled on it to run back into the well is unsafe, for any filth carried on the platform in any way will be washed directly into it. rats, mice, and other animals get into the well if the top is not tight, and these, in addition to being unpleasant, are liable to introduce disease germs. _simple disinfectants._--sunshine and fresh air are nature's disinfectants and should be freely admitted to every part of the house. windows should be left open whenever possible. the windows in the sleeping rooms should always be opened at night. the interior of the house should be kept perfectly dry. decay does not easily take place in dry places. a damp cellar should be drained, and the grounds around the house should not be allowed to drain into the cellar. coarse coal ashes should be used to fill in around the house, on the walks, etc., to help in securing thorough drainage. wood ashes may be used as a simple disinfectant to cover decayed organic matter. whitewash is a good disinfectant and should be frequently used both inside and outside the house and on all out-buildings. kerosene and creosote also make good disinfectants. _care of out-of-door closets._--the privy should be so arranged that it may be cleaned often and all excreta disposed of in a safe way. the building should be so well constructed that there will be no cracks for the admission of flies. in a poorly constructed building, old paper can be pasted over the cracks, to make the structure fly-proof. dry earth, street dust, or lime should be frequently sprinkled over the excreta, and the seat should be closed, to prevent the entrance of flies or mosquitoes. the seat should be washed frequently, and both the seat and the floor scrubbed at least once a week. preliminary plan it will be well to teach this lesson at a time when improvements are necessary in the care of the school-house. the discussions in regard to out-of-door closets will, of course, be taken when the girls are alone with the teacher. method of work discuss the disposal of waste, the care of garbage, etc., in the home and the school. talk over the care of waste from the school lunch and discuss methods of keeping the school in a sanitary condition. follow this by a general cleaning of the school-house. lesson v: making soap subject-matter _home-made hard soap_ lb. fat can lye pt. cold water tbsp. borax melt the fat slowly. mix the lye and water in a bowl or kettle (do not use a tin pan), stirring with a stick until the potash dissolves. add the borax and allow the mixture to cool. cool the fat and, when it is lukewarm, add the lye, pouring it in a thin stream and stirring constantly. stir with a smooth stick until about as thick as honey, and continue stirring for ten minutes. pour the mixture into a box and allow it to harden. cut into pieces the desired size and leave in a cool, dry place for ten days, to ripen before using. when making the soap, be careful not to spill potash or lye on the hands, as it makes a bad burn. if the hands are burned, rub them with grease at once. do not wet them. preliminary plan some time before this lesson is given ask the pupils to bring scraps of fat from home. see that these are in good condition, and weigh them, to determine the portion of the recipe that can be made. ask one of the pupils to bring sufficient borax for the recipe. method of work let the pupils look the fat over and put it on to melt, watching it carefully. while it is heating and cooling, discuss the process of soap-making, the cost of materials, the care necessary in the making of soap, and the importance of its use. get ready the other materials, and a box for moulding the soap, and let the pupils work together. after the soap has hardened and been cut, have it put away on a shelf to dry. lesson vi: setting and clearing the table subject-matter the following points must be remembered when a meal is to be served: the dining-room must be clean, well aired, sufficiently lighted, and in good order. the table must be perfectly clean and covered with a clean white cover (table-cloth, doilies, paper napkins, or oil-cloth). a vase of flowers or leaves or a small potted plant, in the centre of the table, will help to make it attractive. the table should be prepared with everything necessary for serving the meal, but only those foods should be placed on it that will not be spoiled by standing. if there is danger of the food attracting flies, cover it carefully. plates for everyone who is to partake of the meal should be arranged at equal distances from one another, and half an inch from the edge of the table. the knife should be placed at the right of the plate with the cutting edge toward the plate, and one inch from the edge of the table. the fork should be placed at the left of the plate with the tines turned up, and one inch from the edge of the table. the spoon should be placed, bowl upward, at the right of the plate, to the right of the knife. it should be placed one inch from the edge of the table. spoons and forks for serving should be placed at the right and left of the dish to be served, or in another convenient position. no one should have to use the personal fork or spoon for serving. the napkins should be folded simply and placed at the left of the fork. the tumbler should be placed at the upper end of the knife. the cups and saucers should be placed at the right of the plate with the handle of the cup toward the right. the bread-and-butter plate, if used, should be placed at the upper left hand of the fork. the salt-cellars and pepper-shakers should be placed near the centre of the table or at the sides, where they can be conveniently reached. individual salt-cellars, if used, should be placed immediately in front of the individual plate. the chairs should be placed at the table after it is set. care should be taken not to put them so close to it that it will be necessary to move them after they are occupied. preliminary plan if possible, arrange to give this lesson before lesson viii in the series of "twenty lessons in cooking" is given; then the emphasis in that lesson may be put upon the food to be served, proper combinations, etc., while this lesson gives the drill in the arrangement and handling of the dishes. it is desirable to give the pupils a thorough drill in table setting and table service, since much of the pleasure derived from eating depends upon the attention paid to these processes. be careful to see that everything necessary is on hand to set the table simply but daintily. for class practice a small table may be set for four. this will necessitate a table-cover, four or more dinner plates, four bread-and-butter plates, four tumblers, four cups and saucers, four knives, four forks, four teaspoons, four napkins, a salt-cellar, a pepper-shaker, a platter, one serving spoon, and one serving fork. if these things are not already in the school, probably they can be brought from home by the pupils. if linen cloths are not used and cannot be afforded on the tables in the homes, the pupils should be taught to use a white oil-cloth. have a diagram made on the black-board by one of the pupils of the arrangement of an individual place at the table. [illustration: _fig. ._--arrangement of an individual place at table . knife . spoon . tumbler . fork . napkin . bread-and-butter plate . dinner plate] method of work the process of table setting should be demonstrated with the materials at hand, and the work should be adapted to home conditions. if there is no available table in the school-room, the desk tops may be used for individual places. reasons for the arrangement of the table should be given--the convenience of placing the knives and the spoons to the right, the forks to the left, the cup and saucer and the tumbler to the right, the use of the napkin, etc. lesson vii: waiting on table subject matter the one who is to wait on table must be careful to see that everything is in readiness before the meal is announced, so that she can do her work easily, without subjecting those at the table to unnecessary delay. she should have water, bread, and butter (if used), hot dishes ready for the hot foods, and dessert dishes conveniently at hand. she must see that her hands are perfectly clean and her hair and dress in order. a clean, neat apron will always improve her appearance. the room should be clean and neatly arranged. if the meal is to be a family one and all are to sit at the table together, plates will be passed from one to another as they are served: but it will still be well to have one person appointed to wait on the table. she should be ready to supply more bread, water, etc., when it is necessary, and to change the plates for the dessert course. she should rise from the table quickly and quietly, in order not to disturb others, and should take her place again as soon as the necessary service has been rendered. the following rules should be observed: hold the tumblers near the bottom, being careful not to touch the upper edge. fill only three-quarters full. put the butter on the table just before the meal is announced, and serve in neat, compact pieces. cut the bread in even slices, pile them neatly on a serving plate, and place it on the table, covering it with a clean napkin or towel, if there are flies about or there is danger of dust. if preferred, the bread may be cut at the table as required. place the dessert dishes at one end of the table or, better still, on a side table, until it is time to use them. when carrying the dishes to and from the table, be careful not to let the fingers come in contact with the food. learn to place the hand under the dish. in particular service a napkin is used between the hand and the dish, or a tray, if the dish is a small one. the tray should be covered with a napkin or doily. when a dish is being passed, hold it at the left of the person to be served and at a convenient height and distance. be sure that each dish is supplied with a spoon or a fork for serving, and turn the handle of the spoon or the fork toward the one to be served. if a plate is to be placed in front of a person, set it down from the right. never reach in front of others at the table. when a course is finished, remove the dishes containing the food first; then the soiled plates, knives, and forks. be careful to handle only a few dishes at a time and not to pile them. if another course is to be served, remove the crumbs from the table, using for the purpose a napkin and plate, or a crumb tray and brush, and brushing the crumbs lightly into the plate. fill the tumblers, and arrange the dishes and forks or spoons quickly for the next course. when the meal is over, the chairs should be moved back from the table, the dishes neatly piled and carried to the kitchen sink, the table wiped, the crumbs brushed from the floor, and the room aired. preliminary plan let this lesson be a continuation of the previous one, placing emphasis on the method of waiting on table. the same articles will be required as were used in the last lesson. in addition to these the pupils must be careful to have clean aprons for this lesson. method of work have the table set, as a review of the work of the last lesson; then have four or six of the pupils seat themselves and go through the forms of serving one another to any simple meal upon which the class may decide. family meal service should be explained and demonstrated first; then service where there is one waitress. have the pupils, in turn, act as waitresses and serve all the others, offering and placing the food, removing the soiled dishes, filling the tumblers, etc. lessons viii and ix: general cleaning of a room subject-matter rooms which are in constant use should be swept and dusted every day. a thorough cleaning of each room in the house will be necessary every week or two, even though the room is swept and kept in order daily. first, all cupboards, drawers, and other receptacles in which articles collect should be cleaned; then all large movable articles should be dusted and moved out of the room; those that are not readily movable should be dusted and covered. the floor should be swept with the windows open; the ceiling and walls should be brushed with a covered broom, and the dust allowed to settle. the floor should then be wiped with a damp cloth on the broom.[a] the woodwork should be cleaned with a damp cloth and a soap that is not too strong. soda or sapolio should not be used. the furniture should be carefully uncovered, and everything arranged in perfect order. [a] if the floor is of unfinished-wood, it will require a thorough scrubbing. after sweeping the floor and allowing the dust to settle, a small portion at a time should be scrubbed with a floor-brush and soap. when scrubbing, the grain of the wood should be followed. the scrubbing-water should be changed frequently. for rinsing and drying the floor, a cloth should be wrung out of clear water. the things that are highest should be dusted first, and care should be taken to collect all the dust in the dust-cloth. after collecting the dust, the cloth should be shaken out-of-doors, washed thoroughly, and boiled. the dust-cloth should be dampened before using on all surfaces except the polished furniture and windows. sweeping should be done with short strokes and the broom should be kept close to the floor, so that the dust will not be scattered. the corners of the room should be swept first, the dust gathered in the centre, and then swept into the dust-pan. the dust should be burned, for it may contain disease germs. loose hairs and fluff should be removed from the broom after using, and it should also be washed periodically. small rugs should be cleaned out-of-doors. they should be swept, beaten, and re-swept, then rolled until ready to be put on the floor. if the rug is a large one and cannot be removed, it should be wiped over with a damp cloth, rolled, and the under side of the rug and the floor beneath it should be wiped. after the room has been cleaned, the windows should be arranged so that a supply of fresh, clean air can come constantly into it. this is essential to every room in the house, if perfect health is to be maintained. preliminary plan it will be well to have lesson ix given in one of the homes some day after school hours, if possible. if that cannot be arranged, the school-room may be utilized as the place for practice. method of work devote lesson viii to a discussion of the methods of cleaning and to various short tasks in connection with the school-room. in lesson ix have the pupils go through the entire process of cleaning a room. assign some portion of the task to each one of them, so that all may take part in the work. supervise the work carefully, assign home practice, and have each pupil clean a room at home once a week for a month. lesson x: care of the bed-room subject-matter as soon as one is dressed in the morning, the windows in the bed-room should be opened wide to air the room thoroughly, and the bed-clothes should be removed and put on chairs before the window to air. the night clothing should also be aired. the slops should be emptied, and the chamber should be washed with cold water, using a special cloth. the basin should be washed in warm, soapy water, which should then be poured into the chamber and used for washing it. the toilet articles should be washed, then the basin rinsed and wiped dry. the slop jar should be washed out thoroughly, and both the slop jar and the chamber should be cleaned frequently with chloride of lime or some other disinfectant. the pitcher should be filled with fresh water, and all the articles arranged neatly on the wash-stand. if the towels are soiled, clean ones should be supplied. the mattress should be turned and the bed made carefully; the lower sheet being tucked under the mattress all around, and the other covers tucked in at the bottom and sides of the bed. the bed should be kept free from wrinkles and smooth in appearance, and the pillows should be well shaken and arranged at the head of the bed. the floor should be swept, the furniture dusted, and everything put in place. the windows should be left partly opened, so that the bed-room may be well aired. fresh air is always necessary, but especially during sleep, when the body is repairing itself, and it is important that the room should be well aired during the day and the windows left open at night. when the room is to be thoroughly cleaned, the frame of the bed should be dusted, the mattress turned, and the bed should be made. the window shades should be dusted and rolled up. the curtains should be well shaken and covered, if one has a dust sheet. all the small articles on the bureau, table, and shelf should be placed on the bed, and the whole covered with a sheet. the tables, chairs, and any other movable furniture should be dusted and placed outside the room or covered. the rugs should be rolled and cleaned out-of-doors. the room should be swept and dusted. as soon as the dust has settled, the covers should be removed, and the furniture, rugs, and all the small articles should be restored to their places. the shades should be adjusted, and the room left in perfect order. the broom and everything else that has been used in the work should be cleaned and put back into their places. preliminary plan it may be possible for the teacher to give this lesson in her own bed-room or in the bed-room of one of the neighbours. if this is not feasible, the only way to make it effective is to have the pupils report each day on the work they do at home. method of work illustrate each process and give the reasons for everything that is done. emphasize the importance of the sanitary care of the bed-room, a regular time for doing the work, and the benefit of having each member of the family care for her own personal belongings and her own portion of the bed-room. lesson xi: care of lamps it is assumed that the teacher is acquainted with the possibilities of electricity and other methods of better lighting in country homes, and will instruct her pupils in the economic use of modern lighting facilities. subject-matter _directions for cleaning and filling lamps._--a bright light comes from clean burners that allow a good draught. this means constant care on the part of the one who looks after the lamps. in the daily cleaning, first dust the chimney shade and the body of the lamp. wash the chimney. if sooty, clean with a newspaper before washing. next, turn the wick high enough to show all the charred part; cut this off, making it perfectly even, then rub with a piece of soft paper. wipe the burner and any other part of the lamp that may be oily. dry with another cloth. fill the body of the lamp with oil to within an inch of the top, leaving plenty of room for the gas that may be generated from the kerosene, as this gas, in a lamp that has been used many times without refilling, may be a source of danger. when lighting the lamp, turn the wick down, allowing the chimney to become heated gradually. if it is necessary to move the lighted lamp, turn the wick low. the flaring up of the flame smokes the chimney. do not leave a lighted lamp in a room where there is no one to watch it. when putting out the light, blow across the chimney, never down into it, as this might send the flame down into the kerosene. about once a month give the lamp a thorough cleaning. spread out a newspaper and take the lamp apart. wash the chimney and the shade in hot water, dry with a towel, and polish, using soft paper. boil every part of the burner in water to which two tablespoonfuls of soda have been added. insert new wicks if the old ones are dirty, and put the parts all securely together again. keep an old pan and some cloths exclusively for this purpose, and be very careful not to allow the dirty hands or a drop of kerosene to come near any food. have a regular time in the day for cleaning the lamps, preferably immediately after all the morning work has been done after breakfast. do not fill the lamps near the kitchen stove. do not light a match while the oil-can is near, and never fill a lamp while it is lighted or while near another one which is lighted. if a fire is caused by kerosene, smother it with a heavy rug or a woollen garment, and do not attempt to put it out with water. preliminary plan it will be well to give this lesson just before some evening entertainment at the school-house. if there are no lamps at the school have a few brought in from neighbouring homes. secure an old pan and some cloths to use in cleaning. method of work discuss with the pupils the cost and properties of kerosene and the danger of having a light or too great heat near a can of kerosene. explain the draught by means of which the kerosene can be made to burn on the wick and the danger if the burner becomes clogged up and the draught is cut off. have the lamps taken apart, the burners boiled, the chimneys cleaned, and the body of the lamps filled and wiped off. then have the lamps lighted, to see that they burn properly. lesson xii: prevention of pests subject-matter household pests are annoying, dangerous to health, and destructive to property. they carry disease germs from one person to another and from the lower animals to human beings. absolute cleanliness is essential, if the house is to be kept free from pests. as a rule, they flourish in dark, damp, dirty places. with proper care the housekeeper can keep her house free from them and, if they are noticed, she should know how to exterminate them. a few simple methods of extermination are here given: _bedbugs._--kerosene should be poured into all the cracks, and a brush, dipped in kerosene, run briskly over all surfaces. care must be taken to have no fire in the room while this is being done. the windows should be open, and the room should be kept free from dust. in four days this should be repeated, in order to kill any bugs that may have just hatched. _cockroaches and water-bugs._--a solution of one pound of alum to three pints of water should be poured into all the cracks. insect-powder and borax are also effective. absolute cleanliness and freedom from dampness are necessary, if the house is to be kept free from cockroaches. _ants._--oil of cloves or pennyroyal on pieces of cotton-batting scattered about in the places where ants appear will drive them away. saturating the nests with coal-oil will destroy them. food which attracts ants should be removed from places which they are able to reach. _rats and mice._--these are best exterminated by the use of a trap or some preparation such as "rough on rats". traps should be set nightly and should be scalded and aired after a mouse has been caught. rat holes may be stopped by sprinkling with chloride of lime and then filling with mortar or plaster of paris. _mosquitoes._--these breed in swampy places, or in old barrels or kegs or tin cans which hold stagnant water. therefore, if the swampy places are drained and the grounds about the house are kept free from stagnant water, the housekeeper will, as a rule, not be troubled with mosquitoes. empty barrels or kegs should be inverted, and old tin cans should have a hole punched in the bottom, so that they will not hold water. all high weeds near the house should be cut down and destroyed, so that they will not provide a damp place in which to harbour mosquitoes. if it is impossible to get rid of all standing water, the breeding of mosquitoes can be checked by pouring kerosene oil on the water. one ounce of oil on fifteen square feet of water is sufficient, and this will have to be renewed at least once in ten days. the doors, windows, and ventilators of the house should be well screened, as a protection against mosquitoes. _flies._--these are one of the greatest carriers of typhoid and other germs, as well as filth of all sorts. they can be got rid of only by destroying the breeding places and killing the flies as rapidly as possible. materials that attract them should not be exposed in and about the house. the house should be well screened with wire mesh or mosquito netting, in order to keep out the flies. a fly swatter should be kept at hand. the stables should be cleaned daily. manure piles should be screened, and every effort should be made to kill the larvae by frequent spraying with kerosene, creoline (dilute creosote), or lime. _fleas._--these will be troublesome if cats or dogs are kept in the house. these pets should be given frequent baths, the rugs on which they lie should be brushed and shaken daily, and the floors should be washed with soap and water and wiped with kerosene. _moths._--these are apt to develop in woollen clothes unless the garments are thoroughly shaken and absolutely protected by wrapping in newspapers before being put away. woollen garments that are used only occasionally should be kept in a light, dry place, examined frequently, and hung in the sun occasionally. moths or carpet beetles can be exterminated by the use of kerosene. preliminary plan give this lesson at a time when the pupils are asking about household pests or when the school is suffering from them. it would be well to have it in the spring, just before the school closes, so that the pupils may immediately put into practice what they learn. it may be desirable to devote their efforts to the destruction of one particular pest; for example, a fly crusade may be inaugurated. method of work if there are pests in the school-room, discuss their habits, what seems to attract them, where they come from, etc. have the pupils report any that they may have at home. explain why they are dangerous, tell how they can be exterminated, and assign to each pupil the task of exterminating one household pest. have her report, each day, the success of her efforts. continue this work for several weeks. lesson xiii: removing stains, bleaching fabrics, and setting colours subject-matter as garments and household linens are apt to become stained and thus lose their attractiveness, it is well to know the remedies for the most common stains and the principle upon which their removal depends. all stains should be removed as soon as possible. boiling water will loosen and remove coffee, tea, and fresh fruit stains. the stained spot should be held over a bowl, and the water should be poured upon it with some force. cold water will remove stains made by blood or meat juice. soaking will help in the removal of blood stains. rust stains may be removed by wetting the stained spot with lemon juice, covering it with salt, and placing the stained fabric in the sun. stains from stove blacking, paint, and grass may be removed by soaking in kerosene and washing well with soap and water. ink stains may be removed by soaking in water, removing as much of the stain as possible, and then soaking in milk. stains from cream and other forms of grease may be washed out in cold water, followed by warm water and soap. white cotton and white linen materials may be bleached by exposure to the sunshine while still damp. if they are left out overnight, the bleaching process is made effective by the moisture furnished by dew or frost. a stream of steam from the tea-kettle may also help in the bleaching process. some colours are set by the addition of a small amount of acid to the first water in which they are soaked, while others are set by the use of salt. it is necessary to try a small amount of the material before dipping in the entire garment, in order to be sure of satisfactory results. vinegar should be used for blues, one-half cup to one gallon of water. salt is most effective for browns, blacks, and pinks. in most cases, two cups of salt to one gallon of cold water will be sufficient. preliminary plan the towels used for drying dishes or the linen used for some school entertainment may have become stained with coffee, fruit, or some other substance. make this the basis of a lesson, and let the pupils bring from home other things which are stained. each pupil should have an article on which to practise. this lesson should be preliminary to the lesson on laundry work. method of work examine the various articles from which stains are to be removed. discuss the method of removal, and let each pupil work at her own stain until it is as nearly removed as possible. lesson xiv: washing dish-towels, aprons, etc. subject-matter dish-towels should be thoroughly washed at least once a day. wash one piece at a time (the cleanest first) in warm, soapy water and rinse in clear water in another pan. hang in the sun, if possible, so that the air will pass through. boil at least once a week in soapy water, to keep them fresh and white. sunshine and fresh air are valuable for the purposes of bleaching and purifying. wash the aprons in hot, soapy water; boil, rinse, and blue slightly. a small amount of thin starch may be desirable. a thin starch may be made as follows: _recipe for thin starch_ tbsp. starch tbsp. cold water / tsp. lard, butter, or paraffin qt. boiling water add the cold water to the starch and lard, stir until smooth, then add the boiling water slowly, stirring constantly. boil for several minutes in order to cook the starch thoroughly; then add one pint of cold water and a small amount of blueing. dilute if necessary. hang the articles in the sun to dry, shaking well before putting on the line, and folding the edge of each over at least six inches. be sure to have the line clean. when dry, fold carefully. a short time before ironing, sprinkle well. preliminary plan it may be desirable to give this lesson earlier in the course, if cooking lessons are being given and dish-towels are in use, or if the aprons are badly soiled. other articles may be washed, if time and facilities permit. method of work discuss briefly the need for laundry work and the general principles. let the pupils take turns at washing the towels or aprons; examine each article after it is washed, and give careful directions for the boiling, blueing, and starching. while these processes are being completed, let some of the pupils prepare the line. let two of them be appointed to bring the towels in, before going home from school. lesson xv: ironing subject-matter to do good ironing it is necessary to have a firm, unwarped ironing board. this should be covered with some thick woollen material and a white cotton cover that is clean, smooth, and tightly drawn. the thick cover should be tacked on, while the top cover should be pinned, so that it may be easily taken off to be washed. a heavy iron-holder should be provided; and the irons should be clean and smooth. for this purpose paper should be kept at hand, as well as a piece of beeswax, sandpaper, or salt. a small cloth should be used to wipe the iron after using the beeswax. a newspaper should be spread on the floor, to protect any pieces that may hang down while being ironed. the coarser towels should be ironed first, as the longer the irons are used, the smoother they become. starched pieces should not be ironed until the irons are very hot. if the article is first laid smooth, it will be easier to iron it and keep it in shape, and every piece should be ironed until it is perfectly dry. as soon as the ironing is completed, the articles should be hung up to air. preliminary plan arrange to have the ironing lesson just as soon after the laundry lesson as possible. it will probably be easy to borrow the necessary equipment from homes near the school. each pupil may be directed to bring something that will contribute toward the equipment, and one may be instructed to have the fire ready and another to put the irons on to heat before the lesson hour. method of work call the pupils together early in the morning or at some time previous to the lesson period, and give them directions for sprinkling the articles to be ironed. when the class hour comes, demonstrate the method of ironing, folding, and hanging the articles, and let the pupils take turns in doing the work. lessons xvi and xvii: care of the baby subject-matter because young girls are fond of little children and must help their mothers often with their baby brothers and sisters, they should know how to care for them. it is essential that they should understand the following points: the little body needs protection. the head is soft, and the brain may be injured by hard bumps or pressure. the skin is tender and is easily irritated by the bites of insects, friction, and so on. kicking and wiggling are necessary to the development of the muscles, but the baby should not be played with all the time; and it is well for it while awake to lie quiet for part of the time. it should not be made to sit up until ready to do so. a desire to creep should be encouraged. standing or walking should not be taught the baby until it tries to stand or walk itself, and then it must be helped very carefully. the baby should have plenty of fresh air and should be allowed to spend much of its time out-of-doors. in cold weather it must be warmly covered and sheltered from high winds. its eyes should always be protected from strong sunlight. regular hours should be observed for sleep, and the baby should be put to bed early in the evening. if the house is not well screened in summer, a mosquito bar should be put over the crib. the clothing should be light and loose, so that the body can move freely. perfect cleanliness is necessary to keep the baby's skin in good condition; and a daily bath should be given. a morning hour, midway between the meals, is usually the best time for this. the baby should be taught to use the chamber before the bath and after the nap. everything should be ready before it is undressed. the room should be very warm. the water should be only moderately warm, and should be carefully tested to make sure that it is not too hot. the towels and covers for the baby should be at hand. the head and the feet should be washed first, and the body soaped before putting the child into the bath. little soap should be used, for even the best soap is strong and is apt to irritate the delicate skin. the bath should be given quickly, and the body wrapped at once in a blanket or towel and kept covered as much as possible while it is being dried. the baby should be fed in small quantities at regular intervals and given plenty of cold water to drink. not until it is eleven or twelve months of age should it be given solid or semi-solid food. even then, milk should continue to form the basis of its diet, and of this a considerable quantity should be used--about a quart a day from the twelfth month on. as the child grows older a more varied diet will be necessary. the most hygienic methods of food preparation should always be observed. certain foods should never be given; for example, fried foods, pastries, condiments, pickles, preserves, canned meats, fish, pork, sausage, cheap candies, coarse vegetables, unripe and overripe fruits, stimulants, foods treated with a preservative or colouring matter, and half-cooked starches. preliminary plan the teacher should talk with the pupils, in order to see what points in connection with the care of the baby it is necessary for them to know, so that they may do their work at home intelligently. method of work it will probably not be possible to have anything more than a class discussion of the points in question, but the pupils' home experiences ought to make this discussion vital. if there is a nurse in the neighbourhood who can be secured to give one lesson on the care of the baby, the teacher should supplement her own lessons by an additional lesson given by the nurse. lesson xviii: cost of food, clothing, and house subject-matter it is of great importance that children should learn in an elementary way the value of property. this will prepare them for the knowledge of the cost of living that is essential. they should learn that the cost of food can be decreased by having gardens, and by the proper choice, care, and handling of foods; that taking care of clothing will reduce another item of expense; and that the owning of one's own house and lot is something worth working for, in order to obviate the necessity of paying rent. preliminary plan the teacher will have to acquaint herself thoroughly with conditions in the community, so that she can talk intelligently with the pupils, emphasize the right points, and give constructive help. method of work begin with a discussion of the cost of food; how much the pupils earn or spend during the week; and why it is worth while to cook and sew well and to look after property. continue such discussions from time to time, in connection with other school work. lesson xix: how to keep accounts subject-matter it is well for every one to keep a written record of all money received and all money spent. children should be taught to do this as soon as they are old enough to have money in their possession. a simple little note-book in which all expenditures are entered on the right side and all receipts on the left side, with the balance drawn up each week or month, will prove an easy and satisfactory method of keeping accounts. if the little girl learns to do this with her pennies, she will be better able to take care of the more important household accounts when she is in charge of a home. however, there will be no real incentive for her to keep accounts unless she is endeavouring to save for some good purpose. if she learns to save for the future purchase of a book, a dress, or some little treat, she will feel that her account-keeping is worth while. as a housekeeper, she will appreciate the importance of saving for some future benefit to the family. preliminary plan in order to make the lesson of vital interest, introduce it at a time when the pupils are saving for some specific purpose--material for a dress to be made in the sewing class, refreshments for a party for their mothers, a school library, or something else that will be a pleasure and help in the work of the school. method of work after discussing the sources of income of the pupil and of her family, and the means of increasing and taking care of that income, discuss simple methods of keeping accounts, illustrate these on the black-board, show how to balance the accounts, and see that each pupil has a small book suitable for the purpose. it may be necessary to make or to rule this book as a portion of the class exercise. lesson xx: care of the exterior of the house subject-matter closely allied to the housekeeper's work within the home is the care of the exterior of the house and its surroundings. it is absolutely necessary that the grounds be kept neat and clean. in addition to this they should be made attractive by the careful selection of a few trees and shrubs suitably placed. while the gardens at the rear of the house may be planned solely for the pleasure and use of the family, in planning the lawn at the sides and front the neighbours and passers-by must be considered. the grounds should be a picture of which the house is the centre, the trees and shrubs being grouped to frame the picture. in placing shrubs, the effect of the whole landscape should be considered. as a rule, shrubs should be placed in corners, to hide outhouses from view, or to screen other places which should be shielded. the centre of the lawn should be left free, and in no case should a shrub be placed in the middle of an open space in a lawn or yard. a few flowers should be planted among the shrubs, to give colour at different seasons. the exterior of the house must be considered, if the picture framed by the shrubs and vines is to be a pleasing one. the house should be painted in a soft brown or dark green to blend with the landscape of oaks and pines. the paint will help to preserve the house, but its colour must be carefully chosen to give a pleasing effect. the general plan of the grounds and local conditions in regard to soil and climate will determine to a large extent the kind of shrubs to be used. many beautiful shrubs which have been introduced from foreign countries do well in ontario, but our native shrubs serve all decorative purposes. for damp ground there is no better shrub than the red osier dogwood. this shrub will do well on almost any kind of soil. the swamp bush honeysuckle grows quickly and is suitable for clay land; so are the black elderberry and several species of viburnum. the hazel which may be obtained from the woods makes a good dense shrub, and the wild rose also has possibilities. the common barberry is an attractive shrub; but, as it assists in the formation of wheat rust, it should not be used in rural sections. the lilac may be used where a high shrub is desirable. the common arbor vitae or cedar of the swamps makes a good evergreen shrub. it serves well as a shield for both winter and summer and thrives with moderate care. the weigela, forsythia, and spiraea are also excellent shrubs. the ground at the back of the house should be used for vegetable gardens with flower borders. for this purpose a deep, rich soil is necessary, and every square foot of space should be utilized. every family should learn to make use of an increased number of vegetables and fruits and to cook them in a variety of ways. no crops should be allowed to go to waste. a family of five people could be entirely provided with vegetables for the summer and autumn from a garden less than fifty by seventy-five feet. the attractiveness, as well as the usefulness, of the borders depends upon the choice and arrangement of flowers. these should be chosen with due consideration as to height of plants, colour of blooms, and seasons of blooming. the tallest plants should be placed at the back of the border; for a border six feet wide none of the plants need be over five feet in height. there can be a riot of colours, if the flowers are arranged in clumps of four to six throughout the entire length of the border. in a well-planned flower border some flowers should be in bloom each month. hardy perennial flowers should predominate, with enough annuals to fill up the spaces and hide the soil. the well-tried, old-fashioned flowers will give the best satisfaction. every four years the flower borders need to be spaded, well manured, and replanted. the following lists of flowers for borders may be suggestive: _perennials._--bleeding-heart, carnations, chrysanthemums, columbine, coreopsis, dahlias, gaillardias, golden glow, iris, larkspur, oriental poppies, peonies, phlox, pinks, platycodon, snapdragon. _biennials._--forget-me-not, foxglove, canterbury bells, hollyhock, sweet-william, wallflower. _annuals._--african daisy, ageratum, aster, calendula, calliopsis, balsam, candytuft, cornflower, cosmos, marigold, mignonette, nasturtium, petunia, poppy, stock, sweet alyssum, sweet-pea, verbena, zinnia, annual phlox, red sunflower, cut-and-come-again sunflower. each home gardener should study garden literature, in order to assist in solving the garden problems; for the day has passed when one needed only to scratch the soil with a shell, plant the seeds, and receive an abundant crop. today successful gardening depends upon intelligent management of the soil and crop and upon persistent labour. preliminary plan the teacher should, if possible, visit the homes of all the pupils, in order to make herself familiar with the condition in which their grounds are kept. she may be able to secure permission from one of the housekeepers to use her grounds as the practice place for the lesson, or it may be more desirable to give this lesson at the school and to conduct a school garden as a model home garden. method of work discuss the arrangement and care of the home or school grounds. have the class tidy the lawn and garden chosen for the lesson, supervising the work carefully. assign the tidying up of the home lawns or work in the home gardens for the coming week. let this lesson serve as a means of interesting the pupils in home gardening, if that has not already been taken up, or of emphasizing the relation of gardening to the housekeeper's work, if they are already interested in the former. reference books _bush fruits._ card. macmillan's, toronto $ . _when mother lets us garden._ duncan. moffat, yard & co., new york . _a woman's hardy garden._ ely. macmillan's, toronto . _the beginner's garden book._ french. macmillan's, toronto . _productive vegetable garden._ lloyd. lippincott co., philadelphia . twenty lessons in cooking suggestions to the teacher the teacher should learn how the pupils live in their own homes, what food produce is grown for home use, what foods they use, and how they prepare and serve their foods. the instruction given in the lessons should be based on this knowledge, and the possibilities for the improvement of accepted methods of cooking should be considered. those foods should be used in the recipes which the pupils can afford to use at home. they should be encouraged to grow in their gardens a variety of garden produce, and to keep chickens, pigs, and cows. elementary principles of nutrition and sanitation should be taught. simple meals, with plain but well-cooked dishes, should be planned. variations should be suggested, and the value of a mixed diet emphasized. care should be taken not to waste time on points that are unrelated to the homes of the pupils, except as such points may be necessary to raise their ideals. all the work should be done carefully. the sanitary handling of food and care in the storage of foods should be insisted upon. careful attention should be given to the dish-washing, care of the dish-towels, etc., emphasizing the points in sanitation involved. the pupils should be drilled faithfully in all points connected with the handling of anything that comes in contact with the food. proper methods of sweeping and cleaning should be employed, and thoroughness must be practised in every detail of the work. constant drill in these processes should be given. the order in which the lessons are to be given will be regulated, in part, by the season of the year in which they occur, the locality, the foods obtainable, and any special local needs. however, care must be taken that the lessons are given in proper sequence, so that the pupils may see the relation of one to another and may appreciate the value of each. it may be necessary to combine two lessons or to give only part of a lesson. in some of the lessons more recipes are suggested than can be prepared in a brief period. in every case the choice of a recipe will have to be made by the teacher. wherever it is possible, simple experiments should be performed to show the composition of, and the effect of heat on, food. no attempt has been made to give a complete set of recipes; but those included here are chosen as illustrating the subjects to be discussed in the lessons. the teacher who desires to make use of a greater number of recipes will do well to supply herself with one of the text-books listed. level measurements should be used in the preparation of all the recipes, and all the directions should be carefully followed. the first few lessons are more fully outlined than the others, furnishing suggestions for methods of procedure that may be adapted to later lessons. the teacher should have a detailed plan for every lesson, outlining her method of work, the leading questions for the discussion, and the home assignments which she desires to make. foods that are in common use are suggested for the lessons outlined. there will necessarily be exceptions to their use in different localities. if any foods used in the homes are harmful because of the manner in which they are prepared, the teacher should do all in her power to correct the situation, but she must, at the same time, be careful not to be too radical. if the lessons given are not followed by home practice, the time devoted to them will be, to all intents and purposes, wasted. simple meal service should be introduced wherever it is possible, and as much instruction on the furnishing and the care of the kitchen should be included as time permits. by the time the course is completed, the pupil should be able to keep her kitchen in a sanitary condition and should have a sufficient knowledge of food values and of the processes of cooking to enable her to provide simple, wholesome meals for her family. for the teaching of food values, it will be helpful to secure the set of sixteen food charts which may be obtained from the superintendent of documents, government printing office, washington, d.c., price one dollar. it will be shown later how the school luncheon may be managed with very little interference with the ordinary organization of the school. where definite instruction is given in household science, a place must be provided for it on the school time-table, as is the case with the other school subjects. in sewing and household management lessons of forty minutes each are sufficient, and these can be arranged for at the times found to be most convenient. if each pupil keeps her sewing in a box or bag, it may often be used as "busy work" when the pupil has finished her assigned work or while she is waiting for the teacher, who may be engaged with another class. lessons in cookery should be, if possible, at least one hour in length, and should be given at a time when this period can be exceeded, if the character of the lesson renders it desirable; for example, in those cases where the cooking is not completed at the expiration of the time assigned. for this reason the last hour on friday afternoon has proved a very suitable time. in some schools the lesson is commenced at half-past three and runs on until completed, and in this way only half an hour of the regular school time is taken. the possibilities of a saturday morning cooking class should not be overlooked. abbreviations and measurements tbsp. = tablespoonful tsp. = teaspoonful c. = cupful qt. = quart pt. = pint oz. = ounce lb. = pound min. = minute hr. = hour table of level measurements tsp. = tbsp. tbsp. = c. (dry measure) tbsp. (liquid) = c. c. = pt. comparisons between weights and measures c. butter, packed solidly = lb. c. sugar (granulated) = lb. c. meat, finely chopped = lb. - / c. brown sugar = lb. - / c. oatmeal = lb. - / c. rolled oats = lb. c. flour = lb. tbsp. butter = oz. tbsp. flour = oz. or eggs = lb. lemon (juice) = tbsp. _note._--the half-pint measuring cup and not the ordinary tea cup is the one to be used. reference books _household management._ ontario teachers' manual. the copp, clark co., ltd., toronto $ . _domestic science._ austin, b. j. lyons & carnahan, chicago. vol. i . vol. ii . _principles of cooking._ conley, g. american book co., new york . _home economics._ flagg, g. p. little, brown & co., boston. (mcclelland, goodchild & stewart, toronto). . _lessons in elementary cooking._ jones, m. c. boston cooking school magazine co., boston . _food and health._ kinne, h., and cooley, a. m. macmillan's, toronto . _the school kitchen text-book._ lincoln, m. j. little, brown & co., boston. (mcclelland, goodchild & stewart, toronto) . _food and cookery._ metcalf, m. l. industrial education co., indianapolis . _household science and arts._ morris, j. american book co., new york . _the science of home-making._ pirie, e. e. scott, foresman & co., chicago . _elements of the theory and practice of cookery._ williams, m. e., and fisher, k. r. macmillan's, toronto . lesson i: discussion of foods and cooking _management of the kitchen stove. cooking by dry heat. baked vegetable or fruit._ subject-matter _foods._--the body uses food to build and repair its tissues, to provide heat and energy, and to regulate the body processes. foods differ from one another in their composition and in their ability to assist the body in the performance of its varied functions. these differences have led to the classification of foods into five groups, which are spoken of as the five food-stuffs or food principles. _cooking._--while some foods can be used as they occur in nature, most of them are made more acceptable by the application of heat. heat softens the structure of vegetables and fruits, makes tender the tissues of meat, prepares starch for digestion, develops the flavour in many foods, and destroys the parasites and germs that may be present. the five food-stuffs are differently affected by heat--some require slow cooking, others require intense heat. hence, it is necessary to study cooking, in order that each food may be properly prepared. _the stove._--a knowledge of the construction of the stove and the methods whereby heat is obtained is imperative if one is to be a successful cook. for all stoves three things are necessary--fuel, a supply of oxygen, and a certain degree of heat, known as the kindling point, whereby the fire is started. the supply of oxygen is regulated by dampers and checks so arranged as to admit or cut off the draught of air. the creative dampers are doors or slides that come below the fire box. when open, they admit the entrance of air, increase the draught, and facilitate combustion. the oven damper is a flat plate which closes the opening into the chimney flue, to decrease the drawing of the draught. when the oven damper is closed, the heat from the fire remains in the stove and passes around the oven. checks are doors or slides higher than the fire-box, which, when open, allow the cold air to pass over the fire, retarding combustion. a stove is also provided with means for disposing of the ashes, soot, and the gases formed. all parts of the stove are so arranged that they may be kept clean. (see twenty lessons in the care of the home. lesson i) preliminary plan there should be provided for this lesson (from the homes of the pupils or the school garden), some fruit or vegetable in season that can be cooked by dry heat. each pupil may be able to bring an apple or a potato. the teacher should be sure to have an oven that can be well heated for baking and to have the fire well started before the lesson begins, so that the oven will be ready for use. lessons in geography and nature study should be correlated with the cooking lesson, to give the pupils an opportunity to study the source of foods and the reasons for cooking them. one of the pupils should write the recipes on the black-board before the lesson hour. recipes _baked apples_ wash the apples, core them, and cut through the skin with a knife, so that the apple can expand in baking without breaking the skin. place the apples in a baking-dish and fill each cavity with sugar. cover the bottom of the dish with water one quarter of an inch deep and bake until the apples are soft ( to minutes), basting them every minutes. place them in a serving dish and pour the juice over them. serve hot or cold. _baked potatoes_ select smooth potatoes of medium size, scrub carefully, and place in a baking-pan. bake in a hot oven from minutes to one hour. when soft, break the skin to let the steam escape and serve at once. method of work discuss very briefly the food that is to be cooked and the method of cooking it. have as many apples or potatoes baked as there are members of the class or as the baking-dish will hold. assign tasks to special members of the class. as quickly as possible put the vegetable or fruit in the oven to bake. while the baking is in process, take up a general discussion of foods and cooking and a special discussion of the food which is being used and the method of cooking that is being employed. give as thorough a lesson on the stove and combustion as time permits. examine the baked article and discuss the methods of serving it, the time for serving, and so on. use the finished product for the school lunch or have it served daintily in the class. encourage the pupils to bring a dish to school in order to take the results of their work home for the family meal, if a school lunch is not served or if they do not need a lunch. give careful directions for washing the dishes and supervise the housework carefully. (see pages , , _household management._) _note._--it may be necessary to go on with some other recitation before the baking is completed, in which case one member of the class should be appointed to watch the oven. questions used to develop the lesson what food have we on hand for use to-day? does this food need cooking? why? how shall we prepare it for cooking? how shall we prepare the oven? how shall we care for the fire? how long will it be necessary to cook this food? (time the baking carefully and discuss more thoroughly at the close of the lesson.) how can we tell when it is cooked? how shall we serve it? for what meal shall we serve it? of what value is it to the body? _home assignment._--the pupils should prepare the baked dish at home and at the next lesson report the result of their work. _note._--the recipes given in this manual are prepared for normal times; but in every case the regulations of the canada food board should be observed, and substitutes used wherever possible. lesson ii: preparing and serving vegetables _water and mineral matter in vegetables. how to prepare and serve uncooked vegetables--lettuce, cress, cabbage, etc. cooking by moist heat. how to boil, season, and serve beet tops, turnip tops, cabbage, sprouts, kale, spinach, mustard, or other vegetable greens._ subject-matter _water._--all fluids and tissues of the body contain large quantities of water, therefore water is regarded as one of the most important food-stuffs required by the body. practically all foods contain some water. fresh vegetables and fruits provide the body with a high percentage of water. water is a valuable medium for cooking. as it heats, small bubbles are formed, which continually increase in number and size, but gradually disappear. some time before the boiling-point is reached, an occasional large bubble will rise to the surface and disappear. the water has then reached the simmering-point, °, a temperature frequently made use of in cooking. when many bubbles form and break, causing a commotion on the surface of the water, the boiling-point, °, has been reached. _mineral matter._--mineral matter is a second food-stuff that is needed by the body, but the amount required is very small. if a variety of food is used, there is generally sufficient mineral matter in the diet. fruits and vegetables, especially fresh green vegetables, are comparatively rich in mineral matter. mineral matter builds up the bones and certain tissues, such as the hair, teeth, and nails, and regulates the body processes by keeping the blood and digestive fluids in proper condition. _green vegetables._--green vegetables hold an important place in the diet, because they contain valuable mineral matter. they also contain a high percentage of water and considerable cellulose. with few exceptions they should be eaten raw, because the mineral salts, being soluble, are lost in the water in which they are cooked and because the cellulose serves its purpose best in the crisp form. cabbage is rendered much more difficult of digestion by cooking. spinach, beet tops, etc., are more palatable when cooked. the delicately flavoured vegetables should be boiled in a very small amount of water, so that they need not be drained. thus the mineral matter will be retained when the vegetables are served. preliminary plan there should be provided for the lesson (from the homes of the pupils or the school garden), some fresh vegetables in season; one that can be cooked by boiling and one that can be served uncooked with a simple dressing. one of the pupils should write the recipes on the black-board before the lesson hour. recipes _preparation of fresh green vegetables_[a] wash the vegetables thoroughly, leaving them in cold water to crisp, if wilted. keep cool until ready to serve, then arrange daintily, and dress with salt, vinegar, and oil as desired, or prepare a dressing as follows: _cooked dressing_ / tbsp. salt tsp. mustard - / tbsp. sugar a few grains pepper / tbsp. flour egg or yolks of eggs - / tbsp. melted butter / c. milk / c. vinegar mix the dry ingredients, add the egg slightly beaten and the butter and the milk. cook over boiling water until the mixture thickens. add the vinegar, stirring constantly. strain and cool. note.[a]--it may be well to omit from this lesson the uncooked vegetable that is served in the form of a salad and to give it at some other time. it is not well to attempt to teach more than the pupils can master thoroughly. _recipe for boiling and seasoning fresh green vegetables_ wash the vegetables carefully and put them on to cook in boiling water. delicately flavoured vegetables (spinach, celery, fresh peas, etc.) will require but little water, and that should be allowed to boil away at the last. if spinach is stirred constantly, no water need be added. starchy vegetables should be completely covered with water, and strongly flavoured vegetables (as turnips, onions, cabbage, and cauliflower) should be cooked in water at simmering temperature. after the vegetables have cooked for a few minutes, salt should be added, one teaspoonful to each quart of water. cook the vegetable until it can be easily pierced with a fork. let the water boil away at the last. if it is necessary to drain, do so as soon as the vegetable is tender. season with salt, pepper, and butter ( / teaspoon salt, / teaspoon pepper, and / tablespoon butter to each cup of vegetable). _note._--the water in which the vegetables are cooked should be saved for soups and sauces, as it contains most of the valuable mineral matter. method of work discuss the heating of water and apply the facts to cooking. have the pupils observe and describe the heating of water. if a new tin sauce-pan or other bright tin vessel is at hand in which to heat the water, the changes which take place as the temperature increases will be more readily apparent, and the pupils will enjoy watching the process. discuss why one vegetable is to be cooked and another served uncooked. emphasize the cleaning of the vegetable, its structure, composition, and the effect of the boiling water upon it. after the vegetable has been put on to cook, discuss the method of seasoning or dressing the vegetable which is to be served uncooked, and have it prepared attractively to serve on the plates. especial emphasis should be placed on the use and importance of fresh, green vegetables. continue the discussion of vegetables, letting the members of the class suggest others that may be prepared as salads or cooked in the manner being illustrated, and write the list on the black-board for the pupils to copy in their note-books. when the cooked vegetable is tender, have it drained, seasoned, and served, and serve the uncooked vegetable at the same time. when ready for serving, let the pupils arrange their plates and forks carefully, then let them all sit down except the two who pass the vegetables. be sure that they eat carefully and daintily. emphasize the careful washing of the dishes, etc., as on the previous day. _questions used to develop the lesson_ how shall we prepare our vegetables for serving? of what value is hot water in cooking food? how must the vegetable be prepared for boiling? does this vegetable contain any water? will it be necessary to add any more? will it be necessary to cover the sauce-pan? how hot must the water be kept? how can one tell when the water is sufficiently hot? how can we determine when the food has cooked long enough? how shall we serve this vegetable? how does boiling compare with baking-- in the time needed? in the matter of flavour? in the amount of fuel used? in the amount of work necessary? _home assignment._--practice in the boiling and the serving of vegetables. lesson iii: the value of carbohydrates in the diet _potatoes as a source of carbohydrates. the choice, cost, care, composition, food value, and cooking of potatoes, baked squash, steamed squash._ subject-matter _carbohydrates._--a third class of food-stuffs required by the body is known as the carbohydrates, or sugars and starches. this class of foods is used as fuel, for the production of heat and energy in the body. excess of carbohydrates may be stored in the body as fatty tissue. _potatoes._--potatoes are a cheap source of carbohydrates. they are also valuable for their mineral matter and for the large quantity of water which they contain. three fourths of the potato is water. the framework of the potato is cellulose, which is an indigestible carbohydrate material. potatoes have only a small amount of cellulose, however, and they are comparatively easy of digestion. when dry and mealy, they are most digestible. when used for a meal, potatoes should be supplemented by some muscle-building food, such as milk, cheese, eggs, fish, or meat. preliminary plan at some previous period the teacher should have discussed with the pupils the use of potatoes and learned from them the different ways in which they cook them in their homes. she should determine upon some recipes for the lesson that will increase the variety of ways in which potatoes may be served and that will improve the methods used in the homes. each pupil should be asked to bring one or two potatoes for the lesson. the best methods of cooking and the means of securing variety should be emphasized. recipes _mashed potatoes_ potatoes / c. hot milk or cream tbsp. butter tsp. salt wash and pare the potatoes, boil, drain, dry, and mash (with a potato masher) in the sauce-pan in which they were cooked. beat them until very light and creamy; add hot milk, butter, and salt, and beat again, re-heat, and serve. serves six to eight. _browned potatoes_ wash, scrub, and pare potatoes of a uniform size. parboil for minutes, then put in a dripping-pan with the meat or on a rack in a baking-pan. baste with fat every minutes, when the meat is basted. allow about minutes for the potatoes to cook. experiment to show the presence of starch in potatoes scrub and pare a potato. examine a thin cross-section. grate the potato. remove the coarse, shredded portion. examine. examine the liquid and note any sediment. heat the liquid and stir until boiling. how has it changed? examine the portion of the grater. how has the colour changed? why? _baked squash_ wipe the shell of the squash, cut it into pieces for serving, remove the seeds and stringy portion, place in a dripping-pan, and bake in a slow oven for three quarters of an hour (until tender). serve at once. _steamed squash_ prepare the squash as for baking, put in a steamer over boiling water, and cook for minutes or until soft. then scrape the squash from the shell, mash, and season with butter, salt, and pepper. method of work discuss the composition and structure of the potato. read over and discuss the recipes that are to be used. make assignments of work. after the potatoes have been put on to cook, have the class examine a raw potato, following the directions given.[a] [a] squash is another vegetable containing a high percentage of carbohydrate. the recipe for squash can be used at this time or in some other lesson. if one of the recipes requires the use of the oven, be careful to have the potatoes for it prepared first and as quickly as possible. it may be necessary to proceed with another class, assigning one pupil to take charge of the baking. special attention should be given to the careful serving of the potatoes. _home assignment._--before the next lesson, each pupil should be able to report that she has cooked potatoes at home, using the recipes learned in class. lesson iv: fruits and vegetables _food value and use of fruits. reasons and rules for canning. how to can and use such vegetables as beets, beans, tomatoes, and carrots, and such fruits as figs, grapes, apples, and peaches. the drying of fruits and vegetables._ subject-matter fruits impart palatability and flavour to other foods and exercise a favourable influence upon the digestive organs, though their food value is low. they contain a high percentage of water and only a small percentage of nutrients. most fruits are eaten raw and are exceedingly valuable to the body because of the fresh acids they contain. cooking softens the cellulose of the fruit and, therefore, renders some fruits more easy of digestion. the cooking of fruit is of value chiefly for the purpose of preservation. _the drying of fruits._--fruits are dried so that they may be preserved for use. bacteria and moulds, which cause the decay of fruits, need moisture for development and growth. if the moisture is evaporated, the fruits will keep almost indefinitely. fruits and vegetables can be easily and inexpensively dried. when dried fruits are to be used for the table, they must be washed thoroughly and soaked for several hours, or overnight, in water, so as to restore to them as much water as possible. they should be cooked, until soft, in the same water in which they are soaked. _canning and preserving._--other methods of preservation are desirable, in order that vegetables and fruits be made of value for a longer period of time than through their ripening season. canning is one of the methods most commonly employed in the home, being both easy and satisfactory. fruit which is to be canned is first sterilized by boiling or steaming, in order to destroy all germs and spores. this can be adequately accomplished by boiling for twenty minutes, but a shorter time is sometimes sufficient. in order to ensure complete success, all germs must also be destroyed on the cans and on everything which comes in contact with the food. this will be effected by boiling or steaming for twenty minutes. the jars, covers, dipper, and funnel should all be placed in cold water, heated until the water comes to the boiling-point, boiled five minutes, and left in the water until just before sealing. as for the rubbers, it will be sufficient to dip them into the boiling water. after the fruit has been put into the can, it must be sealed so that it is perfectly air-tight. in order to do this, it is necessary to have good covers, with new, pliable rubbers, and to see to it that they fit tightly. when the jar is to be filled, it should be placed on a board or wooden table, or on a cloth wrung out of hot water, and should be filled to overflowing. sugar is not essential to sterilization and is used only to improve the flavour. both fruits and vegetables can be canned without sugar. however, fruits canned with a large amount of sugar do not spoil readily, for germs develop slowly in a thick syrup. _methods of canning._--the simplest method of canning is the "open-kettle method" employed for small, watery fruits, such as berries, grapes, tomatoes, etc. the fruit is boiled in an open kettle (which permits of the evaporation of some of the water in the fruit) and transferred at once to a sterilized jar, which is immediately sealed. another and safer method, which secures more complete sterilization without serious change of flavour in the fruit, is that known as the "cold-pack method". after being transferred to the cans, the vegetable or fruit is subjected to an additional period of heating of considerable length, or to three periods of briefer length on three successive days. if the three periods of sterilization are used, the process is known as the "intermittent method". the single process method is described in the recipe for canned beets. the intermittent process proves more satisfactory for canned beans. preliminary plan the teacher should ascertain what fruits and vegetables are most abundant and select for canning those that the class can provide. each pupil should be asked to bring some vegetable or fruit, some granulated sugar, and a jar in which to can her fruit. if the school does not possess enough kettles or sauce-pans in which to do the cooking, they may be borrowed from the homes. only one fruit or one vegetable should be taken up at a time, for the preparation necessarily varies slightly, and the different methods will prove confusing. it is not necessary to confine the choice of fruits and vegetables to those mentioned in the recipes included here. the teacher will find it better to base her instruction on the products of the particular time and place. the principles of canning should be taken up at some other period, if possible, in order that the cooking lesson may be devoted entirely to the practical work. recipes _canned tomatoes_ (open-kettle method) scald and peel the tomatoes. boil gently for minutes. sterilize the jars, covers, and rubbers. stand the jars on a cloth in a pan of hot water or on a board or wooden table. fill the jars with hot tomatoes, being careful to fill to overflowing and to expel all air bubbles from the jar. adjust the rubbers and covers. seal and allow to cool. test, label, and set away in a cool, dry, dark place. (cold-pack method) scald in water hot enough to loosen the skins. plunge quickly in cold water and remove the skins. pack whole or in pieces in the jars. fill the jars with tomatoes only. add level teaspoonful of salt to each quart. place the rubber and cover in position. partially seal, but not tightly. place the jars on a rack in a boiler. pour sufficient warm water into the boiler to come half-way up the jars. place the filled jars on the rack so as not to touch one another, and pack the spaces between them with cotton, to prevent the jars striking when the water boils. sterilize for minutes after the water begins to boil. remove the jars from the boiler. tighten the covers. invert to cool, and test the joints. wrap the jars in paper to prevent bleaching and store in a cool, dry, dark place. this method of cooking is also called "the hot water bath". _canned grapes_ (open-kettle method) qt. grapes qt. sugar / c. water pick over, wash, drain, and remove the stems from the grapes. separate the pulp from the skins. cook the pulp minutes and then rub through a sieve that is fine enough to hold back the seeds. put the water, skins, and pulp into the preserving kettle and heat slowly to the boiling-point. skim the fruit and then add the sugar. boil minutes. put into jars as directed. sweet grapes may be canned with less sugar; very sour grapes will require more sugar. _canned peaches_ choose firm, solid fruit. scald long enough to loosen the skins. peel and cut in halves. if clingstone peaches are used, they may be canned whole. pack the fruit into sterilized jars, fill with boiling syrup ( c. sugar to - / c. water). then put on the covers loosely and place on wooden racks in the boiler. sterilize in hot water bath for minutes. remove the jars and tighten the covers. invert to cool, and test the joints. wrap the jars in paper to prevent bleaching; then store. _canned beets_ (single process) wash the beets and boil them until they are nearly tender and the skins come off easily. remove the skins and carefully pack the beets in a jar. cover with boiling water, to which one tablespoonful of salt is added for each quart, and put the cover on the jar, but do not fasten it down. place the jar on a rack or a folded cloth in a large kettle that can be closely covered. pour enough water into the kettle to reach within two inches of the top of the jar, cover the kettle, bring the water to the boiling-point, and boil from one and one-half to two hours. as the water around the jar boils down, replenish with boiling water, never with cold. remove the jars and tighten the covers. invert to cool, and test the joints. wrap the jars in paper to prevent bleaching; then store. _note._--in canning beets, if vinegar is added to the water in the proportion of one part vinegar to four parts water, the natural bright colour will be retained. _canned string beans and peas_ (intermittent method) can on the same day that the vegetables are picked. blanch in boiling water from to minutes. remove, and plunge into cold water. pack in sterilized jars. add boiling water to fill the crevices. add level teaspoonful of salt to each quart. place rubbers and covers in position. set the jars on the rack in the boiler and bring gradually to boiling heat. at the end of an hour's boiling, remove the jars from the boiler. tighten the clamps or rims and set the jars aside to cool until the following day. do not let the vegetables cool off in the boiler, as this results in over-cooking. on the second day, loosen the clamps or unscrew the rims, place the jars in warm water, heat again to boiling temperature, and boil for an hour; then remove them again. on the third day, repeat the hour's boiling, as on the preceding day. corn may be canned successfully in the same way. _dried corn_ pick the corn early in the morning. immediately husk, silk, and cut the corn from the cob. spread in a very thin layer on a board, cover with mosquito netting which is kept sufficiently elevated so that it will not come in contact with the corn, place in the hot sun, and leave all day. before the dew begins to fall, take it into the house and place in an oven that is slightly warm. leave in the oven overnight and place out in the sun again the next day. repeat this process until absolutely dry. _string beans_ string beans are hung up to dry and kept for winter use. method of work if possible, let each pupil can a jar of vegetables or fruit for her own home. if the class is large, let the pupils work in groups of two or three. begin the lesson with a very brief discussion of how to prepare fruit for canning. let the pupils proceed with the practical work as quickly as possible. demonstrate the method of filling and sealing the jars. assign the care of the jars and the intermittent canning on succeeding days to members of the class, and hold them responsible for the completion of the work. the drying of some vegetables can be undertaken at school, and carefully followed from day to day. it will furnish the pupils with an interesting problem. lesson v: fats--vegetables--continued _preparation of white sauce to serve with vegetables. how to boil, season, and serve such vegetables as lima or butter beans, string beans, onions, cabbage, corn, beets, turnips, or carrots._ subject-matter _fats._--butter belongs to the class of food-stuffs known as fats. it increases the fuel value of those dishes to which it is added. fats supply heat and energy to the body in a concentrated form. for this reason they should be used in a limited quantity. fats undergo several changes during the process of digestion, and the excessive use of them interferes with the digestion of other foods and throws a large amount of work upon the digestive organs. cooked fats are more difficult of digestion than uncooked fats, and other foods cooked with hot fat are rendered more difficult to digest. _vegetables._--vegetables should be used when in season, as they are always best and cheapest then. they are better kept in a cold, dry, and dark place. if the vegetables contain starch or tough cellulose, they will require cooking; as raw starch is indigestible, and the harsh cellulose may be too irritating to the digestive tract. in old or exceedingly large vegetables the cellulose may be very tough; hence a long period of cooking is necessary. they should be cooked only until they are tender. longer cooking may destroy the flavour, render the vegetables difficult of digestion, and cause the colour to change. in very young vegetables the cellulose is delicate and, if young vegetables do not contain much starch, they may be eaten raw. when cooked vegetables are served, they are usually seasoned and dressed with butter (for one cup of vegetables use / teaspoonful of salt, / teaspoonful of pepper, and / tablespoonful of fat), or a sauce is prepared to serve with them. preliminary plan it may be well to have a preliminary lesson devoted to simple experiments with flour, liquid, and fat, in order to determine the best method of combining the ingredients in the white sauce. however, if the lesson period is of sufficient length, a few of these experiments may be performed in connection with it. there should be provided for the lesson some vegetable that is improved by serving with white sauce, and sufficient milk, butter or other fat, flour, and salt for the sauce and the experiments. discuss with the pupils the fat that is used in their homes, in order to know what is available. the recipes should be written on the black-board before the lesson hour. recipes _stewed onions_ qt. onions white pepper tbsp. butter / tsp. salt peel the onions under cold water. cover with boiling water, add salt, and simmer until tender. drain and serve with one cup of white sauce; or omit the sauce and serve seasoned with butter and pepper. serves six. _cabbage_ cut the cabbage into quarters and soak one-half hour in cold salt water to draw out any insects. chop or shred, cover with boiling water, add salt, and simmer until tender. drain, and serve with butter, salt, and pepper, or with a sauce. _carrots_ scrape the carrots and cut them into large dice or slices. add boiling water and boil until tender (from to minutes). drain, and season with butter, salt, and pepper, or serve with white sauce. _string beans_ string the beans, if necessary, and cut into pieces. boil in salted water until tender. season with butter, salt, and pepper, and serve hot. salt pork may be boiled with the beans, to give them an added flavour. experiments in using starch for thickening (any powdered starch may be used) . boil / cup of water in a small sauce-pan. while boiling, stir into it / tsp. of cornstarch and let it boil one minute. observe the result. break open a lump and examine it. . mix tsp. of cornstarch with tsp. of cold water and stir into / cup of boiling water. note the result. . mix tsp. of cornstarch with tsp. of sugar and stir into / cup of boiling water. note the result. . mix tsp. of cornstarch with tsp. of melted fat in a small sauce-pan and stir into it / cup of boiling water. note the result. conclusions based on the foregoing experiments . starch granules must be separated before being used to thicken a liquid: ( ) by adding a double quantity of cold liquid, ( ) by adding a double quantity of sugar, ( ) by adding a double quantity of melted fat. . the liquid which is being thickened must be constantly stirred, to distribute evenly the starch grains until they are cooked. _white sauce_ tbsp. butter or other fat tbsp. flour c. milk / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper (sufficient for pint vegetables) melt the butter, add the flour, and stir over the fire until frothy. add the milk and stir constantly until it thickens. stir in the seasonings. _note._--vegetable water may be substituted for part of the milk. method of work review the facts on boiling vegetables learned in the previous lesson. let the pupils put water on to boil and prepare a vegetable for cooking. if experiments are to be made, they can be performed while the vegetable is cooking. if the experiments have been made previously, they can be reviewed in discussion at this time. prepare a white sauce by demonstration, using the method which seems most practical. have the vegetables drained, dried, and added to the white sauce. when well-heated, serve. questions used to develop the lesson what facts regarding the boiling of vegetables did we learn in the last lesson? does the vegetable that we are to cook to-day differ in any marked way from those we cooked before? should we follow the same rule in cooking it? should we add the flour directly to the cold milk? to the hot milk? how shall we combine the white sauce? with what other vegetables can white sauce be used? _home assignment._--each pupil should prepare some vegetable and serve it with white sauce, before the next lesson. lesson vi: cereals _kinds, composition, care, and general rules for cooking cereals. oatmeal, cracked wheat, corn-meal porridge, rice. fruits to serve with cereals--stewed prunes, stewed apples, or apple sauce._ subject-matter the term "cereals" is applied to the cultivated grasses--rice, wheat, corn, rye, oats, and buckwheat. they are widely grown throughout the temperate zone and are prepared in various forms for use as food. cereals contain a high percentage of starch and a low percentage of water, with varying proportions of mineral matter and fat. in addition to the four food-stuffs already studied, cereals contain a small amount of another food-stuff known as protein--a muscle-building material. for the most part, the cereals contain a large amount of cellulose, which is broken up during the process of preparation for market and requires long cooking before being ready for use by the body. the digestibility of the cereals depends upon the amount of cellulose which they contain and the thoroughness of the cooking. cereals are palatable, and they are valuable, because in cooking they can be blended in various ways with other substances. they are beneficial also to the body, because their cellulose acts mechanically on the digestive organs by stimulating them to action. cereals are made more attractive by serving with fresh or cooked fruit. preliminary plan the cereals should be discussed in a nature study or geography lesson, and two or three kinds that are in common use should be brought from home by the pupils. if cereals are not generally used as breakfast foods, the lesson may be a means of introducing them. some pupils should bring a little milk and sugar, to serve with the cooked cereal. apples or prunes should be brought, to cook and serve with the cereal. recipes _oatmeal_ c. boiling water / c. oatmeal / tsp. salt add the oatmeal slowly to boiling salted water. boil for minutes, stirring constantly, then cook slowly, preferably over water, at least one and one-half hours longer; the flavour is developed by longer cooking. serves six. _cracked wheat_ follow the recipe for oatmeal, using / c. of cracked wheat. _corn-meal porridge_ c. boiling water / c. corn-meal tsp. salt add the corn-meal slowly to boiling salted water. boil for minutes, stirring constantly, then cook slowly for three hours longer, preferably over water. serves six to eight. _boiled rice_ qt. boiling water c. rice tsp. salt pick the rice over carefully and wash thoroughly. add it to the boiling salted water so gradually that it will not stop boiling. partly cover and cook for minutes, or until the grains are soft; turn into a colander, and pour cold water through it, drain, dry, and re-heat in a hot oven with door open. serve hot as a vegetable or as a simple dessert with cream and sugar. serves six to eight. _stewed prunes_ / lb. prunes qt. cold water wash the prunes in two or three waters; then soak them in cold water for several hours. heat them in the water in which they are soaked and simmer until tender (an hour or more). serves six to eight. _stewed apples_ small apples / c. sugar / c. water cook the sugar and water together until it boils. wash, pare, and cut the apples into quarters; core, and slice the quarters lengthwise into / -inch slices; put the apple slices into boiling syrup and cook slowly until tender. remove from the syrup at once and let the syrup boil down to thicken. _apple sauce_ small apples / c. sugar / c. water wipe, quarter, core, and pare sour apples; add the water and cook until the apples begin to soften; add the sugar and flavouring, cook until the apples are very soft, then press through a strainer and beat well. serves eight to ten. method of work as soon as the class meets, discuss the recipes briefly and put the cereals on to cook at once. prepare the fruit. while the long cooking of the cereal is in progress, discuss the composition, food value, and methods of using cereals. then go on with another lesson and call the class together, for serving, later in the day. serve the fruit and the cereals together. lesson vii: classification of foods--reviewed subject-matter those foods which build up and repair the muscular tissues of the body are called protein foods, muscle builders, or flesh formers. meat, fish, eggs, cheese, milk, cereals, legumes, and nuts are classed as protein foods. those foods which serve solely as fuel for the body--providing heat and energy--are classed under two groups: the carbohydrates (sugar and starches), which the body is able to use in relatively large quantities; and the fats, which the body cannot use in such large quantities, but which yield a large amount of heat and energy. protein also serves as fuel, though tissue building is regarded as its special function. sugars and starches are abundant in fruits and vegetables. fats are found in meats, fish, milk, and in some vegetable foods. heat-giving food may be stored in the body as fatty tissue. mineral compounds must be present in our food, to help in the regulation of the body processes and to enter into the composition of the structure and the fluids of the body. mineral compounds are best supplied by fresh green vegetables, fruits, and milk. water is absolutely essential to the body, is present in large quantities in many foods, and is combined with many other foods during the processes of cooking. one or more of the food-stuffs sometimes predominate in a single food. for example, rice is almost entirely carbohydrate, and butter is almost pure fat. occasionally, we find a food that contains all the five groups of food principles. milk is an example of such a food, containing all five food principles in such proportions as to supply all the nourishment which a baby needs during the early months of its life. as the child grows older, foods rich in both carbohydrates must be added to the diet. wheat contains all that the body needs for nourishment except water, which is easily added in cooking. _protein foods_ _carbohydrate foods_ meats sugar fish honey poultry syrup eggs vegetables: cheese potatoes milk parsnips cereals: peas wheat beets oatmeal carrots rye cereal preparations: legumes: meals peas flours, etc. beans fruits lentils prepared foods: peanuts bread nuts crackers macaroni jellies dried fruits candy milk _fat foods_ _mineral foods_ cream fruits butter vegetables: lard spinach suet tomatoes fat meats onions fish turnip tops salad oil cauliflower nuts cereals: chocolate grits and other coarse preparations milk eggs _choice of food._--the diet must be carefully chosen, to give a needed variety and to combine the foods properly so that one may have a right proportion of all the food-stuffs. each meal should contain some protein food, some fats or carbohydrates, some mineral matter, and water. all five forms of food-stuffs should have a place in the day's diet. the greater part of the water which the body needs should be taken between meals. method of work review the foods discussed in the previous lessons and sum up the classification of foods, being sure that the pupils can name common examples of each. discuss simple combinations for the different meals, using dishes already prepared in the course and creating an interest in other recipes to be prepared in succeeding lessons. black-board summary there are five food principles: . _water_--builds and repairs the tissues, regulates the system-- found in all food-stuffs. . _mineral matter_--builds and repairs the tissues, regulates the system-- found in vegetables, fruits, cereal, and so on. . _carbohydrates_--give heat and energy to the body-- found in sugar and starches. . _fats_--give heat and energy to the body-- found in cream, nuts, pork, and so on. . protein--builds and repairs the tissues-- found in meat, eggs, cheese, seeds. always choose a diet carefully: . to give variety. . to combine the foods properly, so that they will contain adequate proportions of each food-stuff at every meal. lesson viii: the planning and serving of meals subject-matter experience has shown that some foods are more acceptable at one time of day than other foods, and that certain combinations are more pleasing than others. the choice of foods will also depend upon the season of the year. for example, breakfast is, as a rule, made up of simple foods that are not highly seasoned nor subjected to elaborate methods of cooking. a fruit, a cereal, and bread, with, possibly, eggs or meat, are served at breakfast. a hot beverage is added by most people to this meal. fundamentally, dinner consists of a hot meat or other protein dish, with one or two vegetables. soup, salad, and a sweet dessert are often served. the soup is served before the meat course, and the salad and dessert follow it. the dessert may be a fruit, a cookie or other pastry, a pudding, or a frozen dish. lunch or supper may be a very simple meal, consisting of a soup with crackers, one protein dish (eggs, milk, or meat) with bread and stewed fruit, or a salad, with a simple dessert. examples of well-chosen menus _breakfast_ no. i apple sauce sausage or bacon oatmeal toast no. ii baked apples eggs in the shell cracked wheat corn muffins no. iii stewed figs or berries poached eggs corn-meal porridge toast note.--eggs should be omitted from the breakfast menu if they are not cheap and easily obtainable. _dinner_ no. i pork chops potatoes fried apples mashed turnips bread rice pudding no. ii beef or mutton stew biscuits spinach or turnip tops cornstarch pudding no. iii baked beans grape sauce cabbage salad bread or biscuits _supper_ no. i stewed apricots or other fruit whole wheat bread buttermilk or sweet milk peanut cookies no. ii omelet creamed potatoes bread fresh fruit no. iii cream of carrot soup biscuits cottage cheese syrup the table should always be neatly set, with individual places arranged for each one who is to partake of the meal. each place should be wide enough for a plate, with a knife and spoon at the right and a fork at the left side. a tumbler should be placed at the point of the knife and a napkin at the left of the fork. everything on the table should be perfectly clean, the napkin should be neatly folded, and all the articles should be uniformly arranged, in order to give a neat appearance to the table. a flower or plant in the centre will add to its attractiveness. salt, pepper, sugar, vinegar, and anything of the kind that may be needed with the meal should be arranged where it can be easily reached. fresh water should be poured into the tumblers just before the meal is served. the bread, butter, and so on, may be put on the table several minutes before the meal is announced, but the hot dishes should be placed immediately before the family is seated. preliminary plan if lesson vi, entitled "setting and clearing the table" as outlined in the course on the care of the home has been given, this lesson may be devoted to what to serve and how to serve it, or it may precede the lesson on "waiting on table". the manner of serving may be demonstrated in the next lesson, in connection with the course on the care of the home. simple equipment for family service will be required, if the form of serving is to be taken up. for class practice, a table for four may be arranged. this will necessitate a table-cover, four dinner plates, four bread-and-butter plates, four tumblers, four cups and saucers, four knives, four forks, four teaspoons, four napkins, a platter, one serving spoon, and one serving fork. method of work discuss meal service from the standpoint both of choice and combination of foods and of the method of service. let the class plan a meal, then go through the form of serving that meal at table. in the absence of a table, the top of a desk may be used. later in the course, the teacher should plan to combine this lesson with one on cooking and have the food served. in each cooking lesson, suggestions for serving the food should be made, and each dish cooked should be carefully served. interest in this lesson may be increased by allowing the pupils to make original menus, and, if they are having some lessons in drawing, simple menu cards may be planned and executed. lesson ix: milk _care, cost, and food value of milk. value and use of sour milk--cottage cheese, curdled milk. rice or cornstarch pudding (plain, caramel, or chocolate)._ subject-matter milk contains all the food-stuffs which the body requires, except starch, and, therefore, is capable of sustaining life for comparatively long periods. it is one of the most important protein foods; but it contains so small a percentage of carbohydrate (milk sugar) that for the adult it must be supplemented with carbohydrate foods. for the baby, milk is a perfect food, and it is a valuable adjunct to the diet of all children. one quart of milk should be allowed for the diet of each child daily, after the twelfth month; and the diet of the adult should be supplemented by the use of milk. the greatest care should be exercised in protecting milk from dust and dirt, for it is easily contaminated and may be the means of carrying disease germs to the body. the changes which milk undergoes when souring do not render it harmful. for many people buttermilk is more easy of digestion than sweet milk, because of the changes produced by souring, as well as the absence of fat. sour milk is of value in cooking, producing a tender bread which can readily be made light by the addition of soda--one teaspoonful of soda to one pint of sour milk that has curdled. in the preparation of cheese, the whey is separated from the curds, thus extracting most of the water, sugar, and mineral matter, and leaving a substance rich in protein and fat. cheese is of value in cooking, for it increases the food value of those foods to which it is added. preliminary plan the teacher should make inquiries a few days in advance, to be sure that one quart of sour milk can be secured, and, when it is brought, she should examine it to see that it is in proper condition to make cottage cheese. she should arrange to have about one quart of sweet milk and such other supplies as are necessary for the pudding, brought by the pupils. an opportunity may be afforded to discuss the use of left-over cereal by the preparation of a rice pudding, if the teacher provides some cold cooked rice for the lesson. in the absence of cold rice, the cornstarch pudding may be prepared. recipes _cottage cheese_ heat sour milk slowly until the whey rises to the top, pour the whey off, put the curd in a bag, and let it drip for six hours without squeezing. put the curd into a bowl and break into fine pieces with a wooden spoon; season with salt and mix into a paste with a little cream or butter. mould into balls, if desired, and keep in a cold place. (it is best when fresh.) _rice pudding_ / c. rice c. milk eggs / c. sugar / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla scald the milk in a double boiler. add the prepared rice and cook until soft. beat the egg-yolks, sugar, and salt together until well mixed. stir into the rice and cook for minutes. remove from the heat and serve cold. serves eight. _cornstarch pudding_ / c. sugar tbsp. cornstarch, or / c. flour tsp. vanilla, or other flavouring c. milk egg mix the sugar and cornstarch thoroughly. add one cup of cold milk and stir until smooth. heat the remainder of the milk in a double boiler; add the cornstarch mixture slowly, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken. continue cooking for minutes. beat the egg well, add the hot pudding slowly, strain, and cool. serve with milk or cream and sugar. (the egg may be omitted, if desired.) serves eight. for chocolate cornstarch pudding, use / cup of sugar additional and two squares of chocolate. melt the chocolate carefully, add the sugar, and add to the cornstarch mixture. for caramel cornstarch pudding, use cup of brown sugar and / cup of boiling water. heat the sugar until it becomes a light-brown liquid, add the boiling water, and stir until the sugar is all dissolved. let it cool; then add to the cornstarch mixture. method of work as soon as the class meets, demonstrate the method of making cottage cheese. show the separation of curd and whey, by adding vinegar or lemon juice to sweet milk. while the cheese is draining, make assignments of work and have the rice or cornstarch pudding made. in this lesson and in those following emphasize the use of protein foods. discuss also the food value of skimmed milk and sour milk and the purposes for which these may be used in cooking. use the cottage cheese and the pudding for the school lunch. lesson x: soups _cream soups. cream of carrot, potato, or onion soup, green pea soup. toast, croutons, or crisp crackers to serve with soup._ subject-matter _cream soups._--the strained pulp of cooked vegetables or legumes, with an equal portion of thin white sauce, is the basis for cream soups. the liquid for the soup may be all milk, part vegetable water and part milk, or all vegetable water. a binding of flour is used to prevent a separation of the thicker and the thinner parts of the soup. this is combined as for white sauce and is stirred into the hot liquid just before the soup is to be served. the soup should be made in a double boiler and kept in this utensil until it is served. four tablespoons of flour to each quart of soup is a good proportion to use for thickening all vegetable soups that are not of a starchy nature; half that amount will be sufficient for soup prepared from a very starchy vegetable. the value of the vegetable water should be impressed upon the pupils, and it should be pointed out that these soups are an excellent way of using the cooking water and any left-over vegetables. from these, attractive cream soups may be prepared, and a combination of flavours often gives good results. _accompaniments._--crisp crackers, croutons, soup sticks, or bread sticks are served with cream soups, and are valuable because they necessitate thorough mastication, thus inducing the flow of saliva and aiding in the digestion of the starchy ingredients of the soups. preliminary plan as a basis for the soup, the teacher should secure a vegetable that the pupils use in their own homes, and crackers or bread to serve with the soup. if dried peas are used, they should be allowed to soak overnight and be put on to cook early in the morning. it will be well to have the cooking of the carrots begun before the lesson period. if the carrots are cut up in small pieces, they will cook more quickly. recipes _cream of carrot soup_ c. cooked carrots c. vegetable water c. milk tbsp. flour tbsp. butter salt and pepper to taste press the vegetables through a sieve or chop finely; put the vegetable water on to heat. mix the flour smoothly with an equal measure of milk and thin it with a little more of the milk. stir into the steaming liquid, stirring constantly until it thickens. stir in the butter, vegetable pulp, and remaining milk. season to taste and serve hot. serves six. _cream of potato soup_ pt. milk or milk and water tsp. chopped onions potatoes tbsp. butter tbsp. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper tsp. chopped parsley put the milk to heat in a double boiler. boil the potatoes and onion together until soft, then rub the liquid and pulp through a strainer into the hot milk. bind with the flour, add the seasonings, and serve hot. serves four. _pea soup_ c. split peas - / qt. water tbsp. chopped onion tbsp. butter tbsp. flour - / tsp. salt / tsp. pepper pt. milk wash the peas and soak them overnight in cold water, drain and rinse thoroughly, add - / quarts of cold water and the onion, cook slowly until soft, rub the liquid and pulp through a strainer, and bind with the flour. add the milk and the seasonings and serve hot. serves six to eight. _toast_ cut stale bread into slices one quarter of an inch thick; put on the toaster or fork, move gently over the heat until dry, then brown by placing near the heat, turning constantly. bread may be dried in the oven before toasting. hot milk may be poured over dry toast. _croutons_ cut stale bread into one-half-inch cubes and brown in the oven. _crisp crackers_ put the crackers into the oven for a few minutes, or split and butter thick crackers, and brown in a hot oven; serve with soup. method of work devote a few minutes to a discussion of cream soups and a review of the cooking of vegetables and white sauce. divide the work among the members of the class, assigning enough to each pupil to keep her busy, arranging the work so that the soup and its accompaniments will be ready for serving at the same time. lesson xi: eggs _food value and general rules for cooking eggs. cooked in shell, poached, scrambled, and omelet._ subject-matter eggs are a very valuable food, because of the large amount of protein and fat they contain. though lacking in carbohydrates, they furnish material for building up the muscles and provide heat and energy to the body. if cooked at a low temperature, eggs are very easily and very completely digested. combined with other foods, they serve as a thickening agent (for sauces and soups) and as a means of making batters light (popovers and sponge cake). they add flavour and colour and increase the nutritive value of other foods. preliminary plan the lesson on eggs furnishes one of the best opportunities to teach the muscle-building foods. if eggs are scarce, it may be well to give this lesson at some other time. each pupil should be asked to bring an egg; one or two should bring a little milk; and sufficient bread should be provided to toast for the poached eggs. the teacher should not undertake to give too many recipes in this lesson, but should try to make the pupils familiar with a sufficient variety of ways of using eggs to make egg cookery interesting. the necessity of having a moderate temperature for the cooking of eggs should be emphasized. recipes _soft-cooked eggs_ put the eggs in boiling water sufficient to cover them, remove from the fire, cover, and allow them to stand from to minutes. _hard-cooked eggs_ put the eggs in cold water, heat, and, when the water boils, reduce the heat, and let them stand for minutes with water just below the boiling-point, then put them into cold water. _poached eggs_ break each egg into a saucer carefully, slip the egg into boiling water, decrease the heat, and cook for minutes, or until the white is firm and a film has formed over the yolk. take up with a skimmer, drain, trim off the rough edges, and serve on slices of toast. season. poached eggs are attractive when covered with white sauce to which chopped parsley has been added. _baked eggs_ line a buttered baking-dish with buttered bread crumbs or with cold mashed potatoes. break the eggs in the dish without separating and add one tablespoon of milk or cream for each egg. season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with grated cheese, if desired. bake in a moderate oven until the eggs are set. _creamed eggs_ hard-boiled eggs slices toast c. medium white sauce prepare a white sauce. add hard-boiled eggs cut in halves, sliced, or chopped and, when hot, serve on toast. or separate the whites and yolks, chop the whites fine, add to the white sauce and, when hot, serve on toast and garnish with yolks run through a sieve or ricer. season with salt and pepper. serves four to six. _creamy omelet_ egg / tsp. salt pepper / tsp. butter tbsp. milk beat the egg slightly, add the milk and seasonings, put the butter in the hot omelet pan and, when melted, turn in the mixture. as it cooks, draw the edges toward the centre until the whole is of a creamy consistency, brown quickly underneath, fold, and turn on a hot platter. serve at once. serves one. _scrambled eggs_ double the quantity of milk given for creamy omelet and stir all the time while cooking. _foamy omelet_[a] egg / tsp. salt tbsp. milk or water / tsp. butter cayenne or white pepper beat the yolk of the egg until creamy, add seasoning and milk. beat the white until stiff, but not dry, cut and fold into the yolk carefully. heat an omelet pan, rub the bottom and sides with the butter, and turn in the omelet, spreading it evenly on the pan. cook gently over the heat until the omelet is set and evenly browned underneath. put it into a hot oven for a few minutes, to dry slightly on top, fold, and serve immediately. serves one. method of work devote one half of the class period to a discussion of the structure of the egg and the effect of heat upon it. use simple experiments or watch the poached egg, to make a study of the changes produced in the egg by the application of heat. if the pupils are sufficiently experienced, let them work together in small groups, first scrambling an egg, then making an omelet. demonstrate the cooking of the omelet before the entire class. serve the egg dishes carefully while hot. [a] the omelet recipes given are for individual portions. to make a large omelet, multiply the quantity of each ingredient by the number of eggs used. the best results will be obtained by making an omelet of not more than four eggs, as larger omelets are difficult to cook thoroughly and to handle well. a two-egg omelet will serve three people. a four-egg omelet will serve six people. lesson xii: simple desserts--custards subject-matter a custard is a combination of eggs and milk, usually sweetened and flavoured, and either steamed, or baked as cup custard, or cooked in a double boiler as soft custard. the whole egg may be used or the yolks alone. the yolks make a smoother, richer custard. the eggs must be thoroughly mixed, but not beaten light, the sugar and salt added, and the milk scalded and stirred in slowly. the custard must be strained through a fine sieve and cooked at a moderate temperature. it is desirable to strain a custard, in order to remove the cords and pieces of the membrane which inclosed the yolk. the cup custard should be strained before cooking, the soft custard may be strained afterwards. a soft custard is cooked over water and is stirred constantly until done. when done, the froth disappears from the surface, the custard is thickened and coats the spoon and sides of the pan, and there is no sign of curdling. if the custard is cooked too long, it becomes curdled. if it becomes curdled, put it into a pan of cold water and beat until smooth. a steamed or baked custard is done when it becomes set and when a silver knife will come out clean after cutting it. preliminary plan this lesson will furnish an opportunity for a review of milk and eggs. the pupils should arrange to bring the necessary materials from their homes. recipes _steamed custards_ qt. milk (heated) eggs or egg yolks / c. sugar / tsp. salt tbsp. caramel or / tsp. nutmeg beat the eggs sufficiently to mix them thoroughly; add the sugar, salt, and hot milk slowly. strain into cups, flavour with caramel, or sprinkle nutmeg on top, and steam until firm over gently boiling water--from to minutes. _baked custards_ prepare as for steamed custards, set in a pan of hot water, and bake in a slow oven until firm--from to minutes. _chocolate custards_ use the recipe for steamed custards, adding ounce of chocolate (melted) to the hot milk. steam or bake as desired. _soft custard_ pt. milk (heated) egg yolks / tsp. salt / tsp. vanilla extract tbsp. sugar beat the egg yolks sufficiently to mix them thoroughly, add the sugar, salt, and hot milk slowly. cook over water that is boiling gently. stir constantly until the custard thickens. strain. flavour when cool. for soft chocolate custard add / ounce chocolate (melted) to the hot milk. serves six. _floating island_ use recipe for soft custard and, when cold, garnish with a meringue made according to the following recipe: _meringue_ egg whites / c. powdered sugar beat the egg whites very light, add powdered sugar, and continue beating. drop in large spoonfuls on the cold custard. serves eight to ten. method of work it may be possible to teach two or three recipes in this lesson. the baked custard may be put into the oven while the soft custard or floating island is being made. serve at the school lunch. lesson xiii: batters and doughs _griddle cakes_ subject-matter _batters._--batters are mixtures of flour or meal and a liquid, with salt or sugar to give flavour, butter to make tender, and steam, air, or gas to make light. one scant measure of liquid is used with one measure of flour for thin, or pour, batter. one measure of liquid is used with two measures of flour for a thick, or drop, batter. one measure of liquid is used with three measures of flour for a soft, or bread, dough. one measure of liquid is used with four measures of flour for a stiff, or pastry, dough. before mixing a batter, the oven or griddle should be at the proper temperature, with the fire well regulated and in good condition. the oven should be tested by putting in a piece of white paper or two tablespoonfuls of flour, which should brown in three minutes. the pans should be prepared by greasing with lard, salt pork, or beef dripping. all the materials should be measured and ready before beginning to combine the ingredients. when the batter has been mixed and beaten until smooth, it should be baked at once. preliminary plan the teacher will be better prepared to give the lesson on batters if she first makes herself familiar with the kinds of breads that are used in the homes of the pupils and the methods followed in their preparation. the simple, general methods of preparing batters should be taught. the teacher should not attempt the preparation of more than one or two batters in this lesson. recipes _sour-milk griddle cakes_ - / c. flour / tsp. salt - / tsp. soda egg c. sour milk mix and sift the flour, salt, and soda; add the sour milk and egg well beaten. drop, by spoonfuls, on a greased hot griddle; cook on one side. when puffed full of bubbles and cooked on the edges, turn, and cook on the other side. serve with butter and maple syrup. _sweet-milk griddle cakes_ c. flour - / tbsp. baking-powder tsp. salt / c. sugar c. milk egg tbsp. melted butter mix and sift the dry ingredients, beat the egg, add the milk, and pour on the first mixture. beat thoroughly and add the butter. cook the same as sour-milk griddle cakes. method of work discuss batters briefly. have all measurements made, the fire regulated, the pans prepared, and so on. demonstrate the mixing and cooking of griddle cakes. serve the cakes daintily after they are cooked. lesson xiv: batters and doughs--continued _muffins--baking-powder biscuits_ subject-matter _methods of making batters light._--batters are made light by beating air into them, by adding eggs into which air has been beaten, or by entangling gas in the batter. gas is secured by using soda and sour milk in a batter (one teaspoon of soda to one pint of sour milk), or soda with molasses (one teaspoon of soda to one cup of molasses), or soda with cream of tartar (one teaspoon of soda with two slightly rounding teaspoons of cream of tartar). the soda should be mixed well with the other dry ingredients, then the sour milk or molasses added, the whole beaten up quickly, and baked at once. baking-powder is a preparation containing soda and cream of tartar, and may be used in place of soda if sweet milk is used. two level teaspoonfuls of baking-powder should be used with one cup of flour. preliminary plan this lesson is a continuation of the lesson on batters. care should be taken not to undertake more than can be done well in the time available. recipes _graham muffins_ c. graham flour c. flour / c. sugar tsp. salt c. milk egg tbsp. melted butter tsp. baking-powder mix and sift the dry ingredients. gradually add the milk, the egg well-beaten, and the melted butter. bake in a hot oven in greased gem pans for minutes. _plain muffins_ / c. butter / c. sugar egg / c. milk c. flour tsp. baking-powder cream the butter, add the sugar and egg well beaten, sift the baking-powder with the flour, and add to the first mixture, alternating with the milk. bake in greased gem pans for minutes. _baking-powder biscuits_ c. flour tsp. baking-powder tsp. salt tbsp. fat / to c. milk or water sift the dry ingredients together, chop the fat into the flour with a knife, slowly add sufficient milk to make a dough not too soft to be handled. toss and roll the dough gently on a slightly-floured board and cut into small biscuits. moisten the tops with a little milk. handle the dough quickly, lightly, and as little as possible. place on a buttered sheet. bake in a hot oven till brown--from to minutes. either white or whole wheat flour may be used for the biscuits. serves six to eight. oven test--the oven should be hot enough to colour a piece of unglazed white paper to a golden brown in one minute. _soda biscuits_ c. flour / tsp. soda (scant) / tsp. salt c. sour milk (scant) tbsp. shortening (lard or other fat) proceed as for baking-powder biscuits. if the sour milk is not thick enough to curdle, it will not contain sufficient acid to neutralize the soda, and the biscuits will be yellow and bitter. to avoid this, cream of tartar may be mixed with the soda ( teaspoonful). if there is no cream of tartar at hand, it will be wise to use the recipe for baking-powder biscuits. method of work have the oven and pans prepared and all the measurements made. demonstrate the mixing of the muffins and, while these are baking, the mixing of the biscuits. have one pupil take charge of the baking of the muffins and another of the baking of the biscuits. when the breads are done, have the class sit down and serve them to one another, or to all the pupils at the school lunch hour. lesson xv: meats _composition and food value. how to make tough cuts of meat palatable. pork chops with fried apples. beef or mutton stew with vegetables and dumplings. rabbit stew. bacon._ subject-matter meats are rich in protein and usually in fats, but are lacking in the carbohydrates. they build up the muscular tissue, furnish heat and energy, are more stimulating and strengthening than any other food, and satisfy hunger for a greater length of time. for the most part, meats are a very expensive food. one cannot perform more labour by the use of a meat diet than on a diet of vegetable foods. those who use large quantities of meat suffer from many disturbances of the system. hence it should form a very small part of the diet. the cuts of meat that come from those portions of the animal's body that are much exercised are tough, owing to the development of the connective tissues, but they contain a high percentage of nutrition. for the same reason, the meat from older animals is apt to be tough. the flesh of chickens, turkeys, and other fowls is very nutritious and is easily digested if not too fat. the flavour of meats is developed by cooking. dry heat develops the best flavour, hence the tender cuts are cooked by the processes known as broiling and roasting. tough cuts of meat require long, slow cooking in moist heat, hence they are prepared in the form of stews and pot roasts or are used in meat soups. preliminary plan after the teacher has found out what meats are used in the homes or what the school can afford to use, she should determine upon a method of cooking that will make the meat palatable, digestible, and attractive. if it can be prepared as a stew, she should use a recipe in which vegetables are also used and, if possible, have dumplings prepared to serve with the meat, as a review of the lesson on batters. recipes _beef or mutton stew_ lb. beef or mutton qt. water salt, pepper, flour to dredge onion, cut in slices / c. turnip cut in dice / c. carrot cut in dice potatoes cut in / -inch slices tsp. salt / tsp. pepper / c. flour / c. cold water remove the fat and cut the meat into -inch pieces. reserve half of the best pieces of meat, put the rest of the meat and the bone into cold water, soak for one hour, then heat until it bubbles. season half the raw meat and roll it in the flour, melt the fat in a frying-pan, remove the scraps, brown the sliced onion and then the floured meat in the hot fat, add both to the stew, and cook for hours at a low temperature. to this add the vegetables and cook / hour; then add the flour and seasonings, which have been mixed with one-half cup of cold water, and cook for / hour longer, until the meat and vegetables are tender. remove the bone from the stew and serve. serves six to eight. _rabbit_ if beef and mutton are not commonly used and are not readily obtainable, but rabbit can be secured, substitute rabbit for beef in the stew. after the rabbit has been thoroughly cleaned, cut up in eight pieces (four leg and four body pieces), season, and dredge with flour, brown in the fat, and proceed as with beef stew. _dumplings_ c. flour tsp. baking-powder / tsp. salt tbsp. fat (lard or butter) / c. milk or water (about) sift the dry ingredients together, cut in the butter, and add the milk gradually, to make a soft dough. roll out on a floured board, cut with a biscuit cutter, lay on top of meat in a stew pan (they should not sink into the liquid), cover the kettle closely, keep the stew boiling, and cook the dumplings for minutes without removing the lid. (do not put the dumplings in to cook until the meat is tender.) _note._--if desired, the rolling may be eliminated and, after mixing, the dough may be dropped by spoonfuls into the stew. _to cook bacon_ place thin slices of bacon from which the rind has been removed in a hot frying-pan, and pour off the fat as fast as it melts. cook until the bacon is crisp and brown, turning frequently. another method of cooking is to lay the bacon on a rack in a baking-pan and bake in a hot oven until crisp and brown. _pork chops_ wipe the chops with a damp cloth, and place in a hot frying-pan. turn frequently at first and cook slowly until well browned on each side. sprinkle with salt and pepper. _fried apples_ wash and core the apples and slice to the centre. roll in flour if very juicy. after the chops have been removed from the pan, lay the apples in and cook till tender. serve around the chops. method of work if the meat is to require two or three hours' cooking, arrange to have the lesson divided and given at two periods through the day. half an hour before opening the morning session or a portion of the morning or noon recess may be sufficient time to put the meat on to cook and to prepare the vegetables. when the second class period is called, the vegetables should be added to the partially cooked meat and the dumplings should be made. it would be well to serve the completed dish at the lunch period. there should be as much discussion regarding the kinds of meat, their food value, and the methods of cooking as time permits; but it may be necessary to complete this discussion at some other class period. should it be possible for the teacher to give additional lessons on meat, it might be well to devote one lesson to the preparation and cooking of poultry, directions for which may be secured from any reliable cook-book. lesson xvi: baked pork and beans--baking-powder biscuits subject-matter peas, beans, and lentils which are dried for market contain a high percentage of protein, carbohydrate, and mineral matter. they form an excellent substitute for meat and are much cheaper in price. the digestion of leguminous foods proceeds slowly, involving a large amount of work: on this account they are not desirable for invalids, but they are satisfactory for those who are well and active. the dried legumes must be soaked overnight in water and then cooked for a long time, in order to soften the cellulose and develop the flavour. preliminary plan it will be necessary to plan this lesson several days in advance, if the beans are to be baked. as they will be prepared and put on to bake before the lesson period, the baking-powder biscuits may be made during the lesson, to serve with them. recipe _boston baked beans_ qt. navy beans tbsp. salt / tbsp. mustard tbsp. sugar tbsp. molasses c. boiling water / lb. fat salt pork boiling water to cover look over the beans and soak them in cold water overnight. in the morning drain, cover with fresh water, and simmer them until the skins will burst, but do not let the beans become broken. scald one-half pound of fat salt pork. scrape the pork. put a slice in the bottom of the bean pot. cut the remaining pork across the top in strips just through the rind, and bury the pork in beans, leaving the rind exposed. add one cup of boiling water to seasonings and pour over the beans. cover with boiling water. bake slowly, adding more water as necessary. bake from to hours, uncover at the last, so that the water will evaporate and the beans brown on top. serves twelve. method of work have the beans washed and put to soak the night before the lesson is to be given. assign to one of the pupils the task of putting them on to simmer early the next morning. call the class together for a few moments when the beans are ready to bake. assign one of the pupils to attend to the fire and the oven. let the beans bake all day. if the lesson is to be given late in the afternoon, the beans may be ready to serve, or the cooking may be continued on the second day and the lesson completed then. it would be well to serve the dish at the lunch period. have the biscuits prepared to serve with the baked beans. lesson xvii: butter cakes--plain yellow cake--cocoa--coffee--tea subject-matter _cakes._--cakes made with fat resemble other batters, except that the fat, sugar, and eggs are usually larger in amount and the texture of the baked batter is finer and more tender. when preparing cake, first get the pans ready. grease them or line them with greased paper. make sure that the oven is at the proper temperature. for a small cake, the oven should be hot enough to brown a piece of unglazed paper or a tablespoonful of flour in three minutes. bake a small cake from twenty to thirty minutes. when done, the cake will shrink from the sides of the pan; the crust will spring back when touched with the finger; the loud ticking sound will cease; a fine knitting-needle will come out clean if the cake is pierced; and the crust will be nicely browned. when the cake is removed from the oven, let it stand in the pan for about three minutes, then loosen, and turn out gently. do not handle while hot. keep in a clean, ventilated tin box in a cool, dry place. _cocoa._--chocolate and cocoa are prepared from the bean of a tropical tree. this bean is rich in protein, fat, carbohydrate, mineral matter, and a stimulant called theobromine. in the preparation of chocolate the seeds are cleaned, milled, and crushed into a paste. in the preparation of cocoa much of the fat is removed, and the cocoa is packed for market in the form of a fine powder. cocoa is more easily digested than chocolate, because it contains less fat. though the amount of cocoa used in a cup of this beverage is not large, when prepared with milk it serves as a nutritious food. it is slightly stimulating as well, because of the theobromine present and because it is served hot. _coffee and tea._--coffee and tea have no food value when prepared as beverages. they contain stimulating properties that are harmful to the body if taken in large quantities and, on this account, they should be used with discretion. they should never be given to children or to those troubled with indigestion. if carelessly prepared, both coffee and tea may be decidedly harmful to the body. coffee should not be boiled for more than eight minutes. tea should never be permitted to boil. fresh, boiling water should be poured on the leaves and left for three minutes. it should then be strained off and kept hot until used. preliminary plan it may be wise to give this lesson on some special occasion, as it is well adapted to serve for the refreshments for a mother's club or a little class party. recipes _plain yellow cake_ / c. butter c. sugar eggs / c. milk tsp. baking-powder - / c. flour tsp. spice or - / tsp. flavouring cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, and mix well. add the well-beaten yolks of eggs, then the flour and baking-powder alternately with the milk. then add the flavouring and cut and fold in the whites of the eggs carefully. turn into buttered pans and bake at once in a moderately hot oven. for chocolate cake, ounces of melted chocolate may be added after the yolks of the eggs. serves sixteen to twenty. _gingerbread_ / c. butter / c. brown sugar egg / c. molasses / c. milk (sour if possible) / tsp. soda - / c. flour tsp. ginger / tsp. cinnamon salt cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, then a well-beaten egg. add the molasses. sift all the dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk. bake in a buttered tin or in gem pans in a moderate oven for or minutes. serves eight to ten. _cocoa_ / c. cocoa / c. sugar c. water c. milk mix the cocoa and sugar with the water and boil from to minutes. stir into the hot milk and serve at once. if a scum forms, beat with a dover egg-beater. serves eight to ten. _tea_ tsp. green or tsp. black tea c. boiling water (freshly boiling) scald the tea-pot, put the tea in the tea-pot, and pour boiling water over it; steep minutes, strain, and serve. serves four. _coffee_ take two tablespoonfuls of ground coffee for each cup of boiling water that is to be used. put the coffee in the coffee-pot and add enough cold water to moisten the coffee and make it stick together--about one teaspoonful of water to each tablespoonful of coffee. pour the boiling water over the coffee and boil it for minutes. place it where it will keep hot, but not boil, for minutes or more, and then serve. if a small amount of egg white and shell is mixed with the coffee grounds and cold water, it will aid in clarifying and settling the coffee. _note._--the recipes for coffee and tea are given, so that the teacher can discuss their preparation with the pupils and compare their value with that of cocoa. if coffee and tea are both commonly used in the homes, it may be well to have the pupils prepare both in the class, to be sure that they understand how to make them properly. method of work begin the lesson period with a discussion of the methods of preparing cakes, and put the cake in the oven as soon as possible. while it is baking, prepare the cocoa. if the cocoa is not to be served for some time, it can be kept hot or re-heated over hot water. lesson xviii: yeast bread subject-matter yeast bread is made light by the presence of a gas produced by the action of yeast in the sponge or dough. yeast is a microscopic plant which grows in a moist, warm temperature and feeds on starchy materials such as are present in wheat. a portion of the starch is converted into sugar (thus developing new and pleasant flavours), and some is still further changed, giving off the gas upon which the lightness of the bread depends. if the yeast is allowed to work for too long a time or the temperature is very hot, a souring of the dough may result. this souring can be prevented by kneading the dough thoroughly, as soon as it has risen well or doubled in bulk, or by putting it in a very hot oven to bake, when it has reached this stage. the yeast plant thrives in a heat of about the same temperature as our bodies. a little extra heat will only make it more active, but boiling temperature will kill it. cold makes yeast inactive, though it does not kill the plants. yeast develops in a natural state on hops and other plants. it is prepared for market in the form of dry or moist cakes. the latter must be kept very cold. for home use, a liquid yeast is often prepared from the dry cakes. this has the advantage of being more active. when the yeast has been added to a batter, it is spoken of as a sponge. when the batter has had enough flour added, so that it may be handled, it is called a dough. if the bread is to be made in a few hours, the yeast is made up at once into a dough. if it is to stand overnight, a sponge is often made first. more yeast is required for quick rising. in ordinary circumstances, one yeast cake is sufficient for one quart of liquid. thorough kneading and baking are both essential to the success of the bread. preliminary plan arrange to have the class meet the afternoon before, in order to begin the process by making the sponge, and to come early in the morning to care for the dough. begin the study of flour, yeast, and bread in a previous class period, correlating the work with geography, nature study, or some other subject. either white or whole-wheat flour may be used for the breads. recipes _bread_ (prepared with dry yeast) dry yeast cake c. warm water c. flour qt. water or milk (scalded) flour enough to make a soft dough tsp. salt tbsp. sugar tbsp. lard or butter at noon put a dry yeast cake to soak in a cup of warm water. when it is soft, add a cup of flour, cover, and put in a warm place to grow light. this will require several hours. in the evening, when ready to begin the dough, mix the salt, sugar, fat, and hot liquid in a large bowl; when lukewarm, add the cup of light yeast and enough flour to knead (about three quarts). mix thoroughly and knead it into a smooth dough, and continue this process until it is soft and elastic. return the dough to the bowl, moisten, cover, and set in a moderately warm place for the night. be sure that the place is free from draughts. in the morning knead slightly; divide into loaves or shape in rolls; put into pans for baking; cover, and let it rise until double in bulk. bake large loaves from to minutes. rolls will bake in from to minutes, for they require a hotter oven. it is of the utmost importance that all yeast breads be thoroughly cooked. (makes loaves.) (time required for making bread with dry yeast, from to hours.) _bread_ (prepared with compressed yeast) c. milk or water (scalded) tsp. salt tsp. sugar tbsp. lard or butter / cake compressed yeast ( cake if set in morning) / c. water (lukewarm) flour, white or whole wheat put the hot water or milk, salt, sugar, and fat in a bowl; when lukewarm, and the yeast softened in the lukewarm water, then the flour gradually and, when stiff enough to handle, turn the dough out on a floured board and knead until soft and elastic ( minutes). return the dough to the bowl, moisten, cover, and let it rise in a warm place until double in bulk; then knead slightly, divide into loaves or shape into rolls, cover, and let rise in the pan in which they are to be baked until double in bulk, and bake from to minutes. (makes loaves.) (time required for making bread, if one cake of compressed yeast is used, hours.) method of work if the class is large, prepare two or three bowls of sponge, so that all can have some practice in stirring and kneading. do not make too large a quantity of bread to bake in the oven, unless arrangements can be made to do some of the baking at the home of one of the pupils. use the bread for the school lunch or divide it among the class to take home. plan a bread contest, so that each pupil will be interested in making bread at home. lesson xix: serving a simple dinner without meat--baked omelet--macaroni and cheese preliminary plan and method of work at some previous time the teacher should discuss with the pupils the plans for the dinner. it may be well to let them invite the members of the school board or others interested in their work to partake of the dinner. they should decide on the menu, with the help and suggestions of the teacher, and should choose foods that they can bring from their homes. the main course should consist of such a vegetable dish as baked beans, an omelet, or macaroni with white sauce and grated cheese. to accompany this there should be potatoes and a fresh green vegetable, such as spinach or cabbage, and a hot bread. a simple dessert which the pupils know how to make should be chosen. one duty should be assigned to each pupil, and she should be entirely responsible for that portion of the dinner. the teacher should supervise all the work carefully. instructions for making the menu cards may be given in a drawing lesson. recipes _baked omelet_ tbsp. butter tbsp. flour / tsp. salt c. milk, heated eggs tsp. fat pepper melt the butter, add the flour and seasonings, mix thoroughly, then add the hot milk slowly. separate the eggs, beat the yolks, and add the white sauce to them. beat the whites until stiff and cut and fold them carefully into the yolk mixture, so that the lightness is all retained. turn into a greased baking-dish and bake in a moderate oven from to minutes. serve hot. serves six. _macaroni and cheese_ c. macaroni, noodles, or rice tbsp. fat tbsp. flour / tsp. salt pepper - / c. milk c. grated cheese c. buttered bread crumbs (two tbsp. butter or other fat) break the macaroni into -inch pieces and cook it in a large amount of salted boiling water from to minutes. drain it well when tender and pour cold water through it. break up the bread crumbs and add two tablespoonfuls of melted butter to them. grate the cheese and make a white sauce of the fat, flour, seasonings, and milk. mix the cheese with the sauce, add the macaroni, and pour it into a buttered baking-dish. cover with the bread crumbs and bake or minutes, to brown the crumbs. serves eight. lesson xx: sugar _food value and cooking. the use of peanuts in candy. peanut cookies, or peanut, molasses, or fudge candies, to be made for a special entertainment._ subject-matter sugar is valuable to the body as a source of heat and energy. while it is easy of digestion, it is very irritating to the body if taken in large quantities and, on this account, it should be taken in small quantities and preferably at meal time or with other food. two or three pieces of candy taken at the end of the meal will not be hurtful, but when eaten habitually between meals, it is sure to produce harmful effects. sugar is present in many fruits and in most vegetables. milk contains a large percentage of sugar. in preparing foods to which the addition of sugar seems desirable, care should be taken not to add it in large quantities. preliminary plan as it is desirable to have a discussion regarding sugar and its value to the body, the preparation of cookies or candy for some school function or christmas party may be undertaken in conjunction with this lesson, which should be given at a time when it will mean most to the pupils. the work should be so planned that they will learn something of the principles of sugar cookery, as well as the specific recipes they are using. recipes _cookies_ c. fat c. sugar eggs / c. milk c. flour tsp. baking-powder tbsp. cinnamon / c. sugar cream the butter and add the sugar and well-beaten eggs. then add the milk alternately with the sifted dry flour (sifted with baking-powder). mix to the consistency of a soft dough, adding more milk if necessary. roll lightly, cut in shapes, and dip in the one-half cup of sugar and cinnamon that have been sifted together. place on buttered sheets and bake in a hot oven for about minutes. slip from the pan and lay on the cake cooler. to make a softer cookie, use only one-half cup of butter. (three to four dozen.) _peanut cookies_ tbsp. butter / c. sugar egg tsp. baking-powder / tsp. salt / c. flour tsp. milk / c. finely chopped peanuts / tsp. lemon juice doz. whole peanuts shelled cream the butter and add the sugar and the egg well beaten. add the milk and sifted dry ingredients, alternately, to the first mixture, then the peanuts and lemon juice. drop from a teaspoon on a baking sheet an inch apart and place / peanut on top of each. bake from to minutes in a moderate oven. (two and a half to three dozen.) _peanut brittle_ c. sugar c. peanuts in the shell stir the sugar over the heat, constantly, until it becomes a clear liquid. take at once from the heat, add the prepared peanuts, and pour on a warm, buttered tin. mark in squares and cool. serves ten. _molasses candy_ c. molasses / c. sugar tbsp. vinegar / tsp. soda tbsp. butter put the molasses, sugar, and butter into a thick sauce-pan or kettle and stir until the sugar is dissolved. boil until the mixture becomes brittle when tried in cold water. stir constantly at the last to prevent burning. add vinegar and soda just before removing from the fire. pour into a well-greased pan and let it stand until cool enough to handle. then pull until light and porous and cut in small pieces with scissors, arranging on buttered plates. serves sixteen to twenty. _fudge_ c. sugar c. milk tbsp. butter / c. nuts, broken up put the sugar and the milk in a sauce-pan and stir over the heat until the sugar is dissolved. add the butter and boil to the "soft ball" stage. take from the heat and beat until creamy. add the nuts and pour on buttered pans. when cool, cut in squares. serves sixteen to eighteen. method of work devote, if possible, a separate period to the discussion of the food value and cooking of sugar; then assign two recipes for the practical work, allowing the pupils to work in groups. assign only as much work as can be carefully supervised. do not undertake both the cookies and the candy. twenty lessons in sewing suggestions to the teacher the teacher should be familiar with the conditions in which the pupils live, should know how much money they can afford to pay for materials, what materials are available, what previous experience in hand work they have had, whether they can afford to have sewing-machines in their own homes, and to what extent they make their own clothes or buy them ready-made. the lessons should be planned to furnish hand training, to give pupils practical instruction in the care of their own clothes, and to provide an opportunity for preparing the apron for the cooking lessons. the lesson course should tend to develop habits of thrift, industry, and neatness. the pupils should be encouraged to learn to sew, both to improve their own home conditions and to give them suggestions as to a possible means of livelihood. if sewing-machines are available and are in use in the homes, it is well to have lessons given in machine sewing and to have the long seams run by machine. if the pupils cannot have sewing-machines in their own homes, the lessons given should be limited to sewing by hand. in some schools, it may be necessary to simplify the lessons; in others, an increased number of articles may be prepared in the time allotted. should the apron and cap not be needed for the cooking class, an undergarment (corset cover) may well be substituted.[a] [a] should the teacher feel that an apron or corset-cover is too large a piece for her pupils to undertake, and should she desire to have more time spent on the first ten lessons. lessons xi to xviii may be omitted, two periods each devoted to both lessons xix and xx, and three lessons used for the making of a simple needle-book or other small piece. for each lesson the teacher should have in mind a definite plan of procedure. the lesson should be opened with a brief and concrete class discussion of the new work that is to be taken up or the special stage that has been reached in work that is already under way. though individual instruction is necessary, it should not take the place of this general presentation of the subject-matter, which economizes time and develops the real thought content of the work. whenever possible, the teacher should endeavour to correlate this work with the other subjects on the curriculum. new stitches may be demonstrated on large pieces of scrim, with long darning-needles and coarse red or black yarn. the scrim should be pinned to the black-board with thumb tacks, and the stitches made large enough for all to see without difficulty. a variety of completed articles should be kept on hand, in order to show additional application of points brought out in the lesson. each class may be given the privilege of preparing one article to add to this collection, and a spirit of class pride and valuable team work may be thereby developed. during the lesson, posture, neatness, and order should be emphasized. application can be secured by making the problems of interest. care must be taken that none of the work demands unnecessary eye strain. each lesson should be closed in time to have one of the members of the class give a brief summary of the steps that have been covered. since the class period for sewing in the rural school will necessarily be brief, the pupils should be encouraged to continue their work at some other period. however, no work outside of the class period should be permitted until the pupil has mastered the stitch and can be trusted to do the work in the right way. the privilege of sewing may be made the reward for lessons quickly learned, home practice may be assigned, or the class may meet out of school hours. all outside practice must be carefully supervised, the pupil bringing her work to the teacher for frequent inspection. if it is possible to keep on hand a permanent equipment for sewing, the following should be provided for a class of twelve: approximate cost scissors, dozen $ . thimbles, dozen . tape-measures, dozen . emery, dozen . boxes for work, dozen . ------ $ . _note._--shoe or candy boxes may be used, but an effort should be made to have them uniform. the teacher who is to give lessons in sewing should secure a helpful elementary text-book or some bulletin that deals with the teaching of sewing. reference books. _school sewing, based on home problems._ burton, i. r. and m. g. vocational supply co., indianapolis $ . _handbook of elementary sewing._ flagg, e. p. little, brown & co., boston. (mcclelland, goodchild & stewart, toronto) . _constructive sewing, book i._ (paper) industrial book & equipment co., indianapolis . _school needlework._ hapgood, o. c. ginn & co., boston . _clothing and health._ kinne, h., and cooley, a. m. macmillan's, toronto . _handicraft for girls._ mcglauflin, i. manual arts press, peoria. ill. . _home and school sewing._ patton, f. newson & co., new york . _a sewing course._ woolman, m. s. frederick a. fernald, washington . _sewing._ department of education of ontario . lesson i: preparation for sewing _preparation and use of working equipment: needles, pins, thread, tape-measure, thimble, scissors, box for work. talk on cleanliness and neatness (care of hands, etc.). discussion of hemming. hems folded on sheets of paper._ subject-matter a hem is made by twice turning over the edge of a piece of cloth toward the worker, and then sewing it down. it is used to finish a narrow edge. in turning a narrow hem the first fold must not be so deep as the second, in order that the hem may lie smoothly. if the hem is a wide one, the first fold can be much narrower than the second. preliminary plan the teacher should have interested the pupils in the sewing lessons before the first meeting of the class, and each pupil should be asked to bring with her the box in which to keep her materials and such other equipment as is required. if the school is to furnish the equipment, the teacher should be sure that there is an adequate supply on hand. it will probably be necessary to have the towels to be used in the cooking classes hemmed, and the pupils should be interested in doing this work. if some of them wish to hem towels for use in their own homes, it may be desirable to allow them to do so. flour or meal sacks will answer. it may be well to have each pupil hem a towel for home use, as well as for school use, in order to impress upon her the desirability of having hemmed dish-towels for daily use. the towels may be planned during this lesson, and the pupils may arrange to bring the material from home, if they are to provide it; but it will be well for the teacher to have on hand material for one or two towels. plain paper will answer for the practice folding of the hem in the first lesson. method of work the teacher should devote a few minutes to a talk on cleanliness, emphasizing its importance, and the necessity for exercising care in handling the sewing materials. this should be followed by a discussion regarding the care of the hands and the condition in which they should be for the sewing lesson. each pupil should inspect her own hands and show them to the teacher. [illustration: _fig._ .--gauge] when all the pupils have their hands in a proper condition for sewing, the teacher should look over their supplies with them, give them suggestions as to how they are to keep these, and let them arrange their boxes. next, she should tell them what their first work is to be, show them the material for the towels, and discuss with them the best method of finishing the ends. (see lesson ii.) before turning the hem, the pupils should make a gauge from heavy paper, notched to indicate the depth of the hem. a few minutes should be devoted to practice in measuring and turning a hem of the desired depth on a sheet of paper. this should give practice in the double turning necessary--first, the narrow turn to dispose of the cut edge; second, the fold to finish the edge. when the lesson is finished, the boxes should be put away in systematic order, and all scraps should be carefully picked up from the desks and the floor. lesson ii: hemming towels _turning and basting hems. hemming towels of crash, sacking, or other material, for use in washing and drying dishes at home or in school._ [illustration: _fig._ .--even basting] subject-matter basting is used to hold two pieces of material together until a permanent stitch can be put in. it is done by taking long stitches (one-fourth inch) from right to left and parallel to the edges that are to be basted together. in starting, the thread is fastened with a knot; when completed, it is fastened by taking two or three stitches one over the other. preliminary plan the teacher should have the necessary materials on hand or should see that they are supplied by the pupils. the articles needed will include material for the towels, white thread for basting and hemming, and gauges for measuring. the teacher should also have a large square of unbleached cotton or canvas, by inches, and a large darning-needle and coloured worsted thread, to use for demonstration purposes. the canvas should be fastened to the black-board, where the class can see it easily. method of work as soon as the class is called, the supplies are at hand, and the hands are in a proper condition, the teacher should demonstrate the basting-stitch, with a large needle and thread, on the square of canvas that has been fastened on the wall. materials for work should be passed. each pupil should straighten the ends of her towel by drawing a thread. then she should turn and baste a hem three eighths of an inch in depth. at the close of the lesson, the pupils should fold their work carefully and put it neatly in their boxes. lesson iii: hemming towels--continued _the overhanding stitch and the hemming stitch._ subject-matter _overhanding_ (also called overseaming or top sewing).--the edges to be overhanded are held between the first finger and the thumb of the left hand, with the edge parallel to the first finger. the needle is inserted just below and perpendicular to the edge. the needle is pointed straight toward the worker. the stitches proceed from right to left, each stitch being taken a little to the left of the preceding stitch. the stitches should all be straight on the right side, but they will slant a little on the wrong side. they should not be deep. it may be desirable to use this overhanding stitch at the ends of hems, to hold the edges of the material together. the overhanding stitch is also used for seams, for patching, and for sewing on lace. [illustration: _fig._ .--overhanding] the overhanding of narrow hems is not always necessary, but the ends may be made stronger thereby, and the stitch is a valuable one for the pupils to know. [illustration: _fig._ .--hemming] _hemming._--the hemming-stitch is placed on the inside of the hem. the end of the basted hem is laid over the first and under the second finger of the left hand, with the folded edge outside and the material toward the worker. it is held in place with the thumb. the stitch is begun at the end of the hem. the fastening of the thread is concealed by slipping it underneath the hem in the inside fold of the material. the needle is pointed over the left shoulder, a small stitch is taken by inserting the needle through the material just below the hem, then through the folded edge. this is repeated, making the next stitch nearer the worker and moving the goods away from the worker as necessary. uniformity of slant, size, and spacing of the stitches is important. preliminary plan before this lesson is given, all the pupils should report to the teacher, having both ends of their towels basted, so that they will all be ready to proceed at once with the new stitches. method of work the teacher should begin by demonstrating on the large square of canvas with the large needle and heavy thread the stitches to be used. after overhanding the end of the hem, the hemming-stitch should follow with the same thread. the pupils will probably not be able to finish the hemming in this first lesson, so provision should be made for additional time. this can be required as an outside assignment, if the pupils have mastered the method during the class period. the teacher may also be able to give them some supervision while she is looking after other classes. lesson iv: bags _a school bag. bag (made of material obtainable) to hold sewing materials. measuring and straightening the material for the bag. basting the seams._ subject-matter the basting-stitch will be used as a review of work in the second lesson. preliminary plan some time before the lesson, the teacher should discuss with the pupils the kind of material they will be able to provide for their bags and, if the material has to be purchased, she should suggest something that is suitable, washable, and inexpensive. the bag should cost only a few cents. the dimensions of the finished bag should be about by inches. method of work the pupils should get out the materials they have brought and determine upon the size and shape of their bags. it will not be necessary to make them uniform. the teacher should help the pupils to use their material to the best advantage. it should be straightened, pulled in place, and measured carefully. when the bags have been cut out, the sides should be basted. lesson v: bags--continued _sewing up the seams with a running-stitch and a back-stitch._ subject-matter running is done by passing the needle in and out of the material at regular intervals. small, even stitches and spaces should follow consecutively on both sides of the material. the stitches should be much shorter than those used for basting, the length being determined largely by the kind of cloth used. when running is combined with a back-stitch, two or more running-stitches and one back-stitch are taken alternately. the back-stitch is a stitch taken backward on the upper side of the cloth, the needle being put back each time into the end of the last stitch and brought out the same distance beyond the last stitch. preliminary plan the teacher should be sure that all the pupils are ready to report, having the sides of their bags basted ready for stitching. method of work the teacher should first demonstrate the running-stitch with the back-stitch, and the pupils should begin to sew the sides of the bag, using this stitch. they should commence sewing three quarters of an inch from the top of the bag, so that there will be a space left for slits in the hem through which to run the cord.[a] the seams will doubtless have to be finished outside of the class hour, and may be assigned for completion before the next lesson. [illustration: _fig._ .--running-stitch with a back-stitch] [a] the draw-string, or cord, is to be run through the hem from the inside of the bag, and it will be necessary to leave three quarters of an inch of space at the ends of the seams, to provide slits as outlets for the cord. lesson vi: bags--continued _overcasting the seams and turning the hem at the top of the bag._ subject-matter overcasting is done by taking loose stitches over the raw edge of the cloth, to keep it from ravelling or fraying. preliminary plan the teacher should be sure that all the pupils are ready to report, having the sides of their bags neatly sewed with the running-stitch. [illustration: _fig._ .--overcasting] method of work the teacher should demonstrate the method of overcasting and explain its use. she should have the pupils trim the edges of their seams neatly and overcast them carefully. after the seams have been overcast, she should discuss the depth of the hem that the pupils expect to use and the method of turning and basting it. they should then measure, turn, pin, and baste the hems, using the gauge for determining the depth of the hem. if the bags are deep enough to admit of a heading at the top, a deep hem (about - / inches) can be made, and a running-stitch put in one-half inch (or more) above the edge of the hem, to provide a casing, or space, for the cord. if it is necessary to take a narrow hem, the hem itself can be made to answer as space for the cord; in this case the hem should be made about one-half inch deep. lesson vii: bags--continued _hemming the top of the bag and putting in a running-stitch to provide a space for the cord._ subject-matter review of the hemming-stitch and the running-stitch. preliminary plan the pupils, having the hems basted, should report to the teacher. method of work the teacher should review briefly the method of making the hemming-stitch and the running-stitch, asking the pupils to describe these stitches and to demonstrate them on the large square of canvas before the class. the basted hems should then be sewed with the hemming-stitch. after the hem is finished, the pupils should run a basting thread around the bag, to mark the location of the running-stitch, which is to be half an inch above the hem. they should measure for this carefully. if there is not time to do all the hemming in the class period, the hemming-stitch and the running-stitch (which is to provide space for the draw-string) should be assigned for outside work, and each pupil should bring in her finished hem at a designated time before the next class period. lesson viii: bags--continued _preparing a cord or other draw-string for the bag. putting a double draw-string in the bag, so that it can easily be drawn up. use of the bodkin._ [illustration: _fig._ .--bag nearly completed] subject-matter to make a cord, it is necessary to take more than four times as much cotton as the final length of the cord will require, for some of the length will be taken up in the twisting of the cord. it will be easier for two to work together in making a cord. the cord should be doubled, the two lengths twisted together firmly, and the ends brought together again and held in one hand, while the middle is taken in the other hand, and the lengths are allowed to twist firmly together. the ends should be tied, and the cord run into the bag with a bodkin or tape-needle. if one cord is run in from one side and another is run in from the other side, each cord running all the way around, the bag can be drawn up easily. [illustration: _fig._ .--bodkin] in place of the cord, narrow tape may be used. take two pieces of tape, each piece being twice as long as the width of the bag plus two inches. run one tape in from one side and a second from the other side, each tape running all the way around. join the tape ends in the following manner: . turn a narrow fold on one end of the tape to the _wrong_ side, and on the other end of the tape to the _right_ side. . slip one fold under the other and hem down the folded edges. preliminary plan if the pupils are not able to supply cords for their own bags, the teacher should have a sufficient supply of cord on hand. she should be sure the bags are in readiness for the cord before the class period. [illustration: _fig._ .--- completed bag] method of work the teacher should begin the lesson by describing the method of making the cord, estimating the amount necessary, and demonstrating the process with the assistance of one of the pupils. the pupils should be numbered, so that they may work in groups of two. after they have completed the cord and run it into the bag, methods of finishing the ends neatly should be suggested to them. lesson ix: darning stockings _use of a darning-ball or gourd as a substitute for a ball. talk on the care of the feet and the care of the stockings._ [illustration: _fig._ .--darning] subject-matter this lesson will involve running and weaving. darning is used to fill in a hole with thread, so as to supply the part that has been destroyed or to strengthen a place which shows signs of weakness. a darning-ball, a gourd, or a firm piece of cardboard should be placed under the hole. the darn should extend one quarter of an inch beyond the edge of the material, beginning with fine stitches in the material, making rows running close together in one direction, then crossing these threads with rows that run at a right angle to them. care should be taken alternately to pick up and drop the edge of the material around the hole, so that no raw edges will be visible, and to weave evenly in and out of the material and the cross threads. preliminary plan each pupil should provide a pair of stockings with a few small holes and a gourd or ball of some sort that she can use as a darning ball. method of work when the class meets, the teacher should discuss briefly the care of the feet and of the stockings, and demonstrate the method of darning, on a large piece of coarse material, with heavy yarn and a needle. if the pupils finish one darn during the lesson period, more darning should be assigned for practice out of class. lesson x: patching[a] _hemmed patches on cotton garments. talk on the care of the clothes._ subject-matter this lesson will involve measuring, trimming, basting, and hemming. a patch is a piece of cloth sewed on to a garment to restore the worn part. the material used for the patch should be as nearly like the original fabric in colour and quality as possible. in placing the patch, the condition of the material about the hole must be taken into consideration, as well as the size of the hole. the worn parts around the hole should be removed, and the hole cut square or oblong. the patch should be, on all four sides, an inch larger than the trimmed hole. the corners of the hole should be cut back diagonally, so that the edges may be turned under. the patch should be matched and pinned to the wrong side of the garment, leaving the edges to project evenly on all four sides. the edges of the material around the hole should be turned in and basted to the patch. the edges of the patch should be turned in so that they extend, when finished, one-half inch from the edge of the hole. the patch and the cloth should be basted together and hemmed. [a] used when special problem comes up. [illustration: _fig._ .--patching] preliminary plan the lesson on patching should be given at any time in the course when it can be applied to an immediate need. if a pupil tears her dress while playing at school, or if she wears a torn apron, the teacher can announce a patching lesson for the next sewing class, and request each pupil to bring a torn garment and the material for the patch from home. it may be desirable to use two or three periods for this lesson. method of work the teacher should demonstrate the process of patching on a large piece of cotton. the pupils should practise placing a patch on a piece of paper with a hole in it. each step should be assigned in succession--examination of the article to determine its condition, calculation of the size and preparation of the patch, placing the patch, trimming the article around the hole, basting the patch and material together, and hemming the patch. lesson xi: cutting out aprons or undergarments subject-matter when cutting out an apron, the length of the skirt should first be measured, and to this measure inches should be added for the hem and the seams. one length of the material corresponding to this length should be cut. this should be folded lengthwise through the middle. three quarters of an inch should be measured on this fold, and the material cut from the end of the selvage to this point, in order to slope the front of the apron. when the waist measure is taken, inches should be added to it ( for the lap and at each end, for finishing). this makes a strong piece at each end for the button and button-hole. two pieces of this length and - / inches wide should be cut lengthwise of the material for the belt. a measure should be made from the middle of the back of the waist line, over the shoulder, to a point inches to the right to the centre front and on the waist line. two pieces of the length of this measure and - / inches wide should be cut lengthwise of the material for the shoulder straps. a piece by inches should be cut for the bib, the longer distance lengthwise of the material. these measurements allow one quarter of an inch for seams. preliminary plan before the lesson the teacher should see if arrangements can be made to secure the use of one or two sewing-machines, so that the pupils may sew all the long seams by machine. at a previous lesson she should discuss the kinds of material suitable for the aprons. the pupils should consider whether their aprons shall be white or coloured, and whether they shall be of muslin, cambric, or gingham. each pupil will need from - / to yards of material, according to her size. the taller ones will need yards. [illustration: _fig._ .--cutting out skirt of apron] there should be on hand a sufficient number of tape-measures, pins, and scissors, so that the pupils may proceed with the cutting of their aprons without unnecessary delay. the apron to be made is to have a skirt, with a bib and shoulder straps, in order to be a protection to the dress, the skirt, and the waist.[a] [a] if the pupils are very inexperienced and find the sewing difficult, it may be advisable to omit the bib and straps and to make the simple full-skirted apron. if a machine is not at hand to use for the long seams, the limited time may make the simpler apron necessary. this will give more time for the various steps. lessons xiv and xv may then be omitted, lesson xvi made more simple, and less outside work may be required. method of work as soon as the class meets, the pupils should take the measurements for their aprons. one measurement should be assigned at a time, and the reason for each measurement should be given. the pupils should have explicit directions as to the measurements, as they are apt to become confused if the directions are not clear. they should work carefully, so that the material does not become crumpled or soiled and, at the conclusion of the lesson, they should fold it carefully and put it away neatly. all threads and scraps of material should be carefully picked off the floor and the desks, and the room left in order. lesson xii: aprons or undergarments--continued _basting the hem for hemming on the machine or by hand. uneven basting._ subject-matter an uneven basting forms the better guide for stitching. in uneven basting, the spaces are made about three times as long as the stitches. the stitch should be about one eighth of an inch and the space three eighths of an inch. preliminary plan in addition to the apron material which has been cut out in the previous lesson, each pupil should provide her own spool of thread (number sixty white thread will probably answer for all the work), a piece of cardboard inches wide for a gauge, and pins to use in fastening the hem. [illustration: _fig._ .--uneven basting] method of work as soon as the class meets, the pupils should prepare a -inch gauge, to guide them in turning the hems of the skirts of their aprons. they should make a half-inch notch in the measure for the first turn in the material. a half-inch edge should be turned up from the bottom of the skirt, then a -inch hem should be turned, pinned, and basted carefully with uneven basting. the gauge should be used for both measurements. lesson xiii: aprons or undergarments--continued _gathering the skirt and stitching to the belt._ subject-matter in gathering, a stitch much like running is employed. small stitches are taken up on the needle, with spaces twice as great between them. the top of the skirt should be divided into halves, and each half gathered with a long thread, fine stitches one quarter of an inch from the edge being used. the middle of the belt and the middle of the top of the skirt of the apron should be determined upon. the belt should be pinned to the wrong side of the apron at these points, and the fulness drawn up to fit (approximately one half of the waist measure). the skirt and the belt should be pinned, basted, and sewn together. [illustration: _fig._ .--gathering] preliminary plan if the hems have been completed in the skirts, the pupils are ready to gather the skirts and attach them to the belt. it will be well to have a supply of pins on hand, to use in fastening the skirt and belt together. method of work the teacher should first demonstrate the method of gathering and assign that portion of the lesson. when the skirts have all been gathered, she should show the pupils how to measure, pin, and baste the skirt to the belt. [illustration: _fig._ .--sewing on the belt of the apron] lesson xiv: aprons or undergarments--continued _making the bib._ subject-matter a -inch hem should be turned across one short end of the bib. this should be basted and hemmed. the bottom of the bib should be gathered, the method employed for the top of the skirt being used, and sufficient thread being left to adjust the gathers easily. preliminary plan if the pupils have completed the skirts and attached them to the belts, they are ready to make the bibs. they should be provided with a -inch marker, for use in making the hems in the top of the bibs. method of work the teacher should guide the pupils carefully in the making of the bibs, reviewing their knowledge of basting, hemming, and gathering. [illustration: _fig._ .--bib and straps of apron] lesson xv: aprons or undergarments--continued _making the straps._ subject-matter one end of one of the straps should be placed at the bottom of the bib. the edge of the strap should be pinned, basted, and sewed to the right side of the bib with a running-stitch. the other long edge of the strap should then be turned in one quarter of an inch and the side turned in one inch. the strap should then be folded through the middle for its entire length and the free side basted to the wrong side of the bib and hemmed. the remaining edges of the strap should be overhanded together. the other strap should be sewn to the other side of the bib in the same way. preliminary plan the bibs should have been completed before the pupils report for this lesson. method of work as soon as the pupils report for the lesson, the teacher should explain the method of attaching the straps to the bib and tell them how to finish the former. as they proceed with their work, she should supervise them carefully and assign the unfinished portion to be done out of class. lesson xvi: aprons or undergarments--continued _putting the bib and the skirt on the belt._ subject-matter the middle of the bottom of the bib should be determined, and pinned to the middle of the upper edge of the belt, to which the skirt has already been attached. the belt should be fastened to the wrong side of the bib. the gathering string of the bib should be drawn up, leaving inches of fulness on each side of the middle. the bib should be pinned, basted, and sewn to the belt. the remaining long edges of the belt should be turned in one quarter of an inch, and the ends one inch. the edges of the other belt piece should be turned in in the same way, and should be pinned over the belt to which the skirt and the bib have been attached (with all the edges turned in), and basted carefully, to keep the edges even. the skirt and the bib should be hemmed to this upper belt, and all the remaining edges should be overhanded. preliminary plan the bib and the straps of the apron should be completed before the pupils report for this lesson. method of work the teacher should guide the pupils carefully in the various steps necessary in fastening the bib to the belt and in completing the belt. if the hemming and overhanding is not completed during the class hour, they may be assigned as home work. lesson xvii: methods of fastening garments _sewing buttons on the aprons, corset-cover, or other garment._ subject-matter this lesson should teach neatness in dress, through a consideration of the best methods of fastening garments. the position of the button is measured by drawing the right end of the band one inch over the left end. the place for the button should be marked with a pin on the left end of the band. a double thread is fastened on the right side of the band, drawn through one hole of the button, and back through the other, and then taken through the band close to the first stitch. a pin should be inserted on top of the button under the first stitch, left there until the button is firmly fastened in place, and then removed. before the thread is fastened, it should be wrapped two or three times around the threads holding the button, between the button and the cloth, then fastened neatly on the wrong side with a few small stitches one on top of another. [illustration: _fig._ .--sewing on buttons] preliminary plan each pupil should come to the class with her apron as nearly completed as possible, and with three buttons to sew on it, for fastening the belt and straps. method of work the teacher should discuss the best methods of fastening garments and should demonstrate the method of sewing on buttons. the pupils should sew one button on the left end of the apron band in the middle of the width about inch from the end, and another button inches from each end of the band, to hold the shoulder straps. lesson xviii: methods of fastening garments--continued _button-holes on practice piece and on apron._ subject-matter directions for making the button-hole.--measure carefully the position for the button-hole, lengthwise of the band, so that the end will come one quarter of an inch from the edge of the garment. mark the length of the button-hole on the material by putting in two lines of running-stitches at the ends. to cut the button-hole, insert the point of the scissors at the point marked by the running-stitches nearest the edge of the garment, and cut carefully along the thread of the material to the row of stitches marking the length at the other end. [illustration: (_a_) starting the button-hole (_b_) the button-hole stitch (_c_) the finished button-hole _fig._ .--working button-holes] to make the button-hole, use a thread of sufficient length to do both the overcasting and the button-holing. beginning at the lower right corner, overcast the raw edges with stitches one sixteenth of an inch deep. do not overcast around the ends of the hole. as soon as the overcasting is done, proceed with the button-holing without breaking the thread. hold the button-hole horizontally over the first finger of the left hand and work from right to left. insert the point of the needle through the button-hole (at the back end), bringing the point through, toward you, four or five threads below the edge of the button-hole. bring the doubled thread from the eye of the needle from right to left under and around the point of the needle, draw the needle through, and pull the thread firmly, so that the purl is on the edge. at the end of the button-hole, near the end of the band, make a fan, by placing from five to seven stitches. the other end of the button-hole should be finished with a bar made by taking three stitches across the end of the button-hole, then button-hole over the bar, taking in the cloth underneath and pulling the purl toward the slit. the thread should be fastened carefully on the under side of the button-hole. preliminary plan for this lesson it is desirable to have small pieces of cotton on hand, to use as practice pieces for the button-holes. method of work the teacher should demonstrate the making of a button-hole, illustrating each step of the process on a large piece of canvas. the pupils should sew two small strips of cotton together and cut a button-hole one quarter of an inch from the edge, and lengthwise of the material, to work for practice. when the button-hole has been sufficiently perfected on the practice piece, the pupils should make three in the apron--one in the right end of the band and one in the end of each shoulder strap. lesson xix: a padded holder for handling hot dishes--binding subject-matter a holder inches square will be satisfactory for handling hot dishes. it can be made of quilted padding bound with tape, or of two thicknesses of outing flannel covered with percale or denim and bound with tape or braid. if made of the outing flannel and covered, it should be quilted, by stitching from the middle of one side to the middle of the opposite side in both directions, in order to hold the outing flannel and the outside covering together. the tape that is to be used for the binding should be folded through the middle lengthwise; then, a beginning being made at one corner of the padding, the edge should be basted, half on one side and half on the other. right-angled corners should be formed. when basted all around, the tape should be sewn on each side with a hemming-stitch. if the holder is to be suspended from the apron band, a tape of from inches to inches in length should be attached to one corner. the raw edge at one end of the tape should be turned in. the end should be so placed that it overlaps the corner of the holder about half an inch and it should be basted to the holder. the tape should then be secured firmly to the holder, hemmed down on one edge, across the bottom, and up the other edge. the other end of the tape should be finished with a -inch loop. the raw edge should be folded over, the tape turned inches down for the loop, and basted in place. this should be hemmed across the end. one quarter of an inch up from the end, the double thickness of tape should be back-stitched together, and the edges of the tape should be overhanded from there to the hemmed end. preliminary plan each pupil should provide sufficient denim, percale, huckaback, or other washable material to cover the two sides of a holder inches square, and enough outing or canton flannel for a double lining. about - / yards of straight tape one-half inch wide will be needed for the binding and for suspending the holder from the apron. [illustration: _fig._ .--the holder] method of work the pupils should first carefully measure and turn the material for the covering of the holder and then prepare the lining, basting it all together. they should then put in the running-stitch and finish with the binding. if it is not possible to complete the holder in one period, a second lesson period should be provided, or arrangements may be made to have supervised work done outside of the lesson hours. [illustration: _fig._ .--cap] lesson xx: a cap to wear with the cooking apron subject-matter the simplest cap to make will be the circular one. a pattern should be made by drawing with a pencil and string on a piece of wrapping-paper a circle inches in diameter. the material for the cap should be cut carefully around the circle and finished with a narrow hem. a tape to hold the draw-string should be placed - / inches inside the edge of the hem. a small piece of cardboard cut about one-half inch wide should be used for measuring the position of the tape. bias strips three quarters of an inch wide should be prepared for the tape, or a commercial tape three eighths of an inch wide may be purchased. the outer edge of the tape should be basted first and the edges joined; then the inner edges should be basted, the edge being kept smooth. both edges should be neatly sewn with the hemming-stitch by hand or on the machine. an elastic should be inserted in the band, carefully fitted to the head, and the ends fastened neatly. preliminary plan this lesson will give a good opportunity to make a cap that will answer for a dust cap or serve as a part of the cooking uniform. if such a cap does not seem desirable and the former lesson has not been completed, the cap may be omitted and the work on the holder continued. method of work the pupils should first make the pattern for the cap and then cut out their material. the hem should be basted and stitched with the hemming-stitch. the bias strip should be basted on and sewn with a running-stitch. it will probably not be possible for the pupils to complete the cap in one class period; but, if the material has been cut out and the work started, they may be able to complete it at some other time. the stitches are not new, and the work will serve as an excellent test of the skill they have acquired in the course. household science equipment the introduction of household science into rural schools has been hindered by the prevalent impression that the subject requires equipment similar to that in the household science centres of towns and cities, where provision is made for the instruction of twenty-four pupils at one time and for from ten to fifteen different classes each week. owing to the expense and the lack of accommodation, it is not possible to install such equipment in rural schools. for this and other reasons it has been concluded that the subject is beyond the possibilities of the rural school. that this is not the case is shown by the fact that many rural schools in the united states, and some in saskatchewan, as well as a number in our own province, are teaching the subject successfully, with equipment specially designed to meet existing conditions. the accommodations and equipment required may be classified as follows: . working tables . cupboards and cabinets for storing the utensils . stoves . cooking and serving utensils . the provision for working tables is conditioned by the space available, and every effort must be made to economize this space. the equipment may be placed in the basement or in a small ante-room. in one school in the province very successful work is being done in a large corridor. when a new school-house is being erected, provision should be made by building a small work-room off the class-room. the possibilities of a small, portable building, in close proximity to the school, should not be overlooked. [illustration: _fig._ .--working drawing of folding table] where the school is provided with a large table, this may be made of service. when used as a working table it should be covered with a sheet of white oil-cloth. when used as a dining-table a white table-cloth may be substituted for the oil-cloth. if the school does not possess a table, two or three boards may be placed on trestles, if the space at the front or the back of the room permits, and these may be stored away when not required. a table with folding legs, such as is shown in figures and , may also be used. the top of the cabinet containing the utensils or an ordinary kitchen table closed in as a cupboard underneath, may be made to serve. long boards, about eighteen inches wide, placed across the tops of six or eight desks, provide good accommodation. these should be blocked up level and should be provided with cleats at each end, in order to prevent movement. when not in use they may stand flat against the wall and occupy very little space. separate boards, resting on a desk at each end, may also be placed across the aisles. each of these will provide working space for one pupil. tables which drop down flat when not in use may be fixed to the walls of the school-room. as schools vary in many respects, it is not possible to outline a plan which will suit all; but that plan should be chosen which will best meet the requirements of the particular school. [illustration: _fig._ : folding table] [illustration: _fig._ --household science cabinet for rural schools] . the cupboards and cabinets to contain the utensils may take various forms. a kitchen cabinet costing from twenty-five to thirty-five dollars may be obtained from a furniture store, or one may be made by a local carpenter. a large packing-case painted brown outside and white inside (for cleanliness) is satisfactorily used in some schools. if covered with oil-cloth, the top of this may be used as an additional table. a few shelves placed across a corner of the room and covered with a door or curtain may be used, or it may be possible to devote one shelf of the school cupboard to the storing of the utensils. it is desirable to have a combination cupboard and table, which will contain most of the equipment, including the stove. figure is a working drawing of such a cabinet, which may be made by a local carpenter or by the older boys of the school. the directions for making this cabinet are as follows: obtain two boxes and cut or re-make them so that each is inches high when standing on end, - / inches across the front inside, and inches from front to back. these will form the two end sections, a and b. inside the sides of these boxes nail inch Ã� / inch strips, to form the slides for the drawer. the slides come within / of an inch of the front edge. rails may be nailed across the front. guide pieces should be nailed to the slides, in order to keep the drawers straight. divide section a for one drawer and cupboard. the drawers may be made out of raisin boxes cut down to the required size. to the front of each drawer, nail a piece of beaver board or pine a little larger than the drawer front. use any handles that may be conveniently obtained. cut two pieces ' - / " Ã� - / " Ã� / ". space the sections as shown, and nail these pieces firmly to the fronts of the larger boxes, _a_ and _b_, top and bottom. four end pieces " Ã� - / " will be required. fill in section _c_, in this case, ' - / ", with the pieces from the box lids or with ordinary flooring. make a door for the cupboard from similar material. the top is best made from good, clear, white pine. screw battens across, and screw the whole firmly to the box top from the inside. if more table space is required, make a similar bench top, which can rest on top of the cabinet when not in use. when required, it may be placed over the desks. steel or glass shoes or wooden skids or battens should be fixed under the cabinet, so that it can be pulled away from the stove and replaced easily. the dimensions given are for a two-flame-burner oil-stove which is inches high, inches across the front, and inches from front to back. the middle section, _c_, and the total height of the cabinet may be enlarged or reduced to fit other sizes of stoves. [illustration: _fig._ .--cabinet, showing stove in position for use] [illustration: _fig._ .--cabinet, with stove behind centre partition when not in use] the material required for, and the approximate cost of, such a cabinet, labour not included, are as follows: boxes @ $ . raisin boxes @ . handles at c per doz. . cupboard latch . or turn button . about sq. ft. flooring . about sq. ft. pine for top . pieces for battens, etc. . steel shoes . [illustration: _fig._ .--space taken by equipment in class-room] figure shows another type of equipment and the space it occupies in the class-room when not in use. the cupboard and the back of the cabinet contain the equipment necessary for teaching twelve pupils at one time and also for serving one hot dish at the noon lunch to twenty-four pupils. one drawer contains linen, etc., and the other, knives, forks, and spoons. the dimensions of the cupboard and the cabinet are shown in figures and , and the construction of each is such that it can be made easily by any carpenter. [illustration: _fig._ .--working drawings of cupboard] [illustration: _fig._ .--working drawing of cabinet] [illustration: _fig._ .--cupboard with drawers and doors open, showing equipment] figure shows the cupboard and drawers open and the method of storing the equipment. the shelves may be covered with white oil-cloth or brown paper, in order to obviate the necessity for frequent scrubbing. the cupboard may be fixed to the wall with mirror plates or small iron brackets, or it may be screwed through the back. [illustration: _fig._ .--back of cabinet with equipment in place] [illustration: _fig._ .--back of cabinet with stove removed] figure shows the back of the cabinet, with the three-flame-burner stove-oven, the one-flame-burner stove, and other utensils in place. the folding table, previously described, rests on the top of the cabinet. figure shows the back of the cabinet with the stove and oven removed. the method of storing utensils and the construction of the cabinet are clearly shown. [illustration: _fig._ .--three-flame-burner oil-stove, with kettles and one-flame-burner oil-stove on shelf] [illustration: _fig._ .--household science equipment with drop-leaf table] figure shows the three-flame-burner oil-stove with the shelf underneath containing three kettles and the one-flame-burner oil-stove. another type of equipment is shown in figure . each end of the top of this cabinet drops down when the cupboard doors are closed, space being thus economized. the top of the table may be covered with oil-cloth or zinc carefully tacked down on the edges. the directions for making this cabinet are as follows: materials required lumber: pieces / " Ã� " Ã� ' yellow pine ceiling pieces " Ã� " Ã� ' yellow pine flooring piece " Ã� " Ã� ' } piece " Ã� " Ã� ' } no. common white pine piece / " Ã� " Ã� ' } white pine laths hardware: pairs - / " Ã� " butt hinges cupboard catches piece zinc ( " Ã� ") pieces zinc ( " Ã� ") drawer pull lb. d finishing nails lb. d finishing nails / lb. box " brads / lb. box - / " brads box tacks ft. stopper chain stock bill +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ |lumber |cut into |finished dimensions |use | | | the | | | | |following| | | | | pieces: | | | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | " Ã� " Ã� ' | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |top side rails | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |top end rail | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |frame posts | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |bottom side | | | | |rail | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |bottom end | | | | |rails | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |drop door | +------------- -----+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | pieces, " Ã� " Ã� | | |flooring | | ' flooring | | / " Ã� - / " Ã� - / "|(bottom) | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | pieces, " Ã� " Ã� | | |ceiling (ends | | ' yellow pine | | |and side) | |ceiling | | / " Ã� - / " Ã� - / "| | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | " Ã� " Ã� ' | | - " Ã� - / " Ã� | | | | | - / " |shelf | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |shelf | | | | - " Ã� - / " Ã� | | | | | - / |casing | | | | - " Ã� - / " Ã� | | | | | - / " |casing | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |drawer front | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | pieces, " Ã� " Ã� | | |top | | ' flooring | | / " Ã� - / " Ã� " | | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | pieces, " Ã� " Ã� | | |doors | | ' yellow pine | | | | |ceiling | | / " Ã� - / " Ã� - / "| | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | pieces, " Ã� " Ã� | | |swing tops | | ' flooring | | / " Ã� - / " Ã� " | | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | / " Ã� " Ã� ' | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |drawer slides | | | | - " Ã� " Ã� - / " |drawer back | | | | - " Ã� - / " Ã� | | | | | - / " |drawer bottom | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ | / " Ã� " Ã� ' | | - " Ã� - / " Ã� | | | | | - / " |partitions | | | | - " Ã� - / " Ã� " |partitions | +--------------------+---------+-----------------------+---------------+ tools rule lead-pencil saw hammer steel square plane / " chisel and screw-driver directions for making i cutting and squaring stock-- cut the stock only as needed, in the following order, and square up according to the directions previously given. . frame; rip the " Ã� " Ã� ' piece for the frame material . bottom . ends and sides . shelves . top . casing . doors . swing tops . miscellaneous pieces ii assembling-- frame: . check up the dimensions of the pieces squared up for the frame. . lay out and cut the lap joints in the top side rails and frame posts, as shown in the drawing. . nail the frame together. . test the corners of the frame with a steel try-square and brace it by nailing, temporarily, several strips diagonally across the corners. bottom: . cut seven pieces of flooring - / " long for the bottom and plane off the groove of one piece. . turn the frame upside down and nail this piece with the smooth edge projecting / " over the front side of the frame. nail the rest of the flooring so that each piece matches tightly. ends: . for the back, cut eleven pieces of ceiling - / " long. . plane off the groove edge of one piece of ceiling and nail it on the back of the frame even with the end. . nail the rest of the ceiling on the back. be sure that each joint matches tightly. [illustration: _fig._ .--frame of cabinet nailed together] shelves: . make four strips ( / " Ã� / " Ã� - / ") and nail two of them inside, across each end, " and " from the bottom. these strips hold the shelves. . from a " Ã� " piece cut two pieces - / " long; fit and nail them in for the upper shelf. . make the bottom shelf of two pieces, one - / " wide and the other " wide. when these boards are nailed in place, the shelf is narrow enough to allow the doors, with pockets on, to close. . make two strips; one - " Ã� " Ã� - / " and the other - " Ã� - / " Ã� - / ", and nail them to the top shelf for drawer guides. top: . cut eight pieces of flooring " long for the top. . plane off the groove of one piece and nail it on the top of the frame, so that the smooth edge and the ends project " over the front side and ends of the cabinet. . nail the rest of the flooring on for the top, being sure that each joint matches tightly. the last piece must also project " over the back side. casing: . nail the casing, which is - / " wide, on the front of the cabinet. doors: . make each door / " Ã� - / " Ã� - / " from five pieces of ceiling - / " long, held together by cleats at the top and bottom. . fit each door carefully, then hang them with butt hinges. fasten a cupboard catch on each door. drop door: . make the drop door - " Ã� - / " and hinge it with a pair of butt hinges. put on the stopper chain and catch. swing tops: the swing tops are each made from six pieces of flooring " long cleated together. [illustration: _fig_. .--working details] . plane off the groove edge of one piece and match them all together. . make the cleats / " Ã� " Ã� " and nail the top to them. (see the drawing for the position of the cleats.) . rip off the tongue edge and plane it so that the top is exactly " wide. . turn the cabinet upside down on the floor and fit the swing tops. hang them with a pair of butt hinges opposite the ends of the cleats. . make a t-brace with a nailed cross lap joint from two pieces, one being - " Ã� " Ã� ", the other - " Ã� " Ã� - / ". the long edge of the t and the leg must be bevelled - " on one side. fit and hang a t-brace with a pair of butt hinges on each side of the swing tops. . make two brace cleats and fasten them to the ends of the cabinet, so that the swing tops are held level and even with the top of the cabinet. putting zinc on the top: . unscrew the swing tops from the cabinet to put the zinc on. . place the piece of zinc, " Ã� ", on top, extending - / " over the edges all around. . hold the zinc firmly in place and make a square bend along the front edge with a hammer or mallet, bending the edge of the zinc up under the top. . punch a straight row of holes " apart through the zinc and tack it on. . bend the back edge, punch and tack in the same manner as the front edge, but be sure the zinc fits snugly on the top. . bend the ends of the zinc the same as before, but be very careful to fold the corners neatly. . put the zinc on the swing tops in the same manner. . fasten the swing tops again to the top of the cabinet. [illustration: _fig._ .--working details] drawer: the drawer front, - " Ã� " Ã� - / ", with lap / " Ã� / " cut out on the ends. . nail the sides, / " Ã� " Ã� - / ", to the lap of the front and to the ends of the back. . nail the bottom in between the sides / " from the lower edge. this allows the drawer to slide on the edges of the sides. . put the partitions in the drawer as called for by this plan. the racks for covers and pie tins shown in the drawings are made from two pieces, - " Ã� " Ã� ", one piece - " Ã� " Ã� - / " for the bottom, and two pieces of lath " long for the sides. these racks may be placed on the doors as shown, or may be changed to suit the equipment. iii finishing-- . set all the nails and putty the holes. . sandpaper the cabinet carefully. . paint or stain and wax the outside of the cabinet, to harmonize with the surroundings where it is to be used. . paint the inside with two coats of white enamel. [illustration: _fig._ .--cabinet completed] before putting on the enamel, apply a coat of ordinary white-lead paint and allow it to dry thoroughly. if desired, the outside of the cabinet may be finished in white enamel, though this is somewhat more expensive than the paint or stain recommended above. all the household science cabinets shown have a two-fold purpose. in the first place, they furnish storage space for the utensils and working space for the pupils. in the second place, they offer a most interesting manual training project for a boys' club. the members can make any one of them, thus correlating their practical woodwork and the domestic science of the girls and, in this way, exhibiting the co-operative spirit of the home and the school. . in some cases it may be possible to use the school stove for cooking purposes. some schools use natural gas for heating and, where this is the case, provision for cooking may readily be made. other schools situated on a hydro-electric line, may, as has been done in one case, use electricity as a source of heat. at present, however, the majority of schools may find it best to use one of the many oil-stoves now on the market. one-, two-, or three-flame-burner stoves may be obtained for general use. the two-, or three-flame-burner stoves are recommended, as they are less likely to be overturned. the one-flame-burner stove, however, is often useful as an additional provision. a good grade of oil should be used, and the stove should be kept scrupulously clean, constant attention being paid to the condition of the wick. any oil spilt on the stove when it is being filled should be carefully wiped off before lighting. if attention is paid to these details, the stove will burn without any perceptible odour. . the number of the utensils and the amount of equipment depend upon the community and the number of pupils to be considered. by careful planning few utensils are needed. they should be as good as the people of the neighbourhood can afford and, in general, should be of the same character as those used in the homes of the district. all the table-cloths, towels, dish-cloths, etc., required should be hemmed by the pupils. articles for storing supplies may be bought or donated. glass canisters with close lids are best, but as substitutes, fruit jars, jelly glasses, or tin cans will serve the purpose. it is an easy matter to secure an empty lard-bucket or a syrup-can for flour or meal, empty coffee-cans for sugar or starch, etc., and baking-powder or cocoa-tins for spices. each should be plainly labelled. several typical lists of equipment in household science are given here. these may be modified to suit particular circumstances. considerable expense may be saved if the pupils bring their own individual equipment--soup-bowl, cup and saucer, plate, spoon, knife, fork, and paper napkins. this plan is not advised unless it is absolutely necessary, but, if followed, an effort should be made to have the articles as uniform as possible. the following equipment is that contained in the cabinet illustrated on page and is sufficient for giving organized instruction to six pupils. if a noon lunch is provided, additional individual equipment will be required. equipment for rural school household science cabinet--no. perfection blue-flame stove (two-flame) $ . two-burner oven . coal-oil can . dish-pan . tea-kettle . large sauce-pan and cover . medium sauce-pans and covers, c each . small sauce-pans and covers, c each . frying-pans, c ea. . pudding bake-dishes, c ea. . muffin pans ( rings, each c) . soap-dish . small mixing bowls, c ea. . pitchers, c ea. . casseroles, c, c, c . measuring cups, c ea. . custard cups, c doz. . white plates, $ . doz. . supply jars, c doz. . vegetable brushes, c ea. . grater . egg-beaters, c ea. . forks . teaspoons . tablespoons, $ . doz. . vegetable knives, c ea. . case knives, $ . doz. . strainers, c ea. . spatula . bread knife . can-opener . french knife . water pails, $ . ea. . dish-towels, c ea. . dish-cloths, c ea. . rinsing cloths, c ea. . yd. oil-cloth . yards cheesecloth . equipment for rural school household science cabinet--no. ii the equipment included in the cabinet and cupboard shown in figure , page , is as follows: for six pupils cupboard $ . cabinet table . three-burner oil-stove . portable oven . storage tin . dish-pans . draining pans . scrub basins . soap-dishes . pail . pails . dippers . tea-kettles . kneading boards . rolling-pins . oil-can . stove mitt . dust-pan . whisk . scrub-brushes . vegetable brushes . stew pans . sauce-pans . frying-pans . strainers . pie plates . measuring cups (tin) . measuring cup (glass) . double boiler . baking-dishes . cake tins . toasters . tea-pot . coffee-pot . pitcher ( quarts) . " ( pint) . bowls . custard cups . butter crock . covered pail ( pint) . trays . grater . potato masher . can-opener . french knife . bread " . egg-beaters . dover egg-beater . wooden spoons . paring knives . for eight pupils cupboard $ . cabinet table . collapsible table . three-burner oil-stove . one-burner oil-stove . portable oven . storage tin . dish-pans . draining pans . scrub basins . soap-dishes . pail . pails . dippers . tea-kettles . kneading boards . rolling-pins . oil-can . stove mitt . dust-pan . whisk . scrub brushes . vegetable brushes . stew-pans . sauce-pans . frying-pans . strainers . pie plates . measuring cups (tin) . measuring cup (glass) . double boiler . baking-dishes . cake tins . toasters . tea-pot . coffee-pot . pitchers ( quarts) . pitcher ( quart) . bowls . custard cups . butter crock . covered pail ( pint) . trays . grater . potato masher . can-opener . french knife . bread " . egg-beaters . dover egg-beater . wooden spoons . paring knives . for twelve pupils cupboard $ . cabinet table . collapsible table . three-burner oil-stoves . portable oven . storage tin . dish-pans . draining-pans . scrub basins . soap-dishes . pail . pails . dippers . tea-kettles . kneading boards . rolling-pins . oil-can . stove mitts . dust-pan . whisk . scrub brushes . vegetable brushes . stew pans . sauce-pans . frying-pans . strainers . pie plates . measuring cups (tin) . measuring cup (glass) . double boiler . baking-dishes . cake tins . toasters . tea-pot . coffee-pot . pitchers ( qt.) . " ( qt.) . bowls . custard cups . butter crock . covered pail ( pt.) . trays . grater . potato masher . can-opener . french knife . bread " . egg-beaters . dover egg-beaters . wooden spoons . paring knives . in the equipment for twelve pupils, three one-burner oil-stoves at $ . each might be used in place of the second large stove. in this case extra provision must be made for storing the stoves when not in use, as the cabinet shown does not provide space for more than one large stove. care should be taken in using the one-burner stove to avoid upsetting it while it is in use. the equipment given above is generous, and reductions may be made if necessary. in any case it is not advisable that the whole equipment should be purchased at once; only sufficient to make a beginning should be secured, and further utensils may be added as the necessity for their use arises. if a hot dish is served at the noon lunch, as is most desirable, the following will be needed in addition, in order to serve twenty-four pupils: knives $ . forks . teaspoons . tablespoons . salt and pepper shakers . glasses . plates . plates (large) . cups and saucers . fruit and vegetable dishes . hectograph the hectograph is a device for making copies of written work. teachers whose schools have limited black-board space will find it of great service. recipes and other rules for work may be copied and distributed to the pupils, and thus kept in a permanent form. many other uses in connection with the general work of the school will suggest themselves. the following are the directions for making: soak - / ounces of white glue in three ounces of water until it is well softened. cook in a double boiler until the whole mass is smooth. remove from the fire and add six ounces of glycerine. mix well, re-heat, skim, and pour into a shallow pan or on a slate. prick the bubbles as soon as they show. allow the mixture to stand for twenty-four hours, and it is then ready for use. write the material to be copied, in hectograph ink, on a sheet of the same size as that on which the copy is to be made. write clearly and space carefully. wipe the hectograph with a damp cloth. lay a sheet of unglazed paper on the hectograph, rub it carefully, and take off at once. this removes any drops of water, but leaves the surface moist. lay the written side of the sheet on the hectograph and rub it carefully over its whole surface with a soft cloth, so that every particle of the writing comes in contact with the surface of the hectograph. leave it there for four or five minutes. lift one corner and peel off carefully. lay a plain sheet on the hectograph and rub as before. take off as before. if the copy is not clear, leave the next sheet on a little longer. when sufficient copies have been made, wash the hectograph with a wet cloth before putting it away. keep in a cool, dry place. the rural school lunch the best method of approach to household science in the rural school is through the medium of the hot noon-day lunch or the preparation of one or two hot dishes to supplement the lunch brought from home. owing to the fact that many pupils live far from the school, it is impossible for them to go home for the mid-day meal, and they are thus dependent upon lunches which they bring with them. very frequently the pupils are allowed to eat their lunches where and how they please, and the method chosen is conducive neither to comfort nor to health. in fine weather they do not wish to lose any time from their games, and so they eat their food while playing, or they bolt it, in order that they may get to their play more quickly. in severe weather they crowd round the steps or the stove and do not hesitate to scatter crumbs and crusts. in one case even a teacher has been seen holding a sandwich in one hand and writing on the black-board with the other. in many cases the lunch does not attract the pupil. it is often carried, without proper wrapping, in a tin pail, and it then absorbs the taste of the tin; again, it is often wrapped in a newspaper and is flavoured with printer's ink; occasionally, it is wrapped in cloth not too clean. conditions such as these are not fair to the pupils. they come a long way to school, often over poor roads; and it is necessary, for both their physical and their mental development, that they should receive adequate nourishment served as attractively as possible. many of the defects found among school children can be traced, to a greater or less extent, to lack of nutrition. the united states military draft shows that the number of those physically defective is from seven to twenty per cent. higher in rural districts than in towns and cities, and this difference is not peculiar to that country. may we not reasonably suppose that many of these defects are caused by mal-nutrition, and that this mal-nutrition is in part due to the poor noon-day lunch? as these defects hinder mental as well as physical development, the question of proper nutrition through the medium of the school lunch becomes an educational one. the box lunch with proper care in the selection of food, the packing of the lunch box, and rational methods of consumption, there is no reason why the box lunch should not be nourishing, attractive, and possess an educational value. it may be laid down as an axiom that every school lunch should be supervised by the teacher and hap-hazard methods of eating the lunch should be prohibited. those schools that are fortunate enough to possess a large table can approximate somewhat to the best home conditions, and have the table set in the proper manner, as shown in lesson vi, page . the pupils should sit round the table, at the head of which is the teacher, and the lunch may be made to partake of the nature of a family party. if rightly managed, the meal, even under the unusual difficulties presented in the rural school, may offer the most favourable opportunities to inculcate habits of cleanliness and neatness and to cultivate good manners. the pupils will learn something about the proper selection of food and the importance of thorough mastication. clean hands and faces and tidy hair should be insisted upon, and individual drinking cups should be encouraged. as a manual training exercise, each pupil may be taught to make his own drinking cup from heavy waxed paper. grace may be said by the older pupils in turn. the table should be made to look as attractive as possible. the pupils, in turn, might undertake to have the table-cloth washed at home or, in place of a linen cloth, a covering of white oil-cloth may be used. in some cases the school garden will be able to supply flowers or a growing plant for a centrepiece. three or four of the larger pupils, either boys or girls, may set the table in ten minutes, while the others are washing their hands and faces and tidying their hair. some such plan as this will add palatability and cheer to the monotony of the everyday cold and often unattractive lunch and will create a spirit of true and healthy sociability among the pupils. in schools that do not possess tables large enough to be used as suggested above, each pupil should be required to set one place at his own desk, as shown in the illustration on page . a paper napkin may be used for a table-cloth, if a small piece of white oil-cloth is not procurable. each pupil retains his place until all have finished; he should then dispose of the crumbs and leave his desk tidy. from twenty minutes to half an hour is generally found sufficient for the meal. there should be cheerful conversation and restrained laughter throughout the meal, and acts of courtesy and generosity should be encouraged. at seasons when there are no flies, and on days when the weather is favourable, it is a pleasant change to serve lunch out-of-doors. the lunch is provided by the home, but the teacher may give some useful lessons in household science by talks on the contents of the lunch box and the proper methods of packing the same, so that the food will keep in good condition until the time for its consumption arrives. it is the duty of the school authorities to provide a suitable storage place for the lunch boxes. these boxes should be kept free from dust or flies and in a place where the food will not freeze in winter. open shelves, so often seen, are not suitable and a properly ventilated cupboard in the school-room should be provided. contents of the lunch box the whole question of the box lunch presents a serious problem, when we consider the large number of children who must depend upon it for their noon-day meal. this meal should be so constituted as to make it a real meal and not a makeshift. the same principles which govern the preparation of the meal should govern the preparation of the lunch box. it is said that the school lunch should consist of "something starchy and something meaty, something fat and something fibrous, something sweet and something savoury". with so many varieties of breads, meats, cheese, jams, etc., innumerable kinds of sandwiches may be made. for example, there are brown, graham, rye, raisin, nut, and date breads, and equally many kinds of meat. such variety makes it quite unnecessary to have an egg sandwich or hard-boiled eggs in the lunch box each day. while eggs are very valuable in the diet, a lunch with hard-boiled eggs five times each week becomes monotonous, and the appetite of the consumer flags. with skill and thought one can make little scraps of meat or other "left-overs" into attractive sandwiches. ends of meat, ground and mixed with salad dressing or cream, make delicious sandwich fillings. sandwich making the bread should be cut evenly. the thickness of the slice should vary with the appetite of the consumer. the crust should not be removed. the butter should be creamed for spreading. both slices should be buttered, in order to prevent the absorption of the filling. the filling should be carefully placed between the slices. the sandwiches should be wrapped in waxed paper, to prevent drying. suggestions for sandwich filling . egg and ham: three eggs hard boiled and chopped fine or ground an equal amount of chopped or boiled ham salad dressing mix and spread. . raisin filling: one cup of raisins ground or chopped one half-cup of water one half-cup of sugar one tablespoonful of flour into the same quantity of vinegar juice and grated rind of one lemon cook in a double boiler until thick. . fig filling: remove the stems and chop the figs fine. add a small quantity of water. cook in a double boiler until a paste is formed. add a few drops of lemon juice. chopped peanuts may be added. . egg: chop a hard-cooked egg. mix with salad dressing or melted butter, to a spreading consistency. . equal parts of finely-cut nuts and grated cheese, with salad dressing . equal parts of grated cheese and chopped olives . sardines with lemon juice or a little dressing . chopped dates with a little cream. nuts may be added. . thinly sliced tomatoes (seasonal) . sliced cucumbers . marmalade. chopped nuts may be added. suggestions for planning in selecting the food the following suggestions may prove helpful: _protein_--sandwiches of fish, meat, egg, cheese, nuts, dish of cottage cheese for the older pupils, baked beans _carbohydrates_--bread, cake, cookies, jam, honey, dates, figs, raisins, prunes, candy _fats_--butter, cream, peanut-butter _mineral matter_--celery, lettuce, radish, tomatoes; fresh fruits _note._--when possible, a bottle of clean sweet milk should form part of every lunch. suggestions for desserts cup custards of various flavours cookies with nuts and fruits cakes--not too rich pies well made and with good filling candy--plain home-made preserves canned fruits fresh fruits as often as possible, a surprise should be included, generally in the form of a dessert of which the pupil is fond. a surprise adds to the pupil's pleasure in eating and, indirectly, aids digestion. packing the lunch box much of the attractiveness of a lunch depends upon the manner of packing. we must consider the fact that the foods must be packed together closely and must remain so packed for several hours. this makes careful packing a necessity. rules for packing . be sure that the box is absolutely clean. . line it with fresh paper every time it is used. . wrap each article of food in wax paper. . place in the box neatly, the food that is to be used last in the bottom of the box, unless it is easily crushed. . lay a neatly folded napkin on the top. equipment for packing lunch box waxed paper paper napkin cup or container with screw top drinking cup knife, fork, and spoon thermos bottle or jar for milk or other liquid the box itself should be of odourless material, permanent, and light in weight, admitting of safe means of ventilation. paper bags should never be used for food containers, as it is impossible to pack the lunch in them firmly and well and there is danger of their being torn or of insects or flies creeping into them. boxes of fibre, tin, basket weave, or other material, may be used. the box will require scrubbing, and should be frequently dried and aired well. many types of lunch boxes have compartments provided for the various kinds of food. waxed paper and paper napkins, or the somewhat heavier paper towels of much the same size, are very useful for packing lunches, and may be obtained at a low price, particularly if bought in large quantities. an extra napkin, either of paper or cloth, should be put in the basket, to be spread over the school desk when the lunch is eaten. napkins can be made out of cotton crepe at a cost of a very few cents each. the crepe may be bought by the yard and should be cut into squares and fringed. such napkins have the advantage of not needing to be ironed. paper cups, jelly tumblers with covers which can now be bought in several sizes, and bottles with screw tops, such as those in which candy and other foods are sold, may all be used for packing jellies, jams, honey, etc. the thermos bottle may be used for carrying milk, or, if this is too expensive, a glass jar with a tight cover may be substituted. if the thermos bottle is used, hot drinks may also be carried. serving a hot dish the serving of a hot lunch or of one hot dish need be neither an elaborate nor an expensive matter. many rural schools in the united states, some of them working under conditions worse than any of ours, are serving at least one hot dish to supplement the lunch brought from home. the advantages of this plan are: . it enables the pupils to do better work in the afternoon. . it adds interest to the school work and makes the pupils more ready to go to school in bad weather. . it gives some practical training and paves the way toward definite instruction in household science. . it gives a better balance to meals, and as compared with a cold lunch it aids digestion. . it teaches neatness. . it gives opportunity to teach table manners. . it strengthens the relationship between the home and the school. the method the teacher should have a meeting of the school trustees and of the mothers of the pupils and outline the method of procedure. it is only in this way that the co-operation of all can be secured, and without this co-operation there can be no success. this meeting should be addressed by the public school inspector; and after the consent of the parents and the trustees has been secured, the scheme may be put into operation. some thought will have to be given to the organization, in order that the plan may work smoothly. if properly organized, there need be little or no interruption to the ordinary routine of the school. the pupils, both boys and girls, should be arranged in groups, each group taking the work in turn. even the smallest pupils should be allowed to take part, as there are many duties which they can perform successfully. if each group is composed of five or six pupils, the work may be arranged as follows: two will prepare the dish, two will get the table or the desks ready (or each pupil may prepare his own desk), and the others will wash the dishes. the furnishing of supplies is a problem which each teacher will have to solve for herself, according to the conditions which exist in the community. supplies which can be stored are best purchased by the school trustees; while the mothers of the pupils should furnish the perishable articles, such as milk and butter. as often as possible, the pupils may be asked to bring various articles, such as a potato, an apple, a carrot, an egg, etc. these may be combined and prepared in quantities. the school garden should be relied upon to supply many vegetables in season, thus adding interest and life to both the garden work and the lunch. in some districts the neighbourhood is canvassed for subscriptions in order to provide funds to purchase supplies for the term lunches. some schools give a concert or entertainment in order to raise funds for this purpose, and in others all the supplies have been purchased by the school trustees. the pupils who are to prepare the hot dish may make the necessary preparations before school or at recess, and they must so time the cooking that the dish will be ready when required. they should be allowed to leave their desks during school hours to give it attention if necessary. in schools where this method is adopted, it has been found that the privilege has never been abused, nor have the other pupils been less attentive on account of it. however, most of the recipes suggested later require little or no attention while cooking. at twelve o'clock the assigned pupils get the dish ready for serving and set the table. the others wash their hands, tidy their hair, and get their lunch boxes. all pass to their places. the pupils who have prepared the dish may serve it, using trays to carry each pupil's supply, or the pupils may pass in line before the serving table and to their places, time being thus saved. when the meal is finished, the pupils rise and bring their dishes to the serving table and stack them with the other dishes. two remain behind to clear up and wash the dishes, while the others go to play. if the desks are used, each pupil is responsible for leaving his own desk clean. the pupils may be required to keep an account of the cost of the food and to calculate the cost per head per day or per week. a schedule of the market prices of food should be posted in a conspicuous place, and the pupils may take turns in keeping these prices up to date. a separate black-board may be used for this purpose. the dish chosen should be as simple as possible--a vegetable or cream soup, cocoa, baked potatoes, baked apples, white sauce with potatoes or other vegetables, apple sauce, rice pudding, etc. it may be well, in some cases, to have plans made on friday for the following week. as a rule, each day a little before or after four o'clock, the recipe for the following day should be discussed, the quantities worked out to suit the number of pupils, and the supplies arranged for. the element of surprise should be made use of occasionally, the pupils not being allowed to know the dish until they take their places. suggested menus the following are some suggested menus in which the food brought from home is supplemented by one hot dish. (the name of the hot dish is printed in italics.) . _potato soup_, meat sandwiches, orange, sponge cake . _cream of tomato soup_, bread and butter sandwiches, stuffed egg, pear, oatmeal cookies . _apple cooked with bacon_, bread and butter sandwiches, gingerbread, milk . _cocoa_, date sandwiches, celery, graham crackers, apple . _stewed apples_, egg sandwiches, plain cake, prunes stuffed with cottage cheese . _custard_, brown bread sandwiches, apple, raisins, sauce, molasses cookies . _baked beans_, bread and butter sandwiches, fruit, sauce, molasses cookies suggestions for hot dishes for four weeks _first week_ _second week_ monday potato soup rice and milk tuesday cocoa tomato soup wednesday coddled eggs egg broth thursday creamed potatoes chocolate custard friday soft custard rice and tomato _third week_ _fourth week_ monday macaroni and cheese rice soup tuesday creamed eggs cocoa wednesday cheese soup boiled rice and milk thursday apple sauce soft-cooked eggs friday cheese wheat pudding _first week_ _second week_ monday rice soup macaroni and cheese tuesday cocoa apple sauce wednesday baked apples shirred eggs thursday custard cheese soup friday baked eggs apple custard _third week_ _fourth week_ monday potato soup rice and tomato tuesday tapioca cream apple custard wednesday cocoa tomato soup thursday creamed potatoes cracker pudding friday soft custard cocoa recipes suitable for the rural school lunch all the recipes given have been used with success in preparing rural school lunches. the number that the recipe will serve is generally stated and, where this number does not coincide with the number of pupils in any particular school, the quantities required may be obtained by division or multiplication. the recipes given in the lessons on cooking may also be used in preparing the school lunch, as each recipe states the number it will serve. _white sauce_ c. milk tbsp. flour / tbsp. butter / tsp. salt / tsp. white pepper reserve one quarter of the milk and scald the remainder in a double boiler. mix the flour to a smooth paste with an equal quantity of the cold milk and thin it with the remainder. stir this gradually into the hot milk and keep stirring until it thickens. add the butter, salt, and pepper, and cover closely until required, stirring occasionally. this recipe makes a sauce of medium consistency. to make a thick white sauce, use or tablespoonfuls of flour to one cup of milk. _cocoa_ tbsp. ( tsp.) cocoa tbsp. ( tsp.) sugar c. milk c. boiling water / tsp. salt scald the milk in a double boiler. mix the cocoa, sugar, and salt, then stir in the boiling water and boil for minutes. add this mixture to the scalded milk. if a scum forms, beat with a dover egg-beater for one minute. the preparation should begin at half-past eleven, to have the cocoa ready at twelve o'clock. (will serve eighteen.) _potato soup_ qt. peeled potatoes cut in thin slices qt. milk tsp. salt tsp. butter tbsp. flour / tsp. black pepper small onion / tsp. celery seed or a stock of celery before the opening of school, the potatoes should be pared and put into cold water; and the butter, flour, salt, and pepper should be thoroughly mixed. at eleven o'clock, the potatoes, onion, and celery should be put on to boil gently and the milk put into a double boiler to heat. when the vegetables are tender, they should be strained with the cooking liquid into the hot milk and the mixture bound with the flour. the soup should be closely covered until required. (will serve ten.) _cream of pea soup_ can peas or qt. fresh peas pt. milk tbsp. butter tbsp. flour tsp. salt / tsp. pepper heat the peas in their own water, or cook them in boiling salted water until tender. put the milk to heat in a double boiler. when the peas are tender, rub them, with the cooking liquid, through a strainer into the scalded milk. add the butter and flour rubbed to a smooth paste and stir until thickened. season and cover until required. (will serve six pupils generously.) _cream of tomato soup_ pt. or can tomatoes tbsp. butter tbsp. flour tsp. sugar qt. milk sprig of parsley / tsp. white pepper / tsp. soda tsp. salt cook the tomatoes slowly with the seasonings for ten minutes and rub through a strainer. scald the milk, thicken with the flour and butter rubbed to a paste, re-heat the tomatoes, and add the soda, mix with the milk, and serve at once. (will serve six pupils generously.) _cream of corn soup_ pt. cans corn pt. cold water slices onion qt. of thin white sauce seasonings the process is that used in making cream of pea soup. when making the thin white sauce, place the onion in the milk and leave it until the milk is scalded. then remove the onion to the other mixture and make the sauce. this gives sufficient onion flavour. (will serve eighteen.) _lima-bean soup_ c. lima beans qt. water whole cloves bay leaf tsp. salt tbsp. butter tbsp. flour tbsp. minced onion tbsp. " carrot tbsp. " celery / tsp. pepper soak the beans overnight in soft water or in hard water which has been boiled and cooled. if cold, hard water is used, add / tsp. baking-soda to qt. of water. in the morning, drain and put on to cook in qt. of water. simmer until tender. it takes hours. cook the minced vegetables in the butter for minutes, being careful not to brown them. drain out the vegetables and put them into the soup. put the flour and butter into a pan and stir until smooth. add this mixture to the soup. add the cloves, bay leaf, and seasonings, and simmer for hour. rub through a sieve. one cup of milk may be added. bring to the simmering point and serve. (will serve eighteen.) _note._--if desired, the vegetables may be used without browning and the cloves and bay leaf omitted. _milk and cheese soup_ c. milk tbsp. flour - / c. grated cheese salt and pepper to taste thicken the milk with flour, cooking thoroughly. this is best done in a double boiler, stirring occasionally. when ready to serve, add cheese and seasoning. (will serve six.) _cream of rice soup_ tbsp. rice c. milk tbsp. butter / small onion stalks celery / bay leaf salt and pepper to taste scald the milk, add the well-washed rice, and cook for minutes in a closely covered double boiler. melt the butter and cook the sliced onion and celery in it until tender, but not brown. add these, with the bay leaf, to the contents of the double boiler, cover, and let it stand on the back of the stove for minutes. strain, season with salt and pepper, re-heat, and serve. note that the bay leaf is added and allowed to stand, to increase the flavour, and may be omitted if desired. (will serve six.) _rice pudding_ c. rice c. water c. milk c. sugar eggs tsp. salt c. fruit (chopped raisins) if desired wash the rice in a strainer placed over a bowl of cold water, by rubbing the rice between the fingers. lift the strainer from the bowl and change the water. repeat until the water is clear. put the water in the upper part of a double boiler directly over the fire, and when it boils rapidly, gradually add the rice to it. boil rapidly for minutes, then add the milk, to which has been added the sugar, salt, and eggs slightly beaten. cover, place in the lower part of the double boiler, and cook until kernels are tender--from minutes to hour. if raisins are used, add them before putting the rice in the double boiler. serve with milk and sugar as desired. (will serve eighteen.) _rice pudding_ c. rice c. raisins tsp. salt qt. milk c. sugar tsp. cinnamon prepare the rice and raisins and put them, with the other ingredients, in a buttered pan. bake all forenoon, stirring occasionally during the first hour. serve with milk or cream. (will serve ten.) _cream of wheat_ - / c. cream of wheat c. boiling water - / tsp. salt - / c. dates (chopped) put the boiling water and salt in the upper part of the double boiler directly over the heat. when boiling, add the cereal slowly. stir constantly until the mixture thickens. add the dates and cook for minutes. place in the lower part of the double boiler and cook at least hour. serve with milk and sugar. (will serve eighteen.) _scrambled eggs_ eggs c. milk tbsp. butter tsp. salt pepper beat the eggs until the yolks and whites are well mixed. add the seasonings and milk. heat the frying-pan, melt the butter in it, and turn in the egg mixture. cook slowly, scraping the mixture from the bottom of the pan as it cooks. as soon as a jelly-like consistency is formed, remove at once to a hot dish or serve on toast. (will serve nine.) _creamed eggs_ hard-cooked eggs tbsp. butter c. milk tbsp. flour salt and pepper melt the butter, add the flour, and stir in the milk gradually. cook well and season with salt and pepper. cut hard-cooked eggs in small pieces and add them to the white sauce. it may be served on toast. (will serve six.) _egg broth_ eggs tbsp. sugar c. hot milk few grains salt vanilla or nutmeg beat the eggs and add the sugar and salt. stir in the hot milk gradually, so that the eggs will cook smoothly. flavour as desired. (will serve six.) _soft-cooked eggs_ wash the eggs and put in a sauce-pan, cover with boiling water, remove to the back of the stove or where the water will keep hot, but not boil. let them stand, covered, from to minutes, according to the consistency desired. _baked shirred eggs_ butter small earthen cups. break an egg in each and sprinkle with a few grains of salt and pepper and bits of butter. bake in a moderate oven until the white is set. for shirred eggs proceed as above, but to cook, place in a pan of hot water on the back of the stove, until the white is set. _creamed potatoes_ white sauce (medium consistency) tbsp. flour tbsp. butter - / c. milk salt and pepper make a white sauce of the butter, flour, milk, and seasonings. cut cold potatoes (about eight) into cubes or slices and heat in the sauce. serve hot. (will serve nine.) _mashed potatoes_ boil the potatoes, drain, and mash in the kettle in which they were boiled. when free from lumps, add to each cup of mashed potatoes: tsp. butter or more tbsp. hot milk / tsp. salt beat all together until light and creamy. re-heat, and pile lightly, without smoothing, in a hot dish. _baked potatoes_ use potatoes of medium size. scrub thoroughly in water with a brush. place in a pan in a hot oven. bake from to minutes. when done, roll in a clean napkin and twist until the skin is broken. serve immediately. (if no oven is available, place a wire rack on the top of the stove. put the potatoes on this rack and cover them with a large pan. when half cooked, turn.) _macaroni and cheese_ c. macaroni ( pieces) tsp. salt qt. boiling water c. white sauce (medium) cook the macaroni in boiling salted water until tender. drain, pour cold water over it, and drain it once more. put the macaroni into a baking dish, sprinkling a layer of grated cheese upon each layer of macaroni. pour in the sauce and sprinkle the top with cheese. cook until the sauce bubbles up through the cheese and the top is brown. to give variety, finely-minced ham, boiled codfish, or any cold meat may be used instead of the cheese. (will serve ten.) _cornstarch pudding_ qt. milk / c. cornstarch / tsp. salt / c. sugar vanilla scald the milk in a double boiler. mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt together. gradually add to the hot milk and stir constantly until it thickens. cover, cook for minutes, add vanilla, and pour into cold, wet moulds. when set, turn out, and serve with milk and sugar. (will serve nine.) _apple sauce_ tart apples / c. water whole cloves (if desired) / c. sugar piece of lemon rind (if desired) wipe, pare, quarter, and core the apples. put the water, apples, lemon rind, and cloves into a sauce-pan. cook covered until the apples are tender, but not broken. remove the lemon peel and cloves. add the sugar a few minutes before taking from the fire. the apples may be mashed or put through a strainer. (will serve nine.) _note._--the lemon and the cloves may be used when the apples have lost their flavour. _stewed prunes or other dried fruit--apricots, apples, pears_ / lb. fruit (about) - / pt. of water / c. sugar or slices lemon or a few cloves and a piece of cinnamon stick wash the fruit thoroughly and soak overnight. cook in the water in which it was soaked. cover, and simmer until tender. when nearly cooked, add sugar and lemon juice. the cloves and cinnamon should cook with the fruit. all flavourings may be omitted, if desired. (will serve nine.) _soft custard_ c. milk tbsp. sugar eggs / tsp. vanilla a few grains of salt scald the milk in a double boiler. add the sugar and salt to the eggs and beat until well mixed. stir the hot milk slowly into the egg mixture and return to the double boiler. cook, stirring constantly, until the spoon, when lifted from the mixture, is coated. remove immediately from the heat, add vanilla, and pour into a cold bowl. to avoid too rapid cooking, lift the upper from the lower portion of the boiler occasionally. (will serve six.) _tapioca custard pudding_ c. scalded milk eggs slightly beaten tbsp. butter tbsp. pearl, or minute, tapioca tbsp. sugar a few grains of salt minute tapioca requires no soaking. soak the pearl tapioca one hour in enough cold water to cover it. drain, add to the milk, and cook in a double boiler for minutes. add to remaining ingredients, pour into buttered baking-dish, and bake for about minutes in a slow oven. (will serve eight.) _rice and tomato_ c. cooked rice tbsp. butter tbsp. flour c. unstrained or c. strained tomato slice of onion minced salt and pepper cook the onion with the tomato until soft. melt the butter, and add the flour, salt, and pepper. strain the tomato, stir the liquid into the butter and flour mixture, and cook until thick and smooth. add the rice, heat, and serve. (will serve six.) _cracker pudding_ soda crackers c. milk eggs tbsp. sugar / tsp. salt roll the crackers and soak them in milk. beat the yolks and sugar well together and add to the first mixture, with some salt. make a meringue with white of eggs, pile lightly on top, and put in the oven till it is a golden brown. serve hot. (will serve six.) _note._--dried bread crumbs may be used in place of the crackers. _candied fruit peel_ the candied peel of oranges, lemons, grapefruit, and other fruits makes a good sweet which is economical, because it utilizes materials which might otherwise be thrown away. its preparation makes an interesting school exercise. the skins can be kept in good condition for a long time in salt water, which makes it possible to wait until a large supply is on hand before candying them. they should be washed in clear water, after removing from the salt water, boiled until tender, cut into small pieces, and then boiled in a thick sugar syrup until they are transparent. they should then be lifted from the syrup and allowed to cool in such a way that the superfluous syrup will run off. finally, they should be rolled in pulverized or granulated sugar. a large number of recipes have been given, in order that a selection may be made according to season, community conditions, and market prices, and so that sufficient variety may be secured from day to day. attention given to this matter will be well repaid by the improved health of the pupils, the greater interest taken in the school by the parents, and the better afternoon work accomplished. it has been well said: "the school lunch is not a departure from the principle of the obligation assumed by educational authorities toward the child, but an intensive application of the measures adopted for the physical nurture of the child, to the end of securing in adult years the highest efficiency of the citizen". useful bulletins _the rural school luncheon_: department of education, saskatchewan _the box luncheon_: new york state college of agriculture, cornell university _hints to housewives_: issued by mayor mitchell's food supply committee, new york city _home economics in village and rural schools_: kansas state agricultural college _home-made fireless cookers and their use_: farmers' bulletin, united states department of agriculture _hot lunches for rural schools_: parts i and ii, iowa state college of agriculture and mechanic arts _rural school lunches_: university of idaho, agricultural extension department _the rural school lunch_: university of illinois college of agriculture _the school luncheon_: oregon agricultural college household science without school equipment there is no school so unhappily situated or so poorly equipped that it is unable to teach effectively the lessons previously outlined in the "care of the home" and "sewing". now that a grant in aid is provided by the department of education any rural school may procure one of the sets of equipment for cooking suggested or some modification thereof. as a stepping-stone to the provision of that equipment and as a means of educating the people of the district in regard to the advantages of teaching this branch of household science, it may be advisable or even necessary, in some cases, to attempt practical work, even where no equipment is installed by the school authorities. it should be remembered that the present position of manual training and household science in urban schools is entirely owing to private initiative and demonstration, by which the people were shown how and why these subjects should be included in the curriculum of the schools. it is reasonable to suppose that the same results will follow if somewhat the same methods are tried in the case of the rural schools, which form such a large part of our educational system. two methods of giving instruction of this character have, in the united states, been followed by successful results. first method in the first of these, the teacher spends the last thirty or forty minutes, generally on friday afternoons, in the description and discussion of some practical cooking problem which may be performed in the homes of the pupils. before this plan is adopted, it should be discussed with the pupils who are to take the work. they should be required to promise that they will practise at home; and the consent and co-operation of the parents should be secured, as the success of this home work depends, in the first place, on the willingness of the pupil to accept responsibility, and, in the second place, on the honest and hearty co-operation of the parents. a meeting of the mothers should be called, in order that the plan may be laid before them and their suggestions received. at this meeting afternoon tea might be served. the teacher should plan the lessons, but occasionally, particularly at festive seasons, the pupils themselves should be allowed to decide what shall be made. when it is possible, the food prepared at home should be brought by the pupil to the school, in order that it may be compared with that made by other pupils and be judged by the teacher. in other cases, the mother might be asked to fill up a previously prepared form, certifying to the amount and character of the work done at home by the pupil each week. the instructions placed on the black-board should be clear and concise and give adequate information concerning materials, quantities, and methods. they should be arranged in such a way as to appeal to the eye and thus assist the memory. connected composition should not be attempted, but the matter should be arranged in a series of numbered steps, somewhat as follows: _recipe: boiled carrots_ carrots boiling water salt and pepper butter . scrub, scrape, and rinse the carrots. . cut them into pieces by dicing them. . place the pieces in a sauce-pan. . set over the fire and cover with boiling water. . cook until the pieces are soft at the centre when pierced with a fork. . serve in a hot vegetable dish. after being thoroughly explained, these directions are placed in a note-book, for the guidance of the pupil in her home practice. in some cases, the directions are placed on properly punched cards, so that at the end of the year every pupil will have a collection of useful recipes and plans, each one of which she understands and has worked out. in many lessons of this type demonstrations may be given by the teacher and, if the food cannot be cooked on the school stove, it may be taken home to be cooked by one of the pupils. lessons given according to this method, by which the theory is given in school and the practice acquired at home, need not be restricted to cookery. any of the lessons prescribed in the curriculum for form iii, junior, may be treated in the same way. lessons on the daily care of a bed-room, weekly sweeping, care and cleaning of metals, washing dishes, washing clothes, ironing a blouse and, in fact, on all subjects pertaining to the general care and management of the home, may be given in this way. each lesson should conclude with a carefully prepared black-board summary, which should be neatly copied into the note-books, to be periodically examined by the teacher. the black-board work of many teachers leaves much to be desired, and time spent in improving this will be well repaid. examples of summaries of the kind referred to are to be found in the ontario teachers' manual on _household management_. these instructions may be type-written or hectographed by the teacher and given to the pupils, thus saving the time spent in note-taking. second method the second of the plans referred to is a modification of what is known as the "crete" plan of household science, so called from the name of the place in nebraska, u.s.a., where it was first put into operation. by this plan, definite instruction is given in the home kitchens of certain women in the district, under the supervision of the educational authorities. it was adopted, at first, in connection with the high schools of the small towns in that state but, with certain modifications, it is suitable to our rural school conditions. in every community there are women who are known to be skilful in certain lines of cookery, and the plan makes use of such women for giving the required instruction. they become actually a part of the staff of the school, giving instruction in household science, and using the resources of their households as an integral part of the school equipment. in order to put this plan into operation, a meeting of women interested in the school should be called and if, after the plan has been laid before them and fully discussed, enough women are willing to open their homes and act as instructors, then it is safe to proceed. the subjects should be divided, and a scheme somewhat as follows may be arranged: mrs. a. bread and biscuits mrs. b. pies and cakes mrs. c. canning and preserving mrs. d. gems and corn bread mrs. e. desserts and salads mrs. f. cookies and doughnuts mrs. g. vegetables. six has been found a convenient number for a class, though ten is better, if the homes can accommodate that number. half-past three is a good time for the classes to meet, as they then may be concluded by five o'clock, thus leaving the housewife free to prepare her evening meal. the day of the week should be chosen to suit the convenience of the instructor. the classes may meet once a week. arriving at the home of the instructor at half-past three, the pupils are seated in the most convenient room, and the lesson is given. during this talk the pupils are given not only the recipe, but details as to materials, the preparation thereof, the degree of heat required, the common causes of failure and, in fact, everything that in the mind of a practical cook would be helpful to the class. notes are taken, and afterwards properly written out and examined by the teacher of the school. the instructors prepare the food for cooking, and sometimes, as in the case of rolls and so on, they cook the food in the presence of the pupils. when white bread is to be baked, the pupils are asked to call, a few minutes after school, at the home of the instructor, to watch the first step--setting the sponge--and again the next morning before school to see the next step--mixing the bread--and again, about half-past eleven or twelve, to see the bread ready for the oven and, finally, on the way back to school, to see the result--a fine loaf of well-cooked bread. the pupils try the recipe carefully in their own homes, not varying its terms until they are able to make the dish successfully. when they can do this, they are free to experiment with modifications, and there should be no objection to receiving help from any source; in fact, it is a good thing for the daughter to get her mother to criticize her and offer suggestions in the many little details familiar to every housekeeper, but which cannot always be given by an instructor in one lesson. by this method the pupils learn in their own homes and handle real cooking utensils on a real stove heated by the usual fire of that home. if it is a good thing--and no one doubts it--to learn household science in a school where everything that invention and skill can provide for the pupils is readily at hand, is it not worth while to enter the field of actual life and, with cruder implements, win a fair degree of success? at the end of five or six months, after the pupils have had an opportunity to become skilful in making some of the dishes which have been taught, it may be well to have an exhibition of their work. each pupil may, on saturday afternoon, bring one or more of the dishes she has learned to prepare to the school-house, where they may be arranged on tables for the inspection of the judges. the dishes exhibited should be certified to as being the work of the pupil with no help or suggestion from anybody. of course, work of this kind cannot be undertaken by the "suit case" teacher. the teacher who packs her bag on friday at noon, carries it to school with her, and rushes to catch a train or car at four o'clock, not returning to the district until monday morning, has no time for this kind of service. occasionally the entire class may meet with their instructors in the school-room. an oil-stove and the necessary equipment may be obtained, and a demonstration may be given by one of the instructors. by this means much valuable instruction will be given that is not included in the regular course. at this time also many things may be discussed that pertain to the growth of the movement and the general well-being of the pupils. the plan is flexible and may be modified easily to suit different localities. it calls for no outlay on the part of the school trustees; nor are the instructors necessarily put to any expense, as the articles prepared in giving the lessons may be used in their own homes. by the adoption of one of the plans outlined, or such modifications of them as the peculiar requirements of the district may demand, every rural school may do something, not only toward giving a real knowledge of some phases of household science, but also toward developing the community spirit and arousing an interest in the school, which will benefit all concerned. the fireless cooker at the present time there is urgent need for thrift and economy in all that pertains to the management of the household--particularly in food and fuel. in the average home much fuel could be saved by the proper use of what is known as the fireless cooker. the scientific principle applied has long been known and is, briefly, as follows: if a hot body is protected by a suitable covering, the heat in it will be retained for a long time, instead of being lost by radiation or conduction. this is why a cosy is placed over a tea-pot. in using a fireless cooker, the food is first heated on the stove until the cooking has begun, and then it is placed in the fireless cooker--a tight receptacle in which the food is completely surrounded by some insulating substance to prevent the rapid escape of the heat, which in this way is retained in the food in sufficient quantity to complete the cooking. sometimes, when a higher cooking temperature is desired, an additional source of heat, in the form of a hot soapstone or brick or an iron plate such as a stove lid, is put into the cooker with the food. the same principle is also employed in cookery in other ways. for example, in camp life beans are often baked by burying the pots overnight in hot stones and ashes, the whole being covered with earth; and in the "clam bakes" on the atlantic coast, the damp seaweed spread over the embers on the clams prevents the escape of the heat during cooking. the peasants in some parts of europe are said to begin the cooking of their dinners and then to put them into hay boxes or between feather beds, so that the cooking may be completed while the family is absent in the fields. the chief advantages in the use of the fireless cooker are these: . it saves fuel, especially where gas, oil, or electric stoves are used. where coal or wood is the fuel, the fire in the range is often kept up most of the day, and the saving of fuel is not so great. in summer, or when the kitchen fire is not needed for heating purposes, the dinner can be started in the stove early in the morning, and then placed in the fireless cooker, the fire in the range being allowed to go out. during the hot weather, the use of a kerosene or other liquid-fuel stove and a fireless cooker is a great convenience, since it not only accomplishes a saving in fuel, but helps to keep the kitchen cooler. the saving in fuel resulting from the use of a fireless cooker is greatest in the preparation of foods such as stews, which require long and slow cooking. . it saves time. foods cooked in this way do not require watching, and may be left, without danger from fires or of over-cooking, while other duties are being performed or the family is away from home. . it conserves the flavour of the food and makes it easier to utilize the cheaper cuts of meat which, although not having so fine a texture or flavour, are fully as nutritious, pound for pound, as the more expensive cuts. long cooking at a relatively low temperature, such as is given to foods in the fireless cooker, improves the flavour and texture of these tougher cuts of meat. most people do not cook cereals long enough. by this method, the cereal may be prepared at night, cooked on the stove for about fifteen minutes, and then put in the fireless cooker. in the morning it will be cooked and ready to be served. the fireless cooker may be used to advantage in preparing the following: soups; pot roasts; beef stew; irish stew; lamb stew; corned beef and cabbage; boiled ham; baked beans; chicken fricassee; vegetables, such as turnips, carrots, parsnips, beets; dried vegetables, such as peas and beans; and dried fruits, such as peaches, apples, apricots, and prunes; cereals; and puddings. the fireless cookers described in the following pages are not experiments. they have all been tested and found to be most practical. directions for fireless cooker--no. i while there are many good fireless cookers on the market which cost from five to twenty-two dollars, according to size and make, it is possible to construct a home-made cooker which will give very satisfactory results and will be considerably cheaper than one which is purchased in the shops. materials required: a box or some other outside container; some good insulating or packing material; an inside container for the kettle, or a lining for the nest in which the kettle is placed; a kettle for holding the food; and a cushion, or pad, of insulating material, to cover the top of the kettle. the outside container for the outside container a tightly built wooden box, such as that shown in figure , is satisfactory. the walls should be thick and of some non-conducting material. an old trunk, a small barrel, or a large butter or lard firkin or tin will serve the purpose. another possibility is a galvanized iron bucket with a closely fitting cover (this has the advantage of being fire-proof). a shoe box by by inches is convenient in size, since it may be divided into two compartments. it should have a hinged cover and, at the front, a hook and staple, or some other device to hold down the cover tightly; an ordinary clamp window fastener answers this purpose very well. the size of the container, which depends upon the size of the kettle used, should be large enough to allow for at least four inches of packing material all round the nest in which the kettle is placed. [illustration: _fig._ .--completed fireless cooker] the insulating material for packing or insulating material a variety of substances may be used. asbestos and mineral wool are the best, and have the additional advantage that they cannot burn. ground cork (used in packing malaga grapes), hay, excelsior, spanish moss, wool, and crumpled paper may also be used satisfactorily. of these materials crumpled paper is probably the best, as it is clean and odourless and, if properly packed, will hold the heat better than the others. it is wise to line the box with one thickness of heavy paper or with several thicknesses of newspaper, to make it as air-tight as possible. asbestos sheeting may be used instead. to pack the container with paper, crush single sheets of newspaper between the hands and pack a layer at least four inches deep over the bottom of the outside container, pounding it in with a heavy stick of wood. place the inside container for the cooking kettle or the lining for the inside of the nest in the centre of this layer, and pack more crushed paper about it as solidly as possible. the method of packing with paper is shown in figure . if other material is used it should be packed in a similar way. where an extra source of heat is to be used, it is much safer to use some non-inflammable material such as asbestos or mineral wool. a cheap substitute and one which is easily obtained are the small cinders sifted from coal ashes, preferably those from soft coal. however, the cinders from hard coal burned in the kitchen range will do. if a fire-proof packing material is not used, a heavy pad of asbestos should be placed at the bottom of the metal lining, and a sheet or two of this paper should be placed between the lining of the nest and the packing material. whatever is used should come to the top of the inside container, and the box should be filled to within about four inches of the top. [illustration: _fig._ .--fireless cooker, showing method of packing with paper] the inside container the inside container for the cooking kettle or the lining for the nest in which it is to be placed should be cylindrical in shape, should be deep enough to hold the cooking kettle and stone, if one is used, and should fit as snugly as possible to the cooking kettle, but at the same time should allow the latter to be moved in and out freely. for this purpose a galvanized iron or other metal bucket may be used, or, better still, a tinsmith may make a lining of galvanized iron or zinc which can be provided with a rim to cover the packing material, as shown in figure . in case no hot stone or plate is to be used, the lining may be made of strong cardboard. [illustration: _fig._ .--metal lining with rim] the kettle the kettle to be used for cooking should be durable and free from seams or crevices which are hard to clean. it should have perpendicular sides, and the cover should be as flat as possible and be provided with a deep lid fitting well down into the kettle, in order to retain the steam. a kettle holding about six quarts is a convenient size for general use. tinned iron kettles should not be used in a fireless cooker, for, although cheap, they are very apt to rust from the confined moisture. enamelware kettles are satisfactory. extra source of heat fireless cookers are adapted to a much wider range of cooking if they are provided with an extra source of heat in the form of a soapstone, brick, or an iron plate which is heated and placed underneath the cooking kettle. this introduces a possible danger from fire, in case the hot stove plate should come into direct contact with inflammable packing material such as excelsior or paper. to avoid this danger, a metal lining must be provided for the nest in which the cooking vessels and stone are to be placed. [illustration: _fig._ .--tightly fitting lid] covering pad a cushion, or pad, must be provided, to fill completely the space between the top of the packing material and the cover of the box after the kettle is in place. this should be made of some heavy goods, such as denim, and stuffed with cotton, crumpled paper, or excelsior. hay may be used, but it will be found more or less odorous. figure shows the vertical cross-section of a home-made fireless cooker. [illustration: _fig._ .--vertical cross-section of fireless cooker. a. outside container; b. packing or insulating material; c. metal lining of nest; d. cooking kettle; e. soapstone plate, or other source of heat; f. pad of excelsior for covering top; g. hinged cover of outside container.] directions for fireless cooker--no. ii (single cooker) materials required: galvanized iron can, no. , with a cover; some sawdust; a covered agate pail (to be used as a cooking pail); and two yards of denim; any old linen, cotton, or woollen material may be used instead of denim. method of making place loose sawdust in the bottom of the can to a depth of about three inches. measure the depth of the cooking pail. turn a fold two inches greater than this depth the entire length of the denim or other material and make a long bag. lay the bag flat on the table and fill it with an even layer of sawdust, so that when completed it will still be half an inch wider than the depth of the pail. roll the bag around the cooking pail, so that a smooth, firm nest is formed when the bag is placed upright in the can on the top of the sawdust. from the remaining denim or other material make a round, flat bag (the material will have to be pieced for this). fill this bag with sawdust and use it on top of the cooking pail. the bags must be made and fitted into the can in such a way that there will be no open spaces whatever between the sides of the cooking pail and the can, or between the top of the cooking pail and the cover of the can, through which the heat might escape. directions for fireless cooker--no. iii (double cooker) materials required: one long box and two square boxes; the long box must be large enough to hold the other two and still leave two inches of space all around them; five and one-quarter yards of sheet asbestos one yard wide; two covered agate pails to be used as cooking pails; and about one yard of denim or other material. method of making line the bottoms and sides of all three boxes with sheet asbestos. in the bottom of the long box lay newspapers flat to a depth of about half an inch. put two inches of sawdust on top of this layer of newspapers. place the two square boxes inside the long one, leaving at least two inches of space between them. fill all the spaces between the boxes with sawdust. tack strips of denim or other material so that they will cover all the spaces that are filled with sawdust. the outside box must have a hinged lid, which must be fastened down with a clasp. line the lid with the sheet asbestos to within half an inch of the edge. put a layer of sawdust one inch deep on top of the asbestos. tack a piece of denim or other material over the sawdust, still leaving the edge free and clear so that the cover may fit tightly; or the lid may be lined with asbestos and a denim pillow filled with sawdust made to fit tightly into the top of the box. use of the fireless cooker in the preparation of lunches the fireless cooker should prove very useful in the lunch equipment of rural schools, as its use should mean economy of fuel, utensils, time, and effort. it might be made by the pupils and would afford an excellent manual training exercise. many of the dishes in the recipes given may be cooked in this way, but more time must be allowed for cooking, as there is a fall of temperature in placing the food in the cooker. when the vessel is being transferred from the stove to the cooker, the latter should be in a convenient position, and the transfer should be made, and the cushion placed in position, very quickly, so that the food will continue boiling. if the quantity of food is small, it should be placed in a smaller tightly covered pail, set on an inverted pan in the larger pail, and surrounded with boiling water. when there is an air space above the food in the cooking dish, there is greater loss of heat, as air gives off heat more readily than water. the following are examples of the foods that may be cooked in a fireless cooker: apple sauce--bring to boiling temperature and place in the cooker, leave two hours. apple compote--cut the apples in halves or quarters so that they need not be turned. leave them in the cooker about three hours. dried fruits--soak overnight, bring to the boiling-point, and leave in the cooker at least three hours. cream of wheat--boil until thick, place in the cooker, leave overnight and, if necessary, re-heat in double boiler before using. rolled oats--boil five minutes, then place in the cooker. leave at least three hours and longer if possible. macaroni--boil, then place in the cooker for two hours. rice--boil, then place in the cooker for one hour. all vegetables may be cooked in the cooker. they must be given time according to their age. a safe rule for all green vegetables is to allow two and a half times as long as if boiled on the stove. in the home, where the cooking is much greater in amount than it can be in the school, the saving in fuel, by the judicious use of the properly made fireless cooker, is correspondingly much larger. for example: in soups, from - / to - / hours use of fuel is made unnecessary; pot roast - / hours; beef stew - / hours; lamb stew - / hours; corn beef and cabbage - / hours; baked beans - / to - / hours; chicken fricassee hours; dried peas, beans, and lentils hours; dried fruits hours; rice pudding - / hours. special grants for rural and village schools (from the revised regulations of the department of education, ) ( ) the board of a rural or a village school which is unable to comply with the provisions of the general regulations, but which maintains classes in manual training as applied to the work of the farm or in household science suitable to the requirements of the rural districts, which employs a teacher qualified as below, and which provides accommodations and equipment and a course of study approved by the minister before the classes are established, will be paid by the minister the sums provided in the scheme below, out of the grants appropriated therefor: said grants to be expended on the accommodations, equipment, and supplies for manual training and household science. in no year, however, will the departmental grants exceed the total expenditure of the board for these classes. ( ) on the report of the inspector of manual training and household science that the organization and the teaching of the classes in manual training or household science maintained as provided above are satisfactory, an annual grant will be paid by the minister out of the grant appropriated according to the following scheme: (_a_) (i) when the teacher holds a second class certificate but is not specially certificated in manual training or household science-- initial grant to board, $ ; to teacher, $ . subsequent grant: to board, $ ; to teacher, $ . (ii) when the teacher holds a second class certificate and has satisfactorily completed the work of one summer course in manual training or household science, provided by the department, and undertakes to complete part ii the following year, or receives permission from the minister to postpone said part-- initial grant: to board, $ : to teacher, $ . subsequent grant: to board, $ : to teacher, $ . (_b_) (i) when the teacher holds a second class certificate and in addition the elementary certificate in manual training or household science-- initial grant: to board, $ ; to teacher, $ . subsequent grant: to board, $ ; to teacher, $ . (ii) when the teacher holds a second class certificate and in addition the ordinary certificate in manual training or household science-- initial grant: to board, $ ; to teacher, $ . subsequent grant: to board, $ ; to teacher, $ . (_c_) when a school taking up household science provides at least one hot dish for the pupils staying to lunch from november st to march st, the above grants to the teacher of household science will be increased $ . note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) food and health do women read our little books which come so regularly to their homes? indeed they do, and if only one is left at a two-family house we are asked to send another at once. we feel sure that they are read from cover to cover. * * * * * lydia e. pinkham's medicines lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound the original pinkham medicine and best known of all. it has been on the market for nearly fifty years and is put up in the following forms: liquid. dose--one tablespoonful every four hours through the day. dry (tablets). dose--one tablet every four hours through the day. lydia e. pinkham's sanative wash. for leucorrhoea and inflammation liquid, a concentrated extract, ready to dilute and use at once, the most convenient form. use daily as a vaginal injection. add one teaspoonful (in severe cases two teaspoonfuls) of the sanative wash to one pint of warm water, mix thoroughly and it is ready for use. (can be had, if preferred, in dry form, to steep.) lydia e. pinkham's blood medicine. for poor blood we recommend this as a good blood medicine for either men or women. dose--one tablespoonful three times a day, half an hour before eating. lydia e. pinkham's liver pills. for constipation dose--take three the first night, two the second, and one the third; and unless there is a regular and healthy movement of the bowels continue taking one every night. for sale by druggists generally send for lydia e. pinkham's private text book upon ailments peculiar to women, mailed free on application to the lydia e. pinkham medicine co. lynn, mass., public inspection of our laboratories cordially invited. hints for mealtime how often do we hear women exclaim, "oh dear, what shall i have for the next meal?" this little book will aid you in answering that troublesome question. the recipes are carefully selected and we hope you will find them helpful. more important to you than the question of food is that of health. therefore, in this book we show you many letters from women who have received great benefit by taking lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. you have heard of this splendid medicine, for it has been used by women for nearly fifty years. it is a woman's medicine for women's ailments. it is prepared from medicinal plants that are especially adapted for the treatment of the troubles women so often have. as you read these letters remember these women are stating for the benefit of other women who are sick just how they felt and just how the vegetable compound restored them to health. you know it is bad enough to worry over the various duties of life when you are well and strong. it is a serious matter when you are half sick and all tired out most of the time. so in the following pages you will find suggestions for the next meal that may help you, but more important by far are the letters recommending lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound as the splendid medicine for the ailments of women. you will read letters from many classes of women, young and old, mother and daughter. they are genuine expressions of gratitude from one woman to another. thousands of women by word of mouth and by letter highly praise lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. "of all the world's wealth the best treasure is health, for without it there's nothing worth while." baking of bread and rolls [illustration] the pans should be well oiled and the loaves should never more than half fill them. bread should be put into a hot oven and loaves should rise during the first fifteen minutes. it should continue browning for the next twenty minutes then reduce the heat somewhat. small loaves require minutes, large ones hour. biscuits and rolls require a hotter oven than bread. they should rise for the first five minutes and then should begin to brown. after minutes reduce the heat and at minutes the biscuits should be golden brown and thoroughly baked inside. remove bread from the pans as soon as it comes from the oven. keep covered with a clean cloth until cool then place in a stone jar or tin box. what does your druggist say when you ask him if he can recommend any good medicine to you because you are nervous and run-down and not able to get your work done? he suggests that lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound is a well-known and well-made medicine and that he knows many women who take it and recommend it. "could not work half the time" "for many years i have had troubles with my nerves and have been in a general run down condition for some time. i could not do my work half the time because of troubles every month. i was told of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound by friends and advised to try it. it has done me good and i strongly recommend it. since i have taken it i have been able to do all my own work, and i also know friends who have found it good. you can use these facts as a testimonial." mrs. ellen flatters, box , cobourg, ontario. white bread [illustration] ingredients tablespoon lard tablespoon butter - / teaspoons salt tablespoon sugar cup scalded milk cup boiling water yeast cake in / cup lukewarm water cups sifted flour method--put lard, butter, salt and sugar into large bowl. pour over them the scalded milk and boiling water. when this is lukewarm add the yeast cake dissolved in luke-warm water. sift in flour gradually, beating with a spoon. toss on a floured board and knead until smooth. allow it to rise over night in a moderately warm place or until it doubles its original size. cut down or knead and allow it to rise until light, then form into loaves or biscuits. allow these to rise until light, then bake. the amount of yeast used will depend on the length of time the bread is allowed to rise. what do girls do who don't have mothers to advise them about their health? "she was unable to attend school" "lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound was recommended to me for my daughter. she had trouble every month which left her in a weak and nervous condition, with weak back and pain in her right side. she had these troubles for three years and frequently was unable to attend school. she has become regular and feels much better since she began taking the vegetable compound and attends school regularly. she is gaining steadily and i have no hesitancy in recommending lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and lydia e. pinkham's blood medicine." mrs. john toms, ball st., cobourg, ontario. corn cake [illustration] ingredients cups indian meal cup flour / cup sugar teaspoon salt egg teaspoon soda cups sour milk method--sift the dry ingredients together except the soda. add egg slightly beaten. dissolve the soda in sour milk, stir into the dry ingredients quickly and pour into a greased pan. bake for half an hour in a moderate oven. every true mother realizes the fact that her baby's health depends upon her own, that the very vitality of her child is influenced by her own physical condition. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has brought health and strength to thousands of others. "i could not do a single bit of work" "i was troubled with weak feelings, headache all the time, a cough, fainting spells and pains in my back and side. i could not do a single bit of work and had to be helped out to the hammock where i lay in the fresh air from morning until night and i had to be carried up and down stairs. after other medicines had failed a friend advised me to take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound as she said it was excellent for any one in the family way. before the first bottle was taken i could walk alone and as i kept on with it i got stronger until i was able to do all of my work. my baby is now six weeks old and is a big fat healthy fellow. i am sure lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has done wonders for me and i recommend it to any woman in that condition." mrs. murray j. barton, r.r. no. , cumberland bay, new brunswick. tea biscuit [illustration] ingredients cups bread flour teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon salt to tablespoons shortening / cup milk method--sift the dry ingredients together, mix in fat with the tips of fingers, then add the milk a little at a time or cut it in with a knife. the dough should be as soft as can be easily handled. roll lightly until one inch thick, cut in rounds and bake in a hot oven for or minutes. an evidence of confidence in a friend is to follow her advice, especially if it is not hearsay evidence but something which she has tried out on herself and proved. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound merits such confidence. women all over canada as well as in the united states take our medicine and tell its worth. "saved me from an operation" "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound at the change of life for troubles women often have. i had not been well for a year and was not really able to do my work. a friend who had taken the vegetable compound herself recommended it to me and i think its use saved me from an operation. i highly recommend to all women with troubles like mine." mrs. daniel j. tracey, knightington, ontario. "a friend recommended it" "a friend in rose valley recommended lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound to me, and it has been a great help to me. i recommend it, and you can use this letter as a testimonial if you wish." mrs. peter nordin, wadena, saskatchewan. omelet [illustration] ingredients egg tablespoon hot water salt spoon salt few grains of pepper method--separate the white from the yoke of the egg and beat it until stiff. beat the yolk until thick and add the hot water and salt. fold the beaten white of the egg in and put into a buttered pan. cook slowly until puffed and brown. scrambled eggs ingredients egg tablespoon milk or water / salt spoon salt few grains of pepper method--beat the eggs slightly and add liquid and seasonings. pour into a warm buttered pan and cook slowly over water. as the egg coagulates on the bottom and sides of the pan lift it with a spoon. continue until thickened and creamy but not dry. serve immediately. only a few bottles of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound are needed to give surprising results, as so many women tell us. "had no ambition" "i suffered greatly from weakness, seemed to be tired all the time, and had no ambition to do anything or go any place. my nerves were in bad shape, i could not sleep at night and then came a breakdown. i read of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound in the newspapers and several of my friends advised me to use it. it surely put new life into me and now i am quite able to do all my own work." mrs. chas. wakelin, christie st., toronto, ontario. sweet milk griddle cakes [illustration] ingredients cups flour tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt tablespoons baking powder egg cups milk tablespoons melted fat method--mix and sift dry ingredients. add beaten egg, milk and fat to make a thin batter. drop on a hot oiled griddle and brown on both sides. savings save all the waxed paper that crackers and bread come wrapped in. it is very handy to roll out pie-crust or biscuits on, also doughnuts and cookies, and saves washing the pastry board. if you have to work you must have good health in order to do your work well. besides this, you want to be able to play afterwards and both work and play require good health. it is a great handicap to be lacking in energy when you are young and should be strong. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound will help that tired feeling which many girls have. "i had to stay in bed" "i suffered for three years with troubles women often have. about every three weeks i had to stay in bed four or five days. i nearly went crazy with pains in my back, and for about a week at a time i could not do my work. i saw lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound advertised in the 'hamilton spectator' and i took it. now i have no pain and am quite regular unless i overwork or stay on my feet from early morning until late at night. i keep house and do all my own work without any trouble. i have recommended the vegetable compound to several friends." mrs. emily beecroft, douglas st., hamilton, ontario. vinegar [illustration] a spoonful of vinegar added to the water when cooking corned beef will make it more tender. to make pie-crust flaky try adding one-half a spoonful of vinegar to the cold water before mixing. add vinegar to the water in which you soak wilted vegetables and they will revive quickly and any little bugs in them will come out. add vinegar to the water when washing windows or paint or cleaning floors. if paint or varnish is on a window, wet it with hot vinegar and rub it off with a cent. to take the shine from clothing, sponge the shiny places with boiling hot vinegar, rubbing vigorously, then press as usual. it is perfectly safe for any one to take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound whenever such a medicine is needed. it contains no narcotics nor harmful drugs and is made in the most accurate and sanitary manner. can a medicine be a fraud that is compounded from nature's own remedies, the roots and herbs of the fields, that has stood the test of time by restoring health and happiness to thousands of suffering women? "for women's troubles" "i saw lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound advertised for women's troubles, and when a friend recommended it to me i tried it, and it has done me so much good in the two years in which i have been taking it that i find i am a different woman since then. i recommend your vegetable compound as much as i can and you may use my letter as a testimonial." mrs. wm. j. thomas, melaval, saskatchewan. casserole of rice and meat [illustration] ingredients cups steamed rice cups chopped seasoned meat cup gravy or tomato sauce / cup buttered crumbs method--place in a baking dish a layer of rice, over this sprinkle a layer of chopped meat and repeat until the dish is nearly filled; then pour gravy or tomato sauce over the meat. cover with the buttered crumbs and bake until brown. helpful hints to keep the daily paper from blowing away when it is left on the porch, get the carrier to snap it into a spring clothes-pin which is tied to the railing. when a woman knows that a certain medicine is good she wants no substitute or makeshift. the women who take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound are of this class. they know what they want and they will take nothing else. "could not sleep" "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for weakness of the female organs. i had pains in the back and bearing-down pains in the abdomen and was in a general run-down condition. i could not sleep, rest or work, and was quite unfit to do even light household tasks. a friend told me about your vegetable compound and i in my turn truly recommend it, as my severe symptoms vanished and i am better in every way. i do my own work, look after my children and see to chickens, a cow, and my garden. i also recommend it for young girls who are weak and rundown, as my -year-old daughter has taken it and is quite her own gay self again." mrs. fred. wiley, viscount, saskatchewan. filipino roll [illustration] ingredients sweet green pepper onions lb. hamburg steak cup bread crumbs egg teaspoons salt tablespoon worcestershire sauce or slices of bacon sauce cup tomato soup tablespoon flour teaspoon sugar / cup water method--wash the pepper and remove the seeds, add onions and chop together. mix with meat, breadcrumbs and well beaten egg. add seasonings and form into a roll. cover with bacon and bake minutes in a moderately hot oven. remove to platter, add water to make gravy and strain into it the thickened tomato soup. let it boil a few minutes then pour around the roll. a few minutes of any woman's time is well spent if she will read what lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound does for sick and ailing women. "one of your little books" "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for weakness and female disorders. i was so weak at times that i could not stand up. i had been this way for nearly three years, and the different medicines i had taken had not done me any good. i found one of your little books at my door one day and thought i would give your medicine a trial. i am now on my fifth bottle and it is wonderful the way it has helped me. i am feeling much better, have no weak spells, and can do all my work now. i am recommending your vegetable compound to all i know." mrs. casey lemery, abbott st., brockville, ontario. mock meat cakes [illustration] ingredients / cup dried peas or beans medium potatoes / cup grated cheese / cup fine breadcrumbs egg (beaten) tablespoon melted bacon fat salt and pepper method--soak peas or beans over night, then boil until very tender. boil and mash potatoes. add mashed beans, grated cheese, bread-crumbs, beaten egg, bacon fat and seasonings. when cool shape into cakes, dip into cornmeal and fry. why are some women happy, beloved, and successful, while others drag out a negative existence, of no use to themselves or anyone else? except in a few cases the answer is to be found in a state of freedom from the troubles known as "female." the well woman radiates cheerfulness and serenity, while the ailing one repels you with her despondency. it is not necessary, however, to harbor aches and pains, and the "blues," which make one a detriment to society. the use of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has brought relief to such women, and given them a new lease of life. "a general run-down condition" "i was in a general run-down condition, with a weak back and tired feeling, so that i did not feel like working. my mother was taking lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and recommended it to me, so i have taken it, and my back is better and i am now able to do my work. i recommend the vegetable compound to my neighbors and you may publish this letter." mrs. josephat a. grenier, hesketh, alberta. dry bean chowder [illustration] ingredients cup dried beans slices bacon (diced) can corn can tomatoes salt and pepper cracker crumbs method--soak the beans over night and boil until tender. drain into a fire-proof casserole. try out the fat from the bacon until it is perfectly crisp, care being taken that it is not burned. then add corn, seasoning and tomatoes. mix all and add to beans. sprinkle cracker crumbs over the top and bake twenty-five minutes. serve from the casserole. in this generation it is 'the style' to be healthy. our heroines no longer languish and faint. they are all healthy girls and women who do a day's work or play just as a man does. if some of us are not so healthy as this, we try to be and take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound when we feel the need. "i was a total wreck" "before using lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound i was a total wreck. i had terrible pains in my sides and was not regular. finally i got so weak i could not go upstairs without stopping to rest halfway up. i saw your medicine advertised in the newspapers and gave it a trial. i took four bottles of the vegetable compound and was restored to health. i am married, am the mother of two children, and do all my own housework, milk eight cows and do a hired man's work and enjoy the best of health. i also found the vegetable compound a great help for my weak back before my babies were born. i recommend it to all my friends." mrs. henry janke, marmion, ontario. cooking hints [illustration] never throw away the feet of a fowl as they are excellent for making soups, broths and jellies. you can buy extra feet from the butcher. dip them in boiling water for a few seconds and they may be readily skinned. boil with the chicken until they fall to pieces, then strain the broth. before baking potatoes let them stand in hot water for fifteen minutes. they will require only half the time to bake. pour boiling water on oranges and let them stand for five minutes. this will make the white lining come away from the skin and they will be easier to prepare for a pudding. any hospital experience is painful as well as costly and frequently dangerous. many women have avoided this experience by taking lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound in time, thereby relieving the present distress and preventing the development of conditions that might require an operation. "they said i needed an operation" "i suffered from the time i was a schoolgirl until i had taken your medicine with pain in my left side and with cramps, growing worse each year until i was all rundown. i was so bad at times that i was unfit for work. i tried several doctors and patent medicines but was only relieved for a short time. some of the doctors wanted to have an operation, but my father objected. finally i learned through my mother of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound, and how thankful i am that i tried it. i am relieved from pains and cramps and feel as if it has saved my life. you may use my letter to help other women, as i am glad to recommend the medicine." mrs. h.a. goodman, rockvale ave., toronto, ontario. hints and helps [illustration] the common nut-cracker makes a splendid little household wrench for cans and bottles with screw tops. even glass stoppers will yield to it. a pair of scissors in the pantry to cut up raisins, suet, citron, etc., is easier to use then the chopper. a metal shoe-horn that has a hole in the top to hang it up by, makes a good kettle scraper. use a bicycle pump to clean such parts of the sewing machine as you cannot reach with a cloth or with an old tooth brush. save the sand-paper which comes on the match-boxes and use it for scraping, cleaning, etc. ammonia water will remove the cloudy appearance from the preserve jars in which vegetables have been canned. the best advertised medicine in the world is the medicine which has the most friends. "it has done so much for women" "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for years, and it is the only patent medicine i ever recommend. i am a nurse, and if i find a woman is in poor health i always tell her to take it. although you know doctors and nurses do not use patent medicines i must say that i think there is nothing better than your vegetable compound. when i first took it many years ago, i was that tired when i got up in the morning that i was weak and i could not eat nor sleep. my mother-in-law told me that lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound was just what i wanted, so i tried it, and only took two bottles when i felt better. since then i have found that there is nothing that makes me feel so well, for it seems to build my system right up. i don't know any other medicine that has done so much for women." mrs. w.h. parker, wellesley ave., toronto, ontario. dutch cheese [illustration] ingredients quart sour milk / to teaspoon salt / cup sour or sweet cream (or large tablespoon butter) method--the milk should be freshly sour to get the best flavor. this is best obtained by adding a little sour milk to five or six times the amount of sweet milk. it should be kept in a warm place (the back of the stove) until the curd of the milk is thick and smooth and the whey is watery and has risen to the top. drain in a cheese cloth bag until dry. add cream (or butter) and salt. if the process needs to be hurried stir into the milk a cup full of nearly boiling water. leave to settle before draining. as the cheese is very rich in protein it easily becomes tough by overheating. for the same reason it is very nourishing. the continued success of a medicine depends entirely upon its merit. for nearly fifty years lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has been demonstrating its worth among women as a valuable medicine for the treatment of female ills, and the tremendous volume of letters on file in the pinkham laboratory at lynn, massachusetts, from grateful women in all parts of the united states and canada is ample proof of its merit. "a lot of good" "i had female troubles for two years. i always had a headache and a pain in my side, and sometimes i felt so weak that i could not do my work. a friend advised me to take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and i have taken six bottles of it. it has done me a lot of good and i am still taking it. i will tell my friends of your medicine and hope they will try it." mrs. camille desroche, miscouche, prince edward's island. cake-making success in cake-making depends on careful combining of ingredients, accurate measurements and careful baking. to make cake light and close in texture, thorough beating is necessary. baking--small and layer cakes require a hot oven for to minutes. loaf cakes need a moderate oven from to minutes. in the beginning the oven should be hot enough to cause the cake to rise and then to form a crust which holds the gases. when the cake has risen to its full height decrease the heat so that the cake may finish baking without becoming too brown. if the oven is too hot at first a crust will be formed before the cake is risen. if not hot enough, gas will not be retained in the cake. either of these conditions will make the cake heavy. testing--the cake is baked if, when pressed lightly upon the top in the middle, it springs back again. it usually shrinks from the sides of the pan. a deep cake may be tested with a clean straw. methods of work--first grease and flour the pans. collect all materials and utensils needed and make sure that the oven will be ready. do this before combining any materials. we read a good deal about "pre-natal care"--the care of the mother before her child is born--and we all agree that a healthy and happy mother is the one to have the best babies. "so smart and healthy" "when i would get out of bed in the morning i could hardly stand on my feet for weakness and a bearing-down pain. i heard of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and tried it with lydia e. pinkham's liver pills and used lydia e. pinkham's sanative wash for the white flow, and was doing fine. this was before my little girl was born. she is so smart and healthy and good-natured that i think the compound must have made her that way." mrs. richard williams, milltown, new brunswick. plain cake for loaf or layer cake [illustration] ingredients eggs cup sugar teaspoons oleo or butter / cup milk / teaspoon salt - / cups flour - / teaspoons baking powder / teaspoon vanilla method--beat eggs light, add sugar, butter, milk, salt and all but tablespoons of the flour. beat well, add vanilla, then add the remainder of the flour with the baking powder, sifted together. bake in loaf or layer cake pans. brownstone cake filling ingredients-- / cup sugar, square of chocolate, tablespoon cornstarch, a few grains of salt, / cup of milk. method--mix dry ingredients. add liquid gradually. cook in double boiler until thick and creamy. weakness may show in early girlhood and if attended to at that time and not allowed to develop into serious troubles by carelessness or overwork, girls will grow stronger as they grow older. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound is what many mothers give their girls in these early years. "my mother-in-law told me" "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for female troubles. i would have headaches, backache, pains between my shoulders and under my shoulder-blades, and bad feelings in the lower parts on each side, in the groins. i was sometimes unable to do my work and felt very badly. my mother-in-law told me about the vegetable compound and i got some right away. it has done me more good than any other medicine i ever took, and i recommend it to my neighbors." mrs. edgar simmons, r.r. no. , pine grove, ontario. sponge cake [illustration] ingredients eggs / cup sugar teaspoon cold water / tablespoon lemon juice salt spoon salt / cup flour method--beat yolks until thick and add sugar gradually. add water and lemon juice. sift flour and salt into yolk mixture and beat thoroughly. fold in the stiffly beaten whites of eggs and bake in a moderate oven. crispettes ingredients-- eggs, / cup white sugar, / cup brown sugar, / cup chopped walnuts or cocoanut, / cup flour, / teaspoon vanilla, / teaspoon salt. method--beat eggs very light, add sugar and remaining ingredients. beat well and drop by tablespoonfuls on a buttered pan inches apart. bake in a moderately hot oven. always use a tin pan. a little care when one is young is not much to pay for good health afterwards. take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for any weakness you may have. this well-known medicine is recommended by mothers to their daughters, by sisters to one another, and by friends and neighbors to the woman whose loved ones are far from her when she needs them most. "am perfectly satisfied" "when my husband was called back to england in , i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound to strengthen me so that i could work. my periods were twice a month and used to make me so weak, but i am able to do my work now and am perfectly satisfied with your medicine. i still get it at the chemist's, and strongly recommend it to any one i hear of suffering as i did." mrs. e. hornblower, yonge st., toronto, ontario. war cake [illustration] ingredients cup brown sugar cup water cups raisins / cup fat / teaspoon grated nutmeg teaspoon ground cloves few grains salt. method--boil the above ingredients together for three minutes. let cool. when cold add teaspoon soda dissolved in tablespoons hot water. add cups flour in which teaspoon baking powder has been sifted. bake in a moderate oven. pantry helps if butter is too hard to serve, heat a bowl with boiling water and turn the empty bowl over the butter. this will not waste or impair the taste of the butter. are you interested in a letter from a woman in south africa who takes lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound? "one of your little books" "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for weakness and because i felt run down. i tried a lot of medicine before i tried yours. one day i was standing on my stoop when a boy came up to me and handed me one of your little books. i read the book, and the next day my husband went to a chemist and bought me a bottle of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. i have taken the medicine ever since and i feel quite strong and well now as i am on the sixth bottle. i have written to my sister and told her all about the wonders it has done for me, and i am quite willing for you to use my name, as i cannot thank you enough for what it has done for me." mrs. w.f. rush, th avenue, mayfair, fordesburg, johannesburg, south africa. chocolate cake [illustration] ingredients tablespoons butter cup sugar eggs / cup milk - / cups flour squares chocolate / teaspoon vanilla / teaspoon salt - / teaspoons baking powder. method--cream butter and sugar. add yolks of eggs beaten until thick, then milk, and all but tablespoons of the flour. beat thoroughly, add melted chocolate and vanilla. add remaining flour, salt and baking powder sifted together. fold in stiffly beaten whites of eggs. bake in moderate oven. a proprietary medicine like everything else that comes before the public, has to prove its merits. the law of the survival of the fittest applies in this field as in others. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has been used by women for nearly fifty years. "i know women who have been helped" "my mother had taken lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound, and when i needed something for my periods i took it and got good results. i recommend it to women with any female troubles, and i know other women who have been helped by it." mrs. max retzer, lumsden, saskatchewan. "i used to have very bad pains in my back and sides and often was not fit for work. i tried many medicines before i took yours. i saw lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound advertised in the 'toronto globe,' and now that it has helped me i recommend it to all my neighbors." elizabeth campbell, st. paul st., lindsay, ontario. chocolate frosting [illustration] ingredients - / squares chocolate cup sugar cup boiling water method--cut chocolate into small pieces, add sugar and water and stir until blended. boil until a soft ball forms when dropped into ice-water. cool. beat until creamy and spread on cake. white frosting ingredients egg white cup confectioner's sugar / teaspoon flavoring method--beat the white of egg until stiff. stir in the sugar and flavoring and beat until creamy. when a man comes home from work at night, he wants to find his home clean and comfortable, his supper ready, his children happy and his wife smiling a welcome to him. these are only natural feelings and when things are the reverse and he has to help do the work, he looks for the cause of the trouble and its remedy. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound will help women keep strong and well. "with my husband's help" "i used lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for pains across the small of my back. they bothered me so badly that i could do my work only with my husband's help. one day we saw the 'ad' in our paper telling what lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound is doing for women so i began to take it. it has helped me wonderfully. i am feeling fine, do all my housework and washing for seven in the family. i had been irregular too, and now i am all right. i am telling my friends what it has done for me and am sure it will do good for others. i will stand up for lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound any time." mrs. wm. juhnke, foster, oregon mocha frosting [illustration] ingredients tablespoons butter cup confectioner's sugar tablespoons cold boiled coffee tablespoons cocoa / teaspoon vanilla method--cream the butter and sugar, add the remaining ingredients and enough more sugar to make it creamy. plain icing may be made by moistening confectioner's sugar with milk or water (either hot or cold) and adding flavoring. either this or white frosting may be used as a foundation for nuts or chopped fruit. orange frosting may be made by moistening the sugar with orange juice. however busy a woman is she always finds time to read the daily papers. and she may read the bargains first and the weather report last, but she always reads the testimonial letters advertising lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. she wants to know what experience other women have had with this great medicine. "when my daughter was thirteen" "when my daughter was thirteen and until she was fifteen she suffered every month so that she could hardly move around the house and when she would have the pains in school she would have to be carried home. she also had headache, dizzy and faint spells, and soreness in her back. i saw your advertisement in the 'hamilton spectator' and got lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for her. she does not have the least bit of trouble now, and we both recommend your medicine. she works in a candy-shop now and seems well and strong. i give you permission to publish this letter as a testimonial." mrs. i.p. clause, oxford st., hamilton, ontario. lemon pie with meringue [illustration] ingredients / cup sugar tablespoons cornstarch cup boiling water tablespoons lemon juice and grated rind tablespoon butter egg yolks method--mix sugar and corn starch thoroughly, pour boiling water over them, stirring constantly. cook until thick and until starch is well done. add lemon juice and butter. cool slightly and add egg yolks. pour into plate lined with pastry and bake until paste is cooked. or pour into crust already baked. meringue ingredients-- egg whites beaten stiff, to tablespoons of powdered sugar, a few drops of vanilla. add sugar gradually to stiffly beaten whites of eggs. add flavoring. spread over top of pie and cook until golden brown in a slow oven. "man may work from sun to sun, but woman's work is never done." women continually overdo and drift along from bad to worse. lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound is a standard medicine for women's troubles. "we have to do our own work" "i saw in the newspapers where lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound was doing so much good to women, and as i needed something i began to take it. i used to be very sick, but i am not now. i live on a farm in the homestead district and we have to do all our own work. i tell all the women i see what lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound does for me. i think it saves me from going to a doctor and is the best medicine women can take." mrs. william coultas, fork river, manitoba. pie crust [illustration] ingredients - / cups flour tablespoons lard / teaspoon salt cold water tablespoons butter method--wash butter and squeeze until water and salt has been removed. chill the lard then chop it into the flour, with two knives. add salt and moisten it to a dough with cold water. (ice water is not essential but is desirable in summer.) toss on a floured board and roll out. fold to make three layers and put the butter between the layers. turn half way round, pat, and roll out. cut off the sides of it and roll into shape for the plate. roll the center for the upper crust, cutting slits in it to let out steam. fold the upper crust under the edge of the lower crust. bake in a moderately hot oven - minutes. pastry may be used immediately or chilled before using. it must not come in contact with the ice. if there is one thing more than another that a woman should care about it is her health. she may be cheated in her happiest hopes because she does not know that lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound can be safely taken by all women. "my back seemed the worst" "i was so weak that i could hardly do anything and my back seemed the worst. i read so much about lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound for women that i thought i would try it. i feel that it did help me. i am looking after my own home now and seem quite strong again. i have recommended your vegetable compound to quite a few friends and you can use my name if you wish to do so." mrs. h. porter, box , meaford, ontario. apple pie [illustration] ingredients or sour apples / cup sugar / tablespoon grated nutmeg / teaspoon salt tablespoon lemon juice few gratings lemon rind tablespoon butter method--line pie-plate with pastry. pare, core, and cut apples into eighths. put row of slices around the plate / inch from the edge working towards the center until the plate is covered. then pile on the remainder. mix sugar, nutmeg, salt, lemon juice and grated rind and sprinkle over the apple. dot all with butter. wet the edges of the under crust, cover with the upper crust and press together. bake for - minutes in a moderate oven. do you feel broken-down, nervous and weak sometimes? lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound is excellent to take at such a time. it always helps and if taken regularly and persistently will relieve this condition. "as if i must scream" "i cannot speak too highly of what lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has done for me. i was a nervous wreck and i just had to force myself to do my work. even the sound of my own children playing made be feel as if i must scream if they did not get away from me. i could not even speak right to my husband. the doctor said that he could do nothing for me owing to my condition. my husband's grandmother advised me to take lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. i started it right away and everyone noticed what a different woman i was in a short time. i was able to do my work once more, and it was a pleasure, not a burden." mrs. emily davis, mcgee st., winnipeg, manitoba. baked fruit pudding [illustration] prepare fruit--apples, peaches,--and sprinkle with sugar, also with cinnamon or nutmeg if apples are used. place fruit in baking-dish to within one inch of the top. crust ingredients cup flour salt spoon salt teaspoon baking powder tablespoons butter / cup milk method--mix and sift the dry ingredients, cut in butter with knife and add milk. roll the crust to fit the baking-dish, keeping it / inch thick and place over the fruit. press edges of the crust to the rim of the dish and make a small opening in the crust near the center. bake in a moderate oven minutes. serve with vanilla sauce. the right road to health is what every ailing woman is looking for and when one woman gets on that road she is always ready to direct some other woman to it. "it had helped my sister" "i was a sufferer for three years, not able to do my housework. my husband was discouraged for i was no better and had the doctor all this time and nothing had helped me. i was always sleepy, had no appetite and suffered with my left side. my mother, in england, recommended lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound because it had helped my sister, so i have been taking it. i am now able to do my housework and i cannot praise your vegetable compound too highly, as i have great hopes for the future. i will tell anyone who writes to me what good it has done me." mrs. henry masson, st. henry p.o., montreal. vanilla sauce [illustration] ingredients cup boiling water teaspoons corn-starch tablespoon butter / cup sugar / teaspoon vanilla little salt method--mix the corn-starch with a little cold water and stir into the hot water, boiling five minutes. put butter, sugar, flavoring and salt into a bowl and pour the thoroughly cooked cornstarch over it, stirring until the sugar and the butter are dissolved. lemon jelly ingredients-- oranges, lemon, the rind of one orange grated fine, cup sugar, tablespoon gelatine, cups boiling water. method--mix the juices and the fruit gratings with the sugar. soak tablespoon gelatine in cup of cold water until soft. stir in cups of boiling water and add the sugar and fruit juices. stir until the gelatine is dissolved, then pour into a mold to harden. "women's troubles and women's work" "i was weak and had some troubles women often have and usually i was unfit to do my work. i saw your advertisement and decided to try lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. i am very much pleased with the result and recommend your vegetable compound whenever i have a chance." mrs. wandless, church st., fredericton, new brunswick. "i have taken lydia e. pinkham's medicines and they have done me a lot of good. since then i have been able to do my housework, and i have a lot to do as we live on a farm. seeing your advertisement in the papers was what made me think of writing to you." mrs. wm. b. keiver, upper new horton, new brunswick. chocolate bread pudding [illustration] ingredients cups bread crumbs cups of milk (or of water and of evaporated milk) squares chocolate / cup sugar salt spoon salt teaspoon vanilla method--soak bread crumbs in milk until soft. melt the chocolate over hot water and add the sugar to it. beat eggs well and add with the remaining ingredients to the crumbs and milk. mix well and bake in a buttered pudding-dish in a moderate oven, until thick and firm. a meringue (see page ) of egg white and sugar may be spread over the top about minutes before it is done, or it can be served with cream, hard, or foamy sauce. hard sauce-- / cup butter, cup powdered sugar, / teaspoon lemon extract, / teaspoon vanilla. cream the butter, add sugar gradually, and flavoring. lack of energy or 'pep' makes a woman feel old while she is yet young in years and general appearance. "no serious trouble" "i had no disease only i felt tired and had headache very often and thought i needed a tonic, so i got lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and the liver pills. i am now on the third bottle and have not had headache for over two weeks. of course i have not had any serious trouble at all." mrs. m.a. watson, victoria st., cobourg, ontario. "i was weak and run down, had no appetite and was nervous. the nurse who took care of me told me to try lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound, and now i am getting strong. i recommend your medicine to my friends." mrs. d. maxwell, r.r. no. , bothwell, ontario. cup custards [illustration] ingredients quart milk eggs tablespoons sugar / teaspoon salt few grains nutmeg method--scald one quart of rich creamy milk. beat four egg yolks, add sugar and salt and beat until thick like cream. beat the four egg whites until foamy, not stiff, mix well with the yolks and sugar and add scalded milk. stand the cups in a shallow pan, stir the foam down, and fill the cups to overflowing or nearly so. put hot water in the pan and bake in a hot oven, watching them carefully that they do not scorch. lay buttered paper over if needed. test with a knife as soon as they begin to puff up and if the blade comes out clean, not milky, they are done. do women read our little books which come so regularly to their homes? we feel sure that they are read from cover to cover. "i seemed to be smothering" "i suffered with irregular periods, was weak and run-down, could not eat and had headaches. the worst symptoms were dragging down pains, so bad i sometimes thought i would go crazy and i seemed to be smothering. i was in this condition for two or three years and could not seem to work. i tried all kinds of remedies but received no benefit. i found one of your booklets and felt inclined to try lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound. i received the best results from it and now i keep house and go out to work and am like a new woman." mrs. j.f. peasey, king st. west, toronto, ontario. substitutes [illustration] use jelly tumblers to bake custards in. use soldier's long wristers to make gaiters for a baby; just sew an elastic band at the bottom. use cold cream jars to keep pepper, allspice, and other spices in, and label with a sticker or a piece of surgeon's plaster. instead of the usual dust cap, cut a three-cornered piece of cheese-cloth, hemming the two sides without selvedge and tie around the head with the point at the back of your neck. to avoid giving out fresh napkins at every meal, write each name on a spring clothes-pin and pin to the napkin. you can name your face towel in this way when camping out. when cleaning fish use scissors in place of a knife and if it is to be scaled dip it first into boiling water. do you keep on taking your medicine when you begin to improve, or do you stop taking it, trusting that you are on the road to recovery and no more medicine is needed, even if you have been sick for months and are having your first hours of relief from pains and nervousness? "have taken it faithfully" "for five years i suffered with pains in my back and from other troubles women often have. all of this time i was unfit for work and was taking different medicines that i thought were good. i saw the advertisement in the papers of lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and have taken it faithfully. i am now in good health and do all my own work. i recommend it to others and give you permission to publish this letter in your little books and in the newspapers as a testimonial." mrs. d. cassady, box , paris, ontario. house-cleaning hints [illustration] to clean a painted wall wash it with saleratus water; about one tablespoonful of saleratus to a quart of warm water. a piece of zinc placed on the glowing coals will clean the chimney of soot. a little lye put in paste will make wall-paper stick. to drive a nail into plaster, heat it very hot and the plaster will not break. to drive nails or screws into hard wood always rub them over with soap and they will go in easily and will not split the wood. shellac the inside of all drawers and they will be easy to clean. when you remove the waste from your carpet-sweeper, carefully cut the lint and hair from the revolving rolls and brushes. then with a cloth dipped in kerosene rub the bristles and the inside of the box clean, and the oil will prevent the dust from rising when you sweep. have you ever thought of writing to us about what lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound has done for you? "i am stronger and feel fine." "i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound because i was tired and run down. i had headaches and no appetite and was troubled for two years with sleeplessness. i tried many medicines but nothing did me any real good. while i was living in washington i was recommended by a friend to take the vegetable compound. i am stronger and feel fine since then and am able to do my housework. i am willing for you to use these facts as a testimonial." mrs. j.c. greaves, hornby st., vancouver, british columbia. first aids [illustration] for a rusty nail accident pour turpentine at once on the afflicted parts. for burns put on scraped raw potato instantly and change as often as it gets warm, until the pain is relieved. olive oil will remove gum from a child's hair as if by magic. when a child puts a bean in his nose, don't try to dig it out. put a little cayenne pepper upon his upper lip and he will sneeze it out. to extract splinters, fill a wide-mouthed bottle almost to the top with very hot water and place the injured part over the mouth of the bottle and press lightly. suction will draw the flesh down and steam will extract the splinter. table of measures (dry and liquid) salt spoons teaspoonful teaspoonfuls tablespoonful tablespoonfuls cup cups pint all measures are level. to measure dry materials, take up all a spoon or cup will hold and level it with a knife. to measure liquids, take up all the spoon or cup will hold. "after being married sixteen years" "seven years ago i took lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound and after being married sixteen years became the mother of a sweet little girl. i had longed for children all the while and wept many a day and envied every woman with a child. i was thirty-six years old when my baby was born. i recommend lydia e. pinkham's vegetable compound to any woman who is ailing with female weakness." mrs. j. naumann, benton st., st. louis, mo. attention! an attractive present will be forwarded you free if you will return this page with answers to the following questions: designate your choice by checking one of the following: tape measure manicure set lydia e. pinkham medicine co. lynn, mass. * * * * * questions how many copies of this book were left for you where you found this one? where did you find this copy? have you seen other copies of this book in stores or otherwise wasted? if so, please explain what you have seen? would you like us to send you, with the present, a free copy of lydia e. pinkham's private text-book upon ailments peculiar to women? name street address town * * * * * * transcriber's notes: inside front cover: added period after pinkham's blood medicine. page . added " after: facts as a testimonial. page . reversed order of mrs. peter nordin, <--> wadena, saskatchewan. page . until [added space] puffed page . changed to title case from upper, for consistency: method page . "it has done so much for women" corrected case of t to upper page . liqiud corrected to liquid page . corrected double word: one one page . corrected buttter to butter transcribers note: original spellings, including inconsistencies, left in this e-text. [illustration: sir kenelm digby knight. after the painting by sir anthony vandyke in his majesty's collection at windsor castle] the closet of sir kenelm digby knight opened: newly edited, with introduction, notes, and glossary, by anne macdonell london: philip lee warner albemarle street, w. the design on the front binding of this volume reproduces a contemporary binding (possibly by le gascon?) from the library of the author, whose arms it embodies. contents page introduction ix the closet of sir kenelm digby opened: title page of the first edition to the reader receipts for mead, metheglin, and other drinks cookery receipts the table appendix i. some additional receipts ii. the powder of sympathy iii. list of the herbs, flowers, &c., referred to in the text notes glossary index of receipts _the frontispiece is a reproduction in photogravure after the portrait of sir kenelm digby by sir anthony vandyke in his majesty's collection at windsor castle, by permission._ introduction with the waning of sir kenelm digby's philosophic reputation his name has not become obscure. it stands, vaguely perhaps, but permanently, for something versatile and brilliant and romantic. he remains a perpetual type of the hero of romance, the double hero, in the field of action and the realm of the spirit. had he lived in an earlier age he would now be a mythological personage; and even without the looming exaggeration and glamour of myth he still imposes. the men of to-day seem all of little stature, and less consequence, beside the gigantic creature who made his way with equal address and audacity in courts and councils, laboratories and ladies' bowers. so when, in a seventeenth-century bookseller's advertisement, i lighted on a reference to the curious compilation of receipts entitled _the closet of sir kenelm digby opened_, having the usual idea of him as a great gentleman, romantic royalist, and somewhat out-of-date philosopher, i was enough astonished at seeing his name attached to what seemed to me, in my ignorance, outside even his wide fields of interest, to hunt for the book without delay, examine its contents, and inquire as to its authenticity. of course i found it was not unknown. though the _dictionary of national biography_ omits any reference to it, and its name does not occur in mr. carew hazlitt's _old cookery books_, dr. murray quotes it in his great dictionary, and it is mentioned and discussed in _the life of digby by one of his descendants_. but mr. longueville treats it therein with too scant deference. one of a large and interesting series of contemporary books of the kind, its own individual interest is not small; and i commend it with confidence to students of seventeenth-century domestic manners. to apologise for it, to treat it as if it were some freak, some unowned sin of digby's, would be the greatest mistake. on the contrary, its connection with his life and career is of the closest; and i make bold to assert that of all his works, with the doubtful exception of his _memoirs_, it is the one best worth reprinting. it is in no spirit of irony that i say of him who in his own day was looked on almost as bacon's equal, who was the friend of bacon, galileo, descartes, harvey, ben jonson, cromwell, and all the great spirits of his time, the intimate of kings, and the special friend of queens, that his memory should be revived for his skill in making drinks, and his interest in his own and other folks' kitchens. if to the magnificent and protean sir kenelm must now be added still another side, if he must appear not only as gorgeous cavalier, inmate of courts, controversialist, man of science, occultist, privateer, conspirator, lover and wit, but as _bon viveur_ too, he is not the ordinary _bon viveur_, who feasts at banquets prepared by far away and unconsidered menials. his interest in cookery--say, rather, his passion for it--was in truth an integral part of his philosophy, and quite as serious as his laboratory practice at gresham college and paris. but to prove what may seem an outrageous exaggeration, we must first run over the varied story of his career; and then _the closet opened_ will be seen to fall into its due and important place. kenelm digby owed a good deal to circumstances, but he owed most of all to his own rich nature. his family was ancient and honourable. tiltons originally, they took their later name in henry iii's time, on the acquisition of some property in lincolnshire, though in warwickshire and rutland most of them were settled. three lancastrian digby brothers fell at towton, seven on bosworth field. to his grandfather, sir everard the philosopher, he was mentally very much akin, much more so than to his father, another of the many sir everards, and the most notorious one. save for his handsome person and the memory of a fervent devotion to the catholic faith, which was to work strongly in him after he came to mature years, he owed little or nothing to that most unhappy young man, surely the foolishest youth who ever blundered out of the ways of private virtue into conspiracy and crime. kenelm, his elder son, born july , , was barely three years old when his father, the most guileless and the most obstinate of the gunpowder plotters, died on the scaffold. the main part of the family wealth, as the family mansion gothurst--now gayhurst--in buckinghamshire, came from sir everard's wife, mary mulsho; and probably that is one reason why james i acceded to the doomed man's appeal that his widow and children should not be reduced to beggary. kenelm, in fact, entered on his active career with an income of £ a year; but even its value in those days did not furnish a youth of such varied ambitions and such magnificent exterior over handsomely for his journey through the world. his childhood was spent under a cloud. he was bred by a mother whose life was broken and darkened, and whose faith, barely tolerated, would naturally keep her apart from the more favoured persons of the kingdom. kenelm might have seemed destined to obscurity; but there was that about the youth that roused interest; and even the timid king james was attracted by him into a magnanimous forgetfulness of his father's offence. nevertheless, he could never have had the easy destiny of other young men of his class, unless he had been content to be a simple country gentleman; and from the first his circumstances and his restless mind dictated his career, which had always something in it of the brilliant adventurer. another branch of the digbies rose as the buckinghamshire family fell. it was a john digby, afterwards earl of bristol, who carried the news of the conspirators' design on the princess elizabeth. king james's gratitude was a ladder of promotion, which would have been firmer had not this protestant digby incurred the dislike of the royal favourite buckingham. but in sir john was english ambassador in madrid; and it may have been to get the boy away from the influence of his mother and her catholic friends that this kinsman, always well disposed towards him, and anxious for his advancement, took him off to spain when he was fourteen, and kept him there for a year. nor was his mother's influence unmeddled with otherwise. during some of the years of his minority at least, laud, then dean of gloucester, was his tutor. tossed to and fro between the rival faiths, he seems to have regarded them both impartially, or indifferently, with an occasional adherence to the one that for the moment had the better exponent. his education was that of a dilettante. a year in spain, in court and diplomatic circles, was followed by a year at oxford, where thomas allen, the mathematician and occultist, looked after his studies. allen "quickly discerned the natural strength of his faculties, and that spirit of penetration which is so seldom met with in persons of his age." he felt he had under his care a young pico di mirandola. it may have been now he made his boyish translation of the _pastor fido_, and his unpublished version of virgil's _eclogues_. as to the latter, the quite unimportant fact that he made one at all i offer to future compilers of digby biographies. allen till his death remained his friend and admirer, and bequeathed to him his valuable library. the mss. part of it digby presented to the bodleian. a portion of the rest he seems to have kept; and though it is said his english library was burnt by the parliamentarians, it seems not unlikely that some of allen's books were among his collection at paris sold after his death by the king of france. but kenelm was restlessly longing to taste life outside academic circles, and already he was hotly in love with his old playmate, now grown into great beauty, venetia anastasia stanley, daughter of edward stanley of tonge, in shropshire, and granddaughter of the earl of northumberland. if i could connect the beautiful venetia with this cookery book, i should willingly linger over the tale of her striking and brief career. but though the elder lady digby contributed something to _the closet opened_, there is no suggestion that it owes a single receipt to the younger. above kenelm in station as she was, he could hardly have aspired to her save for her curiously forlorn situation. mother-less, and her father a recluse, she was left to bring herself up, and to bestow her affections where she might. to kenelm's ardour she responded readily; and he philandered about her for a year or two. but his mother would hear nothing of the match; and at seventeen he was sent out on the grand tour, the object of which, we learn from his _memoirs_, was "to banish admiration, which for the most part accompanieth home-bred minds, and is daughter of ignorance." kenelm proved better than the ideal set before him; and the more he travelled the more he admired. into this tale of love and adventure i must break with the disturbing intelligence that the handsome and romantic and spirited youth was in all probability already procuring material for the compilation on _physick and chirurgery_, which hartman, his steward, published after his death. it was not as a middle-aged _bon viveur_, nor as an elderly hypochondriac, that he began his medical studies, but in the heyday of youth, and quite seriously, too. the explanation brings with it light on some other of his interests as well. when he set out on the grand tour, his head full of love and the prospects of adventure, he found the spare energy to write from london to a good friend of his, the rev. mr. sandy, parson of great lindford. in this letter--the original is in the ashmolean--kenelm asks for the good parson's prayers, and sends him "a manuscript of elections of divers good authors." mr. longueville, who gives the letter, has strangely failed to identify sandy with the famous richard napier, parson, physician, and astrologer, of the well-known family of napier of merchistoun. his father, alexander napier, was often known as "sandy"; and the son held the alternative names also. great lindford is two and a half miles from gothurst; and it is possible that protestant friends, perhaps laud himself, urged on the good parson the duty of looking after the young catholic gentleman. sandy (napier) was also probably his mother's medical adviser: he certainly acted as such to some members of her family. a man of fervent piety--his "knees were horny with frequent praying," says aubrey--he was, besides, a zealous student of alchemy and astrology, a friend of dee, of lilly, and of booker. very likely kenelm had been entrusted to allen's care at oxford on the recommendation of sandy; for allen, one of his intimates, was a serious occultist, who, according to his servant's account, "used to meet the spirits on the stairs like swarms of bees." with these occupations napier combined a large medical practice in the midlands, the proceeds of which he gave to the poor, living ascetically himself. his favourite nephew, richard napier the younger, his pupil in all these arts and sciences, was about the same age as kenelm, and spent his holidays at great lindford. the correspondence went on. digby continued his medical observations abroad; and after his return we find him writing to sandy, communicating "some receipts," and asking for pills that had been ordered. thus we have arrived at the early influences which drew the young catholic squire towards the art of healing and the occult sciences. the latter he dabbled in all his life. in the former his interest was serious and steadfast. he remained out of england three years. from paris the plague drove him to angers, where the appearance of the handsome english youth caused such commotion in the heart of the queen mother, marie de médicis, that she evidently lost her head. his narrative of her behaviour had to be expurgated when his _memoirs_ were published in . he fled these royal attentions; spread a report of his death, and made his way to italy. his two years in florence were not all spent about the grand-ducal court. his mind, keen and of infinite curiosity, was hungering after the universal knowledge he aspired to; and galileo, then writing his dialogues in his retirement at bellosguardo, could not have been left unvisited by the eager young student. in after years, digby used to say that it was in florence he met the carmelite friar who brought from the east the secret of the powder of sympathy, which cured wounds without contact. the friar who had refused to divulge the secret to the grand duke confided it to him--of which more hereafter. from florence he passed to spain; and his arrival was happily timed--probably by his ever anxious kinsman; for a few days later prince charles and buckingham landed, on the spanish marriage business; and so agreeable was young digby that, in spite of buckingham's dislike of his name, he became part of the prince's household, and returned with the party in october, . court favours seemed now to open out a career for him. king james knighted him, in what might have proved a fatal ceremony; for so tremblingly nervous of the naked steel was the royal hand, that buckingham had to turn the sword aside from doing damage instead of honour. he was also made gentleman of the bedchamber to prince charles. but no other signal favours followed these. for all his agreeableness he was not of the stuff courtiers are made of--though james had a kindness for him, and was entertained by his eagerness and ingenuity. bacon, too, just before his death, had come across this zealous young student of the experimental methods, and had meant, digby said, to include an account of the powder of sympathy in an appendix to his _natural history_. in spain, kenelm had flirted with some spanish ladies, notably with the beautiful donna anna maria manrique, urged thereto by gibes at his coldness; but venetia was still the lady of his heart. her amorous adventures, in the meanwhile, had been more serious and much more notorious. his letters had miscarried, and had been kept back by his mother. venetia pleaded her belief in his death. aubrey's account of her is a mass of picturesque scandal. "she was a most beautiful desirable creature.... the young eagles had espied her, and she was sanguine and tractable, and of much suavity (which to abuse was great pittie)." making all allowance for gossip, the truth seems to be that in kenelm's absence she had been at least the mistress of sir edward sackville, afterwards the fourth earl of dorset; that dorset tired of her; and on digby's return she was more than willing to return to her old love. but, alas! sackville had her picture, which seemed to her compromising. digby, therefore, having accepted her apologies and extenuations, challenged sackville to a duel; whereupon the faithless one proved at least magnanimous; refused to fight, gave up the picture, and swore that venetia was blameless as she was fair. a private marriage followed; and it was only on the birth of his second son john that sir kenelm acknowledged it to the world. to read nearly all his _memoirs_ is to receive the impression that he looked on his wife as a wronged innocent. to read the whole is to feel he knew the truth and took the risk, which was not very great after all; for the lady of the many suitors and several adventures settled down to the mildest domesticity. they say he was jealous; but no one has said she gave him cause. the tale runs that dorset visited them once a year, and "only kissed her hand, sir kenelm being by." but digby was a good lover. all the absurd rhodomontade of his strange _memoirs_ notwithstanding, there are gleams of rare beauty in the story of his passion, which raise him to the level of the great lovers. his _memoirs_ were designed to tell "the beginning, progress, and consummation of that excellent love, which only makes me believe that our pilgrimage in this world is not indifferently laid upon all persons for a curse." and here is a very memorable thing. "understanding and love are the natural operation of a reasonable creature; and this last, which is a gift that of his own nature must always be bestowed, _being the only thing that is really in his power to bestow_, it is the worthiest and noblest that can be given." but, as he naïvely says, "the relations that follow marriage are ... a clog to an active mind"; and his kinsman bristol was ever urging him to show his worth "by some generous action." the result of this urging was scanderoon. his object, plainly stated, was to ruin venetian trade in the levant, to the advantage of english commerce. the aid and rescue of algerian slaves were afterthoughts. king james promised him a commission; but buckingham's secretary, on behalf of his master absent in the ile de ré, thought his privileges were being infringed, and the king drew back. digby acted throughout as if he had a "publike charge," but he was really little other than a pirate. he sailed from deal in december, , his ships the "eagle" and the "george and elizabeth." it was six months before the decisive fight took place; but on the way he had captured some french and spanish ships near gibraltar; and what with skirmishes and sickness, his voyage did not want for risk and episode at any time. digby the landsman maintained discipline, reconciled quarrels, doctored his men, ducked them for disorderliness, and directed the naval and military operations like any old veteran. at scanderoon [now alexandretta in the levant] the french and venetians, annoyed by his presence, fired on his ships. he answered with such pluck and decision that, after a three hours' fight, the enemy was completely at his mercy, and the venetians "quitted to him the signiority of the roade." in his journal of the voyage you may read a sober account, considering who was the teller of the tale, of a brilliant exploit. he does not disguise the fact that he was acting in defiance of his own countrymen in the levant. the vice-consul at scanderoon kept telling him that "our nation" at aleppo "fared much the worse for his abode there." he was setting the merchants in the levant by the ears, and when he turned his face homewards, the english were the most relieved of all. his exploit "in that drowsy and inactive time ... was looked upon with general estimation," says clarendon. the king gave him a good welcome, but could not follow it up with any special favour; for there were many complaints over the business, and scanderoon had to be repudiated. but digby could not be merely privateer, and in the scanderoon expedition we are privileged to look on the pirate as a man of taste. his stay in florence had given him an interest in the fine arts; and at milo and delphos he contrived to make some healthy exercise for his men serve the avidity of the collector. modern excavators will read with horror of his methods. "i went with most of my shippes to delphos, a desert island, where staying till the rest were readie, because idlenesse should not fixe their mindes upon any untoward fansies (as is usuall among seamen), and together to avayle myselfe of the convenience of carrying away some antiquities there, i busied them in rolling of stones doune to the see side, which they did with such eagernesse as though it had been the earnestest business that they had come out for, and they mastered prodigious massie weightes; but one stone, the greatest and fairest of all, containing four statues, they gave over after they had been, men, a whole day about it.... but the next day i contrived a way with mastes of shippes and another shippe to ride over against it, that brought it doune with much ease and speede"! what became of this treasure so heroically acquired? so much for art. literature was to have its turn with the versatile pirate ere he reached his native shores. during a time of forced inaction at milo, he began to write his _memoirs_. a great commander was expected during a truce, it appears, to pay lavish attentions to the native ladies. neglect of this gallantry was construed almost as a national insult. sir kenelm, faithful to his venetia, excused himself on the plea of much business. but he had little or no business; and he used his retirement to pen the amazing account of his early life and his love story, where he appears as theagenes and his wife as stelliana, as strange a mixture of rhodomontade and real romance as exists among the autobiographies of the world. of course it does not represent digby at his maturity. among his mss. the _memoirs_ were found with the title of _loose fantasies_, and they were not printed till . it was quite a minor post in the navy he received in recognition of scanderoon, and one wonders why he took it. perhaps to gain experience, of which he was always greedy. or scanderoon may have emptied his treasuries. after the restoration he had a hard struggle to get repaid for his ransom of slaves on the algerian coast. at any rate, as naval commissioner he earned the reputation of a hard-working public servant. if his constantly-changing life can be said to have had a turning-point, it occurred in , when his wife died suddenly. the death of the lovely venetia was the signal for a great outburst of vile poetry on her beauty and merits. ben jonson, her loyal friend and kenelm's, wrote several elegies, one of them the worst. vandyck painted her several times; and so the memory of her loveliness is secure. as to her virtues, amiability seems to have been of their number. "unmatcht for beauty, chaster than the ayre," wrote one poet. when they opened her head it was discovered she had little brain; and gossip attributed the fact to her having drunk viper-wine--by her husband's advice--for her complexion. this sounds absurd only to those who have not perused the _receipts in physick and chirurgery_. little brain or not, her husband praised her wits. ben jonson wrote with devotion of her "who was my muse, and life of all i did." digby imitated his father-in-law who, in similar circumstances, gave himself up to solitude and recollection. his place of retirement was gresham college. do its present students remember it once housed a hermit who "wore a long mourning cloake, a high crowned hat, his beard unshorne ... as signes of sorrowe for his beloved wife"? there "he diverted himself with chymistry and the professor's good conversation." he had "a fair and large laboratory ... erected under the lodgings of the divinity reader." hans hunneades the hungarian was his operator. but another influence was at work. for the first time his mind turned seriously to religion. romanist friends were persuading him to his father's faith. his old tutor laud and other protestants were doing their best to settle him on their side. out of the struggle of choice he came, in , a fervent and convinced catholic. he was to prove his devotion over and over again; but i fear that catholics of to-day would view with suspicion his views on ecclesiastical authority. in his dedication of his _treatise on the soul_ to his son kenelm, there is a spirited defence of the right, of the intelligent to private judgment in matters of doctrine. nevertheless, his catholicism, though rationalist, was sincere, and he spent much energy in propaganda among his friends--witness his rather dull little brochure, the _conference with a lady about choice of religion_ ( ), and his correspondence with his kinsman, lord digby, who did, indeed, later, come over to the older faith. ere long he earned the reputation of being "not only an open but a busy papist," though "an eager enemy to the jesuits." from this time dates his close friendship with the queen, henrietta maria, and her catholic friends, sir tobie matthew, endymion porter, and walter montague. he and montague were specially chosen by the queen to appeal to the english catholics for aid towards charles's campaign in scotland. digby was certainly a hot inciter of the king to foolish activity; but in the light of his after history, it would seem always with a view to the complete freedom of the catholic religion. a prominent king's man, nay, a queen's man, which was held to be something extremer, he played, however, an individual part in the struggle. he was well fitted for the cavalier rôle by the magnificence of his person, by his splendid hospitality, his contempt for sects, his aristocratic instincts, and his manner of the great world. but if he liked good cheer and a great way of living, he is never to be imagined as clinking cans with a "hey for cavaliers! ho for cavaliers!" he never fought for the king's cause--though he fought a duel in paris with a french lord who took charles's name in vain, and killed his man too. his rôle was always the intellectual one. he conspired for the cause--chiefly, i think, out of personal friendship, and because he held it to be the cause of his church. he was not a virulent politician; and on the question of divine right the orthodox cavaliers must have felt him to be very unsound indeed. the era of parliaments had now come, and digby was to feel it. he was summoned to the bar of the house as a popish recusant. charles was ordered to banish him and montague from his councils and his presence; and their examination continued at intervals till the middle of . the queen interceded for digby with much warmth, but she was a dangerous friend; and in the same year montague and he were sent to prison. i have heard a tradition that crosby hall was for a time his comfortable jail, but can find no corroboration of this. the serjeant-at-arms confined him for a brief space at the three tuns, near charing cross, "where his conversation made the prison a place of delight" to his fellows. later, at winchester house, southwark, where he remained in honourable confinement for two years, he was busy with writing and experimenting--to preserve him from "a languishing and rusting leisure." two pamphlets, both of them hasty improvisations, one a philosophic commentary on a certain stanza of the _faërie queen_, the other, his well-known _observations on the 'religio medici'_, are but mere bubbles of this seething activity, given over mostly to the preparation of his _two treatises_, "of the body," and "of the soul," published later in paris, and to experiments on glass-making. many efforts were made for his release, the most efficacious by the queen of france. it should have been the dowager marie de médicis, in memory of her hot flame for him when he was a youth; but though she may have initiated the appeal, she died before his release, which he seems to have owed to anne of austria's good services. freedom meant banishment, but this sentence he did not take very seriously. in these years he was continually going and coming between france and england, now warned by parliament, now tolerated, now banished, again daring return, and escaping from the net. "i can compare him to nothing but to a great fish that we catch and let go again; but still he will come to the bait," said selden of him in his _table-talk_. exile in paris provided fresh opportunity for scientific study, though his connection with the english catholic malcontents, and his services to the queen henrietta maria, who now made him her chancellor, absorbed much of his time. when the cause needed him, the cavalier broke away from philosophy; and in he set out for rome, at the bidding of the queen, to beg money for her schemes. with all his address, diplomacy was not among the chief of his talents. with high personages he took a high tone. innocent x gave , crowns to the cause; but they quarrelled; and the pope went so far as to accuse digby of misappropriation of the money. digby, a man of clean hands, seems to have taken up the queen's quarrel. she would have nothing to do with rinuccini's irish expedition, which his holiness was supporting; and her chancellor naturally insisted on disbursing the funds at her commands rather than at the pope's. moreover, he was now renewing his friendship with thomas white, a heretic catholic priest, of several _aliases_, some of whose work had been placed on the index. white was a philosophic thinker of considerable power and subtlety, and he and digby acted and reacted on each other strongly--though digby's debt is perhaps the greater. their respective parts in the _two treatises_ and in the _institutionum peripateticorum libri quinque_, published under white's name, but for which sir kenelm is given the main credit, can hardly now be sifted. white, at all events, was not a prudent friend for an envoy to the holy see. digby "grew high and hectored with his holinesse, and gave him the lye. the pope said he was mad." thus aubrey. henrietta maria sent him once more on the same errand; but the roman curia continued to look on him as a "useless and restless man, with scanty wisdom." before returning, however, he paid a round of visits to italian courts, making everywhere a profound impression by his handsome person and his liveliness. he had to hasten back to england on his own business. his fortunes were desperate; and he desired to compound for his estates. a week or so after the king's death he is proved by his correspondence to be in france, having fled after one more pronouncement of him as a dangerous man. he went into exile this time with a sad heart; and it was not only the loyalist in him that cried out. the life of an english country gentleman would never have satisfied him; yet he longed for it now it had become impossible. he writes from calais to a friend: "those innocent recreations you mention of tabors and pipes, and dancing ladies, and convenient country houses, shady walks and close arbours, make one sigh to be again a spectator of them, and to be again in little england, where time slides more gently away than in any part of the world. _quando sia mai ch'a rividerti io torno_?" he went this time knowing better than his fellow royalists the meaning of events. he was still a rank, but at least an intelligent, conspirator. english correspondents at rouen and caen report him in the company of one watson, an independent; and that he is proposing "to join the interests of all the english papists with the bloody party that murdered the king." dr. winsted, an english doctor in rouen, asked him with indignation how he could meditate going back to england, "considering the abomination of that country." digby replied that he was forced to it. "if he went not now he must starve." he plainly saw who was the real and only force in england; and he was going to make a bargain with the strong man for himself and his co-religionists. as a matter of fact there is no trace of his return at this moment. not merely was his property in danger, but his head as well. yet he never repented of his policy, and he carried it out, so far as might be, in his dealings with cromwell a few years later. and henrietta maria bore him no grudge on this score. exile in paris meant friendly intercourse with, and consolation of the queen, but also scientific research. in evelyn was visiting him there, and being stirred by his enthusiasm into attending fébur's chemistry lectures along with him. before that must have taken place his pilgrimage to descartes, who died in . apparently sir kenelm had gone to egmont as an unknown stranger; and it throws light on his wide reputation as a man of ideas and a conversationalist, that into his torrent of questions and speculation descartes broke with, "you can be none other than digby." the english scientist's practical mind--for he had always a practical end in view, however fantastic his methods--showed itself in his counsel to the author of the _discours sur la méthode_. why all this labour for mere abstract speculation? why not apply his genius to the one great subject, the prolongation of human life? descartes, it appears, did not need the advice. he said the subject was engaging his mind; and though he "dared not look forward to man being rendered immortal, he was quite certain his length of life could be made equal to the patriarch's." in fact, he was composing at the time an _abrégé de médecine_, and popular report said he believed men could live four or five hundred years. he died prematurely of too much faith in his own medical theories. in permission was given to digby to return, on condition he would not meddle with royalist plots. he had been in communication with cromwell, and had done some diplomatic business for him in paris. on his return in , and for the next few years, he was in the closest relations with the protector, thereby carrying out the principle he had probably adopted from white, of a "universal passive obedience to any species of government that had obtained an establishment." his royalist friends made an outcry, and so did the puritans; but digby was confident of obtaining from cromwell great advantages for the english catholics, and the protector, it seems, fully trusted the intentions and the abilities of this strange and fascinating personality who came to him out of the enemy's camp. delicate business was given into his hands, that of preventing an alliance between france and spain. prynne, in his _true and perfect narrative_, bitterly denounced cromwell in "that sir kenelme digby was his particular favourite, and lodged at whitehall; that maurice conry, provincial of the franciscans in england, and other priests, had his protections under hand and seal." of digby's feelings towards cromwell there is clear evidence. it seems his loyalty had been questioned in his absence; and he writes from paris, in march, , to secretary thurloe: "whatsoever may be disliked by my lord protector and the council of state must be detested by me. my obligations to his highness are so great, etc." and again, "how passionate i am for his service and for his honour and interest, even to exposing my life for him." the intimacy, begun on both sides in mere policy, had evidently grown to friendship and mutual admiration. the illness of which he died had already attacked him, and it was for his health he went to montpelier in . his stay in that seat of learning was made memorable by his reading to a company of eminent persons his _discourse on the powder of sympathy_, which has brought him more fame and more ridicule than anything else. i have already referred to the secret confided to him as a youth in florence by the carmelite friar from the east. when he came back to england he spoke of the great discovery, and had occasion to use it. howell--of the _familiar letters_--was, according to sir kenelm's account, wounded while trying to part two friends who were fighting a duel. his wounds were hastily tied up with his garter, and digby was sent for. digby asked for the garter-bandage, and steeped it in a basin in which he had dissolved his secret powder (of vitriol). immediately howell felt a "pleasing kind of freshnesse, as it were a wet cold napkin did spread over my hand." "take off all the plasters and wrappings," said digby. "keep the wound clean, and neither too hot nor too cold." afterwards he took the bandage from the water, and hung it before a great fire to dry; whereupon howell's servant came running to say his master was much worse, and in a burning fever. the bandage plunged once more in the dissolved powder, soothed the patient at a distance; and in a few days the wound was healed. digby declared that james and buckingham were interested witnesses of the cure; and the king "drolled with him about it (which he could do with a very good grace)." he said he divulged the secret to the duke of mayenne. after the duke's death his surgeon sold it so that "now there is scarce any country barber but knows it." why did not digby try it on his wounded men at scanderoon? his _discourse_ to the learned assembly is a curious medley of subtle observation and old wives' tales, set out in sober, orderly, one might almost say scientific, fashion. roughly, the substance of it may be summed up as "like to like." the secret powder is a medium whereby the atoms in the bandage are drawn back to their proper place in the body! after digby's death you could buy the powder at hartman's shop for sixpence. at the restoration he returned to england. he was still henrietta maria's chancellor. his relations with cromwell had never broken their friendship; and probably he still made possets for her at somerset house as he had done in the old days. but by charles ii there was no special favour shown him, beyond repayment for his ransom of english slaves during the scanderoon voyage; and in he was forbidden the court. the reason is not definitely known. charles may have only gradually, but at last grimly, resented, the more he learnt of it, digby's recognition of the usurper. he found happiness in science, in books, in conversation, in medicine, stilling and cookery. in he had lectured at gresham college on _the vegetation of plants_. when the royal society was inaugurated, in , he was one of the council. his house became a kind of academy, where wits, experimentalists, occultists, philosophers, and men of letters worked and talked. this was the house in covent garden. an earlier one is also noted by aubrey. "the faire howses in holbourne between king's street and southampton street (which brake-off the continuance of them) were, about , built by sir kenelme; where he lived before the civill warres. since the restauration of charles ii he lived in the last faire house westward in the north portico of covent garden, where my lord denzill hollis lived since. he had a laboratory there." this latter house, which can be seen in its eighteenth-century guise in hogarth's print of "morning," in _the four hours of the day_ set, is now the quarters of the national sporting club. there he worked and talked and entertained, made his metheglin and _aqua vitæ_ and other messes, till his last illness in . paris as ever attracted him; and in france were good doctors for his disease, the stone. he had himself borne on a litter to the coast; but feeling death's hand on him, he turned his face homeward again, and died in covent garden, june , . in his will he desired to be buried by his beautiful venetia in christ church, newgate, and that no mention should be made of him on the tomb, where he had engraved four latin inscriptions to her memory. but ferrar wrote an epitaph for him:-- "under this tomb the matchless digby lies, digby the great, the valiant, and the wise," etc. the great fire destroyed the tomb, and scattered their ashes. he had died poor; and his surviving son john, with whom he had been on bad terms, declared that all the property that came to him was his father's sumptuously compiled history of the digby family. apparently john regained some part of the estates later, which perhaps had only been left away from him to pay off debts. a great library of sir kenelm's was still in paris; and after his death it was claimed by the french king, and sold for , crowns. his kinsman, the second earl of bristol, bought it, and joined it to his own; and the catalogue of the combined collection, sold in london in , is an interesting and too little tapped source for digby's mental history. of his five children, three were already dead. kenelm, his eldest son, had fallen at st. neot's, in , fighting for the king. it was his remaining son john who sanctioned the publication of his father's receipts. * * * * * sir kenelm digby has been recognised as the type of the great amateur, but always with a shaking of the head. why this scorn of accomplished amateurs? rather may their tribe increase, let us pray. our world languisheth now for lack of them. he was fitted by nature to play the rôle superbly, to force his circumstances, never over pliant, to serve not his material interests, but his fame, his craving for universal knowledge and attainments. says wood: "his person was handsome and gigantick, and nothing was wanting to make him a compleat cavalier. he had so graceful elocution and noble address that had he been dropped out of the clouds into any part of the world, he would have made himself respected; but the jesuits who cared not for him, spoke spitefully, and said it was true, but then he must not stay there above six weeks. he had a great faculty, which proceeded from abundance of wit and invention, of proposing and reporting matters to the virtuosi." women adored him; and he took great pains to please them--though in spite of the importunities of marie de médicis, the long friendship with henrietta maria, his early flirtation with the lovely spaniard, his earnest and impolitic championship of the notorious lady purbeck--romish convert and adventuress--venetia, it seems, remained his only love. he was never the mere gallant. he treated women as his intellectual equals, but as equals who had to be splendidly entertained and amused. his conversation was "ingeniose and innocent." lloyd speaks of "the grace wherewith he could relate _magnarum rerum minutias_, the little circumstances of great matters." but men were at his feet as well; and on his tour among italian courts, one of the grandees said that, "having no children, he was very willing his wife should bring him a prince by sir kenelme, whom he imagined the just measure of perfection." a first-rate swordsman, yet was he "not apt in the least to give offence." his strength was that of a giant. bristol related that one day at sherborne he took up "a midling man," chair and all, with one arm. but there was nothing of the swashbuckler about him, and his endless vitality was matched by his courtesy. true, he hustled a pope; but he addressed the short parliament in such reverential terms as no roundhead could have found. one who had been courtier, exile, naval commander, student, prisoner, and diplomatist, who had associated with all sorts of persons, from kings to alchemists and cooks, had learnt resourcefulness. but he was never too hard put to it perhaps, seeing that "if he had not fourpence, wherever he came he would find respect and credit." "no man knew better how to abound, and to be abased, and either was indifferent to him." he had his detractors. one who plays so many parts incites envy and ridicule; and he laid himself particularly open to both. fantasy was in the digby blood; and that agility of mind and nerve that turns now here, now there, to satisfy an unquenchable curiosity, that exuberance of mental spirits that forces to rapid and continuous expression, has ever been suspect of the english mind. he was "highly caressed in france." to evelyn sir kenelm was a "teller of strange things," and again the diarist called him "an errant mountebank"--though evelyn sought his society, and was grateful for its stimulus. lady fanshawe, who met him at calais, at the governor's table, says he "enlarged somewhat more in extraordinary stories than might be averred.... that was his infirmity, though otherwise a person of most excellent parts, and a very fine bred gentleman." "a certain eccentricity and unsteadiness perhaps inseparable from a mind of such vanity," is lodge's criticism. "the pliny of our age for lying," quoth stubbes. but digby's extraordinary stories were by no means all false. he may have talked sometimes to _épater le bourgeois;_ but his serious statements were often judged as were the wonders of evolution by country audiences in the seventies. his offence was he must always be talking. his ideas he must share, expound, illustrate, whether or no they were ripe. it is the sign-manual of the sincere amateur. his books are probably but the lees of his conversation. he was not, in the first place, a literary person. his _memoirs_ are good reading for those with a touch of the fantastic in themselves; but the average literary critic will dub them rhodomontade. his scientific and controversial treatises, not at all unreadable, and full of strange old lore, survive as curiosities never to be reprinted. nevertheless, his temper was distinctly scientific, and if his exact discoveries be limited to observing the effect of oxygen on plant-life, and his actual invention to a particular kind of glass bottle, yet he was an eager student and populariser of the work of bacon, galileo, and harvey; and his laboratories were the nursing grounds of the new experimental philosophy. with a distinctly rationalistic temper, he was yet a faithful, if independent, son of the roman church. he speaks sometimes as if he regarded the church as the great storehouse of necessary authority for the intellectually feeble; but he accepted the main dogmas himself, being satisfied of them by intuition and reason. protestantism, he held, was not for the ordinary person, considering "the natural imbecility of man's wits and understandings." his piety was a thing apart, a matter of heredity perhaps, and of his poetic temperament. i have heard him called by that abused name, "mystic." he was nothing of the sort, and he said so in memorable words. as an act of devotion he translated the _adhering to god_ of albertus magnus. in the dedication to his mother he compares himself, as the translator of this mystic treatise, to certain travellers who "speak upon hearsay of countries they were never in." "the various course in the world that i have runne myself out of breath in, hath afforded me little means for solid recollection." yet was he now and then upon the threshold. with streaks of the quack and adventurer in him, he gave out deep notes. says lloyd: "his soul [was] one of those few souls that understand themselves." with an itch to use his pen as well as his tongue, he had none of the patience, the hankering after perfection of form, of the professional man of letters. his account of his scanderoon exploit, a sea-log, a little written-up later, was perhaps not meant for publication. it did not see the light till . his _memoirs_ were written, he says, "for my own recreation, and then continued and since preserved only for my own private content--to please myself in looking back upon my past and sweet errors." he even begs those who may come upon the ms. "to convert these blotted sheets into a clear flame." his commentary on the _faëry queen_ stanza was thrown off in a hurry. "the same discourse i made upon it the first half quarter of an hour that i saw it, i send you there, without having reduced it to any better form, or added anything at all to it." and so for the better-known and interesting _observations on 'religio medici.'_ browne reproached him for his review of a pirated edition. digby replied he had never authorised its publication, written as it was in twenty-four hours, which included his procuring and reading the book--a truly marvellous _tour de force_; for the thing is still worth perusal. he was always the improvisor--ready, brilliant, vivid, imperfect. he must give vent to the ideas that came upon him in gusts. "the impressions which creatures make upon me," he says, "are like boisterous winds." he fully recognised his own limitations. "i pretend not to learning," he declares, with exaggerated modesty. amateur and improviser of genius, let us praise him as such. the spacious, generous minds that can find room for all the ideas and culture of an epoch are never numerous enough. there is no one like such amateurs for bridging two ages; and digby, with one hand in lilly's and the other in bacon's, joins the mediæval to the modern world. nor is a universal amateur a genius who has squandered his powers; but a man exercising his many talents in the only way possible to himself, and generally with much entertainment and stimulus to others. it was ben jonson, too great a man to be one of his detractors on this score, who wrote of him: "he is built like some imperial room for that[ ] to dwell in, and be still at home. his breast is a brave palace, a broad street, where all heroic ample thoughts do meet; where nature such a large survey hath ta'en as other souls to his, dwelt in a lane." [footnote : all virtue.] there was nothing singular in his interest in astrology and alchemy. lilly and booker, both of them among his acquaintances, were ordered to attend the parliamentary army at the siege of colchester, "to encourage the soldiers with predictions of speedy victory." still--though he believed in greater absurdities--his attitude towards such matters was that of his chosen motto, _vacate et videte._ "to rely too far upon that vaine art i judge to be rather folly than impiety." as with regard to spirits and witches, he says, "i only reserve my assent." that he was not altogether absorbed in the transmutation of metals in his laboratory practice, and yet that he dabbled in it, makes him historically interesting. in him better than in newton do we realise the temper of the early members of the royal society. in this tale of his other activities i have not forgotten _the closet opened_. of all digby's many interests the most constant and permanent was medicine. how to enlarge the span of man's life was a problem much meditated on in his age. we have seen how descartes's mind ran on it; and in bacon's _natural history_ there is reference to a 'book of the prolongation of life.' in spite of what is written on his janssen hermit portrait--_saber morir la mayor hazanza_--digby loved life. his whole exuberant career is a pæan to life, for itself and its great chances, and because "it giveth the leave to vent and boyle away the unquietnesses and turbulences that follow our passions." to prolong life, fortify it, clarify it, was a noble pursuit, and he set out on it as a youth under the tuition of the 'good parson of lindford. his _physick and chirurgery_ receipts, published by hartman, are many of them incredible absurdities, not unfrequently repulsive; but when we compare them with other like books of the time, they fit into a natural and not too fantastic place. sir thomas browne was laughing at digby, but not at digby alone, in the passage in _vulgar errors_--"when for our warts we rub our hands before the moon, or commit any maculated part unto the touch of the dead." sir kenelm gathered his receipts on all his roads through europe, noted them down, made them up with his own hands, and administered them to his friends. in hartman's _family physician_ is given "an experienced remedy against the falling sicknes, wherewith sir k. digby cur'd a minister's son at franckfort in germany, in the year ." it begins, "take the skull of a man that died of a violent death." (hartman says he helped to prepare the ghastly concoction.) i have already noted how he doctored his beautiful wife's complexion; and how he was called in to cure howell's wound. in a poetic tribute he is referred to as: "hee, that all med'cines can exactly make, and freely give them." evelyn records how digby "advised me to try and digest a little better, and gave me a water which he said was only raine water of the autumnal equinox exceedingly rectified, and smelt like _aqua fortis_." here, at last, we have come to the end of sir kenelm the amateur. if he was an empiric, so were all the doctors of his time; and he may be described as a professional unpaid physician who carried on a frequently interrupted practice. that he did not publish his receipts himself does not reflect on his own idea of their importance. they had a wide circulation among his friends. and, as i have pointed out, he never showed great eagerness to publish. such works as appeared in his lifetime were evidently printed at the request of learned societies, or by friends to whom they were dedicated, or by white. the distance between the healer and the cook has grown to be immense in recent times. the college of physicians and mary jane in the kitchen are not on nodding terms--though one sees faint signs of an effort to bridge the wide gap. but in the seventeenth century the gap can hardly be said to have existed at all. at the back of the doctor is plainly seen the figure of the herbalist and simpler, who appear again prominently in the still-room and the kitchen, by the side of great ladies and great gentlemen, bent on making the best and the most of the pleasures of the table no doubt, but quite as much on the maintenance of health as of hospitality. simpler, herbalist, doctor, distiller, cook--digby was all of them, and all of them with the utmost seriousness; nor in this was he in the least singular. the great bacon was deeply concerned with such cares, though in certain of his recommendations, such as: "to provide always an apt break-fast," to take this every morning, not to forget to take that twice a month, one may read more of the valetudinarian than in digby. _the closet opened_ is but one of an interesting series of books of the kind, which have been too much neglected by students of seventeenth-century manners and lore and language. did not w.j. issue the countess of kent's _choice manual of physic and chirurgey_, with directions for preserving and candying? patrick, lord ruthven's _ladies' cabinet opened_ appeared in and . nor was it only the _cuisine_ of the nobles that roused interest. one of the curiosities of the time is _the court and kitchen of elizabeth, commonly called joan cromwell, the wife of the late usurper truly described and represented and now made publick for general satisfaction,_ . the preface is scurrilous beyond belief. compiled from the gossip of servants, it is meant to cast ridicule on the housekeeping of the protector's establishment. but the second part is a sober collection of by no means very penurious recipes from joan's own kitchen books. hartman, his steward, made an excellent thing out of digby's receipts--though the publishing of _the closet opened_ was not his doing, i think. his _choice and experimented receipts in physick and chirurgery_ had already appeared in , which suggested to some other hanger-on of the digby household that john digby's consent might be obtained for printing sir kenelm's culinary as well as his medical note-books. hartman followed up this new track with persistence and profit to himself. as a mild example of the "choice and experimented," i transcribe "an approved remedy for biting of a mad dog": "take a quart of ale, and a dram of treacle, a handful of rue, a spoonful of shavings or filings of tin. boil all these together, till half be consumed. take of this two spoonfuls in the morning, and at night cold. it is excellent for man or beast." i need not continue. the receipts are there for curious searchers. they were applied to aristocratic patients; and they are no more absurd or loathsome than those of other books of the time and kind. even bacon is fantastic enough with his "grains of youth" and "methusalem water." in , george hartman published, "for the publike good," _the true preserver and restorer of health_. it is dedicated to the countess of sunderland, and is described as "the collection for the most part (which i had hitherto reserved) of your incomparable kinsman and my truly honourable master, sir kenelm digby, whom i had the honour to serve for many years beyond the seas, as well as in england; and so continued with him till his dying day, and of whose generosity and bounty i have sufficiently tasted, and no less of your illustrious fathers, both before and after my glorious masters decease." of this book he says, "the world hath not yet seen such another piece." commend me to the forthright methods of seventeenth century advertisement! in the second part, "excellent directions for cookery," _the closet opened_ was largely drawn on. in appeared _the family physician_, by george hartman, phylo-chymist ... who liv'd and travell'd with the honourable sir kenelm digby in several parts of europe, the space of seven years till he died. this other choice compilation owes much to the "incomparable" one, and is described as "the marrow of collections." but hartman is not the only witness to digby's connoisseurship in the joint mysteries. better to my mind than even hartman's are the style and the spirit of master may. in appeared _the accomplisht cook,_ or the art and mystery of cookery ... approved by the fifty years experience and industry of robert may, in his attendance on several persons of honour. it is dedicated to lord lumley, lord lovelace, sir wm. paston, sir kenelme digby, and sir frederick cornwallis, "so well known to the nation for their admired hospitalities," and generally to "the race of those that for the gusto stand, whose tables a whole ark command of nature's plentie." "he is an alien, a meer stranger in england that hath not been acquainted with your generous housekeeping; for my own part, my more particular tyes of service to you, my honoured lords, have built me up to the height of this experience." his preface is a heartrending cry of regret for the good old times before usurping parliaments banished splendidly extravagant gentlemen across the seas, "those golden days of peace and hospitality, when you enjoy'd your own, so as to entertain and relieve others ... those golden days wherein were practised the triumphs and trophies of cookery, then was hospitality esteemed and neighbourhood preserved, the poor cherished and god honoured; then was religion less talk't on and more practis't, then was atheism and schisme less in fashion, and then did men strive to be good rather than to seem so." high-souled were the _chefs_ of the seventeenth century! the edition of _the closet opened_ is evidently the first. the interleaved example mentioned in the catalogue of the digby library is of the same date. whoever prepared it for the press and wrote the egregious preface "to the reader"--hartman, or as i think, another--gave it the title; but it was a borrowed one. some years earlier, in , had appeared _the queen's closet opened, incomparable secrets which were presented unto the queen by the most experienced persons of the times, many wherof were had in esteem when she pleased to descend to private recreation_. the queen, of course, is henrietta maria, and chief among the "experienced persons" referred to was certainly her chancellor, digby. possibly he may even have suggested the printing of the collection. like titles are met with again and again. _nature's cabinet opened_, a medical work, was attributed to browne, though he repudiated it. ruthven's book i have already alluded to. _the queen-like closet_, a rich cabinet, by hannah wolly, came out in . of the two books, the queen's and her chancellor's, digby's has afforded me by far the most delight. though many of the receipts are evidently given as sent in, the stamp of his personality is on the whole; and he is the poet of all these culinary artists. but on the score of usefulness to the housewife i forbear all judgment. the recipes may be thought extravagant in these late hard times--though epicurism has changed rather than vanished. lord bacon's receipt for making "manus christi for the stomach" begins, "take of the best pearls very finely pulverised one drachm"; and a health resolution runs, "to take once during supper wine in which gold is quenched." costly ingredients such as pearls and leaf gold appear only once among digby's receipts. the modern housewife may be aghast at the thought of more than a hundred ways of making mead and metheglin. mead recalls to her perhaps her first history-book, wherein she learnt of it as a drink of the primitive anglo-saxons. if she doubt the usefulness of the collection in her own kitchen, let her take the little volume to her boudoir, and read it there as gossiping notes of the _beau monde_ in the days when james i and the charleses ruled the land. she will find herself in lofty company, and on intimate terms with them. they come down to our level, without any show of condescension. lords and ladies who were personages of a solemn state pageant, are now human neighbourly creatures, owning to likes and dislikes, and letting us into the secrets of their daily habits. it pleases me to think of henrietta maria, in her exile, busying herself in her still-room, and forgetting her dangers and sorrows in simpling and stilling and kitchen messes; and of her devoted sir kenelm, in the moments when he is neither abeting her royalist plots, nor diverting her mind to matters of high science, or the mysteries of the faith, but bringing to her such lowlier consolations as are hinted in "hydromel as i made it weak for the queen mother." we are not waiting in a chill ante-chamber when we read, "the queen's ordinary bouillon de santé in a morning was thus," or of the pressis which she "used to take at nights--of great yet temperate nourishment--instead of a supper." and who can hint at court scandals in the face of such evidence of domesticity as "the queen useth to baste meat with yolks of fresh eggs, &c." or "the way that the countess de penalva makes the portuguese eggs for the queen is this"? we cannot help being interested in the habits of lady hungerford, who "useth to make her mead at the end of summer, when she takes up her honey, and begins to drink it in lent." my lady gower and her husband were of independent tastes. each had their own receipts. it must be remembered that dr. johnson said no woman could write a cookery-book; and he threatened to write one himself. and sir kenelm had many serious rivals among his own sex. in such an _embarras de choix_ as given by all these drink receipts, we may be in doubt whether to try "my lord gorge's meath," or "the countess of newport's" cherry wine, or "the sweet drink of my lady stuart," or of lady windebanke, or "sir paul neile's way of making cider," or "my lord carlisle's sack posset"; but one is strongly influenced by such a note as "sir edward bainton's receipt which my lord of portland (who gave it me) saith, was the best he ever drank." i had thought of saint-evremond as warrior and wit, delightful satirist and letter-writer. but here is a streak of new light upon him: "monsieur st. euvremont makes thus his potage de santé of boiled meat for dinner being very valetudinary.... when he is in pretty good health, that he may venture upon more savoury hotter things, &c." the most rigorous protestants will relax to hear how "to make a pan cotto as the cardinals use in rome." and if "my lord lumley's pease pottage" sounds homely, be it known, on the word of the eloquent robert may, that his lordship "wanted no knowledge in the discerning this mystery." what fastidious simplicity in the taste of the great is suggested by "my lord d'aubigny eats red-herrings thus boiled"! but if sir kenelm consorted only with the great, it was with the great of all social ranks. it was not merely on high questions of science he discoursed with the discoverer of the circulation of the blood--witness "dr. harvey's pleasant water cider." then there was that "chief burgomaster of antwerpe," with whom he must have been on pretty intimate terms, to learn that he "used for many years to drink no other drink but this [mead]; at meals and all times, even for pledging of healths. and though he was an old man, he was of an extraordinary vigor every way, and had every year a child, had always a great appetite, and good digestion; and yet was not fat." digby was too great a gentleman to be above exchanging receipts with the professors of the "mystery," such as the muscovian ambassador's steward; and when "master webbe who maketh the king's meath," on the st of september, , came to his house to make some for him, sir kenelm stood by, a little suspicious lest the other great artist was bamboozling him. he had an eye for all--though it may have been one of his correspondents who says of the remnants of a dish that it "will make good water-gruel for the servants." the seriousness of the business is tremendous; and to ignore the fine shades in the receipts for mead and metheglin would have been a frivolity unknown in digby's circle. there is care; there is conscience; there is rivalry. the ingredients are mingled with a nice discrimination between the rights of the palate and the maintenance of health. "use only morello cherries (i think) for pleasure, and black ones for health." you may not wait your own convenience in such serious business. "it is best made by taking all the canicular days into your fermentation." now and again other methods of calculating than ours are used; but "whiles you can say the miserere psalm very leisurely" is as easily computed as "while your pulse beateth stroaks." quantities are a more difficult affair. how is one to know how much smallage was got for a penny in mid-seventeenth century? the great connoisseur lord lumley is very lax, and owns that his are "set down by guess." it is a curious old world we get glimpses of, at once barbarous, simple, and extravagant, when great ladies were expected to see to the milking of their cows, as closely as joan cromwell supervised her milch-kine in st. james's park, and to the cleanliness of their servants' arms and hands, and when huntsmen rode at the bidding of the cook; for in order that venison be in good condition, "before the deer be killed he ought to be hunted and chased as much as possible." the perusal of the section, "to feed chickens," will shock our poultry-breeders. "to make them prodigiously fat in about twelve days," "my lady fanshawe gives them strong ale. they will be very drunk and sleep; then eat again. let a candle stand all night over the coop, and then they will eat much all the night." "lord denbigh's almond marchpane," and the 'current wine' of which it is said "you may drink safely long draughts of it," will appeal perhaps only to the schoolboy of our weaker generation. yet there are receipts, doubtless gathered in sir kenelm's later years, that have the cautious invalid in view. of these are the "pleasant cordial tablets, which are very comforting and strengthen nature much," and the liquor which is called "smoothing." "in health you may dash the potage with a little juyce of orange" is in the same low key. the gruels are so many that we must wish mr. woodhouse had known of the book. if the admixture of "wood-sorrel and currens" had seemed to him fraught with peril, he could have fallen back on the "oatmeal pap of sir john colladon." where are all the old dishes vanished to? who has ever known "a smoothening quiddany of quinces?" who can tell the composition of a tansy? these are tame days when we have forgotten how to make cock-ale. they drank 'sack with clove-gilly-flowers' at the "mermaid," i am sure. what is bragot? what is stepony? and what slipp-coat cheese? ask the baker for a manchet. the old names call for a _ballade. où sont les mets d'antan?_ and, cooks, with all your exactness about pounds and ounces and minutes of the clock, can you better directions like these? watch for "a pale colour with an eye of green." "let it stand till you may see your shadow in it"; or "till it begin to blink." your liquid may boil "simpringly," or "in a great ebullition, in great galloping waves." "make a liaison a moment, about an ave maria while." and all the significance of the times and seasons we have lost in our neglect to kill male hogs "in the wane of the moon!" for there is a lingering of astrology in all this kitchen lore. the irascible culpeper, digby's contemporary, poured scorn on such doctors as knew not the high science, "physick without astronomy being like a lamp without oil." as for the poetry i promised--well, i have been quoting it, have i not? but there is more, and better. surely it was a romantic folk that kept in its store-rooms the "best blew raisins of the sun," or "plumpsome raisins of the sun," and made its mead with dew, and eagerly exchanged with each other recipes for "conserve of red roses." and now we come to an essential feature of the whole. it is a _cuisine_ that does not reek of shops and co-operative stores, but of the wood, the garden, the field and meadow. like culpeper's pharmacopeia, it is made for the most part of "such things only as grow in england, they being most fit for english bodies." is it any wonder that the metheglin should be called the "liquor of life," which has these among its ingredients: bugloss, borage, hyssop, organ, sweet-marjoram, rosemary, french cowslip, coltsfoot, thyme, burnet, self-heal, sanicle, betony, blew-button, harts-tongue, meadowsweet, liverwort, bistort, st. john's wort, yellow saunders, balm, bugle, agrimony, tormentilla, comfrey, fennel, clown's allheal, maidenhair, wall-rue, spleen-wort, sweet oak, paul's betony, and mouse-ear? the housewife of to-day buys unrecognisable dried herbs in packets or bottles. in those days she gathered them in their season out of doors. the companions to _the closet opened_ should be the hasty and entertaining culpeper, the genial gerard, and coles of the delightful _adam in eden_, all the old herbals that were on digby's bookshelves, so full of absurdities, so full of pretty wisdom. they will tell you how to mix in your liquor eglantine for coolness, borage, rosemary, and sweet-marjoram for vigour, and by which planet each herb or flower is governed. has our sentiment for the flowers of the field increased now we no longer drink their essence, or use them in our dishes? i doubt it. it is surely a pardonable grossness that we should desire the sweet fresh things to become part of us--like children, who do indeed love flowers, and eat them. in the appendix i have transcribed a list of the plants referred to. most cooks would be unable to tell one from another; and even modern herbalists have let many fall out of use, while only a few are on the lists of the english pharmacopeia. to go simpling once more by field and wood and hedgerow would be a pleasant duty for country housewives to impose upon themselves; and as to the herbalists' observations on their virtues, we may say with old coles, "most of them i am confident are true, and if there be any that are not so, yet they are pleasant." there is an air of flippancy about that reflexion of coles you will never find in sir kenelm. of the virtues of each plant and flower he used he was fully convinced; and when he tells of their powers, as in his "aqua mirabilis," the tale is like a solemn litany, and we are reminded of clarendon's testimony to "the gravity of his motion." and so, his closet once more open, he stands at the door, his majesty not greatly lessened; for the book contains a reminiscence of his rolling eloquence, something of his romance, and not a little of his poetry. anne macdonell. _chelsea_, . the closet of the eminently learned sir _kenelme digbie_ k^{t}. opened: whereby is discovered several ways for making of _metheglin, sider, cherry-wine, &c._ _together with_ excellent directions for cookery: as also for _preserving, conserving, candying, &c._ * * * * * published by his son's consent. * * * * * _london_, printed by _e.c._ for _h. brome_, at the star in _little britain_. . [_facsimile of the original title-page._] to the reader this collection full of pleasing variety, and of such usefulness in the generality of it, to the publique, coming to my hands, i should, had i forborn the publication thereof, have trespassed in a very considerable concern upon my countrey-men, the like having not in every particular appeared in print in the english tongue. there needs no rhetoricating floscules to set it off. the authour, as is well known, having been a person of eminency for his learning, and of exquisite curiosity in his researches, even that incomparable sir kenelme digbie knight, fellow of the royal society and chancellour to the queen mother, (et omen in nomine) his name does sufficiently auspicate the work. i shall only therefore add, that there is herein (as by the table hereunto affix'd will evidently to thee appear) a sufficiency of solids as well as liquids for the sating the curiosities of each or the nicest palate; and according to that old saw in the regiment of health, incipe cum liquido, &c. the liquids premitted to the solids. these being so excellent in their kinde, so beneficial and so well ordered, i think it unhandsome, if not injurious, by the trouble of any further discourse, to detain thee any longer from falling to; fall to therefore, and much good may it do thee, fare-well. a receipt to make metheglin as it is made at liege, communicated by mr. masillon take one measure of honey, and three measures of water, and let it boil till one measure be boiled away, so that there be left three measures in all; as for example, take to one pot of honey, three pots of water, and let it boil so long, till it come to three pots. during which time you must skim it very well as soon as any scum riseth; which you are to continue till there rise no scum more. you may, if you please, put to it some spice, to wit, cloves and ginger; the quantity of which is to be proportioned according as you will have your meath, strong or weak. but this you do before it begin to boil. there are some that put either yeast of beer, or leaven of bread into it, to make it work. but this is not necessary at all; and much less to set it into the sun. mr. masillon doth neither the one nor the other. afterwards for to tun it, you must let it grow luke-warm, for to advance it. and if you do intend to keep your meathe a long time, you may put into it some hopps on this fashion. take to every barrel of meathe a pound of hops without leaves, that is, of ordinary hops used for beer, but well cleansed, taking only the flowers, without the green-leaves and stalks. boil this pound of hops in a pot and half of fair water, till it come to one pot, and this quantity is sufficient for a barrel of meathe. a barrel at liege holdeth ninety pots, and a pot is as much as a wine quart in england. (i have since been informed from liege, that a pot of that countrey holdeth ounces of apothecary's measure; which i judge to be a pottle according to london measure, or two wine-quarts.) when you tun your meath, you must not fill your barrel by half a foot, that so it may have room to work. then let it stand six weeks slightly stopped; which being expired, if the meath do not work, stop it up very close. yet must you not fill up the barrel to the very brim. after six months you draw off the clear into another barrel, or strong bottles, leaving the dregs, and filling up your new barrel, or bottels, and stopping it or them very close. the meath that is made this way, (_viz._ in the spring, in the month of april or may, which is the proper time for making of it,) will keep many a year. white metheglin of my lady hungerford: which is exceedingly praised take your honey, and mix it with fair water, until the honey be quite dissolved. if it will bear an egge to be above the liquor, the breadth of a groat, it is strong enough; if not, put more honey to it, till it be so strong; then boil it, till it be clearly and well skimmed; then put in one good handful of strawberry-leaves, and half a handful of violet leaves; and half as much sorrel: a douzen tops of rosemary; four or five tops of baulme-leaves: a handful of harts-tongue, and a handful of liver-worth; a little thyme, and a little red-sage; let it boil about an hour; then put it into a woodden vessel, where let it stand, till it be quite cold; then put it into the barrel; then take half an ounce of cloves, as much nutmeg; four or five races of ginger; bruise it, and put it into a fine bag, with a stone to make it sink, that it may hang below the middle: then stop it very close. the herbs and spices are in proportion for six gallons. since my lady hungerford sent me this receipt, she sent me word, that she now useth (and liketh better) to make the decoction of herbs before you put the honey to it, this proportion of herbs is to make six gallons of decoction, so that you may take eight or nine gallons of water. when you have drawn out into your water, all the vertue of the herbs, throw them away, and take the clear decoction (leaving the settlings) and when it is lukewarm, dissolve your proportion of honey in it. after it is well dissolved and laved with strong arms or woodden instruments, like battle-doors or scoops, boil it gently; till you have taken away all the scum; then make an end of well boyling it, about an hour in all. then pour it into a wooden vessel, and let it stand till it be cold. then pour the clear through a sieve of hair, ceasing pouring when you come to the foul thick settling. tun the clear into your vessel (without barm) and stop it up close, with the spices in it, till you perceive by the hissing that it begins to work. then give it some little vent, else the barrel would break. when it is at the end of the working, stop it up close. she useth to make it at the end of summer, when she takes up her honey, and begins to drink it in lent. but it will be better if you defer piercing it till next winter. when part of the barrel is drunk, she botteleth the rest, which maketh it quicker and better. you clear the decoction from the herbs by a hair-sieve. some notes about honey the honey of dry open countries, where there is much wild-thyme, rosemary, and flowers, is best. it is of three sorts, virgin-honey, life-honey, and stock-honey. the first is the best. the life-honey next. the virgin-honey is of bees, that swarmed the spring before, and are taken up in autumn; and is made best by chusing the whitest combs of the hive, and then letting the honey run out of them lying upon a sieve without pressing it, or breaking of the combs. the life-honey is of the same combs broken after the virgin-honey is run from it; the merchants of honey do use to mingle all the sorts together. the first of a swarm is called virgin-honey. that of the next year, after the swarm was hatched, is life-honey. and ever after, it is honey of old-stocks. honey that is forced out of the combs, will always taste of wax. hampshire honey is most esteemed at london. about bisleter there is excellent good. some account norfolk honey the best. mr. corsellises antwerp meath to make good meath, good white and thick marsilian or provence-honey is best; and of that, to four holland pints (the holland pint is very little bigger then the english wine-pint:) of water, you must put two pound of honey; the honey must be stirred in water, till it be all melted; if it be stirred about in warm water, it will melt so much the sooner. when all is dissolved, it must be so strong that an egge may swim in it with the end upwards. and if it be too sweet or too strong, because there is too much honey; then you must put more water to it; yet so, that, as above, an hens egge may swim with the point upwards: and then that newly added water must be likewise well stirred about, so that it may be mingled all alike. if the eggs sink (which is a token that there is not honey enough) then you must put more honey to it, and stir about, till it be all dissolved, and the eggs swim, as abovesaid. this being done, it must be hanged over the fire, and as it beginneth to seeth, the scum, that doth arise upon it, both before and after, must be clean skimed off. when it is first set upon the fire, you must measure it first with a stick, how deep the kettel is, or how much liquor there be in it; and then it must boil so long, till one third part of it be boiled away. when it is thus boiled, it must be poured out into a cooler, or open vessel, before it be tunned in the barrel; but the bung-hole must be left open, that it may have vent. a vessel, which hath served for sack is best. to make excellent meathe to every quart of honey, take four quarts of water. put your water in a clean kettle over the fire, and with a stick take the just measure, how high the water cometh, making a notch, where the superficies toucheth the stick. as soon as the water is warm, put in your honey, and let it boil, skiming it always, till it be very clean; then put to every gallon of water, one pound of the best blew-raisins of the sun, first clean picked from the stalks, and clean washed. let them remain in the boiling liquor, till they be throughly swollen and soft; then take them out, and put them into a hair-bag, and strain all the juice and pulp and substance from them in an apothecaries press; which put back into your liquor, and let it boil, till it be consumed just to the notch you took at first, for the measure of your water alone. then let your liquor run through a hair-strainer into an empty woodden-fat, which must stand endwise, with the head of the upper-end out; and there let it remain till the next day, that the liquor be quite cold. then tun it up into a good barrel, not filled quite full, but within three or four fingers breadth; (where sack hath been, is the best) and let the bung remain open for six weeks with a double bolter-cloth lying upon it, to keep out any foulness from falling in. then stop it up close, and drink not of it till after nine months. this meathe is singularly good for a consumption, stone, gravel, weak-sight, and many more things. a chief burgomaster of antwerpe, used for many years to drink no other drink but this; at meals and all times, even for pledging of healths. and though he were an old man, he was of an extraordinary vigor every way, and had every year a child, had always a great appetite, and good digestion; and yet was not fat. a weaker, but very pleasant, meathe to every quart of honey take six of water; boil it till / be consumed, skiming it well all the while. then pour it into an open fat, and let it cool. when the heat is well slakened, break into a bowl-full of this warm liquor, a new-laid-egge, beating the yolk and white well with it; then put it into the fat to all the rest of the liquor, and stir it well together, and it will become very clear. then pour it into a fit very clean barrel, and put to it some mother of wine, that is in it's best fermentation or working, and this will make the liquor work also. this will be ready to drink in three or four months, or sooner. an excellent white meathe take one gallon of honey, and four of water; boil and scum them till there rise no more scum; then put in your spice a little bruised, which is most of cinnamon, a little ginger, a little mace, and a very little cloves. boil it with the spice in it, till it bear an egge. then take it from the fire, and let it cool in a woodden vessel, till it be but lukewarm; which this quantity will be in four or five or six hours. then put into it a hot tost of white-bread, spread over on both sides, pretty thick with fresh barm; that will make it presently work. let it work twelve hours, close covered with cloves. then tun it into a runlet wherein sack hath been, that is somewhat too big for that quantity of liquor; for example, that it fill it not by a gallon; you may then put a little limon-pill in with it. after it hath remained in the vessel a week or ten days, draw it into bottles. you may begin to drink it after two or three months: but it will be better after a year. it will be very spritely and quick and pleasant and pure white. a receipt to make a tun of metheglin take two handfuls of dock (_alias_ wild carrot) a reasonable burthen of saxifrage, wild-sage, blew-button, scabious, bettony, agrimony, wild-marjoram, of each a reasonable burthen; wild-thyme a peck, roots and all. all these are to be gathered in the fields, between the two lady days in harvest. the garden-herbs are these; bay-leaves, and rosemary, of each two handfuls; a sieveful of avens, and as much violet-leaves: a handful of sage; three handfuls of sweet-marjoram, three roots of young borrage, leaves and all, that hath not born seed; two handfuls of parsley-roots, and all that hath not born seed. two roots of elecampane that have not seeded: two handfuls of fennel that hath not seeded: a peck of thyme; wash and pick all your herbs from filth and grass: then put your field herbs first into the bottom of a clean furnace, and lay all your garden-herbs thereon; then fill your furnace with clean water, letting your herbs seeth, till they be so tender, that you may easily slip off the skin of your field-herbs, and that you may break the roots of your garden-herbs between your fingers. then lade forth your liquor, and set it a cooling. then fill your furnace again with clear water to these herbs, and let them boil a quarter of an hour. then put it to your first liquor, filling the furnace, until you have sufficient to fill your tun. then as your liquor begins to cool, and is almost cold, set your servants to temper honey and wax in it, combs and all, and let them temper it well together, breaking the combes very small; let their hands and nails be very clean; and when you have tempered it very well together, cleanse it through a cleansing sieve into another clean vessel; the more honey you have in your liquor, the stronger it will be. therefore to know, when it is strong enough, take two new-laid eggs, when you begin to cleanse, and put them in whole into the bottome of your cleansed liquor; and if it be strong enough, it will cause the egge to ascend upward, and to be on the top as broad as sixpence; if they do not swim on the top; put more. the countess of bullingbrook's white metheglin take eight gallons of conduit-water, and boil it very well; then put as much honey in it, as will bear an egge, and stir it well together. then set it upon the fire, and put in the whites of four eggs to clarifie it; and as the scum riseth, take it off clean: then put in a pretty quantity of rosemary, and let it boil, till it tasteth a little of it: then with a scummer take out the rosemary, as fast as you can, and let it boil half a quarter of an hour; put it into earthen pans to cool; next morning put it into a barrel, and put into it a little barm, and an ounce of ginger scraped and sliced; and let it stand a month or six weeks. then bottle it up close; you must be sure not to let it stand at all in brass. mr. webbes meath master webbe, who maketh the kings meathe, ordereth it thus. take as much of hyde-park water as will make a hogshead of meathe: boil in it about two ounces of the best hopp's for about half an hour. by that time, the water will have drawn out the strength of the hopp's. then skim them clean off, and all the froth, or whatever riseth of the water. then dissolve in it warm, about one part of honey to six of water: lave and beat it, till all the honey be perfectly dissolved; then boil it, beginning gently, till all the scum be risen, and scummed away. it must boil in all about two hours. half an hour, before you end your boiling, put into it some rosemary-tops, thyme, sweet-marjorame, one sprig of minth, in all about half a handful, and as much sweet-bryar-leaves as all these; in all, about a handful of herbs, and two ounces of sliced ginger, and one ounce of bruised cinamon. he did use to put in a few cloves and mace; but the king did not care for them. let all these boil about half an hour, then scum them clean away; and presently let the liquor run through a strainer-cloth into a kiver of wood, to cool and settle. when you see it is very clear and settled, lade out the liquor into another kiver, carefully, not to raise the settlings from the bottom. as soon as you see any dregs begin to rise, stay your hand, and let it remain unstirred, till all be settled down. then lade out the liquor again, as before; and if need be, change it again into another kiver: all which is done to the end no dregs may go along with the liquor in tunning it into the vessel. when it is cold and perfect clear, tun it into a cask, that hath been used for sack, and stop it up close, having an eye to give it a little vent, if it should work. if it cast out any foul liquor in working, fill it up always presently with some of the same liquor, that you have kept in bottles for that end. when it hath wrought, and is well settled (which may be in about two months or ten weeks) draw it into glass-bottles, as long as it comes clear; and it will be ready to drink in a month or two: but will keep much longer, if you have occasion: and no dregs will be in the bottom of the bottle. he since told me, that to this proportion of honey and water, to make a hogshead of meathe, you should boil half a pound of hopps in the water, and two good handfuls of herbs; and six ounces of spice of all sorts: all which will be mellowed and rotted away quite, (as well as the lushiousness of the honey) in the space of a year or two. for this is to be kept so long before it be drunk. if you would have it sooner ready to drink, you may work it with a little yeast, when it is almost cold in the kiver: and tun it up as soon as it begins to work, doing afterwards as is said before; but leaving a little vent to purge by, till it have done working. or in stead of yeast, you may take the yolks of four new-laid-eggs, and almost half a pint of fine wheat-flower, and some of the liquor you have made: beat them well together, then put them to the liquor in the cask, and stop it up close, till you see it needful, to give it a little vent. note, that yeast of good beer, is better then that of ale. * * * * * the first of septemb. . mr. webb came to my house to make some for me. he took fourty three gallons of water, and fourty two pounds of norfolk honey. as soon as the water boiled, he put into it a slight handful of hops; which after it had boiled a little above a quarter of an hour, he skimed off; then put in the honey to the boyling water, and presently a white scum rose, which he skimed off still as it rose; which skiming was ended in little above a quarter of an hour more. then he put in his herbs and spices, which were these: rose-mary, thyme, winter-savory, sweet-marjoram, sweet-bryar-leaves, seven or eight little parsley-roots: there was most of the savoury, and least of the eglantine, three ounces of ginger, one ounce and a half of cinnamon, five nutmegs (half an ounce of cloves he would have added, but did not,) and these boiled an hour and a quarter longer; in all from the first beginning to boil, somewhat less then two hours: then he presently laded it out of the copper into coolers, letting it run through a hair-sieve: and set the coolers shelving (tilted up) that the liquor might afterwards run the more quietly out of them. after the liquor had stood so about two hours, he poured or laded out of some of the coolers very gently, that the dregs might not rise, into other coolers. and about a pint of very thick dregs remained last in the bottom of every cooler. that which ran out, was very clear: after two hours more settling, (in a shelving situation,) he poured it out again into other coolers; and then very little dregs (or scarce any in some of the coolers) did remain. when the liquor was even almost cold, he took the yolks of three new-laid-eggs, a spoonful of fine white flower, and about half a pint of new fresh barm of good strong beer (you must have care that your barm be very white and clean, not sullied and foul, as is usual among slovenly brewers in london). beat this very well together, with a little of the liquor in a skiming dish, till you see it well incorporated, and that it beginneth to work. then put it to a pailful (of about two gallons and a half) of the liquor, and mingle it well therewith. then leave the skiming dish reversed floating in the middle of the liquor, and so the yest will work up into and under the hollow of the dish, and grow out round about the sides without. he left this well and thick covered all night, from about eleven a clock at night; and the next morning, finding it had wrought very well, he mingled what was in the pail with the whole proportion of the liquor, and so tunned it up into a sack-cask. i am not satisfied, whether he did not put a spoonful of fine white good mustard into his barm, before he brought it hither, (for he took a pretext to look out some pure clean white barm) but he protested, there was nothing mingled with the barm, yet i am in doubt. he confessed to me that in making of sider, he put's in half as much mustard as barm; but never in meathe. the fourth of september in the morning, he bottled up into quart-bottles the two lesser rundlets of this meathe (for he did tun the whole quantity into one large rundlet, and two little ones) whereof the one contained thirty bottles; and the other, twenty two. there remained but little settling or dregs in the bottom's of the barrels, but some there was. the bottles were set into a cool cellar, and he said they would be ready to drink in three weeks. the proportion of herbs and spices is this; that there be so much as to drown the luscious sweetness of the honey; but not so much as to taste of herbs or spice, when you drink the meathe. but that the sweetnes of the honey may kill their taste: and so the meathe have a pleasant taste, but not of herbs, nor spice, nor honey. and therefore you put more or less according to the time you will drink it in. for a great deal will be mellowed away in a year, that would be ungratefully strong in three months. and the honey that will make it keep a year or two, will require a triple proportion of spice and herbs. he commends parsley roots to be in greatest quantity, boiled whole, if young; but quarterred and pithed, if great and old. my own considerations for making of meathe boil what quantity of spring-water you please, three or four walms, and then let it set the twenty four hours, and pour the clear from the settling. take sixteen gallons of the clear, and boil in it ten handfuls of eglantine-leaves, five of liverwort, five of scabious, four of baulm, four of rosemary; two of bay-leaves; one of thyme, and one of sweet-marjoram, and five eringo-roots splitted. when the water hath drawn out the vertue of the herbs (which it will do in half an hours boiling,) let it run through a strainer or sieve, and let it settle so, that you may pour the clear from the dregs. to every three gallons of the clear, take one of honey, and with clean arms stripped up, lade it for two or three hours, to dissolve the honey in the water; lade it twice or thrice that day. the next day boil it very gently to make the scum rise, and scum it all the while, and now and then pour to it a ladle full of cold water, which will make the scum rise more: when it is very clear from scum, you may boil it the more strongly, till it bear an egge very high, that the breadth of a groat be out of the water, and that it boil high with great walms in the middle of the kettle: which boiling with great bubbles in the middle is a sign it is boiled to it's height. then let it cool till it be lukewarm, at which time put some ale yest into it, to make it work, as you would do ale. and then put it up into a fit barrel first seasoned with some good sweet white-wine (as canary-sack) and keep the bung open, till it have done working, filling it up with some such honey-drink warmed, as you find it sink down by working over. when it hath almost done working, put into it a bag of thin stuff (such as bakers use to bolt in) fastened by a cord at the bung, containing two parts of ginger-sliced, and one apiece of cinamon, cloves and nutmegs, with a pebble-stone in it to make it sink; and stop it up close for six months or a year, and then you may draw it into bottles. if you like cardamon-seeds, you may adde some of them to the spices. some do like mint exceedingly to be added to the other herbs. where no yeast is to be had, the liquor will work if you set it some days in the hot sun (with a cover, like the roof of a house over it, to keep wet out, if it chance to rain) but then you must have great care, to fill it up, as it consumeth, and to stop it close a little before it hath done working, and to set it then presently in a cool cellar. i am told that the leaven of bread will make it work as well as yest, but i have not tryed it. if you will not have it so strong, it will be much sooner ready to drink; as if you take six parts of water to one of honey. some do like the drink better without either herbs or spices, and it will be much the whiter. if you will have it stronger, put but four gallons and a half of water to one of honey. you may use what herbs or roots you please, either for their tast or vertue, after the manner here set down. if you make it work with yeast, you must have great care, to draw it into bottles soon after it hath done working, as after a fortnight or three weeks. for that will make it soon grow stale, and it will thence grow sower and dead before you are aware. but if it work singly of itself, and by help of the sun without admixtion of either leaven or yeast, it may be kept long in the barrel, so it be filled up to the top, and kept very close stopp'd. i conceive it will be exceeding good thus: when you have a strong honey-liquor of three parts of water to one of honey, well-boiled and scummed, put into it lukewarm, or better (as soon as you take it from the fire) some clove-gilly-flowers, first wiped, and all the whites clipped off, one good handful or two to every gallon of liquor. let these infuse or hours. then strain it from the flowers, and either work it with yeast, or set it in the sun to work; when it hath almost done working, put into it a bag of like gilly-flowers (and if they are duly dried, i think they are the better) hanging it in at the bung. and if you will put into it some spirit of wine, that hath drawn a high tincture from clove-gilly-flowers (dried i conceive is best) and some other that hath done the like from flowers and tops of rosemary, and some that hath done the like from cinnamon and ginger, i believe it will be much the nobler, and last the longer. i conceive, that bitter and strong herbs, as rosemary, bayes, sweet-marjoram, thyme, and the like, do conserve meathe the better and longer, being as it were in stead of hops. but neither must they, no more than clove-gilly-flowers, be too much boiled: for the volatil pure spirit flies away very quickly. therefore rather infuse them. beware of infusing gillyflower in any vessel of metal, (excepting silver:) for all metals will spoil and dead their colour. glased earth is best. sack with clove-gilly flowers if you will make a cordial liquor of sack with clove-gilly-flowers, you must do thus. prepare your gilly-flowers, as is said before, and put them into great double glass-bottles, that hold two gallons a piece, or more; and put to every gallon of sack, a good half pound of the wiped and cut flowers, putting in the flowers first, and then the sack upon them. stop the glasses exceeding close, and set them in a temperate cellar. let them stand so, till you see that the sack hath drawn out all the principal tincture from them, and that the flowers begin to look palish; (with an eye of pale, or faint in colour) then pour the sack from them, and throw away the exhausted flowers, or distil a spirit from them; for if you let them remain longer in the sack, they will give an earthy tast to them. you may then put the tincted sack into fit bottles for your use, stopping them very close. but if the season of the flowers be not yet past, your sack will be better, if you put it upon new flowers, which i conceive will not be the worse, but peradventure the better, if they be a little dried in the shade. if you drink a glass or two of this sack at a meal, you will find it a great cordial. upon better consideration; i conceive the best way of making hydromel with clove-gilly-flowers, is thus: boil your simple liquor to its full height (with three parts of water to one of honey), take a small parcel out, to make a strong infusion of flowers, pouring it boyling hot upon the flowers in earthen vessels. if you have great quantity, as six to one, of liquor, you will easily draw out the tincture in fourteen or sixteen hours infusion; otherwise you may quicken your liquor with a parcel of sack. in the mean time make the great quantity of liquor work with yest. when it hath almost done fermenting, but not quite, put the infusion to it warm, and let it ferment more if it will. when that is almost done, put to it a bag with flowers to hang in the bung. i conceive that hydromel made with juniper-berries (first broken and bruised) boiled in it, is very good. adde also to it rosemary and bay-leaves. upon tryal of several ways, i conclude (as things yet appear to me) that to keep meath long, it must not be fermented with yest (unless you put hops to it) but put it in the barrel, and let it ferment of it self, keeping a thick plate of lead upon the bung, to lie close upon it, yet so that the working of the liquor may raise it, to purge out the foulness, and have always some new made plain liquor, to fill it up as it sinks, warm whiles it works: but cold during three or four month's after. then stop the bung exceeding close. and when you will make your mead with cherries or morello-cherries, or raspes, or bilberries, or black-cherries, put their juyce to the liquor when you tun it, without ever boiling it therein; about one quart of juyce to every three or four gallons of liquor. you may squeese out the clear juyce, and mingle it with the liquor, and hang the magma in a bag in the bung. i think it is best to break the stones of the cherries, before you put their magma into the bag. since i conceive, that clove-gilly-flowers must never be boiled in the liquor: that evaporateth their spirits, which are very volatile: but make a strong infusion of them, and besides hang a bag of them in the bung. i conceive that it is good to make the liquor pretty strong (not too much, but so as the taste may be gratefull) of some strong herbs, as rosemary, bay-leaves, sweet-marjoram, thyme, broad-thyme, and the like. for they preserve the drink, and make it better for the stomack and head. standing in the sun is the best way of fermentation, when the drink is strong. the root of angelica or elecampane, or eringo, or orris, may be good and pleasant, to be boiled in the liquor. raspes and cherries and bilberies are never to be boiled, but their juyce put into the liquor, when it is tunning. use onely morello-cherries (i think) for pleasure, and black ones for health. i conceive it best to use very little spice of any kind in meathes. metheglin composed by my self out of sundry receipts in sixty gallons of water, boil ten handfuls of sweet-bryar-leaves; eye-bright, liverwort, agrimony, scabious, balme, wood-bettony, strawberry-leaves, burnet, of each four handfuls; of rosemary, three handfuls; of minth, angelica, bayes and wild-thyme, sweet-marjoram, of each two handfuls: six eringo-roots. when the water hath taken out the vertue of the herbs and roots, let it settle, and the next day pour off the clear, and in every three gallons of it boil one of honey, scumming it well, and putting in a little cold water now and then to make the scum rise, as also some whites of eggs. when it is clear scummed, take it _off_, and let it cool; then work it with ale-yest; tun it up, and hang it in a bag, with ginger, cinamom, cloves and cardamom. and as it worketh over, put in some strong honey-drink warmed. when it works no more, stop it up close. in twenty gallons of water boil sweet-bryar-leaves, eye-bright, rosemary, bayes, clove-gilly-flowers of each five handfuls, and four eringo-roots. to every two gallons and a half of this decoction, put one gallon of honey; boil it, &c. when it is tunned up, hang in it a bag containing five handfuls of clove-gilly-flowers, and sufficient quantity of the spices above. in both these receipts, the quantity of the herbs is too great. the strong herbs preserve the drink, and make it nobler. use marjoram and thyme in little quantity in all. my lady cowers white meathe used at salisbury take to four gallons of water, one gallon of virgin-honey; let the water be warm before you put in the honey; and then put in the whites of or eggs well beaten, to make the scum rise. when the honey is throughly melted and ready to boil, put in an egge with the shell softly; and when the egge riseth above the water, to the bigness of a groat in sight, it is strong enough of the honey. the egge will quickly be hard, and so will not rise; therefore you must put in another, if the first do not rise to your sight; you must put in more water and honey proportionable to the first, because of wasting away in the boiling. it must boil near an hour. you may, if you please, boil in it, a little bundle of rosemary, sweet-marjoram, and thyme; and when it tasteth to your liking, take it forth again. many do put sweet-bryar berries in it, which is held very good. when your meath is boiled enough take it off the fire, and put it into a kiver; when it is blood-warm, put in some ale-barm, to make it work, and cover it close with a blancket in the working. the next morning tun it up, and if you please put in a bag with a little ginger and a little nutmeg bruised; and when it hath done working, stop it up close for a moneth, and then bottle it. sir thomas gower's metheglin for health first boil the water and scum it; then to gallons put handfuls of sweet-bryar-leaves, of sweet-marjoram, rosemary, thyme, of each one a handful: flowers of marigold, borrage, bugloss, sage, each two handfuls. boil all together very gently, till a third waste. to eight gallons of this put two gallons of pure honey, and boil them till the liquor bear an egge, the breadth of threepence or a groat, together with such spices as you like (bruised, but not beaten) an ounce of all is sufficient. you must observe carefully. . before you set the liquor to boil, to cause a lusty servant (his arms well washed) to mix the honey and water together, labouring it with his hands at least an hour without intermission. . that when it begins to boil fast, you take away part of the fire, so as it may boil slowly, and the scum and dross go all to one side, the other remaining clear. when you take it off, let none of the liquor go away with the dross. . when you take it from the fire, let it settle well, before it be tunned into the vessel, wherein you mean to keep it: and when it comes near the bottom, let it be taken carefully from the sediment, with a thin dish, so as nothing be put into the vessel, but what is clear. . stop it very close (when it is set in the place, where it must remain) cover it with a cloth, upon which some handfuls of bay-salt and salpeter is laid, and over that lay clay, and a turf. . put into it, when you stop it, some new-laid-eggs in number proportionable to the bigness of the vessel, shell's unbroken. six eggs to about sixteen gallons. the whole egg-shell and all will be entirely consumed. metheglin for taste and colour must be boiled as the other, if you intend to keep it above half a year; but less according to the time, wherein you mean to use it. you must put in no herbs, to avoid bitterness and discolouring; and the proportion of water and honey more or less, as you would drink it sooner or later; (as a gallon of honey to , , or of water.) if to be weak, and to be soon drunk, you must when it is tunned, put in a tost of bread (hard tosted) upon which half a score drops of spirit of yest or barm is dropped; for want of it, spread it with purest barm beaten with a few drops of oyl of cinnamon. if you intend to give it the taste of raspes, then adde more barm, to make it work well, and during that time of working, put in your raspes (or their syrup) but the fruit gives a delicate colour, and syrup a duller tincture. drink not that made after the first manner, till six moneths, and it will endure drawing better then wine; but bottleled, it is more spirited then any drink. the spirit of barm is made by putting store of water to the barm; then distill the spirit, as you do other spirits; at last an oyl will come, which is not for this use. sir thomas gower maketh his ordinary drink thus: make very small well brewed ale. to eight gallons of this put one gallon of honey; when it is well dissolved and clarified, tun up the liquor, making it work in due manner with barm. when it hath done working, stop it up close, and in three months it will be fit to drink. he makes metheglin thus. make a good decoct of eglantine-leaves, cowslip flowers, a little sweet-marjoram, and some rosemary and bay-leaves, betony, and scabious, and a little thyme. after the sediment hath settled, put / or / or / or / part of honey, (according as you would have it strong, and soon ready) to the clear severed from the settlement, and stir it exceeding well with stripped arms or hours, till it be perfectly incorporated. then boil and scum it; let it then cool and tun it up, &c. after it hath cooled, lade the clean from the settlement, so that it may not trouble it, and run up the clear thus severed from the settlings. much of the perfection consisteth in stirring it long with stripped arms before you boil it. then to boil it very leisurely till all the scum be off. and order your fire so, that the scum may rise and drive all to one side. this will be exceeding pale clear and pleasant metheglin. he useth to every gallon of water, a good handful of eglantine-leaves, and as much cowslip flowers; but onely a pugil of thyme or marjoram. an excellent way of making white metheglin take of sweet-bryar berries, of rosemary, broad thyme, of each a handful. boil them in a quantity of fair water for half an hour; then cleanse the water from the herbs, and let it stand hours, until it be thorough cold. then put your hony into it (hony which floweth from the combs of it self in a warm place is best) make it so strong of the honey that it bear an egge (if you will have it strong) the breadth of a groat above the liquor. this being done, lave and bounce it very well and often, that the honey and water may incorporate and work well together. after this boil it softly over a gentle fire, and scum it. then beat the whites of eggs with their shells, and put into it to clarifie it. after this, put some of it into a vessel, and take the whites of two eggs, and a little barm, and a small quantity of fine flower; beat them well together, and put it into the vessel close covered, that it may work. then pour the rest into it by degrees, as you do beer. at last take a quantity of cinamon, or races of ginger, and two nutmegs (for more will alter the colour of it.) hang these in a little bag in the vessel. thus made, it will be as white as any white-wine. another way of making white metheglin to three gallons of spring-water take three quarts of honey, and set it over the fire, till the scum rises pretty thick. then take off the scum, and put in thyme, rosemary, hyssop and maiden-hair, of each one handful; and two handfuls of eglantine leaves, and half a handful of organ. the spices, ginger, nutmegs, cinamon and a little mace, and boil all these together near half an hour. then take it from the fire, and let it stand till it be cold, and then strain it, and so tun it up, and stop it close. the longer you keep it, the better it will be. another way take two gallons of water; one gallon of honey: parietary one handful; sage, thyme, one pugil; of hyssop half a pugil. six parsley-roots; one fennel-root, the pith taken out: red-nettles one pugil. six leaves of hearts-tongue. boil this together one hour. then put in the honey, and nutmegs, cloves, mace, cinamon of each one ounce; of ginger three ounces. boil all these together, till the scum be boiled in, not scumming it. then take it off, and set it to cool. when it is cold, put in it six spoonfuls of barm, and when it is ripe, it will hiss in the pail. you must take out the herbs, when you put in the honey. if you put in these herbs following, it will be far better; sanicle, bugloss, avens, and ladies-mantle, of each one handful. to make white metheglin take of sweet-bryar a great handful: of violet-flowers, sweet-marjoram, strawberry-leaves, violet-leaves, _ana_, one handful, agrimony, bugloss, borrage, _ana_, half a handful. rosemary four branches, gilly-flowers, no. (the yellow-wall-flowers, with great tops) anniseeds, fennel, and caraway, of each a spoonful, two large mace. boil all these in twelve gallons of water for the space of an hour; then strain it, and let it stand until it be milk-warm then put in as much honey, as will carry an egge to the breadth of sixpence, at least. then boil it again, and scum it clean; then let it stand, until it be cold; then put a pint of ale-barm into it, and ripen it as you do beer, and tun it. then hang in the midst of the vessel a little bag with a nutmeg quartered, a race of ginger sliced, a little cinamon, and mace whole, and three grains of musk in a cloth put into the bag amongst the rest of the spices. put a stone in the bag, to keep it in the midst of the liquor. this quantity took up three gallons of honey; therefore be sure to have four in readiness. strong mead take one measure of honey, and dissolve it in four of water, beating it long up and down with clean woodden ladels. the next day boil it gently, scumming it all the while till no more scum riseth; and if you will clarifie the liquor with a few beaten whites of eggs, it will be the clearer. the rule of it's being boiled enough is, when it yieldeth no more scum, and beareth an egge, so that the breadth of a groat is out of the water. then pour it out of the kettle into woodden vessels, and let it remain there till it be almost cold. then tun it into a vessel, where sack hath been. a receipt for making of meath take a quart of honey, and mix it with a gallon of fountain-water, and work it well four days together, four times a day; the fifth day put it over the fire, and let it boil an hour, and scum it well. then take the whites of two eggs, and beat them to a froth, and put it into the liquor; stirring it well, till the whites of eggs have raised a froth of scum; then take it off, scumming the liquor clean. then take a handful of strawberry-leaves and violet-leaves together, with a little sprig of rosemary and two or three little sprigs of spike; and so boil it again (with these herbs in it) a quarter of an hour. then take it off the fire, and when it is cold, put it into a little barrel, and put into it half a spoonful of ale-yest, and let it work; which done, take one nutmeg sliced, and twice as much ginger sliced, six cloves bruised, and a little stick of cinamon, and sow these spices in a little bag, and stop it well; and it will be fit for use within a fortnight, and will last half a year. if you will have your metheglin stronger, put into it a greater quantity of honey. my lord hollis hydromel in four parts of springwater dissolve one part of honey, or so much as the liquor will bear an egge to the breadth of a groat. then boil it very well, and that all the scum be taken away. he addeth nothing to it but a small proportion of ginger sliced: of which he putteth half to boil in the liquor, after all the scum is gone; and the other half he putteth into a bag, and hangeth in the bung, when it is tunned. the ginger must be very little, not so much as to make the liquor taste strongly of it, but to quicken it. i should like to adde a little proportion of rosemary, and a greater of sweet-bryar leaves, in the boiling. as also, to put into the barrel a tost of white bread with mustard, to make it work. he puts nothing to it; but his own strength in time makes it work of it self. it is good to drink after a year. a receipt for white metheglin take to every quart of honey, , , or , quarts of water; boil it on a good quick fire as long as any scum riseth; as it boils, put about half a pint of water at a time very often, and scum it very well as it riseth; and be sure to keep it up to the same height and quantity as at the first: put into it a little rosemary, according to the quantity that you make, and boil it half a quarter of an hour; scum it very well. you may put a little ginger into it, onely to give it a taste thereof, and let it have a little walm of heat after it. then take and put it into a woodden vessel, (which must be well scalded, least it taste of any thing) let it stand all night, and the next morning strain it through a sieve of hair. then if you please, you may boil up your grounds that are in the bottome of the vessel with three or four quarts of water; and when it is cold, strain it, to the rest, and put to it a little good light barm. that which you make in the winter, you must let it stand three days and three nights covered up, before you bottle it up; and two nights in summer, and then bottle it up. but be sure, you scum off the barm before the bottling up. your vessel, which you intend to boil your meath in, must stand in scalding water, whilst you boil your meath; it will drink up the less of your meath. four spoonfuls of good new ale-barm will serve for five quarts of honey. as you desire your metheglin in strength, so take at the first either of the quantities of water. five quarts is reasonable. hydromel as i made it weak for the queen mother take quarts of spring-water, and one quart of honey; when the water is warm, put the honey into it. when it boileth up, skim it very well, and continue skimming it, as long as any scum will rise. then put in one race of ginger (sliced in thin slices,) four cloves, and a little sprig of green rosemary. let these boil in the liquor so long, till in all it have boiled one hour. then set it to cool, till it be blood-warm; and then put to it a spoonful of ale-yest. when it is worked up, put it into a vessel of a fit size; and after two or three days, bottle it up. you may drink it after six weeks, or two moneths. thus was the hydromel made that i gave the queen, which was exceedingly liked by everybody. several ways of making metheglin take such quantity as you judge convenient of spring, or pure rain water, and make it boil well half an hour. then pour it out into a woodden fat, and let it settle hours. then power off the clear, leaving the sediment in the bottome. let such water be the liquor for all the several honey-drinks, you will make. . warm sixteen gallons of this water (lukewarm) and put two gallons of honey to it, in a half tub or other fit woodden vessel. lave it very well with a clean arm, or woodden battle-door for two or three hours, dissolving the honey very well in the water. let it stand thus two or three days in wood, laving it thrice a day, a pretty while each time. then put it back into your copper and boil it gently, till you have scummed away all the foulness that will rise; and clarifie it with whites of eggs: then put into it a little handful of cleansed and sliced white ginger, and a little mace; when they have boiled enough, put in a few cloves bruised, and a stick of cinamon, and a little limmon-peel, and after a walm or two, pour the liquor into a woodden half tub, with the spices in it. cover it close with a cloth and blanquet, and let it stand so two days. then let the liquor run through a bolter, to sever the spice, stopping before any settlings come. then pour this clear liquor into pottle-bottles of glass, not filling them by a fingers breadth or more. stop them close with cork tied in, and set them in a cool place for , or weeks. . in fourty gallons of the first boiled and settled water, boil five handfuls of sweet-bryar tops, as much of cowslip-flowers, as much of primrose-flowers, as much of rosemary-flowers, as much of sage-flowers, as many of borage-flowers, as many of bugloss-flowers; two handfuls of the tops of betony, four handfuls of agrimony, and as many of scabious, one handful of thyme, as much of sweet-marjoram, and two ounces of mustard-seed bruised. when this hath boiled so long, that you judge the water hath drawn out all the vertue of the herbs (which may be in half an hour) pour out all into a vatte to cool and settle. scum away the herbs, and pour the clear from the sediment, and to every four gallons of liquor (luke-warm) put one gallon of honey, and lave it to dissolve the honey, letting it stand two or three days, laving it well thrice every day. then boil it till it will bear an egge high, then clarifie it with whites and shells of eggs, and pour it into a vatte to cool, which it will do in a days space or better. whilst it is yet luke-warm, put ale-yest to it, (no more then is necessary) to make it work, and then tun it into a rundlet of a fit size, that hath been seasoned with sack; and hang in it a boulter bag containing half a pound of white ginger cleansed and sliced, three ounces of cloves and as much of cinamon bruised, as much coriander seed prepared, and as much elder-flowers. as it purgeth and consumeth by running over the bung, put in fresh honey-liquor warmed, that you keep or make on purpose for that end. when the working is even almost at an end, stop it up close with clay and sand, and have great care to keep it always close stopped. after a year draw in into pottle glass-bottles stopped with ground stoppels of glass, and keep them in a cool place, till they are ready to drink, if they as yet be not so. have a care, that never any liquor stay in copper longer then whilst it is to boil. . in gallons of the first boiled and settled water, boil six handfuls of sweet-bryar-leaves, as many of cowslip flowers, as many of primrose-flowers, and as many of rosemary-flowers; and half a handful of wild thyme, during the space of a quarter or half an hour. then take the clear, and dissolve in it a sixth part of honey, doing as above for the boiling and clarifying it. but boil it not to bear an egge, but onely till it be well scummed and clarified. then pour it into a woodden tub, and tun it with ale-yest, when it is in due temper of coolness, as you would do ale-wort; and let it work (close covered) sufficiently. then tun it up into a seasoned firkin, and put into it a tost of white-bread spread with quick mustard, and hang it in a boulter bag containing loosly some ginger, cloves and cinamon bruised, and a little limon-peel and elder-flowers, with a pebble-stone at the bottome, to make it sink towards the bottom, and fastned by a string coming out of the bung to hinder it from falling quite to the bottome. stop the bung very close, and after six weeks or two moneths draw it into bottles. . in gallons of boiled and settled water, boil a quarter of an hour ten handfuls of sweet bryar-leaves, and as many of cowslips. then let it cool and settle in wood, and take the clear; and to every four gallons of liquor, put one of honey, dissolving it as the others formerly set down. boil it, till no more scum rise, and that a fourth part be consumed. then clarifie it with whites of eggs and their shells, and make it work with yest. after sufficient working tun it up, hanging it in a bag with ginger, cloves, cinamon and limon-peel. stop it very close, and after two or three moneths, draw it into bottles. my lady morices meath boil first your water with your herbs. those she likes best, are, angelica, balm, borage, and a little rosemary (not half so much as of any of the rest) a handful of all together, to two or gallons of water. after about half an hours boiling, let the water run through a strainer (to sever the herbs from it) into woodden or earthen vessels, and let it cool and settle. to three parts of the clear, put one or more of honey, and boil it till it bear an egge, leaving as broad as a shilling out of the water, skiming it very well. then power it out into vessels, as before; and next day, when it is almost quite cold, power it into a sack-cask, wherein you have first put a little fresh ale-yest, about two spoonfuls to ten gallons. hang it in a bag with a little sliced ginger, but almost a porengerfull of cloves. cover the bung lightly, till it have done working; then stop it up close. you may tap and draw it a year or two after. it is excellent good. my lady morice her sister makes her's thus: dissolve your honey in the water till it bear an egge higher or lower, according to the strength you will have it of. then put into it some sea-wormwood and a little rosemary, and a little sage; about too good handfuls of all together, to ten gallons. when it hath boiled enough to take the vertue of the herbs, skim them out, and strew a handful or two of fine wheat-flower upon the boyling liquor. this will draw all the dregs to it, and swim at the top, so that you may skim all off together. and this she holdeth the best way of clarifying the liquor, and making it look pale. then pour it into vessels as above to cool. let it stand three days; then tun it up into a sack cask without yest or spice, and keep it stopped till it work. then let it be open, till it have done working, filling it up still with other honey-drink. then stop it up close for a year or two. you may at first stop it so, that the strong working may throw out the stopple, and yet keep it close, till it work strongly. she saith, that such a small proportion of wormwood giveth it a fine quick tast, and a pale colour with an eye of green. the wormwood must not be so much, as to discern any the least bitterness in the taste; but that the composition of it with the honey may give a quickness. the rosemary and sage must be a great deal less then the wormwood. sometimes she stoppeth it up close as soon as she hath tunned it, and lets it remain so for three moneths. then pierce it and draw it into bottles, which stop well, and tie down the stoppels. this will keep so a long time. she useth this way most. it makes the mead drink exceeding quick and pleasant. when you pierce the cask, it will flie out with exceeding force, and be ready to throw out the stopper and spigot. to make white meath take rosemary, thyme, sweet-bryar, penyroyal, bayes, of each one handful; steep them hours in a bowl of fair cold water covered close; next day boil them very well in another water, till the colour be very high; then take another water, and boil the same herbs in it, till it look green; and so boil them in several waters, till they do but just change the colour of the water. the first waters are thrown away. the last water must stand hours with the herbs in it. the liquor being strained from them, you must put in as much fine honey till it will bear an egge; you must work and labour the honey with the liquor a whole day, till the honey be consumed; then let it stand a night a clearing. in the morning put your liquor a boiling for a quarter of an hour, with the whites and shells of six eggs. so strain it through a bag, and let it stand a day a cooling; so tun it up, and put into the vessel in a linnen bag, cloves, mace, cinamon and nutmegs bruised altogether. if you will have it to drink presently, take the whites of two or three eggs, of barm a spoonful, and as much of wheaten-flower. then let it work before you stop it, afterwards stop it well with clay and salt. a quart of honey to a gallon of liquor, and so proportionably for these herbs. sir william paston's meathe take ten gallons of spring-water, and put therein ten pints of the best honey. let this boil half an hour, and scum it very well; then put in one handful of rosemary, and as much of bay-leaves; with a little limon-peel. boil this half an hour longer, then take it off the fire, and put it into a clean tub; and when it is cool, work it up with yest, as you do beer. when it is wrought, put it into your vessel, and stop it very close. within three days you may bottle it, and in ten days after it will be fit to drink. another pleasant meathe of sir william paston's to a gallon of water put a quart of honey, about ten sprigs of sweet-majoram; half so many tops of bays. boil these very well together, and when it is cold, bottle it up. it will be ten days before it be ready to drink. another way of making meath boil sweet bryar, sweet marjoram, cloves and mace in spring-water, till the water taste of them. to four gallons of water put one gallon of honey, and boil it a little to skim and clarifie it. when you are ready to take it from the fire, put in a little limon-peel, and pour it into a woodden vessel, and let it stand till it is almost cold. then put in some ale-yest, and stir it altogether. so let it stand till next day. then put a few stoned raisins of the sun into every bottle, and pour the meath upon them. stop the bottles close, and in a week the meath will be ready to drink. sir baynam throckmorton's meathe. take four quarts of honey, good measure; put to it four gallons of water, let it stand all night, but stir it well, when you put it together. the next day boil it, and put to it nutmegs, cloves, mace and ginger, of each half an ounce. let these boil with the honey and water till it will bear an egge at the top without sinking; and then it is enough, if you see the egge the breadth of a sixpence. the next day put it in your vessel, and put thereto two or three spoonfuls of barm; and when it hath done working, you may (if you like it) put in a little ambergreece in a clout with a stone to it to make it sink. this should be kept a whole year before it be drunk; it will drink much the better, free from any tast of the honey, and then it will look as clear as sack. make it not till michaelmas, and set it in a cool place. you may drink it a quarter old, but it will not taste so pleasant then, as when it is old. to make white metheglin take a gallon of honey; put to it four gallons of water; stir them well together, and boil them in a kettle, till a gallon be wasted with boiling and scumming. then put it into a vessel to cool. when it is almost as cold as ale-wort, then clear it out into another vessel: then put barm upon it, as you do to your ale, and so let it work. and then tun it up into a vessel, and put into it a bag with ginger, cloves, and cinamon bruised a little, and so hang the bag in the vessel, and stop it up very close; and when it hath stood a month or six weeks, bottle it up and so drink it. you may put in a little limmon-peel into some of your metheglin, for those that like that taste; which most persons do very much. a receipt for making of meath mistress hebden telleth me, that the way of making honey-drink in russia, is thus; take for example, gallons of spring water, boil it a little; then let it stand hours to cool, and much sediment will fall to the bottom; from which pour the clear, and warm it, and put or gallons of pure honey to it, and lade it a long time with a great woodden battle-dore, till it be well dissolved. the next day boil it gently, till you have skimed off all the scum that will rise, and that it beareth an egge boyant. and in this liquor you must put, in the due time, a little quantity of hops, about two handfuls, which must boil sufficiently in the liquor. put this into the cooling fat to cool two or three days. when it is about milk-warm, take white-bread and cut it into tosts, upon which, (when they are hot) spread moderately thick some fresh sweet ale-yest; and cover the superficies of the liquor with such tosts; then cover the tub or fat with a double course sheet, and a blancket or two, which tye fast about it. this will make your liquor work up highly. when you find it is near it's height of working, and that the liquor is risen to the top of the tub (of which it wanted or inches at first,) skim off the tosts and yest, and tun it up in a hogshead: which stop close; but after hours draw it into another barrel: for it will leave a great deal of sediment. it will work again in this second barrel. after other hours draw it into another barrel, and then it will be clear and pale like white-wine. stop it up close, hanging a bag of bruised spice in the bung; and after five or six months, it will be fit to drink. if you would have your meath taste of raspes, or cherries (morello, sharp cherries, are the best) prepare the water first with them; by putting five or six gallons of either of these fruits, or more, into this proportion of water; in which bruise them to have all their juyce: but strain the liquor from the grains or seeds, or stones. and then proceed with this tincted water, as is said above. you may make your liquor as strong, as you like, of the fruit. cardamon-seeds mingled with the suspended spices, adde much to the pleasantness of the drink. limon-peel, as also elder-flowers. my lady bellassises meath the way of making is thus. she boileth the honey with spring-water, as i do, till it be cleer scumed; then to every gallon of honey, put in a pound or two of good raisins of the sun; boil them well, and till the liquor bear an egge. then pour it into a cowl or tub to cool. in about hours it will be cool enough to put the yest to it, being onely lukewarm: which do thus: spread yest upon a large hot tost, and lay it upon the top of the liquor, and cover the tub well, first with a sheet, then with coverlets, that it may work well. when it is wrought up to it's height, before it begin to sink, put it into your barrel, letting it run through a loose open strainer, to sever the raisins and dregs from it. stop it up close, and after it hath been thus eight or ten days, draw it into bottles, and into every bottle put a cod of cardamoms, having first a little bruised them as they lie in the cod; and opening the cod a little, that the liquor may search into it. stop your bottles close, and after three or four moneths you may drink, and it will be very pleasant and quick, and look like white wine. another metheglin in every three gallons of water, boil rosemary, liverwort, balm, _ana_, half a handful, and cowslips two handfuls. when the water hath sufficiently drawn out the vertue of the herbs, pour all into a tub, and let it stand all night. then strain it. and to every three gallons of the clear liquor (or - / , if you will have your drink stronger) put one gallon of honey, and boil it, till it bear an egge, scuming it till no more scum will rise: which to make rise the better, put in now and then a porrenger full of cold water. then pour it into a tub, and let it stand to cool, till it be blood warm, and then put by degrees a pint of ale-yest to it, to make it work. so let it stand three days very close covered. then skim off the yest, and put it into a seasoned barrel; but stop it not up close, till it have done hissing. then either stop it very close, if you will keep it in the barrel, or draw it into bottles. put into this proportion, ginger sliced, nutmegs broken, _ana_, one ounce, cinamon bruised half an ounce in a bag, which hang in the bung with a stone in it to make it sink. you may add, if you please, to this proportion of water, or one gallon more, two handfuls of sweet-bryar-leaves, and one of betony. mr. pierce's excellent white metheglin in a copper, that holdeth conveniently three hogsheads, or near so much, boil the best water, (as full as is fitting). as soon as it boileth well and high, put to it four handfuls of sweet-bryar-leaves, as much of eye-bright: two handfuls of rosemary, as much of sweet-marjoram, and one of broad-thyme. let them boil a quarter of an hour (he letteth them boil no longer, to preserve the colour of the metheglin pale) then scum away the herbs, scuming also the water clear. then lade out the water, (letting it run through a ranch-sieve) into a wide open vessel, or large vat to cool, leaving the settlement and dregs. (he often leaves out the eye-bright and thyme, when he provideth chiefly for the pure tast; though the eye-bright hurts it but little.) when it is blood-warm, put the honey to it, about one part, to four of water; but because this doth not determine the proportions exactly (for some honey will make it stronger then other) you must do that by bearing up an egge. but first, lave and scoop your mixture exceedingly, (at least an hour) that the honey be not onely perfectly dissolved, but uniformly mixed throughout the water. then take out some of it in a great woodden bowl or pail, and put a good number, (ten or twelve) new-laid-eggs into it, and as round ones as may be; for long ones will deceive you in the swiming; and stale ones, being lighter then new, will emerge out of the liquor, the breadth of a sixpence, when new ones will not a groats-breadth. therefore you take many, that you make a medium of their several emergings; unless you be certain, that they which you use, are immediately then laid and very round. the rule is, that a groats-breadth (or rather but a threepence) of the egg-shel must swim above the liquor; which then put again into your copper to boil. it will be some while, before it boil, (peradventure a goodquarter of an hour) but all that while scum will rise, which skim away still as it riseth; and it should be clear scummed by then it boileth: which as soon as it doth, turn up an hour glass, and let it boil well a good hour. a good quarter before the hour is out, put to it a pound of white-ginger beaten exceedingly small and searsed (which will sever all the skins and course parts from the fine) which having boiled a quarter of an hour, so to make up the whole hour of boiling, pour out the liquor into wide open vats to cool. when it is quite cold, put a pottle of new-ale-barm into a pipe or butt, standing endwise with his head out, and pour upon it a pail-full of your cool liquor out of one of the vats; which falling from high upon it with force, will break and dissipate the barm into atoms, and mix it with the liquor. pour immediately another pail-ful to that, continuing to do so, till all the liquor be in. which by this time and this course will be uniformly mixed with the barm, and begin to work. yet scoop and lade it well a while, to make the mixtion more perfect, and set the working well on foot. then cover your but-head with a sheet onely in summer, but blankets in winter; and let your liquor work about hours or more. the measure of that is, till the barm (which is raised to a great head) beginneth a little to fall. then presently scum of the thick head of the barm, but take not all away so scrupulously, but that there may remain a little white froth upon the face of the liquor. which scoop and lade strongly, mingling all to the bottom, that this little remaining barm may by this agitation be mixed a new with the whole. then immediately tun this liquor into two hogsheads that have served for spanish-wine (be sure to fill them quite full) and there let it work two or three days; that is to say, till you see that all the feculent substance is wrought out, and that what runneth out, beginneth to be clear, though a little whitish or frothy on the upperside of the stream that runs down along the outside of the hogshead. (if there should be a little more then to fill two hogsheads, put it in a rundlet by it self.) then take some very strong firm paper, and wet it on one side with some of the barm that works out, and lay that side over the bung to cover it close. the barm will make it stick fast to the hogshead. this covering will serve for a moneth or two. then stop it close with strong cork fitted to the hole, with a linnen about it, to press it fast in: but let a little vent with a peg in it be made in hogshead, in some fit place above. this may be fit to broach in five or six moneths; but three weeks or a moneth before you do so, put into each hogshead half an ounce of cinnamon; and two ounces of cloves beaten into most subtile powder. (sometimes he leaves out the cloves) which will give it a most pleasant flavor; and they (as the ginger did) sink down to the bottome and never trouble the liquor. if they be put in long before (much more if they be boiled) they loose all their taste and spirits entirely. this will last very well half a year drawing. but if you stay broaching it a year, and then draw it into bottles, it will keep admirable good three or four years, growing to be much better, then when broached at six months end. it will be purer, if you first boil the water by it self, then let it settle hours; and pour the clear from the earthy sediment, which will be great, and dissolve your honey in that. you may aromatise it with ambergreece or musk, or both (if you like them) by dissolving a very few pastils in a runlet of this liquor, when you draw it into little vessels, (as he useth to do after five or six moneths) or with a few drops of the extract of them. this metheglin is a great balsom and strengthener of the _viscera_; is excellent in colds and coughs and consumptions. for which last they use to burn it (like wine) or rather onely heat it. then dissolve the yolk of an egge or two in a pint of it, and some fresh butter, and drink it warm in the morning fasting. as it comes from the barrel or bottle, it is used to be drunk a large draught (without any alteration or admixtion, with a toste early in the morning (eating the toste) when they intend to dine late. consider of making metheglin thus with purified rain water (of the _Æquinoxe_) or dew. the handfuls of herbs, are natural large handfuls (as much as you can take up in your hand) not apothecaries handfuls, which are much less. if a pottle of barm do not make it work enough to your mind, you may put in a little more. discretion and experience must regulate that. you may make small meathe the same way, putting but half the proportion of honey or less. but then after three weeks or a months barrelling, you must bottle it. an excellent way to make metheglin, called the liquor of life, with these following ingredients take bugloss, borage, hyssop, organ, sweet-marjoram, rosemary, french-cowslip, coltsfoot, thyme, burnet, self-heal, sanicle a little, betony, blew-buttons, harts-tongue, meadssweet, liverwort, coriander two ounces, bistort, saint john's wort, liquorish, two ounces of carraways, two ounces of yellow-saunders, balm, bugle, half a pound of ginger, and one ounce of cloves, agrimony, tormentil-roots, cumfrey, fennel-root's, clowns-all-heal, maiden-hair, wall-rew, spleen-wort, sweet-oak, pauls-betony, mouse ear. for two hogsheads of metheglin, you take two handfuls a piece of each herb, excepting sanicle; of which you take but half a handful. you make it in all things as the white meathe of mr. pierce's is made, excepting as followeth. for in that you boil the herbs but a quarter of an hour, that the colour may be pale: but in this, where the deepness of the colour is not regarded, you boil them a good hour, that you may get all the vertue out of them. next for the strength of it; whereas in that, an egge is to emerge out of the liquor but the breadth of a three pence; in this it is to emerge a large groats-breadth. then in this you take but half a pound of ginger, and one ounce of cloves. whereas the white hath one pound of ginger, and two ounces of cloves. to this you use three quarts, or rather more of ale-yest (fresh and new) and when all your liquor is in a high slender tall pipe with the narrowest circumference that may be (which makes it work better then a broad one, where the spirits loose themselves) you have the yest in a large noggin with a handle, or pail, and put some of the liquor to it, and make that work; then pour it from pretty high unto the whole quantity in the pipe, and lade it strongly with that noggin five or six, or eight times, pouring it every time from high, and working it well together, that so every atome of the yest maybe mingled with every atome of the liquor. and this course (in this particular) you may also use in the white. it is best not to broach this, till a year be over after the making it. to make good metheglin take to every gallon of honey, three gallons of water, and put them both together, and set them over so soft a fire, that you may endure to melt and break the honey with your hands. when the honey is all melted, put in an egge, and let it fall gently to the bottome, and if the egge rise up to the top again of the liquor, then is it strong enough of the honey; but if it lie at the bottome, you must put in more honey, stirring of it till it do rise. if your honey be very good, it will bear half a gallon of water more to a gallon of honey. then take sweet-bryar, rose-mary, bayes, thyme, marjoram, savory, of each a good handful, which must be tyed up all together in a bundle. this proportion of herbs will be sufficient for gallons of metheglin; and according to the quantity you make of metheglin, you must add of your herbs or take away. when you have put these things together set it upon a quick fire, and let it boil as fast as you can for half an hour, or better, skiming of it very clean, which you must clarifie with two or three whites of eggs. then take it off from the fire, and put it presently into some clean covers, and let it stand till the next morning; then pour the clear from the bottom and tun it up; putting in a little bag of such spice as you like, whereof ginger must be the most. after it hath stood some three or four days, you may put in some two or three spoonfuls of good-ale-yest; it will make it ready the sooner to drink, if you let it work together, before you stop it up. the older the honey is, the whiter coloured the metheglin will be. to make white metheglin of sir john fortescue take twelve gallons of water, one handful of each of these herbs, eglantine, rosemary, parsley, strawberry-leaves, wild-thyme, balm, liver-wort, betony, scabious; when your water begins to boil, cast in your herbs, and let them boil a quarter of an hour. then strain it from the herbs. when it is almost cold, then put in as much of the best honey, as will make it bear an egge, to the breadth of two pence; and stir it till all the honey be melted. then boil it well half an hour at the least, and put into it the whites of six eggs beaten to a froth to clarifie it; and when it hath drawn all the scum to the top, strain it into woodden vessels. when it is almost cold, put barm to it, and when it worketh well, tun it into a well-seasoned vessel, where neither ale nor beer hath been, for marring the colour; and when it hath done working, take a good quantity of nutmegs, mace, cinnamon, cloves and ginger bruised, and put it into a boulter bag, and hang it in the barrel. if you will have it taste much of the spice, let it boil or walms in it, after you have put in the honey. but that will make it have a deep colour. a receipt for meathe to seven quarts of water, take two quarts of honey, and mix it well together; then set it on the fire to boil, and take three or four parsley-roots, and as many fennel-roots, and shave them clean, and slice them, and put them into the liquor, and boil altogether, and skim it very well all the while it is a boyling; and when there will no more scum rise, then is it boiled enough: but be careful that none of the scum do boil into it. then take it off, and let it cool till the next day. then put it up in a close vessel, and put thereto half a pint of new good barm, and a very few cloves pounded and put in a linnen-cloth, and tie it in the vessel, and stop it up close; and within a fortnight, it will be ready to drink: but if it stay longer, it will be the better. my lord gorge his meathe take a sufficient quantity of rain-water, and boil in it the tops of rose-mary, eglantine, betony, strawberry-leaves, wall-flowers, borage and bugloss, of each one handful; one sprig of bays; and two or three of sage. then take it off the fire, and put a whole raw egge into it, and pour so much honey to it, till the egge rise up to the top; then boil it again, skiming it very well, and so let it cool. then tun it up, and put barm to it, that it may ferment well. then stop it up, and hang in it such spices, as you like best. it will not be right to drink under three or four moneths. the lady vernon's white metheglin take three gallons of water (rain water is best) boil in it broad thyme, rose-mary, peny-royal, of each three handfuls. then put it into a stone pan to cool, and strain away the herbs; and when it is cold, put in one quart of honey, and mix it very well; then put to it one nutmeg, a little cinnamon; cloves and ginger; some orange and limon-peels. then boil and scum it very well, while any scum will rise. then put in your spices, and try with a new-laid-egg; and the stronger it is, the longer you may keep it; and if you will drink it presently, put it up in bottles, and rub the corks with yest, that it may touch it, and it will be ready in three or four days to drink. and if you make it in the spring put no spices, but cloves and cinnamon, and add violets, cowslips, marigolds, and gilly-flowers; and be sure to stop your vessel close with cork; and to this put no yest, for the clove-gilly-flowers will set it to work. several sorts of meath, small and strong . small. take ten gallons of water, and five quarts of honey, with a little rosemary, more sweet-bryar, some balme, burnet, cloves, less ginger, limon peel. tun it with a little barm; let it remain a week in the barrel with a bag of elder-flowers; then bottle it. . _small_. take ten quarts of water, and one of honey, balm a little; minth, cloves, limon-peel, elder-flowers, a little ginger; wrought with a little yest, bottle it after a night working. . _strong_. take ten gallons of water; thirteen quarts of honey, with angelica, borrage and bugloss, rosemary, balm and sweet-bryar; pour it into a barrel, upon three spoonfuls of yest; hang in a bag cloves, elder-flowers, and a little ginger. . _very strong_. take ten gallons of water, and four of honey, with sea-worm-wood, a little sage, rosemary; put it in a barrel, after three days cooling. put no yest to it. stop it close, and bottle it after three or four months. . _very strong_. to ten gallons of water take four of honey. clarifie it with flower; and put into it angelica, rosemary, bay-leaves, balm. barrel it without yest. hang in a bag cloves, elder-flowers, a little ginger. . _very strong_. take ten gallons of water, and four of honey. boil nothing in it. barrel it when cold, without yest. hang in it a bag with cloves, elder-flowers, a little ginger and limon peel; which throw away, when it hath done working, and stop it close. you may make also strong and small by putting into it orris-roots; or with rose-mary, betony, eye-bright and wood-sorrel; or adding to it the tops of hypericon with the flowers of it; sweet-bryar, lilly of the valley. to make meath take three gallons of water, a quart of honey; if it be not strong enough, you may adde more. boil it apace an hour, and scum it very clean. then take it off, and set it a working at such heat as you set beer, with good yest. then put it in a runlet, and at three days end, draw it out in stone-bottles; into everyone put a piece of limon-peel and two cloves. it is only put into the runlet, whilest it worketh, to avoid the breaking of the bottles. sir john arundel's white meath take three gallons of honey, and twelve gallons of water: mix the honey and water very well together, till the honey is dissolved; so let it stand twelve hours. then put in a new-laid-egg; if the liquor beareth the egg, that you see the breadth of a groat upon the egg dry, you may set it over the fire: if it doth not bear the egg, then you must adde a quart or three pints more to the rest; and then set it over the fire, and let it boil gently, till you have skimed it very clean, and clarified it, as you would do suggar, with the whites of three new-laid-eggs. when it is thus made clear from all scum, let it boil a full hour or more, till the fourth part of it is wasted; then take it off the fire; and let it stand till the next day. then put it into a vessel. when it hath been in the barrel five or six days, make a white tost, and dip it into new yeast, and put the tost into the barrel, and let it work. when it hath done working, stop it up very close. this keep three quarters of a year. you may drink it within half a year, if you please. you may adde in the boiling, of what herbs you like the taste, or what is physical. to make metheglin take eight gallons of water, and set it over a clear fire in a kettle; and when it is warm, put into it sixteen pounds of very good honey; stir it well together, till it be all mixed; and when it boileth, take off the scum, and put in two large nutmegs cut into quarters, and so let it boil at least an hour. then take it off, and put into it two good handfuls of grinded malt, and with a white staff keep beating it together, till it be almost cold; then strain it through a hair sieve into a tub, and put to it a wine pint of ale-yest, and stir it very well together; and when it is cold, you may, if you please, tun it up presently in a vessel fit for it, or else let it stand, and work a day: and when it hath done working in your vessel, stop it up very close. it will be three weeks or a month, before it will be ready to drink. to make white meath take six gallons of water, and put in six quarts of honey, stirring it till the honey be throughly melted; then set it over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, skim it very clean. then put in a quarter of ounce of mace, so much ginger, half an ounce of nutmegs, sweet-marjoram, broad-thyme, and sweet-bryar, of altogether a handful; and boil them well therein; then set it by, till it be through cold, and then barrel it up, and keep it till it be ripe. to make a meath good for the liver and lungs take of the roots of coltsfoot, fennel and fearn each four ounces. of succory-roots, sorrel-roots, strawberry-roots, bitter-sweet-roots, each two ounces, of scabious-roots and elecampane-roots, each an ounce and a half. ground-ivy, hore-hound, oak of jerusalem, lung-wort, liver-wort, maiden-hair, harts-tongue of each two good-handfulls. licorish four ounces. jujubes, raisins of the sun and currents, of each two ounces; let the roots be sliced, and the herbs be broken a little with your hands; and boil all these in twenty quarts of fair running water, or, if you have it, in rain water, with five pints of good white honey, until one third part be boiled away; then pour the liquor through a jelly bag often upon a little coriander-seeds, and cinnamon; and when it runneth very clear, put it into bottles well stopped, and set it cool for your use, and drink every morning a good draught of it, and at five in the afternoone. to make white metheglin put to three gallons of spring-water, one of honey. first let it gently melt; then boil for an hour, continually skiming it; then put it into an earthen or a woodden vessel, and when it is a little more than blood-warm, set it with ale-yest, and so let it stand twelve hours. then take off the yest, and bottle it up. put into it limon-peel and cloves, or what best pleaseth your taste of spice or herbs. eringo-roots put into it, when it is boiling, maketh it much better. note, that if you make hydromel by fermentation in the hot sun (which will last about fourty days, and requireth the greater heat) you must take it thence, before it be quite ended working; and stop it up very close, and set it in a cold cellar, and not pierce it in two months, at the soonest. it will be very good this way, if you make it so strong, as to bear an egge very boyant. it is best made by taking all the canicular days into your fermentation. a very good meath put three parts of water to one of honey. when the honey is dissolved, it is to bear an egge boyant. boil it and skim it perfectly clear. you may boil in it pellitory of the wall, agrimony, or what herbs you please. to every ten gallons of water, take ginger, cinnamon, _ana_, one ounce, nutmegs half an ounce. divide this quantity (sliced and bruised) into two parts. boil the one in the meath, severing it from the liquor, when it is boiled, by running through a strainer; and hang the other parcel in the barrel by the bung in a bag with a bullet in it. when it is cold, tun it. and then you may work it with barm if you please; but it is most commended without. to make white metheglin take the honey-combs, that the honey is run out from them, and lay them in water over night; next day strain them, and put the liquor a boiling; then take the whites of two or three eggs, and clarifie the liquor. when you have so done, skim it clean. then take a handful of peny-royal; four handfuls of angelica; a handful of rosemary; a handful of borrage; a handful of maidenhair, a handful of harts-tongue; of liverwort, of water-cresses, of scurvy-grass, _ana_, a handful; of the roots of marshmallows, parsley, fennel, _ana_, one ounce. let all these boil together in the liquor, the space of a quarter of an hour. then strain the liquor from them, and let it cool, till it be blood-warm. put in so much honey, until an egge swim on it; and when your honey is melted, then put it into the barrel. when it is almost cold, put a little ale barm to it; and when it hath done working, put into your barrel a bag of spice of nutmegs, ginger, cloves and mace, and grains good store; and if you will, put into a lawn-bag two grains of ambergreece and two grains of musk, and fasten it in the mouth of your barrel, and so let it hang in the liquor. a most excellent metheglin take one part of honey, to eight parts of rain or river-water; let it boil gently together, in a fit vessel, till a third part be wasted, skiming it very well. the sign of being boiled enough is, when a new-laid-egg swims upon it. cleanse it afterwards by letting it run through a clean linnen-cloth, and put it into a woodden runlet, where there hath been wine in, and hang in it a bag with mustard-seeds by the bung, that so you may take it out, when you please. this being done, put your runlet into the hot sun, especially during the dog-days, (which is the onely time to prepare it) and your metheglin will boil like must; after which boiling take out your mustard-seeds, and put your vessel well stopped into a cellar. if you will have it the taste of wine, put to thirty measures of hydromel, one measure of the juyce of hops, and it will begin to boil without any heat. then fill up your vessel, and presently after this ebullition you will have a very strong metheglin. to make white metheglin of the countess of dorset take rosemary, thyme, sweet-bryar, peny-royal, bays, water-cresses, agrimony, marshmallow leaves, liver-wort, maiden-hair, betony, eye-bright, scabious, the bark of the ash-tree, eringo-roots, green-wild-angelica, ribwort, sanicle, roman-worm-wood, tamarisk, mother-thyme, sassafras, philipendula, of each of these herbs a like proportion; or of as many of them as you please to put in. but you must put in all but four handfuls of herbs, which you must steep one night, and one day, in a little bowl of water, being close covered; the next day take another quantity of fresh water, and boil the same herbs in it, till the colour be very high; then take another quantity of water, and boil the same herbs in it, until they look green; and so let it boil three or four times in several waters, as long as the liquor looketh any thing green. then let it stand with these herbs in it a day and night. remember the last water you boil it in to this proportion of herbs, must be twelve gallons of water, and when it hath stood a day and a night, with these herbs in it, after the last boiling, then strain the liquor from the herbs, and put as much of the finest and best honey into the liquor, as will make it bear an egg. you must work and labour the honey and liquor together one whole day, until the honey be consumed. then let it stand a whole night, and then let it be well laboured again, and let it stand again a clearing, and so boil it again a quarter of an hour, with the whites of six new-laid-eggs with the shells, the yolks being taken out; so scum it very clean, and let it stand a day a cooling. then put it into a barrel, and take cloves, mace, cinamon, and nutmegs, as much as will please your taste, and beat them altogether; put them into a linnen bag, and hang it with a thread in the barrel. take heed you put not too much spice in; a little will serve. take the whites of two or three new-laid-eggs, a spoonful of barm, and a spoonful of wheat-flower, and beat them altogether, and put it into your liquor into the barrel, and let it work, before you stop it. then afterwards stop it well, and close it well with clay and salt tempered together, and let it be set in a close place; and when it hath been settled some six weeks, draw it into bottles, and stop it very close, and drink it not a month after: but it will keep well half a year, and more. another way to make white metheglin take ten gallons of water; then take six handfuls of sweet-bryar; as much of sweet-marjoram; and as much of muscovy. three handfuls of the best broad-thyme. boil these together half an hour; then strain them. then take two gallons of english-honey, and dissolve it in this hot liquor, and brew it well together; then set it over the fire to boil again, and skim it very clean; then take the whites of thirty eggs wel beaten, and put them into the liquor, and let it boil an hour; then strain it through a jelly bag, and let it stand hours cooling: then put it up in a vessel. then take six nutmegs, six fair races of ginger, a quarter of an ounce of cloves, half an ounce of cinamon; bruise all these together, and put them into a linnen-bag, with a little pebble-stone to make it sink. then hang it in the vessel. you may adde to it, if you please, two grains of ambergreece, and one grain of musk. stop the vessel with a cork, but not too close, for six days; then taste it: and if it taste enough of the spice, then take out the bag; if not, let the bag hang in it, and stop it very close, and meddle with it no more. it will be ready to drink in nine or ten weeks. a receipt to make good meath take as many gallons of water, as you intend to make of meath; and to every gallon put a quart of honey, and let it boil till it bear an egg. to every gallon you allow the white of an egg, which white you must remove and break with your hands, and put into the kettle, before you put it over the fire. before it boileth, there will arise a skum, which must be taken off very clean, as it riseth. put to every gallon two nutmegs sliced, and when it hath boiled enough, take it off, and set it a cooling in clean wort-vessels: and when it is as cold as wort, put in a little barm, and work it like beer, and when it hath done working, stop it up, and let it stand two months. another to make meath to every quart of honey allow six wine-quarts of water; half an ounce of nutmegs, and the peel of a limon, and the meat of two or three, as you make the quantity. boil these together, till the scum rise no more; it must stand till it be quite cold, and when you tun it, you squeese into it the juyce of some limons, and this will make it ripen quickly. it will be ready in less then a month. another recipe take twelve gallons of water, a handful of muscovy (which is an herb, that smelleth like musk), a handful of sweet-marjoram, and as much of sweet-bryar. boil all these in the water, till all the strength be out. then take it off and strain it out, and being almost cold, sweeten it with honey very strong, more then to bear an egg, (the meaning of this is, that when there is honey enough to bear an egg, which will be done by one part of honey to three or four quarts of water: then you add to it a pretty deal of honey more, at least / or / of what you did put in at first to make it bear an egg: then it is to be boiled and scummed: when it is thus strong, you may keep it four years before you drink it. but at the end of two years you may draw it out into bottles) just above it, else it will not keep very long: for the more honey the better. then set it over the fire till it boils, and scum it very clean. then take it from the fire, and let it stand, till it be cold: then put it into your vessel. take mace, cloves, nutmegs, ginger, of each a quarter of an ounce: beat them small, and hang them in your vessel (being stopped close) in a little bag. note, when any meath or metheglin grows hard or sower with keeping too long, dissolve in it a good quantity of fresh honey, to make it pleasantly sweet; (but boil it no more, after it hath once fermented, as it did at the first tunning) and with that it will ferment again, and become very good and pleasant and quick. to make metheglin take of rosemary three handfuls, of winter-savory a peck by measure, organ and thyme, as much, white-wort two handfuls, blood-wort half a peck, hyssop two handfuls, marygolds, borage, fennil, of each two handfuls; straw-berries and violet-leaves, of each one handful; of harts-tongue, liverwort a peck; ribwort half a peck, of eglantine with the roots, a good quantity; wormwood as much as you can gripe in two hands; and of sorrel, mead-sutt bettony with the roots, blew-bottles with the roots, the like quantity; of eye-bright two handfuls, wood-bind one handful. take all these herbs, and order them so, as that the hot herbs may be mastered with the cool. then take the small herbs, and put them into the furnace, and lay the long herbs upon them. then take a weight or stone of lead, having a ring, whereunto fasten a stick to keep down the herbs into the furnace; then boil your water and herbs three or four hours, and as the water doth boil away, adde more. then take the water out of the furnace seething hot, and strain it through a range-sieve; then put in the honey, and mash it well together: then take your sweet-wort, and strain it through a range. then try it with a new-laid-egg. it must be so strong as to bear an egg the breadth of a groat above the liquor: and if it doth not, then put in more honey, till it will bear the egg. then take the liquor, and boil it again; and as soon as it doth boil, skim the froth very clean from it: then set it a cooling, and when it is cold, then put it into a kive, and put barm thereto, and let it work the space of a week; then tun it up: but be careful when it is tunned, that the vessels be not stopp'd up, till it hath done hissing. another sort of metheglin take to one part of honey, three parts of water: and put them into clean vessels, mixing them very well together, and breaking the honey with stripped arms, till it be well dissolved. then pour out your liquor into a large kettle, and let it boil for two hours and a half, over a good fire, skiming it all the while very carefully as long as any scum riseth. when it is boiled enough, pour out your liquor into clean vessels, and set it to cool for hours. afterwards put it into some runlets, and cover the bung with a piece of lead: have a care to fill it up always with the same boiled liquor for three or four months and during the time of working. this meath the older it is, the better it is. but if you will have your meath red, then take twenty pound of black currants, and put them into a vessel, and pour your liquor on them. of this honey-liquor you cannot drink till after nine months, or a year. my lord herbert's meath take ten gallons of water; and to every gallon of water a quart of honey, a handful and a half of rosemary, one ounce of mace, one ounce and a half of nutmegs, as much cinamon, half an ounce of cloves, a quarter of a pound of ginger scraped and cut in pieces. put all these into the water, and let it boil half an hour, then take it off the fire, and let it stand, till you may see your shadow in it. then put in the honey, and set it upon the fire again. then take the shells and whites of a dozen of eggs, and beat them both very well together: and when it is ready to boil up, put in your eggs, and stir it; then skim it clean, and take it off the fire, and put it into vessels to cool, as you do wort. when it is cold, set it together with some barm, as you do beer. when it is put together leave the settlings behind in the bottom; as soon as it is white over, tun it up in a vessel, and when it hath done working, stop it up as you do beer. when it is three weeks old, it will be fit to bottle or drink. another white meath take three pound of white-honey, or the best hampshire-honey, and dissolve it in a gallon of water, and then boil it; and when it beginneth first to boil, put into it half a quarter of an ounce of ginger a little bruised; and a very little cloves and mace bruised, and a small quantity of agrimony. let all this boil together a full hour, and keep it constantly skimmed, as long as any scum will rise upon it. then strain it forth into some clean kiver or other vessel, and let stand a cooling; and when it is cold, let it stand, till it be all creamed over with a blackish cream, and that it make a kind of hissing noise; then put it up into your vessel, and in two or three months time it will be fit to drink. look how much you intend to make, the same quantities must be allowed to every gallon of water. to make metheglin take fair water, and the best honey; beat them well together, but not in a woodden vessel, for wood drinketh up the honey, put it together in a kettle, and try it with a new-laid-egg, which will swim at top, if it be very strong; but if it bob up and sink again, it will be too weak. boil it an hour, and put into it a bundle of herbs, what sort you like best; and a little bag of spice, nutmegs, ginger, cloves, mace and cinamon; and skim it well all the while it boileth: when it hath boiled an hour, take it off, and put it into earthen pans, and so let it stand till next day. then pour off all the clear into a good vessel, that hath had sack in it, or white-wine. hang the bag of spice in it, and so let it stand very close stopp'd and well filled for a month, or longer. then if you desire to drink it quickly, you may bottle it up. if it be strong of the honey, you may keep it a year or two. if weak, drink it in two or three months. one quart of honey, will make one gallon of water very strong. a sprig or two of rose-mary, thyme and sweet-marjoram, are the herbs that should go into it. to make small metheglin take to every quart of white-honey, six quarts of fair-water. let it boil, until a third part be boiled away; skiming it as it riseth: then put into it a small quantity of ginger largely sliced; then put it out into earthen pans, till it be luke-warm, and so put it up into an earthen stand, with a tap in it. then put to it about half a porenger-ful of the best ale-yest, so beat it well together; then cover it with a cloth, and it will be twelve hours before it work; and afterwards let it stand two days, and then draw it out into stone bottles, and it will be ready to drink in five or six days after. this proportion of yest (which is about six good spoonfuls) is enough for three or four gallons of liquor. the yest must be of good ale, and very new. you may mingle the yest first with a little of the luke-warm-liquor; then beat it, till it be well incorporated, and begins to work; then adde a little more liquor to it, and beat that. continue so adding the liquor by little and little, till a good deal of it be incorporated with the yest; then put that to all the rest of the quantity, and beat it altogether very well; then cover it close, and keep it warm for two or three days. before you bottle it, scum away all the barm and ginger (whereof a spoonful or two is enough for three or four gallons) then bottle up the clear, leaving the dregs. if you will, you may tun it into a barrel, (if you make a greater quantity) when the barm is well incorporated with the liquor, in the same manner as you do beer or ale, and so let it work in the barrel as long as it will; then stop it up close for a few days more, that so it may clear it self well, and separate and precipitate the dregs. then draw the clear into bottles. this will make it less windy, but also a little less quick, though more wholesome. you may also boil a little handful of tops of rosemary in the liquor, which giveth it a fine taste: but all other herbs, and particularly sweet-marjoram and thyme, give it a physical taste. a little limon-peel giveth it a very fine taste. if you tun it in a barrel, to work there, you may hang the ginger and limon-peel in it in a bag, till you bottle it, or till it have done working. then you may put two or three stoned and sliced raisins, and a lump of fine sugar into every bottle to make it quick. to make metheglin take five gallons of water, and one gallon of good white-honey; set it on the fire together, and boil it very well, and skim it very clean; then take it off the fire, and set it by. take six ounces of good ginger, and two ounces of cinamon, one ounce of nutmegs; bruise all these grosly, and put them into your hot liquor, and cover it close, and so let it stand, till it be cold. then put as much ale-barm to it, as will make it work; then keep it in a warm place, as you do ale; and when it hath wrought well, tun it up, as you do ale or beer: and when it is a week old, drink of it at your pleasure. an excellent metheglin take spring-water, and boil it with rose-mary, sage, sweet-marjoram, balm and sassafras, until it hath boiled three or four hours: the quantity of the herbs is a handful of them all, of each a like proportion, to a gallon of water. and when it is boiled, set it to cool and to settle until the next day: then strain your water, and mix it with honey, until it will bear an egg the breadth of a groat. then set it over the fire to boil. take the whites of twenty or thirty eggs, and beat them mightily, and when it boileth, pour them in at twice; stir it well together, and then let it stand, until it boileth a pace before you scum it, and then scum it well. then take it off the fire, and pour it in earthen things to cool: and when it is cold, put to it five or six spoonfuls of the best yest of ale you can get: stir it together, and then every day scum it with a bundle of feathers till it hath done working: then tun it up in a sack-cask and to every six gallons of metheglin put one pint of _aquavitæ_, or a quart of sack; and a quarter of a pound of ginger sliced, with the pills of two or three limons and orenges in a bag to hang in it. the whites of eggs above named, is a fit proportion for or gallons of the liquor. to make white meathe take six gallons of water, and put in six quarts of honey, stirring it till the honey be throughly melted; then set it over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, skim it clean; then put in a quarter of an ounce of mace; so much ginger; half an ounce of nutmegs; sweet-marjoram, broad-thyme and sweet-bryar, of all together a handful, and boil them well therein. then set it by, till it be throughly cold, and barrel it up, and keep it till it be ripe. another to make meathe to every gallon of water, take a quart of honey, to every five gallons, a handful of sweet-marjoram, half a handful of sliced-ginger; boil all these moderately three quarters of an hour; then let it stand and cool: and being lukewarm, put to every five gallons, about three quarts of yest, and let it work a night and a day. then take off the yest and strain it into a runlet; and when it hath done working: then stop it up, and so let it remain a month: then drawing out into bottles, put into every bottle two or three stoned raisins, and a lump of loaf-sugar. it may be drunk in two months. another very good white meath take to every gallon of water a quart of honey: boil in it a little rose-mary and sweet-marjoram: but a large quantity of sweet-bryar-leaves, and a reasonable proportion of ginger: boil these in the liquor, when it is skimed; and work it in due time with a little barm. then tun it in a vessel; and draw it into bottles, after it is sufficiently settled. whites of eggs with the shells beaten together, do clarifie meath best. if you will have your meath cooling, use violet and straw-berry-leaves, agrimony, eglantine and the like: adding borage and bugloss, and a little rosemary and sweet-marjoram to give it vigor. tartar makes it work well. to make white metheglin take to three gallons of spring-water, one of honey; first let it gently melt, then boil for an hour, continually skiming it; then put it into an earthen or woodden vessel, and when it is little more then blood-warm, set it with ale-yest, and so let it stand twelve hours; then take off the yest, and bottle it. put in it limon-peel and cloves, or what best pleaseth your taste of herbs or spices. eringo-roots put into it, when it is a boiling, maketh it much better. so do clove-gilly-flowers; a quantity of which make the meath look like claret-wine. i observe that meath requireth some strong herbs to make it quick and smart upon the palate; as rose-mary, bay-leaves, sage, thyme, marjoram, winter-savory, and such like, which would be too strong and bitter in ale or beer. to make white meath take rose-mary, thyme, sweet-bryar, peny-royal, and bays, water-cresses, agrimony, marsh-mallows, leaves and flowers: liver-wort, wood-betony, eye-bright, scabious, of each alike quantity; of the bark of ash-tree, of eringo-roots-green, of each a proportion to the herbs; of wild angelica, ribwort, sanicle, roman-worm-wood, of each a proportion, which is, to every handful of the herbs above named, a sixteenth part of a handful of these latter; steep them a night and a day, in a woodden boul of water covered; the next day boil them very well in another water, till the colour be very high; then take another quantity of water, and boil the herbs in it, till it look green, and so let it boil three or four times, or as long as the liquor looketh any thing green; then let it stand with these herbs in it a day and a night. to every gallon of this water, put a quart of pure clear honey, the liquor being first strained from the herbs. your liquor if it be strong enough will bear an egg, the breadth of a three pence above water. when you have put the honey into the liquor, you must work and labour it together a whole day, until the honey be consumed. then let it stand a whole night again a clearing. then put it into a kettle, and let it boil a quarter of an hour, with the whites and shells of six eggs; then strain it clean, and so let it stand a cooling. then put it into a barrel, and take cloves, mace, cinamon, nutmegs, and beat them together: put them into a linnen bag, hang it with a thread into the barrel. if you would have it work, that you may drink of it presently, take the whites of two or three eggs, a spoonful of barm, a spoonful of wheat-flower; beat all these together: let it work, before you stop it up. then afterwards stop it well with clay and salt tempered together, to keep it moist. to make metheglin if your honey be tryed, take six gallons of milk-warm-water, to one of honey, and stir it well together ever and anon, and so let it stand for a day and night, or half a day may serve; then boil it with a gentle fire, for the space of half an hour or thereabouts, and skim it, still as the skum ariseth. after it is scummed once or twice, you may put in your herbs, and spice grosly beaten, one half loose; the other in a bag, which afterwards may be fastned with a string to the tap-hole, as pepper, cloves, mace, ginger and the like; when it is thus boiled, let it stand in the vessel until it be cooled; then tun it up into your barrel, and let it work two or three days, or more before you stop the bung-hole; but in putting up the boiled liquor into the barrel, reserve the thick grounds back, which will be settled in the pan or kettle. if you would have it to drink within two or three months, let it be no stronger then to bear an egg to the top of the water. if you would have it keep six months, or longer, before you drink it, let it bear up the egg the breadth of two pence above the water. this is the surer way to proportion your honey then by measure. and the time of the tryal of the strength is, when you incorporate the honey and water together, before the boiling of it. another sort of meath take thirty six gallons of fountain water (first boiled, &c.) and dissolve twelve gallons of honey in it. keep them boiling an hour and a half after they begin to boil, skimming well all the while. it will be an hour upon the fire before it boil. when it is clear and enough boiled, pour it out into woodden vessels to cool. when you are ready to tun it, have four gallons of black-currants, bruise them in a stone mortar, that they may the more easily part with their juyce to the liquor. put them and their juyce into the barrel, and pour the cool liquor upon them, so as the vessel be quite full. cover the bung with a plate of lead lying loose on, that the working of the liquor may lift it up, as it needeth to cast out the filth. and still as it worketh over, fill it up with fresh liquor, made in the same proportion of honey and water. a moneth after it works no longer, stop up the bung very close. to make very good metheglin take of all sorts of herbs, that you think are good and wholesome, as balm, minth, fennel, rosemary, angelica, wild-thyme, hyssop, agrimony, burnet, and such other as you may like; as also some field herbs; but you must not put in too many, especially rose-mary or any strong herb. less then half a handfull will serve of every sort. boil your herbs, and strain them out, and let the liquor stand till the morrow, and settle; then take of the clearest of the liquor two gallons and a half to one gallon of honey; and in that proportion take as much of them as you will make, and let it boil an hour, and in the boiling scum it very clean. then set it a cooling as you do beer; and when it is cold, take some very good ale-barm, and put it into the bottom of the tub you mean the metheglin shall work in, which pour into the tub by little and little, as they do beer, keeping back the thick settling, which lieth in the bottome of the vessels, wherein it is cooled. and when all is put together, cover it with a cloth, and let it work very near three days. and when you mean to put it up, scum off all the barm clean, and put it up into your barrel or firkin, which you must not stop very close in four or five days, but let it have a little vent, for it will work; and when it is close stopped, you must look to it very often, and have a peg in the top, to give it vent, when you hear it make a noise (as it will do) or else it will break the barrel. you may also, if you please, make a bag, and put in good store of sliced ginger, and some cloves and cinnamon, and boil it in, or put it into the barrel and never boil it. both ways are good. if you will make small metheglin, you may put five or six gallons of water to one of honey. put in a little cinnamon and cloves and boil it well. and when it is cold, put it up in bottles very close stopped, and the stopples well tyed on. this will not keep above five or six weeks, but it is very fine drink. make your metheglin as soon as ever you take your bees; for if you wash your combs in the water you boil your herbs in, when it is cold, it will sweeten much. but you must afterwards strain it through a cloth, or else there will be much wax. to make meath if you will have it to keep a year or two, take six parts of water, and one of honey; but if you will have it to keep longer, take but four parts of water to one of honey. dissolve the honey very well in the water, then boil it gently, skimming it all the while as the scum riseth, till no more scum riseth. then pour it out of the copper into a fit vessel or vessels to cool. then tun it up in a strong and sweet cask, and let it stand in some place, where there is some little warmth; (it will do as well without warmth, but be longer growing ripe) this will make it work. at first a course foul matter will work over; to which purpose it must be kept always full with fresh liquor of the same, as it worketh over. when it begins to work more gently, and that which riseth at the top, is no more foul, but is a white froth; then fill and stop it up close, and set it in a cool cellar, where it is to stand continually. after half a year or a year, you may draw it off from the lees into a clean vessel, or let it remain untouched. it is not fit to be drunk for it's perfection till the sweetness be quite worn off, yet not to be sower, but vinous. you may drink it at meals instead of wine, and is wholesomer and better then wine. to small meath, that is to be drunk presently, you may put a little ginger to give it life, and work it with a little barm. if the meath work not at all, it will nevertheless be good, and peradventure better than that which worketh; but it will be longer first, and the dregs will fall down to the bottom, though it work not. small meath of eight or nine parts of water to one of honey, will be very good, though it never work, but be barrell'd up as soon as it is cold, and stopped close: and after two or three months drunk from the barrel without botteling. this is good for meals. to make white meath take to every three gallons of water, one gallon of honey and set the water over the fire, and let the honey melt, before the water be too hot; then put in a new-laid-egg, and feel with your hand; if it comes half way the water, it is strong enough; then put into it these herbs, thyme, sweet-marjoram, winter-savoury, sweet-bryar, and bay-leaves, in all a good great handful; which a proportion for ten gallons; then with a quick-fire boil it very fast half an hour, and no longer; and then take it from the fire, and let it cool in two or three woodden vessels; and let it stand without stirring twenty four hours. then softly drain it out, leaving all the dregs behind. put the clear into your vessel; and if you like any spice, take ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, mace and cloves, and bruise them a little, and put them in a bag, and let them hang in your vessel. before you put your meath into the vessel, try if it will bear an egg as broad as a peny; if it do, then it is very well; and if it be made with the best white-honey, it usually is just so. but if it should prove too strong, that it bears the egge broader; then boil a little more honey and water very small, and put to it, when it is cold: and then put it into the vessel. it is best to be made at michaelmas, and not drunk of till lent. to make small white meath take of the best white honey six quarts; of springwater sixteen gallons; set it on a gentle fire at first, tell it is melted, and clean skimmed; then make it boil apace, until the third part be consumed. then take it from the fire, and put it in a cooler, and when it is cold, tun it up, and let it stand eight months, before you drink it. when you take it from the fire, slice in three orris-roots, and let it remain in the liquor, when you tun it up. a receipt to make metheglin take four gallons of water, two quarts of honey, two ounces of ginger, one ounce of nutmegs, a good handful of rose-mary tops, and as much of bay-leaves, two ounces of dried orange-peel. boil all these till it be so strong as will bear an egg, and not sink; when it is milk warm, work it up with barm, during twenty four hours, and then barrel it up. and after three months you may bottle it up at your pleasure. as you desire a greater quantity of the drink, you must augment the ingredients, according to the proportions above recited. to make metheglin take four gallons of water and one of honey; boil and skim it: then put into it, liverwort, harts-tongue, wild-carrot, and yarrow, a little rosemary and bays, one parsly-root, and a fennel-root; let them boil an hour altogether. you may, if you please, hang a little bag of spice in it. when it is cold, put a little barm to it, and let it work like beer. the roots must be scraped, and the pith taken out. meath from the muscovian ambassadour's steward take three times as much water as honey; then let the tubs, that the honey must be wrought in, be cleansed very clean with scalding water, so that it may not prove sowre; also when you mix them together, take half-warm-water, and half cold, and squeese them well together; afterwards when you think the honey is well melted, then let it run through a sieve; and see your kettle of copper or iron (but copper is better than iron) be very clean; then put in your spice, as, nutmegs, ginger, cloves, cardamome, anisseeds, orange peel; put these in according to the quantity you make, and let them all be bruised, except the orange peel, which leave whole. the meath must boil an hour by the clock; after put it into tubs to cool, and when it is cold, take three or four slices of white-bread, tost them very hard, and spread very good yest on both sides of the tosts; then put them into the tubs. if it be warm weather, let the tubs be uncovered; but if it be cold, cover them. this being done, you will find it worked enough by the black that cometh up by the sides of the tubs; then take a sieve and take off the yest and bread. afterwards draw it off at a tap in the tub into the cask you intend to keep it in; then take a quantity of spice as before, well-bruised, and put it into a bag, and make it fast at the bung, with a string, and if it begins to work, after it is in the cask, be sure to give it vent, or else you will loose all. to make meath to every quart of honey put four quarts of springwater; temper the honey in the water, being a little warmed; then put it on the fire again, with fennel, rose-mary, thyme, agrimony, parsley or the like. let them boil half an hour, and upwards; and as it boileth, scum the froth; then take it off, and strain it, and let it cool as you do your wort. then put a little barm into it, then take off the froath again, and stir it well together. then take two quarts of ale, boiled with cloves. mace, cinnamon, ginger and liquorice; and put it to the meath and tun it up. a receipt to make white meath take rose-mary, thyme, sweet-bryar, peny-royal, bays, water-cresses, agrimony, marsh-mallow-leaves and flowers, liver-wort, maiden-hair, betony, eye-bright, scabious, the bark of an ash-tree, young eringo-roots, wild-angelica, ribwort, sinacle, roman-worm-wood, tamarisk, mother-thyme, saxafrage, philipendula, of each of these herbs a like proportion; or of as many as you please to put in. you must put in all but four handfuls of herbs, which you must steep a night and a day, in a little bowl of water, being close covered. the next day take another fresh quantity of water, and boil the same herbs in it, till the colour be very high; then take another quantity of water, and boil the same herbs in it, untill it look green; and so let them boil three or four times in several waters, as long as the liquor looketh anything green. then let it stand with these herbs in it a day and a night. remember the last water you boil it in, to this proportion of herbs, must be eighteen gallons. and when it hath stood a day and a night with these herbs in it after the last boiling, then strain the liquor from the herbs; and put as much of the finest and best honey into the liquor, as will bear an egg; you must work the honey and liquor together a whole day, until the honey be consumed; then let it stand one whole night; then let it be well laboured again, and set it a clearing; and so boil it again with the whites of six new-laid-eggs with the shells; skim it very clean; and let it stand a day a cooling; then put it into a barrel, and take cloves, mace, cinnamon and nutmegs as much as will please your taste, and beat them all together, and put them in a linnen bag, and hang it with a thread into the barrel. then take the whites of two or three new-laid-eggs, a spoonful of barm, a spoonful of wheat-flower, and beat them all together, and put it into your liquor in the barrel, and let it work before you stop it; then afterwards stop it well, and set it in a cold place, and when it hath been settled some six weeks: draw it into bottles, and stop it very close, and drink not of it in a month after. to make metheglin take eight gallons of water, set it over a clear fire in a kettle; and when it is warm, put it to sixteen pounds of very good honey, and stir it well together; take off the scum, and put two large nutmegs cut in quarters, and so let it boil at least an hour; then take it off the fire, and put to it two good handfulls of grinded malt, and with a white staff keep beating it together till it be almost cold; then strain it through a hair-sieve into a tub, and put to it a wine-pint of ale-yest, and stir it very well together; and when it is cold, you may if you please, tun it up presently into a vessel fit for it, or else let it stand, and work a day, and when it hath done working in your vessel, stop it up very close. it will be three weeks or a month before it be ready to drink. to make honey drink to two quarts of water take one pound of honey. when it boileth, skim it clean as long as any scum ariseth; boil it a pretty while; then take it off the fire, and put it in an earthen pot, and let it stand till the next day; then put it into clean bottles, that are throughly dry, rinsing first every bottle with a little of the liquor; fill them not too full, and put into every bottle four or five cloves, and four or five slices of ginger: and stop it very close, and set it in sand; and within ten or twelve days it will be ready to drink. some, when they take their bees, put the honey-combs into fair-water, and make it so strong of the honey that it will bear an egg; and then boil it with some spice, and put it into a barrel: but i think it not so good, as that which is made of pure honey. the earl of denbigh's metheglin take twenty gallons of spring-water; boil it a quarter of an hour, and let it stand, until it be all most cold; then beat in so much honey, as will make it so strong as to bear an egg, so that on the top, you may see the breadth of a hasel-nut swimming above; the next day boil it up with six small handfuls of rosemary; a pound and a half of ginger, being scraped and bruised; then take the whites of twenty eggs shells and all; beat them very well, and put them in to clarifie it; skim it very clean, then take it off the fire and strain: but put the rosemary and ginger in again: then let it remain till it be all most cold: then tun it up, and take some new-ale-yest; the whites of two eggs, a spoonful of flower, and beat them well together, and put them into the barrel; when it hath wrought very well, stop it very close for three weeks or a month: then bottle it, and a week after you may drink it. to make meath take to every gallon of water, a quart of honey, and set it over a clear fire, and when it is ready to boil, skim it very clear. then take two handfulls of sweet-marjoram, as much rose-mary, and as much baulm: and two handful of fennel-roots, as much of parsley-roots, and as many esparages-roots: slice them in the middle, and take out the pith, wash and scrape them very clean, and put them with your herbs into your liquor. then take two ounces of ginger, one ounce of nutmegs, half an ounce of mace: bruise them and put them in: and let it boil till it be so strong that it will bear an egg: then let it cool: and being cold, put in or spoon fulls of new-ale yest: and so skim it well, and put it into a runlet, and it will work like ale: and having done working, stop it up close, as you do new-beer: and lay salt upon it. to make metheglin take four gallons of running water, and boil it a quarter of an hour, and put it in an earthen vessel, and let it stand all night. the next day take only the water, and leave the settling at the bottom: so put the honey in a thin bag, and work it in the water, till all the honey is dissolved. take to four gallons of water, one gallon of honey: then put in an egg, if it be strong enough of the honey, the egg will part of it appear on the top of the liquor: if it do not, put more honey to it, till it do. then take out the egg, and let the liquor stand till next morning. then take two ounces of ginger, and slice it and pare it: some rose-mary washed and stripped from the stalk: dry it very well. the next day put the rose-mary and ginger into the drink, and so set it on the fire: when it is all most ready to boil, take the whites of three eggs well beaten with the shells, and put all into the liquor: and stir it about, and skim it well till it be clear. be sure you skim not off the rose-mary and ginger: then take it off the fire, and let it run through a hair sieve: and when you have strained it, pick out the rose-mary and ginger out of the strainer, and put it into the drink, and throw away the eggshells, and so let it stand all night. the next day tun it up in a barrel: be sure the barrel be not too big: then take a little flower and a little bran, and the white of an egg, and beat them well together, and put them into the barrel on the top of the metheglin, after it is tunned up, and so let it stand till it hath done working; then stop it up as close as is possible: and so let it stand six or seven weeks: then draw it out and bottle it. you must tye down the corks, and set the bottles in sand five or six weeks, and then drink it. another meath take twenty gallons of fair spring-water. boil it a quarter of an hour, then let it stand till the next day. then beat into it so much honey, as will make it so strong as to bear an egg the breadth of a two pence above the water. the next day boil it up with six small handfulls of rosemary, a pound and a half of ginger, (being scraped and bruised) and the whites of twenty eggs together with their shells beaten together, and well mingled with the liquor. clarifie it and skim it very clean, still as the scum riseth, leaving the ginger and rosemary in it. let it stand till the next day, then tun it up, and take some new-ale-yest, the whites of two eggs, a spoonful of flower, beat all these together, and put it on the top of the barrel, when the barrel is full. let it work, and when it hath done working, stop it up close for three weeks, or a month. then you may bottle it, and a few days after, you may drink it. another take three gallons of water, and boil in it a handful of rose-mary (or rather the flowers) cowslips, sage-flowers, agrimony, betony, and thyme, _ana_, one handful. when it hath taken the strength of the herbs, strain it through a hair-sieve, and let it cool twenty hours. then to three gallons of the clear part of this decoction, put one gallon of honey, and mingle it very well with your hand, till it bear an egg the breadth of a groat. then boil it and skim it as long as any scum will rise. afterwards let it cool twenty four hours. then put to it a small quantity of ale-barm, and skim the thin-barm that doth rise on it, morning and evening, with a feather, during four days. and so put it up into your vessel, and hang in it a thin linnen bag with two ounces of good white-ginger bruised therein: and stop it up close for a quarter of a year. then you may drink it. another take a quart of honey to a gallon of water; set the kettle over the fire, and stir it now and then, that the honey may melt; let it boil an hour; you must boil in it, a sprig or two of winter-savory, as much of sweet-marjoram; put it into tubs ready scalded, till the next day towards evening. then tun it up into your vessel, let it work for three days; after which hang a bag in the barrel with what quantity of mace and sliced nutmeg you please. to make it stronger then this, 'tis but adding more hony, to make it bear an egg the breadth of a six pence, or something more. you may bottle it out after a month, when you please. this is the way, which is used in sussex by those who are accounted to make it best. another receipt take to every gallon of fountain-water a good quart of honey. set the water on the fire, till it be pretty warm; then take it off, and put it in your honey, and stir it till it be dissolved. then put into every three gallons, two handfuls of thyme: two good handfuls of strawberry-leaves, one handful of organ; one handful of fennel-roots, the heart being taken out, and one handful of parsley-roots the heart taken out: but as for the herbs, it must be according to the constitution of them, for whom the mead is intended. then set the herbs in it on the fire, to boil for half an hour, still skimming it, as the scum riseth; it must boil but half an hour; then take it off the fire, and presently strain it from the herbs, and let it stand till it be fully cold; then pour it softly off the bottom, and put it in a vessel fit for it, and put a small quantity of barm in it, and mingle it with it, and when it hath wrought up, which will be in three or four days, skim off that barm, and set on fresh: but the second barm must not be mingled with the meath, but onely poured on the top of it. take an ounce of nutmeg sliced: one ounce of ginger sliced: one ounce of cinnamon cut in pieces, and boil them a pretty while in a quart of white-wine or sack: when this is very cold, strain it, and put the spices in a canvas-bag to hang in your meath, and pour in the wine it was boiled in. this meath will be drinkable, when it is a fortnight or three weeks old. to make metheglin that looks like white-wine take to twelve gallons of water, a handful of each of these herbs: parsley, eglantine, rosemary, strawberry-leaves, wild-thyme, baulme, liverwort, betony, scabious: when the water begins to boil, cast in the herbs: let them boil a quarter of an hour: then strain out the herbs; and when it is almost cold, then put in as much of the best honey, you can get, as will bear an egg to the breadth of two pence; that is, till you can see no more of the egge above the water, then a two pence will cover: lave it and stir it till you see all the honey be melted; then boil it well half an hour, at the least: skim it well, and put in the whites of six eggs beaten, to clarifie it: then strain it into some woodden vessels; and when it is almost cold, put some ale-barm into it. and when it worketh well, tun it into some well seasoned vessel, where neither ale nor beer hath been, for marring the colour of it. when it hath done working, if you like it, take a quantity of cloves, nutmegs, mace, cinnamon, ginger, or any of these that you like best, and bruise them, and put them in a boulter bag, and hang it in the vessel. put not too much of the spice, because many do not like the taste of much spice. if you make it at michaelmas, you may tap it at christmas: but if you keep it longer, it will be the better. it will look pure, and drink with as much spirit as can be, and very pleasant. to make white metheglin take sweet-marjoram, sweet-bryar-buds, violet-leaves, strawberry-leaves, of each one handful, and a good handful of violet flowers (the dubble ones are the best) broad thyme, borrage, agrimony, of each half a handful, and two or three branches of rosemary, the seeds of carvi, coriander, and fennel, of each two spoonfuls, and three or four blades of large-mace. boil all these in eight gallons of running-water, three quarters of an hour. then strain it, and when it is but blood-warm, put in as much of the best honey, as will make the liquor bear an egg the breadth of six pence above the water. then boil it again as long as any scum will rise. then set it abroad a cooling; and when it is almost cold, put in half a pint of good ale-barm; and when it hath wrought, till you perceive the barm to fall, then tun it, and let it work in the barrel, till the barm leaveth rising, filling it up every day with some of the same liquor. when you stop it up, put in a bag with one nutmeg sliced, a little whole cloves and mace, a stick of cinnamon broken in pieces, and a grain of good musk. you may make this a little before michaelmas, and it will be fit to drink at lent. this is sir edward bainton's receipt, which my lord of portland (who gave it me) saith, was the best he ever drunk. to make a small metheglin take four gallons of water, and set it over the fire. put into it, when it is warm, eight pounds of honey; as the scum riseth, take it clean off. when it is clear, put into it three nutmegs quartered; three or four races of ginger sliced; then let it boil a whole hour, then take it off the fire, and put to it two handfuls of ground malt; stir it about with a round stick, till it be as cold as wort, when you put yest to it. then strain it out into a pot or tub, that hath a spiggot and faucet, and put to it a pint of very good ale-yest; so let it work for two days; then cover it close for about four or five days, and so draw it out into bottles. it will be ready to drink within three weeks. to make meath take to six quarts of water, a quart of the best honey, and put it on the fire, and stir it, till the honey is melted: and boil it well as long as any scum riseth: and now and then put in a little cold water, for this will make the scum rise: keep your kettle up as full as you did put it on; when it is boiled enough, about half an hour before you take it off, then take a quantity of ginger sliced and well scraped first, and a good quantity of rosemary, and boil both together. of the rosemary and ginger you may put in more or less, for to please your taste: and when you take it off the fire, strain it into your vessel, either a well seasoned-tub, or a great cream pot, and the next morning when it is cold, pour off softly the top from the settlings into another vessel; and then put some little quantity of the best ale-barm to it and cover it with a thin cloth over it, if it be in summer, but in the winter it will be longer a ripening, and therefore must be the warmer covered in a close place, and when you go to bottle it, take with a feather all the barm off, and put it into your bottles, and stop it up close. in ten days you may drink it. if you think six quarts of water be too much, and would have it stronger, then put in a greater quantity of honey. metheglin or sweet drink of my lady stuart take as much water as will fill your firkin: of rosemary, bays, sweet-bryar, broad-thyme, sweet-majoram, of each a handful; set it over the fire, until the herbs have a little coloured the water; then take it off, and when it is cold, put in as much honey, till it will bear an egg; then lave it three days morning and evening. after that boil it again, and skim it very clean, and in the boiling clarifie it with the whites of six eggs, shells and all, well beaten together. then take it off, and put it to cool; and when it is cold, put it into your vessel, and put to it three spoonfuls of yest; stop it close, and keep it, till it be old at least three months. a metheglin for the colick and stone of the same lady take one gallon of honey to seven gallons of water; boil it together, and skim it well; then take pelitory of the wall, saxifrage, betony, parsley, groundsel, of each a handful, of the seeds of parsley, of nettles, fennel and carraway-seeds, anisseeds and grumelseeds, of each two ounces. the roots of parsley, of alexander, of fennel and mallows of each two ounces, being small cut; let all boil, till near three gallons of the liquor is wasted: then take it off the fire, and let it stand till it be cold; then cleanse it from the drugs, and let it be put into a clean vessel well stopped, taking four nutmegs, one ounce and half of ginger, half an ounce of cinnamon, twelve cloves; cut all these small, and hang them in a bag into the vessel, when you stop it up. when it is a fortnight old, you may begin to drink of it; every morning a good draught. a receipt for metheglin of my lady windebanke take four gallons of water; add to it, these herbs and spices following. pellitory of the wall, sage, thyme, of each a quarter of a handful, as much clove gilly-flowers, with half as much borage and bugloss flowers, a little hyssop, five or six eringo-roots, three or four parsley-roots: one fennel-root, the pith taken out, a few red-nettle-roots, and a little harts-tongue. boil these roots and herbs half an hour; then take out the roots and herbs, and put in the spices grosly beaten in a canvass-bag, _viz._ cloves, mace, of each half an ounce, and as much cinnamon, of nutmeg an ounce, with two ounces of ginger, and a gallon of honey: boil all these together half an hour longer, but do not skim it at all: let it boil in, and set it a cooling after you have taken it off the fire. when it is cold, put six spoonfuls of barm to it, and let it work twelve hours at least; then tun it, and put a little limon-peel into it: and then you may bottle it, if you please. another of the same lady to four gallons of water put one gallon of honey; warm the water luke-warm before you put in your honey; when it is dissolved, set it over the fire, and let it boil half an hour with these spices grosly beaten and put in a canvass-bag: namely, half an ounce of ginger, two nutmegs, a few cloves and a little mace; and in the boiling put in a quart of cold water to raise the scum, which you must take clean off in the boiling. if you love herbs, put in a little bundle of rosemary, bays, sweet-marjoram and eglantine. let it stand till it is cold, then put into it half a pint of ale-barm, and let it work twelve hours; then tun it, but take out the bundle of herbs first. to make metheglin take to every gallon of honey, three gallons of water, and put them together and set them over so gentle a fire, as you might endure to break it in the water with your hand. when the honey is all melted, put in an egg, and let it fall gently to the bottom; and if your egg rise up again to the top of the liquor, then it is strong enough of the honey. but if it lie at the bottom, you must put in more honey, and stir it, till it doth rise. if your honey be very good, it will bear half a gallon of water more to a gallon of honey. then take sweet-bryar, bays, rosemary, thyme, marjoram, savoury, of each a good handfull, which you must tye up all together in a bundle. this proportion of herbs will be sufficient for twelve gallons of metheglin; and according to the quantity of metheglin you make, you must add or diminish your herbs. when you have put these things together, set it over a quick fire, and let it boil as fast as you can for half an hour or better, skiming of it very clean and clarifying it with the whites of two or three eggs. then take it from the fire, and put it into some clean vessel or other, and let it stand till the next morning; then pour the clear from the dregs, and tun it up, putting in a little bag of such spice as you like, whereof ginger must be the most. after it hath stood three or four days, you may put in two or three spoon-fulls of good ale-yest, it will make it the sooner ready to drink. it must work before you stop it up. the older your honey is, the whiter your metheglin will be. meath with raisins put forty gallons of water into your caldron, and with a stick take the height of the water, making a notch, where the superficies of the water cometh. then put to the water ten gallons of honey, which dissolve with much laving it; then presently boil it gently, skimming it all the while, till it be free from scum. then put into it a thin bag of boulter-cloth containing forty pound weight of the best blew raisins of the sun, well picked and washed and wiped dry; and let the bag be so large, that the raisins may lie at ease and loosly in it. when you perceive that the raisins are boiled enough to be very soft, that you may strain out all their substance, take out the bag, and strain out all the liquor by a strong press. put it back to the honey-liquor, and boil all together (having thrown away the husks of the raisins with the bag) till your liquor be sunk down to the notch of your stick, which is the sign of due strength. then let it cool in a woodden vessel, and let it run through a strainer to sever it from the settlings, and put it into a strong vessel, that hath had sack or muscadine in it, not filling it to within three fingers breadth of the top (for otherwise it will break the vessel with working) and leave the bung open whiles it worketh, which will be six weeks very strongly, though it be put into a cold cellar. and after nine moneths, you may begin to drink it. morello wine to half an aume of white wine, take twenty pounds of morello cherries, the stalks being first plucked off. bruise the cherries and break the stones. pour into the wine the juyce that comes out from the cherries; but put all the solid substance of them into a long bag of boulter-cloth, and hang it in the wine at the bung, so that it lie not in the bottom, but only reach to touch it, and therefore nail it down at the mouth of the bung. then stop it close. for variety, you may put some clear juyce of cherries alone (but drawn from a larger proportion of cherries) into another parcel of wine. to either of them, if you will aromatise the drink, take to this quantity two ounces of cinnamon grosly broken and bruised, and put it in a little bag at the spiggot, that all the wine you draw may run through the cinnamon. you must be careful in bruising the cherries, and breaking the stones. for if you do all at once, the liquor will sparkle about. but you must first bruise the cherries gently in a mortar, and rub through a sieve all that will pass, and strain the residue hard through your hands. then beat the remaining hard so strongly, as may break all the stones. then put all together, and strain the clean through a subtil strainer, and put the solider substance into the bag to hang in the wine. currants-wine take a pound of the best currants clean picked, and pour upon them in a deep straight mouthed earthen vessel six pounds or pints of hot water, in which you have dissolved three spoonfuls of the purest and newest ale-yest. stop it very close till it ferment, then give such vent as is necessary, and keep it warm for about three days, it will work and ferment. taste it after two days, to see if it be grown to your liking. as soon as you find it so, let it run through a strainer, to leave behind all the exhausted currants and the yest, and so bottle it up. it will be exceeding quick and pleasant, and is admirable good to cool the liver, and cleanse the blood. it will be ready to drink in five or six days after it is bottled; and you may drink safely large draughts of it. scotch ale from my lady holmbey the excellent scotch ale is made thus. heat spring-water; it must not boil, but be ready to boil, which you will know by leaping up in bubbles. then pour it to the malt; but by little and little, stirring them strongly together all the while they are mingling. when all the water is in, it must be so proportioned that it be very thick. then cover the vessel well with a thick mat made on purpose with a hole for the stick, and that with coverlets and blankets to keep in all the heat. after three or four hours, let it run out by the stick (putting new heated water upon the malt, if you please, for small ale or beer) into a hogshead with the head out. there let it stand till it begin to blink, and grow long like thin syrup. if you let it stay too long, and grow too thick, it will be sowre. then put it again into the caldron, and boil it an hour or an hour and a half. then put it into a woodden-vessel to cool, which will require near forty hours for a hogshead. then pour it off gently from the settling. this quantity (of a hogshead) will require better then a quart of the best ale-barm, which you must put to it thus. put it to about three quarts of wort, and stir it, to make it work well. when the barm is risen quick scum it off to put to the rest of the wort by degrees. the remaining liquor (that is the three quarts) will have drawn into it all the heavy dregs of the barm, and you may put it to the ale of the second running, but not to this. put the barm, you have scummed off (which will be at least a quart) to about two gallons of the wort, and stir it to make that rise and work. then put two gallons more to it. doing thus at several times, till all be mingled, which will require a whole day to do. cover it close, and let it work, till it be at it's height, and begin to fall, which may require ten or twelve hours, or more. watch this well, least it sink too much, for then it will be dead. then scum off the thickest part of the barm, and run your ale into the hogshead, leaving all the bung open a day or two. then lay a strong paper upon it, to keep the clay from falling in, that you must then lay upon it, in which you must make a little hole to let it work out. you must have some of the same liquor to fill it up, as it works over. when it hath done working, stop it up very close, and keep it in a very cold cellar. it will be fit to broach after a year; and be very clear and sweet and pleasant, and will continue a year longer drawing; and the last glass full be as pure and as quick as the first. you begin to broach it high. let your cask have served for sweet-wine. to make ale drink quick when small ale hath wrought sufficiently, draw into bottles; but first put into every bottle twelve good raisins of the sun split and stoned; then stop up the bottle close, and set it in sand (gravel) or a cold dry cellar. after a while this will drink exceeding quick and pleasant. likewise take six wheat-corns, and bruise them, and put into a bottle of ale; it will make it exceeding quick and stronger. to make cider take a peck of apples, and slice them, and boil them in a barrel of water, till the third part be wasted; then cool your water as you do for wort, and when it is cold, you must pour the water upon three measures of grown apples. then draw forth the water at a tap three or four times a day, for three days together. then press out the liquor, and tun it up; when it hath done working, then stop it up close. a very pleasant drink of apples take about fifty pippins; quarter and core them, without paring them: for the paring is the cordialest part of them. therefore onely wipe or wash them well, and pick away the black excrescence at the top; and be sure to leave out all the seeds, which are hot. you may cut them (after all the superfluities are taken away) into thinner slices, if you please. put three gallons of fountain water to them in a great pipkin, and let them boil, till the apples become clear and transparent; which is a sign, they are perfectly tender, and will be in a good half hour, or a little more. then with your ladle break them into mash and pulpe, incorporated with the water; letting all boil half an hour longer, that the water may draw into it self all the vertue of the apples. then put to them a pound and a half of pure dubble refined sugar in powder, which will soon dissolve in that hot liquor. then pour it into an hippocras bag, and let it run through it two or three times, to be very clear. then put it up into bottles; and after a little time, it will be a most pleasant, quick, cooling, smoothing drink. excellent in sharp gonorrhoeas. sir paul neale's way of making cider the best apples make the best cider, as pearmains, pippins, golden-pippins, and the like. codlings make the finest cider of all. they must be ripe, when you make cider of them: and is in prime in the summer season, when no other cider is good. but lasteth not long, not beyond autumn. the foundation of making perfect cyder consisteth in not having it work much, scarce ever at all; but at least, no second time; which ordinary cider doth often, upon change of weather, and upon motion: and upon every working it grows harder. do then thus: choose good apples. red streaks are the best for cider to keep; ginet-moils the next, then pippins. let them lie about three weeks, after they are gathered; then stamp and strain them in the ordinary way, into a woodden fat that hath a spigot three or four fingers breadth above the bottom. cover the fat with some hair or sackcloth, to secure it from any thing to fall in, and to keep in some of the spirits, so to preserve it from dying; but not so much as to make it ferment. when the juyce hath been there twelve hours, draw it by the spigot (the fat inclining that way, as if it were a little tilted) into a barrel; which must not be full by about two fingers. leave the bung open for the air to come in, upon a superficies, all along the barrel, to hinder it from fermenting; but not so large a superficies as to endanger dying, by the airs depredating too many spirits from it. the drift in both these settlings is, that the grosser parts consisting of the substance of the apple, may settle to the bottom, and be severed from the liquor; for it is that, which maketh it work again (upon motion or change of weather) and spoils it. after twenty four hours draw of it, to see if it be clear, by the settling of all dregs, above which your spigot must be. if it be not clear enough, draw it from the thick dregs into another vessel, and let it settle there twenty four hours. this vessel must be less then the first, because you draw not all out of the first. if then it should not be clear enough, draw it into a third, yet lesser than the second; but usually it is at the first. when it is clear enough draw it into bottles, filling them within two fingers, which stop close. after two or three days visit them; that if there be a danger of their working (which would break the bottles) you may take out the stopples, and let them stand open for half a quarter of an hour. then stop them close, and they are secure for ever after. in cold freesing weather, set them upon hay, and cover them over with hay or straw. in open weather in winter transpose them to another part of the cellar to stand upon the bare ground or pavement. in hot weather set them in sand. the cider of the apples of the last season, as pippins, not peermains, nor codlings, will last till the summer grow hot. though this never work, 'tis not of the nature of strummed wine; because the naughty dregs are not left in it. doctor harvey's pleasant water-cider, whereof he used to drink much, making it his ordinary drink take one bushel of pippins, cut them into slices with the parings and cores; boil them in twelve gallons of water, till the goodness of them be in the water; and that consumed about three gallons. then put it into an hypocras-bag, made of cotton; and when it is clear run out, and almost cold, sweeten it with five pound of brown-sugar, and put a pint of ale-yest to it, and set it a working two nights and days: then skim off the yest clean, and put it into bottles, and let it stand two or three days, till the yest fall dead at the top: then take it off clean with a knife, and fill it up a little within the neck (that is to say, that a little about a fingers breadth of the neck be empty, between the superficies of the liquor, and the bottom of the stopple) and then stop them up and tye them, or else it will drive out the corks. within a fortnight you may drink of it. it will keep five or six weeks. ale with honey sir thomas gower makes his pleasant and wholesom drink of ale and honey thus. take fourty gallons of small ale, and five gallons of honey. when the ale is ready to tun, and is still warm, take out ten gallons of it; which, whiles it is hot, mingle with it the five gallons of honey, stirring it exceeding well with a clean arm till they be perfectly incorporated. then cover it, and let it cool and stand still. at the same time you begin to dissolve the honey in this parcel, you take the other of thirty gallons also warm, and tun it up with barm, and put it into a vessel capable to hold all the whole quantity of ale and honey, and let it work there; and because the vessel will be so far from being full, that the gross foulness of the ale cannot work over, make holes in the sides of the barrel even with the superficies of the liquor in it, out of which the gross feculence may purge; and these holes must be fast shut, when you put in the rest of the ale with the honey: which you must do, when you see the strong working of the other is over; and that it works but gently, which may be after two or three or four days, according to the warmth of the season. you must warm your solution of honey, when you put it in, to be as warm as ale, when you tun it; and then it will set the whole a working a fresh, and casting out more foulness; which it would do too violently, if you put it in at the first of the tunning it. it is not amiss that some feculence lie thick upon the ale, and work not all out; for that will keep in the spirits. after you have dissolved the honey in the ale, you must boil it a little to skim it; but skim it not, till it have stood a while from the fire to cool; else you will skim away much of the honey, which will still rise as long as it boileth. if you will not make so great a quantity at a time, do it in less in the same proportions. he makes it about michaelmas for lent. when strong beer groweth too hard, and flat for want of spirits, take four or five gallons of it out of a hogshead, and boil five pounds of honey in it, and skim it, and put it warm into the beer; and after it hath done working, stop it up close. this will make it quick, pleasant and stronger. small ale for the stone the ale, that i used to drink constantly of, was made in these proportions. take fourteen gallons of water, and half an ounce of hops; boil them near an hour together. then pour it upon a peck of malt. have a care the malt be not too small ground; for then it will never make clear ale. let it soak so near two hours. then let it run from the malt, and boil it only one walm or two. let it stand cooling till it be cool enough to work with barm, which let be of beer rather than ale, about half a pint. after it hath wrought some hours, when you see it come to it's height, and is near beginning to fall in working, tun it into a barrel of eight gallons; and in four or five days it will be fit to broach to drink. since i have caused the wort to be boiled a good half hour; since again i boil it a good hour, and it is much the better; because the former ale tasted a little raw. now because it consumes in boiling, and would be too strong, if this malt made a less proportion of ale; i have added a gallon of water at the first, taking fifteen gallons instead of fourteen. since i have added half a peck of malt to the former proportions, to make it a little stronger in winter. apple drink with sugar, honey, &c a very pleasant drink is made of apples, thus; boil sliced apples in water, to make the water strong of apples, as when you make to drink it for coolness and pleasure. sweeten it with sugar to your tast, such a quantity of sliced apples, as would make so much water strong enough of apples; and then bottle it up close for three or four months. there will come a thick mother at the top, which being taken off, all the rest will be very clear, and quick and pleasant to the taste, beyond any cider. it will be the better to most taste, if you put a very little rosemary into the liquor, when you boil it, and a little limon-peel into each bottle, when you bottle it up. to make stepponi take a gallon of conduit-water, one pound of blew raisins of the sun stoned, and half a pound of sugar. squeese the juyce of two limons upon the raisins and sugar, and slice the rindes upon them. boil the water, and pour it so hot upon the ingredients in an earthen pot, and stir them well together. so let it stand twenty four hours. then put it into bottles (having first let it run through a strainer) and set them in a cellar or other cool place. weak honey-drink take nine pints of warm fountain water, and dissolve in it one pint of pure white-honey, by laving it therein, till it be dissolved. then boil it gently, skimming it all the while, till all the scum be perfectly scummed off; and after that boil it a little longer, peradventure a quarter of an hour. in all it will require two or three hours boiling, so that at last one third part may be consumed. about a quarter of an hour before you cease boiling, and take it from the fire, put to it a little spoonful of cleansed and sliced ginger; and almost half as much of the thin yellow rinde of orange, when you are even ready to take it from the fire, so as the orange boil only one walm in it. then pour it into a well-glased strong deep great gally-pot, and let it stand so, till it be almost cold, that it be scarce luke-warm. then put to it a little silver-spoonful of pure ale-yest, and work it together with a ladle to make it ferment: as soon as it beginneth to do so, cover it close with a fit cover, and put a thick dubbled woollen cloth about it. cast all things so that this may be done when you are going to bed. next morning when you rise, you will find the barm gathered all together in the middle; scum it clean off with a silver-spoon and a feather, and bottle up the liquor, stopping it very close. it will be ready to drink in two or three days; but it will keep well a month or two. it will be from the first very quick and pleasant. mr. webb's ale and bragot five bushels of malt will make two hogsheads. the first running makes one very good hogshead, but not very strong; the second is very weak. to this proportion boil a quarter of a pound of hops in all the water that is to make the two hogsheads; that is, two ounces to each hogshead. you put your water to the malt in the ordinary way. boil it well, when you come to work it with yest, take very good beer-yest, not ale-yest. to make bragot, he takes the first running of such ale, and boils a less proportion of honey in it, then when he makes his ordinary meath; but dubble or triple as much spice and herbs. as for example to twenty gallons of the strong-wort, he puts eight or ten pound, (according as your taste liketh more or less honey) of honey; but at least triple as much herbs, and triple as much spice as would serve such a quantity of small mead as he made me (for to a stronger mead you put a greater proportion of herbs and spice, then to a small; by reason that you must keep it a longer time before you drink it; and the length of time mellows and tames the taste of the herbs and spice). and when it is tunned in the vessel (after working with the barm) you hang in it a bag with bruised spices (rather more then you boiled in it) which is to hang in the barrel all the while you draw it. he makes also mead with the second weak running of the ale; and to this he useth the same proportions of honey, herbs and spice, as for his small mead of pure water; and useth the same manner of boiling, working with yest, and other circumstances, as in making of that. the countess of newport's cherry wine pick the best cherries free from rotten, and pick the stalk from them; put them into an earthen pan. bruise them, by griping and straining them in your hands, and let them stand all night; on the next day strain them out (through a napkin; which if it be a course and thin one, let the juyce run through a hippocras or gelly bag, upon a pound of fine pure sugar in powder, to every gallon of juyce) and to every gallon put a pound of sugar, and put it into a vessel. be sure your vessel be full, or your wine will be spoiled; you must let it stand a month before you bottle it; and in every bottle you must put a lump (a piece as big as a nutmeg) of sugar. the vessel must not be stopt until it hath done working. strawberry wine bruise the strawberries, and put them into a linnen-bag which hath been a little used, that so the liquor may run through more easily. you hang in the bag at the bung into the vessel, before you do put in your strawberries. the quantity of the fruit is left to your discretion; for you will judge to be there enough of them, when the colour of the wine is high enough. during the working, you leave the bung open. the working being over, you stop your vessel. cherry-wine is made after the same fashion. but it is a little more troublesome to break the cherry-stones. but it is necessary, that if your cherries be of the black soure cherries, you put to it a little cinnamon, and a few cloves. to make wine of cherries alone take one hundred pounds weight, or what quantity you please, of ripe, but sound, pure, dry and well gathered cherries. bruise and mash them with your hands to press out all their juyce, which strain through a boulter cloth, into a deep narrow woodden tub, and cover it close with clothes. it will begin to work and ferment within three or four hours, and a thick foul scum will rise to the top. skim it off as it riseth to any good head, and presently cover it again. do this till no more great quantity of scum arise, which will be four or five times, or more. and by this means the liquor will become clear, all the gross muddy parts rising up in scum to the top. when you find that the height of the working is past, and that it begins to go less, tun it into a barrel, letting it run again through a boulter, to keep out all the gross feculent substance. if you should let it stay before you tun it up, till the working were too much deaded, the wine would prove dead. let it remain in the barrel close stopped, a month or five weeks. then draw it into bottles, into each of which put a lump of fine sugar, before you draw the wine into it, and stop them very close, and set them in a cold cellar. you may drink them after three or four months. this wine is exceeding pleasant, strong, spiritful and comfortable. of cookery to make a sack posset boil two wine-quarts of sweet-cream in a possnet; when it hath boiled a little, take it from the fire, and beat the yolks of nine or ten fresh eggs, and the whites of four with it, beginning with two or three spoonfuls, and adding more till all be incorporated; then set it over the fire, to recover a good degree of heat, but not so much as to boil; and always stir it one way, least you break the consistence. in the mean time, let half a pint of sack or white muscadin boil a very little in a bason, upon a chafing-dish of coals, with three quarters of a pound of sugar, and three or four quartered nutmegs, and as many pretty big pieces of sticks of cinnamon. when this is well scummed, and still very hot, take it from the fire, and immediately pour into it the cream, beginning to pour neer it, but raising by degrees your hand so that it may fall down from a good height; and without anymore to be done, it will then be fit to eat. it is very good kept cold as well as eaten hot. it doth very well with it, to put into the sack (immediately before you put in the cream) some ambergreece, or ambered-sugar, or pastils. when it is made, you may put powder of cinnamon and sugar upon it, if you like it. another to two quarts of cream, if it be in the summer, when the cream is thick and best, take but two or three yolks of eggs. but in the winter when it is thin and hungry, take six or seven; but never no whites. and of sack or muscadin, take a good third (scarce half) of a pint; and three quarters of a pound of fine sugar. let the sugar and sack boil well together, that it be almost like a syrup; and just as you take it from the fire, put in your ground amber or pastils, and constantly pour in the cream with which the eggs are incorporated; and do all the rest as is said in the foregoing process. ambered-sugar is made by grinding very well, four grains of ambergreece, and one of musk, with a little fine sugar; or grinding two or three spanish pastils very small. a plain ordinary posset put a pint of good milk to boil; as soon as it doth so, take it from the fire, to let the great heat of it cool a little; for doing so, the curd will be the tenderer, and the whole of a more uniform consistence. when it is prettily cooled, pour it into your pot, wherein is about two spoonfuls of sack, and about four of ale, with sufficient sugar dissolved in them. so let it stand a while near the fire, till you eat it. a sack posset take three pints of cream; boil in it a little cinnamon, a nutmeg quartered, and two spoonfuls of grated bread; then beat the yolks of twelve eggs very well with a little cold cream, and a spoonful of sack. when your cream hath boiled about a quarter of an hour, thicken it up with the eggs, and sweeten it with sugar; and take half a pint of sack and six spoonfuls of ale, and put into the basin or dish, you intend to make it in, with a little ambergreece, if you please. then pour your cream and eggs into it, holding your hand as high as conveniently you can, gently stirring in the basin with the spoon as you pour it; so serve it up. if you please you may strew sugar upon it. you may strew ambred sugar upon it, as you eat it; or sugar-beaten with cinnamon, if you like it. a barley sack posset take half a pound or more of french barley, (not perle-barley) and pour scalding water upon it, and wash it well therein, and strain it from the water, & put it into the corner of a linnen-cloth and tie it up fast there, and strike it a dozen or twenty blows against a firm table or block, to make it tender by such bruising it, as in the countrey is used with wheat to make frumenty. then put it into a large skillet with three pints of good milk. boil this till at least half be consumed, and that it become as thick as hasty pudding, which will require at least two hours; and it must be carefully stirred all the while, least it burn too: which if by some little inadvertence it should do, and that some black burned substance sticketh to the bottom of the skillet, pour all the good matter from it into a fresh skillet (or into a basin whiles you scoure this) and renew boiling till it be very thick; all which is to make the barley very tender and pulpy, and will at least require two or near three hours. then pour to it three pints of good cream, and boil them together a little while, stirring them always. it will be sometime before the cold cream boil, which when it doth, a little will suffice. then take it from the fire, and season it well with sugar. then take a quarter of a pint of sack, and as much rhenish-wine (or more of each) and a little verjuyce, or sharp cider, or juyce of orange, and season it well with sugar (at least half a pound to both) and set it over coals to boil. which when it doth, and the sugar is well melted, pour the cream into it; in which cream the barley will be settled to the bottom by standing still unmoved, after the sugar is well stirred and melted in it, or pour it through a hair-sieve; and you may boil it again, that it be very hot, when you mingle them together; else it may chance not curdle. some of the barley (but little) will go over with it, and will do no hurt. after you have thus made your posset, let it stand warm a while that the curd may thicken: but take heed it boil not, for that would dissolve it again into the consistence of cream. when you serve it up, strew it over with powder of cinnamon and sugar. it will be much the better, if you strew upon it some ambergreece ground with sugar. you may boil bruised sticks of cinnamon in the cream, and in the sack, before you mingle them. you must use clear char-coal-fire under your vessels. the remaining barley will make good barley cream, being boiled with fresh cream and a little cinnamon and mace; to which you may add a little rosemary and sugar, when it is taken from the fire: or butter it as you do wheat. or make a pudding of it, putting to it a pint of cream, which boil; then add four or five yolks, and two whites of eggs, and the marrow of two bones cut small, and of one in lumps: sufficient sugar, and one nutmeg grated. put this either to bake raw, or with puff-past beneath and above it in the dish. a pretty smart heat, as for white manchet, and three quarters of an hour in the oven. you may make the like with great oat-meal scalded (not boiled) in cream, and soaked a night; then made up as the other. my lord of carlile's sack-posset take a pottle of cream, and boil in it a little whole cinnamon, and three or four flakes of mace. to this proportion of cream put in eighteen yolks of eggs, and eight of the whites; a pint of sack; beat your eggs very well, and then mingle them with your sack. put in three quarters of a pound of sugar into the wine and eggs with a nutmeg grated, and a little beaten cinnamon; set the basin on the fire with the wine and eggs, and let it be hot. then put in the cream boyling from the fire, pour it on high, but stir it not; cover it with a dish, and when it is settled, strew on the top a little fine sugar mingled with three grains of ambergreece, and one grain of musk, and serve it up. a syllabub my lady middlesex makes syllabubs for little glasses with spouts, thus. take pints of sweet cream, one of quick white wine (or rhenish), and a good wine glassful (better the / of a pint) of sack: mingle with them about three quarters of a pound of fine sugar in powder. beat all these together with a whisk, till all appeareth converted into froth. then pour it into your little syllabub-glasses, and let them stand all night. the next day the curd will be thick and firm above, and the drink clear under it. i conceive it may do well, to put into each glass (when you pour the liquor into it) a sprig of rosemary a little bruised, or a little limon-peel, or some such thing to quicken the taste; or use amber-sugar, or spirit of cinnamon, or of lignum-cassiæ; or nutmegs, or mace, or cloves, a very little. a good dish of cream boil a quart of good cream with sticks of cinnamon and quartered nutmeg and sugar to your taste. when it is boiled enough to have acquired the taste of the spice, take the whites of six new laid eggs, and beat them very well with a little fresh-cream, then pour them to your boyling cream, and let them boil a walm or two. then let it run through a boulter, and put a little orange flower-water to it, and sliced bread; and so serve it up cold. an excellent spanish cream take two quarts (you must not exceed this proportion in one vessel) of perfectly sweet-cream, that hath not been jogged with carriage; and in a possnet set it upon a clear lighted char-coal-fire, not too hot. when it beginneth to boil, cast into it a piece of double refined hard sugar about as much as two walnuts, and with a spoon stir the cream all one way. after two or three rounds, you will perceive a thick cream rise at the top. scum it off with your spoon, and lay it in another dish. and always stir it the same way, and more cream will rise; which as it doth rise, you put it into your dish, one lare upon an other. and thus almost all the cream will turn into this thick cream, to within two or three spoonfuls. if you would have it sweeter, you may strew some sugar upon the top of it. you must be careful not to have the heat too much; for then it will turn to oyl; as also if the cream have been carried. if you would have it warm, set the dish you lay it in, upon a chafing-dish of coals. another clouted cream milk your cows in the evening about the ordinary hour, and fill with it a little kettle about three quarters full, so that there may be happily two or three gallons of milk. let this stand thus five or six hours. about twelve a clock at night kindle a good fire of charcoal, and set a large trivet over it. when the fire is very clear and quick, and free from all smoak, set your kettle of milk over it upon the trivet, and have in a pot by a quart of good cream ready to put in at the due time; which must be, when you see the milk begin to boil simpringly. then pour in the cream in a little stream and low, upon a place, where you see the milk simper: this will presently deaden the boiling, and then you must pour in no more cream there, but in a fresh place, where it simpreth and bubbeleth a little. continue this pouring in, in new places where the milk boileth, till all your cream is in, watching it carefully to that end. then let it continue upon the fire to boil, till you see all the milk rise up together to the top, and not in little parcels here and there, so that it would run over, if it should stay longer upon the fire. then let two persons take it steadily off, and set it by in a cool-room to stand unmoved, uncovered; but so as no motes may fall in, for the rest of that night, and all the next day and night, and more, if you would have it thicker. then an hour or two before dinner cut the thick cream at the top with a knife into squares as broad as your hand, which will be the thicker the longer it hath stood. then have a thin slice or skimmer of latton, and with that raise up the thick cream, putting your slice under it so nicely, that you take up no milk with it; and have a ladle or spoon in the other hand to help the cream upon the slice, which thereby will become mingled: and lay these parcels of cream in a dish, into which you have first put a little raw cream, or of that (between cream and milk) that is immediately under the clouts. to take the clouts the more conveniently, you hold a back of a ladle or skimming-dish against the further side of the clout, that it may not slide away when the latton slice shuffeth it on the other side to get under it, and so the clout will mingle together or dubble up, which makes it the thicker, and the more graceful. when you have laid a good laire of clouts in the dish, put upon it a little more fresh raw or boiled cream, and then fill it up with the rest of the clouts. and when it is ready to serve in, you may strew a little sugar upon it, if you will you may sprinkle in a little sugar between every flake or clout of cream. if you keep the dish thus laid a day longer before you eat it, the cream will grow the thicker and firmer. but if you keep it, i think it is best to be without sugar or raw cream in it, and put them in, when you are to serve it up. there will be a thin cream swimming upon the milk of the kettle after the clouts are taken away, which is very sweet and pleasant to drink. if you should let your clouts lie longer upon the milk, then i have said, before you skim it off, the milk underneath would grow soure, and spoil the cream above. if you put these clouts into a churn with other cream, it will make very good butter, so as no sugar have been put with it. my lord of s. alban's cresme fouettee put as much as you please to make, of sweet thick cream into a dish, and whip it with a bundle of white hard rushes, (of such as they make whisks to brush cloaks) tyed together, till it come to be very thick, and near a buttery substance. if you whip it too long, it will become butter. about a good hour will serve in winter. in summer it will require an hour and a half. do not put in the dish, you will serve it up in, till it be almost time to set it upon the table. then strew some poudered fine sugar in the bottom of the dish it is to go in, and with a broad spatule lay your cream upon it: when half is laid in, strew some more fine sugar upon it, and then lay in the rest of the cream (leaving behinde some whey that will be in the bottom) and strew more sugar upon that. you should have the sugar-box by you, to strew on sugar from time to time, as you eat off the superficies, that is strewed over with sugar. if you would have your whipped cream light and frothy, that hath but little substance in the eating, make it of onely plain milk; and if you would have it of a consistence between both, mingle cream and milk. to make the cream curds strain your whey, and set it on the fire; make a clear and gentle fire under your kettle; as they rise, put in whey, so continuing till they are ready to skim. then take your skimmer, and put them on the bottom of a hair sieve, so let them drain till they are cold; then take them off, and put them into a basin, and beat them with two or three spoonfuls of cream and sugar. to make clouted cream take two gallons more or less of new milk, set it upon a clear fire; when it is ready to boil, put in a quart of sweet cream, and take it off the fire, and strain it through a hair sieve into earthen pans; let it stand two days and two nights; then take it off with a skimmer; strew sugar on the cream, and serve it to the table. to make a whip syllabub take the whites of two eggs, and a pint of cream, six spoonfuls of sack, as much sugar as will sweeten it; then take a birchen rod and whip it; as it riseth with froth, skim it, and put it into the syllabub pot; so continue it with whipping and skimming, till your syllabub pot be full. to make a plain syllabub take a pint of verjuyce in a bowl; milk the cow to the verjuyce; take off the curd; and take sweet-cream and beat them together with a little sack and sugar; put it into your syllabub pot; then strew sugar on it, and so send it to the table. concerning potages the ground or body of potages must always be very good broth of mutton, veal and volaille. now to give good taste, you vary every month of the year, according to the herbs and roots that are in season. in spring and summer you use cersevil, oseille, borage, bugloss, pourpier, lettice, chicoree and cowcombers quartered, etc. the manner of using them is to boil store of them about half an hour or a quarter, in a pot by it self, with some bouillon taken out off the great pot; half an hour before dinner, take light bread well dryed from all moisture before the fire; then cut in slices, laid in a dish over coals, pour upon it a ladleful of broath, no more then the bread can presently drink up; which when it hath done, put on another ladleful, and stew that, till it be drunk up; repeat this three or four times, a good quarter of an hour in all, till the bread is swelled like a gelly (if it be too long, it will grow glewy and stick to the dish) and strong of broth; then fill it up near full with the same strong broth, which having stewed a while, put on the broth and herbs, and your capon or other meat upon that, and so let it stew a quarter of an hour longer, then turn it up. in winter, boil half an hour a pretty bundle of parsley, and half as much of sives, and a very little thyme, and sweet-marjoram; when they have given their taste to the herbs, throw the bundle away, and do as abovesaid with the bread. deeper in the winter, parsley-roots, and white-chicoree, or navets, or cabbage, which last must be put in at first, as soon as the pot is skimmed; and to colour the bouillon it is good to put into it (sooner or later, according to the coursness or fineness of what you put in) partridges or wild-duck, or a fleshy piece of beef half rosted. green-pease may some of them be boiled a pretty while in the great pot; but others in a pot by themselves, with some bouillon no longer then as if they were to eat buttered, and put upon the dish, containing the whole stock a quarter of an hour after the other hath stewed a quarter of an hour upon the bread. sometimes old-pease boiled in the broth from the first, to thicken it, but no pease to be served in with it. sometimes a piece of the bottom of a venison pasty, put in from the first. also venison bones. plain savoury english potage make it of beef, mutton and veal; at last adding a capon, or pigeons. put in at first a quartered onion or two, some oat-meal, or french barley, some bottome of a venison-pasty-crust, twenty whole grains of pepper: four or five cloves at last, and a little bundle of sweet-herbs, store of marigold-flowers. you may put in parsley or other herbs. or make it with beef, mutton and veal, putting in some oat-meal, and good pot-herbs, as parsley, sorrel, violet-leaves, etc. and a very little thyme and sweet-marjoram, scarce to be tasted: and some marigold leaves, at last. you may begin to boil it overnight, and let it stand warm all night; then make an end of boiling it next morning. it is well to put into the pot, at first, twenty or thirty corns of whole pepper. potage de blanc de chapon make first a very good bouillon, seasoned as you like. put some of it upon the white flesh of a capon or hen a little more than half-rosted. beat them well in a mortar, and strain out all the juyce that will come. you may put more broth upon what remains in the strainer, and beat again, and strain it to the former. whiles this is doing, put some of your first plain broth upon some dryed bread to mittonner well. let there be no more broth, then just to do that. none to swim thin over. when you will serve the potage in, pour the white liquor upon the swelled and gellied-bread, and let them stew together a little upon the coals. when it is through hot, take it off, and squeese some limon or orange into it, and so send it in presently. it mendeth a bouillon much, to boil in it some half-rosted volaille, or other good meat. to make spinage-broth take strong broth, and boil a neck of mutton, and a marrow-bone in it, and skim it very well; then put in half a pound of french barley, and a bundle of sweet herbs, and two or three blades of large-mace. let these boil very well. then mince half a peck of spinage, and two great onions very small, and let it boil one hour or more; season it with salt as you please, and send the mutton and the marrow-bone in a dish with french bread or manchet to the table. ordinary potage take the fleshy and sinewy part of a leg of beef, crag-ends of necks of veal and mutton. put them in a ten quarts pot, and fill it up with water. begin to boil about six a clock in the morning, to have your potage ready by noon. when it is well skimmed, put in two or three large onions in quarters, and half a loaf (in one lump) of light french bread, or so much of the bottom crust of a venison pasty; all which will be at length clean dissolved in the broth. in due time season it with salt, a little pepper, and a very few cloves. likewise at a fit distance, before it be ended boiling, put in store of good herbs, as in summer, borrage, bugloss, purslain, sorel, lettice, endive, and what else you like; in winter, beetes, endive, parsley-roots, cabbage, carrots, whole onions, leeks, and what you can get or like, with a little sweet-marjoram and exceeding little thyme. order it so that the broth be very strong and good. to which end you may after four hours (or three) boil a hen or capon in it; light french-bread sliced, must be taken about noon, and tosted a little before the fire, or crusts of crisp new french-bread; lay it in a dish, and pour some of the broth upon it, and let it stew a while upon a chafing-dish. then pour in more broth, and if you have a fowl, lay it upon the bread in the broth, and fill it up with broth, and lay the herbs and roots all over and about it, and let it stew a little longer, and so serve it up covered, after you have squeesed some juyce of orange or limon, or put some verjuyce into it. or you may beat two or three eggs, with part of the broth, and some verjuyce, or juyce of orange, and then mingle it with the rest of the broth. barley potage take half a pound of french-barley, and wash it in three or four hot-waters; then tye it up in a course linnen-cloth and strike it five or six blows against the table; for this will make it very tender. put it into such a pot full of meat and water, as is said in the ordinary potage, after it is skimmed; and season this with salt, spice, marjoram and thyme, as you did the other. an hour before you take it from the fire, put into it a pound of the best raisins of the sun well washed; at such a distance of time, that they may be well plumped and tender, but not boiled to mash. when the broth is enough boiled and consumed, and very strong, pour some of it upon sliced dry bread in a deep potage-dish, or upon crusts, and let it stew a while. then pour on all the rest of the broth, with the barley and raisins, upon a capon or hen, or piece of mutton or veal; and let it mittonner awhile upon the chafing-dish, then serve it in. stewed broth take a like quantity of water and flesh, as in the others, adding two marrow bones: which tie at the ends with pieces of linnen, that the marrow may not melt out, and make the broth too fat. a while after it is skimmed, put into it a loaf of french bread very thin sliced, (which is better than grated) and this will be all dissolved in the broth. season it in due time with salt, four or five flakes of mace, and five or six cloves; as also with sweet herbs: and an hour, or better, before you take it off, put in raisins of the sun, prunes, and currants, of each one pound, well picked and washed. when it is boiled enough, pour the broth into a bason, that if it be too fat, you may take it off. there season it with a little sugar, and four or five spoonfuls of white-wine or sack. then pour it upon sliced-bread, and stew it a while. then squeese an orange or limon (or both) upon it, and serve it up with the marrow-bones in it. an english potage make a good strong broth of veal and mutton; then take out the meat, and put in a good capon or pullet: but first, if it be very fat, parboil it a little to take away the oyleness of it, and then put it into the broth; and when it hath boiled a little therein, put in some grated bread, a bundle of sweet herbs, two or three blades of mace, and a peeled onion. when it is ready to be dished up take the yolks of six eggs, beat them very well with two or three spoonfuls of white-wine. then take the capon out of the broth, and thicken it up with the eggs, and so dish it up with the capon, and tostes of white-bread or slices, which you please; and have ready boiled the marrow of two or three bones with some tender boiled white endive, and strew it over the capon. another potage a good potage for dinner is thus made: boil beef, mutton, veal, volaille, and a little piece of the lean of a gammon of the best bacon, with some quartered onions, (and a little garlick, if you like it) you need no salt, if you have bacon, but put in a little pepper and cloves. if it be in the winter, put in a bouquet of sweet-herbs, or whole onions, or roots, or cabbage. if season of herbs, boil in a little of the broth apart, some lettice, sorrel, borage, and bugloss, &c. till they be only well mortified. if you put in any gravy, let it boil or stew a while with the broth; put it in due time upon the tosted-bread to mittoner, &c. if you boil some half rosted meat with your broth, it will be the better. portugal broth, as it was made for the queen make very good broth with some lean of veal, beef and mutton, and with a brawny hen or young cock. after it is scummed, put in an onion quartered, (and, if you like it, a clove of garlick,) a little parsley, a sprig of thyme, as much minth, a little balm; some coriander-seeds bruised, and a very little saffron; a little salt, pepper and a clove. when all the substance is boiled out of the meat, and the broth very good, you may drink it so, or, pour a little of it upon tosted sliced-bread, and stew it, till the bread have drunk up all that broth, then add a little more, and stew; so adding by little and little, that the bread may imbibe it and swell: whereas if you drown it at once, the bread will not swell, and grow like gelly: and thus you will have a good potage. you may add parsley-roots or leeks, cabbage or endive in the due time before the broth is ended boiling, and time enough for them to become tender. in the summer you may put in lettice, sorrel, purslane, borage and bugloss, or what other pot-herbs you like. but green herbs do rob the strength and vigor and cream of the potage. the queen's ordinary _bouillon de santé_ in a morning was thus. a hen, a handful of parsley, a sprig of thyme, three of spear-minth, a little balm, half a great onion, a little pepper and salt, and a clove, as much water as would cover the hen; and this boiled to less then a pint, for one good porrenger full. nourissant potage de santÉ fill a large earthen pot with water, and make it boil; then take out half the water, and put in beef and mutton (fit pieces) and boil and skim: and as soon as it boils, season it with salt and pepper. after an hour and half, or two hours, put in a capon, and four or five cloves; when it is within a good half hour of being boiled enough, put in such herbs, as you intend, as sorrel, lettice, purslane, borage and bugloss, or green-pease; and in the winter, parsley-roots and white-endive, or navets, &c. so pour the broth upon tosted light bread, and let it stew a while in the dish covered. you should never put in fresh water. and if you should through the consuming of the water by long boiling, it must be boiling hot. the less broth remains, the better is the potage, were it but a porrenger full, so that it would be stiff gelly when it is cold. it is good to put into the water, at the first, a whole onion or two; and if you will, a spoonful of well-beaten _orge mondé_ or bottom crust of bread, or some of the bottom of a venison pasty. potage de santÉ make strong broth with a piece of beef, mutton and veal, adding a piece of the sinews of the leg of beef, seasoning it with two great onions quartered, some cloves, and white-pepper. in due time put in a capon, or take some broth out to boil it in. but before you put in the capon, take out some of the broth, in which boil and stew turneps first prepared thus. fry them in scalding butter, till they be tender; then take them out with a holed skimmer, and lay them in a holed dish warmed, set in another whole dish. when all the butter is quite drained out, stew them in a pipkin in the broth, as is said above. when you will make up your potage, put some ladlefuls of the broth of the great pot (driving away the fat with the ladle) upon slices of scorched bread in a deep dish. let this mittonner a while. then lay the capon upon it, and pour the turneps and broth of them over all. a duck in lieu of a capon will make very good potage. but then it is best, to fry that first, as the turneps, then boil it. potage de santÉ make a good and well-seasoned bouillon with lean beef, mutton and veal, in which boil a capon. boil with it either cabbage, or turneps, or whole onions. the first two you put into the broth all over the dish; but the onions you lay all round about the brim, when you serve it in. whiles the meat is boiling to make the bouillon, you rost a fleshy piece of beef (without fat) of two or three pound; and when it is half rosted, squeese out all the juyce, and put the flesh into the pot with the rest of the meat to boil, which will both colour and strengthen it. when you find your bouillon good, pour it into the dish, where your bread lieth sliced (which must be very light and spungy, and dryed first, after it is sliced) and let it mittonner a little. then pour your gravy of beef upon it, (or of mutton) and lay your capon upon it, and lay in your roots round about it. it is best to boil by themselves in some of the bouillon in a pot a part, the roots or onions. potage de santÉ mounsieur de s. euremont makes thus his potage de santé and boiled meat for dinner, being very valetudinary. put a knuckle of veal and a hen into an earthen pipkin with a gallon of water (about nine of the clock forenoon) and boil it gently till you have skimmed it well. when no more scum riseth (which will be in about a quarter of an hour), take out the hen (which else would be too much boiled,) and continue boiling gently till about half an hour past ten. then put in the hen again, and a handful of white endive uncut at length, which requireth more boiling then tenderer herbs. near half hour after eleven, put in two good handfuls of tender sorrel, borage, bugloss, lettice, purslane (these two come later then the others, therefore are not to be had all the winter) a handful a piece, a little cersevil, and a little beet-leaves. when he is in pretty good health, that he may venture upon more savoury hotter things, he puts in a large onion stuck round with cloves, and sometimes a little bundle of thyme and other hot savoury herbs; which let boil a good half hour or better, and take them out, and throw them away, when you put in the tender herbs. about three quarters after eleven, have your slice dried bread ready in a dish, and pour a ladleful of the broth upon it. let it stew covered upon a chafing-dish. when that is soaked in, put on more. so continue till it be well _mittonée_, and the bread grown spungy, and like a gelly. then fill up the dish with broth, and put the hen and veal upon it, and cover them over with herbs, and so serve it in. he keeps of this broth to drink at night, or make a _pan-cotto_, as also for next morning. i like to adde to this, a rand of tender brisket beef, and the cragg-end of a neck of mutton. but the beef must have six hours boiling. so put it on with all the rest at six a clock. when it is well scummed, take out all the rest. at nine, put in the veal and mutton, and thenceforwards, as is said above. but to so much meat, and for so long boiling, you must have at least three gallons of water. either way you must boil always but leisurely, and the pot covered as much as is convenient, and season it in due time with a little salt, as also with pepper, if you like it; and if you be in vigorous health, you may put a greater store of onions quartered. the beets have no very good taste, peradventure it were best leave them out. in health you may season the potage with a little juyce of orange. in season green pease are good, also cucumbers. in winter, roots, cabbage, poix chiches, vermicelli at any time. you may use yolks of eggs beaten with some of the broth and juyce of oranges or verjuyce, then poured upon the whole quantity. tea with eggs the jesuite that came from china, ann. , told mr. waller, that there they use sometimes in this manner. to near a pint of the infusion, take two yolks of new laid-eggs, and beat them very well with as much fine sugar as is sufficient for this quantity of liquor; when they are very well incorporated, pour your tea upon the eggs and sugar, and stir them well together. so drink it hot. this is when you come home from attending business abroad, and are very hungry, and yet have not conveniency to eat presently a competent meal. this presently discusseth and satisfieth all rawness and indigence of the stomack, flyeth suddainly over the whole body and into the veins, and strengthneth exceedingly, and preserves one a good while from necessity of eating. mr. waller findeth all those effects of it thus with eggs. in these parts, he saith, we let the hot water remain too long soaking upon the tea, which makes it extract into it self the earthy parts of the herb. the water is to remain upon it, no longer that whiles you can say the _miserere_ psalm very leisurely. then pour it upon the sugar, or sugar and eggs. thus you have only the spiritual parts of the tea, which is much more active, penetrative and friendly to nature. you may from this regard take a little more of the herb; about one dragm of tea, will serve for a pint of water; which makes three ordinary draughts. nourishing broth make a very good gelly-broth of mutton, veal, joynt-bones of each, a hen, and some bones (with a little meat upon them) of rosted veal or mutton, breaking the bones that the marrow may boil out. put to boil with these some barley (first boiled in water, that you throw away) some harts-horn rasped, and some stoned raisins of the sun. when the broth is thoroughly well boiled, pour it from the ingredients, and let it cool and harden into a gelly: then take from it the fat on the top, and the dregs in the bottom. to a porrenger full of this melted, put the yolk of a new-laid egg beaten with the juyce of an orange (or less if you like it not so sharp) and a little sugar; and let this stew gently a little while altogether, and so drink it. some flesh of rosted veal or mutton, or capon, besides the rosted-bones, that have marrow in them, doth much amend the broth. the joynts i have mentioned above, are those, which the butchers cut off, and throw to their dogs, from the ends of shoulders, legs, and other bare long parts, and have the sinews sticking to them. good nourishing potage take any bones of rosted or boiled beef, from which the meat is never so clean eaten and picked; as the ribs, the chine-bones, the buckler plate-bone, marrow-bones, or any other, that you would think never so dry and insipid. break them into such convenient pieces, as may lie in your pipkin or pot; also you may bruise them. put with them a good piece of the bloody piece of the throat of the beef, where he is sticked, and store of water to these. boil and scum them, till the first foul scum is risen and taken away; afterwards scum no more, but let the blood boil into the broth. you may put a quartered onion or two to them, if you like them. after four or five hours boyling, put in a good knuckle with some of the leg of veal; and, if you please, a crag-end or two of necks of mutton. let these boil very well with the rest. you may put in what herbs you please, in due time, as lettice, sorrel, borage and bugloss, spinage and endive, purslane, &c. and a bundle of sweet herbs: in winter, cabbage, or turneps, or parsley-roots, or endive, &c. it will be done in two or three hours after the veal and mutton are in. pour out the broth, and boil it a little by it self over a chafing-dish, in some deep vessel, to scum off the superfluous fat. then pour it upon tosted bread (by degrees, if you will, stewing it, to gelly it) to serve it in (after it hath stewed a little,) you must remember to season it with salt, pepper and cloves, in the due time. you will do well to quicken it with some verjuyce, or juyce of orange; or with some yolks of eggs and the juyces, if the broth be not over-strong. green-pease in the season do well with the potage. you may put in, near the beginning, some bottom of a peppered pasty, or of a loaf of bread. wheaten flommery in the west-country, they make a kind of flomery of wheat flower, which they judge to be more harty and pleasant then that of oat-meal, thus; take half, or a quarter of a bushel of good bran of the best wheat (which containeth the purest flower of it, though little, and is used to make starch,) and in a great woodden bowl or pail, let it soak with cold water upon it three or four days. then strain out the milky water from it, and boil it up to a gelly or like starch. which you may season with sugar and rose or orange-flower-water, and let it stand till it be cold, and gellied. then eat it with white or rhenish-wine, or cream, or milk, or ale. pap of oat-meal beat oat-meal small; put a little of it to milk, and let it boil stewingly, till you see that the milk begins to thicken with it. then strain the milk from the oat-meal (this is as when you soak or boil out the substance of oatmeal with water, to make flomery,) then boil up that milk to the height of pap, which sweeten with a little sugar, and put to it some yolks of eggs dissolved in rose or orange-flower-water, and let it mittonner a while upon the chafing-dish, and a little butter, if you like it. you may boil a little mace in the milk. panado beat a couple of new-laid-eggs in good clear broth; heat this a little, stirring it all the while. then pour this upon a panado made thick of the same broth; and keep them a little upon a chafing-dish to incorporate, stirring them all the while. barley pap boil barley in water _usq. ad putrilaginem_, with a flake or two of mace or a quartered nutmeg; and when it is in a manner dissolved in water with long boiling, strain out all the cream or pap, leaving the husks behind. at the same time beat (for one mess) two ounces of blanched almonds with rose-water; and when they are throughly beaten, strain out their milk, (or you may put this to the barley before it is strained, and strain them together) and put it to the barley pap, and let them stew a while together; then sweeten it with sugar to your taste. or when you have boiled the barley in water very tender as above, you may put milk to it, and boil again to fitting thickness; then strain it, adding almonds as above. or if you will, and your stomack will bear it, you may eat it without straining the barley (but the almonds must be strained) and you may put butter to it if you please. you may do the like with oat-meal or rice; or put pine kernels (first well watered) with the almonds. oat-meal pap. sir john colladon put beaten oat-meal to soak an hour or two in milk, as you do in water, when you make flomery. then strain it out into a possnet through a fitting strainer; and if you judge it too thick of the oat-meal for sufficient boiling, add more milk to it. set this to boil, putting then into it a lump of sugar, (about as big as a little wall nut) and stir it well all the while, that it burn not too. about an hours boiling is sufficient, by which time it should be grown pretty thick. put then a good lump of fresh-butter to it, which being well melted and stirred into the pap and incorporated with it, take it from the fire, and put it into a dish, and strew some fine sugar upon it, or mingle some sugar with it to sweeten the whole quantity. you may season it also with rose-water or orange flower-water, or ambergreece, or some yolks of new-laid-eggs. you may put in a very little salt at the first. rice and orge mondÉ boil a quart of milk in a large pipkin; as soon as it boileth, take it from the fire, and instantly put into it five or six good spoonfuls of picked rice, and cover it close, and so let it stand soaking in the chimney-corner two hours. then set in on the fire again, to make it stew or boil simpringly for an hour, or an hour and half more, till it be enough. then put sugar to it, and so serve it in. _orge mondé_ is done in the same manner; only, you let that stand covered and warm all the while, during three, four or five hours, and then you boil it simpringly three or four hours more. the quantity must be more or less, as you desire it thicker or thinner, which after once tryal, you will easily know how to proportion out. the chief care must be, that the rice or barley be well homogeneated with the milk. smallage gruel in a marble mortar beat great oat-meal to meal (which requireth long beating) then boil it three or four hours in spring water. to a possnet full of two or three quarts of water put about half a porrenger full of oat-meal, before it is beaten; for after beating it appeareth more. to this quantity put as much smallage as you buy for a peny, which maketh it strong of the herb, and very green. chop the smallage exceeding small, and put it in a good half hour before you are to take your possnet from the fire. you are to season your gruel with a little salt, at the due time; and you may put in a little nutmeg and mace to it. when you have taken it from the fire, put into it a good proportion of butter, which stir well, to incorporate with the gruel, when it is melted. about water gruel when you set to the fire a big pot of oat-meal, (which must be but once cut, that is, every corn cut once a two) and water, to make water-gruel; let it boil long, till it be almost boiled enough, then make it rise in a great ebullition, in great galloping waves, and skim of all the top, that riseth; which may be a third part of the whole, and is the cream, and hath no gross-visible oat-meal in it. boil that a while longer by it self, with a little mace and nutmeg, and season it with salt. when it is enough, take it off, and put sugar, butter, and a little red rose-water to it, and an egg with a little white-wine, if you like it, and would have it more nourishing. this is by much better, then the part which remaineth below with the body of the oat-meal. yet that will make good water-gruel for the servants. if you boil it more leisurely you must skim off the cream, as it riseth in boiling; else it will quickly sink down again to the rest of the gross oat-meal. and thus you may have a finer cream then with hasty boiling. an excellent and wholesome water-gruel with wood-sorrel and currants into a possnet of two quarts of water, besides the due proportion of beaten oat-meal, put two handfuls of wood-sorrel a little-chopped and bruised, and a good quantity of picked and washed currants, tyed loosly in a thin stuff bag (as a bolter cloth). boil these very well together, seasoning the composition in due time, with salt, nutmeg, mace, or what else you please, as rosemary &c. when it is sufficiently boiled, strain the oat-meal, and press out all the juyce and humidity of the currants and herbs, throwing away the insipid husks; and season it with sugar and butter; and to each porrenger-ful two spoonfuls of rhenish-wine and the yolk of an egg. the queens barley-cream you must make a good barley-water, throwing away the three first waters as soon as they boil; which will take up about three quarters of an hour. then you boil a large quantity of water with the barley (which thus prepared makes the water no more red or russet) during an hours space or more; (that it may be strong of the barley; perle-barley is best,) towards the latter end put in the pullet flead, and the legs cut off; if it should boil too long, the emulsion would taste too fleshy. when it is enough, let the broth run clear from the barley and pullet, and beat the almonds with the broth, and strain them from it. then sweeten it with sugar. this is to make at least two english quarts of emulsion. i should like to put some pulp of barley, boiled by it self, to strain with the almond-milk, and, if you will, some melon seeds. you may put some juyce of limon or orange to it. also season it with cinnamon, and make the broth stronger of the flesh. the queens white potage is made only of the white flesh of capon beaten with good broth and strained, and a little juyce of limon or orange; but no almonds. pressis nourissant the queen mothers _pressis_ was thus made. take _un gigot_ of mutton, a piece of veal, and a capon (or half the quantity of each of these) and put them to rost with convenient fire, till they are above half rosted, or rather, till they be two thirds rosted. then take them off, and squeese out all their juyce in a press with screws, and scum all the fat from it, and put it between two dishes upon a chafing-dish of coals to boil a very little, or rather but to heat well; for by then it is through hot, the juyce will be ripened enough to drink, whereas before it was raw and bloody; then if you perceive any fat to remain and swim upon it, clense it away with a feather. squeese the juyce of an orange (through a holed spoon) into half a porrenger full of this, and add a little salt, and drink it. the queen used this at nights in stead of a supper; for when she took this, she did eat nothing else. it is of great, yet temperate nourishment. if you take a couple of partridges in stead of a capon, it will be of more nourishment, but hotter. great weaknesses and consumptions have been recovered with long use of this, and strength and long life continued notably. it is good to take two or three spoonfuls of it in a good ordinary bouillon. i should like better the boiling the same things in a close flagon _in bulliente balneo_, as my lady kent, and my mother used. broth and potage mounsieur de bourdeaux used to take a mornings a broth, thus made. make a very good broth (so as to gelly, when it is cold), a lean piece of a leg of veal, the crag-end of a neck of mutton, and a pullet, seasoning it with a little salt, cloves and pepper to your mind. beat some of it with a handful of blanched almonds and twenty husked-seeds of citron and strain it to the whole; put sugar to it, and so drink it as an emulsion. otherwhiles he would make a potage of the broth, (made without fruit), boiling and stewing it with some light-bread. pan cotto to make a _pan cotto_, as the cardinals use in rome, take much thinner broth, made of the fleshes as above (or of mutton alone) and boil it three hours, gently and close covered in _una pignata_, with lumps of fine light-bread tosted or dried. _un pan grattato_ is made the same way with fine light-bread grated. season the broth of either lightly with salt, and put in the spice at the last, when the bread is almost boiled or stewed enough. you may use juyce of oranges to any of these. a wholesom course of diet is, to eat one of these, or panada, or cream of oat-meal, or barley, or two new-laid-eggs for break-fast; and dine at four or five a clock, with capon or pullet or partridg, &c. beginning your meal with a little good nourishing potage. two poched eggs with a few fine dry-fryed collops of pure bacon, are not bad for break-fast, or to begin a meal. my lord lumley's pease-porage take two quarts of pease, and put them into an ordinary quantity of water, and when they are almost boiled, take out a pint of the pease whole, and strain all the rest. a little before you take out the pint of pease, when they are all boiling together, put in almost an ounce of coriander-seed beaten very small, one onion, some mint, parsley, winter-savoury, sweet-marjoram, all minced very small; when you have strained the pease, put in the whole pease and the strained again into the pot, and let them boil again, and a little before you take them up, put in half a pound of sweet-butter. you must season them in due time, and in the ordinary proportion with pepper and salt. this is a proportion to make about a gallon of pease-porage. the quantities are set down by guess. the coriander-seeds are as much as you can conveniently take in the hollow of your hand. you may put in a great good onion or two. a pretty deal of parsley, and if you will, and the season afford them, you may add what you like of other porage herbs, such as they use for their porages in france. but if you take the savoury herbs dry, you must crumble or beat them to small powder (as you do the coriander-seed) and if any part of them be too big to pass through the strainer, after they have given their taste to the quantity, in boiling a sufficient while therein, you put them away with the husks of the pease. the pint of pease that you reserve whole, is only to show that it is pease-porage. they must be of the thickness of ordinary pease-porage. for which these proportions will make about a gallon. broth for sick and convalescent persons put a crag-end of a neck of mutton, a knuckle of veal, and a pullet into a pipkin of water, with a spoonful or two of french-barley first scalded in a water or two. the pullet is put in after the other meat is well skimmed, and hath boiled an hour. a good hour after that, put in a large quantity of sorrel, lettice, purslane, borage and bugloss, and boil an hour more at least three hours in all. before you put in the herbs, season the broth with salt, a little pepper and cloves, strain out the broth and drink it. but for potage, put at first a good piece of fleshy young beef with the rest of the meat. and put not in your herbs till half an hour before you take off the pot. when you use not herbs, but carrots and turneps, put in a little peny-royal and a sprig of thyme. vary in the season with green-pease, or cucumber quartered longwise, or green sower verjuyce grapes; always well-seasoned with pepper and salt and cloves. you pour some of the broth upon the sliced-bread by little and little, stewing it, before you put the herbs upon the potage. the best way of ordering your bread in potages, is thus. take light spungy fine white french-bread, cut only the crusts into tosts. tost them exceeding dry before the fire, so that they be yellow. then put them hot into a hot dish, and pour upon them some very good strong broth, boiling hot. cover this, and let them stew together gently, not boil; and feed it with fresh-broth, still as it needeth; this will make the bread swell much, and become like gelly. an excellent posset take half a pint of sack, and as much rhenish wine, sweeten them to your taste with sugar. beat ten yolks of eggs, and eight of whites exceeding well, first taking out the cocks-tread, and if you will the skins of the yolks; sweeten these also, and pour them to the wine, add a stick or two of cinnamon bruised, set this upon a chafing-dish to heat strongly, but not to boil; but it must begin to thicken. in the mean time boil for a quarter of an hour three pints of cream seasoned duly with sugar and some cinnamon in it. then take it off from boiling, but let it stand near the fire, that it may continue scalding-hot whiles the wine is heating. when both are as scalding-hot as they can be without boiling, pour the cream into the wine from as high as you can. when all is in, set it upon the fire to stew for / of an hour. then sprinkle all about the top of it the juyce of a / part of a limon; and if you will, you may strew powder of cinnamon and sugar, or ambergreece upon it. pease of the seedy buds of tulips in the spring (about the beginning of may) the flowry-leaves of tulips do fall away, and there remains within them the end of the stalk, which in time will turn to seed. take that seedy end (then very tender) and pick from it the little excrescencies about it, and cut it into short pieces, and boil them and dress them as you would do pease; and they will taste like pease, and be very savoury. boiled rice dry the manner of boiling rice to eat with butter, is this. in a pipkin pour upon it as much water, as will swim a good fingers breadth over it. boil it gently, till it be tender, and all the water drunk into the rice; which may be in a quarter of an hour or less. stir it often with a woodden spatule or spoon, that it burn not to the bottom: but break it not. when it is enough, pour it into a dish, and stew it with some butter, and season it with sugar and cinnamon. this rice is to appear dry, excepting for the butter, that is melted in it. marrow sops with wine make thin tosts or slices of light french bread, which dry well, or toste a little by the fire, then soak them in canary or old malaga-wine, or fine muscat, and lay a row of them in a deep dish or bason; then a row of lumps of marrow upon that; then strew a little fine sugar mingled with some powder of cinnamon and ambergreece (and nutmeg, if you like it) upon that. then another row of sops, &c. repeating this, till the dish be full: and more sugar, cinnamon and amber at the top, then on the other rows. if you will, you may put a row of stoned raisins of the sun upon every row of marrow. then cover the dish, and put it in an oven to bake for half-an hour; or till the marrow be sufficiently baked. capon in white-broth my lady of monmouth boileth a capon with white broth thus. make reasonable good broth, with the crag-ends of necks of mutton and veal (of which you must have so much as to be at least three quarts of white-broth in the dish with the capon, when all is done, else it will not come high enough upon the capon). beat a quarter of a pound of blanched almonds with three or four spoonfuls of cream, and, if you will, a little rose water; then add some of your broth to it, so to draw out all their substance, mingling it with the rest of your broth. boil your capon in fair-water by it self; and a marrow-bone or two by themselves in other water. likewise some chess-nuts (in stead of which you may use pistaccios, or macerated pine kernels) and in other water some skirrits or endive, or parsley-roots, according to the season. also plumpsome raisins of the sun, and stew some sliced dates with sugar and water. when all is ready to joyn, beat two or three new-laid-eggs (whites and all) with some of the white-broth, that must then be boiling, and mingle it with the rest, and let it boil on: and mingle the other prepared things with it, as also a little sliced oringiado (from which the hard candy-sugar hath been soaked off with warm-water) or a little peel of orange (or some limon pickled with sugar and vinegar, such as serves for salets) which you throw away, after it hath been a while boiled in it: and put a little sack to your broth, and some ambergreece, if you will, and a small portion of sugar; and last of all, put in the marrow in lumps that you have knocked out of the boiled bones. then lay your capon taken hot from the liquor, he is boiled in, upon sippets and slices of tosted light bread, and pour your broth and mixture upon it, and cover it with another dish, and let all stew together a while: then serve it up. you must remember to season your broth in due time with salt and such spices as you like. to butter eggs with cream take to a dozen of eggs a pint of cream; beat them well together, and put three quarters of a pound of butter to them, and so set them on the fire to harden, and stir them, till they are as hard, as you would have them. to make cock-ale take eight gallons of ale; take a cock and boil him well; then take four pounds of raisins of the sun well stoned, two or three nutmegs, three or four flakes of mace, half a pound of dates; beat these all in a mortar, and put to them two quarts of the best sack; and when the ale hath done working, put these in, and stop it close six or seven days, and then bottle it, and a month after you may drink it. to make plague-water take a pound of rue, of rosemary, sage, sorrel, celandine, mugwort, of the tops of red brambles of pimpernel, wild-dragons, agrimony, balm, angelica of each a pound. put these compounds in a pot, fill it with white-wine above the herbs, so let it stand four days. then still it for your use in a limbeck. another plague-water take rue, agrimony, wormwood, celandine, sage, balm, mugwort, dragons, pimpernel, marygold, fetherfew, burnet, sorrel, and elicampane-roots scraped and sliced small. scabious, wood-betony, brown-mayweed, mints, avence, tormentil, _carduus benedictus_, and rosemary as much as of anything else, and angelica if you will. you must have like weight of all them, except rosemary aforesaid, which you must have twice as much of as of any of the rest; then mingle them altogether and shred them very small; then steep them in the best white-wine you can get, three days and three nights, stirring them once or twice a day, putting no more wine then will cover the herbs well; then still it in a common-still; and take not too much of the first-water, and but a little of the second, according as you feel the strength, else it will be sower. there must be but half so much elicampane as of the rest. to make rasbery-wine take four gallons of deal wine, put it into an earthen jugg; put to it four gallons of rasberries; let them stand so infusing seven days; then press it out gently; then infuse as many more rasberries seven days longer, and so three times if you please; put to it as much fine sugar as will make it pleasant; put it into a runlet close stopped, let it stand till it is fine; and then draw it into bottles, and keep it till it be fine. to keep quince all the year good take all your least and worst quinces, that are found, and cut them in pieces, with all the corings and parings you make; boil them more then an hour; then put the quinces into this boiling liquor, and take them forth presently, not letting them boil, and lay them to cool one by one a part; then take the liquor and strain it; and put for every gallon of liquor half a pint of honey; then boil it and scum it clean; let it be cold; and then put your quinces into a pot or tub, that they be covered with the liquor, and stop it very close with your paste. to make a white-pot take three quarts of cream, and put into it the yolks of twelve eggs; the whites of four, being first very well beaten between three quarters of a pound of sugar, two nutmegs grated, a little salt; half a pound of raisins first plump'd. these being sliced together, cut some thin slices of a stale manchet; dry them in a dish against the fire, and lay them on the top of the cream, and some marrow again upon the bread, and so bake it. to make an hotchpot take a piece of brisket-beef; a piece of mutton; a knuckle of veal; a good colander of pot-herbs; half minced carrots, onions and cabbage a little broken. boil all these together until they be very thick. another hotchpot take a pot of two gallons or more; and take a brisket rand of beef; any piece of mutton, and a piece of veal; put this with sufficient water into the pot, and after it hath boiled, and been skimmed, put in a great colander full of ordinary pot-herbs; a piece of cabbage, all half cut; a good quantity of onions whole, six carrots cut and sliced, and two or three pippins quartered. let this boil three hours until it be almost a gelly, and stir it often, least it burn. to stew beef take good fat beef, slice it very thin into small pieces, and beat it well with the back of a chopping knife. then put it into a pipkin, and cover it with wine and water, and put unto it a handful of good herbs, and an onion, with an anchoves. let it boil two hours; a little before you take it up, put in a few marygold-flowers; and so season it with what spice you please, and serve them up both with sippets. another to stew beef take very good beef, and slice it very thin; and beat it with the back of a knife; put it to the gravy of some meat, and some wine or strong broth, sweet-herbs a quantity, let it stew till it be very tender; season it to your liking; and varnish your dish with marygold-flowers or barberries. to stew a breast of veal take a breast of veal half rosted, and put it a stewing with some wine and gravy; three or four yolks of eggs minced small; a pretty quantity of sweet-herbs with an onion, anchoves or limon; stick it either with thyme or limon-peels, and season it to your liking. sauce of horse radish take roots of horse-radish scraped clean, and lay them to soak in fair-water for an hour. then rasp them upon a grater, and you shall have them all in a tender spungy pap. put vinegar to it, and a very little sugar, not so much as to be tasted, but to quicken (by contrariety) the taste of the other. the queens hotchpot from her escuyer de cuisine, mr. la montague the queen mothers hotchpot of mutton, is thus made. it is exceeding good of fresh beef also, for those whose stomacks can digest it. cut a neck of mutton, crag-end and all into steaks (which you may beat, if you will; but they will be very tender without beating) and in the mean time prepare your water to boil in a possnet, (which must be of a convenient bigness to have water enough, to cover the meat, and serve all the stewing it, without needing to add any more to it; and yet no superfluous water at last.) put your meat into the boiling water, and when you have scummed it clean, put into it a good handful of parsley, and as much of sibboulets (young onions or sives) chopped small, if you like to eat them in substance; otherwise tied up in a bouquet, to throw them away, when they have communicated to the water all their taste; some pepper; three or four cloves, and a little salt, and half a limon first pared. these must stew or boil simpringly, (covered) at least three or four hours (a good deal more, if beef) stirring it often, that it burn not too. a good hour before you intend to take it off, put some quartered turneps to it, or, if you like them, some carrots. a while after, take a good lump of houshold-bread, bigger than your fist, crust and crum, broil it upon a gridiron, that it be throughly rosted; scrape off the black burning on the on side; then soak it throughly in vinegar, and put this lump of tost into your possnet to stew with it; which you take out and throw away after a while. about a quarter of an hour before you serve it up melt a good lump of butter (as much as a great egg) till it grow red; then take it from the fire, and put to it a little fine flower to thicken it (about a couple of spoonfuls) like thick pap. stir them very well together; then set them on the fire again, till it grow-red, stirring it all the while; then put to it a ladleful of the liquor of the pot, and let them stew a while together to incorporate, stirring it always. then pour this to the whole substance in the possnet, to incorporate with all the liquor, and so let them stew a while together. then pour it out of the possnet into your dish, meat and all: for it will be so tender, it will not endure taking up piece by piece with your hand. if you find the taste not quick enough, put into it the juyce of the half limon, you reserved. for i should have said, that when you put in the herbs, you squeese in also the juyce of half a limon (pared from the yellow rinde, which else would make it bitter) and throw the pared and squeesed half (the substance) into it afterwards. the last things (of butter, bread, flower) cause the liaison and thickening of the liquor. if this should not be enough, you may also put a little gravy of mutton into it; stirring it well when it is in, least it curdle in stewing, or you may put the yolk of an egg or two to your liaison of butter, flower, and ladleful of broth. for gravy of mutton. rost a juycy leg of mutton three quarters. then gash it in several places, and press out the juyce by a screw-press. a savoury and nourishing boiled capon del conte di trino, À milano take a fat and fleshy capon, or a like hen; dress it in the ordinary manner, and cleanse it within from the guts, &c. then put in the fat again into the belly, and split the bones of the legs and wings (as far as you may, not to deface the fowl) so as the marrow may distil out of them. add a little fresh butter and marrow to it; season it with salt, pepper, and, what other spice you like, as also savoury herbs. put the capon with all these condiments into a large strong sound bladder of an ox (first well washed and scoured with red-wine) and tie it very close and fast to the top, that nothing may ouse out, nor any water get in (and there must be void space in the bladder, that the flesh may have room to swell and ferment in; therefore it must be a large one). put this to boil for a couple of hours in a kettle of water, or till you find by touching the bladder, that the capon is tender and boiled enough. then serve it up in a dish, in the bladder (dry wiped) which when you cut, you will find a precious and nourishing liquor to eat with bread, and the capon will be short, tender, most savoury and full of juyce, and very nourishing. i conceive, that if you put enough ox-marrow, you need no butter; and that it may do well to add ambergreece, dates-sliced and pithed, raisins, currants, and a little sugar. peradventure this might be done well in a silver-flagon close luted, set in _balneo bulliente_, as i make the nourishing broth or gelly of mutton or chickens, &c. an excellent baked pudding slice thin two peny-roles, or one, of french-bread, the tender part. lay it in a dish or pan. pour upon it a quart of cream, that hath been well boiled. let it stand almost half an hour, till it be almost cold. then stir the bread and cream very well together, till the bread be well broken and incorporated. (if you have no french bread, take stale kingston bread, grated) add to this two spoonfuls of fine wheat-flower, the yolks of four eggs, and the whites of two; a nutmeg--grated small; sugar to your tast; a little salt, and the marrow of two bones a little shreded. stir all these together; then pour it into a dish greased over with butter, and set it uncovered in the oven to bake. about half an hour will serve, and give the top a yellow crispiness. before you put in the marrow, put in a quarter of a pound and a half of raisins of the sun, and as much of currants; ordering them so, that they may not fall to the bottom, but be all about the pudding. my lady of portland's minced pyes take four pounds of beef, veal or neats-tongues, and eight pounds of suet; and mince both the meat and suet very small, befor you put them together. then mingle them well together and mince it very small, and put to it six pounds of currants washed and picked very clean. then take the peel of two limons, and half a score of pippins, and mince them very small. then take above an ounce of nutmegs, and a quarter of an ounce of mace, some cloves and cinnamon, and put them together, and sweeten them with rose-water and sugar. and when you are ready to put them into your paste, take citron and orangiadoe, and slice them very thin, and lay them upon the meat. if you please, put dates upon the top of them. and put amongst the meat an ounce of caraway seeds. be sure you have very fine paste. my lady of portland told me since, that she finds neats-tongues to be the best flesh for pies. parboil them first. for the proportion of the ingredients she likes best to take equal parts of flesh, of suet, of currants and of raisins of the sun. the other things in proportion as is said above. you may either put the raisins in whole, or stone the greatest part, and mince them with the meat. keep some whole ones, to lay a bed of them at the top of the pye, when all is in. you will do well to stick the candid orange-peel, and green citron-peel into the meat. you may put a little sack or greek muscadine into each pye. a little amber-sugar doth well here. a pound of flesh, and proportionably of all things else, is enough for once in a large family. another way of making excellent minced pyes of my lady portlands parboil neats-tongues. then peel and hash them with as much as they weigh of beef-suet, and stoned raisins and picked currants. chop all exceeding small, that it be like pap. employ therein at least an hour more, then ordinarily is used. then mingle a very little sugar with them, and a little wine, and thrust in up and down some thin slices of green candyed citron-peel. and put this into coffins of fine light well reared crust. half an hour baking will be enough. if you strew a few carvi comfits on the top, it will not be amiss. minced pyes my lady lasson makes her finest minced pyes of neats-tongues; but she holdeth the most savoury ones to be of veal and mutton equal parts very small minced. her finest crust is made by sprinkling the flower (as much as it needeth) with cold water, and then working the past with little pieces of raw butter in good quantity. so that she useth neither hot water, nor melted butter in them; and this makes the crust short and light. after all the meat and seasoning, and plums and citron peel, &c. is in the coffin, she puts a little ambered-sugar upon it, thus; grind much two grains of ambergreece and half a one of musk, with a little piece of hard loaf sugar. this will serve six or eight pyes, strewed all over the top. then cover it with the liddle, and set it in the oven. to rost fine meat when the capon, chickens, or fowl, have been long enough before the fire, to be through hot, and that it is time to begin to baste them: baste them once all over very well with fresh butter; then presently powder it all over very thin with flower. this by continuing turning before the fire, will make a thin crust, which will keep in all the juyce of the meat. therefore baste no more, nor do any thing to it, till the meat be enough rosted. then baste it well with butter as before, which will make the crust relent and fall away; which being done, and that the meat is growing brown on the out-side, besprinkle it over with a little ordinary white salt in gross-grains; and continue turning, till the outside be brown enough. the queen useth to baste such meat with yolks of fresh eggs beaten thin, which continue to do all the while it is rosting. savoury collops of veal cut a leg of veal into thin collops, and beat them well with the back of a knife. then lay them in soak a good half hour in the yolks of four eggs, and the whites of two very well beaten, and a little small shreded thyme mingled with it; then lay them in the frying-pan, wherein is boiling butter, and pour upon them the rest of the eggs, that the collops have not imbibed, and carry with them, and fry them very well, turning them in due time. then pour away all the butter, and make them a sauce of gravy seasoned with salt and spice, and juyce of orange at last squeesed upon them. a fricacee of lamb-stones, or sweet-breads, or chicken, or veal, or mutton boil the meat in little pieces (if chicken, flead and beaten) in the pan with a pint of fair-water, with due seasoning. when it is very tender, put some butter to it, and pour upon it a liquor made of four yolks of eggs beaten with a little white wine and some verjuyce; and keep this in motion over the fire, till it be sufficiently thickened. then pour it into a warm dish, and squeese some juyce of orange upon it, and so serve it up. if you would have the meat first made brown and _rissolé_, fry it first with butter, till it be brown on the outside; then pour out all the butter, and put water to it, in which boil it, and do all as before. if you like onions or garlike, you may put some to the water. fresh broth may be used (both ways) instead of water, and maketh it more savoury. a nourishing hachy take good gravy of mutton or veal, or of both, with the fat clean skimmed off. break into it a couple of new-laid eggs, and stir them in it over a chafing-dish of coals; in the mean time, mingle some small cut juycy hashy of rabet, capon or mutton with another parcel of like gravy as above, till it be pretty thin. then put this to the other upon the fire, and stir them well with a spoon, whiles they heat. when all is heated through, it will quicken of a sudden. you may put in at first a little chipping of crusty bread, if you will. season this with white pepper, salt, juyce of orange or verjuyce, of berberies, or onion, or what you like best. a pint of gravy (or less) four or five spoonfulls of hashy, and two eggs, is a convenient proportion for a light supper. such gravy, with an onion split in two, lying in it, whiles it is heating, and a little pepper and salt, and juyce of limon or orange, and a few chippings of light-bread, is very good sauce for partridges or cocks. excellent marrow-spinage-pasties take spinage, and chop it a little; then boil it, till it be tender. in the mean time make the best rich light crust you can, and roul it out, and put a little of your spinage into it, and currants and sugar, and store of lumps of marrow; clap the past over this to make little pasties deep within, and fry them with clarified butter. to pickle capons my lady portland's way take two large fleshy capons, not too fat; when you have draw'd and trussed them, lay them upon a chafing-dish of charcoal to singe them, turning them on all sides, till the hair and down be clean singed off. then take three pounds of good lard, and cut it into larding pieces, about the thickness of a two-peny cord, and lard it well, but first season your bits of lard, with half an ounce of pepper, and a handful of salt, then bind each of them well over with pack-thread, and have ready over the fire about two gallons of beef-broth, and put them in a little before it boileth; when they boil, and are clean skimmed, then put in some six bay-leaves; a little bunch of thyme; two ordinary onions stuck full of cloves, and salt, if it be not salt enough already for pickle; when it hath boiled about half an hour, put in another half ounce of beaten white-pepper, and a little after, put in a quart of white-wine; so let it boil, until it hath boiled in all an hour; and so let it lie in the pickle till you use it; which you may do the next day, or any time within a fortnight; in stead of broth you may use water, which is better; in case you do four or six, which of themselves will make the pickle strong enough. if you will keep them above four days, you must make the pickle sharp with vinegar. very good sauce for partridges or chicken to ordinary sauce of sliced or grated-bread soaked in good bouillon, with butter melted in it, put gravy of mutton, and a cloven-onion or two, to stew with it whiles you put it upon the fire to heat anew. then take out the onion, and put in some limon sliced, or juyce of limon, and some white pepper. you put in his proportion of salt before. to make minced pyes take two neats-tongues, and boil them. shred them with beef-suet, and put in cloves and mace, beaten very small, with raisins, currants and sugar; you must mingle them before you put in your suet. fat double tripes boiled tender, then minced, make very good pyes. to make a french barley posset take two quarts of milk to half a pound of french-barley; boil it, until it is enough; when the milk is almost boiled away, put to it three pintes of good cream. let it boil together a quarter of an hour; then sweeten it; and put in mace, cinnamon in the beginning, when you first put in your cream. when you have done so, take white-wine a pint, or sack and white-wine together, of each half a pint; sweeten it, as you love it, with sugar; pour in all the cream, but leave your barley behind in the skillet. this will make an excellent posset; nothing else but a tender curd to the bottom; let it stand on the coals half a quarter of an hour. to make puff-past take a gill of cold-water; two whites of eggs, and one yolk; to a quart of flower one pound of butter; so rowl it up, but keep out of the flower so much as will rowl it up. to make a pudding with puff-past take a new french peny-loaf, and slice it very thin, and lay it in a dish; and take three pints of cream, and boil it with a little mace and nutmeg grated; sweeten it with a little sugar, and add to it a little salt. then let it stand till it be cold. then take ten yolks of eggs; and beat them very well with two or three spoonfuls of the cream; then put it into the cream, and stir them well together: take the marrow of three bones; lay half the marrow upon the bread in good big lumps, and some citron, and candid limon, and what other sweet meats you like. then pour it all upon the bread; then put the rest of your marrow on the top with citron and candid limon. i forgat to tell you, that you must lay a puff-paste at the bottom of the dish, before you put in the bread, and cover it with the same. to make pear-puddings take a cold turky, capon or cold veal. shred it very small; and put almost as much beef-suet as your meat, and mince it very small. then put salt and nutmeg grated, half a pound of currants; a little grated-bread, and a little flower. then put in three yolks of eggs, and one of the whites, beaten very well. then take so much cream, as will wet them, and make them up as big as a bon-christian pear; and as you make them up, take a little flower in your hand, that they may not cling. then put in little sticks at the bottom like the stems of pears; or make them up in balls. butter the dish very well, and send them up in the same dish you bake them in. they will be baked in about half an hour: i think the dish needeth not to be covered, whiles it baketh. you may make minced pyes thus: and bake them with puff-past in a dish like a florenden, and use marrow instead of suet. marrow-puddings take the pith of beeves; a good spoonful of almonds very small beaten with rose-water: beat the pith, when the skin is taken off very well with a spoon; then mingle it with the almonds, and put in it six yolks of eggs well beaten, and four spoonfuls of cream boiled and cold, it must be very thick; put in a little ambergreece, and as much sugar, as will sweeten them; a little salt, and the marrow of two good bones, cut in little pieces. when your beefs-guts are seasoned, fit them up and boil them. to make red dear take a piece of the buttock of beef, the leanest of it, and beat it with a rowling-pin the space of an hour, till you think you have broken the grain of it, and have made it very open both to receive the sowsing-drink, and also to make it tender. then take a pint of vinegar, and a pint of claret-wine and let it lie therein two nights, and two days. then beat a couple of nutmegs, and put them into the sowsing-drink; then lard it. your lard must be as big as your greatest finger for consuming. then take pepper, cloves, mace and nutmegs, and season it very well in every place, and so bake it in pye-paste, and let it stand in the oven six or seven hours. and when it hath stood three hours in your oven, then put it in your sowsing-drink as is aforesaid; and you may keep it a quarter of a year, if it be kept close. to make a shoulder of mutton like venison save the blood of your sheep, and strain it. take grated bread almost the quantity of a peny loaf, pepper, thyme, chopp'd small; mingle these ingredients with a little of the blood, and stuff the mutton. then wrap up your shoulder of mutton, and lay it in the blood twenty four hours; prick the shoulder with your knife, to let the blood into the flesh, and so serve it with venison sawce. to stew a rump of beef take a rump of beef, and season it with nutmegs grated, and some pepper and salt mingled together, and season the beef on the bony-side; lay it in a pipkin with the flat-side downward. take three pints of elder-wine-vinegar, and as much water, and three great onions, and a bunch of rosemary tyed up together. put them all into a pipkin, and stew them three or four hours together with a soft fire being covered close. then dish it up upon sippets, blowing off the fat from the gravy; and some of the gravy put into the beef, and serve it up. to boil smoaked flesh mounsieur overbec doth tell me, that when he boileth a gambon of bacon, or any salted flesh and hanged in the smoak (as neats-tongues, hung-beef, and hogs-cheeks, &c.), he putteth into the kettle of water to boil with them three or four handfuls of _fleur de foin_, (more or less according to the quantity of flesh and water,) tyed loosly in a bag of course-cloth. this maketh it much tenderer, shorter, mellower, and of a finer colour. a plain but good spanish oglia take a rump of beef, or some of brisket or buttock cut into pieces, a loin of mutton, with the superfluous fat taken off, and a fleshy piece of the leg of veal or a knuckle, a piece of enterlarded bacon, three or onions (or some garlike) and if you will, a capon or two, or three great tame pigeons. first, put into the water the beef and the bacon; after a while, the mutton and veal and onions. but not the capon or pigeons till only so much time remain, as will serve barely to boil them enough. if you have _garavanzas_, put them in at the first, after they have been soaked with ashes all night in heat, and well washed with warm water, after they are taken out; or if you will have cabbage, or roots, or leeks, or whole onions, put them in time enough to be sufficiently boiled. you may at first put in some crusts of bread, or venison pye crust. it must boil in all five or six hours gently, like stewing after it is well boiled. a quarter or half an hour before you intend to take it off, take out a porrenger full of broth, and put to it some pepper and five or six cloves and a nutmeg, and some saffran, and mingle them well in it. then put that into the pot, and let it boil or stew with the rest a while. you may put in a bundle of sweet-herbs. salt must be put in as soon as the water is skimmed. vuova lattate take a quart of good, but fine broth; beat with it very well eight new laid-eggs (whites and all) and put in a little sugar, and if you will a little amber, or some mace, or nutmeg. put all this into a fit pipkin, and set this in a great one, or a kettle of boiling water, till it be stiffened like a custard. vuova spersa when some broth is boiling in a pipkin, pour into it some eggs well beaten, and they will curdle in a lump, when they are enough; take them out with a holed ladle, and lay them upon the bread in the minestra. to make excellent black-puddings take a quart of sheeps blood, and a quart of cream; ten eggs, the yolks and the whites beaten well together; stir all this liquor very well, then thicken it with grated bread, and oat-meal finely beaten, of each a like quantity; beef-suet finely shred and marrow in little lumps: season it with a little nutmeg and cloves and mace mingled with salt, a little sweet-marjoram, thyme and peny-royal shred very well together, and mingle them with the other things: some put in a few currants; then fill them in cleansed guts, and boil them carefully. a receipt to make white puddings take a fillet of veal, and a good fleshy capon; then half rost them both, and take off their skins: which being done, take only the wings and brawns with an equal proportion of veal, which must be shred very small as is done for sassages. to this shred half a pound of the belly part of interlarded bacon, and half a pound of the finest leaf (_la panne_) of hog cleared from the skin; then take the yolks of eighteen or twenty eggs, and the whites of six well beaten with as much milk and cream, as will make it of convenient thickness; and then season it with salt, cloves, nutmeg, mace, pepper, and ginger, if you please. the puddings must be boiled in half milk and half water. you are to use small-guts, such as for white-marrow-puddings, and they are to be cleansed in the ordinary manner; and filled very lankley; for they will swell much in the boiling, and break if they be too full. to make an excellent pudding take of the tripes of veal the whitest and finest you can find; wash them well, and let them lie in fair fountain or river water, till they do not smell like tripes. this done, cut them so small as is necessary to pass through a funnel. take also one or two pounds of pork, that hath not been salted, and cut it as small as the tripes, and mingle them altogether; which season with salt, white-pepper, anis-seeds beaten and coriander-seeds; then make a liaison with a little milk and yolks of eggs; and after all is well mingled and thickned, as it ought to be, you must fill with it the greatest guts of a hog, that may be had, with a funnel of white iron, having first tyed the end of the gut below. do not fill it too full, for fear they should break in the boiling, but leave room enough for the flesh to swell. when you are going to boil them, put them into a kettle with as much milk as will cover and boil them, being boiled, let them lie in the liquor till they are almost cold, then take them out and lay them in a basket upon a clean linnen cloth to cool. if they are well seasoned, they will keep twelve or fifteen days; provided you keep them in a good place, not moist, nor of any bad smell. you must still turn them and remove them from one place to another. scotch collops my lord of bristol's scotch collops are thus made: take a leg of fine sweet-mutton, that, to make it tender, is kept as long as possible may be without stinking. in winter seven or eight days. cut it into slices with a sharp knife as thin as possibly you can. then beat it with the back of a heavy knife, as long as you can, not breaking it in pieces. then sprinkle them with salt, and lay them upon the gridiron over a small charcoal-fire, to broil, till you perceive that side is enough, and before any moisture run out of them upon the fire. then lay the collops into a warm dish close covered, till the gravy be run out of them. then lay their other side upon the gridiron, and make an end of broiling them, and put them again into the dish, where the former gravy run out. add to this more gravy of mutton, heightened with garlike or onions, or eschalots; and let them stew a while together, then serve them in very hot. they are also very good of a rump of tender beef. to rost wild-boar at franckfort, when they rost wild-boar (or robuck or other venison) they lay it to soak, six or eight or ten days (according to the thickness and firmness of the piece and penetrability of it) in good vinegar, wherein is salt and juniper-berries bruised (if you will, you may add bruised garlick or what other _haut-goust_ you like) the vinegar coming up half way the flesh, and turn it twice a day. then if you will, you may lard it. when it is rosted, it will be very mellow and tender. they do the like with a leg or other part of fresh-pork. pyes i made good pyes there with two hares, a good goose and (as much as the goose is) the lean of fresh good pork, all well hashed and seasoned; then larded with great lardons well seasoned (first sprinkled with vinegar and wine) and covered with bay-leaves, and sheets of lard; then laid inpast, and baked. i made also good pyes of red-deer, larding well the lean, then laying under it a thick plastron (or cake of a finger thick) of beef-suet, first chapped small, and seasoned well with pepper and salt, then beaten into a cake fit for the meat. and another such cake upon the deers-flesh, and so well baked in strong crust, and soaked two or three hours in the oven after it was baked enough, which required six good hours. if you use no suet, put in butter enough; as also, put in enough to fill the paste, after it is baked and half cold, by a hole made in the top, when it is near half baked. baked venison my lady of newport bakes her venison in a dish thus; a side or a hanch serves for two dishes. season it as for a pasty. line the dish with a thin crust, of good pure past, but make it pretty thick upwards towards the brim, that it may be there pudding crust. lay then the venison in a round piece upon the paste in the dish, that must not fill it up to touch the pudding, but lie at ease; put over it a cover, and let it over-reach upon the brim with some carved pasty work to grace it, which must go up with a border like a lace growing a little way upwards upon the cover, which is a little arched up, and hath a little hole in the top to pour in unto the meat the strong well seasoned broth that is made of the broken bones, and remaining lean flesh of the venison. put a little pure butter or beef-suet to the venison, before you put the cover on, unless it be exceeding fat. this must bake five or six hours or more as an ordinary pasty. an hour, or an hour and half before you take it out to serve it up, open the oven, and draw out the dish far enough to pour in at the little hole of the cover the strong decoction (in stead of decoction in water, you may boil it by it self in _balneo in duplici vase_; or bake it in a pot with broth and gravy of mutton) of the broken bones and flesh. then set it in again, to make an end of his baking and soaking. the meat within (even the lean) will be exceeding tender and like a gelly; so that you may cut all of it with a spoon. if you bake a side at once in two dishes, the one will be very good to keep cold; and when it is so, you may, if you please, bake it again, to have it hot; not so long as at first, but enough to have it all perfectly heated through. she bakes thus in pewter-dishes of a large cise. mutton or veal may be thus baked with their due seasoning; as with onions, or onions and apples, or larding, or a cawdle, &c. sweetbreads, beatilles, champignons, treuffles, &c. an excellent way of making mutton steaks cut a rack of mutton into tender steaks, rib by rib, and beat the flesh well with the back of a knife. then have a composition ready, made of crumbs of stale manchet grated small, and a little salt (a fit proportion to salt the meat) and a less quantity of white-pepper. cover over on both sides all the flesh with this, pretty thick, pressing it on with your fingers and flat knife, to make it lie on. then lay the steaks upon a gridiron over a very quick fire (for herein consisteth the well doing) and when the fire hath pierced in a little on the one side, turn the other, before any juyce drop down through the powder. this turning the steaks will make the juyce run back the other way; and before it run through, and drop through this side, you must turn again the other side; doing so till the steaks be broiled enough. thus you keep all the juyce in them, so that when you go to eat them (which must be presently, as they are taken from the fire) abundance of juyce runneth out as soon as your knife entereth into the flesh. the same person, that doth this, rosteth a capon so as to keep all its juyce in it. the mystery of it is in turning it so quick, that nothing can drop down. this maketh it the longer in rosting. but when you cut it up, the juyce runneth out, as out of a juycie leg of mutton; and it is excellent meat. excellent good collops take two legs of fleshy juycie tender young mutton, cut them into as thin slices as may be. beat them with the back of a thick knife, with smart, but gentle blows, for a long time, on both sides. and the stroaks crossing one another every way, so that the collops be so short, that they scarce hang together. this quantity is near two hours beating. then lay them in a clean frying-pan, and hold them over a smart fire: and it is best to have a fit cover for the pan, with a handle at the top of it, to take it off when you will. let them fry so covered, till the side next the pan be done enough; then turn the other side, and let that fry, till it be enough. then pour them with all the gravy (which will be much) into a hot dish, which cover with another hot one, and so serve it in to eat presently. you must season the collops with salt sprinkled upon them, either at the latter end of beating them, or whiles they fry. and if you love the taste of onions, you may rub the pan well over with one, before you lay in the steaks or collops; or when they are in the dish, you may beat some onion-water amongst the gravy. you may also put a little fresh-butter into the pan to melt, and line it all over before you put in the collops, that you may be sure, they burn not to the pan. you must put no more collops into one pan, at once, then meerly to cover it with one lare; that the collops may not lye one upon another. black puddings take three pints of cream, and boil it with a nutmeg quartered, three or four leaves of large mace, and a stick of cinnamon. then take half a pound of almonds, beat them and strain them with the cream. then take a few fine herbs, beat them and strain them to the cream, which came from the almonds. then take two or three spoonfuls (or more) of chickens blood; and two or three spoonfuls of grated-bread, and the marrow of six or seven bones, with sugar and salt, and a little rose-water. mix all together, and fill your puddings. you may put in eight or ten eggs, with the whites of two well-beaten. put in some musk or ambergreece. to make pith puddings take a good quantity of the pith of oxen, and let it lie all night in water to soak out the blood. the next morning, strip it out of the skin, and so beat it with the back of a spoon, till it be as fine as pap: you must beat a little rose-water with it. then take three pints of good thick cream, and boil it with a nutmeg quartered, three or four leaves of large mace; and a stick of cinnamon. then take half a pound of the best jordan almonds. blanch them in cold water all night; then beat them in a mortar with some of your cream; and as they grow dry, still put in more cream; and when they be well beaten, strain the cream from the almonds into the pith. then beat them still, until the cream be done, and strain it still to the pith. then take the yolks of ten eggs, with the whites of two; beat them well, and put them to your former ingredients. then take a spoonful of grated-bread. mingle all these together, with half a pound of fine-sugar, the marrow of six or seven bones, and some salt, and so fill your puddings. they will be much the better, if you put in some ambergreece. red-herrings broyled my lord d'aubigny eats red-herrings thus broiled. after they are opened and prepared for the gridiron, soak them (both sides) in oyl and vinegar beaten together in pretty quantity in a little dish. then broil them, till they are hot through, but not dry. then soak them again in the same liquor as before, and broil them a second time. you may soak and broil them again a third time; but twice may serve. they will be then very short and crisp and savoury. lay them upon your sallet, and you may also put upon it, the oyl and vinegar, you soaked the herrings in. an oat-meal-pudding take a pint of milk; and put to it a pint of large or midling oat-meal; let it stand upon the fire, until it be scalding hot: then let it stand by and soak about half an hour: then pick a few sweet herbs and shred them, and put in half a pound of currants, and half a pound of suet, and about two spoonfuls of sugar, and three or four eggs. these put into a bag, and boiled, do make a very good pudding. to make pear-puddings take a cold capon, or half-rosted, which is much better; then take suet, shred very small the meat and suet together; then half as much grated bread, two spoonfuls of flower, nutmegs, clove and mace; sugar as much as you please; half a pound of currants; the yolks of two eggs, and the white of one; and as much cream, as will make it up in a stiff paste. then make it up in fashion of a pear, a stick of cinnamon for the stalk, and the head a clove. to make call-puddings take three marrow-bones, slice them; water the marrow over night, to take away the blood. then take the smallest of the marrow, and put it into the puddings, with a peny-loaf grated, a spoonful of flower, and spice as before; a quarter of a pound of currants; sugar as much as you please, four eggs, two of the whites taken away. cream as much as will make it as stiff as other puddings. stuff the call of veal cut into the bigness of little hogs-puddings; you must sow them all to one end; and so fill them; then sow up the other end, and when they are boiled, take hold of the thred, and they will all come out. you must boil them in half white wine and half water; with one large mace, a few currants, a spoonful of the pudding stuff, the marrow in whole lumps; all this first boiled up, then put in your puddings, and when half boiled, put in your marrow. one hour will boil them. serve them up with sippets, and no more liquor, then will serve them up; you must put salt in all the puddings. a barley pudding take two ounces of barley pick'd and washed; boil it in milk, till it is tender; then let your milk run from it; then take half a pint of cream, and six spoonfuls of the boiled barley; eight spoonfuls of grated bread, four eggs, two whites taken away. spice as you please, and sugar and salt as you think fit, one marrow-bone, put in the lumps as whole as you can; then make puff-paste, and rowl a thin sheet of it, and lay it in a dish. then take a piece of green-citron sliced thin, lay it all over the dish. then take cream, grated bread, your spice, sugar, eggs and salt; beat all these very well together half a quarter of an hour, pour it on your dish where citron is, then cover it over with puff-paste, and let it bake in a quick oven three quarters of an hour. scrape sugar on it, and serve it up. a pippin-pudding take pippins and pare, and cut off the tops of them pretty deep. then take out as much of your apple as you can take without breaking your apple, then fill your apple with pudding-stuff, made with cream, a little sack, marrow, grated bread, eggs, sugar, spice and salt; make it pretty stiff. put it into the pippins; lay the tops of the pippins upon the pippins again, stick it through with a stick of cinnamon. set as many upright in your dish as you can: and so fill it up with cream, and sweeten it with sugar and mace; and stew them between two dishes. to make a baked oatmeal-pudding take middle oat-meal, pick it very clean, steep it all night in cream, half a pint of oat-meal, to a quart of cream, make your cream scalding hot, before you put in your oat-meal, so cover it close. take a good handful of penny-royal, shred it very small, with a pound of beef-suet. put it to your cream with half a pound of raisins of the sun, sugar, spice, four or five eggs, two whites away. so bake it three quarters of an hour; and then serve it up. a plain quaking-pudding take about three pints of new morning milk, and six or seven new laid eggs, putting away half the whites, and two spoonfuls of fine-flower, about a quarter of a nutmeg grated, and about a quarter of a pound of sugar (more or less, according to your taste,) after all these are perfectly mingled and incorporated together, put the matter into a fit bag, and so put it into boiling water, and boil it up with a quick fire. if you boil it too long, the milk will turn to whay in the body or substance of the pudding, and there will be a slimy gelly all about the outside. but in about half an hour, it will be tenderly firm, and of an uniform consistence all over. you need not put in any butter or marrow or suet, or other spice, but the small proportion of nutmeg set down, not grated bread. for the sauce, you pour upon it thickened melted butter, beaten with a little sack, or orange-flower water, and sugar; or compounded in what manner you please, as in other such like puddings. a good quaking bag-pudding set a quart of good morning milk upon the fire, having seasoned it with salt, and sliced or grated nutmeg. when it beginneth to boil, take it from the fire, and put into it four peny manchets of light french-bread sliced very thin (if it were kingstone-bread, which is firmer, it must be grated) and a lump of sweet-butter as big as a wall-nut, and enough sugar to season it; and cover the possnet with a plate to keep the heat in, that the bread may soak perfectly. whiles this standeth thus, take ten yolks of new-laid-eggs, with one white, and beat them very well with a spoonful or two of milk; and when the milk is cooled enough, pour it (with the bread in it,) into the bason, where the beaten eggs are, (which likewise should first be sweetned with sugar to their proportion,) and put about three spoonfuls of fine flower into the composition, and knead them well together. if you will, you may put in a spoonful of sack or muscadine, and ambared sugar, working all well together; as also, some lumps of marrow or suet shred very small: but it will be very good without either of these. then put this mixtion into a deep woodden dish (like a great butter-box) which must first be on the inside a little greased with butter, and a little flower sprinkled thereon, to save the pudding from sticking to the sides of the dish. then put a linnen cloth or handkercher over the mouth of the dish, and reverse the mouth downwards, so that you may tye the napkin close with two knots by the corners cross, or with a strong thred, upon the bottom of the dish, then turned upwards; all which is, that the matter may not get out, and yet the boiling water get through the linnen upon it on one side enough to bake the pudding sufficiently. put the woodden-dish thus filled and tyed up into a great possnet or little kettle of boiling water. the faster it boils, the better it will be. the dish will turn and rowl up and down in the water, as it gallopeth in boiling. an hours boiling is sufficient. then unty your linnen, and take it off, and reverse the mouth of the dish downwards into the silver-dish you will serve it up in; wherein is sufficient melted butter thickened with beating, and sweetened to your taste with sugar, to serve for sauce. you may beat a little sack or muscadine, or rose, or orange-flower-water with the sauce; a little of any of which may also go into the composition of the pudding. if you put in more flower, or more then one white of egg to this proportion, it will binde the pudding too close and stiff. in plain bag-puddings it makes them much more savoury, to put into them a little penny-royal shreded very small, as also other sweet-herbs. you must put in so little, as not to taste strong of them, but onely to quicken the other flat ingredients. another baked pudding take a pint and half of good sweet-cream; set it on the fire, and let it just boil up, take a peny manchet, not too new, cut off the crust, and slice it very thin, put it into a clean earthen pan, and pour the cream upon it, and cover it very close an hour or thereabouts, to steep the bread; when it is steeped enough, take four new laid-eggs, yolks and whites, beat them with a spoonful of rose-water, and two of sack; grate into it half a nutmeg, and put into it a quarter of a pound of good white-sugar finely beaten, stir all this together with the cream and bread; then shred very small half a pound of good beef-kidney-suet, and put this to the rest, and mingle them very well together with a slice or spoon; then size your dish, that you intend to bake it in, and rub the bottom of it with a little sweet-butter; then put your pudding into it, and take the marrow of two good bones, and stick it in lumps here and there all over your pudding; so put it into the oven three quarters of an hour, in which time it will be well baked. strew on it some fine sugar, and serve it. to make black puddings take a pottle of half-cut groats; pick them clean, that there may be no husks nor foulness in them; then put them into a mortar, bruise them a little with a pestle; then have ready either milk, or fresh meat-broth boiled up, and the oat-meal immediately put into it; it must be just so much as will cover it; then cover the thing close that it is in, and let it steep twenty four hours; to this two quarts of oatmeal, put a pint and half of blood, season it well with salt, and a little pepper, and a little beaten cloves and mace, eight eggs, yolks and whites, five pound of kidney-beef-suet shred, but not too small; then put in of these herbs; peny-royal, fennel, leek-blades, parsley, sage, straw-berry-leaves and violet leaves, equal parts, in all to the quantity of a good handful; let them be pick'd and washed very clean, and chop'd very small, and mingled well with the former things; then fill your puddings. make ready your guts in this manner. cleanse them very well, when they are fresh taken out of the hog; and after they are well washed and scowred, lay them to soak in fair water three days and three nights, shifting the water twice every day: and every time you shift the water, scour them first with water and salt. an hour and a quarter is enough to boil them. to preserve pippins in jelly, either in quarters, or in slices take good sound clear pippins, pare, quarter and coar them; then put them into a skillet of conduit-water, such a proportion as you intend to make; boil it very well: then let the liquor run from the pulp through a sieve, without forcing, and let it stand till the next morning. take orange or limon peel, and boil in a skillet of water, till they are tender; then rowl them up in a linnen cloth to dry the water well out of them; let them lie so all night. then take of double refined and finely beaten and searced sugar a pound to every pint of pippin liquor that ran through the sieve, and to every pound of sugar, and pint of liquor, put ten ounces of pippins in quarters or in slices, but cut them not too thin; boil them a little while very fast in the pippin-liquor, before you put in the sugar, then strew in the sugar all over them as it boileth, till it is all in, keeping it still fast boiling, until they look very clear; by that you may know they are enough. while they boil, you must still be scumming them; then put in your juyce of limon to your last, and amber, if you please; and after let it boil half a dozen walms, but no more. then take it from the fire, and have ready some very thin brown-paper, and clap a single sheet close upon it, and if any scum remain, it will stick to the paper. then put your quarters or slices into your glasses, and strew upon them very small slices of limon or orange (which you please) which you had before boiled; then fill up your glasses with your jelly. for making your pippin-liquor, you may take about some fourty pippins to two quarts of water, or so much as to make your pippin-liquor strong of the pippins, and the juyce of about four limons. my lady diana porter's scotch collops cut a leg or two of mutton into thin slices, which beat very well. put them to fry over a very quick fire in a pan first glased over, with no more butter melted in it, then just to besmear a little all the bottom of the pan. turn them in due time. there must never be but one row in the pan, nor any slice lying upon another; but every one immediate to the pan. when they are fryed enough, lay them in a hot dish covered, over a chafing-dish, and pour upon them the gravy that run out of them into the pan. then lay another row of slices in the pan to fry as before; and when they are enough, put them into the dish to the other. when you have enough, by such repetitions, or by doing them in two or three pans, all at a time; take a porrenger full of gravy of mutton, and put into it a piece of butter as much a wall-nut, and a quartered onion if you will (or rub the dish afterwards with garlike) and pepper and salt, and let this boil to be very hot; then throw away the onion, and pour this into the dish upon the slices, and let them stew a little together; then squeese an orange upon it, and serve it up. a fricacee of veal cut a leg of veal into thin slices, and beat them; or the like with chicken, which must be flead off their skin. put about half a pint of water or flesh-broth to them in a frying-pan, and some thyme, and sweet-marjoram, and an onion or two quartered, and boil them till they be tender, having seasoned them with salt, and about twenty corns of whole white pepper, and four or five cloves. when they are enough, take half a pint of white wine, four yolks of eggs, a quarter of a pound of butter (or more) a good spoonful of thyme, sweet-marjoram and parsley (more parsley then of the others) all minced small; a porrenger full of gravy. when all these are well incorporated together over the fire, and well beaten, pour it into the pan to the rest, and turn it continually up and down over the fire, till all be well incorporated. then throw away the onion and first sprigs of herbs, squeese orange to it, and so serve it up hot. if instead of a fricacee, you will make _un estuveé de veau_, stew or boil simpringly your slices of veal in white-wine and water, _ana_, with a good lump of butter, seasoning it with pepper and salt and onions. when it is enough, put to it store of yolks of eggs beaten with verjuyce, or white-wine and vinegar, and some nutmeg (and gravy if you will) and some herbs as in the fricacee; and stir all very well over the fire till the sauce be well _lié_ together. a tansy take three pints of cream, fourteen new-laid-eggs (seven whites put away) one pint of juyce of spinage, six or seven spoonfuls of juyce of tansy, a nutmeg (or two) sliced small, half a pound of sugar, and a little salt. beat all these well together, then fryit in a pan with no more butter then is necessary. when it is enough, serve it up with juyce of orange or slices of limon upon it. to stew oysters take what quantity you will of the best oysters to eat raw. open them, putting all their water with the fish into a bason. take out the oysters one by one (that you may have them washed clean in their own water) and lay them in the dish you intend to stew them in. then let their water run upon them through a fine linnen, that all their foulness may remain behind. then put a good great lump of butter to them, which may be (when melted) half as much, as their water. season them with salt, nutmeg, and a very few cloves. let this boil smartly, covered. when it is half boiled, put in some crusts of light french-bread, and boil on, till all be enough, and then serve them up. you may put in three or four grains of ambergreece, when you put in the nutmeg, that in the boiling it may melt. you may also put in a little white-wine or verjuyce at the last, or some juyce of orange. to dress lamprey's at glocester they use lamprey's thus. heat water in a pot or kettle with a narrow mouth, till it be near ready to boil; so that you may endure to dip your hand into it, but not to let it stay in. put your lamprey's, as they come out of the river, into this scalding-water, and cover the pot, that little while they remain in, which must be but a moment, about an _ave maria_ while. then with a woodden ladle take them out, and lay them upon a table, and hold their head in a napkin (else it will slip away, if held in the bare hand) and with the back of a knife scrape off the mud, which will have risen out all along the fish. a great deal and very thick will come off: and then the skin will look clean and shining and blew, which must never be flead off. then open their bellies all along, and with a pen-knife loosen the string which begins under the gall (having first cast away the gall and entrails) then pull it out, and in the pulling away, it will stretch much in length; then pick out a black substance, that is all along under the string, cutting towards the back as much as is needful for this end. then rowl them up and down in a soft and dry napkin, changing this as soon as it is wet for another, using so many napkins as may make the fishes perfectly dry; for in that consisteth a chief part of their preparation. then powder them well with pepper and salt, rubbing them in well, and lay them round in a pot or strong crust upon a good lare of butter, and store of onions every where about them, and chiefly a good company in the middle. then put more butter upon them, covering the pot with a fit cover, and so set them into a quick oven, that is strongly heated; where they will require three or four hours (at least) baking. when they are taken out of the oven and begin to cool, pour store of melted butter upon them, to fill up the pot at least three fingers breadth above the fish, and then let it cool and harden; and thus it will keep a year, if need be, so the butter be not opened, nor craked, that the air get into the fish. to eat them presently, they dress them thus: when they are prepared, as abovesaid, (ready for baking) boil them with store of salt and gross pepper, and many onions, in no more water, then is necessary to cover them, as when you boil a carp or pike _au court bouillon_. in half or three quarters of an hour, they will be boiled tender. then take them and drain them from the water, and serve them with thickened butter, and some of the onions minced into it, and a little pepper, laying the fish upon some sippets of spungy bread, that may soak up the water, if any come from the fish; and pour butter upon the fish; so serve it up hot. to dress stock fish, somewhat differingly from the way of holland beat the fish very well with a large woodden-mallet, so as not to break it, but to loosen all the flakes within. it is the best way to have them beaten with hard heavy ropes. and though thus beaten, they will keep a long time, if you put them into pease straw, so thrust in as to keep them from all air, and that they touch not one another, but have straw enough between every fish. when you will make the best dish of them, take only the tails, and tye up half a dozen or eight of them with white-thred. first, they must be laid to soak over night in cold water. about an hour and half, (or a little more) before they are to be eaten, put them to boil in a pot or pipkin, that you may cover with a cover of tin or letton so close, that no steam can get out; and lay a stone or other weight upon it, to keep the cover from being driven off by the steam of the water. put in no more water, then well to cover them. they must never boil strongly, but very leasurely and but simpringly. it will be near half an hour before the water begin to boil so: and from their beginning to do so, they must boil a good hour. you must never put in any new water, though hot, for that will make the fish hard. after the hour, take out the fishes and untie them, and lay them loose in a colander with holes to drain out the water, and toss them in it up and down very well, as you use to do butter and pease; and that will loosen and break asunder all the flakes, which will make them the more susceptible of the butter, when you stew them in it, and make it pierce the better into the flakes, and make them tender. then lay them by thin rows in the dish, they are to be served up in: casting upon every row a little salt, and some green parsley minced very small. they who love young-green onions or sives, or other savory herbs, or pepper, may use them also in the same manner, when they are in season. when all is in, fill up with sweet butter well melted and thickened; and so let it stew there a while, to soak well into the fish; which will lie in fine loose tender flakes, well buttered and seasoned. you may eat it with mustard besides. buttered whitings with eggs boil whitings as if you would eat them in the ordinary way with thick butter-sauce. pick them clean from skin and bones, and mingle them well with butter, and break them very small, and season them pretty high with salt. in the mean time butter some eggs in the best manner, and mingle them with the buttered whitings, and mash them well together. the eggs must not be so many by a good deal as the fish. it is a most savoury dish. to dress poor-john and buckorn the way of dressing poor-john, to make it very tender and good meat, is this. put it into the kettle in cold water, and so hang it over the fire; and so let it soak and stew without boiling for hours: but the water must be very hot. then make it boil two or three walms. by this time it will be very tender and swelled up. then take out the back-bone, and put it to fry with onions. if you put it first into hot water (as ling and such salt fish,) or being boiled, if you let it cool, and heat it again it will be tough and hard. buckorne is to be watered a good hour before you put it to the fire. then boil it till it be tender, which it will be quickly. then butter it as you do ling; and if you will, put eggs to it. the way of dressing stock-fish in holland first beat it exceedingly well, a long time, but with moderate blows, that you do not break it in pieces, but that you shake and loosen all the inward fibers. then put it into water (which may be a little warmed) to soak, and infuse so during twelve or fourteen hours (or more, if it be not yet pierced into the heart by the water, and grown tender.) then put it to boil very gently, (and with no more water, then well to cover it, which you must supply with new hot water as it consumeth) for six or seven hours at least, that it may be very tender and loose and swelled up. then press and drain out all the water from it; and heat it again in a dish, with store of melted butter thickened; and if you like it, you may season it also with pepper and mustard. but it will be yet better, if after it is well and tender boiled in water, and that you have pressed all the water you can out of it, you boil it again an hour longer in milk; out of which when you take it, to put it into the dish with butter, you do not industriously press out all the milk, as you did the water, but only drain it out gently, pressing it moderately. in the stewing it with butter, season it to your taste, with what you think fitting. another way to dress stock-fish beat it exceeding well with a large woodden mallet, till you may easily pluck it all in pieces, severing every flake from other, and every one of them in it so being loose, spungy and limber, as the whole fish must be, and plyant like a glove, which will be in less then an hour. pull then the bones out, and throw them away, and pluck off the skin (as whole as you can; but it will have many breaches and holes in it, by the beating) then gather all the fish together, and lap it in the skin as well as you can, into a round lump, like a bag-pudding, and tye it about with cords or strings (like a little collar of brawn, or souced fish) and so put it into lukewarm water (overnight) to soak, covering the vessel close; but you need not keep it near any heat whiles it lyeth soaking. next morning take it out that water and vessel, and put it into another, with a moderate quantity of other water, to boil; which it must do very leisurely, and but simpringly. the main care must be, that the vessel it boileth in, be covered so exceeding close, that not the least breath of steam get out, else it will not be tender, but tough and hard. it will be boiled enough, and become very tender in about a good half hour. then take it out, unty it, and throw away the skin, and lay the flaky fish in a cullender, to drain away the water from it. you must presently throw a little salt upon it, and all about in it, to season it. for then it will imbibe it into it self presently; whereas if you salt it not, till it grow cold in the air, it will not take it in. mean while prepare your sauce of melted well thickened butter (which you may heighten with shreded onions or syves, or what well tasted herbs you please) and if you will, you may first strew upon the fish some very small shreded young onions, or sibbouls, or syves, or parsley. then upon that pour the melted butter to cover the fish all over, and soak into it. serve it in warm and covered. to dress parsneps scrape well three or four good large roots, cleansing well their outside, and cutting off as much of the little end as is fibrous, and of the great end as is hard. put them into a possnet or pot, with about a quart of milk upon them, or as much as will cover them in boiling, which do moderately, till you find they are very tender. this may be in an hour and half, sooner or later, as the roots are of a good kind. then take them out, and scrape all the outside into a pulpe, like the pulpe of roasted apples, which put in a dish upon a chafing dish of coals, with a little of the milk, you boiled them in, put to them; not so much as to drown them, but only to imbibe them: and then with stewing, the pulpe will imbibe all that milk. when you see it is drunk in, put to the pulpe a little more of the same milk, and stew that, till it be drunk in. continue doing thus till it hath drunk in a good quantity of the milk, and is well swelled with it, and will take in no more, which may be in a good half hour. eat them so, without sugar or butter; for they will have a natural sweetness, that is beyond sugar, and will be unctuous, so as not to need butter. parsneps (raw) cut into little pieces, is the best food for tame rabets, and makes them sweet. as rice (raw) is for tame pigeons, and they like it best, varying it sometimes with right tares, and other seeds. cream with rice a very good cream to eat hot, is thus made. into a quart of sweet cream, put a spoonful of very fine powder of rice, and boil them together sufficiently, adding cinnamon, or mace and nutmeg to your liking. when it is boiled enough take it from the fire, and beat a couple of yolks of new-laid eggs, to colour it yellow. sweeten it to your taste. put bread to it, in it's due time. grewel of oat-meal and rice doctor pridion ordered my lord cornwallis, for his chief diet in his looseness, the following grewel, which he found very tastefull. take about two parts of oat-meal well beaten in a mortar, and one part of rice in subtile powder. boil these well in water, as you make water-grewel, adding a good proportion of cinnamon to boil also in due time, then strain it through a cloth, and sweeten it to your taste. the yolk of an egg beaten with a little sherry-sack, and put to it, is not bad in a looseness. at other times you may add butter. it is very tasteful and nourishing. sauce for a carp or pike. to butter pease take two or three spoonfuls of the liquor the carp was boiled in, and put it into a pipkin; there must be no more, then even to cover the bottom of the pipkin. make this boil by itself; as soon as it doth so, put to this half a pound of sweet butter, let it melt gently, or suddenly, it imports not, so as the liquor boiled, when you did put the butter in; when the butter is melted, then take it from the fire, and holding the handle in your hand, shake it round a good while and strongly, and it will come to be thick, that you may almost cut it with a knife. then squeese juyce of limon into it, or of sharp orange, or verjuyce or vinegar; and heat it again as much as you please upon the fire. it will ever after continue thick, and never again, upon any heating, grow oily, though it be cold and heated again twenty times. butter done with fair water, as is said above, with the other liquor, will be thick in the same manner, (for the liquors make no difference in that:) put of this butter to boiled pease in their dish, which cover with another; so shake them very strongly, and a good while together. this is by much the best way to butter pease, and not to let the butter melt in the middle of them, and then stir them long with a spoon. this will grow oily (though it be good at the first doing) if you heat them again: the other, never; and therefore, is the best way upon all occasions to make such thickened melted butter. you may make sauce for a pike in the same manner you did for a carpe; putting horse-radish to it if you please. a herring-pye put great store of sliced onions, with currants and raisins of the sun both above and under the herrings, and store of butter, and so bake them. a syllabub take a reasonable quantity (as about half a porrenger full) of the syrup, that hath served in the making of dryed plums; and into a large syllabub-pot milk or squirt, or let fall from high a sufficient quantity of milk or cream. this syrup is very quick of the fruit, and very weak of sugar; and therefore makes the syllabub exceeding well tasted. you may also use the syrup used in the like manner in the drying of cherries. butter and oil to fry fish the best liquor to fry fish in, is to take butter and salet oyl, first well clarified together. this hath not the unsavoury taste of oyl alone, nor the blackness of butter alone. it fryeth fish crisp, yellow, and well tasted. to prepare shrimps for dressing when you will butter shrimps, first wash them well in warm milk and water equally mingled together, and let them soak a little in it; then wash them again in fresh milk and water warmed, letting them also soak therein a while. do this twice or thrice with fresh milk and water. this will take away all the rankness and slimyness of them. then butter them, or prepare them for the table, as you think fit. tosts of veal my lady lusson makes thus her plain tosts of kidney of veal: cut the kidney with all the fat about it, and a good piece of the lean flesh besides. hash all this as small as you can. put to it a quarter of a pound of picked and washed currants, and as much sugar, one nutmeg grated, four yolks and two whites of new-laid eggs raw; work all these very well together, seasoning it with salt. spread it thick upon slices of light white-bread cut like tosts. then fry them in butter, such quantity as may boil over the tops of the tosts. to make mustard the best way of making mustard is this: take of the best mustard-seed (which is black) for example a quart. dry it gently in an oven, and beat it to subtle powder, and searse it. then mingle well strong wine-vinegar with it, so much that it be pretty liquid, for it will dry with keeping. put to this a little pepper beaten small (white is the best) at discretion, as about a good pugil, and put a good spoonful of sugar to it (which is not to make it taste sweet, but rather quick, and to help the fermentation) lay a good onion in the bottom, quartered if you will, and a race of ginger scraped and bruised; and stir it often with a horse-radish root cleansed, which let always lie in the pot, till it have lost it's vertue, then take a new one. this will keep long, and grow better for a while. it is not good till after a month, that it have fermented a while. some think it will be the quicker, if the seed be ground with fair water, in stead of vinegar, putting store of onions in it. my lady holmeby makes her quick fine mustard thus: choose true mustard-seed; dry it in an oven, after the bread is out. beat and searse it to a most subtle powder. mingle sherry-sack with it (stirring it a long time very well, so much as to have it of a fit consistence for mustard. then put a good quantity of fine sugar to it, as five or six spoonfuls, or more, to a pint of mustard. stir and incorporate all well together. this will keep good a long time. some do like to put to it a little (but a little) of very sharp wine-vinegar. to make a white-pot boil three pints of sweet cream with a very little salt and some sliced nutmeg. as soon as it begins to boil, take it from the fire. in the mean time beat the yolks of twelve or fifteen new-laid eggs very well with some rose or orange-flower-water, and sweeten the cream to your taste with sugar. then beat three or four spoonfuls of cream with them, and quickly as many more; so proceeding, till you have incorporated all the cream and all the eggs. then pour the eggs and cream into a deep dish laid over with sippets of fine light bread, which will rise up to the top for the most part. when it is cooled and thickened enough to bear raisins of the sun, strew all over the top with them (well-washed.) then press a little way into it with great lumps of raw marrow. two bones will suffice. cover your dish with another, and set it upon a great pot of boiling water, with a good space between the water and the dish, that there be room for the hot steam to rise and strike upon the dish. keep good fire always under your pot. in less then an hour (usually) it is baked enough. you will perceive that, if the marrow look brown, and be enough baked. if it should continue longer on the heat, it would melt. you may bake it in an oven if you will; but it is hard to regulate it so, that it be not too much or too little: whereas the boiling water is certain. you may strew ambred sugar upon it, either before you set it to bake, or after it is done. for rosting of meat to rost fine meat (as partridge, pheasant, chicken, pigeon) that it be full of juyce; baste it as soon as it is through hot, and time to baste, with butter. when it is very moist all over, sprinkle flower upon it every where, that by turning about the fire, it may become a thin crust. then baste it no more till the latter end. this crust will keep in all the juyce. a little before you take it up, baste it again with butter, and this will melt away all the crust. then give it three or four turns of the spit, that it may make the outside yellow and crisp. you may also baste such meat with yolks of new-laid eggs, beaten into a thin oyl. but with this you continue basting all the while the meat rosteth. to stew a rump of beef take a rump of beef, break all the bones; season it with pepper and salt to your liking; take three or four nutmegs, and a quantity of mace, beat them grossly; then take a bunch of very good sweet herbs, and one good onion cut in quarters, or garlike, as you like it. put in half a pint of white-wine vinegar, and one pint of good claret, one handful of sugar; and a piece or two of beef suet or butter: shred some cabbage under and over, and scrape in a pound of good old cheese. put all these into an earthen pot, and let it stand in an oven with brown-bread four or five hours; but let the pot be covered close with paste. to stew a rump of beef take a fat rump of young beef, as it comes from the butcher, and take out all the bones, excepting the tip of it towards the tail that is all fat, which you cannot take out, without spoiling or defacing or breaking it. but take out all the thick bones towards the chine, and the thick sinews, that are on the outer sides of the flesh; (which will never become tender with boiling) so that you have nothing but the pure flesh and fat, without any bony or tough substance. then beat well the lean part with a woodden roling pin, and when you have beaten well one side, turn the other. then rub it well with pepper grosly beaten, and salt; just as you would do, to season a venison pasty, making the seasoning higher or gentler according to your taste. then lay it in a fit vessel, with a flat bottom (pipkin or kettle as you have conveniency) that will but just contain it, but so that it may lye at ease. or you may tye it up in a loose thin linnen cloth, or boulter, as they do capons _à la mode_, or brawn, or the like. then put water upon it, but just to cover it, and boil it close covered a matter of two hours pretty smartly, so that it be well half boiled. then take it out of that, and put it into another fit vessel, or the same cleansed, and put upon it about two quarts of good strong deep well bodied claret-wine, and a good bundle of sweet-herbs, (penny-royal, sweet-marjoram, winter-savory, limon thyme, &c.) and a good large onion peeled, and stuck as close with cloves, as you can stick it, if you like the taste of onions. they must be the strong biting onions, that are round and red: a little nutmeg, and some mace. put to the wine about a pint of the liquor that you have already boiled the beef in; and if you would have it strong of the seasoning of pepper, and salt; take the bottom of this liquor. thus let it boil very gently, simpringly, or rather stew with char-coal over a little furnace, or a fit chafing-dish, a matter of three hours, close covered. if the liquor waste too much, you may recruit it with what you have kept of that, which your beef was boiled in. when it is near time to take it up, stew some oysters in their own liquor (to which you may add at the latter end, some of the winy liquor, that the beef is now stewing in, or some of the first beef-broth, or use some good pickled oysters) and at the same time make some thin tostes of kingstone manchet, which toste very leisurely, or rather dry them throughly, and very hard, and crisp, but not burned, by lying long before the fire. and if you have fresh champignons, dress a good dish full of them, to be ready at the same time, when all the rest is ready; if not, use pickled ones, without further dressing. when you find your beef is as tender as can be, and will scarcely hold together, to be taken up together, and that all the other things are ready, lay the tostes in the dish, where the beef is to lye; pour some of the liquor upon it. then lay the beef upon the tosts; throw away the bundle of herbs and onions; and pour the rest of the liquor upon the beef, as also the oysters, and the mushrooms, to which add a pretty deal, about half a pint of broom-buds: and so let it stand a while well covered over coals to mittoner; and to have all the several substances communicate their tastes to one another, and to have the tostes swell up like a gelly. then serve it up. if you want liquor, you may still recruit your self out of the first beef-broth, which you keep all to supply any want afterwards. have a care, whiles it is stewing, in the winy-liquor, to lift the flesh sometimes up from the bottom of the vessel, least if it should lye always still, it may stick to the bottom, and burn; but you cannot take it out, for it would fall in pieces. it will be yet better meat, if you add to it, at the last (when you add all the other heightnings) some marrow, and some chess-nuts, and some pistachios, if you will. put to your broom-buds (before you put them in to the rest) some elder vinegar, enough to soak them, and even to cover them. if you find this make your composition of the whole too sharp, you may next time take less. when you put the beef to stew with the wine (or a while after) you may put to it a pretty quantity (as much as you can take in both hands at once) of shreded cabbage, if it be the season; or of turneps, if you like either of these. carrots make it somewhat flat. if the wine be not quick enough, you may put a little elder vinegar to it. if you like garlike, you may put in a little, or rub the dish with it. pickled champignons champignons are best, that grow upon gravelly dry rising grounds. gather them of the last nights growth; and to preserve them white, it is well to cast them into a pitcher of fair-water, as you gather them: but that is not absolutely necessary, if you will go about dressing them as soon as you come home. cut the great ones into halves or quarters, seeing carefully there be no worms in them; and peel off their upper skin on the tops: the little ones, peel whole. as you peel them, throw them into a bason of fair-water, which preserves them white. then put them into a pipkin or possnet of copper (no iron) and put a very little water to them, and a large proportion of salt. if you have a pottle of mushrooms, you may put to them ten or twelve spoonfuls of water, and two or three of salt. boil them with pretty quick-fire, and scum them well all the while, taking away a great deal of foulness, that will rise. they will shrink into a very little room. when they are sufficiently parboiled to be tender, and well cleansed of their scum, (which will be in about a quarter of an hour,) take them out, and put them into a colander, that all the moisture may drain from them. in the mean time make your pickle thus: take a quart of pure sharp white wine vinegar (elder-vinegar is best) put two or three spoonfuls of whole pepper to it, twenty or thirty cloves, one nutmeg quartered, two or three flakes of mace, three bay-leaves; (some like limon-thyme and rose-mary; but then it must be a very little of each) boil all these together, till the vinegar be well impregnated with the ingredients, which will be in about half an hour. then take it from the fire, and let it cool. when the pickle is quite cold, and the mushrooms also quite cold, and drained from all moisture: put them into the liquor (with all the ingredients in it) which you must be sure, be enough to cover them. in ten or twelve days, they will have taken into them the full taste of the pickle, and will keep very good half a year. if you have much supernatant liquor, you may parboil more mushrooms next day, and put them to the first. if you have not gathered at once enough for a dressing, you may keep them all night in water to preserve them white, and gather more the next day, to joyn to them. to stew wardens or pears pare them, put them into a pipkin, with so much red or claret wine and water, _ana_, as will near reach to the top of the pears. stew or boil gently, till they grow tender, which may be in two hours. after a while, put in some sticks of cinnamon bruised and a few cloves. when they are almost done, put in sugar enough to season them well and their syrup, which you pour out upon them in a deep plate. to stew apples pare them and cut them into slices. stew them with wine and water as the pears, and season them in like manner with spice. towards the end sweeten them with sugar, breaking the apples into pap by stirring them. when you are ready to take them off, put in good store of fresh-butter, and incorporate it well with them, by stirring them together. you stew these between two dishes. the quickest apples are the best. portuguez eggs the way that the countess de penalva makes the portuguez eggs for the queen, is this. take the yolks (clean picked from the whites and germ) of twelve new-laid eggs. beat them exceedingly with a little (scarce a spoonful) of orange-flower-water. when they are exceeding liquid, clear, and uniformly a thin liquor, put to them one pound of pure double refined sugar (if it be not so pure, it must be clarified before) and stew them in your dish or bason over a very gentle fire, stirring them continually, whiles they are over it, so that the whole may become one uniform substance, of the consistence of an electuary (beware they grow not too hard; for without much caution and attention, that will happen on a sudden) which then you may eat presently, or put into pots to keep. you may dissolve ambergreece (if you will, ground first very much with sugar) in orange-flower or rose-water, before hand, and put it (warm and dissolved) to the eggs, when you set them to stew. if you clarifie your sugar, do it with one of these waters, and whites of eggs. the flavor of these sweet-waters goeth almost all away with boiling. therefore half a spoonful put into the composition, when you take it from the fire, seasoneth it more then ten times as much, put in at the first. to boil eggs a certain and infallible method to boil new-laid eggs to sup up, and yet that they have the white turned to milk, is thus: break a very little hole, at the bigger end of the shell, and put it into the water, whiles it boileth. let it remain boiling, whiles your pulse beateth two hundred stroaks. then take it out immediately, and you will find it of an exact temper: others put eggs into boyling water just as you take it from the fire, and let them remain there, till the water be so cooled, that you may just put in your hand, and take out the eggs. others put the eggs into cold water, which they set upon the fire, and as soon as the water begins to boil, the eggs are enough. to make clear gelly of bran take two pound of the broadest open bran of the best wheat, and put it to infuse in a gallon of water, during two or three days, that the water may soak into the pure flower, that sticks to the bran. then boil it three or four walms, and presently take it from the fire, and strain it through some fine strainer. a milky substance will come out, which let stand to settle about half a day. pour off the clear water, that swimmeth over the starch or flomery, that is in the bottom (which is very good for pap, &c.) and boil it up to a gelly, as you do harts-horn gelly or the like, and season it to your taste. to bake venison boil the bones (well broken) and remaining flesh of the venison, from whence the meat of the pasty is cut, in the liquor, wherein capons and veal, or mutton have been boiled, so to make very strong broth of them. the bones must be broken, that you may have the marrow of them in the liquor; and they must stew a long time (covering the pot close:) that you may make the broth as strong as you can; and if you put some gravy of mutton or veal to it, it will be the better. when the pasty is half baked, pour some of this broth into it, by the hole at the top; and the rest of it, when it is quite baked, and wanteth but standing in the oven to soak. or put it all in at once, when the pasty is sufficiently baked, and afterwards let it remain in the oven a good while soaking. you may bake the bones (broken) with the broth and gravy, or for want thereof, with only water in an earthen pot close stopped, till you have all the substance in the liquor; which you may pour into the pasty an hour before it is baked enough. if you are in a park, you may soak the venison a night in the blood of the deer; and cover the flesh with it, clotted together when you put it in paste. mutton blood also upon venison, is very good. you may season your blood a little with pepper and salt. to bake venison to keep after you have boned it, and cut away all the sinews, then season it with pepper and salt pretty high, and divide a stag into four pots; then put about a pound of butter upon the top of each pot, and cover it with rye-past pretty thick. your oven must be so hot, that after a whole night it maybe baked very tender, which is a great help to the keeping of it. and when you draw it, drain all the liquor from it, and turn your pot upon a pie plate, with the bottom upwards, and so let it stand, until it is cold; then wipe your pot, that no gravy remain therein, and then put your venison into the same pot again; then have your butter very well clarified, that there be no dross remaining; then fill up your pot about two inches above the meat with butter, or else it will mould. and so the next day binde it up very close, with a piece of sheeps leather so that no air can get in. after which you may keep it as long as you please. master adrian may put's up his venison in pots, to keep long, thus: immediately as soon as he hath killed it, he seasoneth and baketh it as soon as he can, so that the flesh may never be cold. and this maketh that the fat runneth in among the lean, and is like calvered salmon, and eats much more mellow and tender. but before the deer be killed, he ought to be hunted and chafed as much as may be. then seasoned and put in the oven before it be cold. be sure to pour out all the gravy, that settleth to the bottom, under the flesh after the baking, before you put the butter to it, that is to lie very thick upon the meat, to keep it all the year. about making of brawn it must be a very large oven, that so it may contract the stronger heat, and keep it the longer. it must be at least eight hours heating with wood, that it be as hot as is possible. if the brawn be young, it will suffice eight hours or a little more in the oven. but if old, it must be ten or eleven. put but two collars into each pot, for bigger are unwieldy. into every pot, put twelve corns of whole pepper, four cloves, a great onion peeled and quartered, and two bay-leaves, before you put them into the oven. before they are set in, you do not fill them with water to the top, least any should spill in sliding them in; but fill them up by a bowl fastned to a long pole. no water must be put in, after the oven is closed (nor the oven ever be opened, till after all is throughly baked) and therefore you must put in enough at first to serve to the last; you must rowl your collars as close as may be, that no air may be left in the folds of them: and sow them up in exceeding strong cloth, which a strong man must pull as hard as he can in the sowing. their cloths must not be pulled off, till the collars have been three or four days out of the oven, least you pull off part of the brawn with them. you may put the same proportion of pepper, cloves, &c. into the souce drink as you did in the baking them; which at either time (especially at first) give them a fine taste. the souce-drink is made of six shillings beer, and thames or river-water, of each an equal quantity, well boiled with salt. when boiled and cold, put in to it two or three quarts of skimmed milk, only to colour it; and so change it once in three weeks. tender brawn sliced thin, and laid sallet-wise in a dish as the sliced capon, and seasoned with pepper, salt and vinegar and oyl, with a little limon, is a very good sallet. sallet of cold capon rosted it is a good sallet, to slice a cold capon thin; mingle with it some sibbolds, lettice, rocket and tarragon sliced small. season all with pepper, salt, vinegar and oyl, and sliced limon. a little origanum doth well with it. mutton baked like venison, soaking either in their blood take a large fat loin of mutton (or two) boned after the manner of venison. season it well to your taste with pepper and salt. then lay it to steep all night in enough of the sheep's blood, to cover it over, and soak well into it. then lay it into the past, with all the clotted thick blood, under it, upon it, and hanging about it. you may season the blood with pepper and salt, before you lay the meat in it. but though you do not, it will not be amiss, so as the meat be seasoned high enough. then bake it as you do an ordinary pasty; and you may put gravy of mutton or strong broth into it. you may do it in a dish with past; as my lady of newport doth her venison. this way of steeping in blood before you bake it, is very good also for venison. to make an excellent hare-pye hash the flesh of as many hares, as you please, very small. then beat them strongly in a mortar into a paste, which season duly with pepper and salt. lard it throughly all over with great lardons of lard well rowled in pepper and salt. put this into a straight earthen pot, to lye close in it. if you like onions, you may put one or two quartered into the bottom of the pot. put store of sweet-butter upon the meat, and upon that, some strong red claret-wine. cover the pot with a double strong brown paper, tyed close about the mouth of it. set it to bake with houshold-bread (or in an oven, as a venison pasty) for eight or ten hours. then take out the pot, and thence the meat, and pour away all the liquor, which let settle. then take all the congealed butter, and clarifie it well. put your meat again into the pot, and put upon it your clarified butter, and as much more as is necessary. and i believe the putting of claret-wine to it now is better, and to omit it before. bake it again, but a less while. pour out all the liquor, when it is baked, and clarifie the butter again, and pour it upon the meat, and so let it cool; the butter must be at least two or three fingers breadth over the meat. to bake beef bone it, and beat it exceeding well on all sides, with a roling pin, upon a table. then season it with pepper and salt, (rubbing them in very well) and some parsley, and a few sweet herbs (penny-royal, winter-savoury, sweet-marjoram, limon thyme, red-sage, which yet to some seems to have a physical taste) an onion if you will. squeese it into the pot as close as you can. put butter upon it, and claret-wine, and covered all as above. bake it in a strong oven eight or ten hours. take it out of the oven, and the meat out of the pot, which make clean, from all settlings; and squeese all the juyce from it (even by a gentle press.) then put it in again hard pressed into the pot. clarifie the butter, that you poured with the liquor from the meat out of the pot; and pour it again with more flesh, to have enough to cover it two or three fingers thick. to bake pidgeons, (which are thus excellent, and will keep a quarter of a year) or teals, or wild-ducks season them duly with pepper and salt; then lay them in the pot, and put store of butter, and some claret-wine to them. cover and bake as above: but a less while according to the tenderness of the meat. in due time take out your pot, and your birds out of it, which press not, but only wipe off the liquor. pour it out all. clarifie the butter; put in the birds again, and the clarified butter, and as much more as needs (all melted) upon them, and let it cool. you may put a few bay-leaves upon any of these baked meats, between the meat and the butter. green-geese-pye an excellent cold pye is thus made. take two fat green-geese; bone them, and lay them in paste one upon the other, seasoning them well with pepper and salt, and some little nutmeg, both above and below and between the two geese. when it is well-baked and out of the oven, pour in melted butter at a hole made in the top. the crust is much better than of a stubble-goose. to boil beef or venison tender and savoury the way to have beef tenderest, short and best boiled, as my lord of saint alban's useth it, is thus. take a rump or brisket of beef; keep it without salt as long as you may, without danger to have it smell ill. for so it groweth mellow and tender, which it would not do, if it were presently salted. when it is sufficiently mortified, rub it well with salt; let it lie so but a day and a night, or at most two nights and a day. then boil it in no more water then is necessary. boil it pretty smartly at first, but afterwards but a simpring or stewing boiling, which must continue seven or eight hours. sometimes he boileth it half over night, and the rest next morning. if you should not have time to salt it, you may supply that want thus; when the beef is through boiled, you may put so much salt into the pot as to make the broth like brine, and then boil it gently an hour longer; or take out the beef, and put it into a deep dish, and put to it some of his broth made brine, and cover it with another dish, and stew it so an hour. a hanch of venison may be done the same way. to bake wilde-ducks or teals season your duck and teal with pepper and salt, both within and without, so much as you think may season them; then crack their bones with a roling pin; then put them into an earthen pot close, and cover them with butter, and bake them in an oven as hot as for bread, and let them stand three or four hours; when you take them out of the oven, pour out all the liquor from them, then melt so much butter as will cover them; when you have melted your butter, let it stand a while, until all the dross be settled to the bottom, and put in the clear butter, which must cover the fowl. to season humble-pyes: and to rost wilde-ducks bake humble-pyes without chapping them small in a pye, seasoned with pepper and salt, adding a pretty deal of parsley, a little sweet-marjoram and savoury, and a very little thyme. rost wilde ducks putting into their bellies some sage and a little onion (both well shreded) wrought into a lump with butter, adding a little pepper and salt. and let their sauce be a little gravy of mutton, to enlarge the seasoned gravy, that comes from the ducks when they are cut up. to souce turkeys take a good fat turkey or two; dress them clean, and bone them; then tye them up in the manner of sturgeon with some thing clean washed. take your kettle, and put into it a pottle of good white-wine, a quart of water, and a quart of vinegar; make it boil, and season it with salt pretty well. then put in your turkeys, and let them boil till they be very tender. when they are enough boiled, take them out, and taste the liquor; if it be not sharp enough, put more vinegar, and let it boil a little; then put it into an earthen pot, that will hold both turkeys. when it is cold enough, and the turkeys through-cold, put them into the liquor in the pot, and be sure they be quite covered with the liquor; let them lye in it three weeks or a month; then serve it to the table, with fennel on it, and eat it with elder vinegar. you may do a capon or two put together in the same manner: but first larding it with great lardons rowled in pepper and salt. a shorter time lying in the pickle will serve. an excellent meat of goose or turkey take a fat goose, and powder it with salt eight or ten days; then boil it tender, and put it into pickle, like sturgeon-pickle. you may do the like with a very fat turkey; but the best pickle of that is, the italian marinating, boiling mace, nutmeg, &c. in it. you may boil garlick in the belly of the fouls, if you like it, or in the pickle. to pickle an old fat goose cut it down the back, and take out all the bones; lard it very well with green bacon, and season it well with three quarters of an ounce of pepper; half an ounce of ginger; a quarter of an ounce of cloves, and salt as you judge proportionable; a pint of white wine and some butter. put three or four bay-leaves under the meat, and bake it with brown-bread in an earthen pot close covered, and the edges of the cover closed with paste. let it stand three or four days in the pickle; then eat it cold with vinegar. about ordering bacon for gambons, and to keep at franckfort they use the following cautions about the bacon they salt for gambons or sides to keep. the best is of male hogs of two year old, that have been gelt, when they were young. they kill them in the wane of the moon, from a day or two after the full, till the last quarter. they fetch off their hair with warm-water, not by burning (which melteth the fat, and maketh it apt to grow resty), and after it hath lain in the open air a full day, they salt it with dry salt, rubbing it in well: then lay what quantity you will in a tub for seven or eight days (in which time the salt dissolveth to water); then take it out, and wipe it dry, and hang it in a room, where they keep fire, either on a hearth, or that smoak cometh out of a stove into the room (as most of those rooms do smoak) but hang them not in the chimney, that the hot smoak striketh upon them; but if you have a very large chimney, hang them pretty high and aside, that the smoak may not come full upon them. after a while, (when they are dry) take them thence, and hang them from the smoak in a dry warm room. when the weather groweth warm as in may, there will drop from them a kinde of melted oyly grease, and they will heat, and grow resty, if not remedied. take them down then, and lay them in a cold dry place, with hay all about them, that one may not touch another. change the hay every thirty, or twenty, or fifteen days, till september, when the weather groweth cool; then hang them up again in the free air, in a dry chamber. if you make the shoulders into gambons, you must have a care to cut away a little piece of flesh within, called in dutch the mause; for if that remain in it, the bacon will grow resty. to make a tansey take spinage, sorrel, tansey, wheat, a quart of cream; bread (the quantity of a two peny loaf) twenty eggs, and half the whites, one nutmeg, half a pound of sugar, and the juyce of a couple of limons. spinage is the chief herb to have the juyce; wheat also is very good, when it is young and tender. you must not take much sorrel, for fear of turning the cream; but less tansey, so little that it may not taste distinctly in the composition. the juyce of limons is put in at the end of all. you may lay thin slices of limon upon the tansey made, and sugar upon them. another way beat twelve eggs (six whites put away) by themselves exceeding well (two or three hours), sometimes putting in a spoonful of cream to keep them from oyling; then mingle them well with a quart of cream; to which put about half a pint of juyce of spinage (as much as will make the cream green) or of green wheat, and four spoonfuls of juyce or tansey, one nutmeg scraped into thin slices, and half a pound of sugar; all things exceeding well incorporated together; fry this with fresh butter, no more then to glase the pan over, and keep the tansey from sticking to the pan. to make cheese-cakes take twelve quarts of milk warm from the cow, turn it with a good spoonful of runnet. break it well, and put it into a large strainer, in which rowl it up and down, that all the whey may run out into a little tub; when all that will is run out, wring out more. then break the curds well; then wring it again, and more whey will come. thus break and wring till no more come. then work the curds exceedingly with your hand in a tray, till they become a short uniform paste. then put to it the yolks of eight new laid eggs, and two whites, and a pound of butter. work all this long together. in the long working (at the several times) consisteth the making them good. then season them to your taste with sugar finely beaten; and put in some cloves and mace in subtile powder. then lay them thick in coffins of fine paste, and bake them. short and crisp crust for tarts and pyes to half a peck of fine flower, take a pound and half of butter, in this manner. put your butter with at least three quarts of cold water (it imports not how much or how little the water is) into a little kettle to melt, and boil gently: as soon as it is melted, scum off the butter with a ladle, pouring it by ladlefuls (one a little after another, as you knead it with the flower) to some of the flower (which you take not all at once, that you may the better discern, how much liquor is needful) and work it very well into paste. when all your butter is kneaded, with as much of the flower, as serves to make paste of a fitting consistence, take of the water that the butter was melted in, so much as to make the rest of the flower into paste of due consistence; then joyn it to the paste made with butter, and work them both very well together, of this make your covers and coffins thin. if you are to make more paste for more tarts or pyes, the water that hath already served, will serve again better then fresh. to make goose-pyes, and such of thick crust, you must put at least two pound of butter to half a peck of flower. put no more salt to your past, then what is in the butter, which must be the best new butter that is sold in the market. to make a cake take eight wine quarts of flower; one pound of loaf sugar beaten and searsed; one ounce of mace, beat it very fine: then take thirty eggs, fifteen whites, beat them well; then put to them a quart of new ale-yest; beat them very well together, and strain them into your flower; then take a pint of rose-water, wherein six grains of ambergreece and musk have been over night. then take a pint and half of cream or something more, and set it on the fire, and put into it four pounds and three quarters of butter; and when it is all melted, take it off the fire and stir it about, until it be pretty cool; and pour all into your flower, and stir it up quick with your hands, like a lith pudding; then dust a little flower over it, and let it stand covered with a flannel, or other woollen cloth, a quarter of an hour before the fire, that it may rise; then have ready twelve pounds of currants very well washed and pick'd, that there may be neither stalks, nor broken currants in them. then let your currants be very well dryed before the fire, and put warm into your cake; then mingle them well together with your hands; then get a tin hoop that will contain that quantity, and butter it well, and put it upon two sheets of paper well buttered; so pour in your cake, and so set it into the oven, being quick that it may be well soaked, but not to burn. it must bake above an hour and a quarter; near an hour and half. take then a pound and half of double refined sugar purely beaten and searsed; put into the whites of five eggs; two or spoonfuls of rose-water; keep it a beating all the time, that the cake is a baking which will be two hours; then draw your cake out of the oven, and pick the dry currants from the top of it, and so spread all that you have beaten over it, very smooth, and set it a little into the oven, that it may dry. another cake take three pounds and an half of flower; one penny worth of cloves and mace; and a quarter of a pound of sugar and salt, and strew it on the flower. then take the yolks of eight eggs well beaten, with a spoonful and half of rose water; then take a pint of thick cream, and a pound of butter; melt them together, and when it is so, take three quarters of a pint of ale-yest, and mingle the yest and eggs together. then take the warm liquor, and mingle all together; when you have done, take all, and pour it in the bowl, and so cover the flower over the liquor; then cover the pan with a napkin, and when it is risen, take four pounds of currants, well washed and dryed, and half a pound of raisins of the sun sliced, and let them be well dryed and hot, and so stir them in. when it is risen, have your oven hot against the cake is made; let it stand three quarters of an hour. when it is half baked, ice it over with fine sugar and rose-water, and the whites of eggs, and musk and ambergreece. when you mingle your yest and eggs together for the cake, put musk and amber to that. to make a plumb-cake take a peck of flower, and put it in half. then take two quarts of good ale-yest, and strain it into half the flower, and some new milk boiled, and almost cold again; make it into a very light paste, and set it before the fire to rise; then take five pound of butter, and melt it in a skillet, with a quarter of a pint of rose-water; when your paste is risen, and your oven almost hot, which will be by this time, take your paste from the fire, and break it into small pieces, and take your other part of flower, and strew it round your paste; then take the melted butter, and put it to the past, and by degrees work the paste and flower together, till you have mingled all very well. take six nutmegs, some cinnamon and mace well beaten, and two pound of sugar, and strew it into the paste, as they are a working it. take three pounds of raisins stoned, and twelve pounds of currants very well washed and dryed again; one pound of dates sliced; half a pound of green citron dryed and sliced very thin; strew all these into the paste, till it have received them all; then let your oven be ready, and make up your cake, and set it into the oven; but you must have a great care, it doth not take cold. then to ice it, take a pound and half of double refined sugar beaten and searsed; the whites of three eggs new-laid, and a little orange-flower-water, with a little musk and ambergreece, beaten and searsed, and put to your sugar; then strew your sugar into the eggs, and beat it in a stone mortar with a woodden pestel, till it be as white as snow, which will be by that time the cake is baked; then draw it to the ovens mouth, and drop it on, in what form you will; let it stand a little again in the oven to harden. to make an excellent cake to a peck of fine flower, take six pounds of fresh butter, which must be tenderly melted, ten pounds of currants, of cloves and mace, half an ounce of each, an ounce of cinnamon, half an ounce of nutmegs, four ounces of sugar, one pint of sack mixed with a quart at least of thick barm of ale (as soon as it is settled, to have the thick fall to the bottom, which will be, when it is about two days old) half a pint of rose-water; half a quarter of an ounce of saffron. then make your paste, strewing the spices, finely beaten, upon the flower: then put the melted butter (but even just melted) to it; then the barm, and other liquors: and put it into the oven well heated presently. for the better baking of it, put it in a hoop, and let it stand in the oven one hour and half. you ice the cake with the whites of two eggs, a small quantity of rose-water, and some sugar. to make bisket to half a peck of flower, take three spoonfuls of barm, two ounces of seeds; aniseeds or fennel-seeds. make the paste very stiff, with nothing but water, and dry it (they must not have so much heat, as to make them rise, but only dry by degrees; as in an oven after manchet is taken out, or a gentle stove) in flat cakes very well in an oven or stove. to make a caraway-cake take three pound and a half of the finest flower and dry it in an oven; one pound and a half of sweet butter, and mix it with the flower, until it be crumbled very small, that none of it be seen; then take three quarters of a pint of new ale-yeast, and half a pint of sack, and half a pint of new milk; six spoonfuls of rose-water, four yolks, and two whites of eggs; then let it lie before the fire half an hour or more. and when you go to make it up, put in three quarters of a pound of caraway-confits, and a pound and half of biskets. put it into the oven, and let it stand an hour and half. another very good cake take four quarts of fine flower, two pound and half of butter, three quarters of a pound of sugar, four nutmegs; a little mace; a pound of almonds finely beaten, half a pint of sack, a pint of good ale-yest, a pint of boiled cream, twelve yolks, and four whites of eggs; four pound of currants. when you have wrought all these into a very fine past, let it be kept warm before the fire half an hour, before you set it into the oven. if you please, you may put into it, two pound of raisins of the sun stoned and quartered. let your oven be of a temperate heat, and let your cake stand therein two hours and a half, before you ice it; and afterwards only to harden the ice. the ice for this cake is made thus: take the whites of three new laid eggs, and three quarters of a pound of fine sugar finely beaten; beat it well together with the whites of the eggs, and ice the cake. if you please you may add a little musk or ambergreece. excellent small cakes take three pound of very fine flower well dryed by the fire, and put to it a pound and half of loaf sugar sifted in a very fine sieve and dryed; three pounds of currants well washed and dryed in a cloth and set by the fire; when your flower is well mixed with the sugar and currants, you must put in it a pound and half of unmelted butter, ten spoonfuls of cream, with the yolks of three new-laid eggs beat with it, one nutmeg; and if you please, three spoonfuls of sack. when you have wrought your paste well, you must put it in a cloth, and set it in a dish before the fire, till it be through warm. then make them up in little cakes, and prick them full of holes; you must bake them in a quick oven unclosed. afterwards ice them over with sugar. the cakes should be about the bigness of a hand-breadth and thin: of the cise of the sugar cakes sold at barnet. my lord of denbigh's almond march-pane blanch nut-kernels from the husks in the best manner you can. then pun them with a due proportion of sugar, and a little orange-flower, or rose-water. when it is in a fitting uniform paste, make it into round cakes, about the bigness of your hand, or a little larger, and about a finger thick; and lay every one upon a fine paper cut fit to it; which lay upon a table. you must have a pan like a tourtiere, made to contain coals on the top, that is flat, with edges round about to hold in the coals, which set over the cakes, with fire upon it. let this remain upon the cakes, till you conceive, it hath dryed them sufficiently for once; which may be within a quarter of an hour; but you take it off two or three times in that time, to see you scorch not the outside, but only dry it a little. then remove it to others, that lye by them; and pull the papers from the first, and turn them upon new papers. when the others are dryed enough, remove the pan back to the first, to dry their other side: which being enough, remove it back to the second, that by this time are turned, and laid upon new papers. repeat this turning the cakes, and changing the pan, till they are sufficiently dry: which you must not do all at once, least you scorch them: and though the outside be dry, the inside must be very moist and tender. then you must ice them thus: make a thick pap with orange flower or rose-water, and purest white sugar: a little of the whites of eggs, not above half a spoonful of that oyl of eggs, to a porrenger full of thick pap, beaten exceeding well with it, and a little juyce of limons. lay this smooth upon the cakes with a knife, and smoothen it with a feather. then set the pan over them to dry them. which being if there be any unevenness, or cracks or discolouring, lay on a little more of that mortar, and dry it as before. repeat this, till it be as clear, and smooth, and white, as you would have it. then turn the other sides, and do the like to them. you must take care, not to scorch them: for then they would look yellow or red, and they must be pure, white and smooth like silver between polished and matte, or like a looking glass. this coat preserves the substance of the cakes within, the longer moist. you may beat dissolved amber, or essence of cinnamon, with them. to make slipp coat cheese according to the bigness of your moulds proportion your stroakings for your cheese-curds. to six quarts of stroakings, take a pint of springwater: if the weather be hot, then let the water be cold, and before you put it into the stroakings, let them stand a while to cool after they are milked, and then put in the water with a little salt first stirred in it: and having stirred it well together, let it stand a little while, and then put in about two good spoonfuls of runnet, stir it well together, and cover it with a fair linnen-cloth, and when it is become hard like a thick jelly, with a skimming-dish lay it gently into the moulds, and as it sinks down into the moulds, fill it still up again, till all be in, which will require some three or four hours time. then lay a clean fine cloth into another mould of the same cise, and turn it into it, and then turn the skirts of the cloth over it, and lay upon that a thin board, and upon that as much weight, as with the board may make two pound or thereabouts. and about an hour after, lay another clean cloth into the other mould, and turn the cheese into that; then lay upon the board so much, as will make it six or seven pound weight; and thus continue turning of it till night: then take away the weight, and lay it no more on it; then take a very small quantity of salt finely beaten, and sprinkle the cheese all over with it as lightly as can be imagined. next morning turn it into another dry cloth, and let it lye out of the mould upon a plain board, and change it as often as it wets the cloth, which must be three or four times a day: when it is so dry, that it wets the cloth no more, lay it upon a bed of green-rushes, and lay a row upon it; but be sure to pick the bents clean off, and lay them even all one way: if you cannot get good rushes, take nettles or grass. if the weather is cold, cover them with a linnen and woollen cloth; in case you cannot get stroakings, take five quarts of new milk, and one of cream. if the weather be cold, heat the water that you put to the stroakings. turn the cheese every day, and put to it fresh of whatsoever you keep it in. they are usually ripe in ten days. to make slipp-coat-cheese master phillips his method and proportions in making slippe-coat cheese, are these. take six wine quarts of stroakings, and two quarts of cream; mingle these well together, and let them stand in a bowl, till they are cold. then power upon them three pints of boiling fair water, and mingle them well together; then let them stand, till they are almost cold, colder then milk-warm. then put to it a moderate quantity of runnet, made with fair water (not whey, or any other thing then water; this is an important point), and let it stand till it come. have a care not to break the curds, nor ever to touch them with your hands, but only with your skimming dish. in due time lade the curds with the dish, into a thin fine napkin, held up by two persons, that the whey may run from them through the bunt of the napkin, which you rowl gently about, that the curds may dry without breaking. when the whey is well drained out, put the curds as whole as you can into the cheese-fat, upon a napkin, in the fat. change the napkin, and turn the cheese every quarter of an hour, and less, for ten, twelve or fourteen times; that is, still as soon as you perceive the napkin wet with the whay running from the curds. then press it with a half pound weight for two or three hours. then add half a pound more for as long time, then another half pound for as long, and lastly another half pound, which is two pounds in all; which weight must never be exceeded. the next day, (when about twenty four hours are past in all) salt your cheese moderately with white salt, and then turn it but three or four times a day, and keep it in a cotton cloth, which will make it mellow and sweet, not rank, and will preserve the coat smooth. it may be ready to eat in about twelve days. some lay it to ripen in dock-leaves, and it is not amiss; but that in rain they will be wet, which moulds the cheese. others in flat fit boxes of wood, turning them, as is said, three or four times a day. but a cotton cloth is best. this quantity is for a round large cheese, of about the bigness of a sale ten peny cheese, a good fingers-breadth thick. long broad grass ripeneth them well, and sucketh out the moisture. rushes are good also. they are hot, but dry not the moisture so well. my lady of middlesex makes excellent slipp-coat cheese of good morning milk, putting cream to it. a quart of cream is the proportion she useth to as much milk, as both together make a large round cheese of the bigness of an ordinary tart-plate, or cheese-plate; as big as an ordinary soft cheese, that the market-women sell for ten pence. thus for want of stroakings at london, you may take one part of cream to five or six of morning milk, and for the rest proceed as with stroakings; and these will prove as good. slipp-coat cheese take three quarts of the last of the stroakings of as many cows as you have; keep it covered, that it may continue warm; put to it a skimming dishful of spring-water; then put in two spoonfuls of runnet, so let it stand until it be hard come: when it is hard come, set your fat on the bottome of a hair-sieve, take it up by degrees, but break it not; when you have laid it all in the fat, take a fine cloth, and lay it over the cheese, and work it in about the sides, with the back of a knife; then lay a board on it, for half an hour: after half an hour, set on the board an half pound stone, so let it stand two hours; then turn it on that board, and let the cloth be both under and over it, then pour it into the fat again; then lay a pound and half weight on it; two hours after turn it again on a dry cloth, and salt it, then set on it two pound weight, and let it stand until the next morning. then turn it out of the cheese-fat, on a dry board, and so keep it with turning on dry boards three days. in case it run abroad, you must set it up with wedges; when it begins to stiffen, lay green grass or rushes upon it: when it is stiff enough, let rushes be laid both under and over it. if this cheese be rightly made, and the weather good to dry it, it will be ready in eight days: but in case it doth not dry well, you must lay it on linnen-cloth, and woollen upon it, to hasten the ripening of it. to make a scalded cheese take six gallons of new milk: put to it two quarts of the evening cream; then put to it good runnet for winter cheese; let it stand, till it be even well, then sink it as long as you can get any whey out: then put it into your fat, and set it in the press, and let it stand half an hour: in this time turn it once. when you take it out of the press, set on the fire two gallons of the same whey; then put your cheese in a big bowl, break the curd as small with your hands as you do your cheese-cakes: when your whey is scalding hot, take off the scum: lay your strainer over the curd, and put in your whey: take a slice, and stir up your curd, that it may scald all alike: put in as much whey as will cover it well: if you find that cold, put it out, and put in more to it that is hot. stir it as before: then cover it with a linnen and woollen cloth: then set some new whey on the fire, put in your cheese-fat and suter and cloth. after three quarters of an hour, take up the curd, and put it into the cheese fat, as fast, as two can work it in: then put it into the hot cloth, and set it into the press. have a care to look to it, and after a while turn it, and so keep it in the press with turning, till the next day: then take it forth and salt it. the cream-courds strain your whey, and set it on the fire: make a clear and gentle fire under the kettle: as they rise, put in whey, so continuing, till they are ready to skim. then take your skimmer, and put them on the bottom of a hair-sieve: so let them drain till they are cold. then take them off, and put them into a bason, and beat them with three or four spoonfuls of cream and sugar. savoury tosted or melted cheese cut pieces of quick, fat, rich, well tasted cheese, (as the best of brye, cheshire, &c. or sharp thick cream-cheese) into a dish of thick beaten melted butter, that hath served for sparages or the like, or pease, or other boiled sallet, or ragout of meat, or gravy of mutton: and, if you will, chop some of the asparages among it, or slices of gambon of bacon, or fresh-collops, or onions, or sibboulets, or anchovis, and set all this to melt upon a chafing-dish of coals, and stir all well together, to incorporate them; and when all is of an equal consistence, strew some gross white-pepper on it, and eat it with tosts or crusts of white-bread. you may scorch it at the top with a hot fire-shovel. to feed chicken first give them for two days paste made of barley meal and milk with clyster sugar to scowre them. then feed them with nothing but hashed raisins of the sun. the less drink they have, the better it is: for it washeth away their fat; but that little they have, let it be broken beer; milk were as good or better; but then you must be careful to have it always sweet in their trough, and no sowerness there to turn the milk. they will be prodigiously fat in about twelve days: and you must kill them, when they are at their height: else they will soon fall back, and grow fat no more. others make their paste of barley meal with milk and a little course sugar, and mingle with it a little (about an eight part) of powder of green glass beaten exceeding small. give this only for two days to cleanse their stomacks. then feed them with paste of barley-meal, made sometimes with milk and sugar, and sometimes with the fat skimmed off from the pot, giving them drink as above. others make a pretty stiff paste for them with barley-meal (a little of the coursest bran sifted from it) and the fat scummed off from the boiling pot, be it of beef (even salted) or mutton, &c. lay this before them for their food for four days. then give them still the same, but mingled with a little powder of glass for or five days more. in which time they will be extremely fat and good. for their drink, give them the droppings of good ale or good beer. when you eat them, you will find some of the powder of glass in their stomacks, i.e. gizzards. to feed poultry my lady fanshaws way of feeding capons, pullets, hens, chickens or turkies, is thus. have coops, wherein every fowl is a part, and not room to turn in, and means to cleanse daily the ordure behind them, and two troughs; for before that, one may be scalding and drying the day the other is used, and before every fowl one partition for meat, another for drink. all their meat is this: boil barley in water, till it be tender, keep some so, and another parcel of it boil with milk, and another with strong ale. let them be boiled as wheat that is creed. use them different days for variety, to get the fowl appetite. lay it in their trough, with some brown-sugar mingled with it. in the partition for liquor, let them have water or strong ale to drink. they will be very drunk and sleep; then eat again. let a candle stand all night over the coop, and then they will eat much of the night. with this course they will be prodigiously fat in a fortnight. be sure to keep them very sweet. this maketh the taste pure. another way of feeding chicken take barley meal, and with droppings of small ale, (or ale it self) make it into a consistence of batter for pan-cakes. let this be all their food. which put into the troughs before them, renewing it thrice a day, morning, noon and evening; making their troughs very clean every time, and keeping their coops always very clean and sweet. this is to serve them for drink as well as meat, and no other drink be given them. feed them thus six days; the seventh give them nothing in their troughs but powder of brick searced, which scowreth and cleanseth them much, and makes their flesh exceeding white. the next day fall to their former food for six days more, and the seventh again to powder of brick. then again to barley meal and ale. thus they will be exceeding fat in fifteen days, and purely white and sweet. to fatten young chickens in a wonderfull degree boil rice in milk till it be very tender and pulpy, as when you make milk potage. it must be thick, almost so thick, that a spoon may stand an-end in it. sweeten this very well with ordinary sugar. put this into their troughs where they feed, that they may be always eating of it. it must be made fresh every day. their drink must be onely milk, in another little trough by their meat-trough. let a candle (fitly disposed) stand by them all night; for seeing their meat, they will eat all night long. you put the chicken up, as soon as they can feed of themselves; which will be within a day or two after they are hatched, and in twelve days, or a fortnight, they will be prodigiously fat; but after they have come to their height, they will presently fall back. therefore they must be eaten as soon as they are come to their height. their pen or coop must be contrived so, that the hen (who must be with them, to sit over them) may not go at liberty to eat away their meat, but be kept to her own diet, in a part of the coop that she cannot get out of. but the chicken must have liberty to go from her to other parts of the coop, where they may eat their own meat, and come in again to the hen, to be warmed by her, at their pleasure. you must be careful to keep their coop very clean. to feed chicken fatten your chicken the first week with oatmeal scalded in milk; the second with rice and sugar in milk. in a fortnight they will be prodigiously fat. it is good to give them sometimes a little gravel, or powder of glass, to cleanse their maws, and give them appetite. if you put a little bran with their meat, it will keep their maws clean, and give them appetite. another excellent way to fatten chicken boil white bread in milk, as though you were to eat it; but make it thick of the bread, which is sliced into it in thin slices, not so thick as if it were to make a pudding; but so, that when the bread is eaten out, there may some liquid milk remain for the chicken to drink; or that at first you may take up some liquid milk in a spoon, if you industriously avoid the bread: sweeten very well this potage with good kitchin sugar of six pence a pound; so put it into the trough before them. put there but a little at a time, (two or three spoonfuls) that you may not clog them, and feed them five times a day, between their wakening in the morning, and their roosting at night. give them no other drink; the milk that remaineth after they have eaten the bread, is sufficient; neither give them gravel, or ought else. keep their coops very clean, as also their troughs, cleansing them very well every morning. to half a dozen very little chickens, little bigger then black-birds, an ordinary porenger full every day may serve. and in eight days they will be prodigiously fat, one peny loaf, and less then two quarts of milk and about half a pound of sugar will serve little ones the whole time. bigger chickens will require more, and two or three days longer time. when any of them are at their height of fat, you must eat them; for if they live longer, they will fall back, and grow lean. be sure to make their potage very sweet. an excellent way to cram chicken stone a pound of raisins of the sun, and beat them in a mortar to pulp; pour a quart of milk upon them, and let them soak so all night. next morning stir them well together, and put to them so much crums of grated stale white bread as to bring it to a soft paste, work all well together, and lay it in the trough before the chicken (which must not be above six in a pen, and keep it very clean) and let a candle be by them all night. the delight of this meat will make them eat continually; and they will be so fat (when they are but of the bigness of a black-bird) that they will not be able to stand, but lie down upon their bellies to eat. to feed partridges that you have taken wilde you must often change their food, giving them but of one kind at a time, that so their appetites may be fresh to the others, when they are weary of the present. sometimes dry wheat; sometimes wheat soaked two or three days in water, to make it soft and tender; sometimes barley so used; sometimes oats in like manner. give them continually to lie by them; some of the great green leaves of cabbages, that grow at the bottom of the stalk, and that are thrown away, when you gather the cabbage; which you may give them either whole or a little chopped. give them often ants and their eggs, laying near them the inward mould of an ant hill, taken up with the ants in it. to make puffs take new milk curds, strained well from the whey; then rub them very well; season them with nutmeg, mace, rose-water and sugar; then take an egg or two, a good piece of butter, and a handful of flower; work all together, and make them into balls; bake them in an oven, upon sheets of paper; when they are baked, serve them up with butter melted and beaten with rose-water and sugar. in stead of flower, you may take fine grated-bread, dried very well, but not crisp. apples in gelly my lady paget makes her fine preserved pippins, thus: they are done best, when pippins are in their prime for quickness, which is in november. make your pippin-water as strong as you can of the apples, and that it may be the less boiled, and consequently the paler, put in at first the greatest quantity of pared and quartered apples, the water will bear. to every pint of pippin-water add (when you put the sugar to it) a quarter of a pint of fair spring-water, that will bear soap (of which sort only you must use) and use half a pound of sugar, the purest double refined. if you will have much gelly, two pippins finely pared and whole, will be enough; you may put in more, if you will have a greater proportion of substance to the gelly. put at first but half the sugar to the liquor; for so it will be the paler. boil the apples by themselves in fair water, with a very little sugar, to make them tender; then put them into the liquor, and the rest, the other half of the sugar with them. boil them with a quick fire, till they be enough, and the liquor do gelly, and that you see the apples look very clear, and as though they were transparent. you must put the juyce of two limons and half an orange to this in the due time. every pippin should be lapped over in a broad-pill of orange; which you must prepare thus. pare your orange broad and very thin, and all hanging together, rub it with salt, prick it, and boil it in several waters, to take away the bitterness, and make it tender. then preserve it by it self with sufficient quantity of sugar. when it is throughly done, and very tender (which you must cast to do before hand, to be ready when the apples are ready to be put up) take them out of their syrup, and lap every pippin in an orange-peel, and put them into a pot or glass, and pour the liquor upon them: which will be gelly over and about the apples, when all is cold. this proportion of liquor, apples, and orange-peels, will take up about three quarters of a pound of sugar in all. if you would keep them any time, you must put in weight for weight of sugar. i conceive apple-john's in stead of pippins will do better, both for the gelly and syrup; especially at the latter end of the year; and i like them thin sliced, rather than whole; and the orange-peels scattered among them in little pieces or chipps. syrup of pippins quarter and core your pippins; then stamp them in a mortar, and strain out the juyce. let it settle, that the thick dregs may go to the bottom; then pour off the clear; and to have it more clear and pure, filter it through sucking paper in a glass funnel. to one pound of this take one pound and an half of pure double refined sugar, and boil it very gently (scarce simpringly, and but a very little while) till you have scummed away all the froth and foulness (which will be but little) and that it be of the consistence of syrup. if you put two pound of sugar to one pound of juyce, you must boil it more & stronglier. this will keep longer, but the colour is not so fine. it is of a deeper yellow. if you put but equal parts of juyce and sugar, you must not boil it, but set it in a _cucurbite in bulliente balneo_, till all the scum be taken away, and the sugar well dissolved. this will be very pale and pleasant, but will not keep long. you may make your syrup with a strong decoction of apples in water (as when you make gelly of pippins) when they are green; but when they are old and mellow, the substance of the apple will dissolve into pap, by boiling in water. take three or four spoonfuls of this syrup in a large draught of fountain water, or small posset-ale, _pro ardore urinæ_ to cool and smoothen, two or three times a day. gelly of pippins or john-apples cut your apples into quarters (either pared or unpared). boil them in a sufficient quantity of water, till it be very strong of the apples. take the clear liquor, and put to it sufficient sugar to make gelly, and the slices of apple; so boil them all together, till the slices be enough, and the liquor gelly; or you may boil the slices, in apple-liquor without sugar, and make gelly of other liquor, and put the slices into it, when it is gelly, and they be sufficiently boiled. either way, you must put at the last some juyce of limon to it; and amber and musk if you will. you may do it with halves or quartered apples, in deep glasses, with store of gelly about them. to have these clear, take the pieces out of the gelly they are boiled in, with a slice, so as you may have all the rags run from them, and then put neat clean pieces into clear gelly. preserved wardens pare and core the wardens, and put a little of the thin rind of a limon into the hole that the core leaveth. to every pound of wardens, take half a pound of sugar, and half a pint of water. make a syrup of your sugar and water; when it is well scummed, put it into a pewter dish, and your wardens into the syrup, and cover it with another pewter dish; and so let this boil very gently, or rather stew, keeping it very well covered, that the steam get out as little as may be. continue this, till the wardens are very tender, and very red, which may be in five, or six, or seven hours. then boil them up to the height the syrup ought to be to keep: which yet will not be well above three or four months. the whole secret of making them red, consisteth in doing them in pewter, which spoileth other preserves, and in any other mettal these will not be red. if you will have any amber in them, you may to ten or twelve pounds of wardens, put in about twenty grains of amber, and one, or at most, two grains of musk, ground with a little sugar, and so put in at the last. though the wardens be not covered over with the syrup in the stewing by a good deal, yet the steam, that riseth and cannot get out, but circulateth, will serve both to stew them, and to make them red and tender. sweet meat of apples my lady barclay makes her fine apple-gelly with slices of john apples. sometimes she mingles a few pippins with the john's to make the gelly. but she liketh best the john's single, and the colour is paler. you first fill the glass with slices round-wise cut, and then the gelly is poured in to fill up the vacuities. the gelly must be boiled to a good stiffness. then when it is ready to take from the fire, you put in some juyce of limon, and of orange too, if you like it: but these must not boil; yet it must stand a while upon the fire stewing in good heat, to have the juyces incorporate and penetrate well. you must also put in some ambergreece, which doth exceeding well in this sweet-meat. a flomery-caudle when flomery is made and cold, you may make a pleasant and wholesome caudle of it, by taking some lumps and spoonfuls of it, and boil it with ale and white wine, then sweeten it to your taste with sugar. there will remain in the caudle some lumps of the congealed flomery, which are not ungrateful. pleasant cordial tablets, which are very comforting, and strengthen nature much take four ounces of blanched almonds; of pine kernels, and of pistachios, _ana_, four ounces. erin-go-roots, candid-limon peels, _ana_, three ounces, candid orange peels two ounces, candid citron-peels four ounces, of powder of white amber, as much as will lie upon a shilling; and as much of the powder of pearl, grains of ambergreece, three grains of musk, a book of leaf gold, cloves and mace, of each as much as will lie upon a three pence; cut all these as small as possible you can. then take a pound of sugar, and half a pint of water, boil it to a candy-height, then put in the ambergreece and musk, with three or four spoonfulls of orange flower water. then put in all the other things and stir them well together, and cast them upon plates, and set them to dry: when both sides are dry, take orange-flower-water and sugar, and ice them. to make harts-horn gelly take four ounces of harts-horn rasped, boil it in four pound of water, till it will be a gelly, which you may try upon a plate (it will be so, in four or five or six hours gentle boiling) and then pass the clear liquor from the horn (which will be a good quart) then set it on the fire again with fine sugar in it to your taste; when that is dissolved (or at the same time you put that in) put half a pound of white-wine or sack into it, and a bag of spice, containing a little ginger, a stick of cinnamon bruised, a nutmeg quartered, two or three cloves, and what other spice you like, but pepper. as soon as it beginneth to boil, put into it the whites of three or four eggs beaten, and let it boil up gently, till the eggs harden into a curd. then open it with a spoon, and pour into it the juyce of three or four good limons; then take it presently off the fire, letting it not boil more above a walm: then run it through a hippocras bag, putting spirit of cinnamon, or of ambergreece, or what you please to it. for gelly of flesh you proceed in the same manner, with a brawny capon or cock, and a rouelle of veal (first skinned, and soaked from the blood) in stead of harts-horn: and when the broth will gelly, do as above, using a double or treble proportion of wine. boil no salt in it at first, for that will make the gelly black. harts-horn gelly take a pound of harts-horn, and boil it in five quarts of water, until it come to three pints, then strain it through a sieve or strainer, and so let it stand, until it be cold; and according to the strength you may take more or less of the following ingredients. first, take your stock of gelly, & put it into a skillet or pipkin with a pound of fine loaf sugar, and set it over a fire of charcoal; and when it begins to boil, put in a pint or more of rhenish-wine. then take the whites of eggs six or eight, beaten very well, with three or four spoonfuls of rose-water, and put into the gelly. then take two grains of amber, and one grain of musk, and put thereto, so let it boil a quarter of an hour, but not too violent; then put in three or four spoonfuls of cinnamon-water, with the juyce of seven or eight limons; boil it one walm more, and run it very hot through your gelly-bag; this done, run it again as cool and softly as you can into your glasses and pots. to make harts-horn gelly take a pound of harts-horn, and a prety big lean chicken, and put it into a skillet with about nine quarts of water, and boil your stock prety stiff, so that you may cut it with a knife; you may try it in a spoon, as it is a boiling. then drain your liquor clear away from the harts-horn through a fine searse, and let it stand until the next morning; then if there be any fat upon it, pare it away, and likewise the settlings at the bottom. then put your gelly into a good big skillet, and put to it a quart of the palest white-wine that you can procure, or a quart of rhenish-wine, and one pound of double refined sugar, and half an ounce of cinnamon broken into small pieces, with three or four flakes of mace. then set it upon the fire, and boil it a good pace. then have the whites of sixteen eggs beaten to a high froth; so put in the froth of your eggs, and boil it five or six walms; then put in the juyce of six limons, and boil it a little while after, and then run it into a silver bason through your gelly-bag: and keep it warm by the fire, until it have run through the second time. you must observe to put but a very little into your bag at a time for the second running, that it may but little more then drop; and it will be so much the clearer: and you must not remove the whites of eggs nor spice out of the bag, all the while it is running. and if the weather be hot, you need not put in so much wine; for it will not then be so apt to gelly as in cold weather. another way to make harts-horn-gelly take a small cock-chick, when it is scalded, slit it in two pieces, lay it to soak in warm water, until the blood be well out of it. then take a calves foot half boiled, slit it in the middle and pick out the fat and black of it. put these into a gallon of fair-water; skim it very well; then put into it one ounce of harts-horn, and one ounce of ivory. when it is half consumed, take some of it up in a spoon; and if it gelly, take it all up, and put it into a silver bason, or such a pewter one as will endure char-coal. then beat four whites of eggs, with three or four spoonfuls of damask-rose-water very well together. then put these into the gelly, with a quarter of an ounce of cinnamon broken into very small pieces; one flake of mace; three or four thin slices of ginger; sweeten it with loaf sugar to your liking; set it then over a chafing dish of coals; stir it well, and cover it close; blow under it, until there arise a scum or curd; let it boil a little, then put into it one top of rose-mary, two or three of sweet marjoram; wring into it the juyce of half a limon; let not your curd fall again, for it will spoil the clearness of the gelly. if you will have it more cordial, you may grind in a sawcer, with a little hard sugar, half a grain of musk, a grain of ambergreece. it must be boiled in an earthen pipkin, or a very sweet iron-pot, after the harts-horn and ivory is in it. it must constantly boil, until it gellieth. if there arise any scum, it must be taken off. marmulate of pippins take the quickest pippins, when they are newly gathered, and are sharp; pare and core and cut them into half quarters. put to them their weight of the finest sugar in powder, or broken into little pieces. put upon these in your preserving pan, as much fountain water, as will even cover them. boil them with a quick-fire, till by trying a little upon a plate, you find it gellieth. when it is cold (which may be in less then half an hour) then take it from the fire, and put into it a little of the yellow rind of limons rasped very small, and a little of the yellow rinde of oranges boiled tender (casting away the first waters to correct their bitterness) and cut into narrow slices (as in the gelly of pippins) and some ambergreece, with a fourth part of musk, and break the apples with the back of your preserving spoon, whiles it cooleth. if you like them sharper, you may put in a little juyce of limon, a little before you take the pan from the fire. when it is cold, put it into pots. this will keep a year or two. try if the juyce of apples (strained out of rasped apples) in such sort, as you make marmulate of quinces, with the juyce of quinces, would not be better, then fair-water, to boil your apples and sugar in. gelly of quinces my last gelly of quinces i made thus. the quinces being very ripe, and having been long gathered, i took the flesh of twelve quinces in quarters, and the juyce of fifteen or sixteen others, which made me two pounds of juyce; and i made a strong decoction of about twenty four others, adding to these twenty four (to make the decoction the stronger, and more slimy) the cores and the parings of the twelve in quarters; and i used the cores sliced and parings of all these. all this boiled about an hour and half in eight or ten pound of water; then i strained and pressed out the decoction (which was a little viscous, as i desired) and had between and five pound of strong decoction. to the decoction and syrup, i put three pound of pure sugar, which being dissolved and scummed, i put in the flesh, and in near an hour of temperate boiling (covered) and often turning the quarters, it was enough. when it was cold, it was store of firm clear red gelly, environing in great quantity the quarters, that were also very tender and well penetrated with the sugar. i found by this making, that the juyce of quinces is not so good to make gelly. it maketh it somewhat running like syrup, and tasteth sweetish, mellowy, syrupy. the decoction of the flesh is only good for syrup. i conceive, it would be a grateful sweetmeat to mingle a good quantity of good gelly with the marmulate, when it is ready to put into pots. to that end they must both be making at the same time: or if one be a little sooner done then the other, they may be kept a while warm (fit to mingle) without prejudice. though the gelly be cold and settled, it will melt again with the warmth of the marmulate, and so mingle with it, and make a marmulate, that will appear very gellyish; or peradventure it may be well to fill up a pot or glass with gelly, when it is first half filled with marmulate a little cooled. preserved quince with gelly when i made quinces with gelly, i used the first time these proportions; of the decoction of quinces three pound; of sugar one pound three quarters; flesh of quince two pound and an half; the second time these, of decoction two pound and an half, sugar two pound and a quarter, of flesh two pound three quarters. i made the decoction by boyling gently each time a dozen or fourteen quinces in a pottle of water, an hour and a half, or two hours, so that the decoction was very strong of the quinces. i boiled the parings (which for that end were pared very thick, after the quinces were well wiped) with all the substance of the quince in thick slices, and part of the core (excepting all the kernels) and then let it run through a loose napkin, pressing gently with two plates, that all the decoction might come out; but be clear without any flesh or mash. the first making i intended should be red; and therefore both the decoction, and the whole were boiled covered, and it proved a fine clear red. this boiled above an hour, when all was in. the other boiled not above half an hour, always uncovered (as also in making his decoction) and the gelly was of a fine pale yellow. i first did put the sugar upon the fire with the decoction, and as soon as it was dissolved, i put in the flesh in quarters and halves; and turned the pieces often in the pan; else the bottom of such as lay long unturned, would be of a deeper colour then the upper part. the flesh was very tender and good. i put some of the pieces into jar-glasses (carefully, not to break them,) and then poured gelly upon them. then more pieces, then more gelly, &c. all having stood a while to cool a little. to make fine white gelly of quinces take quinces newly from the tree, fair and sound, wipe them clean, and boil them whole in a large quantity of water, the more the better, and with a quick fire, till the quinces crack and are soft, which will be in a good half hour, or an hour. then take out the quinces, and press out their juyce, with your hands hard, or gently in a press through a strainer, that only the clear liquor or juyce run out, but none of the pap, or solid and fleshy substance of the quince. (the water, they were boiled in, you may throw away.) this liquor will be slimy and mucilaginous, which proceedeth much from the seeds that remaining within the quinces, do contribute to making this liquor. take three pound of it, and one pound of fine sugar, and boil them up to a gelly, with a moderate fire, so that they boil every where, but not violently. they may require near an hours boiling to come to a gelly. the tryal of that is, to take a tin or silver plate, and wet it with fair-water, and drop a little of the boiling juyce upon the wet plate; if it stick to the plate, it is not enough; but if it fall off (when you slope the plate) without sticking at all to it, then is it enough: and then you put it into flat shallow tin forms, first wetted with cold water, and let it stand in them four or five hours in a cold place, till it be quite cold. then reverse the plates, that it may shale and fall out, and so put the parcels up in boxes. note, you take fountain water, and put the quinces into it, both of them being cold. then set your kettle to boil with a very quick-fire, that giveth a clear smart flame to the bottom of the kettle, which must be uncovered all the while, that the gelly may prove the whiter; and so likewise it must be whiles the juyce or expression is boiling with the sugar, which must be the finest, that it may not need clarifying with an egg; but that little scum that riseth at the sides at the beginning of moderate boiling must be scummed away. you let your juyce or expression settle a while, that if any of the thick substance be come out with it, it may settle to the bottom; for you are to use for this only the clear juyce: which to have it the clearer, you may let it run through a large, thin, open, strainer, without pressing it. when you boil the whole quinces, you take them out, to strain them as soon as their skins crack, and that they are quite soft; which will not happen to them all at the same time, but according to their bigness and ripeness. therefore first take out and press those, that are ready first: and the rest still as they grow to a fit state to press. you shall have more juyce by pressing the quinces in a torcular, but it will be clearer, doing it with your hands; both ways, you lap them in a strainer. white marmulate, the queens way take a pound and an half of flesh of quinces sliced, one pound of sugar, and one pound of liquor (which is a decoction made very strong of quinces boiled in fair water). boil these with a pretty quick fire, till they be enough, and that you find it gellieth. then proceed as in my way. my lady of bath's way take six pounds of flesh of quince, and two pound of sugar moistened well with juyce of quinces. boil these together in a fit kettle; first gently, till the liquor be sweated out from the quince, and have dissolved all the sugar; then very quick and fast, proceeding as in my way, (bruising the quinces with a spoon, &c.) till it be enough. this will be very fine and quick in taste; but will not keep well beyond easter. in this course you may make marmulate without any juyce or water (by the meer sweeting of the flesh) if you be careful, proceeding slowly till juyce enough be sweated out, least else it burn to; and then quick, that the flesh may be boiled enough, before the moisture be evaporated away. paste of quinces take a quart of the juyce of quince, and when it is on the fire, put into it, pared, quartered and cored as much quince, as the juyce will cover; when it is boiled tender, pass the liquor through a sieve & put the pulp into a stone mortar, and beat it very fine with a woodden pestel; then weigh it, and to every pound of pulp, take a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar, and boil it up to a candy-height in some of the juyce, which you passed through the sieve; then put therein your pulp, stirring it well together, till it hath had one boil and no more; then drop it on glasses, or spread it on plates, and set it to dry. into the juyce that remains, you may put more flesh of quinces, and boil it tender, doing all as at the first. then adding it (beaten to pulp in a mortar) unto the former pulp; repeating this, till you have taken up all your juyce. then put your proportion of sugar to the whole quantity of pulp, and so make it up into paste, and dry it, and sometimes before a gentle fire, sometimes in a very moderate stove. paste of quinces with very little sugar to one pound of flesh or solid substance of quinces (when they are pared, cored, and quartered,) take but a quarter of double refined sugar. do thus, scald your flesh of quinces in a little of the juyce of other quinces, that they may become tender, as if they were coddled. then beat them in a mortar to a subtle uniform smooth pulp (which you may pass through a searce.) in the mean time let your sugar be dissolved, and boiling upon the fire. when it is of a candy-height, put the pulp of quince to it, and let it remain a little while upon the fire, till it boil up one little puff or bubbling, and that it is uniformly mixed with the sugar; you must stir it well all the while. then take it off, and drop it into little cakes, or put it thin into shallow glasses which you may afterwards cut into slices. dry the cakes and slices gently and by degrees in a stove, turning them often. these will keep all the year, and are very quick of taste. another paste of quinces put the quinces whole into scalding water, and let them boil there, till they be tender. then take them out and peel them, and scrape off the pulp, which pass through a strainer; and when it is cold enough to every pound put three quarters of a pound of double refined sugar in subtile powder; work them well together into an uniform paste; then make little cakes of it, and dry them in a stove. if you would have the cakes red, put a little (very little; the colour will tell you, when it is enough) of juyce of barberies to the paste or pulp. you have the juyce of barberries thus: put them ripe into a pot over the fire, till you see the juyce sweat out. then strain them, and take the clear juyce. if you would have the paste tarter, you may put a little juyce of limons to it. a pleasant gelly in the beginning of the winter is made, of pearmains, pippins and juyce of quinces. also a marmulate made of those apples, and juyce of quinces, is very good. a smoothening quiddany or gelly of the cores of quinces take only the cores, and slice them thin, with the seeds in them. if you have a pound of them, you may put a pottle of water to them. boil them, till they be all mash, and that the water hath drawn the mucilage out of them, and that the decoction will be a gelly, when it is cold. then let it run through a widestrainer or fitcolender (that the gross part may remain behind, but all the slyminess go through), and to every pint of liquor take about half a pound of double refined sugar, and boil it up to a gelly. if you put in a little juyce of quince, when you boil it up, it will be the quicker. you may also take a pound of the flesh of quinces (when you have not cores enow, to make as much as you desire) and one ounce of seeds of other quinces, and boil them each a part, till the one be a strong decoction; the other a substantial mucilage. then strain each from their course _fæces:_ and mingle the decoctions, and put sugar to them, and boil them up to a gelly. or with the flesh and some juyce of quinces, make marmulate in the ordinary way; which whiles it is boiling, put to it the mucilage of the seeds to incorporate it with the marmulate. you may take to this a less proportion of sugar than to my marmulate. marmulate of cherries take four pound of the best kentish cherries, before they be stoned, to one pound of pure loaf sugar, which beat into small powder: stone the cherries, and put them into your preserving pan over a gentle fire, that they may not boil, but resolve much into liquor. take away with the spoon much of the thin liquor, (for else the marmulate will be glewy) leaving the cherries moist enough, but not swimming in clear liquor. then put to them half your sugar, and boil it up quick, and scum away the froth that riseth. when that is well incorporated and clear, strew in a little more of the sugar; and continue doing so by little and little, till you have put in all your sugar; which course will make the colour the finer. when they are boiled enough, take them off, and bruise them with the back of a spoon; and when they are cold, put them up in pots. you may do the same with morello cherries; which will have a quicker-tast, and have a fine, pure, shining, dark colour. both sorts will keep well all the year. marmulate of cherries with juyce of raspes and currants mingle juyce of raspes and red currants with the stoned cherries, and boil this mixture into marmulate, with a quarter, or at most, a third part of sugar. the juyces must be so much as to make gelly of them to mingle handsomely with the cherries, to appear among and between them. madam plancy (who maketh this sweet-meat for the queen) useth this proportion. take three pounds of cherries stoned; half a pound of clear juyce of raspes, and one pound of the juyce of red currants, and one pound of fine sugar. put them all together into the preserving pan; boil them with a quick fire, especially at the first, skimming them all the while, as any scum riseth. when you find them of a fit consistence, with a fine clear gelly, mingled with the cherries, take the preserving pan from the fire, and braise the cherries with the back of your preserving spoon; and when they are of a fit temper of coolness, pot them up. peradventure, to keep all the year, there may be requisite a little more sugar. to make an excellent syrup of apples slice a dozen or twenty pippins into thin slices, and lay them in a deep dish, _stratum super stratum,_ with pure double refined sugar in powder. put two or three spoonfuls of water to them, and cover them close with another dish, luting their joyning that nothing may expire. then set them into an oven. and when you take out the dish, you will have an excellent syrup, and the remaining substance of the apples will be insipid. you may proceed with damsens, or other plumms, in the same manner, and you will have excellent stewed damsens, (as fair as preserved ones) swimming in a very fine syrup. sweet-meats of my lady windebanks she maketh the past of apricocks (which is both very beautiful and clear, and tasteth most quick of the fruit) thus, take six pound of pared and sliced apricocks, put them into a high pot, which stop close, and set it in a kettle of boiling water, till you perceive the flesh is all become an uniform pulp; then put it out into your preserving pan or possenet, and boil it gently till it be grown thick, stirring it carefully all the while. then put two pound of pure sugar to it, and mingle it well, and let it boil gently, till you see the matter come to such a thickness and solidity, that it will not stick to a plate. then make it up into what form you will. the like you may do with raspes or currants. it is a pleasant and beautiful sweet meat to do thus: boil raspes in such a pot, till they be all come to such a liquor; then let the clear run through a strainer; to a pound, or english wine pint whereof, put a pound of red currants (first stoned and the black ends cut off) and a pound of sugar. boil these, till the liquor be gellied. then put it in glasses. it will look like rubies in clear gelly. you may do the like with cherries, either stoned, and the stalks cut off, or three or four capped upon one stalk, and the stone left in the first, and boiled in liquor of raspes. she makes her curious red marmulate thus: take six pounds of quince-flesh; six pounds of pure sugar; and eight pints of juyce; boil this up with quick fire, till you have scummed it, then pull away all the coals, and let it but simper, for four or five hours, remaining covered, renewing from time to time so little fire, as to cause it so to continue simpring. but as soon as it is scummed, put into it a handful of quince kernels, two races of ginger sliced, and fourteen or fifteen cloves whole; all these put into a tyffany-bag tyed fast; when you finde that the colour is almost to your minde, make a quick fire, and boil it up a pace, then throw away your bag of kernels, ginger and cloves, and pot up your marmulate, when it is cool enough. she makes her red gelly of quince thus: put the quinces pared and sliced into a pot, as above; and to every pound of this flesh put about half a demistier of fair water, and put this into a kettle of boiling water, till you perceive all the juyce is boiled out of the quince. then strain it out, and boil this liquor (which will not yet be clear) till you perceive it gellieth upon a plate. then to every pint of liquor put a pound of sugar, and boil it up to a gelly, skimming it well, as the scum riseth, and you will have a pure gelly. gelly of red currants take them clean picked, and fresh gathered in the morning, in a bason, set them over the fire, that their juyce may sweat out, pressing them all the while with the back of your preserving spoon, to squeese out of them all that is good. when you see all is out, strain the liquor from them, and let it stand to settle four or five hours, that the gross matter may sink to the bottom. then take the pure clear, (the thick settling will serve to add in making of marmulate of cherries, or the like) and to every pint or pound of it, put three quarters of a pound of the purest refined sugar, and boil them up with a quick fire, till they come to a gelly height (which will be done immediately in less then a quarter of an hour) which you may try with a drop upon a plate. then take it off, and when it is cold enough, put it into glasses. you must be careful to skim it well in due time, and with thin brown paper to take off the froth, if you will be so curious. gelly of currants, with the fruit whole in it take four pound of good sugar, clarifie it with whites of eggs, then boil it up to a candid height (that is, till throwing it, it goeth into flakes): then put into it five pound (or at discretion) of pure juyce of red currants first boiled to clarifie it by skimming it. boil them together a little while, till it be well scummed, and enough to become gelly. then put a good handful or two of the berries of currants whole, and cleansed from the stalks and black ends, and boil them a little till they be enough. you need not to boil the juyce, before you put it to the sugar, and consequently do not scum it before the sugar and it boil together: but then scum it perfectly: and take care before, that the juyce be very clear and well strained. marmulate of red currants take some juyce of red currants, and put into it a convenient proportion of some entire currants cleansed from the stalks and buttons at the other end. let these boil a little together. have also ready some fine sugar boiled to a candy height. put of this to the currants at discretion, and boil them together, till they be enough: and bruise them with the back of your spoon, that they may be in the consistence of marmulate (like that of cherries) which put in pots, when it is cool enough. you do not stone the whole currants put into the juyce, unless you please. sucket of mallow stalks to candy or preserve the tender stalks of mallows, do thus; take them in the spring, when they are very young and tender; and peel off the strings that are round about the outside, as you do french-beans, and boil them, till they are very tender. in the mean time prepare a high syrup of pure sugar, and put the boiled stalkes into it, whiles it is boiling hot, but taken from the fire. let them lie soaking there till the next morning. then take out the stalks, and heat the syrup again, scalding hot, and return the stalks into it, letting them lie there till next morning; (note, that the stalks must never boil in the syrup,) repeat this six, or eight, or nine times, that is to say, till they are sufficiently imbibed with the syrup. when they are at this pass, you may either keep them as a wet sucket in syrup, or dry them in a stove upon papers, turning them continually, in such sort as dried sweet-meats are to be made. i like them best dry, but soft and moist within _(medullosi)_ like candied eryngos. in italy they eat much of them, for sharpness and heat of urine, and in gonorrhoea's to take away pain in urining. a sucket is made in like manner of the carneous substance of stalks of lettice. it is the knob, out of which the lettice groweth, which being pared, and all the tough rind being taken off, is very tender and so it is a pretty way downwards the root. this also is very cooling and smoothing. in italy these tender stalks of mallows are called _mazzocchi_, and they eat them (boiled tender) in sallets, either hot or cold, with vinegar and oyl, or butter and vinegar, or juyce of oranges. conserve of red roses doctor glisson makes his conserve of red roses thus: boil gently a pound of red rose leaves (well picked, and the nails cut off) in about a pint and a half (or a little more, as by discretion you shall judge fit, after having done it once; the doctors apothecary takes two pints) of spring water; till the water have drawn out all the tincture of the roses into it self, and that the leaves be very tender, and look pale like linnen; which may be in a good half hour, or an hour, keeping the pot covered whiles it boileth. then pour the tincted liquor from the pale leaves (strain it out, pressing it gently, so that you may have liquor enough to dissolve your sugar) and set it upon the fire by it self to boil, putting into it a pound of pure double refined sugar in small powder; which as soon as it is dissolved, put in a second pound; then a third, lastly a fourth, so that you have four pound of sugar to every pound of rose-leaves. (the apothecary useth to put all the four pounds into the liquor altogether at once,) boil these four pounds of sugar with the tincted liquor, till it be a high syrup, very near a candy height, (as high as it can be, not to flake or candy) then put the pale rose-leaves, into this high syrup, as it yet standeth upon the fire, or immediately upon the taking it off the fire. but presently take it from the fire, and stir them exceeding well together, to mix them uniformly; then let them stand till they be cold; then pot them up. if you put up your conserve into pots, whiles it is yet throughly warm, and leave them uncovered some days, putting them in the hot sun or stove, there will grow a fine candy upon the top, which will preserve the conserve without paper upon it, from moulding, till you break the candied crust, to take out some of the conserve. the colour both of the rose-leaves and the syrup about them, will be exceeding beautiful and red, and the taste excellent; and the whole very tender and smoothing, and easie to digest in the stomack without clogging it, as doth the ordinary rough conserve made of raw roses beaten with sugar, which is very rough in the throat. the worst of it is, that if you put not a paper to lie always close upon the top of the conserve, it will be apt to grow mouldy there on the top; especially _aprés que le pot est entamé_. the conserve of roses, besides being good for colds and coughs, and for the lunges, is exceeding good for sharpness and heat of urine, and soreness of the bladder, eaten much by it self, or drunk with milk, or distilled water of mallows, and plantaine, or of milk. another conserve of roses doctor bacon related to me, that mr. minito the roman apothecary, made him some conserve of roses, in this manner. he took twelve pounds (of sixteen ounces to the pound) of the best lump or kitchin sugar, and clarified it very well with whites of eggs, using spring-water in doing this. he made his reckoning, that his twelve pound of sugar, came to be but nine pound, when all the scum was taken away, and the sugar perfectly clarified. boil it then to a syrup, and when it is about half boiled, go roundly about your rose-leaves. they must be picked and the white nails cut off before-hand; but begin not to beat them before your syrup is half boiled. then put thirty ounces (which is two pound and an half of roses to every pound of such sugar) of your red-roses into the mortar, and beat them well, squeesing into them, as you beat them, some of the subtilest and best part (which comes out first) of about two limons, which brings out their colour finely. you must have finished beating your roses, by then the sugar is come by boiling to a high syrup (for if you should let them lie still in the air, but a little while, they would grow black, and of ill colour) then with your ladle put the roses to the sugar, and stir them very well in it, to incorporate all well and uniformly together. so let them boil on gently (for all this while you take not your preserving pan from the fire, and a thick scum of the roses will rise, which you scum off from time to time continually as it comes up, and reserve this in a pot by it self, for it will be good hard sugar of roses, and may be about an eight or ninth part of the whole. after it is clear from scum, and hath boiled near a quarter of an hour with the roses in it, and that you see by a drop upon a plate, that it is of a due consistence; take your pan from the fire, and stir all very well together, and put it into pots, which leave uncovered during ten or twelve days, setting them in the hot strong sun all the day long during that time, to give the roses a fine hard crust or candy at the top; but under it, in the substance of the matter, it will be like a fine clear syrupy gelly. if the sun favour you not, then you may use a stove. after twelve days, tie covers of paper, upon the pots. doctor bacon useth to make a pleasant julep of this conserve of roses, by putting a good spoonful of it into a large drinking glass or cup; upon which squeese the juyce of a limon, and clip in unto it a little of the yellow rinde of the limon; work these well together with the back of a spoon, putting water to it by little and little, till you have filled up the glass with spring-water: so drink it. he sometimes passeth it through an hypocras bag, and then it is a beautiful and pleasant liquor. _finis_ the table[ ] a scotch ale from my lady holmbey to make ale drink quick a very pleasant drink of apples ale with honey small ale for the stone apple drink with sugar, honey, &c. master webbs ale and bragot to stew apples apples in gelly sweet-meat of apples to make an excellent syrup of apples b stewed broth portugal broth, as it was made for the queen nourishing broth broth and potage broth for sick and convalescent persons a savoury and nourishing boiled capon to stew beef to stew a rump of beef , , to rost wilde boar about making of brawn to bake beef to boil beef or venison ordering bacon for gambons, and to keep to make bisket c to make cider sir paul neal's way of making cider dr. harvey's pleasant water cider, whereof he used to drink much, making it his ordinary drink a good dish of cream an excellent spanish cream another clouted cream my lord of st. alban's cresme fouettee to make the cream curds the queens barley cream capon in white-broth to make cock-ale savoury collops of veal to pickle capons my lady portland's way scotch collops excellent good collops my lady diana porter's scotch collops cream with rice pickled champignons sallet of cold capon rosted to make cheese cakes short and crisp crust for tarts and pyes to make a cake to make a caraway-cake excellent small cakes to make scalded cheese the cream-courds savoury tosted or melted cheese to feed chicken to fatten young chicken in a wonderful degree an excellent way to cram chicken gelly of red currants gelly of currants with the fruit whole in it d to bake wilde ducks or teals to rost wilde ducks e to butter eggs with cream portuguez eggs to boil eggs f wheaten flomery a fricacee of lamb-stones, &c. to boil smoaked flesh a fricacee of veal , butter and oyl to fry fish a flomery-caudle g smallage gruel about water gruel an excellent and wholesome water gruel with wood sorrel and currants gruel of oatmeal and rice to make clear gelly of bran an excellent meat of goose or turkey to pickle an old fat goose h some notes upon honey my lord hollis hydromel hydromel as i made it weak for the q. mother to make honey drink weak honey drink to make an hotchpot , the queens hotchpot a nourishing hachy red herrings boiled to season humble pyes to make harts-horn gelly - l to dress lampreys m master corsellises antwerp meath to make excellent meathe a weaker, but very pleasant meathe an excellent white meathe master webbes meathe - my own considerations for making of meathe my lady gower's white meathe strong meathe a receipt for making of meathe my lord morice's meathe my lady morice her sisters meathe to make white meath sir william paston's meathe another way of making meathe sir baynam throckmorton's meathe my lady bellassises meathe my lord gorge his meathe several sorts of meathe, small and strong to make meathe sir john arundel's white meathe to make a meathe good for the liver and lungs a very good meathe my lord herbert's meathe to make small white meathe meathe from the muscovian ambassadour's steward meathe with raisins a receipt to make metheglin as it is made at liege, communicated by mr. masillon white metheglin of my lady hungerfords which is exceedingly praised a receipt to make a tun of metheglin the countess of bullingbrook's white metheg. metheglin composed by myself sir thomas gower's metheglin for health metheglin for taste and colour an excellent way of making white metheglin several ways of making metheglin to make white metheglin another metheglin mr. pierce's excellent white metheglin an excellent way to make metheglin, called the liquor of life to make good metheglin to make white metheglin of sir j. fortescue the lady vernon's white metheglin to make metheglin a most excellent metheglin to make white metheg. of the count. of dorset to make small metheglin the earl of denbigh's metheglin to make metheglin that looks like white wine metheglin, or sweet-drink of my lady stuart a metheg. for the colick-stone, of the same lady a receipt for metheglin of my lady windebanke marrow sops with wine to make a shoulder of mutton like venison an excellent way of making mutton steaks to make mustard for roasting of meat mutton baked with venison my lord of denbigh's almond march-pane marmulate of pippins white marmulate, the queens way my lady of bath's way marmulate of cherries marmulate of red currants o a plain but good spanish oglia to stew oysters p excellent marrow-spinage pasties to make a french barley posset to make puff-past to make a pudding with puff past to make pear puddings marrow puddings to make excellent black puddings a receipt to make white puddings to make an excellent pudding pyes to make pith puddings an oat-meal pudding to make call puddings a barley pudding a pippin pudding to make a baked oat-meal pudding a plain quaking pudding a good quaking bag pudding to preserve pippins in jelly to dress poor-john, and buckorn to dress parsneps to butter pease a herring pye to make an excellent hare pye to bake pidgeons, teals or wild ducks green-geese pye to make a plain ordinary posset concerning potages plain savoury english potage potage de blanc de chapon ordinary potage barley potage an english potage another potage nourissant potage de santé potage de santé , good nourishing potage pap of oat-meal panado barley pap oat-meal pap. sir john colladon pressis-nourissant pan-cotto my lord lumley's pease-potage an excellent posset pease of the seedy buds of tulips to make plague-water , an excellent baked pudding my lady of portland's minced pyes minced pyes to feed poultry to feed partridges that you have taken wilde to make puffs gelly of pippins or john-apples q to keep quinces all the year good gelly of quinces preserved quince with gelly to make fine white gelly of quinces paste of quinces , a smoothening quiddany or gelly of the cores of quinces r [transcribers note: r was missing in the original.] rice & orge mondé boiled rice dry to rost fine meat to make red-dear conserve of red roses , s sack with clove gilly-flowers to make stepponi to make a sack-posset a barley sack-posset my lord of carlile's sack-posset a syllabub to make a whip syllabub to make spinage-broth sauce of horse-radish very good sauce for partridges and chicken to dress stock-fish , to prepare shrimps for dressing to make slip-coat-cheese - sweet-meats of my lady windebanks sucket of mallow-stalks t tea with eggs a tansy , , to souce turkeys pleasant cordial tablets v to stew a breast of veal vuova lattate vuova spersa baked venison tosts of veal w morello wine currants wine the countess of newport's cherry wine strawberry wine to make wine of cherries alone to make rasbery-wine to make a white-pot , buttered whitings with eggs to stew wardens or pears preserved wardens [footnote : this table reproduces the index to the original volume. an index on modern lines, for more ready reference, will be found on pages - .] appendix i some additional receipts . _aqua mirabilis_. sir kenelm digby's way. take cubebs, gallingale, cardamus, mellilot-flowers, cloves, mace, ginger, cinammon, of each one dram bruised small, juyce of celandine one pint, juyce of spearmint half a pint, juyce of balm half a pint, sugar one pound, flower of cowslips, rosemary, borage, bugloss, marigold, of each two drams, the best sack three pints, strong angelica-water one pint, red rose-water half a pint; bruise the spices & flowers, & steep them in the sack & juyces one night; the next morning distil it in an ordinary or glass-still, & first lay harts-tongue leaves in the bottom of the still. the vertues of the precedent water this water preserveth the lungs without grievances, & helpeth them; being wounded, it suffereth the blood not to putrifie, but multiplieth the same. this water suffereth not the heart to burn, nor melancholly, nor the spleen to be lifted up above nature: it expelleth the rheum, preserveth the stomach, conserveth youth, & procureth a good colour: it preserveth memory, it destroyeth the palsie: if this be given to one a dying, a spoonful of it reviveth him; in the summer use one spoonful a week fasting; in the winter two spoonfuls. the above receipt is given in the rd edition of _the closet opened_, , also in _the queen's closet opened_. . _another more precious cosmetick, or beautifying water, by sir_ kenelm digby. take white lillies six drams, florence orrice roots, beans, cicers, lupins, of each half an ounce, fresh bean-flowers a handful, gum tragant, white lead, fine sugar, of each half an ounce, crums of white bread, (steeped in milk) an ounce, frankincense, and gum arabick of each three drams, borax, and feather'd allom of each two drams, the white of an egg, camphire a dram and a half; infuse them four and twenty hours in a sufficient quantity of rose and bean-flower water, equal parts; then distil it in _b.m._ _this water smooths, whitens, beautifies & preserves the complexions of ladies. they may wash their faces with it at any time, but especially morning and evening_. . _another richer perfume; being pleasant and wholesome, to perfume tobacco taken in a pipe_. take balm of peru half an ounce, seven or eight drops of oyl of cinamon, oyl of cloves five drops, oyl of nutmegs, of thyme, of lavender, of fennel, of aniseeds (all drawn by distillation) of each a like quantity, or more or less as you like the odour, and would have it strongest; incorporate with these half a dram of ambergrease; make all these into a paste; which keep in a box; when you have fill'd your pipe of tobacco, put upon it about the bigness of a pin's head of this composition. _it will make the smoak most pleasantly odoriferous, both to the takers, and to them that come into the room; and ones breath will be sweet all the day after. it also comforts the head and brains._ approved by sir _kenelm digby_. from hartman, _the true preserver of health_, . appendix ii _the true preparation of the powder of sympathy, as it was prepared every year in sir_ kenelm digby's _elaboratory, and as i prepare it now_. take good english vitriol, which you may buy for two pence a pound, dissolve it in warm water, using no more water than will dissolve it, leaving some of the impurest part at the bottom undissolved; then powr it off and filtre it, which you may do by a coffin of fine gray paper put into a funnel, or by laying a sheet of gray paper in a sieve, and powring your water or dissolution of vitriol into it by degrees, setting the sieve upon a large pan to receive the filtred liquor; when all your liquor is filtred, boil it in an earthen vessel glazed, till you see a thin scum upon it; then set it in a cellar to cool, covering it loosly, so that nothing may fall in; after two or three days standing, powr off the liquor, and you will find at the bottom and on the sides large and fair green christals like emerauds; drain off all the water clean from them, and dry them; then spread them abroad, in a large flat earthen dish, & expose them to the hot sun in the dog-days, taking them in at night, and setting them out in the morning, securing them from the rain; and when the sun hath calcin'd them to whiteness, beat them to powder, & set this powder again in the sun, stirring it sometimes, and when you see it perfectly white, powder it, & sift it finely, and set it again in the sun for a day, and you will have a pure white powder, which is the powder of sympathy; which put up in a glass, and stop it close. the next yeare when the dog-days come, if you have any of this powder left, you may expose it again in the sun, spreading it abroad to renew its vertue by the influence of the sun-beams. the way of curing wounds, with it, is, to take some of the blood upon a rag, and put some of the powder upon the blood, then keep only the wound clean, with a clean linnen about it, and in a moderate temper betwixt hot and cold, and wrap up the rag with the blood, and keep it either in your pocket, or in a box, & the wound will be healed without any oyntment or plaister, and without any pain. but if the wound be somewhat old, and hot, and inflamed, you must put some of this powder into a porringer or bason full of cold water, and then put any thing into it that hath been upon the wound, and hath some of the blood or matter upon it, and it will presently take away all pain and inflammation, as you see in sir _kenelm's_ relation of mr. _howard [sic]_. to staunch the blood either of a wound or bleeding at the nose, take only some of the blood upon a rag, & put some powder upon it, or take a bason with fresh water, and put some of the powder into it, and bath the nostrils with it. from hartman, _the preserver of health_. appendix iii a list of the herbs, flowers, fruits, etc., referred to in _the closet opened:_-- i. agrimony; alexander; angelica; avens, leaves & flowers; balm; bay-leaves; beet leaves; bettony, wild; bettony, paul's; bistort; bloodwort; bluebottles; blue-button; borage, leaves & flowers; bramble, red, tops of; broom-buds; bugle; bugloss, leaves & flowers; burnet; carduus benedictus; carrot, wild; celandine; cersevril; chicory; chives; clove gilly-flowers; clown's all-heal; coltsfoot; comfrey; cowslip & french cowslip flowers; dragons; elder flowers; endive; eyebright; fennel; fever-few; garlic; ground-ivy; groundsel; hart's tongue, leaves; hops, flowers; horehound; hypericum, tops & flowers; hyssop; ladies' mantle; lettuce, leaves & stalks; lily of the valley; liquorice; liverwort; maidenhair; marigold, flowers & leaves; marjoram, sweet; marjoram, wild; marshmallow, leaves, flowers, & stalks; may-weed, brown; meadowsweet; mellilot, flowers; mint; spearmint; mouse-ear; mugwort; muscovy; nettle, red; oak of jerusalem; organ; origanum [wild marjoram]; oseille; parietary; peas (chick); pellitory-of-the-wall; penny-royal; philipendula; pimpernel; pourpier; primrose, flowers; purslane; ribwort; rocket; rosemary, tops, flowers, & sprigs; rose; rue; sage, (red & wild), leaves & flowers; saxifrage; sanicle; scabious; scurvy grass; self-heal; shallots; sibboulets; skirrets; smallage; sorrel (wood); spike [spignel?]; spleenwort; spinach; st. john's wort; strawberry leaves; sweetbriar, leaves, tops, buds; sweet oak; sweetwort; tamarisk; tansy; thyme (broad, lemon, mother, & wild); violet, leaves & flowers; wallflowers (yellow); wall rue; watercress; wheat (green); white-wort; winter savoury; woodbine; wormwood (sea & roman); yarrow. (from this list i have omitted the commoner vegetables.) . _roots_.--alexander; angelica; asparagus; beet; betony, bittersweet; bluebottle; borage; coltsfoot; elecampane; eringo; fennel; fern; galingale; horse-radish; marshmallow; nettle (red); orris; parsley; scabious; sorrel; strawberry; succory; thyme (wild); tormentilla. . _seeds_.--anise; cardamom; carraway; citron; coriander; fennel; gromwell; melon; musk grains; mustard; nettle; parsley; saffron; tulip, seedy buds of; wormwood. . _fruits_.--apples (codlings, ginet moils, pearmains, pippins, golden pippins, red streaks); apricots; barberries; bilberries; cherries (black, kentish, morello); currants (dried, black, red); damsons; dates; jujubes; juniper berries; lemons; pears (bon chrétien & wardens); plums; prunes; raisins; rasps; sweetbriar berries; strawberries. . _barks, woods._--ash-tree bark; lignum cassiæ. . _nuts_.--almonds; chestnuts; pine kernels; pistachios; walnuts (green). . _juices_.--balm; celandine; cherry; hop; lemon; onion; orange; spearmint; spinach; tansy. .--_distilled waters_ of angelica; cinnamon; mallow; orange-flower; plantain; rose (red & damask). . _spices_ of all sorts; cloves; cinnamon (also oil of, & spirit of); ginger; mace; mustard; nutmeg; pepper; peppercorns. . _wines_.--canary sack; claret; deal; elder; malaga (old); muscat; muscadine (greek); red; rhenish; sack, sherry sack; spanish; white. . _other liquors_.--ale & beer; afterworts; lees of beer & wine; aqua vitæ; orangeado. . _vinegars_ of elder wine, & of white wine. . _verjuice_ of cider, & green sour grapes. . _other notable seasonings and ingredients_:-- ambergris; ivory; leaf gold; powder of white amber; powder of pearl; spanish pastilles (ambergris, sugar, & musk). notes _introduction_ p. x . _old cookery books and ancient cuisine_. by w. carew hazlitt. booklovers' library. . p. x . _the life of sir kenelm digby_. by one of his descendants [t. longueville]. . p. xi . for the controversy about the date of his birth, see the usual biographical authorities:--longueville, _op. cit._, digby's _memoirs_, ed. nicolas, ; _dict. of nat. biog._; _biog. brit._ (kippis); wood's _athenae oxon._, iii. ; aubrey's _lives_, ii. , etc. etc. p. xiv . "the elder lady digby." see text, p. . p. xv . "manuscript of elections." see w.h. black's _catalogue of the ashmolean mss._, , and , . p. xx . _journal of a voyage to scanderoon_, ed. j. bruce for camden soc., . p. xxi . "scanderoon had to be repudiated." here is a curious echo of the affair, quoted by mr. longueville from blundell of crosby. "when the same sir kenelm was provoked in the king's presence (upon occasion of the old business of scanderoon) by the venetian ambassador, who told the king it was very strange that his majesty should slight so much his ancient amity with the most noble state of europe, for the affections which he bore to a man (meaning sir kenelm) whose father was a traitor, his wife a ----, and himself a pirate, altho' he made not the least reply (as long as the ambassador remained in england) to those great reproaches, yet after, when the quality of his enemy was changed (by his return) to that of a private person, sir kenelm posted after him to italy. there sending him a challenge (from some neighbouring state) he found the discreet magnifico as silent in italy as himself had been in england, and so he returned home." p. xxii . the _memoirs_ were edited by sir n.h. nicolas from the harleian ms. in . p. xxii . "outburst of vile poetry." see _poems from sir k.d.'s papers_, ed. warner. roxburghe club, . p. xxiii . "hermit." the portrait of digby in this guise, painted by janssen, in the possession of t. longueville, esq., is reproduced in mr. longueville's life of his ancestor. says pennant in his _journey from chester to london_, ed. , "i know of no persons who are painted in greater variety than this illustrious pair [digby and his wife]: probably because they were the finest subjects of the time." p. xxv . "duel ... with a french lord." see the curious little pamphlet, _sir kenelme digby's honour maintained_, . p. xxvi . i the _observations on religio medici_, together with the correspondence between browne and digby, are often reprinted with the text of _r.m._ p. xxvi . "glass-making." see longueville, pp. - p. xxix . descartes. des maizeaux. _viede saint-evremond,_ pp. - . p. xxxi . _a late discourse made in a solemne assembly of nobles and learned men at montpellier_. by sir k.d., kt. rendered faithfully into english by r. white. nd ed., . the original was in french. longueville gives a loathsome receipt for the sympathetic powder from an original in the ashmolean. "to make a salve yt healeth though a man be miles off." but vitriol is the only ingredient digby mentions; and the receipt given by his steward hartman [see appendix], and sold by him, is more likely to be digby's. of course, there were many claimants to the credit of the invention of sympathetic powders. p. xxxiii . "house in covent garden." for a brief account of this house, see an article on hogarth's london in the _english review_, february, . p. xxxiv . "history of the digby family." this has disappeared. p. xxxiv . "catalogue of the combined collection." _bibliotheca digbeiana_, . see also edwards's _memoirs of libraries_, ii, , and _sir k.d. et les anciens rapports des bibliothèques françaises avec la grande bretagne_. l. delisle. . p. xxxviii . lloyd's _lives of excellent personages that suffered for ... allegiance to the soveraigne in the late intestine wars_, ed. . p. xliv . "remedy for biting of a mad dog." there is a similar receipt in _arcana fairfaxiana_, ed. g. waddell, , a collection of old medical receipts, etc. of the fairfax and cholmely families. "a cure for the bite of a mad dog published for ye benefit of mankind in the newspapers of by a person of note.... n.b. this medicine has stood a tryal of years experience, and was never known to fail." p. liii . culpeper's _english physitian_, . p. liii . n. culpeper. herball. p. liii . john gerard. _the historie of plants_, . p. liii . wm. coles. _adam in eden_ and _the art of simpling._ and . _to the reader_. p. . "that old saw in the regiment of health." _the regyment, or a dyetary of helth_. by andrew borde, . (reprinted by the early english text soc.) _receipts._ p. , etc. "metheglin is esteemed to be a very wholsom drink; and doubtless it is so, since all the world consents that honey is a precious substance, being the choice & collection which the bees make of the most pure, most delectable, & most odoriferous parts of plants, more particularly of their flowers & fruits. metheglin is therefore esteemed to be an excellent pectoral, good against consumption, phthisick and asthma; it is cleansing & diuretick, good against the stone & gravel; it is restorative and strengthening; it comforts and strengthens the noble parts, & affords good nourishment, being made use of by the healthy, as well as by the sick. "my worthy master, that incomparable sir kenelm digby, being a great lover of this drink, was so curious in his researches, that he made a large collection of the choicest & best receipts thereof." hartman, _select receipts_, p. . concerning the difference between mead and metheglin, borde (_regyment of helth_) says:-- "_of meade_: meade is made of honny & water boyled both togyther; yf it be fyred and pure, it preserveth helth; but it is not good for them the whiche have the ilyache or the colycke. "_of metheglyn_: metheglyn is made of honny and water, & herbes, boyled and sodden togyther: yf it be fyred and stale, it is better in the regyment of helth than meade." but the distinction seems to have been forgotten in the hundred odd years between the publication of borde's book and digby's. glossary _ana_, of each. _apple-johns_, or _john apples_, apples considered best when shrivelled, so called because they are ripe about st. john's day. _aume, aam, awm_, a liquid measure used for wine and oil. a dutch aume of wine equalled about english gallons. _balneum_, a vessel filled with water or sand, in which another vessel is placed to be heated. _beatilies, beatilia, battalia_, tit-bits (e.g. cockscombs or sweet-breads) in a pie. _bragot_, ale boiled with honey. _bunt_, the cavity or baggy part of a napkin when folded or tied as a bag. _burthen_, a quantity, here signifying no certain amount. _call_, a wedge. _calvered_, cut in thin slices when "fresh," and pickled. _canicular days_, dog days. _cock's tread_, "the opaque speck or germinal vesicle in the surface of the yolk in an impregnated egg." m. _coddle_, to boil gently, to stew. _coffin_, a mould of paste for a pie. _cucurbite_, a gourd-shaped vessel; also a shallow vessel with a wide mouth, used for distillation. _demistier_ = demi setier, a measure of quarter-pint capacity. _electuary_, a medical conserve or paste of powder mixed with honey, syrup, etc. _fæces_, dregs. _fearced_, forced, stuffed. _florenden_, _florentine_, a kind of pie, of minced meats, currants, spices, etc., baked in a dish with a cover of paste. _gambon_, _gammon_, a smoked ham. _garavanzas_, chick-peas. _gelt_, castrated. _ginet-moils_, _gennet-moil_, a kind of apple ripe before others. _hippocras_, _hypocras bag_, a bag used in making hippocras, a medicinal drink consisting of spiced wines. _humble-pie_, a pie made of umbles or numbles (the heart, liver, kidneys, etc.) of the deer. _kiver_, _kive_, _keever_, a large vessel for fermenting liquors; a mashing tub. _lardons_, strips of bacon or salt pork used for larding. _laton_, _latton_, _latten_, a utensil made of thin brass, or mixed metal. _lith_, smooth, thick. _lute_, to close v., to adhere. _magma_, grounds. _manchet_, roll, or small loaf of fine white bread. _marinate_, to salt or pickle, and then preserve in oil or vinegar. _medullos_, _medullose_, having the texture of pith. _mittoner_, fr. _mitonner_. _mother of wine_, lees. _must_, new wine. _pearmains_, a variety of apple, perhaps from _permagnus_. _poix-chiches_, chick-peas. _posnet_, _possnet_, _possenet_, a porringer. _pottle_, a measure of two quarts. _pugil_, a pinch. _pun_, to beat, to pound as in a mortar. _race_, a root. _ranch-sieve_, perhaps a sieve mounted on a stand, from _rance_, _ranse_ a prop. _rand_, a strip or slice of meat cut from the margin of a part, or from between two joints. _resty_, _reasty_, rancid. _rouelle_, a rolled piece [of veal]. _rundlet_, _runlet_, a small barrel. _runnet_, rennet. _searse_, _searce_, a fine sieve. _souce-drink_, pickle sauce. _stroakings_, the last milk drawn from a cow; strippings. _stubble-goose_, the grayling goose. _tansy_, see recipe. the dish has been traced to the jewish custom of eating cakes with bitter herbs. _tourtière_, a pie-dish. _tyffany_, _tyffany bag_, bag made of thin silk or gauze. _torcular_, a press used in making wine. _trivet_, a tripod. _walm_, a bubble in boiling; a boiling-up. _wardens_, winter pears. _wort_, an infusion of malt which after fermentation becomes beer. index of receipts ale with honey, scotch, from my lady holmbey, small, for the stone, to make ale drink quick, and bragot, master webbe's, cock, apple drink with sugar, honey, etc., apples, a very pleasant drink of, in gelly, to stew, sweet meat of, syrup of, bacon for gambons, and to keep, barley cream, the queen's, pap, beef, to bake, or venison, to boil, to stew, rump of, to stew, , , bisket, to make, bragot, master webbe's, bran, to make clear gelly of, brawn, about making of, broth, nourishing, portugal, as it was made for the queen, spinage, stewed, and potage, for sick and convalescent persons, butter and oil to fry fish, cake, to make a, , a very good, an excellent, carraway, plumb, cakes, excellent small, capon, boiled, savoury and nourishing, cold rosted, sallet of, to pickle, my lady portland's way, in white broth, champignons, pickled, cheese, savoury tosted, or melted, scalded, slippcoat, - cheese-cakes, to make, cherries, marmulate of, marmulate of, with juyce of raspes and currants, to make wine of, chicken, fricacee of, to cram, to fatten in a wonderful degree, , to feed, , cider, sir paul neale's way, water, dr. harvey's, clouted cream, , cock ale, to make, collops, excellent good, scotch, my lord of bristol's, scotch, my lady diana porter's, of veal, savoury, conserve of red roses, , cordial tablets, which strengthen nature much, cream, clouted, , curds, to make, a good dish of, an excellent spanish, with rice, courdes, the, cresme fouettee, my lord of s. alban's, crust, short and crisp, for tarts and pyes, currants, gelly of, with the fruit whole in it, red, marmulate of, red, gelly of, wine, ducks, wilde, to bake, wilde, to rost, eggs, to boil, to butter, with cream, portuguez, flommery caudle, a, wheaten, fricacee of lamb-stones, sweetbreads, etc., a., of veal, , goose, an excellent meat of, to pickle an old fat, green geese pye, gruel of oatmeal and rice, smallage, water, water, with wood-sorrel and currants, hachy, a nourishing, hare-pye, to make, harts-horn gelly, to make, , , , herring pye, a, honey, some notes about, drink, to make, drink, weak, horse radish, sauce of, hotchpot, to make, , the queen's, humble pyes, to season, hydromel as i made it weak for the queen-mother, with clove-gilly-flowers, with juniper berries, my lord hollis's, julep of conserve of red roses, dr. bacon's, lamb-stones, a fricacee of, lampreys, to dress, mallow stalks, sucket of, marchpane, my lord of denbigh's almond, marmulate of cherries, of cherries with juyce of raspes and currants, of pippins, of red currants, my lady windebank's curious red, white, my lady of bath's way, the queen's, marrow puddings, sops, with wine, spinage pasties, excellent, meat, fine, to rost, for rosting of, meathe (mead), , , , , , , , , , , , , , a receipt to make good, a very good, excellent, to make, white, , , , , , , , white, an excellent, white, small, white, sir john arundel's, white, my lady gower's, good for liver and lungs, small, strong, , a weaker but pleasant, to keep long, with raisins, my lady bellassises, mr. corsellises, antwerp, my lord gorge his, my lord herbert's, my lady morrice's, my lady morrice, her sister's way, my own considerations for making, sir wm. paston's, another pleasant meathe of sir wm. paston, from the muscovian ambassador's steward, sir baynam throckmorton's, master webbe's, - metheglin, to make, - , , , , , , , , , , , , to make a tun of, composed by myself out of various receipts, my lady windebanke's, good, very good, excellent, most excellent, an excellent way to make, called the liquor of life, small, , , white, , , , , , , , , white, sir edward bainton's, the countess of bullingbroke's, the countess of dorset's, sir john fortescue's, my lady hungerford's, mr. pierce's excellent, the lady vernon's, the earl of denbigh's, sir thomas gower's, as it is made at liège, or sweet drink of my lady stuart, for the colic and stone, of my lady stuart, for health, sir thomas gower's, for taste and colour, that looks like white wine, minced pyes, to make, , my lady of portland's, , morello wine, mustard, to make, mutton, baked like venison, fricacee of, steaks, an excellent way of making, to make a shoulder of, like venison, oatmeal, pap of, pap of, sir john colladon's, pudding, pudding, a baked, and rice, gruel of, oglia, spanish, plain but good, ordinary drink, sir thomas gower's, oysters, to stew, panado, pan cotto, pap, barley, parsneps, to dress, partridges that you have taken wilde, to feed, pear pudding, pears, to stew, preserved wardens, pease, to butter, porage, my lord lumley's, of the seedy buds of tulips, pidgeons, teals, or wild ducks, to bake, pippins, gelly of (or of john apples), marmulate of, to preserve in gelly, syrup of, plague water, , poor john and buckorn, to dress, posset, an excellent, a plain ordinary, a barley sack, a french barley, a sack, , sack, my lord of carlile's, potages, concerning, barley, an english, good nourishing, ordinary, plain savoury, de santé, , de santé, nourissant, de blanc de chapon, poultry, to feed, pressis, nourissant, pudding, an excellent baked, another baked, a barley, black, , black, excellent, call, marrow, oatmeal, oatmeal, baked, pear, , pippin, pith, quaking, plain, quaking, bag, with puff paste, white, white, excellent, puff-past, puffs, to make, pyes, minced, minced, my lady of portland's, , hare, herring, quiddany of quinces, a smoothening, quince preserved with gelly, quinces, gelly of, gelly of, fine white, gelly of, red, my lady windebanke's, paste of, , paste of, with very little sugar, to keep all the year round, raspberry wine, to make, red dear, to make, herrings broyled, rice, boiled dry, and orge mondé, roses, red, conserve of, , julep of, sack with clove-gilly-flowers, posset, posset, my lord of carlile's, sallet of cold capon rosted, sauce of horse radish, very good for partridges, etc., for a carp or pike, shrimps, to prepare for dressing, slippcoat cheese, to make, , , , smallage gruel, smoaked flesh, to boil, spinage broth, to make, stepponi, stockfish, the way of dressing, in holland, another way, to dress, somewhat differingly from the way of holland, strawberry wine, sucket of mallow stalks, of lettuce, sweetbread, fricacee of, sweet-meats of my lady windebanke, , syllabub, a, , a plain, a whip, tablets, pleasant cordial, tansy, a, , , tea with eggs, turkeys, excellent meat of, to souce, veal, fricacee of, , savoury collops of, to stew a breast of, tosts of, venison, baked, , to keep, vuova lattate, spersa, wardens, preserved, to stew, white pot, to make, , whitings buttered with eggs, wilde boar, to rost, wilde ducks or teals, to bake, ducks, to rost, wine, cherry, the countess of newport's, raspberry, strawberry, none ethel morton and the christmas ship by mabell s. c. smith m. a. donohue & company chicago new york made in u. s. a. contents chapter page i the united service club at home ii dorothy's cottage iii the christmas ship iv financial plans v roger goes foraging vi in the smith attic vii for a traveller's kit viii the red cross nurse sets sail ix planning the u. s. c. "show" x the eventful evening xi "sister susie's sewing shirts for soldiers" xii james cuts corners xiii pasting xiv james's afternoon party xv prevention xvi for santa claus's pack xvii the club weaves, stencils and models clay xviii ethel blue awaits a cable xix leather and brass xx the ethels cook to keep xxi the christmas ship sails xxii a wedding and a surprise ethel morton and the christmas ship chapter i the united service club at home "it's up to roger morton to admit that there's real, true romance in the world after all," decided margaret hancock as she sat on the mortons' porch one afternoon a few days after school had opened in the september following the summer when the mortons and hancocks had met for the first time at chautauqua. james and margaret had trolleyed over to see roger and helen from glen point, about three quarters of an hour's ride from rosemont where the mortons lived. "roger's ready to admit it," confessed that young man. "when you have an aunt drop right down on your door mat, so to speak, after your family has been hunting her for twenty years, and when you find that you've been knowing her daughter, your own cousin, pretty well for two months it does make the regular go-to-school life that you and i used to lead look quite prosy." "how did she happen to lose touch so completely with her family?" "i told you how grandfather morton, her father, opposed her marrying uncle leonard smith because he was a musician. well, she did marry him, and when they got into straits she was too proud to tell her father about it." "i suppose grandfather would have said, 'i told you so,'" suggested helen. "and i believe it takes more courage than it's worth to face a person who's given to saying that," concluded james. "aunt louise evidently thought it wasn't worth while or else she didn't have the courage and so she drifted away. her mother was dead and she had no sisters and father and uncle richard probably didn't write very often." "she thought nobody at home loved her, i suppose," said helen. "father and uncle richard did love her tremendously, but they were just young fellows at the time and they didn't realize what their not writing meant to her." "once in a while they heard of uncle leonard through the music papers," went on roger, "but after his health failed, aunt louise told us the other day, he couldn't make concert appearances and of course a man merely playing in an orchestra isn't big enough to command public attention." "by the time that grandfather morton died about twelve years ago she was completely lost to the family," helen continued, "and she says she didn't know of his death until five years after, when she came accidentally upon some mention of it in a local paper that she picked up somewhere." "that was after uncle leonard's death, but it seemed to her that she could not make herself known to her people without being disloyal to his memory," roger carried on the story. "she probably thought that your father and uncle were just as much opposed to him as her father had been," guessed margaret. "as a matter of fact, they have been hunting hard for her through every clue that promised any result ever since grandfather died because they wanted to give her her share of his property." "he didn't cut her off with a shilling, then?" "grandfather seems to have had a change of heart, for he left her more than he did his sons. he said she needed it more." "and it has been accumulating all this time." "seven years. that means a very pleasant increase for her and dorothy." "she must think rather sadly of the days when they suffered real privation for the lack of it," said helen. "anyway, here they are now, with money in their pockets and an affectionate family all ready made for them and they are going to live here in rosemont near us, and dorothy is going to school with the ethels, and i'm willing to admit that it comes nearer to being a romance than anything i ever heard of in real life," and roger nodded his head gleefully. "i'm glad she's going to live here so we can see her once in a while," said margaret. "mother and sister and i all loved her at chautauqua, she was so patient and gentle with the people she taught. and of course we all think dorothy is a darling." "the ethels are crazy over her. they treat her as if she were some new belonging and they can hardly bear to have her out of their sight." "it was grandfather emerson who said all summer that she looked like the ethels," remarked roger. "her hair is fuzzy and her nose is puggy, but i didn't see much other likeness." "when she grows as fat as the ethels i think she'll look astonishingly like them. she's thin and pale, now, poor little dud." "i wish she could grow as plump as della watkins." "i saw tom watkins yesterday," said james. "what was a haughty new yorker doing on the jersey side of the hudson?" "it seems he boards cupid and his family at the rosemont kennels--you know they're half way between here and glen point. he was going to call on them." "dear cupid!" laughed margaret, recalling the bulldog's alarming face which ill agreed with his mild name and general behavior. "let's go over to the kennels and see him some day." "his wife is named psyche," went on james, "and they have two pups named amor and amorette." "i should think cupid's puppy would be the funniest little animal on earth," roared roger. "never, never shall i forget the day old cupe ran away with his market wagon," and he kicked his legs with enthusiasm. "did tom say anything about coming to see us?" asked margaret. "he said he and della were coming over on saturday afternoon and he inquired how far it was from glen point to rosemont and whether they could make two calls in one afternoon." "not if he stays at either place as long as we'd like to have him," said roger. "why don't we have a meeting of the united service club on saturday afternoon?" suggested helen, "and then the watkinses can come here and you two can come and we can all see each other and at the same time decide on what we are going to do this winter." "great head!" approved roger. "can you people be here?" "we can," assented margaret. "and we will." james completed the sentence for her. "here are the children. they've been asking when we were to have the first meeting, so i know they'll be glad to give saturday afternoon to it." "the children" of helen's patronizing expression came rushing into the yard at the moment. ethel brown morton, tall and rosy, her cheeks flushed with running, led the way; her cousin, ethel blue morton, not quite so tall or quite so rosy, made a fair second, and their newly-found cousin, dorothy smith, brought up the rear, panting a trifle harder than the rest, but already looking plumper and sturdier than she had during the summer at chautauqua. they greeted margaret and james gladly, and sat down on the steps of the porch to engage in the conversation. "hullo," a voice came through the screen door. "i'm coming out." "that must be my friend dicky," declared james. "come on, old man," and he arranged his knees in position to serve as a seat for the six-year-old who calmly sat himself down upon them. "how are you?" questioned james gravely. "all right?" "firtht rate," replied dicky briefly. "have a thuck?" and he offered james the moist end of an all-day-sucker, withdrawing it from his own mouth for the purpose. "thank you, i'm not eating candy to-day, sir," responded james seriously. "much obliged to you, all the same." dicky nodded his recognition of james's thanks and resumed his occupation. "it keeps us still though we're not pretty to look at as we do it," commented ethel brown. "you're talking about me," asserted dicky suddenly, once more removing his sucker from his increasingly sticky lips and fixing an accusing eye upon his sister. "she was, dicky, that's true," interposed helen quickly, "but she loves you just as much as if she were talking about roger." dicky regarded this as a compliment and subsided against james's chest. "we're going to try and get the watkinses to come out next saturday afternoon and the hancocks will come over and we'll have a meeting of the united service," explained roger to the new arrivals. "good enough!" approved ethel brown. "what are you going to do, madam president?" inquired ethel blue, who felt a lively interest in any future plans because the club was her idea. "we'll all think of things between now and saturday, and suggest them then." "tell the watkinses when you write to them, helen." "i'm just boiling over with ideas for the club to put into execution some time or other," announced roger. "big ones or little?" asked dorothy. "some of them are pretty big, but i have a feeling in my bones that they'll go through." "good for old roger's bones!" commended james. "may we venture to ask what some of them are?" "'nothing venture, nothing have,'" quoted roger. "i'm merely saying now, however, that the biggest scheme is one that i told grandfather emerson about the other day and he said he'd help by giving us the house for it." "what should we do that would need a house?" "what do you mean--house?" roger grinned delightedly at the commotion he had caused. "this plan i have is so big that we'll have to get the grown-ups to help us, but we'll do most of the carrying out ourselves in spite of that." "i should think we would have to have their help if your plan calls for a house." "you needn't be sarcastic, young woman. this is a perfectly good scheme--grandfather said so. he said it was so good that he was willing to back it and to help us by supplying the house we should need." "poor old roger--gone clean crazy," sighed james. "i almost think so," agreed helen. "let me tell you something, you scoffers----" "tell on; that's what we're waiting for." "well, on the whole, i guess i won't tell you a thing about it." "if you aren't the very meanest boy i ever knew in my life," decided margaret whole-heartedly. "to work our curiosity all up this way and then not to tell us a thing." "i didn't get the encouragement that the plan deserved." "like all great inventors," commented james. "they all come out on top at the end, i notice," retorted roger. "you just watch me about next april when the buds begin to swell." "heads begin to swell at any time of year, apparently." "especially bad cases begin in the autumn--about september." "oh, you wait, just wait," threatened roger. "when you haven't an idea what to do to make the club really useful for another minute then you'll recall that i promised you a really big plan. _then_--" "if you aren't going to tell us now i think we'd better talk about something that has some connection with what we're going to do in september instead of this april fool thing of yours," said helen somewhat sharply. "let's not talk about it until saturday," begged ethel blue. "then we can all put our minds on it." "i rise to remark, madam president," continued james, "that i believe this club has a great future before it if it does not get involved in wildcat schemes--" "now listen to that!" exclaimed roger. "there speaks the canny scot that was james's great-grandfather. cautious old hancock! now you really have got me riled. i vow to you, fellow-clubmen and -women that i won't be the first to propose this scheme again. you'll have to come to me. and i'll prophesy that you will come to me about the first of next april." "why april?" "nothing to do with april fool, i assure you. but about that time we shall have worked off all the ideas that we've cooked up to carry us through the winter and we'll be glad to undertake a service that is a service--the real thing." "we're going to do the real thing all the time." ethel blue defended her idea. "but i dare say we'll want to do your thing, too." "grandfather's recommendation doesn't seem to count with you young know-it-alls." "grandfather's recommendation is the only reason why our remarks weren't more severe," retorted ethel brown. "each of us must bring in a list next saturday," said helen, as they all walked to the corner to see that the hancocks took the car safely. "and i believe that every one will be a perfectly good plan," said roger magnanimously. "there won't be one that will require a house to hold it anyway," retorted margaret. chapter ii dorothy's cottage rosemont and glen point were two new jersey towns near enough to new york to permit business men to commute every day and far enough away from the big city to furnish plenty of air and space for the growing generation. it was the latter qualification that endeared them to the morton and hancock families, for there were no commuters in their households. lieutenant morton, father of roger and helen and ethel brown and dicky, was on his ship in the harbor of vera cruz. captain morton, his brother, father of ethel blue, had returned to gen. funston's army after finding their sister, mrs. smith, at chautauqua and convoying her with all the mortons and mrs. morton's father and mother, mr. and mrs. emerson, back to rosemont. his short furlough did not allow him to remain long enough to see his sister established in a house of her own, but it was understood that she was to hire a furnished house as near as possible to the mortons' and live in it until she made up her mind where she wanted to build. "dorothy and i have wandered about the united states so long," she said plaintively, "that we are thankful to settle down in a town and a house that we can call our own, and we shall be even happier when we have a bungalow actually belonging to us." at present they were still staying with the mortons, but the morton family was so large that two visitors crowded them uncomfortably and mrs. smith felt that she must not trespass upon her sister-in-law's hospitality longer than was absolutely necessary. "i think the white cottage just around the corner will be the one that we will take," she said to dorothy. "come with me there again this afternoon for one more look at it, and then we'll make up our minds." so they went to the white cottage and carefully studied its merits. "the principal good thing about it is that it is near aunt marion's," declared dorothy. "i think so, too. and it is near school and church and the butcher's and baker's and candlestick-maker's. we shan't have very far to walk for anything." "oh, mother, it doesn't seem possible that this can be _us_ really living and not just perching around, and having enough money and enough to eat and nothing to worry about." mrs. smith threw her arm about dorothy's shoulder. "the thing for you to do to show your gratitude is to grow well and strong just as fast as you can. i want to see you as rosy as the ethels." "they run me around so much that i think they'll do it for me before very long." "they have a start, though, so you'll have to do all the vigorous things that they do and others too." "you mean exercises at home?" "every morning when you get up you should do what a cat does when he wakes from a nap." "i know--he stretches himself way out to the tips of his claws." "and shakes himself all over. what do you suppose he's doing it for?" "to stretch his muscles, i should think." "and to loosen his skin and make himself generally flexible. have you ever seen a sick cat? his coat looks dull and dry and woolly instead of silky, and when you feel of him his skin doesn't slip over his bones easily. it wouldn't be very complimentary to ourselves to say that you and i are sick cats just now, but it wouldn't be far from the truth." "i don't much like the sound of it," laughed dorothy. "what can we invalid pussies do to get well?" "a few simple exercises we ought to take every morning when we first get out of bed. we ought to stand first on one foot and then on the other, and swing vigorously the foot that is off the floor." "that's easy." "then if we stretch our arms upward as high as we can, first one and then the other and then both, and then put our hands on the ribs of each side and stretch and lift them we shall have limbered up the lower and the upper parts of ourselves pretty thoroughly." "i learned a good exercise for the waist muscles at the girls' club last summer. you sit down and roll the body at the waist line in all directions. you can do it standing, too; that brings in some different muscles." "we'll do that. these few exercises will wake up every part of the body." "we ought to do them with the windows open." "when you first wake up after having the windows wide open all night you don't realize the cold in your room. it isn't until you have been to a warmer room that you notice the cold in your bedroom. so the best time to take these exercises is just the minute you hop out of bed. stand in front of the open window and take deep breaths of air way down into the very lower tips of your lungs so that every tiny cell will be puffed out with good, fresh oxygen." "it will take a lot of time to do all those exercises." "five minutes every morning will be enough if we do them vigorously. and you mustn't forget that your aim is to catch up with the ethels." "and then to beat them. i'll do it." they went slowly through the cottage and planned the purpose to which they would put each room. it was simply furnished, but all the necessities were there. "it's more fun this way than if there were a lot of furniture," said dorothy, "because we can get what is lacking to suit ourselves." "all the time that we are here we can be making plans for building our own little house." "i can hardly wait to have it." they hugged each other in their happiness and the tears were not far from the eyelids of both of them, for mrs. smith had not known anything but the actual necessities of living for many years and dorothy had never known many comforts that had been every day matters and not luxuries to her mother's youth. so mrs. smith hired the white cottage and she and dorothy moved in at once. a cousin of mary, mrs. morton's old servant, who had been dicky's nurse, came to work for them, and by the time of the first meeting of the united service club dorothy felt so settled in her new home that she wanted to have the meeting in the living-room or the big attic just to see how it felt to be entertaining people in her own house. "i think i wouldn't suggest it this time," mrs. smith warned her. "helen is the president, you see, and it seems more suitable for the first meeting to be held at her house. ask if you mayn't have the next one here. how often are you going to meet?" "i hope it will be once a week, and so does ethel blue. she thinks there's plenty of occupation to keep a service club busy all the time." at noon the sun disappeared and the rosemont members of the u. s. c. began to have doubts as to whether the hancocks and watkinses would appear. "even if it rains hard i think james and margaret will come," said helen. "the trolley brings them almost from their door to ours; but i don't feel so sure about the watkinses." "it doesn't take but ten minutes longer for them to come out from new york than for the hancocks to come over from glen point." "but they have to cross the ferry and take the train and it seems more of an undertaking than just to hop into a street car." "it's getting so dark and gloomy--what do you say if you ethels make some candy to enliven the afternoon?" "is there time before they come?" "just about. try vinegar candy this time. if you leave half of it unstirred and stir the other half it will be as good as two kinds, you know." so the ethels went off into a pantry back of the kitchen, where mrs. morton had had a small gas stove installed so that the children might cook to their hearts' content without interfering with the occupants of the kitchen. "there's nothing that upsets people who are trying to make a house run smoothly and to do its work promptly and well as to have children come into the kitchen and use the stove when it is needed for other purposes, and get in the way and leave their cooking apparatus around and their pots and pans uncleaned," declared mrs. morton. so the ethels and helen, and roger, too, for he was a capital cook and was in great demand whenever the boys went on camping trips, all contributed from their allowances to buy a simple equipment for this tiny kitchen which they called their own. mrs. morton paid for the stove, but the saucepans and baking tins, the flour and sugar and eggs, the flavoring extracts and the seasonings were all supplied by the children, and it was understood that when a cooking fit seized them they must think out beforehand what they were going to want and provide themselves with it and not call on the cook or mary to help them out of an emergency caused by their own thoughtlessness. mrs. morton was sure that her reputation as a sensible mother who did not let the children over-run the kitchen at times when they were decidedly in the way was one of the chief reasons why her servants stayed with her so long. so now ethel brown said to ethel blue, "have we got all the materials we need for vinegar candy?" and ethel blue seized the cook book and read the receipt. "mix together three cupfuls of sugar, half a cupful of vinegar, half a cupful of water. when it comes to a boil stir in one teaspoonful of soda." "we've got sugar and soda and water," announced ethel brown after investigating the shelves of the tiny storeroom, "but there isn't any vinegar. i do hate to go out in this rain," for the dark sky was making good its threat. "i'll get it for you. give me your jug," said roger, swinging into his raincoat. "i'll be back in half a jiff," and he dashed off into the downpour, shaking his head like a newfoundland dog, and spattering the drops as he ran. he was back before the ethels had their pans buttered and the water and sugar measured, so briskly had he galloped. it was only a few minutes more before the candy stiffened when a little was dropped into a cup of cold water. "now we'll pour half of it into one of the pans," directed ethel brown, "and then we'll get roger to beat the other half so it will be creamy." roger was entirely willing to lend his muscles to so good a cause and soon had the mass grained and white. "good work; one boiling for two batches!" he declared. "that pleases my notions of scientific management." when the door-bell rang for the first arrivals the whole thing was almost cold, and mary, who was always willing to help in an emergency, hastened the chilling process by popping the tins into the ice box. "they're not warm enough any longer to melt the ice," she decided, "so i'll just hurry 'em up a bit." after all the discussion about the city dwellers' dislike of going into the suburbs it was the watkinses who came first. "we're ahead of the hour," apologized della. "we couldn't time ourselves exactly for so long a distance." "the hancocks will come just on the dot, i've no doubt," laughed tom. "old james is just that accurate person!" as the clock's hand was on the appointed minute a whir at the bell announced margaret and james, both dripping from their run from the corner. "mrs. morton's compliments and she thought they had better drink this so they won't get cold." "our compliments and thanks to mrs. morton," returned tom, his hand dramatically placed over a portion of his person which is said to be the gateway to a boy's heart. when the cups had been emptied and the wafers consumed and the ethels had taken away the tray with the remains of the feast and had brought back the two kinds of candy, carefully cut into squares and heaped in two of the pretty japanese bowls which made a part of their private kitchen equipment, they all settled down in big chairs and on couches except roger, who sat near the fire to stir it, and helen, who established herself at one end of the table where she could see them all conveniently. chapter iii the christmas ship "the meeting will come to order," commanded helen, her face bubbling with the conflict between her dignity and her desire to laugh at her dignity. "we haven't any secretary, so there can't be any minutes of the last meeting." helen glanced sidewise at james, for she was talking about something she never had had occasion to mention in all her life before and she wondered if he were being properly impressed with the ease with which she spoke of the non-existent minutes. james responded to her look with an expression of surprise so comical that helen almost burst into laughter most unsuitable for the presiding officer of so distinguished a gathering. "oughtn't we to have a secretary?" asked tom. "if we're going to have a really shipshape club this winter it seems to me we ought to have some record of what we do." "and there may be letters to write," urged roger, "and who'd do them?" "not old roger, i'll bet!" cried james in humorous scorn. "i don't notice that anybody is addressing the chair," remarked helen sternly, and james flushed, for he had been the president's instructor in parliamentary law at the meeting when the club was organized, and he did not relish being caught in a mistake. "excuse me, madam president," he apologized. "i don't see any especial need for a secretary, miss president," said margaret, "but can't we tell better when we're a little farther along and know what we're going to do?" "perhaps so," agreed helen. "there isn't any treasurer's report for the same reason that there isn't any secretary's," she continued. "just to cut off another discussion i'd like to repeat my remark," said margaret. "if we become multi-millionaires later on we can appoint a treasurer then," said della, her round face unusually grave. "instead of a secretary's report it seems to me it would be interesting to remember what the club did last summer to live up to its name," suggested tom. "you know della and i weren't elected until after you'd been going some time, and i'm not sure that i know everything that happened." the mortons and dorothy and the hancocks looked around at each other rather vaguely, and no one seemed in a hurry to begin. "it looks to me as if a secretary is almost a necessity," grinned tom, "if nobody remembers anything you did!" "there were lots of little things that don't seem to count when you look back on them," began ethel blue. "we did some things as a club," said roger, "and we can tell watkins about those without embarrassing anybody." "our first effort was on old first night," said margaret thoughtfully. "don't you remember we went outside the gate and picked flowers and decorated the stage?" "in the evening james and roger passed the baskets to collect the offering in the amphitheatre," ethel blue said. "and then we all did things that helped along in the pageant and on recognition day." "i don't think those really counted for much as service," said helen, "because they were all of them mighty good fun." "i think we ought to do whatever will help somebody, whether we like it or not," declared ethel blue, "but i don't see why we shouldn't hunt up pleasant things to do." "what are we going to do, anyway?" asked della. "has anybody any ideas? oh, please excuse me, helen--miss president--perhaps it wasn't time to ask that question." "i was just about to ask for suggestions," said helen with dignity. "has any one come across anything that we can do here in rosemont or in glen point or in new york? anything that will be an appropriate beginning for the united service club? we want to do something that would be suitable for the children of our father and uncle who are serving in the army and navy trying to keep peace in mexico, and of a man like doctor hancock, who is serving his fellowmen in the slums every day, and of a clergyman who is helping people to do right all the time." helen flushed over this long speech. "rosemont, glen point, and new york--a wide field," said tom dryly. "it seems as if we might find something without much trouble." "i thought of the orphanage in glen point," said margaret. "what is there for us to do for the kids there that the grown people don't do?" asked roger. "the grown people contribute clothes and food and all the necessaries, but sometimes when i've been there it seemed as if the children didn't have much of any of the little nothings that boys and girls in their own homes have. it seemed to me that perhaps we could make a lot of things that weren't especially useful but were just pretty; things that we'd like to have ourselves." "i know just how they feel, i believe," said margaret. "one of my aunts thinks that perfectly plain clothes are all that are necessary and she won't let my cousins have any ruffles or bows. it makes them just miserable. they're crazy for something that 'isn't useful.'" "how would it do to get together a lot of things for christmas for the orphans? we might offer to trim a tree for them. or to give each one of them a foolish present or a pretty one to offset the solid things the grown-ups will give." "when i was a kid," observed james, "i used to consider it a mean fraud if i had clothing worked off on me as christmas presents. my parents had to clothe me anyway; why should they put those necessities among my christmas gifts which were supposed to be extras!" "there you are again; what people want in this world of pain and woe, ye-ho, he-ho," chanted roger, "is the things they can go without." "has any one thought of anybody else we can benefit?" questioned helen. "we might as well have all the recommendations we can." "there's an old couple down by the bridge on south street," said roger. "i've often noticed them. they're all bent up and about a thousand years old. we might keep an eye on them." "i know about them," contributed ethel brown. "i asked about them. they have a son who takes care of them. he gives them money every week, so they aren't suffering, but they both have the rheumatism frightfully so they can't go out much and i shouldn't wonder if they'd like a party some time, right in their own house. if we could go there and sing them some songs and dicky could speak his piece about the cat and we could do some shadow pantomimes on a sheet and then have a spread, i believe they'd have as good a time as if they'd been to the movies." "we'll do it." tom slapped his leg. "i'll sing 'em a solo myself." groans rose from james and roger. "poor old things! what have you got against them?" "oh, well, if you're jealous of my voice--of course i wouldn't for the world arouse any hard feelings, madam president. i withdraw my offer. but mark ye, callow youths," he went on dramatically, "the day will come when i'm a caruso and you'll be sorry to have to remember that you did your best to discourage a genius that would not be discouraged!" "the meeting will come to order." helen rapped for quiet, for the entire room was rocking to and fro over tom's praise of one of the hoarsest voices ever given to boy or man. "we'll give the old people a good show, even if tom does back out," cried roger. "i wish we had a secretary to put down these suggestions. i'm afraid we'll forget them." "so am i," agreed helen. "let's vote for a secretary. roger, pass around some paper and pencils and let's ballot." roger did as he was bid, and ethel brown and della collected the ballots and acted as tellers. "the tellers will declare the vote," announced helen, who had been conferring with james while the balloting was going on, and had learned the proper parliamentary move. margaret had coached ethel brown so that she made her report in proper style. "total number of votes cast, eight; necessary to a choice, five. margaret has one, dorothy has one, roger has two, ethel brown has one, ethel blue has three. nobody has enough." "have we got to vote over again?" helen asked of james. "i move you, madam president, that we consider the person receiving the highest number of votes as the person elected and that we make the election unanimous." "is the motion seconded?" cries of "yes," "i second it," "so do i," came from all over the room and included a call from ethel blue. roger pealed with laughter. "ethel blue means to get there," he shouted. "i do? what have i done?" demanded ethel blue, so embarrassed at this attack that the tears stood in her eyes. "why, you're the person who's receiving a unanimous election," returned roger, between gasps. "you've made it unanimous, yourself, all right." poor ethel blue leaned back in her chair without saying a word. "roger, you're too mean," cried helen. "don't you mind a word he says, ethel blue. it's very hard to follow votes and it isn't at all surprising that you didn't understand." "what does it mean?" "it means that you're elected secretary." "but there weren't enough votes." "you had three and roger had two, and nobody else had more than one. when one candidate has more than the rest he may be considered as elected, even if he didn't get the right number of votes--that is, if everybody agrees to it." "and you agreed to it," chuckled roger. "stop, roger. you're our new secretary, ethel blue, and it's very suitable that you should be, for the club was your idea and you ought to be an officer. roger, give ethel blue your pencil and the rest of that paper you had for the ballots. come and sit next to me, ethel." ethel blue felt that honors were being thrust upon her much against her will, but she was afraid that she would make some other mistake if she objected, so she meekly took the pencil and paper from roger and began to note down the proceedings. "we've had a suggestion from glen point and one from rosemont--let's hear from new york," said the president. "della--anything to say?" "papa can suggest lots of people that we can help if we ask him," said della. "i didn't ask him because i thought that perhaps you'd have some pet charities out here where there aren't so many helping hands as there are in new york." "how about you, tom?" "to tell you the truth," responded tom gravely, "i didn't think up anything to suggest this afternoon because my mind has been so full of the war that i can't seem able to think about anything else." everybody grew serious at once. the war seemed very close to the mortons, although it was a war across the sea, because they knew what it would mean to their father and uncle if ever our country should be involved in war. the thought of their own mental suffering and their anxiety if captain and lieutenant morton should ever be sent to the front had given them a keen interest in what had been going on in europe for six weeks. "i read the newspapers all the time," went on tom, "and i dare say i don't gain much real information from them, but at least i'm having ground into my soul every day the hideous suffering that all this fighting is bringing upon the women and children. the men may die, but at least they can fight for their lives. the women and children have to sit down and wait for death or destruction to come their way." "it's too big a situation for us way off here to grasp," said roger slowly, "but there are people on the spot who are trying to give assistance, and if americans could only get in touch with them it seems as if help might be handed along the way we handed the water buckets last summer when the cottage was on fire." "the red cross is working in all the countries that are at war," said helen. "there's an american red cross and people are sending clothing and food to the new york branch and they are sending them on to europe. that's roger's bucket brigade idea." "why don't we work for the red cross?" asked della. "i saw in the paper a plan that seems better still for us youngsters," said ethel blue. "some people are going to send over a christmas ship with thousands and thousands of presents for the orphans and the other children all over europe. why don't we work for that? for the santa claus ship?" "'charity begins at home,'" demurred margaret. "we needn't forget the glen point orphans. the christmas ship is going to sail early in november and we'll have plenty of time after she gets off to carry out those other schemes that we've spoken of." "i'd like to move," said ethel brown, getting on to her feet to make her action more impressive, "that the united service club devote itself first to preparing a bundle to send off on the christmas ship. after that's done we can see what comes next." "does any one second the motion, that we work first for the christmas ship?" asked helen. every voice in the room cried "i do." "all in favor?" there was a chorus of "ayes." "contrary minded?" not a sound arose. "it's a unanimous vote that we start right in on the bundle for the santa claus ship." chapter iv financial plans "this parliamentary business fusses me," exclaimed helen. "let's just talk, now that we've decided what we are going to do." "take a more comfortable chair," suggested tom, pulling over a morris chair nearer the fire. roger stirred up the flames and tossed on some pine cones. "these cones remind me that our old people down by the bridge might like some. they have a funny open stove that they could use them in." "what are they good for? kindling?" asked della. "ha! there speaks the city lady used only to steam! certainly they are good for kindling on account of the pitch that's in them, but they're also great in an open fire to brighten it up when it is sinking somewhat and one or two at a time tossed on to a clear fire make a pretty sight." "and a pretty snapping sound," added dorothy, remembering the cones from the long leaf pines. "our old couple gets a bushel on monday afternoon if it ever stops raining," promised roger. "dicky loves to pick them up, so he'll help." "the honorary member of the united service club does his share of service work right nobly," declared james, who was a great friend of dicky's. "the thing for us to do first is to decide how we are to begin," said helen. "we might talk over the kinds of presents that the war orphans would like and then see which of them any of us can make," suggested margaret wisely. "any sort of clothing would come in mighty handy, i should think," guessed james, "and i don't believe the orphans would have my early prejudices against receiving it for christmas gifts." "poor little creatures, i rather suspect santa claus will be doing his heaviest work with clothing this year." "as far as clothing is concerned," said margaret, "we needn't put a limit on the amount we send or the sizes or the kinds. the distributors will be able to use everything they can lay their hands on when the christmas ship comes in and for many months later." "then let's inquire of our mothers what there is stowed away that we can have and let's look over our own things and weed out all we can that would be at all suitable and that our mothers will let us give away, and report here at the next meeting." "while we're talking about the next meeting," broke in dorothy while the others were nodding their assent to helen's proposition, "won't you please come to my house next time?" "we certainly will," agreed della and margaret. "you bet," came from the boys. "and mother told me to offer the club the use of our attic to store our stuff in. it's a big place with almost nothing in it." "i'm sure aunt marion will be glad not to have anything else go into her attic," said ethel blue, and all the mortons laughed as they thought of the condition of the morton attic, whose walls were almost bulging with its contents. "if that's settled we must remember to address all our bundles to 'mrs. leonard smith, church street, rosemont,'" james reminded them. "it seems to me," ethel brown said slowly, thinking as she spoke, "that we might collect more clothing than we shall be able to find in our own families." "there are a good many of us," suggested della. "there are two watkinses and two hancocks and five mortons and one smith--that's ten, but if the rest of you are like the morton family--we wear our clothes pretty nearly down to the bone." all the mortons pealed at this and the rest could not help joining in. "one thing we must not do," declared helen. "we must not send a single old thing that isn't in perfect order. it's a poor present that you have to sit down and mend." "we certainly won't," agreed margaret. "i wear my clothes almost down to the skeleton, too, but i know i have some duds that i can make over into dresses for small children. i'm gladder every day that we took that sewing course last summer, helen." "me, too. my dresses--or what's left of them--usually adorn ethel brown's graceful frame, but perhaps mother will let us have for the orphans the clothes that would ordinarily go to ethel brown." ethel brown looked worried. "ethel brown doesn't know whether that will mean that she'll have to go without or whether she'll have new clothes instead of the hand-me-downs," laughed roger. "i don't care," cried ethel brown. "i'd just as lief go without new clothes if mother will let the club have the money they'd cost." "i've been thinking," said tom, "that we're going to need money to work this undertaking through successfully. how are we going to get it?" "but shall we need any to speak of?" inquired margaret. "fixing up our old clothes won't cost more than we can meet ourselves out of our allowances. i'm going to ask my aunt susy to let me have some of the girls' old things. the girls will be delighted; they're the ones who have the plain clothes." "we'll fix them up with ruffles and bows before we send them away," smiled helen. "why can't we ask everybody we come across for old clothes?" ethel blue wondered. "grandmother emerson would be sure to have something in her attic and i shouldn't wonder if she'd be willing to ask the ladies at the guild if they'd contribute," said helen. "do we want to take things from outside of the club?" objected ethel brown. "i don't see why not," answered margaret. "the idea is to get together for the orphans as many presents as possible, no matter where they come from. we're serving the orphans if we work as collectors just as much as if we made the clothes ourselves." "right-o," agreed roger. "let's tackle everybody we can on the old clo' question. we can ask the societies in our churches--" "why not in all the churches in town?" dared ethel blue. the idea brought a pause, for the place was small enough for the churches to meet each other with an occasional rub. "i believe that's a good idea," declared tom, and as a clergyman's son they listened to his views with respect. "all the churches ought to be willing to come together on the neutral ground of this club and if we are willing to take the responsibility of doing the gathering and the packing and the expressing to the christmas ship i believe they'll be glad to do just the rummaging in their attics and the mending up." "we needn't limit their offerings to clothes, either," said della. "we'll take care of anything they'll send in." "let's put it up to them, i say," cried roger. "there's at least one member of the morton family in every society in our church and we ought to get the subject before every one of those groups of people by the end of next week and start things booming." "we'll do the same at glen point," agreed margaret. "i can't promise quite as much for new york, because i don't know what father's plans are for war relief work in his church, but i do feel pretty sure he'll suggest some way of helping us," said della. "that's decided, then--we'll lay our paws on everything we can get from every source," tom summed up the discussion. "now i come back to what i said a few minutes ago--i think we're going to need more money to run this association than we're going to be able to rake up out of our own allowances, unless margaret's is a good deal bigger than mine," and he nodded toward margaret, who had objected to the more-money idea when he had offered it before. "just tell me how we'll need more," insisted margaret. "i figure it out that the part we boys will have to do in this transaction will be to district this town and glen point and make a house to house appeal for clothes and any sort of thing that would do for a christmas present, all to be sent to mrs. smith's." "that won't cost anything but a few carfares, and you can stand those," insisted margaret. "carfares are all right and even a few express charges for some people who for some reason aren't able to deliver their parcels at mrs. smith's house. but if you girls are going to make over some of these clothes and perhaps make new garments you'll need some cash to buy materials with." "perhaps some of the dry goods people will contribute the materials." "maybe they will. but you mark my words--the cost of a little here and a little there mounts up amazingly in work of this sort and i know we're going to need cash." "tom's right," confirmed della. "he's helped father enough to know." the idea of needing money, which they did not have, was depressing to the club members who sat around the fire staring into it gloomily. "the question is, how to get it," went on tom. "people might give us money just as well as cloth, i suppose," suggested margaret. "i think it would be a thousand times more fun to make the money ourselves," said ethel blue. "the infant's right," cried tom. "it will be more fun and what's more important still, nobody can boss us because he's given us a five dollar bill." "i suppose somebody might try," murmured helen. "they would," cried tom and della in concert. "we aren't a clergyman's children for nothing," tom went on humorously. "the importance a five dollar bill can have in the eyes of the giver and the way it swells in size as it leaves his hands is something that few people realize who haven't seen it happen." "let's be independent," cried dorothy decidedly, and her wish was evidently to the mind of all the rest, for murmurs of approval went around the room. "but if we're so high and mighty as not to take money contributions and if we nevertheless need money, what in the mischief are we going to do about it?" inquired roger. "we must earn it," said helen. "i'll contribute the money mother is going to pay me for making a dozen middy blouses for the ethels. she ordered them from me last summer when i began to take the sewing course and i haven't quite finished them yet, but i'll have the last one done this week if i can get home from school promptly for a day or two." "i can make some baskets for the woman's exchange," said dorothy. "i learned how to make lady baltimore cake the other day," said margaret, "and i'll go to some ladies in glen point who are going to have teas soon and ask them for orders." "i can make cookies," murmured ethel brown, "but i don't know who'd buy them." "you tell the kids at school that you've gone into the cooky business and you'll have all the work you can do for a while," prophesied roger. "i know your cookies; they're bully." "i don't notice that we boys are mentioning any means of making money," remarked james dryly. "i confess i'm stumped." "i know what you can do," suggested margaret. "father said this morning that he was going to get a chauffeur next week if he could find one that wouldn't rob him of all the money he made. you can run the car--why don't you offer to work half time--afternoons after school, for half pay? that would help father and he'd rather have you than a strange man." "he'd rather have half time, too. he likes to run the car himself, only he gets tired running it all day on heavy days. great head, sis," and james made a gesture of stroking his sister's locks, to which she responded by making a face. "i know what i can do," said roger. "you know those bachelor girls about seventy-five apiece, over on church street near aunt louise's--the miss clarks? well, they had an awful time last year getting their furnace attended to regularly. they had one man who proved to be a--er," roger hesitated. "not a total abstainer?" inquired james elegantly. "thank you, brother hancock, for the use of your vocabulary. the next one stole the washing off the line, and the next one--oh, i don't know what he did, but the miss clarks were in a state of mind over the furnace and the furnace man all winter. now, suppose i offer to take care of their furnace for them this winter? i believe they'd have me." "i think they'd be mighty glad to get you," confirmed helen. "could you do that and take care of ours, too?" "sure thing, if i put my mind on it and don't chase off with the fellows every time i feel in the mood." "mother would like to have you take care of ours if you could manage three," said dorothy. "i'll do it," and roger thumped his knee with decision. "i wouldn't undertake too much," warned helen. "it will mean a visit three times a day at each house, you know, and the last one pretty late in the evening." "i'm game," insisted roger. "you know i can be as steady as an old horse when i put my alleged mind on it. mother never had any kick coming over my work in the furnace department last winter." "she said you did it splendidly, but this means three times as much." "i'll do it," and roger nodded his head solemnly. "it seems to be up to della and me to tell what we can do," said tom meditatively. "father's secretary is away on a three months' holiday and i'm doing his typewriting for him and some other office stunts--as much as i can manage out of school hours. i'll turn over my pay to the club treasury." this was greeted with applause. "i don't seem to have any accomplishments," sighed della, her round head on one side. "the only thing i can think of is that i heard the ladies who have charge of the re-furnishing of the rest room in the parish house say that they were going to find some one to stencil the window curtains. i might see if they'd let me do it and pay me. i didn't take that class at the girls' club last summer, but dorothy and ethel brown could teach me." "of course." "or you could get the order from them, i'd fill it, and you could make the baskets for the woman's exchange," offered dorothy. della brightened. that was a better arrangement. "try it," nodded tom. "if you turn out one order well you'll get more; see if you don't." "our honorary member, mr. dicky morton, might sell newspapers since he got broken in to that business last summer," laughed ethel brown. "mother wouldn't let him do it here, i know, but he can weave awfully pretty things that he learned at the kindergarten and if there are any bazars this fall he could sell some of them on commission." "dicky really understands about the club. i think he'd like to do something for the orphans," helen agreed. "ladies and gentlemen," announced ethel blue, rising in her excitement; "i have a perfectly grand, galoptious idea. why do we wait for somebody else to get up a bazar to sell dicky's weaving? let's have a bazar of our own. why can't we have a fair with some tables, and ice cream and cake for sale and an entertainment of some kind in the evening? we all know all sorts of stunts; we can do the whole thing ourselves. if we announce that we are doing it for the christmas ship i believe everybody in town would come--" "--and in glen point and new york," roger mocked her enthusiasm. "you know we could fill the school hall as easy as fiddle, roger. you see everybody would know what we were at work on because we are going to begin collecting the clothes right off, so everybody will be interested." tom nodded approval. "perhaps we can do the advertising act when we do the collecting." "if i drive father, i see myself ringing up all the neighboring houses while he's in on his case," said james, "and it's just as easy to talk bazar part of the time as it is to chat old clo' the whole time." "can you get the school hall free?" asked tom. "we'd have to pay for the lighting and the janitor, but that wouldn't be much," said roger. "it would be better than the parish house of any of the churches because if we had it in a church there'd surely be some people who wouldn't go because it was in a building belonging to a denomination they didn't approve of, but no one can make any kick about the schoolhouse." "it's the natural neighborhood centre." "we'll have the whole town there." "if we let in some of the school kids we'll get all their families on the string," recommended roger. "i'm working up a feat that i've never seen any one do," said tom. "i'll turn it loose for the first time at our show." "remember, you're all coming to me next saturday afternoon," dorothy reminded them as the hancocks and watkinses put on their overgarments and sought out their umbrellas preparatory to going home. "and we'll bring a list of what we can contribute ourselves and what we've collected so far and what we think we can collect and we'll turn in anything we've made." "if there's anything we can work on while the club is going on we'd better bring it," suggested helen. "mother says we may have the sewing machine in the attic," said dorothy. "i believe i'll take my jig-saw over," suggested roger. "aunt louise wouldn't mind, would she?" "she'd be delighted. bring everything," and dorothy glowed with the hospitality that had been bottled up in her for years and until now had had but small opportunity to escape. chapter v roger goes foraging although helen never had been president of any club before, yet she had seen enough of a number of associations in the high school and the church to understand the advantage of striking while the iron of enthusiasm was hot. for that reason she and roger worked out the districting of rosemont before they went to bed that night, and the next afternoon roger went over to glen point on his bicycle, and, with james's help, did the same for that town. it was understood that tom would not be able to come out again until saturday, but he had agreed to be on hand early in the morning to do a good half day of canvassing. the girls were to speak to every one to whom they could bring up the subject conveniently, wherever they met them. roger began his work on monday afternoon after school. he wheeled over to a part of the town where he did not know many people, his idea being that since that would be the most disagreeable place to tackle he would do it first and get it over with. he was a merry boy, with a pleasant way of speaking that won him friends at once, and he was not bothered with shyness, but he did hesitate for an instant at his first house. it was large and he thought that the owner ought to be prosperous enough to have plenty of old clothes lying about crying to be sent to the war orphans. it was a maid whose grasp on the english language was a trifle uncertain who opened the door. roger stated his desire. "old clothes?" she repeated after him. "i've no old clothes to give you," and she shut the door hastily. roger stood still with astonishment as if he were fastened to the upper step. then his feelings stirred. "the idiot!" he gasped. "she thought i wanted them for myself," and he looked down at his suit with a sudden realization that his long ride over one dusty road and a spill on another that had recently been oiled had not improved the appearance of his attire. however, he rang the bell again vigorously. the woman seemed somewhat disconcerted when she saw him still before her. "i don't want the clothes--" began roger. "what did you say you did for?" inquired the maid sharply, and again she slammed the door. by this time roger's persistency was roused. he made up his mind that he was going to make himself understood even if he did not secure a contribution. once more he rang the bell. "you here!" almost screamed the girl as she saw once more his familiar face. "why don't you go? i've nothing to give you." "look here," insisted roger, his toe in the way of the door's shutting completely when she should try to slam it again; "look here, you don't understand what i want. is your mistress at home?" the girl was afraid to say that she was not, so she nodded. "tell her i want to see her." "what's your name?" "i'm roger morton, son of lieutenant morton. i live on cedar street. can you remember that?" she could not, but her ear had caught the military title and upstairs she conveyed the impression that at least a general was waiting at the door. when the mistress of the house appeared roger pulled off his cap politely, and he was such a frank-faced boy that she knew at once that her maid's fears had been unnecessary, though she did not see where the military title came in. roger explained who he was and what he wanted at sufficient length, and he was rewarded for his persistency by the promise of a bundle. "i know your grandmother, mrs. emerson," said the lady, who had mentioned that she was mrs. warburton, "and your aunt, mrs. smith, has hired one of my houses, so i am glad on their account to help your enterprise, though of course its own appeal is enough." roger thanked her and took the precaution to inquire the names of her neighbors, before he presented himself at another door. he also reached such a pitch of friendliness that he borrowed a whisk broom from mrs. warburton and redeemed his clothes from the condition which had brought him into such disfavor with the maid-servant. there was no one at home in the next house, but the next after that yielded a parcel which the old lady whom he interviewed said that he might have if he would take it away immediately. "i might change my mind if you don't," she said. "i've been studying for ten days whether to make over that dress with black silk or dark blue velvet. if i give the dress away i shan't be worried about it any longer." "very well," cried roger, and he rolled the frock up as small as he could and fastened it to his handle bars. there was no one at home at the next house, but the woman who came to the door at the next after that listened to his story with moist eyes. "come in," she said. "i can give you a great many garments. in fact there are so many that perhaps i'd better send them." "very well," returned roger. "please send them to my aunt's," and he gave the address. "you see," hesitated roger's hostess, now frankly wiping her eyes, "i had a little daughter about ten years old, and--and i never have been willing to part with her little dresses and coats, but how could i place them better than now?" roger swallowed hard. "i guess she'd like to have 'em go over there," he stammered, and he was very glad when he escaped from the house, though he told his mother, "she seemed kind of glad to talk about the kid, so i didn't mind much." "count listening as one of the club services," replied mrs. morton. back in his own part of town roger felt that his trip had been profitable. a very fair number of garments and bundles had been promised, and he had told everybody he could to watch the local paper for the announcement of the entertainment to be given by the u. s. c. "everybody seemed interested," he reported at home. "i don't believe we'll have a mite of trouble in getting an audience." it was at a cottage not far from the high school that roger came upon his nearest approach to an adventure. when he touched the buzzer the door was opened by an elderly woman who spoke with a marked german accent. roger explained his errand. to his horror the woman burst into tears. when he made a gesture of withdrawal she stopped him. "my son--my son is mit de army," she exclaimed brokenly. "my son und de betrothed of my daughter. we cannot go to the fatherland. the german ships go no more. if we go on an english or french ship we are kept in england. here must we stay--here." "you're safe here, at any rate," responded roger, at a loss what reply to make that would be soothing in the face of such depressing facts. "safe!" retorted the woman scornfully. "who cares to be safe? a woman's place is mit her men when they are in danger. my daughter and i--we should be in germany and we cannot get there!" "it's surely a shame if you want to go as much as that," returned roger gently, and just then to his surprise there came through an inner door a young woman whom he recognized as his german teacher in the high school, fräulein hindenburg. her face was disfigured with weeping and he knew now why she had seemed so ill and listless in her classes. "you must not mind mother," she said, looking surprised as she saw one of her pupils before her. "it is true that we would go if we could but we cannot, so we must stay here and wait." roger explained his errand. "to work for the war orphans of all countries?" cried both women excitedly. "gladly! gladly!" "we are knitting every day--scarfs, socks, wristlets," said the older woman. "also will we so gladly make clothing for the children and toys and playthings--what we can." fräulein smiled a sad assent and roger wheeled off, realizing that the pain caused by the war no longer existed for him only in his imagination; he had seen its tears. so freely had people responded to roger's appeal that he began to wonder how the club was going to take care of all the garments that would soon be coming in. after that thought came into his mind he made a point of asking the givers if they would send their offerings as far as possible in condition to be shipped. "margaret and helen can make over some of the clothes and the ethels and dorothy can help with the simple things, i suppose, but if there are many grown-up dresses like this one on my handle bar they won't have time to do anything else but dressmake," meditated roger as he pedalled along. nowhere did he meet with a rebuff. every one was pleased to be asked. many offered to make new garments. one old woman who lived in a wheel-chair but who could use her hands, agreed to sew if the material should be sent her. many mothers seemed to consider it a heaven-sent opportunity to make a clearance of the nursery toys though roger stoutly insisted that they must all be in working order before they were turned in. "it's been perfectly splendid," breathed roger joyfully as he finished his third afternoon and came into the house to report to his mother and helen. "it's a delight to ask when you feel sure that you won't have to coax as you usually do when you're getting up anything. everybody seems to jump at the chance." toward the end of the week ethel blue came in beaming. "i've got some entirely new people interested," she cried. "who? who?" "the last people you'd ever think of--the women in the old ladies' home." "why should you think them the very last to be interested?" asked mrs. emerson who happened to be at the mortons' and whose fingers were carrying the flying yarn that her needles were manufacturing into a sock. "most of them are mothers and it doesn't take a mother to be interested in such a cause as this. every human being who has any imagination must feel for the sufferings of the poor children." "it seemed queer to me because i've never seen them do anything but just sit there with their hands in their laps." "poor souls, nobody ever provides them with anything to do." "now all of them say that they'll be delighted to sew or knit or do anything they can if the materials are provided for them." "here's where we can begin to spend the money mother has offered to advance us," cried ethel brown. "can't we go right after school to-morrow and buy the yarn for them, mother?" "indeed you may. has della sent you the knitting rules from the red cross yet?" "we're expecting them in every mail. if they don't come before we take the wool to the home we can start the ladies on scarfs. they're just straight pieces." "mrs. hindenburg and fräulein are knitting wristlets for the german soldiers. they could give the rule for them, i should think," suggested roger, "and our old lady friends can just cut it in halves for the kids." it was the next day that helen came in from school all excitement. "i've made a discovery as thrilling as roger's about fräulein!" she cried. "what? who is it about? tell us." "it's about mademoiselle millerand." "your french teacher?" asked mrs. emerson. "she was new at school last year and you've heard us say she's the most fascinating little black-eyed creature." "perhaps she can't talk fast!" added roger. "what's the story about her?" demanded ethel brown. "it's not a romantic story like fräulein's; that is, there's no betrothed on the other side that she's crazy to get to; but she's going over to join the french red cross." "that little thing!" cried roger. "why she doesn't look as if she had strength enough to last out a week!" "she says she's had a year's training in nursing and that a nurse is taught to conserve her strength. she hopes she'll be sent to the front." "the plucky little creature! when is she going?" "as soon as she can put in a substitute at the school; she doesn't want to leave us in the lurch after she made a contract for the year." "it may take some time after that to arrange for a sailing, i suppose." "perhaps so. any way i think it would be nice if we gave her a send-off--" "just as we will fräulein if her chance comes." "we can make some travelling comforts." "she won't be able to carry much," warned mrs. morton. "everything will have to be as small as possible, but we can hunt up the smallest size of everything. i think it will be fun!" "she'll probably be very much pleased." "i wish there was something rather special we could do for fräulein too, so we could be perfectly impartial." "watch for the chance to do something extra nice for her. she's having the harder time of the two; it's always harder to stay and wait than it is to go into action, even when the action is dangerous." while the mortons were canvassing rosemont, james and margaret were doing the same work in glen point. dr. hancock had accepted his son's offer and james was now regularly engaged as his father's chauffeur, working after school hours every school day and on saturday mornings. the doctor insisted that he should have saturday afternoons free so that he might go to the club. he was also quite willing that james should follow the plan he had sketched at the last club meeting and visit the neighbors of his father's patients while doctor hancock was making his professional calls. the plan worked to a charm and james found glen point quite as ready as rosemont to respond to the "bitter cry of the children." "so many people are getting interested i almost feel as if it weren't our affair any longer," james complained to his father as they were driving home in the dusk one afternoon. "look out for that corner. that's a bad habit you have of shaving the curbstone. you needn't feel that way as long as your club is doing all the organizing and administration. that's the part that seems to make most people hesitate about doing good works. it isn't actual work they balk at; it's leadership." "if handling the stuff and disposing of it is leadership then we're a 'going concern' all right," declared james. "roger telephoned over this morning that the bundles were coming in to mrs. smith's at a great rate, and that a lot of people were making new garments and things that will turn up later." "when is tom coming out?" "saturday morning. i've saved one district for him to do then and that will finish up glen point as roger and i sketched it out." "it hasn't been so hard a job as you thought." "chasing round in the car has saved time. this is a bully job of yours, dad." "you won't hold it long if you cut corners like that, i warn you again." "i'll try to cut 'em _out_," laughed james as he carefully turned into the hancocks' avenue. chapter vi in the smith attic "grandfather emerson wants to give the club a present," cried ethel brown as the last arrivals, the hancocks, came up the stairs and entered the attic of dorothy's house on saturday afternoon. the large room was half the width of the whole cottage and, with its low windows and sloping roof had a quaint appearance that was increased by its furnishing of tables and seats made from boxes covered with gay bits of chintz. dorothy had not neglected her work for the orphans but she had found time to fit up the meeting place of the u. s. c. so that its members might not have to gather in bare surroundings. the afternoon sun shone brightly in through simple curtains of white cheesecloth, the sewing machine awaited helen beside a window with a clear north light, and roger's jig-saw was in a favorable position in a corner. each one who came up the stairs gave an "oh" of pleasure as the door opened upon this comfortable, cheerful room where there was nothing too good to be used and nothing too bad to have entrance to the society of beauty-loving folk. "what did your grandfather give us?" asked margaret. "grandfather has been awfully interested in the club from the very beginning, you know. the other day he asked if we wouldn't like to have him give us club pins with our emblem on them." "how perfectly dear of him!" ejaculated delia. "don't let your hopes rise too high. i said it would be simply fine to have little forget-me-not pins like those we talked about at our very first meeting in the ravine at chautauqua--do you remember?" "blue enamel," murmured dorothy. "he said he wanted us to have them, and that it was a lovely symbol and so on, and he'd seen some ducks of pins in new york that were just what we'd like, and some single flower ones for the boys--" "um. this suspense is wearing on me," remarked roger. "we talked it over and the way it came out was that grandfather said that perhaps he'd better give us now the money the pins would cost and keep his present for later." no one could resist a groan. "he won't forget it. grandfather never forgets to do what he promises. we'll get them some time or other. but i had a feeling that we'd like them later better even than now because we'd feel then that we'd really earned them after the club had done something worth while, you know." "i suppose we will," sighed della, "but they do sound good to me." "he was bound that we should have the forget-me-not in some form or other," went on ethel brown, "and he's sent us a rubber stamp with 'u. s. c.' on it and a forget-me-not at each end of the initials. there's an indelible pad that goes with it and we are to stamp everything we send out on some part where it won't be too conspicuous." "it will be like signing a letter to the child the present goes to," said dorothy. "isn't he a darling!" exclaimed ethel blue. "i love him as much as if he were my own grandfather." "he turned the money right over into my hand," continued ethel brown--"the money he didn't spend for the pins, i mean. it's fifteen dollars. what shall i do with it?" "pay for the yarn you bought for the women in the old ladies' home to knit with," said helen promptly. "'"the time has come," the walrus said,'" quoted tom, "when we must have a treasurer. it was all very well talking about not needing one when we didn't have a cent of money, but now we are on the way toward being multis and we can't get on any longer without some one to look after it." "let's make tom treasurer and then he can fuss over the old accounts himself," suggested roger. roger's loathing for keeping accounts was so well known that every one laughed. "not i," objected tom. "i'm not at all the right one. it ought to be one of you people who live out here where we're going to do our work. you'll have hurry calls for cash very often and it would be a nuisance to have to wait a day to write or phone me. no, sir, roger's the feller for that job." "no, roger isn't," persisted that young man disgustedly. "i buck, i kick, i remonstrate, i protest, i refuse." "here, here," called ethel blue. "who said you could have james's vocabulary?" "well, james, then," said tom. "it doesn't make much difference who it is as long as he lives in these precincts and not as far away as i do. madam president, i nominate mr. hancock for treasurer of the united service club." "you hear the nomination," responded helen. "is it seconded?" "i second it with both hands and an equal number of feet," replied roger enthusiastically. "now is the opportunity for a discussion of the merits of the candidate," observed helen drily. "there are many things that might be said," rejoined dorothy, "but because it would probably embarrass him--" "oh, say!" came from james. "are they as bad as that?" "as i was remarking when i was interrupted," continued dorothy severely, "because it might make the candidate feel queer if he were to hear all the compliments we should pay him, i think we won't say anything." "i'll trust old roger not to pay compliments," responded james. "old roger is in such a good humor because this job is being worked off on to your shoulders instead of his that he might utter some blandishments that would surprise you." "i wouldn't risk it!" "are you ready to vote?" asked helen. "we are," came ringing back, and the resulting ballot placed james in the treasurership, the only dissenting vote being his own. his first official act after the money was put into his hands was to give it back to ethel brown in part repayment of the sum which her mother had advanced for the yarn for the old ladies' home. "here's another bundle," announced mrs. smith, appearing with a large parcel as the club members were looking over the collection that had come in. all the contributions were piled in a corner, and already they made a considerable mound. "roger will have to apply some of his scientific management ideas to that mass of stuff," laughed mrs. smith. "i wish we could spread them out so that we could get an idea of what is which." "couldn't we boys make some sort of rack divided into cubes or even knock together a set of plain shelves? that would lift them off the floor." "i wish you would," said helen. "then we ought to put a tag on each bundle telling who sent it and what is in it." "and what we think can be done with it, if it isn't in condition to send off just as it is," added ethel brown. "i believe i saw some planks in the cellar that would make sufficiently good shelves for what you need," said mrs. smith. "suppose you boys go down stairs with me and take a look at them while the girls are making out the tags." so the boys trooped after their hostess while ethel brown unscrewed the cap of her fountain pen and wrote on the tags that dorothy cut out of cardboard, and ethel blue fitted them with strings, so that they might be tied on to the parcels. "these dresses and coats came from mrs. ames," said helen. "they belonged to her daughter who died, and they're all right for a child of ten, so we'll just mark the bundle, 'from mrs. ames,' and 'o.k.,' and put it away." "there's an empty packing box over in that corner," said dorothy. "wouldn't it be a good scheme to put the bundles we shan't have to alter at all, right into it?" "great. then we shan't have to touch them again until the time comes to tie them up in fancy paper to make them look christmassy." "here's the dress mrs. lancaster couldn't decide whether to have made over with black silk or blue velvet." "mrs. lancaster," murmured ethel brown, making out her card. "that certainly can't go as it is," pronounced della. "there's material enough in it for two children's dresses," decided margaret. "mark it, 'will make two dresses.'" "here's maud delano's jacket. she told roger she'd send this over when she got her new one." "it came this morning. it's all right except for tightening a button or two," and ethel brown inscribed, "coat; tighten buttons" on the slip which della tied on to one of the incompetent fasteners. "good for mrs. warburton!" cried helen. "what's she done?" "here's a great roll of pink flannelette--and blue, too--among her things. we can make dresses and wrappers and sacques and petticoats out of that." "it always seems just as warm as woolen stuff to me," said dorothy. "of course it can't be." "cotton is never so warm as wool, but if it's warm enough why ask for anything different. what's in your mind?" inquired margaret. "i was wondering if we couldn't do something to forward the cotton crusade at the same time that we're helping the war orphans." "you mean by making things out of cotton materials?" "yes. the orphans will want the warmest sort of clothing for winter, i suppose, but spring is coming after winter and summer after that, and i don't believe anything we send is going to be wasted." "they might wear two cotton garments one over the other," suggested della. "i don't say that we'd better make all our clothes out of cotton material, but where it doesn't make any especial difference i don't see why we shouldn't choose cotton stuff. after all, it's the war that has spoiled the cotton trade so we're still working for war sufferers only they'll be on this side of the atlantic. you know they say the southern cotton planters are having a serious time of it because they aren't selling any cotton to speak of in europe." "let's do it!" cried ethel blue and she told their decision to james who had come up to measure the attic doorway for some reason connected with the planks they had found. "it's a great idea. bully for dorothy," he cried working away with a footrule. "this will go all right," he decided, and ran down again to give a lift to the other carpenters. there were eight planks each about six feet long that mrs. smith had discovered in the cellar. a telephone to mrs. warburton had gained her consent to their use and the boys set about fitting them together as soon as they were on the top floor. fortunately they were already planed and of so good a length for the purpose they were to be used for that nothing was needed but hammer and nails to produce a set of shelves quite adequate for the purpose. two of the boards made the sides, and between them the remaining six were nailed at intervals. "we can set it against the wall over here," decided tom, "and it won't need a back." "which is lucky," james declared, "cos there ain't no planks to make a back of." "let's nail a block of wood or a triangle of wood under the bottom shelf in the corners," advised roger, "so the animal won't wobble." "if we had enough wood and a saw we could make nice cubby-holes, one for each bundle," remarked tom, his head on one side. "tom's getting enthusiastic over carpentering. we haven't either any more wood or a saw, old man, so there won't be any cubby-holes this time," decreed roger. "it will do perfectly well this way," said helen. "now if you'll help us up with these bundles--" it was a presentable beginning for their collection. two parcels in addition to mrs. ames's had gone into the packing case in the corner, but three shelves of the new set were filled with tight rolls, each with its tag forward so that no time would be lost in examining the contents, again. "that's what i call a good beginning," announced helen after the boys had swept up their shavings and had taken them and their hammers and the remaining nails down stairs. "what next, madam president?" inquired james when they returned. the girls were already spreading out the pink and blue flannelette on a plank table that had been left in the attic by the carpenters who had built the house. "we are going to cut some little wrappers out of this material. i think you boys had better fix up some sort of table over on that side of the room and get your pasting equipment ready, for we'll need oodles of boxes of all sizes and you might as well begin right off to make them." "right-o," agreed roger. "methinks i saw an aged table top minus legs leaning against the wall in the cellar. couldn't we anchor it on to this wall with a couple of hinges and then its two legs will be a good enough prop?" "if they're both on the same side." "it seems to me they are." "any superfluous hinges around the house, dorothy?" "i'm afraid not." "never mind, i'll get a pair when i go after the pasteboard and the flour for the paste and a bowl for a pastepot, and a--no, _three_ brushes for us three boys to smear the paste with and some coarse cotton cloth for binders." "don't forget the oil of cloves to keep your paste from turning sour," dorothy cried after them. "and mind you boil it thoroughly," said margaret. the boys started again towards the cellar when roger's eye happened to fall on the cutting operations of the girls. "pshaw!" he cried in scorn. "you are time-wasters! why don't you cut out several garments at once and not have to go through all that spreading out and pinning down process every time? i saw a tailor the other day cutting a pile of trousers two feet high." "what with, i should like to know?" inquired della mystified. "he did have a knife run by electricity," admitted roger, "but there's no reason why you can't cut four or five of those things just as easily as one." "we'll go on down and get the table top," said james, and he and tom departed. "now, then, watch your uncle roger. is this tissue paper affair your pattern? all you need to do is to fasten your cloth tightly down on to your table four thicknesses instead of one. thumb tacks, dorothy? good child! now lay your pattern on it--yes, thumb-tack it down if you want to--and go ahead. you've got new, sharp shears. don't be in a hurry. there you are--and you've saved yourself the fuss of doing that three times more." [illustration: pattern for wrapper e c e = twice the length from floor to neck a b = slit fold cloth on line c b d sew together sides f to e insert sleeves c to f] "roger really has a lot of sense at times," admitted ethel brown, after her brother had leaped down the attic stairs in pursuit of the boys. "he is good about helping," added della. "what is this garment--a wrapper?" asked margaret as helen held up the soft flannelette. "yes, it's the simplest ever, and we can adapt one pattern to children of all sizes or to grown people," explained helen. "i never heard of anything so convenient!" "first, you measure the child from the floor to his neck--i measured this on dicky. then you cut a piece of material twice that length. that is, if the kiddy is thirty inches from the floor to the chin you cut your flannelette sixty inches long." [illustration: wrapper completed] "exactly. then cut a lengthwise slit thirty inches long. then fold the whole thing in halves across the width of the cloth and sew up the sides to within four and a half inches of the top and you have a wrapper all but the sleeves." "how do you make those?" "it takes half a yard for a grown person--a quarter of a yard for a youngster. cut the width in halves and double it and sew it straight into the holes you've left at the tops." "will that be the right length?" "you can shorten it if you like or lengthen it by a band. you finish the slit up the front by putting on a band of some different color. it looks pretty on the ends of the sleeves, too. we can use blue on this pink and pink on the blue." "it's easy enough, isn't it? i think i'll make myself one when we get through with the ship." "all you need to know is the length from the person's chin to the floor and you can make it do for anybody. and all you need to do to make a short sacque is to know the length from the person's chin to his waist. i have a notion we'll have some wee bits left that we can make into cunning little jackets for babies." "i don't see why this pattern wouldn't do for an outdoor coat if you made it of thicker cloth--eider-down, for instance." "it would. gather the ends of the sleeves about an inch down so as to make a ruffle, and put frogs or buttons and loops on the front and there you have it!" "did you bring a petticoat pattern, margaret?" asked ethel blue. "haven't you seen the pictures of european peasant women and little girls with awfully full skirts? i believe they'd like them if we just cut two widths of the same length, hemmed them at the bottom, and ran a draw-string in the top. we can feather-stitch the top of the hem if we want to make it look pretty, or we can cut it a little longer and run one or two tucks." "or we might buttonhole a scallop around the edge instead of hemming it," suggested ethel brown. "you know i believe in doing one thing well," said dorothy. "how would it do if we club girls made just coats and wrappers and sacques from that pattern of helen's, and petticoats? we can make them of all sorts of colors and a variety of materials and we can trim them differently. we'd be making some mighty pretty ones before we got through." "i don't see why not," agreed margaret thoughtfully. "let's do it." "i brought the red cross knitting directions," said delia. "i didn't get them till this morning." "grandmother will be delighted with those. she's going to take them to the old ladies' home and start them all to work there." "are you sure they'll knit for the children?" "she's going to ask them to knit for the children now, with bright-colored yarns. afterwards they can knit for the soldiers, and then they must use dark blue or grey or khaki color--not even a stripe that will make any poor fellow conspicuous." as they finished reading the instructions they heard the boys tramping upstairs with their paraphernalia. "it looks to me, dorothy," said tom, "as if you had us on your hands for most of these club meetings, to do our work here. are you sure mrs. smith doesn't mind?" "mother is delighted," dorothy reassured him. "and she wants you all to come down and have some chocolate." chapter vii for a traveller's kit once the club was started on its work it seemed as if the days were far too short for them to accomplish half of what they wanted to do. mrs. morton insisted that her children should have at least two hours out of doors every day, and that cut down the afternoons into an absurdly brief working time. mrs. smith had electric lights installed in her attic and it became the habit of the mortons and often of the hancocks to meet there and cut and sew and jig-saw and paste for an hour or two every evening. the watkinses were active in new york evidently, for della sent frequent postcards asking for directions on one point or another and tom exchanged jig-saw news with roger almost daily. meanwhile the war was in every one's mind. the whole country realized the desirability of trying to obey president wilson's request for neutrality in word, thought, and deed. the subject was forbidden at school where the teachers never referred to the colossal struggle that was rending europe and the children of varied ancestries played together harmoniously in the school yard. if at the high school fräulein and mademoiselle were looked at with a new interest by their scholars no word suggestive of a possible lack of harmony was uttered to them, and their friendship for each other seemed to increase with every day's prolongation of the war. in the morton family war discussion was not forbidden and the events of the last twenty-four hours as the newspapers reported them were talked over at dinner every evening. mrs. morton thought that the children should not be ignorant of the most upheaving event that had stirred the world in centuries, but she did not permit any violent expressions of partisanship. "you children are especially bound to be neutral," she insisted, "because your father and ethel blue's father are in the service of our country, and a neutrality as complete as possible is more desirable from them and their families than from civilians." a new idea was blossoming in the young people's minds, however. they had grown up with the belief that armament was necessary to preserve peace. great men and good had said so. "if we are prepared for war," they declared, "other nations will be afraid to fight us." captain and lieutenant morton had agreed with them, as was natural for men of their profession. they did not believe in aggression but in being ready for defense should they be attacked. now it seemed to roger and helen as they read of the sufferings of invaded france and the distress of trampled belgium that no country had the right to benefit by results obtained through such cruel means. "just suppose a shell should drop down here just as we were walking along," imagined roger as he and helen were on their way to school. "suppose patrick shea's cornfield there was marched over before the corn was harvested and all these houses and churches and schools were blown up or burned down and all the people of this town were lying around in the streets dead or wounded!" "when you bring it home to rosemont it doesn't sound the way it does when you read in the histories about a 'movement' here and a 'turning of the right flank' there, and 'the end of the line crumpling up.' when the line crumples up it means fathers and brothers are killed and women and children starve--" "think what it would be to have nothing to eat and to have to grub around in the fields and devour roots like the peasants in the famine time in louis xiv's reign." "and think about the destruction of all the little homes that have been built up with so much care and happiness. mary told me her sister bought a chair one month and a table at another time when she and her husband came across bargains," said practical ethel brown who had caught up with them. "they've furnished their whole house the way we children have added to our kitchen tins and plates; and then everything would be broken to smash by just one of those shells." "the people who've been spreading the gospel of peace for years and years needn't be discouraged now, it seems to me," observed roger thoughtfully, "even if it does look as if all their talk had been for nothing. these horrors make a bigger appeal than any amount of talk." "grandfather emerson says that perhaps universal peace is going to be the result of the war. it seems far off enough now." "it will be dearly bought peace." "hush, there goes mademoiselle. i wonder when she's going to sail." "why don't you ask her to-day? the club must give her some kind of send-off, you know." "i wonder if she'd mind if we went to new york to see her start?" "it won't be hard to find out. we can tell her that we won't be offended if she says 'no.'" "if she's willing we might take that opportunity to go over the ship. i've always wanted to go over an ocean steamer." "perhaps they won't let anybody do it now on account of the war. it will be great if we can, though." the service club learned more geography in the course of its studies of the war news than its members ever had learned before voluntarily. the approach of the german army upon paris was watched every day and its advance was marked upon a large map that roger had installed in the sitting-room. when the germans withdrew the change of their line and its daily relation to the battle front of the allies was noted by the watchful pencil of one or another of the newspaper readers. thanks to the simplicity of the pattern which the club had adopted for its own they were enabled to make a large number of gay garments in a wonderfully short time. from several further donations of material they made wrappers for children of fourteen, twelve, ten, down to the babies, adding to each a belt of the same color as the band so that the garments might serve as dresses at a pinch. they found that with the smaller sizes they could cut off a narrow band from the width of the cloth at each side, and that served as trimming for another garment of contrasting color. when they had constructed a goodly pile of long wrappers they fell upon the short sacques, and before many days passed a mound of pink-banded blue and blue-banded pink, and red-banded white and white-banded red rose beside their machines. della wrote that she was using her mother's machine and was learning how better and better every day. thanks to their lessons at chautauqua margaret and helen sewed well on the machine already. ethel brown and ethel blue and dorothy basted on the bands and the belts and added the fastenings. it was their fingers, too, that feather-stitched and cat-stitched the petticoats that came into being with another donation of flannelette. dorothy was glad when any new material was cotton as every yard that they used helped the south to rid itself of its unsold crop. "ladies are going to wear cotton dresses all winter, they say," she told the club at one of its meetings. "mother is going to let me have all my new dresses made of cotton stuff and she's going to have some herself." "we wear cotton middies all winter," protested the ethels who felt as if dorothy felt that they were not doing their share to help on the cause she was interested in. "when aunt marion gets your new dancing school dresses couldn't you ask her to get cotton ones?" "i suppose we could. do you think they'd be pretty enough?" "some cotton dresses that are going to be worn on the opening night of the opera at the metropolitan are to be on exhibition in new york in a week or two." "if cotton is good enough for that purpose i guess it's good enough for your dancing class," laughed helen. "mother says they make perfectly beautiful cottons now of exquisite colors and lovely designs. don't you think it would be great if we set the fashion of the dancing class?" "let's do it. mother says silk isn't appropriate for girls of our age, anyway." "if you can be dressed appropriately and beautifully at the same time i don't see that you have anything to complain of," smiled helen. with the short time that the girls had at their command every day it did not seem as if they would be able to do much with the garments that came in to be made over. there were not many of these because the boys had been instructed after the first day to ask that alterations and mending be done at home, but there were a few dresses like mrs. lancaster's that were on their hands. mrs. smith came to their help when this work bade fair to be too much for them. "i'll ask aunt marion and mrs. emerson and mrs. hancock and mrs. watkins to lunch with me some day," she promised dorothy, "and after luncheon we'll have an old-fashioned bee and rip up these dresses and then we can see what material they give us and we can plan what to do with them." the scheme worked out to a charm. the elders enjoyed themselves mightily and the resulting pile of materials, smoothly ironed and carefully sorted gave margaret and helen a chance to exercise their ingenuity. mrs. watkins took back to town with her enough stuff for two, promising to help della with them, and the suburban girls, with the assistance of the grown-ups, made six charming frocks that looked as good as new. it was early in october that helen rushed home from school one day with the news that mademoiselle was going to sail at the end of the week. "we must begin to-day to make up a good-bye parcel for her," she cried. "red cross nurses are allowed a very small kit," warned mrs. morton. "we can try to make things so tiny that she won't have to leave them behind her when she goes on duty, but even if she does she can give them to somebody who can make them useful." "i'll make steamer slippers to begin with," said ethel brown. "how?" asked ethel blue. [illustration: top of slipper sew a and b together] "you get a pair of fleecy inner soles--they have them at all the shoe stores--and then you cut a top piece of bright colored chintz just the shape of the top part of a slipper and you sew it together at the back and bind the edges all around." "how do you put the top and the sole together?" "the edge of the sole is soft enough to sew through. you turn the top inside out over the sole and sew the binding of the chintz on to the edge of the sole over and over and when you turn it right side out there you are with gay shoes." "they'll fill up a bag, though," commented ethel blue. "i should think you might make a pair just like that only make the sole of something that would double up. then they'd go into a case and be more compact." "that's a good idea, too," agreed ethel brown. "what could you use for a sole?" "soft leather would be best. i imagine you could get a piece from the cobbler down town. or you could get the very thin leather that they used at chautauqua for cardcases and pocket books--the kind roger uses--and stitch two pieces together." "why wouldn't a heavy duck sole do?" suggested mrs. emerson. "if you stepped on a pin it wouldn't keep it out as well as leather," objected her daughter. "i believe i'll try a pair with a flowery chintz top and a duck sole covered with chintz like a lining to the shoe," said ethel blue slowly as she thought it out. "then i'll make the case of two pieces of chintz bound together." "one piece ought to be longer than the other so that it would be a flap to come over like an envelope." this was ethel brown's contribution to the slipper building. "you could fasten it with a glove snapper. i got some the other day for my leather work," said roger. "i'll put them on for you." "why don't you ethels make both kinds?" suggested dorothy. "she'll find a use for them." "if you girls will make it i'll contribute the silk for a bath wrap that she can throw over her warm one, just for looks, on the boat," said mrs. emerson. "i have one i use on sleeping cars and it rolls up into the smallest space you can imagine." [illustration: slipper case place section a on section b and sew edges together, leaving c d open e = snap fastening] "good for grandmother!" cried a chorus of voices. "can we use our famous wrapper pattern?" asked helen. "i don't see why not. mine has a hood but that isn't a difficult addition if you merely shape the neck of your kimono a little and then cut a square of the material, sew it across one end and round the lower end a trifle to fit into the neck hole you've made." "how about longer sleeves, mother?" asked mrs. morton. "i think i would make them longer. and i'd also make an envelope bag of the same silk to carry it in on the return trip from the bath. you'll be surprised to find into how small an envelope it will go." "put a cord from one corner of the envelope to the other so that mademoiselle may have her hands free for her soap and towel and other needfuls," advised mrs. smith, who had been listening to the suggestions. "wouldn't another envelope arrangement of chintz lined with rubber cloth make a good washrag bag or sponge bag?" asked ethel brown. "nothing better unless you put a rubber-lined pocket in a pullman apron." this hint from grandmother emerson aroused the curiosity of the young people. "what is a pullman apron? tell us about it," they cried. "mine is made of linen crash," said mrs. emerson. "dorothy will insist on your making yours of cotton chintz and it will be just as good and even prettier. get a yard. cut off a piece thirty inches long and make it fourteen wide. bind the lower edge with tape. turn up six inches across the bottom and stitch the one big pocket it makes into smaller ones of different sizes by rows of up and down stitching. make a bag of rubber cloth just the right size to fit one of the larger pockets. take the six inches that you cut off from your yard of material and bind it on both edges with tape. stitch that across your apron about four inches above the top of the lower row of pockets. divide the strip into as many pockets as you want to for hairpins and pins and neck arrangements, and so on." "your apron has two raw edges now," said helen. "bind it on each side with tape. that will finish it and it will also fasten the edges of the pockets securely to the apron. sew across the top a tape long enough to serve as strings." [illustration: pullman apron d b plus the turned up portion, b a, = inches b a = inches b b = inches c c c = pockets d d = strings] "the idea is to roll all your toilet belongings up together in your bag, eh?" "yes, and when you go to the ladies' room on the train you tie the apron around your waist and then you have your brush and comb and hairpins and tooth brush and washrag all where you can lay your fingers on them in a second of time." "i got my best tortoise-shell hairpin mixed up with another woman's once, and i never recovered it," said mrs. morton meditatively. "it wouldn't have happened if you'd been supplied with a bag like this," said her mother. "mademoiselle's silk wrap must be grey to match her other red cross equipment," said mrs. emerson, "but i don't see why the chintz things shouldn't be as gay as you like." "pink roses would be most becoming to her style of beauty," murmured roger who had come in. "i don't know but pink roses would be becoming enough for slippers," agreed ethel blue so seriously that every one laughed. "let's get pink flowered chintz," said ethel brown. "you make the soft kind and i'll make the stiff kind and dorothy'll make the apron and helen will make the kimono. who's got any more ideas?" "i have," contributed roger. "i'll make a case for her manicure set. i haven't got time this week unfortunately to tool the leather but i'll make a plain one that will be useful if it isn't as pretty as i can do." "what shape will it be?" "i got part of my idea from grandfather emerson's spectacle case that i was examining the other day. ethel blue's case for the soft slippers is going to be something like it." "two pieces of leather rounded at the lower corners and stitched together at the sides and with a flap to shut in the contents?" guessed dorothy. "correct. i shall make the case about four inches long when it's closed." "that means that you'd have one strip four inches long and the other, the one with the flap, six inches long." "once more correct, most noble child. it will be a liberal two inches wide, a bit more in this instance because i'm not much of a sewer and i want to be sure that i'm far enough from the edge to make it secure." "you don't try to turn it inside out, do you?" "no, ma'am. not that mite of an object. you fit a tiny pasteboard slide into the case. cover it with velvet or leather or a scrap of ethel blue's chintz--" "'rah for cotton," cheered dorothy. "--and on one side of this division you slip in the scissors and the file and the tweezers or the orange stick and on the other a little buffer with a strap handle that doesn't take up any room." "how in the world do you happen to be so up in manicure articles?" queried helen, amazed at his knowledge. "nothing strange about that," returned roger. "aunt louise showed me hers the other day when i was talking to her about making one for just this occasion. aha!" "you could make the same sort of case without the pasteboard partition, for a tiny sewing kit," offered ethel blue, "and one of the envelope shape will hold soap leaves." "i'd like to suggest a couple of shirtwaist cases," said mrs. smith. "they are made of dotted swiss muslin that takes up next to no room and washes like a handkerchief. you'd better make mademoiselle's of colored muslin or of colored batiste for she won't want to be bothered with thinking about laundry any oftener than she has to." "what shape are the bags?" "find out whether she will take an american suitcase or a bag. in either case measure the size of the bottom. take a piece of muslin twice the size and lay it flat. fold over the edges till they meet in the centre. then stitch the tops across, on the inside, of course, and hem the slit, and turn them right side out and that's all there is to it. they keep waists or neckwear apart from the other clothing in one's bag and fresher for the separation." [illustration: shirtwaist case] "since i have my hand in with knitting," said grandmother, "i believe i'll contribute a pair of bed-shoes. they're so simple that any one who can knit a plain strip can do them." "let's have the receipt." "cast on stitches enough to run the length of the person's foot. fifty will be plenty for any woman and more than enough for mademoiselle's tiny foot. it's well to have the shoe large, though. knit ahead until you have a strip six inches high. then cast off from one end stitches enough to make four inches and go ahead with the remainder for four inches more." "that sounds funny to me," observed ethel brown. "not exactly the shape of my dainty pedestal." "you'll have made a square with a square out of one corner like this piece of paper. now fold it along the diagonal line from the tip of the small square to the farthest edge of the big square and sew up all the edges except those of the small square. that leaves a hole where you put your foot in. crochet an edge there to run a ribbon in--and you're done." "i'm going to run the risk of mademoiselle's laughing at me and give her a folding umbrella," said mrs. morton. "it will fit into her bag and at least she can use it until she goes to the front." "all this sounds to me like a good outfit for any woman who is going to travel," observed helen. "i'm almost moved to sail myself!" chapter viii the red cross nurse sets sail the girls' cheeks were rosy and their hair was tangled by the wind as helen and the rest of the u. s. c. left the car at west street and made their way to the french line pier. roger was heading the flock of mortons, mrs. smith was with dorothy, the hancocks had come from glen point, more for the fun of seeing a sailing than to say "good-bye" to mademoiselle, whom they hardly; knew. the watkinses were accompanied by their elder brother, edward, a young doctor. there was a mighty chattering as the party hastened down the pier. a mightier greeted them when they reached the gang plank. "every frenchman left in new york must be here saying 'good-bye' to somebody!" laughed tom as his eye fell on the throng pressing on to the boat over a narrow plank across which passengers who had already said their farewells were leaving, and stewards were carrying cabin trunks. "only one _passerelle_ for all that!" exclaimed a plump frenchman whose age might be guessed by the fashion of his moustache and goatee which declared him to be a follower of napoleon iii. he was carrying a bouquet in one hand and kissing the other vehemently to the lady on the deck who was to be made the recipient of the flowers as soon as her admirer could manage to squeeze himself down the over-crowded gang plank. taxis driving up behind the u. s. c. young people discharged their occupants upon the agitated scene. all sorts of messages were being sent across to friends on the other side, many of them shouted from pier to deck with a volubility that was startling to inexperienced french students. it was quite twenty minutes before the club succeeded in filing indian fashion across the _passerelle_. they were met almost at once by mademoiselle, for she had been watching their experiences from the vessel. "before you say 'good-bye' to me," she said hurriedly, "i want you to go over the ship. i have special permission from the captain. you must go quickly. there are not many minutes, you were so long in coming on." she gave them over to the kind offices of a "_mousse_" or general utility boy, who in turn introduced them to a junior officer who examined their permit as "friends of mademoiselle millerand" and then conveyed them to strange corners whose existence they never had guessed. first they peeked into a cabin which was one of the handsomest on the ship but whose small size brought from ethel brown the comment that it was a "stingy" little room. the reading and writing rooms she approved, however, as being cheerful enough to make you forget you were seasick. a lingering odor of the food of yester-year seemed to cling about the saloon and to mingle with a whiff of oil from the engine room that had assailed them just before they entered. people were saying farewells here with extraordinary impetuosity, men embracing each other with a fervor that made the less demonstrative americans smile. one group was looking over a pile of letters on the table to see if absent friends had sent some message to catch them before they steamed. below were other staterooms, rows upon rows of them, and yet others below those. by comparison with the fragrances here that in the saloon seemed a breeze from araby the blest. from above the party had looked down on the engines whose huge steel arms slid almost imperceptibly over each other as if they were slowly, slowly preparing to spring at an unseen foe; as if they knew that great waves would try to still them, the mighty workers of the great ship. a gentle breathing now seemed to stir them, but far, far down below the waterline the stokers were feeding the animal with the fuel that was to give him energy to contend with storms and winds and come out victor. half naked men, their backs gleaming in the light from the furnaces, threw coal into the yawning mouth. the heat was intense, and the ethels turned so pale that young doctor watkins hurried them into the open air. helen was not sorry to breathe the coolness of the hudson again and even the boys drew a long breath of relief, though they did not admit that they had been uncomfortable. "mademoiselle millerand awaits you in the tea room," explained the young officer, and he conducted them to a portion of the deck where passengers could sit in the open, or, on cold or windy days, behind glass and watch the sea and the passengers pacing by. mademoiselle greeted them with shining eyes. during their absence there had been some farewells that had been difficult. "you have seen everything?" she inquired pleasantly. "then you must have some lemonade with me before you go," and she gave an order that soon brought a trayful of glasses that tinkled cheerfully. "we are not going to be sentimental," she insisted. "this is just 'good-bye,' and thank you many times for being so good to me at school, and many, many times more for the bundle that is in my room to surprise me. i shall open it when the statue of liberty is out of sight, when i can no more see my adopted land. then shall i think of all of you and of your club for service." "where do you expect to be sent, mademoiselle?" inquired doctor watkins as the party walked toward the _passerelle_ over which they must somehow contrive to make their way before they could touch foot upon the pier. "to belgium, i think. my brother is a surgeon and i have a distant relative in the ministry--" "what--_the_ millerand?" mademoiselle smiled and nodded. "so probably i shall be sent wherever i wish--and my heart goes but to belgium. it is natural." "yes, it is natural. may you have luck," he cried holding out his hand. "mademoiselle is going to belgium," he told the young people who were awaiting their turn at the gang-plank. they gazed at her with a sort of awe. tales of war's horrors were common in the ears of all of them, and it was difficult to believe that the slight figure standing there so quietly beside them would see with her own eyes the uptorn fields and downfallen cottages, the dying men and the miserable women and children they had seen only in imagination. "oh," gasped ethel blue; "oh! _belgium!_ oh, mademoiselle, _won't_ you send us back a belgian baby? the club would _love_ to take care of it! wouldn't we? wouldn't we?" she cried turning from one to another with glittering eyes. "we would, mademoiselle, we would," cried every one of them; and as the big ship was warped out of the pier they waved their handkerchiefs and their hands and cried over and over, "send us a belgian baby!" "_un bébé belge! ces chers enfants!_" ejaculated a motherly frenchwoman who was weeping near them. "a belgian baby! these dear children." and then, to james's horror, she kissed him, first on one cheek and then on the other. chapter ix planning the u. s. c. "show" it was becoming more and more evident every day to the president of the united service club that it must have more money than was at its disposal at the moment or it would not be able to carry out its plans. already it owed to mrs. morton a sum that helen knew was larger than her mother could lend them conveniently. all of grandfather emerson's donation had gone to provide knitting needles and yarn for the occupants of the old ladies' home, and the club's decision to lay itself under no financial obligation to people outside of the immediate families of the members had obliged her to refuse a few small gifts that had been offered. all the members of the club were working hard to earn money beyond their allowances and every cent was going into the club's exchequer. roger was faithful in his attention to the three furnaces he had undertaken to care for, though he was not above a feeling of relief that the weather was continuing so mild that he had not yet had to keep up fires continuously in any of them. james still drove his father, though the doctor threatened him with discharge almost every day because of his habit of cutting corners. the girls were carrying out their plans for money-making, and della had secured another order for stenciled curtains which dorothy and ethel brown filled. what with school and working for the orphans and working for the club treasury these were busy days, and helen felt that something must be done at once to provide a comparatively large sum so that their indebtedness might be paid off and the pressure upon each one of them would not be so heavy. helen and james were going over the club accounts one saturday before the regular meeting. a frown showed helen's anxiety and james's square face looked squarer and more serious than ever as he saw the deficit piled against them. "it's high time we gave that entertainment we talked about so much when we began this thing," he growled. "people will have forgotten all about it and we'll have to advertise it all over again." "that'll be easy enough if we make use of some of the small children in some way. all their relatives near and far will know all about it promptly and they'll all come to see how the kiddies perform," said helen wisely, though her look of perplexity continued. "let's bring it up at the meeting right now. i don't believe we can do anything better this afternoon than plan out our show and decide who and what and where." "'where' is answered easily enough--the hall of the schoolhouse. 'who' and 'what' require more thought." it turned out, however, that every one had been thinking of stunts to do himself or for some one else to do, so that the program did not take as much time as if the subject had not been lying in their minds for several weeks. "at the beginning," said ethel blue, "i think some one ought to get up and tell what the club is trying to do--all about the war orphans and the santa claus ship." "wouldn't grandfather emerson be a good one to do that?" "i don't think we want to have any grown people in our show," was helen's opinion. "if we bring them in then the outside people will expect more from us because they'll think that we've been helped and it won't be fair to us or to our grown-ups." "that's so," agreed tom from the depths of a lifetime of experience of the ways of people in church entertainments. "let's do every single thing ourselves if we can, and i believe the audience will like it better even if it isn't all as o. k. as it would be if we had a grown-up or two to help pull the oars." "the first question before us, then, is who will do this explanation act that ethel blue suggests?" there was a dead silence. no one wanted to offer. there seemed no one person on whom the task fell naturally unless--"the club was ethel blue's idea," went on helen. "isn't she the right one to explain it?" and "the president of the club ought to tell about it," said ethel blue. both girls spoke at once. there was unanimous laughter. "'ayther is correct,'" quoted roger. "i think helen is the proper victim." "yes, indeed," ethel blue supported him so earnestly that every one laughed again. "you see, no one knows about its being ethel blue's idea and that would take a lot more explaining or else it would seem that there was no good reason for the president's not acting as showman and introducing her freaks to the audience." "'speak for yourself, john!' i'm no freak!" declared james. "i think helen's the right one to make the introduction, though." helen shivered. "i must say i hate to do it," she said, "but we all agreed when we went into this that we'd do what came up, no matter whether we liked it or not, so here goes number on the program," and she wrote on her pad, beneath an elaborate program which she had been drawing and decorating as she talked. . explanatory address. helen morton. "now, then," queried ethel brown, "what next?" "music, if there's any one to tootle for the ladies," said roger. "dorothy's the singer." "oh, i couldn't sing all alone," objected dorothy shrinkingly. "but mother said she'd drill a chorus of children and i wouldn't mind doing the solo part with a lot of others on the stage with me." "how about a chorus in costume?" asked helen. "what kind of costume?" "oh, i don't know--something historical, perhaps." "why not the peasant costumes of the countries in the war?" suggested ethel blue. "we're working for the children and we'll have a child or two from each country." "a sort of illustration of helen's speech," said tom. "they might sing either the national songs of their countries or children's songs," said dorothy. "or both, with you dressed as columbia and singing the star spangled banner at the end." "la, la! fine!" commended margaret. "put down number , helen, 'songs by war orphans.' we can work out the details later, or leave them to dorothy and her mother." "i've been thinking that we might as well utilize some of the folk dances that we learned at chautauqua last summer," said ethel brown. "wouldn't number be a good spot to put in the butterfly dance?" "that was one of the prettiest dances at the exhibition," said james. "let's have it." "margaret and i are too tall for it, but you four young ones know it and you can teach four more girls easily enough." "we'll ask them to-morrow at school," said dorothy, "and we'll have a rehearsal right off. mother will play for us and it won't take any time at all." "the costumes won't take any time, either. any white dress will do and the wings are made by strips of soft stuff--cheese cloth or something even softer, pale blue and pink and green and yellow. they're fastened at the shoulders and a loop goes over the wrist or the little finger so the arms can keep them waving." "do you remember the steps, dorothy?" "they're very simple, but almost anything that moves sort of swimmingly will do." "there's number , then," decided dorothy. "now the boys ought to appear." "yes, what have you three been planning to throw us in the shade?" inquired della. "i've got a fancy club-swinging act that's rather good," admitted roger modestly. "you have?" asked tom in surprise. "so have i. what's yours?" "come over here and i'll tell you," and the two boys retired to a corner where they conferred. it was evident, from their burst of laughter and their exclamations that they highly approved of each other's schemes. "we've decided that we won't tell you what our act is," they declared when they came back to the broken meeting. "we'll surprise you as well as the rest of the audience." "meanies," pronounced ethel brown. "helen, put down 'number , club swinging by two geese!'" "not geese," corrected tom, with a glance at roger, who made a sign of caution. "what next?" queried the president. "let's have some of the small children now. our honorary member ought to be on the card," said della. "are you sure he wouldn't be afraid?" asked tom of dicky's brethren. "not dicky," they shrieked in concert. "i saw a pretty stunt in town the other evening. it was done by grown people but it would be dear with little kids," urged della, her round face beaming with the joy of her adaptation of the idea. "it was a new kind of shadow dance." "pshaw, that's old," declared tom with brotherly curtness. "it wasn't done behind a sheet. that's the old way--" "a mighty good way, too," supported james stoutly. "i've seen some splendid pantomimes done on a sheet--'red riding hood' and 'jack the giant killer,' and a lot more." "this is much cunninger," insisted della. "instead of a sheet there's a dull, light blue curtain hung across the stage. the light is behind it, but the actors are in front of it." "then you don't see their shadows." "you see themselves in silhouette against the blue. there is a net curtain down between them and the audience and it looks like moonlight with elves and fairies playing in it." "it would be hard to train dicky to be a fairy," decided ethel blue so gravely that all the others laughed. "i was thinking that it would be fun to have dicky and some other children dressed like pussy cats and rabbits and dogs, and playing about as if they were frisking in the moonlight." "why not have them do a regular little play like 'flossy fisher's funnies' that have been coming out in the _ladies' home journal_?" screamed ethel brown, electrified at the growth of the idea. "take almost any one of them and get the children to play the little story it tells and i don't see why it wouldn't be too cunning for words." "what kind of stories?" asked james who liked to understand. "i don't remember any one exactly but they are something like this;--mr. dog goes fishing on the bank of the stream. a strip of pasteboard cut at the top into rushes will give the effect of a brook, you know. he pulls up a fish with a jerk that throws it over his head. pussy cat is waiting just behind him. she seizes the fish and runs away with it. mr. dog runs after her. the cat jumps over a wheelbarrow, but the dog doesn't see it and gets a fall--and so on." "i can see how it would be funny with little scraps of kids," pronounced tom. "who'll train them?" "i'll do that," offered ethel brown. "dicky's always good with me and if he understands the story he'll really help teach the others." "pick out a simple 'flossy fisher' or make up an easy story with plenty of action," advised margaret. "the chief trouble you'll have is to make the children stay apart on the stage. they'll keep bunching up and spoiling the silhouettes if you aren't careful." "number . silhouettes," wrote helen on her pad. "what's number ?" "i don't know whether you'll approve of this," offered dorothy rather shyly, "but when i was at the old ladies' home the other day i thought they made a real picture knitting away there in the sunshine in their sitting room. do you think some of them could be induced to come to the schoolhouse and make a tableau?" "fine!" commended helen. "you could have it a picture of sentiment, such as dorothy had in mind, i judge," said tom, "or you could turn it into a comic by having some one sing 'sister susie's sewing shirts for soldiers.'" "what's that?" "a stay-at-home war song they're singing in england. it's funny because it's so full of s's that it's almost impossible to sing it without a mistake. i think it would be better, though, to have the old ladies just knitting away. after all, it's sympathy with the orphans we want to arouse." "couldn't we have a tableau within a tableau--a picture at the back placed with the figures posed behind a net curtain so that they'd be dimmed--a picture of some of the belgian orphans refugeeing into holland or something of that sort?" "if mademoiselle would only send us right off that belgian baby that james got kissed for we'd have an actual exhibit," said roger. james made a face at the memory of the unexpected caress he had earned unwittingly, but he approved highly of the addition to the picture of the old ladies. "they're thinking about the orphans as they knit--and there are the orphans," he said, and even his sister margaret smiled at the approbation with which he looked on a tableau that left nothing to the imagination. "number is settled, then. why can't we have the minuet for number ?" "good. all of us here know it so we shan't need to rehearse much." "on that small stage four couples will be plenty, i say," offered roger. "i think so, too. eight would make it altogether too crowded," declared helen. "that means that four of us girls will dance--we can decide which ones later--and you three boys, and we'll only have to train one new boy." "what's the matter with george foster? his sister is a dancing teacher and perhaps he knows it already." "he's the best choice we can make. we want to get this thing done just as fast as we can for several reasons," continued helen. "in the first place any entertainment goes off more snappily if the fun of doing it isn't all worn off by too many rehearsals." "correct," agreed tom. "remember that children's symphony we exhausted ourselves on for a month last winter, della?" della did and expressed her memories with closed eyes and out-stretched hands. "if each one of us makes himself and herself responsible for having his own part perfect and the stunts that he's drilling others in as nearly perfect as he can, then i don't see why we need more than ten days for it." "especially as we know all the dances now and the old ladies' home tableau won't take much preparation." "have we got enough numbers on the program, helen?" "i think we ought to end with a long thing of some sort." "we'll never pull off the show if you try to stick in a play," growled james. "not a play, but i was reading browning's 'pied piper of hamelin' the other day and it can easily be made workable with just a little speaking and some pantomime. two or three rehearsals ought to do it." "all right, then. your sufferings be on your head." "you'll all back me up, won't you?" "we'll do whatever you tell us, if that's what you want." "read us the whole program, madam president," begged dorothy. "here you are; i've changed the order a little: program . address, helen morton. . songs by war orphans, led by dorothy smith. . butterfly dance. . club swinging by roger morton and thomas watkins. . knitting for the war orphans by ladies from the old ladies' home. . silhouettes by dicky morton and other juniors. . minuet. . "the pied piper." "if i do say it as shouldn't, having had a modest part in its construction," remarked roger complacently, "that's a good program." "do you know," added margaret earnestly, "i think so too." so, after discussion of details concerning responsibility and rehearsals, and the appointment of a publicity committee consisting of the officers of the club plus roger, the meeting adjourned. chapter x the eventful evening if the u. s. c.'s had thought themselves busy before they undertook their entertainment they concluded as they rushed from one duty to another in the ten days of preparation for that function that they had not learned the a b c of busy-ness. mrs. morton always insisted that, whatever was on foot, school work must not be slighted. "your education is your preparation for life," she said. "while you are young you must lay down a good foundation for the later years to build on. you know what happens when a foundation is poor." they did. a building in rosemont had fallen into a heap of ruins not long before, to the shame of the contractor who had put in poor work. so all the school duties were attended to faithfully, and the out-of-door time was not skimped though the out-of-door time was largely devoted to doing errands connected with the "show," and the home lessons were learned as thoroughly as usual. but sewing went by the board for ten days except such sewing as was necessary for the making of costumes. "here's a chance for your club to try out some of roger's ideas of system," said grandfather emerson as he listened to the plans which were always on the lips of the club members whenever he met them. "i think we're doing it all pretty systematically," helen defended. "each one of us is responsible for doing certain things and our work doesn't overlap. when we come together for a general rehearsal i believe we're going to find that all the parts will fit together like a cut-out puzzle." [illustration: costume for butterfly dance] mr. emerson said that he hoped so in a tone of such doubt that helen was more than ever determined that all should run smoothly. to that end she made a diplomatic investigation into every number of the program. every one she found to be going on well. her own address was already blocked out in her mind. dorothy had taken bodily a singing class that mrs. smith had started at the rosemont settlement and, with the knowledge of singing that the children already had, they soon were drilled in their special songs and in the motions that enlivened them. mrs. smith and dorothy were also preparing the costumes and they reported that the mothers of the children were helping, some of them providing actual peasant costumes that had come from the old country. with four girls who already knew the butterfly dance the drilling of another quartette was swiftly done, and the ethels were willing to put their flock of butterflies on the stage four days after they had begun to practice. because every one of them had a white dress their costumes required almost no work beyond the cutting lengthwise of a yard and a quarter of cheesecloth. when they had gathered one end and attached the safety pin which was to fasten it to the shoulder, and gathered the other end and sewed on a loop which was to go over the little finger--all of which took about five minutes--that costume was finished. about the boys' club swinging helen could not obtain any information beyond the assurance that all was well. with that she had to content herself. the old ladies at the home were delighted to be able to help and also delighted at the excitement of taking part in the entertainment. they voted for the trio who should represent them in the tableaux and generously selected three who were the most handicapped of all of them. one was lame and always sat with her crutch beside her; one was blind, though her fast flying fingers did not betray it; and the third lived in a wheel-chair. they demurred strongly to their companions' choice, but the other old ladies were insistent and the appointees could not resist the fun. mr. emerson agreed to provide transportation for them, wheel-chair and all, and doctor hancock was to send over a wagonette from glen point so that the rest of the inmates of the home might take advantage of the tickets that some mysterious giver had sent to every one of them. for the inner picture dicky and two of his kindergarten friends were to be posed, clad in rags. "it's no trouble to provide dicky with a ragged suit," said mrs. morton. "the difficulty is going to be to make him look serious and poorly fed." "a little artistic shading under his eyes and on his cheeks will make his plumpness disappear. i'll 'make up' the children," offered mrs. emerson. most difficult of all were the silhouettes. this was because the children who were to take part were so tiny that they could not quite remember the sequence of the story they were to act out. there were moments when the ethels were almost disposed to give up the youngsters and try the shadows with larger children. "the little ones make so much cunninger cats and dogs than the bigger children i don't want to do it unless we have to," said ethel brown, and they found at last that perseverance won the day. here, too, the children's mothers helped with the costumes, and turned out a creditable collection of animal coverings, not one of them with a bit of fur. "they're another help to your cotton crusade," ethel blue told dorothy. grey flannelette made a soft maltese pussy; the same material in brown covered a dog; a white coat splashed with brown spots out of the family coffee pot was the covering of another fido, while another white garment stained with black and yellow ornamented a tortoise-shell cat. the rabbits all wore white. as with the butterfly dance so many of the performers knew the minuet that it needed only two rehearsals. the new boy worked in without any trouble and was so graceful and dignified that the u. s. c. boys found themselves emulating his excellent manner. helen herself took charge of "the pied piper" and so few were the speaking parts and so short and so natural the pantomime that she drilled her company in three rehearsals, though she herself worked longer in private over the manipulation of certain stage "properties," and had one or two special sessions with dr. edward watkins who was to take the principal part. friday evening was chosen for the performance. the rosemont young people usually had their evening festivities on fridays because they could sit up later than usual without being disturbed about school work the next morning. the special friday proved to be clear with a brilliant moon and the old ladies driving over from the home felt themselves to be out on a grand lark. evidently the boys had done their publicity work thoroughly, for not only did they see a goodly number of rosemont people approaching the schoolhouse, but, just as they drove up to the door, a special car from glen point stopped to let off a crowd of friends of the hancocks who had come over to see "what the children were doing for the war orphans." the school hall held people and no seats were reserved except those for the old ladies. they found themselves in front where they could see well and where they were near enough to appreciate the care with which the edge of the platform was decorated. that had been margaret hancock's work and she had remembered the success of the service club in preparing the platform for the old first night exercises at chautauqua. tom had insisted that the club should go to the extra expense of having tickets printed. james had objected. "this old treasury of ours is almost an empty box," he growled. "we can't afford to spend cold cash on printing." "it will pay in the end, believe me," insisted tom slangily. "you know there are always a lot of people who think they'll go to a show and then at the last minute think they won't if something more amusing turns up. if you sell tickets beforehand you've got their contribution to the cause even if they don't appear themselves." "tom's right," agreed margaret. "they won't mind losing so small a sum as a quarter if they don't go." "and they'd think it was too small an amount to bother themselves about by hunting up the treasurer and paying it in if they didn't have a ticket," said roger. "and there are some people who'd be sure to come and swell the audience just because they had spent a quarter on a ticket," said ethel brown. "what does the president think?" asked ethel blue. helen agreed with tom and the tickets were printed. after all they came to only a small sum and roger, peeking through a hole in the curtain, saw with satisfaction that if there were going to be any vacant seats at all they would not be many. when one of the old ladies turned about just before the curtain went up she saw a solid room behind her and people standing against the wall. there was music before the curtain rose. this enrichment of the program was a surprise to the performers themselves. young doctor edward watkins had become so interested in the united service club when he met them at the french line pier that he had insisted on helping with their work for the orphans. "if mademoiselle really sends you that belgian baby you may need a special physician for it," he said. "so you'd better stand in with one whose practice isn't big enough yet to take all his time." he said this to helen when he appeared with tom and della on the evening of the performance and announced that not only did he know his part in the "piper" but he had brought his violin and would be glad to be a part of the orchestra. "but we haven't an orchestra," objected helen. "i wish we had." "who's going to play for the dances?" "aunt louise." "why can't she and i do something at the beginning? it will seem a little less cold than just having the curtain go up without any preliminaries." mrs. smith proved to be delighted to go over with doctor watkins the music he had brought and they selected one or two lively bits that would set the mood of the audience for the evening. so mrs. morton and the emersons and the younger members of the cast were greatly surprised to hear an overture from a well-played violin accompanied by the piano. while the applause was dying away the curtain rose on helen seated at a desk reading from a blank exercise book filled with ethel blue's neat writing. "this is the report of the secretary of the united service club," began helen when the applause that greeted her appearance had subsided. she was looking very pretty, wearing a straight, plain pink frock and having her hair bound with a narrow pink fillet. "perhaps you don't know what the united service club is," she went on, and then she told in the simplest manner of the beginning of the club at chautauqua the summer before. "what we're trying to do is to help other people whether we want to or not," she declared earnestly. a soft laugh went over the audience at this contradictory statement. "i mean," continued helen, somewhat confused, "that we mean to do things that will help people even if we don't get any fun out of it ourselves. we want to improve our characters, you see," she added artlessly. "so far we haven't had much chance to improve our characters because all the things that have come our way to do have been things that were great fun--like to-night. "to-night," she went on earnestly, "you have come here to see a little entertainment that we've gotten up to make some money so that we could send a bigger bundle to the christmas ship that is going to sail for europe early in november. we thought we could make a good many presents for the war orphans but we found that our allowances didn't go as far as we thought they would, although we have a very careful treasurer," she added with a smiling glance at the wings of the stage where james greeted her compliment with a wry face. "we made a rule that we would make all the money we needed and not accept presents, so this show is the result, and we hope you'll like it. anyway, we've had lots of fun getting it up." she bowed her thanks to the applause that greeted her girlish explanation and stepped behind the scenes. immediately a gay march sounded from the piano. it was a medley of well-known national songs and in time with its notes a group of children led by dorothy ran upon the stage. dorothy stepped to the front and sang a few lines of introduction to the tune of "yankee doodle." "here we are from fatherland, from russia and from france, from japan and from ireland we all together dance. "at home they are not dancing now; there's war and awful slaughter; we here in rosemont make our bow, each one columbia's daughter." then a flaxen-haired little girl stepped forward and sang a german folk song and after it she and two other children dressed in german peasant costume danced a merry folk dance. representatives of the other countries which dorothy's verses had named sang in turn. then each group sang its national song, at the end uniting in "the star spangled banner," in which the standing audience joined. there was a great clapping when the curtain fell, but the managers had decided that there should be no encores, so the curtain merely rose once upon a bowing, smiling group and then fell with a decision that was understood to be final. "whatever we do wrong, the thing we must do right," helen had insisted when she was drilling her performers, "is to have promptness in putting on our 'acts.'" "that's so," agreed tom, "there's nothing an audience hates more than to wait everlastingly between 'turns' while whispering and giggling goes on behind the scenes." as a result of helen's sternness the butterflies were waiting when the little internationals went off, and, as those of the children who were not to appear again filed quietly down into the audience where they could see the remainder of the performance, waving wings of soft pink and blue and green and yellow fluttered in from the sides. there was nothing intricate about the steps of this pretty dance. there were movements forward and back and to one side and another, with an occasional turn, but the slowly waving hands with their delicate burden of color made the whole effect entirely charming. when tom and roger, jersey clad, stepped on to the stage for the club-swinging act all the other performers were clustered in the wings, for it had roused their curiosity. evidently roger was to swing first for he stepped to the front while tom beckoned to the janitor of the hall who came forward and attached electric light wires to a plug in the edge of the platform. tom made a connection with wires that ran up under the back of roger's jersey and down his sleeves and through holes bored into his clubs, and then he stepped forward to the front. "while roger morton is swinging his clubs the lights of the hall will be turned off," he explained. "i mention it so that no one will be startled when they go out." out they went, and in a flash roger's clubs, made of red and white striped cotton stretched over wire frames which covered electric light bulbs screwed to a sawed-off pair of clubs, were illuminated from within. the beauty of the movements as the clubs flashed here and there in simple or elaborate curves and whirls drew exclamations of enjoyment from the audience. "that's one of the prettiest stunts i ever saw," exclaimed doctor hancock, and doctor watkins led the vigorous applause that begged roger to go on. true to his agreement with helen, however, roger stepped aside as soon as he was freed from his apparatus and the lights were turned on once more in the hall, and prepared to help tom. it was clear that tom, too, was not going to do ordinary club-swinging. he took up his position in the centre of the stage and roger brought forward a box which he deposited beside him. the actors behind the scenes craned their heads forward until they were visible to the audience, so eager were they to see what the box contained. "my friend, tom watkins," said roger gravely, "is something of a naturalist. in the course of his travels and studies he has come across a curious animal whose chief characteristic is what i may be permitted to call its adhesive power. so closely does it cling to anything to which it attaches itself that it can be detached only with great difficulty. so marked is this peculiarity of the _canis taurus_--" a peculiar grunt of amusement from certain high school members of the audience interrupted roger's oration. "_canis_, dog; _taurus_, bull," they whispered. "--of the _canis taurus_," he went on, "that watkins has been able to train two of his specimens to do the very remarkable act that you are about to see." as he ended he threw back the top of the box and there popped up over the edge the infinitely ugly heads of cupid's two pup's, amor and amorette. a howl of laughter greeted their silly, solemn countenances. tom whistled sharply and they sprang from their narrow quarters and ran to him. he stroked them, and faced them toward the footlights so that their eyes should not be dazzled by seeing them suddenly. then he began to play with them, pushing them about and shoving them gently with the ravelled ends of two short pieces of knotted rope. when he had teased them for a minute he stood upright and amor and amorette were hanging each from a rope! it was a trick he had taught them as soon as their teeth were strong enough. slowly he swung them back and forth, and then in semi-circles constantly increasing in sweep, until in a flash they rose over his head and described regular simple indian club evolutions. every move was slow and steady with no jerks that would break the dogs' hold and amor and amorette held on with a firmness that did credit to their inheritance of jaw muscle and determination. "good for the _canis taurus_," laughed mr. wheeler, the high school teacher, from the back of the hall as the swinging died rhythmically away. "speak to the ladies and gentlemen," commanded tom as he dropped the ropes and their attachments to the floor. each dog was still holding firmly to his bit of rope and manifested no desire to part from it. at their master's order, however, they let go of their handles and uttered two sharp barks. then they picked them up again and trotted off the stage. all this was so unusual that it aroused the most fervent enthusiasm that had yet been shown. feet stamped and canes rapped but tom would do no more than walk on with a dog on each side of him and bow as they barked. with the announcement of the knitting tableau there was a flutter among the old ladies from the home. here was an act in which they felt a personal interest. it was almost embarrassing to be so nearly related to a number on the program! the curtain rose very slowly to soft music thrilling through the hall. it was a homely scene--just such a room as any one of the old ladies may have had when she still had a home of her own. there was a table with a lamp upon it and around the table were the three old ladies, one with her crutch and one in her wheel chair, and one sitting in the darkness that was daylight to her--the shining of a contented heart. all of them were knitting. slowly there grew into view behind them on the wall the picture of the thoughts that were in their minds--the picture of three children, pale, thin, tear-stained, trudging along a weary road. each one carried a bundle far too heavy for him and each looked unsmilingly out of the frame, though mrs. morton breathed a sigh of relief when the touching scene faded and she knew that there was no longer any danger of dicky's spoiling the effect by a burst of laughter or a genial call to some acquaintance in the audience. slowly the curtain fell and the old ladies were lost to view. then the old ladies in front breathed a sigh of satisfaction. it had been simply perfect! chapter xi "sister susie's sewing shirts for soldiers" with the evening well under way helen was beginning to be relieved of the worry that she had not been able to control, but as the time for the silhouette approached the ethels became distinctly disturbed. dicky always was an uncertain element. because he had behaved like an angel child in the tableau with the old ladies was no assurance that as a pussy cat in the silhouettes he would not raise an uproar which would put to shame any backyard feline of their acquaintance. dicky's companions in the animal play were ready behind the scenes and their funny costumes were causing bursts of suppressed mirth as they danced about excitedly. when dicky finished his tableau he was hurried into his maltese coat and by the time that his aunt louise had played the "owl and the pussy cat" and dorothy had sung it, the blue curtain had been lowered, the light behind it turned on, and between it and the net curtain in front the dogs and the cats and the rabbits frisked happily. in fact the raising of the outside curtain caught them tagging each other about the stage in a manner that was vastly amusing but had nothing to do with the play. for there was a little play. the ethels had made it up themselves and it had to do not only with a fisher dog who lost his catch to a robber cat but with a clever rabbit who was chased by both dogs and cats and who took refuge in the rushes on the bank of the stream and was passed by because his pursuers mistook the tips of his ears for rushes. then they made signs that, wherever he was, if he would come out and join them they should all be friends. he came out and they took paws and danced about in a circle. against the dull blue background it looked as if the animals were playing in the moonlight, jumping and walking on their hindlegs like the creatures in the fairy books. the small children in the audience were especially pleased with this number and when at the end a boy appeared carrying his schoolbooks and all the animals fell into line behind him and walked off demurely to school it was so like what happens at the end of the holidays that they burst into renewed clapping. the minuet went with the utmost smoothness. doctor watkins added his violin to the piano's playing of the mozart music from "don giovanni" and the picturesquely dressed figures stepped and bowed and courtesied with grace and precision. helen danced with tom, margaret with roger, ethel brown with james, and ethel blue with the new boy, george foster. the girls all wore ruffled skirts with paniers elaborately bunched over them, and they had their hair powdered. the boys wore knee breeches, long-tailed coats, and white wigs. on the wall hung an old portrait of a morton ancestor. a spinet stood at one side of the room which the stage represented. the whole atmosphere was that of a day long gone by. after this number was done doctor watkins appeared before the curtain. "i am asked by the president of the united service club," he said, "to tell you that there will be an interval of ten minutes between the minuet and the next offering of the program. during that time i am going to sing you a song that the english soldiers are singing. it isn't a serious song, for the soldiers are hearing enough sad sounds without adding to them. i may make some mistakes in singing it--you'll understand why in a moment." at a nod from him, mrs. smith broke into the opening notes of "sister susie's sewing shirts for soldiers," and by the time the doctor had finished the second stanza the audience was humming the chorus. "come on," he cried. "i did make some mistakes. see if you can do better," and he led the tune for the four lines that announced,-- "sister susie's sewing shirts for soldiers. such skill at sewing shirts our shy young sister susie shows, some soldiers send epistles, say they'd sooner sleep in thistles than the saucy, soft, short shirts for soldiers sister susie sews." everybody laughed and laughed and tried to sing and laughed again. when the chorus was over, doctor watkins dashed into the allies' song, "tipperary," and followed it by "deutschland ueber alles." then he taught the audience the words of "the christmas ship" and they quickly caught the air and soon were singing,-- "hurrah, hurrah for the christmas ship as it starts across the sea with its load of gifts and its greater load of loving sympathy. let's wave our hats and clap our hands as we send it on its trip; may many a heart and home be cheered by the gifts in the christmas ship." edward had a good voice and he sang with so much spirit that every one enjoyed his unexpected addition to the evening's pleasure. a bell behind the scenes announced that "the pied piper of hamelin" was ready and the curtain rose on the room in the town hall of hamelin in which the corporation held its meetings. dorothy, whose voice was clear and far-reaching, stood just below the stage at one side and read the explanation of what had been happening in the city. hamelin town's in brunswick, by famous hanover city; the river weser, deep and wide, washes its wall on the southern side; a pleasanter spot you never spied; but, when begins my ditty, almost five hundred years ago, to see the townsfolk suffer so from vermin, was a pity, rats! they fought the dogs and killed the cats, and bit the babies in the cradles, and ate the cheeses out of the vats, and licked the soup from the cooks' own ladles, split open the kegs of salted sprats made nests inside men's sunday hats, and even spoiled the women's chats by drowning their speaking with shrieking and squeaking in fifty different sharps and flats. at last the people in a body to the town hall came flocking. at this point the reading stopped and the action began. roger, dressed as the mayor in his mother's red flannel kimono banded with white stripes to which he had attached tiny black tails to give the effect of ermine, stalked in first. he wore a look of deep anxiety. behind him came james and two of roger's high school friends who represented members of the corporation. they also were dressed in red robes but they did not attempt to equal the ermine elegance of the mayor. after the mayor and corporation came a body of the townspeople. they all appeared thoroughly enraged and as the city fathers took their seats at the council table in the centre of the room they railed at them. first citizen. [_tom, in rough brown jacket and baggy knee breeches, with long brown stockings and low shoes. he frowned savagely and growled in disgust._] "'tis clear our mayor's a noddy!" second citizen. [_george foster, dressed like tom._] "and as for our corporation--shocking, to think we buy gowns lined with ermine for dolts that can't or won't determine what's best to rid us of our vermin!" third citizen. [_another high school boy. he was bent like a withered old man and spoke in a squeaky voice._] "you hope because you're old and obese, to find in the furry civic robe ease?" first citizen. "rouse up, sirs! give your brains a racking to find the remedy we're lacking, or, sure as fate, we'll send you packing." the mayor. "for a guilder i'd my ermine gown sell, i wish i were a mile hence." first member of the corporation. [_james._] "it's easy to bid one rack one's brain-- i'm sure my poor head aches again, i've scratched it so and all in vain." second member of the corporation. "oh, for a trap, a trap, a trap." at this instant came a rap on the door. helen did it, and a cry came from the mayor. "bless us, what's that?" first member. "only a scraping of shoes on the mat? anything like the sound of a rat makes my heart go pit-a-pat!" the mayor. "come in!" in answer to this permission there entered edward watkins as the pied piper. he had dashed around to the back and slipped into his coat and mrs. emerson had painted his face while the first words of the poem were being read. he was tall and thin with light hair, yet a swarthy complexion. he wore a queer long coat, half yellow and half red and around his neck a scarf of red and yellow in stripes to which was attached a tiny flute with which his fingers played as if he were eager to pipe upon it. he smiled winningly and the people crowded in the council chamber whispered, wondering who he was and why his attire was so curious. first citizen. "it's as my great-grandsire starting up at the trump of doom's tone, had walked this way from his painted tombstone." the pied piper [_edward watkins_] advanced to the council table. "please your honors, i'm able by means of a secret charm to draw all creatures living beneath the sun, that creep or swim or fly or run, after me so as you never saw! and i chiefly use my charm on creatures that do people harm, the mole and toad and newt and viper; and people call me the pied piper. yet, poor piper as i am, in tartary i freed the cham, last june from his huge swarms of gnats; i eased in asia the nizam of a monstrous brood of vampire bats: and as for what your brain bewilders if i can rid your town of rats will you give me a thousand guilders?" the mayor and corporation together. "one? fifty thousand!" then the piper walked slowly across the stage, erect and smiling, and he piped a strange, simple tune on his flute. as he disappeared at one side the stage was darkened and at the back appeared a picture such as had been used in the tableau of the old ladies knitting. the mayor and the corporation and the townsfolk turned their back to the audience and gazed out through this window. across it passed first the piper still piping, and after him a horde of rats. they were pasteboard rats and helen was drawing them across the scene with strings, but they made a very good illusion of the dancing rats that the poet described; great rats, small rats, lean rats, brawny rats; brown rats, black rats, gray rats, tawny rats. as the crowd in the room watched they uttered exclamations--"see!" "look at that one!" "how they follow him!" "he's leading them to the river!" "in they go!" "they're drowning!" "every one of them!" "let's ring the bells!" with faces of delight the townsfolk left the council chamber and from a distance came the muffled ringing of bells of joy. the mayor addressed them as they passed out; "go and get long poles, poke out the nests and block up the holes! consult with carpenters and builders, and leave in our town not even a trace of the rats." the piper entered suddenly. "first, if you please, my thousand guilders!" first member of the corporation. "a thousand guilders!" the other members of the corporation shook their heads in solemn refusal. the mayor. "our business was done at the river's brink; we saw with our eyes the vermin sink, and what's dead can't come to life, i think." second member of the corporation. "so, friend, we're not the folks to shrink from the duty of giving you something for drink, and a matter of money to put in your poke--" the mayor. "but as for the guilders, what we spoke of them, as you very well know, was in joke." first member. "besides, our losses have made us thrifty. a thousand guilders! come, take fifty!" the piper [_looking serious, cried_]; "no trifling! i can't wait, beside! i've promised to visit by dinner time bagdat, and accept the prime of the head-cook's pottage, all he's rich in, for having left in the caliph's kitchen, of a nest of scorpions no survivor; with him i proved no bargain-driver, with you, don't think i'll bate a stiver! and folks who put me in a passion may find me pipe after another fashion." the mayor. "how? d'ye think i brook being worse treated than a cook? insulted by a lazy ribald with idle pipe and vesture piebald? you threaten us, fellow? do your worst, blow your pipe there till you burst!" once more the piper laid the pipe against his lips and blew the strange, simple tune, and from both sides of the stage there came rushing in children of all sizes, boys and girls, flaxen-haired and dark-haired, blue-eyed and brown-eyed. they crowded around him and as he slowly passed off the stage they followed him, dancing and waving their hands and with never a look behind them. once more the window at the back opened and across it went the piper, still fluting, though now he could not be heard by the audience; and behind him still danced the children, blind to the gestures of the mayor and corporation who stretched out their arms, beseeching them to return. terrified, the city fathers made known by gestures of despair that they feared the piper was leading the children to the river where they would meet the fate of the rats. of a sudden they seemed relieved and the picture showed the throng passing out of sight into a cavern on the mountain. then limped upon the stage a lame boy who had not been able to dance all the way with the children and so was shut out when the mountain opened and swallowed them up. the corporation crowded around him and heard him say: lame boy. "it's dull in our town since my playmates left! i can't forget that i'm bereft of all the pleasant sights they see, which the piper also promised me. for he led us, he said, to a joyous land, joining the town and just at hand, where waters gushed and fruit trees grew and flowers put forth a fairer hue, and everything was strange and new; the sparrows were brighter than peacocks here, and their dogs outran our fallow deer, and honey bees had lost their stings, and horses were born with eagles' wings; and just as i became assured my lame foot would be speedily cured, the music stopped and i stood still, and found myself outside the hill, left alone against my will, to go now limping as before, and never hear of that country more!" the mayor and corporation were grouped around the lame boy listening and the citizens at the back leaned forward so as to hear every word. almost in tears the boy limped from the stage followed slowly by mayor and corporation and citizens while dorothy's clear voice took up the tale. "alas, alas for hamelin! there came into many a burgher's pate a text which says that heaven's gate opes to the rich at as easy rate as the needle's eye takes a camel in! the mayor sent east, west, north, and south, to offer the piper by word or mouth wherever it was men's lot to find him, silver and gold to his heart's content, if he'd only return the way he went, and bring the children behind him. but when they saw 'twas a lost endeavor, and piper and dancers were gone forever, they made a decree that lawyers never should think their records dated duly if, after the day of the month and year, these words did not as well appear, 'and so long after what happened here on the twenty-second of july, thirteen hundred and seventy-six:' and the better in memory to fix the place of the children's last retreat, they called it the pied piper's street-- where any one playing on pipe or tabor was sure for the future to lose his labor. nor suffered they hostelry or tavern to shock with mirth a street so solemn: but opposite the place of the cavern they wrote the story on a column, and on the great church window painted the same, to make the world acquainted how their children were stolen away, and there it stands to this very day. and i must not omit to say that in transylvania there's a tribe of alien people who ascribe the outlandish ways and dress on which their neighbors lay such stress, to their fathers and mothers having risen out of some subterraneous prison into which they were trepanned long time ago in a mighty band out of hamelin town in brunswick land. but how or why, they don't understand." at the conclusion of the play, after hearty applause, the audience broke again into the song of the christmas ship: hurrah, hurrah for the christmas ship as it starts across the sea with its load of gifts and its greater load of loving sympathy. let's wave our hats and clap our hands as we send it on its trip; may many a heart and home be cheered by the gifts in the christmas ship. "that's as good a show as if it had been put on by grown-ups," declared a new yorker who had come out with doctor watkins. "it's hard to believe that those kids have done it all themselves." he spoke to a stranger beside him as they filed out to the music of a merry march played by mrs. smith. "my boy was among them," replied the rosemont man proudly, "but i don't mind saying i think they're winners!" that seemed to be every one's opinion. as for the old ladies--the evening was such an event to them that they felt just a trifle uncertain that they had not been transported by some magic means to far away hamelin town. "i don't believe i missed a word," said the blind old lady as the horses toiled slowly up the hill to the home. "we'll tell you every scene so you'll know how the words fit in," promised the old lady in the wheel chair. "it will be something to talk about when we're knitting," chuckled the lame old lady brightly, and they all hummed gently, "hurrah, hurrah for the christmas ship as it starts across the sea." chapter xii james cuts corners "very creditable, very creditable indeed," repeated doctor hancock as he and james stepped into their car to return to glen point after packing the old ladies into the wagonette. mrs. hancock and margaret had gone home by trolley because the doctor had to make a professional call on the way. the moon lighted the road brilliantly and the machine flew along smoothly over the even surface. "this is about as near flying as a fellow can get and still be only two feet from the earth," said james. james was quiet and almost too serious for a boy of his age but he had one passion that sometimes got the better of the prudence which he inherited from the scottish ancestor about whom roger was always joking him. that passion was for speed. when he was a very small child he had made it his habit to descend the stairs by way of the rail at the infinite risk of his neck. once he had run his head through the slats of a chicken coop into which an over-swift hopmobile had thrown him. on roller skates his accidents had been beyond counting because his calculations of distance often seemed not to work out harmoniously with his velocity. it was because doctor hancock thought that if the boy had the responsibility for his father's machine and for other people's bones he would learn to exercise proper care, that he had consented to let him become his chauffeur. the plan had seemed to work well, but once in a while the desire to fly got the better of james's discretion. "here's where the car gets ahead of the aeroplane," said the doctor. "an aviator would find it dangerous work to skim along only two feet above ground." "i did want to go up with that airman at chautauqua last summer!" cried james. "why didn't you?" "cost too much. twenty-five plunks." the doctor whistled. "flying high always costs," he said meditatively. "the ethels went up. they haven't done talking about it yet. they named the man's machine, so he gave them a ride." "good work! look out for these corners, now. when you've studied physics a bit longer you'll learn why it is that a speeding body can't change its direction at an angle of ninety degrees and maintain its equilibrium unless it decreases its speed." james thought this over for a while. "in other words, slow up going round corners," he translated, "and later i'll learn why." "words to that effect," replied the doctor mildly. "here's a good straight bit," exclaimed james. "you don't care if i let her out, do you? there's nothing in sight." "watch that cross road." "yes, sir. isn't this moon great!" murmured james under his breath, excited by the brilliant light and the cool air and the swift motion. "always keep your eyes open for these heavy shadows that the moon casts," directed doctor hancock. "sometimes they're deceptive." "i'll keep in the middle of the road and then the bugaboo in the shadow can see us even if i can't see him," laughed james, the moonlight in his eyes and the rush of wind in his ears. "there's something moving there! look out!" shouted the doctor as a cow strolled slowly out from behind a tree and chewed a meditative cud right across their path. james made a swift, abrupt curve, and did not touch her. "that was a close one," he whispered, his hands shaking on the wheel. "it hasn't worried her any," reported his father, looking back. "she hasn't budged and she's still chewing. you did that very well, son. it was a difficult situation." james flushed warmly. his father was not a man to give praise often so that every word of commendation from him was doubly valued by his children. "thank you. i shouldn't like to have it happen every day," james confessed. they sped on in silence after the cow episode, the boy glad of the chance to steady his nerves in the quiet, the doctor thinking of the case he was to visit in a few minutes. the patient's house stood on the edge of glen point, and james sat in the car resting and watching the machines of the townspeople passing by with gay parties out to enjoy the moonlight. some, like themselves, had been to rosemont, and some of his schoolmates waved to him as they passed. "it was a great show, old man," more than one boy shouted to him. it had been a good show. he knew it and he was glad that he belonged to a club that really amounted to something. they did things well and they didn't do them well just to show off or to get praise--they had a good purpose behind. he was still thinking about it when his father came out. doctor hancock did not talk about his cases, but james had learned that silence meant that there was need for serious thought and that the doctor was in no mood to enter into conversation. when he came out laughing, however, and jumped into the car with a care-free jest, as happened now, james knew that all was going well. "now, home, boy," he directed. "stop at the drug store an instant." he gave some directions to a clerk who hurried out to them and then they drove on. the moonlight sifted through the trees and flickered on the road. a cool breeze stimulated james's skin to a shiver. on they went, faster and faster. he'd had a mighty good time all the evening, james thought, and father was a crackerjack. "look out, boy," his father's voice rang through his thoughts. the car struck the curb with a shock that loosened his grasp on the wheel and tossed him into the air. as he flew up he tried to say, "i cut the corner too close that time," but he never knew whether he said it or not, for his voice seemed to fail him and his father could not recall hearing such a remark. it was quite an hour later when he came to himself. to his amazement he found himself in his own room. the light was shaded, his mother with tears still filling her eyes was beside him, and his father and a young man whom he recognized as the new doctor who had just come to glen point, were putting away instruments. he tried to move in the bed and found that his leg was extraordinarily heavy. "did i bust my leg?" he inquired briefly. "you did," returned his father with equal brevity. "weren't you hurt?" "a scratch on the forehead, that's all. doctor hanson is going to patch me up now." the two physicians left the room and james did not know until long after that the scratch required several stitches to mend. his illness was a severe trial to james. his scottish blood taught him that his punishment fitted his crime--that he was hurt as a direct result of doing what he knew was likely to bring that result. he said to himself that he was going to take his punishment like a man. but oh, the days were long! the glen point boys came in when they thought of it--there was some one almost every day--but the indian summer was unusually prolonged and wonderfully beautiful this year, and it was more than any one could ask in reason that the boys should give up outdoors to stay with him. roger and helen and the ethels and dorothy came over from rosemont when they could, but their daily work had to be done and they had only a few minutes to stay after the long trolley trip. "we must think up something for james to do," mrs. hancock told margaret. "he's tired of reading. he can use his hands. hasn't your service club something that he can work on here?" margaret thought it had, and the result of the conversation was that mrs. hancock went to rosemont on an afternoon car. the ethels took her to mrs. smith's and dorothy showed her the accumulation for the christmas ship that already was making a good showing in the attic devoted to the work. "these bundles in the packing cases are all finished and ready for their final wrappings," dorothy explained. "there are dresses and wrappers and sacques and sweaters and all sorts of warm clothing like that." "and you girls did almost all of it!" exclaimed mrs. hancock. "helen and margaret made most of those," said ethel brown. "in this box are the knitted articles that are coming in every day now. most of them are from the old ladies' home so far, but every once in a while somebody else stops and leaves something. we girls don't knit much; it seems to go so slowly." "i brought one pair of wristers with me and i have another pair almost done," said mrs. hancock. "what are these?" "those are the boxes the boys have been pasting," said ethel blue, picking up one of them. "they began with the large plain ones first--the real packing boxes." "here are some that are large enough for a dress." "we've gathered all the old boxes we could find in our house or in our friends' houses--margaret must have hunted in your attic for she brought over some a fortnight ago. none of the things we are making will require a box as large as the tailors send out, so we took those boxes and the broken ones that we found and made them over." "that must have taken a great deal of time." "the boys paste pretty fast now. some of them they made to lock together. they didn't need anything but cutting. they got that idea from a tailor's box that roger found." mrs. hancock examined the flat pasteboard cut so that the corners would interlock. "the old boxes they cut down. that saves buying new pasteboard. and they've covered some of the battered looking old ones with fresh paper so they look as good as new--" "and a great deal prettier," said dorothy. "we get wall paper at ten cents a roll for the covering," said ethel blue. "they have an old-fashioned air that's attractive, aunt marion says," and she held up a box covered with wild roses. "they're lovely! and they must have cost you almost nothing." "we did these when our treasury was very low. now we've got almost fifty dollars that we cleared from our entertainment after we paid all our bills and repaid mother what we owed her," explained ethel brown, "so now the boys can get some fresh cardboard and some chintz and cretonne and make some real beauties." "is this what james has been doing on saturdays?" "james is the best paster of all, he's so careful. he always makes his corners as neat as pins. sometimes the other boys are careless." "then i don't see why james couldn't do some of this at home now. he has altogether too much time on his hands." "can't he study yet?" "he learns his lessons but his father doesn't want him to go to school for at least a fortnight and perhaps not then, so he has long hours with nothing to do except read and it isn't good for him to do that all the time." "we've got a lot of ideas for pasting that we've been waiting for time and cash to put into operation," said helen who had come in in time to hear mrs. hancock's complaint. "if james could have an old table that you didn't mind his getting sticky, next to his wheel chair he could do a quantity of things that we want very much, and it would help, oh, tremendously." "tell me about them," and mrs. hancock sat down at once to receive her instructions. helen brought a sheet of paper and made a list of materials to be bought and drew some of the articles over which she thought that james might be puzzled. "some of these ideas we got from magazines," she said, "and some people told us and some we invented ourselves. they aren't any of them very large." "james will like that. it is more fun to turn off a number of articles. when he has an array standing on his table you must all go over to glen point and see them." "we thought that perhaps you'd let us have a meeting of the u. s. c. at your house one saturday afternoon, and we could take over some of our work to show james and we could see his, and we could work while we were there," suggested helen diffidently. "you're as good as gold to think of it! it will be the greatest pleasure to james. shall we say this next saturday?" the girls agreed that that would be a good time, and mrs. hancock went home laden with materials for james's pasting operations and bearing the pleasant news of the coming of the club to meet with him. long before the hour at which they were expected james rolled himself to the window to wait for their coming. now that the leaves were off the trees he could just see the car stop at the end of the street and he watched eagerly for the flock of young people to run toward the house. it seemed an interminable wait, yet the car on which they had promised to come was not a minute late when at last it halted and its eager passengers stepped off. james could see the ethels leading the procession, waving their hands toward the window at which they knew he must be, although they could not see him until they came much nearer. dorothy followed them not far behind, and roger and helen brought up the rear. every one of them was laden with parcels of the strangest shapes. "i know the conductor thought we were santa claus's own children," laughed ethel blue as they all shook hands with the invalid and inquired after his leg. "we've come up to have a pasting bee," said helen, "and we all have ideas for you to carry out." "so have we," cried a new voice at the door, and della and tom came in, also laden with parcels and also bubbling with pleasure at seeing james so well again. "we shall need quantities of smallish presents that you can manage here at your table just splendidly," explained ethel brown. "and dozens of wrappings of various kinds that you can make, too." "great and glorious," beamed james. "'lay on, macduff.' i'll absorb every piece of information you give me, like a wet sponge." "let's do things in shipshape fashion," directed roger. "what do you say to boxes first? we'll lay out here our patterns, and materials." "let's make one apiece of everything," cried dorothy, "and leave them all for james to copy." "and we can open the other bundles afterwards," said della, "then those materials won't get mixed up with the box materials." "save the papers and strings," advised ethel brown. "we're going to need a fearful amount of both when wrapping time comes." "the secretary has had a letter from mademoiselle," helen informed the invalid. "where from?" james was aflame with interest. "she's in belgium; you know she said she was going to try to be sent there. she doesn't mention the name of the town, but she's near enough to the front for wounded to be brought in from the field." "and she can hear the artillery booming all the time," contributed ethel blue. "and one day she went out right on to the firing line to give first aid." "think of that! our little teacher!" "she wasn't given those black eyes for nothing! she's game right through!" laughed helen. chapter xiii pasting "some of these ideas will be more appropriate for christmas gifts here in america than for our war orphans, it seems to me," said helen, "but we may as well make a lot of everything because we'll be doing some christmas work as a club and nothing will be lost." "tell me what they are and i can do them last," said james. "and we can put them on a shelf in the club attic as models," suggested dorothy. "here's an example," said helen, taking up a pasteboard cylinder. "this is a mailing tube--you know those mailing tubes that you can buy all made, of different sizes. we've brought down a lot of them to-day. take this fat one, for instance, and cut it off about three inches down. then cover it with chintz or cretonne or flowered paper or holly paper." "line it with the paper, too, i should say," commented james, picking up the pieces that helen cut off. "yes, indeed. cover two round pieces and fit one of them into the bottom and fasten the other on for a cover with a ribbon hinge, and there you have a box for string, or rubber bands for somebody's desk." "o.k. for rubber bands," agreed roger, "but for string it would be better to make a hole in the cover and let the cord run up through." [illustration: string box made from a mailing tube] "how would you keep the cover from flopping up and down when you pulled the string?" "here's one very simple way. you know those fasteners that stationers sell to keep papers together? they have a brass head and two legs and when you've pushed the legs through the papers you press them apart and they can't pull out. one of those will do very well as a knob to go on the box part, and a loop of gold or silver cord or of ribbon can be pasted or tied on to the cover." "if you didn't care whether it was ever used again you could put in the ball of twine with its end sticking through and then paste a band of paper around the joining of the top and the box. it would be pretty as long as the twine lasted." "it would be a simple matter for the person who became its proud possessor to paste on another strip of paper when he had put in his new ball of twine." "any way you fix it," went on helen, "there you have the general method of making round boxes from these mailing tubes." "and you can use round boxes for a dozen purposes," said margaret; "for candy and all the goodies we're going to send the orphans." "are you sure they'll keep?" asked careful james. "ethel brown asked the domestic science teacher at school about that, and she's going to give her receipts for cookies and candies that will last at least six weeks. that will be long enough for the christmas ship to go over and to make the rounds of the ports where it is to distribute presents." "of course we'll make the eatables at the last minute," said dorothy, "and we'll pack them so as to keep the air out as much as possible." "give that flour paste a good boiling," helen called after margaret as she left the room to prepare it. "and don't forget the oil of cloves to keep it sweet," added ethel blue. "these round boxes will be especially good for the cookies," said ethel brown, "though the string box would have to go to father. a string box isn't especially suitable for an orphan." "if you split these mailing tubes lengthwise and line them inside you get some pretty shapes," went on helen. "rather shallow," commented della. "if you split them just in halves they are, but you don't have to do that. split them a little above the middle and then the cover will be shallower than the box part." "right-o," nodded roger. "then you line them and arrange the fastening and hinges just as you described for the string box?" asked james. "exactly the same. another way of fastening them is by making little chintz straps and putting glove snappers on them." "i don't see why you couldn't put ribbons into both cover and box part and tie them together." "you could." "you can use these split open ones for a manicure set or a brush and comb box for travelling." "or a handkerchief box." "if you get tubes of different sizes and used military hair brushes you could make a box for a man, with a cover that slipped over for a long way," said ethel blue. "it would be just like the leather ones." "you make one of those for uncle richard for christmas," advised ethel brown. "i rather think the orphans aren't keen on military brushes." "oh, i'm just talking out any ideas that come along. as helen suggested, an idea is always useful some time or other even if it won't do for to-day's orphans." "i saw a dandy box the other day that we might have put into mademoiselle's kit," said roger. "it's a good thing to remember for some other traveller." "describe," commanded james. "i don't think these round boxes would be as convenient for it as a square or oblong one. it had a ball of string and a tube of paste and a pair of small scissors, and tags of different sizes and rubber bands and labels with gum on the back." "that's great for a desk top," said della. "i believe i'll make one for father for his birthday," and she nodded toward tom who nodded back approvingly. "a big blotter case is another desk gift. the back is of very stiff cardboard and the corners are of chintz or leather. the blotters are slipped under the corners and are kept flat by them," continued roger, who had noticed them because of their leather corners. "a lot of small blotters tied together are easy to put up," contributed dorothy. "you can have twelve, if you want to, and paste a calendar for a month on to each one." "i think we ought to make those plain boxes the boys have made for the dresses a little prettier. can't we ornament them in some way?" asked ethel blue. "the made-over ones are all covered with fancy paper you remember," said tom. "i was thinking of the plain ones that are 'neat but not gaudy.' how can we make them 'gaudy'?" "christmas seals are about as easy a decoration as you can get," tom suggested. "pretty, too. those small seals, you mean, that you put on letters. a santa claus or a christmas tree or a poinsettia would look pretty on the smaller sized boxes." "it would take a lot of them to show much on the larger ones, and that would make them rather expensive. can't we think up something cheaper?" asked the treasurer. "i'm daffy over wall paper," cried dorothy. "i went with mother to pick out some for one of our rooms the other day and the man showed us such beauties--they were like paintings." "and cost like paintings, too," growled james feelingly. "some of them did," admitted dorothy. "but i asked him if he didn't have remnants sometimes. he laughed and said they didn't call them remnants but he said they did have torn pieces and for ten cents he gave me a regular armful. just look at these beauties." she held up for the others' inspection some pieces of paper with lovely flower designs upon them. "but those bits aren't big enough to cover a big box and the patterns are too large to show except on a big box," objected margaret who had come back with the paste. "here's where they're just the thing for decoration of the plain boxes. cut out this perfectly darling wistaria--so. could you find anything more graceful than that? you'd have to be an artist to do anything so good. paste that sweeping, drooping vine with its lovely cluster of blossoms on to the top of one of the largest boxes and that's plenty of decoration." dorothy waved her vine in one hand and her scissors in the other and the rest became infected with her enthusiasm, for the scraps of paper that she had brought were exquisite in themselves and admirable for the purpose she suggested. "good for dorothy!" hurrahed james. "anybody else got any ideas on this decoration need?" [illustration: "paste that vine on to the top of one of the largest boxes"] "i have," came meekly from ethel brown. "it isn't very novel but it will work, and it will save money and it's easy." "trot her forth," commanded roger. "it's silhouettes." silence greeted this suggestion. "they're not awfully easy to do," said helen doubtfully. "not when you make them out of black paper, and you have to draw on the pattern or trace it on and you can hardly see the lines and you get all fussed up over it," acknowledged ethel. "i've tried that way and i almost came to the conclusion that it wasn't worth the trouble i put into it unless you happened to be a person who can cut them right out without drawing them first." "i saw a man do that at a bazar once," said della. "it was wonderful. he illustrated cinderella. he cut out a coach and tiny horses and the old fairy without drawing anything at all beforehand." "nothing doing here," tom pushed away an imaginary offer of scissors and black paper. "here's where my grand idea comes in," insisted ethel brown. "my idea is to cut out of the magazines any figures that please you." "figures with action would be fun," suggested roger. "they'd be prettiest, too. you'll find them in the advertising pages as well as in the stories. paste them on to your box or whatever you want to decorate, and then go over them with black oil paint." "good for old ethel brown!" applauded her brother. "i didn't think you had it in you, child! have you ever tried it?" "yes, sir, i have. i knew i'd probably meet with objections from an unimaginative person like you, so i decorated this cover and brought it along as a sample." it proved to be an idea as dashing as it was simple. ethel brown had selected a girl rolling a hoop. a dog, cut from another page, was bounding beside her. some delicate foliage at one side hinted at a landscape. "wasn't it hard not to let the black run over the edges of the picture?" asked della. "yes, you have to keep your wits about you all the time. but then you have to do that any way if you want what you're making to amount to anything, so that doesn't count." "that's a capital addition, that suggestion of ground that you made with a whisk or two of the brush." "just a few lines seem to give the child something to stand on." "these plans for decoration look especially good to me," said practical james, "because there's nothing to stick up on them. they'll pack easily and that's what we must have for our purpose." "that's true," agreed helen. "for doing up presents that don't have to travel it's pretty to cut petals of red poinsettia and twist them with wire and make a flower that you can tuck in under the string that you tie the parcel with--" "or a bit of holly. holly is easily made out of green crêpe paper or tissue paper," cried della. "but as james says, none of the boxes for the orphans can have stick-ups or they'll look like mashed potatoes when they reach the other side." "we'll stow away the poinsettia idea for home presents then," said margaret. "what we want from james, however, is a lot of boxes of any and every size that he can squeeze out." "no scraps thrown away, old man," decreed tom, "for even a cube of an inch each way will hold a few sweeties." "orders received and committed to memory," acknowledged the invalid, saluting. "by the way, i learned an awfully interesting thing to-day," said helen. "name it," commanded roger, busy with knife and pastepot making one of the twine and tag boxes that he had described. "i'll tell you while we each make one of the things we've been talking about so that we can leave them for patterns with james." dorothy had already set about applying her wistaria vine to the cover of a box whose body tom was putting together. ethel blue was making a string box from a mailing tube, covering it with a scrap of chintz with a very small design; ethel brown was hunting in an old magazine for figures suitable for making silhouettes; james was writing in a notebook the various hints that had been bestowed upon him so generously that he feared his memory would not hold them all without help; helen and della were measuring and cutting some cotton cloth that was to be used in the gifts that della was eager to tell about. "by the time helen has told her tale i'll be ready to explain my gift idea," she said. "go on, then, helen," urged james, "i'm ready to 'start something' myself, in a minute." "you and margaret have heard us talk about our german teacher?" "we've seen her," said margaret. "she was at our entertainment." "so she was. i remember, she and her mother sat right behind the old ladies from the home." "and they knitted for the soldiers whenever the lights were up." "i guess mrs. hindenburg knitted when the lights were off, too," said helen. "i've seen her knitting with her eyes shut." "she sent in some more wristers for the orphans the other day," said dorothy. "she has made seven pairs so far, and three scarfs and two little sweaters." "some knitter," announced roger. "fräulein knits all the time, too, but she says she can't keep up with her mother. this is what i wanted to tell you--you remember when roger first went there she told him that fräulein's betrothed was in the german army. well, yesterday she told us who he is." "is it all right for you to tell us?" warned roger. "it's no secret. she said that the engagement was to have been announced as soon as he got back from germany and that many people knew it already." "is he an american german?" "it's our own mr. schuler." roger gave a whistle of surprise; the ethels cried out in wonder, and the hancocks and the watkinses who did not know many rosemont people, waited for the explanation. "mr. schuler was the singing teacher in the high school year before last and last year," explained helen. "last spring he had to go back to germany in may so he was there when the army was mobilized and went right to the front." "it does come near home when you actually know a soldier fighting in the german army and a nurse in a hospital on the allies' side," said roger thoughtfully. "it makes it a lot more exciting to know who fräulein's betrothed is." "does she speak of him?" asked margaret. "she talked about him very freely yesterday after her mother mentioned his name." "i suppose she didn't want the high school kids gossiping about him," observed roger. "as we are," interposed james. "we aren't gossiping," defended helen. "she looks on the club members as her special friends--she said so. she knows we wouldn't go round at school making a nine days' wonder of it. she knows we're fond of her." "we are," agreed roger. "she's a corker. i wonder we didn't think of its being mr. schuler." "her mother always mentioned him as 'my daughter's betrothed'; and fräulein yesterday kept saying 'my betrothed.' we might have gone on in ignorance for a long time if mrs. hindenburg hadn't let it slip out yesterday." "well, i hope he'll come through with all his legs and arms uninjured," said roger. "i hope it for fräulein's sake, and for his, too. he's a bully singing teacher." "has she heard from him since the war began?" "several times, but not for a month now, and she's about crazy with anxiety. he was in belgium when he got the last letter through and of course that means that he has been in the very thick of it all." "poor fräulein!" sighed ethel blue, and the others nodded seriously over their work. chapter xiv james's afternoon party "now are you ready to take in all the difficulties of my art object?" asked della. "trot her out," implored james. "it's picture books." a distinct sniff went over the assembly, only kept in check by a desire to be polite. "there can't be anything awfully new about picture books," said tom. "especially cloth picture books. you and helen have been cutting out cambric for cloth picture books," accused ethel brown. "della has been making some variations, though." helen came to della's rescue. "she's made some with the leaves all one color, pink or blue; and here's another one with a variety--two pages light pink, and the next two pages pale green." ethel brown cast a more interested eye toward the picture book display. "how do you sew them together?" she asked. "you can do it on the machine and let it go at that. in fact, that's the best plan even if you go on to add some decoration of feather-stitching or cat-stitching. the machine stitching makes it firmer." "is there an interlining?" "i tried them with and without an interlining. i don't think an interlining is necessary. the two thicknesses of cambric are all you need." "dicky has a cloth book with just one thickness for each page," said ethel brown. "but that's made of very heavy cotton," explained helen. "you cut your cambric like a sheet of note-paper," said della. "haven't my lessons on scientific management soaked in better than that?" demanded roger. "if you want to save time you cut just as many sheets of note-paper, so to speak, as your scissors will go through." "certainly," retorted della with dignity. "i took it for granted that the members of the u. s. c. had learned that. put two sheets of this cambric note-paper together flat and stitch them. that makes four pages to paste on, you see. you can make your book any size you want to and have just as many pages as you need to tell your story on." "story? what story?" asked ethel blue, interestedly. "aha! i thought you'd wake up!" laughed della. "here, my children, is where my book differs from most of the cloth picture books that you ever saw. my books aren't careless collections of pictures, with no relation to each other. here's a cat book, for instance. not just every-day cats, though i've put in lots of cats and some kodaks of my own cat. there are pictures of the big cats--lions and tigers--and i've put in some scenery so that the child who gets this book will have an idea of what sort of country the beasts really live in." "it's a natural history book," declared james. "partly. but it winds up with 'the true story of thomas's nine lives.'" "the kid it is going to won't know english," objected roger. "oh, i haven't written it out. it's just told in pictures with , , , through at the head of each page. they'll understand." "do you see what an opportunity the different colored cambric gives?" said helen. "sometimes della uses colored pictures or she paints them, and then she makes the background harmonize with the coloring of the figures." "why couldn't you make a whole book of my silhouettes?" demanded ethel brown. "bully!" commended james. "you can work out all sorts of topics in these books, you see," della went on. "there are all the fairy stories to illustrate and 'red riding hood,' and the 'bears,' and when you get tired of making those you can have one about 'the wonders of america,' and put in niagara." "and the rocky mountains," said tom. "and the woolworth building," suggested ethel brown. "and a cotton field with the negroes picking cotton," added ethel blue. "there wouldn't be any trouble getting material for that one," said helen. "nor for one on any american city. i've got one started that is going to show new york from the statue of liberty to the jumel mansion and the van cortland house, with a lot of other historical buildings and skyscrapers and museums in between." "we'll be promoting emigration from the old country after the war is over if we show the youngsters all the attractions that uncle sam has to offer." "there'll be a lot of them come over anyway so they might as well learn what they'll see when they arrive." "i see heaps of opportunities in that idea," said roger. "there's a chance to teach the kiddies something by these books if we're careful to be truthful in the pictures we put in." "not to make monkeys swinging down the forests of broadway, eh?" laughed tom. "if i'm to do a million or two of these you'll all have to help me get the pictures together," begged james. "i've brought some with me you can have for a starter," said della, "and i'm collecting others and keeping them in separate envelopes--animals in one and buildings in another and so on. it will make it easier for you." "_muchas gracias, señorita_," bowed james, who was just beginning spanish and liked to air a "thank you" occasionally. "i know what i'm going to make for some member of my family," declared roger. "name it, it will be such a surprise when it comes." "probably it will go to grandmother emerson so i don't mind telling you that i think i'll write a history of our summer at chautauqua and illustrate it." "that's the best notion that ever came from roger," approved james. "i think i'll make one and give it to father. the recognition day procession and all that, you know." "envelopes make me think that we may have some small gifts--cards or handkerchiefs--that we can send in envelopes," said ethel blue, "and we ought to decorate them just as much as our boxes." "they won't be hard. any of the ideas we've suggested for the boxes will do--flowers and silhouettes, and seals. you're a smarty with watercolors so you can paint some original figures or a tiny landscape, but the rest of us will have to keep to the pastepot," laughed margaret. "for home gifts we can write rhymes to put into the envelopes, but i suppose it wouldn't do for these european kids," said tom. "we don't know where they're going, you see, and it would never do if an english child got a german rhyme or the other way round." "o-oh, ne-_ver_," gasped ethel blue whose quick imagination sympathized with the feelings of a child to whom such a thing happened. "we'll have to make them understand through their eyes." "fortunately santa claus with his pack speaks a language they can all understand," nodded roger. "here comes his humble servant right now," exclaimed mrs. hancock at the door. tom ran to hold it open for her, and roger relieved her of the waiter which she was carrying. "james has to have an egg-nog at this time," she explained, "so i thought all of you might like to be 'picked up' after your hard afternoon's work." these sentiments were greeted with applause though tom insisted that the best part of the afternoon was yet to come as he had not yet had a chance to tell about his invention. "one that you'll appreciate tremendously, mrs. hancock," he said gravely. "all housekeepers will. you must get margaret to make you one." "don't tell her what it is and i can give it to her for christmas," cried margaret. james's egg-nog and his wafers were placed on the table beside him. the others sat at small tables, of which there were several around the room, and drank their egg-nog and ate their cakes with great satisfaction. "tell me how this egg-nog is made," begged helen. "it is delicious and i'm sure mother would like to know." "mother always has it made the same way," replied margaret. "i'm sure it is concocted out of six eggs and half a pound of sugar, and three pints of whipped cream and a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg." "it's so foamy--that isn't the whipped cream alone." "first you beat the yolks of the eggs and the sugar together until it is all frothy. then you beat the whites of the eggs by themselves until they are stiff and you stir that in gently. then you put the spice on top of that and lastly you heap the whipped cream on top of the whole thing." "it's perfectly delicious," exclaimed dorothy, "and so is the fruit cake." "mother prides herself on her fruit cake. it is good, isn't it? she's going to let me make some to send to the orphans." "won't that be great. baked in ducky little pans like these." "they'll keep perfectly, of course." "would your mother let us have the receipt now so we could be practicing it to make some too?" asked dorothy. "i'm sure she'd be delighted," and margaret ran off to get her mother's manuscript cook book from which dorothy copied the following receipt: "fruit cake "½ cup butter ¾ cup brown sugar ¾ cup raisins, chopped ¾ cup currants ½ cup citron, cut in small pieces ½ cup molasses eggs ½ cup milk cups flour ½ teaspoon soda teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon allspice ¼ teaspoon nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cloves ½ teaspoon lemon extract or vanilla "sift the flour, soda and spices together. beat the eggs, add the milk to them. cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, add the molasses, the milk and egg, then the flour gradually. mix the fruit, sift a little flour over it, rub it in the flour, add to it the mixture. add the extract. stir and beat well. fill greased pans two-thirds full. bake in a moderately hot oven one and a quarter hours if in a loaf. in small sizes bake slowly twenty to thirty minutes." "i'm ready to hear what tom's got to offer," said james, leaning back luxuriously in his chair after the remains of the feast had been taken away. "mine is a paper-cutting scheme," responded tom. "perhaps it won't come easy to everybody, but on a small scale i'm something of a paper cutter myself." "dull edged?" queried roger. "hm," acknowledged tom. "i can't illustrate 'cinderella' like the man della saw, but i can cut simple figures and i want to propose one arrangement of them to this august body." "fire ahead," came roger's permission. "it's just a variation of the strings of paper dolls that i used to make for della when she was a year or two younger than she is now." della received this taunt with a puckered face. [illustration: "fold strips of paper and then cut one figure of a little girl"] "you fold strips of white paper--or blue or yellow or any old color--in halves and then in halves again and then again, until it is about three inches wide. then you cut one figure of a little girl, letting the tips of the hands and skirts remain uncut. when you unfold the strip you have a string of cutey little girls joining hands. see?" they all laughed for all of them had cut just such figures when they were children. "now my application of this simple device," went on tom in the solemn tones of a professor, "is to make them serve as lamp shades." "for the orphans?" laughed roger. "for the orphans i'm going to cut about a bushel of strips of all colors. children always like to play with them just so." "i don't see why those of us who can't draw couldn't cut a child or a dog or some figure from a magazine and lay it on the folded paper and trace around the edges and then cut it," suggested dorothy. [illustration: a string of paper dolls] "you could perfectly well. all you have to remember is to leave a folded edge at the side, top and bottom. you can make a row of dogs standing on their hind paws and holding hands--forepaws--and the ground they are standing on will fasten them together at the bottom." "how does the lamp shade idea work out?" asked helen with grandfather emerson's christmas gift in mind. "you cut a string of figures that are fairly straight up and down, like greek maidens or some conventional vases or a dance of clowns. then you must be sure that your strip is long enough to go around your shade. then you line it with asbestos paper--the kind that comes in a sort of book for the kitchen." "i see. you paste the strip right on to the asbestos paper and cut out the figures," guessed james. "exactly," replied tom. "after which you paste the ends of the strip together and there you have your shade ready to slip on to the glass." [illustration: photograph frame--front] "what keeps it from falling down and off?" "the shape of the shade usually holds it up. if it isn't the right shape, though, you can run a cord through your figures' hands and tighten them up as much as you need to." "i think that's a rather jolly stunt of tom's," commended roger patronizingly. tom gave him a kick under the table and james growled a request not to hit his game leg. [illustration: photograph frame--back] "if you boys are beginning to quarrel it's time we adjourned," decided the president. "has anybody any more ideas to get off her alleged mind this afternoon?" "i thought of picture frames," offered james. "while my hand is in with pasting i believe i'll make some frames--a solid pasteboard back and the front with an oval or an oblong or a square cut out of it. you paste the front on to the back at the edges except at the bottom. you leave that open to put the picture in." "you can cover that with chintz--cotton, cotton, cotton," chanted dorothy, who seldom missed a chance to promote the cotton crusade. "how do you hang it up?" asked margaret. "stick on a little brass ring with a bit of tape. or you can make it stand by putting a stiff bit of cardboard behind it with a tape hinge." "that would be a good home present," said ethel brown. "perfectly good for family photographs. you can make them hold two or three. but you can fix them up for the european kids and put in any sort of picture--a dog or a cat or george washington or some really beautiful picture." "i believe in giving them pictures of america or american objects or places or people," said dorothy. "dorothy is the champion patriot of the united service club," laughed roger. "come on, infants; we must let james rest or mrs. hancock won't invite us to come again. i wish you could get over to rosemont for the movies next week," he added. "what movies?" "the churches have clubbed together and hired the school hall and they're going to get the latest moving pictures from the war zone that they can find. it is the first time rosemont has ever had the real thing." chapter xv prevention the mortons were gathered about the fire in the half hour of the day which they especially enjoyed. mrs. morton made a point of being at home herself for this time, and she liked to have all the young people meet her in the dusk and tell her of the day's work and play. it was a time when every one was glad to rest for a few minutes after dressing for dinner. "i'm sure to get my hair mussed up if i do anything but talk to mother after i brush it for dinner," roger was in the habit of explaining, "so it suits me just to stare at the fire." he was sitting now on the floor beside her with his head leaning against the arm of her chair. dicky was occupying the morris chair with her, and the three girls were in comfortable positions, the ethels on the sofa and helen knitting a scarf as she sat on a footstool before the blaze. "you're not trying your eyes knitting in this imperfect light?" asked her mother. "this is plain sailing, mother. i can rush along on this straight piece almost as fast as mrs. hindenburg, and i don't have to look on at all unless a horrid fear seizes me that i've skipped a stitch." "which i hope you haven't done." "never really but there have been several false alarms." "how is fräulein?" "all right, i guess." "did you see her to-day?" "we had german compo to-day. i didn't do much with it." "why not?" "it didn't seem to go off well. i don't know why. perhaps i didn't try as hard as usual." "did it disturb fräulein?" "did what disturb fräulein?" "that you didn't do your lesson well." "disturb fräulein? i don't know. why should it disturb her? i should think i was the one to be disturbed." "were you?" "was i disturbed? well, no, mother, to tell the truth i didn't care much. that old german is so hard and the words all break up so foolishly--somehow it didn't seem very important to me this morning. and fanny shrewsbury said something awfully funny about it under her breath and we got laughing and--no, i wasn't especially disturbed." "although you had a poor lesson and didn't try to make up for it by paying strict attention in the class!" "why, mother, i, er--" helen stopped knitting. "you think i'm taking too seriously a poor lesson that wasn't very bad, after all? possibly i am, but i've been noticing that all of you are more careless lately than i want my girls and boys to be." mrs. morton stroked roger's hair and looked around at the handsome young faces illuminated by the firelight. "you mean us, too?" cried the ethels, sitting up straight upon the sofa. "you, too." "we haven't meant to be careless, mother," said roger soberly. his mother's good opinion was something he was proud of keeping and she was so fair in her judgments that he felt that he must meet any accusations like the present in the honest spirit in which they were made. "do you want to know what i think is the trouble with all of you?" every one of them cried out for information, even dicky, whose "yeth" rang out above the others. "if you ask for my candid opinion," responded mrs. morton, "i think you are giving so much time and attention to the work of the u. s. c. that you aren't paying proper attention to the small matters of every day life that we must all meet." "oh, but, mother, you approve of the u. s. c." "certainly i approve of it. i think it is fine in every way; but i don't believe in your becoming so absorbed in it that you forget your daily duties. aunt louise had to telephone to roger to go over and start her furnace for her yesterday when the sharp snap came, and the ethels have been rushing off in the morning without doing the small things to help mary that are a part of their day's work." "oh, mother, they're such little things! she can do them easily once in a while." "any one of your morning tasks is a small matter, but when none of them are done they mount up to a good deal for mary. if there were some real necessity for making an extra bed mary would do it without complaining, but when, as happened yesterday morning, neither of you ethels made your bed, and roger left towels thrown all over his floor, and not one of helen's bureau drawers was shut tight, and dicky upset a box of beads and went off to kindergarten without picking them up--don't you see that what meant but a few minutes' work for each one of you meant an hour's work for one person?" "i'll bet mary didn't mind," growled roger. "mary is too loyal to say anything, but if your present careless habits should continue we should have to have an extra maid to wait on you, and you know very well that that is impossible." "i'm sorry, mother," said roger penitently. "i'm sorry about the towels and about aunt louise and i'm sorry i growled. you're right, of course." "i rather guess we've been led astray by being so successful with our team work in the club," said helen thoughtfully. "we've found out that we can do all sorts of things well if we pull together and we've been forgetting to apply co-operation at home." "exactly," agreed mrs. morton. "and you've been so absorbed in the needs of people several thousand miles away that you overlook the needs of people beside you. what you've been doing to mary is unkind; what helen did to fräulein this morning was unkind." "oh, mother! i wouldn't be unkind to fräulein for the world." "i don't believe you would if you thought about it. she certainly is in such sore trouble that she needs all the consideration that her scholars can give her, yet you must have annoyed her greatly this morning." "i'm afraid fräulein's used to our not knowing our lessons very well," observed roger. "i'm sorry to hear that, but if you know you aren't doing as well as you ought to with your lessons that is the best reason in the world for you to pay the strictest attention while you are in class. yet helen says that she and fanny shrewsbury were laughing. i'm afraid fräulein isn't feeling especially content with her work this afternoon." "mother, you make me feel like a hound dog," cried helen. "and i've been talking as if i were so sorry for fräulein!" "you are sorry for her as the heroine of a romance, because her betrothed is in the army and she doesn't know where he is or whether he is alive. it sounds like a story in a book. but when you think what that would mean if it were you that had to endure the suffering it wouldn't seem romantic. suppose father were fighting in mexico and we hadn't heard from him for a month--do you think you could throw off your anxiety for a minute? don't you think you'd have to be careful every instant in school to control yourself? don't you think it would be pretty hard if some one in school constantly did things that irritated you--didn't know her lessons and then laughed and giggled all through the recitation hour?" helen's and roger's heads were bent. "imagine," mrs. morton went on, "how you would feel every day when you came home, wondering all the way whether a letter had come; wondering whether, if one _had_ come, it would be from father or from some one else saying that father was--wounded." "oh, mother, i can't--" helen was almost crying. "you can't bear to think of it; yet--" "yet fräulein was just so anxious and--" "and we made things worse for her!" "i know you didn't think--" "we ought to think. i've excused myself all my life by saying 'i didn't think.' i ought to think." "'i didn't think' _explains_, but it doesn't _excuse_." "nothing excuses meanness." "that's true." "and it's almost as mean not to see when people are in trouble as it is to see it and not to care." "i'm glad you're teaching us to be observant, aunt marion," said ethel blue quietly. "i used to think it was sort of _distinguished_ to be absent-minded and not to pay attention to people, but now i think it's just _stupidity_." "mother," said roger, sitting up straight, "i've been a beast. poor fräulein is worrying herself to pieces every minute of the day and i never thought anything about it. and i let aunt louise freeze yesterday morning and dorothy had to go to school before the house was warmed up and she had a cold to-day because she got chilled. i see your point, and i'm a reformed pirate from this minute!" roger rose and squared his shoulders and walked about the room. "when you think it out it's little things that are hard to manage all the time," he went on thoughtfully. "here are these little things that we've been pestering mary about, and when we kids squabble it's almost always about some trifle." "a pin prick is often more trying than a severe wound," agreed his mother. "you brace yourself to bear a real hurt, but it doesn't seem worth while for a trifle and so you whine about it before you think. if father and uncle richard really were in action all of us would do our best to be brave about it and to bear our trouble uncomplainingly--" "the way fräulein does," murmured helen. "that's the way when you have a sickness," said ethel brown. "when i had the measles you and mary said i didn't make much fuss, but every time i catch cold i'm afraid all of you hear about it." "we do," agreed roger cheerfully. "i should say, then," remarked mrs. morton as mary appeared at the door to announce dinner, "that this club should bear in mind that it is to serve not only those at a distance but those near home, and not only to serve people in deepest trouble but to serve by preventing suffering." "i get you, mother dear," said roger, taking his father's seat. "prevention is a great modern principle that we don't think enough about," said mrs. morton. "i know what you mean--fire prevention," exclaimed ethel blue. "tom watkins was telling us the other day about the fire prevention parade they had in new york. there were a lot of engines and hose wagons and ladder wagons and they were all covered with cards telling how much wiser it was to prevent fire than to let it start and then try to put it out." "della saw the parade," said ethel brown. "she told me there were signs that said 'it's cheaper to put a sprinkler in your factory than to rebuild the factory'; and 'one cigarette in a factory may cost thousands of dollars in repairs.'" "the doctors have been working to prevent disease," said roger. "james has often told me what his father is doing to teach people how to avoid being sick." "all these clean-up campaigns are really for the prevention of illness as much as the making of cleanliness," said mrs. morton. "everything of that sort educates people, and we can apply the same methods to our own lives," advised mrs. morton. "why can't we have a household campaign to prevent giving mary unnecessary work and to avoid irritating each other?" "all that can be worked in as part of the duties of the service club," said ethel blue. "certainly it can. what's the matter, ethel brown?" ethel brown was on the point of tears. "one of the girls at school gave me an order for cookies the other day," she said, "and i didn't do them because we went over to the hancocks' that afternoon." "you got your own punishment there," remarked roger. "if you didn't fill the order you didn't get any pay." "that wasn't all. she was going to take them to a cousin of hers who was just getting over the mumps. she wanted to surprise her. she was awfully mad because i didn't make them. she said she had depended on them and she didn't have anything to take to her cousin." "there you see it," exclaimed mrs. morton. "it didn't seem much to ethel brown not to make two or three dozen cookies, but in the first place she broke her promise, and in the next place she caused real unhappiness to a girl who was depending on them to give pleasure to her sick cousin." "you've given us a shake-up we won't forget soon, mother," remarked roger. "there's one duty i haven't done this week that you haven't mentioned, but i'm pretty sure you know it so i might as well bring it into the light myself and say i'm sorry." "what is it?" laughed his mother. "i haven't been over to see grandfather and grandmother emerson for ten days." "they'll be sorry." "i was relying on one of the girls going." "we haven't been," confessed the ethels. "nor i," admitted helen. mrs. morton looked serious. "we love to go there," said ethel brown, "but we've been so busy." "too busy to be kind to the people near at hand, eh?" the young people looked ruefully at one another. "anyway, watch me be attentive to fräulein," promised helen. she was. she and roger made a point of giving her as little trouble as possible; and of paying her unobtrusive attentions. roger carried home for her a huge bundle of exercises; the ethels left some chestnuts at her door when they came back from a hunt on the hillside, and even dicky wove her a mat at kindergarten of red and white and black paper--the german colors. the mortons were all attention to james, too. every day they remembered to call him up on the telephone and ask him how his box-making was coming on. he had a telephone extension on the table at his elbow and these daily talks cheered him greatly. the others were leaving the making of most of the pasted articles to him, and they were going on with the manufacture of baskets and leather and brass and copper articles and of odds and ends of various kinds. "perhaps i'll be able to get up to dorothy's next saturday," james phoned to roger one day, "if mrs. smith wouldn't mind the club meeting downstairs. i suppose the pater wouldn't let me try to climb to the attic yet." mrs. smith was delighted to make the change for james's benefit, but before the day came he called up roger one afternoon in great excitement. "when did you say those church movies were?" he asked. "to-morrow evening." "father says he'll take me over if he doesn't have a hurry call at the last minute." roger gave a whoop that resounded along the wire. "you'll find the whole club drawn up at the door of the schoolhouse to meet you," he cried. "the watkinses are coming out from new york. will margaret come with you?" "she and mother will go over in the trolley." as roger had promised, the club was drawn up in double ranks before the door when doctor hancock stopped his machine close to the step. roger and tom ran down to make a chair on which to carry james inside, and helen and dorothy were ready with the wheel-chair belonging to the old lady at the home who had been glad to lend it for the evening to the boy whose acquaintance she had made at the club entertainment. james was rather embarrassed at being so conspicuous, but all his rosemont acquaintances came to speak to him and he was quite the hero of the occasion. the moving pictures were an innovation in rosemont. there had been various picture shows in empty stores in the town and they had not all been of a character approved by the parents of the school children who went to them in great numbers. the rooms were dark and there was danger of fire and the pictures themselves were not always suitable for young people to see or agreeable for their elders. the result of a conference among some of the townspeople who had the interests of the place at heart was this entertainment which was the first of a series to be given in the school hall on friday evenings all through the winter. the films were chosen by a sub-committee and it was hoped that they would be so liked that the poor places down town would find it unprofitable to continue. the program was pleasantly varied. the story of a country boy who went to new york to make his fortune and who found out that, as in the oriental story, his fortune lay buried in his own dooryard--in this case in the printing office of his own town--was the opener. that was followed by a remarkable film showing the habits of swallows and by another whereon some of the flowers of burbank's garden waved softly in the california breeze. a dramatization of daudet's famous story called "the last class" brought tears to the eyes of the onlookers whose thoughts were much across the atlantic. it was a simple, touching tale, and it served appropriately as the forerunner of the war pictures that had just been sent to america by photographers in germany and france and belgium. the first showed troops leaving berlin, flags flying, bands playing, while the crowds along the street waved a cheerful parting, though once in a while a woman bent her head behind her neighbor's shoulder to hide her tears. there were scenes in belgium--houses shattered by the bombs of airmen, huge holes dug by exploding shells; wounded soldiers making their way toward the hospitals, those with bandaged heads and arms helping those whose staggering feet could hardly carry them. it was a serious crowd that followed every movement that passed on the screen before their eyes. the silence was deep. then came a hospital scene. rows upon rows of beds ran from the front of the picture almost out of sight. down the space between them came the doctors, instruments in hand, and behind them the nurses, the red crosses gleaming on their arm bands. a stir went through the onlookers. "it looks like her." "i believe it is." "don't you think so? the one on the right?" "it is--it's mademoiselle millerand!" cried roger clearly. the operator, hearing the noise in front of his booth, and all unconscious that he was showing a friend to these townspeople where the pretty young french teacher had lived for two years, almost stopped turning his machine. so slowly it went that there was no doubt among any who had known her. she followed the physician to the bed nearest the front. there they stopped and the doctor turned to mademoiselle and asked some question. she was ready with bandages. an orderly slipped his arm under the soldier's pillow and raised his head. his eyes were closed and his face was deathly white. the doctor shook his head. evidently he would not attempt an operation upon so ill a man. he signed to the attendant to lay the man down and as he did so the people in rosemont, far, far away from the belgian hospital, heard a piercing shriek. "_mein verlobt!_ my betrothed!" screamed fräulein hindenburg. "that's schuler." "don't you recognize schuler?" "no wonder poor fräulein screamed!" kind hands were helping fräulein and her mother from the hall. doctor hancock went out with them to give a restorative to the young woman and to take them home in his car. "didn't he die at that very moment, herr doctor?" whispered fräulein, and the doctor was obliged to confess that it seemed so. "but we can't be sure," he insisted. fräulein's agitation put an end to the entertainment for that evening. indeed, the film was almost exhausted when the bitter sight came to her. the people filed out seriously. "if that poor girl has been in doubt about her betrothed, now she knows," one said to another. "do you think he really died?" james asked his father as they were driving home. "i'm afraid he did, son. but there is just a chance that he didn't because the film changed just there to another scene so you couldn't tell." "that might have been because they didn't want to show a death scene." "i'm afraid it was." chapter xvi for santa claus's pack james telephoned dorothy that he was going to be at her house on the afternoon of the club meeting if it was going to be downstairs and dorothy replied that her mother was very glad to let them have the dining room to work in. all the members had arrived when doctor hancock stopped his car at the door and margaret got out and rang the bell for roger's and tom's help in getting james into the house. everybody hailed him with pleasure and everybody's tongue began at once to chatter about the dramatic happening of the evening before. "i'm perfectly crazy to hear everything you've learned this morning," said margaret, "but before we start talking about it i want to make a beginning on a basket so i can be working while i listen." "me, too," said james. "i've pasted enough boxes and gimcracks to fill a young cottage. in fact they are now packed in a young cottage that father is going to bring over some day when he hasn't any other load. he said the car wouldn't hold it and margaret and him and me all at the same time this afternoon." "we've been making all sorts of things this week," said ethel brown. "i'm just finishing the last of a dozen balls that i've been covering with crochet. it's the simplest thing in the world and they're fine for little children because the slippery rubber balls slide out of their fingers and these are just rough enough for their tiny paws to cling to." "i've been making those twin bed-time dolls," said ethel blue. "you've seen them in all the shops--just ugly dolls of worsted--but mine are made like the danish _nisse_, the elves that the danes use to decorate their yuletide trees." she held up a handful of wee dolls made of white worsted, doubled until the little figure was about a finger long. a few strands on each side were cut shorter than the rest and stood out as arms. a red thread tied a little way from the top indicated the neck; another about the middle defined the waist; the lower part was divided and each leg was tied at the ankle with red thread, and a red thread bound the wrists. on the head a peaked red hat of flannel or of crochet shaded a face wherein two black stitches represented the eyes, a third the nose, and a red dot the ruby lips. from the back of the neck a crocheted cord about eighteen inches long connected one elf with his twin. "what's the idea of two?" inquired tom. "to keep each other company. you tie them on to a wire of the baby's crib and they won't get lost." "or on to the perambulator." "they don't take long to make--see, i wind the wool over my fingers, so, to get the right length, and then i tie them as quick as a wink; and when i feel in the mood of making the caps i turn off a dozen or two of them--" "and the cord by the yard, i suppose." "just about. i've made quantities of these this week and i'm not going to make any more, so i'll help with the baskets or the stenciling." "i've been jig-sawing," said roger. "i've made jumping jacks till you can't rest." "where did you get your pattern?" asked tom who also was a jig sawyer. [illustration: jumping jack] "i took an old one of dicky's that was on the downward road and pulled it to pieces so that i could use each part for a pattern. i cut out ever so many of each section. then i spent one afternoon painting legs and arms and jackets and caps, and ethel blue painted the faces for me. i'm not much on expression except my own, you know." "have you put them together yet?" "dorothy has been tying the pull strings for me this afternoon and i'm going to do the glueing now while you people are learning baskets." "james ought to do the glueing for you," suggested margaret in spite of james's protesting gestures. roger laughed. "i wouldn't be so mean as to ask him," he said. "he's stuck up enough for one lifetime, i suspect." "i've been jigging, too," confessed tom. "anything pretty?" asked roger. "of course something pretty," defended helen. "don't you remember the beauty box he made margaret?" "i certainly do. its delicate openwork surpassed any of my humble efforts." "it was pretty, wasn't it?" murmured margaret. "the yellow silk lining showed through." "what i've been doing lately was the very simplest possible toy for the orphans." tom disclaimed any fine work. "i've just been cutting circles out of cigar boxes and punching two holes side by side in each one. then i run a string through the two holes. you slip it over your forefinger of each hand and whirl the disk around the string until it is wound up tight and then by pulling the string you keep the whirligig going indefinitely." "it doesn't look like much of a toy to me," said della crushingly. "may be not, ma'am, but i tried it on dad and edward and they played with it for ten minutes apiece. you find yourself pulling it in time to some air you're humming in the back of your head." "right-o," agreed james. "i had a tin one once and i played with it from morning till night. i believe the orphans will spend most of their waking hours tweaking those cords." "i'm glad you think so," said tom. "roger was so emphatic i was afraid i'd been wasting my time." "what's dorothy been up to this week?" asked james. "dorothy couldn't make up her mind whether she wanted most to make bags or model clay candlesticks or dress dolls this week," responded dorothy, "but she finally decided to dress dolls." "where did you get the dolls?" "some of them i got with treasury money--they're real dolls, and i made galoptious frocks for them out of scraps from piece-bags." "were you patient enough to make all the clothes to take off?" asked della. "every identical garment," replied dorothy emphatically. "dolls aren't any fun unless you can dress and undress them. i never cared a rap for a doll with its clothes fastened on." "nor i." "nor i." "nor i." every girl in the room agreed with this opinion. "the rag dolls are the ones i believe the children will like best," said helen; "that is, if they are at all like american children." "isn't it funny--i always liked that terrible looking old rag object of mine better than the prettiest one father ever sent me," agreed ethel blue. "every child does," said margaret. "dorothy made some fine ones," complimented helen. "did you draw them or did you get the ones that are already printed on cloth?" asked della. "both. the printed ones are a great deal prettier than mine, but aunt marion had a stout piece of cotton cloth--" a shout arose. "cotton cloth! that's enough to interest dorothy in making anything," laughed tom. "almost," agreed dorothy good-naturedly. "any way, i used up the piece of cloth making dolls and cats and dogs. i drew them on the cloth and then stitched them on the machine and, i tell you, i remembered the time when dicky's stuffed cat had an awful accident and lost almost all his inner thoughts, and i sewed every one of the little beasties twice around." "what did you stuff them with?" "some with cotton." "ha, ha!" "ha!" retorted dorothy, "and some with rags, and one with sawdust, but i didn't care for him; he was lumpy." "i didn't know you could paint well enough to color them," said roger. "i can't. i did a few but ethel blue did the best one. there was a cat that was so fierce that aunt marion's cat growled at it. he was a winner!" "all the rag dolls were dressed in cotton dresses," explained ethel brown. "of course." "but the real dolls were positively scrumptious. there was a bride, and a girl in a khaki sport suit, and a boy in a sailor suit, and a baby. they were regular beauties." all the time that these descriptions had been given dorothy and the mortons had been opening packages of rattan and raffia and laying them out on the dining table. james sat in state at one end, his convalescent leg raised on a chair, and his right hand to the table so that he could handle his materials easily. "i'm simply perishing to hear about fräulein," he acknowledged. "do start me on this basket business, dorothy, so i can hear about her." "we don't know such an awful lot," said dorothy slowly as she counted out the spokes for a small basket. "in fact, we don't know anything at all." "misery! and my curiosity has been actually on the boil! how many of those sticks do i need?" "let's all do the same basket," suggested ethel brown. "then one lecture by miss dorothy smith will do for all of us." "doesn't anybody else know how to make them?" "della and i do," replied ethel blue. "we're going to work on raffia, but you people might just as well all do one kind of basket. we can use any number of them, you know, so it doesn't make any difference if they are all alike." "we'll start with a basket that measures three inches across the bottom and is two and a half inches deep," announced dorothy, who was an expert basket maker. "you'll need eight spokes sixteen inches long and one nine inches long." there was a general cutting and counting of rattan spokes. "are you ready? take your knife and in four rattans make slits long enough to poke the other four rattans through." "they're rather fat to get through," complained james. [illustration: "make slits long enough to poke the other rattans through. sharpen them to a point"] [illustration: "you'll need eight spokes sixteen inches long and one nine inches long"] "sharpen them to a point. have you put them through so they make a cross with the arms of even length? then put the single short piece through on one arm--no, not way through, james; just far enough to catch it." "that's pretty solid just as it is," commented tom with his head on one side. "nevertheless, you must wrap it with a piece of raffia. watch me; lay your raffia at the left side of the upright arm and bring it across from left to right. now pass it under the right hand arm and over the bottom arm and under the left hand arm. instead of covering the wrapping you've just done you turn back and let your bit of raffia go _over_ the left hand arm." [illustration: "this weaving process makes the spokes stand out like wheel spokes"] "that binds down the beginning end of the raffia," cried helen. "exactly. that's why you do it. go under the bottom arm and over the right hand arm behind the top arm." "back at the station the train started from," announced margaret. "so far you've used your weaver--" "what's that? the raffia?" "yes. so far you've used it merely to fasten the centre firmly. now you really begin to weave under and over the spokes, round and round." "i could shoot beans through mine," announced james. "you haven't pulled your weaver tight as you wove. push it down hard toward the centre. that's it. see how firm that is? you could hardly get water through that--much less beans or hound puppies, as they say in some parts of north carolina." "this weaving process makes the spokes stand out like wheel spokes, doesn't it?" "that's why they're called spokes. by the time you've been round three times they ought all to be standing apart evenly." "please, ma'am, my raffia is giving out," grumbled tom. "it's time to use a rattan weaver, then. you used raffia at first because the spokes were so near together. now you use a fine rattan, finer than your spokes. wet it first. then catch it behind a spoke and hold on to it carefully until you come to the second time round or it will slip away from you. you're all right as soon as the second row holds the first row in place." "my rattan weaver is giving out," said ethel brown. "take another one and lap it over the end of the one that is on the point of death, then go right ahead. if they're too fat at the ends shave them down a bit where they lap." "this superb creation of mine is three inches across the middle," announced james. "it's time to turn up the spokes then. make up your mind how sharply you want the basket to flare and watch it as you weave, or you'll have it uneven." "mine seems to have reached a good height for a small work basket," decided helen, her head on one side. "mine isn't quite so high, but i can seem to see a few choice candies of ethel brown's concoction resting happily within its walls," said tom. "let's all make the border. measure the spokes and cut them just three inches beyond the top of the weaving. you'll have to sharpen their tips a little or else you'll have trouble pushing them down among the weavers." "i get the idea! you bend them into scallops!" "wet them first or there'll be broken fence pickets. when you've soaked them until they're pliable enough bend each spoke over to make a scallop and thrust it down right beside its neighbor spoke between the weavers." "mine is more than ever a work basket," said helen when she had completed the edge. "i shall line it with brown and fit it up with a thimble and threads and needles and a tiny pair of scissors." "mine, too," was ethel brown's decision. "my sides turn up too sharply," james thought. "i shall call mine a cover for a small flower pot. then i shan't have to line it!" "here are some of the most easily made mats and baskets in the world," announced della. "they're made just like the braided rugs you find in farm houses in new england. mother got some in new hampshire once before we started going to chautauqua for the summers." "i've seen them," said margaret. "there are yards and yards of rags cut all the same width and sewed together and then they are braided and then the braid is sewed round and round." "you make raffia mats or baskets in just the same way, only you sew them with raffia," explained della. "you braid the raffia first and that gives you an opportunity to make pretty color combinations." "a strand of raffia doesn't last forever. how do you splice it?" "splice a thick end alongside of a thin end and go ahead. try to pick out strands of different lengths for your plaiting or they'll all run out at once and have to be spliced at once and it may make them bunchy if you aren't awfully careful." [illustration: the braid for easily made rugs and baskets] "i saw a beauty basket once made of corn husks braided in the same way. the inside husks are a delicate color you know, and they were split into narrow widths and plaited into a long rope." "where the long leaf pine grows," said dorothy, "they use pine needles in the same way, only they wrap them around with thread--" "cotton thread?" "cotton thread--of about the same color." "you can work sweet grass just so, except that you can wrap that with a piece of itself." "when you have enough material," went on della, "you begin the sewing. if you're going to make a round or an oblong mat you decide which right at the beginning and coil the centre accordingly. then all you have to do is to go ahead. don't let the stitches show and sew on until the mat is big enough." "and for a basket i suppose you pile the braids upon each other when you've made the bottom the size you want it." "exactly. and you can make the sides flare sharply or slightly just as we made them do with the rattan." "what's the matter with making baskets of braided crêpe paper?" asked james. "my whole being has been wrapped in paper for a week so it may influence my inventive powers unduly, but i really don't see why it shouldn't work." "i'm sorry to take you off your perch," remarked ethel brown, "but i've seen one." "o--oh!" wailed james in disappointment. "they were pretty though, weren't they?" "they were beauties. there was a lovely color combination in the one i saw." "you could make patriotic ones for fourth of july--red, white, and blue." "or green and red ones for christmas." "or all white for easter." "or pinky ones for may day." just at this moment there came a rush of small feet and dicky burst into the room. "hullo," he exclaimed briefly. "hullo," cried a chorus in return. "i've seen her," said dicky. "who is 'her'?" asked roger. "fräulein." "fräulein! dicky, what have you been doing?" helen seized him by the arm and drew him to the side of her chair, while all the other members of the club laid down their work and listened. dicky was somewhat embarrassed at being the object of such undivided attention. he climbed up into helen's lap. "i heard you talking at breakfatht about fräulein and how thomebody perhapth wath dead and perhapth wathn't dead, tho i went and athked her if he wath dead." "oh, dicky!" helen buried her face in his bobbed hair, and the rest of the mortons looked at each other aghast. "we were wondering if it would be an intrusion to send fräulein some flowers," explained helen,--"and--" "--and here dicky butts right in!" finished roger. "i went to the houthe and i rang the bell," continued dicky, "and an old lady came to the door." "mrs. hindenburg." "i thaid 'ith mith fräulein at home?' the old lady thaid 'yeth.' i walked in and there wath mith fräulein in front of the fire. i thaid, 'ith he dead?'" "you asked her?" "great scott!" "fräulein thaid, 'i don't know, dicky.' and i thaid, 'here ith a chethnut i found. you can have it.' and fräulein thaid, 'thank you, dicky,' and i that on her lap and the talked to me a long time about the man that perhapth ith dead, and thometimeth the thaid queer wordth--" "german," interpreted margaret under her breath. "and onthe the cried a little, and--" "dicky, dicky, what have you done!" "i ain't done anything bad, 'coth when i thaid, 'now i mutht go,' the old lady thaid, 'thank you for coming.'" "she did?" "perhaps it did fräulein good to cry. poor fräulein!" "i'm going again." "did she ask you?" "of courth the athked me. and i thaid i'd go if the'd wear a white dreth. i don't like a black dreth." silence reigned about the table. "i wish i knew whether he's done harm or good," sighed helen. "good, i should say, or fräulein's mother wouldn't have asked him to come again," said ethel blue. "at this uncertain moment i think we'd better have some refreshments," said dorothy. "i'm certainly in need of something sustaining," groaned roger. "then try these sugar cookies of ethel brown's." "let me write down right now how she makes them," exclaimed della, borrowing a pencil from tom. "this is the kind you're going to make for the orphans, isn't it?" "yes, they'll keep a long time, especially if they're wrapped in paraffin paper and put into a tin." "recite the rule to me." "i never can remember rules. dorothy's got it copied into her cook book. ask her for it." "here you are," said dorothy who had overheard the conversation, "here on page twenty. and i know you're going to ask for the fudge receipt as soon as you taste ethel blue's fudge so you might as well copy that at the same time. it's on the next page." so della copied diligently while dorothy brought in the cookies and fudge in question and helen and roger discussed dicky's performance under their breath. here is what della wrote: "sugar cookies or sand tarts " cup butter cups sugar eggs ½ cups flour teaspoons baking powder extra whites of eggs ½ cups blanched almonds, chopped. tablespoons sugar--extra ½ teaspoon cinnamon "blanch the almonds by putting them in boiling water, let them stand on the table five minutes, remove a few at a time from the water, rub off the skin and dry them in a towel; then chop them. "cream the butter, add the sugar gradually, then the beaten eggs. sift flour and baking powder together, add to the butter mixture gradually, using a knife to cut it in. add the nuts. if stiff and dry add a few tablespoons milk to moisten slightly, and mould into a dough with the hands. roll out portions quite thin, on a floured board, cut out with a cutter, brush with the extra whites, slightly beaten. mix the cinnamon and the two extra tablespoons sugar together, sprinkle over the cookies. place on a greased tin, bake about five minutes in a moderately hot oven." "fudge " cups brown or white sugar cup milk or water tablespoon butter squares (inch) chocolate (about ¼ cup grated) ½ teaspoon vanilla "mix sugar, milk, butter and chocolate in a saucepan; let it melt slowly; bring to a boil and boil about ten minutes, or until a little forms a soft ball when dropped in a cup of cold water. add the vanilla, stir a few minutes until slightly thick, turn at once into greased _tin_ plates. cool and cut into blocks. if it crumbles and is sugary, add half a cup or more hot water, melt, boil again, and try as before. if it should not be hard enough it may be boiled a second time." chapter xvii the club weaves, stencils and models clay whether dicky had done something entirely inexcusable or something wise no one was able to decide, but everybody agreed that at any rate it was pleasanter to think that he had brought poor fräulein some comfort, and that her mother's thanking him for coming seemed to mean that. they all felt somewhat shocked and queer. "i move, madam president," said tom, "that we don't talk about it any more this afternoon. we don't know and probably we never shall know, and so we might as well get to work again. did you people realize that time is growing short? the santa claus ship is booked to sail the first week in november." "we did and do realize it," said helen. "i'd like to know next about these raffia sofa pillows that ethel blue and della have been making." "the ones we made are sofa pillows for the orphans' dolls," explained ethel blue, "or they can be used for pincushions." "they make thothe at kindergarten," announced dicky. "i can make thothe. mine are paper." "they're made in just about the same way," said della. "we made a small cushion with double raffia and wove it under and over on a pasteboard loom." "how do you make that?" "just a piece of heavy pasteboard or a light board or you can take the frame of a smashed slate. you fasten the ends of the threads with pins or tacks or tie them around the bars. first you lay all the threads you want in one direction. that's the warp." "warp--i remember. i always have to look it up in the dictionary to see which is warp and which is woof." "warp is the thread that goes on first. in a rug or a piece of tapestry it's the plain, ugly thread that holds the beautifully colored threads in place. it's the up and down threads. in raffia you have to be careful to alternate the big ends and small ends so that the weaving will be even." "what do you do when the warp is ready?" "before you begin to weave you must make a solid line across the end so that when you run your first bit of woof across it won't just push right up to the bar of the loom and then ravel out when you cut your product off the loom." "i get the reason for its existence. i should think you'd make it by tying a string right across the loom knotting it into each strand of warp as you pass by." "that's exactly what you do; and the ends you can leave flying to join in with the fringe." "can we weave now?" "go ahead. when you've made the cushion square, if you want it square, go around the three remaining sides and tie a break-water, so to speak, so that the weaving won't ravel out. trim your fringe even and there's one side of your pillow." "one side would be enough for a pincushion." "if you want to make a big sofa cushion--a grown up one--you'll have to make a wide plait of raffia--a four strand or six strand braid--or else you'd never get it done." "the unbraided would be too delicate. i hate to make things that wear out before you can get used to them about the house." "you'd have to have a bigger loom for something that size." "it's no trouble to make. roger nailed mine together," said ethel blue. "any one want the dimensions?" asked roger. "take two pieces of narrow wood twenty-three inches long, and nail two other pieces of lighter stuff each twenty-five inches long on to their tops at the ends. these bits are raised from the table by the thickness of the first piece of lumber. see?" tom and james, who were examining ethel blue's loom, nodded. "then nail slender uprights, ten inches tall, at each of the four corners and connect them by two other thin sticks twenty-five inches long, running just above your first pair of twenty-fives. do you get it?" again the boys nodded. "that's all there is to it, and you really don't need to make that for a plain, smooth plank will do at a pinch." "how do you carry your woof across?" asked margaret. "your hand would be in its own way, i should think." "you thread the raffia into a wooden bodkin about twenty-six inches long." "i can see that you must draw the cross threads down tight the way we did in weaving the baskets," said james. "indeed you must or you'll turn out a sleazy piece of weaving," answered della. "there must be oceans of articles you can make out of woven raffia." "just about everything that you can make out of a piece of cloth of the same size." "of cotton cloth? ha!" "or silk." "handkerchief cases and collar cases." "coverings for boxes of all kinds. another material for james to glue on to pasteboard." "i see lots of chances for it," he answered seriously. "i believe old james is really taking kindly to pasting," laughed tom. "certainly i am. it's a bully occupation," defended james. "there are a thousand things that can be made of raffia--you can make lace of it like twine lace, and make articles out of the lace; and you can make baskets of a combination of rattan and raffia, using the raffia for wrapping and for sewing. but we have such a short time left that i think those of us who are going to do any raffia work had better learn how to weave evenly and make pretty little duds out of the woven stuff." "wise kid," pronounced roger. "now what's little margaret going to teach us this afternoon?" "little margaret" made a puckered face at this appellation, but she came promptly to the front. "ethel brown and dorothy have been teaching me to stencil. they could teach the rest of you a great deal better than i can, but they've done their share this afternoon so i'll try." "go on," urged ethel brown. "we'll help you if you forget." "if you'll excuse me i'll go to the attic and get my clay," said dorothy. "i found a new idea for a candlestick in a book this morning and i want to make one before i forget it." margaret was in the full swing of explanation when dorothy returned. "why this frown, fair coz?" demanded roger in a shakesperean tone. "it's the queerest thing--i thought i had enough clay for two pairs of candlesticks and it seems to have shrunk or something so there'll only be one and that mighty small." "'_mighty small_,'" mimicked roger. "how large is _'mighty_ small'?" "don't bother me, roger. i'll start this while margaret talks." "when a drawing fit seizes ethel blue again we'll get her to make us some original stencils," said helen. "these that we bought at the chautauqua art store will do well enough for us to learn with." "they are very pretty," defended dorothy. "mine won't be any better, only they will be original," said ethel blue. "i hate to mention it," said tom in a whisper, "but i'm not perfectly sure that i know what a stencil is." there was a shout from around the table. "never mind, thomas," soothed roger, patting his friend on the shoulder. "confession is good for the soul. a stencil, my son, is a thin sheet of something--pasteboard, the girls use--with a pattern cut out of it. you lay the stencil down on a piece of cloth or canvas or board or whatever you want to decorate, and you scrub color on all the part of the material that shows through." "methinks i see a great light," replied tom, slapping his forehead. "when you lift the stencil there is your pattern done in color." roger and james leaned forward together and patted tom's brow. "such it is to have real intellect!" they murmured in admiring accents. tom bowed meekly. "enlighten me further--also these smarties. what kind of paint do you use?" "tapestry dyes or oil paints. it depends somewhat on your material. if you want to launder it, use the dye." "fast color, eh?" "when you wash it, set the color by soaking your article in cold water salted. then wash it gently in the suds of white soap. suds, mind you; don't touch the cake of soap to it." "i promise you solemnly i'll never touch a cake of soap to any stenciling i do." "you're ridiculous, roger. no, i believe you won't!" "here's a piece of cloth ethel brown is going to make into a doll's skirt. see, she's hemmed it already and i'll put this simple star stencil on the hem. where's a board, dorothy?" dorothy brought a sewing board and the others watched margaret pin her material down hard upon it and fasten the stencil over that. "good girl! you've got them so tight they won't dare to shiver," declared tom. "do you notice that this stencil has been shellacked so the edges won't roughen when i scrub? stiff bristle brushes are what i'm using." margaret called their attention to her utensils. "and i have a different brush for each color. also i have an old rag to dabble the extra color off on to." "are you ready? go!" commanded roger. [illustration: "i'll put this simple star stencil on the hem"] margaret scrubbed hard and succeeded in getting a variety of shading through the amount of paint that she allowed to soak entirely through or partway through the material. when she had done as many stars as there were openings on the pattern she took out the pins and moved the stencil along so that the holes came over a fresh piece of material, making sure that the space between the first new star and the last old one was the same as that between the stars on the stencil. "how can we boys apply that?" asked james. "you can stencil on anything that you would decorate with painting," said ethel brown. "your jig-saw disks, tom. stencil a small conventional pattern on each one--a star or a triangle." "here's a stencil of a vine that would be a beauty on one of your large plain pasteboard boxes, james." "dorothy has been turning white cheesecloth doll clothes into organdie muslins by stenciling on them these tiny sprays of roses and cornflowers and jasmine." "i'm going to do roosters and cats and dogs on a lot of bibs for the babies." "you'd better save a few in case mademoiselle really sends us that belgian baby." "i'll make some more if it does turn up." "aunt marion gave me some cotton flannel--" "cot--ton!" "cotton flannel, yes, sir; and i've made it into some little blankets for tiny babies. i bound the raw edges, and on some of them i did a cross stitch pattern and on others i stenciled a pattern." "it saves time, i should say." "lots. when you have ever so many articles gathered, just have a stenciling bee and you can turn out the decoration much faster than by doing even a wee bit of embroidery." "if the belgian baby really comes, let's make it a play-house. the boys can do the carpentry and we can all make the furniture and i'm wild to stencil some cunning curtains for the windows." "i'll draw you a fascinating pattern for it." "there's my candlestick half done," said dorothy mournfully, "and i can't finish it. i don't understand about that clay." "perhaps it dried up and blew away." "it did dry, but i moistened it and kneaded it and cut it in halves with a wire and put the inside edges outside and generally patticaked it but i'm sure it's not more than a quarter the size it was when i left it in the attic yesterday afternoon." "you seem to have made a great mess on the floor over there by the window; didn't you slice off some and put it in that cup?" "that's my 'slip.' it only took a scrap to make that. it's about as thick as cream and you use it to smooth rough places and fill up cracks with. no, that wouldn't account for much of any of the clay." "how did you make this thing, anyway?" asked james turning it about. "careful. i took a saucer and put a wet rag in it and then i made a clay snake and coiled it about the way you make those coiled baskets, only i smoothed the clay so you can't see the coils. i hollowed it on the inside like a saucer. then i put another wet rag inside my clay saucer and a china saucer inside that and turned them all upside down on my work board, and took off the original china saucer and smoothed down the coils on the underside of the clay saucer." tom drew a long breath. "take one yourself," he suggested. "you'll need it, you talk so fast." "it stiffened while margaret was doing her stenciling. when it was firm enough to handle i turned it over again and took out the small china saucer and smoothed off any marks it had left." "it's about time to build up the candle holder, isn't it?" [illustration: dorothy's candlestick] "did you see me bring in a short candle? i wrapped it in a wet rag and stood it exactly in the middle of the clay saucer. then i roughened the clay around it and wet the rough part with slip and pressed a fresh little snake round the foot of the candle. the slip makes it stick to the roughening, so you have to roughen the top of every coil and moisten it with slip." "you finished off the top of that part very smoothly," complimented helen. "when it's stiff enough you take out the candle and smooth the inside. here's where i'm stumped. i haven't got enough clay for a handle." "how do you make the handle?" "pat out another snake and make a hoop attached to the holder and another one rolling up on to the lip of the saucer." "as if the serpent were trying to put his tail into his mouth." "i shall have to just smooth this over with a soft brush and wrap it up in a wet cloth until i get some more clay. if i let it get hard i can't finish it." "what's that drip, dorothy?" asked helen, as a drop of water fell on the table before her. they all looked at the ceiling where drops of water were assembling and beginning to fall with a soft splash. there was a scramble to get their work out of the way. dorothy brought a salad bowl and placed it where it would catch the water and then ran to investigate the cause of the trouble. at a cry from upstairs helen and the ethels ran to her help. roger went to the foot of the stairs and called up to inquire if they wanted his assistance. evidently they did, for he, too, disappeared. in a few minutes he re-appeared bearing dicky in his arms--a dicky sopping wet and much subdued. "what in the world?" everybody questioned. "dorothy's found her clay," said roger. "come on, old man. wrap aunt louise's tweed coat around you--so--and _run_ so you won't catch cold," and the two boys disappeared out of the front door, dicky stumbling and struggling with the voluminous folds of his aunt's garment. dorothy and the other girls came down stairs in a few minutes. "do telephone to aunt marion's and see if mother is there and ask her to come home," dorothy begged helen, while she gathered cloths and pans and went upstairs again, taking the maid with her. "what did dicky do?" asked the others again. both ethels burst into laughter. "he must have gone up in the attic and found dorothy's clay, for he had filled up the waste pipe of the bath tub--" "--and turned on the water, i'll bet!" exclaimed tom. "that's just what he did. it looks as if he'd been trying to float about everything he could find in any of the bedrooms." "probably he had a glorious time until the tub ran over and he didn't know how to stop it." "dicky's a great old man! i judge he didn't float himself!" "now dorothy can finish her candlestick handle!" chapter xviii ethel blue awaits a cable mrs. smith begged that the meeting should not adjourn, and under her direction the trouble caused by dicky's entrance into the navy was soon remedied, although it was evident that the ceiling of the dining-room would need the attention of a professional. roger soon returned with the news that the honorary member of the club had taken no cold, and every one settled down to work again, even dorothy, who rescued enough clay from dicky's earthworks to complete the handle of her candlestick. "i'd like to bring a matter before this meeting," said tom seriously when they were all assembled and working once more. "bring it on," urged the president. "it isn't a matter belonging to this club, but if there isn't any one else to do it it seemed to me--and to father when i spoke to him about it--that we might do some good." "it sounds mysterious. let's have it," said james. "it seemed to me as i thought over those movies the other night that there was a very good chance that that man schuler--your singing teacher, you know, fräulein's betrothed--wasn't dead after all." "it certainly looked like it--the way he fell back against the orderly--he didn't look alive." "he didn't--that's a fact. at the same time the film made one of those sudden changes right at that instant." "father and i thought that was so a death scene shouldn't be shown," said james. "that's possible, but it's also possible that they thought that was a good dramatic spot to leave that group of people and go off to another group." "what's your idea? i don't suppose we could find out from the film people." "probably not. it would be too roundabout to try to get at their operator in belgium and very likely he wouldn't remember if they did get in touch with him." "he must be seeing sights like that all the time." "brother edward suggested when he heard us talking about it that we should send a cable to mademoiselle and ask her. she must have known mr. schuler here in the school at rosemont." "certainly she did." "then she would have been interested enough in him to recall what happened when she came across him in the hospital." "how could we get a message to her? we don't know where that hospital was. they don't tell the names of places even in newspaper messages, you know. they are headed 'from a town near the front.'" "here's where edward had a great idea--that is, father thought it was workable. see what you think of it." the club was growing excited. the ethels stopped working to listen, helen's face flushed with interest, and the boys leaned across the table to hear the plan to which rev. herbert watkins had given his approval. they knew that tom's father, in his work among the poor foreigners in new york, often had to try to hunt up their relatives in europe so that this would not be a matter of guesswork with him. "it's pretty much guesswork in this war time," admitted tom when some one suggested it. "you can merely send a cable and trust to luck that it will land somewhere. here's edward's idea. he says that the day we went to see mademoiselle sail she told him that she was related to monsieur millerand, the french minister of war. it was through her relationship with him that she expected to be sent where she wanted to go--that is, to belgium." "she was sent there, so her expectation seems to have had a good foundation." "that's what makes edward think that perhaps we can get in touch with her through the same means." "through monsieur millerand?" "he suggests that we send a cable addressed to mademoiselle--" "justine--" "--millerand in the care of monsieur millerand, minister of war. we could say 'is schuler dead?' and sign it with some name she'd know in rosemont. she'd understand at once that in some way news of his being in belgium had reached here." "it seems awfully uncertain." "it is uncertain. even if she got the cable she might not be able to send a reply. everything is uncertain about it. at the same time if we _could_ get an answer it would be a comfort to fräulein even if the message said he had died." "i believe that's so. it's not knowing that's hardest to bear." "don't you think mademoiselle would have sent word to fräulein if he had died?" "i don't believe she knew they were engaged. no one knew until after the war had been going on for several weeks. if ever she wrote to any one in rosemont she might mention having seen him, but i don't believe it would occur to her to send any special word to fräulein." "she might be put under suspicion if she addressed a letter to any one with a german name even if she lived in the united states." "no one but ethel blue has had a letter from mademoiselle since, she left," said helen. "we should have heard of it, i'm sure." "well, what do you say to the plan? can't we send a cable signed by the 'secretary of the united service club'?" "i think it would be a good use to put the club money to," approved james, the treasurer. "if you say so i'll send it when i get back to new york this afternoon. how shall we word it?" "mademoiselle justine millerand, care monsieur millerand, minister of war, bordeaux, france," said roger, slowly. "cut out 'mademoiselle' and 'monsieur,'" suggested margaret. "we must remember that our remarks cost about a quarter a word in times of peace and war prices may be higher." "cut out 'of war,'" said ethel brown. "there's only one 'bordeaux,'" added margaret. "a dollar and a quarter saved already," said james thoughtfully. "now let's have the message." "what's the matter with tom's original suggestion--'is schuler dead'?" asked ethel blue. "i suppose we must leave out the 'mr.' if we are going to be economical." "sign it 'morton, secretary united service club, rosemont.' i'll file ethel blue's address--at the cable office so the answer will be sent to her if one comes." ethel blue looked somewhat agitated at the prospect of receiving a cable almost from the battlefield, but she said nothing. "the united service club was the last group of people she saw in america, you see," tom went on, "so edward thinks she'll know at once whom the message comes from and she'll guess that the high school scholars want to know about their former teacher." "i have a feeling in my bones that she'll get the message and that she'll answer," said ethel blue. "if she doesn't get it we shan't have done any harm," mused ethel brown, "and if she does get it and answers then we shall have done a lot of good by getting the information for fräulein." "we needn't tell anybody about it outside of our families and then there won't be any expectations to be disappointed." "it certainly would be best not to tell fräulein." "that's settled, then," said tom, "and i'll send the message the moment i reach town this afternoon." "it's the most thrilling thing i ever had anything to do with," ethel blue whispered. chapter xix leather and brass the following week was filled with expectation of a reply from mademoiselle, but none came though every ring at the mortons' doorbell was answered with the utmost promptness by one or another of the children who made a point of rushing to the door before mary could reach it. "i suppose we could hardly expect to have a reply," sighed ethel blue, "but it would have been _so_ splendiferous if it did come!" thanks to dicky's escapade the last saturday afternoon had been so broken in upon that the club decided that they must have an all-day session on the next saturday. roger had promised to teach the others how to do the leather and brass work in which he had become quite expert, and he was talking to himself about it as he was dressing after doing his morning work. "this business of working in leather for orphan children makes a noise like toil to me," he soliloquized. "but think of the joy of the kids when they receive a leather penwiper, though they aren't yet old enough to write, or a purse when they haven't any shekels to put into it!" "ro--ger," came a voice from a long way off. "let's go over to dorothy's now," roger called back as if it had been ethel brown who was late. "i should say so! the watkinses and hancocks said they'd be there at ten and it must be that now. i'll call ethel blue and helen," and ethel brown's voice came from a greater distance than before. the other girls were not to be discovered, however, and when roger and ethel arrived at dorothy's they found all the rest waiting for them. [illustration: "roger cut a slip ten inches long and four inches wide"] [illustration: corner for blotter pad] "where's this professor of leather?" called tom as he heard roger's steps on the attic stairs. "_and_ brass," added roger grandly as he appeared in the doorway. "no one disputes the brass," returned tom, and roger roared cheerfully and called out "bull's-eye!" "now, then," began roger seating himself at the head of the table, "with apologies to the president i'll call this solemn meeting to order--that is, as much order as there can be with dicky around." dicky was even then engaged in trying to make a hole in ethel blue's shoe with a leather punch, but he was promptly suppressed and placed between the ethels before his purpose was accomplished. "you've got him interned there," remarked james, using a phrase that was becoming customary in the newspaper accounts of the care of prisoners. "i'm going to start you people making corners for a big blotting pad," said roger, "not because the orphans will want a blotting pad, but because they are easy to make and you can adapt the idea to lots of other articles." "fire ahead," commanded james. "you make a paper pattern to fit your corner--so fashion," and roger tore a sheet of paper off a pad and cut a slip ten inches long and four inches wide. a point in the middle of the long side he placed on the corner of the big blotter that lay before him and then he folded the rest of the paper around the corner. the result was a smooth triangle on the face of the blotter and a triangle at the back just like it except that it was split up the middle. "here's your pattern," said roger slipping it off. "when you make this of brass or copper it's a good plan to round these back corners so there won't be any sharp points to stick into you or to scratch the desk." "the orphans' mahogany." "or grandfather emerson's. i'm going to inflict a set on him at christmas." "i should think it would be hard to work on such dinky little things," remarked james who had large hands. "you don't cut them out of your big sheet of copper or your big piece of leather yet. you draw the size of this small pattern on to a larger piece of paper and you draw your ornamental design right where you want it on the face of the triangle--so." "more work for ethel blue, making original designs." "she might get up some u. s. c. designs and have them copyrighted," suggested helen. "until she does we'll have to use these simple figures that i traced out of a book the other day." "why couldn't we use our stenciling designs?" "you could, if they are the right size. that star pattern you put oh a doll's skirt would be just the ticket--just one star for each corner." "we might put u. s. c. in each corner." "or u. in one corner and s. in another, and c. in a third and a star or something in the fourth." "or the initials of the person you give it to." "we've got the size of the corner piece as it is when it's unfolded and with its design on it, all drawn on this piece of paper. now you tack your sheet of brass on to a block of wood and lay a sheet of carbon paper over it and your design on that and trace ahead." "i see, i see," commented margaret. "when you take it off, there you have the size of your corner indicated and the star or whatever you're going to ornament it with, all drawn in the right place." "exactly. now we tackle the brass itself." "it seems to me we ought to have some tools for that." "a light hammer and a wire nail--that's all. see the point of this nail? it has been filed flat and rather dull. i made enough for everybody to have one--not you, sir," and he snatched away one of them from dicky just as that young man was about to nail ethel brown's dress on to the edge of her chair. "dicky will have to be interned at home if he isn't quiet." the president shook her head at the honorary member. "first you go around the whole outline, tapping the nail gently, stroke by stroke, until the line of the design is completely hammered in." "that isn't hard," said tom. "watch me." "when the outline is made you take another wire nail that has been filed perfectly flat on the bottom and go over the whole background with it." "i see, i see," cried ethel blue. "that makes the design stand out puffily and smooth against a sort of motheaten background." "for eloquent description commend me to ethel blue," declared margaret. "she's right, though. you can make the moth holes of different size by using nails of different sizes. there are regular tools that come, too, with different pounding surfaces so it's possible to make quite a variety of backgrounds." "this mothy one is pretty enough for me," declared margaret. "i don't much like that name for it, but it is pretty, just the same," insisted roger. "when you've hammered down the background you take out the tacks and cut out your whole corner with this pair of shears that is made to cut metal. then you fold over the backs just the way you folded over the paper to find the shape originally." "it's not so terribly easy to bend," commented ethel blue. "shape them along the edge of your block of wood. persuade them down--so, and fold them back--so. tap them into place with your wooden mallet. there you are." the finished corner was passed from hand to hand and duly admired. "rub it shiny with any brass polish, if you like it bright," directed roger. "it's fashionable for coppers to be dull now," said helen. "you ladies know more about fashions of all sorts than i should ever pretend to," said her brother meekly. "i like metals to shine, myself." "what are some of the articles we can start in to make now that we know how?" questioned margaret. "all sorts of things for the desk--a paper knife and a roller blotter and a case to hold the inkwell and a clip to keep papers from blowing away. the work is just the same, no matter what you're making. it's all a matter of getting the outlines of different objects and then bending them up carefully after you've hammered the design and got them cut out well." "why can't you make all sorts of boxes?" asked james whose mind had run to boxes ever since his week of work upon them. "you can. all sorts and sizes. line them with silk or leather. leather wears best." "how far is the leather work like the metal work?" asked ethel brown. "it seemed to be the same as far as the point where you tacked them on to the wooden block." [illustration: "a beauty leather mat"] "it is the same except that you wet the leather before you tack it on to the block. when you put your design on to the leather you don't need to use carbon paper. borrow one of ethel brown's knitting needles and run it over the design that you have drawn on the paper placed over the leather, and it will leave a tiny groove on the damp leather." "that's a simple instrument." [illustration: "a three cornered purse that doesn't need any sewing"] "the steel tooler you take next is simple, too. you deepen the groove with its edge and then take the flat part of the tooler and go over every bit of the leather outside of the design, pressing it and polishing it with great care." "i suppose that gives the leather a different texture." [illustration: the three cornered purse completed] "it seems to. it makes the design show more, anyway." "i saw a beauty leather mat the other day with a cotton boll design that puffed right up from the background. "the cotton boll caught our little dorothy's eye, of course! you make your design puff out by rubbing it on the back with a round headed tool. your mat probably had the puffed up part filled with wax so it wouldn't smash down again when something heavy was placed on it." "i think it did; it felt hard." "if you do puff out any part of your pattern you have to tool over the design again, because the outline will have lost its sharpness." "the mat i saw was colored." "that's easy. there are colors that come especially for using on leather. you float them on when the leather is wet and you can get beautiful effects." "you ought not to cut out your leather corners until they are dry, i suppose?" "they ought to be thoroughly dry. if you want a lining for a purse or a cardcase you can paste in either silk or a thin leather. it's pretty to make an openwork design and let the lining show through." "how about sewing purses? it must be hard work." "helen does mine on the machine. she says it isn't much trouble if she goes slowly and takes a few stitches back at the ends so they won't come apart. but i'm going to show you how to make a little three cornered purse that doesn't need any sewing--only two glove snappers." so simple was this pattern that each of them had finished one by the time that grandmother emerson's car came to take them all over to luncheon at her house. chapter xx the ethels cook to keep another week rolled on and still no reply came to the cable that the club had sent to mademoiselle millerand. "either she hasn't received it," said ethel blue, who felt a personal interest because it had been signed by her as secretary of the club, "or mr. schuler is dead and she doesn't want to tell us." "it's pretty sure to be one or the other," said ethel brown. "i suppose we might as well forget that we tried to do anything about it." "have you heard roger or helen say anything about fräulein lately?" "helen said she looked awfully sad and that she was wearing black. evidently she has no hope." "poor fräulein!" "what are we going to do this week?" "i've planned the cunningest little travelling bag for a doll. it's a straight strip of leather, tooled in a pretty pattern. it's doubled in halves and there is a three-cornered piece let in at the ends to give a bit more room." "how do you fasten it?" "like a boston bag, with a strap that goes over the top." "you could run a cord in and out parallel with the top and pull it up." "i believe i'll make two and try both ways." "you could make the same pattern only a little larger for a wrist bag for an older child." [illustration: bag for a doll, a child or a grown-up] [illustration] "and larger still for a shopping bag for a grown person." "that's as useful a pattern as helen's and margaret's wrapper pattern! do you realize that this is the week that we ought to cook?" "is it? we'll have to hurry fearfully! are you perfectly sure the things will keep?" "i've talked it over several times with miss dawson, the domestic science teacher. she has given me some splendid receipts and some information about packing. she says there won't be any doubt of their travelling all right." "we'll have to cook every afternoon, then. we'd better go over the receipts and see if we have all the materials we need." "we know about the cookies and the fruit cake and the fudge. we've made all those such a short time ago that we know we have those materials. here are ginger snaps," she went on, examining her cook book. "we haven't enough molasses i'm sure, and i'm doubtful about the ginger." "let me see." ethel blue read over the receipt. " pt. molasses--dark cup butter tablespoon ginger teaspoon soda teaspoon cinnamon "about quarts flour, or enough more to make a thick dough. "sift flour, soda, and spices together. melt the butter, put the molasses in a big bowl, add the butter, then the flour gradually, using a knife to cut it in. when stiff enough to roll, roll out portions quite thin on a floured board, cut out with a cookie cutter or with the cover of a baking powder can. place them on greased tins, leaving a little space between each cookie. bake in a hot oven about five minutes." "miss dawson says we must let the cookies get perfectly cold before we pack them. then we must wrap them in paraffin paper and pack them tightly into a box." "they ought to be so tight that they won't rattle round and break." "if we could get enough tin boxes it would be great." "let's ask grandmother emerson and aunt louise and all mother's friends to save their biscuit boxes for us." "we ought to have thought of asking them before. and we must go out foraging for baking powder tins to steam the little fruit puddings and the small loaves of boston brown bread in." "what a jolly idea!" "miss dawson says that when they are cold we can slip them out of their tins and brush the bread and pudding and cake over with pure alcohol. that will kill the mould germs and it will all be evaporated by the time they are opened." "if there is paraffin paper around them, too, and they are slipped back into their little round tins it seems to me they ought to be as cosy and good as possible." "i'm awfully taken with the individual puddings. we can make them all different sizes according to the size of the tins we get hold of. doesn't this sound good?" ethel read aloud the pudding receipt with an appreciative smile. "steamed fruit pudding " ½ cups flour teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg or ginger cup chopped suet cup chopped raisins ½ cup cleaned currants cup water or milk cup molasses (dark) "sift soda, salt, baking powder, and spice with the flour, add the suet and fruit, then the molasses and milk. mix well. fill moulds two-thirds full. steam three hours." "when we do them up we can arrange them so that no bundle will contain both a fruit cake and a fruit pudding. we must have variety." "i asked particularly about wheat bread. the papers say that that is scarce, you know." "did miss dawson say it would travel?" "no, she thought it would be as hard as shoe leather. but she says the boston brown bread ought to be soft enough even after six weeks. if we can make enough small loaves--" "baking powder tin loaves--" "yes--to have a loaf of bread and a fruit cake or a fruit pudding or a box of cookies--" "that is, one cake--" "--and some candy in each package that we do up it will give variety." "it sounds good to me. we'll have to hide all our things away from roger." "listen to this receipt: "boston brown bread " cup rye meal (or flour) cup granulated corn-meal cup graham flour cups sour milk or ¾ cups sweet milk or water teaspoon salt ¾ teaspoon soda ¾ cup molasses (dark) "mix and sift the dry ingredients, add molasses and milk, stir until well mixed, turn into a well greased mould, steam ½ hours. the cover should be greased before being placed on the mould, then tied down with a string, otherwise the bread might force off the cover. the mould should never be filled more than two-thirds full. for steaming, place the mould on a stand (or on nails laid flat) in a kettle of boiling water, allowing water to come half way up around mould, cover closely, and steam, add, as needed, more boiling water." "'mould' is polite for baking powder tin." "i wish our family was small enough for us to have them. they're just too dear!" "some time after the christmas ship sails let's make some for the family--one for each person." "that's a glorious idea. i never do have enough on sunday morning and you know how roger teases every one of us to give him part of ours." "all these 'eats' that travel so well will be splendid to send for christmas gifts to people at a distance, won't they? people like katharine jackson in buffalo." "and the wilson children at fort myer," and the ethels named other young people whom they had met at different garrisons and navy yards. "here are three kinds of candies that miss dawson says ought to travel perfectly if they're packed so they won't shake about here's 'roly poly' to start with. i can see katharine's eyes shining over that." "and the orphans', too." ethel read the receipt. "roly poly " lbs. brown sugar cup cream tablespoons butter ½ pint ( cup) chopped figs cup chopped almonds cups chopped dates cup citron, cut in pieces ½ cup chopped pecans ½ cup chopped cherries ½ cup chopped raisins "cook sugar, cream and butter together until a little forms a soft ball when dropped in a cup of cold water. then add the nuts and fruit. put it all in a wet cotton bag, mould into a roll on a smooth surface. remove from the bag and cut as desired." "i like the sound of 'sea foam.' della tried that, and said it was delicious. "sea foam " cups brown sugar ½ cup water teaspoon vanilla cup chopped nuts white of egg "beat the white of egg until stiff. boil the sugar and water together until a little forms a soft ball when dropped in a cup of cold water. add the vanilla and nuts, beat this into the white of egg. when it stiffens pour it into a greased pan, or drop it by spoonsful on the pan." "it sounds delicious. when we fill james's pretty boxes with these goodies and tie them with attractive paper and cord they are going to look like 'some' christmas to these poor little kiddies." "don't you wish we could see them open them?" "if mademoiselle would only send that belgian baby we really could." "i'm afraid mademoiselle has forgotten us utterly." "it isn't surprising. but i wish she hadn't." "we must get plenty of brown sugar. this 'panocha' calls for it, as well as the 'sea foam' and the 'roly poly.'" "we'll have to borrow a corner of mary's storeroom for once." "she won't mind. she's as interested as we are in the orphans. let me see how the 'panocha' goes. "panocha " cups brown sugar tablespoons butter ½ cup milk ½ cup chopped nuts of any kind. "boil sugar, butter, and milk together until a little forms a soft ball when dropped in a cup of cold water. add the nuts, stir a few moments till slightly thick, drop by spoonsful on greased tins, or pour it into a greased tin. when cool cut in blocks." the time given by the ethels to preparing for their cooking operations was well spent. never once did they have to call on mary for something they had forgotten to order, and each afternoon was pronounced a success when it was over and its results lay before them. "if we just had energy enough we might follow the plan that the candy store people do when they have a new clerk. they say that they let her eat all she wants to for the first few days and then she doesn't want any more. it would be fun to give the family all they wanted." "we really ought to do it before we set the club to work packing all these goodies, but i don't see how we can with those three boys. we never could fill them up so they'd stop eating." "nev-_er_!" "not roger!" "we'll just have to give them a lecture on self-control and set them to work." "it's a glorious lot we've got. where's mother? we must show them to her and grandmother and aunt louise." so there was an exhibit of "food products" that brought the ethels many compliments. shelf upon shelf of their private kitchen was filled with boxes and tins, and every day added to the quantity, for mary came in occasionally to bring a wee fruit cake, aunt louise sent over cookies, and mrs. emerson added a box of professional candy to the pile. "they tell me at the candy store that very hard candy doesn't last well," she said. "it grows moist." "that's why miss dawson gave me these receipts for softish candies like fudge. it's well to remember that at christmas time when you're selecting candies for presents." "i don't believe the ethels ever will buy any candies again," said mrs. morton. "they've become so expert in making them that they quite look down on the professionals." "did you see the paper this morning?" asked mrs. emerson. when the girls said that they had not, she produced a clipping. "grandfather thought that perhaps this might have escaped your notice, so he sent it over." ethel brown took it and ethel blue read it over her shoulder. cargo for christmas ship gathering here from every state hundreds of cases containing every conceivable kind of gift for a child have been received at the bush terminal in brooklyn, where the christmas ship _jason_, which will carry the gifts of american children to the orphans of the european war is being loaded. it became apparent that if the _jason_ were to get off within reasonable time, a tremendous force of sorters and packers would have to be employed. when the situation was presented over the telephone to secretary of the navy daniels he secured authorization for gen. wood to assign sixty soldiers to help to get the cargo ready. these men appeared for duty yesterday afternoon. secretary daniels has assigned lieut.-commander courtney to command the christmas ship. "what a fine santa claus-y feeling commander courtney must have," said mrs. morton. "he's a friend of your father's, ethel brown." "think of being santa claus to all europe!" "our parcels won't be very visible among several millions, will they?" "you have a wonderfully creditable collection for ten youngsters working so short a time." "mr. watkins is keeping in touch with the ship so that we can make use of every day that she's delayed. tom telephoned to roger this afternoon that he had been over to the bush terminal and they were sure they wouldn't start before the th of november. "that gives us almost a week more, you see." "do you think we could go to new york to see the _jason_ sail?" asked ethel blue and both girls waited eagerly for the reply. "aunt louise and i were saying that the club ought to go in a body." "if only she doesn't sail during school hours." "even then i think we might manage it for once," smiled mrs. morton, and the ethels rushed off to tell roger and helen the plan and to telephone it to margaret and james. chapter xxi the christmas ship sails the rosemont and glen point members of the u. s. c. did not wait for the watkinses to join them on saturday before beginning to do up the parcels for the santa claus ship. all the small bundles were wrapped and tied in dorothy's attic, but after mrs. smith had made a careful examination of the attic stairs she came to the conclusion that the large packing cases into which they must be put for transportation to the bush terminal in brooklyn could not be taken down without damage to the walls. it was therefore decided that when the bundles were ready they were to be brought downstairs and there packed into several large cases which had been donated for the purpose by the local dry goods dealer and the shoe store man. each of these huge boxes james declared to be probably as large as the mysterious house which roger was going to propose for some sort of club work in the spring. they had been delivered early in the week and were established on the porch at the back of the smith cottage awaiting the contents that were to bring pleasure to hundreds of expectant children. doctor hancock was so busy that he could not bring margaret's and james's collection to rosemont when it was wanted there, so mrs. emerson went to glen point in her car and brought it back filled high with the result of james's pasting. it was necessary to have all his boxes to pack the candies and cookies and small gifts in. every afternoon a busy throng gathered in the attic, wrapping and tying and labelling the work that kept them all so busy for the previous two months. "we must do up every package just as carefully as if we were going to put it on our own christmas tree," helen decided. "i think half the fun of christmas is untying the bundles and having the room all heaped up with tissue paper and bright ribbons." the club had laid in a goodly store of tissue paper of a great variety of colors, buying it at wholesale and thus obtaining a discount over the retail price. the question of what to tie with was a subject of discussion. "we certainly can't afford ribbon," ethel brown declared. "even the narrowest kind is too expensive when we have to have hundreds of yards of it." "we ought to have thought about it before," said helen looking rather worried, as this necessity should have been foreseen by the president. "i'll go right over to town and get something now," she added, putting on her hat. "have any of you girls any ideas on the subject?" "i have," replied dorothy. "you know that bright colored binding that dressmakers use on seams? it's sometimes silk and sometimes silk and--" "cotton? ha!" "silk and cotton; yes, ma'am. it comes in all colors and it's just the right width and it costs a good deal less than real ribbon." "i suppose we can get the rolls by wholesale in assorted colors, can't we?" "i should suppose so." "i have an idea, too," offered margaret who had come over on the trolley after school was over. "there's a tinsel cord, silver and gilt, that doesn't cost much and it looks bright and pretty. it would be just the thing." "i've seen that. it does look pretty. for home packages you can stick a sprig of holly or a poinsettia in the knot and it makes it c-h-a-r-m-i-n-g," spelled ethel blue, giving herself a whirl in her excitement. "but we can't use stick-ups on our christmas ship parcels, you know." "that's so, but the tinsel string just by itself is quite pretty enough." "i'll bring back bushels," said helen. "you have enough to go on with for a while." "one year when mother and i were caught at the last minute on christmas eve without any ribbon," said dorothy, "--it was after the shops had closed, i remember, we found several bundles that we had overlooked--we tied them with ordinary red and green string twisted together. it looked holly-fied." "that would be easy to do," said roger. "see, put two balls of twine, one red and one green in a box and punch a hole in the top and let the two colors come out of the hole. then use them just as if they were one cord. see?" "as he talked he manufactured a twine box, popping into it not only the red and green balls about which he had been talking, but, on the other side of a slip of pasteboard which he put in for a partition, a ball of pink and a ball of blue. "watch roger developing another color scheme," cried ethel blue. "i'm going to follow that out," and she proceeded to make up a collection of parcels wrapped in pink tissue paper tied with blue string, in blue paper tied with pink cord and in white tied with roger's combination. "there's one family fitted out with a lot of presents all naturally belonging together," she cried. "i rather like that notion myself," announced james gravely, adjusting his lame leg to a more comfortable position. "please hand me that brown and yellow tissue, somebody. i'm going to make a lot of bundles along the color lines that my auburn haired sister uses in her dress." "observant little jimmy," commented margaret. "here you perceive, ladies, that i am doing up the bundles with brown and yellow and burnt orange and tango, and lemon color, and i'm tying them with a contrast--brown with orange and buttercup yellow with brown and lemon yellow with white and so on. good looking, eh?" he finished, pointing with pride to his group of attractive parcels. "i'm going to do a bunch with a mixture of all sorts," announced roger. "here's a green tied with red and a white tied with green and a pink tied with white and a brown tied with tango, and violet tied with blue, _und so weiter_, as our fräulein says when she means 'and so forth' and can't remember her english fast enough." "poor fräulein! it will be a hard christmas for her." "she brought in the last of her work and mrs. hindenburg's yesterday. such a mound of knitting!" "has any one been to the old ladies' home to gather up what they have there?" asked james. "roger went early this morning before school. perhaps those old ladies haven't been busy! see that pile?" "all theirs? good work," and james set about tying up the soft and comfortable knitted mufflers and wristlets and socks, first in tissue paper with a ribbon or a bright cord and then with a stouter wrapper of ordinary paper. he marked on each package what was in it. "if the people who are doing the sorting and repacking at the bush terminal can know what is in each bundle it is going to help them a lot," remarked methodical james. the packing of the candies and cookies took especial care, for they had to be wrapped in paraffin paper and tightly wedged in the fancy boxes awaiting them before they could be wrapped with their gay outside coverings. "we want them to arrive with some shape still left to them and not merely a boxful of crumbs," said ethel brown earnestly. except for the collections of varied presents which they had made for the sake of the color schemes of their wrappings--an arrangement with which helen was much pleased when she came back laden with ribbons and cord--the gifts were packed according to their kind. every article of clothing was wrapped separately and the bundles were labelled, each with the name of the article within, and then put into one large box. it was only by great squeezing that the knitted articles were persuaded to go into the same case. in another box were the candies and cookies and cakes and breads. the grocer from whom they had bought the materials for their cooking had contributed a dozen tins of peaches. in still another case went the seemingly innumerable small parcels that held toys or little gifts. here were the metal pieces and the leather coin purses and the stuffed animals and the dolls. doctor hancock had sent over a box of raisins and mrs. watkins had sent out from town a box of figs and a few of these goodies with two or three pieces of candy, went into every article that could be made to serve as a container. of this sort were the innumerable fancy bags made of silk bits and of cretonne and of scraps of velvet which the girls had put together when other work flagged. many of the pretty little baskets held a pleasant amount of sweeties, and the tiny leather travelling bags and the larger wrist bags of tooled leather were lined with a piece of paraffin paper enclosing something for sweet-toothed european children. james's boxes, with those made by the others, held out wonderfully. "you certainly put in a good week's work with the paste pot," declared roger admiringly as he filled the last one with sugar cookies and tied it with green and red twine to harmonize with its covering of holly paper. the watkinses had sent out their offerings, for they wanted what they had at home to be packed with the other club articles, even though they lived nearer than the rest to the place from which the ship was going to steam. when this additional collection was prepared and packed it was found that there were three big packing cases. "good for the u. s. c.!" cried the boys as the last nail went into the last cover. james, who printed well, painted the address neatly on the tops and sides, and they all watched with vivid interest the drayman who hauled them, away, generously contributing his services to the christmas cause. after all their hurry it seemed something of a hardship when they were informed that the sailing of the ship was delayed for several days because the force of packers, large as it was, could not prepare all the parcels in time for the tenth of the month. "the paper says there are more than sixty car-loads of gifts," read ethel blue to her interested family, "and five or six million separate presents." "no wonder they're delayed!" yet after all they were glad of the delay for the _jason_ finally sailed at noon of the fourteenth, and that was saturday. the hancocks went in to new york and over to brooklyn in the doctor's car and mrs. emerson's big touring car held all the mortons and dorothy and her mother, and fräulein and her mother, though it was a tight squeeze. "the old woman who lived in a shoe must have been on her way to a christmas ship," cried grandmother when roger tossed dicky in "on top of the heap of ethels," as he described it and took up his own station on the running board. the pier at the bush terminal in brooklyn was already well crowded with people and motors when the rosemont party arrived. the watkinses and the hancocks were already there. freight cars stood at one side, freight cars empty now of their loads of good cheer. everybody was laughing and happy and in a christmas mood, and the boy band from st. john's home in brooklyn made merry music. thanks to mrs. morton's acquaintance with lieutenant-commander courtney, who was in command of the ship, she and her flock had been invited to hear the speeches of farewell made in the main saloon by representatives of the city of new york. roger led the way to the gang plank which stretched from the pier to the deck of the huge navy collier. "old _jason_ looks grim enough in his gray war paint," he commented. "but those great latticed arms of the six cranes look as if he were trying to play christmas tree," suggested mrs. emerson. the speeches were full of good will and christmas cheer. back on to the pier went the listeners and then amid the cheers of the throng on the dock and the whistles of near-by boats and the strains of "the star spangled banner" from the boys' band and the waving of handkerchiefs and hats, the huge gray steamer slipped out into the stream and started on her way across the ocean. it was when the u. s. c. was making its way back to the automobiles that a piercing scream attracted their attention. "that sounds like fräulein's voice," said helen, looking about for the source of the cry. "_meine tochter!_" exclaimed mrs. hindenburg at the same moment. and then they came upon fräulein, her arms about the neck of a bearded man, who stroked her hair and cheek with one hand while with the other he clung to one of the crutches which gave him but an insecure support. "_lieber heinrich!_" cried mrs. hindenburg as she caught sight of the tableau. "it's--yes, i believe it's mr. schuler! look, helen, do you think it is?" whispered roger. "it must be," returned helen. "it's hard to tell with that beard, but i'm almost sure it is." "his leg! oh, helen, his leg is gone!" lamented ethel blue. the rosemont party's certainty was relieved by mrs. hindenburg who turned to them, beaming. "it iss mr. schuler; it iss heinrich," she explained. "_he_ has lost his leg. what matter? he is here and the _tochter_ is happy!" happy indeed was fräulein when she turned her tear-stained face toward the others. "he has come," she said simply, while the rest crowded around and shook hands. it seemed that he had obtained leave to return to america because he had lost his leg and could fight no more. yes, he said, mademoiselle millerand had nursed him when his leg was taken off. the spectators of the moving pictures looked at each other and nodded. mademoiselle had sent a message to the secretary of the united service club, he went on. it was--he took a slip of paper from his pocket book. "message received. answered in person." the club members laughed at this whose whole meaning it was clear that mr. schuler did not appreciate. he had arrived, it seemed, only two hours before, on an italian boat, and had heard on the way up from quarantine of the sailing of the christmas ship and so had crossed to wave a farewell before going out to rosemont. "and here i have found my best fortune," he said over and over again, his eyes resting fondly on fräulein's face. chapter xxii a wedding and a surprise it was a simple wedding that the u. s. c. went to in a body a few days after the arrival of the convalescent german soldier. mr. wheeler, the principal of the high school, acted as best man, and miss dawson, the domestic science teacher, was maid of honor, but fräulein also gathered about her in the cottage sitting-room where the ceremony took place a group of the young girls who had been kindest to her when she was in trouble. "i want you and the ethels and dorothy," she said to helen; "and if your friends, della and margaret, would come with you it would give me greatest pleasure." so the girls, all dressed in white, and wearing the forget-me-not pins that grandfather emerson insisted on giving them for the occasion, clustered around the young teacher, and the three boys, a forget-me-not in each scarfpin, held the ribbons that pressed gently back the cordial friends who were happy in fräulein's happiness. it was the club that decorated the house with brown sedges and stalks of upstanding tawny corn and vines of bittersweet. and it was the club that sang a soft german marriage song as the bride and groom drove off toward the setting sun in grandmother emerson's car. life seemed rather flat to the members of the u. s. c. after the wedding. for the last two months they had been so busy that every hour had been filled with work and play-work, and now that there was nothing especial scheduled for every waking moment it seemed as if they had nothing at all to do. "we'll have to ask roger about his house," laughed james who came over with margaret one afternoon and confessed to the same feeling. "not yet," answered helen. "helen is full of ideas up to her very eyebrows, i believe," said ethel blue. "she's just giving us a holiday." "mother said we needed one," assented helen. "after we've had a few days' rest we can start on something else. there's no need to call on roger yet awhile." "why not? my idea is a perfectly good one," insisted roger, strolling in. just at this minute mary entered with a note for "the secretary of the united service club." "for you, ethel blue," said roger, handing it to his cousin. ethel blue slipped a cutter under the edge while the others waited expectantly, for the address indicated that the contents was of interest to all of them. "what does this mean?" she cried as she read. "what is it? is it true?" she was so excited that they all crowded around her to see what had taken away her power of explanation. the letter was signed "justine millerand." "mademoiselle," cried all who could see the signature. "she says," read ethel blue, finding her strength again, "'here is the belgian baby you asked for. she is two years old and her name is "elisabeth," after the queen of belgium!'" "is that all?" "that's all." "but she says, '_here_ is the belgian baby.' _where_ is the belgian baby?" they turned toward mary who had remained in the room. "there's a red cross nurse in the reception room," she explained. "she said she'd rather you read the letter first." they made a rush for the door. roger reached it first and ushered the nurse into the living room. she was dressed in her grey uniform and sheltered under her cape the thinnest, wannest mite of humanity that ever the club had seen outside of the streets of a city slum. "mademoiselle millerand said you had asked for a belgian baby," she began, but she was interrupted by a cry from the entire throng. "we did; we did," they exclaimed so earnestly that any doubts she may have felt about the cordiality of their reception of her nursling were banished at once. "your mother?" she asked. "i don't believe mother really expected it to come, any more than we did," replied helen frankly, "but she will love it just as we will, and we'll take the very best of care of her." she offered her finger to elisabeth, who clutched it and gazed solemnly at her out of her sunken blue eyes. ethel blue in the back of the group gave a sob. "she'll pick up soon when she has good food every day," the nurse reassured them, and then she told them of her own experiences. she had been, it seemed, in the same hospital with mademoiselle in belgium. out on the field one day a bit of shrapnel had wounded her foot so that she was forced to come home. mademoiselle had asked her to bring over this mite "to the kindest young people in the world," and here she was. the baby's father and mother were both dead, she went on. that she knew. "are you sure her name is elisabeth?" asked dorothy. "that's what she calls herself." by this time elisabeth had made friends with every one of them and was sitting comfortably on one of roger's knees while dicky occupied the other and made acceptable gestures toward her. "she'll be happy here," said the nurse, and rose to explain her visit to mrs. morton. like the girls, mrs. morton had not expected that mademoiselle would respond to their request for a belgian baby and she was somewhat taken back by its appearance. "i can see that you did not look for her," the nurse suggested, "but when you are on the spot and are seeing such hideous distress every day and a chance opens to relieve just one little child, it is more than you can resist. i know that is why mademoiselle millerand sent her." "i quite understand," responded mrs. morton cordially. "elisabeth shall have a happy home in rosemont." "and a baker's dozen of fathers and mothers to make up for her own," said james. "and we're grateful to you for bringing her," said ethel blue, offering her hand. it was after the nurse had had a cup of tea and had returned to new york that helen called the club to order formally. "the club has got its work cut out for it for a long time to come," she said. "i don't think we have any right to bring this baby over to america and then send it to an orphanage, though that would be the easiest way to do." "we'll never do that," said margaret firmly. "if we are going to take care of it it means that we'll have to earn money for it and give it our personal care. now, all in favor of accepting elisabeth as our club baby, say 'aye.'" there was a hearty assent. "there are no contrary-minded," declared the president. "from now on she belongs to us." "and here's my forget-me-not pin to prove it," said ethel blue, fastening it on the baby's dress. "just what we'll have to do about her we must think out carefully and talk over with our mothers," went on helen. "but this minute we can accept our new club member and cry all together, 'three cheers for elisabeth of belgium.'" and at the shout that followed, elisabeth of belgium gave her first faint smile. the end girl aviators adventures by margaret burnham contact! gas! ignition! with a roar of motors and whirling propellers the aviator girls glide down the runway. gracefully the big ship takes the air, circles the airport and they are off on their glorious adventures among the clouds. these books are printed from an easily readable type, bound in cloth, and jacketed in an illustrative wrapper printed in full colors and varnished. . girl aviators and the phantom airship . girl aviators on golden wings . girl aviators sky cruise . girl aviators motor butterfly motor maids travels by katherine stokes a fast motor and the thrill of the open road, with the whole world for a playground. come with the adventurous motor maids as they surmount every obstacle and unravel every mystery they encounter in all parts of the world. the easily readable type and cloth binding jacketed in an attractive illustrative wrapper that is varnished makes the books a welcome addition to any library. . motor maids' school days . motor maids across the continent . motor maids at sunrise camp . motor maids in fair japan _for sale at all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of cents_ m. a. donohue & company south dearborn street, chicago victory boy scouts come with the boy scouts on their hikes, learn with them secrets of woods and waters, join them at their council fires, overcome with them the many problems and trials that make the boy scouts the outstanding young men in their community. . afloat; or, adventures on watery trails . boy scouts in an airship . boy scout electricians . boy scouts on open plains . the campfires of the wolf patrol . endurance test; or, how clear grit won the day . great hike; or, the pride of khaki troop . pathfinder; or, the missing tenderfoot . storm-bound; or, a vacation among the snow drifts . tenderfoot squad; or, camping at raccoon bluff . under canvas; or, the search for the carteret ghost . woodcraft; or, how a patrol leader made good _for sale at all booksellers or sent postpaid on receipt of cents_ m. a. donohue & company south dearborn street, chicago * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors repaired. note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustrations. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/ / / / / / -h.zip) dishes & beverages of the old south by martha mcculloch-williams author of "field farings," "two of a trade," "milre," "next to the ground," etc. decorations by russel crofoot [illustration] new york mcbride nast & company copyright, , by mcbride, nast & co. published, october, contents page grace before meat the staff of life saving your bacon hams and other hams for thirsty souls paste, pies, puddings creole cookery cakes, great and small meat, poultry, game, eggs soups, salads, relishes vegetables, fruit desserts, sandwiches pickles, preserves, coffee, tea, chocolate when the orchards "hit" upon occasions soap and candles dishes & beverages of the old south [illustration: _grace before meat_] "let me cook the dinners of a nation, and i shall not care who makes its laws." women, if they did but know it, might well thus paraphrase a famous saying. proper dinners mean so much--good blood, good health, good judgment, good conduct. the fact makes tragic a truth too little regarded; namely, that while bad cooking can ruin the very best of raw foodstuffs, all the arts of all the cooks in the world can do no more than palliate things stale, flat and unprofitable. to buy such things is waste, instead of economy. food must satisfy the palate else it will never truly satisfy the stomach. an unsatisfied stomach, or one overworked by having to wrestle with food which has bulk out of all proportion to flavor, too often makes its vengeful protest in dyspepsia. it is said underdone mutton cost napoleon the battle of leipsic, and eventually his crown. i wonder, now and then, if the prevalence of divorce has any connection with the decline of home cooking? a far cry, and heretical, do you say, gentle reader? not so far after all--these be sociologic days. i am but leading up to the theory with facts behind it, that it was through being the best fed people in the world, we of the south country were able to put up the best fight in history, and after the ravages and ruin of civil war, come again to our own. we might have been utterly crushed but for our proud and pampered stomachs, which in turn gave the bone, brain and brawn for the conquests of peace. so here's to our mammys--god bless them! god rest them! this imperfect chronicle of the nurture wherewith they fed us is inscribed with love to their memory. almost my earliest memory is of mammy's kitchen. permission to loiter there was a reward of merit--a sort of domestic victoria cross. if, when company came to spend the day, i made my manners prettily, i might see all the delightful hurley-burley of dinner-cooking. my seat was the biscuit block, a section of tree-trunk at least three feet across, and waist-high. mammy set me upon it, but first covered it with her clean apron--it was almost the only use she ever made of the apron. the block stood well out of the way--next the meal barrel in the corner behind the door, and hard by the short shelf, sacred to cake and piemaking, as the long shelf beneath the window was given over to the three water buckets--cedar with brass hoops always shining like gold--the piggin, also of cedar, the corn-bread tray, and the cup-noggin. above, the log wall bristled with knives of varying edge, stuck in the cracks; with nails whereon hung flesh-forks, spoons, ladles, skimmers. these were for the most part hand-wrought, by the local blacksmith. the forks in particular were of a classic grace--so much so that when, in looking through my big sister's mythology i came upon a picture of neptune with his trident, i called it his flesh-fork, and asked if he were about to take up meat with it, from the waves boiling about his feet. the kitchen proper would give domestic science heart failure, yet it must have been altogether sanitary. nothing about it was tight enough to harbor a self-respecting germ. it was the rise of twenty feet square, built stoutly of hewn logs, with a sharply pitched board roof, a movable loft, a plank floor boasting inch-wide cracks, a door, two windows and a fireplace that took up a full half of one end. in front of the fireplace stretched a rough stone hearth, a yard in depth. sundry and several cranes swung against the chimney-breast. when fully in commission they held pots enough to cook for a regiment. the pots themselves, of cast iron, with close-fitting tops, ran from two to ten gallons in capacity, had rounded bottoms with three pertly outstanding legs, and ears either side for the iron pot-hooks, which varied in size even as did the pots themselves. additionally there were ovens, deep and shallow, spiders, skillets, a couple of tea-kettles, a stew kettle, a broiler with a long spider-legged trivet to rest on, a hoe-baker, a biscuit-baker, and waffle-irons with legs like tongs. each piece of hollow ware had its lid, with eye on top for lifting off with the hooks. live coals, spread on hearth and lids, did the cooking. to furnish them there was a wrought iron shovel, so big and heavy nobody but mammy herself could wield it properly. emptied vessels were turned upside down on the floor under the long shelf--grease kept away rust. but before one was used it had to be scoured with soap and sand rock, rinsed and scalded. periodically every piece was burned out--turned upside down over a roaring fire and left there until red hot, then slowly cooled. this burning out left a fine smooth surface after scouring. cast iron, being in a degree porous, necessarily took up traces of food when it had been used for cooking a month or so. ah me! what savors, what flavors came out of the pots! years on years i was laughed at for maintaining that no range ever turned out things to equal open-hearth cookery. but it took paper bags to prove beyond cavil the truth of my contention. even paper-bagging does not quite match the open-hearth process, though there is the same secret of superiority, namely, cooking things in their own essence by the agency of hot air. the sealed and loaded bag needs must be laid on a grate-shelf in a hot oven--touch of solid hot iron is fatal to it. iron vessels set above smoothly spread coals got hot, but not red-hot--red heat belonged to the lids. they were swung over the fire and heated before setting them in place--then the blanket of coals and embers held in heat which, radiating downward, made the cooking even. scorching of course was possible unless the cook knew her business, and minded it well. our mammys not only knew their business but loved it--often with a devotion that raised it to the rank of art. add the palate of a _gourmet_ born, a free hand at the fat, the sweet, strong waters and high flavors--what wonder it is to envy those of us they fed! my individual mammy was in figure an oblate spheroid--she stood five feet, one inch high, weighed two hundred and fifty pounds, had a head so flat buckets sat on it as of right, was as light on her feet, in number twelve shoes, as the slimmest of her children and foster children, could shame the best man on the place at lifting with the hand-stick, or chop him to a standstill--if her axe exactly suited her. she loved her work, her mistress, her children black and white--even me, though i was something of a trial--her garden and her god. all these she served fondly, faithfully, with rare good humor and the nicest judgment. fall soft upon her, rain and snow! sunshine and green grass, make happy always the slope where she rests! she put on a clean white frock every morning--by breakfast time it was a sickly gray along the front--the thick of the dinner-battle was writ large on it in black smudges. she herself explained: "i ain't sech er dirty 'ooman--hit's dest i'se so big, dirt ketches me comin' and gwine." air and more air she would have, regardless of weather. the big board-window had its shutter up all day long--the glass window was a vexation, since it opened only halfway. by way of evening things, daubing and chinking got knocked out of at least half the cracks between the wall logs as sure as easter came--not to be replaced until the week before christmas. i doubt if they would have been put back even then, but that mammy dreaded criticism, from maids and carriage drivers visiting kinfolk brought with them. big yawning cracks in cold weather were in a way the hall-mark of poor-white cabins. it would have half broken mammy's heart to give anybody room to say she belonged to less than real quality. she was autocratic; a benevolent despot; withal severe. if i displeased her by meddling, putting small grimy fingers into pies they should not touch, she set me to shelling black-eyed peas--a task my soul loathed, likewise the meddlesome fingers--still i knew better than to sulk or whine over it. for that i would have been sent back into the house. the kitchen stood thirty yards away from the back door, with a branchy oak in front of it, and another, even branchier, shading the log foot-way between. the house offered only grown-up talk, which rarely interested me. in the kitchen i caught scraps of brer rabbit's history, pithily applied, other scraps of song--mammy always "gave out" the words to herself before singing them--proverbs and sayings such as "cow want her tail agin in fly-time" applied to an ingrate, or: "dat's er high kick fer er low horse," by way of setting properly in place a pretender. best of all, i got the latest news of the countryside for ten miles around. wireless has little on the way things ran about among the plantations. it was a point of honor among the black men to have wives or sweethearts away from home. this meant running about nightly--consequently cross-currents of gossip lively enough to make the yellowest journal turn green with envy. mammy was a trifle apologetic over having a husband no further off than the next neighbor's. to make up for it, however, the husbands who came to his house lived from three to five miles away--and one of them worked at the mill, hence was a veritable human chronicle. thus mammy was able to hold her head up with susan, her sister, who milked and washed. susan might have been called a widow of degrees--she had had three husbands, but only two were living. the last parting was always threatening to end in meeting over again--still that did not hinder her cabin from being the rendezvous of all the likeliest fellows within easy walking range. naturally she had things to tell--worth hearing whether or no they were true. so also had phoebe, who was a sort of scullion, fetching in wood and water, gathering vegetables, picking chickens, scouring all things from the big pot to the floor. shelves were scoured daily, the floor three times a week. this had to be a matter of faith after an hour or so--it certainly did not look it. sweeping, done three times a day, was largely a matter of form. phoebe went conscientiously over the uncluttered spaces, and even reached the nose of her broom between pots and ovens, but only coarse trash gathered before the broom--all the rest went through the cracks. mammy said phoebe's news could be believed. "de gal don't know no mo'n ter tell dest whut she done heard." she truly was slow-witted and slow-spoken, but isham, her step-father, was cook to the gresham brothers, the beaux of the neighborhood, who kept bachelor's hall. his mother had been their mammy--hence his inherited privilege of knowing rather more about his young masters than they knew themselves. little pitchers have big ears. set it to the credit of the black folk, they always had regard for the innocence of childhood. scandal was merely breathed--not even so hinted as to arouse curiosity. foul speech i never heard from them nor a trace of profanity. what i did hear was a liberal education in the humanities--as time passes i rate more and more highly the sense of values it fixed in a plastic mind. i think it must have been because our mammys saw all things from the elemental angle, they were critics so illuminating of manners and morals. here ends reminiscence, set down in hope it may breed understanding. all i actually learned from mammy and her cooking was--how things ought to taste. the which is essential. it has been the pole-star of my career as a cook. followed faithfully along the way of many failures, through a country of tribulations, it has brought me into the haven of knowledge absolute. if the testimony of empty plates and smiling guests can establish a fact, then i am a good cook--though limited. i profess only to cook the things i care to cook well. hence i have set my hand to this, a real cook's book. most cook books are written by folk who cook by hearsay--it is the fewest number of real cooks who can write so as not to bewilder the common or garden variety of mind. the bulk of what follows has an old-time southern foundation, with such frillings as experience approves. to it there will be added somewhat of creole cookery, learned and proved here in new york town by grace of milly, the very queen of new orleans cooks, temporarily transplanted. also sundry and several delectable dishes of alien origins--some as made in france or germany, some from the far philippines, but all proved before record. in each case the source is indicated in the title. things my very own, evolved from my inner consciousness, my outer opportunity and environment, i shall likewise mark personal. lastly, but far from leastly, let me make protest against over-elaboration, alike in food and the serving thereof. the very best decoration for a table is something good in the plates. this is not saying one should not plan to please the eye no less than the palate. but ribbon on sandwiches is an anachronism--so is all the flummery of silk and laces, doilies and doo-dads that so often bewilder us. they are unfair to the food--as hard to live up to as anybody's blue china. i smile even yet, remembering my husband's chuckles, after we had come home from eating delicatessen chicken off ten-dollar plates, by help of antique silver. somehow the viands and the service seemed "out of drawing." quoth heine the cynic: "woman, woman! much must be forgiven thee! thou hast loved much--and many." edibly i love much rather than many. enough of one thoroughly good thing, with proper accessories, is more satisfying than seven courses--each worse than the last. also cheaper, also much less trouble. if time has any value, the economy of it in dishwashing alone is worth considering. in these piping days of rising prices, economy sounds good, even in the abstract. add the concrete fact that you save money as well as trouble, and the world of cooks may well sit up and take notice. the one-piece dinner is as convenient and comfortable as the one-piece frock. there are, of course, occasions to which it is unsuited. one-piece must be understood to mean the _pièce de resistance_--the backbone of subsistence as it were. a bowl of rich soup or chowder, with crackers on the side, a generous helping of well-cooked meat, with bread or potatoes, and the simplest relishes, or a royally fat pudding overrun with brandy sauce; each or either can put it all over a splash of this, a dab of that, a slab of something else, set lonesomely on a separate plate and reckoned a meal--in courses. courses are all well enough--they have my warm heart when they come "in the picture." but when they are mostly "the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," then i would trade them, and gladly, for as much good bread and butter as appetite called for. by way of postscript: being a strict and ardent advocate of temperance, i refused to consider writing this book unless i had full liberty to advise the use of wine, brandy, cordials, liquors, where good cooking demands them. any earthly thing can be abused--to teach right use is the best preventive of abuse. liquors, like everything else, must be good. "cooking sherry" is as much an abomination as "cooking butter," or "cooking apples." you will never get out of pot or pan anything fundamentally better than what went into it. cooking is not alchemy; there is no magic in the pot. the whole art and mystery of it is to apply heat and seasoning in such fashion as to make the best, and the most, of such food supplies as your purse permits. tough meat cannot be cooked tender; tainted meat cannot be cooked sound. it is the same with stale fish, specked or soured fruit, withered vegetables. it pays to educate tradesfolk into understanding that you want the best and only the best of what you buy. if the thing you want, in perfect condition, is beyond your means, take, instead of a lower grade of it, the highest grade of something cheaper. so shall you escape waste of time, effort and substance. never mind sneers at your simple fare. remember it was solomon the wise who wrote: "better a dinner of herbs and contentment than a stalled ox, and contention therewith." paraphrase the last clause into "spoiled ox and ptomaines therewith," and you may keep not only self-respect, but that of the neighbors. [illustration: _the staff of life_] bread, more than almost any other foodstuff, can not be better than what it is made of. here as elsewhere a bungler can ruin the very best of flour or meal. but the queen of cooks can not make good a fundamental deficiency. hence in buying flour look for these things: a slightly creamy cast--dazzling whiteness shows bleaching, as a gray-white, or black specks mean grinding from spoiled grain. the feel should be velvety, with no trace of roughness--roughness means, commonly, mixture with corn. a handful tightly gripped should keep the shape of the hand, and show to a degree the markings of the palm. a pinch wet rather stiff, and stretched between thumb and finger, will show by the length of the thread it spins richness or poverty in gluten--one of the most valuable food elements. the cornmeal of commerce will not be satisfactory in any receipt here given. it has been bolted and kiln-dried out of all natural flavor. take the trouble to get meal water-ground, from white flint corn, and fresh from the mill. then you will have something worth spending time and effort upon--spending them hopefully. why, the wisest man can not tell--but steam-ground meal is of a flavor wholly unlike that water-ground. the grinding should be neither too fine nor too coarse. bran left in, and sifted out as needed, helps to save from musting, and to preserve the delicate natural flavor. fresh meal, in clean bright tin or glass, or in a stout paper sack, where it is dry, cool and airy will keep two months. hence buy it judiciously, in proportion to your family's corn-cake appetite. it is impossible to give exactly the amount of liquid for any sort of bread-making because the condition of flour and meal varies with weather and keeping. this applies also to sugar--hence the need for intelligence in the use of receipts. in damp muggy weather moisture is absorbed from the atmosphere. upon a dry day especially if there is much wind, drying out is inevitable. anything that feels clammy, or that clots, should be dried in a warm, not hot, oven. heating flour before mixing it, taking care not to scorch it in the least, is one small secret of light bread, biscuit and cake. flour in a bag may be laid in the sun with advantage. use judgment in mixing. note the appearance of what you are making closely--when it turns out extra good, set up that first condition as a standard. * * * * * _beaten biscuit_: (old style.) sift a quart of flour into a bowl or tray, add half a teaspoon salt, then cut small into it a teacup of very cold lard. wet with cold water--ice water is best--into a very stiff dough. lay on a floured block, or marble slab, and give one hundred strokes with a mallet or rolling pin. fold afresh as the dough beats thin, dredging in flour if it begins to stick. the end of beating is to distribute air well through the mass, which, expanding by the heat of baking, makes the biscuit light. the dough should be firm, but smooth and very elastic. roll to half-inch thickness, cut out with a small round cutter, prick lightly all over the top, and bake in steady heat to a delicate brown. too hot an oven will scorch and blister, too cold an one make the biscuit hard and clammy. aim for the irishman's "middle exthrame." there are sundry machines which do away with beating. it is possible also to avoid it by running the dough, after mixing, several times through a food-chopper. also beaten biscuit can be closely imitated by making good puff paste, rolling, cutting out, pricking and baking--but rather more quickly than the real thing. all these are expedients for those who live in apartments, where the noise of beating might be held against good neighborhood. householders, and especially suburban ones, should indulge in the luxury of a block or stone or marble slab--and live happy ever after, if they can but get cooks able and willing to make proper use of it. _soda biscuit_: (old style.) sift a quart of flour with a heaping teaspoonful of baking soda. add a good pinch of salt, rub well through lard or butter the size of the fist, then wet with sour milk to a moderately soft dough, roll out, working quickly, cut with small round cutter, set in hot pans, leaving room to swell, and bake in a quick oven just below scorching heat. handle as lightly as possible all through--this makes flaky biscuit. by way of variety, roll out thin--less than a half-inch, cut with three-inch cutter, grease lightly on top, and fold along the middle. let rise on top a hot stove several minutes before putting to bake. by adding an egg, beaten light, with a heaping tablespoonful of sugar to the dough in mixing, these doubled biscuit will be quite unlike the usual sort. _salt rising bread_: (as mammy made it.) scald a tablespoonful of sifted cornmeal, and a teaspoonful--heaped--of salt with a pint of boiling water, let stand ten minutes, then stir in, taking care to mix smooth, enough dried and sifted flour to make a thick batter. damp flour will not rise. the batter should be almost thick enough to hold the mixing spoon upright--but not quite thick enough. set the mixture in warm water--just as hot as you can bear your hand in. keep up the heat steadily, but never make too hot--scalding ruins everything. keep lightly covered, and away from draughts. look in after an hour--if water has risen on top, stir in more flour. watch close--in six hours the yeast should be foamy-light. have ready three quarts of dry sifted flour, make a hole in the center of it, pour in the yeast, add a trifle more salt, a tablespoonful sugar, and half a cup of lard. work all together to a smooth dough, rinsing out the vessel that has held the yeast, with warm not hot water to finish the mixing. divide into loaves, put in greased pans, grease lightly over the top, and set to rise, in gentle heat. when risen bake with steady quick heat. take from pans hot, and cool between folds of clean cloth, spread upon a rack, or else turn the loaves edgewise upon a clean board, and cover with cheese cloth. to make supper-rolls, shape some of the dough into balls, brush over with melted butter, set in a deep pan, just so they do not touch, raise and bake the same as bread. dough can be saved over for breakfast rolls, by keeping it very cold, and working in at morning, a tiny pinch of soda before shaping the balls. _sweet potato biscuit_: (old style.) boil soft two large or four small sweet potatoes, mash smooth while very hot, free of strings and eyes, add a pinch of salt, then rub well through three cups of sifted flour. rub in also a generous handful of shortening, then wet up soft with two eggs beaten very light, and sweet milk. a little sugar also if you have a sweet tooth--but only a little. roll to half-inch thickness, cut out with small cutter, lay in warm pan, and bake brown in a quick oven. soda and buttermilk can take the place of eggs and sweet milk--in which case the sugar is advisable. mix the soda with the milk--enough to make it foamy, but no more. _waffles_: (mammy's.) separate three eggs. beat yolks and whites very light. add to the yolks alternately a pint of very rich sweet milk, and handfuls of sifted flour. enough to make a batter rather thicker than cream. put in also half a teaspoon--scant--of salt, and half a cup of lard, or lard and butter, melted so it will barely run. mix well, then add the beaten whites of egg. have the waffle irons hot but not scorching--grease well with melted lard--the salt in butter will make the batter stick. cook quickly but take care not to burn. lay on hot plate--have a pitcher of melted butter to pour on. lay the second waffle upon the first, butter, and keep hot. it is not safe to begin serving without at least six waffles in plate. this, of course, provided you have several eaters with genuine appetites. syrup can be passed with the waffles--but it is profanation to drench them with it--strong clear coffee, and broiled chicken are the proper accompaniments at breakfast. _plain corn bread_: (the best.) sift sound fresh white cornmeal, wet with cold water to a fairly soft dough, shape it by tossing from hand to hand into small pones, and lay them as made into a hot pan well sprinkled with dry meal. the pan should be hot enough to brown the meal without burning it. make the pones about an inch thick, four inches long, and two and a half broad. bake quickly, taking care not to scorch, until there is a brown crust top and bottom. for hoe-cakes make the dough a trifle softer, lay it by handfuls upon a hot-meal-sprinkled griddle, taking care the handfuls do not touch. flatten to half an inch, let brown underneath, then turn, press down and brown the upper side. do not let yourself be seduced into adding salt--the delight of plain corn-bread is its affinity for fresh butter. it should be eaten drenched with butter of its own melting--the butter laid in the heart of it after splitting pone or hoe-cake. salt destroys this fine affinity. it however savors somewhat bread to be eaten butterless. therefore mammy always said: "salt in corn-bread hit does taste so po' white-folks'y." she had little patience with those neighbors of ours who perforce had no butter to their bread. _egg bread_: (mammy's.) beat two eggs very light with a pinch of salt, add two cups sifted cornmeal, then wet with a pint of buttermilk in which a teaspoonful of soda has been dissolved. stir in a spoonful of shortening, barely melted, mix well, and pour into well greased pans or skillets, cook quickly, till the crust is a good brown, and serve immediately. or bake in muffin moulds. for delicate stomachs the shortening can be left out, but pans or moulds must be greased extra well. if milk is very sour, make it one-third water--this is better than putting in more soda. _batter cakes_: (old style.) sift together half-cup flour, cup and a half meal, add pinch of salt, scald with boiling water, stir smooth, then add two eggs well beaten, and thin with sweet milk--it will take about half a pint. bake by spoonfuls on a hot, well-greased griddle--the batter must run very freely. serve very hot with fresh sausage, or fried pigs' feet if you would know just how good batter cakes can be. _ash cake_: (pioneer.) this is possible only with wood fires--to campers or millionaires. make dough as for plain bread, but add the least trifle of salt, sweep the hot hearth very clean, pile the dough on it in a flattish mound, cover with big leaves--cabbage leaves will do at a pinch, or even thick clean paper, then pile on embers with coals over them and leave for an hour or more, according to size. take up, brush off ashes, and break away any cindery bits. serve with new butter and fresh buttermilk. this was sometimes the sole summer supper of very great families in the old time. beyond a doubt, ash cake properly cooked has a savory sweetness possible to no other sort of corn bread. _mush bread_: (overton receipt.) to a quart of very thick mush, well salted, add three fresh eggs, breaking them in one after the other, and beating hard between. when smooth add half a cup of rich milk, and half a cup melted butter. stir hard, then add one teaspoonful baking powder, and bake quickly. bake in the serving dish as it is too soft for turning out, requiring to be dipped on the plates with a spoon. hence the name in some mouths: "spoon bread." _cracklin' bread_: (pioneer.) sift a pint of meal, add a pinch of salt, then mix well through a teacup of cracklings--left from rendering lard. wet up with boiling water, make into small pones, and bake brown in a quick but not scorching oven. _pumpkin bread_: (pioneer.) sift a pint of meal, add salt to season fully, then rub through a large cupful of stewed pumpkin, made very smooth. add half a cup melted lard, then mix with sweet milk to a fairly stiff dough, make pones, and bake crisp. mashed sweet potato can be used instead of pumpkin, and cracklings, rubbed very fine in place of lard. folks curious as to older cookery, can even make persimmon bread, using the pulp of ripe persimmons to mix with the meal--but they will need the patience of job to free the pulp properly from skin and seed. _mush batter cakes_: (for invalids.) bring half a pint of water to a bubbling boil in something open, add to it a pinch of salt, then by littles, strew in a cup of sifted meal, stirring it well to avoid lumps. let cool partly, then cook by small spoonfuls on a hot griddle very lightly greased. make the spoonfuls brown on both sides, and serve very hot. _wafers_: (for invalids or parties.) rub a cup of lard or butter, through a quart of sifted flour. butter will give enough salt--with lard add a pinch. mix with sweet milk, the richer the better, to a smooth dough, not stiff nor soft. shape into balls the size of a small egg, roll out very thin, prick lightly all over, and bake brown--it will take about five minutes in a quick oven. cool on cloth and keep dry. handle delicately--if the wafers are what they should be; they break and crumble at any rough touch. [illustration: _saving your bacon_] plenty in the smokehouse was the cornerstone of the old time southern cookery. hence hog-killing was a festival as joyous as christmas--and little less sacred. there was keen rivalry amongst plantations as to which should show the finest pen of fattening hogs. though the plantation force was commonly amply sufficient for the work of slaughter, owners indulged their slaves by asking help of each other--of course returning the favor at need. a far cry from a cook book, common or garden variety. here, it is worth its space, as explaining in a measure what follows. namely full direction for choosing your fatted pig, cutting him up, and making the most of the ultimate results. choose carcasses between a hundred and seventy-five and a hundred and fifty pounds in weight, of a fresh pinky white hue, free of cuts, scratches, or bruises, the skin scraped clean, and firm, not slimy, to touch, the fat firm and white, the lean a lively purplish pink. two inches of clear fat over the backbone, and the thick of the ribs should be the limit. anything more is wasteful--unless there is a great need of lard in the kitchen. the pig should be chilled throughout, but not frozen--freezing injures flavor and texture somewhat, besides preventing the proper quick striking in of salt. curing space permitting, it is wise to cut up several pigs at once. the trouble is hardly increased, and the results, especially in saving, very much greater. the head will have been at least half severed in slaughtering. with a very sharp butcher knife, after the pig is laid on the chopping block, cut deeply through the skin, all round, then with a blow or two of the axe sever the head. next cut through the skin deeply, either side of the back bone. the cuts should be evenly parallel, and about two inches apart. now turn the pig on his back, part the legs and with the meat axe chop through the ribs, and joints. after chopping, cut the backbone free with the knife, trim off the strip of fat for the lard pile, chop the backbone itself into pieces three to four inches long, until the chine is reached--the part betwixt the shoulder blades with the high spinal processes. leave the chine intact for smoking, along with the jowls and sausage. pull out the leaf-fat--it grows around and over the kidneys. also pull out the spare ribs, leaving only one or two in the shoulders. this done, chop off feet, then with the knife cut hams and shoulders free from the sides. trim after cutting out, saving all trimmings for sausage. save every bit of pure fat for lard. also cut away the clear fat at the top of the sides, devoting it to the same use. make clean cuts on the joints--this means a knife often whetted. trim the hams rather flat, and shape the hip bone neatly. the commercial fashion of cutting away all the upper half of hams is fatal to perfect flavor. trim shoulders close, unless they are destined to be made into sausage--in that case put them with the other scraps. sides can either be cut into strips four to five inches wide the long way, after the manner of commercial "breakfast bacon," or left whole throughout their streaky part, cutting away solid fat along the top for lard. separate the heads at the jaw, leaving the tongue attached to the jowl, and taking care not to cut it. cut off the snout two inches above the tip, then lay the upper part of the head, skin down, crack the inner bone with the axe, press the broken bones apart, and take out the brains. jowls are to be salted and smoked--heads are best either simply corned for boiling with cabbage, peas, beans, etc., or made in conjunction with the feet into headcheese, whose south country name is souse. use regular pickling salt--coarse-grained and lively. spread it an inch thick upon clean wood--a broad shelf, box bottom, or something similar. rub the meat well over with salt, and then lay it neatly, skin-side down, upon the salt layer, spread more salt on top, and put on another layer of meat. put sides together, likewise hams and shoulders. pack as close as possible and fill all crevices with salt. salt alone will save your bacon, but a teacup of moist sugar well mixed through a water-bucket of salt improves the flavor. use this on sides, jowls and chines. the joints, hams and shoulders, especially if the shoulders are close-cut, need a trifle more sugar in the salt, also a trifle of saltpeter--say an ounce in fine powder to three gallons of salt. rub the skin-sides over with plain salt, and lay upon the salt-covered shelf the same as sides. then take a handful of the mixture and rub it in hard around the bone, then cover the whole cut surface half an inch thick, spread on dry salt for another layer of hams or shoulders, and repeat. salt the chines lightly--their surface, cut all over, takes up too much salt if permitted. there should be holes or cracks in the bottom to let the dissolved salt drip away; it is best also to have it a foot at least above the floor. cover the meat thus in bulk, but not too close, and leave standing a fortnight. the cooler and airier the place it stands in the better--freezing even is not objectionable when the salt begins striking in. but with freezing weather the meat must lie longer in salt. overhaul it after the first fortnight--that is to say break up the bulk, shake away bloody salt, sweep the bottom clean, and put on fresh salt. but use very little saltpeter on the joints this time--on pain of making them too hard as to their lean. its use is to give firmness and a handsome clear red color--an overdose of it produces a faintly undesirable flavor. some famous ham makers, at this second salting, rub the cut sides over lightly with very good molasses, and sprinkle on ground black pepper, before adding new salt. others rub in a teaspoonful of sugar mixed with pounded red pepper around the bone. but very excellent hams can be made without such excess of painstaking. let the meat lie two to four weeks after overhauling, according to the weather. take up, wipe all over with coarse clean cloth, furnish each piece with a loop of stout twine at least four inches long, and so run through the flesh, tearing out is impossible. run through the hock of hams, the upper tip of shoulders, the thickest part of sides, the pointed tip of jowls. jowls may not need to lie so long as bigger pieces, especially if part of their fat has gone to lard. chines can be hung up in three weeks, and cured with a very light smoking, along with the bags of sausage. hang hams highest, shoulders next, then sides, jowls, etc. leave to drip forty-eight hours unless the weather turns suddenly warm, damp and muggy--in that case start the smoking after a few hours. smoke from green hickory, sound and bright, is needed for the finest flavor. lay small logs so they will hug together as they burn, kindle fire along the whole length of them, then smother it with damp, small chips, trash, bark and so on, but take care to have everything sound. rotten wood, or that which is water-logged or mildewed, makes rank, ill-smelling smoke. take greater care that the logs never blaze up, also that the meat is high enough to escape fire-heating. once it gets hot from the fire all your trouble will have been for naught--though it will not be tainted it will have the same taste and smell--the degree marking the extent of the heating. old southern smokehouses had for the most part earthen floors, trenched to make the smoke fires safe. some had puncheon floors, with an earthen hearth in the middle, whereupon was placed a furnace of loose brick--that could be kicked over at need, smothering an outbreaking fire. still others had big cast iron kettles sunk in a sort of well in the floor--with a handy water bucket for quenching fires. whatever the floor, eternal vigilance was the price of safe bacon--you looked at the smokehouse fires first thing in the morning and last at night. they were put out at sundown, but had a knack of burning again from some hidden seed of live coal. morning smoke could not well be too thick, provided it smelled right--keen and clean, reminiscent of sylvan fragrance--a thick, acrid smoke that set you sneezing and coughing, was "most tolerable and not to be endured." it was not well to leave the smoke too thick at night--somehow the chill then condensed it. a thin, blue, hot-scented but cool, vapor was the thing to strive for then. there were folk who suggested furnaces--with smoke pipes leading in--ever so much safer they said, withal much less trouble. why! even the smoke from a cooking stove might be made to answer. but these progressives were heard coldly--the old timers knew in right of tradition and experience, the need of well ventilated smoke. it gave this present chronicler a feeling of getting home again, to walk through the curing rooms of perhaps the most famous bacon makers in the world, and find them practicing the wisdom of her childhood. namely using hickory smoke not delivered from furnace pipes but welling up, up, in beautiful wreathy spirals, to reach row on row of hams and flitches--and to be told, by a kind person who did not know she already knew, that their curing was patterned on the old english model--curing in the smoke of great-throated stone hall chimneys. yes--they had tried pipes--furnaces likewise--but they gave too much heat, did not distribute smoke evenly, besides being almost impossible of regulation. hence the smoldering hickory that was like a breath from a far past. notwithstanding, the chronicler is of opinion that folk who would like to try their hands at bacon making may do it with a fair hope without building regular smoke houses. to such she would say, get a stout hogshead--a sugar hogshead preferable--nail on a board roof to shed water, then set it upon a stout frame at least seven feet above ground. nail inside it stout cleats, to hold the cross bars for the meat. hang the meat upon them--but not until the hogshead is in place. cut a hole in the bottom as big as the top of a large barrel. working through this hole, arrange the meat, then put below a headless barrel, the top resting against the hogshead-heading, the bottom upon supports of gas pipe, iron, or even piled bricks. between the supports set an iron vessel--build your hickory smoke-fires in it, smothering them carefully, and letting the smoke, with a sufficiency of air, well up, through barrel, hogshead, etc. or one might even rig up a smoking hogshead in an attic, providing the chimney were tall enough to cool smoke properly--and lead smoke out to it through a length of drain pipe. these are but suggestions--the contriving mind will doubtless invent other and better ones. smoking must go on for five weeks at least. six will be better, slacking toward the end. but two may be made to answer by the use of what is called "liquid smoke" whose other name is crude pyroligneous acid. a product of wood distillation, it has been proved harmless in use, but use is nevertheless forbidden to commercial makers. the meat, after breaking bulk, is dipped in it three times at fairly brief intervals, hung up, drained, and smoked. from the liquid smoke it will have acquired as much acid saving-grace, as from four weeks of old fashioned smoking. a smokehouse needs to be kept dark, dry, and cool, also well ventilated. use fine screen wire over all openings, and make windows very small, with coarse, sleazy crash in the sash rather than glass inside the screens. darkness prevents or discourages the maggot-fly. to discourage him still further cover the cut sides of hams and shoulders before hanging up with molasses made very thick with ground black pepper. they will not absolutely require canvassing and dipping in whitewash after if the peppering is thorough. but to be on the safe side--canvas and dip. make the whitewash with a foundation of thick paste--and be sure it covers every thread of the canvas. hams perfectly cured and canvassed keep indefinitely in the right sort of smokehouse--but there is not much gain in flavor after they are three years old. in rendering lard try out leaf fat to itself--it yields the very finest. cut out the kidneys carefully, and remove any bit of lean, then pull off the thin inner skin, and cut up the leaves--into bits about two inches wide and four long. wash these quickly in tepid water, drain on a sieve, and put over a slow fire in an iron vessel rather thick bottomed. add a little cold water--a cupful to a gallon of cut up fat, and let cook gently until the lumps of fat color faintly. increase heat till there is a mild bubbling--keep the bubbling steady, stirring often to make sure no lump of fat sticks to the pot and scorches, until all the lumps are crisp brown cracklings. bright brown, not dark--if dark the lard will be slightly colored. scorching taints and ruins the whole mass. strain through a sieve into a clean tin vessel, newly scalded and wiped dry. put the cracklings into a bag of stout crash, and press hard between two clean boards, till no more fat runs from them. a jelly press comes in handy, but is not essential. if weak, clear lye, made of green wood ashes, is put in with the fat instead of water at the beginning, the fat-yield will be greater, and the bulk of cracklings less, also more nearly disintegrated. other fat is tried out in the same way, taking care to remove all skin and cut away streaks of lean. bits with much lean in them had better go to the sausage mill--the right proportion there is two pounds of fat to three and a half of lean. mix well in grinding, and remove all strings, gristle, etc. seasoning is so much a matter of taste, do it very lightly at first--then fry a tiny cake, test it, and add whatever it seems to lack or need. be rather sparing of salt--eaters can put it in but can not take it out, and excess of it makes even new sausage taste old. a good combination of flavors, one approved by experience, is a cupful of powdered and sifted sage, an ounce of black pepper newly ground, and very fine, a tablespoonful of powdered red pepper, a teaspoonful of cayenne, a pinch of thyme in fine powder, a dozen cloves, as many grains of alspice, beaten fine, a teaspoonful of moist sugar, and a blade of mace in fine powder. omit the mace, cloves, etc. if the flavor repels. mix all well together, then work evenly through the meat. this seasoning should suffice for five pounds of ground meat lightly salted. more can be used by those who like high and pronounced flavors. scrape feet very clean, and take off hoofs by either dipping in scalding hot lye, or hot wet wood ashes. wash very clean after scraping, throw in cold water, soak an hour, then put in a clean pot with plenty of cold water, and boil gently until very tender. if boiling for souse cook till the meat and gristle fall from the bones. if for frying, take up the feet as soon as they are tender, keeping them in shape. boil heads the same way, taking out eyes, cutting off ears and cleaning them carefully inside. pick the meat from the bones, mix it with the feet also picked up, work seasoning well through it--salt, black and red pepper, herbs if approved, likewise a trifle of onion juice, then pack in deep molds, pour over a little of the boiling liquor--barely enough to moisten--and set to cool uncovered. let the boiling liquor stand until cold, covered only with a cloth. skim off the oil--hog's foot oil is a fine dressing for any sort of leather--then dip off carefully the jelly underneath. do not disturb the sediment--take only the clear jelly. melted, clarified with white of egg, seasoned with wine, lemon juice, or grape juice, and sufficiently sugared, the result puts all gelatines of commerce clean out of court. indeed any receipt for gelatine desserts can be used with the hog's foot jelly. a small salvage perhaps--but worth while. everybody knows brains can be fried--just as all know they can be addled. we of the old south pickled ours. go and do likewise if you want an experience. begin by scalding the brains--putting them on in cold water very slightly salted, then letting them barely strike a boil. skim out, drop in cold water, take off the skin, keeping the lobes as whole as possible, lay in a porcelain kettle, spice liberally with black and red pepper, cloves, nutmeg and allspice, cover with strong vinegar, bring to a boil, cook five minutes, then put in a jar, cool uncovered, tie down and let stand a week before using. thus treated brains will keep for six weeks, provided they are kept cool. we also pickled our souse--cutting it in thin slices, and laying them in strong vinegar an hour before serving. another way was to melt the souse into a sort of rich hash--beaten eggs were occasionally added, and the result served on hot toast. at a pinch it answered for the foundation of a meat pie, putting in with it in layers, sliced hard boiled eggs, sliced cucumber pickle, plenty of seasoning, a good lump of butter, and a little water. the pie was baked quickly--and made a very good supper dish if unexpected company overran the supply of sausage or chicken for frying. but fried hog's feet were nearly the best of hog killing. after boiling tender, the feet were split lengthwise in half, rolled in sifted cornmeal, salted and peppered, and fried crisp in plenty of boiling hot fat. served with hot biscuit, and stewed sun-dried peaches, along with strong coffee, brown and fragrant, they made a supper or breakfast one could rejoice in. backbone stewed, and served with sweet potatoes, hot corn bread, and sparkling cider, was certainly not to be despised. the stewing was gentle, the seasoning well blended--enough salt but not too much, red and black pepper, and the merest dash of pepper vinegar. many cooks left the vinegar to be added in the plates. there was little water at the beginning, and next to none at the end--the kettle was kept well covered, and not allowed to boil over. backbone pie held its own with chicken pie--indeed there were those who preferred it. it was made the same way--in a skillet or deep pan lined with rich crust, then filled with cooked meat, adding strips of bacon, and bits of butter rolled in flour, as well as strips of crust. then the stewing liquor went into the crevices--there might also be a few very tiny crisp brown sausages--cakes no bigger than a lady's watch. over all came a thick, rich crust, with a cross-cut in the middle, and corners turned deftly back. when the crust was brown the pie was done. no doubt we were foolish--but somehow the regular "cases" made our sausages unappetizing if we put it into them for keeping. further the "tom thumbs" were in great request for chitterlings--i never saw them served to white folks but have smelled their savoriness in the cabins. that is, however, beside the mark. we saved our sausage against the spring scarcity in several ways. one was to fry it in quantity, pack the cakes as fried in crocks, pour over them the gravy, and when the jar was almost full, cover the top an inch deep with melted lard. kept cool and dark the cakes came out as good as they went in. still there were palates that craved smoked sausage. to satisfy them, some folk tied up the meat in links of clean corn husks, and hung them at the side where the smoke barely touched them. another way was to make small bags of stout unbleached muslin, fill, tie close, dip the bag in melted grease, cool and smoke. the dipping was not really essential--still it kept the sausage a little fresher. latterly i have been wondering if paraffin had been known then whether or not it would have served better than grease. [illustration: _hams and other hams_] the proper boiling of a proper ham reaches the level of high art. proper boiling makes any sound ham tolerable eating; conversely a crass and hasty cook can spoil utterly this crowning mercy of the smokehouse. yet proper cooking is not a recondite process, nor one beyond the simplest intelligence. it means first and most, pains and patience, with somewhat of foresight, and something more of judgment. cut off the hock, but not too high--barely the slender shankbone. then go all over the ham with a dull knife, scraping off every bit of removable grease or soilure. wipe afterward with a coarse, damp cloth, then lay in a dishpan and cover an inch deep with cold water. if the water is very hard soften by adding a tiny pinch of baking soda. leave in soak all night. in the morning wash well all over, using your coarse cloth, and a little scouring soap, then rinse well in tepid water, followed by a second rinsing in cold water, drain, and wipe dry. a flat-bottomed boiler is best--with one rounding, there is greater risk of scorching. set a rack on the bottom else an old dish or earthen pieplate, pour in an inch of water, set over the fire, lay the ham upon the rack, skin side down, and fill up with cold water till it stands two inches above the meat. take care in adding the water not to dislodge the ham from the rack. bring the water to a boil, throw in a pint of cold water and skim the boiler very clean, going over it twice or three times. after the last skimming add half a dozen whole cloves, a dozen whole alspice, a pod of red pepper, a few whole grains of black pepper, and if you like, a young onion or a stalk of celery. personally i do not like either onion or celery--moreover they taint the fat one may save from the pot. let the water boil hard for half a minute, no longer, then slack heat till it barely simmers. keep it simmering, filling up the pot as the water in it boils away, until the ham is tender throughout. the time depends on several things--the hardness and age of the ham, weight, curing. fifteen minutes to the pound, reckoned from the beginning of simmering, is the standard allowance. i have no hard and fast rule--my hams boil always until the fork pierces them readily, and the hip-bone stands clear of flesh. a big ham, fifteen to twenty pounds weight, had better be left in the water overnight. a smaller one, say of ten pounds weight, should remain only until thoroughly cold. take up carefully when cold, let drain twenty minutes, lying flesh side up in a flat dish, then trim off the under side and edges neatly, removing rusty fat, strings, etc., and cutting through the skin at the hock end. turn over and remove the skin--taking care not to tear away too much fat with it. remove the ham to a clean, deep dish, or bowl--the closer fitting the better, then pour around it either sound claret, or sweet cider, till it stands half way up the sides. add a little tabasco or worcester to the liquor, if high flavors are approved. then stick whole cloves in a lozenge pattern all over the fat, sprinkle on thickly red and black pepper, and last of all, sugar--brown sugar if to be had, but white will do. leave standing several hours, basting once or twice with the liquor in the bowl. take out, set on a rack in an agate pan, pour the liquor underneath, and bake slowly one to two hours, according to size. baste every fifteen minutes, adding water as the liquor cooks away. beware scorching--the ham should be a beautiful speckly dark brown all over. let cool uncovered, and keep cool, but not on ice until eaten. drop a lump of ice in the boiling liquor unless the weather is cold--then set it outside. as soon as the fat on top hardens take it off, boil it fifteen minutes in clear water, chill, skim off, and clarify by frying slices of raw potato in it. the spices will have sunk to the bottom, and there will be no trace of their flavor in the fat. any boiling vegetable--cabbage, string beans, navy beans, greens in general--may be cooked to advantage in the liquor. it also serves as an excellent foundation for pea soup. drain it off from the sediment, reduce a trifle by quick boiling, then add the other things. dumplings of sound cornmeal, wet up stiff, shaped the size of an egg, and dropped in the boiling liquor, furnish a luncheon dish cheap and appetizing. fried ham as mammy made it is mostly a fragrant memory--only plutocrats dare indulge in it these days. she cut thin slices from the juicy, thick part of the ham, using a very sharp, clean knife. then she trimmed away the skin, and laid the slices in a clean, hot skillet--but not too hot. in about a minute she flipped them over delicately, so as to sear the other side. when enough fat had been tried out to bubble a bit, she turned them again, then set the skillet off, deadened the coals beneath it a little--put it back, and let the ham cook until tender through and through. she never washed the slices nor even wiped them with damp cloths. there was no need--her hands and knife were as clean as could be. washing and wiping spoiled the flavor, she said. i agree with her. after the ham was taken up, she poured in milk, half cream, shook it well about in the hissing hot fat until it had taken up all the delicious brown essence caked on the skillet bottom. this milk gravy was poured over the slices in the platter. a practice i have never followed--my gravy is made with water rather than milk, and served separately. invalids and gourmets may be indulged with boiled ham, broiled over live coals. slice very thin, lay for half a minute upon a shovel of glowing fresh coals, take up in a very hot dish, butter liberally, dust with pepper and serve very hot. to frizzle ham slice as thin as possible in tiny bits, and toss the bits till curly-crisp in blazing hot butter. excellent as an appetizer or to raise a thirst. for ham and eggs slice and fry as directed, take up, break fresh eggs separately each in a saucer, and slip them into the fat when it is bubbling hot. dip hot fat over them to cook the upper side--take up with a cake turner, and arrange prettily as a border around the ham. sprigs of watercress outside add to the appetizing effect. serve with hot biscuit, or waffles or muffins, and strong, clear coffee. tart apples cored but not peeled sliced in rings and fried in hot fat, drained out and sprinkled lightly with sugar, add to the charm of even the finest ham. so does hominy, the full-grained sort, boiled tender beforehand, and fried till there is a thick, brown crust all over the skillet bottom. the secret of these as of all other fryings, is to have grease enough, make it hot enough to crisp whatever goes into it instantly, then to watch so there shall be no scorching, and take out what is fried as soon as done, draining well. among the paradoxes of cookery is this--frying with scant grease makes greasy eating, whereas frying in deep fat, sufficiently hot, makes the reverse. sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced, deserve frying in ham fat. well drained, dusted with salt, pepper, and sugar, they are delicious, also most digestible. frying is indeed the method of cookery most misprised through its abuse. in capable hands it achieves results no-otherwise attainable. a perfect mutton ham is a matter of grace no less premeditation. it must be cut from a wether at least four years old, grass fed, grain finished, neither too fat, nor too lean, scientifically butchered in clear, frosty, but not freezing weather, and hung unsalted in clean, cold air for a matter of three days. saw off shank and hip bones neatly, and cut the meat smooth, removing any tags and jags, then pack down in an agate or clean wooden vessel that has been scalded, then chilled. half cover with a marinade thus proportioned. one pint pickling salt to one gallon cold water, boil and skim clean, then add one pint vinegar, a dozen each of whole cloves, allspice and pepper corns, a pod of red pepper, a teaspoon of powdered saltpeter, and a small cup of oil. simmer for half an hour, and cool before pouring on the meat. let it lie in the liquor a week, turning it twice daily. take from marinade, wipe, and lay in air, return the marinade to the fire, boil up, skim well, then add enough plain brine to fully cover the hams, skim again, cool and pour over, first scalding out the containing vessel. let stand a week longer, then drain well, wipe with a damp cloth, rub over outside with a mixture of salt, moist sugar, and ground black pepper, and hang in a cool, airy place where the hams can be lightly smoked for a fortnight. winter-curing, or late fall, alone is possible to the average householder. after smoking, wrap in waxed paper, and canvas the same as other hams. cook the same as venison, which mutton thus cured much resembles. slice and broil, serving with butter and very sour jelly, else boil whole in very little water until tender, glazing with tart jelly, and crisping in the oven after draining and cooling. or soak two hours in cold water, then cover completely with an inch-thick crust of flour and water mixed stiff, and bake in a slow oven four to five hours. serve always with very piquant sauce, and sharp pickle, or highly spiced catsups. make jelly from wild grapes, wild plums, green grapes, green gooseberries or crab apples, using half the usual amount of sugar, especially for such meat. melt half a glass of such jelly with a tablespoon of boiling water. add black pepper, paprika, a dash of tabasco, and the strained juice of a lemon, add gradually a teaspoon of dry mustard. cook over hot water until well mixed and smooth, and keep hot until served. beef hams are troublesome--but worth the trouble. take them from small but well fatted animals, cut off the shank, also part of the top round. rub over very scantly with powdered saltpeter, mixed well through moist sugar, then lay down in salt for a fortnight, else cover with brine made thus. pint pickling salt to the gallon of cold water, teaspoon sugar, and pinch of whole cloves. boil and skim. pour cold over the hams in a clean barrel. let stand a fortnight, take out, drain and wipe, rub over with dry salt, and hang high in cold air. smoke lightly after three days. keep smoking, but not too much, for a month. cover all over with ground black pepper, mixed to a paste with molasses, canvas and leave hanging. slice and broil, else chip and serve raw. frizzling is possible but a waste of god's good mercies. properly cured meat is salt but not too salt, of a deep blackish-red, and when sliced thin, partly translucent, also of an indescribable savoriness. cut as nearly as possible, across the grain. do not undertake to make beef hams save in the late fall, so there may be cold weather for the curing. the meat must be chilled through before salt touches it, but freezing is very detrimental. frozen meat does not absorb the salt, sugar, etc., essential to proper curing. by time it thaws so absorption becomes possible, there may have been changes such as take place in cold storage, unfitting it for food. if the beef ham is thick it may need to lie a month in salt or in brine. here as elsewhere, the element of judgment comes into play. if rabbits are very plenty and very fat, put down a jar of hindquarters in marinade for three days, then wipe, and hang in a cold, dry place. a rabbit ought to be dressed before it is cold--thus it escapes the strong flavor which makes market rabbits often unendurable. chill but do not freeze after dressing. a light smoking does not hurt the quarters, which should be left double, with the thick loin between. soak two hours before cooking, and smother with plenty of butter, black and red pepper and a dash of pepper vinegar. an excellent breakfast or luncheon relish. to cook a fresh ham properly, choose one weighing ten pounds or less, scrape and wash clean, score the skin, all over, then season well with salt, sugar, black and red pepper, and dot with tabasco on top. set on a rack in a deep pan, pour boiling water underneath to barely touch the meat, cover close, and bake in a hot oven for two hours, filling up the water in the pan as it bakes away. uncover, and cook for half an hour longer, slacking heat one half, and basting the meat with the liquor in the pan. if approved add a cup of cider or sound claret to the basting liquor. leave unbasted for ten minutes before taking up, so the skin may be properly crisp. [illustration: _for thirsty souls_] _grandmother's cherry bounce_: rinse a clean, empty whiskey barrel well with cold water, drain, and fill with very ripe morello cherries, mixed with black wild cherries. one gallon wild cherries to five of morellos is about the proper proportion. strew scantly through the cherries, blade mace, whole cloves, allspice, a very little bruised ginger, and grated nutmeg. add to a full barrel of fruit twenty pounds of sugar--or in the proportion of half a pound to the gallon of fruit. cover the fruit an inch deep with good corn whiskey, the older and milder the better. leave out the bung but cover the opening with lawn. let stand six months undisturbed in a dry, airy place, rather warm. rack off into a clean barrel, let stand six months longer, then bottle or put in demijohns. this improves greatly with age up to the fifth year--after that the change is unappreciable. _grape cider_: fill a clean, tight, well-scalded barrel with ripe wild grapes picked from their stems. add spices if you like, but they can be left out. fill the vessel with new cider, the sweeter the better. there should be room left to ferment. cover the bung-hole with thin cloth and let stand in dry air four to six months. rack off and bottle. this also improves with age. it is a drink to be used with caution--mild as may in the mouth, but heady, and overcoming, especially to those unused to its seductions. _persimmon beer_: the poor relation of champagne--with the advantage that nobody is ever the worse for drinking it. to make it, take full-ripe persimmons, the juicier the better, free them of stalks and calyxes, then mash thoroughly, and add enough wheat bran or middlings to make a stiffish dough. form the dough into thin, flat cakes, which bake crisp in a slow oven. when cold break them up in a clean barrel, and fill it with filtered rainwater. a bushel of persimmons before mashing will make a barrel of beer. set the barrel upright, covered with a thin cloth, in a warm, dry place, free of taints. let stand until the beer works--the persimmon cakes will rise and stand in a foamy mass on top. after three to four weeks, either move the barrel to a cold place, or rack off the beer into bottles or demijohns, tieing down the corks, and keeping the bottled stuff very cool. the more meaty and flavorous the persimmons, the richer will be the beer. beware of putting in fruit that has not felt the touch of frost, so retains a rough tang. a very little of it will spoil a whole brewing of beer. if the beer is left standing in the barrel a wooden cover should be laid over the cloth, after it is done working. fermentation can be hastened by putting in with the persimmon cakes a slice of toast dipped in quick yeast. but if the temperature is right, the beer will ferment itself. _egg nogg_: have all ingredients, eggs, sugar, brandy, and whiskey, thoroughly chilled before beginning, and work very, very quickly. beat the yolks of eighteen eggs very light with six cups of granulated sugar, added a cup at a time. when frothy and pale yellow, beat in gradually and alternately a glassful at a time, a quart of mellow old whiskey, and a quart of real french brandy. whip hard, then add the whites of the eggs beaten till they stick to the dish. grate nutmeg over the top, and rub the rims of the serving glasses with lemon or orange rind cut into the fruit. the glasses should be ice-cold, also the spoons. fill carefully so as not to slop the sides, and serve at once. if wanted for an early morning christmas celebration, beat up yolks and sugar the night before, stand on ice along with the liquor, and keep the unbeaten whites likewise very cold. at morning freshen the yolks a little, then add the liquor, and at last the whites newly frothed. this is the only simon-pure christmas egg nogg. those who put into it milk, cream, what not, especially rum, defile one of the finest among christmas delights. _white egg nogg_: for invalids, especially fever patients. whip the white of a new laid egg as stiff as possible with the least suspicion of salt. add to it three heaping spoonfuls of sterilized cream whipped light, beat in two tablespoonfuls of powdered sugar, then add a gill of the best french brandy. a variant is to omit the sugar and mix with the frothed egg and cream more than a gill of vermouth, using french or italian, according to taste. _apple toddy_: wash and core, but do not peel, six large, fair apples, bake, covered, until tender through and through, put into an earthen bowl and strew with cloves, mace, and bruised ginger, also six lumps of domino sugar for each apple. pour over a quart of full-boiling water, let stand covered fifteen minutes in a warm place. then add a quart of mellow whiskey, leave standing ten minutes longer, and keep warm. serve in big deep goblets, putting an apple or half of one in the bottom of each, and filling with the liquor. grate nutmeg on top just at the minute of serving. _hail storm_: mix equal quantities of clear ice, broken small, and the best lump sugar. cover the mixture fully with good brandy, put in a shaker, shake hard five minutes, then pour into glasses, and serve with a fresh mint leaf floating on top. _mint julep_: this requires the best of everything if you would have it in perfection. especially the mint and the whiskey or brandy. choose tender, quick-grown mint, leafy, not long-stalked and coarse, wash it very clean, taking care not to bruise it in the least, and lay in a clean cloth upon ice. chill the spirits likewise. put the sugar and water in a clean fruit jar, and set on ice. do this at least six hours before serving so the sugar shall be fully dissolved. four lumps to the large goblet is about right--with half a gobletful of fresh cold water. at serving time, rub a zest of lemon around the rim of each goblet--the goblets must be well chilled--then half fill with the dissolved sugar, add a tablespoonful of cracked ice, and stand sprigs of mint thickly all around the rim. set the goblets in the tray, then fill up with whiskey or brandy or both, mixed--the mixture is best with brands that blend smoothly. drop in the middle a fresh ripe strawberry, or cherry, or slice of red peach, and serve at once. fruit can be left out without harm to flavor--it is mainly for the satisfaction of the eye. but never by any chance bruise the mint--it will give an acrid flavor "most tolerable and not to be endured." to get the real old-time effect, serve with spoons in the goblets rather than straws. in dipping and sipping more of the mint-essence comes out--beside the clinking of the spoons is nearly as refreshing as the tinkle of the ice. _lemon punch_: bring a gallon of fresh water to a bubbling boil in a wide kettle, and as it strikes full boil throw into it a tablespoonful of tea--whatever brand you like best. let boil one minute--no more, no less, then strain, boiling hot, upon the juice and thin yellow peel of twelve large or eighteen small lemons, along with two pounds of lump sugar. stir hard until the sugar is dissolved, then add a pint of rum. stand on ice twelve to twenty-four hours to blend and ripen. put a small block of clear ice in the punch bowl, pour in the punch, then add to it either maraschino cherries, or hulled small ripe strawberries, or pineapple or bananas, peeled and cut in tiny dice--or a mixture of all these. serve in chilled punch cups, with after-dinner coffee spoons for the fruit. the fruit can be left out, and the punch served with sandwiches the same as iced tea. a wineglass of yellow chartreuse, added just after the rum, is to many palates an improvement. so is a very little peach or apricot brandy. _punch à la ruffle shirts_: this recipe comes down from the epoch of knee buckles and ruffled shirts, and is warranted to more than hold its own with any other--even the so-famous "artillery punch," beloved of army and navy. to make it, scrub clean and pare thinly the yellow peel of two dozen oranges and one dozen lemons. put the pared peel in a deep glass pitcher and cover it with one quart of brandy, one quart of old whiskey, one generous pint of jamaica rum, one tumbler of cherry bounce, one tumbler of peach liqueur, or else a tumbler of "peach and honey," cover with cloth and let stand three days off ice to blend and ripen. meantime squeeze and strain the juice of the oranges and lemons upon four pounds of best lump sugar, shred a large, very ripe pineapple fine and put it with another pound of sugar in a separate vessel. hull half a gallon of ripe strawberries, cover them liberally with sugar and let stand to extract the juice. lacking strawberries, use ripe peaches, or blackberries or even seeded cherries. keep the fruit and sugar cool, but not too cold--just so it will not sour. upon the third morning strain the juice of all fruits together, and mix thoroughly. next make a gallon of weak green tea, strain it boiling hot upon the liquor and the yellow peel, stir well, then mix in the fruit juices and sugar, and let stand uncovered until cool. chill thoroughly, also chill the wine. use whatever sort you prefer--claret, sound and fruity, is good, so is almost any homemade wine of the first class. american champagne pleases some palates. but i advise rather claret, or good homemade grape wine. put into the punch bowl a block of clear ice, add equal measures of the mixture and the wine. let stand half an hour before serving. put in at the very last vichy, ice-cold. thin strips of fresh cucumber peel add a trifle to flavor and more to looks. the wine and mixture can be poured together into demijohns and kept for months, provided they are kept cool. since the making is rather troublesome it is worth while to make the full quantity at once and keep it on hand for emergencies. commercial liqueurs can take the place of the homemade ones here set forth. the result may not be quite so distinctive, but will not be disappointing. dry sherry is a good substitute for cherry bounce, likewise apricot brandy, while vermouth or chartreuse will answer for peach liqueur, which is unlikely to be in hand unless you are a very old-fashioned housekeeper. _peach liqueur_: peel a peck of very ripe, very juicy peaches, cut from the seed, weigh, and pack down in earthen or agate ware with their own weight in granulated sugar. crack the seeds, take out the kernels, blanche the same as almonds, and put to soak in a quart of brandy. let stand in sunshine to extract the flavor, a full day. let the fruit and sugar stand twenty-four hours, then put over fire in a preserving kettle and simmer very slowly until the fruit is in rags, adding now and then enough boiling water to make up for what cooks out. if spices are approved, simmer with the fruit, a pinch of blade mace, some whole cloves and half a dozen black pepper corns. this is optional. strain without pressing to avoid cloudiness, and mix the juice while still very hot with the brandy and soaked kernels. add brandy and kernels, also a quart of whiskey--there should be a gallon of the fruit juice. stir hard so as to blend well. let cool, and bottle or put in demijohns, taking care to apportion the kernels equally. they will sink to the bottom, but the liqueur will fatten on them, getting thereby a delicate almond fragrance and flavor. _strawberry liqueur_: wash, hull and mash two gallons of very ripe strawberries, put over the fire, bring to a quick boil, skim clean, and simmer for five minutes. throw in a pint of boiling water, and strain as for jelly. measure the juice--for each pint take a pound of sugar, return to the kettle, simmer fifteen minutes, skimming clean the while, then take from the fire, measure, and to each quart add a pint of good whiskey, or whiskey and brandy mixed. bottle while still hot, and seal. small bottles are best. by adding spices to taste while the juice is simmering you turn the liqueur into strawberry cordial. _blackberry cordial_: pick over, wash and drain well half a bushel of very ripe, but sound berries. mash, add a very little cold water, and simmer for half an hour, then strain and measure the juice. put a pound of sugar to each pint, and to each gallon, a teaspoon of cloves, the same of allspice, a race of ginger well bruised, a tiny pod of cayenne pepper, and a half dozen black pepper corns. tie the spices loosely in very thin muslin so they may not be skimmed off. skim away all froth, and cook for an hour, keeping the kettle barely boiling. it should reduce about one-half. take from the fire and add spirits, either whiskey or brandy, in the proportion of one to two--two pints cordial to one of liquor. let cool uncovered, bottle and cork tight--sealing is unnecessary. excellent for convalescents, especially children. to make it almost a specific for bowel troubles, dig up, and wash clean, dewberry roots, cut short, and boil in clear water, making a very strong decoction. add this to the cordial while still boiling, in proportion of one to four. then mix in the spirits. a quart of cordial can be thus treated medicinally, and the rest kept for ordinary uses. _blackberry wine_: pick, wash, and mash thoroughly, sound ripe berries, pour upon each gallon a gallon of freshly-boiling water, and let stand twenty-four hours. strain, measure juice, allow three and one-half pounds sugar to each gallon of it. put into clean cask or jugs, do not fill, but leave room for fermentation. cover mouth or bung-hole with thin cloth, and let stand in clean warm air for two months. rack off into clean vessels, throwing away the lees, and cork or cover close. fit for use in another month. improves with age up to a year. _strawberry wine_: mash thoroughly clean, hulled, very ripe berries, add equal bulk of boiling water, let stand six hours, then strain. put the strained juice in a preserving kettle with two and a half pounds of sugar to each gallon. bring to a boil, skim clean, then pour into clean vessels, close mouths with thin cloth, and let stand until fermentation ceases. in a wet season the berries are likely to be so juicy, less water is required--or more sugar necessary. _gooseberry wine_: wash and drain dead-ripe gooseberries, mash them thoroughly with a wooden pestle, and add their own bulk of boiling water. let stand thirty-six hours unless the weather is very warm--then twenty-four will be long enough. press out all the juice, even though it runs muddy. measure, and to each gallon add three pounds down-weight, of the best lump sugar. stir well, repeating every day for a week, then cover with lawn and let stand till fermentation ceases. cover tight then and leave standing six weeks longer, so the wine may fatten on the lees. back off carefully, filtering the muddy part at the bottom through several thicknesses of cheese cloth. put in a clean vessel for two months longer, then bottle and seal. if the bottles are laid on the side, and the wine carefully decanted it will show a bright golden yellow with much the translucence of topaz. it reaches perfection at a year. being rather heavy it is improved to many palates by adding ice-cold vichy after it is in the glasses. _grape wine_: pick from stems, wash, drain, and mash thoroughly, ripe sound grapes. add measure for measure of full-boiling water, and let stand twelve hours. if very deep color is desired, and the grapes are black, let stand twenty-four. strain, measure juice, add to each gallon three pounds of sugar, stir till dissolved, then put in a clean vessel, filling it only three-parts, cover the mouth with lawn, and let stand in clean warm air until fermentation ceases. close tight then, and let stand a month longer, then rack off, filter last runnings through triple cheese cloth, bottle and cork tight. keep where it is dark and warm, rather than cool, but away from any sort of taints. _muscadine wine_: troublesome, but worth the trouble. wash dead-ripe muscadines, and pop them one by one, out of the skins. throw away the skins, after squeezing all juice from them--if the pulp stood with them their burning, musky taste would ruin it. cover it with half its bulk of boiling water. let stand a day and night, then strain, and add to each gallon of juice three pounds of white rock-candy. stir every day until the candy dissolves. cover with cloth until it is through fermenting. back off, bottle immediately, and seal, or tie down the corks. the wine in perfection is a pale pink, very clear, and of a peculiar but indescribably delicious flavor. _fruit vinegars_: any sort of acid fruit--as strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, black or red, affords a refreshing drink. pick, wash, put over the fire to scald--when it has boiled a minute or two add half as much cold water as fruit, and bring again to a boil. skim clean, take from fire and let stand till next day. strain, then measure juice, add two to three pounds sugar to the gallon, according to tartness desired, put over the fire, and simmer for twenty minutes, skimming clean. boil in it spices most liked, tied up in thin muslin. if it seems watery, boil another twenty minutes till the syrup shows rather rich, then add, after taking from the fire, a quart of cider vinegar for each gallon of syrup, mix well, bottle while still hot in small bottles, cork and seal. mixed half and half with ice water, or poured over finely broken ice, or as a flavoring to tea, hot or cold, this is refreshing, particularly in hot weather. use in tea a spoonful to the cup or glass. _boiled cider_: reduce new sweet cider one-half by gentle boiling, skimming it clean as it boils, then bottle, putting a clove or two, a grain of alspice and a blade of mace in each bottle. cork, seal and keep in a cool place. this is especially valuable for use in mincemeat, or for flavoring sauces for nursery puddings. a variant is to add sugar towards the last, enough to make a thinnish syrup, which is of itself a good sauce for simple desserts. [illustration: _paste, pies, puddings_] _the philosophy of pie-crust_: pie-crust perfection depends on several things--good flour, good fat, good handling, most especially good baking. a hot oven, quick but not scorching, expands the air betwixt layers of paste, and pops open the flour-grains, making them absorb the fat as it melts, thereby growing crisp and relishful instead of hard and tough. the lighter and drier the flour the better--in very damp weather it is best oven-dried, then cooled before mixing. shortening, whether lard, butter, or clarified drippings, should be very cold--unless your recipe demands that it be softened or melted. milk or water used in mixing ought to be likewise well chilled, unless the shortening is soft--in that case match its temperature. the regular rule is half-pint ice water to the pound of flour, using chilled shortening. if the fat is semi-fluid the paste must be mixed softer, using say, three parts of a pint to the pound. baking powder or soda and cream tartar, or soda alone with sour cream or buttermilk for wetting, makes crust light and short with less butter, therefore is an economy. genuine puff paste is requisite for the finest tarts, pies, etc., etc., but light short crust answers admirably for most things. sift flour twice or even thrice for any sort of paste. sift soda or baking powder well through it, but not salt. make the salt fine, drop in the bottom of the mixing bowl, before the last sifting, and mix lightly through the flour before adding the shortening. rub in shortening very lightly, using only the finger-tips--the palms melt or soften it. add milk or water, a little at a time, mixing it in with a broad-bladed knife rather than the hands. mix lightly--so the paste barely sticks together. put in first one-third of the shortening--this, of course, for puff paste. half a pound of butter or lard to the pound of flour makes a very good paste, but to have it in full richness, use three-quarters of a pound. wash butter well to remove the salt, and squeeze out water by wringing it in a well-floured cloth. if there is a strong taste, or any trace of rancidity, wash well, kneading through and through, in sweet milk, then rinse out the milk with cold water to which a little borax has been added. rinse again in clear cold water--this should remove ill-flavor without injury to anybody's stomach. but be very sure the last rinsing is thorough--borax, though wholly harmless, adds nothing to digestibility. the end of the repeated rollings out and foldings demanded by real puff paste is to enclose between the layers of paste as much air as possible. hence the chillings between rollings. hence also the need of pinching edges well together after foldings, and rolling always _from_ you, never back and forth. roll out paste into a long narrow strip after the first mixing, divide the remaining shortening into three equal portions, keep very cold, and as needed cut into small bits, which spread evenly on top of the rolled paste, which must be lightly dredged with flour. fold in three evenly, one thickness on another, turn so the folded edges may be to right and left while rolling, pinch the other edges well together and roll again into a long strip, moving the rolling-pin always from you. repeat until all the butter is used, then set on ice for an hour to harden. in baking beware opening the oven door until the paste has risen fully and becomes slightly crusted over. baking powder crust must not stand--the gas which aerates it begins forming and escaping the minute it is wet up. it also requires a hot oven and delicate handling. half a pound of shortening and a teaspoon of baking powder, to the pound of flour, mixed stiff or soft, according to the consistency of the fat, properly handled and baked, make crust good enough for anybody. _french puff paste_: this is like the famous little girl--either very good indeed or horrid. therefore beware undertaking it until you have experience or the confidence of absolute ignorance for your help. either may take you on to success--when half-knowledge or half-confidence will spell disaster. you need for it, two pounds, thrice sifted flour, two pounds well-washed and very cold butter, four egg-yolks well chilled, and half a pint, more or less, of ice water, also a saltspoon of fine salt. rub four ounces of butter lightly into the flour, shape the rest into a flattish oblong and set on ice. wet the flour with the egg-yolks and water, adding them alternately, work smooth, handling as lightly as possible, then roll out half an inch thick, dredge lightly with flour, lay on the ball of cold butter, fold paste over it smoothly, flatten lightly with strokes of the rolling-pin, then roll out as thin as possible without making the butter break through. fold again in three, roll again, as thin as you can. repeat folding and rolling, then set on ice half an hour, folding in three. roll and fold twice again, chill again for twenty minutes, then give two more rolls and foldings. chill if possible before using. if all things have worked well you will have crust that is an experience. _every day pie crust_: one pound flour, six ounces shortening--lard or clarified dripping, pinch salt, half-pint ice water. mix flour, salt and water to a smooth dough, using a broad knife, roll out thin, spread with a third of the fat, fold in three, roll out again, add another third of fat, roll, add the last fat, roll again, fold and chill for ten minutes before using. _cobblers_: make from any sort of fruit in season--peaches, apples, cherries, plums or berries. green gooseberries are inadvisable, through being too tart and too tedious. stone cherries, pare peaches or apples and slice thin, halve plums if big enough, and remove stones--if not, wash, drain well, and use whole. line a skillet or deep pie pan--it must be three inches deep at least, liberally with short crust, rolled rather more than a quarter-inch thick. fit well, then prick all over with a blunt fork. fill with the prepared fruit, put on an upper crust a quarter-inch thick and plenty big enough, barely press the crust edges together, prick well with a fork all over the top, and cook in a hot oven half to three-quarters of an hour, according to size. take up, remove top crust, lay it inverted upon another plate, sweeten the hot fruit liberally, adding if you like, a spoonful of brandy, adding also a good lump of the best butter. mix well through the fruit, then dip out enough of it to make a thick layer over the top crust. grate nutmeg over apple pies, or strew on a little powdered cinnamon. a few blades of mace baked with the fruit accent the apple flavor beautifully. cherries take kindly to brandy, but require less butter than either peaches or apples. give plums plenty of sugar with something over for the stones. cook a few stones with them for flavor, even if you take away the bulk. do the same with cherries, using, say, a dozen pits to the pie. serve cobbler hot or cold. if hot, serve with it hard brandy sauce, made by creaming together a cup of sugar, a tablespoonful of butter, then working in two tablespoonfuls of brandy or good whiskey. right here is perhaps the place to say once for all, good whiskey is far and away better in anything than poor brandy. thick sweet cream whipped or plain, sets off cold cobbler wonderfully to the average palate. _fried pies_: to be perfect these must be made of sun-dried peaches, very bright and sweet, but any sort of sound dried fruit will serve at a pinch. soak overnight after washing in three waters, simmer five hours in the soaking water, with a plate to hold the fruit under, mash and sweeten while hot, adding spices to taste--cinnamon, nutmeg and grated lemon peel for apples, cloves and ginger--a bare zest--for peaches or apricots. roll out short paste into rounds the size of a small plate, cover one-half with the fruit, fold over the empty half, pinch well together around the edges, and fry in deep fat, blazing hot, to a rich quick brown on both sides. drain on paper napkins, sprinkling lightly with sugar. serve hot or cold. most excellent for impromptu luncheons or very late suppers--withal wholesome. a famous doctor said often of them, "you would be only the better for eating an acre of them." _green apple pie_: take apples a little bigger than the thumb's end, cut off stalks and nibs, and slice crosswise in three, dropping them in water as sliced to save discoloration. make a rich syrup--three cups sugar, one cup water, to four cups sliced fruit. boil and skim, throw in the apples, with a blade or so of mace, and cook quickly until preserved through. either bake between crust in the common way, or bake crust crisp after pricking well, and spread with the preserved fruit. else make into small turnovers, but bake instead of frying them--and be sure the oven is hot enough to brown, but not to burn. or you may make the green apples into shortcake, putting fruit only between the layers of crust, and serving with rich sauce or sweetened cream. _lemon custard_: (m. l. williams.) separate and beat very light, the yolks and whites of six eggs. beat into the yolks very smoothly one pound of sugar, then half a pound of creamed butter. mix well, then add the beaten whites, followed by the strained juice and grated yellow peel of two large or three small lemons. beat five minutes longer, pour into pans lined with puff paste, pop into a hot oven and bake to a bright brown. meringue can be added but is not necessary save for ornament. _cream pie_: (m. l. williams.) beat three eggs very light with a heaping cup of sugar, add two cups sifted flour, mix smooth, then put in half a cup of rich sour cream with half-teaspoon soda dissolved in it. mix, put instantly into shallow pans, bake in a quick oven and serve hot with or without sauce. _damson and banana tart_: (m. w. watkins.) an heirloom in the relator's family, coming down from english forebears. line an agate or earthen pie dish two to three inches deep, with very good crust, rolled thin, but not stretched nor dragged. cover it with bananas, sliced thin, lengthwise, strew over three tablespoonfuls of sugar, and a pinch of grated lemon peel. sprinkle with a liqueur glass of rum or brandy or whiskey, then put in a layer of preserved plums--damsons are best--along with their juice. if there is room repeat the layers--bananas and plums and seasoning. cover with a crust rolled fairly thin, prick and bake three-quarters of an hour in a moderately quick oven. serve either hot or cold, preferably hot, with this sauce. one egg beaten very light, with a cupful of cream, a wineglass of rum, brandy or sherry, and a larger glass of preserve syrup. mix over hot water, stirring hard all the time till it begins to thicken. it must not get too thick. _amber pie_: (mrs. j. r. oldham.) beat yolks of four eggs very light, with two heaping cups sugar, large spoonful melted butter, rounding teaspoon sifted flour, cup buttermilk, cup seeded raisins, teaspoon cinnamon, pinch each of cloves, alspice and nutmeg, two whites of egg beaten very stiff. half bake crust, then pour in batter and cook slowly until done. cover with meringue made by beating two egg-whites with two teaspoons cold water, a few grains of salt, and one cup sugar. add sugar gradually after eggs are very light. use at once--it will fall by standing. let the meringue barely color in the oven. serve hot or cold. _jelly pie_: (louise williams.) beat the yolks of four eggs very light, with a cup of sugar, three-quarters cup creamed butter, and a glass of jelly, the tarter the better. add a tablespoonful vanilla and a dessert-spoonful of sifted cornmeal, then the whites of eggs beaten very stiff. bake in crusts--this makes two fat pies. meringue is optional--and unnecessary. _cheese cakes_: beat until very light the yolks of twelve eggs with a pound of sugar, add to them a tablespoonful cornstarch, then three-quarters of a pound of butter, washed and creamed. add also the strained juice of two lemons, a teaspoonful lemon essence and a teaspoonful vanilla. set over boiling water and stir until all ingredients blend--only thus can you dissolve granulated sugar, which is best to use, lacking the old-fashioned live open-kettle brown. keep over the hot water, stirring well together as you fill the tart shells. they must be lined with real puff paste, rolled very thin, and nicely fitted. set in broad shallow pans, after filling with the batter and bake in a quick, but not scorching oven. a blanched almond, or bit of citron, or half a pecan or walnut meat, may be put in each shell before filling. i prefer though to add such frills by help of the frosting. to make it, beat six egg-whites with a pinch of salt until they stick to the dish, add to them a little at a time, three cups granulated sugar boiled with a cup and a half of water, till it spins a thread. keep the syrup boiling while adding it. when it is all in, set the pan of frosting over boiling water, add six drops lemon juice and beat until stiff enough to hold shape. it must not touch the water, but have plenty of steam rising underneath. frost the tarts rather thickly, and stick either a shred of citron, a quarter of maraschino cherry, or half a nut in the middle. if you like cocoanut flavor, strew freshly grated cocoanut over while the frosting is soft--it ought to harden inside half an hour. tiny pink or green comfits stuck in the middle, or set in threes triangularly, are very decorative. indeed, there is no limit but taste and invention to the manners of making beautiful these tarts. i rather pride myself upon them, since they have been enthusiastically praised by folk who have eaten all around the world, and set above the best of french confections by a man ten years resident in paris, whose wife is held to be the most skilled amateur cook in new york. grated cocoanut or raw grated apple stirred into the batter before baking, varies the cheese cakes--and to some palates improves it. i myself find nothing quite to equal the cheese cake of my childhood--which had a full pound of butter to the pound of sugar, and no frills of frosting, though strips of citron were often latticed over the pans after the crust was in. prick crust always very well before filling--thus the tarts will be shapely instead of caricatures. _sweet potato custard_: boil tender two large or four medium sweet potatoes, peel, free of strings, and mash fine. add to the pulp half a pound of creamed butter, mix well, then add gradually five cups sugar, alternately with five whole eggs. beat smooth, add the juice of three lemons, a tablespoonful lemon essence, and a scant pint of very rich milk. use less milk if the potatoes are very soft. beat smooth and pour into pie pans lined with good crust. bake brown in a quick oven, but do not over-bake. lest the proportion of sugar may seem excessive, let it be said here that sweet potatoes require more sugar for sweetening than anything save crabapples or green gooseberries. _sweet potato pie_: line a deep pie pan with short crust rolled a quarter-inch thick, fill it with raw sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced thin. add to them, for a pan of medium size, three cups sugar, a cup of butter, cut in bits, mace, cloves and nutmeg to taste, half a cup cold water and half a cup good whiskey or sherry. cover with a crust an eighth-inch thick, prick well, also cut a tiny cross in middle, and bake in a hot, but not scorching oven, three-quarters of an hour--a full hour if the pan is large. turning another pan, fitting the rim over, helps to make the baking sure and even. remove the cover pan ten minutes before taking up. serve hot. this requires no sauce. _apple custard_: beat four eggs very light with three cups sugar, one cup butter, cup and a half rich milk--the richer the better. stir in at the very last, one quart grated apple, flavor with nutmeg or vanilla, and bake in crusts. if wanted richer, dot raisins seeded and soaked in whiskey, or shred citron over the top before baking. _molasses pie_: (m. w. watkins.) cream well together one large cup granulated sugar, and one heaping tablespoonful of butter, add when very light the well-beaten yolks of three eggs, and a large cup of rich molasses. flavor with one teaspoonful grated nutmeg, then beat in, at the very last, the whites of the eggs frothed as stiff as possible. bake in pans lined with rich crust until firm. meringue can be added, but the pies do not need it. _mystery pie_: (louise williams.) beat separately very light, the yolks and whites of four eggs. beat with the yolks a cup and a half of sugar, three heaping tablespoonfuls of butter, two teaspoonfuls mixed spices, either beaten or powdered fine, one cup of tart dark jelly, one cup blackberry jam, and one cup sweet milk. add last of all the egg-whites, mix in well, then pour in pans lined with rich paste, and bake until firm. _butter scotch pie_: (leslie fox.) beat light two egg-yolks with one scant cup dark brown sugar, one tablespoonful creamed butter, and two tablespoonfuls flour. mix smooth, then add gradually one cup rich milk, put in double boiler, and cook until thick. let cool, flavor with vanilla, then pour into rich crusts, previously well-baked, cover with meringue made from the egg-whites, set in oven to harden, and serve hot or cold. _raspberry cream pie_: (leslie fox.) line a deepish pie pan with very rich crust, spread the crust thickly with red raspberry jam, then pour upon it raw, a custard made from two eggs beaten well with one cup of milk, and one tablespoonful sugar. bake until custard is well set, let cool, and spread with whipped cream. serve cold as possible. _rhubarb pie_: to a generous quart of rhubarb, peeled and cut up, put three cups sugar, the pulp scooped from three sweet oranges, thin bits of the yellow peel, two blades of mace broken small, and a scant half-cup of cold water. cover the pan and set for thirty minutes in a hot oven--uncover then and cook for five minutes longer. the result is a sweet excellent for many uses--as a sauce, as a substitute for marmalade, as the foundation of pies, tarts, shortcakes, even as a filling for layer cake. make pies from it with two crusts, or with lattice crusts as usual. make it into tarts, into turnovers or put between hot buttered layers for a hurry-up shortcake. but if you wish to know how excellent such rhubarb can be, make it thus into meringue pies or tarts. bake the crusts after pricking them well, cover thinly with either good meringue or the frosting directed for cheesecakes, let it harden, then at the minute of serving cover with a thin layer of the prepared rhubarb--the meringue or frosting will stay crisp until eaten if you work quickly enough. young unpeeled tender rhubarb gives a pink sauce--older stalks peeled furnish a translucent green. either is sufficiently decorative. they can be made more so, if the tarts they appear on, have a cherry or preserved strawberry dropped in the middle of them. _banana pie_: line a deepish earthen pie dish with thin, very good crust, fill it three parts with bananas, sliced crosswise very thin. cover them thickly with sugar, add the strained juice of a large lemon, dot with bits of butter, put on a lattice crust, and bake in a quick oven twenty-five minutes. _banana pudding_: slice very thin, crosswise, three medium size bananas, sprinkle thickly with sugar, then add to a batter made by beating up four egg-yolks and two whites, with one cup crumbled rich stale cake, half-cup sugar, cup very rich milk, and the juice of a large lemon. mix smooth, pour into a deep pudding dish, and bake in a quick oven, then cover with meringue made from the egg-whites left out, beaten up with a small pinch of salt, two teaspoons cold water, and six tablespoonfuls of sugar. return to the oven and let barely color. serve hot or cold. _sweet potato pudding_: beat four eggs very light with four cups sugar and one cup creamed butter. add a cupful of very rich milk, mix smooth, then add one pint of raw grated sweet potato. mix well, pour into a deep earthen dish and set in hot oven. as soon as a brown crust forms on top, stir it down. repeat this three times at least. serve hot, with either wine sauce or a rich sugar and butter sauce, flavored with lemon. it is best not to flavor the pudding proper, so one may get undiminished the zest of the brown crust stirred through it. _poor man's pudding_: take for each person to be served, a fresh egg, a tablespoonful sifted flour, and half a cup very rich milk. add a pinch of salt for each six eggs. separate the eggs, beating yolks and whites very light. mix yolks gradually with the flour and milk, taking care to have no lumps. fold in the stiffly beaten whites at the very last--if the batter is too thick add a little more milk. pour into a deep pan, and bake in a quick oven. it must be taken up the moment it is done or it will fall, and be ruined. serve immediately, with a sauce made by working together over hot water three cups sugar, one cup butter, half a cup boiling water, cup fruit juice, wine or whiskey, with any flavoring approved. the sauce cannot be made too rich, the pudding should be a pale clear yellow, as light as a puff, and cutting easily with a spoon. it is not "true to name" in these days of costly eggs, but deserved it in the pioneer epoch which originated it. _boiled batter pudding_: make the same batter as above, only putting in a teaspoonful baking powder. stir well through it three cups seeded raisins, wet in whiskey and very well floured. tie up in a newly-scalded floured pudding bag, pop in a kettle of boiling water, keep it full, with more boiling water, and cook from an hour to an hour and a half, according to size. serve very hot with plenty of very rich sweet sauce highly flavored, and be sure to warm your knife or spoon before cutting into the pudding. _apple pudding_: (m. w. watkins.) core and peel half a dozen tart apples, slice crosswise, put the slices in layers in a deep dish with plenty of sugar, butter in reason, cinnamon and a very little water. pour over a batter made thus: one egg beaten light with half a cup sugar, butter the size of a walnut, half a cup milk, pinch of salt, flour enough to make thick enough for layer cake, with a teaspoonful baking powder sifted through. spread batter smooth, dot with bits of butter on top, and bake in a brisk, but not scorching oven, half an hour or longer if needed--the apples must be thoroughly cooked. serve hot or cold--preferably hot, with hard sauce or wine sauce. _apple dumplings_: pare and core half a dozen tart apples, stick three cloves in each, fill the core-spaces full of very sweet hard sauce, stick a sliver of mace in the sauce, then set each apple on a round of good short paste, and work the paste up over it, joining the edges neat and trig. set close in a pan just big enough, pour around a half cup of sugar melted in a cup of water with a little butter and lemon juice. cover the pan and cook quickly until done--then uncover, brown, take up and serve piping hot with a very rich hard sauce. _crumb pudding_: (anne mcvay.) soak a cup of dry grated bread crumbs in half a pint of milk until soft, add then the well-beaten yolks of two eggs, half a cup sugar, tablespoonful butter, and another half-pint milk. flavor with lemon, vanilla or brandy, as preferred. bake until firm in a quick, but not scorching hot oven, cover with meringue made from the egg-whites and half a cup of sugar. barely color the meringue. let cool, and serve with either whipped or sweetened cream, or a fruit sauce. good without any sauce. _blackberry mush_: (leslie fox.) wash after picking a quart of fresh, very ripe blackberries, put them on with barely enough water to save from burning, bring to a good boil, and skim clean, then add gradually almost two pounds of flour, or cornstarch well wet with cold water, also sugar to taste. cook, stirring often till the mass looks thick and glossy, pour into your pudding dish, let cool, chill thoroughly, and serve with cream either plain, or whipped, or sweetened. _peach pudding_: beat light one egg, with half a cup sugar, two tablespoonfuls melted butter, three-quarters cup flour, one cup sour cream, one teaspoon soda dissolved in one teaspoonful cold water, and two cups very ripe peaches, peeled and sliced thin. bake quickly and serve when very hot with a rich hard or a wine sauce. _ginger pudding_: beat three eggs very light with two cups sugar, a large cup rich black molasses, three-quarters cup butter, creamed, tablespoon ginger beaten fine. half a cup rich sour cream, half a cup boiling water with teaspoon soda dissolved in it, add flour enough to make a thickish batter, pour into deep greased pan, and bake quickly. serve hot with rich sauce that is flavored with some orange juice and peel. _nesselrode pudding_: (mrs. h. barker.) boil together three cups sugar, one cup water until the syrup ropes. beat it boiling hot into the yolks of six eggs previously beaten very light. fold in the stiffly beaten whites, then add box cox's gelatine dissolved in warm water, one cup raisins, seeded, steamed and soaked in sherry or whiskey, one cup of nuts rolled small, else one cup of crumbled macaroons, or a cup of both mixed. finish with enough thick cream to make a full gallon, pack in salt and ice, freeze and let stand long enough to ripen. _thanksgiving pudding_: (mrs. j. o. cook.) beat light the yolks of four eggs with one cup sugar, two tablespoonfuls creamed butter, and one cup of stale cake crumbs, soaked in eight tablespoonfuls whiskey. mix well, then add one cup raisins, seeded and floured, one cup nut meats, cut small. beat smooth and bake until set, then cover with meringue. serve with whipped cream or any sauce preferred. milk can take the place of whiskey, and preserves replace raisins. _real christmas pudding_: toast a pint of fine breadcrumbs to a good brown without burning, pour on them half a cup of strong, clear black coffee, and let stand till soft. beat six egg-yolks very light with two cups of yellow sugar and one of creamed butter, add the soaked crumbs and mix very smooth. meantime, soak a cup of raisins, seeded and halved, a cup of clean currants, a cup of shredded citron, a cup of nut meats broken small, in a tumbler of sherry, a tumbler of rum, and wineglass of apricot brandy. add the fruit when well soaked to the eggs and sugar, putting in any surplus liquors. mix in gradually a teaspoonful of cinnamon, the same of cloves and allspice, half a cup of preserved ginger sliced very thin, and a very tiny dusting of black pepper and paprika. beat smooth, then fold in the stiffly beaten egg-whites alternately with a cup of browned flour. if too thick to stir handily thin with a little milk or boiling water. pour into a clean pudding bag, freshly scalded, leaving room for the pudding to swell, put in a deep kettle of boiling water, and boil for five hours, filling up the kettle as needed with boiling water so as not to check the cooking. make several days beforehand, and boil an extra hour upon christmas day. serve in a blaze of brandy, with a very rich sauce, either fruit or wine flavored. _pudding sauce_: (mrs. barbara clayton.) beat together until very light, one cup white sugar, one cup creamed butter, and the yolks of three eggs. beat the egg whites very stiff with another cup of sugar, add to the yolks and butter, beat hard together, then put in double boiler and cook until thick. put two wineglasses of good whiskey in a bowl, pour the hot sauce upon it, and whip hard until light. [illustration: _creole cookery_] exotics rarely flower in native splendor after transplanting. milly was the exception, proving the rule. bred in new orleans, steeped in its atmosphere, its traditions, a cook of degree, and daughter of a cook to whom, though past middle age, she paid the most reverent homage, she yet kept her magic touch amid the crush and hurly-burly of new york town, albeit she never grew acclimated nor even content. this in spite of a mistress she adored--in virtue of having served her ten years down in the home city. when at last milly went back to her own, there was wailing amongst all of us, who had eaten her cooking, but the mistress smiled, rather sadly, to be sure, saying: "i could not beg her to stay--she was so unhappy here." milly never had quite a free hand--new york markets know not many things familiar to those of the crescent city. notwithstanding, she was a liberal education in blended flavors, in the delights, the surprises of the creole kitchen. tall and slim, of a golden-brown complexion, neat to the point of austerity, trim and self-contained, sight of her somehow gave an added piquancy to her dishes. she did not make friends readily, but the comradery of cooking induced her to more than tolerate me. "i don't say i kin cook--but my mother can," she often told me--smiling proudly the while, with the buzzing praises of _gourmets_ sounding in her ears. she could never tell you how she made her ambrosial dishes--but if you had my luck to be _persona gratis_ she could and did show you, to the queen's taste. i shall write only whereof i know--not by any means a compend of creole cookery. indeed, a lifetime is hardly enough to eat of all its specially excellent dishes. it seems to me from this scant experience, one general principle runs through all. it is the blending of proportioned flavors, achieved through long and gentle cooking. milly said she let things "sob," a mistake i dare say, for the old-time "sod," past participle of "seethe." but i by no means speak with authority--my deduction is from the premise of fifty dinners, each it seemed to me uniquely excellent. after this prelude come we to specific recipes. _court bouillon_: (pronounced "coubare.") milly sighed for redfish or red snapper but made shift with halibut or any other firm fine-grained fish perfectly fresh. take three pounds of it, wash very clean, and cut in six equal slices with a very sharp knife. there must be no rags and tatters. melt a heaping tablespoonful of lard in a deep kettle, add to it gradually two tablespoonfuls flour, stirring hard so it shall not burn. throw into it a dozen pounded alspice, three sprigs each of thyme, parsley, bay leaf and sweet marjoram chopped fine, one small clove of garlic, one large onion also chopped fine, and either six large fresh tomatoes, chopped small, or half a can--those from glass are best. pour in a large glass of claret, add a quart of boiling water, and bring all to a very brisk boil. cook for five minutes, then add salt and cayenne pepper to taste. boil five minutes longer, then lay in the fish slices one at a time, following them with the strained juice of a lemon. boil hard twenty minutes longer. serve hot. to make _court bouillon a la espagnole_, stir together as above, lard and flour, taking care to have them smooth, add a large onion, six tomatoes, clove of garlic, sprigs of sweet basil and thyme, all chopped fine, along with two whole bay leaves. brown all nicely, taking care not to burn, then add a quart of boiling water, bring to a boil and cook two or three minutes. have six thick slices of fine, firm fresh fish, rub them well over with salt and pepper, lay in a dish and pour over a large cup of white wine boiling hot. vinegar answers, but wine is better. lay the fish slices in the pot, handling carefully, add the wine, and simmer until tender--about half an hour commonly. take up carefully so as not to break, lay in a deepish dish, remove bay leaves from the gravy and pour over the fish. finish with a garnish of sliced lemon, and serve with either boiled rice or whole boiled potatoes. _bouillabaisse_: while time endures new orleans will plume itself upon this dish which drew from thackeray a world-famous tribute. "in new orleans you can eat a bouillabaisse, the like of which was never eaten in marseilles or paris." which is much, very much, from the laureate of bouillabaisse, as native to marseilles. the reason of superiority is not far to seek--it lies in the excellence and flavor of the fish native to the gulf of mexico. lacking pompano, red snapper, and redfish, even milly could not quite do her knowledge justice. but she made shift with what the market offered, choosing generally halibut, with fresh cod, or bluefish, or sea trout. two kinds of fish in equal quantity are imperative. the better, finer and firmer the fish, the better the bouillabaisse. cut each sort in six equal slices, saving trimmings, heads, etc. boil them in three pints of water, with a sliced onion, and a bouquet of herbs, until reduced to one pint. remove fish-heads and herbs, then strain the stock, and set aside until needed. meantime rub the fish over very well with salt and pepper, then with a mixture made by mincing very fine three bay leaves, three sprigs each of thyme and parsley, three cloves of garlic, and six allspice pounded to powder. rub the mixture in well and thoroughly--here is the key to success. the seasoning must go through and through the fish. put into a very wide pan, two tablespoonfuls of olive oil, heat it gently, add two mild onions, chopped and let them cook a little without browning. now lay in the fish, slice by slice, so one slice does not touch another, cover the pan, and let the slices smother for about ten minutes, turning them once, so as to cook each side partly. take up, lay separately in a large dish, pour half a bottle of white wine into the pan, and stir hard. add six large, fresh tomatoes, sliced very thin, let boil a few minutes, then half a lemon, also in very thin slices, and a pint of the fish stock strained. season well, with salt, pepper, and cayenne--here the palate is guide. boil all together until reduced almost one half, then lay in the fish slices, taking care they do not touch, and boil briskly for five minutes. while the boiling goes on, chop fine a pinch of saffron, put it in a small, deep dish, and mix smooth with a spoonful of the boiling liquor. dissolve the saffron very well, and when the fish has cooked its allotted five minutes, spread the saffron on top of the fish. fry in butter as many slices of toast as you have slices of fish--lay the fish on the toast, pour the sauce over it, and serve immediately, very hot. _shrimps_: the secret of cooking shrimps is to boil them properly--that is to say in very salt water, almost brine. they take up salt only in the boiling, and not so much then. to five quarts of very salt water add a large bunch of celery, chopped, roots, leaves and all, two dozen allspice, one dozen cloves, two blades of mace, a bouquet of herbs chopped small, a pod of red pepper, and a seasoning of cayenne. boil until the strength of herbs and seasoning is extracted, then throw in a hundred shrimps--river shrimps are best--let boil hard ten minutes, take from fire and allow the shrimps to cool in the brine. serve as a relish before dinner, on a bed of cracked ice, with a garnish of parsley. _baked shrimp_: cut the eyes from a dozen large, meaty tomatoes, scoop out the pulp, leaving the shells whole, then mix it with one hundred shrimps boiled as directed and picked from their shells, one cup grated bread crumbs or fine cracker crumbs, and one heaping tablespoon of butter. stew all together, seasoning with pepper and salt, fill the tomato shells with the mixture, sift fine crumbs on top, dot with butter, put in a pan, with a very little hot water in the bottom, and bake until done in a quick but not scorching oven. _shrimp pie_: boil and pick from shells one hundred shrimps, mix well with two large slices stale bread free of crust, moistened with two glasses white wine, and highly seasoned with salt, pepper, cayenne, nutmeg, mace, chopped thyme and parsley. crisp the bread crusts, and grate over the mixture after it is packed in a deep dish. dot well with butter, and bake in a hot oven. serve with a sauce made by cooking together a pint of boiled shrimps, a tablespoonful of butter, five chopped tomatoes, a little celery, thyme, parsley and bay leaf, also chopped. cook three to four minutes, then add half a pint of oyster liquor, boil up, and serve very hot. _shrimp salad_: boil, and pick from shells--if large cut in half, otherwise leave whole. season well with salt and pepper, then mix well with crisp celery, chopped fine with a very little onion. heap in salad dish, cover with a good mayonnaise, and garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs, sliced lemon, sliced beets, and celery tips. _fried soft-shell crabs_: wash always in cold water--hot water spoils the flavor. remove all sand, also the sand-bag between the eyes, the apron, and the spongy growths under the side points. rinse well again in cold water, and dry thoroughly with a clean towel. season a pint of rich milk well with pepper and salt. season the crabs also, lay them in the milk, rubbing them so that it may impregnate them throughout. take out, roll in sifted flour, patting lightly as you roll, then shaking free of loose flour. have deep fat, very hot--it must be deep enough to swim the crabs. drop them in gently, fry to a delicate brown, skim out, drain on hot spongy paper, and serve garnished with fried parsley, and sliced lemon. serve with tartare sauce. _daube: otherwise beef a la mode_: take five pounds good lean beef, rump or top round, and lard it with a quarter pound salt pork or fat bacon, cut in thin strips and season highly with salt, pepper, onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, and bay leaves, all minced fine. crowd in the seasoning as well as the larding strips. make the cuts for larding three to four inches long. cut two large, mild onions in quarters, and put into a deep saucepan with a tablespoonful of lard, let them brown well, then lay upon them the larded beef, cover, and let simmer very slowly till well browned. when browned add five carrots and two turnips cut into inch-squares, and two more onions chopped fine. keep covered tight, and simmer for ten minutes, then turn over the meat, and brown the other side--it will take about ten minutes more. then cover the meat with boiling water, or weak stock, add a glass of sherry or madeira, or even claret, season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste, then cover the pot tight, set it where it will barely simmer and let smother for three hours. the meat should be very tender. serve hot or cold. _cold daube a la creole_: lard, season, and cook, three pounds of rump or round as above directed, but keep it simmering four hours instead of three. put into a deep dish rather large and pour over it a sauce made thus: put a two-pound veal steak and two well-cleaned pigsfeet, in a pot with, four quarts of water, after seasoning them well with salt, pepper and cayenne. add half a clove garlic, bay leaf, sprig thyme, one onion, all minced fine, also two cloves pounded, and a glass of sherry or madeira. keep boiling till the meat falls from the bones--take up then, remove bones, mince the meat fine, season it highly and return to the liquor, stirring it well through. pour over the beef, let stand uncovered in a very cool place to harden. serve in very thin slices--it will be like jelly. this is a cold-weather dish, as even an ice-box will not harden the sauce properly in summer. _grillades with gravy_: flatten by beating a good round steak, and cut into four-inch-squares. season the squares highly with salt, pepper, and cayenne. put a heaping tablespoon of lard in a frying pan--as it melts, add a chopped onion, a clove of garlic also chopped, and as these brown, one tablespoonful of flour, stirring all smooth. next add two sliced tomatoes with their juice--when they brown, lay the grillades upon them. cover close, let them brown on one side, then turn and brown the other. then add half a tablespoonful of vinegar, and a cup of water. stir well, then set where it will simmer for half an hour. fine for breakfast with hominy or rice. another way is to cook the grillades without garlic, and add to them along with the tomatoes half a pint of tender okra well washed and sliced. or they can be fried brown, in clear fat, then put in a hot dish over boiling water while a gravy is made of fresh fat, heated very hot, and stirred about the pan to take up the brown meat essence, a chopped onion, two sliced tomatoes, a tablespoonful flour, as much vinegar and water. season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne, boil ten to twelve minutes and pour over the grillades. _chicken saute a la creole_: clean, singe and cut in joints two spring chickens, dividing the breasts lengthwise, and cutting drumsticks from thighs. season well with salt and pepper. melt in a frying pan two large tablespoonfuls butter, add the chicken, and let it brown slowly for five minutes. have three large onions sliced thin--add them and let brown but take care not to scorch in the least. dredge in two tablespoonfuls flour, and let it brown. then put in half a dozen large tomatoes peeled and sliced, let them brown but cook slowly, letting the pan barely simmer. add chopped parsley, thyme and bay leaf, also two cloves of garlic finely minced, and if you have them, half a dozen sweet green peppers, freed of seed and cut in shreds. stir well, cover and let smother for twenty minutes, stirring now and then, but keeping the pan covered. add a cup of consommé if in hand, otherwise a cup of boiling water, cook very slowly a full half hour, seasoning to taste. after seasoning, cook ten minutes longer. serve very hot. _roasted quail_: take six quail, fat, fresh and tender, pick, draw, singe, and wipe with a damp cloth inside and out. butter inside, and sprinkle with salt and pepper lightly. butter all over the outside, truss, and bind around with a thin slice of fat bacon. put a tablespoonful of butter in the roasting pan, fit in the quail, and roast in a hot oven twenty to thirty minutes, according to size. put six slices of hot buttered toast in a hot dish, and lay a quail on each. add half a spoonful of butter, a little boiling water, and the juice of a lemon to the gravy in the pan, cook three to four minutes, stirring well, strain, set back on stove to cook two minutes longer, then pour evenly upon the breasts of the birds so it will soak in the toast. garnish with sliced lemon and watercress, and serve with green grape jelly. if grape leaves are to be had, wrap the birds in them instead of bacon, after preparing as directed, roast, take up on toast, garnish with fresh young grape leaves, and serve with either spiced grapes or grape jelly. _creole french dressing_: put three tablespoonfuls of olive oil in a deep, small bowl, add to it a saltspoon salt and half one of pepper--more if taste approves. add alternately drop by drop, a teaspoonful of made mustard, and a tablespoonful vinegar. when well mixed, add the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, mashed very smooth, and stir until blended. serve with lettuce, celery or potato salad. _mayonnaise dressing_: chill a small bowl, also a fresh egg, and your salad oil. put the yolk of the egg in the bowl--which if it is summer, should sit in cracked ice. add drop by drop chilled oil, working it in as you drop it. when you have added a spoonful begin dropping in lemon juice, working it likewise into the yolk. it will harden the egg--stir till very hard, then add more oil, drop by drop, working it in with a fork. repeat, until you have used the juice of half a lemon, and two gills of oil. when the egg begins to curdle add salt and pepper to taste--but do not put them in until the last. keep and serve very cold. _remoulade dressing_: put three hard boiled egg-yolks into a bowl, mash smooth, add to them half a teaspoonful made mustard, one tablespoonful tarragon vinegar, with salt and cayenne to taste. next add, drop by drop, three tablespoonfuls olive oil, after which put in the yolk of a raw egg, and stir until light. finish with the juice of half a lemon, added very gradually. much depends on the mixing--if hurried or carelessly done, the sauce will curdle. this is standard for cold meat of every sort, also heavy salads, and fish. _drip coffee_: two things are essential--an absolutely clean urn, and sound coffee, freshly parched, and ground neither too fine nor too coarse. the water must be freshly boiled. put a cup of ground coffee in the strainer, pour upon it about two tablespoonfuls of boiling water, let it stand until the water drips through and there is no more bubbling, then pour on more water, but not too much, let it drip, keeping both the strainer and the spout covered to prevent the loss of aroma. repeat until you have used almost five cups of water--this for four cups of strained coffee, as the grounds hold part of the water. keep the pot hot while the dripping goes on, but never where the coffee will boil. if it dyes the cups it is too strong, but beware of making too weak. _bruleau_: put into the special bruleau bowl, which has its own brandy ladle, three ladlefuls of brandy, along with the yellow peel of half an orange, a dozen cloves, a stick of cinnamon, a few grains of alspice and six lumps of sugar. let stand several hours to extract the essential oils. at serving time put in an extra ladleful of brandy for every person to be served, and two lumps of domino sugar. pour alcohol in the tray underneath the bowl, light it, and stir the brandy back and forth until it also catches from the flame below. let burn two or three minutes--if the lights have been extinguished as they should be, the effect is beautifully spectral. after the three minutes pour in strong, hot, clear, black coffee, a small cupful for each person, keep stirring until the flame dies out, then serve literally blazing hot. this "burnt water" known in more sophisticated regions as _café diabolique_, originated in new orleans, and is the consummate flowering of creole cookery. [illustration: _cakes, great and small_] the very queen among cake makers sums her secret of success in a sentence: "the best of everything." cake will never be better than the things whereof it is made, no matter how skilled the maker. but it can be, and too often is, dismally worse, thus involving a waste of heaven's good gifts of sugar, butter, eggs, flour and flavors. having the best at hand, use it well. isaac walton's direction for the bait, "use them as though you loved them," applies here as many otherwheres. unless you love cake-making, not perhaps the work, but the results, you will never excell greatly in the fine art. better buy your cake, or hire the making thereof, else swap work with some other person better gifted in this special branch. here are a few cardinal helps. have the eggs very cold, butter soft but not oily, flour dry and light--sun or oven-dry it in muggy weather. sift it three times for ordinary cakes, twice for tea cakes, and so on, four to five times for very light things, sponge cake, angel's food, and measure it before sifting, and don't forget the needed amount--then you will be in no danger of putting in too much or too little. always put a pinch of fine salt in the bottom of the mixing bowl, which ought to be freshly scalded and wiped very dry. a damp bowl clogs with either sugar or flour, making the stirring much harder. unless specifically directed otherwise, separate the eggs, set the whites on ice till time to whip them, beat the yolks very, very light--to a pale, frothy yellow, add the sugar, free of lumps, a cupful at a time, then the butter washed and beaten to a creamy froth, beat hard together for five minutes, then add alternately the flour and the egg-whites beaten to the stiffest possible froth. add a pinch of salt as beating begins, and if the egg supply is scant, a teaspoonful of cold water to each white. this will increase the quantity, and help to make the cake lighter, as it is the air-bubbles imprisoned in the froth which give it its raising virtue. add fruit and flavoring last thing. fruit should be well floured but never clotted. if batter appears to be too stiff a little whiskey thins it excellently, and helps to make it lighter. put in two tablespoonfuls to six eggs, using more in proportion. rose water or a liqueur have the same effect but give their own flavor--which whiskey does not. if strong butter needs must be used, it can be mitigated to a degree, by washing and kneading well in cold water barely dashed with chloride of lime solution, then rinsing well in cold water, and afterward in sweet milk. the milk may be half water. rinse it out clean. let the butter soften well before undertaking to cream it. a stout, blunt wooden spoon is the best for creaming, along with a deep bowl very narrow at the bottom. grease deep cake tins plentifully, with either lard or butter--using only the best. for heavy cakes such as fruit, spice and marble cake, line them with double thicknesses of buttered paper and either set shallow pans of water in the oven while baking or stand the pans themselves in other pans with a quarter inch of water in the bottoms. if cakes brown too fast, open the oven door, a trifle, and lay over the pan a thick, well buttered paper until the oven cools. never jar the oven while cake is baking in it--neither by banging the doors, nor dumping heavy vessels on top of it. beware likewise slamming kitchen doors, or bumping things about in the room. fine cake demands as many virtues of omission as of commission. indeed the don'ts are as essential as the doings. layer cakes need to be mixed thinner than deep ones. the batter must run freely. half fill the tins and set in a hot oven, taking care not to scorch before rising is finished. butter tins very freely--it is economy in the end. be sure the tins sit level in the oven--thus you escape an ungainly final loaf. get filling ready as baking goes forward so as to put your layers together while still warm and pliable. let cool before frosting, so as to trim sides smooth. take care fillings are not too watery, also that they are mixed smooth. spread evenly, and press down a layer firmly all over, before putting filling on top. layers simplify greatly the problem of baking, but to my mind, no layer cake, not even the famous lady baltimore, is equal to a fine deep loaf, well frosted, and meltingly rich throughout. _pound cake_: (aunt polly rives) take ten fresh eggs, their weight in fresh butter, white sugar, and thrice sifted flour. separate the eggs, beat yolks to a cream-yellow, add the sugar, cupful at a time, beat hard, then the butter creamed to a froth, then half the flour, then two wineglasses of whiskey or brandy or good sherry or rose water, beat hard five minutes, then add the rest of the flour, taking care not to pack it in the handling. beat fifteen minutes longer, then fold in with long strokes, the egg-whites beaten with a good pinch of salt until they stick to the dish. barely mix them through the batter, then pour it into deep pans, or ovens, lined with double greased papers. the vessels also must be well buttered. bake with quick heat, letting the cake rise well before browning. slack heat when it is a very light brown, and cook until a straw thrust to the bottom comes out clean. turn out upon a thick, folded cloth, cover with another thinner cloth, and let cool. frost when cool, either with the boiled frosting directed for cheesecakes (see chapter on paste, pies and puddings) or with plain frosting made thus. beat three egg-whites well chilled to the stiffest possible froth with a pinch of salt, and a very little cold water. add to them gradually when thus beaten a pound of sugar sifted with a teaspoonful of cream of tartar. mix very smooth, and apply with a broad-bladed knife, dipping it now and then in cold water to keep the frosting smooth. it should dry a quarter-inch thick and be delicious eating. frosted cake keeps fresh three times as long as that left naked. _spice cake_: cream a coffee cup of well washed butter, with two cups yellow sugar and one cup black molasses. add to it one after the other, seven egg-yolks, beating hard between. when all are in, add one tablespoonful whiskey, or brandy, one teaspoonful grated chocolate, teaspoonful each of powdered cloves, allspice, ginger, mace, and cinnamon, a grated nutmeg, and half a saltspoonful of powdered black pepper. add also a pinch of salt, and the barest dusting of paprika. if whiskey is for any reason disapproved, use strong, clear coffee instead, putting in two spoonfuls, and leaving out the chocolate. beat all together hard for ten minutes, then add four scant cups flour browned in the oven but not burned. sift after browning, adding to it two teaspoonfuls baking powder. beat hard five minutes after the flour is all in, then pour in a deep, well greased pan, lined with buttered paper, let rise ten minutes with the oven door open, then bake in quick heat until done through. _marble cake_: make up egg-yolks into spice cake, beat the whites very light, and add them to three cups of sifted sugar, beaten smooth in a large cup of creamed butter. put in a wineglass of whiskey or brandy, then add three cups and a half flour sifted three times with a heaping teaspoonful baking powder. put the light and dark batter by alternate spoonfuls in pans well buttered and papered, let rise and bake the same as spice cake. else bake the light and dark batter in layers, put together with any good filling, and frost with caramel frosting. _real gold cake_: beat very light the yolks of sixteen eggs, with a full pound of yellow sugar, and a scant pound of creamed butter. add a cup of rich sour cream with a teaspoonful soda dissolved in it. or if you like better put in the cream _solus_, and add the soda dissolved in a teaspoonful of boiling water at the very last. this makes lighter cake so is worth the extra trouble. flavor to taste--grated lemon rind is good. add gradually four cups flour sifted three times at least. beat hard for ten minutes, then bake in well-greased pans, lined with buttered paper, until well done, let cool partly in the pans, then turn out, dust lightly with flour or corn starch and frost. _real silver cake_: wash and cream to a froth a pound of fresh butter, work into it a pound of sifted sugar, and a pound of flour, sifted thrice with a teaspoonful of baking powder. add flavoring--vanilla, lemon or rose water, following it with a wineglass of whiskey. then fold in the whites of sixteen eggs beaten with a pinch of salt to the stiffest possible froth. if the batter looks too thick add half a cup sweet cream--this will depend on the size of the eggs and the dryness of the flour. bake in deep pans, else in layers. by baking gold and silver batter in layers, and alternating them you can have a fine marble cake. or by coloring half the white batter pink with vegetable color to be had from any confectioner, you can have rose-marble cake. this should be iced with pink frosting else with plain white, then dotted over with pink. very decorative for birthday parties or afternoon teas. _christmas cake_: prepare fruit first. cut small half a pound of homemade citron drained from syrup, wash and seed one pound raisins, pick, wash and dry one pound currants, mince a teacup of any firm preserve--quince, peach or pear, or use a cupful of preserved cherries whole. shred fine four ounces of homemade candied peel, also four ounces of preserved ginger, add a cupful of nutmeats--pecans or english walnuts, or even scalybarks, cutting them in bits, mix all well together, then pour upon them the strained juice of three oranges, and three lemons, also add the grated yellow peel. next pour on half a pint of whiskey, a gill of rum, and a tumbler of cordial--peach or blackberry, and homemade if possible. let stand overnight, in a warm place--the fruit should take up the most part of the liquor. a glass of tart jelly is held an improvement by some. i do not put it in--the preserves suit my palate better. cream a full pound of butter with four cups sifted sugar, beat into it one at a time, ten large fresh eggs. after them put in four cups dried and sifted flour, mix smooth, then put in the fruit, drained from the liquor and lightly dredged with hot, sifted flour. mix well, then add the liquor drained from the fruit, along with a tablespoonful of lemon essence, and as much vanilla or rose water. if the batter is too stiff to stir well, thin with either a little sweet cream or boiling water, or cordial. pour into pans buttered and lined with five thicknesses of buttered paper, set the pans in other pans of hot water inside a warm but not brisk oven, shield the tops with double paper, and let rise half an hour. increase heat then, but the baking must be slow. four to five hours is required, according to the size of pans. keep covered until the last half hour--then the heat may be sensibly increased. test with straws--when they come out clean, take up, set pans on racks, cover with thick cloth and let cool thoroughly. frost next day, with either plain or boiled frosting. by baking the cake in rather small square molds, set close in a larger pan, the squares can be cut without waste and frosted to make individual cakes. _white layer cake_: (mrs. george h. patch.) sift two teaspoonfuls baking powder through three and a half cups flour, measured before sifting. cream a cup of butter with two and one half cups sugar, add a cup of rich milk, beat hard, then add gradually the flour, following it with the whites of seven eggs beaten very stiff with a small pinch of salt. fold in lightly, and bake in three layers. put together with orange filling, or frosting made thick with nuts and minced figs. _german coffee cake_: (mrs. t. g. petre.) beat six fresh eggs very light with one pound of sugar, and one pound flour. add the peel of a lemon grated, and one yeast cake dissolved in a little hot milk or water. let stand till very light, then roll into sheets one inch thick, spread them thickly with melted butter--half a pound will be required, sprinkle with two ounces bitter almonds blanched and shredded fine, mixed with four ounces sugar, and a teaspoonful powdered cinnamon. let rise again, and bake in a moderate oven. good hot or cold. _cream cake_: (betsy vaughn.) cream together very light two cups butter, three cups sugar, one cup sweet cream. add gradually four cups flour sifted with one teaspoonful baking powder, then fold in the whites of fourteen eggs beaten very stiff with a pinch of salt. flavor with bitter almonds, bake in loaves or layers, and frost with pink icing, flavored with rose water. _sponge cake_: beat very light the yolks of seven eggs with three cups sifted sugar, and a pinch of salt. add to them gradually a cup of hot water, then three scant cups flour sifted thrice with two teaspoonfuls baking powder. fold in last the stiffly beaten white of the eggs, pour into greased pans, and bake in a quick oven. the batter must not be too thin. if the eggs are large only half a cup of water may be requisite. flavor with vanilla, putting orange or lemon in the frosting. _white sponge cake_: beat very stiff six egg-whites, add to them gradually a cup of sugar, and a cup of flour sifted twice with a teaspoonful of baking powder. do not forget a tiny pinch of salt in the eggs. _angel's food_: beat to a stiff froth with a pinch of salt, the whites of eleven eggs. mix in gradually a cup and a half of powdered sugar, then add a cup of flour sifted twice with a teaspoonful cream of tartar. mix smooth, add the strained juice of half a lemon, pour into a smooth, ungreased pan, bake in a moderate oven half an hour, take up, turn pan upside down on a cloth and let stand till the cake falls out. _chocolate cake_: sift together two cups flour, one cup corn starch, and two teaspoonfuls baking powder, add to a cup of butter, creamed light with two cups sugar and one cup sweet cream. add the stiffly beaten whites of seven eggs, flavor with vanilla, and bake in layers. for the filling boil together to a thick syrup, three cups sugar, one cup water, and half a cake of grated chocolate. pour upon three egg-whites beaten very stiff, flavor with vanilla or bitter almond, and spread between layers. _orange cake_: cream a cup of butter with two cups sugar, beat into it a cup of cold water, then add four cups flour thrice sifted with two teaspoonfuls baking powder, alternate the flour with three well-beaten eggs. flavor to taste, bake in layers, and put together with orange frosting made thus. cook together till it threads the strained juice, and grated yellow peel of a large sweet orange with one cup sugar, then beat the hot syrup into two egg-whites whipped as stiff as possible. beat smooth and spread while hot. _dream cakes_: cream well half a cup butter, add a cup and a half of sugar, half a cup cold water, two cups flour sifted twice with two teaspoonfuls baking powder, a teaspoonful lemon extract, and the stiffly beaten whites of six eggs. bake in small shapes, frost, with boiled frosting, and ornament with tiny pink candies. _shrewsbury cakes_: this receipt with two that follow, comes down from: "the spacious days of great elizabeth." they are given verbatim, from the original version, as it seems to me the flavor of the language must add to the flavor of the cakes. "mix half a pound of butter, well beat like cream, with the same weight of flour, one egg, six ounces of beaten and sifted loaf sugar, and half an ounce of caraway seed. form these into a paste, roll them thin, and lay them in sheets of tin, then bake them in a slow oven." _queen cakes_: "take a pound of sugar, beat and sift it, a pound of well dried flour, a pound of butter, eight eggs, and half a pound of currants, washed and picked; grate a nutmeg and an equal quantity of mace and cinnamon, work the butter to a cream, put in the sugar, beat the whites of the eggs twenty minutes and mix them with the butter and sugar. then beat the yolks for half an hour, and put them to the butter. beat the whole together and when it is ready for the oven, put in the flour, spices and currants, sift a little sugar over them, and bake them in tins." _banbury cakes_: "take a pound of dough, made for white bread, roll it out and put bits of butter upon the same as for puff paste, till a pound of the same has been worked in; roll it out very thin, then cut it into bits of an oval size, according as the cakes are wanted. mix some good moist sugar with a little brandy, sufficient to wet it, then mix some clean-washed currants with the former, put a little upon each bit of paste, close them up, and put the side that is closed next the tin they are to be baked upon. lay them separate, and bake them moderately, and afterward, when taken out, sift sugar over them. some candied peel may be added, or a few drops essence of lemon." _oatmeal cookies_: (mrs. t. g. petre.) beat together until creamy, one egg, half cup sugar, third cup butter, third teaspoonful soda mixed with one cup sifted pastry flour, half teaspoonful each of salt and cinnamon, then add one cup rolled oatmeal, half cup each of shredded nuts and raisins. mix well, drop on greased tin, and bake in a slow oven. do not let the stiffness of the dough induce you to add milk or water. _tea cakes_: (betsy vaughn.) cream together a cup and a half of butter, and two cups and a half of sugar, add to five eggs beaten very light, mix well, then add a cup and a half of buttermilk with a small teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it. pour upon flour enough to make a soft dough, flavor with nutmeg, roll out a quarter-inch thick, cut with a small, round cutter, and bake in a quick but not scorching oven. _tea cakes_: (m. l. williams.) beat five eggs very light, with five cups of sugar, a heaping cup of lard, well creamed, and two cupfuls of sour milk, with a teaspoonful of soda dissolved in it. mix through enough flour to make a soft dough, roll half an inch thick, cut out and bake in a quick oven. _plain soft gingerbread_: dissolve a desert spoonful of soda in a cup of boiling water, add to it a cup of rich molasses, along with three tablespoonfuls of melted butter. mix well through two and and one half cups sifted flour, add ground ginger and alspice to taste, and bake in a moderate oven. _mammy's ginger cakes_: beat four eggs very light with a good pinch of salt and a cup of coffee sugar. add three cups of rich molasses, and a cup of boiling water with two teaspoonfuls soda dissolved in it. mix well in two tablespoonfuls pounded ginger. sift five pints of flour with a teaspoonful of salt, rub into it lightly two cups sweet lard, then add the molasses mixture and knead to a firm dough, adding more flour if needed or, if too stiff, a little sweet milk. roll out half an inch thick, cut into big squares, bake in a quick oven, and brush over the tops while blazing hot a little butter, molasses and boiling water. let stand in a warm place until dry. these might properly be called first monday ginger cakes, since our mammy made them to sell upon that day to the crowds which came to court, thereby turning many an honest fip or picayune. _family gingerbread_: cup and a half dark molasses, half cup sugar, small cup melted lard, cup boiling water with teaspoonful soda dissolved in it, pinch of salt, sifted flour enough to make rather stiffer than pound cake batter. spices to taste--ginger, allspice, nutmeg, all in powder, is a good mixture. bake rather quickly. _solid chocolate cake_: (mrs. r. heim.) cream together one cup butter, two of sugar, add six egg-yolks beaten light, then add alternately one cup sour milk with teaspoon soda dissolved in it, and three cups sifted flour. fold in egg-whites stiffly beaten then add half cake baker's chocolate melted, and three teaspoonfuls vanilla. stir hard a minute, pour in deep, well greased pan, and bake in moderate oven. _coffee cake_: (mrs. r. heim.) beat together until light, one egg, one cup sugar, butter the size of a large egg. add alternately one cup milk, and two cups flour with two teaspoonfuls baking powder sifted in it. put in pan, and sprinkle thickly all over top with sugar and powdered cinnamon. bake rather quickly but do not scorch. _fig pudding_: (mrs. r. heim.) one pound figs, half pound suet, six eggs, two cups sugar, three cups biscuit crumbs. run figs, suet and crumbs through grinder, beat eggs very light, add other ingredients, beat again, and steam or boil in buttered mold, tied in well scalded bag, four hours. serve hot with this sauce. beat to a light cream, one cup butter with two cups sugar. add two eggs very well beaten, then gradually two tablespoons vinegar and one of vanilla. cook a long time in double boiler, stirring constantly, or it will not be smooth. keep hot until served. _thin ginger snaps_: (mrs. r. heim.) mix a cup of melted lard well through two of molasses, add a pinch of salt, spices to taste, and enough flour to make a soft batter. drop by small spoonfuls on a well-greased baking sheet, and cook in quick oven. _measure pound cake_: (leslie fox.) cream well together, one cup butter, one and three-quarter cups sugar, when very light, drop in an egg-yolk unbeaten, beat hard, put in another yolk, beat again hard, then another, and repeat the hard beating. when very light add alternately two and one-half cups flour, and one cup milk, mix well, then add half a cup flour sifted three times with three even teaspoonfuls baking powder. follow this with the egg-whites beaten stiff. flavor with brandy--a tablespoonful and a half. bake in a moderate oven about an hour. serve with any approved pudding sauce, or use as other cake. nearly as good as the pound cake of our grandmothers. _kisses_: (mrs. r. heim.) add to four fresh egg-whites unbeaten, a tiny pinch of salt, two teaspoonfuls water, and three cups fine sugar. beat hard for at least half an hour--until the mixture is smooth and stiff. drop from point of spoon upon buttered paper, and harden in an oven cool enough not to color. [illustration: _meat, poultry, game, eggs_] _barbecued lamb_: the middle piece, known to butchers as "the bracelet," is best for barbecuing. have it split down the backbone, and the rib-ends neatly trimmed, also the ribs proper, broken about midway, but not quite through. wash clean, wipe dry, rub over well with salt, then prick in tiny gashes with a sharp-pointed knife, and rub in well black pepper, paprika, a very little dry mustard, then dash lightly with tabasco. put a low rack in the bottom of a deep narrowish pan, set the meat upon it, letting only the backbone and rib-ends touch the rack. this puts it in a sort of gothic arch. keep it so throughout the cooking. put a cupful of water underneath--it must not touch the meat. have the oven very hot, but not scorching--should it scorch in the least turn another pan over the meat for the first hour of cooking. add more water as the first boils away, but do not baste the meat--the water is merely to keep it from getting too hard. roast till the fat is crisped and brown throughout, the lean very tender. take up on a broad, hot dish, and in serving cut along the ribs, so as to let each portion include the whole length of them, as well as part of the backbone. serve with a sauce, of melted butter, mixed with equal quantity of strong vinegar, boiling hot, made thick with red and black pepper, minced cucumber pickle, and a bare dash of onion juice. this is as near an approach to a real barbecue, which is cooked over live coals in the bottom of a trench, as a civilized kitchen can supply. the middling of a pig weighing less than a hundred pounds, well scraped, washed clean, and likewise roasted on a rack after seasoning it well, makes a fine dish. the sauce for it should include minced green peppers, instead of cucumbers. if you happen to have a pepper mango, cut it fine, and let it stand in the hot sauce ten minutes before serving. _beefsteak with bacon and onions_: fry crisp a pound of streaky bacon, take up and keep warm. make the fat bubble all over, lay in it a steak, wiped clean, seasoned with salt and pepper, and dredged lightly with flour. sear it well on both sides--take from the fat, lay on broiler, and cook for ten minutes, turning once. serve thus if you like it rare--if contrariwise you want it well done, set the steak on a rack or broiler in a hot oven, and let it cook there for fifteen to twenty minutes, according to thickness. meantime dredge more flour into the fat, let it brown a minute, then lay in large, mild onions thinly sliced. fry to a light brown, and serve around the steak. serve the gravy separately, adding to it just before taking up, a little hot water, and shaking the pan well. this may be varied by frying with the onions or instead of them, sliced tomatoes, and green peppers finely shredded. or cut large, very meaty tomatoes, unpeeled, into thick slices, pour off the gravy, lay them in the hot, greasy pan, season well with pepper and salt, and cook five minutes, turning them and seasoning the other side. lay the bacon on the tomatoes--otherwise put it around the steak outside the onions. _boned fresh ham_: it had better not be too big--ten pounds is about the limit. have the bone removed, but do not throw it away. instead break it in pieces and boil them three hours in water to barely cover. wipe the ham well inside and out, rub the inside over lightly with butter, season with salt and pepper, and pour in a little vinegar. rub salt well over the outside and let stand on ice several hours. make a stuffing of grated breadcrumbs, with minced pork fat, a sprig of celery chopped fine, half an apple, also chopped fine, salt, pepper, paprika, a pinch of sage in powder, and the least shred of thyme and lemon peel. a chestnut stuffing can be used, or one whose foundation is grated sweet potato. fill the bone cavity, firmly but not too full, skewer or sew together the cut edges, and tie around twice with narrow tape. turn over, score the skin well, rub it with soft butter or bacon fat, dredge lightly with flour, then with black and red pepper, also lightly with sugar, and lay on a low rack in a pan. fill in sweet cider, or sound claret till it stands halfway up to the ham, cover with a close-fitting upper pan, and put into a hot oven. cook for two hours, lifting the pan now and then, and basting the meat. uncover, and make very, very crisp. serve on a hot dish, with candied sweet potatoes laid around. add boiling water to the liquor in the pan, shake it well about, and pour into a gravy boat. or pour off the grease, add a sprinkle of flour, let it brown on top the stove, and put to it the strained liquor the bone was boiled in. cook three minutes, and serve in the gravy boat. if the bone liquor is not used this way, make it the foundation of pea or cabbage soup. in carving cut through and through so as to serve the stuffing with each portion. _roast beef_: scrape and wash clean, wipe dry, sear cut sides well, either in bubbling fat, or under gas flame, set on a small rack in a deep pan, sprinkle well with salt and pepper, dredge on flour scantly, pour water underneath till it stands half an inch deep, cover close, set in a hot oven and cook until tender. basting will not be needed until the pan is uncovered--then add a little more water, boiling hot, baste thoroughly, return to oven, and brown. if you like, add sliced tomatoes, minced onions, shredded green peppers, carrots cut small, and very tender green peas after uncovering--they will cook while the meat is browning, and can be served all together in a separate dish. _pot roast_: wash and dry, then brown lightly all over in hot bacon fat, and lay upon a small rack in the bottom of a deep pot, seasoning well with salt, pepper, and paprika. pour on a little cayenne, vinegar, add a spoonful of hot fat, then pour in enough boiling water to come half way up the meat, cover tight, and simmer until tender. an hour before serving time, put any sort of vegetables approved, or at hand, carrots, sliced, peas, string beans, lima beans, potatoes in thick slices, into the browning fat, let them cook five to ten minutes, sprinkling them well with salt and pepper, then skim out of the fat, and add to the pot, along with a cupful more boiling water. simmer until the water is all gone, and the meat is brown. take up, lay vegetables around the meat, or make a bed of them for it, add a little more hot water to the pot, stir well over the fire till it takes up the meat essence, then pour it over meat and vegetables, else serve in a gravy boat. _leg of mutton in blanket_: make deep, narrow gashes in the thick end of a clean leg of mutton, crowd into them a mixed seasoning, salt, red and black pepper, minced onion, a little dry mustard, and powdered herbs. brush all over with melted butter, or soft bacon fat, then sprinkle lightly with salt, set on a rack in a roasting pan, and pop into a very hot oven. let it brown--then rub over it any tart jelly melted in a little hot water, and envelop it in a crust of flour and water, made very stiff, and rolled half an inch thick. pinch the edges tight together, lay back in the pan, cover it, and bake in a hot oven. take up, break the blanket carefully on top, lift out the meat, and pour the gravy from the envelop into a small sauce pan, add to it either hot claret, or a spoonful of tart jelly, along with tabasco or worcester sauce, boil up, and serve in a boat. tomato or walnut catsup may be used for flavoring. indeed one sometimes finds opportunity a close second to inspiration. _the preparation of poultry and game_: pick carefully, draw and singe every manner of poultry and feathered game, wash clean, quickly, in cold water, never hot, drain, then wipe as dry as possible with a soft, thick, damp cloth--it takes up moisture cleaner than a dry one. keep very cold and away from smells until ready to cook. tilt roasting fowls, so they may drain, if liquid gathers. before stuffing rub over the whole inside lightly with soft butter or bacon fat, pepper it scantly, and rub on a very little salt. grease and season the outside after stuffing is done,--never before it. if game is shot-torn, soak for ten minutes in weak salt water after plucking, rinse in cold salt water, wipe dry and drain. furred game, as rabbits, squirrels, possums, ought to be drawn before it is cold, if you would have the finest flavor. this is especially necessary with possums--which should be bought alive, and fattened for several weeks in a clean cage, feeding them on bread, milk, apples, potatoes, cabbage leaves, and grass. this makes them tender and much more delicate in flavor. kill by dislocating the neck with a quick, upward jerk, then cut the throat and hang to bleed. roll after dampening fur well in very hot embers--then scrape the same as a pig, draw, and hang to cool. divide the skin of rabbits and squirrels around the middle, and pull off each half, the same as a kid glove. thus no hairs stick on the clean flesh. draw very quickly, wipe lightly with a damp cloth, and hang where it is cool and airy for at least an hour. _roast turkey_: make a stuffing of stale bread. cut the crusts from a small loaf, grate the crumb, brown crusts crisp, crush, sift and mix well with the gratings. shred finely through it four ounces fresh suet, and a lump of butter the size of an egg. add a tiny heart of celery cut small, half a tart apple also cut fine, two dozen fat raisins, seeded, halved, and soaked for twelve hours in whiskey to cover, salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. mix well, stuff the turkey but not too tight. put a handful in the crop space, and fasten the skin neatly over. truss your turkey firmly, rub all over with soft fat, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, and set upon a rack in a deep roasting pan, pour half an inch of water in the bottom, cover tight, put in a hot oven, and roast for an hour, then slack heat and finish. the turkey will brown thus covered, and be tenderer and sweeter than if crisped uncovered. the pan will hold gravy better than can be made otherwise. roast chickens or capons in exactly the same way. geese need to be roasted more slowly and to have a seasoning of sage, onion, and tart apple in the stuffing, instead of raisins. the dry stuffing takes up the juices of the fowl, and is much more flavorous, and less pasty than that which is wet before use. _guinea hen in casserole_: stick six cloves in a cored and pared apple, thrust a heart of celery in the core space, then fit it inside a guinea hen, buttered, salted and peppered inside. pack in grated bread crumbs--all there is space for. truss, grease, season, set in a hot oven, and brown lightly all over, then lay in a casserole on a bed of sliced carrots, young green peas, shredded green peppers, sliced tomatoes and tiny onions, parboiled for five minutes. add a large lump of butter, rolled in flour, a cup of hot water or weak broth, cover close, and cook an hour in a hot oven. serve on the vegetables, bedded firmly, with tart jelly melted to barely run, splashed over the breast. _chickens in blankets_: take young fat chickens about three pounds weight, dress as for roasting, put inside each a peeled sweet potato, and a small lump of butter, after greasing and seasoning inside and out. lay on low rack in deep pan, brown lightly in oven, then fit close over each a round of good short crust, rolled a quarter-inch thick. return to oven--when crust is a rich brown the chickens will be done. serve crust with each portion--thereby recalling a glorified chicken pie. _fried chicken_: cut into joints two tender young chickens, wipe the pieces dry, season with salt and pepper, red and black, then set on ice. fry a pound of streaky bacon in a deep skillet, take out when crisp, roll chicken in flour, dip in beaten egg, then roll again, and lay in the fat, which must be bubbling hot, but not scorching. cook, turning often, to a rich brown, take out, then pile in a pan, set the pan over another with boiling water in the bottom, and put all in a very hot oven for fifteen minutes. this cooks the chicken through and through without making it hard. the pieces must not touch in frying so there will be two skilletfuls. when all the chicken is fried, and in the oven, dredge in more flour, stir it well through the fat, then add a cup of cream, stirring hard all the time, and letting it barely simmer--boiling curdles it. or if you want a full-cream gravy, pour off the fat, stir the cream in double quantity in the skillet to take up the flavors, then pour it in a double boiler, add pepper, salt, minced celery, a little onion juice, and one at a time, lumps of butter, rolled well in flour. cook until thick and rich, and serve in a gravy boat. _smothered chicken_: get two pound broilers fat and tender, have them split down the back, make clean, season by buttering inside and out, sprinkling with salt, pepper and paprika, and dredging with flour. lay breasts down, upon a low rack in a deep pan, cover with slices of streaky bacon, shingling the slices well. dredge with pepper and flour, lay in sliced tomatoes, shredded green peppers, and a few small parboiled onions. add lumps of butter rolled in flour, dotting them all about the bacon. pour in enough water to barely reach the top of the rack, cover the pan close, and cook in a hot oven, about an hour. uncover after three-quarters of an hour, add a half-cup more water--this is for the gravy. cover again, and finish cooking. the chickens should be brown all over but meltingly tender. take up on a hot dish, breaking the bacon slices as little as possible. serve the vegetables separate, also the gravy from the pan. the vegetables can be omitted, and smothered chicken still be a dish to rejoice an epicure. _glorified chicken croquets_: (mrs. g. h. patch.) boil a large-size tender young chicken till the meat almost drops from the bones. boil likewise tender, in salt water, one pound either sweetbreads or calf brains. pick up the chicken and grind the meat fine, then mash it well together with the brains or sweetbreads, and season to taste. put into a double boiler half-pint cream, tablespoonful butter, two tablespoonfuls flour, one tablespoonful parsley chopped fine, one teaspoonful onion juice, one teaspoonful salt, black and cayenne pepper to taste. cook smooth, stirring hard, let thicken, then add the meat, and mix thoroughly. let cool, shape into croquets, dip in egg, roll in cracker crumbs, and fry quickly in deep hot fat. _chicken-turkey hash_: cut the meat small, freeing of skin and gristle. if there is rich gravy left, put it into a skillet, and cook tender in it, half a dozen sliced tomatoes, three shredded green peppers, a small sliced onion, and a cupful of raw potato cubes. lacking gravy, cook in butter or bacon fat, and season to taste--gravy requires less seasoning than plain fat. add the meat, pour in a cup of boiling water, stir all well together, and cook for five minutes. serve in a hot dish lined with thin toast. fine for breakfast, or a very late supper. _rabbit or squirrel smothered_: leave whole, rub over with fat, season highly, lay in a pan or skillet, with slices of bacon, add a cup of hot water, cover close, set over the fire, and simmer until tender. uncover, and brown in the gravy, adding a little cayenne vinegar at the very last. _rabbit or squirrel barbecued_: leave whole, skewer flat, grease all over, lay on rack in pan, and roast in hot oven, basting every five minutes with hot salt water. when crisp, take up and serve with the sauce directed for barbecued lamb. _quail_: smother quail the same as rabbits. i like them better halved, and fried crisp and quickly, in deep hot bacon fat. but to make the most of them, a pie's the thing. the crust must be rich and rolled a quarter-inch thick. put in the birds whole, seasoning them well inside and out, with salt and black pepper. put in also generous lumps of butter rolled in flour, slices of fat bacon, strips of crust an inch wide and three inches long, a little minced onion, celery or shredded green pepper if the flavors are approved, and a tiny pod of cayenne pepper. pour in cold water till it stands half way up the birds. be sure the cover-crust is plenty big--pinch it down tight, prick and make a cross-cut at the center into which a tubelet of paper must be thrust to prevent the gravy's boiling over. bake three-quarters of an hour, in a hot oven. take up, and serve very hot. a gill of hot cream poured in through a funnel after taking up suits some palates--mine is not among them. other folks like a wineglass of sherry made very hot. _wild duck_: if likely to be fishy, soak an hour in vinegar and water made very salt, and roast with an onion inside stuck very full of cloves. season inside and out, rub over with fat or butter, and roast in quick heat, to the degree required. ducks or geese mild in flavor should be roasted with a tart apple stuck with cloves inside, also a mild onion. rub over with fat, season with salt and pepper inside and out, and strew inside lightly a small pinch of powdered sage. a good sauce for them is made by browning half a cup of grated bread crumbs in a tablespoonful of butter, adding to it a spoonful of tart jelly, a wineglass of claret, a tablespoonful of tomato catsup, with seasoning to taste of salt and pepper. _possum roasted_: chill thoroughly after scraping and drawing. save all the inside fat, let it soak in weak salt water until cooking time, then rinse it well, and partly try it out in the pan before putting in the possum. unless he is huge, leave him whole, skewering him flat, and laying him skin side up in the pan. set in a hot oven and cook until crisply tender, taking care there is no scorching. roast a dozen good sized sweet potatoes--in ashes if possible, if not, bake them covered in a deep pan. peel when done, and lay while hot around the possum, turning them over and over in the abundant gravy. he should have been lightly salted when hung up, and fully seasoned, with salt, pepper, and a trifle of mustard, when put down to cook. dish him in a big platter, lay the potatoes, which should be partly browned, around him, add a little boiling water to the pan, shake well around, and pour the gravy over everything. hot corn bread, strong black coffee, or else sharp cider, and very hot sharp pickles are the things to serve with him. _eggs_: eggs demand an introductory paragraph. as everybody knows, there are eggs and eggs. an egg new-laid has a tiny air-space at each end, betwixt the shell and the silken lining membrane. if left lying, this confined air changes its locality--leaves the ends for the upmost side of the shell. shells are porous--through them the white evaporates--thus the air bubble on top gets bigger and bigger. by the size of it you can judge fairly the egg's age--unless it has been kept in cold storage or in water-glass. by boiling hard, throwing in cold water and peeling intact, you can see for yourself if a fresh egg so-called is truly fresh. if fresh there will be no perceptible marring of its oval--but if it shows a shrinkage, and especially if the yolk is so near the shell it shows through the cooked white, there is proof positive that the egg is not new-laid--though it may be perfectly wholesome. eggs kept in clean cool space do not deteriorate under a month. even after that, thus well kept, they answer for cake making, puddings and so on. but they have an ungodly affinity for taints of almost every kind. hence keep them away from such things as onions, salt fish, things in brine generally, or any strong ill odors. duck eggs are bigger than hen eggs--eight of them being the equivalent to ten. goose eggs run almost two for one. turkey eggs, rarely used in cookery, are still excellent eating, much better flavored than duck eggs, which are often rather rank. here as otherwheres, food is the determining factor. guinea eggs, in spite of being so much smaller, are equal in raising power and in richness to hen eggs. indeed, they are the best of all eggs for eating--rich, yet delicate. the only approach to them is the quail egg--we called it always a partridge egg--but only special favorites of the gods have any chance of ever tasting them. quail nest frequently in wheat fields--at harvest, the uncovered nests yielded choice spoil. daddy claimed the lion's share of it for "my white chilluns." often he came with his big hat-crown running over full of the delicate white ovals. mormonism must prevail in quail circles--sometimes there were forty eggs in a nest. it would have been vandalism of the worst to eat them, only it was no use leaving them bare to the sun, as the birds abandoned them unless they had begun brooding. in that case the mother sat so tight, occasionally the reaper, passing over, took off her head. more commonly she flew away just in time, whirring up between the mules, with a great pretense of lameness. if the nest by good luck was discovered in time, grain was left standing about it. nobody grudged the yard or so of wheat lost for the sake of sport. partridge eggs were boiled hard, and eaten out of hand--they were much too thin-shelled for roasting, in spite of having a very tough lining membrane. with guinea eggs there was quite another story. they have shells extra thick and hard--hence were laid plentifully in hot ashes, heaped over with live coals and left as long as our patience held out. when mammy pulled them out, it was maddening to see her test them. she laid a short broom straw delicately on each egg. if it whirled round, the egg was done--if contrariwise it fell off, it had to go back in the embers. she had no thought of letting us eat eggs not cooked till the yolk was mealy. to this day i am firmly of opinion she was wise--and right. eggs roasted as she roasted them have a flavor wholly beyond and apart from those cooked in any other way. _baked eggs_: these most nearly approximate the flavor of roasted ones. break fresh eggs at the small ends, drain away the whites, break down the shells to deepish cups, each with a yolk at bottom, sprinkle yolks lightly with salt and pepper, add a bit of butter to each, then set shells upright, close over the bottom of a pan, pop the pan into a hot oven, bake twenty minutes, and serve piping hot. this mammy gave us to keep from wasting yolks when wedding or christmas cake demanded many whites for frosting. _potato egg puffs_: into a quart of rich and highly seasoned mashed potatoes, beat two eggs, then divide into equal portions--six or eight. with lightly floured hands make each portion into a ball, set the balls in a baking dish, then press into each a hard-boiled egg. lay a bit of butter on each egg, and dredge lightly with salt and pepper. bake in a quick oven until the potato is brown and light--it ought to rise up like a fat apple. _egg dumplings_: cousins-germane to the puffs but richer--will serve indeed for the meat course of a plain dinner. mix the potato well with half its bulk of finely chopped cold meat, the leaner the better, bind with beaten eggs, then divide and roll each portion around a hard-boiled egg, lay the dumplings in a greased and floured pan, giving them plenty of room, pour around them a good gravy, or else a rich tomato sauce, then bake ten to twenty minutes in a hot oven. _egg spread_: spread a flat pan an inch deep with rich mashed potato, sprinkle with pepper and salt, then cover the top with eggs hard boiled, and cut in half. set them yolk up. put salt, pepper and butter on each yolk, and bake ten minutes in a warm oven. or if soft eggs are preferred, make depressions in the potato with the back of a spoon, break an egg in each, dust with pepper and salt, add a dot of butter and bake five minutes. if the potatoes are wanted brown, bake them ten minutes after making the depressions, then put in the eggs and bake soft or hard at will. _poached eggs_: these require a deep skillet, three parts full of water on the bubbling boil, which is slightly salted and well dashed with vinegar. break all the eggs separately before putting one in. slip them in, one after the other, quickly, taking care not to break yolks, keep the boiling hard, and use a knife or spoon to prevent the whites from cooking together. take out in six to seven minutes, using a skimmer and draining well, trim rags off white, lay in a deep hot dish, and pour over real melted butter, made with butter, hot water, salt, pepper, lemon juice or vinegar, and a dash of tabasco. send to table covered--a poached egg chilled has lost its charm. or you may serve the eggs on squares of hot, well-buttered toast, which have been sprinkled thickly with grated cheese, then set for a minute inside a hot oven. served thus, pass the melted butter with them, as if poured over, they might be too rich for some palates. _egg fours_: cut hard-boiled eggs in four lengthwise, mix yolks with an equal bulk of sardines, drained, freed of skin and bone, and minced fine. season with salt, pepper, lemon juice, or vinegar, and olive oil. add minced olives if you like. the mixture must be soft, but not too soft to shape well. shape it into small ovals, using two spoons, and lay an oval in each quarter of the whites. put very narrow strips of pimento on the ovals, then sprinkle them thickly with grated cheese--edam is good for such use. set in a baking dish and cook two to four minutes in a hot oven. if wanted extra tasty, as for a relish before dinner, set the fours on narrow strips of toast, spread with made mustard, well-mixed with finely minced very sour cucumber pickle. bacon sliced thin, fried crisp without scorching, and finely minced can take the place of sardines. indeed, in making fours the widest latitude prevails--you can vary flavors and proportions almost infinitely. onion, even a suspicion of garlic, tabasco, cayenne vinegar, walnut catsup, or worcester can be added. capers mixed through the mass make it wonderfully piquant. but things which need to be crisply fresh, such as celery and lettuce, must be let severely alone. _stuffed eggs_: staple for picnics, and barbecues. boil twenty minutes, throw instantly in cold water, and shell immediately. halve, mash yolks while hot with a plentiful seasoning of butter, pepper, salt, a little onion juice, capers or bigger pickle finely minced, and pimentos cut small. work the seasoning well through, then shape into balls yolk-size, put each between two half-whites, and fasten together with a couple of tooth picks. wrap each as finished in wax paper, and keep cool until needed. here may be a good place to say that the quicker a hard-boiled egg is got out of its shell after chilling, the better and more delicate will be its flavor. _fried eggs_: anybody, almost, can fry an egg wrong. it takes some skill to fry one exactly right. have the frying pan covered with grease, hot, but not scorching, slip in the eggs, previously broken separately, taking pains not to break yolks, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, keep edges from running together, then when they have hardened underneath, dip hot grease over the tops, keeping on till the white sets. if the heat is right the eggs will not stick to the pan. cook as hard as is desirable, take up with a cake-turner, and lay in a shallow pan, lined with soft clean paper. keep hot while they drain--it takes a minute or so--then remove to a blazing hot dish, and serve. if ham goes with them lay it in the middle, with eggs all around it. triangles of fried toast in between look and taste well at breakfast. [illustration: _soups, salads, relishes_] _vegetable soup_: cut into joints two fat chickens three parts grown, salt and pepper, and lay aside while you fry in a deep pot half a pound streaky bacon. take out when crisp, put in the chicken, turning it so as to brown it all over. put in a thick slice of ham, let it also brown a bit, do the same with four sliced onions--mild ones--then add two gallons cold water, half a teaspoonful salt, two pods red pepper, a dozen whole pepper corns, and two sprigs of parsley. keep at a gentle boil for an hour, then put in two small heads of tender cabbage finely shredded, and six white potatoes, peeled and sliced a quarter-inch thick. fifteen minutes later put in a quart of string beans, broken short, a pint of shelled lima beans, a stalk of celery cut fine lengthwise, and a dozen tomatoes, peeled and sliced. follow them in ten minutes with a pint of tender okra sliced--next add a little later the pulp from a dozen ears of green corn, slit lengthwise and scraped. stir almost constantly with a long-handled skimmer, after the corn pulp is in. if the skimmer brings up chicken bones, throw them aside. just before serving put in a large spoonful of butter, rolled in flour. taste, add salt if required. serve very hot with corn hoe cake and cider just beginning to sparkle. if there is soup enough for everybody, nothing else will be wanted. _black turtle bean soup_: pick and wash clean, one quart black turtle beans, soak overnight in three quarts cold water, and put on to boil next morning in the soaking water. when it boils add three onions sliced, one carrot scraped and cut up, a stalk or so of celery, three sprigs of parsley, and one tomato, fresh or canned. boil slowly four to five hours, until the beans are tender, filling up with cold water as that in the kettle wastes. when the beans are very soft, strain all through a fine collander, mashing through beans and vegetables, add a quart of very good soup stock, also a bay leaf, and boil up hard half a minute before serving. put into each soup plate a slice of lemon, a slice of hard-boiled egg, and a tablespoonful of sherry wine before adding the soup. _gumbo_: cut a tender, fat chicken, nearly grown, into joints, season well with salt and pepper, and fry for ten minutes in the fat from half a pound of bacon, with two thick slices of ham. then add two onions chopped fine, six large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, adding with them their juice, half a large pod of mild red pepper, cut small, a teaspoonful of minced thyme and parsley mixed, a pint of tender sliced okra, stemmed and cut lengthwise. cook altogether, watching all the time, and stirring constantly to prevent scorching until everything is well-browned. then add three quarts fresh-boiled water, on the full boil, set the pot where it will barely simmer, and cook an hour longer, taking the same pains against scorching. rice to eat with the gumbo--it must never be cooked in the pot--needs to be washed until the water runs clear from it, drained, then tossed into a wide kettle of water on the bubbling boil, and cooked for twenty minutes. the water must be salted to taste. drain the rice in a collander, set it after draining in the oven for a minute. the grains should stand out separate, but be very tender. rice thus cooked, and served with plenty of butter, is excellent as a vegetable. _wedding salad_: roast unstuffed, three young tender turkeys, or six full grown chickens. take the white meat only, cut it fine with shears, cutting across the grain, while hot. let cool, then mix it with ten hearts of crisp celery cut in bits, two heads of tender white cabbage, finely chopped, rejecting hard stalks--use three heads if very small--and set in a cool place. for the dressing boil thirty fresh eggs twenty minutes, throw in cold water, shell, take out the yolks, saving the white for garnishing, mash the yolks while hot very smooth with a pound and a half of best butter, season them well with salt, pepper, a little dry mustard, celery seed, and, if at hand, a dash of walnut catsup, but not enough to discolor. add also a teaspoonful of sugar--this to blend flavors only. add a little at a time enough warm vinegar to make as thick as cream. chill, and pour over the salad, mix well through, then heap it in a big glass bowl, lined with partly white lettuce leaves, make a wreath of leaves around the top, and in serving, lay a larger lettuce leaf on each plate, filling it with the yellow-white salad. _fruit salad_: wash well a very ripe juicy pineapple, let dry, then shred with a fork, holding the crown in the left hand firmly, while you pull away sections with the fork in the right. thus you avoid taking any of the hard center. peel the sections delicately after they are separated, and cut them in long thin slivers, with the grain. arrange these slivers star-shape upon lettuce leaves in the plates, lay a very narrow slip of pimento--sweet red pepper,--between each two of them, then fill in the points of the stars with grape-fruit pulp, freed of skin and seed, and broken into convenient sized bits. lay more pimento strips upon it. set on ice till ready to serve, then drench with sweet french dressing. _sweet french dressing_: mix well a scant teaspoonful of granulated sugar, the same of dry mustard, half a teaspoonful salt, as much black pepper and paprika mixed, put in the bottom of a deep small bowl, and stir for two minutes. wet with claret vinegar, adding it gradually, and stirring smooth. make as thick as cream. add twenty drops tabasco, twenty drops onion juice, the strained juice of half a lemon, and half a teaspoonful of brandy, rum or whiskey. mix well, then add, tablespoonful at a time, a gill of salad oil, stirring hard between spoonfuls. put in more vinegar, more oil--the seasoning suffices for half a pint of dressing. stir till it thickens--it should be like an emulsion when poured upon the salad. keep on ice. the oil and vinegar will separate, but the dressing can be brought back by stirring hard. _banana and celery salad_: chill heart celery and very ripe bananas, slice thin crosswise, mingling the rounds well. pile on lettuce leaves, and cover with french dressing, into which finely grated cheese has been scantly stirred. this dressing with cheese is fine for tender romaine, also for almost any sort of cooked vegetable used as salad. _red and white salad_: make cups from lettuce hearts, fasten them to the plate, with a drop of melted butter, fill lightly with grape-fruit pulp, and set a tiny red beet, boiled tender, in the middle. have a very sharp french dressing made with oil lemon juice and tarragon vinegar. pass with this cheese straws, or toasted cracker sprinkled lightly with parmesan cheese. _pineapple salad_: pare and core a very ripe, sweet pineapple, cut in slices crosswise, lay the slices in a bowl, with a sprinkle of sugar, half a cup rum or sherry, all the juice shed in cutting up, and a grate of nutmeg. let stand till morning, cool, but not on ice. make rosettes of small lettuce leaves in the plates, lay a slice of pineapple on each, fill the hole in the center with pink pimento cheese. make the cheese into a ball the size of a marble, and stick in it a tiny sprig of celery top. put a little of the syrup from the bowl in each plate, then finish with very sharp french dressing. make the pimento cheese by grinding fine half a can of pimento, and mixing it through two cakes of cream cheese, softening the cheese with french dressing, and seasoning it to taste. _cold slaw_: (v. moroso.) shave very fine half a medium sized head of tender cabbage, put in a bowl, and cover with this dressing. melt over hot water a heaping tablespoonful of butter, with two tablespoonfuls sugar, a saltspoon of pepper, a teaspoonful of salt, dash of red pepper, and scant teaspoonful dry mustard. mix smooth, then add gradually four tablespoonfuls vinegar, mix well, then put in the yolk of a raw egg, beating it in hard. cook till creamy, but not too thick. take from fire, and add if you like, two tablespoonfuls cream, but it is not essential--the dressing is good without it. _tomato soy_: take one gallon solid, ripe tomatoes, peeled and sliced, or four canfuls put up in glass, put in a preserving kettle with a quart of sliced onions, two tablespoonfuls salt, as much moist sugar, teaspoonful black pepper, saltspoon paprika, four hearts of celery cut fine, a tablespoonful of pounded cloves, alspice, mace, grated nutmeg, and cinnamon mixed. stir well together and cook slowly, taking care not to burn, until reduced one-half. dry mustard or mustard seed can be added, but many palates do not relish them. after boiling down add a quart of very sharp vinegar, stir well through, skim if froth rises, bottle hot, and seal. this keeps a long time in a dark cool place. _table mustard_: mix well together two tablespoonfuls dry mustard, scant teaspoon sugar, half a teaspoon salt. wet smooth, to a very stiff paste with boiling water, then add either a teaspoon of onion juice, or a clove of garlic mashed, stir well through, add little by little, a tablespoonful olive oil, then thin, with very sharp vinegar, added gradually so as not to lump nor curdle, to the consistency of thin cream. put in a glass jar, seal tight and let stand a week. a month is better--indeed, the mustard improves with age if not permitted to dry up. _cabbage pickle_: shred enough tender cabbage to make four quarts, put with it four large green tomatoes, sliced thin, six large onions, chopped fine, three green peppers also chopped, rejecting the seed, two ounces white mustard seed, half-ounce celery seed, quarter-ounce turmeric, three tablespoonfuls salt, two pounds white sugar, two quarts vinegar. put all in a preserving kettle, set it upon an asbestos mat over a slow fire, and cook gently for several hours, stirring so it shall not scorch. it must be tender throughout but not mushy-soft. _cauliflower pickle_: drop two heads cauliflower in salted boiling water, cook fifteen minutes, take up, drop in cold water, separate into neat florets, and pack down in a clean crock. pour upon the florets, hot, a quart of vinegar, seasoned with a mixture of two tablespoonfuls salad oil, teaspoonful dry mustard, tablespoonful sugar, teaspoonful salt, half-teaspoonful onion juice, half-teaspoonful black pepper, dash of paprika, ten drops tabasco. bring all to a boil, and pour over the pickle, first strewing well through it blade mace, whole cloves, alspice and cinnamon, broken small but not powdered. _pear relish_: wash and stem a gallon of sound ripe, but not mellow seckel pears, remove the blossoms with a very sharp narrow pen-knife, and stick a clove in each cut. drain, and drop into a syrup, made of three pounds of sugar and a quart of vinegar. bring to a quick boil, skim, and set back to simmer. add after skimming, cloves, alspice, mace, ginger, cinnamon, and black pepper, pounded small but not powdered. cut up a large sweet red pepper, and drop in the shreds. let cook till the pears are tender. if the syrup is thin, add more sugar--some pears yield more juice than others. sliced lemon gives a piquant tang, but is optional. put in glass or stone jars, and cover tight, laying a brandy paper on top. _cherries piquant_: wash well, and stem but do not pit, half a gallon ripe morello cherries. drain well, strew spices well through them, lay thin sliced lemon on top, add a dozen whole pepper corns, and a tiny pod of cayenne pepper, then pour over a pint of sharp vinegar, boiled with four pounds of sugar, and skimmed clean. let stand all night, drain off syrup in the morning, boil up, skim, and pour again over the fruit. next day, put all in a kettle, and cook for fifteen minutes, then put in glass jars, seal and keep dark. especially good with game or any meat highly seasoned. _gooseberry jam spiced_: wash, and nub half a gallon of green gooseberries, picked just before they ripen. put them in a kettle with six large cups of sugar, a cup of water, half a teaspoonful each of cloves, alspice, mace, grated nutmeg, and cinnamon, the grated yellow peel of an orange and the strained juice. cook slowly until thick--it should jelly when dropped on a plate. pack in small jars. one of the very finest accompaniments to any sort of fowl. by leaving out the spices, and merely cooking the berries thick enough to cut like cheese, it is as fine as _bar le duc_ for serving with salad. _frozen cranberry sauce_: (mrs. r. heim.) gives a new tang to game, roast turkey, capon or duck. cook a quart of cranberries until very soft in one pint water, strain through coarse sieve, getting all the pulp, add to it one and a half pints sugar, the juice--strained--of four lemons, one quart boiling water, bring to a boil, skim clean, let cool, and freeze rather soft. "_apple sauce gone to heaven_": thus a poet names it, though i, the architect thereof, insist that it is wholly and beautifully mundane. to make it, pare eight firm apples, the higher-flavored the better, core, drop into cold water, as pared, let stand till you make the syrup. take a cup of sugar to each two apples and a cup of water to each two cups of sugar. bring to a boil, skim, clean twice, then throw in half a dozen blades of mace, bits of thin yellow peel from two lemons, a few bits of stick cinnamon, and one pepper corn--no more. stick four cloves in each apple, drop them in the syrup, which must be on the bubbling boil. after the apples are in--they should just cover the pan, add the strained juice of two lemons. boil hard for five minutes, turn over the apples, simmer till done--they will look clear all through. skim out with a perforated ladle, letting all syrup drain away from them, arrange in a deepish glass dish, or pile on a glass platter. boil the syrup until it jellies when dropped on a plate, then dip it by spoonfuls over the apples, letting it harden as it is dipped. another way, and easier, is to wash and core the apples, without peeling, stick in the cloves, put in an earthen or agate baking dish, add the sugar, water, spices, cover close, and set in a hot oven. cook until the apples are soft through, then uncover, and crisp a little on top. the peel will be edible, and the flavor richer than when boiled, but the dish is not so decorative. _spiced grapes_: wash and drain sound full-ripe grapes, pick from the stems, then pop out the grapes singly from the hulls. save the hulls and juice. put the pulp and seeds over the fire, cook until soft, strain through a colander to remove the seed, then add the pulp to the hulls and juice, put all over the fire, with equal weight of sugar, and spices to taste. i like cloves, alspice, mace and cinnamon, all pounded small, but not powdered. cook until thick, take care not to burn, put into glasses like jelly, and serve with any sort of meat, or as a sweet. wild grapes washed, picked from stems, stewed and passed through a colander, furnish a pulp that is worth sugar, spices and so on. cook as directed for vineyard grapes. by leaving out the most part of spices, and putting in vinegar, a cupful to the quart of syrup, the result is a very piquant jelly, or more properly, fruit cheese. _sweet-sour pears_: the pears must be ripe, but very firm. if large, pare and quarter, cutting out the core, stick a clove in each quarter, and drop as pared in cold ginger tea. if small or medium, wash instead of paring, take out cores, stick two cloves in each cavity, pack close in the kettle and cover when all are in with strained ginger tea. boil in the tea fifteen minutes, until a fork will pierce without too much exertion. skim out then, pack in jars, strewing spices liberally through, then cover with vinegar boiling hot, to which you had added a cupful of sugar for each quart. let stand twenty-four hours, drain off, boil, and pour over again. do this three times, then put all in the kettle, bring to a boil, cook five minutes, and put while hot in clean stone jars. _spiced plums_: all manner of plums, even the red wild fruit, make the finest sort of relishes when cooked properly. wash, pick, and weigh, take four pounds of sugar to five of fruit, with what spices you choose, never forgetting a tiny pod of cayenne pepper, put all over the fire, let boil slowly, skimming off froth. stir with a perforated skimmer--it will take out the most part of stones. a few stones left in give a fine bitter almond flavor after the plums have stood a while. take care not to scorch, cook until very thick, then add strong vinegar, a cupful to the half-gallon of fruit. boil three minutes longer, put hot into well-scalded jars, lay brandy paper over, or seal with paraffin. _baked peaches_: especially fine with barbecued lamb or roast duck or smothered chicken. peel one dozen large, ripe, juicy peaches, stick two cloves in each, set in an agate or earthen pan they will just fill, add two cups sugar, a tablespoonful butter, a very little water, and a good strewing of mace and lemon peel. cover close, and bake until done. serve hot. instead of butter, a gill of whiskey may be used, putting it in just before the peaches are taken up, and letting them stand covered until the spirit goes through them. so prepared, they are better cold than warm. the pits flavor the fruit so delicately they should never be removed. [illustration: _vegetables, fruit desserts, sandwiches_] _tomato layer_: peel and slice a dozen meaty tomatoes, slice thin six mild onions, cut the corn from half a dozen large ears, saving the milk. cover an earthen baking dish with a layer of tomatoes, season well with salt and pepper, also the least suspicion of sugar. lay onion slices over, sprinkle lightly with salt, then add a layer of corn, seasoning it with salt and a little sugar. repeat till the dish is full. pour over the corn milk, the tomato juice, and a heaping tablespoonful of melted butter. bake in a hot oven half an hour, covering it for twenty minutes, then browning uncovered. when corn is not in season, very crisp brown bread crumbs may take its place. but it should be against the law to put soft crumbs or any sort of bread uncrisped, into cooked tomatoes. a green pepper shredded and mixed through the layers adds to the flavor--for the devotees of green peppers. _corn pudding_: slit lengthwise the grains in eight large ears of corn, scrape out the pulp carefully, saving all milk that runs. the corn should be full, but not the least hard--if it has reached the dough state, the grains will keep shape. beat three eggs very light, with half a teaspoonful salt, a tablespoonful sugar, plenty of black pepper, and paprika, half a cup of very soft butter, and half a cup sweet cream. add the corn pulp and milk, stir well together--if too thick, thin with a little milk. pour into a pudding dish, cover and bake ten minutes, then uncover, and bake until done. _fried corn_: fry crisp, half-pound streaky bacon, take up, and put into the fat, bubbling hot, eight large ears of corn cut from the cob, and seasoned with salt and black pepper. add also the corn-milk, stir well together for five minutes, then put an asbestos mat under the skillet and let stand till the corn forms a thick brown crust over the bottom. pour out, loosen this crust with a knife, lay on top the corn, lay on also the crisp bacon, and serve very hot. a famous breakfast dish down south all through "roas'in' ear time." that is to say, from july to october. _hulled corn_: known otherwise as lye hominy, and samp. put a pint of clean strong wood ashes into half a gallon of water, boil twenty minutes--or until the water feels slippery. let settle, drain off the clear lye, and pour it upon as much white flint corn, shelled and picked, as it will cover. let stand until the hulls on the grains slip under pressure--commonly twelve to twenty-four hours. drain off lye, cover with cold water, rubbing and scrubbing the grains between the hands, till all are free of husks. soak them in clear water, changing it every few hours till no taste of lye remains. then boil slowly in three times its bulk of water, adding a little salt, but not much, until very tender. a grain should mash between finger and thumb. fill up as the water boils away, and take care not to scorch. cool uncovered, and keep cool. to cook, dip out a dishful, fry it in bubbling bacon fat as directed for corn. or warm in a double boiler, and serve with butter and sugar or cream and sugar, as a cereal. use also as a vegetable the same as rice or green corn. hominy pudding, baked brown, and highly seasoned, helps out a scant dinner wonderfully, as corn is the most heating of grains, as well as one of the most nutritious. _steamed potatoes_: wash clean a dozen well-grown new potatoes, steam until a fork will pierce, dry in heat five minutes, then peel, and throw into a skillet, with a heaping tablespoonful of butter, well-rolled in flour, half a pint of rich milk, ten drops onion juice, salt and pepper to taste, and a teaspoonful of chopped parsley. the sauce must be bubbling when the potatoes are put in. toss them in it for five minutes, put in deep dish and pour the gravy over. serve very hot. _candied sweet potatoes_: boil medium potatoes of even size, till a fork will pierce--steaming is better though a bit more trouble--throw in cold water for a minute, peel, and brush over with soft butter, then lay separately in a wide skillet, with an inch of very rich syrup over the bottom and set over slow fire. turn the potatoes often in the syrup, letting it coat all sides. keep turning them until candied and a little brown. if wanted very rich put butter and lemon juice in the syrup when making it. blade mace also flavors it very well. _tipsy potatoes_: choose rather large potatoes, peel, and cut across into round slices about half an inch thick. pack these in a baking dish with plenty of sugar, and butter, mace, yellow lemon peel, pounded cloves, and a single pepper corn. add half a cup boiling water, cover and bake till a fork pierces, then uncover, add a glass of rum, and keep hot, but not too hot, until serving time. or you can use half a pint of claret, instead of the boiling water. still another way, is to mix a glass of sherry with a spoonful of cream, and add it to the dish five minutes before it goes to table. sweet cider can take the place of wine. so can lemon or orange juice. but to my thinking, the demon rum, or his elder brother whiskey, is best of all. _left-over sweet potatoes_: peel, slice thick, dip in melted butter, roll in sugar well seasoned with grated lemon peel, and nutmeg, lay in a pan so as not to touch and make very hot in the oven. this last estate is always better than the first. _potato balls_: mash boiled or baked sweet potatoes smooth, seasoning them well with salt, pepper, cinnamon, a little nutmeg, and melted butter. bind with a well-beaten egg, flour the hands, and roll the mashed potato into balls the size of large walnuts. roll the balls in fine crumbs or sifted cornmeal, drop in deep hot fat, fry crisp, drain, and use as a garnish to roast pork, roast fowl, or broiled ham. _bananas_: bananas are far too unfamiliar in the kitchen. they can be cooked fifty ways--and in each be found excellent. the very best way i have yet found, is to peel, slice in half, lengthwise, lay in a dish with a cover, shake sugar over, add a little mace, lemon juice, lemon peel, and melted butter, then bake until soft--seven to fifteen minutes in a hot oven, according to the quantity in the dish. or peel and slice, leave unseasoned, and lay in the pan bacon has been cooked in, first pouring away most of the fat. cook five minutes in a hot oven, and send to table with hot bread, crisp bacon and coffee for breakfast. a thick slice of banana, along with a thick slice of tart apple, both very lightly seasoned, makes a fine stuffing for squabs. half a banana delicately baked, and laid on a well-browned chop adds to looks and flavor. _baking vegetables_: paper bags taught me the ease and value of cooking vegetables in the oven rather than on top the stove. less care is required, less water, rather less heat. peas and lima beans, for example, after shelling, should be well washed, put in a pan with salt, seasoning and a little water, covered close, and baked in a hot oven half an hour to an hour. green corn is never so well cooked, outside a paper bag, as by laying it on a rack in a covered pan, putting a little water underneath, covering close and setting the pan for nine minutes in a hot oven. it is sweeter and richer than even when put in cold unsalted water, brought to a boil, cooked one minute, then taken up. but however heat is applied, long cooking ruins it. cook till the milk is set--not a second longer. green peas should have several tender mint leaves put in with them, also sugar in proportion of a teaspoonful to half a pint of shelled peas. lima beans are better flavored if the butter is put with them along with the water. use only enough to make steam--say two tablespoonfuls to a fair-sized pan. spinach and beet greens also bake well, but require more water. leave out salt, adding it after draining and chopping them. they take twenty to thirty minutes, according to age. all manner of fruits, berries in especial, cook finely in the oven. put in earthen or agate ware, with sugar, spices and a little water, cover close and cook half to three quarters of an hour, according to bulk. uncover then--if done take up, if not let cook uncovered as long as needed. set the baking dishes always on rack or a grid-shelf, never on the oven bottom nor solid metal. thus the danger of burning is minimized, also the need of stirring. for _cauliflower au gratin_, cut the head into florets, lay them compactly in the baking dish, add a little water, with salt, pepper and butter. bake covered until tender, then shake over the grated cheese, and set back in the oven three to five minutes. tomatoes, peeled and whole except for cutting out the eyes, baked in a dish with a liberal seasoning of salt, pepper, and butter, a strewing of sugar and a little onion juice, look and taste wholly unlike stewed tomatoes, common or garden variety. _boiling with bacon_: get a pound of streaky bacon, cut square if possible, scrape and wash clean, put on in plenty of water, with a young onion, a little thyme and parsley, bring to a quick boil, throw in cold water, skim the pot clean, then let stand simmering for two to three hours. add to it either greens--mustard, turnip, or dandelion or field salad, well washed and picked, let cook till very tender, then skim out, drain in a colander, lay in a hot dish with the square of bacon on top. here is the foundation of a hearty and wholesome meal. the bacon by long boiling is in a measure emulsified, and calculated to nourish the most delicate stomach rather than to upset it. serve two thin slices of it with each helping of greens. you should have plenty of cayenne vinegar, very hot and sharp, hot corn bread, and cider or beer, to go along with it. string beans, known to the south country as snaps, never come fully to their own, unless thus cooked with bacon. even pork does not answer, though that is far and away better than boiling and buttering or flooding with milk sauces. it is the same with cabbage. wash well, halve or quarter, boil until very tender, drain and serve. better cook as many as the pot will hold and the bacon season, since fried cabbage, which is chopped fine, and tossed in bacon fat with a seasoning of pepper, salt and vinegar, helps out wonderfully for either breakfast, luncheon or supper. never throw away proper pot-liquor--it is a good and cheap substitute for soup on cold days. heat, and drop into it crisp bread-crusts--if they are corn bread crusts made very brown, all the better. pioneer folk throve on pot-liquor to such an extent they had a saying that it was sinful to have too much--pot-liquor and buttermilk at the same meal. _fruit desserts_: fruits have affinities the same as human beings. witness the excellent agreement of grape fruit and rum. nothing else, not the finest liqueur, so brings out the flavor. but there are other fruits which, conjoined to the grape fruit, make it more than ever delicious. strawberries for example. they must be fine and ripe. wash well, pick, wash again, halve if very large, and mix well in a bowl with grape fruit pulp, freed of skin and seed, and broken to berry size. add sugar in layers, then pour over a tumbler of rum, let stand six hours on ice, and serve with or without cream. strawberries mixed with ripe fresh pineapple, cut to berry size, and well sweetened, are worthy of sherry, the best in the cellar, and rather dry than sweet. mixed with thin sliced oranges and bananas, use sound claret--but do not put it on until just before serving--let the mixed fruits stand only in sugar. strawberries alone, go very well with claret and sugar--adding cream if you like. cream, lightly sweetened, flavored with sherry or rum, or a liqueur, and whipped, gives the last touch of perfection to a dessert of mixed fruit, or to wine jelly, or a cup of after-dinner coffee, or afternoon chocolate. a peach's first choice is brandy--it must be real, therefore costly. good whiskey answers, so does rum fairly. a good liqueur is better. sherry blends well if the fruit is very ripe and juicy. peel and slice six hours before serving, pack down in sugar, add the liqueur, and let stand on ice until needed. peaches cut small, mixed with california grapes, skinned and seeded, also with grape fruit pulp broken small, and drowned in sherry syrup, are surprisingly good. make the sherry syrup by three parts filling a glass jar with the best lump sugar, pouring on it rather more wine than will cover it, adding the strained juice of a lemon, or orange, a few shreds of yellow peel, and a blade of mace, then setting in sunshine until the sugar dissolves. it should be almost like honey--no other sweetening is needed. a spoonful in after-dinner coffee makes it another beverage--just as a syrup made in the same way from rum, sugar and lemon juice, glorifies afternoon tea. white grapes halved and seeded mixed with bananas cut small, and orange pulp, well sweetened and topped with whipped cream, either natural or "laced" with sherry, make another easy dessert. serve in tall footed glasses, set on your finest doilies in your prettiest plates. lay a flower or a gay candy upon the plate--it adds enormously to the festive effect and very little to the trouble. a spoonful of rich wine jelly, laid upon any sort of fresh fruit, to my thinking, makes it much better. cream can be added also--but i do not care for it--indeed do not taste it, nor things creamed. ripe, juicy cherries, pitted and mixed equally with banana cubes, then sweetened, make a dessert my soul loves to recall. not caring to eat them i never make ice cream, frozen puddings, _mousses_, sherbets, nor many of the gelatine desserts. hence i have experimented rather widely in the kingdom of fruits. this book is throughout very largely a record of experience--i hope it may have the more value through being special rather than universal. _sandwiches_: in sandwich making mind your _s's_. that is to say, have your knife sharp, your bread stale, your butter soft. moreover the bread must be specially made--fine grained, firm, not crumbly, nor ragged. cut off crusts for ordinary sandwiches--but if shaping them with cutters let it stay. then you can cut to the paper-thinness requisite--otherwise that is impossible. work at a roomy table spread with a clean old tablecloth over which put sheets of clean, thick paper. do your cutting on the papered surface--thus you save either turning your knife edges against a platter or sorely gashing even an old cloth. keep fancy cutters all together and ready to your hand. shape one kind of sandwiches all the same--thus you distinguish them easily. make as many as your paper space will hold, before stamping out any--this saves time and strength. clear away the fragments from one making, before beginning another sort, thus avoiding possible taints and confusion. lay your made sandwiches on a platter under a dry cloth with a double damp one on top of it. they will not dry out, and it is much easier than wrapping in oiled paper. the nearer fillings approach the consistency of soft butter, the better. in making sardine sandwiches, boil the eggs hard, mash the yolks smooth while hot, softening them with either butter or salad dressing--french dressing of course. it is best made with lemon juice and very sharp vinegar for such use. work into the eggs, the sardines freed of skin and bone after draining well, and mashed as fine as possible. a little of their oil may be added if the flavor is liked. but lemon juice is better. rub the mixture smooth with the back of a stout wooden spoon, and pack close in a bowl so it shall not harden. pimento cheese needs to be softened with french dressing, until like creamed butter. the finer the pimento is ground the better. spread evenly upon the buttered bread, lay other buttered bread upon it, and pile square. when the pile gets high enough, cut through into triangles or finger shapes, and lay under the damp cloth. slice swiss cheese very thin with a sharp knife, season lightly with salt and paprika, and lay between the buttered slices. lettuce dressed with oil and lemon juice and lightly sprinkled with parmesan cheese makes a refreshing afternoon sandwich. ham needs to be ground fine--it must be boiled well of course--seasoned lightly with made mustard, pepper, and lemon juice, softened a bit with clear oil or butter, and spread thin. tongue must be treated the same way, else boiled very, very tender, skinned before slicing, and sliced paper-thin. rounds of it inside shaped sandwiches are likely to surprise--and please--masculine palates. for the shaped sandwich--leaf or star, or heart, or crescent, is the happy home, generally, of all the fifty-seven varieties of fancy sandwich fillings, sweet and sour, mushy and squshy, which make an honest mouthful of natural flavor, a thing of joy. yet this is not saying novelty in sandwiches is undesirable. contrariwise it is welcome as summer rain. in witness, here is a filling from the far philippines, which albeit i have not tried it out yet, sounds to me enticing, and has further the vouching of a cook most excellent. grate fine as much edam or pineapple cheese as requisite, season well with paprika, add a few grains of black pepper, wet with sherry to the consistency of cream, and spread between buttered bread. if it is nut bread so much the better. nut bread is made thus. _nut bread for sandwiches_: (mrs. petre.) beat two eggs very light, with a scant teaspoonful salt, half cup sugar, and two cups milk. sift four cups flour twice with four teaspoonfuls baking powder. mix with eggs and milk, stir smooth, add one cup nuts finely chopped, let raise for twenty minutes, in a double pan, and bake in a moderately quick oven. do not try to slice until perfectly cold--better wait till next day, keeping the bread where it will not dry out. slice very thin, after buttering. makes sandwiches of special excellence with any sort of good filling. [illustration: _pickles, preserves, coffee, tea, chocolate_] _brine for pickling_: use rain water if possible and regular picking salt--it is coarse and much stronger than cooking salt. lacking rain water, soften other water by dissolving in it the day beforehand, a pinch of washing soda--this neutralizes largely the mineral contents. put over the fire in a deep, clean kettle, bring to a boil, put in salt--a pint to the gallon of water is the usual proportion. boil and skim, add a pinch of saltpeter and tablespoonful of sugar for each pint of salt--the pinches must not be large. add also six whole cloves for each gallon. take from fire, let cool, drop in an egg--it should float to show the size of a quarter of a dollar. otherwise the brine needs more salt. dissolve a pint extra in as little water as suffices, and add to the brine, then test again. put the brine when cold into a clean, roomy vessel, a keg or barrel, else a big stone crock. it should not quite half fill it. provide a heading that will float upon it, also a light weight to keep the heading on the pickles when put in, and hold them under the brine. unless so held the uppermost rot, and spoil the lot. mold will gather around the head in spite of the cloves, but less than without them. whenever you put in fresh pickles, take out the head, wash and scald, dry, and return to place. anything edible will make pickle--still there are many things better kept out of the brine. cabbage and cauliflower for example do not need it--green tomatoes, onions, and jerusalem artichokes are likewise taboo. the artichokes make good pickle, but it must be made all at once. cut anything intended for the brine with a bit of stalk, and without bruising the stalk. cucumbers should be small, and even in size, gherkins about half grown, string beans, three parts grown, crook-neck squash very small and tender, green peppers for mangoes, full grown but not turning, muskmelons for other mangoes three parts grown. wash clean or wipe with a damp cloth. cut pickles in early morning, so they may be fresh and crisp. never put in any wilted bit--thereby you invite decay. watermelon rind makes fine pickle, sweet and sour--also citron, queen of all home made preserves. it must be fairly thick, sound and unbruised. the rattle snake melon has a good rind for such uses. the finer flavored and thinner-rinded varieties that come to market, are rarely worth cutting up. the cutting up is a bit tedious. the rind must be cut in strips rather more than an inch wide and three to five inches long, then trimmed on each side, free of green outer skin, and all trace of the soft inside. there will remain less than half an inch thickness of firm pale green tissue with potentialities of delight--if you know how to bring them out. firm clingstone peaches not fully ripe, can be put in the brine--they had better, however, be pickled without it. for whatever is put in, and saved by salt, must be freed of the salt by long soaking before it is fit to eat. the soaking process is the same for everything--take from brine, wash clean in tepid water, put to soak in cold water with something on top to hold the pickles down. change water twice the first day, afterward every day, until it has not the least salt taste. you can make pickle by soaking in brine three days, then washing clean, putting over the fire in clear water, bringing to scalding heat, then pouring off the water, covering with vinegar, and bringing just to a boil. drain away this vinegar, which has served its turn, pack down the pickles in a jar, seasoning them well with mixed spices, whole, not in powder, covering with fresh, hot vinegar, letting cool uncovered, then tieing down, and keep dark and cool. _watermelon rind pickle_: scald the soaked rind in strong ginger tea, let stand two minutes barely simmering, then skim out, lay in another kettle, putting in equal quantities of cloves, mace, alspice, and cinnamon, half as much grated nutmeg, the same of whole pepper corns, several pods of cayenne pepper, white mustard and celery seed, covering with cider vinegar, the only sort that will keep pickles well, bringing just to the boil, then putting down hot in jars, tying down after cooling, and setting in a dark, cool, airy place. for sweet pickle, prepare and season, then to each pint of vinegar put one and a half pounds of sugar, boil together one minute, stirring well, and skimming clean, then pour over rind and spices, keep hot for ten minutes without boiling, then put into jars. if wanted only a little sweet, use but half a pound of sugar. _mangoes_: either green peppers or young melons will serve as a foundation--epicures rather preferring the peppers. after making thoroughly fresh, cut out the stems from the peppers, removing and throwing away the seed but saving the stems. cut a section from the side of each melon, and remove everything inside. fit back stems, sections, etc., then pack in a kettle in layers with fresh grape leaves between, add a bit of alum as big as the thumb's end, cover all with strong, cold vinegar, bring to a boil, and simmer gently for twenty minutes. let stand in vinegar two or three days, throwing away the leaves. take out, rinse and drain. to stuff four dozen, bruise, soak, cut small and dry, half a pound of race ginger, add half a pint each black and white mustard seed, mace, allspice, turmeric, black pepper, each half an ounce, beat all together to a rather fine powder, add a dash of garlic, and mix smooth in half a cup of salad oil. chop very fine a small head of firm but tender cabbage, three fine hearts of celery, half a dozen small pickled cucumbers, half a pint small onions, a large, sweet red pepper, finely shredded, add a teaspoonful sugar, a tablespoonful of brandy, or dry sherry, the mixed spices, work all well together, stuff the mangoes neatly, sew up with soft thread or tie about with very narrow tape, pack down in stone jars, cover with the best cold vinegar, pour a film of salad oil on top, tie down and let stand two months. if wanted sweetish, add moist sugar to the vinegar, a pound to the gallon. mangoes are for men in the general--and men like things hot and sour. _walnut pickle_: gather white walnuts in june--they must be tender enough to cut with the finger nail. wash, drain and pack down in jars smothered in salt. let stand a fortnight, drain off the resultant brine then, scald the nuts in strong vinegar, let stand hot, but not boiling, for twenty minutes, then drain, and pack in jars, putting between the layers, a mixture of cloves, alspice, black and red pepper, in equal quantity, with half as much mace, nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. strew in a very little salt, and a little more sugar. mix mustard and celery seed in a cup of salad oil, and add to the jars, after the nuts are in. scald strong cider vinegar, skim clean, let cool, pour over the prepared nuts, film with oil on top. leave open for two days--if the vinegar sinks through absorption, fill up the jars. paste paper over mouths, tie down securely, and set in a cool place until next year. it takes twelve months for pickled walnuts fully to "find themselves." _preserving fruit_: peaches, pears, plums, or cherries, the process is much the same. use the finest fruit, ripe but not over-ripe. there is no greater waste of strength, time, and sugar, than in preserving tasteless, inferior fruit. pare peaches and drop instantly in water to save discoloration. do the same with pears, pit cherries, saving the juice. wash and prick plums if large--if small, merely wash and drain. halve clear stone peaches but put in a few seeds for the flavor. leave clingstones on the seed, unless very large, else saw them in three, across the stones. they make less handsome preserves thus sawn but of finer flavor. weigh, take pound for pound of sugar, with a pound over for the kettle. very acid fruit, cherries or gooseberries, will require six pounds of sugar to four of fruit. pack pears and peaches after paring in the sugar over night. drain off the syrup at morning, put the fruit in the kettle, cover with strained ginger tea, and simmer for ten minutes. meantime cook the sugar and fruit juice in another kettle. drop the fruit hot in the boiling syrup, set the kettle in a hot oven, and let it cook there until the preserves are done--the fruit clear, and the syrup thick. if it is not rich enough, skim out the fruit, and reduce the syrup by rapid boiling, then pour over the hot fruit in jars. it is only by cooking thus in ginger tea, or plain water, pear and quince preserves can be made soft. quinces do not need to stand overnight in sugar--rather heat the sugar, and put it in the liquid they have been boiled in, after skimming out the fruit. it should be cooked without sugar till a fork easily pierces it, but not until it begins to rag. put cherry juice and sugar over the fire, adding a little water if juice is scant, boil up, stirring well and skimming clean, then put in the fruit, and let it simmer ten minutes, and finish by setting the kettle in the oven till the preserves are rich and thick. fancy peach preserves require white, juicy fruit cut up, but not too thin. let it stand in sugar overnight--drain off syrup in morning, boil, skim clean, then drop in fruit a handful at a time, and cook till clear. skim out, put in more, lay cooked fruit on platters, and set under glass in sun. sun all day. next day boil syrup a little more, drop in fruit, heat through, then put all in clear glass jars, and set for ten days in hot sunshine, covered close. the fruit should be a rich translucent pink, the syrup as rich as honey, and a little lighter pink. these are much handsomer than the gingered peaches but not so good. ginger tea in syrup makes it always darker. plums require nothing extra in the way of flavoring. make a very thick syrup of the sugar and a little water, skim clean, drop in the pricked plums, and cook gently till clear. skim out, reduce the syrup by further boiling and pour it over the fruit, packed in jars. by oven-cooking after a good boil up, there is so little occasion for stirring, the plums are left almost entirely whole. _ginger pears_: (leslie fox.) four pounds pears peeled and cut small, four pounds granulated sugar, juice of four lemons, and the grated peel of two, two ounces preserved ginger cut very fine. cook all together over a slow fire until thick and rich--it should make a firm jelly. put away in glass with brandy paper on top the same as other preserves. _tutti frutti_: (mrs. j. r. oldham.) begin by getting a big wide-mouthed jar, either thoroughly glazed earthenware, or thick, dark glass. wash well, fill with hot water, add a half-pound washing soda, and let stand a day. empty, rinse three times, and wipe dry. thus you make end to potential molds and microbes. do this in early spring. put into the jar, a quart of good brandy and a tablespoonful of mixed spices--any your taste approves, also a little finely shredded yellow peel of lemons and oranges. wash well and hull a quart of fine ripe strawberries, add them with their own weight in sugar to the brandy, let stand till raspberries and cherries are ripe, then put in a quart of each, along with their weight in sugar. do this with all fruit as it comes in season--forced fruit, or that shipped long distances has not enough flavor. add grapes, halved and seeded, gooseberries, nibbed and washed, blackberries, peaches pared and quartered. currants are best left out, but by no means slight plums. the big meaty sorts are best. add as much sugar as fruit, and from time to time more brandy--there must be always enough to stand well above the fruit. add spices also as the jar grows, and if almond flavor is approved, kernels of all the stone fruit, well blanched. lay on a saucer or small plate, when the jar is full, to hold the fruit well under the liquor. tie down, and leave standing for three months. fine for almost any use--especially to sauce mild puddings. _green tomato preserves_: take medium size tomatoes, smooth, even, meaty, just on the point of turning but still green. pare very carefully with a sharp knife. cut out eyes, taking care not to cut into a seed cavity. weigh--to four pounds fruit take six of sugar. lay the peeled tomatoes in clear lime water for an hour, take out, rinse, and simmer for ten minutes in strained ginger tea. make a syrup in another kettle, putting half a cup water to the pound of sugar. skim clean, put in the tomatoes, add the strained juice of lemons--three for a large kettle full, and simmer for two hours, until the fruit is clear. cut the lemon rind in strips, boil tender in strong salt water, then boil fresh in clear water, and add to the syrup. simmer all together for another hour, then skim out the fruit, boil the syrup to the thickness of honey, and pour over the tomatoes after putting them in jars. it ought to be very clear, and the tomatoes a pale, clear green. among the handsomest of all preserves, also the most delicious, once you get the hang of making them. ripe yellow tomatoes are preserved the same way, except that they are scalded for peeling, and hardened by dropping in alum water after their lime-water bath. the same process applied to watermelon rind after it is freshened makes citron. _brandy peaches and pears_: these can be made without cooking. choose ripe, perfect fruit, pare, stick three cloves in each, weigh, take pound for pound of sugar with one over for the jar. pack down in a large jar, putting spices between, and filling sugar into every crevice. crowd in every bit possible, then pour on enough whiskey to stand an inch above the fruit. let stand--in twenty-four hours more whiskey will be needed. fill up, sprinkle a few more whole cloves on top, also two small pods of cayenne pepper, and half a dozen pepper corns. tie down and keep cool. fit for use in a fortnight, and of fine keeping quality. the same treatment with vinegar in place of whiskey makes very good sweet pickle. another way, is to pack the fruit in sugar over night, drain off the juice at morning, boil and skim it, and pour back upon the fruit. repeat twice--the third time put everything in the kettle, cook till a fork will pierce the fruit, then pack in jars, adding spices to taste, and one fourth as much whiskey as there is fruit and syrup. this likewise can be turned into very rich sweet pickle, by using vinegar instead of whiskey, putting it with the syrup at first boiling, sticking cloves in the fruit, and adding spices to taste. throw stemmed and washed cherries, unpitted, into thick syrup made of their weight in sugar with half a cup water to the pound. let boil, set in oven for half an hour, take up, add spices, and either brandy or vinegar, in the proportion of one to three. let stand uncovered to cool, put in jars, cover with brandy paper, tie down and keep dark and cool. _tea: coffee: chocolate_: my tea-making is unorthodox, but people like to drink the brew. bring fresh water to a bubbling boil in a clean, wide kettle, throw in the tea--a tablespoonful to the gallon of water, let boil just one minute, then strain from the leaves into a pot that has stood for five minutes full of freshly boiled water, and that is instantly wrapped about with a thick napkin, so it shall not cool. serve in tall glasses with rum and lemon, or with sherry syrup, flavored with lemon, add a maraschino cherry or so, or a tiny bit of ginger-flavored citron. this for the unorthodox. those who are orthodox can have cream either whipped or plain, with rock candy crystals instead of sugar. coffee to be absolutely perfect should never get cold betwixt the beginning of roasting and the end of drinking. since that is out of the question save to grand turks and faddists, mere mortals must make shift with coffee freshly ground, put in a very clean pot, with the least suspicion of salt--about six fine grains to the cupful, fresh cold water, in the proportion of three cupfuls to two heaping spoonfuls of ground coffee, then the pot set where it will take twenty minutes to boil, and so carefully watched it can not possibly boil over. boiling over ruins it--makes it flat, bitter, aroma-less. so does long boiling--one minute, no more, is the longest boiling time. quick boiling is as bad--the water has not time to extract the real goodness of the coffee. let stand five minutes to clear, keeping hot. those who drink coffee half milk may like it stronger--a cupful of water to the heaping spoonful of coffee. i do not thus abuse one of the crowning mercies, so make my coffee the strength i like to drink it. reducing with boiling water spoils the taste for me. so does pouring into another pot--my silver pot is used only upon occasions when ceremony must outweigh hospitality. in very cold weather hot water may well warm cups both for tea and coffee. standing on the grounds does not spoil the flavor of coffee as it does tea. coffee from the original pot is quite another affair from the same thing shifted. i am firmly of opinion that many a patent coffee-maker has gone on to success through the fact that cups were filled directly from the urn. i always feel that i taste my coffee mostly with my nose--nothing refreshes me like the clean, keen fragrance of it--especially after broken rest. it is idle to talk as so many authorities do, of using "java and mocha blended." all the real java and mocha in the world is snapped up, long before it filters down to the average level. back in the dark ages of my childhood, i knew experimentally real java--we got it by the sack-full straight from new orleans--and called the rio coffee used by many of our neighbors "seed tick coffee," imagining its flavor was like the smell of those pests. nowadays, rio coffee has pretty well the whole world for its parish. wherefore the best one can do, is to get it sound, well roasted, and as fresh as may be. much as i love and practice home preparation, i am willing to let the trust or who will, roast my coffee. roasting is parlous work, hot, tedious, and tiresome, also mighty apt to result in scorching if not burning. one last caution--never meddle with the salt unless sure your hand is light, your memory so trustworthy you will not put it in twice. chocolate spells milk, and cream, and trouble, hence i make it only on occasions of high state. yet--i am said to make it well. perhaps the secret lies in the brandy--a scant teaspoonful for each cake of chocolate grated. put in a bowl after grating, add the brandy, stir about, then add enough hot water to dissolve smoothly, and stir into a quart of rich milk, just brought to a boil. add six lumps of sugar, stir till dissolved, pour into your pot, which must have held boiling water for five minutes previously, and serve in heated cups, with or without whipped cream on top. there is no taste of the brandy--it appears merely to give a smoothness to the blending. if the chocolate is too rich, half-fill cups with boiling water, then pour in the chocolate. there are brands of chocolate which can be made wholly of water--they will serve at a pinch, but are not to be named with the real thing. cocoa i have never made, therefore say nothing about its making. like harry percy's wife, in cooking at least, i "never tell that which i do not know." [illustration: _when the orchards "hit"_] when the peach orchard "hit" it meant joy to the plantation. peaches had so many charms--and there were so many ways of stretching the charms on through winter scarcity. peach drying was in a sort, a festival, especially if there were a kiln, which made one independent of the weather. it took many hands wielding many sharp knives in fair fruit to keep a kiln of fair size running regularly. this though it were no more than a thing of flat stones and clean clay mud, with paper laid over the mud, and renewed periodically. there was a shed roof, over the kiln, which sat commonly in the edge of the orchard. black daddy tended the firing--with a couple of active lads to cut and fetch wood, what time they were not fetching in great baskets of peaches. yellow peaches, not too ripe but full flavored, made the lightest and sweetest dried fruit. and clingstones were ever so much better for drying than the clear-seed sorts. some folk took off the peach fuzz with lye--they did not, i think, save trouble thereby, and certainly lost somewhat in the flavor of their fruit. mammy was a past mistress of cutting "cups." that is to say, half-peaches, with only the seed deftly removed. she sat with the biggest bread tray upon her well cushioned knees, in the midst of the peelers, who as they peeled, dropped their peaches into the tray. when it over-ran with cups, somebody slimmer and suppler, took it away, and spread the cut fruit, just touching, all over the hot kiln. it must not be too hot--just so you couldn't bear the back of your hand to it was about right. daddy kept the temperature even, by thrusting into the flues underneath it, long sticks of green wood, kindled well at the flue-mouths. cups shrank mightily in a little while--you could push of an early trayful till it would no more than cover space the size of a big dish, long before dinner time--in other words twelve o'clock--drying was in full blast by seven. with fruit in gluts, and dropping fast, the kiln was supplemented by scaffolds. clean planks laid upon trestles, and set in full sunshine, gave excellent accounts of themselves. this of course if the sun shone steadily--in showery weather scaffold-drying was no end of trouble. weather permitting, it made--it still makes--the finest and most flavorous dried fruit ever eaten. the black people chose clear-seed peaches for their individual drying. they made merry over splitting the fruit, and placing it, sitting out in front of their cabins in the moonshine, or by torch-light. washing was all they gave the peach outsides--a little thing like a fuzzy rind their palates did not object to. it was just as well, since clear-seed fruit, peeled, shrinks unconscionably--to small scrawny knots, inclined to be sticky--though it is but just to add, that in cooking, it comes back to almost its original succulence. when the peach-cutting was done, there was commonly a watermelon feast. especially at mammy's house--daddy's watermelons were famed throughout the county. he gave seed of them sparingly, and if the truth must be told, rather grudgingly--but nobody ever brought melons to quite his pitch of perfection. possibly because he planted for the most part, beside rotting stumps in the new ground, where the earth had to be kept light and clean for tobacco, and where the vines got somewhat of shade, and the roots fed fat upon the richness of virgin soil. it took eight bushels of ripe fruit, to make one of dry--this when the peaches were big and fleshy. small, seedy sorts demanded ten bushels for one. unpeeled, the ratio fell to seven for one. but there was seldom any lack of fruit--beside the orchard, there were trees up and down all the static fence rows--the corner of a worm fence furnishing an ideal seat. further, every field boasted trees, self-planted, sprung from chance seed vagrantly cast. these volunteer trees often had the very best fruit--perhaps because only peaches of superior excellence had been worth carrying a-field. tilth also helped--the field trees bent and often broke under their fruity burdens. it was only when late frosts made half or three parts of the young fruit drop, that we knew how fine and beautiful these field peaches could be. our trees, being all seedlings, were in a degree, immortelles. branches, even trunks might bend and break, but the seminal roots sent up new shoots next season, which in another year, bore fruit scantily. still, these renewals never gave quite such perfect fruit as grew upon vigorous young trees, just come to full bearing. here or there a plantation owner like my starch and stately grandfather, turned surplus peaches into brandy. in that happy time excise was--only a word in the dictionary, so the yield of certain trees, very free-bearing, of small, deep, red, clear-seed fruit, was allowed to get dead-ripe on the trees, then mashed to a pulp in the cider trough, and put into stands to ferment, then duly distilled. barrelled, after two years in the lumber house, it was racked into clean barrels, and some part of it converted into "peach and honey," the favorite gentleman's tipple. strained honey was mixed with the brandy in varying proportions--the amount depending somewhat upon individual tastes. some used one measure of honey to three of brandy, others put one to two, still others, half and half, qualifying the sweetness by adding neat brandy at the time of drinking. peach and honey was kept properly in stone jugs or in demijohns, improved mightily with age, and was, at its best, to the last degree insidious. newly mixed it was heady, but after a year or more, as smooth as oil, and as mellow. the honey had something to do with final excellence. that which the bees gathered from wild raspberries in flower, being very clear, light-colored and fine-flavored, was in especial request. i think these peaches of the brandy orchards traced back to those the indians, creeks, choctaws, and cherokees, planted in the mountain valleys of georgia, north carolina, tennessee, and virginia. they got the seed from early spaniard voyagers to florida. there was indeed a special indian peach, as dark-skinned as its namesake, blood-red inside and out, very sweet and full of juice, if permitted to ripen fully--but as ill-tasting almost as a green persimmon, if unripe. there were clearstone and clingstone sorts, and one tree differed from another in glory of flavor, even as one star. that was the charm of our seedlings--which had further a distinction of flavor no commercial fruit ever yet owned. august peaches were for drying--in september, early, came the heaths, for preserves, brandy fruit, and so on. october peaches, nearly all clear-seed, made the finest peach butter. understand, in those days, canning, known as "hermetic sealing," was still a laboratory process. i wonder if anybody else recalls, as i do, the first editions of fruit cans? they were of tin, tall and straight, with a flaring upstanding tin ruffle around the tops. the ruffle was for holding the sealing wax, into which the edge of the tin top was thrust. they did not last long--pretty soon, there were cans of the present shape--but sealing them with wax was hard work, likewise uncertain. women everywhere should rise and call blessed he who invented the self-sealing jar. return we to our peach butter. it began in cider--the cider from fall apples, very rich and sweet. to boil it down properly required a battery of brass kettles swung over a log fire in the yard, the same as at drying up lard time. naturally brass kettles were at a premium--but luckily everybody did not make peach butter, so it was no strain upon neighborly comity to borrow of such. it took more than half a day to boil down the cider properly--kettles were filled up constantly as there was room. by and by, when the contents became almost syrup, peaches went in--preferably the late, soft, white ones, dead ripe, very juicy, and nearly as sweet as sugar. after the kettles were full of them, peeled and halved, of course, the boiling went on until the fruit was mushy. constant stirring helped to make it so. fresh peaches were added twice, and cooked down until the paddle stood upright in the middle of the kettle. then came the spicing--putting in cloves, mace, bruised ginger, and alspice--sparingly, but enough to flavor delicately. if the white peaches ran short, there might be a supplemental butter-making when the red octobers came in, at the very last of the month. they were big and handsome, oval, with the richest crimson cheeks, but nothing like so sweet as the white ones. so sugar, or honey, was added scantly, at the end of the boiling down. if it had been put in earlier, it would have added to the danger of burning. a six-gallon crock of peach butter was no mean household asset--indeed it ranked next to the crock of blackberry jam. it was good as a sauce, or lightly sweetened, to spread on crust. as a filling for roly-polys it had but one superior--namely dried peaches properly stewed. proper stewing meant washing a quart of dry fruit in two waters, soaking overnight, then putting over the fire in the soaking water, covering with a plate to hold the fruit down, and simmering at the least five hours, filling up the kettle from time to time, and adding after the fruit was soft a pound of sugar. then at the very last spices to taste went in. if the fruit were to be eaten along with meat, as a relish, a cupful of vinegar was added after the sugar. this made it a near approach to the finest sweet pickle. but as mammy said often: "dried peaches wus good ernough fer anybody--dest by dee sefs, dry so." apple drying commonly came a little before peach. horse apples, the best and plentiest, ripened in the beginning of august. they were kiln-dried, or scaffold-dried, and much less tedious than peaches since they were sliced thin. when they got very mellow, drying ceased--commonly everybody had plenty by that time--and the making of apple butter began. it differed little from peach butter in the making, though mightily in taste--being of a less piquant flavor. cider, newly run was essential to any sort of butter--hence the beating was done before breakfast. cider mills were not--but cider troughs abounded. they were dug from huge poplar logs, squared outside with the broad axe, and adzed within to a smooth finish. apples well washed, were beaten in them with round headed wooden pestles, and pressed in slat presses, the pomace laid on clean straw, after the manner of cider pressing in english orchards. the first runnings, somewhat muddy, were best for boiling down, but the clear last runnings drank divinely--especially after keeping until there was just the trace of sparkle to them. winter cider was commonly allowed to get hard. so was that meant for distilling--apple brandy was only second to peach. but a barrel or keg, would be kept sweet for women, children, and ministers--either by smoking the inside of a clean barrel well with sulphur before putting in the cider, or by hanging inside a barrel nearly full, a thin muslin bag full of white mustard seed. cider from russets and pear apples had a peculiar excellence, so was kept for christmas and other high days. pear cider--perry--we knew only in books. not through lack of pears but inclination to make it. pears were dried the same as other fruit, but commonly packed down after drying in sugar. thus they were esteemed nearly as good as peach chips, or even peach leather. peach chips were sliced thin, packed down in their own weight of sugar and let stand twenty-four hours to toughen. then the syrup was drained from them, boiled, skimmed clean, spiced with mace and lemon peel, and the slices dropped into it a few at a time and cooked until sweet through. then they were skimmed out, spread on dishes well sprinkled with sugar, dredged with more sugar, set under glass in sunshine and turned daily until dry. they were delicious, and served as other confections--passed around with nuts and wine, or eaten instead of candy. so were cherries, dried in exactly the same manner, after pitting. when dried without sugar they were used for cooking. so also were tomato figs. yellow tomatoes, smooth and even were best--but red ones answered--the meatier the better. after scalding, peeling, soaking an hour in clear lime-water to harden, they were rinsed clean, then dropped in thick boiling syrup, a few at a time, simmered an hour, then skimmed out, drained, sugared and dried under glass in the sun, or failing sunshine, upon dishes in a very slow oven. full-dry, they were packed down in powdered sugar, in glass jars kept tightly closed. unless thus kept they had a knack of turning sticky--which defeated the purpose of their creation. peach leather may not appeal to this day of many sweets--but it was good indeed back in the spare elder time. to make it the very ripest, softest peaches were peeled, and mashed smooth, working quickly so the pulp might not color too deeply, then spread an inch thick upon large dishes or even clean boards, and dried slowly in sunshine or the oven. after it was full-dry, came the cutting into inch-strips. this took a very sharp knife and a steady hand. then the strips were coiled edgewise into flat rounds, with sugar between the rounds of the coils, which had to be packed down in more sugar and kept close, to save them from dampness, which meant ruin. if you had a fond and extravagant grandmother, you were almost sure to have also a clove apple. that is to say, a fine firm winter apple, stuck as full of cloves as it could hold, then allowed to dry very, very slowly, in air neither hot nor cold. the cloves banished decay--their fragrance joined to the fruity scent of the apple, certainly set off things kept in the drawer with the apple. the applemakers justified their extravagance--cloves cost money, then as now--by asserting a belief in clove apples as sovereign against mildew or moths--which may have had a color of reason. the quince tree is the clown of the orchard, growing twisted and writhing, as though hating a straight line. notwithstanding, its fruit, and the uses thereof, set the hall mark of housewifery. especially in the matter of jelly-making and marmalade. further a quince pudding is in the nature of an experience--so few have ever heard of it, so much fewer made or tasted it. the making requires very ripe quinces--begin by scrubbing them clean of fuzz, then set them in a deep pan, cover, after adding a tablespoonful of water, and bake slowly until very soft. scrape out the pulp, throw away cores and skin. to a pint of pulp take four eggs, beat the yolks light with three cups of sugar and a cup of creamed butter, add the quince pulp, a little mace broken small or grated nutmeg, then half a cup of cream, and the egg-whites beaten stiff. bake in a deep pan, and serve hot with hard or wine sauce. here are some fine points of jelly-making learned in that long ago. to make the finest, clearest jelly, cook but little at a time. a large kettleful will never have the color and brightness of two or three glasses. never undertake to make jelly of inferior fruit--that which is unripe or over-ripe, or has begun to sour. wash clean, and drain--paring is not only waste work, but in a measure lessens flavor. put a little water with the fruit when you begin cooking it--cook rather slowly so there shall be no scorching, and drain out rather than press out the juice. draining is much freer if the fruit is spread thin, rather than dumped compactly in a bag. double cheese cloth sewed fast over stout wire, and laid on top of a wide bowl, makes a fine jelly drainer--one cheap enough to be thrown away when discolored. a discolored bag, by the way, makes jelly a bit darker. if there is no pressure flannel is not required. plenty as fruit was with us, mammy made jelly and marmalade from the same quinces. they were well washed, peeled, quartered and the cores removed, then the quarters boiled until soft in water to half-cover them, skimmed out, mashed smooth with their own weight of sugar, and spices to taste, then cooked very slowly until the spoon stood upright in the mass, after which it went into glass jars, and had a brandy paper laid duly on top. cores and paring were boiled to rags in water to fully cover them, then strained out, the water strained again, and added to that in which the fruit had boiled. sugar was added--a pound to the pint of juice. but first the juice was brought to a boil, and skimmed very clean. the sugar, heated without scorching, went in, and cooking continued until the drop on the tip of the spoon jellied as it fell. mammy hated jelly that ran--it must cut like butter to reach her standard. occasionally she flavored it with ginger--boiling the bruised root with the cores--but only occasionally, as ginger would make the jelly darker. occasionally also she cooked apples, usually fall pippins, with the quinces, thus increasing the bulk of both jelly and marmalade, with hardly a sensible diminution of flavor. all here written applies equally to every sort of fruit jelly--apple, peach, currant, the whole family of berries. mammy never knew it, but i myself have found the oven at half-heat a very present help in jelly-making. fruit well prepared, and put into a stone or agate vessel, covered and baked gently for a time proportionate to its bulk, yields all its juice, and it seems to me clearer juice, than when stewed in the time-honored brass kettle. hot sugar helps to jellying quickly--and the more haste there, the lighter and brighter the result. gelatin in fruit jellies i never use--it increases the product sensibly, but that is more than offset by the decrease in quality. [illustration: _upon occasions_] it was no trouble at all to make occasions. indeed, the greatest of them, weddings, really made themselves. a wedding made imperative an infare--that is to say, if the high contracting parties had parental approval. maybe i had better explain that infare meant the bride's going home--to her new house, or at least her new family. this etymologically--the root is the saxon _faran_, to go, whence come wayfaring, faring forth and so on. all this i am setting forth not in pedantry, but because so many folk had stared blankly upon hearing the word--which was to me as familiar as word could be. in application it had a wide latitude. commonly the groom or his family gave the infare, but often enough some generous and well-to-do friend, or kinsman, pre-empted the privilege. wherever held, it was an occasion of keen and jealous rivalry--those in charge being doubly bent on making the faring in more splendid than the wedding feast. naturally that put the wedding folk on their mettle. another factor inciting to extra effort was--the bundles. all guests were expected to take home with them generous bundles of wedding cake in all its varieties. i recall once hearing a famous cake baker sigh relief as she frosted the hundredth snow ball, and said: "now we are sure to have enough left for the bundles--they are such a help." but baking cakes, and cooking in general, though important, were not the main things. setting the table, so it should outshine all other wedding tables gave most concern. to this end all the resources of the family, and its friends for a radius of ten miles, were available--glass, silver, china, linen, even cook pots and ovens at need. also and further it was a slight of the keenest, if you were known as a fine cake maker, not to be asked to help. a past mistress of paper cutting was likewise in request. cut papers and evergreens were the great reliances in decoration. they made a brave showing by candlelight. oil lamps were few, kerosene undiscovered, and either lard oil, or whale oil, all too often smelled to heaven, to say nothing of smoking upon the least provocation. so a lamp, if there were one, sat in state within the parlor. the long table got its light from candelabra--which as often as not were homemade. the base was three graduated blocks of wood, nailed to form a sort of pyramid, with a hole bored in the middle to receive a stout round upright, two inches across. it stood a foot high, and held up cross-arms three feet across, with a tin candlesocket upon each end. another socket was set where the arms crossed--thus each candelabra was of five-candle power. set a-row down the middle of the table, with single candles in tall brass sticks interspersed, they gave a fine soft illumination. often they were supplemented with candelabra of bronze or brass, tricked out with tinkly pendant prisms. such household gauds were commonly concentrated at the spot where the bride and her maids would stand. they were more elegant, of course, than the made candle-holders--but not to my thinking a whit the handsomer--after the paper-cutters had done their work. their work was turning white paper into fringe and lace. fringed strips wound all over and about, hid the foundation wood. paper tulips, deftly fashioned, held the tin rings in ambush--with clusters of lacy leaves pendant below. sometimes a paper rose tipped each arm-end--sometimes also, there were pendant sprays of pea-shaped blossoms. how they were made, with nothing beyond scissors, pen-knives for crimping, and the palm of the hand for mold, i confess i do not understand--but i know they were marvels. the marvels required a special knack, of course--also much time and patience. wherefore those who had it, exercised it in scraps of leisure as paper came to hand, laying away the results against the next wedding even though none were imminent. leaves and the round lace-edged pieces to go under cakes, it was easy thus to keep. flowers, roses, tulips and so on, had a trick of losing shape--besides, although so showy, they were really much easier to make. it took nice contrivance to make table-room--but double thicknesses of damask falling to the floor either side hid all roughness in the foundation. shape depended much upon the size of the supper-room--if it were but an inclosed piazza, straight length was imperative. but in a big square or parallelogram, one could easily achieve a capital _h_--or else a letter _z_. _z_ was rather a favorite in that it required less heavy decoration, yet gave almost as much space. a heart-cake for either tip, a stack at each acute angle, with the bride's cake midway the stem, flanked either hand by bowls of syllabub and boiled custard, made a fine showing. a letter _h_ demanded four heart-cakes--one for each end, also four stacks, and crowded the bride and her party along the joining bar. heart-cakes were imperative to any wedding of degree. local tinsmiths made the moulds for them--they were deeply cleft, and not strictly classic of outline. but, well and truly baked, frosted a glistening white, then latticed and fringed with more frosting, dribbled on delicately from the point of a tube, they were surely good to look at. if the bride's cake were white all through, the heart-pans were usually filled with gold-cake batter--thus white and yolk of eggs had equal honor. more commonly though, the most part of wedding cake was pound cake in the beginning--the richer the better. baked in deep round-bottomed, handleless coffee cups, and iced, it made the helpful snow balls. baked in square pans, rather shallow, cut into bars, crisped, frosted and piled cob-house fashion, it made pens. sliced crosswise and interlaid with jelly it became jelly cake. to supplement it, there were marble cake, spice cake, plum cake, ever so many more cakes--but they were--only supplements. stacks were either round or square, baked in pans of graduated size, set one on the other after cooling thoroughly, then frosted and re-frosted till they had a polar suggestion. if round there was commonly a hole running down the middle, into this was fitted a wide mouthed but small glass bottle, to hold the stems of the evergreen plume topping the stack. here or there in the plume, shone a paper rose or starflower--in the wreath of evergreen laid about the base, were tulips, lilies, and bigger roses, all made of paper. occasionally trailing myrtle, well washed and dried, was put about the components of the stacks just before they were set in place. if the heart-cakes had missed being latticed, they likewise were myrtle-wreathed. the bride's cake was left dead-white, but it always stood on something footed, and had a wreath of evergreen and paper flowers, laid upon a lace-cut paper about the foot. baking it was an art. so many things had to go in it--the darning needle, thimble, picayune, ring, and button. the makers would have scorned utterly the modern subterfuge of baking plain, and thrusting in the portents of fate before frosting. they mixed the batter a trifle stiff, washed and scoured everything, shut eyes, dropped them, and stirred them well about. thus nobody had the least idea where they finally landed--so the cutting was bound to be strictly fair. it made much fun--the bride herself cut the first slice--hoping it might hold the picayune, and thus symbolize good fortune. the ring presaged the next bride or groom, the darning needle single blessedness to the end, the thimble, many to sew for, or feed, the button, fickleness or disappointment. after the bridal party had done cutting, other young folk tempted fate. bride's cake was not for eating--instead, fragments of it, duly wrapped and put under the pillow, were thought to make whatever the sleeper dreamed come true. especially if the dream included a sweetheart, actual or potential. the dreams were supposed to be truly related next day at the infare--but i question if they always were. perhaps the magic worked--and in this wise--the person dreamed of took on so new a significance, the difference was quickly felt. but this is a cook book--with reminiscent attachments, not a treatise on psychology. the table held only the kickshaws--cakes, candy, nuts, syllabub and custard. wide handsome plates piled high with tempting sliced cake sat up and down the length of it, with glass dishes of gay candies in between. in cold weather wine jelly often took the place of syllabub. there were neither napkins nor service plates--all such things came from the side table, the plates laden with turkey, ham, fried chicken, or broiled, and some sort of jelly or relish. one ate standing, with her escort doing yeoman service as waiter, until her appetite was fully appeased. hot biscuit, hot egg bread, and light bread--salt rising, freshly sliced--were passed about by deft black servitors. the side tables were under charge of family friends, each specially skilled in helping and serving. carving, of course, had been done before hand. occasionally, very occasionally, where a wedding throng ran well into the hundreds, there was barbecue in addition to other meat. in that case it was cut up outside, and sent in upon huge platters. but it was more a feature of infares, held commonly by daylight, than of wedding suppers. wedding salad is set forth in its proper chapter, but not the turkey hash that was to some minds the best of all the good eating. it was served for breakfast--there was always a crowd of kinfolk and faraway friends to stay all night--sleeping on pallets all over the floors, even those of parlor or ballroom, after they were deserted. the hash was made from all the left-over turkey--where a dozen birds have been roasted the leavings will be plenty. to it was added the whole array of giblets, cooked the day before, and cut small while still warm. they made heaps of rich gravy to add to that in the turkey pots--no real wedding ever contented itself with cooking solely on a range. pots, big ones, set beside a log fire out of doors, with a little water in the bottom, and coals underneath and on the lids, turned out turkeys beautifully browned, tender and flavorous, to say nothing of the gravy. it set off the hash as nothing else could--but such setting off was not badly needed. hash with hot biscuit, strong clear coffee, hot egg bread, and thin-sliced ham, made a breakfast one could depend on, even with a long drive cross-country in prospect. harking back to the supper table--syllabub, as nearly as i recall, was made of thick cream lightly reinforced with stiffly beaten white of egg--one egg-white to each pint--sweetened, well flavored with sherry or madeira wine, then whipped very stiff, and piled in a big bowl, also in goblets to set about the bowl, just as snow balls were set a-row about the stacks and the bride's cake. flecks of crimson jelly were dropped on the white cream--occasionally, there were crumbled cake, and cut up fruit underneath. thus it approximated the trifle of the cook books. it had just one drawback--you could not eat it slowly--it went almost to nothing at the agitation of the spoon. far otherwise boiled custard--which was much higher in favor, being easier made, and quite as showy. for it you beat very light the yolks of twelve eggs with four cups white sugar, added them to a gallon of milk, and a quart of cream, in a brass kettle over the fire, stirred the mixture steadily, watching it close to remove it just as it was on the point of boiling, let it cool, then flavored it well, with either whiskey, brandy, or sweet wine. meantime the egg-whites beaten with a little salt until they stuck to the dish, had been cooked by pouring quickly over them full-boiling water from a tea kettle. they hardly lost a bubble in the process--the water well drained away, the whites were ready to go on top of the custard in either bowls or goblets, and get themselves ornamented with crimson jelly, or flecks of cherry preserves. like syllabub, boiled custard necessitated spoons--hence the borrowing of small silver was in most cases imperative. plutocrats had not then been invented--but tradition tells of one high gentleman, who was self-sufficient. the fact stood him in good stead later--when he was darkly accused, she who had baked cakes for all his merry-makings said stoutly: "the colonel do sech as that! lord in heaven! why, don't you know, in all the years i've knowed him, _he never had to borrow a single silver spoon_--and i've seen five hundred folks there for supper. i wouldn't believe them tales ef angel gabriel come down and told 'em to me." is anybody left, i wonder, who can cut oranges into lilies? thus cut they surely looked pretty. the peel was divided evenly in six, the sections loosened, but not pulled free at the base. instead the ends were curved backward after the manner of lily petals. the fruit, separated into eighths, hardly showed the divisions. these lilies sat flat upon the cloth, either in lines, as about square stacks, or around bigger things, or straight up and down the table center. they were not always in season--at their best around christmas, but available until the end of winter. cheesecakes, baked in patty pans frosted with cocoanut frosting, also helped out the wedding richness. indeed, guests gathered to eat the fat and the sweet, no less to drink it. now, in a wider outlook, i wonder a little if there was significance in the fact that these wedding tables were so void of color--showing only green and white, with the tiniest sparks of red? party suppers had no such limitations--often the table was gay with autumn leaves, the center piece a riot of small ragged red chrysanthemums, or raggeder pink or yellow ones, with candles glaring from gorgeous pumpkin jack-o'-lanterns down the middle, or from the walls either side. there were frosted cakes--loaves trimmed gaily with red and white candies, or maybe the frosting itself was tinted. in place of syllabub or boiled custard, there were bowls of ambrosia--oranges in sections, freed of skin and seed, and smothered in grated fresh cocoanut and sugar. often the bowl-tops were ornamented with leaves cut deftly from the skin of deep red apples, and alternating, other leaves shaped from orange peel. christmas party suppers had touches of holly and cedar, but there was no attempt to match the elaborate wedding tables. hog's foot jelly, red with the reddest wine, came in handily for them--since almost every plantation had a special small hog-killing, after the middle of december, so there might be fresh backbones, spare ribs, sausage and souse to help make christmas cheer. ham, spiced and sliced wafer thin, was staple for such suppers--chicken and turkey appeared oftenest as salad, hot coffee, hot breads in variety, crisp celery, and plenteous pickle, came before the sweets. punch, not very heady, hardly more than a fortified pink lemonade, came with the sweets many times. grandfather's punch was held sacred to very late suppers, hot and hearty, set for gentlemen who had played whist or euchre until cock-crow. these are but indications. fare varied even as did households and occasions. but everywhere there was kinship of the underlying spirit--which was the concrete expression of hospitality in good cheer. there was little luxury--rather we lived amid a spare abundance, eating up what had no market--i recall clearly times when you could hardly give away fresh eggs, or frying-size chickens, other times when eggs fetched five cents for two dozen--provided the seller would "take it in trade." chickens then, broiling size, were forty to fifty cents the dozen--with often an extra one thrown in for good measure. for then chicken cholera had not been invented--at least not down in the tennessee blue grass country. neither had hog cholera--nor railroads. all three fell upon us a very little before the era of the civil war. steamboats ran almost half the year, but the flat boat traffic had been taken away by the peopling prairies, which could raise so much more corn, derivatively so many more hogs, to the man's work. money came through wheat and tobacco--not lavishly, yet enough for our needs. all this is set forth in hope of explaining in some measure, the cookery i have tried to write down faithfully--with so much of everything in hand, stinting would have been sinful. there was barbecue, and again there were barbecues. the viand is said to get its name from the french phrase _a barbe d' ecu_, from tail to head, signifying that the carcass was cooked whole. the derivation may be an early example of making the punishment fit the crime. as to that i do not know. what i do know is that lambs, pigs, and kids, when barbecued, are split in half along the backbone. the animals, butchered at sundown, and cooled of animal heat, after washing down well, are laid upon clean, split sticks of green wood over a trench two feet deep, and a little wider, and as long as need be, in which green wood has previously been burned to coals. there the meat stays twelve hours--from midnight to noon next day, usually. it is basted steadily with salt water, applied with a clean mop, and turned over once only. live coals are added as needed from the log fire kept burning a little way off. all this sounds simple, dead-easy. try it--it is really an art. the plantation barbecuer was a person of consequence--moreover, few plantations could show a master of the art. such an one could give himself lordly airs--the loan of him was an act of special friendship--profitable always to the personage lent. then as now there were free barbecuers, mostly white--but somehow their handiwork lacked a little of perfection. for one thing, they never found out the exact secret of "dipney," the sauce that savored the meat when it was crisply tender, brown all over, but free from the least scorching. daddy made it thus: two pounds sweet lard, melted in a brass kettle, with one pound beaten, not ground, black pepper, a pint of small fiery red peppers, nubbed and stewed soft in water to barely cover, a spoonful of herbs in powder--he would never tell what they were,--and a quart and pint of the strongest apple vinegar, with a little salt. these were simmered together for half an hour, as the barbecue was getting done. then a fresh, clean mop was dabbed lightly in the mixture, and as lightly smeared over the upper sides of the carcasses. not a drop was permitted to fall on the coals--it would have sent up smoke, and films of light ashes. then, tables being set, the meat was laid, hissing hot, within clean, tight wooden trays, deeply gashed upon the side that had been next the fire, and deluged with the sauce, which the mop-man smeared fully over it. hot! after eating it one wanted to lie down at the spring-side and let the water of it flow down the mouth. but of a flavor, a savor, a tastiness, nothing else earthly approaches. not food for the gods, perhaps, but certainly meat for _men_. women loved it no less--witness the way they begged for a quarter of lamb or shoat or kid to take home. the proper accompaniments to barbecue are sliced cucumbers in strong vinegar, sliced tomatoes, a great plenty of salt-rising light bread--and a greater plenty of cool ripe watermelons, by way of dessert. so much for barbecue edible. barbecue, the occasion, has yet to be set forth. its first cause was commonly political--the old south loved oratory even better than the new. newspapers were none so plenty--withal of scant circulation. besides, reading them was work--also tedious and tasteless. so the great and the would-be great, rode up and down, and roundabout, mixing with the sovereigns, and enlightening the world. each party felt honor bound to gather the sovereigns so they might listen in comfort. besides--they wanted amusement--a real big barbecue was a sort of social exchange, drawing together half of three counties, and letting you hear and tell, things new, strange, and startling. furthermore, it was no trouble to get carcasses--fifty to a hundred was not uncommon. men, women, children, everybody, indeed, came. the women brought bread and tablecloths, and commonly much beside. there was a speaker's stand, flag draped--my infant eyes first saw the stars and stripes floating above portraits--alleged--of filmore and buchanan, in the campaign of ' . that meant the barbecue was a joint affair--whigs and democrats getting it up, and both eagerly ready to whoop it up for their own speakers. naturally in that latitude, fremont was not even named. no court costume with a tail three yards long, could to-day make me feel one-half so fine as the white jaconet, and green sash then sported. it was said there were a thousand at the barbecue. the cheering, at its loudest, was heard two miles away. to me it seemed as though all the folk in the world had gathered in that shady grove--i remember wondering if there could possibly be so many watermelons, some would be left for the children. four big wagon loads lay bobbing in the coolth of the spring branch. it was a very cold spring with mint growing beside it, as is common with springs thereabout. early settlers planted it thus hard by the water--they built their houses high, and water got warm in carrying it up hill. lacking ice houses, to have cool juleps, they had to be mixed right at the well-head. sugar, spoons, goblets, and the jug, were easily carried down there. juleps were not mixed openly that day--but the speakers had pitchers full of something that seemed to refresh their eloquence, no less than themselves. they hammered each other lustily, cheered to the echo by uproarious partisans, from nine in the morning until six in the afternoon. luckily for them, there were four of them, thus they could "spell" each other--and the audience. i did not mind them--not in the least. how should i--when right in front of me sat a lady with the most gorgeous flowers upon her white chip bonnet, and one beside me, who insisted upon my wearing, until time to go home, her watch and chain? the watermelons held out--we took two big ones home to mother, also a lot of splendid indian peaches, and a fore-quarter of lamb. mother rarely went out, being an invalid--so folk vied with each other in sending her things. i mention it, only by way of showing there were things to be sent, even after feeding the multitude. the black people went away full fed, and full handed--nobody who carried a basket had much relish for taking home again any part of its contents. our countryside's cooking came to its full flower for the bran-dances--which came into being, i think, because the pioneers liked to shake limber heels, but had not floors big enough for the shaking. so in green shade, at some springside they built an arbor of green boughs, leveled the earth underneath, pounded it hard and smooth, then covered it an inch deep with clean wheat bran, put up seats roundabout it, also a fiddlers' stand, got the fiddlers, printed invitations which went far and wide to women young and old, saw to a sufficiency of barbecue, depended on the lord and the ladies for other things--and prepared to dance, dance from nine in the morning until two next morning. men were not specifically invited--anybody in good standing with a clean shirt, dancing shoes, a good horse and a pedigree, was heartily welcome. the solid men, whose names appeared as managers, paid scot for everything--they left the actual arrangements to the lads. but they came in shoals to the bran-dances, and were audacious enough often to take away from some youth fathoms deep in love, his favorite partner. sometimes, too, a lot of them pre-empted all the prettiest girls, and danced a special set with them. thus were they delivered into the hands of the oppressed--the lads made treaty with the fiddlers and prompter to play fast and furious--to call figures that kept the oldsters wheeling and whirling. it was an endurance contest--but victory did not always perch with the youths. plenty of pursy gentlemen were still light enough on their feet, clear enough in their wind, to dance through money musk double, chicken in the bread tray, and the arkansaw traveller, no matter what the time. all dances were square--quadrilles and cotillions. the basket cotillion was indeed, looked upon as rather daring. you see, at the last, the ring of men linked by hand-hold outside a ring of their partners, lifted locked arms over their partners' heads, and thus interwoven, the circle balanced before breaking up. other times, other dances--ours is now the day of the trot and the tango. but they lack the life, the verve of the old dances, the old tunes. to this day when i hear them, my feet patter in spite of me. you could not dance to them steadily, with soft airs blowing all about, leaves flittering in sunshine, and water rippling near, without getting an appetite commensurate to the feasts in wait for you. one basket from a plantation sufficed for bran-dances ending at sundown--those running on past midnight demanded two. it would never do to offer snippets and fragments for supper. barbecue, if there were barbecue--was merely a concomitant of the feeding, not the whole thing. part of it was left untouched to help out with supper. so were part of the melons, and much of the fruit. apples, pears and peaches were plenty in good years--the near plantations sent them by wagon loads--as they also sent ice cream by freezerfuls, and boilers to make coffee. these were dispensed more than generously--but nobody would have helped himself to them uninvited, any more readily than he would have helped himself to money in the pocket. all that was in the baskets was spread on the general tables, but no man thought of eating thereof, until all women and children had been served. old men came next--the women generally forcing upon them the best of everything. such a best! broiled chicken, fried chicken, in quantity, whole hams simply entreating to be sliced, barbecue, pickle in great variety, drained and sliced for eating, beaten biscuit, soda biscuit, egg bread, salt-rising bread, or rolls raised with hop-yeast--only a few attempted them--every manner of pie, tart, and tartlet that did not drip and mess things, all the cakes in the calendar of good housewifery--with, now and then, new ones specially invented. even more than a wedding, a bran-dance showed and proved your quality as a cake-maker. cakes were looked at in broad daylight, eaten not with cloyed finicky appetites, but with true zest. woe and double woe to you if a loaf of pride showed at cutting a "sad" streak, not quite done. joy untold if you were a raw young housekeeper, to have your cake acclaimed by eaters and critics. mammy, and other mammies, moved proudly about, each a sort of oracle to the friends of her household. they kept sharp eyes on things returnable--plates, platters, knives, spoons, and tablecloths--in any doubtful case, arising from the fact of similarity in pattern, they were the court of last resort. spoons and so on are unmistakable--but one sprigged saucer is very like other saucers sprigged the same. it was the mammies rather than the masters and mistresses, who ordered carriage drivers and horse boys imperiously about. but nobody minded the imperiousness--it was no day for quarrelling or unwisdom. and it would surely have been unwise to fret those who were the keepers of the baskets, at the very last. after dinner one went to the dressing-room, a wide roofless space enclosed with green boughs massed on end, and furnished plentifully with water in buckets, towels, basins, pin cushions, combs and brushes, face powder, even needles and thread. thence one emerged after half an hour quite fresh--to dance on and on, till the fiddlers played a fast finale, and went to their supper. then came an interval of talk and laughing, of making new friends or stabbing delicately old enemies. also and further much primping in the dressing-room. dancing steadily through a temperature of in the shade plays hob with some sorts of prettiness. but as dew fell and lighted lanterns went up about the arbor and throughout the grove, supper was very welcome. there was hot coffee for everybody, likewise milk, likewise lemonade, with buttered biscuit, chicken, ham, and barbecue. chicken-loaf was particularly good for such uses. to make it, several plump, tender, full-grown pullets were simmered in water to barely cover them, with a few pepper corns, half a dozen cloves, and a blade of mace, until very, very tender. then the meat was picked from the bones, cut up while still hot, packed down in something deep, seasoning it to taste with salt, as it was packed, and dusting in more pepper if needed, then the liquor which had been kept at a brisk boil was poured over, and left to cool. no bother about skimming off fat--we liked our loaf rich as well as high-flavored. it came out a fine mottled solid that could be sliced thin, and eaten delicately between the halves of a buttered biscuit. sandwiches were known--but only in books. which was well--they would have dried out so badly, for this was before the era of wax paper. since everything was packed in the baskets whole, there was much work for mothers and mammies at the unpacking and table-setting. tarts, especially if filled with cheesecake or jelly custard, held high place among the sweets. especially with the men, young and old. one, a manager, who had been here, there, everywhere, since eight o'clock in the morning, asked mammy at suppertime to: "please save him one more dozen of them little pies." in truth the little pies made no more than a mouthful for noble appetites. pies, full-grown, did not go begging--and were seldom cut in less than quarters. frosted cake--which the lads denominated "white-washed," was commonly saved over for the supper baskets. it kept moist, whereas without the frosting a long summer day might make it hard. after the supper elderly men drove home--unless they had daughters among the dancers without other chaperons. generally, some aunt or cousin stood ready with such good offices. the chaperons themselves danced now and then--youths specially anxious for favor with their charges, all but forced them upon the floor. set it to their credit, they footed it almost as lightly as the youngest. occasionally you might see, mother and daughter, even a granddaughter of tender years, wheeling and balancing in the same set. and so the fiddles played, the stars shone, the waters babbled, until the lanterns flared and sputtered out, and the banjo-picker held up fingers raw and bleeding. then with a last final swing and flourish, everybody scattered for homeward ways, glad of the day's pleasure--and tired enough to be glad also it was ended. the most special of occasions was a dining. not upon any high day or holiday, such as christmas, new year, jackson's day--the eighth of january--easter nor whit-monday, but as mammy said: "a dinin' des, dry so." commonly pride of housewifery incited to it--therefore it must be a triumph. the hour was two o'clock, but guests came around eleven or twelve--and spent the day. they sat down to tables that well might have groaned, even howled, such was the weight they carried. twelve was a favorite guest-number--few tables could be stretched to hold more than twelve plates. there were but two courses--dinner and dessert--unless in very cold weather, some person who would nowadays be said to be fond of putting on frills, set before her guests, plates of steaming soup. it had to smell very good, else it was no more than tasted--folk did not care to dull the edge of appetite needlessly, with so much before them. for the table was fully set--a stuffed ham at one end, a chicken or partridge pie at the other, side dishes of smothered rabbit, or broiled chicken, at least four kinds of sweet pickle, as many of jelly and sour pickle, a castor full of catsups, tomato and walnut, plain vinegar, pepper vinegar, red and black pepper, and made mustard, all the vegetables in season--i have seen corn pudding, candied sweet potatoes, irish potatoes, mashed and baked, black-eyed peas, baked peaches, apples baked in sugar and cloves, cabbage boiled with bacon, okra, stewed tomatoes, sliced raw tomatoes, cucumbers cut up with young onions, beets boiled and buttered, and string beans, otherwise snaps, all at one spread. only epicures dressed their lettuce at table. one cranky old family friend had it served to him in a water bucket, set beside him on the floor. he shook it free of water, cut it, without bruising, to wide ribbons, covered them thickly with hard-boiled egg-yolk mashed fine, then poured upon it clear ham gravy, and strong vinegar, added salt and pepper, black and red--then ate his fill. but, of course, he did not do that at dinings. for then, if lettuce appeared, it was cut up, dressed with vinegar, salt, sugar, and pepper, but guiltless of oil, garnished with rings of hard-boiled egg--and very generally, and justly, neglected. still the hostess had the satisfaction of feeling she had offered it--that she had indeed offered more than could have been reasonably expected. there was water to drink, also cider in season, also milk, sweet and sour, and the very best of the homemade wine. decanters of it sat up and down the table--you could fill up and come again at pleasure. the one drawback was--it was hard to eat properly, when you were so interrupted by helpings to something else. if there was a fault in our old-time cooking, it was its lack of selection. i think those who gave dinings felt uneasy if there was unoccupied room for one more dish. dessert was likewise an embarrassment of riches. cakes in variety, two sorts of pie, with ice cream or sherbet, or fresh fruit, did not seem too much to those dear ladies bountiful. there was no after-dinner coffee. in cold weather coffee in big cups, with cream and sugar, often went with the main dinner. hot apple toddies preceded it at such times. in hot weather the precursor was mint julep, ice cold. yet we were not a company of dyspeptics nor drunkards--by the free and full use of earth's abounding mercies we learned not to abuse them. _birthday barbecue_: (dorothy dix.) as refined gold can be gilded, barbecue, common, or garden variety, can take on extra touches. as thus: kill and dress quickly a fine yearling wether, in prime condition but not over-fat, sluice out with cool water, wipe dry inside and out with a soft, damp cloth, then while still hot, fill the carcass cram-full of fresh mint, the tenderer and more lush the better, close it, wrap tight in a clean cloth wrung very dry from cold salt water, then pop all into a clean, bright tin lard stand, with a tight-fitting top, put on top securely, and sink the stand head over ears in cold water--a spring if possible. do this around dusk and leave in water until very early morning. build fire in trench of hard wood logs before two o'clock. let it burn to coals--have a log fire some little way off to supply fresh coals at need. lay a breadth of galvanized chicken-wire--large mesh--over the trench. take out carcass--split it half down back bone, lay it flesh side down, on the wire grid, taking care coals are so evenly spread there is no scorching. after an hour begin basting with "the sop." it is made thus. best butter melted, one pound, black pepper ground, quarter pound, red pepper pods, freed of stalk and cut fine to almost a paste, half a pint, strong vinegar, scant pint, brandy, peach if possible though apple or grape will answer, half a pint. cook all together over very slow heat or in boiling water, for fifteen minutes. the sop must not scorch, but the seasoning must be cooked through it. apply with a big soft swab made of clean old linen, but not old enough to fray and string. baste meat constantly. put over around four in the morning, the barbecue should be done, and well done, by a little after noon. there should be enough sop left to serve as gravy on portions after it is helped. the meat, turned once, has a fine crisped surface, and is flavored all through with the mint, and seasoning. [illustration: _soap and candles_] dip-candles i never saw in common use--but mammy showed me how they were made back at ole marster's, in the days when candle-molds were not to be had. dipped or molded, the candles were of varying substance. tallow was the main reliance--mutton tallow as well as that from our beeves. it was tried out fresh, and hardened with alum in the process. the alum was dissolved in a little water, and put with the raw fat as it went over the fire. by and by the water all cooked away, leaving the alum well incorporated through the clear fat. lacking it, a little clear lye went in--mammy thought and said, the lye ate up the oil in the tallow, making it firmer and whiter. but lye and alum could not go in at the same time, since being alkaline and acid, they would destroy each other. great pains were taken not to scorch the tallow--that meant smelly and ill-colored candles. after straining it clear of cracklings, it was caked in something deep, then turned out and laid on the highest shelf in the lumber house to await molding time. cakes of beeswax were kept in the jackson press, so children, white and black, could not take bites for chewing. it ranked next to native sweet gum for such uses--but mammy felt it had much better be saved to mix with the tallow at melting time. it made the candles much firmer, also bettered their light, and moreover changed the tallow hue to an agreeable very pale yellow. bee hives, like much else, were to a degree primitive--the wax came from comb crushed in the straining of honey. it was boiled in water to take away the remnant sweetness, then allowed to cool on top the water, taken off, and remelted over clean water, so manipulated as to free it from foreign substances, then molded into cakes. one cake was always set apart for the neighborhood cobbler, who melted it with tallow and rosin to make shoemaker's wax. another moiety was turned into grafting wax--by help of it one orchard tree bore twelve manners of fruit. and still another, a small, pretty cake from a scalloped patty pan, found place in the family work basket--in sewing by hand with flax thread, unless you waxed it, it lost strength, and quickly pulled to pieces. we bought our flax thread in skeins, but mammy loved to tell of spinning it back in the days when she was young, and the best spinner on the old plantation. she still spun shoe-thread for her friend the cobbler, who, however, furnished her the raw flax, which he had grown, rotted and hechtelled, in his bit of bottom land. there were still spinning and weaving in plenty at our house--mother had made, yearly, jeans, linsey, carpets and so on--but the plantation was not wholly clothed with homespun, as had been the case in her father's house. return we to our candle-making. it was work for the very coldest weather--even though we had two sets of molds, needs must the candles harden quickly if the making was to speed well. molds could be filled at the kitchen hearth, then set outside to cool. for dipping the tallow-pot had to be set over an outside fire, and neighbored by a ladder, laid flat on trestles with smooth boards laid underneath. mammy spun the candle wicks--from long-staple cotton, drawing it out thick, and twisting it barely enough to hold together. it must not be too coarse, as it had to be doubled over reeds at top, either for molding or dipping. the molds were of candle-shape, joined in batteries of six or twelve, with a pert handle at one side, and tiny holes at the tips, through which the wick-ends were thrust, by help of a long broom-straw. well in place they were drawn taut, the reeds so placed as to hold the wicks centrally, then tallow melted with beeswax, in due proportion, was poured around till the molds were brim full--after which they were plunged instantly into a tub of cold water standing outside. this to prevent oozings from the tip--hot grease is the most insidious of all substances. only in zero weather would the first oozings harden enough to plug the orifice quickly. when the candles had hardened properly, the mold was either held over the fire, or thrust in hot water half a minute, then the candles withdrawn by help of the reeds. they were cooled a bit, to save the softened outside, then nubbed of surplus wick, and laid in a dish outside. careless or witless molders, by laying candles still soft upon the pile, often made themselves double work. tallow for dipping, was kept barely fluid, by setting it over embers a little way off the fire. the pot had to be deep, so the wicks could be sunk in it to full length. they were thus sunk by stickfuls, lifted up quickly, and hung between the ladder rungs to drip. half the tallow on them dripped away--indeed, after the first dipping they looked little more than clotted ghosts of themselves in their last estate. in very cold weather three drippings sufficed--otherwise there must be four or five. since the dip was the result of cooled accretions, it was always top-heavy--much bigger at the nose than the base. a quick and skilled worker, though, could dip a hundred candles in the time required to mold two dozen. they burned out so quickly that was a crowning mercy--half a dozen was the average of a long winter evening. further they ran down, in great masses--hence the importance of saving up drippings. even molded candles made them plentiful enough to be worth re-molding. this unless discolored with the brass of candlesticks--in that case their last end was soap grease. rush lights were dips--this i state on information and belief, since i never saw one. also on information and belief, it is here set forth, that folk in the back countries where wicking was not easily had, used instead of wicks, splinters of fat pine, known as light wood. in proof, take candle wood mountain, whose name is said to have come from furnishing such fat pine, and of a special excellence. the pine splinters must, i think, have given a better light than real wicks--my father, in tennessee, never ceased sighing for the lightwood, which had made such cheery illumination back in his boyhood, in a carolina home. every sort of waste fat became at the last, soap grease. bones even were thrown into kettles of lye, which ate out all their richness, leaving them crumbly, and fit for burying about the grapevines. hence the appositeness of the darkey saying, to express special contempt of a suitor: "my lawd! i wouldn't hab dat nigger, not eben for soap grease." which has always seemed to me, in a way, a classic of condemnation. soap making came twice a year--the main event in march, to get free of things left over from hog killing, the supplement in september or october, to use up summer savings. each was preceded by dripping lye. this necessitated wood ashes, of course--ashes from green wood. oak or hickory was best. they were kept dry until they went into hoppers, where they were rotted by gentle wetting for a space of several days. then water was dripped through, coming out a dark brown caustic liquid, clean-smelling, but ill to handle--it would eat a finger-tip carelessly thrust in it to the raw. but even thus it was not strong enough for proper soapmaking, so it was boiled, boiled, until it would eat a feather, merely drawn quickly through it. grease was added then, a little at a time, and stirred well through, changing the black-brown lye into a light-brown, bubbly mass. whatever the lye would not eat of the grease's components, was skimmed out with the big perforated ladle. even beyond candle-molding, soap-making was an art. mammy never would touch it, until "the right time of the moon." also and further, she used a sassafras stick for stirring, put it in the first time with her right hand, and always stirred the kettle the same way. if a left-handed person came near the kettle she was mightily vexed--being sure her soap would go wrong. she kept on the fire beside it a smaller kettle of clear lye, to be added at need, without checking the boiling. boiling down lye took one day, boiling in grease another. the third morning, after the fire was well alight, she tested the soap, by making a bit into lather. if the lather were clean and clear, without a film of grease on top, she knew it remained only to cook the soap down thick enough for the barrel, or to make into balls by the addition of salt. but if the film appeared--then indeed there was trouble. first aid to it was more lye, of feather-eating strength--next a fresh sassafras stirring stick, last and most important, walking backwards as she put the stick in the kettle, though she would never admit she did this on purpose. like the most of her race she was invincibly shy about acknowledging her beliefs in charms and conjuring. soap which failed to thicken properly lacked grease. to put in enough, yet not too much, was a matter of nice judgment. tallow did not mix well with hog fat. therefore it had commonly its smaller special pot, whose results were molded for hand-soap, being hard and rather light-colored. since our washerwomen much preferred soft soap, most of the spring making went straight into the barrel. the barrel had to be very tight--soap has nearly as great a faculty of creeping through seams as even hot lard. one kettleful, however, would have salt stirred through it, then be allowed to cool, and be cut out in long bars, which were laid high and dry to age. old soap was much better for washing fine prints, lawns, ginghams and so on--in fact whatever needed cleansing without fading. sundry other fine soap makers emptied their salted soap, just as it was on the point of hardening, into shallow pans, cloth-lined, and shaped it with bare hands into balls the size of two fists. this they did with the whole batch, holding hard soap so much easier kept, and saying it was no trouble whatever to soften a ball in a little hot water upon wash days. but mammy would have none of such practices--said give her good soft soap and sand rock, she could scour anything. sand rock was a variety of limestone, which burning made crumbly, but did not turn to lime. mammy picked it up wherever she found it, beat it fine and used it on everything--shelves, floors, hollow-ware, milk pans, piggins, cedar water buckets--it made their brass hoops shine like gold. while she scoured she told us tales of the pewter era--when she had gone, a barefoot child, with her mother, to the rush branch, to come home with a sheaf of rushes, whereby the pewter was made to shine. it hurts even yet, recalling the last end of that pewter. as glass and crockery grew plenty, the boys--my uncles, there were five of them--melted it down for rifle bullets, when by chance they ran out of lead. yet--who am i, to reproach them--did not i myself, melt down for a purpose less legitimate a fine brittania ware teapot, whose only fault was a tiny leak? now i should prize it beyond silver and gold. harking back to candle-making--we had no candle-berries in our wilds, and only a few wax-berries as ornaments of our gardens. but from what i know by observation and experience, the candle-berries or bayberries, can be melted in hot water, the same as honey-comb, and the wax strained away from the seedy residue, then allowed to cool, on top the water, and clarified by a further melting and cooling over water. mixed with paraffine it can be molded into real bayberry candles, ever so much more odorous than those of commerce. it is well to remember in buying paraffine that there are three qualities of it, differing mainly in the degree of heat at which they melt. choose that which is hardest to melt for candle-making. one might indeed, experiment with bayberry wax, and the drippings of plain paraffine candles, before undertaking candle-making to any considerable extent. a last word. if any incline to challenge things here set forth, will they please remember that as one star differs from another in glory, so does one family, one region, differ from all others in its manners of eating, drinking, and cooking. i have written true things, but make no claim that they apply all over. indeed there may be those to whom they will seem a transversing of wisdom and experience. to all such i say, try them intelligently, with pains and patience, and of the results, hold fast to that you find good. [illustration] index bacon hogs to choose, chilling, cutting up, salting, curing, smoke, smoke houses, smoke hogshead, time of smoking, keeping, lard rendering, sausage, souse, hog's foot oil and jelly, brains, pickled, souse, pickled, hog's feet fried, backbone, stew and pie, keeping sausage, breads flour and meal, mixing, beaten biscuit, soda biscuit, salt rising bread, sweet potato biscuit, waffles, corn bread, plain, egg bread, batter cakes, ash cake, mush bread, cracklin' bread, pumpkin bread, mush batter cakes, wafers, nut bread, cakes secret of success, mixing, sweetening strong butter, baking, frosting, pound cake, spice cake, marble cake, real gold cake, real silver cake, christmas cake, white layer cake, cream cake, sponge cake, white sponge cake, angel's food, chocolate cake, orange cake, dream cakes, shrewsbury cakes, queen cakes, banbury cakes, oatmeal cookies, tea cakes, soft gingerbread, mammy's ginger cakes, family gingerbread, solid chocolate cake, coffee cake, ginger snaps, kisses, candles, creole cookery milly, court bouillon, court bouillon, spanish, bouillabaisse, shrimps, boiling, baked shrimp, shrimp pie, shrimp salad, fried soft-shell crabs, daube _a la mode_, cold daube _a la creole_, grillades with gravy, chicken saute _a la creole_, quail, roasted, creole french dressing, mayonnaise dressing, remoulade dressing, drinks cherry bounce, grape cider, persimmon beer, egg nogg, white egg nogg, apple toddy, hail storm, mint julep, lemon punch, punch _a la_ ruffle shirt, peach liqueur, strawberry liqueur, blackberry cordial, blackberry wine, strawberry wine, gooseberry wine, grape wine, muscadine wine, fruit vinegars, boiled cider, bruleau, drip coffee, boiled coffee, chocolate, tea, eggs new laid eggs, keeping, varieties, roasted eggs, baked eggs, potato egg puffs, egg dumplings, egg spread, poached eggs, egg fours, stuffed eggs, fried eggs, fruit desserts affinity for liquors, strawberries in mixtures, peach mixtures with brandy, fruit mixtures with sherry syrup, white grape-orange mixture, cherries with bananas, fruit with wine jelly, game preparation, rabbit or squirrel smothered, rabbit or squirrel barbecued, quail, wild duck, possum, roasted, hams boiled ham, fried ham, broiled ham, mutton ham, beef hams, rabbit hams, fresh ham, meats barbecued lamb, roast pork, beefsteak with bacon and onions, boned fresh ham, roast beef, pot roast, leg of mutton in blanket, roast turkey or capon, guinea hen in casserole, chickens in blankets, fried chicken, smothered chicken or ducklings, chicken croquets glorified, chicken-turkey hash, pickles brine, pickle barrel, potential pickles, pickling from brine, water melon pickle, mangoes, walnut pickle, peach sweet pickle, pies philosophy of pie-crust, puff paste, raised crust, french puff paste, everyday crust, cobbler pies, fried pies, green apple pie, lemon custard, cream pie, damson and banana tart, amber pie, jelly pie, cheese cakes, sweet potato custard, sweet potato pie, apple custard, molasses pie, mystery pie, butter scotch pie, raspberry cream pie, rhubarb pie and sauce, banana pie, preserves preserving fruit, ginger pears, tutti frutti, green tomato preserves and citron, brandy or pickled cherries, brandy peaches and pears, dried fruit, peach and apple butter, keeping cider sweet, peach chips, dried cherries, peach leather, tomato figs, jelly-making, quince jelly and marmalade, puddings banana pudding, sweet potato pudding, poor man's pudding, boiled batter pudding, apple pudding, apple dumplings, crumb pudding, blackberry mush, peach pudding, ginger pudding, nesselrode pudding, thanksgiving pudding, christmas pudding, pudding sauce, fig pudding, quince pudding, relishes cold slaw, tomato soy, table mustard, cabbage pickle, cauliflower pickle, pear relish, cherries piquant, gooseberry jam spiced, frozen cranberry sauce, apple sauce gone to heaven, spiced grapes, spiced plums, sweet-sour pears, baked peaches, salads wedding salad, fruit salad, sweet french dressing, banana and celery salad, red white salad, pineapple salad, sandwiches making sandwiches, sardine sandwiches, sundry cheese sandwiches, lettuce and cheese sandwiches, ham and tongue sandwiches, cheese and sherry sandwiches, soups vegetable soup, black turtle, bean soup, gumbo, soap, upon occasions infares, weddings, wedding tables, cut, papers, chandeliers: home-made, wedding cakes, bride's cake, wedding suppers, syllabub, boiled custard, orange lilies, party suppers, ambrosia, barbecues, barbecue, barn dances, birthday barbecue, baskets, chicken, loaf, dinings, vegetables tomato, layer, corn pudding, fried corn, hulled corn, steamed potatoes, candied sweet potatoes, tipsy potatoes, left-over sweet potatoes, potato balls, bananas, baking vegetables, cauliflower, _au gratin_, boiling with bacon, pot liquor, * * * * * transcriber's notes: obvious punctuation errors were corrected. page , "evenning" changed to "evening" (by way of evening things) page , "egg yolks" changed to "egg-yolks" (up four egg-yolks) page , "hardboiled" changed to "hard-boiled" (sliced hard-boiled eggs) page , "egg yolks" changed to "egg-yolks" (other, seven egg-yolks) page , repeated word "called" removed from text. original read (be called called first ) page , "seive" changed to "sieve" (through coarse sieve) page , "twenty four" changed to "twenty-four" (in twenty-four hours more) page , "famly" changed to "family" (his family gave the) page , "heartcakes" changed to "heart-cakes" (demanded four heart-cakes) pge , "red-white" changed to "red and white" (red and white salad, ) page , "bran" changed to "barn" (barn dances, ) the text uses variant hyphenation and spelling. where a majority could not be ascertained, as in egg-yolks, the variations were retained. cheesecake cheese cake corn-bread corn bread allspice alspice soapmaking soap-making